Shadowhaunt: The Black Crusade (Part II)

[Shadow Chorus]

The group entered as Father rau held back, the dragon listened to his question and looked thoughtful.

"Others have come, though few this far. And those that did have rarely shown this level of potential. We will see where it leads." Valkaroth said, looking down at the priest. "But hold on to your faith, for it will be what carries you through these hardships." The dragon looked past Rau, and noticed that Hggranath had stayed behind as well.

"Ssssmall, sssteep tunnelsss. Not good for a Nuckelavee. Isss there sssomewhere elssse to enter?"

The dragon emitted a deep, bassy sound that could be construed as a chuckle.

"Yes, frightful one, there is. i will show you to the entrance we dragons use, which is also the one for larger groups and wagons to enter and exit through." The dragon turned and began to walk off, his steps causing dull shakes in the earth as the Nuckelavee followed behind at a trot.

The tunnel itself was narrow, and the group had to move, at maximum, double file, the largest of the group, Sir Walter, the Gorger, and Wrynjolf, only having room to put their elbows to either side without scraping the walls, had to stand alone in the line. The lining of torches provided much needed light as the group stepped down. At the bottom of the tunnel, however, there was a brightness. As the group exited the passageway, they found themselves in what seemed to be an underground city, lit by what appeared to be a massive luminescent crystal formation embedded in the cavern's ceiling. It bathed the city in something of a half-light, as if in the brightest of night times.

"Welcome to Mordintharas lads." Khadmas spoke, leading the group on, Elryndyae having went on ahead some time ago. "This be all tha's left of the ancient races. A dozen dragons, five hundred Dwarves, three hundred Elves, and only two hundred Orcs remaining. Fluctuating with the sparse reproduction, of course."

"Orcs?" Seth asked. "I've never heard of Orcs. What are they?"

"What? How did yer people forget about th' Orcs? Blasted fools. Th' Orcs are the greatest warrior race of the lot of us. They're geniuses, technologically and militarily. Their tactics were what kept those of us here alive and hidden for so long. Otherwise we'd have all died out a long time ago. They've got technological marvels you've never seen."

"Very interesting. It could be they were expunged from legend because our people feared their strange technology." Seth said, looking about.

"Perhaps. Here's one now, Orgarash, who'll be leading us to an important meeting."

The large, dark-green creature cut an imposing figure. Easily a head taller than the Gorger, and somewhat broader even, he was adorned in heavy, spiked plate armor. His large, thick jaw adorned with rows of sharp teeth and jutting tusks, his long black hair flowed somewhat scraggly down his head to rest on his shoulders. He scratched his chin, adorned in short, bristly beard-hairs, and looked at the group with interest. On his back were his weapons, a broadsword and shield, and what appeared to be a tube made of metal and wood, with a stock to hold and a small metal trigger, as if on a crossbow, where one's index finger would rest. After inspecting the group, he saluted Khadmas and greeted the group with a rough, gravelly voice.

"Commander Orgarash Wolfmane. I've already been debriefed on your language by Elryndyae. I'll be leading all of you to meet with the Council. The Triumvirate has requested to see all of you, and the high General wants to know the status of the humans' crusade. I'll take your military leader with me once we arrive."

"That means you'll handle the council, old friend." Walter said, patting Seth on the shoulder.

"Oh wonderful. Hopefully they're more reasonable than Human leaders."

"Depends on what you mean by Reasonable." Orgarash said, grunting out a short laugh. "Alright, follow me." He turned and began to lead the group through the winding streets of the city.

[Archdemon Stu]

The Gorger's thoughts refocused on armaments, his eyes scanning the city as they passed through its streets, seeking any smithy shops or weapons dealers along the way.  Come to think of it, the ghoul did not recall which weapon he was proficient with in his past life.  He was eager to find out.

"Must I be present for further babble?  I'm merely a tool of war, incapable of disobeying your will.  I need not sit in on your politics." The Gorger sneered at his leadership.  It was true that The Gorger's armor was visibly damaged, and putting an actual weapon in his hands would no doubt increase his combat potential many fold. 

