Fantasy Magic's Last Chance

[Sleipnir]

"You must understand, my lord. These 'Warriors' of yours are only children, plucked up by fate and dropped into wilds like nothing they could ever know — surely you can't assume they can fight this?"

"Have faith. What did they have before, Halla?"

"A chance?"

"Their world is not so different than ours. This is their chance."

The world around you is not so devoid of magic as some would have you believe, and it is perhaps those least able to see this magic that need it the most.

What happens, though, when it is the magic that needs the help of the mundane?

Long ago, a circle of magicians created a series of 7 pillars, each of which have a magic stone embedded within. These stones, when activated, absorb magic — enough to drain the whole world of magic. However, these pillars are not so easily accessed. Temples were built around them, with each pillar in the heart and plenty of puzzles and protectors to deter an assailant of these artifacts. Much like the magic and mythic beasts they were meant to impede, these temples are often found in the deepest wild places left in a world where mankind has stretched its reach far and wide: National parks. While man has advanced into modern civilization, the magic places of the world haven't changed with them, isolated as they shoes away and his from the mundane world.

Now, a sorceress is seeking them to drain the world of magic. She has devastated all who stand in her path and the kings and lords of the last magic places left, growing desperate, have come together with their advisors — especially those who practice magic — to find a way to thwart the sorceress. These magicians decided that the most reasonable way to do so was to call upon mundane warriors who need magic as much as magic needs them.

This is the story of those warriors and the magic creatures who accompany them.​

 

[Sleipnir]

Bump

 

[Sleipnir]

Starter Post

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The council had converged.


Perhaps this was the last time it would, Halla thought, for if they failed to reach a solution now they may give up hope. Sorceress Alevina had already reached the first temple and now it seemed that failure to stop her was imminent. "Perhaps we send champions once more," Halla suggested quietly. A hooded man to his right shook his head.


"It failed before."


"The right group of people is all it takes — you sent only fighters with no wits about them. There's more than monsters in those dark places," another said.


Halla casted his gaze to an individual who sat silently across from him. This was the new sorcerer that replaced Alevina. Halla knew him to be a powerful sort, with unorthodox magic and ways. Then he spoke. "I could bring you what you need," he said. "I don't believe they'll be from our realms. But they will be a chance."


King Wyas, Lord of the northern kingdom, frowned, looking at his sorcerer. This was their last chance. "Do it then. Summon them to the gathering room. Halla, you shall guide them."


"Yes, my lord." Halla bowed his head.


"The council is dismissed."


Seven huffed, pulling herself up on the rocks. Lunch break on her third day working in a Kentucky state park and t was heaven. She turned over her shoulder, staring across the landscape below her. She loved rock climbing. She grinned, turning to climb up higher.


Then she slipped.


Seven gasped as she lost her footing, immediately panicking but certain her gear would catch her. Then she wasn't on a rock wall anymore. She looked around, confusion overtaking her at the grand room she was in now. Before her stood a white-haired boy with antlers and deer legs.

 

[LOSTcheeto]

*Being sold from the black market and escaping other humans Vanillix now wanders through town to town covered and always on guard.* As I walk I see mercenaries, merchants, travelers, and all of them are different. Different races, classes, shapes, colors, doing individual things. Watching everyone I find a small place to rest and gather knowledge about this new realm that I had been thrown into without a shred of detail. As for now, I was free but very lost.

 

[AnimusLight]

Garrison Reilen picks up his compound bow and his backpack before leaving his small apartment in Los Angeles. "I'm going out!" he announces to his parents over their current argument. Before they respond to him, he slams the door shut and heads down to the usual alley way where he practiced his archery skills. The bustling streets are filtered out of his mind as he dashes down the sidewalk, passing through many absent minded people heading for work. Gary reaches down to 7th Street; his haven was almost in reach. He almost runs into a business man who's busy on his phone. "Hey watch it!" "Sorry!"


Gary makes it to the alleyway. His feet patter on the pavement, wet from last night's rain. The alleyway opens to a parking lot that hasn't been used in for as long as he could remember. Gary's things that he left here over night is a bit damp from the rain. He frowns at the target board he's been using. This won't last very long; the amount of holes in it plus the rain making it softer will break it soon. He shrugs before taking his position at the marked spot he had. Gary has found an



that he's been practicing for the past few weeks. He thinks he's finally gotten a hang of it. He unzips his backpack and pulls out a quiver full of arrows. He straps it to his side and checks his bow. Gary breathes in, readies his bow with an arrow, and aims-
Knock knock knock


He's startled by the sudden sound, sending the arrow through the darkened window to the right of his wanted target. Gary freezes, wondering where that sound came from. Knock knock knock. He glances around till he spots the door that led into the building he shot an arrow in. Gary approaches the door slowly with puzzlement, "Hello?" There shouldn't be anyone in this building. No one hasn't bought it in years that's why the parking lot wasn't used. Knock knock knock. He frowns before reaching for the door handle, twisting it. It creates a squeaky noise before he pulls the door wide open. "Anyone here?" he asks before taking a step into the dark room. The door behind closes on its own. "What the-?" he takes another step forward. There was nothing to step on; the ground is gone. "Shit!!" he squeezes his eyes shut before landing onto a hard floor.


