An Aesthetic shows you to a small reading room.
Stories of Ansalon from the view of Xorn.
A little gully dwarf runs by and says 'Wordwrap is at 65. You change? Off 65 80.'
The gully continues 'Eyes hurt? Turn Color OFF!! (regular story dates)
Astinus says 'Enter the main library here to view only the author list.'
Astinus gently places a book on the table in front of you.
You note the spine bears the word 'Xorn' scribed in vibrant red ink.
Author: Xorn
Date: Thu Feb 18
09:25:47 2010
Subject (RP)
Interesting.....
Percival glances at Xorn across the
park.
The sun disappears beyond the horizon, and Xorn rests
upon a blanket, taking in the moon's risings. His eyes
drift
from the white, to the red, and seem to search for
something
invisible. He smiles to himself for a moment,
before scanning
the park. Upon seeing the young man
across the way, Xorn grins
slightly, his ice-blue eyes
catching the white moons light.
Percival feels a funny feeling when their two eyes meet
and
smiles slightly.
Pretending not to notice the young man, but
obviously
ignoring him on purpose, Xorn leans back upon the
blanket
he is resting on. With his finger he begins to trace a
constellation.
Percival meanders his way slowly to the blanket
that the
cute human is on.
'The dark queen may be gone from
the sky, but I see your
consort is still there.'
Percival says
'I have also noticed a few missing. Hi, I'm
Percival'
At the
statement and the greeting, Xorn sits back up, and
looks the man
over thouroughly, pausing a moment before
speaking. 'Few know
the stars and their meanings. During
this time of
upheaval...........who would have guessed
the heavens would be
missing the two most important
constellations. But I digress.'
Percival says 'I know, those were my two favorite stars.
They
burned the brightest to me.'
Xorn looks at the man with a
questioning gaze, but it is
gone as soon as it came. He grins
again, his eyes once
again looking the man up and down.
Percival begins to check Xorn out secretly.
'It is such a
beautiful night, to sit under the Ironwood
trees. I often read
the stars. And I am being rude,
since I have your name and you
do not have mine. I am
Xorn. Would you care to join me?' Xorn
pats the blanket
he rests upon, scooting over slightly to make
room on his
right side.
Percival says 'I would love to' and
as he sits on the
blanket. He reaches out his hand.
As
Percival extends his hand, Xorn reaches out and both
shake
hands. But as Xorn releases his grip, he runs his
delicate
fingers down Percival's palm, looking him
directly in the eyes
as he does. 'So what brings you to
Solace.......you don't look
like you are from around
here? Displaced from the west,
or......I know...you seem
like the adventurous type.'
Percival
says 'wow, you can read me like a book. I am the
adventurous
type.'
Xorn grins at Percival, nodding to his statement. From
behind him, he pulls a leather satchel. When he opens
it,
there are several books and scrolls inside. He pulls
a piece of
parchment from it, and speaks. 'I do love
to.........read. And
I have a knack for meeting.....you
could say.....interesting
people. Are you an interesting
person Percival?'
Percival
asks 'I think so...Why would i have such an
interesting jacket
if I was not interesting?'
Xorn takes the parchment in hand
and begins to fold it.
A corner here, a corner there. His
hands work quickly
but with skill, and he keeps folding the
parchment while
he converses with the young man.
Percival asks
'So where are you from?'
'I have travelled extensively these
last few years.
Collecting..........interesting things.
Knowledge
mostly. It has power you know. But if I had to call
a
place home it would be Tarsis.'
Percival asks 'I've been
there... Do you collect people's
hearts?'
At the question,
Xorn looks perplexed, and a little
uneasy, his eyes looking up
as if he is remembering
something. But again this is quickly
gone, his normal
expression returning, the smile back. 'I once
killed an
elven cat, and took it's heart. But it wasn't exactly
a
person and........it was a matter of neccesity.'
Percival
asks 'Nice... So tell me, you have any family?'
Xorn continues
to fold the paper, and it begins to take
the shape of something
familiar and unsettling. When his
hands stop moving it has
become a dragon crafted of
parchment, it's wings spread out in
flight.
Percival says 'I like it. You gotta teach me that
sometime.'
'Family...........once upon a time. But that is
something I would rather not discuss. '
Percival says
'Alright. I have never known my family.I
have had to fend for
myself all of these years.'
Xorn pulls the tail of dragon,
and the wings flap up and
down. He studies it a moment, before
reaching out and
placing it in front of Percival.
Percival
says 'Thank you.' and grabs the parchment
dragon. He studies the
dragon carefully... It seems to
look semi realistic to him.
'Fending for yourself is the way of the universe my
friend.
The strong live, and the weak die. It
isnt..........evil.........it's just the way of nature
and
existence. To believe otherwiseis...well foolish.'
Percival
abruptly hisses 'I say kill the weak! Show no
weakness! Cept in
times.'
'Killing is neccessary upon occasion, but the weak and
foolish end up dooming themselves. But such is not a
conversation for such a beautiful night,and..interesting
company.'
Percival says 'Too true. All too true. So, do you
have a
wife?'
As Percival studies the paper dragon, again
Xorn studies
the man closely. Reaching into his satchel again,
he
pulls a vial of what appears to be dust. 'I have never
married, nor do I think I ever shall. I am devoted to
something greater'
Percival says 'Im not Interested in
wives. Too much of a
hassle. Always wanting more and more
shoes.'
Taking a pinch of the dust from the vial, Xorn
reaches
over and sprinkles it upon the figurine in Percival's
hand. Smiling he asks, 'And what.....exactly are you
interested
in....my new friend?'
Percival looks uneasy... that goes away a
split second
after it came. 'umm...' Percival contemplates
something.
'Males... I know its not natural, but I can't help
it.'
Xorn throws back his head and laughs heartily, but stops
himself suddenly, looking around the park for signs of
other
visitors. 'A dangerous.........interest. It can
get you
killed. Especially in small towns such as
these.'
Percival
says 'I love to live dangerously... shhh'
Percival puts his
finger up to Xorn's lips.
Xorn again laughs heartily as
Percival puts his finger up
to his lips. He then simply nods.
'Dangerously it is
then!'. Xorn begins to speak in a language
beautiful and
complex, and takes his own finger and begins to
wave in
the air. Suddenly the paper dragon that Percival is
holding, beings to float from his hand and into the air.
It's
wings flap and it's tailwags back and forth as it
begins to fly
around the two on the blanket, orchestrated
by the direction
Xorn points.
Percival begins laughing and says 'Nicely done.'
He
starts to point around to try moving the dragon but only
looks like a bafoon.
'And now for the grande finale'.
Clutching his hand into
a fist, the dragon expells a tiny flame
from it's paper
mouth, and the catches on fire. It quickly
incenerates,
but instead of ashes, gold glitter falls down upon
the
two. Xorn smiles broadly.
Xorn turns to Percival, his
expression becoming more
serious as he does. 'I am full of
surprises. And I have
many.......interests. At the moment, you
have piqued
mine.' Xorn reaches out his hand and gently strokes
down
the side of Percival's face.
Percival whispers 'Wow...
never met another with the same
feelings.'
'I have eclectic
tastes. As for feelings....' Xorn looks
up to the sky again, a
glint of recognition coming across
his face, his expression
changing to a a serious tone. 'I
have........business I must
attend.
Percival says 'Alright, go attend to your buisness.' He
kisses Xorn's hand and stands, bowing before the mage.
'It
would be a pleasure to meet again.In one week's time?
We can
have further..discussion.'Xorn gathers his
satchel, and grinning
as Percival kisses his hand. He
looks to the sky and nods,
whispering 'It is time.'
Walking around one of the trees, he
vanishes.
Author: Xorn
Date:
Sat Feb 20 08:57:18 2010
Subject (BG) Part 1 Under The
Light Of The Moons
Tarsis was once a beautiful city by
the sea, and the
glowing gem of Ansalon. A bustling city, a
leader in
commerce and culture, it was only rivaled by Ishtar.
And
I know this, for I was born before the God's rained down
judgement upon Krynn.
I would give you it was the best of
times speech, but my
childhood was....average, the only child to
a successful
merchant father, and a mother with a terrible
secret. For
you see, she was a renegade mage. During this time,
they
were hunted with even greater fervor than they are today,
but she practiced her art in secrecy, and remained hidden
for
the majority of my childhood. This however, would
change when I
was fourteen.
I had began to show what my mother refferd to as
"the
signs." When I would become upset or anxious, curious
things would happen. A picture would fly from the wall,
a
glass of water would overturn.
So she came to me one night,
dressed in fine gold and
emerald robes, and beckoned me to
follow her to the wine
cellar. She was as serious as I had ever
seen her, and
coming up to one of the walls, she simply knocked.
The
wall shuddered, and creaked, as the stones began to
re-
arrange themselves, a door forming. Speaking a tongue I
had
never heard, light sprang from the newly found room
beyond.
"My Son, I wished, and even prayed that this night would
never
come. However destiny had other plans for you. I
have kept a
secret from you. Something that could
destroy me, and now
apparantly us both." She continued
thoughtfully, pausing a
moment. "I.....I mean we have
the gift of magic. This is a
blessing and a curse, for
there are others of our kind who wish
to....form us to
their preconceptions of it's use. They will
come for us
if we are discovered, these wizards who worship the
moons." I looked around the expansive chamber in awe. It
was
full of books, and jars of spices.
"Here we will learn how to
control the power that flows
through you. This has to be our
secret, and you must
swear to me that you will never use what I
have taught
you in public. The consequences will be dire." I
nodded
to her, the understanding coming without words.
For the
next year, we spent every night in study.
Cantrips at first, and
progressing into the first spells
I would ever learn. It came
quite naturally to me, and
especially invocation spells. That
year was a joy to me
and it opened my eyes to the vast power
that I could one
day possess.
And then the dream began. At
first I could not remember
what the vision was about, just a
feeling of foreboding
that would come with me into the waking
world. But slowly
as the nights passed, I would remember a
glimpse here and
there. Through the next few months, the dream
would
repeat itself, and each time I would remember more.
I am
standing in the great Library of Tarsis, surrounded
by shelf
upon shelf of books and scrolls. The library is
empty, and when
I look to the ceiling it is missing. The
constellations shine
down brightly, because the moons
have not risen.
The White
moon rises first, and it is full. Silver light
falls upon the
library, brightly illuminating the various
pieces of art and
sculpture. The light is comforting, and
a male voice speaks from
all around me. "To save her,
you must sacrifice your life."
Next, the red moon rises, again full. The library
becomes
tinged in hues of red, tinting everything the
color of blood.
Another voice speaks, this time female.
"To save each other, you
must sacrifice your desire."
Finally, the black moon rises.
It tints the room in
shades of grey at first, then things become
progressively
darker. A third voice speaks, but this one is
unearthly,
neither male or female or perhaps a combination of
both.
"To you save yourself, you must sacrifice her."
The
moons now converge into the "Great Eye", the light of
all three
now focused in a beam directly upon me. Now
all three voices
speak in unison, a cocophany of sound
that overpower all of my
senses. "Three choices....
three paths of destiny."
And with
that, I would wake carrying a weight upon me
that invaded my
body, mind and spirit. This began to
take its toll, as I awoke
nightly contemplating the
symbolism and questioning these three
choices. And I
would not have to wait very long for the
answers.
Flashing forward another year. I am now almost
seventeen.
The dream has gone, but I do still contemplate it. I
suppose I should have shared it with my mother, but
something
compelled me to keep this insight to myself, as
if I was unable
to tell her. Looking back I see the Geas
upon me.
One day I
was in the market district, picking up certain
"spices" for the
collection, when I simply lost track of
the time. I was alone,
and the sun began to set quickly.
When night came only Solanari
rose in the sky, the other
two moons waned to new. And as I
hurried home, footsteps
gained upon me.
They attacked from
the shadows with blinding speed,
knocking me to the ground in
seconds, the components I
had purchased scattered. Then a knife
ripped heat and
pain into my face. I was bleeding profusely,
the blood
running into my eyes, when a rage overtook me. My
attackers laughed, and I felt a kick to the ribs as I lay
upon
the ground.
I wasn't going to die this night, and I reached
for the
vial in front of me. Grabbing the sulphur, I let the
magic take control. Conjuring the mental picture, I
flung the
substance into the air, but what were the
words. They came to
me, and with hate in my blood
stained eyes, the magic came
forth. A great force took
the air away, as fire exploded upon my
tormentors from
bloodied hands. And then, the stench of burning
flesh
and screams.
Freed, with my attackers reeling I ran
towards home. But
I never made it, for HE was upon me, a man in
black
robes. "Where is you master!" he exclaimed. "You did
not learn that power by yourself. Who taught you that
invocation?" I was frozen in place, my mind shifting back
and
forth, and my lips silent. He persisted. "Tell me
or I shall
rip the information from your mind!"
Then a curious thing
happened, the light of the silver
moon came down upon me, and
the dagger at my side, and
the same voice I heard in the dream
spoke. "To save her,
you must sacrifice yourself." And I was
selfish for I
had to survive.
A black robe placed his
fingers upon my head and reached
into my thoughts. There is no
way to describe it, he
just.........stole them, and when he was
done, he slapped
me across the face, and left me with these
words. "Do
not make the mistake your mother has. When it is
time,
seek us, or we will come for you." And then I blacked
out.
I awoke sometime later, and I rushed home, but I found my
house in ruins, and my father huddled in a corner. He
rose up
as if to strike me. "This is YOUR fault. They
have taken her,
and you are no longer my son.....mage!"
And with that statement
I knew I was on my own. And I
knew instinctively, that THEY had
found her, and spirited
her away. I had not sacrificed myself
to save her, and
the first path was now gone. I salavaged what
was left
of her spellbooks and scrolls and I never looked back.
For the next year I wandered southward towards the Ice,
wanting to be alone with my choice and what information I
could
glean from my mother's work. And a night came when
I sat in
front of a fire on a cold winter's night. The
red moon rose
full in the heavens, with no trace of the
white or black. I
heard the tingling of bells, and knew
someone was very near,
woman's voice came from the
darkness.
"Might you share your
fire with an old woman? The night
is cold and I have travelled
far." I nodded but placed
my hand upon the dagger at my side as
she came into view.
CONTINUED....
Author: Xorn
Date: Sat Feb 20 09:05:44 2010
Subject
(BG) Part 2 Under The Light Of The Moons
She was a crone,
dressed in furs and skins, carrying a
staff of ironwood which
she used as a cane. She rested
across the fire and grinned a
toothless smile towards me
and spoke. "You are a kind young
man." The words
sickened me and I replied, "Not as kind as you
might
think." We sat in silence for a long while, it becoming
uncomforable and I decided to make some form of small
talk.
"It is not safe for an elderly woman as yourself to
travel the
wilds alone." At this statement, the crone
cackled with glee,
her wrinkled face lit with amusement.
"Deary, I am never
alone." She hissed this and waved her
hand to the darkness
beyond. I saw a sickly green glow in
the distance, quickly
coming closer to my camp, and when
it reached the perimeter,
terror came into my soul. For
it was obviously a disembodied
spirit. Something dead
but alive, however incorporal. She
waved her hand again,
and this apparition simply vanished.
"Who are you?" I asked, and the crone responded simply,
"I am
the only one who can help you. They will fulfill
their promise
you know. They WILL come for you, and they
will tear your soul
apart if you do not accept them."
Stunned, I simply sat frozen,
my gaze locked now with
hers. This went on for some time until
she broke the
silence again with her crackled voice. "But this
does
not have to be. I could teach you a rare magic, that is
if you have the............desire."
The word desire hit me
like a boulder, and the light of
the red moon seemed to focus
down upon the campsite like
a beacon of scarlet, with the same
voice from the dream
searing my mind. "To save each other, you
must sacrifice
your desire." The Crone stood and beckoned me.
"Follow
me if you want my power. The choice is yours." And I
wanted that power for myself, and with that choice made,
I went
further into my destiny knowing that the second
path was now cut
off from me.
I stayed with the crone for another year, learning
with
relish the awesome power of Necromancy as well as the
other spells and tecniques she had to offer. She was not
a
cruel master, but neither was she warm. I saw in her a
philosophy of life that made sense to me. The strong
survived
and the weak died. Those that had knowledge had
power over the
ignorant.
Over that year she had become sick, and this
sickness
became worse. I knew she would not live much longer
and
so did she. And so a night came when she came to sit
beside
me by the fire. "My body will not live much longer
my
apprentice. And so now I must make...preperations. I
will not
be taken to the realm of the dead. And with
what must be done,
I must ask you to go. I have prepared
a spell book for you and
packaged a.....unique amulet
that might aid you to take on your
journey. You must
leave this very night."
I simply nodded,
grapsing her words and what she intended
to do. I began to
speak but she put her finger to her
lips to quiet me. "They
will consider you ready for
thier.....test. Go to them or not,
this is your choice,
and either way there will be consequence.
And rememer
deary, there are others paths, those that are not
illuminated by the light of the moons." I reeled from
her
words, nearly fainting in fact, but I steadied myself
and
simply....began to pack. The amulet she gave me was
beautifully
crafted of emerald and gold. She would not
tell me of its use,
only that it would be available when
the timing was right.
And
so north I travelled and the closer to civilization I
became,
the more stories I began to hear. Ishtar had
begun forcing its
will upon its neighbors, the self
righteous King Priest
declaring a holy war on those of a
different mind than his own.
The moon mages were under
scrutiny and were even being attacked
in some places. I
found all of this amusing, but my amusement
would soon
end.
I would head to Solace. I did not know why I
was going
there, but it seemed like a reasonable place to blend
in.
I had decided I was not going to die in the moon mages
stupid test. I could do as my mother had done, and study
in
secret. It was now close to the end of the year, and
soon the
three moons would converge into the "Great Eye".
Everytime this
alignment would happen I became on edge,
always the dream coming
into my mind, haunting me. And
this time it was even more so,
for I was nearing Tarsis
once more. I planned to skirt the
city, but I needed
supplies for the next leg of my journey.
There in an inn
came more bizzare gossip and stories. Some
talked of the
ocean's boiling. Others talked of raging fires in
one
place, and then in another fire would not burn at all.
Some said that clerics from all over had vanished from
their
temples.
I found what I needed the next day, and quickly left
the
city heading towards the mountains to the north. The sun
had set and I was contemplating all I had heard the
previous
day as I was making camp when the final piece of
destiny fell
into place.
The lightning came out of nowhere, and struck me
with
such force that I flew through the air and landed hard
against a tree, the wind knocked out of me. I gasped,
reeling
from the magic, when a figure in black robes came
to stand
above. He was hooded, and I could not see his
face. The figure
appeared to be trying to speak, and I
realized that I had become
deafened.
Anger, fear, and instinct took me as I began to
fumble
for components in the pouches hanging from my belt. And
the figure reached down to grab me. The blackest light
shone
down upon me suddenly and the emerald in the amulet
began to
glow a sickly green, and I simply knew this was
the time of
which the crone spoke. And I lifted it from
my chest. Instantly
a bolt of sickly green mystical
energy flew into the black robe
above me, and just as
quickly he was engulfed in the same green
flames. Still
deafened, I could not hear screams, but the
figure
collapsed to the ground, tearing at itself.
I tried to
get up, but my legs would not respond to my
mental commands.
The black robed mage became inanimate
then. The fire had not
actually burned him at all, and I
understood the power of the
charm. It had burned out his
soul. I dragged myself the few
feet to the body, and
using all my strength turned it over. I
wanted to see my
enemy's lifeless eyes. And as I pulled back
the hood,
the last part of me that would ever truely feel or
love
died. There was my own mother....dead at my own hands.
And the unearthly male/female/neither voice spoke from
all
around me. "To save yourself, you must sacrifice
her." I cried
out in anguish, but could not hear myself.
A sadness I had never
experienced overtook me, and
coupled with the damage I had
sustained I feel into
blackness.
CONTINUED
Author: Xorn
Date:
Sat Feb 20 09:09:40 2010
Subject (BG) Part 3 Under The
Light Of The Moons
I awoke sometime later, to my camp and
a rustling fire.
Noticing I could hear again, and actually move
again, I
slowly made my way towards it. However I was not
alone.
