Dreadlords Parade of Dancing Stars

[Dorian]

Somewhere Northeast of Crobhear Lake
The Spine

Turns out that it’s hardly warm during “summer” in the valleys throughout The Spine. Winds blowing down from the jagged mountains are bitter and bite through Dorian’s clothes, all the way to his bones. Drawing his cloak tighter around him does nothing, but uttering quiet profanities does help to cope with the discomfort.

Was summer even a thing here, Dorian wonders, or did the folks that lived around these unforgiving parts measure the months by how cold the gales are? To him, it was a fucking barbaric way to live, and among souring thoughts is a wish to return to the Academy.

The small group’s guide, an elderly man with weathered skin like leather and a stiff white beard, comes to a stop ahead of them and points a bony finger forward to where the beaten dirt trail blends into a roughly cobbled path. Several sun-bleached monoliths placed equidistant to each other decorate either side of the road as far as Dorian could see. Upon closer inspection, a passerby would take notice of runes etched into them.

​

The guide takes the Apprentices to the start of the cobbled path but stops just before the first stone as if setting foot on it possessed dire consequences.

“An’ ‘is faer aboats as I’ll take ye’s. Youse wuld walk the path up awfhile to the faerst village.” The old man’s slurred speech was hard to follow, and before any of them could whisper thanks, he passed between them to begin the long hike back to his abode.

Their task is a simple one. Discover the fate of Nyave Ellyn, a Dreadlord of the First Rank.

 

[Liliana]

"Dear Kress. Did no one dame to teach these commoners to speak?" Liliana complained as the drunken lout of a peasant walked passed her.

The man did not in the least seem to care about Liliana's words, that or his ears simply didn't register their call. A frown pulled over the Nobles lips as she watched him go, and her fingers raised ever so slightly. She cast a weave, a small one, that would find the man later stooped in utter and abject misery.

If only so she could get rid of some of her own.

This entire trip was a waste of time. She wasn't even entirely sure why Cousin Elise had wanted her to volunteer for it. Nyave Ellyn had been a powerful Dreadlord, but not one who had been beholden to Virak. So why did she matter?

Still, just like the other apprentices she had come along.

Wrapped in the nicest, fluffiest, most wonderful fur coat Liliana looked like she was heading into a Winter Ball rather than a precarious and perhaps dangerous situation. Not that it made her any less effective, particularly with the new developments in her magic.

A fact which she had not shared with anyone, not even her family. "Honestly."

She said, turning to her companions.

"Did anyone understand what that Peasant said?" Her gaze flickered over towards Dorian, expecting he'd know since he was of common stock.

 

[Draven Helmer]

Draven had volunteered to go on this expedition simple to get out of Vel Anir, it was not often they had a chance to travel so far and he wanted to know more about the world outside their borders and not just from a book.

it seemed one of them hadn't packed for the trip, shivering even under his cloak. the only cold he felt was that of the wind across his face as a thick padded gambeson kept his body warm against the biting cold wind.

"Perhaps if you got off your high horse once in while you wound understand the people below you, but to translate for you miss noble, he said to follow the path until we reach the farthest village." Draven had no love for nobles, he practically hated all of them, lot of them were self-aggrandizing assholes who thought they are better than everyone because their ancestor got lucky and made friends with a king.​

 

[Kalix]

Kalix inhaled loudly. And then he opened his mouth.

“WATCH YOUR FUCKING MOUTH, SHORTSTACK!” He bellowed, the word ‘shortstack’ echoing all around them in the chilly air. He placed a large hand onto Draven’s shoulder, shoving him forward and out of Kalix’s way as he went to go and stand by Liliana. Nothing pissed Kalix off more than the pot calling the other pot a pot. Liliana couldn’t understand what the old man said and Kalix didn’t understand what Draven was saying about horses when there were no horses! Besides that making him angry… this entire mission already was pissing him off.

He hadn’t volunteered. Why would he want to? What was the point of finding a dreadlord who had gone missing and was probably dead? What was the point of finding out about a dreadlord that was weak enough to die?

Maybe that dreadlord should’ve not died and came back like they were supposed to! Then he wouldn’t have to be here to begin with. Kalix began grumbling under his breath about how much this mission sucked ass.

