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Message: <blockquote data-quote="akira1" data-source="post: 4397320" data-attributes="member: 64437">Some backgroundThe heavy cloud cover that dominated the continent of Garsis seemed to droop lower this morning as Opal Mardochin marched towards what for many would be the end of their time here. The svirfneblin priestess was the Leader of the Cadre, the Scions elite police force within his city-state of Rath on the continent of Garsis. Her pit black eyes only barely noticed the lesser priestess within the Scions massive compound as they bowed to quite possibly the second most powerful being in the city. Her head was shaved as was the custom for the Priestess of the Scion and her network of crisscrossing interlinked chains covered her naked chest. She finally reached the door and standing there was a single being, an Ade'Kanya, one of the Holy Ones. Without thinking Opal prostrated herself before this being and waited until it acknowledge her presence. The Ade'Kanya, Kawl by name, towered at 7'6'' he had cords of ropey muscle covering his arms and chest and his pale blue skin. A gentle mental nudge alerted Opal to his acknowledgement and she hastily stood and then passed through the massive iron doors this being guarded. Opals thoughts raced as she entered the room. One of the Holy Ones, here in Rath, the rumors she had heard about the Scarlet Circle must be true. The vast room beyond the door was back lit with greenish motes of light which swirled in a maddeningly regular pattern. A single darkwood table, in a triangular shape stood in the middle of the room. Opal immediately noticed four things, there was no chair for her, Raesa Darkover, the High priestess of the Scion and her primary rival for power in the city was seated in a chair at the High table with Lo'Tyrra Shoon, she gaped at the Holy Shoon, and even more surprising the Scion, who had been dormant for the past century, sat in audience as well. Lo'Tyrra's bald head gleamed and the tracery of her link equipment glowed with a cold blue radiance. Raesa sat smug as ever with a dark gleam in her cruel eyes. The shadows which seemed to form the Scion pulsed and moved as if they were sampling the air. Opal drew in a deep breath and squared her shoulders as she prepared to fight for her right to live and serve the Scion and the Holy Shoon. In a totally different place another meeting was occuring as well. The Dark Maiden moved with a quickening excitement as she walked into the ancient temple, whose location was known only to her and the Cold Rider, to awaken their master the Dread Lich King. A soft black diaphanous gown hung over her jet black body and her features seemed to have been carved from onyx. As she came into the central chamber she stopped a minute and looked at the accumulated knowledge of centuries that stood here. As she began to operate the controls that would release her master from stasis, the Dark Maiden fleetingly thought of the things that the world had forgotten even existed and now only existed in this room as a side note in history. As the massive energies built to infuse the Lich King, the Dark Maiden took out the scroll tube she had received from one of her underlings and looked over the dire message it contained. "The Shoon live." Was all it said but that name alone had sent her across the Trackless miles of the Black Sands Desert and had caused her to dispatch agents throughtout the continent. She knew the Lich King would not be happy with this news. The ancient sarcophagus opened and a brilliant radiance coalesced into the skeletal remains of the undisputed ruler of Garsis, the Lich King. The Dark Maiden fell to her knees and produced his simple circlet which marked him as the King. His skeletal hand gestured and the circlet lifted and floated above his head, automatically aligning itself to his nexus points. In a voice dusty from time, he said, "why have I been awakened my dark maiden and why is there no sacrifice?" Trembling the Dark Maiden began, "Dread Lord, there was no time.  A matter of utmost urgency has come to my attention."  With this, the Dark Maiden produced the scroll and delivered it up to the Lich King who glanced at it once. The scroll suddenly bust into white hot flame that didnt even leave ashes. The Lich King began to stride through his hall and as he did link equipment flew from hidden niches throughout the room and attatched itself to him in a whirling maelstrom of steel and pure psionic force. "Summon the Cold Rider and the Sarn Empress, the Lich King snapped "I want evidence Igrenea."   "It will be as you command my lord!" the Dark Maiden quickly replied but even in the back of her mind she wondered if the long absences, this being one of his longest, had begun to drive him insane..... And finally in an altogether different place....... 7 beings draped in heavy black cloaks stood with their cowls pulled forward to conceal their faces. Their long white hands were the only things visible in the reflected light from the wyrding fire which lit up this room and provided these beings with their peculiar gifts. As one they intoned, "The signs and portents are clear. The age is at and end and the time for great upheavals and change has once again come upon us." The dual images of the awakening Lich King and then a far more sinister and dark figure, one that filled even these beings with dread, appeared in the column of bluish green wyrding fire. The 7 looked at the images for a time and then as one they left the cavern. Each knowing instinctually what they must do now to bring about the end of this age some of the mortals had termed the Age of Man if the mortals only knew how inappropriate that name had been.....</blockquote>

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