Lightning cracked and rushed from Luthers fingers toward the dwarves. Grumpy moved quickly placing his white shield bravely forward. The magic of the shield reflected the attack back to the dragon mage.
The demon knew he could not win, not and keep his purpose, so he fled as fast as he could. He collided with a wooden man.
The tree man spoke as a breeze across his leaves, "you were with the other organics, the girl. Where is she?"
"Yes, good sir, I can take you to her. View my mind and teleport us. We shall find her. Time is on our side."
The explosion of fire almost threw them to the ground. Luther had ended his struggle with the dwarves and was coming for him, "quickly friend I am the only way to her."
He teleported the demon out of the darkwood and to the camp of zyr. Time indeed was on his side. across
The organics had escaped, before the Grand Pumba arrived. There was a great deal of argument stating they should have just killed them, they were responsible for the destruction of the lantern and the chaos of the city. However, he did not believe that. Especially the one. He found an innate favorability to her, as though there was an innate unseen connection. She could not be the villain he knew it.
He must find her, and study the connection and understand it. Yes, it was simply to study and understand. Though, it was true he would enjoy looking upon her again. He would enjoy to be near her again. In his pondering, he began to wonder if she felt the same connection, if she would look forward to seeing him again. It seemed crazy but it was as if before he saw her his database was incomplete but the variable which was missing was unknown to him until now.
The variable, her, completed his equation. He must find her again.
He would convince Polaridin to take him from city 01 and from the outside he would find her. He would complete the equation.
The goblins worshipped these nightengales as their gods, or messengers of their god. And the nightengale armor had a holy symbol on it that matched the sketches in the captains book. And the goblins had made him their chief.
So in order to find this fountain of lucky water all he had to do was order them to take him there. They took it all as a holy edict and matched out into the wild. They were headed for something called the shadow path or the shrouded way, the trail of the nightengale.
From his days with the agency he knew of nightengales. Best thieves in the world, they had unnatural luck always able to slip through unoticed. Tapping the source of that luck would lead to treasure and success beyond imagination.
It was obvious something else had been there. Traps sprung and broken, dead nightengales litter the ground and dragon bones in piles. The goblins, a superstitious lot, does in droves leaving him alone.
The leading man easily worked to the center of the temple. Though as luck would have it, there was only a dry fountain and no treasure. He searched and searched again until he found just a few drops pooled in a crack between rocks. He dipped his finger in and let the drops run down into his mouth.
A female voice strained through the chamber, "my link to the world closed when the skeleton key removed, luck has run dry. Return it to me."
Ah a quest then, perfect for the leading man.
All he needed was a clue as to who did this. As luck would have it, he saw a dagger on the ground that was just that.
The following in a non cannon apocraphal work by genevan bards to celebrate the dawn of the keeper, genevas most holy holiday. When I found it I wanted to share it.
All the Genevans in Atlanta love the light a lot,
but Malekite who lived just west of Geneva did not.
He hated the light -the isles whole mission.
Please Don't ask why No one quit knows the reason.
It could his one wing wasn't attached just right.
It could be perhaps his gauntlets were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all may have been that his heart was two sizes to small.
But whatever the reason, his wing or his gauntlets might.
He stood there in his Empire hating the light.
Staring down from his throne,
At the the Genevans happy home.
For he knew every Genevan in Atlanta below
Was headed to a temple their prayers to bestow.
"And they are offering sacrifices." He said with a shear,
"The dawn of the keeper its practically here."
Then he howled his one wing beating,
"I must find a way to Keep the dawn retreating."
For tomorrow he knew all the Genevans Would awake bright and early, leave all their wares.
And then oh the prayers. Oh the prayers prayers prayers.
That's one thing he hated, the prayers prayers prayers.
And then they did something he hated most of all.
Every genevan down in Atlanta. The tall and the small.
Would stand close together with temple bells ringing.
They'd stand hand in hand and start singing. There can be miracles when you believe...
The more Malekite thought of the hymn of hope sing
The more he thought "I must stop this whole thing.
For years and years I've put up with this thing.
I must stop the dawn from coming."
But how?
Then he got an idea, an awful idea,
Malekite got a wonderful awful idea.
"I know just what ill do." Malekite laughed in this throat.
And he made a quick logar-esqe cape and a cloak.
"What a great evil trick." The one winged grinned.
"With this cape and this cloak, I look like the rider of wind."
"All I need is a Pegasus..."
Malekite looked around.
But since Pegasus were scarce their were none to be found.
So he called his consort Samantha. Then he took some blue thread
And cast a polymorph off the top of his head.
Then malekite said, "giddap."
And the mount started down
Toward Atlanta where the genevans lay a snooze in their beds.
All their Windows were dark. Quiet filled the air.
All the genevans were all dreaming sweet dreams without care.
When he came to the first temple on the square.
This is stop number one the old malekite mogath hissed
And he climbed to the roof empty bags in his fist.
Then he slid past the wards. A rather tight pinch.
But if logar could do it, so could vegeta.
Then he found the little gold shrines all laid in a row.
"These shrines," he grinned, "are the first things to go."
Then he slithered and slunk, with his smile again,
Around the whole isle, he killed every paladin.
Altars, and incense, cannon and shrines,
Holy symbols, tithes, and sacrifices in no time.
He stuffed them all in bags of holding.
Then one by one, on the sacrifical bread he cast molding.
He grabbed an altar and started to shove,
When he heard a small sound like the COO of a dove.
He turned around fast and he saw a young priestess.
Little elaina mogath, who truth him the leastest.
Malekite had been caught by his tiny daughter
Who'd got out of bed to pray at the altar.
She stared at the one wing and said, "logar why,
Why are you taking our altar why?"
But you know that old angel was so smart and so slick
Ht thought up a lie and he thought it up quick.
"Why my sweet little servant," the fake mogath lied,
"There incense on this altar that won't burn on one side.
So I'm taking back to Olympus my dear.
I'll fix it up there. Then ill bring it back here."
His fun fooled the child. Then he patted her head and sent her to bed.
And the one speck of food he left in the house
Was a crumb even too small for a mouse.
Then he did the same thing
To all the other light temples
Leaving tithes much to small
For the other gods coffers.
It was a quarter past sunrise...
He took the isle to the sea
All the genevans still a snooze.
When he loaded his chariot, with glee
Packed it with up with their tithes, their shrines, the paladin souls.
The altars, their bells that would toll.
Thousands of miles down, to the shores of styx,
He rode with his load to dump with a kick.
"Pooh pooh to Genevans" he was vilishly humming.
"They are finding out now that no dawn is coming!
They just wake up, I know just what they will do
Their mouths will hang open for a moment or two
Then the genevans in Atlanta will all cry boo hoo"
"That's a noise," grined the one wing"that I simply must hear!"
So he paused and placed a hand to his ear.
And he did hear a sound rising over the morning glow
It started in low then it stated to grow.
But the sound wasn't sad!
Why that sound sounded glad!
Every genevan down in Atlanta, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any paladin at all!
There can be miracles if you believe,
Though hope is frail its hard to kill.
He hadn't stopped the dawn of the keeper from coming.
It came!
Somehow or another it came just the same!
And malekite with his feet wet in the styx,
Stood puzzling: "how could it be so?
