"On Top Of The Worlds".
Graduates Of The Thayan Acadamy Of Magic.
Miranda Ann Johnson & Gregory Illdesserin, ages 18.
The World Tree Yggdrasil.
Miranda and the love of her life Gregory had just graduated from the Thayan Acadamy (the top of each of their respective classes naturally) and as the night of that momentus day settled in, Gregroy had magically whisked Miranda away from the Prime of Toril. He had blind folded her and gaged her and bound her magical abilities before magically kidnapping her and when he had decided it was time to restore her senses to her she found herself in a place completely unexpected. She stood upon the impossibly large and wide branch of a tree, and not just a normal tree. The tree they stood upon stretched for what seemed to be an infinate number of miles above, below and to the sides and all up and down its length, an infinate number of branches as well. Miranda sucked in a breath as the view from the giant ash tree upon which they stood filled every one of her senses.
"Do you know where we are?" he asked softly as he slipped an arm around Mirandas slender waist.
"Y...yggdrasil" she stammered a few time trying to get the name out, her eyes looked over at him since they were roughly equal in height at six feet.
He nodded and waved a hand out infront of him, indicating all that was before them. "We are on the thirty fifth branch from the mighty roots of this great ash tree, all around us are the path ways to everywhere, from Asgard to Niffelim and every plane associated with them, right now we stand atop many words at once".
"Your crazy Greg! We shouldn't be here! You know as well as I do there are dragons all over the place, we're going to get eaten!". Miranda exclaimed softly after a long moment of looking out over the panaramic brilliance and beauty infront of her.
She sucked in a deep breath and sat down cross legged on the wide branch they stood upon. Gregory knelt next to her and from his backpack he began to produce a wide array of food stuffs and drinks, a venerable picnic indeed!, which he set out on a lavish blanket in a careful and organized order.
"You've practiced this set up haven't you" she asked as she watched him work with methodical precision.
He nodded silently, distributing food and drink to the both of them. The two ate and drank slowly, talking about things important to them, magic and knowledge, money and their future as red wizards of Thay..and a tiny bit about their future with each other. They sat upon the thirty fifth branch for what seemed to be hours, before the picnic array was packed up and set back in his travel bag. They stood for some time looking out over the beautiful visage before them, hand in hand, arm around each others waist, Mirandas head resting gently on his shoulder...in a simple word...it was perfect, and both of them felt as if they could stand there...forever.
Time moved on at its own pace, literally hours went by with the two of them standing there, drowning in the brilliance and significance of standing on the great world tree, none of them speaking words. They both knew the power words held, both of them being wizards, hell espeically being Red Wizards of Thay, so powerful are the nature of words that when Gregory uttered two simple words, the sound of them shattered the serene silence into a million imaginary peices.
"Marry me". He said suddenly, simply and to the point.
Miranda lifted her head from his shoulders and looked up at him a tiny bit, "Umm...what?.
"Marry me" he said again as he turned her to face him fully, a hand dipping into the folds of his robes. He pulled out a velvet box and slid it open and pulled out a platinum band ring set with what had to be the most beautiful, largest and utterly flawless Canary Diamond she had ever seen, a diamond so perfect it caught the sunlight from a thousand different directions, glittering like a star might when seen at night.
He dropped to a knee and took one of her hands in his, and offered her the ring.
"Miranda Ann Johnson, since the day I met you when we were ten years old, not a day has gone by that you haven't been the first or second thought to cross my mind of every hour of every day, we have been attached at the hip since day one and if anyone knows what love at first sight is then it has to be us. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want to build our fortunes and our empire with you, I would love to take over the world with you at my side but I will settle for your clear and unwavering love, I want you to marry me" he finished his speech and waited a long moment before he looked up at the silent woman, noticing tears making their way down her cheek.
"I...I dont know what to.." she started to speak softly.
"Most people typically say yes" he said with a chuckle and a smile, damn that smile she thought for a moment...she could never ever say not to it.
He watched her for a long moment, she wiped a tear from her cheek and sucked in a deep breath when suddenly, she was gone from his grasp...just like that...gone.
Gregory took a giant step forward and looked over the edge of the branch as Mirandas form raced out of sight towards the ground.
"MIRANDA!!!!" he shouted as he leapt of the branch as he bellowed out the arcane words to a flight spell. He soard down the length of the tree, branches and leaves whipping past him at incredible velocities, occasionallly he past by the odd traveler or even dragon perched on the many branchs but they seemed to pay him no mind. The world tree isn't called such for no reason, it is an immense tree, so high off the ground was their branch that he knew if he didnt catch her, there was no way she would survive the fall.
-Stupid, stupid stupid- Miranda thought to herself, the man of her dreams, the love of her life brings her to an incredible and special location and proposes to her and she looses her footing and falls off the damned tree.
"Your so clumsy Miranda" she said out loud to herself. She knew she was in trouble, she didnt have the right spell prepared she literally had no way to stop her descent because she hadn't really expected to fall from any world trees today. She saw Gregory flying down after her be she realized he was simply to far away to catch her.
"So this is it, I'm going to end up as a pile of bloody rags at the base of Yggdrasil, not how I thought I would die but..." she sighed and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and waiting for the sudden stop at the end of her long drop.
