Additionally, remember that PP cannot be spent in this thread. If a PP expenditure is posted here, it will be ignored as if it never happened. You must post the expenditure in the main IC thread.
If anybody has suggestions for other guidlines and suggestions for this first post, please feel free to submit them via PM.
This was started by an action of mine in the interim thread. It took a while to get it started, sorry.
"Welcome, metal ones from below, to Diaspora, capitol of the Children of the Aether. What brings you so far from home?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A gnome by the name of Lyric met with the diplomatic envoy of the Warforged.
"Welcome to Terena, Warforged brethren. What brings you so far from home, and in such force?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, Harp and the Azorans were led into the council chambers.
"What brings you here, Azorans? So far from home and with such hope?"
"Children of the Aether, we have come for a dualfold purpose. The first was to investigate rumors of your existence and to learn about you and your culture. The second is to attempt to establish trade contacts with you. To our knowledge, we are both the only of those created on the planet to have reached the Aether. That would make it advisable to band together in order to survive against those who were here before us, who might wish to send us back to the planet. Not necessarily in one piece."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We are sorry for setting up so large a camp, so close to your city. However, we have discovered something that is at the same time disturbing and intriguing to us. Amoung the magical arts that we practice, necromancy has been around the longest and comes the most easily to us. We used it in the past as a tool of war, but in these ages, we use it more for its utility purposes. Amoung other things, It can be used to detect the life, or in the case of undead, unlife, in a person. Abilities such as these can be used to detect this over a part of the countryside, to determine the majority of what is there. Your city is a city, bustling with life. But underneath it, almost completely masked by the life of your city, is a concentration of unlife of such magnitude, as to be stronger than anything we have recorded before. We are hear to determine what it is, and what can be dome about it. We hope to not distrub your city too much in the process, as we will wish to attempt to find ways to reach this underground, which may be in your city."
OOC: Ekluag, I'm gonna repurpose that exact statment to be the launching off point to the PbP.
Tuon smiled at the Warforged's words.
"Ah, and well met. It is good to know that others from below have learned to visit the Aether... we have such limited contact with those below. I am sure that we will be interested in trade, although honestly we do not have all that much to trade you with, aside from a few interesting fruits and animals. We certainly could use your help in fighting off these crazed Ae-Sylvani, however."
Tuon stood aside and gestured the Warforged to come into the city proper.
"Come, and welcome to Diaspora, jewel of the Aether."
ooc: I take that as a complement.
Harp lead the Azorans into the gates of New Terena. They saw the crossed sword and staff emblem of the city on large banners as they entered the town. The orderly stone buildings greeted them, with the most impressive site being in the center. Eorna dominated the city with it's shining gold fruits sparkling in the sunrise. The happy chatter of gnomes and humites could be heard throughout its busy streets. Harp led them across half the city, until they arrived at a large circular building. Inside they were greeted by the elder Ayala.
"Are these the visitors, Harp?" After seeing his nod, she continued, "Welcome to New Terena. We understand that you are called the Azorans? Come, tell us about yourselves over some food and drink."
She gestured toward the tables in the middle of the room.
Harp lead the Azorans into the gates of New Terena. They saw the crossed sword and staff emblem of the city on large banners as they entered the town. The orderly stone buildings greeted them, with the most impressive site being in the center. Eorna dominated the city with it's shining gold fruits sparkling in the sunrise. The happy chatter of gnomes and humites could be heard throughout its busy streets. Harp led them across half the city, until they arrived at a large circular building. Inside they were greeted by the elder Ayala.
"Are these the visitors, Harp?" After seeing his nod, she continued, "Welcome to New Terena. We understand that you are called the Azorans? Come, tell us about yourselves over some food and drink."
She gestured toward the tables in the middle of the room.
The Azoran knight nodded and took his seat at the table, along with the rest of the Azoran knights. He said, "We are here to discuss an agreement. We would like to set up a kind of trade, and we wish to set up a permanent Azoran Embassy in your city, so we may aid one another. Would these terms be acceptable?"
Ayala considered their proposal.
"I suppose it would be nice to have allies, but we know so little of you. We'll agree to the embassy and trade, but we may need some more convincing before we form an alliance or defense pact."
The Azoran knight nodded and said, "We understand your concerns. However, I fear that I am yet to introduce myself. My name is Sir Carsten. Now, is there somewhere we can stay during our visit, while we await the construction of an embassy?"
Harp piped up:
"They can stay at the bard school... they're not meeting right now, so there are plenty of extra rooms. Does that work for you?"
The knight nodded and said, "Yes, that should suffice for the time being."
The group of ten genasi stood outside of the clearing the bull folk had agreed to meet them at, preparing to enter the grueling process of negotiation... and explanation. Aside from establishing that each side wasn't a threat and to agree on a meeting place on time, the two sides had barely spoken. Except when the genasi had sent a messenger explaining that none of the party had manifested the Leaders Stormsoul, and so they'd had to delay another day. That probably would have confused the static beastmen...
Neroae, or at least Neroae for today, the genasi changed names almost as often as manifestations, was in charge today, having been the only of the group to manifest the Stormsoul.He was young, and a little less experienced than some of the other members of the group, but chance could thrust anyone to the forefront. Fortunately he'd have some support in hammering out the agreement: two of the genasi had manifested the mercantile Watersoul. The Watersouls could work out the little details, all he had to do was make sure no-one drew blades on either side.
Taking a deep breath, Neroae marched into the clearing, his genasi following him.
The smoldering ruins of the vilalge still faintly burned, almost everyone in the small group of young azorans allineated in the former central plaza was trembling by fear, some defiently stood and watched the monster or the knight directly in the eyes. Everyone dispised the conquerors but nothing can be done in this isolated power to oppose him.
Their lord fought valiantly, even managed to wound the monster before he was consumed by its unholy breath and after his death the army stormed the castle and the land, once these warriors were protectors of their people, but joined the Rogue lord and his monster out of fear and desire for easy conquest, they were more like thiefs than soldiers now an army of predators, enlarged by brigands and just unsatisfied people...
Tovash examined the line of Azorans, he had rised the number of slaves to fifteen from each village and he was thinking of making it grow even more, this land has nothing for now that could oppose his might.
After a while he choose some healthy youg boys and a couple of girls come of the chosen one cried, as their families and friends, the others stared at the dragon with an expression that was a mix of hate and fear, both did not matter for Tovash that was already thinking about the new conquest...
.....................
Meanwhile in the hart of his domain the land itself was suffering from the beast domination, the trees were twisted in weird shapes and beasts kept producing deformed cubs. The dragon had his slaves worked almost to death to build his temple, a weird structure of stone shaped in a perverse geometry, the building was far from being compleated, as the dragon requests keep changing new spires were added to the project and the architect "engaged" for the project was forced to find solutions to realize the beast wishes.
The slaves lived in small wooden houses near to the temple, living a miserable life, some were killed by the dragon in moments of boredom, or employed in some perverse game where the price of failure was life or mutilations. Only a few "chosen ones" were allowed to live in the temple hall, fed by the best products of the land and trained to become Tovash vassals.
Meanwhile the eggs had hatched, Tovash used unholy magic to alter them in order to produce Warp Dragons Wyrmlings and begun to train them as loyal servants. The wyrmlings were free to travel among the dragon domain and often amused themselves by "interacting" with the slaves, some had fun in tormenting them while other was jut happy to watch them work and sometime were even "gentle" as much as a warp dragon can be playing with the slaves and even trying to help them.
The minotaurs were waiting patiently for the genasi, spears and axes strewn about. Though it would seem the weapons were tossed about at random to a casual observer, and expert would quickly note that each minotaur was positioned and ready to grasp a weapon within seconds.
The lead minotaur, his enourmous horns larger than any of the others, leaned against a rock, the only one not close to a weapon. Smirking as the genasi finally arrived, he stood up. "We've waited for you to finally be ready. Are you done with this pointless waiting game, or shall we waste even more of my time?"
These bull creatures truly were... unsophisticated. Still, from the looks of the crude weapons strewn about, they could use something with a little more shine. And possibley a hilt.
Neroae offered a diplomatic smile, spreading his arms helplessly. "Ah the intricacies of other cultures. Rest assured that the waiting wasn't pointless, we merely had no-one... suitabley dispositioned to talk with you. Today though you'll be talking to me, so lucky you huh?"
Chuckling at his own joke for a polite length, the genasi turned a little more serious. "In any case, I've come to arrange a trading agreement with your people, and to establish diplomatic ties. The second can wait for a moment, but for now," he continued, reaching to his waist and drawing his sword. "Would you be interested in this?" The genasi offered the blade spread across his hands for examination, the bronze glimmering in the light.
((OOC: Yay for restarting an MS!))
