Dec 11, 2023 4:34 pm
-wip-
Story
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Dec 15, 2023 5:49 pm
[Here is my idea for the most recent part of Regan's backstory that brings him to Maulia. This is only backstory and we can change edit any actions that Regan takes that wrote here if you think he would react differently. It's just a way to get Regan in game and connected to the story.]
Regan, responding to the summons Veilmaster Samin, stealthily approaches the meeting quarters in the Order of the Shadow’s hidden operations compound. As he approaches he hears conversation in the quarters. He hangs back in the shadows before entering and listens for a moment.
"What shall we call you? Ganesh Madagascar, mysterious Ringleader of Madagast Circus, or instead shall I address you by your forgotten noble name, Lord Dinesh Ganesha?"
"Call me what you will. I have found in my travels abroad these many years under the guise of the circus that the reach of The Iron Ring is vast and wicked. I have worked hard to do my part to help protect the peoples of this kingdom and the Known World. And indeed I have sacrificed much."
"Yes...you have. And now you are forced to leave behind your very own grandson. For that sacrifice we can never be grateful enough."
Regan enters and sees his new mentor Veilmaster Samin speaking with a large older Sindhi man. This Sindhi has a mysterious air, a rough beard, long dreaded locks, loop earrings, and wears exotic clothes.
"Oh, Regan. Welcome. Impressive…your attunement to the way of the shadow increases daily. You even managed to approach an old master like me without being detected."
"This is Lord Dinesh Ganesha. We are just finishing our meeting."
"Lord Dinesh, may I introduce Regan. He has come to us with passion for our cause and has been my most recent and dedicated student. I summoned him here because I have an important mission for him."
"I need him to find Taresh Sanji, who is another student, new to the Order of the Shadow. Taresh came to us a Keis monk who sought out the resistance. I have personally spent much effort training this monk in our ways of shadow."
"Recently he has gone missing. I cannot be sure why. It is possible his prior allegiance to the Keis has resurfaced and he returned to his old master bearing the secrets of our order of the shadow. It is equally possible that something else has happen to him. I felt his activity in the Shadow Force, focused in Jahore’s Ancient Sea Gorge."
"The Keis have tunnels leading to the Gorge. These passages connect their city temple and their safe places throughout Jahore. I am not certain of his current fate. It is also possible that he was captured by The Ring during the last operation I sent him on. Prior to feeling his activity in the shadow force, I could feel him using the force’s strength to shield his mind from a torturous probe."
"In any case, the uncertainty of his whereabouts is not safe for the security of our Resistance, and the Order of the Shadow. Regan will be sent to find Taresh."
"Well, I will leave the proper resolution of this matter up to your judgement and in the capable hands of your new pupil, Regan. Pleasant to meet you. If you will excuse me Vielmaster, as you know I must now attend to our ‘guest’, the princess of Sind."
When Lord Dinesh makes his exit, Veilmaster Samin hands Regan an amulet. It is made of a dark, almost black, metal. At its center is a large, smooth gemstone that seems to absorb light, creating an ever-present shadow within.
"This Shadow Veil Amulet has been enhanced by our order. Its power won't last indefinitely but it may prove useful in your task. It will allow you to completely conceal large objects as well as yourself. You may also take one of our small boats and two to assist you in its navigation. You must complete this important task."
Taking the amulet, Regan decides that the ancient gorge is a reasonable place begin to searching for Taresh, based on Veilmaster Samin's feeling that Taresh connected to the shadow force in the sewer tunnels that meet the Gorge.
The entrance to the Ancient Gorge is tucked away on the east side of Jahore's harbor and is 'guarded' by a array of rocks pillars and cliffs that jut up out of the water. Regan uses the amulet's power to keep the boat concealed to the natural eye. Once Regan sails into the Gorge he is impressed by the sight of the vast open gorge between two large rocky cliffs that have ancient arches and pillars--predating Jahore--carved into them. Sewer water from Jahore drops from large pipes in the gorge walls.
