Lunar: Magic Empire Interlude 4 Log ============================================================ Cast of Characters: Rune as "GM/Narrator, Shadowcat, Figure/Anti-Kadan, and Shadow" Hahn as "Kadan" ============================================================ GMRune: -----game on------- GMRune: You find yourself in darkness. There are no floors beneath you nor walls to any side. But rather you feel yourself as slowly drifting down into the middle of absolute nothingness. GMRune: Just as your feet touch something solid, the area around you seems to light up. You find yourself in a small circular stone chamber with only one passage out. The shadowcat's voice reaches out to you as a pair of glowing red eyes appear in the darkness ahead of you. Kadan stumbles backwards apprehensively, dazed and disoriented. Shadowcat: The Mask has taken you far beneath the castle you were once in. This "maze" you find yourself in has traditionally been the proving ground of all young shadowcats. Shadowcat: Upon completing the maze, you will be able to claim your rite as an adult of our kind. With that rite, your innate powers will truly become yours to control. Kadan speaks warily... "Can... can you hear me? Am I safe?" Shadowcat: Yes, indeed I can hear you. As for being safe... that is a manner of speaking. Shadowcat: In days past, this trial was relatively easy. The adolescent cub need merely make the correct choices of which path to take, and then he or she could pass. Kadan instinctively looks around the chamber to assess his situation. Shadowcat: But now a new evil festers in this place, claiming it as its home, and enhancing the dangers therein. Kadan checks over his body to see if anything is wrong, and pats his chest to affirm his tangibility. GMRune: The chamber is rather on the small side, you can reach over halfway across the room with your arms wide spread. Shadowcat: I think upon completion of the trial, you will start to find the answers to the questons you have so desperately been asking. Kadan shakes, feeling a fear that he hasn't felt for a long time. Shadowcat: I warn you though, it is possible you will not complete the trial on your first try. And the new evil in this place may even make the trial deadly. It all depends on the types of choices you make, for the trial is different for all who take it. Kadan steps slowly to the small exit, constantly listening and watching his surroundings. Shadowcat: I bid you good luck, young shadowcat. GMRune: The eyes vanish. GMRune: As you go through the stone passageway, you see it ends in a two way division. There is a brass plaque on the wall. It reads: "The young are frequently spared the need to choose between duty to society, and duty to one's friends and family. But that bliss cannot last forever, as you already know. If you shall place your friends and family before society, then take the path to the left. Otherwise take the path on the right." Kadan instinctively glances over his shoulders, unable to supress his habit of caution. Kadan peers at the plaque and squints in concentration. GMRune: You hear a soft yowling sound to the right. Kadan's mind eventually stops racing as he acknowledges the plaque's message. Kadan holds his chin as he reflects on his hunt... his mission... his cause... Kadan takes a deep breath, then looks down the right hallway. Kadan slowly proceeds. GMRune: You hear a grating sound behind you after you've gone a few yards to the right. Kadan whips around and holds his fists in front of him, breathing rapidly. GMRune: You turn around in time to see a new wall come sliding down behind you, blocking your way back. Kadan becomes wide-eyed and paranoid for a brief moment, then controls his newly awakened fear. Kadan closes his eyes and tries to calm his breathing before continuing down the passage, hoping that something or someone is watching over him. GMRune: As you walk further along, you come to a three way division. There is a passage leading to the left, right, and a tunnel up with a ladder next to it as well. Once again, there is a plaque. GMRune: This second plaque, a bronze one, reads: "Shadowcats are known for their pride, and no doubt you have had pride in yourself, your work, and your companions. But which do you find the better to have?" GMRune: Additional signs saying "yourself" leads up, "your work" leads to the right, and "your friends" lead to the left. Kadan tries to calm his cautious animal instincts long enough to think objectively. Kadan's mind fills with images of memories of battle, prowess and strategy. Kadan thinks of Ayeye, Earendil, Par, and the others... Kadan then cannot avoid the memory of Kate, and the profound vow he made to himself on that day. Kadan clenches a fist and heads down the right passage. GMRune: Again you hear a grating sound as your passage behind you is blocked. Kadan closes his eyes and winces at the sharp sound, but does not look back. Kadan looks up at the cieling as if hoping to see the shadowcat guardian. GMRune: Red eyes gleam for a moment in the