I am watching you, Rizzen .... Always watching. ;)
Here and watching
Still watching :)
As this realms Ryland screams at everyone to take cover, you hear sudden panicked screams and shouts from around the house, some right next to the wooden walls, as each attempts to scramble for some sort of cover. Several of those that are closest to the walls actually leap into the building, as it is the closest available cover. Others turn and sprint away, trusting in the overgrowth to protect them.
Out in the field, where there were was no one, suddenly the field is filled with upwards of twenty people, rushing about. Some head for the barn, some for the forest overgrowth.
The black cloud, still distant, suddenly flares brilliantly as hundreds of lightning bolts erupt from within. A minute later the sound of thunder rumbles through the mountains, creating echoes of noise crashing into itself. Loud to the point of deafening, it rattles your teeth and shakes your bones within your body.
One of the men, laying on his back, a look of abject terror etched upon his face, moans We are doomed! DOOMED! The two other men who leaped into the building with him, mummer similar things. One proceeds to wet himself in stark fear, the other, of stronger stuff, grimly holds onto his sword but has a look of acceptance of fate.
The black cloud gives another brilliant flash of light...and disappears.
As the thunder reaches your ears and rattles your bones to dust, a brilliant flash of light appears in the wheat field, followed by more thunder. The thunder hammers the farm and farmhouse, shaking it's foundation...
farmhouse dc 20: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
farm dc 20: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23
With loud snaps, the wooden frame holding up the partial roof and wooden walls finally gives out from the years of disuse. The entire structure collapses upon itself and those within.
everyone make a reflex save dc 20 or take 5d6 damage. If you are stunned, you cannot make this save.
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
As you begin to pull yourself out of the remains of the house, you pick up on the sound of a rhythmic sound, similar to that of a bellows at a smithy. Long and deep the sounds are, and draw your eyes towards the source.
It's yellow snakelike eyes focus upon you, its mouth parts open with a deep intake of air as it bunches up on itself, and suddenly snaps forward with its head and roars.
Crashing timbers knock Ryvin from her feet, and something heavy hits her in the head. She falls to the ground, insensate. Still and silent, she lies among the debris, the aura of saidar around her winking out as her eyes flutter closed...
His senses reeling from the volume of the creatures bellow, Keelix can do little other than be battered about as the building collapses around him, trying to clear the fog from his brain, he crouches under one of the main beams of the farmhouse.
As the unnatural black stormcloud approaches the farmhouse, Alathea's unease grows into horror. In spite of her expectations for the worst, the thunderclap catches her unready, and though she pulls Kodokura towards the door, she does not make it out before the building comes down upon her.
After the rubble and debris settles, Alathea pulls herself out of the ruins of the farmhouse, Kodokura along with her. Although they're battered and bloody, she knows that they're lucky that they weren't crushed by a falling beam or the like. But though the storm cloud seems to have dissipated, they are not safe. Caught by the baleful eyes of a...monstrosity, Alathea holds her ground, even as every instinct screams for her to run. But even as she resists the urge to flee, the beast's deafening roar shakes away what little composure she's regained.
several of the bandits scream in rage and begin to shoot arrows at the massive creature from all sides.
One man steps out, by himself. a moment later a fireball shoots out from his hands and strikes the creature. The fireball goes from blazing orange and yellow to indistinct colors as it nears the al'raken, until it unravels into nothing.
The al'raken fixes its predatory gaze upon the man, and lumbers towards him, its big massive claws tearing up large clumps of dirt and stone.
It snaps its head towards the man, but stops short of closing over him. Instead a strange sound is heard from within the mouth.
A howl, like the sound of a thousand hurricanes with the sound of iron and steel stretching past the breaking point, comes from the open maw. THe man, stunned by the proximity of the massive jaws, trembles in fear.
THen, a strange thing happens. THe man begins to glow, a noticable aura surrounds him. THe man begins to scream, you see him scream and yet cannot hear him over the noise from the creature. he throws his arms up, but is a useless defense. A moment later the man turns to ash, and a strange light floats up into the maw of the creature as it snaps its mouth shut.
Fia looks up, ashen faced as the dust and debris from the ruined farmhouse settles and then, as a wave of overwhelming fear washes over her, turns. She runs from the monster, attempting to push anyone in her path along with her..
stunned for 5 rounds.
