To Olympus, Grey Scales Came

High upon Olympus top

Sat the gods, both mighty and small,

Observing the plans and mysteries wrought

Affecting the lives of mortals all.

Then suddenly, with crashing sound,

Burst in the doors of the Hall of Gods

And there he loomed, eyes glaring 'round

At players taking sudden pause.

"Where is Gruumsh?" Cried Naroc, fierce,

"Where is the betrayer? Does this coward hide from us?"

His eyes a flame, his gaze did pierce,

And not a word was spoken thus.

Arianus, tall and proud, stood above the silent crowd,

"Since you awoke, he's not been seen.

Though however much your fury burns 'cross your form as vengeful shroud,

What right have you, to enter so, in manner so obscene?"

With low growl, attention turned, Naroc so replied,

"Through your devious games has nothing but discord wrought."

And following behind, Nishka fair and strong let stinging retort fly,

"Have you nothing but arrogance learned, from terrible war so recently fought?"

Thusly did the Grey Scales enter, furious, and dangerous.

"Playthings are the mortals not, to do with as you please."

Spoke Arcanaeus, he of magic wondrous,

"Too long have you meddled, schemed, and toyed, as they prayed to you on bended knee."

And with the wisdom of ages past, of knowledge turned to dust,

Siros then, with reproaching eye, his gaze roaming round the room,

Said he "Indeed, it is we, who need them more than they need us."

Words thus spoken, he withdrew, and Naroc's eyes bore promised doom.

With violent strength, his movement swift and thunderous,

Naroc swept away the boards on which Godly machinations lay.

"All of you, fools! The word spirals in chaos dangerous,

As you sit here with the childish games you play."

And Lady Luck, Fortuna fair, with thinly veiled contempt,

Said "How dare you, with fortunes of mortals toy,

Lacking simple knowledge of its intricacies? So clumsy is your attempt.

Incompetence!" She cried, insulted, though fickle she, had smile, coy.

Said Talroc then, with seething rage

"Your apathy to our children's state

Is proof that there is need for change."

Sneered the Goblin God to agitate.

Spoke the god of elves in haughty tone,

"Pain and hardship have your children wrought,

The fault lies not with we alone,

For against their taint is why we fought."

"Brought to their state by treachery!" Shouted Talroc hence.

"And through apathetic failure shown,

Our children festerd in malfeasance!"

He trembled in fury at his arrogant tone.

"It was known to you how our children began,

Yet you allowed their fall, by chaos consumed."

Spoke Nishka of this awful sham.

"Be it their fault you dare presume?"

"You knowingly, and purposefully, upon them devastation brought!"

Talroc so accused,

"It was their death you planned and sought,

Their downfall you abused!"

Incredulous, Zues then intoned

"Surely you cannot damn us all, for the actions of a few?"

Nishka glared then at his lofty throne,

"By your apathy do we damn you!"

"For these trespasses we'd not be wrong

To slaughter all of you!"

Accused Naroc of the guilty throng,

"However we'd be loath to see the war begin anew."

Stroking silken beard in thought,

Moradin slowly spoke,

"Aye, your words are truth begot

Much wrong's been done to your kinfolk."

"Long past time, it seems to me

To admit our fault in this,

Allow me brothers, to be the first, to give apology.

Your presence here in these vaunted halls has been sorely missed."

A bark of laughter from his throne of ebon stone, Karionth now spat,

"Keepers of your children not are we,

Nor is it thus, up to us, to maintain your helpless get."

Lounging back, he smiled now, feeling quite at ease.

"Your vitriol is unwarranted, as are your puerile threats.

Perhaps this time spent sleeping by has muffled up your heads."

He gave an evil smirk and on his hand his chin now sat,

When icy frost upon his tone, Arcanaeous said:

"Little freedom to speak as such, have you Karionth.

Was it not you to first devise

The plan to remove our influence?"

The dark god grinned, and to the challenge arised.

"An attempt to save our siblings with chaotic tendencies, and ..."

He began with dismissive wave,

"To keep them from wanton slaughter at your hands."

His words dripped cool like droplets in a cave.

"So you could bend them to your will."

Snorted Talroc at the glaring sham,

And with lip curled, refused to swallow sour swill.

"Tell me then, brother, did this work out as you'd planned?"

Leaning back, with nonchalance, did Karionth respond,

"It's of no further consequence, they are in exile now.

Trapped away to cause, nor come to any harm."

And with mocking grin, in challenge, he arched one elegant brow.

Standing there, in disbelief, Nishka answered so,

"Your belief is honest this is true?"

And in anger, a sudden flash within her godly glow,

"Then a bigger fool than I had fathomed so are you."

"The barrier before them placed

Is not without a flaw,"

Said sagely Siros, solemn faced,

"And not impervious at all."

"Did not the mortals just fight a war

By Chtulu's escape, of chaos wrought?

Such a breach is something here that cannot be ignored.

Is this then the result of your plans that you had sought?"

Spoke Arcanaeous then o'er sudden pall,

"By my original position, I do stand,

It would be best to destroy them all,

For mercy's sake, by our own hands."

Said Fortuna then, full lips now curled,

"Even now the minions of Sheogorrath

Threaten integral safety of this and other worlds.

So tempted he, like flame to moth."

And Grand Light then, with solemn tone

Said "Efforts have been put in place

So we may halt, though first postpone,

The chaos leaked, to our disgrace."

Nodding once, Siros had to add,

"This is true, and is a start,

But t'was also due to Fae Queen Mab

Whom thanks are owed in no small part."

"In speaking of now Magic's fate,"

Arcanaeus began,

"The stagnation you allowed its state

To crumble to is sad."

"Once mighty users did Magic boast

Like Palanthius and Aurelius to name a few,

Now its greatness like a ghost,

A shadow of its former hue."

"And when a mighty mind appears,

With new and grand idea,

Like at Fundus, so called masters laugh and sneer,

Another spark of greatness lost, that once was held so dear."

"Have you become so far aloof?"

Did Siros then bemoan,

"With Magic's greatness far removed,

DId you never counsel Avalon?"

"And further spurn you Magic's source,

When chaos swept across the land,

You simply let destruction course

And nary played a helping hand."

"No, instead Cthulu, in Tristan shroud,

Corrupted magic, man, and beast,

As you stood by, detached and proud.

Nay never did you help the least."

With great feeling, Ehlona spoke,

"These accusations so unfair!

With Cthulu, mortal cloaked,

We could not find him there!"

Did Arcanaeus reprimand,

"Be that as it may,

Of troubles we speak so close at hand,

At your feet these problems lay."

"For these offenses to mortal kind,

And for we gods forced unwilling to sleep,

We call for trial to decide

If and what recompense reaped."

Nodding great and bushy brow,

Moradin agreed,

"Never excuse of ignorance of our minions we allow.

It's time to pay the piper, aye, and own up to these deeds."

To other gods came great dismay,

When dwarven god, of hand extend

In friendship, in apology, the Grayscales way.

"It's time for us to change our ways and stop this horrid trend."

Nuetromadan, of even hand, did so then decree,

"As arbiter of this Council, I here now agree,

Due to ultimate betrayal be committed in no small degree,

By majority of Gods here now, a trial is agreed."

And with disgust, voice venom dripped,

Spat Karionth so icily,

"And who shall judge, as you are gripped

By self same guilt, accused are we?"

Then from the corner, in silence sat,

Came the One with awful mien.

His gaze like iron, jaw firmly set

Swept o'er the Gods of his domain.

And with a voice like thunder boomed,

"I shall judge, again now, as always I have done before."

And silence reigned across the room,

For the rules have changed forever more.