Apologies for my belated posting of this, it happened about three days ago, later in the evening. I am the sort that if I do not do something immediately, I will procrastinate longer.
Taking a break outside malchata I received this vision/feeling, Dianelle and several others who were not of the Lunar Mage guild did as well.
(I believe the seven is an accident)
7 Fate trembles as the linearity of time distorts. Flickers of light dance through darkness, surrounding a small group of adventures, who in turn surround a tilted obelisk. One by one the adventurers fall as the glowing imp-like creatures overwhelm them.
Tozu asks, "So this is the obelisk?"
Lasciel points at a translucent obelisk.
Magic's Death Caraamon just arrived.
Lasciel says, "Yes."
You ask, "Perhaps?"
Your vision parts the darkness and you see...
[The Frozen Heavens, Unfathomable Grotto]
Chunks of obsidian hang in the air, some as large as a Gor'Tog's fist. Exactly centered in the chamber is a translucent obelisk of roughly Human height that leans at an impossible angle. You also see a vindictive nimbus that is radiating a glowing aura, a baleful nimbus that is radiating a glowing aura, a vindictive nimbus that is radiating a glowing aura and a malevolent nimbus that is radiating a glowing aura.
Also here: Magic's Death Caraamon, Artificer Tozu who is in a fiery crimson cage and Lasciel who is in a globe of blue fire.
Obvious exits: west.
Lasciel says, "Study it."
A protective cage of blue-white lines surrounds Tozu. The lines form a latticework of geometric shapes that create bizarre composite symbols across his body.
Tozu has an oval face, piercing grey eyes and a bulbous nose. He has thinning raven-black hair, with pale skin and a thin build.
He is short for a Gnome.
He appears to be an adult.
He has faint scuffing to the head.
He is in good shape.
He is wearing a tooled leather enchanter's satchel with antiqued silver buckles, a black gold kyanite gwethdesuan, a black gold jadeite gwethdesuan, a satin crimson sash embroidered with the symbol of Tezirah, a black robe shot with golden thread and some sturdy black boots.
The malevolent nimbus explodes in a blinding flash of light! Expecting the worst you managed to shield your eyes in time.
The web of shadows twitches one last time and then goes inert.
Tozu begins to focus on a vindictive nimbus!
Tozu gestures at a vindictive nimbus.
A noose of darkest shadows forms in Tozu's hands. With a flick of his wrist, he sends it flying at a vindictive nimbus!
The noose loops around its neck and constricts. For a long moment nothing happens, but then the head slowly pitches forward, revealing an ever widening gap between the head and neck. The head drops onto the ground with a dull thump.
The vindictive nimbus falls to the ground, motionless. The glow begins to fade from the body as the wispy tendrils of light slowly disperse.
Tozu raises his arms skyward, chanting.
Tozu begins to focus on a malevolent nimbus!
Tozu gestures at a malevolent nimbus.
A noose of darkest shadows forms in Tozu's hands. With a flick of his wrist, he sends it flying at a malevolent nimbus!
The noose wraps around and closes straight through its chest. Everything above the chest separates completely from what's left below it, cutting it in two.
The malevolent nimbus falls to the ground, motionless. The glow begins to fade from the body as the wispy tendrils of light slowly disperse.
Caraamon searches around for a moment.
Tozu bends over the nimbus's corpse briefly.
The dead hateful nimbus shatters into tiny glowing shards that rapidly die away.
Tozu bends over the nimbus's corpse briefly.
The slain vindictive nimbus explodes into countless motes of light that quickly fade away.
Tozu raises his arms skyward, chanting.
Your mind hears Dianelle thinking, "Celitha are you still okay?"
You say into the darkness, "Stop webbing the room, please."
Caraamon loudly says, "Huh, it's dark."
Tozu gestures.
As you exhale you visualize water vapors in front of you.
Tozu says, "It's a cave."
Entropist Chriztopher just arrived.
Tozu asks, "Do you not know Tenebrous sense?"
