Friday, May 28, 2010

Chapter 62 - And so the story ends...

Deep into the Shadowfell, a new God of Death sits on a throne of shades, plotting his ascension to the higher ranks of his Divine peers...

The Great Bull of Vengeance takes his place in the Higher Spheres, wielding the Hammer of Athun, and bringing divine punishment to mortals and Gods alike...

In Moonstairs, a new Emperor is crowned by the Circle, that he may rule in peace and prosperity for many decades...

And at the feet of the Great Tree of Souls in Aduria, a shifter child prays to the spirits to guide her on her path. Her eyes shine brightly, full of hope and dreams, just like another shifter girl she never met.

Chapter 61 - The Weapon

Back in Tyrrah, our heroes prepare to face the Emperor. They travel to the besieged capital of Hamerborg, togheter with the Nine Knights of the Sublime Way.

They issue they challenge to the Emperor, and meet him in the center of Hammerborg. There, the Emperor unleashes the full power of the Weapon against the Knights, killing many of them. Zakonik and Daedrie are still alive, togheter with Rudd, Ghalan and Tharod.

As the heroes inflict more lethal wounds, the Emperor smashes the Hammer of Athun on the ground, so powerfully that the Island of Aduria starts to disgregate under all of them.

As the island trembles, Daedrie unleashes the power of the Seed of Life inside of her, and spreads her roots deep into the ground, keeping the island togheter with renewed Mana. The Great Tree of Souls is born.

The Emperor's strengths nearly depleted, Rudd pierces his heart with the Blade of the Last citadel, killing him. The Weapon explodes in searing light, and divides in nine parts that fly away into the sky.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Chapter 60 - Court of the Raven Queen (Prince of Undeath - Part 5)

The adventurers travel to Latherna to learn the Raven Queen's fate. Bypassing Zvomarana, the adventurers fight through the demon hordes and undead army filling the outer chamber of the palace to reach Death's sanctum. They find Orcus on the Raven Queen's throne, with the Raven Queen on the floor before him, pierced by the deadly shard.

They manage to defeat Orcus' minions, but they also realize that they need to free the Queen from the shard, or Orcus will aquire her power. While Zakonik and Rudd keep Orcus busy, Waylander and Daedrie try to remove the shard.

But Wayalnder has different plans. With the help of his newly aquired demonic powers, he grips the shard, and pierces deep into the Raven Queen's heart, taking her powers for himself! In order to keep those powers, and avoid the wrath of the other Gods, in the blink of an eye Waylander makes a pact with the Spider Queen of the Dark Elves, and vanishes. A new God of Death is born.

Orcus unleashes his full rage on the party, when finally Zakonik smashes him to the ground. The Demon Prince of Undeath is destroyed, once and for all.

Chapter 59 - Abyssal Nadir (Prince of Undeath - Part 4)

The adventurers plunge to the bottom of the universe in the stolen chaos ship. En route, they encounter monstrosities that hunt the Abyssal depths.
Upon finally reaching the bleeding edge of raw creation, they find the final chaos ship - a gargantuan craft, rebuilt into something resembling a dwarven mining platform.
Inside this temporary shelter, the Heart of the Abyss beats, stuck into reality's side like a tick burrowing in flesh. And here Timesus labors, breaking shards from the Heart of the Abyss at Orcus's command. The adventurers stop Timesus here, and Waylander, trying to aquire a shard for himself, suffers a dire transormation into a demonic creature.
But a shard has already been liberated and given to Orcus. The Demon Prince of the Undead, armed with the shard, has marched on the Raven Queen's domain.

Chapter 58 - The Forge of Four Worlds (Prince of Undeath - Part 3)

In the chaos ship Shevaithan, the adventurers descend to an ancient island·mote hanging deep within the Abyssal void. Known as the Forge of Four Worlds, it acts as a conduit for elemental and arcane energy-energy that Orcus plans to use to restore Timesus and convert the primordial into one of the undead.

As the party arrives, the Forge has been seized by Orcus's demonic horde but is under attack by a force of raging devils. The adventurers bypass the brunt of this conflict by way of a portal dock, but as they explore the Forge, they find themselves caught up in the three·way battle between demons, devils, and the forgeborn - immortal guardians created to defend the site.

The adventurers have the opportunity to make a deal with the devils as they fight the fiendish invaders, during which they learn that the demons have transported Timesus to an area called the Soul fire Furnace. However, after fighting their way through to the heart of the Forge, they face not Timesus but two lesser fragments of the Black Star. The primordial has already been restored and is traveling to the depths of the Abyssal Nadir where the Heart of the Abyss lies.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Chapter 57 - The Red Hold (Prince of Undeath - Part 2)



Summary:
To commandeer Shevaithan, the adventurers need to release it from its moorings-a mystic binding that takes place as soon as they kill the ship's captain.
In addition, they learn that the best way to use the ship to reach the depths of the Abyss where Orcus's plans unfold is to make themselves appear to be more demonic.
The solution to both of these dilemmas can be found only in Orcus's citadel of Everlost-and specifically in the Prince of Undeath's inner sanctum, the Red Hold.
The portal on the chaos ship sends the party to the entrance of Orcus's bastion. Though the demon lord is not in residence, the adventurers must fight their way through his servitors and the Red Hold's deadly defenses.
After successfully freeing the ship and masking their presence in demonic essences found in the citadel, the adventurers learn that two other chaos ships have already launched and are traveling downward upon orders from Orcus.
The ships plan to rendezvous at a place called the Forge of Four Worlds. The adventurers must use their commandeered ship to follow.



Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Chapter 56 - Shevaitan (Prince of Undeath - Part 1)

Summary:
The adventurers step through a portal onto a chaos ship designed to ride the roiling waves of the Elemental Chaos. The ship, named Shevaithan, is controlled by servants loyal to Orcus. Several portals aboard the ship allow instant teleportation to distant locations. Only two of these portals are currently active: one from wherever the adventurers were before boarding the vessel, and one that leads to Orcus's citadel on Everlost (specifically, a portion of the citadel called the Red Hold). The adventurers gain control of the vessel, defeating the captain and crew.