Post by comradechris on Jun 2, 2013 17:00:59 GMT 8
DISCLAIMER: READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!!!
Like most of his kin, Harry was a happy Halfling. Cheerful, fun-loving and carefree, he became an entertainer to spread the love of life that he was so full of, to his audience. His talent was noticed by a traveling noble who then recruited Harry into his court, who felt that Harry could lend good spirit and cheer to the events that he held.
So it was that Harry fulfilled his role well. So well in fact, that it would be his undoing. For one day, the noble tasked Harry to arrange a prank to be pulled on his friend, to celebrate his birthday. Alas, fate is a cruel mistress indeed, for the prank went on as planned, and those present enjoyed it immensely. The recipient took it well, at least on the surface, for it was his birthday after all, but deep down inside, he was not amused.
One dark and stormy night, hired thugs descended upon poor Harry, who was only doing his job, and in so doing, hoped to spread cheer and laughter to those around him. They beat him savagely and flung his broken body on the ground, leaving him to die.
As Harry lay there, dying as his life began to ebb from him, he gazed into night sky and wondered, "Why?" Then he began to hear music, his bardic ears and mind focused on it. It was strange, alien, yet alluring and wonderful all at once. It called to him from the stars and he felt his consciousness drifting up into night sky. Higher and higher he went, up into the cosmos. He gazed in awe and wonder as he beheld things that no mortal on his world had ever seen, while all the time following the mysterious music that pulled at his mind.
After what seemed like an eternity, he came to the source of the music. It was a strange, otherworldly court, at what seemed to be in the center of the universe. The scene was familiar to him, although the characters were indeed different. As a court has a retinue of entertainers, likewise this court of the void had its own. A troupe of weird beings, strange and maddening to behold as their forms began to shift in ways that would boggle the mind to the point of insanity, circled their patron, who took his place in the center of this chaos as a king sits upon the throne overlooking his court.
This patron, naturally, was far beyond the other beings performing for him, as they were far beyond little Harry. In terms of size, he was larger. In terms of being, truly he is indescribable with mere words. His form, if it could truly be described as such, was constantly changing. What was once an eye became a tentacle, which became a tongue, which split open to become a mouth, with an eye in its centre surrounded with eyelashes of flexible bone…
Transfixed by the music, little Harry didn’t turn away. He beheld everything. Everything that his consciousness could perceive, he took it all in. Then he heard the voice of the patron being in his head, booming and terrible.
“You do not shy from what you see? It is true then, that your kind does not fear. Just as you willingly perceive all that you can here, unafraid of the madness that it will bring upon your tiny mind, you were not afraid to pour your heart and soul into your work, regardless of the consequences, which then of course brought you here. You amuse me, little Harry, and so I have summoned you.”
With no mouth, no words came forth when Harry spoke, but thoughts issued forth from his consciousness, “You know me? How? You summoned me? But what could I possibly do for you?” He makes a mental comparison of what he has seen here and his own puny reality.
Harry senses emanations of humour from the being in the center of the court.
“Indeed you do not know fear. You attempt to question me, knowing how insignificant what you know is, compared to all that you have seen on your journey here. I have chosen well, as I knew I would. Very well then, I am feeling generous so I shall indulge you. I am bored. As you have performed for your patron, I want you to perform for me but not here, no. I have my retinue as it is, skilled as you are, you are nothing compared to them. Neither can I send them to your world, for they would destroy it. There is still amusement for me to be had there, so no. I want you to perform in my honour back on your world. As an artist gains inspiration from what he has seen, you shall add the flavour of your journey through the void to your art. Now go, amuse me! RETURN WITH THE BLESSING OF AZATHOTH!”
In an instant, Harry’s consciousness was flung back across the void and back into his mortal shell. He gasps as life returns to him. He is in the same muddy ditch, on that same dark and stormy night. He stands. His body is whole again but his mind, because of his journey through the void, is fractured.
He looks up, letting the rain fall on his face, and grins as lighting flashes across the night sky, reflected in his perfectly restored teeth. He takes in a deep breath, and declares to the heavens.
