Saga II: Dusk Star

SAGA II: Dusk Star
Location: Mare Maris

Wall of Text Summary

Spoiler:

“And in the garden they knew nothing of sin, nothing of shame. There was passion but in that passion there was no wrong. For they ere one with their father. Present not absent. They could speak and walk with him in that garden of their dreams. But then came the thorns. The serpent. And to them was brought iniquity. Forever cast out into the shadows”.~ Desperation and Trials

The dawn was but the beginning of the story for many, and the end for even more. But there were some stories that one would not have expected to begin in certain ways, and yet there they are in the shadow of what one would see as the rising of the sun. One such story was the beginnings of the woman who would become the Queen of Mare Maris. Like many creatures, she awakened after the dawn, but it was in a place that she did not belong. A place that was most unfortunate for her to end up in. Most Kami after the dawn had awakened in the place that they would call home, the celestial realm, a place where they would help one another rebuild. Where they would decide to protect what they could from the world below. To explore to love to help. The queen however didn’t begin here. Nor did she begin in Terra.

Her story began in the depths of the most horrible of places. Deep within the broken realm once known as Onitoshi. In the battle before the dusk, many of the Kami had fought to protect their home using what skills they had when the demons from the hells gate began to invade their home. But the end result for many had been death, For others it had been worse, dropping down from the skies above in the battle and falling into the pits of the hells gate. Normally had things gone well, this may have resulted in them fighting their way back out. Or a swift death upon entry by the hundreds of demons waiting to get themselves a piece of kami ass. But it just so happened that when the Queen and her troops fell through the gate. At that very moment. Everything came to an abrupt and violent end.

And when she awakened. She would be in a place far different from what she would have liked to see. From what other Kami had see-

---

Blinked. Fluttering eyes on the edge of consciousness. Like a waking dream, not quite sure where, how who or what. But within that idea of oblivion there was a sense of self. Eyes closed again. Embracing the warmth of sleep. But it wouldn’t last long. Screams tore over that serene sleep of hers. Screams of things that could never be described as human, pain. Death screams. All such things that a new life, a new memory was now baptised in. Oppression. But she was thankfully not the only one to be born into this mess. Not the only one like her.

Other winged ones, other kami had fallen in the same place she was. Not all were so lucky. Some were unlucky enough to land in the lava pits. Others upon spiked spires. But there was a group that had fallen into the land, a crevices of a ruined building. Those there like her knew that there was danger. And despite memories, words being long gone. There was safety in familiarity. The Kami approached the outside. A group of five including the queen. What they saw there was a sight that was beyond the ideas of men. A time to which only demons remember.

In the dawn there was chaos everywhere. But none so great as that in the place of chaos. When the demons awakened. In their rage in their evil in their confusion. They lashed out at one another. There was a time when the underworld was not just a simple desolate wasteland. There was a time when its plains were filled with bodies. Each one awakening from the effects of the dawn. Each one rising only to strike another down. It was a slaughter. And that is what met their eyes. Rivers of blood from demons who knew nothing but their base instinct. Who killed for the simple sheer assurance that they were in fact real. That their hunger for death could be satisfied. To take out the frustration of not being able to know what had came before. It was an image that would scar the mind. A carpet of bodies all cutting biting and slashing one another in to what was, a completely unknowable rage. The Kami made their way across the plains of what was now dubbed as Barathrum Regnum.

Trying to make their way out of the dark realm. Trying to find any glimmer of hope that there was a way to escape this hellish nightmare. But their searching was in vein, one by one the numbers of the group began to dwindle. One died in a demon attack, another a plain accident. The next, suicide over hopelessness. Till finally it was just the would be queen and her last companion. Wordless, in a land of nightmares. Just when all hope seemed to fail. The two uncovered a cavern within the dark land, the cavern would appear to be the root of their hopes. A light at the end of a very dark tunnel. In this place it would seem that the dense and oppressive air that permeated all of Barathrum Regnum was somehow diluted in here, the further that they moved in the less of a weight seemed to be pressed upon their shoulders. The cooler the air seemed to become. With dried cracked lips, and darkened eyes. The two Kami finally emerged from the horrors of hell, and into Terra. Which by comparison seemed like a paradise. There were no monsters here. Well, none that hit with tooth and claw. But that was something they were yet to discover. It was here that they first found water. That they first found words. And in those waters, washed away was the dust of the past. A thirst for freedom. Finally quenched.


---

“In the garden there were things that were forbidden. Fragments of what the fathers knew. Fruit of the gods. Power forbidden to all. And so the serpent came and his name was CHAOS. And he did tell them of ways to become an equal to god. To tempt them to the fragments. To tempt them with iniquity. And so came the dusk of the garden, the end of dreams. The gods would not bare an equal from their childer. And so to the wastelands they were brought. Here in the wastes, they did meet the shadow. And his name was DEATH, and he taught them of their wrong doings. For he had never known the grace of the garden. A lord of the wastes were he had been so long his body had rotted. So long the rot had crumbled to dust. So long that the dust had long since become the sands of the wastes. And quickly, the children forgot”~ Desperation and Trials

----

Like flowers to the sun, the children of the realm of man did flock to the would be queen. She healed, she blessed. And brought with her the grace and beauty she had been long denied in the lower realms. And they did treat her as a goddess. As a mother. And things began to grow around her. Happiness. Acceptance was hers. To her companion she did make a royal guard. And when she was pronounced queen, the ruler of the people. She built her city next to waters, for those had been her liberation. Her freedom. And from her new home she could see those waters, to be eternally thankful for the blessing that they brought. At first Mare Maris was little more than a village, then a town. There was no need for swords and shields nor destructive magic. In the first years of the cities founding it became known as a holy place. The queen and her followers would heal those that came, and in seeking for the healing, those that witnessed it did stay. Quickly it grew around her. But like all things. The larger the light, The bigger the shadow that it casts.

The Queen had seen the evils of this world, they however were far out weighed in her eyes by the good. For she had been a creature who had experienced the darkest of the dark. And not even the darkest things of man could compare to that place that now and again, still showed up within dreams of dreams. But she was not the only one to emerge from that pit. So too began the story of the pophet. A creature whose very mystery lied in his connection with the so called fragments of the old world. The pages of the book of creation. And an utmost mystery it does remain, at his side marching from the pits he brought with him legions of the demonic horde. Corrupting and tainting the south western forest far beyond what it should have been in those early days. Its proximity to the place of fiends would have been bad enough. Had things not crawled out, and made that place their home. To spread out roots, and conduct their plans for this world. And this is where our story begins. To the east, the light. The Innocent Queen of Mare Maris, the centre, the core, medius. The Dark king and his minions. The West, the prophet and his legions of Onikonjou ready to unleash chaos and enlightenment upon the world. A world divided. Carved out among three rulers.

----

South West Forest Region: The Black Citadel, 1 year prior


“ We have tried my lord, yet it is not appearing to be as easy as we first anticipated!”.

The black council had formed. Thirteen seats in an enclosed circled room, at one edge of the circle, a throne larger than the others. Upon it sat the Prophet. Robed, a crow sitting on either shoulder. Watching and listening to the reports of his most “ trusted” servants. The council had been attempting to spread their influence through the lands, spreading out from the west and into Medius. However it became quite clear that once they hit the zone known as the core they weren’t going to be travelling any further. No matter the strength of numbers that seemed to be sent in nothing that went into that area returned alive. So, if you couldn’t go through something then you had to go around it, so they did precisely that. Spreading around the core and into the lands that belonged to the southern tribes and the coastal regions. But their influence was not spreading with their minions. The initial idea had bee to use the influence of humans against them. Persuade them to make deals. Seduce their women. But for some reason in particular the east, they were meeting heavy resistance. Certain members of the human race were giving into their temptations easily but others were not. And the prophet wanted to know why. He rapped his claws upon the obsidian carved chair.


Ultimately the less humans that were under their influence then the less they would hear. The less they heard then the less chance of finding one of the pages was. And the Prophet would not tolerate such things. The pages would be needed for his plan, and the lack of them only opened up chances for others to find them, which would only impede his efforts further. One of the thirteen seats spoke, a rather ugly fellow who resembled a stone like monstrous gargoyle. Albeit with one of his arms being withered and ingrown. “ From the reports I hear my lord Prophet, there are many who believe that a divine being has come down among them...it seems to be the influence of this...eastern star...that is turning people away from the temptations of darkness and more towards the light”. This, was troubling. The Kami were beginning to interfere in things. Had they foresaw his plan? Had they too guessed just what he was up to? He grumbled under his breath and began to think on a way to dam the flow of how things were currently heading. And then it struck him. “ Has this eastern star officially developed any kind of religion?”. There were discussions among the council for a few brief moments before there was a resounding “ no” coming from the one with the withered arm. “ Not that t we are aware of. We know that she is their monarch, but not a goddess”. And this was where it became interesting. The Prophet had an idea of just how to use this kind of thing against the humans.