Moving like a striking snake, Caraamon throws a throwing hammer topped with a blackened steel skull at Chriztopher. Chriztopher attempts to evade, moving directly into the blow. The hammer lands an extremely heavy hit that blasts clean through the right leg with a well-placed swing that throws blood and bone splinters everywhere!
The throwing hammer falls to the ground!
You slowly rotate your head back and forth, using your heightened senses to orient yourself.
The dead baleful nimbus shatters into tiny glowing shards that rapidly die away.
A throwing hammer topped with a blackened steel skull suddenly leaps toward Caraamon! Caraamon catches the hammer easily in his right hand.
Driving in with naturally fluid movements, Caraamon throws a throwing hammer topped with a blackened steel skull at Chriztopher. Chriztopher fails to evade, leaning wrong and blundering into the blow. The hammer lands an extremely heavy hit that shatters every bone in the left arm, ripping it from its socket, lightly stunning him!
The throwing hammer falls to the ground!
A throwing hammer topped with a blackened steel skull suddenly leaps toward Caraamon! Caraamon catches the hammer easily in his right hand.
Caraamon throws a throwing hammer topped with a blackened steel skull at Chriztopher. The hammer lands an apocalyptic strike (So that's what it felt like when Grazhir shattered!) that knocks him down and out with a blow to the nether regions (Total loss of bowel control accompanies a twitching death!)!
The throwing hammer falls to the ground!
* Chriztopher is slain before your eyes!
Chriztopher's wolf-pommel abassi falls to the ground.
The flames surrounding Chriztopher fade away.
The dead vindictive nimbus shatters into tiny glowing shards that rapidly die away.
A throwing hammer topped with a blackened steel skull suddenly leaps toward Caraamon! Caraamon catches the hammer easily in his right hand.
Caraamon makes a disgusting grunting noise.
The dead malevolent nimbus shatters into tiny glowing shards that rapidly die away.
Tozu asks, "What was that about?"
Lasciel says, "No idea."
Tozu raises his arms skyward, chanting.
Caraamon loudly says, "Dunno."
Lasciel asks, "What was the name of our Empath?"
Chriztopher ghostly says, "She shouldn't have sold me fake cj's."
Caraamon loudly says, "Tried ta kill Lasc."
Tozu says, "Whatever you are squabbling about right now is unimportant."
Lasciel nods in agreement.
Lasciel says, "I agree."
Caraamon loudly says, "Agreed."
Tozu gestures at you.
Your tactile sense stretches out and intertwines with the darkness around you. You feel mass and movement brush against the darkness like a tingling against your skin, allowing you to perceive your surroundings.
Your mind hears Dianelle thinking, "Celitha?"
Tozu raises his arms skyward, chanting.
You hear your mental voice echo, "yes, that seems to have been a personal issue"
Chriztopher ghostly says, "She's still gonna die. And now so will you/."
You get an odd feeling for a moment.
Tozu says, "To the matter at hand."
The shimmering ethereal shield fades from around Chriztopher.
The substance of Chriztopher's body shimmers, as if covered by a veil of crystal tears. A moment later he fades away, leaving nothing but empty air where his body had once lain.
Your mind hears Dianelle thinking, "Alright. "
Caraamon loudly asks, "Where's a torch when ya need one?"
Also here: Lasciel, Magic's Death Caraamon and Artificer Tozu who is in a fiery crimson cage.
Obvious exits: west.
Tozu gestures at Caraamon.
Small motes of light flicker for a moment around Tozu, then fade.
Tozu raises his arms skyward, chanting.
Caraamon loudly asks, "What are ya doin?"
A vindictive nimbus drifts silently into view.
Tozu says to Caraamon, "Trying to solve your vision problem."
Lasciel says, "He was attempting to grant you night vision."
The vindictive nimbus explodes in a blinding flash of light! However Lasciel manages to maneuver her shield in time to protect her eyes.
Lasciel says, "Hello nimbii."
You say, "I am a Ranger, but thank you."
Caraamon loudly says, "I doubt it'll work, I'm pretty resistant ta magic."
Tozu says, "Unless you care to pick one of these up and swing it about like a torch."
