Ridding the Chaos Taint

Iaeum, a distinguished thrall says in Mhaldorian, "I am only a mere servant at
your disposal, Viceroy Xer."

You feel a tug at your earring as its mate is summoned.

========== Hasar arrived by earrings! ==========
[here - Hasar (1)]

Hasar vigorously spins a crystal egg, and it begins to hover in the air.

Hasar vigorously spins a perfect crystal sphere, and it begins to hover in the
air.

Hasar makes a forceful gesture and some crystals embed themselves into the
ground.

The Council Chambers of Mhaldor (indoors).
A comforting feeling of privacy pervades the area. A runic totem is planted
solidly in the ground. Dressed in courtly clothes, the slave Iaeum stands nearby,
 quill and scroll in hand. A sigil in the shape of a small, rectangular monolith
is on the ground. Lying flat on the ground is a key-shaped sigil. A brass
thurible lies here. A small pyramid rests on the ground, marking the spot.
Romping playfully around is an inquisitive bear cub. A noble hippogriff flaps
its wings in agitation here. A stubborn mule wanders about here, nosing at the
ground. A black marble table sitting upon a bold crimson velvet rug is here.
There are 2 dark brown pine chairs with a covering of crimson satin sitting next
to a black marble table here. A bold crimson velvet rug is spread out here.
Jurixe S. Nithilar is here, sprawled on the floor. She wields a fierce two-
tailed whip in her left hand and a serrated dirk of cold steel in her right.
Cleric Hasar Lichlord is riding on a stubborn mule. He wields a sinister staff
with a strange orb in his left hand and a blackened cavalry shield with ivory
accents in his right. You may ENTER SUBDIVISION from here.
You see a single exit leading north (closed door).

A pleasant harmony wafts by.

Hasar ceases to wield a blackened cavalry shield with ivory accents in his right
hand.

Hasar begins to wield an eye sigil in his right hand.

Hasar throws a sigil at the ground which bursts in a flash of light.

Hasar chants a brief spell and a flash of revealing light floods the room.

Undisturbed by the sudden commotion, Jurixe slumbers on, still as stone.

(Party): Hasar says, "Hm..."

(Party): Hasar says, "Could try to re-dress the wound, while checking on it. Her
wrist, I mean."

Hasar steps down off of a stubborn mule.

A stubborn mule begins to follow Hasar obediently.

A noble hippogriff obediently falls into line behind you.

(Party): You say, "Aye, go ahead, let me respond to this tell quickly first."

You have emoted: Xer lets out a soft sigh.

<redacted>

You nod your head at Hasar.

Hasar withdraws a long, strip of gauze. He kneels down next to Jurixe and slowly
unwinds the scrap of bloody fabric around her wrist. He scans the wound,
hesitating.

Incredibly, Jurixe's wound is still trickling a slow stream of blood, albeit
sluggish. Blackened, dried blood encrusts the place where the bandage once
wrapped.

Hasar gingerly winds the fresh cloth around her wrist, before standing up slowly.
 He moves to the thurible and relights it; adding incense, as a smoky haze
slowly overcomes the room.

(Party): Hasar says, "Well, there's that. The pyrmaid marker is still on her
chest, and has slowed the..taint. But we still have to think on how we are to..
fully cleanse her."

You have emoted: Xer rubs a hand through his hair while pursing his lips
thoughtfully.

A small gremlin appears, negligently throws a parcel at you, then disappears in
a puff of acrid smoke.

(Party): You say, "One option is to reenact the previous ritual and hope that it
manages to remove the taint."

You tilt your head to one side, rub your chin, and thoughtfully declare "Hrm."

(Party): Hasar says, "The previous ritual?"

(Party): Hasar says, "The one that I originally did with her?"

(Party): You say, "Aye, but I don't think ultimately that would help."

(Party): You say, "At this stage."

(Party): Hasar says, "Right."

(Party): You say, "Repeating rituals tend to have diminishing effects."

