Mordskov; Conjunction of Worlds

[Skylez 870]

Mordskov, circa 1640

 

Mordskov; Conjunction of Worlds

 

 

 

History regarding Mordskov

1586-1620

By The Lion

Spoiler

 

The year was 1586 when Emperor John III declared Mordskov legitimate. Its purpose to establish an outpost in the frontier of the Empire where it stood vulnerable to attack. The Frontier Outpost was appointed ownership to the Baron von Mordskov whom stationed forces there. In-turn, the Baron appointed House Rothgard to steward over the land. Not even five years later, The Baron, born Darius son of Halgrim, had vanished into the new frontier’s mountainscape, and the Empire of Man changed forever. John III died and was succeeded in rapid fashion by three new Emperors in the course of one year. Each abdicating or dying after the next until there was only one. Leaving Emperor Philip in-charge until that fateful year of 1590. A pained and deranged man he was. Capable of inflicting great pain.  Speculated to be the first afflicted with primothanicosis. Starting his tenure as an Emperor with murder.  A corrupted mind waiting to erupt. He ended his tenure with mass-murder. Detonating a thanhium crystal so large it infected the Tahn with eternal pain forevermore. All in a flash of light and fire doom came to Tahn by his hand. Thousands of innocents didn’t even get the satisfaction of a scream out. Gone all in an instant. The lands surrounding Emperor Philip were frozen in time as quickly as they’d been scorched by the imploding thanhium and the center of Tahn was scarred with the gnawing pain of thanhium winter. Turning everything north of the implosion into a wasteland. Mordskov was a bastion for refugees of the Empire for a time after 1590. Growing from an outpost of soldiers to a bustling city. Yet, the thanhium and corruption drifting from the blown up capital of the Empire slowly began to infect the refugees. Driving sensible souls away. Leaving only the damned.

 

In the more recent past

Roughly 1629-1640

Spoiler

Prior to the events currently transpiring, Mordskov was a fairly run of the mill cursed city. Ghouls prowled the streets, and many bandits and oddlings had made the place home, much to the chagrin of the few sane locals. At the time, the vast majority of Mordskov’s danger lay in the deranged population, which far outweighed any other group, even the malignant Cathedral of Solsvaerd.

 

Lion Denurem contracted a group known as the Manticore Initiative, which included Marked Men and bounty hunters in order to deal with this growing unrest in the city of Mordskov. In the beginning it’d seem as if the situation was to be resolved relatively easy, but mere malformed mutants and crazed citizens were all that opposed the Manticore from clearing out the barony. Manticore had garrisoned a sizeable fort within the city.

 

Though further complications would of course arise, another group of mercenaries sought to clear the barony for themselves, led by a man known as ‘The Gray Knight’. They split from the main group of thugs lead by Hatchet in a violent civil war, resulting in the nigh total decimation of the sane population of Mordskov and Hatchet’s forces. Dealing with monster and man alike now the Manticore began to gradually crumble; in a daring assault the numerically superior mercenaries led by Hatchet pushed the Manticore out of Mordskov, killing its two Marked members and scattering the rest as they were captured or fled.

 

The Gray Knight’s men soon would also bleed into obscurity, as they took to fighting a greater foe that made itself known within the damned city, the Cult of Solsvaerd. This occultish group was led in turn by Faust, housed within the massive Cathedral that loomed over all. With the help of a Scholar known as John Dee, who had locked himself in the tower guarded by the demon Paimon, the survivors of the mercenary assault planned a last ditch assault, having learnt that two of their own were in captivity.

 

Dee contacted the Gray Knight on their behalf, but when the assault occurred the survivors were too late in assisting the mercenaries, leading to their total decimation. A span occurred within the city where the outside world had little to no information on what transpired therein; foolhardy adventurers and groups sought to solve the foul machinations of Mordskov, to no avail, in fact, the situation was worsened. With each death or failed attempt the virulent fiends seemed to fester and grow, anomalous happenings even began to occur outside of the city and into the surrounding territories.

 

This cult believed that an extra-dimensional entity they called ‘The Savior’ resided inside the mountain Mordskov is built into and was fueled by suffering. The Savior was first discovered due to the widespread and identical hallucinations the citizens of the city suffering from thanicosis reported. Declaring this a miracle from God, High Father Faust attracted a huge following of desperate Mordskovians, promising them a way out of the pain and misery… A promise he did not break.

