Post by mrdent12 on Jul 16, 2009 21:59:41 GMT -8
A Drow who looked like he had only seen twenty winters, but had the wisdom of a lifetime in his eyes, walked into the office of Bartle, the head monk of the temple of Ioun. The Drow's hands, feet, body, and face were covered in gloves, boots, and a long hooded robe. He sat down and took the hood off his face revealing marks like lightning all over his face.
"It is quite an unusual sight to see one of your race decide to become a monk here”, said Bartle.
“I am not your usual Drow. I have been a gift by Ioun himself. A gift that is beyond my control and I feel the only way to control it is to study under the esteemed monks of this monastery.”, explained the Drow.
“Well as you know, we do not disqualify potential members due to their race or pasts. We feel that no matter ones past they can contribute to the knowledge of the temple. All we ask is that every new monk first explain what draws them to become a monk and what their life was like before today. It looks as if you will not have much to write about for the latter due to your age.”, recited Bartle. He had given the speech so many times, but this time he knew why they had the policy.
“I do not have pen or paper. Do you have some I can borrow?”, asked the Drow.
“Forgive me, I forgot to give you the book you are supposed to write your past in. Now, what is your name?”, Bartle asked as he rummaged for a empty biography book in a pile of random books.
“I am known as Ishkur the exiled by my people, but I just go by Ishkur”, responded the Drow.
“Well Ishkur, this will be your biography book. You may use one of the empty rooms in the monastery while you write. Each room has ink and a pen with a writing table. I look forward to see what knowledge you can add to our libraries. One of our monks will show you to a room.”, said Bartle as he passed the empty book to Ishkur.
A monk dressed in brown robes escorted Ishkur through the monastery to an empty room that was 8x8. It had a simple bed and a writing desk with a chair. “Meals are served when the bell rings in the main dining hall.”, said the monk as he went back to his meditations.
“Now where do I start? I have wrote anything like this before. Well I suppose I should start from the beginning.”, though Ishkur as put the pen to paper and started to write.
“I was born to your average Drow family. My mother was one of the ruling council members and my father was a member of the order of mages. Unlike other Drow, we worshiped Vecna and were raised to do her bidding. My parents had high hopes of me following in my father's footsteps and becoming a great mage. I exhibited little prowess with magic, however. Whenever I failed to cast a spell my father would hit me with a tree branch. In his mind, this was most effective way to teach a young apprentice because that is how it had been done for ages. His father had taught him the same way. Try as I might, I was never able to cast anything greater than moving a rock a couple of inches.
When it became apparent that I was lacking in magical ability, I was assigned to a raiding party. What I lacked in magical ability I lacked even more in weapon proficiency. The only weapon I could master was daggers. I found a niche as a scout. My ability to perceive enemies coming up the road was not great, but I could hide and move stealthily. Scouts were not well respected by my people though, so I never advanced very far up the ranks. For 60 years I toiled as a scout while others rose to command their own raiding parties and even to the rank of general. My parents were so disappointed in my lack of progress that they disowned me when I turned 80. I should have been general and commanding great raids, they reasoned. My lack of progress was due to my unworthiness to be a member of their family. Vecna must have been playing a trick on them when my mother gave to me, they thought. So, at 80 I was without a family and stuck as a menial scout.
In terms of mates over those 80 years, I just as unlucky. None wanted to be joined with me because of my lack of achievement. I was a measly scout and the other suiters were brave forest fighters who could knock a persons hat off from 300 feet away. In a attempt to woo the daughter of a high ranking council member, I took it upon myself to raid a caravan alone. Little did I know that it was full of guards and need less to say it did not go well. Upon my return as a bloody mess I was exiled from my people forever. Others had been exiled before me, but I was the oldest one at 100.
For a couple years, I wandered around aimlessly. I stole a bag of what I thought was food along the way from some traveling elven mages by sneaking up to the camp when they were asleep. I ate what was left in the bag and put it aside to sleep for the night. In the morning the bag was full again. In this manner, I kept myself fed. I tried hunting a few times, but I had laughable results. I stumbled upon a forest in the farthest regions of the world a few years later and a fledging group of Drow hiding in the caves. Due to my age they thought I was a wise elder and took me in to the new community.
