NationStates Jolt Archive

It was a cool night in Wretchengard, with a breeze from the north and a large storm front blowing in. Overlord Bradley Steelblood had retired for the night, quickly falling asleep despite the rolling thunder. Tonight was not to be a normal night however, and the Overlord's peaceful rest would not last. It was in the middle of the night, with a thunderstorm in full swing, when the dream began.

In a dream state, the Overlord was suddenly thrust into an aerial view of his palace, then began rising above the great city of Vhaldruin. Suddenly he was racing through the sky over Wretchengard, over cities, towns and farms, into the northland. He started to slow and descend as he approached a desolate valley, and came to a stop in front of a man-sized tunnel with a stone doorway. A strange rune was carved into the right side of the doorway at about chest height. The tunnel was very well hidden and impossible to spot from the air. Standing there in front of the tunnel, he began to feel it. It was a strange feeling, almost as if something was beckoning to him from the tunnel, filling his mind with irresistable temptation. It felt almost as if it was his destiny to enter. Suddenly feelings of great power assaulted his mind, and the Overlord awoke with a start in a cold sweat.

Bradley Steelblood looked around his bedroom, finally assuring himself that what he was seeing was correct and that he was indeed in his bedroom. The dream had been so real...he imagined that he could still feel the beckoning of that strange passage.

After about half an hour of pacing, thinking, and watching the storm from his bedroom window, the Overlord realized that he was not imagining things. He could still feel the hidden passage calling to him. Unable to wait any longer, the Overlord quickly dressed himself. He could still remember the dream as clearly as if he had lived it, and he had resolved himself to find the mysterious tunnel and seek answers himself. He grabbed his sword, a combat knife, a pair of 9mm pistols, and his personal .50 cal pistol. Whatever was in that tunnel could be dangerous, afterall. Now prepared, Overlord Brad quickly left his bedroom and made his way to his personal hangar.

Minutes later, the Overlord's personal attack copter rose into the air above Vhaldruin, embarking north through a stormy sky on a flight path already familiar to its pilot...

The helicopter descended from the darkness, landing without much difficulty in the isolated valley despite the winds of the storm. The pilot left his flight gear in the copter and grabbed another set of equipment-the weapons and tools he had brought along. He turned and walked in the direction he knew the gateway to be in.

Approaching the hidden passage was not nearly so easy as it had been in the dream. Rather than floating down to it from the darkness, the man was forced to hack and claw his way through dense scrub and brush along the valley floor. Powered by the desire to complete his journey, he walked onward, with legs pounding like pistons.

At last, he could feel that he was approaching his destination. The man scrambled through the last bit of brush in his way, and then stood before the stone gateway. Gazing into the darkness of the passage, he could feel the calling still. He placed a light-rod around his neck so that he could better see, and then passed through the gates. Whatever beckoned from the depths, Overlord Bradley Steelblood was determined to find it.

The tunnel was fairly narrow as the Overlord descended deeper into the depths. Hopefully there would not be a need for the sword, for there was not enough room to swing it. There was nothing remarkable about the tunnel. It had no markings or carvings, and if not for the gateway, one might doubt that it had been inhabited by an intelligent being.

After about 5 minutes of walking down the tunnel, it began to widen slightly, until it finally opened into a cavern roughly 100 feet wide. As he looked around, the Overlord noticed something against one of the cavern walls. He walked closer and raised the light stick, and saw that he was looking at bones. Skeletons of men, wearing the rusted remains of armour and helms, and still clutching ancient weapons.

"By God," he muttered, crouching down to look over the old remains. "These must have been here for at least six or seven hundred years..."

Overlord Bradley Steelblood stood up again and turned to leave the cavern, walking for the passageway that would take him further into the depths. No sooner had he walked a dozen steps, when he heard a clattering footstep behind him...

Man, it is a good RP thusfar. Sorry you don't have any support and I do not fully understand the context enough to participate.

OOC: It's not so much for people to participate in as much as it is character/nation development. Comments and criticism are welcome, however.

Keep goin! This looks like a forgotten realms quest!!!! :D . This is a thread u will see me following :wink:

Thanks for the encouragement, I'll try to post again tomorrow.

Overlord Brad whirled around, black hilt and silver blade flashing in the light as he instinctively drew his sword. He was not prepared for what he saw.

7 of the skeletons that he had just been looking at stood before him, old weapons clutched in their bony fists. 2 of them had decaying shields strapped to their arms as well. The lead skeleton stepped forward, and the same clattering sound resounded through the small cavern once again. The...thing raised a rusted war sword...

"Impossible!" the Overlord gasped, barely snapping out of his state of shock in time to dodge the blow. Attempting to regain his composure, Steelblood quickly analyzed the situation. He was outnumbered obviously, but the skeletons didn't seem to be particularly fast, and their weaponry was old and worn by time. It might be breakable. To test his idea, the Overlord parried the next sword attack, then struck back against his enemy's blade with all his might. Under the power of the Overlord's great blade, the rusted war sword was shattered. Acting quickly, Overlord Brad swung back and took the skeleton's head from its shoulders. He swiftly swung a huge leg up and booted the headless form to the ground, hopefully incapacitating it, if not "killing" it.

