See Talk20060409 for a list of participants in the Deus rite.
Party has a couple of days of downtime; they hear the news on the 22nd about a mass suicide on all colonized worlds – even reports from space settlements like Arcadia – and some theories that they are not really suicides, because some claim to have seen a terrifying demon cleave victims in twain, and disappear with a roar.
Preparation for the rite
Most of the prep work has been done by people more "in the loop" such as Alfadir, who wields the Crown. Huntington, however, stands nearby to monitor it.
There is a twisted archway with leafy designs by the Heart Tree now – wasn’t there before. It is the Deus Ex Machina.
It is explained to the Saturday group what will happen, and they are consulted about whether there are any clear deficiencies in the plan.
Huntington claims he still believes the Crown is not safe, though he has no solid proof.
The Occultem Lapidem
Sulphur and Salt hibernate within the Crown, unable to be noticed. But once the rite starts, the amount of mystic energy being channeled awakens them (as per their design), and they make their play. Once they have their bearings, they lunge from Alfadir’s head to the onyx stone that Cain is in the process of consuming. Huntington, reacts quickly, throws a small spherical wall of force around the jets of light. However, he was not anticipating two of them. The gem he brought with him to contain them permanently is insufficient. He then sees that Cain has already eaten the soul stone (Cain then bursts into ghostly flame – burning with the power of the Sun). Aghast, he quickly ports the stone from inside Cain’s body to his hand. Unfortunately, the Oversoul has already dispersed. But Huntington realizes he can still use the stone to house the two miscreants, drops the wall of force, and unleashes his prepared magic jar to grab them into the soul stone.
Coyote shows up, grabs Huntington, who looks shocked, and they both disappear in a zigzag of distortion.
If Brice is keeping tabs on what is going on outside (which he can, but imperfectly – there is a ton of interference and it’s hard to decipher normal data streams), the fighting has gotten pretty intense. Mordred has shown up.
The rite itself
Rae is then informed of a place deep within the Earth where she must go. The Caretaker tells her this directly, and sends an image of the place to her mind. Only she can enter, she is told.
Alfadir commands Luna to appear. She looks like a five year old girl with green hair and tattered clothes. She is in tears.
The entire contents of the bubble phase into the astral plane. Only the actors remain – all scenery including the Heart Tree disappears. The Caretaker’s presence here is palpable.
Alfadir commands Luna to stop crying, and her face goes blank. Like a zombie, she approaches Cain, floating at eye level with her, embraces her. Alfadir concentrates and their bodies merge.
The scenery returns, and Lilith remains. Appears nine years old – long black hair, black eyes/lips/eyebrows, perfectly white skin, pointed ears, burgeoning horns, visible glowing orange third eye, garbed in a shimmering cloth of moonbeams.
Then the Void echoes begin. Alfadir releases a huge amount of charged Healing, Transmutation, Enhancement and Kinetics magic into Lilith, to infuse her with energy, and she awakens in a gasp. He and Lilith beginning channeling overwhelming amounts of power into the twisted archway.
Alfadir tells everyone else: "There’s nothing further you can do – get out of here. Get out of this system."
Hopefully, party flees to Lupus.
Rae’s task
Just before the rite, the Caretaker tells Rae that there is an ancient chamber deep within the earth (deeper even than Valhalla) where Rae must go. "Rekari Der’Ken. There is a special task for you."
This chamber is sealed such that no one but dragons can access it. Inside are ancient diagrams, runes and draconic writings detailing the construction of a massive world, twice the radius of Earth. Illustrations show dragons and dragon-like creatures (kobolds, fairie dragons, pseudodragons, etc.) working together in a massive psionic link, sacrificing themselves to create the mobile planet.
There are a series of gems detailing the procedure, with draconic writings etched within somehow. One gem describes the coming darkness, and the need for the dragons to evacuate. "We, the first children, must sacrifice ourselves to save the Earth Mother." Another describes the successful completion of the world ("He shall be called Glaurung," draconic for "first" or "greatest"), and the few remaining dragons leaving Earth upon Dragonstar.
Perhaps there is a similar door on Dragonstar, and a prophecy attached: "Heed ye the words of she who opens the door which cannot be opened."