RuneScape Forum Archive | The Cult of Zamorak

Learth

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“What does this say?” Bweer asked Ralex about one of the coffins.
“It says, ‘My light, guide me into thy life.’”
“How about this one below it?”
“My light, guide me back to defend my people.”
As Ralex spoke, a ghost appeared through the lid of the coffin, hovering before them. “Woooo wooooooooooo wooo woooooo wooooooooooooooooo wooo wooooooo.” It said. The boys looked at eachother. It did not seem to want to cause them harm, but it was trying to tell them something. Another boy saw the strange shape, and drew his sword, pointing it at the spirit.
It examined the weapon, then seemed to settle on it, and dissolve into it. The other coffins began to glow, alarming Father Solomon, who dropped his pamphlets in astonishment. As the spirits of the martyrs sensed the blessed silver weapons, they entered them, hoping to aid their descendants in defeating the vampyres.
___________________
It was high noon, and the sun was blazing over Falador. The plan of attack was two waves: send one troop into the city from the West, and one from the south South. While the West troop consisted purely of White Knights, the South troop was a diverse platoon. It included some Void Knights, some leaders of the H.A.M. movement who had volunteered, and some of the younger, able-bodied wizards of the Wizards’ Tower.
Falador had not been subtle, however, and the vyrewatch could see the White Knights’ first wave advancing like sparkling diamonds against the grass. Since they had massacred everyone inside the city, and travelers were wary of crossing vampyre-infested lands, they were salivating in anticipation. As they flew just above the Varrock walls, they could picture delicious red stains all over the white armor that clanked towards them.

24-Feb-2011 20:26:12 - Last edited on 24-Feb-2011 21:14:28 by Learth

Learth

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Although Drakan had some idea that his enemies might have technology that could damage some of his soldiers, he highly doubted that they would have the skill to use it successfully. For the most part, he was right. The white knights knew that the vampyres could only be killed by blessed silver; however, they were not aware of their precognition capabilities. This battle was going to be another manslaughter.
The vyrewatch swooped down upon their prey, but the white knights held their ground. Their training and persistence had paid off. Although they did very little to hurt the vyrewatch swarm, they were fending them off fairly well, considering their chances. The knights who had visited the Passage of Warriors were able to distract the vyrewatch with the spirits in their swords, and thus were sometimes successful at wounding them. Ralex, out of pure luck, had managed to deal one a vital blow to the chest. While another vyrewatch looked on at Ralex’s blow in surprise, Bweer managed to cut off its head.
Then Ranis and Vanescula decided to join in. Instead of swooping down and staying close to the ground to fight, they singled out targets to hoist high into the air. They made sport of it, one throwing a knight skyward, the other slicing him to bits midair, letting his entrails rain down on his brothers in arms.
The second wave from the south began its attack, but it fared worse than the first.

24-Feb-2011 22:27:48

Learth

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The troop failed to stick together as they faught, and broke easily into their constituent groups. The vyrewatch soon tired of how easy it was, and sent werewolves and ghouls to them, then returned to the West troop. This overwhelmed the White Knights, who had only been inching towards the city to begin with.
Shouts of “Fall back!” and “Retreat!” Were soon heard amidst the uproar. The moment Drakan’s forces heard this, they tried to surround the knights. Unlike the Zamorakians, the vyrewatch were well acquainted with capturing slaves. While for many the image of humanity had drastically changed, the prospect of having healthier, stronger slaves appealed to them.
When the vyrewatch had encircled the knights, preventing their escape, a voice boomed from the heavens, “Put down your weapons, remove your armor, and your lives will be spared.”
Many of the knights saw no other choice. Bweer and Ralex did not know whether to stand firm and die for their cause. On one account, they would be martyrs. On another, they would be of no more use to anyone if they were dead. An older warrior looked at them and guessed what they were thinking. “Give up, boys, so that Falador will be remembered,” he said, as he took off his own suit of armor.
They did likewise. A few still wanted to fight, but they were in the minority. The vyrewatch made a jagged path for the defeated to enter the city, killing any still armed on sight.

25-Feb-2011 15:17:45

Learth

Posts: 376 Silver Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Just as it seemed the army was completely defeated, a flash of blue light shot across the sky. It temporarily blinded the vyres. Some of the warriors who were still armed were able to break through them to the west, and escape. When a few vyrewatch went to pursue them, more escaped, so they turned back to focus on corralling the captured knights into the city. Bweer and Ralex had already passed through the gates. When Bweer looked back at the flash, a nearby vampyre hit him in the jaw with the blunt side of his spear, “Face forward, worm!”
They ushered the men into a destroyed city. The fountain in the center square was replaced by what looked like a colossal furnace. They gathered around this furnace. Drakan appeared from the midst of them and spoke directly to the captured. “You are now the slaves of my empire. You are alive only because you can serve us. If you fail to serve us, you will be killed. Your task is to transport the ore from my capital and refine it here. If you ask questions, you will be killed. If you refuse to do as you are commanded, you will be killed. If you organize in a group, you will be killed…. Any questions?” He smiled triumphantly. The assembly was silent.
“Good.” He said. “I see that you understand your instructions… however there is one more thing,” He threw a black spear into the chest of a random prisoner. “You might just be killed. Without a reason.”

