Vichane Dennes...

[Cythraur]

Cave Furum in Nocte
(Beware of thieves in the night)

Chapter 1

The Dreadmaster approached the shallow-breathing corpse of the lumberer Reliknam cautiously. Step by step he grew with confidence untill he was upon him. He grabbed his throat and lifted him, in other circumstances, an impossible feat. When he did half of Reliknam's broken mask fell onto the ground. I could see why he wore it now. His face was decrepit, like maggots had spend days feasting upon it, leaving in parts bare bone and dead skin.

"Explain why you bring the Black Hand's displeasure upon us?" ordered the Dreadmaster.

Reliknam turned his excuse for a face to the side, and snorted stoically.
The Dreadmaster poked his finger into one of the open wounds in Reliknam's skin, and the beast thrashed in agony. This torture is too long to describe here, but I assure you the knowledge of the Zhentarim torturer's is not exagerrated. They have collected many techniques, some boring but effective, some fanciful but deadly, and some that are purely there for the torturer himself and his enjoyment.

"Helm is my saviour! He is my deity but I swear.. I have not betrayed us! I am just a warrior, I scheme for no one. The Black pays me and I do as asked"
Reliknam screamed this when the rack tightened on his arm, so close to nearly popping off and leaving a stump for the rats.

Satisfied, the Dreadmaster nodded for him to be released. Reliknam admitted to being Helm worshipper true enough, but he was a mercenary and a trainer. However it appears Bane still did not wish him within the temple despite his skills. With what I could call naiveity, the Dreadmaster allows Reliknam to continue to work for the Zhentarim. He had his uses, though after such a punishment I don't know how he could not do his job without revenge opening the old wound at his every move for them.

I cannot say I felt betrayed or paticularly hurt, as hard as the last feeling comes to me. I have just been placed within this brotherhood. Though I still would have had him flayed alive, just for the sentiment. Not only that but I was very impressed with my new god, and would wish him pleased for as long as he was of use.

Dawn's poison approached, and sunlight choked our schemes. It was time for the Banites to wear their skins of deceit, untill time when they could rip them off to become Banites again. Dark Priests became peddlers of healing wares, and Mages became pilgrims, and unholy bards became diplomats.
All in the name of Bane.

I was the last to close the door behind me, the cold iron key that kept the door locked stung my hand as I put it away. Tiberious mood instantly swung towards the lighter side of life as he was glad to get away from that place I suppose. I failed to notice the smirk on his face.

I had played all night, so I slept all day at a local inn. It is impossible for me to get into the city undetected, so I have been sleeping at drab, damp and rugged inns around the countryside. I would say they were about the same as the Elfsong, because my nightmares finally ceased when I accepted the truth path. They were usually ran by some skank, whos husband had died of the plague and sons had moved to the city. Anyways... I told my Hymn members where each inn was, foolishly perhaps. It was a mixed bag of safety.

Fair enough one night, a member showed up named Kyuss. His horns would give common sign of his temperment. However Kyuss was an exception, and its why I chose him. He was calm, collected and most important insane enough to do anything or anyone I asked with this kukri's of his. He came with a missive about the whispering waif from earlier.

She had been whispering to some of the more recent members, a fact that would cause me no end of grief. What was the point of this silly game? There is no true fun in words and mental games, only in the physical are the delights real. Mental pain is just an illusion. The thought slipped my mind that there was a traitor. I was arrogant and while the Zhentarim presence had un-nerved me. They were still no rival to the Hymn. When you finally find out, every single thing that person did becomes transparent to their purpose. Before you do, it all seems so very normal.

I would ask the Zhentarim about this woman, then I would call a meeting of the Hymn to gather our thoughts and members...

[Cythraur]

Cave Furum in Nocte

Chapter 2

The shadowed hills gave way, and the Temple of my hallowed God came into view. The corrupted souls of Bane's machinations screeching and cackling with glee at my appearance. I had been plagued by the buzzing mosquito as of late. It always struck when I was asleep. Never bold enough to attack in the waking hours and thus never giving me suitable chance to squash it.

My chain of thought broke as a small gang of adventurers passed by. It was a dangerous proposition to even head to the Temple. I never went for anything other than business. A wall of blindness passed between us, with neither party being able to see each other because of the blinding enchantments everyone had.