A child sat beside it, stoking the logs with a stick,
and
as I met his gaze his eyes bore deep inside me. Those
eyes
were as black as night with pupils of obsidian. I
froze in
place, but the child giggled and spoke. "Xorn,
come and sit by
the fire. There will be discussion." He
knew my name and I felt
compelled to do his will. So I
sat and he continued. "Why do
you run from your master?
Why do you hide the power he has given
you from others?
He wants you to come into his fold. He sent me
here to
tell you he forgives you for your stubborness. You have
had bad examples to follow. Come home to Nuitari, and
you will
know power beyond your imagination."
Suddenly I was overcome
with.....peace. I could continue
to run, learn on my own, keep
my freedom, or I could join
the Conclave and go to the tower for
my test. The debate
went on in my mind for what seemed an
eternity. And the
child simply sat quietly there, those black
eyes staring
at me with question. Finally the child spoke
again.
"You must decide quickly, or you WILL die here this very
night. Tonight is the new year, and the Eye will
converge in
the sky. Choose to be strong and you will
live. Choose to
remain weak and you will die. It is
your........last choice.
He awaits your decision. Call
to the black moon at the
convergence and he will preserve
you. I leave you to your
thoughts." And with this the
boy stood and skipped gleefully
into the night.
And for the next hours I sat quietly and in
stillness,
weighing the pros and cons of the situation. And
then
the moons began to rise one by one. And as the Eye began
to form, something else caught my attention in the
heavens. It
looked to be a new star at first, but it
began to grow in size
and brightness. Bigger and bigger
it became, and I realized
something terrible was about to
occur. I turned my attention
back to the three moons at
the moment of convergence, and lifted
my hands to the
dark pupil at the center. I cried out, "I pledge
my life
and destiny to you Nuitari. I am yours, do with me as
you
wish." And then there was nothingness.
I awoke in the
dead of night, once again to a roaring
fire, but I was
definitely in another location. My body
felt so heavy, but my
mind was sharp. And a giggle came
from the darkness, as the
same child skipped once more
into my life. "You are favored by
the Dark Father Xorn.
He has brought you out of death and into
a new life. You
will find the world......changed." I opened my
lips to
speak but the boy put his finger to his lips to quiet
me.
This brought upon me a great feeling of deja vu. He
continued. "It will take you some time to.....adjust to
things. Go about your life, it is yours for the time
being.
However, when the Dark Lady, and the Lord of
Light vanish from
the heavens, you are to make your way
to the Tower of Wayreth to
take your test, and if you
survive, wear the robes of the black
moon. Do you
understand?" Afraid to open my mouth, again I
nodded.
And so in a blink of an eye, I had been moved over
three
hundred years into the future. And yes, this did take
time to overcome. There were new cultures, new
languages, new
landscapes, and I relished in it, for I
was alive.
It has
been ten years ago I awoke to the new world, and
now, finally
the time has come. Paladine and Tahkisis
are gone from the sky,
and I find myself in of all places
Solace, heading towards The
Tower and into my destiny.
FINE
Author: Xorn
Date: Fri Mar 5 09:19:58 2010
Subject
(RP) A New Master And A Task (PT. 1)
Jendaron says 'Ah
greetings human, I have heard your
name whispered in these halls
but not for positive
reasons. It seems you have fallen behind in
your studies
of the arts. Though perhaps it is not a fault of
your
own, it is something that concerns me. So thusly, from
this point forth I will be taking over your training. As
you
are a black robe, and I oversee all black robes, it
is my duty
to make sure you get back on track. What do
they call you,
human?'
The apprentice, upon noticing the head of the
conclave
entering, and his words, simply nods, bowing slightly.
When the high mage finshes Xorn nods in agreement. "My
name
is Xorn master. You need no introduction. You are
a legend."
Jendaron says 'Ah, surely my fame exceeds my deeds.
Nuitari has always been my guide. With proper training
and
direction, and a dedication to the arts and his dark
highness,
you can acheive the same things as I. Join me,
this tower is
stuffy and impersonal.' He gestures for
Xorn to follow him.
Xorn again nods in agreement with Jendaron, picking up
the
few supplies around him. Standing he follows. "The
dark
father is indeed wise and guides us in destiny and
power. I am
at your disposal my leige."
Jendaron says 'You see I didn't
focus purely on
destruction with my magic. I used it for my own
ends as
well. There is much great power in magic, that can do
more than just destroy or hurt. I have made millions of
gold
coins in my years. And I used that money to build a
tower in
hommage not only to our dark lord, but all the
lords of magic.'
He continues 'Ahh, we are close now.'
He looks high above
through the trees at an onyx colored
tower and points. 'This
is my second home.'
A huge black tower reaches towards the
heavens amidst
huge oak trees that seem to almost be alive. The
trees
sway and creak though no wind blows. Travelers often get
the feeling of eyes watching them not only from the
forest but
also from the tower itself. A feeling of
uneasiness encompasses
all who stand before the black
iron gates of this mysterious
tower. The path leading
towards the tower is a strange type of
black gravel,
rarely seen on Krynn. Huge walls encircle the
entire
tower and stand nearly twenty feet, with glowing onyx
spikes atop it every few feet. A feeling of evil
permeates
through the entire area, as a wolf howls deep
within the forest,
then the sound of a yelp and cry is
heard. Somehow, no matter
the time of day, the skies
always appear dark around the tower.
The black gates
appear to have no means of lock or guard but
rather a
magical enchantment placed upon them which enables
whoever owns this tower to allow invited travellers
inside while
keeping unwanted wanderers away. The tower
itself rises several
hundred feet into the air, with two
smaller towers on each side
of it. The tower has no
windows except for one circular window
barely visible
from the ground.
As the apprentice follows the
master through the forest,
he listens intently to all is said,
Xorn nods as the
grand mage speaks. Between phrases he speaks
near the
tower. "You are indeed wise. Wealth brings power as
well as the magic."
Jendaron says 'Power, wealth,
fame, infamy, glory,
wisdom. The magic brings it all to us. If
you are wise
enough that is, you cannot let the magic take
control of
your mind and your thoughts. I had days when I was
younger...' At this Jendaron shakes his head.'That is
another story for another time, human. What do they call
you
again human?'
You say 'I am called Xorn. Simply Xorn.
I no longer
have a need for a last name. That time of my life
is..........long gone. I serve Nuitari and him alone,
and
through him......now you.'
Jendaron says 'Yes, indeed. I
like that. Well Xorn,
there might be things in this tower that
are shocking,
scary, suprising or simply overwhelming to you.
There are
thousands of years of magical knowledge and
power,derived
directed and collected inside these halls.'
Xorn nods to Jendaron quietly in agreement and obedience.
"I
trust you my leige. I shall keep my emotions in
check. Lead
the way into darkness. My heart and mind
are open." And the
master resonds.'Indeed. Then
onward we go.'
The entry of
this tower is even more disturbing than the
gates that guard it.
Upon entering, the gates slam
quickly behind all travellers and
the foyer becomes
almost pitch black. Barely visible are several
strange
arcane artifacts on display atop several small shelves
that line the eastern and western walls. Several small
magical
rings, a blue-thread wound spellbook
and a few small pouches of
magical components sit atop
the eastern wall's shelf. On the
western wall however,
appear to be a small pile of ground
bone
dust, a large jar of a strange red glowing material, and
what appears to be the skull of a small humanoid. There
are
spiraling metal stairs on the northern side of the
room that
lead to the upper levels of the mysterious
tower. A single
picture on the eastern wall is the only
piece of art in the
room. The picture is one of an
intense young man with jet black
hair and a long black
robe. The darkness in the tower obscures
the view of how
high up it truly goes. An incredible feeling of
uneasiness overcomes all who enter this tower.
Jendaron
closes the door and as he does it slams with a
violent echo of
the metal hitting the onyx.'This, is my
tower.'
Xorn
scans the foyer of the grand tower in amazement, and
yes, a
little horror, but remains silent as the master
speaks. He
scans the artifacts present, and upon
noticing the skull, a grin
comes across his face.
Jendaron says 'We must not dally
though, you will find
out how precious my time is and eventually
how much so
your own is.' The Master Mage walks towards the
stairwell and heads upwards.
These metal stairs twist turn
and creak with every step.
The walls are smooth granite stone
that appears to have
been washed with some sort of black dye and
polished
smooth to give them a strange glass like radiance.
The
stairs are made of a strange metal that seems pliable
and
dangerous. Likely to prevent groups of unwanted
travelers from
ascending the stairs together, for it
looks as though they could
not support the weight of more
than one or two bodies at a time.
The stairs go high up
into the tower leading to several
sanctuaries and
libraries.
CONTINUED
Author:
Xorn
Date: Fri Mar 5 09:23:39
2010
Subject (RP) A New Master And A Task (PT.
2)
Xorn responds as they walk, 'I can appreciate...time
my
lord. Time is indeed precious, and it slips away..so
quickly.'
Upon reaching the top of the stairs, there are
three
obvious paths visible. To the west there is a soft white
glow that radiates from an unseen shrine. The soft glow
pours
only into the entrance of the room and then appears
to be
swallowed by the darkness. To the east there is a
red glow that
is similar to the room to thewest.
Apparently another shrine
dedicated to the arts of the
magi. The flickering red lights are
again devoured by the
darkness that is encompassing this hallway.
A small
trapdoor can be seen on the northern side of the room in
the ceiling. It appears to be sealed however.
Jendaron says
'To the east and west are chambers to
both Solinari and
Lunitari, but those places will be for
another visit. For now I
will show you where I study and
rest, as well as hold personal
meetings. I keep the
entrance hidden to the naked eye.'
Jendaron speaks a
few indescernable words and opens a trapdoor.
A study chamber for the archmage contains several small
pieces of furniture, a single bookshelf on the western
wall,
and a moonstone desk resides in the center of the
room. The
walls of this room, similar to several other
rooms in the tower
are a dark stone washed with a black
dye and smoothed and
polished repeatedly until a mirror
shine reflects any light off
of them. There is a small
cot in the eastern corner of the room,
large enough for a
single being, but small enough to be tucked
away during
times of study and visitation. On the northern wall
there
is a stairwell up to a shrine. The evil aura that
permeates from the chamber above can be felt deep within
the
heart of any who stray to close to it. There is a
black "light"
that pours into the quarters of the
archmage, a contrast to the
single circular window on the
southern wall, the only window in
the entire tower. The
desk in the center of the room is made of
a strange blue
-green stone that has apparent magical properties,
it
glows with a strange off-blue radiance. The magical auras
in
this room and enchantments of protection provide
safety to the
archmage that calls this tower home. A
strange glyph of warding
can be seen on the ceiling, but
to the untrained eye appears to
be nothing more than an
ornate etching or design. This is truly
the room of a
dedicated magi.
At the mention of Solinari and
Lunitari, Xorn looks up as
if in deep in thought remembering
something troubling.
But he silently follows Jendaron into the
study, nodding
and looking about as they make thier way.
A
moonstone desk in the middle of the room provide a
place for
study for the Archmage. Jendaron sits down at a
moonstone desk.
'This, is my study. Stand before my
desk apprentice and take a
seat.'
Xorn continues to look around as if in a daze for a
moment but as the mage speaks, he comes too, walking to a
chair
before the grand desk. Sitting he remains silent.
Jendaron
says 'You will thus forth be recognized as my
apprentice.'
Xorn responds 'It is an honor my leige.
I shall be your
vessel.' The master corrects the
apprentice 'You shall be
Nuitari's vessel. I will
merely prepare you thusly.'
Jendaron says 'You will have an assignment that will
show me
your current preparation level and knowledge of
the magical
arts. As I am taking over your trainining in
a non-traditional
manor I will need a gauge of your
current progress. A simple
task I assure you, but one
that will teach you much about both
magic andyourself.'
Xorn again nods to Jendaron silently.
He for the first
time really looks at his new master, but just
for a
moment.
A cold and bleak aura surrounds a black robed
figure
standing roughly six feet tall. The black robes are that
of the Conclave of Mages, the organization of High
Sorcery on
Krynn. These robes however are somehow
darker than black, the
evil that eminates from the heart
of this man pales in
comparison to the evils seen since
the Great Cataclysm. There
are golden and crimson
stitches along the outer edges of the
robes this man
wears, obviously enchantments placed upon them.
Jendaron pulls his hood further over his face and says,
'Perhaps someday you shall see my face apprentice, but
not
yet. You will understand why, when you do. But to the
task at
hand. You are to gather nine magical items for
experimentation
and education. Three wands, three staves
and three scrolls.
Potions will also work but you must
gather three different
potions for each item type you
replace. Basically potions are
easier to find but will
teach you less. For every one stave,
wand or scroll you
find you could gather three different potions
instead.
Sounds simple enough I am sure, but I have a condition.
These potions, they must not be clerical or healing type
potions, and they must not be able to be purchased within
a
store or apothecary, you must find them out and about
in the
world of Abanasia. Do you understand this
assignment,
Apprentice?'
Xorn pulls a parchment and quill from the
satchel he
carries. After digging in the bag he finds a tin of
ink,
and begins to write upon the parchment. "Yes my Lord.
I
take down notes. I will not fail you or our God."
Jendaron
says 'Indeed, then go forth and learn both
about yourself and
about the magic. Go forth, and Nuitari
be with you apprentice. I
will escort you out of the
tower.'
You say 'May the Dark
Father be with us all. May his
light shine upon us and radiate
within our souls.'
FINE
Author: Xorn
Date: Sun Mar 7 01:41:54 2010
Subject (RP) A
Task, A Spell, And An Answered Prayer.
The hour is late
and the young apprentice sits at a desk
in the tower of study.
He holds a pendilum above a map
and with his eyes closed and
begins to chant in the
language of magic. "Es Du Meh. Katah
Pre Shandai."
This whole floor is dedicated to higher
learning in the
ways of spell craft. Upon every shelf resides a
book
with information on every spell a mage might use. Each
section is based upon each sphere of spells.
'Nuitari
Show me the path. Show me the way. I am your
faithful servant.
Give me the knowledge. Give me a way
to understand my
task.'
The high mage watches the young mage closely at his
task,
and listens to his prayer, raising an eybrow.
Xorn
continues, swinging the pendilum across the map that
is spread
across the table. "You delivered me from
death. You brought
me into your fold. I wish to please
you and my master that you
have given me Jendaron. Show
me! Es Du Meh. Katah Pre
Shandai."
The stranger stands and walks over to the young
mage
looking down at the map and pendilum. 'Seems you are
having a bit of trouble young mage.'
As the elder comes
to the table, the apprentice open his
eyes, looking to the mage
who has taken note. Xorn grins
to the black robe as he speaks.
"Yes..Trouble. I am an
unacceptable sacrifice." With his
words, he takes a
dagger, and cuts his hand, a stream of blood
pouring down
upon the map.
The masterwatches the young
mage cut his hand and the
blood begin to flow down onto the map,
and shakes his
head. 'What is it you are hoping to accomplish,
blood
sacrifice is not needed for all things to work.'
Xorn
takes the pendilum in hand again.'I am frustrated
my liege.
I have done as my master asked. And I
have.........gathered.'
The black robe looks at the young
mage, "What is it you
have gathered, something important for
your master? What
is it he seeks that you seem unable to
find?"
"It should have been simple brother. Three
scrolls,
three wands, and three staves. The wand were
easy....'
Xorn sighs, and turns his attentions back to the
spell he
is attempting to cast.
He nods to the apprentice.
'And you cannot find scrolls
That is your dilema?'
Xorn
pulls several items from a bag of holding, placing
them on the
table. Several wands, several scrolls,
several staves, and
even some potions, and herbs.
The wizard asks, 'Or is it a
certain one he wishes you
to find?'
"I have travelled
the world. My master.....Jendaron, he
was specific. They could
not be clerical. They had to
contain our magicks. I have killed,
I have lied. I have
manipulated. And I still come up short."
The black robe points around the room and says 'You try
too
hard to find the things that are right in front of
you young
mage. Look around you young mage. What do you
see?'
'I
learned alchemy my lord. A.........long time ago.
Buy someone
who now still lives but does not........live.
She was my mentor
before........I came to understand
Nuitari's plan for me and us
all.' Xorn sighs again
heavily, before continuing with the
newcomers train of
thought. "Is it cheating?..........to have
them made?"
The man raises an eyebrow and asks. 'Is it
cheating to
have them made? Is it cheating to steal them off the
corpse on an innocent. I trust your master did not tell
you how
it was you were to acquire said items?'
'I followed his
words to the letter. Perhaps......oh
no I am still quite new at
this, although......quite old
at this as well. I should not
speak. You are a master,
and I am but a novice. But
perhaps........yes.....'
Xorn looks to the map and the
blood and the pendilum.
"I summoned help to find the last of
this collection.
Perhaps Nuitari and his wisdom.......sent you
to me."
The robed man slowly states 'Perhaps in the end
he did.
But then you have not told me exactly what it is you
seek. And I must tell you now everything comes with a
price.'
'Of course it does. But before we speak of prices
and
bargains. Might I know you name Master? I am called
Xorn.'
The master retorts, 'My name is of little
importance as
to this matter. When the time comes for you to pay
said
price, then you will know my name.'
'That is fair
enough. I wish to complete what I have
been given. If you are
the answer to my prayers so be
it.'
The man nods at the
young mage before he speaks. 'So
tell me what you seek. And if
indeed Nuitari has brought
me back into these halls for that
purpose I will do what
I can.'
'I have gathered the wands.
Actually I have gathered
more than required. But I wish to
impress my master. I
have gathered two of the three staves he
required, and I
have gathered two of the three scrolls he
required as
well. I have travelled all over Ansalon, but now I
am at
a loss. He said I could replace some with potions, which
I have. But I am still lacking.' Xorn slams his hand
down
upon the map in disguist, and takes the pendilum and
wraps it
around his neck.
The Black Robed master chuckles at the
mage.
'Failure is not......an option. We don't
try.....we
do. That is what seperates us from the white and
red.'
The wizard slowly states 'Be at ease young Xorn. I
can
indeed help you. If all you require is a scrolls those
are
easily enough made.'
He pulls a few scrolls from an ornate case
and places
them on the table in front of the apprentice.
Standing
he speaks. 'From here until the day I require payment
you no longer know me. You haven't seen me. If asked the
scrolls were left on this desk after your prayer to
Nuitari.'
Xorn nods in acquiensce. "Your will be done
in this
matter then." The apprentice looks over the scrolls,
an
evil grin coming over his face. And as the mage stands
Xorn
looks deeply at him for a moment.
Long straight black hair,
pours down over broad
shoulders, like shining silk. Dark eyes,
peer out of an
oval face, with a slender nose and mouth. A black
robe,
etched with silver runes, and tied at the waist with a
thin gold chain, covers a slender six foot frame, and
silver
tipped boots peek outfrom underneath.
The master nods at
the young mage as he returns his quill
and bottle of ink to his
pack and he walks away through
the halls and vanishes into thin
air.
FINE
Author: Xorn
Date:
Sun Mar 7 02:19:21 2010
Subject (RP) A Word Given. A
Word Recieved. (PT. 1)
Xorn enters the temple, looking
to the right and left as
he does. He does not notice the man
there at first, but
the raven flying about. Sending a
greeting with a
hand, he smiles and rests.
The raven flaps
a lazy circle around the temple, than
lands on a man's shoulder
and seems to mutter in his ear.
The mage nods and stands to walk
towards the man that had
entered. He leans heavily on his grey
staff.
Xorn continues into the temple again looking around
as
the bird comes to rest upon the man's shoulder. Muttering
under his breath he speaks. "Tahkisis, always
Tahkisis. She
is the dominate evil, but Nuitari holds the
real power."
Black marble pillars reach up into the jagged outlined
dome at
the center of the temple. Torches burn in pairs
on each,
reflected by the smooth polished black marble
floor. A large
stained glass window rises almost 50
feet off the floor and
almost 20 feet in width, depicting
the Dark Queen encompassing
Krynn. A Large granite altar
resides infront of the window, its
corners burning an
eerie blue flame. Along the edges of the
room are
sacrifice tables, each with its own instruments and
dressing.
The man with the bird slowly states 'One
always assumes
to know the gods. The mage raises his head and
looks at
the man, smiling. My elven ears hear a lot.' With
this
he pushes back his hood to reveal himself as an elf.
The
man continues closer to the elf with the raven,
looking to the
bird, and staring deep into it's eyes,
before sizing up his
master finally. "Apparantly, I
tire of the same old same old.