(Party): You say, "Much like an form of magical immunity."

(Party): Hasar says, "It would not truly make sense, either."

(Party): You say, "Aye."

(Party): You say, "So the Chaos taint in her... blood? Is that the crux of the
problem?"

(Party): Hasar says, "I believe so."

(Party): Hasar says, "I am not sure if..leeching from her, would help. Perhaps
it could."

(Party): Hasar says, "Or, well."

(Party): Hasar says, "We have to provide some sort of catalyst for a cleansing
of her inner-body."

(Party): Hasar says, "It will be rather painful, as it will be feel as if fire
is travelling in her veins, essentially."

(Party): Hasar says, "But I think it is unavoidable."

You have emoted: Xer nods his head slowly at Hasar.

(Party): Hasar says, "I could adjust the usage of a holocaust bomb."

(Party): Hasar says, "And we could open a hole in her other arm."

You tilt your head to one side, rub your chin, and thoughtfully declare "Hrm."

(Party): Hasar says, "And, well, we'd likely have to pay homage to Evil,
pentagrams, and some blood."

(Party): Hasar says, "Or, well.."

(Party): Hasar says, "We could make her drink some sort of concoction."

You say in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "That might work. I believe cleansing
the area with a Banishing pentagram first would be best, and then some of own
blood should suffice for that aspect."

(Party): Hasar says, "Very well. What do you need me to do?"

Hasar nods.

Hasar ceases to wield a blackened cavalry shield with ivory accents in his right
hand.

Hasar begins to wield some altar bells in his right hand.

You say in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "I can cleanse the area on my own.
However, the rest, you are more likely to be familiar with."

Cleric Hasar Lichlord says curiously in Mhaldorian, "The rest, being?"

You say in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "The cleansing of her body, as well as
the concotions. Was there more that you believe may help?"

Cleric Hasar Lichlord says thoughtfully in Mhaldorian, "I was going to drink
heavily, but I decided against that."

You have emoted: Xer raises an eyebrow.

You say in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "I do have some alcohol on me."

Hasar waves his hand dismissively. "A small joke. Ignore it. Let's get on with
the banishing."

You nod your head emphatically.

You say in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "I'll start by cleansing this area
with the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram."

You say in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "Unto Evil, The Kingdom."

You have emoted: Xer touches his left shoulder with his left hand.

You say in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "And The Power And The Glory!"

You have emoted: Xer touches the center of his groin with his left hand.

You say in Mhaldorian in a quiet voice, "To The Ages, Amen."

You cease wielding an ornate steel rapier in your right hand.

You begin to wield an obsidian dagger in your right hand.

You have emoted: Xer turns to the west. With his dagger in hand, he draws a
pentagram on the ground in his blood. He then turns it into a Banishing Earth
pentagram by stabbing the lower left vertex and carving out a gouge towards the
its highest point.

You say to Hasar in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "Feel free to start on your
preparations, while I finish this off."

You have emoted: Xer turns to the south. With his dagger in hand, he draws a
pentagram on the ground in his blood. He then turns it into a Banishing Earth
pentagram by stabbing the lower left vertex and carving out a gouge towards the
its highest point.

You say in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "Adonai."

You have emoted: Xer turns to the east. With his dagger in hand, he draws a
pentagram on the ground in his blood. He then turns it into a Banishing Earth
pentagram by stabbing the lower left vertex and carving out a gouge towards the
its highest point.

You say in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "Ye-ho-wau."

You have emoted: Xer turns to the north. With his dagger in hand, he draws a
pentagram on the ground in his blood. He then turns it into a Banishing Earth
pentagram by stabbing the lower left vertex and carving out a gouge towards the
its highest point.

You say in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "Agla."

You have emoted: Xer extends his arms in the form of a cross, raising up his
palms towards the heavens and closes his eyes.

You say in Mhaldorian in a solemn voice, "Before and behind me is Sartan, the
Malevolent One."

