Post by Rhia the Incorrigible on May 19, 2010 12:59:00 GMT -5
Herschon was a town no one had ever heard of. It sat on the edge of where many rulers lands met and was never noticed enough to be claimed by any. The people led simple lives, sharing the one oxen they had to plow to the fields, brewing enough to keep the folk sated, and growing children because in the country, there was nothing else to do. Almost everyone who lived there was born there and would die there. Nothing of note every really happened until that day.
It was Algaro who found it. A forgotten scroll that, even in the library he had maintained for a lifetime, he had never seen. His aged hands pulled it from behind the shelf holding the financial records of the region for the past 65 years. If no one could say anything else of him, he was thorough. It must've been why the scroll shocked him so much to be found. He unrolled it gently, laying it against the ink splattered table and read the words carefully, his eyes never quite focussing enough after so many years of reading by candlelight. He called over his former apprentice who was now a journeyman himself.
"Parfem, read this..."
The man did, then reread it. He looked at his master, then walked to the map on the wall.
"Master, its speaking of the Northwestern tip of.. well no one's land. Its the unclaimed area between territories. I.. is there even a town there?"
"I don't know, but someone else needs to know. These artifacts... they could save the world."
"Or doom it..."
"Then I suppose it is best if we are careful with who receives this information."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Parfem had been on the long dusty road for 5 days now. His horse was slowing dying of exhaustion, but he kept riding. He had a message, and it had to be given to the right people. He had delivered his message to the paladins of the north and now planned to get word to the scholars in the West. His legs were bloody after being chaffed against the rough hide of the horse, the fabric of his pants long worn through. His hands were so calussed, he wasn't sure if he had the reins in his hands still, but he rode on.
He didn't even feel the arrow as it buried its self into his side, and then into his lung. The only indication he had been hit came when his thighs finally loosened on the horse's side and he slid to the ground, his hand still clamped on the reins. The horse drug him for a few steps, then dropped over on it's side its self. It finally had succumb to the weariness it felt and let go of its life.
The man stepped forward, uncovering the burning eye sash that hung on his side as he stepped out of the bushes. He kicked the body of the scholar over with his boot and found his belt pouch, pulling the few coins out, then the scroll. He couldn't read, but his commander could. As the man walked back to the tent of his leader, he hid a coin in a back pouch as a finder's fee.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The note had told the forces to meet Algaro to receive the last of the information as he had stayed behind to finish research. Algaro sat, in the midst of his notes, scrabbling the information when the door was kicked open. A large form walked to him, grabbing him by the throat from his studies.
"Need. Things."
The old man looked fearfully at the orc before him. And it was the last thing he saw. His heart finally stopped beating with the terrifying face before him. The commander stepped in and smacked the orc in the back of the head.
"Now how will we find the information?"
He picked up the sheafs of paper and rifled through them all. None were legible. The old man was no longer able to copy his thoughts to paper well enough for any to read. They ransacked the library, but nothing else sat in its old walls. He sighed and stepped out of the tower, leaving the orc who had killed the old man inside to continue looking. He lifted one hand and waved it at the tower, signing to the archers to shoot. As the flaming arrows fell on the tower, it set aflame immediately. The orcs dying screams were all that was left as the group set again to the road to gather their forces.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The ashes and a few cornerstones was all the paladins found when they arrived 2 days later. The leader shook his head in disdain and turned to his men.
"To Herschon. Send a message to all the friends of light. We will meet in that town 5 days hence. And let us hope nothing else follows us."
It was Algaro who found it. A forgotten scroll that, even in the library he had maintained for a lifetime, he had never seen. His aged hands pulled it from behind the shelf holding the financial records of the region for the past 65 years. If no one could say anything else of him, he was thorough. It must've been why the scroll shocked him so much to be found. He unrolled it gently, laying it against the ink splattered table and read the words carefully, his eyes never quite focussing enough after so many years of reading by candlelight. He called over his former apprentice who was now a journeyman himself.
"Parfem, read this..."
The man did, then reread it. He looked at his master, then walked to the map on the wall.
"Master, its speaking of the Northwestern tip of.. well no one's land. Its the unclaimed area between territories. I.. is there even a town there?"
"I don't know, but someone else needs to know. These artifacts... they could save the world."
"Or doom it..."
"Then I suppose it is best if we are careful with who receives this information."
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Parfem had been on the long dusty road for 5 days now. His horse was slowing dying of exhaustion, but he kept riding. He had a message, and it had to be given to the right people. He had delivered his message to the paladins of the north and now planned to get word to the scholars in the West. His legs were bloody after being chaffed against the rough hide of the horse, the fabric of his pants long worn through. His hands were so calussed, he wasn't sure if he had the reins in his hands still, but he rode on.
He didn't even feel the arrow as it buried its self into his side, and then into his lung. The only indication he had been hit came when his thighs finally loosened on the horse's side and he slid to the ground, his hand still clamped on the reins. The horse drug him for a few steps, then dropped over on it's side its self. It finally had succumb to the weariness it felt and let go of its life.
The man stepped forward, uncovering the burning eye sash that hung on his side as he stepped out of the bushes. He kicked the body of the scholar over with his boot and found his belt pouch, pulling the few coins out, then the scroll. He couldn't read, but his commander could. As the man walked back to the tent of his leader, he hid a coin in a back pouch as a finder's fee.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The note had told the forces to meet Algaro to receive the last of the information as he had stayed behind to finish research. Algaro sat, in the midst of his notes, scrabbling the information when the door was kicked open. A large form walked to him, grabbing him by the throat from his studies.
"Need. Things."
The old man looked fearfully at the orc before him. And it was the last thing he saw. His heart finally stopped beating with the terrifying face before him. The commander stepped in and smacked the orc in the back of the head.
"Now how will we find the information?"
He picked up the sheafs of paper and rifled through them all. None were legible. The old man was no longer able to copy his thoughts to paper well enough for any to read. They ransacked the library, but nothing else sat in its old walls. He sighed and stepped out of the tower, leaving the orc who had killed the old man inside to continue looking. He lifted one hand and waved it at the tower, signing to the archers to shoot. As the flaming arrows fell on the tower, it set aflame immediately. The orcs dying screams were all that was left as the group set again to the road to gather their forces.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The ashes and a few cornerstones was all the paladins found when they arrived 2 days later. The leader shook his head in disdain and turned to his men.
"To Herschon. Send a message to all the friends of light. We will meet in that town 5 days hence. And let us hope nothing else follows us."