RuneScape Forum Archive | Jasuten: Earth's Edge

Dec

2017

King Jotun

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“Luce, please turn around…” whimpered Jotun.

“Why, what’s-” Luce jaw dropped and hit the ground as a monstrous, red beast with compound eyes and a raspy yell stared down at her. Its scythe-like claws lay against its chest as it eyed up the two in front of it.

King Jotun remembered this abomination, and with little joy. The pest queen had been a horrid experience for him to fight. Even though he has become stronger, he now doesn’t have the combined efforts of four different groups of knights and rangers to help him out.

Unfortunately, the existence of another pest queen made sense. In a hive mentality, queens are the only creatures capable of reproduction and are the general order-givers. If the queen he had fought earlier had been the only one, the pests would have eventually run out and those that remained would be confused creatures because their matriarch had died. Even if there was only one at a time, one of her spawn could take the throne and become the new queen.

The queen launched a blast of magical energy that hit Jotun head-on, knocking him head-over-heels into the side of the cliff. He fell to the ground, the world again fading around him from his concussive collision. As his head lay against the ground, he saw a figure leap down from the cliff, stepping between the two humans and the pest queen.

“Zmiz , toho zloducha!” roared the being as blasts of inky-black magic shot towards the queen.

Jotun came to in Luce’s house again. Luce was in another room, and a dark figure was with her, blocked out of sight by a piece of furniture. Jotun got to his feet, and Luce came back into his room.

“It’s nice to see you awake again,” happily replied Luce. “We are so lucky he showed up now. If he hadn’t we’d be dead!”

“Indeed,” replied Jotun, feeling his forehead. “Who is ‘he’?”

“He can explain better than I can,” she cheerily responded. “He’s in the other room.”

11-Feb-2012 01:43:52 - Last edited on 03-Mar-2012 23:40:26 by King Jotun

Dec

2017

King Jotun

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Luce led Jotun to the door, and Jotun turned to face his savior, and he slowly raised his eyes, taking in the character’s dark robes, his white double-helix symbol, his black cuffs…

His skull-face with red eyes…

“Gah!” yelped Jotun, leaping into the air at the sight of this character. “It’s a- dear Guthix!”

“Stop your babbling,” growled the Mahjarrat. “My name is Jasuten. Luce here tells me that you are King Jotun, supposedly sent here to find me. I’d tell you what I am, since you give the impression that you're not familiar with my kind, but my memory is a bit lacking since this fall I took arriving in your world.”

“Yes, okay, sure,” Jotun sputtered out quickly. “Mind if I talk to Luce for a bit?”

“Do what you must,” replied Jasuten. “But be quick. I have some plans I want to discuss with you two concerning this ‘Earth’s Edge’ you live in.”

Jotun pulled Luce into the side room and shut the door. “Luce, you know what this creature is, don’t you?”

“I do, even if I don’t know his kind’s name,” said Luce. “But what do you think he is?”

“He’s a Mahjarrat, an incredibly powerful and magically-gifted species of warmongers,” Jotun explained under his breath. “I’ve met honorable ones, but many are incredibly dangerous, especially to us humans. In this world, they’re second in power only to dragonkin.”

“Judging by how we’re still in one piece, I don’t think he’s going to hurt us,” replied Luce.

“Whatever the case, I say we don’t let on how much we know about him. If he learns that there are others of his kind, he may attempt to find them, and a Zamorak follower may get to him first. I hate Zamorak and his followers as much as you do.”

“Okay,” assured Luce. “I’ll keep quiet. Let’s see what he has to say now.* They opened the door and returned to Jasuten, his bony face surprisingly showing impatience.

“Sorry about that, Jasuten,” apologized Luce. “What was it you wanted to talk to us about?”

11-Feb-2012 01:44:19 - Last edited on 03-Mar-2012 23:36:45 by King Jotun

Dec

2017

King Jotun

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“First off, I am now well-aware that you know what I am,” growled Jasuten, his red dots of eyes staring into Jotun’s soul. “However, I’m not about to torture the two people that are going to help me to take over this country.”

“…wait, what?” asked Jotun.

“I wish to accommodate wealth and power in order to better investigate this mainland that Luce tells me you come from,” explained Jasuten. “Luce also tells me that this country is in an economic depression, which means the people will be more submissive. So, I wish to conquer it and reorganize its structure to better encourage market growth so I can accrue the wealth necessary for my plans.”

