The Royals - Part 1 "A Dance with Darkness"

== Preface ==
The following is a record in a series of events taking King Brunswick and members of his royal guard across time and space to another world, where they would encounter allies and enemies of natures unlike those of his own, where magic is mighty and heroes more so.
The events of this saga are not considered canonical with the events of Thrones of VR or other RPs existing within the same canon. 
== Synopsis ==
They opened their eyes. Forty strong, they found themselves in grassy field, atop a cliff overlooking a vast ocean. With the sun dipping westward, the adventurers found few faces among one another could be considered familiar. These people were all strangers to one another, and not a single one knew how they had come about this place. They were all shapes and sizes. Northerners, knights, mages, even Brunswick and his retinue, it would seem. 
Nearly every soul present came from a different world. Enveloped by blinding light, and brought here under auspices yet unknown, they set to work trying to ascertain the nature of their forced transportation to this place. While it was clear they were brought here on purpose, none could say where this place was, save for the uncomfortably quiet nature of it. No bird sang in the sky, no creature skittered across the ground. Only a small campfire gave any indication that this place contained life beyond the flora.
As night began to fall and the light of the fire became ever more enticing, the adventurers found themselves greeted at last: a shade, smoke billowing off its ethereal form, approached them. While several drew weapons and stood ready to fight this sudden interloper, one among them, a youth clad in a tunic of blue and red, raised his hand, and called out for all to lower their guard. The man spoke to the shade, as though they knew one another.
This youth, this warrior, was Kuri, a spellsword in his own world. The shade spoke of a woman, of how she beckoned forth these adventurers, and of her fixation on Kuri. It became clear to all that they had been brought here to aid Kuri in his quest, to whatever end that may lead. The shade presented them a trial: the island was crumbling, collapsing entirely, and the adventurers would needs find a way off of it safely.
Before that, however, there would be questions. The shade had revealed that there had been others before who had aided Kuri, and they had perished. Apprehension took root among the crowd, and those present demanded answers. Kuri could only offer minor clarification: that he was not the one who brought them to this place, but that the force which did so, had some plan for them. They knew only one thing for certain: none of them would be able to return home until they achieved whatever mysterious goal had been laid out for them.
Thus, did the adventurers set to work, clearing the nearby trees for wood to build a boat. Their numbers many, and their skills varied, it would be only a short time before all they required was assembled.
The adventurers gathered near the water's edge, and prepared to construct their vessel. Time was of the essence, and standard construction would take too long. So it was that Kuri - with the aid of the mages in their party - would beseech the powers that be, to forge the boat through arcane means. The task was arduous, and the surge of power attracted trolls yet unseen on the island. The group was assaulted, and the martial warriors fought back to shield the mages as they concentrated. Though no adventurers fell, few came out unscathed.
The boat was completed shortly before the trolls were routed, and those present immediately piled in as the island disappeared beneath the waves behind them. At Kuri's behest, the mages used what mana they had remaining to aid him as he lifted the boat away from the swirling whirlpool created by the surging waters. Eventually, they managed to break free.
A sudden violent crash rocked the boat as it was carried away, causing all to stumble, breaking the mages' concentration, and dropping the boat back onto the water. Though they were free of the island and the rocky shoals surrounding it, the boat had sustained damage. Brunswick, along with his knights and a few other adventurers, quickly ran below deck to investigate. They found the hull severely damaged, water beginning to rush in through the cracks. With trained efficiency, Brunswick organized all those in his vicinity to retrieve railings, crates, and any other unnecessary wood and nails they could from further up to be re-purposed for repairs. A few of the mages capable of ice magics used what they could to temporarily hold back the flood, allowing the others time to conduct repairs without being waylaid by a torrent of water.
It was at this time that one of Brunswick's knights made a stark realization: one of their number, clad in plate mail, had failed to find purchase in the ship as it had been thrust forth with magic. The man had tumbled off the side of the ship, and been lost to the tides, sinking to his death beneath the waves. Distrust began to breed among the adventurers, split between those willing to trust Kuri's resolve, and those who struggled with the notion that he was unconcerned with the value of their lives.
Ultimately, it was concluded that more pressing matters were at hand: thunder could be heard in the distance, and they needed to find a helmsman among the adventurers, as the sails would not do much for them against a storm. Once one was identified, further measures were to be taken: sails lowered, equipment tied down, and in case the helmsman lost control of the rudder, oars crudely fashioned from the remaining planks of wood used in the hull's repairs.
The roar of thunder became louder, and lightning, without warning, struck the bow of the ship, igniting it. Slowly, the resulting fire began to spread, and the adventurers went into a panic trying to prevent the worst case scenario. Kuri began organizing mages capable of wind magic to try and choke out the flames, while Brunswick coordinated a steady flow of buckets and pails funneling water above deck. Brunswick rushed back to the helmsman's aid: one man alone would likely struggle to hold the wheel in the oncoming storm.
