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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ReeboKesh" data-source="post: 2878234" data-attributes="member: 40101">Friday, March 8th, 603 AR  “The Longest Night”It has been several days since I last wrote in my journal. I have been busy helping with the clean up operation after the events of the Longest Night. The bath I just had, helped to wash away my aches and pains as well as the stench of death that permeates the very city itself. Much has happened in the past week and half and I have learnt many things about Corvis, it people, its past and even a few things about myself. I have not seen the others since the Longest Night. The last I saw of Cromwell he was walking away from the church muttering about being ignored by others. Father Darius is still resting after his ordeal and Yama Khan is no doubt collecting research material for his necromantic art. Anyway I shall start at the beginning, the night we returned to Corvis, the Longest Night.Having left Fort Rhyker behind us we approached Widower’s Wood. From the forest edge emerged a group of skeletons. Each held a chain and dragged along another undead creature, a rotting corpse of putrid flesh and swamp plants. A “Swamp Shambler” is what Darius called it. An undead creature of vengeance, created when a poor soul is left to perish in the swamp by his companions. It is said that the Swamp Shamblers seek to kill their former companions and turn them into undead like themselves. He told us that in our current wounded and exhausted condition even one of these Swamp Shamblers would be more than a match for the four of us. We wisely took Darius’ advice and proceeded to distance ourselves from as much as the Widower’s Wood as possible. Eventually though we were forced to take the road through the woods. Except for sighting more skeletons with Swamp Shamblers we made it through without further incident.We arrived at Corvis’ north gate at four hours to midnight, overhead a dark shadow was slowly creeping across the moon, the eclipse was happening; the Longest Night would soon be upon us. We could hear from the celebratory noises that the festival was in full swing. Two guards approached us and we explained who we were and asked for the whereabouts of Captain Helstrom. We were told that he would probably be found near the Docks overseeing the festival there. We paid the two guards to stow our wagon and its valuable cargo in one of the guard stables and proceeded to the Docks. First though we stopped by the arcane trinkets shop and purchased some snooze potions then retired to Cromwell’s room at The Gargoyle’s Pole Inn. Inside his room were several barrels of lard. I could not be bothered questioning him about these so I drank the potion and promptly fell asleep. I dreamt of an undead army overrunning the City of Corvis and putting its inhabitants to the sword, I even saw my head and those of my companions impaled on pikes outside the city walls and the figure of Alexia laughing down on us. Naturally I awoke drenched in sweat. Four hours had passed and Darius and Yama Khan were also stirring. Cromwell stood at the other side of the room playing darts. We quickly prepared our spell repertoire and left the inn for the Docks.Once we reached the Falling Star tavern we spoke with Captain Helstrom. Our findings did not please him in the least; he also seemed unimpressed by the length of time it took us to reach him. We argued that had we tried to cut through the Widower’s Wood and the fields of the dead we would not be having this conversation now. The five of us left the Falling Star tavern and headed for the North Gate as fast as we possibly could through the crowds. I must mention that Cromwell did return the two masterwork daggers Helstrom loaned him. I would have assumed he would have hoped that Helstrom had forgotten about the daggers. Obviously I have judged Cromwell too harshly in the past, maybe some of my high moral standards and respect for laws have rubbed off on him.At the North Gate, Helstrom commanded one of the watchtower guards to fire a flare round over the fields. The loud boom of the cannon almost drowned out the noise from a festival for a brief moment. Out across the fields the flare illuminated just that, fields. No undead army, no Swamp Shamblers, nothing. Then it hit us, the catacombs! That’s were Alexia’s undead army would be coming from, not over the city walls but under them! The undead army did not need to breathe; they could even march along the riverbed unhindered and unseen! Alexia would be heading for one place, the crypt of her mother. Captain Helstrom understood what we had to do; he handed us two flasks of fire retardant liquid to put out any spot fires on the way and wished us luck. We saluted Captain Helstrom and raced off toward the Church of Morrow, praying we would not be too late.At one of the many crossroads we heard terrified screams coming from a side street. Knowing that we could not let innocents be endangered we rushed to the sound of the screams. From a sewer grate undead skeletons and a Swamp Shambler were emerging, attacking the revelers in the street. We sprang to action to beat back the undead invaders. My combat training proved quite useful as I downed skeleton after skeleton. At one stage during the fight we thought Father Darius lost when he was dragged down into the sewer but Cromwell rushed to his aid and pulled him out. Not having much choice in the matter, we piled the bodies of the unfortunate citizens onto the sewer grate to prevent more skeletons emerging. Once again we raced off.We fought several running battles with the skeletal invaders as we made our way to the Church of Morrow far too many for me to recount or even want to remember. We did however encounter a Bridge Troll that had wandered into the city. It actually was making short work of a group of skeletons and knowing full well that fighting the troll would surely get one of us, if not all of us killed, we gave it a wide berth and continued on our way. I regretted having to leave the Bridge Troll there but I have vowed to myself that I would tie up that loose end soon. Finally we reached the main bridge that led to the Church. The sight that greeted us was not a comforting one. It looked like Alexia’s entire skeletal army was converging on the church. We beat passed several skeletons and rushed to a small group of militant clerics, including Father Dumas in full battle regalia. We were healed of our