Wizards: {The Graduates}

[BlueWizard]

Wizard University:
The high towers of the mage school over look the great campus and capital city of Lemuria. One can see both sides of the Eastern Isle from this point above the clouds. What a better place than the great observatory tower to host the last dance of the year.

The days' pageantry was spent honoring the graduates in tedious and ceremonial ways. Family and friends attended on the Great Lawn, as did all the younger classmates. This was a highly private and prestigious event.

The Dance was usually considered the seniors' last hurray. The average age of graduate-wizards was 22, but some were at other ages. A few 'observers' came to make sure proper use of magic was maintained at the dances, but this one in particular always was said to let things hang-out a little, and often the enchanters got luckier than the others on these nights.

The fire wizards and their secretive group always maintained one corner in any group setting. They were to be the known arm of the empress' military and called the Seekers. To be one was an honor, at the same time your life was sworn to a cause only known to the empress.

Tomas was one of the rivals of the fire wizards who hated him deeply, for his skill with enchantments had earned him their distance and respect. His girlfriend is Jasmine is likely one of the most beautiful girl's ever to have graced the university. These two have many friends and are among the popular ones not in the 'Seeker' crowd.

Jasmin had no chance against Princess Kyra Hunter{NPC classmate}as Dance queen. Kyra at the seat near Falgar Breechmocker{NPC}, was the best of the fire wizards. Falgar's popularity with the largest club, these Seekers, had earned him the most votes for Dance King. The Seekers are an ancient organization, currently it was just a bunch of fire wizards. The choice of Dance Queen was easily Kyra, she was of such beauty that most considered her unnatural. Kyra was born of the famed d'Veil line, known for their fey-like beauty. Her grandomother was considered the most beautiful bard in her time. {a former PC} Kyra was younger than most of your classmates, and was put in an accelerated program because of her royal blood.

Veriben, one of the heroic athlete's from the flying-football matches sits knowing he likely bopped her one night not too long ago at some drink-filled team party. He is probably with a few of his teammates. His skill with magic often made him captains of many teams that required much physical activity from the wizards. Most everyone knew him, as his popularity helped carry his team to victory all over the world at the various University tourneys.
There is also a spectacle of the night. A visionary delight created byBelsambor as his final project, and the school's activities group. Created with the university staff's aid and the final result was amazing. Belsambor, a foreign student from far away Yuan created the whole show. The quiet unassuming young man became quite popular at this dance, and had much attention once the dancing started. Most students had no idea he was capable of such use of magic.

At the university often students are allowed to practice with great magic, under the guidance of professors... not always for the best results. In this case the books and spells were open to Belsambor and his imagination in creating entertainment for his classmate's last hurray together.

Strolon Locke was likely no where to be seen. He was here, but not really seen at the moment. Walking invisible wasn't allowed here, and monitored, so he was somewhere. Strolon knew many in the staff and had befriended quite a few mentor wizards here. He often worked for them and gained special access privileges because of that. Possibly even friends from THAT arrangement, and position of power.

Alone in his shadow of coolness was the loner, Tristan. Many of the students wanted to hang out with him, even if he rejected the whole concept of his popularity. Being a mighty evoker was always envied and gushed for in the wizard world. Kyra's eyes definitely drifted to him as she sat at her seat of honor, but uncomfortably near the pompous Falgar, who took every opportunity to fondle her through out the night's entertainment.

Falgar's Seekers had helped vote sexy young Kyra in. She was known for a little fun, and they wanted their glee-club's president to get lucky on this memorable night. Throughout, it all Kyra's eyes will look to Tristan, who rejected the conformity of the Seekers and sought a higher path all his own. The princess always respected that, regardless of how their past was shared. Many secrets get out of the youths on campus, but these two had never let it out... if it did happened. At one time many thought Tristan would be sitting in Falgar's seat next to Kyra. Tristan had beat him in the school's Wizard Duel for the championship, fairly recently. The Duel was a head-to-head event, which always favors evokers for some reason... These were different than the physical events that Veriben excelled at.

