# Renfield: Of Children and Lost Souls: Oblivion comes to Green (UPDATED)



## Renfield (Aug 1, 2003)

Greetings, welcome to my very first campaign post, this is a home brewed setting using primarily 3.5 rules with the slight addition of my Golden House Rule of Divinity: If it was better in 3.0, it stays. To explain needlessly: I didn't view a single thing in 3.0 as overpowered, I won't go overboard on this however anyway I *Renfields conscience and this point stands up, walks the short distance up his shoulder to his head and promptly smacks him giving him a not so subtle message to get on with the program* ah right, well anyway, on with the first install ment of "Of Children and Lost Souls."

*Heroes:*

*Nym the Perceptor*: Druid of the Cursewood Forest with the gift of percieving the Green.

*Kerowyn aka: Amarbie*: Odd True Elf Amazon warrior. Normally quite timid (odd for both race and clan) until angered. A deadly shot with the bow and able to wield a large club with surprising strength.

*Delver*: Odd Darkelven Necromancer from the Shadewood Forest with shriveled hands that are deadly to the touch.

If anyone is curious about some of the odd abilities that people have and some of the things we do that just don't seem right here's a small explanation: We are using a whole truckload of stuff from Mongoose Punlishing, primarily their magic sourcebooks and their Quinisential books (sp). So, yeah, just letting you know.

(this will only be a short post as it is 4:00am right now and I'm tired)

Erias Strongoak stood atop Watchers Lookout, a tall hill with a grand old oak tree upon it's crown. he stood and he listened. The man wasn't tall compaired to most men, a modest height of 5'6" with a wirey frame, not the most imposing of physical specimens though he had cowed creatures many times bigger than he. His green eyes stared ahead, seemingly at nothing with a saddened look in their core, but his focus wasn't upon his visual sense, no he was listening, to the wind in particular. 

The wind had some disturbing things to say, all had gone silent in the Shorntooth mountains to the west, dangerously close to the small town of green, his home and domain. The wind loathed what it felt in the mountains, what little Erias could sense caused him to ferally snort like a wolf sniffing something foul. What disturbed him more was what Rock and Earth told him, they cried out for Gaia's preservation, they called out for aid, however not to him. 

"Something is wrong isn't it?" a voice said apparently out of nowhere, it would have startled most men though the owner of the calm peaceful voice as well as Erias, were well adept at such meetings.

"The Wind speaks of trouble from the mountains my friend, and the Earth cries out for aid. Though who the Earth is calling I know not..." Erias said in a passive tone, both men were worried, though both men were also experts o keeping that worry from their faces.

"Perhaps it is Gaia who is calling out..." the younger man said. This elicited a look from Erias. 

"Perhaps Loren, perhaps, are you sure you went down the right path when you chose Solar?" he asked after turning to face the sandy hared plain looking young priest. His crimson robes with the bright sunburst emblazoned on it's back clashed with the Druids green and brown garb. "sometimes I could almost swear you were a student of gaia." he said with a laugh that quickly died away.

A pause followed for a moment before Loren finally spoke "I followed my heart Erias, just as you did, and I am glad fate was kind enough to put us in the one kingdom where our faiths aren't at eachothers throats." the crimson clad priest sad in the calm peaceful voice, Erias knew him to be right, as he too was thankful for such a kind hand.

 "Well." said Erias looking down the path he had walked many many times before looking up at the sky, it was overcast. He paused a moment and his saddened green eyes flashed for a moment "I think I must be going on my afternoon walk."

**

Somewhere, in a room lit by the flames of a thousand black candles, at the foot of a blood stained alter in the center of a blasphemous circle of dark runes a figure knelt. And Prayed. The sound of a door opening echoed through the unholy chamber the echo sealed by the sound of the same door shutting. The clinking sound of a man in plate and mail accompanied the footsteps that approached the darkly clad figure until they came to a halt at a respective... and safe distance.

"MiLord," a deep voice that radiated discipline and duty "Sorith bade me to inform you that the preperation for the ritual is nearing completion."

The figure smiled mirthlessly, not that the human could see, and a sinister rasping voice spoke "Sorith should know that I would have preffered news of it's completion *not* it's nearing such." the man shifted, being near this one was always a discomfort, though duty was duty. "Send out Marcurian and his Black Fists, have them camp at the circle and await my next orders."

Another metalic sound of armor shifting as the man saluted. "Very well MiLord." and the figure stood and left the room. The mirthless smile upon the darkly clad figures face broke into a grin, a grin of razor sharp teeth.


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## Black_Kaioshin (Aug 1, 2003)

Yay!! Good job, Zach. Nice beginning.


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## Renfield (Aug 4, 2003)

*First player introduction...*

Amarbie swung her club in a savage overhead arch, something the brigand did not suspect from such a sleight woman wielding such a big club, and with the agility of the like he'd never seen. But the brigand had never encountered a True Elf before, not had he encountered an Amazon either, and the combination proved to be too much as his neck snapped and he lost all feeling in his body. He crumpled to the grass covered ground, he did still feel the excruciating pain in his skull, however that ended when the last sight he saw in his mortal life was that of a beautiful angry looking large eyed fey, this before the rune covered club savagely crushed his skull in a finishing blow.

Amarbies work wasn't finished yet however, she let the huge club drop to her ground as her wry form lifted an exotically carved bow, pulling an arrow from her quiver she drew the arrow back and released hitting a fleeing brigand and dropping him dead. "Pathetic men," she muttered as she scanned the area looking for any more of the would be assailants, nothing but grass and trees, though she and her mistress did stray far from the caravan... "none of you would have been worthy to be the slave of even the weakest and most skilless of my tribe." she finished and spat, the man did get a lucky shot in, that gash in her thigh wasn't pretty. She tore cloth from her tunic and tied it around the wound before turning back to Athena.

Athena was Amarbies mistress, another strange quality of the Elf, she was a slave, though under the service of her mistress it had not seemed as such. They looked upon one another as equals, even if Athena wouldn't last a day alone in a jungle she was a good woman with a fierce spirit none would suspect in such a normally demure beauty. They had become as close to friends as an Empire woman and a slave could be. Now the raven haired beauty look at the wild elf that had been selected to be her bodyguard under oath of life and soul and tears filled the womans eyes. 

"This is your chance Amarbie." she said her voice almost breaking "No others are around to see you run."

Amarbie was speechless, this was the last thing she expected. Her large icy blue orbs scanned the area and confirmed her mistresses words, they had unintentionally gotten far away from the Ambassador's (her Husbands) Caravan and there was not another guard in sight. "But mistress, I can't leave you." 

Athena shook her head "Go, now, I'll tell them you were killed protecting me." 

Amarbie looked at her for a long moment letting her eyes express her thanks, gratitude, and sadness in a way that words could never do justice. "Thank you Athena." she said softly yet audibly and turned and started to run. Should Senator, and now Ambasador, Karsus see through his wifes lie then he would send some men after her. Not too many and not too far but still it was best to be far away. She ran until her lungs burned with fire, she once again felt the thrill of running through a forest, something she had only been away from for a couple years, though those years felt like an eternity. 

When she was made body guard to the Senators wife they had given her her old items back as well as a nice suit of studded leather and plenty of potions of healing to keep her up in any long drawn out battles. She also kept them because she refused the services of the priests of Solar, she had tribesmates that worshiped the sun god as well as ones that worshiped the earth mother Gaia but the priests of the Empire were different somehow... It didn't matter now though, she was free, with the wind in her hair and green trees around her. She continued to run stopping only once to rest before continuing on and stopping again only when it started getting dark and she finally felt the need to rest. 

Amarbie winced as she looked at her wound, it had bled quite profusely and the rag was soaked through, she frowned for she knew nothing of the local flora and fauna or had any idea of what might help the wound. This land had trees with needles, some with small leaves unlike the great leaves of the trees of her jungle home. As she drifted off to a fitful sleep she hoped she could find something to help it. She had consumed one of her numerous potions to seal it but the damage had already been done and she had nothing to clense it with.

When the True Elf awoke, her wild hair was damp with sweat, her skin was covered with a sheen and her body felt inflamed. reluctantly she stood and moved to a nearby stream and tried to clean the wound. She new the water wouldn't really help, simply sooth the burning pain of the infection a fraction, she had to find help for this one or she could very well die. Amarbie stood and started walking knowing running would only wear her out faster. She continued like that for two days exiting the forest to a hilly region lightly dotted with trees. She sensed peace here, a balance, as though two forces normally at war with one another hunted and lived side by side in harmony. Such was this balance that she almost didn't realize she was on a road until she had begun walking up the opposite bank. 

Amarbie paused and tiredly and in pain, her fever aflame throughout her body, started walking down the road. She was unable to get in touch with her fey brethren as she was raised in a human society and left out of touch with them. She continued down the road for what appeared to be hours, but in fact was barely one. when her vision blurred and she saw the grass and dirt of the road come up to meet her, then all went black.


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## Renfield (Aug 4, 2003)

A rattle from a small worn leather pouch, the pouch is opened and numerous small bones scatter upon the ground in a pattern that only the figure who cast them can read, the figure being a necromancer afterall. The figure is of moderate height and slender as is the want of his race. His ears slightly pointed and his skin the darkened brown of his race, the Dark Elves, the fallen, the shamed. His cloak covered in leaves from the various trees of the surrounding forest. On the backside of his cloak scraps of cloth hung loosely. The elf crouches down upon rune covered boots to stare carefully at the bones sniffing them and muttering softly to himself. He was Delver, a servant of Gaia's death and spiritual aspects, and his experiences left him not quite all there...

Delver pauses in his sniffing and looks up, his dark piercing eyes seeing something only they can see. A boy stands before him, thre wicked claw marks having shredded half the childs face and his body looked as though it had been gnawed upon by some beast of the forest, the thing was, it had.

"Hello there." Delver says as he stands up, his bone necklace rattling "do you know anything to do with that?" he points a finger to the pattern of bones. This particular pattern speaking of dire portents.

The boy nods "You've gotta help us." he says, his erie voice sounding as though comming from afar and carried upon the wind. "Children are dying."

"Children die all the time," Delver said casually "It is the natural way of life, death." He crouches down to begin scooping up his bones.

"But these children wont be able to play with me." the boy says on the verge of crying ethereal tears. Delver lifts a brow as a little girl appears next to him her head bloody and her neck twisted at a wrong angle, Delver had spoken to her before, she had fallen out of a tree while playing in the woods. "We wont have any friends, they'll all be gone!" she half moans half sobs.

Delver thinks a moment before he looks to the girl again "Their spirits and souls are probably moving on little one, to the next life and to their god." he said softly

Both the girl and the boy shake their heads insistantly as another boy appears, this ones leg was had vicious marks in them, like some monsters maw had bitten down hard. The same marks were on his arms. This boy had fallen into a next of bear traps and bled to death, his name was Thomas. All three speak in unison "There is nothing natural about oblivion," Delvers eyes widen ever so slightly "The soul and the spirit cease to exist and might as well never have been." the dead children continued. "You must help us."

"Allright then," Delver says turning to pick up a long sword and a crossbow as well as various pouches. He also picks up one sack with numerous oddly shaped buldges within. "Where to." He knows better than to get more specific in his inquiries, spirits being cryptic at best, often more than he.

"The village of Green." the children spoke pointing towards the mountains. Delver nods and double checks to make sure he has everything before the scraps of cloth upon his back stretch out into odd looking skeletal wings, they begin to flap lifting him from the ground with their enchantments of flight. He looks back at his hut and the surrounding forest without worry for leaving it alone, the spirits will keep it safe, they always have after all; he thinks smiling to himself.


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## Renfield (Aug 5, 2003)

Nym looked around, this was a pleasant land, peaceful, pretty, and good. Both Gaia and Solar were strong here, and cooperative, whereas in other lands their worshipers seemed nigh at each others throats. He smiled and looked over at his companion, the large Timberwolf looked back at him with piercing ice blue eyes, the top of the large animals head reaching Nym's shoulders easily. "Well shall we then Nanaki?" he said as they continued down the road that was more of a hard to find path. Few traveled it as this was a particularly out of the way corner of Alagor. 

The two walked for most of the day, large wolf beside a man of about 5'8", a pair that seemed quite... natural. Nym was a lean man, with a smooth bald head and skin the color of chocolate. He wore forest green open robes with a long leather vest and leather breeches that were far more protective than they appeared. Around his neck was a necklace of wooden beads made from an apple tree and topped off with a bear fang in the middle. Upon the bridge of his nose rested a silver bead and further up in the middle of his forhead was a larger golden ones. At his hip was a curved blade while hanging from his pack was a  darkwood shield. A tatoo stretched from his wrist to his shoulder a flowing druidic script. 

Nanaki sniffed and stopped, the huge Timberwolf turned it's gaze upon Nym, Nym had stopped as well and met Nanaki's ice blue eyes with his own smokey gray orbs, they had come to a crossroads and both companions had felt the pull to the west, to the hills and the mountains beyond. Nym nodded to the wolf and instead of heading eastward, which would have lead them to the beuatiful forest in the distance, he headed west into the peaceful hilly region dotted with small clusters of trees. Gaia's children were calling to him, and who was he to deny such a call, a call for help.

***

The afternoon was approaching evening and Nym and Nanaki had been walking on the road for only a few hours. Once again the pair stopped, Nanaki sniffed the air, for a moment the wolf was tense as it smelled the passing of another, he sniffed again and relaxed visibily. As they crested the top of the hill they looked down the path and noticed a figure walking at a slow pace. The figure carried a wooden staff and and was adorned in brown hooded robes. Nym paused for only a moment before nodding to himself and continuing onward, at the pairs casual pace they'd catch up on the man and his leisurly step easily, the young druid simply didn't know if that would be a good or bad thing. 

They continued walking until they were nigh but 20 yards from the figure when they heard a mans voice call out. "Greetings." the figure and the apparent owner of the voice stopped. "I have been waiting for you to catch up, please, come walk beside me."

Nym quickened his stride only slightly and caught up to the man who turned to face him. The man was only a couple inches shorter than him and had a lightly tanned skin and a wirey build. He pulled his hood back revealing sharp green eyes and simple brown hair. "So you've been expecting me?" he asked unphased at the mans knowledge of his comming. "Who are you?" the three continued walking again.

"I am Erias Stongoak." He said nodding in greeting "Servant of Gaia, preserver of balance, and guardian of this particular patch of land. Am I correct to assume that you are the one the land itself has been calling to?" he asked his green eyes noting the beads. "A Seeker from the forbidden forest? How fitting then."

Nym nodded "Nym the Perceptor." he said returning the nod. "I have indeed been called here Erias, is there trouble in this land?"

Erias sighed and shook his head. "Not that it would seem on the surface." the druid said before looking around then looking back at the younger Nym "However the mountains have gone silent and the wind is worried and fearful."

Nym nodded gravely before Erias spoke again "You are welcome to return with me to the Village of Green, perhaps you could stay for a time until we figure out what is going on, it has been awhile before I've had the company of another Druid." 

To this Nym nodded again. "I should like that." he said, for it had been awhile since he too had seen a fellow Druid. "Tell me Erias, are you the ony-" both stopped, the three had crested another hill and down in the small valley of the hill a sleight form lay prone. A form with long pointed ears and large eyes, a form with wild hair and a bloodsoaked makeshift bandage!

***


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## Renfield (Aug 7, 2003)

***

Jonovan ran after his sister laughing with joy, they were playing a simple game, chasing eachother down pretending to be a monster then catching the other and pretending to eat it. The Roles would shift and one would be the adventurer chasing the monster for eating the person, the adventurer would catch the monster and slay it (with wooden toy swords) and the cycle would start over. His sister, Trissy (a shortened version of Tristandra) was currently the monster running from the adventurer.

It was evening, the sun had set though the sky was still lit with crimson and orange, as though aflame. Jonovan rounded the corner of a building and pushed aside his unruly brown bangs and noticed Trissy had stopped running. He laughed and ran forward and pretended to stab her "GOTCHA!" he cried and laughed for a moment. His laughter died as he noticed his sister was staring at something quite intently. His own brown eyes followed her gaze to a man holding something, something shiny and very pretty, he found himself fascinated with the object. His fascination was interrupted when he saw another figure pick up his sister and begin running off with the dazed girl. "TRISSA!" He yelled.

"Dammit Geran, you took her before the boy was fully under!" the figure holding the shiny said as he threw something at Jonovan. 

Whatever it was it had hurt, he looked down at a dart like the type his father threw at the tavern, sticking out of his arm. His vision began to blur and he felt himself being picked up. Summoning all of his energy he screamed and bit down on the hand about to cover his mouth and got a satisfied grunt as he was forced into silence. As the boy began to drift into unconciousness he heard a shout, it was Daven, one of the Guardians of Fire, Jonovan smiled as he passed out knowing with the faith of a child that he'd be safe. The badguys always lost right?

***
Amarbie opened her eyes slowly, she looked around the immediate area without moving her head and knew she was in a cottage, she heard the crackle of a fire. She finally turned her head slightly and looked to see a man! She sat bolt upright and glared daggers at the dark skinned bald man who sat in a chair near the bed. "What am I doing in a *mans* bed!" she growled and the man lifted an eyebrow.

"You are in the home of Erias Strongoak, a guest of his however temporary just as I am," the man said in a calm voice not taken aback in the slightest by her outburst "it would be considered polite if you were a tad more polite to your rescuers and your host."

Amarbie continued to glare but in a softer growl she asked "Who are you?"

"I am Nym the Perceptor," the man said "A druid as is your host." 

Amarbie heard a far more feral growl than her own and turned her head, her already large eyes widened upon seeing the huge timberwolf sleeping next to a fireplace obviously ready should she attack his companions. She nodded to herself and turned back to face Nym, "I see..." 

"We came upon you lying unconcious and near death with fever," Nym said "That was a nasty cut you had, apparently healed a little too late. Erias and myself took you back here and proceeded to tend to you, he had to depart to help one of the other villagers today but said you'd likely awaken around this time."

The true elf thought on this for a moment and softened her gaze towards the human. Even if he was a man he did save her life, and in a strange land such as this she could use any allies she could get, she glanced at the wolf again before looking back to the man. "I am Kerowyn." The elf said simply. "Where are we?"

"We are in the Village of Green, it is evening, you've been here for about a week." he stopped and handed Amarbie her belongings which had been sitting in a pile beside him he glanced at Nanaki who had long since relaxed sensing no threat to his companion "That is Nanaki by the way." Nym paused for a moment and looked at Amarbie for a long moment "You are definitely not like most True Elves I've seen..." he said letting the question hang unasked in the air should Kerowyn choose to answer.

"When I was but a babe I was somehow abandoned," Amarbie began as she started putting on her armour, she set her weapons aside out of politeness for her absent host "I don't know how I was abandoned but the Jungle is a dangerous place so any number of dangers could have killed my parents." Nym nodded for her to continue "I was eventually taken in by a tribe of humans who raised me as one of their own, as an Amazon warrior."

At this Nym let out a groan that he couldn't stifle "I see, well, it explains your animosity towards males." he said with a sigh.

"You're familiar with Amazons?" Amarbie asked her curiosity piqued. 

"Yes I'm afraid, I had a run in with them some time back, they had-" at this point they both turned their heads as screams and sounds of fighting broke out and the village warning bell was rung. Wasting no time They both snatched up their weapons, Amarbie her huge greatclub and her shortbow while Nym grabbed his quarterstaff and his sling and both rushed out the door.

