Post by Nightmare on Nov 3, 2012 19:47:32 GMT -5
A lot of dudes seemed to like that the 2012 Carnival had a regularly updating story as the event progressed on. And admittedly it was fun to write little entries after each day of the event.
Every day the event was updated as the battlefield shifted to a new stage, and with it a little summary was written portraying the winners and setting the stage for the next day.
So like, I'm gonna post all the entries here so they're not lost forever with the passing of the Carnival. I'll even throw in a nice little epilogue referencing the results of the event.
Here goes;
~Prologue
"The world has become a shaken place. Yearly, ZV has been ravaged by war. First the IZV teamed up with the forces of 72 and attacked, then reality itself cracked and broke under the attack of the Dreadpie Federation, and then it was drawn into a war between Gods... What remains of ZV is a virtually lawless, post-apocalyptic wasteland.
In this dire new world, there was a shining ray of hope... The Fate's Outriders were a noble gang of vagabonds, sky pirates who did what they had to to survive, but still found a way to help the community when they could. They were a Robin Hood-esque group who took what they needed and gave the rest away...
...Meanwhile, in the worst reaches of ZV's lawlessness, there was another, far less noble group of vagabonds. Known only as "the Headhunters" by the locals, this roving group of barbaric warriors pursued their own goal... Skulls... For some reason. Dudes just really liked skulls, what can I say?
One day while cruising around though, the Fate's Outriders happened upon an abandoned ship. While ransacking it for any supplies, they found a treasure map. A map said to show the way to all the world's greatest riches. In a troubled world facing troubled times, this was a beacon of hope that was almost too good to be true. But who were the Fate's Outriders to pass up a chance for adventure and treasure?
The noble vagabonds got more than they bargained for when they set out on their journey though. For they weren't the only ones to have come into possession of this map..! The Headhunters happened upon it in the belly of a shark they were stealing the skull of. Thinking that the map may show the way to rare and exotic skulls (or at least money to buy rare and exotic skulls), they set out on a similar journey.
Now, the Fate's Outriders and the Headhunters are both journeying to the locations on the map. In a race, each to find the treasure before the other! Neither are going to go down without a fight though...! Come with us as we watch the battles unfold! Who will lay claim to the greatest treasures the world ever saw...!? And a better question yet, how big of a skull will it be?! There's only one way to find out..! "
~Chapter 1: The Mystic Woods
"As the Fate's Outriders followed their treasure map to the first marked location, they entered the Mystic Woods, and they were taken aback by it's scenery. Trees with bark of azure hue, water so clear and vibrantly blue it appears to glow, oddly shaped and incredibly tasty fruit, mythical creatures, the air seemed to be thick with an ethereal energy--- It was all so much! The beauty of the woods was astounding, so obviously the first thing they did was... Punch the wildlife to death.
In their endeavors to beat the wildlife to death, the Outriders happened upon the Headhunters, who had a similar idea-- except with more skulls. Upon realizing the two rival teams were after the same treasure, a fight broke out! A battle to decide who has the right to hunt the treasure hidden in these woods!
Fortunately for the Outriders, the Headhunters were too distracted by that stupid unicorn skull and they didn't pay much attention to anything else. The Outriders took advantage of this situation to knock out all of the Headhunters in the woods.
From there, the Fate's Outriders sought the spot marked on their map and dug, and surely enough, a treasure was revealed! Peculiar crystalline slabs of green stone. The tablets were engraved in an archaic tongue, appearing to detail some sort of wizardry. The Outriders didn't know much of what to make of them, but not willing to pass up an old and probably valuable treasure, they took them along regardless!
From there, the Outriders set out for the next location marked on their map, an abandoned, forested temple known as the Okarthel Ruins. Little did they know though, the Headhunters were in hot pursuit..!"
~Chapter 2: Okarthel Ruins
"The Headhunters had been insulted by Fate's Outriders back in the Mystic Woods. And much like a roving gang of drunk Scottsmen, the Headhunters were rowdy, tipsy, and on a warpath to beat the snot out of some dudes they barely know.
They arrived at the Okarthel Ruins, an old and now abandoned temple that appeared to have been built with the purposes of paying tribute to dragons. The Headhunters were interested for like 5 seconds but then they realized that not all tributes involve beheadings, and then were kind of disappointed. Still, they figured they'd find those guys and beat them up and maybe grab that treasure on the map while they were at it.
The Headhunters did catch up with the Fate's Outriders, cornering and ambushing them in a rundown chapel. The Outriders were still worn out from their last scuffle, but again much like a roving gang of drunk Scottsmen, the Headhunters payed no regard to human physical limitations and were good to go for a brawl at the drop of a hat. And boy did they drop some hats.
The scuffle ended badly for the Outriders, though that isn't to say they didn't put up a good fight. In the end though, they retreated, figuring they'd go on ahead to the next location on the map rather than deal with these guys. The Headhunters were left to do their own thing.
After hours of ransacking the ruins, the Headhunters were severely disappointed to have not found any skulls. Not even one damn skull. What kind of ancient building doesn't have at least one skull? Come on. All they found was this majestic-looking dragon statue. It was made of some strange, unidentifiable material that was disappointingly not skulls. They figured they'd take it anyway. Could probably sell it and use the money to buy some skulls.
Afterwords, the Headhunters set out for the Porund Wilds, a mountainous area to the north said to house more treasure, and some purple people eaters who kill dudes all the time. They were willing to bet there's a skull or two laying around there! They wasted no time setting out!"
~Chapter 3: Porund Wilds
"After being driven out of the Okarthel Ruins, the Fate's Outriders decided to head north to the Porund Wilds-- the next location marked on their map. The Porund Wilds were a somewhat desolate place. Starting on the edge of the thick forest, as you get closer to the mountains, the land gets far more desolate. The earth was cold and grey. The plants were all dead, no animals in sight-- save for some bones-- the mountains were tall and thin, standing like tall stone spires erected out of the ground... It was actually kind of creepy.
As the Outriders ventured deeper in, the bones grew more frequent-- and not just those of beasts, human bones too! Blood spattered across the ground and rocks... It was obvious something bad was up ahead, but the Fate's Outriders weren't known for backing away from danger!
Upon reaching the innermost region in the Porund Wilds, the Outriders came upon a large cave, out of which two purple people eaters emerged...! The Purples were said to guard an important ancient treasure, and from the looks of their map, the Outriders were here to take it!
After taking some time to catch their breath, the Outriders clashed with the Purple beasts, eventually fighting off Silve. But before they could finish the deed, those pesky Headhunters arrived on the scene like a caravan of whooping frat boys, ready to cause some trouble!
That is before they took in their surroundings. All these bones. Bones of dead animals, bones of dead people, but most importantly; skulls. Skulls everywhere. The Headhunters were like kids in a candy shop, paying little mind to neither the Outriders of the Purples any longer. The Outriders took advantage of this opening and beat down a few Headhunters and threw them to the Purples!
While the Purples feasted on the Headhunters, the Outriders snuck off to their cave-- and sure enough, there it was..! A large, black jewel polished to perfection. It gave off an eerie aura, almost like it was meant for some important purpose. The Outriders knew nothing of this though, nor did they particularly care. They bagged the treasure and prepared to hightail it out of there!
On their way out though, the Outriders were ambushed by the Purples, who were not too happy to be burglarized. The Outriders managed to barely escape with their lives however, retreating south, toward their next destination-- The Sealed Gate!"
~Chapter 4: The Sealed Gate
"The Fate's Outriders arrived at The Sealed Gate. It was a small but tall, sturdy-looking little building that sat in a large clearing in the middle of the forest. It looked really old, surely there was some good treasure inside...! Well. If they could get inside, anyway.
The Outriders struggled trying to find a way in, but the door just wouldn't budge. Upon closer examination though, the door had three notches, two of which were filled with small spherical jewels. Not knowing what else to do, they Outriders placed the Symbol of Death in the slot, and voila! The door opened! The Outriders retrieved their treasure and ventured into the ruins.
The ruins were sort of creepy, several old, old robots patrolled the halls to keep intruders at bay, and boy was it ever haunted. But once again, the Outriders persevered! They were followed, however.
The Headhunters were still weak and beaten from their encounter with the Purples, barely managing to escape with their lives. That didn't stop them from picking a fight with the Outriders, of course. The scuffle carried on to the innermost regions of the underground building, eventually leading to a chamber housing a large, grand treasure chest.
