The Path of Condemnation

[cypher132]

This is a story arc that I will be writing by myself. This is a little teaser to start you off while I finish the storyline and place the different factions. Here you go. Also, many things in this will be non-canon but not completely outrageous.

Also, feedback would be great, just be respectful.

Prologue​

Jurgen ran as fast as he could, barreling down tunnels in a frantic dash to the entrance of the mine. He could see some light coming from over the next hill and ran faster, feeling that safety was at hand. As he reached the top he screamed and fell backwards, scooting himself away from a figure slowly approaching the man. "Please, please, please, don't hurt me. I have a family!"
The black-clad figure stood over Jurgen, placing his foot on the trembling man's chest. "Where is the artifact?" The figure pointed his sword at Jurgen's neck as he asked the question, showing he was not afraid to hurt the man if he didn't get what he wanted. "I don't know! I'm just a hunter! I was just out here hunting an-" The man's rambling ended with a smack to the cheek.
"That's not the answer I want. You know what I'm talking about" said the black-clad figure, placing his foot on the neck of Jurgen. "Just tell me, where is the artifact?" Jurgen coughed and spit up a bit of blood before spitting at the figure. "I'll never tell you where it is. You can kill my men and torture me all you want, but you'll never find it!"
The figure paused momentarily, as if he was almost sad that Jurgen had taken this route. "Very well." the figure said as his foot was slowly pressed down on Jurgen's neck. "I would have let you live, leave without fear of my men, without fear of retaliation. You could've been a free man and you chose the path of a condemned man. And for that....The punishment is death."
The figure stepped down hard on Jurgen's throat, cutting off his trachea and his air. The figure stepped down harder, causing Jurgen's eyes to bulge out of their sockets slightly as the last bit of fight drained out of him before the figure rose his foot. "I find strangulation..Too easy."
"Clean this mess up. Take it down to the mess hall and get it cooked up, The men deserve a full belly before we begin the steps towards our destiny, towards founding the Empire of the RaShan. We will build our forces, we shall stem the tide of Bannor and Elohim and we shall cleanse this world of all that is "good" and replace it with darkness. As soon as we find the Artifact, all shall kneel at the feet of the Gravedigger."​

 

[Elder Methyl]

Sounds good! Sorry I can't say more.

 

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Part One: The Destruction of Mazera​

The continents of Mazera were under siege. The few survivors were hysteric, shouting about a massive scourge of undead sweeping across the Western continent and then spreading to the East. Several villages and cities were purged and destroyed, the bodies risen to join the ranks of the undead. The civilizations on the continents suffered greatly, thousands dying and rising to attack their loved ones as their leaders fled to their galleons to escape the continents and start their tribe anew elsewhere.
Several cities and towns were destroyed while the small villas seemed relatively untouched, possibly not seen as a priority in whatever controlled the undead. Those few untouched headed south, hearing that the Nortek and Mazatl were arranging an evacuation off the continents, planning to head south in hopes of finding land. The evacuation was a last-ditch effort as most empires on the continents had been overrun.
As the refugees fled aboard the ships, Deremei Diranth attempted in vain to keep the line going as smoothly as possible, but the fear and anxiety had set in, knowing there was but a half hour before the dead arrived. Diranth demanded that women and children go first, and the Goblins, who believed in a patriarchal society, had a hard time dealing with it, but trusted in their respected leader.

A scream was heard from the back of the group and several heads turned to the hills, their last defenses against the undead. There, atop the hill, was a man clad in black, some kind of coat or cape flapping in the wind behind him. To his flanks were rows upon rows of skeletons and zombies. "Nortek! Mazatl! Refugees of all! I offer you peace! As you go on living in your mortal shell, my minions have been freed from the bond of life! Never will they age, never will they die of disease or hunger ever again. While their bones may show, it is a small detraction to the gift I am offering you!"
Several Orcs and Lizards stepped forward, enthralled by the words of this man. "Come to me! Come be reborn in the shadow of death!" Deremei hollered to all who would listen and began filing them into the boat faster as Yuler Madburner and Osi Silentkill led their clans into battle against the undead. Several of the skeletons fell, but the zombies were proving more difficult. Their skin had hardened, as if mutated in some way. The swords, daggers, and arrows merely penetrated a half-inch into the zombie skin.
Ung Rockmate roared as several of his Rockmate Clan stood and rumbled into battle. Skeleton heads and bones were smashed into dust by large stone clubs, zombies crushed down, their heads split and brains pouring as the Rockmate Ogres fought with a frenzy rarely seen. "Yuler! Osi! Get to the ship! We'll hold them off so you can escape!"
The two Goblins stared at Ung for his proclamation before nodding their heads and retreating their forces back towards the waiting ships, A portion of Skeletons had fought through the left flank and were beginning their slow march down the hill towards the refugee encampment. As the last Orc boarded one of the ships, Deremei Diranth looked back at Ung Rockmate. He roared defiantly, challenging the undead to come to him. The last Deremei ever saw of the Rockmate Clan was their leader being swallowed up by dozens upon dozens of the undead.
The Nortek and Mazatl were now homeless and sea-faring. Everyone agreed that going south was their only option. East or West would put them in a Maelstrom and going north would mean going back the way they came. So, south was set as the bearing and Nortek and Mazatl refugees settled down for a long journey.

