Black Zenith [Adventure RPG / Chapter Four: Fires of Heaven]

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Spoilerhahah yess defeat myra with her flown puns

"Magic." Savannah repeated bluntly, staring at the sword. "Yeah, that's to be expected, I guess. Looks pretty cool though, I'm not going to lie." She rubbed her hands together, both for warmth and in preparation for trying to pull that sword out. "And trust me, if Corman wants his sword back, he's going to have to fight me for it." Taking a few steps forward, Savannah cracked her knuckles, hesitantly reaching forward. Before she could grab it, however, Mr. Masterpiece came up, his colorfully worded speech making her turn back to Myra, taking a finger and pretending to poke at the back of her throat, miming a vomiting motion.

"Careful, Myra, the psycho wants at you." And with that, Savannah grabbed the hilt of the sword, giving it an experimental tug.

Myra turned to the artist, Renzo was his name, right? She listened with a suspecting glare the moment he said the word 'gem'. Was he seriously trying to take her precious new addition to her growing family of shinies from her? Even so, she continued to listen- mostly because the fellow quickly followed up with a compliment and a pun. She figured that earned him a listening. The ravenfolk cocked her head to the side a small degree when he insisted that she could get it back any time. While she didn't know what a cherchez la femme was, Myra was quite sure Renzo was talking about some sort of success that would come of this trade. Fame sounded pretty good, too. And the eating a bird part.

She wondered for a moment if this was the human's way of trying to flirt, and Savannah's remark encouraged that train of thought. The ravenfolk laughed at this, replying, "Hahaha, you humans, so focused on physical appearances! It's your wit and wile that will get you far in the world." While the flirtations were certainly flattering, it's not like Myra could settle down anytime soon- she must first complete her Coming of Age Trials! And that will be accomplished by taking care of this apocalypse business!

...That isn't to say that she can't shop around before making any purchases.

"Stilt, I'd like to see you try and see if your plan works out," Myra replied in response to his bet on gaining success from his project, "Although crows are a little too close to us for comfort. Difference between us is a matter of a pinion. If I'm not famous in a fortnightingale, you can go and eat pigeon. You can't spell 'pidgeon' without 'pig' for a reason." The last statement was made with a tinge of disgust. She took the precious gem in her hands, eyeing Renzo's orb with ravenous interest. "...Give me a lock of your hair as well. In case you're talon me lies here. I had feather be able to have my darling back at my quickest cawl!"

Ahh, yes, making a deal with a ravenfolk over possessions had its consequences. Dire consequences. If that Renzo person dares go back on his word, and reaps her precious gem away from her, he should expect a cursed life. The ravenfolk are a vengeful, grudging race, and crossing them is nothing less of a fatal mistake.

Let the pun power reign from sea to shining seagull!

Edit: The fact that I have no idea how old Renzo even is just makes this all the more amusing.
...whatdoesheevenlooklikelol

"Augh, now you've done it." Savannah grimaced, stopping her fiddling with the sword to rub at her temples. "You've set her off, psycho. There's no goin' back now." She shook her head, grabbing the sword again.

"Jeeze, I'm cawntemplating feather or not to just off myself now." Savannah muttered sarcastically, feeling irritated at herself just for making those puns.

The sword is blastedly heavy! Luckily, nothing at all seems to grow here and so you are still filled with unnatural strength - just enough to pry it from the stone coffin, though you could almost have sworn that the thing had rusted to the stone into which it had been thrust, though you see no sign of rust as you hold it up, though oddly enough theres a smear of what looks like fresh blood on one edge of the blade. The sword is almost as tall as you, and significantly lighter than the excessive amount of metal used in its construction would indicate... Which is to say, still pretty damn heavy. You'll never be able to use the thing with any kind of finesse - its a weapon to be swung about as a tool of destruction, plowing through whatever it strikes with the force of its weight alone.

Ancient Greatsword
Your first strike on each enemy steals 3 charges of Soulburn.
Soulburn: Activate or deactivate at any time to light the blade on fire, causing your attacks to deal significant bonus damage.
A blade of time immemorial.

