Chapter 2
“The Ritual”
10-15-2007 Edited by Chrisy Demaroney
10-31-2007 Edited by Ian Shirm
12-6-2007 Edited by Ian Shirm
“Finding Their Mother”
Chapter renamed from History of D’Hellzaben
(Old chapters 4-5-6)
April (Spring), of the Year of the Ram 3255
Most of the night was devoted to cleaning and burying the bodies. Dekari had found fifteen of the enemys horses. Eleven of them had been used as riding horses and the remaining four had been used as pack horses. Dekari put all the equipment that had been on them in a pile in the barn.
Dekari had ended up digging most of the graves. After growing tired of listening to Aiken complain incessantly about rocky ground, he had offered to finish by himself. The two farmhands and their father, Bruce, were buried out back of the house.
Once Bruce and the two farmhands were in the ground Dekari and Aiken prayed to Paial, the Patron god of the order of the Paladin as well as ruler of the seven levels of Heaven on the larger of the two white moons. They asked Paial if he would let their father into heaven and let him live on the seventh level of the moon, the level where Paial lived and the level set aside for those who lived their lives as Paladins or Clerics.
They also prayed to Draxis. The ruling god of the larger red moon. The two brothers prayed to, in all reality, their grandfather. They asked that their father’s stay in purgatory be a short one and that Draxis, the keeper of souls, would give the soul of their father to Paial. Next they asked Draxis to take the two souls of the farmhands and send them to heaven.
The brothers prayed to Victor the god of war. Both brothers beseeched Victor to give them his blessing in their search for justice and swift retribution. Lastly Dekari and Aiken prayed to Xrakisis, the God of Death and the Ruler of Hell, in Hell, the 7th level was Xrakisis’ to rule as he saw fit. The six other levels were ruled by demons, all of whom answered to Xrakisis.
Dekari and Aiken asked the Lord of all that is evil to take the souls of the four men they had killed the night before and make them suffer for 1000 years. The eleven bodies had been stripped and thrown on a large pile of lumber and brush. As the eleven rouges corpses burned, Dekari prayed to Draxis to show no mercy to the eleven souls headed there. He beseeched Draxis to give the souls to Xrakisis and let the lord of death do as he pleased with the 11 evil men.
While Dekari prayed to Draxis and Xrakisis, Aiken placed a goat on the altar in front of his brother. Dekari disemboweled the goat and spilled the entrails and blood on the eleven bodies. Aiken cut the head off a second goat and made a circle of blood around the fire, all the while saying a prayer to the three ruling deities.
Once the circle of goat blood was complete Aiken threw the goat’s body in the inferno followed by Dekari doing the same.
Dekari and Aiken in unison prayed to Paial to protect them and their ranch. As they prayed to Paial they sacrificed a sheep. Both brothers drank some of the sheep’s blood and left the body on the marble altar. The fire, now an inferno, put the smell of burning flesh and hair into the air.
Lastly Dekari and Aiken said a chant that started with prayer to Paial then Victor, Then Draxis and Lastly Xrakisis. The smoke from the blaze and the circle of blood around the fire turned blue with Paial’s name, Red with Victors name, yellow-green with Draxis’s name then black with Xrakisis’s name.
With the change in color from the four gods the fire intensified and shortly after it turned black, The wood, brush, coals, bones and chunks of flesh disappeared. The bodies of the 4 men, sheep, chickens and goat had been taken to the respective afterlives. Only a scorched spot remained on the ground where the sacrificial fire had been.
The Ritual ended as the sun rose in the east and Dekari went about giving animals on the farm their breakfast.
After burying Bruce, Dekari and Aiken both stood in front of his grave in silence. Aiken, normally jovial and good natured, had a look of great sorrow. Tears rolled down Aiken and Dekari’s cheeks.
“We have lost much this day,” Dekari said.
“We have lost everything this day,” Aiken said.
“I cant imagine how life is going to be with father dead,” Dekari said.
“It will never be the same,” Aiken said.
“We have to find Mom. Where do you think she would have gone?” Dekari asked.
“Not sure, she might have gone to town. If she feared that the men who killed father were headed to town she might have gone elsewhere,” Aiken said.
“I doubt she’s taking this well. She’s probably afraid to come home because of what happened here,” Dekari said.
“I doubt she’ll want to keep the farm. I sure don’t. I’ll never be able to forget what I saw yesterday. I always looked to Dad as if he was a pillar of strength. It’s hard to think of how we found him,” Aiken said.
“I remember Dad teaching us to hunt, fish, till the land, fight with sword and spear. If father hadn’t been killed, I would have been content working the ranch for another 30 years,” Dekari said.
