A Return From Beyond The Silent North

[Kanrath 190]

*This letter is posted at the main crossroad, as well as the capitals of the four nations*

 

  Greetings

 

My name is Tenshar Karkun, Savant of the Department of Naturalism within the Ministry of Contemplation. I write you the people of Anthos this day to once again bring you news from beyond the Great North Barrier. It is to this place that myself and a group of others, number about 12, went to wander. The journey started out with us paying our way past a toll placed into Hanseti by the soldiers of the city, quickly working our way through it two by two. Once past the toll we reached the Great North Gate, the current barrier between the world of the living and the world of the flesh creatures. Once there the gate was opened we filed past, into the biting cold and blasting wind. It was in this lifeless land that we would make our way, over a few days traveling by day and hiding within shelter at night. Within hours we quickly learned our passage had not gone unnoticed, with the sound of cracking ice and chilling wind broken by grows and cries not made by the living. As we tried to quickly make our way we came across a bridge made from a fallen old log, cracked and dry as it sat exposed to the winds of the north.

 

  Seeing no way past other then the bridge, one at a time we made our way over it, avoiding holes and cracks as it slowly started to fall apart under our feet. Unfortunately due to the weight of the armor some bore, the log quickly fell apart and two of our party fell many feet to the ground below. Though they showed signs of life, a rescue was not to be, as within moments the changed creatures that stalk the north were upon our lost comrades. Seeing what could quickly become our own fates as the creatures fell upon our comrades we quickly made to leave the area, cutting through tunnels and paths traveled by very few. Unfortunately as we worked quickly across the land a few of our party fell behind, and as they talked and argued the beasts quickly fell upon them. As the screams reached us we could only look ahead and hide our fear as best we could as we quickly marched forward. We quickly realized the venture was in trouble, and that to fall behind was a death sentence.

 

   As we reached the forest lands of the north yet again another member of our party, a young lass, fell behind as if mesmerized by the strange place before her. Try as we might she would not come to us, seemingly stuck as if in like a dream. Fearing what was to come many turned ahead and faced away, though some of us could only watch as the swift black winged beast swooped down and took her in it's talons. As it lifted away the girl did not even scream, and I can only pray she met her death without fear or knowledge of what was happening. Moving once again this time at a rapid pace we quickly headed forward into the land seeking shelter, but such was not to be. Three times we entered a place seeking shelter, three times all we found was ruins and death. We lost another member when she fell into a crater within a ruin due to the unstable floors and yet another as we fled a cave we had thought to take shelter in that had proven to contain a spider swarm.

 

  At this point we were down half our party, and so in desperation we made for a near by fort. We soon found a place that to a point was secure, with stable undamaged structures and roofs over our head. As we rested and waited a great screech came from above, causing many to cover their ears in pain. But the screech was only the start of what was soon to come, as from above dropped the battered and broken corpse of the young girl, torn asunder by the claws of the flying beast. As we watched the creature a great bang came from below, as if doors suddenly slammed shut. Fearing other creatures may have entered we walked slowly to the great door we had first entered through. There we found the entirety of the pack that had been hunting us, waiting, watching.

 

 

  A creature like that of half man and half snake with great gashes of missing flesh watched us, promising only death as it hissed at us.  A second great beast, shouted at us promising to wed our corpses to its teeth and other painful deaths. And then there was the not halfling, as small as a child but with a sinister aura that betrayed its deadly agility, an agility I myself am quite familiar with. As it watched us it chittered in its horrid voice, demanding to be fed and seeking only our flesh to sooth its hunger. A fourth beast, as if an elf given black wings like a crow, another beast I had prior encounters with during my first trip to the north. It was this beast I knew was the bane of those who fell behind, and with its defining cry it promised nothing but pain and slow death.

 

 Knowing we were living on borrowed time we quickly made for a ruined city we had spotted, and as many made shelter within the great library the creatures stalked us. Unfortunately during the run to the library the group headed to it had lost a fellow, who now stood cornered by two of the creatures. His fate sealed and the library offering no shelter the group quickly broke from it and following me headed deep into a catacomb full of traps and stale air. As we wandered lost within its passages we came to a way out, a great hole in a cliff. Though out it was clear there was no way down, and so with mutters to whatever would listen we each made to jump across. Four of us made it...but one fell too far and could not climb up. As we fled the one left behind was quickly overcome and their screams followed us out of the chasm. And then... the "spirit of nightmares," "the eater of voids," the "Dark walker," The "Hollow." A figure of that of a man in robes of red stared at us, offing nothing, promising nothing, but the depths of its deep and shadowed hood promised, a fate worse than death with naught but silence.

 

 

 It was minutes later that in our desperation to escape I lost the others with me and was left alone. I knew well that trying to find them would likely only lead to my death as I walked the open lands, and that I had only hours before they finished with the others and came to find me. I quickly made for the city once more and once there I wandered the great ruined buildings and halls, always keeping low and silent to avoid detection. As I did so I must of passed out from exhaustion and the cold, for a few days later I woke up at the cloud temple in the care of the monks. What is strange is that I remember all that happened except the few minutes leading up to me passing out and it is only because of this that I am able now to write this journal of what happened.

