The crystal light

#1

A bright light shone on the horizon, everything that the light touched shrivelled and died leaving behind a line of decay and death. The cause of this tragedy was a bright crystasl orb floating just of the west banks of Kypen the city of gold. The city was in distress everyone running here and there collcting there belongings trying to escape the light.

Meanwhile in the southern continent there led a young girl just turned 19 looking up at the bright blue sky, she wore warrior garments of the Tellaborder city, a rich magneta armour covered her body, although it was light it was strong, underneath this she wore a casual pair of black trousers and a top to match. By her side was a long silver sword which shimmered beutifully in the morning sun, in it's hilt many diffrent colored jewels were encrusted in an accentric pattern. Her long black hair fell across the dew covered grass, her bright blue eyes shone in the light making them seem like the top of a river with clear blue waters. Slender features made her face seem more pretty than when you looked first, her lips were a bright blood red and her cheeks were a pale pink. Melody sat up and watched as one of the soldiers walked up the hill towards her "News from Kypen, the light has returned, it is making it's way towards the city shall we send word to the other citys to evacuate?" Melody shook her head "It's time that we done something about this! we must put a group together to go to the northern continent i will go to the inns and find people who are willing to go on this mission." The soldier nodded and walked off back down the hill. Melody streached and stood up brushing her hair down and smoothing out her undergarments. she bent down and picked up her sword and attached it to her side, she took a deep breath and walked towards the town. In the town there were all diffrent shops in a row with inns placed systematically along the line, Melody walked into the first shop "I need 20 leaflets saying that there is going to be a mission to the northern continent to try and destroy the crystal orb emitting the light" the shop keep nodded and went to his back room, after a couple of minutes the shopkeep came back holding a bundle of papers in his arm. he handed them to melody and she walked out pinning one on the door as she left. after posting all of the leaflets she walked into 'The headsmans' inn which had been put as a meeting place on the leaflet. Melody ordered an ale and went and sat on the centre table and waited for the people to come.

Re: The crystal light

#2

Celak walked through the town with his tight black gear on, keeping to what little shadows existed. He had just stolen the purse from a very rich man, and was making his escape as clean as possible. He had one dagger in hand, with the ones on his left forearm, hips, and both boots still sheathed. His short sword clung to his back by the dark leather strap it was attached. His stark white hair was covered by his black hood, and his toneless skin was covered by a darker film, given to him by a small time alchemist. Celak looked around and realized the man's gaurds had passed his position and darted into the crowded street. He saw a leaflet saying something about light, and then saw the words "Headsmans Inn" and took off at full speed. He arrived at the inn and quickly wiped away all the film off his showing skin, revealing the pale white of his forearms and lower legs He flipped his hood back and ran his hand through his white hair. He entered the inn, and his attention was instantly drawn towards the woman with the Tellaborder garments. He looked at her with his light pink eyes and walked over. "Hello, ma'am, I read something about a quest of some sorts? I was wondering if you would mind me joining your little expidition," he stated clearly in a statly manner not that of a common rouge.

Re: The crystal light

#3

Melody looke up from her drink at the new arrival, she stared long and hard at the mans full head of white hair and his pale face. "It would be my pleasure for you to join me in this quest, it will be dangerous but it must be done" Melody nodded her head towards a chair to the left of her "Sit have a drink" She lifted her hand and the bartender made his way over to the table

Re: The crystal light

#4

he heard footsteps running towards him through the darkness of the night, the quiet sching as Liessi slowly slid his katana from its scabbard, watching a shadowy out line appear through the trees at the edge of the clearing. Liessi drew back as the figure lit a torch revealing a small hole in the ground and a shovel implanted in the earth. Liessi pulled his hood up, grabbed something out of the hole and was leaving when he found a flyer on the ground in his path. the man must've dropped it he glanced at it then left for the 'The headsmans' inn.

Re: The crystal light

#5

Celak sat down at the table, facing the woman. "As you wish, barmaid, firewine please," he said, sliding his hand into his newly aquired pouch and slipping a few silver coins on the table.

