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

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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“It is what it is,” Rajh said. “For all we know this could just be a dead end, but the scent of death seems fresher than it did back in that bigger room back there. I imagine it couldn’t hurt to poke around just to be sure.”

V looked at Joran, who only shrugged at the Rakshasa’s suggestion. “Worst case scenario, we end up going back to Arial empty handed,” he said.

The red-garbed man shook his head and sighed. He knew that his companions spoke true. Yet, for some reason, he also had a bad feeling about what he might find if he continued further into the crypt. And for once, he did*’t know what it was that could frighten him as much as he was currently. Though he was sure it wasn’t those horned werewolves.

~^+^~

Arial’s group descended the ladder that they had found under the ruined altar. They had entered a room with a mural surrounding a good portion of the walls, and a hole in the wall was present. As Arial saw the hole, he found himself wishing that he could’ve brought Grim along. The elemental would have made a good brawler if things went south quickly and Lukil’s power proved to be ineffective of dealing with whatever threat they might find in the forsaken crypt, especially one strong enough to tear a hole that huge into a stone wall. On top of that, he really didn't trust that Koreth fellow either. The man’s appearance was just too sudden and outright odd, which made the general all the more uncomfortable.

Koreth paid no mind to Arial, and wandered around the room aimlessly. He seemed unaware of what was actually in the room, and more than once he had almost fallen over into some kind of stained pit. Meanwhile, Lukil was engrossed with the murals, which on closer inspection had depicted some…well, he had no clue what the hell they were.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

11-Dec-2010 02:27:47 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 02:18:08 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

There were various beings present on the murals, though a lot of blood had obscured a lot of the detail. He recognized some of the creatures as Aboleths and Eoliths, while others were some kind of demon or devil he had never seen before. Also present were the horned wolf creatures the group had fought against on their way through the forest, which were depicted in various acts of mutilation or debauchery of the most primal levels.

But what caught his attention were three things. The first was a massive black demon with a skull-shaped head holding a spear. The hellish being stood in front of what appeared to be some kind of devilish throne, with various bald headed humanoids kneeling around it, though he couldn’t tell if it was out of submission or fear.

The second thing to catch his interest was one of the abominations present in the mural. He couldn’t make out much of any telling details save that their bodies were skeletal in appearance, and dark tendrils seemingly streamed around their mouths.

The third thing surprised him the most. A pair of yellowish ovals hung in the sky, seeming to lord over the proceedings in the mural. Though dried blood and time had eroded away some of the finer details, he recognized them as something that had seemed…familiar, in a way.

“The Day of the Returning. The Day of Judgment,” Koreth said as he drew up behind Arial.

Startled by the man’s sudden appearance, he jumped back a step involuntarily and asked, “What did you say?"

The strange man smiled and pointed at the bloody shapes on the wall. “Just reading the letters on this thing,” he replied. “I must admit though…I definitely didn't expect to see something this significant here.”

“So I take it you recognize at least some of this?” he asked.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

11-Dec-2010 02:28:37 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 02:19:44 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“Not really,” Koreth admitted. “But I recognize the art style. Ancient Skarjil, at least dating back a few millennia.”

Lukil interrupted. “Strange. How…?”

“Is something the matter?” Arial asked.

Lukil regarded the general and nodded. “You might want to take a look at this.” He motioned to a portion of the mural on the opposite end of the room, which Arial hadn’t gotten to yet.

He hurried over to Lukil’s position, and followed the fat man’s finger with his eyes. He saw a figure standing in the middle of a glowing pentacle, and it was dressed in a red cloak. The cloak covered a good majority of the figure, save for its head, which was covered with a thick mane of black hair. On its head was a wide brimmed hat with a feather sticking out of its back, and the skin on its face was deathly pale. Behind the red cloaked figure stood a skeletal creature that Arial had recognized all too well.

“Holy crap,” Koreth whistled.

“Tell me about it,” Arial responded. He drew back, and headed toward the hole in the wall. “Let’s get moving. If we’re lucky we’ll find nothing and regroup back in that main hall area.”

The rest of the group complied with the order, which he was glad to see. Granted, he knew that Lukil would, but the very fact that Koreth did without hesitation eased his mind a bit.

