Having lived in DOM for most of his adult life, Forcellus Blaad knew the city well.  Or at least the portions of the city that were frequented by the highborn.  For Forcellus was the Great Grandson of Garthon Blaad, one of the two great generals of King Lythe Petros I and the DOM Civil War.  He was named after the other General, who served as Grand Duke of Blaad, and who he distantly related to.  He was a graduate of the Forcellus Military Academy.  Forcellus knew that the best source for unguarded information in DOM was in its taverns.  His local was the Black Horde in Dorgat, the city center.  The Horde would be problematic as Dorgat was now a Morit camp according to Bardol.  The closest inn was The Inn of the Bleeding Sore of Northgat.  It was the favorite of Castan expatriates.  During the midwinter Festival of Lights the Castan Khost and Icekregg teams would take over the inn completely.  Forcellus was certain that Castan Province would remain fiercely loyal, but they could not be counted on for discretion or subtlety.  The unfortunate men that morning at Midgat Bar were Castan.

Forcellus needed a city tavern.  This meant one of four.  He went over each in his mind.  The Crushed Face at Midgat Bar was a farm workers tavern.  They would know little of the inner city. The Inn of the Broken Tooth in Sougat would be informed, but so close to the Sougat Bar and the inner city of Dorgat not to be closely watched.  There was the Red Fist Inn, the hangout of the tanners, smiths and merchant men.  It was also uncomfortably close to the inner city of Dorgat.

The logical choice was the Gaping Maw Tavern.  A tavern with a cross section of working men, including those from the shipyards.  It also held an entrance to the DOM Underground, the series of tunnels that ran under the city streets.  That might prove helpful at some point.  For good or ill he was unknown in the tavern and had set foot into it only once in his life, during a drunken binge with Academy mates visiting during the midwinter festival maybe six years ago.  They had demanded to visit "every tavern in DOM", which they did actually accomplish.

Veltek wanted to visit the DOM University, to discover the fate of his mentor the Energeticist Zanzibar, but they decided that it was too risky.  The University, which taught Energetics and Academic studies was located in part of the Royal Castle.

And so they headed off to the Gaping Maw.  They stabled Stalker at the tavern, telling the tavern stabler that they wanted to sell her.  He looked at them incredulously, then smiled wryly and said "you're joking right?"  Poor Stalker did look as if he would not last the night.  "Could sell 'im to the renderer maybe.  If he dies soon" the man said.  "You want 'im to die soon?" he said only half joking.  "We'll find a buyer" Forcellus said tossing him a coin and they left the stable.

The Gaping Maw Tavern was not busy.  There were only two occupied tables, one with two rough looking characters, the other with four men that were apparently discussing the rigging of Morit ships in loud voices.  They fell silent and watched the newcomers as  they entered.  Crossing the room to the Ale bar they found the Innkeeper and attempted to repeat the performances that they gave in Northway, but the Innkeeper was less chatty than Bardol.  They secured a room for the night, ordered an ale and sat down at one of the tables to plan their next more.  Forcellus felt the eyes of a man at the table opposite him and looked up.  The short tough looking man was looking directly at him.  His heart leapt into his throat, Forcellus could tell that he was recognized, and he had no idea who the other man was.

Next: Vin Verde of the Green Veil

Forcellus Blaad desperately had wanted to fling back his cowl and announce his identity and intentions before everyone at the inn.  But we had all agreed that information was more important than providing comfort to the frightened and that gathering local force should not proceed before intelligence.  The Morits had done their job well.  The innkeeper seemed not to know of any plan for retaking the City.  No general-at-large that they were expecting to pounce.  Fortan, they imagined, had it's own Morits to deal with.  Blaad would not arrive any time soon - even if they had heard of the invasion yet.  Amassing an army, even if they had a plan, would take time and the snows of early autumn would be upon them any day now.  The provinces in the west would take even longer, and they have the dead to recover from the devastating darkness.  Realistically, it would not be until spring before major relief would come.
But winter storms would halt any Morit influx as well.  They would have to hold the city with their invasion force.  If the city was to be delivered before the spring thaw, the city itself would have to do it.  We decided that a journey south to DOM was necessary.  It would be tricky and of course dangerous, but we needed more tactical information if we hoped to help carry any action forward.  We agreed that Forcellus and Veltek should go, and that Karek and I should stay.  Karek's darker Poona complexion and my obvious Raylan appearance would stand out in a crowd.  Before their departure we sought out more discreet lodging in the outskirts of the village in which to await their return.

Starting early in the morning on the second day after our arrival, Forcellus and Veltek donned simple peasant clothes and warm wool coats and walked south crossing fields to avoid the road as much as possible.  They brought only pack and provisions and daggers as weapons. 