When they had gone I hoped down from a rock and approached the doors of the Temple. I knocked twenty times as was per the code, and when the door opened stepped onto the chessboard floor of the Temple.

Awaiting me was The Dreadmaster and the Black. Both looked weary, as if the thing I had brought them here for was far above their interest. When someone can find your members, they can just as easily gut you while you snore.

I explained the situation to both them and all I recieved was chuckles and guffaw.
"I suppose this is your problem Overcast. We are one of the largest mercenary forces in Faerun. If you are incompetent! I could understand how you could not deal with this" The Dreadmaster recieved an curious look from the Black, who had become a mentor of sorts.

"Now now.. I think it would be unfair to have the young boy chase phantoms. I think I know of who you speak lad. Her name is Silver, and she serves or is a partner of a man named Onyx. I don't know if they work for anyone. They ave' the look of freelancers. Ye should just leave it, or they'll get in your head, jus'like they want."

I was already too far obsessed. Finally a name. I wrote it down on a piece of vellum and served a thankful look to the Black. That oafish Dreadmaster was just about to shove another feast into his face. His laziness was a burden I should have relieved him of along with his life long ago. It was because of his laid back attitude that every single problem of the Zhentarim's would rest on my shoulders for some time. Hells, I should have been Dread master. Ever the puppet I suppose, I'm glad of when I finally broke rank with them... but I diverge.

The Dreadmaster did say one thing though
"I wouldn't be surprised if in your incompetence you missed a traitor in your midst, or perhaps your arrogance?"
He continued snacking into a piece of prime boar.

I immediately exited the Temple, the dreary lighting and even duller conversation too irritating to bear. A traitor though? I suppose it was time to recognise the idea. I had avoided it before, because it would involve admitting my own naivety. I left a message at one of the Hymn's infamous drop-boxes. It told all members to meet in the Cave near the Troll ford in the Northern Lands.

It was a few days ride, and a storm delayed me for hours so I was the last to arrive. The cave entrance was gaping, and the interior as black as a charred corpse. Very inviting for secretive types. As I made my way through, abominations shunned by civilisation scuttled about. Watching me and bowing in reverence. The trolls themselves wrote legends about me, as I had once killed innumerable amounts of their kind. They wouldn't even gaze upon me, lest I melt their faces from their skulls. Some parts of the cave are inaccessible due to flooding.

When I arrived with my other members, some looked bemused, some look terrified, and some looked annoyed. I was immediately approached by a woman I would know as "The Pale One".

"What the hells is the meaning of this? Surely if there is a traitor we should be fixing our security first, not moving closer together?"
She was right of course. I could have appeared a fool, but I saved face and told her that it was only because I needed all of their brilliant minds.

Quite suddenly, a woman who I had not spoken with in a long time pepped up and spoke
"I think you should consider questioning everyone. If you want, I may serve as investigator? I am proficient in these matters"
It was John. The one I had admonished on the beach. I gave her a quick smile and told her to go ahead, and she immediately set about the members.

While all the other members seem exhausted. Tiberious seemed overly excited and ready. As if he was ready to move. I quirked an eyebrow at this behavior. Now that I think about it, had he not met most of the members beforehand? Had Silver not appeared after I had recruited him?
Of course there was also Richo. He too had knowledge of all the members, despite his extended "travels". The new recruit Lorick had also been taken into the fold right around the time this bug appeared.

John approached me and softly spoke "I will need to narrow this down. Do you have any suspicions yourself?"

I dropped the names in reply and she gave each of them a smirk.
"I'll meet with each individually"

Tiberious was still fidgeting like the hells, but it was cold, damp, we were all tired and nervous. He's been the most useful here, always willing to lend a hand. I gave him the benefit of the doubt. The meeting ended and I asked everyone leave the cave, and that to leave the region would be seen as a mark of guilt. I stayed behind with "John". It was the beginning of a close relationship. Very close indeed.

[Cythraur]

Cave Furum in Nocte

Chapter 3

"I believe the time has come to stop playing games"

This is what the piece of paper I had in my hand read. Signed from the elusive Silver in a style of handwriting that could have been anybody's. I was sat alone under a waterfall that was unreachable to most. I noted the time and place, then ripped up the letter and threw the pieces into the lake.

