Current Sitewide Plot
Jun 13, 2012 22:13:05 GMT -5
Post by Darastrix on Jun 13, 2012 22:13:05 GMT -5
Hell on Naruta: This Time It's On Purpose: Year 1017-Present
Cliffnotes Version: After getting his hands on an old journal belonging to his predecessors, High Priest Die of New Morilanta discovered a way to free demons from the Abyss, as Old Morilanta had done (accidentally) years before. He opened a portal to the Abyss at the Naurorod volcano, freeing scores of demons, including the demon Lord, Karau. Karau immediately began planning how to take over Naruta, starting with New Anarlina, and destroyed Clan Linnod in Naurorod to begin creating his army of thralls. While he moved northwest to build his army, he sent Die southeast to Ekaitz to fetch more sacrifices so that his Lady ally, Terza, could be freed as well.
Die and the thralls Karau had given him sacked Ekaitz, taking all survivors and proclaiming to be acting on New Morilanta’s behalf. When the news reached him, Emperor Saul set about trying to gain information about where Die could be and the temple was set against itself to facilitate getting info. Meanwhile, Die freed Terza, who he liked much better than Karau, and the pair skipped off to cause mayhem for their own amusement elsewhere.
While this was ongoing, the Forces sent visions and rings to certain seers and Etafians to warn of the threat and to tell them to find their chosen champions and deliver the rings to them while the Forces prepared beyond the Veil for what was to come. The ring-bearers set out to give the Forces’ message and rings to their champions, some gaining assistance along the way. Etaf, Love, and Thuoth’s rings were the first to be given out, and their champions were given tasks to complete or abstain from as they chose.
CURRENTLY, Lord Karau’s forces are invading the province of Widor in New Anarlina.
The Full Story (Thus Far): A journal penned by New Morilanta's prior high priests of Evil fell into the hand of the current high priest, Diederik "Die" Black. In it, he found notes that suggested how one might intentionally rend the veil between the mortal realm and the Abyss. Die set about putting these theories to the test, and successfully summoned an imp. Soon after, he began putting plans in place to recreate his success on a far larger scale, taking a small group of fellow priests and a large number of Water elemental slaves to the Peak of Flames in Naurorod.
Once over half the slaves and other water-related items he'd brought were sacrificed in the volcano, the barrier between them and the Abyss was ripped wide open, allowing a multitude of lesser demons to pour out into the mortal realm, where they soon scattered. A pair of demons lingered, and after a brief conversation, they left toward the Temple of Mystics (which Die had suggested would be a good place to feed and was completely decimated as a result) and Die had the reminder of their sacrifices thrown in, along with a pair of his own companion priests when it appeared he needed more. Thus was freed the demon lord, Karau.
Die was more than happy to throw in his lot with this demon for a time; he had no motivation in the summoning beyond 'learn more about demons and see what happens.' Karau was more goal-oriented, and planned to subjugate the whole of Naruta, starting with the nation of Love: New Anarlina. First, of course, he needed an army.
Karau enthralled what lingering demons he could find and set out to Lhach Linnod, Naurorod's only settled clan. His injuries seemed to only strengthen him, and the clan was swiftly overcome. The surviving warriors were given a choice: die or become Karau's thralls. Most chose death. The remainder were made slaves to his will with the appearance of demonic hybrids.
Once Linnod was conquered, the demon Zarhiel approached Karau on behalf of Terza, a Lady demon and one of Karau’s allies in the Abyss. Though the portal remained open, demon Lords and Ladies could not pass through unassisted, and Terza wished for Karau to free her. Karau accepted Die’s suggestion they take Water slaves from Ekaitz for more sacrifices, and sent him on his way with a number of thralls, as well as Zarhiel to serve as his second. Meanwhile, Karau left to the northeast to continue building his army.
Die and his thralls posed as a group of Naurites heading to Ekaitz for revenge, and moved through the Beastlands largely unopposed, sometimes even gaining more allies to their “cause.” Their takeover was blatant, with Die greeting Ekaitz in the names of Emperor Saul and Lord Karau (and himself) and issuing an ultimatum: surrender or die. They razed the city-nation, taking slaves and citizens alike, burning buildings, and seizing goods. Saul wanted Die found and brought back in chains, and Anarchy had the idea to set the temple factions against each other rather than risking civil war by attacking the temple directly.
They returned to Naurorod, and Terza was brought through the portal. According to her, the portal seemed to grow wider when she passed through, though what this might mean for the future was unclear. Die much preferred her to Karau; he thought the demon lord’s drive to make war and conquer lands was dull and predictable. Terza, by contrast, had a sense of fun that appealed to him, so they left for Reave to cause random mayhem and entertain themselves.
