Fantasy Dominions: The Middle Ages

[Ivan]

"Aye, that sounds like good advice. I thank you friend. That reminds me. You know my name, but I know not yours or your charges. Would you pray tell?" Graeme asked of the neutral man.

"I'm Alexander, and the boy is named Bradley. It's a pleasure to meet you." The squire shoots you a wide smile upon being introduced, and parrots the plain man.

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

"I'm Alexander, and the boy is named Bradley. It's a pleasure to meet you." The squire shoots you a wide smile upon being introduced, and parrots the plain man.

"It is good to meet both of you," Graeme would say, his wan smile returning.

 

[Ivan]

"Curious? Why, that's a phrase inside the mark if I've ever heard one. Very moderate, very measured. A 'curious man' occupies that hazy area between a person with curiosity and the object of a person's curiosity. I can say that in this instance, I'm no doubt both. As I said, measured and measured deliberately. But enough of my idleness, let's get right to it then, eh?" Here he takes another few puffs on his pipe. "I can tell, you sense I'm a throne, as a preacher-man might say. What say you be my guide? I'm new to the realm, as you can tell." Taking the pipe out of his mouth, he smiles. "And I'll put in a word for you when Her Majesty's finest come 'round this way to save me. What do you say?"

The mage chuckles to himself.

"A curious man indeed. You claim you've enough connection with a queen for her to send an army to retrieve you? Which queen might you be referring to." There's an obvious tone of doubt, and perhaps mockery in the mage's voice. As odd of a sight as you are, he seems intent on finding out at least some grains of information about you before he pledges himself to you as any manor of guard.

 

[Ivan]

"It is good to meet both of you," Graeme would say, his wan smile returning.

Further conversation is cut short as you come up over a hill, and see the ruined Ermorian capital not far off in the distance. The once great road that led into the city lay overgrown with grass and covered with dirt, while its walls were a mess of crumbling decay. The dark, murky spires of the royal palace were highlighted in front of the twilight sky, and served as the only feature within the city recognizable through the fog. The site stood as an ominous, unsafe presence, and as a warning. This was the ultimate price for hubris, and for dabbling in the unspeakable.

"We'll camp out on this hill for tonight!" announces the mercenary captain. "Set up your tents, and get to work on a fire. Night wont let us have much longer."

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

Further conversation is cut short as you come up over a hill, and see the ruined Ermorian capital not far off in the distance. The once great road that led into the city lay overgrown with grass and covered with dirt, while its walls were a mess of crumbling decay. The dark, murky spires of the royal palace were highlighted in front of the twilight sky, and served as the only feature within the city recognizable through the fog. The site stood as an ominous, unsafe presence, and as a warning. This was the ultimate price for hubris, and for dabbling in the unspeakable.

"We'll camp out on this hill for tonight!" announces the mercenary captain. "Set up your tents, and get to work on a fire. Night wont let us have much longer."

Graeme would aid the adventurers with setting the camp up, before placing his own bedroll off to one side away from most other people.

Lying for a short time on his bedroll, he would pull the sprig of lilac out of his bag. As he gazed on it, holding it up before him in front of that fallen empire's capital, Graeme would wonder where Bariah, the man he was searching for, could be in this dead land.

A huge man, Bariah was dark of skin and cruel of mind, often with an evil grin spread across his face. A useful asset in their old calling of thievery and banditry.

But no longer. The thirteen of them had fought and split up, setting out on their own.

During his time alone, Graeme had wandered aimlessly, having no real purpose in his life.

That is, until he met Lisa.

She was the one who made him see the truth, the darkness in his past, and the horrible evil of those Graeme had used to keep around him.

And she forgave him.

It was then that he first got the idea of redemption, but had refused it's call to be with his lover.

Until they killed her, and gained for them an unholy nemises.

After a few more moments of looking at the lilac, Graeme would place it back into his satchel, before making his way over to where the troops mage was, following Alexanders advice.

 

[Ivan]

Graeme would aid the adventurers with setting the camp up, before placing his own bedroll off to one side away from most other people.

