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

It is Begun...

In the waning moments of twilight, pale dark-haired twins carefully ascend broken steps winding up a steep overgrown hillock. Fallen columns and remnants of ancient walls litter the forlorn landscape, as twisted trees seem to reach out for them. Girded in adamantine and gripping wicked gloomishingly glowing blades, the two muscular male dhampirs climb.

Suddenly, to their right, a horrid sickly pinkish globe of flesh rises over the top of a broken tower wall. Its great eye glowers at the intruders, as tentacles and it six eyestalks are set a quiver at the inevitable challenge it must defeat. Three of the smaller eyes glow with a fell power and fire rays of energy at the twins.

Radu attempts to get out of the way of the creature's attack, both himself and his Echo diving in mirrored directions from one another at the same time. He shakes his head and rights himself as one of the blasts hits him.

Radu is caught off-guard by the sight of the large central eye of the globulous creature.

Radu finds himself unable to move and for a moment completely loses concentration. His echo blinks out of existence.

The spherical obscenity hovers over to block Radu's path up the stairs and fires off three of its twitchy eyestalks again. Stunned, the dhampir can only stay motionless, as he feels the effects of the monster's barrage on him.

Radu feels the necrotic energy seep into his body. He struggles through the forces holding him back, trying to break free. "Enough!" he shouts. He manifests his Echo adjacent to the floating creature and strikes at it with incredible fury.

Tired of getting the wrong end of the eyestalks, Radu empowers his twin with the rage of his demon greatsword. The twin slashes away. Once. Twice. Thrice. And as the fourth attack comes for the floating bastard...

It is Begun...

In the waning moments of twilight, a shapely beautiful female, Moonfolk ascends broken steps winding up a steep overgrown hillock. Fallen columns and remnants of ancient walls litter the forlorn landscape, as twisted trees seem to reach out for her. Scantily clad and highly tattooed, she grips an intimidating naginata, as she glides upwards a foot off the ground.

Ahead, near a free-standing arch, a giant black scorpion rises from its rest beneath a gnarled tree. It raises its stingered tail and snaps its massive fore-pincers in challenge to the intruder.

Tajuri points the end of her naginata at the giant scorpion, makes a few gestures with her other hand and utters a couple dark words in high eldren - the demon tongue. "Ilnxl ao ljlao!"

A wave of eldritch power surges forth from the Moonfolk's weapon and slams into the giant dire scorpion. It shudders and then goes limp. Its tail slumps onto its armored back and its massive pincers drop against the ground.

Taj rushes to close the distance before the scorpion has a chance to snap out of its paralysis. She leaps onto the monstrous back and thrusts downward with her demon pact weapon. The razor sharp edge of the blade easily pierces through the armored carapace. She tears the polearm free and slices at the giant scorpion's poisonous tail stinger for a second attack.

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 is Begun...

In the waning moments of twilight, two riders upon winged mounts land upon a steep overgrown hillock. Fallen columns and remnants of ancient walls litter the forlorn landscape, as twisted trees seem to reach out for them. Seeing the lone free-standing arch ahead of them, they dismount to close and investigate. The first, a young Human female in fine leathers, with a tiny blue winged monkey, climbs down from her wyvern. The second, a tall muscular figure in full armor and hefting a massive greataxe, climbs down from a menacing-looking black winged nightmare.

Agitated by the sudden arrival of the intruders, a large dark blue, armored, serpentine monstrosity raises it reptilian head and rushes out of it resting spot with the ring of an old ruined tower. It rears up between the two intruders and the archway with the crackle and static glow of electricity snaking over its form.

"Blue, I have feeling this is going to hurt. Better pop out of sight for now." Kris tells her little winged monkey. She swallows hard and bursts across the field of the ruin to engage the lightning worm. Her demon-bound scimitar howls as it moves through the air, guided by the young woman's expert hand. Once. Twice, before she spins off and disengages the large serpentine creature.

The multi-legged serpentine dragon-kin turns and exhales a line of electrical energy after the young woman, then speeds forward to meet her tall armored companion with slashing claws.

An angered roar emerges from the armored warrior's helm. he hefts up the greataxe and cleaves away at his attacker, ripping two large gashes in the monster's chest.

Rolling with the shock of the behir's breath, Kris spins on her heels and races to attack as it mauls Killian. She slashes twice into the behir's flank with her demonic scimitar.

The demon scimitar carves through the ancient guardian's scaly hide. Kris swings her gore-splattered blade for a follow up attack and ...

It is Begun...

In the waning moments of twilight, an attractive female with jet black hair carefully ascends broken steps winding up a steep overgrown hillock. Fallen columns and remnants of ancient walls litter the forlorn landscape, as twisted trees seem to reach out for her. Girded seemingly in but fine garments and gripping an arcane staff, the tanned and slightly scaled Yuan-Ti Pureblood climbs.

Suddenly, the ground beneath her quakes and trembles. Something is moving beneath her. With a loud screech and sound of falling rocks and sod, a gigantic worm-like monstrosity erupts behind the ruined low wall of an ancient tower to her right. It massive maw bends toward her, threatening...

"I've ssseen bigger maggotsss, you little worm," Natrix hissed as her winged boots took her to the air and away from the slitherer. With a flick of her staff, the slitherer was engulfed in an icy blast!

The huge worm bellows in pain and rage, as the frost from the staff's spell engulfs it. It rises up as far as it can reach into the air, but falls to connect with the crafty Trickster.

"Freeze, now sssizzle!"

Natrix's staff reversed polarity to call down a fiery sphere onto the wurm!

First ice and now fire, the big spiky worm's hating life, as it can't fly to retaliate.

She'd been flashy but now Natrix had to conserve her staff's strength. Though she still used it as a focus, the power which flowed through her staff was her innate magic: a beam of fire aimed right at the worm's maw!

"Sssizzle!"

The giant worm thrashes and chews up some of its surroundings to put the fire out burning in it mouth.

"Why do you attack me, worm?!"

Natrix decided to be a bit less cautious after all.

"Crackle!"

A lightning bolt shot from her staff to electrify the beast!

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 is Begun...

In the waning moments of twilight, a shapely beautiful female, Tiefling ascends broken steps winding up a steep overgrown hillock. Fallen columns and remnants of ancient walls litter the forlorn landscape, as twisted trees seem to reach out for her. Scantily clad and tattooed, she grips a long gun, as she climbs.

Reaching the top of the rise, she sees a large winged beasts resting the branches of a gnarled tree. It notices her see well, and takes flight; hovering just above the tree. The great winged beast has three heads: A goat, a lion, and dragon. The dragon head opens its mouth and bellows out a a gout of flames, reaching halfway to the Tiefling. A warning to come no closer...

Leh'veia whistles a quick note from the start of The Song of Creation and an illusory star forms behind her head and begins to orbit around her head. Without missing a beat she brings her lyre into position, continuing the song started by her whistle. The melodies merge and intones her spell, the magic of Creation, the foundation upon which the whole of existence is founded weaves it's way into the mind of the beast. Below the tiefling woman dances and spins in time with the music, her routine well practiced and familiar. She gives a brief thought to how sad it is this creature, for all it's savage beauty, can't appreciate the performance she is giving. Each step in time, the motion of her body accentuating the notes of the song. If the creature were more than mere beast it might not even require the spell to be held captive by Leh'veia. By now the beast feels its muscles seizing into place, becoming like the stone upon which the bard delicately steps. It remains now only to see if it will succumb like so many great men and women have before.

The three-headed monstrosity hovers, as each individual head moves rhythmically to the sound of the voice and movement of the lovely intruder's body. Then, suddenly, the wings stop, the monster's whole body goes rigid, and it plummets straight down into the gnarled tree within which it has so recently been napping.

With the beast temporarily subdued, Leh'veia retrieves the demon So'yee, bound to her service and commands it to take rifle form, then her Broom of Flying, a wonderfully carved and inlaid cherry wood shaft whose bristles are made of a beautifully array of colorful flight feathers, a gift from some former patron or another, "Or was this taken as payment from one of those who thought me simple whore? No matter, onward."

Standing aside her broom she issues the command word and flies to where the beast dangle helplessly awaiting it's fate.

"Well, such a marvelous creature. Its a shame to destroy you really, but the challenge is not a test of mercy. At least, i don't think it is. Either way, I will make this as quick as I can." Leveling her weapon at the beast, placing the muzzle as close to it's heart as she can approximate, she opens fire.