***

The village was aflame, numerous housed along the outskirts and even in the center of town had been set to the torch. Men in black armor ran about cutting down villagers and engaging the town militia as well as the Elite Guardians of Fire. Nym and Amarbie came running out of Erias' hut and into the town square. They saw three groups of black armour setting houses aflame with torches, looking across the square they saw three Guardians of Fire rush to engage the assailants.

As the Crimson clad elite warriors of Alagor met two of the groups Nym and Amarbie noticed that had left one more, the one torching the inn, open. Wasting no time Nym hurriedly called upon gaia and summoned the roots and plants of the land to push up through the earth and entangle the men, there were five, four soldiers and one larger man clad in full plate, obviously a leader. Curses arose from the sounds of battle as many of the soldiers were quickly caught in the vines but the larger figure tore free and stalked towards the True Elf and the Druid.

Delver saw the village below and frowned as he noticed the telltale signs of battle, screams, burning houses, the clang of blade on blade. It had been a day since he set off for the village at the spirits plea and already it appeared he might be too late. He swooped down and landed on the roof of a building noticing the dark armored soldiers conveniently entangled below and quickly determining them to be the opposition he began the workings of a spell. A moment later one of the soldiers noticed an odd bead fly down and land in the middle of his struggling companions, he didn't have much time to ponder the bead before his world exploded in fire, pain, and death.

Amarbie met the Captains longsword with her club, the hardened wood batting the blade aside as she swung and bashed the mans armored leg. He growled and deftly returned and attack feinting low only to slash a wicked gash across the True Elfs left arm. She growled in pain and attacked again. The man skillfully parried the blow before letting out a grunt of pain as a staff swung into his arm and a wickedly clawed paw slashed at his backside. Turning to face the new assailants he lashed out with two well places jabs of his sword, he smiled to himself beneath his helm as he heard the satisfying grunt of pain from the dark skinned man and the whimper from the huge wolf.

Nym growled in pain, this guy was good, "Nanaki, retreat." he called out to his wounded companion and the wolf reluctantly obeyed snapping at the man one last time. Nym heard another howl of pain as Amarbie was hit again by the deadly blade, this howl was followed by a scream of rage and he lifted his brow as he saw the slight elf's tight corded and streamline muscles buldge in her rage. She lunged forward at the man with newfound strength and vigor causing the Captain to begin fighting on the defensive as he parried blow after vicious blow of that great club. Nym took the opportunity to disengage and concentrated, he focused his thoughts onto the spirit of the bear and began evoking one of the Druids famed abilities. Shifting and morphing he soon found himself in the form of a black bear, seeing Amarbie still in trouble despite her rage he moved forward again to attack the Captain.

Delver smiled at the charred corpses, his tattered bone wings spread out again and he flew to the ground, he reached into his pouch and touched one of the bones within. Nodding he looked at one of the better preserved corpses and touched it infusing it with the spirit from within his pouch. The corpse slowly and stiffly stood up and Delver pointed towards one group of enemy soldiers, two of their number had been cut down but the other three were slowly overpowering the other, the corpses began to stagger over to give his former allies a little surprise.

At the far end of the village square the two other Guardians were having a hard time as well, they had easily felled half of the large group one taking down three while the other took down two, but the remaining four were pressing the now wounded soldiers hard. Finally one of the enemies got lucky and with a wicked laugh his blade lashed out catching one Guardian in the throat.The other Guardian snarled in rage and plunged his sword through the killers armor and straight through his heart dropping the man dead. He felt a blade bite deeply into his shoulder as he tried to wrench his own sword free of the corpse and turned to see one of the men about to strike a killing blow. Just then a loud snap, like a large icecicle breaking, echoed through the square and a flash of cold blue light struck the would be killer. The Guardian smiled in grim satisfaction as the mans armor became covered in a layer of frost and he let out a pained scream as even the blood in his veins began freezing before falling over dead. The Guardian had little time to see, let alone thank his rescuer, before he found himself fending off the violent attacks of the remaining two enemies.

Nym clawed and bit at the Captain but to little avail, the man's armor deflected his jaws while the claws merely scratched him. He focused on the wild and raging elf woman cutting into her again with his blade while recieving a rather painful slam to his shield arm. Nym attacked again managing to slash the man twice with his claws and was rewarded with a blade buried deep into his shoulder. He let out a growl of pain and backed away from the man. If a bear could smile Nym would have fore the man, distracted only slightly by the bear, fell for Amarbies feint, which was almost a perfect image of the one he used on her, she went low and struck high, only insted of hitting his arm her size assisted her in that her club slamed into his ribcage with great force, crushing armor and bone alike. The captain dropped.

The battle wasn't over however, the animated corpse of the soldier staggered over to his companions and swung at one with the sword he carried in life still in his hands. "Gerwyn what are yo-!" was all his former ally could say before she blade took his head. The Guardian, on his last legs as it was, was finally cut down and the two remaining engaged the zombie that had been Gerwyn.

Amarbie lifted her club and charged towards the two enemies as they laid into the remamining Guardian with vicious attacks. One of them grinned and seeing an opening on the Guardian moved to attack not expecting something quite solid and quite heavy to crush his skull and break his neck before he could lunge forward. His remaining companion, distracted by his comrades violent death at the end of a great club, was also killed as the Guardian of Fire took the Opportunity to plunge his blade through the mans gut and jerked it up into his ribcage. 

The Zombie had taken down another of the black armored soldiers, the man was already wounded and when the clumsily swung sword cut down at the base of the neck where it met the shoulder he dropped in time for the last enemy standing to lay into the zombie removing it's head and kicking it down. The man took a look at the situation, he was the last of the soldiers fighting in the square standing and knew that fleeing would be a wise choice. Turning to run he felt a sharp pain in the center of his back and reached back as though to scratch at an itch he couldn't reach before he too dropped a crossbow bolt sticking out of him.


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## Renfield (Aug 9, 2003)

*Aftermath*

Many of the fires had been, for the most part, extinguished, Loren stood up from tending to a wounded soldier and moved over to where the three odd newcomers were standing conversing. "Does any of you need healing?" he asked his eyes darting over their wounds, even the Dark elf on the roof recieved a look over, he had assisted, it mattered not that he was one of The Shunned. The Druid looked as though he had already tended to himself, the odd Dark Elf looked unscathed, though the warrior True Elf looked rather wounded. She glanced at his crimson robes and the sunburst upon them and glared daggers as he opened his mouth to offer assistance.

"I can take care of myself thankyou very much." she said tartly and threw off her pack to begin the process of downing three potions. Her wounds rapidly began to knit. 

"So I see." Loren responded and gave a farewell nod and moved on to assist other wounded. The girl had a personal grudge against Solarans, a common occurance to the south and a few other kingdoms where the church was less... pure.

Kerowyn finished guzzling the last potion and stood up to see a man in brown robes with a walking stick arrive. He was a short man, though he towered over her nonetheless, with a kindly demeanor and an face that needed a shave.

"Good to see you on your feet again my dear." the man said to her before turning towards Nym and kicked over one of the black armored corpses to reveal a black gauntlet clenched into a fist. "Mercenaries."

Nym lifted a brow "Mercenaries?" he said then glanced west. "From the mountains I imagine." to this Erias nodded. 

"I have no idea what they came here for, but they struck after one of the guards called out about something," the druid said before glancing at Amarbie once more "Oh, do forgive me, I am Erias, Nym here and I found you unconscious on the road, though I'm sure you've been briefed already." he said to Amarbie who glared sullenly at the man who had saved her life yet put her in his bed.

Nym looked up to the Dark Elf and called out "You there, who are you?" 

Delver's tattered skeletal wings spread out and he jumped off the roof and slowly glided to the ground. "Who am I? Who are you?" he asked cocking his head to the side.

"I asked first." Nym said finding the man to be, at the least, odd.

"Asking first matters not, who are you?" the man asked again. 

"Enough games, tell us your name." Nym said his voice showing his irritation.

"I am called Delver by the Spirits, and as that is the name that suits me most, it is my name." He said again. 

"You commune with the spirits?" Erias said curiously. 

Delver nodded and smiled "That I do, and they told me to come here, for Oblivion will come here soon." he pointed westward "From the mountains."

"Oblivion?" Amarbie asked curiousy when a cry rose up from around the village.

"Where's my baby!"
"My boy, where's my little boy!?"
"Jonovaaaaaam, Trisaaaaaaaaa..."
"The children! Where are the children!"

Erias furrowed his brow his eyes widening in anger "They took the children." he said softly and cursed under his breath. "Why would they take the children?"

"Well, I could ask him." Delver said and pointed towards the corpse of the mercenary captain. Though he pointed a little bit above as though the captain was standing right there as opposed to laying down on the ground dead.

Nym nodded along with Erias as though there was nothing out of the ordinary about that, Amarbie was unphased either, there had been a witch doctor in her old village and she communicated with the dead as well. Delver began to make his way over to the corpse for the interrogation. 

"Who are these Mercenaries?" Nym asked and was answered not by Erias but one of the Guardians of Fire who had happened by when the question was asked. 

"Black Fists," he said spitting "Nasty bunch, they do the dirty work that most mercenaries wouldn't want to dirty their gauntlets in." He spat at one corpse. "Blackest of the black, saying suits 'em too." with that the man moved on making sure the corpses were indeed corpses.

"Well, that answers my question, but why come here, why steal children..." heasked, himself as much as Erias. 

"Well, Delver there mentioned Oblivion..." at this Nym nodded and slowly his eyes widened. 

"Oblivion?" Amarbie asked once again her own brow furrowed in puzzlement.

"Nonexistance." Erias said solemnly. "When one dies ones soul and spirit move on in one form or the other. They may go to Solar, become one with Gaia, return in another form or even  be tortured for all eternity by Talishar." He frowned "However Oblivion is the utter anihilation of the soul and by connection the spirit... or vise versa depending on the terminology of choice, but the effect is the same."

Nym nodded "There are very few things that can utterly destroy a soul." he said "Not difficult things, just few things, one of these are ritualistic sacrifices."

Amarbie gasped and Erias shook his head "And the energy of a child is far greater for such purposes." the druid said and turned to Nym. "I'm beginning to see why you three were called here." he looked at Nanaki for a moment before returning his gaze to Nym "You by Gaia." he said looking over at the Dark Elf who seemed to be conversing with someone "Him by the spirits." then turned to Amarbie "And you by coincidence." 

"I don't believe in coincidence." Amarbie said her tone grim.

"Fate then." Erias said as Delver finally returned.

"His name is Marcurian." the odd Elf said as he arrived "He was sent by some Talisharans to kidnap the children."

"That confirms our fears of sacrificing," Nym said "Where did they come from?"

"An old Temple in the Shorntooth mountains, couple days travel from here." he said after listening to a pouch. "Aparently it was a site of great power."

Erias nodded once again "Yes, that was a temple to an old cult that worshipped Gaia and Solar as a divine couple." he said, Nym lifted a brow at that "It's been abandoned for ages, I've been there a time or two..." 

"So that's where we must go then?" Amarbie said and Erias nodded. 

"If they have the children they'll be taking the main path, and there will be many of them." Erias said than thought a moment "I have a map depicting a rather complicated path to a side entrance of the temple I used. It's a longer trip, but if you hurry you might make it in time..."

Amarbie shook her head. "No, they have an hours head start and they have horses," she said frustration creeping into her voice "By the time we get there the children will be sacrificed."

Delver shook his head "No, they will not." he said simply, everyone looked at him curiously. He pointed to the sky "In four days there will be a blood moon." he said bringing his arm down and looking as though those words explained everything... they practically did.

Realization dawned on the other threes faces, the full moon was a prime time for a sacrifice, but a blood moon was a crimson full moon, even the most skeptical person staid indoors on the night or nights of a bloodmoon for strange and horrid things were known to occur. Sacrificial energies were increased many fold during these unholy nights.

"We must hurry." Nym spoke as Erias left to retrieve the map. "While we have four days I have a plan that may allow us to stop them before they even get to the temple."

*End of Session One*


----------



## Renfield (Aug 10, 2003)

*Session Two*

*Session: Two*

Nym soared above the train of mercenaries in the form of one of the larger species of owl. The night sky was clear for the most part, though is things went right that would change. Roughly thirty mercenaries were killed in all, and the spirit that Delver supposedly spoke with said that fifty had come, which meant roughly twenty soldiers to deal with. His sharp owl eyes looked down upon the group and counted... twelve of the soldiers were simple troops, there seemed to be one at the head of the column with full plate and helm that was likely the leader, two others in full plate as well, though their armor wasn't as well made, lieutenants of higher underlings of a sort. The column was staggered, not a straight line, the soldiers were watchful and had the look of seasoned veterans. They were expecting a rescue, from militia and Guardians of Fire, not from three individuals who possed a little more than a good sword arm.

Nym noticed another thing, the prisoners consisted of six children and four adults, likely people were more in shock of the missing children that they assumed four missing adults were among the dead. The column looked like easy pickings in the hilly region, with the proper plan of attack. He turned on a convenient air current  and before heading back noticed another owl curiously watching the marching column. He decided to make a quick detour and landed in the tree next to the owl. "Hello." he greeted the owl with a hoot. 

"Hello." it responded back

"Good eating?" Nym responded.

"Yes" the owl hooted and looked to the ground where the remains of it's recent meal lay on the earth.

"What about mountains?" Nym asked hoping to glean a bit of information.

"Mountains are bad, no food there, just bad." the owl hooted, looking at the soldiers riding at a reasonable place "Walkers on walkers and walkers are the only things going to mountains and from mountains and to mountains, they bad too."

Nym hooted and wished the owl happy hunting and flew off figuring the creature couldn't tell him much more than that. He flew around the area and concentrated calling upon the forces of The Green and ever so slowly clouds began to gather in the distance, they'd gather relatively fast, he had less than an hour before the spell would be gone and he didn't want to rouse too much suspicion too fast. If his calculations were correct by the time things were ready the group would be right where he wanted them.

He headed back and landed where he had left the others. Nanaki had ran with Kerowyn on his back, the small elf amazon had to be helped onto the large wolfs back, but she stayed on and steady despite the wolfs quickened pace. Delver and Nym had flow, Nym as an owl, Delver with those enchanted skeletal wings. Landing silently he hooted to them to get their attention and quickly morphed back into his normal form. "Allright, here's the plan..." he said drawing in the dirt. The three offered their insights and ideas, and both Nym and Amarbie shuddered as Delver made the comment of "The beginnings of a little army." and emphasized the point by petting a skeletal rat he had pulled out of that buldging sack (the buldges having been of the gruesome sort: Skulls). By the time they were ready to head off to their positions of attack the mercenaries doom was practically sealed.

****

Kerowyn felt the wind on her face as Delver glided down towards a specific tree that had a tactical hilltop advantage over the soldiers. Her aggitation having worn off she had returned to her normal, and oddly, demure mood. The odd elf was carrying her, ever full of surprises he had cast a spell that had made the two invisible. His timing was impecible as he released her into the tree. Twisting her body, the True Elf Amazon used all of her considerable agility to her advantage taking hold of a decent sized branch and nimbly flipping around to land atop the brach, all without making a sound. The elf couldn't help but admire how smoothly she had made that flip and could only regret (and be thankful for at the same time) that no one had been around or able to see. She was at home in the wilds, even if the trees were different the laws were the same, and woe to the *man* that underestimated her for such.

***

Nym wacthed and waited in his owl form and from a safe distance. The clouds had gathered and thickened and the rumble of thunder had been heard, the soldiers were nervous, and while some had theior supersticious insights none expected any for of ill magic about them, let alone druidic magic that allows one to call lighting down upon their foes by summoning the very clouds. Anyone watching would have noticed a disturbingly feral gleam in the owls eye, one that if seen on Nym human face would have been more disturbing with the addition of a feral smile, that of a predator about to strike at it's prey.

****

Kel looked around the surrounding area, it was ripe for ambush, though even if rescuers from the village rode hard, new exactly where they were, and somehow managed to place themselves without being seen of heard, the soldiers of the Black Fist would be ready for them. They had gotten out of tough scrapes, bad situations, even fought undead, the few remaining of the village militia even with the backing of what remained of the Guardians of Fire would pose little trouble to prepared and experienced Black Fist veterans. His thoughts were interrupted by a childs whine from the cage in the cart. The lietenant guiding the cage shouted for the child to be silent for a good minute before the brat finally shut up. The mercenary sighed, this was going to be a boring journey if rescuers didn't arrive, then chaos struck. 

Vines and roots grew from the earth along with large bushes and plants entangling the horses legs and stopping the cart at the wheels. Branches of nearby trees grew out and became entangled and soon the whole area was overgrown with all sorts of plantlife. Horses whinied, children whines, guards shouted in confusion, that was when Kel's life erupted in fire and became death.

****

This was bad, not only was this ambush cleverly prepared, but it had already wiped out the six soldiers at the head of the column. Breck knew they were in for it. And arrow shot out from somewhere in the night and took Keth in the shoulder, the guard cried out as he tried to hack at vines with his sword, he'd be dead in but a few seconds the mercenary lieutenant was certain. A huge form had rushed out, a large wolf, it lept up and snapped at Geralds head clamping it's massive jaws over his face. Gerald, ever the responsive soldier, slapped at it with his sword, the blade had some effect as the wolf let go with a snarl and Gerald whipped around to defend himself.

"Guard the prisoners, circle formation!" Breck called out, some of the soldiers tried to move to comply but could only hack their was a little ways closer to the cage and cart. Another arrow hit Keth and this one took the man in the shoulder. There was a flash and the mercenary noticed a lighning strike and a roar of rage emit near where the head of the column had been. Captain Draneck was still alive and kicking then, but for how long... some of the vines had grown even more though this time to wrap around the soldiers at the rear of the column, four of them, being of the less agile sort while wearing banded mail, were quickly entangled. Breck had seen that sort of spell in action, but what came after surprised him, something that didn't happen too often. Thorns, sharp thorns, grew out of the vines and roots piercing armor and flesh alike as though it were naught but butter. Screams of the wounded were heard, these men were as doomed as Keth was and in a farm more unpleasant fashion.

Looking around for any sign of their assailants Breck spotted him, a humanoid figure, possibly a slight man or an elf, flying about on skeletal wings. Well, that would be dealt with. He drew a bow and grinned as two arrows shot from where he figured Captain Draneck to be, one of them hitting the man. He launched his own arrow and cursed as it missed. The wolf tried snapping at Gerald again, the lieutenant was a little more on guard and managed to evade the vicious jaws... barely, his own counter-attack was half hearted at best. 

A snap, like a large icecicle breaking, and a flash of ice blue light flickered in the corner of Brecks vision. Followed by another burst of thunder and lighting. The scream killed Brecks hope even more as it was definitely from Captain Draneck, the man was likely dead. His grim thoughts were rewarded as two more arrows shot at the flying man, yet again only one hitting, but it seemed to do some good, the man's flying had faltered there. Breck took aim and fired again then cursed, damnable updrafts. Another of those arrows shot out apparently not hitting anyone. Another ball of flame, this one far too close for Becks comfort and four more mercenaries screamed their death screams. Breck saw that large wolf take Gerald by the head again, his cry was cut silent as the beast shook it's head violently tossing the soldiers body around at the neck and an audable snap somehow carried over the din of battle. The wolf moved away thrashing the body like a ragdoll. Damn thing got went behind the hill and out of bowshot.