Occasionally some want to be sea monster would pop its head out of the lake and stare at me coldly, its eyes as thin as the water from which it emerged. Otherwise this was a safe place. People I had not even met, didn't like me now. Or maybe thats what I hoped. With the deeds only I had done and only I had seen. Was I really that unsafe? I couldn't take any chances.

I broke through the curtain of water and cast an invisibility spell. This essential piece of enchantment was a favourite of my kind everywhere. With this, a banishment was as effective as a feather tickle.

The meeting was to take place north of the Troll Ford in Mountains of Granite that were eerily lifeless. As cold as the statues they would later birth. I brought Tiberious with me. Despite previous discussions about his loyalty, his charms and my impatience - he was the only member nearby, had lured me into bringing him along. After avoiding several hundred sword swings from beings that could break me in two if they had the sense to grab me. I arrived at a small coire. It had one exit, perfect for a trap. However I figured if this "Silver" wanted me dead, and she had the savvy to infiltrate my group or find out my members. I would have been long gone by now.

So I waited, and I waited. Sunset's unhappy frown brought with it more waiting. Untill finally I saw a lithe woman emerge out of nowhere. She carried no weapon in sight. She was dressed in the black of the assassins trade and of course her face was hidden. Tiberious was stationed behind me, trying his best to mimic her every move like the greatest hunters.

"Pleased to meet you. You can call me..."

She just chuckled and shook her head.
"I already know your name. Pleased to meet you too. Sorry for the delay. I admit it was just too much fun playing with you"
I groaned. What kind of hag was this who toys with dangerous men?
Her eyes darted to Tiberious.
"I see you have not come alone. Smart of you"
I circled my neck "You really thought I would?"
"Vichane. I require the help of you.. and your Wretched Hymn. I believe we can come to an agreement? I think you will find that my resources are quite limitless"
If her resources were limitless why did she need me? I suppose my group had been performing murders and other abominable acts for months now. I should just treat her as another customer.
"Please elaborate miss."
Her eyes flashed with the light of victory, and I doubt she concealed her smirk beneath that mask.
"I would like disposal of a few individuals Vichane. A charming female elf named Rith'alaria, and her lover Siomir and her ex-lover Firavain. I will prove you with all necessary information and dossiers. You will be handsomely rewarded. Do not ask anymore questions"

She handed me small notebook with the names and disturbingly intimate details of each name mentioned. Where they slept, where they walked, the routes they took, their strength. Did she have one of these on me? My spine shook with the thought.

I thought back to the meeting with my divine brothers. I attempted to glean some information from "Silver", about who she worked for.
"Do you know a man named Onyx?"
I didn't see any movement in her face except in the reply.
"That name doesn't spring to mind Vichane."
I grunted "Really? I was told someone named Silver worked for him"
No movement. "I think you have me confused with someone else..."

Lying wench
"You have everything you need Vichane. Contact me for another meeting whenever you like.. if you confused again. Just leave a message in one of your drop boxes"
With that shattering statement. She merged with the night once again and was gone. How the hells was this happening to me?

I turned to Tiberious, who was rather calm. Whatever the case I needed to meet with my investigator. "John" had been interviewing other members. I didn't send Tiberious. So being surprised at my violent reaction was probably the only thing that wasn't in "Silver's" plan.

I met "John" underneath the waterfall I had mentioned earlier. We gave each other a formal greeting and sat down on the ancient rocks.
She signaled me to speak "Overcast."
I spoke, my words pregnant with doubt.
"John. This Silver, this girl, wants us to murder some of the most powerful adventurers on this wind-swept Coast. I know these names, to send my men against them would be suicide. I care not for their emotions of course, but for the manpower and gold it takes to train them. It is folly, her demands impossible. You know I believe this "Silver" has connections to the Thieves in the area. Yet she says she does not know Onyx. I'm not sure what to believe or what action to take. If I were to meet with her and interrogate her. I could lose a valuable ally. On the other hand, maybe I could win against these.."

I reigniting the fire from this, perhaps once long-ago goddess. I could see in her eyes the emergence of a thousand ages of knowledge surface. It become entirely apparent. That she knew more than she ever care to let on. That I was no lord or master. While I was treating each new task as a challenge. She was searching eons of memories for a previous solution.