"Give me my instruments, and I shall play you a symphony."

[Kitharsis]

This is quite a place, to be buried in the middle of the Blacklands.  Considering how large this place is, the power and domain of Dracula must be staggering.  If the residents of Mordintharas will not fight against him, how much hope does a small group of people and beasts have?

Wu shakes off his uneasiness.  The Orc, Orgarash is an interesting sight.  He is surprisingly well spoken give his appearance.

With nothing to say, Wu follows along as the group winds through the city.

[Radobe]

Rau was happy to hear that they have shown the most “potential” so far, whatever that was supposed to mean, but now it was time to move on. The priest was itching to go down the rabbit hole and he quickly caught up to the group, a decision he would soon regret as The Gorger was about to open his mouth yet again and spew one more of his profanity.

"Must I be present for further babble?  I'm merely a tool of war, incapable of disobeying your will.  I need not sit in on your politics. Give me my instruments, and I shall play you a symphony."

“I know exactly what you mean. Who would want to listen about the enemy they are about to face, about the help one can get or the unknown lands one is about to venture through. Besides I am 100% sure one of us will have the spare time to sit down with you and brief you on everything that has been said and on every detail, perhaps you can even serve some tea and cookies to go along with the undoubtedly pleasant conversation. Go on now, go have some fun!”

Rau was more agitated than usual, from the ghoul, but the foul creature had no manners, no delicacy, no manner of speech, it is true that most nords lack those skills as well, but the sight of the creature’s carcass was bad enough to tip the irritation scales heavily in his favor.

[Shadow Chorus]

"Stop bickering and move. We're guests in an ancient city. At least act presentable." Walter said, leading the march behind Orgarash. The majority of the group straightened up under Walter's scrutiny, walking with order and purpose befitting of a soldier. Shani and Wrynjolf stood side by side as they walked, observing the sights and sounds. The whole group was impressed by the city, its great structures and varied architecture. Orgarash made a point of taking a route through the city that lead through each district. The city itself seemed split into four sections; one quarter housing the short, strong and solid structures built by the dwarves, one holding the sloping, elegant structures of the elves, one with the massive, decorated spires favored by dragons, and the final, and most interesting, was the one that housed the orcs.

     Every Orcish structure was made of a combination of leather, bone, and metal. Each one was imposing and bore something of a resemblance to a soldier's personal bunker. There were markings of clan, creed, and legion on each house; markings that the group did not understand, but any who looked on them knew they were significant.

    Even more spectacular were the craftsmen of this city. Dwarven blacksmiths hammered out magnificent works of metallurgy, sharpening axes and crafting chainmail worthy of lords. Elven crafters made mysterious trinkets and elegant leathers, and fletchers made the most resilient of arrows, the bowyers crafting weapons of unheard of accuracy and strength. The two dragon artificers of the city competed in their crafting of golden spheres, holy scepters and great treasures, each with an intricate detail unheard of in human realms.

     But once again, all of this paled in comparison to the wonder of what the Orcs built. Orc tinkers constructed devices of untold wonders, weapons of deadly accuracy requiring only the pull of a trigger, devices that spat lightning on command, automated metallic arms and machines of strange origin, all running on a strange glowing ore, which appeared to be harvested from the cavern's crystal ceiling, or other pockets of similar composition.

Eventually, the group arrived at what appeared to be the council's quarters. It was a massive keep at the edge of the city, built into the walls of the cavern, given a ceremonial guard of ten orcs at its gates, each armed with variations on the strange device Orgarash kept on his back. The orc stopped at the bottom of the steps and turned to face the group, sweeping his arm out to gesture at the keep.

"Welcome to the Council's chambers. I only require your military leader and your political leader from this point onward, you have been shown the city, and from this point on, if your leaders give permission, you are free to explore our many wonders."

It was clear this was a rehearsed speech that Orgarash did not take pride in delivering. He gave it in a flat monotone with not much energy, but the point was made. Walter turned to face his group.