The Forces were not standing idly by during this incursion. After the summoning, each Force sent a vision to a specially chosen seer among their followers (or to an Etafian priest if there were no seers that they wished to choose). These seers and Etafians were given rings and tasked with seeking out those chosen to wear them.
Lord Regent Brad Crawford of Khelek was given Etaf’s rings and was also chosen to wear one. He was the first to complete his task, teleporting across Naruta with Prince Nagi Kazimir. After all rings were given, Etaf spoke to her chosen, giving each a task to do if they so wished. Alternately, they could focus on their rings and be led to the sanctuary that the Forces were readying for their champions.
Priestess Mina Proferta of Talen’sul was contacted by Etaf to deliver the rings of Love and was the second to complete her task. She and her lover, Nathan, first traveled to New Anarlina to deliver four of the five. The royals gave them the services of a Mind to help them reach Khelek to deliver the final ring. Once the rings were given, each of Love’s chosen were inspired to think of some task they could undertake to help during this time of trouble, as well as having thoughts of a safer, more self-serving route.
Seer Ryder Alexandros of New Anarlina was given the rings of Thuoth and was the third to complete his task. He gave rings to Lord Zira Wintersong and Lord Sunray Flamehart in New Anarlina, and with those rings discovered the painful purging process the rings would inflict on their bearers if they had become tainted by demonic influence. Zira had won a tainted sword from a demon in a duel the day before as well as hosted the demon in his home, and Sunray had met a demon a few days prior who posed as an apothecary and supplied him with an addictive drug under the premise of helping him sleep.
Ryder’s final delivery required divine intervention, as the bard Crow didn’t believe what he had to say. Once the rings were delivered, Thuoth spoke to his chosen as Etaf had, giving assignments tailored to their talents and the option of making for the sanctuary if they so wished.
At this time, Worg, Efil, Soahc, and Taed’s ring-bearers were still traveling the lands to deliver their rings. Though the Forces seemed, for whatever reason, unable or disinclined to step in directly, their angels had been stepping in from time to time, either in defense of the ring-bearers against demonic threat or in convincing the unbelieving or unwilling of their chosen champions.
While the ring-bearers were busy making their deliveries, some needing to go as far as Firegem, Karau was busy amassing his army, and finally made his first major strike, invading New Anarlina’s southwestern province, Widor.
Cliffnotes Version: After getting his hands on an old journal belonging to his predecessors, High Priest Die of New Morilanta discovered a way to free demons from the Abyss, as Old Morilanta had done (accidentally) years before. He opened a portal to the Abyss at the Naurorod volcano, freeing scores of demons, including the demon Lord, Karau. Karau immediately began planning how to take over Naruta, starting with New Anarlina, and destroyed Clan Linnod in Naurorod to begin creating his army of thralls. While he moved northwest to build his army, he sent Die southeast to Ekaitz to fetch more sacrifices so that his Lady ally, Terza, could be freed as well.
Die and the thralls Karau had given him sacked Ekaitz, taking all survivors and proclaiming to be acting on New Morilanta’s behalf. When the news reached him, Emperor Saul set about trying to gain information about where Die could be and the temple was set against itself to facilitate getting info. Meanwhile, Die freed Terza, who he liked much better than Karau, and the pair skipped off to cause mayhem for their own amusement elsewhere.
While this was ongoing, the Forces sent visions and rings to certain seers and Etafians to warn of the threat and to tell them to find their chosen champions and deliver the rings to them while the Forces prepared beyond the Veil for what was to come. The ring-bearers set out to give the Forces’ message and rings to their champions, some gaining assistance along the way. Etaf, Love, and Thuoth’s rings were the first to be given out, and their champions were given tasks to complete or abstain from as they chose.
CURRENTLY, Lord Karau’s forces are invading the province of Widor in New Anarlina.
The Full Story (Thus Far): A journal penned by New Morilanta's prior high priests of Evil fell into the hand of the current high priest, Diederik "Die" Black. In it, he found notes that suggested how one might intentionally rend the veil between the mortal realm and the Abyss. Die set about putting these theories to the test, and successfully summoned an imp. Soon after, he began putting plans in place to recreate his success on a far larger scale, taking a small group of fellow priests and a large number of Water elemental slaves to the Peak of Flames in Naurorod.
