Chapter 1 - Age of Faithless

[DraconigenaArma]

"Because Ner is mean." Alder mutters. And to think, he was actually enjoying himself. Shows him how misguided that is. "I'll be back in a bit boys." is all he has to say before he disappears in a puff of smoke.

[GeoAvanti]

Garagras had been about to bother Brakol about some minor military matters, but the sudden arrival of the earthquake changes his plans drastically. Although the quake does not seem enough to risk bringing down the structure, it is enough to cause some very disturbing sensations for those who felt it. Perhaps the discomfort was simply memories of fighting the Great Dragons? The shaking of the earth was not an unusual condition in those battles, and such painful memories would certainly work to leave all of them ill at ease, even over just a random natural phenomenon.

"What was that? Natani asks aloud, quite rhetorically. She is surprised that this was not an attack, and having nothing to readily blame it upon has left her oddly disturbed. She looks to John as he speaks. "It was unsettling. But, I don't know why," she admits reluctantly. She looks around the room to gauge the reactions of the others present. Again, she curses the human design of her dress, as it clearly limits her ability to move quickly in a dangerous situation. While she does not feel that it will come to that, her feeling of foreboding is keeping the Torin on edge.

Garagras, however, seems... pleased. At the conclusion of the quake, a delighted, and shockingly feral, grin spreads across his face. "We are not done, I believe. It seems that perhaps our celebration was earlier than it should have been." He does not know the cause of the event, but the troubled feeling in its wake matches the same troubled feeling of his spirit. To him, this is a sign-- for glory or ruin, this is the start of something both grand and terrible, and he knows that he will see an end to either it or himself.

"Our next duty wakes, and it calls to us," Garagras says calmly, moving to the fallen scythe. He looks down at it, pondering its existence as a reminder of everything they have gained. But it does not tell them what the cost had been. It is an incomplete picture, a biased perspective that will show nothing of the true value of what had been gained in the conflict.

"I will see this implement destroyed," he says plainly, not expecting anyone to challenge him. "It does not tell the truth of our struggles. Of our losses. It only presents to us a false sense of victory and triumph. This is Ner's trophy, not... ours." Garagras' voice becomes louder and, very unlike him, harsh and callous. "This is not our trophy of Ner's defeat; it is the trophy of Miraud's demise-- that no matter what we have accomplished, we failed him in the end."

Natani practically tries to hide behind others of the party, not willing to try and quell the (quite possibly drunken) Unofotine's rising rage.

"I shall not fail in my duty AGAIN!" he roars, his voice thunderous in the room. "If Ner yet meddles in our affairs, I shall DESTROY her, and turn her into essence into oblivion! Then-- I, and whomever else wishes vengeance!-- will see to the end of the other dragons, the treacherous lizards who hide and cower from the might of the mortals of Ronar!"

His rage spent as quickly as it had emerged, the Unofotine looks to his friends and comrades. "Our world darkened the very day that Miraud was taken. I made a vow to ensure that the skies will never darken over our people. And I will see it to its bloody end. Be this Ner's vengeance, or the return of the dragons, I will see them all dead before me. I will see the light brought back to our skies, so that our children need never fear the darkness."

Garagras pauses, momentarily raising himself full and upright as he looks to those assembled around him. He takes a single, heavy breath. "My friends, who else would wish to see this end with me?"

Peeking her head out from behind Mouse, Natani also sighs heavily. "You do not even have to ask me. I will see this to whatever end. Though I would be much more appreciative of an end with all of us still alive," Natani says.

This hadn't been the first time Natani had known about Garagras' oath-- she did enjoy rooting through his possessions from time to time to keep her skills sharp. But this was the first time he had openly mentioned his oath before the others. Hopefully they had known about it earlier, otherwise, what else could they do? Trying to dissuade him would be similar to trying to convince Uh-Zha to take up pottery as a past-time. Natani put her head in her hands and shook it slowly. She really hoped he knew what he was doing this time-- she knew about his book, and she doubted that she alone could stop Garagras if he descended into madness or despair. It took Miraud --Ronar's greatest hero-- to save him last time. If he fell once more, would anyone be able to save him?

[dirkoth]

Mudd!? Mouse thinks to her familiar. You felt that? Not natural, was it?

Without waiting for his thoughts, she instructs him quickly, Bring our gear. I think we have trouble.

With that, she waits for the answers from her friend, and his arrival with their equipment.

[RonarsCorruption]

Alder vanishes from the group, and instantly finds himself very far away. The scene is familliar, a large open room with an altar in the center, raised slowly from the edges. In the center, there was a skeleton, seemingly made from stone, frozen in place. Xutaau's remains. There were several marks about him, likely where soldiers had attempted to defile the remains - their appreciation for Ner. A single fat wasp walks lazily across the petrified skull.

