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JollyDoc's Age of Worms (Updated 11/30, Epilogue!)
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<blockquote data-quote="gfunk" data-source="post: 2813725" data-attributes="member: 1813"><p>THE AGE OF WORMS REVEALED</p><p></p><p>Mak’ar stood gazing off into the infinity of the maze, chuckling at his own ingenuity. Those fools may have drawn first blood, but it was the outcome that mattered. He now had all the time he needed to tend his wounds and replenish his defenses. Then he would return to the ziggurat, and there would come a reckoning.</p><p></p><p>“Are they still there?” Havok called as he hovered over the writhing lake of worms.</p><p>“Right below me,” Faust answered, his eyes still tightly shut, but his senses stretching into the depths of the lake where he could sense the three Kyuss Knights still gathered at the base of the ledge on which he stood. </p><p>“Excellent!” the warlock shouted. “Now let’s see what we can do about keeping them there.”</p><p></p><p>Havok was familiar with the layout of the lake bottom from his fruitless search for the nonexistent Key of Kyuss. Now, drawing on that knowledge, he swooped low over the crawling surface, imagining points some thirty feet below, and willing wave after wave of the worm-like green tentacles into existence.</p><p></p><p>Below, Barnos Indarna, called the Dreamer in Green, Kardic, the Shadow Worm, and Markath, the Mageslayer stood still and silent. The Harbinger had bade them wait for him at this spot just before he left, but he also commanded them to do everything in their power to remain corporeal until that time. When the giant worm-tentacles began sprouting around them, they at first took it as a manifestation of the Harbinger’s power, but when the tendrils began twining about their limbs, they understood that their enemies were going to make it as difficult as possible to follow Mak’ar’s orders. Barnos was snared first, the tentacles seizing his arms and legs and lifting him from the bottom of the pool. Kardic and Markath managed to evade the flailing appendages, but they were in no position to aid their comrade. Suddenly, the area around them erupted in a concussive blast that flung them away from each other and sent a geyser of water and worms erupting from the surface of the lake.</p><p></p><p>“Bullseye!” Faust laughed as he saw the results of his sonicball. “We’ve got them on the run!” he shouted. “Now’s our chance!”</p><p>Hawk nodded from his perch atop one of the stalagmites which protruded from the lake, and then dove head first into the swarm of worms. His flight ability carried him like an arrow through the water, though he still felt the sting of hundreds of needle-like teeth pierce his skin as he passed through the vermin. Down into the tentacle forest he continued, moving freely through them thanks to the enchantment of his armor. When he reached the lake bottom he saw that one of the Knights was still firmly grappled by the tentacles, but the other two were free, and plodding directly towards him. Kardic reached him first, and though the Knight’s blade was slowed by the water, Hawk still felt as if he’d been struck by a sledgehammer when it connected. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Hawk saw a shadow detach itself from the entangled Knight. As it floated above its host, twin flares of emerald light flared where its eyes would be, and a stabbing pain went through the civilar’s head. Horrid visions of death and mayhem flashed behind his eyes, threatening to drive him mad. With an effort of will, Hawk pushed the images away, shaking his head violently to clear it. He braced himself, knowing that his momentary distraction had probably given the two remaining Knights a chance to flank him, but the expected blows did not fall. Instead, when he looked up he saw that both of the undead warriors were now as enmeshed in the tentacles as their brother was.</p><p></p><p>Hawk lunged towards Kardic, who was nearest to him, chopping at the Knight’s neck. To his utter amazement, his blade passed right through Kardic, as if he were a ghost. In that same instant, the Knight phased through the tentacles as well, and then stood before Hawk with sword upraised. Again Hawk struck, this time calling upon Helm to smite this unholy abomination, but once more it was if his sword were trying to cut air. Kardic swung his own sword, its blade translucent and passing effortlessly through the water, and Hawk’s armor. Though the weapon appeared insubstantial, Hawk felt it cut deep into his flesh, and bone-chilling cold filled him in its wake. Kardic prepared to attack again, but just then a tentacle wrapped around his waist and jerked him away from the civilar. Quickly, Hawk flew upwards through the water, enduring the biting worms once more as he broke from the surface of the lake.