Halls of Death

Farrah

Deucalion's. Love it.

...

A nauseating lurch fills your being and you find yourself elsewhere. A stone chamber stretches before you, empty but for the smouldering figure that stands outlined before a bright window. Drawn to the radiance of the aperture, you begin to walk across the room. Your footsteps make no sound upon the slate beneath you and though you feel movement, you make no progress towards your goal.

The figure at the window turns an impatient, golden eye upon you. Suddenly, you are there, beside the Righteous Fire, the air shimmering around the unforgiving incandescence of the Justice that Is.

Unable to look upon His radiance for more than a moment, your eyes are drawn inexorably towards the window before you but you see nothing, your mortal vision failing you. Without warning a burning hand grips the back of your neck and immediately the vision gains form and you know without knowing that you look upon the entirety of Creation.

No mortal words are capable of describing what lies before you. Impressions of light intertwined with sinuous currents of energy, ever expanding, ever reaching. You turn your head briefly to the Righteous Fire, seeking understanding, but see His unblinking gaze is fixed far beyond yours, at the edges of the vision.

With a strange sense of foreboding, you follow His lead only to clench your eyes shut in horror at what lays before you. Corruption, coursing through the edges of Creation like writhing eels. Mindlessly consuming what it touches in an uncontrolled, unthinking frenzy.

Finally, the Lord speaks, His voice the soft crackle of a hearth with an undercurrent of the roaring fury of a conflagration. "Farrah. To you and your fellows have I given the task of holding the interior whilst I purge the outer."

At His words, you open your eyes, looking once more over the beauty of the centre of Creation but you now see traces of the same corruption. Tainted droplets of unmaking scattered across the pattern of lights. There in an ashen temple. There in the doomed face of a corrupted. There in a twisted tree bearing misshapen fruit.

"Your work is not done. Be better." Before you can think to respond, the burning hand on your neck ignites your form, consuming you utterly while filling you with Righteous fury and flame, the ash that is you cast out into an eddy of Creation.

From one moment to the next, you find yourself whole and uninjured, standing at the entrance to a cave. Lord Deucalion's touch and words linger in your mind and soul and you step forward, ready to take up the fight once more.

Tydas

Still want to see Aegis', Neraeos', and Prospero's. I can't help but see the last as buying you out of death, like bail money.

Tahquil

Krypton pasted Neraeos'

Razzlo

When I died I got Vastar even though I am an enemy to Vastar and a Cyrenian. Fun times!

Klendathu

Razzlo said:

When I died I got Vastar even though I am an enemy to Vastar and a Cyrenian. Fun times!

Embrace the Storm!

Razzlo

Klendathu said:

Razzlo said:

When I died I got Vastar even though I am an enemy to Vastar and a Cyrenian. Fun times!

Embrace the Storm!

Yeah, RPwise Razz was pretty damn perplexed. Specially with this speech...

"You have fallen to calamity, the Storm's influence upon your life too great for

you to bear. But this is not escapable by death." The climactic God assesses you

with a stern expression.

"You will return, Razzlo, and you will have a choice, face and embrace the

Storm, triumph and glory in its power, or you shall wander these lands again,

ever imperiled and hindered by its mercurial influence."

Maybe it is because I heartstopped? The suicide aspect making me face the one God that does not like me much?

In any case, weird to see the God of the only organization that has you enemied to change your shit

Krypton

@Tydas

Prospero:

[...]

The tantalising sound of running water roars in your ears, now deafening in its

sweet euphony. Lured onward by the beckoning current, you draw closer, certain

your destination lies mere inches from your grasping reach.

Stumbling about in your increasingly disoriented state, you suddenly find

yourself in a dark hallway with no memory how you arrived. Like a beacon of

hope, a golden goblet descends from above, landing in your grasp. Looking

inside, crystalline water winks up at you in an invitation to drink.

The cool, refreshing water satiates your thirst and gives you confidence that

this terrible nightmare will soon come to an end. As you drink the last drops

from the goblet, it suddenly bursts into a blinding glimmer of jewel-toned hues.

