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

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..."