NarlethDrider
First Post
(Several hours ago)
The sounds of battle finally fade in the evening air as the last
bugbear succumbs to the weapons of the group. A full score of
bugbears & hobgoblins lie dead upon the blood soaked ground. Its
obvious from their physical characteristics that this was a group
comprised of more than one clan. The sound of a hunting horn, an
answer to the call blown by the last hobgoblin, rings from the
distance. Yaggl, the white elder goblin, signals for the group to
move forward.
(Presently)
Some thirty miles north & east of the Darguun capitol Rhukaan Draal
in a twisted vale of ancient gnarled trees & tall thorny mazes, the
beleagured group of goblinoids (& other unique individuals) are led
to an opening hidden amongst the large exposed roots of a
particularly ominous looking tree. Some thirty feet beyond the
opening is a stone door that is surrounded by runes of giant &
ancient Dhakaani origin. Yaggl touches several of the runes in a
particular order & the door retreats down into the earth.
Yaggl turns to the assembled group, "You are about to enter one of
the resting places of The Prophet. Do not raise your blade against
anything you will meet. If you are true, you will meet no harm. Now
follow me." The elder leads the group into the opening as torches
along the wall begin to light on their own. The flickering light
reveals murals along the wall of the ancient Dhakaan empire---large
cities, ships in the seas & sky, odd creatures serving as food &
mounts. Then, the scenes change as cities burn & strange creatures
slay all manner of goblinkind---finally at the end of the walls were
they run into an intersection, images of those known as gatekeepers
imprisioning the leaders of the strange creatures in the depths of
Khyber----some of the leaders, that is. At the intersection, a tunnel
goes left & one goes right; both are unlit. The tunnel that continues
straight ahead begins to light its torches as two glowing pinpoints
of light begin to move forward.
Yaggl holds out his arm to stop the group & then he speaks looking at
the approaching light, "Hail Igavard the Preparer! New initiates to
restore the Empire!" The figure moves forward, its clad in ancient
robes of the Dhakaan Empire & wears a death mask of ancient design.
The glowing eyes rove over the assorted being & it finally speaks
with a voice that can only be described as coming from beyond the
grave, "Hmmm, a strange group you have brought to see the prophet,
Yaggl. Come it is time to prepare." The emaciated figure turns to
leave & Yaggl follows, leading the group down the tunnel into a large
room lit up by a central fireplace whose smoke exits the room through
a small hole in the ceiling. Within the fireplace, a large blackened
skull sits---smoke drifts out of the skulls eye sockets in a lazy
manner, ignoring the upward drift to the hole in the ceiling. This
smoke permeates the room & its has a sweet, enticing smell.
Along the north wall a table laden with food & drink appears as
several lockers appear on the east wall & the door of each locker
opens, revealing a simple, blood colored robe. The chilling voice of
Igavard scrapes your nerves, "Eat, & place your gear, weapons, &
armor within the locker. You will wear only the robe within to meet
the prophet."
After an hour in the smoke filled room, the smell of burnt flesh
begins to fill the room. Yaggl stands up (seemingly in slow motion) &
motions for all to stand. The smell of burnt flesh grows stronger as
Yaggl speaks, "Be prepared to speak true to the question you are
about to be asked. If you don't, you shall surely die."
A door in the west wall opens & a horrible figure emerges. Black,
charred flesh that still smokes covers the a large frame of what may
possibly be a large hobgoblin or small bugbear. The white bones that
protrude from some areas are marked in golden runes. Fiery pits gaze
from the burned skull of the being. The right arm of this nightmare
ends in a blunt, glowing red hot brand that seems to constantly
change. The burning creature speaks, "I am Taeg, the marker of
heroes, the executioner of fools. Who seeks the honor to be a
seeker's blade. Speak the path to your destiny." Yaggl motions to a
scarred hobgoblin that just joined the group a few days before the
journey to come here. The hobgoblin shakily approaches the horrid
being, "I am Konak, warrior of the blood tooth clan. My path will be
that of the warrior to see the empire restored!" The burning eyes of
the terror look the hobgoblin up & down & then raises the burning
brand, "Where do you want to bear the mark of your pledge?" The
hobgoblin opens his chest, "Above my heart!" The brand glows bright
white just before he puts it Konak's chest. Konak's face twists in
pain as the brand burns into his chest; then, he lets out a scream as
the brand begins to burn into the flesh & then the bone. Taeg raises
the struggling Konak into the air, "Fool! Did you not think that the
seekers could recognize a spy for that pretender Lhesh Haruuc! Suffer
as you should!" In a mater of minutes only ashes & shards of bone are
all that remain of the spy. Yaggl points at you, "Your next.
