Honor Of The Five

[Cana]

Modern day Tunaria,

The free trade lands of Tunaria are once again in peril. The most powerful factions of Tunaria have been decimated as a new threat arises to lay claim. A proclamation is issued against this new threat promising riches, wealth, land and lordship. Many heed the call but none return, soon the proclamation is viewed as nothing more then a death sentence, and no other adventures will step forth, save these few.

Shuri slayer of Seriak, Damanen ranger of the north, Eckiles the thief, Fenerin the proud, and Kyra the misunderstood. Will form an unlikely alliance and enter planes unknown to any living drow, man, or elf had ever seen....

Follow five adventures on a quest for power, greed, honor, and vengenace.....

Honor of The Five

[Cana]

Shuri:"lawless, reckless, crime fills the taverns and streets. Are we so weak to suppose we can not function in peace without those we held as our guardians and Lords for so long?"

"please help me..." one voice said to her then another, the streets filled with blood and bodies as factions arose in Neriak which became a waring city within itself.

Shuri:"you are weak...may you all burn another to the ground." Shuri sheathed her sword and would answer no questions, and provide no help as she walked away.
She encountered no resistance except some scranny drow had ran off with with her horse.

So the road would start out long and tiring, but Tethelin would not lye far. She sent word to the elves of her arrival, and amoungst them, in Tethelin, was welcome. For Lady Cana resided the governing of the elves there and was a great friend to Shuri.

Guard Treekeeper:"Hail Shuri of Seriak! I bid thee welcome."

Shuri:"Hello my friend were can i find Lady Cana?"

Guard:"She left many days ago on an errand.." he hands Shuri a scroll, upon it read:

"My dear lady Cana me and my brethren beseech you. The royal elven courts of Arcadin and Fayspires, have been destroyed. High ranking officals have been slain as the kingdoms are run by lawless renegades looting the great masoluems and defiling our ancestors. The task at hand is terrible and forgive my promptness but we are slight of hope....many have failed and noone now answers the call for wealth or glory. Long ago you thwarted a mighty evil and we feel as all may already, you are the only hope."

(Letter of Talaron Brother of Fenerin, Lord of Qeynos)

[Cana]

Shuri:"Tell me, where can i find the priestess now?"

Guard:"Seek out Kyra of the Glade, this is..all we know."

They provided provisions and a good steed as she set out to find her friend. With each passing town and patron she drew furthur away from home. She found herself northward again along the frozen roads. A blizzard set in and visibility became sparce. The night came and the cold grew dire. Shuri's horse froze and died, she held on but would find no rest.. She awoke to her surprise alive and could hear a thunder approaching. It was no thunder but a caravan, they looked to be barbarians, they were carrying slaves.

Shuri:"Who goes there, wait please!!!!" they ignored her and walked on, then she noticed her horse, they had captured her horse!!!!"

Shuri:"Halt!!!!!" she yelled, and the caravan stopped. A tall muscular hairy barbarian approached. "that is my horse and i demand you return it to me."

Barbarian:"that horse came with this slave." (he pulls the scrawny dark elf by its chained neck) "so move along or end up on the end of his chain, little one."

Shuri:"He is a thief and nothing more, that horse is mine he stole it." (she now grabs the dark elf by the chain) "tell them how you stole my horse."

Drow:"YES! YES!!! I STOLE IT, I STOLE!! SHURI OF SERIAK SPARE ME MY LADY PLEASE!!!!"

Shuri:"Return my horse."

Barbarian:"to hell with you." shuri drew her blade and quickly sliced off the chain from the drow's neck.

Barbarian:"how dare you, get her!!" She called for her horse and Erudil the great black steed scooped her up. The dark elf still begging for his life cried out to shuri, whom pitied him and took him with her.

[Cana]

They rode until dusk as the badgering thief barraged Shuri with question after question. She finally stopped and threw the dark elf off her horse.