Breck cursed again as another flash of lighting struck nearby and a helmet shot into the air, Breck winced, he was glad he didn't see what else happened to his captains body after the third bolt of lightning had struck him. Feran was the only one left to his knowledge, he waved the man over and he cut his way through the brush to his leading officer. Both had managed to survive unscathed, they knew that wouldn't last. 

Standing back to back Breck with his bow out and readied took aim for the flying man but saw that he was gone. Likely too wounded or hiding to cast another spell to make the soldiers doom even worse. An arrow found Fell piercing through his shoulder. Breck cursed and grabbed the mans other shoulder pulling him down into a croutching position. "Get down when arrows are being fired, don't you remember any-" he was cut off as another arrow took the man in the face. Another curse. 

There was thunder overhead and the lieutenant leaped aside just as a bolt of lightning struck. He still got quite the jolt despite not being struck full on, his body spasming in pure pain for a brief instant, he gasped and managed to recover enough sense about him to reach for a potion. He downed the potion, issued when those cultists hired the men, too bad none of the others had the chance to use theirs. He looked up and saw the wiry figure of the winged man swooping down to land before him and he had the dreadful fealing his death wouldn't be as merciful as his comrades. He swung his fist at the Dark elf, for it was indeed a Dark elf, for lack of anything better to do and snarled as it was caught by the man.

"Did I mention to you I've always wanted my own seasoned mercenary warrior zombie?" the man asked in a soft voice and Brecks world exploded in pain as surge after surge of negative energy flowed through his body.

****

Nym and Kerowyn stared in horror as they saw the mercenary lieutenant's face shrivil up, his armor began to sag on what was fast becomming a shriviled corpse, soon the mans death scream began to turn into a moan as the slumping corpse slowly stood up and stepped back from Delver. Both druid and True Elf barely caught the words "Destroy yourself." and no sooner than when the dark elf was clear did an arrow strike the abomination followe quickly by an anihilating blast of lightning. 

Nym flew over turning into his human form and banished the overgrowth as he stalked towards Delver. Amarbie, meanwhile, hopped down from her tree and proceeded to try and calm the frightened children. 

"What was that?!" Nym said in anguished looking at the vanquished undead. 

"He was under my control." Delver replied in his calm voice.

"That doesn't matter, that was... was... unnatural!" Nym said the frustration quite evident on his normally passive face. 

Delver looked taken aback by the comment. "But it is perfectly natural."

"Not it's not! Spirits should not be made to stay on this plane!" Nym responed.

"But they do, I merely provide them guidance, an outlet for their anguish." Delver responded, still in that calm voice.

Nym sighed and shook his head "Just don't do that... too often." he said finally before proceeding to cut the prisoners free with his Falcatta.

The villagers offered many praises of thanks and all filed out of the cage, they made a clear point to avoid Delver with a fearful look in their eye as they had all seen the Necromancer apply his 'Death Touch.' Two of the older and more bolder children moved to their rescuers after awhile looking at them in awe. A little girl, amazed that one just a bit taller than her, could do all that with her bow found Amarbie to be the object of her idolitry. A young boy found Nym just as fascinating. the three noticed another boy, shorter with black hair and the look of intelligence in his young eyes, watching Delver from a distance. Both Kerowyn and Nym shuddered inwardly.

****

The return home was without incident, the villagers were still skiddish around the dark elven necromancer save for the little boy who had gotten bold enough to follow a short distance behind him staring at the skeletal rat that stared back with eerie crimson glowing eyes. When they returned the next afternoon, ey recieved a warm welcome to say the least. A cry went up as the first villagers who saw them began to alert the town, soon nearly the entire population of Green had emerged from their homes and took up a cheer.

The cheer, however, was not joined in by everyone. A few hopeful parents and friends scanned the ten prisoners carefully while both Erias and Loren were looking at the group with puzzlement. Children ran to their parents and the adults to their families, the adults being a tad shaken as they had learned they were to have been sacrificed, and while they knew not the fate of oblivion the though alone was enough to send shivers down their spine.

Kerowyn turned to Nym ad whispered to him "Why are Erias and the other looking confused." she asked.

"I'm not sure," Nym said "but I intend to find out." With that he strode over to stand at the side of Erias. "<Why the puzzled look?>" he asked in the flowing tongue of the Druids. 

Erias looked over the children again, counting yet again "<There are only six children.>" Nym nodded and urged him to go on. "<Eighteen were taken, twelve are still missing." At this Nyms eyes widened slightly and he let out a soft curse before turning to his companions and relaying the news to them. 

"I'll see what I can find out from the spirit of Breck..." Delver said. The Lieutenant had eagerly accepted Delvers offer to stay with him as opposed to being dragged down to the pits of the hells or to one of the layers of the Abyss. He had introduced himself as Breck and seemed to take his being dead quite well. A mercenaries life was a dangerous one afterall.

Delver opened his little pouch and pulled out a small finger bone that the spirit was attatched to and soon the shriviled, unshaven, armored spirit stood before only Delvers eyes. Delver began to speak when the b;ack haired boy gasped "Wow, he was the one who kept telling us to shut up." he said pointing nothing... nothing that is unless he too saw the spirit. At this the Necromancer lifted his brow and smiled, this child had some potential, he'd have to keep an eye on that one.

"Was there more than your group?" the dark elf asked Brecks spirit. 

The spirit smirked "I was wondering when you'd get to asking that particular question." he said with a chuckle that might have just been a mocking grunt. "You think the cultists would leave a job like this to just us mercenaries?"

Delver pondered this for an instant before shaking his head in agreement and understanding then. "Then who else joined in the assault?" he asked.

"Some of the cultists." the merc responded. "Ones more adept at stealth and speed. They took the other twelve. We were to bring back those six seeing as it was unlikely that any rescue attempt would get both groups... and all they need is six children."

"You've been to their temple?" Delver asked.

"Of course, we're stationed there." was all the spirit said.

"Hmm I see..." Delver said and thought for a moment. "Allright, go back in." he opened the pouch and motioned. The guard sighed but began to comply. "Maybe I can get you a cultists spirit to vent your rage on?" Delver offered. 

The spirit winced "Please, anything but that, they're bad enough alive, if they weren't paying so well we'd have tried killing them long ago out of mere principle." at this Delver grinned and the spirit met the grin before going back into the bag.

****

Meanwhile Nym was looking into the matter in his own way. Kerowyn had gone off to talk to the young child that had become fascinated in the True Elf as Nym conversed with Erias. "This is most troubling." he said.

"Indeed it is." Erias responded, Loren had gone off to assist any of the rescued villagers not being needed by any of the group.

Nym thought a moment. "I shall consult with The Green Reality." he said. This place seemed to have a strong tie, and had called to him personally, so it seemed only fitting. He closed his eyes and concentrated for a moment, then when he opened them, his vision changed. Before him was the village and the hills and mountains in the distance as he saw them on the prime material plane. However he saw them in another existance as well, the Green Reality, the spirit realm in a sense. With that vision everything seemed lush and beautiful, as though enhanced full score again it's natural beauty, no wonder the land itself and the village were called Green.

All was not perfect however, for in the distance, the mountains were covered in the darkness of corruption. It radiated from a heart somewhere, likely the temple, Nym thought. After awhile a breeze picked up that only he felt and the wind took a form of a small tornado with glowing blue eyes. _"You are the one who we called."_ it asked _"What do you wish to know?"_ 

Nym pointed to the taint "How long has that been there?"

The spirit turned and looked to the mountains, it's wind like voice took on a mournful sound as it responded _"That has slowly grown over the last season. it took root and, silently and unnoticed, until it blossomed into the corruption you see."_ 

Nym furrowed his brow, that was definitely a disturbing thought "What can you tell me of the children?" 

The spirit floated there a moment before speaking once again _"Their energies were felt by us in passing, you must rescue them or this land is lost."_ Nym frowned deeply at this.

_"You know they are to be sacrificed on the night of the Blood Moon."_ Nym nodded. _"You must free them before this, if you fail to do so the corruption will spread and envelope the land for miles around."_ the spirit said making a motion to the surrounding area and Nym saw the darkness spread out to all visible corners, most disturbing indeed. The spirit motioned again and the vision returned to normal.

"Why the sacrifice, what ritual are they trying that requires such a horrific thing?" 

_"They seek something they cannot find, something hidden ages ago by powerful creatures, they were mortal however powerful they were, and thus, were fallable."_the spirit whispered. _"There are ways around such protective spells, and ways to break through, their ritual will break through and they will find what they are looking for should the children be sacrificed."_

Nym frowned once again "And what might that be?" he asked, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer.

_"One of the stones of the black tower opened by foolishness so long ago. One of the Runestones."_ Nym didn't know anything about Runestones, or a black tower, but he didn't need to know that it would be bad if the cultists got ahold of such an item.

"I see..." he said, this had just gotten quite a bit bigger than oblivion.

_"Seek out the children, save them, or all is lost."_ the spirit said before fading away slowly on another breeze. Nym pulled himself out of the Green Reality and moved over to where Delver was conversing with the boy. Despite the disturbing revelations Nym couldn't help but shudder as he noticed Delver had given the boy his skeletal rat as a pet and the boy was actually petting the thing.

****

"So you saw the spirit boy?" Delver said to the black haird child. The boy nodded eagerly though his dark eyes were focused on the undead rat adorning the necromancers shoulder. This did not escape the Low Elf's notice. He casually plucked the animated rotting corpse of the rat and plucked a claw bone from his little pouch, the claw bone was originally from the rat and held it's spirit. Touching it to the rats skull the thing had a new energy as though it were in fact a living rat. He nodded to himself in satisfaction and handed it to the boy who took it eagerly looking up and thanking Delver.

"A gift." the dark elf said pulling out a piece of parchment and scrawling something on it. "Directions to my hut, go there when you are older if you want to learn how to do that.." he said handing the parchment which was quickly snatched up by the boy who simply nodded in agreement. "If I'm not there then read and you should learn well enough that way." 

The child looked up and smiled broadly "Thank you Delver sir!" he said before quickly running off to his home "Mommy Mommy look what the nice elf gave to me!" he said, Nym winced at the following scream and widened his eyes in surprice at the proceeding yelling to 'be sure to keep that thing in your room!"

"Well," the druid said "naturally this is far more than we originally expected." he paused and made sure he had Delver's attention, Amarbie was busy conversing with a little girl and Nym's ears picked up various tips on Amazonian ways. He sighed remembering his unpleasant experience with some Amazon's in his travels to the jungles across the sea and frowned before remembering he was talking to the Dark Elf. "Have you ever heard anything of Rune Stones?"

Delver thought for a moment, thought long and hard, then finally shook his head and shrugged. "I can't say that I have." 

Nyms face took on a concerned look "Hmm, most puzzling, some powerful item that the Touched know of, something hidden and unknown to any of us..." he paused in thought still muttering alloud to himself "and a black tower... know anything about a black tower?" he asked. Again, Delver shook his head. "Then this is something big indeed. We must keep the children from being sacrificed, period, and something tells me this wont be as easy as our last encounter with the Black Fists."

*End of Session 2*


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## Renfield (Sep 6, 2003)

*Victory comes at a price...*

They had defeated their enemies, for now, but that was only one battle and there was still much at stake. In three nights the Bloodmoon would rise and a sacrifice of dire proportions would take place, and three adventurous souls were all that was stopping a tide of darkness from sweeping over the purity that was The Green. 

The Green was a stretch of land that was rich with the energies of nature, it was said Gaia herself had walked the land in ages past, and it held an odd balance between nature and civilization in that hilly wooded expanse between the Blackwood Forest and the Shorntooth mountains. The Shorntooth mountains were the home of the force that threatened The Green and the inhabitants of the village Green. This lush landscape was being covered in a shadow, a shadow cast by the one known as Talisar, the embodiment of evil. Even now, as the heroes of Green decided their next move, the Talisaran cultists were preparing to sacrifice twelve children for there own diabolical purposes.

*****

In a room of ghastly decor, of skulls and vicious instruments of sacrifice, a child sat weeping. In front of the child, in a high backed chair carved in the likeness of a demon from some unknown stone, sat a man. He had 
long whispy black hair and thick yet sharply trimmed eyebrows, his features were long as though his head had been repetitively stretched over his lifetime. His eyes were dark coals of hate and loathing for anything living while his beard jutted out like a dagger, but what frightened the child more was that smile. A smile of a man who knew he was about to sacrifice the child and enjoyed the thought, enjoyed the thought so much he wanted to make the child aware of the dark fate that awaited.

"Do not weep child." Sorith said to the boy in a sickeningly sweet voice "You have nothing to fear for the next three days, we must keep you healthy for whats in store." he added a knowiing laugh to that sentance. 

The child wiped his tears away, Jonovan had been stolen from his home, separated from his sister, and now this man was going to sacrifice him, oh he smothered his tears for one simple reason:rage and rage alone. The man leaned closer his face so close to the angry frightened child "You see my boy, a childs soul is often quite pure" he said apparently feeling the need to explain something to young Jonovon. "This purity can take the form of immense energy when applied in the right manner." he smiled a sickly sweet smile.

That's when Jonovon bit him, clamped his teeth right around Soriths long pointy nose, the child growled as the man reared back a hand and smacked the young boy sending him sprawling to the floor. The priest of Talisar covered his bleeding nose with his robes and glared daggers at the lad before muttering a minor healing spell before casting yet another to hold the boy aloft in the air. 

Pulling the robe away from his nose to reveal the fact that it no longer bled Sorith laughed. "Brave you are boy." he said pulling a long wicked looking hooked dagger from his robes "And stupid..." he said pointing it at the boys stomach.

"You need me don't you?" the boy spat "To sacrifice!" the boy was smart, but illinformed. That illicited another laugh from Sorith.

"My dear Jonovan." Sorith said running the point of the blade across the lads neck, it bit into his flesh but didn't draw blood "You are mistaken, for I only need six, six children boy, which means six of you are expendable." he smirked at the boys horrified look. However the lad was frightened for his sister, Trissa, not for himself like the priest assumed.

"Are you... going to kill me?" Jonovan asked, the fear evident in his voice, if he died who'd protect Trissa. Alas, the sinister sould who held the boy was an expert at fear and suffering and shook his head, again with that smile. 

"No," he said then paused and corrected himself "Well, yes actually, but not right now." he smirked again, that sinister curling of the corner of his lips "No, I've got a better idea for you m'boy, you're a noble spirit..." he pressed the dagger into the boys shoulder drawing a bead of blood "There's nothing I despise more than a noble soul!" the man hissed. "So I've decided it would only be appropriate to sacrifice you last, to let you float before your friends, watch each and every one of their souls be consumed by Talisar... including your sister Trissa." the reaction illicited by this went beyond even Soriths expectations, burning hatred and rage were abalze in the boys eyes as his body thrashed and spasmed against his magical bonds, it was a full five minutes before he ran out of energy or strained a muscle making it too painful to move. 

After Sorith recovered from the laugh he muttered another spell calling on his god to give him the small blessing of rendering the upstart child unconscious. He walked over to the door of his chamber and rapped on it twice, a slit opened revealing one of the face of one of the senior acolytes. "Yes miLord?" a deep voice asked.

"Take the boy back to his cell immediately, then feed the brats." he said and the door opened and two men came in can carried the boy away without a word. Sorith turned and went over to his desk taking a seat and picking up a gem encrusted goblet filled with a dark elixer. He smiled, his spell had worked potently, either that or the boys emotions were stronger than he expected. Either way he sipped from the glass and savored the sweet taste of fear, rage, and sorrow. It was divine.


*****


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## Renfield (Sep 15, 2003)

*Victory Comes at a Price*

*Session: Three*

They planned as best they could, but their lack of knowledge of the inner layout of the temple was scarce, the fact that they had been provided with information on a secret entrance was the best they could have hoped for. They leftmid-day, the sun was high in the sky though everything about the land seemed muted, The Green that had once seemed lush and fertile seemed but a husk of it's former self. Amarbie had tried hunting earlier that morning and discovered that not even small game was to be found. The animals new that something dark was paying close attention to this part of the land and it frightened them.

Once more Nym and Delver flew through the air towards their destination as Amarbie rode Nanaki along the winding trail, they made good time even keeping to a speed that allowed them to keep up with the True Elf and her ride. Then, peaking through the treetops around a large hill Delver then Nym saw two large stones, even at the distance they were they could make out the ghastly semblance of skulls.

Nym swooped down and ot Amarbie to stop long enough for him to turn into a human and direct her towards the odd stones, shifting back into an eagle he spread his wings and took back to the air. Eventually the three arrived at the odd stones.

They were odd indeed, both atop small hills on opposite sides of a path, about fifty yards from one another, and both facing the other. The one on the left side of the rode held a more skull-like appearance whereas the one off the right seemed more like a dried husk of a persons head than an outright skull. These stones stood about twently feet high and had room enough at the top to hold a small group of men should they stick close. 

The trio inspected the skulls but found nothing amiss about them, though Delver sensed some odd form of magic about them, finally they decided they had wasted enough of their time and began to move off again. Nym, in an odd mood and in his dire eagle form, decided to target the skull on the left and relieved himself. To his shock his droppings simply faded from view and he let out a screach and circled back to the stone shifting back to normal his dark puzzled face looking over the stone.

"What is it?" Amarbie asked as she returned leaping off Nanaki with an agile spring. 

"The stone... Somethings odd..." he said and spit at the smooth black surface and they all watched as the spit faded away.

They all shared puzzled looks and renewed their investigation of the stone eventually Amarbie got up the nerve to cut her finger and touched the crimson droplets of blood to the surface and noticed the life liquid sizziled away instead of simply fading. They continued their investigation but when they could only determine that blood sizziled and any other liquid faded away they decided to continue on with their mission.

*****

There was the waterfall, tall and majestic as it poured over the mountain side, however somehow even that powerful beauty seemed muted by the supressing evil of Talisar's gaze. The cave behind the waterfall would hold the secret entrance into the prison that held the children... well... the secret entrance to the temple that held that prison. 

Amarbie easily skirted the edge of the cliff leading to the landing behind the waterfall, the spray soaking the clothing over her lithe body as the water roared overhead, she finally made it and awaited Nym and Delver. As they arrived they surveyed the cave they were in, a tunnel went off to the left and there were some dried old bones scattered around the area. Some animal... some obviously humanoid. There was an odd noise on the edge of her hearing, a melodic noise, but the roar of the waterfall drowned it out.

"Down that tunnel!" Nym shouted to be heard over the din. Amarbie nodded and moved with her two odd companions. Whoever thought she'd be travelling with a Dark Elf and a human Druid... both males at that. Regardless the children had to be saved and such missions made for the strangest of bedfellows... granted should either of them try to share her bed she'd castrate them.

They moved down the tunner and the melodic noise became much more clear, it was a haunting and beautiful melody, it was so beautiful, unlike anything any of her tribeswomen sang... She had to find the source of this melody! She started down the tunnel, around a bend came an orange light, she knew the owners of the beautiful voices she heard were at the source of the light! She moved forward and felt something odd grip her wrist. She looked to see a skeletal hand holding her wrist... when did Delver raise a skeleton... It didn't matter though, it was keeping her from reaching the voices! She pulled away and struggled against his grip. She saw Nym rush ahead and continued to struggle "Let me go this instant!" she cried. But it was to no avail. Then... the music stopped.

