Shadow Side Story
Contents
General Story Information
A powerful apprentice under the tutelage of the dark mage Mystra decides to follow her own path in serving Erebos. This apprentice's name, Eudoxie, would reach the far corners of the world, and her actions would have far reaching consequences on not just humans, but towards monsters and other supernatural beings as well. When she meets Erebos's dark servant Ostellos, her plans grow ever grander in a hopes to cause the end of the world, for those who live would build a new world in their God's image.
The aid of many comes in surprising forms as the saga plays out.
In Mystra's Shadow
The Archmage Mystra, following the dark god Erebos' teachings, had very few students, although many spellcasters within the Legion of the Dark Allegiance hoped to receive direct training in hopes of even a fraction of the Archmage's power. However, Mystra's selection in potentials was tough and deemed even some of the most powerful High Wizards and Professors in the Legion of the Dark Allegiance to be too weak and would only be wasting her time to teach them. In the end, only a handful of Legion of the Dark Allegiance Members were selected to be Mystra's students. Among them was a young caster who specialized in Summoning Arts, named Eudoxie.
Firmly believing that the world's order is fit for only the best and the fittest, Eudoxie joined the Legion of the Dark Allegiance to follow Sir Melot in the battle against Lady Thea's Order of the Light Allegiance. What was deemed to be brutal, Sir Melot supported it and only exclaimed that it is the harshness of reality that the weak was born to serve until they can surpass the strong. It is opposite to the Order of the Light Allegiance's belief that the skilled should use their talent to help with those who cannot. Eudoxie faithfully followed Sir Melot's viewpoints in agreement, and believed that the Legion of the Dark Allegiance under Sir Melot's ruling was to be the only victor in this ongoing war. She left for Rune Midgard to learn under the Archmage.
Under Mystra's teaching, Eudoxie's power in summoning grew and she tried her hardest to withstand Mystra's tough schedule and high expectations. Eudoxie focused her specialty in magic on summoning the undead and fire elemental creatures. Eudoxie was fond of the explosive power and the independence of other allegiance members in her Summon Magic as she starts to have some success against the Order of the Light Allegiance in battles through endless waves of summoning power. However, Mystra always warned Eudoxie to need more training before actively engaging the Allegiance Heroes in battle, much to Eudoxie's dismay at the Archmage's warning regardless of her victories, as if Mystra looked down at her success. In Eudoxie's mind, Mystra feared Eudoxie's potential and the possibility she could eventually overcome her, even though Eudoxie is her student.
Nevertheless, Eudoxie grudgingly remained with Mystra in Rune Midgard, until Mystra openly exclaimed to do only as she sees what is best for Erebos, declining a request from Sir Melot. The Archmage said that she'll "occasionally follow" Melot's commands if she happened to agree with it. Eudoxie claimed Mystra to have committed the crime of treachery against the Legion of the Dark Allegiance and challenged the Archmage to a battle. Mystra easily handled the summoned monsters and spared Eudoxie in case if it was a "little girl's rush." From that point on, Eudoxie cut all bonds with Mystra and the Legion of the Dark Allegiance Heroes that followed Mystra to stand alone in Rune Midgard. However, all that Eudoxie knew was from Mystra, and Eudoxie only lived in Mystra's shadow in terms of power. Eudoxie needed a new source of power beyond Mystra's knowledge and capability in order to defeat Mystra, and "cleanse the Legion of the Dark Allegiance of traitors."
A Summoning Bond
In search of a power to try to defeat Mystra, Eudoxie searched over the world. At first she tried to use the power of Sir Hemeral's elemental wings scattered throughout the world, yet it was proved to be futile effort. Eudoxie eventually placed her bet on the raging beast of Fire, Skoll.
At this time, the Snow Bunnies (which some said to work for an Ice Queen, and to the others, an Ice Giantess) roamed all over the world spreading the winter snow. Cities and fields were covered in white because of the work of the Snow Bunny, first seen in the city of Yuno and Hugel, and gradually spreading southward. The trickster Loki hated the Snow Bunnies and the cold winter, and lured Skoll to this land to melt the winter snow against the will of the said mistress that the Snow Bunnies worked for.
The Snow Bunnies were chased out and in the end, resided only in Lutie, the quiet little town of eternal Christmas and snow. However, Skoll remained fierce and along with its pups, ravaged the land with his blazing heat. Heroes of Light and Dark both gathered to try to slay the beast, but Skoll proved himself to be a powerful opponent, refusing to admit defeat by continuously coming after the heroes time after time.
