Dicing with Death: Episode 216

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==Synopsis==
Divan seeks to deal with Hysic who covets Divan's wife, so looks into the laws to see what he is allowed to do. The judge Ulra counsels Divan to take a measured response since Hysic is important for trade with Heartholm. Divan covers up the cockatrice pit and expands the basement as a portal room. Divan creates a temporary portal to the Plane of Shadows where he meets someone who looks just like him but with injuries that Divan doesn't have. The shadow of Divan says he is here because of Atropos. An injury Divan causes to the shadow also occurs to Divan. Divan's apprentices are unable to see Shadow Divan.
Divan then visits the cursed ghost village with Cassandra and finds a pit of bones under the town, and at night sees the ghosts reinact their murders, with one of the ghosts seeing Atropos just before her death. After they leave the village, Cassandra has no memory of the village. Divan takes a bone from the bone pit to Kronos, but Kronos detects no grudge or desire for vengeance upon the bone.
==Level Up==
Divan levels up from 7 Warrior/9 Wizard to 7 Warrior/11 Wizard.
 
 +2 Max HP (46.5 max HP)
 +9 Max MP (to 84 max MP)
 New Spells: , 
==Recap==
===Legal Research===
In Nekkraut, Divan looks for legal means of removing Hysic from coveting his wife, . In the evening after his confrontation with Hysic, Divan goes to his library to look up local traditions or legal precedent someone converting a wife. Divan finds tale of someone going after an elder's wife, and that man being beaten to death. There is no formally set legal code for the area.
Divan looks for tales for entering another man's home while bearing a weapon. The stories seem to indicate a laissez faire attitude towards weapons being brought into one-another's homes, due to the dangerous times. But there are some stories of people coming back from a hunt with a weapon but then slaying the person inside the house, especially Psynes. Mostly people entering your home with a weapon is allowed, but typically they are people who you know and trust. Hysic however is an outsider so this doesn't apply to him.
:Note: Divan's Book of Laws from Episode 208 are not brought up.
===Judge Ulra===
The next morning Divan meets with one of the three town judges, , a former weaver. Ulra has moved her residence up upon a hill to the west of town. There is a small line of 3 people to see Ulra. Divan uses his magical crown, the Sorona, to ESP into the residence and finds that Ulra and isn't busy but is meditating. Divan knocks on the door and a servant opens the door. The servant lets Divan in, but not the others.
Ulra and Divan respectfully greet one another. Ulra says she is pleased with Divan's return to Nekkrat. Divan and Ulra sit, as Divan talks about his problem with Hysic. Hysic entered his home with men and spears, and made advances upon his wife. Ulra agrees that Divan would have been within his rights to slay Hysic and his solders when they were in Divan's home. Ulra says that Hysic has brought wealth, good, trade to Nekkraut, and is an asset. Ulra wishes there to be a peaceful resolution, such as Hysic to be exiled while allowing his underlings to continue the trade. He is important to trade with Hearthome, despite not being a noble nor divine in birth. 
Divan says that exile isn't warranted yet, but if Hysic continues, be may get himself killed.
Before Divan leaves, he is gifted fabrics, carpets and such, all things made foreign. Divan has to refuse since they are goods that Hysic imported. Divan inspects the goods however so he could fabricate them in the future.
===Tower Expansion===
Divan heads into town, heading into the Livestock Agora, where he reminisces of his previous life as a shepherd. Divan then heads back to the wizard tower.
Divan sees the cockatrice pit next to the tower and plans to uses a few castings of to create a mud brick dome over the pit, with an entrance from it to the tower.
Divan then goes to expand the basement of his wizard tower. Under the tower are tunnels created by . Divan decides to have the new basement room for his portal to the Shadow Plane. 
The next day Divan forms a stone archway with for the portal.
Divan spends some days in town, getting back into a routine as his mana recharges. Each day begins with Divan meditating with each of his different elemental soul-gems. He uses the Sorona to ESP with the elemental trapped inside the gem during the meditation. After these days Divan has gained some mana.
Divan also researches a scroll of . He will use silver for the paper and wants to engrave a page, but there is a need for exotic material for the "scroll". Divan holds off making it for now.
===Into the Shadow Plane===
4 days later Divan has all his mana. Divan has briefed and on his plans to open a portal to the Shadow Plane. They wish to stand witness to the portal opening.
The archway is positioned in the basement to be in the shadows, with a stone back to it. Divan then uses to tear open a portal to the Shadow Plane in the middle of the archway.