At a small farm just outside the city they purchased a sorry old workhorse, which they intended to attempt to sell in the city as a cover.  The sad old creature was not a desirable commodity.  A light rain had begun to fall and by the time they arrived at the Norgat Bar entrance to the wall at mid day, the light rain had turned to snow flurry.  A pile of dead bodies greeted them near the entrance to the city, now receiving a dusting of snow.  The horse resisted moving past the corpses, but was coaxed past by Forcellus.  Were these men killed by the Morits, or by the darkness he wondered.  Probably both, he though, though he saw no gaping sword wounds. Forcellus, Veltek and their nag which they named "stalker" for their amusement, entered a small line-up of travelers waiting to enter the city.  Each in turn came under the scrutiny of the Morit soldiers. Suddenly one of the men in the line, a black-bearded peasant with a large scar across his face pulled a sword out from somewhere in his belongings and charged the nearest guard.  His two grisly companions, similar in appearance save for the location of scars, did likewise.  The others in line then scattered in all directions.  Forcellus would always hate what he did next, and that is, nothing.  Though they shouted "For the Dominion" as they charged, these were desperate, doomed men.  He could not help them.  Five against twenty were odds that he normally would not quail from - especially with an Energeticist at his side.  But his mission was not yet to liberate.  He bit his lip and moved away. To his shame, the three brave but foolish men were quickly dispatched.  The Morits, now sated with blood, paid little mind to them as they waved them into the City of DOM.
Next: The Gaping Maw Tavern

The darkness had lifted but you could hardly tell, a cold and cloudy autumn day greeted us that morning in Giorda.   One great weight had been lifted, but another had been added.  There would be no rest.  We remained in Giorda only long enough to hire a small fishing ship to take us to Dorcer Province.  This was not as easy as it sounds.  At first we decided to pass incognito.  But the rumors of ships of any size being detained throughout the Great Sea changed our mind.  In the event of a search, we might have to hide and would need the Captain to aid in our deception.  Of course we could travel by land, but that would take a week.  If we would be of any help, we would have to move quickly.  In the end we found an old Domish fisherman to help us.  "It would be an honor" he said, and we could tell that he meant it.  As it turned out, we did not need to hide.  We never came closer to a Moritanian ship than a mile or so.  The old salt's ship, truth be told, was not one to inspire fear or even interest.  We were dropped off on the eastern side of the Dorcer Peninsula, halfway down the Furth of Keldrun.  We would avoid the town of New Dorcer on the western side over the mountains, and proceed south along the shore towards DOM.  We felt this would be the place least likely observed by the Morits as no other loyal Province would need to land here to expedite a journey to DOM. And as Dorcer Province which deferred to the Royal Army, could not legally have an army of its own, the Morits would hopefully not fear an attack from Dorcer Province.

We proceeded on foot, and we travelled light.  Forcellus, Veltek, Karek and I.  We reached the village of Northway, and the Northway Inn just after dusk.  A mere ten miles from DOM, the Inn was busy when we entered.  Everyone turned and eyed us.  The few patrons seated near the ale bar silenced their conversation as we approached the innkeeper.  We kept ourselves cloaked, which probably aroused suspicion, but we were not prepared to be recognized just yet.  "What can we do for you?" spoke innkeeper Bardol with forced courtesy. He probably half expected us to answer back in Morit.  "Rooms and meals" Forcellus answered, his Domish Norgate accent declaring our origin.  "No rooms left" the innkeeper said.  "No rooms anywhere in town."  "Rats fleeing the sinking ship" he added sardonically, looking at us as if we were among them.  "We have been away" said Forcellus as if in answer.  Then picking up his voice he added "Is there something to flee?  We have been out in the darkness"  Forcellus added as he eyed the crowd.  Those that were not already in their cups seemed frightened.  There was a communion here of misplaced, fearful souls.  They huddled close together and spoke to each other in low anxious tones.  No one answered Forcellus.  They apparently pegged him as harmless and returned to their own conversations.  The innkeeper eventually answered "the Morits" out of courtesy.  Forcellus continued to play this game for awhile.  The rest of took a nearby table and blended in.  Forcellus managed to arrange splendid accommodations for us in the stable, as well as gather the basic story of the Morit landing and rapid conquest.  Forcellus hid most of his anger at the ease in which the enemy had slipped in and took advantage of the country's weakness.  He had always thought that it was a mistake to place so much confidence in a Grand Duke so at odds with the crown. "Where was the Porthan Navy", he impatiently said to innkeeper Bardol, who simply shrugged his shoulders.  The entire country had given in to this darkness.  "Well, they have it" thought Forcellus.  "But they will not keep it."

Next: The Lay of the Land

The first inhabitants of the area that would become the City of DOM were Isban, a tribe dispossessed from Ezmere in -10,000.  The center of that colony resided in the present day province of Isban but the settlers occupied Fortan, Stammery and Dorcer Provinces as well.  Across the Straits of Isban lived the Petrosians, a group of dipossessed zokeshi.  These two tribes would eventually spread to settle most of the western half of the continent.  Another tribe of humans, the Fuegonites, arriving in minus 9,000, occupied a good portion of the northwestern part of the continent.  In minus 6,000, the defeated Castig tribes of Moritania (the Castans) arrived over the glacial ice during the Glacial Epoch and settled in the north.  They traded with their human neighbors and became a bridge between the human tribes of east and west.  

