D&D II Act Two Scene II - The Unmaker

Fourier

Necrominus wrote: »

Vrakrash turns.

'Hey, Hey! Room for one more, Ser Boros? I don't even need a title, just an ale in my hand, constantly.'

"Yes and for your lady friend" he says nodding.

Evade

Fourier wrote: »

The people approach Iuric, many blondes in their number.

"What god gave you such gifts noble warrior?"

"Mesharum, the Final Arbiter." Iuric smiles "Truth be told he is also a distant relative"

Necro

Fourier wrote: »

One of the large blue dragons guarding the Osinzir palace descends and curls her tail around Vrakrash.

"Well hello goldie, we don't get many of your type here"

Vrakrash blushes... well, as much as a half-dragon, half-dwarf can actually blush.

'Well I must say I don't see too many of your type either. Care to blow this joint, spend a few days with me in the countryside? Plenty of room to hunt for you, and ale for me to drink.

Who knows what might happen? If it doesn't work out, you can always come back here - who'd argue with you? You're a dragon!'

sKeith

Fourier wrote: »

Karinth and Dwayne tumble out of the gate, it glows brightly behind them with the light of the blast, but closes in time.

Ser Boros turns to Sarric.

"I have proved my worth as a warrior. I think perhaps I should take my place back home.

Sarric, we have brewery beyond brewery back on my home manor. Would you wish to live out a peaceful drunken life as my Seneschal?"

"It would honor me, but i must ensure that the temple to the dream god is fully restored before i can leave. Help me fufill this simple task, and yes, we can go back to mystara and enjoy all the seneschal that is on offer."

Necro

sKeith wrote: »

"It would honor me, but i must ensure that the temple to the dream god is fully restored before i can leave. Help me fufill this simple task, and yes, we can go back to mystara and enjoy all the seneschal that is on offer."

'Oooh, I could help too! And I think I might have scored us a ride... and me a hot date!'

Vrakrash introduces the blue dragon to Ser Boros and Sarric.

'I didn't catch your name... Ah I'll just call you Bluebell.

Bluebell, meet Ser Boros and Sarric.

Ser Boros, Sarric, meet Bluebell.'

sKeith

Sarric bows to bluebell, "how goes it"

Fourier

As Iuric walks off to begin "conversion" of the local women Karinth shouts.

"I must return to Othegregrad with the lady Othegre. We shall come to visit you all, be you in Mystara or here, either converting..."

He looks up at divine Retula.

"...or being worshipped"

He flaps his wings up into the sky.

"Treasures are not won by care and forethought but by swift slaying and reckless attack"

He leaves, taking off into the air.

OOC: Last two summary posts coming tomorrow

Necro

sKeith wrote: »

Sarric bows to bluebell, "how goes it"

Vrakrash whispers to Sarric:

'It seems so sudden, but I feel a connection with Bluebell. It is said that dragons mate for life, and when I clapped eyes on her I just felt...it.

He spies Ser Boros smirking.

'No, Ser Boros - not the 'in my pants' it - you sick freak! The other... it. Love? I don't know. It just seems right. And... things going to plan - it's an easier way to travel than walking in that blasted desert again.'

Banjo

The sky darkens momentarily as a conspiracy of ravens wheels around Retula's head. She releases Cóllhugs soul to their care.
"Take her to 146. And tell Cornholus that Vergedain has first dibs, I don't want to hear any **** about this later."

She waves them off then crick's her head awkwardly.

"Suja's tits! This is wrecking my neck!"

Retula concentrates and goes back to being 5 feet tall again so she can go back to looking up at people.
"That's better. Ok ok, enough with the hailing!"

She exchanges a look with Dwayne. Songs may not be sung about it but they both know what really undid Ursula. She nods her thanks.

"Karinth, Don't be a stranger. Well, not too much Stranger. Lady O - when the time comes, might be tomorrow, might be a thousand years, might be a Tuesday 327 wanesuns from now, no spoilers, but call me, we'll work something out."

She takes out her list, scratching Citra off, etching a question mark next to Stroupy, leaving one last name. Fathe. She clenches her ungloved fist. To Tsuzim!

Fourier

Ser Boros returned home to Mystara where upon he settled down in his home manor within the province of Karameikos. Having taken small tokens on his travels, but most of all his tales, he would regale the commoners of his lands and nobles from afar of the related but slightly stranger plane he had done battle in during his youth. He eventually won his princess, though through simple courtship rather than rescuing her from a tower, he often said a battle with a dragon would now seem mundane. Eventually his line gave rise to the famed King Stefan Karameikos, the legendary ruler of Mystara.