“ Very well then, we shall change our plan of action, gather our followers, spread the word that this monarch is chosen by the gods, Using this idea we will then gather her followers, grow in popularity....we shall commit acts of charity, feed the helpless, care for the sick and give shelter to the homeless”. There was confusion among most of the ranks of the black council. All bar the one who seemed to be doing the majority of their speaking. The one with the withered arm. “ Feed them poison and tell them that its fruit...a most excellent idea Lord Prophet...However , if we are to start a religion, a following among the people. They shall need holy words, a doctorate to follow”. The Prophet stood to his feet, the crows on his shoulder taking flight and circling the roof of the chamber with an incandescent cawing. “ The words I shall provide, simply ensure that you bring the flesh”.

----

And so it was done, over the year the demons took the form of en, took the form of kami. And spread the “ divine word”. They lured in the followers of the Queen, seemingly no threat to her reign, but rather a people running a successful promotional campaign. After luring in those followers with their good deeds and words of praise for the Queen, the emphasis of the religion shifted more from her and onto the “ will of the gods”. This will, successfully scrawled down in a holy book written by the prophet and a hand scrawled copy given to each and every chapel that had spread throughout the lands of Terra. And the prophets plan was strangely successful. The people ever since the dawn had been looking for an answer. A reason for their existence and here came in the prophet with his book of words and many followers, warped and twisted creatures put into the shells of divine and beautiful forms.

The prophet had his devout and began making the structure of the organisation. His direct followers would be those who were demons, below them were the human recruits. These were to be the main face of the church. They would be those that recruited others. They would be those who could not be suspected to be spirits. Those who honestly believed in the good works of their religion. Below them, the basic followers. The ignorant masses. And the religion was growing more each and every day. The prophets power base expanding each and every day, infecting the whole of Terra, bar the zone known as medius. It was not farfetched to say that the Prophet and his followers were instrumental in the spread of rumours concerning the dark king and the forsaken land known as the core. Particularly the rumours which concerned the moments of the dark king and his army of darkness. When things began to move out of Medius. It began to worry the council of the prophet greatly. Threatening their power base. A meeting was called to discuss the threat, and deal with it appropriately.

----
A week before the events of MoTDK

The sound of banging, mild like the knocking of a door resounded throughout the black citadel as the prophet moved down the hallowed halls of his base of operations. The Black citadel in the early days had been a hasty construction, but over time had been improved using magic and good craftsmanship. The stone of Trra was fine and smooth but lacked the strength, and the intimidation factor that he liked. So, building near the ways to hell gave its usefulness a new edge. He was able to draw up stone from deep within Barathrum Regnum and build himself a fortress worthy of the demonic horde. Of course, magic helped with that. Onikonjou were not always known as the best workers. Slaves to fear and temptation perhaps. But workers. No. The outside of the Citadel appeared to be something out of a nightmare. Black rough stone lining the walls, with orange coals that seemed to glow as if under constant heat jutting out here and there. The inside of the Citadel was slightly more refined. The walls, black Onyx, the floors. Obsidian glass. The floors in particular were an idea of the prophet. The obsidian reflected the person walking much like a mirror. And with some magical fine tuning, he had converted the floor to a sor of draining mirror. Whoever walked down it, if they looked at their own reflection. Would have their strength sapped. All except the prophet himself of course, it was one way of keeping the peons in line.

The council had been called, and he had been called to oversee it. A task whih The Prophet did not find to be a good use of his time. At the moment most of his attention was spent overlooking the progress of the religion, which of course had a subtask of searching for the fragments, the pages. But thus far, there had been nothing. Yet despite the use of resources with what was at the moment very little come back. The Prophet did not think it to be a foolish investment. Zealots had their uses, and eyes and ears everywhere had even more. A sly sneer as the Prophet pushed open the doors to the council chamber. The council members already sat, each of their eyes ( some more than two per head) watching him intently. As he moved through the circle. To the large chair at the back. Taking his seat, he raised a hand. And gave permission for the council to convene the meeting. One of the multi eyed council members seemed to be the first to speak up. “ It is good to see you Lord Prophet. It had been some time since any of us have had the honour of being graced by your presence”. The prophet could not yet determine whether the words of this council member were sincere or sarcastic. Really it could go either way with some of these members. It had been true though the last time any of these council members had actually seen him in person was the meeting all those months ago concerning the founding of the religion. His tiem ever since then had mostly been taken up in writing up the doctrine of this religion and of course keeping the information lines flowing concerning the locations of the fragments. The Prophet merely gave the slightest of nods, and acknowledgement that could honestly go either way. He wouldn’t be seen to rise to sarcasm or be overly penitent concerning areas of respect.

On of he other council members spoke up, this one however didn’t look as if he belonged. Flowing golden hair, white wings at his back For all intents and purposes this one looked like a Kami. But the Prophet knew that this was merely just an illusion to fool the masses. Likely this council member was one of the “ Grand Clerics” of the new religion. Taking on the appearance of a kami to fool those into believing that they wre indeed holy. Although it was surprising, when he spoke. The Prophet was bemused that he knew precisely who this one was. “ Lord Prophet”. Said the Kami like council member. By his voice the Prophyet had identified him as the oni who had the appeareance that struck him as awfully simi,lar to a gargoyle. Which was rather amusing considering his current form. “ There have been whisperings in the villages of the faithful that a dark force had begun its movement towards the west, the dark force merging from Medius”. A dark force? The Prophet could only assume that such a thing came from the forsaken land of the core. That place had for the most part remained a relative mystery to everyone. In the sage areas of Medius you could see the ruins and relics of what had came before. And yet like the monkey trying to catch the moon, one could never touch it, and trying to do so would end up getting you drowned in whatever dark power called that place its home. And if it was emerging, and moving West. Then that meant it was quite possible that whatever was heading that way was going to be coming in a rather close proximity to the south western forest. Which meant far too close to their seat of power. And it seemed that his thoughts reflected those of the entire council. They all began mumbling among themselves debating upon how to deal with this problem. The majority view on the problem seemed to be to form up the demoni legions and march against whatever was heading westward. But the Prophet did not agree on this. The action would draw attention to them, and since they were currently tryingto remain seen by the world as an inactive threat due to their spread of the religion. They could not afford such a clear cut display of power.

He said. His voice sounding out throughout the chamber. “ It would destroy the efforts we have made in our current goals, drawing attention and suspicion where we cannot afford any...our plan of action should be this...first off....I doubt that these movements have escaped the sights of those within Mare Maris either. We should be watching the political climate of these areas and act depending upon the feelings of those within”. The were nods of agreement. An orange haired Onikonjou spoke up. “ My lord...I am the cleric within the parish of Mare Maris....you are correct, there have been rumblings concerning the movement of this darkness...however as they are moving westward and have presented no direct threat to Mare Maris...the Queen had determined that they are currently not a threat, and will not take pre-emtive action”. The Prophet had expected as much, whilst these thigns were just rumours at the moment, they did have many prominent members of Mare Maris government within their faithful. So it was creditable. Going off that and the sheer disgusting innocence of the queen. He knew it was likely they would not be the aggressors in any kind of war between them and anyone else.

“ Very well if this is the case then what we must do is remain hidden, silent, but form an opposition to cut off the dark force and its march westward”

The Prophet placed his hand below his cowl and stroked at the chin underneath, thinking carefully. “ The church should praise the Queen’s peace keeping efforts. But at the same time urge caution among the faithful...we must make them wary of the darkness....keep rumours up and news concerning its progress and make them readily available” Finally and more importantly came the Prophets final plan of action. “ No doubt that most of you would have heard of the Dragon Slayers”. It was the name of a rag tag group that had been circulating about a particular region after a town had came under assault from a rampaging dragon. Dragons were rare creatures, rare and powerful. The average human or indeed spirit didn’t stand much of a chance against the tyrant lizards. “...Ensure that those who own property and live within the areas that the dark force is in the path of are aware of its movements...in particular...make aware those who were known to have slain the dragon weeks ago of just what is happening...if we have people with strength like that...then it may be possible to turn its tide elsewhere without interfering ourselves”.. More discussion among the group. But it seemed that after it they all came to agree with the logic of the prophet. Those who defeated the dragon were powerful and likely would provide more of an offense against the dark march that was no doubt coming down upon them all..


