The Dark Circle(closed, IC)

[The United Soviet Socialist Republic]

Twas a dark time for the continent of Darkia, an evil group of necromancers had conquered much of Darkia, powerful wizards of arcane cults have the northern lands scared to death that they might be killed by the frost wizards, a mighty Dutchy fights for land and power against the evil in the west, and a powerful horde of barbarians smashes the south, destroying everything in their way. Who will unite the divided lands? Whom will be the new ruler? Or will the land simply be destroyed?

In the South, the Crimson Horde under the new Khan, Conquera, has ravaged the small dutchys and tribes which stand little chance against the swoltering horde of barbarians. The Crimson Raiders, a large group of barbarian calvary, attacks and destroys small villages and towns without hesitation. The warrior hordes overrun towns and cities, and the barbarian shamans do dark things to innocent people. Khan Conquera vows to unite the Steppes which were taken from his forefathers by the necromancers.

[Fowlick]

Gratlevor, Necro Patriarch, stood on his terrace and watched the island. Conquest was his goal. He would see that every person who stood against him would die, and then would be brought back to life and put into his ranks. He enjoyed his magic. It enabled him to do the greatest things. He even was able to bring his lover back to life. She was killed by the barbarians and for this they were his greatest enemy. She was back to the way she was original. The greatest accomplishment he had. She had been saved and returned to life just an hour after death. Wounds healed and mind restored. The only thing denoting her undead was her skin tone and unusual strength and agility. She was now his queen. And he would be sure that the kingdom would expand further. At this point men rose from the swamps everyday to join the ranks of his army. The other Necromancers made their own undead armies which he willed to stay. The armies numbered 70,000 and rising...literally. The armies patrolled the borders of every town and the entire nation. He now wished to send a message to a possible ally. He wrote out the following letter and adressed it to the Grand Duchy of the Falls.

Dearest friends and Allies,

I would enjoy a hand of alliance in these dark times. I assure you that if you do take this offer that your lands remain untouched by my men. I will help protect you from the uncivilized barbarians and come in a time of distress. Do you so accept?

The Necro Patriarch,
Gratlevor

[Time guards of shadow]

In the west, some knights of Aurora were marching in formation through the islands western woods. They were heading to a port city near the capital. They were going to board the ship Scarlet Shadow. Witch will soon depart to the mainland. Most were impressed at the ships and their enemies might even run from them if they didn't know that the ships had almost no weapons. When they approached the city, they went through the gates and boarded the ship. And, a few minutes later the ship and 3 others set sail. The ships were fast at first, but it was expected that this won't be true when they near the main land. As the waters near Aurora was normally calm.

Meanwhile, at the capital. The leader has received a letter. As he read it he decided it should be accepted. He wrote a letter back to Gratlevor that said,
" I will accept this offer of a alliance."

[The United Soviet Socialist Republic]

The Khan had plans to conquer Darkia, which they belived was the only land in the world other than the few islands near it. The Khan was in his wooden palace, a large palace made of polished wood with three towers built on it and several palisades surronding it, planning his many invasions when one of his greatest raider commanders, Attila, came into the Khan's throne room running and knelt to Khan Conquera. "My Khan, I have brought you news that you will not like. My spies report that the enemies of you are joining together in alliences against the Crimson Horde." Attila says to Conquera.
"Hmm...Well that gives me an idea. The Dutchy of the west has a relatively powerful army, and shares a hatred of the nercomancer empire. I will send a messenger across the land to their capital where the duke lives, and I will try and recruit him to our side." The Khan says as he begins writing a letter to the duke.

He dispatched a band of raiders with his messanger to defend him from enemies who might steal his message before he got to the duke's castle. Once they had arrived at the capital city of the duke, a bit up to the north, the messanger went into his castle and knelt to him, presenting the letter from the Khan reading...

Duke of the west,

I am the Khan of the Crimson Horde, ruler of the Steppes and conquerer of lands. I havea little doubt we both wish to destroy the necromancer empire, as they seek to conquer us all and rule Darkia. I propose an allience between our two lands against the necromancers, that we may bring an end to their dark rule. I hope you accept.

Khan Conquera

[Time guards of shadow]

As the Duke listened to the message his just wrote down a letter to send back, it simply said:

We deny your request, as we already have a alliance with the necromancers.

He gave the letter to the messenger and told him to go straight back to were he came. Some paladins were now gathering around them to escort the messenger and his guards back to their ship.

[The United Soviet Socialist Republic]

As the Duke listened to the message his just wrote down a letter to send back, it simply said:

We deny your request, as we already have a alliance with the necromancers.

He gave the letter to the messenger and told him to go straight back to were he came. Some paladins were now gathering around them to escort the messenger and his guards back to their ship.

