Showing posts with label RPnote. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RPnote. Show all posts
Part 4
The sun had just begun to set, and the birds near the coast were loud. The sandy bars eased the ship's landing. I disposed of the helmsman and fastened my armor. I mounted my horse, cut the lashes, and began to ride to Westbridge. My destination was a dark church, north of town. I had recited enough Mother's Embrace to know that I had been chosen. Jenova Cells had encountered me, and has burdened me with this strength. Bhaal, the Lord of Murder has touched me through these Cells and the Mother, the Father, and the Son need my abilities.
Part 3
I've never liked the sea. Never know where you are, hard to keep your footing. A bag of platinum coins bought a large cargo ship to sail across the Sea of Swords. A small crew and myself as the cargo; I brought a large bed and an armor rack. I also had my horse secured topside. We passed the two major land masses, Dark Continent and Paradise Island, over the course of a few nights. Once we reached the western coast, I ordered the ship be run aground south of New Thalos, near the eastern edge of the Sands of Sorrow. Some insubordination later and the last remaining crew member directed the ship as ordered.
Part II
From red to black, and now dim light. My eyes adjusted to the scene before me. All were dead. Everywhere lay torsos, arms, and legs. They were cloven clean through. There was no wailing. Silence. I felt it once again. The genuine pleasure of it. The pain! The pure bloodlust that it creates! I looked around. I had certainly done this act. First I smiled, and then I roared at the carnage before me. My mind was a haze, and is now sharp and ready. At once, I realized where I must go. I clutched a healing scroll in my hand given to me by Krenaste. A quick recital and I started to move west, destined for Westbridge.
Part I
I am cutting men in half. I am slaying an army. Not many alongside me and plenty against us. I am The Forest That Wails. I am The Mountain That Burns. A ringing raises in my ears. Louder, the sounds of battle becoming background. My vision begins to fade red. Soon, everything is bright red. I cannot discern detail. It is as if the sun exploded in a fiery red death.
Final Far Wandering [2]
Roughly piled atop each other, the stones formed a simple pyramid. Eyeing it, the man found a spot to insert the stone, and strengthen the pile. He placed it close to the base, with great care. To the drow, it seemed as though he were loathe to see the pile fall apart. "Why do you do this?"
"For luck." he replied. "Not many make the trip. Not today. But I'm cautious - I'd like his help if I'm lost." She nodded, and looked up into the tree. She had planted it some four centuries ago.
At it's base she had buried the curled, grey-haired body of a half-orc who didn't know her. Some miles off, the dim lights of a logging camp could be seen. The young strider explained that this same tree would soon be logged, as had the rest of the forest. "They have new machines now, that take the trees down quickly."
The young strider looked up into the branches reverently, searching. But he saw nothing. After a brief prayer, he left, whistling, with the wind at his back - bound for parts unknown.
When he was safely gone, she pulled down a nearby branch, and examined the stems. Each terminated in a small green leaf, all but one. Replacing her leaf at the end of one stem, it fused there, and the silver lining its edge faded.
A wind pushed at the limbs then, and a rustling shurring surrounded her. Climbing up onto a branch, she rested against the trunk of the great tree, and rested her old bones. Before long the branches shook again with the wind, and a rustling worked its way down from the upper-most branches.
"How goes it, Laish?"
Leaning sideways against the trunk of the tree, the voice of her old friend echoed in her soul. She could see him, crouched down as was his way, his head cocked, eyes searching her.
"I'm tired Krog." She felt a sympathetic nod.
"Then rest for a while here, with me."
Her friend surveyed the land, and lingered in the direction of the camp.
"I can't stay here much longer, I don't think. It's time I go." Her heart sank.
Alone, without even the ghost of an old friend for comfort.. She nodded, and grinned, remembering her half-orc friend's vision of his afterlife, his eternal reward.
"I'll wander through every land unknown to men, places that no longer exist, and places that never will."
It made her glad to imagine her old friend cresting peaks, and looking down at some new discovery, his eyes young.
"Maybe you'd like to come with me?" She nodded sleepily, and a smile appeared on her thinning lips. "Let me rest first, Krog, then we'll go." He was always in a rush to get moving!
The trunk of the tree supported her, until her breathing stopped. A rush of wind crept through the tall grass, crouched up against the tree, sprang up into the branches, and then out into the cool night air.
"For luck." he replied. "Not many make the trip. Not today. But I'm cautious - I'd like his help if I'm lost." She nodded, and looked up into the tree. She had planted it some four centuries ago.
At it's base she had buried the curled, grey-haired body of a half-orc who didn't know her. Some miles off, the dim lights of a logging camp could be seen. The young strider explained that this same tree would soon be logged, as had the rest of the forest. "They have new machines now, that take the trees down quickly."
The young strider looked up into the branches reverently, searching. But he saw nothing. After a brief prayer, he left, whistling, with the wind at his back - bound for parts unknown.
When he was safely gone, she pulled down a nearby branch, and examined the stems. Each terminated in a small green leaf, all but one. Replacing her leaf at the end of one stem, it fused there, and the silver lining its edge faded.
A wind pushed at the limbs then, and a rustling shurring surrounded her. Climbing up onto a branch, she rested against the trunk of the great tree, and rested her old bones. Before long the branches shook again with the wind, and a rustling worked its way down from the upper-most branches.
"How goes it, Laish?"
Leaning sideways against the trunk of the tree, the voice of her old friend echoed in her soul. She could see him, crouched down as was his way, his head cocked, eyes searching her.
"I'm tired Krog." She felt a sympathetic nod.
"Then rest for a while here, with me."
Her friend surveyed the land, and lingered in the direction of the camp.
"I can't stay here much longer, I don't think. It's time I go." Her heart sank.
Alone, without even the ghost of an old friend for comfort.. She nodded, and grinned, remembering her half-orc friend's vision of his afterlife, his eternal reward.
"I'll wander through every land unknown to men, places that no longer exist, and places that never will."
It made her glad to imagine her old friend cresting peaks, and looking down at some new discovery, his eyes young.
"Maybe you'd like to come with me?" She nodded sleepily, and a smile appeared on her thinning lips. "Let me rest first, Krog, then we'll go." He was always in a rush to get moving!
The trunk of the tree supported her, until her breathing stopped. A rush of wind crept through the tall grass, crouched up against the tree, sprang up into the branches, and then out into the cool night air.
Final Far Wandering [1]
NOTE: This appeared in August of 2002, as my vision of how Krog's story might end, and as a general musing of what happens to old adventurers who outlive their enemies, and their friends. This never 'happened' but it was fun to write.
.....
A doglike creature reared its head in the darkness, four tentacles dangling from just above its mouth. Lowering its head again, the tentacles dug back into the brain of the duergar dwarf's body. They writhed and slithered, trying to get further into the braincase. With a moist crunch, the small corpse's head shattered, and the brain slid out into the creature's waiting mouth.
Gobbling madly at the pale white flesh, it was soon joined by the rest of the pack, drawn psionically to the feast. All but one. The leader of the pack paced, its primitive but sensitive mind scanning for a hidden presence. Sensing a sentient being, it bounded off into the eternal darkness.
It followed the stray thought as a shark would follow a drop of blood.
