Briefing at Drak's

The last of the foul creatures fell to the street as black ichor from a gaping wound spilled to the ground pooling beside it. Aegis kicked it once for good measure, spit on it and mumbled a tribal curse. Aegis’ eyes had a haunted look, once again he had had been to the edge of oblivion and had been pulled back into the world of the living. Nibbs’ and Emok exchanged a worried look but it seemed as if there companion Aegis wasn’t much worse for wear.

Nez wiped the blood from her halberd; the crooked smile on her lips belayed the panic and fear in her eyes. “That was quite interesting… “she panted, “I wouldn’t mind using my blade on a real person sometime soon though.”

The awoken song blade gracefully bent to his knees next to one of the abominations and with the tip of his sword he poked at some blackened chains which turned into fine black ash. The song blade took some between his fingers, gingerly rubbed some of the dust between them, tasted it and spat on the ground. “Anghtaka.” He spat. Then looking at the others,“Infernals.” Emok and Nibbs both made the Halfling sign to ward off evil spirits, each clutching to their implements of faith. “Come on,” Nez said, her voice too chipper and full of nervous energy. “Let’s go have a chat with our benefactor.”

“Come,” Emok chirped. “Tyr once was my home, a long time ago. I know the ways.” Nibbs and Aegis immediately set out after the feral halfling as he began to move quickly into the streets. Nez took a look at the mysterious song blade, saluted and chased after them. The song blade stood, closed his eyes as if in deep concentration trying to bring forth an old memory. A moment later he shook his head as it didn’t surface and went after his most unlikely of comrades.

· * * * *

The trip back to Drak’s estate was uneventful. News had travelled fast that the Circle of The People’s Arcana had asked for, and had been given, full power of martial law over the citizens. Many of the vendors throughout all of the economic districts of the city had shut down, very few citizens were on the streets, even the indigent found other places to go. Fortunately the swath that the city felt was coming; large press gangs of Templars looking for dissidents, had not yet started to form. When the group was blocks away from Drak’s estate a young dirty street urchin jumped out in front, startling Emok. Emok had an arrow cocked and pointed at the boy before he realized what had happened. “Easy there my brave hunter,” Nez laughed, fully for the first time since the running battles with the abominations. “I’m sure there is no threat here.”

The boy, still wide eyed and staring into the wide crazy eyes of the painted halfling cannibal, shook his head feverishly. “Yes ma’am! Master Drak sent me… he told you to follow me… come come!” Nibbs put his hands on Emok’s, and Emok, reluctantly, lowered his weapon. The boy dashed to an alley way and waited for the group who followed. The boy then dashed through an open crumbly stone door and vanished, the words “come, come” echoing behind him.

Aegis stepped forward both his swords drawn, his magical sword pulsing in his right hand demanding to feed. He saw seated at a table going through some scrolls was Drak. It was apparent that Drak had been packing. There were numerous chests, some filled to the brink with precious gold and jewels the others filled with books and scrolls. The two servants in the room with Drak were flustered and anxious. The older man shrieked upon the groups entrance and dropped same expensive ceramic pottery shattering it. Drak dismissed his servants and smiled as the rest of the group entered. “Ah! My formidable retainers! Well done! I should be able to evade notice leaving the city now…”he smiled ear to ear and patted the older servant on the back. “My servant Decklan thanks you as well, a true force he called you!”

Aegis walked menacingly up to the noble… “You had us act as a diversion;” his hand had unconsciously drifted down to the magical long sword on his left side. “I… we… could have been killed.”

Drak waved Aegis off nonchalantly; “And that’s why I hired you instead of some women and children. Now onto what you will be doing next…”

“Next?” Nez laughed incredulously, “I’ve been in your employee for less then a few days and I;ve already seen more than my fair share of demons.” She stopped suppressing a small shudder. “What happened to the Circle? I’ve seen them on occasion and I know that their magic is supposed to be protective. What happened?”