------

In the City of Mare Maris

Ever since the rise of the dawn Uriel had been with her. And that was his mission, his purpose in life. To be with her and to protect her. She HAD his heart, even if he did not have hers. Which was why he had to do certain things fro her which she could not do. This little meeting being one of them. Uriel was the Queen’s right hand man. She at times, was the perfect example of a ruler. Kind, merciful, fair. But unfortunately, these things were not always the best virtues of a ruler. Even though technically the city was still in his boom growth period, problems had already cropped up from all sides. Evils that one could not really deal with if you only had the merciful option available to you. These problems had quickly became a thorn in the side of the Queen in the early days. Which is why Uriel decided to take matters onto himself and establish the Gestalt group. The queen was the spirit of Mare Maris. The message to the outside world that not everything had to be dark and cold. That the sun did indeed rise in the east. The Queen herself a radiant beacon of good. A healer who walked among he people. The Gestalt. And Uriel. They were the body of Mare Maris. The thing that defended the soul. Whilst Gestalt covered the military forces of Mare Maris. It also encompassed its more shady side of things. The military dealt with the direct threats, and for the most part the Queen determined just what those threats were. The military, were defensive. Not offensive. So its main use in battle was seen against ether bandits or dark spirits that sought to invade and subvert. This was Eisen Gestalt(Iron Body. The other side of things was the group that he mostly took handle of, the one that even the Queen didn’t know about. Assassinations. Covert operations, trafficing with...powerful entities. These were the tasks of Verstect Gestalt(Hidden Body). His side of the Gestalt was essentially the secret police of Mare Maris.

And they were very good at their jobs. The majority of those that actually belonged to his section of the Gestalt group were actually masquerading as members of the public. Merchants, peasants. Ones from all walks of life. It made for effective social cover. The assassinations, dealt with as accidents. And in the past fifteen years no one had suspected that they even existed. Today, was another one of those dark things that he had to deal with that the Queen could enver have her hands sullied in. The dungeons built underneath the cities. In the sewers. A holding cell for some of their darker activities. Rigorous interrogation. A couple of weeks ago a dark force had came to Mare Maris iand had started spreading levels of disease and discord among the good people. And Uriel was determined to get to the bottom of this little indiscresion. Most of these spirits who played the part of these rumour mongers were simply just pawns for greater powers greater owers that would ultimately then be taken care of for the preservation of the peace and for Mare Maris. Torture had been going on for several days now, and whilst you wouldn’t expect the holiest of places on Terra to bethe home of expert torture masters. The Inquisitors of the Gestalt were masters of pain.

They knew how to tweak people, find their weaknesses. Exploit them and even manipulate their feelings into making the torture victim think that they were in the company of friends who wanted to help them be relieved of the burden that came with the truth. It was rather amusing thing to see ven as dark as it sounded coming from one of his own kind. He pushed open the door and the hooded inquisitor was looking up at the rack with what looked like an onion in his hand. A bucket of water at his feet and a balloon. It was...disturbing. One of the things about these inquisitors was that they had long ago disposed of what you would call the more traditional methods of torture and had instead started playing a little game among themselves. Giving each other three random items and seeing what kind of horrific methods they could come up with. And Uriel knew just what they could do with these seemingly harmless items.

“ Lord Uriel”.

Spoke the hooded man in the room with the balloon in his hand. “ We have discovered that the root cause of this mans misdeeds lies within things that he has seen....”. Uriel raised an eyebrow. Things that he had seen? Discord and rumour mongering certainly could be brought about by sight alone. But disease? Were they unconnected? Had he made a mistake? “ What things has he seen?”. The Inquisitor approached the Oni male on the rack and touched his cheek in what would be seen an a serene and caring manner. “ This one has been in the core it would seem...the horrors that he saw there have tainted him beyond the level of normal Onikonjou, yet he is no threat beyond that taint....his mind has been snapped by what has been seen...his corruption is not to be malicious to others...not anymore....but where he steps....the corruption will spread”. Uriel took a step closer. Indeed, there was something different about this spirit. He wasn’t like the normal Onikonjou. Therew as something else in there swimming with the usual corruption. Something below the surface. “ Tell me”. Uriel said. “ What did he see within the core?”. There was silence as the inquisitor let out a deep sigh, stroking the cheek of his victim. Uriel had a great curiosity concerning the things of the core. The gestalt had previously tried to send agents within to see just what kind of things lived there, to see if there was anything within the centre of medius that presented any real threat to them. But ultimately the answer had been kept from him. For the thigs within the core clearly did not wish to be discovered. For every agent he sent, he received nothing, not even a word of hei death. It was as if they simply ceased to exist. He felt for the families of those who died in service to the secret agency of the gestalt group. Those who had children, wives, could not be given any kind of help or compensation despite how much Uriel wished to grant it to them. For to do so would make others question just why they were receiving benefits that others were not. It would eventually come to the queens attention and no doubt risk the integrity of the entre group.

“ I think that is a question best answered by our poor demented friend here...”.

Uriel wondered if the inquisitor was being awkward or if truely the question was best answered by the damned soul in front of him. The right hand man of the Queen leaned over the bloodied ruined body of their prisoner and whispered. “ Tell me of what you saw”. The eyes of the prisoner shot open, they were blank white, as if he had been blinded. He started whisoering and Uriel could barely make out a word until he drew himself closer to the madded secrets of the victim. “.....See upon the bloodied bone streaked road a balack mass of writhing death....it screams and walks upon the dead who are the ones that lie before for nothing does stand away only in the light do they be slowed.In the dark do they now rule in the core do they now see, a man on throne a man once been, a man brings pain, to be his rule”. Giggling. Madness. Then weeping. “ Kill kill kill....there will be nothing left....they will consume us all...no escape...none....just lie down and be among the dea, drown ourselves in the soil we may do....hehehehehehahahahaha urgh...>”> More senless giggling combined with the weeping. It was a horrible sight. The inquisitor continued to stroke the cheek of the mad Oni in front of him and it seemed to bring some simple comfort towards the man. It became ultimately clear that whatever pain the hooded Gestalt member had inflicted upon the demon was in no way equal to the pain that he suffered merely by living. This show of affection was not false. But out of true sympathy that he could not cause any level of agony that matched it.

Uriel turned. Physically sick. “ Put him out of his misery...”. Teh Inquisitor nodded and bowed. “ Yes my lord...as you have said....but know that before...he spoke of that writhing mass moving along westward....the bone streaked road he called it...”. Uriel nodded.

“I will report this to the Queen and see what her action will be”.

II

Two days had passed since that disturbing event in the holding cell. Since the Onikonjou causing the issues had been taken care of. But by the looks of it just like before the oni had only been the symptom of a much larger problem. One that had to bereported directly to the queen Whatever darkness had lain sleeping within the core was now beginning to stri, and it was moving out westward. The Kami could only be glad that it was not moving towards Mare Maris. Such things were small blessings however, and ti only emant that it gave them time to either attack pre-emptively or prepare for an attack themselves. Uriel of course had to think of a way to get this thin out in the open. As of yet only a few people knew of the mans mad ramblings and that was limited to the few that had heard him and ultimately dismissed him before he had been picked up by the members of the Verstect Gestalt And now Uriel had to make these md remablings more common knowledge. So he sent out his members and had them spread the word of this dark army. And it seemed that he was no alone in this. Whether it was coincidence ore mere happenstance the church seemed to be helping with this. They were a world spreading religion and apparently some of their clerics were receiving horrible reports from the west. Many of them were actually coming to him and begging for the Queen to do something. It was a thing that brought a smile to hsi face. The church had influence among the people. It was going to be easier to get the queen into taking action rather than retaining her usual normal passive nature about things like this. With his collective reports on the rumours and the written pelas from the church in hand he marched into the throne room quite intent on seeing if he could get the Queen to give the go ahead on taking action and marching West with the Eisen Gestalt.

