Arkah's doings

Discussion in 'The Library' started by Arkah EMPstrike, Nov 18, 2020.

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  1. Arkah EMPstrike

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    Arkah set his last trunk down on the floor in his house. That made 5 large trunks, 4 backpacks, 2 sacks, 3 barrels and 3 crates. "Phew" he wiped his forehead as he stepped outside his door to tie up his horse, Trots McHorsington. "Sorry about all the work buddy!" he apologized and fed McHorsington a carrot.

    "His name is awful!" said Xalia, who made herself very unhelpful in a armchair by the fireplace.

    "Well," Arkah sccoffed, "it's not Your name." He said while tossing stuff out of a trunk placed on his bed. "You dont have to introduce him at parties. Besides, we're so far out in the boonies that noone's gonna care."

    Ever since the gas incident in Caelestis Canton, Arkah felt it better to move his research even further away than Malas. To the edge of the world in fact: a little known backwater village called Goti on the far shore of Norgard, about as remote as a man can get.

    After packing everything away and thoroughly scattrering his notes about, a knock came st the door, which was still open. "Greetings, Arkah." A black hooded figure poked his head inside. Arkah stood up, from his paper-scattering, "Do i know you? Because you know me, Arkah, and that makes me suspicious so forgive me, would you like some tea?" Arkah offered the man a cup of demon tea he had been drinkign and the man briefly declined and moved on to his purpose for being there.

    "I need to discuss your recent research with you. The research that promted you to move so far away from civilization."

    Arkah took on a mroe serious tone, "Go on" Xalia was quietly writing on a piece of paper byt he fireplace, barely listening.

    "I saw what transpired in Blood Bay, and though it was not your intent, i believe you may have stumbled upon something that could both kill people and cause certain others to want to kill you and your partner Professor Teekington." the hooded man said pointedly.

    "Oh." Arkah was rubbing his beard in thought. "Well I dont know who would want to hurt me but i can deffinately see what your one about the.....curse or gas or whatever it is being dangerous." Arkah thought back to a rather large flesh eating plant he had to dispose of before moving. I contained what I could and relocated here."

    "Indeed." the hooded man replied, "But I am afraid you left unintended, and not surprisingly undetected lingering effects behind, and Grunvald may be in danger."

    "Well....dammit." Arkah said, almsot noncchalantly. "I had hoped any traces of what was left would be so dilute that it would be benign."

    The hooded man shook his head, "It grows, almsot as if alive, and seeks out hosts. If you have done what i think you have done, Nature could turn against Caelestis Canton, and possible a larger swath of northern grunvald."

    Arkah stopped rubbing his beard for a moment and narrowed his eyes. "Deez?"

    The hooded man nodded.

    Arkah's jaw dropped and he began yelling, "You caused ALOT of trouble around Ordinis mister! I spent DAYS lookign for Deez and Johnny Mark, and you jsut disappear and never even...wait you didnt actually kill anyone. Then, who did we find in the river and behind the inn? Why were you-"

    The hooded man interrupted, "Come, let us travel to Grunvald. Give me asylum in Ordinis Mortis so that i may conceal my location while we work, and in exchange i will explain the happenings of the past."

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2020
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    Arkah and the hooded man rode Trots McHorsington up the hill in Ordinis to the Guild hall. "I posted a bulliten letting folks know not to attack you. Some of them might still remember you."

    The hooded man, whom had been adorned in cultist garbs felt his appearance was more of a concern, but felt honesty would avail him better than deception with these people. "I thank you Arkah. I will begin my concealment ritual and remain hidden here while we begin our investigation."

    Arkah helped the hooded man down off Trots and turned about. "Well I'm off to Caelestis to see what's up! Join me as soon as you feel it is safe to do so."

    The Hooded man nodded and waved as Arkah rode away on Trots, and then began settign up the stones for his cconcealment spell.

    [​IMG]



    __________________________________---------------_______________________------------------_______________________________


    Several days later: (This event has already happened)https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...ent-defectors-and-curses.166127/#post-1305833

    ___________________________------------------------------------____________------------------------------------------______________________


    Arkah returned to Ordinis at full gallop and almost vaulted off Trots as he approached the hooded man, clearly in a panic. "You ahhhh.....working a concealment spell are ya? Keeping yourself hidden, hmm?"

    The hooded man's tone betrayed confusion, "Yes? why?"

    "There are alot of cultists gathering just up the road." Arkah said wide eyed and nodding. "So, why are there cultists outside the city? Why do they feel like camping out there?" Arkah had a nervous hand on his dagger.