"Alright. All of you are free to go, provided you do not cause any trouble in this city. If I hear of so much as a broken tool from one of you, you'll have hell to pay. We're guests in this city." He gave a pointed look at the Gorger.

"Carry on. Seth will send out a mystic calling when it is time to regroup."

With that, Seth and Walter went up the steps, leaving the group to their own devices.

"Well, I saw a pub in the Dwarven district, shall we head there?" Wrynjolf asked, leaning an arm on Shani.
"Let's." the werewolf duo went off in their own direction as the Akavashi assassin silently made his exit in the direction of the elven district. Hggranath arrived just in time to be given the news by a departing Ser Athen, and the group as a whole began to disperse across the city.

[Archdemon Stu]

Having given his lecture, Sir Walter left the troops to their small bit of "free" time.  As Sir Walter disappeared, the ghoul's grin turned wide as he looked to Rau.  "The thought of arming me... does it concern you, holy man?" he chuckled, and leaned in closer.

"It should," he hissed, "Sir Walter - no matter how powerful he may be - can't hold me forever, just as my former masters could not." The Gorger whispered cryptically as his tongue slithered across his wretched teeth.

The Gorger lurched away toward the craftsmen's district, satisfied with his taunt, empty though it may be.  Deep down he knew the holy man would be one of the last people he would want to face with his vast powers of light that roasted the flesh of darker beings, and as of yet, The Gorger had no plan to counteract such abilities.  If he wanted to make an escape when his opportunity arose, he would have to find a way around all these priests and paladins in the crusade, but for now, a weapon would be a good start.

As he passed through the district, there were many craftsmen marketing their wares, displaying them on posts and tables, demonstrating their power on various dummies... there were broadswords, claymores, battle axes, hammers, bows, flails, maces, zweihanders, pickaxes, spears, all forms of weaponry one could imagine.  The Gorger glanced over them - some feeling more familiar than others - but in the end, he could not seem to find his exact weapon.  The heavier weapons felt familiar, but the exact balance and weight did not resonate with him.

It had to be here.  That one weapon he sought.  If it was not in this city, it was simply not to be found.

He approached a shop that seemed to be selling more exotic and rare weapons... if nothing else, perhaps he could find some information.  They had all manner of strange curved swords, knives, whips - small, quick weapons.  With a sneer, he eyed the vendor.  "Cute trinkets." He leaned in, his claws spreading across the vendor's counter.  "I seek a weapon.  One worthy of a siege.  One that could cleave through a nuckalevee's bones, and smash the gates of a stronghold.  These... conventional weapons of the other vendors... they are lacking.  I know not what I seek, but should you have information, the Black Crusade will gladly compensate you for your services."

His approach was bold and impending, unwilling to waste a moment on pleasantries.  He was not even certain the Black Crusade would do anything to compensate the vendor, and had no coin of his own to speak of.  All the ghoul knew is that his weapon was the one part of his identity he knew he was dead set on finding.

[Kitharsis]

Sun Wu barely noticed his fellow Akavashi slip away towards the elven district.  But notice he did.  With similar intent, Wu decided to follow after him.  He gave no farewells as he broke into a jog, following his countryman.


He catches up to the assassin and matches his stride. 

"I see we both share the same curiosity for the Elves, for good reason.  I am called Sun Wu.  I don't believe we have met formally.  May I ask your name?"

[Radobe]

The Gorger was as thoughtless as you usual, or maybe he really thinks highly of himself. Either way, there is no chance for the ghoul to break free from the tamer who tamed that monster Alucard.

Now it was time for the priest to act, he did not know how much time he has so he had to do the best with it. Perhaps there won’t be enough time to go through a library or he might not even be allowed to, but regardless he had to try.

Even though the orcish district looked interesting at first glance, what he wanted lied elsewhere. The district of the dragons would most likely hold the knowledge he sought. It was actually one of the first things Valkaroth said and one of the most interesting. He claimed to be a priest of the dragon order. What is the dragon order? What is its connection to Lumos?

