Editing Announcements - 2002/09 - Verdict (section)

== Rollout Article ==

{{Microsoft Zone
 |  Link = <nowiki>http://www.zone.com/asheronscall/news/ASHEeventrollout.asp</nowiki>
 |  Date = September 19, 2002
 | Title = Verdict
 |  Text =
[[Image:img_swords.jpg|left]]
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<font color=#FFFFFF>'''Part 6'''<br />
'''(View the final battle between Gaerlan and Martine: [https://web.archive.org/web/20031213201243/http://download.microsoft.com/download/asheron/video/sept9-19-low/WXP/EN-US/919Sept-Low.mpg <font color=#FFFFCC>lower quality</font>] : 18.5 MB or [https://web.archive.org/web/20031213201243/http://download.microsoft.com/download/asheron/video/sept9-19-high/WXP/EN-US/919Sept-High.mpg <font color=#FFFFCC>high quality</font>] : 35.6 MB)'''</font>
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Two men meet on a floating fortress. Neither is human. One was once a man, but is now a twisted fusion of man and Virindi. The other is an Empyrean, possessing vast elemental powers. Words are exchanged, and then these two foes exchange blows. They remain locked in battle for hours, yet all the while neither gains the upper hand. The battle continues until the Empyrean unleashes a devastating spell at his opponent. The man crumples to one knee. The Empyrean boasts over his fallen foe, but the man looks up. The man knows how to defeat the Empyrean. He calls on the powers given to him by the Virindi.
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The flame grows. It burns, tearing at my body and mind. It builds. Focusing becomes difficult. My thoughts drift to you my wife, my love. . .
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I came home to you, Melanay, after my day. More cargos have come in today, ship after endless ship emptying its hold. You ask me of my day, to talk to you. What shall I tell you? That the most interesting facet of my day was the discovery of a miscalculated ledger sheet? My heart burns for exploration, excitement. How it burns. . .
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Sir Alayne approaches me. Since falling through that swirling maelstrom to this strange, intimidating world, I have been lost, without focus. He speaks to me of a purpose on this new world. He says we should set out and explore it, map its edges, and see what none of our kind has seen before. This has been my fondest wish, it has been the very call of my heart, but now it leaves a bitter taste. I have betrayed you. I have followed my heart and lost all that it holds dear. It smolders with the loss of you and little Aritta. . .
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The Mosswarts surround me, their spears prodding me in the direction they want me to go. If only the overwhelming fear of death didn't paralyze me. But those Lifestones, how can I trust them? How can I trust devices created by a man who abandons us on this blighted world? And even if they do restore life, I have seen the corpses of those who have died. Even though they knew they would be returned to life, their bloated faces are disfigured into masks of pain and fear. This is a world of sorrow, Melanay, it blisters us all. . .
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Master congratulates him on the control of his abilities. "Who am I?" he thinks, and a voice in his mind responds, "A separate part of the whole." Master blasts a wave of pain through his mind, driving those thoughts away. Master explains that soon he will be given a task, and he will be a tool of the whole. He must begin to repay the whole for the gifts given to him, for his abilities. His training continues and the power builds within him, focusing, burning. . .
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Later, clarity returns to me and my thoughts are once more my own, though not entirely. The voice of the Virindi within my mind cries out. It misses its connection to the whole, its connection to the Singularity. It has lost all that it once knew. If I still had a mouth, perhaps a wry smile would cross it. "Now we are very much alike, you and I," I muse. The amusement leaves soon, though, and the pain of existence returns. The pain threatens to consume me, it burns within me so strongly. . .
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Ketnan begs for his life. He is just one of those I meet as I study the society our people have built on this world. From some of those I meet I take what I need. Others I manipulate to suit my needs. Would you be ashamed of me, Melanay? Or maybe even horrified? It matters not, for I will gain the respect of this world. With respect, I can control this world. I wish to wipe away its chaos and pain. I have so many, many plans. I will provide gifts to our people, although they will come with a price. Some of my gifts will instill the fear of death in them. Other gifts will leave them questioning the nature of their existence on this misbegotten world. I will show them the way and be a blazing beacon to them. . .
