A Mirage in the Sands

[_Jandy_ 3519]

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

Previously - https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/237385-infernal-tresspass

 

Coarse sands whipped across the desert's coast as the warriors rode out. Spurring forth resistant steeds which carried man, demon, magi, and construct alike, they sought in vain for their enemy until the sun rose to its zenith. Harsh heat reverberated off of the dune, their tongues dried in their maws, the beasts of burden refused to trudge further and were abandoned. In the horizon a swirling sandstorm raged towards them but the Norns and Ibleesians were eager to find their foes. They had traveled from cursed jungle and wretched tundras alike in search of this battle.

 

The mortals in their heavy northern furs were the first to bare witness to the great ape, Mori-Yu, as he climbed the steepled sands and gazed down upon them. Quickly to his side came a four armed rakaal, a shambling darkstalker, and a heavily robed voidmage whose garments rebuffed the buffeting gales of grain. 

 

The Azdrazi uruk, Daahd’Lur, was flanked by the Thegn of Solgaard, the Thegn’s trusted construct companion, a voidal magi who was surprisingly well armored, and a loyal sage. The warriors surged up the slope, fighting the sands which fell away under heel. Demons attempted to hurl spears which stood no chance in the wind. Alchemical vials similarly were thrown to little effect, being carried away at once and disappearing. The sandstorm overtook the combatants and they lost sight of foe and ally ~

Mori-Yu broke through the wall of the sandstorm with a great leap and the sight sunk the demon’s stomach. Tens of thousands of dead Hou-Zi floated atop a great red river which coarse through a jungle. The current coursed around the ancient temple of Asul. Gold walls and spires shimmered in moonlight as the Zarei approached, trudging through the waters which turned corpses of those who were once kin. The malformed Hei-Zhou stepped from the tide of corpses, his body washed in gore and bile, as he stepped under the archway. He approached the colossal seated statue of Hou-Shen, the progenitor of the simic creations of Metztli. The statue seemed unphased by it’s nightmarish surroundings, the pungent smell of rot did not infiltrate inanimate nostrils. The eyelids of the golden monkey monk were snapped shut and bore no witness to the corpses of apes which bobbed like flotsam. The legends of Hou-Shen always prophesied his return though when Mori-Yu knelt before the figure, the plaque reading ‘In the dawn’s light he returns; wisdom and harmony abound him.’ Despair struck the beast, he could not even recall the last time he had seen another of Hou-Shen’s children alive. “Is this the dawn which heralds your return? We must all pass and relinquish attachment to our lives?” The ancient monk wept, the tears warping his vision. As he peered through welled eyes his skin had returned to its rough gray with black patches of fur, he wore the green robes of a monk once more. 

 

The ape turned away from the statue of Hou-Shen to see that flames danced over trees beyond the sea of corpses. The inferno threatened to cross the threshold and ravage the temple. Mori-Yu, now once more in his former body - Chen-Yu, lept into action and he began to fight the flames with the only liquid available. He shoveled blood from the river onto the daring walls of flame which would press towards him. The blood of brothers and sisters alike, it was unthinkable what he must do. 

 

The Hei-Zhu looked around for help and he witnessed others knee deep in the torrent of gore helping to fight the encroachment of flames. The Norns, the Lur who contested his tower, the four armed Rakaal, and a voidmage. A handful of blood at a time they would successfully douse the shore and stymie the encroaching blaze ~

The sand swept over the party, the red eyes of the uruk, Daahd’Lur, only seeing through the great storm through some esoteric rite or ritual performed upon him before the dawn of the battle; it mattered little. He passed through the sands and into a swamp laden with corpses. Those of his underlings and allies, the trees and spirits which he worshiped, were silent, and nothing came from them but whimpers. Ash. Desolation. Lands he had once found lush and beautiful, perhaps even suitable for settlement, were torn from their roots and before they lay that heretical figure, that wicked shrine: Bal'ance. 

 

The monstrous shroud carried the Swiv in his jaw amongst the wild animals he had begun killing for sport. He rushed down the pathway and away; though he was no coward, the mere sight of it frightened him, and he did not know why. He pushed himself against cover, a nearby building, and whilst peering inside, he saw machinations as unfit for morality, an elaborate system of execution, and evil- torturous devices of war. Then he turned to flee to the woodlands he had seen in the distance but found them gone. In their place was a singular tree, but it was no ordinary tree- it twisted and turned and warped itself about. It spoke to him. 

 

“Five,” it said, though its meaning was nothing. It contorted—now it was there talking and showing the number. This tree, a manifestation of some unknown power, seemed to hold a key to his fate. 

Hold the key. He turned, and Bal'ance had made its way to ****** him with its jaws. Dark. Light. 

 

He awoke. ~

Through the sandstorm trudged the once-ghoul, Goibbled, the coarse desert sand sanding down the bone of its new form. With time the skeletal undead reached the eye of the storm, where it witnessed its comrades and foes battling hordes of  large, green, lizard-like beings - the Shuul. Thoughts of the vision that flooded its memory over decades ago raced through its thoughts, “Dey invaded? Kere? Wyyy?”. These thoughts quickly faded into reality as it overlooked the ongoing battle: Must. Flat.

 

 With hurried steps it advanced towards the nearest Shuul warrior, black abyssal smog quickly forming around its appendages. The lizard-warrior stood no chance, taken by surprise by the Nascent as the green beast battled with the Thegan; a war-axe of necrotic origin split the beast’s head open like a ripe watermelon. 

 

From within the intense fighting, the Darkstalker saw the inferi-Houzi, Mori-Yu battling an aged Shuul warrior, atop its head a crown. ~

The construct dubbed ‘Warlock’ whirred and buzzed from beneath a mound of sound, emitting a lone beep. 

 

Spoiler

The server crashed 6 times in 2 hours and we were unable to have our  scheduled CRP event. We played bedwars instead.

 

RPly our characters collapsed and each had visions of fighting beside each other. It seems that the squabble over the desert fortress is laid to rest as the uneasy allies seek to materialize their visions and work towards fighting common enemies.

 

[The King Of The Moon 7016]

A distant warlock prepares a banquet of meat bananas in honour of his master's triumph.

[Wizry 1218]

Cathan stared at his bed, holding on for dear life as he had a feeling that he would be lost to the Afterlife if it were destroyed...