Shuri:"I'am not one for the beguiling of theives and chanters, your a thief and a bad one at that. Until your debt is repaid to me you will serve me. She tossed a pot at him and gave him a short sword. "get us some meat, then cook it." The dark elf grummbled as he went about his tasks.

Eckiles:"you are the elf friend arnt you?" he said to her across the fire.

Shuri:"lest i still hope so, for my elf friend i feel is in great peril."

Eckiles:"how do you hold union with the elves, we are their sworn enemy."

Shuri:"not by choice, i was rescued very long ago as a young girl. A bueatiful priestess and a great white wolf."

Eckiles:"the white priestess?? the legends of old are thought to be mere tales."

Shuri:"This world once roamed with powers great and dark. Evil gods once wandered the earth and great heros emerged to defeat so we would remain free...."

Shuri:"The white wolves are dead, and my friend died day by day since their long passing...and now shes gone."

A few more days ride and soon they were upon a treetop refuge in the frozen north. A small community of elves was set there as the guards aprehended the oncoming dark elves. They disarmed them both and bound them,

Shuri:"I seek your elder Damanen, i come on behalf of the Lady Cana." A human amoungst the elves approached, he wore a magnificent armor and spoke the elvish tongue.

Damanen:"release them both." the two welcomed another and met in council.

Damanen:"you have not aged a day my friend, while my time grows to an end."

Shuri:"nonsense Damanen, you the heartiest of humans, and a uncomparable ranger. but i bid you with ill news....Cana is missing." she hands him the letter and the eyes of the ranger widen in fear.

Damanen:"no, no this can not be...."

Shuri:"that is what i wish to find out, as long as theres hope."

Damanen:"This is far worse then i imagined...Cana was last of the earth guardians, the balance is greatly shifting."

Eckiles:"might i beg your pardon..." the drow entered the chambers uninvited chewing on a leg of meat. "if its a druid you seek i know of were to find one."

Damanen:"there are none left but that of the missing lady Cana."

Eckiles:"far passed the regions of the south a druid priestess dwells within Arcadin, advisor to the ruler, and guardian of the earth."

Shuri:"then waste no more of my time thief and take me to her."

Eckiles:"Arcadin now only welcomes the dark and treacherous." he says with a defiant grin to shuri. She runs to him and grabs him by the neck.

Shuri:"i will show you darkness and treachery if you do not take me there right away."

Eckiles:"very well, but we will not beable to leave once we arrive."

And for 3 days and nights they rode with the haste of the rangers and entered the desert plains that coveted the great city of Arcadin. A city of many races and types, trade and militants, a grand site now gloomed in a darkness. They entered freely but were forced to give up there weapons and horses.

Damanen:"were can we find the druid Eckiles."

Eckiles:"i will request a meeting." the dark elf spoke with some guards as Shuri and Damanen waited. They now found themselves surrounded as the guards shackled them and imprisoned all three.

[Cana]

They were takin to a prison quarters were they shared a cell with 2 dying humans, and a young elf. "you fools the lady Doomunatu will have your have head for this!!" he screamed to the guards as they shut the cell door.

Shuri:"what have u brought upon us now thief?"

Eckiles:"dont worry we will soon be out of here."

"o, how do you suppose that. Ive been here for a many a year." They looked to the corner, were an elf was shackled to the wall. The two humans next to him were nearly dead.

Damanen:"who are you?"

"I'am Fenerin, son of Fannen."

Damanen:"i knew your father well..your face is just as his."

Fenerin:"i was once held union with these lands. No crime and corruption decieved it. When the free trade arrived, people from all over flooded our great city. Last I came, they shackled me, and a witch tortured me....."

Eckiles:"the druid Doomunatu."

Fenerin:"indeed."

Damanen:"but the druids are revered for there loyalty to protect, to heal the earth....unless."

The cell was thrusted open and guards poured in and dragged out Eckiles, Shuri, and Damanen. They were being taken to see the grand druid, the Lady Doomunatu.