    The hooded man sighed. "I...honestly don't know. They couldnt have possibly detected me and I ahvent spoken to-" Arkah interrupted, "spoken to anyone, yea, except theres a bunch of guys dressed like you amassing outside. Why?"

    "They are after me." Said the hooded man.

    "After you?" Arkah repleid sharply and in the exact same tone, "Why?"

    "I am a 'traitor' to tthe cultists." The man spoke without hesitation. "They want to see that I face Thier justice. But they couldnt possibly be so sure that i am here as to be amassing a force outside the city. I am at a loss, i do not know how they know." he said more quietly as if in deep thought.

    Suddenly a voice boomed over the plains. "We know the traitor is here, and we will take him. You will give him to us so that he may face our judgment, for true Justice." It was echoey and loud yet calm-toned. Suddenly screams rang out fromt he Docks down the hill.

    "WHO ARE YOU? HELP AAAAHHGGG" Someone had just been killed. "Arkah ran out of town to try and find help and returned with a small band of powerful fighters

    "This is the place. The traitor is to be captured alive. Advance on the town until he is found." The Ebon Dawn commander's voice echoed everywhere at once from an unknown location. A vicious battle ensued as cultist soldier poured into the ccity, at best being slowed down by the small band of fighters.

    "Hold them off until i can prepare a sufficiently powerful Cleansing Rain spell to wipe them out!" The hooded man projected his voice to the fighters the same way he had communiccated with Teeka so long ago. And they fought on.

    One culttist spotted a magicc stone pilalr hidden in an alley behind the markets in Ordinis. ""I see...and illusary field, very clever." The Ebon Commander's voice boomed, "Once it is destroyed, you will face justice in disgrace like the coward you are...". The Defenders became more determined, and even the most elite of the cultists could not push through them. "If you fall...you will do it again. ASEN-IGNIS-CORP-OBIX". A smoldering red fog began materializing near the injured cultist soldiers that remained, and they began writhign and screamign as thier formed were twisted and flesh melted from thier bones, leaving only charred flame skeletons that immediately began spewing and tossing fire at all of the brave fighters defending the city.

    'Oh gods my magic does nto work on them!' One of the defendign wizards said to herself, as the burning undead cchased them through the streets. Just then the hooded man's voice rang in thier minds, ""It is ready!". His incantation quickly echoed over the plains. ""Desen-Wast-Umbra-Obix-Vatu"

    Clouds began to gathher and rain burst forth from the sky in a fierce thunderstorm. "What...what is this?!" The ebon commander screeched as the sccreeching became more 3 dimensional allowing the fighters to fidn hsi location from the sounds. The remainng skeletons were quickly extinguished. The first fighter on the field was the last, as she approached the screams only to find a spirit remained, which she quickly banished.

    The Battle was won!

    "Thank you, strangers." The hooded man's voice rang in their minds one last time as the skies began to clear.
     
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    [[Hooded Man quest NPC: loc 62, 44, 62 in Ordinis Mortis]]

    Arkah approached the hooded man, who seemed exahusted. "So uh," Arkah put his hands behind his head, "that was...alot."

    The hooded man sat on the ground, "Yes, I think i should probably get to Caelestis Canton as soon as possible. I dont know how they knew me or that i was here, but if they knew then others may know and come looking." he shook his head at the thought and looked at Arkah, thought his eyes weren't visible beneath his hood, "They may already know why we're here and be waiting for us."

    Arkah was rubbing his nose fervently, stopping to respond, "Yea. Maybe." He rubbed his sleeve on his face once before letting his arms fall to his side, swinging. "But we can send someone ahead that shouldn't draw any attention to make sure it's safe."

    The hooded man uttered something and began to fade into shadow, but failed, and instead stood up again, "Very well, I'll wait for your word to move. When you are ready, i will remove the stoens holding the illusary field and proceed to Caelestis."

    ------------

    Deez threw a hand of cards down on a table in front Dem "Hah!" He shouted, just as Dem threw down his hand. Deez now looked angry.

    "Hahaha! That's right my friend, Royal Flush." Dem reached out and siezed a small pile of coin that lay in the center of the table as Deez grumbled, "Noone's THAT lucky."

    "Hey, you won last week." Dem said trolling Deez. There was a knock at the door.
    "We play every day you bastard." Deez scoffed playfully as he stood to answer the door.

    "How's it going Arkah." Deez greeted Arkah with his back turned as he made his way back to his seat. "Oh, you knowww" Arkah chortled unconvincingly. "Wanna make some money?"

