Dust slides off of the lid as it's raised and inside Abd finds a book. Examining the cover, he realizes that the book is a tome of magic. Additionally it is filled with the previous owner's notes and even diary entries.
- Alchemy (Potions)
- Summoning (Binding, Portals, Banishment)
- Divination (Scrying, Augury)
- Necromancy (Reanimation)
- Elementalism (Pyromancy, Cryomancy, etc. Choose one element)
- Mental Manipulation (Suggestion/Illusion)
- Abjuration (Wards/Exorcisms)
- Blood Alchemy (Transformation)
Bale takes the book and pages through, after a few pages he stops.
he grabs his black book and with one flick he is at the page he wanted. He compares the two pages.
im no expert Abd but this looks like the twelve fold right, bale says indicating to an image on the page of the newly found book, and indicating a similar image in his black book, both are part of grander designs A common Necromantic ritual, that can and is used as a part of many more advanced necromancy spells and rituals.
Unlike the religious necromancy that Bale has encountered before, The Tome deals with the dark arts in a decidedly clinical and scientific way, which seems to reflect the nature of The Tome's previous owner and Author.
The Tome contains a combination of information on Blood Alchemy and Necromancy. The use of potions, solutions and injections in conjunction with rituals, sacrifices, runes and incantations are all described within the pages of the book.
About a third of the book is dedicated to The Author's search for immortality and their efforts to preserve their own life and youth. The sporadic diary entries reveal The Author to be obsessed with avoiding the dementia in his oncoming old age that plagued all the other members of his bloodline in the past. It is unclear how successful The Author was in thwarting death, or in preserving his own mind from madness.
The rest is filled with procedures and scribbled notes on reanimation, the extraction and refinement of the blood of other creatures into useful potions and the extrication and reinsertion of the mind of one creature into the unused body of another.
Supposedly The Author succeeded in all of these endeavors at different points in his long career, despite the reputed difficulty of these objectives within the experimental magic community. Even so, it is hard to decipher the procedures he used and it would require a substantial amount of experimentation and effort to achieve the same feats that he did.
Throughout The Author's lifetime he traveled to the cities of Bastion-Column (located above the heart of Nethos, where the ruling Mages perform massive rituals to restore and maintain the Titan), Fane (Capital of the Pantheist religion. Fane's countless streets are each named after a different god. Preachers and monuments cover the metropolis, each competing for the attention of it's inhabitants), and later after The Author lost his reputation with the magical community, Black Haven (A lawless port city filled with corruption, crime, barnacles and miscreants. The crowded and dangerous settlement attracts many different types of people with it's flourishing Black Market and powerful criminal syndicates.)
The first diary entry dates back fifty-three years prior to now and the most recent entry is from two years ago. According to the last few entries the Author had earned a substantial reputation as a Witch-Hunter in Black Haven, but was planning on fleeing due to "A misunderstanding with the law".
Me? use Necromancy? hahahhahahahhahah...
bale laughs a deep and boisterous laugh.
bale becomes quiet and he seems to be deep in thought.
though I do know someone who would find this very helpful indeed, we trained together at fortress Rex, I'll see if I can get in touch with him, as soon as I can, he would be delighted to read this.
bale says, smirking.
I don't know its to the south west, near the RaleRiver, in the desert. I'll stand watch
bale gards the party all night...he doesn't need sleep. he drinks a little from his flask every now and then.
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Shortly after dawn, Abd awakes, puts a pan on the fire for his morning brewed-stimulants, then draws a map in the dirt.
He consults with Gotama and Bale.
Here's the spine, here's the path, and the fork where we turned right. This is where I think we are now. Here's the mountain peak ahead, with the building we saw on top. If we leave soon, we should be able to make the peak before nightfall.
Abd quickly compares his map with the map he received from the merchant in town.
I'm still not exactly sure what the significance of the standing stone or "sanctuary" is. Gotama, do you figure sanctuary is the building on the peak, or the cave we're in now?
Coffee's ready!
Gotama looks over the map and the symbols in the dirt. He scratches his head and says,
According to the map we received in town, we passed the trail to "sanctuary" before we came to the fork in the road. Based on that I'd guess that "Sanctuary" is somewhere hidden in the forest of the valley between the mountains. Anyway we ought to head head out. Great coffee, by the way, Abd.
After breakfast the group leaves the cave and begins the march up the side of the mountain. It seems to have rained last night.
It's a steep climb as the path winds up the edge of the mountain. The wind howls at times but you all continue to march and the cold is bitter but you're all adequately dressed.
The farther up you climb the more sparse the trees around the path become and the sounds of birds chirping beyond the treelike eventually disappears.
The rain from the night before turned the dirt road to mud that clings to your boots and squelches with each step.
Gotama stops suddenly and gestures to tracks in the mud.
Tracks. We must hurry.
Gotama picks up the pace and the rest of you work to catch up, legs aching as you step through the thick dark mud.