The pack followed, splitting off through the honeycomb passageways, mentally linked to each other. Working in perfect unison, as one mind, they closed in on their prey. Broadcasting confusion, entrapment and hopelessness, their pack-mind spread out to encircle the newcomer.
A tall, thin figure raised a hand as the leader lept, feeder tentacles reaching.
Thick webbing enfolded the creature, and it fell to the floor.
The others paced at a distance. More webs sprang from an outstretched hand, filling the cavern. The figure walked off, leaving the pack trapped. Waving a hand non-chalantly at them, the ceiling of the cavern began descending.
Pulling her hood back, the drow wizardress watched the creatures race into the webs to escape. The ceiling continued to fall, until only their heads snapped at her from the narrow space left.
Cessarids," she muttered under her breath, as she watched the last of them perish. The illithid were becoming increasingly lax in their control of their hunting beasts. Her face was deeply lined. Once thick, luxurious white hair was now so thin that it floated about her in a frayed nimbus. The weight of six hundred winters weighed heavily upon her, but she was not hunch-backed, as some old women become. As the years had progressed, she had descended lower and lower into the warm earth, so that the heat could ease the growing pain in her joints.
Now, she ascended to the sunlit world again. To visit family.
.....
Under the stars she traveled. When her aging body failed her, her Art did not. Entering into The Weave, she felt the sensation of flower petals being drawn over her closed eyelids. It was impractical to travel so boldly in The Underdark, where it was all too possible to emerge into a wall of solid rock.
Instead she emerged into a green, moonlit field, hundreds of leagues away, and let out a great sigh. Reaching into her cloak, her sharp fingernail sliced at the hem of a hidden pocket.
Her hand withdrew a tiny green leaf, silvered at the edges, overladen with lost memories. Leaning heavily on her staff, she let the leaf guide her.
After a time, she became aware of another walking in the tall grass. A tall, lanky man, emerged from the dark greenery, his dagger held aloft in plain sight. "No harm to you, old mother." Scowling slightly, she returned, "And none to _you_, greenleaf." They walked together, but he eyed her suspiciously.
"Are you here for a blessing of good travel?" he asked. She shook her head. "Where are you headed?" she asked. The young man grinned, and it was a familiar grin. But not quite the same. He shrugged, and maintained his roguish smile.
"I've no idea. That's why I'm here. I'll follow the wind, most likely." A great bloom of leaves rose before them, like a dark-green dawn. The main trunk of the tree rose up like a column, and then branches exploded in every direction. As they approached, the young man reached down to the grass and pulled a stone from the ground.
Necessary
I have torn through countless villages. I have single-handed brought down militias. I have defeated armies. I have killed a king. All of this, terrible. I had never before stayed behind after a battle. I like home. It is easy, it is simple. I do not know why this time I remained camped with the army. I beared witness The One Who Endures, Lord on the Rack, the Crying God Ilmater manifested in a bleeding body. His wounds never closed. They simply drained the blood from his hairy body wearing only
a breechcloth. The Suffering -- the clergy of his faith -- took notice of this man. No matter their efforts, they could not stop his bleeding.
A few chanted spells of healing, others mixing herbs together to clot the blood. They started to amass. A man appeared on the hill. Those gathered started to speak of the Exalted Sufferer. This was the leader of their religion. Truly it was a sight to behold. The Exalted Sufferer descended to the bleeding man, and held out his hand. Though it obviously bore the bleeding man great pain, he stood and walked with the Exalted Sufferer. Horses were brought. The man was mounted, and had begun to wail in pain. They started to strike out at our army in camp. The bleeding man used his hands like shortswords. I took notice and secured my chainmail to the boiled leather underbody. The bleeding man was an efficient machine. No one noticed me while the bleeding man obliterated. I motioned for my squire to mount my fullplate mail. I grabbed my great helm, fastened it, and made for my horse. I rode away quickly. I knew this bleeding man would endure anything I could sustain against him.
As I left camp, a Sufferer waved for me to halt. I reached to my side and readied my greatsword. I meant to cut him down, but something stopped me. I slowed my horse. "Haven't you heard?" he asked. "Ilmater has blessed us with his presence. His avatar defeats those who caused this suffering!" I had to ride on. This was Ilmater incarnated. He was there for me. My long time of service, of rape, of murder, of shame. I know now I must repent for what I have done, so the Crying God may once again manifest himself.
a breechcloth. The Suffering -- the clergy of his faith -- took notice of this man. No matter their efforts, they could not stop his bleeding.
A few chanted spells of healing, others mixing herbs together to clot the blood. They started to amass. A man appeared on the hill. Those gathered started to speak of the Exalted Sufferer. This was the leader of their religion. Truly it was a sight to behold. The Exalted Sufferer descended to the bleeding man, and held out his hand. Though it obviously bore the bleeding man great pain, he stood and walked with the Exalted Sufferer. Horses were brought. The man was mounted, and had begun to wail in pain. They started to strike out at our army in camp. The bleeding man used his hands like shortswords. I took notice and secured my chainmail to the boiled leather underbody. The bleeding man was an efficient machine. No one noticed me while the bleeding man obliterated. I motioned for my squire to mount my fullplate mail. I grabbed my great helm, fastened it, and made for my horse. I rode away quickly. I knew this bleeding man would endure anything I could sustain against him.
As I left camp, a Sufferer waved for me to halt. I reached to my side and readied my greatsword. I meant to cut him down, but something stopped me. I slowed my horse. "Haven't you heard?" he asked. "Ilmater has blessed us with his presence. His avatar defeats those who caused this suffering!" I had to ride on. This was Ilmater incarnated. He was there for me. My long time of service, of rape, of murder, of shame. I know now I must repent for what I have done, so the Crying God may once again manifest himself.
Diary of a mad man
Entering the room Rosso knew what this meeting was about, his life and death in the clan Long Death. In the room there was Rahvin, pheniox,Darxal and Mortis the head masters of the clan. Only Pheniox spoke, with such a loud tone it couldn't be forgotten you must surrender your soul to death. Show us you have what it takes to be one of us. Rosso begin to speak about his clan symbol then stopped. He nodded in approval and with that he was off to Market square.
Day 1
There sat Devout, Stephy,Dimitri and another person I didn't recognize. I knew I must get their attention somehow so I asked the paperboy for a quest, hoping that they would follow. But I was too fast for them. I had to come back and fight my way to death. So It happened the first kill, so powerful it crashed his heart and soul to remove his clan symbol. When I came back into reality my life force was down and devout of the hoard had healed me to my death, so his friend hit me once again I was faced with another trial do I go back and fulfill my destiny or do I sit idly by and watch it go to waste.
Day 2
I arrived back at market square some hours later the dust had settled no one was there, and then came a halforc gladiator by the name of Zekai a few pokes of him to me got him furious to hit me. This trial was to watch my life before my eyes. To not attack just to watch. Zekai fell flat at least a dozen times but in the end I lay flat from his blade.
day 3
I awoke quickly with a start the next trial being friendship, I found Xeptimus sitting on the bench questioning what I was doing there why I was hitting him. He gave into temptation and attacked and once again I fell to a blade.
day 4
The next trial was a gang bang. Die to as many people as possible: I ran to market square as fast as I could gassed the room and five of them pop out of the smoke and are all on me. I try to fight back it's to much I fall to Dimitri.
day 5
The next trial, die to a priest to come back wealthy in the afterlife. I didn't heal for this one. I know priests are the worse. I found the target. It was Devout the devoted hoard member, I sent a rock his way and one hit of his weapon I fell once again
day 6
Trial 6 die to your own kind: looking for another spell caster like myself I found the lonely vonrak sitting there sipping on a Lipton ice tea I attacked him first but his friends sipping on juice boxes hit me too but in the end I fell to a rock.
day 7
Day of reckoning get help to fight a known enemy, then die by him: I found 3 buddies and attempted to kill variable the invariable but the weapon was to strong it was my weakness. In seconds I died.
day 8
The day of rebirth: Die to be a born again clansmen. I rushed to market square so fast knowing this was the end of the trial. Found my target then died to Variable the invariable.
