Not WowW fiction - blame Ringo!

[Baelan]

This is fanfic based on one of my old DnD campaigns that our GM wrote. While much of it is world specific,the situations and characters tend to be universal

Herein lies the story of the Lasts Days of the 2nd Alluvianon Cycle...

The Lost Tales of the Warriors of the Invisible Sun...

"Warriors, I call this meeting to Order "
"Yeah right, Silvermane"
With a scowl, the mage continued his oration. "Soulcatcher has uncovered some clues that may help us recover another piece of the artifact."
"So boss, what are the particulars?", Jared chimed in as he tilted his chair back to rest his feet on the table.
Silvermane spoke, people listened, well they nodded their heads, "oooo'ed & aaahh'd" a lot and slept in between. It was your basic party meeting.

Andi's summary comprised most of the small groups view on the matter, "Blah,blah,blah, some mage has a rock or piece of the staff. Blah,blah,blah. His stronghold rests on the border of Arydia & the Free territories." Short snooze. "No not a region where the two lands meet, but right on the border ie; the line runs right through the keep (That’s neat). Blah,blah, Arydia demanded submission" (Go figure) , "he refused" (bad career move) "and they attacked, blasting the structure into ruin" (So far we're right on course) . "Its rumored that the wizard was able to escape by utilizing some type of gate spell." Big batch of blahs. "Our job is to investigate the keep & if we can't find the piece then pursue the mage through the gate and track him down to acquire it." (Typical) .

Here the mage pauses to allow party members to comment, whine about their participation in the endeavor.
Most complaints, "I need time for training before we go!", “I need some more sleep”, “How we gonna get there”, “or even better if we don't know where there is, How we gonna get back?", were dismissed with scowls from the party leader and the group was released to make personal preparations for tomorrow's "Quest of the Week"...

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[Baelan]

Preparation is an interesting way of putting how this party gets ready for adventuring...

Silvermane withdrew, after the meeting, to his study. Like a true mage, the time between now and departure will be filled most with study of new and preferred magical formulae. At some point he'll try to settle affairs of state without really thinking to much about them or he'll delegate the whole mess to Nix. "Being Baron gets in the way of so many more important things."
*****

Andrina spends a good portion of the night in solitude. Her private chambers are a menagerie of memories. Some of which are only recently returned.

This is the only time when she'll succumb to the frustration and fear built up over the months & years of watching compatriots, friends & lovers perish (A few, have even died twice).

Andi wanders the room, soaking up the pleasures and pain of her past. These tokens help her remember those she’s lost. Here Maria’s (Shadowcat) mask and matched sword & main gauche, two jeweled goblets, from Tomar’s private collection at the Cup & Dragon. A black pearl necklace from Drome, a figurine of Terissa, perhaps a foot tall made from a single emerald and several others till she reaches the one she prizes the most.

Slowly she raises her glass to the portrait of Kelarin, “A toast to the paladin of Athena, Duke of Vorlynyaas, and my husband.” His personal war against the Dominator's evil has taken him so far away that not even Snowfall's magic has been able to locate him. It has been many months since she's seen him and this portrait is the only likeness of him that she has, save her memory.

For a few moments she savors the wine, letting her mind play with the substance till it becomes his essence. Relishing the memory of the taste and feel of him she drifts along in a private fantasy. Slowly the world comes back into focus, "Until we meet again, my love." Finishing her glass she whispers away the candle's flame, then leaves to join the others carousing in the common rooms. Sentiment time is over, for now, and it is said, "you can't start a successful adventure without a hangover"...
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[Baelan]

Jared, his visit to a local ladyfriend over earlier, retires to the private libraries. The Warriors have collected tomes, scrolls, tablets, and more from all the lands they’ve visited.

Beside the books, his only company for the rest of the evening will be a chilled bottle of Daggerhold’s finest vintage. Here he will search through several tomes trying to find any scrap of information on the wizard or his dealings with the outside world.
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Shadecat returns to his temple. A gathering is called for all the faithful and the Children.