After the show of Belsambor the time for mingling and dancing the night away began. The class drifted about and talked, still in their clicks. It was just more obvious here. The wizard professors did nothing but observe in the shadows. A popular bardess sang on the stage with musicians, and all was quite nice and decorated...

{OOC- Introduce and describe your PC as you see fit, welcome to Wizards!}

The Graduates: {the PCs}
KingRexII: Veriben, jock-wizard
Lochar: Belsambor, Illusionist
ZekeArgo: Tristan, Evoker
Gentoo44: Tomas, enchanter
GimliFett: Strolon, abjurer

OOC- And yes, this humble scene won't last! But, welcome to the Wizards!

[KingRexII]

Although they were polite and civilized at the beginning of the dance and even through Belsambor's show, Veriben and his crew begin to grow louder and rowdier. Most of them too restless to sit still, they begin to pair off to dance to the bardess's songs. Veriben eyes the Princess noticeably and is about to ask her to dance when another fetching young lady accosts him. Never one to refuse a willing women (), he accepts, "Sure, Cassie -- let's tear up that dance floor." Even as she pulls him by the hand, Veriben takes one quick look back to Kyra before joining in with his fellow revelers.

He prances with his pretty partner with crude, but socially acceptable moves, grandstanding to his fellow football players when he thinks he is being watched. He gives Cassie a smile and makes sure she is also enjoying herself.

[Lochar]

The Show:

Spoiler

Show

Hallucinatory Terrain for the field effect. Ghost sound for the birdsong and wolf howl. Major image for the dragon. Silent images by others in the activities group for the 'eaten' students. Altering the major image for the explosion of coins. For imagery on the dragon, look up the dragon summoned in Dragon Ball.

The open field shimmers and shifts, trees sprouting from the ground and rising high into the sky around the field, turning the field instead into a clearing in the woods. Nightingale and lark song echoes throughout the trees surrounding the clearing, a sweet song of farewell and remembrance.

There is a wolf howl suddenly from beyond the treeline, and the birdsong ends, before the howl breaks off just as suddenly.

A rustling is heard from the trees all around, and then suddenly something rises above the treeline, a long sinuous body that continues to rise and rise. The head of this creature appears to be that of a dragon with long whiskers, and after seconds of the creature rising, it's short in comparison arms are seen, and the body continues to just rise and rise. Finally, after nearly a thousand feet of body rise from the forest around the students, the Lung Dragon coils around the clearing, it's body forming a ring above the students and faculty.

The great dragon speaks, it's voice a Yuan accented Draconic. "Congratulations to all those who have graduated. For those of you that haven't, I thank you for the meal."

And with that, the dragon dives into the crowd suddenly, mouth open and roaring. Here and there, a few unknown students flicker and disappear as the dragon passes by them, 'eaten.'

After all the illusionary students are eaten, the dragon rises once more. "And for those of you who passed, a gift."

The Lung explodes, and millions of gold coins tinkle as they fall to the ground in the clearing, vanishing as soon as they are touched.


Afterwards:

Belsambor walks through the crowds, the terrain of the forest still around the clearing as it will be for the next half day. He grins when asked about it, not telling people he'd had to have a couple of the professors cast the major spells and let him direct it all. In actuality though, he tries to play off the show, reminding people that the shows put on during the games are just as good.

[AetherFox]

Tomas holds one hand out to the shower of coins, but then lauges as he realizes it's just an illusion. He followed Jasmin to get some drinks and though to himself, Are the years at the university really over already? Gods they went by fast. I wonder what happens now? I'm going to miss being Archmage. Still, it takes a lot of burden off. He was pulled out of his thoughts when he realized that Jasmine was talking to him. "-Really was a great display, huh?" "Yeah, I didn't know they could make the dragon nearly that tall!" She knodded in agreement, "Hey, Tom, I'm gonna bring one of my friends over, she wanted to meet you. Be right back!" She walked off twards one of the clusters of people. Tomas put his drink on a table, and glanced at the crowd. There's Vibren, dancing with, oh, what's her name? Krista, Christy? Cassie! That's it. Balesembore, doing the illusion, and Tristan over in his corner of cool. I don't get it, he could have girls swooning over him left and right, but he just stays by himself a lot... Tomas looked twards the head table and narrowed his eyes at Falgar. "I know what you are Falgar, even if others don't." Then he noticed Dan, fromhis Magical Theories class, and decided to say hi.

