22nd of Neth, Sunday | Time: 16:03 pm | AR 4713 (Winter)
Otherworld; L'Zho-Kenna, The Betwixt
L'Izz'tssa, The Passages; Ashurbanipal - The Towers

The slow dull thud of the twisted shadow-thing's long cruel finger upon the desk was his metronome. His broken chime, lulling him to sleep. Black. It had been long since he had found rest, true rest. Indeed, the years lost, however long it might have been, passed with the slow grind of a hellish eternity yet ended with sharp and dizzying abruptness. Like a man petrified within a block of ice, just barely aware of his own existence. That was not rest, it was a condemnation unfeeling. For the first time, in what felt like longer than he’d even truly lived, Kazik slept.

It was the silence which jarred him awake and to his feet. The telling hammer of the horrid creature’s patient tapping was gone. His eyes darted about. There was the familiar view of large dark bookcases towering up from the cluttered black marbled floor far into the black of the sky above, but a shiver of realization crept down his back. He didn’t know this place. [Kazik | Perception - Partial]

In the low flickering of the dancing white candlelight from the pale crystalline candelabras’ freely drifting in the air above, he could see his own form was… unnatural. Gassy and ethereal, as much a product made of some sapphire mist as it was flesh. Across the modestly sized chamber of the study, a cowled man loomed over a familiar obsidian colored great-desk and focused upon his work. Despite the reasonable size of the study, the room was still impossibly tall, seemingly without a ceiling at all. The man wasn’t ancient like the Libarian. His hair was greasy and colored raven-black. The thick stubble on his face was partially obscured by his locks and the cowl of his fine cloak. Numerous spiraling symbols and celestial heraldry marked the dark robes with glittering silver, and a number of magical devices hung from small iron links from the sides of his hood, sleeves and trim.

Flipping between pages of various books, the man’s other hand quickly transcribed work from one page to another, while various other quills simply danced about on their own. ”Master Kazik, was it? No need for alarm...“ The man’s hand didn’t stop moving as he spoke, but finally seemed to reach a stopping point in his work as he placed down his fine pen. With his newly freed hand he removed the small dainty spectacles which had been previously obscured upon his face. Perhaps in his late twenties, or early thirties, the stranger didn’t appear as ancient as his station would imply. He had soft, tired eyes circled with dark rings from many long nights. ”It has been a very long time since an Aspirant has visited these halls… So long in fact, this is a first even for me. I must admit, our meeting comes somewhat unexpected. You may call me Luntis. I am currently under the stewardship of the Librarian and am the current Curator for Ashurbanipal, and I suppose the Archivist, for now.“ The man didn't appear to hold any hostile intentions, but there was something mysterious and unexplainable in his person which he couldn't quite place. [Kazik | Sense Motive - Partail]

Kazik could feel his temporary form begin to dim, like a fading light, or smoke spread too thin. Whatever this was, he was losing his grasp of it quickly. ”It seems our time is nearing its end. As long as this office remains so closely tied to your own Fate, you should be able to return via the same method while within the Library. I expect we will meet again.“ [Kazik | Across the Dark - Failure]

Once again the dull thuds rang in his ears as he was stirred from his rest. A dream? The world wasn’t that simple anymore. It felt as if he’d had some measure of innocence stolen from himself since he woke in that wretched prison. The veil of safety, familiarity and lies he and every other mortal man spun about themselves seemingly evaporated in the face of nightmarish and unimaginable truth. Sooner or later, everyone would need to accept that the universe was far more vast than they knew.


Spoiler: Kazik Status
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֍ Kazik +950 (61,400xp)
Attunement EXP 100 (Attunment is the measure of a creature's sensitivity and ability to tap into the Fates)
Weaving EXP 100 (Weaving is the measure of a creature's ability to interact and alter the Fates)
Fragments: 0 (Spent 5,500)
Living Essence: 0
HP 92/92 (49 Nonlethal)
MP 1/7
AC 22
⯎ Truth Influence Gained
⯎ Time Influence Gained
⯎ Knowledge Influence Gained
⯎ Travel Influence Gained
⯎ Madness Influence Gained
⯎ Death Influence Gained
⯎ Darkness Influence Gained
⯎ Evil Influence Gained
⯎ Survival Influence Gained
⯎ Agility Influence Gained
⯎ Wisdom Influence Gained
⯎ History Influence Gained
⯎ Spirits Influence Gained
⯎ Curse Influence Gained
⯎ Defense Influence Gained
⯎ Worlds Influence Gained
⯎ Magic Influence Gained
⯎ Doom Influence Gained
⯎ Omens Influence Gained
⯎ Fate Influence Gained
⯎ Attunement Influence Gained
⯎ Otherworld Influence Gained
⯎ Perception Influence Gained
⯎ Lore Influence Gained
⯎ Despair Influence Gained
⯎ Terror Influence Gained
⯎ Fear Influence Gained
⯎ Persistence Influence Gained
⯎ Insight Influence Gained
⯎ Senses Influence Gained
⯎ Instinct Influence Gained
⯎ Vision Influence Gained
⯎ Sight Influence Gained
⯎ Black Influence Gained
⯎ Reality Influence Gained
⯎ Awareness Influence Gained
⯎ Truth Influence Gained
⯎ Answers Influence Gained
⯎ Forgotten Influence Gained
⯎ Weakness Influence Gained
⯎ Strength Influence Gained
⯎ Chains Influence Gained
⯎ Otherworld Influence Gained
⯎ Ancients Influence Gained
⯎ Power Influence Gained
⯎ Trade Influence Gained
⯎ Mysticism Influence Gained
⯎ Broken Influence Gained
⯎ Arcane Influence Gained
⯎ Exchange Influence Gained
⯎ Hate Influence Gained
⯎ Faith Influence Gained
⯎ Gods Influence Gained
⯎ Patience Influence Gained

⯎ Acquired [Black Dice x1]
⯎ L'Neau'U'Jool - Black Coin
⯎ Memory Weapon - The Irons of Glamden's Hallow