When the magic found its intended target, it punched the air out of her lungs.
Her mind twisted. All creatures she fought, all people she helped, consequences, reasons, meetings with her fellow paladins, lost comrades, newfound friends and allies. All jumbled together and rushing past and-
A last piece clicks into a sprawling puzzle, impossibly big and complicated. But now it was… complete.
Oh.
With a dizzying rush, it unravelled itself and the world rushed back into place.
A world.
Gabrielle was surrounded by the Light of Lathander.
The shining light of her god touched everything. A temple. A place of worship.
Two Awakened, servants of the temple, greeted her. And congratulated her to the ascension.
Slowly blinking, she followed the two maidens to the altar.
“The ascension to a Dawngreeter is commemorated with a tattoo of the Morninglord, Lady Gabrielle, we would like to proceed with the ritual”
She nodded, still somewhat shaken, but secure In the presence of Lathander.
One by one, her armor was removed – shoulder plate, gauntlets, chest plate, helmet, greaves, boots and gambeson – slowly, all parts were put aside into her bottomless bag.
Then she was lead to the altar, a pillow placed to one end: “Please lay down, Dawngreeter, to receive your blessing”
And so she did, exposing her back by shrugging down her robes.
The painting began.
An intricate symbol of the Morninglord got transferred onto her back. A bit left off centre, her heart on the other side, the sun sprawled out over her back, sunbeams reaching over her shoulder and into her hair, over her sides and downwards.
It was a pleasant, grounding sensation, the paint bleeding into her skin. She could feel the enchantment taking root, enhancing her muscles, her reflexes. Breathing was easier, deeper, her pulse slowed in relaxation.
Vitality and athletics… praise the lord. It felt good.
The ceremony ended with the hymn.
Her whole body sung with the holy light. With the last note sung, the tattoo was finished. Finished and branded into her body. A last shudder overcame her when the enchantment got sealed in. Permanently. A blessing that can’t be removed. Ever. She would carry the Morninglords Light forever.
With a smile, she stood and rearranged her robes, thanking the maidens with a bow.
They smiled and lead her to the next chamber.
The same light still surrounded the whole scene, but there was a dark-skinned man, propped up on pillows laying on a bed in the middle of the room. He wore proper headdress for a Dawnmaster. Even Morninglord.
His robes were properly ornamental for a head priest.
The amulet around his neck the proper insignium.
There was only one unexpected… circumstance.
“Welcome to the second blessing of ascension,” the priest declared, voice a deep bass, rich and carrying.
His voice did not betray him in the slightest. It was as ritualistic as it should.
Except that he was stroking a sizable erection right in front of her and the two temple maidens, which retreated into a corner.
Blood dripped from her rapiers. Lathander’s light had been spread. The demon laid slain.
It had been a hell-beast. Again. The whole damn dungeon was full of them. She laid on hands to heal the few scraped the beast had gotten on her. Bloody thing either invisible or teleporting.
True Sight would be a good help in the final stretch, then. She was close. The sorcerer couldn’t be far anymore.
The threats – the demands - to the town below needed to end. And tomorrow – after a last long rest – they would.
She organised her Spells – prepared divine Smite, True Sight, Protection from Good and Evil, Shield of Faith, Zone of Truth, Dispel Magic, Remove Curse, Cure Wounds, Death Ward, Banishment and of course Find Steed.
It would certainly be a battle. But one she was not about to lose.
For now? Her tent provided the same extraplanar safety it always did. Good night.
The next morning, she awoke refreshed and with all Spells in place. After conjuring her celestial elk and casting True Sight, Aid and Protection against Evil on herself, she rode into the very last room of the dungeon. A throne room… of sorts.
Apparently.
Because there was a large empty space. And in the background… a throne. With a lanky person, nose in a book, crammed into it. Literally crammed. They were not sitting on it like a normal person. Their neck was stuck against an armrest, one leg was draped over the back of the chair, the other foot was perched on the second armrest… it looked all very… uncomfortable.
And when my true sight kicked in six seconds later, I saw curled horns and a tail – and even some wings? - cramping the whole scenario up even more.
Gabrielle stared at this undignified display. Wary, due to the – hidden for normal people! - demon status, she calls out: “What are you doing here, fiend?”