Eonam, herald and first chosen of Tovresh, was... dissatisfied. He hurried into his master's room and bowed deeply, and then said, "My lord. I come bearing news of..." What was the word again? "dissent amongst your subjects... they are unhappy with how many servants you are taking from each village, and the parnets of the servants wish to see their children."
Tovash smiled at Eonam "So my subjet are not satisfied of my domain? I guess that my lord knight shoud administer them better right?"
"Do you have any suggestion about how should I please them?" Told the dragon with a sarcastic tone.
Meanwhile one of the wyrmling, Arvhas, the strongest among the young dragons, with a large scar on his neck, infliced by Tovash as a punishemnt for disobbeyin him, was watching the conversation curiously from the shadows. Eonam has already met the wyrmling, the creature was intrigued by the azorans and apparently he did not see them as food or source of fun while bored like his adopted father.
Tovash smiled at Eonam "So my subjet are not satisfied of my domain? I guess that my lord knight shoud administer them better right?"
"Do you have any suggestion about how should I please them?" Told the dragon with a sarcastic tone.
Meanwhile one of the wyrmling, Arvhas, the strongest among the young dragons, with a large scar on his neck, infliced by Tovash as a punishemnt for disobbeyin him, was watching the conversation curiously from the shadows. Eonam has already met the wyrmling, the creature was intrigued by the azorans and apparently he did not see them as food or source of fun while bored like his adopted father.
Eonam gulped and said, "All the villagers ask is to see the children you have taken as servants, and only for a day or so. Of course, you are infinently wiser, so if you do not agree, then we do not have to follow this course of action, but still..."
He looked when he replied to his servant "Well, I had an idea to make this request stop, tell them that a single family can visit their children for now, they will have to choose among themselves wich one and I'll allow the meeting"
"Now go and bring me a lovely family, I expect one couple to be ready to come in one week..."
Arvhas followed Eonam out of the room, the young dragon movement where sinuous and elegants as the one of Tovash, but the boy could see within the creature eyes a less corrupted soul.
"I don't like this" he told, young dragons can talk from the moment of their birth, however that still surprized Eon as "he plans to have fun out of this people, the kind of fun that is painful I think" Then he touched his scarred neck with his left "hand".
He smirked and lifted the blade, swinging it a bit in the air. "A bit light, poor reach compared to similar weapons we make ourselves."
He pulled it closer, looking at it. "Odd material though. Is it as strong as the iron of our mountains?"
He looked when he replied to his servant "Well, I had an idea to make this request stop, tell them that a single family can visit their children for now, they will have to choose among themselves wich one and I'll allow the meeting"
"Now go and bring me a lovely family, I expect one couple to be ready to come in one week..."
Arvhas followed Eonam out of the room, the young dragon movement where sinuous and elegants as the one of Tovash, but the boy could see within the creature eyes a less corrupted soul.
"I don't like this" he told, young dragons can talk from the moment of their birth, however that still surprized Eon as "he plans to have fun out of this people, the kind of fun that is painful I think" Then he touched his scarred neck with his left "hand".
Eonam frowned and said, "Well, we can't disobey our lord. That would be death. Besides, i'm still sure that this is better then our last lord. I fear we must trust him- as impossible as that sounds."
The genasi smiled. "We can make it bigger if we actually hammer out an agreement.. and include armor too," he added, rapping a nearby firesoul genasis helmet to emphasize the point. "As for whether it's better.. well I'm not familiar with whatever type of metal this iron is, but we make this metal by mixing two different ores together to form something stronger than either one. And two is better than one, after all," the genasi noted.
The minotaur grinned, and grasped the blade carefully in his two hands. With a grunt of effort, he slowly but surely began to apply pressure to the blade. After several moments, he handed the bent weapoin back to the genasi. "That metal is very pretty, but it's weak. I've dealt with stronger horn. Why would we buy weapons that are inferior to the horns we are born with?"
Neroae offered the minotaur a grin, trying not to let the smell of their fur distract him or make his eyes water too much. "It's not so much a question of strength but style," the genasi noted, taking back the blade and swishing it through the air. "Though it may be weaker than your horns- and might I say those must be some quality horns- our metal can be moulded into many different shapes. While a horn can only be used in combat to gore or charge, we can make weapons for all kinds of tactics and situations.
"But weapons aside for a minute, I do have something else you might be interested in," the genasi went on, walking over to one of the armoured firesoul genasi. "Our metal may be weaker than your horn, but from the looks of it you can't make very good protection out of it... this armour on the other hand- once we can make a few sets with your size in mind," he admended. "Should be able to take several horns blows and many more arrows before you'll even be in danger from the blows. Seeing as none of your kind seem to be wearing anything to protect yourself, I thought you might find that more interesting than weapons when you can already grow your own."
A few days later the first family was brought to face Tovash and met their son, the couple of azorans was escorted by the dragons "soldiers", humiliated and scared by the ex bandits and brought to the temple, there they walked near to the slaves huts, watching a few half starved boys that was resting as the others keep working at their shift, as work never stops at the construction site.
They was borught to the main hall of that twisted building, the wyrmlings was there too, as well as Eonam, to watch a lesson, explained Tovash to them.
Vares was the eldes son of a blacksmith, a well known artisan in his town and in the nearby feud, he should was already working with his father when Tovash took him as a slave, his parents, who sold everything they had to buy the others consent in meeting their son, his body was ruined by the few month that he has spent in Tovash service, he run to his parents to embrace them, unable to talk they just enjoyed the contact with each other.
"Enough" told Tovash "they got all the time that they deserved", then one of his youngest adopted sons moved to him, Dagash was the smallest among the warp dragon wyrmling, but he was also the one whose mindest was more like the one of his father, he closed in to the couple, his tail producing the weird crackling sound of lacerated reality, he cut trough the boy skin and the of his mother, almost cutting away his arm with the one of the woman. The small dragon eyes were full of a twisted sense of glee when the blood of the poor family falled to the ground and on his dark blue skin.
Thei screams of pain was covered by Tovash voice, "I'll let you all live, for now, even if you had chosen to defy me by asking something that you did not deserve. You will visit the villages in my domain and tell everyone what was the price of your defiance."
Then some of his minions took care of the mutilated boy and his mother, they managed to save their life, but left them with a ruined body. When the guards brought the poor family away, Tovash and his servants left the hall, leaving the one armed boy alone in the cold hall of stone...
A few days later the first family was brought to face Tovash and met their son, the couple of azorans was escorted by the dragons "soldiers", humiliated and scared by the ex bandits and brought to the temple, there they walked near to the slaves huts, watching a few half starved boys that was resting as the others keep working at their shift, as work never stops at the construction site.
They was borught to the main hall of that twisted building, the wyrmlings was there too, as well as Eonam, to watch a lesson, explained Tovash to them.
Vares was the eldes son of a blacksmith, a well known artisan in his town and in the nearby feud, he should was already working with his father when Tovash took him as a slave, his parents, who sold everything they had to buy the others consent in meeting their son, his body was ruined by the few month that he has spent in Tovash service, he run to his parents to embrace them, unable to talk they just enjoyed the contact with each other.
"Enough" told Tovash "they got all the time that they deserved", then one of his youngest adopted sons moved to him, Dagash was the smallest among the warp dragon wyrmling, but he was also the one whose mindest was more like the one of his father, he closed in to the couple, his tail producing the weird crackling sound of lacerated reality, he cut trough the boy skin and the of his mother, almost cutting away his arm with the one of the woman. The small dragon eyes were full of a twisted sense of glee when the blood of the poor family falled to the ground and on his dark blue skin.
Thei screams of pain was covered by Tovash voice, "I'll let you all live, for now, even if you had chosen to defy me by asking something that you did not deserve. You will visit the villages in my domain and tell everyone what was the price of your defiance."
Then some of his minions took care of the mutilated boy and his mother, they managed to save their life, but left them with a ruined body. When the guards brought the poor family away, Tovash and his servants left the hall, leaving the one armed boy alone in the cold hall of stone...
While Tovash left, Eonam hung back a little. When Tovash and that wretched Dagash were gone, he approached Vares and asked, "Are you okay?" Vares looked up at Eonam and said, "I just lost my arm... do I look okay, traitor?"
Eonam blinked in surprise at being called a traitor and said, "B-but how am I a traitor?" Vares grimaced and said, "You brought the dragon here. You are his treasured servant... no, pet. You're well fed, well clothed... we're nothing."
Eonam blinked again and said "B-but... Vares, I'm so sorry..."
Vares scowled and walked away, leaving Eonam alone in the room.
Eonam felt clawed steps behind him in the silence of the grand hall, it was Dagash, the wyrmling who had mutilated the boy.