Spoiler

Show

Go ahead and DM jas now, I just wanted to get one post in. Hope you don't mind.

[GimliFett]

Strolon Locke

Finally breaking himself away from the towers, the abjurer arrived just in time to see the finale of Belsambor's show. Strolon clapped heartily and laughed along as some scrambled to pick up the coins gifted by the illusory dragon. He shakes his head in annoyance and shame that some were fooled into actually thinking the money real, causing his pale, thin blonde hair to flitter about and resettle into a slightly staticked mess. This is the future of the Art? he thought to himself.

He made his way purposefully through the throng towards the illusionist behind the entertainment, narrowing his crystal blue eyes at Falgar as he passed. Falgar and Strolon had had many words, nearly coming to blows several times, though Strolon managed to always keep his head about him, as the Seeker was a prime culprit of picking on and hazing the younger students, many of whom were friends to the abjurer.

Loki landed on Strolon's head just as he reached Belsambor and was stretching out a friendly hand to the exchange student. The raven cawed loudly and dropped a shiny copper into his outstretched hand. "Vultus quis ego instituo!" it said in celestial.

Shaking his head in good-natured exasperation, Strolon chuckled and patted Loki atop the head. "Eu!" he responded before turning back to the foreign illusionist. "Sorry about that, Bel. He's a bit overbearing at times. That was masterfully done, by the way!" he says.

[Lochar]

Belsambor

Belsambor nods, smiling slightly. "A great deal of effort on the behalf of several, not just myself. The hardest part, of course, was getting one of the great ones from Yuan to come to model for us so that our group could learn how he moved."

[GimliFett]

Strolon Locke

Arching an eyebrow, Strolon merely chuckled and nodded. "Indeed. I bet that was a task for the ages." he never was quite sure when Bel was stretching truth, or even outright lying, but he took most of what was said with a very healthy dose of salt.

[Lochar]

Belsambor

"At least one for this age, yes. Most of those of my home consider the great ones to be a sign of prosperity and power, and would do much to have intimate contact with one. Our task was simpler, yet harder. We only wished to study him, but when he found out we would be using him as a model for the presentation, he demanded we perfect our images." Belsambor shakes his head. "A full month on scales alone."

He then looks towards the gathering. "But you probably don't care too much about the technical aspects of the show. Let us join the others."

[GimliFett]

Strolon Locke

Chuckle becoming a guffaw, Strolon stops himself mid-laugh. "I see. Well, it was well done, regardless of the difficulty. As is often said, 'if it is worth doing, it is probably difficult.'" He nods for Bel to precede him. "Honestly, I'd be more interested in the technical. But, since we are here, I suppose we must interact somewhat, hm?"

[BlueWizard]

OOC- No prob role-playing some lesser NPCs.

OOC2- Just waiting a little for all to post. I do reward for good roleplay, and I like what I see already. So, post away as long as it is within our scene. Belsambor looks to have finagled a way for him to gain use of draconic illusions in the future.

OOC3- Don't worry we're going to get off to a fast start.

[AetherFox]

Tomas Cramos

Shortly afterward, Jasmine returned with a shorter, sandy-haired girl. "Emily, this is Tom Cramos, and Tom, this is Emily Harris." Tom shakes hands with Emily as they exchange greetings, but soon a man, who looks like he's on one of the sports teams, comes up and asks her to dance. As the two mesh into the middle, Tomas holds Jasmine's hand and nodds his head twards the flock of dancers. M'lady, would you care to have this dance?" He says in a cliched manner. She curtsies in an equally cliched manner and says "Certainly." They both move twards the crowd, laughing.

[ZekeArgo]

Tristan Arthen

Tristan was clad in a well-tailored outfit that had a vintage quality to it, a throwback to what was common 40-50 years ago. He mingled, listening in on conversations and adding a word here or there, but never remaining with one group for very long. He seemed slightly uncomfortable surrounded by the others, and stuck to the sidelines without paying much attention to, or even noticing, anyone who might be paying attention to him.