darkness, and then you see a burly man-sized figure stride towards you. Kadan steps back cautiously, his arms far in front of his body. GMRune: The figure halts as it comes into the light before you. Kadan squints and tries to identify the figure. Figure: Hmph. Looks like there's a little magic user here. Well, I guess I'll just have to eradicate another one! GMRune: You see that the figure is the mirror image of yourself. Kadan 's face is covered with clueless confusion. Kadan: What the...? I don't understand... Anti-Kadan: You know very well what I mean! Those battle enhancing spells you've used in the past! Don't tell me that isn't the result of witchcraft! Kadan: I... I... don't know what you're talking about! My ability to dodge blows and strike with ferocity is a result of... years of martial training with my sister...! Anti-Kadan laughs. "A good one! How long have your been telling yourself *that* lie?" Kadan: It must be... Kadan: It's... it's the only explanation... all my work... I mean, that sort of thing just doesn't *happen* in people... Kadan looks down at the floor. Anti-Kadan: All magic *must* be eradicated. That has been our mission. And *I* will carry it out! Kadan: The only times I've seen it... it's been spawned from the malicious intent in people. Anti-Kadan draws out his axe. Kadan looks up in alarm and reaches behind his belt to unclip his own axe. Anti-Kadan: And you've used it yourself before! When you've been desperate in battle! Cheating reality, is it not? GMRune: ------round 1------- GMRune: target: Anti-Kadan Kadan winces in a mixture of guilt and non- acknowledgement. Kadan: I will prove it now by defeating you fairly! GMRune: You notice that everything Anti-Kadan has on him, mirrors your own equipment. He even has the same injuries as you. GMRune: Kadan attacks first! GMRune: attack 1: miss GMRune: attack 2: 3 damage GMRune: Anti-Kadan attacks! GMRune: attack 1: 4 damage GMRune: attack 2: 2 damage GMRune: --round 2--- GMRune: Kadan uses his herb! GMRune: Kadan gains 20 hp. GMRune: Anti-Kadan attacks! GMRune: attack 1: 1 damage GMRune: attack 2: miss GMRune: ------round 3----- GMRune: Kadan attacks! GMRune: attack 1: 11 damage GMRune: attack 2: 5 damage Kadan speaks to himself softly. "Keep your eyes open... dodge the attacks... don't *do* it..." GMRune: Anti-Kadan attacks! GMRune: attack 1: miss GMRune: attack 2: 9 damage GMRune: ----now round 4----- GMRune: Anti-Kadan attacks first, swinging his axe madly at Kadan! GMRune: attack 1: 1 damage GMRune: attack 2: 1 damage GMRune: Kadan utters a feral growl as he hacks at Anti- Kadan! GMRune: attack 1: 1 damage GMRune: attack 2: 8 damage GMRune: ----round 5----- Anti-Kadan: Hah! Is that the best you can do? Maybe you truly are a weakling without resorting to your little... magic! Anti-Kadan: You can't "beat" reality any other way! Kadan: Magic would make me weaker... GMRune: Kadan smacks Anti-Kadan upside the head with the flat of his axe! GMRune: attack 1: 1 damage GMRune: attack 2: 10 damage GMRune: Anti-Kadan grunts arcs his own swing back at Kadan. GMRune: attack 1: 10 damage GMRune: attack 2: miss GMRune: -----round 6----- Kadan decides to use the edge next time. ;) Kadan clenches his teeth in pain... "It's now or never..." GMRune: Anti-Kadan attacks first while Kadan's gathering his strength to him! GMRune: attack 1: 9 damage GMRune: attack 2: miss GMRune: Kadan slams his axe into Anti-Kadan! Kadan snarls with a feline ferocity and leaps forward! GMRune: Critical hit! 30 damage! GMRune: Anti-Kadan falls! GMRune: -----victory------- GMRune: Anti-Kadan's body slowly vanishes at his death, leaving only a small herb. GMRune: Kadan gains 4 XP. Kadan boogies down. Kadan holds ther herb triumphantly overhead as magical glitteries fall from it and a brief trumpet tune plays in the background. "Herb procured!" GMRune: Kadan acquires Herb. GMRune: The passageway continues on before you. Kadan devours it immediately. GMRune: Kadan gains 20 hp! Kadan burps, coughing up magical sparklies. Kadan holds his fist over his mouth. Kadan: "Scuse me!" Kadan continues on down the passage. GMRune: Soon a copper plaque arises at yet another two way division, saying "Both magic and strength of arms take years to attain mastery of. And there are advocates of each that fight for both good and evil. But is one truly greater than the other?" GMRune: A wooden sign saying "yes" lies to the left, and "no" lies to the right. Kadan picks up his axe and looks at it. Kadan thinks back to the headquarters in Lentol, and how Arzel's magical flames dissipated and how it recalls other memories of magic's flighty inconsistency and unreliability. Kadan cannot ignore some of magic's utlitarian value, but also cannot ignore the deeply embedded stigma and mental set deep in his mind. Kadan holds his axe firmly and heads down the left passage. GMRune: Just after the new wall forms behind you, your foot slips THROUGH the floor and you fall down an illusionary pit! Kadan feels a chill run up through his stomach as he is shocked