The Creation Schema:THE FINAL BATTLE FOR POSSESSION OF THE SCHEMA

[megamania]

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 346
“IS THAT A BIRD? IS THAT A DRAGON? NO- IT’S SCREECHA!!!!”
1/1/14

ARYTH 5, 999

Suddenly, all of the snow and ice break away from the mountain and glacier face. It destroys and adds to its own mass anything and everything in its path.

“RUN!” screams Alton at the wide-eyed raptor. It begins to sprint as best as it can. Alton pulls out a ring and puts it on while the snow is just reaching them. “I wish Screecha could fly away from this!” The snow covers them and they disappear from view under a thunderous crash of snow, ice, stone and anything and everything caught in its wake.

Then it happens.

A huge raptor carrying a halfling (covering his head and face for the impending crushing death) rises to the air. It calls out in sheer joy. If it could speak in the language of the humans it would be yelling- “I’m Flying! Look at me! I’m Flying!” Instead it is a long carried out series of honks and screeches. Alton dares to peek out from his arms…. “it worked! It worked! We’re alive. You’re flying!” He begins to kiss the ring of wishes but stops.

“HOLY COOLNESS! THAT’S AWESOME!”

Screecha cannot look back to see her new wings. They are multi-colored butterfly wings… like a fairy dragon…. But bigger.

“I love you Screecha.” And the halfling ranger / druid hugs his animal companion’s neck. And they climb up.

A sudden fierce breeze blows across the valley and her flight pattern is disrupted. Just because a wish gave it wings doesn’t mean she knows how to use them. [insert evil DM laugh here]

“Okay girl- lets go back and find the others.”

Screecha looks down. Alton gets a mental call of alarm. “So high!” and rising.

Alton looks over his shoulder…. They are quite high. “Level out girl.”

“How?!?”

Using his druid knowledge of animals… his innate knowledge of all things natural… including birds flying (errr…. Okay- butterflies flying) he tries to convey Flying 101 to it. By time he levels out they are three miles away.

Now leveled out, Alton looks around with a big smile. He giggles as a halfling would. “What is it?” thinks the raptor. “You know I always find a good point in any situation?”

“Yes”

Between our height and being over the ice… there are no insects to get stuck in our teeth!”

They soar but leveled out for two more miles. Something gets Screecha’s attention. Alton looks to it.

“Is that a bird? Can I get the bird?”

“Wellllll…. We really need to retuuuuuuuurrrrrr” and without knowing how she did it, Screecha banks to the left towards the perceived bird.

“Okay…. We can get in a quick snack first…. But be quick.”

The two of them charge at it. “Big bird” says Screecha. “What is it? Yellow?” asks the halfling. “No… looks…. Kinda white. My eyes are not doing well in cold rushing air.” Screecha has wings… but no mutation to the eyes to protect them from the wind.

They close in and at about 100ft they spot the “bird”. Good thing they are coming from above. Blizzard, an ancient White Dragon doesn’t spot them.

Mentally Alton screams to bank to the right- Screecha does and begins to spin wildly down ward. “Ahhhhhh!” screams Screecha. She can’t correct her spinning dive.

“I wish I never wished for your wings!” he screams… forgetting he is still wearing the ring.

Now they begin to tumble through the air… wingless.

“I think I’m going to be sick….” Mumbles Alton.

“Me tooo bleahhhhh……” and the raptor losses its lunch of dried meat.

“ I wish I never made that last wish!”

The ring turns into tarnished copper but once Screecha opens her eyes she discovers they are slowing down. Her outreached wings are slowing them down. She alters the angle slightly and they rocket away further away but now they are not going straight down.

Now, about 12 miles away, she tries to level out again. They hit the snow near the top of a mountain. They skip into the top of another mountain and begin to roll and tumble again. They are on top of a new but much smaller avalanche. It finally stops and all that can be heard is… laughter and snorting.

“We’re alive!” calls out the halfling.

“We’re on the ground!” calls out the raptor in his own language.

 

[megamania]

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 347
“SLOW AND PAINFUL”
1/1/14

ARYTH 6, 999

The giants rush to Kim’s cell. “Where is he?” one asks the other.

“I don’t care- we need to take out that queen of death!”

“Queen? I thought she was a god….”

“No gods can touch mortal lands… an Avatar or Aspect maybe….”

“Shut up all of you. We need this out there now.” Growls the captain of the guard. He grabs the black glass orb that was used to hold the dwarf. Until about ten minutes ago, only Blizzard and Kim were considered so dangerous as to use the artifact that blocked ALL magic – their ultimate weapon and source of protection.

With no magic to carry them from the mountain to the battlefield they fear the worse. They call on a Huge Glacier Eagle to carry one of them to her.

New fear rises in the leader’s chest.

She is here and so is Blizzard. Fearful of any sort of cooperation between the two he urges the bird on. It circles them once. The creature of death wavers in the air. The aura of anti-magic is reaching out to her already. Blizzard snarls at the Giant on the huge bird. Then he leaves. The battle is not worth it. She is the Giant’s problem- not his.

She falls to the ground and the giants look for her. They find her easily as she can barely move. Once more… she is at their mercy…. But how this time? She can still feel the power within her. It grows as her frustration grows…. But she cannot access it.