A few years passed when we heard of a special elven child. The ruling council of the group decided to take the child and raise it to serve Vecna. I was put in charge of arranging the capture. It was a simple enough matter to pay off some thugs to bring the child to a far off location in the woods. Me and a couple Drow took the child leaving the father to the thugs. We passed the child off to the high priestess for training and went back to building up the city.
Over the course of the next 20 or so years, the city became a monument to Vecna. I was even involved with a rather beautiful woman and had a child with her. My wife died soon after child birth. I took it upon myself to discipline the child in the same manner I was and soon the child became a great raider.
Our city became aware of a growing Elven settlement no more than 10 miles from our caves. We decided it needed to fall because of the threat it posed to us. I organized a raid on one of the gathering parties sent out from their village. The conditions were perfect for an ambush. It had just started to rain and mist was starting to rise. As the gathering party was heading for shelter we started the attack. By this time, a storm had started. Lightning was striking and the thunder was roaring like a lion. My child took the honors of killing the last member of the last member of the gathering party, but before he could deal the final blow he was speared by the elf. In anger, I raided up my daggers sliced up the elf. After the kill, I raised my daggers and screamed to Vecna to in anger. With my daggers still in the air, lighting struck them igniting the magical energies in my blood. To the point I passed out.
When I awoke I was covered in what looked like lightning bolt tattoos. I also felt different. More youthful and vibrant than a Drow of 160. My comrades had left me thinking I was dead. I was alone with the body of my dead son and the Elves. In a haste, I made my way back to the city. No one seemed to recognize me though. They even shunned me because of my appearance. They took it as a mark from Vecna that she had shunned me. Despite my protestations, I was exiled from the city. While looking for shelter and hiding in the smaller caves, I came across a pool of water and realized why the Drow had banished me. I looked like a young Drow of 20 years of age and bolts of lightning running all over my body.
For the next ten years I tried to help the Drow in their battle with the Elves, but my new found power was unpredictable. It seemed as if the lightening and I were one. At times, I would turn into a bolt and at other times I would have lightening shooting from my hands. My daggers also seemed to take on a magical quality. Whenever they were holstered in my gloves I was able to bring them into my hands with a small lightening charge and channel my power through them. I also noticed that I was not aging. Eventually, retired to a small cave and prayed to Vecna for better control.
It was not Vecna who answered my prayers though. As I slept one night I had a dream of a figure telling my that my powers were not given by Vecna, but Ioun. The shaded figure instructed me to seek out Ioun because Vecna had forsaken me and Ioun had plans for me. I did not know what the figure meant, but I awoke in a cold sweat and resolved to follow Ioun and change my evil ways. When I peeked out of my cave I saw the Elves celebrating and knew they must have defeated the Drow. I knew it was unsafe for me to stay, so I headed out in search of this monastery to study.”
Upon finishing the entry, Ishkur went to see Bartle. After reading over the book, Bartle allowed Ishkur to join the monastery. When Ishkur got settled in another monk, Maximus, came to him with a plan to destroy the monastery.
“So I hear you once followed Vecna. Well she has not forsaken you! She sent you here to assist me. All this knowledge should be ours alone. All these simpletons rummaging through it is unsightly. I have already started to slowly remove important volumes, but with two of us we could have it all. My brawn and your lightning will make an unstoppable combination.”, whispered Maximus.
“I no longer follow Vecna's evil ways. She is corrupt and knowledge needs to be shared with all. It is a glorious sight to see the town having such a resource as our library. Now, I suggest you leave.” angrily responded Ishkur.
“I cannot believe you would turn your back on the mighty Vecna. For that you shall die!”, exclaimed Maximus as he pulled out a hidden short sword and stabbed at Ishkur.
In a blood rage, lightning shot from Ishkur's hands and knocked Maximus through a wall into one of the meditation areas. With his eyes flashing with lightning and voice ringing with thunder Ishkur proclaimed, “You will not live to boast about that offense to me!”
As Ishkur's hands rose to finish the job, Bartle yelled, “Stop this at once! You shall not fight here!” He cast a quick spell and put Ishkur to sleep. When Ishkur woke up he was in his bed with Bartle sitting next to it.
“Where am I?” asked a confused Ishkur.
