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<blockquote data-quote="Iron Sky" data-source="post: 5675758" data-attributes="member: 60965"><p><strong>Elsewhen</strong></p><p></p><p><em>In the beginning, there was a Green Age when life covered Athas</em>.</p><p></p><p>Barrenyche's voice echoed from the skies like a goddess. Darus squinted at the sunlight - a strange soft, yellow sun that shone from behind fluffy white clouds over hills blooming with fragrant flowers as distant trees hundreds of feet tall swayed in a gentle breeze beside a meandering river.</p><p></p><p><em>There was no magic, no defiling.</em></p><p></p><p>The unmistakable figure of Andropinis stood before the gates of a small town as man rode up on a noble-looking four-legged, hoofed, fur-covered beast with a flowing mane and tail.</p><p></p><p><em>Thousands of years ago, when Andropinis was yet Albeorn of the small nation of Brunswitch.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em></em>Suddenly, Darus was at the city gates as the messenger dismounted and bowed to Andropinis.</p><p></p><p>"M'lord, you have been invited to the Pristine Tower, there to meet with a man who has made a great discovery."<em></em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>With a hundred of his men, he journeyed to the Pristine Tower.</em></p><p></p><p>Suddenly, Darus was flying between the trees, paralleling Andropinis and a hundred metal-armored figures riding the same strange beasts. On the horizon before them was an ivory tower that seemed to touch the heavens.</p><p><em></em></p><p><em>On the way, they encountered the creatures of Athas, such as the trolls.</em></p><p></p><p>A massive, gnarled green figure exploded from the trees, tearing apart the man that rode beside Andropinis and panicking the mounts nearby. More came from the trees all along the line of men, tearing into them with fierce savagery. Even with their metal weapons and armor they stood little chance as the beasts large as giants with long claws and fangs and, as Darus watched, a man drove a spear through one's chest only to have the beast break free, the wound healing instantly.</p><p></p><p><em>Magic did not yet exist in Athas. As bravely as they fought, they were no match for the savage beasts of the ancient world...</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>But there was an answer.</em></p><p></p><p>Andropinis and several of his men finally brought one of the beasts down, but as they turned, it rose again as dozens more charged from the trees.</p><p></p><p>There was a flash and boom that nearly blinded Darus, lightning like that of a sandstorm blazing out of a clear blue sky. It exploded amidst the trolls, blasting them apart. In moments, the scattered survivors of the ambush were fleeing into a forest that quickly blazed into an inferno.</p><p></p><p><em>Albeorn led his followers to the great tower.</em></p><p></p><p>Darus turned towards the distant tower as Andropinis rallied his men and rode hard from the forest and suddenly he was there. Even in the sudden darkness, he could see that the tower's base was wide as a city and rose to touch the night stars high above.</p><p></p><p>Other travelers on strange beasts, bearing metal arms and armor of exotic metals, stood with Andropinis before a massive door, eying each other warily.</p><p></p><p><em>But he was not the first; others had arrived before him. Myron of Yorum, Dregoth, Kalak and Sacha of Arala were there. Others would soon arrive; Tectuktitlay from the deep jungles, Keltis, Sielba, Ennonec, Wyan of Bodach, Borys of Ebe, Daskinor, Kalid-Ma, Inenek, Gallard, Uyness of Waverly.</em></p><p></p><p><em>Fifteen arrived in all with their followers, fifteen leaders of the human peoples of Athas.</em></p><p></p><p>The doors swung open and Darus squinted to get a look at the figure that advanced from within. It stopped when just its face was in shadow and gestured within.</p><p></p><p>"I have summoned you here to become my followers. I will teach you an art that I have discovered, a power unlike any the wisest and most ambitious of you have ever dreamed. You have been at the mercy of other races, but once you have partaken of my gift, no longer shall you be - you shall be Kings of Athas. I will teach this power in exchange for a service... come!"</p><p></p><p>They all walked in and suddenly they were atop the tower. Clouds drifted by far below while even further away stretched the patchwork of green and yellow and blue that was the verdant forests and fields and rivers of ancient Athas. </p><p></p><p>Even in whatever his current insubstantial form was, Darus moved away from the edge and turned towards the center of the tower where suddenly a shimmering lance of pale red light flared, piercing into the sun itself. Darus could feel the massive power of the beam, feel the energy it leeched from the sun.</p><p></p><p><em>The fifteen champions watched on as their master began to drain the life from the sun and the world to give them their power.</em></p><p></p><p>Light branched from the main beam, illuminating each of the fifteen figures ringing the top of the tower. The figure, his features washed away by the incredible brightness of the beam behind him, walked between the champions, stopping for a moment before each.</p><p></p><p>"Now you share my power, now you too are no longer at the mercy of the monstrous races.</p><p></p><p>"Sarla, there are races that steal human children from their beds, steal their livestock, and plague the people like a pestilence. They are the kobolds and you shall cleanse them from the world. The Curse of the Kobolds."</p><p></p><p>The figure move to the next figure.