[BlueWizard]

Everything seemed going according to plan. Nothing seemed strange at all, especially to Strolon. Even after the Watchers confirmed to him all has been checked-out. That was why he'd felt okay to return to the dance. The school organizing committees were all happy, and the few underclassmen here either by date, or other special invitation all took notes on what a great party this indeed was.

The bardess turns out to be actually someone quite famous and related to the Queen of the Dance, Princess Kyra. The famous bardess was the countess, Nerise. Kyra's young aunt. Nerise was a ruler of lands in her own right, but had the voice of an angel. Her incredible looks definitely drew hoots-and-hollars from the wizard-jocks at in appropriate times in her music. She was graceful as many great people are, and took it all in stride, and even entertained the most hum-bug person in the class with her natural charm. Where Kyra seemed primped, Nerise was polished and made the mysterious beauty of the d'Veil line seem natural.

The music builds, and the colored magic mood lights dim as the evening gets long.

Then.....

The sudden silence that fills the room is frightening, but what causes it is clear. One moment everyone is at the height of some form of enjoyment or other, and then... a dark sphere envelopes the stage.

At first people think it is party of the party, but when a couple jokester friends of Veriben are pulled into it screaming when they tried to touch it they begin to think differently. This causes many to back off from the large black sphere. Tom notices that Emily's dance partner was one of the guys sucked in.

Still people think it might be a joke, but the few professors here move in quick, and Mr. Whissleton, the school expert on biology, begins waving students away from it, then a real panic starts. For Whissleton was only this calm when things were serious, and he did have one bit of sweat on his head, as he began to yell. "Ring the alarm bell! Get to safety! Orderly now! Here we go!"

Nothing to react to, but chaos is
{OOC- So here we go. Let's sort the PCs from the NPCs. Or the men from the boys. }

[Lochar]

Belsambor

Immediately not pleased with the appearance of the black sphere, because he knew it hadn't been on the agenda for the night, Belsambor begins moving towards it. Whoever did this is not getting away with messing with the show.

He touches the shoulder of one of the illusion instructors, Professor Garath. "Professor, would you dispel the trees you cast earlier? I dislike ending the show before time, but that way we know no one is hiding in them."

Belsambor continues moving towards the orb, almost off handedly crafting a spell as he moved, stopping only for a moment to release the magic. The sound of the alarm bell begins pealing out from near the stage as Belsambor then continues moving closer to the orb of darkness.

Spoiler

Show

Ghost Sound. CL 2, so as loud as eight humans, for two rounds. And I'm going to be very disappointed if this is the spell sphere of destruction.

Spellcraft to attempt to identify it: (1d20+8)[26]

[KingRexII]

Veriben is horrified as Jessup and Nalia get pulled into the void. He sobers up very quickly and begins to take up his role as a captain. "Cassie, take your sister and go," he says with a light shove toward the door. He calls out to his mates, "Guys, you heard Whissleton -- formation I dash 64 and hold firm. We want everyone out safe. Gervus, you've got rearguard with me."

Veriben and Gervus begins to make sure everyone's off the dance floor, physically moving those struck catatonic with fear. He stays as far away from the stage as he can while still directing the traffic. His eyes roam for any sight of the bardess or the princess.

[GimliFett]

Strolon Locke

Strolon moves alongside Bel towards the orb. A puzzled look crosses his features, but rapidly becomes anger when he realizes this is no prank. "What in the world?" he mutters. "Loki! Sursum! Vultus inter pro quisquam incompertus!" he says as he tosses the raven airborne. He looks to make sure no one is close enough to be entrapped even as another part of his mind considers the meaning of the orb.

Spoiler

Show

Spellcraft - (1d20+7)[8]; knew I should've started with Skill Focus: Spellcraft instead of Spell Focus: Abjuration. I also knew that after Lochar got that 18 for his, I'd not come close.
KnowledgeArcana - (1d20+7)[18]
Translation for those who speak Celestial:

Spoiler

Show

Up! Look around for anyone unknown!

[ZekeArgo]

Tristan Arthen

Tristan racked his memory to figure out what that strange, inky orb could be, his sense extended to determine what kind of strange auras it could possess. He rushed forward, circling across from Veriben and directing other classmates along toward their group.

