Reality's Plaything 5: The Infinity Annihilator

by Will Greenway

  As the eternals prepared their attack, Garfang was deployed. However, the living weapon did not attack as had been originally planned. To the Kriar’s dismay, he instead waited until the eternals began the attack before taking action. Using his immense powers, he turned their energies back against them, striking through time and dimensional space before they could react. In heartbeats, the defenses of the eternals were crumbling and the mass attack was on the verge of failing. The eternals gritted the attack out, thinking that their energies could overwhelm Garfang. The push grew, the summed powers of eternity growing in a devastating ball of energy, shoved this way and that between the coven of eternals and Garfang. Slowly, their attack was shoved back by the technically born powers of this super creature as he fed on more and more of their power. It was a fierce battle and the first one who blinked would be vaporized, and it was one of the lesser eternals, Yi Esperantil, who flinched. The balance of the coven shuddered and in a sudden flash the energy they had been directing against Garfang washed over them in a devastating and lethal wave. Detached from the coven, Yi herself escaped but the rest of her comrade eternals were destroyed. As this was happening, Garfang allowed the remainder of the eternal attack to pass him unimpeded. In an instant, the way-point screens were shattered, and the massive strike rained home destroying the Shrike Legion elite and the other forces stationed at the way-point.

  After the assault was over, Garfang disappeared, and the Kriar mourned their Pyrrhic victory. The incredible loss was simply too much to bear, and the ruling Daergonians were summarily dismissed for the massive blunder that had resulted in so much unredeemable death. The main contingent of Homeworld retreated back into interuniversal space to recoup and rethink its follies.

  Hundreds of millennia later a mage by the name of Cassandra Kel’Ishtauri would find and don a set of Kriar power matrixes once belonging to a certain notorious Kriar leader, and set him loose in the boundaries of eternity to wreak havoc. Through her contact with him she would eventually make contact with Ivral Techstar, the daughter of Gwensullin Techstar who would summon back the Kriar homeworld. This famous mage would eventually assemble the pieces of the shaladen amulet (the amulet of Tarkimar) used by Koass Vinax to bind the eternals into a coven, and restore the shattered paradise stone that served as the key to all of the energies to eternity’s heart. She would gain the powers of eternity and eventually begin restoring the bodies of the eternals. Thereafter, she would enact the most significant change in Kriar history. The lifting of the Jyril curse.

  Now as an outsider, Surr tried to foment discord on homeworld, but his efforts would eventually bring him into conflict with members of the Band of the Crescent Moon, and the new members of the Shael Dal.

  He would eventually meet his final end at the hands of Cassandra and a Jyril agent named Mira.

  See Also: bit, Delarn, Eladrazelle, Eternity, energy, eternals, kriar, magic, shaladen, scanning

  Swiftwing, Adwena — Member of the Valkur, air-maiden of the “Ascendants” clan of Valkyries serving Ukko. Adwena was the second to Megan Vinax when she served Ukko. Adwena actually suffered more at the hands of Ukko than did Megan. Dorian persuaded Adwena to leave and it was Adwena’s decision that triggered Megan to herself seriously consider separating from Ukko. Ukko’s harsh punishment of Adwena for entertaining thoughts of leaving was one of the catalysts that moved Megan to break away.

  In the cycles after Adwena broke away, she took up with Desiray Illkaren Felspar and the two of them were very close—close enough to have children (something she could never do with Ukko even though the pantheon lord forced himself on her regularly). She and Megan remain tight like sisters, and it was this closeness that brought Adwena to the attention of the Koass and the eternals. They had a vacancy in ranks of the Shael Dal and Adwena was a powerful warrior and an elder currently without a cause. They asked her to join up and she accepted. Adwena is the surrogate for the eternal Yi Esperantil wielding the shaladen blade Krelstar.

  See Also: eternals, Felspar, Desiray Illkaren, Ishtarvariku, Dorian Degaba, shaladen

  symbiote — Literally, the word means ‘to live together’. Many creatures in nature exist in a symbiotic relationship. The best example of this are insects and plants. Many varieties of plants rely on flying insects (like bees) to spread their pollen which results in genetic diversity which is necessary for survival.

