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Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

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Chapter 20
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“The Hounds of He’rkhine seem to spread in the same manner as other Lycanthropic infections recorded before them. That much is not new to our scholars. But on the other hand, one has to wonder whether or not the infection is really an infection at all…or a call to arms issued from a higher power, as was the case of the Skarjil Weretigers of the Bleak Lands when the Dark One came to threaten their holdings.

I wonder…if that is the case, what threat could be so dire as to require such drastic condemnations of the mortal races?”

~Skarjil Datashade Glyph [Religion & Arcana]: Excerpt from the notes of Mokosh I
<>

Kaz scraped the sole of her boot on the cobblestone streets of Ukrosha’s Market District, which caused her to trip. Coughing, the mage forced herself to her feet, and was greeted by the sight of an oddly dressed man who had his hand extended towards her.

“Need help, milady?” he asked.

Nodding, Kaz took his hand and replied, “Y-yes. Thank you.”

The man wore a concerned expression as he watched Kaz dust herself off. Of course, the guy wasn’t exactly dressed all too fancy himself, but no doubt that a shade dressed in black leathers marked with some sort of arcane symbols would think himself normal looking when compared to some woman who wore tattered robes that looked like they could literally disintegrate at a moment’s notice.

“I have to ask one small favor of you,” the man said.

“No, I’m not going to dinner with you,” Kaz replied.

The man laughed and shook his head. “Don’t worry, I already have a significant other. Not that you’re ugly or anything, but I’m of the belief that people who marry each other should actually stay together. Anyway, I’m sort of lost and hoping that you could point me in the direction of the local theatre?”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

22-Jan-2011 04:43:33 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 17:56:32 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Kaz laughed as she realized the man’s sincerity. When the man gave her a puzzled look, she replied, “I’m sorry, it’s just that so far I’ve had people asking me to dinner all day in exchange for helping me out.”

“I can see why,” the man replied. “I’ll be honest, if I weren’t already with someone, then I probably would’ve asked. But I’m sort of in a hurry, so if you don’t mind…”

“Oh,” Kaz said. “Yeah, the theatre is to the north of here. You’ll know you’re close when you see a small obelisk in the center of a bunch of little shops. It’s the only one in this district, so don’t worry about getting lost. Just keep going north after hitting the obelisk and you’ll hit it in a few minutes. The thing’s the biggest building in the area, so you really can’t miss it.”

The man nodded. “My thanks. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be off.” The man was true to his word, and he quickly blended into the crowds on the street as he left.

Sighing, Kaz continued walking. Thinking over the last few days, she couldn’t help but feel that leaving the rebellion’s safe house was a huge mistake. Not only were the Ordinators out looking for her and the others, they were out en masse. What was worse was the fact that winged humanoids now flew over the city hourly as well, which caused no small amount of discomfort among Ukrosha’s citizens despite the fact that Vampyres were no strangers to the Plane of Shadow.

“Dinner? Is that what you really think those men were asking you for?” a voice whispered mockingly.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

22-Jan-2011 04:45:36 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 17:57:27 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Kaz turned to see who was talking, but nobody was there. Everyone seemed too absorbed with their own problems, and it wasn’t until she had passed a glass display that she realized the demon had returned.

“Unless they were you messing with my head, what else could they mean by dinner?” she asked angrily.

The demon cackled. “Think. A man with a young woman. It’s only natural that what you think of as dinner turns out to be something else entirely for them.”

“If that’s the case, then they’d end up dead in a heartbeat because of you,” she retorted. “So, what the hell do you want now?"

"What, I can’t drop by just to see how my host is holding up after our little game a few nights ago?”

“Seeing how that ‘little game’ ended with me almost burning the safe house down, no," Kaz said. “Besides, it’s not like you care at all as long as I’m alive.”

“Which is why I’m here,” the demon replied. “Listen, events are moving swiftly. Events which you may not survive without my help."

Kaz snorted. “Old trick,” she said.

