Aramia, part 1: BladeMage.

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Pumpkinetics
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Aramia, part 1: BladeMage.

Post by Pumpkinetics »

Well, I've started. Chapters will be separate posts, with linkage from first post. Prologue will be on first post for each segment. So, without too much adiue, (However it's spelt) I give you… the contents!

Contents:
1. A night's rest.
2. Encounter with the plague
3. To the borderlands.
4. A captive Venishari.
5. Escape via sewer.
6. The pale ones.
7. The first people.
8. Quarantine.
9. Mavri's Eye.
10. The Dream.

Prologue

Excerpt from Diary of Tylis, March 14th, 780 AC.

The events leading up to my current situation have been a weight on my shoulders for too long, and I shall write them down so as to keep them for when I need to remember who I am…

It all began with the horrors of the great plague. The plague destroyed the flesh of those it inflicted, and left few survivors. It still lurks in the deadly lands of the west, leaving the mountains impossible to get to.
The knights of the crown were badly struck by the red death (As commonfolk have named it) and few could flee from the west in time. Less than a tenth of the Knights survived, and most soon retired from service. This left the force seriously depleted in numbers, something my master Hestio was mortified about.
Hestio was a knight of high ranking in the Knights of the crown. He was always helping survivors and worried families. He was of divine strength and honourable reputation, but had little tolerance for improper behavior or tardiness. The force of the plague struck him mentally, and he panicked about the "Extinction of the knights" as he called it.
Hestio began recruiting squires as soon as the plague lost its ultimate virulency. He was continuing this until 15 years after, then he became slightly less edgy about the "Extinction", and decided to train only one more. Someone who could not only use the sword and bow, but also aid with divine powers in the aftermath.

I was only 12 at the time.

Being born from a middle class family with siblings in the thief's guild, my family were displeased at my wish to join the new knights of the crown, but I assured them that I would not reveal any details about my family's "Connections" It took a lot of persuading, but my diplomatic ability took over in the end. Last time I saw my family was as I was riding to the recruiting station nearby.
Hestio stopped by the building an hour after I got there, and saw some form of magic potential deep inside me. Barely two hours later I was on my way to his Barony.
I learned basic dagger and short-sword work at the age of 10, so my body soon became accustomed to the more slender longsword Hestio taught me with in the first months of my training calendar. I learned the history of Aramia, the names of great kings and other nobility, and ways to speak to nobles.
Hestio lived near a temple of Memeri, the scholar. I often paid visits to her great halls of books. I could read barely half a bookcase and learn more than I would have from a dissection of a dragon. I knew the clerks by name, and found them fascinating to talk to. Some spent their entire lives reading through the tomes of knowledge, and were more intelligent than sages.
One year after I began my master presented me with a grand gift. A bastard sword of fine quality, with a pattern like two interwoven threads along its length. I liked the sword. It was heavier, sharper and more balanced than the longsword I used, so I found myself using delicate dancing movements with the weapon, focusing on the flowing motions the weapon of a master's work could allow.
Soon I became so interested in weaponwork that I began learning weaponsmithing from my master. My first sword was crude, but still useful, and I carried it with me for a year before it broke. I had much more practice with the art of sword forging in the year that followed.
I was 14 and a half when my master announced that I would learn divine magic. I was so thrilled at the thought of power granted from the gods at my usage, and the honour that it would represent.
That night, something strange occurred. My hands seemed to glow a little. On closer inspection they seemed to have tiny bolts of lightning dancing around on the surface. I took it as a divine sign from Mavri, the protector, and was glad.
But divine magic, I never learned.
I had been working in the village forge on a bastard sword when a flustered peasant came to me. He said there had been noises, shouts and breakings, coming from Hestio's house. I rushed to my master's dwelling, and was shocked.
Books lay scattered over the floor. Swords had been taken, and anything that looked of value. Even my prized bastard sword was gone, and what wasn't taken was slashed to bits.

Including Hestio.

