In The Fields Where Death Farms


=======
| Reader Note: This has been
| sent to Professor Malkin.
| At the at the Library of Bletherad.
=======

Good Master Chronicler of Light,

Our ‘merry band’ had finally made it to Yggdrasil. The stench of the Necromancer is a foul cloud, covered in a thin veil of manners, fresh cut crops, pleasant faces, and civility! How did the old fable from the Elves go about a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ or something to that effect? This trip has me scarred though! Everything is too perfect, and while I am changed into Hooman form were if not for the evil I can feel emanating beneath the lies. I WOULD WANT TO LIVE HERE! I am worried about how to go back to a peaceful life after even worse trials that face us.

Xerx’ses, you have us to help you ease back in to things. Magos, especially has been tied to many users that saw the fires of war and adjust back once more.

Golden One, the blade speaks true. Your legend now grows among the Wolfen thanks to a clever use of Hannah’s Faerie Foods. You stay alive and I promise I will help you through this rough road. Greatness will be what awaits you if you survive.

Here I went and got ahead of my missive. Good chronicler and future readers I should probably explain why the two of my runic friends felt the need to interject.

~ The 1st of Ra ~

Almost a fortnight out from the city of Haven, it was the first day of the Lord of Light’s month when we nearly killed some of the true victims of the war. We were ambushed by Elves, Orcs, Kobolds, Dwarf, but no Hoomans among them. It took about 12 to 15 grains of sand in an hourglass and the death of one of their band to get them to surrender and reveal information enclosed below in the missive sent to the Pontiff U’Selekma.


Dear Most Holy Pontiff,

CrIsis unconcovered a plot by some Eastern Lord to push forward the war effort and blame the Wolfen for attacks they have *NOT* commited. Father Indaris has copied it into this missive for you. Now the words of the missive we have copied on the following message are in our good priests handwriting, but a faithful replication. We have also included a larger version of the sigil/insignia/device in hopes you may be able to find out what traitor of the Eastern Territories would murder their own people? Sadly, we are well aware allying with the one kingdom not in a war or dark allegiance has somehow made us outcasts once more. We could agree you may have the wisdom to take this information and have a chance to do good with it.

May the Lawgiver have mercy upon this world,

Xerx’ses Goldenhorn


~ The 3rd of Ra ~

A ‘Magical Pigeon Missive’ arrived upon this day alerting us that a ‘third party’ has unleashed their own doppleganger of CrIsis and ReSet upon the folk of that northern land. Called the ‘Blessing’ of all things by some pretender demi-god in the form of an ancient, evil, villianous Kildred Warlock called Terosh. I must have been having a bad few weeks because seeing these pretenders think that they have any chance of winning. Even if I die another will take up the torch of light and the wave of the Lawgiver will not be averted. His day will come!

Brother Rrgrllaph’s, findings upon this obstacle will be put to good. . .

. . .Master Ja’Deir and Master Ursus and are running around naked because they feel the day is muggy, but this is not the Yin-Sloth Jungles by any means!

~ The 4th of Ra ~

A little over two years ago I joined CrIsis but what I have not run across before was seeing people with the same name. I took my first father’s name upon the ritual that proclaimed me an officialy trained adept and I hope I am carrying it forward with honor. However, I have yet to meet, or become aware of two people living at the same time with the same name! Especially, when one of them is a goodly ranger and the other is a necromancer! Wraith is the moniker both have gone by for different motivations, but both were designed to illicit fear and grim respect.

We were led to a hidden Wolfen and Coyle base in the disputed lands. Did you know about Coyles? They are Hooman sized walking animals such as myself. Though both Wolfen and Coyles have legs that resemble the animals whom they acquired their names from. Minotaurs have legs like Hoomans, Elves, and Dwarves. Fascinating indeed!!!

Before a feast everyone talked as I sat off to the side embarassed about not realizing two people could have the same name. Wolfen children kept running up to me and trying to touch me as a dare among friends. They so much alike to Hoomans, why can’t people see that, is their no way to help Hoomans overcome this inferiority complex about things they don’t understand? During the feast Yggdrasil and the undead plague was once again mentioned I opened my mouth and said I would purge the town like our group did in the infamous southern jungles. While I was making my statement I had forgotten I was eating the faerie holy cheese made by Mistress Hannah. Once I began glowing it was taken as a sign of some form of divine blessing of my statement and all was settled. I think great and all-knowing Thoth would have found a chuckle at the chain of events.

~ The 10th of Ra ~

We finished making it to the base of the eastern side of the Shattered Mountains. Where the surface looks as though below something had exploded the mountain in the past times. Then the remanents fell back upon the land and the rumble formed the mountains before us. Thank the Gods of Light I had learned to climb and mountaineering.

~ The 13th of Ra ~

We finished making it to the top of the Shattered Mountains.

