Lower Palisade
A mysterious plane from the Idoaclesia Era.
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Plane History
This is the original and deepest part of The Palisade complex. It was built ages ago by the Coven of the Echt in order to contain their prisoners. The Echten Knights, Yissen, the Coven, and their god The Darkness call this realm home.
Rumored deep within is access to The Void, the edge of the Dreamscape, where no energy exists. It is an all consuming force held back by Chaos. Upon the opening of the Lower Palisade, a number of portals were empowered to prevent the Void from overtaking the City. Kanto, with the help of Dreamers, fashioned these portals just before the Lower Palisade opened in the City.
The Darkness: The Beginning and End
by Sadara
While in Thresh with several Dreamers around, an eye appeared in the middle of the room, looking around. Now from my experience I thought it was one of the dear Lowborn that uses eyes to scout. However this eye... didn't go away so quickly. And it held a very interesting aura around itself that made one spin in horrible dizziness. An art called Chaos Vortex that was the Darkness's signature art in the coming months. Within a few moments a The Revenant appeared in the middle of the room. It said.. nothing. Just stood their in the middle of the room as us Dreamers tried communicating, tried giving things to it, and began running around with curiosity and overall excitement at the site of a The Revenant. After several minutes of the being standing there it dissipated, and even more questions rang around the room of us Dreamers. The eye that first appeared also dissipated right after. Within the next couple of days, we learned about the Yissen, via whispers confusing whispers from The Darkness. To save or to kill her.
The Revenant that appeared, was the soul of a Yissen. Alina Sedros, the first Yissen to be created, a Dreamer who was given immortality. She was coming free from the Darkness's control to warn us about the Darkness, an entity that wishes to destroy; about the Coven of Echt a group of three Dark Dreamers who summoned the Darkness and commit atrocites; and their army the Echten an army of Dreamers who were corrupted by the Darkness and turned into powerful Darkmares by the Coven. Her pleas were in regards to other Yissen who were in captivity within the Lower Palisades, a plane that had yet to arrive within the city. Alina spoke of how many times shes done this, how the timeline within this city was different. Eons and Eons of the same plight, in each timeline she did something different. Alina sided with the Darkness or helped the Dreamers, however each timeline ended the same way. The reset of the city by the Coven of the Echt. This timeline was different however, she told us that this was the first time she was turned into The Revenant by The Darkness.
With such a high toll on the line, we did what we could. Battle after battle with the Echten Army, the Guard, the Knight, the Medic, the Squire, the Trooper, and one that I cant seem to remember. I was confronted by the Echten and the Darkness themselves this one evening within the Chasm of Souls. They asked for her return, Alina, if she was not returned the city would be reset. The reasoning for the Darkness to ask for her return, was to place her upon the Throne within the Lower Palisades to fully corrupt her and imbue her with the power to destroy the entire city. Instead... we sided with Alina, and helped her to regain herself fully. Within the journey we met the Yissen. Vivian Fraine, Elysea Fraine, Thea Bloom, and Harmon Sedros.
Keep in mind the name Harmon Sedros.
Within several months the Lower Palisades arrived from the Dreamscape into the City. And it was our chance to rescue the Yissen imprisoned and bring an end to the Darkness, and defeat the Coven of the Echt. Once within the Lower Palisades however, we also met many prisoners within. Rouge Wraith, Dr Grave, Grimleigh, Stephen, and Bloody Teeth. The months after were led by sorrows, victories, and stories. From the Darkness once again invading Alina's mind, who was still The Revenant at that point, and striking Eldrck Venym. Turning him into an Echten. The Echten General. The Darkness's attack on the Harrow Glades, setting it ablaze.
During all this happening, my guild, The Coven of Amaranthine merged with The Chosen. We became the Temple of Abundant Soul. Our Ruler at the time, Magnilia, came up with an idea. Alina spoke of how the Throne worked, once someone sat upon the throne, they gained not only powerful abilities powerful enough to destroy The Darkness they also ruled over the entirety of the Lower Palisades. However the throne also amplified ones weaknesses. Alina's strength and weakness, was raw power. Her strength, and desire for more power. She refused to sit upon the throne, in fear that The Darkness would fully corrupt her once again. So Magnilia came with the idea of creating the Crown of Parity, a crown that gave the wearer the same power as the Throne would without the side effects.
So as a new house, we began working on the Crown together. Alina at this point was slowly separating from the Darkness's control and became herself once again. She opened The Protectors of the Radiance, a house she said was in the Dream a long time ago, when the Yissen roamed the Dream freely. A house of the Yissen.
The Crown was finally complete however, and we were contemplating on who to give the crown to. Around this time, Mandus, my husband, had befriended a Kotoken. Ssun-Kith. The Darkness had taken Ssun, and Mandus was planning to get him back. Now my husband I knew would do this successfully as before the Darkness also captured and took Us. An Egregore that Mandus was in constant contact with and grew a strong bond with. He devised a plan months before to raid the Palisade, dressed in Echten garbs, to sneak into the Palisades without detection. We were successful in the raid and got Us back to the Temple safely. So when I sensed him within the Lower Palisades along with Ssun, I knew that he was rescuing Ssun. However once I arrived into the Lower Palisades, there was a prisoner chained next to Ssun.