Drak paused for a moment, measuring the group and then turned his beaming smile upon the young mercenary. “When you look out upon the desert what do you see young lady?”

Nez rolled her eyes but slightly smiled; “Why sand of course.”

“And you,” Drak asked pointed to the ranger. “What do you see?”

Aegis looked uncomfortably… he was not one to mince words, his blades usually did all of his talking. “Well that depends. The desert is a bit more complicated than that; there are the rolling silt plains close to Balic, the rocky badlands between Tyr and Urik, the sand dunes between Draj and Ra’am and the great Ivory Wastes.”

Drak clasped his hands together excitedly, “Bravo ranger! Bravo!” He turned smiling towards Nez, “And that young lady is the way of magic as well, while essentially the ways of the Arcane are in essence similar they are like the eternal deserts of Athas; shifting, dangerous and no two aspects are the same. Within each individual who practices the Arcane arts lay a choice at every application; a choice to heal or a choice to pillage.” Drak put a small plant on the table and started chanting under his breath. The leaves of the plant began to vibrate and even hum and all the group could feel the subtle energies being worked in the room. Drak finished his spell and a small bloom opened on the plant displaying a marvelous silvery blossom. Drak turned towards Nez; “The answer to your question is simple my lady. The People of the Circle’s Arcana started to use defiling magic because they could get away with it, and thought that it was necessary, this may be hard to…”

“They must have enimies.” Aegis interrupted gruffly. “Can’t they help?”

Drak smiled crookedly; “The founder of the Circle of the People’s Arcana was a wily one. She and some of her acquaintances split the magical talent they recruited. The Alliance still flourishes in the shadows of the city and are ready to stand against any new Tyrant that may rise in these turbulent times.”

Nez crossed her brow thoughtfully her mask of cheeriness replaced by a shrewd intelligence. “Surely the new midget elves will help. Wouldn’t their forest be at risk with a turning to defiling magic?”

“That forest isn’t right.” Nibbs chirped in. “The spirits there are crazy! Non stop talking all the time… fire this, death magic that, screaming for blood.” He shook his head sadly. “Yet even crazy spirits must be protected.”

“Quite right, “ Drak agreed. “But defiling is, strangely, the second issue. My major concern is the recent appearance of multiple demons and Infernals. Usually only a sorcerer king would have the audacity to reach past the Grey and the Black to summon these abominations. We need to figure how the Circle of the People’s Arcana are summoning these things and put a stop to it.”

“Where do we start?” Asked Emok, silent the entire time just listening to the conversation.

“There are two starting points and each has their own problems. The first is in the hub of the Circle of the People’s Arcana. See if one of their wizards have unlocked some hidden relic. The other is an ancient temple within the Ringing Mountains. My research has pointed to this temple being to a being of utter darkness and it may hold the answers to source of new found power. Please discuss amongst yourselves and we can start to make some preparations. And speaking of which I need to make some preparations of my own.”

Gailin stood up quickly as Drak was leaving. “A quick word, if you have the time.” Galin looked to the others with, disdain, distrust? In his eyes, “in private.”

“Of course sir this way.”

The two left the room leaving the rest for a period of open conversation to decide on the next course of action.

The Dark Queen

The sun beat down on the streets of Try, baking the streets like a slow cooking oven. All who had shelter to go to had done so; there will still many out on the streets. The prosperity which had so briefly blessed Tyr had disappeared almost as quickly as it came.

Outside the city the army of Gith which had risen and which had seemed allied to the city was ine turmoil, rumours abounded about inner turmoil and a falling back to the savage ways.

The Awakened, as the new elves now liked to be called, began to prefer the solitude of their magical forest and were becoming more and more aloof with the affairs of the city. Trade which had briefly bloomed in the city had begun to sour as merchants had a difficult time moving their goods in and out of the contested borders. Nearly all merchants had decided that the city was no longer good for business and had decided to move on.

