The 7 Flames Theories

Present: Ravik, Trick, Riga

As the group heads off to their rests, not awoken by a lightning bolt that pierces the veil of darkness, three of you find yourselves whisked away into the realm of dreams. You find yourselves alone, at the foot of a mountain.

No.

With each moment you feel your perspective shift slightly, and the mountain feels smaller. An Obelisk. A tower. A table. You feel like flies at the edge of the ceiling.

The table is octogonal, and carved out of beautiful black marble, with eventual white streaks and full of glittering white dots. You feel like there are chairs on all sides if you really strain your consciousness, but it hurts too much to do so. You see seven lights, one at each seat. They move and unmake themselves, formless. With each shift, the sky above changes- stars appear, collapse, grow, shrink. You are in a void and a room at the same time, its dual existence paradoxical.

Pink Mote

(Sardior)

"...have failed to take the shard, but they have taken the key."

Green Mote

(Gaia)

"I... I am truly sorry. That child was lost, I would have reclaimed him-"

Gold Mote

(Kossuth)

"Not all birds belong in the nest, sister. Some will fly out before you know it. It was not your fault."

White Mote

(Kelemvor)

"All things must reach an end eventually."

Purple Mote

(Katya)

"Yes, but... If only they'd talk. Share. If all knew, this would be different."

Pink Mote

(Sardior)

"It was precisely because the knowledge was available that we are dealing with this to begin with."

Orange Mote

(Tiamat)

"Oh, it was just one of them, you crybabies. Stop worrying so much. Let your little soldiers do what they're for."

Blue Mote

(Midrán)

"This insensitive attitude will lead us all to damnation. No other key must be lost. Brother, do mobilize your troops. We must seek out the remaining temples."

Pink Mote

(Sardior)

"I agree. This meeting is- stop. It seems we have some guests."

The 7 Flames Discussion

Riga's Theories

• "Keys" are possibly people bonded to Shards. Daenur Rumneal is one. The "First Key" Walleh mentioned is probably another.

  • How does the bond form? Can it be with anyone?
    • The First Key being called a "child" might be a matter of perspective. Daenur is one, however. Is it a requisite?
      • OOC: If so, fuck. Bethany.
  • Who is creating Keys, possibly using dragon scales?
    • OOC: Sardior commanded Ravik to return the scale to Tural. Unlikely to be the Disciples' official efforts, then.
  • Why can't Tural recover his Shard on his own?
  • Alternatives:
    • The Mind Reaver is the key. -->
      • 5/09/25: Seems to be confirmed in Chat with Midràn
    • Walleh is the key.
    • Key and Shards are not directly connected. The "lost child" was the (first) key, Daenur is "just" a Shard
      • From Chat with Midràn: "Not all Shards are Keys. Not all keys are willing."

• "That child was lost" (Gaia) / "No other key must be lost" (Midrán): The First Key is possibly beyond salvation, possibly corrupted, likely lost his Shard. Gaia, or her druids / beasts, were involved in the failure (given her admission of guilt).

  • Could the loss of the first key be linked to the anomalous Elicpse behavior?
    • #todo Check the Nayoran records for similar past eclipses.
  • What are the Shards for? Tural is a gem (sapphire) dragon, associated with Sardior and his broken wings. Sardior, who instead of Ruby, appeared a washed-out pink.
    • Is the conceptual barrier hemming in The Wandering Shard tied, somehow, to the Shard / the Gem Dragons? Could affecting a Key in turn affect the Dragon?
      • Is the Puppetmaster as proof of concept? Or simply a coincidence? Parallel efforts by the Abyss and the Cult? Overlap?

• "We must seek the remaining temples" (Midràn): Extracting the Shards must possibly happen within similar temples to The Howling Pit for the Cult's goals. Likely that the First Shard's extraction happened in a similar locale. The gods know about other temples, but not where they are. The Disciples will be mobilized to find them.

  • Does the number of Temples and Keys match? Were the Temples involved in weaving whatever cage / the barrier than the Cult seeks to undo?
    • Are all the temples dedicated to Seradez?
    • In Interrogation of Walleh, Walleh was certain only the Cult had the "True Records" (associated with Temples). "True" implies falsification. Locations of other temples might be tampered with.
      • "We are the only ones with the true records." Does 'We' encapsulate the Cult as a whole, or a subfaction?
      • "The others will be lost to the Usurper" (Sardior). Does it refer to other temples, or rival factions / subfactions within the Cult?

• "It was precisely because the knowledge was available that we are dealing with this to begin with." (Sardior). The First Key and/or possibly Daenur were tracked down (or, possibly, "sharded" in the first place) due to information being leaked from where "the information was available." Possibly the Disciples, possibly the Katyans - given Katya's stance on info sharing.

• "This insensitive attitude will lead us all to damnation." Whatever the consequence of failure, Midràn at least believes it's something the Gods cannot face. Or that perhaps their creation won't survive. "Damnation", given Tiamat's blazè attitude, might more literally refer / hint at the Abyss / Nine Hells.

• "This meeting is- stop. It seems we have some guests." --> Presence was unexpected (?). To some, or maybe all.

  • It also took them time to notice us.

#todo
"beautiful black marble, with eventual white streaks and full of glittering white dots."

• Try and copy / star-chart map this (Riga). --> DONE
• The sky itself that you guys witnessed does not match any night sky she has seen from Ytesh.
  • Check Nayora's acrhives for matches / specular matches

Ravik

• Temples, more temples. A guess as to the number. 7 in all. One for each god.
• Gemdragons are protectors of shards
• see also Shards and Keys#Spitballing