The Elder God of Wealth now stands before you, an amused smirk crossing His

dashingly handsome features.

As quickly as He seemed to arrive so does His expression change: looking you up

and down, He grimaces at you. "Well then, [player], don't you look like death."

His face brightens in delight before taking a puff off His cigar and

disappearing in a dazzling nimbus.

Standing alone once again, you reach out helplessly, wondering why the Lord of

Wealth left you there. Before having a chance to ponder in detail, you feel the

floor open up underneath you as you fall through a tunnel of obscurity at an

alarming pace. As the darkness dissipates you find yourself in a bright,

elaborately decorated space where Prospero, the Lord of Wealth sits upon a

jewelled throne.

Kneeling at His feet, you begin to offer a barter for your life back. A deep

chuckle reverberates from Prospero causing the walls and floor to shake. Taking

a puff from His cigar and blowing out golden smoke in the shape of sovereigns,

He holds up a hand indicating silence.

Leaning forward from His throne inspecting you closely, the Lord of Wealth

begins to speak: "[player], whilst I mourn My fellow Elder God, it is not My

nature to be as...gloomy as He was. I do share in His opinion that there is

still much work for mortals to do, but you will not find Me being so dreary

about it all!" With a dazzling grin, Prospero snaps His fingers and a gleaming

coin of tinclenite appears in His palm.

Rolling the exotic coin between His fingers, Prospero says sternly, "There is

much gold to be obtained, deals to be made, and wealth to be had, [player]; we

mustn't linger any longer! If you aspire to have Wealth like Me, you certainly

won't get it sitting here broken and dead."

With a casual flick of His wrist, Prospero flips His coin of tinclenite high

into the air. As it floats down it begins to bulge and grow at an alarming pace

before exploding into millions of golden sovereigns. Reaching out to try and

grab some, you find yourself becoming crushed under the sheer weight and size of

the shower of money. The gold begins to churn into a powerful whirlpool, sucking

you in. In your futile attempt to scramble to solid ground the last thing you

hear before succumbing to oblivion is a rich voice booming the words: "Go on

now, live again and make something of yourself!"

As your senses return, you rub your eyes and find you are renewed in body and

spirit; a flash of gold twinkles outside of the cave and you head in that

direction with fresh resolve and energy.

Omor

Krypton said:

[...]

Prospero:

[...]
[...]

I'm sold, I want to see that every time.

Trey

I want to know what tinclenite is.

Torrent

I laughed at Pandora's, I kept thinking in my head.... you cake nazi!  NO CAKE FOR YOU!!!!

Ahmet

Trey said:

I want to know what tinclenite is.

It's like some super-rare super-precious metal that Prospero found in his travels. Idk much more than that. His shrines are made of it though, if you want to go take a look.

Trey

Man I like the new Prospero, at least at first glance. If I weren't completely attached at the hip with Phaestus' order I'd do just fine there, I think.

Krypton

Last one, before Ugrach makes them all go away:

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

[...]

The tantalising sound of running water roars in your ears, now deafening in its

sweet euphony. Lured onward by the beckoning current, you draw closer, certain

your destination lies mere inches from your grasping reach.

It is an eternity before the blessed sight of a roaring waterfall fills your

gaze, cascading downwards from the jagged edge of a nearby precipice and into

the lightless depths of the unknown. Parched beyond imagination and wholly

consumed by a singular purpose, you stagger towards the cliff to an inevitable

fall.

You reach out with translucent hands, eager for your first sip from the

glistening cascade of water. Heedless of your surroundings, you take a final

step towards the precipice, pitching yourself off the edge entirely.

As you begin your free fall into the bleak embrace of darkness, a fearsome

lion's roar followed by the clatter of wheels shatters the eerie tranquility of

the surroundings. You catch a glimpse of a mailed gauntlet at the fringes of

your vision, before a violent tugging sensation returns you back onto solid

ground.

Saved from the brink of eternal rest, you lift your gaze and settle them upon

your saviour. The armoured form of Aegis, the God of War, stands upon a chariot

of blackened steel drawn by two great golden lions. Wordlessly, He beckons for

you to follow behind Him and proceeds on without a second glance.