Nym grinned, a feral glint in his eye as his falcatta took the head of one of the wretched Harpies. The other two moved in to engage him and he fended their claws and clubs easily enough getting a small scratch for his efforts. He parried a few more blows with his blade striking at one of them and cutting them hearing their screech interrupt their song. He growled and wished Nanaki hadn't been to big to follow after, however the small ledge they had to skirt would have been too much for the wolf and the angle of the mountain would have made jumping far to risky. He got scratched again before seeing a skeleton barrel into one of the harpies. Distracting it long enough for him to finish the one he had started cutting open the hagish birds belly. He frowned and moved towards the last one as another skeleton moved in to engage it. He went in and swung at the wounded thing covered in scratch marks from the two bags of bones. Another harpy head hit the ground.

Amarbie came in soon after however seeing the battle was over she frowned. They had toyed with her mind and she wanted to make them pay personally. "Let's get a move on... we can't waste our time here." Nym said rather annoyed. He cast a look to Amarbie before stalking out of the small cave and continued back down the tunnel.

"Wait." Delver said causing Nym to halt. "Let me send one of these down to scout... I can see through their eyes." he said motioning to one of his skeletons. Nym nodded and one of the grinning minions headed down the stone tunnel at it's masters bidding. The other he released his control of, it was missing a leg which would prove to be useless.

They continued down sending the skeleton out ahead of them, they pasued when they arrived at a fork in the tunnel and waited as Delver sent it down the left fork. After a few minutes he paused "A dead end, the tunnel seemed to collapse here." he said and Nym and Amarbie sighed as they waited for the skeleton to move back down the tunnel to take the right fork. Delver paused and lifted a brow. "A cave... there's something in-" he was cut off and his eyes went wide for a moment and he frowned.

"What is it?" Nym asked.

"Stirges..." he said.

Nym cursed "How many bloodsuckers are there?" he said referring to bat winged pirds with long thin beaks that fed off blood. No hard in a few, but a big enough swarm could drain an elephant in minutes.

"About 30... I think." Delver responded. 

Nym let out a sigh "Anything you can do or will we have to fight them?" he asked.

Delver smiled and nodded. The thought of losing a skeleton wasn't something that appealed to him but it was for the best... besides, if things went well enoug in the temple he'd have many more skeletons soon enough. He began the mutterings and motions of a spell, Nym nodded as he noticed what the spell was and smiled grimly at the resounding blast as a fireball exploded in the cavern immolating Delver's skeleton along with the numerous stirges that had been swarming the thing.

"Let's move on." he said and the group did.

*****

Horien paused and nodded as his fellow Son of Talisar approached him. "Good eve brother." he said nodding to the man as he approached. "Heading to eveningfeast?" he asked. The hour was late but Talisarans tended to start late in the day and work til early morning. Horien had just exited his bedchambers after some meditation and was heading towards the messhall when he saw his brother heading towards him.

The other robed figure nodded "Aye that I am... let us hope those Black Fist bastards haven't consumed everything." the other man said with a laugh. The brothers had had to share the dormitories with the Blackfists who had become an integral part of Temple operations since the Talisarans had inhabited the abandoned temple. Then a slam echoed through the hall. Both brethren paused and looked towards the door at the far end of the hall curiously as that had been the one slammed. They both began the castings of a defensive spell just in case when the door flew open and a dark robed man with an odd staff stepped through muttering something. Just then another robed figure, this one in green to the others black, along with a sleight framed female in studded leathers rushed forward. The Dark Elf in the black robes cursed as the to quickly dispatched Horians friend. His eyes went wide as he brandished his mace in what would be a foolish attempt to defend himself. He didn't know what killed him... the Falcatta, the great club... or the spell that sent the chill of death through his body cast by the Dark Elf.

*****

Jonovon sat ther in his cell, he had long ago drained his eyes of tears and the clean streaks down his otherwise dirty cheeks showed that, he sat there with many things on his mind. Hatred of the horrid man whose nose he bit, fear for his sister who the man said he'd watch be killed, and this thing, this thing called oblivion that seemed to hold a ominous portent to his young mind. All these worries and more were rushing through his head until he heard the shouting. There was something going on outside his small ten by ten cell, he tried to stand on the cot and see what was going on but he couldn't tell, lot's of shouting and metal clanging against metal. Eventually he heard a blast and flinched as the bright light of fire flashed through the small window in his cell. He saw smoke rise from the door for a moment before he sat down upon the cot in the room.

All he could do was wait, and that's what he did, there were more shouts and more odd sounds of energy and the familiar clang of blade against blade. He waited still, finally the last scream died away and he heard the sounds of metal rattling and a door being unlocked. The sound of a weeping child half crying half laughing as they were rescued. This is when he smiled slowly to himself. They were actually being rescued. The voice he heard soothing the crying child was a females voice, he had heard very few females amongst his captors and none of them soothed like this woman did. He smiled tightly and waited some more... his turn would come.

Soon the door open, the torch light his his eyes and caused him to squint. The other children had had light but they removed the torch from his room after he had set alight an acolytes robes around feeding time. He smiled at the memory as he was herded towards the other children then looked up and gasped. The men surrounding them were Black Fists! The children all whimpered and shied away from an odd dark skinned elf with long black hair. Then he noticed that the Black Fists stared into nothingness... they stood there stiffly and didn't have the rythmic movement of a living breathing human. He frowned for a moment wondering if the new protectors were perhaps something worse than the previous ones. 

*****

Nym looked back at the children and nodded, Amarbie was now comforting after their scare of being surrounded by numerous Black Fist zombies, he shook his head and continued down the hall. Their battle with the Black Fists and the acolytes had been easy to say the least but that didn't mean getting out of the temple would be. He advanced slowly down the hall as the scout zombie turned the corner. He paused and waited for Delver to give the okay when the Zombie flew back against the wall as shimmering bursts of energy slammed into it's chest. 

The druid moved forward preparing to engage the caster of the spell when bursts of the energy slammed into him as well. He snarled and turned the corner to see a robed man frantically casting another spell. Nym lashed out at the man with his Falcatta, and noticed Delvers Zombies comming down the hall to his aid. He lashed out at the man again interrupting a spell as he dodged aside and began the intricate weaving of yet another arcane spell. That's when he was hit. 

Not from the mage, there had been a door behind him and on his left that he hadn't taken much notice of when he had moved to engage the mage, not that he could have at any rate. He had missed the warning cry from Amarbie as he felt the blade plunge into his side. He  let out a primal scream of pain and turned to lash at his assailant as the man jerked the blade out of his gut. That was when the Black Fist zombies Delver had summoned swarmed the man. Nym turned and focused on his original assailant hoping he could heal his own wound after the battle. 

The mage was frantically casting yet another spell and had taken advantage of Nyms distraction to get it off. Seeing the numerous zombies packing in behind the enraged dark skinned druid had been too much and he cast a spell well known to Nym now, a fireball. 

The blast was point blank, Nym smelled the stench of burning flesh as it roasted the zombie and the backstabbing rogue alike, and he grinned in satisfaction as it roasted it's caster even as he felt the heat and flames wash over him. He roared in pain for the moment that the flames filled the hallway then lunged for the smoldering mage... only to be shocked to find he wasn't holding his Falcatta anymore!

Nym's eyes widened as his fist swung right through the mage though noted with a subconcious level of satisfaction that the man slumped to the floor in a charred heap. That was when he noticed another form laying prone upon the floor... a form in smoldering green robes, with a horribly burned face, clutching a falcatta. He stepped back, shocked at seeing his own body laying there and looked down the hall to Delver who's eyes widened and even though the Dark Elven mage muttered the words Nym knew what he said "Oh no."

*****

Nym was dead, and his spirit had lingered behind for some reason, he didn't know why but the fact remained he was dead. Nym made use of this though for Delver could see him and now that physical things like walls now didn't really offer any sort of barrier to him he decided to make use of his incorporeal state and scout for an exit. They were two levels below the main temple level and they needed to find the way out. The stairs in the room that the mage had come from were locked behind an old chain which was little trouble to the ghostly druid. He floated through the door and up the stairs and through another door and laughed inwardly as he noticed they were indeed right back where they had started when they had entered the temple. An abdandoned storage room with the secret door leading to the waterfall tunnel. 

Quickly he floated back and relayed the information to Delver who made short work of the chain with a nice spell and the assistance of Amarbies club and the True Elf and the Dark Elf began leading the children up the stairs and out the tunnel. Eventually they heard the roar of the waterfalls and knew they had made it out of the Temple however they knew their escape wasn't over yet, they still had to make it to the village in safety....

*End of Session #3*


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## Black_Kaioshin (Sep 23, 2003)

Bump!!!


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## Renfield (Sep 23, 2003)

Black_Kaioshin said:
			
		

> Bump!!!





heh, thanks man, maybe people will start reading this, beginning to look hopeless...  ah well. Best if I just keep at it.


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## Renfield (Sep 23, 2003)

*Oblivion comes to Green pt 1*

*Session: Four*

The ghost of Nym figured he still had some part to play in all of this, afterall, why else would he still be here. He discovered some advantages to being 'dead', for one, sleep was not a requirement, for two, neither was walking. He floated up a tree and reclined in it's branches as best an incorporeal being could. Delver had revealed the contents of his bag to be skulls, numerous skulls at that, which were the focus of his wards. They'd float about and attack any intruders making some sort of clatter in the process. Or so the dark elven necromancer claimed. 

He had taken much advantage of his form... as it stood he could not be seen, and apparently he could still call upon Gaia, for while it is *normal* for a spirit to go to the afterworld and eventually return to earth, it's still quite *natural* for the soul to stay on the mortal plane. He had made his way to the main entrance of the tunnel whilst Amarbie and Delver took the children towards Green and saw the soldiers and priests of Talisar assembling to follow after... So after calling lighting down upon them and summoning the plants and roots to bar the main door he figured he had delayed them enough to help his companions with the escape. He also learned of an added bonus to his abilities, apparently he could now shift into the form of elementals as well as animals.

The children were huddled around a campfire and three of Delvers zombies made a patrol around the perimiter of the clearing they had found. All in all a pretty secure campsite. Delver was up in a tree as well supported in it's branches by some form of magic that Nym didn't want to know too much about. He didn't agree with Delvers ways but he did make some interesting points in their many philosophical arguments and seemed to be a decent sort... if a little apathetic at times with anything not involving death.

Amarbie was down with the children so as to comfort them, the kids were none too thrilled with the zombies and most were downright scared so the True Elf's gentle aura and almost motherly nature (just don't say that to her face) assisted greatly in the childrens sleep.

The night was quite uneventful...
The morning was quite the opposite.

*****

Morning crept over the mountain and a figure stirred. It was a man with an olive shade of skin more popular towards the south, he was slim with shoulder length raven black hair pulled back into a pony tail, he was also quite handsome, enough to make even the most frigid woman make a second glance... or a third. His most remarkable quality was his eyes, that constantly shifted in color, and it was these eyes that looked upon the odd assemblage in the clearing a distance away. Zombies, children, a True Elf, a Dark Elf, not a typical group. Likely they kidnapped the poor children who shied away from the lumbering zombies. 

He had stumbled across the group as they were making camp and was suspicious, though the fact that the children didn't seem to fear the people themselves had made him pause, especially the boy with the fire in his eyes. Still, they were quite the suspicious looking bunch so he figured it'd be best if he keep an eye on them. He awoke early in the morning when the light started filtering through the trees and awaited their making of camp. Watching carefully he saw an odd sight. The bald, badly burned figure was lumbering around with the other zombies, when it suddenly flew against a tree, falling into a slump only to lift an arm to attack at whatever it was that had thrown it so far.

He saw the zombie get pressed to the ground and a vicious looking rake appear across it's chest, another one next to it, more viscious rakes along the legs and part of the face of the zombie came off as though something bit it off. The other two zombies moved forward to try and attack whatever it was that was attacking the zombie whilst the children began screaming. Suddenly a form of a lion was outlined with dancing green flames and Alias' eyes widened. A Hellcat.

He was commited, even if these people were of an ill sort whoever sent a hellcat after them had to be worse still, he quickly began the workings of a summoning spell and whispered as the celestial bear began to heed his call "There is your mortal enemy, attack!" he said then the bear appeared, a black bear with gold tinged furr, and it moved to attack the devil. Again another rake across the chest, and then another bite before the zombies head came off and the body was still having been thoroughly shreded.

The hellcat focused it's attacks on the bear and one of the zombies, slashing here and biting there, eventually the zombie dropped however the combined efforts of the bear and the other zombie took down the spawn of evil. Alias watched as confusion seemed to fill the area as the zombie moved to remove the remains of the other two zombies while the kids looked in fear at the bear. One young boy and a little girl ventured forth and reached out to pet the mysterious bear as the True Elf and the Dark Elf seemed to be talking, both confused over the situation. The bear nuzzled the childrens hands before fading out of view, it's time on the material plane expired. This is when Alias decided it was time to leave... these folks were heading to the village of Green, that was the only place they could go in this part of the land.

*****

Elsewhere Sorith stood stiff as a board staring into an image floating above an alter, the image was a sending from someone far more powerful than him, the razor toothed maw hisssed at him and spoke in a sinister rasping voice that Sorith could barely withstand when he wasn't in trouble. "You let them escape!!!" the voice said, one would think Sorith went down, opened the doors to the pens, handed the children rations and invited some adventurers in for tea and paid them to take the kids home. The thing was, when his superior said it, he almost thought so himself... afterall... security was rather lax around eveningfeast...

"MiLord..." Sorith began "I summoned a Hellcat to slow them down... that should give the rest of my forces enough time to-"

"Silence!" the figure interrupted. "You're forces have already been slown down, and never dare talk like I do not know of every event, every breath and every trip to the privy that goes on around here." the figure said, and from it's back spread large leathery wings. "This venture is too important to screw up dear Sorith, and you being in charge I knew I'd likely need a back up plan," he said his raspy voice now low and menacing... as though it hadn't been menacing before. "the unfortunate stalling of your men at the front gate was something unforseen however... that you shall be forgiven for, but when this is over I assure you your punishment for letting the children escape into the arms of those adventurers will correct any future inconsistancies." His lips parted and curled into that razor sharp toothed grin. "And should you fail in the future you'll at least wish it had."

Sorith could merely swallow, his mouth was quite dry, and he new that should he slay himself to escape his superiors punishment things would merely be worse for him in the Underworld. "Sir, what would you have me do to correct my incompetance?" he man said, lowering his head, his humility quite genuine.

The smile grew disturbingly wider "Simply attack the village of Green, slaughter them all, barring that... well, I'll take care of things on my end. Be sure to send them through the stones and do it on the morrow when the Blood Moon is in the sky."

Sorith bowed and the sending faded away. A shudder went through him as it always did when dealing with that thing. Yet another reason he was glad his superior had left the keep. Sorith stood tall and left the chamber of candles and shadows and returned to his quarters, he had a lot of frustration to vent and apparently one of the acolytes had spilled a glass of wine meant for him, there was some satisfaction to being a high ranking underling afterall.

*****

Joran cursed under his breath. There simply weren't enough people or enough wood or simply enough time to erect defenses against the comming attack before nightfall. He sighed and looked around as Guardians of Fire and town militia as well as various strong young men built up stake barricades and makeshift walls from some of the nearby tree's and some of the peoples own homes. They didn't have enough time to go to the nearest town and get wood for the attack would come tonight.

He was a stocky man, but surprisingly agile despite his broad shoulders and compact build, and far more cunning than some gave him credit for. He was a scout of the Guardians of Fire, the elite corps of the Kingdom of Alagor, dedicated to the protection of the kingdom... though that wasn't what brought him here. The man pushed his shaggy brown hair out of his eyes and stroked his unshaven beard as he though of how best to defend this village from the comming attack. Oh he had a better reason to be here, one that superceded all other reasons, and all he had needed to hear was the mention of Talisar.

It was no mere coincidence that he had happened to be in the room when the Solaran  priest at the barracks had been contacted by the village priest Loren, and when they mentioned Talisarans and and sacrifices, well, it would have been hard to keep him from going with or without the half and a score of Guardians at his heels. No, he had a vendetta, and his skills were often called upon whenever there were bad encounters with the dark cult, for he hated them with a passion and considered himself duty bound to slay as many as he could before his death. He shook his head and snapped out of his daze so as to focus on the problem at hand.

The village green was scattered over a number of hills, primarily amongst five hills that where surprisingly, though naturally even. The center hill was smaller than most but had the biggest building in town, the inn, at it's top. The inn, ironically, would also be the easiest building to defend, especially considering it was damn near all stone. He nodded and looked over noticing an armored figure in a red tabbard emblazoned with a flame on one side and a sunburst on the other. The man was middle aged and had a drooping mustache, and sandy blonde hair mixed with flecks of gray, the man was Treskan, captain of the contingent of Guardians of Fire here in the village. There was supposed to be a score stationed here, recruits mainly, granted recruits could normally take on any three standard soldiers, he motioned the captain over.

"Treskan... have the men relocate everything to the hill with the inn... wall and barricade the perimeter... when the battle is joined we'll set archers on the roof." he said motioning to the central hill. 

To this Treskan nodded and looked around and sighed as he reaches up to stroke his mustache, he sighed, "Aye, tends to be what we do against the humanoids from the Shorntooths whenever they come down..." he says. That was the entire reason this small village even had the twenty elite soldiers... they were very close to the mountains and were threatened by the occasional humanoid raids. The captain shook his head "But this time there'll be priests and as we scryed likely some mages at work as well." 

Joran nodded "And how fares the esteemed heroes of the village?" he asked... that was what he was waiting for, according to Treskan, Loren, and Erias these adventurers were quite competant, something he could use in this battle.

At this Treskan smiled, a good thing, a very good thing, he had known the man for a short time but he already learned his reputation for being rather serious. "They should be here before evening, _with_ the children!" he said with a chuckle. "I only hope they're willing to help further... they've done so much as it stands and our village isn't exactly rich enough to reward them..."

Joran spat. Rewards. That was right, adventurers weren't really much more than vaulted mercenaries at times, hopefully these proved otherwise... "Well, when the night is through I imagine the looting of our dead enemies will be a reward enough... if they prove their character I'll see to it that the Guardians of Fire reward them personally." he said and he smiled for while he technically didn't have the authority to back such words he had strings he could pull.

The hours rolled by slowly as the militia and the Guardians worked together. All the buildings on the outlying hills were abandoned. Save for a few stubborn families in their farms who decided to board themselves up in basements but he had a feeling they were quite safe. This was the night of the bloodmoon, the Talisarans had lost their prize children, so now they would seek the blood of those children in any way possible... He remembered another similar situation... the Talisarans were intent on making a mass sacrifice and had their soldier puppets carry sacrificial daggers and finish off their enemies with them... that had beena  horrible night. This night though, this night was different, it was a blood moon, one of the darkest days known to civilization which is why people are normally very glad it's rare. Unfortunately it's also one of the greatest days for cultists of evil everywhere.

Eventually the sun sunk closer to the horizon and the the hilltop was getting closer to being finished. Joran frowned... some people had given up the very walls and wood of their homes to help defend this village and he began to have a sinking feeling that tonights battle would end in terrible tragidy. He paused and noticed some new figures standing over with Treskan, his attention was caught by a guard asking wether a wall or a spike barricade should be erected and after directing the man he ran a calloused hand through his brown hair and noticed the short wry form of the odd True Elf walking towards him. He looked her over and sized her up, she was definitely a more than competant fighter though had the dressings of an amazon... he smiled softly, definitely an uppity one.

"You're Joran?" she asked, her large liquid fey eyes stared up at them, however he had dealt with the fey before... though this was was obviously different.

He made a point of looking her over and sizing her up and met her gaze "A True Elf." he stated matter of factly.

