Vigil
03-17-12, 05:53 PM
(Solo. Continued from Born Under a Bad Star (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?21987-Born-Under-a-Bad-Star). Part 2 of 2. Included in this post is a synopsis from Bad Star.)
"All that is necessary for the triumph of Evil is that good men do nothing." - Edmund Burke
Synopsis
IN THE WINTER of 1927, an Evil without name or origin writhed within the city of Radasanth and was growing. This malevolent entity was older then the world itself and while it lie imprisoned in its accursed black box for centuries. No one could quite remember what terrible thing it had once been, what it had wrought upon the world of old or even how it was imprisoned within that peculiar black iron box. However, it had only one burning desire. One purpose. To be freed and to walk the world again anew. Throughout history, the box had traveled the world by preying upon weak, desperate men with promises of unfathomable power in exchange for their flesh, their minds and their will. The temptation to become a God without equal was always far too great for reason and all that was good to prevail, and all these impetuous, feeble men had to do to seal the pact was open the box and gaze at its terrible contents. These cursed, vile men would become invincible as the horrible entity within the box made their flesh impervious to mortal weapons and fire, while warding their bodies and minds from sorcery. Fortunately, in the infancy of their sinister transmutation into Godhood, these men would always be overwhelmed and slaughtered by good men who saw their responsibility to stopping this inane, unspeakable rite a just and righteous cause to die for. When their bloody work was done, the box would be taken and moved again where others would fall to temptation and the cycle would begin anew.
From 1925 to 1927, the Irish would take up the banner and become the crusaders for a story that had written itself again and again throughout history, and like their predecessors they sought to stop this black box and its terrible curse once and for all. Like so many times before, the black box found its way to Corone and began its cycle of temptation anew. A man named Joseph found possession of the accursed artifact and fell under its spell. By chance, by fate or by some invisible hand, the Irish discovered the monster Joseph was becoming and began to circle him, like the heroes they sought to embody. However, unlike any of those who had triumphed over the box who had fell upon its daemon with might and righteousness, these men did not act. They waited. Rather then sword and God's favor, these men took up cloak and dagger. They lingered far too long, seeking to gather their strength, and as the creature grew out of its infancy and began to mature. When they finally moved, they did so ill prepared and unable to see their perilous error, the Irish fell upon the terrible daemon and were slaughtered. Not once, but twice.
The Irish sect's most prominent leader, Liam Duigenan, was disgraced and remained alive, but defeated. With the blood of his brethren on his hands, Liam sought to redeem himself and honor those that had perished during his fall from grace. All the while, he watched the monster's steady maturation in fear that if he waited too long the creature would reach its twisted Godhood before he and his holy order could stop it. He manipulated and played on the favor of his peers to orchestrate one final chance against the creature, intending to give it Hell and fall with the rest before letting the monster free itself from the mortal obsessions that shackled it to its' black temple and wreak havoc upon a slumbering city that remained unaware of its terrible presence.
Now, the machine of the Catholic order moves again, fueled by rekindled faith and a chance for vengeance as Liam and his followers take up the cause again. It has been two weeks since Liam's decisive victory at the council meeting and he and members of the council have been busy planning their last and greatest raid against the monster that once was Joseph. They have spent a small fortune gathering the resources to be able to fight again. Those who volunteered to take up arms against the creature one final time are drilled in their tasks and slowly, but surely they begin to work as one under the firm direction of their leaders. However, even as the date was set and the day of reckoning fast approached, there was a cancer growing among those within the sect. Doubt. Several members struggle to accept the fact that they are going to be marching again against an indomitable evil for a third time while memories of its terrible deeds and the screams from their fallen brothers remain as fresh as the fallen snow. Now not only does Liam have to prepare for a battle where death is certain and struggle to keep his own faith, but he must find a way to quiet the growing unrest amongst his brothers and do so quickly before his order throws down the banner one last time and time runs out.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of Evil is that good men do nothing." - Edmund Burke
Synopsis
IN THE WINTER of 1927, an Evil without name or origin writhed within the city of Radasanth and was growing. This malevolent entity was older then the world itself and while it lie imprisoned in its accursed black box for centuries. No one could quite remember what terrible thing it had once been, what it had wrought upon the world of old or even how it was imprisoned within that peculiar black iron box. However, it had only one burning desire. One purpose. To be freed and to walk the world again anew. Throughout history, the box had traveled the world by preying upon weak, desperate men with promises of unfathomable power in exchange for their flesh, their minds and their will. The temptation to become a God without equal was always far too great for reason and all that was good to prevail, and all these impetuous, feeble men had to do to seal the pact was open the box and gaze at its terrible contents. These cursed, vile men would become invincible as the horrible entity within the box made their flesh impervious to mortal weapons and fire, while warding their bodies and minds from sorcery. Fortunately, in the infancy of their sinister transmutation into Godhood, these men would always be overwhelmed and slaughtered by good men who saw their responsibility to stopping this inane, unspeakable rite a just and righteous cause to die for. When their bloody work was done, the box would be taken and moved again where others would fall to temptation and the cycle would begin anew.
From 1925 to 1927, the Irish would take up the banner and become the crusaders for a story that had written itself again and again throughout history, and like their predecessors they sought to stop this black box and its terrible curse once and for all. Like so many times before, the black box found its way to Corone and began its cycle of temptation anew. A man named Joseph found possession of the accursed artifact and fell under its spell. By chance, by fate or by some invisible hand, the Irish discovered the monster Joseph was becoming and began to circle him, like the heroes they sought to embody. However, unlike any of those who had triumphed over the box who had fell upon its daemon with might and righteousness, these men did not act. They waited. Rather then sword and God's favor, these men took up cloak and dagger. They lingered far too long, seeking to gather their strength, and as the creature grew out of its infancy and began to mature. When they finally moved, they did so ill prepared and unable to see their perilous error, the Irish fell upon the terrible daemon and were slaughtered. Not once, but twice.
The Irish sect's most prominent leader, Liam Duigenan, was disgraced and remained alive, but defeated. With the blood of his brethren on his hands, Liam sought to redeem himself and honor those that had perished during his fall from grace. All the while, he watched the monster's steady maturation in fear that if he waited too long the creature would reach its twisted Godhood before he and his holy order could stop it. He manipulated and played on the favor of his peers to orchestrate one final chance against the creature, intending to give it Hell and fall with the rest before letting the monster free itself from the mortal obsessions that shackled it to its' black temple and wreak havoc upon a slumbering city that remained unaware of its terrible presence.
Now, the machine of the Catholic order moves again, fueled by rekindled faith and a chance for vengeance as Liam and his followers take up the cause again. It has been two weeks since Liam's decisive victory at the council meeting and he and members of the council have been busy planning their last and greatest raid against the monster that once was Joseph. They have spent a small fortune gathering the resources to be able to fight again. Those who volunteered to take up arms against the creature one final time are drilled in their tasks and slowly, but surely they begin to work as one under the firm direction of their leaders. However, even as the date was set and the day of reckoning fast approached, there was a cancer growing among those within the sect. Doubt. Several members struggle to accept the fact that they are going to be marching again against an indomitable evil for a third time while memories of its terrible deeds and the screams from their fallen brothers remain as fresh as the fallen snow. Now not only does Liam have to prepare for a battle where death is certain and struggle to keep his own faith, but he must find a way to quiet the growing unrest amongst his brothers and do so quickly before his order throws down the banner one last time and time runs out.