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thecrystalorbs · 6 years

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Chapter 1: “A Conspiracy of Ash Part 1″

In which Ian is decidedly unimpressed by a potentially world-ending discovery.

At the center of everything- of our story, of the Temple, and perhaps of the world itself- are the Crystal Orbs.

The origins of these relics are shrouded in mystery. Some say they were left behind by an ancient, unimaginably powerful civilization; others claim they are the tools used by the gods to create the universe. What is known is that these perfect spheres of crystal hold unimaginable power: each one grants those who wield it control over the natural forces of the world. Some Orbs bestow elemental power, such as the Fire Orb; others, such as the Thought Orb, have more abstract domains. But all of the Orbs are incredibly powerful…and, in the wrong hands, incredibly destructive.

For thousands of years, the inhabitants of the world now known as Kayrus fought tooth and nail for control of the Orbs. Warlords rose to power by seizing one Orb, only to be overthrown by armies bearing three. Alliances were forged and friendships torn asunder, all in the name of control over these most impossible relics. The world was constantly teetering on the edge of complete anarchy, with no sign of change.

And then, three hundred years ago, the impossible happened: a small band of adventurers managed to gather all seventeen Orbs. In other hands, the entire set of Orbs could have been used to tear the universe itself apart; but these heroes were virtuous and wise, and sought only to end the ceaseless, bitter war which had consumed Kayrus for untold eons. Using the power of the Orbs, they led the construction of a new civilization, organizing the world’s lands into ten Zones. On an island in the middle of the ocean, they constructed a grand temple in which the Orbs would be kept safe, to be used only to protect the newfound peace and for the betterment of all.

In the intervening centuries, Crystal Temple has become the center of a great city: Crystal City, a beacon of hope for the entire world. Using the discoveries made by the scholars and priests who study the Orbs, incredible advances in technology have taken place. Order is maintained by the governments established by the legendary heroes, which preside over the Zones. By all accounts, the world is experiencing a period of unprecedented peace.

But there is unrest in every era. And now, three heroes have been called to Crystal City, summoned by the priests for a secret mission. And that is where our story begins…

Crystal Island, 11:55 A.M.

The Crystal Temple is one of the largest buildings in the city, three stories high and occupying multiple city blocks in area. From the outside it resembles less a temple and more a vast fortress, its rough stone walls forming an impenetrable defense against any potential threat. The entire city developed around this one building, constructed to supply the resident priests, researchers, and guards with everything they could need to live in the Temple full-time. Since its foundation the Temple has only grown, and is now visible from almost every point on the entire island.

A figure in a dark cloak and a broad-rimmed hat approaches the Crystal Temple from the docks. He has a black scarf around his neck and face, and hardly an inch of skin is visible. He approaches the guards, and as he does so it becomes apparent that there are two longswords on his back; the first stands straight, parallel to his spine, while the other lies flat and perpendicular to the first. His eyes flash red from between his hat and scarf.

He pauses in surprise as a young woman in a light blue cloak skips up to the gates of the Crystal Temple from behind him, singing a merry little tune. She wears a white cap with a blue feather in it; over her shoulder she carries a large white backpack, out of which protrude the tips of various musical instruments. Her long black hair bounces as she skips, the tips of her pointed ears occasionally sticking out. Her most noticeable features, however, are her gray skin and her striking purple eyes.

“Along the shore, along the sea, they traveled far and wide,” she sang. “Oh it’s a most glorious tale – of a crew’s inflated pride!”

Ian glances over, his wide-brimmed hat turning with him. “Interesting song,” he remarks. “A sea shanty, right?”

The woman, whose name is Cassalina, beams. “Yes indeed, sir; yes indeed! I just got done sailing with a band of merry- if slightly odd- fellows, and they taught me a little ditty or three!”

Ian chuckles at this. “Alright, I guess. But just to warn you: if I hear one more sea shanty, I’m literally going to vomit through this scarf.”

Cassalina pouts. “Well, we can’t have that!” she exclaims. “How about instead I sing you the tale of a man named Sweeny Todd?”

Ian grins. “That sounds a little more my speed, yeah.”

Cassalina’s smile returns as she begins to sing once more. However, she is interrupted by the sound of a clock tower striking noon.