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+10)[22]Knowledge: Arcana
(1d20+8)[13]Spellcraft

[BlueWizard]

Belsambor runs toward the sphere after getting Garath to drop the illusion, which causes a sudden change in the look and feel of the room. The walls of the tower were seen, and looked boring compared to Belsambor's spectacle of the evening. Garath calls to Belsambor, "Where you going boy?" Garath will give chase to the sphere, "You need to stay back." He seems just as fascinated by the sphere as the rest of you.

As the level-headed friends of Veriben begin to encourage students to leave, they file out the many exits. Other professors try to maintain order on this mass exodus from the giant tower hall. Veriben sees the fire wizards clamoring for their own lives, leaving Kyra alone at her table. Kyra looks agape at the scene unfolding before her. Wondering where her aunt was.

Gervus is scared, but does what his buddy says. Some of Veriben's friends had already fled. Veriben sees nothing nor does Strolon in the now illusionless room.

Garath arrives as Strolon gets too close, this magic is far beyond the knowledge of the young abjurer right now. "Get away, Strolon! Lad that is great evil, and could kill us all."

Another 'security' professor {Jalberg} comes forth and tries to put a large containment force around it, but this only causes the dark sphere to expand further and destroy his containment sphere. In the small explosion poor old professor Garath is pulled into the sphere screaming! The security wizard is blown down by some magical backlash and knocked to near death.

Chaos was beginning to reign again in the clearing dance hall. Those near the sphere can feel they too should run.

Tristan wonders if this was one of the mysterious Void Spheres, but he knew they reacted nothing like this. It was like nothing he or any of the students have heard of before.

[KingRexII]

"Gervus -- get Professor Jalberg and get out of here," he orders. "It feels like we only have moments left here."

"Kyra! Kyra! Get out of here!" he calls, not wanting to get too close. If she doesn't move, Veriben will try to get her to evacuate. If there's a clear path to her, he'll attempt to get her. If not, he'll try to go around to her position in the safest and quickest way possible. If there isn't a safe path, he'll keep yelling at her.

Seeing someone else rush in to get Kyra, Veriben helps Gervus carry out the Professor.

[ZekeArgo]

Rushing for the table of honor, Tristan grabs hold of the princess's wrist and pulls her to her feet, his voice booming throughout the hall as he starts pulling her toward an exit "Everyone run! There is nothing we can do against that thing except get away!"

[GimliFett]

Strolon Locke

The young abjurer stares in shocked horror as Garath is drawn into the sphere. He shakes his head and looks around with a determined expression. "No more shall fall this day!" he says as he moves to make sure any remaining students are lead from the room, he waits until only the staff remain in the room, then leaves as well.

[Lochar]

Belsambor

Wincing at the loss of Professor Garath, Belsambor quits moving closer to the sphere. "We know how it reacts to people, I wonder how it reactions to magic?"

Thought and deed are about as one, as Belsambor steps back to a hundred feet away from the sphere before quietly chanting arcane words. An image of himself appears at the edge of the sphere and calmly walks into the sphere.

Spoiler

Show

Silent Image.

[BlueWizard]

Jalberg is stunned by Garath's loss. As the sphere grows Jalberg looks with dark serious eyes toward the star athlete. "Veriben. I must get these students to safety.... I can only take so many. You must go with Strolon, he knows the secrets of the tower... that will be the only way we can get the rest of you out of this... this is a chaos-sphere. An evil use of wild magic in a bizarrely conformed way. Get out! Now! Strolon you must take them to the secret entrance!"
{Veriben and nearby Strolon will see the importance of Jalberg's words in the fact that he speeched in the middle of all this.}

The charming one, Tom, and his lady friends are also nearby when Security-Wizard, Jalberg, who is also the Divination Dean, speaks of this chaos-sphere and a hidden passage.

The professors begin to enact emergency evacuation procedures, swooping up students and teleporting them away. It was a slow process with so many here. All of you now see that this was a disaster waiting to happen with so few staff members present to remove the endangered students. Alarm bells of all sorts were ringing, but they seemed so far away, and everything in the room seemed to run in slow-motion. The main stair down was jam packed with students in a panic.... the other unfortunate thing... the main entrance is near the stage, so as the sphere grew the more it would block the way down the main stairwell.