Lying for a short time on his bedroll, he would pull the sprig of lilac out of his bag. As he gazed on it, holding it up before him in front of that fallen empire's capital, Graeme would wonder where Bariah, the man he was searching for, could be in this dead land.

A huge man, Bariah was dark of skin and cruel of mind, often with an evil grin spread across his face. A useful asset in their old calling of thievery and banditry.

But no longer. The thirteen of them had fought and split up, setting out on their own.

During his time alone, Graeme had wandered aimlessly, having no real purpose in his life.

That is, until he met Lisa.

She was the one who made him see the truth, the darkness in his past, and the horrible evil of those Graeme had used to keep around him.

And she forgave him.

It was then that he first got the idea of redemption, but had refused it's call to be with his lover.

Until they killed her, and gained for them an unholy nemises.

After a few more moments of looking at the lilac, Graeme would place it back into his satchel, before making his way over to where the troops mage was, following Alexanders advice.

You find the mage sitting by the fire. Sat around him were three others; a burly looking man with a mace and a round shield strapped around his back, a small, red haired woman, and a tall, but baby faced man, who also had red hair. The burly man and the mage sat silently, staring into the fire, while the two with red hair were having some sort of argument about the sexual prowess of the undead.

 

[Beologi]

"Not at all, friend! Not at all! Make yourself comfy."

The first halberdier, a good looking, scruffy man with an athletic build, who introduces himself as Clyde, is the friendly sort, with an incredibly warm disposition. He wastes no time in making you feel welcome and included, perhaps more so than on the road thanks to the abundance of alcohol he's consumed. He begins to introduce you to the others sitting around you. The second halberdier is called Karl. He's a clean shaven man, with short brown hair, and a face that'd make you think he was but a teenager. Karl smiles and nods at you upon being introduced. Clyde then names the young squire, who sits with his head in his hands, as Bradley. Finally, Clyde introduces the plain looking man as Alexander, Bardley's guardian. Alexander nods without looking over, then returns to quietly eating his food.

"A pleasure to meet you all!" The mage lets our his strange dolphin laugh. "As you probably heard during our walk, my name is Xochitl." He bows and sits down.

 

[Ivan]

"A pleasure to meet you all!" The mage lets our his strange dolphin laugh. "As you probably heard during our walk, my name is Xochitl." He bows and sits down.

"Yep, yep. It's the quite the odd name you have, my friend. Don't hear such a name this far north." Says the first halberdier.
"Yeah, yeah, not this far north." Parrots the second halberdier.
"Where the hell'd you get such a name?" Asks the first.
"Yeah, where?" Parrots the second.
"He's from Mictlan, a long ways from home." The plain man finally speaks up. His voice is soft, and monotonous. It's a bit difficult to make out what he says in all the commotion and conversation, but he's sitting close enough that you can still hear him alright.
"Well I'll be damned!" exclaims Clyde "What's it like there? Is it really full of bloodthirsty savages and backwards heathens? Excluding yourself, of course." He inquires.
"Yeah, yeah, is it like that?" Parrots Karl

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

You find the mage sitting by the fire. Sat around him were three others; a burly looking man with a mace and a round shield strapped around his back, a small, red haired woman, and a tall, but baby faced man, who also had red hair. The burly man and the mage sat silently, staring into the fire, while the two with red hair were having some sort of argument about the sexual prowess of the undead.

"Greetings. Sir mage, may I speak to you for a moment, in private? I wish to ask you something," Graeme would ask of the mage. While the talk between the two red heads was rather funny, he did not know these men well enough to fully trust them.

 

[Ivan]

(Been gone all day. Sorry it's taken so long.)

"Hm?"

The mage seemed to have been entranced by the fire, enough so that it took him a moment to regain himself once you had spoken.

"Oh, um, sure, yes." He finally replies.