You say in Mhaldorian in a solemn voice, "On my right hand, Suffering."

You say in Mhaldorian in a solemn voice, "On my left hand, Oppression."

You say in Mhaldorian in a solemn voice, "And in this Column doth stand that
Truth of Seven Aspects."

You have emoted: Xer touches his right shoulder with his right hand.

You say in Mhaldorian in a solemn voice, "Unto Evil, The Kingdom."

You have emoted: Xer touches his left shoulder with his left hand.

You say in Mhaldorian in a solemn voice, "And The Power And The Glory!"

You have emoted: Xer touches the center of his groin with his left hand.

You say in Mhaldorian in a quiet voice, "To The Ages, Amen."

You have emoted: Xer once again stands still, the cleansing ritual completed as
a chill wind settles over the room.

The candles flicker and dim for a moment, before their flames resume their
steady burn.

You say to Hasar in Mhaldorian in a quiet voice, "It is done. This area should
be cleared of any external presences, Chaotic, Good, whatever you can think of."

You say in Mhaldorian in a quiet voice, "Hopefully it will allows us to work
without anything interfering."

You cease wielding an obsidian dagger in your right hand.

You begin to wield an ornate steel rapier in your right hand.

Hasar nods. "Alright, then." He brings out a simple, wooden bowl filled with a
strange liquid. It appears dark-blue, and is seemingly swirling on its own. He
turns to you. "This is from..the North. When consumed, it will feel as if there
is acid in the veins; I tried it. It has a..connection with Chaos, which I hope
we can control. Add your blood to the bowl." - With that, he swiftly cuts at his
wrist; crimson blood flowing into the bowl, before he steps back, giving a nod,
his visage unusually pale.

The liquid churning slowly in the bowl begins to turn a light shade of violet as
the streaks of red blood become absorbed within.

You have emoted: Xer makes a slit over his wrist with his rapier, and holds it
over the bowl, allowing red droplets to fall and mix into the solution.

You have emoted: Xer grimaces as he carefully retracts his arm, watching as the
wound heals and the bleeding clots.

The violet hue intensifies, and the mixture seems to swirl a little faster - not
in any one direction, but any which way.

Hasar throws his hands up, a twisting spire of fire appearing before him; a
mishapen efreeti suddenly forming. He makes a dramatic spin, leaping into the
air - his staff centers at the efreeti's heart, firing a stream of crackling
electricity. The efreeti bursts into ashes, the dusty ashes strangely pushed by
movements in the air, sifting into the bowl.

As the ashes trickle into the bowl, the mixture darkens noticeably, continuing
to swirl in chaotic patterns within the bowl.

Raising his front paw to his eyes, an inquisitive bear cub inspects his claws.

Hasar gingerly lifts the bowl up, and pours roughly half of it into a large,
clear vial. Carefully, he shifts towards Jurixe - he pours the rest of the
strange concoction onto the pyramid upon her stomach - the pyramid immediately
absorbing it. Moments later, the pyramid begins to hiss, steam, and shake as it
increasingly grows in temperature. He kneels next to Jurixe once more, gently
handling her head, lifting it up to the clear vial. He murmurs at her, lifting
the vial to her lips, but not yet pouring it.

Jurixe gives no sign of being affected whatsoever by any of the developments,
her eyes still closed.

You tilt your head to one side, rub your chin, and thoughtfully declare "Hrm."

Tiny wisps of steam spiral upwards from the trembling pyramid, converging with
the hazy air.

Hasar glances hesitantly at the pyramid, before he turns his attention back to
Jurixe. "If you can..hear me, then now is the time to fight. Push all of the
taint in your body into the pyramid. The liquid will..help." - He takes a deep
breathe before steadily pouring the unknown substance into her mouth, adjusting
her body to accommodate the movement, his eyes betraying a sense of nervousness,
as he scans her.

Nothing happens for a moment - then Jurixe's body seizes up violently, choking
and convulsing in the middle of the pentagrams as her body reacts to the
concoction.

