Hell's Precipice

 

 The gates of Komalie are open.  Speaking to a gentle lost soul in our safehold, I learn that the gates are closed by "Soul batteries".  The chosen are sent as sacrifice to keep the gates closed.  This is what we were sent for, to reclose them with our lives, but I have a suspicion that should we time it right, the Vizier, i'm sorry... the Lich, would be enough to close the doors for good and end this prophecy. If I am to die, I will not die withou taking a few of grenths bastards with me.

Aurora Glade

The jungle is at war with itself.   I cannot think of how else to explain it. It is beast against beast, human against human, druid against demagogue.  Yes, the Druids join our cause.  This is a blessing within a curse, for something dark must be at work for the druids to feel the need to join any cause.

Lion's Arch

Lion's Arch is unlike any city I had ever been to.  A mecca of historians, researchers, and travellers.  Merchants and armorers litter the cobblestones, forges prepared and adding to the humidity of the small ocean port.  The people are different.  Soldiers and townspeople alike relatively uncaring as to why we are here or where we came from.  Some people scoff at me when I ask directions or history of the town. "An Ascalonian asking a Krytan for help? Thats a first" among the most common reply.  Some are friendly enough, but for the most part, no one seems to care.  

I long to explore the beaches and enjoy the sun, but outside the gates the land is hostile.  Creatures I only heard of in tales over the spit exist here, and many dangers are around every corner.  Leaving the citadel is to the risk of the person, and no one will help you when outside but those you leave with. 

The Ascalonians have set up camp under Captain Greywind, who awaited for us in the courtyard.  The camp is to the north, right by the ocean, and has been cleared and protected by those who went ahead of the Prince.  No one has news of Ascalon, or of Adelbern, but I am sure word of Ruriks death must have reached him by now.  He will blame himself for banishing his own son, but he will blame the Krytans unfoundedly for not stopping the events that lead to his death, even though the Krytans were nowhere near the Shiverpeaks.  While exploring, I found something that made me smile. A statue of dwayna, as perfect and complete as the ones I prayed to in Ascalon.  I felt a little at home at last.

Nolani Academy

It does not start well.  A charr has penetrated the castle.  He must have stumbled upon a crack in the foundation, and we are forced to give chase and cut his throat before he can relay his secret to his warband.  We are also forced to continue down the path lest more charr stumble upon the same opportunity. We are fortunate to have Warmaster Casana join us on our mission, but well in to savage lands we find Watchman Pramas.  He has taken the Tome of the Fallen from the ceremonial burial ground.  This is not good.  The spirits need this tome to remain at rest, soon we may have more to fear than the charr as the undead will unleash their frustration upon we who took it.  He is too afraid to return it himself, the great coward.  I am forced to take it from him.  We do not need the added enemies.

I arrive at the cemetary to find the spirits of the fallen in great distress.  They are hostile, we will need to fight.  We are quickly outnumbered and must retreat.  Luckily, a passing unfortunate devourer take their attention and we manage to escape.  We regroup and lure them in smaller gangs, their ghostly remains our trophies.  Once the book is restored, a spirit thanks us.  He tells us that these ghosts are the men who died defending our great wall.  He says we should listen to the prophet.  The prophet?  He must not be speaking of the Flameseeker prophecies. Now is not the time to ponder this though, we must sneak up on the charr camp.

We pick off the ranger groups silently, but as soon as we defeat the leader the Prince prematurely throws up the gates of their fortress.  Charr swarm us from all directions, but the Prince is in a fury. He slays the charr, Sohothin causing the smell of burnt fur to waft through the air.  We run with Rurik to the wall.  He is enchanted by the spirit of Balthazaar, he fights like a God.  He demands the watchman throw open the gate to Rin.  The gate has been ordered shut upon pain of death, but the Prince promises death if it is not thrown open and in to Rin we go.  Stormcaller awaits.  We have the mouthpiece now, that he and Erol found back in Surmia.   He blows the horn.

An earth shaking scream erupts.  The charr fly in a panic, as a sudden downpour of rain extinguishes their flaming pyres.  A hope enters all of us.  I see our bretheren and captives turn on their jailers and destroy them, and some be destroyed in the process.   We find Burntfur.  Rin is ours again.

Trumpets in the distance alert us of the king's arrival.   Adelbern will be pleased for sure, and proud of his valiant son.  It does not end a happy day though.  Rurik pushes that we emigrate to Kryta.  The king will hear none of it.  They quickly become heated, and the Prince is banished forthwith.  He has lost his heirdom and favour.  He takes his fall from grace in stride though, and still plans to go to Kryta with anyone who will join him.  It is our salvation, he believes.  I believe it aswell.  We will go to Kryta and rebuild.  The King will stay in fallen Rin, with no heir or populace.  A fool, the king.  We must head over the Shiverpeaks.  There will be no charr there, we will be safe.

Ruins of Surmia

I arrived in Surmia with little trouble.  Just some hostile grawl which weren't a problem.  Captain Miken greets me at the gate and briefs me on the mission.  I am to meet the Prince inside, there we will fight together to the prisoner camps and free our people.  Once freed they will return to the gate, as we have cleared the way.  Sounds easy, assuredly it will not be.   We meet the Prince immediately and he puts me in lead.  It is an honour for me. Perhaps another promotion will come.  I get a chance atleast to take out my new smiting rod for a spin.