Re: The crystal light

#6

Boistrous laughter echoed from the middle of a large, drunk crowd across the other side of the main room of the headsman's inn. The centre of the crowd and the source of the deepest, loudest laughter came from a man seated at the head of a table. The man seemed to be early to mid-thirties in age, with a Trim beard lining his face and short, black hair crowning his head. His sturdy frame suggested he was fighting fit. In his hand, he held six or so leaflets - it seems he had been wandering through the town and had plucked a number of them from the various posting places, effectively lowering the chance that people would notice them. Now, however, he was waving the leaflets emphatically around at random members of the company he was with, his derisive tone reading off the leaflets loudly enough for half the tavern to hear, "And, and... listen to this! 'Once a suitable party is found, we shall head north to attempt to destroy the crystal orb' Ha!" The man burst out into laughter once more, and after several seconds of calming himself, he spoke amusedly to his drunken comrades, "I've heard that crystal light burns a person to bone in less than ten seconds if one cannot find shelter from it! What kind of fool would take this mission!? I bet not even the great wizard Aerthin would have the gall to stop that light. 'Course, Aerthin was always a bit loose in the head, if you know what I mean!" The man chortled again, accompanied by his choir of inebriates, and he raised a pitcher of ale, downing the dregs then sitting the empty pitcher on five of the six leaflets, using them as a coaster. A good half-dozen other empty pitchers sitting next to the man suggested he was quite intoxicated himself. Interestingly, a hard-cover tome rested next to the man as well, a silver-chained bookmark rested between the folds of pages. Finally, he read the last segment of the final leaflet he held in his hand, "And it says here that if you are interested in stopping the Crystal Light, you can meet someone named Melody in the Headsman's inn! Ha! I wonder how many... er..." The man trailed off as he realised that was the name of the very inn he was at now. Slowly, he peered across the room, studying each person in it casually, trying not to draw too much attention, though he'd already failed that with his laughter and pamphlet reading.

Re: The crystal light

#7

A stout man, as burly as he was portly, pushed the door open with his knee as he dragged a heavy case into the barroom. A shrub-like moustache obscured the man’s mouth as he called out, “I read that someone here was putting together an expedition to deal with that lethal crystal orb to the North!” Peering myopically through his pince-nez, he continued loudly asking as he dragged his heavy case across the crowded room. “The flyer mentions someone named Melanie! Is there a Melanie here?”

Finding a table suited for his needs, the man heaved the cumbersome wooden box onto the table with a heroic grunt. Heaving it up onto its end, he began unlatching the container’s sturdy catches, giving anyone in the room that cared to look a glimpse of the legend emblazoned upon it:

CONTENTS: STELLISCAFF ARMOUR

DANGER: CONTAINS
CAUSTIC MATERIALS

PROPERTY OF
WILLISHIER P. SERAPHISS, ESQUIRE
N. S. G. Q. P.

THIS SIDE UP

With a dramatic flourish, the man threw open the case, commenting “You may have others willing to head North, but I doubt that they have anything like THIS!”

Revealed inside was a bizarre harness of gleaming silvery metal, its every part polished to a mirror finish. Tubes and valves projected from various parts of the armor, apparently meant to connect to small glass orbs that were neatly stored in a rack arranged along one side of the chest. Folded in the case with the rest of the gear was a suit of rough grayish fibers, apparently meant to serve as padding under the unusual armor.

Re: The crystal light

#8

After the spectacle that the drunken man reading the flyers and the entry of the odd man with his trunk, the young man who quietly stood up wasn't really impressive. He'd been sitting near the boistrous fellow, but now had a thoughtful expression. Tellas was slender and on the small side, with dark hair that reached down to his shoulders and partially obscured his face. He was wearing clothes that looked like they had at one point been expensive, but he'd had them so long that they were worn and faded. He didn't appear to have any weapons except for the wooden staff he was leaning on.

"This is the Headsman's Inn, isn't it?" He had a quiet way of speaking, and over the din of the tavern it was a little difficult to hear. He turned around slowly as if scanning the room, and finally oriented on Melody's table. He approached and bowed in her general direction. "If you are the one forming this party, may I offer my services? If this light is such that you must avoid it or die, then you might require the aid of one who is not bothered by the dark."

Re: The crystal light

#9

The intoxicated man ceased his scanning of the place at the arrival of a crate-wielding man, and - his search for Melody forgotten - he nudged a nearby patron good-naturedly before pointing at the newcomer, "Oi, give this a look! He's brought a coffin into the bar!" With that, he stood from his seat at the table, snatched that hard-covered tome and turned in the direction of the man who now had the crate up on a table, "Hey! Whatchoo got there, son!?" The drunkard lumbered forward stoically... for the first two steps, before his inebriated state caused him to stumble wildly off-course, barging rudely into the quiet, staff-wielding man before regaining his balance. Without so much as a word of apology, the man continued on his course, stopping just before the crate and peering in, "Woah - thash a pretty shoot of armor ya got there, my friend!" The man peered closely at the reflective, ornate armor, studying his own face in the reflection. In that mirror of steel, the man noticed his own face becoming noticably green. He then felt a distinct tingle in his throat, and by the time he realised what was happening, it was too late - he opened his mouth and let fly! A stream of the nights labour of alcohol poured from his mouth, the sickening ichor splattering all over the lower-half of the previously polished suit of armor and soaking into the wood of the crate it was held in!