Fia, upon seeing the monster appear, pushes out of the ruble and runs away from the terror, leaping over the small cliff and into the thick brambles below.
Kodokura, upon seeing the terrible destruction of a fellow channeler by this creature, remains where he sits, debating on whether to open himself up to channeling and becoming a target of the al'raken.
Ryvin, smacking the sides of her head, finally stops the ringing of her ears and is able to focus upon the battle in front.
"Oh, blood and ashes!" the Ebou Dari hisses, crouching down as she becomes aware of what is happening. She considers running away -- and notices Litheene and Alathea, still lying stunned nearby. "Some day, I need to get my head examined," she tells herself as she grabs the two women and starts to drag them towards whatever cover she can find...
Lightning bolts erupt around its body, some erupting out about 5 feet away. the sky begins to darken as clouds begin to appear out of nothing; they hang low in the sky, blocking the sun.
Vala manages to Avoid the concussive blast of the battering winds. In the resulting chaos she twists and turns avoiding the debris.
she however became unnerved by the roar. In it she tenses in her low to the ground crouch. Thus she looks about seeing if the others are okay.
At the sound of the first cry, Rhoekk's eyes rush to search the sky.
The force of the thing's primal scream shakes the building, but the Aielman's eyes are already on his opponent, and he draws his weapons near, and raises his vail to cover his face.
As the building begin's to shake loose, he weaves around the falling debris, gaining the entrance with little effort, as though dancing along the heaving earth.
The size of the creature, now that he sees it, registers only in terms of how he might defeat it. Though it might surprise even himself, were he to think on the mater later, no splinter of fear ever even entered his thought.
As the second blast rolls through the structure, Rhoekk breaks through the wave of sound and force, diving forward to roll free of the structure.
Bringing his bow to bear on the monster, his eyes flicker over every part of it, trying to search for some sign of weakness. Picking out what he believes to be the most vulnerable points he can see thus far, he looses an arrow, followed almost instantly by a second.
Two arrows fly from the bow held in Rhoekks hand. THey intermingle with the other shots from amongst the bandits bows. The only difference these two lone arrows have is that they fly to sensitive areas of the al'raken, whereas the other arrows strike in random areas. The arrows, embedded in the creatures hide, act as a conduit to the lightning in the sky, causing a couple bolts to strike the creature. If any damage is done, it cannot be seen from Rhoekks position.
The al'raken, feeling the arrows strike in more precise manner, responds to the attack with a more direct approach.
It snaps its head and long arching nech at rhoekk, opens its mouth, and instead of hearing the roar of an inhaled breath, Rhoekk instead becomes the center of a massive lighting strike from the creatures mouth.
The bandits continue to barrage the creature with arrows, none daring to emerge from hiding to face the mighty al'raken.
As the blast of lightning washes over him Rhoekk grunts with the effort of resisting the wave of pain as every muscle in his body tries to simultaneously contract. Still smoking, he raises his bow again as soon as he feels his control return to his fingers. He reaches for his quiver and unleashes an even faster flury of arrows.
Ryland shakes his head as he stumbles in the rubble the seems to focus on the situation at hand.
The wolf lord howls as Fia jumps of the cliff then turns towards the beast. He snarls and charges the al'raken.
Charge:
Damage:
Vala waddles over to Litheene and pulls her blade. She is not quiet ready for this, but will defend her sister none the less.
I am here Litheene she says hoping to defend her charge.
Covering near Ryvin and Vala, confusion and anger quickly flicker across Litheene's face, and then the Aes Sedai expression returns, only with a hawkish and hateful glitter in her eyes, which are focused on the al'raken. Yet she does not embrace Saidar, but continues watching the creature, transfixed.
Shocked from the beast roar, Litheene is hustled away by Ryvin. Once they the get to cover, Litheene's senses begin to return, but in the moment of panic, sheer anger and lust for the power overwhelm here, as she reaches for the alien power instead of Saidar.
The world goes silent, still, as she sees only the al'raken. Without the glow, the comfort or the weaves of Saidar, Litheene relies on the acidic pleasure of the power, lashing destruction to ravage the creatures flesh.
Lithenee feels the way she feels when weaving offensively, only much more intense.