  Some extremely advanced races create specially tailored symbiotic creatures to perform various tasks. One example of this is an organism that can be used as clothing. The creature itself is a colony organism that binds together into a non-porous “cloth”. This living clothing feeds on the body heat, skin oils, dead skin, salts, and perspiration present in a humanoid creature. The colony creature also scavenges any metabolizable particles that come in contact with its surface, including hair, pollen, (dandruff =)), dust, and, of course, any trace amounts of food a sloppy wearer might spill on it. It is designed to absorb to break down or depolarize (disassociate) itself with many of other kinds of inorganic particles as well. In essence, this creates a “self cleaning” fabric. Added to this basic structure are “microdot energy capacitors” anchored throughout the body of the symbiote. These organic “batteries” store bioelectric energy and are arranged in a positive-negative lattice allowing them to repel or attract one another. Through this mechanism and the symbiote’s own fibrous motility the fabric can be reshaped, creating a form of reconfigurable clothing.

  Kriar symbiote clothing is more sophisticated yet, employing discrete matter conversion nodes into the symbiote’s body, allowing for more involved changes of the wearer’s living attire.

  In her trip to Starholme Prime, Wren accidentally triggers some “hungry” first one symbiotic clothing.

  See Also: energy, kriar, Kergatha, Liandra {Wren} Idun-daughter

  — T —

  T’Evagduran, Janai (2nd Princess) — Janai is Kalindinai’s second daughter and around 500 cycles old. Of the Queen’s three daughters, Janai is actually the most rebellious, however, unlike her younger sibling she is much better at hiding it. Janai has a reputation as a schemer and a hedonist, but is well liked in Malanian court despite this. The princess is well traveled and has significant holdings outside of Malan. She owns countryside keeps and apartments in Ivaneth, Corwin, and Coormeer. She also has holdings in Canth and Pedon. She is rumored to have a controlling interest of one of the Nomarian trade guilds. Both of Janai’s husbands have died under suspicious circumstances. In both cases, the marriages had been arranged by her father. Her first husband died in one of the Realm wars. However, he died well inside territory controlled by Malan. A much decorated warrior, though the bodies of enemies were found around him. One court physician maintains the wound responsible for his slaying was actually an arrow shot. Evidence of this was never formally brought to the Malanian court however. Her second husband was slain in a magical duel. Strangely, both duelists were killed in the fight along with their seconds. The incident was considered a “freak accident of magical amplification”. The fireblast that hit the combatants was far in excess of what either Elf could generate. The families of the four slain men maintain that Janai had a hand in their death. This was never brought to court because it was well known that Janai possessed no talents in magic.

  Janai and Sarai constantly fence with each other verbally and socially, and though they openly display hostility toward one another, they are quick to rally in defense of one another. Janai has a great deal of respect for her older sister Ryelle, to whom she gives more deference to than even her mother at times. Some sources speculate that the eldest sister Ryelle knows something about Janai that keeps the younger sister step and fetch…

  Janai is a natural with the bow, and takes top honors in any tournament she enters. She has beaten her father on two occasions who is renowned through the realms for his skill. Because her father takes losing badly, she has never again entered a tournament in which he was competing.

  Janai is a schemer and a
hedonist. She has significant magical talents which she keeps secret due to certain obligations imposed on Malanian citizens who are mages. Janai has no children.

  After events in ‘Neath Odin’s Eye, Daena Sheento becomes Janai’s One, much to the chagrin of the King and Queen. Same sex One’s are not unknown, but regarded with some bemusement. Officially, Daena is Janai’s ward prodigal.