Divan looks though the portal. The Shadow Plane is desaturated and the natural cave looks more "bland" and "generic" than the real version of it. There are no extremes like in the real cave, but shallow.
Divan takes some iron and puts in on the ground in the real world, and looks at that location in the Shadow Plane and there is currently no "shadow" version of that iron. Divan then throws the iron though the portal. There is no copy of it in the real world.
Divan goes though the portal. Once in the Shadow Plane version of the basement-cave, up the stairs Divan hears some thrumming sound. Divan ignores the sound for now. He casts on the iron to make a crude blade. Divan then collects some materials from the cave wall and also makes it into a blade. Divan finds minerals that are rich in metal in one of the walls, and also turns that into another crude blade.
Divan then goes up the stairs to investigate. It is a shadow of the real tower. The sound becomes clearer, it sounds like the humming of a creature from further up in the tower. Divan cautiously enters his library and finds the scrolls are generic identical copies, the tables are identical and generic. It is like they are the platonic concept of a table and scroll. The humming is further up the tower. Divan keeps going up the tower.
As Divan climbs the stairs, he makes a noise, and the humming comes to a stop. Divan calls out a greeting, and gets greeted in return. Divan climbs up and finds a copy of himself, but acid scarred and misshapen, one arm limp. His clothes and hair are styled different. A staff similar to Divan's previous 2 staves but combinded.
Shadow Divan demands to know who Divan is and demands to know how he got into HIS tower. Each Divan claims to have built the tower. Shadow Divan asks if Real Divan is a Demon, having previously fought off demons before.
Real Divan looks out the window and sees a few mud brick buildings, squarish in nature. But each of the buildings are identical copies of one-another. There is no sign of any life out there.
Shadow Divan is unsure how long he has been here, but knows himself as Divan the Great Shepard. Shadow Divan says that he once looked like Divan. 
: Shadow Divan: My first instructor, Atropos, brought me here. Put me here. Piece-by-piece, inch-by-inch, moment-by-moment. The crack in her floor, the vapors I consumed, consumed me too. They pushed me here. How are you here?
Real Divan reveals he came here of his own accord with his own portal. That this is a shadow of his real tower. Shadow Divan picks up 2 identical gems from the wall.
: Shadow Divan: I could have sworn... I could have sworn I was collecting gems. And yet every time I hold them, they are the same. Everytime I pick up a book, it is the same passage over and over.
Shadow Divan says he defends himself and the tower from the demons that come from afar, who vanish when slain. Real Divan asks Shadow Divan if there is anything he wants.
: Shadow Divan: I just want to know what this place is, this fresh hell. This old hell. I remember building this place, but why would I put the same things everywhere? Why are there no people in my town? Why do my books read the same passages?
Real Divan explains this is a shadow of the real Nekkraut and the tower. Shadow Divan points out that he can't be a shadow, that he is real and has form. Real Divan reveals Atropos is still out in the real world. Shadow Divan asks if Real Divan is in contact with Atropos, but Real Divan reveals that he hasn't been in contact with her in some time. 
Real Divan starts to go down the stairs. Shadow Divan hurries after.
: Shadow Divan: Wait don't go! Her Hunger! It's bottomless. It's never-ending. It's eternally empty. Is this where I am? Is this the inside of her? I gave her what she wanted.
As the go down the stairs, Real Divan asks what Shadow Divan gave her.
: Shadow Divan: Everything. Everything she wanted. My magic. My heart. My soul. My flesh. She is never satisfied.
Real Divan claims he resisted.
: Shadow Divan: Did you? How long were you with her?
Real Divan says a "few years" but time is a bit of a blur.
: Shadow Divan: Your youth? The entirety of your youth? 
Real Divan makes for the portal, with Shadow Divan coming after. The portal is still open and stable.
: Shadow Divan: You though, I can smell her on you. You have that look in your eyes. That Hunger. That Hunger for more. How much of her have you taken in you? Do you know? Did you wake up next to her without knowing how much time had passed? Did you wake by her side, not knowing what had happened to you? Did you breath in the vapors? Did you let her touch you?
Real Divan realises that Shadow Divan cannot see the portal, and is intently staring at Real Divan instead. Real Divan casts and sees that Shadow Divan and his clothes & staff all radiate magic. 
: Shadow Divan: You have the look in your eyes. The same look she had every time she asked of me.