Sarric came with him, as master brewer and ale taster. High elves and Ki manipulation were both unknown in Mystara and ale among the elves uncommon, so Sarric became a bit of a minor celebrity of the elven races all over Mystara's outer world and his monasteries became centers of learning and discovery. Sarric himself honed his Ki over the years, effectively becoming immortal, even ignoring the much greater natural lifespan he had over Mystara's native elves. Sages back on Fourion Prime would wonder over the years how it was that Sarric was able to throw Ursula's loop out of balance. Eventually discussion lead to the philosophy of Sarricism, that most of us are predestined to carry out specific actions and lives and only a rare few, like Sarric, have true free will. His interplanar wealth allowed him to construct a large temple to Dreamy Mc Dreamistine, returning the mollusc god to being Fourion Prime's main god of sleep and dreams. The resulting combination of Clerical and Monkly powers gave Sarric such control over body and mind that in time he could travel where he willed, projecting his mind and then constructing a new body where it arrived.

Vrakrash and Bluebell settled in Mystara, giving rise to the fabled metal-yellow dragon race, possessed of powerful magics and steel melting flame. Their herds would fill the skies of the continent of Brun over the coming years. Many headed back to their father's home plane, being received well as lunar ship captains in Osinzir. Others travelled more distant and there is a legacy of dragon warriors freeing slaves in the dunes of Athas and pillaging the dungeons of Ravenloft. Vrakrash himself had a happy existence on Ser Boros's land, free to roam Mystara with Bluebell for the rest of his days. Of course given his restless nature he didn't confine himself there, but with Karinth's aid often ventured with his children to Athas and many other planes with slave populations. In time he would be known as "The Bond Breaker", his name and imagery a totemic focus for slaves of natural sorceric talent. Ultimately he did the near impossible, slaying Tectuktitlay of Draj a man sometimes called the God of Slavers. From which point he ruled the city of Draj when he felt like it.

Iuric became a living embodiment of the cosmic principals of order and law on Fourion Prime, an immortal in the style of the Inner World, rather than a divinity. In time Mesharum granted him the right to possess his own Clerics and Paladins. His warriors would descend upon the forces of chaos and when in their most dire straights his high Clerics would summon him forth to smite great wyrms and crawling chaoses from beyond the veil of the mortal planes. Though many gods and agents of law and order are unapproachable and stern, Iuric would be loved by his followers, for having erred himself he was not quick to judgement though firm in its deliverance. He would be known as "The Gentle Arbiter". None of this of course is to say he completely left the material realm. His first followers rose up in Osinzir and he would often return there for a bit of R&R in mortal form, enjoying the company of the nation's blondes. Of course the usual debates arose concerning his slaying of Ursula, theologians and philosophers debating the truth of it being an accomplishment of his mortal or immortal selves.

Mags himself vanished after the "Great Concert" as the learned would say, "Woodshock" to the commoners. Some say he merged with the music, becoming an underlying disruptive note in the plane's harmonies providing much needed spice and variety to the otherwise mechanical music and gifting Bards a few new spells. The great concert would be the turning point in the plane's bardic history, after which point Bards began to appear in greater numbers. Of course his merging was true, but what many didn't know is that he would still walk the world in physical form to take in simple folk music with mortal ears, often with a hearty breakfast accompanying the performance. He and Occy would also meet up in the Demon realms for the odd black metal concert in the Abyssal pits. The chords heard during the great music perplexed some Bards and still do to this day, though some experimenting with amber in Bandyton and running the resulting blue power through a guitar claim to be replicating it, though who knows. Perhaps it is just Mags playing tricks on them, as he often does on mortals.

Retula of course became a coequal death goddess of Osinzir, though the people's favoured one. What dark necromantic romances blossomed between her and the preexistent hunk death god who knows? Her pact with the Raven Queen fulfilled she was free to carry out her role as a diety, her symbol the mighty Hetyaro. In time she tracked down most of her enemies from her days as a mortal Shadar-Kai, including the leader of the dreaded death cult of Lolth. What can a mere cult leader do against a god? From there she was free to carry out whatever deeds didn't take her away from Osinzir for too long, the paper work for all those afterlives was not a joy to return to. Having won the races as a mortal this gave her council authority, other attendees tended to agree with motions that had a god's backing. The Raven Queen no longer her patron became just a bigger fish up on the 'death-being' food chain, though it was clear she retained a soft spot for Retula, with rival death gods from nations around Osinzir being 'called away' as the nation expanded and took over their territory. This eventually left her primary death god of the entirety of the continent South of Zassan.

