The Chronicles of Mystria: Times of Sorrow I

[League of Emberg]

"I worked in the Hands of Fate right out of the orphanage. I was like 12 and the Matron had found a slaver who wanted to send me to a gladiatorial arena where I would fight to the death against armed combatants. I was 12, I wouldn't have survived one fight even if I was stronger than most my age, so I tried to get legitimate employment, but there's none who employ beastlings in Mordovia, so I was compelled to work as a smuggler of ore since then. They paid me so I could afford bread and I could hide in the barn of a farmer. I stayed there and kept working in the Hands of Fate since then and then after a while I became an enforcer." He said recalling the events which led him to the Hands of Fate, realizing that he really didn't have much of a choice which made him feel more amused by the situation.

Justice again 'eh? Hmph... None to be had.

Gundral looked at him "Now we can start getting your case together, it is a ways to Terradin so we have some time. Now do you know any of the Identity's of the 'Hands of Fate'? Handing them over would really help you, Now lets move onto the Murder charges. How did they come about?"

[Crystal Spires]

"I know almost all of the members of the Hands of Fate. I was an enforcer after all, but there's no way I'm going to turn them in. They want to kill me already and I'm more afraid of them. At least you all will try to kill me humanely. As for the murders, it's very simple. I lied about them of course. I said that I did them when I didn't. Made everyone steer clear of the mines, and then it was easier for the hands to operate." he said as he imagined the last time someone agreed to testify against the Hands of Fate, and also what the Hands of Fate had planned to do to Declan. They were going to have a mob tear him apart on the streets, and it was why Jabrill was captured in the first place. He wanted to save Declan's life.

[League of Emberg]

"I know almost all of the members of the Hands of Fate. I was an enforcer after all, but there's no way I'm going to turn them in. They want to kill me already and I'm more afraid of them. At least you all will try to kill me humanely. As for the murders, it's very simple. I lied about them of course. I said that I did them when I didn't. Made everyone steer clear of the mines, and then it was easier for the hands to operate." he said as he imagined the last time someone agreed to testify against the Hands of Fate, and also what the Hands of Fate had planned to do to Declan. They were going to have a mob tear him apart on the streets, and it was why Jabrill was captured in the first place. He wanted to save Declan's life.

Gundral was shocked "We can protect you in Terradin they can not corrupt out soldiers. If you agree to testify against them I shall have you stay with me and you will be Guarded by my personal Guards. They are the most highly trained in Terradin under the command of our good friend here General StoutHammer."

If he knows the Identity's of the Hands of fate and will tell me them I can get him cleared of all crimes and put under our protection. I believe him about not murdering people as well..I don't think he could kill someone he really doesn't seem like the type.. Gundral thought

[Crystal Spires]

Jabrill laughed as he looked up in the sky. "You know... that's exactly what another guy I knew said."

The city guard were the ones who made it safe for me to do the trading in the first place. Surely he can't be that thick. Jabrill thought, but then he remembered a sobering fact. The City Guard were the ones who were receiving the ore in the first place. They used it to make illegal weapons to ship to Altea. It was a big scam. The whole City Guard up to Mordovia has been corrupt. They'd been receiving kickbacks and bribes from the Hands of Fate to begin with. I'm dead. Gundral could see panic dawn upon Jabrill as he tensed up again. It was obvious that there was more to what he was actually saying.

The truth of what he knew was much worse. The fences from the Hands of Fate would secretly refine the ore and give them to the City Guard who illegally accepted the ore and made weapons. One guardsman from the human settlement of Mordovia named Declan Demius found out that the guardsman were getting illegal weapons and ore and was going to blow the whistle and destroy the whole trade agreement with the hands of fate, so there was a scheme created to set him up to take the fall for all of the illegal activities, and Jabrill was supposed to plant documents framing Declan for working with slavers and rouse the angry citizens of Mordovia to beat him to death on the city streets but he had a full change of heart and pick-pocketed him to get the documents back and took his identification as an excuse and sold it to a trader so that he would get caught on purpose. Jabrill took the whole fall, and was going to go down protecting the secret of the hands of fate, but the unexpected happened. The High Priestess Yorla was able to tell that Jabrill was lying, and could tell that he was innocent, and then gave him a chance to live as the Seeker of the Flower of Zaiden. This was ultimately why he was there now.

