Ement Tusk was heading to the bank to finish of a transaction with a merchant about a few spears he had purchased. Little did he know about the events that would unfold. His mind elsewhere, he paid no mind to the eire darkness that governed the building. As the door opened he was pulled back to the real world from the depths of his mind. The banker of the second bank of Britain was not at his trusty counter handing out bankboxes. The vault door was open and boxes lay asunder on the floor. The counter had been toppled and the candles had been put out to make the bank seem closed for business for that day. Ement was on high alert, he could feel a hostile presence in the room with him. He knelt down to pick up an opened bank box. He felt something grab his neck. It did not feel like a fatherly hold or that of a law man scolding wicked men. No, the grasp was of a person with murder in mind. The unusually cool skin sent shivers down Ement's spine, he had to act. With one agile move he grabbed his dagger, broke free from the cool grasp and pressed the aggressor against the wall. Waiting for a exclaim of pain he was suprised when the assailant let out a long piercing hiss. "Who are you!? And how do you have the audacity to interfere!?" the lizard hissed as Ement's dagger slid into it's sternum. Ement let go of the limp body and focused his attention to the rest of the room. He crouched down to a shadowy corner and assessed the situation once more. He did not want to give the advantage away again. Seconds passed and he emerged from the shadow. The signs of struggle were clear but no blood had been spilled, save the unfortunate lizard's that met Ement's blade. The adrenalin had subsided in his blood he could survey the area more closely.
- The door had been skillfully picked, no marks of forced entry. The banker should have noticed even the stealthiest entry, for his chair was facing the door. He must have been mesmerized by the account books or he was somehow poisoned beforehand. Three men or more, no less. It had to be fast. One picks the lock and opens the door, two rush in and incapacitate the banker. Lockpicker closes the door and darkens the room. No body or blood.
Ement moved slowly to the front door and knelt down to find tracks. Sure enough he saw two distinct sets of lizardman tracks one meter apart from each other and two more sets with more clearer, deeper footprints. Between the two tracks that were further apart from each other were drag marks.
- The banker must have been dragged away, but why? They had the loot, why drag the dead weight? This was not just another bank heist.
Ement followed the tracks to the secret entrance to the Britain sewers. He dismounted his steed and left it grazing at the shoreline. As he was walkin towards it, the door opened slowly and he slipped in.
Unraveled
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Re: Unraveled
As the bulky stone door closed behind him smothered the light it took Ement eyes a few seconds to adjust to the sudden dark. A dim light was bouncing of the glistening walls of the sewers. Sewers, the last resting place of the poor and needy. Disease, plague, leprosy all could be found here. Forgotten part of the great Empire. Hundreds of years worth of waste. Amazingly there had been no major blockages of the sewer system that could have flooded the streets. Perhaps it was the doing of the sewer dwellers. Ratmen were known to take shelter here in between their attempts to rob people on the dark alleys. Lizardmen controlled the deeper parts of the sewers. Lately they had grown more bold, but to have them ransack the second Britain bank was unheard of. Ratmen were considered simple minded brutes, the ones with advanced intelligence were the leaders. Lizardmen on the other hand had the mental capacity to plot schemes and even learn the spells of human tongue.
Ement descended down the ladder steps slowly and as stealthily he could. He could hear a fire that made a crackle in the empty spaces of the sewers. A lizardman sentry came up to Ement and spoke slowly to him, first with the high pitched hizzing language of lizards. The body of Ement curled up abit and the sentry noticed it. The sentry bolstered his posture and this time spoke with his fists rather than his slit tongue. He struck Ement on the solar plexus. Ement hunched down from the force of the blow. As his prey remained on the floor the sentry let out a sound that could only be interpreted as an arrogant laugh. Perhaps it was the modest clothes that Ement wore or the acting tips he had received long time ago from the bard Moonsong, the sentry turned his back to the lump on the floor and began walking towards the fire. He gestured something towards the light behind the corner, as if he would have reassured his fellow sentries that there was no threat. Ement got back on his feet holding his stomach. It felt like someone would've grabbed his intestines and given them a good shake. It took him a few steps to walk upright. He pulled the hood of his robe over his head and began to head deeper into the stench. The sentries around the fire paid little attention to the slightly hunched man. This allowed Ement to venture deeper. It was odd for Ement to find lizardmen this close to the entrance and there were no ratmen to be found. As he was crossing over a bridge he could see where the ratmen had gone; the seweage canal was littered with various body parts.
