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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 6, 2006 0:51:03 GMT -7
Stories of Shade
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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 6, 2006 0:53:32 GMT -7
Kind Reader, Perhaps you have followed the history of the land of Shade or maybe you are new. As you may already be aware, my clan dates back almost to the beginning of Shade when its founding members first stepped foot on this land and made it their own and made their mark on the history of the land as they did so. Some stories have never been told, some told often. Here, I will begin the daunting task of telling our long history, as I have learnt it from the elders and from my own experiences. In the beginning, no humans occupied this land. The area near Byrendell was infested by bats and rats. It is still the job of the young tyros to try and keep the land free of this infestation but still vermin tends to overrun the land. North of Byrendell, there were goblins who had created their own hierarchy and complex civilization that was centralized deep in the caves southeast of Cloven Pines. No one knows who created the town of Byrendell. Once a wizard called Grimm lived here. It is said he went mad with the voices that led him to knowledge and power beyond any ever known by man. The voices led him to arcane magics long lost and eventually led him to our Lord Chaos. But that is a story to be told later. When the Rogue Warriors landed here from afar, (Some say on ships from outer space) the land was desolate and run by the Goblins and war-like Orcs. These warriors, bravely began to explore and fight for their places here. More and more these warriors began to arrive and amongst them was our own clan Chief, G_3. A warrior who took the name WolfAbel formed this rag tag bunch into a clan and they were warriors of the first degree. Primitive and barbaric as the Orcs they fought and looted, they manged to forge a living for themselves. Soon they had established themselves in the forest town of Slyythara. They called themselves RWZ or the Wolfpack and *MATRIX* was also counted in their ranks. Here they learnt to fight the lizards and dragons and began to grow wealthy. Other tribes began to occupy the territories of the land Shade. No one knows where they came from but they soon were challenging each other for supremacy. JURNYMAN tells his own story of these days. How he worked his father's land as a child and how all was destroyed when the Ogres and Necromancers helped the Orcs take over the land, destroying everything in their wake and murdering all of his family. It was called the Reign of Terror and the Elders still shudder with the telling. Alone, and struggling to survive, JURNYMAN, joined the Wolf pack as well for a brief time before the beginning of UAC and before SOC.
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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 6, 2006 0:55:54 GMT -7
Mother, whom you may know as Jagan, tells me of the time of her own arrival to this land. How she struggled alone, eating bats and rats to survive and looting the bodies of dead goblins of gear to sell to the shopkeeper. She continued to eke out a meagre living in this way until she was eventually taken in and sheltered by a clan.
On one of her adventures she encountered a warrior who went by the name of '50'. Together they ventured into the Great Forest, where they fought bears for the first time and found the legendary town of Slyythara. They entered the town, their leathers tattered and their short swords bloodied. They had heard tales of the infamous Wolfpack and were frightened and excited as they entered the pub. There he was, the infamous WolfAbel himself, surrounded by his clan chiefs and warriors. They had been imbibingthe Wolvenshine for some hours and were rowdy and boisterous.
50 and Jagan, kept to themselves at the back of the pub, talking in excited whispers at having found this place and seen these great warriors whose reputation was quickly spreading throughout Shade.
After partaking of some of the towns fine ale, they decided to visit the shopkeeper as Jagan had heard of a fine bow you could purchase there and she needed to replace the camouflage crossbow she had lost when it and her life were nearly taken from her by a band of marauders a few days before that.
They returned to Byrendell filled with the excitement and stories of their adventures and brush with greatness. That evening, in the pub, all the town folk were filled with curiosity and plied them with questions and ales to keep them talking until the wee hours of the morning.
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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 6, 2006 0:59:04 GMT -7
It was about this time that JURNYMAN met UNHOLY. UNHOLY was the first undead that JURNYMAN had ever seen and he was fascinated by him.
"Try it", he was told, "Chaos has great power to offer his followers."
