Two hours have passed since Malrik left Veingard. In the time that he has spent traveling, he shockingly hasn’t seen many people. After the first half-hour, he did see a dragonborn and dark elf who were Void Heralds. They were prophets or zealots who spread the Umbral Covenant’s teachings and sow dissent among rival religions. It was their loose and decorated robes that told Malrik who they were, only some head nods were exchanged between them.
Malrik thought about what it was that he wished to become upon completing his trials at the temple. He can become one of four things, a Void Herald, a Nightweaver, Whisperbound, or a Duskwarden. Members can work their way up to the position of Shadecaller, which is the third highest position. The second highest position is the appointed Demigod, and then the highest is obviously Zaryth.
To become Whisperbound was Malrik’s preferred position, as it would allow him to be a spymaster and manipulator who orchestrates intrigue and subterfuge while still being equipped for combat. A Duskwarden is unlikely, as they are elite assassins and enforcers who ensures loyalty to the Covenant and eliminate threats from the shadows. This would likely be his position had he chosen the class of the Rogue Assassin, which just wasn’t fitting for who he was.
As Malrik traveled through a dense section of shadowy forest, the faint scent of burned wood and iron filled the air. He came across an abandoned caravan on the side of the trail. Two overturned wagons lay broken, their wheels shattered and their contents spilled across the ground. Torn banners bearing the head of Zaryth, the sigil of the Umbral Covenant fluttered weakly in the light wind.
Malrik notices claw marks gouged into the wood and darkened bloodstains on the small stones beneath the wagons. A crate labeled “Sanctum Provisions” had been smashed open, its supplies partially taken. There’s an eerie silence in the air, broken only by the occasional creak of a dangling lantern.
*Roll a d20*
3
When the d20 is rolled, a translucent dice appears above the head of the characters and the final number appears above them, revealing the result. After failing the check of perception, Malrik attempted to investigate the caravans when suddenly two low growls could be heard behind him. As he turned, he saw two wolves. They must’ve been attracted to the smell of Malrik, since they don’t often face humans. Their eyes were a shimmering dark purple, their fur a dark black with strands of silver around their ears and on their tails. These beasts weren’t going to be leaving, their dinner was in front of them.
*Roll a d20 for initiation*
Wolf #1 - 12
Wolf #2 - 13
Malrik - 7
The wolf on the left would charge at Malrik as he unsheathed his greatsword, aiming for his left leg with a bite. Luckily, from the excitement, the bite wasn’t calculated and missed. Then the second wolf would charge and attempt the same action except on Malrik’s right leg. With a roll to hit of 12 it reached for his ankle and only managed for a tooth to lightly cut his ankle.
Malrik’s HP: 13 > 11 hp.
“Alright then, I will show you muts who you’re messing with!” He shouted. Malrik would swing his greatsword at the wolf on his right, the blade catching the wolf by its throat as it attempted to lean its head back, ultimately killing the wolf as it rolled on the ground bleeding out.
Wolf #2’s HP: 11 > 0
The other wolf looked to their companion, anger filled, the wolf jumped at Malrik, aiming to bite at his neck. Malrik’s position with the blade managed to protect him as the wolf just fell to the ground in front of him. Malrik found this to be the best opportunity to stab straight down into the skull of the wolf. But as he did so, the wolf quickly dodged, his blade just hitting between the beast’s head and paw. With a roll to hit of 7, the wolf took the opportunity to try biting into Malrik’s leg but he would hip check the wolf, causing it to miss.
“Alright, I’ve had enough of this back and forth. Die.” With a roll to hit of 2, Malrik swung his sword, aiming to decapitate the wolf, but it jumped back, causing Malrik to miss completely. “What the fuck, a quick bugger you are.”
As the words left his mouth, the wolf lunged again but Malrik stepped to the side and the wolf lost its footing due to its poor roll to hit of 1, an advantage for Malrik. Taking aim for the heart, he held the greatsword upside down with both hands, plummeting all of his strength into the stab. The sword slicked through and back out of the wolf’s chest with ease.
Wolf #1’s HP: 11 > 0
XP Gained: 100 (200 XP NEEDED FOR LvL 2)
With the wolves dealt with and deceased, Malrik would return his attention to the caravans. Malrik thinks to himself “I should investigate this.”
*Roll a d20*
2
Malrik doesn’t think too much about what is in front of him, he does think to grab an obvious pack of rations and even finds a random gold piece. This would be his first bit of money ever, he manages to find pride in that. Malrik would take a short rest and consume one of the rations, filling his health back to 13.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
+1 GP (1)
Rations (7)
Feeling rested and ready to get back to the path, Malrik moved on, walking further into the forest.
#
Hours have passed since his encounter with the wolves. Malrik had approximately three hours until nightfall, and he had certainly covered a substantial amount of ground. The forest isn’t nearly as dense as it was before, in fact, just up ahead from Malrik was a clearing. The path led to a thin area, with the mouth of mountains to his left and the forest to his right. In the distance, the sounds of waves could be heard crashing into the cliffside of the land from the side of the forest.
