The Guardian of the Darksphere
Long ago the Darksphere was discovered and the elders had no clue of its potential. Over time the research and experimentation uncovered much about its unique properties. Many of these properties were leaked to the general populace and the greedy power hungry Eindal would find ways to make it their own. It was not long before the rich would hire mercenaries and brigands to take hold of the chamber so the secrets of the Darksphere would belong to them. The Elders held for as long as they could, but it was simply too difficult to maintain such a defense. This artifact was a device of immeasurable value and needed to be protected at all cost from both the depraved Eindal and the outside world.
The Elders gathered deep within the mountain to discuss the defense of the Darksphere and the collapse of the Eindal city itself. This meeting lasted several days and left all in a state of disagreement, until a lone Archist walked into the meeting on the 4th day. The Archist claimed to understand the connection between life and death and could use the stones power to defend it. The agenda of the Archist felt true and the Elders opted to trust this stranger for fear of losing everything.
The stranger was lead to the chamber where she was left to her own devices as she felt out the power of the stone. She made requests which seamed insane at the time. Binge told to collect the bones of the intruders and the dead from the city seemed to be an unacceptable request. Being left with little option and fighting against time for another attack the requests were honored begrudgingly.
Days would pass and attack after attack on the chamber would ensue, while all the twisted lords and power hungry savages would attempt to claim the chamber. As the line grew thin something terrible rose from the chamber. A construct like nothing the elders had ever seen congealed in front of them. The bones whirling in place like hay caught in a twister flowed upward from the ground. The bones clamoring together like as if attracted by magnets. The mass growing larger and larger by the second, the strange archist guiding them with her hands. She looked as if she was molding the bones into shape, like she was holding a ball of clay. The form took shape as a tall statue shaped like the Eindal themselves and sat there as if waiting for something to happen. The armor and weapons on the ground bent and twisted into ornate armor that affixed itself to the statue, creating a majestic icon that a lord would be proud to hold in center square.
Once this statue had been formed the final piece needed to be created, the soul. The Archist saw the elders fighting for their lives each day to fend off the attacks of the evil men who would take the heart of Eindari. She made the executive decision “take their souls for the greater good”. In a swift motion she dodged though the wake of the 7 elders, tapping each with her fighting sticks. With each tap the souls of each elder were siphoned away from their bodies and stored within the stranger’s body. They could have fought back, but the movement was so quick and the attack so subtle it was hardly noticed. The Elders fell to the floor, all the life gone from their bodies. As the elders fell to the ground a force of looters emerged from the darkness. These looters had been hiding waiting for the right opportunity. With the death of the elders they thought this was the time. They would be wrong…
The Archist had not taken the souls for naught, but had used them to finish the task she promised to perform. The looters looked anxious feeling they were close to victory, until a crackling sound was heard in the silence. The sound of clicking could be heard from the statue sitting in the center of the chamber. The bones of all the slain intruders clacking against one another, the armor scraping against bone, and the hollow sound of breathing coming from its core. The haunting noise was a warning to the assailants, “Get out NOW!” The statue came to life as if confused to why it was there and why it existed. The haunting breathing made way for a shallow murmur comprised of several separate voices asking “what happened to us?” The stranger declared “I kept my promise to protect the chamber, now do your sworn duty and slay those men”…..
Gameplay:
While the majority of the Eindal faction thrive on being fast, agile, and more skilled than thier enemies they still need something a bit more substantial. The Darksphere guardian fills that role to a tee. It is huge, heavy, lumbering, and also nearly unkillable. Stacked with tons of armor and huge amounts of health the Darksphere guardian acts as a zoning unit, forcing all but the strongest units to avoid it or be tied up for the whole game.
Michael R Schneider is also responsible for this piece of art and has done a great job forming this bone beast. you can check out his other works on "Party" page where you can find his portfolio.
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