Resupply

"We are proud to count you two amongst us as brothers, and I cannot stress enough how appropriate is your timing."

Relic stood in the middle of a hallway on the second floor in the Eastern Wing of the great stone Keep of which he was now a leader. The idea, although several months old, had still not completely taken root in his mind; though he had been doing all he felt he could lately despite the hard times upon him and his brothers.

Before him was a collaboration of two others with whom he shared leadership as well as two recently initiated into the brotherhood. Though they were new, they were very old acquaintances of his, and he counted himself  lucky to share a common vision with them once again. It was to these  inidividuals, Akihiro and Maezura, to which he now spoke.

"Do not think I mean to speak lightly of the honor we recieve your presence with, however understand that you've come during trying times. There is much going on, much to be done... And we musn't waste any time."

Maezura, an elf, lithe of figure, yet taller than Relic raised an eyebrow.  "Waste time? Doing what?"

"I do not wish to rush traditions, yet we must find out where you are to be placed amongst the ranks. You, Maezura, we have been talking about long before you came to us, and certainly long before we knew you would. We have a place we think you would fit well. As for you, Akihiro, we are still undecided, however, over the next few days I do not doubt we will be able to decide. We have already witness some of what you can do."

Akihiro nodded his large head, not saying a word.

"I know you have questions, but all will become clear soon enough. First  we must proceed with our sectioning." Relic nodded to Akihiro and Maezura  in turn. "If you don't mind, however, I would now have words with my  peers." 

As they two turned to leave, Vandalandius, a monstrous Titan of a priest spoke up, "By the way... Welcome to the oranization" and let them depart, a grin on his face.

Dimitri, a tall elf wearing a simple robe who nonetheless exuded a demeanor  of power, turned to Relic as the other two departed, a look of amusement  in his eyes. "We've found something."

The Titan nodded his head in agreement. "You're gonna like this too..."  Relic raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm interested now... What've you got?" Vandalandius was the first to answer. "A junkyard."

Eyebrow still cocked Relic responded critically, "A... Junkyard? Of what sorts? Doesn't sound too promising..."

Smirking, Vandalandius said, "A Dwarven junkyard. An ancient... Dwarven  junkyard." Though Relic could tell this was not the full story. "And what did you find there?"

Vandalandius looked to Dimitri who responded in a serious tone, "Shells... Podrikev shells."

Relic was startled; this was indeed a rare find. "Does anyone else know?  Can you use them?"

The Titan nodded his head while the other shook his. This was all the information Relic needed. "We need to get to work..."

... Is Another Man's Army.

Dazed Dimitri sat up and looked around the chamber. All the massive pillars in the cavern were now covered in runes glowing an ominous crimson. For the first time since they've ventured into these ruins the walls were visible, bathed in a blood red light.

Vandalandius was already up on his feet and casting a spell, the ground rumbled as an earth elemental appeared. "No time for naps, get up!"

As Dimitri rose to his feet he noticed the dust wasn't settling. In fact there seemed to be movement everywhere. Sets of rusted and broken armor began to rise from the ground. Where pieces were missing a ghostly version was in its place. Transparent faces sneered at them through rusted visors and phantom fists closed around weapons preparing to strike.

The earth elemental charged through a group of the undead swinging his arms

sending them flying into each other. Vandalandius raised a hand blasting the undead with wrath of the divine, the other arm swinging a massive blade. Sword drawn Dimitri parried an incoming blade and countered with a magic missile to the creatures skull. Dropping to a heap of rubble another stepped to take its place. Breathing a cone of fire he burned the undead in front of him. Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention and he dipped to the side, to slow. The mace intended for his head slammed into his shoulder, blinding pain overcoming him he stumbled to his knees, arm hanging limp. The undead pressed on relentlessly, raising its sword above its head for the killing blow, it exploded as fiery meteors rained down from above.
 
Looking where the creature had been he saw a path of destruction, at the other end stood the Podrikev. "You cannot die until you free the others."

