RuneScape Forum Archive | ^+^ The Age of Nhur ^+^

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“Thank you,” Nhur said as he bowed to the leader.

“One more thing,” the werewolf said.

“Oh?”

“We know what you are. Know that when the Dark One comes to fight with you against…him… my pack…or my descendants, should the tragedy to come emerge at a later date…will stand alongside you and your allies.”

“I have no idea what you’re speaking of.”

The werewolf flashed a somewhat toothy smile. “Trust me. It may not sound like much now, but we’ve seen much of the future in this place. It will in time. Good luck to you, sire.”

~^+^~

“Your actions in this trial have shown the greatest of respect towards nature,” the robed woman said. “It is because of them that this girl had learned enough of the druidic arts to keep the pack safe for the winter, and had also ensured that the arts themselves will live on in a younger generation. You see, if the girl had not come to the goblin, the druids of this world would have died out completely. For this, you have passed the Trial of Insight.”

The woman disappeared into the void in the same manner the goblin did. A figure to his left came forward, and the robe fell off to reveal his spirit guide.

“The Trial of Sacrifice,” it began. “You know what you have given up in the tomb.”

“I did,” Nhur said defiantly.

“You chose to sacrifice some of your magic in order to save lives that could endanger the world. Why?”

“The eggs may have doomed the world should they have hatched, but not even the vilest creations of the Kin deserve death for being what they are. Should they die in battle, fine. But I refuse to kill an opponent which is not yet born.”

“A sense of honor, then. I see. You chose to respect life for what it is, and in the process, have given up something which may have been useful to you. That alone means you are worthy of that which you have given up.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

15-Oct-2010 05:15:13 - Last edited on 20-Oct-2010 03:07:58 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Nhur felt a tingle run through his body. He lifted his hands to his face, and willed a ball of flame to appear in his palms. It worked, and he dismissed the orb as easily as he summoned it.

“You have passed the Trial of Sacrifice,” the guide said.

“Use your power wisely. You shall need it when you ride to confront him.” The guide disappeared as well.

The last of the figures stepped forward, this time from his right. “I am the Judge,” it said ominously. “I have overseen the Trial of Judgment.

Your choice to not fight was wise. While the guide said to kill the Jabberwocky, you instead questioned whether or not it was truly necessary.”

“I suppose it wasn’t, wasn’t it?” Nhur asked.

“Most definitely not. I shall not bore you with the details, but in this you have learned that everything is not always as it seems. In such circumstances, it is best to question everything, even information coming from those we trust the most.

Should you have fought the wyvern, he would’ve either killed you…or died by your hand as a broken creature. Even beings as evil as it was are not deserving of such a fate. However, your actions have allowed the creature to die happily, and its eggs would hatch and grow to become mighty beings in their own right, and ones which would end up saving lives because of their actions. Congratulations…you have passed the Trial of Judgment.” The Judge vanished as well.

The original speaker spoke once more. “Ehn Sathba Nhur…you have witnessed the decisions of the Judges. By the power invested in me by the divine grace of the gods, I now declare you,” it crouched into a kneeling position on the ground. “Worthy of the title of Emperor Arcane. Congratulations, however...there is yet one last test.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

15-Oct-2010 05:16:19 - Last edited on 20-Oct-2010 03:09:04 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“Oh, for the love of…”

“This one is a test of faith,” the robed speaker said. The white void faded to black, and Nhur found himself standing in the pillared room in which he first met his guide.

“This test,” the figure continued. “Requires that you choose the *right* path. Anything other than the right path will lead to your failure of the trials.” The figure vanished as it finished, and Nhur surveyed the scene. He saw that the pillars divided the room itself into three lines, and he was currently in the middle line. He thought the speaker’s words over, and remembered that it stressed the right path. Deciding to act on faith alone, he walked towards the right path, and stepped off into the void.

His footing was solid. Continuing on the path, Nhur found that the further he went, the further away the pillared platform moved. Looking ahead revealed nothing, save for a dull yellow orb in the distance. Running towards the orb, he realized that it wasn’t just an orb, but rather two distinct ones…they looked like eyes now that he thought about it.

“You…” a disembodied voice boomed angrily.

Nhur felt that he had heard the voice somewhere before, but couldn’t put his finger on where he did.

“This…is not...over….” the voice continued.

Nhur’s vision grew blurry, and he found himself standing back in the safety of the mage’s tower. All around the sigil inscribed on the ground lay the disemboweled bodies of the mages overseeing the trials, and he found himself staring face to face with a creature that looked like a werewolf.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

15-Oct-2010 05:17:00 - Last edited on 15-Oct-2010 05:17:42 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Before he could make a move, the creature lunged at him. The sigil sparked as it entered the sanctified area, and it howled in pain as it collapsed to the ground. Nhur stepped back, and inspected the corpse after he was sure it was really dead. Needless to say, he was unaware of what the creature could be, but what caught his attention was a golden amulet with an eye set into the center in lieu of a jewel.

