How do we save Piper?

If nothing is done, Piper will be replaced as an Avatar of Malachi and will die. This page is dedicated to any information leading to avoiding Piper's current fate.

MAL 2

 * Piper conversed with Red, who seems to have learned the history of the Avatars while she was away in Overthorn. Piper left and Jon explained what's really going on with Piper: another Avatar is scheduled to take her place as the head Avatar at the summer solstice, which will mean Piper's destruction. Jon and Piper are keen to avert this fate, but there is no normal means of doing so-- since Piper was originally a sacrificial victim who was turned into an avatar instead of dying normally, she cannot be resurrected or reincarnated. The group later approached the priestess of Alayan, the death god, who confirmed this. She would have to be turned from a divine being back into a mortal, which is something no one seems to know how to do but the Fey lords Jon eavesdropped on in the Dreamscape. The priestess recommended talking to a theologian of her faith in Ruastin named Beyond Jessery, or a higher-level city pastor in Asture named Beyond Hathan.

MAL 11

 * Barken the necromancer returned with a message for Khirg, who had apparently paid him to ask his ghost friends about the woman he had come here to seek, learning that she was "in Jendarion's basement, or at least she was when my friend saw her." Barken additionally weighed in on Piper's situation, suggesting that it WOULD be possible to return her to mortal life necromantically, but only by getting her soul to pass through the Veil first and then bringing her back... and that in order to do that, you'd basically need to exchange her soul for someone else's.

MAL 12

 * Restoring Piper. Jon told Piper what Barken told the party about a necromantic solution to her impending demise, substituting another's soul for her own. Piper demurred, saying that she had seen enough of sacrifice that she could not accept passing the buck on to another person, even an enemy. Jon cryptically asked her if she would object to a "fully willing substitute," and declined to elaborate. Piper looks uncharacteristically confused for a woman whose mind is opened to the paths of prophecy. "Jon," she says slowly, "surely you... don't mean YOURSELF, do you? Because I--I wouldn't want to live without YOU." (They can discuss this further in private.)

MAL 14

 * Jon asked how he could contact Lochrann, and she summoned a Dreamweaver for him-- basically an exceptionally loyal magical familiar. This one is able to bring a message to Lochrann for him. She also stated that she would consider it a personal favor if the party is able to kill or neutralize Chavalk, who offended her clan by consuming the souls of selkies under her protection, and that her grandmother the Morrigu might look kindly upon the possibility of mobilizing the Wild Hunt on Piper's behalf "for a friend of our Folk."

MAL 29

 * The angel, Hastaros, didn't actually turn out to be that much of an asshole at all. First he told the assembled dwarves of the threat to Peraine and used the forge to rally them against it. Second, he told the high priest to contact the dwarven King and ask him to ally against the League of Snakes. Third, he finally explained himself to Zadkiel--he had been unable to tell him anything of his heritage earlier because he had given his word to Zadkiel's mother and angels cannot go back on their word under any circumstance. Now that Zadkiel already knew the truth, he agreed to remove the spell he had cast to suppress Zadkiel's ability to access his angelic form. Fourth, Zadkiel brought up Piper's problem. Hastaros said it would be possible for the angels of Moradin to restore her to life as a mortal by undoing her sacrifice, and that they might be willing to do this out of their abhorrence for child sacrifice, but that such a powerful magic would be sure to have cascading effects, since everything that she has used her powers to accomplish would also be undone. Jon and Piper were too concerned about the negative ramifications that could have for Malachi to take him up on the offer, but he said Zadkiel could contact him again at the temple if Piper changed her mind.

MAL 32

 * After the Flames challenge was finished, and angel of Mara stepped through the flame of love and addressed Jon. She said the priestess of Mara who Zadkiel had spoken to on Piper's behalf had supplicated her to "right a wrong," and asked Jon to state his case. Jon took care to be honest and straightforward, and the angel presented him with the divine gift of a golden mantle that would store the soul of a sacrificed person that it could be restored when their divinity left them, and to tell the Avatar to command her people to use it in all sacrifices from here on out. "Thus is the blessing of Mara, to teach the benighted to honor the brave who give their lives for them as they deserve to be honored." Unfortunately this cannot directly save Piper, since her soul was already destroyed in the process, but the angel says if Jon can find another way to restore her soul, he can use the shroud to ensure that it cannot be lost from her again, which otherwise would be a matter of some concern. The angel seemed to think this answer would be a disappointment to Jon, but he assured her he was grateful for her help and glad no future Avatars would have to go through what he and Piper were going through. He asked the angel's name and she said it was Hunger Only For A Taste Of Justice, and departed.

MAL 41

 * The party asked questions of the sibyl. JON: How can Jon save Piper: "Ah. That which matters so little, yet at the same time so much. Poor birds. You have it within your power already to save the Avatar, bard-- but not to save thy wife. Seek the lame cleric. You must take one step back to find two forward, and you can not succeed alone. Blood will call to blood, and it is the footsteps you have already taken that will decide her fate."