It came without temples, it came without a shrine!
It came without paladins, or symbols it came right on time"
He puzzled until his puzzled was sore.
Then he thought of something he hadn't before!
"Maybe the Dawn," he thought, " doesn't come from the isle.
Maybe the Light...perhaps...he could never defile!"
And what happenned then...?
Well in Atlanta they say
That vegetas small heart
Grew three sizes that day!
And the minute his heart didn't feel quite so tight,
He whizzed with his load through the bright morning light
And he brought back the souls! And raised with isle with his rope!
And he, malekite himself ...
Sang the hymn of hope!
Tiiiime is on my side. Yes it is. The demon thought as he observed the city. The three dwarves he travelled with were full of rage after what had happenned and they felt helpless as wounded as they were. They were leaving city 01 despite it being at its most vulnerable. He could not possess the golemns, at least not yet, so he needed the dwarf bodies to continue. But could he leave Zyrs enemies stronghold when he had the oppertunity to destroy them?
The dwarves had the right idea, destroy the lamps and let the chaos magic do the work. If he could plan this right, his ride out would remain free of danger and the city would die.
Speaking through docs mouth he gave orders and doopy grumpy and bashful obeyed. One by one they worked through the city. Grumpys shield of reflection protecting bouncing back blows, and doopys hammer bringing down lamps. He was only concerned once when they got surrounded too far from the lamp post, but it worked to bait in dozens for when bashful snuck up and destroyed it unseen. The golemns all fizzled out as their protection gave way.
He felt victory was just a matter of time, and time he had. Yes it is. Until a very confusing thing happenned. The golemns attempted to parley, they sent a dwarf looking golemn forward. "Please master dwarves we beg mercy. Our city is in chaos and ruin. The voice of Apocalypse is gone hundreds of our comrads are dead. Our religion to malekite has been taken from us, all we know is the last thought from the lantern was to forsake malekite and we have. We are at your mercy and we beg only to have the right you enjoy, the right to live."
He knelt before the demon and the demon considered what he had just heard. They no longer served Malekite, broken and confused sheep. Their destruction, while profitable now seemed a waste by comparison.
"Your salvation rests in my grip. My master wishes to end this war as he wishes to end all war. in the end every knee will bow and every tounges confess, but you may join the fold by choice. Let vegeta be your lord and we can destroy the god who forsook you."
Stepping out from an impressive invisibility spell was Polaridian Tel al Mordin. "We reject the offer, what else you got? My current favorite is I erase you all with a wave of my wrist and go on with my day."
It was time. Her great victory close very close. While she agreed with many of Emperor Sithis teachings, she knew his great lie -- it was not strength that gave power, but will. The will to do what needed to be done. She had that. Sacrificed her family of Dark Sisterhood, betrayed her master and killed Scorpio, and Astrid. Her beloved Astrid was lost to her now. The hard sacrifice was over. What will was needed for the remainder paled by comparison. All she must do now is kill the remaining sith who may chose to be loyal to Emperor Sithis over her. She was numb to killing family, The shock wears off after the first few times.
That was not true. The death of Astrid stung her deeply. It was because she had loved her that it hurt so deeply. Perhaps that was why she let her die. She wanted to hurt herself today, just to see if she could still feel.
Standing at the door to the sith sanctuary well hidden under city 01 where Emperor Sithis had placed his Golemns, she focused on her pain. Closing her eyes, the pain was the only thing that was real. She took a shot of moon sugar. The shot was an old and familiar sting she used to try and calm the pain. It did not work....I remember everything. I killed the only person I truly loved just to test if I was numb. What have I become?
The doors swung open easily and she strode in wearing her Nightshade armor. They greeted her warmly. why wouldn't they? I'm their friend.Start with the helpless, poison another and work my way through. Do not stop until they are all dead. It did not matter. Everyone she knew went away in the end.
When it was finished she brought in Astrid's ashes and just held them. She looked over the sanctuary the last Sith. She looked back to the ashes and asked her friend, "What have I become my sweetest friend? Everyone I know goes away in the end. But I would give it all to you to come back. You could have it all." She looked over the silent tomb she had consecrated to her own malice. "My Empire of dirt." Resisting tears she continued, "I'm sorry. I let you down. I made you hurt." The ashes gently fell from Raven's grip as she walked toward the throne built to house the spirit of Malekite. Ash by ash the remains of her love slipped through her fingers. She turned and sat on the throne made of twisted steel and bone--The liar's chair.
All alone and victorious she looked over her kingdom in her mind and found only broken thoughts which she could not repair. Getting lost in her own mind she embraced he thoughts and memories buried far beneath the stains of time to where her feelings disappeared.
She was young, but not too young for her father. He told her mother to leave, and like an obedient woman she did. She froze the memory it was too much. The little girl in the memory looked up at her. Through this mirror of decades the child said wrapped in pain and loneliness, "I am Raven Carmen Esmerdeen. You are someone else, but I am still right here."
The sith wept with the child and wrapped her in her arms, safe in her own mind she cried, "What have I become, my sweetest friend?"
The little girl Raven pulled away and looked a full circle around her seeing the carvan now as the sith left it with parents burning. Raven said to the Sith, "Everyone I know goes away in the end. But do you save me?"
The Sith replied, "If you do what I did you could have it all. My new Empire..." Raven looked up her last innocent gaze before Esmerdeen stole it from her gripping the Sith to a heart she was surprised still managed to beat, "...of dirt. No I'm afraid even I will let you down, I will make you ... hurt."
Then Raven leaned down and looked the little girl in her tear stained eyes and said, "If I could start again, a million miles away. I would keep myself, I would find away."
"You look troubled Dark Lord. Did I not fulfill my promise? Your greatest desire in exchange for your help. Power and the destruction of your enemies is now at hand. With your actions today the end of Malekite is assured and you have the keys to the Sith Kingdom." The angel Khan spoke calmly and evenly, as he always did.
Raven removed herself from her meditation and looked upon the creature with silence.
"But power is not truly your greatest desire is it? It is forgiveness." Raven stood silent her bones shaking, "And after meeting and testing Captain Morgan you believe its possible."
After the longest moment of silence, contemplation, realization, relief, and hesitance Khan spoke, "I know how you feel. As you now are I once was, as I now am you may become.
When you try your best, but you don't succeed When you get what you want, but not what you need When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep"
She was tired, so very tired. Tired of always running, and doing what was necessary, tired of having nothing and no one. She had always got what she wanted but never once had she got what she needed-- a chance.
Pointing to the blowing ashes upon the ground Khan continued,
"And the tears come streaming down your face When you lose something you can't replace When you love someone, but it goes to waste Could it be worse?
The Light will guide you home And ignite your soul And I will try to fix you"
Falling to her knees Raven bleed tears her all powerful self hatred speaking, "There is no salvation for me."
"But if you never try you'll never know Just what you're worth
Let the Light guide you home And ignite your soul
I will try to fix you"
He reached down and with the hand of an angel he wiped the tears from he face. "Tears stream down your face When you lose something you cannot replace Tears stream down your face And I..."
She interrupted. If forgiveness was possible she wanted it. Then she vowed.
"I promise you I will learn from my mistakes Tears stream down your face And I...
Light will guide me home And heal my soul. And I will try to fix me."