"You naive tool! Are you as dense as those ridiculous helmets you wear? Can you not see!? She is manipulating you... from the start. I don't understand your problem. Look, you understand who these elves are? If you fight them it will surely bring down a tide of unrelenting vengeance on you. Probably to distract them while Silver maneuvers behind their back. The only ally you will find in this is the dirt they'll throw your corpse in when they are done with you. She has no designs on being your ally, and is lying to you! Why is your confidence evaporating? Because of some little child? Interrogate her, and learn why she is doing this."

She stormed off as if to leave no room for argument. I usually maim and slay for such slights. But "John" had managed to sweep away my doubts. Though her advice was probably slightly hypocritical, or maybe she expected more planning out of me. Outright attacking someone who is powerful enough to watch a firecracker sorceress while she sleeps. Not un-naive. I was fired-up. I was the sheep at her preaching session.
I began writing a note with handwriting that could have been anybody's...

[Cythraur]

Meeting the Zhentarim



The Cursing of Jo Davis

[Cythraur]

Cave Furum in Nocte

Chapter 4

The cycle of the moons was ended. My winter of endless struggle and rolling in the dung in malformed and decrepit caves was over. *My* Summer was coming, I would soon enjoy unbridled success... So as many times as my soon to be hated enemies would cackle and joke over their one-time victory. I am secure in the knowledge they never struck a blow against me again that I did not orchestrate or was aware of. So laugh all you would like my duplicitous friends.

However the final night of that winter was long. To omit it from my records would betray myself. It was a harsh lesson that should never be forgotten... It began with the return of the thief-queen Silver's message. She was un-eager to meet again so soon, as if she thought I was incompetent at reading her scribble or knew I was having second thoughts. I had my doubts about whether ones in their vice were not always prepared for a trap. So I told someone where I was, the "Sword-bearer" He was to inform me exactly what I had set out to do should I fall.

Displaced sand blasted the skin from my face. I tried to shield myself against the might of the barrens but it consumed all routes of escape. With a cloth over my eyes and covering my naked neck, me and three companions set out to Gullykin tower one final time. We left the "Sword-bearer" in a nearby hollow. He covered himself in the foilage and slunked away. Tiberious unsurprisingly volunteered to come, that serpent, but he too in time got his comeuppance. Bane was in his blood.

But what happened next was a catastrophe.. I remember very little of it. But even if I did, I would not describe it in detail. I remember glimpses, hellish noises and squeals, the brutality with which we were struck down and the blazing fury with which the betrayed thief-queen stuck a sword in my liver and wrenched it out. As my head bursted open on the mismatched stone floor, perhaps I saw that liver oozing its contents towards me.

The next I awoke to see was an Elf. It was not a pleasant sight. I despise Elves. I can hardly tell the sexes apart, but I'm sure it was a woman. Daja was her name. She described the horror of discovering our bodies. Wyverns were halfway into devouring our corpse, nuzzling their young and making pleased noises. She had to recover some "parts" from their stomachs. All that was left was the bones and the layers that are not meant to be seen. I remember a miasma in my head clouding recent events away from me and an nightmarish pounding in my gut telling me

"Something had gone wrong"

I had not remembered leaving the "Sword-bearer" nearby, but he was there and waiting for the elven waith to leave. I told Daja that I needed to speak with one of her leaders. With typical elven distrust she said she would need to convene a council blah blah. We sat on the cliff swinging our legs like young boys, occasionally throwing a stone at a Wyvern and melting one that took us up on the attack.

We wandered around dumbstruck for a time. Defeat was new to us. Each of us holding our eyes and ears, standing still and staring at the sky, and other actions that worried passers-by. Finally the elven entourage arrived and they brought with them a man named Deva. Another fox who would later attempt to pull his tricks on me, but for this I will always be thankful. As we explained the situation he whispered in my ears with undeniable confidence. He threw a degrading coment my way and then told me what we all had suspected but didn't want to be true. He told me Tiberious works for the thieves guild. That he had been been purposefully ordered to infiltrate us. Shock was skipped and instead I went straight to the fury I had pre-prepared in supply for the traitor.

I released all the details on the Thieves Guild targets. The elves lapped up each target with glee. It was the excuse for a war they had been waiting a long time for. The day drew on and I smiled and batted my eyelashes at the elves. Telling them how "scared" and "worried" I was. They assured me it would all be taken care of.