[Yesopalitha]

In the City of Caltris

Tarahal stayed in the Temple for what seemed like days, devoting himself again to Serion, confessing his sins, and just basking in the glory of the temple. However, Arvok didn't come.

Business more important than me must have called him away, Tarahal decided.

He stood up, and walked over to a Priest.

"How do I get to Denal-Ithorn from here?"

Denal-Ithorn...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Forest of Hazingafar

Nirdasil looked at her mage... And sighed.

"It seems that I have caused quite a stir by trying to act... Bidden. Sorry I didn't help you there... But it seemed you were handling it fine... And I'm not totally together yet," she explained.

A Few Days Later

A Werewolf ran into the forest, completely dashing towards Nirdasil.

"Ma'am! Ma'am!" he shouted, turning into his human form.

"What is wrong, my child?" Nirdasil asked.

"There's been a huge battle in the Dwarven Kingdom! Some band of mixed Bidden had a battle with the Dwarven Guard!" he declared.

Oh no... No...

"Any mention of... 'The Red Hand'?" Nirdasil asked quietly, dreading the answer.

"Yes, Ma'am. There's news of the Red Hand being captured. All the Dwarves are in an uproar."

Nirdasil crumpled to the ground, despair in her brain. She knew the story of the Red Hand, and what he had supposedly done. She also knew that there was no way that Jabrill would have committed any of the terrible things that he was accused of. No way...

"Are you all right, My Lady?" the Wolf asked, concerned.

"I.. I will be fine. Please find Dark'han for me..." she asked.

The Wolf went away.

My Jabrill... No, you will not die... Even if I have to tear down the gates of Terradin myself.

But I must take care of the Chosen of Zaiden as well... Damn...

[Crystal Spires]

"Are you with me soldiers? Will you help me save the High Chancellor?"

"Of course we will Judge Maddy." The Guardsman said feeling a bit more admiration as he realized she had saved their lives.

Maven watched from his room and felt a strange feeling of foreboding. He didn't know what would happen now. It was clear that Israphel was safe for now, but now he had to face the hands of the law and he didn't know what would become of him. He waited for Maddy to return, but he didn't know what she would say. She had told the guards, and now they knew that he was hiding and protecting an unbidden. Would this mean that the uncorruptibles would be called? Maven didn't know, but he knew that there was likely no room for risk. He took the spectral harp out of his safe which was filled with dwarven treasures and tucked it in his shirt.

[Almonde Tise]

"Are you with me soldiers? Will you help me save the High Chancellor?"

"Of course we will Judge Maddy." The Guardsman said feeling a bit more admiration as he realized she had saved their lives.

Maven watched from his room and felt a strange feeling of foreboding. He didn't know what would happen now. It was clear that Israphel was safe for now, but now he had to face the hands of the law and he didn't know what would become of him. He waited for Maddy to return, but he didn't know what she would say. She had told the guards, and now they knew that he was hiding and protecting an unbidden. Would this mean that the uncorruptibles would be called? Maven didn't know, but he knew that there was likely no room for risk. He took the spectral harp out of his safe which was filled with dwarven treasures and tucked it in his shirt.

"Thanks, I appreciate your help in the coming days. I do not know the symptoms of an unbidden withdrawal. So, I fear the worst may be yet to come. Umm...can you help once again I think I am unable to walk on my own two feet. I would like to go see Maven and see how he's doing before the Uncorruptables hear about all this. Hopefully..." Maddy was aided in an escort by one of the soldiers while the rest of them went back to their normal duties telling the stories of what had just transpired to everyone they knew.

[Crystal Spires]

Maven took a deep breath as he looked around his room, and waited for some news. He didn't know what to expect. Working with an unbidden was treason on its own, but he was the High Chancellor of all things. With the war, and the happenings around Caltris, it would be easy for him to become a scapegoat. The High Council would accuse him of being weak. He remembered what Eylis had suggested, but it was so unspeakable and Maven would rather face the Tribunal than to become what Eylis wanted him to do. Death was better than losing all honor he had as a politician, and to be killed by the uncorruptibles for him would be a mercy, and also it would be right. He didn't want to admit that if he was wrong about Israphel, he'd have but all of Mystria at risk, but he didn't believe he was wrong.

[Crystal Spires]

In the City of Caltris

"How do I get to Denal-Ithorn from here?"

