Bandeon and Marcella talk orclach worldviews, then duty calls

Marcella

*after a lot of tells back and forth about orclach-ness, I invite Bandeon to meet me in person*

Bandeon tells you, "Ye assure safe conduct?"

You tell Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian, "By my honour as an ur'Marshal."

Bandeon tells you, "Teleportin'."

You feel a slight tug within your chest and the air around you sparkles with motes of bright light.

You sense Bandeon pulling on the strands of aether surrounding you.

Among the sparkling motes of light, a translucent figure appears in the air and then quickly solidifies as Bandeon comes into view.

Shrine of Orlachmar.Imagery of death is eminent on the walls of this large chamber, intermingling with symbols of power and strength. In the center of the room is a large statue of Orlachmar, the Elder God from whom orclach are descended. A variety of offerings have been left at the foot of the statue, including food, gold, weapons, corpses, jewels, and other loot that the ur'dead inhabitants of the catacombs feel honor the power of their God. Growling in rage, this ur'dead shock trooper looks about with disdain. Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian is here. He wields a claymore of purified steel with both hands.

You see a single exit leading north (open door).

In formal greeting, you say, "Arn anatar, blood of my blood."

An ur'dead shock trooper exclaims, "Hail!"

look ur'dead

Armored in only lightweight leather and studs, this undead orclach soldier was trained to be fast, exceptionally strong, and resilient to damage. His armor is painted with strange white runes, some form of orclach that might protect him from damage. Long black dreadlocks hang down from his head, and the fierce tusks protruding from his mouth add to his ferocity. He carries with him a rusty battle axe covered in black orc blood.

An ur'dead shock trooper appears to be extraordinarily strong.

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Greetin's ta ye as well."

look

Shrine of Orlachmar.Imagery of death is eminent on the walls of this large chamber, intermingling with symbols of power and strength. In the center of the room is a large statue of Orlachmar, the Elder God from whom orclach are descended. A variety of offerings have been left at the foot of the statue, including food, gold, weapons, corpses, jewels, and other loot that the ur'dead inhabitants of the catacombs feel honor the power of their God. Growling in rage, this ur'dead shock trooper looks about with disdain. Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian is here. He wields a claymore of purified steel with both hands.

You see a single exit leading north (open door).

[ (v6299) @ the Ruins of Shallach, {destination} ]

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "So. Ye wanted ta speak in person. Well, we both be 'ere."

You nod solemnly.

Bits of stone and plaster crumble down from the ceiling overhead.

You say to Bandeon, "What you said earlier indicated that you still had respect for Urlach. Is that true?"

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "I've respect fer Urlach, aye. It would be foolish ta nae 'ave respect for 'im. His tactics were... perhaps nae savory, but in times o' strict wars fer survival... ye use what resources ye can."

You say, "My feelings exactly. It is a great war for survival that seems to repeat itself in cycles. The Gods cast out those who would use the elixir to become more able to fight the Soulless, and then lost the war, fleeing the First World and leaving mortality to die screaming in the slavering maws of our foes - until the Vernal God was invented, and much the same occurred - the limitation of power by those like Dionamus resulted in a very, very close victory. Thanks to the art of the Avenger, anyway."

You say, "It seems to me that there are always those who would hold back the war effort over some kind of moralistic issue. And succeed. What are your thoughts about that?"

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Sometimes... survival nae be worth the cost o' ye victory. Look at yer gods, now. Do ye honestly trust tha' Fain or Morgfyre view ye as anything more than a tool, ta be consumed after it's served it's purpose? Orclachmar was the only god who took the Elixer who used it fer the benefit o' all, and nae jus' himself."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "I think tha' be the model any o' our race should live up ta... an' I find tha' the Splinterin' o' the Elder Gods was nae a loss, but... perhaps the only road ta true victory."

You say, "I agree. My body hangs from the northern gates for suggesting something to that effect. I suggested that Magnagora go and research Climanti - the Ice Spears, a weapon capable of harming Gods empowered by a nexus. I suppose some people took offence when I mentioned my motivation was 'in case the Legion goes mad and tries to devour us.'"

You say, "I have never seen the point in consuming the First World to find the power to defend the First World."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Neither 'ave I, but I see much o' the methods o' Fain an' his kind in yer city."