Re: The crystal light

#10

The unexpected impact from behind knocked Tellas nearly off his feet, and he dropped his staff. He snarled to himself; clearly that was the drunken idiot from before. He felt around the floor for a moment before finding his staff; it hadn't rolled far. Then he stood up, fuming. The fool wasn't hard to find, he was making a hell of a racket. Tellas stood still for a moment, gripping his staff with both hands and making sure he had the position right. Then he swung hard and low, sweeping the other man's feet out from under him and sending him to the floor. "Pay attention to where you're going, you fool!"

Re: The crystal light

#11

His stomach thoroughly emptied, the drunkard remained bent over, gasping for breath. He did manage a few words to the owner of the crate, however, "Oh! I've gotten gunk all over you..." *Thunk* the wooden staff of the man he had just bumped into scooped him off his feet - and the lubrication from his own stomach contents didn't much help his balance, either! With a surprised yelp, the man crashed unceremoniously to the floor, and he gasped in shock - not at the tripping, but because his left hand fumbled, and the hard-covered black book he was holding slipped from his grasp. To the drunkard, it seemed like that book fell in slow motion: he watched as it bounced once on the floor, flipped halfway then bounced once again. The flimsy lock on it snapped open with the impact and the worn pages flew open. Finally, the book landed spread-eagled, a random page opened. For one long second the entire room was silent. Then, a faint wailing sound of despair echoed - the sound seemedly coming from the book itself. Random letters and images swirled chaotically on the opened page, and a cold breeze began to blow outward from the paper.
The torchlight in the room flickered weakly, and the room began to skip - as though everything within it were caught in the groove of a scratched record and time was skipping randomly.. the wind and that faint wailing increased in sound; the call of a howling wind and a cacophony of tortured souls reverberated around the room, the sound and wind chilling to the bone until *BAM!* Everything stopped. The drunkard had managed to crawl over to the book and had slammed his open hand hard against its opened pages. With his touch all signs that anything was even wrong disappeared in an instant. With a subdued grunt, the man closed the book and clicked the small lock back in place. With a short glare at the person who had dripped him over, he slung the book beneath his arm and snatched another pitcher of ale before secluding himself in a quiet corner of the room and quietly seething.

Re: The crystal light

#12

Tellas gripped his staff tighter when the wind and the eerie sound started. The noise disoriented him, and milky white eyes widened in anxiety. Where was it coming from? He couldn't place the source, and it was getting worse. He started to become afraid; if he couldn't find where the threat was coming from, he was essentially helpless... What was that? Where was it coming from? What in god's name was it?!

He tried to force himself to remain calm, panicking would only confuse him more. The noise grew louder and the wind colder, and he was very close to lashing out at random, hoping to hit anything. Then, *BAM!* It stopped as suddenly as it had begun, leaving him standing there, sweating and trembling slightly. He strained to listen, but all he heard was someone moving around, picking something up. Nothing that was a threat. It still took him a few moments to compose himself, but he finally relaxed. "A cute trick," he said sourly to no one in particular.

Re: The crystal light

#13

“I say! I say!” sputtered the thoroughly infuriated inventor as he surveyed the damage wrought by the inconsiderate barfly. “This is a precision piece of equipment, wrought at great expense, and representing the fruit of months of effort!”

As he futilely tried to wipe clean the thoroughly contaminated armor and its case, Professor Seraphiss considered how lucky they all were that the idiot hadn’t shattered any of the fragile globes of liquid within the case. He might have started a fire, spilled caustic acid, or worse! As it was, the nitwit’s vile rotgut had clearly damaged the tertiary sibilantors and possibly the radial flanges, as well. The armor’s efficiency would be reduced by nearly a quarter of its full powers!

Enraged, the Professor turned to face the drunken fool, who had apparently tripped over his own two feet and was being upbraided by a young man with some sort of a pole. As he turned, a strange wind vibrated the entire structure. “What? What?” he gasped in bewilderment as the strange oscillation increased in severity. It took mere moments for the scientist to realize that the oscillation was not a wind at all but some sort of spatio-temporal anamoly! How could he stop such a thing?

No sooner had he started to reach into his case than the strange phenomenon ceased as suddenly as it had begun. He began to pull strange-looking instruments out of his case and check them against the default readings associated with normality. This event wouldn’t be a mystery much longer!