 

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Part Two: Idyllic​

The village was Oanoa, under the Bannor empire. The fields were coming in nicely and it seemed it would be a good yield this year. The past few years had slight drought, leading to smaller yields than usual, but this year should be able to feed the whole village. Leus Usica had painstakingly seen to that, spending every day in his fields to make sure everyone would have food. Now, it was harvesting time, one of the hardest days of the year.
Leus looked out over his fields with pride, knowing he had conquered the earth and sprung new life from the ground. He could see his hired hand, Besia Tust, working in the fields, chopping the corn down and placing it in his collection basket. Tust was a good worker and had been a friend of the Usica family for several years and had never been tardy on anything. Leus stood there for a few more moments before going to make sure his sons were awake.
Farth and Tholle Usica could hear the knocking on their house, which was separated from the main house that housed Leus Usica, his wife Theta, and the handyman Tust. "Come in! We were just finishing out breakfast, father." Leus entered to find the hovel surprisingly clean, meaning it must have been their cleaning time or their mother got so furious she scolded them until they did. "We have a hard days work ahead of us, boys. The crops are ready for harvest."
The sons put on their working gloves and nodded. "Which side should I take? asked the younger Tholle. "I'll have you start at the Eastern end and Farth can start on the West. Tust and I will begin from the center. Sounds good to you?" Tholle nodded and headed out the door "You're the expert.” Leus couldn’t help but smile again as his sons exitted the house. He had given life to two responsible people. It filled him up with even more pride at this thought.

The four men worked hard for several hours before finally decided it was time for a rest. The four men had settled around some barrels, four of which were used as seating. Tust popped open a bottle of whiskey and offered some to the others. “Come on, there’s no sense resting if you don’t have a good time.” Farth and Tholle refused, saying they wanted to be clear-headed for their work. Leus laughed heartily and accepted the bottle from Tust. “There’s nothing wrong with feeling a little warmer as you work. As long as you don’t overdo it.” The half hour was filled with chatter and laughter before they began back to work.
It was close to dusk when they started feeling it was time to wrap up. As Leus was going to call in his sons, there was a piercing scream echoing from inside the fields. “Farth!? Tholle!? Tust!?” Leus sprinted towards the sound, hoping to find the wounded before anything worse happened. “AAHHHHH! No!” came the voice of Tust as Leus snapped his head to the right and began to sprint. “Tust! Tust!? Where are you!” The stalks of corn swished back and forth as something moved quickly from left to right, a screaming following it the whole way.
“Tust!” Leus sprinted towards the movement but found nothing but blood on the stalks. He began to track the blood he could see and ran into Farth. “Farth! Where is your brother!?” The two continued to follow the blood and screams as they talked. “Tholle ran to the house to get help. I don’t know where Tust went!” Suddenly, the stalks next to them bent down as Tust fell through them, his lungs and organs exposed as his rib cage had been removed. He reached a hand out and let out a gurgle before more movement sent Leus and Farth running.
As they neared the edge of the fields they could hear Tholle and his mother screaming their names, trying to guide them to safety. Leus exploded out of the fields and took a huge breath. Farth exited the fields and tripped. A large, clawed hand reached out from the fields and grabbed Farth by the legs and pulled him in. Leus grabbed his sons arms and began to try to pull him out of the field but whatever was on the other side was too strong. “Father! Father! Please, please! Help me! Help meeeee-” Blood spurted from the mouth of Farth as Leus lost his grip and Farth was dragged into the fields. Leus scrambled backwards, grabbed his family and ran to the nearest house. The only sounds they could hear as they ran were the sounds of their heartbeats and the screams of their son abruptly ending.

 

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Part Three: Abrupt Landing​

Seven weeks. Seven long, endless weeks. Deremei Diranth could only stand so much. He was not a Goblin born for sea travel, so he had taken to the habit of walking the ship, keeping mobile as he did on land. And so it was that he was at the helm of the ship when the Crow's Nest announced "Land ho!" and every Goblin on the deck scrambled to the side to look at this new land.
The land seemed livable. There were sheep grazing near the beach and there was evidence of fruits and vegetables, as well as a vast forest for wood. There was even a tribe nearby that could possibly trade with them, if they were friendly.Deremei was pleased. He was almost afraid they would never find land and merely wander the ocean until every Goblin and Orc on the ships died.
"Ok, this land will do. Bring the ship around and prepared to moor on the beach." The Goblins looked around nervously at the Goblin controlling the ship. "Umm..We had to evacuate before we learned how to." Deremei sighed and alerted the beginnings for a crash landing. Deremei went down to his barely adorned office and braced himself in a doorway.
The Goblins knew when they were getting close to land, feeling the ship rock and sway abruptly as it hit rock along the bottom of the sea floor. As the ship almost hit the beach, every Goblin made a prayer to their personal God, including Deremei himself.
The boat smashed into the rocks along the beach, cutting into the helm and the decks below it, killing any who had chosen it as a refuge. The Goblins on the deck struggled not to get thrown off and very few were able to do so. Deremei held fast, despite his weak leg. He felt he would make it through this before a large crate slid down towards him and toppled him over. Deremei tried to grab anything around him before the back of his head hit the wood.

Yuler Madburner and Osi Silentkill took quick control of their Clans, ordering them to bring the wounded to a designated area where the Shamans could do their work. Salvaging was also at the top of the list as they would need the supplies to restart on this new continent. Deremei had revived quickly, stumbling out of his office before shaking his head and attempting to walk down the makeshift ramp with authority, barely holding up the facade that hid the pain from the back of his head.
Makeshift camps were being made, with beds and campfires all around. Many Goblins began cooking some of the small mammals the hunters had caught. Normally this would provide little for their group, but they had lost a substantial chunk of their forces on landing, leaving less mouths to feed. Deremei chewed on the meat of an animal called a skorlus, a small animal that reminded him of a squirrel, but twice as large and less skittish, making them good food for a starting tribe.
Deremei grabbed his walking stick Nambus, which was rescued from the ship as fast as possible, and began to walk among the camp. Madburner was pointing the soldiers in the right directions and setting up watch times as Osi was working with his Clan to scout the surrounding area. The scouting reports had told of bountiful fruit trees and game in the forest and few carnivores in the area. The Nortek had survived so far, showing their resilience, but Deremei felt he had a long way to go to rebuild the Nortek.