The only thing Alder notices was that the ground seems to have shaken here too - things were out of place and tiles had shaken loose from the ceiling, and still the feeling of wrongness remained. You were thousands of miles away from Ferau, no simple earthquake would have done this - unless there was a massive disturbance somewhere between the two. The dragon on earth had been known to cause similar massive quakes - although on a lesser scale. It was dead, though, and it's soul bound forever. Still, either the shaking in both places was a coincidence, or something very large or widespread was going on.


Back in the breezeway, Brakol replies to Gargaras, "I will, as always support you, but I am too frail for prolonged battles. I could not fight another battle with a great dragon - or another with a god. My armies are dispersed. I have lands and people to provide you with aide as best we can, and I will never abandon you."

Darlith nods, and agrees, "Nor shall I, although if not for this strange... absence in my mind I would suggest that it was simply an earthquake..."

The quake was perfectly normal, from here at least. It's just shaking ground, certainly not magical. But I'll be right there, I feel it too. Outside, Mudd climbs from the ground and enters the large wooden-floored building - damn wood, always getting in his way, it was unnatural. A few minutes later, Mouse had her things all with her, and Mudd.

[dirkoth]

For the curious, Mudd says as she shimmies into her chain-linked armor, the quake itself was normal, non magical in its' nature. Just another tickle to an earth elemental, nothing more. He doesn't know what caused it. So, the feeling and the quake are separate issues, since i know this feeling isn't natural.

Mouse stops herself, realizing that she has just spoken more words in that moment than she had all day...or perhaps two. Now everyone is staring, aren't they?

Wisely, Mudd knows that the thought wasn't directed to him as a question, and he simply continues to help his mistress tie on her armor.

[DraconigenaArma]

Alder suddenly re-appears, leaning against the chair that John lounges in.

"Hello." He chimes in, as if he'd been gone a year. "I don't bring uplifting news." Alder pauses, letting that sink in, relishing the moment. "I dropped by the remains of the Avatar. Here he pauses again, allowing their minds to go wherever they do. "The quake happened there too, but worse. The tiles of the floor were disturbed, though the Avatar was not. I think the entire continent may have shook, with the epicenter elsewhere than here. The quake was light enough that I think we are far from where it happened. If you're game I've got the energy to travel across Maxitone searching for remnants of sharper shaking."

[Admin Sedracus]

Alarmed, the venerable human rose from his chair, leaving Elizabeth there. He strode towards Garagras, hearing, no, feeling his temper flare. "Get a hold of yourself, Garagras" John firmly spoke to the Unofotine. "Blind anger will not aid us. We are all dedicated to the vanquishing of these evils, and we have determined, the scythe holds no remaining connection to Ner or Xutaau."

As the Unofotine spoke of making sure that their children will never have to grow up under the darkness, John's own face darkened as the low blow caused him to reel and stumble, his own memories going back to the daughter he had loved... and lost.

Elizabeth had been quick at hand, hearing Garagras' words and knowing how her grandfather would react to the sudden evoking of the memory of her kind aunt. She sprang out of the chair and rushed over to her falling grandfather, only barely managing to catch him as he was falling. Clutching John to her lithe frame protectively, she looked up at Garagras, her eyes piercing his soul with white-hot anger tinged with protectiveness.

[dirkoth]

John! Mouse cries with alarm, as the older man falls. Her first instinct is to reach for her weapon, and she scoops the small spear up in a second.

Alder, she shouts, knowing that his magic could make the difference. He will help. He has to. a few more steps places her outside the circle of concerned allies, where she quickly scans for threats. She stands behind Elizabeth, spear at the ready, unconsciously protecting the young woman first.

Did you see anything? she asks Mudd. I saw nothing, felt no magic. With Mudd's reply in the negative as well, more mundane thoughts began to filter into her as to the reasons. Her grip loosens slightly on the weapon.

Stupid girl. Not everything is a threat. Her washed out eyes watch as Elizabeth tends to her grandfather. An outside threat, that is. Time and age take their toll, and John has seen more time than half of us in the room added together.

Standing with her spear in hand, she feels foolish. She turns her eyes to the fallen man, but watching the careful ministrations of the young woman, she realizes that she can do nothing to help. I don't think a bandage and a bit of bark to chew on is going to help.

As more people gather, she silently lays a slim calloused hand on Elizabeth's shoulder.

Can i get anything for him? she asks. I am no healer, but I can fetch. Your grandfather is important to me as well.