“Proctor Novgorodoff can suck my ass.” He added to himself, pulling a band off of his wrist. He held it up between his teeth as he collected his dark tresses into a surprisingly neat ponytail before tying it up. The winds had his black hair whipping around his feline face; and despite feeling like that made him look cool and badass, Kalix knew it was better to tie his hair up now. Just in case Draven wanted to try anything funny. Or anyone wanted to try anything funny.

Except Liliana. She could try anything funny that she wanted to. Kalix was there to enforce it.

 

[Eleanor]

Eleanor had made a decision to go on as many missions as possible in order to make the last year go by faster. She was already struggling to stay at the Academy then after she had visited with Zana and she found out she was rich...it was even harder. Zana had given her a good chunk of the money but she wouldn't get the rest until graduation. Zana was evil but she knew how to motivate Eleanor.

Her fur lined jacket was pulled tight around her with its equally furry hood pulled over her red hair. She had sprung for this thing when she had volunteered for the mission and it was very worth what she had paid.

She walked near Liliana but she was not listening to any of the other Initiates. She was lost in her own thoughts as she walked. The future being first and foremost. Her eyes flicked up to Kalix when he said something about Proctor Novgorodoff sucking his ass and she let out a low chuckle. She really didn't need context to enjoy the comment.

 

[Dorian]

Dorian opens his mouth to respond, his unique brand of snark at the ready just for Lilliana, but Draven beats him to it. A real go-getter, that guy. Hand on his hip, Dorian shakes his head and rolls his eyes as Kalix announces himself to the entire region.

He isn't one that Apprentices readily cross, out of respectful caution for his abilities, but what Dorian finds most impressive about Kalix is his talent for uttering pure childish nonsense. Not that Dorian would ever call him out on it. Goodness, no! People ought to have a choice, and if they choose to act like sputtering buffoons, well, more power to them.

"First," Dorian faces Draven - raises a finger, "I think he meant the first village. However far that may be."

Then he cants his head to the side to address Lilliana, "And, uh, sorry that we haven't a steed for you, Lorel."

After hiking for days after arriving from the portal stone, the apology delivers as shallow and is certainly not meant to display any form of sincerity. Dorian flashes a dry, lukewarm smile at Lilliana and walks past Eleanor to start on the path.

He slows his stride to get a look at one of the stone monoliths, rune etched into it, and wordlessly continues.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

"Truly an intellect like no other," Alistair said dryly. It was unclear who he was talking to, but it had come right after Kalix's ass-sucking comment. That meant it was either about Kalix or the runes that Alistair was currently thoroughly looking at.

He had taken out a notebook to try and copy down these patterns. Runes and rune magic are one of few magic where a lot of the time it seemed like the knowledge of the practice of disappearing rather than evolving. Any sort of inciting he could gleam from these old runes would be a large step for Alistair's own talents.

"To be fair to Liliana, the old man was certainly not making it easy for us. A few more syllables and it would have been an entirely different language."

 

[Liliana]

Liliana let a flicker of amusement move over her features as Kalix stormed to her side, his words a harsh rebuke against her detractor. A smugness pulled at her expression as explanation was offered, Dorian throwing in some quip to make himself feel better.

"Well, perhaps another language would have been better." She said with a roll of her eyes, shrugging her shoulders.

Her gaze only briefly flickered over towards the monoliths, scanning the strange symbol before she remarked quietly to Kalix. "In the old days, some of our...peers wouldn't have made it off this mountain."

Perhaps they still wouldn't.

Accidents did happen after all.

With a quiet sigh Liliana embarked upon the path. Tugging her fur cloak a bit tighter around herself to fight against the brash of cold wind that seemed to rush over the spin.

 

[Draven Helmer]

Oh goody, she had a protector to come save her dignity in hopes of one day getting his dick wet, lucky Draven. he felt hand the land on his shoulder then push him, he wasn't exactly ready for but he had always been good on his feet, only stumbling slightly before straightening up,.

He glared at Kalix eyes practically daggers, "shortstack? come on you can do better than that, white knight, you can be wittier than 'shut up, short person'. hardly a scathing attack worthy the defence of a noble" his voice was thick sarcasm aimed at goading him to do something, he didn't care what they're relationship was, the nobles would eventually get their comeuppance and so too would their supporters, some earlier than others.