</p><p>‘I can’t touch them,’ he gasped through the mental link he still shared with his comrades. </p><p></p><p>‘I bet I can,’ Faust answered back through the link. The psion could still pinpoint the exact position of the three Knights below. Opening his mind, he let his mental energy flow forth, shaping it as it came. The result was a curtain of solid sound placed like a wall along the bottom of the lake. Barnos and Kardic were caught in the midst of the barrier as it manifested, and its sonic energy buffeted them. Even Markath, who was some ten feet away from the others, could feel the power of the energy wall. Redoubling their efforts, Barnos and Kardic tore free of their shackles and stepped out of the wall, leaving Markath on the far side. In unison, they approached the rock wall of the lake bed and gripped it with their bony fingers, preparing to climb to their attackers.</p><p></p><p>“They’re coming up the wall!” Faust cried in warning.</p><p>“Not if I can help it,” Drasek answered. Gripping his holy symbol, he began a prayer to Kelemvor. With a flash that could be seen from the surface, a curtain of living light materialized at the bottom of the lake. Rising to a height of five feet, it clung to the rock wall of the lake bed like a second skin. Searing heat scorched the Kyuss Knights as they clung to the wall. Recoiling in pain, but uttering not a sound, they dropped back to the bottom, where Barnos was immediately enmeshed in the tentacles once again.</p><p></p><p>“Nice work,” Faust said grudgingly to the inquisitor. “Let’s see if I can do better.” </p><p>Concentrating on Kardic, the psion seized mental control of the Knight’s limbs. Though the Shadow Worm struggled mightily, Faust forced him, step by step, back towards the sonic wall, finally bringing him to a halt fully immersed in the concussive energy. Then, Faust commanded the Knight to turn and place his hand fully within the light curtain. If Kardic were capable of fearing death, he would have quailed. Instead, the Kyuss Knight simply shifted his body into incorporeality, freeing him from the psion’s mental control and the pain of the twin energy barriers simultaneously.</p><p></p><p>Faust cursed. These fellows were proving to be wilier than he would have imagined. Quickly, while the two were still in close proximity, he manifested a current of sonic energy between Markath and Kardic, hoping that by keeping them on the defensive, he could whittle away at them little by little, while at the same time preventing them from counter-attacking. Yet again, the Knights were not so easily trapped. Kardic, grasping the mechanism, if not the nature of Faust’s power, lumbered towards a nearby stalagmite, interposing it between himself and Markath. Immediately, the arcing current left Markath, but continued to hammer away at Kardic. The victory was short-lived, however, as both Knights soon found Havok’s ever present tentacles wrapped around their legs, holding them in place.</p><p></p><p>“I’ve had enough of this,” Faust growled, and before anyone could stop him, the stone giant/psion leaped off the ledge, plunging through the worm-ridden surface of the lake. The worms bit at him as he passed, but his weight carried him quickly through them, and straight to the bottom. He landed behind his own energy wall, but still within the grasping tentacles. Immediately, he felt numbing cold emanating from the tendrils all about him. The worm-like appendages wrapped around him, binding him as securely as they did the Knights. Faust did not struggle, however, for he didn’t need to be free to be deadly.</p><p></p><p>“I’ll be damned if I’m going to let him take all the glory,” Hawk snarled, and he dove once more into the lake, again enduring the chewing worms. As he closed towards Kardic, the Shadow Worm tore himself free of the tentacles. The Knight began wading through the waving forest, attempting to place another stalagmite between himself and Faust, and thus escape the inexorable devastation of the energy current. Hawk was faster. The civilar smashed his sword between Kardic’s shoulders, cleaving his armor in two and severing his spine. The Kyuss Knight fell face first into the tentacles, which instinctively grabbed at his corpse and began to rip it limb from limb.</p><p></p><p>Now it was Barnos Indarna who broke free of the tentacles. The wall of sound separated him from the trapped psion, but the Knight did not seem to care. He strode right through the barrier, its energy ripping at him as he passed. Undeterred, he lifted his sword, aiming it towards the stone giant’s heart. That was the moment when Kardic perished, and with a thought, Faust redirected the energy current towards Barnos. The beam tore through the Knight’s chest, and he too fell.</p><p></p><p>Only Markath remained, and as Hawk closed to him, the Magekiller managed to disentangle himself from his bonds. He was too late. Hawk struck, his blade flashing with holy power at the same moment that Faust’s energy current blew the top of the Kyuss Knight’s head off.</p><p></p><p>At this point, Faust finally noticed the relentless squeezing of the tentacles about him. ‘Havok,’ he called through the Mindlink, ‘I could use some assistance.’ </p><p>‘I’m on it,’ Drasek responded. The inquisitor quickly invoked two blessings upon himself, one of flight, and the other of water breathing, thus enabling him to use his magic while submerged. He dove into the sea of worms and moved quickly to Faust. Reaching out to touch the psion, he then immediately whisked them back to the surface ledge via the astral plane. </p><p></p><p>It was at that precise instant that Mak’ar returned. </p><p>“He’s back!” Faust cried, though to Hawk that fact was patently obvious. This was the moment Havok had been waiting for. Stepping between dimensions, he held his breath and appeared in the middle of the lake, below the worms, but above his own tentacles. The liche had indeed returned, and he was once again surrounded by several revolving images of himself. He stood directly in the midst of the tentacle forest, yet seemed to move through them as if they didn’t exist. The warlock had expected the Harbinger to replenish his defenses, and he was ready. Raising one hand, Havok invoked a shimmering, green field that resembled gnashing teeth around the liche. These fangs ripped and tore, literally attempting to consume the magical energies that surrounded Mak’ar, but the liche was too powerful. Only one minor dweomer was taken before the effect faded.</p><p></p><p>Hawk charged towards Mak’ar at the same time that Drasek reentered the lake. The civilar hacked at the liche, but only succeeded in ripping through one of his illusory images. Drasek, however, had another plan. Mak’ar had reappeared at the exact spot from which he had vanished. This placed him with the lake wall to his back, covered by the curtain of light, Hawk in front of him, and Faust’s sonic wall to his right. His only means of escape was to his left, and it was here that the inquisitor erected a second wall of light, thus completely boxing the liche in.</p><p></p><p>Mak’ar watched all of these machinations with amusement. These fools had no idea what they were up against. His first priority was the warlock. After all, that one had managed to bring down Kelvos almost single-handedly. With a gesture, the liche erected another psychic maze, and Havok abruptly vanished. </p><p></p><p>Hawk cursed silently in frustration. The bastard was going to pick them off one by one. Enraged, he hacked again and again at the liche, taking down image after image, until only one remained. At that moment, Drasek dropped down from above, swinging his maul with all his might and connecting solidly with the spellweaver. Bone chips and teeth flew as Mak’ar’s jaw shattered. Suddenly, a terrific splash came from above, and Faust landed next to Hawk. Immediately, the psion manifested another energy current, the sonic beam boring into Mak’ar. Desperately, the liche attempted to weave his magic and place a force barrier between himself and Faust, but the pain would not allow his mind to focus on the necessary words. Only the simplest of spells would come to him, and he hurled a minor enchantment at Hawk. The blue beam struck the civilar, and he felt his strength ebb. Undaunted, Hawk swung his shield, the edge catching the liche in the throat. Mak’ar clutched at his shattered larynx, completely unable to speak. Slowly, the flickering green light faded from his eyes as Faust’s psychic power crushed the last spark of unlife that sustained him.</p><p></p><p>At the moment of the Harbinger’s destruction, Grubber and Havok were freed from their psychic prison. The first thing they noticed upon their return was the dull rumble which shook the cavern. Dust and rocks fell from the ceiling, and abruptly, the sea of writhing worms began to dissolve into a thick, viscous ooze, until not a single one of the vermin remained. The room suddenly seemed to melt away into darkness as the air filled with strange, frightening whispers. It sounded as if a hundred different voices spoke in a hundred different languages, but an instant later, the voices joined into one and the language resolved into familiar words. These words spoke of the prophecies of the Age of Worms, and as they spoke, visions of the prophecies coming true manifested, allowing the members of the League to observe the events as if they were gods looking down upon a troubled world. The visions were violent, and horrific. Legions of worm-eaten dead rose from soggy graves. An immense and demonic tree exploded into destructive life from the heart of an unfamiliar city. A burning comet lanced down from the heavens to strike the earth in a tremendous, mushroom-shaped cloud of devastation. Another city, its town square wreathed in a cloud of black smoke filled with eyes, was held in the grip of shadows that moved independently from their source. A cackling man attached a clawed and withered hand to the bleeding stump of his arm, and the hand writhed into unholy life. A city built in the heart of a volcano suffered tragedy during an eruption that saw its complete destruction. As each of these scenes flashed by, they were accompanied by a crushing sense of certainty…these events had already come to pass. Yet finally, the whispering voices spoke of two more prophecies, and these were accompanied by blackness. “A tripartite spirit once again becomes one, and at its advice, the mighty are undone,” the voices whispered. And then, “On the eve of the Age of Worms, a hero of the pit shall use his fame to gift a city to the dead.” After this, there was only silence. It would seem that two of the prophecies had yet to be realized.