Raven Chronicles RPG

[P_aul]

As the tradition goes, welcome to the new session, remember about rules of both board and "Sesja RPG" as well as this game. Especially in this topic you should write only in english. You can translate difficult words at the end of your post but I strongly encourage to rather explain them - it's good language exercise for both giver and reciver of explanation and anyone can use google to lookup the exact meaning Hope you will all have fun. Let the session begin!

[Rankin]

RAVEN CHRONICLES

Raven is a frontier city, with some thirty thousand citizens of many races. Located on both banks of the Isao River, by the edge of the great Lorin Forest, is a long way from its founder's country, Garf Kingdom. This is why, during its long history, Raven has often changed sides and rulers, sometimes peacefully, sometimes through wars and deceptions.

The year is 166 T.A. (Tao's Ascendance). For the last 160 years, Raven inhabitants have enjoyed relative independence, thanks to it unique City Council, consisting of leaders of six major guilds. Currently, they are: Katha Gwayne, head of paladins (monster hunters); James Vrok, the commander of city defenses and mercenaries; Flare, the archmage of the Wizard's Guild; "Raven", the first female boss of the thieves' guild; Shatu Kane, the necromancers' leader; and Cantari van Lonu, the merchant head. Essentially though, James and Kane are the ones keeping the city working...

The city is divided in two parts: the Inner City and the Downtown. The Inner City is surrounded by octogonal walls - here's the city hall, the Raven Market, Stockpile Square, barracks, academies, temples and guilds, as well as the unique Tlim Garden. The Downtown stretches to the southeast, and this is where most of the people live. There's also a Wizard Tower to the north, and a prison, sewer main entrance and a Necromancer House to the south.

Heroes of Raven Chronicles

Alterr'Gruumsh (Alterr for short), an elven (and manly), white haired, good necromancer.

Danath Karwynn, a strong human warrior on a personal quest.

Kariga, a wise draconian scholar and teacher, as well as a mage.

Key Avern, an agile, happy-go-lucky human rogue

Prologue

"Darkness weaves with many shades" - K.E.Wagner, "Darkness Weaves"

You are woken up - roughly. Then you realize that you're not home and that you don't remember what happened recently. The one who wakes you up is poking and shaking you. There is worry and confusion upon his face.

Around there's six more people, all men, all tied to each other by their hands and laid in a ritual circle. You are in a forest, in centre of some clearing.

- Wake up mate. I don' know what the bloody hell is going on, but I don' wanna know. Whatever's doing this, it's not yet finished, we may escape, just wake up...

You still carry your belongings, as if your captors didn't care...

---

Frontier - remote, close to or past the borders

Deception - trickery

Ascendance - ascension, climbing, enlightment. Tao was a mortal who became a god.

Essantially - basically; essential - basic, required

Happy-go-lucky - carefree, untroubled

To weave - to create cloth

To poke - to jab softly, szturchnąć

Belongings - possessions, personal items

[Lord Nargogh]

Alterr'Gruumsh:

After being woked up by an unknown person, it takes a while 'til he regains concience. He feels terrible. He felt an incredible pulsing pain inside his head and throughout his vains. His necromancer abilities made him hear voices of many souls, trapped around the circle. They were all groaning and complaining, but the pain in Alterr's head was too strong, and he couldn't understand WHAT were all this souls saying. He didn't know where he was, nor what he was doing there. But one thing was sure - unknown person was right: he should escape as fast, as it is only possible, if the persons who captured him were powerful enough to stun him without even showing their presence, they'd surely do this again, if they'd catch him.

Alterr forced himself to say something to his benefactor.

Alterr- You're right. But before we go, help me to wake up the others. They might know more about our enemies, and besides I don't want to leave them here.

They started to unchain remaing six persons. Altarr has noticed that imprisoned souls around the circle, have become more excited and screamed louder. It seemed that there wasn't much time, untill monster, cult or whatever captured them will return to the circle....

