ORIGIN

Each item was taken, tucked away into a seemingly endless robe; each spell absorbed by the Catalyst--bar one.

The magic of Heathen's Hindsight shuddered, half-connecting before the stone drew it in and consumed it. There was only an instant's vision, but even that was enough to drive a weaker mind to madness.

Black. Infinite black. Pinprick points of white, millions of miles away. Empty. Darkness so deep, so cold, it seemed alive: seemed to swell, spreading through the stars, consuming, relentless, infinite. This was reality. This was all there was. Everything else: a simple distraction, a flash of color that meant nothing. Meaningless. The dark would consume it, like-

The vision snapped away, the overwhelming despair that came with it fading as suddenly as it had come. The Merchant stared down at Heathen. And then--his hand delved into his robes. He spoke as he withdrew what might have been a necklace with drop pendant Citrine stones, or perhaps a loose tiara. "A Catalyst... of its own. It turns magic... into storm." He set this on Heathen's head, if allowed, and... left it there, turning to the rest of the gathered Gembounds.

"There is... enough, now. It will... be done. You may accompany me... but first. Your rewards."

He began to shuffle between them, offering out quiet words and, sometimes, physical items, to each Gembound waiting. Despite the disparity between the wildly different items, almost all were made of an ominous looking black metal that settled dread in the heart simply to look on it. It was perpetually cold to the touch, Heathen's necklace included.

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Coyote was handed a thin black chain with a glass orb pendant, in which a miniature storm flashed and raged. "You will draw... the storms. They will not... harm you... as badly."

V-Onyx-Two was approached. "You will be named... Emissary to Centaurus. I will speak... with your Master."

Wilder was granted a black coil of metal in the form of a collar or the like, with a slender black metal snake with bared fangs and tiny amethyst eyes. "You hold the magic... to use this. To share the burden... now, not only of injury... but pain... of other sorts."

Tema was handed a jagged, confusing-looking Oilstone: one that seemed as though it were meant to be symmetrical, a spine-like body part, but... wasn't. "It will not break," was all he rasped.

Warrior was given, likewise, merely a few words. "You must be... remade. This, I will do... after the sleepers are awoken." Then he moved on.

Samael was handed four cold black metal rings, each with a pearl depicting a different phase of the moon. One was full, one half, one new, and one was an eclipse. "Each allows... a different shifting... of light and shadow."

Fleas was greeted with a stare. "I see no... stones. If they are elsewhere... bring them to me... I will ensure they do not break. I will not give of myself... to return them to life."

Sergei was handed a black chain bracer or cuff, links forming a band, with a shining and polished piece of Skystone set into it. "This will hold... Order at bay..."

The Piano was handed a simple boombox, of ancient make. The steel was rusted, the plastic cracked and yellowed, and the volume knob was missing. The brand name simply said, WORMS, and was 'printed' in the same cold, dark metal as the various jewelry had been. "It will enhance... music played."

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The Masked Merchant then moved off, shuffling for the cooled, glass-walled hole in the sand. He walked for it, this dark maw in the sand, and vanished inside it.

This quest is now Complete. Gembounds may join the Merchant in the follow-up thread in Centaurus.

An achievement will be handed out within the next week. See below for enchanted item details; items will be added to character inventories shortly. Characters may now exit this thread. The next part takes place here.

The Piano may post and claim its reward as though it were here previously, and the Merchant's post will be edited to include its reward. Done. Reverend will need to find a way to locate the Masked Merchant to ask for a reward once they decide on one. If anyone else was missed, please GM tag this thread or let GMs know!