The chambers of the queen wern’t really what you would call grant, she was after all a woman of the people and whilst she wore and did have certain things that were givent o her due to her status for the most part she tried to make it so that the majority of her riches were spent on the poor. In Uriels opinion this was the perfect way to be a leader. Not to rule the people, but to serve them. Both to make their lives better and to serve their best interests. “ Uriel”. Spoke the Queen. She was a radiant figure. Long glowing golden hair that reached down to her back. A porcelain face that looked as if it had endured no hardship. A petite frame of a young woman. Despite this, Uriel knew just what she had endured. And respected her all the more for having coming through it as she was. She stood and approached him, hands held out in front her. Then collapsed around his cheeks, slender arms resting against his chest and shoulders. She cupped his face, and kissed his forehead in a traditional greeting that was common to the both of them. He took his own hands, palcing them over hers. Removing them one at a time, planting a kiss gently on the bck of each. “ My Queen”. He said, kneeling before her as he finished. His followers taking kneel after him. She laid her hand upon his head and spoke in that gentle hypnotic voice of hers. “ Stand Uriel, you know that you need not bow to me”. Uriel stood, but shrugged as he did so. “ Formalities must be kept my lady”. He gestured over to a long rectangular table in the chamber, each took their seats. The Queen at one end of the table and Uriel at the other. The Queens attendents took the right side of the table and Uriel’s followers the left.

“ I bring news from the people, and pleas from the church.... A dark force has arisen in the west emerging from the forsaken core....it is said that this force moves further west towards the great forests, as of yet its purpose is undefined...however any who have seen or stood in its way are either dead or mad....the church has many followers fleeing for their lives from the homes that are in the path of the dark march.....and the people are looking to us to ensure their protection...”.

The queen’s brow furrowed. She never did like conversations concerning any sorts of military matters, for the most part she left everything concerning the Gestalt’s to him. But anything concerning actual action, he needed her authority on it. And he hated to ay, but it was a difficult thing for him to get. “ Has this dark march shown any indications of harming our people?”. And there was the question that he had expected. To the outsider it would seem selfish. Self preservation. The truth simply was that the Queen did not want to be an aggressor. And the stories from the great forest indicated that a great many demon followers lived out there. And whilst she was all too willing to help them if they came to her, well. There was always the chance that those evil people had done something to anger those that lived in the core. By helping the guilty, Mare Maris would only be involving itself, and putting its people at an unnecessary risk. “ As of yet, no”. The Queen folded her hands in front of her and let out an apologetic smile.

“ I’m sorry Uriel but we cannot take an aggressive stance on this, thus far the force, be it dark or no has not turned its head towards Mare Maris, for all we know there may indeed be a good reason for these actions. And by moving in pre-emptively we risk our people in a foolhardy venture that we know nothing about”.

Uriel could see where she was coming from, but her nature was unfortunately blinded by her naivety. She wouldn’t take a risk based on good fact, and wasn’t willing tom bend to the will of her people or the pleas of the church if it meant some misguided sense of preservation. “ However that’s not to say that I won’t authorise the increase in defensive measures, you may increase our border forces as well as place more of the men scout patrol just n case there is any sign of suspicious activity around the borders and within our lands”. He didn’t expect pre-emptive action from her, defence was going to be the best that he was going to get from her. So he would take it, frowning on the inside but nodding graciously on the out. She looked to the table however, a tired look to her face. “ I know this was not the answer that you wanted Uriel, and I know that I have been....unhelpful...in the past...but I cannot be seen as an aggressor by the people of Terra... already there are people within our ranks that seek to destroy me...those that distrust spirits and would rather us dead or returned to our own realm....this is my home, and I cannot afford to give them ammunition”. Uriel nodded. “ I understand my queen”.

What he really meant and wanted to say of course was that, yes he understood her position. But being overly passive was as much weakness to these people as being overly aggressive. To be seen as a door mat would make her appear to be a weak leader if anything indeed did go wrong. But thus far it had not, and it was all too lucky for her that it hadn’t. Well luck was one word. Intervention by the secretive members of the Gestalt group had been another more accurate description. Uriel had watched over her from day one, and would continue to do so, but she was making it eternally difficult to do even that anymore. And that is what he didn’t like. With a brief nod, he stood. She looked back up at him as his servants followed suit. He bowed, and she merely stared at him with sad eyes. Did she feel guilty for being like this? Did she not wish to deny him? Or was it something else entirely that was bothering her. He couldn’t really think about it at the moment. He had defences to arrange Turning and walking out of the chamber he would take his leave and move towards the main complex of the armed forces. The Eisen Gestalt and have a meeting with the Generals. Who would no doubt be unhappy about the news.

------

The rumours of the dark king spread by the church of the prophet did reach far and wide, bringing in heroes and warriors, both those who defeated the dragon and others. There was a battle and the Dark Kings purpose was revealed. Albeit too late for the Prophet himself to intercede. . The Page fromt he book of life was found, and when it was unsealed. So where the angry ghosts of the Dusk. Those known as [The Words]. For a day and a Night, the confused lost phantoms did rage, some merely tormenting people, others the rumours were that they had the power to kill. Everything was unconfirmed within the power of that dense mist. What was known though was that this event greatly panicked the people of Terra and made the leaders of the world rather concerned about just what they could do to protect their peoples. Uriel, despite the fortified defences could find no weakness within the phantoms of the mist, unable to stop their advance for the night, until they were banished in the sun. Even the prophet was unable to avoid the barrage of fury that came from the phantoms of the fog. It was a mystery that upon the sun rise caused him to ponder the nature of the pages. And step up his efforts to find the remaining ones. And to do that, he required a plan. And so once more was called a meeting of the dark council in the Black Citadel.

----

A month prior to saga

“ We have managed to translate the words carved upon the trees....walls...and in...flesh...my lord...”.

The event of the phantoms had been most categorised by the lasting mark that these thigns left upo the land, words in the incomprehensible old landguage scarred into walls trees and any other real lasting surface. Even branded into the flesh of certain individuals if rumour was to be believed. Thankfully among the followers of the Prophet and the dark council was an expert on the old world. One who had anaged to decipher their language and was holding the secret to the old world A B Cs to themselves. The council member stood with a piece of parchment in his hand assembly holding the translated script. “ A rough translation at best my lord it states, ‘ In Dusk we Scream’. Well that certainly made some kind of sense considering the actions of the Phantoms. Although the main word that had attracted the attention of the Prophet was Dusk. A counter statement to the dawn, the beginning. Losing more pages was not going to be an option in this case, he knew that the Dark King had already gained far too much power when he had taken that Page. Curiously however he was more concerned about just how much power. When the Prophet had uncovered and unsealed his page of the book, such a thing had not happened. Nothing like that had happened bar his flashback from the past. However, the Dark king...when he had unsealed it...the world itself had come to a stand still. And something like that had happened. The Day the world stopped. Where some pages more powerful than others? If so the only two holders that the world currently knew were outbalanced. And the lord of the core had power the exceeded that of himself. It grinded against his thoughts. Efforts to find more pages


There were mumblings among the council. “ But my lord....”. Said the one, disguised as a Kami. “ This will be bringing them far too close to the truth would it not?” Ordinarily the answer to that question would been yes, but he was in a place where that revealing part of the truth gave more of an advantage than disadvantage. He would just spin it in a way that suited him and his needs. And of course the goals of himself and the Dark Council. “ Having more eyes and ears that are aware of the Fragments only works to our advantage. We would simply say that the hands of the un-anointed touching the artefacts would bring upon us another disaster...and lead us closer to the...Dusk....which would be the Gods final wrath...”.More muttering but there seemed to be a feel of overall acceptance around the council members. The Dusk would be an effective tool of control. Fear always was. And if they were able to control the ignorant masses with their religion offering the answer to eternal salvation, well then this was going to be far easier to deal with.

“ There are however Lord Prophet...still some unbelievers...”.

A snake tailed member of the council spoke up with this little point. The raven on his shoulder let out a caw. And a sly grin spread up the Prophets face. “ Then we shall have to make them believe....”.