The Khan recived the letter back angrily, he was angry that the nations on the outskirts of the necromancers lands would ally themselves with the dark arts. "The Duke will be destroyed just like the undead!" The Khan yells aloud as he draws his sword. The Khan rallied an army and swiftly prepared to attack the necromancers on his border, he would destroy the Duke and his evil ally. A large army of a thousand raiders were prepared, much larger than the typical bands of 200 raiders. The army charged upon a necromancer city, surronding it quickly and yelling deafening war cries at the undead as they charged at the city of undead.

[Time guards of shadow]

The 4 ships landed in Necromancer territory and started marching to barbarian territory. They did have an excuse and hoped that the necromancers wont attack them. They were told to set up a base once they got to their destination.

M4eanwile, at a port city. The Dutch was watching as knights were marching or riding aboard the ships. It looked as if their entire fleet was leaving, but not all of it. They were going to leave to meet up with the rest of the army.

[The United Soviet Socialist Republic]

The 4 ships landed in barbarien territory. The knights marched out and attacked a barbarien city that was nearby. They had their orders, leave none alive and burn all bodies to ashes. They were to secure the area to prepare for the rest.

M4eanwile, at a port city. The Dutch was watching as knights were marching or riding aboard the ships. It looked as if their entire fleet was leaving, but not all of it. They were going to leave to meet up with the rest of the army.

OOC:They dont have an actual border. The necromancers are in the way.

[The United Soviet Socialist Republic]

In the northern villages, the Crimson Horde, from their watchtowers, spotted enemy troops in the necromancer swamps and raised a band of 500 raiders. They rode with haste into the swamp, where they hid and waited for the enemy to arrive where they would jump out and smash them while they would not be expecting it.

[Fowlick]

Once the Barbarians took one step on Necromancer soil a large army of the undead, fully armored and complete with weapons, exploded from the ground and launched a counter attack. The numbers were unknown, and every time one of the undead were killed the armor kept fighting for another half hour till the enchantment wore off. The undead fought with a fire, some of them were literally on fire as they fought. But the undead don't care, the undead can't feel a thing.

[Jormengand]

Two weeks earlier.

"And so it comes to pass that by the power invested in me as the high archmage, I, lord Solion Luminor, do hereby pass into law the will of the ancients, which states that the necromancers - and their creations, vile perversions of human life and death - shall be put to death. We, the bearers of the will, shall destroy them, obliterate their bodies and cast their names to the wind. As the will commands, so shall it be.

And so, let the will be done."

And so let the will be done, indeed. The high archmage certainly had some nerve. Archmage Arcanus Mecharius sat at the table in his study room, wondering what to do about it all. He knew that the necromancers were already in battle...

And so, let the will be done.

He couldn't escape it, he would have to fight, as would every man, woman and even child in the cult. And, of course, it would end in death. He had no idea what Solion thought that he was even doing. This would be suicide.

Destroy them, obliterate their bodies and cast their names to the wind.

Why did the necromancers deserve this anyway? The undead warriors never seemed to feel pain - indeed, they often appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. Surely, it was not about the rights of these corpses?

Vile perversions of human life and death.

Was it simply Lord Luminor's prejudice that sparked this? The will of the ancients was - well, ancient. Surely, no-one could believe that there was any sane reason for following the will. Or could they? Were they ignorant, or simply forced, like Archmage Arcanus Mecharius, to remain silent? Could he stop this?

Power invested in me as the High Archmage...
As the will commands, so shall it be.
Do hereby pass into law the will of the ancients...
We, the bearers of the will...

Arcanus shook his head, and looked over the verdant land that the magi had been exile to in the old days. Was that what the High Archmage was looking for, their so-called homes of origin? They were certainly of origin, but most emphatically not homes.

...be put to death...
Destroy them, obliterate their bodies and cast their names to the wind.

Arcanus raised himself up, and walked out of his room. Working his way up the tower of the archmagi, he moved past the others with grim determination. Recognising a friend whose position was about 5 down from Luminor's, he allowed him self a sigh of relief, before hauling him up the last few stars...

As the will commands, so shall it be.

Directly into archmage Aleris Caleron, and a small squadron of magi. "Archmage Arcanus Mecharius, you are under arrest for conspiracy to overthrow the High Archmage," Aleris stated dully, as though he didn't agree with this either. Most like, he didn't.

Arcanus fell unconcious.

And so, let the will be done.

Present.

The army of the magi marched out ininhibited, from then on. Few knew what had happened to Arcanus, but fewer still wanted to. Raine put the thought out of her mind, and looked around at the other magi. A few of her friends were acting playfully, as though they were going out to see who could conjure the most realistic bunny - as they had often done when they were younger - not the most descructive fireball.