Full with determination, Rau heads towards the dragon district, looking for anything similar to a temple and the knowledge that lies within.

[Shadow Chorus]

The vendor, a dwarf of considerable bulk, consisting largely of corded muscle, eyed the Gorger with a gleam in his eye. he was clearly not intimidated by this hulk of torn flesh, but rather intrigued. And somehow, he seemed to have knowledge of the common language as well.

"A siege weapon, ye say? Stay a while, I think I can build ye the perfect tool o' destruction. It'll be done in no time. Havin' free pay means I can pull out my best work. Ye'll have a weapon ta level gates by the time I'm done, lad." The dwarf waved the ghoul into the back of his shop, where his forge stood. He walked to the back of this area as well, and pulled from storage a hunk of metal roughly the size of the gorger's torso, twice over. The dwarf looked the ghoul over and pointed at the chains on his body.

"Ye use those for weapons? Take 'em off an' I'll improve 'em with this. Trust me, ye'll love the results." He said, getting to work on the steel block.

"Dwarven smithin's a bit different than any o' what ye'll see on tha' surface. We know the stone and ore better than any human could hope to. It melds ta our whim, lets us make it better. Though only so much, there's still some hammerin' an' heatin' ta be done."

The dwarf placed both hands on the steel block, and as if hearing his mental orders, began to change in shape. It was a slow process, but before one's very eyes the steel was beginning to take shape. Into what was not yet discernible, but it promised to be deadly.

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"My name is Akaga. They call me the shadow of the south." The assassin replied. It was a name Wu would know, one of the Akavashi's most gifted assassins was on this crusade. It would be no surprise however that they had not met before. The Akavashi are very strict in their caste system, a branching hierarchy whose main branches rarely interact on more than a surface level outside of battle. At a young age it is determined what branch a child belongs in through tests of aptitude, and from there they are raised completely separate from the other main branches. A monk of the spiritual caste would likely never interact with an assassin of the shadow caste outside of war, though they would hear tales from all across the nation.

"I am seeking out what the elves use as equivalent to assassins. I suspect their rangers are more skilled than even I in the art of stealth, and I wish to learn what I can." Akaga was toneless, his voice betraying no emotion, which though strange, was said to be common practice among the higher-ranking assassins. It is said that those destined to be great assassins are rigorously trained and melded into the perfect killing machines, capable only of following orders and seeking to improve their own skills, unaffected by human emotion.

"I suspect they have something to teach you as well, brother Wu. Their introspective spiritualism seems to be unrivaled among the other races here." He observed, looking at the elegant structures and thought-provoking architecture. The assassin continued walking through the streets as he spoke, striding deeper into the Elven quarter.

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As Father Rau entered the Dragon Quarter, the thing that would strike him most would be the cathedral. A massive structure, very much unlike the huge spires built for the dragons, it appeared to have been made with other races in mind. Though massive enough to house the entire dragon population of the city, it also possessed entrances that could be accessed by less massive species. From inside came the deep, mountainous tones of a dragon's voice, speaking in the ancient dragon language. A sermon was going on.

Should Rau enter, he would find not only Dragons there, but members of each species as well, heads bowed in respect as they listened to the Draconic sermon in silence. Even though Rau could not understand the words fully, any who heard it could not help but feel empowered, as if the very essence of the words was something uplifting, something to enkindle the fire within and keep one with the will to live. Truly the dragons' gift of spiritual guidance was a treasure.

[Archdemon Stu]

While the display of the dwarf's mystical power over the metal was unlike anything The Gorger had ever seen - slowly shifting into something that resonated with the ghoul's warrior instincts - it was not this that truly drew his attention.  It was the dwarf's gaze before he began his work.  In an instant, though The Gorger's request was unspecific and nigh impossible to work with... the dwarf showed an unflinching confidence, as if he knew the exact type of combatant the massive ghoul was from a single glance.

"Ye use those for weapons? Take 'em off an' I'll improve 'em with this. Trust me, ye'll love the results."

