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The Empty Vessel (Closed)

Started by CyclicalCycal, December 12, 2016, 04:54:09 PM

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CyclicalCycal

They watch and wait, the empty one, that knows only cries
They fear the day it fills and burns, and its voice blinds all eyes

The faithful hunt for the vessel, hidden from their hands
The hated ones have stole it away, so they scour all the lands

The heretics bide and twist and writhe, the shadows growing dark
Delay the faithful, regal ones, who will return the earth's grand spark

When nights draw forth the Godly Stars, they know the day grows near
The Empty Vessel will fill and burn, the world shall know no cheers

They keep it sealed away in death, lest it begin to sing
"It must not fill, or with it comes the death of everything"

The Warding Heresy rots the world, and keeps the vessel dead
The faithful wait for the final day when it finally burns red.

---

Enthis was panicking. He had been hunting for people suicidal, glory-bound or greedy enough to follow him. He didn't know if any were going to show up. He stood in one of the many settlements that dotted the desert, waiting. He had informed them, everyone he had spoke to, to meet him here. He had scoured taverns, libraries, castles, towers, even speaking with passers-by in the  city streets, anywhere he thought he could find people willing to aid him, he would.

Of course, Enthis offered people compensation for their services. The faithful had magic and power and that could easily be given away to those who assisted him. All he needed were people smart enough to realise the gravity of the situation he had proposed, people who were greedy enough to want treasure that could be found in the faithful's hands, or were adventurous enough to jump at the chance to find ancient ruins.

He had made sure to tell them this.

When he was gathering them, he had told them 'Have you heard of the vessel?' and of course, nobody had. It was forgotten. It was unimportant. He told them, the prophecy wasn't likely important enough to be the true end of the world, but in the mud of lies there is always small bits of golden truth. He told them, that if the faithful got their way, that they would likely cause massive amounts of destruction. People would die! But, they could be stopped, and their names would live on as saviours.

Enthis was left to stand, alone, waiting. He had spoken with hundreds, if not thousands of people. He knew that the Godly Stars were getting closer and closer to their apex. He was running out of time. He didn't expect many to come, but he knew he must've convinced at least one person. He sighed, leaning on his spear, staring blankly ahead.

Perhaps, he shouldn't have done this. It was too late now, though. He had to see this through.

Marakai Trin

But Kranath hadn't been told. He'd heard, instead - the secret whispers of the sand had reached his ears, giving up their dark secrets and tales of treasure. But he wasn't interested.

She was.

He's near, my pawn. The one who started the whispers, the one seeking the artifact. Find it for me, and awaken it however you can. Feed me those souls, Kranath, and you will know true power once again.

Red eyes, unblinking even in the harsh desert sun, stared down from the high dunes, looking into the village below. The hot, dry wind blew pitch black hair into ribbons, revealing a thin, pale face that seemed as though it had never seen the sun before. Despite the heat, the man was clad in a long, black coat, buttoned all the way up to cover the lower portion of his face.

On his back, he carried three weapons. The largest, a black daikatana, forged of pure Dragonstone, absurdly long at six feet, was sheathed over his right shoulder. At the small of his back were two smaller blades, also forged of Dragonstone. A wakizashi, for close combat, sharp enough to split the wind. A kodachi, for more....personal reasons. Sharp enough to split bone as if it were sand.

For a moment, two small marks upon his face appeared to writhe and shift, finally coming to rest under his eyes, forming two triangles pointing downward.

Slowly, he began to step down the dune, walking purposely into the small village.


(Hope you don't mind! I saw 'open' and got excited.)

Wrathwyrm

It's a strange and beguiling thing, but you have to just wonder...why would someone like him show up at a tiny little speck of the desert like this?  We speak, of course, of the cloaked figure with the torso armor, the gauntlets, and additionally the wide-brimmed hat for the sun answering to the name of Garlock The Insert-Name-To-Run-Away-From-Very-Fast-Here.  Those who knew anything about him would find that money was not of any particular interest to him.  So, to be on his way out here on the tale of some maddening quest, it wasn't likely that he was out here for fortune and glory.

Actually, it was the wild implications that got him interested.

He'd heard the doom-and-gloom tale third-hand, embellished or altered by a drunkard who claimed that something big was coming to life, something terrible was to befall mankind.  Big things like that tended to gain his curiosity, and thus after getting some straight directions...well...it was funny, actually.  The red-eyed stranger there was heading down the hill and the glowy-eyed mage appeared pretty much where he'd been standing a moment ago, looking down in his direction.  He had Blinked there, a sudden teleportation from the last dune to this one.  Garlock had been dune-hopping, essentially.

