User:Thilan/Visions
Visions of a Clerical nature.
Altar Visions
1 vision every 10 circles before receptiveness to visions is weakened, caps at 10. Not sure what the timer is.
You feel a warmth run through your skin as you touch the altar, and sense a deep connection with something much greater than yourself. The feeling is brief, and your vision clouds over....
The image of a crystal-clear water fills your mind, spreading out before you. From nearby, notes of pure melodic music drift on the currents of the wind. Though something dark teases the edge of your sight, trying to work its way in, nothing can break the utter tranquility of the moment.
You do not see, but rather feel, a malevolent presence nearby you, squeezing at your upper arm. Though subtle at first, the pressure gradually builds until it's nearly unbearable, and you feel it trying to tear your very soul from your body. All at once, a huge scorpion appears on your shoulder, striking with its stinger and driving the evil presence away.
You see the corpse of yourself rise to its feet, your skin falling off along with decayed chunks of your flesh.
You feel the infinite outrage of the gods in your very bones, resonating through plane and time. The sensation seems to empower you with purpose.
Your vision is completely obscured by a sheaf of misty whiteness. A deep tingling spreads throughout your body, and you suddenly feel as if you are soaring upon a warm, comforting cloud high in the air.
The shroud of satiny, alabaster vapor swirls away from you, revealing The Crossing stretched out far beneath you. Your spirit soars like liquid through the air, your fingers outstretched toward the massive orb of the High Temple below. Expanses of pruned trees and lush foliage skirt the majestic monument. A warm feeling tingles through you, ending the vision.
Your sight is suddenly devoured by a pitch-black darkness, and soon small fingers accompanied by an unholy stench start touching you. Just as they find a way through your clothing and the cold, pulpy flesh meets your skin, twin rays of blinding light blast through the blackness. The fingers immediately retreat, and you glimpse a very short humanoid in the remaining shadows.
After a few moments, you realize that the light is emanating from your own eyes -- a manifestation of your blessed soul. You sweep your gaze through the area, but the creature crawls frightfully from one dark corner to another. The rays catch it at last, sizzling the body of a dead Halfling as its wretched scream fills the air.
A sense of desperation settles over you as you perceive the lingering energy of a dark force marring the Plane of Abiding. It stirs as if slumbering fitfully, on the verge of awakening.
A silvery shape of lined light manifests itself as a mongoose. A tall woman with pure white hair flowing nearly to her feet whispers to you, "Defend the gods always, and may they guide and guard your soul in return." A gust of wind lifts her hair to flutter softly as the vision fades.
A shower of comets swirls through the inky night sky as millions of vaporous living spirits sift off unto their origin.
You find yourself nestled comfortably under a warm quilt, burrowing deeper under the soft cover to cuddle up to a still form lying next to you. As you snuggle closer, a feeling of dread begins to permeate your consciousness before you realize that the body is ice-cold. Your eyes widen in revulsion as you pull back the covers to reveal a rotting corpse, its mouth open in a silent scream. You desperately try to push away, and the vision fades.
A faint sense of worry washes through you as a vision of some mountainous wilderness flashes into your mind. Fleeting twinges of dark energy stab into your spirit, but you cannot discern their cause.
A vaporous Human form manifests in the air above the altar, his skin glowing silver and starry black. He regards you gravely, and an unearthly voice speaks, "Smite down the abominations of Life and Death, XXXXX, whenever and wherever they are found."
The wraith touches a wispy finger to your forehead, then vanishes.
The image of a stately Rakash woman coalesces before you, shrouded in a cloak of bitter ice and frost. The frigid mantle soon melts away, seeping into the ground below. Your sight suddenly grows weak, frosting over like a window pane under Asketi's breath, and the vision fades.
A vaporous Human form manifests in the air above the altar, his skin glowing silver and starry black. He regards you gravely, and an unearthly voice speaks, "Smite down the abominations of Life and Death, Cazvelu, whenever and wherever they are found."