“You certainly don’t waste any time, did you?” pondered Jotun.

“I don’t need research to deduce that your species is generally weaker than my kind and that a takeover is well within my grasp,” replied Jasuten. “You seem to be an exceptionally powerful example of your kind and you still could make barely any headway with an enemy I killed by myself. Just be glad I am going to have you help me.”

“Okay,” said Jotun. How could Luce be so happy? “So what’s up first?”

“First, we are going to examine the city of Earth’s Edge itself. Luce can help us get in, and from there we shall check to see how well-guarded the city is and how the people react to my presence. Let us hope for a cowardly reaction like your own, so they won’t attempt to defend their home from me.”

“I resent that,” growled Jotun.

“Deal with it,” Jasuten growled back. “Let’s move out.” He extended his left hand and a staff with a large, pointed black crystal on the end formed in his hand. He held this corrupted version of a staff of light at his side as he left the house. Jotun and Luce followed behind him, eventually walking at his side as they approached the walled-off city.

11-Feb-2012 01:44:40 - Last edited on 03-Mar-2012 23:37:18 by King Jotun

Dec

2017

King Jotun

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Neither Jotun nor Jasuten expected the reaction the appearance of a Mahjarrat caused. The farmers staring at them or the peasants passing by them on the road weren’t running away blindly in fright, nor were they immediately trying to kill him.

They were overjoyed at his appearance. The faces of passers-by lit up in delight as he approached the city, his white, smooth visage expressing only faint anger and slight confusion. Everyone who saw them became jubilant.

“Explain, Luce,” ordered Jasuten.

“Well, Jasuten,” began Luce, “Your appearance is very similar to that of people who protected our country eons ago. The people… don’t know that you’re going to take them over and work them to the bone.”

“First of all, I don’t plan to work you humans to death,” replied Jasuten. “I am going to establish maximum daily working hours and give you slight comforts to keep you from rebelling and to encourage production.” Luce and Jotun exchanged a glance. “Second, were these guardians members of my own kind?*

"I, erm, don’t know,” said Luce, fidgeting with her hands. “Our records are few. We did not think our god would be expelled from this world and that we would be forgotten by all, so we thought we would spend very little time here. Just until our deity won the God Wars.”

“Balance would suggest that Zaros should be evened out against Armadyl and Saradomin, since he’s more powerful than the other gods. Bandos and Zamorak can go torture themselves.”

“Whatever the case, your rural community has very little might,” said Jasuten, changing the subject. “What about your city?”

“Why don’t you see for yourself?” asked Luce. She signaled to the man at the gate and the city became open to the trio.

“Since you guys are okay, I’ll let you both in whenever you want, especially since Lady Luce trusts you,” said the gateman.

“’Lady Luce’?” asked Jotun. “Are you royalty?”

11-Feb-2012 01:45:05 - Last edited on 03-Mar-2012 23:37:54 by King Jotun

Dec

2017

King Jotun

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“Don’t be foolish,” said Luce. “That’s just his idea of a joke. No one’s royalty in Earth’s Edge except for our great, fantastic King Louis.” She spat onto the ground. “Just look around and see what a great king he is.”

Jotun looked around, his curiosity giving away to pity. The entire town was falling apart. Literally, falling apart. Buildings were dilapidated structures of wood and cracked stone. The path they walked upon was dirty and unkempt, with monstrous cracks forming in the areas where stone remained. It was as if Gary, Indiana and the ghettos of Darkmeyer combined to form one monstrous piece of decay.

“And I thought this would have some elements of difficulty,” pondered Jasuten. “Such disrepair must mean you are all more broken, weakened, and pitiful than I thought you would be. I doubt I’ll encounter any resistance.”

“This was a proud, sparkling town six years ago,” angrily commented Luce. “It has fallen into disrepair because all the artisans are being put to work by our great King Louis to update his army so he can maintain order.”

“Your king sounds like a fool,” replied Jasuten. “Who let him into power?”

“He was given the throne by the previous king,” explained Luce. “It was a reward, for Louis once saved us from a being far more threatening than you are. He survived the Cave of Blood and emerged as a powerful, hulking man, who was able to defeat a hideous otherworldly creature by taking on the form of a giant wolf. So, he became King Louis Wolfheart.”

