Chapter XXIV - Fate of The Bastet

Introduction

While Athadon and Xandra try to convince you that Enar has no interest in your fate at best, or at worst is working to make it a cruel one, the Amuni return to your city.
Bastet Sothep VII wants to personally demonstrate how the Amuni's way of life has changed since your last encounter.

And since she has heard that the city feels threatened by some false deities, she "generously" offers to place your people under her personal protection.

To this end, she wants to build a new temple complex in which her magical abilities, which she calls "Nox" to distinguish them from Mana, can be strengthened and developed.
Nox is a magical force that can be stored in spiritually charged obsidian and channelled and used by magically gifted beings like the Bastet.
Bastet Sothep VII orders large quantities of this special obsidian from the region where the Amuni's settled on, to be brought to your city via your trader, while the construction of the temple complex begins.
This brings the Elvarian Sorcerers Society into action. Dean Durcu suspects that Nox is nothing less than the forbidden Black Magic - and that Bastet Sothep VII is a tool of Vallorion.
Necromancer Bastaran takes a liking to this new form of magic and suggests examining it more closely - without repeating the mistakes that Peregrim made.
He brings up the idea to build another temple structure similar to that of the Amuni, promising to only use Mana while studying Nox, in order to better understand the effects and differences of these magical sources.
Dean Durku is not too happy but allows it, and Alchemist Sylawney decides to watch this from a distance.

Bastet Sothep VII finds Bastaran's idea presumptuous, but believes that in this competition of magics, the superiority of Nox can be clearly demonstrated.
So as the second temple is built in the city to examine the mutual powers of Mana and Nox, the Bastet is pushing for upgrades of the first temple - and Bastaran tries to keep up.
The Elvenar already see it as progress that you are reducing your dependence on Mana and establishing a certain balance of power in the city, but they warn that this power could quickly get out of control - as already happened to Peregrim.
Bastet Sothep VII can only laugh at such objections - after all, she is a goddess and thus the sovereign ruler of the Nox.

During the magical competition, the Sorcerers discover that powerful spells can be cast by combining the magical powers of Mana and Nox.
Bastet Sothep VII, who sees herself as the only one capable of controlling this combined power, sees her chance to become even more powerful and finally become the sole patron of the city.

Pamper the exalted Bastet with servants, keep her entertained with show battles by her personal guards, while simultaneously supporting Bastaran's elaborate research with the diligent hands of countless workers and fresh ingredients from your farmers' fields. Can you keep the balance between Nox and Mana in your city?

Related articles

• Chapter XXIII - Secrets of the Unicorn
• Chapter XV - The Elvenar
• Chapter XIII - Amuni
• Chapter X - Sorcerers and Dragons
• Chapter IX - Woodelves