day in the Year 267, Zahara is wandering aimlessly in Old Tilverton. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- As you look to the ground, you notice a small, charcoal black gem lying there. You are in a long hallway in the temple, leading from the entrance towards a central room to the south. To the west and east are rooms behind wooden doors. There are four obvious exits: east, north, south, west. A charcoal black gem. You get a charcoal black gem. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are a free Magician. You currently have no secondary action. Your title is famous Grandmaster Your knowledge of convocations: CONVOCATION RANKING CONVOCATION RANKING CONVOCATION RANKING nature 102 summon 102 mind 103 illusion 102 healing 102 necromancy 8 manipulation 102 heat 102 energy 102 The magical flow is undisturbed here. You feel a slightly increased reduce of magical energies here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is too dark to see. You start to mumble some magical words. > Mumbling 'Uhrrr gahlda', you create a glowing ball of light in front of you. You are in a large hall. The ceiling, rising 30ft high, is decorated with several paintings and and a large crystal lustres is hanging down from it which is fixed with a chain. The floor is paved with plates of dark marble and there are inlets of some metal, forming a huge pentagram. A set of three wide steps rises behind you, leading up to a pedestal. Upon this pedestal towers a huge throne made of bones and skulls. In front of you, a portal leads out of the hall. A closed huge winged portal is leading forward. A throne made of bones and skulls. A tall skinny male elf is standing besides the throne. You curtsey gracefully to the tall skinny male elf. You say in xyllic: greetings. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Hello. You look at the tall skinny male elf. An elven man, taller than the average. He has a pale skin and dark, long hair flowing over his shoulders. He has a small tattoo on his forehead, which ressembles a flame of black colour. His hands are slender, and he has long, thin fingers. A grey veil flickers around him. He is surrounded with a dark red aura. He looks handsome. He is in good shape. He is extremely alert. He is wielding a sharp blade. He is wearing a black robe. > The tall skinny male elf glances down at you. You ask in zida'ya: You were searching me? > The tall skinny male elf takes a few steps around the throne. You smile solemnly. > The tall skinny male elf sits down on the throne. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: No. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Actually, you were searching me. You look at the charcoal black gem. This is a small, charcoal black gem with a rune on it. You nod understandingly. You smile slightly at the tall skinny male elf. You say in zida'ya: But You sent me this beautiful gem ... > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: I received knowledge about your ambitions. You nod understandingly. You say in zida'ya: Yes... I want to learn about the Greater Arts. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Many do. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Only some succeed. You nod slightly. > The tall skinny male elf asks in xyllic: So, what makes you special? You say in zida'ya: I believe I was born to serve His will, and that HE wants to give me the powers to fullfill this task. You nod seriously. You say in zida'ya: .. and.. I feel this since I was very young. You smile confidently. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Hm. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: At least a start. You say in zida'ya: And I felt HIS call stronger recently. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: You know, that there is a price to pay? You say in zida'ya: I am ready to pay any price. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Good - Very good. The tall skinny male elf looks at you. You smile confidently. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: I will tell you my price. You nod curiously. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: You will have to serve me for 7 x 7 x 7 years. Your globe of light goes dark. Your globe of light goes dark. Someone says in xyllic: After that, your spirit shall be free again. Your globe of light goes dark. Someone says in xyllic: You will learn a lot. You say in zida'ya: If I can serve you while I serve the Lord, I will happily accept. > Someone says in xyllic: Through me, you will serve His will. Someone says in xyllic: Are you willing to accept that? You say in zida'ya: I am. You start to mumble some magical words. > Someone says in xyllic: Good. Mumbling 'Uhrrr gahlda', you create a glowing ball of light in front of you. You say in zida'ya: Its very dark here ... > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: In the years to come, your eyes will pierce through the darkness, as it is your comfort. You say in zida'ya: I am looking forward to it. And I dreamed about it. > Your eyes flicker and then your magical sight is gone. You start to concentrate upon the spell. > Your eyes start to flicker for a moment. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: We will seal this deal. You nod vigorously. > The tall skinny male elf gets a jewel gem from the bag. You say in zida'ya: I am ready. > The tall skinny male elf glances at the jewel in his hands. You emote: Zahara watches with interest. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: By my powers, I swear to use you for 7 x 7 x 7 years. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: To allow you to serve Him. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: And to release you from my service after that time. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: I will bind you now to this deal. You nod solemnly. You say firmly in zida'ya: I am ready to fulfill my part. You can't remember the tall skinny male elf..., the image in your head always dissapears again. > The tall skinny male elf raises his arms and mumbles some arcane syllables. The tall skinny male elf holds a gem in his hands and offers to take your soul. Do you accept? (yes/no) You accept the offer and prepare to give your soul to the tall skinny male elf. > The tall skinny male elf approaches you with a gem in his hands. He touches your forehead with the gem and suddenly you feel that something is torn from you. You start to scream and rock your body fore and back, but you can't escape the foul magic which is tearing your soul from your body. The gem in The tall skinny male elf's hands suddenly turns black, and you feel a sharp pain. You realise, that you have lost your soul. The tall skinny male elf nods satanically. You smile painfully. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Good. The tall skinny male elf hides the gem in one of the pockets of his robe. You emote: Zahara sits down slowly, still shaking a bit. You sit down to rest a while. > The tall skinny male elf stands up from the throne. The tall skinny male elf walks down to you. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: You started to learn of the Art already. You whisper in zida'ya: Only a little bit. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: I will grant you more insight in it. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Prepare. > The tall skinny male elf leans down to you. You emote: Zahara looks concentrated. > The tall skinny male elf touches your forehead with his left hand. You shiver slightly. > You feel a sharp pain behind your brow. The tall skinny male elf's fingers move quickly through the air while he seems to concentrate on something. You recognize the spell as resist. For an instant, you can spot a shimmering blue light around The tall skinny male elf which quickly fades again. The tall skinny male elf traces a line along his body. The tall skinny male elf raises his arms and mumbles some arcane syllables. The tall skinny male elf is suddenly surrounded with a dark red aura. The aura around The tall skinny male elf pulsates strongly. Your globe of light goes dark. It is too dark to see. You somehow have the feeling that new thoughts come into your mind. > Thoughts you never thought of thinking before. The tall skinny male elf releases his hand from your brow. You emote: Zahara slowly touches her forehead. You whisper in zida'ya: I feel... different.. but I dont know what it is. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are a free Magician. You currently have no secondary action. Your title is famous Grandmaster Your knowledge of convocations: CONVOCATION RANKING CONVOCATION RANKING CONVOCATION RANKING nature 102 summon 102 mind 103 illusion 102 healing 102 necromancy 30 manipulation 102 heat 102 energy 102 The magical flow is undisturbed here. You feel a slightly increased reduce of magical energies here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: You will come now with me. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: I will take you to the halls of learning. You emote: Zahara stands up slowly. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: There you may study the Art. You stretch your legs and stand up gracefully. The tall skinny male elf turns around. You emote: Zahara looks still a bit shaky on her feet. > The tall skinny male elf concentrates briefly and you can see a deep black gateway opening in front of him. You are in a large hall. The ceiling, rising 30ft high, is decorated with several paintings and and a large crystal lustres is hanging down from it which is fixed with a chain. The floor is paved with plates of dark marble and there are inlets of some metal, forming a huge pentagram. A set of three wide steps rises behind you, leading up to a pedestal. Upon this pedestal towers a huge throne made of bones and skulls. In front of you, a portal leads out of the hall. A closed huge winged portal is leading forward. A throne made of bones and skulls. A tall skinny male elf is standing besides the throne. > The tall skinny male elf steps through the gateway. > You follow. Only the faint sounds of an outside wind and the feel of the ground beneath your feet give you any kind of feeling that you are still alive. This place is as black and silent as a tomb, and you feel very uncomfortable here. In the southern part of the room, you notice a huge slab of stone on the ground. Something has been engraved into the wall beyond the slab. A swarthy sinister male human. A tall skinny male elf. The swarthy sinister male human draws a circle into the air with his hands, while he begins to mumble some arcane words. You look at the swarthy sinister male human. It is Lereth, Guard to the entrance of the Great Ones. He may deign to answer your questions..but then again not. He looks nice. He is in good shape. He is extremely alert. He is wielding a ritual blade. He is wearing two golden rings, a left glove, a nightblack cloak, a pair of black leather boots, a right glove and a steel helmet. > The gateway vanishes behind you. > The tall skinny male elf approaches the swarthy sinister male human. The swarthy sinister male human bows deeply to the tall skinny male elf. You curtsey slightly to the swarthy sinister male human. > The swarthy sinister male human glances over to you. A complicated rune has been engraved into the wall. You do not know what function it may have. You feel uncomfortable looking at the rune. > The swarthy sinister male human asks in ancient language: You bring a new student? The tall skinny male elf nods solemnly. You say in xyllic: I'm Zahara, a somewhat experienced student in the Arcane Arts. The swarthy sinister male human says in ancient language: I am Lereth. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: He guards the halls here. You nod understandingly to the tall skinny male elf. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Wait a moment. You nod respectfully. Only the faint sounds of an outside wind and the feel of the ground beneath your feet give you any kind of feeling that you are still alive. This place is as black and silent as a tomb, and you feel very uncomfortable here. In the southern part of the room, you notice a huge slab of stone on the ground. Something has been engraved into the wall beyond the slab. There is one obvious exit: west. Lereth. A tall skinny male elf. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Let us start with the ceremony. The protection of your shield spell is gone. Lereth nods solemnly. You say in xyllic: I am ready. > Lereth says in ancient language: Very well. Enjoy your initiation. You are suddenly surrounded by a thick, choking smoke... When the smoke clears, your surroundings have changed... You stand on a plain of sheer gray that seems to extend in every direction you can imagine. The sky above is a lightless black. Despite this lack of light, you can see perfectly. In front of you is an enormous tree, rising so high above that you can't see the top of it. The branches at the bottom of the tree are as thick around as your chest. From the leaves and bark of the tree seem to run hundreds of tiny rivers of blood, dripping down to the ground and there absorbed hungrily by the dirt. A quiet young male elf. You find yourself hanging upside down with your feet in a noose! Someone says in xyllic: I'm Pathark the Hand of Death. Someone says in xyllic: And so we shall begin the ritual of renewal. Someone says in xyllic: You, initiate, must forsake your old ways ... Someone says in xyllic: In favour of the ways of Necromancy! Someone says in xyllic: You must give up your soul, mind, and body! Someone says in xyllic: There will be no turning back! Someone says in xyllic: Are you ready to abandon your life for what we can teach you? Someone says in xyllic: Answer me! Yes or no! Someone says in xyllic: Just answer yes or no! You agree to give up your life. > Someone takes a knife, and slices your throat wide open. Your life slowly bleeds away onto the ground. You are now a member of the Necromancers. You died. You can see your dead body from above. Your ghost state allows you to travel 'start'. Someone says in xyllic: Now be reborn, and begin your new life as a Necromancer. Someone mutters strange phrases and makes motions with a blade. Someone drives the blade down into the hanging corpse. You find yourself alive once again. Someone groans painfully. Someone hands you a ritual blade. He then cuts you down from the tree. The quiet young male elf says in xyllic: Go forth, now, and welcome to the brotherhood. The room fizzles before your eyes - and suddenly you are elsewhere. You are standing at the bottom of a stairwell, looking into a torchlit chamber. This appears to be apart of the passages one expects to find beneath a century-old graveyard. Eerie echoes haunt this place, and you do not think that you are the one who caused them. On the floor in front of you is a strange symbol in black. It looks as if somebody burned it into the floor. An archway leads south. There are two obvious exits: south, up. A corpse of yourself. You look at the corpse of yourself. This is your own dead body. The corpse contains: 12 copper coins, 21 gold coins, 21 silver coins, 23 platinum coins, a black metal bracelet with a gem, a black spell book, a black velvet trousers, two black wristbands, a charcoal black gem, a gem, a golden circlet with a pearl, three golden rings, a grey silken tunic, a jewel gem, a large scabbard (with a longsword sheathed inside), a medium backpack, a mithril earring with a gem, a nightblack cloak, a pair of leather boots, a runic staff, a silver earring with a gem, a skull-shaped helmet, a snake suit, three sticks of chalk, a wand of wonder and a wide red-black cloak with the sign of Bhaal. You are a melancholy ancient female elf, presenting yourself as: Zahara, female elf. She looks strangely beautiful with her pale skin, piercing dark eyes and ebony black hair, the indications of a darkelven descent. On first sight, she seems tiny and still very young. Her eyes however reveal a much older age, and seem to muster you coldly and distantly. You have scars on your left leg, right leg, nose, left arm, right arm, left hand, right hand, left cheek, right cheek and abdomen. You have a tattoo on your forehead, resembling a flame of black colour. You are tall and skinny for an elf. You look pretty. You are in good shape. You are extremely alert. You are totally naked. You are carrying a ritual blade. You shiver. > You hear a rumbling sound from above. You get 12 copper coins, 21 gold coins, 21 silver coins, 23 platinum coins, a black metal bracelet with a gem, a black spell book, a black velvet trousers, two black wristbands, a charcoal black gem, a gem, a golden circlet with a pearl, three golden rings, a grey silken tunic, a jewel gem, a large scabbard (with a longsword sheathed inside), a medium backpack, a mithril earring with a gem, a nightblack cloak, a pair of leather boots, a runic staff, a silver earring with a gem, a skull-shaped helmet, a snake suit, three sticks of chalk, a wand of wonder and a wide red-black cloak with the sign of Bhaal. > There is a magic overload as two magic symbols come together. You wear the snake suit on your torso, abdomen, left arm, right arm, right leg and left leg. > You wear the black velvet trousers on your left leg, right leg and abdomen. > You wear the grey silken tunic on your torso, left arm and right arm. > You wear the nightblack cloak on your torso, abdomen, left