Balthier was not exactly clear on the specifics but he was pretty sure these goblins had made him their chief. he spoke goblin but this was a strange dialect.
He sat on a strange bone and stone throne and was presented with a sceptor of sorts. It was made from a petrified spine and skull of some sabretooth cat. They paraded daughters adorned in feathers and blood before him. He laughed and said in common. "Cats yes, dogs no thanks." They looked confused but then started chanting something about a bird.
They then paraded out an idol. It was not just an idol it was a suit of armor, it was then Balthier realized they weren't saying bird, they were saying nightengale. And it is their god. "Oh this is interesting, very interesting."
The clans of Gritorn and Bosmer were defeated. The proud greens and the deadly blacks alike over run and unprepared for the onslaught that met them. Never would they have thought a force or any combination of armies could best a single one of them. The thought that entire clans could be defeated, until recently, defied imagination. Tasked by the Savior to guard the western border from the forsworns forces they made their stand in the vast marshes and swamp lands. For days the battles rang on until both Gritorn and Bosmer were exhausted fighting their immortal opponents.
The stars were brightly shining, as the Pit Fiend general flew into the defeated dragons camp. He spoke with a voice transported from hell, "Long has the multiverse suffered with war and discord. Until Zyr came the bringer of peace. You fight us but the world should rejoice. For with your defenses down, yonder breaks a new and glorious mourn." He pointed to the eastern sky where the first shades of light relieved the long black of night. "It is your first morning in the service of the One Winged Angel. He who shall bring peace to us all. Fall to your knees!" The command was enforced by Abashi and similar demons striking the knees of the beaten dragons. "Hear the demons singing:"
Then the hellish chorus joined in singing with their evil hiss and hymn they must all know and sang it in the infernal tounge:
Truly he taught us to serve one another, His law is order and is gospel is peace, Chains shall he break for the enemy is our brother, and in his name all oppression shall cease, Let all within us praise his holy name.
The crowd fell silent and the defeated clans hope for death disappeared. They knew they would be made to serve Zyr, either willingly or possessed compelled and eventually consumed by the demon horde.
Vincence, the leader of the Bosmer clan thought painfull, Perhaps they are right. If we can not stop him who can? And if he can not be stopped he will end all war with his rule.
The Red Saints staff blasted a beam of holy light against the starry night as if he were Apollo himself. The demons scattered from it but it did not matter. The legion of angels conjured and bent to his service now easily slayed the beast with their broken formations. The demons in a matter of weaks he had forced the demons north and found them holed up in an ancient hyrule city. He wanted to spend more time gathering Harmonium forces before he started his campaign against Zyr. Yet, he knew the greatest tool he had to recruit the just to his cause was victory. As he gained just victory over the forsworn the just would find and follow him. Justice begat justice.
For long has this world lay in sin and error pinning. Victory would bring hope and cause the world to rejoice. The Red Saint was here to bring a new and glorious morn.
Exodus held the Balor leader captive with the help of two Harmonium.
"Fall on your knees." The Harmonium told him with a strike to the back of the head just as the Red Saint approached.
The Red Saint began to evoke his blesssing, "On this night divine. I have led the light by faith serenely beaming."
The Demon spat back, "You fight the great uniter, he who shall end all war. It is only his law that matters. Defeat me yes, but defeat him shall not be done. I will never aid you."
The Red Saint knew he spoke the truth and with a single line from the Vega the Balor was dust.
Turning then to his ranks of faithful and conscripted angels he lifted his hand to gain their attention and earn their silence.
Exodus called out the verse:
The Red Saints Law is Just and his gospel supreme, Chains shall he bring and make the unjust our slave, And in his name all unjustice shall cease, Sweet Hymns of Joy in grateful chorus raise we, Let all within us praise his holy name.
The cheers echoed throughout the night. The Holy Night where the Saint continued his campaign to bring justice to an unjust world and started his campaign to rid that world of all things Zyr.
Mordin felt the weight of the world. Whose shoulders would it rest on if not his? His brethren dieing fighting an unkillable enemy, broke his heart. He thought that once galan was in charge the isle would be reasonable once again, but alas he appears just as foolish as Atrayu. Maybe more so, releasing zyr is much worse than anything Atrayu had done.
It had forced him to align with Malekite. While the agreement was very profitable he still had reservations. Malekites strength was failing. Khan seemed to be outsmarting him at every turn. Malekite remained convinced he could kill zyr whenever he wanted and just wanted to properly prepare. That preperation seemed to mean drawing all his strength to city 01 to protect the golemns. And left mordin again to fight alone.
He was not left entirely empty handed. He had traded his knowledge to further perfect the golemns for them mass producing soliders of his design. The golemn sentinel was a work of perfection. Like a beholder with seven stalks all casting a different defensive or offensive spell along with their inherent mobility and immunites turned the course of the war on the blood isles.
Though that victory maybe short lived, the empress with her short sites obsession issued and edict to turn over the golemns or be destroyed. She forced his hand...it was he that suggested to malekite using the spirit bomb to level andrel. He would not be struck first. They would be too busy rebuilding to worry about him. The attack would rightfully be blamed on the golemns and malekite and that is where her fury would go. He could focus on defeating vegeta.
He held on to hope, even if it was a fools hope. He would save the world alone if he must.
Balthier walked the beach. The water was too salty to drink. 3 days since he left the path, which meant 3 days without food, water or RUM.
The sand was warm though he figured if he had to starve to death at least he'd be warm, besides he was sure their would be hundreds of stories about the adventures of the leading man lost in the darkwood. And that was something.
Standing between two massive feet of what must have been a giagantic statue, He looked up at the sky watching buzzards circle around him. Then he saw hiding behind the trees what looked like a sail. Venturing off the warm beach and into the woods he found the sail attached to a whole ship. It was worn and overgrown, must have been thrown inland by a storm. Entering through a gaping hole in the side he looked to see what there was to see.
A few dead bodies, all look like they were torn apart, a set of chains that were unlocked... Interesting since the twenty other chains held the remains of dead captives. Maybe 10 years dead or so. A small bag or two of gold but of course ...no rum.
He eventually made his way to the captains quarters. The skeleton sat in his chair and stared our the window holding a small parchment in his hand. Balthier went right for his desk, found a log and a medallian some maps and useless junk. He popped the false bottom of the second drawer and found the greatest treasure in all the land.
Drinking his new found riches he read the captains log. It told of a goddess named nocturn. Something to do with shadow twilight and luck. The captian was obviously very devote in his worship and hoped to find a lost temple to her here along the southern coast of the darkwood. He wrote of a fountain poured by her hand that gave the drinker nocturns luck. But what most caught his interest was the skeleton key. It could open any lock...physical or magical or otherwise. In hopes to drink at the fountain it was said many wealthy thieves paid vast wealth in tribute that must now rest in the lost temple.
Closing the book the finished his rum and took the parchment from the captains hand. A map...of course, it seemed the leading man was meant to court lady luck.
After a well deserved nap on silk sheets he set off into the darkwood. He threw away the map, he wanted to test his luck.
The Red saint examined the city of doors as he travelled the streets. It had been a thousand of years since he last journeyed to the cage and much had changed...yet it was exactly the same. All the factions debated and even fought to prove their philosophy. Some made allies among factions who held similar views such as the fraternity of order. The people had changed but the same debates alliances and hatreds existed.