Two more of the creatures stepped over their fallen comrade and raised their weapons to engage. A mace strike came soaring in from the left, and a crashing battle axe blow from the right. Steelblood blocked the axe without much difficulty, but left himself exposed to the mace. He struggled to dodge, but was still clipped in the shoulder and staggered back a step. With a great roar he lunged forward again, slashing horizontally at the left creature. His strike powered through the skeleton's defenses and left its torse severed from its lower body. He quickly swung the sword up again, and then brought it down on his other foe, splitting its skull with ease.

The remaining four advanced. It was imperative to avoid being hit, for the Overlord knew that if he was staggered by one blow he could be brought low by the flurry of blows that would follow. He faced two skeletons weilding shields and war swords, one with a spear, and another with a cruelly spiked morningstar. The spear weilder came first, thrusting at the Overlord's chest. Steelblood dodge aside, then swung his blade in an upward arc, cutting through the spear shaft. Before the skeleton could react, he brought the sword down again diagonally, taking off the head and right arm of the creature.

The remaining 3 worked more cohesively. The morningstar weilder came at him headlong, with the other 2 trying to flank him on each side. The Overlord took a few steps back, keeping the skeletons from closing in too close and overwhelming him. At last, one of the skeletons at his flank drew back his sword arm and swung for his head. Steelblood ducked under it, and the strike intended for him struck the skeleton on his other side, who had moved in close for a killing strike. With this opening, the Overlord burst forward rushing the morningstar weilder and knocking it to the ground. He spun around and slashed his would be killer a number of times, sending bone fragments flying. Once he had cut his way through that one, he pounced upone the other, still recovering from its ally's attack. He swatted the skeleton's blade aside, and then thrust his blade through the skeleton's ribcage. The stabbing itself could do no real damage (as there were no organs remaining), but the Overlord then proceeded to lift the skeleton into the air with his blade. Huge arm muscles flexed as the Overlord raised the skeleton high and then slammed it to the ground. Ribs broke and bone chips flew. With victory near at hand, Overlord Brad strode over to where the one remaining skeleton was regaining its feet. It attempted to swing its morningstar, but the Overlord was too swift. His blade took the arm of the creature from its body before it could complete the swing. A blow from the Overlord's tree-like arms knocked the helpless skeleton to its knees, and the Overlord made his killing strike, taking the skeleton's head off.

As the adrenaline rush began to slow, Overlord Bradley Steelblood looked around at the destruction he had wrought. Convinced that the dead would remain dead this time, he turned for the exit once more, determined to follow the call and learn what mysteries lay in that strange place.

The Overlord of Wretchengard stalked deeper and deeper into the murky depths, through tunnel after twisting tunnel. Just when he began to wonder if he was getting anywhere, the tunnel ahead of him widened into a fairly large room. The floor and walls were of shaped and chiselled stone, unlike the rough natural rock of most of the tunnels. A man-sized statue of an imposing cloaked figure holding a bladed quarterstaff occupied the center of the room, and the Overlord thought he could see writing on the base of the statue. He began to slowly walk towards it, with his blade held before him.

A sensation became noticeable in the back of his mind then, a strange combination of a feeling of being watched with one of impending doom. As his left foot stepped down, he felt the stone beneat his feet shift slightyl, and heard a number of metallic clinking noises. It was only his instinct that saved him.

The trap was sprung. From well hidden launchers, a dozen sharpened metal bolts were launched at the Overlord, from several different directions and angles. He hurled himself to his left with all his strength, twisting his body in an effort to make it less of a target and swinging his sword up to hopefully block any bolts coming at him from that direction. And not an instant too soon. Several sharp clangs could be heard as bolts shot through the space he had been standing in and struck the stone floor. With a stroke of luck, his sword deflected another bolt that would have otherwise found his neck. He would not escape unscathed, however. This particular trap was a well-made and deadly one; it was near impossible to avoid it entirely, and would almost certainly be the death of any ordinary man. The Overlord couldn't quite be called an "ordinary man," however. A bolt grazed his right side, drawing a line of blood and ripping his shirt. Another flew between his legs, grazing his left inner thigh. The Overlord felt sharp pain then, as a bolt caught him solidly in his left shoulder. And then he hit the ground with a thud. It had all happened in the time it took him to throw himself through the air and land again.

The Overlord rolled onto his right side, wincing with pain, and then regained his feet with some effort. He walked to the statue and gazed down at the inscription. It was Old Wretchan, the ancient language of Wretchengard, and translated into Kairnatos, Scourge of the Known World.

He had heard the name of course, like most Wretchengardans. The mighty sorceror Kairnatos was said to have been a great conqueror in Wretchengardan legend, who built a mighty fiefdom with sword and fire. His armies of men and monsters terrorized ancient Wretchengard with an iron fist for years before Kairnatos mysteriously vanished, leaving his armies to break apart and dissipate. The Overlord however, like most Wretchengardans, also regarded the legend of Kairnatos to be more myth that not. After all, no proof of Kairnatos' existence had ever been recovered. And yet there was a statue of a powerful sorceror bearing the name of Kairnatos in that very room...it raised some interesting questions. Questions that would go unanswered for the time being.

Overlord Steelblood sat down at the base of the statue, taking some time to tend to his wounds before he continued his quest and all the while thinking of all he had seen in that godforsaken place so far...

