The end of Celgar Magnus (brace for long reading)

[lunchboxkilla]

The unknown bard shuffles his way in past every one as his elvish features let him be lithe and silent as he moved to the center of the gathering. In a quiet and respectful tone he speaks "If i may i was asked to tell the story of one of the few remaining dragon summoned that lived" he said quietly and waited for the eyes of the patrons to look upon him. After a long and almost forever silence he spoke up "I was told by one of the Lucinda followers, a Priest he insisted on being called" he slowly held his arms up to draw more attention to him and to give him more of a dramatic tone "His name was Celgar Magnus"

     The snow was thick and still falling but the old man leaned on his staff muttering a few choice words of the weather. He may loved the cold in his youth but time as taken its toll on his body and he was struggling to move thought the snow. "Mercy come here and help me get unstuck in this damned snow" he muttered to the wind. Loud thumping followed by a roar that was unearthly. Its tones were not made by any creature that was birthed on any of the many planes. It sounded more like stone grinding into each other. The old man stood still knowing that the noise was made by something far older than that of mortal lives of man. At first it seemed that a pile of snow covered rocks moving in the distance came shambling up to the old man and he smiled broadly as the shape of a stone golem came up to him.
"There you are Venerable friend," he smiled at the stone golem, he knew that the summing of golems from other planes was like playing dice in the inn. Chance was random and he seemed not to care. To him it was the same golem he summoned ages ago and didn't listen to the mages prattle on about how they were by luck or by hearing his call into service. The sounds of stone grinding had the tone as if it was asking him a question but its impossible to tell with these mindless creatures. "Help me get out of this, we're almost to where the priests back in Blackford have sent me to" he eyed the land growing more hate for those blinded and jaded by the foul rumors that were spilt by his name. "Petty fools who only think for them selves and ignore the true ways of Lucinda" he spat with venom remembering one such priest that talked about how him being a priest was a mistake "They care nothing for the weave and only them selves" he snorted again to him self as his golem helped him out of a snow drift "I am sure many wouldn't even consider dying for the weave if it would save it" he snorted and muttered to him self "faith is purest when it is unquestioned". Pulling his staff free form the snow he stopped to stare at it. It was a holy relic to him and he for most part kept it hidden from his fellow followers, if asked he would say it was a staff he enchanted when he was still in his twenties. He knew the truth behind it. Wild rumors stated that Lucinda held a staff that looked strangely like this one in the times when gods were mortal, or it was a staff bestowed by those devoted to Lucinda by her self or one of her many angels. To him the truth didn't matter to him, it belonged to his goddess and every morning he would offer his prayer of thanks for just having it, "Watch over my friends and may the weave always be there, mother" he whispered the prayer as he broke from his reveries. He never once ask Lucinda for any thing on him self other than the blessing he needed, ever since the "Port accident", he never put him self in to his own prayers thinking he was unworthy of her grace and always prayed not for foregiveness but for those he cared about.  Slowly started to walk down the path flanked by his stone golem looking for the town.
"There it it" he smiled warmly to his golem and patted its huge hand chanting the unsumming spell to relieve his soul the weight of it being on this plane. finding the paths the villagers made doing their daily errands he started to make his way to the tavern to warm up and get further info on his mission.
     the door slowly slid open with a gently push of his palm and he wandered into the tavern to warm up and rest for a bit. An Elvish bard in the middle of a rather brilliant ballad about the king of bard was interrupted by the old man who entered "Enough sing and praise about Ozy" he said with a wry grin on his face"
"You know of him?" the bard sputtered out in a surprised gasp as his eyes were looking like they were going to explode form his head.
"Know of him? He was like a father to me in my youth," the old man said as he moved to a table, bard in tow "I know of him and I know hearing your praise would of made him murder you where you stand!" he said stamping his staff down to make his point "He cared not of heroics you sing, he was a humble man and loved nothing more than a good pie and a good lass to lick with his forked tongue" he laughed watching the look on the bard's face turn in disbelief of his hero being talked about so harshly.
"But you are old and senile" the bard blurted out to the old man
"I speak the truth lad, heroes are far less glorious than the tails told by them. They didn't do their deeds for honor or praise but what is needed!" the old man said with a curt nod turning to face the bard fully. he eyes the bard for a quick few seconds and threw off his fur that he was hidden under revealing the most bizzare colored set of robes. Checkered patterned shades of blue dominated the most of his body while fine adornments of gold that held the lighting bolt of Lucinda were adorned on his forearms. His staff at this point started to glow with the aether of the weave to show that he was far than the every day old men.
"The crazed golem man of Lucinda" the bard shrieked as if seeing this person meant impending doom upon the village
"Some call me that, but only my friends do" he laughed with mirth and took a long bow "Celgar Magnus, Priest of Lucinda at your service" he said as he slowly stood up to his full hight. The bard eyed the six foot seven man with awe and fear knowing what happened ages ago with Celgar and a Port city. "I have been sent here by the priests of Blackford to aid in your need" he said slowly as the bard's eyes slowly moved to Celgar's hips where 3 swords hung on his hip then back up to his face to drink deep of this persons features. A deep scar ran form the left most tip of his left eye brow down past his eye and ended on the lower right most of his chin giving this man a more un-priestly look. Other than the massive damage to his face what took the bard's breath way was Celgar's deep brown eyes. They didn't look like that of a man that killed a whole city with a single word. his eyes looked full of compassion, and mixed with anger and resentment to him self. Just to see his eyes the bard knew the rumors were half truths and the jokes about him were made in utter hate for some one that has done wrong in their life.
Fixing him self and making sure he wasn't gawking at Celgar the bard spoke "What brings you here other than the priest telling you to come to this back water of a town....Celgar" he said resisting the urge to call him insane putting away the slang that he used when telling stories to scare the local children.
"News of some kind of sub sect of the Corath has been scryed here by a local mage. Said they were up to some plan to destroy the weave and to attack Lucinda" Celgar frowned a bit "I came to this tavern to rest my old body and to take a break" he said "I'm getting older and older" he whispered to him slef as he sat down at an empty table "I have chased them to this town about a day or so ago, I found their old hide out in a cave close close by but it seems they upped and left. So maybe have you seen travelers about?" Celgar looked to the bard as he just set his staff to rest on the table.
"I have seen many men and women draped in black move through the town and to the north"
"Predictable Corath followers" Celgar said and grinned to him self thinking inwardly to him 'like blind sheep they never hide them selves, the common folk need to understand that some times black isn't the best color to wear' he grinned in silence as the bard watched him
"Something funny sir?" the bard ask him and snapped him out of his thoughts
"Oh just how things never change in a world full of it" he nodded and snatched his staff up and almost jumped out of his chair "Seems I need to go hunting" he said as he moved to his pile of fur cape and shifted through it pulling out a old leather bag with odd runes on it.
The bard watched in total amazement as this small back pack like bag held something much larger than its own size being pulled from it. Celgar pulled his shield from this magical bag . The logo of Lucinda painted on with skill that would make an artiest look at it with wonder and he turned to the door "I shall be back soon" he said leaving his bag on the floor where he dropped it. "And Bard, look after my things please" Celgar said with a smile on his face tossing him a small sack of gold coins.
As the door opened to the cold the bard watched Celgar armor shimmer and run like water as it turned to full plate.

