Peace no More (Jemals Epic Game)PROLOGUE

[Jemal]

The countryside is quiet. The roads are busy. The cities are bustling. The fields are abundant. All in all, the land of the moon is a peaceful, prosperous place. Nestled safely by itself, surround by mountains on the east, frozen wasteland to the north, and the Ocean to the south and west. Since the orcish invasion 15 years ago in the 263rd year of the New Age was repelled by the heroes of the realm (AKA the PCs), nothing has gone wrong.

Which is probably why it came as such a surprise to anyone when the capital, MarSan, blew up.

It was a nice, calm summer day like any other, and everyone was doing what they had been for the last decade or so, when the skies grew dark and the land began to shake. The sea ports saw the beginnings of giant waves moving AWAY from the land, and those near the mountains who made it out were lucky to not be among the thousands killed in avalances. An hour later all stopped and every eye in the nation was drawn to a large, black ball flying from the sky with tremendous speed. Seconds passed after it struck the ground, and then all but the most sturdy of people were knocked off their feet as the shockwave struck, and a huge cloud resembling a strange, orange mushroom, arose from where MarSan had once been.

Immediately the heroes of old knew that their time of peace had ended, and quickly set out to find each other and discover what new evil had arisen to assault their land.

 

[Guilt Puppy]

In a small monastery nestled among the Eastern mountains, and old man sits before a row of pea pods, cracking open each and examining them closely. The cracks around his wide eyes buckle and bend with concentration -- interrupted by a young monk's intrusion.

"Brother Eigan!"

He sighs softly to himself: The young are always in such a hurry. "Yes, Brother Cort?"

"There's a messenger arriving! I think he might bring the new lenses you ordered."

"Well then," he says, smiling, "I imagine it would be a good idea to go receive them." He hands over his signet, to prove the delivery.

Moments pass, but the young man soon returns:

"Brother Eigan! Should I take them to you directly, or should I put them in their handles first?"

"If you have the time, I would appreciate if you put them in for me. I've shown you how to do it proper?"

"Yes, you have. I'll go do that." And his feet are off, kicking up errant dust as they go.

A dedicated lad, at the very least... If a little flustered...

He returns to pulling out the individual peas, holding them softly, measuring them, comparing them. For every pod he writes meticulous notes about color, size, number...

Such strange distributions... Clearly divided in some pattern --

"Brother Eigan."

Cort has returned. Concentration broken, Eigan turns to the young man, low on his patience.

"Yes? What is it?" His voice is hard, but still kind.

"MarSan... The messenger... He claims that MarSan is no more... That it disappeared into a great plume of fire..."

The old eyes go blank as a thousand thoughts race through the cleric's head, pondering every explanation, sequence of events, anything to explain these words...

"When you know more, find me quickly. I must prepare my things... I will leave immediately."

Cort rushes off while Eigan moves briskly to his room, begins looking through his chests, rustling through all his worldly possessions. Arming himself, armoring himself -- slowly covering himself from head to toe with exotic finery, topped off and covered largely by his brilliant sun-white mantle, the face of Pelor embroidered intricately in its front. As Cort returns he is nearly finished, and as the two march through the halls he listens to all the young man knows -- and finally answering the young man's questions.

"Where am I going? To see Verdane, of course... You recall him from my stories, don't you? He's the first person I'd speak with to solve any mystery... I should pass by Towerkeep as well -- although I imagine Rynin will be along his way already."

He stops finally, if only momentarily, at the gates, catching himself thinking aloud.

"Would you tell Father Tenshire I have gone, and apologize for me for not speaking to him directly... I don't want to waste a moment, and I worry besides that he would try to talk me out of it. Take care of yourself, and may Pelor see that you do well, Cort."

"Yes, Brother, and I wish you good fortune as well."

Eigan begins to step off -- then turns back, with one final thought.

"Oh, and you'll keep track of my peas for me, won't you?"

After a detailed exchange of instructions for tracking generation by generation, Eigan is off travelling Westward, a prayer growing between each footstep.

 

[Arknath]

A scream breaks the silence of the night sky, turning the darkness into a frightning blackness of death and dismay.

Estefan writhes on the ground as his head feels as though he's been dealt a fatal blow by some great hammer. "Why..." he whispers, trying to get control of himself and the pain, "...what...happened?"

In an instant, he felt the pain of thousands, all forms of animals, including humans, and he saw a great ball of flame in his mind. Estefan caresses the ground, blinking through the tears and muttering to himself.

What could cause a great city to explode so? He arose and looked around. They were three days away from Verdane's tower. They would have to make it in one.

