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You are Grand Master Lone Wolf of Sommerlund, sole survivor of a massacre that wiped out the First Order of the Kai
It is the year MS 5077, twenty-seven years since your brave kinsmen perished at the hands of the Darklords of Helgedad. These champions of evil, who were sent forth by Naar, the King of the Darkness, to destroy the fertile world of Magnamund, have themselves since been destroyed. You vowed to avenge the murder of the Kai and you kept your pledge, for it was you who brought about their downfall when alone you infiltrated their foul domain
It is the year MS
In the wake of their destruction, chaos befell the Darkland armies who, until then, had been poised to conquer all of Magnamund. Some factions which were part of this huge army, most notably the barbaric Drakkarim, began to fight with the others for control. This disorder quickly escalated into an all-out civil war which allowed the Freeland armies of Magnamund time in which to recover and launch a counter-offensive. Skilfully their commanders exploited the chaos and secured a swift and total victory over an enemy far superior in numbers.
@@ -1129,7 +1129,7 @@Desperately you urge the horse forwards, but the combined weight of you and Lord Nathor conspire to slow its progress. Before it can carry you through the gatehouse and onto the drawbridge beyond, the portcullis comes crashing down, sealing your only means of escape. Then a second portcullis descends, preventing you from returning into the castle keep. You are caught, trapped like fish in a barrel in the narrow corridor between these two gates.
This area is called the murder hole
, and, as you soon discover to your cost, it is an apt description of what can occur in this dreadful place. Within seconds of your capture, the walls above are ringed by guardsmen, each armed with bows which they aim at you and your companion. At a given signal they open fire, pouring volley after relentless volley of arrows into your defenceless forms.
Tragically, your life and your journey home to Sommerlund end here, in the murder hole of Castle Tranius.
+The Lord Constable is an imposing man with a proud and noble countenance. At your approach he removes a white leather gauntlet and welcomes you with a formal salute.
-Greetings, my Lord,
he says, his voice deep and resonant. Welcome to Garthen. I am Nathor, Lord Constable of the Royal Citadel. It would be an honour if you would allow me to escort you and Lord Ardan to an audience with Queen Evaine.
Greetings, my lord,
he says, his voice deep and resonant. Welcome to Garthen. I am Nathor, Lord Constable of the Royal Citadel. It would be an honour if you would allow me to escort you and Lord Ardan to an audience with Queen Evaine.
Suddenly an explosion of white light fills your vision and the taste of blood fills your mouth: you have been hit in the head by an armour-piercing arrow. Mercifully, death is virtually instantaneous.
-Sadly, your life and your journey home come to an abrupt end here, in the cold, dark waters of the River Reloni.
+In the name of the gods!
splutters Nathor, spilling liqueur down the front of his tunic. What was that?
A knot of fear tightens in the pit of your stomach. A Kraan,
you reply, recognizing at once the fell cry of this unwelcome creature.
You hurry to a window and see the large, bat-like Kraan silhouetted against the moon. A man-sized rider clings precariously to the creature
You had best come away from the window, my Lord,
replies an anxious Nathor, lest it detect your presence here.
You had best come away from the window, my lord,
replies an anxious Nathor, lest it detect your presence here.
You take heed of the Lord Constable
It is not the first time it has come,
says Rasbarin. Every night for the past ten days we
He suggests that you bunk in the cellar of the monastery where you may be safer from detection, and you accept his offer gladly.
Suddenly there is a tremendous
Tragically, on the threshold of victory, your life and your quest end here on the Plane of Darkness.
+You give the gruff-looking fellow a slight bow and he nods his head in response, albeit begrudgingly.
We are returning from a visit to my cousin
she says, almost apologetically.
We made
adds Dorst, with quiet menace.
It appears that we shall now have to encamp here in the hills this night,
says the Baroness. Perhaps you would care to join us, my Lord? I would feel so much safer if you did.
It appears that we shall now have to encamp here in the hills this night,
says the Baroness. Perhaps you would care to join us, my lord? I would feel so much safer if you did.
Despite Dorst
Why, thank you,
she says, with a wide smile. They look
In the name of the gods!
splutters Nathor, spilling liqueur down the front of his tunic. What was that?