 

At this point, few capable of fighting the threat remained in Mordskov, and the situation changed drastically when Faust found a vessel for the Savior in the form of a pregnant captives child. The Savior now had a way of actualizing itself. The battle for Mordskov was over, and Faust won.

 

The rest, as they say, is history.

 

Mechanics:

Spoiler

Colder atmosphere: Tahn will gradually become colder and colder as copious amounts of thanhium continually emit from the heart of Mordskov, generally making the land inhospitable over time. Most of this will be aesthetic and simply provide progressive change to the world. Floral life will slowly begin to die off as the temperature plummets, thanhic spires intermittently dotting the landscape, etcetera.

Anomalous occurrences: Mutants, deranged descendants, and so forth were once limited to the city of Mordskov and the surrounding forests, yet now that the Zone is expanding furthermore into Tahn the aforementioned is no longer confined to Mordskov. Increasing conflict and the sort will progress over the continent, combat can either be of a complete RP fashion, PvE, or a mix of both- this will be up to the player’s discretion.

 

More to be unveiled in due time.

 

 

Big thanks to @oncenoeda and @The Lion for beginning the event line which ultimately culminated into this.

[HurferDurfer1 2978]

someone has been playing too much witcher and watching too much stranger things

[oncenoeda 116]

18 minutes ago, HurferDurfer1 said:

someone has been playing too much witcher and watching too much stranger things

1

Upvote

 

 

too much berserk/stalker actually you brainlet

[Farryn 860]

Yeah. Definitely a lot of Berserk but hey - Berserk is brilliant. Not complaining there.

[Malgonious 2758]

 

Adalwulf would make his way towards Mordskov, the voidsteel blade once belonged to Caius Horen now drawn and ready as the lone soldier marches towards the twilight of the world...

 

[drfate786 1690]

(( You're welcome for the insanity inducing monster everyone. :) ))

[Jakraes 51]

Rhova'dir would frown as soon as he heard the news, soon enough he began to pack up some supplies and a bastard sword before departing towards the damned place that Mordskov was.

[ThatGuy_777 220]

The Willow Druid grumbles to himself as he manned the front desk at the Library of Dragur "Bah! I warned of the encroaching thanium. Yet none heeded me...now only the most extreme of solutions can be undertaken." Expelling a tremendous sigh, he'd let his forehead plop forward. Idle...until the mali' nearly jumps from his seat, dashing off.

[Zacho 2177]

Gul'san'yar the lumbering large orc moved off to mordskov, though without a mask and with little care for the cold or the thanium

 

[GDPR 014 48]

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Robed creatures and vile mutants fell via pikes and crossbow fire, originating from men donning a patch with a Red Cockatrice etched onto it. The Band of The Cockatrice; The Cockatrice Initiative: A force formed under Avenel -- known as the Doom Slayer to Faust and the Cultists of Mordskov. A force to be reckoned with, truly -- besting even the greatest of Faust's beasts before the formation of his unit.

 

 From a garrison of starving men who were fighting from their lives, the Cockatrice turned into a renowned group within Mordskov; they took in scavengers, criminals, aberrations,  and turned them into loyal, formidable men. Their progress -- undeniable, securing the once inhospitable outskirts under the guidance, and leadership of Avenel.

 

"PURGE THE DOOM SLAYER." Cultists screamed their last as they were reduced to corpses by Cockatrice crossbows, mutated monstrosities and vile men falling prey to Avenel and his men. 

 

"Boss! We have visual on the gate!" One of the Scouts shouted to Avenel, having ducked behind cover to slide a bodkin bolt into the firing groove of his crossbow. Avenel, was in the midst of the conflict, watching men from both sides falling, be it by weapon or beast. For a weak bodied mage held his own in Mordskov, a land that would force one to commit horrors to survive. His wit was the only thing that allowed him to survive. Magic was useless in Mordskov. The Cockatrice protected the man as he moved along the field -- the collective sound was like a machine -- filled with clanking metal that moved in sync; cogs ran by the heart. It was a horrifying sound to the opposition, a sound that spelled their doom. 