He lay there, still in his study clothes, his hand gripping a sword that had been taken. A blank look lay on my master's eyes, and a deep cut lay in his bare chest.
Not only did the thieves take material wealth. One of the gnomish servants said his child was kidnapped by the culprits.
There was only one small thing the robbers hadn't taken. A small box hidden with a small sum of gold. I grabbed the box, what I could salvage (some clothes and food, nothing more) and left, following the fresh tracks of the murderers.

I have followed these people for a week, and yet I feel strange. Am I truly Tylis the apprentice of the crown, or am I something else? The lightning on my fingers is growing brighter. I fear the thunder shall soon be heard…
Last edited by Pumpkinetics on Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Chapter 1

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Chapter one.

A night's rest.

The Inn of the Jumping Frog wasn't going so well. Sure, there was still a nice flow of customers each night, but after Hugh was seen with the plague a few months ago people became scared of the place, and rumors spread. Geoffrey sat at the door, waiting for someone, anyone, to ask for ale and a cheap bed, maybe even company. The job was boring, but at least it was better than cleaning out the stables.

Geoffrey's gnomish ears heard footsteps outside, and he instantly sprang to action. He climbed up his special ladder on the door and opened the eye slot.
"Whadda ya want?" Asked the diminutive doorman gruffly.
"I wish for a room for the night," replied the hooded man. Geoffrey opened the latch and opened the door. The hooded man stepped in and removed his hood.

Geoffrey could now easily see that the "man" was barely past boyhood. The face would have once been pale, but was now red, probably from many long days in the sun. He had messy black hair and eyes that had been dulled by sheer emotions. He could have almost looked handsome, had he bothered with such things. A crude-looking sword was strapped to his belt in a makeshift peacebond, and he wore fish-scale armor.

A traveler who's traveled too far, thought Geoffrey. Still, he led the youth to a room and gave him the key. Another customer satisfied, another gold'un pocketed in secret. Geoffrey returned to his work.

Tylis surveyed the room he'd been led to. It was small, with a bed and table. Not much, but the bed was enough. He needed sleep. The endless chasing of his master's murderers was weighing down heavily on him, and if he didn't get some rest, he was a goner.

Eventually he went downstairs. The inn seemed fair empty, save for a few card players. A young elf played the pipes near the front, a hat with a few coppers next to him.

Tylis sat at the bar and ordered mead. It wouldn't hurt much, and a bit of mead inside him usually made him feel better. The barmaid looked him over, then returned to her cleaning. Over came one of the card players, determined not to lose any more silver than he had already. He looked fairly drunk, but still sober enough to speak intelligently.

"Suppose you came for teh markit, eh?" asked the card-player. "Itsh fair huge it ish. Lotsa things for sale there, even gnomesh! Thinka the proffits! Getting' one a them short'uns to do the work for ya!"

Tylis tried to look uninterested, but inside he was feeling… intrigued. The market would easily attract those he was chasing. He was close! He felt it!

"Yeah, I guess I am here for the market. Where's the harm in that?"
[url=http://da-norvegicus.livejournal.com/tag/ty ... owledgment]This has nothing to do with lego or castle[/url]

Tales of Aramia may update one day.
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Nick
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Post by Nick »

Just so you know, I've copied your story into WORD, and saved it on my computer, to read it sometime. I've also saved your 'history of Aramia'. Looks intersting.
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Post by DarkDotDotDotMan »

A story with both detail and plotline "meat" that easy on the eyes to read. A story told with excellent narration and detail. A story with a fresh new background and told with excellent and much room to grow and expand in. A story that forechadows a dangerous end for a foolhardy hero who acts without wisdom, or at least, a companion or two. A story with a hero who is, so far, only guided with vaga destination by Revenge, the fall of many eager hero-wannabes.

With such words to I believe that I will enjoy this story. Two points of interest...

1. First point of interest,
"What kind of Hero is he?"
Is this character a Hero with Thief Skills and Magical powers or a Hero with Magical powers and Thief skills? What I mean is...
Is this Hero going to use his possible growing magical powers to survive and thrive or is he going to surivive and thrive on the possible thief skills taught to him in his youth?