~ The 14th of Ra ~

On our first day down the mountain’s western side we came across a sight from our encampment. A cabin built up here on the steep shale strewn crest of the Shattered Mountains. *”OH SHALE NO!”* was my reply about wanting to go check out anyone that lived like that hermit, Haladriel! I was forced to drop a Sleep Spell Cloud to stop Hannah and Ja’Deir from going to the creepy cabin on the mountaintop. I laid them both down out of the cloud, and when they awoke our Faerie Princess thought going to the cabin was a dream and abandoned the idea. I put my hand behind my back and made the gesture to cancel the cloud.

~ The 16th of Ra ~

We finished making it to the base of the western side Shattered Mountains.

~ The 18th of Ra ~

I finish this mentioning that forests tend to safer than jungles from what I can tell, however, the world at large is dangerous and unpredictable. What often during this process of trekking through the wilderness surprised my friends and Master Rainier. Was the lack of noise I made in the Harness of Law, to which I am still eternally greatful to its ‘creator’ for. Halfway through the day we make it to the edge of the woods and I had Callandor drawn and ready to begin slogging through the undead army. The army that we had been “repeatedly” told to us was awaiting our arrival.

None of us were prepared for the most cruel veneer of false peace and prosperity!!!

I broke in my mind. We have been lied to, tortured, moved as pawns by good and evil powers that be. I have been rebuked by my savior and the fear of being sent home because Lady Isis feels I cannot complete my promise to see my lord restored. I saw every perfect farm, every content looking person in the field transform into undead as the sun went down in the sky! I snapped my eyes and shook my head to realize it was still day and I was seeing a hallucination. I knew this place needed to be cleansed before the pollution of the false peace corrupted my companions!

Realizing my shape, I asked my companions for a few minutes and went back into the trees and changed back into a hoom form. I pulled forth my set of very nice traveling clothes a noble explorer of the Old Kingdom city state of Sulestan might have; human sized, clothing of Elvish make and fashion. Onward we began our tour into the town, and everything looked so sickingly perfect. I have seen most small towns seem weary of strangers and yet all we saw were smiles and waves. Even Master No Name picked up a conversation. While our shapechanging ranger started crying out about how BORING everything was (he also relieved himself on the side of the road in front of everone). We met a guard from the Yggdrasil militia, and when he told us about the restuarant with boar off went Master Ursus. It was very soon we followed in tow as the guard was told about us by Father Indaris and provided one of his books to the guard to bring to the Mayor. Looks like were to have a meeting later.

Sure enough that meeting was creepy because I drew Callandor when he was not looking in my direction and the blade caught flame! Knowing we had found the necromancer I put the blade back to avoid the evil mage’s gaze. Sadly, none of the others saw the runic flame, ARGH! A thought occured to me to make a story about a rumor of a necromancer in the area, so I asked about the “rumor” directly. The crafty dark wizard played it off well asking for his assistants to work it into the lore of the town to drag in more tourism. Alas my mental might was shown once more for being short in stature among those of strong minds.

The better minds among our ‘merry band’ issued our apologies for being unable to stay, and we made our way out of town on the side that lead out to the legendary tree. I almost convince Father Indaris to help me wipe the town and its hidden deathly presence.

~ The 19th of Ra ~

The end of last night’s discussion was that I would cast magic on everyone that could not change form and we would re-enter the town to gain some investigation knowledge. That morning like every morning on this adventure Master Rainier had gone off for food and them commune with nature. Father Indaris revealed a vision he got from Lady Isis that if we don’t free this area of the wrenching hand of death’s embrace a fire will burn that will burn all of Palladium. With magic forms active we walked back into town and Master Ursus walked over to the to try out the “Tall Tale Game” on the town folk!

“WOW THAT TREE!!!! FRICKING HUGE!!!!”

Sure enough he gathered a huge crowd and the rest of us snuck into town. He just began telling taller tales about the tree with HUGE exaggerations on a few rumors from what we learned at Bletherad. Masters Ja’Deir and No Name check out the town and we found out A LOT of the guards are undead to which I replied with the paranoid jitters justified (and happy I was not going to let the promise I made to the wolfen down),
“Why aren’t we murdering them for good?”

Just before I entered with the others into the Mayor’s office our Faerie Princess stopped me and informed me that the Great Phoenix Goddess, Bennu, wished her to leave so she might gain training. I asked if she was to become an alchemist like another former member. Flettering around she laughed and told me, no that was not her task but she must leave now.

With that I lost sight of her as she buzzed out of our lives. I caught up with the others in the office while fiding out Master No Name has changed into a ghost and is below investigating the hidden rooms in the basements, yes basements, below the office. I update Father Indaris as to our Faerie Princess’ departure and now we wait for word about what is found below.

Etrinus Fortem,

Xerx’ses Goldenhorn,
War Wizard of CrIsis,
aka: Captain Osric Orghallar of Rogtilda


>> Written by Xerx’ses Goldenhorn, upon the 19th of Ra, 3rd year of King Guy the First of the Timiro Kingdom, 71st Year of the Wolfen Empire, 344 year of the Dominion of Man, and 24th Year of the Western Emperor Voelkian Itomas II. <<


Art by AZ_Rune.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.