While the light from the fire faded a more ominous light was growing stronger and then fading to near extinction at the end of the tunnel. Ement advanced cautiously at the end of the tunnel which opened to a greater hall. Floor tiles made of ancient granite, the pillars had beautiful bronze markings and the ceiling hang 30 feet high. The ominous glow was of resin lanterns that hung from the pillars. The hall was constructed with the same architecture as the modern temples of the four religions. After a quick head count Ement saw at least ten lizardmen in a perfect circle around a table of some sort. One of the lizards was examining something on the table. Ement could not see what was on the table from this position. He decided to move behind the pillars, closer to the stone table. He crouched down to get a better view, once he found it he stayed perfectly still. The circle had remained surprisingly quite throughout the time Ement had spent in the hall. The one in the circle that was directly in front of the table spoke the blessing words of a mage and casted the spell on the examiner. The examiner looked at each member of the circle and raised his arms as to embrace the sky and whispered
-"Dissimulo"
Suddenly the stealthy steps became heavier, the warnings were out weighing the intrigue. Ement's heart sank, outnumbered in a situation that had religion and politics written all over it, the things he had vowed to stay away from. Few moments passed, the rite had failed. Slowly the floor started to shake and the resin lanterns swung from side to side. A bright figure manifested on top of the altar and moved quickly on one of members of the circle and consumed the all liquid from the victim leaving behind a husk of dried flesh and bone. The examiner exclaimed curses to the sewer walls, Ement had a feeling this was not the first one to die in these gatherings.
The circle broke as the members picked up the dried carcass and carried it out through the same doorway Ement had entered. Only one remained to stand guard and keep whatever they had safe. The guardian moved to the doorway and pulled a stool and sat on it facing the tunnel. A stroke of luck. Ement saw his opportunity and rushed to the table as quickly and silently as he could. He managed to reach the table undetected, he steadied his breathing and peeked what was on the table. There was a book with brown covers and a pitch black tome. Quickly Ement leaned his back on the table and tried to keep his composure. There was sheer terror in his eyes. A tome of Tekstone, here, in the hands of these lizard men. He took another peek on the table and focused his attention to the brown book. He started sliding his hand towards it eyes fixed on the guardian. He grabbed the book and sat down behind the table. The book was a journal of some sort. He could only understand some of the foreign tongue but it was clear that they had found a body of a cultist from the caved in passage to the Lost Lands. How she ended up dead so close to Britain, was uncertain. Ement skipped a few pages to a paragraph about the lizard folk's plans for the tome. They had learn from the texts stolen from Britain library that Tekstone possessed the ability to alter their appearance to resemble another human being. The lizardmen were trying to harness that power for themselves. Ement was about to turn to the next page but he heard footsteps from the tunnel and the guard standing up abruptly. He slid the book back on the table and waited for an opening for escape. As the examiner spoke to the guard Ement dashed behind the pillars again. A faint dust could rose up behind him. The examiner turned his head and stared at the dust for a few seconds and then turned back to the guard.
Ement stayed hidden for hours, waiting for the chance. Thoughts of conspiracy filled his head.
"Why the hell are they trying to mimic humans? And what role does the kidnapped banker play in this scheme? Perhaps they are trying to replace the banker with one of their own and clean the rest of the bank coffers. What the hell am I going to do if I get out of this place. Law takes me as a fool after the encounters I've had with them. I need to get out."
Above the sewers midnight had turned to morning. Five hours Ement had spent crouching in the shadows. Finally the vigilant guard dozed off and he could make his escape. The fire had been put out so the escape was rather easy. He could not believe he had done the impossible. In his excitement he knocked down the sentry that had socked him. He did not stay and fight. Ement left the sewer for the morning sun.
Three days passed, the sight of the tome and the dark figure haunted Ements dreams and even waking hours. Officers were beginning to pay more and more attention to the sorry excuse of a man. He looked more of a drunkard in recovery than anything else. Sweat drenched clothes and muttering words to no-one and everyone. There were moments of mental clarity where he could think without anxiety. These were during dawn hours.
A fortnight had passed. Dawn arrived and Ement could clear his head from the thoughts of the dark. He had weighed different possibilities to rid his mind of the affliction. The days and nights had become more and more psychotic. He had to act fast, the dawns were getting worse as well. He dreaded the thought, but he had to do it. He had to face the darkness, he had to face the cult and ask for assistance. Perhaps they could help his mind in exchange for the information he had about the heathens attempting to usurp their power.
Ement descended down the ladder steps slowly and as stealthily he could. He could hear a fire that made a crackle in the empty spaces of the sewers. A lizardman sentry came up to Ement and spoke slowly to him, first with the high pitched hizzing language of lizards. The body of Ement curled up abit and the sentry noticed it. The sentry bolstered his posture and this time spoke with his fists rather than his slit tongue. He struck Ement on the solar plexus. Ement hunched down from the force of the blow. As his prey remained on the floor the sentry let out a sound that could only be interpreted as an arrogant laugh. Perhaps it was the modest clothes that Ement wore or the acting tips he had received long time ago from the bard Moonsong, the sentry turned his back to the lump on the floor and began walking towards the fire. He gestured something towards the light behind the corner, as if he would have reassured his fellow sentries that there was no threat. Ement got back on his feet holding his stomach. It felt like someone would've grabbed his intestines and given them a good shake. It took him a few steps to walk upright. He pulled the hood of his robe over his head and began to head deeper into the stench. The sentries around the fire paid little attention to the slightly hunched man. This allowed Ement to venture deeper. It was odd for Ement to find lizardmen this close to the entrance and there were no ratmen to be found. As he was crossing over a bridge he could see where the ratmen had gone; the seweage canal was littered with various body parts.