---

benefactor - person who has done something good to us, gave us money, saved us, etc. (dobroczyńca)

concience - state in which we're aware of everything we do or what is done to us (świadomość)

vain - the "pipe" by which blood is flooding (żyła)

((This is my first session, so feel free to inform me, if I had done something wrong. In this post im describing my character's adventures as the third person - if I should do this in first person, please just tell me. I've read all rules including ones in "Sesjowy Niezbędnik" and "Gaw's Laws of roleplaying"))

[Knight Martius]

?If you want win, make enemy angry and stay calm yourself? ? this is my life motto.

But it doesn?t matter in this situation? When I wake up with "some" pain, I am calm still, but these men may make my live in danger. In other words, I should run. But I?m seeing that I am not alone. Mmm? Two humans, one elven? Not good? I don?t know them but who said I mustn?t keep it? But? Oh, it is not necessary.

One of them say but his words a bit hurt my sense of beauty? ?However, he is right?, think I. I know it is not time for talking, so I am not answering. Yet. I am carrying my belongings and trying to leave place of this cult, inconspicuous. If it is a success, I will go near strangers. I will be at least safe and get to know these individuals which are together with me by fate?

I think I needn't cast this spell on yourself. I see they are torelant.

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Character's Appearance (to know how my character presents visual himself ;]):

Kariga is representative of Draconian race. Draconians are dragons with human figure. This particular character has 173 cm of height and 71 kg of weight. He comes from ?Gold Draconians? species, so his skin and scales' color is? Well, you can figure it out yourself, right? But back to the topic: Kariga has two short horns bending backwards, yellow eyes without pupils, quite long dragon jaw, razor teeth and claws, which are a bit short. He has five fingers and four toes. That?s not all ? from his natural appearance I should mention a dragon tail, 75 cm in length. Kariga's wearing only red vestment.

[opoz]

How long Danath had been in a dark and uneasy slumber, he could not tell. The last thing he could remember was himself walking down a deserted street in the Downtown of Raven, heading to the inn for the rest of the night. And then, instead of waking up in a cosy room, he found himself lying on his back in the middle of nowhere, his limbs numb, his head throbbing with pain. He had been woken up by some people he had never seen before.

At first Danath thought they were his captors, but it was not long before he realised they had all been in the same boat.

Normally Danath would just grab his sword, Shadowrender, and scour the nearby woods in search of his oppressors, but that particular situation was altogether different. He had no memory of being confronted by anyone the night before, so whoever captured him must have used some foul magic to stun him from distance. Danath had no fear of spellcasters, but he was still weakened, hence the decision to make his escape with the others. He harboured doubts as to whether they could be trusted, but had little choice.

'We have no time for idle chatter, people', he said in his deep voice. 'It will not be long before our captors return, and I still haven't regained full strength to fight them, so we had better make haste and get out of here. If you have any ideas where we could go to find safety, speak now!'.

Danath placed his hands on his hips and stared at the others expectantly.

'Should they prove too indecisive to make a decision quickly, I will find my own way out' ,he thought, waiting for an answer.

---

slumber (literary) - sleep ; to slumber - to sleep

cosy (also spelled cozy) - comfortable and warm (przytulny)

limb - konczyna

numb (adjective) - in this context: deprived of physical sensation or the ability to move (odretwialy)

to scour - to search through or over thoroughly

hence (adverb) - for this reason; therefore

make haste (old-fashioned) - hurry up

hip - biodro

((Just like for Lord Nargogh, this is my first session, so try not to be too harsh on me Any tips on how to improve can be sent to me via Private Messages. I can also try to help with the language itself, just bear in mind that I cannot be entirely relied on as I don't drop in at regular intervals, and I don't want to feel guilty for keeping you waiting But I WILL reply to any PM, if waiting a day or two doesn't put you off. ))

[Rankin]

As everyone was coming back to their senses, a strange incident occured: a young man bearing a mark of a priest of Niica, the goddess of creation, suddenly screamed in terror and ran away so fast, he was gone from your sight in mere minutes. He was also shouting incomprehensibly something about nightmares.