 

[Beologi]

"Yep, yep. It's the quite the odd name you have, my friend. Don't hear such a name this far north." Says the first halberdier.
"Yeah, yeah, not this far north." Parrots the second halberdier.
"Where the hell'd you get such a name?" Asks the first.
"Yeah, where?" Parrots the second.
"He's from Mictlan, a long ways from home." The plain man finally speaks up. His voice is soft, and monotonous. It's a bit difficult to make out what he says in all the commotion and conversation, but he's sitting close enough that you can still hear him alright.
"Well I'll be damned!" exclaims Clyde "What's it like there? Is it really full of bloodthirsty savages and backwards heathens? Excluding yourself, of course." He inquires.
"Yeah, yeah, is it like that?" Parrots Karl

"Oh, it's not the most dreadful place." He pauses. "But it's filled with oh so frightening skeletons, and angry, disappointed mothers as well! Frankly, I don't know how I survived. But alas, I did! And here I am, going on a Grand Pilgrimage to thank all the gods for what I have."

 

[CargoCultist]

The mage chuckles to himself.

"A curious man indeed. You claim you've enough connection with a queen for her to send an army to retrieve you? Which queen might you be referring to." There's an obvious tone of doubt, and perhaps mockery in the mage's voice. As odd of a sight as you are, he seems intent on finding out at least some grains of information about you before he pledges himself to you as any manor of guard.

"That's the beauty of the thing, naturally. I haven't even an audience with her dog. All I've got to do is bring back a heap of artifacts from that old sunken city, right? Do some donating to a few museums once I'm back in London. Then next thing you know I'm a person of renown, the flavor of the month. I'll tell em' plain where I got em' from: Atlantis.And if I open up the way again, right quick Her Majesty'll be planting colonies in this realm. I'll be lauded - a true service to the English people. Might even get a knighthood for discovering this place. No doubt I'll be a man of wealth and renown, at the very least. Oh, but where are my manners! Your original question--" Jean fished around in his pocket a bit at this last statement, after a few minutes extracting a bronze half-penny with Queen Victoria's likeness on it. "She looks like this. Alexandrina Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India. That's her full title, or so I recall." And he hands the mage the coin. "Keep it, my good man. There'll be a lot more where that came from soon enough." he says, and then smiles contentedly.

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

(Been gone all day. Sorry it's taken so long.)

"Hm?"

The mage seemed to have been entranced by the, enough so that it took him a moment to regain himself once you had spoken.

"Oh, um, sure, yes." He finally replies.

Leading the mage away into the closest thing to seclusion, Graeme would turn to him.

"I was told by Alexander that you may knew of the whereabouts of the people I search for, due to your extensive traveling experience. Is that right?"

 

[Ivan]

Leading the mage away into the closest thing to seclusion, Graeme would turn to him.

"I was told by Alexander that you may knew of the whereabouts of the people I search for, due to your extensive traveling experience. Is that right?"

The mage stares at you, looking you up and down, and seems to smile as he finishes.

"Certainly, my boy. Certainly. I've traveled these lands since before the time of your father's father. I've met many people, and I know of many places, so I'm positive I could tell you something. Though, if you don't mind me being so bold, I would first like to inquire as to why you're searching for them."

 

[Ivan]

"Oh, it's not the most dreadful place." He pauses. "But it's filled with oh so frightening skeletons, and angry, disappointed mothers as well! Frankly, I don't know how I survived. But alas, I did! And here I am, going on a Grand Pilgrimage to thank all the gods for what I have."

"All of them? Come on, my friend. They can't all have had a hand in getting you here. Hell, some of them probably wanted you dead."
"Yeah, yeah, some of them."

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

The mage stares at you, looking you up and down, and seems to smile as he finishes.

"Certainly, my boy. Certainly. I've traveled these lands since before the time of your father's father. I've met many people, and I know of many places, so I'm positive I could tell you something. Though, if you don't mind me being so bold, I would first like to inquire as to why you're searching for them."