The stranger gave off a certain familiar feeling to Garlock's senses.  Death and suffering followed in his wake.  This could be worth the journey, even if the story was a flop.  Money had no value to him.  Garlock was attracted by other things.  Now...to get down there and get some firsthand information.  And hopefully, this guy knew his way around this desert.  He'd been transporting all over the place, looking for this tiny village!

Gawfy

Alder had been Jumping around the dunes for about a hour now. He was given a map by the Old guy who asked him about the end of the world. He didnt care much for things like this but it might turn out to be a fun adventure where he could make lifelong companions!....... Or he could meet 4 Stuck up assholes again. Oh well In the distance he could see a large man Wandering around, by wander he just kind of teleport around, with nothing better to do Alder Followed him

Marakai Trin

Kranath stopped in his tracks, feeling a subtle shift in the air behind him, and noticing a particular scent flooding his nose. Like that of a feline. At the same time, however, he could sense a wrongness about the figure that had appeared behind him. However, he sensed no immediate danger.

To the onlookers, it would appear as though he had simply stopped walking, eyes never leaving the path before him, and started forward again after perhaps a single second. He continued down the hill, into the village.

There. Kranath could see him now, a man standing alone, looking almost as if his spear was holding him rather than the other way around. He reeked of worry, apprehension. Perhaps a bit of fear? How.....amusing.

And so, the dragon assassin stepped right up to the man, a flinty eyed stare coming from lightly glowing red eyes.

When he spoke, his voice was quiet, yet sonorous, speaking not of the darkness within. "....it is my understanding that you wait for someone, for a great purpose. I have come to answer the call, one that came to me on the wind."

CyclicalCycal

Enthis looked up to Kranath, blinking. He pushed himself up, holding the spear instead of leaning upon it. "Ah...yes. Of course. I am Enthis, of the Warding Heresy. And I have a conundrum. But, first, I am going to wait. For, I believe, a few others will wish to join us. If not, then we may be in for a slight of trouble."

Enthis peered over the top of Kranath, glancing about. He thought there were others who wished to join him, and he hoped there were others who wished to join him, but he couldn't tell. In time, though, they'd approach him.

Marakai Trin

Kranath gave a slow, deliberate nod, his face devoid of expression. "I believe at least one other was behind me, perhaps two. They should be here shortly."

He stepped to one side, and moved to stand beside Enthis, looking behind him into the sands.

"Enthis. I am Kranath. My blades are yours....for the moment."

CyclicalCycal

"OH, just putting that in there for the moment you backstab me for treasure or artefacts? I have no intent to take any of that. I only wish to secure the Vessel for the Heresy. You, and the others, can fight over it." Enthis said. He was trying to be sarcastic, humorous, and a slight informative, but sounded vaguely nervous.

Wrathwyrm

"Backstab?  Don't be ridiculous.  I only frontstab people.  It's better if they know it's coming."

First there wasn't somebody standing right there, then there was.  That darkly-dressed figure that somehow didn't roast in the hot-hot sun appeared right in front of Enthis to make that quip.  Garlock raised his gauntlet'd hand, by way of greeting.

"Garlock The Destroyer.  I'm going to need a better understanding of what goes on, as I'm afraid my answers came to me by a drunken rumormonger who slurred while he spoke."

To wit, he now pulled out a small piece of paper with writing on it that entaled a small list.

"Now, was it that there was a soulless body looking for a host, a godly body looking for a soul, or a god looking to enter a body?  And wasn't there mention of the end of the world in that somewhere?  I find that very interesting.  Oh, I know what you're thinking...  You're thinking 'He's out to destroy the world'.  Well, you're wrong."

The magus' eyes narrowed on the spearman, just then.

"I just hate people in general."

CyclicalCycal

"You all don't understand the gravity of the Vessel, or its machinations, or how it works." He stated, bluntly, looking to Garlock. "I trust nobody here wants to destroy the world, because destroying the world leaves you without a place to exist. Anyway, as the Great Poem of the Faithful goes 'They keep it sealed away in death, lest it begin to sing. "It must not wake or with it comes the death of everything!"'. Everything. You know. All life. Including you."

Jorroo

Tabatha remembered that fateful day only two nights ago that a strange fellow had approached her with a strange question. She remembered nothing of the conversation, except the location. Moraki Desert. The desolate wasteland she grew up in. Of course, she knew the exact village the man had mentioned, as she had family there. The day was at hand, and Tab was ready for action.

"WOOOOOO, ADVENTURE!" Tab screamed in excitement, to herself. It had been a good few months since she'd had a taste of sweet adrenaline, and her blood was pumping. Last night, she had packed a rucksack full of rations and spare underwear. She donned her finest suit of leather armor, along with the hood her mother had sewn for her last autumn. Tab bolted out the door, ready for a challenge. She knew not what she was getting herself into but hey, ADVENTURE! Halfway down the street, she remembered. "ARROWS!! BOW!!" Rolling her eyes, Tab sprinted back to her home. She retrieved her bow and arrows, and made her way to the stables.