While the light from the fire faded a more ominous light was growing stronger and then fading to near extinction at the end of the tunnel. Ement advanced cautiously at the end of the tunnel which opened to a greater hall. Floor tiles made of ancient granite, the pillars had beautiful bronze markings and the ceiling hang 30 feet high. The ominous glow was of resin lanterns that hung from the pillars. The hall was constructed with the same architecture as the modern temples of the four religions. After a quick head count Ement saw at least ten lizardmen in a perfect circle around a table of some sort. One of the lizards was examining something on the table. Ement could not see what was on the table from this position. He decided to move behind the pillars, closer to the stone table. He crouched down to get a better view, once he found it he stayed perfectly still. The circle had remained surprisingly quite throughout the time Ement had spent in the hall. The one in the circle that was directly in front of the table spoke the blessing words of a mage and casted the spell on the examiner. The examiner looked at each member of the circle and raised his arms as to embrace the sky and whispered
-"Dissimulo"
Suddenly the stealthy steps became heavier, the warnings were out weighing the intrigue. Ement's heart sank, outnumbered in a situation that had religion and politics written all over it, the things he had vowed to stay away from. Few moments passed, the rite had failed. Slowly the floor started to shake and the resin lanterns swung from side to side. A bright figure manifested on top of the altar and moved quickly on one of members of the circle and consumed the all liquid from the victim leaving behind a husk of dried flesh and bone. The examiner exclaimed curses to the sewer walls, Ement had a feeling this was not the first one to die in these gatherings.
The circle broke as the members picked up the dried carcass and carried it out through the same doorway Ement had entered. Only one remained to stand guard and keep whatever they had safe. The guardian moved to the doorway and pulled a stool and sat on it facing the tunnel. A stroke of luck. Ement saw his opportunity and rushed to the table as quickly and silently as he could. He managed to reach the table undetected, he steadied his breathing and peeked what was on the table. There was a book with brown covers and a pitch black tome. Quickly Ement leaned his back on the table and tried to keep his composure. There was sheer terror in his eyes. A tome of Tekstone, here, in the hands of these lizard men. He took another peek on the table and focused his attention to the brown book. He started sliding his hand towards it eyes fixed on the guardian. He grabbed the book and sat down behind the table. The book was a journal of some sort. He could only understand some of the foreign tongue but it was clear that they had found a body of a cultist from the caved in passage to the Lost Lands. How she ended up dead so close to Britain, was uncertain. Ement skipped a few pages to a paragraph about the lizard folk's plans for the tome. They had learn from the texts stolen from Britain library that Tekstone possessed the ability to alter their appearance to resemble another human being. The lizardmen were trying to harness that power for themselves. Ement was about to turn to the next page but he heard footsteps from the tunnel and the guard standing up abruptly. He slid the book back on the table and waited for an opening for escape. As the examiner spoke to the guard Ement dashed behind the pillars again. A faint dust could rose up behind him. The examiner turned his head and stared at the dust for a few seconds and then turned back to the guard.
Ement stayed hidden for hours, waiting for the chance. Thoughts of conspiracy filled his head.
"Why the hell are they trying to mimic humans? And what role does the kidnapped banker play in this scheme? Perhaps they are trying to replace the banker with one of their own and clean the rest of the bank coffers. What the hell am I going to do if I get out of this place. Law takes me as a fool after the encounters I've had with them. I need to get out."
Above the sewers midnight had turned to morning. Five hours Ement had spent crouching in the shadows. Finally the vigilant guard dozed off and he could make his escape. The fire had been put out so the escape was rather easy. He could not believe he had done the impossible. In his excitement he knocked down the sentry that had socked him. He did not stay and fight. Ement left the sewer for the morning sun.
Three days passed, the sight of the tome and the dark figure haunted Ements dreams and even waking hours. Officers were beginning to pay more and more attention to the sorry excuse of a man. He looked more of a drunkard in recovery than anything else. Sweat drenched clothes and muttering words to no-one and everyone. There were moments of mental clarity where he could think without anxiety. These were during dawn hours.
A fortnight had passed. Dawn arrived and Ement could clear his head from the thoughts of the dark. He had weighed different possibilities to rid his mind of the affliction. The days and nights had become more and more psychotic. He had to act fast, the dawns were getting worse as well. He dreaded the thought, but he had to do it. He had to face the darkness, he had to face the cult and ask for assistance. Perhaps they could help his mind in exchange for the information he had about the heathens attempting to usurp their power.