Graeme would take a moments to consider what and how much to tell the mage. "I seek them for it is my quest to find them, and wreak my revenge. Many years ago, I had been blessed by the gods with a woman who loved me, despite all my faults and all the crimes I had committed. I felt the gods offered her to me as an incentive, a way to abolish my sins. But I refused the call of true redemption." As he would speak, tears would well in his one eye.

"Four years after our marriage, during the night's darkest hour, twelve men and woman attacked my home, and slew my love before my own eye, leaving me defeated, but unharmed. They had attacked in order to 'collect my debt' as they told me, but I knew it was really the gods who were punishing me." His voice cracked as he told his tale, the memories welling up like blood from a newly opened wound.

"It was then that I declared myself their nemesis, and have I have been hunting for them for the past ten years of my life."

"But, the Twelve have eluded me until a few short months ago, when I heared rumors of a dark fleshed giant of a man having passed through the town I was in, searching for a the tower of a lich in the empire of skeletons. And that man is Bariah of Machaka." Finally, Graeme would finish his tale.

 

[Ivan]

"That's the beauty of the thing, naturally. I haven't even an audience with her dog. All I've got to do is bring back a heap of artifacts from that old sunken city, right? Do some donating to a few museums once I'm back in London. Then next thing you know I'm a person of renown, the flavor of the month. I'll tell em' plain where I got em' from: Atlantis.And if I open up the way again, right quick Her Majesty'll be planting colonies in this realm. I'll be lauded - a true service to the English people. Might even get a knighthood for discovering this place. No doubt I'll be a man of wealth and renown, at the very least. Oh, but where are my manners! Your original question--" Jean fished around in his pocket a bit at this last statement, after a few minutes extracting a bronze half-penny with Queen Victoria's likeness on it. "She looks like this. Alexandrina Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India. That's her full title, or so I recall." And he hands the mage the coin. "Keep it, my good man. There'll be a lot more where that came from soon enough." he says, and then smiles contentedly.

The mage looks the penny over.
"Can't be that rich of a queen if all her currency is in bronze." The mage mutters. Regardless, he seems to be interested in the coin, and the uniqueness of it. It's not like anything that had ever been seen in these lands, after all. The mage rubs his forehead, and then sighs.

"Alright, my friend. You've caught my interest. Most of what you say sounds like a tall tail if I've ever heard one, but this coin has a pattern on it I've never seen. I'll be your guide, if you'll let me study any of these trinkets you have."

 

[Beologi]

"All of them? Come on, my friend. They can't all have had a hand in getting you here. Hell, some of them probably wanted you dead."
"Yeah, yeah, some of them."

"Every single last one of them, friends! After all, what kind of god is one that wants you dead?" He looks left and right before continuing, "An average one, probably."

 

[Ivan]

Graeme would take a moments to consider what and how much to tell the mage. "I seek them for it is my quest to find them, and wreak my revenge. Many years ago, I had been blessed by the gods with a woman who loved me, despite all my faults and all the crimes I had committed. I felt the gods offered her to me as an incentive, a way to abolish my sins. But I refused the call of true redemption." As he would speak, tears would well in his one eye.

"Four years after our marriage, during the night's darkest hour, twelve men and woman attacked my home, and slew my love before my own eye, leaving me defeated, but unharmed. They had attacked in order to 'collect my debt' as they told me, but I knew it was really the gods who were punishing me." His voice cracked as he told his tale, the memories welling up like blood from a newly opened wound.

"It was then that I declared myself their nemesis, and have I have been hunting for them for the past ten years of my life."

"But, the Twelve have eluded me until a few short months ago, when I heared rumors of a dark fleshed giant of a man having passed through the town I was in, searching for a the tower of a lich in the empire of skeletons. And that man is Bariah of Machaka." Finally, Graeme would finish his tale.

The mage stood in silence and solidarity as you told him your tale, nodding at you once you finish.

"A damned tragedy that is. I'll do whatever I can to aid you in hunting down those who would do something so abhorrent, however, you might have an interesting encounter coming in regards to Bariah. I've heard of the man, a right terrifying man he is. In any other circumstance I'd tell you to stay away from him, but it's not an easy thing to sway a man with such a purpose, and I know I wouldn't be successful even if I desired to try. That aside, if he truly resides within the city of death, he's either been turned undead, or found himself a relic that would allow him to bypass the curse."

