A mysterious cloaked messenger brings a note to commoners Moire and Orchalchon bearing the seal of the Bloodscreamer.
As soon as they take the message the messenger disappears back into the city crowd.
"Keepers of the stones,
We will soon commence with our mission.
You will both take a great role in it.
Meet me at the highest point of Goatsemene hill, south of the old palace.
Near the old abandoned watch tower you will find me."
The sun had risen 4 hours ago and now shined brightly upon the rooftops of Gethsemene City.
Near the west gate of the city walls the old palace stood majestically upon the highest point, Goathsemene hill.
An abandoned watch tower on the south side of the hill overlooked both the eastern harbor and the lands beyond the city, the rural areas of Baqua and Sniika.
Theseus and his staff where preparing for a meeting here and as the staff busied them selves with their work, Thesseus sat overlooking the city pondering of what's to come.
His scribe sat near him, pencil at the ready occasionally writing down what ever his master dictated him.
He was preparing some kind of speech or document to his subjects in Gotland.
Soon the keepers of the stones, commoners Moira and Orchalchon would meet him to discuss their mission, of which they until this day knew absolutely nothing of.
All they could do is wonder about what the Bloodscreamer could possibly have in store for them...
Later that day.
Roleplay from Orchalchon (6 hours, 48 minutes ago)
Message sent to everyone in the region Gethsemene (3 recipients)
Making his through the crowds Orchalchon headed for the tower that was ever drawing nearer. He wove down the side streets and alley ways taking the shortest path he could toward goatsemene hill. He double and triple checked his possessions in his rucksack of infinite space. It's not everyday that a commoner would get to meat the goat blood screamer. Finally he arrived at some very official looking officials. "My lords, I am here for my secret meeting with the gracious bloody goat screamer."
"Thank you all for gathering here."
Thesseus turned to the two keepers of the stones gathered at the abandoned watch tower.
"You are gathered here to do great things,in fact a new era will be kick started with your help."
He walked past both of them reaching out with his right hand.
The whole area was filled with the Bloodscreamers staff and armed guards, about 120 strong who all stood by with full attention to their master.
"Give me your stones so we can prepare them for the ritual."
Without much of a doubt Orchalchon and Moira gave them their stones.
Theseus gestured his captain to proceed.
The captain took the 16 stones and rolled them around in a bag of pure goat droppings, murmuring some kind of prayer.
He sprinkled an unknown substance on top of them and then returned them to both of them.
Especially Moira of Ar Agyr shivered in disgust as the captain placed the !@#$ covered stones back in her possession, however she did her best to cover her emotions, knowing this ritual would most likely be a great honor in these odd lands.
"Now we have proceeded with the most delicate part of this meeting, the lot of you deserve an explanation"
Thesseus cleared his throat.
"You will be partaking in perhaps the most important mission in the history of Gotland."
He gestured to the surrounding area upon the hill.
"This beutiful area will soon become the foundation of Gotland's first temple of the herd, and you will take a huge role in laying its spiritual foundation."
For a moment Thesseus stumbled and nearly fell, it was clear to all that he must have consumed an exceptional amount of Gotland goat ale by now.
"The both of you will be laying these magically enhanced stones in both Haji and Gethsemene to link these two holy places together. The very powers of the Haji oracle her self will be the foundation of the Haji portal and the portal in Gethsemene will be the foundation of the temple of the Herd. You will create permanent links between these places and lay the first spiritual stones to these lands faith. May it not only cleanse these lands of the daimons and their energy, but also mark the begining of a new Bleuaterra. A Belluaterra without sin, without weakness and without a necessity for the daimons and their curse to return. May our work mark a new begining for all of us and engulf this continent in a constant, honorable and healthy blaze of warfare."
Theseus men started to clap, some of its staff stood by in confusion.
He directs his attention to the keepers of the stone inditually.
"You Orchacholn will be joining the Gotland army's quest to find the oracle in Haji. We will attack the enemy there and search the lands for her holiness and her goats. Once we find him, Lord Ballantine will be leading the ritual there. I will personally be returning to Gethsemene to complete the ritual with Moira here on this very hill where I will be building the first temple of the Herd. You will travel with me to Sniika right away and follow me along with Goathorde of Gotland to Haji."
