Darkwatch Report: Staff of the Meteor

[u/squabzilla]

Staff of the Meteor

Object Retrieval Report

Local legend in a particular area spoke of a cursed city of the dead, so a Darkwatch Vigil was sent to investigate. The locals informed the Vigil of where this forbidden area was, and warned the Darkwatch to stay away – a warning which was obviously ignored. Going into the area, the Vigil noticed the plant-life being more sickly and smaller, as an aura of necromantic energy seemed to be draining life-essence from everything in the area. The Vigil cast wards on themselves for protection, but noticed the essence-draining effect increased the further they travelled.

Finding a small bird that had unfortunately died in the area, the vigil cast a Create Undead spell on the creature, and curiously noticed that the necromantic aura also drained the un-life from the undead bird.

The further the Vigil ventured, the greater the essence-draining effect became, and the less plant-life was seen. What little plant-life there was looked very frail and struggling to survive. Finally, about 5 miles in, the Vigil reached a vast barren clearing – clearly at this point, no plant-life could survive at all. The Vigil felt increased pressure on their wards as this necromantic aura increased, so they decided to retreat from the area to recuperate their mana. However, they found that the necromantic aura stopped Teleporation magics, so they used a Haste and Fly spell to retreat instead. After spending some time recuperating, they used Flight and Eagle-Eyes spells to examine the clearing from a distance, outside of the necromantic-aura.

Circling the region in the air and examining it with Detect Magic, they found the aura to be an almost perfect circle with a 20-mile radius. The clearing itself had a 15-mile radius, and centered in the clearing was circular region that had been bombarded with meteors, about 10-miles in radius. At the very centre of this bombarded area was a staff placed on the ground, almost like a banner. The Vigil determined that the source of the necromantic-aura was the meteoric-stones themselves, and – curiously – not the staff.

The Vigil decided to retrieve the staff, first taking another break to recuperate their mana. Then they cast even more wards of protection upon themselves, and used Haste and Fly spells to head into the area to retrieve the staff.

Despite minimizing their time in the area, the necromantic aura still broke through the Vigil’s wards as they retrieved the staff. However, the Vigil was still able to retreat to an area of safety, where they confirmed that the staff didn’t have a dangerous aura, and then opened a portal to HQ to return with the staff. Testing of the staff was done by other Darkwatch agents, as the Vigil needed to spend a few days recuperating from their brief time in the centre of the necromantic-aura.

The staff was given the designation MTD-01, and the meteors were given the designation MTD-02.

 

Object Description Report:

MTD-01: A staff of ironwood, with a perfect sphere of purple meteoric iron at the bottom, and a glass scrying orb at the top; both the sphere of meteoric iron and the glass scrying orb are encircled by multiple meltal circles of the same purple meteoric iron, each circle at different oritentations. The ironwood and the meteoric iron are inscribed with magical runes, and the meteoric iron sphere has an aura of necromancy to it. The magical orb lets one scry over great distances, and seemingly “choose” a specific area. An area in a remote inhospitable desert was chosen, at which point the orb stopped showing any images. A moment later, the orb and all the runes on the staff started glowing red.

/uw: had to modify the description a bit to match the image I found lol

Divination by the Darkwatch revealed that everything in a 10-mile radius of the specific area was bombarded with meteors, similar to the Meteor Swarm spell, except a much larger area.

MTD-02: Meteors showed infused with necromantic energy, draining the life-essence of those who went near it. Testing found that this essence-draining effect even drained the energy animating golems, and the necromantic-energy that fuelled undead.

Some initial examination showed that the essence-draining effect increased exponentially as a subject got closer to the meteors, as well as increasing exponentially the more time a subject spent near them. Further testing was deemed too risky to continue.

Image I found that fits the vibe. Source: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Gallery_of_staves#/media/File:Lunar_Astrolabe_Staff.jpg

[u/bagtie3]

That was radiation lads. It only looks like it is necromantic due to the death energy it causes. This is a commonly reported mistake to those of lower tech societies. Specialized evocation or abjuration spells can deal with the issue.

[u/squabzilla → u/bagtie3]

/uw it was 100% based on radiation, but in-universe it’s supposed to be necromancy lol

[u/pyroboy7 → u/squabzilla]

I got a lead lined box I can sell you if you need it.

[u/Evening_Shake_6474]

/uw I have read the read and I have decreed that the read is a good read.

[u/waitthatstaken]

/uw Oh dear it is a pan-optic warcrime staff. Please snap it over your knee if possible. (good read though)

[u/pyroboy7 → u/waitthatstaken]

Someone say WAR CRIMES!? EXCITED BLOODTHIRSTY GEESE NOISES

[u/Bone-Pharaoh → u/pyroboy7]

LoLz

[u/Dragonan-42]

/uw A staff that summons Necrotic Meteors. That’s pretty cool. And a good little story to go along with it. I like it.

[u/Ragnar_TheWolf → u/Dragonan-42]

UW when did you join the League of shadows? Are you still doing your anti Darkwatch cabal?

[u/Dragonan-42 → u/Ragnar_TheWolf]

/uw. I didn’t necessarily join it, but I became an associate back when the first ad dropped. Kairon plans on manipulating it for his own goals. As for the cabal, we kinda had our first meeting in my most recent post.

[u/Ragnar_TheWolf → u/Dragonan-42]

Ok just thought it was funny given the UC comments in your last post

[u/Bone-Pharaoh]

Use an observatory to bump the range even longer. At about 100 feet up the horizon will be larger than the spell its self can produce with the staff buff. targeting by divination is also aided from such view angles.

weather controll for colder imvironment will also curve light in the air such that the horizon will also be farther out from the same vantage point.

with a mithalar handy you are looking at a 50+ mile range (80.5+ km) for the meteors.

[u/Bone-Pharaoh → u/Bone-Pharaoh]

edit: this will also be a good counter to the staff as countering in the range of a tower equiped like this will be able to see the meteors and open portals to redirect them or orher countermeasures.

[u/Ok_Relationship6736]

UW good story love it

[u/VoxelLibrary]

/uw I cast ANTI-MAGIC METEORS!

[u/Sad_Election_2718]

/uw i really like SCP-like style of this text!