Re: The crystal light

#14

Celak watched everything closely, The drunk man roaring with laughter, then realizing where he was, the man and his box showing off the quite unusual armor, then the man with the staff as he walked over. Celak watched as the drunkard bumped into the staff holder, and then as the staff holder bashed the legs from under the drunk. Please not another bar fight, I don't want to have to kill drunks and fools in front of the lady, he thought. Then the room was spinning, and Celak heard whistleing. Celak looked around, and with his precise sight from being a rouge, saw the open book on the floor. He watched hard and carefully as the drunk slammed the book shut, and everything stopped. "Well then, my drunk friend, I notice your quite through making fun of my fine companion, Melody, I'll ask you a question. What is contained within that rare book you hold? I've heard of something that does that, but thought it a mere rumor," Celak said in his stately tone. He quickly looked to the obviously blind man with his staff, and to the obvious inventor. The blind man, a mage mabye? And the inventor, a over rightous fool perhaps, but both may be useful, more so with this drunk, who looks to be a first class warrior, he speculated. "Well, Melody? The man with the staff has offered his assistance, and the man with the armor seems to be here because of your leaflet. They both look quite capable of traveling, and if I'm correct about the man with the staff, he's as blind as a bat," Celak said to her, then looking to the blind man, "No disrespect intended. However, the drunk looks to be quite a capable warrior, and by my calculations, you, the blind man, that inventor, the drunken warrior, and myself should be able to handle this Crystal Orb that needs destroyed," Celak stated in his noble tone. Glancing around at everyone to make sure they all heard him, he slid his chair back and put his feet on the table, sipping his firewine he waited to see if he was as good at observation as everyone told him.

Re: The crystal light

#15

The drunk tapped his fingers idly atop his hard-cover book, which was now rested on the table before him. From the nearby table, a white-haired man inquired about his book. After a moments silence, the man replied curtly, "It is my work, and has nothing to do with you." Clearly, the was now in a bad mood, and he glared silently at the man and the woman seated at the table across from him. " 'the drunk looks like a capable warrior' Psh!" he snorted softly and rose, snatching his book and stalking to their table and twisting a chair, sitting on it backwards, with its back touching his front. He did wince slightly as the toxins in him caused him to misjudge his drop, causing a sharp pain in a very delicate place, but he hid it well, to retain the illusion of anger, "Now, unless i'm mistaken, I was the one who just moments ago was slandering your cause! And you now speak as though you've conscripted me for service? Feh! What could you possibly give me that will convince me to go on a fool's mission!?" Abruptly, his stomach grumbled in a very dissatisfying manner again, but he swallowed and held the bile at bay, awaiting an answer.

Re: The crystal light

#16

The wizened old man sloughed towards the bar, a heavy rucksack over his shoulder. He shifted the weight of the bag and muttered under his breath as he entered the bar, largely ignoring the other patrons. He was here to see about the flyer. With a grunt he sat the sack down as easily as he could, no need to disturb it any more than it had been disturbed. He gestured and muttered a short incantation, binding the sack from thieves and from leaving the tavern. That had happened once already and had been hell getting it back. Volrish wiped at his face with the sleeve of his robe and started looking for the petitioner of this particular quest.

"I'm looking for Melody, the petitioner to have the Crystal Orb destroyed," He looked for a few before he finally found the woman. She smelled like confidence and metal, likely armored under her gear, not an uncommon custom of the northerners. "Volrish Jokulsmorder, of Praxingdrell, master of the seven-fold flame, and witness of Atma, the World Destroyer at your service," he said, apeing a bow to the woman, though it was little more than a twitch of the head. He didn't bow so well at the midsection any more.

Re: The crystal light

#17

The drunkard, interrupted in his questioning by a wizened newcomer, turned to face this "Volrish" and give him some tongue, "Excuse me! Can't you see we're in the middle of... wait." The man paused to consider the old relic's words, his alcohol-riddled mind struggling to catch up. Abruptly he burst into derisive laughter, "Volrish Jokelshmendrix!" he slurred, "Master of the seven-fold flame! Haha! You are crazed! Nobody can master the seven-fold flame! It is like putting a leather collar around the dragons neck and telling it that it is your slave! The Seven-fold is a fools theory!" He blinked, then lapsed back into silence. Still, his gaze lingered on Volrish a second longer than it should have before turning back to the other two at the table.

Re: The crystal light

#18

“Astounding!” exclaimed the beefy professor as he analyzed the strange magical currents that his instrument revealed to him. “My Thaumometric Arcerometer registers a disruption in the mana field, as would be expected, yet the discharge occurred in over six bands! Six bands, I say! That’s raw, unshaped magic! We’re fortunate that we weren’t drawn into a parallel dimension, turned into insects, or the like!”

He turned to address the drunken mage that had been at the center of the discharge, his anger at the man’s disgusting upheaval temporarily superseded by patronizing concern. “You, sir, must maintain better control of your magics! A reckless display like that is inexcusable, whether you’re inebriated or not! I note that you are evidently a…” He searched for a phrase that was suitably courteous, “a man of learning. Despite your rather naïve assertions about the mysteries peculiar to the Brethren of the Flame, you certainly know better than to risk people’s lives and sanity so rashly!”