With his wounds bandaged and the bleeding stopped, the Overlord left the room with the statue and continued on. There was not a tunnel of natural rock leading out, but a hallway of cut stone, lit with torches. The Overlord walked slowly down the hallway, totally alert. Smaller corridors branched off from the main hall, but the Steelblood could sense that whatever it was he seeked would not be found down any of them. He held his course.

The hallway eventually came to a door, which the Overlord opened and stepped through. What he stepped into was a great hall, tall and wide and long. The room was furnished with 3 tables; 2 were smaller and fairly plain, whereas the other was a large, grand piece of furniture. It did not look like there had been anyone eating at them for a very long time. However, there was a large silver platter set out at the head of the large table. There was also a great set of stairs at the end of the hall, with a suit of ornamental armour standing on each side of a great door. The silver platter intrigued the Overlord, and he walked over to investigate. He moved the large chair at the head of the table aside to get a better look at the large silver dish, then winced when he heard a mechanical whirring noise. He looked down and saw that moving the chair and released a small lever.

A cranking noise drew the Overlord's attention to the other side of the room, where section of the wall was sliding away. From within the dark hole that the opening exposed, the Overlord heard a terrible roar. A huge humanoid stepped forth. It was at least twice as tall as the over 6'6" Overlord of Wretchengard, with nasty yellowed tusks and cruel beady eyes. In its right hand it held a gnarled club, and the beast was dressed in nothing but some tattered rags about its waist. Its most remarkable feature, however, was that this particular monster had not one head, but two. The Overlord didn't know if it was an ogre, troll, giant, or anything like that, but he did know it would be a dangerous enemy. In unison, the two heads gave a fearsome battle cry. The beast charged for its much smaller opponent. Steelblood gave a battle cry of his own, drawing his .50 cal custom pistol. Standing amongst the dining tables, the Overlord quickly brought his pistol up to bear as the giant closed. He fired off two shots into the monsters midsection before it crashed through the tables, splintering wood and sending a number of chairs flying. If the gunshots had significantly wounded the monster, it sure didn't show it. The Overlord dived into a roll to avoid the monsters wild swings, then turned to aim again once he had some distance from the monster. It wasn't quite as dumb as it looked, however. With its free left hand, the giant beast picked up a chair and hurled it with remarkable accuracy at the Overlord. Occupied with taking his aim, the Overlord did not have enough time to dodge the chair. The rickety thing struck his torso, knocking the gun from his hand and knocking him to the ground. The pistol had landed somewhere in the wreckage that had once been the dining room tables, and the Overlord wouldn't likely get a break from the monster to look for it. No, he would have to fight the monster hand-to-hand.

With a grimace of pain Steelblood regained his feet and drew his sword with a roar. The monster came barreling in once more, but its momentum would not allow it to react quickly to the Overlord's dodge. Diving between the behemoth's legs, he was then able to attack a leg in an attempt to hamstring the beast. The monster roared and swatted at the Overlord as he hacked his sword into the back of its left leg. Steelblood was forced to stop his attack and jump away as the monster swung wildly. The giant approached him more cautiously this time, trying to take his measure. Clearly it had underestimated the much smaller man. The monster swung again, and the Overlord stepped out of the way. Playing right into the monster's hand. With its free right hand, the large creature reached out and grabbed Steelblood before he was able to dodge again. The Overlord gasped as the monster squeezed. Raising his sword, he hacked at its arm with all the strength he could muster in a desperate attempt to break free. The beast howled and tried to crush Steelblood with the club in the other hand, but he had slipped free. Steelblood drew back his sword again and let his sword arm guide the blade straight into the monster's knee. He scored 2 successful hits before the monster was again able to retaliate, but he managed to avoid a swing of the club. With a clear target now, the Overlord launched a number of swift thrusts and slashes, always targeting the giant's knee and always breaking of his attack before the monster could squash him. Finally the frustrated monster lunged at him with a roar. Steelblood easily dodged the clumsy and desperate attack, then hacked into the monster's exposed leg once again. The mighty blade nearly severed the monster's leg at the knee, and the great beast's other leg buckled under the pain and pressure, bringing it toppling down onto its back. The Overlord hopped up on the stunned monster's chest, face grim. It was time to finish it. Taking his nearly 5 foot sword in both hands, he slashed the monsters neck in a mighty stroke.

As the giant's lifeblood poured away, the Overlord collected his pistol from the rubble and walked towards the staircase and the great door at the end of the hall...

Things go *BUMP* in the night!

Overlord Bradley Steelblood of Wretchengard reached the bottom of the steps, and lifted his foot. He began to climb, higher and higher, certain that behind the great door, he would find that which had summoned him.

But things were not to be that simple.

As the Overlord approached the top of the steps, the great door slowly swung open, revealing 3 cloaked figures. Each wore a suit of blackened plate armour, with spikes here and there. Hooded cloaks covered their faces. 2 of the armoured figures carried nasty looking barbed spears, and the other-their leader-held a large two-handed broadsword. The blade itself looked wicked; it was cruelly sharp, with strange runes on blade and pommel. The spear holders remained standing in front of the great door, while their leader stalked towards Steelblood.

The Overlord groaned and prepared to draw a weapon.

"Who-or what-are you and what do you want with me?!" he roared. "Speak, abomination!"

The strange dark knight stopped about 15 feet away from the Overlord. The armoured thing was roughly the Overlord's size, if not slightly taller. It met his gaze, and he could see pinpoints of fierce red blazing from inside that hood, where eyes would be.