Considering that she has lived in the Temple of Sune in Crystal City all her life, it can hardly be called a monumental effort for Beauty Sunehammer to make her way to the Crystal Temple. Her red tail sways behind her as she hums a hymn to the goddess of beauty and love. Rather unusually for a paladin, her armor is designed more for drawing attention to her body rather than for protecting it, due in large part to its ceremonial nature. She draws near the other two just as Cass’s song finishes.

Ian chuckles at the song. “Pretty good,” he admits.

Cassalina grins. “Thanks!” she exclaims. She then turns around to look at the newcomer. “Oooooh, I see! She’s very lovely, isn’t she?”

Ian turns as well, regarding Beauty with some curiosity. “Where have I seen her before…?” he mutters to himself.

The young Tiefling woman walks up to the two of them with a spring in her step and a huge smile. “Hello darlings!” she exclaims. “Lovely day today.”

“Why hello, Miss Beauty!” exclaims Cass with an equally large smile. “Yes, it certainly is!”

Ian shrugs. “I tend not to look at the sky during the day. I get burns easily.”

The young tiefling woman smiles wider. “Oh dear!” she laughs. “You appear to have the advantage over me, knowing my name before I can even guess yours. Have we met before or something like that?”

Cass shakes her head. “Not really! But I’ve heard of your radiance in this town, Miss Beauty!” She suddenly has a realization. “Oh darn!” she cries. “I’m late!”

“Yeah, me too, but who’s counting?” remarks Ian.

Beauty smiles as she begins to walk past them towards the Crystal Temple. “Yes, so am I, I’m afraid.” She glances back over her shoulder. “How about you?” she adds. “Are you also familiar with my reputation?”

“Nah,” says Ian, finally recalling what he’d been thinking of. “I just remember you from the priestess issue of Cause Lust magazine.”

Beauty gives a small laugh at this. “Ah, yes,” she says. “Not my finest work, but it was acceptable, and that was a long day. I preferred my other works with the same artist.”

Ian shrugs again. “Eh, I mostly read it for the articles. And the porn.” He decides to follow the other two, mostly to take a look at Beauty’s ass. Cassalina skips beside Beauty, humming to herself.

“If you ready it for both, I might suggest Beauties and the Beasts for better reading…and for more interesting, artistic porn. I don’t quite believe Cause Lust is very good at the art.”

Ian considers this for a moment. “That shit’s expensive, though. And I’m between jobs.”

The group heads into the Temple, where the head priest is waiting for them. This is the man who contacted them over the stone; he is human and appears to be in his late fifties or early sixties, and it looks as if he has not properly slept in days.

“Ah, good, you’re all here,” he says, spotting the three approaching for the Temple gates. “I was beginning to worry you’d been attacked on the way.”

“I was,” says Ian, in the way others might remark that they had been caught in traffic. “They were decent. A little salty.”

Cass smiles. “I was going to be, but my new pals decided that I made a better friend.”

“And I was delayed by a most aggressive drunk,” adds Beauty with a similar smile. “I had to escort him to a hospital after I beat him soundly. My apologies for the delay, sir.”

“…quite,” remarks the head priest, looking between the three as if not quite sure what to make of them. “Well, in any case, I’m glad you have each arrived in one piece. And thank you all for coming on such short notice; this matter must be handled quietly and swiftly.”

He turns and leads the group into the Temple proper. Cassalina follows him, still humming to herself. Beauty follows behind her, even more bounce in her step. Ian brings up the rear, a slight frown on his face.

The interior of the Temple is very different from what its rough stone exterior would suggest, being something of a combination between a religious center, a university, and a castle. At any given time, the Temple is occupied by around a hundred people, consisting of a combination of highly-trained guards, priests of almost every known god and goddess, and researchers studying the power of the Crystal Orbs housed within. As the group follows the twisting network of corridors into the depths of the Temple, the head priest stops to address them again.

“Before we go any further, I would like to request your utter discretion on the subject of this assignment,” says the priest. It is at around this point that Cassalina and Beauty awkwardly realize that they don’t actually know the priest’s name; the urgent stone call they received in the middle of the night didn’t leave much time for introductions, and his robes do not seem to feature any sort of name tag. After a moment of deliberation over whether or not it would be appropriate to ask for his name this late in the introductions, the two privately decide to refer to him as Temple Priest Guy until further notice. “It is vitally important that you not disclose what you are about to hear to anyone outside of this group; even those outside the inner circles of the Temple should not be informed about this.”

“You can count on me, sir!” exclaims Cass brightly.