What seemed to be an eternity passed and she sighed mentally as she felt her body relax.
-That wasn't so bad- she thought to herself, wondering why she hadn't felt any pain or agony.
"Miranda...Miranda open your eyes" came a familiar voice, a smooth hand caressing the bald skin of her head, tracing fingers over the magical tattoo on her head. She opened her eyes to take in the sight of Gregory, cradling her in his arms as he waited for her to open her eyes. She smiled softly and placed one hand against his cheeks.
"You know...you could have simply said no if you don't want to get married, you didn't have to jump off the damned tree" he said with an expression that was equal parts sarcasm and worry.
She smiled softly and grabbed the sides of his face with both her hands and pulled his head down to embrace him in a -VERY- passionate kiss.
"I love you Gregory Illdesserin, yes, I will marry you" she whispered softly as they continued to share a long series of passionate kisses.
Miranda Illdesserin
-
*WhenWizardsWar
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
WARNING: THIS STORY ENTRY CONTAINS SCENES OF CARNAGE, DEATH, DESTRUCTION AND RAGE AND THE GOREY MOMENTS THAT ACCOMPANY THEM.
"Ashes To Ashes".
Sigil, The City Of Doors-Illdesserin Tower.
Miranda & Edwin Illdesserin (1yr old).
Present Day.
Miranda sat upright against the headboard of her bed, her legs curled up against her chest, a glass of wine in one hand, the other hand extended down where it rest upon the naked stomach of a squirming one year old boy who wiggled and squirmed as his mothers fingers danced rapidly across his soft skin in such a manner that drew out a near endless stream of giggles and snorts from the youngling. She studied the infant for a moment before kicking her legs off the side of the bed and standing, the giggling stopping and a sad pouting face appearing on the younglings visage. The child does not cry but he does somehow hold a face of sadness as he watch's his mother pick up a locket on nearby desk and study it intent, just like she has done many times in the last few months. She sighs and places the amulet down after a brief period of flash-back images of Gregorys funeral flickers through her mind, the flickering lights and the smell of burning wood and flesh as she and her son stand over the funeral pyre as it begins to reach skyward.
She reaches down and picks up a thick piece of paper, fine ink and words scrawled along its surface as she reads it for ten time this day.
"Dearest Miranda".
I know that reading a letter from me of all people is likely to anger you and incite rage within your heart but understand that I send this to you as someone who still considers you a good friend. I want to start by extending my condolences to you once again and I hope you know that I too have shed many tears for the late Gregory and I also wish to inform you that I managed to hold a small memorial ceremony here back home. I won't shower you with any more words of comfort or kindness since I know you, and by now I know your probably plotting how much coin it would take to have me killed in my sleep because I violated your very clear directions to leave you alone.
I need you to understand that the content of this message comes from me as a friend, and has nothing to do with Thayan politics or the zulkirs, this is a personal favor, a gift from me to you. In the wake of the destruction that fell upon both you and your husbands enclave, we recieved reports that a group of strange people in what must have been some kind of spelljammer, was seen soaring in the air around the dragons reach. We don't know a lot of what transpired but what we do know is that a significant blow was dealt to the majority of the large orc war band that we now believe to be directly responsible for both the destruction on the enclaves and the death of your husband and other associates.
I write you this letter at great risk to myself, and my career in Thayan politics but as token of thanks for years of friendship and business you will find the detailed locations of the remnants of the orc legion. The orc legion has apparently disbanded into four groups of disgruntled greenskins, most of them wandering in the four cardinal directions of the map away from the dragons reach.
What ever you choose to do with this information is entirely up to you, and I will close this letter by once again saying I am sorry for everything and I wish you and your son many years of wealth, health and prosperity.
Sincerely B.
This would make the thirty, maybe thirty first time she has read the letter since she had gotten it, but this time her muscles ball the note into a ball, her teeth clench and her eyes narrow as she can almost feel a red haze flood into her vision.
"Are you alright mum?" came the heavenly accented voice of Byrnwyld, the construct that has served as her majordomo and now her sons protector and caretaker in her absence.
"Byrnwyld...I need you to do something for me, something I have never asked you to do before"
"Of course mum, what ever you need, i am here to serve" came the reply, as the construct followed her gaze down to the infant who was now, to her amazement, rolling around the surface of her bed under his own propulsion.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Toril-Faerun-Some where north of the Dragons Reach.
The orc screamed, more of a squeal as it tried to dash into the thick hide tent but a massive hand of grey iron snaked its fingers around the terrified creature and enclosed it in a steely grip. The hand drew the writhing green skinned creature away from the tent, one hand sticking out between the metal fingers as it grasped the tent flap in futility. The massive twelve foot tall metal monster flexed its metal joints and there came a muffled, sickening pop and crunching noise as it crushed the life out of the pathetic creature it held within and let its broken and lifeless body fall to the ground. The creature turned to survey the scene before it as it looked for its next victum. The orc camp was huge, numbering close to five, maybe six hundred orcs which had nestled into a valley which they -thought- would offer them safety, and indeed for a few months...it had been very safe.
Until -she- arrived.