There is.......more."
Taking a moment, he looks over the
individual thourougly.
The elf is an average height but has
quite a slender
build. His light brown hair is pulled back into
a pony-
tail and falls out from underneath a black cowl that is
pulled low over his face. Almost nothing of his face can
be
seen except a scar under his left eye. The cloak that
the cowl
is part of is plain on the outside, but closer
inspection shows
ruins stitched into the inside of it. He
wears a grey, loose
fitting, shirt with a black vest over
it. His black pants are
tucked into tall, scuffed and
worn, black boots. On the elven
belt he wears around his
waist hang many pouches containing his
spell components.
Also on his belt he has two wands and a dagger
with a
black blade, with intricate runes engraved in it, and a
blood-ruby is set into the pommel. Across his shoulder is
a
satchel that holds his scrolls, potions and spellbook
and he
holds a grey staff with black runes that run the
length of it.
The elf grins, 'Someone I might want to talk to.' The
elf
looks at the man's belongings, and his grin grows
larger, 'A
mage I see. Tell me, have you come for the
glory of catching a
renegade?'
'You were already let go. You were already
captured.
If I wanted to snare you again. I would just unleash
the
magic and make the attempt. No......I just care to talk
Are you willing to have..........discussion?'
The
renegade taps his finger on his chin, 'And I am
sure it will
not be my last time sitting in that dungeon,
but I certainly
hope it will be. And I suppose I could
hold a discussion? First
tell me, have you passed the
test?'
Xorn does the same
thing, he taps his fingers upon his
chin, before answering.
"The test will not be a
problem. I have not taken it, but I
am the apprentice to
the head of the conclave. He is teaching
me well."
Xorn again looks to the bird, and it looks to him
in
kind. They both nod to each other before Nestos speaks
again.
The elf mage breaks the silent nodding,
'Jendaron is
your master, huh? Yes, he would have me take the
test
again if I rejoined the conclave. Oh, excuse me, please
sit.' He motions towards a bench on the wall of the
temple.
Xorn walks to the place the elf suggests, and sits, but
his eyes do not leave the raven on the elf's shoulder.
He
places his weapons at his waiste to the floor, in a
show of
peace. "There will not be violence this night
Elf. Just
discussion."
The renegade says 'I hope you will excuse me
if I do
not do the same. It is a pain to retrieve them." He
looks to his leg. "Plus, these are nothing of
consequence."
He indicates the staff and dagger.
"Anyway, do you find my
familiar interesting?"
'A familiar you begged for.
And A God answered your
prayers friend. He sent me to tell
you.......who!'
Xorn smiles as he drops more weapons to the
ground on the
bench, even dropping the belt with spell
components. "I
am unarmed my friend. We are free to talk.
Nothing
more."
The mage gets a look of slight anger in
his eyes, "It
was not a familiar I begged for. I wanted only
to be rid
of that bloody forest. Sitharnos was sent to me as a
guide and I took him as my familiar. Forgive me," The
elf
says with a smile returning to his face, "I know
who it is
that sent him. Probably more than you, though I
do not doubt
your words. So please, speak them in
peace."
Xorn smiles to
the raven first and then to the elf.
"You were desperate. You
called upon the powers that
be. And one answered. I was once
like you elf. I was in
doubt. I ran from the
moons..........and I was given
grace."
The elf's smile
quickly turns to a grin, "So, it is
capture that you come here
for. Jendaron spoke of the
same thing when he came to me when I
sat, rotting, in his
dungeon. It is appropriate you are his
apprentice. And I
will tell you what it is I told him, the moons
have not
turned on me, it was the Conclave."
'It does
not have to be. And by the way. I am called
Xorn. If we are to
parley what shall I call you elf?'
The renegade answers
thoughtfully 'It would seem you
know more than you let on. I
fear the position has
changed from what I normally am in. My
name, I am sure it
is already known to you, but Nestos. And it
is a pleasure
to meet you, Xorn." And with this he bends in a
mocking
bow.
'And for the record, The Conclave nor my
master
Jendaron, knows I have approached you. I come in one
name only. And you know his name. Dont you?'
Nestos
slowly states 'Ah, but there are many names, are
there not?
He smiles wrily at his evasion.
CONTINUED
Author:
Xorn
Date: Sun Mar 7 02:23:33
2010
Subject (RP) A Word Given. A Word Recieved. (PT.
2)
Xorn again points to the raven on Nestos's shoulder.
And
laughs wildly. "If you want a name......ask your guide
from the forest. You are the one who asked, and you are
the
one who.....recieved."
Nestos turns to the bird and asks
in a mocking tone,
"What name is it that he speaks of?" The
bird mutters
something in his ear. Nestos laughs and the raven's
quorks seem to come out as laughs as well.
'I could
share with you a tale.......Something that
will send shivers up
your spine. I also once ran. I also
thought that freedom was a
price to pay. But he always
catches up with us.'
The dark
elf grins, "Do tell...just let me sit
first." Then he sits
on the bench next to Xorn.
"I was born before the
cataclysm. This is something I
do not usually share, but I see
in you a kindred spirit.
I was raised a renegade. I ran for
years. And it almost
destroyed me. Then........he came to me
in the darkest
hour. He saved me. Do you see any
correlation?"
Nestos retorts 'Correlations yes, but
you were raised a
renegade and I was created one. He did save
me, and yet I
am still not in the Conclave. Do you see the
correlation?'
Xorn pauses a moment before answering. "He
sent you the
way. Your.......familiar is devoted to
you......But he
was sent by the Dark Father. Sent to lead you
out of
darkness. And into your......destiny."
Nestos
says 'Oh the Ungod!' He turns to the raven
'You lied to me
my friend.' Turning back to Xorn with
a grin he continues.
'Yes, I know and it is in to the
darkness that he beckons me.
I fear you have been
speaking with Solinari, my friend.'
Nestos snickers
softly.
At the mention of Solinari, Xorn
spits upon the ground in
diguist, obviously revolted. "Stop
playing games
Nesto!. There is but one God of magic, and you
know his
NAME!"
The renegade is obviously pleased that he
got a rise out
the Xorn. 'Dear friend, you mustn't lose your
composure
if you are to sway one to the Conclave. How would that
look to those that are actually thinking about it?'
Nestos
grins widely again and points around the temple,
'And I would
keep your voice down as well, the priest
are not fans of
yelling. Further, you are standing in the
temple of the most
powerful. Her son, true is the most
powerful of the gods of
magic, but he still grants me his
power as I worship his
mother.' Nestos grin grows
beyond the boundaries of his mouth
as he rises. 'So do
tell me, why would I go back to The
Conclave when the
world is what is promised to those that follow
the
Dragonqueen?'
'I didn't come to ask you to join The
Conclave silly
elf. If I came in the Conclave's name, you would
already
be my slave. I came only in 'His' name. I serve him and
him alone. The conclave is a bi-product.' Xorn points
to the
raven resting on the elf's shoulder, and as he
does it flies
from Nestos to Xorn, resting upon his
shoulder. "Nuitari
giveth and he taketh away. He is
patient and he forgives....to
an extent. I was sent to
give you his word. Nothing more. Run
from the Conclave
if that is your desire. But know who is you
Lord? Do you
understand?'
Nestos smiles a surprisingly
disarming smile, "He
certainly does. I have known the power of
all three gods
of magic. I know who is the most powerful. The
Nightreaver has given to me, and he has not taken away. I
have
not strayed from his sight since he revealed himself
to me."
Nestos looks to the raven, which immediately
takes flight into
the rafters of the temple. "Do not
think for a second I do not
know the extent of his power.
He has given it to me and it will
not be you that comes
and takes it. Do not think that you are
the only one in
the room devout to him, my friend. It is just
his mother
that has the power over the world, and it is her who
I
worship for matters not pertaining to magic." As he
grins
at Xorn and the raven comes down to his shoulder
and mutters
another something into his ear.
'You are a wizard Nestos. You
might serve the Dark
Queen. But you serve her through her son.
Your prayers
might have been answered by Tahkisis, but they were
manifested by her Son. You are a mage and you will
always be
goverened by the Devouring Dark. Do what you
will, but know
this, Nuitari is in control Join her
army. Do the Dark Lady's
will, but in the end you answer
to the Black Moon' Xorn again
points to the raven,
"When you called to the Gods in the
forest 'HE' is the
one who answered."
The dark elf responds
'I do not think I have said
otherwise. I would be a cleric of
the Dark Queen if it
was her who gave me my powers. My friend, I
think we
argue the same thing in different words. We followers
of
the Ungod must stick together. It is this type of
miscommunication that has us at each other's throats all
the
time. I have said no wrong about our god. He has done
right by
me and I thank him for it. It is The Conclave
that does folly in
his name, and the other two for that
matter, that angers me and
that lead to my expulsion.'
'Nuitari saved me from the
cataclysm. He transfered me
through time and space. His
condition? I serve him with
my whole heart. I see you do the
same Nestos. The
Conclave will not understand this however.'
Nestos says 'So, indeed we do speak the same truth with
different words. Than it will not come to blows.' The
elf
smiles and loosens his grip on his staff 'You had
me worried
there for a second. And you have my word, I
have not turned my
back on him and will not.'
'He told me to come to you
in truth alone. No blows,
only an understanding. You belong to
him. He answered
your prayer in the forest. He sent you your
new guide,
and he will propel you into your destiny. You might
not
wear the black robes, but He understands your heart. Do
his will in all things. I cannot protect you from the
others.
But nor will I betray you either.'
Nestos says 'But truly,
come share a pint with me and
we can talk more about your time.
The cataclysm, huh? Was
it all, fire and brimstone?' The
renegade elf smiling
yet another wry smile.
Xorn stands
and laughs, nodding to the elf. "A drink
yes. That sounds
good. I will tell you about Tarsis,
when the ocean still
carried our wonderous navy, and
Ansalon was whole....Different
than today, but in many
ways quite.........the same........"
FINE
Author: Xorn
Date: Sun
Mar 14 09:05:57 2010
Subject (RP) Midnight In The Garden Of
Good And Evil (PT 1)
Darkness falls upon Wayreth Forest,
and two of the three
moons rise. Not yet full. The red and
white, waxing
shed thier light upon the courtyard, as Xorn exits
the
black tower into the courtyard. He pauses a moment,
searching before entering. Seeing someone near the
center, he
looks the woman up and down, as if committing
her form to
memory. He nods to himself or someone else
and sits on one of
the stone benches around the spring of
water.
A lightly tanned
woman with pointed ears and long hair of
a golden white stands
here whispering towards the white
moon. Unlike most mages that
worship Solinari she doesn't
wear robes. A swathe of white snow
leopard fur is tightly
bound around her well proportioned
breasts showing off
her inticing cleavage. A loincloth of the
same fur hangs
from her waist reaching just above her knees. Her
shapely
and well toned legs can be seen flexing as she walks
around her surroundings listening to the whispers of the
skies
and plains. A sash made from what seems to be the
tail of a
black panther holds the loincloth in place and
many pouches made
from interlocking Tylor scales are
bound to it. The scent of
many spell components drift
about her seductive form, bringing
to mind a cross
between a stuffy labratory and the wide open
plains of
dust. As her glance returns from the heavens
glimmering
eyes of deep violet scan those around her with a look
of
intelligence and suspicion. Attached to her right wrist
is
an intricate harness containing a silver dagger
encrusted with
diamonds and emeralds.
Kah looks up as a man enters and
takes a seat near the
water.
Xorn looks up to the sky,
seaching forsomething..unseen,
and having endured the
uncomfortable silence long enough,
gives a smile to the pretty
lady. 'A nice night to
enjoy the moons and
perhaps....company?'
Kah closes the book and slides it into
the swirling sands
beneath her, looking at the man questioningly
as she does
so. 'It is always nice to enjoy company. May I
ask
your name young magi?' She stands up and steps from the
dervish and walks towards the man. The sand disapates
leaving
no trace of it, nor the book that had been stored
within.
Xorn hunkers down, relaxing on the bench, and placing a
very
black leather bag next to him. "My name is Xorn,
my lady. And
you might be?" He again stares at her
with piercing ice blue
eyes, and then he simply smiles, a
warm look on his expression.
Kah says 'I am High Archmage Kah'rihn. Mistress of the
sands. May I join you?' She gestures towards an empty
spot
on the bench next to the man.
With her greeting, and title, the
apprentice looks
slightly sheepish, looking down a moment, but
he looks up
just as quickly. He nods to the woman, and even
demurs.
"It would be an honor."
Kah sits down next
to the mage, her slender form resting
gracefully upon the smooth
stone. 'So what brings you
to the courtyard at such late hours
Apprentice?'
'I could not sleep. I have always
followed more the
moons.......than the sun. This is the time to
be alive.
Can you hear the crickets and the frogs? Many
worship
the night.'
Kah says 'The night brings out
good hunting.'
'It also brings out peace.......and
solitude. And it
brings........the moons, and what they
represent.'
Kah looks to the sky, her gaze following the
white moon's
graceful accent, her mind drifting off to fond
memories
of the open plains of dust. 'I always find it easier
to
work during the late hours. More productive energy.'
'Mine is absent tonight. But he will return. And even
when
he is gone from the sky. He is always there.'
Kah looks
the young man over trying to see something in
his demeanor.
'One day when you have learned more and
taken your test you
will notice the moons never leave the
skies. Even when the sun
is out they can be found within
the heavens.'
Xorn grins
as the woman studies him. "Yes, I am not of
your order. When
I speak of 'him', I speak of another.
However, we all serve
magic, and I find this courtyard a
blessing. There are no
politics, no right or wrong,
just the magic."
Kah says 'I
may lead the Whites, but don't get me wrong
I hold no predjudice
against the followers of the dark
moon.'
'Jendaron
speaks.......highly of you. You have taken
the mantle of
leadership that was.........forgotten and
abandonded by your
predecessor.'
Kah says 'My order needed direction and
action. I
could not stand by and watch them dwindle and die out
to
leave the teachings of Solinari from the world.'
Xorn
cackles to the sky, laughing with abandon. "As
well you
should. Your order was dying, and needed repair.
I am not a
virgin to the doctrine of balance. I know it
all to well. He
takes a flask of wine from another bag
at his side. "Would you
care for a drink."
Kah says 'I never drink anything
without knowing what
it is first.'
'It is wine sweety.
Nothing more, nothing less. I
would not attempt to poison you
on these grounds. If you
are unsure, simply identify the
substance.'
Kah says 'I do not fear you poisoning me.
I just have
finicky tastes when it comes to what I drink.' She
takes the flask and swallows down a few mouthfuls before
handing it back. 'Good vintage. Silvanost Best 120 PC.
Very
rare to say the least.'
Xorn smiles and takes the flask,
gulping down a few
draughts himself. "Satisfying is it not?
The best
Silvinost has to offer. And especially
in..........these
times.'
Kah asks 'So how did you come
across such a marvelous
find?'
Xorn waits a very long
moment, again his gaze goes to the
sky, and a look of question
comes upon him. He turns to
the woman, the High mage of the
White Robes."I came
from......somewhere else."
Kah asks
'Somewhere.. else?'
'Sometime..........else would be
more accurate I
suppose. He told me I would meet you. And he
told me to
disclose this.'
Kah sits up a little more
straight, gazing at the man
questioningly.
Xorn points to
the sky and simply stares back to the High
Mage.
Kah says
'I understood the "he", it was the sometime
that is eluding my
understanding.'
'I was told.....we would become in
contact. I was also
told to tell you the truth. I came from
the past
to the future.'
translated if you will. He brought
me from the past
to the future.'
Nodding, Kah says
'That would explain the fresh taste
of the wine.'
'It is an........offering of peace? I do not know. I
would
not have anything to do with you, if it was not His
will. But HE
willed it. And so I share myself, and my
wine.'
Again
the High mage nods,'Yes, I see that we would not
have much
dealings were the hands of Gods not involved.'
CONTINUED
Author: Xorn
Date:
Sun Mar 14 09:12:41 2010
Subject (RP) Midnight In The
Garden Of Good And Evil (PT 2)
Xorn hands the wineskin
back to the White Robe. "This
is all there is, so enjoy it.
It is my offering. And
yes he told me I would meet you,
although I thought I
would be meeting you in robes. But since I
am not in
robes, it is only fitting. I have more knowledge than
most here know. I keep that back. I wish to impress my
master
and.......I shall.'
Kah takes the wineskin and drains it
of the sweet liqour,
handing the empty container to the man.
'I am sure you
will. You master is a good man, regardless of
the robes
he wears. And I have never worn robes, they are way
too
restrictive when on the hunt.'
'Politcal power matters
not to me. I serve the
Devouring Dark, and him alone. Real
power comes from the
God's and not man and the institutions they
have put in
place. This place is only a way to serve them. He
told me
you would understand.'
Kah says 'Our role is
only to serve our moons and bring
their knowledge to the
world.'
'You are as devoted to Solinari as I am to
Nuitari.'
Kah again nods. 'I have a feeling I know
Nuitari's
reasoning for sending you my way as well.'
'The three moons always agree on one principal. The
knowledge. They disagree on how it becomes known.'
And in that
regard, they are alone, away from the other
Gods.' And when the
other God's left mortals. They
remained with us.'
Kah says
'They wouldn't have it any other way.
Seperate from the
others, together in the magic.'
'And now Tahkisis and
Paladine have left the heavens,
and have come to the world. He
told me this would happen,
and he told me to come now, to the
tower. I thought it
was just to take the test, but now I
understand. There
was more to his plan.'
Kah says
'Troubling times are ahead of us. How do you
think I am part
of his plan?'
'You have a problem don't you?
Something you don't
understand?'
Smiling, Kah says 'I
believe you just confirmed my
suspicions on what your master
desires of me. Being one
to compromise with the powers of magic
I feel I can trust
you with my dilema.' Reaching into a blue
scaled pouch
at her side she pulls out a small obsidean mirror
and
hands it to the man.
Xorn smiles, his grin now
becoming quite evil, revealing
his true nature for the first
time. "My master desires
you sweety.....But he will take what
he can get. Your
Disir problem..........yes." He takes the
mirror in
hand, and studies it a long moment.
Kah says
'The mirror will show the memory of the vision
shown to me by
Solinari, but it sounds as if Nuitari has
shown you the
same.'
Xorn looks deeply into the mirror, and it flashes from
white, to red, to black, and so do Xorn's eyes as he
looks. The
magic fades and he hands the mirror back to
Kah. 'Apparantly
they all agree. I will tell you what I
know.'
Kah places
the mirror back within the pouch. 'Yes I had
my theories that
the relics within the caves belong to
all the gods of magic.'
'They do. However Solinari rules it. But why then is
there an abomination in control of the place eh?'
Kah
says 'It is a question I hope to discover the
answer once my
apprentices finish the tasks given them.'
Xorn closes
his eyes a long moment and begins chanting in
a language long
forgotten even to modern mages. 'Give
me a moment White
Robe.'
Kah nods.
Xorn continues to chant, his voice
getting louder and
louder as if calling something or someone. An
amulet of
Emerald and Gold around his neck begins to glow a
sickly
green color, illuminating him. And suddenly a lich rises
from the ground in physical form. "Isaldora, I would
not ask
you to come, but we need an answer."
Kah looks at the
lich with wonder. For an apprentice,
this young man had
extraordinary talent to be able to
summon such an undead so
easily.
The lich looks to Xorn and then to the White Robe
with
question. "You picked a fine time to call me Xorn. I
hope the amulet I gave you has served you well!" The
undead
laughs, and looks around the courtyard, her hollow
eyes
expressing disdain.
'Yes Izzy. It.........served me
well. I overcame my
obstacles.........And now I serve Him. You
always knew,
didn't you. It was part of the plan......was it
not.'
Kah looks at the lich hovering inches above the ground
an
absent look upon its face as its lips moved wordlessly.
The lich looks over the woman, but stops, turning her
attention
back to Xorn. "Why have you summoned me, and
especially
here?" Xorn simply nods to her. "I am to
help this woman and
We need and answer. What are the
Disir?"
The Lich
responds. "They were dwarves. They turned to
dark magic during
the time of fire. They turned to
Morigon and
became.........changed, in many ways like me.
They gave up their
former lives, and turned to a new form
of.....death and decay.
It is thier essence."
Kah asks 'So the creature I saw
in the vision is one of
the undead?'