Kodokura grasps ryvins and Alathea's hands. To the left of ryvin stands litheene. Everyone is at their tipping point, the knifes edge to grasping the one power. The sweetness, the taint, the coying addiction calls to each of you. For the briefest of moments, one of you seems to quiver, to succumb, but is brought back by the mental urgings of the others. Finally, kodokura reaches through everyone and creates the connection to Saidar, and through him, Saidan.
Time is the key. We must not only know where but also when we are. Kodokura says out loud.
Closing his eyes, he feels, and the others feel it too.
at first, their is a clearness to both sides of the power, a perfection found within. And then a darkness mixing within one half, the Saidan half. It lasts just a brief moment, but long enough for you to sense and react to it.
[b]I have it. I understand[/i] litheene mummers, assuming control of the link.
Mmmmm i am sure you do understand. you are within his thoughts. see how he lusts for his woman. he chooses her over you. to him, you are nothing... the voice purrs within litheene's mind. To all the others, through the link you feel a pervasiveness enter into the connection, one that seeks to twist, to mutate.
Litheene summoms up her internal will and squashes down the annoying voice, ignoring it, shutting it off into the back of her mind.
Hearts are beating wildly within everyones chest as the sheer amount of power, from each other and from the angreal and sa'angreal, begin to take effect upon each other. Sweat pours down alathea's face from the effort. Litheene and Ryvin grimace, holding on tight.
Taint, no taint, taint, Litheene channels...
Chapter 2
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass leaving memories that become legend, then fade to myth, and are long forgot when that Age comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose beyond the shores of the land, deep within the Aeryth Ocean. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.
The wind, driven by the howling force at hurricane speeds, flys over the ocean from the deep southwest. Heading northeast, it hammers into a small fleet of ships that float upon its treacherous waters. The ships, bearing the flags of long dead kings and descendants of an ancient country, attempt to save their ships, but to no avail. The wind, to devastating effect, destroys the fleet, and moves on with itself.
Over it flows, until making landfall upon the city of tarchico. The city, once ruled by its own king and queen, now ruled by a lord that answers to a far off Empress. The wind passes through, ruffling sheets and dresses, disturbing papers, and extinguishing lamps and torches. Its force howls with loudness, a screech to the ears. Animals cower in fear of the effect, hiding from the unseen objects.
Beyond the city the wind blows, loosing speed over the land, yet still fast enough to blow. Through the land it flows, over the mountains of mist, and down into a secluded land, a land famous for its tabbac, and its heroes. The wind blows over an ancient ruin, set deep within the mountains, yet near enough to the brave Two Rivers for the serious adventurer to go. There, upon a small fallow field of wheat, the wind bends. It bends around an object, an object that moments before didnt exist. The object bends and twists, warping into a circle until moments later it splits open.
As the wind blows into this new opening, people rush out. Men and women, some covered in blood, others with a wild look upon their face. Two men race out and immediately stand guard, another carries another lady, a pregnant lady through. One woman, wearing the white blouse and brown skirt on an unknown people, stumbles through with a blank look upon her face, only to finally succumb to whatever ails her and lays upon the field. Two women glare at each other, one holding a man tight, and another with an arrow shaft in her shoulder. The man, oblivious to this, instead stares out, acting as if he is newly reborn.
After everyone is out, the object snaps shut.
The only sound is the wind as it blows a steady breeze upon your ears.
"Blood and ashes, but it's good to be out of that pit!" Ryvvin curses, her face still pale with pain due to the arrow in her shoulder. She makes a face. "Who else is still hurt? Anyone see a spot where we can take cover for a bit?"
squinting your eyes from the sudden light, you blink rapidly to clear the tears that form from the intensity of the sun. Finally, able to see, you glance about and find yourself in the middle of an open field.
Looking around, you begin to take notice of man made shapes, the 3 foot high rock wall surrounding the large wheat field, the grape vinyard that is overgrown and unattended, large purple and green grapes hanging from the vine.
to the east of you, 100 yards away, stands an old abandoned farm house and barn.
"There! We must move to the farm house! Via! Where is Fia? Blood and ashes! What did you people do?"
Ryland moves to the downed Aiel woman and gathers her in his arms before running towards the farm house.