The chains that were originally used to bind The Gorger when his original vampire master was away... truly, the gifts of his current body aside, they were his only weapons until now, and he had become quite attached to them.  To combine them with whatever behemoth of a blade this dwarf was creating... the ghoul could not help but salivate.

"And here I thought I was babbling nonsense to a foreigner... though, not only do you speak the common tongue, it seems to me you know war more thoroughly than most."  The Gorger enthusiastically removed his chains, and dangled them beside the smith.  "With a single glance, I believe you've seen through my combative styles.  Somehow, I doubt my words were even needed."

The Gorger's soul seemed calmed by the massive amounts of steel and weaponry surrounding him.  Within this smith beside him, he felt a certain warrior's respect he could not put his finger on.  "Who are you, dwarf?"

[Kitharsis]

Akaga.  The name is indeed familiar.  To be in the company of such a man - and to be alive to speak of it - is a privilege.

"Your name is legend.  It is an honor to meet you."  Wu bows slightly as they walk.

Akaga's toneless voice and stoic manner is almost saddening.  Wu knows monks who have taken vows of silence who are more expressive than his countryman.

The assassin explains his motivation for visiting the Elves, and it is similar to his own.

"Then we travel the same path.  It seems for once the current pushes us back towards the source, rather than downstream.  I too am eager to learn from our ancient mentors.  It is a wonder to think that the elves are the spring from which our people poured forth."

Sun Wu matches stride with Akaga as they continue on.

[Radobe]

The priest stood in front of the cathedral for a while. He could sense the holy energy and he could hear the voice of a dragon coming from within. He did not wish to interrupt, whatever was happening inside, but the chances of that seemed slim, so he entered any way.

Upon entering it became clear that a dragon was giving a sermon. The holy man quickly adapted the posture of the people inside and began to listen to the sermon. The one odd thing he noticed was the fact that there were members from all species in the cathedral. It was not uncommon for non-believers to turn, but this did not seem like this was the case. The feeling he got from these people was the feeling of complete comfort, as if they knew from the beginnings of their lives that Lumos watches over them.

It was at this point that the priest felt the effect of the dragon’s sermon. He felt reassured, at ease, peaceful, everything was so clear and even though he could not fully understand the words of the dragon, he could feel the warm touch of Lumos.

When the sermon was over, Rau went to the priest who gave the sermon.

“I am father Rau Canires from the church of Lumos. The sermon you just gave… I have never felt Lumos’ presence so clear, so warm and welcoming. I humbly request to be taught the ways of the dragon order.” The priest did not know what he was asking of the dragon, he did not know what to expect and while staying there with his head bowed in respect, waiting for an answer, he knew that this was the right path.

[Shadow Chorus]

"Me name is Khadmas." The dwarf said, taking the chains and inspecting them while the metal continued to take shape. "An I know a warrior when I see one. Ye'll find this tae be a weapon like no other, an' made for ye in more ways than one. sit back, an' relax. I'll 'ave it for ye in no time." The dwarf heated the chains to a dim glow and set them on an anvil, where he took a chisel and began to carve dwarven runes into the metal. The entire time the block of metal was continuing to form. It had separated into three distinct shapes now. One massive cylinder, one sphere, and one disk-like object. What the dwarf could form from these was yet to be seen, but it was sure to be deadly.

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

As Akaga and Sun Wu walked, they soon ran into a crowd of elves moving through the streets, going about their daily business. As the two moved through the crowd, Akaga began to sense something strange. Before he could act, however, he found himself in a headlock, his body caught in a skilled hold, his arms and legs pinned as an elegant figure in a hood pressed its weight on top of him. The crowd then proceeded to vanish, an illusion created as a test.

"You let your guard down in an unknown environment." A feminine voice spoke, wavy silver hair spilling out of the hood. "You were told that there were few Elves in the city and yet found such a large crowd not to be strange. When you sensed something was wrong you did not immediately separate yourself to gain a better vantage. What is worse you have suppressed your instincts to the point where you cannot react outside of pre-planned motions. You have much to learn."

