Re: Episode 1: Gateway
At long last, the four guests were standing on the mountaintop. A cold wind was blowing, but they did not seem to notice, protected from the chill by the power of their arts.
Their arrival had been almost simultaneous, despite the variety of means they had chosen to travel by: they had appeared at the precise time the gods' invitation had mentioned.
They had barely had the time to look at the surrounding scene, when a ray of light, barely brighter than the pale sunlight, descended from the heavens, and quickly took the shape of an equally pale, wiry man, wearing what looked like some hastily sewn-together trousers and shirt, made of plain grey cloth.
Without opening his eyes, he turned his head to face each member at the assembly of venerable figures facing him, and greeted them in a voice that sounded like a melange of many others: "Honored, respected, beloved guests, thank you for accepting our invitation."
Then he opened his eyes and continued in a more normal voice: "My name is Zhorr, I have the honor of being be the Messenger."
He took a couple of steps forward, and the ground shook lightly as he did.
"Archmage." He intoned formally, bowing briefly at the stern figure of Baron Sider: "In the name of the Lady, I thank you for your presence." There was the slightest hint of awe in his voice... For the deeds of a past gone but not forgotten?
He moved on to the graceful venerable lady on the archmage's side: "Grandmother. Thrice blessed. Thank you for your presence." The tone was respectful, but there was a trace of emotion that was difficult to identify.
Zhorr hesitated just a moment before addressing the pale, grey-haired man in front of him, then, gently but firmly clasping a hand on the shoulder of the third guest, he greeted him with only two words, suited to a man who did not like needless formality: "Miner. Welcome."
Finally, he addressed the grandmotherly woman who was gently floating a palm above the ground: "Savior of the North Star. Thank you for your presence." Then he could not stop himself from adding in a conspiratorial tone: "And for the cookies."
A soft rumble of thunder came from the skies, as if a god had just cleared his throat... Which might possibly have been the case, considering.
He took a step back and raised his arms to his sides: a brilliant aura engulfed him.
The four guests wondered for a second about the reason for it - since the aura, who would have awed and terrified lesser beings, was about as effective on them as a summer breeze - until the sheer power emanating from the man dispelled the cloaking of a little creature (which all guest immediately recognized as a gnome) who appeared to have been writing furiously on a little book until a moment earlier. "And a chronicler of the Society... I do not believe you were invited, but welcome, nonetheless. You shall have what you seek. For now, however, you must be tired. Please, take a nap."
The gnome tried to protest, but a moment later he was snoring on the ground. Zhorr's aura disappeared, and the subtle effects that had accompanied his performance (the ground shaking under his steps, the amplification of his voice when he spoke, the general awesomeness of every small action) subsided.
"Sorry about that, but... Well, there is a prophecy. More than one, actually, and you know how these guys are when prophecies are involved. It was decided that letting one of them through would be more practical."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:05, Wed 14 Nov 2012.