"Tomorrow the band will leave on another journey, one more step towards completing the Carrellon prophecy of Ptah. So tonight, Chosen of the goddess, we gather to celebrate and commune with our lady that she may give her blessing to my quest and watch over this house in my absence."

A cheer issues from the throng. A following of 40 worshippers has heard the call in recent months and joined the temple. They along with the Children, (1/2 cat-1/2 men), begin the ritual. Wine is poured, the sounds of drums fill the air, and the dance begins. Soon the drumbeats will grow softer. Replacing them are cries of passion only the faithful of Bast can utter. All will be indulged, debauched, and pleasured in a ceremony that will last well into the wee hours of the morning.

Now the priest smiles, this is Bast’s way to celebrate. Shedding his clothes, Shadecat prepares to worship his goddess most fervently...
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Jubahl, the hedgerunner, spends the evening as a warrior preparing for battle should, Carousing. For a time he'll be enjoying the revelry at the Stormlyon Inn. Perhaps even a dance with Andrina once she joins the party. But sooner or later the other women, the ladies of Daggerhold's Red light district will send their telepathic call and he will have several stops to make before this evening is through.

Several hours and women later, the predawn light will find him in a kitchen, sprawled across a table, with three lovelies from the night before and a healthy covering of honey. Fortunately the clear, cleansing waters of Daggerlake are not very far away...
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[Baelan]

Morning, two hours before dawn.

Shadecat rises and gently sliding from the grasp of one of the Children, he moves toward the sanctuary. Before exiting, he takes one last look at their sleeping forms. "I may never see you again.", He whispers. "No enough of that, sleep well Children of the Mother, live well and safe till I return."

The sanctuary is quiet, no peacefully still. A huge statue of Bast dominates the room. Her downward gaze penetrates every corner. Unlike others, who will stop after a few steps and kneel, the priest strides calmly up to the foot of the statue. Here the watchful eyes of Bast fall completely upon him. Smiling, he looks up to the face. For a moment his gaze and the statues are one, locked in a test of wills, then the Catmother relents. Her eyes open before his gaze into the statue and beyond, to a place of sweeping dunes, where stands a long dead, but not dead tree, the leopard tree. Laying lazily among the branches are several huge cats, leopards, panthers, an un-striped tiger, and a jaguar. Some of them roar in greeting to the priest, while others regard him warily.

Suddenly there is a someone beside him, nibbling, then whispering in his ear, "Welcome two-legs." His mind told him that it was Bast, his fingers, as he slid his arm around her waist, told him of the succulent form she had come to him in. "You have come for my blessing in your endeavor, and it is granted." Taking his hand in hers, she urged him to follow her around the tree to a small stream beyond. "I foresee great changes in the worlds of men and Draemon I have chosen you to be my herald during them."

Looking up from the waters of the stream, his eye’s find hers, "I..., I'm..."

"Awestruck by your beauty and overwhelmed by your decision," she finished for him. "What a sweet thing to say," she kisses him, "and how tasty a herald you'll be." Again she pressed her parted lips to his, her tongue dancing delicately against his. "Walk with grace, my herald, bring pleasure and hope to those you meet and know that my gaze is always upon you..."

Shadecat blinks the vision away and finds himself again in the sanctuary, his gaze locked on the face of the statue. For a moment a soft breeze, reminiscent of rose petal-soft lips brush past his ear, leaving the faint echo of a content purr in their wake. Slowly the smile returns to the priest's face and with renewed vigor he turns and strides from the room.
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[Baelan]

Andrina DeVerne' - Thief,Rogue, and Duchess

Kelen Silvermane - Archmage,Party leader and Baron fo Daggerfall

Draemon "Shadecat" Mildenfrome - Priest of Bast

Jared al-Kardon - Rogue,Swordsman,Bon vivant

Jubahl - Warrior,Hedgerunner,jackass

Kelarin "Stormlyon" DeVerne' - Paladin, Duke of Vornylas and Andrina's husband

Dorotea Senora "Snowfall" Senjak Carellon - Star Mage/Arch Mage, party's frequent employet

Atalar Vilaya - Atalar....is Atalar. Known for wearing lingerie where most would wear clothing. Keeps odd friends and magical items (What is a Timex?)