Akaga could do naught but splutter, his breathing impaired and his body pinned beyond action.

"Anastariah, release the young human." a more masculine, still elegant voice intoned as a figure in a robe strode into their midst. The elf's long, golden hair trailed down to the center of his back, perfectly straight. His robe was a simple tan, white trimming the only thing standing out. He was the first elf to be seen so far without a hood, his pointed ears shown for all to see. His tone and bearing were supremely calm and collected, and even his Chi, which to Sun Wu would seem the purest white, was coalesced in a manner that allowed it to flow easily, being extremely strong, but with an intensity that is more bearable to the chi tuned eye than one would expect. The elf's penetrating, unjudging gaze settled on Sun Wu, and he gave the faintest of smiles.

"Welcome, young ones. I can tell you have many questions."

The elf ranger released the assassin, who coughed and got to his feet, visibly shaken, a feat unusual for one of his upbringing. Akaga turned and bowed to the ranger, a show of respect only given to superiors.

"Yes." Was all Akaga responded with.

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

The dragon looked down at the small human, and something akin to a smile broke his scaly features. His long, serpentine neck flowed down to the priest's level, and with a large claw he gently nudged the priest to a standing position.

"What you ask is not something that can be taught by me and me alone, little one." The dragon spoke, his voice booming, but carrying a tone of gentleness unbecoming of a creature of his size. "For what you seek lies within you. Come, speak with me, and I will show you the path to looking inside yourself. What you do from there is entirely up to you." The Dragon lifted his head and began to move. He almost seemed to be slowing down so as to allow the priest to keep up, but even moving his legs as slowly as possible, a single step for the massive dragon was several for the small human.

"Come, young Father Rau. Tell me of yourself. What are the teachings of your church? What is the word of this Lumos?"

[Archdemon Stu]

The name was immediately familiar.  The first being they had met earlier shared the same name.  "Is Khadmas a common name among dwarves? Or perhaps... a family name?  I met another Khadmas a short time ago, though I must admit, we did not get along as well as you and I." The Gorger let out a mischievous chuckle, reflecting on his words.  He wandered the smith's shop as he made small talk, gazing appreciatively at the wares within.  It was in this process that another thought occurred.  The Gorger's weapon was already being crafted... but what of armor?  The scraps he had on were steadily losing their quality, and the time had long passed to replace many of the pieces.

"Also... might I browse your selection of armor while I wait?" Asking permission was merely a formality as the ghoul searched.

[Kitharsis]

Wu was not expecting the headlock.  As the crowd vanished he turned to see the most famous assassin of the age handily disabled.  Before Wu could even move to a defensive stance the Elf spoke.

...  You have much to learn."  She finishes.

Thankfully, another one of the Elves came to their assistance.  But he was different than the few others they have encountered before.  His pure white Chi flowed easily and intensely.  Wu's eyes widened, and he felt much like a puddle compared to the ocean. 

The man's faint smile broke him out of his stupor.  Akaga's coughing followed by a bow returned Sun Wu's mind to his body.  He gives both of the Elves a deep bow.

"Masters, I come to you with open mind and heart.  I would learn what you feel fit to teach.  I am called Sun Wu, a monk of the Akavashi people."

Wu bows deeply once more in greeting.

[Radobe]

 Rau didn’t know what to expect when he made his request, but one thing is certain, he did not expect the dragon’s claw to nudge him. A little bit startled the priest looked into the dragon’s eyes, which were now in front of him. The thing that surprised him the most, however, was the fact that the dragon seemed to be smiling, an expression Rau would have a hard time imagining on a dragon’s face, let alone see one.

The priest listened to the dragon and followed him.

"Come, young Father Rau. Tell me of yourself. What are the teachings of your church? What is the word of this Lumos?"

The dragon’s questions were a bit unexpected. Rau paused for a second and then began with the first one.