 

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Part Four: Attack on Oanoa​

Leus, Tholle, and Theta scrambled away from their house only to see a scene of chaos. Fires were burning in several houses and there was blood staining the grass around them. Leus could see Godus Biarma run up to them with a lumberjack axe. "Run! I'll try to save the others! Get to-" Before he could finish his sentence a creature was upon him pinning him to the ground and sinking its claws into his chest.
They could see Margos Eganie come running out of his house and motioning to them "Help! My wife is inside!" Leus ran to Margos while Tholle hesitated, obviously feeling this was risking their lives. "Come on, please. My wife is upstairs." The men locked eyes and nodded before slowly entering the house. They searched the bottom floor, Leus grabbing the iron fire poker sitting next to the fireplace. With Leus taking the front, they slowly ascended the stairs, leaving Theta behind.
They neared the top of the stairs only to see Beas running to the door just to be grabbed the ankle and yanked back into the room. "Noooo! Beas! Beas!" The others began to muscle Margos back down the stairs as he screamed in hysteria for his wife. "No! No! My child is in there!" They were able to drag him towards the stairs as blood spurted through the open doorway, when another creature jumped onto a table and snarled before leaping at Leus.

Leus was forced back against the wall by the beast, holding its open jaws back with the fire poker, hoping it was enough. The beast backed up and roared angrily as it charged at Leus again. Leus held the poker out and closed his eyes, feeling it was the end as he felt resistance and the sudden feeling of something wet on his hands. He opened his eyes to find the creature dead, impaled on the poker through its open jaw. Leus threw the creature to the side and looked at it, taking in its features, losing all memory of anything else.
It looked like a dog-like creature with every surface of its body covered with hard brown chitin, save for the stomach which seemed to have a translucent, green chitin. It had four muscled legs, the front ending in four-fingered clawed hands, its back legs ending in wide three-toed feet. Its jaw was large and filled with sharp teeth, the teeth growing longer as they got closer to the front of the mouth. On its back were a row of hooked chitin lining down the spine. The tail ended in three spikes, two small sharp points on either side of a larger one. The eyes had a purple hue and seemed to be protected by a thin layer of translucent chitin. He was about to turn it over when he heard a window smash, as more of the creatures broke their way in, and ran down the stairs, motioning to the others.

"Run, run, run!" yelled Leus. "Those things are behind us! Get downstairs! Downstairs! Run!" The group scrambled down the stairs in hysteria, trying to avoid the monsters. They could hear a high-pitched squeal as the creatures found Margos's child, a pool of blood quickly spreading out of the room. "No! My child!" screamed Margos as he attempted to climb the stairs again. Leus grabbed him by his shirt yelling "It's too late! She's dead!" Tholle kicked the front door open and tried to help bring Margos down the stairs.
Suddenly, one of the creatures turned the corner and grasped the man's leg and began to pull, shrieking and snarling at the men below. Margos screamed in agony as the creature decided to eat Margos where he was, chewing into his midsection as he lay on the stairs. Leus and Tholle backed up and ran out of the house as Margos was dragged up the stairs to the child's room, screaming the entire way as his organs trailed behind him.
The Usicas ran through the streets, watching fellow villagers get dragged into holes, under or into the window of a house. "Come on! We need to get out of town! Head towards the Anaan Forest! I'll meet you there!" yelled Tholle as he grabbed a pitchfork and ran towards a woman hiding under a ruined fence as a creature snapped its jaws at her. Leus, unable to do anything and stricken with fear, ran to the nearest house only to find his neighbor Pylenis Ceaeu hanging from a rafter by his intestines.

Leus fought back the urge to vomit, grabbed his pale-faced wife, and backed out of the house. He turned and began his way to the forest when another shrill scream rang out. He turned to find his son Tholle battling a giant blue creature covered in scales, swinging its claws about. Tholle was able to parry a swing then sink his pitchfork into the creature's chest. The creature roared then grabbed the pitchfork, slowly pulling it out of its chest and throwing it aside. Tholle tried to scramble away, but the creature grabbed his ankle, pulling him towards it, putting its foot on his back. "Tholle!" screamed Theta. The creature reached down and wrapped its hand around his head. It pulled back and the head slowly separated from the body, spine dangling from the skull. As the creature roared, Leus screamed and Theta began to weep. Only the need to protect his wife kept Leus from grabbing anything and running into battle. He grabbed his wife and they both ran into the Anaan Forest, where they ran and ran and ran as small beady eyes watched them from the treetops.

 

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Part Five: Witness Death​

The deer had been roasted and the rice boiled, it was time for dinner. Votakara picked up his plate and walked over to the makeshift stone table and bench he had carved over several days. Votakara sat and pulled the stone cup of water closer to him and closed his eyes momentarily, giving into his habit of thanking the gods for his meal. As he prayed, his thoughts gave way to Mazera.

