The Last Knight

cy 4863 - Mar 25th - Mar 29th

The hunt is on for the two riders. Madrina leads the chase on her magnificent steed as their horses close in on the two devilish hunters who stalked them in the shadows. She polymorphs into a swift and flies ahead of them. Landing a safe distance away she creates a pentacle of control and waits. The two hunters stop fifty yards away and reveal that they are messengers not killers, that their goal is to seek someone called Zepharina the Shadowmaker. They believe that person to be Madrina.

The rest of the party are two hundred yards away and listen to the conversation, all apart from Scalpel and Veng ‘Stross who sneak shifted towards the two creatures.

One of the messengers asks to see Madrina’s forearm but when nothing is visible the creature still maintains that she is the woman they seek. "Our master is imprisoned by Illeum Runesabre," one of them says, "and you who walk the Paths of the Dead can release him. He is called Sprawl and needs your help."

Madrina is sceptical about the two devilish messengers. Not wishing to stand against Illeum she casts death spell upon one of the messengers – the creature falls back off the horse and he – and the mount – are dust within seconds. Veng ‘Stross emerges into battle and the deadly katana Talkharus decapitates the devil and destroys it instantly.

Streng – now on the Paths himself – sees the two argumentative souls moving inexorably towards Limbo. In the distance, just off the Paths, he can see the shadowy place where their master is interned.

Next morning they come upon a small village called Aglost on the edge of the great Myrid Plain. A shrine to Jarik exists and Badal Chaining tends to it at once. The rest of the party are greeted by the mayor of Aglost – Palland is a simple man who alludes to a great presence in their midst. In the stables is a run down horse. Once a great beast it seems to have lost the will to live. Veng can sense it just wants to die.

Madrina casts ESP and senses the horse cannot get the idea of a great silver clad knight out of its head. After a night in the tavern spent in the hospitality of Palland they head out to a hill where they discover a small hut. Outside the hut is a set of glorious silver armour, not the garb of a religious paladin, this is the armour of a long forgotten people.

The Middenheimer greets them in his underwear. A depressed, depressing man who calls himself Sir Manjar; "I am the last true Midden Knight," he says. They speak to the man who is almost suicidal because he heard his own horse talk. Sir Manjar is rude and – in most cases – downright racist towards Veng ‘Stross. It is clear that the Middenheimer has no time or tolerance for orcs.

Red Sun calms the heated situation after the two square up to each other. He persuades the knight that Veng is the master of the Rihaj but the knight is not convinced. Madrina then gets him to go to the tavern.

Badal Chaining turns the knight’s ideology on it’s head with harsh words. In an impassioned speech he shows the last Middenheim knight the error of his words, the futility of his racist beliefs and the worth of not only the Rihaj but of Veng ‘Stross as a leader.

Humbled by the cutting words from the high priest the knight falls at Veng’s feet and begs for forgiveness. Veng orders him to return to the Rihaj (not wanting the irritating man in his company) and start to become a master. Red Sun is at the back of the tavern and watches the exchange with great pride.

Next day Sir Manjar is fully armed resplendent in his plate mail, his horse similarly armoured, rides off west towards the Rihaj and his new life.

The great Myrid Plain is before them. The road to Kulthar is nothing more than a faded track but it is the main route to the second largest city of the Myrid. At noon Madrina brings the party to a halt as elven range markers can be seen before them. A trick that Elenorians are known for they see an encampment of Elenorians in the distance scurrying away to cover.

Scalpel and Veng are shifted and move in on the elves. The Elenorians form themselves into a barricade with bows and swords readied for combat. But the two friends are amongst them unseen. With a nod they emerge and the startled elves react instantly. Swords lash out but none find either Veng or Scalpel, the martial artist has one elf’s swordarm in a strong grip.

Scalpel renders the elf unconscious with the force of his fist.

Veng ‘Stross becomes a blur of steel and speed. The orc (using the fabled whirlwind attack) cuts left and right with the fluidity and grace of an expert dancer. The elves are cut to pieces, out of the haze and red mist of their blood only three remain standing. Scalpel opens the stomach of one before using his hands to wrench the intestines free from the astonished Elenorian who dies horribly at their feet.

Veng finishes off the last standing elf and both men turn to the unconscious prisoner; they share a cruel grin…