I do not know if JURNYMAN was aware of the ultimate reward when he accepted Chaos' offer to join his army but he and UNHOLY ran together under the UAC tag for awhile. UNHOLY disappeared without ever experiencing the fulfilment of Chaos promises but JURNYMAN did. He was the first ever lich and struggled to bring the promises given to fruition. As more and more warriors accepted the offer given by Chaos, the undead and liches began to populate the land. JURNYMAN came up with the idea to start a clan of the undead and liches only.
During his travels across the land, he met Chaotica who was also just beginning his own clan. At this time there was much prejudice across Shade against these children of Chaos as supreme evil and the prevalent tide of public thought was they must be destroyed. Brother fought brother in a tide of unrest and a struggle for survival. It was then that the alliance was formed: SOC, Soldiers of Chaos and CTC, Chaos' True Commandos were bound together in darkness and blood and forever linked in brotherhood. SOC, the clan of the undead and CTC, the clan of the mortal. Shade would be forever changed. G_3 would become first commander to CHAOTICA and WolfAbel turned to the light.
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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 6, 2006 1:02:00 GMT -7
Long before any of these warriors arrived in the land of Shade, there lived here a sorcerer with an insatiable desire to gain more knowledge, more power. He began to feel something in his mind, a darkness, calling to him, beckoning to him, softly, almost imperceptible at first but ever louder and more forceful as his studies in the ancient lost magics advanced. His mind became more and more clouded as the darkness set in but at last he knew what he had to do. And at last it was through him that the darkness was unleashed upon the land.
Chaos was trapped in an ethereal existence from which he could not escape and it was through Grimm he had been able to summon help.
When Grimm was confronted with the presence of Chaos, he became frightened by what he had succeeded in conjuring up and a great battle ensued. Grimm was gravely injured and managed to escape to the mountains where healers of dubious repute helped him to recover.
Angry at the perceived betrayal, and frightened by what he had released onto the land, Grimm vowed to seek vengeance on his former mentor.
Through the mages that had helped heal him, Grimm learnt of the wealthy town of Bal Rak, deep in the volcano. He appealed to Chaos need for power and wealth to convince him to meet him there. Chaos confident in his indestructibility now that he managed to escape into our plane, eagerly agreed to the plan. Once there, Grimm used trickery, and with help of his new friends, and strong magic, was able to trap and seal Chaos in the town.
And there he languished.
Much time passed. Chaos began to sense a new life in the land above, and he called out, offering all a place in his army of the undead and power they could only imagine. And some heard and some answered. "Yes."
The seal began to weaken and with it the metals of the land.
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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 6, 2006 1:04:22 GMT -7
Dear Reader,
It is almost impossible to tell this story in a linear manner there are so many side roads to take. The General was telling me a story recently, about the very first Brotherhood, one that predates the brotherhood of CTC/SOC and even the RWZ, I think. He told me another story about how he and Raven were the first warriors ever to set foot in the town of Xian and how when they entered the shops they were amazed at the beautiful armor and weapons and wondered how could they ever afford them? He laughed when he told me that they soon discovered you could get the the comparable chaos gear and glazed plates for free from the Shade Demon Lord. But this is a story for later. So please forgive me if my time line jumps around a bit. But I think I will revisit the story of the breaking of the Seal in the next few chapters. I hope you will join me on this adventure for it is a tale of one of Shade's biggest accomplishments.
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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 6, 2006 1:06:29 GMT -7
Dear Reader,
Trammelled deep inside the volcano, Chaos began to hear the voices from the outerworld and called to them, silently, subtly just as he had to Grimm so long before. Some answered. More and more the overworld became populated with the undead and those powerful beings of magic, the Liches, were beginning to appear and Chaos grew stronger. Even Grimm felt it.
The mortals increasingly feared the undead and the liches . Some vowed to avenge Grimm and make him the ultimate ruler of Shade. They called themselves the 'Light' and formed the COL or the Council of Light and many sub clans of the COL were formed. The struggle for supremacy now had a name.
All the while, the undead heard the voices, the stirrings, deep inside became ever stronger; they knew one day their Master would be free.