The dragon looked like a miniature version of Tovash, he was still a little dirty with the boy blood, he moved with otherwordly elegance, like the other warp dragons...
"Traitor huh... Do you want me to punish him? No one should insult my father most trusted friend, I think he will not care if kill him, he can't work now anyway. Would you like that?"
The minotaur letout a hearty laugh. "You think we can make armor? Just because my men and I prefer not to wear it, doesn't mean we can't make it. And as weak as your metal is, I doubt it provides much protection."
Eonam felt clawed steps behind him in the silence of the grand hall, it was Dagash, the wyrmling who had mutilated the boy.
The dragon looked like a miniature version of Tovash, he was still a little dirty with the boy blood, he moved with otherwordly elegance, like the other warp dragons...
"Traitor huh... Do you want me to punish him? No one should insult my father most trusted friend, I think he will not care if kill him, he can't work now anyway. Would you like that?"
Eonam looked at Dagash, doing his best to hide his grief, and said, "I think you've done enough, Dagash."
The small dragon looked at Eonam puzzled for a few seconds, his dark blue eyes locked into the ones of the young azoran, the boy knew that Tovash was capable of almost smelling betrayal and dubt in his subject, but maybe his son still lacked that ability, so after a few seconds Dagash opened his wings and moved away, as the great hall was large enough for him to fly.
The small dragon looked at Eonam puzzled for a few seconds, his dark blue eyes locked into the ones of the young azoran, the boy knew that Tovash was capable of almost smelling betrayal and dubt in his subject, but maybe his son still lacked that ability, so after a few seconds Dagash opened his wings and moved away, as the great hall was large enough for him to fly.
Tovash had taken over a large portion of western Azora. In the heart of Azora, in Valden, the capital city, plans were being made. The mightiest knight in the kingdom was sent to destroy the dragon, yet it would take him some time to reach the dragon.
-----
Eonam watched the dragon fly away, and Eonam decided to head on out to his parent's room. He figured Tovash could survive alone for a few hours.
Arvhas followed the boy out of the temple for a while, the wyrmling did not talk to Eonam, but was ready to listen should he wanted to talk.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Meanwhile Tovash visited his now large kindgom, while some of the provinces had actually even flourished under his domain, many of his servants lacked the skill to rule and some time needed to be "reminded" who was really in charge or even replaced with mor productive vassals.
These minotaurs were proving to be more than a little difficult to trade with... it seemed they'd be content whacking eachother over the head with their horns naked, which made trading weapons and armour a little frivalous. Still, there had to be SOMETHING these bull people wanted. After all, everybody wants something.
Rummaging through his bag, the genasi tried to find something that the minotaurs might actually be interested in trading. "Um.. we have a bustling magic item economy if that's more to you taste. And our sculptors and craftsmen are top notch if you wanted some artwork or domestic items. You said it yourself, our metal is pretty." 'And useless... it's stronger than stone, what else do they want?'
He stands to his full heights, looking down at the genasi. "Enough. It is our turn to show our goods."
He let out a low, almost inadible whistle, and three minotaurs broke from the woods behind the genasi. Two were heavily armed and armored, pulling a large cart while the third, a dimunative minotaur almost as small as the genasi dashed up. "Sorry, Graden, so sorry. We had some troubles with washed out . . ."
Before he could finish, a heavy hit from Graden sent the small fellow to the ground. Without waiting a second, he reached down and picked him up by his neck. "I don't care why you were late, and you know it. Show off your goods, so we can get this over with, Iniren."
As Graden walked back towards the rest of the minotaurs, Iniren shook his head for a moment, gathering his senses. Moving towards his cart, he spoke rapidly, "Sorry about being late. I imagine you are eager to see our goods, yes? Just come over to the cart."
Neroae's lip pursed in repressed distaste as the minotaur knocked the smaller of its kind to the side. He'd though the minotaurs would be a little more tight knit than that, living in a far more clan like society than the genasi's caste based one. But a genasi wouldn't hit another genasi like that for no good reason... except for the worst of their kind, but they were usually exiled to the wastes, where they either died or took up banditry. Or migrated to that emerging city of exciles in the West...
Pushing aside his thoughts for the moment, Neroae moved towards the cart, wondering what sort of goods the minotaurs had to offer. If they spurned everything they offered, it must be worth it's weight in bronze... or this iron the bull men spoke about even.
"That's what we're here for," the genasi commented. "That and to establish diplomatic relations, but that can wait until the show is over, hm?"
Arvhas followed the boy out of the temple for a while, the wyrmling did not talk to Eonam, but was ready to listen should he wanted to talk.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Meanwhile Tovash visited his now large kindgom, while some of the provinces had actually even flourished under his domain, many of his servants lacked the skill to rule and some time needed to be "reminded" who was really in charge or even replaced with mor productive vassals.
Eonam looked at Arvhas and said, "Wh-why did Tovash do that? You're his son... kind of... do you have any idea what he thought he would achieve? And... oh, please tell me you aren't like him..."
***
The knight continued his quest. He had killed several traitors loyal to the fiendish dragon, and he was making good progress. He was an unstoppable, silent force, making his way to the fortress of the Warp Dragon...
The small dragon kept walking with Enonam, waiting a few seconds before answering "He..., well our father see the world in a different way than me or you... He only does things that are useful to him, to his plans, he wants the people to be scared I guess and so sent them a gruesome message like this.
He does not care, nor even understand I fear, about the suffering of the others."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tovash was in a bad mood that evening, something was happening in his domain a few of his chosen agents has being killed, and he did not know who did that. Warp Dragons have a twisted fascination for the unknown, like the humans it scare and intrigue them at the same time. He also noticed that Eonam was not with him, scared by the "lesson" maybe, he should do something for the boy, he liked his Herlad after all. However now he had more pressing matters to attend to...
He should do something about that killer, he called the best of his champions to the Temple, one deserving his blessing of power.
Eonam said, "Why did I ever decide to help him? It was foolish of me... now everyone else hates me."
He gestured to the various slaves working around them.
-----
The knight was making good progress. Soon he would reach the center of the problem, he thought grimly as he dispatched another of the dragon's foul servants.
"Maybe you should talk about that with my father, he cares about you for some reason that eludes me.
And don't waste your time recriminating about old decisions, there is nothing you can do to change your past, but as long as you are alive you can still make the difference." he replied.
Eonam sighed and said, "Speaking of your father, I'd better go back to the Temple to see him... he'll get mad at me if I stay away from him for too long." Eonam began to slowly walk toward the Temple.
"Well, if you want to see your family first, and I think you should, take your time, I'll keep my father busy, if he has not managed to find something by himself already"
Eonam smiled and said, "Well, that's good to hear... very well, I will head out to my parents, while you keep your father busy." With that, Eonam began to run in the direction of his paren'ts home.
While flying back to his temple Tovash mind was still wondering, he was unable to figure out what was happening in his realm, he decided that he had to do something. He needed minions to look for the trheat to his power. He went back to Fairguard, a small village that he had fully destroyed during his campaign of conquest, there flocks of ravens and other beasts was still feeding on the remnant of the villagers, left open to the wind. There Tovash chanted a dark spell and forced the will of the black birds to serve him. "Find the one that is killing my servants, little creatures, find him..." he ordered.
When he got there Arvash was waiting for him, he had organized something to entertain his father, two of his servants were discussing about the ownership of a small part of the land, the small dragon has convinced them to settle their dispute by a duel, with Tovash as the arbiter, after a short discussion Arvash managed to intrigue his father with the duel and he begun watching the two azorans fighting almost to deah in front of him.
OOC: 3 MS lines? I'll reply to the other two tomorrow.
Scene 1: The Workshop.
Sneak and Carsten climbed down the rope ladder that had been hastily assembled and lowered from the side of Chukwa. On the last rung, each of them paused before dropping the final foot to land on solid ground. The gnome and the Azoran both swayed slightly, finding it hard to follow those that had gone before them towards the passageway that led away from the gigantic chamber that Chukwa had found himself in. Although Chukwa did not exactly rock like a boat, he did move somewhat more than the ground typically did, and after a lifetime of walking to accomidate the motion, it was nearly impossible to not feel unsteady with it gone.
Soon the two of them were traveling down a corridor, exploring deeper into the complex. Hopefully they would find someting interesting.
Scene 2: Avariels
The Avariels flew over the landscape, looking for signs of their oldest of enemies. They did not have to search long before they found T'garth, its otherwordly spires sticking out of the land surrounding Greyfang mountain betraying the presence of an intelligent hand. They flew closer, attempting to ascertain who had built the city when a wave of beholders suddenly appeared, surrounding the avariels with a ring of eyes. The Avariels dropped into defensive stances, weapons flashing towards any beholder that got too close, when a voice came from the mountain below.