He had left that continent long ago, finding it too chaotic for his liking. He had settled down far away on another continent within a cave. He had found it simple to carve different outcroppings of the cave into what he needed. A bed, complete with a bedroll he stole from an unwary traveler. He had carved himself a table and a bench upon which to sit. He found a way to maneuver a large rock into the cave and carve it into a fire pit where he cooked the deer he hunted. He had discovered a natural rice patch nearby which he used in his diet.
He spent much of his time thinking, contemplating his life and the philosophies of others. He never spoke up, knowing his "teachings" would be called blasphemy and most likely only accepted by the Ashen Veil, who he'd rather avoid. So he spent his time writing with paper, feathers, and ink he had stolen from travelers. a surprising amount of who carry those items. He wrote document after document and stored them in a stone hollowed out with a stone lid. He had accrued dozens and dozens of documents in his years of isolation and he preferred it.

As he sat in his silence, he sensed a change in the air around him, as if it had shifted in accordance to another being. He opened his eyes and slowly looked around the cavern. There were no signs of another being in the light coming from the fire pit, but Votakara had developed keen instincts. His instincts told him something felt wrong and he believed them. He reached slowly for his sword, a relic from his old days with the Sidar on Mazera.
Hearing a rock drop to the left, he swung his blade outwards and turned, finding nothing. He stepped forward slowly, listening for sounds among the cavern, but the damn walls caused sounds to echo, leaving him unsure where the sounds came from. He heard his rice bowl fall to the ground and swung downwards, impacting the stone table. Votakara backed up, nervously glancing around for an enemy who seemed comfortable in the dark.
He heard another rock move and swung, meeting a blade that reached out of the darkness. Votakara grabbed a log in the fire pit and held it up to find a skeleton, intent on his death. He swung his blade again only to be parried by the skeleton and punched in the stomach. Votakara dropped the flaming log and held his stomach, holding his sword out in front of him ready for attacks. The skeleton swung his arm to punch again, only for Votakara to separate it from its elbow. However, in this movement it left his left arm open, allowing the skeleton to swing its blade down and connect with the shoulder, severing skin and muscle and leaving the arm useless.

Votakara screamed and kicked the skeleton away. He stumbled backwards towards the entrance of the cave as the skeleton followed, smashing its arm against a rock and letting everything below the shoulder fall to the ground. Votakara looked back and could see the skeleton, lumbering forward intent on his death. Votakara looked around and saw a pile of rock, a plan he had set up ahead of time. He peered down the cliff and saw a lake. He looked back at the skeleton before leaping off. The skeleton lumbered forward before stopping short of the edge. The ground had been disturbed, indicating a trap. He walked to a different section and looked down, peering at Votakara before deciding he would die of blood loss soon enough.
Votakara slowly stumbled out of the lake, holding his left shoulder together, trying to make it as close to Oanoa as he can, hoping he can tell the elder what he knew.

 

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Part Six: Unlikely Clan​

Padish Bladerainer was foraging through the trees of the Anaan forest, as was his duty every fourth day of the week. He was sleek and powerful creature, covered in fur from face to foot. The claws on his hands and feet were kept short from use of a grinding rock. As he moved from branch to branch, he showed visible difficulty, as his race was not designed to climb trees and merely did so to reach the fruit at the top. He always kept two hands on any branch he was going to, with a basket hanging from his left arm, filled with various fruits.

His basket was filled with ripe apples and the rare orange when he heard a commotion below. Placing his basket on a secure tree limb, Padish climbed down from the canopy to observe the action. Several humans were running and screaming, trying to encourage the others to continue as the stragglers were grabbed by creatures that he and his people call Shrieks.
His Clan's doctrine clearly states to stay out of human affairs, but the Shrieks had not only been attacking the human villages, but raiding Bladerainer Clan patrols. He finally decided he had to help somehow. His people had set up a trap in case of an emergency and he could only hope it would help in this case. He moved slowly towards the trap, losing time as he continually slips and catches himself.

He finally reached a large tree with a vine wrapped around it. This vine was tied to another tree, 19 feet away and intertwined with trees and tied to the tree he was currently on. This kept the trees in the vine from falling, as they had been previously chopped at the bottom, leaving only the vine holding them up. Padish removed his stone dagger and began hacking at the vine as the humans passed underneath him.
The vine finally gave way as dozens of trees came crashing to the ground, crushing the Shrieks and cutting off easy access to the interior of the Anaan Forest. While it was a defense, it was a temporary one, meant only to hold off an enemy until another plan could be formulated. He could see the humans becoming confused and attempted to yell to them. "The mounds! Run to the mounds!" The humans looked up and seemed startled to see Padish, but complied, most likely out of fear than common sense.

As the Shrieks worked to get around the barricade the previous tree collapse had made, Padish let out a roar and several roars answered him. From behind and out of the mounds came dozens upon dozens of Orcs, wielding wooden spears with bronze tips, racing down the slope towards the on-coming Shrieks, some helping the humans into the mounds and placing their own bodies between them and the Shrieks.
It was a long and brutal battle, several Orcs died, but many more Shrieks died which was found acceptable. The Gretchins began to move the bodies to their designated areas, Shrieks into a large pit with dozens of of other Shriek corpses, and the Orc bodies to the burning pit where they would be honored later in the night through cremation. The lead human seemed exhausted and was drinking from a stone cup given to him by another Orc, his hands visibly shaking.