  See Also: Coormeer, Corwin, Ivaneth, magic, Malan, malanian

  T’Evagduran, Kalindinai (Queen) — Queen Kalindinai became the bride of Malan 999 summers ago at the age of 1153. She is a well respected and regarded queen who travels extensively within the borders of Malan conducting affairs of state. Kalindinai is what as known as a wilder mage, possessing extraordinarily strong magical and mental abilities. Her skills are only equivalent to an arch-magi but the power of her magic is significantly greater. It is the Queen’s participation in some of Malan’s border skirmishes that have caused the conflicts to end so quickly. The Matradomma is a devastating warmage and capable of destroying entire legions. Because of her intimidating reputation, Kalindinai often conducts negotiations on behalf of Malan. Kalindinai has three daughters.

  See Also: magic, Malan, Matradomma

  T’Evagduran, Ryelle (1st Princess) — Ryelle is Kalindinai’s first daughter, born one summer after she was married to the King. Ryelle is 998 summers old. Ryelle is the steady daughter, who has always gotten along with both her parents. She is good at keeping her sisters under control when necessary, and get her sisters out of trouble when their stubbornness causes problems. Ryelle has never married though she has had several serious relationships that each time were thought would end in marriage. Her younger sister Janai maintains that she scares potential husbands away with talk of duty and loyalty to the affairs of the realm.

  T’Evagduran, Sarai (3rd Princess) — Sarai is Kalindinai’s youngest daughter and is 473 summers old. Sarai idolizes her father and was the only daughter to join the Malanian military. Disguising her identity, she entered the ranks as a common recruit and earned her way to high Praelor of the hippogriff elite before it was discovered she was in fact the crown princess. Because of this, she is well regarded and respected amongst the officers and regulars of the Malanian forces. Sarai is skilled in the sword and bow, and served in three cavalry campaigns. She has some minor skills in magic. Sarai is the most independent of the daughters, and very direct in her manner. It is this directness that causes her to clash with her father who feels a need to reign in his willful daughter. Shortly after her enforced engagement to Duke Myrgul Tradeholme, Sarai slipped out of Malan. She later found Bannor Starfist in borderlands and fell in love with him. They later decided to get engaged.

  See Also: magic, Malan, malanian

  talonbows — An Elven legion specializing in long range archery tactics.

  tao — The spirit force of savants. The tao is a far stronger essence than that of a typical mortal, able to retain consciousness and identity for extended periods of time outside of a physical shell. The tao can all retain and capture the essence of mortal life-forces and keep them intact within its matrix, incorporating that pseudo-life into the host entity.

  See Also: ascendant

  Targalle, Beia {Regaura} (Queen) — Summary

  Queen of the Jhandris’Kul clan of Myrmigynes that reside in the great tree Duran’Gravar. Beia is a survivor of the arcturan death spectacles, victor of 611 bouts, 7 losses and 12 draws. She wears the shadowbolt tatoo and in an acknowledged 12th circle grand master of the Jac Daw and Dan Sadad fighting styles. She is a renowned archer and hunter as well. See has a younger sister named Ess. Cassandra Kel’Ishtauri is her adopted ‘clan sister’.

  History

  Beia has a long and sordid past. Raised in the arenas she new nothing but gladiatorial combat until the age of 26 when she escaped the arena’s with the assistance T’Gor D’Shar. T’Gor had been drafted in the arenas as an outside competitor, lured there by promises of great weapons, fabulous wealth, and the best fight training available in the realms. Most of this being true if one could manage to win seven combats in a row—which draftees rarely did.

  Beia served as an arena “ringer” or blockmaster an impossible opponent set up to defeat draftees so that they would be forced to continue their gladiatorial contracts. As a lifer, a pit fighter born in the arena, freedom could only be achieved by going one hundred battles undefeated. As Meridian Arcturan’s star fighter, Beia suffered exactly one defeat every hundred battles through various tricks rigged by the evil mage.

  One of the conditions of defeating an opponent in the arenas is that the warrior may opt to take 2 of that person’s belongings, or take that person into servitude. Part of Meridian’s twisted arena schemes is that his riggers were often able to defeat their opponents without slaying them outright. These hapless people would be carted off the field hanging by a thread where revival magicks would be used to restore them to health. Each revival cost the contractee seven battles. So, in defeat not only did they still need to fight seven more battles, they owed seven more. As a result draftees rarely could rarely overcome the deficit of owed fights to earn their way out.