“You are in your bed. The force inside you took over when Maximus tried to kill you. I was able to pacify before you could kill him. We will have to do something to control that anger of yours. For now I suggest you stay in your room and mediate. Maximus will not bother you anymore. He has been banished.”, explained Bartle.
“I am sorry for my actions. I never meant to hurt him. I was just overwhelmed with the need to survive. You did not banish Maximus just because he tried to kill me?”, inquired Ishkur.
“No, we had suspected for a long time that he had started worshiping Vecna. His attempt to get to start following her again only confirmed our suspicions. Now you need to rest, I will come by tomorrow to help you become one with the powerful force that inhabits you. If you seek any food you can ask the monk outside of your door.”, said Bartle in a soothing voice.
“Am I a prisoner? Why do I need a guard?”, suspiciously asked Ishkur.
“For today we just want to watch over you. Now rest.”, said Bartle as he left the room.
The next day Ishkur started his training. Bartle brought him several books to read about elements inhabiting corporeal beings. Over the next few weeks Ishkur learned how to keep the force in check, even when angered. He still had some incidents where he would randomly blast a wall, but for the most part he was in control. After a year, he promoted to a chronicler and spent the next 50 years recording tells of valiant fighters and poor farmers alike. Upon the death of Bartle due to old age, Ishkur became the head monk. Like all good things for Ishkur though, this was not to last long. Two years into his tenure as head monk, Maximus returned with and army of mercenaries.
“ Now I will have my vengeance and all the knowledge here will be mine!”, cackled Maximus as the walls of the monastery crumbled to explosions. Men dressed in black came down ropes and swarmed the monastery killing the monks and patrons of the library. The whole time Maximus sat the entrance and laughed manically. Vecna had extended his life to that longer than a normal human by merging some demon essences with him. A side effect was that Maximus became crazy.
Ishkur broke from his trance when he heard the noises and cackles of Maximus. He entered the main hall of the monastery with his daggers out charged with lightning. “You will not destroy this monastery Maximus”, screamed Ishkur as he let loose bolts of lightning and summoned lightning from the sky as well sound waves of thunder. The battle at the monastery raged about the two combatants. The shear force of Ishkur's attack were too much for Maximus. In a panic, Maximus fled the monastery. With their employer fleeing, the soldiers fled as well.
“You will rue the day you let me live! I will destroy you!”, yelled Maximus as he fled.
After the battle, few monks remained and the library lay in ruins. Each of the surviving monks took some volumes and went their separate ways. They resolved to spread knowledge and chronicle the major events of the world and one day reform the monastery and great library. The monks each went a separate direction.
Ishkur booked passage on an airship to another continent. On this new continent he hoped to find a wealth of knowledge. His first trip was to library.
“Hello, is anyone here?”, inquired Ishkur. The library was so empty and dusty.
“Yes I am here. What is it you want? If you looking for a book on farming there are none. All we have is ancient books on things that don't matter.”, said a grumpy old man.
“My name is Ishkur, I used to be a monk of Ioun. I came to find out what current events were happening, but I see the place is deserted. Would you be able to answer to answer a few questions for me?”, asked Ishkur.
“Ioun you say? We haven't had many followers of him around for a while. I am one of the few who still worship him. It is an honor to be visited by you. I am sorry for the rudeness, we don't get many visitors.”, apologized the old man.
“I noticed. What is happening in this town? Is there a great famine or war going on? I am not used to see a place of such knowledge so empty.”, inquired Ishkur.
“Please have a seat and sit down. I will tell you everything I know. Ever since the rift opened near the town people started dying and being attacked by demons. There is rumors the demons and other creatures are coming through the rifts in dimensions. The rulers of the lands do not pay much heed to the rifts because they are so few. Wherever a rift opens people start to die and face demon attacks. The only people doing anything about these rifts are the mages of Sauron. No ruler will listen to them though. Maybe if you take a report of what is happening to a king or prince you will be able to convince them to help.”, suggested the old man.
“I will try. No one should suffer attacks undefended.”, agreed Ishkur as he left to chronicle the stories of the surrounding towns.
Unbeknown to Ishkur, Maximus had followed him. In camp one night, Maximus ambushed Ishkur.