"Enough. Bring them here."
Scene 3: The Library
It had been centuries since the first scholars had entered the Library, and, aside from the Lich, the scholars who tended it were on their 10th or so heir to the original scholars granted access by Nixis when without warning, there were new people in the library, Loremasters from the keep bursting into the Library and rounding up Driders and scholars alike. Many of the scholars fled into the portals, some returning home, others teleporting to remote reaches of the library. However, a few ran towards the intruders, ready to do battle. They stopped when they saw who it was, and pulling out their medallions, called out: "Stop! Brothers, do not strike down your fellow Loremasters!"
Eonam spent a couple of hours with his parents, before he decided it best to leave for the Temple. When he arrived, he snuck into the temple, hoping to go unnoticed.
((Nerdzul, I would ultimately like Eonam's parents to die before the knight arrives))
-----
The knight was making good progress. He could see the fiendish temple of the dragon on the distant horizon. Grinning to himself, he sent his horse into a gallop.
+++++++++++++++++
As the warriors made it to the gate, an Azoran conscript halted them and asked, "Who goes there? What is your bussiness here?"
As Sneak and Cartsen slipped along the hallways, odd sounds continued to echo through the chambers, and strange whispers and laughter came from ahead of them. More worrisome, as they turned to look back, they found themselves staring at a wall.
-----
The moment the beholders arrive, the Avariels scattered, using their superior mobility and speed to duck out of the trap. As they dodged and weaved, they held their attacks, not sure if the enemy would turn hostile or not. Just in case, they held their weapons and spells at the ready.
-----
The guards continued to expand their ring, securing room after room. Though surprised by those would approached them bearing loremaster badges, orders were orders, particuarly in such a strange place, so the bearers were detained and restrained until their superiors could arrive and speak with them. Finally, three loremasters approached one of the detained personel who had been held seperately. "Sorry about the wait. We've been busy securing and studying this place. Why did you have these badges?"
-----
"Messages from your neighbers in Celeron, peasant. Get me some one imortant and stopped bothering me."
"Uhh... okay. What do we do now?" Carsten said softly as the gnome and the Azoran stared at the wall in front of them with large eyes.
"I... guess we just keep going, right?" Sneak said cautiously, looking back down the corridor. "I hope that whatever is up ahead won't eat us."
With nowhere else to go, the two ventured down the corridor, soon coming to a large open cavern, the voices from up ahead echoed off the cavern walls, making it impossible to pinpoint their exact source.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nyarlathotep, the massive new leader of the beholders, rises up from Greyfang mountain, his hundred eyes watching in all directions. He fixes the crouched Avariels with several of his eyes, and rumbles out words that sound like the burbling of a methane-filled bog.
"Ah, Avariels. Guardians of our greatest foe of old. Welcome to T'garth, City of Eyes. I mean you no harm, and none of my brethren will attack you unless I give them the command. I seek to understand you better. Tell me, what brought you back here, to these barren plains?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The detained Loremaster spoke, clearly annoyed by his treatment. "I am a loremaster such as yourself. We have been preparing this place for the past millenia for your arrival." Peering past the Loremasters questioning him, he saw a dwarf he recognized and shouted "Do you know who I am?" The dwarf squinted, then nodded. The Loremaster turned to the others. "There. Is that proof enough that I am who I say I am, who this clothing says I am, and who my badge of membership says I am?"
As the two slowly slipped through the room, a stealty figure slipped between the two of them, moving silently as it examined them closely. It glanced at the gnome first, taking advantage of their lacking perception to quickly pocket some coins before moving to the other.
Finally, it moved to the Azoran and it's eyes grew wide. Real opportunity, it thought as it smiled. Floating invisibly, it spoke. "An azoran and a gnome here? Odd companions in an odd setting."
-----
Keeping a firm grip on their weapons, the Avariels spread out slightly as they stared at the monstrosity floating before them. Two were stuttering in shock, but the third frowned as he drew his sword.
"We are here to recover our brethren. Villages have gone missing, as the days of old, and now we find you're kind returned as well. It is not hard to put two and two together."
-----
The human frowned, and gave his guards three quick hand signs. In an instant, the dwarf found himself lifted from his feet by two nearby guards, stripped of his weapons and implements and hauled off.
"No, no it's not proof of anything. Just proof that you might resemble someone, or perhaps you have some sort of psionic power. If you've been helping prepare this place, why was it not included in any of your reports? Did you fail in your duty to properly record your findings, so they could be filled away in the great libraries? And how have you gotten hear, while the door has been under guard?"
Carsten and Sneak jumped and whirled around.
"Who's there?" Carsten called out, voice trembling slightly.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Nyarlathotep frowned.
"Just a moment..." Several of its eyes drooped as it went into a state of deep concentration. After a long moment, they raised again.
"What you say is regretfully true. I apologize for my brethren's actions in the period before I assumed power. I am releasing your people now, although at some time in the future, perhaps we could arrange to hire some of your people to assist us in our work." Nyarlathotep's eyes rippled in what could only be a shrug. "Not having hands like you two-eyes can be difficult at times."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Athas groaned as the dwarf was pulled away.
"If you must know, Our masters' masters' masters' masters were sworn to secrecy by the god Nixis himself to not reveal the location of the library to anyone for any reason. This included other Loremasters. Why did you not use the key we sent you a millennia ago? We have been waiting ever since."
"As for how we got in..." Athas fishes in his pocket and comes out with a small disk.
"We have these, given directly to the first of our lines by Nixis himself. They allow us to visit here whenever we wish."
"Just someone who finds youo to be an interesting opportunity."
A hand full of silver and gold coins scattered across the ground before them. "There is the gnomes money. I stole it for fun, but I think it could be more interesting if we worked togather, instead of me robbing you and walking away."
-----
He watched the creature cautiously for another moment. Suddenly, he whistled three short stutering notes, and the other two burst away, making for the north. "We shall see."
-----
Malick watched the man carefully. "We recieved the key only a century past. And it is irrelevant. The oath to the loremasters is sacrosanct above all others. As laid down in the ancient laws, written by Veros himself, we are not to break the oaths even to him. You have failed in your duties. I imagine that the council will not look kindly upon this."
The Azoran guard gulped and said, "W-well, sorry, but I'm under orders not to let anyone through without explicit permission..."
For several moments, they stood there watching the guards. Finally frustrated, he called up. "Well? Don't just stand there. If we can't come in then you go get your commander."
The guard paled and ran off.
A few minutes later, he returned, paler than before, and said, "S-sorry, sir, but our commander won't be seeing anybody..."
Ah he got back to the main hall he found that the dragon was looking at a large pool of a viscous red liquid in the middle of the room, he was smiling.
"Where have you being Eonam?" he told, whithout watching away from the pool...
Within its waters Eonam could see the shape of an armored knight and a dark mass flying toward him from the sky.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The mass of crows almost obscured the sky and begun to descend screaming on the knight, ready to dismember him in the name of their dragon overlord.
A lone atoll covered in trees and grass, sits in the middle of a vast ocean- with no other mass of land in sight. The bright blue sky hangs overhead, as a light veil of clouds lurk on the horizon in one direction.
On the island, chirping of bugs can be heard. A bee buzzes by, and a cricket chirps while the sun still beads its heavy rays onto the sunbaked leaves of the palm trees. The rythm of the waves makes a tranquil paradise for anything that lives on here. For a while, nothing stirs...
A footprint etched in the sand, followed by many more marks the seashore. It leads up to a palm tree, where a lone figure sits next to. This figure has a fairly long snout and has reptilelike scales all over it. It appears to be holding a coconut in one hand, and a carved rock in the other. It punctures the armored shell of the coconut and drinks the milk inside of it. It appears to be satisfied with its meal and relaxes- its arms behind its head and its legs crossed. Its back leans right against the tree, which holds the figure upright. This figure is none other than a Draco, and many dracos populate the island.
Sneak reached back to his purse and found it empty. Cursing, he began picking up the scattered coins, while Carsten replied.
"Work together? What possibly could we do to help on such as yourself, who clearly has skills far beyond our own?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In an instant, two of Nylarthotep's eye stalks, formerly moving listlessly, snapped taught and pointed at the fleeing Avariels. Twin purple beams flew out from them. One of the Avariel's was caught square in the back, and found himself unable to progress any further, caught in the Beholder's spell. The other beam flew wide, and soon the Avariel was lost in the distance.
With a slightly annoyed tone, Nylarthotep spoke to the lead Avariel as the trapped Avariel was slowly dragged back towards the beholders.
"Now, here I am trying to be friendly, and you go and do something like that. You want proof of my intentions? There. Look below."