Signed, Rosso deh Aposso
Day 1
There sat Devout, Stephy,Dimitri and another person I didn't recognize. I knew I must get their attention somehow so I asked the paperboy for a quest, hoping that they would follow. But I was too fast for them. I had to come back and fight my way to death. So It happened the first kill, so powerful it crashed his heart and soul to remove his clan symbol. When I came back into reality my life force was down and devout of the hoard had healed me to my death, so his friend hit me once again I was faced with another trial do I go back and fulfill my destiny or do I sit idly by and watch it go to waste.
Day 2
I arrived back at market square some hours later the dust had settled no one was there, and then came a halforc gladiator by the name of Zekai a few pokes of him to me got him furious to hit me. This trial was to watch my life before my eyes. To not attack just to watch. Zekai fell flat at least a dozen times but in the end I lay flat from his blade.
day 3
I awoke quickly with a start the next trial being friendship, I found Xeptimus sitting on the bench questioning what I was doing there why I was hitting him. He gave into temptation and attacked and once again I fell to a blade.
day 4
The next trial was a gang bang. Die to as many people as possible: I ran to market square as fast as I could gassed the room and five of them pop out of the smoke and are all on me. I try to fight back it's to much I fall to Dimitri.
day 5
The next trial, die to a priest to come back wealthy in the afterlife. I didn't heal for this one. I know priests are the worse. I found the target. It was Devout the devoted hoard member, I sent a rock his way and one hit of his weapon I fell once again
day 6
Trial 6 die to your own kind: looking for another spell caster like myself I found the lonely vonrak sitting there sipping on a Lipton ice tea I attacked him first but his friends sipping on juice boxes hit me too but in the end I fell to a rock.
day 7
Day of reckoning get help to fight a known enemy, then die by him: I found 3 buddies and attempted to kill variable the invariable but the weapon was to strong it was my weakness. In seconds I died.
day 8
The day of rebirth: Die to be a born again clansmen. I rushed to market square so fast knowing this was the end of the trial. Found my target then died to Variable the invariable.
Signed, Rosso deh Aposso
The Exiled Soul -I-
What dreams I've had of late, and yet not a single nightmare. There wasn't any reason tonight would be different than the hundreds previous. The God I once knew had abandoned me. Tossed aside like a plaything that was no longer amusing. The night sky in the hills this time of year was actually very pretty, but there was no solace in it. I had once drew power from the God of Nightmares, but the haze of such a time was fading as it it were only a Nightmare.
Often I'd think about how easily we'd been swept aside in the end. The armies of Vector were strong enough to force a foothold and scare the Tripower into submission for years. Even with Kefka dead, they were perhaps now even more dangerous. Might is right. There's no denying it. The events of the last 10 years had hardened my heart. Not that I was weak before, I'd delighted in being the Nightmare of Magic, the Exile, the bringer of death. But there was nothing left to persue along those lives. The person who had championed the night may as well be dead. Even my own magical aura seemed to pulse with energy that was not of the Gods.
There was no more sleep left for tonight and I stood up from my small camp and began packing my things. I thought how strange it was that I should wait all this time before making this journey. It seemed unbelieveable that the old "hell hath no fury" line didn't quite apply. There were reasons far beyond the obvious for finding her place again. Perhaps, there were those who would take her in. It could just be that she would wind up the Exile once more. Searching for meaning in life.
But then again...
Perhaps, It was time to find some old "friends"...
Often I'd think about how easily we'd been swept aside in the end. The armies of Vector were strong enough to force a foothold and scare the Tripower into submission for years. Even with Kefka dead, they were perhaps now even more dangerous. Might is right. There's no denying it. The events of the last 10 years had hardened my heart. Not that I was weak before, I'd delighted in being the Nightmare of Magic, the Exile, the bringer of death. But there was nothing left to persue along those lives. The person who had championed the night may as well be dead. Even my own magical aura seemed to pulse with energy that was not of the Gods.
There was no more sleep left for tonight and I stood up from my small camp and began packing my things. I thought how strange it was that I should wait all this time before making this journey. It seemed unbelieveable that the old "hell hath no fury" line didn't quite apply. There were reasons far beyond the obvious for finding her place again. Perhaps, there were those who would take her in. It could just be that she would wind up the Exile once more. Searching for meaning in life.
But then again...
Perhaps, It was time to find some old "friends"...
prayers for a dying monk
The Order had clashed with the warriors of Shar protecting Belldandy's escape. Their defensive position had entrenched them within the body of the confrontation. The warriors of Shar were fierce creatures with the head of a dragon the body of a lizard and the temperament of a caged weasel. The Order fought them back but Belldandy's action must have triggered their anger; after her escape the warrior engraved. We had been on the Fields of Shar previously and the dragomen where never like this before. The fight had drained a lot of effort; yet The Order had successfully withstood the attack and had suppressed the warriors aggression. What ever she had done she was keen to have hidden the body of the unbinding ritual from the Order.
Since the battle The order had been trying to play catchup, a game they were not used to playing. The group had gathered at the temple every night in numbers for the past week. They had become stuck with something that seemed so simple. Restore the dying monk.
The dying monk would likely help them with the unbinding ritual. The Nexus Monk himself had proven less than helpful. But the dying monk fought for the words to speak to the group. The group felt the task of freeing the gods slipping from their gasp. Psycho sensed the growing tension within the group and so he ventured to Material Plane and within The Temple of Mask and knelt before Mask's statue and began to pray.
'Oh Mask, Lord of the Shadows savior of The Nexus Temple and the City of Shade please hear my prayers. When we last spoke I asked about the unbinding ritual. I have had significant difficulties preforming the ritual and my men are growing weary. I implore you to again speak with us and help us to reach the Nexus Library. We have fallen behind and without guidance I fear that our resources may not hold, and we will be forced to remove our camp within the Shadow Temple. We still maintain our pledge to free the god and restore Magic and Order to the realms again.'
Since the battle The order had been trying to play catchup, a game they were not used to playing. The group had gathered at the temple every night in numbers for the past week. They had become stuck with something that seemed so simple. Restore the dying monk.
The dying monk would likely help them with the unbinding ritual. The Nexus Monk himself had proven less than helpful. But the dying monk fought for the words to speak to the group. The group felt the task of freeing the gods slipping from their gasp. Psycho sensed the growing tension within the group and so he ventured to Material Plane and within The Temple of Mask and knelt before Mask's statue and began to pray.
