It is Begun... (Episode 0, 'Pilot')

Natrix

By the rise of the day's next light, Natrix said her farewell's and was off to seek out this shrine revealed in her dream. The thick tropical jungle surrounding the city of Nazim gave way in due course to the Steppes of Valcor, with their long abandoned cave abodes dotting the heights of the variegated strata of ages. Reaching the top, she crossed the blighted plains of Nothaag, where once a thousand year past a terrible war had corrupted the landscape for eternity.

Beyond the plains, Natrix spotted a lone hillock, not unlike a weathered step-pyramid, It is for here that she set her steps and finally reaches the base. A set of broken stone stairs wound upwards. The way was overgrown with weeds and dotted with remnants of a once majestic temple that stood atop. Determined, Natrix climbed.

We are experiencing technical difficulties
in our planar communications



Please stand by

Fall of the Guardians
...or the End of the Beginning



The massive Spikeworm tries to evade the incoming bolt of lethal electricity. It dives to one side, as it is hit by a glancing strike and...

......it suddenly hardens like stone from within and explodes!

The surprising blast sends pieces and shards in all directions, as Natrix watches from a safe distance.


As the dust clears Natrix notices something egg-shaped and coated with stone dust at the center of the blast zone. From her position it is difficult to say what it is exactly.

Tajuri Shadowmoon

Dark ichor spurts from the wound, as the demon weapon penetrates the ancient guardian's armor. Taj swings her gore-splattered weapon for a follow up attack and...

...it suddenly hardens like stone from within and explodes!

The surprising blast sends Tajuri reeling...

Taj is thrown backwards in the blast and lands on her back and rear. She holds her weapon out above her to repel any unseen further attacks, as she attempts to rise and survey the situation.

As the dust clears Tajuri notices something egg-shaped and coated with stone dust at the center of the blast zone. From her position it is difficult to say what it is exactly.

Dusting off her backside and using the pole of her naginata to steady herself, Tajuri cautiously approaches the strange object. She carefully prods it with the tip of her weapon until she can get a better idea of what it is and then, if it doesn't attack or explode, she will approach and examine it further.

The egg-shaped object appears to be made of some type of blue crystalline substance and is about the size of a human..wait..that is exactly the size and shape as a Human skull.

Tajuri summons Jael telepathically to join her atop the hill. She then stabs the butt end of her naginata into the ground and crouches to pick up the skull. She dusts it off and turns it to face her.

As Tajuri picks up the the blue skull, a Chaos symbol appears etched into its forehead and the mandible begins to move. A voice, like a chill wind blowing through the cracks of a mausoleum speaks to her.


"Who hath awakened the Keeper of the Gate of Never?"

"I am Tajuri Shadowmoon. Disciple of Desire and Hand of the Queen of Swords." Taj replies to be skull. "i have been summoned to this ancient place to take my place as Champion against the oblivion of all things."

"Hand of the Queen, indeed. I sense a will worthy of service within you."

Tajuri feels a slight tremor in the ground below her feet. At the top of the broken steps, near the free-standing archway, a stone pedestal pushes through the soil and debris. It rises up to approximately four foot in height and stops.

"You may proceed..."

Tajuri rises off the ground and glides over to the pedestal. She places the crystalline skull on the top of the pedestal and turns its face toward the open archway.

When there is a connection made between the skull and the pedestal, the crystalline cranium begins to glow from within. This radiance spreads down the pedestal and into the ground and moments later to the free-standing archway. The interior of the arch transforms with the glow. A runed portal appears in the eye of the arch and opens to reveal a glimpse of another realm.

A platform of dark stone, and beyond, buildings shrouded in the shadows of night.

Feeling something still in the palm of the hand she used to place the skull, Tajuri looks to find a miniature version of the blue skull clinging there to the skin.

"My service is yours to command. Drozmaoth the Keeper I am."

Tajuri closes her fingers around the miniature version of the Keeper's skull and, while she peers into the place revealed through the portal, awaits Jael's arrival with the palanquin and the four bearers.

On their arrival, Taj invites to Jael to join her and hand-in-hand they cross the threshold of the ancient arcane gate, with the rest of their entourage following.

Tajuri experiences an odd sensation she has previously never felt before, as she and Jael are pulled from the planar realm they are in and into another. It is very briefly disorienting. The palanquin and its four eunuch bearers appear to warp and stretch, as they too are pulled through the portal at the same moment Taj and Jael cross over.

On the other side, the orientation of the portal lies flat in a large circular platform. Tajuri, Jael, and their conveyance stand on a blue crystalline surface, that glows not unlike the emanation produced by activating the skull key upon the arisen pedestal. Beyond the landing zone the platform continues of a dark stone roughly in the shape of an oblong octagon, or a stylized eye.

At the focal points of each of the eight corners stands a hooded medium-sized statue facing inward toward the center of the portal. Each of these statues appear virtually identical and very lifelike in their crafting. The hoods seem empty, but give off the vibe that they are ever watching the gate.

Several low flowing steps around the octagon platform lead down to a grey cobblestone plaza. Wood and stone buildings surround the plaza, but all are dark. In the distance, torchlight and other forms of illumination can be seen scattered throughout the dark city surrounding.

The sound of moving waters alerts them to the docks just south of the arcane gate and the tops of masts and sails rise up behind some of the buildings in that direction. The sky is filled with dark clouds in an inky black sky. The visibility wall of the cloud cover is perhaps a couple hundred feet at most.

Movement coming from the northeastern end of the plaza finds a lone bipedal figure approaching with a lantern filled with a curious light of a purplish hue...

Tajuri moves in front of Jael defensively and calls out to the figure. "You there, stranger in the shadows! I have been summoned. Is this the City on the Edge of Forever?"

The lone figure is a tall man in a hooded robe. What at first looked like a lantern from a distance, looks like some type of strange one foot diameter orb of metal and resembling a eye. The purplish glow is emanating from the iris of the eye.

He looks over Tajuri and Jael, as he approaches and stands at the bottom of the platform.

"It is indeed called that by some. By others, it is the City of T'Lorn. Tajuri Shadowmoon I presume?" He directs to the Moonfolk with the polearm. "We have been expecting your arrival. You may call me Chamberlin. The Lord has prepared accommodations for your stay within the Octagon Tower of the palace. Please follow me..."

"I am." Tajuri answers the man's presumption affirmatively. She glides down from the landing platform and gestures Jael to follow within the palanquin. "Food, rest, and a bath sounds quite divine Mister Chamberlin." She admits, joining along side the man as he guides them to their destination. "It is very dark here in T'Lorn and the streets are empty. Is this part of the city abandoned?"

"Not exactly abandoned, m'Lady Shadowmoon. And—please, just Chamberlin." The man responds casually in stride. "Dormant is more appropriate, but now that we have guests arriving, it will soon awaken. By morrow, these streets will again be filled with those who dwell in the shadows of the Lord's palace."