This lets Malrik know that he is getting generally close to the temple, as it is nestled at the mouth of the northern border mountains which couldn’t be seen from where he currently was due to the weather. As the sun dipped lower in the sky, an unnatural mist began to roll in from the north, blanketing the forest trail. The fog grew denser with each passing moment as it engulfed Malrik’s feet and obscured his vision.
The temperature began to drop sharply, and a faint hum filled the air. The fog disorients Malrik, causing the surrounding terrain to twist and shift as if he was being poisoned or placed under an illusion. Strange silhouettes appeared in the mist—at first humanoid, then beastlike, only to vanish when Malrik approached them. It became blaringly clear to Malrik that whatever was happening wasn’t natural whatsoever.
Suddenly, a voice rang and echoed in his mind, it was cold and distant. “Turn back, seeker of shadows. Your path leads to ruin.” The fog solidified into a spectral guardian, a humanoid figure clad in flowing shadowy robes with glowing blue eyes and a staff that emanated tendrils of darkness. “I once walked your path young man,” the foggy character said, “certainly you’ve heard of shadecallers before right?”
Malrik gulped in slight fear as he physically felt ill, but he wouldn’t allow that to change his way of natural response. “How could you be so sure as to how my life will turn out? Yes, I’ve heard rumors of shadecallers, but I’ve not a clue as to what they actually do.”
“Shadecallers are essentially regional war leaders who call the shots on Zaryth’s behalf. I used to be one, however, my faith has turned elsewhere. They work in complete secrecy and only take orders from Zaryth himself.” The man explained.
“Then where exactly has your faith gone? That would technically make you a traitor to the covenant would it not?” Malrik asked.
The man crossed his arms with his head looking down. “Yes, and that is the problem. I’m a traitor because I came to believe in Cyndra’s law of governing, are you familiar?”
“No.”
“Unification, the gods were meant to work together, instead, Zaryth is obsessed with dark power and ruling the world alone. There happens to be a land called Cyndra Colony, and it is separated from religious laws. You can find it south of the province of Vorathun on a decently sized island, it's quite a peaceful place compared to this shithole.”
Malrik listened intently, but his teachings taught him that Zaryth had no want to rule the world, but more so that darkness was to be respected and without proper strength, no governing force could legitimately control the lands. He had the willingness to be a part of godly control, but he knew damn well he couldn’t do it alone.
“Well from what I’ve learned thus far, that isn’t what he wishes to impose on Synthalis. I have yet to meet him however, but I will not let what you say alter my personal beliefs. Zaryth and the covenant have given us the right to come to our own ideas, where Lioris and the Radiant Creed have not for their people. How could we possibly reach unification if our greatest enemy can’t go even a week without attacking our borders?” Malrik argued.
“Imbecile, do you actually think that Zaryth isn’t doing any harm to the other provinces? He runs the religion of shadows, and you know just as well that their spies and followers have infiltrated the outside lands. Somehow, people who have been faithful to their gods have been swayed and brought to Catadros. This is about power and differences in morality.” The man’s hand was pressed to his forehead in annoyance.
Malrik waved his hands around, almost teasing the man. “Then let it be known that I happen to like Zaryth’s morals. Strength is absolutely required to run a world, let alone a province. The Umbral Covenant is going to rise, we are going to dominate by any means. The other provinces and religions can choose to join us in some kind of unity like you speak of, or they can crumble and cease to exist. That's how I look at it anyway.”
“Usually I would kill people like you on the spot if I felt like you were a threat to my existence like I did to that caravan crew you spotted earlier, but I suppose I shall let you discover for yourself the madness that your so-called god wishes upon. If you have the aptitude to find me, my name is Kazik. Should you manage to do so, I would assume it would be to try and kill me. In which case, I bid you good luck, because right now as it stands, you’re a weak peasant. Goodbye to you.”
Kazik vanished, leaving a faint glow with fog that soon dissipated into the thin air. The path cleared, the environment and weather returned to its normal grey skies and light snow began to fall. Malrik looked ahead and adrenaline rushed through him as he spotted the peak of Zaryth’s Temple. Three sharp curved spikes with a burning fire amidst the center could be seen, he was close.
XP Gained: 25 (175 XP NEEDED FOR LvL 2)
Miscellaneous Quest Added: Speak to Zaryth About Kazik
Malrik began a heavier run towards the temple, his motion still felt a bit of a blur from whatever illusion Kazik put on him. But Kazik was right, Malrik was certainly too weak to take somebody like him on. He would need to keep training and finish his trial so he can get his celebratory Covenant chainmail, and hopefully someday get the pauldrons.
The dirt path soon turned into similar cobblestone ground, like how Veingard was. After a short while, Malrik found himself at the arcing entrance gate to the Temple of Zaryth. The metal spikes made of a dark steel material surrounded the temple with mausoleums and decorated graves meticulously planted within its corridors.
The mystical energy Malrik felt was all so consuming. Once he had accustomed his senses to the area, he felt the mana of darkness as shaded figures roamed the area. They must’ve been the fallen of the covenant, preserving and keeping care of their god’s temple. Malrik walked the straight path to the two doors of the temple, and as he stepped on the first of eight stairs, multiple sets of placed torches lit up into purple flames, the doors began to creak and open inward.
