A Teir'Dal Shadow Knight

[Kyrinn the Black]

“To be born a Teir’Dal is to be born above all others. It also means that you’re destined to be somebody’s pawn, in somebody’s scheme whether you’re aware of it or not. For the Teir’Dal, in fighting is second nature. It is as natural as eating, or sleeping with one eye open. “<br>
“I was born a simple ward of the D’Deleth family. By all respects a rather minor house of Teir’Dal nobility. Being minor nobility seemed to go hand in hand with being especially treacherous and petty, but as luck would have it I was to be used in a rather common way. I was chosen to be inducted as a Shadow Knight in the city of Neriak. For no better reason than so that house D’Deleth could claim one more Dark Knight amongst it’s numbers. Just as all the other houses had done so many times before me, and certainly would do so many times after me.”<br>
“Any of Innoruuks Dark Knights would have you believe that they are an elite chosen few. Hand picked by Innoruuk himself. In fact most of the Shadow Knights believe this themselves. The cold hard truth of the matter is that Teir’Dal Shadow Knights out number most of the other guilds by far (except for the Necromancer’s Guild but there are reasons for that as well). The Shadow Knights of Neriak are in reality, just fodder for Innoruuks cause, to be used up and discarded when they are no longer of use.”<br>
“I at least see my situation clearly, and that sets me apart from the rest. If I perform well, and rise above the other Dark Knights, house D’Deleth will most certainly tighten their grip on me. If I do poorly, then I simply perish like countless others before me. I briefly considered seizing power for myself, but what if I were successful? I would become a mere slave of bureaucracy, spending the rest of my days tending the unending administrative tasks that plague the rulers of all countries and races.”<br>
“Rumors of a new organization, calling themselves the Twilight Empire reached my ears, and I saw an opportunity. I decided to make the trip to the Songweaver Tavern to find out if the rumors were true. If they were true, perhaps I could ally myself with with this new Empire, and squirm my way from underneath the D’Deleth thumb. As I said, minor houses are especially treacherous among the Teir’Dal, and they would not take my insubordination lightly.”<br>
Of course I realized then that it would be an unsteady alliance with this new Empire, but unsteady is as good as it gets for the Tier’Dal. Especially one that no longer wishes to be just another pawn in someone’s foolish game.

[Kyrinn the Black]

“After waiting in the tavern for as long as I could, I continued my journey to Neriak. I hadn’t spoken with anyone from the Twilight Empire but I was able to get some information. It would seem that the rumors that the Empire was being lead by Krystis Thex herself were true. I thought perhaps I could catch up to her or one of her minions in Neriak if I hurried.”<br>
“Upon arriving in Neriak I reported to guildmaster Zelthil Do’Vexis stationed at the Lodge of the Dead. I was immediately set to the inane tasks of in-processing as a new Shadow Knight. The initial equipment issue was discouraging at best (consisting of nothing more than a poorly crafted recruits sword and a pair of old bone bracers) but having my spirit bound was reassuring. After signing the coachman’s ledger I was assigned to Sythonis U’Dedne.”<br>
“Sythonis was apparently the one responsible for the early training exercises for the Lodge. The first task I was given was to go beyond the city walls and slay the small animals of the forest, returning only when I had obtained two snake scales. This is a task that could have been performed by a small child, but I did as I was asked anyway. I spent more time than was necessary sharpening my skills on the wildlife of Nektulos. The snake scales were easily obtained but what I really needed was Tunar to purchase equipment with. I decided to take what little I had and see what the street vendors had to offer me.”<br>
“My first priority was to procure a set of decent armor and a sturdy weapon. I soon discovered much to my dismay, that it takes more than a fist full of Tunar to purchase any decent equipment in Neriak. Most vendors refused to sell me their wares. The few shopkeepers that would sell to me were offering what I would guess was what was looted from a battlefield. The equipment had the only-dropped-once look to it. My last option was to apprentice myself out to smithy N’Darg and weaponsmith Laelle. Both of whom were willing to teach despite my lack of experience. So I sold the snake scales that Sythonis was waiting for and used the money to purchase supplies for the forge. Crafting turned out to be much easier than I was expecting and before long I had managed to make myself a serviceable set of plate mail. My funds were nearly drained from the effort though and I yet needed a weapon. I decided to keep things simple and crafted myself a long spear believing it would be hard to ruin what is essentially a pointed stick. My funds now depleted I returned to the surface.”<br>

[Kyrinn the Black]