Below, the captured Eladrin were emerging from Greyfang mountain and leaving the city of T'garth. Nylarthotep did not let on exactly how much of his concentration was currenly being spent on keeping the beholders down on the surface in line to the Avariels... he felt it wouldn't exactly... make things any better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Only a century? Thats odd. The gateway to the keep was made long before that, and we had confirmation that the key was delivered at that time as well.
As for betraying the Loremasters, Malick..." Athas coughed and turned to gesture at the expansiveness of the Library.
"Do you not see what this place is? This place is the embodiment, the completion of all our goals and plans. A repository for all knowledge, secure from the devastation of time and the perils of the Prime. Is it betrayal to hide a birthing-day present from a loved one? Take a look around and tell me that this is somehow a betrayal of my oaths as a loremaster"
He looked at his too companions, whispering something inaudibly. Smile, he crouched for the briefest moment before dashing at the wall, running straight up it as it it were a solid surface. Hitting the top, he performed a backflip and landed behing the two azorans, placing his hands on their necks, squeezing threateningly, but not too painfully.
Heaning between them, eyes glowing slightly red in the gray palor, he whispered. "I'm going to let one of you go. If you don't return with your commander, or permission for my friends and I to enter, I'm going to snack his neck and leave him a cripple, then come in for the commander myself."
-----
"Skills beyond you? Oh, the invisibility. That's just a trick."
The air wavered slightly in front of the two, revealing a tiny humanoid, smaller even then the gnome, with leathery bat wings, a barbed tail, and sharp twisted horns. Her dark red skin glowed slightly for amoment, before darkening once more.
"I could show you how to do it you know. Becoming invisible isn't as hard as it seems, if one is willing. As for the help, it's simple. I'm not strong enough to open the doors around here. So I've been trapped in this area for a while, and this area has no water in it."
-----
Malick nodded. "You betrayed you're oaths by not recording the existance of such a place, by not making it known to others, so that it could be put to proper use."
He walked away. "Take himto the keep. Imprisonment cells. There are others I need to see to."
-----
He snapped out his sword towards the reapproaching avariel, muttering words to aspellhe had often practiced but never needed. His blade glowed blue before the light arces away like lightning, connectingwith the purple beam, sending a shower of sparks spraying from the sky as the his friend was released. Turning back, he gritted his teeth. "This stays between you and I."
"Ah! Well, that we can help you with." Sneak says, getting to his feet with all his coins in the right place again. "Do you know of anywhere we can go to find tools? Our..." he looks at Carsten for the right words... "Ship... has crashed, and we need to find a way to fix what damage was done in the crash."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Athas struggled as he was carried off towards the portal.
"Malick, don't be a fool. Accept this gift the way it was meant to be given!" He shouted towards the Loremaster.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Avariel's action, the hundred fifty three eye stalks that made up Nylarthotep's body went rigid, then swiveled to all point at the head Avariel as several beholders began to give chase to the fleeing Avariel. Magic danced in the eyes that stared hungrily at the lone being before them. The main eye, nearly lost in and amongt the stalks, narrowed.
"Between you and me? You dare to use such words with me?" Nylarthotep hissed, words bubbling out of his mouth. "Understand this, Scion of Silvera. I came to offer a new type of relationship between your race and mine, one built on mutual good. You clearly do not wish this."
Nylarthotep floated closer towards the Avariel, fetid breath washing over the Eladrin.
"I could just as easily return to the days of old, kidnapping your people, breaking apart your families, giving your leaders nightmares."
A few of his eyes looked downwards at the fleeing eladrin, although the vast majority remained trained on the Avariel.
"It would be a shame to have their deaths on your hand simply because you cannot be courteous, don't you agree?"
The two Azorans nodded, and one of them said, "Yes sir, don't worry. He'll be out to see you... I swear!"
-----
Eonam shrugged and said, "Uh, you know... um, around."
----
Meanwhile, the knight attempted to fight off the attacking swarm of crows. His armor mostly protected him, and his skill allowed him to kill many. But more came on.
The imp grinned, it's pearly white teeth gleaming in the shadows. "You mean the zaratan? Well, I'm not sure . . I know one place we could check, but it would involve a few dangerous passages. I don't like going there."
-----
Malick walked away, ignoring him. Grasping another nearby guard, he asked, "How is the lock down proceeding. Any trouble?"
Having his answer, he nodded. "Bring me another prisoner."
-----
"You call the restraining of my ally,after I've ordered him to flee courteous. If seems our people are very different."
The tip of his blade lowered slightly. "In some ways, I would welcome you're people coming once more,murdering those below. The threat would bind my people together in a single cause once more, unite them against you to avenge those fallen martyrs, with the avariels in the lead. But my honor prohibits me from striking the first blow."
-----
Cael grinned, revealing his clearly pronounced fangs. "That is what I thought."
Releasing the one on the left, he shoved him away, tightening his grip on the other. "Go now, and be a good azoran and fetch your master."
The peasant soldier ran off. Shortly after, he returned, with a knight decked in full steel plate armor. The knight's face was covered by a visor. The knight said, "Commander cannot see you at the moment. Instead, I shall see you. I am the captain of the Westenwald unit, and the men you have been threatening are in that unit. Now, release my man. And, may I help you?"
Cael smiled a small smile,releasing the guard with no real damage. "If they had gotten you from the start, I'd have not caused any trouble. Might we move inside out of the cold?"
He pointed over the wall. "My friends too, of course"
The captain shrugged. "That really depends on your business here. Needless to say, threatening my men really doesn't help, but I'll let you in if your reason is acceptable."
The next day on the island- a small encampment of Dracos sits next to the shoreline. They see something strange out in the distance- some strange objects floating in the sky. They had depicted that they were rocks- floating high in the sky. One of them was spewing out water- they can barely see the rocks.
(OOC- Basically Torvek raised the stones at night- when the Dracos were sleeping 
)
"That's weird," implies the chieftain. "Yesterday I saw nothing out in that direction- now all of a sudden- poof! There's stones suddenly in the air..." The chieftain says to the others.
One of the members shouts out. "What do you think is out there, Chief?"
The Chieftain looks at the youngling. "Hmmm..." He scratches his bony chin. "I think that there are more worlds to explore. We'd have to find a way to travel far and wide to do so first." The chieftain points at the horizon. "Our first goal is to see what those rocks hold. We have to get there by means of travel- swimming, or... something..."
He shrugged. "We're here for the bi-monthly labor, of course. Had you forgotten it was due. I'm also charges with negotiating a few 'changes' to the agreement."
Beneath his helmet, the captain scowled and said, "Changes? Very well. They better be good though, I don't like the agreement as it is now, and I have no intention of seeing it get even worse."
He nodded to the Azoran guard who had just been released from the grip of the stranger, and the guard waved them through.
They came through quietly, waiting to be lead to where the negoatians could begin.
The captain led them to a large, circular building and said, "This is the regimental meeting house. Since the general is, ah, busy, the individual commanders of the regiments will meet here. I have already sent a peasant to get them. In the mean time, shall we go inside? I would like to here of your next slave-labor project."
The three stepped inside, small smiles on their faces. "I think I'd prefer to wait for all those involved to arrive. There is much to say, and I've no wish to say it twice."
The captain shrugged and said, "Very well, though I've lost many men- good men, mind you, to your little 'taxes'."
Just then, the door burst open and ten men, bedecked in adorned steel armor, entered the circular room, taking a seat on each of the chairs around the circular table in the center. One of them gestured to the stranger to sit on the other end of the table. And empty seat remained for the general, whereas the captain remained standing in the shadows, arms crossed.
One of the commanders said, "Greetings stranger. What is it that you wish to speak to us about?"
"If it will help us, please lead us there. What is your name?" Sneak asked.
~~~~~~~~~
Nylarthotep grinned a horrible grin.
"No, I call leaving without saying goodbye uncourteous and I consider the lack of trust you decided to give me most uncourteous, especially given my actions."
"That said, no, I will not kill them. I will not give you the satisaction of the death you so clearly desire, for those are the old ways, and I am the first of a new breed of my kind. Go now, and tell your people that the Beholders wish to change."
With a mental command, Nylarthotep called off the beholders chasing the other Avariel, and sent them back towards Greyfang mountain.
~~~~~~~~~
As Athas is led away, a gnome approaches.
"I am Sage. I am the leader of these scholars. Why do you come here with such anger? This is meant for you, Loremaster."
Dark beings arose from the ashes of the central square of Azora- beings that crave chaos and death. Dark energy pulsates within their veins, leaving trails of memories behind them. They had no soul. They had no life. They were plagued by darkness- ensnared by the ray of death that struck the heart of Azora- inducing fear into the hearts of the survivors. These were the Azorans- changes into malign beings. They were the Dark Azorans. They were hungry for torment.