with the sensation of descent. GMRune: You land with a grunt on the bottom, somewhat bruised (2 damage), but otherwise all right. GMRune: You see that the passage continues in only one direction from down here; straight ahead. Kadan dusts himself off and looks around. GMRune: The walls are solid stone, pretty much like the build of the castle you were in earlier. Kadan counts his HP carefully, then puts them back in his belt pouch. Kadan makes sure there is no other passage, then warily continues down the corridor. GMRune: It's not long before you find a silver sign between a two paths. It reads: "Shadowcats are known for being warriors. But a true warrior must always fight for a reason, not merely to show that he is the best! What do *you* fight for?" GMRune: Glowing words on the left read "To destroy magic." And words on the right say "Understanding". Kadan is taken aback by this question, and tries to think of a way to phrase it to himself. Kadan thinks of the countless hunts he's gone on before, torching storerooms of magical objects and capturing malicious magicians... Kadan tries to remember a time when he thought toward the future, and his long term goals... what he ultimately wants to accomplish. Kadan considers what a world would be like with all of the mages slain and people living in simple humility and working with their own hands. Kadan considers, for the first time, what a world would be like if magic was supressed by acknowledgement and reasoning instead of force, where people could be educated and understand the harmful effects of the art, and restrain it for purely positive purposes. Kadan is strangely intrigued by this new possibility, but cannot ignore his long-held convictions. Kadan decides to abandon himself to his new feelings upon entering this castle and warily enters the right passage. GMRune: Again the wall grates down behind you. And the passage beyond is quite short. You can already see the end of it. GMRune: A golden plaque appears at the end of the hall. There is no exit that you can see, simply a dead end. The plaque simply reads, "Who are you?" Somehow, you know that this question will be the last. Kadan wonders if he made the right choice, and steps forward slowly and cautiously. Kadan stands strangely and is filled with a profound emptiness and inadequacy at realizing that he cannot come up with a firm answer immediately. Kadan: I... Kadan is surprised by that word "I". Kadan considers "I am Kadan", "I am a magic hunter", "I am the last of the shadowcats", but none of them sound right. GMRune: Nothing happens. Kadan: I... Kadan: I... don't think I can answer that question. All of us, everyone on Lunar, are forever shifting in our roles in the world. Our identity is constantly changing as we learn more or as situations change. We are but fleeting entities in time. Who we are is not a defined constant. Our role in this world and our fate is not straight like the cut of a blade, but rather the myriad of pathways created when a hammer strikes ice. When we limit ourselves to a single truth, then we truly are no longer living." GMRune: The stone wall swings open before you, revealing a small ornate chamber decorated in red and gold. A gold alter inlaid with rubies draws your attention, for it is the only object in the center of the room. A large black stone lies simply upon it, glowly darkly. GMRune: The glow begins to pulse, and then a shape like a tornado of blacken wisps of smoke pours out from it. Two yellow eyes appear near the top of the funnel and stare intently at you. Kadan eyes the stone suspiciously, but cannot pull himself from its sparkling allure. Shadow: SO! This is one of the beasts that has once lived here! Pah! What a pathetic little thing you are. I know much about your kind, and you don't even measure up to a scrap of it. You're here trying to claim your rite to adulthood, aren't you. Kadan is frozen in a mixture of surprise and wonder. Kadan wonders how he can tactfully interact with this frightening creature. "I... I suppose I am." Shadow: Well, it so happens that *I* like the shadows as well! And I'll be damned if I'm going to let you take that power away from me! The shadow narrows its eyes and whirls towards you! Kadan: I... I didn't mean to... Agh! GMRune: -----round 1----- GMRune: target: Shadow GMRune: Kadan casts Blur Litany! Red light glows around him at his call! When it fades, the location of Kadan is blurred! GMRune: Dodge% up 6 Kadan cheers for his incredible wisdom and assist level. GMRune: The shadow lashes out with a wave of darkness! GMRune: 23 damage! Kadan oofs and shivers in pain. GMRune: -----round 2------ GMRune: Kadan swings his axe at the shadow! Kadan sneers and taunts the Shadow for having an inferior Reaction. GMRune: attack 1:45 damage GMRune: attack 2: 56 damage Kadan looks at his axe. "Ahh... much better!" GMRune: The shadow coils in around itself before it strikes you again! GMRune: 18 damage! GMRune: -------round 3----- Kadan snarls and staggers backwards before regaining his footing and establishing his lock on the enemy. GMRune: Kadan slams his axe through the shadow! GMRune: attack 1: miss GMRune: attack 2: 55 damage GMRune: The shadow strikes back! GMRune: 16 damage! GMRune: ----round 4----- Kadan clutches his shoulder and chokes a bit, trying to get a firmer grip on his axe. GMRune: Kadan snarls and attacks with a vengeance! GMRune: attack 1: 58 damage Kadan flays at the beast with reckless abandon! GMRune: Critical! 