Returning to Titan Valley
Its been a long time since I was last in Titan
Valley. I can still hear the screams of my family and friends as the Vectorians
invaded our homes. My parents forced my sister and I to hide so that we
would not be killed. We had to hide in an alley while the vectorian soldiers
barged into my home that I was raised in and murder my parents. As fast
as they came, they left to find their next victims. I remember sitting
on this very hill overlooking the valley and watching the smoke rise up
from the ashes of the only place I had ever known. The word of taking the
valley back from the Vectorians that was going around town had brought
back these terrible memories and I knew there was only one way I could
put them to rest. I had put my weapons away, not wanting to ever shed the
blood of anyone again. Yet now they are back in my hands, ready to repay
the Vectorians for the damage they have caused me.
FLAMEs in Polaris (Part 8)
Stark's eagle eyes bore holes through the bundled mass of fur upon his doorstep. Well over two hours had passed, and still the loathsome creature had yet to take a breath from haranguing him over the injustices of making him wait in the snow. Stark vigorously rubs his taloned hands across his leather encased arms, berating himself for failing to grab his cloak ere answering this errant creature's rude knocking. Icicles had begun to dangle from the point of his raptor beak. This had gone on long enough. A mounting flame of irritation rages through his system until he finally erupts, "Now LISTEN, you vacuous, rat-pelt covered windbag, either tell me what brings you to my door at this time of night, or leave before I give you a burning sensation that's sure to keep you warm in even this frozen place!" Silence stuns the bird as the stranger instantly stops speaking. Stone hard eyes peer through the folds of impeding cloaks taking in the kenku before creasing at the corners as if amused. "Tis about time ye greet a wander'n travler right proper like, ye blasted bird. Had me goin' thru the motions of salutation long nuff, don't ye think!" The stranger roughly pushes past Stark and trundles inside, "Get yer feather-duster arse in here bird, yer turnin blue already. Its time to be gettin' to business." Stark thankfully rushes to close and bolt the door, and turns just as the stranger removes the last of his impeding weather garments. The rotund, gray haired dwarf erupts into a sonorous pronouncement, fit for a Royal Court introduction, "Ye be askin, who I be... well I be the Third Viscount Elias Dirgestandal CleftReaver, Corruptor of the Seventh Sect, Travestor of the Kobold Tribes, Armorer of the Battleragers, third cousin twice removed by marriage from her most prolific majesty, Queen Strangelove, and Emissary of the Dwarven Kingdoms. But Ye, ye can call me Dirge, fer short." The dwarf stomps his boots loudly and bows deeply, the length of his beard sweeping up a mote of dust in its wake. "As fer me purpose..." (continued)
Speaking with the leaders
"Attention leaders of Polaris. I am Kaz Starchacer of the FLAME. The time has come for you to decide what you want for your city. The FLAME offers you comfort. Yes, the cold of the city hardens you into the warriors you are. But heating your homes is not the only thing that we offer you. We offer to bring trade into your isolated city. We offer to help modernize your city, police your streets, and offer protection against those who would wish you harm. The Istishians will try and sway you from what we offer you. They will tell you that we are only here to serve ourselves. I have been alive longer than this city has existed. I would not support anything that was not in the best interests of the realms. I am a Crimson Guardian before I am a FLAME. I give you my word that FLAME will in no way hurt your city. They plan to improve the quality of your lives and catch you up to the rest of the lands that surround you. This city has played home to me many times over the years, and I hate to see it become the barren waste that it has become. With tourism you can bring in some much needed money that you could use to make your city more livable. We dont presume to be able to change the climate of the city. But we do plan to make your homes much more livable. With this I leave you to your decision. I have made my offers. As have the others of FLAME that have come here to tell you what we offer you. Now it is up to you to decide how you want to live."
With a bow and a wave of his hand Kaz dissapears from the room, leaving the leaders of polaris to debate over the future of their city.
With a bow and a wave of his hand Kaz dissapears from the room, leaving the leaders of polaris to debate over the future of their city.
