In Chaos' Grasp

[Volgathras]

The Boneseer's Altar

The endless repetition of shadows and dark trees is interrupted here by a

ghastly site. A massive mountain of bones rises from the dirt before you.

The usually dark and oppressive wood of shadows and ill spirists is itself

twisted into a macabre scene of activity. The rank pile itself is made up

of no single type of bone, nore does it seem to consist of any one species,

the bones themselves look to be cleaned of every speck of their origional

owners flesh. Small shapes can be discerned moving and shifting within, and

on top of, the mountainous pile. A closer inspection reveals these

skittering shadows to be spiders of many different sizes, shapes, and

colors. The tiny creatures appear to be maintaining the pile, occasionally

stopping to peer at you as they go about some predetermined task. Resting

upon the ground several feet in front of the spider infested heap of bones

is an altar. The altar itself is made up of several larger bones, held

together by glistening threads of silken web. From the pile itself a dark

insidious energy seems to seep into the very air. A glance upward reveals a

slowly rotating vortex of this mysterious black mist that vanishes from

sight as it spirals neatly up through the trees.

[Exits: down]

A massive pile of bones reeks of rotting flesh and seeping marrow is here.

An Altar made entirely of bone rests upon the ground here.

(Invisible) Caersu the Warmage is here, sitting astride a warhorse.

You grin evilly at him.

You peer intently at Caersu.

Sepahoona walks around you, his flaming hooves leaving a trail of fire in a circle about where you stand.

Caersu looks at you.

Sepahoona stops behind his altar, his pool like eyes reflecting the now, the future and the past in an odd dizzing triplicity.

Caersu looks to his shadow as if listening to something or someone.

Sepahoona slaps a drowish hand upon his altar, 'Well!?!?'

Caersu says 'I seek to become powerful and keep my eyes, if your knowledge helps then yes..'

You say 'For I am one to encourage the dieing mortal to empower the birth of new demonkin.'

You say 'Eyes?'

You look at Caersu

Before your eyes stands a human male. His hair is auburn, but looks to

purple. He has spiky hair is so thin you can see his scalp. There is

nothing special about his face, it is quite plain though his eyes are

something else. Purple eyes that have the resemblance of a cat due to

the shape of the pupil. Though draped in a diseased looking robe, you

can still notice his muscular build. With his hood down, you can see his

short, elegant neck. Through his robe, his broad shoulders make him look

bigger then he really is. His torso cannot be seen beneath the robe but

the way his chest sits high and looks firm, that his abdomen is muscular.

Hemmed in gold and silver, the diseased looking robes filigree is quite

complex. There are ancient symbol embroidered all over the robe this

way. Very few can decipher these symbols, they look to be from another

plain of existence. These intricate symbols line the hood differently

then the rest of the robe, the pattern is different and of course the

size. Looking at the symbols, they seem to be in a different place with

each glance. The robe is sleeveless, and touches the ground with its

frayed ends, torn from travel. Dried blood makes some places darker

then others. The robe closes on an angle from right shoulder to left

ankle. In the middle of the robe on the left side is a plus sign, on the

right, a minus. The way the robe closes you see +/-, the largest of the

ancient symbols. Around the robe is a chain link belt, holding a sword.

Huge dark skinned, muscular arms are clasped together holding evil

looking filet dagger. The hilt has sharp, jagged edges that bite into

his hands, they are discolored from the dried up blood. His arms are

covered in lacerations and deep scars, some freshly scabbed, some healed.

There is a slightly pained look about his eyes that causes others to worry.

He has unlocked many secrets of the world.

Caersu is in excellent condition.

You say 'Why keep them?'

You say 'Other ways to see!'

You cackle gleefully.

Caersu says 'I was granted eyes before the Whispers, echos and screams started..'

You say 'And what do the voices tell you?'

You say 'Hmmm'

You say 'In this place'

Caersu says 'I slew my mother and a priest that raised me when I caught them laying together.'

Sepahoona gestures about the macabre scene of death and gore.

You say 'Reality is quite thin, I bet they are louder..oh yes.'

Caersu nods at his shadow.