    Deez propped his feet up on the coffee table where they had been playing cards. "I'm listening."

    Arkah put a map down on the table at Deez's feet and dramatically pinned it with a dagger on a small island off the coast of Paxlair. Deez sat up and studied the location. "I need someone to go here and guard a statue at the site of my old lab." Arkah handed Deez some coordinates and a small pouch of gold. "Keep an eye out for cultists specifically."

    "What about me?" Dem said, counting his newly won gold.
    "You've already been paid," Deez said, motioning tward Dem's gold with a grimace. "Besides, Malus only has two guards at the moment."
    Dem mouthed Deez's words back at him sarcastically then happily took his gold into a back room.

    Arkah threw up a directionless wave as he walked out the door, then poked his head back in briefly, "Oh and try not to breath the gas."

    Deez didn't question it. He readied his things and headed to Caelestis Canton.

    [[Deez of Malus: Locc 180, 89, 82 in Caelestis Canton]]

    [​IMG]
     
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    Arkah helped the hooded man onto his horse, "Deez says the coast is clear, literally." He snickered at his own joke. "...Nothing? Anyways..." They began riding the road to the east tward Paxlair. After reaching the town they quietly made their way to the docks, where the ferryman to Caelestis Canton waited.

    After arriving in Caelestis and meeting up with Deez and the contamination site, they were briefly attacked by confused blackbirds. "Agh i forgot about these." Arkah announced sharply as he swatted with both hands.

    "I want to show you something Arkah." The hooded man knelt near one of the blue spruce surrounding the site, and he pointed out one of the roots breaking ground a bitt of the way out from the base of the trunk.

    "Roots." Arkah said proudly, as if guessing correctly.
    The hooded man walked a little further north and knelt again dusting s few leaves aside and pointed.
    "More roots." Arkah said again, not yet seeing where he was going with this.
    The man walked even further nortth, much further than the roots of such small trees should extend, and pointed at the ground again.

    Arkah scratched his head, "Are you sure these are the same roots?" As if on cue, the exposed root seemed to bury itself in the dirt as if it was aware it were being watched. "Whoa!" Arkah lept back and grabbed the man quickly letting go and composing himself, standing akimbo, then pointing frantically at the ground, "Did you see that what was that??" He asked frantically.

    "The trees you planted have kept the air clear and safe, but in doing so has funneled all the contaminate into the ground. The entire island is affected." The man said walking back to the site.

    "Well...well shoot man I didn't know." Arkah defended himself, "I'm not sure how to fix this."

    "Me either, but i have not come without ideas." The hooded man produced a small sack. "I'll need alot of garlic and mandrake root. Luckily i have plenty of sulfur left over as it was not needed in the illusary field." The man walked to the edge of the nearby ruin and placed a sack on the ground. "I will also collect any materials i can from passersby."

    "Right." Arkah said snapping and pointing no no particular direction while looking around. "And I'll go see what else i can find that may help."

    [[Hooded Man and Deez NPCs located near 183, 89, 82 in Caelestis Canton. Bonus Collection quest is available. Collection quest rewards will be paid out on Wednesday 11//25/2020]]

    [​IMG]
     
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    ((Victory achieved at "The 'Failed' Experiment" Event! The events that transpired in Caelestis Canton can be viewed below))
    https://www.twitch.tv/videos/815845447

    Instructions in Dauriels dialouge to recieve loot were intended for quest participants only.
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2020
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    WEEKS LATER

    Arkah, crouching in a bush in a small grove of trees next to a clearing, guzzled a green potion and wrapped the empty flask several times in a thick cloth. He cradled it to his chest and quietly smashed it, as is custom.

    A blue pit dragon that had been preying on a stag in the field looke dup for a moment and let out a concerned growl. Arkah remained perfectly still. The dragon's concern faded and it returned to its meal. Arkah pulled a darker green flask from his pouch and began coating a dagger with its contents. Before he could finish, he heard a roar from above loud enough to make him stumble backwards onto his butt.

    The dragon in the clearing looked up and returned the loud roar before taking wing. Arkah poked his head from under the canopy jsut enough to see a hoard of blue pits flying out tward Spindrift Bay. "They dont normally hunt in packs." He said, rubbing his chin. "They arent known to migrate either" he said to himself. "I wonder if this has anything to do with that thunder."

    Earlier, Arkah remembered, there was a thunderous noise that came from the east coast, but not a cloud in the sky. It was a little odd but, he thought, it may have just been a couple of dragons fighting over territory.

    Arkah picked up his pack and began following the dragon hoard twards Spindrift Bay.
     