Eudoxie saw this as her greatest opportunity and the power that she needed seeing Skoll in battle. Disguising herself as an old witch, Eudoxie tricked a heroine, Aki, into helping Eudoxie with the "Summoning Bond" spell, claiming that it is a magical formula that can bind Skoll within Magma Dungeon to stop Skoll's relentless attacks. With the help of the Light and Dark Heroes, Aki gathered what Eudoxie needed for casting of "Summoning Bond." After the long toil, Aki saw that the 'witch' successfully drove Skoll out of the land and into the depths of Magma Dungeon, and pleased. She did not suspect that Eudoxie's spell binded Skoll to Eudoxie as one of her summons to be called in battle, and Skoll would obey Eudoxie's word.
Thinking that with Skoll as a readily available summon along with her army of undead and shadow creatures, Eudoxie tried to directly confront the heroes afterward. However the heroes remained to have the upper hand against Eudoxie's summons.
At one of the clashes between Eudoxie and the heroes, Mystra appeared again to see her former student who tried to overthrow her status within the Legion of the Dark Allegiance. Eudoxie angrily scolded at the Archmage for all that she hated Mystra for, but Mystra calmly ignored the accusations, and left while saying that Eudoxie still needs more training even with Skoll at her command.
Although Eudoxie was unable to crush her opponents as she hoped to be, it was undeniable that Eudoxie's power has greatly increased because of Skoll's amazing powers.
Sctopia - Ostellos
The Dark Conjurer Eudoxie tries to use her powers to threaten the Order of the Light Allegiance by invading the holy grounds of Rachel. Eudoxie's left hand man, the vampire Count Dracula, was sent to guard the city entrance while Eudoxie and Skoll battled side by side in the sanctuary entrance, much to the displease of the count. Heroes gathered to fight Eudoxie's forces of fiery creatures, dark demons and the dreaded undead for many reasons of their own. Some of them fight Eudoxie due to the division she caused in the Legion of the Dark Allegiance, and some fought Eudoxie to protect the holy grounds of Light, while some fought Eudoxie for the potential glory of defeating a high higher magician.
One of such heroes was the Order of the Light Allegiance follower, professor and inventor, Sir Aaronock of Yuno. He continued his pursuit against Eudoxie and this time, he is no different on Eudoxie's trail to try to stop her plans. While Eudoxie and Aaronock engaged one another, Eudoxie did not use her full power to try to annihilate the inventor, but tried to sway Aaronock's will by embarassing him and talking of Sir Aaronock's unmentioned past wife, Lady Nagato who disappeared, leaving Aaronock and Rune Midgard without any notice. As Sir Aaronock was pushed to the limit, Eudoxie asked the inventor to "search deep within himself" for his true purpose and awaken his denied self.
Sir Aaronock stopped and started to attack the other heroes who are already hard pressed by Eudoxie's attack forces and her endless summoning of the fiery beast, Skoll. When his allies in the Order of the Light Allegiance, such as Linnea and Angel Fates asked on what went wrong to Aaronock, the inventor denied his identity and revealed that this is Aaronock's "true nature" to serve Eudoxie and help her in fulfilling Erebo's wishes.
Although Eudoxie, her summoning forces and with Sir Aaronock's new help found to be challenging, the Sanctuary stood strong and Eudoxie was forced to treat. Aaronock returned home to the City of Yuno, where his friends followed him for further questioning on the sudden change of heart. When asked if this is really Aaronock, the inventor did not deny the statement, yet also said that he can be called Ostellos, a servant of the Dark God Erebos and helper of Eudoxie. Ostellos revealed his plan to search within Aaronock's mind the hiding place of Aaronock's greatest invention- a device to reach the Rainbow Bridge of Bifrost. Ostellos planned to assist the Dark Conjurer in first claiming the power of Muspelheim, the land of the fire giants. Then together, he will follow Eudoxie's similar goals to cleanse the Legion of the Dark Allegiance of division and filth so that all will server Sir Melot and Erebos.
Aaronock's friends were terrified of the revelation, and rather unsure of Ostello's true relationship with Aaronock if Ostellos was an evil spirit possessing Aaronock's mind or if it is the true nature of Aaronock as proclaimed. Linnea, Angel Fates, Sir Tripp and Sir Zerosp all challenged Ostellos in a duel to put an early stop to Ostellos, but using the dark powers said to be given by Eudoxie, Ostellos defeated the four heroes.