Alongside the Azorans, some of the Slaadi became infected by the same force that drove the Dark Azorans mad. They had become the Dark Slaadi.
The dark Azorans hurled balls of darkness at their Azoran adversaries- pinning them down and infecting them with the same plague that tormented them. The Dark Azorans are primal, getting whatever hands on to any living being to spread their disease of corruption.
The dark figure loomed over Azora, casting a dark shadow over a small portion of the village. She was happy- this is what she wanted...
"I am glad you knights were willing to see me. I've come bearing a message from our leaders. The time has come to expand upone our projects. To do so, we require more labor. We hope that in exchange for the trade of some of the goods our 'improvements' will create, you would be willing to pay a higher rent, and send us more laborers."
-----
"The name is Kilen. Pleasure to meet you. If we're to go, we'll need to sneak by some very dangerous people. Are youup for it?"
-----
"A wise man once told me,mind what people do, not what they say, for deeds will betray the lie. I'll tell them you're words, but it is you're deeds that will prove the truth."
-----
"We've come to secure the area, and insure our safety as we investige this place and it's properties."
The chaos that ensared the Dark Azorans let up, as they become more like themselves. Thier souls have returned- bringing back their lives. They cheer as their memories of corruption have long been forgotten. There was sill the Slaadi problem, though...
(OOC- Chapien, I'll let you take care of the Azorans now- from hereon out )
The island nation in the middle of the sea developed strange formations on the shoreline. Huts made from fallen branches appeared on the shoreline- the Dracos continued to build these huts.
All the while, the Dracos continued to explore the island. One of them looked out into the distance and saw the spiralling stones in the air. Another one suddenly squaked as it pointe out into a differet direction. A temple- surrounded by stones, came uncovered by the mists- its bronze gleam shining off of the side of it.
They stared for the longest time at this floating building- which didn't seem too far. There was no way to get to it, but it was still there.
The rising sun gave the Dracos confidence- they would know how to survive the right way sooner or later. For now, they were just beginning their long journey to survival...
Eonam shrugged and said, "Uh, you know... um, around."
----
Meanwhile, the knight attempted to fight off the attacking swarm of crows. His armor mostly protected him, and his skill allowed him to kill many. But more came on.
The swarm grew stronger and stronger, its assault unrelentless, they pushed the knight to a small abandoned farm, it looked like it will be the doom of the knight, however in an enclosed space, maybe, their number will stop being a real advantage. Maybe he could find safety there...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Around? Where my friend?" he replied, still watching in the pool, the crows was cornerning the knight, soon that menace to his domain will be over...
"You see this defiant mortal, another that will require punishment, however I feel merciful today, I'll grant him the gift of a swift death..." Then the dragon smiled, his tail was moving nervously while he watched at the fight, producing its weird crackling sound and some time even ruining the stone floor of the hall...
Eonam gulped and said, "I was taking some time off... that is all..."
----
The knight, giving one last push, fled into the open, leaped onto his mount, and road onward. Though the crows continued their assault, he was too swift for the crows, and managed to ride away from the viscous swarm.
"Well, I should know when you leave, how can I keep my herald safe if he sneak out away?" he replied, "Damn, our knight friend bested my little servants I guess that it is the time for me to take things into my own hands..."
Sneak chuckled.
"Well, you know how we gnomes are named. I'd say Im up for it. Lets go!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Expect us in two weeks time."
With this, Nylarthotep signaled to the other beholders, and they all descended back to Greyfang mountain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sage grimaced.
"You merely needed to ask, friend. The place is secure, as secure as it has been ever since it was created. If you would like, I could give you a tour. But please, let these people go."
((Responding to shadow first, will think of a post of RP-awesomeness for Nerdzul later))
The council room grew silent, and whispers could be heard across the table. One of the commanders finally said, "I'm sorry, but there's been a... change of management... and the new general really doesn't agree with the tribute plan... it may be difficult to-"
Just then, he was cut off as the door bursted open. A figure clad in gold and silver armor entered the room. From the scattered whispers across the room, it was easy to tell that this was the general. At first, all seemed in order, but as he stepped closer, something was obviously amiss. He was a child. Wearing massive, impressive armor, granted, but still a child. He said, "Now, what was this about a meeting?"
He grinned at the approaching warriors, his fangs almost not visible, eyes closing slightly at the sight of the armor. "Hm, now you are something special. Even I can tell that. Compared to these fools, you've got power. Real power. I've not seen the like since our lord returned."
He snapped his fingers at his two companions. "You hear me, this is one like our lord. One with true power. Show proper respect."
In unison, all three went to their knees and bowed their foreheads to the floor. "In you're presence we are humbled."
The room fell silent as they awaited permission to stand once more.
Eon flashed an ever so slight smile and said, "Please, rise. Now then, you may of told my friends here what you wished, but you have not told me. But no need to explain, I heard what you said. You need more men, if I am not mistaken? May I ask for what purpose?"
A group of 6 Dracos walk through the deep glades of the canyon. A large stream flows through it.
Further inland, a small mountain laden with trees pops out in the midst of the rolling hills that carve the island into a paradise. Another mountain closeby has a timberline just before the top of the crest of the mountain. Below, more plains and plateaus are discovered, bringing more opportunities for the Dracos to explore , eat, and survive.
Soon after the Loremasters made landfall on the continent of Asika, a strange sight could be see approaching their base camp. A jumble of wooden platforms hung from weird, bulbous objects, all strung together with rope and floating high above the trees. Small green shapes were swinging from platform to platform, conveying supreme agility. As the thing drew closer, another odd characteristic was revealed about the green men. They all seemed to possess four arms.
The ship thing came to a halt close to where the Loremasters watched, and a number of ropes fell from the ship's bottom. The green men nimbly scurried down the rope, and landed upon the soft grass. One little man, taller and somehow more impressive than his fellows, stepped forward, a long staff clutched in two of his four arms. A chunk of green rock was embedded in the top of the staff.
"We be the Dasa," said the little man with the staff, "Who be you?"
The imp nodded. "No, don't know much about gnomes. Azorans now, those I know about. My question is can he sneakwell, or will he get us caught?"
-----
With all due haste, he distanced himself from the beholders returning to his base camp. In less than a week, dozens of Avariels stood ready, watching the southern borders.
-----
They steadilyadvanced through the wastes towards Grayfang Mountain. With so little natural vegetation to document, and no encounters with local fauna, the loremasters had advanced quite rapidly through them, considering the circumstances.
-----
He frownedat the gnome. "We're handling our own tour. And if their is one thing we now, there are few safe places in the world. We'll have a better understanding of the place as soon as we catch one of the spider creatures for interrogation.
-----
"Construction projects, same as last time. We hope to carve aroad through the wastes, but our own efforts are proving futile. Additionally, with Celeron growing, the maintenance on the buildings is becoming harder to maintain with the limited laborers we recieve now. You're own people are well aware of thew corrupting effects the wastes have on structures, so you should understand, of course!"
-----
Several of the guard ringed the lone loremaster in the landing party. Slipping his hand into his robe to grasp the orb hidden their he signalled the guards to spread out and take a defensive posture. "I am Ziran Cifeleros, loremaster in good standing and commander of this exploratory landing party."
Seeing the guards' movements, the main Dasa handed his staff back to one of the other Dasa standing behind him. Then, in a common Dasa demonstration of no ill-intent, he lifted his hands so his palms faced forward, fingers held together.
"Zira, I be Oros," said the Dasa, his hands still held up, "Why come here?"
Eon said, "That could prove... challenging. It isn't obvious, but we have began a long-term operation to move our base from here to the north-eastern border, just outside of the Gray Wastes. In fact, we would appreciate all workers returned shortly, as they would have a hard time finding our new base later. Impossible, even. In fact I'm thinking we may do away with your tax entirely once we move... needless to say, with our new plans, we will no longer need your 'protection'."
"Oh, I can sneak with the best of them!" Carsten said loudly, before looking around as his words echoed across the empty cavern. Sneak rolled his eyes at the Azoran.
"Gnomes are named after the words that describe what they do best. Im Sneak... I'll be fine."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Sure enough, after a few weeks, six beholders, led by an Ultimate Tyrant, approached the southern borders of the Eladrin lands. They stopped a safe distance away from the Avariels, large bulks half-obscured by the falling snow, and one called out.
"As Nylarhotep promised, the Beholder nation of T'garth greets the Eladrin people. We come with information and technology that may be of interest to you. "
~~~~~~~~~~
The loremasters had made good progress, but their progress was not unnoticed. Hundreds of eyes peeked out of carefully concealed tunnels, documenting their progress. Eventually, as they got close enough, a lone beholder, massive in size, floated out of a pit carved in the earth.
