by
Joel Levy
It is recorded in the Book of Judgments that Marquis Strond of Brocalinde province accused his cousin Argruel Morthelm of practicing Necromancy and subversion.
Before the matter could be adjudicated, Argruel Morthelm fled within the forest of
Brocalinde, which shelters many a felon. Along with him, he took his daughter and her
husband, a knight who thereby broke his oath of fealty to the Marquis.
For no apparent reason, the marquis failed to pursue the fugitives vigorously. As the
seasons passed, the marquis' health grew worse. A stroke of apoplexy ended his
life six years later. By that time most of the people living outside the forest had forgotten the existence of the necromancer but had the necromancer forgotten about the people who had forced him into exile. Did he plot a horrid revenge? Not really, he had forgotten them as well. Another ten years pass…
First Lord Arkruel enjoys a brunch upon his terrace with his immediate family, his daughter Olindara and his grandson Kitric Morthelm Alpein. "What paltry dreams I dreamed then; what pedestrian ambitions! I plotted to overthrow my cousin and become the marquis. My cousin is dead now, but his daughter is welcome to the title and the dumpy little castle."
"What ambitions and goals do you have for our family now?" his daughter asks.
"To plunder long lost cities, overthrow the rulers of alien dimensions and seize their power for ourselves," he responds. "To make the Lords of Darkness rich and feared throughout the lower planes."
"I know that you both escaped to the forest to avoid a trial for necromancy before the priestesses of Sif and Hel", Kitric interjects. "When did Lords Georginna and Drogo join you."
"? Still infatuated by our beautiful druidess?" Arkruel laughs. Kitric's adolescent crush on Georginna was an open secret and a source of merriment to all the manor's residents, except for the lady herself of course. "Georginna Trask had married a knight just as your mother did. However, it was not the success Olindara and Gregor Alpein's marriage was. Her husband had agreed that she would be free to leave on evenings to perform druidly duties. In fact, she had contacted me and we were already involved in the experiments, which created the hyanadons and other unnatural creatures.
Her husband suspected she was having an affair and had her followed. One evening he showed up here with a squad of tough looking mercenaries. He called her an evil deceitful bitch, which was true. He then called her an adulteress, which was false.
Georginna summoned her hyanadons and sicced them upon the mercs. I believe parts of her husband ended up as food for her giant insects."
"Really Kitric", his mother interjects, "I do wish you could get over this infatuation and find yourself some nice young lady. You need someone to be a lifetime companion and lover and mother of your children."
Kitric did not respond. It would be cruel to remind his mother that no nice girl was likely to marry into the family of an outlawed necromancer, not want a witch for a mother in law. Besides he intended to travel all over Odessa with his friends, and have adventures.
It was a source of constant friction with his grandfather that he refused to apply himself to the study of necromancy and acted like a feckless 17 year old, which her was.
"I spoke last night with the Spirit of a paladin of the Serpent People who was killed over a thousand years ago. He was very charismatic", Kitric continued as his mother excused herself and walked away. "We talked of war and love. He showed me scenes of battlefields ablaze with dragon fire. He is still in love with his woman to this day. She gave him strength to live and finally, the strength to die for his people. The spirit asked me to attempt to contact his people and I promised to try."
"Aside from impressing me with your power to contact such an ancient spirit", Arkruel interrupts, "does this story have a point?"
"Only that the spirit reminded me of my duty to my family and to you as its head, and admonished me to come to an understanding with you. He proposed that we work together to obtain the goals we both seek, including my desire for Georginna. So, help me to win the woman I want. Grant me free time to go adventuring. In return, I shall kill for you, add my powers to yours, and risk damnation for you. Besides think of the possibilities for gifted children which may occur."
Arkruel arose and replied, "You are aware I have no power to make her love you? It is an interesting problem in the manipulation of human nature, which you set before me. Lets make sure we both understand the bargain. Your Will joined with mine for the increased power of our family. Your sword against our enemies. Your boyish charm to conceal our dark intentions when dealing with potential allies. In return, I grant you time and money to gratify the adrenalin rush you crave from fighting and adventuring, and you will have the beautiful Georginna in your bed on a continuing basis.
We have a deal…now go and play with your ranger friend in the woods. Let an old man who has been up all night performing evil sorcery get some sleep."