Life throughout the land was lawless and primitive. Many senseless killings took place and the town elders placed a bounty on the heads of all known murderers. The murderers soon became prey to the greedy.
Two young warriors, Jester and Sandman, themselves the sons of wealthy land owners, freely adventured in the volcano south of the town of Slyythra, despite warnings posted to the contrary.
They were young and invincible and had no fear. One day, they found the entrance to the volcano itself. They managed to get past the flame lizards and stepped through the doorway as if by magic and saw a chamber, majestical in appearance with grand pillars lining the great room.
Then they saw it, imposingly grand and looming, the Elder Dragon, they had only before heard of in tales. They barely escaped death as they ran south through a narrow hallway lined with burning torches on the wall. Grabbing one of the torches to light their way they came upon another large room filled with a breed of dragons they had never seen, the lesser dragons of legend. Jester, learnt firsthand the power of soulgrip, he managed to crawl out of the path of the angry dragon as Sandman cast a martyr spell his way saving the life of his friend but nearly costing him his own. Both scrambled for their lives, Jester found an entrance and ran through to safety. He ran down a long narrow hall that went east and then north and there he came to a flight of stairs going down. Not even realizing that Sandman was no longer following, he descended even further into the pits of the volcano.
What he saw next surely had to be the one of the circles of hell. What appeared to be dressed as some sort of Magus or cleric wandered amongst the dragons and lizards. But their faces were empty and their eyes were dead. Jester felt only an ominous evil that made him shudder as a cold draft touched his soul.
He kept himself hidden and managed to move without detection to another entrance where upon entering he saw he was alone and long dark corridor, stretched to the north. It was then, as he caught his breath and assessed his situation that he realized Sandman was no longer following him. He traced his steps back as best he could to no avail. And he was now hopelessly lost.
He wandered for days with little water and no food. He began to feel as if a madness was taking over his mind and evil was permeating his soul. He heard the voices, and the voices were leading him. He walked for hours, the heat and the stench nearly overpowering him, and the clerics and the dragons threateningly close seemed to follow him. His mind became a cloud of dark evil.
At last he came to a place where he could feel the forces pulling him so strong he knew whatever it was was inside. He was standing in front of a town closely walled on all sides and the gate was sealed with magic and metal.
"Tell them I am here." He dropped to his knees in fear at the booming sound of the voice in his mind. A flame lizard licked its fiery breath across his weakened frame, searing darkened patches in his leather armour and Jester could smell the acrid aroma of burning flesh.
"I release you to the outerworld."
Jester found himself in the town of Slyythra from where he had been missing for days and was believed dead.
He had a story to tell.
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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 6, 2006 1:08:33 GMT -7
And tell it he did. Word spread all over the land and the explorers, daredevils and mercenararies began to venture to Slyythra and into the volcano. Some came to fight the Elder and some began to map out the territory deep inside the volcano. One of the first maps to circulate in the world was drawn by the mysterious and dangerous warrior known as DeepBlue. Many lives were lost. Jurnyman won his Black Platemail of Chaos Abel was often seen wearing a dragonskull as a helmet. He claimed it made his dragonsbreath spell do strange things. Who would doubt that? Other great treasures were also found: the spear of the slayer, the sword of the dragons eye and platinum mail of the slayer- all great hard won prizes. Some of it now such a rare treasure that you may go your life time and never see it.
When Raven left the world of shade to venture to places unknown and unimaginable, he left his prized sword to Eleonore to keep and protect. The sword was in itself the stuff of legend. They said it was once held by Grimm himself, but I digress....
A proclamation was delivered across the land of Shade. The 'Seal' that held Chaos in the iniquitous town of Bal Rak was weakened. It would take six brave souls to open it.
"Hear ye! Hear ye!
The Meddling of Mortals has Strengthened Chaos! Grimm had Confined Chaos and the Bulk of his minions in the deep recesses of the Volcano!, but in their Incessant Attempts to reach Bal'Rak, the Mortals have Weakened the Seal allowing Chaos to exert his Powers!
