[Britain, Trammel] Lord Magnus Grey called an assembly of the Royal Spies last evening to investigate strange activities at the Fire Island entrance to the Underworld that included sightings of strange people, the disappearance of a guard stationed there, and screams heard out over the nearby seas. Instructed to use their best judgment, and provided with a ship of the Royal Navy, the spies set out upon their mission.
Once upon Fire Island, it was not long before the group encountered ancient liches of a vein similar to those often seen roaming the Feluccan halls of Khaldun, though with the skill of the assembled spies, these liches did not last long. Clues led them to a hidden bay in the volcanic desolation around the island, and there, the spies encountered several members of the Cult of Styx and saw a strange sight of reagents scattered in some sort of pattern upon the ground. A book nearby suggested that these reagents might be the source of a message, the key to deciphering such spread throughout the Underworld.
More liches were dispatched, but a single remaining member of the Cult of Styx threatened the group, "[W]hen the sleeping one wakes, you will all suffer!" He went on to say that, "There are many... many more that stand ready to die for the end times!" The lich made reference to the scattered reagents as being a prophecy that the spies could not yet read.
The lich did, however, offer to answer three questions. Unfortunately, the questions posed were of little use. The first question asked the lich's name, to which he responded, "My name is Spellwriter now." The second, asking what his quest was, was met with, "My quest is to end the world and all of you." The final question answered was about the location of the base of the Cult of Styx, to which the Abyss was the only answer given.
After the final answer, the lich began to cast a spell of self immolation, but Royal Spy Galen interrupted him. In exchange for the right to die in shame, the lich offered to answer all questions posed. It was then revealed that the "sleeping one" is the most powerful, ancient evil that sleeps within the Abyss and the Void, of which the Slasher of Veils is "at best a symbol of the pain you will all know one day," Spellwriter indicated menacingly. Further, the prophecy inscribed in reagents was recovered through the death and torture of a man from Yew.
The lich then took the Royal Spies on a tour through the Underworld looking for the clues to deciphering the message. Once all clues had been found, Spellwriter returned them to the entrance of the Underworld and completed his spell of self immolation, erupting in a bright column of flame. Lord Magnus Grey met the spies outside and instructed them to return to the Counselors Guild in Britain for debriefing. It was there that Royal Spy Ra'Dian Fl'Gith indicated that he had run ahead of the others to work on the prophecy more quickly, and believed the message to read: <i>A man of poison will kill many to wake the night. The ruby's owner will speak a word from its skeletal mouth, a word to shatter the lock holding the night</i>.
The immediate implication drawn was the involvement of Imperus Noxum, however, the second implication was much more dire. Lord Grey revealed that there was legend of a ruby called the Sun Ruby, otherwise known as Mondain's Gem of Immortality, and that "the ruby's owner" might refer to Mondain himself, as the Skull of Mondain has recently been stolen from its secret location in the care of Britannia.
Lord Grey and the assembled spies began to discuss a plan, as well as the need to learn more from information within reports by a man named Dexter. What the eventual course of action will be is yet undetermined, but all citizens of Britannia should be mindful of the potential danger this may represent. The Royal Spies are set to meet with Lord Grey again next Tuesday, December 9, at 8:00 PM (CST), and it is likely this situation will be further investigated.
Once upon Fire Island, it was not long before the group encountered ancient liches of a vein similar to those often seen roaming the Feluccan halls of Khaldun, though with the skill of the assembled spies, these liches did not last long. Clues led them to a hidden bay in the volcanic desolation around the island, and there, the spies encountered several members of the Cult of Styx and saw a strange sight of reagents scattered in some sort of pattern upon the ground. A book nearby suggested that these reagents might be the source of a message, the key to deciphering such spread throughout the Underworld.
More liches were dispatched, but a single remaining member of the Cult of Styx threatened the group, "[W]hen the sleeping one wakes, you will all suffer!" He went on to say that, "There are many... many more that stand ready to die for the end times!" The lich made reference to the scattered reagents as being a prophecy that the spies could not yet read.
The lich did, however, offer to answer three questions. Unfortunately, the questions posed were of little use. The first question asked the lich's name, to which he responded, "My name is Spellwriter now." The second, asking what his quest was, was met with, "My quest is to end the world and all of you." The final question answered was about the location of the base of the Cult of Styx, to which the Abyss was the only answer given.
After the final answer, the lich began to cast a spell of self immolation, but Royal Spy Galen interrupted him. In exchange for the right to die in shame, the lich offered to answer all questions posed. It was then revealed that the "sleeping one" is the most powerful, ancient evil that sleeps within the Abyss and the Void, of which the Slasher of Veils is "at best a symbol of the pain you will all know one day," Spellwriter indicated menacingly. Further, the prophecy inscribed in reagents was recovered through the death and torture of a man from Yew.
The lich then took the Royal Spies on a tour through the Underworld looking for the clues to deciphering the message. Once all clues had been found, Spellwriter returned them to the entrance of the Underworld and completed his spell of self immolation, erupting in a bright column of flame. Lord Magnus Grey met the spies outside and instructed them to return to the Counselors Guild in Britain for debriefing. It was there that Royal Spy Ra'Dian Fl'Gith indicated that he had run ahead of the others to work on the prophecy more quickly, and believed the message to read: <i>A man of poison will kill many to wake the night. The ruby's owner will speak a word from its skeletal mouth, a word to shatter the lock holding the night</i>.
The immediate implication drawn was the involvement of Imperus Noxum, however, the second implication was much more dire. Lord Grey revealed that there was legend of a ruby called the Sun Ruby, otherwise known as Mondain's Gem of Immortality, and that "the ruby's owner" might refer to Mondain himself, as the Skull of Mondain has recently been stolen from its secret location in the care of Britannia.
Lord Grey and the assembled spies began to discuss a plan, as well as the need to learn more from information within reports by a man named Dexter. What the eventual course of action will be is yet undetermined, but all citizens of Britannia should be mindful of the potential danger this may represent. The Royal Spies are set to meet with Lord Grey again next Tuesday, December 9, at 8:00 PM (CST), and it is likely this situation will be further investigated.