Encyclopaedia Altanica

[Rystil Arden]

I thought I'd fixed the name in the first place, but noticed after I posted it that I hadn't (must have posted the wrong version at the time), so I thought I'd wait until I needed to add something in before reposting it and correcting the name.

Good call

 

[Bront]

Technically we still managed not to get ahead of schedule--it just seems that way, but it only made up for barely making it in with the Gladiator on time, whereas we used to post bright and early on the day the posts were due

*Cracks whip

Back to work then!

 

[Rystil Arden]

The Sage

The Seeker walked along the dusty dungeon corridor, seemingly unaware of anything in the world around it, holding open a dusty book and reading as it walked.

It ducked as it walked onto a miscoloured flagstone, thinking "Lifebane Poisoned Spear Trap located at coordinates 356.32 by 425.79. Height is at 2 metres. Bending over by approximately one third should eliminate any danger."

Suddenly a deadly-looking spear coated with a nasty-looking black ichor zoomed out of the wall just overhead, but The Seeker kept walking and reading its book, unconcerned by this event. As it walked into a long hallway, its smooth shiny grey skin emphasised in the low torchlight from the sconces on the wall, hundreds of arrows began to shoot at it from the wall. "Arrow traps," The Seeker thought, "225 in number. Self-reloading with an initial arsenal of 20 arrows per trap. Nonmagical. With Protection from Arrows active and a Heavy Fortification effect, damage expectation: Negligible."

It walked slowly down the hall with its book, ignoring the thousands of arrows that piled up along the floor.

As The Seeker neared its goal, there was a loud crashing sound, as a huge metallic creature, vaguely shaped to resemble a massive humanoid in armour, moved forward to block its goal. "Nivshaln Golem," The Seeker thought, "Immune to all Magic. Virtually indestructible by weapons. Command Word: Ghravesh."

"Ghravesh," The Seeker said quietly, not slowing its pace for an instant, and the giant monster suddenly went quiescent, allowing The Seeker to pass.

Walking forward to the pedestal holding its prize, The Seeker turned to the stunned companion behind it and said. "I have eliminated the traps. Here is the prize you seek."

"Excellent!" the lady exclaimed, tossing The Seeker the bag of coins that she had promised it as she rushed to the pedestal and grabbed the ancient tome.

"Death Trap," The Seeker thought, "A synergistic bond between the tome and the pedestal. Word of Dissolution: Inadvisible. Consensus: Unavoidable. Solution: Bring along a dupe."

The lady screamed in agony, reaching out to The Seeker for aid that would not come, as her body became desiccated and rotted from within, though her cries were quickly muted as her flesh decayed and rotted away, leaving only a putrid skeleton covered in light-blue hair.

"Chance of returning as a vengeful spirit, unlikely but possible," The Seeker thought, "Solution: Trap the soul."

It pulled out a black sapphire and siphoned what was left of her soul into the gem where it could not come back to haunt The Seeker, then dusted off its prize and put the book it had been reading up to this point back into its backpack. It had a new book now.

 

[Rystil Arden]

The Troubadour

"I am a wanderer. I travel across the stars to experience the thrill of the void and the bond with each land I meet. I doubt I have anything you want, and I wish no quarrel with you," Corinne explained to the bandits, "But I suppose you leave me no choice."

As the bandits rushed forwards, she strummed a few notes on her lute and sung a wordless threnody that echoed the beautiful emptiness of Wildspace. Suddenly, the world dropped away beneath the bandits' feet, leaving only the starry darkness behind. The bandits' air envelope was enough to sustain them, but they lacked means for efficient propulsion, whereas Corinne simply walked away as if nothing had happened, leaving the ragged men drifting in the blackness as she hummed a light, playful tune.

 

[Rystil Arden]

The Ronin

"So, you are the Ronin. In the name of the Scorpion Clan, you shall not persist," Mei-Tso accused sharply, his hand going to his sword as the man being accused continued to look in the other direction, drinking his Otya and not even deigning to turn around and face the Imperial Samurai.

"Do not draw the sword, or you will die," the seated man stated flatly, still without looking up.

"You dare insult the Emperor's chosen Samurai, lordless scoundrel?" Mei-Tso asked angrily, drawing his sword and rushing forward to close the short gap between the teo men.

As the Imperial Samurai began the downward arc of his attack, the seated man stood up and twisted around with preternatural speed, pulling out his sword and making a quick superficial cut above the eyes, spurting blood across his assailant's eyes to block his vision, followed by a brutal follow-up that the samurai could not see to block, slicing Mei-Tso in two.

"I told you not to draw the sword," the Ronin said emotionlessly, wiping his sword clean on the dead man's fine armour as he goes back to his Otya, ignoring the corpse behind him.

 

[Rystil Arden]

The Champion

"Zyldrina S'Garynth?"

"Leave me alone, you flithy Sacra scum!"

"I'm sorry...I'm not with the Inquisitors. My name is Arinia, and I just want to be your friend."

"Bah, I don't have any friends among your kind. You lock me up here and then say you want to be my friend? Damn hypocrite!"