“I am one of the many sons of a farmer. It wasn’t until my 13th year that I went to a church. At that time the church offered me shelter, discipline and above all, the thing I value the most, knowledge. I was raised and thought there, but it was soon that there was nothing left to learn at the church. I was send to the Holy City. It was there under the tutelage of one of the High Priest I became a fully pledged priest. From then on I have fought the forces of darkness.” Rau stopped for a second, as if to check if the dragon is still listening, than he took a deep breath and carried on “As for the teachings of the church… The fundamental teachings are simple. Do not steal, do not kill, do not lie and in essence do not sin. What you actually want to hear about is our teachings of Lumos.” The priest stopped and looked at the dragon expecting a motion of approval. ”We are thought much of Lumos. We are thought he is our god; he is the one who guides us in our mortal life and the one who shelters us when our eternal rest comes, he watches over those who have faith and aids them in their time of need. We are thought that every hardship is test of our faith and that even though we may not understand the path Lumos has chosen for us, we must have faith and accept it. Above all the churches and our teachings stand as symbol of hope, of salvation and a symbol of light.” Rau paused once more to consider his next words “My youthful search of knowledge was given purpose in the Holy City. I want to find my path and for that I need knowledge. My tutor thought me many things, but above all he thought me that which I believe hold the most truth, Lumos guide’s us on our paths, but it is up to us to choose our path and follow it.“ The holy man smirked when he thought of the last question. “As for the word of Lumos, I only hope that my mortal life is long and fruitful enough, to grant me such knowledge that I may understand the word of a god.”

[Shadow Chorus]

"Ah. Ye've met Khadmas Shimmerstone. Suppose it's no surprise, bein' he's tha gatekeeper 'round 'ere. Ta answer ye, no. We're tha only two Khadmases in tha city. Khadmas Stonebeard's me own name. It means Integrity in Dwarven, an' it's a name tha's not used as often as others, but it's one worth havin'. Dwarves name their children with the expectation that that name will shape them as they grow, an' so integrity was a trait tha' oor mums clearly wanted us ta have."

Khadmas' work was beginning to take shape. He had completely detailed out the large pillar, which appeared to be just that, a massive steel pillar with a hollow tunnel through the center, which he set to running the chain through before continuing his work on the other two objects. The sphere was beginning to take on a more refined form, adorned in metallic spikes that he slowly worked into sharpness, forming a groove at the bottom for an insert. Khadmas picked out a pair of sturdy oak rods from his storage before capping them in steel to ensure their durability, before he returned to work, shaping out the disk into a distinctly curved shape, a double-headed crescent that was quickly thinning out and sharpening.


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"It is heart warming to meet ones so eager to learn the old ways. I am Theldorian, and this is Anastariah, one of our greatest rangers, gifted with the honored title of Wilderness Stalker. I am known as the Grand monk of the order, and I provide spiritual integrity to the remnants of the elven people. There is much here in our city for you to learn, if you are willing to take the time to learn from us. Anastariah, if you would take the young assassin with you, I can tell he is eager to learn your methods."

Akaga bowed once more as he was led away by Anastariah, leaving only Wu and Theldorian.

"Tell me, young one. Your essence flows like a river through your body, but like a river it is chaotic, whimsical, and lacking in directed force, though it is powerful. What is it that has troubled your spirit so? Your essence speaks of an uneasy state of mind. Tell me what is weighing your steps."


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The dragon listened intently, his eyes showing a keen interest as he mulled over the history and religion being laid before him, as if examining a scholarly tome full of exciting new information.

"Your ways are spirited and wise, if not fully in tune to your abilities. Allow me to explain to you the philosophy of dragons. What you call Lumos, we call the Divine Aether. We have no deity, rather giving our source of faith and power a significantly more important role. The Aether, in our eyes, is the essence of all that is, the very fabric of life and reality. The way of the dragon priest is to acknowledge that, even though we are indeed colossal and grand when compared to the other races, we are only minuscule insects in the grand scale of the universe around us. This humbling knowledge, as well as the acceptance of our place in reality, allows us to come to a rather potent standpoint. By acknowledging the presence of an all-affecting force, the Aether, and its passage through all life and all physical existence, we are able to access that power that lies innately within our selves. Each living being courses with the Aether, and through training and mental fortitude, is able to call it forth, a field of positive energy that you would call divine power. Through application of this field of energy, directed by channeling through the natural emotions of its wielder, one can alter the Aether, causing divine manifestations of will in reality, creating holy magic to smite or heal, or perform any holy task.