Not giving the unfortunate drunk a moment to get a word in, the well-fed inventor put his hand out to greet the newly arrived mage. “Greetings, sir! I am known as Willisher P. Seraphiss, Professor of Artificial Magics and Initiate of the Brazen Portal...”

It appeared that the inventor intended to continue his introduction, but a noise from the tavern’s entrance drew his attention. A group of five men had entered the room. Shrouded in enveloping cloaks of charcoal grey and wearing broad-brimmed hats, their pallid faces were almost entirely hidden. All that could be made out was their red-rimmed eyes, glaring cruelly at the assembled patrons. Despite the warmth of the crowded barroom, the strange men seemed to be shivering with cold.

Two men settled beside the room’s entrance and two others flanked their sinister leader as he strode arrogantly into the room. A strange and ugly helmet, entirely covered with jagged excrescences, hid his eyes, but the cruel hiss of his voice carried through the room. “I ham looking fhor the onesss that postehd thisss,” he hissed, displaying one of the posted flyers as he and his men drew strange scepters from beneath their robes. In unison, the men’s scepters jerked in their hands as jagged projections popped forth from each device with loud, metallic clicks. A smell of ozone filled the bar’s stale air.

Re: The crystal light

#19

"Perhaps then a demonstration is in order?" Volrish said, looking towards the five cold men who had entered the tavern, if indeed they were men.

Re: The crystal light

#20

Melody had been enjoying herself thouroghly untill the noise had pierced the air, She had just started to enjoy the scenes going on in front of her when the five men waltzed into the inn. This was either going to turn out very bad or very good. "I accept the help of you all. I will need all the help that i can get. Now why would you be looking for me have i done anything wrong?" melody asked in her soft seductive voice batting her eyelids a couple of times, but pulling her sword out from underneath the table and holding it at her side, just incase anything was to happen, she scanned the quiet inn most of the other patrons had become silent with all the things that had happened in a short amount of time, but now all of there eyes were fixed on the five figures who seemed to hiss like snakes did when angry.

Re: The crystal light

#21

His eyes hidden beneath the strange helmet, the bizarre figure turned to respond to the girl that had answered his query. “You shall not interfere with the blessing of the Crimson Goddessss! It’sss comfort shall be oursssss!”

As one, he and his ominous minions held forth their scepters and began to chant in syllables no human throat could shape. A nimbus of greenish light began to gather around each scepter, flickering with ghostly discharges toward each of the objects and people around the grim figures. The mages could sense the eldritch power of the things rapidly reaching a climax.

"Stop them!" called Professor Seraphiss, as he recognized the inferno that the figures were preparing to unleash upon the helpless patrons of the bar. "Those are Phlogiston Rods!"

Re: The crystal light

#22

Melody moved as soon as the professor had said 'stop them' bringing her arm back she underarm threw a dagger towards one of the ugly snake-like things hitting it in the hand which held the sceptor, But she didn't wait to see what happened she had whirled around and shouted at the top of her voice "You wish to join this quest? Well lets see what you've got" smiling she raised her sword and with a quick movement slashed down at one of the other creatures.

Re: The crystal light

#23

"Phlogiston rods?" Volrish said with a sneer of contempt, "child's playthings. Let me show you what burning really is." He thrust out his hand and a great whoosh the cracking nimbus of the leader's rod went out and there was a cracking noise as the rod itself was suddenly glowing with a scarlet hue. The creature had a second to let out a raspy hiss of pain as it's hand melted around the rod and it's flesh flowed like hot wax. The smell of boiling blood and fat reaching flash heat was sickening. Flames burst from the hand holding the now crumbling Phlogiston Rod, and a thick oily smoke roiled from the creature's gaping maw even as the muscles of it's face ran like wet paint.

In a matter of a few seconds the leader of the hissing humanoids was nothing more than greasy ash, his once formidable rod now looking like a piece of charcoal rescued from a hot fire. "That is how you do that." he said.

In the corner, his bag rustled, drawing his attention away from the hissing ones. "Not now," he scowled.

