[Story] Path to Divinity

[3BoxesofOrden]

It is the end of an age. The gods are dying and it is time for new gods to rise and take their places. You were born different from your peers, it may have been subtle but there was always something not quite normal about you. Whatever your gift or curse, they separated you from your peers throughout most of your life. It is only now that you learn the truth, you are no mere human but something far more. Within you rests a spark of divinity for the new age. One night you go to sleep in your home and dream...

The dream starts with you alone, surrounded by the void, nothing but silence and darkness. Then a whisper, 'Awaken' and the pounding of your heartbeat. You sense the blood pumping through your veins, the elasticity of muscle, the toughness of bone. 'Awaken...' Your senses extend beyond your skin. You hear the trill of songbirds on the wind. You smell the sweet scent of nectar and dew. You feel the bite of cool morning air. You see the sun rise over a horizon and feel as one with the world, at peace. Then for the first time ever the dream continues past this point where you normally wake up to the dawn. 'Awaken to the new age.'

Welcome to the Arena, the proving ground where you can either grow into your unique heritage and rule an age or fail and disappear as just another unrealized possibility. This is where all game play that does not take place in the actual arena will take place. The characters have woken up in the arena barracks.

[HarpyBane]

Greg pushes himself up from sleep, yawning as he cracks open his eyes and looks around the lit barracks. The bard quickly dons his armor, and takes a few meek swings of his sword before putting it away in its scabbard on his side. I hope the fights can be won with more than just brawn.... He considers the fights to come and idly taps out a few rhythms on the simple hide drum, his eyes looking far into the distance. He remembers....

He remembers all the stories he has learned, of heros and villans, gods and demons, and all their many shapes and forms. He remembers their sacrifices, their triumphs, their screams and tears as they all fought for their destiny...

With a jolt, Greg stops the idle rhythms coming from his drum. This is my story...my destiny. Will my story be told through the ages like so many epics? Or will I simply die like so many unnamed souls wishing for glory? He ponders these thoughts for a few moments, then shakes his head and taps out a quick, brisk few notes, a sort of tune that would make anyone lift their heads a little higher, and bring a slight smile to their faces.

"Well, lets get this started."

[LaydeeD]

Her eyes twitched. Once. Twice. Then opened up, half-lidded and bleary. A tiny silver of grey with tiny undertones of silver could be seen.

*Thump*

*Thump*

Groaning loudly, she tossed about, finally burying her face in the soft white headrest. Frowning and fully aware now, she glanced down at her pillow. White? In that flea-ridden hovel of an inn, she had been sure that had fallen asleep on a dirty cream colored one.

"Well, lets get this started."

She cocked an eyebrow. Not liking the company being kept, she had retired alone to her bedchamber. Sitting up abruptly, she surveyed her surroundings with a frown. Oh yes, this was not one of the Heaving Hen's star accommodations. Her eyes, glancing downwards, met the sight of her weapons and backpack. She relaxed minutely, apparently she was not being left without her defenseless.

Swinging her legs to the edge, she scrutinized the armored human that was up and about. Inclining her head, she greeted him, cooly, "Good morn, stranger."

[BlinkingSpirit]

Jared wakes up gently and stares at the ceiling for a moment... Then he firmly decides to get up and looks around. Hmmm, two others are with him, a male and a female... Then he inspects himself. Arms, legs, head, fashionable clothing... Yup, it's all there.

"Good day, gent, lady." He says as he rises. Jared spends a minute chanting softly, after that minute a large black pantherlike creature appears next to him.

"Shall we make the best of this?"

[HarpyBane]

"Excuse me if I woke either of you up. I was just pondering, as many of all shapes and sizes tend to do." Bows towards each of them, in a deep, practiced bow. "I am Greg. I assume both of you have also been called to this place? Wherever this place is."

[3BoxesofOrden]

A large wooden door opens and a small, robed figure steps in. Welcome, welcome to the arena. Your being here shows you have potential, a divine spark if you will. Did you know it is the end of the universe soon?