“By now I had accepted that I was too slow in my movements and most definitely missed out on speaking with Krystis Thex. However, It would seem that the clerk had done as I instructed as no sooner did I leave the city than the Empress herself contacted me. Word had reached her that I was inquiring about the Twilight Empire, and she demanded to know what I thought I could offer her. As far as the Teir’Dal go, I was as low a ranking Knight as you could come by. A mere rodent in the presence of great predators; but ask anyone in Neriak how difficult it is to get rid of a rat infestation. I decided to offer my cunning to the Empire, knowing that I had little to offer in the ways of strength or influence. In turn Krystis offered me the chance for glory.”<br>
Glory was never something I wished to pursue. Glory leads to arrogance and too many great warriors have been brought to their knees by arrogance. No, I wanted to break free from house D’Deleth and I needed protection to do as much. I doubted a minor house like D’Deleth would let me go without retribution and I was definitely too weak to stand on my own. I wasn’t about to admit that I was using the Twilight Empire in this fashion though, so I did what came naturally…

“So it was that I joined the Twilight Empire for that chance at glory. Unfortunately Krystis had pressing matters to attend too and our discussion was delayed. We parted ways agreeing to meet in the future for a more in-depth dialog. I only hope that I am as cunning as I boasted when that day comes”

[Kyrinn the Black]

“ Long spear in hand I headed back into the forest for a little hunting. I still needed to replace the snake scales that I sold earlier that day. Sythonis was most definitely getting tired of waiting by now. Not that I’ve ever been truly concerned with the affairs of the Lodge of the Dead, but they did possess things I wished for myself. I was prepared to obey as long as I kept getting what I wanted. I intended on bleeding Zelthil and Sythonis for all they had to offer, and afterwards I would decide if they were worth killing or not. It didn’t take long to collect the snake scales again.”<br>
“This time I offered the scales to Sythonis instead of pawning them, but she wasn’t satisfied with that. Now she wanted me to purchase materials to have a new weapon crafted. The equipment they had provided me with earlier was terribly inadequate but I did as I was asked anyway. My efforts were rewarded with an old tarnished scythe and an order to kill Firebats to the north. I was promised a worthy foe in these Firebats, to the point that it was suggested that I seek out help. It was a gross exaggeration and I felled several of them with little effort.”<br>
“After returning to Neriak I received word that Zelthil himself was asking for me. I was being sent to Grobb on a small and trivial matter. I was to report to waysender immediately. I was in no hurry to go to that swamp so instead I visited the Songweaver tavern again, for one last drink in the comfort of civilization. I would be leaving for Grobb soon but first I thought it would be in my best interest to visit the forge one more time. My skills with a hammer were growing and it was time to craft myself a new set of armor. I had heard stories of trollish fortitude and I wanted to be prepared for the worst when I arrived…”

[Kyrinn the Black]

“Grobb is a fetid, stinking swamp and if I never set foot there again it will be too soon. The only things of any interest in that cesspool were the gigantic Trolls that live there. The Trolls of Grobb are a frightening mixture of stupidity and raw power. They would be valuable allies, but dangerously unpredictable. It was hard to believe I was sent here of all places to inquire about something as trivial as a food shipment. This task was hardly worth my time and instead of speaking with the Chef Blignart, I explored a little of the city. I spoke with several of the warriors (I believe they call themselves the Bashers) and learned of their enemies, the Frogloks. Teir’Dal consider the legs of Frogloks to be a rare delicacy but I had never actually seen a living one. The Trolls had a few captives that they allowed me to examine but I wanted to test their combat abilities. I obtained directions to a Froglok Raider encampment from the warriors and journeyed into the swamps to find them; my mission from Zethril all but forgotten.”<br>
“I made the decision to creep up to the Raider encampment under cover of darkness. The Frogloks had kept a fire burning in each of their watchtowers making the camp easy to find. I knew that their fires would completely ruin their night vision so I was able to move right up to the lights edge. The entire compound was built upon wooden scaffolding suspended above the swamp. It resembled a primitive version of the Dal forest outposts that I had read about in Neriak, where the Dal would suspend their dwellings from tree branches. The Frogloks security was pathetic, consisting of roving sentries checking entry ramps, then returning to the nearby towers to socialize. I picked an entry ramp and decided to test my luck.”<br>
“I slipped to one of the entry ramps in between sentry checks as stealthily as possible. I hid myself by hanging from the scaffolding and waited for the sentry to return. The fool failed to notice me. I plunged my spear deep into his throat, hoping to ruin whatever organ Frogloks use for speech. The wound left him gasping and I was able to swing onto the platform and finish him off without resistance. I kicked the lifeless body to the waters below and continued down the narrow wooden walkway towards the first watchtower. The Frogloks sitting by the fire did not notice me approach and I was upon them before they could react. I used my powers to sap them of their strength, then again to cause them horrible pain making combat difficult for them. I cut two of them down as they scrambled for safety but one managed to get over the side of the tower. I leapt after him and ran him down there in the marshy waters. None of the other Raiders had noticed the butchering. It was all too easy. I continued my attack throughout the night in much the same manner, striking from different entry points, then dispatching the tower occupants.”<br>
“The first frail light of dawn found me slaying the last of my victims. My spear had long since broken and I was now fighting with a sword looted from one of the stronger Raiders. I took a moment to catch my breath and check my belongings. This is when I learned the true horrors of the swamps of Grobb and Guk. I was covered from head to toe in stinking swamp muck, which was to be expected, but my armor and remaining weapons were plagued with rust. The swamps climate had corroded my equipment to the point of needing replacement in just a few short hours. I abandoned my armor there in the mud, and headed back to the Troll settlement. I had won a sizable haul from slaughtering the Frogloks and I was hoping to sell the loot and use the Tunar to purchase some new equipment.”<br>

