PlaneShift
Fan Area => Roleplaying (Communitive Storywriting) => Topic started by: Tadano Hitoshi on November 16, 2009, 03:00:54 pm
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This is a story which featured in the RP A Flame Rekindled. Obviously I`m not a member of the settings team and can`t write official material about PS background characters (such as Eonoch) so the below story should be treated as a work of fiction. But like a lot of fiction, it might contain at least a smidgen of truth (a premise that the RP relies on)...
The Chronicles of Eonoch. Volume III.
It was on the 24th of Dwanden that the Octarch of the Far Ground did summon the renowned xacha warrior Eonoch and his unlikely companion, the towering kran Cragiona, to his palace. From the lofty minarets and crenellated walls to the thatched roof of the great hall itself, all was dusted with a layer of snow. Eonoch: a young and pious man, fair of face and strong of arm, bowed his head and recalled the words of the Song of Lemur wherein it is stated that the first ever snow did fall upon Laanx`s flight from Yliakum. Met by the guards of the man charged with the governing of the third level, the two were escorted through the grand estate and brought before the lord. Flagons of hot wine and cuts of the finest meat were presented to the xacha and a platter of roasting coals to the kran as they sat before the Octarch`s throne and beheld a man with riches unlimited, power absolute...and a face contorted in to a rictus of anguish.
"Woe! Oh, woe is I! For that which I hold highest, beyond the authority of my station and the riches of my realm, has been stolen from me!" and so the Octarch did impart that his daughter: his sole offspring, had been spirited away in the night. A single clue, nay a symbol, had been left to identify those who had spirited her away.
A blackest bead, upon the pristine white silks of her bed.
No ransom had been demanded, for the lord did recognize the significance of the bauble. It was of the dread cult that lurked under the veneer of society, listening to blasphemous doggerel whispers from beyond. With his daughter in their hands they sought to control the Octarch. Such a bold and fell scheme was unheard of!
With the promise of the maiden`s hand in matrimony should he return her to her father`s side, thus set out Eonoch and faithful Cragiona, to track down the heretics and free fair lady.
First they sought out the lemur sorcerer Zedania, most knowledgeable in matters arcane. He had been cast out from the priesthood for his zealous studies had taken him too close to matters best left unknown but there was none other that Eonoch knew of who might be able to assist him and his kran companion.
Zedania inhabited a tower upon the rim of the second level, on a crumbling promontory overlooking the vast drop to the Far Ground below. The ground underfoot was treacherous, the narrow rocky path slick with ice and Cragonia lead the way, probing the ground with kras staff as kra went. Looking up toward the spindly tower they could see no sign of life but could feel the eye of Vooreva: Eternal Vigilance, upon them. It was the stubborn lemur`s way to refuse them even entry, bidding them never darken his doorway again...until the brave xacha presented the obsidian sphere to the old wizard.
Soon the three were bound for the Dome, they lemur`s divinations driving them hence.
Upon the platform of the winch, the Barn receding below and the bitter winds of early Novari whipping at them, our three heroes did discuss their quest. With no riches to offer they could not barter for the girl, unlikely it was that the cultists would give her up for any sum of tria. Only her rescue would suffice, spoke Eonoch. Not so, replied Zedania, for deny the Fallen their hold over the Octarch they must at all costs. If means could not be found then the girl`s life was forfeit, so dangerous were the schemes of her captors. Eonoch would brook no such talk and an atmosphere settled no warmer than the fierce winds that whipped at the rising platform.
They found shelter and warmth in a tavern within the great city of Hydlaa. Long had Eonoch wished to make a pilgrimage to the Iron Temple, it having been built by a fellow xacha: the great Galeran Tarbius, bless`d and chosen of Laanx, it seemed fate had brought him to it. Cragiona too spoke of a visit to the homeland of kras people: Gugrontid, and of prayers within it`s fane to Talad. Truly unique were the events which had brought warrior of Laanx and child of Talad to travel side by side!
But such visits would have to wait, as they scoured the city from its highest towers to the depth of its stinking sewers in search of the impious abductors, asking questions of all they met yet to no avail. As the days wore on and the tears of Laanx fell endlessly farther afield they searched. Along the road toward the Wolf Bronze Doors, the plains beyond the arena, through the country toward Ojaveda, the dark forest and all the way to the Eagle Fort but no sign could be found of cultists nor maiden.
Nightly Zedania did scry over the black glass bead and furrowed his brow was as he told the xacha and the kran that close was their quarry yet no closer than the days gone by. The evil was near and yet remained elusive and as the days until the end of the year drew short, an inexplicable dread began to fill the hearts of the faithful.
And that next morning, with only three mornings remaining until the dawning of the new year, Zedania was found murdered in his bed. Throat slit and eyes gouged, black beads left in the bloody sockets. Tearfully Eonoch carried the lemur`s body to the Iron Temple and bid the priests forgive him his trespasses committed in life.
Twas then, in the hallowed halls of Tarbius` design, that an epiphany came to the xacha warrior. They could not find the dark worms that held the Octarch`s blood, but if control him like a puppet they wished then there would be strings. Find these we must, he said to Cragiona, find them, cut them...and trace them. Thus set a watch they did upon the winch, Eonoch bidding the kran stay with him rather than continue kra`s lone searches.
And by night a dark figure detached itself from the shadows of the city, bound for the winch.
After long chase through the dark alleys of the Dome`s great city, apprehend the shadow Eonoch did succeed...only to find he had become separated from his stalwart kran confederate. What fate befell loyal Cragiona only time would tell.
With the blade of Eonoch`s fine saber, said to have been forged by Goreld himself in days gone by, at the cultist`s throat the maiden`s location was finally revealed.
Swift to dark warehouse our hero did fly and before his righteous might no heretic could stand. Neck, limb and life were taken in a flurry of blows till confronted by their dark master the xacha was. For the maiden, the daughter of the Far Ground`s Octarch, was help within the iron grip of none other than Cragiona.
Child of Talad by birth perhaps, but blasphemous defiler was kra`s faith. Before the eyes of all kra trod, while carrying out the sacrilegious will of kra`s insane master.
After adventures numerous and fights side-by-side, Eonoch could not bring himself to slay his one-time savior and with accursed ease the kran did take the life of the girl. With kra`s minions lying about in pools of blood for naught was kra`s plot but evil spite drove kra to deny father reunion with child. Turn then on the xacha kra did with fists of granite before fleeing the city, the warehouse ablaze.
Saved from the fire, Eonoch was taken to the Iron Temple where he convalesced in the care of the priests of Laanx. To the Far Ground he had to return with news most dire...but not before putting an end to friend-turned-foe. He bid the priests enchant his noble saber with magics long-forgotten before taking it up and marching forth for confrontation.
Within the bowels of dark maw the two did clash and good triumphed, chaos of dark corruptor halted for all time and kra`s form imprisoned where none should dare to look.
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"Thank you." Voltess grinned as she took the lead. "I have an idea of where we could go tonight anyway." she smiled, "How's the park sound to you two?"