Turn 83
All of it. Tell me everything you can. - Aaron said.
Very well. - the wyvern started.
I am Axeworth, one of many children of Great Master, the dead creator. After millenia of slumber, I have awakened to restart the cycle and keep Great Master's creation alive. But let me start from the beginning. - Axeworth continued, sending Aaron a vision of creation.
In the beginning, there was nothing but darkness, from which the Great Master emerged. Victorious over the powers of void, he started forming clouds of concepts, which later on turned from abstract ideas into concrete objects. But Great Master knew that his creative potential was limited, so he created us, his ancient children. We could and still can take any forms we want, as well as create our own clouds of concepts. Together with the Great Master, we were all creating perfect ideas, objects and soon - worlds. Out worlds were perfect and beautiful! We created higher forces to rule them, and our children made their own clouds of concepts and creations! These are the forces that you may call gods! - visions started to intensify and turn darker.
But sadly this couldn't last forever. The Great Master descended into madness and withered away. Without our creator, the flaws that appeared within the chain of creation were no longer suppresed, leading to imperfection. This is how a plane that you may know as the Underworld came into existence. - the vision that Aaron received ended.
Just as our dead creator, we weaken with time. Our recovery gets slower, turning short naps into millenias of deep slumber. When we are finally awake, our concepts have to be reforged, created anew. But this is as much as we, the children of Great Master, can do in our old age. - Aaron could somewhat sense the age in Axeworth's voice.
Now to the choice. It rarely happens that an object from lower parts of creation chain make their way higher. It haven't happened in at least six cycles when it comes to my concepts. As a reward for your troubles, you have the following options. The first one is to leave the chain of Great Master's creation and become and entity on your own, just as the dragons of your world. And while they may appear in the world, they cannot directly interact with it. The second option is to ascend higher in the chain and become a secondary creator just like me. In both cases, the world that you know as Axewrath will cease to exist after reforging. There is also a third option, but it is much less rewarding and only postpones what is inevitable. You may be broken down back into a form of concept and sent to another timeline, to once again fight with the corruption and save Axewrath. - Axeworth said.
But before you make your mind, you are the Dark One of the prophecies that I've introduced to either help me awaken or cleanse the world. All your actions allowed me to awaken faster, mostly due to all the energetic disturbances. - the wyvern warned.
Now choose wisely. What is your wish? - Axeworth asked, his eyes started glowing blue and his voice was charged with unbelievable amount of energy.
Aaron was speechless for a while and then said:
Have you not tried to actually move forward even once?! Do you just "reforge" the world each time you awaken, start over, not even trying to actually repair it? This world is not lost, better off dead than alive, unable to be recovered! Even among all the death, people still live, people like me, strong enough to not only stand against the darkness, hoplessness, and death, but who can push it back! And you want to just start over! Not giving these people the chance to rise, to become as I, to build a new world? But no, you say that there are only two options for me: destroy the world, or abandon it to another reality. Yes, you put it with the first having two names, but they end with the same result. I refuse to accept this. The world deserves better. My friends deserve better. And if you don't have the strength, don't have the will, to do anything but restart the world, hoping it comes out better next time, ready to restart it again when you next awaken, then you don't deserve to be in charge. So here's my choice. You're going to help me put this world to rights, without ending it. There are already others at work doing this, and they are themselves on their way to power like mine. This world can't end yet. We're only getting started.There is no chance to repair the world, nor push the darkness back. Entropy is killing the world, and every day it only gets stronger. To repair all the flaws that appear in the chain of creation the Great Master would have to be brought back. Trying to do it in any other way would completely annihilate the whole chain. Flaws in the lower part of chain would have to be repaired with sacrifice, a part that's higher in the hierarchy would have to give all its energy to permanently repair them. This would erase the higher part, without which the chain will break and the lower one would cease to exist.. . - Axeworth tried to explain calmly, but then just exploded: Do you really believe that millennia old being, that witnessed whole process of creation never tried to change flaws that it bears from the beginning? Do you think that I dream about rainbows and ponies every time that I collapse without power?! Ages of pondering about the nightmare that the dead creator put us into when he got absorbed by a concept of madness?! - it seemed that the wyvern was only getting more enraged.
You are foolish if you think that there is a chance to stop this cyclical hell! I've seen other creators try and fail, breaking the chains that they were burdened with and sending it all to oblivion! And you are even bigger fool if you believe in all the men stranded in Axewrath! Only several of you received the spark that you possess, and this is not to make the creation longer, but to give them a chance to break free of the ties holding you in this torture! - Axeworth was seemingly getting angrier.
And why won't I set the whole world loose, like I did without countless of adventures like you!? Because it'd end with it rotting away just like the corpse of Great Master! This always had and always will happen after breaking the ties on such scale! - wyvern kept shouting and then it just calmed down.
If you wish to waste your chance, go ahead. If you wish to speak with other creators, I can grant you this request. I can even show you the corpse of Great Master, still rotting in the void. Why haven't I stopped this madness ages ago and just died like my creator!? For the last time I ask, what is your wish?! - Axewoth asked.
Aaron sighed twice, then said:
My apologies. I... Listen, is there anything you haven't tried yet, or seen someone else try? Before we follow through with this, has there been something that has come close to fixing this? Is here any chance to repair this world without destroying something else?Shaistealk, the eldest of us managed to severe the chain of his world and kept feeding it with energy until he had to drop his physical shell and eventually stop. Shortly after, his world faded to black and ceased to exist. The only thing that could save all the worlds would be bringing back the Great Master. But there's a problem with that... - Axeworth said and teleported with Aaron higher, to the beginning of the chain of creation.