The demon long gun's bullet pierces into the beast's chest, but still it breathes. The creature springs to life and lunges for the bard. Biting and clawing at it's attacker. The claws rip into Leh'veia's clothing and scratch into her flesh beneath.

"Bad kitty!" Leh'veia chides as another star appears briefly above her head, she then sings another tune and her motions increase in speed as So'yee changes into revolver form and she flies away she firing another shot at the chimera.

Taking a swipe as the enticing bard flies out of its clawing grasp, the Chimera quickly gives chase easily matching the speed of the broom. The dragon head bites and the goat horns slam into Leh'veia in midair.

Reeling from the vicious attack, Leh'veia unleashes another spell, hoping to overwhelm the creature's mind, filling its mind (...minds?) with maddening noise. While it is reeling from the magical assault, the bard uses her song to create another star mote.

The Chimera shakes all three of its heads in annoyance of the sound Leh'veia is producing and veers wide of her.

As the creature flees, she stabs at it with So'yee, then flies up over the tree to maintain her vantage point as the demon transforms back into a rifle. Once she's at her final vantage point, she fires again using the magic granted speed.

The Chimera endures both blade and bullet, then turns and flies directly toward Lehv, but coming up just shy of being able to attack her beofre the lovely bard can attempt to stop the three-headed guardian once again.

As the chimera enters the range of her spell, Leh'veia returns to the previous verse of her song, laying similar, but slightly weaker magic upon it. She follows that with another shot from So'yee before rocketing up and away from her previous position to maintain the distance from the beast.

The Chimera fights off the urge to scatter this time with the painful sound the bard creates and zooms straight up behind Leh'veia.

The demon gun fires...

It is Begun...

In the waning moments of twilight, a hooded figure in cybermonk robes ascends broken steps winding up a steep overgrown hillock. Fallen columns and remnants of ancient walls litter the forlorn landscape, as twisted trees seem to reach out for it. Wearing a mask behind the hood, the figure grips a dark-bladed shortsword in one hand, as it glides upwards a foot off the ground.
...
Alerted by something in the air perhaps, a large giant arachnid skitters up to the broken wall of a tower right of the long ancient steps and shoots a poisonous webbiing, that catches the hooded figure and restrains it.

Escaping his bonds, Keltos steps into the shadows and reappears away from the spider.

The giant spider skitters over the ruins and moves to stand over the location of her prey, but finds him not. It cast webbing over the area of the steps to deter the intruder's progress should it appear again.

Stepping into the shadow the distance between man and beast close instantly. Going on the offense Keltos lashes out with the dark blade seeking out nerves and meridians that would immobilize the creature.

The great spider is stunned.

Pushing his Advantage, Keltos continues the onslaught with a rapid flurry of unarmed attacks.

The tenacious and powerful arachnid survives the Shadow Monk's assault and goes on the offensive, slashing out with its barbed front legs and gnashing with its poisonous bite. Keltos is snagged by the second leg attack and finds one of his own legs hampered by webbing.

Seeing the necrosis spread from his sword's wound, Keltos is sure its only a matter of time before the spider is overcome...Webbing not withstanding, he moves into shadows again and flanks the hideous thing.

Not fooled by the Shadow monk's shadow play this time, the giant arachnid shifts its weight and attacks again with slashing legs and bite. Once more, the left, footed spider connects with the second leg attack; tearing its barbs through Keltos' skin.

More Slashing and kicking from Keltos, He was trying to conserve some of his strength, but at this point what good would that do dead?

The Shadow monk's dark blade thrusts into the ancient guardian's head. Keltos stabs his gore-splattered blade in for a follow up attack and...

It is Begun...

In the waning moments of twilight, a pale young male carefully ascends broken steps winding up a steep overgrown hillock. Fallen columns and remnants of ancient walls litter the forlorn landscape, as twisted trees seem to reach out for him. Girded in leather and gripping an arcane staff, the slender Aasimar climbs. At the top of the rise he sees a free-standing arch and makes to pass through it.

Suddenly, he sees a flurry of movement in the shadows of an ancient tower's foundation, as a writhing mass of tentacles and vines rushes through the underbrush on a course to intercept his progress.

Lucian sees the movement and reaches up to hold Useless's mouth closed, lest he make a noise in surprise. After moving just enough to see the creature properly he chooses a spot. An explosion of energy hits the area and its surroundings. Once it goes off, he taps the bottom of his staff on the ground, calling forth his Hound to settle ten feet in front of the creature.

The monstrosity of tentacles and vines seems befuddled by the pale young man's sorcery and is knocked prone by the attacking hound. Though, it quickly arights itself and wraps about the beast to tear into fur and flesh with its tentacles. Dark energy surges throughout the monstrous thing, as it literally begins sucking the life out of the hound and repairing the damage done to it.

The hound ignores the grapple to bite down on the tentacles around it. Lucian sends a wave of necrotic energy at the creature after gathering the energy to ignore the distance.

The monstrosity crushes the life out the Hound, then rapidly closes to where the young sorcerer is located. It whips out one of its tentacles to ensnare him, but narrowly misses.

His hound vanishes back to where it came from as the monster attempts to attack him. Luci gives a mutter under his breath he teleports behind the monster on the far side of the ruins. He turns to look at it again as Useless clings to his shoulder and causes a bright fire to come down to hit it.

Though, singed by the flame, the mass of tentacled fury instantly spins to reorient itself, the moment Lucian lands from his teleport, and speedily closes the distance to attack once more. It fails to either bite or entangle the elusive sorcerer in its multiple attacks.

As the creature goes to attack him, Lucian repeats the teleport to once more appear behind the creature at a distance. Once re-positioned, he points to the ground below it and a blast of acid hits the area.

The acidic emerald sphere explodes capturing the tentacled monstrosity in its blast. The infuriated menace races toward the sorcerer's latest location and...

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Eternal: Ascendance of the Eight

Radu Hove

Six nights ago...

There was a peaceful serenity in a handsome, pale face wreathed in long pure, black locks. Dhampir, his kind is and blood of the Nether. Piercing red glowing eyes, snapped open of a sudden—breaking the calm in the place Radu had chosen this fateful night to rest his head.

Was it a sound that had awakened him or simply a feeling that something was off in the stillness of this night?

Then it came—a whisper unlike another he had ever heard. Calling his name...

"Radu Hove. You are chosen above all of your realm. The multiverse needs Champions once more."

The awakened sleeper rises to a sitting position and peers into the shadowy vacancy of his surroundings, but sees nothing amiss—nothing out of place.

"Seek out the legendary Shrine of the Dead God, Kwll. Defeat the guardian. Reveal the gate."

The muscular Dhampir listens, as the disembodied powerful whisper speaks yet again. He rolls out of his resting place, takes up the half spent candle in its holder at the side of his bed, and takes a few cautious steps in the direction of the voice.

"Find the key. Unlock the Dark Eye of Oblivion. Enter the City on the Edge of Forever. Destiny awaits the Champions Eternal..."

Something catches the alert Dhampir's eye in his periphery. He turns to see a mirror hanging before him a short distance away and brings the illumination of the candle up to better see the reflection within. What he sees there catches him off-guard and causes him to drop the holder, with its lit candle. The face looking back at him from the flat surface is not his own, but that of a muscular bald male with ashen grey skin and eyes aflame like his own.

As the candle hits the floor, Radu is startled awake. He turns and notices the candle and its holder are no longer at the side of his resting place, but on the floor. The smoke from its extinguished wick twirls upward, like a fleeting spectre, into the air...

"What in the nine hells?" Radu says, immediately awake and alert. He sits up, his muscular, pale red upper body coming freed of the bed sheets. He turns his heads and notes the two sleeping women next to him: Crimson Queens - those that exchange their bodies and blood for favor and power. He stands, quickly wrapping his naked form in a dark robe.

He stands within the bedchamber of his manor. This room, like all the others, match the exterior of the manor - large, gothic, dark, and ostentatious. He steps to the candle and bends to pick it up. His long, dark hair falls down over his shoulders, outlining the short spiraled horns on his head. "Idz," he says gruffly, "Are you there? Was this your doing?"

As if summoned by the Dhampir's naming, a black butterfly emerges from the darkness at the corners of the room.

"What are you caterwauling about Fang Boy? Some of us are trying to get some shuteye up in here. NO! Wasn't me! So—go bang your whores and give me a break, huh?"

The angry butterfly flitters back toward the darkness...

"Idz," Radu says, commanding the creature. "You will remain a moment. Did you sense a disturbance during my slumber at all? If it were not you, it seems I have been summoned by someone, or something. What do you know of the Shrine of the Dead God, Kwll?"