"I am to be your death, mortal. I am not the one you seek, yet you will go no further in your quest," the creature rasped in a low, chilling voice.

The Overlord nodded in what appeared to be resignation. Then, in a flash, he had drawn his 9 mm pistols and began to fire on his enemy. Roung after round after round slammed into the creatures chest, driving it backward. As the 9 mm pistols emptied, Steelblood dropped them and drew his .50 cal handgun, took careful aim and fired. The round ripped through the dark knight's breastplate, knocking him from his feet. The creature remained motionless, and the Overlord approached with the gun still aimed at the still body. He looked down at the torn breastplate. There were many holes from the bullets, but no blood of any kind. As he pondered this, his opponent quickly rolled over away from him and began to get to its feet. The Overlord followed its movements and quickly snapped off a shot at its head. The shot narrowly missed, but tore the hood from the dark knight's head. The creature's skeletal face gazed back at him, covered only with a blackened open faced helm.

"Fool!" the monster hissed. "Now do you see?!"

It rushed for him, ducking under his next shot and barreling headfirst into his midsection. With the Overlord temporarily down, the monster reached for its blade, still lying on the ground where it had fell. The Overlord was back up in a flash, drawing his own sword and rushing to attack the undead warrior. His opponent had successfully retrieved its sword however, and whirled around in time to block. The opponents locked eyes again as their swords crossed, and the Overlord snarled in rage. The dark knight hissed back, and pushed the Overlord back in a burst of strength. Impressed, the Overlord approached cautiously, looking for openings and signs of weakness. He attacked again with quick slashes and thrusts, never giving his enemy time to make a counter attack without exposing itself. With his enemy's blade busy, the Overlord lashed out with his foot, driving his heel into the dark knights midsection. He knew that it would not hurt his opponent, but it would cause some unbalance. The dark knight staggered back a step, and Steelblood lunged forward, dealing his enemy a heavy blow. The Overlord chopped away, trying to drive his enemy to the ground. Unfortunately, the formidable armour made it very difficult for him to deal damage. The dark knight lashed out with a mailed fist, busting the Overlord's lips and knocking him away. Now the skeletal monster took the offensive, hacking at the Overlord's defenses with its heavy blade. The weight of the blade and the strength of his opponent made it difficult for Steelblood to block those power attacks, yet his opponent wasn't giving him any room to back away. Steelblood took a risk and ducked under the next attack, narrowly avoiding having the top of his head lopped off. He then brought his sword crashing down at the monster's neck, getting the blade stuck in the monster's armour. Cursing, the Overlord hammered away with hard boots, trying to knock the monster over. It retaliated with a hard backhand, knocking the Overlord to the ground. With a roar of agony, the dark knight pulled Steelblood's blade from its armour and tossed it aside.

"It is hopeless, mortal. Surrender now and your passage will be...quicker," the monster rasped.

"Never!" the Overlord roared in response, spitting at the dark knight.

Angered, the skeletal creature hissed and lunged at him with it's sword. The dark knight was overconfident however, thinking an unarmed opponent would fall easily. Not so. Steelblood dodged aside at the last second, then leaped forward at his enemy, planting both feet on the dark knights chest. The skeletal knight lost its grip on its sword, causing it to go flying aside as the dark knight dropped to the stone floor with a clatter. Steelblood quickly retrieved the creature's sword and stood over it. He raised the sword and prepared to behead his cursed enemy...

"THAT WILL BE ENOUGH," boomed a haunting voice from beyond the doorway. As soon as he heard it, the Overlord knew it was the voice of the once he was seeking.

"MY MINIONS WILL TROUBLE YOU NO MORE, OVERLORD BRADLEY STEELBLOOD," the voice continued. "PLEASE, PUT AWAY YOUR WEAPONS AND WALK THROUGH THE DOORWAY. ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED."

"How do I know that this isn't some sort of trap?" the Overlord asked, with some resentment in his voice. "God knows I've seen enough of them on this cursed 'quest.'"

The voice chuckled. "I SUPPOSE YOU DON'T. BUT YOU HAVE COME THIS FAR, AFTER ALL. YOU AREN'T GOING TO WALK AWAY NOW, ARE YOU?"

It was more a statement than a question. The voice knew, as the Overlord did, that he would not-could not-turn back. Not now.

"Very well," the Overlord muttered. He dropped the dark knight's sword and retrieved his weapons.

Steelblood walked to the great door and stood before it. The beaten dark knight leader and other 2 armoured creatures followed the Overlord, but did not attempt any hostilities. The voice was as good as its word, so far. Taking a deep breath, Overlord Bradley Steelblood of Wretchengard walked through the door...

*BUMP* and run!

This looks like it'll be a gripping read.
I must congratulate you on a great thread.
Must remember to keep checking it for updates...
Keep up the good work!

OOC: I hope to post the conclusion of the Overlord's little adventure this afternoon. If not, I'll have to post it tomorrow, as I will be getting tanked tonight with my buddy for his birthday. And I would hate to ruin my thread with a conclusion of inane drunken rambling... :wink:

"ENTER," the voice boomed.

