Memoirs of Blayne

This is the back story of one a test player for Hallux Maximus.

I grew up just outside Waterdeep. It was a good life; my grandfather built a business from leather-working and purchased a large estate on several acres. We had a few servants too. One was pretty and at one time I pondered settling down with her but I was restless. I wanted adventure and not the business type as my grandfather always spoke.

My father died when I was young. My grandfather wanted me to take over the business; he said I had a real talent for it but that wasn't what I wanted. I desired high adventure and one day a friend brought it to me and without thinking it through I plunged in. It was all I hoped for... or was it?

We joined a guild who after shoddy training for basic combat sent us to a fraternity of 500 men and women all dressed up in robes and promising treasure beyond our dreams! They spoke of limitless power at our command. We went with it, caught up in the magnificence of what was promised.

At first we did small errands; gathering information, trading, bartering, it seemed we were looking for something but they always dodged our questions. Things became more difficult when we found opposition to the unknown item we sought. On more than a few occasions we narrowly escaped assassinations and a few times skirmishes with the local law. I realized the item in question was not something the general population wanted us to find.

I was becoming uneasy and asking too many questions about our activities. I wanted to know what the item we sought was and how it would give me treasures and powers. This time I got a response when Danell (one of our superiors) held out a mask to me. It looked like the face of a dragon, beautiful but there was something ugly about it too. I could feel an energy that drew me to it and repulsed me at the same time. My soul cried in terror as my hands reached for it. Danell pulled it back and said I could have this one if I can find the others first.

A few months later we were offered a higher rank in the fraternity but we had to pass a test first. They gave us daggers that looked like dragon talons. They pointed to three people chained to the far wall and explained they were traitors trying to stop the rise God. “Our beloved God has been trapped for millennia in a hellish land and can be freed to reign supreme and we will be her priests and priestesses and rule at her side! Those who interfere must be dealt with swiftly and permanently!” “there are three traitors and two of you, kill at least one to gain one rank but he who kills the most gains two ranks and gains a higher status when Tiamat is reborn in this realm... now go!”

We lunged across the room inspired by the speech and the promise of almost God-like power. We are chosen and they are no longer. They deserve worse than death for their traitorous acts (of which we knew nothing). My friend was faster than me and was already wrenching his knife from the second corpse by the time I sunk mine deep into the man's chest before me. They didn't just slump over dead but seamed to fade until nothing was left. I looked at the blade in my hand, it was absorbing the misty remains. When done I felt a surge of energy, like an adrenalin rush that made me feel invincible!

“Welcome aboard new acolytes. Those blades are now yours; bonded to you forever. I am Danell your high priestess. If you serve me well those will be your first of many rewards.”

We were taught how to use the blades to kill our enemy and use their souls to enhance our skills. The rush of power was addicting and as we wanted it more and more. We were given names of traitors and sometime lists a dozen names long. We never questioned why they were traitors or who this God Tiamat is; why she was sent to hell and what was her intent upon gaining freedom from it. We only sought for more power and more skill to get more power, until one day...

We were given a new name, Greivas Bartholamule, my grandfather. Not only his name but the entire household and even the servants. The only name missing was my own. I felt sick deep down, so far down I was drowning in the endless pool of thick dark sickness. The drive for power was suffocated by the anger and grief we now felt. We discussed the reality of what we had become. We searched our souls to find redemption but it was far beyond our knowledge. We decided retribution had to be made and then perhaps the way might be open unto us. I didn't know how to begin but my friend said he had an idea. He spoke of the dragon masks and said he knew where to find one. We could take it and give it to someone who might be able to stop this madness ...but who?

We decided to pray. I hadn't prayed since my father's death. My friend insisted if we wanted to see another path that was our only option now. We found a grove hidden by dense foliage, we knelt and opened our minds to the Gods. Soon we spoke openly beseeching any God willing to come help us escape the darkness we created within ourselves. We exerted all our effort; poured out our minds and souls for aid.

After several days of praying and fasting, willing to sacrifice our mortal shells for some kind of redemption... I felt a warmth from deep inside, it was tiny but grew, not fast but slow. It grew until it filled me entirely, the dark sickness was pushed out and only the pure light of happiness was in me. It was so glorious I felt radiant with it, like the sun at noon day! Then we heard a voice. It was so quiet we had to listen carefully but once we heard it we could never unhear it. It pierced us to our soul and told us what to do. An image was set in my mind of the person who could benefit from the sacrifice we offered, the dragon mask, at the peril of our own lives. The utter joy and happiness we felt now made any risk simple!

My friend offered to deliver the mask as his retribution (or part of it). Mine was to root out the evils of the disease called Tiamat. I was promised a place in the heavens where such glory of pure joy will be with me for all eternity once the plague of Tiamat is removed bodily and verbally. Nothing can remain!