When night approached we heard the thunderous crack that comes with the start of a battle. We sneaked over the brow of a hill and saw the Elves clashing with mysterious figures that dipped in and out of the shadows. With one granite-faced monster battling Siomir. Ugly beast. When all was said and done the Elves were victorious and some of the paticiularly cowardly dock-rats ran squealing with their tails between their legs. Not to endanger my companions again I told them to leave and that I was going to strike an accord with these thieves. I would try reason with them to reach peace first, if vermin are capable of such action. With the right amount of fake stupidity and hopeless appearance. I could let their arrogance blind them permanently. So they set a trap, and managed to infiltrate a group with no connections or information on the area. Big deal... Summer is right around the corner.

((You can see the other side of this, screenshot included, over on Aikuras bio! http://bgtscc.net/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=9964&start=20))

[Cythraur]

Cave Furum in Nocte

Chapter 5

The repulsive cyclops in the distance huffed and puffed. His face was swollen and every breath he took was biterness. There was a stump next to him, a female. She stamped and pouted, to the point I couldn't tell if she was seriously angry or not, or was just a madwoman.

So this was the plan I formulated. If these dock-rats were too lofty to be allies with me. I can at least get them to consider me harmless. So I followed the cyclops who I would later know as Onyx, and the hin I would later know as Diamond; to a cliffside perfect for throwing off someone who had just conducted the slaying of half their family.

The cyclops spoke first. His one-eye darting around for trouble all the while.
"Oh... it's... you?"
It was all a suprisingly amiable conversation. An accord was struck very quickly. It *was* laden with passive-aggresive comments from them about me being immune to Wyvern acid, and the occasional faked laughter on my part. I told him that we could have all just be friends if they told me the truth. That I would gladly contribute to the destruction of elves. Onyx told me how it was unfortunate that it had ended up that way, but I couldn't blame them for trying to use me first. It is their way.

The stump muttered something about that we played our parts as puppets fine at first, but that I had to go spoil it all.
I despise that word "puppet". For the fact a puppet serves nothing without a master. Not just for the fact it implies control.
Onyx wiped some blood from his face with a flannel and rested his sword on his left shoulder. He seemed to give me abit of credit if not respect. He may have been abit of a naive dunderhead. I could not say. I told them they could call on me in their incoming war, allying for one battle to kill elves. Just then, the thief-queen approached from the shadows, and raised her blade to my throat and spat a spray of blood in my face. She argued with Onyx about why they had not simply kicked me off the cliff. But they managed to get her up to the date to the point where she would not strike me down. I left intact.

Interesting fact is that they all used psuedonyms instead of their real names, which are long forgotten. Interesting enough I found out Silver's real name "Aikura" from her once friend and perhaps lover Rysdan. I suppose there is no honour among thieves after all. But I disgress...

I had one final meeting with a group of thieves operatives a little later in the Frost Keep. I noticed they had a family bond that was missing in my own group. I didn't understand this"love" they had for each other. Feelings I no longer understand I suppose. I think the difference was that they were deviant in their behaviour, but they were just people trying to make a way in this world. I sought it's destruction, or at least it's control as a barren wasteland. It would take a while before someone could convince me otherwise of another course.

At the end of that meeting they were thoroughly convinced of their superiority and my idiocy. I paid them to kill the one known as Zacham. A paltry enemy that I could dispose of at any time, but the living-joke was about to serve a use in death he could not in life. If I could not kill such a fool, than obviously I had no power at all in their eyes. Amazingly enough they actually carried it out. I believed they would just find some way to betray me. They threw the head in my lap one peaceful summer night as I reclined in Beregost. I almost kissed it with glee. Oh my dear Zacham. You never quite got that Saint did you? I paid them the debt owed, and never saw them again. To my knowledge at least.

I also made sure Tiberious got what was coming to him. I spoke to the priests of Bane at the temple, and with a few blood rituals and some essences. We tried to make a puppet of our own. We know the wrath of Bane reached it's target, but alas we never saw him again. I was looking forward to making him scrub the scum from the altar. Death is so boring. I hope you are enjoying your new home Tiberious, wherever you are.

