Subterfuge in Alderra

[Miach]

“It’s last call for the library,” whispers one man.

“Okay, hover and fade us and don’t get too close or he might feel the air movement,” says a soft spoken baritone voice.

The lights go out in the library as the librarian shuffles home and the sun sets on the Capital.

“Are we all here?” the baritone voice quietly asks as he appears from the fade spell and lights a handheld candle.

“Coast is clear, we are all here” answers another.

“Keep your voice down, the Knights and Templars are still patrolling the streets. Find the book!” the baritone voice retorts quickly.

A few minutes pass filled with the rustle of pages and movement of books by several people. Just as they hear the clank of chainmail in rhythm with footsteps, obviously a Royal Knight, they find the book for which they came. In matter of seconds one man blows out the candle and the others recast hover and fade, leaving only a trace of smoke from the candle behind.

As the night sets in and the night watch take their shift patrolling the city streets, the mysterious figures from the library take advantage of the shift change in order to remain inconspicuous as they make their way to the portal rooms of Alderra.

“What does the book say?” mumbles one voice.

“It calls for a great magic source and a spell I’ve not yet identified,” speaks the baritone voice.

“How did they not know this book still exists?” a third voice asks.

“It was mislabeled and the cover was a fake. Whoever hid this book did so very well and in plain sight.”

The portal is scrawled in an ancient text resembling Elven and it reads Tuin ya minn sinome judala vaira sinta Seldarine. The strangers scribble down the words inside of the stolen book.



The baritone voice firmly states, "we need more reagents, and a few more seekers to strengthen our magic for this spell. Let's go for now. We will meet tomorrow at the normal time and in the normal location."

Without any additional words being said, hover and fade is cast on the three man party and they disappear into the night undetected…


~Stay tuned for more information as the story unfolds!

[Miach]

It was midday in Alderra, people were taking lunch breaks and commencing their usual daily routine when suddenly screams of horror sounded from the north and south watchtowers, from the coliseum, and prison beneath.

“Blood imps! Hordes of them!” screamed a passerby.

Chaos ensued as the guards defaulted to the Throne Room to protect the Royal Family.

“There’s too many of them,” said one Royal Knight.

“We need to ensure the protection of our Capital,” replied another.

The King interrupted the squabbling, “there is not enough of us to both protect the Royal Family and dispatch the threat upon us. Send word to every town, every Inn, and every outpost and request help at the Capital. Tell them we are under attack by an unknown threat but Blood Imps and Blood Imp Lords roam our streets. Tell them they will be rewarded for their efforts.”

The couriers dispatched immediately and slipped out of town through the Western gate. It was not even an hour before the first brave mercenary showed up and many followed suit. The gates were overrun by groups of adventurers, armed to the teeth, who got word that the Capital was in danger. Some came for the reward and others came for the glory. Some lost their lives fighting the Imps and some lost their lives fighting each other over the greed of being rewarded, but that didn’t stop the rest of them who banded together and crushed the invasion.

“There’s more in the prison!” shouted one of the mercenaries.

“I hear there’s a magical ward in the prison causing all attacks to heal instead!” yelled another mercenary.

“A WHAT?!” he replied!

They figured out the reverse damage and healing, but many casualties were made during the battle that took place and the Blood Imp Lord in that prison cell was healed to death by the Elder Druid Eisin who was one of the mercenaries looking to gain from this invasion and actually defeated other mercenaries to take the kill as his own.

Dead blood imps and a handful of blood imp lords lie about town in the locations of the many battles. The once immaculate coliseum is now soaked in blood and bits of flesh. The town looks like the epicenter of a war zone and the people of Alderra are still shaken from the incident. After the King rewards the mercenaries for their victory, naming his top three Champions: Eisin, Catalyst, and Highlite, he has the Royal Knights disperse and tell the citizens that the threat is neutralized.

All of the citizens came out of their homes and hiding places only to awe at what they once considered a clean city. They wasted no time, however, and started cleaning up the city streets together. Some grabbed carts and wheelbarrows for the bodies to go to the incinerator and some took mops, buckets, and soaps. Everyone did something to help and before long the city was returned to its prideful state of cleanliness.

