Author Topic: Part 4: Not the afterlife you were looking for  (Read 19294 times)

Offline FireInTheSky

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Re: Part 4: Not the afterlife you were looking for
« Reply #60 on: August 06, 2014, 03:23:12 PM »
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« Last Edit: August 06, 2014, 03:27:11 PM by FireInTheSky »

Offline MetroMagic

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Re: Part 4: Not the afterlife you were looking for
« Reply #61 on: September 09, 2014, 06:00:36 AM »
The Smith rocks back and forth on His boot heels and tips, holding His sides in solemn mirth. His double-strike onto Darayat certainly set the Guardians on edge.



In the midst of the uproar, Ptolemaeus feels a familiar tingle. By the Gods, not now! But yes, now (and indeed, by the Gods). An emergency Notice from the Guardians to all operatives past, present, and future flashes into his Knowledge of All Things Bound to Time as if he had always known it, which in fact he apparently had. Why the Guardians seem to feel they can alter such things with impunity while forbidding it to the rest of the Multiverse is a persistent question that Ptolemaeus can easily ask, but knows better than to ask such a pointlessly lethal question.

However, this newly ancient Knowledge has more import than usual, because its subject is standing almost right next to him: Darayat.

It is therefore little surprise for Ptolemaeus’ TimeSight to now reveal the telltale bluegray stroboscopic flickering around Darayat’s movements, and the slight obscuration from bluegray swirls of Time Momentum gained and shed, as Darayat chooses his own path across Time.

The Destroy-On-Sight Order comes with a few official Cautions. A Caution about the presence of First Age Magic: Do not destroy Darayat’s posessions; the details are not clearly defined, instead the Guardians insist everything must be returned to them instantly for “further study”. A Caution that Darayat is Deity-Touched by a Being referred to as Varda, who Ptolemaeus not so easily recognizes as Skymother of a distant Prime Plane: It would be best not to approach that Plane after destroying one of Her favorites. A Caution that Darayat uses Time Stop himself: Thus the usual method of Guardians agents to gain the upper hand may not work well with Darayat. And especially a Caution that Darayat may alter Time on a small scale immediately around him, and on a large scale for a Demiplane: It is essential to ambush Darayat unawares so that an opportunity to exercise his will in this regard does not arise.



As Darayat begins to move, Gleron’s newfound TimeSight gives him a jolt: Darayat is stepping across Time too, some odd flashing images that are quite similar to what Gleron sees surrounding Star, and to some extent surrounding Ptolemaeus. Little jets and eddies of bluegray mist flow away from Darayat and dissipate almost immediately, blurring Darayat’s motion slightly; to a lesser extent these swirl around Ptolemaeus as well; but none around Star, whose motions are clean bluegray flickers of afterimage… or foreimage.

Gleron’s Timesight is new; perhaps Darayat was doing this all along, before Gleron could perceive it; Gleron has yet to learn to interpret it.



Whatever Darayat picked up from the maelstom of snapped TimeLines swirling around what was Bral, as the high priests of Dumathoin packed Life energy into him, it certainly seems to have changed his view of things. A flood of new skills, new techniques, new Sights (of which TimeSight is but one), and new Knowledge pours through his mind, so intense and overwhelming that only the steadying presence of Vilya, and through her, Varda’s everpresent lingering Touch, gives him a modicum of sanity.

On a grand level, the Architecture of the Planes stands revealed to him, in terrifying clarity, threads of Time and Elements and Life Energy carefully or carelessly bound into shapes and sizes that can be pushed and pulled by those who see how and where.