“Not like I have anyone I’d be in a rush to tell anyway,” says Ian.

“Very well!” says Beauty brightly. “My services are always open in the service of Sune. I can only assume the matter has some importance for my goddess? Else you would not have called me.”

Ian exchanges a brief look with Temple Priest Guy. “You could say that.”

“You can say a lot of things that simply aren’t true, and many of them are beautiful,” says Beauty, turning towards Ian. “In this case, however, I would fail to see the beauty in a lie.”

Ian sighs. “Look, it’s hells of a serious concern for you, your goddess, and just about every other deity out there.”

Beauty beams at this. “My! Such importance. I am all ears.”

“It is easier to understand if I show you,” interjects Temple Priest Guy, glancing around nervously to see if anyone is listening. Having said this, he turns away and continues leading the group onward.

“I’m not even sure what’s going on,” remarks Cass. “I just came because I was bored.” With this, she begins skipping after Temple Priest Guy, quietly humming the new song she is working on. “The travelers were called one night! Told to hurry and take flight – Crystal Temple immediately! Needing you most desperately!”

At the exact center of Crystal Temple lies the group’s ultimate destination: the Chamber of the Orbs.

Access to this central chamber is usually highly regulated, preventing anyone without high-level access from entering; however, with the head priest leading them, the three heroes are allowed through with only a brief security check. As the group goes through, they notice that the guards seem extremely tense; one of them is sweating profusely, and the other has a strange, hollow look in his eyes. Temple Priest Guy pauses for a minute to wait for the security checks to finish, then leads the group up in to the chamber itself.

The Chamber of the Orbs is open to the sky, allowing sunlight to filter down into it; it is just possible to discern a ceiling of magically reinforced glass three stories above, providing protection for the Chamber while also allowing the presence of natural light. The room is accessed through a staircase near the edge of the room; there are no ground level entrances, since this would disrupt the symmetry of the chamber. The walls of the room itself form a decagon, a perfect ten-sided shape. Set into each of these walls is a tablet, in the exact center of which is a slot designed to perfectly accept one of the Crystal Orbs; the tablets are covered in protective runes designed to prevent the Orb from being removed by anything other than a special counter-charm known only to the high-level priests.

Closer to the center of the room, four short rectangular pillars rise about four feet up from the chamber floor. Atop each pillar is another tablet, these ones horizontal instead of vertical, each with a slot for an Orb at the center. At the exact center of the chamber, a taller hexagonal pillar is prominently displayed. Three of its sides feature slots for the final three Orbs; the other three sides are decorated with elaborate murals, depicting the legendary heroes who were responsible, three hundred years ago, for gathering the Crystal Orbs together and founding the modern Zone system.

All three of the visitors have either visited this room before or, at the very least, seen images of it. But this time there is one critical difference: without exception, every single one of the Orb slots is empty.

Beauty tilts her head. “…ah,” she says quietly. “And sudden clarity.”

“Indeed.” Cassalina is no longer singing or smiling. “This is most troubling.”

“You can see why our request was so urgent,” remarks Temple Priest Guy, turning back to the group. “You can probably also see why your discretion is of the utmost importance in this assignment. I imagine you probably have a great deal of questions; I will do my best to answer.”

‘Who, where, when, why, and how do we retrieve them,” says Beauty, immediately shifting into action mode. “All I need to know.”

Ian is flipping a dagger in his hand, catching it by the blade, and then tossing it back up. He doesn’t appear to be listening.

“How did this even happen?” asked Cassalina, staring around in shock at the Temple which now seems so empty, even though very little has physically been removed from it.

“It was the result of the attack two weeks ago,” explains Temple Priest Guy. “I assume you heard about it?”

Everyone nods. The attack on Crystal Temple had been worldwide news; it was one of the greatest scares of the decade. A powerful sorcerer had appeared from nowhere and launched a massive attack on the Temple, attempting to claim the Orbs from himself. However, the sorcerer had quickly been defeated by the guards, and was now imprisoned and awaiting execution; the priests had reported that, though property damage was heavy, particularly within the chamber proper, none of the Orbs had actually been taken. A quick survey of the Chamber, however, reveals that the exact opposite is true: the physical damage is fairly limited, with only a few areas roped off where the stone is cracked or melted; the Orbs, however, are quite another story.