Tozu gestures at Caraamon.
Small motes of light flicker for a moment around Tozu, then fade.
You feel the shadows vibrate with a brief and violent movement.
Lasciel gestures.
The vindictive nimbus closes to melee range on Tozu.
Caraamon loudly says, "Huh, when a nimbus is in 'ere, it's light."
As you exhale you visualize water vapors in front of you.
Caraamon loudly says, "Good ta know."
Lasciel raises her arms skyward, chanting.
With the speed and temerity of a swooping falcon, Tozu chops a fiery-red moonstaff at a vindictive nimbus. A vindictive nimbus fails to evade, moving directly into the blow. The moonstaff cuts a blazing arc through the air and lands a very heavy hit that drives the lungs into the throat with a strike to the solar plexus, lightly stunning it!
Lasciel seems to be concentrating intently on something.
The vindictive nimbus's glowing eyes dim slightly.
With the speed and temerity of a swooping falcon, Tozu thrusts a fiery-red moonstaff at a vindictive nimbus. A vindictive nimbus fails to evade, moving directly into the blow. The moonstaff cuts a blazing arc through the air and lands a good strike to its abdomen!
The vindictive nimbus falls to the ground, motionless. The glow begins to fade from the body as the wispy tendrils of light slowly disperse.
Caraamon loudly says, "Leave it alive if ya kin, please."
Lasciel raises her arms skyward, chanting.
Caraamon sighs.
Tozu says, "Now, to tbe task at hand. Should you find another one you may keep it."
Tozu nods to Caraamon.
Tozu says, "I... do not like the voice from that obelisk."
Lasciel nods to Tozu.
Tozu says, "It seems clearly hostile."
Lasciel says, "Listening to it has proven fatal for every one of my test subjects."
An oily voice oozes from the obelisk, slowly filling your mind, "Freely listen to me... free, help me, free me. I need you. Betrayed. Betray you. You trapped me, me, me, ME. Listen. LISTEN. Save me. Must save me. Save rewards, yes. Quickly... Listen..." the voice trails off to a malicious whisper, until that too fades from your hearing.
Crafted from some perfectly translucent material, the obelisk is perfectly smooth and unblemished. Settings for a disk roughly a handspan in diameter are set three quarters up each face. Sluggish swirls of red and orange dance erratically in the upward facing disk. The two side disks are composed of sickly black and dull blue materials. An empty setting gazes downward like a blinded eye from the final face.
Caraamon loudly asks, "Anyone tried just smashin it?"
Lasciel laughs!
Kotiz came through a blue Moongate.
Tozu says to Caraamon, "I doubt you could so much as scratch it."
Kotiz says, "I cannot see.."
Tozu says, "Recovery of the disk seems unlikely."
Tozu says, "At least not in the short term. The Children are nothing if not clever and elusive."
Tozu says, "The thealstone seems odd, receptive to enchantment."
Caraamon loudly says, "Damn, dark 'gain."
Tozu raises his arms skyward, chanting.
A blast of chill wind heralds a malicious nimbus as it pops into existence.
Caraamon loudly asks, "Which?"
Caraamon loudly asks, "Da ones dey drop?"
Lasciel gestures.
Lasciel says, "Oh my."
Tozu nods.
Tozu says, "Yes, the stones they form."
Tozu says, "We'll need a fair number of them if this plan is to work."
Kotiz gestures.
Tozu gestures.
Caraamon loudly says, "Might be cause dey're all magic."
You ask, "You need one for yavash, right a red one?"
Tozu says, "No. Grazhir is missing it appears."
Caraamon loudly says, "Nope, it's "set" ta Yavash right now."
You slowly rotate your head back and forth, using your heightened senses to orient yourself.
Tozu raises his arms skyward, chanting.
You ask, "Set?"
Caraamon loudly says, "It's da one stickin up."
Lasciel asks, "Eh?"
Tozu asks Caraamon, "You don't know magic very well do you?"
Tozu asks, "Who has thealstones?"
Lasciel mumbles something under her breath.
Tozu shakes his enchanter's satchel!