Not about to lose their treasure to these hooligans, the Outriders beat off the Headhunters, distracting them with some discarded skulls, before opening the chest.... Inside the chest was a strange glowing ball of light. It had a magical air to it, and felt incredibly powerful. Twas nothing but treasure to the Outriders, however, as they snatched it and bagged it. They should have been more careful, however...!
The floor to the chamber collapsed upon the removal of the light ball, dropping both the Outriders and the Headhunters into a deep, underground cavern... Fortunately, it looked like there was treasure to be found here as well!"
~Chapter 5: Crystalline Cavern
"As both teams fell through the broken floor into the deep, underground cavern, Fate's Outriders made a nasty landing, crashing hard into the ground. It was only made all that much more sucky when The Headhunters landed right on them.
The Headhunters arose, brushing themselves off like they don't even care, then took in their surroundings. The cave deep, but not as dark as you'd imagine. The cavern was lit by the feint glows of dozens upon dozens of Aura Stones-- that is, crystals made from elemental energy-- that were growing out of the ground, walls, and ceiling. Man there sure were a lot of them here. The Sealed Gate must have been some sort of magic center of the world to have all this going on underneath it.
After taking in the beautiful surroundings and justly proclaiming "Yeah cool.", The Headhunters began thinking, and a cruel and heart-wrenching truth began to sink in. There was like nothing here but pretty rocks. Pretty rocks are great and all but they're no skulls, that's for sure. They began to panic-- What would they do in a world without skulls? It was at this time that the Fate's Outriders started to look awful pretty. Or at least their noggins.
The Headhunters showed the Outriders what a wild and kind of drunk animal does when backed into a corner absent skulls, and promptly began scalping their dazed rivals. Before they could harvest the skulls of all the Outriders though, they caught a glimpse of something shiny and white.
The Headhunters ventured deeper into the cave, coming across a huge room, in the center of which was a massive mountain of Aura Stones, the crystals poking up like an ascending field of spikes. Green, Blue, Yellow, Red... All four elements were here. But near the top, the crystals were darker-- Black ones-- mutations of the normal elemental chi. But atop the mountain, at the veeeerrry top, was a glint of white.
A brilliant shard of crystallized white chi, a mutant of a mutant! They'd seen Aura Stones before, many in their day, but none quite like this one. White Chi was a thing, but White Aura Stones? Weird. But they figured it was at least kind of skull colored, close enough to hold them over for the time being. All this lack of skulls had been starting to make them antsy though, so the Headhunters began looking for a way out.
Eventually, the Headhunters found another cave, leading deeper underground... This seemed like the opposite of what they wanted to do, but it beat sitting around not having any skulls to collect, so they decided to explore further in! They did little to prevent the Outriders from picking themselves up and following them into the deepest reaches of the underground region."
~Chapter 6: The Lurae Sanctum
"The Headhunters ventured deeper into the underground caverns, eventually coming upon a steep cliff at the end of one passage. The cliff let off into what seemed like a bottomless pit, it stretched down so far, and there was no end in sight... However, there was a strange phenomenon in the midst of this massive pit.
In the very center was a large, stone platform floating in the air, atop it sat what appeared to be a large and very old monastery. Around it floated several more large stones and platforms that seemed to drift through the space in the big empty cavern. The Headhunters were not fond of such sorcery, but they needed to get across to the cave on the other side of the cavern... Plus they were willing to bet there was a skull or two in that old building.
The Headhunters began hopping across the stones and the platforms, making their way toward the Lurae Sanctum, but before they knew it, they were being perused by the Fate's Outriders! The Outriders weren't about to let these pesky Headhunters take another treasure right from under their noses!
The two teams exchanged blows as they leapt across platforms, racing to reach the Lurae Sanctum and claim the treasure first! Driven by their undying yearning for skulls (also probably had nothing to do with their headstart) the Headhunters reached the sanctuary first and rushed inside, where they found an odd treasure. It was a small, yellow stone that sat upon a decorated altar. Was a bit overhyped they thought, as it was unfortunately not a skull. Man there was not a skull in sight.
The jewel seemed like it'd be good for some kind of RPG relic or something, practically of no use to the Headhunters. Still, the prize was theirs to claim, and the Headhunters weren't known for not claiming arbitrary things that held no value to them. They plucked the gem from it's altar and headed out the back door, hopping across more stones and making their way to solid ground in the entrance of another cave.
The Headhunters then set out to find themselves a way out of these underground caverns, and it seems like they might find just that...! But not alone, the Outriders are right behind them, ready to strike at the chance to gain more treasure!"
~Chapter 7: Vulcan Tower
"The Headhunters and Fate's Outriders traversed the underground caverns, looking for some way up to the surface. Things were looking pretty bleak, when they suddenly happened upon some sort of tall, underground structure. It was a tower of sorts, it seemed to go up, up, up, and all the way up to fresh air! It was the saving grace they were looking for!
Upon entering the tower, it seemed to be a pretty sinister place... A hideout of a dark brotherhood of sorts. They were experimenting on monsters and using strange magics on human test subjects, pretty uncool stuff! And not a skull to be found either, what the hell. The Headhunters were displeased, but began sneaking around the tower, venturing upward toward the top! The Outriders were hot on their heels though, determined to escape as well!
Due to their nature as being dicks, the Headhunters did all they could to leave the Outriders in the tower to die! Several skirmishes between the two broke out as they advanced toward the top. What's more, it seemed there was treasure to be found here-- all the more reason to be dicks.
Eventually the Headhunters happened upon a hidden chamber when one of them tried to remove a torch from a wall (mistaking it for a skull) and pulled a secret switch! Inside the hidden room was a small purple jewel that gave off a strange, magical energy. Seems like it was important or valuable or something. Obviously they took it.
The Outriders attempted to interfere, but were beaten back and ditched as the Headhunters raced to the top of the tower like a party of angry Scottsmen on their way to an intoxicated rumble! At the top of the tower was another building sitting on the surface, the Headhunters hastily exited and escaped into the nearby forest, savoring the fresh air and sunshine!
Afterwords, the Headhunters collected themselves and looked to their treasure map, heading up north into the mountains, in search of the next location on their map-- a small shrine in the mountains. The Outriders may have been down, but not out though! They were right behind the Headhunters, biding their time for an opportunity to get them back!"
~Chapter 8: Aerotia Shrine
"The Fate's Outriders have had a rough time ever since plundering the Sealed Gate. Their whole journey through the underground catacombs had been less than enjoyable, mostly thanks to the shenanigans of The Headhunters. But today they were through with their silly skull-hunting games.
The Outriders had reached fresh air for the first time in days as they emerged from Vulcan Tower. It was like they were born anew-- the smell of clean air, the warmth of sunlight, the harmony of birds chirping... It all reminded them of what they stood for, and what they were fighting for... They were pepped up like never before, their resolve strengthened, and their drive restored!
They looked down at their map. The next location marked for treasure was a small forested shrine located near the top of a nearby mountain. The Outriders were sure those Headhunting hooligans were on their way there, so they hadn't a moment to spare! They picked themselves up and charged on!
After climbing the tumulous mountain path, the Outriders arrived at the shrine. It was a small, beautiful temple. The walls looked like they were built ages ago, the statues were worn and covered in moss and vines, but still maintained their beauty... The sun shone through the trees setting a serene mood about the area... If it wasn't for those nasty Headhunters tearing the place up like it was a Finals Week kegger.
The Headhunters had beaten the Outriders there, and wasted no time tearing the place up in search of any skulls that might be laying around. Of course there were none-- there never were any damn skulls what was even WITH these guys. The Outriders had pent up their frustration for days putting up with these guys in the underground caverns, not to mention with their newfound dedication to their hunt, it was time to explode on these guys. Furiously.
The Outriders charged in, beating the Headhunters senselessly. Before they even had time to react they were being slapped down and drug out of the shrine to be discarded down the steep mountain-side. Leaving the bewildered Headhunters to assess their defeat at the foot of the mountain, the Outriders began exploring the shrine.
With minimal effort, the Outriders found an altar housing what appeared to be an old, worn, and broken sword. The sword was green, and gave off a special kind of energy. It looked like it was used long ago, probably for something cool like sealing an ancient evil or defeating some sort of baddie. The Outriders didn't know much about it, but didn't care to think too much about it, picking up the treasure and discussing where they thought they'd be able to find a buyer for such an odd treasure.
The Outriders left the Aerotia Shrine, venturing back down the mountain. At the end of the long road waited an ancient castle, which held promises of more treasure! But there were some abandoned towns to pass through along the way, possibly with more hopes of treasure...! As expected though, they were not alone in their journey, the Headhunters had the same idea and were well on their way themselves..!"
