RP-Storyline - "Armageddon" - Part 1

[Dr Alzheimer]

„Oh dear!“, Alfred Alzheimer rubbed his glasses and fell into his armchair. „I think I am getting old!“ For about 45 years he had been researching and teaching arcane arts in his college deep in the mountains of Malas. He looked out of the stained glass windows and contemplated the white summits. Fall had come and this other-wordly retreat was already covered with snow.

„It must have been in these rooms somewhere“, he mumbled. For the last 20 years he had concentrated on one single research object: the Armageddon Spell. He remembered when the avatar came to Britain, in those dark years. In his mind, cloudy pictures appeared: the whisps, his old friend Rudyom from Cove, the Guardian... And trough all these years, the Armageddon Spell was considered as being lost. For the sake of all living beings. Now, close to the end of a long academic life, he could see many things much more clearly: „I must have digged too deep. Always sticking your nose into forbidden knowlege...“ He breathed deeply and opened a little brown book which was lying on his desk - „Brief History of Britannian Magical Arts“ was imprinted in golden letters. He started to read:

„The spell Armageddon is truly devastating. Once it is cast, it destroys all life on the world, with the exception of the spellcaster, leaving only a barren wasteland behind, devoid of any life. Only the biggest fool, full of madness, would dare to cast this spell, as it literally results in the end of the world.

Over 700,000 years ago, the Xorinite Wisp gave it to a mage named Zog. Zog was foolish enough to cast it, and all life was destroyed. The spell re-appeared in Britannia, thousands of years later, where the Wisps gave it to the Avatar as a gift. Later it was kept by the archmage Rudyom in Cove. And in the end, the Avatar had to cast it to defeat the Guardian, sacrificing his own life. Since then, the spell is considered as lost.“

Yes, that was the story all colleagues knew. It was by no means a secret. However, there was a secret, only he knew: The spell was not lost. It still existed and he, Alfred Alzheimer, had found it, studied it and came to the conclusion, that it should never be found again. Hence, he developed a system of safeguarding through all the years up here. And he was sure, that his measures would guarantee, that this spell would kept secret for another 700.000 years.

But now, he lost the key to the hidden knowledge he himself had masked so masterfully. „Alas“, he moaned, looking at his fellow raven Nicodemus, who was sitting by his desk, picking some nuts: „Look, what age has done to me. I cannot even remember where my own diary is.“ His left hand lovingly touched Nicodemus´ plumage: „If I could just find this stupid book, I might be able to remember where to begin...“ Somewhere in this dusty mess it must be. I know I wrote it down there, the first hint...

[Dr Alzheimer]

The first player that solves the riddle will get a reward. Six more will follow :-)

[Becca]

Nevermore.

[Dr Alzheimer]

Nevermore?

[Victim]

*stands on Doc's Blackrock collection*  VAS KAL AN MANI IN CORP HUR TYM !!

[Dr Alzheimer]

*giggles*

[Dr Alzheimer]

If you want to solve Part 1 of the quest, you need to snoop in my houses ;-)

[Creeger]

OK, Doc. I've snooped. I found "Prof. AlzheimerA's Diary" sitting on top of "The Book of Spirituality", in a room of secured book shelves. However, I'm not sure if the misspelling of the name is a clue or a typo. I had expected to be able to read the diary when I found it, but I don't have access. If that's not the case, then I simply don't understand the clues, or I haven't found what I'm supposed to yet.

[Dr Alzheimer]

Oh, the spelling was just an error. But it should be accessible and inside there should be a hint. I will fix that and you can go ahead ;-)

[Dr Alzheimer]

"Ahhh, Creeger!" Alfred Alzeimer gave his old friend a hug. "I knew, you were coming to help me!" It had been a while since both met. While Alfred lived in his own little academic ivory tower and usually did not care for adventures, Creeger was quite the opposite: anventurous, brave and a skillful archer. He looked at his much younger friend: "But tell me, where did you find it?"

Creeger sat down in the leather armchair in the dean´s room. Here, in the topmost level of the old Tudor-style college, he had spent many hours chatting about secrets, battles and monsters. "Well", he began, "it was lying right beneath a book on the virtue of sacrifice ontop of a desk in the archives. I found it when I was searching for the 687th edition of the Sosarian Annals of Archery. And I was also able to decipher the first riddle you designed..."

"You did?" Alzheimer raised his eyebrows. "How did you...?"

Creeger smiled: "Alfred, before we continue, please tell me why anybody should try to destroy the barriers you have built around this secret? I guess, you had a reason for doing all this."

Alzheimer nodded. He put down his glassed and sipped form the cup which was standing on a small tea table. "Creeger, I am getting old. Soon enough I will retire from active work and I felt that it was better to destroy what I have hidden for the sake of Sosaria. Did you ever hear of the Armageddon spell?"

Creeger looked deep in Alzheimers eyes. Although he never was student of arcane arts, nor pratice magery, he had heard of this spell. "Yes, of course, Alfred. But it does not exist anymore, or..." He hesitated.

"I always thought, hiding it in a sophisticated manner would be enough. It was against my ethos to destroy knowledge. If you are believing in the power of research and the accumulation of knowledge, even thinking of destroying ancient artifacts is impossible", Alzheimer tried to explain. And while he talked, he noticed that he began trying to apologize for his former self. "I found it, it is a long story. And I made sure that if is kept safe. For a long period of time. But now, at the end of my academic life, I began questioning my descisions. Creeger, will you help me destroy this thing for now and forever?"

Creeger leaned forward and nodded: "Yes. I will. Even though I did now know about the very essence of your problem, I came to help you. And I think, I have brought some valuable news." Out of his cloak he pulled an old book and presented it to Alfred.

"Ah, now I remember. My first Scrapper´s Compendium! A mighty book it was, in those years before the blessed spellbooks appeared and everybody wanted to have those fancy tomes." Both laughed. In his mind, the first parts of the puzzle came together: "So you found the passage in my diary, where I noted that my old studend Dr. Marcus Brody keeps the secret for me? Is  he still curator of the Jewelry Museum?"

Creeger smiled: "Yes, he is. And he asked me for a password. And I can tell you, it was hard to find out for someone who does not use magery at all. I had to travel to dungeon Wind and before I was able to enter, I had to learn spells for weeks!" Both laughed wholeheartedly.

Alzheimer scrolled in his old Scrapper´s, which was filled with handwrittend notes from his younger self. "Yes", he replied, "you had to search for a guildmistress in Wind, and her name was..."

"Lila", Creeger answered. Both smiled. "She was also a student of yours and I shall greet you from her". Alzheimer was touched visibly by this message: "Oh yes, she was a wonderful student and became a powerful mage. Where has all the time gone... And with her name Marcus gave you my first spellbook. Very good. Creeger, you can have it. It is yours and I hope you will intensify your arcane studies." Alzheimer winked at him. "But first, we need to find the second hint."

TO BE CONTINUED IN NOVEMBER