Ever creeping shadows

[Temp 2006]

Nearly dawn, the sun begins it's slow climb from beneath the visible stretches of Asulon. Arethor lays relatively quiet, a few stragglers here and there, most in a deep sleep, the others eagerly awaiting the opportunity to join them. The nearly worn down guards await the change in their shifts.

3 cloaked figures, and a heavily armored fourth figure leads the 3 toward the main gate overlooking the alehouse and stables.(?) A guard, their name unimportant, standing watch, notices the 4 figures and holds out his hand. "Hail! Be ye' a members o' the clergy? And do ye' be a knight? If so, to what 'ouse?" The heavily armored figure, pulls up the armored visor, revealing a rather deeply scarred face. A middle aged man, his left eye entirely white and somewhat swollen seems to pear out into the never ending void. Disgusted the guard shifts his stance, obviously uneasy, his hand tightening it's grip upon the hilt of a blade. "Well? Are ye'!?" The armored man, takes another step forward, and grips the man's throat, years of endless battle and turmoil augmenting his strength, he lifts the guard as if he were a simple piece of firewood.

Baffled, the guard begins to struggle, in a low gargled voice he tries to scream out, "Help." Not being able to gather the amount of air required, he only gets out a quick gargling noise before blacking out. The armored man drapes the limp seemingly lifeless figure over his shoulder and the four make their way to the fountain, a few of the guards throwing glances at the group, not entirely sure of what to expect. A captain sets off toward the barracks to rally the rest of the guard. One of the cloaked figures, wearing a bright red wooden mask, a rather wide grin across it's lifeless face, holds out a spear, gesturing for the armored man to take it. The other 2 cloaked men, one wearing a bright green mask, the other a blue mask, each with a sepperate emotion. (The blue, a look of anguish, the green, a look of hatred. ) Walk forward and grab the guard from the armored mans shoulder, and hold the man in a standing position by his arms. The armored man grabs the spear, and drives it deeply into the guards midsection, then props the spear up so that the guard remains raised, impaled by the spear.

The armored man, looks to the guards, his voice deep, and somehow corrupt. Almost as if a ball of taint rolled about his throat as he spoke, "To all of you PATHETIC 'GOD' Fearing IMBECILES, THIS is your fate. THIS is the way you choose, you would lay your lives away for a single man that can supposedly speak to 'GOD?' Each of you deserve this fate, your 'GOD' is false, your ways are tainted, and a cleansing wave of metal and fire shall PURGE ALL OF YOU. The true god, has come to each of us, spoken to each of us, and he has told us. NONE of you are worthy. NONE of you are fit for this world. AND NONE OF YOU SHALL LI-" Before he can finish an arrow pierces the man's throat. HE falls to a knee, and begins cackling. "YOUR TIME WILL COME, ALL OF YOU!!" Another arrow striking the man, this time in the forehead. Had he kept his visor down, he may still stand...

During this whole commotion the cloaked men had went about the surrounding area pinning up notes to the side of buildings and leaving yellow masks here and there, none of them detailed. Each of them showing no emotion, only the slot for the eyes carved. The 3 cloaked men now standing over their fallen comrade. Each of them draw small knives from beneath their cloaks, bow to one another, then procede to kill themselves, 2 of them slitting their own throats, the other, slitting his wrists. Their bodies falling limp, the guards begin to close in on the mess.

The note reads as such:

Has this "Emperor" done ANYTHING for any of you? Is his title truly a god-send? Or is it all lies? We know the answer, we've always known the answer. We've set amongst the shadows biding our time, and NOW is the time. Humanity is fractured, we are not alone in our resentment of the emperor, and we will not be the last. Many of us stand before you, simply awaiting the opportunity to strike. Let it be known, this "GOD EMPEROR" of yours, is a lie. His position, unearned. His life, but a delusion of grandeur. Break free of this man's nonsense. Break free of this man's forced civil order. Break free of this man's accursed "GOD." There is only one true god, and he speaks to all, not just the Emperor, and only a fool would listen to this man. Bear the mask of the damned, and forsake this useless joke of an empire. We WILL have our freedoms, Nobles be damned, Royalty be damned. The common man makes this world work, and it will be as such, as the true god demands it.

[empirerebel 305]

Gundir Silverblade tears down a few notes along with the other Pages and Knights in the surrounding area, he stares at the body then yawns "Must have been one of them super trained peasants who have literally no reason to hate the Empire except power. Heh..."

[Old Man Boiendl 1454]

Adeodatus I, High Pontiff of the Holy Oren Empire,strolls through the streets of Arethor, passing food out to some peasants when he sees the letter. He reads and says "Huh, someone educated a peasant a little too much of the wrong thing. When did they learn how to read and write.. what is this world coming too?" Shrugs and keeps walking, giving food to those who need it.