'Oh Mask, Lord of the Shadows savior of The Nexus Temple and the City of Shade please hear my prayers. When we last spoke I asked about the unbinding ritual. I have had significant difficulties preforming the ritual and my men are growing weary. I implore you to again speak with us and help us to reach the Nexus Library. We have fallen behind and without guidance I fear that our resources may not hold, and we will be forced to remove our camp within the Shadow Temple. We still maintain our pledge to free the god and restore Magic and Order to the realms again.'
An Intriguing Study (Part 2)
As Azeroth continues watching the line of Hordies entering the tent where moans and mumbles can be heard, one of the Horde members stood out because of the uncanny size of his asshole, that can be seen from a distance.
"Let's call this one Ass..." said Azeroth to himself.
Ass was naked, body glistening in sweat under the hot summer sun. It was his turn as he enter the Leader of the Horde's tent. Sounds of groans can be heard, follow by loud screams and moans of pleasure.
Exits Ass from the tent, suddenly decked out in gear...his lips sore, driping with white fluid and saliva.
"What the fuck?" thought Azeroth to himself as he packs his shit and heads back to MagiTek Fortress to report his findings...
"Let's call this one Ass..." said Azeroth to himself.
Ass was naked, body glistening in sweat under the hot summer sun. It was his turn as he enter the Leader of the Horde's tent. Sounds of groans can be heard, follow by loud screams and moans of pleasure.
Exits Ass from the tent, suddenly decked out in gear...his lips sore, driping with white fluid and saliva.
"What the fuck?" thought Azeroth to himself as he packs his shit and heads back to MagiTek Fortress to report his findings...
An Intriguing Study (Part 1)
One day, Azeroth was walking along when he saw some individuals from the clan called the Horde. They were fully geared. As Azeroth takes a closer look, he realizes that they were all lining up one by one...entering a tent...which Azeroth believes, resides the Leader of the Horde.
Everytime someone enters the tent, weird noises can be weird, of moans and lust, and out came them, fatigued, but well equiped.
Azeroth wonders what is happening in this tent as every single person of the Horde enters in and comes out with gear.
One day, we will find out...
Everytime someone enters the tent, weird noises can be weird, of moans and lust, and out came them, fatigued, but well equiped.
Azeroth wonders what is happening in this tent as every single person of the Horde enters in and comes out with gear.
One day, we will find out...
Magical Disturbance
A disturbance in the weave snapped Vorcet back to reality, with a dizzying rush the world came back into focus. How long had he been out this time? Vorcet lookad at his hands which had been frozen in a pose of meditation for gods knew how long. Dust covered the backs of his hands and a spider web hung from the sleeve of his robe. Vorcet stretched his arms and legs out gingerly, getting the long dead muscles back into working order. Finally he stood and slipped into trance to search for the disturbance that had brought him out of his restorative meditation.
To the west of his house in torregiano something was different. Vorcet knew what it was. Izuna had been found and neutralized, the book of evil that had corrupted his psyche taken from him. The curse on that forsaken island had fed from that book and had protected it from Vorcet's attempts to retrieve it. Vorcet could feel the book leaving the island. Vorcet slipped out of trance for a moment and openned a scrying window to the location of the book. The window openned to the Market Square pub in westbridge and a few adventurers gathered around a table sharing drinks.
Vorcet focused in on the one the book in question now sat in front of. He was a tall human wearing the robes common among those that trained in the newly established Monk guilds in New Thalos. Well worn sandals peek out from beneath the hem of his robes. The man's focus apears to only be partly on the celebratory mood of his companions as it continually slips back to the book now in his posession.
Sentient objects rarely make good companions as they tend to have goals of their own in mind for their owners, Vorcet needed to warn that monk about what he now found himself the owner of.
Vorcet shook teh dust from his robe which was wrinkled from being in the same position for so long. He sighed and walked through the house to his personal suite of rooms and pulled a new robe from the wardrobe in the corner. He shrugged out of the old one and slipped the new one on and fastened his belt about his waist. Whips in place, and spell components stored about his person he felt almost human again. He called in the doorway to his magically created pocket of reality where he stored his important objects. He stepped into the small work room and pulled a key off the chain around his neck. He unlocked a cabinet and pulled the small gem out and inspected it closely. The dull glow of the facets was enough to tell him that he had stored enough energy to remain concious for a good amount of time. Vorcet carefully placed the phylactery back on the shelf and closed the cabinet doors. After locking the cabinet and replacing the key around his neck, Vorcet exited his room and made the door dissapear once more.
Vorcet stepepd out into the garden behind the house and to the circle of runes and chanted the words that would take him to a secluded location jsut outside the town of westbridge. After the lurch of shifting location was over, Vorcet pulled his hood up over his head and set about hunting down the new owner of that cursed spellbook.
To the west of his house in torregiano something was different. Vorcet knew what it was. Izuna had been found and neutralized, the book of evil that had corrupted his psyche taken from him. The curse on that forsaken island had fed from that book and had protected it from Vorcet's attempts to retrieve it. Vorcet could feel the book leaving the island. Vorcet slipped out of trance for a moment and openned a scrying window to the location of the book. The window openned to the Market Square pub in westbridge and a few adventurers gathered around a table sharing drinks.
Vorcet focused in on the one the book in question now sat in front of. He was a tall human wearing the robes common among those that trained in the newly established Monk guilds in New Thalos. Well worn sandals peek out from beneath the hem of his robes. The man's focus apears to only be partly on the celebratory mood of his companions as it continually slips back to the book now in his posession.
Sentient objects rarely make good companions as they tend to have goals of their own in mind for their owners, Vorcet needed to warn that monk about what he now found himself the owner of.
Vorcet shook teh dust from his robe which was wrinkled from being in the same position for so long. He sighed and walked through the house to his personal suite of rooms and pulled a new robe from the wardrobe in the corner. He shrugged out of the old one and slipped the new one on and fastened his belt about his waist. Whips in place, and spell components stored about his person he felt almost human again. He called in the doorway to his magically created pocket of reality where he stored his important objects. He stepped into the small work room and pulled a key off the chain around his neck. He unlocked a cabinet and pulled the small gem out and inspected it closely. The dull glow of the facets was enough to tell him that he had stored enough energy to remain concious for a good amount of time. Vorcet carefully placed the phylactery back on the shelf and closed the cabinet doors. After locking the cabinet and replacing the key around his neck, Vorcet exited his room and made the door dissapear once more.
Vorcet stepepd out into the garden behind the house and to the circle of runes and chanted the words that would take him to a secluded location jsut outside the town of westbridge. After the lurch of shifting location was over, Vorcet pulled his hood up over his head and set about hunting down the new owner of that cursed spellbook.
Bandit Slayer (Chapter 2)
past hour and still I was insatiable. Perhaps it was just another side effect from the spell. My hair had turned snow white and my fingertips still burned where raw magic had coursed through them. I hid under my cloak to avoid notice and in the rain the only odd thing to be seen was how much I was eating. Even conjuring mana biscuits wasn't enough, and it hurt me to do so as the spell left me weakened. It wasn't far till the borders of Amn I told myself. It wouldn't mean safety but at least I could stop and rest and eat and figure out what to do from there. But mostly eat.
The City of Coin was one I'd rather not have left. Haggling over deals was so familiar to me. Mom and Dad had been good merchants but I'd learned so much from selling everything from trinkets of power to magical images of my sister bathing. Ok, so maybe I did have some of her punishments coming but give me a break, I have a whole world to explore and that doesn't come cheap!
