The slight breeze lost it's edge as dawn became morning and Judan rolled into Ludlow. Alas the pleasent weather that had been promised earlier by the fresh day was marred by a few black and ominous clouds over Ludlow. Their fields would no doubt see rain later today, which would please some but vex their children. Well, Judan could work on the forge rain or shine.


As the cart trundled to a halt Judan looked for his friend Crep Pew, or any of his kinfolks. Harwin the Stonemason was out early chipping away at a block of stone, and Varrin the crier was making his morning rounds, calling the time to all who would hear. Magus Aldred nodded to Judan as he passed, the mage had not always gotten on well with the Church, but he respected Judan regardless of his personal beliefs. A young apprentice dashed off from the Magus, to try his latest spell, which had taken him a good few days to master. There were cutpurses lurking in the nearby forest, and the guards didn't always have time to clear them out, so the young apprentice may get some experience of battle before nightfall.


Judan smiled as he caught sight of Nulb Pew the village fletcher, and brother to Crep.

"Hail and good morn to you Nulb!" he cried in greeting, as a couple of children ran out to see the horse and cart, and clamber on the backboards. Nulb looked up and grinned, waving to Judan and calling greetings back to him.

"It's good to see you Judan!" he said approaching the cart "What brings you out to Ludlow today my friend? And how's that fine young daughter of yours?" Nulb decided to leave off of the recent troubles Judan had come through, at least until more pleseant matters had been discussed. It was best to be tactful, and the Pews were well mannered.

"Ah Nulb, it's good to see you again" said Judan, for it'd been many months and much had happened since last they'd met. "Azi is well, and growing into a beautiful young lady. She's left the Academy and joined Mother Church, which makes me very happy indeed. The Lord has called her to his special service.. for I always knew she was an angel!" he laughed heartily, joined by Nulb. "Today I'm here to see your brother Crep, he sent word he'd some urgent repairs needed and only my skills would suffice. He was a bit vague right enough, but I understand it's something that can't be transported easily?"

Nulb's face was blank as he searched for wht that could be. Crep hadn't mentioned anything to him of this nature "Well Judan I'm afraid I'm as much in the dark as you are over this. perhaps he's got a little secret project going, but I can't think what he'd be needing so urgently. Heh, well it's still good to see you Judan, won't you come in and have a little breakfast while we wait for Crep to return? He's up the hills trying to put up a fence to keep the rock imps away from town. Not much progress, but he's hopeful of it." as Nulb said this he chased away the little ones scampering on Judan's cart with a father's admonition to stay out of trouble. He led the way for Judan over to his home, where fine smells wafted into the morning air and made Judan's belly growl quietly with anticipation.

Judan scratched his beard in puzzelment over what Crep had asked him out here for, but assumed all would be revealed in time.


**********


The dark clouds blotted out the sun, casting a grey shadow over Ludlow. Hidden in the earth and on a few of the wooden frames of buildings, the sigils Hecthia had crafted at Arcalan's request began to glow. The powerful runes pulsed with energy, as far off to the South Ceowyr sat in a circle of black candles and chanted. The words he spoke were enough to have his tongue cut out by any member of the clergy, but this black priest knew some of the deepest and most vile demonology in existance. His fire red hair seemed like a flaming mane around the head of a prince of demons, and his gutteral syllables resonated in the shuttered room. His Master had taught him how to invoke the powers that had been allied with for this cause. His Master's ally would rise up, and the next step of the Rebirth would begin. Ceowyr's eyes were hungry and haunted, he had long waited for this day to come.


**********


As the day broke in Llyn Barfog, Arcalan awoke in jashen's arms. The slightest movement from her snapped him out of the quiet reverie he'd been in, not awake, nor asleep, but resting. She stretched slightly, cuddling in against the warmth of his body, just in a moment of blissful oblivion. All too suddenly she realised what was happening out there.. what could only be the work of Ceowyr. Well, it seems that the Master had found another route. She was certain that she'd pay for her disloyalty.. but she felt that she may as well be hung for a sheep as well as a lamb. She'd warn them of what was happening.. about Judan. A pang of guilt struck her like a shadowblade's axe, but she resolved with a lump in her throat, to go ahead. The Master hadn't given her time to find a substitute, surely he'd understand that she would always come through for him... but this wasn't right.

"Jashen... Jashen" she began, and felt the arms tighten around her once again.

"It's alright" he said, wondering if the words of that old man were still troubling her even in the light of day.

