Jerkchicken
Heavy steps were heard as the floor shook slightly at the movement of the mountainous man, his long white and grey beard swaying just above his portly belly. He looked at everyone and yet spoke not a word as he walked through the grand hall and approached a small podium of sorts, the floor raised just so where the wooden structure beckoned everyone's attention. He looked about the crowd, age and exhaustion playing perfectly content along his long features. He cleared his throat and the room grew quiet as each person turned to show respect to the man that held their great lands together and had seemingly lost more men, family and blood to the recent devistation than any other that could raise defense.
"Thank you all for responding to our call for assistance. Adin... no, Capernaum thanks you for simply answering the cry of the people. Whether you are here out of the kindness of your heart, the desire to fight a dark battle, or the ache for riches and perhaps immortality - we welcome you and hope to give you the right information in a timely manner to set you on a course that might prove pivotal in our battle against the Shade." He stopped only to take a long drink of a dark mead that was handed to him by a small waif of a woman. "Most of your villages and provinces have felt the icy hand of darkness that has brushed across our land, bruising and taking wherever he delights. My own men have fallen by three quarters due to our over zealous desire to put down that which seemingly doesn't exist."
His sigh was full of angst and the air felt as it had been sucked from the four corners of the room. A once great and mighty leader was faced with not only relying on others, some of which he'd rather not, but the resolution was unclear and quite difficult to imagine at all. He tapped his large meaty fingers along the aging wood, his peircing blue gaze locking on a few old friends that were only deemed so by a quick nod of his head.
"The Cup of Eden was removed from my treasury last night and whether you believe in its powers are not are quite irrelevant. The ruling bodies of Capernaum are at the end of options and that is where you come in." He paused for a moment. "You will be given a map of the Caspian mountains to study tonight and we ask that you leave first thing in the morning. The shade has many children and rest assured they are working hard to break the spell of holiness that lays on the cup. One drink from it and a being of original immortality will become a God, one drink for you and you will become immortal. That as well as a large ransom for those of you whom survive is what I offer. Please understand that the journey you attend will most likely call for your life and put you before evil so great that it might just corrupt your soul."
He rubbed his large chest, just above his heart as if in pain. "Please... ask me anything and if I am able to respond, I will."