At least they still had their sanity. The young Archmage, Aleris Caleron, looked worried and depressed. Raine didn't like it when Aleris got depressed, he was a nice guy. "What's wrong?"
"N-nothing. It's fine."
"It's not nothing. I can see it's not nothing."
"No, there's nothing that you or I can do about it."
"Then why worry?"
"Please, Raine, don't ask that. I don't want you to have to deal with it too."

Raine sighed. "I thought you said that you wouldn't keep any secrets from me?"
"This is for your own good..."
"Solion always says that, and I don't bel..."
Aleris grabbed Raine's mouth, and said in a harsh whisper, "Listen to me Raine! I was forced to arrest Arcanus for even thinking about confronting Lord Luminor! Do not speak of it again."

She nodded as much as she could in his grasp, and walked with him as she was released. She quickly realised a dramatic change in mood was needed. "Aleris..."
"Yes, Raine?"
"I - I've been meaning to tell you for a long time, Aleris... but... I love you."
"I love you too, Raine."

She smiled, and kissed him, as though this could go on forever...

And so, let the will be done.

Arcanus knew that these enchantments couldn't keep him bound much longer. He had already broken loose his left arm, and he worked, almost physically tearing away at the magic that locked his other limbs in place.

And cast their names to the wind.

Arcanus considered himself forgotten, though little did he know that Aleris had been speaking of him with Raine but moments ago. If he had been told, he would have been unsurprised - Aleris had been reluctant at best; perhaps one might say at worst. But he had had to...

As the will commands, so shall it be.

He remembered Aleris' final words to him. "Arcanus, I don't agree with this any more than you do. I can't put an obviously weak bond down, Solion'd wring my neck and do it himself, you know that he would."

Bearers of the will

"But what I can do is make them weak enough to break through. It will take days, maybe weeks, but I'll keep draining power from them after I leave to help you - not much, or Solion will notice, but just a little all the time."

And so, let the will be done.

[The United Soviet Socialist Republic]

Once the Barbarians took one step on Necromancer soil a large army of the undead, fully armored and complete with weapons, exploded from the ground and launched a counter attack. The numbers were unknown, and every time one of the undead were killed the armor kept fighting for another half hour till the enchantment wore off. The undead fought with a fire, some of them were literally on fire as they fought. But the undead don't care, the undead can't feel a thing.

The raiders were expecting the undead assualt, and flanked the undead with a major calvary assualt. The high spirits and raging wrath of the barbarian raiders, without a doubt would help them win a war. The band of raiders defeated the undead after a relatively long skirmish, however with a hundred deaths on their part.

The Khan, sensing he would need an ally to defeat the necromancers, turns his eye to the northern lands. He saw that the cult had a burning hate of the necromancers just like the Crimson Horde did, and he wanted to manipulate that toward his advantage. Surely they must agree to fight with us against the necromancers, surely they will say yes, the Khan thought to himself as he called in a messanger. He gave the messanger orders to travel with a band of raiders up north toward the lands of the cult, and to give the archmage the message Conquera had sent. The Khan's message was simple...

Archmage of the cult,

I am Khan Conquera of the Crimson Horde. I am a ruler of the south, conqueror of nations, and enemy of the necromancers. We both share a similar desire, the destruction of the unholy undead hordes. What I propose is that we should ally ourselves with each other and form an allience against the necromancers and their Dutchy ally. Should you agree, we can rid the land of the undead scum, should you refuse, the cult will be destroyed by either us or the undead. Chose wisely.

Khan Conquera

...and the messanger departed with haste to the north. The journey took a bit of time, weeks and weeks, however the messanger finally arrived in the icy lands of the cult and he walks with haste toward the archmage's residence where he storms in and nearly collapses from exhaustion as he hands the message from the Khan to the archmage.

[Fowlick]

That night Gratlevor started to send messages through Raine's dreams.

"Greetings Raine. Long time no see."Gratlevor said as a form of himself with shadows rippling off. "Why do you hate us so? Remember when we faught together against the plague that haunted this land, then you booted me and my students out for using necromancy. We are still brethren. Especially us two. Now Brother. What do you say to an alliance to stop the barbarism?"

[Jormengand]

That night Gratlevor started to send messages through Raine's dreams.

"Greetings Raine. Long time no see."Gratlevor said as a form of himself with shadows rippling off. "Why do you hate us so? Remember when we faught together against the plague that haunted this land, then you booted me and my students out for using necromancy. We are still brethren. Especially us two. Now Brother. What do you say to an alliance to stop the barbarism?"

You know nothing. Leastways not my sex. I am certainly no brother of yours, but equally not your sister. Perhaps, you would be better off taking this up with the high archmage. The plague, yes, we fought it - us, the real magi. You did nothing but revel at the death, more bodies for you. Why should we be brethren any more than the others, pray tell?