2. Second point of interest,
"Pictures."
Like the title of the 2nd point of interest says, are you going to have pictures to illustrate the story?
If "No, I will not have pictures to illustrate the story." is your answer, then "Please disregard the rest of this Point of Interest Paragraph." But, If "Yes, I will have pictures to illustrate the story, then please do so if you wish to do so in any updates in the future.
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Post by Pumpkinetics »

Talk like the above might be better in the History and directory thread. As for characters, it's actually going to increase sixfold in a few chapters. This is really just a dramatic recount of our DnD adventures, focused around my character. Cast page may be put up soon on HaDT. And for pictures, my character is my soon-to-be avatar, but other than that I don't have the pieces.
[url=http://da-norvegicus.livejournal.com/tag/ty ... owledgment]This has nothing to do with lego or castle[/url]

Tales of Aramia may update one day.
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Chapter 2. (Finally)

Post by Pumpkinetics »

Chapter 2

Encounter with the plague.

Tylis stepped out of the square. He was suffocating from the mixed odors and harsh voices associated with a borderland market place, and his search was going nowhere. There wasn't a single gnome in sight, let alone shortfolk trading house. Where would those he pursued dare to go?

"Idiot," thought Tylis to himself. "Oh yes, they'll certainly pull a gnomish child out of a dirty bag and ask for bids. Oh yes, of course they'd do it in broad daylight, with swords and shields out everywhere." Tylis scolded himself and leaned on a nearby wall.

The sound of a lute could be heard from a nearby Stall. Tylis looked over to see a gnome playing on a table. Nearby a halfling merchant was using the Gnome to sell basic wares. Among the items was a leather cap with a pointed front, which caught Tylis's eye. He bought it for 3 coppers, along with a strange venishari curry. He ate the curry and sat down.

"Eh, what's the matter? You seem a bit down," said a young man, who now sat next to Tylis. Tylis looked at him, then finished his curry. The man looked at him, then drifted into his own thoughts. "I can understand how you must feel. My parents died from the very red death when I were only a little thing, and if it hadn't been for the purity of Mavri, I surely would have perished myself."

Tylis looked up again. The man looked to be in his early twenties, with an enthusiastic face that showed his lack of street knowledge. He wore a heavy-looking set of Armour, with a fair-sized mace at his side. A golden sword was emblazoned on his Armour, marking him as a Sword of Mavri. "So, what is the problem?"

"I'd rather not talk about it." said Tylis, and got up. He started walking away when he caught sight of a hooded figure. I seemed to be running to whoever was nearest at the time, but whoever faced it gained a look of horror, and would soon run far away. The sword of Mavri had also seen this figure, and now stood next to Tylis.

"What could possibly cause so much fear in those who only saw it?" asked the Sword, But in his heart Tylis already knew what that figure was a carrier of. The figure turned towards the two youths, and at that moment her hood fell down, revealing a dark red face that had seemed to crack from flaking. At once a cry shouted out over all the sounds of the market.

"PLAGUE!!!"

The woman looked frightened, and stood still. Tylis could hear the sound of metal echoing on gravel, and in front of his eyes a battalion of the Shields of Mavri cornered him, along with the Sword and five others. The words of Hestio returned to his head.

"The plague's initial attack may have been neutralised, but it still lurks within the unclean lands. If anyone should even venture into the clean lands with the plague, death is the only cure, with quarantine for all those who could have been infected. Nothing is safe, least of all us."

Tylis stood there, the Sword of Mavri next to him. His eyes moistened when he knew his chase stopped here, that those men who had led him on a grueling chase would leave without any difficulty.

And he ran.
[url=http://da-norvegicus.livejournal.com/tag/ty ... owledgment]This has nothing to do with lego or castle[/url]

Tales of Aramia may update one day.
DarkDotDotDotMan
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Post by DarkDotDotDotMan »

Ah... Excellent chapter. Well written. No more is needed to be said.
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