The Metals of Shade have been Weakened by the Dark Will of Chaos! The foul forerunners of the Undead Hordes begin to rise, Tearing Holes in the Earth Itself to gain entry to the World! Soon the Seal will be broken, Bal'Rak no longer buried, and the Shadow of Chaos will fall across the land! Mortals, Tremble! Undead, Rejoice! "
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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 6, 2006 1:11:13 GMT -7
"Soon the Seal will be broken, Bal'Rak no longer buried, and the Shadow of Chaos will fall across the land! Mortals, Tremble! Undead, Rejoice! "
Everyday every resident of the Land of Shade heard those words, as the town criers stood on the square yelling them morning, noon and night. People became fearful and suspicious. It was now apparent that those seemingly frail creatures called Lich were more powerful with their magic than even the strongest mortal being wielding the best steel blade the land had to offer.
Mother recalls attending a secret meeting of the clan SOS, led by the legendary warrior Raven. She did not know him except by reputation, but was invited by her good friend Nephilim. Great arguments ensued.
"Why should we as a clan of mortals help unleash the forces of Chaos?"
That was the question of the hour. No one knew the answer except that Grimm had told Raven that it would be to everyone's benefit to do so.
But Raven soon disappeared, some say taken by Chaos himself, perhaps to further weaken and divide the mortals.
Suspicion, rumour and discord ruled the day. Through it all several dedicated, and brave men from many clans were in the volcano, learning and searching and mapping and plotting.
One particular warrior was Sham On. Crude and barbaric, he was a mountain man who wore the heads of orcs felled by his hand on his belt as a trophy, who instilled fear in even the bravest warrior and an uneasiness even in his clan mates. He explored the area extensively and knew it well.
It was soon determined that six men would need to stand on six spots for six minutes to cause the seal to break.
Easier said then done.
Even venturing into the outer volcano was risky for these brave soldiers. The best mail commonly at hand was the glazed plate mail. Black plate mail of Chaos or the platinum mail of the slayer was deemed too rare and precious to risk losing. Heroes plate mail was believed to cut the damage from soulgrip in half and Sapphire gear was also believed to be imbued with similar properties. The average ac of a player was 79 or 80. The best one- handed sword you could procure was the wicked scimitar of chaos. No one had golden potions. Nevertheless the magic known was powerful. A martyr cast your way by a healthy team mate would work as well a golden potion. Acidrain and Icestorm hit hard.
The strongest warrior in the land had only just achieved level 13 honours, most were levels 10 or 11. The fallen were punished severely with a 20% loss of experience points earned.
Worse still, not everyone could see the spots they needed to stand on.
Clans conspired against each other. Mortals and the Undead feared each other. And when the final moments were counted down, treachery lurked, hidden, waiting, plotting....
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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 6, 2006 1:17:23 GMT -7
Clans conspired against each other. Mortals and the Undead feared each other. And when the final moments were counted down, treachery lurked, hidden, waiting, plotting....
Ominous sounding isn't it? And it was.
Serious attempts were made and failed. Chaotica was instrumental in getting the seal team together and had himself lost hundreds of thousands of experience points in the volcano. During this time some warriors who were considered outlaws were banned from the key town of Slyythera making their trek to the volcano a long trip.
Discouraged and sullen over the excessive loss of experience, Chaotica chose to remain topside on March 8 2003.
Starry had a plan that would get everyone in place and on the spots in time. She herself died en route but the spots were covered. And when it came time, everyone was where they should be.
Standing in the two spots south of Bal Rak were Matrix and Abel along with MONSTER. All three alive. On the southwest was JURNYMAN. Dead. Northwest spot was held by G_3 also dead and with lessers lurking as if reluctant to leave his body. On the northeast spot stood BullGod*. Alive. On the southeast, Sham-on, also dead.
This was in the days before lessers would devour corpses, so all six spots were covered. Whether alive or fallen it did not seem to matter.
But something was wrong. The seal did not come down.
And during all this time, treachery lurked, banging up against the seal wall.