Re: The crystal light

#24

What were these strange newcomers, and why could he feel a gut-wrenching feeling of magics building up from their weapons? Bah! Can't a man have a peaceful night of drinking without having to fight for his life!? His questions forgotten, he rose from his chair and turned to face the assailants - only to see the wrinkled fossil thrust out his hand, and ignite the foremost creature, turning it into liquid then ash. Aerthin swallowed nervously; perhaps there was some power to his claim after all...!
Still, this was no time to gawk over old men! Almost casually, he flicked open the lock in his book and flipped the pages over - no strange happenings occured this time, and he smiled as he found the page he was after - those who looked would have noticed no writing on the page. Holding the book in his left hand, he placed his five right fingertips against the paper. Wisps of an azure haze began to circle the page in a pattern, bieng drawn towards the fingertips and transferring to the mans skin like spilled ink is soaked up by a sponge. The purple haze now circling in an almost unimpressive nimbus around his hand, Aerthin pointed his fingertips at the phlogiston rod held by the far left creature. Without warning, and much to the creature's surprise, the rod ceased its glowing, and then began to move of its own accord. The metal weapon swung violently - directly at its owners head, smashing it to a pulp. Those who could not sense the magic at hand could only have assumed that the foe had struck his own head, as he was still holding the weapon.
The creature crumpled to the ground, knocked out by the blow, but the weapon did not stop there - with a violent thrust it broke free of its holders grasp, floating in the air. Animated thusly, it continued its barrage of the head of the beasts unconscious form, smushing it until it was nothing more than a bloody pulp. When nothing but jelly remained, the weapon suddenly jerked, then fell lifeless at the feet of its now-headless owner. Aerthin smiled faintly and flicked through his book for another spell...

Re: The crystal light

#25

Tellas had started to growl at the one who'd made the comment about being blind as a bat, but before he could, strangers entered the bar. Judging from what the others said, they weren't welcome. "I'll show you what a blind man can do," Tellas snapped. Fortunately, the strangers sounded odd compared to the rest of the people there. He heard one fall, apparently one of the others had gotten him. Their weapons stunk of ozone; that just made it easier for him to smash his staff into the nearest one. He smiled in satisfaction as he felt the impact with the man's side; hard enough to break ribs. Then the other end of the staff came up, and tangled with the weapon he held. For a moment, the two of them were still as each tried to force the other's weapon away. Then Tellas shifted and let the man bear down on him. He over-balanced, pitching forward as Tellas rolled backwards. A well placed kick to the midsection sent him flying over Tellas's head, then Tellas used the momentum to roll quickly to his feet, searching for his next target.

Re: The crystal light

#26

Professor Seraphiss had been caught flatfooted as the intruders attacked, but he reacted with a quiet discipline that belied his scholastic background. In the seconds he needed to safely put his delicately-crafted Arcerometer down, the others in the room had decimated the barbaric intruders.

Seeing the sole surviving intruder reeling back with melody’s dagger through its hand, he stepped up briskly and painfully snatched the Phlogiston Rod from its nerveless fingers. “How DARE you threaten us with such a weapon, you bounder!” he blustered as he briskly struck the pained creature in the abdomen with its own weapon. With a rapid twist of the scepter’s adjustment ring, he discharged the weapon just above the stranger’s groin, causing it to croak briefly in agony before its red eyes rolled back and it dropped to the floor unconscious. Releasing the remaining magical charge to finish off the dying intruder that had fallen before Melody’s flashing blade, he tucked the steaming magical weapon under his belt. “Handy gadgets, those Phlogiston Rods.”

Near the small heap of debris that had been the creatures’ leader, several scorched fragments were all that remained of its strange helmet. That mage had certainly eliminated him efficiently! Nudging the smoking chunks of debris, Seraphiss could make out mystic symbols inscribed within the helmet’s lining. It was hard to tell from the remaining fragments, but he suspected that he knew the helm’s purpose.

“Gentlemen, Madam,” he said, nodding gravely, “I suspect that the strange headgear of our late opponent was designed to relate his perceptions to some distant superior or accomplice. We had best not linger, for our unseen foe may send more minions. Additionally, I would prefer not to spend my afternoon convincing the gendarmerie that this violence was necessary. Shall we be off?” the professor asked.

Re: The crystal light

#27

Celak stared at the five creatures as they walked in. He knew they were not men, not completely at least. He watched as the Master of the Seven-Fold flame took one down, the man he had mistaken for a warrior obviously took the now headless one down with a cantrip from his book. Then the blind man, now quite obviously not as wizardly as first believed, got into it with a third. Melody had the forth it seemed, which left one. Celak grabbed both forearms with each hand, and drew both of his forearm daggers. He pulled his right hand over his shoulder, and drew his left back low. With a quick jerk, he let both daggers fly. As one dagger caught the wrist of the hand holding a rod, the second buried itself deep into that same arms shoulder. Celak drew both of his hip daggers fast as lightning and launched them both as well. One striking the creatures gut and the other its thigh. Grabbing his last remaining daggers from his boots, he rolled forward and launched the right hand one into the creatures neck. Grabing his shortsword from his back, he stabbed the creature in its other shoulder with his left hand dagger, and swung his short sword over his arm, effectivly decapitating the thing. He let the lifeless body fall. The last attack had been for show, the dagger in the creatures neck would have killed it anyway, but Celak was always one to end a fight with a flourish of style. He picked up the dagger that had struck the thing's wrist, wiped it and sheathed it. He carefully removed all daggers, wiping all the creature's blood off each one, and replaced it into its respective sheath. He kept his sword out, just in case someone needed a quick, deadly, yet helpful stab to save them from a beast.