Some of the remaining people have agreed to move away from this eerie clearing. Some distance away, they have introduced themselves properly:

- Ivo Zoer. I'm... just a lamp oil... merchant - said a completely generic, brown haired human. You could hear fear and anxiety in his voice.

- Me name's Key. I would definitely like to know what's happenin' 'ere - the man who woke you up: short, black hair and two large daggers at his waist. He's wearing dark purple clothes and a leather armor. He sounds somewhat stressed out.

- Crunchfist. And I want to crunch and fist someone - this one came from a large and very muscled human. He talks slowly, perhaps he isn't the brightest.

- Raven - this man doesn't say anything more. He looks rather shady.

After everyone's said their name, you moved on. The forest looks rather dark - few of the trees still have their leaves, and the ones that do look rather sickly. There are no animals as far as you can see. After some time, Kay stops walking and turns to everyone else.

- Now just wait a minute. Which way should we go? Does any of you folk have any idea WHERE we are?

---

bearing -> to bear (verb) - to carry (w tym kontekscie)

incomprehensibly -> incomprehensible (adj) - not understandable

generic (adj) - plain, normal

anxiety (noun) ~ podenerwowanie

Me name = my name (slang)

'ere = here (slang)

[Knight Martius]

?Well??, I think. ?This forest do not seem to be an pleasant experience for my exist? Unfortunately, I don?t know where should be a nearest civilisation? And so? I? No. We must go on?.

Until this trip, Key is suddenly stopping walking and saying to us. ?At least my sense of beauty do not become to upset?, I think with relief when he is ending. Then, I am clearing one?s throat and answering:

- Well, we have an some options how to survive. In the first place, if we want to leave this forest, we should find a road. Usually, road goes into the town, so if we find it, we will sooner or later leave this forest and reach to civilisation. But, unfortunately, this is a optimistic vision. In other situation, we will must go blindfold, as long as fate do not favour us. In other words, we would must some time later find a place to stay for the night. I am not seeing other choice now. Well, we should move on and find a road to civilisation at present. However, if you have another ideas, I listen to you.

If they go on through forest, I will go together with them.

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Translate of words from my previous and present post:

?I don?t know them but who said I mustn?t keep it?? ? it should be: ?I don?t know them but who said I can?t??

inconspicuous ? person which wasn?t seen (niezauważony)

upset ? opposite of ?leave it alone? (do not become to upset ? pozostaje nienaruszone)

relief ? a heavy thing taken from spirit (ulga)

blindfold ? something about ?by senses? (na ślepo)

[Lord Nargogh]

Alterr keeped staring on draconian person. He's heard fairy-tales about race of humans with dragon traits, but he hasn't seen any of them - until now. However, he seemed to enjoy this person's presence - even though he's heard many warnings advicing not to trust any dragons, nor creatures familiar tu them.

It was time to make decisions.

- I think you're right. We should move on as quickly as possible, we can decide what to do later, when we leave this cursed place. I can sense that our enemies are returning to this place.

Alterr decided to introduce himself.

- My name is Alterr'Gruumsh, but you can just call me "Alterr". What is yours? <Alterr wants to shake draconian's hand. He closes his hand to him with expectancy...>

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Dictionary:

- familiar - someone or something what looks almost exactly like something/someone else (podobny)

- expectancy - waiting for something <adverb> (oczekiwanie) (

[Knight Martius]

I do not hide it ? I like contact with others. This is not important these are humans, elves or other draconians. Because it, I am shaking hand of Alterr?Gruumsh? or Alterr, in short. I don?t mind full name and short, either.

- My name is Kariga ? I am answering. ? I am enjoyed that we may know ourselves. I see, honestly, you are tolerant. And I agree, we should leave this forest as quickly as possible.

Until trip through forest, if we go on, obviously, I am looking on stranger human, not Key.

- And what is your name? ? I am asking him.

[opoz]

Danath took a step towards the draconian.