[Cana]

Bound and shackled they entered a great decending stairs leading to a royal hall. The busy room quickly cleared upon site of the prisoners as they were forced to kneel in a straight line side by side. The room was not well lit and noone uttered a word. They could hear footsteps approaching...

"Leave us." she uttered two words and the guards dispersed. She walked right to Eckiles and put her boot upon his chest.

"Miserable little thief, you were told never to return here!!!" he cried out but she would not relent as she kicked him about.

Shuri:"thats enough."

"do you know,"

Shuri:"yea i do (she interupted) but i have more pressing matters to attend, we came to seek your council."

Doomunatu:"a thief, a drow, and a man seek my council? my favors do not extend to foreigners."

Shuri:"then let it extend to one of your own, the Lady Cana is in great peril."

Doomunatu:"Lady Cana, the high druid of Tethelin, the White Priestess...."

Shuri:"is it not your duty to aid your Sisterhood?"

Doomu:"do not speak to me of duty drow!!! long did i walk in her shadow, long did i wait to be honored by my people as the high druid. It was to be mine, i was next in line not Cana!!!!" Her echo rang throughout the hall as the prisoners grew quiet.

Doomu:"I know of Cana, I know the hour of her keep."

Damanen:"then tell us so we may go to aid her."

Doomu:"aid her? haha your far to late." she opened a chest which revealed a broken antler staff, still glowing in a hue of green, it was cloven in 2.

Shuri:"foolish lies!!! it can not be!!!" she yelled.

Doomu:"you will know your place within these walls!!" she struck Shuri knocking her down, the dark elf now bleeding from the mouth. "you wish to question the sisterhood of the druid, you wish to question my true power? First Valdi fell, then Jenci was slain. but Cana proved much stronger in her allies, so i had to bait her. to send her to far off lands were the gods of the doomed awaited her for vengenace. They sent me this staff not but 3 days passed. And once my young apprentice returns, i will finish off whats left of the grand druids and rule them with its ultimate power!"

Eckiles:"and what of us me lady?" he said trembling.

Doomu:"you, well you were banished and to banishment shall you remain. as for your friends here...they will hang with Lord Fenerin on the morrow."

She cut the thief's bonds and he scurried out the door without second thought of his comrades whom were going to be executed.

[Cana]

Damanen and Shuri were returned to their cell with the elf Fenerin. They told him of the planned execution, but under the many watchful eyes of Arcadin they had no matter of escape. The night passed and neither of the three slept. When the morning sun arose they could hear the streets outside them clamouring with many busy people. They were gathering and cheering, the curiosity grew within the cell and soon it would be answered.

"On your feet!" the guards entered the cell and drug out the three, they were escorted through the crowded streets and taken to a scafolding. There three ropes hung from the gallows, as the Lady doomunatu watched on.

doomu:"Maruaders, thieves, assasins to our city!!! Look upon these folk my good people as they bid you harm and pestilence. But i will not let them evade you!!! Tie them to the gallows!!!!"

The three were forced to the ropes and each was cinched tight around there necks. There eyes swelled and the sun felt hotter then it ever had. They were then blind folded and the could hear the crowd drawing to a silence.

Shuri:"we are doomed..."

A explosion rang out from the crowd and black smoke filled the air. The crowd dispersed in a panic choking and blinded by the smoke. The Lady Doomunatu looking on from her foyer, but could only make out a great black horse and one lone rider.

"Hold on!" the familiar voice called out and cut them down. With Shuri now upon his stead and another for Fenerin and Damanen, the four sped out of Arcadin with haste.

Shuri through off her blind fold, she was shocked to see whom saved them, it was Eckiles.

Shuri:"I must say you are full of surprises my friend, we owe you our lives."

Eckiles:"No my lady, this one makes us even."

Shuri took hold of her stead Erudil and uttered a few words, soon the two horses sped off into the distance leaving the treachery of Arcadin behind them. They rode awhile, Thentook camp before nightfall...

