THE ORDINATION OF MALHAVOK, GOD OF DOOM
Historical document for the Amethyst Quest: 24th May 2004.
Xandamere faced off against Kodiak after a series of gruelling and tactically impressive sands eliminations that saw both contenders defeating opponents previously ranked more highly. Orinoko and Threap, the expected candidates for Ordination fell to the final contenders in earlier sands rounds.
Kodiak's main body of support came from Orinoko, Mohrion, Zakath, Zenichiro (having lately returned to do battle for his old friend), Aerian (leading the mage contingent's tactics) and the Order of Light - most notably Edgtho, Finbar, Galadriel, and Foxedup. Xandamere, for his part, had the backing of the Damocles, Castigere and Mephisto contingents: Tetsuo, Fistandantilus, Gandalph, Grymauch, Elandir, Xerimor, and Dunccan. Most significantly, however, was the late entry of Plaman, High Priest of Damocles, whose last-minute support for Xandamere tipped the balance irrevocably in his favour. Kodiak selected the Peak of Mount Sapience to gather his people, while Xandamere fought from the holy village of Archangel.
The quest began with Orinoko fastest to retrieve the amethyst. He passed it over to Kodiak a number of times, but before Kodiak's supporters could muster and fortify, Xandamere sped in and stole the gem. A flurry of the amethyst changing hands a number of times finally settled with Xandamere, in Archangel, supported by a defence led ably by Fistandantilus and Gandalph clustered about an Avalon ritual. There, they spent an hour valiantly scattering their considerable firepower about the land to ward off Kodiak and his supporters.
One gained the impression, just over an hour into the contest, that Kodiak's team was gradually pulling together a battleplan. The return of Zenichiro, at this point, was a crucial factor in coalescing a mighty counterattack that finally broke through Xandamere and his mage-led defences. Xandamere was forced to retreat to Gaurthang but quick-witted Edgtho muscled him indoors; the amethyst was out in the open once more. Kodiak, demonstrating his unparalleled knowledge of the outer lying reaches of the continent, was first to the gem. The second phase of the quest began. Kodiak, surrounded by his allies, mounted a seemingly invincible defence at the peak of Mount Sapience. Xandamere's team was unable to form a coherent battleplan, regrouping and reattacking again and again only to find Kodiak's far more experienced and battleworn supporters able to repulse them. Time was running out. With a matter of minutes left, Kodiak held the gem, his defences were sound and the Orinoko/Zenichiro axis was beating back all-comers. Kodiak must have believed, at last, that it would be he climbing the Rock Pinnacle to seize his place in Olympus.
But it was not to be.
Plaman entered the fray and communicated his presence to Xandamere. Invigorated to mount one last-ditch assault on Kodiak's mountain position, Xandamere's team pulled it together and thrust up Mount Sapience. The chaos of battle was all Plaman required. He slipped through, mostly unnoticed, and snatched the amethyst from under Kodiak's nose with a mere two minutes remaining. Pitched battles were fought all along the Parrian Highway, defending Plaman who chose to dive into the nearby Grey Forest to try to evade capture.
Kodiak's supporters came together in an enormous and diverse last gasp attempt to chase down Plaman and beat back Xandamere's teams attempts to divert their attention. Xandamere, one blow from death at the last moment, Fistandantilus his most staunch supporter seeing out the final moments as a ghost, the rest of their group scattered. Had there been a few more minutes of combat, the outcome may have been difference. But the sands of time ran out. Plaman, cool under pressure, was able to hand the amethyst to Xandamere with a mere ten seconds remaining. Xandamere, battered but alive, claimed victory.
Few ordinations have been so close. No sands elimination quests have been so competitive and tactically impressive. The ordination of Malhavok, god of doom will live on in memory for all those taking part and forms a proud chapter in the annals of Avalon's eternally unfolding history.