Overlord Bradley Steelblood of Wretchengard walked through the door, finding himself in a vast room, dark except for a pair of torches next to an alter on a raise dais at the back of the room. With his light-stick, Steelblood could vaguely make out a little more of the rooms contents; shelves and shelves of books, some of what looked to be ancient laboratory equipment, and a table with many cutting (surgical? torture?) tools.

"COME," the voice continued. "UP ON THE DAIS."

The Overlord cautiously walked across the room to the dais, drew his sword, and climbed the staircase to the top.

"Oh please," the voice spoke, exasperated. "Do you really think I brought you all this way just to kill you?"

"Well, whoever you are," the Overlord growled "you sure seem to be trying hard enough to do so."

The voice laughed. "Oh no, no, no! You misunderstand completely. I shall explain it all to you, in good time, but first I believe that some introductions are in order."

An whispy, transparent figure drifted forth from the darkness, shocking the Overlord back a step. The spectre had the appearance of a large, cowled man, with a full beard and eyes that were nothing more than pools of darkness. What would have been legs on a man trailed off into whisps of whatever matter the spirit was composed of. In the back of the very surprised Overlord's mind, he realized that the spectre looked similar to the statue he had seen earlier.

"I am Kairnatos," the cowled spirit said, bowing politely. "I was once a sorceror of great power, long, long ago. This complex we are in was once private hold of mine."

"K-Kairnatos?" the Overlord stammered in shock. "I thought you were only a legend!"

"Don't be rediculous!" the spirit scowled. "Surely after all the new and strange things you have witnessed on your quest, you must be open to the possibility of ghosts and sorcerors of old!"

Steelblood thought. The spirit's words made sense there. A ghost-sorceror was no harder to believe than living skeletons or two-headed giants.

"Alright, let's say I believe you. Why am I here?" the Overlord asked.

"Yes, yes, of course," the spirit continued. "I brought you here because you are exactly the type of man I require."

"For what?" the Overlord asked, curious.

"Why, to be my heir," the spirit stated, as if the answer was obvious.

"Your heir?" the Overlord asked, baffled.

"Yes, my dear Steelblood. My heir."

OOC: the second part of the conclusion turned out a little too big for one post, so I've broken it up into a few.

IC: Overlord Steelblood stood in complete shock, unable to even form his next question.

"Very well," the spirit grumbled. "I shall make my reasons clear. But to understand my reasons, first you need to know my tale."

"Over a thousand years ago, I was a great warrior, but more importantly, I was the most powerful sorceror to walk these lands," the spirit said, now smiling wistfully as he told his tale. "Countless warriors, wizards and monsters fell before my might. In my youth I was very ambitious, and with this power I set upon the path of conquest. Monsters and men flocked to fight under my banner, fueled by greed and bloodlust. For many years I waged brutal war on the existing rulers, with the eventual goal of a united, perfect society under my rule. But there was a problem, you see. I began to grow old. I realized that my dream would not be achieved in my lifetime."

The spirit paused for a moment before it continued. "There exists a very complicated and very powerful ritual by which it is possible to extend one's life indefinitely. I sought to use this ritual to gain immortality, thus insuring that I would not be felled by age before I could see my conquest through. It was not to be that easy, however. My actions had earned me a great number of enemies; many of them very smart, and many of them deadly. One such enemy was a mage whose family had been killed by my armies. Seeking revenge, he learned of my ritual and plotted to sabotage it. On the eve of the ritual, he used his magic to interfere at a crucial point in the casting, causing the ritual not only to fail, but to cause drastic side-effects. I killed the mage in spell duel of course, but the damage was done. Instead of immortality I received certain death. The magic of the interrupted ritual had caused decay to begin in my soul, and death claimed me only weeks after. My armies drifted apart, the land I had conquered was taken and divided, and history became legend. Because of the special circumstances of my death, I was doomed to this state rather than crossing over to the other side like most, and I am also bound to the place of my death," he gestured "here in this very hall."

"Which brings us to the reason you are here," the spirit continued. "I desire an heir, one to bear the powers of old as I once did. One who is worthy of using this might to realize his ambitions."

"Well, why did you choose me?" the Overlord asked. "Surely there were others that could have been suitable..."

"Yes, there were. You are not the first to receive the summons to my lair. There were others who had the proper mindset. You were the only one, however, to make it this far. The others were unable to...overcome...the tests I had placed before them," the spirit explained in a grave tone. "Unfortunate, but I had to be sure that my heir would be worthy of the great honour I offer. You, my dear Steelblood, are worthy."

"Alright, so how do I receive your power?" the Overlord questioned.

"I can't simply give you my power. It doesn't work that way. There are only two ways I know of to the powers that I possessed. One is through the study of spellbooks and careful research, the art of wizardry. The other is through the awakening of one's inner power, the magic in one's blood. The art of sorcery," the spirit explained to him. "I won't lie to you, neither path will be easy. But I can see you have the potential to excel in whichever path you choose, and the payoff is more than worth the price you must pay for the power."

"Although I don't have the means to give you my power directly, I can help to set you on your path. There are many tools of knowledge in this, my fortress of old. As my heir, it will all pass to you," the spirit continued. "On the altar over there, you will find two books that I found particularly useful. They deal with necromancy, magic of life, death, and undeath. There is also my old staff. I assure you, when you are of enough skill, it will serve you as an invaluable tool...and weapon."

The Overlord walked over to the altar and picked up the staff. It was bladed, just like the staff the statue had been holding in the trapped room he had passed through.