Shuri:"She can not be dead, it just can not be.."

Damanen:"I do not know what fate holds for the future of Cana, but i feel we shall she her again my friend..For now we must intercept the druid named Stephi, if she is the last of the sisterhood founded so long ago, then we must seek her out."

Fenerin:"i know of this Kyra that you seek, apprentice to the Lady Doomunatu, a young and foolish human."

Shuri:"Then perhaps you should see this. She hands him the letter from his brother Talaron."

Fenerin:"She was sent an errand to the Last Home region, were allies of the druid Doomunatu awaited to instruct her on greater..darker powers."

Damanen:"you must take us there, she is in peril."

Fenerin:"she is no better then her master!!! she left my side when i needed her most, when the fabric of my city was tearing apart, she just dissappeared."

Damanen:"Doomun seeks her head, she decieved you both."

Fenerin:"if she would of heed my word the kingdom would remain!!!"

Damanen:"Fenerin what hope is left other then that of which we keep, we need your help." She then looks to Eckiles.."as well as yours, but your paths are your own and we can bind you to nothing more, nothing more then the land that needs you, and people whom suffer needlessly."

[Cana]

Last Home

[Cana]

Damanen:"No my friends, your pride blinds you. This is what the lands have become yes, but only by the chioce of the people within. Long have the battles been over, needless was a choice they made."

Shuri:"then you mean not to follow?"

Damanen:"i go only for my friend, i will not believe she is dead."

The four departed into the night, the road would be long and eventful. A treacherous drudge into cryptic places, and thicker wood. The days passed on and the terrain grew increasingly rugged. Damanen whom had been leading them, also began to feel weiry. They were scaling an incomprable mountain, there horses departed, all but Shuri's black stead.

Shuri:"go now Erudil, find peace in the world."

Fenerin:"Shes talking to her horse?"

Eckiles:"she does this often."

Damanen:"come on you two..."

Erudil had left and the four now were scaling a mountain side. Nearly a vertical incline, high and steep, they pressed on. Exhausted they finally made it to the top, there eyes met with certain surprise as they no longer looked upon rolling hills, and green forests. There was no sunlight although it was daytime, no trees just withered shrubs. The living roamed about in a dreary misery all there own. Most were dead, and stalked the hills far into the distance from the group. Damanen called the group to a halt, he peered out into the distance were he saw what appeared to be a human figure.

Damanen:"its stopped.."

Shuri:"whats stopped?? what do you see."

Damanen:"a man..mabe, to far to tell, but its almost as if, hes looking right at me."

They paused in silence and awaited now on Damanen's next call, but he said nothing, he just peered out into the distance.

Fenerin:"we have little time to waste in these lands, Damanen, what say you?"

Damanen:"There are more...they are coming!"

They rose to there feet and came to the hilltop Damanen was standing upon.

Shuri:"yes i see them now, they're moving swiftly."

Fenerin:"it is the undead!" he unsheathed his mighty sword, it honed a radiant white light as he grasped it in both hands.

Damanen:"quickly move back!"

Fenerin:"no lets stand and fight!"

Damanen:"get hold of yourself we are outnumbered!!!"

Shuri grabbed Fenerin, as Damanen began firing arrows on the charging undead. But Fenrein proved right, they had to stand and fight, the undead were moved with such haste, there escape was thwarted.

[Cana]

Shuri:"there closing in, quickly back to back!"

Eckiles:"we must go now!!!!" the drow clamoured off south leaving his band behind.

Fenerin:"we dont need him anyway!!!" Fenerin charged into the oncoming undead.

Damanen:"the fool!" Damanen and Shuri ran to aid him, as now more and more undead could be seen upon the horizon."

Shuri:"they will not cease!" Fenerin and Shuri were hacking away while Damanen took aim with his bow. They slew them by the piles but could see no end in sight.