“He makes the king of Jatizso sound responsible and wise in comparison,” said Jotun.

“Whoever that is,” said Luce.

11-Feb-2012 01:45:29 - Last edited on 03-Mar-2012 23:38:51 by King Jotun

Dec

2017

King Jotun

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The trio entered the market area of the main street, a place just as depressing as the rest of the kingdom. Several people had started following them, smiles beaming on their faces as the descendent of their protectors headed towards the castle, which lay at the northern end of the city. A crowd soon formed as they cleared the marketplace and came across a temple to Zaros, only slightly more attractive than the run-down buildings that surrounded it. A priest left the building, his ceremonial robes torn and dirty. He turned toward the crowd, seemingly unaware of Jasuten.

“Greetings, my poor fellow men!” he proclaimed. “Do not worry, though, for soon our foul king shall be overthrown and our life will be restored! No longer will Zaros’ teachings be undermined by the false dogma of our lord Louis Wolfheart!”

Suddenly horns blasted from the north, and everyone backed away in fear save for the trio and the priest. A tall, muscular knight, in brilliant, white, gilded armor, approached. In his hands he held both a buster sword and a maul. He seemed to barely struggle at all to wield them.

“Hear, hear, people!” called out the knight, in a voice so pompous and condescending the pretentiousness was tangible. “Here stands the haggard priest, daring to speak out against his lord, who saved him from the fiend of ages!”

“He’s not my lord,” growled the priest. “My lord is Zaros, whose influence has been desecrated by the man who holds your leash.”

“Such insolence!” roared the knight, bringing his maul down to the ground and generating an earthquake, making the priest fall to his knees before him. “I came to offer you a chance for redemption, but now you shall die for your treasonous statements!”

11-Feb-2012 01:45:42 - Last edited on 03-Mar-2012 23:39:20 by King Jotun

Dec

2017

King Jotun

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He raised his sword to kill the priest, but a dark blast of energy knocked the blade out of his hands, sending it flying into a house. The house then collapsed onto it. The knight turned to Jasuten, whose staff still hummed with magical power. A scowl grew on the face of the knight.

“Who dares to interfere with the power of the law?” he roared.

“That is not law; that is idiocy,” growled Jasuten. *Obviously your king is an incompetent if he lets the economy get into such a bad position. Clearly he is a pitiful excuse for a ruler if he needs to have people like you executing harmless elderly men for voicing their rage. At least his speech keeps him from performing arson on government buildings and such.”

“The- the gall!” exclaimed the knight. “I, Sir Harrison of the Light Warriors, shall execute you for treason and interfering the law! Knights, seize him and his friends!”
A mix of knights and rangers stepped forward, separating Jotun and Luce from Jasuten, who simply stood and faced Harrison. The gilded knights fell onto the two humans, who kept them at bay. Jotun and Luce’s curses hindered the ranged blows while their armor took the blades of their swords in stride. Jotun’s sword struck down knight after knight while Luce’s magic immobilized them for the ease of Jotun’s work.

Harrison charged at Jasuten. Jasuten brought his right hand over the tip of his staff and started generating another magic blast. Harrison raised his maul to deliver a crushing blow to Jasuten’s skull-face, but his eyes widened as Jasuten unleashed his spell.

Dozens of feet away, a pile of ashes and gilded armor fell to the ground. The armor was quickly taken away by little children, who took it back to their families to smelt into various tools. The ashes blew away into the wind.

11-Feb-2012 01:46:01 - Last edited on 03-Mar-2012 23:39:41 by King Jotun

Dec

2017

King Jotun

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Not even the birds in the air chirped as everyone stared at Jasuten. The knights and rangers backed off from the crowd and quickly made their escape to the castle. Jotun stared at Jasuten in fright, remembering all too well how another Mahjarrat struck down six of his allies in such a way. Luce was also overwhelmed by Jasuten’s power; the powerful villain hadn’t even dealt with the pest queen so harshly!

“Zaros has given us our savior!” proclaimed the priest, kneeling before Jasuten. The crowd burst into applause and cheers as Jasuten rudely disregarded the priest and continued toward the castle. Jotun and Luce followed closely behind as the crowd parted to make way for their hero.