"How am I to learn this on my own?" Steelblood asked, turning to face the spirit again. "It has been centuries since there have been even rumours of magic in Wretchengard. I don't even know where to begin..."

"I was getting to that," the spirit said, sounding slightly irritated. "There is one yet in your lands that I know of who still wields the powers of old. Her name is Illidia."

(continued in next post)

(continued from previous post)

The Overlord looked at the spirit, his doubt evident.

"And why would an ancient witch help me?" the Overlord asked.

"Because, you fool, she is my daughter!" the spirit snapped, as if it was obvious. "Illidia succeeded in the same ritual that was my undoing, and will never again feel the touch of age."

"So, why wouldn't you just get her to carry on your legacy?" the Overlord asked, truly confused.

The spirit sighed. "You don't understand. My daughter is not driven by the same ambition as you or I. She disdains war and conquest, and prefers to live in peace. That is why she is cut off from the world. She lives now only to further her studies into magic and nature."

"It doesn't exactly sound like she would be willing to train one such as me then..." the Overlord said with a smirk.

"You're right, normally she wouldn't," the spirit said in agreement. "Illidia does possess a strong sense of honour, however; I didn't fail in raising her completely I suppose. She owes me this, and thus she is honour bound to train my chosen heir."

"I see," the Overlord said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Then I shall seek her out."

"That would be wise," the spirit said. "There is one more thing, however. It should not surprise you that I am tired of this existence. Whatever fate awaits me in the heavens or hells, I would rather face it than wait for the end of time in this damnable tomb!"

"Well, what can I do to release you?" the Overlord asked.

"Two things. First, I need an item of fine craftmanship and some value," the spirit said, glancing at the blade hanging from the Overlord's belt. "Your sword will suffice."

The Overlord reluctantly drew his sword and placed it on the altar.

"Oh don't fret, your pretty blade won't be harmed," the spirit mocked. "You should be quite pleased at the outcome."

"Secondly, I require a certain scroll," the spirit continued. "It should be right over there, on that table."

The Overlord walked across the room and retrieved a scroll from the table. "Is this it?"

"Yes," the spirit replied. "Now, hold your sword in the air, and read the incantation on the scroll!"

The Overlord did as he was told, and as he reached the end of the words, the room began to crackle with energy. The spirit of Kairnatos became engulfed in a blinding light, and at last a bolt of greenish energy was propelled from the blinding pool of light. It struck the sword, knocking it from the Overlord's hand. The light faded, revealing Kairnatos' spirit once more. While it looked much the same, something was...different.

"Ahh, at last! It worked, I can feel it!" the spirit said in joy. "Thank you my dear Steelblood, for you have set me free. I will take my leave of this world now, but I shall leave you with this..."

The spirit vanished in a flash, and Bradley Steelblood was struck with yet another vision. It showed him a path, and somehow, he knew that it would lead him to Illidia. He would walk that path another day, however. The injuries he had sustained and plain old fatigue were beginning to take their toll on Wretchengard's sovereign.

Steelblood walked over and picked up his sword. He checked it over, making sure that it had not been damaged, and swung it in a few slow practice arcs, ending with a thrust. He noticed, as he did so, that the blade seemed to possess a green inner glow, and had crackled with magical energy when he had thrust it. No doubt that the ritual to free the spirit had cause it. Bradley Steelblood sheathed his sword, and went to collect some books, as well as Kairnatos' staff. There was far too much for him to take back in his combat chopper, so he would have to return again later.

Just as he was preparing to leave, three figures approached the Overlord out of the shadows. It was the death knights. He had nearly forgotten that they were there after his conversation with the spirit of Kairnatos. The 3 armoured fiends approached until they were only about 10 feet in front of him. And then, to the Overlord's surprise, they each dropped to one knee.

"I am Arokoth. These are Legaer and Demyr," their leader spoke, gesturing to his two companions. "We have served Kairnatos since ages long past. Now we are bound to you, his heir. We will serve you, Overlord Bradley Steelblood."

The Overlord pondered this new turn of events for a moment. "Very well, but you must swear your loyalty to me now, and your loyalty must be absolute. I expect nothing less," the Overlord replied.

"We do so swear," the dark warriors vowed in unison.

"Rise then, my dark guardians," the Overlord commanded. "You cannot come with me just yet. You must remain here, and guard this room from all intrusion until I return."

"It will be done," their leader said.

The Overlord simply nodded, and then left, taking a staff and a bag of 5 books with him...

OOC: This thread has been my way of introducing some magic to Wretchengard, or at least to it's ruler, Bradley Steelblood. I figured it would be a little cooler than simply declaring "OMG THE OVERLORD HAS MAGIK POWERZ!!!!!111", but I never thought it would take me this long to write it! :P Well, hopefully with this part concluded, I can get on with some more character/nation developments I've had brewing in my head for a while...

Oh, and thank you to those of you who read and commented. :D

OOC: A *bump* and the follow up on the Overlord's adventure.

IC: Overlord Bradley Steelblood flew his chopper back to the bustling metropolis of Vhaldruin, landing it on his pad. He took the 5 books of arcane lore to the top of his great fortress, where his private study was located. None, save for the Overlord himself, were allowed entry to that place, and his discoveries would remain a secret there.