Real Divan backs towards the portal. Shadow Divan goes to reach for Real Divan's hand, but Real Divan casts . The blade plummets into the creature, sticking into their foot. Real Divan goes though the portal as Shadow Divan pulls the blade out of his foot painfully.
Real Divan can see see though the portal. Shadow Divan can't see the portal and looks around for Real Divan. Cassandra and Mof can't see or hear Shadow Divan. Cassandra and Mof poke their heads into the portal, and they can't see the Shadow Divan, and Shadow Divan can't see them.
Cassandra is worried that Divan has gone mad, and asks him to close the portal immediately, something is wrong with his mind. Real Divan hesitates, thinking to bring Shadow Divan over to the Prime Material Plane, but decides it is a bad idea. Divan then closes the portal with a spell. As the portal closes, Shadow Divan seems confuses and unsure how he got into that room.
Real Divan then realises that his foot is cut in the same place as the Shadow Divan was cut with the Shadow Snap. Divan still has his normal shadow. Divan tells his apprentices that the Shadow Plane isn't a safe place to visit, but he got what he went there for. Divan shows the 3 daggers he made. The group leave the basement and into the light.
===Testing the Blades===
The iron dagger looks normal. Shadow Rock Dagger looks like grey gannet that doesn't reflect any colour, and stays the same shade no matter the amount of light upon it. It doesn't reflect anything. The Shadow Metal looks like iron, but it is desaturated like the Shadow Rock, so it isn't certain.
Detect Magic shows the Shadow Rock and Shadow Metal radiate strong magic, but not the iron dagger. Divan decides to go visit the Blacksmith to forge them into proper blades. Heffer's house has grown in size, but his smithy is the same size. Heffer has a toddler and above-average attractive wife, and not people that Divan recognises before the 2 years away in the Feywild. Heffer has developed better social skills.
Divan shows the Shadow Metal and Iron Blades. Heffer realises after some study that it is unusual. Divan explains it is metal from another plane, which Heffer disapproves of. It unsettles him there being a metal he doesn't know. Divan leaves the Shadow Metal & Shadow Rock with Heffer to study and shape. Heffer calls over his apprentice Stacy to clear his schedule for them both to study the metal.
===Contacting the Shadow Plane===
Divan returns to the tower to study to regain his Mana.
Divan checks the tower's alchemy lab and finds that some proper glass instruments and contains have been obtained in the past 2 years.
During the next week some bandits are captured and put before Judge . Divan stands in the audience of the trial.
Divan, wondering what the Shadow Divan was, casts to contact the Shadow Plane. At his current wizard level, he can ask 5 questions, but only get simple answers back that may or may not be true.
:Divan: Is the Shadow Wizard Divan in the Tower in Nekraut in the Shadow Plane a shadow of myself?
:Answer: Unknown.
:Divan: Do you know of the Wizard Divan?
:Answer: No.
:Divan: Do you know of Nekkraut?
:Answer: Yes.
:Divan: Do you know who lives there?
:Answer: Yes.
:Divan: Are they a demon?
:Answer: Unknown.
:Divan: Is there a shard of the philosopher's stone in the Shadow Plane?
:Answer: No.
Divan wants to cast to contact the Feywild, but the risk of insanity is greater. He decides to work out where to find cursed creature for his scroll.
Divan decides to head to the ghost village in the North-West (from Episode 196). Cassandra goes with Divan, while Mof stays behind. There seems to be no record of it existing in Divan's library. 
===Ghost Village===
Divan & Cassandra reaches the ruined village after 2 days of traveling. Divan studies the town and it looks like it was built a few years ago but then abandoned. It is in too good of a shape. Divan casts as Cassandra sets up a camp.
There is the same veil of magic around the whole of the town that Divan saw last time, in the air. Divan takes a splinter of wood and finds it isn't specifically magical. Divan searches around town for cursed items. Divan finds in the back of one of the huts is a stronger aura of magic. Divan removed the dirt and finds a hatch. Divan opens the hatch and finds a pit with a simple ladder leading down.
As the sun sets and Cassadndra continues to set up camp, Divan climbs down the ladder to an underground corridor. The corridor goes for 10 feet before eaching a room. There are stairs going down from this underground room (like a stepwell) that lead to a room with bones in them. The bones in the bone pit radiate magic strongly.