Meanwhile, the others venture further into the cave, rounding the bend and descending down a short tunnel before emerging into a larger cavern. With each step taken, the pervasive magical energy in the air grows in power until it is like wading through mana, although no physical change can be felt or seen - save by Myra, to whom the dark cave appears to be bathed in moonlight, if the moon shone with the strength of the sun.

The cavern you are in is of an oblong shape and has three exits with you standing one. Directly across from you is a small stair carved into the rock, only three steps tall, leading up to a rectangular slab of stone that looks as if it is made up of many smaller, interlocking pieces some of which are colored black or white or both, in its current state displaying the shape of a black sun with seven white rays. The last exit is a short distance closer to you in the form of a looming cave on the left side of the wall, Myra's lightsource not quite penetrating the gloom from this distance.

Razan is standing two thirds of the way down the cave, standing in an odd position facing the strange stone seal, as if he were holding a weapon though none is in his hands. He doesnt seem to know you are there.

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SpoilerI can't believe I'm heron all this

Waiting on Masterblade to get a response from Thunderpaw or not, before I have Bohw just storm off. Also hey it's Razan. Bohw shot that guy in the chest. Hope he's not too upset about that.

Upon assessing the immediate surroundings, Myra's eyes lingered warily on Razan. At this point, she was ready for him to whirl around and shoot them with a magic bolt of darkness or something. It's been pretty crazy.

The ravenfolk skirted along the wall of the cavern and made her way silently toward the exit to the left, all the while keeping an eye on Razan. Silently, Myra weaved together a spell that will hopefully protect her against harmful spells cast upon her. She glanced over to her allies, asking without words who will be the one to ask Razan what the flock is going on...Oh, who is she kidding? Of course it's gonna be her.

"...So...Whatycha doin', Razan...? Find anything interesting?" This wasn't awkward.

She also took a cursory look at the area that is newly revealed by her light.

Razan doesnt seem to notice you as you move closer. He doesnt reply or even react as you start talking. As you draw closer it becomes painfully obvious that he is not moving at all, still frozen in the same pose.

Your light reveals some of the cave floor on the left side, but doesnt penetrate all the way to the far end of the cavern. You do see a dull red shine somewhere on the left side of the sidecavern, but it isnt strong enough to light up whatever is around the red light.

Watson walks up to and examines the red light. Red is a beautiful color, deserving like all the rest that he pay it some mind. Red like cherries, red like royal gowns, red like lips...

Red like your congealed blood as you approach an also red ancient magical device with powers the likes of which you have never laid eyes on to show you haunting visions of things never meant to be, massacres, burning, villages, burning villages, red-like-the-haze-in-your-vision-as-the-devices-freezes-you-in-place-before-you-can-scarcely-BREATHE-and-



Watson exhales.

He feels he's going to regret this.

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Spoiler

As you draw near, you can make out a stone chair. The red light is coming from a wicked-looking dagger impaled in the seat of the chair, bearing a ruby the color of blood in its hilt.

To your right are two more stone chairs. A twisted corpse that might have once been human sits in the middle chair. Jagged spikes and demonic deformations have robbed it of any semblance of reason, and a mad smile is painted on its lips. It wears torn and rotting robes that might once have been an emerald color, and a pair of broken spectacles are placed on its nose, seeming laughable when viewed beside the demonic influence afflicting parts of the face.

On the chair to the far right is suit of empty dreadplate armor. You could have sworn youve seen it somewhere else before, but you cant quite place it. A black greatsword shaped like interweaving thorns is thrust into the ground in front of the chair.

It is very, very quiet as you take in the scene.

Watson's stomach and its contents jump up at the sight of the ghastly creature. His hands shielded his eyes as he looked away from its forever-blenching stare.

"This is HIGHLY unsettling", Watson whispered to himself. He stomps off towards the group with purpose, clearly fretful and his expression quite cross.

"Someone! Please! You! You, take a look at this, tell me what you see", he takes Myra by the arm, "because IIIIIII can't identify this... this abomination, what sorcery they have gotten up to!"

He brings her over and quickly steps away, not being able to stomach that again.