~Chapter 9: Sythram Remnants
"The Fate's Outrides traveled down the road toward the castle, passing through the outskirts of a now abandoned village along the way. The village of Sythram was once a popular getaway for scientists to live their lives quietly while working on their research. Not much was left of the village now, though. The war ravaged world of ZV left nothing but the shattered remnants of the small getaway.
The Outriders took advantage of the opportunity to stock up on supplies. They took some time to catch their breath before venturing into the village, turning houses and rummaging through the wreckage for anything they could use-- as well as any treasure they might find! They weren't the only ones who had this idea though; in addition to those pesky Headhunters, there were several travelers and thieves wandering the roads through the small village.
The Outriders didn't run into much trouble. Their skirmishes with the Headhunters were small, as well as few and far between. The Outriders had more important things to worry about so they didn't bother to actively hunt the Headhunters (that isn't to say they didn't beat them off when the time for battle came!) The Headhunters were likewise busy, mostly looking for skulls. Again with the skulls. Some people...
While the Headhunters were mostly preoccupied engaging small-time thieves and wanderers in battle in hopes of harvesting some cheap skulls, the Outriders began ransacking an abandoned home that appeared to once belong to a famous scientist-- there was a large laboratory inside, and in it they found a strange computer chip.
The chip looked like it was meant to go in the human body. Probably some weird physical enhancement thingy. The Outriders had little interest in such things-- quite frankly it weirded them out a little. But once again, not ones to pass up some valuable loot, the Outriders pocketed the chip in hopes of making a killing off it by peddling it to the right circles.
After their breather strolling through Sythram, they set off back down the road toward Ravitan, another likely abandoned village along the way to the castle. What treasures and adventure await them ahead...? With the Headhunters following close behind, one can only guess what sort of shenanigans will ensue!"
~Chapter 10: Ravitan's Remains
"The Headhunters followed Fate's Outriders along the road. Both teams attempted to ransack Sythram and stock up on supplies... Though the Outriders actually found treasure and supplies, the Headhunters killed a guy and took his skull, so they called it a smashing success! As the two teams went down the road though, they came upon yet another ruined village.
Ravitan had been abandoned for some time, but that didn't stop thieves and raiders from turning the poor little village. Buildings burned, and rogues wandered the streets wrecking and stealing... While the Outriders saw this as a good opportunity to dish out some justice and nab some treasure, the Headhunters saw this as an opportunity to harvest some skulls (and possibly wander the streets wrecking and stealing as well.)
The Headhunters wasted no time going balls to the wall crazy like a pissed off Scottsman with an unwelcome squirrel in his kilt. They ravaged the village, brutally thrashing thieves, raiders, and Outriders alike. Once they were done beating up literally everyone in the village, they began tearing it up themselves looking for treasure (and skulls... Mostly skulls.) Though they found no skulls, they did find a strange medallion.
The token appeared to be an emblem for some sort of secret society maybe... Or a dark brotherhood! Or an evil band of thieves. The Headhunters weren't quite sure, but the moment one of their theories implied the group had something to do with skulls, it was apparent that they needed that thing like an alka-seltzer after a long night of fraternity hazing.
The Headhunters took their treasure and ventured on to the next location on their map, the ancient castle sitting at the foot of Mount Dragnir. Surely there was some riches to be had! But they'd have to fight for them, as the Outriders were right behind them with their eyes on the same prize!"
~Chapter 11: Utgar Castle
"After being rattled a bit by the Headhunters back in Ravitan, Fate's Outriders had regained their composure and set out toward Utgar Castle, the next location on their treasure map! Though the Headhunters were on their way as well, the Outriders vowed they'd be ready for them this time!
The Outriders set foot within the castle's walls and were astounded. The castle was huge, its stone walls were worn and damaged, but still stood tall and strong. The interior of the castle was decorated with a number of trophies from slain monsters. Including-- you guessed it-- dragon skulls. "Oh boy this is about to get interesting..." thought the Outriders as they explored the castle.
Sure enough, the Headhunters were absolutely ecstatic, tearing through the castle likeTony in a maid cafe kids in a candy store ((WRITER'S NOTE: Censored due to known cases of extreme butthurt.)) The Outriders clashed with the Headhunters a few times, having to fight them off, but due to the conflicting interests between the two there wasn't much to exchange blows over.
Eventually, the Outriders happened upon a chamber with tons of weapons and armor. Almost all of it was old, rusted, broken, or worn out, but one piece stood out in particular. It was a chestplate made from the now extinct steel dragon's scales. Man oh man was it a find! Though it'd make for some fantastic armor to ride into battle with, it's worth more as a collectible. The Outriders snatched it up and victoriously strutted to the entrance of the castle.
Similarly, the Headhunters were using all their might to carry a dozen oversized beast skulls, but both teams ran into some trouble...! Another group of raiders showed up to ransack the castle, and they were determined to defeat both the Headhunters and Outriders to make off with all their treasure! The ordeal was made all that much more complicated when a pissed off stone dragon emerged from the castle's keep and started raining hell down on the castle grounds!
The Outriders took some damage, but managed to slink away with their lives, fleeing up the mountain. The Headhunters weren't so lucky, since they were determined not to put down those stupid skulls, they took the full blunt of the assault...
Now, both teams are crawling off up the mountain, in search of shelter-- as well as more treasure, since their maps show a cave near the mountain's summit containing more riches..!"
~Chapter 12: Dragnir Sanctuary
"After narrowly escaping Utgar Castle with their dragon skulls (oh and uhh, their lives) the Headhunters ventured up Mt.Dragnir, coming upon a large cave that lead deep within the mountain. As they ventured farther into the cave, they eventually came to this massive cavern within the mountain..!
The mountain appeared to be hollow, on the inside was a village of sorts. The walls had caves carved into them in a series of catacombs that served as residences, roads were carved into the stone, small buildings as well..! It was actually pretty rad. But the raddest part of all was the gigantic white crystal that sat enshrined in the middle of the cavern.
The Headhunters didn't care much about that. They were more interested in finding some more skulls. The Outriders had beaten them there it seemed, but they were leaving the Headhunters alone. They were getting acquainted with the people and exploring the village. The Headhunters of course had to go over and smack them around a little and make their association with the Outriders known to the natives.
Unfortunately for everyone (especially the innocent Outriders) the people here were dragon people. And upon seeing the Headhunters lugging around pillaged dragon skulls, they were less than pleased. Their association with the Outriders changed the people's opinions on them greatly as well. Things only went downhill from there when the Headhunters made their first order of business killing more dragons and harvesting some skulls.
The outraged Outriders tried to restore honor to their name by attacking the Headhunters and getting them to stop, but the damage had been done. The peaceful Dragnir Sanctuary had erupted in a hellstorm of riots and lynch mobs. In the midst of all the hoopla, the Headhunters accidentally bludgeoned their mayor, and he dropped a strange white crystal.
It appeared to be a piece of the big one in the middle of the town. Not about to pass up a chance to collect something skull-colored AND grave rob all in one fell swoop, the Headhunters snatched it up and ran like hell!
The Headhunters managed to barely escape with their lives, and treasure! (Also some skulls.) They found a back exit of sorts, a road that lead through the back of the mountain and deeper into the range. Luckily it seemed there was a large, ominous yet awesome-looking cave up ahead. Naturally this would be the Headhunter's next stop! But close behind were Fate's Outriders, determined to pay back the Headhunters for the trouble they caused, as well as undermine their attempts to procure some treasure!"
~Chapter 13: Crescent Cave
"After slinking away from the Dragnir Sanctuary amongst all the chaos, the Headhunters began traversing a mountain pass leading through the range behind Mt.Dragnir. Eventually, the group came upon a hidden cave, marked with a strange emblem carved into the stone above it. Seemed pretty sinister. But the emblem kind of looked skull-y, so obviously it needed checking out.
Close behind were Fate's Outriders though, catching up to the Headhunters at the entrance to the cave. Both teams knew treasure awaited them. Both teams knew the other would get in the way. And so both teams rushed into the cave like a herd of middle-aged women to a shoe sale, pushing and shoving as they forced their way into the depths of the cave.
This turned out to be a terrible, terrible idea though, as once both groups were deep enough into the dank cave, a magic barrier quickly erected, sealing the exit! Before either side had time to process their confusion, a large group of armored, ninja warriors ambushed them! Fate's Outriders and the Headhunters put their differences aside momentarily to fight the Shadows, one by one beating each of them to a pulp!
Once the Shadows were taken care of, both teams turned their sights to each other. The Headhunters and Outriders dueled, exchanging blows as they fell deeper and deeper into the cave. Eventually, the Headhunters busted into a small chamber housing a strange weapon...