Her fingers curl and clench deep into her palms as Jurixe arches and bucks
erratically, her head falling back against the stone floor. Miraculously,
however, the pyramid remains on her stomach.

The pyramid upon her flares red-hot and then ice-cold, seeming to shimmer and
flicker as it turns completely clear - and black again.

You frown and say to Hasar in Mhaldorian in a quiet voice, "It doesn't appear to
be enough. We'll have to continue to force the cleansing of the taint."


(Order): Sartan's Herald says, "A shrine is being defiled at Alcove in the
forest!"  (26471)  (Xhaiden Dale)

(Mhaldor): You say, "Shrine defiling in Alcove in the forest. Neither myself or
Minister Hasar can deal with it at the moment."

Jurixe says in Mhaldorian in a hissing, sibilant voice, "I need...we need...this
girl..."

The room suddenly seems filled with the echoes of many sibilant voices,
reverberating wildly around the room until the words are almost indecipherable.

Hasar attempts to steady her haphazard movements; forcing her to finish the
entire vial. He narrows his eyes in concentration, staring into hers.
"Concentrate. Jurixe. Look at me. See me. Rid yourself of this damned Chaos."
The last of the vial seeps into her mouth, as he glances warily at her. He
winces, the voices bouncing around the room.

You say in Mhaldorian in a harsh voice, "You need nothing, but to begone from
here, and from -her-."

Jurixe screams, then, arching impossibly until she is almost bent double, the
cracking of bones and joints audible as the archaic concoction wreaks havoc with
her body.

Jurixe says in Mhaldorian in a hissing, sibilant voice, "You fools! Think you...
to control -Chaos-?"

Jurixe says in Mhaldorian in a hissing, sibilant voice, "You will...not take her.
..from us..."

The pyramid flickers wildly, changing colour and density as fast as a roulette
wheel spins, first flashing clear, then rainbow-hued, then black again.

Jurixe says in Mhaldorian in a hissing, sibilant voice, "She is weak...she is
weak...you let more Chaos into her and she will be...His..."

The voices whisper as one, and you feel a pressure in the back of your skulls,
some eldritch thing trying to exert its influence.

You have emoted: Xer shakes his head in an effort to brush off the pressure.

Hasar picks up a set of altar bells; repeatedly ringing them, and rapidly
uttering in a guttural tongue. He raises his other arm, sending lash after lash
of fire towards the pyramid; a sheen of sweat growing on his body, as the room's
temperature increases and he continues his assault. He wavers briefly, before
shaking his head violently, insisting upon his attacks; the lashes of fire
licking around the pyramid.

An inquisitive bear cub emits a faint growl, yawning widely.

Jurixe screams again and again as she thrashes in a desperate attempt to get
away from both the pyramid and the bells, her voice cracking on the last; the
colours in her eyes wavering and flickering as the pyramid burns her. The
cacophony of sound in the room is deafening, drowning out almost all conscious
thought.

Jurixe says in Mhaldorian in a hissing, sibilant voice, "Order...will not reign,
puny servants of Evil..."

You say in Mhaldorian in a harsh voice, "Chaos will forever tremble before Evil,
as all shall walk in fear before Lord Sartan."

You have emoted: Wincing, Xer shields his ears with his hands, as he continues
to gaze at the pyramid, willing it to vanish.

Suddenly, Jurixe's body goes completely still even as the pyramid glows red-hot,
and her head tilts back an almost impossible angle to stare directly at you.

Jurixe whispers in Mhaldorian in a hissing, sibilant voice, "She will never be
free of us...never!!"

Jurixe screams in Mhaldorian in a hissing, sibilant voice, "IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE,
 SOLDIERS OF ORDER?!"

Jurixe screams in Mhaldorian in a hissing, sibilant voice, "IS THIS...HOW YOU
SEEK...TO BRING STRUCTURE TO THE PURE GLORY..OF HIS OBLIVION?!"