 

[GoldenEagle]

"WHHHHAAT?!?", screamed the usually mild Rynin as he was informed about the Atrocity at Mar'San. "Has anyone heard from the the temple there? "

"No, we have tried, but we recieve no reply."

After a few minutes of debate about the current events Rynin stands at his place at the table, "I will travel to see Verdane in the morning. Send word that I am on the way. Contact Brother Eigan. Perhaps he knows more"

With that Rynin will join Eigan on the way to see Verdane.

GE

 

[Guilt Puppy]

Once he has met up with Rynin (after a process of unknown geography and coordination ) there is a good deal of catching up to do, and to be carried out with the utmost haste. Once taken care of, Eigan brings up the issue:

"I have travelled thus far by foot, remaining unsure of the situation at hand... Better forms of travel may draw attention to our assembly, which seems a risk to me; however, if in your eyes it would be best to travel by wind, or some other quick means, I will defer to your judgment, as I have yet to truly decide on the matter."

That would be wind walk on a yes (should take us 1920 miles over the course of 32 hours, although that does not account for sleep...)

(Also, I'd like to key my Word of Recall to Rynin's stronghold in Towerkeep from this point on, unless specified otherwise... I'd assume it qualifies as familiar enough -- see character histories -- but it's not really my call to make.)

 

[Guilt Puppy]

(Graah! Douple-post!)

 

[Emerald]

Aradia awakes to the sound of her Uncle's cries. She quickly get up and goes to him.

"What is it? Are you okay? What has happend?"

She gets her Uncle a drink and waits patiently to hear of his vision. After which, she replies:

"I certainly hope this Verdane can get to the bottom of all this"

 

[GoldenEagle]

Once he has met up with Rynin (after a process of unknown geography and coordination ) there is a good deal of catching up to do, and to be carried out with the utmost haste. Once taken care of, Eigan brings up the issue:

"I have travelled thus far by foot, remaining unsure of the situation at hand... Better forms of travel may draw attention to our assembly, which seems a risk to me; however, if in your eyes it would be best to travel by wind, or some other quick means, I will defer to your judgment, as I have yet to truly decide on the matter."

That would be wind walk on a yes (should take us 1920 miles over the course of 32 hours, although that does not account for sleep...)

(Also, I'd like to key my Word of Recall to Rynin's stronghold in Towerkeep from this point on, unless specified otherwise... I'd assume it qualifies as familiar enough -- see character histories -- but it's not really my call to make.)

Rynin will set up the stronghold and tell his top advisors (followers) that we must prepare for war while trying not to disturb the masses. After all if a city can truly be destroyed we are not safe.

Rynin will also show Eigan that his quarters have not been disturbed since his last visit long ago, "I wish it were a more pleasant reason that you were here again. I agree there may be risk in drawing attention, but there may be more risk in wasting time when we don't need to. We must go to Verdane with haste and see if knows of this matter. I fear our quiet retirement may have temporarily ended."

With that Rynin calls for his mount and his equipment, and asks if Eigen needs anything else before departing for Verdane's tower. They will waste no time in getting there.

 

[Jemal]

Here's a quick geography lesson.

The sea is in the south, and rounds the curve of the land to the west as well, becoming frozen and bitter near the north, where the arctic wastelands lie, and mountains lay to the east. From the southern sea to the northern wastelands is about 2300 miles, and from the eastern mountains to the western sea is at least 2800 miles (It's more or less square). Nobody has gone more than a few hundred miles away from 'known' land in any direction and come back to tell about it. Those that do return report nothing but the same as far as they have gone.


I'll give distances in relation to the Mountains and the South Sea for all:

Verdane's tower is 80 miles west of the Mountains, 690 miles North of the South sea.
Rynin's stronghold is 200 miles west of the Mountains, 1060 miles North of the South sea.
Brother Eigan's Church is 340 miles west of the Mountains and 1210 miles north of the South sea.
Estefan's druid grove is 2070 miles west of the Mountains and 600 miles north of the South sea.
The Capital (AKA the smoking crater) was on the southern shoreline, 1600 miles west of the Mountains.

There are many towns and cities around, half of them ranging in size from 200 to 2000 people, but many also have several thousands of citizens, and there are about a half-dozen metropolis' in the counrty.


I'm trying to build a map in Paint that'll show what the counrty looks like, and I'll upload it as soon as it's done. Until then, this'll have to be good enough.. Any questions, just ask.. that's what the prologue is for, getting a feel for the setting and each other.

 

[Guilt Puppy]

Given this, it's a two-hour wind walk to Verdane's tower, some more brief greetings, and then a barrage of questions about what has happened. (Any idea of the source? The motivation? Did anyone make it out alive? Any of our acquaintances there have the good fortune of being out of town? And so forth...)