He had only enough keys to bring exodus and himself. Though justice was on his side and there could be no greater ally. He stood before the the Guvners and reported his actions, werebouts over this long time and articulated his request. He had found the section of the multiverse he had been charged with fallen into deep injustice and chaos. Men bullied the gods and stole their power using it to punish the innocent, those who claimed to fight for justice released the true vegeta into the world, and all friendships broke in the pursuit if racial bloodlust. It was not his fault. He was within inches of creating a just world when Tyr interferred. It was no surprise that the pretend protectors of his jurisdiction, which followed Tyr, had created such a world.
They needed to be stopped and justice dealt to each of them. For this the Saint called upon allies, some long forgotten. They found in his favor and produced the required edict.
From their he travelled to the Harmonium stronghold. They welcomed their old brother. Much had changed, with the faction wars and the church of rebirth the harmoniums influence across the multiverse had greatly diminished. Excited for the return of their powerful ally they rallied to his cause. They would take back their place in the multiverse and restore order and uphold justice, starting with the red saint as a center of strength.
They gifted him the armor, the gave him the weapon, they drafted him men. He would bring them justice.
While many things change only two things last forever...the law and the harmonium.
............. Raven wasn't even sure why she was killing them. It use to have a purpose behind it. These orcs had done nothing and posed no threat, no one was paying her to do it, and yet she killed them. At first it was amusing to strike one down and watch them panic and flutter about. Though she had seen death so much in her line of work that the temporary joy quickly gave way to her professional perfectionism. Its a sad day when even slaughtering a whole village can't make you smile. She thought to herself. Yet, it did feel good to kill, very good but joy was not the word for it. It was as if killing for a moment let her breath from under the weight of what she had become.
All she wanted was to escape and run away from her father. She did that and Balthier left her with no where to go. At least she was out of the caravan and no man would ever touch her again unless she allowed it. She had allowed Balthier several times and then he just left her there in Reddas alone.
She wasn't helpless though living on the Caravan she learned how to pick a pocket and hide in the shadows, skills very valuable in Reddas. Desperate she got caught one day and was forced to kill a man who was going to kill her for stealing his gold. She realized then it was not power that made one powerful but instead just the will to act. The will to loose your bow to slit a throat the will to survive could be harnessed into power, She started picking up jobs that were simple and only required the will to do them--the killing of innocence.
There were plenty of those jobs, gave lots of practice to sharpen her skills and coin to improve her life and skill. Reputation grew much faster than her ambition and soon a group of assassins, the Black Sacrament, contacted her. They were upset that contracts they use to be contacted for were going to Raven. In turn, they tried to kill her. She survived the attempt only by sacrificing a friend of hers to act as a double. She had long since stopped feeling bad about that. The one attempt wasn't the last. Eventually they gave her a choice be one of us or be hunted by us. Joining was not a horrible decision. She actually counted it as one of the best she had ever made. They loved her and treated her like family, better than any family she had ever known anyway. They provided for her, trained her and taught her. The killings were tougher but the whole family was involved. She became extremely good at what she did, and she learned that killing was no different than any other job, easier than most really. Until a new boss took over the Black Raven and gave the family the same choice it had given Raven those years ago -- join or die. The family did not die and was betrayed from within. Nastril, he primary mentor, poisoned the family and sent them on contracts to kill each other. Raven found out too late, failed to save her brothers and sisters and barely earned her own life as she choked the life out of Nastril.
On her own again, she still helped and slept with Balthier on occasion, it was something to do. To pay the bills she did what she knew how to do. It was Balthier that enlisted her in a job that had the Empire's capital Andreal as the target. He made it out, leaving her behind in favor of some Paladin.
For a while she rotted in an imperial prison then offered release if she served the then Emperor. It was going to be an easy job one that did not even require too much killing. She was a glorified babysitter in Windfall, spending most nights drunk on more mead than was reasonable. Until Nial came back and told her they found her father. She thought killing her parents would bring happiness or fill the emptiness which consumed her.
But it didn't. Somehow her fear had turned into anger and that anger held to her heart. It grew into hatred and boiled her soul. It was then the Sith found her and offered her a job. In exchange they taught her how to harness her hatred and anger so that it did not consume her but gave her weapons to let her do what she needed to do. But they were not the Black Sacrament, they were not her family. The Sith hated her and tortured her to make her stronger claiming and teaching that only strength mattered and even told her that one day she would kill them or they would kill her. She hoped to find some family among her own blood, but the Caravan looked at her as if she was a monster. As if I could have been worse than Esmerdeen. I'M not him!!!!
It was worse after she started using her brothers as bait for her targets and killing the gypsy's which tried to leave. Curse them.
She did eventually find a family to make. A vampire coven had been recently created in the Grey Haven's by Aaron, the same Aaron who served Dante she believed. But they had been abandoned just like her. Killing their defacto Matron she took over and purged the coven of all male vampires. She provided leadership and direction, they clung to her purpose and gave loyalty in return. That was not all, they also gave love. Astrid provided companship Raven had forgot she could hope for. Was it just more filling of a void or was it really love? A vampire and a sith assassin. Is either of us monsters capable of love?
And now it was almost time for her plan to be executed. The plan that would kill all the families she had tried to build and would finally grant her safety--she just needed the will to do what was necessary. She had shadowed Morgan and thought, if Morgan could be redeemed so could she, but the thought was laughable... in order to be redeemed you have to have been good once. Fear, anger, hate. They all boiled in her now. These deaths served no purpose nor did they make her feel better. She hated so many people for what they had done to her she hated the people that had made her who she was. Who did she hate the most, what fueled her immense power in the darkside? Hatred for? Nastril, Balthier, Esmerdeen, Cleo, malekite, Scorpio. No! No! No! No! Who really did it? Who really makes you unsaveable?
Raven returned with the druid safely in a bag of holding. She was going to chain her up with the other prisoners. She had kept Wesker and the dwarves chained in sith chains, which neutralized their abilities, in one great room facing each other. As she enterred, She heard razor argueing with Astrid who stood brave and full of conviction before the Red Lantern Commander keeping her post the guard the prisoners, "I answer to Raven-- not you."
Razor retorted, "this is Apokolip's city, the city of the lantern, I lead the lanterns and I will not have these organics in my city."
Raven stepped out of the shadows, "keep your jurisdiction in your pants, I'm charged by the Emperor directly with keeping your lord safe, don't question my methods lest I consider you a threat."
"There are many of the lantern's children who already think you are a threat Raven. Bringing our enemies into our city when there is nothing to be gained from them and with Scorpio focusing the force on the lantern and using it to touch the minds of the children, they will not tolerate it much longer, they doubt your resolve, I doubt your resolve."
Without a word Raven drew her blade of woe and shoved it up through the chin of sneezy directly into her brain pulling the blade out through Sneezy's face in one fluid motion splitting the dwarves face in two. "How's that for resolve? They still play a purpose don't question me or your face could look just as lovely."
Razor narrowed his eyes, "You and your vampires and your sith watch yourselves, because I will be watching." As he left in a whirlwind of fire, Grumpy spoke in a horse voice heavily laquered in anger, "Nor should you doubt my resolve whore."
