2000-06-09: Sacrificial Lambs
’These are sad times we live in, when such dark happenings take place.’ These were the words of a scared, but courageous Knight being lead slowly, but surely, to be slaughtered by the very man whom he sought to aid. These adventurers expected no payment in return, yet they were indeed paid: they were paid by the sound of a dagger slicing into the flesh of their back. The name of the one he spoke to was Arch Mage Roberts, going under the guise of Roberts the Noble. It grieves me deeply when one of my fellow mages is stolen from our ranks by the Dark Mistress... wooed by the dark power she offers, it is as though their common sense is stolen away. Such happened with Roberts. Late one evening the cry went out through Britain on the facet of Felucca for adventurers to aid the Noble Roberts in rescuing his kidnapped daughter. Finally close to ten brave souls were gathered to hear him speak, and thus is the story they heard.
Roberts had supposedly been traveling from Yew to Britain with his precious little girl when he was beset by and army of thugs, mages, and the vile conjurations they summoned to aid them. So deadly were they that they cut down every man of his escort guard, and he only escaped through use of a simple invisibility scroll. His daughter was taken, and he claimed to have heard them whispering about a sacrifice. Roberts the Noble told these souls he had nothing to pay them with, he had spent all his fortunes on hired mercenaries to rescue his daughter, and hoped that the heartfelt gratitude of a father reunited with his daughter would be enough. Some left, and those that stayed were exactly what he was looking for: pure, selfless souls. Exactly who he needed to sacrifice to the anti-virtues.
Roberts lead these men, consisting of mages, warriors, Knights. There were those who called themselves ’servants of god’ and those who allied with no banner. One person I spoke with shared that a virtuous warrior talked with Roberts at length, sharing his fears of the upcoming battle and wishes to stem the tide of darkness in the land. Asking even for his daughter’s hand in marriage should they save her. Little did he know that the confessions he made were to the very man who would take his life. The upcoming battle that ensued was long, but simple compared to what lay ahead. They fought their way swiftly through the forests to the ruins that lay south of the Yew Orc Fort, and found there candles and scrolls laid out in ritual form. It was then that Roberts flung down his disguise and pulled on his jet black robe, grinning with contempt as he explained that the very virtues that drove these adventurers to aid him were the virtues that would be their deaths.
There was little hesitation when the adventurers heard this, and they immediately attacked him. When out from the forest came the terrifying shouts of demented mages. The Arch Mage Roberts began to cast a strange summoning spell, ’Kal Vas Corp Ylem’. Hordes of elementals coalesced, lead by daemons summoned from the very Abyss itself. Acid elementals burned away the protecting armor of those that fought them, and Robert’s cruel magical fire struck down half of the warriors where they stood. Yet they did not give in! Still wearing the robes of the dead, they flocked back, again and again, desperately grasping their swords and spell books to fight to the last breath. And finally, after a long and deadly battle, silence descended upon the forest - broken only by a long, wretched shout, ’Noooo! I ... was to be... immortal!!’ Arch Mage Roberts fell to a crumpled heap at their feet. I mourn at the loss of one who was once a fellow mage, respected by all. Yet I rejoice in my heart, for yet again the citizens of Britainnia have proven that they will not bow down to the forces of evil that pervade the land! Perhaps, at long last, a ray of hope shines through this darkness.