When he had completed that task, the Overlord changed his clothes and payed a visit to a reliable doctor he knew. Bradley Steelblood knew that his own personal doctors would have some questions about the wounds he had sustained, and the Overlord did not particularly feel like explaining his journey to anyone at the moment, lest they think him a madman. No, he needed reliable medical care-with no questions asked. And he knew just the man for situations like that.

When his wounds had been tended to, the Overlord returned to the palace. His family and the various Lords had questions concerning where he had gone of course, but the Overlord was able to give the excuse that he had gone hunting in the north alone, and that he had told one an aide where he was going. A lie of course, but the aide would know better than to deny that the Overlord had told him anything. The Overlord was never wrong.

With his mysterious journey safely swept under the rug, things would appear to return to normal, and the Overlord would be free to pursue this new power at his leisure...in secret. He would return to the stronghold of Kairnatos in due time to retrieve the rest of the old conqueror's possessions, as well as his dread servants.

And thus, the rebirth of magic in Wretchengard had begun.

5 years later...

Half a decade after his adventure into a dark cave in Wretchengard's wilderness, the Overlord of Wretchengard had come a long way in his studies. He had long since plundered Kairnotos' old dungeon of practically everything of value, and his death knight servants had taken up residence in his private study, where none besides the Overlord himself were allowed to walk. He had succeeded in starting down the path of the sorceror, awakening some of the power in his royal blood. Simple cantrips had come to him easily, and he had even mastered some destructive and protective magicks. The power of necromancy he longed after above all, however, and the Overlord had run into a block. Despite long hours of reading over ancient magical texts, study, and meditation, he was not getting any further. The frustration was getting to be unbearable. And then the Overlord remembered something the ghost of the old conqueror had said, and knew exactly what he needed to do.

Illidia does possess a strong sense of honour, however; I didn't fail in raising her completely I suppose. She owes me this, and thus she is honour bound to train my chosen heir.

Illidia. I must seek the ancient sorceress out, Steelblood thought to himself. If she is honour bound to aid me, then she can help me back on to the path to power once more. He clenched his fist and gave a wolfish grin. Then I shall be unstoppable.

A few days later...

The Overlord managed to get away from the palace one morning, with the excuse that he was going hunting, possibly for a few days. Dark clouds hung overhead, as they often did, but they did not bother him. He entered his hangar bay and prepped his new grav-shuttle for launch. While the machine warmed up, Steelblood loaded his equipment into the shuttle, including his sword, Kairnatos' bladed war staff, several arcane tomes, camping gear, and 2 hunting rifles (necessary to keep up the appearance that he was on a hunting trip). He had ordered that he not be tracked or followed; claiming that he did not want to be bothered or have the animals scared away. Hopefully it would be enough for his actions to continue to remain a secret.

With everything ready, the Overlord climbed into the small personal craft and left the hangar bay, then lifted into the sky. He closed his eyes to concentrate, remembering the directions Kairnatos' spirit had imparted in his mind. His hands flew over the controls, and the shuttle sped off, guided by the vision in Overlord Steelblood's mind.

The shuttle flew to the north-east, passing over towns and farms and into the wilderness-none of which the Overlord saw, save for in his minds' eye, for he was in deep concentration focusing on the directions he was given. Finally the directions imprinted in Steelblood's mind told him that he had arrived, and he opened his eyes. His craft was hovering above a secluded glen. He didn't see anything at first, but he trusted the directions he was given and set his shuttle down on level ground. Steelblood climbed out, grabbing the equipment he had brought. The Overlord climbed out and glanced around, wondering where to begin the search for Illidia's dwelling.

"Surely it is nearby," he mumbled to himself. Why would Kairnatos' direct him here if it wasn't, after all?

The Overlord of Wretchengard didn't need to ponder his course of action long before part of the scenery of the glen melted away before his eyes, revealing rather large double doors of oak. They swung outwards with a creak.

The Overlord chuckled to himself. I guess this would be it then, he thought, and walked through the doorway. He passed through a very tall corridor, walking past what appeared to be two massive suits of plate armour some 12 or 13 feet tall. Impressed, the Overlord continued walking towards a smaller doorway, which also swung open as he approached. Taking this as an invitation, the Overlord entered.

The room he saw looked simple by the Overlord's standards, yet comfortable. It had a padded chair and a couch, as well as a fireplace and a table. The Overlord dropped the sack of equipment he had carried with him on the floor. It would be rude and likely insulting to the mistress of the house to intrude further. Better to announce my presence now, he thought.

"Hello!" he called out. "I come seeking the sorceress Illidia!"

"So you have," a feminine voice responded.

Overlord Steelblood glanced around, looking for the source, until he was momentarily blinded by a flash of light in the room. When he was able to see again, he saw a woman standing before him in the room. She appeared to be in her mid to late 20's, and was very beatiful, with full lips, long, dark brown hair, and a body with feminine curves that seemed to be proportioned perfectly. Most striking were here eyes. They were a beautiful blue that held ancient wisdom and sparkled with intelligence. She wore long, flowing robes of violet and black, and held a long black staff topped with an orb of swirling blue.

"I am Illidia, archsorceress and mistress of this home," she said. "What exactly do you want, intruder?"

The Overlord shook off his sense of awe as quick as he was able, letting no more sign of it show.