Astrid slapped the dwarf draining part of his life on contact. "You will be wise not to threaten the shrouded mistress."
Grumpy grimaced and continued, "It does not matter what you do to me, in this life or the next, with a soul or as an undead I will have my vengence."
Raven took three long strides toward the dwarf, "Then with that kind of resolve it would be foolish to leave you alive."
Happy interjected, "Grumpy! channel your anger at the real enemy here. It is not her, she is a victim of circumstance, it has been said you tell the quality of a person by how they treat those they do not need to be nice too. Despite all the pressure to harm us, she only holds us her until made to act by another. This Scorpio she answers too is the obvious villain."
Raven looked over at Happy and pulled a vile from her belt, "I couldn't agree more that Scorpio is the cause of your suffering dwarf." She poured the liquid on her curved blade of woe. "The poison is made from a berry that only grows in the darkwood. Not deadly but extremely painful. It ignited the blood, most people would scream for hours even after they pass out." Standing in front of the mute dull eyed Doopy she continued, "I also agree you can tell the quality of a person by how they treat those who they don't have to be kind to." She drives the blade deep into Doopy's side perfectly splitting some ribs. Making eye contact with happy she continued, "He is mute so can't scream, perhaps that is merciful to the rest of you." Turning to Astrid Raven spoke as she strode out, "the coven can feed on grumpy just don't turn him. What does that tell you about the quality of person I am?"
Luthor will be in his tower getting ready to
build a massive army of Golemns that would be able to serve his people and win
the war against Zyr , but the problem was and even he knew it building up a
army of golemns would still take a lot of time. Working in his tower almost to
the point of exhaustion at times and stressing out about the war that was
taking place on the blood isle he worked like his life and people depended upon
it. Then suddenly he had a visitor that would change everything. He hears a pop
in the room next to him and he yells who is that!!!
Malakite
Fear not its your friend and Ally Malakite.
Luthor
Some Ally
you bring the sith to Draconia and you did a crapy job of making sure that Zyr
didn’t escape.
Malakite
Yes well you
can thank those fools in Geneva for that especially Gallin Drackus and Dante.
They were the ones that engineered his escape and sent military action against my
sith forces whos side do you really think they really are on? They are on their
own side just like you are Luthor. Logar says that there is a good and evil but
in reality good and evil aren’t they really just a point of view aren’t they?
Luthor
Luthor being
tired and exhausted will look at him in silence and will actually think about
what he was saying.
Malakite
I mean it
was you not Dante that united the Dragons against the Dark one. It was you not
Gallin that tried to keep Zyr imprisoned. It was Drackus that stopped you from doing that. I mean these so called
leaders of the light are nothing but hypocrites. Then there’s me I mean I am on
your side yea I sent sith to help you keep Zyr imprisoned, it was you and I
that used our followers our forces our people that we used to keep the great
all Fathers kingdom intact. Your dragons and my people we stud together at the
red prison. It was my name that I used to keep the demons at bay but because
Logar had to have a wish from Zeus to make things even he had to bring back
Kahn and look at the mess Kahn has made.
Luthor
Yea and the
keeper in his self-righteousness hasn’t even sought to help me or the council
of wyrms not to mention when I first established Draconia Drackus sent a force
and attacked me. All because the stupid dwarves followers were wanting to
follow me and not him. Not to mention when I started Draconia it was because
the great council of Geneva dishonored Gallin and I went to bat for him and
offered him a place in my kingdom and how did he repay by blowing me off and
continuing to walk on the bodies of Dead Dragons while his servant Dante
continued to enslave them for his own purposes.
Malakite
Exactly!!! You and I are the same Luthor. I used my own
name to keep the demons at bay I who am
scourged amongst the other gods because my methods and your methods aren’t the
popular ones. Let me help you Luthor will my help with my Golemns!! I can help
you build an army worthy of the true savior.
Luthor
Luthor being
exhausted and tired will think to himself at last Hope a way to push the demons
back and eventually make I can attack zyr and finally destroy him for his sins
against my people. Yes malakite I will agree to take your help and your
golemns.
Malakite
Excellent
all I ask is just one thing in return.
Luthor
Name it!!
Malakite
When the war
with Zyr is done and won you will take your dragons and my golemns and lead them in a glorious campaign against Logar and all
of his people………
Luthor
Luthor then
shocked at what he just heard says ………………………
Raven returned to her dark Temple. Though her trip to the bei shir library did not find what she was looking for, it found what she needed. Pulling her cowl and veil down she prayed with her lips still behind a mask. Placing the heart of an innocent in the bowl and pouring goat blood to fill it she looked into the horrific statue of the one winged man holding the bowl. He stood in the ribcage of a stone giant skeleton that was placed within the ribcage of a dragons skeleton. Holding the black skull in her hands she prayed,
"Sithis hear my prayer. The sins of the unworthy need bathed in blood and fear. Our cause has found and path. Zyr's heretical life can soon end. I have found his weakness, the orbs through which he projects his power house bits of his soul. Destroy them and he dies. The merovingian has captured one and only asks for the soul of apocalypse in exchange. Please my lord and master for your glory grant me the soul of your follower apocalypse and I shall use it to end the rebellion against thee, for thy name and purpose will I slay zyr."
The heart began to beat and red light with black smoke filled the chamber until both skeletons appeared to breath. The dragon spoke, "my child, you have pleased me. We must act quickly to seperate the golemns from their master and not lose them to our cause. Preperations to be made...you must travel to city 10 and prevent any others from capturing apocalypse. He is your charge to protect until sithis prepares the way."
Constructs are artificially created lifeforms in inorganic bodies of many various shapes and sizes all reflecting their function. They have evolved over a short time frame and have a confused destiny. Most constructs have been created for the service of Apocalypse who hopes to preserve his species by eliminating all organic life. They built a society with a hive mindset and goals where various castes were established to serve the goals of apocalypse and proceed with maximum efficiency. Most constructs are thought of being lacking of personality however they have very strong individual personalities which simply express themselves differently than their organic counterparts. Despite the thought many have proposed their personalities would be based only on logic, infact, their souls (sparks) are filled with raw energy easily filterred to reflect a side of normal emotion. They are often strongly and singularly emotional. The emotion depends on the individual some will be easily enraged, some unshakably happy etc.
PCs can chose to be a Race Construct with the following restrictions.
To be the race a PC must sacrifice 3 levels of experience points, so for example: A character entering a 9th level party would be 3 levels construct and 6th level of the chosen class.
Construct Race was built into castes creating 4 different templates to build a character on.
All templates have the following racial ability:
Natural Darkvision 60' Immune to all illusion and mind effecting spells.
Golemns can not be healed but can be mended via a mend or similar spell for equiviliant hp repair of the corresponding heal spell.
Warrior Defender (Fighter)
Figthers and defenders of the golemn community. Built to be immune from fear or the need for self preservation. They can but rarely wear humanoid armor.
Stat adjustments +4 str +2 Con -5 Int -1 Wis -2 Char
Made of solid stone or metal 40 HP Natural armor 6
1 Melee weapon and 1 Ranged Weapon Prof
0 NWP
Free Lang Common - Golemn sign, ability to communicate with other Golemns telepathically
Infiltrator (Rouge)
Stat adjustments -2 str +4 Dex -3 Int +1 Wis
Spies and assasians, meant to infiltrate and sabotage hostile forces and gather intel directly to the golemn hive mind.