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

The mage stood in silence and solidarity as you told him your tale, nodding at you once you finish.

"A damned tragedy that is. I'll do whatever I can to aid you in hunting down those who would do something so abhorrent, however, you might have an interesting encounter coming in regards to Bariah. I've heard of the man, a right terrifying man he is. In any other circumstance I'd tell you to stay away from him, but it's not an easy thing to sway a man with such a purpose, and I know I wouldn't be successful even if I desired to try. That aside, if he truly resides within the city of death, he's either been turned undead, or found himself a relic that would allow him to bypass the curse."

"There are ways to avoid the curse of the city? I had never known such a thing was possible. I had always assumed that he was willing to join the ranks of the undead for what he seeked, but it would make sense. He is cruel, but he is no fool. Of course it makes sense for him to have obtained a way to avoid the curse..." Graeme would say, slowly going into a mutter as he began to think to himself.

"Tell me, do you personally know any way to avoid being afflicted with the curse? A spell, or a trinket perhaps?" He asked of the mage.

 

[Ivan]

"Every single last one of them, friends! After all, what kind of god is one that wants you dead?" He looks left and right before continuing, "An average one, probably."

The plain man lays down his silverware, and begins to speak up.

"The gods don't fancy us mortal folks. They ain't merciful, and they ain't kind. After all, what kinda merciful god would make a boy blind from birth. Nothing he did wrong, and yet here he is. The gods are a right bunch of bastards, if you ask me." His voice showed just about as much emotion as you could expect from him.

 

[Ivan]

"There are ways to avoid the curse of the city? I had never known such a thing was possible. I had always assumed that he was willing to join the ranks of the undead for what he seeked, but it would make sense. He is cruel, but he is no fool. Of course it makes sense for him to have obtained a way to avoid the curse..." Graeme would say, slowly going into a mutter as he began to think to himself.

"Tell me, do you personally know any way to avoid being afflicted with the curse? A spell, or a trinket perhaps?" He asked of the mage.

"The gods are an odd lot. They'll rain hell down upon a whole empire, and make its capital an uninhabitable wasteland, but not without giving the brave soul an option to circumvent it. Anyway, there exist a handful of trinkets that can counter the curse of the undead. They were often buried in the tombs of righteous kings, so that necromancers could not raise them for evil intent. Though, as it happens, we have just come from the grave of Cassius Augustus Vincaramus, the last righteous emperor of old Ermor. Buried with him was once such trinket. Of course, we need this trinket for our own quest, but if you'd agree to help us finish said quest, I'm sure my companions would have no qualms in allowing you to use it once we finish."

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

"The gods are an odd lot. They'll rain hell down upon a whole empire, and make its capital an uninhabitable wasteland, but not without giving the brave soul an option to circumvent it. Anyway, there exist a handful of trinkets that can counter the curse of the undead. They were often buried in the tombs of righteous kings, so that necromancers could not raise them for evil intent. Though, as it happens, we have just come from the grave of Cassius Augustus Vincaramus, the last righteous emperor of old Ermor. Buried with him was once such trinket. Of course, we need this trinket for our own quest, but if you'd agree to help us finish said quest, I'm sure my companions would have no qualms in allowing you to use it once we finish."

"I agree to help you and your company in your quest. It is the least I could do to repay you for the aid you'll be giving me," Graeme would tell the mage.

 

[Ivan]

"I agree to help you and your company in your quest. It is the least I could do to repay you for the aid you'll be giving me," Graeme would tell the mage.

"I'm glad to hear that, my friend. We'll set out come morning, so go get some rest. You'll need it for the coming trial."

 

[Dalamus Ulom]

"I'm glad to hear that, my friend."We'll set out come morning, so go get some rest. You'll need it for the coming trial."

"What exactly is the quest your company is set for?" Graeme would ask.