Before he could draw back, the eye looked straight at the Mahjarrat, and disconnected itself from the corpse and flew at him. Nhur attempted to dodge the thing, but it was too close and way too fast for him to dodge. Within seconds, it lay nestled on the space between his neck and chest, held secure and safe courtesy of the spider-like prongs extending from the sides of it.

“What the hell?” he asked.

The eye glowed, and he soon found himself standing in the courtyard amongst a group of very confused students. Looking around, he saw that they were huddled into small groups across the courtyard, with what he guessed might be the senior students keeping watch over them.

“Alright, what’s going on here?” he demanded to know.
Nobody answered at first, but then again they didn't have to. A chorus of howls filled the night air, an all too obvious answer to his query.

~^+^~

Uthalion and Marik entered the private study of Romulus. Though they would’ve been happy to be safe at last in normal circumstances, the Hound’s attack on the lab left much to debate on what could be considered ‘safe’ anymore. Of course, it didn't help that as the pair made their way to the study, they had run across the creatures more times than they cared to count.

“Alright, we need to move quickly,” Marik said.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

15-Oct-2010 05:17:31 - Last edited on 20-Oct-2010 03:11:27 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Uthalion nodded, and began to search the bookshelves lining the walls. “Are you sure this is gonna work?” he asked.

“Romulus said this would be the easiest way to ensure that the anti-teleportation measures surrounding the tower won’t interfere with our escape. So yeah, I trust the guy had this planned just for an emergency such as this.”

Marik turned his back to the hunter, and began his own search among the shelves. His finger stopped at a thick, black tome that looked familiar. What was it that the Archmage had said about his point of view in the lab?

“Oh, yeah,” he muttered to himself. Marik willed a spell into being, and his vision clouded with a purple haze. The tome glowed with a datashade glyph, which he quickly intoned a spell to translate.

Quickly committing the contents of the glyph to memory, Marik dismissed the spell, and turned to face Uthalion. The hunter at this point had found an orange globe, which was glowing as if it was filled with fire.

“One emergency escape route coming up!” he cried as he threw the orb at Marik. The hexblade ducked out of the way, and he heard it shatter against the shelf behind him. A small explosion rocked the room, and a massive gust of wind invaded the study.

Looking back, Marik saw that the wall was no longer there. Instead, a gaping hole led outside, and from his vantage point on the floor he could see that they were pretty high up in the tower.

Uthalion stepped over to the edge, and looked down. “How the hell are we supposed to get down from here?” he asked.
Marik brought himself to his feet and approached the hunter. “Like this.” With no small amount of exertion, the hexblade pushed Uthalion over the edge, sending him tumbling to the courtyard below. Howls filled the air as Marik turned to face the nearest shadows.

“Sorry, kid,” he said. “I have my own job to do now.”
Hoping that Romulus had planned this course of action out carefully, Marik stepped into the shadows and left the doomed tower behind.

~^+^~

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

15-Oct-2010 05:18:21 - Last edited on 20-Oct-2010 03:12:58 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Uthalion turned in the air as he zoomed down the tower. He caught glimpses inside the windows of the tower as he raced by, and the situation seemed dire. Some provided a view of the Hounds as they dined on the corpses of slain students and teachers. Others gave him scenes of unholy despair as summoned demons and elementals rampaged about the rooms and halls, leaving destruction in their wake.

He noticed that his descent seemed to slow as he neared the ground, and in fact he had ended up in a standing position by the time he landed in the middle of the courtyard. As soon as he landed, he heard the sounds of spells being sent through the air, and felt the cackle of arcane energy fill the atmosphere.

Looking around, he saw that a massive group of Hounds had emerged from the tower as well as the forest surrounding the courtyard. Bolts of blue and green soared towards their targets, and some of the creatures actually fell to the attacks. Those that pressed on tore into the nearest groups of students, killing them almost instantly. Those that didn't die joined the ranks of the creatures, which continued to surge forward.

Uthalion drew his daggers as a group neared his position. He rolled to the ground as the first of the Hounds reached for him, swiping low at its ankles. The Gorgonite tore through the skeletal armor guarding its feet, and it howled in pain as it kneeled on the ground. Uthalion drove his free dagger into the creature’s throat, causing its eyes to roll into its head and die instantly.

More of the creatures reached Uthalion, and he pressed his attack. Their claws scraped harmlessly against his new armor, but whether it was because of any enchantments which Romulus provided or just sheer luck was anyone’s guess.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

15-Oct-2010 05:18:41 - Last edited on 20-Oct-2010 03:13:49 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Uthalion’s strikes cut through the skeletal portions of the Hounds easily. He killed two of them almost instantly by striking their heads, and wounded many more as he continued, which caused the horde to fall back somewhat.

His luck wouldn’t last, however. He heard the sound of more enemies approaching him from his flank, and he turned to meet them. Almost instantly, he found himself lying on the ground, fighting for his life against the snapping jaws of a Hound which looked quite massive from his viewpoint.
Struggle as he did, he couldn’t shake the Hound off. Every attempt to roll over it only ended in the pair temporarily switching positions before ending up back at square one, and it seemed too strong to just shrug off.