 

Once more only by the luck of whatever watches over me have I survived...I only wish those that had come with me had been able to return as well.  I only hope the power of the monks reaches as far as that barren north.

 

Signed-

   Tenshar Karkun

[Destroyer_Bravo 1052]

Ellsia looks at her own notes detailing a journey up north, up to a cave full of spiders, and wonders...

(( The one left behind was female

 

p.s. First.))

[Polgrath 215]

Polgrath awakes on the road to Abresi... he is not dead strangely, but has no memory of how he got there. Groaning he wearily shuffles off home, trying to discover what the results of the expedition were.

[meg 1993]

And then, there was the flying beast, as if an elf given black wings like a crow, another beast I had prior encounters with during my first trip to the north. It was this beast I knew was the bane of those who fell behind, and with its defining cry it promised nothing but pain and slow death.

((I hope everyone enjoyed the event, it was really fun to run :3))

[Song Druid 1483]

The Druid wanders out from the wood, his jaw clenched.  A screech brings him to a halt as he looks up as a snowy owl swoops down, a gnarled staff in its clutches.  It drops it at the Elf's feet and lands upon his shoulder, cooing.

 

The Druid affords himself a smile of relief as he nuzzles the creature, grateful to see it alive.  "Whotin, I thought for sure you had been lost to those creatures."  He bends down and picks up his staff, and slowly begins pacing about the forest.  "We have an advantage now, you, myself, Aren'iril, we retain our memories."  He looks back into the forest, chewing upon his lip.  His mind flashes back to the horrid creatures of the land, the great sword wielded by the powerful being, he feeling totally helpless after all this time and training.

 

"This is evil beyond basic Druidic Arts...but there must be a way to defend against such.  I fear they will not dwell in this land long.  And as the Elder Druid I must ensure the defeat of such..."

 

 

"Whooot?"  The owl tilts its head, before scuttling behind the Elf's neck, burrowing itself under his hair.

 

 

The elf begins slowly to travel towards the Sacred Grove.  "Next time, Riel'a shall accompany us."

[Seventh / Ryan 93]

Seventh glares at multiple scrolls posted on the front board of Malinor, before ripping one of in a show of aggression and quickly pacing to the Council Chambers.

 

As he arrives, multiple members are already seated and discussing current problems convening the Council.

 

Seventh storms inside, and slams the scroll on the table of the Council. All heads turn in shock and surprise.

 

"Another group have forfieted their lives... We are too late."

 

--Seventh

[Silevon 497]

"Glad I quit before I was head!," Hunwald exclaims.

[Lita 677]

Lucian frowns lightly, reading over the message,

"Hellfire and ashes... I remember something about this... hrm..."

Sighing, he turns on his heels to head back to Ac'Talarah, hoping everyone was alright.

 

 

Reading the crossroads post, the Kharajyr Ja'Sahra laughs aloud, turning down the human path for hunting.

"Thees ees wuttaw hawpeens whenna Kha' nawt hawlp ayps."

[Kardel 1047]

Looks the poster near the dwarvern capital over, his amber eyes rapidly scanning its words, as he mutters the contents under his breath, ghost-like fog dripping from his cracked, pale lips. The words bring a chill down Kardels spine, as he pulls his thick green cloak over himself, the violent snows and breezes of the dwarven lands battering upon his once green robes that now are but dyed rags of uncertain pigment. Kardel looks around, frowning "If ah t'ought dis wus formidable. . ." he pauses for a moment "den ah wuud 'ate ta gu ta da Nord."

[MasterKitty 5]

As Vulnii'Maln visits a shop of Malinor, he finally notices the long post he has not seen before. After reading he says to himself softly, but yet curiously:

 

- The monks yet decieded to save only one. I wonder the reason.

[Ibn Khaldun 7729]

Rog-Votak feasts merrily on the dead bodies tossed asunder as it crashed into the ravine, it's minion-soldiers flanking it in the festivity of the dead adventurers. Hearing a faint hoot, it lurches it's boisterous head with tusks forming a phalanx in front of it's jaw, clapping satisfactorily from it's last torn meal. An owl flies high overhead, Rog-Votak smashes it's flesh-blade into the snow and barks for archers to try and take aim, endeavoring to pierce the bird out of it's flight. After a couple hundred arrows shoddily embed themselves in the side of mountains and crevices, the owl untouched, Rog-Votak cringes. With one fell swoop of it's misshapen tusked jaw, the word "Sum'Betch" escapes it's coarse mouth.

[Shorsand 1745]

Beneton reads the note posted at the Dal Cais noticeboard, as he says aloud

 

"Who the hell posted this and why ever should I care?"

[CommunistSpy 441]

Aislinn walks up behind Beneton, reading the note as well. He speaks softly, a sly grin on his face.

 

If you have ever seen the creatures that are described here, you would see things quite differently. You should care, because you may very well be taken and turned into the monsters that inhabit the North. I have seen people be taken, and I have seen the creatures myself.

[Watty_Banker 172]

Bardel Thorak reads the post before letting out a breath of warm air in the cold

"Connor wus un 'ard man tuh brave dat nurth foive toimes!"

[Maletone Blazebeard (Aqua) 130]

*whistles as he reads the note shuddering a bit 

 

"Tenshar...lucky ye didn't meet tae borah again damn creatures..."