-----

The Queen had been stressed lately. As had uriel. The two had grown apart, at least thats how Uriel saw it. He blamed her, and she knew that he blamed her. Whatever had happened, a few weeks after the report of the dark force and her denial of taking action. Soemthing horrible happened that effected the entire world. Time itself seemed to have stopped. Frozen in fear, at least thats what Uriel thought. What had happened that day caused even the battle hardened Kami’;s blood to freeze in his veins. First just random out of the ordinary occurances. Noises with no cause. Items being moved. Then, a fog had rolled into the city. And from the fog came phantoms. Horrors. Monstrosities made of the very fog that chased and terrified the locals and soldiers alike. Weapons were ueless against them. For they seemed to be as formless as the fog itself. They had been banished by the rising sun along with the mist, but people had died that night. Whether it was the cause of these ghosts. Or something else entirely was up to interpretation. Most wounded came in with knife wounds or slashes. Uriel suspected that the phantoms themselves were simply terrifying visions. And that people had been so terrified they had struck out at anything and everything around them just to be safe. Such things happened. For out of his own men not a one reported even a scratch from fighting the ghosts.

But he blamed her for everything happening in the first place. He didn’t doubt for a second that the problem had started because of that dark force in the west. [Continued in next post]

SAGA II: Dusk Star
Location: Mare Maris
Characters Involved

Spoiler:

The Queen had great reserves of stamina for her healing magic but it could only go so far. After awhile it would transpire that she could heal no more. But even then she continued bypassing her limits and going further than normal people would have been able to. But ultimately she was only damaiging herself by doing so. I t got to the point where she began to collapse. And Amos had to grasp her. There was a sound of shock coming from the crowd as the wall of bodies surged backwards at once. The handmaidens and her body guards began to form a wall in front of the crowd as Amos drew her back. The hand maidens each explaining that they would continue the healings but the Queen had to rest. The Crowd seemed content with this. The Queen moved up, pushing her body guard away feebly. “ No..I have to”. He shook his head, looking over at the crowd and then back at her. “ You serve the people best by getting better, then you can return....rest first there are other matters that need to be dealt with”. She still had protest in her eyes but her body was not strong enough to follow up with them. She let out a sigh as her knight helped her out towards the palace.

“ Amos, have you heard anything from Uriel?”

----

The Outer Borders of Mare Maris

The position in the camp was tense. There was a feeling that now the Eisen Gestalt could no longer be trusted with the protection of the Relic. Uriel had sent the bodies of those who had rebelled back to the city, brought by those in the Eisen Gestalt that were admitted members of the Church. That got rid of the honest ones. Which unfortunately only left Uriel in a paranoid position where he thought that the relic could be attacked at any point by hidden vipers within his little nest. Thankfully there was still the Verstect Gestalt. Watching over the Relic dressed as priests and mages supposedly trying to discern the divine mysteries of the relic. Of course this was bullshit, they had already leaned as much as they could about the relic. And what they knew wasn’t much. It emanated a holy aura. And it was sealed within this form.

Uriel moved into the opening where the relic was being held. Nodding his head to several “ priests” on the way. There it was. The holy relic. Lying on a makeshift altar.

A broken sword, marked with the symbol of the sun.

---

Whilst the chaos was going on between Dravec and Yuki. Bells tolled out to signal the completion of one of the churches little ceremonies. Noah wouldn’t have much time to mourn. A missive was sent out from the Elder council to seek out the representatives from the neighbour city. They wished to grant an audience to the ambassador. ( Noah can rp the details of getting the message).

Summary:
A relic of "holy" power has been discovered in Mare Maris. The military have moved in to secure and move the relic to the city. Whilst the church under the leadership of the prophet is strumming up religious frevor around " the dusk". Claiming that messing with the Relic like they are will bring down the gods wrath. As a result, a plague has began to spread throughout the city. Unrest reached its peak and broke. Now the leader of the military is hiring mercenaries to help escort the relic back to the city. The Saga will start with your characters within Mare Maris. Drawn either by the news, the offer of money, or simply wishing to help the sick people get better. Or something entirely different that makes sense. Up to yourselves. Regardless of reasons. From that starting point. What happens is down to yourselves...

Battousai would allow his hand to be restored and mended as he accepted the apology from Dravec as his gaze lingers on Yuki a bit longer. No words are spoken. Though it was a shame, it didn’t seem like he and Yuki would be able to coexist around one another; it was a good reason why there would be two villages united instead of one. Still, Battousai would not hold Dravec’s actions against him or condemn Yuki for counter attacking. Since everything was calm for now, he would accept this and move on. He knew that there would no doubt be an altercation in the future, but he would take things one day, or rather one conflict at a time. Still, he did think it useful to allow the two to spar against one another in the future as maybe it would allow them both to release some pent up steam regarding one another.

When the portal is opened, the samurai’s attention turns to it and he folds his arms at his chest and proceeds casually into the portal first. As he walks into the portal, he pause for a moment before he speaks to Dravec about Jay’de, stating, “caution your student on being swift to give her life, if you find use in her.” The samurai noticed, in his movements, that she had attempted a spell that failed. He would conclude, “Yuki’s strength is not to be taken lightly… he is my disciple.” That was also a caution to Dravec in a way, but aside from that, Battousai knew it would also be motivation. At the moment, Battousai knew both Yuki and Dravec’s strength, both mentally and physically. With that said, he would continue into the portal and come out where it saw fit to release them.

324 / 2133 | 6
Location: Theden

SAGA II: Dusk Star
Location: Mare Maris
Characters Involved

Spoiler:

[Noah]

The chambers of the elder council were rather large and intimidating. Stone walls with multiple carvings surrounding a large circular table in the centre with several chairs surrounding it. The men ( of whom were there) appeared to be humans in their middle ages. There were three of them, but it would seem that the council actually consisted of twelve members if the chair count was to be believed. The guard who had been escorting you would take his leave with but one look from one of the members. He closed the large doors behind him. Leaving you in the silence of the chamber. The air was tense. And the Elder Council seemed to be sizing you upp. Like a group of animals staring down their prey. Or perhaps their predator. You couldn’t really tell. There were no fear in their eyes. But yet the group was sized up one the less.

“ We are the elder council of Mare Maris “.

Spoke the man in the centre chair gesturing to his two breathen. “ Since the queen is currently busy dealing with the plague, we have been left with the running of the cities day to day life...as well as handling most of the outside influence that comes here...”. The one of the left whispered to the one in the middle. And the one on the right spoke up. “ We shall be blunt, ever since receiving news of your coming to the city, we have been discussing how to handle things and have determined that you are indeed no threat to us....But we do have desires with how to use the resources you have offered..>”. Carefully worded that. It wasn’t used like a command but nor was it placed as a request or a suggestion. Shrewd political moves.

“ We would have you use your workers...and any healers among you to help the queen in her efforts to rid the city of this plague...as for your soldiers...we have a more..delicate task...that requires more immediate attention...”. One one in the centre folded his hands.

“ Outside of the city our scouts discovered a possible Holy Relic members of our army have secured it but there have been....issues...in moving it to the city....we require hired help if you will to help deal with this”. It was vague, but it contained more information than the notices that had been sent out had....

Dravic’s Party ( Featuring Eclair)

As the party popped out of nowhere and subsequently the mysterious woman approached them. A piece of bloodied cloth would be blown on the wind, catching on the boot of Yuki. Dravic’s visual inspection of the area would probably pick this up as well as the imprints of wagon wheels, and oddly placed foot prints. Almost as if certain people had been limping towards Mare Maris. Anyone with enhanced senses might also pick up the scent from campfires on the wind.

Jack and Sera

After the ceremony had finished, the rings on and the bells tolling in the background, the doors of the church would open, and a white robed, red haired Kami walked inside. His eyes rd like Sera’s. One would argue that he might have come from the same classification as her. “ Ah such a beautiful day when two souls come together in harmony”. His eyes locked on the two of them. “ Even in the chaos to which we exist....But then to control the chaos is the goal of our people....to swim within the waters and breathe....to walk through the fires and feel no pain...”. He smiled. To an outsider it may have looked kind. But to those who it was focused upon. It appeared more arrogant than anything else”.

He approached them both and placed a hand on a shoulder of each. Leaning in and whispering.

“ I know your secret....know that you need not hide here...we do not judge....our goal is unification...peace for all....your union is beautiful...a manifestation of what we one day hope to bring to all...true peace and love for all...”.

Of course, the words of the man were empty. Not that either would know that. For within the guise of that Kami skin. Was an Onikonjou. One of the council members of the Prophet....” It is an honour to meet you....my name is...”.He grinned again.




