February 04, 2006
The accidents of gods.
In the past few months, the Order began to crumble. Nothing was the same and situations only seemed to worsen.
D'Sar went to the rooftop to train. He's always been more than a god, he's a warrior and no matter what, one must practice his skill with a darksaber. He does this to clear his mind. The full moon beamed it's ethereal glow behind him as he twisted and thrusted. The swoosh of his weapon and the hum of it's dark energy makes for a rather threatening sound. Ominous in it's tone, it lunged and parried in the air menacingly.
He pondered much of the last few months. Gritting his teeth at the clans current state of affairs. Gone they were.
Kurgan, Ozmar, Dew, Duragon, Shamra, Vlasco and more ... Missing in action or simply missing, the Citadel Sinister was much like a house with all of it's children gone. Possibly one of the greatest evil clan in all the realms... empty.
Furiously, he thrusted the blade at imaginary enemies. The blade sounding like a million irate hornets, he leapt to the edge of the rooftop. Panting heavily, his eyes glowed with frustration. The storm clouds rolled in as they often do over this dark land. Lightning flashed arcs behind him,
"That blasted vampire child...I swear, if he wasn't for the fact that he was so close to the Kittyn Goddess, I'd slice his head off!"
He spoke of Ackmon...a newcomer to the realms from another world. The Darklord speculates that in his error, he mistakenly uttered the words of a spell with in the tomes of the Sacred Book of Morakai on a visit to the Great Tabernacle Library. The incantation cleared the realms of all organized undead. To clarify, it literally de-organized the Infernal Order of D'Sar and temporarily wiped it's roster and the memories of those that belonged in it. In essence, it cleaned the clans clock. D'Sar believes this to have affected his clan only, being the self centered egotist that he is. His vanity makes him believe there are no other clans except those that stand in his way.
Frustrated that the clanhall was now doomed for invasion, he ordered and immediate lockdown. Only there was no one to order as they were all gone. The hall was empty. All save for a scant few. Anthraxia, Dark Governess, Alfred... They milled about the groves of the Citadel Sinister wondering where everyone had gone.
Commodore's Kurgan and Orin were nowhere to be found. Captain Duragon had vanished without a trace. Nothing was left but a huge empty cavernous hall and no one to fill it. Who knew how long it would take before the wayward D'Sari would get their memories back and return?
"Alfred" he panted to his confidante, "This clan needs an enema. Brick by brick the maze needs to be rebuilt, the altar and it's clanstones moved and most importantly..."
"...some D'Sari to FILL it with, Sir?" Alfred replied as if finishing the sentence.
"Exactly." Agreed the god-bat. "I also think it's time to make a few exceptions to our rules. I think we should allow mortals in... The living evil will be a rather good change from nothing but our undead selves. The number would do us well. We need more warriors and I need my cabinet of officers. This is just too bloody bleak!"
Alfred nodded his agreement. "But first...it needs a leader." he replied.
Darkstar perched upon the edge of the castle, pondering. Then he felt an ebbing in the darkforce. A telekinetic build up of energy was coming from within the castle and it's force was rather deadly.
"Hold onto that thought, Alfred... I think I've got my answer. I'll be right back." He replied. Diving off the side of the building, he folded time and space and transported himself to the source of the telekinetic blaze.
Sitting alone, with the most horrid look upon his face stood Vlasco. He crackled with energies that began to not only manifest, but appeared to be converging inward in a deadly force.
Lord D'Sar thought it best to try and talk some sense into his old apprentice. He figured it best to tray and calm him. Breaking the silence, Darkstar spoke unto Vlasco. "I am aware of our kin's absence. The path of the D'Sari is one of many changes. Our clan has walked this path before...and we have rebuilt. Of course to do this, the altar will start anew and new blood will be brought to it. A fresh band of D'Sari will fight, and you Vlasco, my old friend, shall lead them. You have witnessed many wars, won many battles and your power is great. Now Rise Commander Vlasco, and take charge of my family, our brood... for I now grant you the rank of which you deserve ...Commodore, with which you shall guide my D'Sari Knights to victory. Lead well my friend."
Vlasco rose in awe, honor, wonder and surprise. At that moment, the two Commodores eyes met, and both acknowledged that a new D'Sarian day was beginning. There was much work to do.
February 03, 2006
SECURITY BREACH
"M'Lord!" Sergeant Ozmar blurted with desperation as he blasted through the doors of Lord Darkstar's office chambers. "We are under attack yet again!"
"Unbelievable. Did we leave out a welcome mat or perhaps some cookies and milk this time?" He retorted sarcastically. "Sound the alert! D'SARI ASSEMBLE!!"