“I told you I would make you pay! Now taste my steel!”, screeched Maxmimus as he ran from the bushes with two katanas. Not one to be taken by surprise at night, Ishkur blasted Maximus with a sound of thunder. Due to the proximity to the town, the guard rushed out to see what was going on. A dozen guards rushed out and subdues Maximus. They knew Ishkur from his previous visit to the town and had no reason to think he was the cause of the battle.
“That is enough! Now what is going on Ishkur? Why is this man fighting you?”, sternly asked the captain of the guards.
“He has a grudge against me from an incident long ago. He is crazy and needs to be locked away. Will you please take him away, but not kill him? He does not deserve to die for his actions. I am not even sure he fully knows who he is anymore.”, responded Ishkur.
“He does seem insane. I will pass on what you said to the magistrate. You should also come with us to explain your side.”, said the guard.
“Of course, I would not have it any other way.”, said Ishkur with a bow.
At Maximus's tribunal, he was sentenced to be locked away in an asylum. By the magistrates request, Ishkur helped to escort the prisoner.
"They will never keep me in that prison. I will escape one day and finish the job I started at the monastery.", growled Maximus.
"I doubt you will ever escape this prison. My only hope is that you will find peace and contentment before you die. Maybe than you will see the folly of following a Vecna.", preached Ishkur.
"I will escape the asylum and show you the might of Vecna. She keeps many secrets, but her anger is not one of them.", screamed Maximus as he was lead into the asylum.
A short time later, while collecting stories from people in the town, Ishkur heard word that Maximus had escaped from the asylum. He had over powered a guard and managed to get to the roof. From there he jumped into some trees nearby and made his escape. Searches of the area found only a trail of blood that lead into a river. No one knew where Maximus had gone from there.
The news did not surprise Ishkur. He knew Maximus was devious. The crazy are the most creative. All Ishkur could do was keep vigilant and search for knowledge about the rifts. A wise elder of the town informed him of an oracle and the mages of Sauron in Fallcrest who might know more. The path lay across the mountains and desert. The journey would not be a easy one on foot. As a gift, the elder gave Ishkur his magical mount with the only condition that Ishkur find the source of all the rifts and stop the evil. Ishkur left town immediately.
While traveling through the desert, he was ambushed by several demons and captured. Striped of his gear, he was caged and moved from room to room. He knew he could escape, but wanted to find out all he could. While in the chamber of Karth being taunted by a manticore, some people charged in to the room. Knowing that the camp would be in turmoil after Karth died, Ishkur joined the attackers.
"It is quite an unusual sight to see one of your race decide to become a monk here”, said Bartle.
“I am not your usual Drow. I have been a gift by Ioun himself. A gift that is beyond my control and I feel the only way to control it is to study under the esteemed monks of this monastery.”, explained the Drow.
“Well as you know, we do not disqualify potential members due to their race or pasts. We feel that no matter ones past they can contribute to the knowledge of the temple. All we ask is that every new monk first explain what draws them to become a monk and what their life was like before today. It looks as if you will not have much to write about for the latter due to your age.”, recited Bartle. He had given the speech so many times, but this time he knew why they had the policy.
“I do not have pen or paper. Do you have some I can borrow?”, asked the Drow.
“Forgive me, I forgot to give you the book you are supposed to write your past in. Now, what is your name?”, Bartle asked as he rummaged for a empty biography book in a pile of random books.
“I am known as Ishkur the exiled by my people, but I just go by Ishkur”, responded the Drow.
“Well Ishkur, this will be your biography book. You may use one of the empty rooms in the monastery while you write. Each room has ink and a pen with a writing table. I look forward to see what knowledge you can add to our libraries. One of our monks will show you to a room.”, said Bartle as he passed the empty book to Ishkur.
A monk dressed in brown robes escorted Ishkur through the monastery to an empty room that was 8x8. It had a simple bed and a writing desk with a chair. “Meals are served when the bell rings in the main dining hall.”, said the monk as he went back to his meditations.
“Now where do I start? I have wrote anything like this before. Well I suppose I should start from the beginning.”, though Ishkur as put the pen to paper and started to write.
“I was born to your average Drow family. My mother was one of the ruling council members and my father was a member of the order of mages. Unlike other Drow, we worshiped Vecna and were raised to do her bidding. My parents had high hopes of me following in my father's footsteps and becoming a great mage. I exhibited little prowess with magic, however. Whenever I failed to cast a spell my father would hit me with a tree branch. In his mind, this was most effective way to teach a young apprentice because that is how it had been done for ages. His father had taught him the same way. Try as I might, I was never able to cast anything greater than moving a rock a couple of inches.
