Red Wizard

Blackguards!

@wanderingwolf Not at all, I love it! It's great flavor for her character!

Blackguards!

Good going, friends! Just waiting for @Humble1@POOHEAD189, you guys still with us?

Blackguards!

@Andreyich Yes, the one you listed in the CS.

Blackguards!

@wanderingwolf You all heard it in your head 🙂

Blackguards!

And there we finally are!

Blackguards!

---

In the Belly of the Beast

---

Thengil awakened, but his eyes remained shut. Not dead, then. Not yet. He took a long, shaky breath and listened. There were others there. Strangers. Monsters, perhaps. Then again, there were probably some who thought of him as a monster. He could name several. Not that it mattered much – they were all dead now. Mud. All because of him. And yet he was left alive. Such was his punishment.

The Warden remained in the center of the room, motionless. A few spoke to her, but if she noticed, she gave no sign. Once all had awakened, she began speaking. Her voice defied description. It sounded like the ice cracking beneath your feet, like the blade rasping against your ribs, like your home burning in the night. Most of all, it sounded like something not of this world. Thengil could understand the words, somehow, but he knew deep down that they weren't uttered in any tongue spoken in all the Westerlands. Other than fear, perhaps.

To the near east lies the land of Sulfrey, the Warden said, a rich and powerful land, ruled by the God-King Ael-Gol who is a loved as he is feared. Sulfrey has long acted as the bulwark of the east, putting a stop to the raids and invasions of the barbarian hordes from beyond the edges of civilization. They have been very successful in this, and have because of it enjoyed a long and lasting peace with the Westerlands.

Images flashed before Thengils eyes; armies of knights with horned helmets, vast cities centered around pyramidesque temples, throngs of people cheering and raising their hands to the sky as a procession passed through the streets, a horned knight riding on a great winged lizard routing a horde of primitive barbarian warriors, and then lastly, an image of a tall and slender man in a beautiful golden mask. The man was both wonderful and terrible to behold; the sort of entity that would and could make you die for it. The face of the mask was locked in an eternal half-smile, and there were no slits for the eyes, but the hairs on Thengils neck started to stand up as he realized that he was looking at him, that he knows and waits, and that he smiles with anticipation.

The problem is, however, the Warden continued, that they have become too successful. Too powerful. The easterling hordes are all but spent at this point, humbled by the forces of Sulfrey. Many barbarians have taken up worship of this false god and are spreading the faith further still. It will not be long until its influence finds its way westward, and with it, armies of horned knights. The King has decreed that this cannot be allowed to continue. I have been tasked with solving the situation, and so, I am tasking you.

Suddenly, the Warden turned to face him. The very motion was unpleasant, as if she suddenly snapped from one position to the next with a strange resistance to the fluidity of the turn as if reality tried but failed to hold her in place. She didn’t approach him, but somehow it seemed like she was getting closer. Her eyes - those bottomless pits of horrid darkness - stared right at him, into him, through him. When she continued speaking, Thengil noticed that her lips weren't moving. The sound of her voice came from within. She was in his head!

Your mission is threefold, the Wardens voice whispered in his mind, There are advance agents already in place in Sulfrey. We have however not heard from them for over a month. Their last known place of residence was the Golden Chalice, a tavern in the city of Malasta. Your first mission is to make rendezvouz with the agents. They are three in total; Tristana, Yorleif and Nashur. Your second mission is to learn of their findings and plans, and enact them. If you suspect that any or all of them have been in any way compromized, you are to kill them. Your third and final mission is to infiltrate the court of the false God-King and slay Ael-Gol.

The visions flooded Thengils mind once more; three shadowy figures, one female and two male, her hair a telltale red, his face carrying a telltale scar; upset and uprisings in the streets, confusion and mass panic, a burning pyramid or temple; a splendorous hall devoid of life, except... He was there and the hairs on Thengils neck starts to stand up as he realized that he was looking at him, that he knows and waits, and that he smiles with anticipation.