"You don't need to worry, human. We prefer to be at peace with the other races than live a constant war. My name is Padish Bladerainer and I am the leader of this Clan." The leader looked Padish up and down and then nodded. "My name is Leus... Leus Usica. You don't...Look like an Orc. I mean.." Padish laughed in a guttural fashion, almost human but with the small sense of a growl.
"Yes, this is true. I am a Vahua." Leus was stunned to see such a creature living among the Orcs. From the legends he had heard the Vahua don't much like Orcs. "So, tell me. What happened to your village? Your people rarely come this far into the forest, much less screaming in terror." Padish let out a rough chuckle. "I apologize. A joke on my part. But please, tell me what happened. Leus spend the next hour speaking with Padish and explaining the attack on Oanoa and their flight from the village.
After a while, Leus decided to ask a question of his own. "Well..How did you come to be here? You can't be the son of an Orc, can you?" Padish let out another guttural laugh. "No. I would tell you where I am from, but alas, I can't remember back then. From what I was told, I lived with a group of others just like me. However, they had to abandon the village due to an attack and, somehow, I was left behind. An Orc found me and chose to raise me into the Clan. I proved myself in battle and the others respected me. I always thought because I could think a little clearer than them. I was named leader after our old leader died of disease. I know nothing of my original Clan. I don't even know if I should call them a Clan."

Padish looked into the fire in front of Leus and himself. "I wish I did know more, but as I grew I began to consider these Orcs my family. Soon I developed a dream. A dream of a peaceful Orc society. Not one with constant war, but one that could trade with other empires. The Bannor, Elohim, Kuriotates...I could see such prosperity for my Clan if we could do such a thing. However, it's beyond our reach at this time."
At this moment Padish was interrupted by an Orc rushing into the cavern. "Excuse me, sir, but several ships have been seen on the beach to the North. They seem to be of Goblin origin. They've set up a base camp, but we haven't seen any hostility. What should we do?" Padish nodded. "Don't worry. I'll take care of this myself."

Between The Lines 1
Takes place during Leus entering the mound and his conversation with Padish​

"Everybody get up and prepare for an assault! Those Shrieks should chew through that wood in a few minutes! Gretchin! Start lighting those lamps, Shrieks don't like fire!" The Orcs and Gretchin rushed to do the bidding of General Brik Flamesmasher. He had risen through the ranks for his martial prowess, not to mention his enchanted flaming hammer. "Archers, make sure you aim for the cracks between their armor!"
As he yelled that order the first of the Shrieks made it through, meeting a wave of Orc soldiers hacking and slashing them apart. Several Orcs fell only to be replaced by one behind him. Flamesmasher wielded his hammer and ran into battle, swatting Shrieks left and right, crushing them instantly. He grabbed a Shriek attacking another Orc and tore it off, throwing it to the ground and crushing it. "Soldier, grab that torch! We'll light this barricade on fire!"
"But, sir, won't that burn down the whole forest?" Brik slapped the soldier across the face. "Fool, we have water shamans, now get to work!" He turned to see a Shriek leap through the air and swatted it towards a growing pile of Shriek corpses. The barricade soon erupted into flames, catching the creatures on it in the flames, burning them to their deaths. Behind them, more Shrieks came swarming out of the trees, jaws snapping with razor-like teeth. "Boys! We have a long day ahead of us!" yelled Flamesmasher as he brought his hammer down on a Shriek's head.

Several Orcs fell, done in by the razor sharp teeth of the Shrieks. However, slowly, the Shriek numbers dwindled until the final one was crushed by Flamesmasher himself. He raised his hammer above his head and let out a war cry that was met by every other Orc in the encampment. The Flamesmasher encampment had been defended.

 

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Part Seven: The Meeting​

Deremei was poking his fish with the sticks they were forced to use as forks for the time being. He was exhausted. Well over 100 years, leading this group of Goblins that he himself had brought together and named. They had come close, so very close to being a major power on Mazera before the continent split. But every time he and his people had to flee and start anew. It was..Taxing. He had seen good friends die, he'd seen enemies die, he'd seen everyone die. It was the curse of being immortal.

However, he was the leader of the Nortek. He was the bastion for Goblins everywhere. He couldn't give up. He shook his head to get the negative thoughts out of his head and continued to eat his fish. The Nortek encampment, named New Oro, had become a very good source of fish and crab. Many Goblins spent their times along the river banks hoping to catch a fish or two. The fields had been grown. Corn, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, they were able to grow it all in this new land.
Buildings had been constructed quickly as no Goblin wanted to spend the night out in the dark and cold. There was a warehouse, a general store, stables for the wolves, a creche for the children to stay in, and even a government office for himself, complete with a third floor patio going all the way around the building as per his orders. No matter where he is, Deremei always enjoyed his leisurely walks in the morning, keeping an eye on the troops and the people under his care.

He was sitting in his office as per usual, looking over reports of things like the yield of crops, the crimes committed in the village, scouting reports, and, every three days, a request for raw meat and a door nail from Kaag Plaguebearer, who was supposed to have been arrested weeks ago for biting a woman repeatedly. Deremei turned to his right hand Goblin Snat Bonefinder, "Why is there such an increase in crimes in the past week? We've only been here a few weeks and people are already resorting to crime."
Snat pulled out some parchment hidden under a stack of books containing financial and military numbers and looked it over. "Well, sir. It is close to the full moon and our astrologers believe that it has an effect on creatures, even Goblins." Deremei sighed. That meant every month he'd have a slew of crime-committing Goblins going in and out of the New Oro jail. "Ok, let's try to set up a carnival of some kind. Make up some games. Hopefully, it'll keep them busy."