Amarbie hmphed, a amusedly cute sound "Yes, your point is?" she said staring up at him defiantly.

"Where are your wings?" he asked curiously looking over her back.

Again an harumph and an incredulous look from Amarbie "I don't have them I was raised by Amazons." she asked. Her tone implied she though that should be common knowledge, even amazonian women weren't any different in thinking people should be able to read minds. 

"Well, I imagine you're Amarbie then... I am indeed Joran." he says and looks around at the construction of the defences to make sure everything was going allright "And you're just in time for war."

*****

Delver stood before Treskan as the man explained the situation, apparently Loren and Erias had divined the success of the odd trio and predicted that there would be an attack later that very evening... the evening of the blood moon. On this night they'd try to kill the children, likely having already done something to link them to the moon for a sacrifice even if there was no ritual, regardless they would come and there were many more of them than the mere fifty or so Guardians and Militia of the village of Green. This town would fall without assistance.

Nym was invisible to the other two, he had learned out to make himself appear and disapear, however his normal appearance was quite hideous being that of a man scorched to death by a fireball. So when he showed himself he was sure to take on the form of an elemental, his preferrence running for air. He overheard the conversation and learned Erias was off on a large hill not too far away and was with Loren apparently trying to find out more about the enemy and how close they were to attacking.

The dead druid became an air elemental and flew towards the hill at an amazing speed showing up there only a few  moments later. There on the hilltop surrounding a pool, likely a scrying pool, were the priest of Solar and the Druid. He flew down and came to a stop and watched the two for a moment before allowing himself to come into view. Both were startled and looked ready to defend themselves from the odd translucent air elemental before them.

"Who are you." Erias said narrowing his eyes, recognizing something odd in the elemental... something other than it being transparent.

Nym laughed, an odd windy sound from the swirling etherial vortex "Why don't you recognize me?" he asked enjoying the puzzled looks that fell upon the druid and the younger priests faces. Finally Erias furrowed his brow and lifted an eyebrow "Nym?" he said taking a tentative guess and the elemental bobbed in a fashion akin to a nod.

"None other." he said in the odd voice that sounded distant as though a call carried on the wind. "And it seems there is much to discuss."

*****

Amarbie had started making a circuit of the town, she didn't particularly like the idea of being with all those men helping them build defences, so she voluntered for patrol duty. She had elected to go out on her own knowing anyone else would hamper her talent for staying hidden. As she came around to the main 'road' that lead into the village, more a wide beaten path than an actual rode like she had been accustomed to in the empire, she saw a site that struck her as odd.

A man wandered down the path, a rather handsome man with black hair and rather oddly colored eyes, well, an odd shade of green. Stranger still was that while the man looked decidedly human, his ears were pointed. More suspicious still was that now, on the eve of this villages apparent destruction, this man would happen to walk into town. She righted herself up and while the man did not notice her just yet she made herself noticed in another fashion "Halt." she said in a voice that was surprisingly strong for the sleight and petite True Elf.

The man stopped and looked up at her and nodded and smiled. "Greetings." he said simply.

 Something about this man irritated her to no end, he was too confident, not too cocky, just too confident. "What are you doing here?" he asked in a clipped tone.

The man simply shrugged "Only passing through." he said casually, definitely very confident.

Amarbie narrowed her large eyes in suspiciously and tightened her grip on her great club, such an awkward looking weapon in the hands of such a small figure. "Awfully suspicious that you should be passing through now when the village is about to be attacked." she said.

The man smirked, and that merely infuriated her more, "And it is awfully suspicious to stumble across a True Elf, a Dark Elf, a couple of zombies and twelve children wandering through the forest wouldn't you say?" he countered, that confident smirk still on his face.

Amarbies eyes widened and she brandished her club "You were spying on us!" she said anger in her voice as the man lifted a brow.

"Spying? What, you expected me to reveal myself to such an odd group, especially when they were attacked by a hellcat?" he asked eliciting a drop from Amarbies jaw.

She paused and gave him a look "You were the one who summoned that... that bear?" she asked, Nym was the only one who summoned creatures and he had denied bringing such an animal to assist them.

The man nodded "I decided to assume you were the lesser of any evils if you were being attacked by a Hellcat." he said casually.

Amarbie narrowed her eyes again "You were following us then." she accused, the man sighed.

He still held his smirk "I merely happened by miss." he said.

Amarbie was about to say something more when she was interrupted "What is going on over here?" a voice said as Joran strode out from a nearby copse of trees. The True Elf cursed and scolded herself in her mind, she should have been on the watch for that... that man!

Joran looked over the confident odd looking man and chuckled "And who might you be sir?" he asked. Amarbie squinted, she could have sworn the intruders eyes had been green, now they were a silver color!

The man stood up straighter, "I am Alias the Abstract." he said and smirked "And you would be?" 

"Joran, ranger of the Guardians of Fire." Joran said "We are in troubled times, if you are travelling to our village you are more than welcome to stay in one of the huts, just know that the village may not be here when you awaken." the man said with a laugh. 

Amarbie looked at him like he was crazy "How can you trust him, he could be of the enemy!!!" she protested.

"Your village is in danger?" Alias asked. "Well, perhaps I can offer my asistance..." he offered.

Ignoring Amarbies protests he continued to converse with Joran. "We would welcome any assistance you can give." he said and the stranger nodded. 

Amarbie huffed and glared at Joran to which he replied "Easy my dear, you must learn to not be so suspicious, this man here is not evil." he said motioning to Alias.

"And how, exactly, do you know that?" she said defiantly.

He removed a amulet with four arrows pointing out like a compass rows. "This my dear."

"Well I didn't have one of those." she countered and he shrugged.

"Still, without it I still would have doubted he held any ill will." he said shrugging. 

Amarbie huffed again and began to stalk off Jorans chuckle following after as she heard the two converse. "Do you by chance have any chalk, candles, and a large room?" Alias asked.

"Sure, I'll get you some candles, and there should be some chalk in the school house." Joran said after him. "Why." 

"I have a plan."

*****


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## Black_Kaioshin (Sep 24, 2003)

Ahh, Alias the Abstract. What a fun character to play...


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## Look_a_Unicorn (Sep 26, 2003)

Great story hour, I'm very much enjoying reading it- so thanks.


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## Renfield (Sep 26, 2003)

Hey, thanks, was beginning to wonder if anyone other than a player of mine was reading this. So yeah, thanks, now I can continue with the wonderful climax of this chapter >.< So much to write...


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## Black_Kaioshin (Sep 26, 2003)

Bah!! Don't be a sissy, Renfield. Take it like a dwarf should.


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## Renfield (Oct 1, 2003)

Fine fine, okay, anyone checking this out expect an update tonight or tomorrow, up until today I've been dealing with dial up shared between two computers... not a fun thing. But cable is back so I can actually access the website in under five minutes  and am currently working on a wonderful little post that will conclude this particular chapter of the campaign called Of Children and Lost Souls. So now I get to create a wonderful new title for the next stretch as well, GRRR, where's my damnable muse when I need her?


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## Renfield (Oct 6, 2003)

*Oblivion comes to Green pt2.*

Nym and Erias flew towards a stone circle they had learned about, the divinations had discerned that the Talisarans had been travelling by teleportation stones and they needed to find a way to hinder them... quickly. Nym looked into the sky and new that the full blood red moon he saw would climb higher and soon enough the village would be attacked. They had to hurry.

They came to the stone circle, the stones were the size of small boulders, hidden easily by the grass though laid in an obviously unnatural pattern and looked like a lot more stone was buried in the ground. This was the circle that the attackers had likely teleported to the night of the raid. "It makes sense really." Erias said as he looked at the surrounding hills. "The grass and the hills hide most of it, it's no where near the temple mountains and close enough to the village to get to in an hour." 

The ethereal air elemental that was Nym bobbed in what could have been a nod then smiled "Well, let us make it difficult for them at the very least..." he said and concentrated for a moment. Muttering in druidic he called out to the grass and the plants of the area, and they answered. 

Soon grass and weeds and roots from nearby trees were growing and entangling over the entire area... anyone who teleported in would have to hack a path through and while that would only grant the village a few minutes it'd be that much more time to prepare. Nym looked over the stones as they were buried beneath the overgrowth and smiled as he began the incantation to summon the very clouds and the powers of lightning. Then he paused as he remembered something. "The stones..." he muttered.

"What was that?" Erias asked.

"The stones... The two skull like boulders." Nym said in his airy voice.

"What about them?"

"What if they're where they Teleport from?" 

Erias looked puzzled for a moment then a smile crept slowly to his lips "That, my friend, would make enough sense to be worth a shot..."

Nym bobbed in his air elemental nod once more and gave what must have been a smile "Well, you can call lightning correct? Perhaps you can give them further difficulties here and I can go to the boulders and see if I can't harass them there."

Without waiting for Erias to even finish his nod of agreement Nym sped off at full speed flying over hills and small copses of trees over that lush landscape that felt so barren and lifeless with Talisars shadow looming over it, invisible to every sense save for that that raised the hairs on the back of ones neck. Soon the two hills on either side of the rode with the large stones shaped like boulders came into view, once again when Nym was right atop them practically, he slowed to a stop and started the beginnings of another plant growth spell, he only had this one left so he centered it in between the two stones hoping the area in between would be enough. He then smiled and began summoning clouds over the area, when enough had gathered he decided to wait. Then he saw something odd.

A ribbon of light, like a rip in the air, appeared over the rock that bore closer reseblance to a human skull. Without wasting time he sent a bolt of lightning through the obvious portal and heard a satisfying scream. Smirking, well inwardly smirking as the air elemental  form lacked enough discernable features to reveal a smirk, he waited until he could launch another blast. Then a man came through, a gaunt robed figure wearing odd goggle like spectacles, and he looked directly at Nym. Now normally this would have been impossible but Nym new how to make himself invisible to normal eyes, he groaned when he realized it likely had something to do with the goggles. The man wove a spell and more robed figures stepped from the portal, five total. The man muttered another spell and appeared over on the more human looking boulder.

Nym frowned, a feature noticeable in his elemental form, and sent another bolt at the man and pursed his lips when it hit and crackled over a spherical barrier. The figures continued their chanting and Nym sent another bolt down. Some of the figures screamed and fell off only to be replaced by more from the portal. The man frowned and stared at Nym and pulled a vial out from his robes. Unstoppering it he poured an odd blue liquid over the top of the boulder that hissed as it made contact. He then began weaving together another spell. The ghostly druid braced himself for something that might hit him even as a ghost. However the mans hands shot out toward the boulder with the chanting and a fireball erupted over the skull boulder incinerating the robed figures and filling the air with their dying screams. The dead druid could only stare down in grim thoughts as the man disapeared once more. He had just witnessed the appearance of a ritual, and one of sacrifice, something that definitely did not bode well.

*****

Back in the village of Green everyone labored to put up the last bit's of defences, a crude wall built from walls of houses and huts and stake barricades had been set up around the upper tier of the large central hill of the village. While the advantage of higher ground was a good one the odds still weren't in the towns favor. Archers had been positioned on the slanted roof of some of the houses and a group of elite Guardians of Fire stood in front of the village inn who's sole purpose was to be the last line of defence between the comming attackers and the village children. The children of which were being kept in the basement while some of the older and younger villagers who had been or would be in the militia guarded the common rooms. However they were being protected by the Guardians without almost as much as the children.

Delver stood on the roof of the Inn, he had a good view of the entire battle field. Below him to the north part of the hill was Joran with a few Guardians along with Amarbie all looking grim and battle ready... quite the fitting group despite Amarbies friction with that Joran character. To the north and west part of the hill was a relatively large force of the more competent of the village militia backed up by more Guardians and Loren the cleric of Solar. Delver narrowed his eyes in the priests direction but relaxed them upon remembering that the priest had done nothing to hinder his gruesome practice. To the south and west was Treskan and a few more Guardians and militia while to the south and east the newcommer, Alias he called himself, sat upon the roof of a house in a chair no less, Delver could almost swear the odd man was smiling. There was a scattering of Militia and Guardians filling the gaps while the larger groups were focused on the most vulnerable points of the defences. 

The Dark elf looked up into the sky to the full blood red moon and frowned. Oblivion was not a natural things, it was the path of the spirit and soul to exist, sometimes they didn't move on like they were supposed to and he worked with those particular spirits using them to animate the corpses he came across. However for them to be wiped out from existance to fuel the energies of the Dark One was something he could not allow. He concentrated ever so slightly, he had managed to find a rat, one of the few creatures that hadn't fled Green as Talisar's shadow swept over the land. This rat he had killed and re-animated sending it down into the basement of the Inn where the children were. If the enemy got through the rat could deliver Delvers magics to the children and rob the attackers of their prize letting the childrens spirits and souls roam free to go wherever they were called which was far better than them being anihilated.

He nodded to himself and looked around, the attackers would be here any moment, and Delver would be more than willing to send them to the next world as fast as they came. He might even get a few more zombies from this battle he thought on a positive note. Clouds began to gather above Treskans group and Delver turned noticing that Erias had returned. He smiled thinly, there were many numbers on the side of the enemy, some of them clerics and wizards, but the people of Green had some rather competent warriors of their own. He looked out into the distance trying to spot the comming attackers, the light of the moon and the numerous torches around the village seemed to be sucked in, and the clouds gathering in the sky didn't seem to help much so Delver slowly adjusted his eyes to view in spectrums that did not require light, and he saw them.

*****

Amarbie looked out over the hill and narrowed her large eyes, they were comming, a large group of mercenaries with some of the dark robed priests behind them. A rather large one was leading the group one akin to the one she had fought during the raid on the village earlier. She readied her bow and checked to make sure her large club was easily accessable. The club looked to be almost as big as the wiry muscled True Elf. Her ears flattened against her skull as thunder rumbled over head, something telling her that the clouds above weren't entirely natural, she had seen Nym summon the very lighting from clouds that gathered swiftly and she hoped that these were from either Nym or Erias. She ran a hand through her wild hair and returned her focus on her quarry, this battle was hardly fair, all her enemies were men.

An arrow slid out of the quiver and was knocked and the bowstring drawn back. Her bow was made for those with strength, and while she may not look it the sleight and wiry True Elf was stronger than most of the men here, even without the gauntlets she wore that enhanced her effective strength considerably. She took aim, one of the soldiers near the large one, he was one she wanted to crush personally with her own club. She waited and waited and finally saw her opening as the soldiers began to move forward at a quicker rate. She loosed her bow and the arrow sped forth and struck true as a scream of pain and rage tore from the mans throat. Amarbie gave a pursed smile and readied another arrow as the sounds of battle begin to rise about her.

*****

Alias smiled as he looked down at the approaching enemy soldiers and clerics. He scanned the area for anyone who might retaliate with arcane magic however there did not appear to be anyone. There were a few archers on the roof of the nearby house, and a few soldiers down at the side of the house where the only wall between buildings was the wooden spiked barricade. Yes, he was at his most useful here, these poor bastards would be overwhelmed otherwise. He smiled, a disturbing smile that spoke of one who enjoyed and reveled in the power he held at his fingertips, he smiled wider as a fireball erupted cooking a goodly number of soldiers in their armor. Apparently Delver had been focusing his attention this way. He smiled to himself again revelling in the comming battle. Then he began casting.

The lightning bolt was far brighter than it normally would, he had energized the already devastating spell to increase it's power, and the grin on his face was broad indeed when he saw the energy fry his enemies within their metal armor. A few of the priests dropped too, though the most damage was done to the mercenaries, some of which were still standing after jumping aside from the bolt. Alias frowned at this. The cultists began chanting and the sorcerer lifted a brow. "Protection from Good..." he murmered, "Bless and Prayers..." followed by a frown. "Well, if they want to be protected from me then so be it..." his olive skinned face broke out into a grin. "But they'll have some difficulty in fighting evil creatures." and proceeded to mutter another incantation as the Black Fists charged and the Archers on the roof nearby began firing at them. Two Wolves, with glowing red eyes and coal black fur shimmered into being in a red glow, "Sick 'em." Alias said and the fiendish beasts went after the enemy soldiers with a hunger.

Alias nodded, quite pleased, while the wolves would be cut down eventually he had already slain a good chunk of their number before they had even begun the charge. It was going to be a pretty easy fight and the chances were he'd only have to use his trump card just for his entertainment. He smiled and relished the idea.

*****

Amarbie let loose another arrow which flew wide of her intended target, she frowned and let off another one, this one struck true though her frown didn't disapear. They were closing in. The True Elf ran a slender hand through her wild hair and picked up her great club giving it a good test swing. She had the backing of a few soldiers, and that Joran, the though of this made her frown deepen. Fighting alongside so many men. One of the mercenaries began working to break the  barricade and was soon met with more of his Black Fist brethren, Guardians moved in to engage them before they could do too much damage and soon swords were out nearly at arms length as they tried to fend off the attackers. Joran hit one of the mercenaries with two well placed strikes cutting him down as a heavily armored man came up and brought his sword down on the barricade sundering it with apparent ease.

Amarbie didn't have time to give pause as the Black Fists charged forward she swung her great club and easily broke through the male's meager defence of an upraised swordblade through the sword arm wide as her club connected solidly with the mans skull. Blood flew from his mouth and nose and his crushed face as the wiry True Elf leapt into the air and came down with her club connecting for a finishing blow hearing the satisfying crack of a snapping neck. Barely having time to wipe some of the man's blood from her face she saw the large armored figure with the black cloak cut down the two of the members of the village militia that fought with them with ease. She looked to Joran who was fighting off two competent looking mercenaries, lieutenants she imagined, he looked at her and then to the large figure and nodded before resuming his combat. That one, while being annoying in the True Elfs eyes, was a good warrior. She took his cue and swinging her oversized club with such great force that she heard it crush the mercenaries ribs through the meager chain and mail and proceeded to advance toward the Black Fist captain. He paused and welcomed the comming of the amazon with an evil grin.

*****

Loren was hard pressed, he had had just enough time to cast a few spells on his men to bolster their defences when the enemy struck the barricade, he broke through one of the higher soldiers force of will and the man managed to cut down a few of his lessers before swords and axes from both sides took him down. He frowned and cast another spell on himself, he was a cleric of Solar, and while he didn't worship the valorious combatative aspect of the Sun God he did know a few things about fighting and had prayed for the appropriate spells for such. 

He was still close to the back of the defenders, mostly militia backed up with his spells and a decent number of Guardians, Treskan was across the way defending another weak point with more of the Guardians. The young priest managed to get off a couple more spells of defence before the fight reached him and waded towards one of the mercenaries in plate and mail. He swung his mace which was deflected off the enemie's shield and raised his own shield deflecting the returning blow. He pursed his lips and swung again the enhanced power of his blow, the gift of Solar's favor, dented the enemies armor and he heard the crack of ribs before the mercenary let out a scream of pain and rage. This one was a tough one though and kept comming despite the viscious blow. His shield now enchanted with the divine protection deflected a furious combination of blows from the man before Loren brought his mace to bear again. He made as though to swing the mace at the warriors ribs once more, the mercenary moved to strike at the apparent opening, and Loren switched the angel of the swing at the last moment using every ounce of his enhanced strength and the momentum of the swing to bring the mace down and up. The mace broke through the soldiers sword and came back up in a viscious uppercut shattering the mans unprotected jaw, the mercenary staggered bumping into a Guardian who promptly pushed him back towards Loren and into the life ending swing of the priests holy mace, the metal clade figure dropped to the ground his corpse lit by a flash of lightning from one of Erias' summoned lightning.

