CH 1: The Arrival

[Jerrard]

"The Measure is one thing, the code another, but did the Death of The Great Sturm Brightblade not teach us something else? A true Knight is judged by what is in his heart, and by his actions. I hope I live up to that Ideal." He rests silent for a moment on Gallen (his horse) before shaking his head.

"Sorry, nerves got the better of me." He blushes looking ay Galenye, "Yes I will welcome the company of any who wish to stay, knowing you are there, will help spur me on."

"Karathos, my friend, I could not do this without you." He smiles. "Thank you Targin."

[Breila]

Karathos just nods, not approaching too close, knowing Gallen was still wary of his horns.

[HorizonsDream]

"After this whole thing, you are going to sorely need some time to relax I think," Galenye says with a shake of her head. Of course, the seriousness of all wasn't lost on her, and she knew how nervous Erastin was. "Pass or fail, though I do see you passing, I'm going to have to treat you to a night on the town."

[Jerrard]

"I like that idea, yes I like that very much." Erastin nods, "You never cease to surprise me."

[Breila]

Once more, Karathos's big head goes up and down, anticipating the fun they will have.

[JadedDM]

"Oh, and another thing!" Targin says, remembering. "No magic, either." He looks over to Jinali and Selowen. "The knights don't care for it. If you go around tossing spells about, it'll put them off. Understand? Just keep it to yourself. If for some reason you need to cast a spell, and for the life of me, I can't imagine why, just make sure none of the knights see you."

[Jerrard]

"Yes, the Knights see magic as distasteful yet unavoidable." He rubs his head and frowns, "Many Knights never see or have any exposure to Magic, Clerics of Paladine are accepted, History tells of Knights and Clerics striding into Battle together."

"But Targin is right, of course I am sure you won't do anything to upset them."

[HorizonsDream]

"Really, Targin?" Galenye asks with a snicker. "I don't see our two magic users just randomly casting spells all over the place. So unless an army of dragons decides to attack the tower, I don't see those two causing a whole lot of problems. I'm the trouble maker in the group, remember?"

[JadedDM]

"Wouldn't be the first time dragons attacked the High Clerist's Tower," Targin mutters. "But then, I guess youngin's like you don't really remember the Blue Lady's War."

[Breila]

"Well, I certainly don't. In my case, it has nothing to do with age, though, but with the fact that I didn't grow up on Ansalon. Perhaps you could tell us the most important things? If it doesn't bore you, or Erastin?"

Karathos walks a little closer to Targin now.

[Jerrard]

"Feel free, the story is a good one, it will not bore me."

Riding close to Galenye he talks quietly, "Are you ok? I have yet to tell you how much your presence means to me." He bows on his horse, kissing her hand lightly. "Thank you my Lady."

With that he rides back up to Targin ready to add in a comment if needed.

[JadedDM]

Targin watches Erastin's little gesture with Galeneye and harrumphs. Looking back to the minotaur, he says, "Well, during the War of the Lance, blue dragons assaulted the High Clerist's Tower, with the Blue Lady leading them. Things were looking grim. Now, keep in mind, that at this point, nobody had actually entered the tower itself for many years, out of respect. Well, wouldn't you know it, there was a kender in there, and he had no respect. So he went exploring, and as it turns out, there was a Dragon Orb in there! This whole time, and nobody knew it!"

Seeing the puzzled expression on Karathos' face, Targin says, "Oh, right. You wouldn't know about them. Well, the Dragon Orbs were old magical artifacts made back in the Age of Dreams. They were said to have the power to control dragons. Several expeditions had been sent out during the war, in hopes of finding one of these orbs. But turns out there was one right under the knights' noses this whole time. And trust a kender to be the one who found it!"

Adjusting his weight in his saddle, the dwarf continues, "Anyway, the great hero, Sturm Brightblade, engaged with the Blue Lady in one-on-one combat, despite the fact that she had a dragon and Sturm did not. This distracted her while the Dragon Orb was used to lure the other dragons into the tower, where the knights finished them off with the legendary Dragonlances. Brightblade gave his life for that victory, and they entombed him in the tower after that."

Scratching his beard, he adds, "Of course, the Blue Lady's War was another story. The Blue Lady returned, not only with dragons, but flying citadels, too! They just passed right over the tower and attacked Palanthas itself! According to the story, her army was led by a Death Knight of all people, Lord Soth himself. In the end, the Blue Lady fell and Lord Soth retreated, but not without great cost. That was nearly twenty years ago, though, so the city has mostly been repaired since then."

[Breila]

Karathos looks puzzled. "The Blue Lady... was she a Godess or something like that? It's hard to believe that a woman can wield such power."


(ooc: correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that if traditional minotaur culture is very violent, women do not have equal rights and no access to power)

[JadedDM]

"Nay, no god was she. Just a woman, and a human at that. They say she was as ambitious and cruel as she was beautiful, with a crooked smile that could disarm any man fighting her," Targin says. "The bond between her and her dragon was supposedly so strong, they say that to this day, the beast still flies about the world, trying to find and retrieve her shade from the ether, so they can be together once again."

[Breila]

Karathos shakes his had and snorts in disbelief. "Well, let's hope the dragon doesn't succeed" he comments.