The introductions
Siam
Your eyes are starting to water. How long have you been sitting here now? You decide to take a break, and you head for the library gardens. The evening air is refreshing after all those hours in the dark and dry part of the library dedicated to what the Keepers refer to as Dark Arts.
Early this morning you came back, picking up the same book you put down yesterday, continuing where you left off. You found a passage in a tome named "Shadows of the Forest", a treatise about monsters of legends from the woods. For a time you thought that it might hold some clue as to what happened all those years ago, but the path proved false. It was nothing like what you remember.
Sighing, you head back inside, thinking of calling it a night. As you enter the reading-chamber you are currently using, you see that you've got company. A feline woman is sitting on your desk, legs crossed, grinning at you. She is black as the night, her eyes shining a bright yellow, eyeing you as you approach.
"Hello there Siam. I am Kilana. I see you are still searching for answers..." Her tail is making a soft noise as it gently curls around her left arm. You also notice that she got a pair of black-feathered wings, now folded across her back. She continues:
"I am sure you won't find what you are looking for in these dusty old books. I know where you can, though." She finishes with a broad, warm grin.
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Slizz
It has been a rather slow day. Only a few kids so far, all wanting to know where to find hidden treasures, how to be rich when growing up and similar silly questions.
You are about to head out for a tasty snack when a strikingly handsome man enters your tent.
"I hope I am not too late for a reading, am I?" he asks and takes a seat. There is something... off... about this man, but you are unable to pin-point what it is exactly. He smiles and extends his paw - for that is indeed what it is. "
There are rumours about. A shadow is said to be descending on the world, and I would like to know if this shadow, whatever it is, pose a direct threat to me. I would so hate to experience something nasty now, just before my wedding and all." He finishes and winks at you. You might as well let the rats wait, they are not heading anywhere, and you weren’t that hungry anyway.
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Torsak
"Balance seeker. I would like a word, if you please." The cloaked 9 feet tall man approached you on the street just outside one of the temples dedicated to Darkness. He waits for you to approach before speaking again.
"Like you, I believe in balance. The balance, however, is about to be toppled. I am sure you know of the threat I speak of. My master would like your assistance in fighting this shadow. Your absolute faith in balance is perhaps our strongest weapon against the Shadow, but we are few - yet." His hood is shrouded in darkness, but you can faintly make out a pair of golden reptilian eyes.
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Grymsnarl
What a nasty pack of dogs. It was their territory? Bah! You were, after all, not after a fight. All you wanted was a lonely stroll in the park, but no, not tonight. True, you could easily outsmart those mangy mongrels, make them look like pups in a box compared to you, but why even bother? You decide to head back to the Whistling Gale; hopefully Windwhistle will have something tasty for you at your return.
The city has been strange lately. Whispers and murmurs of something, a shadow, is playing in the streets. You do not know why, but somehow you feel that whatever it is in those rumours has something to do with the wiping out of your old pack. Silently contemplating what this might mean to you, you hardly notice the large, bulky woman waiting in an alley a few blocks away from the Whistling Gale. When you are about ten feet away from her, she sees you and smiles.
"Oh, what a nice doggy! Who's 'e nice doggy then? Come here boy, wanna play?" As you stop and look up at this small hill of a woman, your eyes widen in shock. Where her nose is, she now has a foot-and-a-half long trunk, and she also got two foot long ivory tusks sticking out from her mouth. Her ears are HUGE! Like two big plates, just waiting to be filled with something yummy. This is no ordinary woman, but she seems nice enough, if somewhat simple.
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Anderos
When you return to Tut' Keldir after a rather wet night at the Whistling Gale, he waits for you in the door. He looks at you concerned when you stumble in, and says in a low voice:
"So, you are back... You had a visitor. He didn't say much, but he wanted me to hand you this letter." He hands you the envelope and turns away, heading for his own quarters.
You stumble around your room, trying to undress, light a candle and open the envelope at the same time. Somewhat relieved, you finally set down on the bed, the candle lit, the envelope opened, and yourself somewhat undressed. Reading the letter you quickly sober up.
Dear Anderos.
I hope you are well. As a matter of fact, I know you are. Your kids, however, are not.
Acrovare and Gillian. Such lovely kids indeed. I am pleased to tell you that they are in dire danger. As of this morning, they are doomed to die. They have both been subjects to a slow-working poison. I assure you, taking them to a priest or a mage will not help you - this poison is of such nature as only I and my colleagues are able to detect and remove.
Now, for the important part. I will be happy to provide you with the antidote for the poison, providing you do as you are told. Tomorrow at noon, seek out the old abandoned tavern previously known as the ShadowDancer. Oh, and do bring Karst, you are sure to need it.
Sincerely yours.
Moybau.
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Bendith
Laughing merrily, you see Anderos leaving the tavern, no doubt heading for his bed. Shaking your head in mirth, you turn back to your own tankard, only to find someone almost your own size staring up at you from where it is sitting. This small antennae-headed man eyes you up and down with a smirk before speaking.
"So, I am not the only Fey here. That is good. My master is always looking for someone with a mind for adventure, and you sure look like you can handle yourself..." the grig finishes and nods at Gravestrike.