[Kyrinn the Black]

“The shops in Grobb seemed to operate in much the same way as those of Neriak. I found it a little difficult to find a Troll willing to sell me a decent suit of armor in my size. Eventually a tailor sold me a set of cured armor that fit nicely enough. The protection it offered was on par with that of my old metal armor and being made from hide meant that it would not rust. Cleaning would still be a problem and that thought of equipment maintenance made me decide to hurry up and end my stay. I finally sought out the Chef known as Blignart to inquire about the food shipments, the original reason I was sent to the that rotting cesspool.”<br>
“Blignart spoke as eloquently as most Trolls, and explained to me in simple terms that he no longer wished to ship food to the city of Neriak. He agreed to reconsider if I brought him two crab legs from the beach east of there. I was desperate to return home, and I would have left, the food issue unresolved. I still needed the skills that Zethril was hoarding though, and I determined that I would be hitting a stumbling block in my advancement if I returned without favorable news. I walked to the beach, crushed all the crabs I could find, and then returned all of the surviving crab legs to Blignart. I dropped them on the table in front of him, but before I could even speak the dumb troll scooped up the crab legs in his massive fist and stuffed them all in his mouth. The appalling taste of carapace was enough for the Troll Chef to take pity on the Teir’Dal and he promised to resume trade. I took the first shipment with me. I was so eager to be free of that stinking mud hole that I was even willing to trust waysender Zapgit with my passage back to Neriak.“<br>
“Zapgit teleported me home without error and I found myself standing near the Neriak bank. I brought the food shipment (Froglok legs ironically enough) directly to Zethril Do’Vexis at the Lodge of the Dead, still reeking of the swamp. Zethril accepted the shipment but sent me away immediately. The stench must have been quite unbearable for someone who has been sitting behind a quill and parchment, safe in the bowels of Neriak. I washed myself and my equipment in the underground river that runs through the city. Once cleansed, I returned to Zethril for my next assignment.”<br>

[Kyrinn the Black]

“I was to apprentice myself to Jarek N’Toxis, a crackpot researcher that lives along the river Saren. Zethril told me that he needed proof that Jarek was abusing the dark arts in his research but never spoke of why. It seemed easy enough; Jarek lived nearby and I had even met him on occasion when I was hunting the beasts of Nektulos. He was not amused when I went to his tent to inform him that I was his new apprentice, but he accepted me nonetheless. Jarek’s only need for an apprentice was to gather specimens for his experiments. He was particularly interested in the exoskeleton of the spike shell crabs and the anatomy of the fungus roach. I obtained several samples of both species for examination. Jarek selected the finest examples of what I had brought to him, and used them to birth a great beetle like construct. His intent was to make a host of these creatures and use them to conquer Norrath.”<br>
“In the end Jarek’s creation turned on him as soon as it was completed. Jarek was cut down before my very eyes, and I was next. I considered fleeing for my life but the juggernaut was deceptively fast and I turned to face it. For once it would seem that I was going to battle a formidable opponent. My sword was largely ineffective against its hardened exoskeleton. The beetle was fairing much better against me than I it; it’s claws tearing right through the hide armor from Grobb. I struck back, time and time again, making a little headway. It was not enough though; I was bleeding freely now from several wounds and the Insect hybrid wasn’t even slowing. I started to realize that this could be it for me. Instead of being afraid, I was furious, and it was that fury that manifested into a terrible power. I willed all of my rage and hatred into the beast, it struck with such a force that it was as if Innoruuk himself had tore my enemy asunder. All that remained of Jarek’s creation was a badly mangled carapace. I was completely drained myself, but I had survived. I would not be making an attack like that again anytime soon. I drug what was left of beetle back to Neriak.”<br>
“Zethril was seemingly unimpressed with the ruined carapace and demanded to know what had happened to Jarek N’Toxis. I never actually saw what happened to Jarek. After the beast attacked me. I never saw his body after my battle with the giant beetle. I suspect that Jarek lives on to continue his experiments but Zethril didn’t need to know that. I simply told him that he was defeated by his own creation. I never said he was killed. Zethril accepted my answer without question and rewarded me with a new weapon. This time it was something worth having though, and I wield it still. My tasks complete for now I was left to do as I pleased. My most recent battle left me badly wounded so came back to my corner table at the Songweaver tavern. I planned on staying for awhile, drinking and recovering. Perhaps I would journey to Freeport when I was up to it. I had heard that in that city all races mingle freely, it was supposed to be a place of adventure. Surely I could find the strength I desire in such a place."