“New truth,” the demon replied. “Listen, something happened a few weeks ago. That strange power I mentioned? It turns out that the source of it may be coming back.”

“So?”

“We may both die should the source return,” the demon said. “Even if I personally die and you survive, you’ll remain without any means to counter the physical minions who will most likely be acting on his behalf.”

“And who’s this ‘he’? Another Inner Demon?” Kaz asked.

“A demon, yes, but not of our kind. This one’s older. More powerful. He also has the protection of an even more powerful master, and one which would seek the return of days which predate even my kind.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

22-Jan-2011 04:46:35 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 17:58:24 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“I think I’ll pass on whatever you’re asking of me,” Kaz said. “That kind of thing didn't work in the past, and it won’t work now.”

“In that case, you deserve your fate,” the demon said. As the sentence was finished, Kaz felt relief wash through her body, signaling that the demon was gone. To where, she did*’t know or care, but after the incident back at the safehouse, she was all too glad to see it go.

But, she wondered. What was the point of running if her pursuer was able to go wherever she could?

~^+^~

“Ah, good…you’ve arrived at last.”

Marik jumped at the sound of the newcomer who had somehow managed to get close to him without being noticed. Turning around, he met the gaze of an elf, but it looked like no ordinary elf. Where the elves he had seen in the past were pale and lithe beings, the female before him was rather charcoal-skinned and lean enough to give the impression that it was more human than elf. What was more, red eyes and silken white hair contrasted with the elf’s skin to give a sort of demonic impression to any who’d spare the lass a passing glance.

Keeping with his disguise, Marik nodded. “I’m sorry miss, but I’m sort of waiting for someone special. It’s my…anniversary, you see.”

The elf laughed at that. “I’m sure Grandfather wouldn’t mind if I intrude on you for a few moments then, yes? At least, that’s what Amaya had told me.”

“Ok, you got me there,” Marik admitted. “So who the hell are you then? I thought Mori was supposed to be helping out with this thing, not a…err…just what are you anyway?”

The elf glared at him. “If the damn ears aren’t a dead giveaway, I don’t know what is.”

“I’ve seen elves before, but never ones with your type of coloring,” Marik replied.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

22-Jan-2011 04:47:22 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 17:59:12 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“Then you haven’t been looking underground,” she said. “Otherwise you’d know that my kind has been helping out your piddling ‘Empire’ by supplying your Ordinator’s weaponry and armor for quite some time.”

“I’ve never worked with the Empire, you know,” Marik said.

“Then I guess I’ll give you the short answer,” the elf replied haughtily. “Drow. As for my name, most people just call me Ally. My real name, however, is none of your concern for this mission.”

“So, I have my own little…”

The Drow cut him off. “Finish that sentence and I guarantee you won’t live to see the end of this.”

Marik sighed. Couldn’t the damn woman take a joke at all? “Fine by me then,” he said. “Just lead the way or whatever the hell it is you’re supposed to do.”

The elf turned and began walking at a somewhat fast pace which Marik was barely able to keep up with. The girl seemed at home among the bustling crowds of Ukrosha’s Marketplace District, for she was seemingly disappearing into large groups of people, only to appear from another large group halfway down the street almost instantly.

At times they had to double back, either because of an Ordinator patrol blocking the path, or because more than once they had seen some of the new Vampyres land on the street not too far from their position, which made just about everyone in the immediate area nervous as hell. And Marik couldn’t blame them either…not only were the creatures relatively savage looking in general, they also had an aura of menace surrounding them, and one that seemed to work around the defensive enchantments he had spent a lifetime cultivating just to protect against that sort of thing at that.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

22-Jan-2011 04:47:55 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 18:00:00 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

As the day drew on, the pair finally came upon an ancient looking obelisk, and he recognized it as the landmark the woman from earlier had told him to look for.

Motioning for him to stop, Ally drew close to the stone structure, whispering odd words as she did so. Marik caught a glance of purple sparks dancing between the obelisk and an outstretched hand, but other than the discreet lightshow he didn't see or sense anything out of place.

