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JollyDoc's Savage Tide-Updated 10/8!
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<blockquote data-quote="JollyDoc" data-source="post: 4174817" data-attributes="member: 9546"><p>EPILOGUE</p><p></p><p>“You have no right to claim what’s ours, witch!” </p><p>Tower Cleaver’s biceps barely showed tension as he held back the furious goliath. Several safe feet away stood Iggwilv, Mandi by her side. </p><p>“What’s yours?” the witch queen said, smiling and cocking her head. “By what right do you claim the soul of a demon lord?”</p><p>“By the right that he died by our hands!” Sepoto screamed.</p><p>“An accomplishment that would not have been possible without my assistance,” Iggwilv said, matter-of-factly.</p><p>“Mandi, are you just going to stand there and let her do this?” the crusader glared at the sorceress. “Do you not recall what’s at stake here?”</p><p>“If you mean your ill-conceived bargain with Ahazu,” Iggwilv interrupted, “Mandi has nothing to fear…not as long as she is under my protection.” She looked meaningfully at her new apprentice.</p><p>“Where does that leave us??” Sepoto raged.</p><p>Iggwilv sighed, and began pacing in irritation. “It leaves you with a big problem that is exactly that: your problem, not mine. I have kept my side of the bargain. I gave you no assurances beyond that. Still, certainly you realize that things have changed since your little arrangement with the Seizer?”</p><p>“Yes, they’ve changed all right!” the crusader spat. “You’ve used us and now you’re throwing us to the wolves!”</p><p>Iggwilv shrugged. “That may well be, but that’s not what I’m speaking of. You’ve just slain a demon lord, and not just any demon lord…the Prince of Demons. Do you think just anyone could do that? Thousands have tried before, most more capable than you, and none have succeeded. Why is that, do you think? Certainly you had help, but that alone could not have assured your victory. No, for whatever reason, you and your companions were chosen for this. By whom, I cannot say, but there are powers at work here greater than you can comprehend…certainly greater than Ahazu. You have achieved something epic here today, and though your pact with the Seizer still holds great power, it is no longer absolute. Ahazu will still try to collect, but the outcome is by no means assured.”</p><p>Sepoto was quiet for a moment, distrust still on his face, but his rage somewhat lessened. </p><p>“Are you saying…you’ll help us?” he asked at length.</p><p>“I’ve helped you more than you deserve,” she laughed. “No, you are no longer my concern, but there are others who might see things differently. By my calculations, you have about fifty-five days left to find out.”</p><p></p><p>Daelric only half-listened to the debate. The young cleric had managed to undo most of the damage Nulonga had inflicted upon him, and had also fished Octurus out of the water. Fortunately, the demon hunter had still been alive…barely. Daelric had brought him back to consciousness, and had healed the worst of his wounds, but the rest would have to wait. The priest was exhausted and drained physically, emotionally and spiritually. </p><p>“This is all I could find,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “There’s nothing else left.”</p><p>He held a small, severed finger in one hand, all that remained of Marius.</p><p>“Maybe tomorrow I can beseech Shaundekal to grant me greater power to restore him, but not today.”</p><p>“Each day your friend’s soul spends in limbo is another that Ahazu can use to imprison it,” Iggwilv said.</p><p>“What would you have me do?” Daelric replied angrily, rising to his feet. “Can you restore him to life? Can you do anything but gloat?”</p><p>“I am no healer,” the witch answered, ignoring his insults. “Quite the opposite, in fact.”</p><p>“Perhaps I can help,” Octurus said, taking the grisly appendage from Daelric’s hand.</p><p>“You?” Daelric asked. “How? No offense, but voodoo and witchcraft aren’t going to be of much use here.”</p><p>“Perhaps,” the Maztican shrugged, “but the magic of my people is ancient, and relies on the universal forces of nature…forces that apply even in this, the most unnatural of environments.”</p><p>He clutched Marius’s finger in his grip, and bowed his head, chanting low, the words unintelligible. As he finished, he touched each of his totemic tattoos in sequence, then placed the digit on the ground. Nothing happened. The dead flesh remained inert. Octurus sighed, and bowed his head.</p><p>“His soul does not answer,” he said. “He is gone…beyond our reach forever…”</p><p>____________________________________________________________</p><p></p><p>“What of the master pearl?” Mandi asked quietly, once she and Iggwilv were out of earshot of the others.</p><p>“You must remove it to a safe place,” her mistress replied. “As long as it exists, the Savage Tide can still be triggered, and who knows what whims might strike the new Prince of Demons?”</p><p>“You know who it is?” Mandi asked, her eyes wide.