"Disturbance?" The pesky little demon questions. "Like a fart in the night wind?"

"Summoned? Who would summ—? Nevermind. Never heard of this shrine. Should I do some research on it? It may take a while..."

Radu exhales and waves his hand dismissively. "Yes, go and learn what you can."

He turns to see Ruby sitting up in the bed.

"Is everything alright, my lord?" she asks.

"I...believe so, yes. You and Rosie will prepare to travel on the morrow. There appears to be a place I must be." He walks gracefully over to the bed and drops his cloak before crawling back into the bed. "Until then, I have need of your sweet gifts, my Queen." He presses his lips and body to hers and takes her.

Lucian Falken

Four nights ago...

There was a peaceful serenity in an almost angelic face wreathed in locks of black hair. Aasimar, his kind is. Blue-lilac eyes, snapped open of a sudden—breaking the calm in the place Lucian had chosen this fateful night to rest his head.

Was it a sound that had awakened him or simply a feeling that something was off in the stillness of this night?

Then it came—a whisper unlike another she had ever heard. Calling her name...

"Lucian Falken. You are chosen above all of your realm. The multiverse needs Champions once more."

The awakened sleeper rises to a sitting position and peers into the shadowy vacancy of his surroundings, but sees nothing amiss—nothing out of place.

"Seek out the legendary Shrine of the Dead God, Kwll. Defeat the guardian. Reveal the gate."

The Fallen Aasimar listens, as the disembodied powerful whisper speaks yet again. He rolls out of his resting place, takes up the half spent candle in its holder at the side of his bed, and takes a few cautious steps in the direction of the voice.

"Find the key. Unlock the Dark Eye of Oblivion. Enter the City on the Edge of Forever. Destiny awaits the Champions Eternal..."

Something catches the alert Aasimar's eye in his periphery. He turns to see a mirror hanging before him a short distance away and brings the illumination of the candle up to better see the reflection within. What he sees there catches him off-guard and causes him to drop the holder, with its lit candle. The face looking back at him from the flat surface is not his own, but that of a young Human female—pleasant to behold.

As the candle hits the floor, Lucian is startled awake. He turns and notices the candle and its holder are no longer at the side of his resting place, but on the floor. The smoke from its extinguished wick twirls upward, like a fleeting spectre, into the air...

His jolt upon waking ended up with him sitting upright as he watched the candle's smoke drift and vanish. This was nothing new for Lucian in general - between terrors and their memories from his mind and the very real, very strange things that happened to him - and his only sleeping partner gave a snuff of light concern. He reached over to the pseudodragon's head and stroked the path down the center of it with the tips of two fingers. The little dragon, a male, was the colours of sand and dirt; an oddly pleasant combination as the darker brown of his feet, horns and wing bones gave in to the varying shades of yellow the closer to the center of the dragon it got.

"It's alright, Useless." The name wasn't given by Lucian, but by his friend themselves. Even though he disagreed with the name, he followed his friend's wishes and used it. Useless, sensing that Lucian was still unsettled, woke up fully and sat by his side. The dragon wasn't wrong, as he could feel the tension going through him. The desire to fight the threat which didn't exist at this specific moment. His eyes fell onto the sole mirror in the room, and he got up to look before really thinking about it.

The room was the small one he had rented on a weekly basis when he had entered this city. Not ideal, but he had never yet stayed for long in one place, so he couldn't justify the expense of a more permanent - or more expensive - arrangement. Everything he owned was kept within his saddlebags or his magical bag.

The night had been a warm one and Lucian didn't bother throwing a shirt on. If someone walked in he was decent enough in pants, and that wouldn't really be the issue in that event anyway. The mirror showed him what he expected to see - a slim, almost too pale but not quite yet white skinned man. There was no trace of the female from his dream, or vision thing. No, his hair was it's normal black - if messy from his sleep - and his eyes were their usual odd blend of light blue and lilac. He leaned closer to the mirror and felt an odd sense of relief when he could see the now familiar darkness within them. A hint of madness, perhaps, but the lingering effect of predatory instincts and horrors survived.

He let out a breath in relief before shifting to pick up the candle and return it to it's place. Useless cocked his head to the side and offered a chitter in question. Luci just smiled slightly until he came to a decision. The shrine wasn't exactly far, and there were only two days left before he needed to pay more rent. "What do you say to a road trip? Wouldn't be the first time we've followed a strange being." The little dragon seemed to think for a moment before chirping in enthusiasm. "Wonderful, I'm sure Marengo would like to get out of the stables again as well." Until dawn though, an attempt to gain more rest.

Useless nuzzles up against Lucian and soon falls back asleep. Tomorrow would be a long day and the first of many to come.

Leh'veia

Four nights ago...

There was a peaceful serenity in a beautiful feminine, pale red face wreathed on the right side in raven black locks. Twisting dark horns adorn her forehead. Tielfing, her kind is. Purple eyes, like priceless amethyst, snapped open of a sudden—breaking the calm in the place Leh'veia had chosen this fateful night to rest her head.

Was it a sound that had awakened her or simply a feeling that something was off in the stillness of this night?

Then it came—a whisper unlike another she had ever heard. Calling her name...

"Leh'veia. You are chosen above all of your realm. The multiverse needs Champions once more."

The awakened sleeper rises to a sitting position and peers into the shadowy vacancy of her surroundings, but sees nothing amiss—nothing out of place.

"Seek out the legendary Shrine of the Dead God, Kwll. Defeat the guardian. Reveal the gate."

The Tiefling listens, as the disembodied powerful whisper speaks yet again. She rolls out of her resting place, takes up the half spent candle in its holder at the side of her bed, and takes a few cautious steps in the direction of the voice.

"Find the key. Unlock the Dark Eye of Oblivion. Enter the City on the Edge of Forever. Destiny awaits the Champions Eternal..."

Something catches the alert Tielfing's eye in her periphery. She turns to see a mirror hanging before her a short distance away and brings the illumination of the candle up to better see the reflection within. What she sees there catches her off-guard and causes her to drop the holder, with its lit candle. The face looking back at her from the flat surface is not her own, but that of a snow-white Moonnfolk female—lovely and enticing.

As the candle hits the floor, Leh'veia is startled awake. She turns and notices the candle and its holder are no longer at the side of her resting place, but on the floor. The smoke from its extinguished wick twirls upward, like a fleeting spectre, into the air...

Leh'veia propped herself up on an elbow to look at where the candle lay a few feet from the bed. Messages had been delivered to her in dreams before, but having details manifest in the real world without the actual presence of a demon, which So'yyee or Paiknevisex would have warned her of, is a new one.

The sound of the sheets moving let her know her movement had woken someone else. The hand that softly caressed her breast told her it was The Empress Pala. "Why are you awake Lehv?" she asked in a soft whisper as her hand continued to travel lightly across the tiefling's skin. The dark caramel of the Pala's hand was stark contrast to the faded crimson of Leh'veia's. The touch sent shivers of desire through the bard's demon blood, but the message from the dream called her. Palknevisex, the Leh'veia's bound demon of desire rose next on the other side of Pala, their current form that of a plump copper haired youth that had caught the attention of the royal eyes earlier that day. The demon was bound to fulfil any desire Leh'veia had, and it watched now for a signal where to begin. As skilled as Palnevsex was at their art, Leh'veia did not desire that in the moment and motioned toward the table across the room where her preferred honey wine was being chilled for morning refreshment.

As the demon went to complete it's assigned task, Leh'veia moved toward the end of the bed, careful not to rouse the emperor from his sleep as she had his wife. Padding softly toward the moonlit balcony, the devil woman allowed the silk curtains to embrace her bare skin as she passed from the warm room into the chill air of the night. The guards stationed at either end of the balcony turned to note her presence. Their eyes should have gone back to watching the night as soon as possible, but few could resist staring at Leh'veia.

She felt their eyes trying to trace the path of the tattooed dragon as it wound around her lithe shoulders to her large breasts and back to the small of her back, just above her tight buttocks. Or maybe she guessed wrong and it was the snake on her well toned thighs that wove itself through the demon skull and desert plants, ending high on her hip as if poised to strike anyone attempting to breach her most intimate regions without permission. Or perhaps the moonlight had caught one of the many beautiful pieces of jewels she used to adorn her nipples, navel, or sex that had held their rapt attention. The helm's the emperor's bodyguards wore darkened the eyes of the guards so Leh'veia couldn't be sure where their eyes lingered, but she knew at least that they did. A yawn overtook her and Leh'veia stretched and flexed her dancers legs so she rose up on her toes, and her arms high into the sky. She shook out her coal black hair and the last traces of sleep from her mind as the empress joined her, equally skyclad.