The Gorge leads to a sea tunnel network where there are a number of paths to sail in this surprisingly windy and turbulent passage.
One turn takes Regan's small ship down a passage that seems long long forgotten by humans. When it seems like a hopeless direction Regan and his small crew turn the ship around, only to be attacked by an angry and wounded merrow. They manage to finish off the rabid sea creature. Then Regan brings his small ship back to the connecting passage and eventually finds his way to a dock platform at the end of a sea tunnel.
The platform leads up to a 60ft wide ledge; at its center is a wide stone staircase. Docked at the platform is a long narrow slaver ship caught up in a massive fire. And on the ledge some humans and a few goblins converge shouting. He deduces that these are Iron Ring agents. Regan, his boat still concealed by shadow, gets as close as he can to maintain the disguise.
Aligning himself with the shadows, Regan gets himself closer and hears what the ring agents speak of:
"It was the Sindhi monk we were sent to retrieve from the holding cell," says a lightly armored agent in a panicked tone. "He escaped with the Rakasta captain! They set this ship on fire and escaped with the slaves in the other ship. We searched the cells; the monk and captain are not there; the hound and the goblin are no where to be found. We ourselves have no way to follow the ship they stole. And there is no way to be sure where they head. The Master will not be pleased."
An agent that looks to be a mage of some sort responds by walking over to the docked slaver ship that is engulfed in flames. He takes a dagger from his belt and pries out a stone from the bow's figurehead. "No. There is a way." The mage says as he smugly slips the stone into his belt pouch. "The Master has ways to keep track of his hounds as well as his vessels." He pats the pouch.
Regan, relying on the powers granted to him by his new patron, keeps to the shadows and manages to cut the mage's belt pouch away undetected in the turmoil on the platform. He then makes his way back to his boat. While his small crew sails back out of the sea tunnels he sits with the stone. It isn't long before Regan can vaguely sense the location of both the burning slaver vessel as well as the one now seeming to head out of Jahore's harbor.
He naviagtes his small crew to follow the captured ship. His small ship is slow, even in comparison to the slaver vessel, and the waters are rough, BUT his journey to follow the trail of Taresh Sanji begins nonetheless.
Regan, responding to the summons Veilmaster Samin, stealthily approaches the meeting quarters in the Order of the Shadow’s hidden operations compound. As he approaches he hears conversation in the quarters. He hangs back in the shadows before entering and listens for a moment.
"What shall we call you? Ganesh Madagascar, mysterious Ringleader of Madagast Circus, or instead shall I address you by your forgotten noble name, Lord Dinesh Ganesha?"
"Call me what you will. I have found in my travels abroad these many years under the guise of the circus that the reach of The Iron Ring is vast and wicked. I have worked hard to do my part to help protect the peoples of this kingdom and the Known World. And indeed I have sacrificed much."
"Yes...you have. And now you are forced to leave behind your very own grandson. For that sacrifice we can never be grateful enough."
Regan enters and sees his new mentor Veilmaster Samin speaking with a large older Sindhi man. This Sindhi has a mysterious air, a rough beard, long dreaded locks, loop earrings, and wears exotic clothes.
"Oh, Regan. Welcome. Impressive…your attunement to the way of the shadow increases daily. You even managed to approach an old master like me without being detected."
"This is Lord Dinesh Ganesha. We are just finishing our meeting."
"Lord Dinesh, may I introduce Regan. He has come to us with passion for our cause and has been my most recent and dedicated student. I summoned him here because I have an important mission for him."
"I need him to find Taresh Sanji, who is another student, new to the Order of the Shadow. Taresh came to us a Keis monk who sought out the resistance. I have personally spent much effort training this monk in our ways of shadow."
"Recently he has gone missing. I cannot be sure why. It is possible his prior allegiance to the Keis has resurfaced and he returned to his old master bearing the secrets of our order of the shadow. It is equally possible that something else has happen to him. I felt his activity in the Shadow Force, focused in Jahore’s Ancient Sea Gorge."