"I am Bradley Steelblood, Overlord of the Eternal Dominion of Wretchengard," he said. "I don't know if you've heard of me, but you dwell within my borders."

"So you've come to claim lordship over me, is that it?" the woman said, amused.

"No, not at all!" the Overlord blustered, slightly embarassed. This isn't going well, he thought. Explain yourself quick, before you get turned into a toad!

"Merely introducing myself," he said apologetically. "I've come here in peace, to seek your help."

"I see," the beautiful sorceress said, once more in an amused tone. "Well, I do know who you are, Mr. Steelblood. That is why I allowed you to find my lair. I was curious as to why the Overlord of this country would be interested in seeking me out. I already assumed you had come in peace; if I had reason to believe you were a threat, you would not have gotten past the guards."

"What guards, I didn't see any-" the Overlord said, confused. Then it hit him. The suits of armour!

"Yes, young Steelblood," the sorceress chuckled. "Iron golems. Nearly indestructible constructs. One does not survive for so long out in the wilderness without some caution. But back to the point at hand. What kind of help do you think I can give you?"

"I was told by a benefactor that I would find help here, should I need it. I believe you knew him," the Overlord said, holding forth Kairnatos' war staff. "He was your father."

With this revelation the mirth disappeared from her face.

"I see," she said sourly. "I take it that his heir has come at last then."

Steelblood simply nodded.

"Very well then, Mr. Steelblood-" she started.

"Please, call me Brad," the Overlord said. "I get the distinctive feeling that I'm not your superior in any way, so no need for formalities."

"As you would have it, Brad," she continued, smiling slightly at a display of humility from one obviously so used to wielding authority. "I am as good as my word, and will fulfill my debt to my father and help to train his heir-you. I do not wish to be a part of your world, however. None of it. I take no joy in war, conquest and politics. When we are finished here, you will leave me alone as I was. You won't try to recruit me into servitude, tax me, or anything else of the sort. Agreed?"

"You have my word," the Overlord stated.

"Good. From what I have heard, you are an honourable man at least," she replied. "I shall trust you to keep your promise. Now please, have a seat. We have much to discuss."

The Overlord sat in a chair and talked with the fascinating daughter of Kairnatos late into the evening-about himself, his experiences in Kairnatos’ lair, and his studies since then. As he talked to this interesting woman, the Overlord felt a strange feeling within himself; one he hadn’t felt for a single woman since his wife had died so many years before. He attempted to dismiss the notion immediately, of course. He was the ruler of a great and proud nation, and a busy man. He had no time for boyhood fantasies. Yet try as he might, the feelings lingered at the back of his mind. Pushed aside for the moment, perhaps, but there nonetheless.

ka-*BUMP*!

Overlord Steelblood ventured out to Illidia's lair as often as he could over the course of the next year, and his sorcerous ability saw much improvement. He also came to better know the ancient Archsorceress Illidia, though she still never failed to fascinate him. He found it very hard to grasp how someone with such intelligence and strength of character (not to mention great magical powers!) didn't feel the need to use these for personal advancement. Illidia had everything one needed to be a powerful leader of men-everything save for the ruthless ambition that the Overlord and countless other leaders possessed. Illidia had told him before that she had never felt the desire to try and change the world to better suit her, and didn't enjoy holding power over others. She was content with what little she had, and was satisfied enough by studying the intricacies of magic, the wonders of nature, and the great questions of life. Bradley Steelblood, on the other hand, considered himself to be fighting for Wretchengard-and humanity's-sake against the elven menace, for someone had to take a stand to ensure that future generations wouldn't be hand feeding some elf grapes while she ruled over them. The ends justified the means. He also reasoned that it didn't matter if he enjoyed ruling others or not; he had power, and it is the responsibility of those with power to rule, for they are the best suited to the job. It was an interesting clash of beliefs, and the two would often carry out civil discussions, each arguing their own point of view. Although the Overlord would never admit it, some of the things Illidia said seemed to make some sense, and he would occasionally leave her lair questioning some of the things he had always accepted as truth. Despite their differences, a friendship seemed to form between the two...and perhaps something more.

*BUMP, soon to be replaced by an IC post*

Some time later...

The life of a ruler was taking its toll upon Overlord Bradley Steelblood. Escalating tensions with other nations, allies falling under attack, all the headaches that had come with bringing the Crimson Navy up to par as well as the added problems with the creation of the Ebon Navy...not to mention his ongoing sorcerous studies and secret meetings with Illidia. The Overlord felt as though his head would soon erupt, and the stress that had been exponentially building in him had driven him to the point that he wanted to lash out and destroy something. That very thought sparked another idea in the relentless machine that was the Overlord's mind, and he began to walk up the stairs of Blackstone Fortress.

He arrived at the door of a large gym, and walked past rows of weight machines, bags, and other gym equipment until he reached another door. He walked through the door and found himself gazing fondly at the sparring room he had commissioned so many years ago. The room was large, with a circular fighting ring raised in the middle at about the height of a boxing ring. The ring lacked any walls or barriers, although there was a cage available if he desired it. Typically, falling from the ring meant taking a nasty spill onto the floor. The Overlord grinned as he recalled some of the grueling bouts he had fought in that same ring. It had been awhile since he had given his unarmed combat skills a serious workout...

The Overlord knew then just what was needed, both to release some of the stress he was suffering from and to see if his skills were still sharp...