You say, "Is that so? I am told that Fain went to great lengths to gather the loyalty of the ur'Guard - discovering Lord Urlach's artifacts, unearthing these catacombs, bringing us the Bone Helm forged by Klangratch. He showed us the respect due."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Aye? ye've read the histories, I can tell. Can ye name me a time when Fain did somethin' tha' benefitted anyone but Fain?"

You say, "I suppose that would be when Fain placed His trust and devotion in His love - but that was long before anything we speak of."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Aye, but since takin' the elixer? Ye be trustin' a snake an' his brood, an' sooner or later it'll come back ta bite ye."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "... An' frankly, tha' causes me sorrow. Most o' me blood be in ye city. I nae want ta see ye wiped from the Basin out o' a focus on Urlach, an' nae a focus on Orclachmar."

You say, "I suspect Fain is dead - at least, there is no one in recent memory who can recall ever seeing or hearing from Him, even years before I went through the Portal of Fate."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Ah. Ye be quite a bit younger than I. Nae noticed it before."

You say, "Urlach did what had to be done at the cost of His own divine integrity, the ultimate sacrifice of his very being, and passed down His legacy to His chosen ur'Guard. The oldest guild in the basin with the strongest legacy, of being a vanguard against the Soulless. These catacombs above which we stand were used to save millions of lives by relocating people from the path of Soulless assault, as one example."

You say, "Like Urlach, I am willing to sacrifice even the fabric of my soul itself if it means we will have one more weapon to beat back the eternal hunger of the Soulless."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Aye? An' what part do the wars in the Basin play in ye world view?"

You say, "Orlachmar feared His new instincts as a weapon of war. Rightly so. It is a constant battle that all who take the energy for themselves must endure. That is why the motto of the ur'Guard is "Discipline empower me." Through a tempered spirit and strength of mind.."

Somewhere below your feet, you hear the wailing of thousands of trapped souls.

You say, "The city of New Celest, much like Dionamus, much like Meridian, wishes to annihilate the Basin's only hope for survival. The motives are noble, but the vision is short-sighted and blinded by the idealistic teaching of the Light. We will need more than ideas and hope. We will need weapons, lots of them, and a culture built upon love is a culture that is not exactly conducive to creating strong warriors."

Bits of stone and plaster crumble down from the ceiling overhead.

You say, "I will not see history repeat itself in the present age. To do that, we must eliminate or convince the threats to our existance to stand together with us."

Nine orbs of energy form about you, each equidistant from its neighbors. A glowing arch of divine energy jumps from one to another until a perfect ring is formed. Sweeping inwards, the ring of energy collapses about you before lancing skyward in an arch of light.

With a glare that could kill, an ur'dead knight of Shallach enters from the north.

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Ye nae think so? Why do ye figh'? Ta survive for yeself, or ta protect the Basin? I figh' fer the people I care about... even those o' ye who have chosen a path I dunnae care fer. Fightin' fer ye existance... aye. I've always said it is nae a good idea ta try ta wipe out the Taint, it's nae possible."

An ur'dead knight of Shallach departs to the north, sinking into the darkness.

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Weapons are nae as important as the hand tha' wields them..."

Darkly, you say, "I have ceased attempting to care about people. It has always betrayed me. I content myself with looking solely at the greater pictures, now."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Then ye 'ave lived a life o' great pain, an' I am sorry fer ye."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Past experience, though, nae be a good indicator o' future events."

You say, "Magnagoran culture has always derided those who would fall under the Taint's influence as unworthy of any great responsibility, or respect. It is a curious thing."

You say, "They say that the Taint is the true judge of inner character. Those who are weak of soul and mind, who are unfit to fight, are mutated into horrible creatures, or slum-dwellers with three legs, or given other disfiguring attributes."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Yet they seek ta spread it ta the whole Basin, an' war against those would resist the influence o' the Taint..."

You say, "Those who manage to take something so base as excorable energy and weave their bodies a thing of beauty from it are invariably the most magically adept."

You say, "That is why many Magnagorans wear masks - either to conceal their power, or to conceal their lack of it."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Aye... well, in me life, I've learned tha' somethin' ye feel the need ta conceal might nae be somethin' ye should embrace."