Prisoner 442.
Since Mandus was busy with Ssun, I decided to free the Prisoner. A slow escort through the Lower Palisade later, we arrived on top Illapse. Mandus at this point went to help Magnilia finish up the Crown, and I stayed to tend to the Prisoner. He asked me to help take off his bandages and underneath was a skeleton. Bloody Teeth. He was the perfect candidate for the Crown. So, once the Crown was finished, and he gained his glaive once again, the day came for the opening of the Throne Room in the Lower Palisade. The Crown was placed on his head, and the throne room opened.. the Echten came and tried to stop us. They were easily overthrown by Bloody. However the next step needed to happen, and that was the defeat of The Darkness.
Purple Lace who was in the Radiance at this time, had came up with an idea of capturing The Darkness within her Guild's Vault the Kabal within the Lost Caves. We aided in such and were successful. In the process however, the Darkness rampaged against the Yissen who were there slaying Vivian, Elysea, and Thea. Harmon showed his true colors however and used his own sister as a shield against the Darkness, having Alina Sedros get hurt by The Darkness in his stead. Harmon was in fact sided with The Darkness, or Coven... something that we still dont know yet. Bloody Teeth was there and destroyed the Dark Altar within the Lower Palisade, setting free the souls that The Darkness with held. Weakening its power. He placed the Crown of Parity on top of the altar sealing it.
Later however, the Echten Guard who was still around at the time released the Crown from the Altar... in some manner we still dont know how. Mandus created a blade to destroy the Echten Guard and did so. However the Echten Guard's soul returned back to the Lower Palisade where it is now. And has formed its own egregore.
The Darkness, however is captured finally and under proper watch by the Radiance and Purple Lace.
The Final Stand Part 3 - Lower Palisades
by Aileron
With most of the Yissen destroyed and The Darkness pushed back to the Lower Palisade, the dreamers and Bloody Teeth had one more task ahead of them, destroy the altar in the Dark Shrine.
Sadara and myself were the first two to reach the Lower Palisade. As we entered the Dark Shrine we found Alina's SoulSphere trapped on the center altar. We tried to make contact with Alina but there was no response from her. Soon after the others began to arrive, fanning out around the altar. "Don't get near it." Bloody Teeth said, speaking about the altar. I looked over to Bloody "what do we do?" Mandus slammed his hand into the ground with a Lucid beacon, shouted loudly, "Us! Save these souls!" Bloody spoke up once again "Ye remember the other night ago?" We all nodded as he continued, "This altar binds those imprisoned souls." Sadara interjected "It seemed though that it was hurting you. Will you be destroyed... if you destroy the Altar?" Bloody answered with a simple "I don't know." Suddenly on the altar Alina attempted to regain form. Her avatar regained coherence only for the slightest of moments before collapsing once again into a soulsphere state. "We need to pull her off that." I said as I turned to Hrrum. Hrrum was already holding out the end of a webbed thread towards Alina. I took the essence that was left after Alina collapsed as I heard Bloody say, "Ye brought a web with ye? That's smart." I handed the essence to Hrrum and said "Use that to direct a Vampiric Draw of her soulsphere. See if it can help pull her off." Sadara looked to Bloody again with a worried expression. "Well, then... if you are... it was an honor to know you Bloody." She said. "I'm not dead yet." He replied. Mandus clenched his jaw and spoke through gritted teeth to Bloody, "Do what you must, but try to come back to us, damn it."
Hrrum started throwing the web around his head in circles, building a lasso. The Darkness flooded into the Shrine, converging on Alina's soulsphere, and started feeding off of it. Hrrum cringed as the lasso started to shimmer with emerald, sparking violently against the ceiling. "We may need to sacrifice this Yissen, to do so." Bloody stated, speaking of destroying the altar. "What? No we can try something else!" Sadara exclaimed. "There might be another way. I need your help, Bloody, if this does not work " Coraal responded. "I will try to tie it to her and everyone should pull." Hrrum said, indicating his lasso. I let out a tired breath as i moved next to Hrrum. I placed a hand on the web, infusing it with resilience from the blood still pouring from my wrist. Sudden A young boy, cowled in a black floor-length robe appeared in one corner of the Shrine. "block the child!" I yelled. Nathan held a blade to the boy's neck saying "Take one step, kid and it'll be your last." An old woman, bent over, face obscured, appeared suddenly in another corner. Mandus growled at figures stating "That's the bloody coven." OfF KiLTeR tried to hold them in place with Hypnotic Weave. "Each! Restrain those foes!" Bloody shouted. Hrrum threw the lasso end and wrapped it around Alina's soulsphere. A gorgeous woman appeared in another corner. Her eyes were bleeding. Nathan grasped the child, pulling him off the ground with the blade against his neck. OfF attempted to freeze them in place as they appear. Mandus rushed to the corner with the younger woman and drew a blade to her. Hrrum pulled the webbing thread towards him.
