Tearing Down the Walls of Madness (Term, Sondra, Leo)

[Gillar]

50th day of Winter of 509 A.V. Well over a month had passed since the shrine appeared deep into the Bronze Wood at the foothills of the mountains. Autumn had given way to Winter and the chill of the air bit hard into everything it touched. The shrine, devoted to the corruptive God of Chaos, stood in clearing a few yards from a small mountain stream. Its black marble walls created a stark contrast to the snow that otherwise blanketed the clearing. A roofless structure, the shrine was amazingly free of snow on the inside. The black marble floor was free of any debris and the central statue; altar to Rhysol, remained untouched by the elements. Although it looked exactly the same as it did the day it was created, the shrine had become much more. The foundation ran deep and spread farther than one would think. The day was especially cold and the area around the shrine absent of the sounds of nature. The only movement around the shrine was that of a humanoid figure dressed in black robes. Two swirling orbs of red fire flickered from beneath the figure's hood as it stepped out the doorway of the shrine and looked in the direction of Syliras. As the shrine's guardian, the robed-figure was intimately linked with the shrine and its area of influence. He knew that something was going to happen soon although he did not know the details. He who had once been Calinthar, Acolyte of Rhysol, would be better prepared this time around for whatever was to transpire. Calinthar walked over to an especially large mound of snow. He waved a bandaged hand above the mound and the snow melted away in an instant. Beneath it was a pile of ash and charred bones; the remains of those who served him in his mortal life. "Ah my friends, I do believe you can serve me one last time." --------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile something looked on from the shadows. It peeked in on Calinthar from time to time; always wondering if the two that had helped create the shrine would ever return. Occasionally it would toy with Calinthar and make the guardian nervous; fill him with thoughts of something coming for him. This time however, something really was. It strangely enough could not read what was going to happen which intrigued and infuriated it at the same time. Something was being intentionally hidden and the darkness did not approve.

[Terminus Norin]

Terminus had been consulting with Sondra and Leo during the time between the meeting with Glav and now. They had decided that today was the time to find the temple and do what must be done. He kept the Tooth in a scabbard by his side next to his own sword so that he could use it when he needed it. He still wondered about it since he rarely raged or was angry. They made their way through the trees in the direction indicated by the map. He whispered softly

So lets go over the plan one more time. I realize we are going to storm the temple, but what exactly do we want to do to protect us against the guardian and his Chaon?

The power of Rhysol's marked was what really worried him, supernatural strength and agility could be handles with the end of a sword or a spell. But Gnosis was hard to handle and harder to resist. He followed Leo and Sondra deeper into the wood.

[Leo Varniak]

Leo moved quietly through the woods, glancing at the map every now and then to make sure they were still on the right path. He carried the leash in the other hand, much to his chagrin, though he wasn't actively wearing it nor had he any intention of doing so. Leo wasn't one to worry about the judgment of random citizens who laughed at the sight of a somber-looking man with a leash in his hand, though the item annoyed him to no end. No doubt Glav had just been looking for an opportunity to be rid of the thing.

"Sondra's item may be able to counter Chaon," Leo commented after a period of silence, "but there's no telling if it will actually work. We must assume it won't." Ever the optimist, Leo. "I've given a lot of thought to the reason Ivak keeps triads instead of smaller or larger groups. A triangle is a balanced figure. Two may quarrel, and four may split into factions. Three is the optimal number for people protecting one another. I suspect the original reason was for the members to keep on eye on each other's emotions in case they got out of hand, as may happen to Ivak's chosen, but it's not any different with Rhysol. That means, if one of us falls victim to Chaon, the other two must take care of them, by subduing them if needbe. I will kick some sense into you guys if you go crazy, and I am expecting you to do the same to me."

Leo was a reluctant leader, but an effective one when he put himself into it. He could strangely be trusted in that he was a completely transparent man, without any ulterior motive and incapable of lying. He also had a terrifying sense of responsibility as the person with the most marks in the group. Leo placed no great value on his life, but he cared for the lives of those he had dragged into what he perceived as his personal crusade. Losing Kasav'i the Konti had been a trauma to Leo, the first real defeat he had ever suffered in his life. There would be no more in his mind.