You say, "It is the difference between the mindlessly devouring Gorgulu and the sharp-minded Luciphage."

You say, "Baalphegar says that moderation is key, as well - that too little excorable energy is not enough power to be useful, while too much would unmake us entirely and leave us wrecked."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Perhaps... but the line be a thin one, an' I nae trust tha' any mortal... or e'en Divine be able ta judge it accurately."

You say, "Well, it tends to be our belief that if you 'came out pretty' you had just about the right amount for you."

Your eyes sparkle with amusement.

look bandeon

He is a menacing orclach and no longer stands the seven feet he was used to. He is beginning to bend with age. the formerly black hair now white and pulled back with a rough leather cord. The face is weathered and scarred, but the same twinkle of amusement lingers in the ice blue eyes. His frame is still powerful, but it is obviously past it's prime. He is wearing a thin turquoise band, a durable emerald green pack, 2 star-etched sapphire rings, a star-etched jade ring, an etched pearl ring, a battle-ready shoulder scabbard, a star-etched amethyst ring, an elysian suit of white scaled fullplate armour, a winged greathelm of the elysian, a star-etched coral ring, a white leather rain cloak and soft, dark brown suede boots.

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Aye, an' ye chose yer amount, or ye lucked inta it?"

You say, "It was a matter of experimentation for me. I took it quite slowly."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Look at yer slums... e'ery one o' those poor wretches, besides bein' a bein' in pain, is wasted resources fer the war against the Soulless... an' all lustin' after power tha' be so hard ta control it's pretty e'en chances whether ye end up a god or a monster."

You say, "Zvoltz said something similar to me. That He believed He could do more with a larger group of mediocre individuals than with a small group of superior ones."

Somewhere below your feet, you hear the wailing of thousands of trapped souls.

You say, "But it seems to me that, in our histories, it is the small groups of gifted people who tend to make all the difference."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Perhaps, but ye ne'er know which o' the masses IS the gifted person."

You say, "Well, that's why the Taint is so helpful in sifting the gold from the chaff."

An ur'dead shock trooper twirls his axe about in his hands.

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "An' the sufferin' o' everyone who is nae lucky enough ta survive it? Who could at least 'ave been some kind o' shock troop, with enough trainin', instead o' a worthless wretch beggin' fer scraps?"

You say, "Would it have been worth it to try and train that man, to devote resources to their arming and equipping and tutoring, who would not be as apt for the arts of warfare as others? To instead funnel all of the effort towards those who are innately capable of it and would ascend much further given more attention than the wretch could ever have dreamed of in his mediocrity?"

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "An' if the wretch got in a lucky blow? Sometimes throwin' a mass o' men at a problem be more effective than one trained man."

You say, "Well, that's what we have the mindless undead raised from any old corpse to do, if we require fodder for the mill."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Aye, an' they be jus' tha', mindless. They only be as good as their general, cannae improvise or react quickly ta a changin' battle."

You nod your head slowly in understanding.

You say, "I have always enjoyed conversing with those who do not agree with me. It can give me new perspectives on things I have not considered. We shall require ever better generals, then. ...or a way to make better undead. There's one skeleton we've trained to pilot a large ship all by himself, after all."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "... ye trained a skeleton, who has nae eyes nor brain ta pilot a ship."

You say, "Yep."

You say, "He even takes toll and puts it in the city treasury."

You say, "Fifty gold one way."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Hrm."

You say, "Captain of the...Black Reaver, I believe."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Interestin'.... I always be findin' it odd how many orclach be nae the hulkin' brutes the Basin thinks we are, but more... curious."

Amused, you say, "Was not Lord Urlach a master mage, who rarely took up arms?"

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "True enough. I suppose we be rare, an' orcs be plentiful, an' such the perception be changin'"

You say, "Aye. Too rare."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Yer not the first ta ask me why I serve Celest."

You say, "Fertility like a krokani's."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Aye, seems like."

You say, "Isune told me I reminded Her of a 'young Raezon', once."

You say, "'All idealism and with an answer for everything'. I don't particularly feel very idealistic, but...it's somewhat of a compliment, I suppose."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "I used ta serve Lady Isune, actually..."