Your kind already perform this feat to a lesser extent. Your crusaders channel righteous fury, their anger causing their energy to be expressed in an aggressive manner, smiting foes with holy power to strike down forces of evil. Your healers are compassionate, and seek the betterment of their fellow men, and so this kindness is born in the Aether through healing powers and divine protection. With refinement, anyone already in touch with your god, Lumos, could potentially become a master of the Aether, a being whose base attunement with the universe around him allows him to perform miraculous feats.

It is up to you, however, to judge my peoples' beliefs as you will, and to decide whether you wish to look deeper into yourself to tap into the Aether. The choice is yours, I merely present to you the path to unlock the holy fervor you felt from our sermon."

[Archdemon Stu]

The Gorger was already adjusting the straps to capacity on the armor pieces he selected - perhaps his first actual set he'd had since his turning.  The armor was adorned with spikes and plates with engravings of faces, which he assumed to be dwarven heroes of the past.  Though it was not a perfect fit, the dwarves were stalky beings, and while their height did not match The Gorger's, their muscle mass was a close fit for the ghoul.  With a few extra miscellaneous scraps, The Gorger had covered himself in steel, save for his claws, feet, and head, as they often changed shape more radically than the rest.

As he slid on his barbed fingerless gauntlets, he reflected on Khadmas's words.  "You and I are opposites then.  You are named for the expectations of your future... I am named for what deeds I have already committed.  'The Gorger' they call me." His last sentence held some semblance of regret as his memories meandered to the village he raided so persistently.  He turned, and viewed Khadmas's work in progress.  Even as it took shape before the creature's eyes, he could not fathom what the dwarf was planning.  Whatever it was though, the ghoul was pleased.  "My, my, my... look at this." The Gorger laughed aloud as he observed, stepping closer to the crafting area.  "I think I like the way of the dwarven naming conventions.  So tell me, Khadmas... what do you see in this weapon's future?"

[Radobe]

Rau listened to the dragon and tried hard to stop his thoughts from showing on his face, a struggle which he lost.

“I understand…” said the priest, obviously shaken by what he had heard. His head lower than ever and his feet moving slowly, from the side one would think Rau would collapse any second. “I understand… yet, I want it to be a lie. I know what I felt and you have no reason to lie, but I am still desperately searching for a reason to doubt your words.” Rau stopped and looked towards the dragon “There is none. Even though our teachings were fanatical to a degree, I always believed there was some truth to them, who would have thought it was so little. The only real thing was what I felt and I will seek to find solace in that.” The holy man closed his eyes and exhaled. “There is no going back. Please tell me, what must I do?”

[Kitharsis]

"Your assessment rings true, Theldorian.  I find a sort of familiarity with flowing water.  While at first I believed a river was free flowing, I'm beginning to find the opposite.  Water merely follows the path of least resistance.  It follows the slope of a mountain without a thought of what may be at the top.

"Up until recently, I've been contently following the current wherever it may take me.  But upon arriving here, I've found that it has taken me full circle.  Back to the spring from where my people's river has started from, so to speak.

"I must say, I'm having a hard time reconciling my previous view of the current with what I am seeing before me.  Rather than flowing ever forward, I find myself taken back and above.  Yet below as well, and forward.  I..."

Wu furrows his brow and covers his mouth with a closed fist.  He regains his composure and continues.

"As absurd as it sounds, I simply do not know where to go.  It seems that my Chi mimics my indecision. 

"How do you become so serene?  I feel as though I may be crushed and embraced by your Chi at the same time.  Rather than a ever flowing river, you seem to be bathed in a placid, endless pool."