The Drow ran a slender hand through her hair as she finished the strange ritual. “Alright, it looks like the specimen is sedated now," she said.

“Umm…I have a feeling I already know what it is, but what ‘specimen’? And what the hell was with the purple lights?”

“Oh, the spell? It was a simple cantrip all Drow are taught to use from a young age. You wouldn’t understand its full effect since you’re a Shade, but it allows my kind to scry using certain types of stone and communicate with others over short distances should I need to.

As for the specimen…well, you’ll see when we get to the theatre.”

Marik only nodded, lost in his own thoughts. Ally continued walking north, and the Hexblade followed, thinking about what to do and only vaguely aware that he felt someone watching him that day.

~^+^~

It was midday by the time Arial and his group had come close enough to the capital to see the outer walls. It was odd, V thought. Where the sky in the wilderness was sort of cast in a twilight color, the sky over Ukrosha seemed almost pitch black in comparison, and he thought he saw the walls moving as if they were alive.

“So this is the much vaunted Ukrosha,” Grim huffed as he brought up the rear. “I swear, the place really changed since I was lil’.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

22-Jan-2011 04:48:23 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 18:01:11 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“Yeah,” Arial agreed. “Before Ix, Kamiah had only three main districts compared to the five we have now. In the past it was just some living quarters, a temple district, and the Imperial Palace District. But after Ix came in, he added a Marketplace and a new housing district since the old one fell into disrepair and became what’s now known as The Den, basically an open thieves and gang hideout.”

“Wait, why didn't Ix just fix the old places up?” V asked.

“That would be because of the invasion around the end of Kamiah’s reign,” Koreth said. “The Kin pretty much wrecked the place with their Jabberwockies to the point where it wasn’t worth rebuilding in the eyes of the authorities. Though why they decided to spend more money to build new crap when they could’ve easily saved more by fixing the old stuff is beyond me.”

“I blame politics,” Joran chimed in. “The throne always had lobbyists trying to win royal contracts to build random and useless buildings, so I’m thinking one of them actually succeeded.”

“And you know this how?” V asked. “No offense, but I thought you were in the military, not a palace official or whoever works there.”

“Erevin,” Joran replied. “Believe it or not, he used to be Arial’s friend as well as mine before Nhur came through and messed things up.”

“The vampire?” Grim asked.

“He’s actually not a true vampire,” Arial replied. “He’s a Changed One who supposedly had the power to shapeshift. The vampirism came later when he fought a vampire he came across while hunting a murderer in the Den. Apparently it stunted the growth of his power somehow, so he can only change between whatever vampires can change into and a gargoyle.”

“An interesting story, I’m sure,” Koreth said. “But shouldn’t we be going into the capital instead of talking?”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

22-Jan-2011 04:49:25 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 18:02:23 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

The group agreed, and began walking. The terrain was relatively flat, with only a small but steady decline thanks to them walking down a hill that they hadn’t even realized they were on. As they drew closer to the city, V could see that the capital appeared a little brighter than he initially thought it was, though he also saw writhing shadowstuff lazily making its way back and forth across the outer walls as well as over random roofs in the area immediately beyond the walls. He also noted that the city sat on top of a cliff or hill, and a moat or ditch of some kind ran around the area’s base.

Then he saw the gate. Or rather, he saw a stone bridge that hung over the moat that was no doubt dug a little too deep to deter land bound invaders, and a large mass of people were somehow crowded onto the apparently sturdy walkway while a massive metal gate stood that was closed silently watching them as if it were the most vigilant watchman in the world.

Arial drew up next to V. “Just what the hell is going on here?” he wondered out loud.

~^+^~

Marik and Ally arrived at the theatre at last. The building matched the woman’s description perfectly, for it was indeed the largest building he had seen in the district all day. The theatre was a square wooden structure, with granite pillars holding the roof up to create a somewhat royal looking mini entrance plaza leading into the building.