“How?”

The giants surround her. “She is nothing. She is no god… she is warm meat.”

They grab her. She tries to break free but cannot. She has nothing on her. She even left her spear at the ruined fortress. She tries a different tactic. “My friends are coming back. Release me- I may yet calm them.”

The giant smiles and puts her down next to a large chunk of ice. With iced links of chain, they begin to wrap her to the ice. “I think not.” says the giant.

She cannot free her arms from the chains. Her breast plate is heavily damaged and her robes under them are tatters. Between this and her pale skin she looks more undead than anything else.

The captain stares down at her. He motions for a young looking giant to join them. The captain leans over her. “I should thank you. You killed the clerical grandmasters. My nephew here will most likely become the new grand marshal over anything cold. For me… you killed my leaders. I am now the master of this fortress until the queen returns from her journey to the fire lands.”

“Then…. Show your thanks and be a gentleman and release me.”

The giant stands up right and laughs. He kneels down on one knee and holds out the black crystal ball.

“Do you know what this is?”

“Yes…. Too bad you will not have any children.” She says with bitterness and hostileness.

He thumps her hard in the head with the crystal. Blood flows freely. “Is that… all you can do…..?” she mumbles.

He strikes her with the globe now. Teeth are spit out. Blood pours out. “Anything else you wish to say?”

She spits again. “Yeah…. You are crude also.”

“Did you know some of the people you killed were my friends?”

“What of it?”

“Your magic of the mind shattered their bones. Can you imagine what that must have felt like.”

“Whatever.”

“Perhaps I will shatter you- insulting bitch.” Growls the giant as he places the globe at her feet, freeing his hands.

“Bring it.” And she morphs her face to resemble his.

Several giants step back in fear. She has defied the power of the orb!

He punches her in the gut. Several ribs give.

“Any more comments?”

Wheezing… she looks up and spits out blood onto his chest. “You punch….like a kobold…. A drunken one.”

“Tozark…. Her fingers if you please.”

The young cleric steps up and grabs her forearm.

“Happy? Do you feel like a man…. Or is this your greatest desire… to become the….(wheezes as she catches her breath) …new master of the valley. To beat on him?” She allows her entire body to morph to look like the giant but trapped at 6 feet tall.

“I have been given a gift today. Thankyou.” And the young giant snaps back three fingers.

“Ahhhhh… You are… evil…. You will be erased from the world….”

The thumb is twisted back onto itself. “Arrrrgh!”

She had hoped for Kim or someone to have survived and come to her rescue. So be it. “Mother… I love you and soon… I will join you.”

The giants spend another twenty minutes on her. Breaking her, violating her…. Disrespecting her.

The giants begin to turn away when there is a deafening roar of sheer anger. More snow rolls off the mountains nearby. The giants stop in their tracks and look up. Fear on their faces.

High above them, above the influence of the orb’s anti-magic aura…. Is the incredibly horrific and angry face of a dwarf. A very angry dwarf.

“YOU HAVE DECIDED YOUR FATE! NOW YOU WILL ALL DIE!”

 

[megamania]

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 348
“THE ANGRY, THE MAD AND THE UNFORGIVEN”
1/1/14

ARYTH 6, 999

Suddenly the giants are thrown from their feet. The ground below them rumbles and then breaks up. A cloud of blue and green materializes nearby. Greenish rain pours out onto the glacier. The acid strikes the ice and instantly melts it. Water rushes down and begins to cool quickly as it washes onto them. The naturally cold environment quickly begins to freeze the water with acid mixed in. The giants are howling as the acid bites at their feet and the feet are becoming encased.

Walking from a different direction, the Kensai archer stops once his glowing bow stops to glow. He then takes two steps back and has Kim place Haste onto him. He lets fly dozens of arrows. Even without the magical effects, the expert archery with his great strength of the compound bow strikes hard. Giants are disorderly and confused.

Using Jasyne’s range as a guide, the thri-kreen judges the distance carefully. Using his natural jumping ability he leaps into the area of effect…. From behind the giants. None of them see him as he moves in behind them.

The giant calls out orders to attack. He turns to grab the orb to better defend himself. He sees the Thri-kreen there, holding the orb…. With his head down. He looks up, “You are….klik… a bad…. Klik man…..” The Thri-kreen, if it could cry, would after seeing her body. She was beaten, violated and turned white…..

“No!” screams the giant. Jasyne meanwhile is trying to match the Thri-kreen step for step. The unknowing charging giants have no idea. They believe he is moving in to better attack. ‘course he is… but with magic soon.

The giant leader tries to recall his troops. They are either too far away to hear it or do not listen…. Or it’s the magical roaring wind Kim has created that carries sleet into the area of effect.

Then the worst thing that could happen to the giants occurs…. Sensing it… both Jasyne and Kim release the full unbridled magic of their powers and weapons on the charging giants. By firing 10 arrows every round the giants drop… some losing body parts from the explosive blasts. Kim uses his Columns of fire to entrap them.

The leader is soon standing by himself. He is standing in yellow snow and quivers in fear. Jasyne is now close enough to see the remains of who he thought was a human female. A changeling. Figures but that is not the issue. No one deserves this kind of death. No one. He slowly brings his bow up and aims it at the leader. But the leader first screams in pain and grasps his head. “Get them off of me!” The archer holds his position.

