Changelings part I: 27 Charity Street

[VAN]

Catherine turns to face the others and says:

"Well, I don't know what is going on with the sword and all but I'm afraid the only way to get an answer is to keep going. Till now everytime the sword's owner show weakness or failed to kill us he commited suicide. I also noticed the King's sudden change of behavior when I looked at the sword. It was then he got in that strange rage that was similar to what happened with the other fighter at the snow before. So if when we cross that door come to another strange place with someone having the sword better we keep low profile and not look directly at it. Of course this means it will be really hard to take it, but guess we have to make a plan about that at the spot. Now if there aren't any objection I think we should cross that door."

[steveflam]

Gorn nods and tries to open the door.

[alhoon]

M: "But the first one died when Gorn crushed on him, not made a suicide. It seems the sword is quite vicious, like the stories we heard about it."
F: "Helfried, I think we can safely assume that the warrior dies when he or she "disappoints" the sword or something, either by compulsion to... make a suicide, or by the sword itself in a kind of accident as in the case of Gorn crushing on the first warlord in the village battle."

M/F: "I would say that the second enviroment with the primitives was again of a certain culture similar to the one in the village battle, but I would seem to me that it was more "advanced" in terms of society. So I guess we're finding out the owners by a certain timeline and the second owner was after the first. Can't be sure though.
Judging by the fact that the sword is in a very modern part of the world while we're finding it in posession of very primitive cultures so far, I guess there are several more instances in the sword's history we have to go through."

[VAN]

"Oh great...more weird situations...But I think you are right Seradon."

Catherine looks at Gorn while he is trying the door.

"I doubt you can listen anything Gorn, just cross it I haven't found any traps there so it should be rather safe."

[BigBadQDaddy]

a look of concern shadows over Helfried's face in contemplation of Saradon's words. "If what you are suggesting is true, then taking the sword would be folly. It would just be a matter of time before it turned on one of us or instilled the holder with a blood thirsty rage.
"We may need to find a means of destroying it without wielding it in our...timeline, you said?"

[alhoon]

Seradon takes a moment to think
F: "No, I didn't say that but it sounds about right Helfried, you should consider a career in the Radiant tower of yours. Or some position of military advisor in the arcane forbidden and occult arts.
Yes, I agree that the sword would turn one of us, probably the wielder, on the others and I agree that perhaps if we destroy it in a different time-line we would be safer. Of course, since when the owner dies we are kicked out to the weird basement of the house, destroying it in a different timeline would be ... problematic.
Also, I doupt the guy that bought you this nice house and "arranged" for us to be thrown here by magic would take kindly if we destroy his toy. Yes, perhaps he just wants us to destroy the sword but there are more polite ways of offering us the job."

M: "Helfried and I consider it's possible that the sword will try to take over one of us with the weird bloodlust, probably the wielder if we take the sword. Helfried thinks and I find it possible, that it would be safer if we find a way to destroy the sword in the past timelines. Mind you I said "safer" not "safe". And of course, there's the part of if the owner dies or disappoints the sword, we're kicked out."

Seradon turns to Helfried
F: "Helfried, I think Gorn's strength and his chain would be invaluable in stealing the sword. Perhaps you can hit it with the mace once he rips it off the owner? No, I don't think that would be enough to break it but it never hurts to try."

Then he turns to Gorn:
M: "Gorn... you're strong and handy with this chain aren't you? The next instance we're thrown to, could you try to use your chain to get hold of the sword, once the owner gets in the bloodlust?
Remember, whatever happens Do not pick up the sword! It may mess your mind!"

[kintire]

The door is heavy, but well balanced on its hinges. Gorn has to strain to get it moving, but once it begins to swing he can keep it going with little trouble. Beyond, the tunnel opens up into a chamber, quite wide but low, with what seem to be stores and crates around. On the far side of the room is a box. it is unmarked, but its shape and dimensions mark it as a coffin. Lying on it is a number of bundles, wrapped in decaying cloth.

As the group steps in to the room, however, they find themselves elsewhere once more.

They are in another chamber, with a similar floor width to the first, but much higher. Much of it is dark, but not far away there is a forge, shedding red light across the floor, hard edged against deep shadows. Sparks fly from a hammer falling onto a bar of glowing metal, the sparks lighting up the face of the smith. He stands some four feet tall, but mightily built with broad shoulders and thick arms. He is bearded, but the beard is lank and hangs limply. His eyes are sunken and shadowed, and his skin seems pale and waxy, although the harsh red light makes colours difficult to see. After another ringing blow, he lowers his hammer and slowly looks up. As he does so, the group can see that his eyes are not merely sunken: they are gone, leaving two black holes in his face.

[steveflam]

Gorn exclaims "Hey, he ain't got no eyes! Whut tha.....????" He is already unwrapping his chain, slightly unnerved by the odd man.

[BigBadQDaddy]

Helfried gives an astonished look to Saradon. "If we are in fact following the swords timeline than this could be its creation..." His voice trails off. "We may have a chance of stopping it's forging."

[VAN]

"Hulna said that sun's light destroy the sword and I think we should try that when we finally get it. I totally agree that the whoever keep it needs to be very careful and with great willpower to resist to the rage and the mind tricks the sword will play."

When they see the bearded man with no eyes Catherine says in low voice so only her companions can hear:

"Holly Ezra, what is going on here again. He uses the hammer without been able to see! Better stay back and wait to see where is the sword and maybe we can try to steal it. At least he isn't a warrior!"

[kintire]

The figure by the forge gives a dry, dusty, rhythmic wheeze that might be laughter. If so, it carries little mirth: a cold and cynical noise. He speaks, his voice at first a thin cold sound, but swelling to a low rumble as if recovering from long disuse. he lays down the glowing bar, which may be a sword in its earliest form, and levels his eyeless pits at the group.

"No warrior? I suppose you'd say that, would you not? But many and many will die by my hand, all the same. Many and many..."

He sets the glowing bar on the anvil once more and rains blows upon it with marvellous skill and accuracy, before thrusting it once more into the forge as its glow begins to slacken.

"I will never lift a weapon in anger. But death will flow from my hands that would make the hardest warrior weep. Death and treachery, curses and furies, battles and challenges, massacres and murders..." he pauses for a moment, with a sudden cold smile "curses and vengeance. All from me"

[steveflam]

"Warrior?," responds Gorn. "Hey, maybe yer be blind with no eyes 'n' all, but I be a so-called warrior 'n' so is Helfried. Mebbe yer should be checkin yer eyes or somethin, pal." Gorn by now has unwrapped his chain and is twirling it in the air, like a helicopter. ready for action.

[alhoon]

Seradon stays back, trying to pierce something out of his knowledge to understand what's happening and if the bling guy/spirit will hit them with a curse. In the end, he just says
F: "Perhaps. But that guy that makes a cursed sword can well place a curse on us. Gorn doesn't seem to mind, so ... let's wait for him to attack first."

[VAN]

Catherine stays at the back of the group not sure what to do, her hand is close to her gun though.

"Why do you want to do such a powerful weapon? Do you want to get even with someone? Do you know how much pain will cause this sword? Or this is what you trully want?"

[kintire]

He stares at Catherine, his face slack. He is dead: you can all see that now. But the eyes are still strange - black pits that seem to shimmer as the sparks jump from the glowing metal.

"I do... did? Did not want to make such a weapon. I was forced... captured..."

His voice trails off and for a moment he almost looks wistful: then his face twists into a smile of pure malice, and he almost radiates hatred

"But once I did, vengeance was mine. Vengeance! Vengeance!"