The Overlord's Decree

[ExDeath]

You are all summoned to a quiet meeting place inside a large gazebo. The seats are carved from bone, and a raised platform with a large marble podium is set at the front. At the podium stands a young man with pale skin and jet black hair, wearing a robe with the crest of the Black Rose. Behind him sits a familiar shadowy figure, slowly eating away at an apple, his face hidden beneath his hood.

You seat yourself towards the front, ahead of the many ogres, trolls, goblins, and lesser warlocks. The young man at the marble podium begins to speak: "Lesser beings and self-proclaimed masters, I am the one known as Sasuke. I have gathered you here today by the will of my overlord, ExDeath, and the words I speak are not my own, but his. You would do well to pay attention to them."

There is a slight pause, and an approving crunch from ExDeath's apple.

"For too long, this plane has gone uncontested. The free thinking that has allowed foolish clans like The Isle and The Order of Paramancers to flourish must not be allowed to spread any further. I have returned to reclaim what has been mine twice through the ages: rightful dominance of this plane and all the beings in it." The ogre section of the crowd cheers madly, while the goblins sneer in disgust.

"On the 25th of January, I have called a battle to take place upon the Greatstones of Basilus to decide who shall rule. The other two participants are Toyotami, the Drunken Master and BioLogIn, the Nightmare Master. They will both be allowed to speak shortly, to tell you of their goals and aspirations in ruling the hell-plane. All manner of spectators will be encouraged to watch the battles, and cheer for their favorite cause."

"Friends, you know how I rule, and it comforts you. The fundamentals of our economy are strong, and now is not the time for change. The liberal hypocrites at the Guild of the Black Art would have you believe that theirs is the only way for learning, but it is not true. I wish to spread knowledge as well, in the name of the Black Rose. I promise to treat you all fairly as my subordinates, and I will never sacrifice your life if it does not somehow benefit me. So come, my friends and minions, on January 25th, come and cheer for the side of power!"

Another crunch from the apple.

"Now, I shall open the floor to let BioLogIn and Toyotami speak. Please, gentlemen, let your causes be known to the masses."

[Slartucker]

Slartucker squinted at the scrying pool before him.

"Ruling the hell-plane? Does he have any idea what he's talking about? And twice dominant? Truly, how much longer must we suffer the perversion of the truth at the hands of--"

"Slartucker."

The other magician gestured and the image on the pool's surface dissolved. Slartucker's face stared back at him, bobbing and weaving on the water.

"Don't feed the animals," she said quietly.

(edit: typo)

[toyotami]

The hall falls silent, or as near as silent as the Hell-Plane may get. A hungry troll cannot control his ravenous appetite and tears the head off a small goblin. Discreetly, the creature is annihilated.

By degrees, the gathered warlocks become aware of a sound. Slurred laughter is heard echoing throughout the gazebo but from where forth the mirth issues is undeterminable.

Toyotami, the drunken ronin slowly rises from under one of the bone benches, tittering. His robes are stained and torn, his head bare and covered in short grey and white hairs. He moves his jaundiced eyes around and seems to forget what he is laughing about. Turning to the dais he remembers and with an exaggerated gesture inquires,

‘Who is this warlock? Does anybody recall? I have only vague memories.’

Toyotami staggers into an aisle and engages a goblin in a waltz. Warlocks look at one another puzzled. Toyotami releases the frightened creature and raises his voice,

‘That is ExDeath, our absentee Lord, didn’t you know? An empty shell that eats no more. How many of you has he killed?’

At this question many warlocks scowl and raise their arms, the scars of unmerciful agonies inflicted by the shadowy figure burnt across their immortal flesh.

Some warlocks, however, do not raise their arms and they look at the dais hungrily. A twisted finger in particular is bent and trembles, barely able to control a pregnant spell.

Toyotami leaps up upon the bone seat backs and begins a nimble dance over the heads of warlocks across the gazebo, staggering, stumbling but never falling. He sings as he goes,

‘The studied weaves are eons old, new magic spins off younger hands,
The greatest warlock to ever live defeats all within the lands,
The ivory tower of so-called masters built from conceit, insult and sin,
A front, a barricade, a wall for the cowards trembling within.
Into the circle three will go, and when the time is up.
ExDeath the Tyrant, Biologin the Brave, both will fill my cup.’

The drunken ronin trips and falls off the bone bench. There is an intake of breath from the audience and when the ground is examined, the disheveled vocalist is gone.

On closer inspection an object is discovered, a wooden goblet, filled with a swirling colorless liquid. The cup vanishes and the gazebo explodes with speech as warlocks and creatures discuss the strange scene.

[BioLogIn]

Commotion, caused by drunken ronin's performance, calms down a little. While warlocks are taking their seats and monsters slowly stop their brawling and growling, one warlock quietly stands up. His brown robes would suit better to a monk then to a warlock; his hairs falling to his shoulders freely; his features are lean and even skinny a little; eyes half-closed, he looks determined somehow. When everybody finally calms down, he speaks in a soft and reserved voice; his speech bears some noticeable accent, and once in a while he pauses as if to recollect and find necessary words:

"I'm surprised seeing this challenge slowly turning into a fight for this world domination. I never sought it; nor I ever will. The time we allotted here is not limitless; once hell plane was created; one day it will cease to exist or we will find a way out of it. Until then, I think - or, rather, my deepest belief is - that one should strive to become a better by honing one's skills. You need not seek dominance in a fight versus another warlock; the most important lesson learned from a fight is a knowledge of you weak points, as only by learning them we get a chance to improve ourselves."

Young man pauses again, then looks up to poduim and continues.

"I'll be looking towards duels versus respected opponents from Black Rose. But regardless of outcome of these duels, I know I'll be able to emerge and become stronger... as I always did before. But as for being 'overlord' of the hell-plane - thanks, but I forfeit. This farce is not mine."

BioLogIn waits for another few moments, then bows slightly and strides away from gazebo.

[xade]

Standing amoungst the erupting rabble, a tall man in his late twenties takes in the unfolding events. His visage, an arresting beauty that stops both men and women in their tracks.

Sculpted cheek bones reveal perfect symmetry, with dark stormy eyes. Not that you could see them through the dark shades.

xade edges towards the podium in a scarlet hooded top over a white T shirt. a tattered phoenix motif across his chest. The irony isn't lost.

His jeans are dark blue and his boots black and heavy. A mop of dark hair moves gently in the breeze as he walks. Continually wriggling his fingers as he goes, the crowd of lesser creatures before him drop to the ground, clutching their wrists. Again, the irony isn't lost.

He speaks-
"Watch closely Warlocks, for these three stand between you and the ultimate prize. With luck, they will wipe each other out. But at worst, there will be a lot to learn. ExDeaths return to the circle is interesting. It heralds important times. But do remember, while it might be nice to rule in hell, it will be even more fun to try ruling heaven."

The crowds part as xade walks away- *snap snap* on both hands. *snap snap* again.
and then he points- one hand at BioLogIn, the other at ExDeath-
And then points both hands at the skies, unleashing an eruption of flame that lit up the area for miles.

Distracted by the show, the crowd looked back at xade, who simply waved goodbye with both hands, and *snap snap*- disappeared.

A disembodied voice echoed over the field as xade departed- "and surely not everyone was brought here from the darkages?"