</p><p></p><p>Suddenly, all of the previous visions the League had received began to flash by in rapid succession, but each was subtly different. In the first, the skull symbol worn on the armor of Kyuss warped from human to that of a spellweaver and back again. Next, above and behind the torture room could be seen a figure in the shape of a two-armed insect-creature. It was handing an identical jeweled box to Mak’ar, as Mak’ar passed the box to Kyuss. Faust recognized this creature as a Netherese depiction of the god Jergal. In the third vision this same figure could be seen above and behind the desk at which Kyuss studied. It was inscribing words onto bronze disks…the same ones that Mak’ar gave to Kyuss. As the fourth vision passed, three human-like figures clawed their way out of the ground surrounding Kuluth-Mar, each one dripping with green worms. One figure was clad in full plate mail and bore an iron scepter. One was heavily cloaked and bore a dagger dripping black blood, and the last was a lich-like abomination clad in the black robes of a necromancer. Again, Faust recognized these figures. They seemed to be archaic depictions of Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul. One by one, the Jergal-figure seen in the previous visions reached down and consumed the three, and then finally, the image of Kyuss himself. After each was destroyed, Jergal sprouted another arm and swelled in size, until in the end he had six arms and seemed larger than all of Toril. Finally, after the last vision, the figure of Jergal could be seen pulling a familiar green worm out of its ear and placing it in a jeweled box.</p><p></p><p>Malchor listened intently as the tale was complete, his expression cold.</p><p>“When we made our way to the surface again,” Hawk concluded, “the ziggurat had completely collapsed on itself, taking the obsidian ring with it.”</p><p>Dagsumn, Celeste and Agath sat silently about the drawing room, each staring at the archmage. Finally Malchor spoke, his voice heavy. </p><p>“These are ill tidings. Darker than I feared. I had hoped you would find some information that would be of use to us, but instead I fear you have brought news of our doom. I must admit, I do not comprehend the significance of your visions of Jergal. The so-called Lord of the End of Everything has diminished greatly in power, his portfolio over death divided first among Bane, Bhaal and Myrkul, then passing in large part to Cyric, and now to Kelemvor. Again these three…’the Dead Three,’ though Bane is reborn. Perhaps the Ebon Triad has a larger role in these events than that of Cat’s-paw. Indeed, while you have been away, we have managed to unearth more information about the cult. In several of the scrolls and books in my library, we found references to Ebon Triad activity, most of which had short notes written in the margins by Balakarde. These notes repeated over and over his suspicion that the cult was little more than a front for the followers of Kyuss. Even more curious, in every book and scroll that mentioned Ebon Triad activity, Balakarde had underlined the word Starmantle. It would seem that a surprising number of Triad leaders hailed from this town on the Dragon Coast.”</p><p></p><p>At this point Celeste spoke. “I actually found one book on the city itself. It was titled A History of Starmantle. It was written by a priest of Tyr named Rhorsk only a few months before a despotic ruler named Prince Zeech assumed rulership of the city. One section of the book recounted the emergence and influence of a cabal of Banite heretics who attempted to establish an underground cult somewhere in the city, a cult dedicated to the ascension of their god into something greater. This cult made particular use of what they called ‘the Writhing Dead.’ The cult was defeated with the aid of one of Starmantle’s greatest spellcasters, an elven noble named Lashonna, but its leaders escaped persecution. In the margins of this account, Balakarde made a fairly extensive note.” Celeste handed a piece of parchment to Hawk. Written on it was the following: Starmantle is the key. Missing heretics never captured…possible site of Ebon Triad foundation? Did they turn to the cult of Bhaal for aid, and then more recently to that of Myrkul? Are new Triad leaders trained somewhere in Starmantle and then sent out to start their own cult cells in other cities? To Do: Lashonna (helped defeat heretics. May know more about them that wasn’t printed.); Rhorsk (research indicates he did not flee Starmantle after it fell…he’s probably dead, but may have left some sort of legacy.); Ebon Triad (are they still active in town? Find out if their original hideout/shrine still exists.)</p><p></p><p>Hawk sighed after he read the note. “It would seem our travels are just beginning,” he said.</p><p>“Now hold on just one minute,” Shay said, standing abruptly. “If you’re talking about going to Starmantle, then count me out. That’s too close to Westgate for my comfort, and the Nighmasks still have a hefty price on my head. I’m going back to Waterdeep. When…if…you finish whatever it is you have to do on the Dragon Coast, you’ll know where to find me.”