The woman had just...appeared out of no where, on the edges of the camp as she made her way closer and closer. The guards had threatened the woman, told her stop or die if she came closer, and with but a wave of her hand the four guards were sent skyward, screaming in pain as a ball of terrible fire exploded at their feet. The camp exploded into motion at that moment, and what started as an orcish blood lust called to battle quickly turned into screams of terror and pain as dozens of tall being of stone and metal began to appear around the woman as she entered the camp. The woman in red robes crooked her fingers and bellowed out words of power for a second time as the a pair of iron golem's flanking her brought a massive foot down, each turning a fleeing orc into a pulverized quivering mess of gore underneath.
The woman finished her spell...
And in the blink of an eye...
A dozen more orcs were oblitereted...
The slaughter continued for while as the woman and her terrible engines of destruction marched slowly through the large orc camp, leaving almost no tent standing, no building untouched. One could almost tell where the orcs tried to rally against the woman as every half mile or so of orc encampment, the concentration of blood and bodies on the ground reached a significant amount. The orcs had rallied, and surged with weapons and shields drawn, but there were so many powerful metal and stone men flanking this woman that only a handful ever made it past them alive and those that did found their attacks skittering harmlessly off of the powerful magic protection the woman had wrapped herself in.
The sounds of battle, and slaughter finally settled down as the woman and her execution squad reached the far end of the camp, where she found the pathetic creature that claimed to lead these orcs. The cowering excuse for an orc was dragged before the woman and when he refused to kneel before her, a smaller golem, made of simple stone kicked out and shattered its kneecap, forcing the orc to the ground with a loud squeel. The woman said nothing to the orc, her eyes spewing so much rage and anger the orc could almost picture her eyes bleeding hate and violence in his direction.
She turned and threw her fingers out in front of her as she began to hiss and snarl a series of words of power, her hands spreading apart as she tore a hole in the middle of the air. The visage on the other side was one of nightmare, a bleak blood red landscape of jagged rock and pillars of flame reaching as far as the orc could see. The landscape was divided by a thick river of strange fluid that slowly crawled its way into the distance, a stream nearly infinite in length.
As the orc gaped in fear he looked at the lady, and a moment of recognition crossed his face as he finally recognized her.
"You..lady...I know you...you wont kill us all, we couldn't find you so we killed your people and hen we found your husbands fortress and we killed him too, we will see you in hell bitch" he snarled at her in a moment of understanding and brief courage.
"Your choice of words drip with coincidence because hell, is exactly where your going so I guess you will be the first to arrive, make sure you set out enough spots at the dinner table for the rest of your filth", the woman finally spoke before she nodded to one of the iron golems who picked up the orc and tossed him into the portal.
The orc scrambled to his feet, his heart racing in fear as he looked around frantically. The creature didn't dare linger but as he turned to run his tusked face dropped in awe and fear and tried to scramble backwards only to trip on a rock that smelled of brimstone, landing on his backside as the shadow of a fifteen foot tall creature loomed over him, a pair of massive wings unfurling to blanket out the orcs own shadow...
The orcs terrified scream echoed far and wide...
Over the next two days, two more of the four orc camps suffered similar fates, massive constructs led by a single solitary woman who pulverize, incinerate and obliterate the camps of several hundred orcs of the face of Faerun. The slaughter is both terrifying and with exception of a few dozen orcs that manage to escape each slaughter, the destruction is almost down to the man, woman and child green skin. As Miranda continues her travels around the four compass directions surrounding the dragon reach, wiping out these camps, she follows an organized and very carefully planned routine despite the terrible blood lust and rage that she finds herself clutched by almost constantly.
The assaults begin with a tide of stone and metal, crushing and pulverizing everything while Miranda dispatch's death and carnage using a combination of her spells and strange metal "boom stick" that the orcs quickly realize hurts very very much. When the camps are nearly destroyed, she opens a single gate into which she casts the orc leaders of each camp. The final nail in the coffin, comes when Miranda finds the highest hill, or mountain range near each camp and which she stands atop of, her constructs forming a near invincible line of defense around her. She begins to dance and swirl and words of power echo from her lips as her powerful magics, and her skills as former red wizard are brought to bear as she calls forth a single massive rock of stone drifting from the void, a rock that upon entering the prime, begins to glow with heat and flame as it is slammed down into the orc camps, sterilizing their presence from the face of existance.
As she completes a third day of rage filled slaughter and destruction, she rests upon the a hilltop that over looks a now smouldering crater. She sits by a tent and camp fire, her knees pulled to her chest as she rocks back and forth whispering to herself, unable to shake herself from actually enjoying such unrestrained use of magic. She is so wrapped up and drunk with this sensation, she fails to take notice of the two dozen mysterious masked figures who have been watching her for a few days now, from a great distance, watching her and studying her, and as each day goes by...passing silent judgment on her...
"Ashes To Ashes".
Sigil, The City Of Doors-Illdesserin Tower.
Miranda & Edwin Illdesserin (1yr old).
Present Day.
