The Legend of the Armored fish of silver

In the deepest darkest place where none can tell
Lies a creature whose knowledge and strength is above all
Those who seek it must be careful and weigh the course
For the road one must travel is filled with danger and remorse

What say you adventurer are you up to the task
Do you have what it takes to out think and outlast
This quest that you are considering undertaking
Is full of tough choices and tasks that might be your unmaking

But what’s the prize at the end of the road
Is it treasure or knowledge or a mystery to unfold.
It all depends on you adventurer and what you’d might find
For the creature at your quests end is the last of its kind

Long ago, when this land was young, there was a beautiful city known as Arkhe’Leon. It’s beauty surpassed all that existed at that time. It was forged by a combination of stone and magic by the great wizard king Khaaris. He was a good and just. He fought to bring peace for his people and wanted a safe haven for them. He designed this great city with them in mind. It was the shining capitol of our world. It was truly a wonder to behold. It’s towering spires to its statues and landscaping. It was paradise. That is, until the great rift began.

The spirits and demons from the astral plane tore through the sky and began their rampage on the land. Spirits possessed the good creatures causing them to mutate into ferocious beasts that the world has never seen. They scourged across the land terrorizing all in their path. Heroes from across the land rose up to defend against the onslaught. Alliances were formed with the good sentient creatures, whom had yet to be corrupted. They also helped defend the land.

Khaaris saw his opportunity to strike an alliance with such a creature. He sought out the Loh’karsisk. It was also known as the Armored Fish of Silver. After a long search, his men found it. As his men had been searching, He had been fortifying his city against the initial onslaught with powerful magics and protective barriers. He had been designing the final barrier magic, when he had received the message of their success. He teleported to their location to parlay with the awesome creature.

Khaaris looked upon the creature with awe. It was massive. It had a long silver metallic wormlike  body. It’s scaled back looked like many silver plated interwoven shields. It had many insect like legs that sprouted from is body near the end of its plated scales. It reared back twisting its body so it’s head looked down on Khaaris. It’s light blue eyes glowed intensely as a it spoke telepathically into his mind.

“Why do you seek me out young one?” It bellowed in its mind, “What is it you seek?”

“I seek protection for my city and my people oh great one.” Khaaris began kneeing in front of the creature.” You are a great noble. The bards tell of your tales. They tell of the time when you came to defend us against the demons in the angelic wars long ago. I ask that you to this again for my city and my people.” Will you do this for us?

The intense blue light of the Loh’karsisk dimmed. It was sizing up the small creature, this humanoid in front of him. It could crush it with its power so easily. It murmured a small incantation. The ground around Khaaris began to faintly glow, then dissipated. Khaaris noticed the spell in the ground. It was a zone of truth. He looked up at the creature. It’s eyes were still narrowed.

“I speak the truth.” I mean you no ill. I will never turn on you as long as you keep me and my people safe. I will provide a safe haven for you in my city. It will not be long before others come. The others from the sky whose vengeance will be swift and terrible. I hope when that happens, you will be prepared. If you are not, may the gods of this world may have mercy on you soul. This is no threat I tell you this day. This is plea for help and a preservation plan for you. I know you are great and powerful but they are many. I feel that my people and I can ally with you and we can turn back the darkness again as you once did a long time ago.

Loh’karsisk brought its massive body down onto the ground with a thunderous crash. It sent ripples of force along the ground. It’s face landed so he was eye to eye with Khaaris. It’s blue eyes blazed once more with light.

“You are noble, respectful, and speak the truth” It bellowed again in Khaaris’ mind. “I will strike an alliance this day. It will be on your honor. If you ever turn on me. It will be over, and the gods will have to protect YOU  that day.”