"The Keis have tunnels leading to the Gorge. These passages connect their city temple and their safe places throughout Jahore. I am not certain of his current fate. It is also possible that he was captured by The Ring during the last operation I sent him on. Prior to feeling his activity in the shadow force, I could feel him using the force’s strength to shield his mind from a torturous probe."
"In any case, the uncertainty of his whereabouts is not safe for the security of our Resistance, and the Order of the Shadow. Regan will be sent to find Taresh."
"Well, I will leave the proper resolution of this matter up to your judgement and in the capable hands of your new pupil, Regan. Pleasant to meet you. If you will excuse me Vielmaster, as you know I must now attend to our ‘guest’, the princess of Sind."
When Lord Dinesh makes his exit, Veilmaster Samin hands Regan an amulet. It is made of a dark, almost black, metal. At its center is a large, smooth gemstone that seems to absorb light, creating an ever-present shadow within.
"This Shadow Veil Amulet has been enhanced by our order. Its power won't last indefinitely but it may prove useful in your task. It will allow you to completely conceal large objects as well as yourself. You may also take one of our small boats and two to assist you in its navigation. You must complete this important task."
Taking the amulet, Regan decides that the ancient gorge is a reasonable place begin to searching for Taresh, based on Veilmaster Samin's feeling that Taresh connected to the shadow force in the sewer tunnels that meet the Gorge.
The entrance to the Ancient Gorge is tucked away on the east side of Jahore's harbor and is 'guarded' by a array of rocks pillars and cliffs that jut up out of the water. Regan uses the amulet's power to keep the boat concealed to the natural eye. Once Regan sails into the Gorge he is impressed by the sight of the vast open gorge between two large rocky cliffs that have ancient arches and pillars--predating Jahore--carved into them. Sewer water from Jahore drops from large pipes in the gorge walls.
The Gorge leads to a sea tunnel network where there are a number of paths to sail in this surprisingly windy and turbulent passage.
One turn takes Regan's small ship down a passage that seems long long forgotten by humans. When it seems like a hopeless direction Regan and his small crew turn the ship around, only to be attacked by an angry and wounded merrow. They manage to finish off the rabid sea creature. Then Regan brings his small ship back to the connecting passage and eventually finds his way to a dock platform at the end of a sea tunnel.
The platform leads up to a 60ft wide ledge; at its center is a wide stone staircase. Docked at the platform is a long narrow slaver ship caught up in a massive fire. And on the ledge some humans and a few goblins converge shouting. He deduces that these are Iron Ring agents. Regan, his boat still concealed by shadow, gets as close as he can to maintain the disguise.
Aligning himself with the shadows, Regan gets himself closer and hears what the ring agents speak of:
"It was the Sindhi monk we were sent to retrieve from the holding cell," says a lightly armored agent in a panicked tone. "He escaped with the Rakasta captain! They set this ship on fire and escaped with the slaves in the other ship. We searched the cells; the monk and captain are not there; the hound and the goblin are no where to be found. We ourselves have no way to follow the ship they stole. And there is no way to be sure where they head. The Master will not be pleased."
An agent that looks to be a mage of some sort responds by walking over to the docked slaver ship that is engulfed in flames. He takes a dagger from his belt and pries out a stone from the bow's figurehead. "No. There is a way." The mage says as he smugly slips the stone into his belt pouch. "The Master has ways to keep track of his hounds as well as his vessels." He pats the pouch.
Regan, relying on the powers granted to him by his new patron, keeps to the shadows and manages to cut the mage's belt pouch away undetected in the turmoil on the platform. He then makes his way back to his boat. While his small crew sails back out of the sea tunnels he sits with the stone. It isn't long before Regan can vaguely sense the location of both the burning slaver vessel as well as the one now seeming to head out of Jahore's harbor.
He naviagtes his small crew to follow the captured ship. His small ship is slow, even in comparison to the slaver vessel, and the waters are rough, BUT his journey to follow the trail of Taresh Sanji begins nonetheless.