As the dying screams of the magi filled the air, Uthalion felt a surge of arcane energy fill the air. A whining noise filled his head, and the darkness suddenly lit up with a bright golden color as someone screamed “NO!"

The Hound looked confused as it lifted its head to see the cause of the light. Horror filled its eyes as its fur began to burn off, revealing pale skin underneath. The skin melted from its frame almost immediately, causing it to wither in agony. Uthalion took this chance to shrug the creature off, and managed to stand up in time to see a massive figure not far from his position bathed in an orb of gold power.

The orb vanished almost immediately, its energy having been expended. As the darkness settled in once more, Uthalion saw that not only did the display of power kill off a lot of the Hounds, but his unlikely savior was also a massive skeletal creature.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

15-Oct-2010 05:19:04 - Last edited on 20-Oct-2010 03:14:46 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Uthalion approached the being. It seemed…familiar somehow. He heard the scamper of the Doomhound’s retreat in the background, but he paid them no mind. Not even they would be stupid enough to attack something capable of such a display of magical mastery.

The creature turned, and regarded Uthalion with a surprised expression. “A Black Guard Ordinator? Here? Why are you away from your post?*

Uthalion shook his head. “You must be mistaken. I’m a treasure hunter. The armor was a gift from the Archmage himself.”

“I see. Well, I’d normally have his head for giving out such a set of equipment to anyone who’s not an Ordinator, but I sense he didn't make it out of this alive.”

“How can you be sure?” Uthalion asked.

“I just…feel it.”

As the figure turned, a gleam briefly shone from the being’s neckline. Uthalion only caught a slight glimpse of it, but it was enough to make his heart jump.

“Where did you get that?” he asked, pointing at the Talisman.

“This thing?” it asked, indicating the Talisman. “It was on one of the creatures in the tower. It sort of…attached itself to me. I have no idea how to get it off.”

“I…see.." Uthalion replied. His voice was obviously unsettled, but the skeletal creature seemed to pay it no mind.

The creature looked at Uthalion with a hint of worry in what he thought must have been its eyes. "What were these things anyway? What’s going on?”

Uthalion shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. But I do know it’s connected to that Talisman attached to your neckline somehow.”

The creature shook its head. “Then this isn’t good. How many of these things are there?”

“I have no clue.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

15-Oct-2010 05:19:40 - Last edited on 20-Oct-2010 03:16:25 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

The creature muttered an oath before turning towards the gate leading to the path outside of the tower. “Then that means they could possibly be all over the continent by now just waiting for the perfect chance to strike.”

“All I know is that they must have been drawn to the Talisman,” Uthalion said.

“I shall have to declare a state of emergency when I return to the capital,” the being replied as it turned to regard Uthalion. “You say these things are probably tied to this…‘Talisman’ somehow. From the sound of things, you’ve encountered these things before. Correct?”

Uthalion nodded. “Yeah, I fought one in a tomb somewhere. I got my ass kicked halfway to Egrissa and back, but I survived.”

“Then it’s settled. By order of the throne, you are officially conscripted, sir….forgive me, but what’s your name anyway?”

“Uthalion. And what do you mean I’m conscripted?”

Nhur grinned. “You mean to tell me you don’t recognize your own Emperor?”

Uthalion’s heart sank at the Mahjarrat’s words. He heard rumors about Ix being displaced, but he never thought this…thing…would be his successor.

“Come,” Nhur said as he began to walk. “I get the feeling things are about to get much worse in the coming days. We shall need to make preparations for the inevitable.”

Uthalion followed. He wanted to resist with all of his strength, but really, what choice did he have now? The Emperor was the supreme ruler of his people, and it would be suicide to disobey a direct order from the big guy himself, no matter his appearance.

~^+^~

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

15-Oct-2010 05:21:42 - Last edited on 20-Oct-2010 03:17:41 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

The man in blue robes watched from his vantage point in the shadows as the Mahjarrat and hunter departed the Chantry courtyard. He turned his gaze to the tower, and saw the liquid material begin to melt as the various summoned demons and elementals continued to use their natural power with reckless abandon within its halls. Soon, he thought, there would be no trace of the tower. He thought it was a pity, because he felt that the Shade mages might have been the first to detect the Doomhound threat and take steps to combat it. In fact, he thought that they might have succeeded if it wasn’t for Romulus’ desperate plan to combat his other enemies instead.

“I swear,” he muttered to himself. “Things just keep getting more and more interesting by the minute. For your sake, Romulus, I hope that your plan works, whatever it is. I hope it works, or may the gods have mercy on your soul.”

His thoughts turned back to the Mahjarrat as he began to teleport away. Now that the being had the Talisman, it was time for a change of plans. But first, he had to be sure of something…and that meant going straight into the heart of darkness.

^+^ The End of Chapter 13 ^+^

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

15-Oct-2010 05:22:13 - Last edited on 20-Oct-2010 03:19:02 by A Mad Hatter

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^+^ The Age of Nhur ^+^