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Artificer Jaffer of the Cosmos (#1488)

Owner: 0x30eD…7CaA

The Lore of Artificer Jaffer of the Cosmos

Prologue

The key to the 7th realm lay dully in the things hand, proffered with a casual gesture. There was nothing casual about the unnatural way the burnished surface of the key soaked up the light nearby. Inscrutable sapphire eyes gazed, unblinking, from within the deep shadows of its hood.

I was startled from my reverie as the common swamp toad at its right boot let out a low, languorous growl; a sound more like a mountain cat than a toad.

A proposition that should not be

“Dost thou sssseek power, traveller?”, it rasped.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to proceed. The creature before me radiated an aura of immense power, and I could feel its strange, glowing eyes boring into me as if trying to read my thoughts.

"Yes," I finally replied, my voice steady despite my uncertainty. "I seek ...power."

The creature chuckled darkly, a dry and rasping sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Power is a dangerous and slippery thing, traveller," it said, its voice low and menacing, "and risks the attention of even more powerful and dangerous things... particularly when it comes to dreams."

I hesitated, unsure of what to do. "What do you want from me?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

The creature smiled, a grotesque and twisted expression that sent chills down my spine. "I want you to make a choice, mortal," it said, its voice filled with malice. "Will you accept the hubris that I offer, and risk the consequences? Or will you turn away and continue on your mundane path, never knowing the true potential of what you could become?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. I knew that whatever decision I made, it would change the course of my life forever. But I also knew that I could not turn away from this opportunity. I had to take a chance, and see where it would lead me.

A forgotten path into the dark forest of dreams

"I accept your offer," I said, my voice firm and resolute.

The creature's smile widened, and it held out its hand, offering me the key to the 7th realm. I took it, feeling its burnished surface absorb the light around me, and some part of me, with it. I turned and began to make my way towards the portal that would take me to the realm beyond.

As I stepped through the portal, I was immediately transported to a strange and alien realm. The air around me was thick with the feeling of fantastical and inscrutable constructs, looming just beyond the reaches of my straining comprehension. I looked around, trying to make sense of my surroundings, but everything was a blur of colors and shapes.

The Kobolds

Suddenly, I felt a sharp tug on my arm, and I was dragged roughly to my feet. I turned to see a group of scabby-looking kobolds surrounding me, their beady eyes filled with malice.

"Verminous human," the kobold snarled, shaking me roughly. "Thou hast trespassed in the domain of the dream masters, and thy hubris is most unwise. Tread carefully, lest thou stumble upon something better left unseen."

I noticed a group of rough hewn wooden crates in the background, half-filled with water from the dream lake. The kobolds were carrying them, moving them towards a strange contraption that was operating at the shore of the lake. A large, particularly ugly looking kobold was standing menacingly between me and the contraption, its beady eyes fixed on me.

I blinked, my mind still foggy from the strange dream I had just experienced. As the reality of my situation began to sink in, I realised that the key to the 7th realm had only been a figment of my imagination, and the powerful creature I had encountered was nothing more than a dream. Yet, I felt rattled and not quite myself, and glimpses of disturbing visions from a twisted place beyond reality flashed through my mind.

With a trembling sigh, I allowed the kobolds to lead me away from Dream Lake, vowing to be more careful in the future and not to let my dreams lead me astray.

Entered by: 0x30eD…7CaA and preserved on chain (see transaction)