[dr green]

Magus Necris watched the older man fall with a sigh. He didn't understand why he grew so angry from a nonsensical jibe, or why the knight would be so careless with his tongue. These people may have all lost family members or homes to Ner's machinations but the necromancer had lost his entire life. Ner had taken any chance that he might have had growing to a well-adjusted individual with the actions of Othel Fergison. He looked at his hands pallid and drawn, at Veronica, who only sustained herself by feeding off the blood of others. Maybe if these 'friends' of his could understand true loss at the hands of the goddess of death they could be tempered in it as he had become. He stood violently, uncharacteristically angry, and pushed his chair back from underneath him, it falling over in a crash.

"Everyone! Calm down, we all hate Ner, we all have been hurt by that great black bitch of death and I for one am nothing but a being of revenge aimed towards her destruction. But none of us are going to do anything if we sit here and incite arguments between ourselves. John, Garagras, you both need to calm down," Magus Necris said with every ounce of charisma or persuasive ability he contained within him. "I'm unsure whether this quake has addled your brains as much as it addled your balance, but we need to find out what caused it and why. I for one am most used to going directly to the source," He said pointing one head directly at Life. He was referring to the wolf's ability to Commune with higher authorities. In no way was it expected for him to get the best information, but with some persuasion six questions could glean a lot from a lesser demon under Ner's thumb.

[GeoAvanti]

Alder's sudden return brings worthy news. Calmly, logically, Garagras addresses the matter. "We are not prepared for proper combat immediately-- but, if you wish to take a look, advanced intelligence would be greatly beneficial for our inevitable march."

Natani watches the scene warily, hoping that everyone else can keep their heads about them. The Unofotine is losing his, and the last thing anyone needs is for the entire group to lose it-- before they even know what happened!

"Anger reminds us of the injustices to us, my friend. To let it control you will bring ruin, but to forget it will only bring devastation and loss. And that scythe," he says as he turns to look back at their 'trophy'. "Maybe there is another force at work. Something else we are not yet aware of." Garagras isn't watching when John falls, and it is only through the sudden commotion that he turns to see what had happened-- just in time to hear Elizabeth's displeased voice.

With a fury to match her scorn, Garagras turns towards the otherwise silent Elizabeth. "I am Unofotine. Know the difference," is all he has to say to her.

And how dare any forget what has been taken from us! Imonverob was torn in two by the Earth Dragon! How many countless of my people perished in that single act alone! he rages in his mind-- forgetting that he shares a mental link with a few other people in the room (Any others with the Axiomatic 'Linked Mind' just got a rather unhappy thought broadcast by accident).

Perhaps the others would be aware of the slight changes to the Unofotine's character, but, since Miraud's death, the Unofotine has indeed slowly become more restless and unstable. Up until the battle with Xutaau, it could have easily been mistaken as the tense nerves and stress of the impending fight. But now, even after such a catharsis, Garagras does not seem finished. As he said, he still has his oaths to fulfill.

Detached, Garagras observes the events unfurling-- he is a warrior, not a nurse-maid, he has nothing to do here, now. So he watches and waits. Something was happening in the world again, and it would no doubt claim much life again-- he needed to be ready.

"Unless someone has a better idea, then I shall fetch my armor and Idra." Idra was, as everyone would know, Garagras' large mount, a Feshou lizard-- essentially an iguana given great size by the sudden appearance of magic. The Feshou lizards are found mostly on Imen and Verob now, and are considered to be the standard mounts and beasts of burden for the Unofotine. Garagras only rides Idra when he expects a large, difficult fight.

Unsure of her own position in the scheme of things, Natani remains quiet-- this sense of dis-ease is slowly taking its toll on everyone, it seems-- and if it has any particular target in mind, Garagras seems to be the worst because of it.

"This isn't right," Natani says quietly. "We were supposed to have finally won. First the Dragons. We beat them. Then Ner... and Miraud. We defeated her. So what is this? And if we manage to surpass it, then what comes after it?"

[DraconigenaArma]

"Uch...did I come back at the most irritating time. Emotion...pah." Alder comes from around the chair and crosses towards Necris, who happens to be closest to his glass. He pointedly avoids the knight and John and the whole pack of turmoil in the middle of the room. Picking it up Alder drains it in a swallow, slapping his lips at the bite of it all at once.

"You talk to life Necris, and I'll go see if my idea about the epicenter is true. I expect we'll know better if we're fighting or traveling or...whatever after my investigations and your questioning of your pup combined. Anyone coming with me? I can move faster on my own, but I have nothing against a second set of eyes. Mouse?"