The lich hisses at Kah
in anger, but turns back to Xorn.
"You summon me for THIS?"
She looks around, her body
convorting as she does. "They are
not undead Xorn, not
like me. But he turned
them..........changed them. The
Black Wind gave them a form that
could survive."
'They turned to someone who would
hear thier cries. And
apparantly he listened.'
Kah nods
and says 'Interesting.'
'White Robe she will not lie.
She only exists
to...exist. And she turned to Chemosh. Didn't
you
Isaldora? That is why you sent me away all of those
years
ago.'
Kah says 'I do not question her honesty. But, how
does
this help with my problem.'
The lich nods to
Xorn. "They are turned. They are
cannibals. They are followers
of carrion. They worship
Morigon and him alone. And to
converse with one of thier
cursed race is to invite thier
hunger. This is all I know
about them. As for the temple you
search for. Look near
the skull. And Xorn, the amulet only holds
so many
charges. Do not summon me again for such a trivial
manner."
Kah looks at the skeletal mage with scorn
'Tempermental
hag.'
The lich simply dissolves into the
ground, leaving a
pussy residue. "I have done what I can."
Xorn looks
to the ghastly resudie with a look of shame
and...sadness. 'She was all I knew. She taught me more
than.....any of you could ever. I asked her only because
I was
told to help solve your problem.'
Kah says 'I am
sorry you lost a friend over my
account.'
'She is
gone. She died and I did not. She gave her soul
to Chemosh. I
did not. I was saved and she was not. Do
not be sorry. You have
information. Do you not?'
Kah says 'Thank you very much.
It will help when the
time comes to confront this thing.'
'And do with it what you will. I have done what my God
has
asked of me. As for what resources I have. That is
between us
presently........correct?'
Kah says 'I am grateful to
you and your patron. And
your secrets are your business and not
mine to tell.'
'I will help your problem. Call me when I
am needed.'
Kah says 'I will do that. It was pleasant
couple on
this fine evening. Farewell.'
Xorn walks from
the courtyard and into the black tower,
never looking back.
FINE
Author: Xorn
Date: Tue
Mar 16 17:49:24 2010
Subject (RP) The Quill Is Mightier
Than The Sword.
The dark moon rises high into the
heavens, full in majesty, and Xorn walks
up the spiral staircase
to the very top of the black tower. Upon reaching
the door to
the highmaster's chambers, he pauses for several minutes in a
moment of self introspection. He knocks upon the door, and a
spectral
appears suddenly, opening it, and ushering him in. The
room is quite dark,
but Jendaron sits at a table, a lamp barely
illumination him.
Jendaron says 'I recieved your note
that you had completed your task, and
a taskmage of mine
delivered me the items you sent for me. A very
interesting
selection of magical items indeed. You did well young magi.'
Xorn nods to his master, bowing in reverence, but remaining
silent as
Jendaron speaks. He simply nods and smiles to his
words.
Jendaron says 'I waited to beckon for you because
I wanted to allow you
time to reflect on the magic you had
discovered and to allow you to learn
more about yourself. So,
what have you learned apprentice'
Xorn pauses a long moment
before answering, looking up as if to phrase his
response
carefully. "I've learned that magic can be found in the most
unexpected places, and is stored and wielded by those you least
expect.
Also...I learned to rely on my wits and intellect and
not just arcana.
Magic does not always solve all problems. You
must be resourceful as
well."
Jendaron nods and continues,
'You have made a wise statement indeed young
apprentice. That
actually brings me to my next topic for your preparation.
Most
magi will find themselves able to absorb magic quickly, the more
they
study and learn. True dedication to the language, both
written and oral of
magic is the way to master it. But the magic
can not protect you in all
instances.'
Jendaron sits
back in his chair, his hooded face becoming only slightly
visible allowing you to see him mouth the words 'How good are
you with a
dagger?'. The words ring in Xorn's ears and in his
thoughts as he
ponders.
Xorn nods, a slight smile and a
knowing looking in his expression. "I can
use them, yes.
However I prefer a staff."
Something resembling two powerful
hands pushes Ciskei back through the
door! A spectral guardian
says 'You cannot be in here, the master would
not be happy
with that!'
Jendaron says 'The staff is a weapon of
preparation, the dagger however
is a cunning and sly weapon.'
Xorn lifts the bottom of his robe up past his knee, revealing
a leg sheath,
with a dagger strapped to it. "Yes, it is
always best to have a few
surprises up your........robe."
Jendaron says 'When your life is in danger, and the words
escape your
thoughts, your hand can still reach for a dagger. I
would like you to train
not only with your spear but also with a
dagger to better protect yourself
in various situations you
might find yourself in. I also want you to
practice in other
various methods of using magic.'
Xorn nods to his master and
smiles. "I shall go and do whatever you wish
my leige. I am
yours to command."
Jendaron says 'Certainly you have
begun to master the means to speak the
magic, but I would like
you to learn to read it so efficiently that even
unknown spells
would make sense to you. The ability to read and write magic
are
paramount to your success in the future. Thus I would like you to
practice scribing and reciting scrolls until you are ready. You
will know
when this is and you will come to me, at which point I
will test you to see
if you are finished with this task.'
Xorn looks around the blackened room as his master dictates his
instruction, but listens intensly. He again nods in acquiesence
to
Jendaron. "This shall be of greatest priorty then. I will
spend my time
in the library, perfecting this art."
Jendaron
says 'Indeed. Be of utmost haste apprentice because when you
have completed this task you will be nearly prepared for the
Test of High
Sorcery. I am excited for you to finish the test, I
have great plans for
you if you are interested. You could end up
working directly with me with
tasks of importance to the entire
Conclave itself. I hand select who I
teach as only the brightest
and highest potential students. You have
excelled even under my
tutilege so thusly you will be of great use to the
me. You will
continue to learn past your test, the magic of thousands of
years of knowledge.'
At the mention of the Test, a gleam
of.....glee comes into Xorn 's eyes.
And at his master's next
words, the gleam become fullfledged....desire.
"I wish to
serve you and our God in any manner I may."
Jendaron says
'That is, of course, if that is what you wish. You could
always become a common conjurer or enchanter.' Jendaron nods
slowly and
leans forward in his chair. 'I have a serious
question for you
apprentice.'
'Being common is
something.......detestable. Greatness awaits those who
devote
themselves to Nuitari. And I am an open book to you my leige. I
will answer honestly.'
Jendaron says 'You are around
the common grounds and areas of the Tower
much more oft than I.
Typically I spend most of my time in my own tower and
merely
visit Wayereth once a day to make rounds and check on various
things. Are things going as you think they should throughout the
halls? I
have heard rumors of things opposite to what I
expect.'
Xorn pauses a long moment before answering,
again looking as though he is
coming up with just the right
words. "The white robe numbers are growing.
Thier new leader
is practical, even compromising.....However, there is
much
fighting between the orders......especially with some of the red
robes. There is one who might be swayed to our......position.
His thirst
for blood is........quite emmence.'
Jendaron
says 'Indeed, as much as I had heard and expected about the
fighting. I will be more present to try to counteract these
things,
infighting within the order is not a good way to develop
the Conclave as a
whole. But for now you must go forth and do
your work, I will begin to
prepare for your Test of Sorcery.'
'It is important to project unity to the outside world as
well. Else,
others will exploit these riffs.'
Jendaron
nods and says 'Indeed, the renegades and dragonarmies always
search for weaknesses within our order.'
Xorn grins again,
and nods in agreement with his master. He picks up his
black
leather bag, inscribed with runes, and bows to Jendaron. "I
will
contact you when I have completed this next stretch of
destiny. I am very
blessed to have you as master."
Jendaron bows before Xorn. 'Until we meet again,
apprentice.'
'May the black light of the Devouring Dark
shine upon you, and the entire
world.'
Jendaron says
'Nuitari be with you.'
FINE
Author: Xorn
Date: Sat Mar 20 15:33:24 2010
Subject
(RP) Black, White, With A Hint Of Grey. (Pt. 1)
Not long
after the sun has set upon the Plains of Dust, but before the
moons begin to rise, a shadow in the corner of the inn distorts
and twists.
It seems to become blacker, darker, as it begins to
swirl unnaturally.
Suddenly a figure rises from its center,
composed of the same darkness at
first, but then becoming more
and more......human. Xorn looks around the
inn and takes in the
scenery.
There is surely no match for the fun and merriment to
be had here. Good
people from across Abanasinia travel across the
New Sea to this historic
destination. The Inn, built long ago,
houses any and all who come to pay
with good money. Absolutely no
one is excluded from the confort and
hospitality that this Inn
has to offer. Primarily run by humans, they seem
to prefer to
have a liking to everyone, since you see an assortment of
races,
including half elves and gully dwarves serving the populace of
the
Inn. There is surely no match for the fun and merriment to be
had here.
Good people from across Abanasinia travel across the
New Sea to this
historic destination. The Inn, built long ago,
houses any and all who come
to pay with good money. Absolutely
no one is excluded from the comfort and
hospitality that this Inn
has to offer. Primarily run by humans, they seem
to prefer to
have a liking to everyone, since you see an assortment of
races,
including half elves and gully dwarves serving the populace of
the
inn.
The sounds of laughter and cheer float about the
common room of the Sand
and Stone, as Kah'rihn the High Archmage
dances and sings within the center
of the patrons. The Inn is
full of all kinds of people, and Xorn looks
harshly at all of
them, before picking out a spot to settle.
The white fur of
Kah'rihn's loincloth flares as she swings her hips in
rythm of
the song. "The shivering sands speak of times long past...
Times
of dragons! Times of fear..."
Xorn notices the
woman, but turns on his stool to the bartender. "Give me
a
howling moons." He turns back to the woman in the dance, and
smiles,
again turning back to the bartender. "Make
that.....two."
Singing with the energy and glow that only
pride in one's home can stir,
Kah'rihn brings her song to its
climatic conclusion "The shivering sands
speak of times long
past... Times of Freedom! Times of peace..."
Xorn takes the
two doubles from the barkeep, and stands......clapping to
the
woman who wearhunteress garb. He cheers her on in bravado, while
most
the crowd remains silent. "Bravo my Lady. At least you
dance with
purpose!. The rest of these fools have no
understanding."x The man with
ice blue eyes, lifts one of the
two glasses to the beutiful woman, and
simply winks. "The most
excellent Kah'rihn, you should join me in a
drink. To dance is
to invite.....company." Xorn simpy places his
cocktail on the
bar.
Kah smiles at the man in black robes she had met the other
night in the
courtyards within the tower of wayreth. 'Ah.
Xorn, a pleasure to see you
out here in the out of the way
environs.' She walks over to the man and
takes a seat at a
table he moved to.
Xorn smiles back to the very attractive
woman. He sets down his drink, and
picks up the extra he
ordered, handing it to the dancing woman. "A
double, for a
double...beauty? Are we.....friends?.......or something
different away from the tower. I do know the rules. There is
nothing
stopping you from annihaliting me here and now."x
Taking the glass of alchohol Kah'rihn tips the glass and downs
the drink in
one swallow. Looking at the dark mage quizzically
she says 'I believe
that is up to you young man. Unless you
are planning on doing something I
would have to stop, we are
fine. She shrugs as she places the empty glass
upon the table.
'We are both children of the moons. I say working
together
gets more results. Don't you?'
Xorn giggles to her, and
reciprocating, downs the glass of spirits. He
nods to a wench
and reaches into a pouch procuring, several coins.
"Another
round please." Helooks deeply at the white mage.
Kah says
'So Xorn, what brings you out here to the far reaches of the
Plains of Dust?'
Xorn looks all around, and specially to
some of the crowd gathered.
'I was born in Tarsis, but my
family would come here on holiday, or
sometimes for the summer.
This was before it was dust. At one time it
was......quite
beautiful. It was a second home.' He looks around the
place,
as if looking into the past.
Kah says 'I too call this
place home.'
'I wished to stop along my way back to the
forest. For memory's sake if
nothing else.'
Kah slowly
states 'And it is still beautiful...'
'And here of all
places..........I find you again.'
Kah says 'Yes, funny
how things work out.'
The wench returns with two more
rounds of spirits, and rests them upon the
table. Xorn tips her
generously, but his gaze never leaves the huntress.
'This used
to be grassland. It supported all kinds of life. The elves
wandered this land. Tarsis to the south, was rich and diverse.
Now it is a
wasteland.'
Kah says 'Yes, I have heard
stories from the elders of my families. My
mother's father
lived through the times of Balif the great elf general.'
Xorn
shakes his head, and takes the next round delivered by the wench
in
hand. "I feel......fortunate I missed the desolation. I am
fortunate
that Nuitari brought me forth to this time." He
raises the glass and
drinks. 'Yes......elves live much longer,
but they progress so much
slowly.'
Drinking the glass
empty before placing it back on the table, Kah'rihn says
"They
do, and having their blood, made living within this environ much
easier."
Xorn smiles to the white robe and
her.........constitution, out drinking
him. "You surprise me
Kah'rhin. You are not what I ever expected from a
follower of
the Silver one. This is refreshing..........and disturbing."
Kah asks 'How so?'
Xorn gulps down the rest of his drink
in attempt to keep up. He winks at
the elf. 'It is your turn
to buy the next round. And as for how? I
figured your kind to
be rigid and chaste. On a magely level, but also on
an elven
one. I have been proven wrong on both counts it seems.'
Kah slowly states 'Ah, yes. Most elves are stuck up, but
being raised by
my human family has helped alleviate those...
predjudices of my mother's
people. And as for those of my
order, I can not speak for how some think
that they are as
spotless as their robes, but being the voice of Solinari
within
our orders I must have a different view of things.'
'None
of us are spotless. To be wrinkle free, is to be plain
and...quite
ordinary.'
'Yes exactly. And as you can
tell, I lead a very open existence.' Kah
stands to show off
how much of her is not hidden.'
CONTINUED
Author:
Xorn
Date: Sat Mar 20 15:41:27
2010
Subject (RP) Black, White, With A Hint Of Grey. (Pt.
2)
'You are.............quite beautiful. But you know
this white robe
leader. It is......part of your appeal is it
not? A pure soul, but with a
the body of a succubus.' Xorn
demurs, and does not look at the woman's
beauty. The minotaur at
the adjoining table places another order for
rounds.
A
drunk dwarf walks over to a the minotaur haranging the bar wench
and
kicks him in the shin. "Lousy Cow, stop holding up the
wench. I am
getting parched over here!"
Yelling across the
tavern to the Minotaur working the bar Kah'rihn calls
out her
order "Mrugh I'd like two bottles of your finest elven wine,
two
tylor steaks, some poached desert owl eggs and some spiced
potatoes. And
make it quick."
Xorn looks around the inn,
studying the differing patrons, as if sizing up
any trouble
makers or cut-throats.
Kah says 'I hope you don't mind me
ordering for the two of us. I'm well
known in these parts. I
doubt there would be any trouble here tonight.
Least not any
that two mages couldn't handle.'
Xorn looks up to the
cieling of the desert tavern and winks to the leader
of the
White Robes. "The Dark Lady, Her Lover, The Thief, The Black
Wind....they all have servants. You can never be too
careful."
A gruff minotaur in a soiled apron delivers the
bottles of elven wine and
the plates heaped with food to
Kah'rihn. "Enjoy your meal mistress."
The minotaur turns and
heads back behind the bar and serves the next round.
"And,
the same could be said for the Platinum Dragon, The Healing Hand,
The song of Life. They have servants too. I can never bee to
careful."
The huntress says 'The gods do as we do. Eat
before your food gets cold.
Have you ever tried tylor?'
Kah takes up her fork and knife and cuts a large piece from the
tylor
steak. Steam and rich aroma flows from the white meat of
the great beast
of the desert.
A drunk dwarf pinches A
half-elven waitress's bottom and grins. He laughs
as the
waitress turns and slaps him. He bellows as he gaffawls "I am
still waiting on my drink woman. But, your bottom feels more
pleasing!"
Xorn takes a knife in hand as well, and upon
hearing the name Tylor, he
simply.....freezes. He looks to the
woman, cutting into her food, and
without missing a beat, does
the same. Taking a sample of it, he smiles
with delight.
The
drunken dwarf pulls the woman into his lap as she screams to be
let go.
and Kah stands. "One second please." She walks over
to the dwarf and
wench. 'Let her go and go home. You have had
too much to drink this
evening master dwarf.' Looking at
Kah'rihn the dwarf grins and drops the
waitress on the ground
and reaches out to grope the High Archmage. "You
look like you
got a nice firm bottom on you, and its more open to grab!"
Xorn continues to eat and drink from what the white robed
ordered, and
under his breath he whispers to himself or no one.
"Tylor."
The dwarf's hand never reached it's target.
Kah'rihn whispered a single
word and with a few dried petals of
rose sprinkled on the dwarf's head had
put him to sleep causing
him to fall to the floor hard. She returns to her
seat and meal
and carves off another chunk of her steak without missing a
beat. 'Yes this meat comes from a local beast called a
Tylor.'
Xorn raises a goblet of wine that was brought to
the table to Kah. "Quite
delicious, my leige. You
have........excellent taste." He almost chokes
a moment on
the wine, but swallows down his food. Looking to the slept
dwarf, Xorn raises his glass of wine to her. "Of course you
can take care
of yourself. Chivalry is dead!"
Kah says
'You are lucky. It is a very rare delicacy and the owner was
lucky that he had happened upon the carcass after a territorial
dispute our
dinner had with a larger male.'
'I must ask
my lady, and do not take offense, because I do not mean any
disrespect. I've met the others at the tower. How did you become
the Silver
Lady? You are nothing like.......anyone could
expect.' Xorn continues to
cut into the meat, obviously
savoring it, and the side dishes, but his eyes
never leave the
sand woman.
Kah says 'I do and go as the white moon guides
me. It is in his honor I
have obtained, the prestige I now
hold.'
'You don't seem like one who cares about prestige,
or even political
power.'
Kah savors the last bite of
her steak, the bowl off eggs having been
emptied long ago, being
used as a dip for the meat. 'I do not care for
either. But, a
good leader does not look for those simple awards. A good
leader strives to make things better for everyone that looks to
them for
guidance.'
Xorn also finishes his meal, and
takes the last of his wine in hand. He
look deeply at Kah. 'I
expected you to be loving, kind, and well..naive.
You are some
of these things, however not niave. And you treat me with
kindness, even away from the tower.'
Kah says 'I am as
carefree as the winds through the sands, as shifting as
the
sands themself, as diverse as the creatures that call the sands
home,
and a beakon of direction like the silver moon in the
heavens. And young
Xorn, no reason has arisen for me to treat
you any other way. Just because
of the color of your robes does
not mean I should treat you any
differently.'
Xorn rests
down his knife and fork, his dinner, done. He gulps down the
rest of his wine. His expression becoming quite happy,
intoxication heavy
in his eyes.
Kah says 'And if any of
our orders wished to seek my advice or direction,
regardless of
robe color, they are free to do so.'
'This surprises me
Master.'
Kah asks 'How so?'
Xorn looks around
and reaches in close to whisper. 'There is much
fighting in
between ourselves as of late. This is something of a concern to
the master. When he asked me of it, I told him the truth. I
would figure
you would only be of help to your own order,
strengthen them for the
advances of some of the others. But I
might add, I did praise you to
Jendaron. You have brung unity
for Solinari's disciples.'
Kah leans in and whispers back.
'You should not be surprised young Xorn.
I have been honest
and upfront with you. We learn and teach each other, in
order to
strengthen ourselves for those who would destroy us from the
outside.'
'To show conflict is to invite outsiders to
exploit riffs in our
order.'
Kah says 'Agreed.'
CONTINUED
Author: Xorn
Date:
Sat Mar 20 15:43:17 2010
Subject (RP) Black, White, With A
Hint Of Grey. (Pt. 3)
Xorn pauses a long moment before
continuing his train of thought. "There
are some that tear at
our unity, and the divide us, and they project
conflict to the
outside world. Jendaron will deal with these
individuals.'
Kah says 'He has a lot of responsibility, your master
does.'
'He does and with much to come apparantly. Can I
tell you
something?..........something I will tell him in time,
when he is ready to
hear it. But you should know now, because
you will recieve it.'
Kah nods and says, 'You may tell
me anything you wish.'