[Kyrinn the Black]

“After a hefty night of drinking and carousing (and more than a little magical healing) I was feeling well enough to travel. I bid farewell to the patrons of Songweaver tavern and left on foot to Freeport. I made the trip in just a single evening, arriving just before dawn.”<br>
“Freeport was a bustling hive of activity even in the early hours of the morning. The citizens were everything that I had heard about and more. Members of all races and religions freely associated here, and I witnessed more than one adventuring party with mixed members in their comings and goings. It would seem that here, people were putting their racial hatreds aside to work together to achieve common goals, or at least they were putting on the act that they had. I find it far more likely that they were just using each other to fill gaps in their own skills, and if situations were different, would probably have no qualms about leaving their associates in the desert to die. Of course that could just be the Teir’Dal in me talking. Perhaps in the future I would hire on as an adventurer here, but I didn’t feel like protecting myself from would-be allies so I decided to press on alone.”<br>
“I was in desperate need of Tunar. My trips to the Blue Flame forge in Neriak were getting increasingly more expensive. I asked around the merchant houses, looking for work, but I could find nothing acceptable. I overheard several of the merchants discussing a group of bandits in the area called the Nasehir. They had been plaguing the area for quite some time now, and despite countless raids against them, they’ve never been fully removed as a threat. I thought it might be lucrative to raid these bandits and claim their spoils for my own. I struck out across the desert in search of these Nasehirs, but when I located the camp, I learned that this was hardly an original idea.”<br>
“The Nasehir bandits were under full assault by multiple bands of adventurers. I watched the slaughter from the safety of a nearby sand dune. The Nasehirs were being beaten very badly. There would assuredly be nothing left worth looting, so I decided to leave, maybe I would return to Neriak and see if the Lodge of the Dead had any of their pointless tasks for me to complete. As I was leaving I caught sight of a small group of Bandits. They appeared to be lookouts but they obviously failed to warn the encampment about the force attacking them right now. I didn’t know if it was due to incompetence or if the Lookouts predicted the outcome of the battle and simply thought it better to save themselves, but either way I made them pay for their treachery with their lives. Sadly, the corpses of the Lookouts did not provide me with anything of much value. I returned to Freeport to pawn the Lookouts belongings. It barely covered repairs.”<br>

[Kyrinn the Black]

“Having had enough of the desert I commissioned a horse to take me back to Neriak. The trip went very quickly on horseback and I was greeting at the stables with word that Sythonis U’Dedne was demanding an audience. I had hoped that I had advanced beyond dealing with that wretched pregnant dog but it would seem she was intent on wasting more of my time. She seemed irritated when I eventually reported to her. Sythonis informed me that I had been requested by name by the Lady Furess U’Dedne. Perhaps Sythonis’ irritation was because the U’Dedne’s were using a D’Deleth and not another Shadow Knight from a more prestigious house. Whatever the reason, this was just the sort of thing I was hoping to avoid. The more recognition I received, the more the noble houses would seek to toy with me, another piece in their petty game of houses. Now I had attracted the attention of Furess U’Dedne, matron of house U’Dedne, and I had no choice but to obey. My situation was turning very grim indeed.”<br>
“I found myself standing outside the U’Dedne manor much longer than I had intended trying to decide what to do. Things were moving swiftly now; one false step could spell my undoing. I couldn’t stand there forever though, so I entered the building and reported as requested. Furess U’Dedne’s task was even worse than I had feared. She was reducing me, Dark Knight of Innoruuk, to a mere errand boy. I was to go to Freeport by way of waysender and retrieve items she had recently purchased, and was interested in, then return them to her manor.”<br>
I know there was more going on here than the task assigned, but I wasn’t strong enough then to stand on my own. She was probably demonstrating her power over house D’Deleth or maybe the Twilight Empire by making one of their soldiers serve her as a common slave might server it’s master. I was hoping that the Twilight Empire would grow in strength so that I might kill the wretch without retribution, but for now I had to obey.