"No Jashen.. I just had a premonition about Azaeli.. something bad is happening back in Camelot. We'd better get back. I've a feeling we've learnt all we can from here" her face was sincere, but it was obvious she hid a panic just below the surface. Jashen grabbed what he'd left upon the ground, and Arcalan summoned a golem to gather up the rest of the camp materials and catch them up, allowing them to take off as soon as possible. Speed was of the essence, if not to save judan, then at least to clear Arcalan of the wrongdoing. She was determined not to take the balme for this act, for the punishment for disobedience would be great enough. She felt as if her heart would cleave in twain with the demands put upon it. Jashen had held her, spoken to her without harsh words, and she didn't want to lose that. On the other hand her Master promised her power and immortal life, rulership and devoted slaves to serve her. he'd brought her up from the gutter and the slave-girl she was, and now she turned away from him.

Leaving Llyn Barfog as the sun crept higher, she knew that whatever came of this, she would have yet more to endure. The withered Basaia's image swam before her. She wouldn't let it end like that. She wouldn't.

"Pappa!" The earsplitting scream for her father escaped her lips just as she jumped awake. Gasping for breath, she found herself alone in the sitting room in Pappa's chair. Strange, she thought, remembering her dream. The man had been there again, the same one she'd seen since her penance in Lyonesse..a man, holding a serpent in his left hand. She shivered and stretched her stiff back. Why would she call out for Pappa? He hadn't been in her dream...


She splashed her face with cool water and dressed herself, thinking all the while about the man in her dream. It was time to talk with someone about it, for that was one thing she hadn't even spoken to Pappa about. The image itself was nothing terrifying..but the power coming from it, the reality of it.. She shook her head and set out for the League hall to seek the one friend she knew would understand.

As Nulb walked back towards the house he chatted about his business with Judan. Judan was a loyal Paladin, now a master blacksmith, perhaps the best in Albion. Certainly the Pew family thought so, he'd been friends with them for many many years, and they were a family who loved to be in on the social life. the pew's were the unofficial village leaders in Ludlow, and the Pew name carried a great amount of clout in these parts. His wife was baking, and once she'd finished a fine meal would await them tonight. Business for the fletcher had been good, he reflected, with many young men taking up archery to defend their Homeland.


Judan felt it first. No pious man, no man who has communed with God, can be ignorant of evil. It's a force as surely felt in the world as the wind and the rain, for those who have their eyes open. The black clouds above were pregnant with heavy rainfall, and boded ill. The ground was murmering and trembling slightly, something was very very wrong.


*********


Ceowyr chanted the last part of the invokation, and to match the dark fury of his words, the candles around him blazed like bonfires. The flames held such terrible light that within a second they had burnt the wick right through, reducing each candle to a pool of melten wax, rapidly cooling on the floor. The unnatural fires burnt themselves out, consumed by the evil magics afoot. Ceowyr sat in the dark shuttered room breathing heavily. He could feel it, feel the power at work. He'd best abandon this place so as not to be found...


*********************


Nulb pew's face was wracked with horror as his beloved village became a scene of terror. The earth heaved and split wide asunder, sending chunks of earth and liquid fire flying into the sky. The dark clouds cast gloom over all the scene as a pillar of thick black and unholy smoke rose out of the gaping maw of the abyssal crater.

The screaming of children filled the air, a scream that was mirrored by the wails from the pit. In the twinkling of an eye the peacful Ludlow morn had become a seething mass of fear and infernal stench. The foul hole vomited forth it's denezins into the air, a horde of winged beasts.

Molochian Tempters! Judan recognised them, for their form was a glistening sickly yellow, like the colour of greed. their faces were masks of fine golden hue, kingly but evil, like the ancient pagan gods that some of the swamp dwellers had worshipped before Lord Adribard brought them the Christian faith. Their yellow wings spread wide as they soared on the updraft of the demonic pit, and their screeches sent villagers running in panic. The guardsmen ran forth to engage these winged terrors, but as the captain of the guard reached the centre of the confusion he vanished into the thick black smoke.

A second passed so slowly it seemed a year, and then suddenly the Captain reappeared to their eyes. He sailed through the air, split in two and hanging like an old child's toy. His guts spilled from the shell of his body in a crimson, gory arc, and frightened eyes stared lifeless from the head.