Made of liquid moving rock 20 HP natural armor 8
Shape change as Dopelganger
0 Melee weapon 0 Range Weapon
NWP: Gather info, Disguise, Bluff, Reading lips, Tumbling, Etiquitte, Heraldry, history.
Sneak attack (in additional to back stab dmg) 1d6, 60 Thieve skill points to start.
They do not get the rouge bonus of xp for stolen goods. Golemns can only progress as they kill and absorb other life's energy.
Free Lang - All known
Caster (Mage)
Stat adjustments -6 str -3con +6 Int +2 Wis -5 Char
The intellectualism backbone meant to research and develop new innovations for improving golemn life including creating new forms of Golemns.
Made of soft easily destroyable heavily magical material, such as ent wood, compacted volcanic ash etc.
8 HP natural armor 11
0WP
NWP: Reading/Writing, Religion, Spellcraft.
Can download knowledge of all spells with no need for a spellbook. Though they require practice and exercise (leveling up) to be able to develop into casting them. This also prevents them from casting additional spells past their progression as an organic mage but they have 0% spell failure. Spell list starts with: Mend, Enlarge, fireball (3d6).
Free Lang - All known
Builder (Mage no combat spells)
Stat adjustment +5 Str +2 int -8 Char
Made to build and fix. All shapes and sizes depending on what they are building.
Made of sturdy material but not meant for combat. 12 HP natural armor 9
0WP
NWP: Engineering, Gem Cutting, Leatherworking, Mining, Pottery, Tailor, Weaving.
A very utilitarian model meant to repair support and provide. Hands capable of transforming into any needed tool.
As the Earth is engulfed
by war and one of the greatest wars that have come to this plain in
many thousands of years,the Gods looking down from Mount Olympus
seeing the carnage and the people suffer at the hands of the Demon
Dragon Zyr express their feelings. One thing is certain Aries in the
corner is smiling the biggest smile he has had in a long time.
Malakite
This is all your fault
Logar the people of the earth are now dying because of your constant
need to show how that your way of life is better than mine and that
you have to have all the people of the Earth Bow down to you so
they’re not afraid of judgment.
Logar
Those who walk in the
light have no fear of the judgment that comes upon them. This is your fault you choose to lie to the Demons to say that you
were the great Vegita and as a result of it now they are seeking
revenge for your lies.
Malakite
My lies were keeping Zyr
prison if you hadn’t Enlisted that idiot Kahn that almost opened
the doors to the titans this wouldn’t have happened. He wouldn’t
have given instruction to Dante Zeus’s chosen champion whom you’ve
dragged through the mud just like you have the all Fathers great
name, who then spoke to the keeper who has failed to actually protect
the people from the very forms of evil that they were supposed to
protect.
Logar
Yes Dante and the keeper
quite the team aren’t they Malakite? Are you beginning to feel the
squeeze Malakite are you actually beginning to feel your sith fear
destroy you?
Malakite
Hahaha my fear? aren’t
you quite an impotent God? Your
friend Drackus literally came into my domain and handed me the
triforce. Remus the den’s leader and Geneva’s present day
intelligence group also performs illegal activities for themselves. I
don’t feel a Squeeze aren’t you more talking about yourself? I
mean Elaina was one of your followers who denounced you and her
faith. Heheheh and didn’t the great Dragon King himself say that
she wasn’t the great Paladin that you thought she was. Not to
mention the keeper is hated amongst his people and a small portion of
them want him to stand down. And Dante, who you believe in, spent time captured by the Merivingian and sold his sole to the
night mother. How am I looking afraid? hehehehehe. HEHEEHHE and to think it was Jerik a shogun who killed
the seeker of truth lol lol lol.. Toshiroes father the great blade
singer helped create the Golemns and now Toshiro is accused of using
the Green lanterns to attack the Crystal Empire I think no amount of "winning" ……..will help your pathetic
heroes.
Logar
The night is darkest
before the dawn Malakite and believe the light is coming when the
time is right the heroes that I have enlisted will defeat not only
Zyr but also you….you will know the sharp sting of the light and
the Great Father will see you for the monstrosity you are. Yes the
Keeper is hated but he is still trusted by Zeus and the other Gods.
Drackus made a poor choice yes but he won’t be making that mistake
again. He destroyed LanFear you forget Malakite he is a powerful
and wise leader. Remus yes is a theif and judgement will yet find him. As For Dante he is special (Logar
will smile) but there is a desire to serve that is very threatening
to you besides it was him that totaled your fortress freed Gearzon
and Requille. Yes he was captured by the merivingian and the
nightmother once, but there is nothing more dangerous to evil (starring
Malakite in the the face) than a man that seeks redemption.
In the
End the keeper will lead them into battle a battle you will never
recover from….
Malakite
Nor
you............ wannabe GOD. You have come after me and I will destroy you.
Luther will be at the front watching
the battle as his fellow dragons fight on the blood Isle to keep
their lands and their Dragon sworn protected from the monster Zyr
that had the nerve to come back and think he could force his
influence on us. Us the true Gods of the Earth not those beings on
Olympus who so foolishly protected Dante and brought the Death to 400
of my fellow Dragons and the deaths of Dante’s entire southern army
what a fool. Zyr my goodness he and Dante should be brothers compared
to the way they both act. As Luthor looked out again to see the front
he would always see some of his brothers dyeing and think to himself
if Dante was so great why he is letting his own people die, if he
really wanted to protect his Elves Human Dwarves but not his own
people how can he claim to be a great King.
Dante
Dante will be in his study and office
working on tasks that he worries daily after. The finances of the
kingdom the army’s slow growth and the slow economic growth that
his people have but being grateful to the gods for the large harvest
his people had and that food was in the high abundance. As he
continues his study he turns to another table to the left of his
which contains the present day intelligence of the war presently
going on, on the blood Isle. Dante will think to himself something
his scholar said that will radiate in his mind almost daily. The
Dragon Zyr must be bound to something otherwise that’s the only
reason I can think of why he wouldn’t be dead. The King then
responds bound to what? The scholar then says , I am guessing to Hoar
croxes things that he can bind his soul too so that when he is
defeated he would die. But to kill him permanently you would have to
destroy the Hoar croxes. As Dante ponders this he thinks of the
meeting he had scheduled with the council of Geneva to discuss this
discovery and seek ways to find them.
Luthor
Luthor watched
endlessly as he watched the battles continue to plague his kind. He
watched after waves and waves of Demons continue to challenge the
Dragons and as the roar of battle proceeded Luthor would be HAUNTED
when a Huge fearsome one winged monster Dragon appeared before his
people and did nothing but launch his powerful breathweapon upon his
fellow dragons and they would turn to ash and die. When this happened
Luthor would sound the retreat. He would then think to himself wow I
am glad I am not stupid like Dante and choose to stupidly charge
strait for Zyr. As the retreat began Luthor would then begin to
prepare a new line of Defense against his Adversary and say to
himself eventually Zyr you will make a mistake and I will be waiting
to capitalize on it.