</p><p>“Of course!” Iggwilv smiled. “There were only a handful of realistic candidates on Gaping Maw at the time of Demogorgon’s death: Dagon, Tetradarian, Orcus and…Graz’zt.”</p><p>Mandi’s jaw dropped as the witch queen ticked off the names.</p><p>“Do I dare ask who was the victor?”</p><p>“Why, none other than our old ally…Orcus,” Iggwilv answered. “There was never any real doubt in my mind that it would be him. After all, he among them all is the only one who has ever truly touched divinity. It has always been his hope to regain that status, and with the added power of the Crown, he might just succeed. Ah, but these are concerns for lesser beings, my pet. As I was saying, your first responsibility is to secure the master pearl, and then find a way to destroy it. A Savage Tide sweeping across the Prime does not suit my future plans.”</p><p>_________________________________________________________________</p><p></p><p>In the end, there was only one logical choice as a secure location to study the master pearl and find a means of destroying it…the Court of Stars. The six companions and Iggwilv left Wat Dagon, and the witch queen then opened one final portal to the home of the eladrin and sent the Legionnaires through, promising that they would meet again…soon.</p><p></p><p>Morwel and the Court greeted the six as legendary heroes, and the celebrations that followed went on for days. Gwynharwyf was overcome when she finally had a chance to speak with the companions alone. She was profuse in her apologies for not being able to aid them in their hour of need, but swore her eternal gratitude to them all for their accomplishments. Octurus, especially, she favored, and when the Maztican demon hunter told her of their misguided arrangement with Ahazu, the Whirling Fury vowed to speak with Morwel on his behalf…and on behalf of Tower Cleaver. For a short time, the minotaur seemed completely at peace. While on the Court of Stars, he never donned his armor, nor did he carry any arms. He spent hours under the stars, or wandering far in the lush fields or fragrant woods. He became something of a mascot for many of the eladrin, and his laughter could be heard booming through the Court at all hours.</p><p></p><p>Ultimately, the task of destroying the master pearl proved simplicity itself. Hours of research on the part of Mandi and Marius, aided by the brightest minds among the eladrin, revealed that the pearl need only be immersed in waters of exceptional serenity and purity. The Fountain of Beauty proved more than adequate. As Mandi dipped the pearl into the pool, it crackled and smoked, seemingly on the verge of bursting, before turning white and brittle, the consistency of chalk. The threat of the Savage Tide was ended.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="JollyDoc, post: 4174817, member: 9546"] EPILOGUE “You have no right to claim what’s ours, witch!” Tower Cleaver’s biceps barely showed tension as he held back the furious goliath. Several safe feet away stood Iggwilv, Mandi by her side. “What’s yours?” the witch queen said, smiling and cocking her head. “By what right do you claim the soul of a demon lord?” “By the right that he died by our hands!” Sepoto screamed. “An accomplishment that would not have been possible without my assistance,” Iggwilv said, matter-of-factly. “Mandi, are you just going to stand there and let her do this?” the crusader glared at the sorceress. “Do you not recall what’s at stake here?” “If you mean your ill-conceived bargain with Ahazu,” Iggwilv interrupted, “Mandi has nothing to fear…not as long as she is under my protection.” She looked meaningfully at her new apprentice. “Where does that leave us??” Sepoto raged. Iggwilv sighed, and began pacing in irritation. “It leaves you with a big problem that is exactly that: your problem, not mine. I have kept my side of the bargain. I gave you no assurances beyond that. Still, certainly you realize that things have changed since your little arrangement with the Seizer?” “Yes, they’ve changed all right!” the crusader spat. “You’ve used us and now you’re throwing us to the wolves!” Iggwilv shrugged. “That may well be, but that’s not what I’m speaking of. You’ve just slain a demon lord, and not just any demon lord…the Prince of Demons. Do you think just anyone could do that? Thousands have tried before, most more capable than you, and none have succeeded. Why is that, do you think? Certainly you had help, but that alone could not have assured your victory. No, for whatever reason, you and your companions were chosen for this. By whom, I cannot say, but there are powers at work here greater than you can comprehend…certainly greater than Ahazu. You have achieved something epic here today, and though your pact with the Seizer still holds great power, it is no longer absolute. Ahazu will still try to collect, but the outcome is by no means assured.” Sepoto was quiet for a moment, distrust still on his face, but his rage somewhat lessened. “Are you saying…you’ll help us?” he asked at length. “I’ve helped you more than you deserve,” she laughed. “No, you are