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The Age of Dreams began as the first races choose their homes and began building nations. For nearly 8,000 years did this age last marked by three distinct periods - the Foundation, the Time of Light, and the Time of Knights. As the Age drew to a close, valiant heroes made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that the Balance would be maintained.
The names of many of these heroes ring through the ages as inspiration to those who come after them - Huma, Magius, Kaz, Heart... However, little known of the sacrifices made by other heroes at the close of the Age of Dreams. This is one of those stories...
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The night of the announcement you attend Court under the stars. Ynosh Silvanos is personally in attendance. He stands much to the shock of those gathered, it has been some months since the Speaker could stand without assistance.
"My People. All things must come to and end. For nearly seven centuries we have experienced peace and tranquility not known since our People began to occupy the forests that we call our home today.
Despite our own peace, there is grave suffering in the world. Suffering that our People can aid in relieving".
Many of the Houses murmur at this pronouncement but none speak out loud and disturb the Speaker.
"Therefore, I have made the decision to once again step into the affairs of the world. The leaders of House Cleric have agreed with me that something must be done to alleviate suffering but what?
It has come to my attention that the humans recognize this plight and have begun to gather in the city of Tarsis to discuss this very issue. An end all strife, poverty, and hunger in human lands. I have asked the House to provide me with a list of our People who will lead a delegation to this city to discuss the matter with them.
Representing Eli' will be Regulus Silvanesh of House Cleric, representing Jolith will be Thrashmar Hawksong, representing the Blue Phoenix will be Sisyl Nightstar, representing Matheri will be Thiste Evanara, representing Astarin will be Flar Hawksong. Finally, representing Quanesti Pah will be Hurudithya Griffontamer”.
The elves politely clap for each name as each is a revered though not senior member of their respective God. When your name is announced there is again a slight murmur followed by a smattering of clapping which increase when other members of your Order of the Stars pick up the clapping.
The Speaker frowns slightly but continues, ”Regulus will of course lead the detail along with a few members of House Protector to ensure the safety of our People. Good luck to you, may the Gods look over you and bring you great success in this important endeavor”.
He then sits down in his chair and is wheeled out by his son Kaith whose reaction the entire time was impassive.
Regulus approaches you Hurudithya, ”Greetings my dear. I fear we have never had the pleasure of being introduced before. I am Regulus Silvanesh”. Regulus is a tall thin elf with soft golden hair though his hairline recedes ever so slightly. He wears the vestments of Paladine and his face is warm and friendly.
Even the Church has been baffled as to why your parents, not people of particular importance, were singled out for death by followers of one of the Dark Gods. You sense that the Church’s interest in the crime has waned as duties have weighed upon them.
A gathering of sorts will be taking place I the next week to ten days here in Tarsis. Representatives of all of the heads of Churches will converge here in the city to discuss lofty religious matters. Should you become involved? While you are not clergy the Church has allowed you to stay here this entire year at no charge asking no questions...
Your thoughts are interrupted by Kala, an acolyte of the Church of Branchala, ”You seem blue Remy, should I sing you a song to cheer you up?” It is hard to stay blue with a pretty girl like Kala around. Long auburn hair, dark green eyes and a mischievous smile to go along with a curvy 5’5” human frame.
The wagon rolls into Landfall but you pay it no mind, there it is! The Ocean. It’s so blue. It’s so big! You have to just, you have to go see it!
Just seeing it gives you a funny feeling, like a tug in your gut. Something you’ve never quite felt before…
Uncle Whoopitystick turns to you, ”If you want to go Rin, go ahead! You’ll find us later, we won’t be hard to find after all”. He smiles and encourages you to jump off of the moving wagon.
You arrive in Landfall and find yourself in the center of a chaotic maelstrom. One that you had never before known could be possible. The Nobility of Ergoth actually invited Kender to their city. And the little creatures are creating chaos wherever they wander.
It seems that this day, of all days. Is the anniversary of some battle or skirmish between the Kender and Ergoth. A battle the Kender won. Though with the number of Knights of Solamnia you see also walking around, another oddity in Ergothian cities considering the history of the two nations, it is likely that the Knights had much to do with that victory.
Still, the ship that you were supposed to take was supposed to wait for you. It didn’t. Now you have no ship and possibly no way to make it to Mount Nevermind on behalf of Master Gwynnth…
Before this it’s been all books and stories by the torchlight. Now a real Wizard in the flesh. You are as excited as a Kender in a colored glass shop as the boat finally latches onto the dock.
Sailors begin to step off of the boat but no Wizard. Finally fifteen minutes later you see the Captain who sighs and walks down the gangplanks towards you. ”Are you the rep from Mount Nevermind?”
