Lawnmower Boy Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 So here's the scene: Professor Paradigm has a deal with Takofanes: The King of Ivory will help Professor Paradigm recover the mysterious Auralia, the sword with which Takofanes was killed (twice) in the Turakian Age. In return, the Mad Mentor will apply "destructive testing" on the First Light of Morning. Professor Paradigm gains insight into the secrets of the universe, while Auralia is removed from the scene, allowing Takofanes to once again rule the world. It's a win-win-win! Unfortunately for Paradigm, the moment his gauntlets close over Auralia's hilt, the sword simply disappears. So the question I'm putting to you guys, in hopes of better answers than the ones I've come up with, is: who is behind this, and where did Auralia go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 A while back I collaborated with one of the veteran Champions Online players, Jon Sills, in developing a background for a character he wanted to play in the game. Note that this character is in origin part of Hero Games's fantasy IP, hence owned by neither Jon nor by Cryptic Studios: He's not a god any more, but once he was Kilbern Skyfather, Lord of Justice, Law, and Truth, king of the gods during the Turakian Age. To defeat the evil Archlich, Takofanes, Kilbern's power was bound to the powerful sword Auralia, which brought the Archlich low and was buried with his corpse to ensure his imprisonment.Over the millennia, Kilbern's worship died, and he languished in the far reaches of the Astral Plane, forgotten, his power dwindling as happens to all forsaken gods. The only thing that kept him from fading completely was his anchor to the sword.Then came the day when Takofanes awoke once more. The disturbance of Auralia drew Kilbern, who gathered what little remained of his divine power and fought his way through the barriers between planes. He arrived on Champions Earth greatly weakened, but determined to stop Takofanes' depredations forever. To that end he has undertaken to live as a hero, drawing increasing power from the increasing number of people who remember him. His goal is to one day regain his godhood, and to permanently destroy the Archlich. Recovering Auralia would probably be a significant step toward that goal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted August 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 A Blue god, hunh? Hmm. Okay. But let's assume for a moment that Kibern is still a bit astral-y. Where is he hiding Auralia? Also, who sabotaged Paradigm's gauntlet? (I've actually been inspired with an answer to this question that I like, but I'm open to other ones.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted August 16, 2015 Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 Since the second question implies you want his gauntlet to have been sabotaged, I'll reply to that first: (1) Avant Guard. Why? Because he's nucking futz. (2) Gyre of the Devil's Advocates, to sabotage her main competition to discovering the secret of the universe. As for where Kilbern might "hide" Auralia, given the background outlined above I think he would keep it with him to enhance his power, perhaps disguised as or merged with his own legendary sword Sarclaive. But if you want it left somewhere to be recovered, I'd have Kilbern secret it in one of the sites in Elysium that are heavily guarded, at least against evil or mortals -- the Heavenly Jerusalem, or the Garden of Eden. Or he might be really devious, and slip it into the eternally lightless Labyrinth of Greed of Lucifuge Rofocale, in the Netherworld. Who'd ever think to look for it there? Or be able to find it if they did? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted August 16, 2015 Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 Or, to link back to Kilbern: When Prof. Paradigm seized Auralia, Kilbern was able to use the magic "Luathon Projector" in Paradigm's armor as a channel to bypass the Ban, enter Earth's dimension, latch onto Auralia's power, and use it to spirit himself and the sword away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comic Posted August 16, 2015 Report Share Posted August 16, 2015 Sure beats Auralia itself developed independent consciousness, will and intelligence, sapping Takofanes of much of his knowledge and power to form a new and complex player in the saga, using its innate abilities to do something similar to Professor Paradigm's gauntlet, as much out of sense of self preservation as any other goal, to go into hiding in the last place anyone would think: in plain sight, in the shape of a newly powered superhero, deeply shielded from even the most powerful magical or technological probes to the point of being unaware that she is anything but what she appears to be, though drawn to Kilbern, perhaps thinking she sees him as a potential mentor in the heroing world.. Sorry. You guys do this stuff way better than me. I'll pipe down now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 You know, based on official background it seems unlikely that Takofanes would ever make any sort of "deal" with Professor Paradigm. The Archlich takes no partners, only slaves. IMO it's more likely that someone was masquerading as Takofanes, in order to manipulate Paradigm into acquiring Auralia for him. Precedent suggests that Auralia was likely buried with the Undying King after his defeat at the end of the Turakian Age, to strengthen the spells binding him; so Takofanes likely had already locked it away somewhere after his modern revival.The Professor's unique blend of magic and technology might be necessary to breach the Archlich's defenses. (And leave Paradigm with a very ticked-off Ravager of Men on his tail.) And yes, I do see the million-dollar question: If all of the above was so, who would have the power to convincingly mimic the Undying King, and also have a use for a holy sword filled with divine power? I suggest Therakiel. Auralia might be key to the Halfway Angel's plan to tear open the Ban and call the hosts of Heaven and Hell to Earth in final conflict. