Under A Darksun: PART I SEGMENTS 1-124

[megamania]

UNDER A DARKSUN
SEGMENT 040
“A House with the Blues”

The mood was grim in the building used by the House of Blewes. Dutch had reported possible Shadow activity with his caravan leaving Balic. Mania was missing and resumed dead. Keela was making the family business difficult to conduct.

Jocasta fretted about the building. She was doing an inventory check. In truth, she was trying to hide her concern for the missing hero- Mania. Dogg saw him last three nights ago. They were drinking at the White Hand Tavern. Dogg left early leaving Mania alone. A few witnesses said he left on his own accord saying something about finishing the job. Even drunken, Jocasta and Dogg found it hard to believe he go into the desert hunting Gith.

Dogg contacted his friends and contacts. Some rumors suggested he was being held in the fighting cells. When she looked this morning, there was no there resembling Mania. However, the look the glass-toothed mul gave her when she asked about him said something entirely different. She was certain of it. So where was he?

Dogg was planning on spending his evening checking out the fight clubs in Nibenay. Maybe Mania was caught up in that somehow. If not, then at least he could check out the sites.

Greene even was concerned. He was pouring over more ancient maps of the Ringing Mountains area but found no will to do so anymore. His dreams of a watery paradise put aside for now as he awaited for any information on the whereabouts of the young but charismatic man.

Jocasta feared she drove him away somehow. Mania was trapped between her friendship and what he perceived to be the friendship of Keela. In truth, Keela recognized how special Mania was to the Blewes group and her especially.

Keela teased and used men regularly. Though she was married to Nibenay, the Shadow-King, she flirted and used men wantonly. It was a disgusting show of how easy it is to seduce men. It was all about power and the ability to do so. Mania was Keela’s newest subject…all because Keela and her fought in the desert.

“Where are you Mania?” she whispers aloud holding her water container tightly. “Where?”

 

[megamania]

UNDER A DARKSUN
SEGMENT 041
“The Villa”

Mania awoke to the sound of a desert swift. The strange bird peeped and piped loudly until he rolled out of his bed. He looked across the spacious room and shook his head in disbelief. He spent the night in a luxurious noble’s country villa located along the hot springs outside of Nibenay’s walls. After his leg was healed and massaged, he and Keela rode out to it on her family kanks. The insectiod creatures make a long walk into a swift short ride filled with laughter and joy.

That was then. This is now.

Keela was born a noble. As such, her family controlled sections of the water and the riches it could bring. The villa was large and two stories tall. Water fountains were in many rooms both to display the family’s power and riches and for release of pressure underground. One water cleric that worked for the family believed that if the pressure was not relieved by these many small fountains, an explosive water geyser could blow taking much of the noble’s house and lands with it. The water fountains were sculpted to resemble many fairy-tale creatures, many doing obscene things to each other. The entire house spoke of hedonism. That was when Mania went from having a grand to time to feeling guilty.

So few have access to any water, especially clean water. The nobles here flaunted it for decoration and symbols of power. The clerics working for them were caught up in the glory of money and comfort as much as the enrichment of their chosen element of worship. He thought about Greene and his vision. Was it a vision or a dream of fancy? Did it matter? It defined Greene in many ways. His daughter also. What did he believe in?

Answer- a good time with a beautiful rich spoiled girl.

Mania was about to leave when a ½ elf boy knocked on his door and entered once summoned in. The boy’s name was Roturi. He was a slave. Based on the scars visible on his arms and legs, he was a poorly treated slave. This bothered Mania also. He fought so hard for his own freedom. What of others? Not everyone gets a second chance like him. Slavery. The very word was beginning to give him a bad taste in his mouth.

“Sir, I have fresh fruits and cooled fruit water if you so wish.” The boy said bowing.

Mania, being a clown even when being so self- introspective, looks behind himself then back at the boy. “Sir..? I thought for a moment my father was here.” He gives the boy a smile when the child becomes nervous at the unexpected joke. “What would you recommend?”

“me!…..ah.. sir I do not drink the family water. I would not know. Lady Keela’s favorite is the yellow one however.”

“I am Mania. No need to call me a sir. I am no noble or special person. I am…a guest.”

The boy can not help himself. He smiles a bit at the genuine humor and friendship Mania offers him. He smiles once more then leaves Mania to the four colored fluids and fresh fruit.