“Our guards were of course prepared for an eventuality like this,” explains Temple Priest Guy. “They manage to subdue the sorcerer before he could cause any serious damage; however, it seems he had an emergency backup plan. Drawing on a previously undisplayed reserve of strength, he cast a powerful curse which teleported the Orbs away, scattering them to the four corners of Kayrus. The spell was of a nature we had never observed before; we have not yet determined how it managed to overcome the considerable magical protections of the Orb slots.”

Cass looks around, considering the situation. “So, we’re supposed to find them and bring the back, right? Seems simple enough in theory.”

“…a much more complicated problem than I imagined,” Beauty mumbles.

“I cannot overstate the importance of this mission,” says Temple Priest Guy gravely. “The entire order of the Zone system centers on the gathering of the Crystal Orbs by the legendary heroes; if people were to discover that these artifacts are once again scattered and unclaimed, the world could collapse back into the chaos of the Endless War. We at the Temple have been keeping the calamity under wraps, claiming the chamber was badly damaged in the battle; but it is urgent that the Orbs be retrieved as soon as possible.”

Cassalina nods. “Alright, I’m in. But I’ve got one more question.”

“Name it,” replies Temple Priest Guy, turning to look directly at her.

“Why am I here? I’m sure traveling music is a wonder to have, but, forgive my doubts, I don’t have a lot of skill when it comes to fighting bad guys. I only sing about heroes who do.”

“Fighting bad guys isn’t the job,” points out Beauty. “The job is finding the Orbs and returning them.”

Ian catches the dagger once again. “Don’t sell yourself short, Cassalina,” he says. “Plenty of bards are counted among the great heroes of old. If you can learn to harness the magic of music, you could become nearly unstoppable.”

“To provide an official answer to your question,” explains Temple Priest Guy, “Crystal Temple’s Department of Prophecy is responsible for preparing quests. This includes the recruitment of heroes. All of you have a role to play in the re-gathering of the Orbs. And indeed, Ian is right: many bards can be found among the greatest heroes of Kayrus.”

Cassalina quirks her brow, then closes her eyes and beams. If she is still doubtful, she hides it very well. “Very well.”

“On that note,” adds Temple Priest Guy, “we have prepared some aid in finding the Orbs.” He walks over to one of the many stone tables located throughout the chamber, frequently used for holding research notes or instruments; atop this particular table is a small wooden chest. He opens the chest and reveals a collection of bound scrolls, each sealed with wax of a different color. “These have been painstakingly produced by the Department of Prophecy over the last two weeks,” he explains. “Each one provides the location of one of the Orbs, as well as advice on how to retrieve it.”

“Well, that seems strikingly convenient,” remarks Ian. “How have you not already done this?”

Temple Priest Guy gives Ian a sideways glare. “Have you ever tried getting a straight answer out of a prophet?” he asks.

Ian rolls his eyes. “Of friggin’ course.”

“It is better than no lead at all,” Cass points out.

Beauty is looking at the scrolls with a rather skeptical expression. “I was about to agree with you, but…well, they are prophecies. In other words, cryptic borderline-nonsense.”

“Prophecy is often the start of a grand adventure, and an even greater ballad,” notes Cass, giving Beauty a slightly reproachful look.

“Yes,” chuckles Beauty, “and how often is the prophecy’s meaning clear prior to the moment right before it is fulfilled?”

Temple Priest Guy nods, as if acknowledging her point. “That said, we have taken pains to restructure the prophecies in the clearest form possible from the visions of which we were informed.” He hands Cassalina, the closest one to him, a scroll sealed with red-orange wax; the seal bears the symbol of a flame. “It is advisable that you set out as soon as possible,” he says. “Do not let anyone know of your true mission; it is vital that information about what has happened here does not leave this Chamber.”

Cassalina’s expression becomes serious for a moment. “Understood.” She puts the scroll in her bag, and her expression changes back to a smile.

“It will be difficult to investigate the appearance of something people are not supposed to know is out there,” Beauty adds with a small smile of her own.

Ian seems to be already preparing to depart. “So, Cassalina,” he asks, “where to first?”

“Right, sorry,” she laughs, feeling slightly silly for putting it away. There is an awkward pause as Cassalina takes the scroll out; she carefully breaks the seal and opens the scroll. Taking a deep breath, she begins to read the contents aloud; the prophecy contained within is as follows:

The Orbs have returned to their elements The Fire Orb can be found at the peak of the Weeping Heights The path to the crater is barred, but there remains one path, hidden though it is Seek out the kobold village and you will find the entrance

“…actually, not as cryptic as I expected,” admits Beauty.