Summary:
A relic of "holy" power has been discovered in Mare Maris. The military have moved in to secure and move the relic to the city. Whilst the church under the leadership of the prophet is strumming up religious frevor around " the dusk". Claiming that messing with the Relic like they are will bring down the gods wrath. As a result, a plague has began to spread throughout the city. Unrest reached its peak and broke. Now the leader of the military is hiring mercenaries to help escort the relic back to the city. The Saga will start with your characters within Mare Maris. Drawn either by the news, the offer of money, or simply wishing to help the sick people get better. Or something entirely different that makes sense. Up to yourselves. Regardless of reasons. From that starting point. What happens is down to yourselves...

When the fog of the void cleared, it would seem that they had made it to the place that they needed to go. They would come into a place that was not void of life; a passive survey proved bodies about, but none seemed aggressive. A glance to Dravec would tell the samurai that it tolled greatly on the void mage to bring this many people thus far with his powers. Such a thing was good, as Battousai felt that it made the void mage stronger to push his abilities to the limit. Recently, Battousai found himself getting more and more used to the powers of the void from simply being around Dravec; he even felt as if he were getting the hang of harnessing some of its abilities.

Battousai took Dravec’s silence on arrival to understand that he may be communicating with his pupil at the moment. That much was fine; Battousai would speak to Yuki mentally between the two of them. He nods to Yuki’s question; reaching out to Yuki’s mind, the samurai would state, “…be patient at all times. Whatever Dravec did shouldn’t have hurt my disciple badly. The impression made if you had not responded to his attack would have been far greater than a counter attack. Control your emotions and in such, you control your opponents. The rock in the stream needs not retaliate against the waters that constantly bash against it; this too is a method of strength.” After this, he would verbally speak, “yes, tell me about the messages.”

It wasn’t that he ignored the person twenty or less feet away, but rather, he was weighing the feasibility of this stranger addressing him out of a group. To an extent, Battousai could tell that she seemed to be addressing him. Amongst the personas, Battousai had not ‘reconnected’ with Jyn since they last parted. As such, it was Jyn who had gone a different route than he and was privy to an encounter with the young lady that was nearby. Since Jyn had not reunited with Battousai, or much less seem him since, Battousai would honestly be noticing a stranger who spoke casually at him. The distance between them and her tone seemed none aggressive, but her existence in being here in waiting for them was suspicious. As always, however, he knew that Dravec would not allow anyone to approach too closely without recourse. For that, while listening to Yuki’s answer, Battousai would simply nod to the young lady to allow her to know that she had been noticed, but would continue in leading the way towards Mare Maris. He was more concerned, at the moment, with the information that Yuki had received on their current destination and how it matched up with what he had heard from Dravec.

In referencing the previously mentioned persona, and waste of stamina, Jyn, wouldn’t actually be that far away. Jin would already be in the outskirts of Mare Maris as he had come previously to live with Meloly and her family, but the samurai didn’t anticipate running into or bothering the core persona in this visit. He pauses for a moment as he looks down to notice the parchment that had attached itself to Yuki's foot as if questioning it with his gaze.

619 / 2752 | 7
Location: Heading into Mare Maris

The journey had been an odd one for Jyn. After finishing his life goal of killing the mage of their paste, it seemed that he, Jin and Battousai had gained their own bodies. Not one to really question why this was occurring, Jyn went his separate way from the other two personas. As Jin had gone off to Mare Maris, and Battousai had gone to Theden, Jyn took an alternate route and ended up waking up in bed with a woman who had proclaimed to be his wife. He would like to say that weirder thing had happened, but alas, they had not thus far. After the fiasco with the blonde who referred to himself in the plural first person, Jyn departed from that village on his way towards the desert. He had originally stated that he would be going to Theden, but he wanted to look up a merchant who he used to know who he felt might be a good fit for the village as its head merchant. On his way in that direction, he heard about the hoopla with Mare Maris, remembered that Jin was there and decided that he would head to the worlds current largest town in order to catch up on current events. At the moment, he was unaware that Battousai, Dravec and Yuki would be there.

At the present moment in time, he would already be in the city; not particularly doing anything of great merit. After all, he was much closer than Theden when the rumors of the going-ons were happening.

Since it was pretty late in the day, it could be guessed that he were he would still be in bed with the covers partially over his partially dressed body. A loud fart would resonate through the small tavern room that would awake him from his sleep in a startle. Now sitting up in bed, he would look to the window and realize that it was already day. With a shrug, he would lazily lay back down.

“Shit!” The fact that it was already day would hit his brain coaxing him to get up again. Looking around he emits an annoyed groan and starts moving out of bed to get dressed and such. He had something to look at.

From the rumors, he knew that there was a special relic being held by Mare Maris and it was being protected by the military. He also knew some weird thing called a ‘church’ that he had never heard of before sprung up and started being a point of importance. The offer of money was always good, but mysterious happenings were always a good draw for an adventurer.

472 / 3224 | 8
Location: Waking up in Mare Maris

Getting an actual survey of the land, Battousai was able to recognize for himself that there seemed to be an exodus of sorts towards Mare Maris. From the rumors, the Queen of the area was supposed to be a healer of great strength, that much was obvious to most who had traveled this area or lived in it before. That with the mention of a plague would make sense for people to head to Mare Maris for her benevolent blessing. Still, the samurai frowned at what bringing a large population of sick people to one area would do to it. As previously felt by others who had come before him, there was a magical presence in the air that was slightly unnerving.

The samurai could tell that the magical presence had shifted from what it normally had been. Having been to the area before, he knew it almost as if he knew a smell. The signature of things was tainted, though Battousai wouldn’t be able to tell how just yet. The campfires were note worthy but didn’t seem to hold his attention.

Suddenly, something comes into Battousai’s mind as he looks at the blood in the area. He was able to put together some small facts such as that there was a plague in the area, people were moving towards the city, and there was blood about. His mask already covered his face, but he would say, “be careful not to touch anything directly. We do not know the nature of this land’s affliction.” He knew Dravec wore gloves as did Yuki. Battousai attempted to use his sensing to look at the blood about them to see if it were laced with any particular type of magic. Sharing his thoughts with the other, he contrasts Dravec’s words stating, “…these tracks lead into the town and this blood could have come from the ill as they moved into the city seeking help.” As always, Battousai wanted to understand his surroundings before doing anything. Moving on Yuki’s words, he concludes, “but if they request mercenaries to help with something, then we should move quickly into the town to hear what this something is.” Looking to Dravec, Battousai would mentally advise him to go ahead with his female disciple and that he would be catching up with them momentarily. The situation had finally attracted the samurai’s attention. Speaking to his disciple, Battousai inquires, “Yuki, as you know there are campfires around here. I would like for you to seek out an encampment to gain any information those there have. Afterwards, meet back with us in the town. If you run into trouble, even if you have it under control, send a flare into the sky. Is that understood?”

515 / 3739 | 8
Location: Heading into Mare Maris

SAGA II: Dusk Star
Location: Mare Maris
Characters Involved

Spoiler:

[Noah]
The members o of the elder council laid out in front of you seemed to be rather pleased with that answer. Although the one on the right seemed to have a look on his face akin to concern when you mentioned that you had failed to bring any healers. Still it was a bit strange that the majority of them cared more about this holy relic than dealing with the problems within the city itself. It had to make you question how things were run in this city. “ Its good to hear that you’ll be helping us with it then. Rest be sured however that you are not the only one who is likely to be there, a call for mercenaries went up ever since the...incident...”. The one in the centre seemed to be speaking fro them at this point in time. “ The church has not been very...cooperative with our attempts to secure the relic..they think that by touching it we are bringing this plague down upon the city...it is a coincidence I assure you...”. The one on the left took his turn this time. “ Unfortunatly their influence even within our own military is great...thus we require the help of mercenaries in the case of any more...incidents...”. A little bit loose with the tongue there. The main words to be focused upon were “ any more”. Which indicated that there had already been problems in moving it.

The centre member of the council would throw a map at you wrapped up parchment sealed with string. “ That is the location of our current encampment...when you get there seek out Uriel. Leader of the gestalt group”.

Dravic’s Party ( Featuring Eclair)

As Dravic pulled his Jedi mind trick warning thing on Ecalire. Yuki mystically read Dravics mind. And Jay’De stood there looking all cute and apprenticy. Other things would go on. Dravic’s tracking senses would detect that the tracks were in fact no that old. By the looks of things in fact they had only passed by in whatever convoy it had been roughly 10-15 minutes ago. Battousai’s sensing against the blood stained cloth would come back reading a blank. It seemed that whoever had been wearing it had not been effected by magic. Be it ill or positive. Which indicated that the injury they had sustained had came from traditional means. Not necessarily an accident due to the amount of blood on the bandage. But more likely a light sword cut judged by the pattern spread of the blood, as well as the volume.