Along the winding bridle path, which follows the river Charr through the forest of Brocalinde, a cleric and her attendants come riding. Two hulking half ogres carrying massive iron staffs lead the party. Another two guard the rear. Next, dressed in white and riding a white mule comes the cleric; Innocenza Torquemada, chief priestess of the goddess Hel and head of Holy Inquisition. She is undoubtedly the most feared personage
upon the continent. Two paladins of Hel follow her. The remainder of the party consists of servants and slaves, their names of no interest to their betters or this tale.
Sister Innocenza's mission is to build a Fane to her goddess here in the wilderness and perform a rite of exorcism to rid the forest of evil. The two paladins are along in case any witch, mage or undead requires extra attention, such as beheading or burning.
During their two day trek toward the center of Brocalinde, they have passed three alters dedicated to some unclean beast god and destroyed them. Innocenza has also plucked a few previously unknown varieties of roses to add to her collection of pressed flowers.
Unknown to them, they have been under observation by a female ranger and her two companions. The three friends are both amused and impressed when they see the altars being ripped apart and pissed on by the paladins." Maybe they don't realize what a hornet's nest they are stirring up." Dell whispers. "I think they know very well", Kitric responds. "These paladins of Hel have balls as big as grapefruit!"
"Can we wait around and watch ogres tear them apart?" Tarloc wants to know. He is a strange looking humanoid, a dire wolf mutated by infusions of DNA from prehistoric raptors. Olindara had raised him along with her son Kitric and taught him to talk and dress. He is more intelligent than he looks. Of all the hyanadons, created by Lords Arkruel and Georginna, he is the only one who can walk erect, use tools, and carry on a conversation. The three friends settle down to watch the priestess' party set up camp.
Just after sundown the local congregation of the beast god arrives at the clearing intent on avenging the desecrated alters. Leading the pack is an immense and hideous minotaur champion wielding a huge axe. He is followed by a mixed bag of minotaurs and ogres carrying spiked clubs and mauls. The shaman, an ancient and wizened ogre, is already preparing a spell. He points his rod of power at the half ogre guards and unleashes a bolt of blue/green energy.
The campsite explodes in carnage. Razor, the female paladin, rolls between the hoofs of the minotaur champion slashing its hamstrings with the twin weapons from which she takes her name. Lady Innocenza focuses a blessed crystal and burns the face off an ogre.
Nikador the merciless, the male paladin guts a minotaur with his bastard sword but is grappled and goes down under two ogres who seem intent on eating him armor and all.
Servants scream as they are torn apart.
The four half ogre guards stare at the fighting with the silliest looks on their faces. One by one they walk toward the enemy shaman and kneel before him." Confess that you have sinned by destroying the sacred shrines of Kurx Blood Axe", he commands them.
"Then kill yourselves." The guards slowly unsheathe hunting knives and, looks of horror upon their faces, each drives his blade into another's throat.
The shaman is about to unleash another spell, now powered by the sacrifice of the guards,
When a hyanadon leaps upon him from out of the wood. A sickle flashes and the shaman's head rolls. A cow minotaur takes a war arrow in the belly and sits down abruptly. Her expression, ludicrously similar to a domestic cow overdue for milking. The hidden archer continues to shoot, dropping two more minotaurs, while an ogre runs away screaming.
A fighter lopes out of the wood, drawing a broadsword from the sheathe behind his back and hacks down at the ogres on top of Nicador. Without waiting to see if the paladin is alive, he walks over to the minotaur champion. The monster's great axe swings and the youth ducks beneath and smashes its kneecap with his sword. The hyanadon's sickle finishes the monster.
Quiet returns to the campsite. A bow-carrying girl walks out from the forest and joins them. Introductions are made all around. Over a cup of sassafras tea spiced with honey they talk
"Please" the hyanadon says in guttural language, "there is no need to thank me. Killing minotaurs is my greatest pleasure."
The cleric inquires of their religious beliefs, and Kitric reassures her that they worship the
true gods. "Herne patron of rangers is Dell's favorite. Tarloc is part dire wolf himself so naturally worships Fenris Wolf. Myself, I am not religious in a big way, but sometimes pray to the Goddess Sif and Hel and sometimes to Fenris whichever seems appropriate."
We can't all have the religious calling", Razor offers. "Better little religion than heresy or worship of unclean gods."
"I had heard that you paladins of Hel were crazy as a elf locked in an outhouse for fifty years" Kitric remarks. "However, now that we have met, you are alright in my book.
Come around some time and visit my family and friends at the Black Manor. Don't let the name put you off. Some of us are really nice. My grandfathers a necromancer so
You should have lots to talk about.
 Send your comments on this story to the author:
|