~^+^~

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

11-Dec-2010 02:29:11 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 02:20:30 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

V woke up to find himself standing in a brightly lit room. Gone was the dank crypt and smells of death and carrion, and in their places were scents of cherry blossom and other exotic substances wafted through the air, obviously provided by the foreign candles hanging on the golden hued walls. The room itself was circular in shape, and in the middle stood a pedestal adorned with arcane sigils and enchanted gems.

He stood up and brushed himself off. Where the hell were Joran and Rajh? Come to think of it, he thought, was he even still in the tomb? This wouldn’t be the first time he was whisked away to some parallel world without his permission, and he couldn’t help but become suspicious as he remembered what happened in Skyvern Keep only a few days back. Though it had seemed like an eternity to him, he thought.

V didn't notice any exits in the room, and decided to approach the pedestal. On the pedestal sat a box, which was adorned with odd designs, the most prominent being that of an open eye. The eye design was on nearly every side of the box, which gave him the feeling that it was almost alive in its own way, if not boring right through him and staring into his soul…or what remained of it after all of these long centuries.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

11-Dec-2010 02:29:26 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 02:21:44 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

Remembering the words of the blue robed mage, he decided to honor his end of the bargain and pick the box up. With uncertainty, he reached to pluck the box from its magical and sacred sitting place. His hands drew closer to the box, shaking wildly as they did so. After what seemed like an eternity, they grasped the item for dear life, hanging on as if it was the most important thing in the entire multiverse. Hell, for all he knew, it could’ve been.

A voice rang in V’s head as he quickly pocketed the precious item into the deepest folds of his cloak.

*Summon them…Fight Him…*

Looking around, V saw the misty forms of specters appearing along the walls. Their features were heavily blurred, though he felt misery and anguish emanate from their very essence as well as something else. Possibly hope, though he couldn’t be sure if it was such a feeling could truly exist in creatures stuck in such a sorry state.

The voices continued as the room began to dissolve into a gray mist. *They must come…He shall await them at the Gate…*

~^+^~

“Hey, wake up!”

V shook his head as his vision cleared. He was now lying on the floor, and Joran was hovering over him. The shade helped him to his feet, and Rajh quickly trotted over to the pair.

“I count at least four score of them,” he said.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

11-Dec-2010 02:30:08 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 02:22:20 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“Wait, what’s going on?” V asked. The red garbed man noted that they were in a dark hall. On one end of the hall, a doorway stood to reveal a room with steps leading upwards, which Joran had informed them was where they had came from.

On the other end stood a massive door, which was currently pried open a few inches. A dim light streamed through the doorway, and a bestial smell emanated from the direction.

“We think we found the nest,” Rajh said as Joran finished bringing V up to date on their position. “Or at least a good part of it.”

“So, do we go back and get the others?” he asked.

A low, resounding growl had already answered his question before anyone else could reply. Drawing his weapon, V turned to see a Hound poking its head through the doorway, sniffing the air as it looked around. He wasted no time in shooting an energy bolt into its head, which caused it to squeal in pain before collapsing in a heap in the middle of the doorway.

A chorus of howls erupted from behind the massive door.

“Great, now look at what you did!" Joran cried.

~^+^~

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

11-Dec-2010 02:30:42 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 02:22:58 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

Arial’s group watched the wolf creatures from the relative safety of a balcony which overlooked some sort of nesting area. From their vantage point, they could see that something used to sit on a raised area in the northernmost part of the room below them, but whatever it could have been was long gone and destroyed. In its place sat a makeshift stone throne of sorts, which currently had a creature that seemed to be the largest of its type they had seen all day sitting on it haphazardly.

The creature-which they had presumed to be the ‘Alpha’ the one wolf thing had referred to back at the confrontation in the clearing-, had seemed bored. It watched the other creatures engaged in mock battles and mating rituals with disinterest, and did*’t seem to notice the three shades in the balcony despite its superior animal senses.

“So how safe are we up here?” Arial asked.

“I’m not sure,” Lukil answered.

“Not very,” Koreth said. He edged closer to the edge of the balcony, crawling on his stomach the entire way. “You see, there was a defensive enchantment here at one point,” he continued as he gestured towards a broken railing positioned slightly above his head. Energy sparked between his fingertips and the railing, though nothing happened further.

“How do you know this?” Arial asked.

“Long story short,” Koreth replied. “My ancestors…made some really dark deals with even darker beings. They had gained a natural affinity for magic because of the deals, and that trait has been passed down to their children for quite some time.”

“Ah, so you’re a Warlock,” Lukil whispered.

“Got it in one,” he replied.