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As I walk in the shadows cast by our people, I find others who are as I was when I first arrived on this world. They are directionless, filled with hopelessness. What kind of monster would drop these people on a world of pain? I will become these outcasts' benefactor, not abandoning them like that man has. They will not be torn apart by this world. The sight of them stokes the fires of hate in my heart, hate for Asheron. . .
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These outcasts of society remind me of something from the past. In what now seems a lifetime ago, the departed Sir Alayne gave me a purpose: to explore this world. Although he is gone, his mandate remains, and I will begin exploring this world, mapping its edges. I find that even after all that has happened, my heart still burns for understanding, for exploration. . .
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My exploration has found other people, Melanay, although they are not people. Tonk, they call themselves. They are a peaceful, spiritual race living in a devastated land, a land they call Palenqual. They will provide a purpose for our people. We will help these Tonk free their land from the threat we have defeated. I will establish a stronghold for our people to find in this plagued land. I will provide more gifts for them, more direction, more insight, showing them how meaningless their lives are. Perhaps I can finally quench the fire within me . . .
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I am within my chambers, surrounded by my people. This town has grown and prospered, all hidden from the world above. I focus my mind on the final spell, the spell that will bridge the gap that separates the Tonk and our people. Tremendous energies build within me. I begin to weave the tendrils of energy into the portals our people will use. As I complete the spell, I sense a host of minds around me. Intrigued--for I still consider myself an explorer--I send forth my mind toward them, but I find myself rebounding off a barrier. Could this be the Singularity, protecting itself from attack? I focus on one mind, a mind consumed with rage and anger. Perhaps this is Master, or Overseer, or one of the others who had tortured me, who had turned me into something else. Again and again, I strike out at that point, trying to pierce the barrier. Torrents of pain rain down my body. . .
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I awake, finding myself on the floor. As I stand upright, I see the form of a man struggling to his knees. . . but he is not a man. He is an Empyrean. Another deceiver, another liar. He has appeared among my people to mislead them, to scar them like I have been scarred. Power wells up within me, my hands crackle with energy. . . Then he speaks. He begs. He pleads. He is rather pitiful, actually. It is obvious to me now: He recognizes my power, he sees that it is greater than anything ever wielded by his own people. Yet he claims to have a means to destroy Asheron, and I listen. He fuels the fires of hatred. . .
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Confusion. At times you are with me, Melanay, but other times Asheron keeps us apart. How did you come to be on this world, or are you still back on Ispar? The moment has come; I will finally accomplish what I had set out to do. I am gaining the respect of the world and it will be mine to make right. The firestorm within me burns. I make the final move and unleash the rage and pain at the man responsible, I unleash it on Asheron.
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Then the truth comes, and I see that the fire has consumed me entirely. . .
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It is my memories of you, Melanay, and the actions of a brave child, a child so much like our own, that ignite a new fire in me. The old passions and desires have been turned to ash and blown away. I burn brightly now, my love, yet instead of consuming me, the fire makes me stronger, it makes me the man I once was. . . and more.
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This fire will burn up all the wrongs I have committed. I will use it to destroy the disease I have brought to this world. The fire burns. It is blinding, Melanay, burning brighter and brighter. It is burning up the pain, the confusion. It consumes it all. It burns and burns. . .
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Until. . .
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. . . only you and Aritta are left.
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And then it burns no longer.
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With Gaerlan's Citadel shattered, the people of Dereth have a chance to finally rid the world of his influence. Heroes of all skills and abilities will be needed in this desperate fight for the future of the land!
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The [[Announcements - 2002/09 - Verdict#Release Notes|<font color=#FFFFCC>Developer's Notes for September</font>]] and the [[Announcements - 2002/09 - Verdict#Letter to the Players|<font color=#FFFFCC>Letter to the Players</font>]] contain even more details about September's Verdict Event. Join us as the ongoing saga of Asheron's Call continues, and we'll see you in Dereth!
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