Draven would follow suit and move towards the first village, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

 

[Kalix]

Kalix cracked his neck, arching it over to the right and then to the left as he walked beside Liliana, letting Dorian and others take the lead. His hands were low on his hips, not on a weapon but close to the pernach at his hip. As Liliana spoke, his gold eyes were focused on the path ahead.

“I’m sure the weak ones won’t. Just like Nala Elroy.” Kalix said in response to Liliana, his expression bored. He had already forgotten the missing dreadlord’s name, but he was sure he was close enough to it. There was no reason to remember a weak loser’s name, especially when they were already dead.

And Draven may be one of the ones to add to the “dead losers” list.

Contrary to his personality, Kalix pivoted on his foot with all the grace and agility of a cat, an effortless display of agile balance. He openly leered down at Draven, grinning from ear to ear.

“You want one better then all you gotta do is keep running your mouth. Unlike you, I don’t need to talk shit.” The grin still present, Kalix then proceeded to flip Draven off with both hands before turning back around. Kalix most definitely paid absolutely no attention to any runes, symbols or anything else that could be useful.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

"Neither of you needs to talk shit, but for some reason you always do. Some might call it a waste of breath."

Alistair really could not help himself, but he wasn't paying too much attention to the overall conversation. He was almost done with the rune and the others were starting to move. He stuck out his tongue in concentration for a few seconds and then smiled when he finally completed the sketch. Good to go.

He stashed his book and his pencil before looking up from his work. "Alright, let's get moving." He seemed oblivious to the fact that he was probably one of the main ones wasting time. He continued on down the path.

 

[Ademar Acero]

It had been one year or so since his departure from Vel Anir, disappearing without a trace. Only one person knew what happened and where the former Dreadlord went, and he hoped she kept that information to herself. Vel Anir was just a husk of weakness, unrecognizable by how soft it had grown. It was no longer a place to call home as his ways would have no welcome in its new age from the fires of rebellion. Home was now east of the Reach, into the Spine. It was unlike the dynamics of Vel Anir of how lawless and little kingdoms existed in the Spire. Back with his people, living life everyday as a nomadic barbarian with his clan. A great warrior he was like his kin, but he was taught on how to live off the land. How to survive. Coin and gold had no value among his people, only resources and tools did. Bartering was the only currency they respected, though they did receive tributes from neighboring villages to avoid conflict.

The Rally Master on horseback rode across valley, three other warriors accompanied him on a hunt targeting orcs that were trespassing on the land they currently occupied.

His hand grasped his spear lodged into an orc, pulling it from the flesh of the deceased creature. A patrol they had ambushed and killed, now they looted whatever spoils awaited for them.

“I doubt they have anything of value for us,” Ademar spoke up, as he began to search the body of the irc he killed

“Useless for us, but maybe of worth to barter.”

“We shall see,” hands checking every pocket of the orc until he had come across something familiar. A piece of cloth, but it carried an insignia he was well familiar with. Something that belonged to Vel Anir. Completely shocked him to see a relic of his past wind up here in the Spine.

How?

Where they hunting him? Expanding to the east with a colony? He had left that past to find something better out here.

“Anything, brother?”

“Plenty…we have something bigger to hunt. Back to the horses!” With a fist clenching the cloth tightly, not letting it go.

 

[Zana]

"There's something going on up there, Zana, and I intend to find out what."

***

She hung limply between the two guards who dragged her up the rough, mountainous pass. When she raised her head her vision blurred. Symbols jarred across the Vision before it sprung back and she was staring through those eyes again, up at the large altar looming before her...

Repent.

***
​

Sloan's last scream echoed in the back of her mind as the Herald's words rung out. It had grown less intense the closer she had gotten to the village and as it had faded her powers... had grown. She was nowhere near the Archon level of strength she had demonstrated on that battlefield of the bloody revolution but it was more than she had had for a year now. The message was clear; she had to complete this mission the Herald had sent her on.

She just wished it hadn't been to do with her friend.

Nyave had visited her and Talus a month past on her way through on her latest mission. Like many Dreadlords from before the Revolution she had turned her attentions to missions that held a personal interest to fill the restless void many of them felt. She'd promised to stop in on her way home so that she'd known she was alright. That was meant to have been two weeks ago.

"Please, try to remember," she asked softly and held up the drawing of her friend. "Did this woman pass through here?" The market stall holder she was talking to scratched his balding head and sucked at his lower lip before giving a hesitant shake of his head.