Sometime around the year 100, a group of the Isbani who calling themselves the Paternals formed a new religion not based on the old Gods of their zorbeshi ancestors.  Around 300, the  Paternal priest "Efrem Dorcer" led many to the relatively new Paternal faith, and moved the seat of the faith from Isban to modern day Dorcer province and founded the city of the same name.

In the north, the Castans held a faith that harkened back to their Moritanian origin.  Called Matmus-Necmus it was based on the concept that there was a constant struggle maintaining balance between good (light, order, Matmus) and evil (darkness, chaos, Necmus).  But there were few fervent believers among these immigrants who had been rejected by their homeland.  And so, when they were exposed to the Paternal faith, they added it to their own with few alterations.  It then spread to the west to the Kingdoms of the Fuegonites, and south to the Petrosians.  Five hundred years later, the Paternal faith had spread over most of the continent.  This did not mean that everyone lived in peace.  Feudalism reigned supreme.  In year 800 there were 316 known human fiefdoms in DOM.  By 850 there were approximately 237.  In 900 there were 158.  This pattern of conquest and expansion would continue for remainder of the millennia.  In the year 1000 there were only 79 human Kingdoms left.

In 1,090, the prophet Esaam was born in Baritor.  Keldrun and Orsan Fane helped to spread his Esaamic faith (an extension of the Paternal faith) during their conquest of 1,115.  Keldrun Fane chose the City of Dorcer in which to establish his new national capitol and renamed it "City of the Dominion Of Man" (or DOM for short.)

Keldrun (and then Orsan) completed a rebuild of the Dorcer Castle of 799 with a higher version that would not flood so readily in the spring when the River Fortan overswelled it's bank during the thaw.  Within the castle walls the street was raised up ten feet.  Each building boarded up its front door, and built a new door on it's second floor window.  This created vast underwater passageways for the spring runoff.  It also created the DOM underground, as each of the original buildings then had a basement with an entrance into the (new) sewer system.  Orsan Fane ordered these entrances sealed for the prevention of disease, but he did not enforce his order and it was ignored. The public soon realized that "the underground" had become a lucrative exchange not governed or taxed by the crown.  King Orsan's increasing madness in his later years and the massive guilt that he carried for the murder of his brother allowed him to give this present to his people. 

Lythe Petros also allowed the popular Underground to remain, though he forced all businesses to arrange seals for underground doors during the spring runoff, when the underground would be evacuated, and the floodgates opened for a spring wash.

Next: MAP OF THE CITY OF DOM

Keldrun (and then Orsan) completed a rebuild of the Dorcer Castle of 799 with a higher version that would not flood so readily in the spring when the River Fortan overswelled it's bank during the thaw.  Within the castle walls the street was raised up ten feet.  Each building boarded up its front door, and built a new door on it's second floor window.  This created vast underwater passageways for the spring runoff.  It also created the DOM underground, as each of the original buildings then had a basement with an entrance into the (new) sewer system.  Orsan Fane ordered these entrances sealed for the prevention of disease, but he did not enforce his order and it was ignored. The public soon realized that "the underground" had become a lucrative exchange not governed or taxed by the crown.  King Orsan's increasing madness in his later years and the massive guilt that he carried for the murder of his brother allowed him to give this present to his people.  Lythe Petros also allowed the popular Underground to remain, though he would force all businesses to arrange seals for all underground doors during the spring runoff, when the underground would be evacuated, and the floodgates opened for a spring wash.

"There is still some fighting in the streets, sir" young Major Adalgar said, standing at attention.  The great general looked up from his reading.  "Thank you Major" he said dismissively.  The younger man turned smartly.  "And Tell Lieutenant General Evard that I would speak with him."  "Yes sir" said the major as he left the room. 

General Gunter Neimann was a thoughtful, calculating man.  His blond hair long ago turned to white, the General knew his limitations. He had a gimpy leg and could no longer hold a sword above his head, but his spirit still loved a good fight.  This fight had been too easy.  He wanted to see fighting.  "I've been on this ship long enough" he thought.   I want to see this city first hand."

He did not want winter to settle in before he set up his headquarters.  And he certainly did not want Master Walthari to set up shop in the best dwelling in DOM.  "Keep that damn Farer and his legion of religious wordsmiths on the ship for as long as possible" he had ordered. Gunter Neimann was not a religious man.  He had heard the proclamations over and over, "DOM was an evil place, now beset by the darkness of Necmus.  The light of Matmus must be brought in to cure the land and it's people."  Perhaps it was true.  Perhaps not.  He was at least sure that his liege, the great Lors Herzogun, The Almighty Emperor of Moritania and Uranta, was not disturbed by any darkness that preceded his advancing navy.  He would see this darkness for himself, and judge whether it be apocalypse or simply extended bad weather with great timing.