The occasional clacking of wheels break the silence as you trudge behind the God

of War, moving through the endless, desert-like terrain.

"In the numerous wars waged in My name, I have sent many souls to wander across

these wretched wastelands. Thoth returned some of them to life, while others

were consigned to an everlasting sleep," resonates the voice of the War God,

"Now it has fallen to the Pantheon to share this responsibility that lies

abandoned with His death, but time is a precious resource upon My battlefields

that I cannot afford to waste on you."

The chariot of blackened steel rolls to a slow stop. The desert-like terrain is

gone, replaced by unfamiliar, mist-wreathed surroundings. Aegis, God of War

disembarks from the carriage, His black inscrutable eyes examining your drained

countenance. "We linger at the threshold of the Soulrealms here. Fate deems that

you shall live again."

Swiftly unsheathing a scimitar from a scabbard at His side, Aegis, God of War

brings the weapon to bear, cleaving you cleanly into two with incredible

strength and efficient speed. "And so you will," He rumbles, "Learn from this

experience, [player], and never visit again."

Your surroundings explode in a flash of blinding light. As the white glow

gradually recedes, you realise you now linger within a dark and rough cave.

Glancing down at your fully restored body, you wonder if you are truly whole

after the disconcerting experience and leave for the world outside.

Asmodron

So...Ugrach didnt come back after all and Throne of Death collapsed.


Should be interesting to see what happens now

Morthif

Logs please for those of us stuck at the beach. 

Grandue

Asmodron said:

So...Ugrach didnt come back after all and Throne of Death collapsed.


Should be interesting to see what happens now

I thought it odd they would go through all the work of writing all those death sequences for each God only to use them for a couple days before replacing them with a standard death through Ugrach

Penwize

Grandue said:

Asmodron said:

So...Ugrach didnt come back after all and Throne of Death collapsed.


Should be interesting to see what happens now

I thought it odd they would go through all the work of writing all those death sequences for each God only to use them for a couple days before replacing them with a standard death through Ugrach

To be fair, I thought the same thing of the whole ember system and the whole demigod essence systems, but those vanished after the events too.

Asmodron

So since it seems clear Ugrach isnt making an appearance, bets/assumptions on what is coming next? Or perhaps even the 'why' this has happened?


Frankly im still a bit confused why Ugrach went through all the trouble to 'save' Slith (wouldnt even call it saving..the man is a husk at this point) just to end up betraying.

Skye

He didn't betray anything. He was supposed to be hired WEF 1st Sarapin 717AF but HR screwed up. They didn't realise that if they left the position vacant for too long, it would self-destruct.

Sarathai

Penwize said:

Grandue said:

Asmodron said:

So...Ugrach didnt come back after all and Throne of Death collapsed.


Should be interesting to see what happens now

I thought it odd they would go through all the work of writing all those death sequences for each God only to use them for a couple days before replacing them with a standard death through Ugrach

To be fair, I thought the same thing of the whole ember system and the whole demigod essence systems, but those vanished after the events too.

I wouldn't be surprised if they still exist in the code and just require activation, though, so if the Garden ever wants to use them again they can just flip a couple of switches and code in a new "gate" to access it. For example, wasn't there a bug for a few days after Bal'met's finale that made it possible to use a reincarnation gem and reincarnate into a Demigod (with 0 essence)?

Halos

Gripped by the cold embrace of death, you succumb to the darkness...

The world falls into darkness, evoking the unmistakable redolence of decay; each breath draws the foul blight toward your soul, threatening to wither and desolate.

Shivering with trepidation, you blindly tread the darkness with prudence. Your senses heighten with each slow, deliberate step until the stygian gloam becomes but a gloomy haze, revealing your immediate surroundings: a labyrinth unwinds before you, unfathomable in size.

You steadily navigate the murk, turning countless corners and walking endless corridors until your will wanes. Grim reality and capricious shade entwine as you stagger onward, the world blurring into a nightmare of the unknown.