'HIS word is this.... The great wars
are coming. And in the realm of
possible futures, All will come
to agreement in order to save Krynn. She
will eventually be
granted her wishes. And this will grieve the moons,
especially
Nuitari.'
Kah slowly states 'A very big riddle you
have given me there...'
Xorn begins to tremor in his seat,
his eyes becoming clouded by a black
mist, becoming dark
obsidian. He begins to sway, obviously in a magically
induced
trance, and he screams as he collapses to the floor.
Kah jumps
up and comes to the unconscious mage and kneels by him, resting
her hand on his neck to check his lifebeat. 'I think we have
had too much
excitement for the evening. I believe it is time
to depart.'
Oblvious now to the outside world, caught up
into another frame of
reference of time and space, Xorn whispers
a question in his delerium
"How can the future be stolen?"
Again he screams, and with that he
falls deep into a coma and
into Kah's hands.
With a flare of light and sounds, the two
mages, Kah'rihn and Xorn are
transported magically from the Sand
and Stone tavern in Stone Rose, back to
the Tower of Wayreth.
Where Xorn would remain comatose for several days.
FINE
Author: Xorn
Date: Wed Mar
24 18:25:00 2010
Subject (RP) Secret Negotiations. (PT
1)
The raven sits on the top of the building looking out,
and Nestos looks
through his eyes as the cutpurse runs out. He
spies the mage walking down
the small alley. Nestos blinks as he
comes out of the trance and gets ready
to greet him.
Xorn
walks down the street, looking at the various buildings.
Suddenly he
hears the squawking of a bird, and looking up sees
the raven fly down from
the top of a warehouse. It circles him
a moment, and flies to a doorframe,
resting there.
Xorn
walks closer to the door and the bird, and smiles. "Yes this
must be
the place, isn't it.......now what was your name again?
Sil..?" The
mage looks up as if trying to remember, and
knocks upon the door.
The door opens and a man runs from the
building and down the street,
obviously in a great hurry. Xorn
ducks his head through the doorway and in
a silly voice says.
"Yoohoo! Anyone...........home?"
Nestos says 'I am
over here.' The renegade sits on a crate over near
another
door. He looks up to the mage, "And his name is Sitharnos."
Xorn walks in and bows to Nestos, nodding to him in
response to the raven's
name. "So sorry my friend. My mind
has been a little.......clouded
lately. Do forgive my laps of
memory." He walks near the renegade, and
leans against a
crate.
Nestos asks 'It is already forgiven. So, what
brings you to Sanction?'
"The Shadow Walking Spell."
Xorn laughs, and rests his staff next to
him as leans upon the
crate. He grins at Nestos and continues. "I needed
out of
that damn tower, if just for a little while."
Nestos grins,
"I certainly can understand that. Shadow Walking, eh? Fun.
And
how are things in the towers?"
'They are.......tedius.
Jendaron wishes me to learn to read scroll, and
learn to write
them. I understand his wisdom in this, but yes.....tedius.
I
have been taking little sojourns, to freshen myself.'
Nestos asks 'So, where have these sojourns led to, other than
one of my
many doors?'
Xorn looks up as if remembering,
taking time before he answers. "I went
back to Tarsis, and
this saddend me, for it is a husk of it's former glory.
I went
towards the icewall, and looked up an........old friend." Xorn
pauses before continuing. 'And then I recently travelled what
is known
now as the Plains of Dust. There is a village there, I
remember fondly
from my youth, but it is also radically changed.
And since you are on my
mystical map, so to speak. I thought I
might drop in.'
Nestos says 'Ah, the Plains of Dust? I do
like that place. One can be
alone.' He smiles, 'And you are
definetly welcome whenever.'
Xorn looks disturbed a
moment, but it quickly passes with Nestos' welcome.
"I find
it detestable. The longer I live in this time, the more I
understand why people turned away from the Gods. Plains of
Dust! Once
beautiful grassland."
Nestos says
'Even still, there is a beauty to its desolation.'
'It's funny you should say that. Someone very recently said
that very
same thing. But then again she grew up there. But I
bore you with my
petty irks. What have you been doing my
renegade friend?'
Nestos slowly states 'Distasteful
things, as always.' The mage smiles
wryly.
When the dark elf
answers his question, Xorn grins evilly, and nods. "I
have
been so busy completing trivial tasks, and playing the social
game to
do any of the same. I hold on to the times
when......HE......shares with
me."
Nestos nods, "Well
never feel that you need to be too trivial here, or
social for
that matter. And as for me, just before you came I had to deal
with a betrayer. Always fun when dealing in secrets." Nestos
smiles a big
grin.
Xorn nods and suddenly a look of
inspiration comes across his expression.
"There is but one
punishment for betrayal. I hope you sent him packing
to the
abyss........screaming. And secrets eh? What do you trade,
generally speaking of course."
Nestos says 'I did send him
to the abyss with my regards to Takhisis. As
for screaming, no,
I sent him with hope. The Darkqueen will flay his soul
enough,
he can have that small hope. And as for secrets, if you want to
know it, chances are I already do. And as for the man, he was a
good
informant, I owed him that hope.'
Xorn again nods
to the dark elf's words, again pausing if considering
something.
"Most believe that if you worship the dark ones, hope is
something to be squashed. Perhaps those who follow the Black
Wind.......and speaking of which....I think I have a proposition
for you.
It was given to me by our Dark Father, to help a
certain white robed elf.
I would not have gone to her if it was
not commanded, but she
is..........interesting, and her
dilemia........delicious."
Nestos mocks interest, "Proceed?
I am all for propositions."
Xorn brings his legs up to
the top of crate and crosses them, and reaches
into the satchel
carried on his side. He pulls a scroll case from it, and
opens
it, producing a parchment. He tosses it in the air, and with a
gesture, it floats to Nestos.
Nestos studies the parchment,
"And where do I fit in?"
'Have you ever seen anything
like this in your travels? They are a
created race, mutated by
Morgion shortly after the catacylsm. They
worship him soley.
And I am getting to where you fit in shortly.'
Nestos
asks 'Interesting creatures. No I have not run into one of
these.
Morgion, huh? I do like a little decay here and there.'
Nestos laughs.
"Is it information that you want then?"
Xorn gestures, and the parchment flies back across to him, he
places it
back in the case, and back into the satchel. "They
are called the Disir,
or so an acquaintance told me. Once
dwarves who called out to him, If you
can believe that. The
white robe elf I spoke of was given a vision by the
moons. One
is squatting in a very old temple, somewhere near what used to
be Zhaman."
Nestos asks 'Most interesting. And
what is it that the gods of magic
wanted of her?'
Xorn
pauses a long moment before he continues with the last. "It is
a
temple to Solinari apparantly, but it contains, ancient
artifacts, from my
time or before, of all three Gods. I was
commanded to help her find it. "
HE does not want those items
gifted by him and his mages to fall into her
hands.'
Nestos
says 'Understandable, white robes with artifacts of the Ungod
just
makes no sense.' He pulls out a parchment and a quill and
begins to write
on it.
'She would most likely destroy
them, and I must not let that happen.
They are to brought to
the black tower. However, I'm sure we could come to
some kind
of......arrangement? Yes?'
Nestos stops writing a moment
and looks up to the human and grins, "I am
certain that
something can be arranged. Is she to be given the others?"
Xorn smiles and shakes his head as if not knowing. "I was not
given the
specifics. Only to help her find the temple and find
a way to either
communicate with, or kill this..........Disir.
But something will and can
be arranged. There will be profit in
this for you."
CONTINUED
Author: Xorn
Date: Wed Mar 24 18:26:37 2010
Subject (RP)
Secret Negotiations. (PT 2)
Nestos says 'Than I am in.
Although I will ask that I accompany you to
this temple. I have
been in Neraka and Sanction too long. I need to have my
own.....sojourn.'
Xorn nods to the renegade elf and
smiles. "Yes, lets have a holiday, and
when this is over, we
will have new toys to play with. I will inform the
white robe I
have found someone who can help her. She will want to meet
with
you, but she is not like some of the others in many regards. We
will
find a neutral space to converse."
Nestos finishes
his writing, and after he folds up the parchment his rises
and
walks to the door, "I have no problem meeting with other mages,
I
have found though that they have a problem with meeting me,
but if she is
as understanding as you say...then I do not think
we will have a problem"
'I will work out the details, and
send you a missive with the
information. I look forward to
working together. The Ungod will be pleased
you are with his
will. And as I said, you will be handsomely
compensated.'
Nestos opens the door and leans out his head, "He kid, come
here." When
the child gets to the door he hands him the
parchment, "Bring this to
Fidget." The kid agrees and runs
off. 'I do like compensation. And I
like adventure as
well.'
Xorn rubs his hands together in greedy
anticipation. "Beats the abyss out
of writing scrolls!"
Nestos returns to crates and sits back down, "I would have to
agree, and
I like the thought of meeting this "new" race."
'Oh I forgot to mention this.......Finding a way to
communicate might be
wise. According to my source, they pretty
much eat anything that comes into
view. Dead and or alive.'
Nestos laughs, "Communication is not always through tongues.
But, yes, I
would like to join and I have just sent a message to
have the information
gathered."
Xorn jumps down off the
crate he was resting on and takes his staff in
hand. He bows to
the dark elf. "Then I Will leave you to it. When I
have
things arranged I will be in touch."
Nestos nods, "Than I
will see you soon and that information will not
elude me for
long."
Xorn walks to the door, and smiles to the Raven,
before he walks back into
the street. "May the unlight shine
down on you Nestos. Blessed be those
who serve the Devouring
Dark." And with that he walks around a corner
and vanishes
into the shadows.
FINE
Author: Xorn
Date: Wed Mar 31 03:24:22 2010
Subject (RP)
Prices And Celebrations. (PT 1)
Nestos sits in a leather
chair in the corner of the tavern, staring at the
flames that
lick from one of his fingers to another.
In a dark corner,
the shadows from the dim lighting begin to pulse then
swirl, as
a black figure emerges. At first it is nothing but blackness,
but it coalesces into a human, who looks around a moment. Xorn
walks forth
into the tavern.
Nestos smiles, still looking
at the flames, "Xorn, again so soon? I would
have thought it
would have been a little longer."
Xorn watches the
renegade playing with the fire in his hand, and grins.
"Neat
trick, you must show that one to me sometime. I came to bring
word about our future adventure."
Nestos waves his hands and
the flames disappears as he looks up with a
smile, "Good. I do
like words. They are what put gold in my hands."
'You
are if anything consistant Nestos. And that is one of the many
qualities that I adore you for. That and your heart is as black
as mine.
But you are also honerable, something that many who
follow the Dark ones
are lacking.' Not seeing another chair
near, Xorn scans the tavern, and
sees something comfortable
across the room. He gestures to the chair, and
it flies into
the air and falls next to the dark elf. He rests next to his
associate.
"Glad to oblige," Nestos states with a
mocking bow, still sitting in
his chair, "Welcome to one of my
home away from homes."
"As you said before.....one of
your many doors." Xorn returns the mock
bow before he
continues. "We are beyond such formalities now. You are a
kindred spirit, two servants of the Ungod, fulfilling his will
in differing
ways."
"Very true," Nestos says, pointing
to the other mage, "What news do
you have?"
'I
spoke with the White huntress. She is eager to meet with you.
She has
given her word you will not be harmed, confined or in
anyway accosted. She
needs all the help she can muster, and she
knows it.'
Nestos grins wide, "Very good than. I will
meet her, but tell me, do you
know the why?"
Xorn pauses
for a moment, which is now obviously his manner, as he mulls
over the question posed. "I know only that this temple, houses
artifacts,
and this monstrosity has possession. No more has
been revealed to me, nor
do I think to Kah'rhin."
Nestos asks 'Ah, I had thought, but now I know, the High
Archmage?"
Nestos rubs his hands together. "So, who is to go
on this adventure of
hers?'
'Yes, head of the white robes
herself. She is not what I expected...at
all. As for those
involved currently, she had some of her apprentices
doing
research, but only one of them succeeded in her task. She was
sent on
some errand, but I do not know what it was, only she
returned. Her name is
Mariala, a high born elf, very snobbish,
but very...lucious. If only I
could get her into my
bed.........I do love a challenge!'
Nestos grins, "Well
good luck in that endeavor, I enjoy challenges as
well. Which
reminds me, I found some good information, though it required
some drastic measures, I do have some more resources still out
there."
This time Xorn rubs his hands together in
anticipation, his eyes lighting
up at Nestos' disclosure. "Do
tell. And be sure to fill me on
these.......drastic
measures." The mage sits back in the chair, and
places his
staff across his lap.
Nestos slowly states 'Oh, the usual
form of drastic.' The renegade
drags his finger across his
neck with a smile and a shrug. "Anyways, I
found out a little
bit about this creature, and also what is in that
temple, but
even for a friend, these are expensive morsels."
Xorn nods
to the dark elf renegade, agreeing with him. "I would say the
same if I were in your position. What is the price
Nestos.....and I will
make arrangements." The mage raises his
hand, summoning over a wench.
"Elven wine, the oldest you
have."
Nestos slowly states 'Ah, trying to get the
drinks from your time? Elven
wine would be the closest, though I
prefer other vices.' Nestos pulls
out a pipe from his robe
and fills it with a green leaf and lights it.
"And as for the
price...I will give you one piece of paper for several
pieces of
paper and some leather." The mage grins.
The wench returns
with a bottle of wine and two goblets. She places them
before
the two wizards, and Xorn hands here a ruby. She blushes,
looking
shocked before she departs. He looks at the label. "A
hundred years will
have to do I suppose." He waves his hand
over the top, and the cork
simply vanishes and as he pours a
glass for himself he continues.
"Information for information.
What would you like me to procure?"
Nestos says 'Almost
as old as me. And a book. A spellbook to be precise.
I know it
is in the towers, but obviously...' The mage pauses looking
down at himself, "I can not just walk in and ask for it."
Xorn nods to Nestos again, agreeing with his words. "I
suppose not. I'll
make you a deal. I will......borrow what you
want. But only for as long
as it takes you to copy the spells,
and then it will be returned. Is this
acceptable?"
Nestos
puts a look of disapointment on his face, "I would have much
rather kept it, but I would like the spells contained in the
book more"
The dark elf rubs his temples, "Bah, agreed, and
please pour me a glass
of wine." The mage waves his staff over
the table and a scrollcase drops
out from an extradimension. The
mage picks it up and opens it, pulling out
a piece of paper and
a worn old scroll of paper.
Xorn takes the bottle and
pours the goblet full of wine. He takes both
glasses in hand,
and offeres one to Nestos. "Give me the name of the
grimore or
it's description and I will find it for you. Seems everywhere I
go compromises are made. The Ungod is nothing if not
pragmatic."
Nestos slowly states 'I am glad. This is what I
want.'The mage hands
Xorn the folded paper. "And this is
what you are buying for it. You will
not get it till I recieve
payment, but please look as long as you want. The
rest of the
information will come with a secure...trip with you all."
Nestos unrolls the rolled up paper to reveal it as an old map of
Zhaman,
"This was one of those items that required a drastic
measures. I truly do
not know who the author was, but I am 100%
of its authenticity."
Xorn looks at the parchment, and his
eyes widen a little. "This will take
some doing, but I will
get it." He leans over and looks at the paper the
renegade
unfolded, and smiles. "Yes, that is more like it. And the trip
will be secure. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve, and
afew....things
I can call upon if need be."
Nestos
grins, "I am sure you have plenty of tricks, as do I," Nestos
says with a wink, "I am glad about this trip, and there will
be one more
payment I will require, but I think that will
require the High Archmage to
be here." Nestos grins. 'And I
do apologize for the price, but this
information is not too easy
to come by, it would be much worse if I did not
consider you a
friend.'
CONTINUED
Author: Xorn
Date: Wed Mar 31 03:25:50 2010
Subject (RP)
Prices And Celebrations. (PT 2)
Xorn grins widely as
well, holding up his glass of wine to Nestos. "Then
to prices
paid, friendship, a grand adventure, and to our most Unholy
Lord!" He taps his goblet against the renegades and takes a
long swill.
Nestos takes a long gulp as well after
stating, "Yes, to the Ungod."
'I will send word to you
when it is time to meet Kah'rhin. I had hoped
it would have
been sooner than later, but I think she has her finally put
her
Order in..........order.' Xorn laughs at his own pun. 'As
soon as
I know, you will know.'
Nestos says 'Good. Well,
I must be off.' Nestos stands. "I must speak
with a wife I
widowed. I do not like being anything but transparent." The
renegade grins. "Plus, they had always been good to me. I owe
the man's
family at least some condelence, and gold."
'As I said Nestos, you are an honerable person. When we next
meet I
will have the grimore. I must begin to........formulate
how it will be
done. But I Am resourceful. Until we meet again
my friend.'
Nestos drains his goblet, "Yes, until we
do."
Xorn stands as well, and looks around the tavern,
finally spotting the
wench from earlier. "I think I will
tarry here for a little while,
and.....socialize." The mage
winks to the woman, and turns once more to
bow to Nestos. "She
reminds me a little bit of the elf apprentice. I
think I'll act
out a fantasy, or prepare for a reality."
Nestos simply
grins at his associate and leaves Xorn to his "socializing".
FINE
Author: Xorn
Date: Sat
Apr 3 03:45:16 2010
Subject Desderada Malificar. (Pt.
1)
The black tower seemed even more dark, and eerily
quiet as I returned from
my negotiations with the renegade dark
elf known as Nestos. I was
exhausted from the trip back to
Wayreth, for the Shadow Walking spell did
take it's toll upon
the body, and sometimes even the mind, but I found
myself pacing
in my quarters well into the wee hours of the night.
A
decision had to be made, and quickly. It was not an easy one.
Every so
often I would walk to the desk in the corner and
re-examine the parchment
my associate had given me. It contained
only two words, but those two words
carried a grave weight,
because of what they represented.
DESDERADA MALIFICAR.
Just two words, just a grimore. A book of spells that no self
respecting
white robe could ever grasp. A book of spells that
would send terror into
any red robe. A book of spells that many
black robes even shunned. For the
spells within were pure
Necromancy.
Necromancy is not just a school of magic. It
is a philosophy, and in many
ways a religion unto it's own.
Each time a spell of this sort is cast, a
piece of your soul
becomes darkened, and a part of your body defiled. There
is an
unseen line that when crossed, there is no return. And I knew
this,
because I had been ushered into it's art more than three
hundred years
prior, by my former master, and now Lich,
Isaldora.
Necromancy, an art divided as well. Only two God's of
the pantheon had any
influence in the school, and they were at
many times at odds. Nuitari
favored it's use in the physical
world, while Chemosh's domain was the
spiritual. However many
times these lines would become blurred. An undead
minion is
part of both, a spell that syphons life energy as well. And this
has been a "debate" amongst black robed mages, and priests of
the death
God, where "debate" many times is defined as battle.
DESDERADA MALIFICAR.
The words upon the parchment haunted me.
I dared not take this book from
the Conclave and hand it to a
renegade. It was against everything I had
been told, everything
the Conclave stood for. I would be handing over
power to a
supposed enemy. But........Nestos was not my enemy, and I was
not an obedient servant of the Conclave. I was an obedient
servant of
Nuitari, and him alone. My pledge was to him, not
men. I served the
Conclave because he commanded it. They were
and would always be a bi-
product of that service.
DESDERADA
MALIFICAR.
I continued to pace, going over the events that
lead up to this point in my
mind over and over, weighing out
action and consequence. The book was not
housed in the Conclave
library, and I knew where it was, because it had
called to me,
soon after I had come to the tower. And I knew what it was,
and
it's history because of Isaldora.
According to the story, the
book was neither clerical nor arcane. What was
inscribed within
was pure necromantic thought. It was a road map from the
beginning practices to the greatest disertations. A chapter
would have to
be mastered, before the next would mystically
become unlocked. It was said
that it could only have one owner
at a time, because the grimore would bond
to a host, and could
only be retrieved upon the host's death, or
transformation into
the other worldly, with death usually being the
outcome. The
grimore was sentient, and craved souls to add to it's own
power.
It was thought the information inside were the actual thoughts
of
its victims. It was bound in the flesh of every race on
Krynn, and inked in
the blood of the same.