Re: The crystal light

#28

"Well, that'sh that then, isn't it? If some crazed overlord with a shuperiority complex saw my face through that helmet-thing like Profesher Serarp... Like Doctor S said, then I guess he'd be wanting to hunt me down! I've no choice but to follow - at least until we find whoever was on the other end of that helmet!" The drunkard snapped his tome shut and clipped the lock back into place before sliding it in a sturdy sling which was wrapped around his torso like a bandoiler, before leaning in close to Melody, grinning mischeviously, "That means you and I will be travellin' together, luv! We'll see the world, we will!" The smell of alcohol on his breath was strong. He backed away soon, however, and shambled towards the door "Looks like just about everyone else has made their greetings! Aerthin, I be! First Caste Spellwriter of the Unearthed Grave! Well, lets be off! The less time we wait, the more ground we have ahead of reinforcements!"

As Aerthin stumbled out of the inn - hitting his shoulder hard on the door jamb - and started up the road with no idea of direction, he muttered beneath his breath, "I Aughtta make a sobering spell..."

Re: The crystal light

#29

OOC : can i still join i was kinda busy but now i can be fully active if so then. . .

IC : Liessi was heading towards the destination that had taken this long just to glimpse when hes saw a group heading towards him on the path, wary after the encounters with bandits and such he slinked of the road into the shadows. he saw a rotound fellow, a young girl, a young man, an old man and someone who he could only just see in the darkness. as they got closer he stepped out into the roadand stood there, waiting for the consequences.

Re: The crystal light

#30

OOC: yeah it's alright if you join as long as its alright with the others i shouldn't see why not!

IC: Melody nodded and walked after Aerthin stepping over the smoking pile of ash. She started down the long dark road keeping a close eye on the wandering drunk, she looked behind her to make sure the others where following. Melody heard a rustle up a head and turned her eyes to the front peering into the penertrating darkness. there stood a stranger "Friend or foe" called melody stopping and grabbing Aerthin's arm to stop him from carrying on.

Re: The crystal light

#31

OOC : thanks! :D

IC : using a small incantation, infact the only one he knew, Liessi lit a small light on the end of his finger, banishing the darkness and also allowing him to see the group properly for the first time. He tightened the leather straps holding the black cuirass snugly to his torso, and pressed his black iron greaves against his legs. "So, you must be Melody and the party on the quest to destroy the crystal orb, i wish to help." After this he threw a crinkled up paper at the girl and awaited the groups reaction

Re: The crystal light

#32

Tellas was still irritated at the world, but he'd go with them. He'd show them all what a blind man could do. He was walking slightly apart, so he could hear better; the group was making all sorts of noise. He tapped the ground in front of him with his staff as he went, so as not to trip over anything. He halted when the stranger spoke up. He didn't sound like an enemy; maybe he would prove less a fool than these other people.

Re: The crystal light

#33

Eyeing the besmirched contents of his case, the gleaming armor and delicately-crafted equipment he had designed to maintain it, Willisher felt a stab of remorse. He had given up a great deal to develop this gear, but still couldn’t be certain that it would withstand the hellish radiations of the crystal orb. Even more discomforting, the Stelliscaff Armour had proved to be much more fragile than he had expected, with significant harm to its resistance array’s radial flanges from no more abuse than the clumsy fumbling of a retching drunkard!

“Well, what’s done is done,” sighed the disgruntled academic as he finished his inspection. He hadn’t planned to don the armor so soon, but he never would have expected to encounter creatures bent on stopping the ill-conceived quest, either. Rifling through the loose items in the bottom of the massive crate, he drew forth a dog-eared sketch book. Flipping to one of the earlier incantations, Ganthelm’s Instant Esquire, he pulled out an old-fashioned robe of silk, a bead-encrusted foreign hat, and intricately-embroidered felt boots. Pausing to first squint at his battered notes, the professor’s experienced hands rapidly completed the movements needed for the spell as he recited the odd doggerel that the undignified animation called for. Flipping the hat into the air, it caught in place as if landing on an invisible hat rack. The robe followed, draped as if worn by an invisible man, with its sleeves dangling inches too long. Finally, he tossed forth the boots, which were caught by the robe and swiftly placed upon nonexistent feet.

“I’ll need a hand fitting on the armor, then I’ll need you to carry the case back to my residence and clean it thoroughly. While you are there, fetch a spare set of radial flanges…” Pausing to look at his inebriated colleague, he revised his request. “Better make it two.”