Denal-Ithorn...

"You go to the Elven Kingdom for one, and then you follow the coastline. " The Priest said as he regarded the question to be strange. Denal Ithorn was never really sought out by pilgrims, nor was there any reason to go to Denal Ithorn for those who had lost anyone there were long gone. All that was left was the impregnable fortress, that no one could enter.

Denal Ithorn awaited for Tarahal as he felt a great feeling of foreboding.

[Almonde Tise]

"What!? What, is this why has my Uncle's door been barricaded!? Why are you not allowing me in? Who has given you the right!? I am Judge Maddy for crying out loud let me see Maven! What do you mean by the order of the Uncorruptibles!" Maddy was infuriated that two proudly dressed troops of the Uncoruptables was keeping her from seeing Maven just when more of them walked around the corner accompanied by three of the Uncorruptables. "Why can I not have a simple chat with our dear Maven?"

[Crystal Spires]

"Maven Auryn has been suspected of conspiring to commit treason against our fair city of Caltris. He is to be investigated and we will find out the truth and if it is true, then we will execute Maven Auryn to keep the corruption in place. If you must speak with a Chancellor, go speak to Chancellor Eames. He will be High Chancellor until the matter is clear." The uncorruptible said as he watched over the door. "You cannot see Maven Auryn, and that is my final word."

The uncorruptible watched over the door as Maven regarded his new bit of house arrest with amusement. He could easily fly out the window, but he could be shot for it, but he didn't know how many there would be guarding him.

[Yesopalitha]

"You go to the Elven Kingdom for one, and then you follow the coastline. " The Priest said as he regarded the question to be strange. Denal Ithorn was never really sought out by pilgrims, nor was there any reason to go to Denal Ithorn for those who had lost anyone there were long gone. All that was left was the impregnable fortress, that no one could enter.

Denal Ithorn awaited for Tarahal as he felt a great feeling of foreboding.

Tarahal thanked the Priest and headed out of the city, heading Northwest.

I am coming, my great City... my greatest triumph and my greatest downfall.

[Almonde Tise]

"Well...well...I...just...UGGGHHH! Guardsmen, Donnel I wish to be alone in my quarters can you help carry me there now, please. These...These...These...ok let's go and get out of here before I lose my cool." Maddy had he guard escort her back to her chambers far on the other side of the building, which at this point was nothing than an old dusty cleared out storage closet. "Thank you. I think I should be able to manage on my own for now. You can go and have the day off." Then Maddy began to regain her energy as she started to brew a batch of honey and lemon drink. Once it had started to heat up over the steam piping she took the time to change into an easier more relaxing garment. "Achoo! Oh, no. A cold. Achoo! Damn it! I knew those things carried diseases!"

[United World Order]

Jeremiah and his team stopped somewhere in a dirt trail and they heard movement and carriges as they walked a bit where the trail turned into a sort of hill and saw Several slavers with Carriges having steel barred boxes holding slaves in them.

"More slavers...." Jeremiah said as he drew his kanabo and his team got ready and climbed up several trees aiming there bows at idivual targets. Jeremiah stood in view of the slavers.

His team was hidden in the trees.

[Crystal Spires]

The slavers began to load more people that they had kidnapped from the nearby town into their carriages. The cold winter wind continued to blow as the Slavers began to move Eastward following the way through the Westfold. The guards were motioning for the rest of the Caravans to follow as they followed the way to a nearby border town. The town was small and it would be easy for the Slavers to gain some more 'property' to sell. The slavers began to fan out in the town and kidnapped orphans left on the street.

"You guys check that side over there. Hopefully we won't need to cause a ruckus with the guard." the tall bearded slaver said as they gagged a boy no older than 8 years old.

[United World Order]

The slavers began to load more people that they had kidnapped from the nearby town into their carriages. The cold winter wind continued to blow as the Slavers began to move Eastward following the way through the Westfold. The guards were motioning for the rest of the Caravans to follow as they followed the way to a nearby border town. The town was small and it would be easy for the Slavers to gain some more 'property' to sell. The slavers began to fan out in the town and kidnapped orphans left on the street.

"You guys check that side over there. Hopefully we won't need to cause a ruckus with the guard." the tall bearded slaver said as they gagged a boy no older than 8 years old.