Loren didn't wait and waded back into the combat he had drifted from and smiled, a little deception while fighting in Solar's name and for the sake of a village was of little consequence to the priest, the price of failure would be far to great for him to consider any foolish notions of fighting with honor. He smiled grimly, that was why he had become a cleric and not a paladin... a slightly different point of view and approach to serving Solar. "Grant no quarter!" he cried as his mace came down on the helmeted head of another soldier the armor doing little to save the man from a broken neck. "Green must not fall this night!"

*****

Treskan didn't like how this was going, a few of his Guardians were already dead, sure they were but recruits but they were better combatants than even the most seasoned veteran footsoldiers of any normal military. Alas the enemy had the aid of priests in enhancing their mercenaries from the look of it, not to mention these were Black Fists, tougher than most, after all this was the group where the toughest and meanest and most amoral mercenaries went after being kicked out of all the other bands. These were the ones who'd literally do anything for the right gold, slaying or kidnapping children, slaughtering a village, these thoughts filled Treskans mind and fueled his sword arm. They were going down easily enough but more would come to fill their places. They had two units of Black Fists here, which if he recalled correctly meant two captains and four, possibly six lieutenants, which meant a tough fight even for the battle hardened Guardians of Fire fighting at his side.

His sword found an opening in a plate of armor of one of his enemies and slid through his thigh with ease. Pulling it out seemed to be another matter as the sword wouldn't come. He frowned and swung his armored fist connecting solidly with the mans jaw the helmet must have fallen off earlier in the battle. He planted a boot to the mans chest and shoved him back glad for the advantage of height in the combat as the mercenary fell down the hill knocking over comrades as he fell. Treskan gave a grim smile and removed his battle axe from his belt, he preferred fighting with that particular weapon anyway. 

A couple soldiers came at him at the same time, the battle hardened veteran deflected both attackers with axe and shield before bashing one aside and bringing his axe down on the other where the shoulder met the base of the neck, wrenching the axe free he pushed him down the hill to meet his lieutenant in the hells and swung the axe around just in time to throw aside the second  soldiers blade. Guarding his side from any counterattack he reversed his swing bringing the axe back around to cut through the protection og the mercenaries helm and lodge into his skull. He wrenched the axe free again and proceeded to lay into the enemy not stopping but only letting out a muttered curse as he saw another unit of Black Fists attacking. One was struck by lightning dropping the man to the ground as he spasmed from the voltage flowing through him. Using that sign of divine aid likely the courtesy of Erias he called out "For Green!" and the call was met, a simple yet effective way to boost the morale of his comrades, this was going to be a hard battle on this end.

*****

Delver unleashed another fireball to relieve the beleagured defenders of Captain Treskan's group. He nodded in satisfaction as he saw a good number of enemy soldiers fall then frowned, the one's the Guardians had been in melee with had managed to squeeze around or had been trying to fight over the baricade, now after his fire ball a good swing with the sword and pull with the gauntlet brought the thing down opening a way for the attackers. He watched as they isolated and cutdown two of the guardians of fire then saw Treskan shove the man down the hill and proceed to defend against two mercenaries before a bolt of lightning struck. He nodded noting that that group had the backing of Erias their druid and turned his attention back to Amarbie. He saw a group of mercenaries charging in to aid in fighting Joran and the Wild Elf and their Guardian allies and smiled as he let loose his final fireball dropping most of the soldiers in screams of agony, though some of the reinforcements arrived.

The Dark Elf turned his attentions to the area Alias was helping defend and noticed some soldiers had broken through the baricade and were giving the few soldiers stationed there a hard time. He began casting an incantation and soon a bolt of ice blue light shots forth with a snap striking the wounded soldier who let out a gasp of shock as his very blood was slowly frozen. The mercenary stiffened and fell to the ground in a heap. He frowned and looked over at the defenders fighting around that wretched priest, they were looking hard pressed however he was out of fireballs and couldn't recall and other spells that had that efficiency. He paused and looked back to the group he had attacked and frowned seeing more had arrived.

*****


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## Renfield (Oct 6, 2003)

*Oblivion comes to Green pt. 3*

Alias stood on the roof nearly dancing as he launched out another empowered lightningbolt though this one slayed less than the first. He frowned upon seeing more mercenaries advance and decided to pull out his trump card. He moved to the top of the roof and called out to the clouds above "Now!" he cried and pointed to the soldiers as they finished off the last fiendish wolf "Attack!"

As he spoke the clouds whirled down and a huge cyclone of air and cloud sped down to the earth landing shortly after Alias had spoken the command to attack. The huge air elemental glared down at the assembeled mercenaries who gaped up in fear at the thing. One column of air that spun so hard it seemed solid swung down and slamed into the body of an unfortunate Black Fist throwing the mercenary like a rag doll. The body flew past Alias who had to dodge aside to avoid being hit by the corpse. Alias stood back up tall and laughed, laughed maniacally at the rush of the sheer power he held, which was far more than most of his calibur and experience should have but he was smart and played his card right. He continued to laugh as the air elemental batted aside soldiers like insects and easily avoided or absorbed their blows not seeming phased in the slightest by the puny swords.

Alias looked down and frowned noticing that a group of mercenaries had gotten through the barricade and were making short work of the small group of Guardians of Fire left defending that area. He saw one of the men get struck by a blue bolt of energy and smiled in satisfaction as he froze from within and fell to the ground with a thud. "I love that spell!" he said to himself and laughed madly as he sent unleashed the same spell hitting another soldier and watching as he stiffened before frowning when he continued fighting. "Damn idiot," he muttered to himself "doesn't want to die the easy way." he added and after seeing the mercenary slay another guardian of fire he cast another spell sending a bolt of fire down and angling it just right that he not only his the mercenary that chose not to die but his comrade fighting next to him. This time the man dropped and his friend howled in pain, a distraction that earned him a sword in the chest from one of the defenders, Alias laughed maniacly once more and turned just in time to see another body flying towards him "Hey, watch where you're throwing those!" he shouted to the elemental. What a dupe, agreed to join in the fight just so i could spend a year or so being taught about the Prime Material Plain, and it didn't even know much to begin with. 

"This is getting fun." Alias said to no one in particular and sat back down in his chair.

*****

Amarbie swung her club up just in time to parry the powerful downward strike of the captains blade, this man was good she hated admitting that but he was, he had gotten in two good hits and she had yet to get one in. His armor was strong, likely enchanted, as was his sword she imagined. The wild elf nimbly dodged another powerful swing bringing her club up in time to parry yet another attack. She managed to surprise him with her strength there and threw his sword arm wide and tride to swing her club back in to the opening but he twisted and managed to deflect the blow with his shield. This was pissing her off. She concentrated on her oponent, thought about how he was working for money, how he agreed to help Talisarans slaughter children and innocent villagers for nothing but a gold coin or three, she was almost surprised at how fast the rage came too her.

The Black Fist captain took a step back as he saw the slightly figure of the True Elf literally grow, her corded muscled buldged and she seemed to visibly gain a few inches in height, still the human towered over her but the effect was startling nonetheless. Oh he had fought others who use the power of rage on occasion but never a True Elf. She gave a high pitched war cry and lunged forward swinging her great club at the man's leg, he moved his sword to parry the blow bracing himself but grunting in pain as her club threw the guarding blade to the side and crashed into the mans shins. She danced around to the mercenaries side and swung the club once more hitting the man in the gut denting his armor. He spun around and swung his sword at Amarbie, the True Elf spun around trying to move with the blow but still managed to get a deep gash in her thigh for her efforts. She used the momentum of her spin to swing the club around and slam the huge chunk of wood and metal into the mans back.

He roared with rage and swung another blow of which Amarbie had tried to duck away from and managed to avoid the strike, for the most part, he still managed to cut into her shoulder with the sword tip and she felt blood trickle down her arm to match the feel of the blood running down her thigh. Then there were the two blows she had taken earlier that had her side and her other leg. She growled and shook her head red rage clearing away the pain. She had to finish this warrior, now. With another cry she swung her from the right purposefully comming up short, the mercenary fell for the feint, she batted aside the parrying sword and used the momentum of the swing to bring the club to her left and them up overhead and down right atop the mercenaries skull. She heard a satisfying crack that was as likely from the neck as it was the skull and landed on the ground, not realising she had jumped up, as the Black Fist captain fell to the ground dead. 

Amarbie smiled and wiped blood from her face before seeing a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eyes, she shot out a hand and grabbed the object that had been thrown to her and looked to Joran who nodded and smirked, she frowned then smirked as well and unstoppered the vial and downed the liquid contents. The sweet taste of the liquid was no sooner down her throat than she felt it working it's magics on her body sealing some of the more viscious wounds. Not as potently as she would like but better than nothing. She then jumped as something heavy fell not five feet away from her. She looked over and saw the crumpled body of one of the mercenaries and looking up from where it fell and slid she imagined it had been thrown there. She shook her head and looked to Joran who quickly dispatched the final mercenary on their area.

"Quick, Loren and the defenders are being overrun!" he shouted over the din of the battle and they both moved to assist the priest.

*****

Treskan was in a bad way, he and a few Guardians were fighting back to back, and the lightning strikes had ceased falling a short time ago while there was still plenty of enemy soldiers attacking. Their forces had been cut down like lambs to the slaughter on this end. He swung his blade and awkwardly parried the two swords that came in from two different mercenaries, both lieutenants and both reasonably skilled, singlehandedly they'd be easy, together they were quite difficult. He parried another attack from one with his shield and with his sword parried the other. He had lost his axe earlier on and had taken up the sword from a mercenary captain he had killed and was putting it to good use, use that didn't involve losing because it got stuck in someones leg, he threw aside the blade of one attacker while blocking an attack with his shield and brought his sword around and up thrusting the blade deep into the left side of the mercenaries chest. His heart to be precise.

He managed to quickly dispatch the other soldier spinning and slicing at the back of his leg cutting through his tendon bring the man to his knees before whipping around to behead the mercenary. He parried the blow of a footsoldier and kicked him back before lunging forward and plunging his sword through the mans unprotected throat. That was when Treskan realised he had been seperated from the rest of the Guardians. A mistake on any battlefield and one well known to the grizzeled old veteran. He rushed back towards the three remaining guardians as they tried fighting off the soldiers shoving one mercenary down the side of the hill and sticking another from behind. He got up just as a Black Fist captain took down one of Treskans men with a blade through the chest.

Treskan screamed distracting at least one of the enemy soldiers enough for a Guardian to take advantage and dispatch him. He made it back and turned giving a shout of encouragement to his doomed companions. Two captains left and plenty of their lessers to back them up. Not good indeed. The fireball had taken the barricade and now it was only those three holding that part of the hill. The captain of Green's Guardians felt one of his comrades go down his body falling towards the captain that had dispatched him throwing the enemy off balance enough for Treskan to plunge his sword into the black armored mercenary's side. He twisted his blade and ripped it out planting a foot behind the captain before shoving his shield into his chest and sending the dying man down the hill. He now fought back to back with the last remaining Guardian.

This was the end. He knew it. Both knew it. "For Green and Alagor!" both cried out and renewed their attacks with fury, he felt a stab of pain in his shoulder and looked back to see the Guardian had been run clean through. Ripping his sword out of the footsoldier he had slain he whipped his blade around but not in time to deflect the blow. Pain shot through his side as the enemies sword cut through his armor and into his ribs under his shield arm. He clutched the blade there with a gaunleted hand growling as he brought his sword around in an awkward angle but still his the intended target of the mercenaries neck sinking his blade in deep. Treskan felt another pain, far more potent than the one before, and screamed as he saw a sword point sticking out through his breastplate. He dropped his sword and reached behind himself to clutch at the offending wepon to get it out of him. He felt himself going faint and growled in defiance but only got a slash at his leg for his troubles. The blade was wrenched free sending another jolt of pain through his body, causing him to pass out and drift into the darkness of death, this was indeed the end.

*****

More ice blue bolts shot from both Delver and Alias's hands striking different targets as they ran through the barricade and towards the inn. "They've breached the southeast wall" Delver called down in warning to the Guardians though they were well aware of the comming soldiers. There were only a handfull of Guardians, and the enemy soldiers that were attacking might pose only a mild discomfort, though one could never be too safe. 

Alias looked over and saw the mercenary soldiers heading over to the central building and saw Amarbie turn to assist the Guardians there. He nodded and turned in time to duck yet another thrown body and growled at the elemental "Are you *trying* to hit me?" he shouted then shot a line of flame down at some passing soldiers. He frowned in frustration as one dodged the attack and the other didn't seem to hurt by the flames. 

Turning he shouted to the air elemental "You, stop them!" he said pointing to the two fleeing soldiers. The air elemental tornadoed into the air above Alias' head and came down in front of two very frightened mercenaries. Alias turned and bent over to look in one of his numerous pockets for the spell components of another combative spell and stood up after feeling a rush of wind over his body just in time to see the flying corpse of a mercenary hit the ground near the base of the hill. He glared daggers at the elemental as it moved on to attack a few more stragglers before turning and noticing it was all clear on the west side. Funny, he hadn't seen any of the Talisaran priests rushing into battle. "Cowards." he scoffed dismissively.

*****

Joran rushed to Loren's side, the beleagured priest of Solar was hard pressed and gave the ranger a thankful look when his two blades stabbed into either side of the Black Fist captain the cleric had been fighting. A look down the side of the hill showed Erias finishing off a few mercenaries with the aid of a few summoned creatures though the top of the hill still had mercenaries to fight. Joran frowned, most of the mercenaries here had come from the southwestern wall which likely meant Treskan had fallen, he was a good man and a great warrior whom Joran had fought alongside in a few previous battles. "Live by the sword..." he muttered before swinging one of his shortblades to parry a blow from a soldier, his other blade came around to parry the attack of another soldier. He saw Lorens mace crush the skull of the first so he turned his attention on the other fighting back to back with Loren his left blade threw aside the mans shield while the right blade his the mercenaries sword and with a sharp flick of his wrist he flung the weapon to the side just enough to plunge his sword into the mans chest.

Kicking that mercenary back he quickly dispatched another and smiled as he noticed that despite the odds it almost seemed like they'd win, hell, the clerics had all left, that thought only caused him to frown before he grunted as a blade cut into his arm. He growled and lunged forward his shortsword sticking his attacker in the neck. With battle awareness boardering on precognition his other blade snapped out to parry yet another attack and he spun around twirling his shortsword so that he held it blade down and stabbed it into the offending mercenaries back.

He whirled about to look for another fight and saw that all was silent save for the labored breathing of the town defenders. Some of the militia had survived and a bout ten of the Guardians of Fire not counting those guarding the Inn stood around him. Loren was standing near him breathing heavily having just felled the last apparent Black Fist captain. The Guardians quickly went about ensuring that all the soldiers in the immediate vicinity were dead, one way or another.

*****

Nym had arrived toward the end of the battle and saw that the town was to win he landed upon the roof next to Delver who had exhausted most of his spells. Delver looked over to the spirit as the dead Druid was making sure he wasn't seen by the defenders of Green. They both watched as the last enemy soldiers were slain and the remaining defenders looked around as though not believing the battle was over. There was no cheer of victory.

Nym looked up to the moon that sat fat in the night sky and shone blood red as it hung above them. The druid's burned face frowned "Something isn't right..." he said.

"What do you mean?" came Delver's calm voice betraying a hint of concern. Druids had a knack for feeling things that were unnatural, and there was very little in the world that wasn't natural in some respect.

Nym's ethereal brow furrowed in frustration "I don't kno-" he said but was cut off as both of them saw it at the same time. 

Looking down the ghostly druid and the dark elven necromancer watched as motes of red lights floated up from the various corpses and into the sky coalescing into indivual spheres, likely one for each of the dead, their soulspirits. The two only watched in horror as the spheres of crimson light floated towards the moon and seemed to just blink out of existance. Soon after others began seeing the lights, collective gasps and breaths of shock and horror came from the assembeled defenders as they realized what they were seeing, these soulspirits were blinking out of existance.

Realization dawned upon Nym's face as he made his way down to where Loren stood Delver stayed upon the roof watching the resulting oblivion of the soulspirits of the dead simply frowning. Loren looked up at the ghost his eyes glistening with held back tears showing he too realized the gravity and the tragedy that was occuring here. "How is this happening?" he asked himself with a steady voice that screamed with the desire to break.

"I-" Nym started, he had made himself visible for the priest who didn't so much as flinch at the undead druids sudden appearance. "I think it was the ritual I saw performed at the Skull Stones..." he said. 

Joran approached as he heard this and frowned, blood caked his beard and he looked as though he had seen better days, "A last ditch effort..." he said.

"What?" both priest and druid spoke in unison. By this time Delver had joined as well.

"They couldn't have the child sacrifices they needed in time, it was too late for another kidnapping so they made this a last ditch effort." the ranger said still frowning. "The ritual you saw was likely one that would get the same effect but used all who died this night as sacrifices..."

"Oh Solar..." Loren said "all those souls obliviated... for Talisar." the priest looked as though he were about to break down before he took a breath and stood up bolstering himself "I must attend to the wounded." he said and proceeded off on the task.

Delver looked a little pale to Nym and he frowned and moved closer to the dark elf. "Something troubles you more than the obvious my friend, what is it?" he asked.

Delver looked up at the ghostly druid and said in his passive dry voice that did well covering any emotion the necromancer might have. "I had set a rat down there so that I could slay the children should the mercenaries get through... it was to keep their souls from meeting oblivion..." he said and paused. "If things hadn't gone as well..."

Nym nodded in understanding and looked up to the Blood Moon with a frown. Joran was explaining what the motes had been to Amarbie, they were all gone now. Every enemy slain, every, defender slain, chances are the Talisarans had sent the number of mercenaries afterthem that they did for the soul purpose of maximum casualties. All of the enemy or all of the village, either way didn't matter to them so long as they got their sacrifices. This would be a night mourned for a long time in the village of Green, a night that would be imbedded in the souls of all the men who had seen the soulspirits die out, it would be remembered as the night Oblivion had come to Green.


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## Renfield (Oct 15, 2003)

*We're Off to see the Prophet!*

"So what is there to do now that they have the information they seek?" Delver asked to no one in particular.

Joran stood deep in thought. Loren was attending to the various wounded on the battlefield other clerics of the local church of Solar diligently mending wounds and using healing magics on the more severely wounded. It had been a bloody battle and many lives had been lost on both sides. Erias was also assisting with healing.

Delver had raised a dead lieutenant and captain that were still in good condition as zombies and had them move around to collect some of the armor and swords that were in good condition. Apparently the Black Fists were very well off financially as their leaders had magical items on their person their armor, cloaks, and swords tending to radiate weak auras of magic.

Alias had returned from conversing with Loren who was the village leader until a new mayor was selected (the previous one having been one of the fallen militia) and was in a none too happy mood. He had tried to get a reward for his services rendered and had been directed by the priest, who was none too tolerant about greed in the face of such tragedy, to loot the corpses of the enemy. The Guardians of Fire were swiftly gathering their own dead refusing to allow any looting of the fallen elite warriors.

Joran finally looked up and sighed "Fib." he said looking all like he was not enjoying the very sound or thought of that name.

"Who's Fib?" came the voice of Nym as though carried on the wind... perfectly understandable considering he was in his ghostly air elemental form.

Joran frowned "A prophet. Known as Fib the Mad. Or quite simply the Mad Prophet." he said, though no sooner had he said the word 'prophet' than a groan of sheer annoyance issue from Alias. 

"God's I hate prophets."