"That's far enough little girl," The group of bandits were cleverly hidden but showed themselves quickly enough. Who were they calling a little girl! I could turn them inside out and purple at the same time. It's not like I was all that under developed for my age, and even being a Titan, well I was young and would grow and who knows, I could get taller... One day. And what kind of asshole robs a little girl anyway!
"Well, you know what we want, drop the packs and cloaks and you won't get hurt." The same idiot spoke again. This one was getting turned inside out, purple or not depended on what color he was on the inside.
"Leave her alone!" A tall knight in blue armor wielding a very long claymore walked toward the group of bandits undaunted. His long golden locks almost covered his face but I could make out blue eyes and a white smile. "You're not going to touch her!"
"And who's gonna stop us pretty boy? You?!?! Bahahahaaa" The rest of the bandits chimed in and he assumed the pose of a very experienced fighter. Oh my god, I thought to myself with almost utter delight, I'M the damsel in distress, me! Who would have thought! This was too good, I'll have to see where this leads. No magic, don't want to let prince knight guy feel like he didn't rescue me! This is too cool!
They circled around him but he kept his calm, one jumped from behind but he caught the blow and redirected it back on his attacker. There was a quick scuffle and but within minutes the bandits were fleeing for their lives. There he was... My hero... The long sword hung over his shoulder smiling. As he walked toward me his smile faded.
"Oh, hey little girl, you know it's dangerous for you to be out here..." He stooped over a little to speak to me at my height. Ok so he was a lil weird.
"Oh well, sorry mister, thanks for saving me!" I squeaked trying to look cute.
"Is your mom or dad around here?" He stood up and started looking up and down the road. "Here I think I'm saving a mega hot babe and it turns out she's some little kid with white hair..."
What... The... Hell!!!! As I heard it something snapped in me and was replace by a mushroom cloud going off. Here I am acting all cute and you treat me like some kid! I could have blown those guys sky high, and you let them get away. What a jerk! And now he's leaving. Leaving! No forget that, he's buying me dinner to make up for this. I ran after him.
The City of Coin was one I'd rather not have left. Haggling over deals was so familiar to me. Mom and Dad had been good merchants but I'd learned so much from selling everything from trinkets of power to magical images of my sister bathing. Ok, so maybe I did have some of her punishments coming but give me a break, I have a whole world to explore and that doesn't come cheap!
"That's far enough little girl," The group of bandits were cleverly hidden but showed themselves quickly enough. Who were they calling a little girl! I could turn them inside out and purple at the same time. It's not like I was all that under developed for my age, and even being a Titan, well I was young and would grow and who knows, I could get taller... One day. And what kind of asshole robs a little girl anyway!
"Well, you know what we want, drop the packs and cloaks and you won't get hurt." The same idiot spoke again. This one was getting turned inside out, purple or not depended on what color he was on the inside.
"Leave her alone!" A tall knight in blue armor wielding a very long claymore walked toward the group of bandits undaunted. His long golden locks almost covered his face but I could make out blue eyes and a white smile. "You're not going to touch her!"
"And who's gonna stop us pretty boy? You?!?! Bahahahaaa" The rest of the bandits chimed in and he assumed the pose of a very experienced fighter. Oh my god, I thought to myself with almost utter delight, I'M the damsel in distress, me! Who would have thought! This was too good, I'll have to see where this leads. No magic, don't want to let prince knight guy feel like he didn't rescue me! This is too cool!
They circled around him but he kept his calm, one jumped from behind but he caught the blow and redirected it back on his attacker. There was a quick scuffle and but within minutes the bandits were fleeing for their lives. There he was... My hero... The long sword hung over his shoulder smiling. As he walked toward me his smile faded.
"Oh, hey little girl, you know it's dangerous for you to be out here..." He stooped over a little to speak to me at my height. Ok so he was a lil weird.
"Oh well, sorry mister, thanks for saving me!" I squeaked trying to look cute.
"Is your mom or dad around here?" He stood up and started looking up and down the road. "Here I think I'm saving a mega hot babe and it turns out she's some little kid with white hair..."
What... The... Hell!!!! As I heard it something snapped in me and was replace by a mushroom cloud going off. Here I am acting all cute and you treat me like some kid! I could have blown those guys sky high, and you let them get away. What a jerk! And now he's leaving. Leaving! No forget that, he's buying me dinner to make up for this. I ran after him.
Leaving Home (Chapter 1)
It was just another day. My sister had been scolding me for yet another thing I did wrong and I'd gone up to the lake outside the city. How was I supposed to know that the spell I was trying to cast was never meant for mortals to cast? After starting the trials of the Tower of Sorcery, I'd progressed faster than any of the others my age and had secretly stolen the forbidden black magic books out of their libraries. Mastering the spells was only half of my triumph. It was the curiosities written down by some of the most powerful sorcerors in the world that peeked my interest. I'd searched for ages to find the amulets that I could amplify the power in my soul to cast spells that were only theoretical.
I'd tried a dozen times before but hadn't known how to harness the energies. Today I had the bandana I'd fashioned out of the beard of a black dragon and the blood red jewel that the gnome had helped me create. I could feel the gem pulling my magic into it and amplifying it. The sensation was incredible. The old book had been written in netherese, the one I had before me was a translation to elder dragon and even then I couldn't read it all. The incantation, the runes, the gestures were all there though. They made sense in a strange way. It was like a secret code behind all magic which was contained in this spell. That's what made it so intriguing.
I planted my feet firmly in the pentagram I'd spent the last hour preparing. It flared up around me and I felt magical energy pushing my hair and cape back like wind. I closed my eyes and let the orbs pull my magical essence out of my body and amplify it. The runes were the easy part, I'd mastered them years ago. Now the incantation and to harness the power beyond the limits of normal spellcasting. I lifted my hands above my head and called to the other realm to give me the gift of power.
Slowly, I spoke words which hadn't been completed in hundreds of years:
Darkness beyond Blackest Pitch,
Deeper than the deepest night.
Lord as vast as the largest ocean
Colder than the coldest Ice.
King of Darkness who shines like gold upon the Sea of Chaos!
I call upon thee and swear myself to thee,
I stand ready to bear the strength you give me.
Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed,
By the power you and I possess!
The surge of magic nearly crushed her to the ground but I stood resolute and let my hands fall forward into the last rune and channeled the spell through them and out toward the middle of the lake. My eyes shot open as the spell cast and flowed through me burning my fingertips and knocking me down. The black and red beam of energy cut off at that point and imploded above the middle of the lake. The explosion caused the water in the lake to flood its shores and the crackling was that of the super nova snapping trees in half. The shield I had casted beforehand and the pentagram shielded me from the blast. The explosion was incredible, the skies darkened overhead and as the area settled only a silence remained.
Death had overtaken the lake. I realized then the power I'd begun to unleash and knew that they'd come for me. Not to punish me, but to enslave me. My sisters punishments would pale in comparison if they knew what I could do and staying here was impossible. I grabbed my things and shoved them into the old magical bag I'd stolen from the Archmages locker. What now? Leaving home wasn't scary, I'd planned that for months. But even as I headed down the long road, I wondered what would change. Maybe it was just that, change would be good and I could carve my own path.