The General had expected a harder time of it.  His associate General Ekhard had roundly defeated the DOM Navy in New Portha and sent them packing, yet he expected a greater battle when entering the Straits of Isban that led to the Domish Capitol.  In truth, he was disappointed.  He had lost only one ship to boarding in the action, which he then destroyed himself.  Apparently DOM had no more ships that it wanted to throw at the Morit Greatcog and it's mighty serpentine gun.  What remained of the Domish Navy had fled south into the Portan Province. Had they abandoned the north to them and the darkness?  Perhaps Wathari was right.  Perhaps the land is infected by Necmus.  He shivered at the thought, then laughed at his momentary digression from reason. 

The city too had been easy. Apparently foolish King Lythe II had never expected an invasion by sea.  Or any invasion for that matter.  His advisors had been right, DOM regarded the vast sea as an impenetrable defense.  It had taken only a few blasts from the great gun aboard the Erobern to destroy the castle dockside gate.  His men were inside the castle before resistance even materialized. "It is time to meet the King of this realm." he thought.  "He shall bow before my Emperor if he wish to keep his life, and before Matmus if he wish to keep Wathari from deafening him with words."
He placed the last of his articles in the leather satchel before him and within the hour, he had disembarked from the Greatcog at the Royal Docks.  His entourage, which consisted of twenty officers and men, included Major Adalgar and Lt. Gen. Evard.  They marched up church street toward the market and the Keep of Castle Dorcer.  There was no sign of fighting, unfortunately, though screams and the clash of metal could be heard outside of the central city.  There would be no fighting inside the Keep either, the King had been taken into custody the day before.  "I would not have the city burned" the coward King had said.  The city now belonged to Moritania.  The question in Gunter's mind was, could Moritania could hold it until spring and promised reinforcements just as easily.

Next: 10.02 THE CITY OF DOM

Grand Duke Kalen Portha greeted the news with a cool expression.  He felt vindicated, but also deeply angry.  A man of the sea who spent his youth on the decks of ships, as at home in the rigging as he was anywhere on land, he knew that the vast Marepise was a highway, not an obstacle to hide beyond.  "Lythe is a fool" he thought.  "And now he will pay for it.

"The Colony of New Portha has been taken" the Grand Duke said to the men hastily called before him. Our messenger tells us that he was chased by a fleet that has stopped in DOM. Even now they are invading the capital."  The council broke immediately into loud discussion.  Duke Kalen allowed them to voice their surprise for a bit and then silenced them by holding up a hand.  "The north is dying.  The darkness has destroyed men and the crops and livestock that maintained them.  And now the final blow is now upon them.  The Grand Duke fought to suppress any sign of cunning on his face.  "We must come to their aid" he said stonily.  This announcement was met with uncomfortable silence in the room.  None of those assembled in the room relished direct confrontation with either Moritania or the Darkness.  But the Grand Duke already knew the mindset of these men.  He had picked and promoted them himself.  He had been planning this for a long, long time.  As his father had. They were his captive audience now, and he relished the words that he was about to say. He paused and then repeated "We must help them.  But... for a price.  I, "King" Kalen Portha of the sovereign Kingdom of Portha will be happy to come to their aid."  The council erupted in approval.  The new King went on, scaling his voice to match the enthusiasm in the room "From this day forward, we are no longer a Grand Dukedom of DOM.  And you are no longer Provincial Dukes, but are Grand Dukes of your own provinces.  You are therefore charged with securing your lands against both the Morits, and the Crown if necessary.  Furthermore, the Raylan lands and their DOM-granted rights in Dastan, are hereby forfeit.  DOM will retain the Province of Petros.  We will come to the aid of the crown as long as they recognize the declaration that we make here today." An alarmed Duke Kentas stood and spoke "My Lord" he said, but before he could say more, King Kalen spoke over him "My liege" he said, correcting Kentas "You shall refer to me now as my liege.  And do not worry, we shall send an army to ensure that Petros does not cross your border.  DOM can little afford a war with Portha at the moment… if they ever could.  We will impart this message to Lythe Petros II via his son, Karsh, whom I understand to be in Petros at this moment.  It was fortunate for him that his duties took him out of the capitol before the attack."  This last statement brought on murmurs in the assembly.  Did Karsh know something his father did not?  King Kalen again silenced them with a hand.  "Lords, we do not know all that has transpired in DOM.  If your people ask of you why we have made this inevitable choice, tell them that it is for our own protection.  Tell them that the elements are angry with DOM.  Remind them that there is a reason that DOM is under the darkness and that we are not.  Tell them that we are ready to stand with DOM if they will only allow us to live our lives as we see fit.  Remind them also that DOM deserted our colonies, but we will not desert them.  If DOM balks at our humble request for independence, then convince your subjects that they bow to dark, non-human forces, and are perhaps in league with Moritania."  "They worship a Raylan!" the Duke of Dastan loudly declared.  All of the Dukes chimed in their approval. "Tirian of the Darkness!" he exclaimed.