"I apologise, but from what I hear, you were involved in kidnapping villagers and using them in necromantic experiments..."

"Ahh, yes! My thesis on enhancing bone marrow in a freshly-killed corpse to create a more powerful type of skeleton would have won me a chair at the Garynth Academy for sure!"

"Zyldrina, my sister, I am afraid for you that you can think of the slaughter of innocents in such a way. I think you need a hug...I'm going to release your bonds--I can't believe the Inquisitors would use such things...Let's just talk, and then you can leave this place--and whatever the Inquisitors think of it, it will be on my head."

Arinia walked over and gently released Zyldrina's bonds, encompassing the Altanian in a big, gentle hug. Zyldrina seemed to tense a bit, poised as if to strike at the other woman and throttle the life from her neck, but then thought better of it. The door was locked on them both, and if she killed this fool, she would lose her chance to escape. Besides, the necromancer couldn't understand why, but Arinia's hug felt oddly comforting, and she decided to release her tension and bring her arms around the Sacra instead.

"There we go," Arinia said with a smile, "See? That wasn't so hard. Oh, but you are injured--how awful! How could they?"

Arinia gently laid her slender hand on Zyldrina's injuries, stroking the Altanian's skin gently, and the necromancer felt a wave of joy and bliss as the wounds simply vanished.

"That...that felt..." Zyldrina stuttered

"I know, my sister. I know. It is Circe's love for you, and her great hope that you may cast away the taint that is eating your soul and come and live a life full of love and happiness."

"You're saying that I could just leave behind what I have done? I doubt it. No goddess is that forgiving. I besides, I still want to finish my thesis, no matter what you say."

"You could start a new thesis, but this time think of things that will help people be happy and healthy. It feels so good to help someone else--here, take this gift," and the Champion imbued the Altanian with the ability to cast a spell of Bliss from Circe's bounty.

"What is this?" Zyldrina asked sceptically.

"Use it. It is the power to heal a mind and fill it with joy."

"I guess I won't turn down the offer of free power," the necromancer admitted, as she used her new ability, sending bliss from her hands into Arinia, seeing the Sacra smile and give her another hug and feeling a warm feeling inside. This was unlike anything she had ever felt before. It made her feel so wonderful to give like this.

"See? Doesn't it feel good to give to others, my sister?"

"Yes...I will admit it does. How can I learn more of this?"

"Then you seek the light of redemption?"

"I...I guess so."

"Oh, how joyous!" Arinia said, grabbing Zyldrina in a big hug, "Stay in my arms with me, my sister, and Circe will shine her love into your heart.

Slowly but inexorably, the Altanian's hair began to grow pink, as her heart filled with joy and her mind and body were redeemed, as Zyldrina became a loving Sacra, all thought of evil necromantic experiments washed away and replaced with compassion for those who were suffering.

"I love you Sister," Zyldrina whispered gently, giving Arinia a kiss.

"I know, my darling sister," Arinia replied fondly, glad that good had triumphed over evil once again.

 

[Rystil Arden]

The Shaman

"Who dares awaken Vailaos, Elder Spirit of Fire?" a voice boomed from the ineffable flame.

"It is I, Rvysa, Shaman of the Laaort Tribe."

"Fool! Those of the Laaort Tribe have long sought to control me, but none has tried yet that has not been burnt into nothing more than ashes!"

"Lani," Rvysa whispered to her Guardian Spirit, "When you taught me the summoning ritual for Vailaos, you told me you had summoned him before."

"Sure," Alaniranisa replied, "I did summon him, Vysa, but y'know, I had to join your ancestor spirits somehow or another, right? You should have checked--I was burned to ashes. Joking aside, I know you can handle it."

"Hmm...no wonder you are so young for an ancestor spirit...some guardian you are!"

"Well, we can actually alter our age to whatever we think best represents us. For me, it was when I died. Right about your age. My Guardian Spirit had just taught me the summoning ritual for Vailaos, and...well...I was always a little bit cocky, so I tried it before I was ready."

"Oh great," Rvysa grimaced, turning back to face the angry fire spirit, "Maybe I should have chosen something less dangerous as a Guardian, like maybe a nice quiet deer spirit."

"Awww, come on Vysa--what would be the fun it that?" Alaniranisa replied.

"I suppose you're right," Rvysa thought with a smile.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Note: If anyone has information from Rystil not from posts they think I should include, please email it to me via my profile or email address if you already have that.

Unleashed are you still working on your zip document? If so I think we should have a talk about combining our efforts.

 

[unleashed]

Sure am, any info you'd like to add.

I'm already partway through formatting Rystil's classes, but wasn't going to post them until Rystil did the few remaining ones, so I'd only have to post it once (looks like there's no rush ).

 

[Rystil Arden]

Sure am, any info you'd like to add.

I'm already partway through formatting Rystil's classes, but wasn't going to post them until Rystil did the few remaining ones, so I'd only have to post it once (looks like there's no rush ).

Looks like you both may have been working on the same thing then