[HarpyBane]

"U-universe will end soon? What does that mean?" Greg feels his mind bustle with questions, barely able to restrain himself with just these few. " With those few words, I have more questions than could possibly be answered. Just who are you?"

[BlinkingSpirit]

"Gasp! I dare say that is a bitter pill to swallow! I am inclined to agree with this fellow here, Just who are you and why should we believe you?

[LaydeeD]

As another one of the sleeping strangers, made themselves known, she scrutinized the half-orc in front of her. She glanced curiously at the creature that stayed by his side. Rising from her bed gracefully, she bowed, "Amara Ar'Quar," she turned to the other non-human in the room, "I don't believe I have heard your name clearly."

Busying herself, by strapping on her weapons, she kept an ear out for the bantering conversation, "One ponders best alone and quietly." It had a slight sting to it, she did not appreciate being woken by a drum, after all.

The entrance by small figure person, robed and mysterious, did not got wholly unnoticed. She tensed, her eyes stuck to him, as he spoke, waiting till her companions now had spat out their questions as well. She shrugged nonchalantly, shrugging casually, " I dislike repeating good questions my companions have already asked."

[3BoxesofOrden]

No one of importance, just the messenger. You relax slightly despite yourself as you hear the creature's soft voice and the importance of knowing the creature's identity fades from your mind. As for the end of the universe it is also of little importance. Happens all the time, hardly a noteworthy event. Pausing a moment the messenger continues, on second thought perhaps it does have some significance. It is the reason you are all here after all.

The beings you know as gods are dying and as their existence unwinds they take reality with them. You all are new threads to be woven into the multiverse...woven in or snap under the strain. That is why you are here. This is the arena, a place of tempering where you will either grow from the raw beings you are now into the finest of thread or be discarded as a tangled mess unable to be woven.

OOC, the messenger's identity Your characters have no further interest in the identity of the robed creature. For player information is an entity far beyond mortal abilities.

[BlinkingSpirit]

The half-orc now starts to pace up and down a little as the messenger is of no more importance and turns to his companions.
"Ah, how terribly rude of me. My name is Jared Hellbent... I suppose you could call me Mister Hellbent and only my friends would name me Jared..."
Then the half orc ponders his sentence for a moment...
"I suppose you could call me Jared if you had to..."

He turns around to the messenger again. "So we are to fight to ascend is it then? What rules govern these fights then?"

[LaydeeD]

A tiny sense of contentment came over her frame, relaxing every joint and muscle. Strange that she could even think that such a creature might wish her harm. He wasn't even of much importance. Just a little plain messenger.

Primly, she sat on the edge of the bed crossing her legs and keeping the messenger in her sights. He did not seem overly concerned with universe. Were they all to supposed to stop the destruction?

Her expression never wavered though her eyes widened with incredulity. To take the place of the deities? It was the stuff of legends. How poetic, he made it sound, like a weaving of an intricate tapestry. An ambition that would be the end of all. She salivated at thought of being worshipped, her name on every person's lips. Besides, she doubted that she had any choice in the matter. Her eyes flicked to Greg and the fashion plate halfbreed. "Ah, are we to be competing against one another?"

[3BoxesofOrden]

Possible, possible but not now. Now you fight manifestations of power, creatures from across the multiverse come for futile attempts to protect their dying masters, to eat of your still beating heart and steal your divine spark, or other motives. Come, you must be hungry.

The messenger turns and leaves the room without looking back and disappears around a corner outside the room.

[LaydeeD]

So, her companions were her potential rivals as well. Well, best keep an eye open towards my back, she schemed. As of now, the creatures that were out for their blood sounded more troubling. Let them come, she smirked, they will learn the price for obstructing my path. Without paying heed to the men in the room, she followed the messenger out of the room.

[HarpyBane]

Staying thoughtful and quiet, the young bard follows the elven woman out of the room, chastised for his earlier outburst. He follows around the corner, his mind swirling with thoughts, overwhelmed with what is going on. The gods dying? Us to replace them? Finally he speaks up again, his voice clear and sound, the voice of an orator " Any other beings with this "spark" besides just us three?"