The guards were much quicker to return to their duties and pretending the two women didn't exist. It was one thing to ogle the royal companion when she paraded around the bedchamber naked, it was a crime punishable by death to be caught doing the same to the wife of the ruler of these lands and this castle. He was a jealous man after all. It had taken more than a little convincing by Pala and Leh'veia that he should quit thundering about and just get in bed with them when they had all first met all those months ago. The shorter woman wrapped her arms around Leh'veia and pressed her slightly smaller chest against the bard's back. Leh'veia leaned into the embrace and the pair stood quietly for a time. Soft kisses from the empress were next, placed at random intervals back and forth across the tieling's back.

In a short time Palknevisex appeared, still wearing the round freckled tawny face of the young peasant boy, the borrowed member proudly parting the curtains first, followed by two goblets of the desired drink. "Again, my love, what has your mind so turned about that you would abandon me so quickly in the dark of night without a word?' Pala asked.

"My apologies, my love, tis but a dream. A dream and a message. One that I knew would one day come, but did not seek. I'm afraid I must part from your home, and your bed." Leh'veia responded.

The empress frowned and sighed. "Well, I had hoped to keep you longer, but if you must go, let tonight be something we remember and cherish." Empress Pala answered. The two women embraced passionately upon the balcony. Then came a bellow from inside the bedchamber. The Emperor had awoken.

"WIFE! Where have you hidden yourself! You are needed!"

The two women laughed. They new exactly what he wanted. So Leh'veia turned to Palknevisex. "Be a dear and go tend to our emperor's needs." The demon's form started to shift into the Empress's but Leh'veia spoke again. "But keep that. Make that a little surprise." She pointed between the demon's legs.

The newly transformed demon entered the room in the nearly complete guise. Several moments later the emperor roared again and Palknevisex reappeared through the curtain, held by the arm by a raging monarch. "My liege, my love, forgive the prank. It was our juvenile attempt at making light of a sad fact. Leh'veia has discovered the next path she must walk. Tonight is our last night together."

"Ah! No, I am not really mad. It was a good jest, but come we must do our best to tempt our beloved Lehv to stay, though I think even I may fail in this endeavor."

---

The next morning Leh'veia left the royal chambers before either of their majesties rose. She traveled light and had her warhorses ready to find the lost Shrine.

Keltos the Seeker

Two nights ago...

There was a peaceful serenity in a flawless porcelain face and it traces of gold beneath. Cyborg, his kind is. Gearhead is the moniker given his type. Silver eyes filled with geometric patterns, snapped open of a sudden—breaking the calm in the place Keltos the Seeker had chosen this fateful night to rest his head.

Was it a sound that had awakened him or simply a feeling that something was off in the stillness of this night?

Then it came—a whisper unlike another he had ever heard. Calling his name...

"Keltos the Seeker. You are chosen above all of your realm. The multiverse needs Champions once more."

The awakened sleeper rises to a sitting position and peers into the shadowy vacancy of his surroundings, but sees nothing amiss—nothing out of place.

"Seek out the legendary Shrine of the Dead God, Kwll. Defeat the guardian. Reveal the gate."

The Cyborg listens, as the disembodied powerful whisper speaks yet again. He rolls out of his resting place, takes up the half spent candle in its holder at the side of his bed, and takes a few cautious steps in the direction of the voice.

"Find the key. Unlock the Dark Eye of Oblivion. Enter the City on the Edge of Forever. Destiny awaits the Champions Eternal..."

Something catches the alert Cyborg's eye in his periphery. He turns to see a mirror hanging before him a short distance away and brings the illumination of the candle up to better see the reflection within. What he sees there catches him off-guard and causes him to drop the holder, with its lit candle. The face looking back at him from the flat surface is not his own, but that of a Yuan-Ti Pureblood female—pleasant, though secretive.

As the candle hits the floor, Keltos is startled awake. He turns and notices the candle and its holder are no longer at the side of his resting place, but on the floor. The smoke from its extinguished wick twirls upward, like a fleeting spectre, into the air...

In the depths of darkness, a hooded figure slowly raises his gaze, unveiling an emotionless mask that conceals his true countenance. Behind the cold visage, eyes pure white, polished and woven through with geometric patterns of gold stare blankly. It is a convergence of ancient magic and enigmatic science, a visual symphony that whisper of secrets untold.

A shudder runs through the figure's form as a flicker of awareness dances across his features, his head tilting with an unsettling insect-like precision, as if sensing the presence of something not of this world. In the dimly lit chamber, lanterns flicker and cast eerie shadows that writhe like specters in the abyss.

With a voice that sends tremors through the very air, the figure speaks, "Take me there." his words both commanding and foreboding. Silence…and a short pause before the room quakes and the seeker finds himself pushed deeply into his chair. His declaration pure and absolute hints of an insatiable hunger for knowledge, and unyielding desire to unravel the mysteries that lie beyond the veil.

Not long after the Veritas has gotten under way at Keltos' command, there is a tone at the captain's chamber hatch. With a wave of his hand, Keltos can see an image of his Bo'sun standing outside the cabin.

"Captain Keltos, the Veritas is engaging nexus drive. Should I prepare the crew for battle? What is our objective, Sir?"

"ENTER!"

"I have received a vision. A wondrous or terrible journey lay ahead. Ready the crew for war, but pray for peace. We will not be caught unready."

"Aye. I'll ready the crew." He pauses, then asks as he's turning to take his leave. "Our destination, Captain?"

"There is a shrine two days from here. A Shrine to the Dead God, Kwill. Legend says there is portal to other worlds within. I have come to believe this is no legend. We have seen much of this world you and I. What say you to new worlds?"

"Bring it on! We're due a change of scenery at that, Captain." The Bo'Sun responds and then makes his exit to roust the crew for their latest adventure.

Kris Amani
Killian Maal

Two nights ago...

There was a peaceful serenity in an attractive youthful, feminine, face wreathed in slightly curled black locks. Human, her kind is. Vistani her ethnicity. Pleasant blue grey eyes, snapped open of a sudden—breaking the calm in the place Kris had chosen this fateful night to rest her head.

Was it a sound that had awakened her or simply a feeling that something was off in the stillness of this night?

Then it came—a whisper unlike another she had ever heard. Calling her name...

"Kris Amani. You are chosen above all of your realm. The multiverse needs Champions once more."

The awakened sleeper rises to a sitting position and peers into the shadowy vacancy of her surroundings, but sees nothing amiss—nothing out of place.

"Seek out the legendary Shrine of the Dead God, Kwll. Defeat the guardian. Reveal the gate."

The young Vistani listens, as the disembodied powerful whisper speaks yet again. She rolls out of her resting place, takes up the half spent candle in its holder at the side of her bed, and takes a few cautious steps in the direction of the voice.

"Find the key. Unlock the Dark Eye of Oblivion. Enter the City on the Edge of Forever. Destiny awaits the Champions Eternal..."

Something catches the alert Vistani's eye in her periphery. She turns to see a mirror hanging before her a short distance away and brings the illumination of the candle up to better see the reflection within. What she sees there catches her off-guard and causes her to drop the holder, with its lit candle. The face looking back at her from the flat surface is not her own, but that of a boyishly handsome pale, male Aasimar.

As the candle hits the floor, Kris is startled awake. She turns and notices the candle and its holder are no longer at the side of her resting place, but on the floor. The smoke from its extinguished wick twirls upward, like a fleeting spectre, into the air...

A blur of blue fur hopped from the lower half of the bed, even before Kris could pull back the covers and move to investigate the fallen candle and its holder. "Blue? What is it, boy?" The tiny blue-furred Capuchin looked up innocently with candle and holder in its little hands and jumped back onto the bed beside the teen.

She grinned and accepted the presents from her little buddy and rubbed the top of the monkey's head while she placed the candle back from where it had fallen. "Very curious, huh Blue? Strange visions in the middle of the night and surely this was intended for Killian, not me." The slight accent of her people inflected her words, but only slight, as she had been immersed in a world not her own and surrounded by gorger from an early age.

Kris adjusts the one strap of her short black satin chemise and places her bare feet on the rug, before standing and stretching. She was and attractive girl by most standards and had filled out over the last few years, even though she didn't often announce it with her clothing choices. The young woman of Vistani heritage was still trying to deal with her physical changes and decide whether she was more comfortable dressing down her matured body or accentuating the new curves she had developed. Adulting was so confusing sometimes.