As they continued their work, there was a sudden commotion outside the doors. Deremei could hear steel meeting steel which meant only one thing, there was an intruder in the village. He stood and grabbed his staff Nurumb and made his way to the soldiers hidden behind a door torn off the hinges. "What's happening, soldier? Are we under attack?" The Goblin seemed stunned at first to see Deremei then composed himself the best he could. "We can't tell, sir. My platoon was at the entrance to to the village when one of them saw a wolf and went to attack it."
Deremei nodded and beckoned him to continue. "Well, that man never returned. After that the other guards around me started to die. I ran to the barracks to warn them, but that...Creature was already in the village" Deremei stood and looked out over door to see a creature that looked Werewolf, but clearly wasn't. This creature was a Vahua, the people of the Ngomele, a race he had studied briefly on the trip to this new land. "Tell everyone to fall back. I'll deal with this. Vahua!" The Vahua stopped short of impaling a Goblin with its claws before turning to Deremei.
"There has been enough bloodshed. What is it you want?" The Vahua wiped the blood from its claws on the hem a dead Goblin's shirt. "I came to try to form an alliance but your guards began to attack me. I had to defend myself." Deremei stepped out from behind the door barricade and approached the Vahua. "My name is Deremei Diranth. I am the Chief of the Nortek, a society for Goblins." The Vahua looked around warily, as if confirming to itself what Dermei had said.
"My name is Padish Bladerainer. I come from an Orc Clan, the Bladerainer Clan. I am their leader. Our reports informed us of crashed ships on the Iodu Beach and I decided it would be best to make a truce." Deremei dug his staff into the ground slightly as he contemplated what he had just been told. A truce with an Orc Clan he had never met led by a Vahua who seemed more than content with killing his people or facing this unknown land by themselves. "Very well, Padish. You have your truce."

 

[cypher132]

Part Eight: Tragedy​

"So, you really grew up amongst the Orcs?" asked Deremei, still confused by the situation. Beside him walked the Vahua known as Padish Bladerainer, and they were followed by a small contingent of Blooddrip Clan warriors, fine guards when given a mission. "Yes, it's true. I never knew my real mother and father, I just knew they looked like me. I was told they had abandoned me and I was adopted by one of the local Orcs, Virg, and nursed to full adulthood."
"It's an interesting story. Mine is different and long. Very, very long.." Deremei said with what seemed to be a sigh of dismay. "How far until the village? We've been walking for an hour." Padish sprinted to a tree and bounded to the top. "We just have to follow the smoke, it's just that way, but..There seems to be a lot..Gods, the village is under attack!" Padish dropped from the tree and sprinted towards the village, leaving Deremei and his honor guard to catch up.

When Padish reached the wooden gates, he could see small creatures, covered in chitin swarming around the village. Bodies lay strewn about, some partially eaten. Padish drew his stone dagger and rushed into the village. All around him were small beetle-like insects swarming over the bodies, living or dead. Numerous glinting eyes turned to look directly at Padish, who suddenly felt a little outnumbered.
Deremei's honor guard roared and ran to the side of Padish, holding their weapons at the ready and waiting for the Shrieks to make their move. The true battle then began as a Shriek leapt from the top of a vendor's shack, only to be impaled on a spear. Other Shrieks took this as a message to attack and began to swarm towards the group. Shriek after Shriek died, never realizing they were on the losing end.
An honor guard took a horn in the shoulder and screamed before being dragged into the pulsating mass of chitin around the group. Deremei raised his staff and chanted a few words before pointing it at the mass of insects. A sudden gust of wind sent dozens flying, impacting and cracking into various objects in the village. Several honor guard were swept away as well, but
Padish remained as the spell subsided. Padish fell to a knee, breathing heavily and clearly upset.

The guards blown away by the spell hobbled to their leader, some holding broken arms and legs. Deremei sat on a nearby brick to catch his breath, casting such a spell cost energy and he had used a lot. "My village..My home..It's gone. Empty and lifeless." Padish punched the earth and tried to keep back tears. "They were my family..Someone was behind this. These creatures were tiny and docile just a few years ago..I'll kill whoever was behind this. I swear it." Deremei stood and approached Padish.
"Then avenge them. Join me and my Nortek and we'll hunt down the person responsible. You'll be granted a room in the great hall as part of my honor guard. All you have to do is give me your word." Deremei held out a hand and looked Padish in the eye. Padish stared at Deremei for a few seconds before grabbing his hand, "I give you my word, I will honor the Nortek."
"Sir! We found these two hiding in a building." Two Goblin warriors pushed forth a human man and woman. They were dressed as mid-class, but had become dirty due to the recent events. "Leus? Leus Usica? You survived!? Gods, all is not lost." Padish fell to his knee as if praying to some deity,
"Leus? You know this man?" Deremei glanced at Padish. "Is he a friend?" Padish rose from his knees and nodded, an oddly human gesture for a Vahua. "Yes, he was part of my Clan before this..Before this happened. The woman is his wife, Theta." Deremei pointed to the guards holding the Usicas and beckoned them to follow him. "There seems to be a lot we need to be informed about. I'll expect you to do so." The persons in question nodded and followed the Goblins back to New Oro.
As the group left the ruins of the village, a figure exited the broken down elder council and watched them leave.

 

[cypher132]

If anyone feels like doing a little writing, I need three people to write one document from Votakara each. It will be posted in the story and you will be given credit for your contribution. Thank you and PM me if you're interested.

 

[cypher132]

Between The Lines 2
A False Dawn: The Bannor Empire before Zaranthis
During the brief interlude between the Second Age of Ice and the Zombie Plague, the Empire of the Bannor experienced a short revival. After a brief phase of xenophobia, the Empire forged a firm alliance with the Kuriotate Nation, allowing their forces to march east against the barbarians. With the help of the newly-promoted General Athena, they managed to score several victories, winning valuable territory and resources. At the same time, they opened diplomatic relations with the Elohim and Amurites hoping to restore the old alliances of Mazera.