He had met several representatives* of that species before, and had harboured profound respect for them ever since. Admiring their extraordinary intellect, wisdom and command of magic, meeting another one of their kind was truly exhilirating for him.

'My name is Danath Karwynn' ,he said loudly so that everyone around could hear him. Bowing graciously before the creature, he added: 'I am honoured to make your acquaintance'.

As he looked in the humanoid's eyes, behind which he could clearly see keen wits, it occurred to him that a creature so adept at magic could try to use some of its skills to help the group find a way to safety or to some people.

Nothing else came to Danath's mind; he had initially thought of using his tracking skills to follow the inhabitants of the forest and find a way out, but failing to spot a single animal since he regained conscience foiled his plan even before he could put it into life.

Since traditional methods of tracking were of no use in such circumstances, perhaps magic would be more helpful?

"I'll ask him about this as soon as we get to know each other a little bit better...", Danath thought, waiting for the draconian's reaction...

----------

Exhilirating - making you feel very happy, excited and energetic

To make somebody's acquaintance (formal) - to meet somebody for the first time

wits (noun, formal) - intelligence

* - I know it's not the most suitable option available, but my mind seems to have gone blank, lol

[Rankin]

Raven had cut in, interrupting further discussion:

- That's all fine and dandy but FOR GODS' SAKE CAN WE MOVE THE HELL OUT OF HERE? Sheesh - he turned away and started walking away from the menacing circle. - I'm going this way. Whatever.

- He's go-got a point - Zoer stuttered and followed Raven, as did Crunchfist and Key. Anyone who didn't want to be left alone would have to follow them...

Hours pass, although you don't know exactly how many: you can't see the sun, the sky looks heavily clouded. You try your best to walk in one direction but it's hard to tell in these woods.

The voyage has been a strain on some. Particularly the merchant has gotten even more jittery and nervous. "We're going in the wrong direction", he kept murmuring, "We're going deeper and deeper". Pressed about it, he said that he doesn't really know, "it's just his gut feeling".

It's about time to have a rest, so you take a good break from walking. There is still uneasiness in the air...

Suddenly, Ivo jumps up and shouts panicked. "I can hear someone! I hear something moving from this way" - he points in a direction. There is a rather large rock obstructing your view and Ivo's shouting doesn't really help in hearing fine sounds. After a while however, you too can hear something moving and now it's moving in your direction. You can't tell right now if it's two humanoids or one larger beast.

---

That's all fine and dandy ~ "Wszystko cacy"

Sheesh - poirytowane westchnienie

to stutter - jąkać się

jittery ~ podenerwowany, nerwowy

gut feeling - przeczucie

to obstruct - przesłaniać

Oh ya, I didn't explain it yet. "-" means it's a direct translation. "~" means that I don't know the literal translation and these are closest meanings.

[Knight Martius]

When Ivo is shouting, I?m stopping walking. I am hearing. His shout? And? ?Who, or what, is moving??, I think. ?I think this is <<who>> but I am not sure? But, at least, we are meeting some signs of life at last. In other words, progress?.

- Well? - I tell my companions. ? I am proposing to wait as long as we don?t know who he or they are. I think what it could be? Although, we needn't to stay in one position? - I say last sentence more to myself. But as I said ? I am waiting as long as strangers won?t come nearer? But I am going slowly on direction of this sound, just in case. And, I will try sooner or later to go around this rock if I come so far?

-----------------------------------

just in case ? tak na wszelki wypadek

[opoz]

Danath knew he was lost.

The group had been on the move since that feisty little human urged them to start walking again. At first Danath was hesitant about following the others deeper into the grim forest, but eventually decided he could not leave his companions like that. All together, they resumed their journey, which had lasted for a few long hours.

Danath did not notice when he split from the group. He had just stopped for a brief moment, examining the tracks he had stumbled across during the journey, and when he lifted his head, the others were nowhere to be found.

'Curse this wretched forest', he thought angrily.

Danath stood up and sniffed the air, trying to pick up the others' scent. What he felt filled him with fear; the stench of Felhounds permeated the air.