Archmage of the cult,

I am Khan Conquera of the Crimson Horde. I am a ruler of the south, conqueror of nations, and enemy of the necromancers. We both share a similar desire, the destruction of the unholy undead hordes. What I propose is that we should ally ourselves with each other and form an allience against the necromancers and their Dutchy ally. Should you agree, we can rid the land of the undead scum, should you refuse, the cult will be destroyed by either us or the undead. Chose wisely.

Khan Conquera

OOC: He's not IN his residence.

IC: Solion Luminor sighed. Why had these people not found a better way to communicate? He put his words as simply as possible.

We accept.

[The United Soviet Socialist Republic]

That night Gratlevor started to send messages through Raine's dreams.

"Greetings Raine. Long time no see."Gratlevor said as a form of himself with shadows rippling off. "Why do you hate us so? Remember when we faught together against the plague that haunted this land, then you booted me and my students out for using necromancy. We are still brethren. Especially us two. Now Brother. What do you say to an alliance to stop the barbarism?"

You know nothing. Leastways not my sex. I am certainly no brother of yours, but equally not your sister. Perhaps, you would be better off taking this up with the high archmage. The plague, yes, we fought it - us, the real magi. You did nothing but revel at the death, more bodies for you. Why should we be brethren any more than the others, pray tell?

Archmage of the cult,

I am Khan Conquera of the Crimson Horde. I am a ruler of the south, conqueror of nations, and enemy of the necromancers. We both share a similar desire, the destruction of the unholy undead hordes. What I propose is that we should ally ourselves with each other and form an allience against the necromancers and their Dutchy ally. Should you agree, we can rid the land of the undead scum, should you refuse, the cult will be destroyed by either us or the undead. Chose wisely.

Khan Conquera

OOC: He's not IN his residence.

IC: Solion Luminor sighed. Why had these people not found a better way to communicate? He put his words as simply as possible.

We accept.

OOC:Meh. Just pretend.
IC:The messanger said "Thank you, the Khan will be pleased." as he and his several raider guards got back on their horses and started back to the Khan's palace. The ride back was quicker, and they arrived back in the capital of Cardiff in but a week and they quickly went to the palace to bring the word back to Conquera. "My Khan, the cult of the north has agreed to your offer. With them the necromancers will be destroyed by our allience." The messanger says to the Khan. "Good. The cultists of the north will be of much use to us in our campaigns. I have little doubt we will meet them on the battlefield in the future, however for now we will fight with them." The Khan says with an evil grin on his face.

[Time guards of shadow]

Now, the rest of the army landed onto shore. 3 men on horses rode to the necromancer's capital, wile the rest marched or rode off of the ships that greatly outnumbered the first ships. they marched to the barbarian territory but stopped out of range from their watch towers to wait.

Meanwhile, the 3 men rode into the necromancer's capital. One got off his horse and walked into their capital building. He handed him a letter and simply walked out. The men got back on their horses and waited outside.

The letter said,

Dear allies, we have a army waiting near the barbarian territory, out of their watch tower's site. We would like it if you would have a army of your own to join use in attacking the barbarians. We are to meet up with the men sent in before us.
From, your allies at Aurora.

[Fowlick]

"Ah...This is peculiar. Sorry. I thought for a second I was speaking with your father. As for the plague. No. We did not revel in the death. In fact we tried to heal it. In the end I discovered the long lost art of Necromancy. I was able to bring the dead back. They even kept personality. You Magi saw it as a dangerous art. Me and those I taught were banished to the swamps, and I built the Empire. Now for you I must ask. Would you punish someone for accidentally discovery a useful skill?"Gratlevor said with a thoughtful smile.

Gratlevor kept his message going as he read the letter. He nodded and sent 50,000 undead soldiers.

[Jormengand]

"Ah...This is peculiar. Sorry. I thought for a second I was speaking with your father. As for the plague. No. We did not revel in the death. In fact we tried to heal it. In the end I discovered the long lost art of Necromancy. I was able to bring the dead back. They even kept personality. You Magi saw it as a dangerous art. Me and those I taught were banished to the swamps, and I built the Empire. Now for you I must ask. Would you punish someone for accidentally discovery a useful skill?"Gratlevor said with a thoughtful smile.

Gratlevor kept his message going as he read the letter. He nodded and sent 50,000 undead soldiers.

You are too used to speaking with dead men, Lord Gratlevor. You tried to "cure" death, which is stated as a vile perversion of human life and death under the seventeenth clause of the will of Tol'gath, and we have always followed the will of the ancients.

But it is not my choice. You should take it up with the High Archmage.