You say, "Interesting."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "It was a long time ago, in the dawn o' the modern era."

You say, "Why? I have found the Elder Gods, who almost invariably fled the Basin of Life and forfeited their Dynara-given inheritance to the Soulless, fully expecting it to be devoured and unable to predict the emergence of Vernal Gods...troubling."

You say, "I dislike the fact that they have crawled back to a First World that they didn't think would still exist expecting worship and praise from mortality, who succeeded where They failed."

You say, "The only ones who I reserve judgment on for that cowardice are those Gods who were trapped or cast out. And I'm still negative about Morgfyre. Never having met Fain, I've been reserving my judgment, but Raezon seems harmless and helpful enough."

Bits of stone and plaster crumble down from the ceiling overhead.

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "I was younger an' a bit more idealistic than I be now. An'... while I nae agree with yer choice o' words, aye, I find those tha' fled ta be expecting far too much from those o' us who stayed. I also find it tellin' tha' none o' the returned Gods 'ave splintered."

You say, "I am actually experimenting with Yomoigu the Pyresmith's order. He was a god who worked on the elixir but ceased when the Council ordered it stopped."

You say, "I brought the Spear of Klangratch to him - the name's misleading, it was made by Urlach as a gift - and He said the worksmanship was equal to Clangorum's and ordered to know who made it. He was surprised when I told him it was the Vernal God Urlach. Completely, in fact."

With a glare that could kill, an ur'dead knight of Shallach enters from the north.

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Interestin'"

You say, "He said that his Pride had stopped Him from even considering these Vernal Gods as capable of equalling His own...species. Of gods."

You say, "And that He had a lot to think about. It was very gratifying to me, as such a devout follower of Urlach's beliefs."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "I personally 'ave decided tha' servin' any Divine be a bit... silly. They jus' be us, magnified in both faults an' virtues."

You nod solemnly.

You say, "It is the matter of what we can do for each other, I think."

You say, "Divine truefavours are very empowering, and they do...something with the essence we offer, I'm not sure exactly what."

An ur'dead knight of Shallach departs to the north, sinking into the darkness.

Somewhere below your feet, you hear the wailing of thousands of trapped souls.

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "Aye, no one is."

Grand Templar Bandeon Culhain, Light's Guardian says, "'owever... I've enjoyed our discussion, surprisingly, but I 'ave things I must attend ta."

You nod solemnly.

Amarok arrives from the north.

A muscular wyvern glides in from the north on his ebony bat wings.

Amarok leaves to the north.

With a flap of his ebony bat wings, a muscular wyvern glides off to the north.

You say, "Perhaps we could speak further at a future time. I have taken pleasure from your company."

You say, "I need to go warn that Serenwilder to keep his filthy paws off the ur'Dead here anyway."

Your eyes sparkle with amusement.

Amarok arrives from the north.

A muscular wyvern glides in from the north on his ebony bat wings.

Amarok leaves to the north.

With a flap of his ebony bat wings, a muscular wyvern glides off to the north.

*travelling*

Bend overlooking a chasm.The wide stone path clings tightly to the natural wall in this open space. A deep chasm spreads below, providing an easy death with just a simple slip. Mounted on the jagged wall are several torches that brightly illuminate the area as the walkway curves from the contained catacombs to the diamond of Ur'lach. An ur'dead knight of Shallach stands here clad in spectral armor that radiates darkness. With charcoal eyes, a muscular wyvern with ebony bat wings prowls around here. Ranger Amarok Cu'Sith Lyala's Brave is here. He wields a golden totemic rapier in each hand.

You see exits leading southeast and west.

Amarok wildly jabs a golden totemic rapier at an ur'dead knight of Shallach. Amarok jabs him, driving his rapier deep.

Amarok has scored a CRITICAL hit!

An ur'dead knight of Shallach exclaims, "My spirit will rise again to destroy you!"

An ur'dead field marshal grunts loudly, raising his axe as he scans his surroundings with a malicious glare.

guild enemy amarok

Please adequately explain why you are doing this.

Kalnid

I object to the notion that the slumdwellers are wasted resources.

Marcella

I'd like to hear your reasoning as to why