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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 6, 2006 1:20:15 GMT -7
Messages flew across the Shade world back and forth. What was happening? Had the wall come down? Were the warriors still in place? Does anyone know? Other warriors were waiting, restlessly, in Slyythra and in the volcano in case they were needed. The tension was mounting and all Shade buzzed with anticipation and impatience. Our seven warriors no doubt felt the roiling in the very depths of their souls.
At last, it is rumoured, Grimm came into the volcano and checked the positions of the seal standers. Then everything went black.
Counting down time in non-existence. Blackness. Nothingness. Painless. Unbearable.
Beneath every surface we find answers or ...maybe nothing. Did the denizens of Shade who wandered the surface world that day feel the churning in the very core of their world? Could they feel something important was iimminent? Shade was about to make a leap into civilization that would rival the Renaissance in it's impact on it's inhabitants. The lives of every soul in this tiny world would change forever. But it would not come without it's share of intrigue and secret plots.
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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 6, 2006 1:22:43 GMT -7
All of Shade was in darkness as if an eclipse had slowly blackened the sun. Minutes passed. But can you count minutes in non-existence? Suddenly everything was back and alive as if nothing had happened. But something did happen. The wall was down. The seal was broken. But our intrepid seal standers were not to be the first to enter town. No. Others had been waiting, hidden, at the town entrance and got there first. When *Matrix* and MageAbel and the others did enter the town, what they found was beyond anything they could hope for. Spells so advanced, the full impact of their power did not become apparent until much later. Weapons so perfect they sung when you wielded them; and deadly like nothing before seen. Oh but the prices! Very few could afford such luxuries. This was indeed stuff for the wealthy elite! But the instant the first warrior entered that ominous looking little town, everything changed.
"The Chaos Seal has been Broken! All mortal souls will surely Perish!"
And every morning, every man, woman and child heard the warning of the town criers in every village, town and city across the land. The fear that had begun to take its hold in the souls of mortal man grew stronger.
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Post by RAIVEN on Jun 12, 2006 1:22:57 GMT -7
One morning as day dawned in the land of Shade, just as it had every other, suddenly and inexplicably there were elven scouts in the great forest. Scouts! Where did they come from? Why were they here? What were they looking for? The Shade population did not know what to make of them. So they began to fight them. It was discovered that they carried some decent weapons and gear and the shopkeepers were willing to pay a good price for them. It became a popular and profitable sport to take on these skilled fighters. About the same time boneclaws began to appear in the swamp in the Boar and Skewer to Gloomy passage. It was rumoured they were inhabitants of a crypt. But the existence of a crypt was lost from memory. No one had any recollection of there ever being a crypt, but whispers were heard in the barrooms and among travellers of such a place. With the opening of the town of Bal Rak and the increased wealth of the citizenry, the Shade denizens began to find new ways to fight. Ways never before imagined possible. With the use of the new spells and weapons, a lone knight could fight a dragon one on one and without dancing. If you had nerves of steal you could even take on a lesser dragon one on one. But something strange happened. The elder dragon that had for so long guarded the entrance to the lower regions of the volcano was gone. And gone forever it seemed. Or was he? The elite warriors who had won armour and weapons from battles with this great dragon began to horde their prized armours. But it is believed that only two or three platinum plates of the slayer survive to this day. The town fathers began to feel that the out lying areas from Byrendell were getting to be more dangerous than what the young tyros who aspired to become great warriors could easily handle. They opened up the catacombs beneath the city as a training area for the young cadets to learn basic skills. It was told by the wizard Grimm that the elder was trapped in there under some great spell, but no cadets ever told of any encounters with the great beast or if they did, the stories were too fantastical to be believed. One day, VIRUS fell into the tree. Well, that is if you can call an upwards motion falling. The warriors of Shade now had a whole new area to raid, like nothing seen before. And the elves were a formidable foe. Many, many warriors lost their lives to these quick, ill-tempered and skilled fighters. But soon a new town was discovered and those willing to risk everything became very, very, wealthy. About the same time, Eleonora fell into the crypt. Her story is told hereShade was undergoing a renaissance. More wealth, more skills more power. But were we ready for what was to come next?
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