[AU] Siege on Ebonring Keep - Part 2

[Erekose13]

"Little brother!" Ys-Korros says as he reaches out to support the larger giant. "What has this devilish place shown you? Do not worry, it speaks only lies, illusions that it wishes to use to confuse and distract us. Our mission is true and our cause is just." He is glad to see Ys-Baddaden alive. He will stand by his brother's side always, never letting him sway from the task of peace and life.

 

[Gideon]

Feeling like an intruder during the brother's reunion, Ritsar calmly leans against the wall and crouches down trying to push his senses away from the giant's emotions.

A memory of Charon and Ritsar as cubs comes to fill the spaace instead. Charon was consoling Ritsar much as Ys-Korros was consoling his little brother. Ritsar had been trapped against a hut by several of the other cubs. Charon had tended his bruises and reknewed Ritsar's strength. Charon was also there when Ritsar payed back Lirean for his bullying.

 

[Rybaer]

"Yes, our mission is true and just," Ys-Baddaden says. His color is slowly returning and he wipes the sweat from his brow. "Still, there is something to this place. I'm not sure this place is about lies and deception, though. A lesson, perhaps...

"Ritsar, are you okay? And where is Pyior?"


ooc - will wait just a bit longer to see if Cordo posts.

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

Spoiler

Pyior's eyes widen at the message, and then his face drops at the end. The curiosity of the Faen race nearly overcoming him, he begins to reach for the book to open it, but his hand stops short.

He stands deeply in thought for a minute.

Finally, realizing that knowing his destiny -- even if it were true -- would suck the joy and meaning from his life, Pyior throws the book into the fire.

"I'll just have to do my best to avoid this destiny, and keep the well-being of others foremost in my mind -- never allowing my curiosity to get the better of me."

 

[Rybaer]

Pyior tosses the book into the fire and watches as the cover and pages quickly ignite. As the book is consumed, the surroundings of the room fade away, leaving only a single door in a bare stone room.

The door is unlocked, so Pyior opens it and finds nothing but darkness beyond. Stepping carefully in, he finds himself pulled through the inky darkness. Moments later, he is standing in front of a dark portal like the one through which they had all come to this strange place. Ys-Baddaden, Ys-Korros, and Ritsar are all waiting for him in an unadorned stone walled chamber. There is a single, sturdy-looking door at the far end of the room.

 

[Gideon]

"I'm fine. Your brother is right Ys-Baddaden, the spirits here teach as well as scare. There is mini mage, welcome to the other side."

Ritsar smiles over at Pyior as he woodenly comes from his spirit teachers.

"Through the door?"

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

Pyior gives a half-hearted grin to everyone -- but he's clearly upset.

"I... uh... Glad to see you're all safe."

Pyior nods at Ritsar's suggestion to go throught the door.

 

[Erekose13]

"Its good to see you too little friend. Don't believe the lies that place showed you. It has tried to decieve us all. Right, lets head through that door." replies Ys-Korros.

 

[Rybaer]

Refresher material, from previous (and now pretty old) posts:

My dear Iriana,

Imagine my shock when word reached me of your endeavor in these parts. Ambition that I would not have expected of you. Your claim to the Keep's prize is dubious, given how easily you let it slip through your fingers. For this reason, I have moved it to a safer location.

To honor the fondness I always had for you, I will offer you one last chance to claim your prize. Conquer the Heart of Night, prove yourself where you failed before, and the Ring will be yours.

Do not waiver or dawdle in your decision, for if you do not claim it soon, I will keep it as my own.

Kisthmetch accepts all but welcomes none save the Brothers of Shadow.

Iriana visibly pales as Pyior recites the contents of the hidden message.

"Shaddeck," she says. "That arrogant bastard. He just doesn't see what securing the Keep means to the safety of this region."

She leans heavily against the pedestal in the center of the room and sighs deeply. Her bearing has lost much of the strength and surety that it had when you had first met her.

"Shaddeck is an old acquaintance of mine," she says. "Fellow student, actually. We studied together at the Sharden Enclave. The guy always rubbed me the wrong way - arrogant, self-absorbed, and eager to prove himself smarter than everyone else. Might just have been a verrick thing, but still...

"The town of Sharden is just north of the Floating Forest, in the foothills of the Bitter Peaks. Only a week by horse from here, I suppose. Anyway, not too far from Sharden in the Bitter Peaks is a long abandoned Akashic school - Kisthmetch. It is now a destination for thrill seekers or those eager to join the Brothers of Shadow. Those who enter Kisthmetch and conquer the Heart of Night, by overcoming their fears, are welcomed into the order.

"The Brothers of Shadow aren't much more than a loose affiliation of those who have made it through Kisthmetch. More a fraternity than an organization with any goal.

"Given the close proximity of Kisthmetch to Sharden, it is quite common for the students of the Enclave to test their mettle against the Heart of Night. Shaddeck and I went into the place together. He passed while I failed."