Veriben would've gone for Kyra at the head-table, he knew she was a stubborn girl. Even when Tristan stepped out of the shadows she seemed reluctant to go with him. But, she did when Tristan came for her, she seems almost more perturbed by the young evoker than by the scene going on in the room.

Strolon will see that there are no professors here at the moment, as all currently teleported out of the building. He knows what Jalberg speaks of: beneath the dance-floor, through the kitchen, was a secret staff-entrance. There is a room down there with a magic mirror portal to another part of the university. Strolon believes the sphere may not have engulfed it. He's not sure how many he can lead to it before it to is engulfed.

Belsambor casts his spell and when his image walks into the sphere, a sonic clap deafens most everyone in the room. {OOC- You can't hear: Fort Save 12} Belsambor is knocked to his feet by some magic feed back, and stunned.

[AetherFox]

"Holy sh*t, Jas, we've gotta get out of here!" She nodds in understanding as they hurry twards the exit. Halfway there, Tomas is nocked to the ground as other classmates come rushing by. Jasmine turns around and stops when she realize Tomas has dissappered, but the surging crowd pushes here forward.
Tomas rolls to the side quickly, to avoid being kicked by the mass of students. He gets up, and for a while is confused. Everything is mixed up, people are running too fast for him to make any sense of it. He starts running in a random direction, hoping it will lead him away from the orb. He sees Belsambor go down, and hurries over to him, thinking he was attacked by someone. He reaches Belsambor, and extends a hand to help him up while keeping his attention on the ever growing orb now that is in view.
"Belsambor, are you alright?!

Spoiler

Show

Fortitude save: (1d20)[1] and spellcraft check on the orb also (1d20+8)[23] Wow, fumbled my first roll. That sucks fairly hard.

[GimliFett]

Strolon Locke

Nodding at the wisdom in Jalberg's words, Strolon moves to lift help Tomas move Bel towards the recesses beneath the dance floor, heading for the hidden pathways beyond. "Loki! Reverto! Nos es decessio!" He calls out indicating the direction they were heading. "With me! Everyone, follow me beneath the dance floor to the kitchen." He shouts, ushering as many as he can manage, calling out names to get attention where needed.

[ZekeArgo]

Tristan Arthen

Not caring about the girl's reaction, Tristan continues to pull her away, ushering others around her toward the same direction and as far away from the sphere as possible, kicking and shoving those who still refuse to move.

At the the sonic wave washes over him and Tristan screams out in pain, his eardrums bleeding from the deafening roar. Regardless he trudges on, his keen eyes peeled for other dangers that could await the students.

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+2)[3]Fortitude Save

[BlueWizard]

Most people have no interest in listening to Strolon, as he directs them into the kitchen. It is here that a pantry will lead to a secret stair down to the staff room with the mirror. Strolon will pretty much need to go and show everyone the trigger and all.

Tomas can't hear, but he can see Belsambor stirring.

Kyra goes along with Tristan, not saying a thing.

[GimliFett]

Strolon Locke

Once within the kitchen, the young abjurer continues to help with Bel as he maneuvers through the crowd to the pantry he knows opens into the hidden hallway. "This way!" he shouts as he manipulates the buttons and tries to whisper the command word under his breath. Finally, the hatch opens and he whistles shrilly to draw attention. "We go through here to a mirror portal to another section of the campus," he yells, still overcompensating for his deafness. Just as he is about to cross the threshold within, Loki lands upon his shoulder and squawks loudly.

[AetherFox]

"Bel! Bel!" Tom shouts, shocked when he can't even hear his own voice. "Bel, get up!. He startes shaking him to get Belsambore to wake up faster.

[KingRexII]

Veriben listens intently to the Professor's words. Reluctant, but obedient, he follows his orders. The sonic clap hits him like a thud, but shakes off the effects and continues along his way. He hears Strolon's instructions perfectly and hurries down with the others, helping anyone affect by the deafening sound. He enters the portal when he gets down there.