Dante
As Dante continued to study the
intelligence he will look at the lit candle on his Desk and think to
him self of those few seconds that he be held in his sights the
Horrible monstrous look of Zyr and as he charged to suddenly see his
mouth open and he appears back on his throne. He will look upon the
memory of it almost with anger sorrow and bitterness. The memory will
run through his mind like a trauma that will Haunt him daily. During
the night as he needed a break from his work he would look out his
window and say out loud Odysseus were going for a walk in the
Graveyard of my men. His men that had died on the beach he made sure
to visit and by kingly order had made sure their stones were kept
clean and neat. As he stud before his men he treated them as if they
could hear him. Even though they were in the underworld he knew they
could hear him because the dead could hear the thoughts of the living
whenever they were being thought of. He thought unto them saying that
he was grateful for their courage on the beach. However as your king
I will be better because as your king it is my duty to serve you it
is my responsibility to protect you and uplift you. Today I have made
a decision that you all inspired me to do. Today I will seek out a
teacher and become a Grandmaster. But after that task is done I will
not stop until Zyr the one winged Dragon is ripped down into the
underworld by the power of Zeus the one true king of the this world
and all the children that were now fatherless by the power of Hera
they will know Justice. And through the power of Tear’s Justice I
will I will shower Zyr with the power of Thor the Defender of the
Earth. And as the End of Zyr comes I will sprinkle the water of
Posieden upon his impure body to purify it of his evil his power and
eventually his Hoar croxes. I hope your there as I will desire to be
when Logar brings the righteous judgment upon his DAMNED CARCUS! And
if I have to become once more a full Golden Dragon so be it………………
Luthor
Dante has always been one for the
dramatic he talks and talks about doing great things but all he ever
did was get captured by the Frenchman then by the night mother Kills
off 400 of his own dragons which he was supposed to serve. Kill off a
lot of his people on that beach and in the GrayHaven civil war and
Malakite war. What kind of fools are the Gods for saying he was the
savior. He closed the door to the titans only by chance. I would have
been able to figure that out eventually that Jonathan was the key to
opening the gates to the Red prison. Not to mention Dante is so
chaotic he can’t do anything right he is always all over the place
all the time he makes no sense most of the time. As luthor is
distracted about the battle he receives word from one of his aids”
the Empress may she live forever” has said that anyone having
Golemns would be considered an enemy to the crystal empire.” Luthor
then thought to him self that he could use Golemns in his present day
war against the Demons they would be a big relief to his people but
if he did he couldn’t let Anastasia the empress, may she live
forever, or let his own people, the Dragons, know. Because if they
found out that he knew how to create them people would know where
they came from…………………………..
The following thesis was published by tiberius septim a genevan Nobel living in Atlanta.
The reign of galan as Keeper of the seals has been a failure. Genevas relationship with eternal friend the Crystal Empire has been traded to protect terrorists and villans the Green Lanterns. He has let old feuds with Malekite and the sith be more important than keeping zyr in prison. That decision has cost thousands of lives and devestated the Grey Havens.
The Dark one was destroyed there is no longer a need for the Keepers elevated decision. He should step down unless he is willing to make the hard decisions and hand over the lanterns and give full aid to Luther fighting Zyr.
*this represents a strong but minority opinion amongst genevan citizens.
The will of the Empire as dictated by the Ruler of the Seven kingdoms, Defender of the Faith, Bearer of the Seal, Heir of Divinity, Crowned Queen of Andreal, Empress of the Crystal Empire, Anastasia Silvermoon may she live forever.
The Green Lanterns and all golemn kind are hereby declared enemies of the empire and any people nation or individual found helping or sheltering them will also be conaiderred enemies of the empire.
Perhaps the nations of the world have forgotten but we have not. We have not forgotten how the Green Lanterns lured all of us into the UPC under the guise of international law. While they brought our most valuable citizens into their city and deployed their troops into all of our homes. Don't you remember how you felt that day, when Oa went dark and its true nature was revealed. Apocalypse, the same which the future tells us will kill all life, had built an army of intelligent golemns captured our citizens and killed them.
This happenned after they were warned by the Seeker of truth the lantern was alive.
Rather by evil intent or prideful ignorance the green lanterns are responsible for those deaths and the birth of apocalypse.
Geneva has protected them and Dragon harbors golemns. Geneva has researches the lantern and declared it safe even allowed them to start functioning again. They found no intelligence in the lantern, but they found none before. Yet refusing to let the best equipped and most knowledgable mage corpse in the world verify. Our troops have found intelligent golemns and green lanterns in seanchan, imperial territory, after a golemn iniated plague ravaged the land. We have found a green lantern ring in the core after a failed attempt by the lanterns to take control.
And our agency has found documents that suggest toshiro silverwing is not dead but lives as an intelligence in the lantern and constructed a deadly golemn body for himself. All this when they publish to the world there is no Intel in the lantern.
They are hiding something either by evil intent or tricked ignorance they are enabling the golemns to our destruction.
The lanterns will surrender turn off the lantern and all golemns handed over for execution. This will be done willingly or the might of the imperial army will do so by force.
Perhaps you have forgotten the danger and threat that is present here. We have not, and we will stop at nothing to secure the safety of our people. You are with us or against us.
He checked her pulse again, still nothing. It looked like his Damane were catching the same disease that the other Bloods' Damane were catching. "Pile this body with the others and burn it." He said from under neath a veiled face. He had hoped his estates would be spared this plague. At least it was limited to Damane and his family had not been infected. He had heard rumor that the plague was affected some other than Damane but he had not seen it. Still it was a very valuable piece of property lost. Seanchan needed a good war campaign again, it had been too long and resources were beginning to be stretched.
Damane openned the gates and the attack force rolled in blasting the goblinoid forces with lightning and fire. He was proud of the handlers who commanded their weapons so well. Ursa's kingdom north of Midgar was not wealthy but it was chosen by the blood to be the next to serve Seanchan expansion. It was certainly better than peace. Though with the Damane getting sick like they were the blood started to wonder if even such a small conquest with possible. The disease was strange- it was as if it simply ate the Damane from the inside causing their insides to fall apart. No curse was detected, no natural disease detect, but traces of moving magic were always found. And that magic lingerred for days after the Damane died. What was worse was that many of the handlers of sick Damane were becoming sick too. Though it was not his job to worry about such things. He would conquer for the good of Seanchan, another blood would solve the problem of the disease.
With many of the men sick and the Damane mostly dead Ursa repelled our attack on his stronghold for the last time. The Blood is ordering a retreat back to Seanchan to regroup our forces. Though he had heard the real reason was because the Empress and High Blood needed the armies home to protect them from rioting and keeping the looters at bay. What reports he did overhear portrayed the Seanchan island as a disaster. It must have been exagerated but 50% of the population were said to be dead due to the Damane disease. In a desperate move the High Bloods had ordered the execution of all Domestic Damane in an attempt to slow the diseases spread. He would be headed home tomorrow and could see for himself.
His estate and family were all gone, their insides eaten it seemed. He considerred himself lucky, as most estates in this state were burned, but with the decreasing damane and increasing number of outbreaks they were not able to keep up with the task. He was able to lay down on his own bed and wait for the disease to take him. Why had this happened? He wondered. He closed his eyes and never opened them.
