Dull Talisman - Ashrim relic in GemStoneIV

twisted dull black talisman


The colors of the world around you bleed away, leaving only blackness to rush in to greet your vision.  Along the blanket of darkness, tiny emerald fragments begin to twinkle into existence like diminutive viridian stars amid the night sky.  Soon, the specks of green light slowly gravitate together, crawling across the darkness to move within but only inches apart.

The emerald shards of light gradually merge like bright celadon puzzle pieces, finally fitting together to form a glowing green sphere against the backdrop of night.  Suddenly, a spark of azure energy comes to life within the sphere, churning and twisted about wildly.  The green orb flashes with an intense emerald light then descends rapidly, falling through the air as it plummets to the ground.

An elf stands defiant upon the long shore, gusts of wind twirling about him violently, causing his aquamarine robes to flap wildly around his slender form.  His eyes glow with a brilliant emerald light, a color to match the flawless green orb he clutches tightly in his hands.  The sounds of war erupt in the distance, slightly muffled by the stinging rain and wind.  The dark forms of ships appear in the distance, but are soon torn asunder as they come under attack from rival ships or violent waves.

The elven wizard's body is bathed in an emerald glow, originating from the orb he hoists up into the air.  Black clouds thicken overhead, their nebulous forms expanding quickly and extending out into the sea.  Brilliant, jade lightning arcs across the bottom of the clouds, periodically splitting off to strike at the black ships approaching the shore.

Suddenly, a streak of fire snakes in from the side, striking the elven mage's leg and causing him to lurch forward.  Flames lick along the mage's side, while wisps of smoke trail up from his robes.  He frantically swats at his clothing, putting out the fire but dropping the green orb in the process. As he turns to face his attacker, he notices the black longship that has somehow made it ashore.  Marching purposely toward him are two dark-robed Faendryl.  The mage shouts in disbelief as a host of demons fan out like a wave behind their dark elven masters.

The elven mage reaches down for the green orb, but it is too late.  Another bolt of flames strikes him in the chest, causing him to fall back, gasping heavily for breath through scorched lungs and blackened ribs.  He reaches out desperately, extending his finger to just barely touch the surface of the green orb.  His cry is pitiful, a death rattle resonating from his seared throat.

Suddenly, the green orb explodes into a brilliant display of emerald light and a huge wave comes crashing along the shore, engulfing the body of the Ashrim mage.

Verse 2:

The colors of the world around you bleed away, leaving only blackness to rush in to greet your vision.  Along the blanket of darkness, tiny emerald fragments begin to twinkle into existence like diminutive viridian stars amid the night sky.  Soon, the specks of green light slowly gravitate together, crawling across the darkness to move within but only inches apart.

The emerald shards of light gradually merge like bright celadon puzzle pieces, finally fitting together to form a glowing green sphere against the backdrop of night.  Suddenly, a spark of azure energy comes to life within the sphere, churning and twisted about wildly.  The green orb flashes with an intense emerald light then descends rapidly, falling through the air as it plummets to the ground.

A human, hunched over to display the bumps along his gnarled back through his ratty and rotten clothes, mumbles incoherently as he rocks back and forth, cradling a green orb in his grimy hands.  His eyes twitch, glowing with a faint green hue.   The few strands of grey hair that cling to his discolored scalp whip back and forth as he nervously glances between strange sounds echoing off the cavern walls of his small cove.

The waves lap loudly before him, rushing in from the sea, rising almost to his feet before moving back out of the cove.  The man continues to babble, awkwardly shifting where he sits as he engages in a muffled dialogue with the orb.  He suddenly falls silent, looking up to the entrance of the cove where the form of a ship begins to take shape against the ocean fog.  He tightens his hold on the orb and scrambles backward, shrinking against the wall.

From the watery pool of the cove rise four cloaked forms, each clutching a wicked dagger between their teeth.  The man's orb begins to glow brightly, its emerald light illuminating the cove.  The four men approaching cautiously step up out of the water, their mismatched and ragged clothing soaked.  One of the men steps forward, gold teeth grinning beneath his bushy black beard.  The other invaders follow his lead, slowly circling around to encroach upon the man.

The man tears up his back against the rocky cavern wall as he tries to inch away without success.  He suddenly lifts the green orb before him and bellows loudly, his scratchy voice reverberating off the rock walls. The green orb suddenly expands, burning away the man's hands, and floats out before him.  Emerald light ripples throughout the cove, and as the ocean tide comes pouring into the cave, engulfs everyone within.

Verse 3:

The colors of the world around you bleed away, leaving only blackness to rush in to greet your vision.  Along the blanket of darkness, tiny emerald fragments begin to twinkle into existence like diminutive viridian stars amid the night sky.  Soon, the specks of green light slowly gravitate together, crawling across the darkness to move within but only inches apart.

The emerald shards of light gradually merge like bright celadon puzzle pieces, finally fitting together to form a glowing green sphere against the backdrop of night.  Suddenly, a spark of azure energy comes to life within the sphere, churning and twisted about wildly.  The green orb flashes with an intense emerald light then descends rapidly, falling through the air as it plummets to the ground.

A huge krolvin steps out onto the quarterdeck of his massive crimson ship, his mismatched red and yellow eyes scanning the onslaught before him.  Torrents of wind and rain rush violently over him, tearing at his long azure cape as he lets loose a raucous bark.  His ship shifts from side to side, rising and falling with the powerful waves rippling across Darkstone Bay.

He looks on as a host of his krolvin warriors engage a group of adventurers on the main deck, their forces becoming blurred among the rain and chaos of battle.  They are but featureless silhouettes, shadowed by the black storm clouds above.  The krolvin warlord runs his slender fingers along the green orb, calling forth bolts of emerald lightning to strike out at his enemies, blasting them across the deck or overboard into the waves.

A battle horn suddenly pierces the commotion of the conflict, soon answered by the rally cries of the invading adventurers.  The warlord snarls with fury, the white hair along his shoulders bristling despite the downpour.  Piles of krolvin warriors clutter the deck, more added by the second.  Having vanquished his army, the rush of adventurers turn their eyes to the warlord, swarming across the deck toward his position like an army of ants.

The adventurers soon have him surrounded, many swinging blades and axes of steel, while others hurl bolts of fire and lightning.  The krolvin warlord cackles wildly as the wall of air surrounding him reflects each strike harmlessly.  Despite his victorious cry, one figure moves in closer, striking forth with a sleek longsword, its black blade effortlessly passing through the wind barrier to strike the krolvin in the gut.

Unexpectedly, the green orb burns away the krolvin's hands, rising up from the corpse to churn among the dark clouds.  Huge waves crash into the ship, sending the adventurers into the bay, while gale force winds begin to tear the vessel apart.  The emerald orb expands in the sky, shifting and turning before it explodes, a mix of green and azure light rippling across the sky before a massive tide destroys the crimson warship.

Verse 4:

The colors of the world around you bleed away again, once more replaced by a landscape of darkness.  Among the blackness, tiny slivers of emerald light blink into existence, before once again pulling themselves together as a whole.  The green sphere forms in the sky, small at first, before gradually gaining in size.  Azure light sparks within the green orb, dancing about like lightning in a bottle.  The orb then flashes with a blinding green light before plunging to the ground.