 

"Shields!" Avenel called to the nearby units, to which they complied. Their shields became a wall against the various peculiar explosives and other such machinations that Mordskov wrought. These cultists focused on the line, charging and trying to break at it with all their might; their futile blades and claws scratched at the shields and armor of the men. Never able to fully rip through, only able to break the formation ever so slightly. Though even this proved to be their folly; crossbow fire rained from the treelines, erupting with various clicks and "Twangs!" as bolts stuck into cultists and beasts -- they should have tried to kill, rather than break. Mordskov always tries to break others, and it will infact succeeded; many of the men were already broken, living their lives in fear of what would happen in this unpredictable scape. Yet, even through the horrors, resolve would be forged -- an iron will formed from the collective, yet scars would always linger and change. 

 

The scene devolved into chaos. The field bellowed out as explosions slammed the earth -- screams mingled with bloodshed laced with the booming sound that would shake a man to his core -- troop moved up, formation broken to better combat their foes; beasts, even cultists required tactics typically unseen in various fighting styles. Blades were bloodied, even Avenel's mace finally met the skull of a charging brute. The whip-mace extending out to bash into the skull of this mutated fiend, the body crumpling, though the corpse still had function, cover, or perhaps a weapon. Avenel used the body as cover,quickly drawing out a long-knife to cut along at the brute's belly, only to plant an explosive on the intestine. 

 

"Fall back!" Avenel shouts, running from the corpse,

 

"Go! go! We don't have much time!" Them en complied, falling back, following their leader; playing to Avenel's plan as always. Mordskov's machinations converged on the body, only to have it explode - spraying acid, gore, blood, and bile all over the enemies, even killing a few with the blast. The Cockatrice would charge in again, aided by the crossbow fire -- Avenel was so close, so close to ending Mordskov. So close to saving Lion. he wanted nothing more than to extract his ally from the zone, and to stop the threat that plagued both him, and many others. The threat that took the lives of his friends and allies. Woe.

 

                                ~()                     [V-V]                 ()~

 

 

 

Woe indeed. Time and fate would doom Avenel, and the Cockatrice's goal as a bellowing sound escaped from the city of Mordskov. It was like a thousand, baritone screams that converged as one. Even when they caught a glimpse of the approaching cloud, and massive creature that was birthed by it, they knew it was time to run, even when fear struck them, flight kicked in it. It was time to go. 

 

"RuN! Run for your ******* lives! We need to get out! Out of ******* here! Out of Mordskov! Initiate Deathshead Protocol!" Avenel cried out to his men, though before this he could only tremble at what he spotted. The land further scarring the being's mind. The men, scrambling and scattering run, moving fast along the ramps and throwing various gleaming objects in the air. The entire outskirts burst to life as soldiers and people alike flee from the cloud. The men's stomping boots, the screams of aberrant and man alike were undoubtedly laced with fear, only intensified as the eldritch mass -- The Beast of Mordskov -- let loose a cry that shook the very foundations of the land. Mordskov was lost, but not the men who served to secure it. Luckily, they and Avenel survived, evacuating to the mage's home.

 

                                           ~ () ~              ()               ~()~

 

 

A few hours later. The collective work of the Cockatrice would fully fortify Avenel's home, a fort that was constantly augmented and watched over. Even as progress and some sense of victory occurred, scars still lingered. Men and women were shaken by it, the lives they lost, the folk they saw devoured and destroyed by Mordskov. They took to groups to cope, crying and screaming about their horrors for some hope of relief. It would not be easy,  

 

"Oi." One of the sappers called out to a scout, lifting his head from his work on the fortress.

 

"Seen the boss lately?"

 

"No. He's been hauled up in his lab for some time." The scout retorted, interlocking his arms. 

 

"Yeah? That ain't like him."

 

"Shite happens." The scout grunts, "What happened shook him, as I'd expect."

 

"Mordskov, aye. That beast... but, ey! At least we're out of there."

 

The scout shook his head, grunting in response. As expected by the guard, Avenel remained in his lab. Mordskov, the fact that he could not stop it, let alone extract Lion hurt him. The things he did in Mordskov, the horrors and atrocities he committed, atrocities that would be disgusting, even in war. They were for naught, but even as he tries to cope, the inventions, experiments - the unethical action - he felt inclined towards it. It was something that he knew well, evidently so as he looked over his doings. 