((More to come but i am tired now and need sleep))

[lunchboxkilla]

With full plate on and the cold once again stinging his senses, Celgar call out a single word "Faith!". With the sound of thunderclap the Shield golem appeared and looked to its master quietly "To the north we shall go old friend. It is time we show these cultists the true power of the weave" he sneered at the golem as he slapped his help into place and put his staff into a holster on his back. As they ran north following the now half hidden path the cultists left behind Celgar chanted one of the many litanys he learned as a young cleric to harden his soul for the horrors that was to come, Corath's followers always had the foul undead in tow.  
        After what seemed like it was like hours of running thought the deep snow Celgar came upon another cave hidden deeply in the mountain side. The tainted waft of rotting flesh mixed with the warped weave that these cultists were using for their experiments. Crouching low as he could he waved his golem to go first while he started the long string of prayers that would ensure his safety from death magics and other ill spells. the golem roared as it charged into the cave head long shouting its war cry. there was a loud cry as the first victim of the golem's wrath was indeed still alive. Then Celgar heard the sounds of two more frantic people casting as many offensive spells into the golem  trying to save their friend but they were to late and the spells bounced off the golem's body.
"Immune to magic!" Celgar shouted as he started his head long charge into the cave drawing his dragon slayer long sword letting its holy light purify the area. His eyes looked to his golem seeing it was in the middle of twisting the human in half in its hands as the greater magic missile spell bounced off its armored side. "For Lucinda" Celgar roared as he came upon the closest mage and rammed his sword deeply into the humans mid section and proceeded to lift the man into the air with one hand. The still living cultist quickly turned to Celgar with the look of fear creeping through his features never seeing such fury of an attack as his partner was lifted off his feet and then watched in horror as Celgar proceeded to bash the man's head in with his shield. While Celgar was distracted the mage unleashed salvos of negative energy waves at Celgar in a vain hope to kill the man but by his fourth spell was cast he was crushed under the fury of the shield golem.
   The fight had started and ended quickly as happed, tossing the dead man to the side Celgar signaled the golem that the man was long dead and to keep moving. This cave has to be their main operations, Celgar thought looking at the random assortment of rotting bodies and other ill things crawling in the dark. Moving deeper a sense  of dread slammed into Celgar's soul knowing the soul mother was watching him, waiting like a hyena for its meal to die. He pushed the thought form his mind as he turned another corner and barreled his way thought a small army of undead. Undead fingers clawing at his silver armor as he he pushed and hacked his way to the center.  Meanwhile his golem seems to be enjoying the destruction and was tossing corpses as it tried to follow its smaller more nimble master, roaring its battle cry as it stopped down a few undead under its massive feet. "I do not fear you!" Celgar shouted as he brought up his arms and let loose the purifying light that
washed over the cave's walls and turned the hoard of undead to dust.  The whole hoard of undead was just a distraction as there were 3 more "spell flingers" as Celgar noted and they were already in mid cast of their spells. Celgar turned to see they weren't casting the normal death spells and he quickly brought up his shield to protect him self as the searing light beams screeched past his head and tore into his golem. The sound that followed sounded like a roar of pain as the golem's core was ruined forcing the golem to its knees. Faith, another one of Celgar's Venerable golems had fallen to its knees for the fist time ever. The golem struggled to move but fell, before it could hit the ground its summoning spell was broken and the golem was gone. Celgar turned to the 3 whooping and cheering spell casters and he roared out Lucinda's holy word a searing beam blasted its way from the middle caster and the last thing they saw was the glowing arcane circle at their feet and then nothing, they were blind in a matter of seconds while one of their numbers screamed in pain as his soul was stripped form his body and casted into darkness. Celgar stood tall and looked to the last two now blind casters and pointed at them. He shall make them suffer far worse than his golem did and with one arcane word he launch a salvo of hammer of the gods into the two pounding them to pulp under Lucinda's holy wrath. "Kill me but spare my golems" he grinned a bit knowing that His shield golem was safe back on its planar home getting  the repairs it needed after that attack.
      With the three casters dead  Celgar charged past the pulpy mess that marked where they stood smirking to him self he ran into the anti chamber of the cave and was frozen in place as he laid his eyes on a lich. "You" Celgar muttered ashe saw the long dead skeleton turn and look to him
"We meet again Celgar, How many years since my release from Hlint?" it said in a jovial tone "Ten or twelve years now?"
"thirty" Celgar said ha he tarted the long process of summing his last golem whispering the prayer as quietly as he could
"Ah... time passes so fast for me" the Lich said in a mocking tone "I see the years have changed you whelp of Lucinda"
"Vengeance" Celgar shouted as the flow of the weaves washed around his body like a whirlpool of energy pulling the massive Mithril golem form its home plane. The golem didn't bother to look around and charged at the lich