Divan calls out for Cassandra to comes down here. Divan uses his Sorona to Legend Lore the Bone Pit as the Detect Magic wears off and Divan is rendered blind in the dark. No legend comes to Divan's mind as there is no legend about this place. As Divan casts , Divan hears some whispers saying "-pos".
Cassandra comes down the ladder with a torch. Cassandra identifies the remains as human and at least a few years old. Divan turns over a bone and finds some deep bite marks. Divan decides a cursed bone is what they came for and they should leave. They decide not to stay overnight in the village and to camp out in the wilderness instead. From the distance Divan can see a ghostly light coming from the village.
Divan considers casting a on the village, but he wants to collect some cursed bones first. Divan then approaches the village to investigate.
This time Divan can see the ghosts without disturbing them like last time he was here. He sees a ghost interact with something that isn't there over the fire pit. The ghost is then attacked by something unseen, then dismembered, before the ghost fades away. Divan tries to greet another ghost, but no sound comes out of her mouth. Divan tries to ESP her using the power of the Sorona. The ghost is thinking a greeting, but also wonders why Divan looks so familiar. Divan greets the woman, and introduces himself. Divan asks about Atropos, the ESP tells him that there is a friendly recognition. Divan asks where Atropos lives, and she is a guest without a home. Divan asks to be lead to Atropos, and the ghost leads him.
Divan is taken to the hut adjacent to the hut with the hatch. The open mimes opening the door and then walking though the real door. Divan opens the real door and goes inside. The ghost looks around the hut but then communicates that she couldn't find her. Divan breaks eyesight with the ghost to look outside but seens no other ghosts. When Divan looks back, the ghost looks though Divan, seeing Atropos. Divan can't detect any other thoughts around, just this ghost. The ghost pantomimes opening the door and offers a seat to someone unseen. The ghost turns her back then is suddenly attacked before disappearing.
Another ghost appears elsewhere in the village. Looks like the ghost of a tanner. Divan watches the ghost move with purpose though the town. The ghost pantomimes tossing something next to a hut. Divan waits for a murder to take place. 5–10 minutes later the ghost hasn't been murdered and is still working.
Divan leaves the ghost village and heads back to his camp where Cassandra is sleeping.
===Daytime Village Visit===
The next morning Divan reports in the ghosts he saw to Cassandra and saw them being murdered. Cassandra has no memory of ever visiting or seeing village. There are no notes in her notebook on the village either, even the maps they made together in it. Divan pulls out the bone he took from the village and it is still there. Cassandra is concerned that Divan is acting oddly, talking about things that aren't there.
Divan considers lifting the curse on the village again. Cassandra says not all curses are evil.
Cassandra and Divan return to the village. Divan again works with Cassandra to make the exact same notes. The building with the hatch, the hatch is now covered again like it as never been dug up. When Divan is alone, he confirms that the hatch is still there.
The party pack up and leave the village. Divan decides to visit Kronos on the way back to Nekkraut. During the trip some wolves circle their camp fire, but do not attack.
===Kronos Visit===
Kronos' cave has developed in the past 2 years. There are stone tables and chairs for visitors to rest. The cave opening has been shaped. There is now a large giant-sized doors separating the temple from Kronos's home. There are Heartholmian cushions on the stone chairs. Cassandra has visited a few times since Divan disappeared. The supplies were given to Kronos as payment by various people needing vengeance. The blood fountain still flows.
Kronos greets Divan warmly. Divan asks Kronos about the abandoned village, but Kronos isn't aware of its existence. Divan pulls out the bone he took from the bone put and hands it to Kronos. Divan suspects Atropos was involved, but Divan isn't sure if lifting the curse is the mortal imperative, or against the will of the gods.
Kronos is unsure of how to proceed with the matter of the ghost village, but reveals that Cassandra is plotting something, likely just detecting a grunge she has. Kronos holds the bone and prays to Velthara for guidance. Kronos reveals there is no vengeance attached to it at all.
Cassandra reveals, again, she has no memory of ever going to the village, and again her notebook pages are blank. Divan decides if there is no call for vengeance, then he won't get involved in lifting the curse.
Divan leaves an offering of silver at the temple. He then leaves with Cassandra for Nekkraut. On the way Divan and Cassandra again talk about the Ghost Village, with Casssandra repeating her words about Divan acting oddly.
When they get back to Nekkraut, Divan spinters the bone into bone shards. He uses to use it as an extension of his body to cast to engrave the silver plates with . He engraves 5 plates.
Category:Dicing with Death Episodes