“I was teleported to Freeport that very evening, where I sought out merchant Nalzik P’Thek. Nalzik was supposed to have held onto Furess’s belongings, however he chose to inconvenience me by sending them to her manor by a courier named Velraen V’Ghen. I had wasted my time on this trip and returned to Neriak to inform Lady U’Dedne. Obviously the courier had stolen her belongings. Obviously she would use me to get them back. Nalzik had also mentioned that the courier’s brother was stationed at a watchtower just outside of Neriak. I decided to go there to question him about his brother’s whereabouts. I approached the dragoon, demanding he reveal his brothers location to me, and he must have mistaken me for one of Velraen’s fences because he told me where to find Velraen without a challenge.”<br>
“The meeting place was a small tent within site of the watch tower. Velraen was there already, unarmed and unarmored. He himself was under the impression that I was there to purchase what he had stolen. I told him that I was working for Lady U’Dedne and I was going to return to her what he had taken, I had no intentions on purchasing anything. He attacked be without another word, but his fists were no match for my axe. He took several blows but soon fell to his knees unable to resist further. I struck him unconscious with the flat of my blade instead of finishing him off. I was furious with Lady U’Dedne, and I wanted Velraen to live on to interfere with her further. I claimed the box containing Furess’s belongings from the unconscious thief.”<br>
“I know I should not have been surprised by Lady U’Dedne’s inability to open the box. In the end I had to return to Freeport to have Nalzik break the seals he had placed before presenting it to Lady U’Dedne. She seemed quite satisfied with the contents, and even more satisfied that this task had proven to be so irritating to me. She sent me back to Sythonis then, to claim my reward. Sythonis was her usual charming self, yet she did provide me with new secrets to master. As long as I kept getting what I wanted I would continue to put up with her.”<br>

[Kyrinn the Black]

“The U’Dedne fiasco took almost the entire day, and I was supposed to be attending a meeting of the Twilight Empire. I decided to go to the court of Innoruuk where the meeting was being held. I was hoping to arrive early and listen to some of the conversations of the other members, but I found myself one of the last couple of stragglers to attend. I picked a position near the back, behind one of the Ogres, so as not to draw attention to myself.”<br>
“The meeting was conducted with the members standing by the arena floor and the Empress standing at the top of the ramp. We started with the introductions of new members. There was only one; an ambitious young thief calling himself Shadowshank. I would have to watch my back around this one for he was as arrogant and ambitious a man as I’ve ever met. There were 3 promotions. Two Ogres and an Enchanter from house X’Lottl were raised to the rank of Loyalist. Then came the scheming and bickering under the guise of future conquest and glory. One of the speakers, a human necromancer named Bornus, was particularly worrisome. He was promising great rewards for assisting him with his research. He was trying to find a way to poison the land, thus demoralizing the enemies of the Empire. I knew him to be a follower of Bertoluxxous, and I doubted very much that he was looking out for the Empire’s best interests. It seemed more likely he was using the Empire to further the goals of his dark god, for why would the Empire seek to poison what was to be theirs. I challenged him, and so did Lanchar X’Lottl, the recently promoted Enchanter. He seemed to see through the plot as well, but the Empress herself dismissed the both of us. Bornus’s research was to continue unhindered.”<br>
The Empress was a fool to assume the human is not a threat. I can’t believe she would dismiss something so obviously important. This is where I would come to trust in Lanchar L’Celare (then an X’Lottl) over that spoiled princess Krystis.

“After the meeting, Lanchar asked me to speak with him in his tower. When I arrived, one of the other Shadow Knights of the Empire was there, a young Teir’Dal named Tzukeil. Lanchar had seemed to me to be one of the more influential of the Imperials, and the recent promotion supported that theory. I assumed he wished to speak of Bornus’s research, as we had agreed that Bornus seemed to be hiding something in the meeting earlier. In realty Lanchar proved to be more ambitious than I originally guessed. Lanchar was moving to abandon house X’Lottl, and form his own power in Neriak. He offered Tzukeil and myself a chance to be a part of his plans. He claimed that the X’Lottl’s were aware of his plan, and he had full permission to break away from them. Tzukeil even seemed to be buying his story, but I was more skeptical. I doubted very much that House X’Lottl would allow such a betrayal. It was well known that Tzukeil and myself were gaining in power and reputation fairly quickly. It seemed far more likely that he wanted our support as a show of force, to keep the other houses at bay until he truly had the power to be accepted by the Teir’Dal nobility. Tzukeil still readily accepted his offer. I was more hesitant, believing that I seen through Lanchar’s plot, but in the end I accepted his offer as well. That night, at the top of Lanchar’s tower the three of us formed house L’Celare. I had escaped house D’Deleth’s grasp, but I was now bound to house L’Celare, for if it faltered, house D’Deleth would certainly come for my head for my betrayal.”<br>
“I left the L’Celare manor, still curious about Bornus the Necromancer. I knew very little about Bertoluxxous and his followers, but had a few ideas on where to start looking for information. Knowing that lips were always loose at the Songweaver tavern I decided to make my return. My corner table was still open, so I took my place and ordered a drink. Sadly, I couldn’t stay long. My enemies were still plotting, and I was still not free…”