So an alliance was formed between them. They teleported back to the city. Khaaris returned to his last fortification spell for the city. The Armored Fish of Silver kept his end of the deal by defending the city with the king’s army backing it up. It was a valiant fight to keep the city from harm. Years had passed and the threat was relentless. They had held the line, but it was soon to waiver. Khaaris, throughout this time, had finished his final fortification. It was the last protective barrier. He sent word to the line to fall back into the city, but to hold back the oncoming force of evil as they did. They had made it back to the gates. The Armored Fish of Silver held back the demons and creatures alone so that the other knights could retreat through the massive doors. It trampled the beasts with its might and shook the rest of them from its scaled body. It cast a series of offensive spells against the oncoming hoard. The onslaught became too great and they swarmed it. It recoiled back and then was tackled to the ground.

Khaaris saw that his people were safe and saw the creature fall. He called for his mages to teleport the massive creature, so he could finish his last incantation. The Armored Fish of Silver faded from the battlefield in a flash of light. It reappeared in its haven in the city. Once he saw the noble creature was safe, he finished the last barrier.

His city and people were safe. He let a sigh of relief escape his lips. This last barrier was designed to physically protect the city from harm. It also had a radiating effect that caused the world to forget of the city’s existence, and also render it invisible. It was the ultimate barrier. It would keep the city in a pocket dimension undetectable from the physical world. It was pocket that existed between the two dimensions. They could still see the real world from the barrier, but on the outside the physical world the city had vanished and was no longer physically there.

From his tower, he watched as the hoards of monsters retreated confused and befuddled as to what had happened. He went down to see the noble creature that saved his city. It had been badly wounded. He sent his healers to work on it restoring it to heath. It was weeks before the creature would rise again. Khaaris went to see it. He told the creature what he had done to protect them and the city. It understood. It thanked the king for keeping his word and bid him to go as it rested.

When the king bid his fare well and left, it rose. It looked out to see if he was truly gone. It was then when the light of its eyes changed. It’s eyes went from blue to a deep crimson red. It was then that the demon who had been been dormant corrupted the creature. The demon had possessed the creature outside of the city as it fell. It now had complete control of the beast. It stood there in the dark, eyes still blazing red. It had the whole city to play with, and it did just that.

POSSIBLE PLOT POINTS

The Armored Fish of Silver is a huge creature. It is very fast for its massive size and can trample opponents under its weight. It has has an array of divine and arcane spells at his disposal. It is not inherently evil. You as the DM can choose if it’s evil now or not. It has vast knowledge of the world at hand, and has been alive since the dawn of time.

Kharris is a high level wizard. His magic abilities may have kept him alive all these years. He maybe still living in his city, defending it still at all costs.

The party might hear of the forgotten city and decide to quest for it in the hopes of uncovering the vast wealth of treasure and knowledge of the past

A few of the survivors of the city escaped. They were descended from the original families that lived in the city in the time of the rift. They tell of the whereabouts of the fabled city and perhaps hire the party to rid the city of the horrible creature.

The party searches for the creature in the hopes to finding knowledge to help them in their quest. They must brave the perils of the city to find the creature and expunge the demon from it.

The city itself has decayed from its former beauty and is now in ruin. It has traps and danger at every turn. Monsters now roam the streets. If you chose, small percent on the populated city has survived and have hidden themselves away. They have stayed alive at all costs, in the hopes that someone will save them.

The protective barrier after all this time has faded. The pocket between the two dimensions is gone. The memory of the city returns and is now visible for all to see. Word has spread the city has returned and the party goes to investigate.

THE SPOILS

The Armored Fish of Silver has a vast ancient knowledge of the world and maybe able to answer the questions hey need to further your campaign.

The wizard king had a vast treasure trove of gold and magic items. You may want to place a couple of magic items there for your party to quest for.

The barrier, that created the pocket dimension, might have been powered by a magic crystal. This crystal could still work in form of charges and on just the possessor of the crystal. It would blink the user out of harms way until the beginning of their next turn.

That’s it for this months writers block. Thank you for stopping in. Hope you enjoyed your visit to the block and happy writing.