But alas, it was not to be as a horde of the undead came unbidden from the West, crushing the Hippus and the Ngomele. Zaranthis himself assaulted Warrior's Promise, killing the Bannor Lord Commander in single combat. As the dream ended, General Athena and the Orcish Paladin Gulzmurk led the intact Eastern Army to the Kuriotate city of Lorda, where the last refugees of the Empire had gone. There, they embarked on great ships prepared by Lord Cardith himself. Meeting with fleets from the Elohim and Amurites, it was decided that they make the evacuation into a joint effort under the Kuriotate lord.​

(Special thanks to Elder Methyl for writing this)

 

[cypher132]

Part Nine: Travel​

Deremei, his honor guard, Padish, and the Usicas were traveling back to New Oro, the honor guard jumpy after having heard the stories of what happened at the Bladerainer encampment. Dozens upon dozens of dog-sized bugs? Covered in chitin, armed with teeth and claws meant to kill? Now and then a Goblin would jump at his shadow, only to be reassured by his comrades.
Deremei himself was in the center with Padish and the Usicas, Leus holding a torch so the group could see where they were going. "How is it that you survived the attack? Everyone we found was dead or in the process of being killed." Deremei looked at the Usicas curiously. "How did you survive?" Leus shrugged and held his wife closer.
"We heard a commotion outside, screams, so we ran into our cellar and locked the door. I braced the door as those creatures started banging on the door, trying to break it down. It almost sounded like they reacted in pain every time they hit the door. I felt a strong sense of energy, but I can't tell if that was just my adrenaline. Eventually it got quiet and I laid next to my wife and waited for many hours. Then your men broke the door down." Deremei thought it over. Invasion is common in this day and age so war cellars were present in many houses. This one must have been in disrepair or the soldiers wouldn't be able to break in. Leus paused as if remembering something before Deremei try to get his attention again.

"So, when did the bugs first attack?" Leus swallowed, nervous that he was in the presence of a country's leader. "At night. There was a scream and suddenly hundreds were upon us. Swarming all over everyone. Men, women, even the children. They almost seemed coordinated at times, but that can't be. They're just insects." Theta placed her hand on her husband's shoulder. "It's ok now, honey. We're going to a new place." Leus always enjoyed Theta's optimism. It counterbalanced his pessimism.
"You'll both be receiving a house since we just built a new wing to New Oro. I think you'll find it comfortable, now that we no longer make things exclusively Goblin-size." Theta smiled at this and squeezed her husband. "And we can have a child. Oh, that would be great to have a son running around the cabin again." Leus took his wife's hand and squeezed it. "Not for a while, honey. We need to get settled."

As the group neared New Oro a figure clad in black leapt to a branch over them studying his quarry. The Goblin leader and the middle-aged man were his targets and he was hell-bent on fulfilling the contract. He could tell which Goblin was the right one due to the way the others treated him. Deremei Diranth. Leader of a Goblin uprising. He had to be removed, but the man was given more importance in the contract.
As he watched them enter New Oro, he looked around the primitive wooden walls, finding they'd be easy to breach. All he would have to do is wait until nightfall and then the contract could be fulfilled. The Nightwatch life certainly does pay off.

 

[cypher132]

The forum has forgotten what this post said and replaced it with this text.

(Not really.)

 

[cypher132]

Between the Lines 3​

"This doesn't seen like a bad place to settle down." remarked Parit Teson, a Grigori settler, We're on an island so we have water and I can see plenty of fruit. Let's set up camp on this beach." The other Grigori set about unpacking food rations and building supplies as the surveyors checked the surrounding land. They found Parit to be right. Plenty of land that could be cultivated and much wood that can be used for expansion.
But there was a problem. All the settlers and the guards that came with them could sense it. It took them a minute to realize it. It was too quiet. Not a single bird chirping or creature rustling through the grass. Just the wind blowing the leaves of the trees and the sound of waves crashing on the beach, "Uh, sir. Something doesn't feel right." Teson's right-hand man said. "I know, Udaal. Keep your sword at the ready. I want everyone on alert until the barricades are built."

A worker dropped a cart on the sand and opened it, rummaging through it to find the hammers and replaced the lid. As he did so, a skeleton standing in front of him cleaved his skull in half. Several workers saw this and screamed, alerting the guards to the intruders. Several more skeletons began to lumber out of the forest, completely silent but clearly intent on murder.
Parit turned to run to the ships and stopped short. The skeletons had surrounded them and were keeping them from boarding their ships. Parit unsheathed his sword and swung it at one of the beasts, but it merely chipped off some bone and seemed to anger the creature. It rose its spear above its head and brought down through Parit's neck, twisting it before pulling it out and leaving him to die.

A pale figure clad in black stepped forward and looked at the dead settlers, causing many of he skeletons that noticed him to fall to one knee in reverence. "Many of them can be used. Bring them to the Altar of Unlife. They will be useful in commandeering these ships. We should be able to find what belongs to us sooner than I thought." The figure held up a small crystal which glowed a sickly green. "I will find and claim what is mine."