Ostellos warned that he will destroy everything in Eudoxie and his own path. Those who could not obey and those who are weak will be wiped out, while the strong and those of similar will remain for a "new era." He wished for the total destruction of the world using Aaronock's machine with Eudoxie and her followers to destroy the world of man and god alike. Ostellos believed that he would see the new that would be re-created in the image of who his god, Erebos.
Allure of Darkness
While Eudoxie, her summon Skoll, and her new helper Ostellos are busy searching for clues towards unlocking the gateway to Muspelheim, Count Dracula wandered out of Eudoxie's commands and act on his own. While he was weakened in day time due to his nature as a vampire, he hid among humans. At night time, he searched around for victims and drained them of their blood. The Vampire believed that "... the blood is the essence of life!" and fed on this 'life essence' in order to live in long life.
Dracula's raids quickly brought King Tristan III and the nobles on alert. The King promised great rewards for those who can defeat Dracula. While Dracula was quickly chased out of town again after his raids, he was never truly defeated, and fled quickly only to return to assault another victim. The King saw that Dracula's only weakness is during the day time, and only then could the vampire be truly defeated. He scattered the heroes across the world to solve the mystery of the vampire's day time identity and location, in order to end the raids once and for all.
After 14 night assaults, Ms Astarael figured out the truth of Dracula's identity, which turned out to be a wizard by the name of Stoker. Astarael traced out that Stoker was once invited by the 2 guilds of heRO, "¥Legendary Warriors¥" and "Behemoth" which coincidentally, victims of Dracula's raids had always been females from these two guilds. Astarael remembered the rumors that a vampire can only attack a victim if they are invited, which in Stoker's case, he was invited to be members of those guilds. Stoker's name also had a striking resemblance of a great writer who recorded the legends of Dracula, "Bram Stoker." Through these observations, Astarael rightfully concluded that the wizard Stoker was indeed, Dracula in disguise in day time.
When the vampire's true identity was discovered, he quickly fled fearing for the people's counterattacks against him during the day time. He needed to be invited in order to attack his victims yet with his identity blown, he would never be invited again. Thus, the night raids had stopped and citizens in the world of heRO was spared from the vampire's attacks.
Meanwhile, as Dracula hid, Ostellos approached him to deliver the news that Eudoxie decided to fire Dracula of his job as her assistance, while Ostellos will take over. However, the vampire did not seem to care, as he reveals that he neither assists anyone or any faction. Dracula believed that whoever stood last would be the one who dictate the writing of history, and in turn dictate what is the truth and who were the "victors" of history. Therefore, Dracula would do anything that he sees fitting in helping his survival, be it right or wrong, in order to be the last man standing. He helped Eudoxie at first thinking that she can assist him with her powers, such as the Summoning Bond with Skoll. However, Dracula thought that Eudoxie crossed the line when she started her mad obsession with the power of Muspelheim: a place even the gods feared as it was predicted to be one of the starting places to trigger the end of the world...
Blood Enticement Ritual
Seeing how Ostellos was using Aaronock's body, many friends of Aaronock who were also enemies to the Dark Conjurer, Eudoxie, gathered to form a small allegiance devoted to defeat Eudoxie and rescue Aaronock from Ostellos's grasp. The champion Linnea chose to lead the group, with Sir Draken, Sir Tripp, Sir Zerosp, Mr. Hida and many other heroes. However, they realized their lack of strength to attack Ostellos and Eudoxie in a direct confrontation remembering the past defeat in the duels in Yuno. Thus, they resorted to a nerve wrecking potential ally- Count Dracula.
Linnea and Hida approached Dracula who was hiding in his coffin in the basement of the Geffen Tower. Linnea pleaded for advice, though the Count was unmoved and reluctant. Trying to persuade the vampire, Linnea asked the vampire to give his assistance in trying to stop Eudoxie and Ostellos from carrying their plan to destroy the world, and reconstruct it in their god Erebos's image. Even then, the vampire remained unmotivated and explained how he only helps whoever can benefit him or ensure the continuation of his long life. Seeing that Linnea's group was clearly at a disadvantage, Dracula did not think that helping the group will be of any good if not worse. Hida started to doubt the vampire if Dracula can be of any help at all, but Linnea continued to be hopeful in what Dracula could offer. Eventually, Dracula wanted Linnea to prove their usefulness by collecting a few items around the world that Dracula was looking for. Hida doubted the vampire even more if it was a trap to try to trick Linnea into her goods. Sensing the doubt, Dracula reassured Hida and promised to trade part of his collected items from across the ages on top of giving them some guidance in the battle against Eudoxie. Linnea gladly accepted the request, and spread the word to all the guilds in the world to collect the items.
