The fallen archon smiled at me, and said, “I simply turned the waste of magical potential into something far more useful, my Queen. This is the result of the Soulforge spell that I developed, which extends beyond the realm of mortal magic. You’ll see, if you use the Identify spell on the object you now hold.”

I looked down at the ring, and used the Identify power of the mask I wore. I don’t know what I was expecting. It certainly wasn’t what I found, however.

Theliel, the Angelshield

Type

Ring

Weight

This ring, made of mithril and inset with a ruby, is more than just a simple trinket. Trapped within is the soul of an angel, providing the wearer certain benefits. However, that soul, while bound and reforged into something ‘better’, retains much of its old personality, and may rebel against the wearer if not properly tamed.

Soulforged – Despite being made of Mithril, this ring has the hardness and qualities of adamantine (Hardness 20).

INT 19, WIS 19, CHA 10

Alignment – Chaotic Neutral

Speech – Able to speak Common, Celestial, Draconic, Elven, and Undercommon. Can read all languages, and use Read Magic at will.

Telepathy – Can communicate telepathically with wearer. Can switch means of communication at will.

Senses – 120ft darkvision, blindsense, and hearing

Lesser Powers

Item has 10 ranks each in Listen, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, and Spot

Greater Powers

When determining the outcome of alignment-based effects (such as the Holy Word spell), the wearer is treated as Good, if that is more beneficial than their actual alignment.

Provides a +1 profane bonus to AC against attacks from creatures of good alignment. This bonus increases to +2 against attacks from Good Outsiders.

Special Purpose

Slay Good Outsiders

Dedicated Power

Can use Greater Heroism on the wearer, providing a +4 morale bonus to attack rolls, saves, and skill checks, granting immunity to fear effects, and 20 temporary hit points. Duration is 20 minutes.

A wail of anguish came from the ring, audible to us all. In the celestial tongue, the soul trapped in the ring cried out, begging for release. It seemed that the angel understood what had happened to her, and the purpose which had been forced upon her by the transformation was not at all to her liking. What followed was a string of sobs, curses, and pleas that bounced from vitriolic to pathetic and back again faster than the balls flying at world championship tennis tournament.

Sanvi had told me of this spell, during that first council after she had shaken off the yoke of her father’s cursed items and fallen from grace. But, until this moment, I had not seen it in action. There were spells that could extract a soul, and imprison it in an object, of course. But a spell that turned an individual, body and soul, into a magic item? That I had not truly believed. Not until this very moment.

Loot:

Theliel, the Angelshield

Haziel:

The Shining Blade

Judgement of the Unworthy

Helm of the Justicar

Boots of Swiftness

Cloak of the Glorious Heroine

Ring of Iron Law

Zadkiel’s Bracers

Zadkiel’s Collar

Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone

Iridescent Spindle Ioun Stone

Anael:

The Whispers of Fate x2

Heaven’s Judgement

Cloak of Heaven’s Shadow

Mask of Celestial Shadows

Angel’s Iron Ring of Hidden Truth

Shieldring of Celestia

Boots of Swiftness

Zadkiel’s Bracers

Zadkiel’s Collar

Dusty Rose Prism Ioun Stone

Iridescent Spindle Ioun Stone

Theliel:

Antimagic Greatsword

Blade of the Mad Machinist

Theliel’s Hand Cannon

Wand of Mass Heal

Wand of Maximized Cone of Cold

Theliel’s Traveling Boots

Clever Artificer’s Headband

Mechanist’s Armored Corset

True Ring of Master Artifice

Ring of the Zealous

Iron Ring of Might

Ring of Possibility

Redeemed Flesh Ring of Scorn

Zadkiel’s Bracers

Zadkiel’s Collar

Iridescent Spindle Ioun Stone

You have Leveled Up!

You are now Level 36.

600599 / 630000 XP to level 37.

+1 Epic Save Bonus

+1 CHA

HD: 1d8+10 = 13

+1 Bluff, +1 Diplomacy, +1 Intimidate, +1 Perform (Dance), +1 Sense Motive, +1 Spellcraft, +1 Use Magic Device

New Feat:

Additional Magic Item Space (Ring) – Able to wear an additional magic ring.

New Warlock Abilities:

Eldritch Blast – Improves to 19d6 (21d6 with items)

Bonus Feat:

Epic Invocation – Gain 1 Dark Invocation, or 2 invocations of lower levels.