"There is another important thing," he considered, "and that is we are all immune to fire. If things get messy, fire can be used to our advantage without worrying about hurting one of us." He paused, giving the matter some thought. "We could even hide in a fire if things got desperate. For the time being, though, we should investigate the perimeter of this temple, clear any threats, and secure all entrances." He turned to Sondra and Terminus to check their reactions to his plan.

[Sondra]

Rarely had Sondra ever felt prepared for anything. In those scattered instances she felt sufficiently ready for the task at hand, the circumstances did their damndest to persuade her otherwise.

She had come to terms with the unpredictability and cruelty of chance. Even fortune tellers were taken by surprise.
Her first remedy was planning what was in her control (scarcely little she discovered), the second far more comforting remedy was her habit of carrying a slim warhammer. When all dodging failed, bash with the clawed end. Results under this system were a little sloppy, but she had survived thus far.

Today, though, she was entering the ring with a brawler ten times her weight. Sondra wasn't dumb enough to fudge the odds in her favor. Thankfully, the trio had a fair amount of goodies between them in the way of marks and castoffs of the gods. Even still, the hammer was hanging from a loop in her belt.

When Leo finished his answer, Sondra slipped the hammer from its place into her hand. The weight was comforting.

"Right then, let's make the rounds and see what we're up against, ladies."

Sondra tilted her head towards a route through the trees before beginning a careful trek around the shrine's perimeter.

[Terminus Norin]

Terminus as was his habit was listening to Sondra and Leo but not only what they said , also what they didn't say. He was more an observer than an action man so he really wondered about the sword fragment at his belt, he had never really raged in his life so the power of the sword seemed wasted on him.

He nodded at the mention of the power of Chaon, this was the part he was unsure of. The power to turn a persons own fears against him/her was not easy to resist as everyone hid unspoken fears, even Leo who seemed to have none. As to the wisdom of a triad over a larger or smaller group he had not thought it out yet he just accepted Ivak's wisdom. However what Leo said made sense about the ability to protect each other.

Well I can tell you that I have no problems taking either of you out if you go crazy on me. We can worry about curing you later if need be, lets hope it doesn't come to that and Tranquility works as promised.

He chuckled and then more seriously said, There is also Nikali's leash, it seems to unbind the bound as well. It may be that despite the risks you may have to use it on the Guardian to give us the advantage in destroying him.

as to advantages he said Aye I know about the fire proof thing I use it in my worship and to make a living. Just remember that our gear is not fireproof so keep that in mind when using fire in that manner. He was all too aware of that fact as many burned sets of clothing reminded him


He also said, I can see the reasoning behind your words. A Triad is the perfect number for many reasons. I am sure we will begin to see them as this progresses.

He nodded as Leo talked about scouting the perimeter and closing off all the exits as well as securing it against unwanted attacks. The temple may have more guarding it by now than just the one guardian since it had been a while since Abashai and Nya had cleaned it out.

Lets get to it then. He said and began to also find a safe path around the temple to scout out the possible threats and angles of attack.

[Gillar]