Few nights later, Sir Tripp and his guild "Death Dealers" completed Count Dracula's request, and successfully convinced Dracula to give the assistance that Linnea's group desperately needed against Eudoxie. Linnea asked the count if he knew about Eudoxie's Summoning Bond with Skoll. The Vampire reinforced the fact that Summoning Bonds could brainwash their target to do every bidding of their master. Only if the summon has a very strong soul can it be possible to break the Summoning Bond. Dracula stated that although rare, it had happened in the past when the summon regained its own consciousness, and proceeded in breaking the Summoning Bond with the summoners. Linnea and friends realized that the y must first weaken Eudoxie before they can stop Eudoxie's plans. They must first break the Summoning Bond on Skoll, and rescue Aaronock from Ostellos in order to destroy Eudoxie's left and right hand to strand Eudoxie alone in solitude without help.
Yet how should the group awaken Skoll from the Summoning Bond to regain his own consciousness? Dracula did not know of a precise method, and he explained that talking to a fiery, raging dog would probably be a waste of efforts... At the very least, it would not be difficult to find Skoll, for Skoll could always be seen to be by Eudoxie's side wherever she goes...
Brotherhood
Eudoxie is making much less appearances than her usual self while Skoll moves on to an endless rage, accompanied by many of Eudoxie's loyal apprentices who follow her path, deviating from their original Order of the Light Allegiance or Legion of the Dark Allegiance. Many heroes tried different methods to try to remind Skoll of his origin and identity, such as wearing the mighty "Hat of the Sun God," as 'advised' by Ostellos. However, the attempt failed as it only angered Skoll to try to devour the Hat of the Sun God due to part of his instinct related to his past.
In a major battle at Umbala, the fierce beast Garm came to Umbala after Skoll was summoned again in a clash between the heroes and Eudoxie's forces. After that incident, the hero Rennay connected the pieces by releasing a young Garm Baby pet whose callings reminded Skoll of his connection to his brother, Garm. It was later realized that Garm was at Umbala out of Lutie to try to find his brother, Skoll. Garm's significance and shared destiny with Skoll in the legends allowed Skoll's mind to be free of the Summoning Bond's puppet control. However, as Dracula has once warned, freeing Skoll's consciousness is only the beginning step to truly break the summoning bond...
St. Vitus of Light
Aki, who was initially tricked by Eudoxie to assist with part of the Summoning Bond, decided to try a reversal spell that should free Skoll from the binding. Now that Skoll regained his consciousness, he constantly struggles against the control. Although the beast tries his best to break free, the magic was too strong for total freedom. However, Eudoxie knows that Skoll is no longer suitable for her causes and only binded him in hiding places so it cannot be found by the heroes. Although Aki's attempt to break the bond was not successful, it put an end to Eudoxie's scourge against the major cities of the land with her league of apprentices using Skoll as their trump card.
During this time, the Order of the Light Allegiance was said to be in disarray and leaderless. Lady Thea of the distant land sent one of her most trusted and devoted members to the Goddess Hestia and the Order of the Light Allegiance, St. Vitus of Light, to assist Rachel in the times of peril especially against the Dark Conjurer in her attempt to contact Muspelheim. St. Vitus was quick to action and encouraged both the Order of the Light Allegiance and Legion of the Dark Allegiance to temporaily join forces to fight against the common foe of Eudoxie, who is now mysteriously in hiding and only her apprentices and other followers can be seen. St. Vitus believed that anyone who shares a common enemy is a fellow companion, and he led a coalition of both Light and Dark Heroes to attack a secret underground base for Eudoxie, where Skoll is said to be held captive. The heroes of both allegiances escorted St. Vitus against many of Eudoxie's apprentices and hired guardsman throughout the base, and St. Vitus prepared a specialized spell in the special magic pedestral inside Eudoxie's secret base itself to try to free Skoll once and for all. Although the first attempt was not successful, with St. Vitus's leadership and the combined strength of both allegiance, St. Vitus freed Skoll using his holy powers against Eudoxie's dark Summoning Bond. As a result, Skoll also regained part of the suppressed power because of the Summoning Bond, and now roams freely without any masters in the depths of the Nogg Road again.