Blood begins to bubble up from Jurixe's lips, spilling from her mouth onto the
ground. Upon her stomach, the pyramid wavers again, but this time seems to stay
clear for just a split second longer.

Hasar tells you in Mhaldorian, "We should touch the pyramid. Together. Rather
soon."

Guttural songs of unholy worship waft and wind throughout Mhaldor as the
daemonic chorus rehearses in the cathedral.

Hasar steps to the pyramid, nodding at you. He takes a deep breathe, before
placing his paws onto the pyramid; the metal scalding his flesh, steam emitting
from the contact. He grits his teeth, his body shaking, as he channels all that
he has into this effort.

You have emoted: Xer nods his head back at Hasar, and kneels down, placing his
hands on the pyramid, wincing as the heat and pain sear through him.

Jurixe writhes even more wildly, struggling with all her effort to escape from
their grip, tossing her head from side to side so hard that she strikes it upon
the ground a few times.

The smoke in the room begins to swirl and churn above the Mhun, forming a vortex
above your heads.

Jurixe screams in Mhaldorian in a hissing, sibilant voice, "CHAOS WILL NOT BE
THWARTED! CHAOS WILL NEVER-!"

The pyramid burns so hot that the heat is almost unbearable, searing through
your flesh and causing any part of you that touches the pyramid to turn black.

Hasar grips the pyramid more harshly, and begins to yell a rapid spell, a
swirling red globe forming above the pyramid, gaining energy as his spell
progresses. He snarls viciously, his paws burning horribly.

Even as Jurixe screams in clear, desperate agony, the pyramid turns
completely clear. Something dark begins to coalesce within the pyramid, churning
and swirling in agitated fury.

Hasar tells you in Mhaldorian, "..at the last second, stab the..center of the..
globe, I cannot..it will trigger it, and then..tackle me. Bring us away, as far
as..possible."

Hasar tells you in Mhaldorian, "It will detonate on its own, soon. It must be..
now. Soon."

You tell Cleric Hasar Lichlord in Mhaldorian, "Under...stood."

You have emoted: Xer tightens his hand on the pyramid, chanting a song of Aria
around himself. With a burst of strength, he desperately stabs the pyramid with
his song-blessed rapier.

The pyramid explodes in a violent burst - sending crystal shards flying
everywhere around the room.

Hasar cries out in pain, the sudden explosion flinging him to the other side of
the room, his body slamming heavily into a wall.

The sinister presence churning in the midst of the crystal prison is instantly
funnelled upwards by the swirling vortex, straight into the heart of the globe.

You have emoted: Knocked back into the wall, Xer slouches over as he shakily
raises himself off the ground.

Outraged, sibilant voices continue to hiss barely audible threats and scream
violent insults from the midst of the globe as it spins rapidly.

You tell Cleric Hasar Lichlord in Mhaldorian, "I'm... going to stab the globe."

"Fools of Order, your reckoning will come...Chaos...will...return..."

You have emoted: Xer raises himself off the ground, leaning heavily on his
rapier.

Hasar weakly lifts his paw up; and grips it into a fist. "Burn." - The globe
begins to spin faster, and he glances to you, nodding. "N-now."

You have emoted: Summoning the last vestiges of his strength, Xer rushes towards
the globe and stabs it through the center, a high piercing note echoing through
out the chamber as the rapier makes contact.

For the last time, the globe explodes in a rush of flame and sound, enveloping
everything in the room.

The heat is so intense that you feel it sear your hair and skin, burning up the
bits closest to the conflagration.

Disembodied screams echo in a distorted cacophony around the room, growing
higher and higher in pitch, causing blood to pour from your ears.

Just as abruptly as it started, the room grows dark again and the screams fall
silent, until there is nothing left but eerie silence.

Hasar falls to his knees, keeling over, swearing softly, his body beaten and
bleeding. He groans a bit, lightly shaking his head.