In life, Calinthar had been an Acolyte of Rhysol, a leader and man of ambition. He was a cruel man as well, having committed a number of crimes and performed numerous acts of vile disgrace. It was his ambition however that killed him. He had dared assume that he could gain Rhysol's favor and thus become a Druvin. Instead, his failures attracted Rhysol's attention in a much darker way. He died but that was far from the end of things. He couldn't remember exactly what happened after the battle with the human and his kelvic but he woke to find himself laying on the floor of the newly formed shrine which he had set out to build in the first place. Sitting up, he saw his own tormented visage in the face of the statue before him. He never planned on becoming the shrine's guardian; that was meant for another. It was at that moment that he realized his new existence. He reluctantly embraced it and accepted the position as one of Rhysol's Guardians. Although forever tied to the shrine, Calinthar was gifted with great power. There had been one other survivor of that fateful battle, Male, a soldier of the Ebonstryfe. Calinthar had sent Male back to Ravok with news of the shrine's construction and a request for soldiers to be sent back and stationed at the shrine. He didn't know when the soldiers would arrive or if Male even made it back to Ravok to begin with. However, having sensed a disturbance in the area, Calinthar was not about to take any chances. It was that over-confidence that had killed him the first time. Now he stood above the ashes of the soldiers that once served him. With one hand held out over the ashes, Calinthar called upon the new powers he had been granted. The ashes began to stir and the pile began to move. Shards of charred bone began to tremble as a swirling, chromatic mist rose around the pile. Calinthar turned his hand over; his palm facing up. In the center of it materialized two pieces of black marble much like that which the shrine itself was made of. He dropped the two stones into the pile of ash, bone and swirling mist. The mist immediately grew from a slow swirling fog to a chaotically charged, churning chromatic cloud of ash and bone. From the cloud emerged two figures. Both were humanoid in form with ashen colored skin stretched over a mix of charred bones and black marble. Their faces were constantly morphing between those of the men and woman whose remains they now incorporated. The faces all bore looks of torment and despair. As they stepped from the cloud, it faded away until completely vanishing. The two figures, now standing before Calinthar, were then slowly covered by inky black tendrils crawling across their bodies until they looked as though they were dressed in living darkness. The two figures, shadows of those who had died in the vicinity of the shrine, their souls awash in chaos, now stood ready to serve Calinthar. His lips curling in a twisted smile, Calinthar ordered, "Go now, both of you. Secure the shrine's surroundings and eradicate any threats you may encounter." The two servants took off into the woods on their mission while Calinthar turned and walked back to the shrine. He hoped that the soldiers would show up soon so that work could begin. In the meantime, he would see to it that none threatened the shrine that he had died to establish. -------------------------------------------------------------- For the triad who entered the woods in search of the shrine, daylight was still plentiful however the trip was not exactly a short one. The shrine was supposedly located deep into the wilds at the sight of some pre-Valterrian ruins. They would know for certain that they were on the right track if they came across an ancient, broken road of worked stone. The forest itself seemed calm as they entered and made there way through. There were signs of life all around them and the atmosphere could be described as being quite peaceful. What could be expected on their journey was yet unknown. While Glav had gave them some information about the shrine and the Guardian, things were still rather vague. While there had always been shrines dedicated to Rhysol scattered about the land, little to nothing was really known about the Guardians that protected them. It was assumed that these beings possessed the divine ability of Chaon just as those marked by Rhysol as gifts for their devotion. Unfortunately though, few if any had survived encounters with a Guardian and returned sane enough to divulge what they saw. While they discussed plans of attack with Terminus and Sondra both pondering various ways to approach the shrine once they arrived and Leo listening to what they thought of things, they all couldn't shake the feeling that someone or something was watching them. While everything else thus far seemed normal for a wooded setting, the odd feeling of having someone following their every move was a little disconcerting. OOCHey guys, don't assume you are right at the temple. It is going to take a little bit to actually get there and I plan on an encounter or two on the way. It makes it more interesting and also allows for greater rewards

[Terminus Norin]

Terminus had been thinking about everything they had been talking about and it seemed that the journey to the shrine might be a long one, filled with Ivak only knew what. The wood seemed unusually quiet today and he thought it was disturbing that even the sounds of nature seemed muted as they headed deeper into the wood.

He spoke to Sondra again about the plan of attack I think going around the perimeter of the shrine is a good idea. However I don't think we should discount the fact that the Guardian may already know we are approaching even at this distance. We should be on the lookout for any thing hostile to us.


This mention was due to the fact that he could not shake the feeling they were being watched. He began to scan the wood like Avi had taught him, looking for anything out of place, a branch or a blade of grass. He looked at the ground as well as the surrounding wood for any footprints. He was listening to the sounds of nature for anything out of the ordinary like cracking branches or the sound of footfalls crunching the debris on the forest floor. He also smelled for any smells that were not forest even though his senses were not ultra sharp like an animal's. He explained what was probably some odd behavior on his part.

Sorry I'm looking for any signs of disturbance. Someone taught me that the best way to be prepared was to be aware of the nature around you.