The giant begins to rend his own face. Jasyne sighs. “This is not according to the code, Kim. Stop it.”

The giant staggers around, blood pouring from his eye sockets. Jasyne lowers his bow and turns around. Elderitch tears streaming down his red cheeks, concentrates on his spell. Whatever he is making the giant see…. It is too horrific for him. He tears at his own face and then falls to his knees. Blood trickles from his eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Then a crackling sound as the Giant slowly turns to stone. In dwarven, Kim whispers- “This is for Shy-Anne.”

The stone begins to lose its texture and wilt. At the half-way point he counters the Flesh to Stone spell with a Stone to Flesh. The mound of melted misshaped flesh gurgles for a few moments before he dies.

Jasyne stares hard at Kim. He has never known Kim to be so cruel. But he suspects this mission will change everyone.

 

[megamania]

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 349
“ANOTHER SACRIFICE”
1/2/14

ARYTH 9, 999

Travel has been slow. The three of them, carrying the body of Shy-Anne, are trying to walk back to the rift exit back to the ship… back to Eberron. Shy-Anne is dead…. Alton and his dinosaur are presumed dead. It has not been a good day or two.

They cannot use magic. Kim refuses to leave the artifact in the snow and ice in fear of someone finding it and misusing it. Arcanis is quick to agree to carry it. He loves anything magic which seems wrong. It neutralizes everything he loves but…. Its magic…. An ART-I-FACT…… This being said, before leaving, he stepped out of range of the artifact to have Kim heal him and repair his bone armor exoskeleton.

Soon they will reach the portal out. They are uncertain how the artifact will affect it. Maybe it can’t go through…. Maybe it will close it. They don’t know for sure. They know it was used outside of Risia once already. It was used to down the Siberys Heir- Kim’s 1000ft long air ship.

They near the portal, very tired and ready to leave. Jasyne is uncertain what to do. He was contracted to rescue Kim Elderitch which he has. However, Elderitch was caught up in another artifact… The CREATION SCHEMA. It may prove to be a greater threat than even this orb that the thri-kreen cuddles and coos over (damned insane insect). The Frost giants had taken the completed schema from him after downing the ship. They have left Risia to trade with Fire Giants to the south. Greephoor, the giant guard that Kim was watched over for several weeks enjoyed passing the time by talking about things. Often stupid things but Kim once tricked him into speaking about the Schema. This included the brief encounter with warforged. They came then left after learning the Schema had already left.

Near night fall they spot the pillars that lead to Eberron. Arcanis is already climbing the cliffs leading to the base of the pillars.

Jasyne and Kim following, taking turns carrying the psion’s body. Then the darkness at the base appears not so dark. Something is there. “Jasyne… hold. We are not alone.”

Jasyne looks closer and concentrates to the darkness below the pillars. Something is there. Something very big. The wind begins to pick up but remains inconsistent. The thri-kreen is still too close to the creature below to use magic completely. Blizzard steps out. He looks up and glares at the kreen and the anti-magic prize it carries.

“WHERE DO YOU TAKE IT?” Snarls the Dragon.

“Blizzard. You damned dragon- you took down me ship.” Kim snarls back. He begins to call up spells.

“Don’t antagonize it Kim. Maybe we don’t need to fight.” Says the Kensai Archer in true hopes of not fighting an ancient Dragon.

A wall of ice begins to grow behind the two hindering their means to leave. Kim answers by lifting off the ground. The archer snorts and draws an arrow. Suddenly the wind pounds at Kim. He is slowly being forced to land. The archer fears the wind will neutralize his range with the arrows- magic or not.

“I APPRECIATE THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE FROST GIANTS. BUT I MUST HAVE THE ARTIFACT BACK. WITH IT, I CAN BECOME THE RULER OF THE DRAGON COUNCIL.”

“Heah… like we would allow that…” grumbles Jasyne. He releases an arrow and it is driven down into the ground a mere fifty away.

Kim tries to call up a Pillar of Flame…. It is fizzled out as it is too close to the kreen and the orb of anti-magic. He thought the driving wind would pound the magic into the dragon from above. However, placing it as high up as he has allowed the orb to destroy the effect.

Kim calls up a Fire Shield. The winds try to rip it apart. “The damned thing is using the orb’s anti-magic field as a shield. The only way to attack it is straight on but the wind is making that nearly impossible.”

“Can we lure it out?”

“We can try” answers the dwarf. He calls up the same illusion he used on the giants. A giant image of his face appears in the sky and uses a magically bolstered voice to shout and taunt at the dragon. The dragon snickers at the feeble attempt to intimidate it.

High above it, a thri-kreen finds the ground hard to walk on. Some of the sonic energy is reaching around the field and causing snow and ice to shift above the field. He jumps higher to avoid it as the snow breaks loose and falls through the field onto the dragon. Not nearly enough to do more than anger it. To Kim, that is a form of taunting.

“FOOL! I LIVE IN THE SNOW. IT IS MY LIFE.” Calls out the dragon as it begins to shake like a wet dog. Once the snow is clear from it, it sucks in its breath . The icy breath slashes out at the fire shield. It rips it apart and strikes Kim. The cold is intense and numbs his entire body.