  T’Gor D’Shar fought for three years in the arenas, learning the Dan Sadad from various blockmasters. He deliberately forfeited optional matches to maintain his contract but not dig himself into a hole where he could not win his way out.

  When he felt he had learned everything of value, he began his push to win his way clear of the arena. Unfortunately, T’Gor had become rather popular and had a reputation for winning all the big fights. When it looked like T’Gor would get himself free. Meridian arranged to have him fight Beia.

  The fight was vicious and Beia was more than challenged by this powerful draftee. However, her greater experience and wild animal power (plus a little rigging by Meridian) ensured that she defeated him. This being her six hundredth battle, Beia resented that Meridian had robbed her of a fair fight. She chose to take T’Gor’s service rather than deprive him of his magic items.

  It was during this service time that T’Gor and Beia got to know one another. Both of them were mutually angry at Meridian’s rigs, T’Gor for being duped, and Beia for being robbed of an honorable challenge against a worthy opponent. It was during this time that T’Gor convinced Beia to try to leave the arenas. Years of conditioning and abuse had made her believe that it was not possible to overcome Meridian.

  T’Gor believed different. His plan was to request a special challenge rematch and have Beia throw the fight. He would “kill” her and collect the body as his spoils. Of course, there was the little matter of winning six more fights. With Beia’s additional training and coaching, T’Gor won the six fights and made the special challenge against Beia.

  It was this “special challenge bout” that brought Beia to the attention of Aarlen Frielos. Unbeknownst to Beia and T’Gor, the fight had been rigged so BOTH warriors would end up in a three way match and get defeated. This was known to the spectators but not the two warriors. It was Aarlen who made the gift of Tariegron, the great battle blade to Beia right before the fight. The odds ranged from fifty to one to over a hundred-to-one against the two fighters surviving.

  The battle was horrendous, invisible block masters, monsters and a host of trickery was turned against them. However, Meridian had not counted on Tariegron’s vorpul edge nor the determination of the two. When the dust had settled they had defeated four Rhinotaurs, a half dozen hidden block masters, and several other fighters. Gasping for breath, facing Meridian’s box the two of them looked up at him defiantly. While Beia stood their glaring at the evil mage, T’Gor stepped back and slammed Beia across the back of the head, knocking her unconscious and “defeating” her for the seventh time. T’Gor claimed her “body” as the spoils. Emotions from this titanic struggle were so high and audience involvement so great that Meridian was forced to release T’Gor who in turn pulled Beia from the arena.

  After a brief stint with freedom and recovery, Beia and T’Gor
would return to the arena to help others escape the rigged battles including Beia’s younger sister Ess.

  On the outside Beia would go through a long recovery and acclimation process. She became “attached” to Cassandra Kel’Ishtauri after serving as bodyguard for her in a few adventures. The gold mage and her friend Dorian would eventually soften the hard exterior of this cold fighting machine and bring out her real emotions and feminine nature.

  She would go on to make friends with Talorin Falor, and become the widely regarded teacher of pit fighting techniques. Tal would eventually persuade Beia in backing a campaign to destroy all of Meridian’s arenas.

  Years later she would meet and grow close to Aarlen Frielos.

  See Also: Frielos, Aarlen, Ishtarvariku, Dorian Degaba, magic

  tarkath — Combat and engineer grade rank in the Kriar military equal to a rear admiral. See also Kriar Ranks.

  See Also: kriar

  telepath — Used generally to describe a person who has telepathic ability. However, the word is also often used to distinguish a group of individuals with psionic capabilities that might or might not include telepathy.

  See Also: telepathic, telepathy

  telepathic — The ability to communicate via mental projection. The capabilities of telepaths ranges from simple impressions that can only be communicated across a room to creatures like the Eternals and pantheon lords that can physically control several creatures across interstellar distances.

  See Also: eternals, telepathy