Once over half the slaves and other water-related items he'd brought were sacrificed in the volcano, the barrier between them and the Abyss was ripped wide open, allowing a multitude of lesser demons to pour out into the mortal realm, where they soon scattered. A pair of demons lingered, and after a brief conversation, they left toward the Temple of Mystics (which Die had suggested would be a good place to feed and was completely decimated as a result) and Die had the reminder of their sacrifices thrown in, along with a pair of his own companion priests when it appeared he needed more. Thus was freed the demon lord, Karau.
Die was more than happy to throw in his lot with this demon for a time; he had no motivation in the summoning beyond 'learn more about demons and see what happens.' Karau was more goal-oriented, and planned to subjugate the whole of Naruta, starting with the nation of Love: New Anarlina. First, of course, he needed an army.
Karau enthralled what lingering demons he could find and set out to Lhach Linnod, Naurorod's only settled clan. His injuries seemed to only strengthen him, and the clan was swiftly overcome. The surviving warriors were given a choice: die or become Karau's thralls. Most chose death. The remainder were made slaves to his will with the appearance of demonic hybrids.
Once Linnod was conquered, the demon Zarhiel approached Karau on behalf of Terza, a Lady demon and one of Karau’s allies in the Abyss. Though the portal remained open, demon Lords and Ladies could not pass through unassisted, and Terza wished for Karau to free her. Karau accepted Die’s suggestion they take Water slaves from Ekaitz for more sacrifices, and sent him on his way with a number of thralls, as well as Zarhiel to serve as his second. Meanwhile, Karau left to the northeast to continue building his army.
Die and his thralls posed as a group of Naurites heading to Ekaitz for revenge, and moved through the Beastlands largely unopposed, sometimes even gaining more allies to their “cause.” Their takeover was blatant, with Die greeting Ekaitz in the names of Emperor Saul and Lord Karau (and himself) and issuing an ultimatum: surrender or die. They razed the city-nation, taking slaves and citizens alike, burning buildings, and seizing goods. Saul wanted Die found and brought back in chains, and Anarchy had the idea to set the temple factions against each other rather than risking civil war by attacking the temple directly.
They returned to Naurorod, and Terza was brought through the portal. According to her, the portal seemed to grow wider when she passed through, though what this might mean for the future was unclear. Die much preferred her to Karau; he thought the demon lord’s drive to make war and conquer lands was dull and predictable. Terza, by contrast, had a sense of fun that appealed to him, so they left for Reave to cause random mayhem and entertain themselves.
The Forces were not standing idly by during this incursion. After the summoning, each Force sent a vision to a specially chosen seer among their followers (or to an Etafian priest if there were no seers that they wished to choose). These seers and Etafians were given rings and tasked with seeking out those chosen to wear them.
Lord Regent Brad Crawford of Khelek was given Etaf’s rings and was also chosen to wear one. He was the first to complete his task, teleporting across Naruta with Prince Nagi Kazimir. After all rings were given, Etaf spoke to her chosen, giving each a task to do if they so wished. Alternately, they could focus on their rings and be led to the sanctuary that the Forces were readying for their champions.
Priestess Mina Proferta of Talen’sul was contacted by Etaf to deliver the rings of Love and was the second to complete her task. She and her lover, Nathan, first traveled to New Anarlina to deliver four of the five. The royals gave them the services of a Mind to help them reach Khelek to deliver the final ring. Once the rings were given, each of Love’s chosen were inspired to think of some task they could undertake to help during this time of trouble, as well as having thoughts of a safer, more self-serving route.
Seer Ryder Alexandros of New Anarlina was given the rings of Thuoth and was the third to complete his task. He gave rings to Lord Zira Wintersong and Lord Sunray Flamehart in New Anarlina, and with those rings discovered the painful purging process the rings would inflict on their bearers if they had become tainted by demonic influence. Zira had won a tainted sword from a demon in a duel the day before as well as hosted the demon in his home, and Sunray had met a demon a few days prior who posed as an apothecary and supplied him with an addictive drug under the premise of helping him sleep.
Ryder’s final delivery required divine intervention, as the bard Crow didn’t believe what he had to say. Once the rings were delivered, Thuoth spoke to his chosen as Etaf had, giving assignments tailored to their talents and the option of making for the sanctuary if they so wished.
At this time, Worg, Efil, Soahc, and Taed’s ring-bearers were still traveling the lands to deliver their rings. Though the Forces seemed, for whatever reason, unable or disinclined to step in directly, their angels had been stepping in from time to time, either in defense of the ring-bearers against demonic threat or in convincing the unbelieving or unwilling of their chosen champions.
While the ring-bearers were busy making their deliveries, some needing to go as far as Firegem, Karau was busy amassing his army, and finally made his first major strike, invading New Anarlina’s southwestern province, Widor.