Enshrined in the room was a large, ominous-looking scythe. It had a deadly aura about it, just looking at it was empowering but also somewhat sickening. As both teams stared in awe, not sure what to do, the Headhunters noticed an emblem on the blade of the scythe... It was the same as the one outside. Kind of had a skull-like quality to it. This relieved them of any inhibitions/common sense that came with avoiding the scythe, and they snatched it up!
Now cornered in the small chamber by the Outriders though, the Headhunters needed a way out. Quickly testing out the might of the scythe, they swung it at a nearby wall, blowing a hole in the side of the mountain that went clear to the outside! Taking advantage of the opening, the Headhunters bolted and took off out the new exit they made, heading down the mountain as fast as they could!
The Headhunters vowed that the scythe was too powerful and dangerous to use, no matter how easy it'd be to havest some skulls with it. They set out for the next location on their treasure map, a strange, lonesome temple located in the middle of the Ahmar Desert... Though they knew the Outriders were hot on their trail, nobody knew what kind of dangers awaited them in the desert affectionately called "The Desert of Death."..."
~Chapter 14: Temple of Death
"The Headhunters had escaped Crescent Cave and ventured into the Ahmar Desert. The desert was extremely hot and dry, even by desert's standards! It was pretty terrible. The desert was also littered with patches of quicksand, as well as powerful monsters. It was no wonder dudes called this place the Desert of Death, really.
But man. The Headhunters finally spotted their destination, and I'll be damned if it wasn't like their birthday only if their birthday was on Christmas. The Temple of Death, the location of the next treasure, was a large building made of bones. We're talking a literal skull house here folks. The Headhunters were left speechless.
But they were quickly joined by Fate's Outriders. The two rival teams prepared to square off for plundering rights to the temple, when several large, reanimated dragon skeletons emerged from the sand, and boy were they pissed. But wow look at those things! LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THOSE SKULLS! The Headhunters wondered if they had died and gone to Skull Heaven.
Obviously the first order of business for the Headhunters was beating up those dragons and taking their skulls. This proved to be more challenging than previously thought, but they persevered! Driven by their desire for all these damn skulls, the Headhunters fought like a Lacrosse team's worth of drunk Scottsmen stumbled into the middle of a Hockey game. They managed to fight off the dragons, beat down the Outriders, AND bag themselves a whole load of skulls, and still found time to explore the temple.
After getting worn out from tearing skulls from the walls of the temple, they decided to dig where the map showed them, and there the Headhunters encountered a strange fossil. It looked like one of them amber fossils, but it was a strange green hue, and whatever was fossilized in it looked like a hunk of flesh. The fossil had a sort of malicious air to it, like it was part of some big monster once maybe? Who knows, all the Headhunters knew was it was their prize and they were gonna take it.
After stepping outside the temple, the Headhunters greeted the Outriders, who had just finished treating each other's wounds. The two teams engaged in a long western-style staredown, with that one song playing in the background (you know the one) and a tumbleweed rolls by and all the chicks and hens run inside. But their silence (and cool staredown song) were interrupted by a loud, ear-shattering ripping sound!
Upon turning to the sky, Fate's Outriders and the Headhunters saw a reality rift open right above their heads. It was large and gaping, making that eerie, annoying as hell noise they're known for. The two teams stared down at their maps. It looks like this was to be their final destination.
The Outriders and the Headhunters turned back to each other, knowing smiles coming over all their faces. They didn't say a word, but the feeling was understood. This was dangerous, and it's likely one or both teams may never come back alive if they set foot in that rift. But Fate's Outriders were never known to shy away from danger, and the Headhunters could never pass up an opportunity for some more skulls. They knew what had to be done.
The two teams silently vowed to give it their all. That they were going to fight with all their might, and claim the treasure that waited for them-- or die trying! Fate's Outriders and the Headhunters each gave their rivals nods of acknowledgement before turning to the sky, closing their eyes, taking a deep breath, and leaping into the reality rift!"
~Chapter 15: The Abyss
"The Headhunters and Fate's Outriders emerged from the reality rift, dropping into a strange, new world. More like a crapshack of a new world. The air was smoggy and putrid-smelling... The water was murky and gassy... The plants were withered and alien-looking... The sky was dark and cloudy... Holy hell did this place suck. And to make matters worse, not a single skull in sight! Jumping into that rift was pretty much the worst idea ever.
While the Headhunters were lamenting their decision to come here in the first place, the Outriders examined a nearby small stone building. Upon pushing it's stone doors open, they found a staircase going down into an underground facility. Not about to let the Outriders get the jump on them for some treasure, the Headhunters pushed ahead and ran down the stairs, followed quickly by the Outriders!
The inside of the facility was strange. It was all stone, and dark as hell, the only light sources being the scattered about torches mounted on the walls. The place was long, winding, and dungeonous. Before either team could get a great deal of exploring done though, they were spotted by some of the inhabitants, that warned the others of their presence! This of course triggered a drawn out chase scene that involved hiding in strange things while their perusers ran right by them shortly before turning around and chasing after them again upon realizing their dumb mistake.
Eventually the Headhunters and Outriders found themselves cornered in what appeared to be a massive throne room. At the top of the stone steps sat none other than Xistar, the leader of the IZV! The same criminals who rose from a reality rift three years ago, allied with the forces of 72, and attacked ZV in an attempt to seize it! Both teams knew they were dealing with dangerous enemies this time.
Surrounded by IZV soldiers, generals, sympathizers, and the leaders themselves, the Headhunters and Outriders knew their only option was to put their differences aside and give it their all! And that they did! Not a single Headhunter or Outrider (except Vic because he sucks) held back, battling their hardest!
The battle was long, and strenuous, and one by one Outriders, Headhunters, and IZV started to fall. But as the war raged on, only one of the three teams was left standing... The Headhunters!
The Headhunters had managed to beat back the IZV with the help of the Outriders. And then the two rival teams turned on each other, to determine who would claim the ultimate victory here! And the Headhunters ravaged the battlefield like a retired bag-pipe quire during Happy Hour.
After leaving the remnants of the Outriders and the IZV to pick up the pieces of their shattered pride, the Headhunters walked right up to the throne and tore the silver relic right off the top of it, as an ultimate f**k you to the IZV, and claimed their last treasure! The religious icon seemed to be related to this world's God. The Headhunters didn't really care, they just wanted some treasure. They lorded it proudly over the Outriders before showing themselves out.
The Headhunters strutted right on out of the dungeon and outside, leaping into the reality rift and preparing to return home! The Outriders were upset, but still confident they were the better treasure hunters. They were prepared to forfeit the title of the better fighters to the Headhunters, but they thought they'd let the appraisals of their treasures speak for who was the Treasure Hunting champions! The Outriders picked themselves up and crawled from the building, jumping back through the reality rift as well, determined to prove their worth!"
~Epilogue
"The treasure hunt was over. All the locations on the map had been ransacked, by either Fate's Outriders or the Headhunters. There was no more treasure to be had, it seemed...
All of the most valuable treasures had been grabbed up, along with all the gold both teams could carry. When it came right down to it, they had to prove who was the better treasure hunters at the end of the day. The Outriders may have lost a majority of the battles, but that doesn't mean they had to walk away empty-handed! Both teams brought their hauls in to be appraised.
The appraisers were baffled by the sheer volume of treasure both teams brought before them, but they worked hard to sort it out and evaluate each and every piece. The Outriders were confident-- Though they didn't have as many of the rare valuables they found in all the locations on the map, they gathered gold a lot more efficiently than the Headhunters-- who as the Outriders could see were carrying 90% dirty stupid skulls.
Sure enough, the Headhunters had more relics, but the Outriders had more gold, and some of the relics that were gathered proved to be kind of lame and worthless... However, much to everyone's shock, the Headhunters were told to have a much higher value...!
At a loss for words, the Outriders asked for clarification, when they were told that one of the skulls the Headhunters brought actually belonged to a thought mythical beast, the Salty Fannasaurus, whose existence has just been confirmed! The Outriders stood speechless as the Headhunters yowled with victory. The Headhunters quickly let their victories go to their heads and began violently celebrating.
The Headhunters harvested all the skulls in a 2 mile radius, roaming the streets and pillaging like a bus full of Soccer moms at a shoe sale. Fires burned wildly, blood soaked the earth, and skulls decorated the scenery-- It was like a scene out of a story book. A really really terrible story book written by really really terrible people.