The wraith touches a wispy finger to your forehead, then vanishes.
The altar suddenly becomes deathly cold under your touch, causing you to reflexively yank your hand back -- but not before you experience a momentary fright where you feel bereft of divine favor. As you watch, the cold metal altar shrinks into a mere fragment, yet it still emanates the malevolence of thirteen gods with unabated intensity. Trickles of midnight-hued purple and blue blood drip from its edge, bursting into flame as they spiral downward in a dark void.
You see a plain woman in the distance, towering above thousands upon thousands of unholy creatures. Your gaze strips away her illusions to reveal her ghastly appearance, and her armies turn to dust with so much as a thought. She, however, stays maddeningly out of your reach. From behind her, a tremendous unearthly presence reaches out toward you, shredding through the planar barriers as if they were nothing more than sheer veils.
The image of a dagger with a carved bone hilt fills your mind, seeming to interrupt the vision from the altar. Though a simple weapon, it seems to exude a malevolence of its own, and moves to stab itself into your heart. Just before it reaches you, a twisted paw knocks it aside, and it clatters to the ground, vanishing in a haze of red-tinged corruption.
Dozens of ghostly children emerge from the Void - or are you there yourself? -- and hastily swirl around you with outreached arms. Their mouths are open soundlessly, gushing spiritual waves of warning and import. The apparitions then become bright-winged nightingales that flutter away determinedly.
You see an image of a lion, sitting majestically at the edge of a completely circular pool. It suddenly jumps and growls at an approaching vulture, but quickly calms as the creature places an offering before it. Both creatures rake their claws at the water's edge, breaking the serene image to reveal the tainted corruption lying just below the mirror-like surface.
A small metallic shard hovers over the altar, ablaze with a powerful black radiance. It suddenly drops into a deep-looking pool, instantly boiling the brackish water amidst great yowling clouds of sickly blue and purple steam.
You are plunged into a deep, cold, unending abyss, the nightmarish nothing spreading out in all directions, void of any life or sound. Despairing, you wander forward, with nothing to tell you whether you are going the right way. Suddenly, several white claw marks rend the air in front of you, piercing the darkness with a brilliant white light. As you step through the rip, gentle hands lift you up, and a voice speaks softly. "Do not despair, my child. Though the darkness seems hopeless, it will not last forever."
Global Visions
The Fall of the Great Barrier
A pale shimmer materializes in front of you. It gradually intensifies until it is a solid-looking wall of blinding gold, unfurling vertically as far out as the eye can see. You notice greasy, invasive veins pulsating within the glare, and soon the entire surface is consumed by their taint, the golden hue shifting to an ichorous crimson-streaked black. Just as several grotesque silhouettes begin to emerge, the vision blinks out of sight.
Tachid's Folly and Asketi's Wrath
You suddenly feel airy and light as a feather, and you are whisked away to the midst of a blizzard, floating about a cloudy precipice. Apparently led by a much smaller figure, a pack of skeletal animalian monsters are scaling the mountain, their claws digging into the rock face with ease. One by one, the shrieking winds pluck the large creatures from the mountainside, purposefully hurling them against the jagged cliffs below. Their now-frozen skeletal frames shatter into a thousand beady green pieces as if glass.
The Halfling, however, clings to the granite wall like a little undead spider; a barrage of wind-honed hails shreds his fingers into bloodless ribbons, yet he keeps on climbing without so much as a pause. As he grabs the final handhold with a triumphant yip, the sky darkens, churns and unleashes an ear-splitting lance of icy blue lightning aimed at him! The ensuing blast is powerful enough to send your incorporeal form hurtling back towards your body, ending your involuntary spirit walk as the smitten creature s ashes are scattered to the wind.
Dergati vs. Firulf SMACKDOWN
Changing the Firulf altar in the Ker'Leor to Dergati.