"Can't say I 'av, luv, sahry - ex'use me -" and with that dismissal turned to a paying customer. Zana wouldn't have minded if she had thought he was telling the truth. With a sigh she rolled up the parchment and made her way back to where she had tethered Zandor. The dun gelding pawed the ground restlessly and she slid him a treat as she pretended to fiddle with his saddle.

"What have you gotten yourself into Nyave..."

 

[Dorian]

"Good grief," looking back, Dorian shakes his head at his peers.

With nothing for them to do but walk, the bickering becomes inevitable. Dorian finds himself uncharacteristically patient regarding his peers and quietly takes in the surroundings as they continue down the path.

"Odd," Dorian muses aloud and points ahead, "Look at that."

Even at a distance, he spots looping spirals and curving sigils carved into towering rocks. And unlike the markers beside the path, which were roughly carved, the stones in question are unnaturally smooth. Whatever meaning, if there was any at all, is lost upon him.

With their pace, the village would come into sight with another twenty minutes of walking. And after thirty, they would arrive.

 

[Liliana]

"Ooo, more rocks." Liliana said as Dorian pointed out the monoliths, her voice dull and uninterested.

She had let Kalix bandy a bit with the other students, mostly forgetting herself as the crew of Initiates made their way along the mountain road. The noble had occupied herself with thinking about the spa back in Vel Anir.

Long ago she had decided it would be her first destination when they returned. Probably even before they headed to the Academy itself. Trouble was, thoughts of what she would have simply made her more miserable in the moment.

Her thoughts swam around her skull, misery growing until the path finally brought something new. "Finally."

Liliana said as they spotted the village, the flickers of smoke rising from taverns and houses.

"I was beginning to think any sort of civilization had escaped this place." Not that she was really expecting 'civilization' from some podunk village in the mountains.

 

[Draven Helmer]

A smug grin came across his face at Kalix retort, he enjoyed getting a rise out of nobles and their supporters, can't get into too much trouble for defending yourself, even if you did goad them into it.

The village was a bit of a long walk until they got a glimpse of it, hopeful they had an alehouse to get a drink and sit next to the warm fire, remote places like this don't usually have taverns so hopefully, they wouldn't be staying here long or they might out on their asses and he didn't bring a tent.

"They're just rocks with carving, probably some local tradition." He would say dismissively to Dorian at him pointing out the smooth rocks. they weren't here to research rocks, they were here for a dreadlord and a dreadlord only. he would continue the march on him personally looking for an alehouse in this godforsaken village.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair was already looking at the symbols when Dorian pointed them out. His entire focus was on them as he tried to make rough copies in his book, but from this distance, he was not sure how exact they were.

He took a brief look at Draven before focusing back on the stone. "I would not be so sure. Rune magic dates back thousands of years. It is even possible that rough predecessors are even older than that. You could be looking at one of the oldest forms of magic in existence."

The history of such magic was as diverse and confusing as the species of fish in the ocean. To say that what Alistair knew was just a drop in the bucket would be an understatement. Still, he had to hold back his curiosity since that was not what he was here for.

The first sights of the village made his brain focus on the assignment. "Might be able to find out some things. They might have a marketplace."

 

[Kalix]

Kalix had walked around with a huge ole smirk on his face after Draven’s silence. Glad that he finally understood his place and that Kalix was the best and the strongest and the tallest. Kalix’s smirk did falter upon the moment the grand scale of rocks was pointed out by the pipsqueak Dorian. His gold eyes looked them over but the young man merely shrugged.

And then he huffed, kicking a rock out of his way with a sturdy boot. Really, he wished that he could be anywhere but here. Walking around, looking at rocks, with less than stellar company. If he didn’t get to bash some heads in soon he might actually try to find a reason to swing at some of his classmates.

“Don’t you think this whole fucking town is going to be suspicious with a big ass group of initiates walks in there? What if they’re the ones that killed Nora Elan?”

 

[Eleanor]

Eleanor had stayed quiet throughout the walk. She did not care for the talk of rocks or runes or much of anything else save for getting off this fucking road. She was cold, her feet hurt, and she was really close to murdering some of her fellow initiates. Why did they feel the need to speak so often?!

The only one who hadn't annoyed her was Kalix - surprisingly. He actually made a good point with his latest musings. What would the town think of all these initiates walking in?

It was a something to think about for sure.