Miranda sat upright against the headboard of her bed, her legs curled up against her chest, a glass of wine in one hand, the other hand extended down where it rest upon the naked stomach of a squirming one year old boy who wiggled and squirmed as his mothers fingers danced rapidly across his soft skin in such a manner that drew out a near endless stream of giggles and snorts from the youngling. She studied the infant for a moment before kicking her legs off the side of the bed and standing, the giggling stopping and a sad pouting face appearing on the younglings visage. The child does not cry but he does somehow hold a face of sadness as he watch's his mother pick up a locket on nearby desk and study it intent, just like she has done many times in the last few months. She sighs and places the amulet down after a brief period of flash-back images of Gregorys funeral flickers through her mind, the flickering lights and the smell of burning wood and flesh as she and her son stand over the funeral pyre as it begins to reach skyward.
She reaches down and picks up a thick piece of paper, fine ink and words scrawled along its surface as she reads it for ten time this day.
"Dearest Miranda".
I know that reading a letter from me of all people is likely to anger you and incite rage within your heart but understand that I send this to you as someone who still considers you a good friend. I want to start by extending my condolences to you once again and I hope you know that I too have shed many tears for the late Gregory and I also wish to inform you that I managed to hold a small memorial ceremony here back home. I won't shower you with any more words of comfort or kindness since I know you, and by now I know your probably plotting how much coin it would take to have me killed in my sleep because I violated your very clear directions to leave you alone.
I need you to understand that the content of this message comes from me as a friend, and has nothing to do with Thayan politics or the zulkirs, this is a personal favor, a gift from me to you. In the wake of the destruction that fell upon both you and your husbands enclave, we recieved reports that a group of strange people in what must have been some kind of spelljammer, was seen soaring in the air around the dragons reach. We don't know a lot of what transpired but what we do know is that a significant blow was dealt to the majority of the large orc war band that we now believe to be directly responsible for both the destruction on the enclaves and the death of your husband and other associates.
I write you this letter at great risk to myself, and my career in Thayan politics but as token of thanks for years of friendship and business you will find the detailed locations of the remnants of the orc legion. The orc legion has apparently disbanded into four groups of disgruntled greenskins, most of them wandering in the four cardinal directions of the map away from the dragons reach.
What ever you choose to do with this information is entirely up to you, and I will close this letter by once again saying I am sorry for everything and I wish you and your son many years of wealth, health and prosperity.
Sincerely B.
This would make the thirty, maybe thirty first time she has read the letter since she had gotten it, but this time her muscles ball the note into a ball, her teeth clench and her eyes narrow as she can almost feel a red haze flood into her vision.
"Are you alright mum?" came the heavenly accented voice of Byrnwyld, the construct that has served as her majordomo and now her sons protector and caretaker in her absence.
"Byrnwyld...I need you to do something for me, something I have never asked you to do before"
"Of course mum, what ever you need, i am here to serve" came the reply, as the construct followed her gaze down to the infant who was now, to her amazement, rolling around the surface of her bed under his own propulsion.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Toril-Faerun-Some where north of the Dragons Reach.
The orc screamed, more of a squeal as it tried to dash into the thick hide tent but a massive hand of grey iron snaked its fingers around the terrified creature and enclosed it in a steely grip. The hand drew the writhing green skinned creature away from the tent, one hand sticking out between the metal fingers as it grasped the tent flap in futility. The massive twelve foot tall metal monster flexed its metal joints and there came a muffled, sickening pop and crunching noise as it crushed the life out of the pathetic creature it held within and let its broken and lifeless body fall to the ground. The creature turned to survey the scene before it as it looked for its next victum. The orc camp was huge, numbering close to five, maybe six hundred orcs which had nestled into a valley which they -thought- would offer them safety, and indeed for a few months...it had been very safe.
Until -she- arrived.
The woman had just...appeared out of no where, on the edges of the camp as she made her way closer and closer. The guards had threatened the woman, told her stop or die if she came closer, and with but a wave of her hand the four guards were sent skyward, screaming in pain as a ball of terrible fire exploded at their feet. The camp exploded into motion at that moment, and what started as an orcish blood lust called to battle quickly turned into screams of terror and pain as dozens of tall being of stone and metal began to appear around the woman as she entered the camp. The woman in red robes crooked her fingers and bellowed out words of power for a second time as the a pair of iron golem's flanking her brought a massive foot down, each turning a fleeing orc into a pulverized quivering mess of gore underneath.
The woman finished her spell...
And in the blink of an eye...
A dozen more orcs were oblitereted...
The slaughter continued for while as the woman and her terrible engines of destruction marched slowly through the large orc camp, leaving almost no tent standing, no building untouched. One could almost tell where the orcs tried to rally against the woman as every half mile or so of orc encampment, the concentration of blood and bodies on the ground reached a significant amount. The orcs had rallied, and surged with weapons and shields drawn, but there were so many powerful metal and stone men flanking this woman that only a handful ever made it past them alive and those that did found their attacks skittering harmlessly off of the powerful magic protection the woman had wrapped herself in.
The sounds of battle, and slaughter finally settled down as the woman and her execution squad reached the far end of the camp, where she found the pathetic creature that claimed to lead these orcs. The cowering excuse for an orc was dragged before the woman and when he refused to kneel before her, a smaller golem, made of simple stone kicked out and shattered its kneecap, forcing the orc to the ground with a loud squeel. The woman said nothing to the orc, her eyes spewing so much rage and anger the orc could almost picture her eyes bleeding hate and violence in his direction.