When it became apparent that I was lacking in magical ability, I was assigned to a raiding party. What I lacked in magical ability I lacked even more in weapon proficiency. The only weapon I could master was daggers. I found a niche as a scout. My ability to perceive enemies coming up the road was not great, but I could hide and move stealthily. Scouts were not well respected by my people though, so I never advanced very far up the ranks. For 60 years I toiled as a scout while others rose to command their own raiding parties and even to the rank of general. My parents were so disappointed in my lack of progress that they disowned me when I turned 80. I should have been general and commanding great raids, they reasoned. My lack of progress was due to my unworthiness to be a member of their family. Vecna must have been playing a trick on them when my mother gave to me, they thought. So, at 80 I was without a family and stuck as a menial scout.
In terms of mates over those 80 years, I just as unlucky. None wanted to be joined with me because of my lack of achievement. I was a measly scout and the other suiters were brave forest fighters who could knock a persons hat off from 300 feet away. In a attempt to woo the daughter of a high ranking council member, I took it upon myself to raid a caravan alone. Little did I know that it was full of guards and need less to say it did not go well. Upon my return as a bloody mess I was exiled from my people forever. Others had been exiled before me, but I was the oldest one at 100.
For a couple years, I wandered around aimlessly. I stole a bag of what I thought was food along the way from some traveling elven mages by sneaking up to the camp when they were asleep. I ate what was left in the bag and put it aside to sleep for the night. In the morning the bag was full again. In this manner, I kept myself fed. I tried hunting a few times, but I had laughable results. I stumbled upon a forest in the farthest regions of the world a few years later and a fledging group of Drow hiding in the caves. Due to my age they thought I was a wise elder and took me in to the new community.
A few years passed when we heard of a special elven child. The ruling council of the group decided to take the child and raise it to serve Vecna. I was put in charge of arranging the capture. It was a simple enough matter to pay off some thugs to bring the child to a far off location in the woods. Me and a couple Drow took the child leaving the father to the thugs. We passed the child off to the high priestess for training and went back to building up the city.
Over the course of the next 20 or so years, the city became a monument to Vecna. I was even involved with a rather beautiful woman and had a child with her. My wife died soon after child birth. I took it upon myself to discipline the child in the same manner I was and soon the child became a great raider.
Our city became aware of a growing Elven settlement no more than 10 miles from our caves. We decided it needed to fall because of the threat it posed to us. I organized a raid on one of the gathering parties sent out from their village. The conditions were perfect for an ambush. It had just started to rain and mist was starting to rise. As the gathering party was heading for shelter we started the attack. By this time, a storm had started. Lightning was striking and the thunder was roaring like a lion. My child took the honors of killing the last member of the last member of the gathering party, but before he could deal the final blow he was speared by the elf. In anger, I raided up my daggers sliced up the elf. After the kill, I raised my daggers and screamed to Vecna to in anger. With my daggers still in the air, lighting struck them igniting the magical energies in my blood. To the point I passed out.
When I awoke I was covered in what looked like lightning bolt tattoos. I also felt different. More youthful and vibrant than a Drow of 160. My comrades had left me thinking I was dead. I was alone with the body of my dead son and the Elves. In a haste, I made my way back to the city. No one seemed to recognize me though. They even shunned me because of my appearance. They took it as a mark from Vecna that she had shunned me. Despite my protestations, I was exiled from the city. While looking for shelter and hiding in the smaller caves, I came across a pool of water and realized why the Drow had banished me. I looked like a young Drow of 20 years of age and bolts of lightning running all over my body.
For the next ten years I tried to help the Drow in their battle with the Elves, but my new found power was unpredictable. It seemed as if the lightening and I were one. At times, I would turn into a bolt and at other times I would have lightening shooting from my hands. My daggers also seemed to take on a magical quality. Whenever they were holstered in my gloves I was able to bring them into my hands with a small lightening charge and channel my power through them. I also noticed that I was not aging. Eventually, retired to a small cave and prayed to Vecna for better control.