 

[Dorian]

Civilization has to actually take root before it can escape, Dorian thinks amidst his peers' musings.

As he pushes onward against whipping winds, drawing his cloak tight around himself to little avail, he spots a few villagers in the distance. Upon closer inspection, they appear to be modestly garbed, the countenance of each savage (as Lilliana would likely put it) hard and calm. Even as the motley crew approaches, the villagers don't move from their spots and whisper in a native tongue among themselves.

Beyond them is the village, but to call it as such is a generous assessment. Rather, it's a collection of impermanent huts and simple dwellings.

Dorian clears his throat, "Okay, well, I'm going to find whatever leader is here."

Dorian knows there is no use giving orders to these people, despite him possessing most of the important details for their assignment. He just didn't command the respect for it. Fuck it, he thinks, I'll just go at my own speed.

Let the others do as they wished, and just hope to whatever Gods resided in this sad part of the world that nobody causes any problems.

 

[Liliana]

Kalix had a point, but Liliana didn't really give much of a shit.

A dreadlord was missing, or probably dead, but she had never served House Virak and therefor didn't really matter all that much. At least in Liliana's mind. She glanced to her fellows for a moment, looking at Dorian who declared he was going to find whatever rancid peasant ruled here.

"You do that." She said with a smile that could only have fooled a simpleton.

Seconds later she turned away. "I'm going to find someplace warm."

Even a shit heap like this had to have a tavern, or something with a common room.

"Kalix, come with me." Liliana demanded as she stalked away from the rest of the group. She didn't pay much mind to the locals, in fact she all but ignored them completely. Instead she made a break towards one of the larger buildings, if only because she could hear music coming from it.

 

[Alistair Krixus]

Alistair watched all the others split up without any real semblance of a plan and could only sigh. He pulled his cloak tightly around himself, in part to shelter him from the cold, and in part to ensure his armor, weapons, and runes were well covered.

"To start, don't mention that we are dreadlords. Just let them think we are travelers."

He hesitated when it came to deciding where he should go. He could follow Liliana and Kalix, but...why would he voluntarily torture himself with that. It was better to pick someone else. Dorian was quickly moving away to do his own thing, but the logical person inside him was telling him not to let anyone wander off alone.

Alistair looked to Eleanor and Draven, and then shrugged before heading off in the direction Dorian was heading. He was not following him directly, but essentially keeping him close enough that he could keep an eye on him if something happened.

 

[Kalix]

Kalix looked over at Dorian and Alistair walking off but nodded his head the moment Liliana spoke. She was the boss, he’d do what she said. And besides, he wasn’t really interested in trying to whatever Dorian thought he was doing. Like he’d take orders from a twig like him.

“Ella,” Kalix said, nudging his elbow against her arm twice before flicking his head over to Liliana leaving the scene. “C’mon with us unless you’d rather hang out with the nerds.” He then pivoted, easily catching up with the noble woman due to his naturally fast stride and long legs. Whether Eleanor followed or not wasn’t going to be particularly bothersome to Kalix. But what man didn’t like to be with the only two girls in the group? And not just any girls but hot girls?

 

[Eleanor]

Eleanor watched Dorian and Alistair go in one direction while Liliana and Kalix went another. Honestly...she didn't give a shit about this mission so warmth and possibly some alcohol sounded like the better option. She was tired of being cold.

The redhead caught up to her chosen companions in silence and remained so. Bide my time, graduate, get the fuck away from the Dreadlords...that was what she had to repeat to herself on an almost hourly basis. Soon she would be able to collect all of the money Zana had arranged for her and go live with her pseudo parents and siblings. So close yet so far away.

 

[Zana]

The village was so small she had walked the length of it twice without breaking a sweat and had spoken to what seemed like every person in this place. None of it had been helpful, only more confusing. She might not have been an empath like Sierra but she trusted her gut for it had never served her wrong, and her gut was telling her that these people really didn't know the missing Dreadlord.

"This was definitely where she said she would be," Zana muttered and took out the map to look at it. "Yes, yes it is," she sighed and ran her eyes further up along the path. Perhaps her friend just hadn't stopped here. Maybe she had gone higher...

The retired Dreadlord had stopped on the other side of town next to one of the monoliths so she didn't see the children entering the same village. It was whispers that made her turn and glance over her shoulder to see one of the groups heading in her direction.