A wave of refreshment washed over him, his pain gone, the feeling returned to his arm and he realized Vandalandius was fighting behind him, keeping the creatures off his back. "Feeling better?" Vandal smiled and raised a hand and blasted another undead warrior into dust. With the podrikev and Vandalandius protecting him from the onslaught the three made it a Podrikev laying on the ground.

"It's not going to blow up like the last one will it?" Dimitri asked.The podrikev replied between spell cast. "No, that flash was the trap to summon these." Dimitri dispelled this one the same as the first, gemstone glowing, the Podrikev coming to life. They fought their way to the next podrikev, backs to one another, dispelling them one by one. As more Podrikevs were dispelled the booming sounds of crashing meteors became more rapid. After the blue glow faded the last Podrikev stood up and joined the others in a circle around Vandalandius and Dimitri, facing the undead, raining down meteors that created a wall between them and the seemingly unending waves of unholy creatures.

"As much as I enjoy fireworks I think we have what we came for. Shall we?" Vandalandius said.

"They're all wizards." Dimitri said with a grin. "Ready when you are."

Vandalandius raised his hands and opened a vortexial rift just large enough to embrace the circle of Podrikevs and the two within it. They vanished, leaving behind a smoke filled room of screeching undead.

One Man's Junkyard...

As they came around the corner the hallway ended with an arched doorway opening to a massive cavern. Rows of ancient columns disappearing up into the darkness as far as their light would reach. The floor littered with rubble of all shapes and sizes.

"Shame they threw all this away." Vandalandius said, the titan straightening from a stoop as he stepped through the archway into the large room.
 
Dimitri replied, "Well I wouldn't say that, if they didn't, there wouldn't be anything here for us." Smiling he stepped over a rusted set of armor.  Holding his torch high above his head he motioned to the center of the cavern. "See them? The podrikevs?"

Earlier expeditions to the ruins were more focused on the surface chambers of the caves, valuables ranging from elaborate metalwork to rare magical weapons had been abundant in those chambers. It wasn't until the wagons were full until they discovered this junkyard, requiring a second trip for possibly the the most valuable treasure in the ruins.

"Yes, I see them, there must be at least eight or nine of them. And they're probably as in good a shape as the day life was breathed into them."  The titan said.

The orange torchlight glimmered on pristine steel. The large mechanical humanoid figures lay in heaps, seemingly in perfect condition, untouched by age.

Both men Waded through the refuse, boots crunching, almost to the shells of the metal figures, Vandaldius slowed his pace. "Something isn't right here."

Dimitri, a pace or two ahead, reached the nearest Podrikev. Leaning down to take a closer look he examined the metal shell.

"We really got lucky, in this condition they'll probably sell for a million platinum a piece." He said.

"Excellent, lets move them close together so we can vortex out of here. The quicker the better, this place has the stink of evil."  Vandalandius said, he reached down to drag the mechanical humanoid towards the others.

It didn't budge.

Giving a grunt the titan put his weight into it. The podrikev remained where it lay, not moving an inch.

Dimitri noticed his efforts and uttered a quick incantation of detect magic. "I see, they're all glowing with some kind of enchantment."

Vandalandius replied, "Of course they are, aren't they magical pots and pans?"

"Yea pretty much, let me try something." Vandalandius took a few steps away from the podrikev as Dimitri raised his hands, tracing symbols in the air he recited something in the language of magic. An educated onlooker would know it for a dispel magic spell. Nothing seemed to happen.

Vandalandius tried to move it again with the same result. He shook his head.

"Ok, well how about this." Dimitri produced a large blue gemstone from within his robes, repeating the dispel magic spell the gemstone glowed slightly.A shimmering blue light surrounded the podrikev and slowly faded.  "Ok, now give it a tr-". A blinding white light flashed with an explosion knocking both Vandalandius and Dimitri from their feet.

Current Character Description - Dimitri

Wearing the robes of a wizard this elf seems very natural and at ease in his surroundings. His face bears no distinguishing characteristics. No scars, tattoos, birthmarks, anything of the kind. In fact, everything about him is generic. Forgettable. Invisible in plain view. Another face in the crowd.