You are all enemies of the Kingdom, the Warden concluded, Monsters, villains, traitors... Blackguards, all. You have been chosen, because no one will believe you work for the King. You have been chosen, because no one will care if you die. Do your best, or do your worst - it matters not. Know only that you will do what I have said. That is all.

An eerie silence settled in the room, the moments stretching into seconds, or minutes, or hours. It was hard to tell. Then a rumbling began - quiet at first, but deafening within moments. It was as if a mountain toppled over, as if a river of rocks flowed through the room. Thengil couldn't think for the noise, couldn't speak. Then suddenly, something impossible occured. The walls started moving, folding and slithering and breaking apart. The room collapsed in on itself, and it was all he could do not to scream as his doom came crashing down on him. The Warden remained motionless in the centre of the room, but Thengil could have sworn she was smiling.

---

---

---

---

Out of the Ashes...

---

Darkness.

I am awake.

I am alive.

I must break free.

Open your eyes.

This time, Thengils eyelids snapped open. The light blinded him, but his eyes soon adjusted themselves. He was no longer in the Maw. He could feel the soft caress of the wind on his skin, feel the warmth of the sun on his face. He was in a field of tall grass. In the distance was a great forest, and beyond, high mountains. There was a river somewhere nearby; he could hear the water running. It was in the evening, just before dusk. The sun had not yet set, but was about to. Free. You was finally free. Thengil did not understand why or how, or where, but there he was. He took a deep breath, savouring the scent of the grass and the clean crispness of the air.

Then he saw them.

The Warden was nowhere to be found, but the others were. Monsters, creatures and other entities. Unknown factors. Certainly threats. Memory came back to haunt him; no, he was not free at all. Something impossible was demanded of him. Something that most likely will get him killed. And the only help he had were these villains, these... Blackguards. And Thengil didn't even know who, or what, they were.

Seems like he was going on an adventure. What a joy.

Ye Olde Laboratory

2nd post

---

In the Belly of the Beast

---

Thengil awakened, but his eyes remained shut. Not dead, then. Not yet. He took a long, shaky breath and listened. There were others there. Strangers. Monsters, perhaps. Then again, there were probably some who thought of him as a monster. He could name several. Not that it mattered much – they were all dead now. Mud. All because of him. And yet he was left alive. Such was his punishment.

The Warden remained in the center of the room, motionless. A few spoke to her, but if she noticed, she gave no sign. Once all had awakened, she began speaking. Her voice defied description. It sounded like the ice cracking beneath your feet, like the blade rasping against your ribs, like your home burning in the night. Most of all, it sounded like something not of this world. Thengil could understand the words, somehow, but he knew deep down that they weren't uttered in any tongue spoken in all the Westerlands. Other than fear, perhaps.

To the near east lies the land of Sulfrey, the Warden said, a rich and powerful land, ruled by the God-King Ael-Gol who is a loved as he is feared. Sulfrey has long acted as the bulwark of the east, putting a stop to the raids and invasions of the barbarian hordes from beyond the edges of civilization. They have been very successful in this, and have because of it enjoyed a long and lasting peace with the Westerlands.

Images flashed before Thengils eyes; armies of knights with horned helmets, vast cities centered around pyramidesque temples, throngs of people cheering and raising their hands to the sky as a procession passed through the streets, a horned knight riding on a great winged lizard routing a horde of primitive barbarian warriors, and then lastly, an image of a tall and slender man in a beautiful golden mask. The man was both wonderful and terrible to behold; the sort of entity that would and could make you die for it. The face of the mask was locked in an eternal half-smile, and there were no slits for the eyes, but the hairs on Thengils neck started to stand up as he realized that he was looking at him, that he knows and waits, and that he smiles with anticipation.