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    Arkah could see smoke rising from the coast as his ferry approached the west end of Spindrift Bay. The Ferryman looked nervous as they began to approach Northwood.

    “I’ll have to take you up the coast a ways. Word is dragons have been attacking.” The Ferryman said while changing course northward.

    “Understandable!” Arkah said with a bit of a nervous giggle. He surveyed the skies as they sailed but found nothing. Suddenly a desperate roar echoed from a distant mountain, crushing the gentle sound of the waves against the boat. The ferryman looked startled.

    “Maybe this isnt-“ the ferryman was interrupted - “Head south!” Arkah shouted, confusingly pointing northwest. It was a tiny speck of a dragon taking wing from the distant mountain. “I need to cross the sea, take me south Brittany please!”

    “My meter is still running.” The ferryman said trying not to let his voice tremble.

    ————————-

    The Galleon pulled into port on the south end of the main island of Mystrendur. Arkah and his horse, Trots, went ashore. ‘i still have all my supplies from Drachvald, no need to stock up!’ He happily thought as he mounted Trots. “Lets find thier feeding grounds!” He said to Trots as they galloped northward through the mountain passes. After some time travelling, he spotted a large heard of deer. He lookedaround and saw sulfur deposits on nearby stones. Trots McHorsington was hidden in a small grove of trees and left to graze. Arkah crouched in the shrubs and waited.

    After a while Arkah started to doze off. His eyes began to struggle to stay open, until something kicked him so hard in the back, it sent him flying into the herd of deer in the field, landing flat on his face and scaring the animals off into the nearby mountains. McHorsington had run off with them.

    Arkah was in a daze and smoldering a bit. He managed to turn his head enough to see a small dragon charging at him. “The hell?”

    The dragon stopped. Near him, it’s fangs bared. Arkah’s vision was a bit blurry now but he could clearly see the dragons eyes glaring, it wasnt feeding. “Do. Not. Follow.” The dragon growled. It sent chills through Arkah. He just noticed the wet streaks beneath its savagely angry looking eyes as its pupils narrowed and it turned to fly swiftly into the mountains.

    Dragons did not speak to humans. Why did this one? Trots returned cautiously, and Arkah called him over. Ge mustered enough energy to pull himself onto his back before passing out completely.
     
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    Arkah led trots off the boat onto the docks where the captain waited, palm open to accept payment. He looked at trots, whom still just looked back at him blankly as if looking through him.

    “Here,” arkah handed the captain a bag of gold while maintaining eye contact with trots for a bit.

    Arkah climbed up on trots and they set off through jaanaford, stopping for a quick bite. He had heard the Drak Clan was causing trouble with the Kobolds at serpant’s spine and wanted to see what was going on. They travelled through the blackblade wastelands headed north until they reached the South paladis Hinterlands. Arkah had stopped to water Trots and himself when through the trees he saw a large number of dragon bone clad warriors comming down the road. Arkah hid with Trots in the bulrushes as they passed, and he noticed an ebon dawn sorcerer with them, as well as several outlanders he knew. These barbarians were huge, and he knew these outlanders were some of the toughest around.

    he overheard the cultist talking with one of the outlanders. "The bridge ahead is the quickest route into Resolute. They will most likely engage us there as it is thier best opportunity. Keep them occupied so that we can make our advance." The outlander walking near him nodded.

    'Crap.' Arkah thought as he stealthily led Trots away. 'There arent many willing to fight people like that. Fear will give them a massive advantage...' he rode trots as fast as he could until he encountered another larger group of outlanders, many who have faced barbarians in battle but almsot none who had faced other outlanders. "Guys theres a problem up the road", he didnt waste time with a greeting.

    "How can we help?" One of the eager outlanders named Dinheru asked.

    "I was hunting in the area and saw a group of outlanders Mingling with barbarians like they were buddies. Like, really strong barbarians. I think they are headed to resolute."

    "Hmmm sounds sus." A woman named Ranaai commented.

    Arkah paused to catch his breath. "So, they have to cross the bridge, which would normally be easy to defend. But now ah....you know...outlanders are helping them." He was sweating a bit now. "So we need people to fight off the barbarians, AND also people to try to kill the leader of the outlanders in there."

    The group kind of looked at each other for a moment and wispered before Dinheru responded, "We'll fight the Barbarians."

    It wasn't looking good. Arkah was going to have to try to take out one of the strongest people he's ever heard of, beign defended by 3 more of the strongest people he knew...

    (The following battle can be read about here: https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...ent-a-tragic-tail-part-2.166225/#post-1308595 )
     
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