Finding her balance, she reached over her exposed left shoulder and scratched at the sorcerer's brand given to her upon completion of her Trials of Becoming. It depicted an open eye with an X at the center of the pupil. "Many questions I have. Like, who was the boy in the mirror? Should I know him? Was he the one who sent me the message? That voice certainly didn't fit the image, huh Blue?"

Kris wandered over to the old antique mirror on the Black Horse Inn's wall and reached out cautiously to touch the smooth pane of silvered glass within. Her own expressive bluish grey eyes looked back at her from it and she crinkled her nose, in that funny little way she had, at the thoughts running through her head.

While Kris stands at the mirror, there is a knock at her room's door.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

After a pause, Killian's deep voice can be heard through the door. "Lady Amani? Is all well with you? I have had a strange visitation..."

Out in the small hall connecting the two well-appointed guests rooms, stands a towering muscular male with ash gray skin and blazing motes for eyes. He rubs a hand over his bald pate and leans against the wall next to the door. He is wearing only a pair of black loose-fitting pants drawn together at the waist with a corded string.

"There was a stranger in the mirror—a vampire by the look of him or a devil." Killian relays through the closed door. "We must be away with the coming of dawn. I have been summoned..."

Morning is heralded by the rooster's crow, as Kris and Killian gather their belongings and set out on their new quest...

Kris feeds her pet wyvern, Vulnerhaak, prior to affixing the riding harness to her. It hasn't been lost on the young bladesinger, after the brief conversation with Killian following the dream they both had, that she had indeed been called to become possibly a champion. Kris had never really aspired to be such. She was content to travel as the Goliath Oathbreaker's companion and oft voice of reason. Whoever had summoned them must either be desperate for heroes or they know more of her potential than she ever has.

Tajuri Shadowmoon

Two nights ago...

There was a peaceful serenity in a beautiful feminine, snow-white face wreathed in fine silver-white locks. Soratami, her kind is. Though, they are commonly known through the planes as Moonfolk. Golden yellow eyes, slightly uplifted at the outer corners, snapped open of a sudden—breaking the calm in the place Tajuri had chosen this fateful night to rest her head.

Was it a sound that had awakened her or simply a feeling that something was off in the stillness of this night?

Then it came—a whisper unlike another she had ever heard. Calling her name...

"Tajuri Shadowmoon. You are chosen above all of your realm. The multiverse needs Champions once more."

The awakened sleeper rises to a sitting position and peers into the shadowy vacancy of her surroundings, but sees nothing amiss—nothing out of place.

"Seek out the legendary Shrine of the Dead God, Kwll. Defeat the guardian. Reveal the gate."

The Moonfolk listens, as the disembodied powerful whisper speaks yet again. She rolls out of her resting place, takes up the half spent candle in its holder at the side of her bed, and takes a few cautious steps in the direction of the voice.

"Find the key. Unlock the Dark Eye of Oblivion. Enter the City on the Edge of Forever. Destiny awaits the Champions Eternal..."

Something catches the alert Moonfolk's eye in her periphery. She turns to see a mirror hanging before her a short distance away and brings the illumination of the candle up to better see the reflection within. What she sees there catches her off-guard and causes her to drop the holder, with its lit candle. The face looking back at her from the flat surface is not her own, but that of a Tiefling female—lovely and seductive.

As the candle hits the floor, Tajuri is startled awake. She turns and notices the candle and its holder are no longer at the side of her resting place, but on the floor. The smoke from its extinguished wick twirls upward, like a fleeting spectre, into the air...

Tajuri thrust out a ghostly white arm adorned with a dark leather bracer tight against the narrow wrist. A blue glow revealed an eye at the center of that small bracer and the candle leapt off the floor and into the awaiting hand and its long slender fingers. The candle seemingly lit itself, as Taj placed it back on the side table and carefully extracted her otherwise nude body from the sensual embrace to the pale-skinned and auburn-haired beauty entangled arms and legs about the Moonfolk Hexblade's snow white body.



Tajuri's was a body envied by many and desired by much more. She had been well trained in the ways of seduction and pleasure during her days and nights as a sacred prostitute in the inner sanctum of the Lord of Pleasures, Slortar. She knew intimately how to incite desire and fulfill it.

The smooth flawless texture of her form was marred only by the most excellent of magical inks, in true blacks and dark silvers to more enhance her allure than detract from it. Jagged tribal claws wrapped about her shoulders and down both arms, like an arcane ephermal ribbon. Protective sigils held her covetously in its expanses over the toned curves of white. A single, downward thrust inked sword hung precariously between the small shallow of her navel and the slight visible cleft at top of her promise of paradise.

Sliding to the edge of the fine viridian silks clothing the large dark, four-poster bed, the tall lithe Soratami female stood and ritually shook out the long silver white tresses hanging to the small of her back. Her body was neither muscular, nor skinny, but well toned and agile. Her Soratami ancestry had blessed her with an appearance of vibrant youth unhampered by the rigors of gravity and age that caused most humanoids to sag and wrinkle long before their time. This gave Tajuri firm perky breasts and a high tight derriere, as her most prominent assets to viewers and admirers.

Taj glided effortlessly over to the mirror to see, beyond reason, whether the Tiefling from her dream might actually be there to stare back from the other side. It was a mixture of relief and disappointment, to find it was not to be. She lingered there for a moment longer and touched the hardening peaks of her breasts exposed in the air of the night. Then, brushed a hand downward over the detailed features of the blade tattoo and the smoothness of her mons.

There would be many questions she needed answers to in the coming days, but now the excitement of it all had aroused her in more ways than one. Taj glided back over to the bed to find her companion, Jael, with head propped up on palm and elbow, on her side, and one hand slowly unabashedly massaging her own sex, in eager hopes of what was to come.

"You seem tense, my Princess." Jael coos from the mattress top; rubbing herself with two fingers and smiling seductively at Tajuri. Her eyes are a blackness that draws in the object of their focus. Her unique skin is like textured cream embossed with patterns covering every delectable inch of her. There is no hint of hair save the luxurious dark auburn tresses that cascade down to the cute little cleft of her ass.

She gives the Moonfolk female a come hither gesture with the moistened fingers, before sliding them back down to the tight breach at the juncture of her shapely thighs. "Let your demon girl take the edge off. Tell me what's on your mind. I can see your thoughts. Words are never necessary between the two of us, my Princess."

"You make an invitation that is impossible to refuse." Taj said with a grin, looking the lovely demoness plaything up and down. She climbed back onto the bed, pushing the naughty Jael onto her back, and climbed astride. Playfully pinning the soft creamy shoulders down to the mattress, the snowy Moonfolk pressed her lower abdomen and sex to that of her captive. "I have a lot of edge that needs your attention, my fiery love. Let us fill the rest of our night with moans of pleasure and come morning set out to find this place of ancient lore."

Jael playfully resists against being restrained and defiantly leans upwards long enough to plant a kiss on Tajuri's lips. She laughs and presses upward to meet her lover's contact of their bodies.

Fade to Black

Morning arrives far too early for the late night lovers and morning soon becomes afternoon before Tajuri and her demon, Jael, gather their belongings and set out on their quest for the Shrine...

Natrix Xenodon

Five nights ago...

There was a peaceful serenity in a pleasant mature, feminine, mocha-toned face wreathed in pure black locks. Yuan-Ti, her kind is. Pureblood is the name given to those, like she, who walk upon two legs. Emerald green eyes, snapped open of a sudden—breaking the calm in the place Natrix had chosen this fateful night to rest her head.

Was it a sound that had awakened her or simply a feeling that something was off in the stillness of this night?

Then it came—a whisper unlike another she had ever heard. Calling her name...

"Natrix Xenodon. You are chosen above all of your realm. The multiverse needs Champions once more."

The awakened sleeper rises to a sitting position and peers into the shadowy vacancy of her surroundings, but sees nothing amiss—nothing out of place.

"Seek out the legendary Shrine of the Dead God, Kwll. Defeat the guardian. Reveal the gate."

The Yuan-Ti listens, as the disembodied powerful whisper speaks yet again. She rolls out of her resting place, takes up the half spent candle in its holder at the side of her bed, and takes a few cautious steps in the direction of the voice.

"Find the key. Unlock the Dark Eye of Oblivion. Enter the City on the Edge of Forever. Destiny awaits the Champions Eternal..."

