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ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴄʜʀᴏɴɪᴄʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴏɴʀɪᴅᴇʀꜱ:
ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ɢᴏʟᴅᴇɴ ᴇʏᴇꜱ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄᴏʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜱɪʟᴀꜱɪᴀ
We, the Moonriders of Many Clans, tell our tale of triumph so our people may remember and know our deeds. On the 11th of Malin’s Welcome S.A. 238, the Moonriders of Many Clans record our hunt so that it is remembered forever.
The brave include:
Alexander Komnenos the Phoenix
Zilvira Vrinn the Raven
Natah the Eagle
Llyw Glennmaer the Young
Aegandir Velaryon the Fury
This is the tale of Golden Eyes, the Manticore of Silasia, who was slain by our brave.
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Midnight on the Silasian Highland, 10th of Malin’s Welcome S.A. 238.
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On the outskirts of the Empire of Man lie a quiet hamlet known as Silasia. The Moonriders know the townsfolk of Silasia as a common people, who farm, who fish, who hunt and live rustic lives in tandem with the seasons of this world. Being on the fringes of the great wilds which are known to us, we know that many monsters loom. Long have the Silasians murmured of a terror making its home at the fringes of the Empire’s wilds, in the nearby highlands. The peaceful folk spake of gored sheep revealed by morning light, goats snatched by an unseen horror, and whispers of a mythical beast. There was only one word which the Silasians dared to murmur in terrible fear,
“. . . manticore. . .”
This was a hunt we Moonriders have long yearned for. The meat would feed our clans for months, its parts turned to weapons and cloaks, and the glory of battle would nourish the spirits of our warriors for many moons to come. A hunt we eagerly take, for a rich bounty awaited too.
We set out during the hour of wolves. You should have seen it. The Eagle gleamed in her giant’s bronze, the Phoenix’s blackened plate creaked a stalwart promise of death, and the Raven was as shadowed as Lady Death herself. It was glorious. Cast in the dim majesty of moonlight, our Moonriders set out under this land's antique moon. Much to our surprise, we were joined by the forces of Numendain by happenchance, in Llyw Glennmaer and Aegandir Velaryon, who we remember for their aid, their good spirits, and exemplary valor. It is so they were promised the tail of the monster, and glory of kill as sufficient payment for their efforts.
“We are ready?” The Phoenix said to his companions. All nodded, whilst our steel eagerly gleamed in the moonlight. The Raven devised a cunning trap, in which the beast would be lured from its cave with bait, and ambushed from all sides. Hungry for the hunt, we set out for the highlands, steel in hand. On the fringes of the Empire’s great wilds did we march, through muddy swamps, over sharp crags, and up a grassy plateau which reeked of the beast.
We reached the maw of a cave blacker than midnight. Surely its lair, for it stunk of Manticore, a scent known to the Raven. The bait was placed at the cave’s entrance to tempt the beast out, and the companions set their ambush. The Eagle poised herself to strike from the top of the cave. The Phoenix and the Raven readied spear and halberd in the grasses. The Numendain poised with pikes and javelins on the high crags.
We made ourselves hidden like the predators of the night we were, and we waited. We waited, and we waited… nothing.
Until…
Atop a craggy perch, Silasia’s terror loomed, stalking us from shadow. The moon went dark as it rose. A horrible shadow was cast over us, blackening moonlight. It was so dark that there was only one thing we could make out– its golden eyes. They were a thing I will never forget– for we met death itself that night. This was not just a beast, no...
It was Golden Eyes, nightmare made flesh.
Golden Eyes was made known by his roar so fearsome, I believed it might crack the very stone we stood on. The companions replied with their own ferocious cries of war, an animalistic greeting between hunting predators. The beast leapt from its perch, gliding through midnight like a blade– as if the wind itself obeyed its insatiable hunger.
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The Raven cried, “Spears ready!”
Death descended upon us, yet we opposed this cruel fate. Given nerves of steel by our Gods, we hurled javelins and spears as the beast descended from his perch – gruesome strikes which weakened our prey. We readied pikes, halberds, swords– all good weapons to kill monstrosities like this. We even bared our teeth, and extended our claws, ready to use even these if we were forced to.
On that night, we were prepared to bleed, for we would not die. No Hell would want us, and no Heaven would accept us, since death is not an option for a Moonrider.
The ensuing battle was swift and ferocious. As Golden Eyes landed behind our line of warriors, he didn’t hesitate to begin his attack. A swipe of his tail impacted Llyw the Young, a boy no older than a handful of summers. Llyw toppled to the plateau below, injured. Golden Eyes continued his ferocious assault, his claws swiping like razor-sharp blades, his teeth gnashing like blackened daggers. The Eagle suffered a grievous slash in his assault– and the warriors were being pushed back by his ferocity!
Injury and desperation served to emboldened our warriors with just rage upon harming our own. We would not deter this night. Golden Eyes would be beset upon by steel and fury, as the warriors charged with flame in their hearts.
Streaking through the midnight like white fury, akin to a streak of lightning, one warrior struck from the shadows. It was Zilvira the Raven, who cleaved through darkness like a blade. It is said she mounted the beast, and in one mighty swipe of her sword, cleaved the beast’s wing clean off!
At the very same moment, and in protection of the downed Llyw, Alexander the Phoenix and Aegandir the Fury thrusted both halberd and pike straight into the guts of the beast, mighty blows which caused his vile blood to spill like a cracked fountain. The Eagle too would earn revenge, and punched the Manticore's jaw so hard that it must have shattered every tooth he had. That night, we fought as one. Golden Eyes reared, and he toppled over.
With one final breath..
... Golden Eyes was slain.
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The dim light of early morning confirmed victory was ours. Roars of triumph heralded the rise of the sun. Golden Eyes was given the respects he had earned, as all formidable beasts deserved -- monster or not.
The Phoenix takes his bones and claws, so that he might fashion hilts and small weapons. The Raven takes his hide, so that she might fashion a cloak in veneration of Vailth, the Wretched Spider-Matriarch. The Eagle takes its head, so that it might rest on her pauldron as a trophy of this battle. The Numendain take his tail and glory as their prize, just as promised. Every remaining part of him shall be utilized as sustenance, clothing, ornaments or jewelry.
Returning to Silasia as heroes, we were met with a rather pleased Justus Whitewood, who bestows two hundred and forty mina to the Moonriders, along with three potions; one of Cockatrice’s Breath, one of Blasting, and one of Tanglefoot. We thank Justus for his generosity, and this trait shall be remembered.
Most noteworthy is that Natah the Eagle claims the Manticore as her Clan’s sigil, as this is our custom for those without. Those in her Clan will be styled with the Manticore for time immemorial, or until a greater beast is slain. This is satisfactory to the other clans of Vixus and Phoenix.
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ꜱᴏ ᴇɴᴅꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ɢᴏʟᴅᴇɴ ᴇʏᴇꜱ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄᴏʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ꜱɪʟᴀꜱɪᴀ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴏɴʀɪᴅᴇʀꜱ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴘᴀꜱꜱ ᴛʜɪꜱ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴏɴ ꜰᴏʀ ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ,
ᴀꜱ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴀʏ.
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The Moonriders, hungover, return home to Shadowstone, 12th of Malin’s Welcome S.A. 238.
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