You wake with the sound of the waves and the bright sun in your eyes. Somehow the tide stayed low and you managed not to drown. You’re just lucky it seems!
You chuckle to yourself with the thought as lucky is not how you feel right now. Your gear is still with you if a bit wet and you stopped… glowing? Did you dream that? If you did it would be an odd dream to be sure.
The question is, where are you? You blink and look up, perhaps one of the largest mountains you have ever seen looms before you totally unfamiliar.
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As you dry yourself off you look to your left and mouth a silent prayer to Sargas. Your pack along with your weapon washes up on the shore! It seems the God of Vengeance has favored you for some strange reason.
At least you think that until three elves with longbows trained on you and a human wearing green robes step out for the edge of that thick forest.
”You are not welcome here creature. Minion of the Dark Goddess begone!” The green robed human bellows.
In the grove of the ArchDruid you watch as the old human opens his eyes. All Druids in the circle feel a bit drained, including you, after summoning that mighty storm to smite the fleet of the Darkqueen’s minions! They shall likely think twice about invading again!
The ArchDruid smiles, ”Well done my friends. Well done”.
The lesser Druids begin to drift away from the Grove and Cleidus approaches you, ”Your first time in the circle can be draining. Tell me Zsar, do you require sustenance?”
Stopping thrice to retrieve his pointy hat from the ground, Theo arrives at the docks in time. He absently begins working on the spell in his mind, causing the jittery gnome to yelp! in surprise at being address! Rep?Yes,Iamtherepfrommountnevermind! Theo holds out his hand (quickly placing his inkpen up a sleeve). IamTheodoreSamuelWaldenGlitterfounder. The little gnome looks around the Captain. Isthewizardcomingashore?
Eddie picks himself and dusts himself off, straightens his clothes and generally makes sure all his fingers and toes were all in order and secure. He sniffs the air for just a moment and then turns around and unceremoniously wretches upon the shore. "Can't stand the taste of salt water..."
"Well, at least I didn't lose my boots on the way to...wherever I am. Where am I?" Eddie starts to take in his surroundings and catches sight of the dock. He heads that way.
His thoughts and any plans he might make on how to proceed are quickly interrupted though, his gaze falling on another mage present. Unfortunately, this one's robes are as black as night. "Wonderful," he mutters under his breath, his past experience with a member of that particular Order hardly something to remember fondly. Still, if he is to someday become a member of the Orders of High Sorcery, he should learn that regardless of the color of their robes, all wizards of High Sorcery are united by the Magic they wield and serve. So, with one more sigh he gathers his backpack and starts walking towards the Black Robe, trying to get a better look at his -or her- features. Young? Old? Are the black robes out of personal preference of a yet untested apprentice or are they what the vaunted Test of High Sorcery has decided for this particular person?
"Greetings," he says simply, his tone just a little colder than he would have liked. He quickly changes it to something a little... well, if not friendlier, certainly warmer. "Have you missed the ship as well?"
Zsar holds a hand up. When I was young, there was little food. I learned then what little one could survive on, and for how long. This is only a teithe. True wariness comes when you've gone a week. Feed those who need it more, I will take my rest later. Zsar holds up his hand, making sure he wasn't trembling.But I do wonder, what damage have we truly wrought? Surely we only inconvenienced them. We cannot do this forever.
"I see the elves again show their lack of honour here. And I am no follower of Takhisis human. I..."
He looks out to see then back again then continues.
"I am free of my bonds, the first in my line with a chance at freedom. Now that I am free of my captors i do not wish to battle you and yours. Let me pass." He says matter of fact.
Remy sits in a common room deep in thought. It had been a year since that dreadful day..
It was a day that had started like any other. He had awaken around midday as was his practice back then. He regularly performed at local taverns in the late evenings. Following these performances, the night often involved revelry into the late hours. As a matter of fact, he rarely ended up back at his parents' house until the next day. Not when there were plenty of young ladies and strange beds to visit. The evening before was no exception. He had ended a performance and slept with a young lady he had met. It was from her flat that he returned to his parents' home. Nothing could have prepared him for the scene. It still haunts his dreams.
What if I had been home that morning? Would they still be alive? As he had hundreds of times, he runs through the events in his mind. It was obvious he was the intended target, but why? Tears form in his eyes as he remembers his parents last words...
"You seem blue Remy, should I sing you a song to cheer you up." A female voice startles him from his thoughts. He turns to see the beautiful auburn haired las. The previous year had cramped his style and she was one flower he had yet to pick. He flashes her a charismatic smile. "I could think of no better way to be cheered or no lovelier voice to do it." He stands to offer her his stool. "You look radiant as ever, Kala." He looks deeply into her green eyes as he awaits her song.
