[RP-PvE/PvP] The Astral Keys

Argent Dawn
1

“The rondel was slick with blood. Slick with satisfaction. Slick with catharsis. I wont be ignored. I wont be belittled. Not even by them. Not by my most cherished. Especially not them. Not any more.”

Ironforge

Within the vast archives and libraries of the Hall of Explorer’s is a rather small and unassuming journal, the small book looks very out of place among the much larger encyclopedia’s. grimoire’s and ledgers.

“The expedition was like any other - find and inspect our mark. Assess the historical value. Assess the danger of the mark and whether it should be hauled in secrecy. We were to collect it and return, before the blasted Reliquary caught wind of us like the leeches they are.

The mark was in the Desolace. It wasn’t hard to find the ruins; they stick out like a tall gnome. It was quiet and easy work, with shovel and pick we excavated for several weeks. The dirt was hard and the hours long, but we uncovered the tomb.

<There is a quick sketch of the tomb, presumably by the writer’s hand.>
<https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/384698470470254592/548879060424720396/unknown.png>

However, we were halted there. We couldn’t find a way to get within and the locks were too complex for us to open. Instead, we began deciphering the hieroglyphics but before we could finish, blasted centaur found us. We were only a small group and couldn’t fend them off, and so we fled north to Nijel’s Point before abandoning the expedition.

Prospector Coppersunder’s journal, April 7th - Year 30.”

Silvermoon

Among the stacks and shelves of books within the Reliquary’s headquarters is a neatly folded letter. It’s wedged between a book on tol’vir architecture and troll history. Of all things.

"Dearest Faraiel,

You were right all those months ago. There were signs of dwarven interference at the site in Desolace, we found abandoned tools and several corpses. I am sorry for doubting you on the tomb’s existence. You were very much right. Thankfully the ineptitude of our shorter lessers has ensured the tomb remains sealed.

By the looks of it the dwarves couldn’t get in, there are scratches across the face of the tomb were I am lead to believed they had tried to forcefully gain entry. They obviously didn’t have the resources to decipher the writing upon the stonework. I myself could not pick the trio of locks that bind it shut and even then I felt hesitant to open it. Why would a tomb be locked in the first place?

My investigations here are complete and I long to see you again, perhaps you can finally convince an Examiner to organise an expedition here? Regardless I now speed south-west to Shadowprey Village for a ship.

I will see you soon.

Love Vor’nallon ~ January, Year 32."

The Tomb

The stonework is a smooth marble. It has seemingly resisted the passage of time. beyond some minor damage from previous attempts to gain entry it looks remarkably new. Three large palm-sized keyholes are interspersed with ancient highborne glyphs that read as follows:

“Though I struck you with the fatal blow, I took the weight of your crimes and hid them at the sapling. Your brutality will drowned by the tears of giants and forgotten.”

“Your icy heart was devoid of all it meant to be highborne, within these crystalline pillars we leave you to be forlorn for eternity.”

“You gorged on your own hatred. I cast your memory out and down. May it reside in a winter of ages past, here even the frost wont whisper your name.”

The last known location of the keys and who carries them:

1 - Claimed by a goblin, last seen heading from Feralas towards the Desolace; Jalbert.

2 - Claimed by a duo of Highborne: Aelor and Thyasa.

Last seen in in Crystalsong Forest.

3 - Claimed by two “golden men”.

So, Aerilen, friend… buddy, old pal. What the hell is all this?

For a while now i’ve wanted to do something like this, something that harkens back to some form of a classical adventure with a Warcraft twist. So here it is, a rather slow-burn and semi-long term kinda thingamajig in a similar vein to the old Heavenstones hosted by Jaccon + co.

It has a focus on individual characters rather than guilds, this isn’t really intended to be some sprawling series of events (I don’t have faith in my own organisational or DM skills enough to cater to large crowds). I am aiming for this to go on for several months, and if it goes well there -will- be sequels.

Please use this thread for stories/updates and so on.

So, I cracked one of the riddles… what now?

Simply contact me in-game on Aerilen or my Discord (Aerilen#1785), if your answer is right then I’ll DM an event for your collection of a key after we manage to organise a date for the event. They will be claimed on a ‘first come first serve basis’ if the answer is correct.

What I expect from people who possess a key:

Please post frequent updates within the thread, as you can guess from the description of the tomb. They’re not just keys you can shove in your pocket or forget about after leaving them in a bowl. They are large and… unique, to say the least. They -will- attract attention.

On the topic of RP-PvP and competition:

I’m not going to be moderating RP-PvP, if people wish to forcefully take a key from someone (be it from their own faction or the one opposite) then inevitably RP-PvP will come into it. However, if people are consistantly being obtuse and being a detriment to the overall story (this goes for OOC antics) then they’ll simply be removed.

I have a two-step program for drama. One wrong step you get a warning and on the second is a firm boot to the rear; all I genuinely expect from people is co-operation and being able to play nice™.