[Cythraur]

Vagus


Chapter 1

I took solace in the fact that the influence of those poisonous Thieves was long behind me. They appeared to think they had 'won' and maybe they had, I was after all in complete fear and awe of them. Whenever I made an action I conciously thought and said out loud

"But would it offend the Thieves?"

I sat alone in the Banite Temple in the Dread Lords seat. Black and Draegoth were galavanting off somewhere as usual instead of making efforts to recruit or strengthen their position. Outside there was the crashing and fracturing of wood against stone. A horrendous banging like the voice of some angry God.

I made my way wearily from the lower levels. From the altar I could see the whole door shake every second. Were we under siege? Who?
The priests and sycophants ran from room to room and the stationed guards to the armoury to prepare what mundane weapons they could. They may as well have used sticks.

I heard stories of the Knight Kaden camping outside the Temple late at night, waiting vigilantly for anything to come out. Hells, I myself had sent a paid dispatch to watch his affairs up on the Temple mount.

The fool didn't know there was a river system that could be used to gain easy access to the Temple. So while he pouted like a small child outside the door, men were slipping on the aqua underneath his feet.
Truly the Zhentarim here may be as lazy as conscript, but I can't say anything against their suppliers. The Temple itself has gone renovation lately and has a certain palatial quality.

I valued my skin enough to stay here but I didn't hesitate to order the fresh meat to go see what was outside. The obsidian puppets ran straight to the boat. I see why Men become leaders now. It is always the rush I have felt being in control of my own employed.

I placed an ear on the etched inscriptions on the door as the shaking had stilled the entire temple again. I listened on a cacophony of sounds, bones cracked, blood sloshed and metal snapped. In the end there was only the victorious war cry of the winner., and in the end. The loser had their head thrown against the door. I could hear a single thump of flesh.

A few hours later the Black, that bald wizened.. I wouldn't even call him man. To do so would not do justice to his incapacity for any kind of emotion except anger. I would call him a vessel for such. His staff pounding against the ground drew attention to his presence.

"Do what do I owe the honour now Black?" I said dryly.

"Enough of ye snark boy. Kaden and thar lot of fools are layin siege to thar Temple. Wha retaliations have ye made?" He practically spat the words.

"I sent a few men."
"Well now thee are arms, legs and broken bodies" Chuckled Black.
"Shall we send more then?"
"Naw lad. Let em wait it out, he'll get frustrated soon enough"

The old beast fell asleep against an altar, and in my panic I watched the door hold against a barrage of fury. He screamed hour after hour, for us to send him more challenges. The Banite Temple is full of screams, he should have screamed louder.

[Cythraur]

Vagus

Chapter 2

I recall the monk known as Aronmyr from my later days on the Coast. He had went on a sojourn to 'cleanse his soul' some time after I joined the Banite enclave. His alignment to either the forces of Good or Evil was always dubious. That made Clean-shaven Aronmyr useless in any debate or to beckon him to fighting.

I heard he was recently back in the area from my once companion Valahaem and thus I set out to find him. I would show him the gains I had made, and why once and for all he should choose the path paved in bones.
He was gowned in the most disgustingly white robes when I found him. He'd made gains too, I saw his fist go straight through an Gnoll near the Friendly Arm Inn. Its guts wrapped its way around his fist as he continued to beat it into a pulp.

I approached him from behind and awkwardly extended my arms for an embrace. He swung at me startled, but I dodged under him and extended my arms again, this time farther enough so he could get a glimpse at my face. I immediately said we should go somewhere quieter. I took him to the Banite temple and his eyes grew bloodshot and the hair all over his pinkish skin stood up electric. He could hear the howl of the departed souls.

I told him I had no intention of converting him to Bane. But that I wanted him to join the Hymn and work as an enforcer for us.
I had spoke to him about it before, when it was purer. He just mumbled in reply to everything I said, he clearly was uninterested in talking about it.
We spoke for only about an hour to no avail.

Not a moment after we stepped out the door, those disgusting perversions. Elves. Two to be more exact, a one named Rhys who I had murdered before, and another I recognized as that bit- harlot. Rith'alaria. We managed to move our position to where it looked as if we were coming from another direction than the temple. They were joking about something when they spotted us and practically sprinted to us. Aron had entered some kind of stealth I remember the Thieves were fond of. They could see only me for the moment. I told them that I was just spitting upon the architecture of the Temple, and its malignant presence. They nodded and applauded my thoughts.