Those beasts were all too well known to Danath - foul creatures summoned from the abyss, serving evil spellcasters as pets. Given the intensity of the smell, they must have been somewhere in the vicinity and their numbers were probably too great for Danath alone to handle.

However, there was something else that had brought hope back to Danath - mingled with the felhounds' odour was the smell of his companions.

'I must make haste and join them before it's too late', he thought, dashing off in the direction whence the smell came, carried by the gentle wind which now blew on his face.

For a second he was unsure where to go, but it was then that a shrill cry rang out nearby. Danath recognised the voice of one of his companions.

'Was his name... Ivo?', Danath asked himself. 'No matter! I know where they are know.'

He quickly made his way through some bushes and found himself on a small clearing. Directly in front of him was a massive rock, but nobody could be seen around.

'The shout must have come from behind the rock', he thought, running towards it. The stench of felhounds intensified as he closed in.

Danath had almost reached the rock, when he heard growling coming from the bushes to his left. His hand strayed to the hilt of his sword. A single drop of sweat rolled down his forehead.

At the same moment something leapt out of the bush, knocking him to the ground. Danath quickly sprang to his feet and turned around, standing face to face with his assailant.

He stared at the hideous creature in front of him; it was the size of a largely overgrown bear, its eyes pitch-black. The monster's mouth opened wildly as it let out a loud screech, revealing massive fangs. Sharp spikes protruded from the creature's back and its tail. The felhound growled again, backing off, as if waiting for its comrades.

'I just hope those people I'd come here with are somewhere around', he thought, trying to remain calm and clutching his sword tightly. 'Or this fight may be my last.'

------

feisty - touchy, quarrelsome; porywczy, zadzorny

to resume - to start doing something again; ponawiac

scent (noun) - an odour left by the passing of an animal or human

stench - a very unpleasant smell

to be in the vicinity of sth - the state of being near in space or relationship; proximity

mingled with - mixed with

to dash - to run somewhere very quickly; used with a number of prepositions

whence (literary) - from where

shrill (adjective) - a sound that is shrill is loud and unpleasant to listen to; przenikliwy

to growl - warczec

hideous (adjective) - repulsive, especially to the sight; revoltingly ugly; paskudny, wstretny

to protrude - wystawac, sterczec

[Lord Nargogh]

Alterr sensed unusual amount of Abyss' energy. He knew well nature of this power - he was a necromancer. While others were running around rapidly, shouting and preparing to battle, Alterr tried to focus on source of this energy.

It was difficult, but finally he recognized the source of this energy.

It was too horrible, to be true. It must be some kind of powerfull hound-like creature from hell - unknown to Alterr before.

Although Alterr didn't know WHAT was it, he remembered difficult, powerfull spell used to summon creatures familiar to this one. Unfortunatelly, he was still too weak and unexperienced to take control over such summoned creature.

But he had a plan.

"I'm afraid we have company - even more, we have company from hell" - Alterr said slowly.

Others stopped, and started to stare at him.

"I can sense that this creature will attack us very soon - it is inevitable. So I propose that we should attack first".

This time, Alterr's words made even worse effect on the others, then before. They started to shout, but Alterr continued:

"I can use my abilities, to summon this creature here. Unfortunatelly, I cannot control it after summoning. However, after summon this creature will be mazed for one or two seconds. This could be our chance to defeat it."

Alterr said "our chance", but he knew that he won't fight for at least two reasons. One of them, more important at this time, was the fact that Alterr was still very weak after their escape. After summoning, he will probably loose his conscience - so his fate shall be in others' hands.

"So - what say you?"

---------------------------------------------------------------

dictionary:

mazed - disoriented

inevitable - something that must happen

((little explanation - the creature about which Alterr is talking about, is the same creature that attacked Danath.))

[Knight Martius]

I am stopping moving and listening to what Alterr have to saying. My reaction is normal for me ? calmly and with distance to affair. When he is ending, I?m answering:

- In my opinion, this idea is very risky. But I agree - this creature which you say about will attack us sooner or later. And that is not all - I don?t see Danath anywhere. I suppose he might be attacked? In other words, do what you think that is right.