Jasyne decides to try to figure out his options. He fires an arrow higher…. The wind drops it after 75 ft of travel. Next arrow is higher…. Drops at 110ft. He shakes his head and tries again. The dragon watches in amusement. The next arrow finally reaches up and near the top height of its flight it drops…. Without its magical aura. At the last moment the arrow begins to glow again but falls about five feet short of the dragon. It laughs but still takes three steps back.

“I am really getting to hate this dragon.” Snarls Elderitch as he pulls his frosted beard free from his collar.

“He is increasing the cold within the storm. He has us pinned down.” Jasyne looks down at the body of Shy-Anne. He really wishes she was alive. She could work something out.

Another blast of icy breath comes out. Without the fire shield they both take a direct hit. They scream in frozen pain. Even partially frozen, they can hear the dragon laughing. Arcanis can even hear the laughter.

“klik klik…. What is happening?” The kreen looks down. It is hard to see but clearly something is happening. The snow is coming down incredibly hard. “Klik Klik…. I will go to the other side now. Use your magic…klik…. To follow.”

Nothing. Then it sees something strange. A misty red glow. “Klik….what?”

Kim is trying to direct his Flaming sphere at the dragon. He hopes the dragon will under estimate the power of the sphere. Hidden inside it is a delayed fireball blast. The dragon watches it with great amusement. It’s True Seeing allows it to see the hidden stored spell within the flame. Once it is about twenty feet away it castes a spell at it. As it lifts a claw, the sphere lifts and hovers in the air.

Jasyne knows what is about to happen. “DOWN!”

The dragon times it perfectly. It moves the sphere away from it and onto the two. Kim sputters in anger “Damned dragon is cheatin’ by using me own magic against me!”

It bursts explosively. The flames burn Kim even as he was attempting a spell to teleport away. Jasyne hopes his buckler of fire resistance will hold up as he using the blast for cover as he rushes at the dragon.

The dragon sees him easily, his heat signature stands out in the cold. Suddenly black tentacles burst through the snow and entangle his feet. “NOOOOO!”

The kreen looks down again to see what is keeping them. (nat 20- FINALLY) “Blizzard-clak-clak!” The kreen looks about frantically. What to do?

The dragon sucks in his breath to get the trapped archer. Then he suddenly feels ill. “NO.” It hisses. It begins to turn up to see what the insect is doing when it lands on him.

“AWAY INSECT! YOU RUIN MY FUN THIS WAY!”

“Klik-Klik %$#@* You Klack.”

“YOU HAVE FORCED MY HAND THEN INSECT.” It begins to move towards the others. The black tentacles disappear much to Jasyne’s happiness but his bow will not charge up the arrows. The dragon is nearly on top of him. “DIE ARCHER DIE”

Using the TK himself, Kim pulls at the rocks above the dragon. “I am sorry my friend… damn you dragon…. Another dies at my hand….” Rocks and snow and ice pull from the cliffs above. Arcanis sees it and leaps up to the rocks. He avoids the onslaught and follows the rocks back down. Blizzard is struck hard but remains on its feet.

Kim then decides he may have to use an ace up his sleeve- a magic ring of three wishes (like what Alton once possessed).

Jasyne begins to run as fast away as he can. The dragon turns to follow him. “Not fair klik.”

The thri-kreen decides to try something. Something stupid. Even for him, it seems stupid. With its upper arms it holds the artifact above his head. With the lower arms he pulls out his bag. “Stop!”

The dragon ignores him. “Stop or I will kill you!”

The dragon ignores him. “I love you klik klik. I love my little… artifact.”

The dragon rears up to jump this motion catches the kreen off guard and he tumbles down the back of the magical beast. The dragon leaps up to finish off the heroes when the kreen grabs the bag and motions to push the artifact into it. “Don’t do it!” calls out Kim spotting the kreen.

The kreen slides the artifact into the bag. Once a bag of holding. Half in half out the magical effect is truly great.

Blizzard is about to land on Jasyne when suddenly there is a silent rumble from behind. The dragon opens his eyes wide wandering what this could be. Jasyne falls into a deep pit that Kim Elderitch wished for. He hoped the Kensai could reach it before the anti -magic zone would reach the spot. “I loved my artifact…. As much as …klik… I do you.” will be the kreen’s last words of its mortal life.

The artifact is in and out of a dimensional rift that is the bag of holding. Magic and anti-magic compete for the same space and the end result is… well…. Explosive.

Kim pours all of his will into flying and teleporting before the magic effect reaches him…. Whether it is for or against magic.

Though not as impressive as Shy-Anne’s blast…. It clears snow from the area and shakes the very land.

 

[megamania]

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 350
“BACK TO EBERRON”
1/2/14

ARYTH 10, 999

The bodies of Shy-Anne, Arcanis and Blizzard are not found. Whether they even exist is uncertain.

Kim survives- barely. The anti-magic field had just reached him when the force of the blast then reaches him. He corrected his fall near the next mountain.

Jasyne did fall into the pit and this saved him. Though greatly banged up, he survived the blast from the protection of the wished up crack in the earth.

The portal between the worlds remains but it seems damaged. The pillars stand at an angle now. They are not straight anymore.