We are swarmed by mobs of devourers.  Where did they all come from? I see a mother devourer and my question is answered. They have set up camp and spawned on the steps of Surmia. Sohothin, the princes great fire sword, an Orrion relic whos sister sword is owned by his father, cuts through them like it would a moa breast fillet.

Then come the charr.  The vision of the charr throws Rurik in a rage. He screams at them, how he will dance on their corpses.  We reach the first gate, it is protected by Fling Bloodpelt.  A ranger boss.  He is no match for the great Prince, and his great Sohothin.  The second prison protected by Scaar Sternclaw, a monk.  We are quickly outnumbered by healers.  I have an ace up my sleeve.  I pop the stone I recieved long ago, before the searing. It still works. We free the next set of prisoners, but there are more.  We head to the third jail, and guarding it was a devourer.  If the charr and devourers are working together we are indeed in trouble.

Erol and Rurik

 Within the third jail we find Erol.  A flaming scepter mage.  He tells the Prince that there are more captives.  The remainder of his unit are in Drascir.  To Drascir we go.  It will be nightfall soon, but we agree with Rurik that they must not be left there. They have been imprisoned for over two years. We arrive at the gate, but the drawbridge is raised.  We must lower it, but in order to do so Rurik and Erol must wait at the other side of the chasm, while we trip the lever from the other side.

the Flame Altar

 On the way we find Breena Stavinson.  She warns us of the flame legion.  They march to the Flame corridor to light the effigy in praise. A small detour will not hurt.  We decide to follow the torch bearers, we will dampen their resolve.  As soon as they foolishly open the gate to their place of worship we kill them, then we kill all their priests. It is oddly unsatisfying.

Victory.

With that we must return to our task at hand.  We make our way to the lever across the chasm and open the path for our Prince. He leads us to Drascir and we find the mages are not captive as we thought, but sealed in safely withstanding the attacks.  Given courage by the site of Rurik they abandon their safe haven and take thier positions on the flaming mage podiums.  We are greeted with waves of charr, and we lay down waves of corpses.  We have won this day, but victory is short as a mob that outnumbers us greatly approaches.  we run to the mages safehold, and Rurik summons a magical doorway.  I knew not he had this power, it leaves me in awe.  Before we jump in to the portal, he is called by Erol.  We have the mouthpiece for Stormcaller.  This could be our salvation.  Atlast. I hope we are not too late.

Road to Ruin

I would be nowhere, would it not be for friends.

I arrived at the Frontier Gate with my crew.  We rendezvous with Warmaster Riga.  Warmaster.  One day I will be one.  I will be a vigilant and just warmaster.  Not a puppet sent to ruin by a King with an agenda. Not like my father.  Chasing prophecies to appease the people, unprepared and badly trained.  No one knows how far he got, all we know is he never returned.  He was sent by good King Adelbern to end the flameseeker prophecy.  To my knowledge, that prophecy was only a story told to scare children in to eating their vegetables and doing their chores. "Eat your broccoli or the Lich will get you" my mother would say, "Clean the floors or we'll send the lich to take you at night".  We knew he was running in to a fools mission, even I knew as a small child that chasing imaginary monsters would only result in catching air.  And air cannot be caught.  He left us anyways.  A fools mission.   Only Meerak the Shouter, formerly the scribe, who became touched and unhinged during the searing, continues to believe in this prophecy. 

even now he screams of the prophecy.

We take our instruction, head to Surmia.  There is a camp at the ruins, we will be joined by the great Prince there and free our bretheren. Then we will head to the north, through the breach in to the shiverpeaks.  It will be peaceful there, our people will remain safe until we reach Kryta, and set up for a new life.  Dreams.  We will finally be at peace again.

Defend the Wall

I've been sent on a mission.  I'm to find the Squire Zachary by the Great Northern Wall.  I am to rally a party, and I am to go on a scouting mission.  Captain Calhaan is in charge, and he is a man that is to the point.  I am sure as soon as I see him he will send me directly in to danger.  Reyna, Alesia and Orion choose to join me.  We are fast becoming a regular group.  I make the decision to leave Alesia in charge of healing, so I can aide with the damage.

Captain Calhaan

 Captain Calhaan sends us after Bonfazz Burntfur, General of the Flame legion.  We are to scout only.  I suppose that is why we were chosen.  Some veterans help us leave the gates unseen, by charr that is.  The path to the lookout point is swarming with devourers, gargoyles and grawl.

I am lucky to have my team, my friends, even if they are hired help. Strangely on our way, I noticed small rock and wood formations.  They appear far too perfect to be laid there by destruction.  Upon closer inspection, they were hiding treasures.  Kilnns Testibrie's treasures. His entire armour set it appears.   Kilnn Testibrie was a champion of Surmia of old. He wanders what was the palace, looking for a worthy champion to retrieve and return his armour to him in death.  I put the treasures in my sack.

Luckily I picked up the pieces

We return his armour to him, he is greatful. We must be on our way though, and I know I am leading in the right direction because soon enough we come across small groups of charr.  In small groups, they are much more pleasant.

Bonfazz is where we thought he would be. It is bad. He is rallying hoardes of charr.  They see us.  We must warn Calhaan and our people.  We must run.