Desperation reigns as you round yet another bend and your heart begins to race, each frantic beat rousing a cold sweat that drenches your frail body. Breaking into a run, you tear through the shadows in hopes of reprieve but for naught; the gloom recedes to the ghastly, red glow of two piercing eyes that bore into your own from the distance.

A low, scornful chuckle precedes the affirmation of their source, as a wraith-like figure steps forth: Ugrach, Lord of the Undead.

"Did you really think you could escape death, Halos?"
 
In a single motion the dreadful Lord materialises before you, his cruel gaze coupled with a wicked grin. "If the Endbringer could not, then what hope have you?"

Ugrach takes you by the arm, his grip unforgiving. The world blurs, dark and light swirling into obscure visions that shift with unnerving animation. Each attempt to focus brings the imagery closer to corporeality, until realisation strikes: the pivotal moments of your life flash before you, from conception to your last, trembling breath.

"Funny, isn't it? How fleeting life is..." He muses. "Do you think you have truly lived, Halos? Or have you merely existed?"

Ugrach wrenches upon your arm without waiting for a response, and the vision cease; the world stills, and you find yourself before a throne of grisly, yellowed bone. Immediately, Ugrach abandons your side and takes his rightful place as the Curator of Death.

"Kneel"

Overwhelmed by an incongruous compulsion, you fall on bended knee. He motions with a single claw and smirks as you slump upon all fours, in thrall of his dominion; the gravity of your deeds in life weigh heavily upon your soul, each passing moment a cruel strain upon your frail, mortal body.

You stare at the cold, dank stone, faced only with your muddied reflection as the grating laugh of the Lord of Undead thunders in your ears. "Just as pathetic as the rest..."

Roused by his words, you slowly raise your head to meet the Curator's gaze. The crowing ceases, replaced by an eerie silence as pique supersedes his prior derision.

"If you are not done with life," Ugrach sneers, "then I am done with you."

Unbearable pain crushes your soul, and you collapse; darkness reigns as you swim in and out of consciousness for untold time, until you finally return to the waking world. Only a dim beacon of
light grants promise, and you cautiously raise yourself from the floor and clumsily lurch ahead,
toward reprieve and the promise of life.

he was super respectful earlier. He's a bit of a dick now though isn't he

Melodie

Wow what a bastard. So much any humility gained to save his son!

Halos

It's a bit jarring and out of character compared with how he's been portrayed so far during this death arc yeah.
It is what I'd expect from Ugrach ... if we didn't know he is taking up curate duty to save his son. And if we hadn't watched him grovel to the gods to accept his gesture as an act of mercy/(self-interest?). And if mortal adventurers hadn't banded together to collect his throne fragments, puzzle them all together, and give their lives to activate it.

But who knows! Maybe he's being portrayed as an amnesiac. Or a very skilled trickster.

ETA: I'm going to miss the Deuc death sequence! So badass

Halos

Looking about his new residence, a cold smile crosses Ugrach's visage as he leans back, awaiting his first caller.

that was me!

Sarathai

So is the death arc over, then? Or is there more yet to come in terms of developments with the Lord of the Undead sitting on the Throne of Death?

(Also, I'd rather keep the Divine-specific death sequences for people in an Order, but that's just me.)

Marisella

I thought it was pretty in line with Ugrach's character. He was respectful to the Gods but why would he be respectful of the mortals whom he had to judge?

Regardless of whether there was a throne or not, he made a deal with the Gods to take over as curator, so I don't think he would care very much if the Gods made the mortals assemble the throne for him.

Also, the writing is pretty good for the new death sequence, at least.

Shirszae

I am going to miss Scarlatti's sequence. I wish those would stay at least for people in Orders, too

Xaden

I loved Lady Aurora's. Would love to have that when I finally get into the Aarashi. But, in terms of the story it wouldn't make sense. The gods don't need to be there to protect us in the soul realms, Ugrach is doing his job.

How great would it be though if he made you fight one of his Deathknights as a challenge to return to the land of the living.

Ahmet

@Halos did something disappear in your copy paste or is that a typo?

Krypton

That's all of it.

Halos said:

You stare at the cold, dank stone,

dank af