They cross over the portal separating Risia from Eberron and find much of the explosion had gone through the portal’s entrance. The Siberys Heir airship has moved a few feet from the portal. Most of the snow was pushed away from the portal and into the ship. The two of them now use the husk of the ship as shelter to regroup their thoughts.

Kim is overwhelmed by his emotions. Shy-Anne, Arcanis, Alton and Screecha… all gone. The dozens of good people that were on the ship before the attack…. Gone.

And why?

To satisfy his curiosity…. His need for learning more about magic and artifacts. He has spent most of his riches to build this craft and fund his need for resources and allies to locate the five different parts of the CREATION SCHEMA. He has battled or been forced into a complex game of chance and chess with the Emerald Claw, Dragons, the nations of Khorvaire, House Kundarak. Others got involved also. The Aurum (not written about much here but they were there), the Chamber, and various forces looking to use the artifact.

There is the dragon nick-named Bree and its master that hides very well in the shadows (Face of the False Moon). Reports of the Lord of Blades and another large grouping of warforged have been reported.

The other adventurers…. Cedious, Bludgeon, the list goes on.

It needs to end.

He is still uncertain what the CREATION SCHEMA can do but with this many groups of power and influence actively battling against each other it has to be great. Early research suggested it was the template to build and repair the original forges of the warforged.

Kim since believes it can do more than that. So much more.

But how? How can he act on it. It is only Jasyne and himself. It is clear the archer no longer trusts him… no longer respects him.

Can he be blamed?

“Cheer up- the Calvary has arrived my dwarven friend.”

Kim looks up, he sees several people standing in the doorway of the room.

“Glyder….? Glyder Freetime- is that you?”

“Yes- and I have brought friends for your time of need. This is a turning point in your life. A big one at that. Stop self-pitying…. It is ugly on your already ugly dwarven face.”

The time traveling Gnome steps in. The last time Kim saw the gnome, he was struck down and disintegrated by a bolt of pure chaotic energy. He was but a lad then. The gnome before him is older…. Crow lines are around his eyes.

Behind him is another Gnome. She is somewhat familiar to him. Calli d’Sivis. A writer. Why is she here? And…. A human with a red aberrant dragon mark on his face that can be seen on his hand also.

“John Play….? Is that you?”

“The one and only…. Well maybe due to Glyde there may be more of me around… at this very instant. I was told this is the end of the year 999. Twenty minutes ago it was 998.”

“Time is not linear with him. What are we doing? Gimme a hug my friends.”

Jasyne watches…. He knows of Play. A rogue Dark lantern. As much a danger to everyone around him as Kim can be. And now he is marked as a rogue dragonmark also. Interesting… and unsettling.

 

[megamania]

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 351
“PICKING THE BONES OF THE DEAD”
1/9/14

ARYTH 11, 999

“This thing is HUGE!” exclaims John Play to anyone willing to listen. “Why so big Kim?”

“It is my greatest legacy… the Siberys Heir. She was to become my new home. No longer would I be held accountable by the warlords of the ‘Holds. Aye… I would be free.” Says the dwarf looking at the walls and gently touching the doorframe in the dark. “She was the most beautiful thing I ever made with the Zilargo Gnomes….. That damned Dragon and artifact better well be destroyed.”

“Nothing could have survived that explosion.” Answers the archer.

Kim, Play and Glyder look sadly at each other.

Glyder, a time traveler, looks about the innards of the colossal airship that was dropped out of the sky months ago between the combined assault of an ancient White Dragon named Blizzard and a very powerful artifact that blocked all forms of magic. “In time… maybe it will ride the winds again… after a fashion.”

Kim looks to his friend and gives a sad smile and a heavy handed resting on his hand on the Gnome’s shoulder. “I would like that….. but first we have the Schema to deal with.”

“Why is this thing so important?” asks Calli d’Sivis. She is a reporter for the Korranberg Chronicle and love interest to Glyder. She has been in and out of the lives of three of these men for a decade now.

There is only silence as they crawl over debris made up of collapsed and broken furniture and belongings. The Siberys Heir was a multi- hundred foot long multi-leveled airship run by twin fire elementals. It housed dozens of skilled adventurers. All of them either killed by the crash, the Frost Giants or the dragon. When Jasyne came with a rescue team, they came to this ship. They used it for shelter and discovered the Frost Giants, using zombies, were taking anything of use from it. Now Kim has returned to collect whatever he can salvage himself. Much was destroyed or lost.

Jasyne and John take up the rear. Jasyne breaks the ice first. “So…. I guess the big question is…. When are you from?”

“997….. the traveler found me on a deserted rock in the middle of nowhere.” Play smiles. I had no other way off the damned island and Glyder said he could help me with…. This.” And Play waves over his arm… the red aberrant Dragon mark.

“What does it do?” Jasyne likes to know what his soldiers can do.

“Makes me faster.”

Before he can go on about it, Calli calls out. She and Kim Elderitch have entered his private chambers. Kim is opening secret doors that are mere thin sheets of compacted space. He pulls out various staffs and wands. From another drawer of dimensional space he pulls out potions and a ring of keys. “Ah- this is the main thing I came for.” The cleric / Mage dwarf takes up the keys.