The problem is, however, the Warden continued, that they have become too successful. Too powerful. The easterling hordes are all but spent at this point, humbled by the forces of Sulfrey. Many barbarians have taken up worship of this false god and are spreading the faith further still. It will not be long until its influence finds its way westward, and with it, armies of horned knights. The King has decreed that this cannot be allowed to continue. I have been tasked with solving the situation, and so, I am tasking you.

Suddenly, the Warden turned to face him. The very motion was unpleasant, as if she suddenly snapped from one position to the next with a strange resistance to the fluidity of the turn as if reality tried but failed to hold her in place. She didn’t approach him, but somehow it seemed like she was getting closer. Her eyes - those bottomless pits of horrid darkness - stared right at him, into him, through him. When she continued speaking, Thengil noticed that her lips weren't moving. The sound of her voice came from within. She was in his head!

Your mission is threefold, the Wardens voice whispered in his mind, There are advance agents already in place in Sulfrey. We have however not heard from them for over a month. Their last known place of residence was the Golden Chalice, a tavern in the city of Malasta. Your first mission is to make rendezvouz with the agents. They are three in total; Tristana, Yorleif and Nashur. Your second mission is to learn of their findings and plans, and enact them. If you suspect that any or all of them have been in any way compromized, you are to kill them. Your third and final mission is to infiltrate the court of the false God-King and slay Ael-Gol.

The visions flooded Thengils mind once more; three shadowy figures, one female and two male, her hair a telltale red, his face carrying a telltale scar; upset and uprisings in the streets, confusion and mass panic, a burning pyramid or temple; a splendorous hall devoid of life, except... He was there and the hairs on Thengils neck starts to stand up as he realized that he was looking at him, that he knows and waits, and that he smiles with anticipation.

You are all enemies of the Kingdom, the Warden concluded, Monsters, villains, traitors... Blackguards, all. You have been chosen, because no one will believe you work for the King. You have been chosen, because no one will care if you die. Do your best, or do your worst - it matters not. Know only that you will do what I have said. That is all.

An eerie silence settled in the room, the moments stretching into seconds, or minutes, or hours. It was hard to tell. Then a rumbling began - quiet at first, but deafening within moments. It was as if a mountain toppled over, as if a river of rocks flowed through the room. Thengil couldn't think for the noise, couldn't speak. Then suddenly, something impossible occured. The walls started moving, folding and slithering and breaking apart. The room collapsed in on itself, and it was all he could do not to scream as his doom came crashing down on him. The Warden remained motionless in the centre of the room, but Thengil could have sworn she was smiling.

---

---

---

---

Out of the Ashes...

---

Darkness.

I am awake.

I am alive.

I must break free.

Open your eyes.

This time, Thengils eyelids snapped open. The light blinded him, but his eyes soon adjusted themselves. He was no longer in the Maw. He could feel the soft caress of the wind on his skin, feel the warmth of the sun on his face. He was in a field of tall grass. In the distance was a great forest, and beyond, high mountains. There was a river somewhere nearby; he could hear the water running. It was in the evening, just before dusk. The sun had not yet set, but was about to. Free. You was finally free. Thengil did not understand why or how, or where, but there he was. He took a deep breath, savouring the scent of the grass and the clean crispness of the air.

Then he saw them.

The Warden was nowhere to be found, but the others were. Monsters, creatures and other entities. Unknown factors. Certainly threats. Memory came back to haunt him; no, he was not free at all. Something impossible was demanded of him. Something that most likely will get him killed. And the only help he had were these villains, these... Blackguards. And Thengil didn't even know who, or what, they were.

Seems like he was going on an adventure. What a joy.

Blackguards!

I have waited long enough. The plot moves forward tomorrow.

Blackguards!

Sorry for the delay! I really want the last player to get their IC post in before advancing. And it's the holidays after all, so a little downtime is to be expected.

Blackguards!

Good going so far! I'll be posting IC as Thengil within a day or so, and then move the story along after that. As we had an additional aspirant in the Int Check, I want to give them a little more time before moving ahead.

Besides, the holidays are around the corner, and as such I expect the game to move pretty slow.