"Lunatic, looooaaathsome spells, 'magic'... wizards", Watson's arms are folded, his fists clenched while mumbling private, forever-unheard complaints.

"Shiiiiiit..." Savannah nearly dropped the sword as she yanked it out, the blade clanging against the ground. "Holy cow this is heavy... jeez..." Using her unnatural strength, Savanna managed to somehow heft the sword up, placing the flat part against her shoulder, letting it rest in the groove. The hell was she supposed to use something this bleedin' big? It was damn near impossible. "Hey guys, look how big... this..." Savannah glanced around. She was alone. "Great. Perfect. Thanks guys." With a grunt, Savannah lugged herself forward.

"Damn this thing." Savannah struggled with the sword, carrying it down the path she saw Myra and Watson take. Where the hell were they? Her question is quickly answered when she looked up, spying Myra next to... something down there. "Hey! What the hell're you lookin' at over there?"

She made her way over, jolting lightly in surprise when she saw who it was. "Hey... is that..." His name eluded her, and any chance she had of remembering it was dashed as Watson storm up, mumbling weirdly to himself. "The heck is wrong with you?"

Myra had been staring at Razan in puzzlement, mumbling questions like, "Why isn't he moving," and, "Is he even alive," and, "Who's gonna go poke him in the face?" That is, until Watson ushered her over to the left side of the cavern, where she bore witness to a rather grotesque figure.

She mumbled, "Hey, someone needs to help Razan out...!" before she turned to the chairs, and that concern was quickly thrown out the window. The ravenfolk's head was filling up with so many questions, the the front of her head was beginning to feel fuzzy. She could only stare at the scene with wide, quiet eyes, before actually taking the time to discern the magical aspects of this scene with the three chairs.

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SpoilerWHY ARE PEOPLE SUBMITTING THINGS AT 3:00 AM

LET ME SLEEP DAMNIT

Watson refused to acknowledge Savannah's comment. Partly because he's too embroiled in the inner conflict of THOSE SURREPTITIOUS SPELLCASTERS AND HOW HE WILL NOT HESITATE TO WIPE MARBLE FLOORS CLEAN WITH THEM... and partly because she's waving that titanic broadsword too zealously for his liking. Why, you could poke someone's heart out with that! He is thus content to stand by idly, muttering to himself.

Myra had been staring at Razan in puzzlement, mumbling questions like, "Why isn't he moving," and, "Is he even alive," and, "Who's gonna go poke him in the face?" That is, until Watson ushered her over to the left side of the cavern, where she bore witness to a rather grotesque figure.

She mumbled, "Hey, someone needs to help Razan out...!" before she turned to the chairs, and that concern was quickly thrown out the window. The ravenfolk's head was filling up with so many questions, the the front of her head was beginning to feel fuzzy. She could only stare at the scene with wide, quiet eyes, before actually taking the time to discern the magical aspects of this scene with the three chairs.

Each of the three... objects... are each woven with magical energies, and not the kind a person would be able to duplicate; There is definitely power at work here.

Razan is also affected by some kind of magic. While not as complex as the things on the chairs, you still have no idea how to read it.

Also of note might be that the magical energies in the area are in conflux, flowing together like a whirlpool somewhere on the other side of that stone seal. You've never seen magic behave like that before.

"This is completely strange," Myra breathed as she walked towards the seal, "I can't even make out what's going on. Just...something big, and it's all moving in behind that stone seal." Myra gave a small groan under her breath. She really wanted to figure this all out, but did they even have the time to do so?

"If you guys want to try breaking it to see what happens, be my guest," the ravenfolk announced to the others, "but I'm moving ahead as soon as I try this..." Picking up a rock the size of her hand, Myra took a chance by chucking it at the stone slab. Myra watched it the best she could as she crept further towards the exit that will lead her even further into the cavern.

Savannah had followed the pair to the new area, wistfully examining the new haps. It looked pretty strange, and it gave off an uneasy vibe. She tightened her grip on the Ancient Greatsword's... grip, frowning.