“I know. I feel guilt. If I hadn’t been messing around when we were coming home, we might have been here to fight and maybe Dad would still be alive,” Aiken said
“It’s not your fault. If we had been here, we would be dead as well as father and the two farm hands. Don’t blame yourself, we have an obligation to find Mom and avenge Father’s murder,” Dekari said.
The fourth rogue awoke in the middle of the night and, according to Aiken, would say nothing of the party’s malevolent intent. Instead, he cursed the Ironfist bloodline. Because he refused to talk, Aiken hung him in anger. At the end, of a rope their prisoner dangled, the cool breeze making the cadaver swing. As Aiken’s eyes met Dekari’s, he smiled. Dekari merely shook his head from side to side, rolling his eyes. The execution of the rogue was a testament, in Dekari’s eyes to his brothers lack of respect for human life.
By dawn, all the enemy’s gear had been sorted, the wagon had been fixed, and three graves had been dug.
(Old Start of Chapter 5)
Year 3255
Dekari knew that the maintenance of the large ranch was a time-consuming task. He must begin by feeding the animals, letting Aiken sort through the possessions of the four dead rogues.
Dekari fed the chickens, sheep, goats, cattle, horses and pigs. Aiken’s search of the four bodies left them with two suits of band mail, four daggers, four short swords, two sabers, two rapiers, a two-handed long sword, a longsword, two-hundred iron pieces, 2000 gold pieces, two heavy recurve bows, one medium crossbow, one longbow, and dozens of bolts and arrows.
Dekari finished feeding the animals and walked into the barn to see Aiken cleaning the wagon.
“Everyone’s got breakfast,” Dekari said.
“We should head into town and report this, not to mention find Mom,” Aiken said.
“When I was out back, I saw hoof-prints leading away from the house through the woods. Her horse is gone. I think she left for town already,” Dekari said.
“How many horses does it look like went that way?” Aiken asked.
“Just one,” Dekari responded.
“All the same, let’s head to town. We need to tell the local authorities,” Aiken said.
“I want our house more secure. I want to reinforce the doors, so that if this happens again, I’ll be ready,” Dekari said.
“We already picked up rope, nails, grain, and those two chests of various supplies from town yesterday. We’re pretty much set as far as repairs go,” Aiken said.
“Why don’t you take the gold we got from the murderers. The 2000 pieces are more than enough to get started on the needs of the ranch,” Dekari said.
“I’ll try to hire some ranch-hands while in town, as well as look for news of mom,” Aiken said.
“Don’t get yourself in trouble! I’ll be here taking care of the ranch. I won’t be there to finish your brawls for you,” Dekari said.
“I’ll behave,” Aiken said. “I think we should also work on finding uncle Talon or uncle Duncan.”
“Talon, Duncan and Grandpa are way up north in Del’goth,” Dekari said. “Quite the distance from us, and I don’t particularly want to come back to a burned down house and stolen cattle.”
“I’ll see how far I can get us in town. I’ll be back here before dark,” Aiken said.
“All right. See you at dusk, then,” Dekari said.
Aiken slipped on a captured suit of band-mail, put on a longsword and gladius, and set his heavy recurve on the seat of the wagon. He placed a large quiver of war arrows beside it and a large quiver of flight arrows beside that. He hooked two horses to the wagon, grabbed his spell book, and departed for their small home town.
(Old 7) (Old 6:prologue)
Aiken had left shortly after dawn, and by mid-morning reached town. With a population of under 2000, it was paradise for Aiken and his brother, as well as being a closed community. Almost the entire town’s residents were of barbarian decent. Though the town was in southwestern Kulan, a primarily plainsman region, as was most of Kulan, it had been barbarian settlers, from Del’goth and Heath’goth primarily, that had founded the town of Greendale.
As Aiken rode into the town, he passed the familiar places he’d seen a million times before, passing the Barracks, the Fletcher’s shop, the Town hall, the blacksmith’s shop, the Marketplace, and the Dragonstooth.
Aiken made his way through town until he came to the sheriff‘s office. The Sheriff, Quintus, had his small office in a building near the Marketplace. Aiken entered to see Henry working on paperwork in a chair behind his desk.
“Hello there, young Ironfist,” Quintus said.
“Hello, Quintus,” Aiken said. “Last night my brother and I came home to find my father, and two farmhands, dead and my mother missing. There were tracks leading away from the back door of the house, so we think she got away. Four of the assassins were still at the house, and we killed them.”