Next: Gunter Neimann

Begun on the heels of the Elemental Campaign, the main team on this adventure was Karsch Petros, heir to the throne (Kevin), Guwek Tyno of the DOM Guard (Chris), Field Commander Forcellus Blaad, great grandson of Garthon Blaad (Brian) and Vin Verde of the Green Veil (Mike).  Tirian (Dave) went away to attend college, and so Tirian became an NPC and has remained as such from that day forward.  And as a very long-lived Raylan, his voice will be heard again many times in the future.

The DOM colony on the continent of Uranta called "New Portha" was given that name by the DOM province that had begun the enterprise.  The Island county of Moritania had occupied Uranta's northeastern end for at least twenty years beforehand and laid claim to the entire continent.  The nation of Traisge had also established a colony on the southern end of Uranta.  All of this despite a primitive native population that probably emigrated from Tixtlan during the Glacial Epoch.
The colony of New Portha proved a costly endeavor, as violence between colonists, natives and the other colonial powers was ongoing.  King Lythe Petros II of DOM did not see the advantages of the costly endeavor despite the insistence of Duke Kalen Portha that it would prove invaluable in the years to come.  The King repeatedly ignored Portha's requests for aid for the colony.  By 1280, Portha was the colony's sole supporter.   In the autumn of 1300, Moritania attacked both the colony, and the Kingdom of DOM.

Veltek took advantage of Quarack's inability to act and sent a massive Energy Bolt frying him out of fear and life.  We held our breath, but the demon did not flee.  Instead he answered Veltek's action by withering the Energeticist with a terrible quaking Fear.  Veltek fell to the ground and curled up in terror.  The demon then raised it's four bladed arms and rushed toward Karek.  The Imp, who had remained silent until now, cast Telekinesis.  I managed to keep my footing despite being dragged across the stone floor and I was able to return a powerful Psychic Blast.  I hit the wall of the room and was left dazed - but I fared better than the Imp which had been incapacitated by my Empathic attack.  Still bleeding and shouting with rage, Forcellus rose and swung his sword madly at the hovering demons that renewed their attack.  He chopped down several and was ripped by others as they dashed in between his swings.  He could not hold out much longer.  I found my wits and looked to the Staff.  At that moment Karek and I shared the same thought.  Karek ran across the room, raised his staff and struck the black hole of the portal with it's swirling clouds.  The chamber was suddenly filled with blinding light.  In that same instant I saw recognition on the Demon's face of the choice that lie before him.  His conjurer now gone, he could remain here eternally as a God, or flee to the freedom of his own plane.  I took no chance on his decision but cast a Suggestion with all the Power that I could summon.  It was just enough.  In that moment, all of the etheric entities in the room swirled together with a great gust of wind and a deafening shriek and slipped into the vanishing Port.  The light spiked as the Portal vanished.  The room fell silent.  We were all dazed.  Karek stood facing the absent portal holding a stick of wood.  On the floor before him was the Fire Gem.  The Elemental Staff was no more, it's deed was done.  We dared not yet believe it.  We backed our way out of the ancient tunnels that led us to this chamber of nightmares and soon we stood in the cool night air facing the broad desolation of the dragon. We then truly believed that we and the Elemental Staff had done our work.  Looking up, we could see the sky filled with stars.

There would be no great victory march for us.  None was to be wished with so many dead.  And events that had transpired while we were busy combatting this deadly foe would prevent us from fully telling the tale for quite some time.  It would have to be enough that it was done, for there were other battles to fight, and this time our enemies were not etheric.

We stayed long enough in Morban to bring them back from despair, thought the autumn sunlight on same day as our arrival accomplished more than we could hope to do.  Hamellile remained deserted as we passed through. I was certain that the Raylan would emerge before long, but we could not wait.  We were too eager to declare our triumph before the crown.  It was not until we reached Giorda that we were told the grave news.  DOM had been attacked by the remote island kingdom of Moritania, and that our capital had been taken.  I could only imagine the state of our resistance after such a destructive season.  And late autumn snows were not far away which would prevent the provinces from providing much aid.  Clever timing on their part, I thought.  We decided to return incognito to the capital and assess the situation for ourselves.

Next: 10.0 THE MORITANIAN CAMPAIGN

True Sight revealed the truth of what we then saw.  Circling the room were small batlike demons with grinding sharp teeth.  On the ground before us lie four confused masses of translucent writhing flesh about the size of mastiffs.   In the center of the room the great demon Nehethban stood, in front of the yawning Portal.  Beside him stood a tired looking Quarack.  The imp was there too, crouched at the great demon's feet and staring straight at me.  I instinctively cast a Mind Bar.