[Leo Varniak]

As the feeling of being watched settled upon Leo, he nodded at Terminus' assessment of the situation. "Always assume the worst case," he commented, "that way you can only be pleasantly surprised." In fact, they should be expecting the Temple to have amassed its full defensive potential in preparation for their strike. It had already been stormed once, after all; its defenders would likely not make the same mistakes twice. It was at times like this that Leo could not help but look at his leash with disdain. Glav should have given them weapons and lots of them. Magic bombs and beams and deathrays and all that.

"No need to apologize for that, Terminus," he said quietly, "I am no good at scouting, myself… or generally at keeping a low profile. I will provide the ranged magic attacks, and Sondra, I guess she's a better melee fighter than the two of us combined." At least, she was the Woman with the Warhammer.

Leo's forehead was burning with heat pushing against the boundaries of his mind for release. His breath was hot and dry, as if his body was made of flaming embers. It had been a long time since he'd last felt like this. He had never used his Reimancy in combination with the second mark of Ivak, either. He suspected he would have to use its power of fire amplification sooner than he had anticipated.

"Whatever is watching us, I wish they'd make it quick. Life is too short to waste it playing hide-and-seek."

[Sondra]

It was still daylight, but the Konti couldn't shake her unease. They were moving further into the wood, isolating themselves more with each step. Terminus was being observant and careful, as usual, while Leo seemed antsy to not have an enemy to face. At least Terminus wasn't itching for a fight like the other two. Sondra had a feeling his temperance would spare her future pains.

When Leo dubbed her the best melee fighter between them, Sondra almost choked. Two grown-ass men and the Konti was going to be the brawler? Wonderful. On the plus side, they had the whole fire lobbing and mysticism expertise. If they were fast enough, she wouldn't have to resort to her usual problem solving method.

The triad were the strangers here, planning to trespass ground marked holy by an opposing power. Sondra didn't fib to herself, it made her nervous. Evil wasn't some caricature of faults or blustering bogey that Syliran Knights talked about when in their cups. Most people didn't have a conception of its cleverness, its swiftness. She'd seen enough sin to know how vicious and subtle the hand of Rhysol could be.

The Konti also didn't feel like gabbing more than necessary, choosing to nod her assent to Leo's comments. When tense, she tended towards silence punctuated only by sardonic quips.

The waiting was the hardest part. Her scales felt cold, and her gills twitched. Something was breathing down their necks but wasn't appearing for a stand up fight. Maybe they didn't want it to. Sondra took long strides, her bearing alert and her right hand gripping her weapon.

[Gillar]

The trio continued deeper into the woods in the direction they hoped to find the shrine. While slight conversation was shared between them, they remained mostly quiet and focused on the task at hand. It was cold and though the snow that did make it through the forest canopy blanketed the ground in places, bare ground was still quite visible. It was Terminous who was the first to spot something out of the ordinary although the others soon caught on as well. Just behind a break in the snow created by an area of especially thick tree cover lie what looked like the start of a broken stone path. Cracked blocks of worked stone overgrown with weeds signaled the existence of the same stone path that was described to them back in Syliras. A bitterly cold breeze blew from the direction the path led. Sondra felt a harsh twitch in her gills and her tremored gaze caught sight of something peculiar at the base of a nearby tree. It looked as though the base of the tree was being consumed by stone; black marble to be more precise. The marble was reaching up from the ground to cover the bark of the tree and was actually "growing" upward. Leo's growing internal flames licked at his brain. Wiping a bit of sweat from his brow; sweat that formed despite the otherwise cold air that washed over the three, Leo caught something out of the corner of his eye. He could have swore he saw movement; a flash of darkness amidst an otherwise green punctuated by white backdrop. All three of them suddenly sensed VERY strong emotions coming from an unknown source in the immediate area. The emotions they felt were of terrible sadness, fear, anguish and rage all at once and amplified five times over. It was such that each of them had to divert focus from the feelings in order to keep themselves separate from it all. Although they didn't get the sense that the feelings were directed at them, it was a very disturbing situation regardless.