User:GoldenYak/Temple of the Black Sun
| Temple of the Black Sun | |
|---|---|
| TBS | |
 Temple of the Black Sun | |
| Location | Temple of the Black Sun, Vegathis |
| End boss |
The Solar Engine |
| Instance info | |
| Type | Dungeon |
| Level | 100+ |
| Player limit | 5 |
The Temple of the Black Sun is the seat of power for the Ashen of Vegathis. THeir high-priest, Agnitus, rules his followers from this place, and watches over the arcane device known as the Solar Engine that is responsible for maintaining the elemental sun that illuminates Vegathis.
Dungeon Journal
The desert realm of Vegathis is the home-world of the Ashen, zealous undead who see living flesh as a sickness that must be purged with flame. At the Temple of the Black Sun, the Ashen faithful conduct their rituals and sacrifices, praying to the elemental beings they worship as deities. The heroes of the Alliance and the Horde must rescue captives of the Ashen from a fiery fate, and combat the demented priesthood that presides over the Ashen's campaign of destruction.
Background
The Temple of the Black Sun was constructed at the command of High-Priest Agnitus, ruler of the kingdom of the Black Flame. Agnitus constructed the temple to house his masterpiece, the Solar Engine, an arcane device that acts as a prison for his former goddess, the elemental being known as Incendra of the Sacred Flame. Incendra's power is channeled by the Solar Engine into the elemental sun of Vegathis, which maintains the stability of the realm and holds back the darkness of the Void.
Agnitus loathes the living, and commands the followers of the Black Flame to destroy any living beings who trespass into Vegathis. His Black Flame worshippers have captured several scouts from the Alliance and the Horde, and are preparing to slay them in a sacrificial rite before the Solar Engine. Agnitus himself will preside over the ritual. Time grows short...
Storyline and Encounters
The Sons of Silence enable the adventurers to infiltrate the Temple of the Black Sun. The Black Flame's elite guard and numerous constructs and elemental beings wander the dark stone halls of the temple-fortress. Ethereal agents, including the leaders of the White Nova and the Ebon Maw, also accompany the adventurers to personally see the Ashen threat brought to an end.
Extirpus the Blackened
- Extirpus the Blackened yells: Prepare to be purged, unclean scum!
A powerful champion of the Black Flame. His smouldering body contains such fury that it manifests as waves of elemental flame. His personal guard will join him in battle.
The Incinerator
- The Incinerator yells: The Flame is pure. The Flame is perfect. See how its power flows.
- Incendra whispers: I am not a wellspring to be drained. This indignity will be avenged.
This Ashen construct draws its power through an elemental conduit to the Solar Engine, allowing it to wield the flames of Incendra herself.
S'smould
- S'smould yells: Free! Free to destroy... everything!
This fire elemental was enslaved by the Ashen and used to purge the southern lands of the ever-growing Curse of Flesh corruption. The dark energies radiating from the curse have rendered the elemental being unbalanced, and the Ashen have been attempting to strengthen its bindings to keep it under control. Their efforts fail when they are disturbed by the adventurers, and S'smould's full fury is unleashed.
High Priest Agnitus, Lord of the Black Flame
- High Priest Agnitus yells: I saw long ago the weakness of life. It strives and strives, ultimately in vain. All things wither. All things perish. To do otherwise is to be a sickness on reality. That is all you are... boils, to be lanced!
Agnitus was the very being who unwittingly unleashed a storm of flame and death upon his world, snuffing out all life and raising every soul as an Ashen. With every ounce of goodness burnt from his being, Agnitus feels only hatred for that which he and his people can never have again - life. From within the chamber of the Solar Engine, Agnitus awaits to destroy the living trespassing in his domain.
The Solar Engine
- High Priest Agnitus yells: I embrace the darkness... better this, than to witness the triumph of flesh. But my name will not be the only one written into the Book of the Dead this day... I write the name of this entire world...
Though Agnitus has been defeated, the threat is not ended - the Solar Engine activates a fail-safe function in the event of the destruction of its maker. The Engine begins radiating intense elemental energies, manifesting beings of fire that rampage and destroy at will. The Engine must be shut down before it fails completely and unleashes a blast of devastation that will destroy the entire temple, and perhaps all of Vegathis.
With the engine deactivated, ethereal agents are able to make contact with the being inside. Incendra briefly manifests from the engine, sensing the destruction of Agnitus and the fall of the Black Flame. Incendra warns that if she leaves the Solar Engine, the elemental sun will fail and Vegathis will be devoured by the Void. She chooses to remain within the engine for now, while the ethereals search for a solution that will free Incendra and preserve Vegathis.
- Ethereal Cataphract says: We've stabilized the engine. This worldshard will be preserved. I believe we can reach an accord with Incendra as well. Perhaps we can find a substitute energy and set her free.
- Ethereal Cataphract says: Curiously, we've found no more sign of the Sons of Silence. It appears they withdrew after Agnitus was defeated. Did they anticipate that the engine would detonate? If so, they chose not to warn us.
- Ethereal Cataphract says: Troubling. I believe we should keep an eye on them, in future.