no longer my concern, but there are others who might see things differently. By my calculations, you have about fifty-five days left to find out.” Daelric only half-listened to the debate. The young cleric had managed to undo most of the damage Nulonga had inflicted upon him, and had also fished Octurus out of the water. Fortunately, the demon hunter had still been alive…barely. Daelric had brought him back to consciousness, and had healed the worst of his wounds, but the rest would have to wait. The priest was exhausted and drained physically, emotionally and spiritually. “This is all I could find,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “There’s nothing else left.” He held a small, severed finger in one hand, all that remained of Marius. “Maybe tomorrow I can beseech Shaundekal to grant me greater power to restore him, but not today.” “Each day your friend’s soul spends in limbo is another that Ahazu can use to imprison it,” Iggwilv said. “What would you have me do?” Daelric replied angrily, rising to his feet. “Can you restore him to life? Can you do anything but gloat?” “I am no healer,” the witch answered, ignoring his insults. “Quite the opposite, in fact.” “Perhaps I can help,” Octurus said, taking the grisly appendage from Daelric’s hand. “You?” Daelric asked. “How? No offense, but voodoo and witchcraft aren’t going to be of much use here.” “Perhaps,” the Maztican shrugged, “but the magic of my people is ancient, and relies on the universal forces of nature…forces that apply even in this, the most unnatural of environments.” He clutched Marius’s finger in his grip, and bowed his head, chanting low, the words unintelligible. As he finished, he touched each of his totemic tattoos in sequence, then placed the digit on the ground. Nothing happened. The dead flesh remained inert. Octurus sighed, and bowed his head. “His soul does not answer,” he said. “He is gone…beyond our reach forever…” ____________________________________________________________ “What of the master pearl?” Mandi asked quietly, once she and Iggwilv were out of earshot of the others. “You must remove it to a safe place,” her mistress replied. “As long as it exists, the Savage Tide can still be triggered, and who knows what whims might strike the new Prince of Demons?” “You know who it is?” Mandi asked, her eyes wide. “Of course!” Iggwilv smiled. “There were only a handful of realistic candidates on Gaping Maw at the time of Demogorgon’s death: Dagon, Tetradarian, Orcus and…Graz’zt.” Mandi’s jaw dropped as the witch queen ticked off the names. “Do I dare ask who was the victor?” “Why, none other than our old ally…Orcus,” Iggwilv answered. “There was never any real doubt in my mind that it would be him. After all, he among them all is the only one who has ever truly touched divinity. It has always been his hope to regain that status, and with the added power of the Crown, he might just succeed. Ah, but these are concerns for lesser beings, my pet. As I was saying, your first responsibility is to secure the master pearl, and then find a way to destroy it. A Savage Tide sweeping across the Prime does not suit my future plans.” _________________________________________________________________ In the end, there was only one logical choice as a secure location to study the master pearl and find a means of destroying it…the Court of Stars. The six companions and Iggwilv left Wat Dagon, and the witch queen then opened one final portal to the home of the eladrin and sent the Legionnaires through, promising that they would meet again…soon. Morwel and the Court greeted the six as legendary heroes, and the celebrations that followed went on for days. Gwynharwyf was overcome when she finally had a chance to speak with the companions alone. She was profuse in her apologies for not being able to aid them in their hour of need, but swore her eternal gratitude to them all for their accomplishments. Octurus, especially, she favored, and when the Maztican demon hunter told her of their misguided arrangement with Ahazu, the Whirling Fury vowed to speak with Morwel on his behalf…and on behalf of Tower Cleaver. For a short time, the minotaur seemed completely at peace. While on the Court of Stars, he never donned his armor, nor did he carry any arms. He spent hours under the stars, or wandering far in the lush fields or fragrant woods. He became something of a mascot for many of the eladrin, and his laughter could be heard booming through the Court at all hours. Ultimately, the task of destroying the master pearl proved simplicity itself. Hours of research on the part of Mandi and Marius, aided by the brightest minds among the eladrin, revealed that the pearl need only be immersed in waters of exceptional serenity and purity. The Fountain of Beauty proved more than adequate. As Mandi dipped the pearl into the pool, it crackled and smoked, seemingly on the verge of bursting, before turning white and brittle, the consistency of chalk. The threat of the Savage Tide was ended. [/QUOTE]
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