</p><p>Hawk shook his head. “You will be missed my friend, but I understand. A death mark is not an easy thing to live with. What about the rest of you? Who’s up for a trip to the Coast?”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="gfunk, post: 2813725, member: 1813"] THE AGE OF WORMS REVEALED Mak’ar stood gazing off into the infinity of the maze, chuckling at his own ingenuity. Those fools may have drawn first blood, but it was the outcome that mattered. He now had all the time he needed to tend his wounds and replenish his defenses. Then he would return to the ziggurat, and there would come a reckoning. “Are they still there?” Havok called as he hovered over the writhing lake of worms. “Right below me,” Faust answered, his eyes still tightly shut, but his senses stretching into the depths of the lake where he could sense the three Kyuss Knights still gathered at the base of the ledge on which he stood. “Excellent!” the warlock shouted. “Now let’s see what we can do about keeping them there.” Havok was familiar with the layout of the lake bottom from his fruitless search for the nonexistent Key of Kyuss. Now, drawing on that knowledge, he swooped low over the crawling surface, imagining points some thirty feet below, and willing wave after wave of the worm-like green tentacles into existence. Below, Barnos Indarna, called the Dreamer in Green, Kardic, the Shadow Worm, and Markath, the Mageslayer stood still and silent. The Harbinger had bade them wait for him at this spot just before he left, but he also commanded them to do everything in their power to remain corporeal until that time. When the giant worm-tentacles began sprouting around them, they at first took it as a manifestation of the Harbinger’s power, but when the tendrils began twining about their limbs, they understood that their enemies were going to make it as difficult as possible to follow Mak’ar’s orders. Barnos was snared first, the tentacles seizing his arms and legs and lifting him from the bottom of the pool. Kardic and Markath managed to evade the flailing appendages, but they were in no position to aid their comrade. Suddenly, the area around them erupted in a concussive blast that flung them away from each other and sent a geyser of water and worms erupting from the surface of the lake. “Bullseye!” Faust laughed as he saw the results of his sonicball. “We’ve got them on the run!” he shouted. “Now’s our chance!” Hawk nodded from his perch atop one of the stalagmites which protruded from the lake, and then dove head first into the swarm of worms. His flight ability carried him like an arrow through the water, though he still felt the sting of hundreds of needle-like teeth pierce his skin as he passed through the vermin. Down into the tentacle forest he continued, moving freely through them thanks to the enchantment of his armor. When he reached the lake bottom he saw that one of the Knights was still firmly grappled by the tentacles, but the other two were free, and plodding directly towards him. Kardic reached him first, and though the Knight’s blade was slowed by the water, Hawk still felt as if he’d been struck by a sledgehammer when it connected. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Hawk saw a shadow detach itself from the entangled Knight. As it floated above its host, twin flares of emerald light flared where its eyes would be, and a stabbing pain went through the civilar’s head. Horrid visions of death and mayhem flashed behind his eyes, threatening to drive him mad. With an effort of will, Hawk pushed the images away, shaking his head violently to clear it. He braced himself, knowing that his momentary distraction had probably given the two remaining Knights a chance to flank him, but the expected blows did not fall. Instead, when he looked up he saw that both of the undead warriors were now as enmeshed in the tentacles as their brother was. Hawk lunged towards Kardic, who was nearest to him, chopping at the Knight’s neck. To his utter amazement, his blade passed right through Kardic, as if he were a ghost. In that same instant, the Knight phased through the tentacles as well, and then stood before Hawk with sword upraised. Again Hawk struck, this time calling upon Helm to smite this unholy abomination, but once more it was if his sword were trying to cut air. Kardic swung his own sword, its blade translucent and passing effortlessly through the water, and Hawk’s armor. Though the weapon appeared insubstantial, Hawk felt it cut deep into his flesh, and bone-chilling cold filled him in its wake. Kardic prepared to attack again, but just then a tentacle wrapped around his waist and jerked him away from the civilar. Quickly, Hawk flew upwards through the water, enduring the biting worms once more as he broke from the surface of the lake. ‘I can’t touch them,’ he gasped through the mental link he still shared with his comrades. ‘I bet I can,’ Faust answered back through the link. The psion could still pinpoint the exact position of the three Knights below. Opening his mind, he let his mental energy flow forth, shaping it as it came. The result was a curtain of solid sound placed like