In the darkness, you feel walls closing in around you. Ahead in the distance, an exotic, black-haired beauty says, "Yes Sister, I shall wound his pride for you and take what is his. Such weakness deserves my wrath." As the woman holds out her arm, a shrike swoops down and folds its wings as if home.
You see the woman standing before a flat-topped stone altar. An evil smile crosses her face as she places her hands on it, her eyes closing. She mutters some words you don't quite catch and the altar starts to glow. Suddenly, you hear a loud *CRACK* as bolts of lightning fly out of the rock. In a flash, they disappear, replaced by the image of a shrike that illuminates the stone's surface.
You hear the exotic beauty say, "It is done. They shall worship me now or suffer my rage." She turns to a mass of swirling shadows and says, "I shall strengthen your brethren to guard this place. You may toy with all who enter these woods and feed on their souls."
A black-haired beauty stands before a wall of brambles with a gypsy marauder. She tells the gypsy, "You shall no longer enter here. Tell your king, I claim these woods and my pets shall punish all who dare pass. Remember, I am always watching." As the vision fades, you see three flashing eyes that slowly fade from sight.
Vela'tohr Plant
Vision most likely related to the old Valtusk event but still cool.
[Vela'Tohr Woods, Withered Foothills]
A lone vela'tohr plant grows stoically amidst hard packed ground comprised of small pebbles and stone, tiny remnants from the mountain that looms above it. It stands, a vigilant sentinel, before a rough trail that leads back to a denser part of the woods.
Obvious paths: northwest.
[Vela'Tohr Edge, Adder's Coil]
A velvety carpet of flora explodes suddenly into being in this spot, bearing vibrant flowers and plants of all colors and shapes. A sense of exuberance permeates the air here, as if it were charged with the essence of Life itself. You also see a large vela'tohr plant.
Obvious paths: northeast, southwest.
You reach out and lay your hands upon the vela'tohr plant's stalk, closing your eyes in concentration.
A vision suddenly takes hold of your consciousness, depicting a vast expanse of forest lying at the foot of a giant mountain crowned by an ominous-looking temple.
A horrid shriek suddenly floods your ears, shattering into your mind like a piercing blade and dispersing the vision before you. You grasp your head and slump to the ground in pain!
Note -- stunned here
The image of a Dwarven priest, clad in platemail and bedecked with symbols of Kertigen wavers in the air above you. A forlorn look crosses his face and he disappears as suddenly as he had materialized, a chilling wind rushing over your dazed person.
You manage to regain hold of your senses, although your ears still ring with the incessant cacophony of a banshee's wail.
Note -- stun wore off
The vicious ringing continues to plague your senses! (7x)
The constant ringing in your ears finally ceases. Ahh, blessed silence!
Misenseor Abbey
You feel a warmth run through your skin as you touch the altar, and fast upon it, a vision....
You find yourself in a throng of people moving slowly forward. Ahead of you is a figure, deeply hidden in shadow, sitting in a high-backed chair. The line moves forward and each person kneels before the figure, receiving a blessing. With time you move closer to your moment and your anxiety grows -- suddenly you find yourself at the head of the line. A frail hand stretches out to you.
The vision fades.
You reach out and touch the high altar.
You feel a warmth run through your skin as you touch the altar, and fast upon it, a vision....
Dressed in a deep hooded robe, you approach the high altar. Cradled gently in your outstretched hands rests a small golden bowl, an offering of holy water for your god. As you slowly climb the dais you are filled with a gentle sense of reverence and peace. Reaching the top step you stumble causing some of the precious liquid to spill out upon your hands. Looking down in horror you see that the bowl was filled not with holy water but with blood. In terror you turn to flee.
The vision fades.
You reach out and touch the high altar.
You feel a warmth run through your skin as you touch the altar, and fast upon it, a vision....
