An Evening with the Fraternity: Updates
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:58 pm
The man staggers towards you gasping, deep wounds across his face and back.
“It’s the Manoir!” he manages to moan pointing up towards the hill. A single massive house stands there, a red glow coming from the windows.
After you give him something to drink the man continues.
“I was at the dinner party there. It all began uneventfully. It was called by Erik van Rijn, a former member of my Fraternity who departed last year for pasts unknown. I hear he uses the pseudonym ‘Nathan’ from time to time, perhaps you know him by that name. He arrived in his private carriage late in the evening and much to our surprise the one strong and proud figure was bent and aged. His skin was as yellow as old parchment and about as thick and his eyes bloodshot. He required the assistance of a young Karatakan helper and a sturdy cane to even make it up the stairs!
“While van Rijin retired to rest from his trip we began our dinner without him. The rest of the entire Fraternity in attendance. Even Balfour de Castelle was in attendance, do you recognise the name? I thought you might. After the dinner began, van Rijn returned and started his speech, the one long anticipated by all. It was insane! He spoke of his experiments at necromancy and his being ostracizing from the Fraternity. He claimed to have been slighted because his wisdom and knowledge exceed that of his brothers! The madman!
“That was when things went all wrong. He collapses and so did de Castelle. And everyone was abuzz with excitement. Then van Rijn stood up again, stronger than we have seen him in years! He revealed he had left the Fraternity long ago and sided with someone else; someone who could give him the everlasting life he has always sought. And these allies aided him in his plan, a plan to invade the Manoir de Penombre and crush the Fraternity of Shadows! For this reason the dinner party was called, as an excuse to slip in as many foul agents and moles as possible. A betrayal most foul!
“The party really ended there and then and the guests divided into two groups: those loyal to the Fraternity and those secret invaders who follow the traitor van Rijn!
“The battle began swiftly as a blast of magic separated the two groups and illusions of beings of fire frightened off the servants and innocent bystanders. From there the battle moved to the main entrance hall where van Rijn demonstrated his master of necromancy by sending zombies at the Fraternity loyalists while his dark spellcasters trapped the defenders in a magical web. Meanwhile a small group of feral wolf-like men, a pack allies with van Rijn since his time in Kartakass, attempted to invade the Library. Apparently there is something van Rijn wants that is in the Library, but I cannot imagine what.
“While fire magiks ignited the entry hall several brave defenders fought against the wolf creatures with mixed success before they were routed, but at the cost of the destruction of the Library’s sealed door. The great entry hall razed, gutted by fire, separating the two factions to regroup and lick their wounds. The invaders fled to the kitchens and wine cellar where they found the Manoir’s servants alone and unguarded while the loyalists struck out for the laboratory arming themselves with chemical concoctions and a caged fihyr.
“Now the battle threatens to ignite again as the battle moves again to the library. The invaders have made the first move summoning a swarm of rats on the loyalists who are still separated and readying themselves. I fought as long as I could before the rats came. I had already been assaulted by zombies and set ablaze one, when I saw the sea of fur I panicked and ran.
“If you think you can help then I urge you to go to the manoir! Or perhaps you know of someone already there who has yet been silent, one of the nameless dozens on either side who has been fighting their enemies, someone you can urge into action.
“I urge you to go now before it is too late!”
With that the man faints in your arms and no more can be coaxed from him.
---
UPDATE
The reports come in slowly over the next few days, the final events are pieced together from the ramblings of survivors.
Using the cunning magic of the Fraternity the swarm of rats were blinded and ran wildly about, their other senses muted by the blaze. Meanwhile the defenders turned their attention to a new threat, a small army of the walking dead –reinforcements long hinted at by van Rijn- was moving towards the Manoir.
While all this was going on van Rijn made his move into the Library trusting the double distractions would hold everyone at bay. He searched to no avail, his prize was already missing!
Instead he had to settle for a lesser prize, something to placate those whose favours he had purchased, those responsible for the army of the dead!
The loyalists, still divided, fought while they could against the dead while a small group tried to evacuate as much of the Library as they could.
The final reports of the last minutes are sketchy at best, no one is entirely sure of what occurred. Needless to say the fire gutted the Manoir and the Fraternity has fled. As for the survivors? That is unknown for who could survive an army of the dead?