injuries and told to help hold the bridge we had just crossed. We could see two rafts laden with skeletons moving toward the bridge, grapple lines ready to climb up. We acted quickly to set a trap of oil before us and I rushed forward to slow the skeletons down a little by burning their grapple lines. The skeletons retreated to the edge of the bridge and climbed up the stairs that lead down to the water. I rejoined my companions and we waited.When the skeletons crossed the pool of oil, Cromwell fired a flaming arrow into it. It was quite a sight to see the skeletons marching through the flames oblivious to the fact that they were catching fire and being consumed by the flames. We fought on and managed to defeat this contingent of walking bones. One of the skeletons possessed a small pistol which a claimed for myself after the battle. I have cleaned the pistol up and now it and its partner, the pistol Cromwell gave me, hang by my side. When the city is back to normal, I intend to have a small plaque mounted on each pistol, inscribed on them will be the names I have christened them with, “Law” and “Order”.We retreated to the line of clerics and sought some more healing. This time we returned to the bridge with some help, four members of guard watch, one of them a trollkin named Morrgg. The next wave of skeletons had obtained themselves a light cannon. We rushed to the other end of the bridge hoping to stop them from firing. I downed a potion of Spider Climb and leapt of the side of the bridge, grabbing on to the wall itself and crawling along the side of the bridge. Alas we were too late and the cannon fired narrowly missing Father Darius but knocking him of his feet nevertheless. With the aid of the guards and the trollkin Morrgg we quickly dispatched these skeletons and pushed the cannon off the bridge and into the river. Then we saw it a huge mass of skeletons lining the banks of the river around the church. As one they dropped into the river and eventually emerged on our side. We had no choice; we turned and ran back to the church. Father Dumas and the remaining few cleric and guards had gathered around the crypt of Lexaria Ciannor. The skeletal army surrounded us, forming a ring around the crypt. They stood there watching, unmoving, waiting. The it suddenly became very dark, above us the eclipse was complete, and with it came Alexia and the four undead witches, flying through the air with the aid of magic. The formed a smaller circle around the crypt of Alexia’s mother and began to chant. Cromwell moved forward and tried to get Alexia’s attention. She ignored him, lost in her incantation. In frustration he hurled a dagger straight and true at her exposed throat. It thudded against and invisible barrier and clattered onto the stone path around the crypt. With tremendous force the crypt doors exploded outwards, the debris pulverized by the force of the magic these five witches commanded. As one, the four undead witches entered the crypt and retrieved the shrouded body of Lexaria Ciannor, the former leader of their coven and Alexia’s mother. Alexia herself reached into the crypt and drew forth a black bladed greatsword of malevolent design. She thrust the sword upward with a cry of triumph. Suddenly a robed figure appeared behind her in a flash of lightning and thrust a curved glowing dagger into her back. What happened next was as if the sands of time had begun to trickle ever so slowly, Alexia stumbled forward in pain and the greatsword flew from her hands passing effortlessly through the magical barrier and clattered to the ground before the feet of one of us. Father Darius picked up the sword. At the same time a wave of skeletons surrounded Alexia’s mysterious attacker and dragged him away from their mistress. Father Darius turned to Father Dumas, a look of uncertainty in his eyes. But any helpful suggestions would not be forthcoming, for Father Dumas was in shock from the realization of what his niece had done.The skeletons surrounding Alexia’s attacker were blasted apart by a wave of energy from the man and he strode forth toward Father Darius. “Look what she has done to this city!” said the mysterious mage. “Give me the Witchfire Blade and I shall undo all the evil she has wrought!”“No!” cried Alexia “Do not trust him, he is not the benefactor you think him to be. Give me the sword and I shall put my army to rest and leave the city.”Darius looked at me and I simply said “Do not use the sword, it is a thing of evil.” Alas he ignored my warning, raised the blade above his head and cried out “Alexia, your time has come!” Then he simply slumped to the ground. I rushed to his side, I feared him dead for his skin was of such pallor as too indicate death. I hefted the Witchfire Blade and turned to the mysterious mage “Who are you?” I asked.“It matters not.” he replied. “Give me the blade, before it’s too late!”“Do not do it! Give me the blade and I will leave the city in peace!” cried out Alexia.Once again I asked the mage “Tell me, who you are?”“My name is Vahn Oberon.” He replied calmly and with a hint of cruelty in his voice.I stumbled back! It was he! The man who murdered my father! “I am Heinrich Uberlich, you murdered my father, prepare to die!” I cried, and tossed the Witchfire Blade to Alexia. In one swift motion I drew forth both my pistols.“Thank you” was all that Alexia said before waving her hand across the army of the dead. All at once the skeletons toppled over where they stood. Their threat was over. As for Alexia, she spoke a word of power and disappeared in flash of light. Unfortunately so did Vahn Oberon.The eclipse had hidden from view heavy rain clouds, and with the rolling sound of thunder it began to rain heavily. I walked over to where Vahn Oberon stood and bent down to pick up a medallion, obviously torn off the mage by the undead that swarmed him. The medallion depicted an eye with a lightning bolt through it. Turning back to the others I could see Darius moving slightly as the clerics lifted him onto a stretcher, he was still alive. At that moment I felt suddenly weak at the knees and sat down against the walls of Lexaria’s crypt, letting the rain do its best to wash away the events of this Longest Night.____________________________________Well that was the end of Book I of the Witchfire Trilogy. Next I'll post a short story about Heinrich before jumping into the short adventure that takes place before Book II.Thanks for reading!Reebo</blockquote>

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