Hetyaro was lucky to now not just be ripped but shredded upon his ascension into a God's direct assistant, dead lifting hundreds of undead souls on his trips back and forth to the afterlives. He was glad not to be risking himself everyday anymore.

Patinkin returned to Acheron terrified at the material plane, he advised other Modrons that death waited at every corner in that insane realm.

Columbo having vanished from Vrakrash when a magic stealing spell claimed him, now found the tower empty and devoid of a ruler. He quickly looted what he could and took the treasures back to the lake, where he made a lovely dungeon for himself. For a laugh and to relive the old days he laid it with apparently lethal traps, though in truth all merely incapacitated and when they woke he greeted the adventurers to a meal and conversation.

Jeremy was left to roam free in plains near Othegregrad, living out his days in peace as Karinth often took him on dungeon crawls. He drank from streams, tasted raw meat and mated with the other vivimantic beasts that roamed the plains.

Wade woke having vanished to find the tower abandoned, one needs to wonder little as to what happened. A drow in a dark tower left to his own devices. The place quickly became his dread haunt in which he gathered his spoils. Though he did not act as other drow, the spoils were from adventuring, not slaving.

The Zassanite ambassador who first led them on their quest would be shocked once the tales began to reach the city, he lived out his life on his best selling novel "Every quest needs a patron".

Dorin the Dwarf was amazed that such luminaries had assissted him in securing the family estate. In time he came to term with his brother's death, perhaps it was part of this heroic tale he told himself. Devotees of Iuric would sometimes come to this spot of his first adventure.

The ant queen of the Zassanite desert realised how strong the surface dwellers could be and how relentless their vengence. As she burned she instructed her daughter, the next queen, to form a peace treaty with Zassan.

Redzer returned to his race informing them of the riches of the surface world and the amusing tales that result from their quick lives, though he would have to suppress his addiction to the incredible power of the moon, never telling his brethren lest they fall victim.

As for Therai....

Fourier

120 years later:

"He's done quite well for himself wouldn't you say? Richest man in the Known World"

The smell of sea salt wafts into the room from outside. A ship bearing Therai's logo sails into port at Bandyton, one of a fleet docked in the harbour. The room itself is one of the better rooms in 'The Pearl o' the Sea' tavern.

The Mage's question hangs in the air. Across from him sits Karinth, ruler of Karinthia, sister city to Othegregrad.

"Of course he has, he had the moxie, the spunk to get up and risk his life, hence he is rich. I travelled with him as well. Is that in your history?"

The Mage nods. "Yes, in a companion volume I deal with him, one of many, thanks to you I now have enough to make the volume on Sarric's travels to Athas and Blackmoor as well. Do you still see him?"

"From time to time. He's even less tied down than he used to be, projecting wherever he wants" He smiles reminiscing. "Though still the best partner in a dungeon...You have the details on Retula I sent you?"

"Yes and the fragments of the Rolz scrolls, thank you. I must say though did Vrakrash truly go nude that frequently?"

Karinth's expression turns serious and leans forward.

"The greatest planar magicians in Othegregrad refer to the barriers between worlds of being of various strengths. There is one powerful wall, the 'Fourth Wall' they call it. Whatever eldritch beings lurk behind there, I have at times suspected the hand of one in the life of Vrakrash. Subtle effects on the weave that I have noticed. From visiting sites where is father is known to have been, I have sensed it in those places too. Perhaps this being, if it exists, requires such nudity. Argold the Seer, our most powerful mentalist, once attempted to reach beyond the wall to test my theories. It shattered his mind. To this day he remains a gibbering madman saying only 'Nec, Nec, Nec' and talking about Werewolves"

The mage grimaces.

"Ah, he was half mad anyway" Karinth says relaxing back.

"Anyway I must get back to Karinthia. A cult of free loving democratic pacificists has arisen in my city and I must cleanse their dread corruption. What of you Magus Fourier? Will you come with, take part in some adventures with me? Your magics must be strong"

"No, no I'm afraid, I prefer to just chronicle tales. Good luck though"

Karinth nods "Whatever you prefer". He tears open a wound in reality, blood dripping from its surface and steps in.

The Mage looks over the histories.

"A more diverse set this time, it'd be tough work if I didn't have such good characters to write about"

He smiles, closing the book and heading downstairs for food.

THE END