It didn't even hurt from the large drop. He blinks his eyes open, his bow still gripped tightly in his hand. Gary examines his surroundings. Where in god's name was he? Still in a daze, he doesn't notice the people near him as he tries to comprehend what happened.

 

[Sleipnir]

Vanillix was teleported into the room as well, dropped onto the floor.


"It seems some of my wards have arrived," Halla observed, leaning against his staff.


"What are you? Where are we?" Seven asked.


"A faun. Halla is my name. Welcome to the court of the eastern mountain King, Wyas. What is it you call them — the smokey mountains?" The response was quick and natural.

 

[LOSTcheeto]

has arms crossed and speaks softly..."My name is Vanillix..." Looks around for clues and notes while examining Seven, Halla, and Garrison looking for anything suspicious.

 

[AnimusLight]

Gary turns towards the voices. He stands in a thrown room with a few strangers He clutched the side of his head with his free hand. He's imaging things, he tells himself. A half goat human thing - What did it call itself? A faun? - and an another animal person assured that he is dreaming.


He takes a deep breath while listening to the faun speak. There has to be a reasonable explanation to why his dream was this vivid. Gary pitches the side of his arm, harder when he notices he is not waking up. At least there was someone normal like him here. He's never seen her before; maybe a stranger he passed by on the street that is why she's in this dream.


He says out loud, "This is a weird dream. A weiiird dream." A kingdom? Hah, he's been reading to many fantasy books.

 

[Sleipnir]

"If only it were," Halla replied. "This is, however, very real. Shall I tell you a story?"


Seven stood up carefully, watching the faun as he leaned against his staff. Uncertain, she nodded and said, "...Go ahead, I suppose."


"Once upon a time, there was a kingdom. A powerful one, though it had its problem with rogue mages, in the mountains. Part of its power could be attributed to the council that governed the land. On this council was a powerful sorceress. She was respected universally." Halla turned to look at the stained glass wall behind him. "Then there was an awful accident. Rogue mages killed her husband and devastated towns. She decided, 'If men become monsters when armed with magic, how can they be trusted?' So she determined to take it away. She decided the only way to fix the problem is to take the magic and rule over it herself to protect the word from it." Halla turned back to the people before him. "She won't stop there, no doubt. We need your help to stop her."

 

[LOSTcheeto]

Walks around both Seven and Gary. " Why are magic-less creatures here.... and why do you think this is a dream when... clearly it is not." Runs hands though air and you see almost iridescent fabric. " Looks almost like we are in a fabricated room practical projection."

 

[AnimusLight]

Gary brings his hands up with a nervous laugh, "Wait, you're pulling my leg. I have to defeat a sorceress? This is a funny dream, thinking it can convince me I'm not passed out in the damn parking lot." He looks between the three people still skeptical about his current situation. "Alright, let's say this isn't a dream of some stupid thing I made up because I decided to marathon The Beyonders last night. Just like whatever-you-are said," he gestures to Vanillix's appearance, "I got no magical powers. I would love to help but I'm one man with only a bow." Specially he doesn't expect this to be a run-in-the-mill roleplaying game. Maybe if he died here, he would wake up? He didn't want to test that out though, slightly believing this may not be a dream. The whole situation is overwhelming for the human; magic isn't real right? Vanillix's actions was kind of convincing.


"Okay dream, I'll play hero. Who are you, by the way?" he raises an eyebrow at the normal person like him. She still seemed out of place in this dream, if it is a dream or not.

 

[Sleipnir]

"No projections here," Halla assured Vanillix. He turned his attention to Garrison. "When you don't have magic and you come from a world with no magic, you solve problems differently, no? This is a journey of more than just fighting monsters. There are puzzles and there are traps. You could very well be our last hopes."


Seven frowned, looking at her companion. "Seven, by the way. My name." Then she looked at Halla. "But why us?"


Halla shook his head. "I don't know."

 

[LOSTcheeto]

Sits on ground silently using magic to detect door while listening to all of you. "well since we are all here lets first see where we are.. and see what everyone can do such..who can fight and who can't." Watches and observes the other people to see what is special about each of them. Is curious of the Faun boy, and Garrison.