Aaron looked at the rotting remainings of Great Master, physical and conceptual at the same time it was a view that made him defy his perception or even his ability to comprehend it. What he could see though is that the body of dead god is just a lifeless husk of what it was in the past.
While spirit is vigilant, the body thrives. Even after his descent into madness, Great Master fought to maintain stability of his creation. All the flaws couldn't be stopped but he still continues to fight. Can you see the darkness behind our creator? The emptiness three times compressed into void, where concepts such as time, faith and hope don't exist? This is from where the Great Master came. With all his strenght he tries to keep us at a safe distance from the darkness. In doing so he was embraced by its coldness. - the wyvern stopped for a moment.
This is why I try to free some of you. There is no hope for me, I am bound to lifeless body of my creator, but I can influence forces ruling over you to set you free, prying you out of the burden of chains. To grow in power and be free. To give us all hope in the battle against the void. - Axeworth explained.
That would be the opportunity afforded to become like the dragons, yes? Hmn. Very well. I ask only this: when I choose to ascend, will time still be given to those others like myself to reach their potential, or is the reforging of the world immediate after that? - Aaron asked.
There is not much time left, but everyone that was gifted will yet have a chance to ascend. - the wyvern said.
Ok. Then which method of ascension do you recommend, removing myself from the chain, or raising myself upon it? Based on what you've said to me already, I assume the former, but I would simply like to be certain. Furthermore, will I be able to help the others with their ascensions once I have carried it out myself? - Aaron asked.
It's up to you whether you want to take the burden of creators or leave, exploring the vast expanses of the realms. I'm afraid that there is not much you can do to help them. Each and everyone of them needs to find the spark within themselves and follow it to ascension. One of them is really close, it's your knightly companion. He recently ascended within the small part of the chain, and is on his way to a place where the planes merge, where the flaws are strongest. - Axeworth replied.
If I chose to leave, what might I expect? If I chose to create, what responsibilities would I have? - Aaron asked.
Leaving the chain will give you ultimate freedom. Even cold hands of death won't be able to reach you. You will be able to traverse all the realms and interact with them in numerous ways. You will be able to create your own chain of creation or join other creators to construct something much more stable than this. - wyvern explained the first option.
Becoming a creator still tied to these chains will burden you with the need to maintain flawed concepts and watch your creation slowly descent into oblivion. You won't be able to influence work of other creators or do something together, this is a solitary curse. - the the second one.
Very well. I will leave the chains. I wish you well, Axewrath, and hope you will one day rebuild this world in a manner that will last. - Aaron made a decision.
So be it! - Axeworth shouted, his eyes started shining with an eerie red glow. He turned into a vortex of black energy and flewn at Aaron, breaking him down to the form of a conceptual cloud and shifting his structure. Aaron felt strange, as if a chunk of his soul was ripped away and replaced, yet at the same time a heavy burden removed off his chest. Then he heard the call of realms, a symphony of planes accompanied by constant humming of the void, the most beautiful sound he heard in his existence.
Your energy has been replaced with the one coming from an echo of aligning planes, completely removing all the ties holding you in Axewrath! Can you hear the symphony of stars? Hearing it for the first time is like being born anew! One day you may get bored of it, but don't worry, as you can mute it for yourself at any time! Too bad that I can't do the same with my whole creation! - the creator yelled and stopped for a moment, then said calmly:
You are free my child, you can explore explore endless realms now.Axeworth teleported Aaron to a place where he could fully replace his energy. After it was done, Aaron could see endless possibilities awaiting him.
About time. - Pguhyuh said, ending his meditation in sunlight.
[6] He checked whether the undead left its glaive and armor and it did, but they were in terrible condition and it seemed that some kind of spell was placed upon them that'd backfire horribly if Pguhyuh would use them.
[3] Pguhyuh looked at the Sun for the last time, then entered the portal to Abyss with his companions.
[1] They left the portal, but it opened inside a cell within a demonic fortress!
[3] Serrana haven't followed Pguhyuh into his portal and stayed at Height Keep's courtyard. Using her staff, she drawn a circle around her and her spirit companion which would be a safe zone, where she could commune with spirits.
Well, that was somethin' - Dennis said brushing away dirt and sticks and slapping his hat back on before carefully placing his crown over it
[2] Then he ran back to fight. Going around the hills would take ages, so he started climbing. He moved incredibly slowly, he still must be a bit shocked after the fall.
[4] Reynald looked around for a horse. Suddenly the earth in front of him cracked open and a sickly green, extremely skinny horse came out of the hole in earth. It kneeled so it's master could sit on it and ride.
[3] After taking his seat in a saddle, Reynald galloped towards the Unavented Cathedral. His horse was very quick, but it is a long distance away from where he was.
I can't catch a break can I, like really why even come here, don't you have something better to do... - Bentfear yelled, taking out a flask of imp acids.
[Bentfear: 6, Horker: 5 -1] The alchemist shook the flask a little bit then thrown it at incoming demon! Horker wasn't even hurt, but the radius and strenght of explosion were so big that it literally blown his head off! His burnt and wounded body fell on the ground and started flapping its limbs wildly, until horker grabbed it and torn apart!
Enemies
Horker: [256/256]Players
Aaron: Ascended
Serrana: Safe zone created
Bentfear: Dead
GM Notes
Serrana receives a +1 bonus to all spirit related rolls within her safe zone circle.
Ascending, Aaron has finished playing. A reminder that the game ends at the turn number 100.
I'm putting crazyabe's character to cold storage in 3 turns.
Jeremiah's Bless [1]:
- enemy health reduced by half
- enemy buffs removed
- enemy rolls lowered by 1
Poll
2 (28.6%)
Author
Topic: Undead Hunt - Dark Age Upon Us - The End (Read 176744 times)