Once the initial excitement died down (and the alcohol ran dry) the Headhunters calmed themselves, and raised the skulls of their enemies up high, proclaiming themselves the best treasure hunters EVER. They then went about their business casually scrounging for food (and skulls.) Many feared a grab for world domination but the Headhunters didn't really care.
They just really, really liked skulls, is all."
~Fin
Every day the event was updated as the battlefield shifted to a new stage, and with it a little summary was written portraying the winners and setting the stage for the next day.
So like, I'm gonna post all the entries here so they're not lost forever with the passing of the Carnival. I'll even throw in a nice little epilogue referencing the results of the event.
Here goes;
~Prologue
"The world has become a shaken place. Yearly, ZV has been ravaged by war. First the IZV teamed up with the forces of 72 and attacked, then reality itself cracked and broke under the attack of the Dreadpie Federation, and then it was drawn into a war between Gods... What remains of ZV is a virtually lawless, post-apocalyptic wasteland.
In this dire new world, there was a shining ray of hope... The Fate's Outriders were a noble gang of vagabonds, sky pirates who did what they had to to survive, but still found a way to help the community when they could. They were a Robin Hood-esque group who took what they needed and gave the rest away...
...Meanwhile, in the worst reaches of ZV's lawlessness, there was another, far less noble group of vagabonds. Known only as "the Headhunters" by the locals, this roving group of barbaric warriors pursued their own goal... Skulls... For some reason. Dudes just really liked skulls, what can I say?
One day while cruising around though, the Fate's Outriders happened upon an abandoned ship. While ransacking it for any supplies, they found a treasure map. A map said to show the way to all the world's greatest riches. In a troubled world facing troubled times, this was a beacon of hope that was almost too good to be true. But who were the Fate's Outriders to pass up a chance for adventure and treasure?
The noble vagabonds got more than they bargained for when they set out on their journey though. For they weren't the only ones to have come into possession of this map..! The Headhunters happened upon it in the belly of a shark they were stealing the skull of. Thinking that the map may show the way to rare and exotic skulls (or at least money to buy rare and exotic skulls), they set out on a similar journey.
Now, the Fate's Outriders and the Headhunters are both journeying to the locations on the map. In a race, each to find the treasure before the other! Neither are going to go down without a fight though...! Come with us as we watch the battles unfold! Who will lay claim to the greatest treasures the world ever saw...!? And a better question yet, how big of a skull will it be?! There's only one way to find out..! "
~Chapter 1: The Mystic Woods
"As the Fate's Outriders followed their treasure map to the first marked location, they entered the Mystic Woods, and they were taken aback by it's scenery. Trees with bark of azure hue, water so clear and vibrantly blue it appears to glow, oddly shaped and incredibly tasty fruit, mythical creatures, the air seemed to be thick with an ethereal energy--- It was all so much! The beauty of the woods was astounding, so obviously the first thing they did was... Punch the wildlife to death.
In their endeavors to beat the wildlife to death, the Outriders happened upon the Headhunters, who had a similar idea-- except with more skulls. Upon realizing the two rival teams were after the same treasure, a fight broke out! A battle to decide who has the right to hunt the treasure hidden in these woods!
Fortunately for the Outriders, the Headhunters were too distracted by that stupid unicorn skull and they didn't pay much attention to anything else. The Outriders took advantage of this situation to knock out all of the Headhunters in the woods.
From there, the Fate's Outriders sought the spot marked on their map and dug, and surely enough, a treasure was revealed! Peculiar crystalline slabs of green stone. The tablets were engraved in an archaic tongue, appearing to detail some sort of wizardry. The Outriders didn't know much of what to make of them, but not willing to pass up an old and probably valuable treasure, they took them along regardless!
From there, the Outriders set out for the next location marked on their map, an abandoned, forested temple known as the Okarthel Ruins. Little did they know though, the Headhunters were in hot pursuit..!"
~Chapter 2: Okarthel Ruins
"The Headhunters had been insulted by Fate's Outriders back in the Mystic Woods. And much like a roving gang of drunk Scottsmen, the Headhunters were rowdy, tipsy, and on a warpath to beat the snot out of some dudes they barely know.
They arrived at the Okarthel Ruins, an old and now abandoned temple that appeared to have been built with the purposes of paying tribute to dragons. The Headhunters were interested for like 5 seconds but then they realized that not all tributes involve beheadings, and then were kind of disappointed. Still, they figured they'd find those guys and beat them up and maybe grab that treasure on the map while they were at it.
The Headhunters did catch up with the Fate's Outriders, cornering and ambushing them in a rundown chapel. The Outriders were still worn out from their last scuffle, but again much like a roving gang of drunk Scottsmen, the Headhunters payed no regard to human physical limitations and were good to go for a brawl at the drop of a hat. And boy did they drop some hats.
The scuffle ended badly for the Outriders, though that isn't to say they didn't put up a good fight. In the end though, they retreated, figuring they'd go on ahead to the next location on the map rather than deal with these guys. The Headhunters were left to do their own thing.
After hours of ransacking the ruins, the Headhunters were severely disappointed to have not found any skulls. Not even one damn skull. What kind of ancient building doesn't have at least one skull? Come on. All they found was this majestic-looking dragon statue. It was made of some strange, unidentifiable material that was disappointingly not skulls. They figured they'd take it anyway. Could probably sell it and use the money to buy some skulls.
Afterwords, the Headhunters set out for the Porund Wilds, a mountainous area to the north said to house more treasure, and some purple people eaters who kill dudes all the time. They were willing to bet there's a skull or two laying around there! They wasted no time setting out!"
~Chapter 3: Porund Wilds
"After being driven out of the Okarthel Ruins, the Fate's Outriders decided to head north to the Porund Wilds-- the next location marked on their map. The Porund Wilds were a somewhat desolate place. Starting on the edge of the thick forest, as you get closer to the mountains, the land gets far more desolate. The earth was cold and grey. The plants were all dead, no animals in sight-- save for some bones-- the mountains were tall and thin, standing like tall stone spires erected out of the ground... It was actually kind of creepy.
As the Outriders ventured deeper in, the bones grew more frequent-- and not just those of beasts, human bones too! Blood spattered across the ground and rocks... It was obvious something bad was up ahead, but the Fate's Outriders weren't known for backing away from danger!
Upon reaching the innermost region in the Porund Wilds, the Outriders came upon a large cave, out of which two purple people eaters emerged...! The Purples were said to guard an important ancient treasure, and from the looks of their map, the Outriders were here to take it!
After taking some time to catch their breath, the Outriders clashed with the Purple beasts, eventually fighting off Silve. But before they could finish the deed, those pesky Headhunters arrived on the scene like a caravan of whooping frat boys, ready to cause some trouble!
That is before they took in their surroundings. All these bones. Bones of dead animals, bones of dead people, but most importantly; skulls. Skulls everywhere. The Headhunters were like kids in a candy shop, paying little mind to neither the Outriders of the Purples any longer. The Outriders took advantage of this opening and beat down a few Headhunters and threw them to the Purples!
While the Purples feasted on the Headhunters, the Outriders snuck off to their cave-- and sure enough, there it was..! A large, black jewel polished to perfection. It gave off an eerie aura, almost like it was meant for some important purpose. The Outriders knew nothing of this though, nor did they particularly care. They bagged the treasure and prepared to hightail it out of there!
On their way out though, the Outriders were ambushed by the Purples, who were not too happy to be burglarized. The Outriders managed to barely escape with their lives however, retreating south, toward their next destination-- The Sealed Gate!"
~Chapter 4: The Sealed Gate
"The Fate's Outriders arrived at The Sealed Gate. It was a small but tall, sturdy-looking little building that sat in a large clearing in the middle of the forest. It looked really old, surely there was some good treasure inside...! Well. If they could get inside, anyway.
The Outriders struggled trying to find a way in, but the door just wouldn't budge. Upon closer examination though, the door had three notches, two of which were filled with small spherical jewels. Not knowing what else to do, they Outriders placed the Symbol of Death in the slot, and voila! The door opened! The Outriders retrieved their treasure and ventured into the ruins.
The ruins were sort of creepy, several old, old robots patrolled the halls to keep intruders at bay, and boy was it ever haunted. But once again, the Outriders persevered! They were followed, however.
The Headhunters were still weak and beaten from their encounter with the Purples, barely managing to escape with their lives. That didn't stop them from picking a fight with the Outriders, of course. The scuffle carried on to the innermost regions of the underground building, eventually leading to a chamber housing a large, grand treasure chest.