By noon the peak is in sight. A building, with a pair of towers, two stories at the base and cathedral style architecture stands on the summit, partially shrouded by clouds and mist. Stairs carved into the mountainside wind up to a platform around the entrance to the cathedral.
Gotama stops again and points to the stairs a few hundred yards away.
There she is!
A figure in tattered red robes climbs the staircase before collapsing next to the cathedral's doorway. A pair of robed figure step out of the door way to assist her.
I've led you all this far but I must leave now. You'll be able to find your way back to the village yourselves. I'm too old to dive headfirst into a den of thieves. I wish you all the best of luck. Not much time for goodbyes I'm afraid.
Gotama says, preparing to turn back.
Don't worry about me, friends. I'll see you all back in the village when this mess is finally over.
With that he turns and begins to make his way back down the mountainside.
Rook stands behind Bale, tugging at his cloak, and says,
What are we going to do?
Lin watches the entrance to the Cathedral from his spot on the staircase below.
The two robed figures who walked out of the doors of the Cathedral pick the Flaming Woman up by her arms and bring her back into the Cathedral.
A few moments later, another person in a robe walks out of the door holding a crossbow.
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Pressed into the mountainside, Abd shrugs.
"We're not exactly stealthy assassins. There's no ground cover around the tower. I'm not sure what choice we have other than forward charge."
He thinks a moment.
"I suppose the cloud cover might be sufficient to shelter me for a little aerial recon. If I were to get into trouble, I'd blow fire.
But I'm hoping Bale has a better idea."
bale shrugs his shoulders, Better is relative, But I do have a plan, Rook, Lin and abd, find a place to hide around here, I'lll yell out a challenge to those in the Cathedral, Hopefully, they will come out and charge me and you 3 will ambush them. if not well, we will have to rush the cathedral, which i don't really want to do,
bale says looking at the party, he waits for them to hide as best as they can, and then with a nod, knowing his allies are ready. He yells out a challenge.
THIEVES, KILLERS, MONSTERS I HAVE COME FOR YOUR BLOOD, COME FIGHT ME, Bale yells his voice dark and monstrous, as he bangs his sword against his shield and emits an aura of death compelling those in the Cathedral to fight, they feel as though if they don't they will die
The Crossbowman hears Bale's challenge and is startled to see him move to the top of the staircase. The 30-something robed man hastily levels his heavy crossbow and pulls the trigger with a fear stricken face.
The crossbow bolt hurtles through the air and buries itself into the center of Bale's dark chest-plate with a metallic twang. Bale feels a little more than a poke from the bolt with his unnatural pain tolerance.
Bale looks down at the bolt in his chest, unfazed, and then back at the frightened crossbowman.
The Crossbowman is thoroughly terrified by the unwavering fortitude of his fearsome enemy and he hurriedly begins to bang on the doors of the cathedral. He's shouting,
Help! Help me!!
He throws the doors to the Cathedral open as Bale retaliates.
Bale moves, charges forward, closing the distance between himself and the Crossbowman and bring his blade to bare, slashing in an upward motion as he runs. the blood of the crossbow men sprays outward form the large slash on his torso blood spraying onto Bale. Bale Intensifies his horrific aura The bowman starts to things that can't possibly be there; horrific images of blood and gore, of battles and blood of demons and man, Bale looks into his eyes Run He says as he continued his advance.
The Crossbowman throws the doors to the Cathedral open just as Bale overtakes him, consuming the foe in his dark aura as he strikes down upon him.
The wounded Crossbowman scrambles through the large doorway and into the foyer of the Cathedral. As the Crossbowman enters, a new foe exits the doors of the Cathedral.
Pushing past the Crossbowman, a young, strong Giantess (not quite as tall as Baldirog was) steps into the doorway. She has four thin goat horns atop her head, auburn hair in a short ponytail, a hammer as tall as Lin, and a breastplate of grey metal armor adorned with a white mercenary's sigil. She seems to be a ranking member of the Ash Iron Legion.
She swings her great iron hammer at Bale with a single powerful motion as she moves forward.
= 6, Bad
Bale raises his shield, absorbing the full force of the heavy horizontal swing and sliding back from the door on his heels. The hammer produces a massive ringing sound as it collides with Bale's black shield.
Flank him!
The Giantess commands, as a trio of armored (human sized) mercenaries moves around their commander to surround Bale.
Bale backs up as the Mercs surround him doing as best as he can to help lin, Abd and rook ambush them. I'll drink your blood gaint,
bale snarls as he
bale runs forwards and leaps running his blade into the giant impaling her with his blade bale rips his blade out of the giant, blood splattering onto the ground, as bale falls and rolls into a crouched fighting stance
HA! DIE GIANT!
bale yells up at the Giant.
Ignoring the deep wound in her side, and without hesitation the Giantess swings her massive hammer once again.
The huge weapon whirls through the air as the hulking mercenary lets out a savage yell. Unable to raise his defenses in time, the head of the hammer catches Bale in the shoulder and sends him down to the ground with a crunch.