It was not Vecna who answered my prayers though. As I slept one night I had a dream of a figure telling my that my powers were not given by Vecna, but Ioun. The shaded figure instructed me to seek out Ioun because Vecna had forsaken me and Ioun had plans for me. I did not know what the figure meant, but I awoke in a cold sweat and resolved to follow Ioun and change my evil ways. When I peeked out of my cave I saw the Elves celebrating and knew they must have defeated the Drow. I knew it was unsafe for me to stay, so I headed out in search of this monastery to study.”
Upon finishing the entry, Ishkur went to see Bartle. After reading over the book, Bartle allowed Ishkur to join the monastery. When Ishkur got settled in another monk, Maximus, came to him with a plan to destroy the monastery.
“So I hear you once followed Vecna. Well she has not forsaken you! She sent you here to assist me. All this knowledge should be ours alone. All these simpletons rummaging through it is unsightly. I have already started to slowly remove important volumes, but with two of us we could have it all. My brawn and your lightning will make an unstoppable combination.”, whispered Maximus.
“I no longer follow Vecna's evil ways. She is corrupt and knowledge needs to be shared with all. It is a glorious sight to see the town having such a resource as our library. Now, I suggest you leave.” angrily responded Ishkur.
“I cannot believe you would turn your back on the mighty Vecna. For that you shall die!”, exclaimed Maximus as he pulled out a hidden short sword and stabbed at Ishkur.
In a blood rage, lightning shot from Ishkur's hands and knocked Maximus through a wall into one of the meditation areas. With his eyes flashing with lightning and voice ringing with thunder Ishkur proclaimed, “You will not live to boast about that offense to me!”
As Ishkur's hands rose to finish the job, Bartle yelled, “Stop this at once! You shall not fight here!” He cast a quick spell and put Ishkur to sleep. When Ishkur woke up he was in his bed with Bartle sitting next to it.
“Where am I?” asked a confused Ishkur.
“You are in your bed. The force inside you took over when Maximus tried to kill you. I was able to pacify before you could kill him. We will have to do something to control that anger of yours. For now I suggest you stay in your room and mediate. Maximus will not bother you anymore. He has been banished.”, explained Bartle.
“I am sorry for my actions. I never meant to hurt him. I was just overwhelmed with the need to survive. You did not banish Maximus just because he tried to kill me?”, inquired Ishkur.
“No, we had suspected for a long time that he had started worshiping Vecna. His attempt to get to start following her again only confirmed our suspicions. Now you need to rest, I will come by tomorrow to help you become one with the powerful force that inhabits you. If you seek any food you can ask the monk outside of your door.”, said Bartle in a soothing voice.
“Am I a prisoner? Why do I need a guard?”, suspiciously asked Ishkur.
“For today we just want to watch over you. Now rest.”, said Bartle as he left the room.
The next day Ishkur started his training. Bartle brought him several books to read about elements inhabiting corporeal beings. Over the next few weeks Ishkur learned how to keep the force in check, even when angered. He still had some incidents where he would randomly blast a wall, but for the most part he was in control. After a year, he promoted to a chronicler and spent the next 50 years recording tells of valiant fighters and poor farmers alike. Upon the death of Bartle due to old age, Ishkur became the head monk. Like all good things for Ishkur though, this was not to last long. Two years into his tenure as head monk, Maximus returned with and army of mercenaries.
“ Now I will have my vengeance and all the knowledge here will be mine!”, cackled Maximus as the walls of the monastery crumbled to explosions. Men dressed in black came down ropes and swarmed the monastery killing the monks and patrons of the library. The whole time Maximus sat the entrance and laughed manically. Vecna had extended his life to that longer than a normal human by merging some demon essences with him. A side effect was that Maximus became crazy.
Ishkur broke from his trance when he heard the noises and cackles of Maximus. He entered the main hall of the monastery with his daggers out charged with lightning. “You will not destroy this monastery Maximus”, screamed Ishkur as he let loose bolts of lightning and summoned lightning from the sky as well sound waves of thunder. The battle at the monastery raged about the two combatants. The shear force of Ishkur's attack were too much for Maximus. In a panic, Maximus fled the monastery. With their employer fleeing, the soldiers fled as well.
“You will rue the day you let me live! I will destroy you!”, yelled Maximus as he fled.