On a small level, the tiniest movements of Time twist and turn before him to his TimeSight, to be trod, and trod again, with dizzying alternatives spinning away in infinitely multiplying variations of past and future and present. Snatches of Knowledge surface and submerge again, talk of TimeLoops and Timelines and encounters in possible Times with strange creatures, none stranger than the two instances of Star floating nearby. Darayat can clearly see her transitioning from point to point to point, not following a Timeline at all, while the rest of the creatures around him ride on a bluegray inexorable tide… but not Ptolemaeus, solid as a stone, striding across Time with jets of bluegray in his wake… and not Darayat himself, stepping almost daintily from moment to moment, stirring swirls of bluegray around him.

Ptolemaeus… there has been mention of the Guardians, from Ptolemaeus. And in the same instant that Ptolemaeus receives his message, that particular twist to the Timelines arrives for Darayat too, yet another unintended and inevitable consequence of the Guardians’ view of Time and its manipulation. Their warnings permeate past, present, and future… Darayat’s past as well, and therefore, fully certain knowledge comes for Darayat about the warnings too.

Both Darayat and Ptolemaeus easily can know that they both know, and they both know that they both know, and they both know that they both know that they both know…



Star’s rich laughter spills across the Link.

< Darayat, congratulations!! Ptolemaeus, isn’t it delicious?!? >

Then she continues only slightly more seriously, still chuckling,

< But Darayat, you may wish to be careful even with little TimeLoops; they have a way of getting bigger in ways we don’t expect. >

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EDIT: Tpyos.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2014, 02:01:12 PM by MetroMagic »

Offline sirpercival

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Re: Part 4: Not the afterlife you were looking for
« Reply #62 on: November 05, 2014, 12:20:01 PM »
Darayat focuses on the Uruk-Hai. These are creatures of Morgoth, and therefore his sworn enemies. They will fall.

The first four silvery orbs slam in quick succession into one of the nearest Uruk-Hai, already wounded by Ror's onslaught, and the creature nearly disintegrates, falling in smoking pieces to the broken stone floor. The lead Uruk-Hai screams in impotent rage. Then the staff touches Ror's unconscious body, and the dwarf is infused with healing energy, feeling much more chipper and energized. Darayat seems to have that effect on people.

The final silver orb trails scarlet fire as it hurtles toward the Uruk-Hai leader hanging in mid-air, and hits the beast mid-chest, crushing bone and tearing through leather. The creature spins head-over-heels, then crashes into the floor and lies unmoving.

Meanwhile, in the far corner of the chamber, Throisar, the Tiamat-spawn, Tanatou, and the silent Lord Bane set to, attacking the giant greenish dragon that flew moments ago. The area is cramped, making it difficult for Bane to unleash his full abilities, but even so their combined assault manages to bring the dragon crashing down with an enormous sound, falling still. Then, it shimmers slightly, and raises its head, ready for more.

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Offline Harald

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Re: Part 4: Not the afterlife you were looking for
« Reply #63 on: November 06, 2014, 03:03:13 PM »
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Blistering manacles  !  Did they really think that it will hinder him ?  No demon lord, not even death can stop a legend !
As the mayhem of combat was rioting in Demogorgon's lair, Captain Vir took a little breather, adjusting his grip on Omega in an elegant flourish, tipping his hat toward the Mariliths.
"Could you stop screeching a little bit ? I'm about to get a point accross with you. En garde !. With that, he fly toward them at full speed, as if dancing accross the sky on an invisible rigging. Fearlessly, he charged the closest demon, dashing among the deadly twirls of her many blades, his own sword  parrying and striking effortlessly.
Such a shame, such a lovely breast on such a wicked creature. would be a crime to  damage it, verily." He smiled to  his adversary,a s their blades were locked . With a wink, he plunged and stroke.
"No such remorses for you liver, deary. No, if you won't mind..."
He dodged an incomming strike, dashing toward the other Mariliths.
" I have promised a danse to your friends !!
With no further ado, the pirate charged again. He wasn't the only problem the demons were facing.

Vir's parrot was also on the way. Unlike his master, he wasn't very locacious. Nonetheless, his coarse, deep screech was intimidating, and would have made good impression in a efreet metal band.
Or the fact that he divided itself mid-flight in murder of flaming , skeletal parrots, all screeching altogether, at the same pitch. Douzens of claws, of beaks were plungeing on the mariltihs.