[Lord Nargogh]

Kariga has agreed to my idea. Others are still thinking... there's no time, I can feel how this creature becomes more powerful with each second, which we waste... So I'll decide on my own.

I can't wait any longer. I start to cast summoning spell.

Alterr says few strange words, in unknown language, and while later monster appeared in the middle of our party.

Before Alterr looses conscience, he can see that he has accidencially summoned someone or something else... and monster itself, of course.

-----------------------------------------------------------

((I wanted to summon Danath, and that can be the person that appeared beside monster, but I don't want to decide for the others, so you can write that something else has appeared))

[Rankin]

Kariga, Alterr & co.

Within moments since Kariga's last statement, you hear rustling to your left and right. As if a trap was sprung, two creatures leave the bushes: one's a smaller demon hound: three feet tall, red eyes, pitch-black fur, and a jaw ful of nasty teeth and fangs. The other creature, however, is something that could be best described as a wood golem: many branches of the same sickly black wood, combining into a malformed and horrible caricature of a man. A very large man. It is slow but looks nasty with old stains of blood on its "claws". That, however, isn't the worst that happened. Seeing the creatures' approach, Key started to laugh, and that was the worst laugh you have ever heard: loud, deranged, maniacal, creepy and not entirely human. What worse, he just kept laughing, not even pausing to take breath, making it difficult even to think. You also see that Alterr's managed to summon another, slightly larger demon hound and a confused and scared priest.

Danath

The demon creature was closing on you, slow and sure of its prey... When suddenly an object cut through air and drived into the creature's side. You see that the object is a dagger and the man who threw it...

He could pass as Key's twin, except he's fairly tanned and there's a lot of dirt on his clothes. He's dragging with him another person: it's the priest who panicked before and looks like he'd definitely want to do that again. The tanned man asks him a question and he shakes his head in response. Satisfied, Key's "twin" lets the priest go and readies two daggers.

"Hoi there! Looks loyk you could use a hand!" [loyk = mispronounced like]

The demon hound is now angered but its movement is somewhat limited and its reflexes slower.... And then you hear a strange and unsettling laugh coming roughly from behind the large rock. The demon pauses for a split-second, confused. Something seems to be calling it but its instincts tell it to kill you now. A good moment to strike? At the same time, the priest is nowhere to be seen.

---

rustling - chrobotanie, szelest (most often referring to branches and similar objects)

sprung (spring in past tense) - here: activated

pitch-black - very dark

malformed ~ deformed

stains of blood (bloodstains) - patches of dried blood, zaschła krew

deranged - insane

split-second - a fraction of second, ułamek sekundy

mispronounced - here: speaken with wrong accent (z grubsza tak jak "ide se" zamiast "idę sobie")

[Knight Martius]

?Well, well, well? Two demon hounds, one wood golem, this priest? We are in danger. I can use it but I am afraid I can cause something unpleasant. In other words, a situation does not seem very good. But? Why not??.

I say it honestly ? this situation moved me a bit. However, I have a quick plan. Translating it to normal language: I am going into backward quickly. Then:

- Stay back! ? I shout to company. Next, I?m looking on area? Good? I am moving my arms into forward. I say a short sentence in other language? I am aiming on? mmm? between two demon hounds ? or between larger one and wood golem if this priest stay in shoot line. I do not want to hurt him? Then, I am ending concentrate and releasing collected magic energy?

I?m trying to cast a fireball.

[Rankin]

Danath

The stranger is obviously aggravated by your lack of action in spite of a such a wondrous opportunity. He mutters something and rushes towards the demonic creature. Large daggers flash in dim light, you hear creature snarling in anger and seconds later, the mighty beast falls, its throat cut thoroughly and its eyes stabbed ruthlessly. The man who did the job must've got insane amounts of courage... or has dealt with these critters before. He was wounded in the fight but he doesn't seem to care as he approaches the source of bizarre laughter, anger in his eyes.