</p><p></p><p>"Kalak, there exist hideous abominations, giants that command the mountains. You shall be the Ogre Doom."</p><p></p><p>And the next.</p><p></p><p>"Dregoth, in the highest peaks of the mountains, there exist brutish giants of all varieties. You will cleanse them as the Ravager of Giants.</p><p></p><p>"Myron, horrid beasts plague the swamps and forests with unnatural strength and healing. You shall be the Troll Scorcher.</p><p></p><p>"Uyness, you will take the battle to man's fiercest enemy, the orcs. You shall be the Orc Plague.</p><p></p><p>"Gallard, there exists a fey race, tricksters that seek to spoil minds with illusions and trickery. You will eradicate them as the Bane of Gnomes.</p><p></p><p>"Albeorn, you have been often at ends with the elves. You will drive them from their forest homes and wipe them out as the Slayer of Elves..."</p><p></p><p><em>And so they followed, obeying their master blindly in their thirst for power.</em></p><p></p><p>Suddenly Darus stood beside Andropinis, an army at his back. Thousands of elven warriors walked out of the forest before them, their faces grim.</p><p></p><p>Battle was joined, Andropinis striding through the elven host, shattering their ranks and killing them by the hundreds.</p><p></p><p>The elven army began to route, fleeing back into their forests. Andropinis did not pursue, merely gestured and turned their forest into a wall of fire.</p><p></p><p><em>The other races of Athas were no match for the human champions' new power. And yet even with their great might it took time. They fought their wars for fifteen hundred years.</em></p><p></p><p>They stood on the same battlefield, but the vegetation was scorched, blackened, crumpling to ash as far as the eye could see, the sun burning red and dim. Broken bodies littered the broken ground and Andropinis stood in the center, robes billowing in a charnel breeze, staring across the battlefield, his expression troubled.</p><p></p><p><em>Only after all those centuries did the champions realize their folly, what their striving for power had done to the world. Only then did they realize they served a madman. And so they met in council...</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em></em>A dozen powerful figures stood in the midst of a ring of towers in the midst of a wasteland. One stepped forward.</p><p></p><p>"Our master is insane with power. We know now that he will not let us stop with the other races; humans will be eradicated as well. He will not be content until all life on Athas is destroyed. He must be stopped, yet even together our power does not match his own. We know what must be done."</p><p></p><p>Suddenly they were atop the massive stepped pyramid of a ziggurat, the figure that had spoken standing at its center.</p><p><em></em></p><p><em>They joined together and channeled their power into Borys.</em></p><p></p><p>Power arced from them into Borys and, as Darus watched, he began to transform. When the transformation was complete, the Dragon of Athas unfurled his wings with a roar-</p><p></p><p>And suddenly Darus was rising from his seat in the Amphitheater, reaching for his weapon as the crowd stirred back to life around him.</p><p></p><p>On the stage, Barrenyche stumbled, a dart protruding from her neck...</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Iron Sky, post: 5675758, member: 60965"] [B]Elsewhen[/B] [I]In the beginning, there was a Green Age when life covered Athas[/I]. Barrenyche's voice echoed from the skies like a goddess. Darus squinted at the sunlight - a strange soft, yellow sun that shone from behind fluffy white clouds over hills blooming with fragrant flowers as distant trees hundreds of feet tall swayed in a gentle breeze beside a meandering river. [I]There was no magic, no defiling.[/I] The unmistakable figure of Andropinis stood before the gates of a small town as man rode up on a noble-looking four-legged, hoofed, fur-covered beast with a flowing mane and tail. [I]Thousands of years ago, when Andropinis was yet Albeorn of the small nation of Brunswitch. [/I]Suddenly, Darus was at the city gates as the messenger dismounted and bowed to Andropinis. "M'lord, you have been invited to the Pristine Tower, there to meet with a man who has made a great discovery."[I] With a hundred of his men, he journeyed to the Pristine Tower.[/I] Suddenly, Darus was flying between the trees, paralleling Andropinis and a hundred metal-armored figures riding the same strange beasts. On the horizon before them was an ivory tower that seemed to touch the heavens. [I] On the way, they encountered the creatures of Athas, such as the trolls.[/I] A massive, gnarled green figure exploded from the trees, tearing apart the man that rode beside Andropinis and panicking the mounts nearby. More came from the trees all along the line of men, tearing into them with fierce savagery. Even with their metal weapons and armor they stood little chance as the beasts large as giants with long claws and fangs and, as Darus watched, a man drove a spear through one's chest only to have the beast break free, the wound healing instantly. [I]Magic did not yet exist in Athas. As bravely as they fought, they were no match for the savage beasts of the ancient world... But there was an answer.[/I] Andropinis and several of his men finally brought one of the beasts down, but as they turned, it rose again as dozens more charged from the trees. There was a flash and boom that nearly blinded Darus, lightning like that of a sandstorm blazing out of a clear blue sky. It exploded amidst the trolls, blasting them apart. In moments, the scattered survivors of the ambush were fleeing into a forest that quickly blazed into an inferno. [I]Albeorn led his followers to the great tower.