Suddenly you find yourself standing on a small balcony overlooking a vast wilderness. You lean for a moment upon the railing for support, a strong northern wind pressing your robes to your skin. The cool air is chilling and invigorates you as your senses feel renewed and keen. Looking out over the horizon your spirit feels as if it is surging with an inner power. From behind you a gentle whisper urges, "All of this can be yours."
You reach out and touch the high altar.
You feel a warmth run through your skin as you touch the altar, and fast upon it, a vision....
A horrid vision of death and destruction surrounds you. Fields are strewn with dead, bleeding bodies, maimed beyond recognition. You stare transfixed as the bodies arise... as Undead!
You reach out and touch the high altar.
You feel a warmth run through your skin as you touch the altar, and fast upon it, a vision....
A pale figure hovers over the altar, shining brighter than a star. Your eyes are blinded, and yet you cannot bear to turn away. Slowly, the figure extends a hand that swirls with the scent of warmth and fresh blossoms, and you hear a voice say, "Faith, my child. I walk amongst thee, waiting for the time when anon you shall return home to me."
The figure then vanishes, taking the vision with it. (Stunned me)
You reach out and touch the high altar.
You feel a warmth run through your skin as you touch the altar, and fast upon it, a vision....
All is darkness, full and cold, an endless Void of Nothing. And then, out of this -- a spark. A shattered remnant of a song. The coiling magic of creation swirls about you, gathering until it forms thirteen pale, perfect spheres. A ball of fire ignites the darkness, bringing warmth. The Void is rendered Whole, and thus ceases existence. With its parting, your vision fades....
You reach out and touch the high altar.
You feel a warmth run through your skin as you touch the altar, and fast upon it, a vision....
A smiling monk places his arm about your shoulder and leads you to a large room where others like him sit at a long table. Smells of freshly baked bread and cooking meats greet you. You suddenly realize that you are very hungry as if you have not eaten in weeks. The monk gestures to a seat on one of the long benches, while another places a plate heaping with food before you. A voice whispers behind you, "Come take your fill. There is plenty here for all."
[Misenseor Abbey, Library]
The musty scent of ancient parchment and leather permeates this small room, giving one cause to wonder how long since another has walked these floors. An unnatural chill fills the air, most likely never to be dispelled by the warmth of any mortal fire. Cobwebs lie like lacy veils over many of the room's furnishings. A finely embroidered tapestry hangs over the mantel of a small fireplace. Strangely a hushed stillness lies over the room, nagging at the back of the mind.
Obvious exits: south.
>l tape
This simple tapestry seems out of place. As if just mounted on the wall by its creator, the black silk bears not a sign of dust or age, and its silvery threads form words that reflect brilliantly the dimmest of light.
>r tape
The letters seem to shift and shimmer as you read the ancient text.
Aena scador vi hoyiro dael,
Ha li gar rae li zo aena germish sanyu.
Rae li shar-no halmir li shabi...
Zo cambri!
We prepare an ascending path
By the hand of the one we name divine
Of the west-would come the student...
One magic!
Li zo dael rae li gaenwen,
Aena olkar gweld ri li abule ve li misekar.
Rae li ner-no halmir li alyden...
Zo gweld!
The one path of the children
We hold death to the heart in the end
Of the south-would come the holy man…
One death!
Naen kerwaith kus kho li zo,
Li aevarnit pomger blar sudu li andu-no halmir.
Rae li pol-no halmir li tyvalger...
Zo ess!
All pass on but the one,
The watcher who guards when the day-would come.
Of the north-would come the thief...
One deed!
Sudu li feir safir li shosu,
Ia li shosu safir li gaen.
Rae li du-no halmir li cui gwernit...
Zo cubara!
When the old become the new,
And the new become the people.
Of the east-would come the speaker...
One poem!
Sudu li kai gaena esar safir zo
Aena safir morlam cam li kerwaitha rae ai andu
Aena naen phofe rae li sumilo
Sudu li lasadel khalor li gaenwen tref.
When the four they do become one
We become strong with the passage of the? day
We all dream of the midnight
When the lady leads the children home.