Not about to lose their treasure to these hooligans, the Outriders beat off the Headhunters, distracting them with some discarded skulls, before opening the chest.... Inside the chest was a strange glowing ball of light. It had a magical air to it, and felt incredibly powerful. Twas nothing but treasure to the Outriders, however, as they snatched it and bagged it. They should have been more careful, however...!
The floor to the chamber collapsed upon the removal of the light ball, dropping both the Outriders and the Headhunters into a deep, underground cavern... Fortunately, it looked like there was treasure to be found here as well!"
~Chapter 5: Crystalline Cavern
"As both teams fell through the broken floor into the deep, underground cavern, Fate's Outriders made a nasty landing, crashing hard into the ground. It was only made all that much more sucky when The Headhunters landed right on them.
The Headhunters arose, brushing themselves off like they don't even care, then took in their surroundings. The cave deep, but not as dark as you'd imagine. The cavern was lit by the feint glows of dozens upon dozens of Aura Stones-- that is, crystals made from elemental energy-- that were growing out of the ground, walls, and ceiling. Man there sure were a lot of them here. The Sealed Gate must have been some sort of magic center of the world to have all this going on underneath it.
After taking in the beautiful surroundings and justly proclaiming "Yeah cool.", The Headhunters began thinking, and a cruel and heart-wrenching truth began to sink in. There was like nothing here but pretty rocks. Pretty rocks are great and all but they're no skulls, that's for sure. They began to panic-- What would they do in a world without skulls? It was at this time that the Fate's Outriders started to look awful pretty. Or at least their noggins.
The Headhunters showed the Outriders what a wild and kind of drunk animal does when backed into a corner absent skulls, and promptly began scalping their dazed rivals. Before they could harvest the skulls of all the Outriders though, they caught a glimpse of something shiny and white.
The Headhunters ventured deeper into the cave, coming across a huge room, in the center of which was a massive mountain of Aura Stones, the crystals poking up like an ascending field of spikes. Green, Blue, Yellow, Red... All four elements were here. But near the top, the crystals were darker-- Black ones-- mutations of the normal elemental chi. But atop the mountain, at the veeeerrry top, was a glint of white.
A brilliant shard of crystallized white chi, a mutant of a mutant! They'd seen Aura Stones before, many in their day, but none quite like this one. White Chi was a thing, but White Aura Stones? Weird. But they figured it was at least kind of skull colored, close enough to hold them over for the time being. All this lack of skulls had been starting to make them antsy though, so the Headhunters began looking for a way out.
Eventually, the Headhunters found another cave, leading deeper underground... This seemed like the opposite of what they wanted to do, but it beat sitting around not having any skulls to collect, so they decided to explore further in! They did little to prevent the Outriders from picking themselves up and following them into the deepest reaches of the underground region."
~Chapter 6: The Lurae Sanctum
"The Headhunters ventured deeper into the underground caverns, eventually coming upon a steep cliff at the end of one passage. The cliff let off into what seemed like a bottomless pit, it stretched down so far, and there was no end in sight... However, there was a strange phenomenon in the midst of this massive pit.
In the very center was a large, stone platform floating in the air, atop it sat what appeared to be a large and very old monastery. Around it floated several more large stones and platforms that seemed to drift through the space in the big empty cavern. The Headhunters were not fond of such sorcery, but they needed to get across to the cave on the other side of the cavern... Plus they were willing to bet there was a skull or two in that old building.
The Headhunters began hopping across the stones and the platforms, making their way toward the Lurae Sanctum, but before they knew it, they were being perused by the Fate's Outriders! The Outriders weren't about to let these pesky Headhunters take another treasure right from under their noses!
The two teams exchanged blows as they leapt across platforms, racing to reach the Lurae Sanctum and claim the treasure first! Driven by their undying yearning for skulls (also probably had nothing to do with their headstart) the Headhunters reached the sanctuary first and rushed inside, where they found an odd treasure. It was a small, yellow stone that sat upon a decorated altar. Was a bit overhyped they thought, as it was unfortunately not a skull. Man there was not a skull in sight.
The jewel seemed like it'd be good for some kind of RPG relic or something, practically of no use to the Headhunters. Still, the prize was theirs to claim, and the Headhunters weren't known for not claiming arbitrary things that held no value to them. They plucked the gem from it's altar and headed out the back door, hopping across more stones and making their way to solid ground in the entrance of another cave.
The Headhunters then set out to find themselves a way out of these underground caverns, and it seems like they might find just that...! But not alone, the Outriders are right behind them, ready to strike at the chance to gain more treasure!"
~Chapter 7: Vulcan Tower
"The Headhunters and Fate's Outriders traversed the underground caverns, looking for some way up to the surface. Things were looking pretty bleak, when they suddenly happened upon some sort of tall, underground structure. It was a tower of sorts, it seemed to go up, up, up, and all the way up to fresh air! It was the saving grace they were looking for!
Upon entering the tower, it seemed to be a pretty sinister place... A hideout of a dark brotherhood of sorts. They were experimenting on monsters and using strange magics on human test subjects, pretty uncool stuff! And not a skull to be found either, what the hell. The Headhunters were displeased, but began sneaking around the tower, venturing upward toward the top! The Outriders were hot on their heels though, determined to escape as well!
Due to their nature as being dicks, the Headhunters did all they could to leave the Outriders in the tower to die! Several skirmishes between the two broke out as they advanced toward the top. What's more, it seemed there was treasure to be found here-- all the more reason to be dicks.
Eventually the Headhunters happened upon a hidden chamber when one of them tried to remove a torch from a wall (mistaking it for a skull) and pulled a secret switch! Inside the hidden room was a small purple jewel that gave off a strange, magical energy. Seems like it was important or valuable or something. Obviously they took it.
The Outriders attempted to interfere, but were beaten back and ditched as the Headhunters raced to the top of the tower like a party of angry Scottsmen on their way to an intoxicated rumble! At the top of the tower was another building sitting on the surface, the Headhunters hastily exited and escaped into the nearby forest, savoring the fresh air and sunshine!
Afterwords, the Headhunters collected themselves and looked to their treasure map, heading up north into the mountains, in search of the next location on their map-- a small shrine in the mountains. The Outriders may have been down, but not out though! They were right behind the Headhunters, biding their time for an opportunity to get them back!"
~Chapter 8: Aerotia Shrine
"The Fate's Outriders have had a rough time ever since plundering the Sealed Gate. Their whole journey through the underground catacombs had been less than enjoyable, mostly thanks to the shenanigans of The Headhunters. But today they were through with their silly skull-hunting games.
The Outriders had reached fresh air for the first time in days as they emerged from Vulcan Tower. It was like they were born anew-- the smell of clean air, the warmth of sunlight, the harmony of birds chirping... It all reminded them of what they stood for, and what they were fighting for... They were pepped up like never before, their resolve strengthened, and their drive restored!
They looked down at their map. The next location marked for treasure was a small forested shrine located near the top of a nearby mountain. The Outriders were sure those Headhunting hooligans were on their way there, so they hadn't a moment to spare! They picked themselves up and charged on!
After climbing the tumulous mountain path, the Outriders arrived at the shrine. It was a small, beautiful temple. The walls looked like they were built ages ago, the statues were worn and covered in moss and vines, but still maintained their beauty... The sun shone through the trees setting a serene mood about the area... If it wasn't for those nasty Headhunters tearing the place up like it was a Finals Week kegger.
The Headhunters had beaten the Outriders there, and wasted no time tearing the place up in search of any skulls that might be laying around. Of course there were none-- there never were any damn skulls what was even WITH these guys. The Outriders had pent up their frustration for days putting up with these guys in the underground caverns, not to mention with their newfound dedication to their hunt, it was time to explode on these guys. Furiously.
The Outriders charged in, beating the Headhunters senselessly. Before they even had time to react they were being slapped down and drug out of the shrine to be discarded down the steep mountain-side. Leaving the bewildered Headhunters to assess their defeat at the foot of the mountain, the Outriders began exploring the shrine.
With minimal effort, the Outriders found an altar housing what appeared to be an old, worn, and broken sword. The sword was green, and gave off a special kind of energy. It looked like it was used long ago, probably for something cool like sealing an ancient evil or defeating some sort of baddie. The Outriders didn't know much about it, but didn't care to think too much about it, picking up the treasure and discussing where they thought they'd be able to find a buyer for such an odd treasure.
The Outriders left the Aerotia Shrine, venturing back down the mountain. At the end of the long road waited an ancient castle, which held promises of more treasure! But there were some abandoned towns to pass through along the way, possibly with more hopes of treasure...! As expected though, they were not alone in their journey, the Headhunters had the same idea and were well on their way themselves..!"