Kariga and others

Kariga's fireball hits the wood golem. What didn't blow up immediately, quckly catches on fire and the golem's remaining half goes berzerk, flailing around in vain attempts to put out the flames consuming its body. In its madness, it scorches the larger demon hound's fur - which howls in anger and pain - and when it finally collapses... In an entirely improbable way, Key does not move out of its path and gets crushed beneath charred golem's remains... And you can still hear the muffled laughter coming from beneath it! At the same time, Raven is trying to defend himself from the larger demon hound with an improvised wooden club, while "Crunchfist" managed to take the other one by surprise and break its spine. There's also a character coming from behind the large rock. He looks strikingly similar to Key and has fresh bite and claw marks on his arms.

---

in spite ~ (tu) pomimo

[Knight Martius]

?Thus, my fireball gave effects. That?s not all: others do what they must. Good. But this strange ?Key-like? character? However, I do not have time to thinking. I must act?.

As I?m planning, I am trying to go quickly to fainted Alterr. Originally, I want to revive him.

- Wake up, Alterr ? I say to him. ? We are still in danger. We have to act.

I am not looking whether Alterr awake. I?m looking on ?Key-similar? character? ?No! These marks on his arms? And real Key being there? I don?t understand? I guess what it could be, but? Wait a minute??. Now, I am pulling out my staff. If companions do not attack him, I will do it ? however, I will try to not come very close to him. Meanwhile, I will try to think. Although, if they attack ?Key-like? character, I will stay a long distance from them and think about solution of this problem.

?What it could be? How other Key may be here? I should think about it??.

[Lord Nargogh]

"Ouuuch... my head...."

I'm looking around the forest, which has became a battlefield. Perhaps summoning the hound wasn't very good idea.

And it appears that strange, Key-like person has just saved us - at least for the moment. I haven't seen the battle, but Key-like is the only one person, whose weapon is covered with blood, and he's standing on the corpse of one of the creatures. Perhaps after killing all other beasts, he will turn against us. But fighting one person, is often easier then fighting the army of deamons. And it appears, that Karriga is going to attack him. The situation in which we'd fight all hounds and Key-like person in the same time, is one of the worst things, that can happen to us. I made already one mistake, and I won't permit the others to make more of them!

"Kariga, wait...! " - I'm trying to scream, but I seem to be too weak to do this loud enough, to make it possible for Karriga to hear. And perhaps Key-like shouldn't hear this what I'm going to say. I shall use one easy spell, to send a message to Karriga's mind.

Karriga, stop! It's foolish to attack someone who isn't our enemy yet, when we have much more enemies around here already waiting to fight with us! Even if this Key-like person will turn against us, and attack us, It'd be better if we let him to kill the beast before! It will be much easier to fight him alone, then together with all this deamons! And perhaps he might become our ally - but if you attack him now, there won't be any chances for us!

The spell was far more exhausting, then I thought. I'm falling unconcious again.. let's hope that Karriga will listen to my advice....

<flufff>

((this was supposed to be a sound made by a person loosing concience ))

[Knight Martius]

?Yes, I guess I know how to beat him? Wait. A telepathic transmission? Alterr? Wha? Mhm. I see. Alterr is fainted again? but he has right. What am I doing? These marks needn?t mean which I thought? So? Don?t attack him. Demons are a worse problem?.

I?m looking on situation. All company is fighting. Hm? I see that Raven has problem with one of demon hounds. He need help? In that case, I am charging on creature attacking him. I want to attack it by my staff, do not coming too close. I don't want it to scratch or bite me?

[Rankin]

Kariga's attack on the hound proved succesful in distracting it long enough for Raven to gain an upper hand in the fight. With a lucky thrust, he poked the creature's eye out. Before it could leap in anger, Crunchfist ended its existence. Suddenly, a rather strong mental shock disrupts your actions. You look around... A peculiar feeling: the world feels smaller, the forest feels smaller. And you seem some kind of a thick black smoke oozing out from the underneath of the wood monster's remains. It grows larger and gains substance, while everything feels smaller and smaller... Are your eyes playing tricks on you or do you see the world ending in the distance?