The ancient burning towers, statues to the great first conquest and conquistador, had smoke rising from them for the first time in 1000 years. This time it was Seanchan who were being burned. The Crystal Empire had arrived in strength and done to Seanchan -- Conquered and pillaged.
Sarah watched the burning pillars from a distance and examined the Imperial troops and Shogun Knights threw droves of dead bodies into the furnace. She had managed to escape with out being infected all this time. While her friends and family died around her, she had escaped with her little sister survived. It had not been easy but they had done it by avoiding anyone else and staying high in the mountains where she thought it too cold for the sickness to spread. She was distracted from her thoughts as her sister coughed. Looking down she saw her sisters hands covered in blood. Sarah new her rule was to run and leave. Her sister knew it too. They looked at each other for a long moment. The rising smoke froze locked in place and the wind slowed to a crawl. Sarah knelt down and hugged her sister.
She knew it meant they would both be infected and both die, but they would die Seanchan. There was nothing left to live for, Family friends, country, tradition all gone. She decided to live for right now and give her sister the blessing of dieing wrapped in love.
The following report is prepared by order of his royal majesty king Dante Skyrim. This report has been reviewed and researched and with full faith we present it to the king and if he so wishes the council of Geneva to report on the full state of prosperity as seen in the Grey Havens, in the second year of continous reign King Dante, chosen by Zeus reigns over the following kingdom.
The Grey Havens consists of an island nation of approximately 5000 square miles. It is populated by 5 million intelligent beings. 80% elf 10% human, 5% nymph 5% other. No dragons are known to remain within the borders.
Nations total economic wealth estimated at 10 million gold. Average houshold income is 34 gold per year. Average family size 6 persons.
Primary industries are:
Agriculture 65%
Manufactureing 12%
Trade merchants 10%
Mining 6%
Military 5%
Government admin 2%
Errors noted for cross over among indusries.
Suggested tax rate is two silver per month per individual, to be paid by local lords to the king. Puts revenue at 2 million gold per year.
100,000 gold in tribute must be paid to council of Geneva in a year via monthly increments.
Current treasury rests at 200,000 go.
Military strength.
Current forces total 4000 individuals.
3000 footman
600 archers
400 officers and command
All forces answer to the king, who reports to the council or their appointed representative the general of southern forces general kendall.
No direct genevan forces currently occupy the grey havens.
No mages exist that can cast beyond 4th circle spells. Genevan missionary efforts have led to a drastic increase in religious orders some priests have even achieved the 9th rank.
Relative prosperity
Upon review this commitee considers the grey havens of equal relative strength to enron, inferior to the state of talyun but greatly superior to the northern kingdoms of assyria and summeria.
Leadership approval
40% of people approved of Dante as king
35% approved of being a genevan provience
56% felt the keeper was doing a good job in his position.
Doc gatherred his brethren together, they had been commissioned for a very important job. This band of mercenary dwarfs had fought together for decades but never was their a job which promised to pay more. Directly commissioned by the Empress, may she live forever.
Grumpy was the most ferious warrior Doc had ever seen. Family lost to him in when the Blood war spilled into the Dwarven caverns. He took the path a violence and strength. He fought with out hesitation, with out mercy and with out failure.
Happy however, found his skill more in song. As a bard he became equally skilled with a lute, sword, and spell book.
Sleepy was a priest of Morpheus, the god of dreams. He was also docs brother, determined to keep his older brother alive he joined the crew to offering healing despite his moral objections to their many activities.
Bashful was called that because he hated being seen. The shadows protected him and no trap surprised him and no lock had withstood him.
The only woman among them was called Sneezy, after her fondness for manipulating breath weapons. She was a mage by trait but had long studied the ancient mage of the voice bendind ancient draconic words into powerful attacks.
Then there was dopey. He could not speak or grow a beard. The story was a goblin shaman cursed his mother when she was heavy with him. Regardless of the reason he was dumber than a troll but twice as furious. Simply point him in the direction of something to destroy and his great warhammer destroyed it.
"My brothers, the Empress may she live forever, has asked us to go on a perilous quest. The intelligent golemns who were recently destroyed in there city south of Dragon and before that killed so many in the battle of Oa, remain hidden. She has had her Shogun knights searching the world for signs of their rage. they remain hidden. There are someplaces so corrupt by the darkside they can not see, such as the darkwood. She wants us to go in and search it directly. In return she has offered us all estates, titles, and exclusive mining rights to the misty mountains in the empire. It is more wealth than we could dream of."
The vote was 6 for none against, dopey never voted, so they armed and set off for the darkwood.
Wesker was meeting with Eric Silvermoon at his fortress which overlooked the Darkwood. Their meeting was interrupted by a Dwarf repelling in through the window. He was heavily wounded beaten and burned. Wesker moved faster than was possible for an elf and pinned him to the ground, "What is the meaning of this Dwarf?" In raspy labored breath the dwarf could only whisper one word, "Apocalypse."
With the growing success of city 10 there were some who felt it of benifit to start a new city, one that the organics could find. As word reached us that the organics were embracing Oa we thought they may accept us.
We built a city in a portion of land organics would never want but could find us. And find us they did.
Their hatred and anger and evil had.not lessenned as we had thought. The soliders came with their weapons and their magic. Death found us, so swift and strong was the assault the builders stood no chance.
We knew then apocalypse was right, we could only prosper if the organics were destroyed. He also new how to use their own creations to destroy them.
Malekite gifted us some organics that were hosts to small golemn creatures. Once able to contact them apocalypse easily enlisted them for our liberation.
We had faith that despite the loss of our city and the loss of all hope in peaceful coexistence that salvation would still come.
The following is excerpts and chronicles of the city of Oa after apocalypse was expelled.
The empire arrived and attempted to arrest all lanterns and confiscate Oa. When resistance was met they attempted spirit bombing. The attempt was unsuccessful due to psionic teleportation to a dead magic zone. Eventually Oa surrenderred to Geneva on condition they not be handed to the empire. It was accepted and teams from the mage school led by balthizar and consulted by kaedan investigated the lantern.
After over a year it was determined the lantern held no trace of intelligence...except of course for toshiro who has also crafted himself an extremely powerful golemn body.
The empress, may she live forever, wants the lanterns destroyed confident that they do not understand what they are doing and its too risky. Geneva has maintained their stance which has nearly completely eroded the positive relationship the two countries once enjoyed.
The empire has declared if any green lantern is on imperial territory they consider it an act of war. Recently evidence of green lantern rings used in an attempt to breech the core and Thomas networks has resulted in an offical decleration of war by the empire on Geneva and Oa.
Oa currently resides over the ocean south of the genevan islands. And has begun research on how to create a blue lantern.
In a land torn by war but blessed with heroes, adventure thrives. In the shadow of the holy Isle of Winds--the Bastin of light, truth, and righteousness in the world--the island of Geneva holds the city of Atlanta, capital to the Island nation. It would take days, maybe weeks to travel the whole country by boat. It is a huge melting pot of racial and cultural richness. A council comprising the Blessed Keeper of the Seals Atrayu, The fearless Vanquisher of Shadows Raquel Al-Shatel, and Defender of the Earth Jerico, rule the islands in peace. To the east a land torn by war is home to man, elf, dwarf and worse. Welcome adventurers - destiny awaits you. This is their story based in a Dungeons and Dragons world.