[Kyrinn the Black]

“My trip to the Songweaver tavern paid off and I was able to learn of both Bornus and his god Bertoxxulous. Since his announcement to the Empire, Bornus had been aggressively pursuing his poison research. He had now enlisted the aid of one of the Ogres, and with his help, seemed to be making decent headway. The more I learned of Bertoxxulous the less I trusted the human but I was not to be left with enough time to ponder the situation further. A messenger had arrived for me, stating that Seloxia V’Thoth (a high ranking member of the Lodge of the Dead) was demanding my presence in Neriak. I left immediately.”<br>
“I thought as highly of Seloxia as I did of Zethril and Sythonis. I was not exactly happy to be summoned by her, but I did so promptly as it was to be my first dealing with her. My task was to report to Zelthil J’Narus and do his bidding. House J’Narus was another highly respected house, much like house U’Dedne, and Seloxia reminded me that unsatisfactory performance in dealing with house J’Narus would be dealt with severely. I took the warning to mean that Seloxia was most concerned about losing face with house J’Narus by sending an unsuitable representative. I tucked that observation away in the back of my mind for future use and left for the J’Narus manor.”<br>
“Zelthil J’Narus was no more impressive to me than Furess U’Dedne but I gave him the respect that Seloxia desired. Zelthil put on the appearance that he was much more capable that Furess U’Dedne, but appearances mean nothing as far as Teir’Dal nobility go. I knew enough at least not to trust my initial feelings of an individual, but not enough to accurately gauge Zelthil’s true abilities. His task was simple enough; I was to travel again to Freeport, and return to the same merchant house that Furess had sent me to earlier. Zelthil required an item from merchant Gilgesh called the Lantern of Ages.”<br>
I don’t like this pattern that was developing here. This is the second time in a row that I was reduced to a mere errand boy by one of the upper houses. It was getting so that I wanted more than to just be free of their games. I was now starting to want revenge for the humiliation I was being subjected too.