~Chapter 9: Sythram Remnants
"The Fate's Outrides traveled down the road toward the castle, passing through the outskirts of a now abandoned village along the way. The village of Sythram was once a popular getaway for scientists to live their lives quietly while working on their research. Not much was left of the village now, though. The war ravaged world of ZV left nothing but the shattered remnants of the small getaway.
The Outriders took advantage of the opportunity to stock up on supplies. They took some time to catch their breath before venturing into the village, turning houses and rummaging through the wreckage for anything they could use-- as well as any treasure they might find! They weren't the only ones who had this idea though; in addition to those pesky Headhunters, there were several travelers and thieves wandering the roads through the small village.
The Outriders didn't run into much trouble. Their skirmishes with the Headhunters were small, as well as few and far between. The Outriders had more important things to worry about so they didn't bother to actively hunt the Headhunters (that isn't to say they didn't beat them off when the time for battle came!) The Headhunters were likewise busy, mostly looking for skulls. Again with the skulls. Some people...
While the Headhunters were mostly preoccupied engaging small-time thieves and wanderers in battle in hopes of harvesting some cheap skulls, the Outriders began ransacking an abandoned home that appeared to once belong to a famous scientist-- there was a large laboratory inside, and in it they found a strange computer chip.
The chip looked like it was meant to go in the human body. Probably some weird physical enhancement thingy. The Outriders had little interest in such things-- quite frankly it weirded them out a little. But once again, not ones to pass up some valuable loot, the Outriders pocketed the chip in hopes of making a killing off it by peddling it to the right circles.
After their breather strolling through Sythram, they set off back down the road toward Ravitan, another likely abandoned village along the way to the castle. What treasures and adventure await them ahead...? With the Headhunters following close behind, one can only guess what sort of shenanigans will ensue!"
~Chapter 10: Ravitan's Remains
"The Headhunters followed Fate's Outriders along the road. Both teams attempted to ransack Sythram and stock up on supplies... Though the Outriders actually found treasure and supplies, the Headhunters killed a guy and took his skull, so they called it a smashing success! As the two teams went down the road though, they came upon yet another ruined village.
Ravitan had been abandoned for some time, but that didn't stop thieves and raiders from turning the poor little village. Buildings burned, and rogues wandered the streets wrecking and stealing... While the Outriders saw this as a good opportunity to dish out some justice and nab some treasure, the Headhunters saw this as an opportunity to harvest some skulls (and possibly wander the streets wrecking and stealing as well.)
The Headhunters wasted no time going balls to the wall crazy like a pissed off Scottsman with an unwelcome squirrel in his kilt. They ravaged the village, brutally thrashing thieves, raiders, and Outriders alike. Once they were done beating up literally everyone in the village, they began tearing it up themselves looking for treasure (and skulls... Mostly skulls.) Though they found no skulls, they did find a strange medallion.
The token appeared to be an emblem for some sort of secret society maybe... Or a dark brotherhood! Or an evil band of thieves. The Headhunters weren't quite sure, but the moment one of their theories implied the group had something to do with skulls, it was apparent that they needed that thing like an alka-seltzer after a long night of fraternity hazing.
The Headhunters took their treasure and ventured on to the next location on their map, the ancient castle sitting at the foot of Mount Dragnir. Surely there was some riches to be had! But they'd have to fight for them, as the Outriders were right behind them with their eyes on the same prize!"
~Chapter 11: Utgar Castle
"After being rattled a bit by the Headhunters back in Ravitan, Fate's Outriders had regained their composure and set out toward Utgar Castle, the next location on their treasure map! Though the Headhunters were on their way as well, the Outriders vowed they'd be ready for them this time!
The Outriders set foot within the castle's walls and were astounded. The castle was huge, its stone walls were worn and damaged, but still stood tall and strong. The interior of the castle was decorated with a number of trophies from slain monsters. Including-- you guessed it-- dragon skulls. "Oh boy this is about to get interesting..." thought the Outriders as they explored the castle.
Sure enough, the Headhunters were absolutely ecstatic, tearing through the castle like
Eventually, the Outriders happened upon a chamber with tons of weapons and armor. Almost all of it was old, rusted, broken, or worn out, but one piece stood out in particular. It was a chestplate made from the now extinct steel dragon's scales. Man oh man was it a find! Though it'd make for some fantastic armor to ride into battle with, it's worth more as a collectible. The Outriders snatched it up and victoriously strutted to the entrance of the castle.
Similarly, the Headhunters were using all their might to carry a dozen oversized beast skulls, but both teams ran into some trouble...! Another group of raiders showed up to ransack the castle, and they were determined to defeat both the Headhunters and Outriders to make off with all their treasure! The ordeal was made all that much more complicated when a pissed off stone dragon emerged from the castle's keep and started raining hell down on the castle grounds!
The Outriders took some damage, but managed to slink away with their lives, fleeing up the mountain. The Headhunters weren't so lucky, since they were determined not to put down those stupid skulls, they took the full blunt of the assault...
Now, both teams are crawling off up the mountain, in search of shelter-- as well as more treasure, since their maps show a cave near the mountain's summit containing more riches..!"
~Chapter 12: Dragnir Sanctuary
"After narrowly escaping Utgar Castle with their dragon skulls (oh and uhh, their lives) the Headhunters ventured up Mt.Dragnir, coming upon a large cave that lead deep within the mountain. As they ventured farther into the cave, they eventually came to this massive cavern within the mountain..!
The mountain appeared to be hollow, on the inside was a village of sorts. The walls had caves carved into them in a series of catacombs that served as residences, roads were carved into the stone, small buildings as well..! It was actually pretty rad. But the raddest part of all was the gigantic white crystal that sat enshrined in the middle of the cavern.
The Headhunters didn't care much about that. They were more interested in finding some more skulls. The Outriders had beaten them there it seemed, but they were leaving the Headhunters alone. They were getting acquainted with the people and exploring the village. The Headhunters of course had to go over and smack them around a little and make their association with the Outriders known to the natives.
Unfortunately for everyone (especially the innocent Outriders) the people here were dragon people. And upon seeing the Headhunters lugging around pillaged dragon skulls, they were less than pleased. Their association with the Outriders changed the people's opinions on them greatly as well. Things only went downhill from there when the Headhunters made their first order of business killing more dragons and harvesting some skulls.
The outraged Outriders tried to restore honor to their name by attacking the Headhunters and getting them to stop, but the damage had been done. The peaceful Dragnir Sanctuary had erupted in a hellstorm of riots and lynch mobs. In the midst of all the hoopla, the Headhunters accidentally bludgeoned their mayor, and he dropped a strange white crystal.
It appeared to be a piece of the big one in the middle of the town. Not about to pass up a chance to collect something skull-colored AND grave rob all in one fell swoop, the Headhunters snatched it up and ran like hell!
The Headhunters managed to barely escape with their lives, and treasure! (Also some skulls.) They found a back exit of sorts, a road that lead through the back of the mountain and deeper into the range. Luckily it seemed there was a large, ominous yet awesome-looking cave up ahead. Naturally this would be the Headhunter's next stop! But close behind were Fate's Outriders, determined to pay back the Headhunters for the trouble they caused, as well as undermine their attempts to procure some treasure!"
~Chapter 13: Crescent Cave
"After slinking away from the Dragnir Sanctuary amongst all the chaos, the Headhunters began traversing a mountain pass leading through the range behind Mt.Dragnir. Eventually, the group came upon a hidden cave, marked with a strange emblem carved into the stone above it. Seemed pretty sinister. But the emblem kind of looked skull-y, so obviously it needed checking out.
Close behind were Fate's Outriders though, catching up to the Headhunters at the entrance to the cave. Both teams knew treasure awaited them. Both teams knew the other would get in the way. And so both teams rushed into the cave like a herd of middle-aged women to a shoe sale, pushing and shoving as they forced their way into the depths of the cave.
This turned out to be a terrible, terrible idea though, as once both groups were deep enough into the dank cave, a magic barrier quickly erected, sealing the exit! Before either side had time to process their confusion, a large group of armored, ninja warriors ambushed them! Fate's Outriders and the Headhunters put their differences aside momentarily to fight the Shadows, one by one beating each of them to a pulp!
Once the Shadows were taken care of, both teams turned their sights to each other. The Headhunters and Outriders dueled, exchanging blows as they fell deeper and deeper into the cave. Eventually, the Headhunters busted into a small chamber housing a strange weapon...