Tozu says, "We can collect them in here."
You say, "I do."
You ask, "What sort do you need?"
Tozu says, "If each of you collected a few thealstones... a couple dozen in total."
(I had him a few thealstones)
Lasciel taps a tiny creamy thealstone on the ground.
Caraamon loudly asks, "I'll do it where I kin see, okie?"
Tozu says, "I'll remain here, work out what sigils I'll need."
Walcar darkly asks, "So whats the deal?"
Lasciel says, "Collecting thealstones it seems."
Tozu says, "Thealstones. We need thealstones."
Erieck says, "Interesting."
Walcar darkly asks, "Just because or for some purpose?"
Tozu says, "I think I can seal the breach."
Erieck bows to you.
Tozu says, "Or at least... stopper it."
Walcar darkly asks, "Ok whats making the noise?"
You ask, "What noise?"
Walcar darkly says, "I feel something close."
You say, "That is my beseech."
You say, "To see in the dark."
Tozu says, "That's a start, but we'll need more."
(We collect thealstones some more)
Tozu says, "That should be enough."
Tozu says, "Hopefully."
Your mind hears Tozu thinking, "Those gathering thealstones, I believe we have enough"
Erieck moves into position to block attacks against Tozu!
Tozu lays the thealstones before him, arranging them into a rough disk. He sets about layering sigil after sigil on the stones, working purely from memory, his hand never faltering.
Light bursts forth as an infinitesimal crack in reality forms. Four clawed arms reach through the breach, forcing it open further to allow passage for a spiteful nimbus. It examines its new surroundings as the planar rip mends itself.
Light bursts forth as an infinitesimal crack in reality forms. Four clawed arms reach through the breach, forcing it open further to allow passage for a hateful nimbus. It examines its new surroundings as the planar rip mends itself.
Tozu says, "It looks, healtier I suppose."
Tozu points at a translucent obelisk.
Caraamon loudly asks, "What does?"
Lasciel nods in agreement.
Caraamon loudly asks, "What did I miss?"
Lasciel says, "Aesthetically so."
Lasciel asks, "But really?"
Crafted from some perfectly translucent material, the obelisk is perfectly smooth and unblemished. Set three quarters up each face is a disk roughly a handspan in diameter. Molten swirls of red and orange dance in the upward facing disk, while the downward facing disk is composed of pure white, softly glowing thealstone. The remaining two are composed of a dull, almost black gold, and a sparkling blue-white material.
Caraamon loudly says, "Oh, ya put da thealstones in da 'ole."
The brilliant colors swirl in and out of focus as you strain to listen.
Tozu says, "What I did was a patch, nothing more, even though it is one of the most complicated enchantments I've ever performed."
Lasciel praises Caraamon.
Lasciel asks, "Do you know anything of this place?"
Tozu says to Caraamon, "Essentially, yes."
Lasciel asks, "Or this thing, having seen it now?"
Tozu shakes his head.
Erieck leans on his sword.
Tozu says, "I've never heard of it. It reminds me of the other obelisks, but it's... wrong."
Lasciel nods in agreement.
Tozu asks, "Maybe a prototype?"
Tozu asks, "Or a replica?"
Lasciel says, "It is not a cheap facsimile."
Walcar darkly asks, "So its patched up? Or you need to continue working?"
Kotiz gestures.
Tozu says, "I don't know what more I could do without the real disk."
Erieck strokes his beard in thoughtful contemplation.
Lasciel shoves at the obelisk, really seeming to put her back into it, but the obelisk abides.
Tozu says, "Even with that, I don't know if I could repair it."
Tozu says, "Let's see if the road is clear."
Also for some unknown reason, I chose not to entirely believe Lasciel on the listening issue, I won't go into detail in case anyone else cares to find out for themselves what happens. Thank you to Lasciel, Dianelle and Court Cleric Arourra for rescuing me from my wanton curiousity and reckless bravery. (I did sort of suspect it was a poor choice, so I did tell Dianelle via ring I was about to do something risky)
Trusting everyone is a poor idea, but then so is trusting no one.
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