I'd tried a dozen times before but hadn't known how to harness the energies. Today I had the bandana I'd fashioned out of the beard of a black dragon and the blood red jewel that the gnome had helped me create. I could feel the gem pulling my magic into it and amplifying it. The sensation was incredible. The old book had been written in netherese, the one I had before me was a translation to elder dragon and even then I couldn't read it all. The incantation, the runes, the gestures were all there though. They made sense in a strange way. It was like a secret code behind all magic which was contained in this spell. That's what made it so intriguing.
I planted my feet firmly in the pentagram I'd spent the last hour preparing. It flared up around me and I felt magical energy pushing my hair and cape back like wind. I closed my eyes and let the orbs pull my magical essence out of my body and amplify it. The runes were the easy part, I'd mastered them years ago. Now the incantation and to harness the power beyond the limits of normal spellcasting. I lifted my hands above my head and called to the other realm to give me the gift of power.
Slowly, I spoke words which hadn't been completed in hundreds of years:
Darkness beyond Blackest Pitch,
Deeper than the deepest night.
Lord as vast as the largest ocean
Colder than the coldest Ice.
King of Darkness who shines like gold upon the Sea of Chaos!
I call upon thee and swear myself to thee,
I stand ready to bear the strength you give me.
Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed,
By the power you and I possess!
The surge of magic nearly crushed her to the ground but I stood resolute and let my hands fall forward into the last rune and channeled the spell through them and out toward the middle of the lake. My eyes shot open as the spell cast and flowed through me burning my fingertips and knocking me down. The black and red beam of energy cut off at that point and imploded above the middle of the lake. The explosion caused the water in the lake to flood its shores and the crackling was that of the super nova snapping trees in half. The shield I had casted beforehand and the pentagram shielded me from the blast. The explosion was incredible, the skies darkened overhead and as the area settled only a silence remained.
Death had overtaken the lake. I realized then the power I'd begun to unleash and knew that they'd come for me. Not to punish me, but to enslave me. My sisters punishments would pale in comparison if they knew what I could do and staying here was impossible. I grabbed my things and shoved them into the old magical bag I'd stolen from the Archmages locker. What now? Leaving home wasn't scary, I'd planned that for months. But even as I headed down the long road, I wondered what would change. Maybe it was just that, change would be good and I could carve my own path.
The Deceiver and the Spirit
"Get word to the rest of the Order, get them here NOW. And..." The knight with gleaming armor and fiery swords picked up a spear and threw it through the cracks in the closing doors and killed the share warrior trying to get in. "And close that damn door, we are NOT losing this Temple to these demons."
Slowly the whole temple was turned into an army barracks. They took up positions and the magic users began teleporting to the roof of the temple and hurling balls of fire down on the shadowy battlefield. After helping bring in some of the wounded and even spending a round on the roof that harmed enough of them to get them to back off the Temple for a moment, I looked around for Inigo. He was nursing his bears wounds, a large gash across the shoulder blades had been dressed and bandaged already but the large beast wasn't going to take it lying down. The bear sat up and gave a goofy tongue lolling grin as it saw me.
"Bell! There ya are, whatever happened in there!" He rushed to me and hugged me around the waist.
"You act like you haven't seen me in a week!" I exclaimed. "Well yeah, about a week since you disappeared in there. All hell has broken loose since you left, as you can see." He gestured around.
" I've only been there for a few hours... Ok maybe a whole day... How could.. Maybe time doesn't mean anything in the Nexus Temple. " I thought hard about everything and before long I saw one of the children that had been forced to spend their youth in this Temple pull my robes. "You're not supposed to be here! Go back to where you were! Through there!" The little child pointed behind the spirit of Karsus and although all I saw were the murals of Insanity etched into the walls, as I got closer, I felt that I could walk through it. I grabbed Inigo, and we came out at the nexus monk. We were inside the circle of stones and the Warriors, although completely surrounding the circle, didn't dare cross it.
We entered the temple again, with the decaying fragments of the Rose. It wasn't long before the we coaxed the Librarian to let us proceed. He still complained that we were meddling but said he wasn't the one to stop us if we had to continue. I wondered how the battle went outside. From what I knew of Shar and Mask, they were Mother and Son, and sworn enemies. What would cause such a clash in this place, I couldn't begin to understand yet. After providing a book, and a card, the librarian told us that the High Priest of Mask was the only one who could help us. The High Priest was a daunting figure, cloaked in shadow and temperamental. He asked us for our most valuable trinkets and in the end I gave up the Orb of Power that I had forged after years of study just to see what he had to offer.
It was then, that the shadowy figure appeared again.
Slowly the whole temple was turned into an army barracks. They took up positions and the magic users began teleporting to the roof of the temple and hurling balls of fire down on the shadowy battlefield. After helping bring in some of the wounded and even spending a round on the roof that harmed enough of them to get them to back off the Temple for a moment, I looked around for Inigo. He was nursing his bears wounds, a large gash across the shoulder blades had been dressed and bandaged already but the large beast wasn't going to take it lying down. The bear sat up and gave a goofy tongue lolling grin as it saw me.
"Bell! There ya are, whatever happened in there!" He rushed to me and hugged me around the waist.
"You act like you haven't seen me in a week!" I exclaimed. "Well yeah, about a week since you disappeared in there. All hell has broken loose since you left, as you can see." He gestured around.
" I've only been there for a few hours... Ok maybe a whole day... How could.. Maybe time doesn't mean anything in the Nexus Temple. " I thought hard about everything and before long I saw one of the children that had been forced to spend their youth in this Temple pull my robes. "You're not supposed to be here! Go back to where you were! Through there!" The little child pointed behind the spirit of Karsus and although all I saw were the murals of Insanity etched into the walls, as I got closer, I felt that I could walk through it. I grabbed Inigo, and we came out at the nexus monk. We were inside the circle of stones and the Warriors, although completely surrounding the circle, didn't dare cross it.
We entered the temple again, with the decaying fragments of the Rose. It wasn't long before the we coaxed the Librarian to let us proceed. He still complained that we were meddling but said he wasn't the one to stop us if we had to continue. I wondered how the battle went outside. From what I knew of Shar and Mask, they were Mother and Son, and sworn enemies. What would cause such a clash in this place, I couldn't begin to understand yet. After providing a book, and a card, the librarian told us that the High Priest of Mask was the only one who could help us. The High Priest was a daunting figure, cloaked in shadow and temperamental. He asked us for our most valuable trinkets and in the end I gave up the Orb of Power that I had forged after years of study just to see what he had to offer.
It was then, that the shadowy figure appeared again.
The Sacred Nexus Temple
Shadows appeared throughout the Nexus Temple even though the whole place was bathed in light. A place like this made it hard to know what was real and what was Shadow. Training as a Temple Guardian with the monks of the material plane hadn't prepared me for anything like this. Aside from the Weeping Child there were two other people who lived in the Nexus Temple whether they were real or just shades couldn't be told but they kept an order to the Temple. The Nexus Librarian was an odd man, if a man at all. Seemingly he had the face of a child but the rest of him seemed that of someone who had seem many, many years with a long silvery white beard. I spent hours with him talking about history and lore but he'd mostly tell me that I was meddling with magic in which I shouldn't be meddling. He had a love of the lost objects of time and history. The ones no one cared about anymore. And I even got him to yield when he saw what I had brought him. There wasn't much to go on but that's when I saw it. Or did I? The Silhouette of a Shadow? What was that... How come I hadn't seen it before.