“I traveled by horse this time, staying in Freeport only long enough to purchase the Lantern of Ages, the returning to Neriak in the same manner in which I had left. I brought the Lantern to Zelthil J’Narus but he had more for me to do. The lantern was the first piece of several that he would need to complete one of his plans. I was to be used to acquire the rest of what he still was lacking. The first component on his list was a peculiar one indeed. He needed a thought gem, which was the physical manifestation of the last thought a person had at the time of a violent death. Zelthil needed a Gem of Deception specifically. Fortunately for me I could find the wandering thoughts of those that have passed on to the west of Neriak, in an area called the Dueling Crest. Zelthil explained to me the path I should take, and I went in search of this thought gem.”<br>
“The Dueling Crest was right where Zelthil had described. There was one minor detail that was left out of his description though: the place was absolutely infested with the undead. I could make out what I believed to be the wandering thoughts, floating and bobbing amongst the skeletons. I was going to have to fight with the undead inhabitants before I could make a safe attempt at the thoughts. The undead warriors and their pets surged forward as if in response to my observations. I struck out with my axe and shattered bones like dry twigs. The skeletons and their ilk were also susceptible to my darker powers and I was able to steal their strength and energy, using it to bolster my abilities. These undead were easy enough to overcome, but they were surprisingly aggressive, and new skeletons kept joining the fray. Before long the grounds were absolutely covered in shattered bones, and some of the skeletons had turned to flee. They must have been cowards in the previous life, and I cut them down from behind, robbed of an honorable destruction in unlife as they must have been in life. After defeating the last of the opposition I surveyed the surroundings one more time. There were still several skeletons within my line of sight but they were far enough away to not be a threat. I was now free to focus my attention on the hovering objects that I assumed were the thoughts I was looking for.”<br>
“I had no idea how to tell which one I was seeking. They all looked like floating orbs of white light, one single orb being no different from the rest of them. Lacking any better ideas I struck one of them hard with my axe. I felt a minor amount of resistance as my axe passed through, but the orb was not entirely corporeal so it escaped relatively unharmed. My violent attack was responded to with magical lightning. My armor offered no resistance to the spell and my chest was horribly burned. The casting time was slow but the pain was terrible. I used what powers I could against it but in the end it was a swing of my axe that extinguished the orbs light. I had sustained several more burns during the battle. I had survived but I was in no mood to suffer through that again. The now lightless thought coalesced into a shining gem. I was confidant that this is what I was looking for and bent to pick it up off the ground. As soon as I touched it I was overcome with feelings of rage and anger. Clearly I had chosen poorly. I rested for a time against the stones of a fallen wall before trying again. Three more of the creatures had to be killed before I found a gem that seemed to be correct. I walked back to the J’Narus manor with the gem of deception and a new bitter hatred for spell casters.”<br>
“The final ingredient that Zelthil desired was the eye of an Oriote Raven. The only place left where these ravens dwelled was a small hill south of Neriak. I did not have to travel far before I located the hill with a little ruin at the top of it. The ravens themselves were very large for birds but other than that, seemed to be very ordinary. It looked as though things were going my way for once. Surely a common raven would not be a threat, even if they were larger than usual. I approached the closest bird from behind and chopped with my axe. It was a solid hit and I was rewarded with a splash of blood and the sound of cracking ribs. I started to gloat, then was sent sprawling by a vicious blast of magical energy. I scrambled to my feet as the raven wheeled to face me. It struck again with the same magical energy as before, but this time I was more prepared and managed to keep my footing. I hadn’t known that the bloody birds were casters. Two more swings of my axe and one more blast from the raven rewarded me with a bloody raven corpse and sore jaw. My final blow had crushed the raven’s head and I was unable to salvage either of its eyes. I retreated down the hill to a safe distance to rest. I was in no shape to make another attempt on the ravens.”<br>
“After a short rest I returned to the hilltop, better prepared for what I was to face there. The next raven fell a little easier but this time I ruined the eyes trying to remove them. I retreated back down the hill a little to bind my wounds, and then tried again. This continued in much the same manner for most of the day. I would attack; ruin the precious raven eyes; then retreat to rest a bit. As evening drew near I decided to ask for help from the Empire. The Ogre Shamaness Rhabuka answered my call. I had spoken with her once before but never actually adventured with her. I had heard that she was also a chef so perhaps she could remove the eyes without damaging them. The two of us together made one last charge on the hill. Rhabuka’s healing magic took the edge off the raven’s offensive magic and we were able to kill several of them without resting. Even with Rhabuka’s culinary skills it took several tries to free a usable eye. Once I had it we fell back to the area I had been resting in to converse. I thanked her for the aid and she provided my with a few bundles of Gravespider silk from Hagley. She said that there was a man in Highpass by the name of Holthis D’Worok that was giving rewards for the silk. I thanked her again, this time for the silk and the information and we parted ways. I still had to get the raven’s eye to Zelthil.”<br>
“I found Zelthil standing in his room by the window, waiting patiently for my return. He did not seem irritated by being made to wait so long for the raven eye. Zelthil used the items I had brought him to alter the Lantern of Ages in some way, he then asked me to present the Lantern to Lady Furess U’Dedne as a gift. He also advised that I should take credit for the gift, as she would be suspicious if she knew it came from house J’Narus. I knew treachery was afoot but I didn’t know the exact nature of the Lantern. I had suspicions about it but didn’t particularly care for Furess U’Dedne so I aided Zelthil as asked. I presented the Lantern of Ages to Furess and she accepted without question. I hoped the Lantern would spell her doom. I reported back to Zelthil and learned that the lantern was a scrying device, much as I suspected. I had proven my loyalty to Zelthil J’Narus, and I wondered if Furess knew of the Lanterns true purpose, yet played along planning on using it to her advantage. I had always regretted being aware when the game of houses was being played, yet never a good enough player myself to predict what the true intents and actions were. This would one day be my undoing. I was sure of it even then.”<br>

[Kyrinn the Black]

“Seloxia greeted me on my return with the same enthusiasm I had grown to expect from Sythonis. For not embarrassing her, Seloxia awarded me access to more secrets and abilities of the Lodge of the Dead. I was being rewarded just barely enough to keep me from outright betrayal. I was also dismissed without a new quest for a time. Free from the Lodge for now, I decided to pursue some of my own interests. I repaired my equipment and left the city. I was not gone long before meeting another petitioner of the Empire named Slyfoot M’Zors, a Teir’Dal enchanter. We spoke at length about the Empire, and about the human Bornus. It seemed that Lanchar’s disagreements with the Necromancer had grown into quite a heated feud between the two. Since Slyfoot had not been with the Empire at the time of the meeting, I relayed the request that Bornus had made of the rest of us. She listened thoughtfully, at the end offering her assistance to me. She claimed that Bornus trusted her and she might be able to get information from him. She also asked me not to speak of this with anyone else. To me it seemed that Slyfoot was going to try and play both sides in this matter, hoping no doubt to be on the side of the victor when everything was done. If I was correct about her, she was woman truly after my own heart. I reported our conversation to Lanchar at my first opportunity. Treachery just came naturally to me.”<br>
“I left then, intending on seeing some of the world. I still had that Gravespider silk to take to Highpass, and I always needed money for the forge. Before leaving I wanted to get a drink at the Songweaver tavern. I took my usual seat at a corner table, and listened to the conversations of the other patrons. Perhaps I would hear something useful about Bornus the Necromancer, or even Lanchar L’Celare. A Teir’Dal is ever scheming after all. It was a nature I wouldn’t be able to escape.”<br>