FLAMEs in Polaris (Part 7)
It is the darkest hours of night as we find Stark still going about completing his reports of the day.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
The thunderous pounding from the alleyway entry quickly draws his alert attention.
"Who could that be? I'm not expecting anyone, especially not this late.", he whispers worriedly to himself.
Cautiously he makes his way up the escarpment to the bolted door; steam from the saunas condense in running rivulets down the walls and across the floor as he passes by. He slides a spy hatch open and peers into the swirling snow of the night and yet .... sees nothing. Hastily closing the hatch, Stark shrugs in confusion and makes to return to his study.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
Stark nearly jumps out of his feathered hide as the deafening blows ring throughout the building. "What the flaming ....", he curses as he again tremulously opens the spy hatch... and again... can see nothing.
Closing the hatch, Stark contemplates what the source of this nocturnal disturbance could be, when...
THUMP THUMP THUMP POUND POUND POUND
Growling in irritation, Stark throws back the restraining bolts of the door. As the light of the building spills into the dark and ice covered depths of the back alley they illuminate the source of the midnight madness...
"About time ye opened the damn-ed door ye flamin unplucked, undercooked chicken... ye seekin to be seein me freeze te death fer yer own pleasure or what ... and another thing..."
Stark sighs and patiently waits for his visitor to take a breath, certain that it will likely be a while yet.
(continued)
THUMP THUMP THUMP
The thunderous pounding from the alleyway entry quickly draws his alert attention.
"Who could that be? I'm not expecting anyone, especially not this late.", he whispers worriedly to himself.
Cautiously he makes his way up the escarpment to the bolted door; steam from the saunas condense in running rivulets down the walls and across the floor as he passes by. He slides a spy hatch open and peers into the swirling snow of the night and yet .... sees nothing. Hastily closing the hatch, Stark shrugs in confusion and makes to return to his study.
THUMP THUMP THUMP
Stark nearly jumps out of his feathered hide as the deafening blows ring throughout the building. "What the flaming ....", he curses as he again tremulously opens the spy hatch... and again... can see nothing.
Closing the hatch, Stark contemplates what the source of this nocturnal disturbance could be, when...
THUMP THUMP THUMP POUND POUND POUND
Growling in irritation, Stark throws back the restraining bolts of the door. As the light of the building spills into the dark and ice covered depths of the back alley they illuminate the source of the midnight madness...
"About time ye opened the damn-ed door ye flamin unplucked, undercooked chicken... ye seekin to be seein me freeze te death fer yer own pleasure or what ... and another thing..."
Stark sighs and patiently waits for his visitor to take a breath, certain that it will likely be a while yet.
(continued)
Krogenar in the Inn
Kaz sat quietly and listened to the discussion in the inn around him. He drank his usual brew, and kept his cloak low. He had stripped himself of all of his identifying marks so that the people around him would not know who he was. Kaz was infuriated by what Krogenar was telling the people. How dare he accuse the FLAME of using the city for their own purpose. Sure the city held some benifits for the FLAME. But Kaz had been around long enough to know that Elbryan would never let any harm come to the Citizens.
Long after the people had left the inn. Kaz had some time to think about what had just happened. Finally later that night Kaz decided to go report to Elbryan. Kaz Told elbryan everything that he had overheard that night. Elbryan was less than pleased with the whole thing. After telling his story Kaz Left Elbryan to think about what to do next. Kaz knew Elbryan would know what to do about Krogenar. He always seemed to know what to do. Kaz was glad that the Flame had the two capable leaders that it did. Otherwise FLAME would not have lasted as long as it has. With his work for the night done, Kaz went out to the city of Darrowmere to sit int he forrest for a while, to calm his nerves...
Long after the people had left the inn. Kaz had some time to think about what had just happened. Finally later that night Kaz decided to go report to Elbryan. Kaz Told elbryan everything that he had overheard that night. Elbryan was less than pleased with the whole thing. After telling his story Kaz Left Elbryan to think about what to do next. Kaz knew Elbryan would know what to do about Krogenar. He always seemed to know what to do. Kaz was glad that the Flame had the two capable leaders that it did. Otherwise FLAME would not have lasted as long as it has. With his work for the night done, Kaz went out to the city of Darrowmere to sit int he forrest for a while, to calm his nerves...