She turned and threw her fingers out in front of her as she began to hiss and snarl a series of words of power, her hands spreading apart as she tore a hole in the middle of the air. The visage on the other side was one of nightmare, a bleak blood red landscape of jagged rock and pillars of flame reaching as far as the orc could see. The landscape was divided by a thick river of strange fluid that slowly crawled its way into the distance, a stream nearly infinite in length.
As the orc gaped in fear he looked at the lady, and a moment of recognition crossed his face as he finally recognized her.
"You..lady...I know you...you wont kill us all, we couldn't find you so we killed your people and hen we found your husbands fortress and we killed him too, we will see you in hell bitch" he snarled at her in a moment of understanding and brief courage.
"Your choice of words drip with coincidence because hell, is exactly where your going so I guess you will be the first to arrive, make sure you set out enough spots at the dinner table for the rest of your filth", the woman finally spoke before she nodded to one of the iron golems who picked up the orc and tossed him into the portal.
The orc scrambled to his feet, his heart racing in fear as he looked around frantically. The creature didn't dare linger but as he turned to run his tusked face dropped in awe and fear and tried to scramble backwards only to trip on a rock that smelled of brimstone, landing on his backside as the shadow of a fifteen foot tall creature loomed over him, a pair of massive wings unfurling to blanket out the orcs own shadow...
The orcs terrified scream echoed far and wide...
Over the next two days, two more of the four orc camps suffered similar fates, massive constructs led by a single solitary woman who pulverize, incinerate and obliterate the camps of several hundred orcs of the face of Faerun. The slaughter is both terrifying and with exception of a few dozen orcs that manage to escape each slaughter, the destruction is almost down to the man, woman and child green skin. As Miranda continues her travels around the four compass directions surrounding the dragon reach, wiping out these camps, she follows an organized and very carefully planned routine despite the terrible blood lust and rage that she finds herself clutched by almost constantly.
The assaults begin with a tide of stone and metal, crushing and pulverizing everything while Miranda dispatch's death and carnage using a combination of her spells and strange metal "boom stick" that the orcs quickly realize hurts very very much. When the camps are nearly destroyed, she opens a single gate into which she casts the orc leaders of each camp. The final nail in the coffin, comes when Miranda finds the highest hill, or mountain range near each camp and which she stands atop of, her constructs forming a near invincible line of defense around her. She begins to dance and swirl and words of power echo from her lips as her powerful magics, and her skills as former red wizard are brought to bear as she calls forth a single massive rock of stone drifting from the void, a rock that upon entering the prime, begins to glow with heat and flame as it is slammed down into the orc camps, sterilizing their presence from the face of existance.
As she completes a third day of rage filled slaughter and destruction, she rests upon the a hilltop that over looks a now smouldering crater. She sits by a tent and camp fire, her knees pulled to her chest as she rocks back and forth whispering to herself, unable to shake herself from actually enjoying such unrestrained use of magic. She is so wrapped up and drunk with this sensation, she fails to take notice of the two dozen mysterious masked figures who have been watching her for a few days now, from a great distance, watching her and studying her, and as each day goes by...passing silent judgment on her...
-
*WhenWizardsWar
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
"One In A thousand"
Miranda sat back in her chair, her magic ink quill tapping on her chin as she organized her thoughts. She glances down at the floor and smiles widely as she watch Edwin, her nineteen month old baby boy quickly march his way across the fine carpet on the third floor of her tower, her bedroom and private library. The child had evolved quickly from crawling to walking and had already mastered his new mobility, much to the joy...and terror of his mother and Byrnwyld, the towers construct majordomo who have become the childs guardian and protector.
She returned her attention to the table in front of her and made some finishing touches to the carefully drawn sword on paper in front of her. She had seen this particular blade for only a short time but she had already burned every detail into her mine, details she now had put on paper. She tapped her chin in thought for a few moments more then picked up a book that she kept her most precious notes in, bound in leather and metal and secured with a half dozen chains of different metals, each with a differnt lock and different key.
"The celestial sword that as shown to me is very fascinating from the inscription down to the weapons construction, for the sake of security and my research I will not scribe the words of the runes because if my experiences over the years indicate anything, its that somethings are not supposed to be copied and can sometimes punish those who do so. I have conducted a preliminary series of tests with the weapon in combat and from those results, I have deduced the following.
*The weapon, based on its runes and the nature of the blade, is likely focused on either dismissing, banishing or otherwise caging a creature of some kind.
*There might be as many as one thousand of these blades in planar circulation with an equal amount of people who may or may not have once owned them.
*The weapons easily identifiable magic works as it should, but the blades latent ability remains a mystery.
*In my preliminary field test results I have determined that striking and slaying shadows, undead creatures, demons and devils does not seem to trigger the blades latent power, and tests done on celestial beings did not produce any effect either, but that was to be expected.
~I suggest further testing on other creatures, creatures from the beast lands, the elemental planes and limbo.
*I theorize, like others do, that the blades are keyed to a very very specific type of creature or a specific individual, like pit fiends specifically instead of just devils or maybe Bob The *** nalfeshne, versus the rank and file nalfeshne.