As Isaldora told
it, the book was ancient, at least a thousand years old,
and
had passed through generation after generation of hands, defiling
any
who could not master it, taking control of the weak minded,
and stealing
their very essence. She said there were other ways
to master the art, and
anyone foolish enough to use the grimore
deserved their fate. Looking back
on her words, I have to
wonder, for she gave her soul to Chemosh for
physical
immortality. But yet I digress.
DESDERADA MALIFICAR.
The
book had a will and mind of its own, and was able to seek out
people
who would benifit from its use. It would tempt those
able to decipher it
with promises of dark power and eventual
immortality, whispering paranoia
into the users mind, the
whispers of total control over life and death
itself. And the
book had called to me. My mastery over necromantic
energies had
grown significantly in the last years, and when I had come to
the tower, I heard its call.
DESDERADA MALIFICAR.
I had
been at the tower only a few months, and I had........"the
dream."
I had not had it since my mother's death, and my
translation through time.
I often thought about it, but it had
not re-occured.
Once again the moons rose above the Library
of Tarsis, as it was before the
cataclysm, once again they spoke
their truths of fate and choice. But this
time, I knew I Would
chose the black moon, I knew that Nuitari would save
me. I knew
that I would become his voice for a new generation. And when
the dream would usually end....it continued. I found myself
magically
moved to the Tower of Wayreth, and to the black tower.
And I saw the dark
light of Nuitari shining down. This time it
did not illuminate me, but a
path. With every step I took, the
light would shift to point the way to
somewhere........to
something. As I descended the tower to the ground
floor, the
light shone upon a wall to the south, and a whisper came.
"Another sacrifice is required. Will you give in order to
recieve?"
And I awoke in night sweats, a feeling of elation
and terror mixed inside
me. It had been so real, and I knew I
was being lead there. By this time
I knew when I was recieving a
vision from the Ungod, and when it was merely
a dream. There
was a sense of urgency as well, so I immediately went to
the
place marked in the dream. I found the wall, crafted of solid
onyx,
quite ordinary. There were no runes, no seams, not even a
stone. In fact,
it was perfectly carved, raised no doubt by
magic.
The whispering words of the dream came to the forefront
of my mind then.
But what sacrifice? Was I to kill an
apprentice? Take on an elder? And
then the revelation came.
This was a matter of.....faith, and the sacrifice
was me. I
pulled the dagger at my side, and took a long moment, wondering
if it was just my mind or something more significant. There was
only one
way to find out.
The pain was searing heat into my
wrists, as the dagger cut deep into the
arteries and veins, and
the blood began to flow out quickly, not in drops,
but torrents.
I immediately became light headed, as I Watched the blood
flow
all over my body and then down to my feet where it pooled in a
sticky
goo. But it did not remain there for long. The wall in
front of me began
to....."breath" and the blood was it's breath.
The more that fell from my
mortal wounds, the more the wall
absorbed. And I felt pulled towards the
barrier now, not knowing
if it was near death hallucination or real magic.
The trance
state took me over once again then. I could feel the pull, I
could hear myself chanting in various tongues, words I did not
understand,
contemplations that came from another source. My
vision clouded, as
darkness took me. And I knew then I was
either a visionary or a fool.
I would awaken later for my fate
to become known.
DESDERADA MALIFICAR.
CONTINUED
Author: Xorn
Date:
Sat Apr 3 03:51:09 2010
Subject Desderada Malificar. (Pt.
2)
DESDERADA MALIFICAR.
I awoke in darkness, and I
immediately fumbled to find my wounded wrists,
but even in total
blackness, I knew the wounds were no longer there. And
then a
giggle came, a giggle I had not heard in quite a long time. It
was
instantly recognizable. And the voice of a child came from
the void around
me. "Shirak!" A light appeared, and blinded
me for a moment, as my
eyes became adjusted, and before me stood
the wicked child, the messenger,
the harbinger. His eyes were
of the blackest night, as they had always
been, no pupil, just
absorbing black matter, and he simply winked at me,
and giggled
again.
"Xorn, so lovely to see you again. The Dark father is
pleased with you.
You have done exactly as he commanded. You
serve him without hesitation,
and he rewards those who devote
themselves to his cause. Your faith opened
the doorway to this
place and its contents. You will be rewarded for your
service. The child skipped across the room, the light he
created
becoming brighter, filling the chamber, illuminating the
space.
The wicked.....whatever it really was... had an affect
on me. I found it
hard to speak in its presence, so as usual I
simply followed the child.
Looking around I found myself in a
pyramid of the purist black crystal.
The single light the child
had created, was reflected on every surface, and
I found the
pyramid bare, except for a stand crafted of blood rubies, and
upon it was........."the book".
DESDERADA MALIFICAR.
It
looked just as Isaldora had described, a patch work of skin from
all the
races of Krynn. And I could hear it call to me,
tempting me to pick it up
and begin. The child skipped back up
to me and just....slapped my hand.
"NO! It calls, but you are
not to peruse its contents. Nuitari
has.....other plans. You
will be given the knowledge.......later, and
without the
very......very..dear cost. The Lich knew and she told you of
the
consequences and dangers. The book is meant for another!"
"Who?" It was all I could muster to say, and the child again
winked at
me before he continued. "Glad you decided to join
the conversation
prophet. You are to go the Neraka, home of the
Dark Lady, now that she has
returned in quasi-physical form to
Ansalon. There you will meet a fellow
mage. He also serves the
Devouring Dark, but in....an unusual way. He has
spent some
time in the dungeons of Wayreth, and will be very suspicious of
you. But you are to tell him the truth about yourself and give
him a word
from the Black Moon."
I nodded to him, and tried to
speak once more, but again I was unable. The
child lifted the
book from the stand and opened it, scanning page after
page
before he continued. "Yes, the Desderada Malificar, it's a good
read
in the beginning. The ending is a REAL DRAG however."
The child laughs
wildly at his own statment and places the book
down upon the stand once
more.
"Tell the renegade dark elf,
that I.....I mean the Black Moon cherishes
his service. Tell
him that it was the Ungod who sent the raven to guide
him from
the forest and away from Wayreth. Tell him he may serve the
mother and her army, but remind him that his power and his soul
belong to
Nuitari alone. You are not betraying the Conclave by
befriending him. He
will prove very.....useful to the cause.
You will understand more as time
unfolds what is to come."
I
kept looking at the grimore with........ambition, greed, and for
that
matter lust, but I trusted the child explicitly. And I
remembered
Isaldora's words. The book destroyed those greedy
enough to put faith in
only it. The grimore stole souls. And I
was already on the path.
DESDERADA MALIFICAR.
The child
then slapped me across the face, and hard. "The last mage who
studied this tome, is now captured inside it. It is how it
operates. You
have enough will to obstain, and you must. You
will be asked for it soon
however, and you are to give it
freely. Again, you are not betraying your
precious Conclave.
You are doing the Lord's will."
I could only nod to the
wicked being before me. "The will of Nuitari is
my own. I
will do what you say. When the time comes I will not question, I
will only do the will of my God." The child nodded in
agreement. "When
is time to procure this you will know. You
are not to warn the one who
requests, but you can study the
effect. One day it may be yours."
And with the words, the
child gestured to the light he had created, and it
vanished,
once again darkness assaulting all of my senses, and the same
feeling of the trance coming upon me. Why did I always scream
in this
state? "How can the future be stolen?" But again I
Was unconcious
only to awake in my bed, many nights later.
And
so as the year unfolded, I met the dark elf Nestos. I was given
the
vision of the Disir and the temple, and yes, the renegade
and I did become
friends. I understood his desire, and his
contempt for the conclave,
although I did not share his hate.
The Conclave came into my life at the
perfect time and place,
just as Nuitari had said. I knew the child was
either his
child, or the Devouring Dark himself, and I trusted him
implicidly, because he had never lied to me. Only the truth
came from the
visions or the messenger. When I was told to go
to the white robe leader
Kah'rhin I complied. When the mirror
showed me the same vision it was
confirmed. Even when after
over three hundred years, I came face to face
with my former
master, and now devotee of Chemosh, Nuitari's plan only
became
more clear.
DESDERADA MALIFICAR.
DESDERADA MALIFICAR.
And so the orbit of the black moon as come full circle as I pace
my room
this night. And how fitting. The silver and red moons
are in low
sanction, and Nuitari flies high in the sky, full,
and only seen by his
followers. A sign? I do not know. I
creep silently down to the wall,
this time, no sacrifice needed,
and I enter. The book rests upon the blood
ruby stand, and I
take it in hand, again the whispers come into my mind.
But I
know better. I will not look. It is for Nestos. It will either
destroy him, or give him secrets to share.
DESDERADA
MALIFICAR.
I make my way to Tarsis, to meet him, and Kah'rhin,
and her apprentice
Mariala. Payment made, prices negotiated. A
future born.
FINE
Author: Xorn
Date: Sat Apr 3 08:40:52 2010
Subject (RP) The
Beginning of Culmination. (Pt. 1)
The sounds of early
morning songbirds can be heard as Kah'rihn finishes
with her
paperwork. A knock at her door shakes her weariness from her
mind. A knock comes upon the door and the white robe answers
'Come in.'
Mariala opens the door. She steps in, one
hand holding a container with a
reddish substance. She is still
dressed in travel stained clothing that
bears spots of blood and
other questionable substances.
Kah says 'Ah, Mariala
welcome home. I see that things worked out in your
favor!'
Mariala shrugs. "I guess. It was large...it was
smelly...and it was
rather sad that we had to destroy it."
Kah ponders for a moment on that thought sadly before speaking
again.
'It is always a shame to kill a living creature, no
matter the reasons
behind it. Even the justified ones...'
Mariala nods. "I must say though...Diz and his kind are an
amazement.
It's a wonder that the staff I worked so hard for
wasn't...borrowed." She
says, then adds, under her breath.
"The little thieving monsters."
Kah snickers softly
before she continues the conversation. 'Yes, they
definitely
are very comicial. So, let's see the staff.' Kah'rihn holds
her hand out for the staff to be placed in.
Mariala says
'Nevertheless...they were grateful that you sent someone to
take care of the critter...and looked on me with strange
amusement when I
took the blood. Diz wondered what you were
going to do with it. I told
him I didn't know.' Mariala nods.
She sets down the container of blood,
snarling her nose at it.
She drops her packs to the floor with a thud.
With a slight
curse under her breath, she pulls the staff from it and holds
it
out.
Taking the staff from her apprentice, Kah'rihn looks
it over the whole time
as a faint glow emits from her eyes.
"Very good, the staff is in fine
shape and seems to have grown
in strength while in your possesion. Lets see
the blood now."
Kah holds out her hand for the vial.
Mariala sighs. She picks
up the container and holds it out.
Kah says 'Follow me. She
turns and heads out the door and towards the
glyph of
transportation leading her apprentice in silence.'
Mariala
starts to protest, looking down at her filthy clothing. She lets
loose a string of dwarven and human curse words as she follows.
Arriving at the glyph of transportation, a room dedicated to
enhancing the
ability a mage has at using the pathways of magic,
Kah'rihn stops and turns
to face her apprentice. 'We will be
heading to Tarsis to meet up with
Xorn. We will also meet his
informant.'
Mariala sighs. "Great!" she says under
her breath.
Kah says 'I know that you feel uneasy around
the black robe. But,
remember he is still a brother in
magic.'
Mariala nods. "That he may be, but he disturbs
me greatly."
Kah nods.
Mariala laughs. "A bath,
perhaps? Not all of us are privledged to walk
around in sooty
robes and feel 'clean'"
Pulling a small carving of a
dolphin from a pouch hanging from her side,
Kah'rihn holds the
foci high and recites the words 'Portnea.' A
swirling portal
opens in the center of the room and the town of Tarsis can
be
seen on the other side. Looking through Kah'rihn can see the
townsfolk
beginning to stir and start their day. "That man is
far from clean."
Mariala says 'Why do we travel to such
a place? Is it not better to keep
this staff safe in the Towers
and away from places where thieves worse then
kender could get
their hands on it?'
Kah says 'No simple thief would dare
assault a group of mages. And I for
one doubt that a thief
would be able to snatch it from me.'
Mariala looks at the
humans through the portal. She shakes her head. "Is
the dark
robed one not thief enough?" she whispers.
Kah says 'As I
said he has his place. Soliari showed in the vision
artifacts
he wished to be restored to his cousin. Xorn is just his
messenger.' She motions for Mariala to follow and then steps
through the
portal and out into the streets of Tarsis.
Mariala sighs again. "I hope I don't look too horrible," she
says,
glancing down at her atire again. Mariala enters the
portal. She makes a
face at seeing the people wandering around,
but does not say much about
them.
Looking back at her
apprentice, Kah'rihn notices the wide berth the
citizens of the
town are giving her as well as the stares and realizes the
condition her apprentice is in. 'I think we need to get you
something
else to wear. I hear there is a fine tailor in this
city. Let's go and
get you something nice as a reward for your
accomplishments.' Kah'rihn
heads down the street and stops
shortly after in front of a very pleasant
and orderly shop.
Mariala merely walks on, her eyes the only thing showing her
disgust at her
appearance. "Why? I did exactly what you
asked of me...unlike the
others who forgot what they were to do.
I would have merely asked for time
to bathe and get myself
cleaned and presentable before you whisked me away
from the
Towers."Mariala grumbles to the back of her Mistress.
Kah
says 'Oh, come now a new robe and a nice hot bath in your own
room
will be nice for you. And your appearance makes it easier
to spot
thieves.' Kah winks at Mariala.
Mariala looks at
her mentor, a surprisingly human expression that is a
mixture of
boredom, disgust, and unhappiness on her elven face. With a
shrug, she follows, grumbling to herself in the dwarven
language.
Grinning to herself Kah'rihn steps into the shop
and begins to browse the
numerous dresses and robes and other
finely tailored garments arrayed
arounds the shop.
Mariala
merely glances in the shop. Instead of entering the shop, she
flops to the ground outside, sitting while she pulls her
tattered boots
off. "I hate.....blech."
Kah stops looking
at the garments when she notices that Mariala is not with
her,
so she heads to the doorway to look out into the street.
Noticing
her apprentice is sitting out there in the middle of
the road taking off
her clothing.she asks. 'My dear. I know
you want a bath, but don't you
think you should wait until you
are in private to be doing that?'
Mariala turns and glares.
"If you think that the shop mistress wants
these filthy foot
covers tracking whatever...filth...that is on them...by
all
means, I will gladly track it. But, by the look on her face, I
think
that she might prefer me removing them and entering her
shop bare
footed." Mariala finishes with her shoes. With a
grumble, she stands and
drops them by the door. With a sigh and
an apologetic looks she enters the
shop.
Kah glances over her
shoulder and to the seamstress who nods in
confirmation at
Mariala's comment.
Following her apprentice into the shop,
Kah'rihn heads over towards a
section devoted purely to robes of
all types, sizes and colors.
Mariala looks through the
assortment of clothing, her hands balled into
fists at her side.
After a bit, she points one dirty hand at a particular
set of
materials. She speaks quietly to the shop mistress who takes the
clothing and bundles it together for her. "When you are
ready...I have
what I need for new clothing."
CONTINUED
Author: Xorn
Date:
Sat Apr 3 08:46:40 2010
Subject (RP) The Beginning of
Culmination. (Pt. 2)
Kah says 'I see you found
something to your liking.' She hands the
seamstress a few
coins, definitely more then three times what the clothing
was
worth and leads Mariala out of the shop and down the street
deeper into
town and towards the docks.
Mariala notices
where they are heading. With a grumble, she shakes her
head.
"Wonderful...I can bathe in the cold water of the sea," she
says
to herself."
Kah says 'The tavern we are headed to
is the more comfortable place in
the =whole of town.'
Mariala shakes her head. "For some reason...I doubt there are
many places
'comfortable' in this accursed town."
Kah says
'You'd be surprised how comfortable places can be, even in the
most bizarre of places.' Stopping before a large and
extremely old
building she looks to Mariala. 'We are here.'
She reaches out and opens
the door and heads to the counter and
speaks quietly to the owner.
Mariala looks at the building.
She follows shortly behind Kah. "I saw
more comfortable
staying with Diz and his people."
Kah says 'The rooms are
taken care of. Your's is the second one on the
right.'
Scanning the tavern common room she notices Xorn has not shown up
yet. 'It seems that we are early. You should go prepare
yourself before
he gets here.'
Mariala looks toward the
hall. With a shake of her head, she heads down the
hall.
Reaching the door, she opens it and steps into the room....and
gasps
at the sight before her. A steaming bath sits in the
middle of the room,
tendrils of steam rising lazily. She closes
the door, latching it tightly
and laughs to herself.
Walking to a table near the center of the common room Kah'rihn
orders a
bottle of the owner's best and sits back waiting for
her company to arrive
Xorn watches from where the border
ethereal and the shadowlands meet.
Somewhere inbetween the
physical world and where the dimensions around it
meet. He
studies the sand mage, and her apprentice for many moments,
before his form coalesces into existance in the tavern. He nods
to his
companion, also out of phase, giving him a look to wait
for a moment. As
he walks forth he nods to the barkeep, and
comes up behind Kah'rhin. "An
excellent choice in drinks.
Mind sharing a glass?"
Kah says 'Take a seat.' The
mage pours some of the fine alchohol into
a glass and hands it
to the black robed prophet 'I take it you wished for
us meet
with your informant this day, and I hope this information will be
useful in our endeavor.'
Xorn sits next to the white robed
elf, and takes the glass poured in hand.
"Thank you for
meeting me so far away from the towers. But you do love
an
outing if I remember from our last tavern romp." He takes a
long swig
from the spirit, and smiles 'You always educate me
in the new world
culture. He is present. He does have reliable
information. He is just
worried, that you will not keep your
part of the bargain, and enslave him
again.'
Kah says
'He will not be enslaved. He may reveal himself and join us
here at the table like a civilized man.' She pours another
glass of the
fine alchohol and places it before a vacant seat at
the table.
At the White Robed Leader's words, he turns to a
dark corner, and nods.
"Very well then mistress. Nestos,
come forth. As I promised you will
not be harmed." Xorn takes
another swig from the glass, as the sand elf
pours another.
Nestos appears in the same fashion as Xorn, his cowl pulled low,
covering
his face. His runed red robes moving as walks towards
the table, leaning
heavily on his staff. He sits in the chair
with the alcohol, pulls out a
pipe and lights it. 'Hello, High
Archmage.'
Kah says 'Greetings Nestos. Been a long
time. I see you are beginning
to enjoy the company of our
orders.'
Nestos grins, "They are where the money is these
days. I do not turn down
a paying customer."
Smiling
tenderly towards the renegade Kah'rihn says softly, "I do wish
you would change your mind and come to our orders. You would
make a fine
compatriot of the moons."
Nestos says 'Oh, I
am still a compatriot of the moons, just not the
bureucracy of
the towers. We could continue this attempt at conversion, or
we
could get down to business. I will come back to the towers if I
find it
worth while, until than, I am here.'
Mariala
slips out of the tub, enjoying the last little bits of it. She
unbundles the clothing and wears it. With a giddy laugh, she
spins in a
tight circle before putting the new shoes on. With a
last look in the
mirror, she makes sure she is ready and steps
out of the room and walks
back into the common room and toward
the open chair at the table.
Xorn remains silent through the
exchange, sipping his glass of spirits, as
the two elves talk.
He pats the satchel at his side, nodding to Nestos as
he does
so. As Mariala enters, his demeanor changes, a very wide smile
coming across his face.
Kah says 'Ah, Mariala welcome
back. My you look lovely in your new
attire. We were just
getting ready to get down to business, please sit and
we shall
begin.'
Nestos nods to Mariala, "Good evening, young
apprentice."
Mariala nods toward her Master. With merely
a glance at Xorn, she lowers
her head...while maintaining eye
contact...toward the unknown person. She
stands, taking a seat
next to Kah.
Kah says 'Mariala, I would like you to meet
Nestos. He is a... renegade
wizard on temporary amnesty.'
Mariala merely smiles. "Master Nestos...a pleasure...I
hope."
Nestos pulls his hood back, revealing his Silvanesti
heritage, and grins,
"It is a pleasure."
At Kah's
words, Xorn obviously bites down on his own tongue, but the smile
remains, as he looks over the now quite beautiful elven woman.