Sepahoona crosses his arms, two of them, while gesturing with the third.

Caersu flicks his wrist and a filet knife appears.

You say 'I have many magi, who pledge to my cause.'

You say 'Some priests of chaos, others..well...others not so corrupted.'

You grin evilly.

Caersu slits his palm and rubs the blood all over the altar.

You say 'Is it MY tower you seek?'

Caersu says 'I do not.'

The Bone Altar === OBLITERATES === Caersu!

You cackle gleefully.

You say 'Seems your sacrifice is not worthy as mine!'

Caersu stands up.

You say 'In chaos' grasp you wish to be then?'

You say 'Commited to the path of madness?'

Caersu says 'It seems to be what they want from me.'

Caersu sits down and rests.

You grin evilly.

You say 'The mortal will does not matter when chosen, one is such, when not, one merely dies.'

Caersu says 'I could care less, before them it was darkness and pain..'

You say 'And you think after they take hold, it will be different?'

You cackle gleefully.

You call onto Volgathras to help you in your cause.

The ground trembles and shivers as powers of Discord sweeps through the area.

You scream in agony as black flames errupt around your flesh.

Your feedback devastates you!

You say 'The pain never stops'

You say 'It is defining!!!!'

Caersu says 'They will allow me to witness others in pain and not to feel such, I will keep my eyes.'

You say 'So YOU say'

Caersu stands up.

You say 'But as of yet, the demon lord has not set his gaze upon you'

You grin evilly.

Caersu says 'Well the unknown is the mystery of life..'

You say 'The path of true entropy is one of pain, suffering, destruction.'

Caersu says 'He has had imps lead me to other demons.'

You say 'It is to forsake all things in this world, and embrace the void as it rips apart your very soul'

Caersu says 'The last led me to you, to learn..'

You grin evilly.

You say 'Then learn this, for the path you seek is one of damnation.'

The Bone Altar === OBLITERATES === Caersu!

You say 'Be your opinion of your own soul so little that you would wish nothing but hell to be unleashed within you..then continue'

You peer intently at Caersu.

Caersu says 'Sounds like an adventure, without them... I am nothing..'

You grin evilly.

You say 'Ahh now you speak true'

You say 'For it is, your soul, your very life.'

You say 'It is only through faith in the Demon Lord that we grow in power.'

You say 'You must first however, perfect yourself.'

Caersu says 'Whats life, I have yet to live, I was sheltered with only the sounds of drunks and the noises of fornication.

You say 'If you truly wish to give yourself to become demonkin.'

You peer intently at Caersu.

You say 'Not everyone is found worthy, not every vessel survives.'

You say 'The madness though, it will take hold.'

Caersu says 'Should I be granted the kiss of true chaos, I will...'

Sepahoona grins as he walks around you once more, eyeing your shadow.

Caersu says 'I have cried to the heavens, I have more then a chance, for this I know..'

Sepahoona watches you intently as he speaks,'Damnation can be sped, but will you be the vessel you intend to be...or...merely another dead

human.'

Caersu says 'Which is why I was told to gain further knowledge from you..'

Sepahoona holds out his palm, over your shadow....

You say 'Knowledge? hahaha...HAHAHAAH I am more of a catylyst..than a teacher.'

Caersu looks at his shadow.

Sepahoona slowly drops a handful of bone dust from his altar onto your shadow.

Sepahoona cackles as the dust seems to fall into oblivion, into your shadow as if it where a hole in the very ground.

Caersu shivers.

Caersu looks into his shadow for the first time and grabs his skull.

Sepahoona watches with intense fervor as your very shadow moves on its own, touching its own brow, changing its stance...you feel its cold

influence seep into your mind.

You cackle gleefully.

You say 'Perhaps now the mind will CRACK!'

Caersu falls to his knees clawing at his own face.

You say 'Perhaps now you may become a proper vessel of chaos.'

Caersu looks at his bloody hand 'They must come out..'

You say 'Why yes, who needs organs to see!'

You cackle gleefully.

Caersu looks at bloody hands'They feel like they are burning my whole body.