*It is also possible, much as I am terrified to contemplate it, that the blade may be linked to a higher power, the runes speak of temptation and shadow and other nasty things which may refer to the...domains of powerful lords such as Orcus, or Dispater, etc etc.
*On the point above, I cant help but consider this might be something akin to the fabled "Rod Of Seven Parts".
*I have also come to the conclusion that the swords may need to united to function and activate its hidden ability, we have seen this type of powerful magic before with the scrolls of mnemur and to a lesser degree with the regalia sets that planes walkers demand so highly (the more peices of the regalia you have the powerful they get).
*I will have to study more then one blade at once to see if this is the case, and I also want to figure out if there is a resonating ability with each other like the scrolls of mnemur, I wonder of the blades can be attuned to react to the presence of others of its kind nearby.
*I have been given an extensive list of others who have had, or may have one of these blades as well as a list of interested parties who are currently seeking these weapons. I don't know the intent of these individuals but some of them, I suspect intend nothing but ill should they discover their true purpose. I also trust the person who gave me this information and I will not ink their name on these pages nor have i recorded it anywhere. I have also promised this person to protect the identity of these people and will not ink their names either, in fact I gave my personal word I will not even approach these individuals unless i have no other choice.
*As a final note, to protect the identify of the names i have been given, i have come up with a pass phrase that i have given to my informant that they can relay should they choose, to interested parties, and that if the individuals should choose, they can approach me with the code phrase but as stated, i will not approach them unless i have no other choice.
*I have taken a few basic steps to place eyes and ears out there should more of these artifacts turn up, people I know I can trust.
*It seems to me, like Sigil has entered yet another arms race, for good or for ill.
Miranda leans back in her chair and pulls off the gloves covering her fingers. She flex's her digits carefully and frowns, looking at the sweaty and clammy skin before replacing the cloth back on her hands.
Miranda sat back in her chair, her magic ink quill tapping on her chin as she organized her thoughts. She glances down at the floor and smiles widely as she watch Edwin, her nineteen month old baby boy quickly march his way across the fine carpet on the third floor of her tower, her bedroom and private library. The child had evolved quickly from crawling to walking and had already mastered his new mobility, much to the joy...and terror of his mother and Byrnwyld, the towers construct majordomo who have become the childs guardian and protector.
She returned her attention to the table in front of her and made some finishing touches to the carefully drawn sword on paper in front of her. She had seen this particular blade for only a short time but she had already burned every detail into her mine, details she now had put on paper. She tapped her chin in thought for a few moments more then picked up a book that she kept her most precious notes in, bound in leather and metal and secured with a half dozen chains of different metals, each with a differnt lock and different key.
"The celestial sword that as shown to me is very fascinating from the inscription down to the weapons construction, for the sake of security and my research I will not scribe the words of the runes because if my experiences over the years indicate anything, its that somethings are not supposed to be copied and can sometimes punish those who do so. I have conducted a preliminary series of tests with the weapon in combat and from those results, I have deduced the following.
*The weapon, based on its runes and the nature of the blade, is likely focused on either dismissing, banishing or otherwise caging a creature of some kind.
*There might be as many as one thousand of these blades in planar circulation with an equal amount of people who may or may not have once owned them.
*The weapons easily identifiable magic works as it should, but the blades latent ability remains a mystery.
*In my preliminary field test results I have determined that striking and slaying shadows, undead creatures, demons and devils does not seem to trigger the blades latent power, and tests done on celestial beings did not produce any effect either, but that was to be expected.
~I suggest further testing on other creatures, creatures from the beast lands, the elemental planes and limbo.
*I theorize, like others do, that the blades are keyed to a very very specific type of creature or a specific individual, like pit fiends specifically instead of just devils or maybe Bob The *** nalfeshne, versus the rank and file nalfeshne.
*It is also possible, much as I am terrified to contemplate it, that the blade may be linked to a higher power, the runes speak of temptation and shadow and other nasty things which may refer to the...domains of powerful lords such as Orcus, or Dispater, etc etc.
*On the point above, I cant help but consider this might be something akin to the fabled "Rod Of Seven Parts".
*I have also come to the conclusion that the swords may need to united to function and activate its hidden ability, we have seen this type of powerful magic before with the scrolls of mnemur and to a lesser degree with the regalia sets that planes walkers demand so highly (the more peices of the regalia you have the powerful they get).
*I will have to study more then one blade at once to see if this is the case, and I also want to figure out if there is a resonating ability with each other like the scrolls of mnemur, I wonder of the blades can be attuned to react to the presence of others of its kind nearby.
*I have been given an extensive list of others who have had, or may have one of these blades as well as a list of interested parties who are currently seeking these weapons. I don't know the intent of these individuals but some of them, I suspect intend nothing but ill should they discover their true purpose. I also trust the person who gave me this information and I will not ink their name on these pages nor have i recorded it anywhere. I have also promised this person to protect the identity of these people and will not ink their names either, in fact I gave my personal word I will not even approach these individuals unless i have no other choice.
*As a final note, to protect the identify of the names i have been given, i have come up with a pass phrase that i have given to my informant that they can relay should they choose, to interested parties, and that if the individuals should choose, they can approach me with the code phrase but as stated, i will not approach them unless i have no other choice.
