Chapter One: Sudden departures & unexpected futures

Session was held 27th february 2010 at the altar of games.

Young Arius was running errands for Melkor across the capital city Iriaebor. It was eighth of May, 1372 Dr and the weather breezed of the upcoming summer. Arius was at the central marketplace of the city when all hell broke loose. A pack of Skull Riders rode and surrounded the poor apprentice, who had no glue what was happening. A moment later he realized that he was locked up in a prison cell somewhere in the deep dungeons beneath Iriaebor.

Arius spent days untold in his underground prison, occasionally talking with another man who was imprisoned in the same cell. That man was called Jared and he was a cleric of god Lathander, put behind the bars because of his beliefs in false gods. As desperation grew, Arius heard a sound. He was terrifyed by the thought of jailkeeper Two-Tongue and his cruel flesh-eating whip but then he saw his master, Melkor behind the cell door, searching for proper key from a key ring. Melkor freed Arius who took his inmate-buddy Jared with him. Melkor was not alone, he was accompanied by a dexterous thief called Douglas. All four of them escaped from the dungeons thanks to Melkors unmanly wits, though they had to maim the crooked jailkeeper Two-Tongue unconscious.

They caught their breath at the Copperhorn Inn, where Melkor had bought a room with a pseudonym Kolmer, only to don Arius with studden leather armor and eguip him with a sharp short sword. There Melkor told him that his destiny as prince of Darnon was true, and next they would obtain the sword called Ilbrandir from the tomb of Arius's mother. The sword was a legendary heirloom of her family, ancient craftmanship and ever-sharp, and would determine whether or not Arius truly was the son of the queen. After this they would escape the city and ride northwest, through the village of Borhus all a way until the Crossing of Hastur, from where they would head to the Reaching Woods and find a hunters camp where Melkor had a safe contact.

Thanks to Melkors carefully crafted plans, the trip to the elder catacombs of Iriaebor was a job well done. They met man called Krishnar, a n apprentice of necromantic school, slew him and his undead minions brutally by smashing the wizards face with Melkors trusted staff. Soon they found the tomb they were searching for and opened it without hesitations, only to discover the sword of legacy, the elven mother of Arius, still untouched by time or disease, and with her a swaddled piglet. According to Melkor it was obvious that she was murdered eighteen years ago, thus her unchanged appearance as she still holds grudge for her slayer. Also the fake baby prince was a proof that Arius, or Ariendur as his full royal name goes, was to inherit the kingdom.

Escape from the capital city was a grand succee, as they rode like the wind through the green fields of the countryside. Clerk known as Jehtro Hykel provided them rations for free, as long as they would pay back someday. Gasping the air through their teeth there, an artist immortalized them, starting from the left, Melkor and Arius, Douglas on the back and Jared leaning from the right.

They rode across the crossing to the safety of the vast forest. There they met the hunters Constantin Almert, Viril Massar and Hulford Bronzevest. They were safe for now, but Arius, Jared and Douglas too had alot to question from Melkor about the past few days. Melkor turned most of the questions down, only to inform that they would prepare themselves as soon as possible against the possible pursuers. Arius finally realized how terrible was the actual state of his woeful kingdom.

Arius had no glue how bad the things really were..