Now Joran lifted a brow and chuckled "Run into them often?" he asked in a sarcastic tone.

Alias scoffed "Once is all I need." he said.

Delver looked about from each of his companions and spoke in his calm light voice "Where can we find this Fib?"

Joran paused a moment in thought and brought his gloved hand up to stroke his still blood crusted beard. The battle had ended only a few hours ago afterall. "The last I heard of him he was in Koryn, but he get's around a lot... still, no better place to start searching. If anyone can give us information about the cult of Talisar or this Runestone they're looking for it's him." he chuckled and sighed "Supposedly he's been 'touched' by all three of the God's, Talisar, Solar, and Gaia."

Alias scoffed again "Touched or not I hate prophets, always cryptic, insane, or just plain arrogant... or better yet all of the above." 

Delver spoke up then "Be that as it may he is our only option..." his comment was greeted with a chorus of nods and an exasperated sigh from Alias.

Joran looked from one spellcaster to the other "I would like to accompany you in this endeavor." he said and lowered his gaze taking on a dangerous tone. "If the Talisarans are involved in something requiring death and sacrifices of this magnitude then they must be stopped." he said and looked from one to the other "Besides... you look as though you need a good sword arm in your group, sure the True Elf is a competant enough warrior but she is only one per-" he paused and looked around at those assembeled with puzzlement. "By the way, where is the feisty one? I've not seen her since the end of the battle."

Alias threw an arm to motion behind the ranger still disgrunteled about the ill luck of not being paid for doing a good deed and learning that he'd be seeing a prophet soon all in the same night. Joran turned around and noticed Amarbie approaching the group with her pack and all her gear, great club slung over her shoulder looking like it would tip the wiry girl over.

"I came here to say goodbye." she said as she came to a stop before the assembeled group. Their responce was to look at her with puzzeled faces. "This is too much for me, I did not intend on assisting a village after I was freed, fate simply landed me here. So I'm going to rejoin my sisters back in the Kharut." she said looking expectantly to the odd assemblage before her. 

"You will be missed." came the airy voice of Nym. Amarbie had found him to be rather agreeable... for a male.

Delver nodded "Take care." was all he said, Amarbie still found his affinity for the dead disturbing.

"Pleasure fighting by your side I think I might even miss your sharp tongue." said Joran, she couldn't tell by the beard but she though the insufferable male was smirking. Though as annoying as he was he was a good warrior.

Alias said nothing. "I'll be sleeping in a nearby tree if I'm needed, but I leave at first light." she announced and began to move off before stopping in mid step. She turned her head back to the other men her hair wet from having the blood washed from it but still rather wild and unkempt. "Good luck on your journey." she said meeting their gazes with her large almond shaped eyes and then started off again.

"Well... I think she has the right idea there..." Joran said speaking up "We should all get some rest." this suggestion was met with another chorus of nods and they all went their seperate ways for the evening.

******

A man sat on a crude throne put together from the remains of various chairs and crates from around the city. He was a wiry figure with long messy tangled brown hair. He sat in the chair his head hanging and the hair covering his features as numerous multicolored balls flew around the room, which was nothing but a large makeshift shack, accompanied by flying books and papers. All was silent, save for the audable 'thunk' when a flying ball or book hit one of the walls or one another, not even the scuttling rats made a noise as they sped through the odd room eager to get through in a hurry.

The mans head shot up and he grinned "Ah, they're here!" he said in a high shaky voice. He then glared at all the flying balls and books which suddenly dropped from the air to land on the wooden floor beneath. "No, not them... *them*" he growled to himself and a frown set in. 

Just then the door opened and three men strode in. One man had long angular features with a beard that jutted from his chin as though he intended to use it for a weapon, his eyes were dark as coals and his hair was likely as black as his beard but that was hidden by the hood of his robes. He was acompanied by a man clad in black tinted armor, the man had harsh stern features and was or early middle age... he looked like he was used to yelling a lot. Given the scar at his brown and the patch over his eye, not to mention the shortly cut brown hair and the sword who's pommel was fashioned in the likeness of a fist; Fib gathered him to be Arikus, the commander of the Black Fist mercenaries. The other man bore plain rather nondescript features, mid length decently kept brown hair that could have belonged to anyone from commoner to high class noble, and simple brown eyes. His attire was a simple tunic with a standard dagger and rapier, relatively common enough among the middle to noble classes, a rather average gent who carried a sword for simple self defense. But Fib new better, the mans eyes held a certain coldness to them, an apathy for life that if turned on could chill most men to the bone. His stance was casual but something told Fib he could spring into action at a moments notice. He was a killer, plain and simple, one with much blood on his hands.

All in all a rather intimidating group, all in all a very dangerous group, one not to be trifeled with. 

Fib spat at their feet.

Immediately Arikus' sword was out and a look of rage showed on Daggerbeards face, the plain man simply stood their but the Mad One knew his muscles were tensed and ready underneath that shirt and tunic. "How dare you!" Daggerbeard said his voice sickly sweet and still able to hold a high level of menace.

Fib grinned. "A simple process of the physical body, one get's too much saliva in ones mouth so one discharges it orally, I simply like to aim at the most distastful thing around and as luck would have it you arrived just in time for me to choose you three." he said still grinning. He found a sword leveled at his throat and he looked down at it and frowned. "I see I chose well, you are quite rude."

Daggerbeard narrowed his eyes  and smiled a rather sinister smile and spoke again his already sweet voice taking on an even more oily and sweet tone. "We are here for information, information you will give us, or we will take from your soul." he said, the sword pressed agains his throat.

Fib grinned once again and shrugged flicking his hand towards the man in a rude gesture. Daggerbeard nodded to the hulking armored figured "Allright, let us do this the fun way." he said and fib felt his mass of hair being grabbed by the gauntleted fist and felt a stinging sensation as the viscious and obviously magical blade slid across his throat. The fist released and Fib fell back as blood began to poor from the wicked slice, he coughed and tried to breath as air escaped from his lungs out through the slit throat. Eventually his coughing turned to a wild laughter as the wound began to seal itself up. The armored figure stepped back cautiously furrowing his brow as he looked at the mad prophet who lifted his head and grinned once again.

"Are you quite finished Daggerbeard?" he asked smiling inwardly in satisfaction at the frowning face of the robed one. He chuckled upon noticing the small smile on the plain ones face.

When he had no responce he sighed and the various multicolored balls floated up into the air, each one of them now sporting four razor sharp blades. The balls began to move around the room lazily avoiding the occupants but making it known that they could harm easily enough. The books, Fib thought, decided wisely to stay on the floor. "Now that I have your attention..." he said with a frown "you come here for information. If you weren't expected and weren't meant to have information I'd have killed you for being so mean." he said almost sulkily, though the air was heavy with the all to real weight of his threat. "However something has occured and this little prophecy is open to you... as a matter of fact dear old Talisar himself wants me to give you this information."

Daggerbeard smiled and straightened himself out, Arikus had sheathed his sword and the plain man simply watched as though he was some assistant, an assassin, definitely an assassin. "Of course the great Talisar wa-" 

"Oh shut up." Fib said dissmissively and raised up a hand to ward off the brute. He sighed. He so hated the ones who liked to try and threaten him, did they not realize that he was touched and blessed by all three gods... granted such conflicting aligned divine entities touching him had sort of messed with his mind.

The prophet sighed "You seek the Runestone yes?" he asked, when the red faced Daggerbeard managed to nod he grinned "Allright," said and took on a mockingly dramatic tone "here is the prophesy of the one you seek: He who delivers to Death's doorstep, the dirty secret of five lands, keeper of the secrets of a million dead, find him to unlock the answers you seek." he said and folded his arms giving the trio a bored look.

Daggerbeard paused as though awaiting further explanation and when he realized the prophet wasn't going to speak further his brow furrowed in frustration "Is that it?" he asked incredulously.

Fib nodded "Aye that is it. The runestones have a very very very very very verrry strong enchantment against detection. If you had completed the full ritual you probably would have gotten slightly less cryptic information but no less frustrating." Fib said rather casually.

The plain mans face was pale, Fib allowed a slow smile to grow upon his lips, "Ah, know who that's referring to do you?" he said.

Arikus turned to the man "Spit it out man, tell Lord Sorith what you know already." he said, obviously impatient to be away from the spinning razor balls of doom. Fib grinned, he liked that, spinning razor balls of doom.

The man frowned and began to speak in a voice as plain as his features. "The Scribe." he said, Fib knew full well who the scribe was, likely a lot more than the assassin here knew. "A legend among assassins. He's said to absorb the knowledge and talents of everyone he kills."

Arikus nodded "Yes yes, so we find this guy and have him tell us where the Runestone is?" he said still quite impatient.

Mr. Plain shook his head. "Nay, his knowledge is supposedly magically sealed within his mind," he looked to Sorith "Unlocking that knowledge will be hard as even those who hire him only know how to unlock certain knowledge. Chances are getting the Runestone's location from him will be a trying task."

Sorith sighed, no, Daggerbeard sighed, yes a much better name that, Daggerbeard. "Very well... let us be off to look for him. This fool is obviously no more help and not worth the effort it'd take to kill him." he said in his sweet voice, those coal black eyes glared at Fib who promptly stuck his tongue out at the man. As the three shut the door behind him the balls fell back to the ground plain and simple balls once again. Fib began to laugh... and laugh... and laugh.

******


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## Black_Kaioshin (Oct 15, 2003)

*shudder*  I hate prophets...


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## Renfield (Oct 21, 2003)

They had traveled for two days and two nights. Joran had apparently had a gryphon steed that he had been keeping in the stables. Not wanting to paint a target for the archers he had though would aid in the attack. Alas when it was discovered that they wanted as much slaughter as possible he understood why there had only been melee troops. The others had aquired horses and the three had started out at dawn the day after the battle.

The journey had been uneventful with Joran flying a scouting circle around the party as they traveled every day and them taking watches every night with Delver's zombies patrolling the perimeter of the camp site and his skull's keeping watch as well. As disturbing as it was they didn't want to take any chances on any minions of Talisar surprising them in some form of retribution. Alas there had been nothing of note... until the afternoon of the third day that was.

In the distance, comming from the north and slightly east, was a lone figure. Which was enough cause for worry or at least caution. It wasn't long until the figure seemed to be humanoid, and very rotund at that. They stopped and turned to approach it Delver keeping his zombies back whilst Nym kept himself invisible and Alias simply strode forward with confidence. Eventually they discovered that the traveler was a dwarf!

"Hail good dwarf!" Alias shouted out waving arms to show his weapons weren't in hand... not that he needed any weapons with the power he held at his fingertips. "What brings you from the mountains?"

The dwarf stopped at a cautious distance before calling out in a decidedly female voice, if somewhat husky... "Who wants to know..." the voice asked.

Alias chuckled "Alias wants to know, not entirely sure I can vouch for my friends here, they speak for themselves." he said hiding a smirk when he thought og Delvers zombies who wouldn't really say anything. 

The figure was silent, it was short for a dwarf, and very round, though given the Dwarve's of the Shorntooth Mountains few would be too surprised if that size was nothing but muscle. The dwarf moved a little closer before speaking "I am Petunia, Priest of Gaia the Earthmother." she said.

Alias witheld a wince as he thought _another nature lover_ he paused as they closed the distance. She had a beard, unlike the dwarven females of the mountains near the empire who shaved he guessed the ones further north still felt the need for a beard. Or were the shaven ones hill dwarves...

"And I am Delver." the dark elf said stepping forward, he motioned to the zombies. "These are my companions Bubba and Brutus." he said and smiled slightly "They don't talk much."

Petunia nodded. "I see..." she said lifting an eyebrow in the direction of the two fully armored warriors. "Where are you good sirs heading?" she asked, still a little wary.

Alias paused and shrugged "To the city of Koryn," he said figuring no real harm in letting this lone dwarf know their destination. 

"Wherever there is knowledge to be gained." she replied "I was figuring Koryn would be a decent place to start." 

Alias nodded and gave her a look over. She was armored in very nice chainmail, likely mithril, carried a morning star and a shield, she looked as though she was reasonably competent with the weapon as well. Not surprising... Dwarves were rarely a stranger to combat, it was even whispered that their spellcasters were relatively competent as well. "Well... perhaps you'd care to join us, safety in numbers and all th-" he was cut off as a shadow flew over them and Joran landed nearby the group.

"Ah, what have we here?" the ranger asked "A dwarf, how nice." he says chuckling, his scruffy beard was modest in comparison to that of Petunia, likely grown since her whiskers began to get bristly.

Alias nodded "Joran this is Petunia, Petunia, this is Joran." he said introducing the two.

Petunia strode forward and looked about to say something before Joran interrupted her "Pleasure to meet you and all that." he said in a rush and turned to the others "I'm sure Nym is still scouting ahead but I have ill news, it appears we have trouble."

"What might that be?" Delver said in his soft calm voice his tone seeming almost amused.

"Them." Joran said simply pointing up to one of the clouds as two beasts flew forth. With bodies of lions and large leathery wings they all sported three heads, one bearing a resmblance to a dragon, another to a goat, and another to a lion.

"Blasted Chimera..." Alias said and began the weavings of a spell as Joran took to the air to keep the other one busy.

Erias's steed, Keentalon, raked at the beast as the ranger positioned himself to slash at the creature. It's own claws slashed at the gryphon as the lions head tried biting the offending human getting his left arm rather nicely. Keentalon turned aside as a streem of acid shot out of the black dragonshead missing the gryphon almost entirely. Some hit the mount however and it screeched in rage as acid burned through its fur and flesh.

Meanwhile Petunia had begun to run towards the other Chimera her morningstar brandished and ready for blood. The thing had been struck by cold blue ice and while it didn't seem all too damaged from the spell Delver had thrown at it, it did seem quite stunned as it stopped flapping in it's dive and simply hurtled to the ground falling with a wicked looking crash. It began to stand up shaking it's heads trying to clear away the daze brought on by the spell as much as the fall. This allowed the two zombies and the dwarf to close in.

Brutus did little damage though Petunia got in a good hit with her morning star as did Bubba. When it recovered the creature shot forth a stream of flame from it's crimson dragon head hitting the zombies square on though the dwarf showed a surprising agility for her rotund frame as she dove aside taking only a little of the damage. The thing proceeded to tear into Brutus who seemed the weakest of the armored figures.

Up in the air things weren't going good for Joran, he was getting in his hits and the Chimera he was fighting was bleeding from quite a few wounds. However, both he and his gryphon weren't looking too good either. Suddenly a stream of flame shot up and struck the Chimera full on. Taking advantage of it's pain Joran struck his gryphon close enough for his short blade to cut into the beast filling it with wicked gashes. Keentalon bit down hard on it's throat and the beast let loose a gurgling scream before the gryphon released and it fell to the ground dead.

Back at the other Chimera things were looking better, primarily because the ones getting the brunt of the damage were the zombies. Petunia found it odd that her comrades in arms weren't saying anything during the battle and began to get vague suspicions of their true natures as she fought along side them and smelled their rather unapealing odour, their stiff movements didn't help much either. She pashed aside a butting goat head with her shield before bringing her morningstar down with a thud onto the lionhead as it bit into Bubba's arm. Brutus had moves around to the side and stiffly moved under the flailing wing before skewering his blade into the beasts side. Petunia let her weapon fall down on the beasts exposed spine and heard a satisfying crack before the chimera slumped to the ground breathing it's final breaths. 

Petunia put the thing out of it's misery before stalking over to where the others were. They gathered around where Joran had landed Delver having figured the zombies and the dwarf could handle the Chimera after his spell took it from the air. "Anyone need healing?" she asked and Joran raised his hand. She began to administer to his wounds and those of his mount before seeing if anyone else needed anything. 

Alias chuckled "As it was being said earlier... interested in travelling with us? Safety in numbers and all that..."


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## Black_Kaioshin (Oct 22, 2003)

Heh heh.


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## Renfield (Oct 22, 2003)

thought a little creative license and comic relief could be used... I mean hell, if anyone were to have said that it would have been Alias.


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## Black_Kaioshin (Oct 22, 2003)

Yup!!


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## Renfield (Oct 22, 2003)

WOOOOH! Second page! YEAH!!! I'll have to celebrate tonight by writing something... after I work on my damnable midterm paper....


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## Renfield (Oct 25, 2003)

Joran paused and cast a sidelong glance at Petunia, Petunia, what an odd name for a Dwarf, though damn near standard for a tree hugging Gaian. He furrowed his brow as he wondered whether the rotund dwarf could even hug a tree... ah well, either way she could be a big help in the efforts to hinder the Talisarans. "You know Petunia," he started as they traversed the crowded city streets. They had Arrived in Koryn but a few hours ago and were looking for a suitable tavern, Fib was one of those people who you didn't find, he found you. Not that it was impossible, just easier. "a Prophet like Fib is probably a font of this 'knowledge' you seek."

The dwarf looked up at him and lifted a brow, if he hadn't been standing right next to her he would have assumed she was simply a fat male dwarf, but here it was quite hard to keep from notising that a lot of her chest was bosom. He held back the instinctive flinch as he mentally registered he had thought about the... round... dwarfs bosom and shook the thought away. She smirked as though reading his mind though if she did know the direction his thoughts had taken it didn't show in her words "Ye've got a good point there Joran. Mind if I tag along then?"

The ranger shrugged his indifference in the matter and glanced at the others. Alias had a I-couldn't-care-less look and Delver was blank and passive though he thought he saw his eye twitch. The Dark Elf wasn't getting that many odd looks. An understandable thing in Koryn, Alagor was pretty welcoming to many though even a Shadow Elf gathered attention in most of the southern cities, however Koryn was a little more acceptable being a port town. Especially one that catered to trade with the island kingdoms of the west. So even the distrusted Dark Elves could have some relative peace in the open streets of the city.

Delver had left his two zombies sitting at the bottom of the Lorindrift River, their armor keeping them anchored to the bottom, though the water damage was probably going to damage the items and probably not help the flesh of the things either. Either way, they had to be kept out of site and bringing them into the city would likely set off numerous alarms. Joran looked up into the sky and saw Gryphon Knights flying about. The Gryphon Knights of Alagor were something of an elite police force. While on the front lines or serving as arial scouts during times of war during times of peace, such as now, they often acted as a police force in the cities they were stationed at. In the evening they'd be replaced by the Drake Knights. Suffice to say any and all criminal activities were kept well out of sight in this city.

They found a rather cozy looking inn and tavern, the Sober Sailor, and despite it's name there were surprisingly few sailors in the tavern. Oddly it was more respectable than the ranger had expected, despite the body that crashed through the table he and the others were about to sit at... A cry from the bartender and two rather large men, one looking like a barbarian from the northern plains around the Free Cities, took hold of the two fighting men and promptly threw them into the streets. The group quickly found an empty booth, it wasn't evening yet so the inn wasn't too crowded, and had a seat all ordering food and drink of their choice.

"Firewyne, and a nice salad please." Alias asked showing a surprising amount of manners, but considering the barmaid it wasn't surprising. The way she looked at Alias brought a smirk to Joran, if they were to stay at the inn this night chances are Alias would be getting his own room, but wouldn't be alone. 

The sorcerer turned to Joran and lifted a brow after he had taken his last glance at the bar maid "So my tree hugging friend," Joran rolled his eyes which only caused Alias to smirk. "you know about this Fib character first. So how do we find him or get his attention?"

The ranger leaned forward and looked around to see if anyone was listening, he gave a mental smirk when he noticed a hooded figure with his head angled at an odd position indicating he had his attention on someone. 