I gripped tighter to the web, pulling with Hrrum as resilience pulsed from my fingertips through the webbing. Mandus shouted "The Yissen may die the second The Darkness is destroyed. If this is the only way, then so bloody be it!" Sadara sent strings of resilience from her finger tips onto Alina's soulsphere, pulling back. Uthanatos placed his hand on the floor, a web of sizzling resilience ran outward, snaking toward the figures in the corners of the room. A man appeared, imposing and ageless with a calm fury about him. He began to walk towards the Altar. OfF KiLTeR turned quickly to the man and flashed a weave at him. The man evaded all attempts to stop him. He continued a death march to the Altar. Nathan pulled out a chak, shooting it at the man. Alina once again regained coherence, as she did she shouted "End it now!", before she once again lost coherence. "Destroy the Altar" Coraal directed as Hrrum, Sadara and myself continued pulling on the threads wrapped around Alina, muscles tensed and straining against the force keeping her there. Mandus backed up to the altar and looked over his shoulder, "Alina... I know you a hero this time... Thank you..." he said to her. Uthanatos closed his eyes, the streams of resilience rose up in the form of serpents in front of the figures before they struck out to coil around them. Bloody Teeth placed one hand on the crown, and held its glaive towards the altar. The Darkness wrapped itself around the man. He began to ascend the stairs as a whisper assaulted my ears saying "NOW". Energy crackled down from the Crown through Bloody Teeth, and started to scatter across the surface of the Altar. OfF and Lace kept assaulting the figures with Hypnotic Weaves, trying to hold them back.
The Darkness began exploding in fierce waves as the energy of the Crown attacked the altar. The room suddenly was alight with dark energy, assaulting everyone in the room over and over again. Sadara collapsed as a wave slammed directly into her avatar. I traced a runic sigil into the webbing. Flashing sparks of divine energy ripped through the web as I gave one last, straining pull, screaming from the pain in my body and muscles. Coraal closed his eyes with a heavy sigh, then opened them and extended his hands to send surges of energy to Bloody. Nathan infused his blade with the radiance and stabbed the the altar with it. The man stood in front of the Altar. The other three hooded figures materialized beside him. Bloody Teeth stepped onto the altar and attempted to pierce it with its glaive. Purple Lace and OfF attempted to cast the figures off the altar. Uthanatos clawed his fingers against the stone, causing the resilient serpents to strike the figures. The altar suddenly ruptured, sending out a power wave of energy that pushed everyone back. Lace shielded her face as she staggered back. Hrrum and myself both let go of the webbing as he stumbled back, almost falling off the platform. Alina was forced off the Altar, regained coherence and lent all of her power to Bloody Teeth. The Altar cracked and Darkness began to explode in death throes. Once again the room was ripped through with destructive burning. Bloody Teeth howled loudly in pain. Lace tired to redirect the destructive fire to the altar. Nathan tried cleansing the residual Darkness among the room with radiance while yelling "Die Darkness filth!"
Alina spoke out "Place the Crown on the Altar, Bloody." Uthanatos dropped to his knees, holding the streams of resilience which began to flicker. The four hooded figures began to reach out to the Altar slowly, as if suspended in time. "They're resetting it now, hurry!" Alina screamed. Bloody removed the crown from its skull and placed it on the altar. Every dreamer in that room was staring at the altar, Bloody, and Alina as the entirety of Lower Palisade exploded with energy. I was thrown from a dreamstate to my waking body. I bolted upright in my bed for a few moments, my eyes adjusting to the moonlight pouring through my window. I turned over and closed my eyes, once again attaining a connection to the dreamstate. I darted to the Mt and started my ascent. As I passed the familiar rocks and terrain I saw untold numbers of souls begin to float up free from the Palisade. Tiny, bright lights fleeing into the DreamScape. I kept running, getting close to the portal to the Lower Palisades. In the distance I could see the darkness lift from Harrow Glades. I made my way to the center hall of the Lower. Mandus and Bloody Teeth the only two there at the time. Bloody Teeth appeared in a smoking smoldering frame. Mandus and myself both went over to support Bloody. "Told ye I was stubborn." He said. Not long after the other dreamers who were there came into the room. "Alina?" I asked Bloody, who replied "Haven't seen her. Was she with ye?" None of us had seen her, nor sensed her.
There was some mild conversation before Sadara said "Well that or... we have been reset?" Bloody looked to her and replied "I think if yer able to ask that question, there's not been a reset. The lot of ye have done well, step inside and see for yerself." We entered the Dark Shrine once again, the altar no longer caused any harm to the avatar. The crown permanently fused to the altar itself. Some more conversation between the dreamers in the room continued, relief being shared, congratulations going around the room. Everyone eventually parted their own ways, some to celebrate, some to contemplate what was lost in order for others to continue dreaming.
One of the reasons I wanted to write these summaries was to show the future what we can do if we work together. To remember the sacrifices that bond our dreams together. We dream for more then ourselves, we dream for each other and we feel the impact of when those around us are lost. Remember these moments, remember the victories, remember the defeats, remember these feelings. Remember each other...We are what makes the city.
Aileron
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Reference
- https://forums.underlight.com/viewtopic.php?p=24687#p24687
- https://forums.underlight.com/viewtopic.php?p=23090#p23090