Enshrined in the room was a large, ominous-looking scythe. It had a deadly aura about it, just looking at it was empowering but also somewhat sickening. As both teams stared in awe, not sure what to do, the Headhunters noticed an emblem on the blade of the scythe... It was the same as the one outside. Kind of had a skull-like quality to it. This relieved them of any inhibitions/common sense that came with avoiding the scythe, and they snatched it up!
Now cornered in the small chamber by the Outriders though, the Headhunters needed a way out. Quickly testing out the might of the scythe, they swung it at a nearby wall, blowing a hole in the side of the mountain that went clear to the outside! Taking advantage of the opening, the Headhunters bolted and took off out the new exit they made, heading down the mountain as fast as they could!
The Headhunters vowed that the scythe was too powerful and dangerous to use, no matter how easy it'd be to havest some skulls with it. They set out for the next location on their treasure map, a strange, lonesome temple located in the middle of the Ahmar Desert... Though they knew the Outriders were hot on their trail, nobody knew what kind of dangers awaited them in the desert affectionately called "The Desert of Death."..."
~Chapter 14: Temple of Death
"The Headhunters had escaped Crescent Cave and ventured into the Ahmar Desert. The desert was extremely hot and dry, even by desert's standards! It was pretty terrible. The desert was also littered with patches of quicksand, as well as powerful monsters. It was no wonder dudes called this place the Desert of Death, really.
But man. The Headhunters finally spotted their destination, and I'll be damned if it wasn't like their birthday only if their birthday was on Christmas. The Temple of Death, the location of the next treasure, was a large building made of bones. We're talking a literal skull house here folks. The Headhunters were left speechless.
But they were quickly joined by Fate's Outriders. The two rival teams prepared to square off for plundering rights to the temple, when several large, reanimated dragon skeletons emerged from the sand, and boy were they pissed. But wow look at those things! LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THOSE SKULLS! The Headhunters wondered if they had died and gone to Skull Heaven.
Obviously the first order of business for the Headhunters was beating up those dragons and taking their skulls. This proved to be more challenging than previously thought, but they persevered! Driven by their desire for all these damn skulls, the Headhunters fought like a Lacrosse team's worth of drunk Scottsmen stumbled into the middle of a Hockey game. They managed to fight off the dragons, beat down the Outriders, AND bag themselves a whole load of skulls, and still found time to explore the temple.
After getting worn out from tearing skulls from the walls of the temple, they decided to dig where the map showed them, and there the Headhunters encountered a strange fossil. It looked like one of them amber fossils, but it was a strange green hue, and whatever was fossilized in it looked like a hunk of flesh. The fossil had a sort of malicious air to it, like it was part of some big monster once maybe? Who knows, all the Headhunters knew was it was their prize and they were gonna take it.
After stepping outside the temple, the Headhunters greeted the Outriders, who had just finished treating each other's wounds. The two teams engaged in a long western-style staredown, with that one song playing in the background (you know the one) and a tumbleweed rolls by and all the chicks and hens run inside. But their silence (and cool staredown song) were interrupted by a loud, ear-shattering ripping sound!
Upon turning to the sky, Fate's Outriders and the Headhunters saw a reality rift open right above their heads. It was large and gaping, making that eerie, annoying as hell noise they're known for. The two teams stared down at their maps. It looks like this was to be their final destination.
The Outriders and the Headhunters turned back to each other, knowing smiles coming over all their faces. They didn't say a word, but the feeling was understood. This was dangerous, and it's likely one or both teams may never come back alive if they set foot in that rift. But Fate's Outriders were never known to shy away from danger, and the Headhunters could never pass up an opportunity for some more skulls. They knew what had to be done.
The two teams silently vowed to give it their all. That they were going to fight with all their might, and claim the treasure that waited for them-- or die trying! Fate's Outriders and the Headhunters each gave their rivals nods of acknowledgement before turning to the sky, closing their eyes, taking a deep breath, and leaping into the reality rift!"
~Chapter 15: The Abyss
"The Headhunters and Fate's Outriders emerged from the reality rift, dropping into a strange, new world. More like a crapshack of a new world. The air was smoggy and putrid-smelling... The water was murky and gassy... The plants were withered and alien-looking... The sky was dark and cloudy... Holy hell did this place suck. And to make matters worse, not a single skull in sight! Jumping into that rift was pretty much the worst idea ever.
While the Headhunters were lamenting their decision to come here in the first place, the Outriders examined a nearby small stone building. Upon pushing it's stone doors open, they found a staircase going down into an underground facility. Not about to let the Outriders get the jump on them for some treasure, the Headhunters pushed ahead and ran down the stairs, followed quickly by the Outriders!
The inside of the facility was strange. It was all stone, and dark as hell, the only light sources being the scattered about torches mounted on the walls. The place was long, winding, and dungeonous. Before either team could get a great deal of exploring done though, they were spotted by some of the inhabitants, that warned the others of their presence! This of course triggered a drawn out chase scene that involved hiding in strange things while their perusers ran right by them shortly before turning around and chasing after them again upon realizing their dumb mistake.
Eventually the Headhunters and Outriders found themselves cornered in what appeared to be a massive throne room. At the top of the stone steps sat none other than Xistar, the leader of the IZV! The same criminals who rose from a reality rift three years ago, allied with the forces of 72, and attacked ZV in an attempt to seize it! Both teams knew they were dealing with dangerous enemies this time.
Surrounded by IZV soldiers, generals, sympathizers, and the leaders themselves, the Headhunters and Outriders knew their only option was to put their differences aside and give it their all! And that they did! Not a single Headhunter or Outrider (except Vic because he sucks) held back, battling their hardest!
The battle was long, and strenuous, and one by one Outriders, Headhunters, and IZV started to fall. But as the war raged on, only one of the three teams was left standing... The Headhunters!
The Headhunters had managed to beat back the IZV with the help of the Outriders. And then the two rival teams turned on each other, to determine who would claim the ultimate victory here! And the Headhunters ravaged the battlefield like a retired bag-pipe quire during Happy Hour.
After leaving the remnants of the Outriders and the IZV to pick up the pieces of their shattered pride, the Headhunters walked right up to the throne and tore the silver relic right off the top of it, as an ultimate f**k you to the IZV, and claimed their last treasure! The religious icon seemed to be related to this world's God. The Headhunters didn't really care, they just wanted some treasure. They lorded it proudly over the Outriders before showing themselves out.
The Headhunters strutted right on out of the dungeon and outside, leaping into the reality rift and preparing to return home! The Outriders were upset, but still confident they were the better treasure hunters. They were prepared to forfeit the title of the better fighters to the Headhunters, but they thought they'd let the appraisals of their treasures speak for who was the Treasure Hunting champions! The Outriders picked themselves up and crawled from the building, jumping back through the reality rift as well, determined to prove their worth!"
~Epilogue
"The treasure hunt was over. All the locations on the map had been ransacked, by either Fate's Outriders or the Headhunters. There was no more treasure to be had, it seemed...
All of the most valuable treasures had been grabbed up, along with all the gold both teams could carry. When it came right down to it, they had to prove who was the better treasure hunters at the end of the day. The Outriders may have lost a majority of the battles, but that doesn't mean they had to walk away empty-handed! Both teams brought their hauls in to be appraised.
The appraisers were baffled by the sheer volume of treasure both teams brought before them, but they worked hard to sort it out and evaluate each and every piece. The Outriders were confident-- Though they didn't have as many of the rare valuables they found in all the locations on the map, they gathered gold a lot more efficiently than the Headhunters-- who as the Outriders could see were carrying 90% dirty stupid skulls.
Sure enough, the Headhunters had more relics, but the Outriders had more gold, and some of the relics that were gathered proved to be kind of lame and worthless... However, much to everyone's shock, the Headhunters were told to have a much higher value...!
At a loss for words, the Outriders asked for clarification, when they were told that one of the skulls the Headhunters brought actually belonged to a thought mythical beast, the Salty Fannasaurus, whose existence has just been confirmed! The Outriders stood speechless as the Headhunters yowled with victory. The Headhunters quickly let their victories go to their heads and began violently celebrating.
The Headhunters harvested all the skulls in a 2 mile radius, roaming the streets and pillaging like a bus full of Soccer moms at a shoe sale. Fires burned wildly, blood soaked the earth, and skulls decorated the scenery-- It was like a scene out of a story book. A really really terrible story book written by really really terrible people.
Once the initial excitement died down (and the alcohol ran dry) the Headhunters calmed themselves, and raised the skulls of their enemies up high, proclaiming themselves the best treasure hunters EVER. They then went about their business casually scrounging for food (and skulls.) Many feared a grab for world domination but the Headhunters didn't really care.
They just really, really liked skulls, is all."
~Fin