"Ah new toys" the Golem cackles as it brought it's staff to bare and the golem paused in full stride."Come far from the days of summoning that pathetic pile of stone you so adore" the lich unleashed salvos of arcane spells into the golem as the spell that held it in place wore off. Celgar flinched watching the magic show tear the golems left arm off in a knot of twisted mithril, but the golem didn't stop roaring loudly as it raised it's right arm to strike the lich, its body riddled with thousands of holes and carbon burns form the powerful magics. Bring his staff up to block the golem's arm was held inches from the lich's staff. Taking his time like a predator stalking its prey Celgar moved slowly and with calculating movements he muttered a few prayers and launched a salvo of searing light into the lich's shield to distract him from the golem making Celgar the bigger threat. As soon as the lich turned to Celgar he returned with his salvo of magics filling the darkness with bloody red light making Cel's attack pale in power.  Drawing his shield up quickly he felt the blow ram into his shoulder with the force of an angry god almost knocking Celgar off his feet and impaling his flesh with rays of unholy magic sputtering and coughing from the pain in his body Celgar looked up to see his holy sheild was ruined beyond protection, deep inside Celgar's soul he weeped for the loss of his shield. A gift given to him by an old friend that no longer lives. Tossing the now useless lump of adamantium to the side Celgar reached for his third sword and screams with all the will and hate he could muster for the evil that walked the world "Faith is my shield" . Pulling the half broken sword the lich let out a howl of laughter
"You going to defeat me with a broken sword boy?" he said still holding off the mithril golem as if it wasn't even there
"I am her will," Celgar chanted, "I am the embodiment of the weave set on this mortal realm," he chanted louder as the upper half formed into a blade of pure energy "I am her light!" he said as he charged at the lich turning him self into a whirlwind of death throwing fury of blows into the lich forcing him to drop his protective shield, not skipping the beat his mithril golem turned on his heel and back handed the lich sending him past Celgar by mere inches and roared its victory as the lich flew into the air.
" you Celgar and your toys" the lich said as if being swatted by a gnat and slowly got up "I am done playing!" it roars as it leveled its staff to the golem and fired a beam of raw blood red energy into the golem. coving his Eyes Celgar turned to his golem to watch it shudder and let out a pitiful roar as its body started to shake. I know what is happening to him, Celgar thought to him self as he watched, Its dying...the soul core is being ruined and there is nothing can do. He watched in horror as his golem's chest buckled outwards and for a scant moment he thought he say the imprisoned soul escape only to be snatched up by the soul mother. With its soul core gone the golem started to disintegrate rotting away with death and decay from the lich's spell ruining not only its power source but killing the body so that it shall never rise again.
"Monster" Celgar roared as the licks fired more beams into Celgar's body lancing though him. With hate and rage in his mind Celgar ignored the corruption hitting his body and charged on. with his holy blade in his right and his dragon slayer in his left he started to unleash hell upon the lich not giving him a chance to bring that staff into play. The holy blade cleaved through the lich's staff like n Ax through a twig and cut down the robes of the lich. with his left he brought his sword arm up and punched the lich in the head sending that grinning skull reeling and with a back hand he ran the blade over the ribs of the lich letting the heavily enchanted blade burn with fire and with the silver pure energy dance all over the lich's body
"I shall kill you" the lich roared as if he was in pain his body being torn apart by the insane attacks
"And I shall drag your soul to hell with me" Celgar roared as the lich pointed a bony finger at Celgar's face letting the dreaded spell finger of death loose upon the mortal.
If the lich had a face left it would have the look of disbelieving what has happened. Celgar's helm rotted away to rust leaving Celgar's head intact. His short cropped hair glowed silver in the faint like that of scales of a silver dragon. placing his boot onto the lich's ribs and forcing the lich down onto the ground tossing his swords to the side Celgar drew his staff "This is for my friend you killed in Hlint" he roared as he drove his staff into the eye of the screaming lich and let all his power drain from his soul into his staff blowing the lich apart in holy light.
      An hour passed a Celgar recovered form his wounds, slumping on the ground holding his staff close to him keeping his body upright "Mercy, please"he rasped as the golem crawled up from the stone floor like a man climbing out of quick sand and roared at Celgar almost like it was a question "Find the...soul stone and bring it to me" he rasped again not moving but staring down at the ash of the Lich's body "Its close...I can still feel the taint here" he muttered and waited for his golem to return.
 Another hour passed and the golem waddled to Celgar holding a large black crystal in its massive stone hand holding it out to Celgar. "Thank you old friend" Celgar smiled to it like he would a father rewarding his child and nodded to the golem "You have done well" he said softly "Crush it and carry me out of this hole if you could.
    mean while back at the tavern the Bard was shocked to see a little stone golem crawl out of the small sack the priest left behind clutching a badly flawed emerald to its chest looking around for its master. with out warning it turned to the door and waddled to it banging with urgency with his free arm trying to break the rood and get free. Quickly getting up the bard ran to the door to find a bloody soaked note on the door and it was part poem part note.
"I'm the best that ever has been, the best there ever will be, and the best there is now. Congratulations to me, I'm the best of the absolute worst. I should of become a farmer.