Later, Mania walks down to the courtyard were Keela is looking at a scroll with unknown writing and symbols on it. Mania gives her a peck on her forehead and sits across the table from her. Waiting for her to look at him he finally calls to her attention. “Keela…why did you free me?”

She stops her studies and looks at him. Briefly she looks annoyed but recovers incredibly quickly. “I help friends. Especially close friends.” She pauses to gage his emotions. “Could you get me some more lemon water? I’m just lost without Roturi being here.”

“Sure, but I thought Roturi was here?”

“No, he is in the city with father.”

Mania stops dead in his tracks.

Nearby, sitting on a stone sculpture of a ½ man goat creature, a blackbird watches the couple. Watching…and watching…

 

[Horacio]

Poor Mania fell in the trap...
Let's see if he goes out of it

Great update!!!!

 

[Triumph]

Ah yes, good ol' Dark Sun. Sweet.

 

[megamania]

UNDER A DARKSUN
SEGMENT 042
“Can’t Stay Here, Can’t Go Home”

“Roturi went into town to father” thinks Mania over and over. He met the bot only briefly the night before. He was Keela’s personal slave at the villa. He spoke to him, he was sure of it. Maybe she was mistaken? No. He looked around the house for the boy and found no signs of him. The boy’s travel poncho was missing, his travel papers were gone and one of the family’s kanks was gone. The boy was indeed gone and from the looks of it, he left at the break of dawn. So who was that he saw?

Mania was fast coming to dislike the place. He felt dirty here. He didn’t feel like he could trust anything or anyone here. He walked to the wind tower and decided to climb it. The power of the harnessed wind would redirect the water collected into the rice fields. The rice growing here in this small plot was enough to feed all of the poor for a day. Instead, it was collected to make wine. Wine for the rich.

He covered his eyes trying to see the city. A faint outline of the city walls was just evident at the horizon. “Jocasta….”

After a few minutes of recollecting himself, he climbs down. The temperature is nearing 130 already. Even though he longs to see Jocasta’s warm smile and eyes he thinks again of Keela. What was her game? She is obviously attracted to him. She seduced him. She freed him. She brought him out to the family’s private villa for the night. They shared stories and laughter…..but nothing else. His heart longed for Jocasta but he discovered something new. Lust. He wanted so badly to be with Keela. So badly. Was this a crazy game nobles played to heightened the experience? His deep thought and mulling of his emotions are interrupted by a sound at the stables.

He walked over, head down, uncertain of so much in his life.

“NO KEELA” came a sharp command.

Mania moved over quickly expecting trouble. It was the worst kind of all. The parents with Roturi.

“Mother! I have done nothing wrong! I have a guest over- nothing else.”

“Don’t lie to us Keela! You may be a templar but you are still my daughter. Do not think I am unaware of your casual “guests” of the past.” The father is interrupted by the mother- “Do not threaten this grand opportunity before you! You are a wife of Nibenay. However- I am aware that he has not yet finished the wedding ceremony. You and he have yet to” Now she is interrupted sharply by Keela “MOTHER! How dare you…”

Mania knows he should leave but can not help himself. The drama before him has captured his mind and curiosity.

“Do you realize that if you not a virgin for your wedding night he will kill you and destroy us?!? He will take away our lands and money. He will place your brothers and sisters into slavery. And for what? So you can have a night of f-“MOTHER!” a noble’s son or two.”

Her father speaks again as the mother tries to catch her breath for the next tirade. “Noble’s son or two?!? I here you are the most wanted girl at the Captured Jozal. You flirt and tease any boy because you can. But now I hear you are doing this with a commoner!”

“He is no commoner father!”

“He is a laborer for a tradehouse. Not even a true trade house. House of Blewes isn’t even a legit tradehouse. They offer caravan services to other tradehouses.”

“It’s not like that at all!”

Mania suddenly jumps. Roturi has walked up behind him. “Sir, my master has asked for you to leave.”

“I get the idea he doesn’t like me.”

“It is nothing personal, it is business”

Mania gets a sick feeling. He will always hate that saying from now on. “Business?”

“I have said too much sir. Be careful going home. The roads can be dangerous, especially now.”

Mania gives him a strange look. The boy is trying to tell him something. He is obligated by the owner/slave contract not to say anything. “Alright…” He turns to walk away. “By the way Roturi, thankyou for the water and fruit.”

Roturi now gives him a look of confusion. Thinking he has angered the man, he turns and leaves”

“So this is all about another woman?!?”

“Yes father. She needed to be taught her place. I used the boy to do this.”

