Chapter 0: Summons to Bavara
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 12:40 am
Chapter 0: Summons to Bavara.
It had not been three days before the summons bearing the seals of both the Knights Shadowbane and Knights of Solaris arrived at the Knighted Knave where you were staying. Having detained the local noble who had been experimenting with necromancy, the local people saw fit to lavish you with the finest ales, wines, and entertainment they could afford. While you would have been otherwise perfect willing to stay longer, you also no better than to keep a Knightly Order, let alone two, waiting. Thus, after three grand nights of celebration, you departed for Bavara.
The journey itself took a ten-day, and while not a terribly treacherous route, the seasonal rains ensured it was a very slow and very cold one. November has just come, and like every year, freezing rain had swept out of the mountains to drown those with the unfortunate pleasure of traveling. Still, the rains were a far better sight than the mountains of snow that would soon be left by the coming winter.
After a soggy trek, you found yourselves much relieved by the sight of Bavara’s battlements, which greeted you on the tenth day of the journey. The city had suffered much during the Plaguemarch, and many of the scars of its 23 month Khasgaran occupation had yet still to be healed. Nonetheless, it had come a long way from the blackened fields will howling ghosts, and skeletons hanging from the walls, that Northern Alliance forces were greeted with. At the very least, the fading taint of undeath had not removed its ability to shield one from the rain.
Now you find yourselves sitting in a large central room in Brightshield Keep, the formal Knights of Solaris stronghold in Bavara. With their previous garrison in the city having been torn down and defiled by the Khasgarans, the Knights apparently decided that a statement had to be made. The room, much like the rest of the brand new keep, is large, well furnished, and made to impress. The chairs are comfortable, the room is well lit, and ale is hearty. Above the dark mahogany round table is a bright emblem of a smiling sun, complete with gold trim. Even the Sun God himself would probably be impressed.
After about twenty-odd minutes of waiting, the double doors to room open, and two people walk in. The first is a young female half-elf, dressed in a fine black tunic and shirt of mithral. The symbols on her garb, and the disk pinned to her shirt, quickly reveal her to be a Knight Shadowbane. Her counter part, the Knight of Solaris, is a mountain of a man, standing nearly seven feet tall, and built like an ox. He wears gold breastplate armor, two gauntlets that look like they’re made for an ogre, and has what could very well be the God of all mustaches.
After the two Knights take their seats, the Knight of the Solaris begins.
“Welcome to Bavara, friends! I’m Hoek Armas of the Knights of Solaris, 2nd Cohort. A pleasure to meet all of you.” he roared in a hearty tone that was entirely too loud.
“And I am Ezeldra Lyone, Knight Shadowbane, 2nd Cohort. On behalf of both us, I’d like to thank you all for making the arduous trek despite the weather.” She commented, with a twinge of annoyance at her counterpart’s volume. She also seemed to be find the light in the room rather bothersome.
“Dark as it may be, the Sun always shines.” Hoek replied, with a grand smile on his face, exalting towards the sun emblem on the ceiling.
“Indeed,” Ezeldra replied, narrowly stopping her hand from reaching her forehead. “I suppose we should be on about it?”
“Right! We’ve called you here in light of what we’ve seen of your accomplishments and abilities. There is a matter of great importance that needs your attention. But first, Lady Lyone will provide you with some background information.”
“As you all should be aware, when the strange mist that now separates the realm of the living and the undead fell upon Khasgara, it also covered the lands of the Ravenlost Vale, namely the Kingdom of Barovia. When this happened, in addition to loosing contact with the people, we also lost contact with the land’s defenders, the Knights of Raven. For whatever reason, when the mists descended, the Knights vanished, and there has since been no word from them. They were, to say the least, an honorable lot, and we’ve trying for the last hundred years to find out what happened.
In general, our contact with the Kingdom of Barovia has been limited in the preceding years. There have been many, mostly unsuccessful attempts to send strike teams to Barovia, but most return either diminished, or not at all. When the wars with Khasgara began, all attempts to the pierce mists in the region were virtually ceased, as it was deemed simply too dangerous to send anyone in. However, we do know a couple of things, based on our own scouts, and information gathered from Varangar warbands that patrol the border:
1. Lately, the same elite-grade skeletal warriors that we fought during the Plague Wars have been seen along the roads to Barovia.
2. Khasgaran necromancers have been seen crossing into the Vale from the north.
3. According to the most recent scouting team to return, the city of Barovia still stands, and, interestingly, the same King who ruled before the mists descended, Lord Strahd von Zarovich, apparently still holds the throne. This is strange, since Lord Zarovich would have in his forties when we lost contact with him, thus making him nearly 170 years old by now, and as far we know, he’s human.
Whatever the case, with the Plaguemarch over, and the Khasgaran’s still recoiling, the leaders of both our Orders have deemed it time to once again safe enough to venture into Barovia.” Lady Lyone finished, staring across at you intently.
“Thats why you’ve been called. We need a trustworthy, organized, and experienced team to travel to Barovia, and figure out what exactly is going on. Based on what we’ve seen, you’re the best chance we have available to us.