Engrossed in the fighting, the work of cleaning, and the general panic of such an occurrence - no one had yet thought about the fact that Alderra seemed to be under attack; where it came from and why it happened.

The distraction of the community cleanup gave them just enough time to sneak away to their usual place of gathering and talk about the next course of action.

“Well, that didn’t go as planned,” started one of the conspirators.

“I’m still learning this spell. It calls for some kind of blood and I’m still deciphering the text from the portal,” replied the baritone voice.

“During the cleanup, I was able to grab this pendant from one of the Blood Imp Lord’s bodies, maybe this is what we need?” one of the seekers asked hastily.

“Yes! That’s what it was saying here in the book, a pendant hung from the neck of the blood imp lord!” the baritone voice replied excitedly, “great job snagging that.”

“If it requires demon components, maybe we shouldn’t open that portal,” a voice bellows from the corner of the room.

“This portal was open for the longest time and it’s the only way we can learn about the Gods, we gain nothing from standard church service! We’re sheep!” blasted back the baritone voice. “I’ve almost got this figured out. Don’t stray from the cause now, we are almost there!”

“You almost murdered the entire city with your mishap!” replies the bellowing voice.

The baritone voice responds, “Sometimes we have to be willing sacrifice what we have in order to obtain something that we want.”

With that the bickering stopped, they decided to let everyone sleep on it, and the conspirators agreed to meet again the next day in the usual place.


~Stay tuned for more information as the story unfolds!

[Miach]

There is an overwhelming feeling of déjà vu as the streets of Alderra are suddenly filled with people scurrying about, running to their homes and there is a blanket of chatter filling the air.

The hubbub is so loud that people are yelling to communicate. One Alderran citizen shouts, "Someone's reactivated the portal!"

Many of the citizens were not around when the portal was active previously because almost a century has passed since the Alderran Enchanters Guild shut the portal down. The books containing the facts concerning the portal and its destination have long been destroyed by the Crimson Dragon's attack on the capital city. The Enchanter's Guild of the city knows only what has been passed by word of mouth since that fateful day when the Grandmaster Enchanter gave his life to close the portal.

"Who could have opened it?" someone hollered from amidst the crowded streets.

Surely, since the portal took his life, it could not have been easy to re-open. Someone or something, possibly several, would have to possess more magic power than the Grandmaster Enchanter who died. The Enchanter's Guild is astonished that such a great magical force is present in Ciruin, especially unbeknownst to them since they have a handle on who is capable of magic. An inquisition may be commencing soon to ensure that the members of the guild did not conspire to perform this act.

"No one knows!" fired back one of the concerned citizens.

Groups of Holy Templars and Royal Knights are flocking to the Throne Room and Royal Quarters to protect the Royal Family. Fear is in the hearts of all men because no one remembers why the portal is even there or when it was last opened or where it goes. Safety of the city and of the nobility is their highest priority and they let it be known.

"Alderra is protected and well-guarded! We have the best Templars and Knights in all of Ciruin! Fear not loyal citizens! We will thrust a blade into any foe! Go now into your homes until the matter is resolved!" states the Captain of the Royal Knights as he patrols the city streets looking for clues and answers.

As he investigates the portal, which is dripping with red blood, he puts his hand through it in curiosity and is instantly transported to an open field. Although it was dusk in Alderra, this field is shining in daylight as if the morning had just begun. He looks back to see an ancient looking portal from where he came, and bipedal footprints around the portal that are not his own. With all of the fear set in, and not knowing where he is, he again put his hand back through the portal which brought him right back to the capital city. He breathes a sigh of relief, gasping almost, as if he had just been choked and was finally able to get air.

"Portal seems typical, but I have no clue where it took me" he whispers to himself.

Now that he has his bearings, he continues searching around the town and finds a hooded black robe and a golden mask with obvious blood on them hidden under the desk in the Library of Alderra's work room. When he questions Darrell Litran about the robe and mask, Darrell appears shocked and gives no additional information. The Captain of the Royal Knights interrogates him further, threatening to bring him to justice for what he's done, but it just causes Darrell to stutter which he hasn't done in years!