"Greetings, Loremasters. We have been watching your progress with great interest. I am T'ssska, of the Beholder nation of T'garth, and you..." his central eye narrowed. "Are tresspassing on our lands."
~~~~~~~~~
Sage laughed.
"You are more than welcome to explore on your own, although I warn you that that is really not the best of ideas. You see, this place is as close to infinite as one gets, and, well... it all looks basically completely the same. Sure, you could explore the nearby vicinity, find some interesting books on the rebirth of Eijra and what portents that had for the ressurection of those who followed her... there's actually an entire shelf devoted to that five turns down. But one step into those portals, which are the real way to travel though the Library, and you'd become hopelessly lost, unable to find your way back here, and walking... is not really an option. As I said... you need a guide."
Sage turned over the edge of the railing and let out a stream of chittering and clacking noises.
"There. A drider will be with us shortly. Sadly, they do not speak common, so we have had to learn their language, but... it works.
He left his hand in his robe, but the guards relaxed. "We've come here to learn, to study, to know. That is our highest calling."
-----
Carsen frowned. "You would throw away a treaty that has kept the peace for thousands of years?"
-----
The imp frowned. "Clearly, you don't understand stealth. . . . . maybe I should teach you how to be invisible after all?"
-----
The avariels waited patiently for the beholders to approach.
-----
In an instant well hone reflexes brought spells and weapons to the ready. "These lands have been empty for thousands of years. Now you want to claim we tresspass?"
-----
His eyes narrowed. "You think we're foolish enough to go through untested portals?"
He turned away, hands behind his back. "I wouldn't cound on the creature making it's way here. Our perimeter is secure, and we've chased several of them away already."
Carsten and Sneak looked excited at the thought of learning to be invisible.
"Yes Please!" They said in unison.
~~~~~~~~~~
The beholders approached cautiously, hot breath misting the air before them, eye stalks hugged close to their bodies to conserve warmth.
"We come offering one of our inventions that we have designed as a means of combating the cold. Many years ago, when T'garth was first founded, we dug deep beneath our mountain until we reached the mighty artifact known as the Dimensional Bulwark. We have tapped into its active core, and developed a system of pipes that brings the heat of the molten rock within upwards and into our city. T'garth prospers under these frigid conditions, and we would like to extend this technology to you as a sign of good will."
The beholder paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts, his massive bulk slowly moving up and down.
"We also come with a warning. We fear that there is a presence in the world that is attempting to take over the nations from within by possession of their highest leaders and generals. We first uncovered one in negotiations with our former slaves... what they call the 'Free Nation'", The beholder sneered at the name, but continued. "But we fear they may have spread throughout the world. Whether they are from the Free Nation or from without the Free Nation we do not know."
~~~~~~~
"Not Empty. We never left... we merely slept, and now we have returned to the mountain, and we will stay there. However, that is not why I am here. Firstly, you should know that you need not fear the beholders of T'garth. We are a new breed of Beholders, led by the mighty Nylarthotep, and we have no desire for slave labor. Secondly, I am curious if you have ever heard of unbound spirits that can possess another mind at will?"
~~~~~~~
Sage laughed again, cocking his head and looking with curiosity at the Loremaster.
"Such bluster and bravado for one surrounded by the unknown. You truly must be a Loremaster. If you do not wish our help, then we will retire to regions of the Library you cannot reach. Without the help of the Driders or the Posession of the Index, this place is more or less useless to you. We shall continue our work in the hopes of finding a more worthy owner."
As he stopped talking, a Drider pulled itself over the lip of the staircase and sat, chattering, atop the railing that ran all along it.
"Don't think you have everything under control." The gnome smirked. "We've been here for millenia, you, what... 15 minutes? The only reason this is still cordial is because I will it to be so."
The imp grinned at them both. "I'd be happy to teach you. This is a good opportunity for me too."
Lightning fast, her tail whipped out, nicking both of them just enough to draw blood. Fast as could be, the tail lashed across the fround, using the blood like ink to draw arcane symbols across the ground.
"There. Just place you're hands here and there," she said, lail whipping to indicate the locations, "and we can start."
-----
After several long, tense moments, the avariels lowered their weapons, allowing the beholders to come closer.
-----
"We simply come to explore and catalog the local flora and fauna, though it appears to be minimal."
The glanced at each other, considering it. "No, such a thing is unknown to us. I can think of several who might know of such unusual things, but they are far from here."
-----
As soon as the drider stepped onto the railing, the arcane trap was spring, binding magical cords lashing about it, restraining even magical forms of teleportation. Smiling, he looked back to Sage, "I see we have a drider to research now. I should thank you for that."
He lifted his orb, uttering a single phrase and an odd greenish smoke filled the room, clinging to objects and people within it, but not inhibitting breathing. "One of my personal specialities, this smoke. A very unique ritual is required to invoke it. It completely disables planar travel, portals, as well as teleportation. It even prevents incoporeal spirits from passing through objects. Quite the useful ritual, wouldn't you say?"
The lead Dasa smiled and nodded his head.
"Yes, come, look, see our land, we Dasa not stop you," he said calmly, "But we warn you, Big Ones not be so kind."
He nodded sagely at the Loremasters, and a murmur of agreement rippled through the assembled Dasa.
"Ow!" Carsten and Sneak said in unison, looking at the imp with shock in their faces. However, they did place their hands where indicated.
"Now what? This seems rather convoluted..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The beholders came ever closer, and some of them went off to describe the technology of internal heating to the avariels. The head Beholder spoke quietly with the leaders of the Eladrin troop.
"We do not know what they call themselves, but we have found them in many different types of creatures. They hide within them, directing their actions and, we can only assume, preparing for some devious end goal. One of our number, the great T'ssska, was the first to discover them, and we have developed our abilities to recognize and destroy them. We wonder if you would like to utilize our services? We can arrange a demonstration if you so desire... we have several of these being captured back in T'garth."
~~~~~~~~~~~
T'ssska gave a very similar message to the Loremasters:
"We do not know what they call themselves, but we have found them in many different types of creatures. They hide within them, directing their actions and, we can only assume, preparing for some devious end goal. I was the first to recognize and destroy one of them, hidden in some diplomats that our former slaves, the free nation, you call it, had sent to negotiate with us. We have developed our abilities to recognize and destroy them. We wonder if you would like to utilize our services? We can arrange a demonstration if you so desire... we have several of these being captured back in T'garth."
The beholder smiled a horrid smile.
"And, if I understand what drives you loremasters correctly, seeing the first true city of the Beholder Race should be something exciting all on its own, wouldn't it be?"
~~~~~~~~~~
Sage started as the trap was sprung. Now glaring at the Loremaster, the gnome backed away from the Loremaster and towards the railing once more.
"This has gone on long enough. Many of our number warned us that this exact thing would happen, but we ignored them. I guess the Loremasters are unworthy of what we offer. No matter. We shall just continue our work here in peace. You would only meddle."
Sage leaned back and called another chittering cry into the void, then turned and leaped off the railing, followed by most of the other prisoners, leaving only a gnome, a humite and the drider in the Loremaster's posession. To anyone who had chosen to look after the falling prisoners, they would have seen them caught by driders a few turns down.
Moments later, the portal, formerly rimmed with a bluish light, went completely dark.
The loremaster nodded. "I am grateful for your permission. I imagine we'll meet the 'big ones' soon, and hopefully work out arrangements with them as well."
-----
As they placed their hands into place, the imp grinned. "The contract is signed then. Each pact is different and each individual gains different power from it, but all my pacxts grant the power of invisibility. You need only learn how to trigger it within yourself."
-----
The avariel leaders discussed it among themselves. After several moments, one came back. "We do not have the authority to make such arrangements. The leaders of your order will need to be informed."
Carsten and Sneak scrunched their eyes shut and looked to be concentrating very, very, very hard. All was for naught, until suddenly, both dissapeared from sight.
"Wow!" came Carsten's disembodied voice. "It worked!"
Sneak's voice came out of nowhere, "Okay, so... where are we off to? And... how are we going to be able to see you if you're invisible too?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Yes, Yes... I understand." The beholder rumbled. "Would you consent to allowing us through to meet with your leaders? I have the authority to negotiate on behalf of the beholder nation."
Eon's face briefly flashed anger, and then returned to his calm expression. He said, "I already told you; we are moving away. In fact, our new destination won't technicality be in the wastes, just a few feet outside. Thus, there isn't much need for a deal, and I would like our men back, as there is no way that they will be able to find us."
The imp simply smiled and pointed to the north. "That way will lead you out . . . move quietly and invisible though . . . you'll be passing very close to Calrisi's chamber . . . . he's been very anger since the destruction of his lands. If he catches you, there is no telling what will happen."