a wall along the bottom of the lake. Barnos and Kardic were caught in the midst of the barrier as it manifested, and its sonic energy buffeted them. Even Markath, who was some ten feet away from the others, could feel the power of the energy wall. Redoubling their efforts, Barnos and Kardic tore free of their shackles and stepped out of the wall, leaving Markath on the far side. In unison, they approached the rock wall of the lake bed and gripped it with their bony fingers, preparing to climb to their attackers. “They’re coming up the wall!” Faust cried in warning. “Not if I can help it,” Drasek answered. Gripping his holy symbol, he began a prayer to Kelemvor. With a flash that could be seen from the surface, a curtain of living light materialized at the bottom of the lake. Rising to a height of five feet, it clung to the rock wall of the lake bed like a second skin. Searing heat scorched the Kyuss Knights as they clung to the wall. Recoiling in pain, but uttering not a sound, they dropped back to the bottom, where Barnos was immediately enmeshed in the tentacles once again. “Nice work,” Faust said grudgingly to the inquisitor. “Let’s see if I can do better.” Concentrating on Kardic, the psion seized mental control of the Knight’s limbs. Though the Shadow Worm struggled mightily, Faust forced him, step by step, back towards the sonic wall, finally bringing him to a halt fully immersed in the concussive energy. Then, Faust commanded the Knight to turn and place his hand fully within the light curtain. If Kardic were capable of fearing death, he would have quailed. Instead, the Kyuss Knight simply shifted his body into incorporeality, freeing him from the psion’s mental control and the pain of the twin energy barriers simultaneously. Faust cursed. These fellows were proving to be wilier than he would have imagined. Quickly, while the two were still in close proximity, he manifested a current of sonic energy between Markath and Kardic, hoping that by keeping them on the defensive, he could whittle away at them little by little, while at the same time preventing them from counter-attacking. Yet again, the Knights were not so easily trapped. Kardic, grasping the mechanism, if not the nature of Faust’s power, lumbered towards a nearby stalagmite, interposing it between himself and Markath. Immediately, the arcing current left Markath, but continued to hammer away at Kardic. The victory was short-lived, however, as both Knights soon found Havok’s ever present tentacles wrapped around their legs, holding them in place. “I’ve had enough of this,” Faust growled, and before anyone could stop him, the stone giant/psion leaped off the ledge, plunging through the worm-ridden surface of the lake. The worms bit at him as he passed, but his weight carried him quickly through them, and straight to the bottom. He landed behind his own energy wall, but still within the grasping tentacles. Immediately, he felt numbing cold emanating from the tendrils all about him. The worm-like appendages wrapped around him, binding him as securely as they did the Knights. Faust did not struggle, however, for he didn’t need to be free to be deadly. “I’ll be damned if I’m going to let him take all the glory,” Hawk snarled, and he dove once more into the lake, again enduring the chewing worms. As he closed towards Kardic, the Shadow Worm tore himself free of the tentacles. The Knight began wading through the waving forest, attempting to place another stalagmite between himself and Faust, and thus escape the inexorable devastation of the energy current. Hawk was faster. The civilar smashed his sword between Kardic’s shoulders, cleaving his armor in two and severing his spine. The Kyuss Knight fell face first into the tentacles, which instinctively grabbed at his corpse and began to rip it limb from limb. Now it was Barnos Indarna who broke free of the tentacles. The wall of sound separated him from the trapped psion, but the Knight did not seem to care. He strode right through the barrier, its energy ripping at him as he passed. Undeterred, he lifted his sword, aiming it towards the stone giant’s heart. That was the moment when Kardic perished, and with a thought, Faust redirected the energy current towards Barnos. The beam tore through the Knight’s chest, and he too fell. Only Markath remained, and as Hawk closed to him, the Magekiller managed to disentangle himself from his bonds. He was too late. Hawk struck, his blade flashing with holy power at the same moment that Faust’s energy current blew the top of the Kyuss Knight’s head off. At this point, Faust finally noticed the relentless squeezing of the tentacles about him. ‘Havok,’ he called through the Mindlink, ‘I could use some assistance.’ ‘I’m on it,’ Drasek responded. The inquisitor quickly invoked two blessings upon himself, one of flight, and the other of water breathing, thus enabling him to use his magic while submerged. He dove into the sea of worms and moved quickly to Faust. Reaching out to touch the psion, he then immediately whisked them back to the surface ledge via the astral plane. It was at that precise instant that Mak’ar returned. “He’s back!” Faust cried, though to Hawk that fact was patently obvious. This was the moment Havok had been waiting for. Stepping between dimensions, he held his breath and appeared in the middle of the lake, below the worms, but above his own tentacles. The liche had indeed returned, and he was once again surrounded by several revolving images of himself. He stood directly in the midst of the tentacle forest, yet seemed to move through them as if they didn’t exist. The warlock had expected the Harbinger to replenish his defenses, and he was ready. Raising one hand, Havok invoked a shimmering, green field that resembled gnashing teeth around the liche. These fangs ripped and tore, literally attempting to consume the magical energies that surrounded Mak’ar, but the liche was too powerful. Only one minor dweomer was taken before the effect faded. Hawk charged towards Mak’ar at the same time that Drasek reentered the lake. The civilar hacked at the liche, but only succeeded in ripping through one of his illusory images. Drasek, however, had another plan. Mak’ar had reappeared at the exact spot from which he had vanished. This placed him with the lake wall to his back, covered by the curtain of light, Hawk in front of him, and Faust’s sonic wall to his right. His only means of escape was to his left, and it was here that the inquisitor erected a second wall of light, thus completely boxing the liche in. Mak’ar watched all of these machinations with amusement. These fools had no idea what they were up against. His first priority was the warlock. After all, that one had managed to bring down Kelvos almost single-handedly. With a gesture, the liche erected another psychic maze, and Havok abruptly vanished. Hawk cursed silently in frustration. The bastard was going to pick them off one by one. Enraged, he hacked again and again at the liche, taking down image after image, until only one remained. At that moment, Drasek dropped down from above, swinging his maul with all his might and connecting solidly with the spellweaver. Bone chips and teeth flew as Mak’ar’s jaw shattered. Suddenly, a terrific splash came from above, and Faust landed next to Hawk. Immediately, the psion manifested another energy current, the sonic beam boring into Mak’ar. Desperately, the liche attempted to weave his magic and place a force barrier between himself and Faust, but the pain would not allow his mind to focus on the necessary words. Only the simplest of spells would come to him, and he hurled a minor enchantment at Hawk. The blue beam struck the civilar, and he felt his strength ebb. Undaunted, Hawk swung his shield, the edge catching the liche in the throat. Mak’ar clutched at his shattered larynx, completely unable to speak. Slowly, the flickering green light faded from his eyes as Faust’s psychic power crushed the last spark of unlife that sustained him. At the moment of the Harbinger’s destruction, Grubber and Havok were freed from their psychic prison. The first thing they noticed upon their return was the dull rumble which shook the cavern. Dust and rocks fell from the ceiling, and abruptly, the sea of writhing worms began to dissolve into a thick, viscous ooze, until not a single one of the vermin remained. The room suddenly seemed to melt away into darkness as the air filled with strange, frightening whispers. It sounded as if a hundred different voices spoke in a hundred different languages, but an instant later, the voices joined into one and the language resolved into familiar words. These words spoke of the prophecies of the Age of Worms, and as they spoke, visions of the prophecies coming true manifested, allowing the members of the League to observe the events as if they were gods looking down upon a troubled world. The visions were violent, and horrific. Legions of worm-eaten dead rose from soggy graves. An immense and demonic tree exploded into destructive life from the heart of an unfamiliar city. A burning comet lanced down from the heavens to strike the earth in a tremendous, mushroom-shaped cloud of devastation. Another city, its town square wreathed in a cloud of black smoke filled with eyes, was held in the grip of shadows that moved independently from their source. A cackling man attached a clawed and withered hand to the bleeding stump of his arm, and the hand writhed into unholy life. A city built in the heart of a volcano suffered tragedy during an eruption that saw its complete destruction. As each of these scenes flashed by, they were accompanied by a crushing sense of certainty…these events had already come to pass. Yet finally, the whispering voices spoke of two more prophecies, and these were accompanied by blackness. “A tripartite spirit once again becomes one, and at its advice, the mighty are undone,” the voices whispered. And then, “On the eve of the Age of Worms, a hero of the pit shall use his fame to gift a city to the dead.” After this, there was only silence. It would seem that two of the prophecies had yet to be realized. Suddenly, all of the previous visions the League had received began to flash by in rapid succession, but each was subtly different. In the first, the skull symbol worn on the armor of Kyuss warped from human to that