"N-n-n-n-n-no I-I-I d-d-d-di-d-di-didn't d-d-do a-a-an-anything!" Darrell hastily replies.

The Captain hauls Darrell off to jail, "You'll stay here minimum 3 days until we finish the investigation. Water and rations only."

The chatter quieted as the night settled in and people were in their homes, most of them unable to sleep and probably pacing in their homes or lying awake staring at the ceiling waiting for the night watch to sound an alarm.

Nothing of interest happens overnight, it’s the stillest the streets have ever been, and in the morning the King and Queen of Alderra hold a town meeting in the Cathedral of the Gods.

After a commencement of honorary nature, King Eustace Constantine dismounts his horse and finally speaks “I hereby decree that this portal be explored by any bold adventurer to bring back knowledge of the happenings of the other side. Information as to how this event came about, who was involved, and whether or not this portal or the persons behind it are a threat to Ciruin will be rewarded handsomely. I will not declare Alderra under martial law, but let it be known that any traitors to the kingdom will be dealt with swiftly! Thank you, dear citizens of Alderra, for making this city and all of Ciruin the prosperous kingdom that we see today!” The King mounts his horse and gestures to the Knights and Templars who part the crowd and lead the Royal Family back to the Throne Room.

Just as the Royal Family is almost out of earshot a mysterious voice booms from the crowd, “You cannot suppress the truth!”

The King whips his horse around and charges toward the crowd, looking for the origin of the voice, but no one seems to know where it came from.

“It definitely came from this location, who said that?!” shouted the King as Templars surrounded the King in defensive formation.

The crowd disperses in panic from the charge of the King and the show of militarism revealing a black hooded robe and golden mask lying on the ground.

Whoever or whatever had the booming voice could not be identified and the King gallops to the Throne Room leaving his Templars behind to collect the evidence.

[Miach]

Many adventurers have reported details to the King of what is beyond the portal and how these “seekers” are pitting people against each other in order to obtain meteorites from another dimension. He consults with the local Enchanter’s Guild for details about the origin of the reported dimensional magic and its implications.

“Is this a threat to Alderra?” spouts the King at the council of Enchanters before him.

There’s some whispering among the council and quickly the head of the council speaks up, “No, not at all. The magic does not seem stable enough to present a threat to the Capital. It is hypothesized that there is a potential for a threat to come through the portal for a brief moment when it is open. However, anything that comes through should be within our means to dispatch.”

“So, post two Templars at the portal in town?” asks the King, confused at the level of threat that was just explained.

The whispering between the Enchanters continues for a moment and a response is spoken by the head of the council, “That would be a good idea to keep watch of the portal with two Templars, but the council unanimously concurs that the consistent use of adventurers to maintain control of the plateau beyond the portal is necessary.”

“But the seekers are just pitting them against each other causing mass casualties. That cannot be good for the longevity of our people!” says the King as he raises his voice.

“Many of them are merely wounded, limping home or finding shelter at the Inn. It may even increase business and fame of the Capital. Either way, there’s no way we can do it all ourselves. We must use the mercenaries and adventurers!”

“You’re right,” agreed the King, “but we need to find a more permanent solution. I ask that you consult your books and grimoires and come up with a way to protect Alderra from this threat. We cannot rely on the throng of mercenaries forever; they are a temporary fix to a long-term problem.”

Just then the door busts wide open! The Templars and Knights unsheathe their armaments without even realizing it. Everyone turns to see the courier who looks frazzled, “I’m here to deliver this message! From one of the adventurers!“ The courier hands the scroll to a Templar who hands it to the King. The King reads it aloud:

The dimensional magic on the grassy plateau is growing in strength. It is as if the plateau has come to life! New threats emerge! The rift is now large enough for a great beast to come through! Time seems to stand still in certain locations on the plateau! Footprints larger than I’ve ever seen have emerged, though I know not what is making them!
Signed,
Sir Wobbi of House Thranakver
Drevlar

The King looks at the council with an “I told you so” face of disappointment. He barks to the council, “Figure it out!” and departs to the Throne Room for protection. The Templars and Knights escort him without any verbal command.


~Stay tuned for more information as the story unfolds!