Both parents stop. Their thoughts racing and calculating. The father speaks first “Are you done with the boy?”

“Yes”

“Good, I don’t think he will be able to come here any further.”

“Father…?”

 

[megamania]

UNDER A DARKSUN
SEGMENT 043
“Hired Help”

Mania had spent of the remainder of the day walking back to Nibenay. On the way he saw merchants coming and going. Saw nobles travel in the greatest of comfort. He saw slave trade caravans. Ironically, some of the workers were slaves themselves. He saw tradesmen, tired and nearly broken walking to their homes or places of work.

“I’m so stupid.” He muttered this over and over again. “Keela is married. Married to the ruler of Nibenay. Why did I think I had a chance to be with her? Her folks were right. He was below her and beyond her means.”

“But what of Jocasta? He cared for her. More than he first thought. Has his fling with Keela ruined that?” He kicked a stone in the road. As he walked up to the same stone again, he kicked it again. And Again. And again. Dark now and lost in his thoughts a man standing on the roadside chewing on a piece of straw surprised him.

“Got a ceramic bit?” asked the scruffy man. Mania, absent mindedly reaches into his pouch and drops a triangular shaped clay wedge with Nibenay’s seal on it onto the beggars outreached palm. “Thankyou Mania.”

He hears one attacker come from behind but finds two knives nearly striking him. The three thieves regroup surrounding Mania. “We’re going to cut you up boy.” Says one rogue. “Feed you to the halflings we are.” Says a second one. The third rogue merely smiles. Each obsidian knife is glazed with a paste. Poison!

Mania rolls into one attack taking a scratch on his leg. He springs up solidly pouching one rogue. The others miss the swift moving young man.

“Oye! Dirk- grab the blasted elf of a man!” Yells the man that first addressed Mania for money.

Mania begins to spin in tight and low motions confusing the rogues. Dirk swings and gets in a hit on Mania’s shoulder. A smear of greenish pastes visible but not in the wound itself. Mania rolls onto his back then kicks straight up trying to keep the large silent man off of him. A solid kick to his jaw causes several teeth to break free. An anguished snarl comes from him. Prone, Mania can not defend himself from the third man’s attack. The blade bites deep into his arm. The wound burns but if from the injury or from poison Mania is uncertain.

Grabbing the man’s arm he draws it down into his rising knee. A loud and sharp crack is heard and the man goes limp. The big man stumbles over the body as the other man misses the swift moving Mania. He jumps and rolls between the men. A hard backhand drops the wounded beggar leaving the bigman. He hesitates too long seeing both of his friends beaten and unconscience before him. Mania hits him hard across the head sending the man spiraling limply to the ground.

Breathing heavily, Mania presses his palms onto his knees and inspects the would be thieves. “Oh…my my my…. not thieves thugs. He remembers Roturi’s parting words and the fact the beggar spoke his name.”

Smiling in way that would stun a templar, Mania says slowly to himself, “Personal, nothing about business.”

 

[megamania]

Sorry for the delay. It has been extremely busy here in Vermont for me lately. Updates are forthcoming.

 

[Horacio]

Great updates!!!!

Poor Mania, from a problem to the next without pause... Let's hope he will arrive alive to see Jocasta again

 

[Roman]

This is good stuff megamania. I am looking forward to see how the situation develops further.

 

[megamania]

UNDER A DARKSUN
SEGMENT 044
“Musing over Life”

Mania was tired and depressed when he finally made it to the House of Blewes compound. The guards gave him a hard time at the gates. Generally they are closed at nightfall and the delay with the thugs meant he was going to miss it. Only with several coins and Keela’s name did he get in.

The compound was quiet. A few people were there watching over the building but none of the caravan people. Jocasta and Dogg were both out. He climbed the stairs to see if Greene was in his office. He wasn’t. Bored, Mania checked out the papers and maps on his desk. “Trademan’s Road?” Mania didn’t know what to make out it. A road going through the Ringing Forest and mountains beyond Tyr Valley?
He saw a book and opened it. He couldn’t read it. He didn’t even know if it was written in common. It was old based by the feel and smell of the book. Searching for pictures and finding none he placed it back on the table as he had found it.

It was hard to figure out what to do. He found himself bored. He hates bored. He wanted someone to talk to…anyone at this point. Going to his room he gathered up what little money he had left and went out to the closest tavern to him. The Merchant’s Coin. It was a simple place with little atmosphere. It was a place to get a cheap meal and drink and a job with the merchants and caravans. It was late so few were here.