He still
remains silent, and when his glass of spirits is gone,
gestures to the
bottle, if asking for another
Nestos says
'So, I see that the payment has been obtained.' Nestos
looks
to Xorn as he pulls out a rolled up map and lays it flat on the
table. "This is one piece of information I have located. This
is a map of
the area, before its destruction of course."
'Zahman, now known as Skullcap.'
Kah looks to the black
robe then to the renegade before looking at the map
laid out on
the table. She passes the bottle of alchohol along to Xorn.
Xorn pours another glass of the ale, and again begins to sip it,
still
grinning widely at the elven maid.
Kah says 'A
horrid place to be sure. I have visited it a few times
CONTINUED
Author: Xorn
Date:
Sat Apr 3 08:49:18 2010
Subject (RP) The Beginning of
Culmination. (Pt. 3)
Mariala looks at the map, her eyes
looking at the landmarks
Kah says 'However, I have never
seen a Disir there. Only undead.' She
drinks dark ale from a
bottle of "Gheosfe's Delight".
Nestos says 'This is why I
thought a map would help to show where things
used to be.'
'The undead are easily controlled. I have a
certain.....affinity for
necromancy, as you well know mistress.
They will easily be bypassed. No
fight needed.'
Kah gets
a small pipe from a backpack.
Her hand raised, Mariala
catches the attention of the waitress. With a
smile, she asks
for water to be brought to her. She smiles when the
waitress
return with a mug of water.
Nestos takes a few longs puffs of
his pipe, letting the smoke drift out of
his mouth and inhaling
through his mouth.
Kah says 'Yes, this map shows some
interesting markings depicting
underground tunnels and what is
this symbol here?' She points to a
symbol of a strange beetle
clutching a skull and crossbones.
Mariala leans closer to the
table, looking closely at the map.
Nestos,after exhaling
says, "I have some information that I will divulge
on the way.
Although, right now, I know of a few people that we could speak
with for further information."
Kah asks 'Like who?'
Nestos says 'A few dwarves. They have some sad, sob story,
but they have
information on these Disir.'
Kah nods.
'Let's go meet them then.'
Xorn gulps down more of the
spirits, in more of a ritual than complusion.
The black robe,
twists his neck back and forth, releasing tension with the
cracking of bones. He nods to Kah as he does so. 'By the way,
it was
given for me to know.' Xorn points to the beetle and
skull. This is a
trial of faith. Will we run screaming, or
face..........the swarm of the
scabard."
They all lean
in and look at the symbol each with different thoughts and
hopes
and fears playing across their faces. Kah'rihn thought to
herself,
nothing will ever have me running screaming.
Xorn
takes the satchel from his shoulder, and drops it next to the
dark
elf, nodding as he does. "Your help is appreciated by
not just the
Conclave, but also by me and the one I serve. Be
careful Nestos. I will
say no more."
MORE TO COME. STAY
TUNED!
Author: Xorn
Date: Wed
Apr 7 03:18:58 2010
Subject (RP) The Education Of A Thief.
(PT 1)
Raphael glances at the strange looking man as he
enters the Tavern. He
drains his tankard and rises from his
stool, before staggering toward the
door. He bumps into the man
and then almost falls into a table. "Scuse
me, dar matey,"
he says in a slur and stammer.
Xorn looks to the drunken man
with the jet black hair and pays him no
attention as he walks to
the bar. He gestures to the barkeep, and asks in
rough common.
"Might I have elven wine? Do you have any?" But as he
reaches for his change purse he finds it missing.
Raphael
smirks as he reaches the door and starts outside.
Xorn turns
from the barkeep, and puts up a finger, as if to only pause the
conversation, and turns back to the drunk who bumped him.
Quickly he runs
towards the door, and catches up with the
smirking man, right before he
exits. 'This can end in two ways
my.........."friend." You can either
give me back what is
mine............OR.......I'll filet your soul. Two
choices.........two answers.......to outcomes? Do you
understand?'
Raphael suddenly becomes quite sober. "Filet
my soul huh? First time Ive
heard that one." He grins and
dangles the pouch before the man.
"Though, how you would do
that, makes me wonder." It was obvious he
wasnt as drunk as he
acted.
Xorn grins evilly at the young man, and snatches the
change purse from him,
then stares at him coldly. "Yes
filet......it is an.....appropriate term.
You picked the wrong
mark tonight, but since I am celebrating......I will
ignore your
impulse."
Raphael chuckles softly. "Celebrating huh? Would
you care for some
company?" He says, already starting back
toward the bar.
Xorn turns to the man once more, and his
visage becomes altered.....All of
a sudden, the man looks like a
walking corpse, rotted and defiled. Xorn
becomes the epitamy of
death.....but only for a second, as his lifeless
hollow eyes
bore holes into the thief.
'Filet your soul...........yes!
And as for company. If you can be
civil........so can I?
Agreed?'
Raphael raises his eyebrow at strange man and sits
at the bar. "Of
course, Ol' boy. Names Raphael..Thief by
profession. But im sure you knew
that already."
Xorn
walks back to the bar and again raises his hand to the barkeep,
now
having his money in hand. "Elven wine, the oldest you
have, for me and
my new........friend?" Xorn again looks at
the cutpurse and grins, this
time only his teeth look rotted,
and this is quickly gone again.
Raphael grins slightly and
nods. "One can never have too many friends."
Xorn laughs
heartily as the barkeep brings a bottle of wine and two
glasses.
"You are a hard one to frighten. And I already like that
about
you.......thief.
The thief shrugs indifferently.
"I've seen stranger things."
Xorn pours two glasses of
the wine, and hands one to Raphael, taking the
other in hand.
Again he smiles, and offers his own glass in a toast. "To
the
future, and what it might bring."
Raphael swirls the wine
in the glass and lifts it to meet the other mans.
"To the
future." He says before taking a sip of the wine. "So tell
me, my friend. What may i call you?"
'I am known as Xorn.
And only Xorn. It is a title more than a name, but
it declares
who I am.'
Raphael says 'Ah. Well met then Xorn.'
Xorn looks the man up and down, and takes a swig of his wine,
before he
rests the glass back upon the bar. "Well
met.......Raphael.....thief."
The mage looks around the bar,
noticing those gathered.
A tall, lithe man stands before you,
his jet black hair worn down around
his shoulders. He has dark
green eyes and sports a well trimmed goatee. He
wears a fine
pearl gray doublet, trimmed in black, with matching hose and
soft
black leather boots. His hands are wrapped in strips of black and
bloodred cloth. A slim rapier hangs from his left hip, from a
some what
elegantsword belt. His eyes have a mischievous twinkle
to them and he
smirks as you look at him.
Raphael smirks
and runs his hand through his hair. "What brings you to
this..'Wonderful' city?" He says this with heavy scarcasim on
the word
Wonderful.
'This city is nothing more than a
distraction. It is full of noble born
snobs, who hate what they
do not understand. It is full of bright ideas
and wonderful
notions that will never come to fruition. I came to meet a
contact nothing more.'
Raphael grins and takes another
swig of his wine. "I'll drink to that."
'One day, this
city will fall into darkness. It will bow and worship
those
they disdain, and they will be grateful.'
Raphael
chuckles and nods. "If you say so my friend. If you say so."
'Saying and knowing are two different things. But yet I
digress'
Raphael sighs gently and drains his glass. "Well
lets hope I'm far from
this place when she does come. I'm not
much for bowing to anything."
'The Dark Queen wants
control of everything. She doesn't care about
freedom, and she
definitely doesn't care about her own son, and his
followers.'
Raphael shrugs. "She can want all she wants.
But I dont plan on being
controlled by some malevolent
Goddess."
'We are all controlled in one way or another,
but you have no loyalty to
anyone. I Can tell. I would advise
you have some loyalty to me. Because
the next time you try and
steal from me, I will have some fun at your
expense.'
Raphael smirks. "I dont steal from the same person twice."
'Then we might be able to reach some kind
of......understanding.'
Xorn grins to the thief, and pours two
glasses of the elven wine, offering
one to Raphael.
Raphael
takes the glass and looks slightly intriged. "An understanding
you say?"
'I could always use......I mean appreciate
someone with your.......unique
talents. We might be able to
benifit each other.'
Raphael smirks and pulls out a coin
and begins flipping it across his
knuckles. "How so..If I may
ask?"
Xorn looks to himself and then to the man known as
Raphael. He studies him
a long moment before he continues.
"Do you know what I am young man?"
Raphael takes a deep
breath, through his nose. "From the way you smell, A
mage. And
from the way you talk, one of the Black robes...or possibly a
Renagade."
Xorn does not answer, but walks from the bar
to the floor where people are
dancing. He finds a young woman
and meets her gaze, and they begin to
dance. At first the dance
is normal, but they begin to move quicker and
quicker, and
before long, the two are airborne, dancing high above the
crowd
below, in a whirl of color and motion.
Raphael takes a sip of
his wine, looking terribly unimpressed, but says
nothing.
Xorn flings the girl from his grasp, and she falls to the
ground, crashing
into a table, looking quite stunned and
deshevled, and the mage simply
floats back to the ground, as he
walks back to his drink and the thief.
'NOT A RENEGADE! You
fill in the blanks.'
Raphael smirks and nods. "Forgive
me, my friend. The only mages I hear
talking about the Dark
Queen are renagades who've joined up with the
Dragonarmies."
He takes another sip of his wine.
'Do you know how the
pantheon works? Do you know of the Gods who
represent evil?'
The thief shrugs. "Im a worldly man, my friend. I deal
with what I can
see, not Gods and that nonsense."
Xorn looks
somewhat surprised by Raphael's reponse, but simply nods in
return. "I'll break it down for you, from a wizard's
perspective.
Tahkisis gave birth to the black moon Nuitari.
But he resents his mother.
She is nosy and bothersome. She
wishes to control the entire world, while
her son only wishes to
fulfill his role as guardian of black magic, and
those that
serve him. She would ursurp all control over the world, and
take away from HIS power and wisdom.'
CONTINUED
Author: Xorn
Date:
Wed Apr 7 03:25:40 2010
Subject (RP) The Education Of A
Thief. (PT 2)
The cutpurse swirls the wine in his glass
and nods. "So you wish to stop
her from gaining control over
everything?"
Xorn pauses a long moment, again swirling his
wine and taking a drink
before he responds. "My wishes are
not important. I only serve the one
who brought me
forth..........the Devouring Dark. And the Dark Mother will
fail, because she is not only opposed by the God's of Light, but
even those
in her own pantheon. And the Gods of neutrality will
side with the Gods of
Light as well. Reorx created the universe,
would he give it to her
ambition?"
Raphael says 'Who am i
to ponder the wishes of these Gods? Im a mere
thief, my
friend.'
'THINK IN BIGGER TERMS' Xorn swallows the
rest of the goblet in front
of him. 'You will have to chose
eventually. If not now, then in the
possible future.'
Raphael smirks gently. "Friend, all I got to think about is
the next meal
in my stomach"
'What if I could offer you
more than that? What if I Could give you some
purpose?' Xorn
rubs his hands now, greedily, his expression becoming
dark, but
at the same time inspired.
Raphael downs his goblet and
catches the coin he had been flipping across
his knuckles.
"Tell you what. Heads, I'll listen. Tails, You give me
whats
in that purse of yours and I'll be on my merry little
way."
Raphael flips the coin into the air and then slams his
hand down on it the
moment it touches the bar. When he removes
his hand the coin is laying
"heads" up. "There we have it.
I'll listen, if you buy another round of
wine of course."
Xorn simply nods to the thief, and gestures to the barkeep.
"Give me the
really good stuff. I'll pay in diamonds not gold
friend. Find the BEST!
I will not drink this swill again."
The barkeep nods and returns a few
minutes later.
Raphael
simply grins softly, his eyes twinkling mischeaviously.
Xorn taks the bottle in hand and checks the label. "Two
hundred years
old. Now that is better. Vinted after the
cataclysm. I should know young
man, for I am older." The
black robe, not in black robes pours two more
glasses. 'Being
my associate, and friend WILL......have rewards my young
cutpurse. I see you are a man who appreciates material
reward.'
Raphael takes his glass and swirls it around. "So
I can see." He says
as he takes a sip of his wine. "Material
rewards are all there is in this
world my friend. At least to a
"Cutpurse" like you call me."
'It is only half of the
equation Raphael. Your soul is the other. To
have one is to
have the other. To lose one is to lose the other. You said
you
would listen if bought more spirits, and I have bought the
best'
Raphael says 'So speak on. You have my ears.'
Xorn grins to Raphael and his.........youth and vitality. The
mage waves
his hand over the bar, and coins begin to fall,
everyone of them ends up
heads as the drop. "Good boy. Back
to metaphysics for just a moment
before we get into the
practical."
Raphael raises his eyebrow at the coins his
hand twitching involuntarrily.
"Of course."
'The
Gods matter my friend. They have a hand in everything. From
before
the cataclysm till now. They have only recently revealed
themselves once
more, but they were never gone. Do you know the
stars, planets and
constellations?'
Raphael says 'Not so
much. I killed my father and my brother because I
got bored with
the school they had put me in.'
Xorn giggles and then
laughs, but his tone becomes somber after. He grasps
the hand
of the the thief, and looks upwards to the ceiling of the tavern,
motioning for Raphael to do the same. He waves his hand in an
arc above
them, and the ceiling simply vanishes, replaced by the
night sky. All
three moons shine down upon them, but Xorn
ignores them, instead pointing
to one constellation. He traces
a book within it. "That represent Gilean
the God of the Book,
and the master of neutrality."
Raphael nods, but stays
silent.
'Around them were two more star clusters. One was a
representation of
the platinum dragon, and the other represented
the chromatic dragon
herself. What do you see my friend?'
Raphael asks 'The Gods?'
'They should be
there, but they are gone. Paladine and Tahkisis are
missing.'
Raphael nods softly. "Aye, you are right. I
see that..."
'If they are not in the heavens looking down
upon us? Then where do you
think they have gone?' Xorn nods
as Raphael understands and again grins
wickedly. "You are not
alone in this physical world you know. The Gods
have come down
from heaven to the world."
Raphael smirks and gazes
into his glass. "And what does this have to do
with me? I'm a
bastard thief, living day to day with what I can steal."
'Your day to day is not yours anymore, when the sky is empty
is it? You
care not for good or evil. You live from hand to
mouth. But soon, and very
soon my friend, one will prevail, and
on earth, not in the heavens.'
Now the spiritual has very real
consequences does it not?'
Raphael falls silent for a long
time. "I suppose it does." He says
quietly, draining his
goblet.
'So never ask me again of the little importance of
it. Everything
matters.'
Raphael says 'So you say, my
friend. So you Say.'
Xorn gulps down the last of his
goblet before he refills both glasses once
more with the ancient
elven wine. He waves his hand again and the ceiling
of the
tavern returns, the night sky returned to its proper place.
Raphael says 'My thanks. That was starting to get a tad
unnerving.'
'At last! I finally got your attention.' The
dark mage grins wickedly
at the cutpurse.
Raphael chuckles
softly and takes a sip of the freshly poured wine.
Xorn
takes his glass in hand, and bumps it next to the thief's in a
toast.
"You who serve nothing, will see what chaos can do,
and in your lifetime.
You might change your mind about that."
Raphael bumbs his glass back and smirks. "I might." He
says taking a
long drink, almost draining his goblet. "But
Speak fast, or keep that
wine to yourself. A drunk companion
isn't all together a rational one."
'I could use a man of
your talents..........If called upon........would
you be
available?'
Raphael says 'If you can find me, then I will
be available.'
'Finding you will not be a
problem...........' Xorn vanishes from the
place he is
sitting, and appears across the tavern, and he waves to the
thief. Suddenly he is on the other side of Raphael and he taps
his
shoulder, then he is gone again, replaced by a floating
figure above, who
pours a little of the wine from his goblet
upon the man. Finally he is
sitting where he was, and all of
this was within seconds.
Raphael shudders slightly. "Please,
dont do that again."
'Since you said........please. But
you are on my mystical map now. I
WILL find you when the time
arises.'
Raphael says 'And tell me, What is in this for me? I
am a materalistic
man. Your spirital nonsense is all well and
good but if it doesnt pay, then
you can count me out.'
Xorn
hands the cutpurse the original pouch he stole from the beginning
of
the encounter. It is heavy, and full. "What is here is
yours. You will
find it............quite ample." The wizard
smlies as he hands it to the
thief, and takes his drink in hand,
taking another big gulp of the wine.
Raphael smirks and
tucks the pouch away. "Well then my friend. Why dont
we get
drunk and be merry? Me thinks this is the begining of a very
profitable friendship for the both of us."
'Time will
tell my young friend..........Time will tell.'
FIN
Author: Xorn
Date: Sun
Apr 18 00:08:26 2010
Subject (RP) To Lance A Boil. (PT
1)
Ravir drags himself in, a heavy thud resounding from
the templar's plate
boots. Covered in a mildewed robe, the
creature, the size of a man, moves
over toward a wooden bench.
Isini looks up at the templar but doesn't pay him too much
heed.
The Blue Dragon bustles with activity, and all are
oblivious that the black
robed mage is there. He waits in the
shadows of a corner, partially
corporeal and partially out of
phase with reality, hovering
and......watching. Xorn looks at
the newcomers with........interest.
After positioning himself
in a slumped over manner, Ravir hisses from under
his hood.
'Sorcerer.. your pressence is most welcome.' The man reeks of
infection and blood begins to pool near the bottom of his robe
and faintly
a crooked smile reflects from the darkness of the
hood over his face.
Isini snorts softly at the word
sorcerer, the monk never liked the term. He
canted his head head
to the side and made sure his ears were covered.
Xorn looks
even more interested now, at both of the new people. One knew
he was there and the other, raditates something not seen in
Neraka for....a
long time. The shadows around him recede, and
his black form takes shape.
He walks to the bench the hooded
figure is sitting upon and almost sits
next to him, but upon
noticing the pooling of blood, walks around the
table, and sits
across from him. He simply glares at the other one,
sizing him
up.
Ravir loks over at you, peering at him through his hood,
which seemed to go
on into an eternal sea of darknness. 'You
come to take a place within
Lord Pestilence's favored grace have
you?' The man digs a bone clawed
finger into the table and
smirks.
Xorn looks coldly at the dark priest, but the smile on
his face is ever
present. His ice blue holes study the figure,
and he shakes his head at
the figure's words. "You called me
out. I came. Speak your....peace
Isini continues to
drink, though his rate has slowed as if he is listening
to the
two men.
Ravir slams his fist upon the table and the bottles
shake upon it. 'Tell
me what you cherish, Sorcerer.. I am
always pleased to know what one holds
dear.' He hisses this
through his hood.
Xorn just laughs as the man slams his fist down
on the table, obviously
pleased he got a rise out of him.
"Wouldn't introductions be in order
first.......before we get
down.......to business? I'll start, since I have
not forgotten
manners. My name is Xorn, and I am not a sorceror. I am a
mage."
Ravir only flashes a devious smile and retorts.
'My name is of no
concern, Mage.' The man speaks in a harsh
and raspy tone. He quickly
turns to scratch his leg with his own
armor, the more he moves to worse the
smell comes from
underneath his robe.
Isini wrinkles his nose slightly at the
smell but puts it out of his mind.
Xorn turns to the other
man, and wrinkles his nose, as if smelling
something, not
smelled in a long time. His smile remains the same, and he
does
not answer the petulant plague bearer, instead giving a friendly
nod
to the other man. 'My........friend. You are in the
wrong place and
definitely at the wrong time. You shouldn't be
here. You are quite in
danger. Take a moment and look
around.'
Ravir slowly removes his gauntlets, wincing is an
appropriate aura coming
from the man. He snaps his fingers at a
bartender and motions for a drink.
Upon further inspection his
hands are covered in boils and old scars. A
lesion on his upper
hand moves as if there were maggots beneath. 'Run in
fear, it
only breeds power.' The templar chuckles and begins to drink
his
drink.
As the deseased man motions the bartender Isini
turns and looks at him
fully, wondering where such a man would
believe throwing around his disease
would be viewed as power.
Xorn simply......nods to the good man, a silent understanding as
if the
mage had read his thoughts. He turns back to the plague
bearer, and speaks
slowly and dilebrately, but not with malice,
or anger. 'I've heard it
before. Why should I flee from you?
You have your God.........and I have
mine.'
Ravir
scratches the side of his face underneath his hood and whispers
harshly from within, 'Stay if you wish, and share in his
divine ways.'