A deafening beastial roar rent the air and the column parted to how a hulking inhuman form. It's broad shoulders were covered in armoured scales, and beneath a heavy brow two red lizard eyes with slit pupils looked out. The mouth had row upon row of needle sharp teeth, and translucent saliva dripped from it's maw. It's arms were thick and heavy, and in one hand it carried a terrible tiwsted version of a meat cleaver, sharp and glistening with human blood. It was the demon known as Moloch the Cook, from the depth of the Falls.

Dogs barked and howled, dancing around the pit and yelping. A Tempted snatched one poor hound from the ground and bore it off into the smoke shrouded air. Moloch fought through the guards and people all over ran in a terrible pandemonium. Judan crossed himself and began to chant his prayer to the Almighty. He dropped to the side of the slain captain, and snatched up his sword, sparing a second the close the eyes of the dead man and ask the Lord to cradle his soul in His arms. Judan stood up and brandished the blade, determined to protect the innocent from these foul beings. Moloch looked up and stared directly into his eyes, dealing a backhand that sent a guardsman sprawling. It's horrible voice rasped over the sound and fury around it.

"Ah Paladin.. you're just the ingredient I need for the pot!" and with that advanced upon the stalwart Smith.

The first blow from that giant cleaver shattered the sword, but Judan lept up and drove the broken blade in between Moloch's scales. He called upon the Lord for strength, and drove the blade deep. Moloch uttered a chilling scream and brought the cleaver back to bear on Judan. The impossibly sharp blade came down on Judan's arm, but instead of taking it off at the elbow, Moloch held back, cutting only to the bone on Judan's arm. With a sick and twisted grin Moloch drew the blade along Judan's arm like he was a piece of meat, severing the muscles and causing the arm to drop helplessly. Moloch's other hand caught Judan off guard and snatched at his leg. The massive ape like arms of Moloch pulled Judan off of his feet, and he prayed for the souls of those slain this day, and for the life of Azaeli and Apolexia, his daughters. He faced death like a Christian soul, unafraid, for he knew he would see his wife, and be in the keeping of the Almighty.


Strangely Moloch turned with the poor Smith danging from his iron grasp, and retreated into the infernal pit. Moloch's work was done.. this was the one that was wanted.. his end of the bargain was complete. As he departed the hole began to seal up once more, leaving naught but a thin crack in the ground behind it. As the smoke ceased to pour in from the ehart of Darkness Falls, he decided to leave his retinue to have a little fun with the mortals. Moloch's rasping voice called out one last command to the winged Tempters: "FRESH MEAT!"

The demons decended on the village of Ludlow, while Judan was taken into the Falls, a prisoner of Moloch.


*************


Riding towards Ludlow Jashen's keen eyes spotted the plume of smoke, and the strange cloud above the village. Something warned him there was more to worry those people than fire alone...


**********


((OOC I'd like to leave a little breathing space for a few days now, to see if anyone who's been reading this post would like to jump in with a little bit of storytelling about this day in Ludlow. Post how YOUR character helped fight off the Molochian Tempters and rescue some villagers! If nothing materialises in a couple of days I'll go back to posting the rest of the story, but it would be cool if people want to try their hand at a little VN RP Thanks! ))

ooc I agree Arc, however...


Lexi walked to the village of Ludlow. Was not a far walk from the town of Camelot, but the day was nice and she enjoyed her freedoms as much as she could. Just being released from the convent the night before, she was eager to do what she liked to do best, smith... and one asked for a Mithril Sabre and so the walk to Ludlow was needed for supplies.


The walk was also a good time to think and reflect. Much has happened. She had become a Christian at the abbey, she had learned of the suffering of others... yet... when she had prayed for God's acceptance... something kept bothering her. The look on the Mother Superior's face... the utmost horror in her eyes which she tried to hide quickly with smiles and a hug at her choice. What was that look for? Lexi could not figure out what it was... but then her thoughts were distracted... screams... sounds of battle...


Running over to Ludlow... she saw the remnants of a battle. She rushed over drawing her blades, wearing full armor and weaponry now all the time even when smithing, her paranoia driving her to it after leaving the Convent. Rushing over to a guard, who was doing his best to restore order, she tried to ask what happened.


"Sire.. what happened here?"


"Move along... back to your business!" he shouted out over the crowd around him.


"Sire!"


"Move along!" He yelled out, clearing a way around him.


Apolexia heard then whispers: "I hear that smith was taken..." "Judan? Camelot's Smith?"

Lexi froze listening harder. "ea... that cook demon took him... I saw it... was horrible." Lexi's heart dropped.