Jack and Sera

Azazel, didn’t seem like much of a name a Kami would take. But then again Jack didn’t much seem like a name a demon would take. Weird things happened. But this kami seemed to be getting an odd kick from Sera’s...nervousness. She’d asked him a simple question and Azazel was going to reply with a more complex answer. “....Ah but there are many things that we could want for but not all of them you could do for us....it is sad to see on this day of blessing that the city is stricken down in such a terrible way...a plague that seems to have no end...a curse by the gods for the actions of a heretical queen and her followers....”. Azazel put on what could only be described as a rather fake sad look. “ Alas we do our best to contain it...to heal...to hand out the blessings of our fathers...”. His hands raised to the sky. “ But it would seem that this is the will of the gods...that we be punished...”. Azazel moved out of their way, that grin creeping up his face again. “ So I suppose all I can ask is...”.





Summary:
A relic of "holy" power has been discovered in Mare Maris. The military have moved in to secure and move the relic to the city. Whilst the church under the leadership of the prophet is strumming up religious frevor around " the dusk". Claiming that messing with the Relic like they are will bring down the gods wrath. As a result, a plague has began to spread throughout the city. Unrest reached its peak and broke. Now the leader of the military is hiring mercenaries to help escort the relic back to the city. The Saga will start with your characters within Mare Maris. Drawn either by the news, the offer of money, or simply wishing to help the sick people get better. Or something entirely different that makes sense. Up to yourselves. Regardless of reasons. From that starting point. What happens is down to yourselves...

SAGA II: Dusk Star
Location: Mare Maris
Characters Involved

Spoiler:

Noah

And poofing like some genie out of the Arabian nights Noah and his peeps are off near the encampment located on the map. Approaching the encampment to tell them that they’d been sent by the elder council and were wanting to see Uriel. Now the unfortunate thing was that Noah hadn’t hung around long enough to get proof of this little order bar the map. And the soldiers were quite suspicious about the whole thing. A group of people wanting to see who could possibly be the central pillar of a currently very shaky building that was the people came around the Relic? The letter identified you as mercenaries. And that would be about it. There were a few discussions among them before they managed to reach a decision. “ He’s in the back”.

It semed that they had determined that the risk of going against the orders of the Elder Council were more than the danger of accidently letting someone in to see Uriel that really shouldn’t be. The guard who was speaking gestured towards a larger tent in the back. That tent was quite easy to tell apart from the othes not just because of its size but the flag adorning the top also seemed to be different from the regular flag of the others.

There was a road behind the tents, a hunter road. A dirt road that seemed to lead into a clearing surrounded by dense vegetation. The guard seemed to be the lightest around that area, which in itself seemed slightly peculiar. Assuming that you walked down towards that tent you would see a figure emerge from that very dirt road. His hair was platinum blonde, his eyes blue. The face of a young man. But the way he walked identified him as someone who had seen and experienced much. A robed man moved from the larger tent and moved over to him, made an action as if whispering in his ear and then his eyes moved over towards you. He seemed to grin, and then made his way over.



There was something strange, a little bird had told him? The man in the robes? But he had been nowhere near the guards or you at the time. Suddenly there was the feeling around the camp. You’d be able to see it in the soldiers. Lack of sleep. Paranoia in their eyes. Someone watching you. And that voice and question or Uriels. It seemed to convey a different message. He didn’t want to know what he could do for you. But what you could do for him.

Dravic’s Party ( featuring Eclair)

Ok so not much had really happened since the small revelations bar Yuki taking off on his own with rape in his eyes. It wouldn't take Yuki long if he headed in the direction of the campfires to reach the same location as Noah (hint hint).

Summary:
A relic of "holy" power has been discovered in Mare Maris. The military have moved in to secure and move the relic to the city. Whilst the church under the leadership of the prophet is strumming up religious frevor around " the dusk". Claiming that messing with the Relic like they are will bring down the gods wrath. As a result, a plague has began to spread throughout the city. Unrest reached its peak and broke. Now the leader of the military is hiring mercenaries to help escort the relic back to the city. The Saga will start with your characters within Mare Maris. Drawn either by the news, the offer of money, or simply wishing to help the sick people get better. Or something entirely different that makes sense. Up to yourselves. Regardless of reasons. From that starting point. What happens is down to yourselves...

SAGA II: Dusk Star
Location: Mare Maris
Characters Involved

Spoiler:

Hours earlier

“A broken sword”.

Stated Uriel looking down at the current form of the relic. Doubtless that this item was it, but still he could not wrap his head around the reason for it taking this form. It could have been anything he imagined, some sort of mystical cube. A sphere with strange runic markings perhaps. But this, this was unexpected. Aborken sword lying upon an altar. One would think that moving such a thing would be easy, that it would simply be a case of picking it up and walking in the general direction of Mare Maris till you got there, but this wasn’t the case. Not that they hadn’t tried. It was just impossible. Even now standing close to it Uriel could feel what prevented it being moved. It was some sort of weight, standing near it his bodyfelt as if it had gotten heavier. As if he could barely stand under his own weight. Each limb stiff. Even this however was as close as some people could get without collapsing over. Uriel. He felt as if he could take another few steps. But the closer you got the more the burden upon you increased. Perhpas this was a way of ensuring that the relic was never misused. But there had to be some sort of secret to removing the sword from the alter. But he didn’’t really have time to waste on that kind of thing. Which was why they were preparing to move the actual land around the alter as opposed to the sword itself.

It was going to take great effort to do so yes, but thats why they were paying damned well for mercenary help. The plan was simple, use magic to cut into the land in a circle around 10 feet from the altar. Ten feet, Approximitly the distance the average soldier could be from the relic and still be able to stand on his own two feet. Once the earth had been cut into. Mages in the camp would craft transport with their magic, they didn’t have the time needed to craft it the old fashioned way and move it into place. The earth would be levitated and placed and required on this. At which point it was down to the people and beasts of burden they had to drag it back to Mare Maris. For this task he’d be using the Eisen Gestalt. They couldn’t be trusted in protecting it, but hauling it. Well they couldn’t really screw that up that much could they?

Uriel took another step towards the Relic. Again he felt the pressure of the relic pressing down on him. His body before had felt like interlocking chains of steel as if he had been wearing chainmail on every part of his body. As if the chains were in fact the parts of his skin. But now, now it felt as if his flesh, his muscle his bone had turned into iron. Movement was difficult if not impossible. At least. Moving forward was. For some reason, the Relic didn’t abate movement backwards. He took a step back, easily. Unabated. It was a most curious effect, and all at once again it was back to being weight down by links of chian. However he did imagine that if he had in fact gotten too close to the relic.

The point where you were so weighed down that you could not standing. Moving backwards away from it was going to be something that was goin to be impossible. One of the hooded mage like men walking around the alter area. The secret members of the Verstect Gestalt. Approached him and gestured at the sword. “ Most interesting isn’t it my lord?”. Uriel nodded in time agreeing with the agent. “ Theres an old story where I come from, that of a broken sword....a sword of mercy broken so as to not deliver the killing blow in an unjust execution....”. Uriel looked over at the agent. His curiousity piqued at the idea of this little connection between the two.


Curiosity, nothing else. But from under that hood he felt the Verstect Gestalt agent smirk. “ It was a messenger of the gods”.

Most intriguing.

----

Noah

Noah revealing himself to Uriel was met with the kind of reaction that one could really expect from the man. Indifference. There was a mild smirk on the side of his face, a rather drawn out blink but beyond that he didn’t really seem to much care. Noah was here himself which emant that he was a king who either had the right attitude about getting a personal hand in situation that involved diplomatic relations. Or he was a king who really needed the reward from the mercenary job. Either way it worked in the advantage of Mare Maris. However he didn’t like what seemed to be the arrogant nature from the child. But he was right, at the moment there was very little that MARE Maris could do for the child king. Uriel’s hands were full. And he needed every helping hand he could get in ensuring that the Eisen Gestalt and well, whatever outside influence that decided to get involved would stay in line.