They follow Kim as he makes his way deeper into the ship. He arrives at the cargo area. “We’ll need those doors opened.”

Play and Symtex go to work on that. Glyder looks at a crate marked with serial numbers. He knows this item. Kim had him get this years ago. Being a Time Traveler gets a little weird at times. Sounds of snow being removed singles Kim to act. He goes to a sturdy and heavy duty crate in the back. “Open this one could you Glyder?” and he moves up and finds another of similar size, “and Calli- this one?” and he moves on to eight total.

“Statues?” answers Calli in disappointment. “Statues of horses.”

“Gifts from House Cannith before…. Well you know.” Kim lets the thought drift off. “They are a variant of warforged. A simple command word awakens them. We will need them to follow the Schema.”

“Why can’t we magically pop in on it?” asks the reporter.

“The schema blocks all scrying on it once assembled. She can be sneaky that way.”

“She?” asks Calli.

“The Creation Schema is more than an artifact. It is alive. The individual parts have little to offer but now that they are together, or worse- assembled, they are alive and trying to gain power. It has been manipulating people to get here. It has masterminded the entire thing. Me. Us. The Claw. The Dragons…. Everyone. Even the Giants.”

“We sleep tonight then head out first thing in the morning.”

Kim and several of the others turn and leave. Play looks at Glyder. “This isn’t going to end well is it?”

Glyder says nothing as he walks past the Dark Lantern.

 

[megamania]

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 352
“THROUGH THE PILLAR MOUNTAINS”
1/10/14

ARYTH 12, 999

“Are we almost there yet? I’m hungry.” Coos Play trying to liven up the mood.

“John…. There are times when your child-like behavior is a joy and other times….” Replies Kim with a frown.

“Is this an “Another Time?” kinda moment?” Says Play.

“You still have not answered my question about the Aberrant Dragonmark on you.” Retorts Kim. “When did it appear… how?”

“I had it all along but it was concealed and hidden… even from me. I was… born with it.” Answers Play. He tries to put up a good front but Kim can tell there is more to it and it is painful for Play to talk about. The dwarf lets it go for now.

“The Mask? Fashion statement or something else?”

“An artifact I collected from an assassin lord in Lhazaar. Improves my sight and senses.”

“Handy for a spy like you.”

“Not a spy. I’m a hero for hire.” Says Play giving a thumbs up.

“So a mercenary.” Replies the Gnome reporter.

“No.”

“Whatever….mercenary.”

“For a reporter… you have been very quiet.” Says Play looking back at her.

“We have….. ah………”

“In your future, and her past…. You two met.” Answers Glyder. “She knows more about you than you do.”

“All good I hope.”

She says nothing….. if only to make Play wonder.

Ahead of the four travelers is the Kensai Archer. He is trying to track and scout ahead. He doesn’t trust the rumors and hearsay Kim overheard. However, the blowing snows have covered up any and all tracks…. Even tracks by a caravan of giants and zombies.

Jasyne however does spot something out of place. As he disturbs the snow by walking on it, it bunches up. Some of this snow begins to quiver and roll away from him. He raises a hand to signal precaution to the others then looks for the cause of the vibration. He feels an uncomfortable tingle in his skull as if being attacked through his mind.

The snow bulges ahead of him about 50ft and this is the last warning he gets of the attack before the creature attacks. A huge white with black and red trim worm with horns bursts through the snow and lunges at him. It misses.

“Finally! Some action.” Exclaims Play as he pulls forth his bow.

“I think it’s a Frost Worm….. a mutated one but still- be careful.” Warns Elderich as he thinks of spells to caste.

Play places three magical arrows into the huge creature even as it raises its giant maw back from the snow before Jasyne. Calli pulls in a deep breath and releases it by shouting at the worm- “BEGONE!” The sonic blast pummels the worm. The creature rears up and strikes the archer. The impact drives him deep into the snow. Glyder cries out in fear. The pacifist carries no weapons or means to attack the huge artic serpent. This cannot be said of the dwarf however. He castes a fireball spell immediately. The spell erupts and blasts the creature.

Play strikes it with two arrows. The third arrow narrowly misses and is lost in the swirling snow. Taking Kim’s cue, Calli has pulled out a scroll and quickly reads it off- a fireball streaks out and strikes the worm. Having caught on fire, it falls with a loud thump and hiss in the deep snow.

The archer crawls out of the snowy pit and spits out some blood and glares at the creature. “I hate snow.”

Two days later they reach the Pillar Peaks and try to follow Kim’s directions as best as they can.

 

[megamania]

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 353
“COLD STORM SUMMONER”
2/17/14

ARYTH 15, 999

The clockwork horses are being used now that the snow is not too deep. Tall pine trees of blue and green grow through the foot of snow. It is still cold but not as it was on the glacier.

Jasyne Symtex continues to lead the group. John Play continues to be childish but somewhat entertaining. Calli d’Sivis and Glyder Freetime talk quietly about the land and its beauty. Kim Elderich remains in deep thought and trying to decide what to do if they ever recapture the artifact known as the Creation Schema.

None of them notice the thickening clouds following them in the near distance. Calli is the first to notice the gentle but cold breeze to develop.

“Storm is coming.” She says.