The turmoil in the city was far worse. Two of Tyr's greatest champions had disappeared, Sand the principled leader of the Circle of the People's Arcana; and the beloved King Wodak who through might, politicking and she charisma had actually united the cities various inhabitants.

But now tyranny had once again found its home in the "free" city.

The Circle of the People's Arcana which had worked hard to win the trust of the citizens had turned once again to the Dark Arts which had marked Kalak's reign. And now Aria of Asticles, sister to the once noble and heroic Agis of Asticles was leading the circle down a dark path plagued with demons and death.

The Dark Queen would have none of it.

Long had she been imprisoned beyond the Grey, beyond the Black beyond the void of even the first Sorcerrer. But in the redemption of the most foul Soul the Dark Queen knew she had a chance. Her emissaries, though still weak, we're full of potential to right everything which had gone wrong.

When the time came Dielle would be ready.

Death's Door

The oddly cool chains wrapped around Aegis' body constricting tightly around his throat. He gripped his swords tightly, he would fight, he had four literally to his last breath. And then again there was blackness.

It was not the first time Aegis had seen the Abyss... It would surely not be his last.

No light this time, but visions. He and his companions battling through massive underground tunnels against the unspeakable horrors; hatred, and chaos given malleable form. Aegis saw his swords aglow with power and though he knew his death was me impenitent he was ready for the sacrifice. He would be the light in the utter darkness.

To his vision faded and passed as Aegis felt a cool mist against his cheek and his mother's voice; speaking to him as if he was an infant.

"All things in the stream my son... All Inge in the stream."

Penance

A traumatized Finniean looks at the results of his untempered outburst that was directed at a forlorn sea of bodies consisting friend and foe. Aegis looked a mess of bone and flesh and, once his closest companion and confidant in the party he had been allied with as of late.

While being tied to the pole at the centre of the gith town he resolved never to be captured again. Flashes of his incarceration have haunted him ever since the ordeal. Being spit upon, starved, tortured but worst of all - he was not free.

The Aegis incident wasn't the first time he has lost himself in harnessing the power of nature. His home was raided by bandits on a regular basis ever since the fall of the monarchy, which he could have cared less about if it wasn't for that. His mentor, Yofa the elder druid was murdered in defence of his Halfling village of Pilfer, as the outsiders called it -- Pi-ra-tac-nak-bok-lau-lef by native tongues. The way that Enoch looked at him with equal parts part pity and contempt after the battle it was as if Yofa was doing the same through his eyes.

When he was a novice he was issued severe reprimand for harnessing powers he had far from mastery over or even competence in. He once cast a protective ward that failed phenomenally and impaled a fellow novice during ritual training. Another time he set a village elder aflame with an errant summoning attempt that is still brought up to this day. As a result he was often excluded from training for fear that he may unleash another uncontrolled burst of damage to those in proximity.

After he lost his mentor and sole advocate for his value to the village there was a council where his was dishonourably discharged from his tribe and home village so he could be someone else's problem.



The welcoming embrace and forgiveness of these people of the underground begged him to consider his role.

Nibs, a free spirit was an adept prodigy in ritual and respected the power. He was never much a fan of religion but events as of late have gotten him to re-evaluate his stance on his use of nature and his connection to the spirit of nature. He spent his night looking within in the underground caverns, a place disconnected from the sands, forests and the life giving sun.

In his meditation he canted solemnly:

Yondalla, lend over your strength to better control your forces of nature and allow me to practice them with wisdom and discretion as granted by your will. Only to use my gift in working with your natural realm that encompasses all for good, the greater cause, the protection of man and nature and with steadfast vigilance against the force of evil.

He ends the prayer by burning some rare herbs as an offering and a gesture of penance for the unnecessary suffering he has been the cause of with a marking on his forehead.

