1207
Heracles' Travels: Volume Three
DoctorTinman
I have met today with Head Elven Diplomat Lafthi in Laurelin. He has lead me to a secret door beneath the tram tracks that leads below ground. I followed the passageway into Laurelin's underbelly into bland room centered on a circular table in the middle surrounded by benches. There were already 5 other figures gathered around the table as we arrived. :: I took my seat on the bench furthest away from the door, observing the others. Sage Okonkwo used his magic to teleport in shortly after we had entered, making us a group of 8. We all went around the circle saying introductions to begin the ceremonies. Okonkwo hs seated himself to my left, and working around the table counterclockwise from myself are the human Lord John, clad in a suit of diamond. Next to him is the famous Oren Captain by the name of GrimBeard. Then comes the elves Lafthi and Prince Toren, both dressed in traditional Elven garb. Next comes the dwarf Hiebe, in an armor of chainmail tunic and leather pants. Finally, the hooded orc Brevias of the Whisper Isles. :: After the formalities, the discussions began listing a few suspicious persons in the world of Aegis. A man named Eldar has been named as a bandit, banned from Oren for his numerous crimes. Also mentioned was a man named Atles, who is known to be warden of the Oren guards, but will from now on be watched more closely. He has been rumored to consort with Eldar in his dirty acts. :: The next topic of discussion has moved onto the Dwarven politcal state, which seems to be in a grave state after the last 2 kings have both ended their terms quite prematurely. The new king has far less influence over the people than the last two, and the situation is dire, as the dwarves are less unified than ever. News from the dwarves tells that an archbishop, Berin, is attempting to take control of the dwarven people as a sort of leader. He is reinstalling a government and a military to help keep jobs and safety in the dwarven nation. :: The next matter brought up by Lafthi concerns the Undead. The tales say that they are looking for new recruits and shall be accepting new initiates very soon. This is horrible news, as it means the evil plague of Aegis will spread. And recent battles in the northeastern territories show that the people of Aegis already struggle to fight back the current evil. This could be a very bad thing. :: Shortly after, the meeting concluded and Lafthi granted a key to each member. We departed from the magical entryway and went our seperate ways until the next meeting. :: After leaving the meeting, I set off for Oren's capital of Al'Khazar. On the path just ahead of the gates I encountered 4 men talking about thieving and banditry. One of these men was Eldar, previously named as the council as suspicious. I observed them from a secluded spot for some time. They discussed a pact between them, a sort of bandits' code. Two of the other men were named Elrond and Gustaf_Tarus. I have considered bringing this to the attention of the council, but I shall decide over time. :: Once within the gates of the city there was a large commotion. Everyone seemed in an uproar regarding a man named Ben Powell. For whatever reason, the guards ejected him from the town. Richard, a fellow memberof the Ascended, was off to the side of th crowd. I spotted him and asked if he knew what had caused the ruckus. He said he was just as clueless as I was. Perhaps I shall also keep my ears open for tales on this "Ben Powell" character. I'll ask around later. :: I've managed to catch up with Grimbeard, the one from the council. Being a captain of the Oren Guard, I figured he'd be the man to ask about this Ben fellow. Grimbeard informed me that Ben Powell is a rebel and traitor to Oren. I must be wary in the future, should I happen to run across this man. :: After a short period away from Al'Khazar, I've just returned to find parts of the town now lie in ruin. It seems that I somehow missed a raid by the Undead in my leave. There are many injured walking the streets, and there is a panic amongst the people. They have managed to hold the city for now, but it is in a dire state. Lord John of the Council lead a small party into the town's sewers to slay the remaining spawns of the Necromancers, whilst others tended to the wounded and the repairs of the city. I popped into the Queen's bakery, as it is a common gathering point, to seek information. The queen herself was in a healthy state. She handed out rations to those less fortunate as they recounted the horrors of the battle. The city has been won for now, but is in more danger now than ever before. :: Stories abound in Oren. The largest piece of news passing around is the death of the king. He was slain in the fray, and the queen is left widowed, and the people are afraid. The evils of the Undead are a plague on their minds. Mental wounds are always the hardest to heal.