*I have taken a few basic steps to place eyes and ears out there should more of these artifacts turn up, people I know I can trust.
*It seems to me, like Sigil has entered yet another arms race, for good or for ill.
Miranda leans back in her chair and pulls off the gloves covering her fingers. She flex's her digits carefully and frowns, looking at the sweaty and clammy skin before replacing the cloth back on her hands.
-
*WhenWizardsWar
- Posts: 353
- Joined: Thu Jan 01, 1970 12:00 am
A couple of months ago, Faerun.
Someone on the prime world of Faerun two individuals an adult and a child sit cuddling around a campfire. a ring of powerful golem's protecting them.
"I love you so much my baby boy, your so handsome and smart and cunning, your going to grow up to be stronger then both your mummy and daddy" came the woman's voice.
The pair laugh and giggle for hours, until the time winds down and they fall asleep, curled up in a sleeping bag, nice and warm.
The mother stirs awake at the sound of an echoing foot step, then another and another. She jumps to her feet and calls forth a powerful protective spell around her and her child.
Or she tries, the spell fizzles as if there simply is not enough magical energy to complete it.
"Who ever you are, your approaching the wrong camp under attempted stealth! Golems, destroy them!". She shouts.
She looks at the golems when they fail to move, and as she watches in surprise and horror, the golems begin to simply deactivate, their postures going limp as heads drop and limbs settle to their sides.
It was then that the twelve figures stepped into view and the woman felt sick to her stomach because with the group came some odd and powerful aura of magic or rather...antimagic. She felt every ounce of magic on her possession and even her connection to the weave become dull and hazy as if she was looking through a clouded window.
The figures were all uniform in height, with red and white robes of the finest fabrics, each of them wore a grey featureless mask.
"Miranda Illdesserin, you are to LEAVE this place at once and never return!" one of the voices bellowed.
"Pardon?". Miranda questioned.
"You have abused your connection to the weave to bring death and destruction to the land, you have killed hundreds of creatures in a blood fueled rage, you have called down great objects from the void, your spells have left miles of land barren and lifeless, unable to grow and support life." one of the masked figures reported.
"Uhh..yeah what of it? Its happened before, wizards get angry, and i didnt see anyones name on these lands" she said calmly as she placed her hands on her hips.
"We have determined that should you remain here, your presence will lead to a chain of events that will result in a signifcant loss of life that the powers that be have deemed unacceptable" another masked figure said.
"We have humbled your defenses, we are protecting the area in an anti magic field, you are no match for us should you try and refuse" came another voice.
"Clearly I dont have a choice do it?" she asked.
"No you do not, but we are not murderors, we will spare you, your child and your guardians and we will escort you back to the portal you used to come here. You will enter the portal and return to the city of doors but be warned, we will always be watching you and should you ever set foot back on Faerun, you will die". The first voice warned.
"I don't know who the hell you think you lot are but you've made a terrible mistake here today, and someday, you will pay for it" she hissed through her teeth.
"We have been protecting the prime worlds for many millenia lady Illdesserin, it is our task to examine those who have the chance to cause ripples and waves where ever they go and while many people in the multiverse leave a lasting mark on where ever they go." one voice, a woman whispered.
"So what? YOu just said everyone does it why am I being singled out" Miranda asked with frustration.
"You are a former Red Wizard of Thay who has conflicted with the Harpers, and the Zhentarim, and the Cult Of The Dragon and many special interest groups, and we have divined and determined that should you continue to exist here that there is a great potential for unacceptable impressions upon the continent, yet another of the twelve responded.
"So your all diviners and prophets who are punishing me for something that I may or may not do yet? You realise how stupid you lot sound right?" Miranda said with a smirk.
An hour later, Miranda materialized through one side of a portal on the astral plane, her son Edwin in hand, and two dozen constructs marching through after her.
As she looks back at the portal, one of the figures waves a hand, sending a magical green ray through the portal which collides with her left shoulder blade. She screams in pain and collapses to the floor as she glances up at the shoulder where she beholds the symbol of a series of black stars, twelve in all, dancing around a broken wand of some kind. She wrinkles her nose at the burning flesh and glares back at the portal.
"First, you claim some kind of right to exile people from the prime material, and now you brand and scar me?" she snarls.
"It is a mark of warding and location, we will be watching you lady Illdesserin, for the sake of you and your son, please...go back to the city of doors and live your life in peace" came a magical response.
"Oh I will for now, but someday, I will find out who you are and I will find you and I will hunt you all down and one by one, I will kill you all". she hissed through clenched teeth as she watched the skin on her shoulder blister and boil from the spell.
The portal flickered for a moment before dissapateing.
Miranda sat there on the ground for a long time, staring at the portal as she clenched her baby tight to her chest and what seemed like hours passed before she realised she was crying.
She was born and raised on Faerun, it was her home, her power and success and her husband were born there....it was part of who she was...
Was she really suppose to live out the rest of her life in the city of doors?.
Was she really supposed to raise her son in what was considered the center of the multiverse?.
When she had moved to Sigil, the feeling of isolation and loneliness had started to sink in.
When she became pregnant and couldnt move around much, the lonliness had started to mentally drain her.