After the battle, few monks remained and the library lay in ruins. Each of the surviving monks took some volumes and went their separate ways. They resolved to spread knowledge and chronicle the major events of the world and one day reform the monastery and great library. The monks each went a separate direction.
Ishkur booked passage on an airship to another continent. On this new continent he hoped to find a wealth of knowledge. His first trip was to library.
“Hello, is anyone here?”, inquired Ishkur. The library was so empty and dusty.
“Yes I am here. What is it you want? If you looking for a book on farming there are none. All we have is ancient books on things that don't matter.”, said a grumpy old man.
“My name is Ishkur, I used to be a monk of Ioun. I came to find out what current events were happening, but I see the place is deserted. Would you be able to answer to answer a few questions for me?”, asked Ishkur.
“Ioun you say? We haven't had many followers of him around for a while. I am one of the few who still worship him. It is an honor to be visited by you. I am sorry for the rudeness, we don't get many visitors.”, apologized the old man.
“I noticed. What is happening in this town? Is there a great famine or war going on? I am not used to see a place of such knowledge so empty.”, inquired Ishkur.
“Please have a seat and sit down. I will tell you everything I know. Ever since the rift opened near the town people started dying and being attacked by demons. There is rumors the demons and other creatures are coming through the rifts in dimensions. The rulers of the lands do not pay much heed to the rifts because they are so few. Wherever a rift opens people start to die and face demon attacks. The only people doing anything about these rifts are the mages of Sauron. No ruler will listen to them though. Maybe if you take a report of what is happening to a king or prince you will be able to convince them to help.”, suggested the old man.
“I will try. No one should suffer attacks undefended.”, agreed Ishkur as he left to chronicle the stories of the surrounding towns.
Unbeknown to Ishkur, Maximus had followed him. In camp one night, Maximus ambushed Ishkur.
“I told you I would make you pay! Now taste my steel!”, screeched Maxmimus as he ran from the bushes with two katanas. Not one to be taken by surprise at night, Ishkur blasted Maximus with a sound of thunder. Due to the proximity to the town, the guard rushed out to see what was going on. A dozen guards rushed out and subdues Maximus. They knew Ishkur from his previous visit to the town and had no reason to think he was the cause of the battle.
“That is enough! Now what is going on Ishkur? Why is this man fighting you?”, sternly asked the captain of the guards.
“He has a grudge against me from an incident long ago. He is crazy and needs to be locked away. Will you please take him away, but not kill him? He does not deserve to die for his actions. I am not even sure he fully knows who he is anymore.”, responded Ishkur.
“He does seem insane. I will pass on what you said to the magistrate. You should also come with us to explain your side.”, said the guard.
“Of course, I would not have it any other way.”, said Ishkur with a bow.
At Maximus's tribunal, he was sentenced to be locked away in an asylum. By the magistrates request, Ishkur helped to escort the prisoner.
"They will never keep me in that prison. I will escape one day and finish the job I started at the monastery.", growled Maximus.
"I doubt you will ever escape this prison. My only hope is that you will find peace and contentment before you die. Maybe than you will see the folly of following a Vecna.", preached Ishkur.
"I will escape the asylum and show you the might of Vecna. She keeps many secrets, but her anger is not one of them.", screamed Maximus as he was lead into the asylum.
A short time later, while collecting stories from people in the town, Ishkur heard word that Maximus had escaped from the asylum. He had over powered a guard and managed to get to the roof. From there he jumped into some trees nearby and made his escape. Searches of the area found only a trail of blood that lead into a river. No one knew where Maximus had gone from there.
The news did not surprise Ishkur. He knew Maximus was devious. The crazy are the most creative. All Ishkur could do was keep vigilant and search for knowledge about the rifts. A wise elder of the town informed him of an oracle and the mages of Sauron in Fallcrest who might know more. The path lay across the mountains and desert. The journey would not be a easy one on foot. As a gift, the elder gave Ishkur his magical mount with the only condition that Ishkur find the source of all the rifts and stop the evil. Ishkur left town immediately.
While traveling through the desert, he was ambushed by several demons and captured. Striped of his gear, he was caged and moved from room to room. He knew he could escape, but wanted to find out all he could. While in the chamber of Karth being taunted by a manticore, some people charged in to the room. Knowing that the camp would be in turmoil after Karth died, Ishkur joined the attackers.