"Well," he said in a quiet conspiratorial voice "We simply talk about the mad prophet like we don't want to be heard and I'm sure one of his followers will hear about it." he looked around again, more to get others attention to make them think he was telling a secret. "Then we only have to wait."

Alias chuckled and shrugged "Very well." he said. Eventually everyones food and drink were delivered and the four would talk occasionally leaning in closer to one another to converse softly about 'The Mad Prophet' and it wasn't long after that the hooded figure finally stood up and approached their table. Joran wasn't sure but he thought he had seen the hooded man speak to someone twice before he approached.

"You seek the Prophet?" he asked simply.


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## Black_Kaioshin (Oct 25, 2003)

*Shudder* Filthy horrible prophets...


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## Look_a_Unicorn (Oct 29, 2003)

Good luck with the paper, and thanks for the update


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## Renfield (Oct 31, 2003)

*Fib: Prophet of the Three*

They walked down a single block before the robed figure made his way into an alley. Everyone from Alias to Petunia kept themselves on guard for betrayal of any sort, after all, how much trust could they put in a cloaked man who comes up to a group of complete strangers who 'happen' to be looking for a mad prophet. The answer of course is not that much. However another question easily answered would be what choice did they have. The same answer for the prior question would suffice for the latter.

They wandered through twists and turns in the alleys, it was approaching eveningfeast and some of the members of the beggars guild were finished for the day and relaxing in the protected back alleys of Koryn, other residents of the alleys were merely drunks who needed a place to sleep it off. Koryn was a pretty good city to be a beggar in, the citizens were surprisingly friendly, and the beggars guild surprisingly efficient, those who wanted to could be finished with begging in little to no time at all with efficient assistance from the guild. The catch however was that anyone caught begging who wasn't a member of the guild was given a simple choice, join the guild, or have one of two options, neither being pleasant and both ranging from simple expulsion from the city or death, to things spawned by rampant imaginations of the cities 'invisible' citizens.

Eventually it was quite obvious that none, not even the impressive mind of Delver, would be able to remember the path they took. Chances were any who left could easily find their way out of the winding maze like system of alleys, but those who did so would stand little chance of backtracking back to the odd makeshift shack that the group stood before now. Joran smirked, Alias scoffed, Delver was silent and Petunia looked around with captive interest. Delver couldn't help but view her as the oddest dwarf he had ever seen, extremely short, yet easily one of the heaviest dwarves he's laid eyes on, who not only worshipped the Earthmother (not uncommon among dwarves who praised both Solar and Gaia with equal fervor) but was a seeker of knowledge, something more commonly attributed to the Solaran faith and their monasteries. The cloaked figure opened the door and motioned for them to enter following in right after Joran and closing the makeshift door behind them.

The shack was simple, made from bits of junk, everything from old discarded doors to breastplates of armor, however it had a surprisingly stable build for such a ramshackle building. Though that wasn't the odd thing about the structure, the trappings were rather... interesting, one would expect a great prophet with as much of a following as Fibs to have better accomodations. However the little stand and makeshift cot in the corner strewn with furs and rages didn't look very posh. The floor was also littered with numerous books, papers, and multi-colored balls and other pieces of junk. The closest thing to order amidst the whole mess was a path leading from the high backed armchair at the back center of the room to the cot.

The man sitting in the chair looked no more than one of the beggars, an old man, likely entering or in his cenile years, with a wrinkled brow and a leathery face that was oddly framed by long thin hair grayed to white. He leaned forward and gave an odd smile to the group that didn't speak greatly of intelligence, Alias lifted a skeptical brow and looked to their guide wondering if this was some elaborate hoax, while Joran furrowed his brow in confusion. 

The cloaked figure seemed to bristle at the sight of the old man. "Jerod!" he said throwing back the hood of his cloak to reveal a gaunt faced man with wild stringy hair. The old man got a look of surprise upon seeing the man and shrinked like a scolded child. The guide pointed to the door and Jerod made his way there offering a dumb smile to the assembeled group. Meanwhile the man strode forward with confidence and took a seat crossing one lanky leg over the other and smiling to the group. "As you've likely guessed: I'm Fib." he said simply. Delver could not help but notice his odd tatoos, a design of lines that had arrows pointing to either of his eyes, either of his ears, and either side of his mouth.

Alias scoffed and rolled his eyes "Figured, not too surprised actually." he said and Fib laughed.

"Aye, perhaps not," he then leaned forward his eyes widening as he looked at the sorcerer "but then again I'm not here to surprise you." he said.

Alias sighed as if for all the world this was routine for him, an odd thing considering there have never been too many prophets, mad fools yes, but prophets themselves were quite rare. Fib could only giggle to himself, he was the only true prophet out there that was mad in the fashion he was. Though most prophets tended to develope some eccentricity of one form or another, one could only handle so many visions from the children of the creator before becomming unstable. "Let me guess then, you were expecting us." he said giving Fib a strange look.

The prophet furrowed his brow in thought before grinning "Perhaps... well, I was expecting someone, though not you people specifically..." he said, he then leaned forward gave the group a pleading look as numerous random objects began to lift into the air and start flying around, books randomly slamming into balls, balls slamming into walls, creating a rather annoying ruckus. "I do hope you're a bit more polite than the other fellows." he said before sitting back into his chair with a small smile on his face.

"Others? What others?" Joran said insistantly.

Fib frowned "A very rude bunch," he said before leaning forward again and giving them that odd wide eyed look accompanied by a broad smile "who could have learned twice as much if they had been polite."


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## Look_a_Unicorn (Nov 6, 2003)

Hmmm no trolls yet, so might get a few more updates out of you 

ALWAYS be polite to the insane prophet to whom your looking blindly for guidance, he might take pity on you poor fools. At least that's what my character tried to convince the party of before the halforc drew out his axe...


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## Renfield (Nov 9, 2003)

Well, keep an eye out on the new thread, they meet up with him again, and one of the characters isn't exactly polite. Alas internet got killed at my house so until my roommates return I can only update at the university. I should have an update sometime monday either in the afternoon or the evening. I'll just typoe it up at home in wordpad and put it on disk.


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## Look_a_Unicorn (Nov 25, 2003)

Renfield said:
			
		

> Well, keep an eye out on the new thread, they meet up with him again, and one of the characters isn't exactly polite. Alas internet got killed at my house so until my roommates return I can only update at the university. I should have an update sometime monday either in the afternoon or the evening. I'll just typoe it up at home in wordpad and put it on disk.




Don't tell me that even trusty Wordpad inherited the MS virus, crashed & wiped out the update?!
Or did you just forget


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## Renfield (Nov 26, 2003)

Er yeah, virus, only it was planted by aliens allied with miniature giant radioactive space hamsters in a glactic conspiracy to keep me from updating and this is a run on sentence because I find some sick amusement in that oh and I am currently trying to find a roof to sleep under as my roommates just got married and sort of don't want me around anymore. So it might be awhile before I catch up here on this particular thread. Damn, my English teacher would skin me alive if she saw this.


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## Look_a_Unicorn (Nov 26, 2003)

Renfield said:
			
		

> Er yeah, virus, only it was planted by aliens allied with miniature giant radioactive space hamsters in a glactic conspiracy to keep me from updating and this is a run on sentence because I find some sick amusement in that oh and I am currently trying to find a roof to sleep under as my roommates just got married and sort of don't want me around anymore. So it might be awhile before I catch up here on this particular thread. Damn, my English teacher would skin me alive if she saw this.




Have you tried pointing out to your roommates that you were there BEFORE they got married, so they can't expect you to change your circumstances just because they changed theirs?
No? Well. Probably for the best.
Speaking of new roofs, I recieved my set of the keys to the new house today. Hurray for getting a decent night's sleep!

Oh, my advice when dealing with real estate agents: You are NOT a uni student. You ARE working full time. If you aren't female, and can't pretend to be female for some strange reason, then be very sure that some of your flatmates are female.
And then after you've been rejected for the 100th time, try going straight to the owners & bypassing the b(&*^y real estate agents altogether!

Good luck!


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## Renfield (Nov 30, 2003)

Look_a_Unicorn said:
			
		

> Have you tried pointing out to your roommates that you were there BEFORE they got married, so they can't expect you to change your circumstances just because they changed theirs?




Alas it doesn't help that my income isn't too significant. These past few months I've been able to scrape by one rent with cash scraped up from no longer scrapeable sources. While I now have a job I'm unable to pay rent for December and thus they are prefectly capable of giving me the boot. Not to mention I was allowed to move in with the understanding that I'd only be a temporary roommate. Regardless I'm going to try and see if they can't at least give me until the end of december. As for real estate agents, I'm simply looking for an apartment, don't need one of them for that   .


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## Look_a_Unicorn (Dec 1, 2003)

"Alas it doesn't help that my income isn't too significant. These past few months I've been able to scrape by one rent with cash scraped up from no longer scrapeable sources. While I now have a job I'm unable to pay rent for December"

Errr, are you living with friends or strangers? If strangers- well there's not much you can do, but friends would surely be willing to give you a few weeks to get cash together (especially if you volunteer to take up the washing-up duties as a token of appreciation!)

"Not to mention I was allowed to move in with the understanding that I'd only be a temporary roommate." 
Oh well, there's plenty of fish in the sea. However very few of them are big enough to use as flats, they're usually water-logged & unkind on update-writing computer equipment 

"Regardless I'm going to try and see if they can't at least give me until the end of december. As for real estate agents, I'm simply looking for an apartment, don't need one of them for that  ."
Oh. It must be different in Australia- must people with places for rent get real estate agents to handle everything for them. There are privately rented properties, but they tend to be the exception, not the rule.


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## Renfield (Dec 21, 2003)

"Let me get this straight." Alias said an incredulous tone growing in his voice "We have to find this Scribe of Death who is apparently a door to the information we need, and we need to find a way to take him to this brother of Titania and friend and equal to Oberon guy who has the key to opening said door?" he paused and narrowed his eyes at Fib "Then there's a third crucial thing to do that you don't know about?" 

Fib furrowed his brow in thought before grinning and nodding "Aye, that's about it!" he said and ran his fingers through his hair with a laugh. "I only told the other three about the scribe of death, they'll have a merry time trying to track him down, aftterall they were very rude." he paused "Oh, Jergan at the Weeping Wench Tavern should be able to help with information, he owes me hi... a favor after all." Fib said the break in his words very quickly covered up though it obviously didn't go unnoticed. A book floated far too close for the mans liking and he growled at it before it sped in the opposite direction to slam into the wall just above the door to the odd shack.

Alias looked from Fib to his companions and scowled muttering a stream of rather unfavorable phrases though the only truly discernable word was "prophets." 

Joran stepped forward and nodded to Fib after dodging a floating red sphere that was moving faster than normal "Thank you Fib, you've been most helpful," Joran rolled his eyes as Alias spat a barely preceptable and particularly rude comment at those words "is there anything more you can tell us?" 

Fib thought a moment, there was plenty more he knew, just not much he *could* tell, otherwise things could get rather messy and Fib along with others far greater than Fib hated such messes. Those who would die in those messes would likely hate them too should they know of said messes. But they didn't and he couldn't give any more information away regardless so he smiled and shook his head. "Nope, but Jergan can help you get off on the left foot." Joran nodded and the odd group departed from the shack. Fib looked off after them and frowned "Poor bastards." he said after the door had shut.

******

The Weeping Wench, a sailors bar if there ever was one, good and ill natured laughter filled the air as numerous songs were sung by drunk sailors and entertainers alike, a very lively place indeed. Cat calls were made to the serving wenches who were a far cry from weeping though very close to shattering a mug over the head that belonged to the next overly adventurous hand... provided the lass wasn't actually enjoying the attention. There was a tale to go with the name of course, though the current crowd cared not, it was simply another extremely lively tavern to go to that day.

Jergan sat at a table nursing a cup as he looked at the cards before him, he smiled and tossed a coin in the pile in the center of the table "I'll meet your one mark he said." motioning to the silver "and raise you a crown." he said tossing in a gold coin to boot. The man had the rugged look of one used to both the seas and the streets and one to not be trifeled with unless you were looking for a castration. He was the unnoficial protector of the ladies of the tavern and many a man had gladly taken his own life after discovering the consequences of not taking no for an answer. As harsh as that seemed Jergan warned each and every one once before he made true his words. Still the bald scarred sailor was a good man and highly respected in the area which meant he had friends, friends who despite the fearsome reputation could still protest something like betting a crown.

"C'mon Jergan, this be a silver an copper game only, it's not even night yet." a fat balding man spoke up in a tone that had more whining than needed. Though it was obvious he was only half serious.

"Bah, he's bluffing." spoke up the next man, a wiry man, a simple commoner to be sure, but a commoner with not so simple friends. He had plain browns and whites for clothing and shortly cropped black hair. 

Jergan frowned before smirking and tossing in another gold coin. "Am I know Travis. We'll see about that."

The fat man laughed "Well I'll be folding then, I've lost enough money today," he said shaking his head.

Travis tossed in another gold piece and smiled, "Awww, what's the matter Derik, have to make another client an indentured servant for the rest of his natural life?"

"Something like that. So are you two going to show eachother the cards before the end of time or what?" Jergan chuckled before smirking at Travis and laid his cards down. Travis frowned and roled his eyes before laying his cards down as well then his face recovered and he smirked motioning to his hand which was a level or two higher than Jergans. He then scooped the winnings into his pouch as the sailor laughed.

"Travis I don't know how you do it." Jergan laughed and shook his head. "Or why, you end up going home with damn near the same amount you came in with."

"Well that's to appease the missus, and you know me and my spending habbits don't you? That on top of my wonderful gambling problem." he said and stood to head towards the bar as the other two laughed. Jergans laugh was cut short as he saw the newcommers to the tavern step through the door. The shortest ball of a dwarf he had ever seen alongside a shadow elf a human of a refined air and another man who looked just like Joran of the Guardians of Fire. He narrowed his eyes and frowned, it was Joran of the Guardians of Fire, which could mean one thing, the others were adventurers. That almost always meant trouble.

Jergan sat and looked to Derik nodding to the man who in turn stood and went to a far corner of the tavern. Jergan looked around the tavern for any face that that Talisar Hunter could be after but there was no one who looked suspicious. Damn that Joran, he never was good news, still Jergan and his other friends would be ready for anything. He noticed the refined man speak to the bartender who in turn pointed toward Jergan himself. The sailor rolled his eyes and sat back awaiting the inevitable arrival of the odd group.

Alias stepped forward and nodded to the man who nodded back and looked over the four with suspicious dark eyes before speaking up. "Ye be needing something I wager?" he asked.

Alias nodded "Yes, a mutual friend of ours said you'd give us some information on a certain individual." he said.

"Aye, perhaps, who might this friend be?" Jergan said fearing he already knew the answer. That refined looking one seemed familiar somehow.

It was Joran who spoke this time "Fib, Jergan, Fib said you'd give us information about Death's Scribe." the man said making sure the last part was for Jergans ears only. 

Jergan nodded and stood looking to the man numerous signals were sent to his equally numerous allies within the crowd that all was safe if not well. "Come, let us go someplace... safe from overly curious ears." He said and moved on to a special back room for just such an occasion.


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## Renfield (Jan 22, 2004)

*An objective revealed.*

In the world of shadows, crime, intrigue, politics, and all other aspects that heavily involve the underworld in any city there are many legends. Legends of thieves who can bypass any trap or security device ever concieved to protect ones valuables. Men who can escape from even the most confining cell. And all manner of things that can earn such men respect and fear should only a fraction of the tales prove true. Though throughout all these legends one is never spoken of above a hushed tone for fear it might attract the attention of the very entity spoken of. This is the Legend of Death's Scribe.

It is said he was born between the union of a priestess and a demonic entity beyond even Talisar's control. In a dark ritual of blood and sacrifice the child was born into this world only to be spirited away. The child was that of Death itself, hand picked to be the scribe of those killed in the world, and to bring those to deaths doorstep who were over due for such appointments. Posessed of superior speed, strength, intelligence, agility and cunning it was said this child could assume whatever form he chose and could become whomever his victems most wanted to see. He took his first life shortly after learning to walk.

The boy was trained and tutored in the art of killing by a host of specialised masters, all classes of which he graduated by slaying said masters at their own trade, he was a monster who knew only death. Immortal, dangerous, and strictly mercenary when he's not persuing his own dark purposes. The man is wanted in every country he's slain in, which is roughly every country on the continent, and even then the crimes he's wanted for are only those he has made known to be his doing.

What frightened all who found themselves a possible mark was his ability to consume ones soul, their knowledge, their abilities, even their memories and personality. He is also said to be able to take on their forms should he so desire. To be a perfect doppleganger should no one know that the person who's form he took is truly dead. This man has the knowledge and capabilities of many men and women that have fallen to him.

Thankfully their are limits to such a power. 

An ability like that would be impossible to control and maintain ones sanity for long after aquiring the first few souls if indeed it was ones soul he stole. Thust those who raised him made a deal with him. They would lock away the knowledge in his mind saving him from the negative effects of such things in exchange for his services. Hence how he became the dirty little secret of the very countries he was wanted in. For matters of greatest intrigue and assassinations of greatest secrecy it was he who was sought after. Though he had an odd honor system that if offended could easily make those who contracted him his next marks. It is also whispered that this man isn't merely Death's Scribe, but in fact death made flesh. Regardless he is quite easily the most deadly man out there for all attempts to kill him have failed. While it is very likely possible it is very unlikely to occur soon as every attempt by magic or metal has failed.

******

Alias frowned deeply, this was not good, not good at all. "And we have to find him?" he asked knowing full well that was the case.

Jergan's brow furrowed as he coughed in shock "You actually intend to seek him out? For whatever reason?"

Delver held up a gaunt gloved hand to silence any further questions or comments "Our reasons are our own suffice to say this appears to be the task at hand for there are others who seek hims as well."

Alias growled "Not only do we have to find him but we have to convince him to come along with us. Consider forcing him to come with us is rather unlikely."

Joran stifiled what might have been a laugh and turned it into a cough refraining from saying what was written on his face, how what Alias had said was most definitely a rather broad understatement.

"What is it?" Alias said with a frown.

Joran paused and said it was nothing when Alias scowled even more if that was possible. "Not you, him." he said pointing at Jergan who was looking Alias over with an intense and considering look.

"I think I just realized why you seem very familiar to me." the man said leaning back in his chair. "Spitten image."

"Spitten image of what?" Alias asked his patience wearing thin. 

Jergan stood and without a word exited the room for a short time returning before anyone could consider whether or not they should follow. In his hand was a rolled up piece of parchment. He tossed the yellowed paper to the table and motioned for Alias to unrole it. The man did and his jaw went slack and his eyes widened ever so slightly if only for just a moment. There, in a very similar likeness was Alias, drawn by a skilled artists hand though in imperial dress. Above the uncanny portrait in bold letter of an imperial flow were the words "Wanted, prefferably alive." and below the portrait "1,000 Imperial Crowns." To anyone who knew coins, and most bounty hunters and mercenaries did, Imperial Crowns were as good as any other countries platinum. Worth roughly ten gold coins each.

Alias was silent staring at the paper with shock and more than a touch of disbelief. Petunia spoke up reminding everyone that the dwarfette was indeed still in the room "Who'd ye piss off?"

Alias stayed silent for a moment until finally speaking in a voice that didn't hold his usual boisturous tone "My Father."


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## Black_Kaioshin (Jan 26, 2004)

Chunky.


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