Judan... her father... well... now her father, more her father than any other ever was... taken. Her sister would be devastated... 'Need to tell her' Lexi ran to Camelot then stopped. "Wait... if this demon came to get father.. sis'll be next.. sis was right, my demon isnt gone forever. I am sure this is somehow the work of my Grandfather... I must protect her... and protect Judan... I only have one choice, if it's me you want Grandpa, then take me instead of him. I know that is why you did this, and I'll come see you."


Her mind made up... Lexi mounted a horse speeding off to the entrance way to that demonic pit of the falls. "I'm coming father.. don't worry, you will be safe.."

/cheap self-bump

/bump-o-rama

this is not a bump but a message...


Lexi, fore ye put anymore here, talk ta me... with ye doin wha ye jes did, Tash's path has been seen, an its big, tho it may not be so big as ta disrupt the whole story here...hopefully we can get tagether on this

((sorry to slow down the momentum. Today was crazy.. Tomorrow will be better.))

At first, Toorc had been a bit surprised at the twenty or so children that occupied the complex where he had awakened. Ayslyn had seemed to be a surrogate Big Brother and Father rolled into one for them. He played with them, read them stories and told them some truly amazing tales; made sure that they all had more than enough to eat. He refered to them as the Irregulars, usually with a grin. The Irregulars leader was clearly Nolan, a celtic lad of about 13 summers, and he was the oldest of the lot. Ayslyn had explained them to him. They were all orphans and runaways that he had taken in. The even helped him, running messages, doing errands, and sometimes -- only the oldest of them -- listened for him. Ayslyn smiled as he explained, "People rarely notice children. You'ld be amazed at the things that are said within their hearing." But listening was the most they were allowed to do. Toorc could see that Nolan and several of the others couldn't wait until Ayslyn would allow them to 'really help'.


Also working with the ranger was Luaiel, a firbolg of gigantic stature, and the heart and mind of a child. The first time Toorc had seen him, he had paled at the giant, and the massive, barbed spear he carried. But the wide, toothy smile that seemed perpetualy stamped on the lad's face, and the friendly, and almost frantic wave that Luaiel had graced him with quickly put all of his fears to rest.


Today, both Ayslyn and Luaiel were in the common room. Luaiel was playing with two of the younger children, a boy and a girl, who were both clinging to his massive legs as he stomped about the room. Ayslyn sat in a large chair, by the fire, reading a large tome from the immense library that Toorc had discovered lay behind one of the door's in the room. Nolan burst into the room from a door that Toorc had discovered led to a ladder up. The boy dashed over to Ayslyn and handed him a paper. Ayslyn read over it carefully, frowning slightly. Toorc watched him. In the little time that he had been here, he had learned that such an expression rarely graced Ayslyn's features. Ayslyn looked over at the theurgist. "It appears as though there has been a demonic incursion in Ludlow. Curiously enough, it appears as though the blacksmith Hammerfell was taken prisoner. My people are gathering further details."

 

-----signature-----

"Judan?!" Toorc gasped. This was terrible news indeed. Judan Hammerfel, father of Azaeli of the League, and a legendary blacksmith in Albion.. perhaps the finest in the land.

"Ayslyn this is indeed sad and horrible news to me, I know the man and his family. If it was Demonic, then it could be the work of the Summoner.. but then again there are many demonic factions, and I am biased towards dwelling on that one." Toorc looked thoughtful. "I am not yet ready to return. I have begun a change here that I know must be explored, for your life has shown me much in a short time. The people of Albion and of Hibernia share many common roots, and the earth here has many stories it has not yet told to me."

Ayslyn put the report away and looked at the Theurgist. He certainly demonstarated a keen interest in everything. Hibernian culture, Elven history, the magics, the architecture, the races... and Ayslyn knew that he was showing the genuine interest of a keen mind rather than a warrior researching his enemy.

Toorc looked up at the massive Firblog, and rose to his feet, still a little unsteadily.

"Would it be possible for one of the Irregulars to bring me a handful of the Ludlow soil? To me, it would be better than an eye-witness. Perhaps we can learn a little more.." Toorc coughed violently, and made a gesture of apology for it. He was still frail from the long imprisonment, and at over 50 years of age, no longer a spring chicken.

"And perhaps deliver word to the League that I yet live?" He straightened up and looked into the middle distance. What could be the reason behind kidnapping Judan? What was the influence he vaguely sensed, at work here?