[/I] Darus turned towards the distant tower as Andropinis rallied his men and rode hard from the forest and suddenly he was there. Even in the sudden darkness, he could see that the tower's base was wide as a city and rose to touch the night stars high above. Other travelers on strange beasts, bearing metal arms and armor of exotic metals, stood with Andropinis before a massive door, eying each other warily. [I]But he was not the first; others had arrived before him. Myron of Yorum, Dregoth, Kalak and Sacha of Arala were there. Others would soon arrive; Tectuktitlay from the deep jungles, Keltis, Sielba, Ennonec, Wyan of Bodach, Borys of Ebe, Daskinor, Kalid-Ma, Inenek, Gallard, Uyness of Waverly.[/I] [I]Fifteen arrived in all with their followers, fifteen leaders of the human peoples of Athas.[/I] The doors swung open and Darus squinted to get a look at the figure that advanced from within. It stopped when just its face was in shadow and gestured within. "I have summoned you here to become my followers. I will teach you an art that I have discovered, a power unlike any the wisest and most ambitious of you have ever dreamed. You have been at the mercy of other races, but once you have partaken of my gift, no longer shall you be - you shall be Kings of Athas. I will teach this power in exchange for a service... come!" They all walked in and suddenly they were atop the tower. Clouds drifted by far below while even further away stretched the patchwork of green and yellow and blue that was the verdant forests and fields and rivers of ancient Athas. Even in whatever his current insubstantial form was, Darus moved away from the edge and turned towards the center of the tower where suddenly a shimmering lance of pale red light flared, piercing into the sun itself. Darus could feel the massive power of the beam, feel the energy it leeched from the sun. [I]The fifteen champions watched on as their master began to drain the life from the sun and the world to give them their power.[/I] Light branched from the main beam, illuminating each of the fifteen figures ringing the top of the tower. The figure, his features washed away by the incredible brightness of the beam behind him, walked between the champions, stopping for a moment before each. "Now you share my power, now you too are no longer at the mercy of the monstrous races. "Sarla, there are races that steal human children from their beds, steal their livestock, and plague the people like a pestilence. They are the kobolds and you shall cleanse them from the world. The Curse of the Kobolds." The figure move to the next figure. "Kalak, there exist hideous abominations, giants that command the mountains. You shall be the Ogre Doom." And the next. "Dregoth, in the highest peaks of the mountains, there exist brutish giants of all varieties. You will cleanse them as the Ravager of Giants. "Myron, horrid beasts plague the swamps and forests with unnatural strength and healing. You shall be the Troll Scorcher. "Uyness, you will take the battle to man's fiercest enemy, the orcs. You shall be the Orc Plague. "Gallard, there exists a fey race, tricksters that seek to spoil minds with illusions and trickery. You will eradicate them as the Bane of Gnomes. "Albeorn, you have been often at ends with the elves. You will drive them from their forest homes and wipe them out as the Slayer of Elves..." [I]And so they followed, obeying their master blindly in their thirst for power.[/I] Suddenly Darus stood beside Andropinis, an army at his back. Thousands of elven warriors walked out of the forest before them, their faces grim. Battle was joined, Andropinis striding through the elven host, shattering their ranks and killing them by the hundreds. The elven army began to route, fleeing back into their forests. Andropinis did not pursue, merely gestured and turned their forest into a wall of fire. [I]The other races of Athas were no match for the human champions' new power. And yet even with their great might it took time. They fought their wars for fifteen hundred years.[/I] They stood on the same battlefield, but the vegetation was scorched, blackened, crumpling to ash as far as the eye could see, the sun burning red and dim. Broken bodies littered the broken ground and Andropinis stood in the center, robes billowing in a charnel breeze, staring across the battlefield, his expression troubled. [I]Only after all those centuries did the champions realize their folly, what their striving for power had done to the world. Only then did they realize they served a madman. And so they met in council... [/I]A dozen powerful figures stood in the midst of a ring of towers in the midst of a wasteland. One stepped forward. "Our master is insane with power. We know now that he will not let us stop with the other races; humans will be eradicated as well. He will not be content until all life on Athas is destroyed. He must be stopped, yet even together our power does not match his own. We know what must be done." Suddenly they were atop the massive stepped pyramid of a ziggurat, the figure that had spoken standing at its center. [I] They joined together and channeled their power into Borys.[/I] Power arced from them into Borys and, as Darus watched, he began to transform. When the transformation was complete, the Dragon of Athas unfurled his wings with a roar- And suddenly Darus was rising from his seat in the Amphitheater, reaching for his weapon as the crowd stirred back to life around him. On the stage, Barrenyche stumbled, a dart protruding from her neck... [/QUOTE]
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