New Invocation:

Heart of Darkness (9th) – You are protected as if by the spell Death Ward, and negative energy (such as from an Inflict spell) heals you rather than damages you. If you are a living creature, positive energy (such as a cure spell) still heals you as well. In addition, whenever you are under the effects of fast healing, you heal 1 point in each damaged ability score each round, and 1 point in all drained ability scores each hour.

New Marshal Abilities:

Grant Move Action 4/day

I took a moment to look away from the ring in my hand to look over the blue screens the Voice of the World was showing me. I’d gained another level, which meant that the three angels were definitely powerhouses. However, power was relative, especially with the kinds of abilities we had at our disposal. And our enemies had access to the same kinds of abilities.

That meant that any fight was truly balancing on a knife’s edge. It only took one bad turn of luck, or fate, or whatever you wanted to call it. That was all it took to send you head-long into destruction. If the rogue had been able to really open up on me, I would have been in trouble. If the paladin hadn’t been shut down from the start, that could have been nasty. And the artificer getting trapped by that hand spell completely took her out of the fight. But things could easily have gone the other way.

Taking a glance at the loot dropped, I sighed. All those pieces of gear with the special names meant that they were very, very valuable, and probably useless for us, since they were almost certainly tailored to the abilities of the wielders. That was the problem with high-level loot. High-level individuals had the resources to get custom material, and that meant that their gear wasn’t always useful to anyone else. After all, anyone strong enough to take them down was strong enough to have their own gear customized, as well.

Not only that, but all the weapons we took off the angels were sized for their use. Solars, being larger than mere humans, used larger weapons. Even if someone of normal size was proficient in their use, and was of an alignment that wouldn’t get blasted simply by trying to wield it, like some of the weapons did, they still would be taking penalties on their attacks because the weapons were too big for them. Which was too bad, honestly, since some of those names made me very curious what was packed into those weapons.

“Mel, it is great that we’re all alive, and the angels are all either dead, or worse, but there’s still a battle going on!”

Siora’s voice snapped me out of my contemplation. Looking around, I saw that, in the few moments our fight had lasted, the world had not just suddenly stopped moving. Without really thinking about it, I slid the former angel turned ring onto the middle finger of my left hand.

Melinda’s Will Save (Theliel’s Ego): 1d20+78 = 91 (Success)

I felt the angel’s mind try to claw at my own, in a desperate attempt to take over. However, my mind was well protected. There was no need to worry about the angel being able to pose a threat to me. Instead, my mind clamped down on hers like a steel vice, smothering her screams and pleas. At least for now.

Looking back at the battlefield, I was just in time to see the Will of Winter and the Hidden Palace of House Faydark start firing down upon the army. Ballistae from the walls of the fort opened up, as well, and the archers were hitting their marks. The enemy dead were starting to become numerous.

But they were trapped between the hammer and the anvil. The Kobold’s Guile had destroyed their camp, and what remained of their supplies. Their angel backers were dead. Their cavalry were dead, or had fled. Now, they were suffering large-scale bombardments from all sides, and there weren’t enough mages or priests to keep up the defenses.

“Siora, you have good eyes, can you pick out anyone who looks to be in charge?”

Siora’s Spot check: 1d20+51 = 66 (Success)

“Easily,” Siora grinned. Scanning the enemy force quickly, she pointed out a banner waving frantically in the air, trying to rally the attackers who had been thrown on the defense. Once she pointed it, I could see that there were at least some mages in the area, and they were attempting to counterspell the fireballs, or throw attacks of their own back at the ships.

Melinda’s STR check: 1d20+6 = 16 (Success)

“Excellent.” I just needed one thing before I went off to try and bring this farce to an end. Diving down to where the rogue lay dead, I brought out my dagger made of blue ice. It was grim work, and not pretty, but I managed to remove the dead angel’s head from her shoulders, ignoring Theliel’s renewed sobs at seeing her sister’s body get desecrated like this.

Grisly trophy in hand, I flew up, and aimed towards the enemy. As I flew, the guns on the ships quieted. In one hand I held the severed head, and the other held Soul’s Violation. With my party around me, and the field suddenly free of explosions, the enemy fighters turned to stare. Some few thought to try and take a pot shot at me, or my allies, but each time a fireball from above destroyed the fool, and those around him. And their weapons and spells did not even manage to hit me.