He turns to Moira now and hands her a mysterious object, forcing her to hide it under her cloak, he wispers a few words of gratitude before proceeding.
"You will stay here and pray, waiting for my sign, once you see the light emitting from Haji you place the stones exactly on this place here. I will quickly return for you and finish the ritual with you."
Theseus says pointing at the area upon which they have gathered.
"The portal will be hungry for earthly good. Sacrifice what you can into the stone circle as you place them, what ever you can. Our warriors will shed their blood for it and cast it into the circle with what ever you can share. Don't forget to sacrifice, and remember that if we do this right now we might never have to do this ever again. The more we dedicate ourselves here, the more powerful our ritual may be. All of Gotland will be behind you, do not let us down."
Without allowing for a single word of reply, Thesseus departs down hill as he gestures Orchalchon to follow him and his men to Sniika and victory.
A week later in Haji.
Thesseus hiked up the same hill with his men as he did many days ago, when he came to the oracle for advise.
Haji looked better then it did then, the destructive force of daimonkind luckily didn't wreck the lands as terribly this time, yet still much was broken down or destroyed.
So was the oracle's little cottage he visited back then, all that was left was rubble and ashes and the oracle nowhere to be found.
Thesseus threw his flask of Gotland goat ale on the ground.
"By the Great hairy one! They must have found her here, perhaps even taken her, or worse! And if she's still around, how in His name will we find her?!"
"Over here M'Lord! I believe I found something!"
His captain was inspecting the surroundings and found an odd stone circle with a kitchen knife in it, it was the same knife she used for her ritual last time they visited her and Thesseus recognized it.
Thesseus laughed.
"She obviously saw us and them coming. Look, these are 8 stones placed in a circle, she must already know what where here for. Lets march the men onward, the knife must be pointing in the direction of her location. Move out!"
And with new vigor the men marched onward, although they did not know what exactly their mission was they all understood it's importance. Their leader was tense yet hopeful and seemingly full with visions of grandeur.
The north eastern hills of Haji are lonesome, not a soul lived here except for the occasional goat herder, passing through on their way to better grazing, for no grass grew here.
Perhaps this is exactly why she fled here, not even daimons would look for anyone in this place.
Thesseus approached a deserted vale, a tiny river ran through it leading down into the direction of Fikman.
Close to the river on the other side of the vale she stood, seemingly in the middle of nothing.
She smiled as she saw Thesseus and his men appears from a distance.
"It is good to see you again M'Lord, unfortunately the condition under which we are meeting not so very much."
She said greeting the approaching Bloodscreamer.
"Likewise your holiness, I assume you already know why we're here?"
The oracle approached the Bloodscreamer and put her hand upon his shoulder.
"Unfortunately yes, and I do not agree with it Bloodscreamer. What you're doing is dangerous. A mortal shouldn't meddle with these forces, they are not meant for us Thesseus."
Thesseus leaned slightly backwards, gently pushing away one of his goats chewing on his cloak before he replied.
"I didn't suspect this your holiness. You must understand the conditions under which we are using the portal stones. If we do this right we may never have to use any kind of magic ever again. You are a key element in these rituals, you must not forsaken us. You know what will happen, right?"
The oracle stepped back carefully, yet kept a clear gaze at Thesseus.
"Thesseus I don't. I cannot see what happens once you unleash this power. You are disturbing the hairy one. If its his attention you want then you will definitely get it. You see, these forces cut both ways, do you understand that?"
Thesseus frowned.
"I understand that I will sacrifice anything i can to repel the daimons and save Gotland and nothing or no one but death will stop me. Is that enough? Are you or are you not ready? One of the Keepers of the stones will soon arrive here to start the ceremony and I need you to help me open the Portal."
The oracle sighed, and took her time to reply to the Bloodscreamer.
"I won't M'Lord. No matter what the circumstances are, one should not meddle with these forces. I cannot help you Thesseus, only you can."
"Perhaps you're right indeed. Only I can save us."
He replied calmly while gesturing his men to come.
"Guards, Seize that women."
He finally ordered before he continued directing his captain in hushed tone.
“Captain, do keep this quite, as far as anyone knows, she is cooperating. Do you understand?â€
The frightened captain could only reply in agreeing nods, still unsure of what just happened here in these desolated lands.
To be continued...