Some of the sailors look at you with their eyebrows raised but none make any comment. They are all headed in the direction of the mountain before beneath which stands a canopy which is about a thousand yards away.
You turn towards the ship, a man stands near the gangplank speaking with a Gnome. They are about 30' from you.
"Ah my apologies Acolyte. I thought you were another of these vile little monsters running about. Indeed, I did miss the ship and my Master will be none too happy about it. I am Keyzer Soze and you are?" The man extends a his hand firmly.
Unless of course, you have another solution...".
One of the elves allows slack in his bow and steps to the Druid's ear. The Druid speaks, "Yes. Yes, a wise course of action. Very well then you have two choices bull man. Come with us quietly - stripped of your goods for we do not know what weapon you may carry - to meet with the Arch Druid who will be the final arbiter as to your fate. OR. Step back into the Ocean. Which will it be?" He narrows his eyes awaiting your answer.
Remy nods to Kala and follows her out. He sneaks a peek at her curves as he lets her lead. He lightly guides her with his right hand on the small of her back. Maybe this day is not going to be so bad after all. A sly smile crosses his face.
Looking around he realizes what the other man is talking about, a smile forming on his lips. "Ah."
Turning back to look at the sea and the dock, he sighs. "I am assuming neither will be mine," he agrees. 'Though your Master's disappointment and mine are probably vastly different,' he thinks to himself at the same time, almost breathing a sigh of relief that Master Gwynnth is not of the same Order as Keyzer's.
"I am bound for Sancrist. You would not happen to know of another ship with that destination?"
"Very well." He says meeting the druids gaze.
Zsar sighs. My people are ammong those fodder... the humans, they fight this threat directly, so they not? They die by the hundreds, sending their warriors to their death. Death on both sides... but the Darkqueen is relentless, and her power grows by the Hour. If we are to deflect her, would she not just come back later when she has more minions? The only way to end this is to take the fight to them! Now, I know that we shouldn't meet the armies directly... but what if we where to kill their commanders? Cut off the head of the Dragon, so to speak. Would the body not die as well? Zsar sighs again. I'm sorry, your wisdom is greater than my own, I should not question it.
The smart thing to do would be to find the nearest person and ask directions, try and get his bearings. Eddie didn't have a good track record with smarts though, so he heads for the canopy. He liked crowds, crowds liked him - mostly.
"Of course I want to jump down. I want to see as much as possible. And I can't very well do that from on top of this wagon. Not that it's a bad wagon, mind. It just isn't as limber as I as." And as she says that she spins about and jumps down, eager to see what the town has to offer. She looks around eagerly to try to find the most interesting thing nearby.
The Kender standing next to you shakes his head, "I was just placing the belt pouch back. He dropped it!" The Kender protested as he walked away shaking his hand.
Soze turns back to you, "Need to be careful with the buggers. Constantly lying about stealing.
But where were we? Yes, I suppose we could find another ship, I have plenty of gold". He reaches down for his belt pouch and finds it is gone!
"Little Thieves!"
The Druid speaks, "Arch Druid. We found this prisoner washed up on the shore. He claims he was a slave that was freed when the armies of the Dark Queen were swamped by our magic. I was going to execute him but he argues that he is not our enemy. Still..."
The Arch Druid turns to the Minotaur, "Tell us your story Bull Man".
A table with a spread of food is at the west end of the Canopy. That is where the sailors are gathered the bulk of them are dark skinned men. One breaks off and approaches you, "Fella. Are you lost?"
As you step through the large human city you see all manner of new interesting things both in street bazaars as well s on the persons of various people both Human and Kender. It seems the Kender concentration here is larger than normal due to this "celebration" of the cessation of hostilities.
Despite all of the wonderful sights it is the water that still has you the most intrigued. With the exception of a few side treks you find yourself near the docks in short order.
Soon enough you see a familiar face, Eldren. His robes are not pure white there is a great deal of colored trimming in blue and gold including a blue cowl and cape! That was one human you thought you would never see again. Of all things he is standing next to another human with interesting looking black robes...
After a moment he waits in silence before continuing. "That is my name. Not 'Bull man.'"
Again he pauses before continuing. "A human came to my mas..." he stops, catching himself halfway through that words, almost berating himself internally before correcting himself and continuing. "My CAPTORS, the ogres... were approached by a human. It was his plan they were following. To start the war against the Empire of Falthana."
Remy smiles at his luck. He leads Kala to a local market and purchases some food and a bottle of wine. The two head to the city gates. "Come on lovely!
He steps away from you and an elf in armor approaches. Clearly he is House Protector, "Greetings Revered Daughter, I could not help but overhear your conversation with the Revered Son, may I be of some assistance?" The elf is a tall handsome specimen with silvery black hair and light brown hazel eyes.