Something catches the alert Yuan-Ti's eye in her periphery. She turns to see a mirror hanging before her a short distance away and brings the illumination of the candle up to better see the reflection within. What she sees there catches her off-guard and causes her to drop the holder, with its lit candle. The face looking back at her from the flat surface is not her own, but that of a bald male Cyborg—flawless porcelain skin showing traces of gold beneath and penetrating silver eyes.

As the candle hits the floor, Natrix is startled awake. She turns and notices the candle and its holder are no longer at the side of her resting place, but on the floor. The smoke from its extinguished wick twirls upward, like a fleeting spectre, into the air...

The dream was more real than most but fortunately not as lethal as a few could be. Whose face had that been, partly metal, partly real?

Next to Natrix, her enemy with benefits slept soundly. Like her, he was also a Yuan-Ti pureblood, blessed (or cursed) with an almost human appearance. They were the lowest of their species, those who looked and smelled most like the dirty apes. At least she didn't find him as repulsive as higher castes would.

Guests weren't usually allowed in a Tower of High Sorcery, especially not a guest who was a notorious spellsword assassin for the forces of chaos. Natrix had her ways and had a bit of leeway with her Lords of Neutrality patrons, and that was just enough leeway for her lover to slip in and spend the night. They'd met when her former masters, Yuan-Ti Lords of Chaos, sent him to kill her for defection and the murder of her insane former handler. The two found fighting between the sheets preferable to fighting to the death, and so their relationship began. Natrix briefly wondered if she could tell him of her dream but dismissed the notion. He didn't speak of his work unless it directly affected her, so she wouldn't mention this oddity unless it became a problem for him, too.

She rose silently from the bed, her bare bronze skin beautiful in the moonlight, her black hair flowing down to the middle of her back. She opened her third eye once she reached the fallen candle, not truly expecting to find any magical residue but she had to be sure. If there was nothing, she'd wake him up for more carnal sparring. If there was something, the sparring could wait. She hoped for nothing.

Natrix indeed finds nothing else amiss in the chamber and nothing out of the way about the mirror.



"Trix?" Came the familiar voice of Dmetrio from the bed. "Unless we are under attack by phantom assassins, come back to bed."

The sparring, it seemed would continue a bit longer this night.

Radu

The morrow comes.

Lord Radu surveyed the small contingent of his personal entourage and then climbed aboard the resplendent carriage to join his intimate traveling companions within.

Idz had finally, begrudgingly, revealed the location of the shrine from Radu's dream, along with a few details of its reputed import in the past. The shrine had once been a part of a temple complex dedicated to an ancient primordial god-being named Kwll. Legend went, that this alien god had went into a self-imposed exile through a planar gate inside the temple and was entombed in the vaults beneath an eternal city, called Tanelorn.

Nearly a week on the road, through the deep valley pass of the World's Scar and circumventing the mountainous spires of the Dark Lord's Horns, Radu and his cadre arrive at the base of a forlorn hillock. It is here that Idz informs the Dhampir Lord they have arrived at their destination.

Radu departed the company of his retinue and climbed up alone to seek out some answers to the many unanswered questions he still had about this entire affair.

Lucian

Relatively on schedule, Lucian and his companions exit the gates of Thalmen and set off across the countryside. Their four days of travel see them through forests, a storm on the plains, and crossing the outskirts of mire along the northern rim of the Nelfar Swamp.

Lucian discovers the shrine almost by accident, as he rested for a moment, on the fourth day, at the base of a squat crooked hillock. It is only then that he took notice of the winding broken stone steps leading up a narrow overgrown path. Tying off Margeno's lead, Lucian climbed up to investigate.

Lucian couldn't say if it was luck or fate that he stumbled upon his destination. He couldn't say if it was even good or bad. Still, the fact remained that he was here, and it was a convenient discovery. Marengo gave a snort from behind him, and Luci smiled to himself but kept climbing. Something tingled up his spine, an awareness or just a creepy feeling from the ruins. Either way, he decided to pay more attention as he reached the top of the stairs.

Leh'veia

Leh'veia's journey took her and Palknevisex along the edge of the Sighing Desert skirting the way through along a dry river bed. Shortly before the headlands of the once mighty river, the horse-drawn chariot found purchase out of the canyon pass and up into rolling hills that formed the knees of the Frathyn Mountain Range. Climbing over the first mountains upon a narrow near forgotten trail, Lehv was witness to a ancient valley nestled between the peaks. There, in the valley, was a lone hillock topped by the ruins of an ancient temple.

Making her way to the base of this hill, Lehv left her demon companion with the horses and their conveyance and climbed up to investigate.

Keltos

The Veritas makes good time on the nexus planar drifts and drops out of the wormhole approximately two days later. Navigation determines that the dark waters of its landing are off the coast of the Archipelagos of Trapanga, in the shark-infested straits of the Forbidden Triangle.

Lookouts quickly spot land within an hour and the sentient vessel expertly plies the channels of the dangerous reefs to within long boat's reach of the black-sanded shore. A lone hillock climbs a few hundred feet inland and can be seen to rise to a flattened peak about a half mile in.

A shore party assembles promptly and ferries their captain to his chosen destination and while they guard the longboat and keep alert to any immediate dangers upon the shoreline, Keltos proceeds up the winding twisting path up the hill to seek out this Shrine foretold in his portent.

Kris & Killian

With Kris aboard her wyvern, Vulnerhaak, and Killian astride his black winged nightmare, Fury, with his companion Shar holding on behind him, the Goliath Oathbreaker and his companion took flight over the Black Forest of Gilcantiel and then across the Sea of Solvyne.

After finding a remote clearing to rest overnight, they once again set out. They noticed immediately the distant southern horizon to their far right was a wall of dark smoke. Something was amiss on that horizon and they were glad to be heading east instead.

Late in the second evening, an alert Kris spotted the ruins of a temple atop a bald hillock in the distance. Flying in closer, they realized this was the shrine they were seeking. They made a couple passes over the area and then went on for a landing, upon a flat overgrown patch of broken base stones.

Tajuri

With some ingenious thought behind it, Tajuri had Jael summon up a sumptuous palanquin carried by four bald muscular eunuchs, obviously arcanely confiscated in the moment from some rich unsuspecting merchant or ostentatious noble. The two climb aboard and instruct their bearers in the direction of the shrine. Relieved, to not be straining under the weight of some rotund master, the eunuchs agree amongst themselves to follow the orders of this, obviously powerful, sorceress and her demoness.

Traveling across the Plains of Nyam and into the heart of the Glooming Fens for two days, the small company found themselves at the base of the ancient burial mound where upon the ruins of the shrine sprawled. It was known as an accursed place, where old gods came to die.

Undeterred by such nonsense, Tajuri ascended alone to scope out the breadth of the ruins and look warily for the fabled guardian that was said to devour all who trespassed these unhallowed grounds.

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."

Kris & Killian

The demon scimitar carves through the ancient guardian's scaly hide. Kris swings her gore-splattered blade for a follow up attack and...

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

The surprising blast sends Kris and Killian reeling...

Kris dodges most of the blast of energy and debris created from the explosion of the petrified Behir. She shakes it off and glances over to see how Killian fares, before looking around to see if she can spot a key or the gate it is supposed to open.

The armored Goliath is thrown backward by the impact of the explosion. He growls and pushes himself into a sitting position, while looking around them.

Both Kris and Killian spot something spherical and covered in stone dust at the center of the blast zone. It is difficult at this range to determine exactly what this may be.

Examining the curious object closer, it 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.

Kris sheathes her sword and looks to Killian. "The key? Not exactly what I was expecting to find." She leans down and picks it up, dusting the skull off as she does so to get a better look at its details.

As Kris 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?"

"Kris Amani." She answers. "Lady Kris Amani. Companion to Killian Maal." She adds to her introduction. "We seek the gate to the city on the edge of forever. Can you guide us there?"

"Ask and ye shall receive, my Lady."

Kris and Killian feel a slight tremor in the ground below their 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..."

With a quick glance to Killian for comment, Kris carries the talking blue skull over to the pedestal. She brushes her free palm across the top of it and gently lowers the skull onto the surface.

"There. That's better. Show me what I must do next Keeper."

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.
"The Way is open..."

Kris prompts Blue to her shoulder and summons Vulnerhaak with a whistle. She waits until Killian and his demon mount are ready, then leads her wyvern through the gate on the lead to its harness.

Kris experiences an odd sensation she has previously never felt before, as she, Killian and their mounts are pulled from the planar realm they are in and into another. It is very briefly disorienting.

On the other side, the orientation of the portal lies flat in a large circular platform. Kris, Killian, and their conveyances 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...