Iriana is quiet for a moment, her eyes unfocused as she is lost in memory.

"I need the Ebonring if there is any hope of securing this keep and in turn this entire region," she says, strength returning to her voice. "Yet I cannot go to Kisthmetch to retrieve it myself. Were I to leave here for the two or three weeks it would take, the soldiers would likely abandon this endeavor.

"And I don't think I could face that place again," she adds in a hoarse whisper.

"Could you complete this quest you have started for me? I will triple your pay and provide horses for the journey. Please?"

*****

Pyior to Shaddeck:

"Anyway, back to the matter at hand. We had hoped to convince you of the importance of returning the Ebonring to it's rightful place in the keep. The ring is the keystone in making the newly captured keep a new force for stability in the region!"

Starting almost as an aside, Pyior continues talking past the point at which it would have been wise to stop. "Failing that, we had hoped to accept your challenge and face the Heart of Night in Iriana's stead."

Indicating Ritsar... "To be more accurate I believe this Litorian, whom we just met yesterday, wishes to face the Heart of Night as some sort of personal test. But my companions and I would just as well skip that part and be on our way with the Ebonring if we have a choice in the matter."

Shaddeck listens to Pyior with an even expression and no interjections.

"Well, I don't know what your true intentions or motivations are," he says. "Either you're in this because of some sense of duty to protecting that region, or you're in it for whatever payment Iriana has offered you. Frankly, I don't particularly care to know your reasons.

"I'm not surprised that Iriana would send someone in her stead. She is weak. I don't know exactly why she has undertaken this endeavor to reclaim the Keep and the ring, but I would caution you not to accept her intentions as entirely pure or noble. I suspect she's only in it for the ring, and her claims to use it to secure the region are either outright lies or only half-truths intended to get the help she needed to push out the rhodin."

He pauses, studying each member of the group as if trying to read their souls.

"It was only by circumstance that I became aware of her activities. I had never had any intention of interfering, but when the ring practically fell into my possession I began to wonder just what she was up to. I have no personal interest in keeping the ring. Its magic, while powerful, is also tainted. I won't deny her the right to claim it, but as one old friendly rival to another, I decided to make her earn it without the help of her hired army. Hence, I placed it in the one place she most fears to go.

"The Ebonring is in Kisthmetch. If you still wish to claim it, then you need only prove yourselves worthy of that place's legacy. The resting place of the ring can only be found by those who have passed the test. What you do with it then is up to you - return it to Iriana, keep it for yourselves, or find some way to be rid of it. I just urge you to use your best judgement before handing it back over to a woman whose courage is at best left wanting."
In response to questions of Iriana's motivations:
"Oh, I don't kiss and tell on others," Shaddeck says with a wry grin. "You already know of her failure in Kisthmetch. It's not my place to give a one-sided account of my experiences with her...especially when she's not around to defend herself.

"I merely hope that you will use your own best judgement when dealing with her. Iriana's motivations may truly be noble this time. I cannot say for certain, though."


More to come soon...

 

[Rybaer]

The heavy wooden door creaks as it opens. Beyond is a dim area carved out of blackness. Literally. There is a circular area about fifteen feet in diameter - clear of everything aside from the dark stone floor. A smaller circle of highly polished black marble, some ten feet in diameter, is set in the floor within the dimly lit area. Where there might be walls and ceiling, instead is a finite barrier of pitch blackness.

Above the polished circle, a faintly glowing apparition appears. It is a human woman, likely in her 50's or 60's, with a authoritative bearing. Her clothes are fine, though of an outdated style. She speaks with a voice that seems to emanate from all around the group.

"Welcome to Kisthmetch. Congratulations on having faced the trials of the Heart of Darkness, a task not taken lightly. Please, come in."

The apparition gestures vaguely at the polished disk on the floor around her.

"First off, allow me to introduce myself. I am, or was, Sendira Hyath, the last master of the Akashic order that called this place home. We have been forced to abandon this place, though we hope that the magic here will endure for many generations to come. My presence represents the last of the magic imparted in Kisthmetch, a way to guide those who would come after us.

"The trials of the Heart of Darkness are intended to test and temper one's fears, to teach one how to face the darkness within our hearts and minds. In what you've faced, there is always some degree of truth, though whether it is real or metaphorical I cannot say. Should you choose to return, you will face deeper and darker truths - it never becomes easier.

"Take the lessons to heart, learn from them, and use the experience to grow.

"In recognition of your efforts, I will lead you through the Ritual of Kisthmetch. It is a secret ceremony of power, restricted to those who have passed through the Heart of Darkness. The ritual will impart some small benefits upon you, and you will forevermore be able to recognize those others who have also passed this trial. The ritual is optional, though I can think of no reason not to partake.

"If you wish to partake, please arrange yourself somewhere along the edge of the circle."

The apparition pauses, apparently programmed to allow the audience a chance to decide whether or not to participate in the ceremony.