The templar pulls his hand back from the hood
and dried blood can be seen
clinging to his fingertips.
Isini
blinks slightly, he is starting to wonder if he and the diseased
one
were listening to the same converstaion.
Ravir
continues to bleed from his left leg. Finally noticing the pain
beneath he removes his leg plate, causing an open aroma to come
forth as if
a rotten grave were left open for all to smell.
Inspecting his leg, the
templar pulls out a shard of metal
harnessed to a leather strap from his
calf and drops it with a
heavy thud on his gauntlets.
Xorn looks back over the the
good one, but his left eye truely never leaves
the plague
bearer, and as the man brings his bloodied hand to his face,
Xorn looks quite disguisted. The smell then overwhelms the
mage, and he
looks with wonder at the man fully. 'It's the one
thing I've never
understood about you people, the Morgion
followers. You allow yourselves
to be corrupted by such
horrors. And then you all wonder why no one wants
you
around.'
Isini blinks, doing a double take, then turns away
facing the bar again.
Ravir chuckles at those that draw back
in terror and grins in a twisted
pleasure. 'There are many who
would fear the inevitable. Where there is
decay there is
disease. You have not told me of what you Cherish, mage.'
The
templar asks through a hiss in his hood. He motions to the
bartender
for a flask of whiskey.
Xorn looks around the Bar
then turns to the plague man. "Why should I
tell you? You
wouldn't even give me a name when asked?"
Isini shakes
his head slightly at the diseased mans words and mutters,
'Disgust is not the same as terror...'
Ravir looks up and
says to Isini 'Do watch your tongue, should you wish
poison
upon your family.' He scratches his face once more within his
hood. 'Tell me to fulfill my curiosity, mage. A drink perhaps
on me will
sway your mind?'
Isini chuckles, 'And
since I do not, by your words I shouldn't hold my
tongue.' He
turns and looks at the two sitting at the table again more
fully.
Xorn again laughs at the good man that muttered,
but his eyes never leave
the Morgion follower. "I like him.
He speaks the truth. You
are......disgusting, an not only for
your diseases, but your lack of
etiquette as well."
CONTINUTED
Author: Xorn
Date:
Sun Apr 18 00:11:14 2010
Subject (RP) To Lance A Boil. (PT
2)
Ravir shrugs to you in little response and pours the
whiskey down his
rotting leg. He places the flask upon the
wooden table and points a boil
covered finger at you. 'Fear is
true power. The Ungod has no comparison.
Be afraid naught! I
offer a deal should you stand my smell.'
'I
Speak.........personally for the Ungod. I am his voice in this
time.
Do not underestimate that. But if you have something to
say then SAY IT.
But be pleasant about it. I am tired of your
threats.'
Ravir chuckles and coughs for several long
moments before replying softly.
'Tell me of who is the
Ordermaster of the Black Robes now.. I have a
complaint of a
renegade in these times.' The man reels back and cracks
his
fingers.
Isini shakes his head slightly as the conversation
moves past him.
Xorn looks to the good man, still looking
quite quizzically at him, as he
sits at the bar, oblivious to
where he is. He turns to the plague bearer.
"I'll play the
game.......but I want a name to go with your diseased
face."
Ravir hisses from within his hood. 'Skelsule...' The
templar begins to
place his gauntlets back on his hands and asks
once more. 'A minotaur
casting spells in the area has been
spotted a few times. A name I cannot
offer you in regards to
whom.' Ravir looks up at the ceiling curiously
and then looks
back to Xorn. 'The Ordermaster Mage. I seek his name.'
Isini cants his head to the left feeling Xorns gaze on his
back.
'You are a liar. But your master is the father of lies
isn't he. Lies
lead to destruction. Fine, no name for you.
I'll just call you BOIL. The
master's name I will not give. If
you truely care about this......renegade
problem. Simply tell
me.'
Ravir chuckles deviously from within his hood and
extends his arm to the
mage. Touching his velvet robes the
templar grins evilly. 'Your words can
be so cruel.' He says
in a sarcastic tone and then his tongue flicks.
'Just as I can
be so cruel.'
Ravir rises up and says 'Skelsule would be
the name you will speak to me
as, should you wish suffering so
soon. When I learn more of the rogue mage,
I will summon for
you, Xorn mage of the Black.' He then nods to Isini.
'I
reckon we will see each other again.' Ravir turns back to Xorn
as he
begins to exit. 'I still look forward to learning what
it is you
cherish.' Speaking to himself, 'In time. In
time.'
Isini glances over at the noise.
Xorn simply
nods, and takes his other hand, and removes the skeletal,
bloodied fingers from his. "I suppose so BOIL." The mage
walks over to
the good man at the bar, and beings to chant, and
when the spell is done he
says. 'You are going home young man.
You do not belong here.' He
finishes the spell and Isini
vanishes, and finds himself back in Palanthas.
A whisper on the
wind says into his ear. "I have done you a great
favor."
Isini shrugs slightly, 'Probably not... Thank you sir.'
The ramblings of the monk of H'rar follows him out the doors.
Ravir's scent
hangs around for a few minutes after he exits.
And Xorn whispers to himself. "Someone needs to.....lance
that boil."
FIN
Author: Xorn
Date: Fri Apr 30 01:10:09 2010
Subject (RP)
Coda.
Xorn did clasp Nesto's arm and the spell he cast
did seem to take the two
to parts unknown. However it was
merely an illusion, in case the sand mage
or her bitch
apprentice returned. The two dark mages remained, for
something
was....overlooked.
Nestos says 'Nothing like a well cast
illusion spell to confuse an
enemy.' He grins and winks as he
speaks to his companion.
Xorn grins back. "She told me
to to shut up." His eyes looks menacing
again, the ice blue
pupils frozen in a very real hate. "One day.......I
will cut
out her tongue." He says the last part not with contempt, or
merely any emotion. He says it as if it was
just..............fact.
Nestos says 'An act I would not stop,
but, I must obtain the rest of my
payment from the rooms of the
other moons. Will you join me?'
Xorn nods and his grin
becomes a smile. "You saw it too then. The fools
were so busy
wondering if that abomination could speak to others....they
missed the obvious." He cackles a hearity laugh into the
temple.
Nestos laughs, "The problem with the wonderment
of creatures, one misses
the magic even in the walls." Nestos
turns down towards the red marble
hallway and walks towards its
dimly lit red domed room.
Xorn follows the renegade elf to
the red domed portion of the temple. His
eyes begin to glow the
sickly green once more. He scans the interior of the
hallowed
space. "The sconces. They illuminate each part of the
temple."
Nestos slowly states 'And each is magic of the God
who's room it is.'
He steps into the center of the room and
looks up to the roof. He then
pulls out a red orb, two inches in
diameter, and swirling with magical
energy, and grins at Xorn.
Xorn simply nods, and then gestures for the white and black
portions of the
temple. "The God's smile upon you Nestos. Or
so it seems."
Nestos holds the orb out with his hand flat
and begins to chant. He then
pulls out a ruby and holds it in
the other hand and begins to chant. As he
does, the very light
of the room seems to be absorbed into the ruby making
it grow.
And at the climax of the spell, the ruby has turned to a red orb,
swirling with magical energy.
When this is done, the two
silently walk from the red dome, and then down
the hallway to
where the objects of Nuitari were procured earlier. The
Black
dome is illuminated with similar light from sconces. Nestos does
not
speak at all this time, but begins the same ritual this time
with a
blackened pearl. Again the light is captured, turning
the stone into a
similar orb, however this one swirls with dark
magic.
Nestos says 'One last stop my friend, and then
truly we can depart. And
yes, I am lucky to have the blessing of
all three.'
Xorn again simply nods and follows Nestos. He
clutches the large sack of
the Ungod's artifacts close to him,
the smile on his lips frozen still.
Nestos walks from the black
hall into the main foyer, "I would recomend
not bringing the
sack into this hallway, Lunitari may be understanding of
the
artifacts presence, but I can not speak for Solinari. And you may
not
want to enter yourself. It may be, an uncomfortable
feeling.'
Xorn again simply nods, and stops before the
hallway of white marble. "I
will indeed wait here dark elf. I
will remain until your return."
Nestos now walks down the
white hallway and into the room at the end, from
a far, Xorn can
see Nestos hold the black and red orbs in his right hand
and a
small pearl in his left; and again, he begins to chant, and the
light
in the room is absorbed into the pearl, making it grow. At
the climax of
this spell, the light in the temple goes out, and
the temple becomes pitch
black.
Xorn utters the word.
"Shirak" and his staff begins to glow a sickly
green,
illuminating him in dead light.
Nestos chuckles, still out
of range of Xorns light, "SHIRAK!" He
exclaims, and the
temple is again filled with light, but is lit by the orbs
now
orbitting eachother, each giving off the light of its color.
'We all got what we wanted I suppose. Happy ending all around
it seems
eh?'
Nestos says 'I would agree, two items
for me, three if the book is
included I suppose. I would say
that this adventure was well worth missing
a little bit of time
from the information game. And speaking of the book,
it is a
persitant thing is it not?'
Xorn winces at the mention of
the Desderada, obviously flenching. "You
asked for it. I
provided. You can have it. But soon you may not.....want
it."
Nestos slowly states 'Oh I do want it, and it clearly
wants just any
soul. I plan to make it wait...at least a little
while.' Nestos smiles
wryly.
'Some........shortcuts...........get you lost. I'll leave it
at that
Nestos. I should return to the towers. But before I
do. You get one
item from the Ungod as promised. He wants us
to play a game!'
Xorn cackles into the heavens, and then
settles his gaze upon the renegade.
"You reach inside the bag,
and whatever you pull......is yours."
Nestos steps up to
the bag and opens it, "How I enjoy games of fate."
He
reaches his hand in and digs around for a moment, before pulling
out his
prize. In his hand Nestos holds a bracer, made of
chipped onyx. Runes cover
the length of it as well as a
cartouche of the black moon in the center.
'May it give you
lifetimes of happiness.' Xorn looks momentarily sad,
his ice
blue eyes, looking down a moment, but soon the normal smile
returns
to his companion. "And with this I sadly must depart
for now my friend.
Places to go, and petty white robed elves to
kill you know.'
Nestos says 'Of course, until we see
each other again, my friend. Good
luck.'
'I will offer
her heart to the black moon, even if it takes me a
lifetime. I
Can be patient. Oh yes......very patient.' With this he
waves, and jumps into a dark corner of the temple, and he is
absorbed into
the darkness.
And as he travels the ether,
riding the wave of negative energies through
time and space, he
whispers to himself, and to his God. "I did not warn
him, as
I was instructed. And another piece of any kindness left inside
me
has grown dark."
FINE
Author: Xorn
Date: Wed May 5 03:32:08 2010
Subject The End
Is The Beginning. (PT 1)
Xorn rests under the Vallenwoods
of Solace, watching the night sky. His
look is serene. It has
been almost a week since the ugliness at the tower.
He holds an
orb of sickly green light in his hands.
Noskire wanders lost
in the woods, he looks up as he notices the green glow
and
pushes through the branches until he spies Xorn, 'You.. I saw you
once
before didn't I?'
Xorn simply smiles as the minotaur
approaches him. He remains silent a long
moment before he
responds kindly. "You were called to the tower. I
believe I
complimented you on this, before all the abyss broke lose.
Yes?"
Noskire nods slightly towards the human, 'Aye i do
believe so... I am still
unsure exactly what happened in the
excitement.' He frowns and looks at the
orb again.
'A
magical battle. One of wills. One of.......Destiny. It is over
now.
The fight had a victor. I would say I lost.......but that
would not
exactly be the truth. It is just how it appears for
now.'
Xorn motions for the larger being to rest beside him.
The sickly green
light from the orb flares brightly a moment.
The minotaur cants his head to the side slightly and looks at
you, 'You
never lose until you no longer can complain that you
lost.. Until then it's
only a minor set back.' Noskire comments
wryly thinking on his past, after
you gestures he sit
Noskire comments wryly thinking on his past, after Xorn gestures
he sits
near the man but makes sure he keeps his eyes and ears
open wary for any
hostilities.
Xorn laughs hearitly at the
minotaurs words. "You speak the truth my dark
friend. The
truth indeed!" The human puts the orb he was holding in a
pouch
at his side as the newcomer rests beside him. "Solace is a quiet
place......for now."
Noskire nods slightly, 'Aye though to be
honest it always seems like that
before something happens...' He
chuckles at look at Xorn, 'So that orb..'
Xorn grins at the
demihuman. "A way of seeing.......Magic in its purest
form. A
gift from the dark father. " Xorn looks around the park and the
trees, then finally to the city above. "One day it will all be
in flames.
He has made this known."
Noskire looks around
at the trees, 'It is a forest.. They tend to burn down
a lot..'
He looks back at Xorn as he realizes something, 'Who has made
that
known?'
'Don't be coy, beastman. Who gave you the
magic? Who gave you the
desire. Speak his name. It is
important we are clear.'
Noskire says 'Nuitari speaks with
you?
Xorn winks at the minotaur. "He reveals to his
prophet.......the possible
future yes. Noskire is it? A regal
name really. So few of your race are
called to his service."
Xorn looks to the heavens and points to the black
moon.
Noskire blinks widely, 'Nuitari has a prophet?' He asks, 'Not to
sound dumb
but... My people don't often talk about Him much.'
'Your people follow the Condor, Sargonnas. Sargos to you
probably. He is
the consort of the Black Queen, but they do not
control the magic. That
is left to the moons. A moon drew you
here, and his name is Nuitari.'
Noskire nods slightly, his
eyes narrowingly, 'You saw Nuitari drew me
here?' He asks
darkly, 'What purpose do you claim he has for me, who does
he
want me to kill?' Obviously the minotaur is used to the ways of
Sargos,
the way of war.
Xorn simply smiles again, nodding
to Noskire's words. "The Black
Moon..........it is a little
more complicated my friend. Killing.....yes,
but not for glory.
To accept the magic is take on
additional.......destiny."
'The magic is the means and the end. It is for it's own sake.
Magi do
not particpate in the great war for political power, or
status. We do so
only to further the magic......the gift you
have been given.'
Noskire raises an eyebrow, 'What do you
mean additional destiny?'
'To serve the moon, is to do his
will. And his will is very simple. To
grow his power, and to
reap the rewards of the magic. To pass it on to
those that come
after you.'
Noskire nod slightly, 'How does one grow in
power? I assume that is how His
power grows?'
Xorn turns to
the heavens, and points back to the black moon.
"Yes........he
begins to understand." Xorn laughs for a moment, not at the
minotaur but with something invisible. "You begin to your
journey."
Noskire looks at the mage slightly askew, 'Um who
are you talking to?' He
looks around but doesn't seem anything.
He shakes his head slightly, 'Can
one grow in power, I've never
learned any new spells in..' He trails off.
'You seek the
blackest gift? The raising of the dead? The healing by
taking?
The darkness of the soul? Necromantic Exctatics?'
Noskire
shrugs slightly, 'I seek any knowledge that allows me to slay my
enemies quicker... ' He looks at Xorn intently, 'If I can prove
that i am a
warrior first maybe my people...' Once again he
trails off but the need for
acceptance is obvious in his eyes.
Xorn cackles again into the darkness of the park, and then
meets the
minotaurs gaze. "In decades, mere decades, your
people will conquer the
elves. The price will be high, but it
is possible. This conversation is
not about that."
'It
is..........more personal. The Ungod wants those who serve him
on his
own terms. Not for your people. Just you. '
Noskire
blinks slightly, 'He wants me... To turn my back on my people?'
He
shakes his head, almost unwilling to believe it, 'I will earn
their respect
if I have to kill their warriors one by one!' he
declares.
Xorn shakes his head, negatively to the
question. "He wants you to give
yourself to him, and forget
about your people for now....yes. In return
for your service,
he provides the tools. But again this is personal, and
invitation to you alone."
Noskire looks at Xorn
thoughtfully, 'What is he offering?'
Xorn pulls the sickly
green orb back from the pouch. "This is a symbol of
the power
he offers. I see your gaze and how you covet it. If you want
this knowledge, bow to his will." Xorn holds the orb out to
the minotaur.
CONTINUED
Author: Xorn
Date: Wed May 5 03:35:42 2010
Subject The End
Is The Beginning. (PT 2)
Noskire reaches a hand towards
the orb, but hesitates. 'What does he
require in return..' He
looks up from the orb at Xorn distrustfully.
'He requires
your soul silly. Isn't that what all God's want. But he
doesn't sell it, or keep it. He allows it to flourish. But if
you take
this power, you are his, for now and into eternity.'
'Slavery is a tool Of Sargos and Tahkisis. It is not
Nuitari. He gives to
those who give to him. Symbiotic
perfection.'
Noskire blinks rapidly, 'That doesn't sound too
harsh.'
'I have given all I am, all I could be to my God. It
can be harsh. I
will not lie to you. However, the rewards
outlast the sacrifices. It is
all I can tell you'
Noskire
nods slightly, 'That is different then i am used to.. When one
gives Sargos his devotion he gives up a lot of himmself..' He
looks at Xorn
thoughtfully, 'Nuitari sounds like more of an even
trade.'
Xorn simply nods to the minotaur, and again holds
the orb out to him. "If
it is your will, take and drink of the
dark river of life. But once you
have tasted , there is no
going back. Do you understand
this...........apprentice?"
Noskire hesitates and looks at the orb again. After a moment he
reaches for
it and brings it up to his lips.
Xorn reaches
out, as Noskire brings the orb to his lips, and clasps his
hands
to his face, holding the orb to his lips. There is a crack and
sizzling of flesh, and then of spirit, sweet pain digging into
the
minotaur as it is absorbed.
As the crack sounds
Noskire's face twitches and flinches in pain but he
holds
himself steady, bearing the pain and focusing on the power.
Xorn releases his grip, as the sickly green light is absorbed,
green
flames begin to flare across the minotaur's body, and
then........recognition. "You are now his body and soul
Noskire. You
belong to the Ungod........the Devouring Dark."
As the flames flare Noskire's body shakes and twitches and he
utters a
single word. 'Nightreaver' And then his eyes flare with
a greenish glow and
the flames fade, though they stain the mane,
after all of this Noskire sits
trembling a look of amusement on
his face.
'Good Good. We must have a little more
conversation now. It is important
to know where you and I
stand.'
Xorn sighs and looks troubled, his gaze becoming
haggard, his body sagging
after the exchange of Necromantic
power. "I no longer am a part of the
conclave. Nuitari has
called me to something bigger. I Will not bore you
with
details."
'I cannot tell you his will for you. This is
something you must discover
on your own.'
'You may stay
with the conclave, or leave. This is for you and our God
to
work out.'
Noskire shakes himself slightly, resembling a bull
more then ever, then
looks at Xorn, 'For now I believe I will
remain.' He smiles slightly,
'After all they hold more knowledge
then any other source and I will need
all of the knowledge and
power i can get.'
'I have lived for over three hundered
years now. I undestand. It was not
my wish to leave, but it
was.....neccesary.'
'Seek Jendaron...........or the one
known as Falkore. But do not under ANY
circumstance mention
me.'
You ask 'Do you understand?'
Noskire nods slightly,
'Aye, and one day I may well follow in your
footsteps.' He nods
slightly remembering the names, 'Aye.'
Xorn grins, and
begins again. "Since you are now his." Xorn points to the
blackened moon hanging in the sky. "You are also mine. I Will
teach you
the secrets I know as well. You are
my........unnofical apprentice as
well."
Noskire nods
slightly, a slow grin spreads curling his lips above his
pointed
teeth. 'That is well Master you seem to know a lot i can learn.'
'Good. We understand each other. You belong now to Nuitari
alone. Serving
the Conclave is but a bi product. Meet me here
when the black moon is full
once more. Until then.'
Xorn
stands, and simply nods to the minotaur. He walks amongst the
trees,
and is present no more.
FINE
The Storytellers of Ansalon, The DragonLance MUD
Astinus points to the massive wall of books behind him and bids you to make a selection.
Authors:
All|
A|
B|
C|
D|
E|
F|
G|
H|
I|
J|
K|
L|
M|
N|
O|
P|
Q|
R|
S|
T|
U|
V|
W|
X|
Y|
Z
Astinus sighs as he recants 'We saved 869 books from Ansalon
from before the great Cataclysm through today.'
\n