“I heard,” Quintus said. “Early this morning, at sunrise your Mother came here, and told me that about 30 men had come to your family’s ranch and killed two ranch-hands. She said that Bruce told her to flee and he bought time for her to escape. She told me to find you and Dekari and tell you that she left with some merchants headed for Del’goth. She gave me this.”
Henry handed a piece of parchment to Aiken.
“It’s the deed to the Ranch,” Aiken said.
“She said she wanted you and your brother to have the ranch,” Quintus said. “She said that she contemplated selling it but knew that Dekari would want to keep it in the family. She signed over the property and a large tract of land, several hundred acres, to you and your twin. She left with the merchant caravan shortly after talking with me.”
“Thank you, Quintus,” Aiken said.
“No need to thank me. It’s my job,” Quintus said.
Afterwards, Aiken went to a labor guild and hired ten farm hands. He then went to the mercenary guild paid two-hundred gold for the services of four mercenarie’s. Aiken received a fairly hospitable reception at the mercenary’s guild as he had worked for them on and off for several years, supplementing his income from the farm. Aiken paid a small fee to the labor guild, which paid the ten men their percentage. The farmers would stay as long as there was work and the four mercenaries were hired for one month.
Meanwhile it was nearing noon at the ranch. Dekari had spent his day thus far cleaning up the property. He had replaced the front and back doors. He used two inch and a half thick doors with a sheet of iron between the two and iron straps holding the door solid. He also added five hinges per door for more durability. One of these was made for the back door and one for the front.
Afterwards, he went outside and sat by his father’s grave. Lost in prayerful meditation, Dekari was startled by someone clearing their throat. Dekari looked up to see his grandfather staring down at him. Marcus Ironfist towered near seven feet with long black hair, thick eyebrows and a cleanshaven face. The Del’Goth King wore a large steel breastplate with an insignia of the House of Ironfist, and thick animal hides. Marcus had a large, round bronze shield hung over his back next to a two-handed longsword, two shortswords hung from his left hip, a war hammer dangled from his belt on his right side and his heavy recurve bow also hung on his back next to his shield and sword.
“Marcus! Good to see you!” Dekari said.
“Likewise,” Marcus said with a rueful smile.
“Father was murdered yesterday,” Dekari said. “My brother and I buried him and two of the farm hands. We also killed four of the men who were in on it. We found the bodies of seven of their men that Bruce and the farmhands had killed. The four remaining were trying to burn down the house with their casualties inside. Aiken and I did a ritual to help the three slain enter heaven and we did the ritual as well to see the eleven souls of the rogues suffer in Xrakisis’s Hell for one-thousand years.”
“The death of my son is why I’m here,” Marcus said.
“The sons of gods have natural powers and abilities I could never fully grasp or understand,” Dekari said. “What are your plans?”
“Swift retribution and justice,” Marcus said.
Dekari noticed for the first time that there were 100 other men present. Dekari nodded at them and said, “Bodyguards?”
“Not necessary. Few but my half brother Charlemagne, my full brother Dominus or the immortal Titus Paprius Damaticus, son of Victor, could come near to bringing about my death,” Marcus said. “Being King of Del’goth usually requires me to bring an escort of officials with me. Your two uncles, Talon and Duncan, are among them.”
“I suspect many men were involved. Bruce and the farmhands killed seven, Aiken and myself killed four, and eight men on horseback were leaving the area of our ranch when we were coming home yesterday,” Dekari said.
“Bruce was assassinated,” Marcus said
“Aiken got splashed with mud and ran his mouth a bit. We heard one of the riders address one of them as Armond,” Dekari said.
Marcus nodded and looked at the farmhouse. “I’ll check out the house,” Marcus climbed the stairs to the house and appraised the door. With a grin, he said, “Nice door design.”
Dekari didn’t respond. His two uncles followed Marcus inside. Out of the 100 men, eighty looked to be of an elite Del’goth unit of Heavy Infantry. The eighty split into four groups of twenty men and each took a corner of the house, making a perimeter around the three kings. Talon and Duncan had each brought a small escort of around ten men each. Talon was indeed Marcus’s blood son, but he was only the half of Bruce and Duncan.
Talon was tall and lean with light red skin, unlike his full Crimson Elven kin who were darker red, and he had long straight black hair. Talon was a Ranger and was accompanied by ten Crimson Elf Rangers. Rangers were usually seen as outsiders, lone fighters who could live off the land and were most at home in the woods. Rangers excelled in tracking, foraging, hunting, and usually chose the longsword and recurve bow as their weapons of choice. Crimson Elves were also renown swordsmen and archers who mostly took upon themselves the profession of Ranger. The Elves were slightly shorter than Talon. Marcus gave Talon a quarter Draxis blood. Draxis was one of the 3 Ruling gods, even a quarter of his blood had an enormous affect as well as his mother being of Del’goth decent. The Deity and the barbarian in him gave Talon a much larger stature than his cousins the Crimson Elves. Eagle, the clan that Talon governed as king, was the only Del’goth clan that openly accepted Crimson Elves into their lands.