---

to gain an upper hand = to gain an advantage

to ooze out ~ wydostawać się, wyciekać

[Knight Martius]

?The world feels smaller for my eyes? And this black smoke definitely has connection with this feeling. No, it is impossible that the world really might shrink. Probably this smoke sends signals to us that it for sure happens. I am not seeing other option?.

I am going some steps backward and I say to company:

- Close your eyes and concentrate. In my opinion, this is only illusion. We have to overcome it.

Then, I am closing my eyes myself and I?m trying to dislodge illusion from my head. If I feel that this smoke effects stronger on me, I will go more backward. As the last option, I can run - but I don?t want to leave the company alone?

[Rankin]

The shadow grows to monstrous sizes, taking a form of some demonic figure. You are paralyzed by the sheer terror from such an encounter... Then you hear something. And, to your surprise, it isn't your death scream. It's chanting. A priest is chanting, and even though at first his voice is trembling with fear as he continues, his voice calms down... What priest? You struggle to remember. There was someone? Everything turns into darkness, and then blinding light (was that a scream? It didn't sound very human).

You wake up in your bed. It is morning, as far as you can tell. Was it all just a dream? Then... Why do you feel so very tired? Your feet feel sore, as if you've walked on for many hours and you notice small bruises and cuts that weren't there last evening. So... what really happened? Do you want to find out?

Prologue end

***

An excerpt from "Notable figures in Raven, years 120-200 T.A."

"Flare" - b. 100 T.A., [...] 150: archmage and appointed council member [...] draconian origin [...] one remarkable thing about Flare, other than limited information available on him was his lack of interest in almost everything council-related. His motivation for actually staying a council member is not known.

Katha Gwayne - b. 130 T.A., [...] 158: appointed council member [...] elven female-warrior and paladin leader. Death of her family and friends in early childhood had a major influence on her life [...]. Under her command, the paladins changed from warrior monks to near-fanatical monster hunters, taking some traits of Inqustion of old days. A common rumor of the day was that she actually worshipped Gar...

Shatu Kane - b. ? [...] 60 T.A.: head of the necromancers' guild [...] 110: appointed council member [...] an enigmatic figure. Especially remarkable achievement was making the necromancers a public guild in Raven, changing its image from corpse-stealers to life scholars.

James Vrok, commander - b. 93 T.A., [...] 122: appointed council member [...] minotauran commander of city's mercenary units, serving as the elite city guards. A shrewd tactician and charismatic leader, valuing lives over resources, a major influence on the Raven council.

An short summary of "Scholar's studies on major gods and goddesses"

Pantheon of Light

Eluee, god of change, frequently worshipped by lycanthropes...

Mica, goddess of creation...

Aleph, god of life and death, sometimes - rarely - worshipped by necromancers...

Tao, mortal-turned-god, god of heroes...

Pantheon of Darkness

Gar, god of schemes and vengeance...

Aranakaruviden, goddess of lust...

Tak'fex, god of murder and strife...

Suk, the demon (or devil) god...

Unaligned deities:

Yotsui, twin (some say "mirror") god of merchants...

Iustoy, twin/mirror god of thieves...

Benten, goddess of knowledge...

***

Chapter I

Dreamweb

It is a new day. Early summer morning at that. Everything seems to be in order now...

Kariga

...but you notice something odd. On the frame of your window, you can see a small rune, scribbled hastily. It wasn't there before and you're positive that you have seen a rune like that somewhere. The academy's library might hold the information...

Alterr

...but you notice something odd. On the door to your room in the inn there's a rune - scrawled hastily. It is not a powerful one and could not be responsible by the night's events just by itself. Maybe if you could find the person who drew it...

---

chanting ~ singing and praying

to tremble - drżeć

to appoint ~ (here) to be introduced as, to become a member; (also) to meet

hastily - in a hurry