 

[AnimusLight]

Gary scratches the back of his head, "Puzzles, huh. Doesn't sound so bad though you guys seem smart. Mages have to be smart. The puzzles must be hard if you guys can't solve them." He still believes this is some weird dream but he'll go along with it.


Seven responded to his question; an interesting name he's never heard of. She asks the faun what's also been on his mind. They were specifically chosen for some reason. Gary fiddles with his compound bow in his one hand. He is glad that this decided to join him in this adventure. The thought of loosing it frightened him even if this was a dream. Fortunately, he has his bow and a couple of arrows from the odd fall; it's a comfort really.


When Vanillix mentions skills in fighting, Gary thinks back to the last time he was in a fist fight with a few of the kids in his previous school. She might not be referring to that fighting. Since this is a fantasy, she must mean swords, bows and magic. At least he got the archery down; he didn't think his skill would be used for important means. Gary is confident in his accuracy and power with the bow or else his compound bow wouldn't work for him. He's trained physically - mostly upper body - just to wield one with his highest skill.

 

[LOSTcheeto]

Orbs of air appear and spin infront of you at a bit if distance " shoot them dont worry if you miss ill catch them.."

 

[LOSTcheeto]

Orbs are everywhere in room for all of us to use.

 

[Sleipnir]

"The puzzles weren't designed for our kind to solve," Halla explained. He nodded at Vanillix's idea, then looked at Seven. "Perhaps you ought to have a weapon as well."


"Got an armory?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips.

 

[AnimusLight]

Gary stares in awe at the orbs. This is a first, he thought before readying his bow. He grins, "This is better than my shitty cardboard-cutout! Don't worry about me missing. It's hard for me to miss." He takes a couple of arrows in hand and pulls one back already on the bowstring. The archer takes a deep breath before beginning.


His hands move fast as he's already got the arrow through the first one. The next arrow, if looked closely, seems like it twirls in his hand before being shot into the next orb. Each time he releases an arrow, his bow gives a pleasant sound when the string returns in place. He slows his pace, wanting to practice his reformed shooting style.

 

[LOSTcheeto]

Arrors stick into orbs and then go back to you so you can have the arrows back."very nice. You have speed on your side thats good."

 

[LOSTcheeto]

Thinks about "armory" ...." Well, projection is easy it wont be permanent but I can project a weapon for you to try... so if we get out we can get one. It's good for experiments. What weapons do you want to try?" Uses Air magic and projection to make tangible weapons.

 

[Sleipnir]

Seven paused, thinking for a moment. "Anything. Gimme knives, swords, axes — I'll try all of it," she replied. Halla stood back, prepared to let them get comfortable with their situation before they struck out.

 

[LOSTcheeto]

Projects large racks of about one hundred different weapons and different sizes. Each has the actual weight of the weapon and there is ammo if ammo is needed. Any weapon you can think of including magic weapons are on the racks. " If I managed to forget a type of weapon tell me and describe it and I will project it as well." stands up and removes cloak to stretch ears tail and wings while everyone looks at weapons.

 

[Sleipnir]

Halla wandered over, looking at the rack in fascination. "Where'd you learn this? The magic here is impressive."


Seven grinned, picking out a broadsword first. She tested it briefly, playing with the weight balance, and tilted it in her hands. "Okay... Less weight at the base maybe." She turned to a battle axe. "That one could do."

 

[LOSTcheeto]

Walks around and handles small orbs then makes them float.." I like my books they kept me entertained for 700 years you learn a lot from them. I may not be able to fight hand to hand with them but my magic can do quiet a bit." Makes bow float up and a few arrows and shoots arrows into orbs slower than Garrison but just as accurate. " When I would get bored I would read; Grim-moires, weapon, armor, language any kind of books I could get my hands on." Speaks that sentence fluently in parts in at least 8 different languages from magic realm and non and then translates.

 

[AnimusLight]

Gary watches more of the magic unfold before him. He couldn't help but wish this is real. He agreed with Vanillix; books were like passage ways to knowledge and places, one has never been to. He's read a few books that he applied to his archery but most of it were fantasy books of heroes concurring feats that he can't imagine doing himself. Gary wouldn't admit but that's what pushed him into his love of archery at a young age.


He nods his head in approval at the animal-person's skills. He still didn't know what she was but she did remind him of a fox or those fox creatures in Japanese folklore he's seen heard from friends back in high school. The multiple languages the fox-woman says throw him off; three years of Spanish never did him good. Gary glances over to Seven who has the magic axe in hand. He makes a mental note to himself: Don't piss her off.