arm, right arm, left leg and right leg. > You wear the wide red-black cloak with the sign of Bhaal on your torso and abdomen. > You wear the skull-shaped helmet on your head. > You wear the black wristband on your left wrist. You wear the black wristband on your right wrist. You wear the large scabbard (with a longsword sheathed inside) on your abdomen. You wear the silver earring with a gem on your left ear. You wear the medium backpack on your back. You wear the mithril earring with a gem on your right ear. You wear the golden ring on your left finger. You wear the golden ring on your right finger. You wear the pair of leather boots on your left foot and right foot. > You don't have a weapon 'staff'. You put 12 copper coins, 21 gold coins, 21 silver coins, 23 platinum coins, a black metal bracelet with a gem, a gem, a golden circlet with a pearl, a golden ring, a jewel gem, a ritual blade, three sticks of chalk and a wand of wonder into the backpack. l You are standing at the bottom of a stairwell, looking into a torchlit chamber. This appears to be apart of the passages one expects to find beneath a century-old graveyard. Eerie echoes haunt this place, and you do not think that you are the one who caused them. On the floor in front of you is a strange symbol in black. It looks as if somebody burned it into the floor. An archway leads south. There are two obvious exits: south, up. A corpse of yourself. The symbol of your guild has been burned deeply into the floor. > s From this large room, twisting passages lead into odd directions. Walls, floor and ceiling are made of smooth black rock and covered with engravings. It is apparent that special care has been taken to decorate this room. Still, the walls appear to be crooked, and none of the corners are properly orthagonal. Archways lead north, south, east and west. There are eight obvious exits: east, north, northeastup, northwestdown, south, southeastup, southwestdown, west. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Now, look around. You say in zida'ya: Seems I made already my first mistake ... > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Take your time with the learning. > The tall skinny male elf asks in xyllic: Which was? You say in zida'ya: I took my things from my corpse. Including my staff. You are blushing slightly. > The tall skinny male elf looks at you. The tall skinny male elf asks in xyllic: You destroyed it? You nod sadly. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Well, the blade can be replaced. The tall skinny male elf points south. The tall skinny male elf skips south. You nod solemnly. > s This is a small, cubic room, only dimly lit. The room's only feature is a window on the south wall, through which you can see several rows of shelves that hold an assortment of items. A thin man briefly looks up at you from behind the window, but quickly returns to a book that he reads by candlelight. You can get a ritual blade here. Somehow, you find it odd that he doesn't worry about his shop being stolen from... An archway leads north. There are two obvious exits: east, north. A tall skinny male elf. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Just get your 'item' here. A male voice screams loudly. A ritual blade is handed to you. You look at the ritual blade. This is a curved, sinister-looking blade made from a strange dark metal, which feels cold to the touch. It is the ritual blade for necromantic magic - strange runes and designs are carved into the blade and hilt. You know that you need this ritual blade for many of your spells. It is in prime condition. You thank the tall skinny male elf. You say in zida'ya: Thank you very much... and... > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Now, you will open your eyes and ears about news of any kind. You nod understandingly. You ask in zida'ya: Will we meet again? > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: May they be connected with His followers, His enemies or other things. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: We will. You ask in zida'ya: May I know your name...? You smile curiously. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: If you have any news, you may contact me through that stone. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Ishadel. You nod solemnly. You say in zida'ya: the black gem... You look at the charcoal black gem. This is a small, charcoal black gem with a rune on it. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: You have probably noticed a sign on your forehead. You say in zida'ya: yes.. so it will be hard to keep my new studies secret. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: You may hide it, if you don't want to show it in public. You say in zida'ya: oh. You smile relievedly. You hide the sign. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Well. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: One more thing. You nod respectfully. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: In the beginning, I will not allow you to learn of summoning demons. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: So stay away from those spells. You say in zida'ya: Very well. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Any further knowledge you will have to earn yourself now. You ask in zida'ya: The spells are contained in books? > You hear a soft sound like footsteps moving east. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Ah. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: I will show you. The tall skinny male elf invites you to join his team. Your leader is now the tall skinny male elf. > The tall skinny male elf skips north. From this large room, twisting passages lead into odd directions. Walls, floor and ceiling are made of smooth black rock and covered with engravings. It is apparent that special care has been taken to decorate this room. Still, the walls appear to be crooked, and none of the corners are properly orthagonal. Archways lead north, south, east and west. There are eight obvious exits: east, north, northeastup, northwestdown, south, southeastup, southwestdown, west. A tall skinny male elf. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Things changed here, recently. The tall skinny male elf skips east. A strange assortment of books litter this place, and it looks as ifnobody has tried to sort them. The room is not very large, and notvery full either, but most of the books seem to be based on a veryspecific few topics. A small paper is tacked up with what looks likea small bone. An archway leads west. There is one obvious exit: west. A tall skinny male elf. The tall skinny male elf skips west. From this large room, twisting passages lead into odd directions. Walls, floor and ceiling are made of smooth black rock and covered with engravings. It is apparent that special care has been taken to decorate this room. Still, the walls appear to be crooked, and none of the corners are properly orthagonal. Archways lead north, south, east and west. There are eight obvious exits: east, north, northeastup, northwestdown, south, southeastup, southwestdown, west. A tall skinny male elf. You stand in a small, circular room. The roof and walls are made from faded wood that looks to have never seen paint or polish. The floor creaks in several spots when you step on it. All about this room there is the smell of must and old books. The only light comes from a low- burning torch by the doorway. A small sign is placed on the wall. An archway leads east. There is one obvious exit: east. Two Bookshelves and a thick set of shelves. A tall skinny male elf. You look at the Bookshelf. This is a wooden shelf with a sign attached to one side. Number Title Author 1 Of the Creatures of BHAAL A Wanderer in the Darkness > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Here, you find some knowledge in form of books. You nod understandingly. The tall skinny male elf skips east. From this large room, twisting passages lead into odd directions. Walls, floor and ceiling are made of smooth black rock and covered with engravings. It is apparent that special care has been taken to decorate this room. Still, the walls appear to be crooked, and none of the corners are properly orthagonal. Archways lead north, south, east and west. There are eight obvious exits: east, north, northeastup, northwestdown, south, southeastup, southwestdown, west. A tall skinny male elf. You say in zida'ya: What a big place this is... > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: It is. You hear a soft sound like footsteps moving south. You emote: Zahara looks impressed. The tall skinny male elf skips southwestdown. The walls and ceiling of this passageway are made of rough, uneven rock. The walls are slanted toward each other, looming over you in a threatening way. The floor is also made of rock, but it is smooth enough to walk on comfortably. There are three obvious exits: east, north, northeastup. A tall skinny male elf. The tall skinny male elf skips east. The walls and ceiling of this passageway are made of rough, uneven rock. The walls are slanted toward each other, looming over you in a threatening way. The floor is also made of rock, but it is smooth enough to walk on comfortably. An archway leads north. There are two obvious exits: north, west. A tall skinny male elf. The tall skinny male elf skips north. The walls of this woom are covered with clumsily cut lead plating. It is cold here, and all sounds appear to be somewhat dampened. On one wall, you can see a small sign. The only other object of note in this room is a huge book, which lies open on a large tabletop. It is old, yet looks well-cared for. An archway leads south. There are two obvious exits: portal, south. A tall skinny male elf. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Ah. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Here is the rand tome of the Art. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: You can list the spells you may learn here. You say in zida'ya: ah. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Remember one thing: The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: The spells of nature and healing will now be more difficult for you. You say in zida'ya: I know. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: They will take more place in your mind. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: After all, they are unimportant. You say in zida'ya: I will forget them I think. > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: The spells of this tome here will implant in your mind immediately. You say in zida'ya: oh. That sounds convenient. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are a member of the Necromancers. You are currently researching Necromancy. You are allowed to study 218 hours in the necromantic library. Your title is demon Emperess Your knowledge of the Great Art of Necromancy is: 30. Your knowledge of Summoning magic is: 102. Your knowledge of Mind magic is: 103. Your knowledge of minor arts: nature 102 illusion 102 healing 102 manipulation 102 heat 102 energy 102 Magic is flowing unsteadily here. Magical energies streams strongly out of this area. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Any more questions? You say in zida'ya: I think not for now... > The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Good. You smile thankfully at the tall skinny male elf. > The tall skinny male elf forces you to leave the team. The tall skinny male elf says in xyllic: Serve me and Him well. You say in zida'ya: You will not be disappointed. > The tall skinny male elf snaps with his fingers and vanishes in a puff of dark smoke.