Diary of a mad man

Entering the room Rosso knew what this meeting was about, his life and death in the clan Long Death.  In the room there was Rahvin, pheniox,Darxal and Mortis the head masters of the clan.  Only Pheniox spoke, with such a loud tone it couldn't be forgotten you must surrender your soul to death.  Show us you have what it takes to be one of us.  Rosso begin to speak about his clan symbol then stopped.  He nodded in approval and with that he was off to Market square. 

Day 1
There sat Devout, Stephy,Dimitri and another person I didn't recognize. I knew I must get their attention somehow so I asked the paperboy for a quest,  hoping that they would follow. But I was too fast for them. I had to come back and fight my way to death. So It happened the first kill, so powerful  it crashed his heart and soul to remove his clan symbol. When I came back into reality my life force was down and devout of the hoard had healed me to my death, so his friend hit me once again I was faced with another trial do  I go back and fulfill my destiny or do I sit idly by and watch it go to waste.

Day 2
I arrived back at market square some hours later the dust had settled no one was there, and then came a halforc gladiator by the name of Zekai a few pokes of him to me got him furious to hit me. This trial was to watch my life  before my eyes. To not attack just to watch. Zekai fell flat at least a dozen times but in the end I lay flat from his blade.

day 3
 I awoke quickly with a start the next trial being friendship, I found Xeptimus sitting on the bench questioning what I was doing there why I was hitting him. He gave into temptation and attacked and once again I fell to a blade.

day 4
The next trial was a gang bang. Die to as many people as possible: I ran to market square as fast as I could gassed the room and five of them pop out of the smoke and are all on me. I try to fight back it's to much I fall to Dimitri.

day 5
The next trial, die to a priest to come back wealthy in the afterlife. I didn't heal for this one. I know priests are the worse. I found the target. It was Devout the devoted hoard member, I sent a rock his way and one hit of his weapon I fell once again

day 6
Trial 6 die to your own kind: looking for another spell caster like myself I found the lonely vonrak sitting there sipping on a Lipton ice tea I attacked him first but his friends sipping on juice boxes hit me too but in the end I fell to a rock.

day 7
Day of reckoning get help to fight a known enemy, then die by him:  I found 3 buddies and attempted to kill variable the invariable but the weapon was to strong it was my weakness. In seconds I died.

day 8
The day of rebirth: Die to be a born again clansmen. I rushed to market square so fast knowing this was the end of the trial. Found my target then died to Variable the invariable.

Signed, Rosso deh Aposso

The Return

Arkain smiled slightly as he topped a large hill overlooking Westbridge. It was a welcomed sight after traveling as far as he did. He had been gone for nearly a year, searching for his elder brother, whom he hadn't seen since they were children, and he l

He trotted down a narrow path leading into the city. He was weary, and in desperate need of food and somewhere to stay for the night. It was late afternoon and hot, even with the sun blocked out by thick cumulus clouds that hung sporadically throughout t

"Ark!" A familiar voice echoed as the slender figure rapidly approached. The spell dropped from Arkain lips, and they parted with a crooked smile.

"Dimitri, my friend." He said with a sigh of relief. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you!"

The  friends shook hands and quickly embraced. It had been too long since the two friends saw each other, and the reunion was relieving.

"We didn't think you were coming back." Dimitri inquired. "There have been some changes within the guild that you should be aware of."

"New leadership, I presume?" It was a rhetorical question. "I hope you received the letter that I sent while I was away."

"Indeed we have, and we are honoring your resignation. Relic has been chosen as leader, as well as Vandalandius and myself."

Arkain knew that The Hoard leadership had changed since he left. His prolonged absence required it, and it was bitter sweet, but he was ready to pass it on. He was tired.

"You!" Arkain laughed hard. "You have been picked? Oh my dear friend, I couldn't have asked for better people." He nudged Dimitri and they both smiled and laughed as they slowly walked down the trail toward Westbridge