Duncan was a monk in the service of Marcus, standing tall with broad shoulders and a clean shaven head and face. He was also the King of Rockport, the capital of the northern Del’Gothian territory of D’Hellzaben, the continent that belonged to D’Hellzaben some fifty years earlier that had been conquered by Marcus Ironfist and Dominus Severus. Duncan enforced all the laws of Del‘goth upon Rockport and the three cities of the south of the continent formerly D‘Hellzaben. His father, Marcus, spent a fair deal of time teleporting, as was one of his Demi-God powers, between the clan of Bear and the northern city of Rockport. After Marcus had conquered D’Hellzaben with help from his brother, Dominus, he had kept a town of Bear the capital of Del’goth, though many advised him to make Rockport capital of all Del‘goth. Pride in his clan kept the Bear Clan in control of the State of Del’goth in an alliance with Heath’Goth.
Charlemagne, king of Auchter, was also director of the loose confederation, naming the three barbarian states the Confederacy. The creation of the Confederacy had Del’goth, Heath’goth, Hell’goth, and Auchter in alliance. When one went to war, all went. The purpose of the alliance was mutual protection from stronger world powers. There were nations to the west who strived for conquest, and the pact between the three barbarian states brought a feeling of security to the people as well as opening up trade. Marcus Ironfist, Dominus Severus, and the current king of Hell’goth, Manius Serpentis, answered to Charlemagne in matters of defense and trade.
Duncan worshiped Paial and at the same time treated Draxis and Xrakisis with respect as well as making sure not to offend any of the lesser gods. It was usually unwise to offend or anger any of the gods as their retribution could be felt by illness, loss of crops, or other manner of retribution. Bruce and Duncan had always stayed in contact as they were both followers of Paial and close brothers.
Under Duncan’s charge in a group outside the farmhouse consisted of eight Monks, one Bard, two Paladins and three Clerics.
After a short while, Marcus, Talon, and Duncan came back outside to find Dekari conversing with two Paladins.
“Nice place you’ve got here,” Marcus said.
“My parents kept the house and property well-maintained,” Dekari said. “Duncan and Talon, how do the two of you fare?”
“I’m well,” Talon said.
“Getting a little old? Duncan you have to be over 300 years old and Talon, you have to be nearing your 300th birthday,” Dekari said, teasing.
“Still feel like a 30-year-old, even though 275 years have passed,” Talon said.
“I’m well as well. My 332nd birthday is coming up soon,” Duncan said. “It’s no surprise to see you conversing with my Paladins. Your father and I talked often of your potential in that direction.”
“I do wish to become a Paladin,” Dekari said.
“You could come up to the city of Rockport. There is a rectangular temple a mile long and half a mile wide. Hundreds of Paladins and Monks live there. It also serves as embassy with the Bronze Republic. If you wish to live there for a few years and train and study you’re welcome to,” Duncan said.
“I need to stay here for now. I need to find my mother. She was here last night and I need to find her. Aiken and I are of the opinion that she fled. We just don’t know where to,” Dekari said.
A monk came up to Dekari and said “I am Ancus Didius Cato, A monk from Rockport, I travel with Firatri.”
“Hello Ancus,” Dekari said.
“Dekari, my name is Firatri Amainaravin,” One of the Paladins said. “When Bruce retired from the Bronze Republic’s military he gave his lands to Hadrian, his mentor. After leaving the Republic Bruce became a Paladin in Del’Goth when the Temple to Paial, formerly controlled by D’hellzaben became part of the Del’Goth Empire.
“What are the differences between Knights and Paladins?” Dekari asked.
“Being a knight is title, land, and duty to the crown. You don’t need title or land to be a Paladin, and the duty is to the people and a higher ideal of rightousness and religious piety,” Firatri said.
“Firatri and Ancus,” Marcus said. “I would like the two of you to stay and train Dekari in the ways of the Paladin. “That is the path Bruce wanted for Dekari and I will respect his wishes in the matter and advance the cause.”
“Verywell, I’ll focus my attention on training Dekari night and day,” Firatri said, his face serious and stern.
“I will aim to guide Dekari in the paths of righteousness and instill in him an understanding conscience,” Ancus said.
“Thank you, this means a lot to me. I’m glad ive been given this great opportunity,” Dekari said with a smile. “Its been my dream to be a Paladin like my Father before me.”
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