Take my things and keep them as your but let Little Veoan free...As for me pass on to my friends my body is done, I shall hide from the world and let my life slip away in peace for once... I can't go on any more...

Let all you meet know of me for the good and bad, tell them I am not a hero but just a simple priest doing what is done...

Signed Celgar Magnus
Priest of Lucinda"


The bard looked out and saw a blood trail mixed with giant sized foot prints. the little golem half buried in the snow let out an excited chirped as it followed after its master with its flawed prize held tightly in one hand while it waved to an unseen person as if Celgar was watching in the snow fall.

End
 


The bard bowed to the people with in the tavern and spoke quietly "I have heard of a rumorer of an old man that lives off an old deep path behind Blackford hidden deep with in the woods is an old man talking to the tiny golem as if it was his own child...but that is just a rumor...I do not know what happened to Celgar after that"

[lunchboxkilla]

((for those that know my char, he's not dead just to stubborn to die, Maybe oldage got to him or maybe he's still living? who knows, Don't delete him yet L. I might bring celgar around to harass a few people))

[EdTheKet]

Nice story, but I have to point out that that is all it is.

[miltonyorkcastle]

To clarify, Ed is saying that the story does not fit with current world lore, so it will not be accepted as "official," or having actually happened. But fictional stories, just like in RL, have their place in this world.

[Deiwos]

Celger !
That cheap bastard !
*Mutters someting about showing off*