Shards of crystal rasp against the stone floor as Jurixe shifts slightly, a
hoarse groan emanating from her cracked lips.

You have emoted: The effects of the Aria finally over, Xer also falls to his
knees, breathing heavily as he looks over at Hasar and Jurixe.

Jurixe whispers in Mhaldorian in a weak, hoarse voice, "...wh..ow..."

You say to Jurixe in Mhaldorian in a harsh voice, "Nagara-."

You roll your eyes.

Hasar edges slowly towards Jurixe, every painful step a struggle. He gathers a
small vial of water, lifting it to her lips. "Drink. It is water. You are....the
taint is gone."

She is a mhun. Dark hair the shade of a raven's wing has been haphazardly bound
into a long ponytail with what looks like a small barrette, the ends brushing
her back just below her shoulders. A few black tendrils escape here and there to
frame an angular face with high cheekbones and an aquiline nose, the dark
strands especially startling against her deathly pallor. Large eyes of a light
grey hue are framed with long black lashes, looking dull and bereft of life. Two
long, wicked scratches run down one side of a pale cheek, appearing like a
recent injury. The set of her pale, bloodless lips is generally impassive,
betraying no emotion. Wound around one pale wrist is a scrap of blackened,
crusty fabric, continuously dripping with some blood-like substance. Dried
streaks of blood and larger bloodstains mar her pale skin, the most obvious
being the rivulets of dried blood upon her forearms.
She is wearing:
 a twisted platinum torque,
 a blackened leather anklet,
 a gleaming silver arrow earring through her left ear,
 2 earrings of Sinope through her right ear,
 a bright gold escarbuncle pin,
 a small brazen hair dagger,
 a silvery-grey silk handkerchief,
 an obsidian and ivory headhunter's medal,
 an iron belthook,
 a corseted stygian dress with ebon lacing,
 black leather gloves with a folded cuff,
 a suit of scale mail,
 a stygian wrist sheath,
 a pair of eagle's wings,
 a dragonskin quiver,
 a shadow-dappled cloak of black and grey, and
 a simple silver necklace

You whisper to Hasar in Mhaldorian in a harsh voice, "Are you certain?"

Jurixe chokes a few times, but manages eventually to swallow a few drops as she
blinks a few times, looking half-dazed.

Jurixe whispers in Mhaldorian in a weak, hoarse voice, "Tis...gone? I feel...as
though I was trampled by Penwize's herd of eagles.."

You have emoted: Xer laughs weakly.

Jurixe raises a limp hand to her forehead, and you notice the wound - while
still present - no longer bleeds.

Jurixe whispers painfully in Mhaldorian in a weak, hoarse voice, "..ugh. I don't.
..remember. Aught. Monsters..and Chaos..and then you both.."

Jurixe whispers in Mhaldorian in a weak, hoarse voice, "But...tis...over?"

Cleric Hasar Lichlord says distantly in Mhaldorian, "Yes. I hope so."

You have emoted: Xer nods his head slowly.

Jurixe shuts her eyes, exhaling slowly.

You say in Mhaldorian in a weak voice, "Indeed."

A stubborn mule paws the ground.

With the last of her strength, Jurixe whispers just one sentence.

Jurixe whispers in Mhaldorian in a weak, hoarse voice, "Thank you...both. I owe
you...my life."

With that, Jurixe closes her eyes and lapses back into unconsciousness.

Hasar collapses prone, groaning. "Well, that fucking hurt. I am glad it is over,
though." He glances to you. "Thank you."

You have emoted: Xer nods his head at Hasar.

You say dryly in Mhaldorian in a weak voice, "Naga Jurixe has always been a
staunch supporter of Evil. This is but what is expected of servants to Evil."

You say in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "I believe she should be safe here."

Hasar nods.

Cleric Hasar Lichlord says in Mhaldorian, "I am going to rest, as well. Perhaps
I will return to the North, incase I need make..more preparations."

You say in Mhaldorian in a silvery voice, "In Strength then, Cleric."