"Don't mean to burst your fun bubble, but maybe we should just leave this place alone. It's giving me the heebie jeebies, and that's never a good thing to have around things that looked like a crime scene for the lovechild of an evil wizard and a demon carcass." Savannah took a few steps back, keeping her eyes on that corpse sitting there, 'smiling'.

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Spoiler((Sorry for the lack of responses. I've been doing nothing but convention preparations and studying for a license for 10 days...))

...

Thunderpaw pulls enough of himself back together to retrieve his coinpurse and hurl it across the room, scattering its contents across the chamber's floor.

"You're right. I am the worst mercenary, because I haven't cared for gold in such a very long time. And I'm also the worst hero because I abandoned those I was sworn to protect. And the fact that there aren't arrows and swords in my chest right now suggest I'm also the worst traitor. Sod it all, Beardy over there picked the worst champion to seek and protect his crystal sparkle party..."

He was referring to Razan of course, taking very little interest in whether or not the blimey old man was alive or dead. In his mind he still blamed everything on him somehow. EVERYTHING about what he's done lately was because of that old man's blooming quest! The old him died in that cave...

"I've been posessed by the world's influences as of late; they say my people have always been weak to manipulation by outside forces. And in that I've made a mistake that all but sunders my principles. You owe me no pity; I lost the right to your concern the moment I chose rocks over people."

"...but I am glad my foolish mistake was not a fatal one."

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Spoilerbest wishes with your license mb! mind telling what kind of license it is?

"This is completely strange," Myra breathed as she walked towards the seal, "I can't even make out what's going on. Just...something big, and it's all moving in behind that stone seal." Myra gave a small groan under her breath. She really wanted to figure this all out, but did they even have the time to do so?

"If you guys want to try breaking it to see what happens, be my guest," the ravenfolk announced to the others, "but I'm moving ahead as soon as I try this..." Picking up a rock the size of her hand, Myra took a chance by chucking it at the stone slab. Myra watched it the best she could as she crept further towards the exit that will lead her even further into the cavern.

You throw the rock at the door-seal-rock! It bounces off as you would expect it to... Although, to your keen eyes it is repelled an inch or so from the door rather than on actually striking the stone. The rock clatters to the ground near Razan's feet. Predictably, he doesnt react.

Then you move closer. When you are fairly near, the stones forming the sun symbol light up and all the interlocking rocks forming the door split apart, weaving aside to let you pass and revealing a circular room on the other side. It is apparent that this room was crafted by people, as is evident by the carved walls and floor tiles. In the center of the room is what looks most of all like an elevated fountain which is obviously the focus of the magical aura you've been sensing. Flanking the fountain are four circular stone pillars inscribed with magical runes, each reaching the roof of the room. Around the room are various pieces of furniture, including two tables, several chairs, two large bookcases covering nearly one fourth of the available wall, a small cot with matching nightstand, a washbasin and a wardrobe. Most of it looks terribly worn, not to mention horribly out of place against the spell-inscribed stone floor.

A middleaged man is sitting in one of the chairs. Before being disturbed, he seemed to have been admiring a runebound length of ivory, obviously some kind of tusk or horn, straight and about the length of a forearm. As you intrude, however, he looks up sharply, staring at you with bloodshot eyes before leaping to his feet. Despite his swift reaction, he doesnt appear to be in a hurry as he grabs the unusual glaive that was leaning against the wall and makes to move past the table between you. On the table is a pile of books, an orb nested in a magical device of some sort, a jagged, pale crystal and a water pitcher with an accompanying mug.

"Do you have my flame?" He demands in a rasping voice.

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SpoilerUh oh. He's got one of those there vials that Amalsan had

Amalasan, credit. damnit. if you have to impress me by remembering that far you gotta also get it straight OR I SHALL STRAIGHTEN IT OUT FOR YA

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SpoilerAnimal-san

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Spoileryou win this time. THIS TIME.

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SpoilerI still think I should just have Watson flagrantly walk in, grab it, open the stopper and drink.

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Spoiler I don't want to say anything b/c of Watson's being Watson atm and the lorebomb you done just dropped about a guy named... Ranch? Really? Really?

So you guys better not expect me to kickstart this with Watson drinking a Nuke-in-a-Bottle. ;)