25-Feb-2011 16:24:07 - Last edited on 25-Feb-2011 16:25:26 by Learth

Learth

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The Zamorak Cult had been watching Drakan’s shipments of Daeyalt ore for several days before Falador’s attack, from a safe distance. Attacking the vampyre castle directly would be very risky. This was not the course of action Vorlon wanted to take. Instead, he employed the cult*s mages and chemists to try to find a way to neutralize the properties of the ore.
Averthil was fervently opposed to this strategy, but he could do nothing. He was set free of his chains, but was secretly being watched. The cult allowed him to go anywhere but the experiment room, the supply room, and the private meeting hall, as long as he did not leave the area. He decided to go investigate some of the dungeons below with a few cult members.
Before Lightning and the other experimenters could find anything out, they would need a sample of the Daeyalt ore to work with. It was suggested that a few cult members dress up as slaves and infiltrate the Drakan empire to steal a sample. The risk for this plan was also fairly high, because if they were caught, their plan might be uncovered.
Lightning said, “Why don’t we just telegrab a sample of the ore?”
This, of course, was far too sensible to think of in the first place, but just right for the final plan. The vyrewatch did not even notice that any went missing, because they took only the top layer in each shipment cart.
Then the experimentation began. The Daeyalt, it seemed, was usually resistant to chemical alteration. The team of experts, organized by Lighting, consisted of Nick, Pickle, Bob, Wraith, and Toad. Nick and toad worked on chemical alterations, and Bob, Wraith, Pickle, and Lightning worked on spells. If there was any way to neutralize this stuff, they would find it.

27-Feb-2011 11:55:38

Learth

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Unfortunately, what they discovered was that the Daeyalt was much like the vampyres—very difficult to change or corrupt. The crew resorted to more creative methods of breaking the Daeyalt down after the obvious trials were exhausted. Bob thought there might be some way to harness the taint of Daemonheim that made the weapons from there corrupt in the natural world. Although this was potentially highly dangerous, Bob was familiar with his surroundings and got right to work. Unfortunately, he could not find anything that would physically bind the taint. He tried binding it in rune and pure essence, but the rune stones decayed after capturing it.
The experimenters seemed to be at a loss.
Pickle suggested, “Perhaps this Daeyalt ore is so difficult to break down because it makes the vampyres so difficult to break down?”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Lightning asked.
“I mean… what if it can’t be changed? What if it’s solid? What if… instead of changing the Daeyalt… we change the vampyres?” Said Pickle.
“What are you talking about? How are we supposed to change the vampyres? We are doing this whole Daeyalt test so that we can weaken the vampyres. If we could just weaken them, then we wouldn’t have to use the Daeyalt in the first place…” Then, Lightning had an idea. “Bring in our vyrewatch.”
Averthil was somewhat dismayed at his summons. He had just found the blue crescent key, and he was sure the boss creature was behind its door. They told him to come at once to the experimentation room.
When he saw the glittering turquoise mounds of Daeyalt, his eyes lit up with longing. He completely forgot his disappointment with the dungeon. “Am I called to receive my power back? Am I now trusted?” he asked.
“No, you are not trusted,” said Lightning, “But perhaps you will get some of your power back anyway. We need to see how the Daeyalt dust reacts to the skin of a vampyre… and how other chemicals react to you as well.”

27-Feb-2011 12:26:30

Learth

Posts: 376 Silver Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Their results were astonishing. While organic compounds had very little effect on Averthil, metal powders caused drastic, unexpected changes. They began with simple copper dust on a patch of his forearm. They found that when his skin absorbed it, he became very vulnerable, but healed completely almost instantly. The most outstanding result of all was when they used a sample of Blurite on Averthil. He turned a translucent blue-icy color. Upon further experimentation with the affected part of his flesh, they found it behaved like living ice. He screamed in pain when they brought a torch to it. After this, though, Lightning was satisfied.
“Averthil,” He said, “this was a necessary pain. I am glad you have borne it patiently. We will soon go to battle with Drakan, and you have given us the key; not only by your information, but also through your very existence. For that, you are free to use our remaining supply of Daeyalt here for yourself. We no longer need it.”
_________

Maximus and the druids gathered for another bonfire the next night. Apparently, they had been talking to nature a lot lately. They seemed to be trying to relax and disconnect from the fears and troubles in the East. When the being in the fire had spoken, Maximus took a deep breath, and stepped forward.
“The great god Guthix is angry,” He said.
The gathered citizens of Taverly looked at each other in confusion.
“Zamorak’s forces have upset the balance of power in the East. We must give our aid to the fight against them. Guthix showed me this city… it was destroyed in Zamorakian flames. If we do nothing, allowing the balance to be undone, Guthix warns that this will surely come to pass. We must organize and support the defence of Falador and Lumbridge, as well as their campaign against the Zamorakians. In this time of trouble, Guthix has made me his emissary. Anything that he has to tell you that he wants to say clearly, without interpretation, he will say directly through me.”

