Flames consumed everything, the crackling of wood engulfed by fire the only noise, everything else was silent.
Bodies lay strewn about, some horrifyingly mutilated, torn and broken, limbs ripped off or guts pulled out in heaping piles. Other bodies showing no outward signs of what had killed them, were dead all the same.
The carnage had happened within a matter of minutes, a rift opened in the middle of the outpost, miles away from the edge of the Darkmere.
Creatures of nightmare had poured out, immediately overwhelming the fifty or so Knights, soldiers and their companions before hardly any of them had raised any type of defense. Not that it had mattered.
Hulking Bipedal, scaled, furry and armoured beings of immense strength and bestial fury had reveled in the gore-fuelled orgy of destruction.
They had been the cause of the fires as well, each stomp of their feet caused gouts of hellfire to spurt out and seemingly with a will of its own, climb, cling and ignite every single flammable object they touched.
Shadow draped figures, ghostly outlines of humanoid creatures as far as the damned and dieing could see, flitted amongst those trying to escape the carnage. Draining life with a touch or consuming the souls completely if the person was already close to death.
These were the Wraiths and Behemoths demonic creatures summoned to the world by Dread Lich Myr. They were hungry, eager to destroy and stil only a fraction of the immense power that Myr held.
The evil undead beings influence was growing, few bright spots existed around his domain. One of these havens was the Wellspring Tavern.
This is the story of......No wait that part comes later......
The sound of chopping wood split the morning air, a man in his prime stood in a small clearing behind the huge structure known as the Wellspring, a massive sprawling Tavern, inn, shopping complex and unofficial adventurer's guild.
His physique was impressive, muscular and well built covered in runic markings, he cut an intimidating figure. Standing at six foot three inches in height his movements were fluid, graceful and harmonious, even when chopping wood.
His tunic suddenly flew out from the covered doorway of the kitchen and caught him in the side of his head. A red haired woman stepped out from the shadowed opening and stood with folded arms shaking her head. The man turned and toweled himself down with the tunic, but did not seem in any hurry to dress himself.
" You know we have staff to do that, right?"
"A fine morning to you too my dearest Narissa"
Narissa's frown could not hold at his tone, she shrugged her shoulders and let fly her exasperated reply.
"The owner doing all the menial tasks does wonders for our image Master Wolven"
Her tone was mocking, but Arn still shook his head at her use of the title Master.
"How many times must I say it, call me Arn, Master Wolven was my father. Besides, as owner of this place I feel duty bound to make sure that all menial tasks are completed to the highest standards that my chief of staff comes to expect of all of us"
He flashed a smile, knowing full well that she would not be able to answer that disarming response.
Narissa stood there, pouting, for all of about twenty seconds. She opened her mouth to reply, thought better of it and turned to leave. Then remembering her duty and the real reason she was here, she turned back to Arn and delivered the message that had just been delivered to the Tavern.
"We just received word that West mere outpost was completely overrun yesterday evening. Not a single survivor left. We only got the message through the druid's network of animal couriers because squirrels nesting nearby witnessed the destruction"
She hated the fact she had to be the bearer of such bad news, the devastating effect of seeing Arn's face drop from a smile to a look of overwhelming grief and defeat. he took the loss personally. Her own carefully placed mask had to hold but she felt her own grief rising to the surface.
Arn's response was brief, quick and to the point.
" The newest adventurers should be arriving soon, perhaps there are those amongst them who would be willing to join me and try to put a stop to this needless destruction once and for all.
He walked passed Narissa and entered the kitchen door, the morning sun suddenly seemed to dim and a chill wind passed through the clearing, Narissa shivered and turned to walk back in, her own duties waited.
Her last words were whispered, snatched away by the rogue wind resounded through the clearing as she walked back inside.
"I hope they brought an army"
Bodies lay strewn about, some horrifyingly mutilated, torn and broken, limbs ripped off or guts pulled out in heaping piles. Other bodies showing no outward signs of what had killed them, were dead all the same.
The carnage had happened within a matter of minutes, a rift opened in the middle of the outpost, miles away from the edge of the Darkmere.
Creatures of nightmare had poured out, immediately overwhelming the fifty or so Knights, soldiers and their companions before hardly any of them had raised any type of defense. Not that it had mattered.
Hulking Bipedal, scaled, furry and armoured beings of immense strength and bestial fury had reveled in the gore-fuelled orgy of destruction.
They had been the cause of the fires as well, each stomp of their feet caused gouts of hellfire to spurt out and seemingly with a will of its own, climb, cling and ignite every single flammable object they touched.
Shadow draped figures, ghostly outlines of humanoid creatures as far as the damned and dieing could see, flitted amongst those trying to escape the carnage. Draining life with a touch or consuming the souls completely if the person was already close to death.
These were the Wraiths and Behemoths demonic creatures summoned to the world by Dread Lich Myr. They were hungry, eager to destroy and stil only a fraction of the immense power that Myr held.
The evil undead beings influence was growing, few bright spots existed around his domain. One of these havens was the Wellspring Tavern.
This is the story of......No wait that part comes later......
The sound of chopping wood split the morning air, a man in his prime stood in a small clearing behind the huge structure known as the Wellspring, a massive sprawling Tavern, inn, shopping complex and unofficial adventurer's guild.
His physique was impressive, muscular and well built covered in runic markings, he cut an intimidating figure. Standing at six foot three inches in height his movements were fluid, graceful and harmonious, even when chopping wood.
His tunic suddenly flew out from the covered doorway of the kitchen and caught him in the side of his head. A red haired woman stepped out from the shadowed opening and stood with folded arms shaking her head. The man turned and toweled himself down with the tunic, but did not seem in any hurry to dress himself.
" You know we have staff to do that, right?"
"A fine morning to you too my dearest Narissa"
Narissa's frown could not hold at his tone, she shrugged her shoulders and let fly her exasperated reply.
"The owner doing all the menial tasks does wonders for our image Master Wolven"
Her tone was mocking, but Arn still shook his head at her use of the title Master.
"How many times must I say it, call me Arn, Master Wolven was my father. Besides, as owner of this place I feel duty bound to make sure that all menial tasks are completed to the highest standards that my chief of staff comes to expect of all of us"
He flashed a smile, knowing full well that she would not be able to answer that disarming response.
Narissa stood there, pouting, for all of about twenty seconds. She opened her mouth to reply, thought better of it and turned to leave. Then remembering her duty and the real reason she was here, she turned back to Arn and delivered the message that had just been delivered to the Tavern.
"We just received word that West mere outpost was completely overrun yesterday evening. Not a single survivor left. We only got the message through the druid's network of animal couriers because squirrels nesting nearby witnessed the destruction"
She hated the fact she had to be the bearer of such bad news, the devastating effect of seeing Arn's face drop from a smile to a look of overwhelming grief and defeat. he took the loss personally. Her own carefully placed mask had to hold but she felt her own grief rising to the surface.
Arn's response was brief, quick and to the point.
" The newest adventurers should be arriving soon, perhaps there are those amongst them who would be willing to join me and try to put a stop to this needless destruction once and for all.
He walked passed Narissa and entered the kitchen door, the morning sun suddenly seemed to dim and a chill wind passed through the clearing, Narissa shivered and turned to walk back in, her own duties waited.
Her last words were whispered, snatched away by the rogue wind resounded through the clearing as she walked back inside.
"I hope they brought an army"