“AMUSE ALMIGHTY AZATHOTH!!! MWAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!”
Like most of his kin, Harry was a happy Halfling. Cheerful, fun-loving and carefree, he became an entertainer to spread the love of life that he was so full of, to his audience. His talent was noticed by a traveling noble who then recruited Harry into his court, who felt that Harry could lend good spirit and cheer to the events that he held.
So it was that Harry fulfilled his role well. So well in fact, that it would be his undoing. For one day, the noble tasked Harry to arrange a prank to be pulled on his friend, to celebrate his birthday. Alas, fate is a cruel mistress indeed, for the prank went on as planned, and those present enjoyed it immensely. The recipient took it well, at least on the surface, for it was his birthday after all, but deep down inside, he was not amused.
One dark and stormy night, hired thugs descended upon poor Harry, who was only doing his job, and in so doing, hoped to spread cheer and laughter to those around him. They beat him savagely and flung his broken body on the ground, leaving him to die.
As Harry lay there, dying as his life began to ebb from him, he gazed into night sky and wondered, "Why?" Then he began to hear music, his bardic ears and mind focused on it. It was strange, alien, yet alluring and wonderful all at once. It called to him from the stars and he felt his consciousness drifting up into night sky. Higher and higher he went, up into the cosmos. He gazed in awe and wonder as he beheld things that no mortal on his world had ever seen, while all the time following the mysterious music that pulled at his mind.
After what seemed like an eternity, he came to the source of the music. It was a strange, otherworldly court, at what seemed to be in the center of the universe. The scene was familiar to him, although the characters were indeed different. As a court has a retinue of entertainers, likewise this court of the void had its own. A troupe of weird beings, strange and maddening to behold as their forms began to shift in ways that would boggle the mind to the point of insanity, circled their patron, who took his place in the center of this chaos as a king sits upon the throne overlooking his court.
This patron, naturally, was far beyond the other beings performing for him, as they were far beyond little Harry. In terms of size, he was larger. In terms of being, truly he is indescribable with mere words. His form, if it could truly be described as such, was constantly changing. What was once an eye became a tentacle, which became a tongue, which split open to become a mouth, with an eye in its centre surrounded with eyelashes of flexible bone…
Transfixed by the music, little Harry didn’t turn away. He beheld everything. Everything that his consciousness could perceive, he took it all in. Then he heard the voice of the patron being in his head, booming and terrible.
“You do not shy from what you see? It is true then, that your kind does not fear. Just as you willingly perceive all that you can here, unafraid of the madness that it will bring upon your tiny mind, you were not afraid to pour your heart and soul into your work, regardless of the consequences, which then of course brought you here. You amuse me, little Harry, and so I have summoned you.”
With no mouth, no words came forth when Harry spoke, but thoughts issued forth from his consciousness, “You know me? How? You summoned me? But what could I possibly do for you?” He makes a mental comparison of what he has seen here and his own puny reality.
Harry senses emanations of humour from the being in the center of the court.
“Indeed you do not know fear. You attempt to question me, knowing how insignificant what you know is, compared to all that you have seen on your journey here. I have chosen well, as I knew I would. Very well then, I am feeling generous so I shall indulge you. I am bored. As you have performed for your patron, I want you to perform for me but not here, no. I have my retinue as it is, skilled as you are, you are nothing compared to them. Neither can I send them to your world, for they would destroy it. There is still amusement for me to be had there, so no. I want you to perform in my honour back on your world. As an artist gains inspiration from what he has seen, you shall add the flavour of your journey through the void to your art. Now go, amuse me! RETURN WITH THE BLESSING OF AZATHOTH!”
In an instant, Harry’s consciousness was flung back across the void and back into his mortal shell. He gasps as life returns to him. He is in the same muddy ditch, on that same dark and stormy night. He stands. His body is whole again but his mind, because of his journey through the void, is fractured.
He looks up, letting the rain fall on his face, and grins as lighting flashes across the night sky, reflected in his perfectly restored teeth. He takes in a deep breath, and declares to the heavens.
“AMUSE ALMIGHTY AZATHOTH!!! MWAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!”