Remember, speak true!"
The sounds of battle finally fade in the evening air as the last
bugbear succumbs to the weapons of the group. A full score of
bugbears & hobgoblins lie dead upon the blood soaked ground. Its
obvious from their physical characteristics that this was a group
comprised of more than one clan. The sound of a hunting horn, an
answer to the call blown by the last hobgoblin, rings from the
distance. Yaggl, the white elder goblin, signals for the group to
move forward.
(Presently)
Some thirty miles north & east of the Darguun capitol Rhukaan Draal
in a twisted vale of ancient gnarled trees & tall thorny mazes, the
beleagured group of goblinoids (& other unique individuals) are led
to an opening hidden amongst the large exposed roots of a
particularly ominous looking tree. Some thirty feet beyond the
opening is a stone door that is surrounded by runes of giant &
ancient Dhakaani origin. Yaggl touches several of the runes in a
particular order & the door retreats down into the earth.
Yaggl turns to the assembled group, "You are about to enter one of
the resting places of The Prophet. Do not raise your blade against
anything you will meet. If you are true, you will meet no harm. Now
follow me." The elder leads the group into the opening as torches
along the wall begin to light on their own. The flickering light
reveals murals along the wall of the ancient Dhakaan empire---large
cities, ships in the seas & sky, odd creatures serving as food &
mounts. Then, the scenes change as cities burn & strange creatures
slay all manner of goblinkind---finally at the end of the walls were
they run into an intersection, images of those known as gatekeepers
imprisioning the leaders of the strange creatures in the depths of
Khyber----some of the leaders, that is. At the intersection, a tunnel
goes left & one goes right; both are unlit. The tunnel that continues
straight ahead begins to light its torches as two glowing pinpoints
of light begin to move forward.
Yaggl holds out his arm to stop the group & then he speaks looking at
the approaching light, "Hail Igavard the Preparer! New initiates to
restore the Empire!" The figure moves forward, its clad in ancient
robes of the Dhakaan Empire & wears a death mask of ancient design.
The glowing eyes rove over the assorted being & it finally speaks
with a voice that can only be described as coming from beyond the
grave, "Hmmm, a strange group you have brought to see the prophet,
Yaggl. Come it is time to prepare." The emaciated figure turns to
leave & Yaggl follows, leading the group down the tunnel into a large
room lit up by a central fireplace whose smoke exits the room through
a small hole in the ceiling. Within the fireplace, a large blackened
skull sits---smoke drifts out of the skulls eye sockets in a lazy
manner, ignoring the upward drift to the hole in the ceiling. This
smoke permeates the room & its has a sweet, enticing smell.
Along the north wall a table laden with food & drink appears as
several lockers appear on the east wall & the door of each locker
opens, revealing a simple, blood colored robe. The chilling voice of
Igavard scrapes your nerves, "Eat, & place your gear, weapons, &
armor within the locker. You will wear only the robe within to meet
the prophet."
After an hour in the smoke filled room, the smell of burnt flesh
begins to fill the room. Yaggl stands up (seemingly in slow motion) &
motions for all to stand. The smell of burnt flesh grows stronger as
Yaggl speaks, "Be prepared to speak true to the question you are
about to be asked. If you don't, you shall surely die."
A door in the west wall opens & a horrible figure emerges. Black,
charred flesh that still smokes covers the a large frame of what may
possibly be a large hobgoblin or small bugbear. The white bones that
protrude from some areas are marked in golden runes. Fiery pits gaze
from the burned skull of the being. The right arm of this nightmare
ends in a blunt, glowing red hot brand that seems to constantly
change. The burning creature speaks, "I am Taeg, the marker of
heroes, the executioner of fools. Who seeks the honor to be a
seeker's blade. Speak the path to your destiny." Yaggl motions to a
scarred hobgoblin that just joined the group a few days before the
journey to come here. The hobgoblin shakily approaches the horrid
being, "I am Konak, warrior of the blood tooth clan. My path will be
that of the warrior to see the empire restored!" The burning eyes of
the terror look the hobgoblin up & down & then raises the burning
brand, "Where do you want to bear the mark of your pledge?" The
hobgoblin opens his chest, "Above my heart!" The brand glows bright
white just before he puts it Konak's chest. Konak's face twists in
pain as the brand burns into his chest; then, he lets out a scream as
the brand begins to burn into the flesh & then the bone. Taeg raises
the struggling Konak into the air, "Fool! Did you not think that the
seekers could recognize a spy for that pretender Lhesh Haruuc! Suffer
as you should!" In a mater of minutes only ashes & shards of bone are
all that remain of the spy. Yaggl points at you, "Your next.
Remember, speak true!"