Sitting down he asked for a water. It was too soon for a stronger drink. Across the room was a robed man. He was drinking water also and eating a Bulla Root. No one else was here except for the bar maiden and keep. Mania knew he should eat but didn’t feel like it. Even the water wasn’t good. He stared at the flakes of minerals in it as they settled. He felt almost entranced by the floating and twirling shapes. This is why the man got so close before he saw him.

“You look to have a need for company,” said the robed man.

Mania looked up at him. He wasn’t sure how old the man was or even race. The skin was pale and showed no signs of sun damage. Somehow this didn’t bother him. Instead, it comforts him. “Have a seat- it’s free” and he motions for the man to sit across from him.

“Is the water here always as such?”

Mania’s eyebrows arch. “This is clean. As clean as it gets without being summoned. Who are you?”

“A traveler on a quest” answers the mysterious man. “And you are…?”

“Mania” a long silence goes by.

“That is an unusual name I believe. It suits you however.” A smile crosses the face of the man.

“Suits me? What do you mean by that?”

“Your name means conflicted emotions. You look to have such.”

Now suspicious of the guest, Mania tries to take in more details of the man. He may be a ½ elf. His eyes have a twinkle that resembles an elf but a human jaw line. His hands are undamaged. He isn’t a worker. His manners and clothes suggest he is not a noble either. A lone simple ring is on his hand. He seems uncomfortable within the building but not in a way he can pin point. Perhaps he is a mage.

“Conflicted emotions? Never knew that.”

“That your emotions are conflicted or the meaning of the name?” The man takes a bite out of the root again.

“What do you want?”

“What do YOU want young Mania?” The man’s eyes seem to sparkle again.

Mania feels a warm sensation on his neck. Certain psionics are being used; he places up mental barriers. The feeling doesn’t go away. “Answers.”

“Answers. First you must understand the question to find an answer. What is the question you muse over?”

Mania, relaxing, answers his question. “Meaning of life? Why must everything be so hard? That kind of stuff.”

The man smiles a warm smile. “The meaning of life and why it is so hard to obtain…long have I wondered that myself. Do you have any faith young Mania? Faith is good. Faith brings hope. Hope brings strength. Strength brings results. Find faith…find a purpose and you will find results. You will find answers to your questions.”

Mania can’t escape the feeling this man has been a friend to him for his entire childhood. “I’m sorry- I didn’t get your name.”

“You may call me Savos.”

“I once knew, well heard of, a…person called Sar-Savos.”

The warm feeling grows again. Mania gets lost in his thoughts. He is trying to remember the image of Sar-Savos. “Faith. As in an element worship?”

“Perhaps. For some that is it. No, I mean faith or a belief. Something to believe in. Something to gage your actions to.”

“You sound preachy Savos.”

“Sometimes it takes a preacher to mull through the darkness to find the light. Most everyone has light and darkness within him. The question is- succumb to the darkness and let it control you or seek out the light and let it give you sight.”

“I don’t see how that will help me right now. My problems are …complicated.”

The robed man turns his head to the side as if imploring a further explanation. When none comes, he asks for it.

“There is a woman, of faith and goodness, that I have hurt. I hurt her by giving in another woman. She has faith also. She is a templar. Her folks don’t like me however and I fear they are pushing her to leave me. Sometimes I think…” The words end as Mania takes a drink of his water and stares at the glass.

“You think…? What young Mania?”

“That she may be using me. That makes no sense to me. I have done nothing to her.”

It is quiet for a few moments. Before Salvos speaks up. “Deciding what is right and what is wrong is hard young Mania. What do you feel inside?”

“Inside?”

“I have gone against my family to travel Athas looking for something. They fear this something I seek. They fear it’s unknown and it’s unpredictability. I fear what will happen if it is found first by another. One without faith or belief. Inside, in my spirit, I feel this is important. What do you believe?”

Perplexed by the depth of these questions Mania just stares at the water. “I don’t know.”

“Find a belief. Find a purpose. And you will find yourself.” He gets up to leave. “It has been good to talk to you again young Mania. It has given me more insight on my own quest. I hope the words we shared will do the same for you.”

He leaves out the door. “…Again?” with a sudden look of surprise. He runs outside and sees no one. “Great- I ask for help solving my questions and get more questions.” Shaking his head he returns to his water inside.

Above him, a black bird watches. It’s head cocked to the side as if trying to get a better view, a better understanding, of the young man below him.