[Kyrinn the Black]

“I did not linger for long at the tavern, staying only long enough for a couple of drinks before leaving for Freeport. It was my intent to travel to Highpass by horse but I was stopped at the Freeport stables as I was not recognized on the Highpass ledger. I was going to have to make the journey to Highpass on foot. The trip was going to take more than a day so I decided to purchase some provisions at the market place. While I was browsing the shops I overheard another adventurer speaking of a scribe named Cathassa living there in Freeport. Apparently she often had business in Highpass herself and was rewarding travelers for accommodating her. Before leaving I decided to seek her out.”<br>
“I found Cathassa in the casters guild house of Freeport. I told her that I had heard that she might have business in Highpass. If true, I was willing to lend her my services for the right price. I was going there anyways after all, and there was no reason I shouldn’t take advantage of a situation allowing me to benefit further from the trip. Cathassa actually needed two things done for her. First there was a human Necromancer by the name of Talya Montar dwelling in Highpass. Cathassa often bought spell components from her and needed someone to purchase a vial of Drakes Blood for a scroll she was working on. She also needed someone to collect a vial of ancient embalming fluid from the undead mummies that can sometimes be found roaming the desert. This would actually take me out of my way but I already had a lead on where I might be able to find a mummy so I decided to hear her out. Alls I need do is destroy the mummy and extract the fluid. She offered me what she claimed to be a significant reward for the completion of both tasks. I accepted both tasks with the understanding that the reward would be proportionate to my effort.”<br>
I’ve always preferred negotiation terms and accepting tasks of my own free will instead of being forced into acceptance by house and guild. Dealings such as this one made me hunger for the power to seize my freedom from the Lodge of the Dead, the Twilight Empire, and House L’Celare.

“My trip to Highpass was going to be put off. Instead I boarded a skiff to port Hazinak, a trading port held jointly by the Teir’Dal and the Trolls of Grobb. I had heard rumors from people on the street that mummies have been found and killed near Hazinak, and in increasing numbers. I surmised that this would be the best place to start looking. Perhaps I could ask some of the guards stationed in the watch towers if there was any truth to the rumors.”<br>
“The skiff ride took longer than I was expecting but I made it to port without incident. Hazinak was blistering hot for being so close to the water; my bronze armor increased my discomfort exponentially. The guards that I would question were occupying a watchtower separated from the rest of the walled city, not too far from the main gate. I walked to the tower, hoping that the guards would be able to assist me. They were less than helpful and for the most part disregarded me. I was allowed access to the tower and decided to get a good look at the surrounding area from a higher vantage point. The sand dunes were so high in this part of the desert that I really couldn’t get a good view though, even from the top of the tower. I was going to have to search the desert on foot.”<br>
“The desert wildlife was much larger and much more aggressive that the beasts that I trained on in Nektulos. The thought of an extended battle with one of these creatures was unattractive to me, especially in the desert heat. I did my best to avoid unnecessary conflict. Thankfully nightfall came quickly and as the sun set, the temperature cooled quite drastically allowing me to pick up my pace without increased discomfort. It was a moonless night but Teir’Dal prefer darkness so I was at an advantage in low light conditions making it easier to avoid the desert wildlife while I searched. It was still before midnight when I spotted the undead I was searching for. The mummy was milling about aimlessly near a sand dune seemingly purposeless. I wondered if the recent influx in undead activity was related at all to the Necromancer Bornus and his research. Regardless of the reason, I was merely here to destroy the mummy and extract the embalming fluid. I had recently gained power over the undead in the form of offensive magic. It was satisfying to be the one to wield this power instead of the one receiving the damage. I called the latent magical energy to my fist and hurled it towards the mummy. The spell streaked across the desert like a white hot lightning bolt and struck my foe square in the back. The mummy pitched forward out of balance but did not go down. It turned and charged toward me. It moved with an unnatural speed for the body’s condition but I was able to get off another casting before switching to my axe. The mummies wrappings were still burning in both areas where my spell had struck, but it still had some fight left. Its bony fists were deflected by my armor but my axe bit deep into its rotting flesh. We traded several blows but in the end the mummy proved to be no match. I extracted the embalming fluid from the remains and walked back to Hazinak. The dock master was able to arrange a skiff back to Freeport even at that late hour.”