27-Feb-2011 12:58:50

Learth

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At first, everyone was quiet. Then Kaquemeex came to the middle of the circle, putting his hands on Maximus’s shoulders. “This boy,” He declared, “Will help us restore these lands. What he says is true, we cannot stay here in our own comfort and pretend that the balance of this world is not falling apart. Guthix has spoken, and let what he has said be done.”
“What, exactly, does Guthix propose that we do to aid them?” Sylas asked.
“We must gather supplies and transport them to our allies,” said Maximus. “Anything that you can spare, metals, potions, food, send to Falador. They will need our help soon, or the city will fall. Also, anyone who has extra money or valuable things should bring them to the supply storehouse as well, so that we can pay the dwarves to craft weapons for us. Is there any sort of a storage area?” He asked.
“Yes. We have a chest for valuables, and we can store other supplies in that building, too,” said a druid.
“Give me the key then,” said Maximus, “And I’ll be in charge of keeping track of it. I’ll need a volunteer to contact the dwarves about smithing the weapons.”
One of the druids handed him a small crystal key. Maximus couldn’t believe how gullible these strange people were. This was far easier than he thought it would be.
After the official meeting at the altar was over, Maximus was bombarded with questions and admirers on his way back to Sylas’s house. Everyone wanted to know the details of what Taverly now called his “Gift of Comprehension.” Some people asked him what he thought would happen to them in the future. Others wanted to talk about things that they said Guthix did for them, and thank him by thanking Maximus. Maximus was pleased with all this attention, but a little overwhelmed by this response. People were telling him their most personal thoughts and stories as if he had been their friend for years.
An old man with a crazy eye and a warped willow cane shouted, “You’ll ruin us!” but they paid him no heed.

27-Feb-2011 13:20:48 - Last edited on 27-Feb-2011 14:10:58 by Learth

Learth

Posts: 376 Silver Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

The Rock Walker had returned. They called him Shadow, because he was like a shadow on the wall… only he was actually a wizard in the wall. The Zamorak Cult** primary means of gathering intelligence, Shadow was once a human wizard. He was a close friend and business partner of the wizard Cromperty. Their friendship hit a rough patch, however, when Cromperty accidentally teleported him into a rock. Instead of simply dying, Shadow was able to walk through the rock, but not out of it. Using his own magic, he soon found that he could transport himself into any rock. He was visibly undetectable, but used magic to speak to the world through the rock. He had been working on magically crafting himself a body out of rock before the war had begun, but his plans were interrupted when the victory at Varrock was overturned by Drakan.
“Hey there m’Lord, Ladies, Gentlemen,” he said. Some of the Zamorakians present jumped a little, for there was nothing to announce his presence before the voice.
“Hello, Shadow, did you learn anything useful from your espionage?” Vorlon asked.
“I learned Drakan had planned to attack Lumbridge at first. He thought Lumbridge would be weaker, and fall more easily, giving the vampyres more room and resources. Now though, since Falador attacked, they are going to retaliate and take the entire city. I also learned that many of the werewolves would rather be working for us. Their culture teaches them loyalty to Zamorak, and they resent that Drakan is treating them like second-class citizens. With your permission, m’Lord, I’d like to make contact with one of them. Maybe I could pass along your orders?”

27-Feb-2011 14:52:56

Learth

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Vorlon thought for a moment. “That would be a good idea, as long as you are sure we can trust them. Do you know for certain that this is not an act to deceive someone who may be watching them?”
“I can tell it’s true,” said Shadow, “by the way they growl under their breath at the Vyrewatch, who order them around like dogs.”
“Tell them that we are with them, then, and offer them full rights as Zamorakians. Tell them to await my orders before taking action, and not to start an uprising, although I do not think they would be foolish enough to do that under these circumstances.”
“I’ll do that, then, m’Lord, good luck with your plans here,” He said, about to return to to the stones of Varrock Castle.
“Wait shadow. I would like you to know that we are making considerable progress, and if all goes as planned, we will have an attack ready in three days. You may tell the werewolves, if you wish, but be certain that you are not overheard.”

27-Feb-2011 15:13:04

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The Cult of Zamorak