Grimacing, the imp lay down on the floor, fading from view.
-----
"Messengers will be sent, but I can make no promises.:
-----
He stared at Eon for several long seconds. "As you wish, the treaty is terminated. As such, we are under no obligation to return your men, or even too protect themfrom the horrors that surround Celeron. They will all be dead within the day."
As he moved toweards the door, he shook his head, "A real shame . . . . I won't even have a chance to get their and kill one myself."
A group of Dracos explore the lower reaches of the mountain, as they collect different materials for their small homes and small boats/ rafts. Fruits of different kind are found on the plateaus, plains, forests and mountains- berries of different varieties are colllected and eaten and used in different ways.
Some of the boaters make their way out to sea, but they don't go far from the island- they stay close to the island to prevent getting lost. some of the rafts come apart from not being secured very well, so are successful to stay intact.
The Dracos have advanced to their peak for exploration, but they have not stopped there- they still have other islands, maybe even worlds, to discover. They must also establish a controlled and constitutional civilization.
Eonam decided it was best to tell the truth and said, "Alright, fine, I was with my parents. Is that such a horrible crime, master?"
----
Eon said, "Stop, we were not done talking. Before you leave, there is a demand I want to make. I want the return of my men, I don't want them dead, thank you very much."
He looked at him, chuckling to himself. "First you break ancient agreements, now you want to make demands. Sorry, I don't have the authority to return your men, and even if I could. I wouldn't."
"Your people have proven to be untrustowrthy and unreasonable. If, in one month, we find any of you within our lands, or within one hundred miles of our lands, there will be war, and it will be war unlike anything you have ever imagined in your most frightened nightmares. It shall not be a war of conquest, a battle between two forces, no. We will kill you when you hunt, when you tend your crops, when you care for your animals, where you go for water, when you squat, and when you sleep. All azorans. Every azoran. Your men. Your women. Your elders. Your children. We will nto fight you; we will simply kill you. Until we are finished and there are no more azorans in thisd world, only in the spirit world."
"And when that is finished, we will bring you back to our homeland, and bind those spirits to your corpses, that me might force you to endure an eternity of servitude. That is what your arrogance and unwillingness to compromise has brought uppon you and your people if you remain within our sight. Do you understand these terms?"
Eon barely held composer and said, "Do what you will, it is your land, but a word of warning. Do you see this armor and mace? These are weapons made by the gods themselves, specifically made to destroy your kind. You, and many effects of the Gray Wastes, are nigh-on powerless when I am around with my equipment. So, look at me, and know your weakness. Now then, I want you to find a way to release my men- now. The consequences may be painful."
Eon inspected his mace, as if to prove a point.
An exploring party of Dracos climb the sheer scale of the cliff- hanging on for dear life. They eventually get to the top and notice a perfectly shapen stone temple- towering over the straight landscape of the top of the mountain. Inside, lights were flickering- flaming torches were set. They went inside- one by one, observing the temple from the inside. They came across two statues- one was sitting in the left side of the room, carrying a book; the other was on the right, carrying a staff and had leaves on the base of the statue.
They observed the statues for the longest time, and below the mountain, more land was discovered- along with more plants and trees of different varieties. This island was flourishing with unending beauty. This was the island of life- sacred to the Dracos who would build walls out of wood and then progress to stone. They had named this island Morchek.
He called as he left. "Through your actions, not one of your men will ever come out of the wastes alive. You have doomed your entire race to the oblivion of history.
A small group of humites approached the Fifth Kingdom carrying the banners of each Terenean State. A woman in the middle held a simple staff in her hand and a sword across her back. The others had surrounded her, almost as a shield. When the group approached the border of the town, the woman in the middle told the border guards,
"My name is Ayles, I have been sent here as an envoy from the Terenean States which have come to an agreement on how to handle this matter. We wish to speak with whoever is in charge."
The war began. Not with soldiers sweeping across the land, or dragons flying through the air, or mages unleashing spells. In the silence of the night, it's masters descended. One or two, they would slip out of the darkness and slit a guards throat. They snuck into bedchambers and drained husbands and wives dry before tearing children apart. This was not war or battle as the azorans fought and trained for.
This was murder. The simple act of killing. No matter the method, no matter the means, azorans began dying. Squatting to relieve themselves, they died. Harvesting the crops, they died. Herding the animals, they died. The young, the old, the ill. Each azoran, even azoran, all azorans. All died. Many vampires and others were caught, but it mattered not. There were always more to send, younger vampires who sought the honor of killing, that their patrons and sires might smile upon them.
Endless numbers awaited in the depths of the wastes, or in the nations surrounding it, vampires living hidden lives who bent to the will of their elders, and made their way into the depths of the fifth nation, seeking revenge on the oath breakers.
The captain of the border guard responded to the humite and said, "Well, we can guide you to our lord, though I can make no promises on being able to actually meet him. It may not be obvious, but we are in a state of war at the moment."
Ayles responded indifferently, "Our being here is directly related to this war. I assure you that we aren't here for any docile matter. Lead the way in."
The captain nodded and said, "Follow me then." He walked through the gate, and they were instantly in the single town that made up the bulk of the Fifth Kingdom.
It was a simple town. The majority of the buildings were of wooden frame, and villagers could be seen conducting their daily basis, selling their wares, socializing, and so on. Children were playing in the streets. But one thing was apparent. It was visible in their faces. The Azorans were afraid. People were being murdered every night. The Azorans were slowly being killed off.
As much as she hated it, she would have liked to help them. Her own prejudices against vampires plus her disdain for seeing the innocent suffer made it difficult to keep her cold demeanor. But she persisted, knowing what was best for Terena.
"That is quite a shame. I would advise your leader listens very carefully to what I have to say, because it could determine how many more people will have to die."
The captain nodded somewhat sadly and continued in silence through the streets. Eventually they came upon a a stone keep rising above the sprawl of buildings. The gate into the keep was flanked by more guards. The captain said, "This is where I leave you. I must return to my post. Head on in, Eon should be ready to see you." The captain walked away.
The inside of the keep was sparsely decorated, other than a single, long, threadbare carpet. Sitting on a simple wooden chair at the end of the hall was a child-sized in armor in ridiculously oversized armor. In fact, he appeared to be a child in almost every manner, except for a faint divine spark in his eyes.
-----
The farmer was out on another long day of work, farming his food for himself and to sell at the market. He was far out in his field, working alongside his eldest son. In the cottage, his wife was with their newborn, and elsewhere in the field his youngest two sons were playing together.
Ayles enterred the keep while the rest of the humites present stayed behind. They were mostly a security force, not like she needed it.
When she approached Eon, she did a short bow, and then told him, "Greetings from the Terenean States. We are aware of the recent happenings of the Fifth Kingdom, and have a proposal for you. Since your situation seems a hopeless one, you should consider what I have to say very carefully."
Eon nodded and said, "What is your proposal? I am afraid I don't have much time... unfortunately, I'm the only thing the vampires are actually scared of..."
"Terena is willing to offer you aid, but with a condition. Seeing as this is our land, we are being quite annoyed that the vampires are fighting. So here's our offer: You abandon the Fifth Kingdom, and re-locate all of your troops and citizens to Terena. If the vampires follow you back there, then it is war. How do these terms suit you?"
Ayles was struggling to keep her composure. How much she wanted to smash those blighted creatures...
Eon sighed and said, "I fear it is already to late to leave. They threatened that if they saw us within a hundred miles of the Wastes, they would hunt down any Azoran in the world. If we were to leave, they would redirect their efforts to Azora itself, and they will likely pursue us to Terena..."
Ayles continued, "We are aware of the consequences of our actions, but if you want the death of every person in this town to be on your hands, then so be it."
Eon sighed and said, "I don't want to see this town destroyed... but I don't want to abandon it... I don't know what to do in a war, no, genocide, like this..."
"Then I'll give you some time to think. My retinue and I are going to return to Terena. You can retreat to our city whenever you wish."
Ayles bowed again, and left the room.
Eon bite his lip and said, "Wait! You're right... We can't carry on here... I will move us to Terena, under one condition. If the vampires follow us there, you will aid us, and we will attempt to retake the Fifth Kingdom."
"Good. Follow us back. We won't be stopping to sleep, so I suggest you bring wagons for the elderly"
Ayles exited the keep and turned at a strange angle to the right. It lead right into a wall eventually. However, right before hitting the wall, she stopped, and reached her hands out. They briefly glowed green, and a doorway opened to the Feywyld. She turned back to Eon, "This doorway will remain open until I close it. Evacuate all the citizens that you can before we leave. Make sure not to stray from the way we go; the fey dragons have been acting strange."