Temple Priest Guy nods. “We pride ourselves on holding our prophets to strict standards of clarity whenever possible.” He turns to face Ian and Cass. “The Weeping Heights is a volcano, one of the largest in Zone 4. It is fairly remote, but we can arrange travel to its base; you will have to travel on foot from there.”

Ian mulls this over. “So, a kobold village in Zone 4, at the base of a volcano. Great. Let’s get going.”

“Verily.” Beauty begins to walk out. Cassalina follows behind, smiling yet thoughtful. Ian follows after them, frowning.

“I wish you all the best of luck on your travels,” Temple Priest Guy says.

“Yeah, yeah,” mutters Ian. “Try not to lose any more priceless relics while we’re away.”

Beauty hangs back a bit to lightly smack Ian on the arm. “They’re call priceless for a reason!” she scolds.

“All the more reason to snark the guy who lost them.”

Cass has already tuned out the banter; she wonders privately if she will be able to create a ballad from the adventures to come.

The three emerge from the garden into the city proper once more. They are alone on the steps leading up to the Temple complex; before them, on the street, a mix of horse-drawn and self-propelled carriages carry people from one part of town to another. None of the people before them have any concept that the very foundation of their civilization is now in peril. It is, to them, a day like any other.

“So, I suppose we must go to our boat,” says Beauty with a smile.

“Yeah, might be a good idea,” chuckles Cass.

Ian shudders. “Oh god, boats again.”

The group begins its walk through the city. Cassalina hums to herself, trying out different melodies for the ballad-to-be. Beauty hums to herself is well, but it is a song she is already duly familiar with: one of many hymns to Sune. Ian walks in the shadows of the buildings, generally avoiding direct sunlight; although his dense outfit protects him from the painful rays of the sun, he prefers not to take chances if possible. It is not long before the group reaches the city’s docks. From here, ferries regularly depart to transport people to cities in all ten Zones.

As the group arrives, they find themselves greeted by an anxious-looking attendant. “Excuse me, are you the…adventurers sent by the Temple?” he asks. When the groups gives confirmation that they are, he looks relieved. “I was asked to hold the next ferry to Zone 4 for you guys,” he says. “Just between us, the passengers are getting…restless.”

“Well, we can’t have that,” says Cassalina with a smile. She heads toward the boat in question, where people do indeed seem to be getting rather rowdy. Ian cautiously follows after her, giving a nod to the attendant.

“Oh, wait one moment!” exclaims Beauty. “I’ll be right back!” With that, she turns and dashes up the street.

About ten minutes pass; the crowd is only growing rowdier. Beauty, now out of breath, sprints back to the docks; a large adventuring bag is slung over her arm, stuffed to the brim with supplies. “I always keep this packed in my room in case the lady Sune calls me away on a quest,” she explains. “I just had to run back to the temple of Sune to grab it.”

The attendant, looking quite anxious at this point, frantically nods and ushers Beauty onto the boat. The crowd is now quite frustrated, and it looks to be a good thing Beauty got back when she did; another couple minutes and a riot might have broken out.

With all three adventurers on board, the ferry begins its journey towards Zone 4; propelled by the latest in transportation technology derived from the study of the Metal and Lightning Orbs, the trip will take only a few hours. During this time, our heroes occupy themselves in various ways. Ian moves to the center of the boat, staying far away from the edges; he withdraws his dirty magazine and begins reading it where he left off, disguising it inside a travel brochure. Beauty moves to a quiet place near the stern of the boat and begins perusing a collection of pictures, which she uses to help herself get into a meditative state; a few passersby are offended by some of the more explicit pictures, but they quickly go away and she is not bothered any further. Cass uses the time to work on her songs, occasionally glancing out at the waves in hopes of finding inspiration in the crashing of the waves; all the while, she distracts herself from certain worrying thoughts which have been attempting to enter her mind since the sight of the empty Chamber.

Time passes in relative peace and tranquility; and finally, after a few hours of travel, the rocky coast of Zone 4 comes into view on the horizon.

#the crystal orbs #tco chapter 1 #ian nightblade #cassalina yardel #beauty sunehammer #Dungeons and Dragons #d&d 5e #d&d campaign #funny d&d session #d&d novelization

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