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« Last Edit: November 07, 2014, 05:57:33 AM by Harald »
"-Lady-Captain, we detect 20 hostile vessels against us,  and Erasmus Haarlock's Spear of Destiny ! What are your orders ?
-RAMMING SPEED !

final result : 6 slaughts vessels, 4 imperial frigates, 2 imperial cruisers destroyed. Haarlock sent into the warp. 0 losses. Flawless Victory.

Offline Sneaky_Sable

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Re: Part 4: Not the afterlife you were looking for
« Reply #64 on: November 30, 2014, 11:43:27 PM »
Sheerak and the one who bore her face stared at each other across the gulf for a moment. Sister? Parent and daughter? Multiversal coincidence? Matters that could be attended to at another time. There were foes to destroy. One of them had a heart that beat for order, and for the obligation to aid Star to procure information regarding the murder of her master. The other had a heart, but what tune it beat to was anyone's guess. Though, while Vir handled the other Mariliths, Sheerak and her misformed twin turned their attention to the Uruk'hai orcs. Demon or Tiefling, neither of them appreciated Orcspawn, and so while one drew her terrible spiked chain, the other drew a similar length of chain, and then more and more swords. An endless dervish of pain, regardless of the wielder.

With frighteningly similar battle cries, the pair launched themselves into the fray, looking to wipe the scourge of the Uruk'hai from this joke of a world. The fighting styles the pair uses are frighteningly similar.

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Offline MetroMagic

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Re: Part 4: Not the afterlife you were looking for
« Reply #65 on: December 24, 2014, 03:42:49 AM »
Sheerak and the one who bore her face stared at each other across the gulf for a moment.

As the moment stretches, Star’s image of the Sheerak-faced Marilith comes on the link, and the creature’s Aura becomes visible to all… stretched to the breaking point in her rage, and beyond, once pinned in place by Demogorgon’s will in Possession as Gleron was able to discern from his long professional experience, but Sheerak9 has been struggling free since the fight began, and she at last wins her freedom by the reconnection with her truer creator, Sheerak0.

In that moment, Star’s image of the creature on the link shows the final distortions, the vestiges of the pinning, wring out from her Aura under the intensity of Sheerak0’s gaze, and the Aura of Sheerak9 shines forth, still tainted by Marilith-form (as Sheerak9 intended when she took Marilith-form on the island during the Margravine’s Alignment-focused attack) but otherwise clear of Demogorgon’s twisting to His will.

Sheerak9, lifted beyond Ror’s Circles into a Marilith form made Permanent by Demogorgon’s amusement at the form she chose, joining her to His elite servants already helping Him to corrupt Dumathoin’s Temple deep within Bral. Sheerak9, brought into being by Ror’s Circles, which were Dumathoin’s teachings, Dumathoin’s miracles. Sheerak9, flowing along the Timeline set in motion by Dumathoin’s will sent out into the Multiverse to discover what had happened to His Temple where He could no longer see… and now launching herself at the Orcs who brought Witchlight Marauders to ruin the Second Age, the Princeling’s servant Mariliths and their Temple desecration all but forgotten in the Smith’s far-seeing calculations of what is truly important.

Ptolemaeus, Darayat, and even Gleron can almost see the strings of Orcish Timeline streaming forward from the ruined Bral gate shifting to make this future, as Dumathoin weighs the balance and brings His axehead down on the anvil, smashing the Orcs with the precise blow that is Sheerak9, to snap their Timelines here. Taking care of what still lies beyond that gate, from where Darayat came, is for another day.

And at last, Sheerak9 is back on the link, under Sheerak0's control.

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EDIT: Tyop.
« Last Edit: December 24, 2014, 03:53:35 AM by MetroMagic »