You hurry to the window and see a large, bat-like shape silhouetted against the moon. A man-sized rider clings precariously to the creature
A Kraan,
you say, recognizing at once the outline of this unwelcome creature.
You had best come away from the window, my Lord,
replies an anxious Nathor, lest it detect your presence here.
You had best come away from the window, my lord,
replies an anxious Nathor, lest it detect your presence here.
You take heed of the Lord Constable
It is not the first time,
says Rasbarin. Every night for the past ten days we
He offers you a bunk in the cellar of the monastery where you may be safe from detection, and you accept gladly.
You are halfway across the ford when alarm bells sound on both sides of the river.
Deserter at the ford!
goes the cry from the Eldenoran fort. Enemy spy approaching!
shout the Slovian guards.
Moments later, a hissing cloud of arrows and bolts descend on you from both sides and your horse is killed instantly in the crossfire. It crashes head-first into the water and you are thrown out of the saddle to land heavily amongst the rocks which lie strewn along the Slovian bank. You try to rise but suddenly an explosion of white light fills your vision and the taste of blood fills your mouth: you have been hit in the head by an armour-piercing arrow. Mercifully, death is virtually instantaneous.
-Sadly, your life and your journey home come to an abrupt end here, on the Slovian banks of the River Storn.
+You press yourself as flat as you can against the sheer rock-face of the ravine, but a heavy boulder glances your shoulder and you lose your precarious grip. Frantically you scrabble for a handhold, but already you are falling backwards amidst a cloud of choking dust and loose shale. With a sickening thud, you smash head-first into the boulder-strewn ground at the base of the ravine.
-Tragically, your life and your journey home come to an abrupt end here in Eldenora.
+You hear the hiss of the crossbow bolt in flight, and then suddenly an explosion of white light fills your vision and the taste of blood fills your mouth: you have been shot in the base of the skull by an iron bolt and, mercifully, death is virtually instantaneous.
-Sadly, your life and your journey home come to an abrupt end here, in the timberlands of southern Eldenora.
+Suddenly, you are gripped by spasms which paralyse your leg and stomach muscles. Incapacitated by cramp, you are unable to prevent yourself from sinking rapidly to the bottom of the River Storn.
-Tragically, your life and your journey home to Sommerlund end here.
+You tumble head-first down the slope and knock yourself unconscious on a jagged outcrop. Minutes later, the halo of energy which surrounds the Shadow Gate begins to crackle fiercely. The surge of energy has great significance, for on the Plane of Darkness, Naar has just consigned his newest champions to the Shadow Gate through which you escaped from his realm.
As the first rays of the dawn sun spread across the surrounding rocks, the first of Naar
Tragically, on the threshold of victory, your life and the future of Sommerlund end here.
+The smooth dark hair and noble countenance of the Lord Constable are oddly familiar, reminding you of someone whose name momentarily you cannot recall.
-Welcome, my Lord,
he says, with a respectful salute. I am Nathor, Lord Constable of the Royal Citadel. My troop would be honoured to escort you to an audience with Queen Evaine.
Welcome, my lord,
he says, with a respectful salute. I am Nathor, Lord Constable of the Royal Citadel. My troop would be honoured to escort you to an audience with Queen Evaine.
Pray tell me, Lord Constable,
you reply, have we not met before?
No, sire. I venture you must be thinking of my late brother
Suddenly an explosion of scarlet light fills your vision and the taste of blood fills your mouth: you have been hit in the head by a crossbow bolt. Mercifully, death comes instantaneously.
-Sadly, though, your life and your journey home come to an abrupt end here, in the cold, dark waters of the River Reloni.
+(44) Replaced Tyso,
with Tyso.
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(198) Replaced tunic,
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with my lord
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with Kai-alchemy and
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(202) Replaced co-operation
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(290) Replaced Items however
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with Weapons, Belt Pouch, Backpack,
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(291) Replaced both occurrences of lavas
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with The smooth dark hair and noble countenance of the Lord Constable are oddly
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(295) Replaced despatch
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(297) Replaced Old Kingdom spell
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