So, are the heroes we’re looking for?” Lord Armas finished, with a hearty grin.
It had not been three days before the summons bearing the seals of both the Knights Shadowbane and Knights of Solaris arrived at the Knighted Knave where you were staying. Having detained the local noble who had been experimenting with necromancy, the local people saw fit to lavish you with the finest ales, wines, and entertainment they could afford. While you would have been otherwise perfect willing to stay longer, you also no better than to keep a Knightly Order, let alone two, waiting. Thus, after three grand nights of celebration, you departed for Bavara.
The journey itself took a ten-day, and while not a terribly treacherous route, the seasonal rains ensured it was a very slow and very cold one. November has just come, and like every year, freezing rain had swept out of the mountains to drown those with the unfortunate pleasure of traveling. Still, the rains were a far better sight than the mountains of snow that would soon be left by the coming winter.
After a soggy trek, you found yourselves much relieved by the sight of Bavara’s battlements, which greeted you on the tenth day of the journey. The city had suffered much during the Plaguemarch, and many of the scars of its 23 month Khasgaran occupation had yet still to be healed. Nonetheless, it had come a long way from the blackened fields will howling ghosts, and skeletons hanging from the walls, that Northern Alliance forces were greeted with. At the very least, the fading taint of undeath had not removed its ability to shield one from the rain.
Now you find yourselves sitting in a large central room in Brightshield Keep, the formal Knights of Solaris stronghold in Bavara. With their previous garrison in the city having been torn down and defiled by the Khasgarans, the Knights apparently decided that a statement had to be made. The room, much like the rest of the brand new keep, is large, well furnished, and made to impress. The chairs are comfortable, the room is well lit, and ale is hearty. Above the dark mahogany round table is a bright emblem of a smiling sun, complete with gold trim. Even the Sun God himself would probably be impressed.
After about twenty-odd minutes of waiting, the double doors to room open, and two people walk in. The first is a young female half-elf, dressed in a fine black tunic and shirt of mithral. The symbols on her garb, and the disk pinned to her shirt, quickly reveal her to be a Knight Shadowbane. Her counter part, the Knight of Solaris, is a mountain of a man, standing nearly seven feet tall, and built like an ox. He wears gold breastplate armor, two gauntlets that look like they’re made for an ogre, and has what could very well be the God of all mustaches.
After the two Knights take their seats, the Knight of the Solaris begins.
“Welcome to Bavara, friends! I’m Hoek Armas of the Knights of Solaris, 2nd Cohort. A pleasure to meet all of you.” he roared in a hearty tone that was entirely too loud.
“And I am Ezeldra Lyone, Knight Shadowbane, 2nd Cohort. On behalf of both us, I’d like to thank you all for making the arduous trek despite the weather.” She commented, with a twinge of annoyance at her counterpart’s volume. She also seemed to be find the light in the room rather bothersome.
“Dark as it may be, the Sun always shines.” Hoek replied, with a grand smile on his face, exalting towards the sun emblem on the ceiling.
“Indeed,” Ezeldra replied, narrowly stopping her hand from reaching her forehead. “I suppose we should be on about it?”
“Right! We’ve called you here in light of what we’ve seen of your accomplishments and abilities. There is a matter of great importance that needs your attention. But first, Lady Lyone will provide you with some background information.”
“As you all should be aware, when the strange mist that now separates the realm of the living and the undead fell upon Khasgara, it also covered the lands of the Ravenlost Vale, namely the Kingdom of Barovia. When this happened, in addition to loosing contact with the people, we also lost contact with the land’s defenders, the Knights of Raven. For whatever reason, when the mists descended, the Knights vanished, and there has since been no word from them. They were, to say the least, an honorable lot, and we’ve trying for the last hundred years to find out what happened.
In general, our contact with the Kingdom of Barovia has been limited in the preceding years. There have been many, mostly unsuccessful attempts to send strike teams to Barovia, but most return either diminished, or not at all. When the wars with Khasgara began, all attempts to the pierce mists in the region were virtually ceased, as it was deemed simply too dangerous to send anyone in. However, we do know a couple of things, based on our own scouts, and information gathered from Varangar warbands that patrol the border:
1. Lately, the same elite-grade skeletal warriors that we fought during the Plague Wars have been seen along the roads to Barovia.
2. Khasgaran necromancers have been seen crossing into the Vale from the north.
3. According to the most recent scouting team to return, the city of Barovia still stands, and, interestingly, the same King who ruled before the mists descended, Lord Strahd von Zarovich, apparently still holds the throne. This is strange, since Lord Zarovich would have in his forties when we lost contact with him, thus making him nearly 170 years old by now, and as far we know, he’s human.
Whatever the case, with the Plaguemarch over, and the Khasgaran’s still recoiling, the leaders of both our Orders have deemed it time to once again safe enough to venture into Barovia.” Lady Lyone finished, staring across at you intently.
“Thats why you’ve been called. We need a trustworthy, organized, and experienced team to travel to Barovia, and figure out what exactly is going on. Based on what we’ve seen, you’re the best chance we have available to us.
So, are the heroes we’re looking for?” Lord Armas finished, with a hearty grin.