As the sails had been taken down, and the waters begun to calm, those present began to speak of their homelands, the nature of war, and why, perhaps, such individuals had been brought to this world. Some of the adventurers were seasoned fighters, one even claiming to have lived a life of endless conflict, yet another revealing himself to be a deathless warrior of no true allegiance. Others were no warriors at all - counting an immortal arcane merchant, and even a gnomish apothecary among their numbers.
When Brunswick eventually returned to the bow to reconvene with the mages, the ship suddenly came to a halt. The waters around them continued to roil, yet the ship seemed as though it had been frozen in space. The knuckle knights were sent below deck to ensure the ship had not been punctured, or worse: grappled by some beast. However, the truth became immediately clear: a massive whirlpool, emitting some strange light, had formed in their path. Kuri looked to it, and believed it to be a path for them: somehow connected to their quest. When he suggested they jump in, Brunswick cut him off, for if Kuri was wrong, and the whirlpool was not a beacon for them, then they would enter it, be sucked under the water, and every person present would perish. Yet, despite all reason to the contrary, Brunswick finally chose to agree to the undertaking, all while making his distrust abundantly clear. As the ship began to lurch forward once more, he returned to the helmsman. They would steer the ship into the whirlpool, and hope beyond hope that Kuri's hunch was correct. The words of the shade from the island, speaking of those who had come before, who had perished aiding the young spellsword, faintly echoed in their memories.
The ship aimed toward the whirlpool, and the storm oncoming, Brunswick and his men tied the wheel in place with rope, hoping it would be enough. The call came for everyone to head below deck. The lower cabin contained no shortage of objects by which the adventurers might brace themselves. This proved a boon as the ship, now entering the pull of the whirlpool, began to tip forward, throwing everyone off balance. With one final, massive shift, the ship tilted in, and everyone was thrust toward the bow. Bodies, boxes, and equipment tumbled and smashed into the walls, and as the ship came to a sudden halt once more, everyone fell like rag-dolls onto the floor.
With the force of the ship's movement gone, the adventurers were able to collect themselves without much difficulty. A few began assessing damage and any injuries, and while many were unscathed, one was not. The apothecary had been impaled on a stray blade in the confusion. Brunswick ran to his side to assess the severity, doing what he could to comfort the small gnome while calling aggressively for any mage capable of healing to assist. With the help of one such mage and Brunswick's careful removal of the blade, they managed to preserve the gnome's life before more severe damage could be dealt. The worst behind them, Brunswick and a few adventurers returned above deck to assess the situation.
They'd hit a landmass. The ship was beached, and they would have to continue their journey on foot, following the path laid out for them by whoever or whatever brought them here.
A short distance traveled, and the adventurers, tired from the trek, came upon a city, walled in stone. It seemed to be the best chance they had to find rest, and perhaps gain a better understanding of the world they'd found themselves in besides. The city guard, however, did not take kindly to such a large troupe entering their home, and harried them at the gates. Tensions broke out between them and the adventurers, and it was ultimately Brunswick who was forced to step in and resolve the situation: using his station as royalty, he diplomatically defused the situation, and convinced the guards to allow entry for a nominal fee. Thus Kuri, Brunswick, and their allies were tersely welcomed to the city called Bellevere.
The city itself proved as uncomfortable as the guards would have made it seem. Though the people were present, they were strange. Every soul in the troupe could feel a cold sensation trickled down the back of their necks. Something was watching them as they made their way through the city, and the very name, Bellevere, was somehow familiar to them all, though the why of it was unknown. Carefully, they investigated, and found many things out of place: the guards did not seem to know the name of their lord. The local flora was lush and immaculately cared for. The captain of the guard patrolled across the city's river, away from the keep. All this and more, left Brunswick speculating that something was very wrong with this city: as though it were hiding something, or was otherwise not what it appeared to be.
The apothecary whose life had been saved, came to Brunswick, informing him about a strange, robed figure, slight of build and coarse of voice, who seemed to have been expecting everyone, Kuri in particular. When Brunswick and his retinue went to find their comrades, they found the strange figure. The man stood alone, Kuri and the others gone from sight, and the man, speaking in riddles, spoke of an abyss of the mind that they had fallen into. Brunswick spared no thought, and at the behest of the figure, led the remaining adventurers into a nearby graveyard, where they came upon a strange, arcane pit leading into the aforementioned dark abyss. He and Kuri may have had their differences, but Brunswick was never one to abandon a comrade.
When they came to, they found themselves in a dark coliseum. They felt weightless, as though their forms had become more ethereal, and though they wielded their weapons, they could not feel the sensation of them in their hands, nor the weight of the armour on their backs. It was as though their corporeal forms had been stripped away, and all that remained were the energies of their souls. This place, made of stone and little else, was completely unnatural.
The adventurers moved forward, to the center of the coliseum, to the sight of countless red golems lining the perimeter, and a glowing blue crystal sitting in the middle. It pulsed with a strange energy, and all present felt ever so slightly drawn to it, as though, somehow, it held answers to the secrets they required. The golems began to stir, and Brunswick commanded all to circle up. He coordinated proper formation, and the seasoned fighters among them fell in line, for even they knew that teamwork would mean the difference between life and death. Those who had previously been divided, began to unite in this strange place.