 

"You were always like that, deep down." A voice spoke to him, his Horror - the Errant - at his side. 

 

"Interesting how it works. All it takes is a little... push, and you get put on the right track. You and I both know that your work is not done."

 

"It is not." His respirator wheezed, he always donned it, along with some form of armor now -- paranoa ensued by both life experience, and the horrors of Mordskov. He lowered himself to a seat after, muttering:

 

"I must still go on. There is much work to do." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AgentMemory 69]

Gabriel is sad that he died twice. Damn...

[Skylez 870]

Above lies a map of roughly center Tahn

-19th of The First Seed, 1641

 

Report

-

The Mordskovian Zone has expanded beyond the initial outlying forests of the cursed city.

Anomalous activity is expected to occur around Adelburg next as the Zone steadily grows and festers amok Tahn, sprawling spires of Thanhium materializing in the plains near, temperature diminishing. 

 

Metz was assaulted recently by Mordskovian horrors.

Thanhium was utilized, chilling the landscape.

Victory for the Defenders.

[Joltastik 506]

****. . . ****. . .****, ****, **** **** ****....." The wheezing mass of muscle bellows in a hushed tone, tone muffled by the respirator of his gas mask as he'd run deeper into the foliage of the forest. He held his blade in a tailguard as he frantically ran, whole body tense in a feeble attempt of maintaining composure.

 

The screeches followed. Obstructed visages of elongated beasts trudged through the forest, ready to rip apart the intruder. The Huggers ran fast, yet few fell to the improvised traps the man could build in such a short time. Sighard continued running with all his might; his mind, blurred by the elixirs he'd grow accustomed to chug constantly ever since he arrived to that cursed city focusing on one question: "Why?"

 

"Why was a feeble initiate of the Manticore not doomed to fall like his brethren? Like his mentors? Vicelin of Redmarch, Viktor of Svengard, Renuald aep Dryffryn; Names that carved their way through his mind, names that made him the soldier he was. For God knows how long, he'd remained holed up within the filth of that cursed city, aimlessly trying to stop the unstoppable alongside few survivors. Why was i-. . . ."

 

"No." He grunts, eyes narrowing upon a clearing. He was a practical man, and this was no time for questions. All the man needed to focus upon was survival, and survival implied getting the hell out of that place, and making sure his few remaining comrades would do so alongside him.

[Chthonian_ 100]

A small figure with a frostbitten, bald and flaky scarred head was hyperventilating under a mountain in southern Ceru

[Skylez 870]

 

Another map of roughly central Tahn, depicting the spread of the Mordskovian Zones.

-19th of The First Seed, 1641

 

Report

-

-Second Zone-

Even though Metz held off the horrors of Mordskov the Zone is seemingly spreading from that region;

the Dominion of Malin was assailed last Saint's day and fell, the area is a Thanhic wasteland rife with mutants and deranged inhabitants alike, adventure at your own peril, wear a rebreather.

 

-Top left circle-

The Mother Grove turtle, Bertha, came under assault recently, the majority of her denizens fleeing within the first moments of initial contact. The whereabouts of this turtle is unknown, though sums of vile viscera have been washing onto the adjacent shores.

 

-First Zone-

The Library of Dragur and Norland are likely to be the settlements where the Zone expands next.

 

 

It is recommend that the inhabitants within the Zone evacuate immediately lest you become afflicted with Thanicosis, a horrid sickness, not to mention all the anomalous activity.

__________________________________

 

-The Zones themselves-

Excursions into the Zones are not advised, but heed the information below should you or your compatriots wish to risk themselves.

 

- It is recommended to at least have a party of 3-5 competent individuals should you wish to venture within.

- The closer to the center of a Zone you are, the more difficult you should expect it to be, and vice versa.

- Magic is very fickle within the Zones, this is Thanhium after all, can cause emissions, massive storms.

- Unless you are crazed yourself, bring a Respirator.

 

((ET Actors to contact if you wish to interact with the Zones))

Conflict encounters can be RP or PvE, player's discretion.

 

Skylez1

ScreamingDingo

Geidleth

Oncenoeda

Ebonsquire

Lathebiosas