When will this be starting then?

This coming monday - 25/02

Also I would like to thank Telthion for the wonderous sketch supplied to me of the tomb, thank-you!

Additional Q+A from the masses:

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2

You forgot the keys, didn’t you?

3

Oof… The safe’s key is not working?
…
…
Whatever it is, sounds epic<3

6

Did I? :wink:

OP has been updated!

7

You just gotta love that kind of server-wide initiatives.

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That Key was broken…

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9

Interesting! I’ll make sure to keep an eye out for this!

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10

Aerilen is actually supplying content…

Better thank me for the alt upvotes :dagger:

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11

I ain’t good enough at words to solve any but one riddle. So back off that one, folks.

12

Ah yes, this will be a fine addition to my collection.

13

Great initiative, looking forward to see what develops from this!

14

All the keys will be mine… you will all bow to me for them

15

I have my :eyes: on this.

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That’s right folks the gates are now open for answers! Please be aware that:

You can only select one key to go for at a time, and please make sure you’re 100% on your answer as I wont take another one for roughly 24 hours; to give other people a chance!

The actual IC location of the tomb is this:

https://gyazo.com/110b9cd07b2b086af487dedffe42c507

And the In-game graphic to represent it that looks nothing like Coppersunder’s artwork is this:

https://gyazo.com/5fa8ecb0ea42d6a87278ae35aa8c543e

Happy hunting!

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17

Aelor walked the paths of Crystalsong Forest in contemplative silence, listening to the ethereal whistle of frigid winds passing through gaps in the petrified trees, lamenting on the aptly named woods that were known millennia ago as Moonsong, home to the splendor of Shandaral, a highborne outpost lost to time.

In it’s heyday, Shandaral was a repository of the highbornes collected artefacts and relics, a library of arcane treasures to be stored away and protected. It seemed fitting then that these forlorn woods would be home to one of the tomb’s three keys. As Aelor approached the ruins, he wondered what was left of the outposts secrets, or if the key was even still there, plundered long ago by mortals or dragons, not recognizing it for what it was.

Despite his waning strength, Aelor climbed the hills surrounding the ruins with ease. He refused to give in to his mounting lethargy, finally feeling his extensive age. While his people were sustained by the great Immol’thar, the loss of the Well of Eternity drove the highborne of Moonsong to other means of maintaining their immortality… and addictions. Shandaral turned to stealing secrets from the blue flight, a mistake that cost them their lives, forcing them to wander the forest as tortured spirits forever, twisted by the explosion of magic that still saturated Crystalsong today.

The ruins were as expected. Alabaster pillars stood without reason to, the roofs having collapsed centuries ago. Marble floors were weathered and chipped, and few walls still stood. They were reminiscent of the dozen other abandoned highborne cities that littered Azeroth, brought low by the passage of time. Aelor searched for a while, before noticing the lithe figure of an elf doing the same. She stood tall and with a purpose that matched his. She was clearly a sorcerer, judging by her robes and crystal-topped staff. Aelor wondered if she was one of the ruins many spirits, guarding her home, blind to the dilapidated state it was in, though quickly realized she was alive as he was.

“I suppose you are here for the same reasons as I?” Aelor announced himself with a question, hoping to catch the intruder off-guard. Rumours of the tomb had spread far already, and many would be struggling to unravel it’s riddles. Not all would be elves with a claim to it’s bounty.
“Perhaps.” She replied casually, clearly not surprised by his presence. “I am Thyasa Danu’serrar.”
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Lord Aelor.” He replied with a smile and a slight bow. The two elves discussed their plans to hunt for the keys, agreeing that the treasures they unlocked belonged to the highborne, and so an accord was struck. They would work together to find them all, and prevent any others from claiming the secrets of the tomb for themselves. That was, of course, if they could find the key they both agreed was here.

The pair searched the area for anything strange, or out of place, until the sun began to dip below the mountains. Despite being trapped in eternal autumn, Crystalsong felt the frozen chill of Northrend all the same, and especially at night. As the light faded, the two elves came upon a small, petrified willow. The crystal tree stood out as unique in this part of the woods, surrounded by living firs, and left alone by spirits and satyrs alike. Inspecting the tree proved fruitful, as Aelor ran a gloved hand over its jagged bark. Something was trapped in the body of the tree, lit from behind by the setting sun. It was silver in colour, the length of Aelor’s arm, and inscribed with beautiful highborne patterns.

“Are you able to shatter the tree?” Aelor inquired, sure they had found what they came for.
“I shall try.” She said, preparing a spell. Arcane magic leeched to her hands from the air as she prepared her incantation. A moment later, a wave of arcane magic sliced the willow like a blade. The elves paused, and after a moment of hesitation, a crack in the tree crawled from the ground up, making it’s way up the tree to the object, revealing a glint of itself. Aelor reached forward, trying to pry their treasure free, though found it wedged tightly in it’s cage. Unable to free it with just his fingers, Aelor slotted his blade in the crevice behind the key, leaning on it with his shield for leverage. As the elf pushed, the top of the key leaned forward, exposed to the world for the first time in millennia, but not without consequence.