[empirerebel 305]

Gundir stares at his grand father then thinks to himself "Hm...Who taught this man how to write? I mean he isn't a noble it makes not sense? Did he teach himself...?"

[Temp 2006]

Temp's nose buried in a book as usual, walks into Arethor, entirely ignorant of the situation, he bumps into one of the guards. Stunned, he quickly apologizes before slipping further into the town, noticing the corpses, masks thrown about, and the notes eagerly being collected. His steps onto one of the notes, crouches down, picks it up, and begins reading.

[Braxis 813]

Sighs as he reads one of the notes as his knights and him take the body to be properly buried. Then speaks to one of the knights as they walk out of Arethor many hearing Uthors truth

" What has the emperor done? When our kingdom was about to die and our people slaughtered he come with gods might, Saved our lands, homes, and families. He united the human nations as one, and leads us to Glory, Our god as Our Emporer spoke of was to be true with the action Godfry did a man can not do such things unless his god or gods wills it. Why do so many forget our history? Why do they forget the knights, princes, and banners who died to keep them safe? When I find these wicked, twisted, dishonorable lieing twits, I will let my old zeal out once more...."

[[ipod]]

[Temp 2006]

Somewhat baffled by the note, Temp slips it into his pocket, and scoops up one of the masks, simply observing it. "Strange times." He slips the mask into his bag and continues on with his day.

[Will (TauFirewarrior) 2466]

* a few peasant children go around putting up notices around Arethor, they continue to put them up, people start to go near the notices and read them

"Greetings to those who wear these 'Masks of the damned', I wish to inform you that you have upset powers greater than yourselves, you attempt to split the perfectly formed Empire of Oren for no other reason than jealousy. You envy these nobles, you want to be them in secret and for this reason you are not fit to try and rule for yourselves, your jealousy will corrupt you if you were in the unlikely situation to take power from the current rulers and I cannot stand corruption. For this reason agents of this greater power of the 'Millennium' will be hunting you, be going out of their way to kill you unless you give up this fools game, we are not saying the current rulers are without fault but there is no one sinister pulling their strings from afar. We shall be seeing you very soon men who wear the 'Masks of the damned'."

* The letter appears to be signed

"T.D.H"

(( Just to note that this post here in no way indicates Kais, this is pretty much anonomous unless you know the T.D.H initials which is highly unlikely, just putting it out there, Kais's response to this is on this thead http://www.lordofthecraft.net/forum/index.php?/topic/73313-law-and-punishment-against-wearers-of-the-mask-of-the-damned/page__p__599960__fromsearch__1#entry599960 ))

[Temp 2006]

Three, nearly 4 days after the incident, it's nearing noon.

A young man, nearly a boy, approaches the Main Gate of Arethor, out of breath he appears to be holding a bag of scrolls. The boy gestures at one of the 3 guards keeping watch. The lowest ranking guard, muttering to himself, approaches the boy, an annoyed look on his face, "What is it that ye' be needing boy?" The boy still panting, hands the bag to man, nearly shoving it into his chest. "'Take these to someone in charge, that will understand them, and what they mean,' Is what I was asked to tell you. They come from a man named Temp, he currently resides in Ager. I'm simply a messenger." Still panting, the boy begins to walk back in the direction he came from. Puzzled the guard opens the bag, dozens of scrolls are in it, but the most disturbing thing of all, a mask. Painted black, a face of sorrow carved into. "Boy! Where the e'll?" He looks up, but the boy is too far away to bother chasing down. Sighing, he walks back to the other 2 guards and hands the bag over to the most senior guard, who from there, takes the bag first to Uthor, then to Kais.

-Will update later, class now.

[Braxis 813]

*Uthor grunts as he goes to his manor and Oren Lances, Aretorr Branch houesing. He stops when he looks to a Master-Of-Arms apporch. Uthor raises brow and begins to speak to him*

"What be it Master o' Arms? I need to get some things for a supply run to one of the other lances outposts."

The Master-Of-Arms nods and goes to speak

"Grand Ser, A boy brought scrolls for yer and High Sheriff Kais, here is a copy for ye. I must be off to find The High Sheriff."

*Uthor nods as he takes the scroll and watches his soilder go to look for Kais. He steps inside his manor door locked behind him, a few having keys to his home and heads down stairs as he begins to read the scroll*

[Will (TauFirewarrior) 2466]

* Lord High Sheriff Kais Ishikawa sits in the tavern of Arethor, using it as a temporary office until his one is finally made, not minding being around the drinking commoners formally being of the common class himself he looks down at the many papers and warrants he has on the table sipping some wine while he does so, a boy runs into the tavern shouting

"My Lord Ishikawa! My Lord Ishikawa!"