of a spellweaver and back again. Next, above and behind the torture room could be seen a figure in the shape of a two-armed insect-creature. It was handing an identical jeweled box to Mak’ar, as Mak’ar passed the box to Kyuss. Faust recognized this creature as a Netherese depiction of the god Jergal. In the third vision this same figure could be seen above and behind the desk at which Kyuss studied. It was inscribing words onto bronze disks…the same ones that Mak’ar gave to Kyuss. As the fourth vision passed, three human-like figures clawed their way out of the ground surrounding Kuluth-Mar, each one dripping with green worms. One figure was clad in full plate mail and bore an iron scepter. One was heavily cloaked and bore a dagger dripping black blood, and the last was a lich-like abomination clad in the black robes of a necromancer. Again, Faust recognized these figures. They seemed to be archaic depictions of Bane, Bhaal, and Myrkul. One by one, the Jergal-figure seen in the previous visions reached down and consumed the three, and then finally, the image of Kyuss himself. After each was destroyed, Jergal sprouted another arm and swelled in size, until in the end he had six arms and seemed larger than all of Toril. Finally, after the last vision, the figure of Jergal could be seen pulling a familiar green worm out of its ear and placing it in a jeweled box. Malchor listened intently as the tale was complete, his expression cold. “When we made our way to the surface again,” Hawk concluded, “the ziggurat had completely collapsed on itself, taking the obsidian ring with it.” Dagsumn, Celeste and Agath sat silently about the drawing room, each staring at the archmage. Finally Malchor spoke, his voice heavy. “These are ill tidings. Darker than I feared. I had hoped you would find some information that would be of use to us, but instead I fear you have brought news of our doom. I must admit, I do not comprehend the significance of your visions of Jergal. The so-called Lord of the End of Everything has diminished greatly in power, his portfolio over death divided first among Bane, Bhaal and Myrkul, then passing in large part to Cyric, and now to Kelemvor. Again these three…’the Dead Three,’ though Bane is reborn. Perhaps the Ebon Triad has a larger role in these events than that of Cat’s-paw. Indeed, while you have been away, we have managed to unearth more information about the cult. In several of the scrolls and books in my library, we found references to Ebon Triad activity, most of which had short notes written in the margins by Balakarde. These notes repeated over and over his suspicion that the cult was little more than a front for the followers of Kyuss. Even more curious, in every book and scroll that mentioned Ebon Triad activity, Balakarde had underlined the word Starmantle. It would seem that a surprising number of Triad leaders hailed from this town on the Dragon Coast.” At this point Celeste spoke. “I actually found one book on the city itself. It was titled A History of Starmantle. It was written by a priest of Tyr named Rhorsk only a few months before a despotic ruler named Prince Zeech assumed rulership of the city. One section of the book recounted the emergence and influence of a cabal of Banite heretics who attempted to establish an underground cult somewhere in the city, a cult dedicated to the ascension of their god into something greater. This cult made particular use of what they called ‘the Writhing Dead.’ The cult was defeated with the aid of one of Starmantle’s greatest spellcasters, an elven noble named Lashonna, but its leaders escaped persecution. In the margins of this account, Balakarde made a fairly extensive note.” Celeste handed a piece of parchment to Hawk. Written on it was the following: Starmantle is the key. Missing heretics never captured…possible site of Ebon Triad foundation? Did they turn to the cult of Bhaal for aid, and then more recently to that of Myrkul? Are new Triad leaders trained somewhere in Starmantle and then sent out to start their own cult cells in other cities? To Do: Lashonna (helped defeat heretics. May know more about them that wasn’t printed.); Rhorsk (research indicates he did not flee Starmantle after it fell…he’s probably dead, but may have left some sort of legacy.); Ebon Triad (are they still active in town? Find out if their original hideout/shrine still exists.) Hawk sighed after he read the note. “It would seem our travels are just beginning,” he said. “Now hold on just one minute,” Shay said, standing abruptly. “If you’re talking about going to Starmantle, then count me out. That’s too close to Westgate for my comfort, and the Nighmasks still have a hefty price on my head. I’m going back to Waterdeep. When…if…you finish whatever it is you have to do on the Dragon Coast, you’ll know where to find me.” Hawk shook his head. “You will be missed my friend, but I understand. A death mark is not an easy thing to live with. What about the rest of you? Who’s up for a trip to the Coast?” [/QUOTE]
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JollyDoc's Age of Worms (Updated 11/30, Epilogue!)
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