Say one thing for Elves, they don't know how to put two and two together.
Aron, instead of leaving, decided to stalk around Rith and thus promptly was seen. I saw what appeared to be an angel, but in fact, was a reaper of souls, emerge from the ground, then a otherworldly wail, and Aron fell down like a rag-doll. Rith spat something about 'sneakers' and wandered off.

They left and I dragged Aron into the underground of the Temple, and started him to life. He ferociously punched walls and kicked desks, which I made him pay for, when I told him what happened.
It appears this was my lucky day. I didn't even have to say a word before Aron decided to join the 'Hymn'. He saw how vicious these so called 'Good-guys' were, and that they were more dangerous and wild, just as subject to their whims as any brutal Zhent.

On another note... I had recently been speaking with 'John' under the blooming moon and the stars, but there was no subtext to this. She kept speaking to me about the beauty of the night, and the terror of loss. Such strange subjects but they made as much sense to me as the Banite priest's musings on power and absolute tyranny.

[Cythraur]

Vagus

Chapter 3

I was in a smokey public house. Drunkards and wenches laughed and loved on the nearby tables and the bartender had to keep occasionally ducking from stray thrown glasses.

The man I was meant to meet was named 'Strickland', he was a ruthless Mage who when I first met, incinerated his lieutenant for having 'bad breath'. His hair was slicked back un-naturally and his teeth seemed to be made of solid gold. His face was rigid and if I didn't know any better I might even have called him a Golem.

He snapped his fingers and every man and woman and those inbetween working at the house stood to attention and stared at his fingers, as if he had murdered their children. They made their way out in a line, as if they were machina created solely to provide cover.

'Strickland' told me about how we needed to raid a nearby tower for artifacts. It was a gargantuan structure. 'John had also been looking for a crystal that she claimed was very dire to her and would one day be to me. I didn't realise what she was getting it, but looking at it now, she was rather overconfident in her ability to convert me. 'Strickland' explained that at the top of the tower was some kind of 'Shadow king' and that it only appeared on a full moon. Cliche, but cliches work.

He departed in a puff of gas that knocked me out cold for several hours. I woke up in a nearby trash pile stinking of two day dead rat. I sent out of the necessary missives and got everyone I could to meet out at Lake Weng. Apparently the location was miles from there, and 'John' wanted to bring along the man-mountain 'Randall', well actually a woman now, but its just aesthetics really.

'It' immediately started to try seduce 'John' in its usual lazy and failing way.
The rest of the 'Hymn' trailed in, some with bags of supplies. We made our way to the location in bitter temperatures. It was the coldest winter in a long time and one of the comrades toes fell off. We couldn't find it.

What was not far from the tower we found a young boy and his mother. We tried to peacefully get the location of the tower, but they were too terrified of repirations from it's owner. So we sawed off the mothers leg, and told him we would continue untill we get the location. The boy flailed his arms around and grabbed one of us by the leg, no one there was moved.

He eventually stopped crying and showed us a thin ugly looking crack in the mountain that would lead to the tower. We shooed the boy off and ran our fingers along the walls to find our way. Just as we reached the entrance of the tower, there were purple-dyed symbols on the walls, a strange language only 'John' could read. It marked the tower as a domain of 'Shar' lady of loss.

[Cythraur]

Vagus

Chapter 4

What an abomination of a building. Choking corridors and vicious traps just waiting for another fool to fall in and offer their souls.
We made our way into a large chamber room littered with the strewn dead, some in agonising and rather impressive poses their mouths agape from whatever took them.

There was a large symbol on the floor that it didn't take much guessing was used to summon something. 'Ezio' a young charlatan sneak who had been accompanying us insisted upon inspecting them and every time we said "No".
Then every time we tried to move further down the path. I was happy to make him another permanent attraction to that room. I had a perfectly good sneak after all, but 'John' complained about keeping good relations with Hymn subordinates.

Instead I had the man-mountain Randall-onna hold his tiny frame the entire way so he couldn't move. All the way up flights of stairs that made a cranky party borderline furious. Till we reached a locked room, I had the man-mountain bash it down and literally the moment we fell through the door, the damn contraption created a new door and it bolted shut.