Kris gives her wyvern's snout a reassuring pat to keep him calm and not attack the stranger outright. She watches as the figure approaches, but remains silent to see what it does when drawing nearer to them.

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 Kris and Killian, as he approaches and stands at the bottom of the platform.

"Lady Kris Amani and Killian Maal I presume?" He directs to each of them in turn. "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..."

Kris nods. "Its been a long and eventful journey, Chamberlin." She tells the man. "Rest and a proper meal would greatly be appreciated, if it can be provided?" She continues with a slight tug on the wyvern's lead. "For our companions as well."

"Quite so, m'Lady." The tall man acknowledges. "Bring along your beasts and your demons. Comfortable accommodations and meals await all." he gestures towards the shadows of a high castle wall and towering structures rising up on a hill close behind the buildings across the plaza to the north and northwest. Then, turns and begins walking back up the plaza to the northeast, where an open castle portcullis beckons.

Kris finds it very refreshing to speak to a stranger that doesn't talk in code or riddles that only they can understand, even if the details are sorted out. Much of her formative years were spent in such a place and it was very frustrating. She doesn't miss that realm at all and hopes never to see or hear of it again.

She leads Vulnerhaak toward the indicated open gateway and nuzzles Blue with one cheek, as the little blue monkey rides on her shoulder.

Killian gives a satisfied grunt, as the old man mentions food and rest. He tugs on the winged nightmare's reins and glances up to the almost naked woman sitting astride it.

"Yes. There are many an appetite needs quenched this night. Aye, Shary?"

"Quenched?" The beauty laughs. "When have your desires ever been sated, Killemall? Perhaps, subdued for a measure. Never quenched, like the fires in your blood."

Interlude of Destruction

The Great Eye peers into the darkened sky. A maelstrom of energy suddenly fills the teleportation circle and the burst of energy disperses. A statuesque, large-breasted Human woman and two hooded cronies, with sallow unpleasant faces, have appeared from another world. The minions smile wickedly to each other and scan across the Plaza of the Watchers, unto the circle of dark buildings surrounding it, and even to the hill north rising with the walls and towers of the city's noble palace beyond.

The large woman brushes errant strands of blonde hair from her face. It is a face somehow unnaturally twisted into a rictus of cruelty. She nods to her minions and they advance from the portal's center to the very edge of the dark stone dais, near the shallow steps leading to the cobblestone plaza proper. As they break the plane at the edge of the dais, the two closest of the Watcher statues casually turn to face the strangers.

Beams of a eerie violet energy surge from beneath the faceless hoods of the Watchers, striking the two strangers. Wicked smiles no more upon their faces, the strangers' last impressions upon this realm are visages contorted in agony, as the lethal energy disintegrates them from within. Even the dust of their being are consumed in its power.

Angry amber eyes of the large woman search the limits of her sight as if to find someone, anyone, of flesh to retaliate for this attack. She finds no one in the immediate area, though far to the north end of the plaza the shadow of one lone figure bearing a lantern that produces a purplish radiance is slowly approaching. Quickly, she pulls out an ornate scroll tube.

Boom!

It explodes in her grasp. The force of the explosion blows her into pieces that shower down upon the dark stone dais and steps. Splinters of charred bone, bits of armor, and charcoaled flesh are all that seem to remain.

Momentarily, the lone figure arrives at the base of the steps and surveys the mess. The curious eyeball-shaped device he holds in both his pale hands sends out a beam, not unlike those produced to disintegrate the stranger's minions, to search the remains. Illuminated in the odd radiance, several translucent worm-like creatures of a size likened to a Human's finger, squirm and seek to hide in the bits of the woman's remains.

Vigilant to such things, the tall man steps onto the edge of the platform and smashes each under foot.



"Most distressing." He says seemingly to himself. "Another has been corrupted..."

Keltos the Seeker

The Shadow monk's dark blade thrusts into the ancient guardian's head. Keltos stabs his gore-splattered blade in for a follow up attack and...

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

The surprising blast sends Keltos reeling...

Like a feather in the wind, Keltos drifts with the explosion before landing on his feat.

As the dust clears, Keltos notices at the center of the blast zone something blue, spherical, and covered in stone dust. It is difficult to determine what this may be from a distance. A crystal ball?

Tilting his head like an insect examining something new, Keltos approaches cautiously. Kneeling he picks up the strange object and dusts it off for a closer look.

The spherical 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.



As Keltos picks up the the blue skull, an arrow symbol od Law appears etched into its forehead and the mandible begins to move. A raspy mechanized voice speaks to him.

"Who awakens the Keeper of the Gate of Never?"

Keltos lifts the skull to eye level, glaring into the empty sockets. "Keltos, the Seeker awakens you."

Keltos drops to his knees as he feels his entire body seize up in paralysis. A jolt of electrical energy pulses through his connection with the skull and he discovers he can't let go of it.

Keltos’ form stiffens for a moment as arcane algorithms scroll through his vision…pushing through the paralytic virus he struggles to regain control of his body and mind.

Reaching deep into his programming, Keltos adjusts the basic algorithm, compensating for the assault and reestablishes command functions and dominance.

Keltos feels a slight tremor in the ground below his 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..." The skull says from Keltos' hand.

Keltos looks at the skull triumphantly before moving closer to the pedestal. He slowly circles the pedestal committing every curve and detail to memory. His cybernetic mind seeking a reference point to identify its purpose.

Keltos can feel that the skull is no longer grafted to his hand. The top of the pedestal, though covered in a layer of dust and loose soil, has an intricate pattern like circuitry.

Brushing off the dust he looks for a way to interact with the machine. Perhaps the skull is a key and places it on top

When there is a connection made between the skull and the pedestal, the crystalline cranium begins to glow from within showing patterns of circuitry. 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 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.

Thrilled but measured, Keltos nods appreciatively. The new world awaits.

The skull appears to be grafted to the top of the pedestal, like it was always a part of it.

The energy emanation of the archway dims momentarily, as Keltos attempts to removes the skull from the top of the pedestal.

Far from discouraged but concerned the gate may collapse, Keltos hastily scribbles out a note in hopes the crew will come looking for him and find it.

"I have crossed over to the other world and will light a beacon to summon the Veritas as soon as I am able. Should my summons not reach you within 2 weeks, sell the cargo and live an enlightend life."

-K-

Keltos experiences an odd sensation as he crosses the threshold of the portal. He has used gates before, but this one seems different in some way, as he is pulled from the planar realm he is in and into another. It is very briefly disorienting.

even more curious, is the sudden sensation that tells Keltos that the Veritas and its crew are pulled through the portal at the same moment as he crosses over. Definitely not his normal experience with teleportation gates.

On the other side, the orientation of the portal lies flat in a large circular platform. Keltos 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 him 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...

New to this worlds customs and potential threats Keltos fades into the shadows (invisibility) and moves to find himself a high perch. Out of the way of foot traffic. He needs more information and needs it quickly.

Keltos removes a crystal ball from a velvet pouch and gazes into its depths….

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.

The man stops. Looks at the fading view of Keltos' previous planar location, and then turns and faces directly the invisible Keltos trying to climb up on one of the buildings surrounding the cobblestone plaza. The emanation extends outward, like a beam of light from a hooded lantern, and outlines the invisible Keltos in purple.

The expression on the man's face is one of barely contained amusement.

Caught, but not feeling threatened, Keltos approaches the Lantern bearer. He remains silent until he is spoken to.

"Keltos the Seeker, I presume?" The tall man directs toward the cybermonk. "We have been expecting your arrival. You may call me Chamberlin. Worry not for your ship and crew. They have been transported to docks just beyond this plaza." He gestures southeast with one hand. "The Lord has prepared accommodations for your stay within the Octagon Tower of the palace. Please follow me..."

Hands steepled, Keltos gives a slight bow acknowledging his identity. "Expecting me? How curious. What can you tell of this place and your Lord?"

"The city has many names throughout the multiverse. Those within commonly refer to her as T'Lorn. You may have heard tales by other names: The Eternal City. City on the Edge of Forever. Never. Sanctuary. Paradise. There are so many that have been placed upon her in a myriad lifetimes. It is said T'Lorn is Eternal, like the Champions that seek her out." Chamberlin says with a kind reflection of the city's history. "Orb is Lord of this realm out of time and has been thus for as long as any may remember. Possibly, since the formation of this age."

"I look forward to meeting Lord Orb. Until then Chamberlain, do you have and books that I may peruse so that I may familiarize myself with the city."