“ Good to hear, Honestly I was hoping more people would arrive but if it is just us then so be it....If the Elder council did truely send you then no doubt they will have told you about our situation, we have encountered a relic like none we have ever seen before....it is in the back there, although I ask that you do not go near it our mages are currently working on the process of....making it movable....Yes you heard right...as of now its an immovable object, and you can imagine the time we’ve had dealing with something like that....but we have found a way and soon we will be making the moves for sending the Relic towards the city...Your job in all of this will be simple”.

He gestured to the main camp. “ Its a sad day when I can’t trust the men the queen had given me....we had a rebellion a few days ago...religious zealots and a few of the Eisen Gestalt taking up arms to try and claim the Relic...thankfully they were despatched before they managed to go near the relic...not that they would have been able to steal it...”. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “ But as things stand, I’m not sure who I can trust, there may yet be sleeper agents among my ranks, only holding back till we make the object movable before they take action...thus I need people who are uninfluenced by the machinations of outside influence...guard duty.,..it may seem simple...but it is most vital...”. Almost forcefully the weariness moved out of his face.




Summary:
A relic of "holy" power has been discovered in Mare Maris. The military have moved in to secure and move the relic to the city. Whilst the church under the leadership of the prophet is strumming up religious frevor around " the dusk". Claiming that messing with the Relic like they are will bring down the gods wrath. As a result, a plague has began to spread throughout the city. Unrest reached its peak and broke. Now the leader of the military is hiring mercenaries to help escort the relic back to the city. The Saga will start with your characters within Mare Maris. Drawn either by the news, the offer of money, or simply wishing to help the sick people get better. Or something entirely different that makes sense. Up to yourselves. Regardless of reasons. From that starting point. What happens is down to yourselves...

As things would turn out, Dravec would accept the order to venture forth towards the town and would call for his disciple to move with him. In that manner, Dravec would continue to the town gates while passively sensing around his environment, and would enter into the city unless somehow interrupted.

More understanding is retrospectively gained as Battousai would accept the knowledge that his initial observation may have been wrong and that a battle could have finished in his location not too long ago. As it would seem, it looked as if they had arrived on the tail end of some type of conflict. Still wishing for the bigger picture, he would proceed as normal. With a nod, he accepts Yuki’s words and bids a momentary farewell to him for their later rendezvous in the town. With Yuki leaving and heading in the direction of a camp, Battousai shifts his gaze into the direction where Dravec and his apprentice should have gone just a few moments before. Moving at a slightly brisker pace than they would have left out with, Battousai begins the process of catching up with them, also sensing about his environment and getting a bead on his cohorts. If unhindered, he would approach from behind Dravec and his apprentice to enter into the town gates at the same time.

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Location: Heading into Mare Maris

SAGA II: Dusk Star
Location: Mare Maris
Characters Involved

Spoiler:

[Noah/Yuki

Men would be running around you, superior officers seemed to be handing out orders as the men started packing up the tents. I appeared that things were finally beginning to take off. Take off being the optimal word in this situation. “ Good to hear”. Said Uriel, he gestured for Noah and Kimi to wait. And what happened next would likely be find boggling. Magical energy was drawn in to the area covered by the trees and other vegetation. Slightly above the tree cover you could see something begin to float. The mages had reached into the power of their earth magic, severing the ties between the earth soil and rock that the alter was on top of. And it began to float.

As certain ones kept it in the air, another couple began to work using wood and metal magic t form a kind of transportation device, like a wagon but far larger and with six wheels. The mages keeping the earth clump afloat seemed to be under extreme strain. The weight that the relic emanated seemed to work in the terms of magic as well. Slowly they lowered it down onto the transport device that had been crafted. And the thing began to creak under the strain of the weight. Luckily the under and over had been reinforced with the power of metal. And whilst it bent and groaned under the weight. It held. With a gesture the opfficers of the Eisen gestalt began to move their troops into positions, the soldiers moving down the dirt road, ropes and hooks and chains. They began the process of securing the relic to the transport. Avoiding putting the chains too close to the alter lest they too be weighted down by the power of the relic and strain the “ train” too much. Once it was tightly secured, they began attaching ropes to the train, tying them to what horses they had. The mages crafted golems out of the earth, attaching hem to the train as well. Surely it would not take so many to move such a thing? Heavy as it was. It couldn’t possibly be that heavy.

Then they began to move it. Progress was slow even with all the things dragging the relic. They moved up the dirt road and both Noah and Yuki would get their first glimpse of the relic, and the exodus of people and creatures pulling it. Uriel gestured Noah to the front of the convoy.


Now when he said personal guard he didn’t mean the as of yet unknown Vestect Gestalt. But rather a group of 6 body guards part of neither Eisen, nor Verstect. With that things would begin to get underway, as the convoy would make its slow progress towards Mare Maris.


Dravic’s Party
Whenever the group would finally make it from the road towards to the actual city proper they would find that there was a bit of a converse to the norm. There was a lot of people trying to get out of the city. Going in seemed to be relatively easy. However for those already in that was another story all together. There was a group of guards who seemed to differ from the norm for lack of a better word “ checking “ people. Each wore a navy blue uniform and had a sort of steely hardened look in their eyes ( if you were one to get that close). It seemed to be a quarantine of sorts. People could still come in, relief workers, traders. But to contain things to the city they seemed to be making sure that nobody with the disease went out beyond the city limits. One example of a person trying to get out was taken aside by one of the men in blue and checked over. The end of which had the guards eyes glow a strange blue. Before the person was rejected for exiting. Presumably some kind of sensing magic.

If one tried to reach out with their own senses to detect just why the person had been rejected. Those with magic senses would feel something akin to a serpent ( in magical terms of course) wrapped around the citizens neck. Once entry into the city had been gained ( you would be approached, informed of the situation within the city and then given the whole “ we take no responsibility for any plagueyou may or may not contract” talk) you would be able to find the central points of this little event with relative ease. Healings going on at centre of town. Blessings at the church which were supposed to protect against the disease. And word of some Relic that had been discovered.

Eclair

A tumble weed would blow by as Eclair, apparently abandoned by the group after she had just stopped talking and moving. Stayed there, perfectly still. One would almost think that this was the city of racoons, baset by another plague from the zombiefied appearance that she was now displaying. Still like a statue, staring into space. Unblinking. Really one hadn’t seen a case of it this bad since a certain woman at the end of the world. Un/Fortunatly no molestation was taking place. Whoops spoke too soon!

A merchant caravan moving out from the city passed on by her. Spotting her rather unresponsive demonor they looked around. Waving in front of her face. The merchant waving at her looked over at his partner sdrivng the caravan.

“ Yo, how much do you think we can sell this ass for in Theden?”.

Summary:
A relic of "holy" power has been discovered in Mare Maris. The military have moved in to secure and move the relic to the city. Whilst the church under the leadership of the prophet is strumming up religious frevor around " the dusk". Claiming that messing with the Relic like they are will bring down the gods wrath. As a result, a plague has began to spread throughout the city. Unrest reached its peak and broke. Now the leader of the military is hiring mercenaries to help escort the relic back to the city. The Saga will start with your characters within Mare Maris. Drawn either by the news, the offer of money, or simply wishing to help the sick people get better. Or something entirely different that makes sense. Up to yourselves. Regardless of reasons. From that starting point. What happens is down to yourselves...

Having caught up with and now leading The Party Formerly Known as Dravic’s Party, Battousai and his party look upon the sights which are bequeathed upon them due to their surrounding environment. The obvious first noticed event was the fact that people were trying to leave the city, but were being hindered. Odd as it was, it was understandable if the city were in quarantine. It did lead into the question of whether someone would want to willingly go into such a place or not. Witnessing a person being turned away gave the insight as described by the narrator. Battousai was able to sense the serpentine hold on the person who was turned away and with that, had a feel of what the unique signature of an instance of ‘bad’ as opposed to what seemed to be normal.

Instead of entering beyond the disclaimer that was given, Battousai would seek information from the guard who would assist his party’s entrance. Of course, he could ask, but since his good buddy was making him post for him, he would mentally speak out to Dravec to handle his light weighted business. Obediently having already given permission to be controlled by Battousai, Dravec would move draw attention to himself by asking the guard, “do you know by what means the people here are contracting the plague? Is there any information you can tell us for our safety? We have come, after all, at the city’s hail for assistance.” Whether that was true or not wasn’t important. Mentally, Dravec would inquire of his student, “what do you make of this place in your observations” as a way of gaining insight to her spatial awareness.

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Location: Heading into Mare Maris