“At least I don’t have to worry about the populace rising against me when I dethrone their king,” commented Jasuten. “Come along, you two.”

The trio observed the castle. It was cut off from them by a moat, which was only passable via a raised drawbridge. The castle only looked somewhat better than the town it governed.

“It’s a shame how decrepit it has become,” Luce wept. “It was brilliant, fortified and shining when I was a little girl. Now it’s just a husk of what it used to be.”
“I’ll have it repaired when I become your despot,” promised Jasuten. “A castle this poorly-protected is worthless.”

“So is the dead corpse of a traitor,” called a voice from behind the trio. They turned around and stared into the eyes of the rest of the gilded militia, led by an especially impressive ranger and mage. “You three shall be punished severely for the murder of Sir Harrison, our brother!”

11-Feb-2012 01:46:33 - Last edited on 03-Mar-2012 23:40:09 by King Jotun

Dec

2017

King Jotun

Posts: 78 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

The three of them took off, doing their best to stay away from the mob. Even Jasuten realized that he probably wouldn’t be able to take both the leaders on, and his human servants certainly couldn’t hold back an entire army by themselves. They feared they would be overtaken when a wall of ice suddenly appeared between them and the army. They stared toward a nearby building and saw the Zarosian priest, chanting and reinforcing the ice wall.

“Go, prophets of Zaros!” called out the priest. “My life is meaningless! Save yourselves! Luce will know the way!”

The group dashed out of sight as the rangers turned their attention to the priest, firing shot after shot at him. The priest’s prayers sent the arrows flailing in different directions, but a well-placed blast from the mage in the crowd finally subdued the old man.

A tall, bulky figure sat atop a shabby, ill-kept throne of mahogany. He placed his hand upon his forehead and leaned back, overwhelmed. Harrison the Knight, dead? Mystifying. This strange being, this descendent of the protectors, was truly dangerous.

A messenger came forward. “Sir, I bring news about the protector!”

“Do tell,” asked the man on the throne.

“It’s terrible news, my lord Louis,” said the messenger. “The priest stopped our soldiers from detaining the traitor!”

“What!” whimpered King Louis, rising from his throne. His face solidified to a visage of fright. “Kill the traitorous man! Quickly!”

“The priest was killed by Lucas, sir,” answered the messenger. “Don’t worry; we’ll get the traitor before he can even get close to you.”

“Yes, thank you,” thanked Louis, lying back down on his throne. “I must thank you for your diligence. Take a loaf from the stores for you and your family.”

11-Feb-2012 01:46:53 - Last edited on 03-Mar-2012 23:43:37 by King Jotun

Dec

2017

King Jotun

Posts: 78 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“Thank you, sir,” said the messenger, taking off to the store room. Louis fretted over this strange champion of the people. To think they used to hate him, mock him, berate him for his weakness. Now he was on the throne for saving these same people who hated him, and now they hate him again, all because of his paranoia.

“They all want my throne,” he whimpered to himself. “They all do. The priest, the market people, this newcomer. I save them, and they call me a terrible ruler. They elected me! They put me in this position of power, and now they expect me to give it up, just as I’m starting to improve? No, I cannot allow that. Their fear of me will not succeed in shaking me. I’ll keep my throne, and when I become the greatest king in the history of Earth’s Edge, they will thank me!”

“That’s right, sir,” said a woman hiding in the shadows by the King’s throne. “Also, he’ll have to get through me in order to hurt you, and you know I owe too much to you to let that happen.”

The trio stood by a decaying building, pondering what lay inside.

“Inside, there is a secret entrance to the castle,” explained Luce. “If we took that path, we would be able to sneak into the castle and deal with Louis. I assume you’ll want to kill him?”

“I was thinking exile,” said Jasuten. “I’d strip him of every scrap of power, then shove him out into the wilderness to live his few, remaining days in misery. Perhaps, if we’re lucky, some giant monster will eat him alive.”

“I’d have thought you would just kill him,” pondered Luce.

“He may have few allies, but they can put up a fight,” Jasuten replied. “Not killing their king would show some elements of mercy and help convince them that I am a more fitting choice. I’ll save the cruelty for those who truly stand in my way.”

11-Feb-2012 01:47:29 - Last edited on 03-Mar-2012 23:44:10 by King Jotun

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Jasuten: Earth's Edge