Taking advantage of Bale's vulnerable position, one of the three mercenaries surrounding him strikes with his spear. The weapon painfully pierces Bale on the leg, drawing blood.
Rook pulls his hand axes out of their loops on his back and waits impatiently by Lin, eager to leap into the fray and impress his teacher. He struggles to sit and watch as Bale is harmed.
Bale quickly climbs to his feet, sword drawn to keep the mercenaries at bay. The warriors swipe at him with their weapons, but they hesitate to attack. Their leader is not so timid.
With a grunt, the Giantess heaves her weapon and takes another swing with her large iron hammer.
= 13, Mixed.
Bale anticipates her heavy but slow attack and is able to deflect the blow with his shield. The impact still sends a crash through his forearm that leaves a painful bruise.
Bale staggering from the Giantess blow, runs forward slashing outwards with his blade dodging blows from the giantess and moving behind her.
With black blood drippings from her scarred forehead onto the left side of her face, the Giantess bellows,
Bastards! Reaving wretches!
The Giantess spins around swinging her hammer over the heads of her comrades and striking down on Bale. He raises his shield to block the descending blow and the impact resonates with another gong-like crash. The force of the large iron hammer pushes Bale down and painfully to his knees. His shield arm is getting sore as hell.
As The Giantess retaliates against Bale, her men are demoralized. The mercenaries beat at their arms and legs to put out the fires on their clothes, and scream from the pain of their burns.
Seeing the terrible wrath of their surprise attackers the mercenaries begin to retreat back through the doors of the cathedral.
Rook climbs over the rock that he hid behind, lets loose a small battle cry, and runs at the mercenary who speared Bale while he was down. He ineffectively yet savagely hacks at the spearman's legs as he flees.
As her men retreat, the Mercenary Leader turns her bloodied face to Lin.
She drags her hammer across Bale's shield and swings it through the air horizontally at Lin, striking back with rage. The hammer whirls and collides with Lin's right side. He is thrown into the air by the force of the blow and lands in the dust on his left arm.
With Bale and Lin both temporarily stunned, the Giantess hastily follows her comrades back into the foyer of the Cathedral.
Cowards! bale yells as our foes flee into the cathedral. He runs after them and powerslides bring his blade to bare on the legs of the giantess.
Lin's shadow dagger plunges into the Giantess' left side and she grits her teeth, but tries to keep moving, pushing past Bale, and hurriedly making her way into the doorway of the Cathedral's foyer.
Bale lands a blow on her calf and her right leg buckles as she falls to a knee, heavily wounded. She kneels for half a moment in the frame of the doorway, before pushing her hammer straight through the air at Bale's
chest. She yells,
I will never yield!
= Good
Bale fails to raise his shield in time and the powerful hammer strike lands square on his gut. The blow pushes him backwards.
THEN YOU WILL DIE Bale yells as he rolls with the blow and lands on his feet, and charges towards the Giant.
Bale brings his blade out in arch,but the giant sweeps out her arm flinging Bale back into the wall.
Bale brings his blade out in arch,but the giant sweeps out her arm flinging Bale back into the wall.
Rook runs to Bale's side.
Are you alright, teacher?
The Giantess' hammer falls to the ground and slides as she clutches her wounded wrist.
She struggles to stand and drops to her knees, breathing hard. Her face is covered in dark blood and her wrist bleeds badly. She speaks softly to herself as her eyes lose focus.
Sister always said I'd die like this.
She falls heavily on her left side and lies still.
I'm fine rook he gets up, from the ground and shots Yes surrender now, and we may spare your lives, if you do not there will be no mercy later
bale unless his Horrific aura in an attempt to intimidate our adversaries
Lin walks through the foyer which is illuminated by the light that shines through the stained glass windows on either side of him. The foyer leads to a larger room. In the center of the round chapel beyond the foyer, is a circular podium, surrounded by rows benches that all point to the center of the room. The ceiling a massive domed stained glass window covered in scripture and iconography.
A woman in bright robes stands at the podium in the center of the room.
She reaches out her arms, a peaceful gesture, and says,
Welcome travelers. Please, cease this violence. I wish you no harm. What do you want from our temple?
Her voice is calm and soothing.
She smiles from her round podium as the sunlight shines through the glass ceiling and kindly says,
Though I wish that I could assist you, I can not allow you to take my sister. I will not betray my fellow worshiper, especially not while she lies wounded, and especially not on such a holy day as today.
Under normal circumstances I would allow you four to leave, but not today.By chance the four of you find yourselves at the location of the most significant event in all of history. Today you will witness the dawning of a new era! Truly you are blessed!
There is the small sound of a creak behind you as the doors of the foyer close. The sunlight that pours through the ceiling seems to brighten and intensify with every word she speaks.
Very soon all will be clear.
As she says this, the light grows to a blinding brightness and then suddenly dissipates.
When you are able to look back at the podium, the Priestess is gone.
Well. Dax.
Bale says as he looks around.