The pair entered the set of double doors, and walked down a hall which was situated immediately to the left of the entrance labeled “Crew Only”. Oddly enough, the theatre was deserted and eerily quiet, almost to the point where the Hexblade expected a ghost to pop up at any moment.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

22-Jan-2011 04:50:02 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 18:04:06 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

The pair immediately came upon a door at the end of the hall, and went through it. They found themselves in a somewhat dark and spacious room, and Marik saw the Drow’s eyes glow in the darkness.

“It’s over here,” Ally said, motioning to a large circular form covered by a dirty cloth. Marik noted a smell that reminded him of carrion, and it seemed to emanate from the object in front of him. Drawing closer, he realized he was right, so he carefully clutched a handful of the cloth and quickly drew it off the form.

A loud CLANG resounded through the room as he did so, and it was followed by an all too familiar howl. Marik couldn’t help but jump back a step as the Doomhound collided with the bars of its circular metallic prison, much to Ally’s amusement.

“Wh-where the hell did you find one of these things?” he stammered.

“Oh, one of our scouts found this one wandering around Bloodgrove Forest while they were stalking a Rakshasa to evaluate for recruitment. The little blighter managed to kill one of the men and turn another into…well, whatever the hell this thing is…before the rest of the party managed to subdue it.”

“It’s a Doomhound,” Marik said. “And just how many men were in this party anyway?”

“I don’t know why you’d care, but three,” Ally answered.

“Damn. Whoever caught this thing must’ve had some major balls,” he replied. He added as he noted Ally’s curious stare, “A lot of these things attacked the Chantry’s tower a few days back. Romulus called them ‘Doomhounds’ at one point, and I soon learned why.”

“Oh, that,” Ally said dryly.

“Yeah. A gathering of really powerful mages got massacred by these things. Just seeing a learned mage take one on and lose was bad enough, so that’s why I’m surprised someone managed to capture one alive.”

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

22-Jan-2011 04:50:45 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 18:05:44 by A Mad Hatter

Dec

2005

A Mad Hatter

Forum Moderator Posts: 9,861 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“Well, then I suppose there’s something you should know about our little brotherhood,” Ally said.

“I already know you’re a demon cult,” Marik replied. “So what?”

“No duh. Everyone who’s made it this far had that part already figured out when they signed up,” Ally retorted. “Seriously. One thing you should know is this: We have the highest favor of our patron. *Nothing* can stand against that. Not even one of these creatures.”

“Who’s the patron then?” Marik asked.

“You’ll find out in time,” the Drow answered. “For now all you need to know is that there’s nothing that can stand against his favored.”

Marik nodded in understanding. The implied threat was all he needed to hear to confirm his suspicions. He glanced back at the Hound. “So, what’s the plan then?” he asked.

Ally smiled deviously. “Oh, it’s a good one I’ll say. Listen carefully, because we’ll have to act fast…within the next few minutes in fact!”

~^+^~

Uthalion led his patrol down the dark alley, intent on finding what he was looking for. It had seemed like days since he had been forced into joining the ranks of the emperor’s personal guard, though in reality it had been the better part of a week and a half or so. The time since the attack at the tower hadn’t been spent idle, however. As soon as he had arrived back at the capital with the Emperor himself, Uthalion had been quickly assigned to his own squadron of Ordinators and tasked with tracking down potential nests of Hounds in the capital…by any means necessary, of course.

The sound of something falling drew his attention to his right. A stack of boxes had fallen over somehow, leaving some cracked at best, and broken at worst. A whimpering sound came from behind the pile, and Uthalion turned to motion his squad to hang back and prepare for the worst.

^+^ Antediluvian of the Draculesti Bloodline ^+^

^+^ If the Gods see fit to curse us with the Blood, then we shall raise ourselves above them ^+^

22-Jan-2011 04:51:56 - Last edited on 31-Jan-2011 18:06:30 by A Mad Hatter

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