Last time I went on an adventure I ended up marrying a dog and losing my memory for a week and a half. I hope something like that happens again, that was fun! I hope there's a nice man there, the dog left me for another woman. Maybe there will be CROCODILES! YES!
Tabatha rode majestically upon a brown mare, her fair blonde hair whipping about her face in a painful way. But for Tab that was all a part of life, if it was meant to be, it was meant to be. She had made good progress, caught up in a daydream as she imagined the possibilities of adventure. Suddenly, a man appeared in front of her, and the shock threw her off her horse.

"My gosh man, have you no manners? You can't simply go around teleporting! What if you get eaten by a CROCODILE!? Don't talk to me I have to go, bye! Be careful!" And with that Tabatha sped off, and made her way to the strange man.

"Hi, hello, good afternoon, greetings!" Tabatha stumbled upon two men in conversation, One she recognized.
"It's you! Hi!"
She got off her horse and sat on the ground.
Her head turned. She rolled her eyes.
"Well what are YOU doing here Mr-Teleport-In-Front-Of-Horses?"

Marakai Trin

Kranath blinked, one time, for the first time in hours. It was truly a momentous occasion.

My lady...

Yes, I know. I need a world to rule. Help him if you must, but know that you are devoid of my power. Do this on your own.

....Yes, my Lady.

Suddenly, the black marks upon his face vanished with a wisp of black smoke, and his eyes flickered between complete blackness and blood-red, finally releasing a brilliant glow that illuminated his face even in the sun.

"....in that case, you have my blades for much longer. But know this - anything I kill or claim is mine."

He turned and looked then to the one that stunk of cat, and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I am Kranath Trin. I am a Dragon. If you try to stab me, front or back, I will eat your soul and burn your body to cinders."

He looked back to Enthis. "....if the world is truly in such danger, have no worry of my intent. Worry about his."

He lifted one hand, and a single pale, thin finger extended to point at Garlok.

Gawfy

Alder Was running behind but he did in fact find the place he was looking for. He Made a few left turns in the small village and found some folks Grouped up talking. He heard the last bit of what the man with the large sword was saying and chirped in Who's soul is getting eaten? He then recognized the man who gave him the map and yelled about the world ending Safe to say the world hasnt ended yet old man? He said to Enthis

Jorroo

"Rude, I'm sitting here, hello to you too, creepy dragon man."
Tabatha sighed. "ANOTHER ONE!?"

(OOC - Might wanna close it now, before it gets too confusing)

CyclicalCycal

"Old man?! OLD MAN?! I am twenty-seven god or gods damn it!  Still in my prime! Is it the hair? I bet it's the hair..."

Enthis was bald. That was probably the case. "Right. As I have said, my name is Enthis. I represent the Warding Heresy in this endeavour. We're going against a group known as 'The Faithful'. They don't have a proper name. Now, for a very, very long while, we have held a thing known as 'The Empty Vessel'. I cannot disclose what it is, but I can disclose that if they get their way, it will awaken and either end the world or cause untold damage. We are here to prevent that. Now, I will be blunt and say that this is extremely dangerous. The Faithful are cunning, ruthless, and above-all hateful. They will do whatever they can to stop us.

If you want to leave, go now. I wont stop you. But, I will say, that if we make it out alive, not only will we live on in song and story, but those of you with greed on their minds will be payed through their treasures and artefacts."

Enthis looked over the rag-tag group. It was clear, he didn't hold trust for either Kranath or Garlock. The others, though, were a toss-up. He might, but he might not.

Marakai Trin

Kranath turned to the newcomer that had called him rude, and offered an expressionless look.

"....my apologies," was all he said, offering only the barest of nods.

He then looked to Enthis.

".....I will not lie to you. I seek power. But power will be useless if the whole world is dead. My offer stands, my blades, my skill, and what magic I offer are yours. These... Faithful. Are they human, or otherwise? What is it that we can expect?"

Jorroo

Tabatha blinked at the leader of the group.
"Will... will there be crocodiles?" She asked, tilting her head to one side,

Gawfy

Alder was now staring at the man with the large sword inorging what Enthis was saying. Say have we met before? He could remember a Man like himself when Alder visited the thunder backs and saw his first dragon there was also a man with a over sized sword who claimed to be a dragon.

CyclicalCycal

Enthis answered questions rather rapidly.

"They are human. They can be killed like humans. They use magic and blades equally."

"You know...I've got a feeling there will be crocodiles." He answered, half-tired half-sincere.

"Do we have any more questions...? Anyone?"

Jorroo

Tabatha jumped up and threw a fist in the air.
"WOO! CROCODILES!"
Then she sat back down.

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