When her husband died, the lonliness had slapped her in the face and kicked her in the gut.
But now she realised that she was truely and utterly alone, with no one to really rely on but her, and her son.
The lonliness was now turning into something and she knew what it was.
For the first time in her life, she was truly and utterly terrified.
Someone on the prime world of Faerun two individuals an adult and a child sit cuddling around a campfire. a ring of powerful golem's protecting them.
"I love you so much my baby boy, your so handsome and smart and cunning, your going to grow up to be stronger then both your mummy and daddy" came the woman's voice.
The pair laugh and giggle for hours, until the time winds down and they fall asleep, curled up in a sleeping bag, nice and warm.
The mother stirs awake at the sound of an echoing foot step, then another and another. She jumps to her feet and calls forth a powerful protective spell around her and her child.
Or she tries, the spell fizzles as if there simply is not enough magical energy to complete it.
"Who ever you are, your approaching the wrong camp under attempted stealth! Golems, destroy them!". She shouts.
She looks at the golems when they fail to move, and as she watches in surprise and horror, the golems begin to simply deactivate, their postures going limp as heads drop and limbs settle to their sides.
It was then that the twelve figures stepped into view and the woman felt sick to her stomach because with the group came some odd and powerful aura of magic or rather...antimagic. She felt every ounce of magic on her possession and even her connection to the weave become dull and hazy as if she was looking through a clouded window.
The figures were all uniform in height, with red and white robes of the finest fabrics, each of them wore a grey featureless mask.
"Miranda Illdesserin, you are to LEAVE this place at once and never return!" one of the voices bellowed.
"Pardon?". Miranda questioned.
"You have abused your connection to the weave to bring death and destruction to the land, you have killed hundreds of creatures in a blood fueled rage, you have called down great objects from the void, your spells have left miles of land barren and lifeless, unable to grow and support life." one of the masked figures reported.
"Uhh..yeah what of it? Its happened before, wizards get angry, and i didnt see anyones name on these lands" she said calmly as she placed her hands on her hips.
"We have determined that should you remain here, your presence will lead to a chain of events that will result in a signifcant loss of life that the powers that be have deemed unacceptable" another masked figure said.
"We have humbled your defenses, we are protecting the area in an anti magic field, you are no match for us should you try and refuse" came another voice.
"Clearly I dont have a choice do it?" she asked.
"No you do not, but we are not murderors, we will spare you, your child and your guardians and we will escort you back to the portal you used to come here. You will enter the portal and return to the city of doors but be warned, we will always be watching you and should you ever set foot back on Faerun, you will die". The first voice warned.
"I don't know who the hell you think you lot are but you've made a terrible mistake here today, and someday, you will pay for it" she hissed through her teeth.
"We have been protecting the prime worlds for many millenia lady Illdesserin, it is our task to examine those who have the chance to cause ripples and waves where ever they go and while many people in the multiverse leave a lasting mark on where ever they go." one voice, a woman whispered.
"So what? YOu just said everyone does it why am I being singled out" Miranda asked with frustration.
"You are a former Red Wizard of Thay who has conflicted with the Harpers, and the Zhentarim, and the Cult Of The Dragon and many special interest groups, and we have divined and determined that should you continue to exist here that there is a great potential for unacceptable impressions upon the continent, yet another of the twelve responded.
"So your all diviners and prophets who are punishing me for something that I may or may not do yet? You realise how stupid you lot sound right?" Miranda said with a smirk.
An hour later, Miranda materialized through one side of a portal on the astral plane, her son Edwin in hand, and two dozen constructs marching through after her.
As she looks back at the portal, one of the figures waves a hand, sending a magical green ray through the portal which collides with her left shoulder blade. She screams in pain and collapses to the floor as she glances up at the shoulder where she beholds the symbol of a series of black stars, twelve in all, dancing around a broken wand of some kind. She wrinkles her nose at the burning flesh and glares back at the portal.
"First, you claim some kind of right to exile people from the prime material, and now you brand and scar me?" she snarls.
"It is a mark of warding and location, we will be watching you lady Illdesserin, for the sake of you and your son, please...go back to the city of doors and live your life in peace" came a magical response.
"Oh I will for now, but someday, I will find out who you are and I will find you and I will hunt you all down and one by one, I will kill you all". she hissed through clenched teeth as she watched the skin on her shoulder blister and boil from the spell.
The portal flickered for a moment before dissapateing.
Miranda sat there on the ground for a long time, staring at the portal as she clenched her baby tight to her chest and what seemed like hours passed before she realised she was crying.
She was born and raised on Faerun, it was her home, her power and success and her husband were born there....it was part of who she was...
Was she really suppose to live out the rest of her life in the city of doors?.
Was she really supposed to raise her son in what was considered the center of the multiverse?.
When she had moved to Sigil, the feeling of isolation and loneliness had started to sink in.
When she became pregnant and couldnt move around much, the lonliness had started to mentally drain her.
When her husband died, the lonliness had slapped her in the face and kicked her in the gut.
But now she realised that she was truely and utterly alone, with no one to really rely on but her, and her son.
The lonliness was now turning into something and she knew what it was.
For the first time in her life, she was truly and utterly terrified.