* Kais holds up his arm and signals the boy to come to him

"Here you are my lord, just gave the Grand Knight his scroll"

* the boy walks out no longer in a rush, Kais unrolls the scroll on the table and begins to read it

[Temp 2006]

In the bag, 4 scrolls contained writing, the others drawings, of monsters, demons, and people. BUt something is just off about them. Almost as if the people are looking back at you.

Scroll 1:

Saw the strangest thing today, a group of crazed people killed a guard and attempted to cause chaos, or spread their beliefs, one can never truly tell.. While I didn't actually see this occur, their bodies are all over the fountain..

Anyway, I scooped up one of the notes they were trying so hard to be rid of and well.. These people are clearly angry with the empire. Their reasons however, seem quite lacking.

I've also picked up a mask. A strange thing really, something just feels well... Off about it. It's as if the thing is well... Excuse me for saying this, but it feels as though the damn thing is speaking to me. For some odd reason, when I'm in a room with it, I just can't help but stare at it. I should seek to sepperate myself from it, at least for today...

Scroll 2:

It's only been 3 hours since I've seperated myself from the mask and it feels as though the mask screams out to me. It demands my attention and to be quite honest, curiosity drives me to observe.

Upon closer observation, and inspection the mask is in fact, wood. But something about the wood seems... dark . It's quite a bit heavier, and it's always cold to the touch. The closer I get to the mask, the clearer the whispers become. They tell me of the world, how it used to be, how it should be.. It spews madness corruption, but I can't seem to pry myself away.

Scroll 3:

The mask demands that it be worn. It screams out to me. It tells me about it's ability to reveal the truth, the true world, what it was, what it shall be. It's evil, and yet I can't tell myself no...

Honestly wearing this just isn't that bad. The voice speaks clearly. It's right.. Much wrong has been done and needs to be fixed. Things need to change. Rebellion is an inevitable must. He demands it. He knows it. He sees it. He is eternal...

Scroll 4: I honestly don't remember anything from the past day. I've continued to write scrolls, and apperantly I've drawn pictures. The mask has been painted and an expression has been carved into the mask. This mask drives darkness into the being that wears it and forces change into the individual. It's to be treated as a hazardous heretical artifact. It WILL corrupt the weak willed, and I MUST seperate myself from it, before it can do more damages. I only send this to the nobles of Arethor because I simply don;t know how to feel or what to do, and I hope one of you can do something, where I cannot.

[Acornlad 206]

*Abdul looks down and sees the crumpled note on the ground, curious to what it is he lifts it and reads it, upon reading it, his face turns to a scowl*

"You threaten my religion...one which I interpret by my own accord. You slander the names of those whom took me in and and called me friend. I live for this empire, I wish to serve it and make it strong. I do this by any means necessary. You attacked the guards and threaten this city's innocent. For that you must pay dearly with the sentence to death."

*Abdul reaches to his scabbards upon his back and unsheathes two iron scimitars which glint in the afternoon light*

[KidKrinkles 2044]

Eze'kiel scratches his head casually at the sight of the blood shed, the man having been killed by the quarrels or arrows. He checks his sword belt, the longsword, the parrying dagger, the two knives. Yep. I'm safe.

"Just wish people could take eh' second to think about rebellin'. How many rebellions is this? Let alone rebellions I've lived through? Seven? Eight? Nine?"[ He says aloud, something meant to be thought.

He finally catches sight of the masks,

"Are these the so called "Masks of the Damned?"

[Braxis 813]

Eze'kiel scratches his head casually at the sight of the blood shed, the man having been killed by the quarrels or arrows. He checks his sword belt, the longsword, the parrying dagger, the two knives. Yep. I'm safe.

"Just wish people could take eh' second to think about rebellin'. How many rebellions is this? Let alone rebellions I've lived through? Seven? Eight? Nine?"[ He says aloud, something meant to be thought.

He finally catches sight of the masks,

"Are these the so called "Masks of the Damned?"

*Uthor walks by making sure some Conscripts leave with the supplies and take the right route. An armed group of 15 Conscripts. As the Group leaves he hears Eze'kiel. "Ninth? " Uthor then chuckles and looks at his friend

"To my knowledge this is the twentieth Rebellion, I do not know why the lower class does such a thing, Taxes are down to a low, only the nobles are really being taxed, Denims is running free food at his lil' tower outisde the main gates every week, And no one has been hanged in years! Its like they want us to do that again and raise taxes!"

*Uthor sighs and shakes his head*