The rooms and spirits of the Temples hid him well but as I turned to last room, I saw the flicker of Shadow again. The Mask that appeared before me melted into the surroundings and yielded into the surroundings but the figure remained. His strong build and tight clothing portrayed a very skilled and nimble man. It seemed he was more a shadow than a man at this point, if ever he had been a man. His fu-manchu was visible under the black satin hood and jet black hair. After we stared at each other for a moment he broke the silence.
"I didn't think anyone would come, it's been so long." It seemed as if he were happy about this but it was very hard to tell. "Come, I'll show you the way through the Shadows." With speed I had trouble keeping up with he ran through the Temple. His movements more shadow steps than actual jumps and running.
"Wait up!" I cried as I almost lost him around a corner. And it seems he intended this because as I rounded the corner the strong arms grabbed me and halted my progress and I cried out. A quick hand gently closed my eyelids and I felt the world arou
Rain poured door on the battlefield of Shar. The Radiant Hearts were engaged with the Knights of the Temple in a clash that was awesome to behold. The warriors of Shar whose numbers were endless charged at their hastily put together fortification. A Knight with blazing white fire surrounding his scimitars cut through their ranks, circling as a dervish would and felling the Shar Warriors. Meteors fell from the heavens at the command of Red Robed Wizards and I even saw a bear twice as large as the halfling strider beside it cleave one of the warriors in half. I couldn't watch any longer, I was running out of time and I didn't want to lose a chance for the shadows to help me.
The Shadow was waiting for me by the imprisoned spirit. The Rose he held in his hand was blackened and withered and he stared at it both in admiration and in longing. As I walked closer he walked up to me and handed me the Rose, it crumbled in my hand into ash and dust. He looked up at the spirit of Karsus and nodded.
"His folly undid it all. What a fool to have thought he could save his people from fate, it doesn't take courage for a man as powerful as he once was to battle fate, he knew better." The words seemed to anger the spirit but he was powerless to do anything. Lifeless from the spell his own hands had cast. "You're different you know, you seem to want to set things right. I've shown you this part of the puzzle. It will take more than just your heart to right this wrong though. I hope you have friends."
"The ones I have are here, and the ones to come, they'll want to help to." As I spoke I heard the Temple doors burst open and the shadow that was next to me vanished. Knights and Radiant Heart soldiers and Inigo rushed into the temple and as the rooms filled and the last to enter turned, I saw the endless battlefield. The Warriors of Shar chasing down stragglers. Six knights and 4 members of the Radiant Order pushed the doors closed as the Warriors charged the door.
The rooms and spirits of the Temples hid him well but as I turned to last room, I saw the flicker of Shadow again. The Mask that appeared before me melted into the surroundings and yielded into the surroundings but the figure remained. His strong build and tight clothing portrayed a very skilled and nimble man. It seemed he was more a shadow than a man at this point, if ever he had been a man. His fu-manchu was visible under the black satin hood and jet black hair. After we stared at each other for a moment he broke the silence.
"I didn't think anyone would come, it's been so long." It seemed as if he were happy about this but it was very hard to tell. "Come, I'll show you the way through the Shadows." With speed I had trouble keeping up with he ran through the Temple. His movements more shadow steps than actual jumps and running.
"Wait up!" I cried as I almost lost him around a corner. And it seems he intended this because as I rounded the corner the strong arms grabbed me and halted my progress and I cried out. A quick hand gently closed my eyelids and I felt the world arou
Rain poured door on the battlefield of Shar. The Radiant Hearts were engaged with the Knights of the Temple in a clash that was awesome to behold. The warriors of Shar whose numbers were endless charged at their hastily put together fortification. A Knight with blazing white fire surrounding his scimitars cut through their ranks, circling as a dervish would and felling the Shar Warriors. Meteors fell from the heavens at the command of Red Robed Wizards and I even saw a bear twice as large as the halfling strider beside it cleave one of the warriors in half. I couldn't watch any longer, I was running out of time and I didn't want to lose a chance for the shadows to help me.
The Shadow was waiting for me by the imprisoned spirit. The Rose he held in his hand was blackened and withered and he stared at it both in admiration and in longing. As I walked closer he walked up to me and handed me the Rose, it crumbled in my hand into ash and dust. He looked up at the spirit of Karsus and nodded.
"His folly undid it all. What a fool to have thought he could save his people from fate, it doesn't take courage for a man as powerful as he once was to battle fate, he knew better." The words seemed to anger the spirit but he was powerless to do anything. Lifeless from the spell his own hands had cast. "You're different you know, you seem to want to set things right. I've shown you this part of the puzzle. It will take more than just your heart to right this wrong though. I hope you have friends."
"The ones I have are here, and the ones to come, they'll want to help to." As I spoke I heard the Temple doors burst open and the shadow that was next to me vanished. Knights and Radiant Heart soldiers and Inigo rushed into the temple and as the rooms filled and the last to enter turned, I saw the endless battlefield. The Warriors of Shar chasing down stragglers. Six knights and 4 members of the Radiant Order pushed the doors closed as the Warriors charged the door.
The Muse (Part 9)
As I woke up, I felt someone next to me. Quyen seemed to be just laying down for a nap himself. No rest for the good of heart. The bed was oddly a creation spell, soft flowers lay under the cloaks that I slept on and placed over me. It was out of place because the rest of the room looked like a small cheap Inn.
"Where... The... Where am I?" My voice cracked from a dry throat and tiredness.
"Safe. How do you feel?" He opened one eye and smiled before waking up and replying.
"Better, this... Whole room isn't real is it?" I kept trying to make sense of the place but it all seemed magical, unreal.
"Real enough. But your instincts are right that it's not a "real" inn room. Careful now, I took care of your wounds, but I am not a priest." He protested as I slowly got up and sat on the edge of the bed. I smiled at him and healed my wounds the rest of the way, white light glowing from them as they healed.
"Last thing I remember... I was running for the door... No, a knight? No, a demon... Yes, a Demon... And you saved me?" I looked down at the dressings that once covered my wounds and smiled. He grinned and scratched the back of his neck being modest. "You've done well. But before all that... THE GNOME!!!" I jumped to my feet and began searching for my journal. He coughed and reminded me that I might want to put clothes on. I obliged and had him turn as I got out my traveling vestments. He handed me the book after and asked me about the gnome.
"I read your journal by the way while you recovered. What about the gnome?" He asked.
"The lil bastard tried to have me killed! He's the one that created the device, or one of them at least, it harnesses energy for the channeler that's designed to create a very powerful artifact. It essentially entombs wild magic that would otherwise be uncontrollable. And after he told me he'd go find the device so I could figure out what went wrong, he sent those demons after me!" I related what had happened in the past few days. It wasn't long before he was curious about the device.
"So... The spell is part of a ritual that entombs a device of which three are needed to encase a magical artifact?" He looked at me puzzled.
"All I know is what is in the book. The book just explains that the ritual can be used to divert magical power into a channeler and use that diversion as time to be able to capture magic that is normally uncontrollable. The original creators theorized the created object would be capable of casting a high level spell and sustaining it. To what end, I don't know. Half the book is in a language I don't even know, doubt anyone does. But we're losing time! We need to go! Where are we?" I picked up my bag and opened the door and gasped. The dull red bricks with greyed mortar even looked liked they'd aged naturally. The room really was completely fake. It was as if he'd hid us inside a dimension door and made it look pretty.