"I will endeavor to select a couple volumes and have them delivered to your chambers, m'Lord." Chamberlin replies setting off at a casual pace for the north end of the plaza once more.

Keltos simply follows and takes the opportunity to take in the sights

Radu Hove

Tired of getting the wrong end of the eyestalks, Radu empowers his twin with the rage of his demon greatsword. The twin slashes away. Once. Twice. Thrice. And as the fourth attack comes for the floating bastard...

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

The surprising blast sends Radu reeling...

Radu reels from the explosion, but manages to avoid the brunt of it.

As the dust clears, Radu notices at the center of the blast zone something spherical and covered in stone dust. It is difficult to determine what this may be from a distance.

Radu sends his shadow forward and projects his sight and hearing into the echo, using these projected senses to look more closely at the sphere.

The spherical 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.

Radu allows his body to change places with the echo, recovering his own sense in the process. "What is this, now," he wonders, bending to pick up the skull and inspect it.

As Radu 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 him.


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

Radu stifles an amused laugh. "Radu Hove, I am called: Lord of Shadowmere Keep, Blight Holder and Vanguard Against Ruin. I was summoned to this place. Do you know naught of that, Keeper?"

"Names change through the eons, Lord of Shadowmere Keep? My task is but to query the chosen to see if they are worthy to pass through the gate."

Radu feels a slight tremor in the ground below his 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..."

"Is worthiness is beyond your ability to measure, skull," Radu expresses with a sneer. He steps forward to the pedestal and turns his head, studying it a moment before reaching out and placing the skull upon it. "Go on with your query, then, unless it was answered already by steel and blood."

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.


"A worthy needs much more than the force of their arms to become. It takes determination, dedication, wit, and a strong will." The skull says from the top of the pedestal. "If those qualities are lacking, the seeker will be destroyed and forgotten in the annals of the multiverse like a speck of excrement on the bottom of one's boot."

"Is this why I was brought here, creature? To walk through this gate? I assure you, I more than meet these qualifications, but you speak in riddles. Answer me straight: if I am to be a seeker, then what is expected that I seek by being here? You called me Chosen - chosen by whom? and for what?"

The skull doesn't answer.

"I have traveled far to be here, skull. I have been summoned, but if you have no answers for me, then I will consider the creature I bested a fulfillment of my invitation. I expect to longer be troubled in my sleep." He reaches to remove the skull again from the pedestal, adding, "You'll make a fine trophy my vault."

The skull appears to be grafted to the top of the pedestal, like it was always a part of it.

The magical emanation of the archway dims momentarily, as Radu attempts to removes the skull from the top of the pedestal.

"Have it your way then," Radu says with a smirk. He turns to return to his entourage.

With each step the portal dims a little bit more and the view through the portal begins to get cloudy.

Champions Eternal, Radu recalls from the dream, What was that? Some sort of power, offered upon him? Something, perhaps to destroy the demon bound to his sword once and for all, to be cleansed of it? He sighs and turns back. Approaching the portal he looks it over more closely. "Creature, are you still there? I have companions following behind me. If I relent to succumb to these tests, will you allow them passage as well?"

The glow about the gate brightens as Radu draws closer to it again and the sight through it returns.


"Passage is granted to companions as well. Enter and they will be drawn through."

Radu nods once. "Fine," he says and steps forward, passing through the gate.

Radu experiences an odd sensation he has previously never felt before, as he is pulled from the planar realm he is in and into another. It is very briefly disorienting.

Unseen by their master, those within the carriage and the rest of his retinue appear to warp and stretch, as they too are pulled through the portal at the same moment Radu crosses over.

On the other side, the orientation of the portal lies flat in a large circular platform. Radu stands on a blue crystalline surface, that glows not unlike the emanation produced by activating the skull key upon the arisen pedestal. His conveyances and companions have unexpectedly joined him. 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...

Radu looks around at his retinue, nodding to his queens, before stepping forward to meet the approaching figure. "Greetings," he says, "I find myself invited to this place. My invitation mentioned a City on the Edge of Forever - have I come to that place? I am Radu, and you are...?"

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 Radu and his company, 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." He answers the black-haired Dhampir. "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..."

Radu nods and begins to follow, motioning for his retinue to do the same. "You were expecting me? I trust then your Lord is the one who summoned me? What is their name, Chamberlin? Who has drawn me here?"

"Orb is Lord of this realm out of time and has been thus for as long as any may remember. Possibly, since the formation of this age. He may have once had another name, but none remembers it or are willing to speak it." Chamberlin answers. "It is he who summoned you. No other in this realm has the power to do so."

"I look forward to meeting your Lord," Radu says, "And to see these accommodations you mention. Are there many that live here in this city? While the buildings are plentiful, I wonder - where are the people?"

"There are a fair number who dwell in the city. Now that we have guests arriving, the denizens will soon awaken. By morrow, these streets will again be filled with those who exist in the shadows of the Lord's palace."

"What a wonderful thing, for the citizens to melt away like summer snow when their lord thus wishes them. Every few years, a handful of my people get it into their heads to take mine own. I do not care for having to make reminders of them. It is a waste of time. Would that I could learn this city's tricks."

"T'Lorn has many a secret to insure its survival, Lord Hove." Chamberlin replies. "Stay long enough and some of them may be revealed..in time."

Lucian Falken

The acidic emerald sphere explodes capturing the tentacled monstrosity in its blast. The infuriated menace races toward the sorcerer's latest location and...

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

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

"Well, that's a new one." He watches to make sure nothing else is going to explode or come out at him before moving closer to investigate.

At the center of the blast zone Lucian spots something blue and covered with grey stone dust. Its hard tell from his current location exactly what it is.

It takes a moment of internal debate, but he cautiously heads over. He's curious but doesn't want that thing to explode as well - not if he's in range. But it hasn't yet, at least.

The object at first appears to be spherical and made of some type of blue crystalline substance, but as Lucian looks closer he realizes it is about the size of a human..wait—that is exactly the size and shape as a Human skull.

Lucian mutters to himself as he looks at the skull, a habit picked up from long times alone with only Useless and Marengo around. "Well, that's a tad creepy." Not that he hasn't seen creepy things, he's more intrigued than anything. "Hmm now I wish I had paid more attention to skeletons. Does any race have blue stone bones? Better yet, why is it here?" And should he care? He wouldn't except for the weird dream. He looks around, hoping to find something to poke it with. If not, he'll just have to poke it with his staff.

Poking the blue skull with the butt of his staff produced no reaction at all.

After another moment of watching it, Luci picks it up.

As Lucian 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 him.


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

Lucian focuses and bests the skull's mental assault.

Lucian feels a slight tremor in the ground below his 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..."

Lucian stares a moment, before he shrugs and carries the skull to the pedestal. After a moment, he sets the skull gently on the pedestal. Hopefully that works.

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.

Lucien stares at the portal for a moment. "Ah, well. Right then." He lets out a whistle to call Useless and Marengo up to him. He's fine with going through a mystery portal, but he is for sure taking them with him.

Lucian experiences an odd sensation he has previously never felt before, as he, Useless and Marengo are pulled from the planar realm they are in and into another. It is very briefly disorienting.

On the other side, the orientation of the portal lies flat in a large circular platform. Lucian and his companions, 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...

Useless moves to perch on his shoulder, and Lucian keeps one hand on Marengo's nose as they look around. At the sight of the lantern approaching he begins to lead his horse down the stairs and heads towards it. He toys with calling out to them, but isn't sure what else lies in the dark and so remains quiet.

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 Lucian and his companions, as he approaches and stands at the bottom of the platform.

"Lucian Falken I presume?" He directs to the young Aasimar with the staff."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..."

The man, the pseudodragon and the horse look at each other for a moment before Lucian shrugs and replies. "Sure, alright. This Lord would be...?" Despite being willing enough to follow along, he is curious.

"Orb is Lord of this realm out of time and has been thus for as long as any may remember. Possibly, since the formation of this age." Chamberlin answers Lucian. "It is he who summoned you here."

"Orb? The one you're carrying, or a different orb?" Orbs could be Lords too, but if it was that orb shouldn't he say hi or something?

Chamberlin grins, but shakes his head slowly. "No. Not this one." He pats the metallic object in his hands. "Lord Orb is an entirely different orb than this. I quite assure you, young Lucian."

As he speaks, the tall man casually turns and starts walking back north from whence he came.

"That's a relief, it isn't good to be rude at the first meeting." Lucian follows the strange man and orb duo. He has to admit to being very intrigued by it all, and Useless seem to be too if the bouncing on his shoulder was anything to go by.

To Be Continued...