Damanen:"im out of arrows..."

Shuri:"fenerin pick up your sword! Fenerin!" the elf was slumped over in exhaustion leaning on his sword like a crutch.

Fenerin:"i fought a heroes fight, one last time..." he falls over unto the ground, his eyes shut, body motionless.

Damanen and Shuri could not hold for long, they were coming from all around, in a sea of ghastly reprieve. Then as all hope seemed lost a magnificent sight saved them, a flash of cold air and the howling of wolves from every corner. They came as the mightiest wind and swept threw the undead decimating them all. As soon as they were there, they were gone. A figure approached in the distance, a staff illuminated a color shuri had only seen once before.

Shuri:"Cana!" she ran to the approaching figure, but it became apparent to her it was not her elf friend, but a young human girl.

Kyra:"Good day to you my friend, I'am Kyra, priestess to these lands."

Shuri:"I'am Shuri and i beg your pardon, but only once have i ever seen such a staff, and the White wolves of the north, tell me do you know of Cana, priestess of Tethelin?"

Kyra:"Indeed, but we must not linger, your friend is terribly hurt, and the dead will return."

[Cana]

She met with Damanen whom was by Fenerin.

Kyra:"gather round, i will port us away from here."

Shuri:"wait there is one more of us."

Damanen:"we have no time for the coward let him rot out here."

Shuri:"he saved us before, i can not leave him to certain death." She called out for him and the quivering drow was quickly upon them begging them for forgiveness. Soon they had vanished and were taken to a safe haven were Kyra healed Fenerin and the fate of the High Preistess Cana would soon be told.

[Cana]

Damanen tended to Fenerin while Eckiles made camp, Shuri walked with Kyra deep into a misty thicket. Vision became slighted and the fog encompassed them, Shuri felt lost and could not determine were they had come from.

kyra:"come, all you seek to know shall now be unveiled." She guided Shuri to a large single tree in a clearing of green fields, the fog had disipated as Shuri approached a field of mythical creatures. Normally these sprites, treants and nixies of the realm would attack her, but they made path for the shadowknight and guided her foward. Soon Shuri was upon a single head stone, she fell to her knees for she knew it in her heart to be true.

Shuri:"so she is dead, shes really gone..." she wept for her friend as Kyra awaited her patiently in the close distance.

Shuri:"tell me preistess how did this happen to one of such wisdom and power."

Kyra:"that i can not answer." Shuri rose quickly to her feet and grabbed Kyra by the collar peering deep into her eyes.

Shuri:"you carry her staff, you summon her wolves!! powers only known to one such of your kind."

Kyra:"i did not harm her, i admired her!" Shuri released her as the druid spoke. "I found her in the shadow realm just beyond the deadhills, she had fought many foes and was near death, i brought her here where the enemy soon followed we were both doomed to despair, until she handed me her staff and called forth a spell like i have never seen. Majestic white wolves, came from all around whisping by as spirits and sending our enemies in full retreat. The spell exhausted the lady Cana and soon she fell into a deep sleep. Try as i may my healing was beyond her, and soon she perished.

Shuri:"so this is it..my friend is dead." they returned to camp were Fenerin was now on his feet. The look un
pon Shuri's face silenced them all she rose her head high, teary eyed and all.

"Our quest is over my dear friends, the one i hoped to seek has fallen into shadow, go now return to your homes."

Fenerin:"return to our homes...return to our homes!!! what home do we have to return to, savages have ravaged my home, as well as yours, and what of the elves hmm, what of these rangers of the north, dieing into history long to be forgotten."

Damanen:"you listen hear elf, if not for the honor of your father i would strike you down for those words."

Kyra:"enough!!!! yes terrible fates have befallen us all, and the quest you sought to embark has led to an undesired path. But we are here together, renegades of our homelands, cast out and never to return. Unless we return together to conquer what has beckoned to destroy us all."

Shuri grabbed her belongings and started to depart,

Fenerin:"were are you going!"

