Puzzles, riddles, and bones. The villagers would soon be wanting answers as to why the human jerky and bones were appearing around their peaceful settlement. Jupiter wasn’t quite sure he could provide the answers they’d want to hear. Honestly he wasn’t sure if he wanted to admit by what means they were delivered… nor by whom. He had hoped that the game of fox and hound he had started with Cestius Flavius had also ended with him being scorched in his contemptible cottage, but these bones and gestures bore all the same signs of this same hunter, if not somehow slightly muted... it was as though they were from the same person as before yet somehow his will was being controlled. Counting the bones delivered thus far, Jupiter organized them in a row along the steps and scanned them for some hidden clue. Even though Cestius was now a puppet, Jupiter could see the strength of the Hunter’s will. Whoever was controlling him clearly did not want him to continue with his games, and yet despite whatever malicious chains they used, the necromancy could not fully restrain the Hunter’s spirit. Then he saw it… within the bones which were seemingly unrelated he saw it. It was like a doomsday abacus or death calendar. Counting down… counting to what? He counted the tall bones again, there were definitely seven, he counted the small ones two sets of ten, and then he noticed that each of the medium bones had notches in them grouping them in fashion… these were dates! 7/15, 7/16, and ending at 7/22. He wasn't sure what it was, but a storm was coming and all signs indicated it would strike Paws the hardest on July 22. With Ascher Kraw missing, strange happenings following this Dobraine character, it seemed there was no shortage of peril in Paws. Jupiter knew he didn't have long to prepare much of anything. How does one pen a request to die? For certainly any would brave the call of Paws in this dark hour would meet with death. Jupiter had little to offer as reward except the certainty of death. He shook his head and began scratching his plea on the parchment: "A CALL TO ALL THE LAND, PLEASE COME TO LEND A HAND TO AID PAWS ON 7/22! FOR ALL CITIZENS OF UO:R, EVEN IF YOU ARE NEW OR TRAINING WE WILL NEED YOU EVEN IF YOU CAN ONLY THROW STICKS AND HURL SCATHING INSULTS. COME PREPARED TO DIE. PAWS WILL ATTEMPT TO ARM YOU IF YOU PERISH, BUT WE CANNOT PROMISE OUR ARMORY WILL HOLD. SPECIFIC TIME WILL BE ANNOUNCED VIA TOWN CRIERS; IT WILL MOST LIKELY BEGIN IN THE EVENING (US TIME). THIS WILL BE AN INVASION TYPE EVENT, WITH DROVES OF MONSTERS THAT WILL TEST THE HEARTIEST OF HEROES!" ======================================================================================================================== For those who haven’t followed the previous prologue to this culminating battle, please check out the Hunter’s Game with Cestius Flavius Decent to Madness The Monster he became
Cestius Flavius rode with death to the Village of Paws to exact his revenge. He had spent much time mutilating his body until he became an abomination. The witch insured his death could not be by his own, but by the fire from when he once was slain. She molded him further in to a beast and allowed the dead to rise above and attack the village. The battle was long and hope wained, but the Paws prevailed against the threat. Cestius Flavius in his rage noticing the undead had only failed appeared to corrupt the spirit shrine. He blackened it with his appearance and lashed out against the heroes who rode against him. His efforts were thwarted however and he fell once again to the fire cursing his enemy back to hell.
Some of my favorite highlights from tonight's attack. I didn't get any shots of Google and Init Jiwa attacking Paws ahead of the invasion but they did their best to weaken us ahead of the undead armies!
The praise goes to jebidiah for putting this plan together. I just showed up to hit things! Thanks to Borin Drake for waiting around until it started. Thanks to Google and bartimus for providing the pre game fun. (They came on their reds and attacked but they didn't dry loot prior to an event) I probably died three times haha. And a big thanks to all those who came to help Paws! These events are ten times as much fun when everyone comes around.
Ascher pulled his horse to a stop outside the Shrine. He dismounted and stood for a long moment gazing up at the silent stone figures of the Guardians. Their faces set in solemn vigil against the night, each Guardian held the a long spear in their cold marble hands. Four women, clad in what would have been rippling skirts and leather armor, the Guardians had kept the watch at this Shrine before the memory of Man can tell. No doubt they would still be keeping it long after as well. The Watchman felt small in their gaze; he always had. He remembered clearly the night so many Ages ago when he'd knelt and pressed the glowing branding iron hard into his right forearm. That was when he'd first taken the Oath as a Keeper of the Watch. The rest of the Keepers bore witness to his pain and to his pledge, but it was Ascher's own hand that did the branding. The pain was overwhelming, but he didn't cry out. Instead, he'd spoken in a clear, steady voice...."I will keep the Watch. I will stand against the night. I will be the candle in the Darkness." So many ages ago, but it still brought chills to him to think about that night. So much of his life had been shaped and guided by what had happened here. With a visible shudder, Ascher stepped through the archway and into the ancient stone shrine itself, and comfortably out from under the gaze of the Guardians. Ascher knelt just inside the doorway, a sudden wave of dizziness and pain washing over him. For a brief moment, Ascher heard hiddeous, horrible laughter that grated against his very soul and threatend to rip his sanity from him. Then, the moment passed, and the tall candelabras flared to life again. Peace and strength seemed to seep into his from the very paving stones beneath his knees. Ascher could still feel it, hovering just beyond the edge of his sight, but he knew it was out of reach for the moment. Whatever the Darkness was that had been gnawing away at him had been temporarily banished by the power of the Shrine. The Darkness wasn't gone, though.... it was merely waiting. Ascher tried not to think about the awful laughter or the hideously twisted face he'd seen for the briefest moment. Something deep within him said that there was great danger in that face. He could feel that danger threatening Paws, leagues away. For a brief moment, he marveled at the sheer strength of the evil that he could feel it from half a world away. The Watchman knew now that his caution had been well-placed. If he had stood with his friends in the assault, then whatever outcome had been won for the Village, he would have been lost. That evil would have reached out and snatched the last of his strength, the last of his will to resist, and he would have welcomed it. No, there was nothing more he could do for his friends now save wait.....and pray. The Watchman stepped forward and knelt before the Ankh of Justice. He pulled a small knob of a candle from his pouch and set it on the stairs before the Ankh. The candle smelled faintly of Lavender, and it was the last thing of hers that Ascher still had. He very carefully struck a flame to the wick and sat back on his heels. He watched as small shadows danced about the walls of the Shrine and he smiled as memories and the smell of lavender washed over him.