[Admin Sedracus]

"I was referring not to your race, but to your sex, or lack of it, as the case might be, which I assure you, I have no intention of ever knowing." Elizabeth snapped back at the Unofotine as she calmly massaged her grandfather's scalp, using her telepathic ability to send soothing thoughts to John's mind alone.
Turning her attention from the unofotine, Elizabeth manages to gather up a small appreciative smile as her female companion offers to help in any way she can. "Thanks, Mouse, if you could get the smelling salts from the cabinet next to the bar?"

Gracefully accepting the smelling salts, Elizabeth does what she can, and now that John's mind has been soothed, his body is ready to regain consciousness as well.
Calmly, John came to, his eyes showing him to still be disturbed, but not as shocked as he was before.

He speaks on as if nothing hurtful had been said, even if one could see the pain in his eyes - he must not be willing to speak of it. "Perhaps I shall see if any of my celestial connections know what is going on."

[dirkoth]

Mouse grabs the crystals from the small cabinet on the shelf, and gives them to Elizabeth. Turning at Alder's words, she half nods her consent, then looks back to John on the floor.

I can't do anything helpful here. Perhaps i can with Alder.

Best wishes, she whispers to John as she bends close to lay a brief kiss on his forehead. Get better.

Sniffing back her next thoughts, she turns to Alder, a hint of moisture in her brown eyes. Yes, I can go be shield for your eyes.

The small lump of brown rocks and cohesive dirt that was Mudd smiles as he pulls a large shield from the backpack he almost constantly carried, and handed it to Mouse. As she hefts it into place by a simple braided strap, Mudd sets the pack on the floor, and climbs himself inside, so only his fingers and head peek out. Mouse dons the pack, and moves towards Alder quickly.

Let us go, she says quietly.

[DraconigenaArma]

Alder doesn't even look over at John and his grand daughter and the lumbering tower of fur. It's easier that way. If you don't make eye contact people are less obliged to expect you to be involved in their problems. Mouse couldn't have gotten ready quickly enough. He can handle sorrow, he can handle good natured toasts, but inter personal conflicts and hurt feelings was out of his league.

"I thought you'd never ask." Alder responds when she's ready to go. He takes her around the waist and quickly draws her tight against him. In the same instant Mouse and Alder are replaced by black smoke.

What Mouse sees is that suddenly the world goes dark and a horrible feeling of falling rocks her stomach. Despite the fact that there's the feeling of ground under her feet there's no light and cold sets in. If there was light you'd swear a frost would start to gather on hair and clothes if given a second. Alder is the only thing of warmth in a vastness of nonexistence. There's no air to breathe and it feels slightly like the very air in your lungs is being pulled out by a pump. The feelings last but a fraction of a second and before the mind can begin to process the gravity of the stimuli light fills the world, the warmth of the sun caresses the cheek and there's plenty of air to breathe.

Letting Mouse go Alder takes a step back. "Isn't that refreshing?" He asks. There's no sarcasm in his voice or his face, he seems to genuinely enjoy the experience. The scenery around them is forest, on the outskirts of a city.

Teleport Just outside Wedra. Not the big WEDRA at the bottom, but the small Wedra with the dot at the top of the map.

[RonarsCorruption]

-- In the Tavern --

"Gargaras has been irritable lately. And with talk of oaths, obviously something weighs heavily on his mind." Brakol comments as the Unofotine has left. He has called to Barley and sent for some damp cloths for John, and while the innkeeper seemed alarmed that John was unwell, he nodded and ran off back downstairs without another word. "This quake has me concerned. If Alder is correct, than my castles may be in trouble, you all know most of my lands lie far to the south of here, which would be central to where Alder assumes the quake originated. Disconcerning at least. I will depart shortly to prepare my things for the journey home."

"Hmm, it is good that you do, I think." Darlith muses, stroking his beard. "But wait first - I think if anyone were to know of what this odd feeling is, it would be the gods. Even if they refuse to openly defy Ner, they cannot deny us their knowledge of her actions." He looks to John, expectantly.

-- Outside Wedra forest --

OODM The city as listed on the map does not exist yet. Still, I understand where you're referring to.

The forest of Wedra was a massive thing, some trees stretched as high as miles tall in the distance, where the Torin made their homes. Here, at the edges, they were much shorter, only thirty feet, though once they had been giants, cut down to make the cities of men - before the first intervention. Now, for the past century the forest was reclaiming the land - though it was still used for wood, it was no longer being clearcut by acres a day.

Alder, Mouse, and Mudd stand there, and look for signs of destruction. Nothing stands out. The trees are barren - as the month of Barren would imply, and here and there there are dustings of snow precluding the coming winter. There are no toppled trees as a massive quake would imply, no jags of rock sticking from the ground as if it were a massive shifting of the continent. Nothing obvious.