Shuri:"my fight here is over."

Just as the group was about to split up and depart an arrow sunk deep into the back of Kyra, she sank to her knees. A hail of arrows soon followed and now an army of evil was upon them. They wore the insignias of Arcadin as Fenerin recognized them right away. The group stood together as the arrows ceased and ther footmen vanished into the thick brush.

"Surrender the priestess and the paladin, and the rest of you may live." the voice echoed down to them below.

Fenerin:"what have you now my friends? do we fight together or do you leave us to die?"

Eckiles:"they wish us no harm, i say we run."

Fenerin:"spoken like a drow."

Shuri:"we must leave together now, i will bid us time."

Kyra:"no allow me i know these woods well."

Shuri:"if you perish then only one priestess in your order will remain, and she seeks your head Kyra."

Damanen:"the balance can not be undone, we make for the unkempt north to take refuge with my people."

Damanen and Eckiles fled with kyra while Shuri stood her ground. Unbeknown to her was Fenerin whom came back to aid her. Shuri hacked away at the footmen as they came in waves, she swung her mighty halbred about despite its heavy dispostion.

[Cana]

Shuri:"Fenerin get out of here!!!"

Fenerin:"not without you!"

spackled in blood the two were back to back and surrounded.

Shuri:"any ideas now?" they ground was littered with bodies around the feet of the two adventuers, covered in the blood of their enemies they slashed at whatever moved, the footmen were soon defeated. They were weiry and attempted to rest, but soon another being came upon them. The hills rolled with gold and the very trees came to life as the figure approached them. In a blinding light a voice came to them...


Fenerin:"show yourself!!!!"

Spirittalker:"i'am niether here nor there, nor do i exist as you know it to be. I'am Lady Magdalina, I beseech you to embark a quest. The Lady Cana has fallen and with you rides the last of peacekeepers, the druid of the pure heart, Kyra. You must destory the preistess of the East, and claim Arcadin again as your home, if either shld fail, it shall be to the doom of us all....."

Fenerin:"how can such a feat be done by so few!!!!"

"answer us!"

Shuri:"the spirit has gone."

Damanen:"Magdalina.."

Fenerin:"will you not heed her word, will you not beckon the call of our age, are wil you let it fall to darkness?"

[Cana]

"head now for Arcadin, i will send messengers for your friends. Go now with the grace of Karana."

Fenerin and Shuri felt assured but all would not rest well for their companions. Damanen and Eckiles could not evade there captors while kyra was injured with the arrow wound. They were running with every bit of strength but now there enemy was upon them....

Damanen:"there upon that hill, that is were we make our stand!" "Come Eckiles!!!"

Eckiles:"i have not the wits to fight them all head on!"

Damanen:"now is the time for courage!"

They fired arrows from the hilltop advantage, but the enemy was now coming from behind them as well. kyra struggled to her feet to aid her companions.

Ecklies:"they are closing in damanen!!!!"

Damanen drew his blade and meet head on with the charging maruaders. In a galant display of courage, the old ranger hewed threw the many of them.

Damanen:"Get the preistess out of here!!!"

kyra:"no do not leave him.."

Eckiles:"my lady we must go!!!!" He scooped her up and carried her off with all his strength. Damanen now stood between them and 200 guards of all foul sorts, under the banner of the free city of Arcadin.

Arcadin

[Cana]

Shuri:'we arrived so quickly."

Fenerin:"perhaps to hastily, our friends have not arrived."

Shuri:"cause we have been betrayed."

Just upon the horizon Shuri could see an oncoming horde of guards from Arcadin, they were quickly approaching and at there lead was Lady doomunatu"

Doomu:"surrender now or perish on this battle field today."

Shuri:"what have you done to the others."

Doomu:"there fate is no different then yours, by now they shld fall victim to my apprentice Stephi...yes the sisterhood of the druid is a unbreakable bond! more so then your pathetic companions."