The flying demons slammed into us first. I was hit hard in the chest with the head of one of the entities.  I fell onto the ground and grappled with it, cutting into it's back the edge of my blade.  It sunk it's teeth into my arm and the pain shot through me.  I managed to cast a Psi Blast on the creature and it squirmed and dropped away. Veltek blasted his attacker with an Energy Bolt, and it dropped.  Forcellus swung his blade at his and nearly cut it in half.  Karek waved the Staff at the gnashing beast flying at him and it and four others nearby immediately dropped shrieking to the ground. He then thrust the staff into the air and screamed and all of the other flying hellions did the same.  Karek and I stepped forward.  Forcellus and Veltek went suddenly stiff.  They looked suddenly stunned and confused.  The strange fleshy beasts on the floor were pulsating and were somehow affecting them.  Quarack loudly commanded the Demon to attack us, but the demon did nothing.  Quarack seemed out of his depth. I took the moment to quickly cast an Empathic Guardian which restored Forcellus and Veltek.  With a look of fierce anger, Quarack then cast a spell and suddenly there appeared a column of Elemental Fire before us.  But this conjured entity simply vanished in the same moment that it had appeared, unable to withstand the presence of the Elemental Staff.  "Fool!" roared the great demon at Quarack.  Meanwhile the Imp attempted an Enchantment on me.  I could see a horrible leering Ghast coming for me, but True Sight revealed the mere phantasm for what it was, and it was gone.  Forcellus hacked at a renewed attack by the remaining flying demons, he was bitten hard by one on the shoulder and dropped to one knee.  The demon then shouted a command and a glowing ripple emanated away from him, and as it passed each of us we were tested by a cold debilitating horror.  We all survived the attack, buoyed perhaps by the Elemental Staff.  Quarack was not so fortunate.  The Demon laughed as the Necromancer dropped to the floor and whimpered in an unimaginable terror.  The other entities paused in their attacks. "Kill this dog and I will go." the demon said in a resounding voice, pointing at Quarack.  My mind raced.  Quarack was no longer master here, but his attempt at commanding the entity revealed that he thought he was.  It then dawned on me that Quarack may have conjured the Elemental not to attack us, but to cower the Demon.  It was the Elemental Staff that allowed the Demon to best Quarack, for the Necromancer could no longer control Nehethban through the conjuration of elementals.  We had taken away his most powerful weapon.  No wonder the demon had not come for us.  He wanted us to come to where Quarack was.  To tilt the odds.  Their wrestling match had spiraled out of control and had plunged our world into darkness and I now fervently hoped that we would not follow Quarack and be trapped in endless battle with this terrible entity while our country slowly died.  But before I could comprehend of any effective plan, Veltek moved and the battle had begun.

Next: Of Blood and Chaos

We were at first certain that the beast had actually appeared to us, but the presence of the imp rattled me.  What part was true and what was false?  There was no mistaking that whatever is was - had run from us.  If it could have destroyed us, it probably would have.  We were now alone on the wide plateau.  We decided to continue on and try to seek the Portal within the temple that Biteki had mentioned might be here.  Surely the demon would put up a last stand if we attempted to destroy his only means of returning to his own plane.  We had to hope that this world was merely a diversion for the beast - but not intended as it's new permanent home.   

Had the beast destroyed Quarack?  Or was that an illusion for our benefit?  As we stood before the Temple entrance, I made a motion across my throat and said "Quarack - dead?"  Karek looked at me and shook his head.  He waved his hand over his face.  I read his thoughts to say "just an illusion."  From now on - we could only really trust the sight of the wielder, for the staff gave him True Sight.  I would empathically screen my vision though his henceforth.  His thoughts on our encounter empathically washed over me.  What we had experienced was real enough, although many of the undead were lesser demons gated in by the beast, not risen corpses.  the Imp did appear, and Quarack did speak, but his death was a grisly demonstration only, lest we think we were combatting only the will of a mere mortal.  "He lives" Karek said.

The metal door once again greeted us.  It was partially open as we had left it.  Either the Ward was down or the Staff absorbed the blast because we passed without incident.  We once again entered the the hallway of the elements.  The presence of the completed staff apparently meant that we did not have to repeat the elemental trials.  We walked down the hallway to Alcazar's room without incident.  Opening the doors to the room we saw the familiar objects and furniture.  I scanned the walls looking for hidden passages, but saw nothing.  But Karek did.  He said that a small dark hallway led out of the room from the southwest corner.  I closed my eyes.  To my surprise I could clearly see the secret hallway.  Suddenly I thought of Biteki's "leap of faith."  "Close your eyes" I said to the others.  "You will still be able to see through your closed eyelids."  They looked at me with alarm.  "Believe it - and it will work."  Veltek, ever curious, was the first to attempt - and confirm.  "I see the hallway!" he exclaimed with his eyes closed.  "Amazing" said Forcellus as he too was convinced.  "We are better off proceeding with less of our own senses." I said, attempting to open my eyes and confirm my inability to perform this feat without deprivation.  We all discovered very quickly that besides Karek, who held the staff, we could not see the door normally.  I then discovered that if I leaned on my own personal Power reserves, I could perceive both the illusion and the reality.  I had in that moment acquired True Sight.  For the others, they resolved to close their eyes and call upon the Staff to show them the hidden path into the Portal.