Elderich snaps out of his deep thought and looks back at it. “Strange storm. We should take cover in case it is another of those Chaos Storms.”

“Chaos Storms?” questions Play as he too also looks back and questions the clouds.

“Magical storms that started before we came here. They bring strange and powerful Chaos magic with them.”

“Powerful magic” adds the time traveling gnome as he thinks back to how he became a time traveler due to a Chaos Storm that ironically he was a victim of a few months ago. It feels like decades ago because to him it has been.

“What do you make of it? The wind… it is very cold.” Asks Jasyne as he returns to the group.

“Take shelter and beware. I doubt it’s a normal or natural storm front.”

New snow is falling by time they decide on a tightly grouped set of trees to take cover under. Glyder has the artificial horses line up to create a parameter wall. Jasyne watches the oncoming storm with concern. Play tries not to show it but also watches it carefully. It is getting dark now and the wind is picking up enough to sway the large trees above them.

“Clearly it is not a natural storm.” Confirms Glyder as he looks with trepidation to the skies.

“Yeah- it raced at high speeds out of the glacier but now is slowing down and seems to be stopping either near us or above us.” Adds Play as he wonders if his arrows will fly straight in this wind.

Suddenly the very air behind them seems to solidify and turn to ice. “We’re under attack!” calls the Kensai Archer.

“Naw- it’s just the elven kids club looking to sell us sugared crackers- oh course we are under attack.” Replies Play.

Glyder moves to the center of the unmade camp to be with Kim. He has always trusted the dwarf to get through magical attacks. Calli follows his lead.

Jasyne spots a dim blue flash. “Incoming” he calls out. Something is moving through a dimensional door.

A white swirling ray comes out of a very blurry area of windblown snow and just misses Jasyne. The ground it strikes lumps up in ice.

Kim calls up a fireball. He figures it is a cold based attack and something of an area based attack. It bursts showing the form of a medium sized armored figure. The creature begins to laugh as it moves forward. Glyder half wishes the unpredictable time ports would happen about now. Play fires several arrows at it. One plinks off its armor-like ice layers. The others miss. Play sighs and goes for melee weapons. Calli shouts at the creature. The sonic attack strikes the creature solidly. Ice cracks and breaks off as it is staggered. But it keeps moving forward. Jasyne sets his jaw and attacks with his near artifact level bow. All five arrows fly leaving a glowing and sparkling rainbow and an equally colorful arcane explosion as they strike the creature which now howls in pain and frustration. “Show-off” says Play.

Suddenly the creature steps out of a magical portal behind the archer. Kim calls up a spell and black tentacles erupt out of the snow covered ground and wrap around the legs of the creature. He hopes the archer can move away this way. Play swings at the creature. Only one strikes with his magical Tonfu clubs strike the ice covered skeletal undead. Play thinks about what a long day this is shaping up to be.
Calli lines herself up carefully and reads off a Lightning bolt spell from a scroll. The lightning Bolt washes over the ice. Ice shatters but little damage is done to the boney creature itself.

The archer pushes away from the held creature before being grappled and begins to swing his bow at it. The creature pulls at the tentacles but finds itself held in place. It howls like the winter winds at the archer in frustration. Instead of arcane might, Kim Elderich now calls onto his strong inner beliefs and summons a divine Flaming Strike of raw energy. The creature screams as the fire and divine energies wash over it. “Remember Kim- I am here….” Calls out Play whom narrowly avoids being part of the magical attack. He swings at the creature. A solid hit to the face makes it snap its head to the side. It turns back to him and stares at the Dark Lantern with a skeletal smile. It unnerves Play some. He is not used to creatures that take his best shots and continue to stand their ground. Calli moves around again trying for a vantage point to strike the undead cold creature without striking Play or Symtex. The archer only steps back a few steps before firing away again. The arrows fly to the side. Two strike doing minimal damage and one flies in such a way as to make Glyder throw himself to the side (nat 1). The creature tears free from the spell damaged tentacles and goes for Play whom now reconsiders the wisdom of going after the creature toe to toe.

Deciding to try something he rarely does, Kim calls on the might of his believes of good and commands the creature to leave. The creature staggers and stops before striking Play. It begins to step away from the party. It is angry that the cleric has summoned the power to drive it away. Play moves away considering what magical options he has to use. With the creature moving away from the others Calli gives it a powerful shout. Snow erupts at its feet and behind it as the sonic pulse strikes at it. Five powerful magic arrows explode on it next shattering the remaining ice on its body. A white beam of frosty energy leaves the creature as it continues to leave against its will. Jasyne calls out in pain as the unnatural cold washes over him this time. Kim flame strikes it again but the supernatural cold of the creature removes most of the super natural heat and power from the spell. Not wanting to stop yet, Play pulls out a wand he has. The fireball strikes the retreating undead creature. The fire washes over it but seems to do nothing to it. Play is wishing he was fighting Zinter d’Cannith and his warforged again. Calli calls up another spell from a scroll she has. The lightning strikes and crackles around the creature as it takes another step back.