“W-what…?” Aelor pulled his blade back. The serpentine sword was older than even him, forged by dragons and enchanted by generations of highborne to absorb and then empower itself with magic it came into contact with. It was a prize by any standard, sealed away in the vaults of Eldre’Thalas until its liberation by the elderly elf. Yet where the blade hummed with magic before, it was silent. The key stripped the blade of layers of enchantment upon touching it, the ancient spells evaporating into the air, gone.
“The key, I think it broke my blades enchantments?” Aelor said in disbelief, on the cusp of rage.
Thyasa watched with concern. “Are you sure the key didn’t just absorb the enchantments? Perhaps we could free them, and fix your sword.”
Aelor used the now-defunct blade to finish the job, finally prying the key free. He held it in his hand, surprised by it’s feather-like weight. He squeezed the key in his grip, trying to sense or feel for the magic stolen from his blade. He found none. Disappointment quickly gave way to curiosity. Aelor lifted the key high, and instructed Thyasa to cast a spell at it. She complied, preparing a blast of arcane, flinging it at his hand. The key did as expected, purging the magic before it could do any harm.

The two elves paused, discussing the potential of the artefact. Aelor looked around the ruins and over the nearby hills, his eyes settling on a treant, a crystalline purple like the forest, imbued and corrupted with magic.
“A second test.” He declared, making his way to his target. Aelor charged the surprised creature, pinning it beneath his shield. As the treant struggled, Aelor pressed the key to its body. The forest’s guardian fell dead, the glow of its eyes gone in an instant. Thyasa watched on with an air of disapproval, though understood what the key had done to the creature. Deciding Aelor would keep the key, and a promise to keep it secret, the two elves parted at nightfall, reaffirming their commitment to the other keys, and the secrets of the tomb. Together they would unlock it.

Thyasa and myself were able to solve the second riddle, and claim the second key from the Forlorn Woods in Crystalsong Forest. The key is about an arm’s length in size, made of a tarnished silver with intricate highborne patterns, and as said above in the retelling of last nights event with Aerilen, purges magic it comes into contact with, much to my sadness. (rip magic blade)

If you’re interested in claiming our key, you’re welcome to contact either of us and we can set some roleplay up. Happy hunting!

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The Highborne reached towards the corpse, fingers outstretched with greed.

The sharp blade of the Sentinel halted him as it pressed against his neck.

I best not, he thought miserably.

The tomb shut with a thud.

As of yesterday one key had been found and claimed from within the Forlorn Woods of Crystalsong Forest!

The riddle to all three keys have been solved and will be collected and in the roleplay world by the end of next week (hopefully).

For those curious the answers were:

1 - Dreamer’s Rest (Feralas)
2 - Forlorn Woods (Crystalsong Forest)
3 - Frostwhisper Gorge (Winterspring).

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This is awesome. Really glad to see folks picking it up, I’m gutted I don’t have any adventure-y sorts myself to throw into the mix. Though I’m half tempted to try and acquire one of these keys by ill-gains now the hard work is done! :stuck_out_tongue:

20

Oh dearest Brother.

Did you truly feel so wronged?

The Sentinel broke. In her grief and her rage she cast her sword into Jademir Lake. Sunlight would never meet the blade again.

A goblin has been seen, slowly carrying a peculiar item on the roads of Northern Feralas. He was heading towards the Desolace, or so a tauren in Camp Ataya claims.

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Everything was heavy. Oh, so heavy. It had just been any other treasure up until now. A few hours ago he’d just been breaking another lock, picking through rotting cloth for something of value and now he was dragging this wicked thing along the ground. Or he had been for the past hour. He hoped that the winds would hide his tracks.

Either he’d picked up some disease in the woods of Feralas, or maybe a parasite. Or maybe the cursed key that had doubled in weight was behind the fatigue and the growing migraine. Whatever it was, it felt like no amount of silverleaf could bring him back from this feeling of faintness.

In the shadow of the bleached bones of an ancient thunder lizard he rested. The last rays of the setting sun made his eyes sting and head pound. This was as good as any place to hide this thing. Not that he could move any further. He sat down to rest. Something on his neck and hip ached, two leeches plump on goblin blood had hid under his jacket, so Feralas had gotten the better of him. Shirtless and illuminated by the moons, he set to digging a deep hole under those bones.

Jalbert’s got himself a key made out of iron, about a forearm in length, that drains your energy the longer you carry it. Jalbert’ll part with it for a high price, just contact me about it :wink:

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I got some navel lint and a piece of string. Deal?