Jeremiah saw the town and entered it and saw a tall slaver as went up behind him and swung his Kanabo towards his head. His team started firing at the slavers that were with the Caravan.

[Crystal Spires]

The Slavers began to fire their dart pistols at the Samurai as they came under fire from their archers. They hid behind the caravan and the Slaves screamed as the arrows began to rip through the bars of the caravan wagon.

"Damn it. We're going to lose more of them this way. Let's clear out while we can." The slaver with a beard said as he pushed the wagon ahead and the slavers climbed upon the wagon and beat the horse to get it moving.

The wagon moved through the town as the samurai continued firing at them two slavers lie dead from the Samurai attack. One man was alive but wounded and he tried to escape from the Samurai by crawling into an alleyway.

[United World Order]

The Slavers began to fire their dart pistols at the Samurai as they came under fire from their archers. They hid behind the caravan and the Slaves screamed as the arrows began to rip through the bars of the caravan wagon.

"Damn it. We're going to lose more of them this way. Let's clear out while we can." The slaver with a beard said as he pushed the wagon ahead and the slavers climbed upon the wagon and beat the horse to get it moving.

The wagon moved through the town as the samurai continued firing at them two slavers lie dead from the Samurai attack. One man was alive but wounded and he tried to escape from the Samurai by crawling into an alleyway.

The team jumped off the trees one landed on the back of the carrige hanging on to the bars, One was killed by a arrow in mid air and the rest moved to follow the caravan.

The one Samurai trecked his way around the box and was behind the horsemen as he swung his Katana towards the horsemens neck

[Servoth]

The airship kept on moving towards the Changeling empire, although his stop was a mountian just before the boarder. It was lonely, as listening to Israphel ramble on about some subject that was very boring. Dariken had began to notice the amount of useless machinery that was on board Beastling airships,he could at least use it to rebuild the device to find the flower of Zaiden. But still he had to worry about Maddy, that crazy lunatic of a witch, was most likely trying to hunt him down or given a hate rant to the people of caltris. "I need a girlfriend," Dariken said to himself, There is always Ms. Dorring, but I don't think it would work well. She's yours. I need somebody whose adventurous and willing to fight back if she doesn't like something or someone. Your out of luck then, noone in their right mind would hook up with someone as dangerous as you. Thanks, Isy......

[Austington]

Jabrill laughed as he looked up in the sky. "You know... that's exactly what another guy I knew said."

The city guard were the ones who made it safe for me to do the trading in the first place. Surely he can't be that thick. Jabrill thought, but then he remembered a sobering fact. The City Guard were the ones who were receiving the ore in the first place. They used it to make illegal weapons to ship to Altea. It was a big scam. The whole City Guard up to Mordovia has been corrupt. They'd been receiving kickbacks and bribes from the Hands of Fate to begin with. I'm dead. Gundral could see panic dawn upon Jabrill as he tensed up again. It was obvious that there was more to what he was actually saying.

The truth of what he knew was much worse. The fences from the Hands of Fate would secretly refine the ore and give them to the City Guard who illegally accepted the ore and made weapons. One guardsman from the human settlement of Mordovia named Declan Demius found out that the guardsman were getting illegal weapons and ore and was going to blow the whistle and destroy the whole trade agreement with the hands of fate, so there was a scheme created to set him up to take the fall for all of the illegal activities, and Jabrill was supposed to plant documents framing Declan for working with slavers and rouse the angry citizens of Mordovia to beat him to death on the city streets but he had a full change of heart and pick-pocketed him to get the documents back and took his identification as an excuse and sold it to a trader so that he would get caught on purpose. Jabrill took the whole fall, and was going to go down protecting the secret of the hands of fate, but the unexpected happened. The High Priestess Yorla was able to tell that Jabrill was lying, and could tell that he was innocent, and then gave him a chance to live as the Seeker of the Flower of Zaiden. This was ultimately why he was there now.

"YOU. WILL. BE. SAFE. WITH. US." Gundral stated in a near rage, accenting each word with a prod of his finger to Jabrill's chest. "You know as well as I that I am, for one, not corrupt and none of these dwarves would live if they were corrupt. Not to mention these are some of the highest trained troops we have. Plus the General and I are here. You will be fine, no one can bring you any harm if you tell us. It will help your clemency immensely." (Gundral's speechcraft is 15, Jabrills discernment is 10, Jabrill has to believe him.)