:)

Rceap last Session

Recap for Session (august 24th) Game time High sun 80th day 5 AK. (After Kalak)
The group had accepted the services of the misshapen gith by the name of Bok-nok to lead him back to his elders; a group Bok-nok reffered to as “The Fallen”.

The group navigated through the engenerring marvel known as the bellows; an ancient construct which Emok-lil identified to be older then under Tyr; previously thought to be the oldest known ruin in the Tyr region. The sheer volume of forgotten metal (almost all of it rusted and useless otherwise) truly showed how the world that was, was a land of plenty.
The bellows emptied into a larger chamber where a still burning boiler still worked for unknown causes. Next to the boiler were hideous dog men cooking what appeared to be a child of the fallen on a spit. Bog-nok was enraged and as the group attempted to silence him Ageis leaped into action. His blades caused greavous damage to one of the dogmen but their vicous pack attack nearly layed Ageis to waste.

Nibs surveyed the scene and unleashed horrible primal magic which ultimately lead to Ageis’ demise.

Still the group was victorious (counting 50 silver pennies as their treasure) but at the cost of Ageis’ life. Ebok-lil was able to perform a quick ritual to prevent the spirit from leaving the body but there was little else to do.

Bog-nok now convinced the group was the Champions his people were waiting for was able to lead them to the home of the fallen; a make shift village within a large natural cavern deep within the underbelly of Ak’sharn’tan-ek. There they met with the village elder; a fallen by the name of Vok; as misshapen as the rest of the Fallen but with great wisdom. He condemned Sur-tak as being a pretender but was still willing to listen to his demands. Vok also had some of the elders retrieve the spirit of Ageis from what he referred to as “the stream” though he stated it would come at great cosmic price.

Auchen witnessed the ritual and came back from it almost more dazed then his normal self; Ageis returned slightly haunted but otherwise unharmed. Vok sent the group back with a sealed message for Sur-tek and also stated that soon they would have to slay the Demon.

Next session will be on August 31st; on the 81 st day of the High Sun 5 AK < which means a full day of rest>

The Champions of the Fallen

Bok-nok looked about the greeting chamber at the bodies of his friends and the crushed corpse of Edor, one of the Fallen’s Elders. Bok-nok was neither wise as Edor nor as strong but he believed that these Up-Worlders were not the champions the Fallen were waiting for. Bathed in the light o the righteous? They had struck without provocation. Tempered with the righteous hands of the Holy? Edor didn’t know what that meant but it sounded nice and these Up-Worlders seemed ruthless.

Still he would take them to the Elders so that they may be judged against the Word.

Of course first they would have to pass through the Bellows, the tunnels of poison, fire and demons which guarded the Fallens’ home. The Elders all knew the ancient ways as they were as close to the Choosing as any. The Champions were fortold to exorcise the demons from the Bellows to make way for the Barriers to fall. Bok-nok wasn’t sure what it meant; all he knew was that if the Up-Worlders were truly the foretold champions they would live to see the Elders; otherwise they would be just so much meat for the Demon in the pit; Bok-nok knew it was his sacred duty to lead them either way...

“Me knows the way,” he spat out in the words of the Up-Worlders, “come. Safe...”

Only the fates would tell if this was a lie or not...

Ak’Sharn’tan-ek

The shadows of Ak’Sharn’tan-ek were cast over Sur-tek’s mind long before his Joining. It had haunted him the moment his old life was shattered when the Ker’tah was permanently affixed to him. Now he was going back where so many of those who had tried to follow in his Path had fallen.

When his mind was still ablaze of the Path he had been guided into the depths of the earth. There he was shown firsthand the price of failure. He was new to the teachings and his first students had paid with their very natures for the price of his failures.

Now he would be sending mere pawns into the darkness, fools oblivious to the horrors that awaited them.

Yet they had chosen to follow the Path, blindly yet willingly, on their own accord.

He shook his head sadly, more sacrifices to the Path, may the Elements have mercy upon their souls.