FLAMEs in Polaris (part 6)
Quickly stretching his limbs to warm his cold atrophied muscles, he leapt with avian grace to the heights of the trader's building. Talons gouged through layers of ice and snow before finding purchase in a beveled crease of the slate roof. Soundlessly he trudged across the expanse, tracking his quarry from the building heights. Stark watched with rapt, unblinking interest as Krogenar labored through newly formed snow drifts and entered the local tavern.
"Lambs to the slaughter", a knowing grin played across his raptor beak, "or rather, a certain little piggy just made it to market." His chilled breath clouded the hazy night as he whispered, "The best form of information, is misinformation, my porcine friend. We have well prepared our contingents here for your eventual arrival."
With barely restrained mirth, Stark waited for the performance to unfold, confident that his agents would liven up the Istishian's confidence of FLAME's failure here in Polaris. The uncountable and torturous span of time of living and preparing in cold suffering had paid off, FLAME plans were quickly coming to fruition.
His humor only increased all the more as his thoughts centered upon his comrades... especially those in New Thalos. "... and the curtain rises even now upon a new act being performed in your own backyard."
With a firey glint, he hastily leapt from the heights and made way to the chapel to prepare to receive the reports of his comrades. Stark had had a very busy, yet fulfilling day.
"Lambs to the slaughter", a knowing grin played across his raptor beak, "or rather, a certain little piggy just made it to market." His chilled breath clouded the hazy night as he whispered, "The best form of information, is misinformation, my porcine friend. We have well prepared our contingents here for your eventual arrival."
With barely restrained mirth, Stark waited for the performance to unfold, confident that his agents would liven up the Istishian's confidence of FLAME's failure here in Polaris. The uncountable and torturous span of time of living and preparing in cold suffering had paid off, FLAME plans were quickly coming to fruition.
His humor only increased all the more as his thoughts centered upon his comrades... especially those in New Thalos. "... and the curtain rises even now upon a new act being performed in your own backyard."
With a firey glint, he hastily leapt from the heights and made way to the chapel to prepare to receive the reports of his comrades. Stark had had a very busy, yet fulfilling day.
FLAMEs in Polaris (Part 5)
Stark stepped down from the fountain and smiled broadly as he handed out the remainder of his parchments to the anxious citizens. "Yes, Krogenar... I am well aware of your presence. Twould take more than a few seasonal bathings to shield your wretched smell, even in the depths of this frigid waste", he thought amusedly to himself. His hawkish eyes hadn't missed the Istishian's less than adequate attempts to lose himself in the crowd as he had continued his speech. Though well skilled in the arts of camouflage in the wild, Krogenar was well out of his element here in the city. The expected and long-awaited appearance of the enemy merely made things all the more interesting. "Indeed, the Istishians have placed their necks right in our noose, just as Lady Atandella foresaw they would" Stark congratulated to himself as he marked Krogenar's slinking retreat through half-lidded eyes.
Pocketing the fire ring, Stark graciously took his leave of the assemblage and made his way down the ice shrouded street to the depths of a frost-limned alleyway. From the depths of a 'borrowed' bag of holding he withdrew a flowing white cloak which blended seamlessly with the surrounding snow, even in the growing darkness of the fast encroaching night. Donning the garment, Stark drew the cowl low across his head and studied the wall before him with a smile. "Ah... the thrill of bagging the mark."
Pocketing the fire ring, Stark graciously took his leave of the assemblage and made his way down the ice shrouded street to the depths of a frost-limned alleyway. From the depths of a 'borrowed' bag of holding he withdrew a flowing white cloak which blended seamlessly with the surrounding snow, even in the growing darkness of the fast encroaching night. Donning the garment, Stark drew the cowl low across his head and studied the wall before him with a smile. "Ah... the thrill of bagging the mark."
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