 

[cypher132]

Between the Lines 4
This takes place during the attack on the Bladerainer village​

Abren Vaus stumbled as his foot caught another rock, almost tumbling off the side of the cliff, but he caught himself. He stared down the side, growing anxious when he attempted to guess how far down it was. He grabbed the rocks to his left with both hands after this, slowly making his way to the top of the hill. Malcus had told him that when he reached the top, he would see his destiny. Malcus was never wrong, even when he told him to leave the Balseraphs.
Several small rocks fell above Abren as a bird landed in a nest, nearly hitting him. He planned to give the bird a wide berth as he didn't want to fall to his death fending it off. Abren could tell he was getting close, the leather bag at his side growing warmer as he got closer. He reached upwards, grasping onto the edge of the plateau, pulling himself up and over. He lay on his back and caught his breath, trying not to look down and see how far up he was.
Abren sat up and grabbed the leather bag, opening it and pulling out a human skull. He held it up and looked at it. He couldn't see any damage, breathing a sigh of relief. He had been suspicious when the mage offered to enchant his bag, but it turned out to be legitimate. "Malcus, I'm here. What do I do now?" Abren stared at the skull and waited before he heard a voice echo in his mind.
"Go to the edge and look out across the valley. Look for the smoke." Abren stood and looked around him. He couldn't see any smoke, but it was a cloudy day. He walked over to the other side and looked into the distance, seeing smoke rising from a village in the valley below. "I see a burning village. Am I to go there?" He waited for a response, but heard nothing.
Abren took the silence as confirmation and placed the skull back in the leather bag. He could reach the village in a few days if he walked during daylight. As he descended slowly down the hillside, he felt the familiar sense of unease that always made him feel he was about to walk into trouble.

 

[cypher132]

Part Ten: Strategize​

Deremei returned to his office, where his advisors were waiting, pages and pages of maps and other strange documents littering a marble table. "Ok, tell me what the scouts have reported." Yuler nodded and pointed to various places on the map on the table. "To our North are the Mazatl, we've been in contact with them since we left Mazera so they'll alert us to any dangers they see. There's a long mountain chain to our west going along to the south with a small pass to the next valley, which is inhabited by the Khazad who have been open to contact. They tell us that the Elohim and Svartalfar are nearby fighting over the Tomb of Sucellus, but our scouts haven't seen this themselves. From our ships out in the water we can see buildings on a large island northwest across the Porik Sea, which have been confirmed as the Lanun due to the flags on the ships around the harbor. We can't reach them however, so contact is cut off from them."
After considering this wave of information carefully, Deremei felt he knew what to do. "Send the golden statuette the explorers brought back to the Khazad. Maybe we can convince the dwarves to help us in defense if we are attacked. Send word to the Mazatl about the Lanun and see if they can find a way to the island to contact them. Also, send an exploration vessel along the coast to the south. We need to know what else is around us." Deremei watched his advisors leave and sighed before walking over to the wolf pen.

The wolf was wounded, but it would live. Several Goblin shamans surrounded the wolf, named Venom by the Goblins for its strange mutations, harder skin, slightly increased intelligence, and venom sacs that can be emptied as it bites, most likely done by a human mage. The creature had been founded with a spear in its side, barely holding on to life. The Goblin scouts had carefully dragged it back to New Oro and the shamans went to work.
Deremei Diranth stood silently, watching the shamans do their work. He had requested a wolf mount due to his leg, which rendered him almost useless in combat if not for his staff Nambus. Having a wolf mount would allow him to still be viable in combat if needed.
Life magics flowed through the wolf's wound, pulled skin, muscle, and sinew back together, stopping the bleeding and closing the wound. One of the beast handler's dropped a piece of steak in front of the wolf and the crowd stood back. Venom stood slowly, testing its legs and the wounded side. He looked around carefully at the Goblins surrounding him, but a smell dragged his attention to the steak in front of him.
Venom stepped forward slowly, hunched down with its tail between its legs, surveying the Goblins as it neared the meat. Seeing no aggressive actions, it stepped forward and grabbed the meat. It put its paws on it to hold it down and tore away chunks to eat. The beast handlers were pleased with the reaction, Venom seemed to understand that the Goblins wished it no harm.
Deremei stepped forward slowly and held a hand out. Venom backed up and bared its teeth for a few seconds before falling to its stomach in submission. He seemed to know that even if he attacked the approaching Goblin, the others would kill it, showing a keen survival sense. Deremei slowly placed his hand on Venom's head and rubbed gently. Venom realized this was an affectionate action and began to lick Deremei's hand.
"Well, sir. It appears you have yourself a mount. Venom seems to have bonded himself with you." The beast handler offered Deremei a leather leash, but he refused it. Deremei back to stroke Venom's back as the shamans watched in amazement. Deremei offered a small bit of meat and Venom stood, taking the meat. Deremei carefully approached Venom's side and pulled himself up on his back. Venom tried to look at him, but felt a reassuring pat on the head from his new master. Deremei smiled and grabbed his staff before riding into town.


Leus disrobed and yawned. It had been a rough couple of days. He sat on the edge of the bed and let his mind wander back to Oanoa. His sons. His only sons had been torn apart or..Or worse. He was simply glad his wife had survived. He believed she was in shock, obviously from the stress of the past few days. She insisted on having a new child, clearly to replace the lost ones, but Leus wasn't ready. He looked at her sleeping form and sighed.
He laid down and pulled the covers over him, wrapping his arm around his wife. Now that they're in New Oro, they'll be able to build a new life. Someday, he'll be ready to have children again. He'll find a job in town and it'll be better than their lives in Oanoa. Leus smiled at this thought and fell asleep as his wife's black hair slowly turned a deep red.

 

[cypher132]

I've been making edits to the parts already posted so they're different from before. I have been writing but I want to get everything together before posting the next few parts. I'll probably end up posting one tonight, time permitting.

 

[ClasuSiosa]

Gripping, can't wait for more!