“Well, at least you’re being honest,” Arial said. “Anyway, back to that enchantment. What could break such a thing? Or how, I should ask.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

11-Dec-2010 02:32:10

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

“Well, I can think of two ways, personally,” Koreth said. “For starters, a very strong counterspell would dispel such an enchantment. But, that wouldn’t leave any traces like those sparks behind at all. Which brings me to conclude that something very powerful forced its way through it.”

“Is that even possible?” Arial asked.

“It’s not unheard of,” Lukil said. “The problem lays in the fact that usually anything strong enough to do that is from another world, though.”

“Ah, hell,” Arial murmured. “And if it’s from another world, it goes back to its home plane on death like summoned beings usually do, right?”

Lukil and Koreth both nodded slowly.

A loud sound echoed through the room. The three shades snapped to attention, wary of being caught unaware by one of the creatures below them. However, they remained unnoticed thanks to all of the creatures deciding to snap their gazes towards a slightly open door on the far end of the room.

Alpha stood up from the throne, shifting its weight to one side. Arial noticed a dagger sticking out from one of its thighs, as well as tattered strands of gray colored clothing hanging from the being’* exoskeleton in some places.

"What the hell was that!?” Alpha growled. The Hound’s voice boomed through the semi-cavernous room.

The creatures chattered to Alpha in their own guttural and alien tongue. They all seemed excited over the noise, and all too eager to maim something. The creatures began to howl as another sound came from the door, and Arial saw a flash of red burst through the door with an incredible display of power and speed in one.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

11-Dec-2010 02:32:43 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 02:24:58 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

V and his group stood near the doorway. Bolts of energy suddenly flew from V’s weapon and slammed into multiple targets, though not all of them seemed affected. Rajh and Joran began swinging at the creatures with their bare hands, and the creatures gladly rushed to meet them.

“Guess we don’t have the choice of hiding anymore,” Koreth noted.

“Thanks for pointing out the obvious,” Arial shouted over the noise.

The shade general manifested his cerulean blades and jumped into the fray below. Sparks of arcane magic shot out thanks to the remnants of the defensive enchantment of the balcony, though no harm came to him as he passed through them. Arial landed behind two wolf creatures, decapitating them as he used the momentum of his fall to roll into another creature not too far away from his first victims.

The creature tripped over him with a yelp, and a bat-shaped bolt struck its back and exploded, leaving the charred remains behind to smolder in its death throes.

~^+^~

V took aim at the nearest Hound and fired. His shot connected, but the magic seemed to fizzle out and do nothing more. The Hound merely looked annoyed, and rushed him. V rolled to the side and threw out his hand, causing pulsing skulls to fly into the creature’s side. The spell connected, and caused many welts to form and burst open on the creature. Surprised, the Hound began clawing and scratching at the sudden signs of sickness, only to cough violently before dropping dead as the disease finished working its way through its system.

A voice reverberated throughout the room.

*Pale Light finds the way. Blue Flame clears it. Yellow Eyes watch. Red Corpse walks the path.*

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

11-Dec-2010 02:33:41

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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

V looked for the source of the voice, and saw no obvious sign of a speaker. Everyone and everything was fighting each other. Joran flashed bright lights in his fists before driving them into the creature’s skulls, while Rajh was managing to hold his own against a group of his own enemies with his own natural claws.

However, he didn't see any sign of Lukil, which struck V as strange. He knew the fat shade’s power would’ve been helpful here, and judging from the bat-shaped bursts showing up around the room, he knew that Koreth’s power could only do so much in a room this big.

He saw Arial fighting a rather large group of Hounds to his right. The general looked a bit overwhelmed, but then something happened that surprised the red-garbed man.

Arial’s eyes suddenly flashed a bright blue, which began to spread across his body. The glow then began pulsing violently as the general began swinging more and more furiously, causing many of the Hounds to back off their attacks against the obviously more powerful and skilled prey.

Out of nowhere came a burst of pure force. V was thrown back against a wall on the other side of the room, and many of the Hounds which were still standing had been disintegrated in the blast. Those who weren’t were really dazed, and thus the shades and Rakshasa made quick work of them.

“MY PACK!” A deep throated voice roared.

V looked up to see a large Hound dressed in tattered gray clothes. A dagger poked out from its thigh area, causing it to appear like it was limping.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

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

11-Dec-2010 02:34:13 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 02:26:53 by A Mad Hatter

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