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinecone Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 So here's the scene: Professor Paradigm has a deal with Takofanes: The King of Ivory will help Professor Paradigm recover the mysterious Auralia, the sword with which Takofanes was killed (twice) in the Turakian Age. In return, the Mad Mentor will apply "destructive testing" on the First Light of Morning. Professor Paradigm gains insight into the secrets of the universe, while Auralia is removed from the scene, allowing Takofanes to once again rule the world. It's a win-win-win! Unfortunately for Paradigm, the moment his gauntlets close over Auralia's hilt, the sword simply disappears. So the question I'm putting to you guys, in hopes of better answers than the ones I've come up with, is: who is behind this, and where did Auralia go? Captain Chronos...Where? A safe undisclosed location ( the beer cooler in a seven eleven in Muskogie OK) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 Captain Chronos...Where? A safe undisclosed location ( the beer cooler in a seven eleven in Muskogie OK) Excellent suggestion. With his skills and time-manipulating powers, he could certainly modify Paradigm's armor. And hide Auralia just about anywhere. Why would Captain Chronos steal the sword? Because his temporal calculations indicate this will have a beneficial future effect on the timeline. It doesn't have to make sense right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinecone Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 A fellow named Ash, who just got a job a S Mart. Will stop in to buy a 12 pack in approximately 17.5 mins after the sword is placed there... Then it will be placed in a janitors closet in a Elementary school in 1958, where a young lad named Chuck will come in contact while fetching some paper towels for Mrs Williams... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted August 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 It's true. The King of Ivory doesn't deal. His lieutenants, on the other hand, are putting themselves out there. Specifically, it was Varakes Archlich. (When the boss promoted himself to King of Death, a space opened up in the hierachy for someone who'd been slaving away unrecognised for 70,000 years.) Who contacted Professor Paradigm through a mutual friend. (Noatar the Empyrean has no idea why you're looking at him that way.) Now, I had ideas about where this was going. All these great answers have completely up-ended them. See, the thing is, my setting is Tatammy High, a magnet school for superpowered kids in the Philadelphia school system. (Well, a secret magnet programme within a regular high school, but never mind.) Professor Paradigm, learning of this, did the only moonbat-insane thing you could possibly do in a situation like that. He got a job at Tatammy as a drama teacher, with a group of young supercriminals as one of his classes. (No offence, LL. I takes my inspiration where I finds it.) High school cliques. What would we do without them? And now we have a mystery to solve, because the gauntlet was sabotaged in the school, by someone with access to the campus. Who? Is one of the superkids actually a manifestation of Auralia? Is someone communing with the Blue Gods? Or Therakiel? There's any number of kids with time travel hooks. Does one of them have a connection with Captain Chronos? And can our heroes find the culpirt before a certain, raging drama teacher/supevillain does? And what will the School Board say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShomshak Posted August 17, 2015 Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 I'd have Kilbern secret it in one of the sites in Elysium that are heavily guarded, at least against evil or mortals -- the Heavenly Jerusalem, or the Garden of Eden. Or he might be really devious, and slip it into the eternally lightless Labyrinth of Greed of Lucifuge Rofocale, in the Netherworld. Who'd ever think to look for it there? Or be able to find it if they did? In the movie The Storm Riders, the warlord Lord Conquest (IIRC) had a Garden of Swords he collected from his defeated foes. Lucifuge Rofocale could have a collection like that, though his would have been bought/stolen/pawned to him and never redeemed. As for Eden, the cherubim with fiery swords who guard it might be a bit bemused if some guy shows up and asks if they'd keep a spare sword for him. Dean Shomshak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Ha! LB, you've got a plethora of options for where to go with this. I've no idea what you should choose, but it sounds like it'll be cool regardless. And no offense taken, Some of my students already suspect I'm a secret supervillain. In the movie The Storm Riders, the warlord Lord Conquest (IIRC) had a Garden of Swords he collected from his defeated foes. Lucifuge Rofocale could have a collection like that, though his would have been bought/stolen/pawned to him and never redeemed. As for Eden, the cherubim with fiery swords who guard it might be a bit bemused if some guy shows up and asks if they'd keep a spare sword for him. Dean Shomshak I always loved the way you think, Dean. Mind you, the cherubim would likely sense Kilbern is more than just "some guy." Back in the day he was King of the Gods and mightiest defender of Good for Earth and its related dimensions; and the Meru Mountains where his gods dwelt were the prime real estate in Elysium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinecone Posted August 18, 2015 Report Share Posted August 18, 2015 Later the sword is placed in an unused locker, in Roosevelt high school. A young boy named Jack is frustrated, and flings a ball into the wall. It rebounds back, straight for his face. Without thought his hand flies up, and catches it. " huh! It's all in the reflexes!" .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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