Sepahoona throws his head back laughing maniacally as a red aura of chaos sweeps through the area, his altar a lite with black flame.

Caersu feels a hand grip him.

Sepahoona drags his own sharp nails across his chest, black substance oozing from the wounds,'The PAIN revel in IT!'

Caersu says 'WHAT!?'

Caersu says 'NO!?'

Caersu begins sliding across the floor.

Caersu is picked up by what seems to be his shadow and placed on the altar.

The Bone Altar === OBLITERATES === Caersu!

from behind his altar Sepahoona watches, the cirlce of fire around you rising in intensity, the spell the boneseer has been casting on you

rises in tempo as your mind erodes.

Caersu cries in pain.

Caersu lies still.

Sepahoona leans forward.

Sepahoona reaches out as a small portal opens...a poking stick falling into his outreached hand.

Sepahoona pokes your inert form with the sharp stick,'Eh...'

Caersu stares blankly into the air as what seems to be his shadow shrieks.

You grin evilly.

Caersu looking stoic, turns his gaze on Sepahoona.

lying still Caersu begins to float above the altar.

Sepahoona lifts his arms as dozens of spiders weave a pattern of silk upon the ground, a pentagram..ringed in the fires from earlier.

Caersu looks concerned but not worried 'What is going on.'

You say 'The mind MUST shatter, the madness, like footholds...'

You say 'Will attract what you seek'

You grin evilly.

You say 'You wished to be a priest?'

'

Caersu sits up and looks at his hands 'Yes'.

You say 'Then go forth, and preach, spread the word of insanity, of chaos, the feral bone dust will errode your mind..your words will be

madness to all..all but the demons you seek.'

Caersu grabs his shadow, or tries and it resists.

You cackle gleefully.

Sepahoona shimmers a moment, fading, then refocuses.

You say 'It will take you over, and in the end....only a vessel for demon kin will remain.'

Caersu looks at the shadow as it dusts itself off and moves back to him on its own.

Caersu kneels respectfully before you.

Caersu stands.

You say 'Now go, I will tell the demon lord what I have done to his newest servant.'

Caersu says 'Thank you, that will be the last time I kneel, unless its to the demon lord.'

You say 'Wisdom in that.'

You grin evilly at him.

Caersu says 'But I will show you the respect deserved for your patience with me..'

You say 'Show me what you wish.'

You grin evilly.

You begin writting upon a blackened parchment.

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

This droll bastard of a human came before me, his eyes pleading, his soul

desperate. His words were contrite and needy, to serve chaos, what is a

demon, what is the demon lord. I took him to my altar, to find already just

a hint of madness crawling across his mind's eye. His shadow housed an

entity so delicate, newborn in its influence. This I could NOT stand, such

a thing must be cultivated, must be taught to grow... To consume. A ritual

I performed, the human knowning nothing, a ring of fire and tainted bone

dust fed to this delightful being that seeks him as a vesssel. As I

finished with him, his mind finally did crack, no longer a human seeking

lessons... But a madman spouting sermon. Your acolyte, your newest vessel

this Caersu, I have unleashed upon the lands. May his mad sermons delight

your ears, and may he in turn be found a worthy vessel for the demon kin.

Time Lord Sepahoona, Demonologist of the Tower.

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

Caersu says 'May Volgathras tear your soul apart should you fail to spread fear..'

You grin evilly.

Caersu grabs the filet knife from the ground and it disappears.

Caersu uses his blood to draw a symbol on the bone altar.

Caersu says 'My last sacrifice for you and your altar.'

The Bone Altar === OBLITERATES === Caersu!

You nod.

You say 'It is done.'

Caersu says 'For what lies ahead, it matters not what happens to this body long as it lives.'

You say 'The Demon lord will know you now, as an acolyte of madness.'

You say 'He will expect your sermons, to hear your mad ranting echo throughout the minds of others.'

Caersu says 'May he share his collection of souls with you for your services.'

You grin evilly.

You say 'Oh, I have my own pact to deal with'

You cackle gleefully.

Caersu grins evilly.

with that Sepahoona shatters like glass, vanishing from sight completly.