The golems charged, and the adventurers fought back, the front line of fighters staving off the beasts to allow the spell-casters the space to cast supportive magic. Bestial roars, thunderous spells, and adrenaline-fueled war-cries filled the air as the two sides clashed, the adventurers fighting for their very lives. Battling the beasts felt to all as if they were battling the darkness within themselves. Every blow dealt or taken felt more real than anything they'd experienced, and each painful injury threatened to engulf the adventurers in despair and darkness.
Yet they would not yield, for they had not been brought to this world without due cause. Through sheer force of will, and their combined strength, the adventurers managed to hold their ground against the golems, and the beasts began to fall, one by one, until the roars had ceased and naught but the groans of fatigue could be heard. Those knowledgeable of restorative magics or rudimentary first-aid set to work immediately, sensing the battle was not yet done. Their intuition proved correct, for shortly thereafter the shade appeared before them once more, where the crystal had once rested.
The shade told him that this world, and all its inhabitants, were a test, and a prison, for those who had been brought here by fate. This coliseum was the final stage, where their very souls would be judged through combat. The shade would choose a champion, and that champion would do battle.
The champion would be Kuri, for he had been marked by fate long ago. Thus did the adventurers step aside, eyes open for anything looming about. Before the battle began, however, Brunswick would have a few words with the young spellsword.
The two stood, surrounded by their allies, the shade looming in wait. Brunswick asked Kuri, very simply, what would happen should he fail?
The shade would choose another champion from among the survivors, over and over again, champion after champion, until all fell, or one succeeded. Then, and only then, would they be able to return home. Yet Kuri showed no hesitation, no fear in the face of such responsibility. Seeing this, a sense of pride and relief came over the King, and he spoke to the spellsword, not in opposition, but in faith.
“I am not like your compatriots. I bear no magical powers, nor am I blessed by any god, but I will say this: many a man has shuddered and broken upon things that were far less arduous than this. To face the very elements of darkness and not even falter. You will always have my respect. Good luck, Kuri."
When there were no more words to be spoken, Kuri turned to the shade, and prepared himself. The adventurers looked upon him, and thus did he and the shade clash.
It was a battle unlike any they had ever witnessed. The might of a powerful shade against the willpower and fury of the spellsword. Claw struck steel, and the two tumbled over one another, their duel carrying them throughout the coliseum's space. The walls quaked and cracked under the intensity of their bout, and the shade's darkness continually filled the arena, only to be cut through by the light and magic from Kuri's onslaught, over and over again. It was a battle of wills more than of combat...and yet the shade was slowly winning, driving him further and further into a corner. It seemed as though Kuri would fall to the shade, lost to the darkness, and the cycle would begin anew.
Emotions boiled over, and Brunswick witnessed the solidarity of strangers bound by fate: the cries of those present, spurring Kuri on: voices comprised of fear and hope in equal measure filled the air, and through this, Kuri was granted renewed strength. For the sake of all those present, he mustered the last of his sword's magic - and dealt a decisive blow against the shade, thunder and frost and flame burst forth from his sword. The shade shrieked as it was enveloped in a blinding fusion of elemental magic, it's form melting away. When the light settled, and the others were able to look upon the scene, what met their gaze was the sight of Kuri standing over the hooded man from Bellevere.
He told his story: once he had been a man, and he had found himself bound to this place, bound to the darkness, cursed to battle it eternally in order to protect all life from impending doom. His strength, after so long, had begun to weaken. He had called Kuri here, with his allies, to find someone who might take his place, so that he might finally find rest. Thus, would the adventurers come to realize that they would not all be returning home.
One must stay here, bound to the darkness, locked in everlasting combat.
It would not be an easy decision. Yet despite the murmurs of hesitation and uncertainty, one brace warrior stepped forward. She was Olivia, a friend of Kuri's, who offered, for the sake of those present and for the world entire, to take up the mantle.
The crystal, still gleaming, lay untouched by all that had transpired. With the defeat of the shade, it's glow had dulled greatly. Olivia approached it, and took it unto herself, becoming enveloped by energy. Her body and life were claimed before the eyes of all, her pained screams cut short by a brief flash of light. The crystal fell onto the ground, humming red now instead of blue. Kuri picked it up, cradling it, but as he did so, it shattered in his hands, pieces scattering to the ground - and where the pieces fell, did a small rose grow out of the ground, delicate, proud, and alive. Those present shed a tear, and Kuri cried out in pain for the loss of his friend and comrade. As the world around them began to disintegrate, they mourned. Again, they all found themselves swallowed up by the same blinding light that had brought them all together.
Brunswick found himself in a field, laying on his back, surrounded by the few knights he had brought with him. With their horses nearby, they steadied themselves. He recognized the surroundings, for he had been traveling through here prior, and it existed very much within his borders. It was uncertain whether all that had transpired had been a dream, but if not, he suspected they would see their comrades again. They had been judged, and by their combined strength and the leadership of the spellsword, they had survived. What it all meant, however, remained to be seen.
Category:Adventure RP Lore