Two realities then unfolded before me.  One a terrifying vision of death and impossible odds, and the other merely a dank passageway through an ancient temple.  When the two descriptions met in one coherent reality, I knew that we had arrived at the portal.

It was a large chamber, filled with red light.  In the center was the black hole that we had seen on the desolation.  The swirling grey smoke was also there surrounding it.  As we stepped into the room, the final maelstrom began.

Next: A Deathly Confrontation

We were followed.  Faceless phantoms in the darkness accumulated as we strode on.  Thrashing though the woods around us they followed as closely as the Staff would allow.  We could feel their hunger, their desire to pull us down.  We knew that without the protection of the Staff, we would be joining them.  We were exhausted, but there was no remedy.  Karek was hoarse with shouting - disbanding the masses that gathered in front of us as we pushed on up the now steep incline.  It seemed as if all of those killed by the darkness had rose up and ventured here to try and stop us from fulfilling our quest.  If they were enchantments, then they were good ones.

When we finally arrived at the broad plateau of the desolation of the dragon, it was filled with the groping, rabid dead.  Racing toward us from Alcazar's entrance to the Temple was the dismembered black skeletal head with the malevolent glowing eyes.  It stopped, suspended above the mass of undead.  For a split second there was silence, and then a horrible keening began as the crowd raced toward us.  Karek swung the Staff before us as we stood with our backs to the precipice that we had just ascended.  The Fire gem exploded in fury leaving a streak of fire light as it moved from side to side cleaving the decaying bodies as it moved.  Fetid body parts flew through the air as the staff mowed down the howling hordes.  With ebbing energy Karek swung the staff, I and Forcellus chopped at groping arms, me with my short blade, Forcellus bringing up the rear with his great sword.  Veltek spent his Power on Gale Force which served to sweep away the fallen dead allowing us to proceed slowly across the expanse of the desolation, our feet ankle deep in gore.  When we reached what we appeared to be the center, the black skull and all of the undead simply disappeared.  In it's place there appeared what looked like a black hole surrounded by a swirling grey-black smoke.  The hole grew larger, and the smoke filled the desolation.  Then a light suddenly appeared in the hole and rapidly approached us.  It coalesced  into the form of a glowing giant horned beast with four arms each holding a sword.  It stood at least twenty foot high and hissing gasses issued from it's mouth.  I had never seen anything quite so horrifying.  Seated on it's shoulder was the green imp ginning at us.  I had to tell myself that this was also an illusion, though I knew that it was not.  We all stood frozen for a second, then an oddly disconnected voice roared out of the beast covering the sound of the swirling and hissing gasses that surrounded us "cast aside that stick and you will be spared death as I have been." it said.  It was a strange request under the circumstances, and it was spoken in broken Domish.  Karek returned the shout in Zorbeshi, translated; "But you are not alive, Quarack.  You are a puppet of this creature.  You have lost your honor and soiled the honor of your ancestors.  If you want this staff, come and take it."

I cannot recall the exact words that then transpired, all was confusion and sounds muffled by the hissing winds, but it was plain that there were two entities before us, incorporated into the one creature.  "Kill them" I heard the entity I perceived to be Quarack say, but the creature did not move.  As Quarack grew more insistent, the large beast seemed to produce an angry hissing laugh.  Suddenly from inside his form flew out a small Zorbeshi man, who stumbled forward and fell in front of us.  "This…is…your…fate" he said, struggling and choking on his own words.  The beast then raised his hand and Quarack burst into fragments which scattered to the winds.  Crackling with hissing laughter, the demon beast then abruptly disappeared.

Next: The Demon Portal

Leaving Giorda we walked north west toward Buhween, the small village at the border of Hamelille.  There was no sunlight, even filtered through clouds.  The further we went, the darker it became.  Only the Staff lit our way.  No torch would now penetrate the total darkness.  And it was deathly cold.  The glowing Staff provided us a degree of comfort from the oppressive blanket that was slowly suffocating us.  There was no sound.  We passed dead animals.  Stepping over them as we progressed.  I began to fear for Hamelille.  Reaching Buhween did nothing to allay my fears, as the village was completely deserted.  Not a soul in sight.  We decided not to stop until we reached Hamellile.  We expected to be assaulted by demonic forces at any moment, but none came. 

We finally reached the edge of the Sacred Grove, and I was saddened but not shocked to see that the darkness had penetrated it also.  But to what extent?  We wearily plodded on headed for Hamell, the Great Tree.  It may have been a hallucination, but I was sure that the darkness lifted a bit as we approached the venerable one.  But there was no one around.  My people would seek the protection of the trees, I reasoned.  They would pass into the trees and become part of them - as they had so long ago after the Raylan Domination.  I so wanted to join them.  To feel the peace of the ages, the quiet, the communal, the serene. But such communion comes with a price.  You are removed from the world.  The progression of history passes you by.  Perhaps for many years.  Now standing before the great sleeping Hamell I knew that it would not speak to me.  No wisdom to be gained here.  It was far away.  Naralle too.  I am too involved with the humans to be a true Raylan.  I cannot let time and evolution be the arbiter of my fate.  I want to write history, not pass without a trace. And so we moved on toward Morban. 