“Err…. What?” Was the answer. The fiend lifted his book a little, tail swishing. After another two seconds, he turned to her, limbs rearranging itself, “Ooooh~ Who do we have here! Greetings, paladin! Welcome to my homestead, where I… well… live!”
With even more suspicion, she narrowed her eyes: “So it is you who threatens the townsfolk! You should get lost! And stop harassing them! They are innocent and under the protection of Lathander!”
“Ah, I live here, though. I’m only demanding a little bit of a tribute, really” He had turned to the side, tail now hidden, but horns less stuck to the armrest.
“You can demand that tribute from another place! This town is protected by the Morning Lord! If you MUST harass mortals, you can do it elsewhere!”
“I believe that would not be in my best interests, so… I must decline, I apologise, dear paladin” the fiend said, smiling like it didn’t matter.
She had tried the diplomatic route. He had his chance. With a raised rapier, she says: “Then, with the help of the MIGHT of LATHANDER, I will sent you back to your cursed plane of existence!”
Her elk gallops forward, the spear thrown towards the demonic offender. With the blessing of her god on her side, it was easy to believe this was simply another battle.
Until it was not.
The spear flew towards the horned person. And then stopped.
Just like everything else.
Everything stopped. With a flick of his fingers.
Arcane spells flickered around him, he plucked the spear out of the air and walked over towards her, more spells flickering into existence, staying in exactly the place they were cast.
Abjurations, enchantment, divination, transmutation. It all flicks into existence, stuck in space.
Until he stopped in front of her and he placed the blunt end of her polearm on the floor – the spells released.
His skin rippled, spells flew towards her and hit her and her steed, her muscles locked up and she simply stayed… afloat.
Now, he sighed. And held out the spear to her.
Gabrielle noticed she could not see his demonic nature anymore. There must have been a dispel magic amongst the spells. Two, since her elk was gone as well.
“… so… before we do anything else, I suggest you cast zone of truth around you, so you actually believe what I am saying, yes?” the magic of the suggestion spell in his voice made it impossible to resist.
She traded off spells with him, the zone of truth was established – and the demon let himself be affected. He would have to speak the truth for the next ten minutes. It was a fact.
He opened his eyes and let the levitation and hold person spell drop, still holding out her spear, and said: “I do not wish you any harm, elven paladin. I am here to learn about the mortal plane. And you are… very interesting, as a virtuous person. I would like to cast ‘wish’ for you, several times, if necessary. And would give you 12 hours… 12 hours to fulfil your deepest desires, as much as my magic can grant these. The townsfolk is not too virtuous, so the results are rather predictable, but you… you are a little different.
… after those twelve hours, I will actually leave the town alone, never to bother it again. Is that an acceptable deal?”
With narrowed eyes, she answered: “You change your opinion rather fast, demon”
“Ah, well, it does not truly matter to me. This is not exactly my own plane. And you seem… determined to be a bit of a bother, no?” He still simply stood there, no aggressive action taken.
She stared at him. Deepest desires. Hm. Strength. Light. A better connection to Lathander. Better abilities to help people… well, it… shouldn’t be too bad, then? Right?
“… you are not going to harm me, you said?”
“Well, I don’t know about your desires, but I certainly do not wish to. I merely wish to learn” He nodded.
“… why me?” was another question.
“Well… you proved yourself by defeating all my summons… and you are a paladin. I’d say as my polar opposite, you are the most educational to learn from.”
The Zone of Truth was still active. He did not lie.
“Twelve hours, no severe damage to me, you watch how my ‘innermost desires’ are fulfilled-“
“-as long as my magic can provide it, yes,” he interrupted.
“… as long as your magic can provide, and then you will leave the premises and leave the town in peace. Yes?” It needed to be said again. To be sure.
“This is the deal I am offering, yes”
“How will I know you will stick to the deal?” Because that was a legitimate concern.
“Mmmmh… you have the Geas spell, don’t you? Tell it to make me stick to the deal?”
Her spell slots were limited. But… it would be worth it. To make the demon not attack her. She cast the spell and the demon accepted it. Without any complaint. The feeling of an anchored spell reassured me.
“… alright. I… I suppose I wish you a… good… learning experience?” She held out her hand, still somewhat unsure.