[Crystal Spires]

Jabrill sighed and looked at Gundral and shrugged his shoulders. "I... I could try to tell you some members of the Hands of Fate, and about their organization but not while there are prying eyes and ears. We'll discuss about it somewhere that is not out in the open. I can guarantee you that doing this will mean that I will never be safe ANYWHERE again, but I suppose since I am the seeker, I wasn't guaranteed safety to begin with, I'm already condemned as is. I will tell you about the Hands of Fate, but I have to tell you first about the city guard, before we get to Terradin." Jabrill said with a serious expression. "You have to know, they've been working for the Hands for years now. The moment I step into the City of Terradin, you and all your royal guard will be in great danger. I didn't want to have to be the one to tell you this, because if you didn't know, I'd be the only one attacked because I'm a 'terrorist'."

Jabrill hugged his arms close to his chest to keep from the cold, but he also felt a deep regret that he decided to tell Gundral the truth.

[Austington]

Jabrill sighed and looked at Gundral and shrugged his shoulders. "I... I could try to tell you some members of the Hands of Fate, and about their organization but not while there are prying eyes and ears. We'll discuss about it somewhere that is not out in the open. I can guarantee you that doing this will mean that I will never be safe ANYWHERE again, but I suppose since I am the seeker, I wasn't guaranteed safety to begin with, I'm already condemned as is. I will tell you about the Hands of Fate, but I have to tell you first about the city guard, before we get to Terradin." Jabrill said with a serious expression. "You have to know, they've been working for the Hands for years now. The moment I step into the City of Terradin, you and all your royal guard will be in great danger. I didn't want to have to be the one to tell you this, because if you didn't know, I'd be the only one attacked because I'm a 'terrorist'."

Jabrill hugged his arms close to his chest to keep from the cold, but he also felt a deep regret that he decided to tell Gundral the truth.

Gundral's face turned visibly red, as he fought from exploding. "You are lucky, beastling. I would have normally killed a person for declaring a dwarven guard corrupt."

Fisk peered from the other side of StoutHammer's Horse. He could see this was escalating. Fisk stepped in, "Gundral, I am certain that he meant no offense on the honour of the dwarves. It's merely his perception." He pulled out the hooded cloak he stole back in the previous city. "You can put on this cloak, it should hide all your most distinguishable characteristics." Glancing at Jabrill's tail, he manouvred around the horse and handed the cloak up to Gundral.

"Yes, that will work." Gundral thanked Fisk and turned to Jabrill. "Put this on and draw up the hood. It will keep you disguised until we can get inside." Gundral held out the cloak to Jabrill.

(*EDIT* I hate this keyboard.)

[Crystal Spires]

Jabrill put the hood on and hid his tail carefully. He didn't know what would happen once he entered the gates of Terradin, but he knew he'd have to keep incognito the whole time. He tried his best to keep silent and out of sight to make sure that no one noticed him. He also knew that there was no way that Gundral would believe him about the city guards. He also had a worse feeling coming over him. The Hands of Fate were ready for him in Altea before, and now that he had no choice but to go to Terradin, they would be ready for him and he would be completely without Arvok or Raren and he would be at the mercy of Gundral's royal guards, ones that he had not gotten to know, and moreover they would kill him if the Thane did not give him Clemency.

I have to be ready. I need my weapons back. I'm going to be completely vulnerable. Jabrill thought as he realized if he was assaulted, he'd be attacked and would have to fight with his bare hands.

[United World Order]

What was left of Jeremiahs team and Jeremiah stopped the Caravan and killed off the slavers and had freed the slaves and had escorted them to a nearby town. Jeremiah and the remaining two members went off into the forest walking...

[Austington]

The group continued through a seemingly long road towards the palace. The royal guard surrounded the group. They came to a halt. "What is happening?" StoutHammer squinted his eyes, trying to look ahead.

"I'll take a look, Glyph." Fisk said. He weaved in and out of the guardsmen and arrived at the front. It seems there was a small fight between some dwarves. A couple minutes later, Fisk broke up the fight and told the frontlinesmen to keep moving. Fisk headed toward back towards his place in the group.

___________________________________________________
(at the same time)
Gundral smirked, "it seems that Fisk did something, we're moving again. He turned to Jabrill, "We'll be at the palace shortly. Once there, you will tell me and Thane about this group."