Each step grew heavier, darker, colder.  Nothing lived.  In Morban, death was everywhere.  People lying in the street.  Slumped over tables in the Inn.  Even the rats were cold and stiff.  Why would this demon not come?  Then again, why should it?  It's will was triumphant.  We could liberate no one here - they were already dead.  Did we represent a threat?  It did not seem so. 

We were able to provision ourselves rather easily.  Dead men do not eat, and the cold food was well preserved.  We slept and ate always within the protective glare of the Elemental Staff.

We finally began our return to Mount Orgarath.  We had made it as far the campsite of the unfortunates when our first sign of contest finally appeared.  As we walked down the wooded path the glow of the staff suddenly revealed the black circle of the old campfire before us.  The three bodies were still there.  We attempted to sidestep them when Veltek let out a yell "the mother moved!" he said in horror.  We all looked.  All three bodies then stirred and sat up.  A million thoughts raced through my mind.  Had they been sleeping?  Entranced and now released by the Staff?  The light of the Staff then revealed the secret as they stood and moved toward us.  They were walking death.  The mother's face half eaten by some vile scavenger.  The children were the same.  Suddenly the older boy lunged at Veltek and then suffered the loud crack of an Energy bolt directed at him.  He only flinched at the powerful blast.  Karek raised the staff and screamed something in Khanizat, and at that moment the staff flared even more brightly and all three phantoms dropped lifelessly to the ground.

Next: The Gauntlet

We discovered that there were no horses to be had in Giorda.  Most had been ridden away by their owners, others had simply lay down and died. We took a room in the Inn to flee the cold and to discuss our strategy.

Our main topic was when to "unfurl our flag" as Forcellus put it.  Biteki had told us that merely carrying the Staff on Karek's back would not declare our presence.  We would need to wield it.  But when and where?  Did we want to declare the battle here and now?  With perhaps hosts of demons descending upon Giorda?  Did we want to visit Hamel and Naralle at Hamelille before the big battle?  I had envisioned the confrontation taking place on the road past Morban, to keep it localized to Forbesh.  I reasoned with myself that the demons should be confined to Forbesh, that they somehow would run amuck and slay others anywhere on the path to us.

But in truth, we had fallen victim to the same malaise as the others.  We began to fear that wielding the staff might not be enough.  That we might need an army as well.  Forcellus first wanted to go back to DOM to gather forces, then he wanted to get the Raylan, and finally he decided that more thought and brandy would do the trick.  Veltek wanted to locate another Power Gem so that he might store Power in it to use in the coming battle.  He became obsessed with needing more Power, and began attempting to place his Power into common items.  This had a debilitating effect as he was then rarely at full Power, and constantly worried about it.  I simply spent many hours sleeping "to rest up" for the coming battle.  Karek seemed to fare better than most of us, but as he looked to Veltek and I to initiate the proceedings, nothing was done.

On the morning of the third day, the innkeeper's wife died.  Karek was the first one to hear of it, and thankfully for all of us, it was the final stone needed to upset the balanced state of misery we were in.

I had managed to get myself down the stairs of the Inn that morning for a breakfast that would not appear.  I passed Karek who had a determined look on his face.  "She's dead" he said as he crossed to the stairs and bounded up.  At that moment I experienced the low point of my life.  I was a failure and I knew it.  I wallowed in it.  I sat right down on the floor, and was overcome by sadness.  Meanwhile, in his room, Karek had retrieved the staff.  "Everyone up!" He shouted in Khanizat from his open door - and then he uncovered the staff.  The Fire gem glowed with a nearly blinding light.  Karek marched downstairs with it, holding it out before him.  "We begin!" he shouted in Domish.  Seeing the light of the staff, my malaise vanished in an instant.  It was like a thin paint that crumbled away.  How foolish I  had been.  How easily the darkness had taken us.  With such facility had it robbed us of confidence in the Elemental construct before us.  How vain we were that we believed that we could determine the time and place and not trust the combined Power of the Elements.  By the look on the faces of Forcellus and Veltek, I could see that they too saw the truth laid out clearly before them.  "Just wield it" I had told Karek in Neriz.  That should have remained my advice all along.  Forcellus quickly gathered provisions from the Innkeepers stock.  "I am sorry for your terrible loss" I said to the innkeeper.  And with renewed confidence I said "this dark entity has caused enough pain.  It shall now be defeated." 

Within the hour, we were on the road toward Hamelille, Morban and then Mount Orgarath - come what may.

Next: A City of Death