"Yeah, about that, I'm really not sure where we are, I was in a bit of a hurry to escape and well, teleportation and dimensional doorways are nice but trying to hide in them while being chased is quite another story. So, let's take a look around..." He closed the door and reopened it and the salty breeze familiar to large bodies of water floated into the room. I cast a fly spell as I walked out and stared. Water as far as the eye could see.
"Where... The... Where am I?" My voice cracked from a dry throat and tiredness.
"Safe. How do you feel?" He opened one eye and smiled before waking up and replying.
"Better, this... Whole room isn't real is it?" I kept trying to make sense of the place but it all seemed magical, unreal.
"Real enough. But your instincts are right that it's not a "real" inn room. Careful now, I took care of your wounds, but I am not a priest." He protested as I slowly got up and sat on the edge of the bed. I smiled at him and healed my wounds the rest of the way, white light glowing from them as they healed.
"Last thing I remember... I was running for the door... No, a knight? No, a demon... Yes, a Demon... And you saved me?" I looked down at the dressings that once covered my wounds and smiled. He grinned and scratched the back of his neck being modest. "You've done well. But before all that... THE GNOME!!!" I jumped to my feet and began searching for my journal. He coughed and reminded me that I might want to put clothes on. I obliged and had him turn as I got out my traveling vestments. He handed me the book after and asked me about the gnome.
"I read your journal by the way while you recovered. What about the gnome?" He asked.
"The lil bastard tried to have me killed! He's the one that created the device, or one of them at least, it harnesses energy for the channeler that's designed to create a very powerful artifact. It essentially entombs wild magic that would otherwise be uncontrollable. And after he told me he'd go find the device so I could figure out what went wrong, he sent those demons after me!" I related what had happened in the past few days. It wasn't long before he was curious about the device.
"So... The spell is part of a ritual that entombs a device of which three are needed to encase a magical artifact?" He looked at me puzzled.
"All I know is what is in the book. The book just explains that the ritual can be used to divert magical power into a channeler and use that diversion as time to be able to capture magic that is normally uncontrollable. The original creators theorized the created object would be capable of casting a high level spell and sustaining it. To what end, I don't know. Half the book is in a language I don't even know, doubt anyone does. But we're losing time! We need to go! Where are we?" I picked up my bag and opened the door and gasped. The dull red bricks with greyed mortar even looked liked they'd aged naturally. The room really was completely fake. It was as if he'd hid us inside a dimension door and made it look pretty.
"Yeah, about that, I'm really not sure where we are, I was in a bit of a hurry to escape and well, teleportation and dimensional doorways are nice but trying to hide in them while being chased is quite another story. So, let's take a look around..." He closed the door and reopened it and the salty breeze familiar to large bodies of water floated into the room. I cast a fly spell as I walked out and stared. Water as far as the eye could see.
A Calling
The rest of the Keepers had long since gone their own ways. Families to reunite with, homesteads to tend to, their own lives to live, away from the blood and toil of exploring the realms. Bosch himself had decided to rest his weary body as well, settling down to the comfort of a soft bed and warm fire, reading and studying the volumes of books and manuscripts that had accumulated over the years.
On his visits to the bustling cities he had heard many stories of new places and people that had been discovered in the Great Realms. There were the lost ruins of Dlabraddath deep within the Drannor forest, found by a group of treasure seekers, many of which did not make it out alive; seafarers reporting the emergence of mysterious islands in the far reaches of the Sea of Swords; nomadic merchants who came in contact with a group of isolated sylvans high in the treetops of Nordahaeril; and hushed whispers of an island believed to inhabited by lycanthropes. Where in the past such things may have stirred the inner adventurer within, this time they had done little to motivate the weary wizard to leave the comforts of home.
But then one day in the din of a crowded pub in Waterdeep, he overheard a conversation, several actually, about a portal that had appeared in the skies, one which transported people away to crumbling ruins. Ruins where a voice was heard by all who entered, where those familiar with the legacy of magic in the realms knew what the ruins represented. The markings on the walls, the symbols etched in the masonwork, the writing on the crumbled archways. These were the remains of the Netheril Empire. And if the legends held true this these ruins would contain the secrets of the greatest mage in the spoken and written history of Faerun: Karsus.
On his visits to the bustling cities he had heard many stories of new places and people that had been discovered in the Great Realms. There were the lost ruins of Dlabraddath deep within the Drannor forest, found by a group of treasure seekers, many of which did not make it out alive; seafarers reporting the emergence of mysterious islands in the far reaches of the Sea of Swords; nomadic merchants who came in contact with a group of isolated sylvans high in the treetops of Nordahaeril; and hushed whispers of an island believed to inhabited by lycanthropes. Where in the past such things may have stirred the inner adventurer within, this time they had done little to motivate the weary wizard to leave the comforts of home.
But then one day in the din of a crowded pub in Waterdeep, he overheard a conversation, several actually, about a portal that had appeared in the skies, one which transported people away to crumbling ruins. Ruins where a voice was heard by all who entered, where those familiar with the legacy of magic in the realms knew what the ruins represented. The markings on the walls, the symbols etched in the masonwork, the writing on the crumbled archways. These were the remains of the Netheril Empire. And if the legends held true this these ruins would contain the secrets of the greatest mage in the spoken and written history of Faerun: Karsus.
A New Beginning
Many years had passed since Bosch had last made the journey to the outskirts of Drannor Forest. The path was familiar, but he could sense it had been quite some time since the path had seen any travellers. As he stepped out of the woods he peered through the low fog which had covered the small clearing up ahead in a dense haze. Streaks of light cut through the forest canopy, casting beams of shimmering silver as it reflected off of the thick mist. Looking upwards he could see the outline of the pillars as they casted their shadows on the forest below. He had arrived at The Archives.
As he approached he could see that the great library had remained undisturbed since his last visit, and the forest had begun to take back what was once hers. The majestic black marble pillars were now covered by twisting vines as thick as tree trunks, winding their way up the columns. The facade, now camouflaged by a layer of green moss with patches of bluish-grey lichen interspersed throughout, was alive as denizens of the forest had now made it their own. Bosch raised his ancient staff and whispered a few soft words...
The ward protecting The Archives was still active. While his whereabouts were unknown, he knew Clausius lived. A subtle grin of acknowledgement passed Bosch's lips as he nodded his head and took one last look at the structure before him. As quickly as he arrived he turned around and went back into the woods for the journey home, having found what he came here searching for.
As he approached he could see that the great library had remained undisturbed since his last visit, and the forest had begun to take back what was once hers. The majestic black marble pillars were now covered by twisting vines as thick as tree trunks, winding their way up the columns. The facade, now camouflaged by a layer of green moss with patches of bluish-grey lichen interspersed throughout, was alive as denizens of the forest had now made it their own. Bosch raised his ancient staff and whispered a few soft words...
The ward protecting The Archives was still active. While his whereabouts were unknown, he knew Clausius lived. A subtle grin of acknowledgement passed Bosch's lips as he nodded his head and took one last look at the structure before him. As quickly as he arrived he turned around and went back into the woods for the journey home, having found what he came here searching for.
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