The strange markings and intricate fluting of the armor glittered in the light as Professor Seraphiss donned the warlike equipment. Small tubes carried liquids of strange, mystical significance among the interlocking plates of the unusual harness, and a strange feeling permeated the air, as if the gear emitted sound outside the dimensions perceived by humanity. In a few minutes, he was ready to travel, clad in a harness of gleaming silvery armor.

Tucking his captured Phlogiston Rod into a ring on the side of the armor, he looked around at the others. “Where did you plan to go first?” he asked.

Re: The crystal light

#34

OOC: Hell, I don't mind, join in and welcome.

IC: Celak followed Melody quietly. Hearing the Professor, he turned and waved at him to hurry up and follow. He slipped out the entrance to the Inn and immediately disappeared into the shadows. With is being darker out, he had no need of his skin darkening cream. He put his hood up, but left his bangs showing. If his newly aquired party knew what to look for, they could always see him. And if an enemy did, well, they would catch a face full of daggers. He crept along with Melody and the drunken fool. Celak didn't particularly like the man, but thought mabye when sober, the man might not be such a idiot. He saw a man slip into the dark, sit for a second, and then go into the street. Celak made his presence noticable, but just barely, checking the man's attention to detail. He saw the man look directly at him, and smiled under his hood. He listened for a second, then stepped into the light when the man threw the paper. "Well met, I saw you noticed my presence. Not bad eyes for most people. You have guessed right, we are indeed the party going to attempt to destroy the orb. However, just a thought," Celak looked to Melody, "Are you sure a rouge like myself should come? I'm more equipped to the shadows and darkness. An orb of light would seriously reduce my usefulness, however, honor exists even among the unlawful, I stay by my word, and would still like to come, if you would be so kind as to have me," Celak turned his attention back to the stranger. "Well met, once more, I am Celak, and if Melody here decides to keep me, I would be the partys goodly rouge, honor among theives as they say, I only steal from thos who can afford it," Celak stated with an open smile, grabbing his new purse, and tossing it a few times. "Funds mean nothing when Celak the Rouge is on the job." Celak put the purse back in his side pouch and crossed his arms, grabbing the hilts of his daggers. Rouges were not known to be trusting people.

Re: The crystal light

#35

"I thank you, Celak, for acknowledging one of my greater traits, there seems to be no lies in this party so i tell you this, should you accept my service, that i am a trained assassin, highly skilled within the order. but fear not i turned from that path long ago, now I am a treasure hunter, searching for the treasure of zafira. i am highly skilled with the katana and can meld in the dakness, as can your friend here, so i may prove a valuable asset. I leave the decision with you." with this Liessi sat on a tree stump just off the road and began sharpening his katana.

Re: The crystal light

#36

Celak listened to the newcomer. As soon as he heard assassin, he tensed up. Oh what a joy, to be in a party with an assassin. The same type of people who hunt my kind. Well, just because Melody lets him in the quest, doesn't mean I have to trust him. Celak thought to himself. He looked at Leissi sharpening the katana blade, and was actually cautious for once. Celak had heard of Leissi a while ago, when Leissi had still been a key assassin in many deaths. Thinking back, he remember hearing the man had given up his profession, and Celak relaxed for the first time in years. The man had seen him hiding, and that was no small feat. Celak trusted no one with his life, but with this new job, he had no choice. Whatever choice Melody made, Celak would follow it down to the last. "Melody, I do believe this man has valuble combat abilities and skills. He would most definately be an asset to our cause," Celak said in his high class manner. He glanced at Leissi again, and gave a look that made sure the assassin knew that Celak had heard of his work. All the while, Celak's hands never left the hilts of his daggers.

Re: The crystal light

#37

I see you have recognised my unfaltering skills and stealthy reputation. Don't worry, my predecessors may have hunted thieves, but i am only interested in the treasure of zafira and i believe aiding you on this quest will get me ever closer to that goal. I shall lend my skills with stealth and the sword to assist in the salvation of the great races of the world.

Re: The crystal light

#38

Celak looked Leissi strait in the eyes as he made the statement. "Alright, but if you so much as breathe wrong, I'm gone, my life is all I have left," then glancing at the bulging purse freshly stolen from a noble, "That and money," Celak said with a laugh. He uncrossed his arms and gave the rouges salute to the man.

Re: The crystal light

#39

OOC : are we the only ones herre now or what?

IC : "If you like money you had better have this, the latest failed find on my hunt. It is just a basic trinket but it maybe worth more than it seems, or not, thats up to you, look upon it as a peace treaty." Liessi then put his sword back into his sheath, fully sharpened, and drew a small bag from inside his cuirass and threw it towards Celak.

Re: The crystal light

#40

Tellas sighed irritably. "Can you please stop making so much noise? It makes it difficult to listen." He waited for the others to start moving again. "And can we please be on our way? I don't know the way, and directions are wasted on me."