The man bat leapt to the air, telekinetically summoning his DarkSabre to come to his outstretched hand just after the familiar yet sickening slurping sound of his leatherette wings which grew from out of his back as he took flight through the high window about 30 feet above everyone's head. At that height, the high ceilings allowed for him to gain a good propulsive gust beneath his wings as he shot out of the window.
D'Sar is a god. He is not to intervene in mortal affairs. He can guide them by voice only. He may not fight their battles for them. As the D'Sarian patron deity, he continues to follow the laws of the land and its gods. He cannot get involved. He flies to the roof of the castle in a fit of frustration wondering why he's even there. It's not as if he can get involved. Or CAN he? He stands open in battle stance as dark clouds roll in. Crouched with one leg extended, his form is catlike. His eyes once again aglow with rage even brighter than the energy blade of his darksabre. Arcs of lightning flashed behind him. Off against the night sky the huge full moon oversees all. The moment seems to freeze in time to him. He ponders what brought this turn of events as he stares and thinks back.
"The clanstones are delicate." Meathe told the immortals of the realms. "They grant great powers to each clan specific to their clan ethos. However, they can be destroyed by any mortal who captures it and drops it. If they capture it from a fallen creature, then it will also , in time, disintegrate even as it sits in the altar and cannot be regained until they regenerate."
D'Sar remembers how the D'Sarian stones secret locations had been revealed and worse yet, maps through their clans underground labyrinths and halls were now for sale on the black market. For a time, D'Sari were given the responsibility to guard the stones.
Sergeant at arms, Ozmar was last in control of them but to no avail. Once again other clans broke through to reach Citadel Sinister. Lieutenant Wrof could not successfully guard the maze as he was overwhelmed. Horda, the keyguard was also vanquished brutally in battle and the security breach was complete. It took the enlisted aid of the Church of Shadows to fortify the Citadel once again. This became tiring and tedious as nearly every day some new invasion force attempted to secure the fortress.
These thoughts angered the Darklord as he was a very private being and prided himself in keeping things secure. Looking down from the roof, he saw a Ninth Circle clanmember running through the courtyard laughing and screaming "HAIL SATAN!" They seemed to think there was some great evil god named 'Satan...yet no one else has ever heard if him.
"Hmmmmph!" the muttered, "misguided fools".
"They certainly DO know how to make a mess, don't they, sire?"
It was Alfred walking up from behind. "...were it not for Captain Duragon and Sergeant Ozmar, there'd be a much BIGGER mess. They've done rather well in defending our home, but I sense they are greatly fatigued."
"What do I do Alfred? I'm standing here atop the roof ready to swoop and cleave through them all...yet I am bound by immortal sanction." The man-bat precluded. His cape flapped proudly in the wind behind him as his wings were being pulled closer to him. "I'm poised for action yet with none logical to take".
"I'd say it's time to shut down and restructure." replied the faithful manservant. "You have too many officers and warriors scattered about on other missions or on leave. Why not secure ALL the doors and then, with this buying us some time, we find ways to negotiate for the changing of both the stones location and the reconstruction of the maze' entrance."
"I suppose you're right." D'Sar sullenly replied. Snapping his fingers he quickly drew a plan in his mind. "I'VE GOT IT!" he exclaimed. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as arcs of lightning and plasma converged about his hands, to which they struck the ground. The form of Captain Duragon materialized in a flash of multicolored light. "You summoned me, my liege?" said the proud captain on one knee.
"Captain..." D'Sar replied, "We're undergoing a lockdown until we can grab hold of the situation. Here's the plan. For the time being, the D'Sari are to virtually vanish from the realms. We will exist beyond shadow. You will all traverse the lands in disguise. None may nor shall know who you are. You will travel in your secret identities until you are summoned. A beacon shall be erected with which when activated, I may summon all to battle readiness when the time comes. Understand this...in no way are you to allow your alternate personas to be known. You shall not attempt to fight or kill in the name of the D'Sari while you are in your alternate garb. Understood?"
Duragon saluted. "As you wish, M'Lord." he replied.
"I want the men literally underground." D'Sar explained further. " When next I cry the battle cry; 'D'SARI ASSEMBLE!' let our forces rise from the ground as we the undead do. Either exist in alternate or lay undead in waiting. Those are your orders. Make them so. Carry on, Captain."
"YO HO! Commodore!" the Captain replied in a snap as he bowed, turned on his heels and left the Lord of Darkness.
"Perhaps it's time we called it a night, eh Sir? It looks like the threat is on the run." observed Alfred.
"I know...I know...but...but I haven't KILLED anyone today." Darkstar pouted.
"We know sire, we know. Mayhaps in a fortnight..." Alfred somberly replied in a slightly condescending way.
D'Sar slumps and looks towards the storm rolling in. Pulling his wings back within himself, he turns and heads back towards the stairs, and mutters to a guard, "Secure all levels".