More arcane explosions as three arrows strike the creature from Jasyne. A new misty fog of pure cold forms between the retreating undead and the party as a new wall of ice forms. “It is beaten- let it go.” Says Glyder. “So it can recover and attack again- I don’t think so.” Declares Play. Angry at the entire confrontation, Kim agrees bitterly. Now with distance and a wall between them, he calls up a powerful spell. “He created a storm of cold…. Let’s see what he thinks of a storm of heat…” says Kim as he concentrates on a new spell. Play looks at Kim, then at the wall, then back at Kim and begins to run back towards Kim. Jasyne stops in bewilderment as Play runs by him then sees what Kim is doing and decides Play knows the dwarf most…. Follow his lead.

The ice wall turns yellow and orange then bursts as waves of fire roll through it. All of the ice and snow has been melted and or blasted away from where the Winter Wight was once before.

“Alright…. Let’s see if we reach that valley by nightfall.”

 

[megamania]

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 354
“THE REMAINS”
2/17/14

ARYTH 16, 999

“Not bad- teleporting from mountain top to mountain top.”

“I just wish I could ‘port to the Schema itself.” Answers the dwarf. “And that I had more means to teleport today.”

“So we walk from here?” comments as much as questions Calli.

The clockwork horses are once more enlarged and used to travel down the mountainside. It is a slow go as there are no trails and the mountains are heavily wooded.

“How much longer until we reach the Fire Giants?” asks Play in true curiosity?

“I hope only a few days more towards the coastline.” Answers Kim….. for the third time that day.

It is late morning now and they have reached the bottom of the mountain and now trek through thick woods along a river system.

Jasyne motions for them to stop. He checks the ground for tracks and finds many. None of which were made by a natural creature.

“Warforged…. Many of them.”

“You mentioned the Lord of Blades had interest in the Schema….. are these tracks from his people?” asks Play whom dismounts and checks out the tracks himself.

Kim looks hard at the ground. So many groups and people want the Schema but for what end? Good or bad? To help or to destroy? “Be on guard and lets follow them for a while.”

Midday comes and goes. They continue to follow the easy to follow tracks.

Jasyne spots something and checks it out. Play also sees something but to the side of the trail. Elderich is looking in the brush in a third direction.

“Not good.” Says Glyder.

The archer is kneeling next to a metal and wood arm. Play is nudging a metal head with his foot. The Mystic theurge sees another arm that holds a long blade. The two gnomes notice other pieces of bodies. Bodies of warforged.

“What happened here?” mutters Jasyne.

 

[megamania]

CREATION SCHEMA
SEGMENT 355
“WHAT HAPPENED”
4/9/14

ARYTH 16, 999

“There had to be a dozen or more warforged here once.” Says John Play, Hero for Hire.

“All destroyed very quickly and savagely.” Adds Calli d’ Sivis, the House Sivis reporter and girlfriend to the time traveler.

“Something big. Look at those trees. The damage is ten feet up. Something huge struck it.” Adds Glyder Freetime, the gnome Time Traveler.

“Be alert everyone. This looks fresh.” Warns Jasyne Symtex a Kensai Archer hired by the richest person on the planet.

“Amazing.” Follows up Kim Elderich, the richest dwarf and person on the world. The mage / cleric of mystery and good intensions with bad decisions look around for more hints and clues.

Play picks up a head of a warforged. “It may take a few minutes but I could maybe learn what happened.”

“Please lad- do it.” Answers the dwarf.

Play places the head back down and pulls out a pair of skin tight fine scaled gloves. He replaces his previous pair with these while searching the ground and bushes for something. He spots a sword and picks it up. He concentrates on it. The whole time the Kensai archer is monitoring the surrounding area.

With his eyes closed, Play allows the glows to connect his mind with the weapon. He is searching for empathic impressions.

A blurred vision of a warforged comes to his mind’s eye. The image sharpens. It is a warforged warrior. He was created in Cyre before the day of Mourning. Cannith created him. He was sold to Cyre’s military. He fought many battles with Karrnathi undead. One battle was especially gruesome. The chaos and energy of the war… the warforged felt most at home in battle. He never questioned it. Never questioned orders. Even when killing civilians. Unarmed men, women …. Even children. He was a killing machine. His name was CY-2389 by Cannith….. Cyre called him Massacre…. He was brutal, efficient and stealthy. This sword… was a gift by the government. It was magically attuned…. To repair him…. If he ever was struck magically…. By fire based magic.

Play feels queasy. This is why he hates using the Gloves of Object Reading. Maybe it’s him, maybe it is a defect in the gloves manufacture… but he “feels” the emotions… the psychic energy… of the owner. This warforged was evil…. He enjoyed killing even when he knew the war was over.

In a rush of images…. Play sees him leaving the ruins of the Mournlands… with a sense of purpose…. He comes to Sharn with the others….. they go by ship to Stormreach….. They kill the crew in sight of the port… walk on the sea’s bottom and into the jungle….. they hold a magical device……. It helps them ….. they walk through the ice….. enter the forest. Play feels his heart race. The soldiers are scattering…. Some in defensive positions…. Some flee. Massacre tries to hold his group…. But something…. Large…. Huge in size is tearing through them. It uses magic as well as sheer physical force…… it is coming for him. It warns him in a language he doesn’t understand. Play knows it…. Draconic. It rises up… a long serpentine form with a dragon’s head……

“LINNORN!” screams Jasyne as he sees it in the trees.