88 damage! GMRune: The shadow falls! GMRune: -----victory------- Kadan woo-hoos for justice! Kadan raises his axe to the sky as a thunder bolt crashes behind him. "I AM MIGHTY!" GMRune: Kadan gains 15 XP, 10 MEXP, and 0 S. Kadan isn't convinced, and continues to search the dissipated darkness for silver coins. GMRune: You don't find anything of value. GMRune: However the black gem on the alter still lies there, no lower glowing. The red eyes of the shadowcat appear above it. Kadan shrugs and returns to examining the altar. Shadowcat: I am pleased to see that you have passed the trial. Kadan remains fixed on the eyes. Shadowcat: It has been far too many years since one has. Kadan: I've... passed...? What does this mean...? Kadan: But then, who are you...? I mean, if Kate and I were the last... Shadowcat: You have proved that you are a warrior worthy of being known as one of us. And, once you touch the stone, you will unlock the potential to gain all of our abilities. Shadowcat: As for myself, I am merely a manifestation of the dead souls who remain guarding over our castle. Kadan becomes mildly suspicious. "Abilities...? What are you talking about? I don't quite understand what I am yet..." Shadowcat: Shadowcats, like many creatures, have special talents that lie latent within them. Your assist litanies is actually one of them. Notice how it has arisen unbidden to add you in the past. It is a trait all shadowcats share. Kadan: But... what responsibilities does this title bestow upon me? Is it what Ayeye said about the four tribes? Am I responsible for maintaining the seal that traps the author of that black object? Shadowcat: You need only live for the seal to be maintained. That is as easy as any responsibility will get in the days to come. Kadan: But... am I truly the last? Am I to bear the entire legacy of these shadowcats, or will there ever be another? Shadowcat: If you ever have children, there is a possibility that one or more of them may mature into a shadowcat. However as of the current time, you are the last. Kadan looks deep in thought. "Hmm..." Kadan looks up at the spirit. "If you want me to contact this stone, you must promise me that everything that has transpired beneath this castle remains between you and me. The... others cannot know what I have seen... what I have done..." Shadowcat: That can easily be done. Your secret will remain safe. Kadan: Good... I've been keeping secrets from myself for so long, it should be easy to hide things from others. Kadan takes a deep breath and steps up to the altar. GMRune: The stone sparkles brightly. Kadan moves his hands outwardly, shaking with adrenaline. Kadan closes his eyes, clenches his teeth, and looks away as he clutches onto the stone with both hands. GMRune: Darkness wraps around you as you touch the stone. But it is a different sort of darkness; the kind you feel when tucked into a warm bed at night. Kadan lets the comfort and security of the shadows climb up through his arms and into his body. GMRune: Thoughts, almost like memories, flash and fade into your mind. Things you never knew you possessed become apparent to you! You see yourself shapeshift, from a human, to a black-furred catman, to a giant panther. You see yourself, calling up images of the past. Not just your past, but events that occured years before you were born... Kadan finds it difficult to cope with the rapid infusion of memories, but gladly accepts them. GMRune: You know that your assist litanies can never be muted, and that you have the latent power to negate ay magic attack directed at you. Kadan feels his formerly closed mind transcend into a new level of understanding. GMRune: The Mask you wear flares brilliantly in your mind's eye. And you know if you keep it with you, that it's power will grow with your own, allowing you to pass through the shadows as if they were passageways, and allow you to eventually command the darkness itself. GMRune: The warmth increases, and you now feel as though you are once again suspended in the air, this time flying upward rather than down. Kadan reaches up and feels the mask against his face, feeling protection and pride. GMRune: A bright light pierces through the darkness. GMRune: And you feel the floor settle beneath you... GMRune: The darkness slowly melts away, leaving you back in the inner sanctum of the Mask. GMRune: You slowly realize that your friends are no longer in the chamber, and neither is Garreth. Kadan idly wonders where the others are, but realizes he really doesn't care that much at the moment. GMRune: ------end session------