I took a deep breath as I held the head of Anael aloft for all to see. As I did so, I used my Frostfire ability to wreathe myself in magical blue flames. A bit of theatrics, but no one would be able to avoid seeing me. And then I called out, projecting my voice as best I could so that the army could hear me.

“HARKEN TO MY WORDS, MEN AND WOMEN OF NEARFALL! I AM THE RIMEDANCER, QUEEN OF FROSTREACH AND TWICE-BORN SERVANT OF AURIL! ‘TIS MY REALM YOU NOW TRESPASS UNINVITED, AND WINTER IS EVER HEAVY UPON THIS LAND, MAKING THE FURY OF THE FROSTMAIDEN BUT A QUICK CALL AWAY!

“YOUR HORSEMEN HAVE ALREADY LEFT YOU! YOUR SUPPLIES ARE BURNING WRECKS! YOUR SO-CALLED CHAMPIONS, THE THREE ANGELS, HAVE BEEN DEFEATED BY MY HAND! EVEN NOW, MY SHIPS READY THEIR GUNS TO CONTINUE THE ASSAULT UPON YOUR DEFENSELESS FORCES. YOU HAVE NO CHANCE OF VICTORY!”

Melinda’s Intimidate Check: 1d20+61 = 70 (Success)

A pause, as I let the gravity of what I said sit in. I could see ripples of fear running through the crowd. Time to throw them a lifeline. “BUT I AM NOT WITHOUT MERCY! I KNOW FULL WELL THAT YOU, THE LEVIES WHO WERE DRAFTED INTO THIS WAR HAVE NO DESIRE TO BE HERE! THIS WAR WAS STARTED BY THE GREED OF YOUR LEADERS, AND USED THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS ANGELS TO SPARK ZEALOUS HEARTS INTO FOOLISH ACTIONS! SO, I OFFER UNTO YOU A WAY OUT!”

Every eye was upon me, now. This was the moment to strike for the heart. “NO, MY CONFLICT IS NOT WITH YOU, THE PEOPLE, BUT YOUR LEADERS! STRIP THEM AND BIND THEM FOR MY JUDGEMENT, AND ALL WHO REMAIN ALIVE AND WELL MAY LEAVE, WITH ALL THAT THEY CAN CARRY FROM THE REMAINS OF YOUR CAMP. WITH LUCK, AND SKILL, YOU WILL REACH YOUR HOMES AGAIN. YOU CAN LOOK UPON YOUR HUSBANDS, WIVES, SONS, AND DAUGHTERS ONCE MORE, AND KNOW THAT YOU ESCAPED KELEMVOR’S GRASP FOR ANOTHER DAY!

“STRIKE DOWN YOUR LEADERS, AND THEY MIGHT KILL YOU IN THE ATTEMPT! MAYHAPS DEATH BY HUNGER OR MISADVENTURE WILL STRIKE YOU DOWN ON THE WAY BACK TO YOUR HOMES! YET, IF YOU SHOULD CONTINUE THIS FIGHT THAT YOUR SO-CALLED MASTERS STARTED FOR YOU, THEN ONLY THE COLD GRASP OF DEATH AWAITS! IS IT NOT BETTER TO TAKE THE ROAD FROUGHT WITH PERIL AND UNCERTAINTY THAN TO SIT DOWN AND JUST WAIT TO BE SLAUGHTERED LIKE CATTLE?”

Melinda’s Diplomacy check: 1d20+60 = 69 (Success)

I saw fear turn to desperate hope in the eyes of the army. Their gaze turned on their lords and their retainers. The lords looked back at them fearfully, but even their loyal retainers were looking unsure. Perhaps not ready to throw in their lot in treason, but enough to stand aside, and allow others to dirty their hands. One man in the crowd, a levy, drove his spear up through the gap of a nearby priest’s armor, the head of the spear striking under the man’s arm, and coming out through his neck with a single blow.

That was the moment. The army broke, as a mob, and descended upon the high and mighty. Those retainers with more sense than loyalty managed to escape into the crowd. Those who tried to fight were swarmed under by the spears of desperate men.

And the lords and ladies who had, moments ago, ruled this army? They were stripped of their weapons and armor, even their clothes, and cast down before me. As I landed, with my party around me, I looked at the people, as fear caught them once more.

“YOU HAVE DONE AS I ASKED! IN RETURN, I GRANT YOU YOUR LIVES! NOW, ALL OF YOU, FLEE MY DOMAIN, AND NEVER RETURN!”

And they did.