It didn't take long to figure out it had the most powerful trap any of us had ever seen on it. If only I could have acquired such technology for myself, I'd like to see those thieves disable it. 'John' figured out if we trapped to disable it, it would have electrocuted us in agony for hours.

We immediately got to work getting splinters from bashing open cask chests and breaking barrels. Most of the spoils here were for Shar's children in the shadows. There was nothing for a Infernal-pact. Daggers, awful hoods and a few baubles.

There was no other way out alright, no hidden push buttons, nothing, but there was a nice pool of water with a pipe in it. At least we would die bathed. 'Ezio' volunteered to reduce himself to smaller than a hin with a scroll and climb up it. Excellent I thought, should he find something all the better, should he die, I don't have a curious cat around

Not long after he was gone, the man-mountain jumped up like someone had set fire to his behind and ran head-long into a wall, knocking itself out cold. From where it had been sitting a portal appeared, and 'Ezio' joined us shortly after. He told us how he had mixed some kind of alchemical formula and poured it into a glyph on the wall

On the other side of the portal was a bitter shade-King on his throne. He sat playing with a skull on his lip, before the red points of his eyes darted straight to us. They playfully circled before he teleported right in front of us.

"Whom disturbs the garden of queen Shar?"
I replied "A cohort of an infernal-pact named Vichane. Come to pay homage to her."
He scoffed "Take your poor words elsewhere then 'murderer' Vichane. Bane shall not have Shar's crystal"

With some unholy wind he swept us to the entrance. Me and 'John' decided to scatter, but 'Scythe', 'Ezio' and the man-mountain were having none of it. They charged the king immediately and after an quick battle he absorb their life forces onto himself, in some 'Vampiric Feast'

'John' pushed me back and bantered some words with the King. I had no idea what they talked about, but it ended with the King bowing down to her. The nearby stone door shook open and 'John' stepped over the corpses of our 'friends'. We left them behind.

She took me by the hand through the stone chambers to a magnificent room draped with purple curtains. In it's center was a crystal black as night. As we approached I felt a painful depression sweep over me, down, down I went. Into a abyss... But 'John' pulled me out. I emerged from my catatonic state and grasped the crystal. What a foci of power it was. I stroked it and let out a happy laugh. Not a mocking one as usual, but the first happy laugh for a long time.

[Cythraur]

Vagus

Final Chapter

I was told to meet by the lighthouse for someone to come collect me. It was a vigil, so I waited all day, skipping rocks by the seashore like a child. As the day dissolved away, a man appeared from nowhere by my side his eyes turned red as ruby. A cheap parlor trick, but none the less he said nothing and picked me up by the hand and took me to the Lighthouse. The place had been used by me and others alike in the past as a 'secluded' meeting point.

The markings on the walls gave hints of some dark secret, but many passed in and out without knowledge of what truly lay beneath. The man guided me through the wall and down a winding set of steps. There was a locked stone door that must have weighed an incalculable amount. he slipped in the key and pushed me forward into the temple.

I saw 'John' was waiting; except it was not her of course, it never had been. I had been tricked again. She was the Overseer of Shar.
On this holy night of moon eclipse the dark temple's walls and faithful gathered in the ceremonial chamber were graced with attention of the Dark Lady, she granted Her blessings to the cult's Overseer, enabling her to perform the ritual which would free me a new Faithful from chains of a blood oath I had pledged to another god.

The darkness began to cover two-thirds of the moon as I lay on the altar quivering. The night shadow before me was meant to guide me back to my body, should I become lost in eternity. Shar's miserable form crept into the shrine and she sucked away the life from everything that got in the way. Except we who were already dead. She wrapped herself around the Overseer who then proceeded to lay her hand on my head. Then with a practiced swoop, she cut my wrists and allowed the blood to drain into the sacrificial bowl which contained the crystal we had begotten earlier.

I do not know much time passed without a deity. I was being held by a thread that was between me and the Wall of the Faithless. In time though my new eyes opened and I spoke with a new mouth. The room was once again calm, there was no one else in the room. I achingly stood up and realized the door was locked. There were a host of books laying on the floor; it seemed they expected me to spend the rest of the night in study.

"Ha!"