Seeing that the light allegiance had significant improvement in performance due to St. Vitus's presence, Eudoxie's forces hid in the mountains. Although St. Vitus led the heroes of both allegiance to try to find out Eudoxie's hideouts within the mountains, St. Vitus was ultimately defeated by the hired mercenary, Incantation Samurai along with the rest of Eudoxie's forces. St. Vitus suffered heavy damage and deep wounds in the fight, and had to be treated back in the light city of Rachel. Shortly after the losses in the mountain side, Eudoxie's units with her cooperation with Kiehl Hyre's robots and Incantation Samurai's help, they succeeded in an infiltration of the city and captured St. Vitus. Even to this day, St. Vitus was never found or seen again, and much to the grief of the Order of the Light Allegiance, St. Vitus is declared to have died as a Hero against Eudoxie's evil forces.
The Final Trial of Fire
An extensive search was carried in the city of Rachel for traces of battle in the last week's invasion of the Dark Conjurer Eudoxie's forces in hopes of finding the kidnapped saint of the Light Allegiance, St. Vitus. After several days of analyzing the collected data, the authorities of Rachel believes to have successfully located one of the bases of Eudoxie's operation near Arunafeltz. Investigators have been sent to the location for further news about the base of operation, but there are no news of their return. Priests of Rachel fear that harm has fallen upon the investigators already. However, there are no signs of retreat or further hiding from Eudoxie's forces.
Rachel forces decide to rally up all supporting Heroes of the land in a final campaign to lay siege upon the enemy base. For the meantime, while the place has been surrounded, neither forces have initiated a battle yet. Forces of Rachel asks the supporting heroes to join in their final battle against Eudoxie on the upcoming Sunday to end the Dark Conjurer's negative influence throughout the world.
On Nov 15 2008, the combined allegiance forces clashed for one last time against the Dark Conjurer Eudoxie's forces. In the nearby fortress in Arunafeltz grounds, the heroes first captured the base and freed the noble Aaronock who was held captive in the region. They first defeated the leader of the mercenary forces, Incantation Samurai after two consecutive defeat because of him in the earlier battles. The remnants of the forces in the fortress escaped by sea to the main hideout, where the heroes gave chase to battle the main forces on land.
On the island, the heroes had to battle with Kiehl Hyre's defensive mechanism of the 2 Fortress Emperiums that self regenerate in a very short amount of time as long as either one is standing to repair the other two. The heroes broke off into two forces and in time, figured out the secret to the 2 Fortress Emperiums and disarmed the security system to battle with Kiehl Hyre's generation 4 robot of himself.
Within the dark altars where Eudoxie was to be found, the archmage Mystra also appeared to stop the 'folly' and Eudoxie challenged Mystra to a one on one battle to settle all of their differences and see which of the two are more fitting to lead the <Legion of the Dark Allegiance. Wishing that the fight is not interrupted as Eudoxie wishes to use only her own powers to defeat her former teacher, Eudoxie pitched Kiehl Hyre's latest creation, "Ostellos-D-02" against the heroes. Ostellos being the entity of darkness in the noble Aaronock's mind, utilized the new shell of a body created by Kiehl to attack the heroes, using a combination of many different magic attacks from all classes of magic. However in a combined effort of the heroes within the altar, Ostellos was defeated and his new body destroyed.
When the heroes arrived at the top of the altar to where Eudoxie and Mystra are battling, the victor has already been determined with Eudoxie unconscious to the floor. All the heroes see is the archmage Mystra looking upon the successfully opened gate to the Realm of Eternal Fire, Muspelheim. Mystra saw no reason to 'claim' anything as her own as she is confident that the answer to her enemies doesn't lie on a being promised to destroy the very world that the god Erebos tries to rule over, yet also see no reason to close the gate either. If the beings of Muspelheim were truly destined to try to destroy the world against the will of all the gods, then it'll also be only a matter of time Mystra foresees herself to battle with them. Delaying the inevitable is pointless. Mystra left the Gateway to Muspelheim open to the hand of the Fates and the stars.
Thus begins the battle of the heroes entering the realm of Muspelheim whenever the stars' alignment connects the two realms, where the heroes battle against the forces of Surtur, the fire giant of Muspelheim along with the greedy dwarf in the guise of the 4 dragons, Fafnir. The heroes challenge Surtur to disrupt his rest to restore back to full strength to purge all within the world. Though Surtur warned that even if he is to be temporaily defeated now, the heroes will eventually age while the power of Surtur grows endlessly. However, the heroes continue the battle against Surtur, having full trust that in the future, new heroes will rise to take up the task to defeat Surtur, and an endless yet hopeful battle will continue for generations and generations to come.
