Chapter1

"GUARDS!!" The familiar mantra echoed across the nearly empty street. Kendrik Soulbane took off immediately, recently lifted broadsword still in hand. He hastily shoved it into his pack, like he had so many times in the past. The victim, a Trammelite merchant, threw his arms up to shield his face from the kicked-up dust billowing around him. British's guards appeared in a cloud of magical smoke and lighting bolts and raced after the pickpocket. Kendrik merely laughed in spite of them... having grown old and fat in their profession, the guards were no match for his equine mount, Schmendrik. Not too far behind rode his twin sister, Kendra atop a magnificent white mare. Being perfectly rested, Kendrik and his horse shoved through a young mage in arcane robes and charged through the "Poor Gate" of Britain. The broadsword, recently identified as an indestructible, eminently accurate broadsword of power by his sister, would fetch quite a fine price on his own vendor, just a little ways outside of town. All Kendrik had to do was elude the guards for long enough. He glanced back quickly to assess the danger... to his dismay, he had also lost his sister in the chase. Unconcerned, he rode on, knowing full well that Kendra was quite capable of taking care of herself. Besides, the guards cared little about accomplices, only the perpetrator.

He rounded the Miner's Guild, almost home free... or he would have been had his chest not been so abruptly introduced to the business end of a guard's halberd. The guard swung through hard, connecting with Kendrik's chest with such force, it unseated the young thief and dropped him hard and flat on the ground. Kendrik landed with a solid thud and an "OOmph..." accompanied by a whooshing sound as all the air in his lungs was expelled. The thief's head bounced off the cobblestone street hollowly. The guard leaned over Kendrik's body and grasped him by the shirt collar, lifting him up to a near sitting position. "Thou wilt regret thine actions... swine." The guard let go and Kendrik slumped back down, already deep in inky blackness.

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Kendra watched from the shadows of the Conservatory as the guards dragged her unconscious brother off towards British's castle. Schmendrik paced back and forth nervously until it caught Kendra's scent and meandered over to her hiding spot. Fortunately, the guards paid no notice, and Kendra led the riderless horse to the stables. She paid the 30 gold fee for the stabling and rode quickly back towards the castle. A trail of blood marked the path they had dragged Kendrik... it made her sick to her stomach to see, but she quickly recomposed herself. Most likely, they would be taking him to the prison near Yew... That would be her destination as well...

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Kendrik awoke to a loud ringing in his ears and feeling bruised all over. Groggily, he leaned against the wall to bring himself upright. His abdomen felt tight, and upon further investigation, he discovered himself to be wrapped tightly, albeit sloppily in bandages - the likely result of an apprentice healer from British's castle. Kendrik stripped these off and used them to mop up the sweat trickling down his face. The cell was unbearably hot, lit dimly by a few lanterns. He could hear moans float down from several cells away... and the rattling of bars from even further down. Grimacing and grunting, he stood up fully, back still braced against the wall. He took stock of his inventory... he had his clothes and little else. The guards during their search failed to find the dagger that Kendrik has cleverly hidden in his belt. Heh... there was something about that dagger... no matter how many times he was roughed up or looted clean, that thing managed to stay concealed. He took it to the cell door and attempted to muscle the lock open but to no avail. "Bah," he thought. "Never gettin' out that way..." Resigned to his fate, and tired as all hell, he slumped down again to the floor... hoping to think of something in peaceful slumber.

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"Stop... drop anchor."

"Aye sir." The tillerman complied and the boat skimmed to a halt on the shore. "Wait here till I return... if you are questioned, you know nothing. Understood?" The tillerman nodded wearily at Kendra as she walked the plank onto dry land. She had taken numerous precautions to ensure she came in unseen and prepared. The young woman unhooked the heavy crossbow from her back and loaded a bolt into it. The spring caught with a satisfying <<CLICK>> and Kendra made her way to the high stone wall of the prison. It was pitch black, lit barely by the Trammel moon in its crescent phase. There were rumors of a secret door which led into the cellar of the prison... Kendra had never before given them much thought, passing them over as tavern tales spilt out after a few flagons of ale, but now it was her only hope.

"In Lor," she whispered, thrusting her hand into her pack for her reagents. The spell took and her eyes began to glow with the power of the novice spell. She could see clearly now, so clearly in fact that a once hidden latch on the wall was plainly visible. She reached for the latch, then reconsidered. Instead she drew her hand back, backed up a few steps and whispered, "Ort Por Ylem." The level unlatched itself but the door did not budge. A hissing cloud of noxious green mist issued from a hole at just about head level. Kendra quickly turned away, squinting her eyes shut and clamping her mouth shut with her hand. He she undone the latch herself, Kendra had no doubt that she would be spasming uncontrollably on the ground instead. The poisonous cloud dissipated and she scurried back to the door.

After a few agonizing minutes flattened against the wall, grasping her bow tightly to her chest, she was confident that no guards had heard the trap spring and began to tug on the stone door. Slowly but surely, the door grinded open enough for Kendra to sneak through. Inside were piles of crates, barrels, and other supplies for the prisoners and their keepers. The smell of mold and rotting meats was overwhelming. Kendra made her way to the stairwell gingerly, alert for the presence of any guards. At the top of the stairwell with his back to her stood an armor clad guard, halberd resting against the wall. The guard was clearly snoozing - the whimpers and grunts of his snoring echoed down the stairwell. Kendra chuckled to herself... she had heard that standing just right in full platemail, one could fall asleep without fear of tumbling over. She crept silently up the stairs, her black leather sandals muffling her every step, crossbow poised before her. Kendra crouched down when the guard roused himself with his own snoring, muttering quietly, but before long, he slipped back into unconsciousness. There was no way she could take him out from behind... the platemail gorget bound tightly around his neck kept her from slitting his throat rogue-style, and a shot to the back could still allow him to summon help. She thrust her hand deep into her pack, rummaging around for something that could help. Her slender fingers closed around a cold, uneven sphere - aha! A Moonstone! The stone's substance shifted as she pulled it out and examined it. This would work perfectly...