“It’s the Manoir!” he manages to moan pointing up towards the hill. A single massive house stands there, a red glow coming from the windows.
After you give him something to drink the man continues.
“I was at the dinner party there. It all began uneventfully. It was called by Erik van Rijn, a former member of my Fraternity who departed last year for pasts unknown. I hear he uses the pseudonym ‘Nathan’ from time to time, perhaps you know him by that name. He arrived in his private carriage late in the evening and much to our surprise the one strong and proud figure was bent and aged. His skin was as yellow as old parchment and about as thick and his eyes bloodshot. He required the assistance of a young Karatakan helper and a sturdy cane to even make it up the stairs!
“While van Rijin retired to rest from his trip we began our dinner without him. The rest of the entire Fraternity in attendance. Even Balfour de Castelle was in attendance, do you recognise the name? I thought you might. After the dinner began, van Rijn returned and started his speech, the one long anticipated by all. It was insane! He spoke of his experiments at necromancy and his being ostracizing from the Fraternity. He claimed to have been slighted because his wisdom and knowledge exceed that of his brothers! The madman!
“That was when things went all wrong. He collapses and so did de Castelle. And everyone was abuzz with excitement. Then van Rijn stood up again, stronger than we have seen him in years! He revealed he had left the Fraternity long ago and sided with someone else; someone who could give him the everlasting life he has always sought. And these allies aided him in his plan, a plan to invade the Manoir de Penombre and crush the Fraternity of Shadows! For this reason the dinner party was called, as an excuse to slip in as many foul agents and moles as possible. A betrayal most foul!
“The party really ended there and then and the guests divided into two groups: those loyal to the Fraternity and those secret invaders who follow the traitor van Rijn!
“The battle began swiftly as a blast of magic separated the two groups and illusions of beings of fire frightened off the servants and innocent bystanders. From there the battle moved to the main entrance hall where van Rijn demonstrated his master of necromancy by sending zombies at the Fraternity loyalists while his dark spellcasters trapped the defenders in a magical web. Meanwhile a small group of feral wolf-like men, a pack allies with van Rijn since his time in Kartakass, attempted to invade the Library. Apparently there is something van Rijn wants that is in the Library, but I cannot imagine what.
“While fire magiks ignited the entry hall several brave defenders fought against the wolf creatures with mixed success before they were routed, but at the cost of the destruction of the Library’s sealed door. The great entry hall razed, gutted by fire, separating the two factions to regroup and lick their wounds. The invaders fled to the kitchens and wine cellar where they found the Manoir’s servants alone and unguarded while the loyalists struck out for the laboratory arming themselves with chemical concoctions and a caged fihyr.
“Now the battle threatens to ignite again as the battle moves again to the library. The invaders have made the first move summoning a swarm of rats on the loyalists who are still separated and readying themselves. I fought as long as I could before the rats came. I had already been assaulted by zombies and set ablaze one, when I saw the sea of fur I panicked and ran.
“If you think you can help then I urge you to go to the manoir! Or perhaps you know of someone already there who has yet been silent, one of the nameless dozens on either side who has been fighting their enemies, someone you can urge into action.
“I urge you to go now before it is too late!”
With that the man faints in your arms and no more can be coaxed from him.
---
UPDATE
The reports come in slowly over the next few days, the final events are pieced together from the ramblings of survivors.
Using the cunning magic of the Fraternity the swarm of rats were blinded and ran wildly about, their other senses muted by the blaze. Meanwhile the defenders turned their attention to a new threat, a small army of the walking dead –reinforcements long hinted at by van Rijn- was moving towards the Manoir.
While all this was going on van Rijn made his move into the Library trusting the double distractions would hold everyone at bay. He searched to no avail, his prize was already missing!
Instead he had to settle for a lesser prize, something to placate those whose favours he had purchased, those responsible for the army of the dead!
The loyalists, still divided, fought while they could against the dead while a small group tried to evacuate as much of the Library as they could.
The final reports of the last minutes are sketchy at best, no one is entirely sure of what occurred. Needless to say the fire gutted the Manoir and the Fraternity has fled. As for the survivors? That is unknown for who could survive an army of the dead?