Open Chronicles The Passing Night

[Nasir]

Gulf of Liad - Eastern Steppes
Hurrit

It had been nearly two weeks since the odd field had appeared over Hurrit that allowed nothing to pass through it. The small coastal town had been forcibly, and magically isolated.

Nobody had yet succeeded passing through the field, and those that tried ended up in immense pain. Rocks bounced off the odd dome and entire carts had been burnt to cinders as they were pushed through. After a fortnight of people trying to get through nearly everyone had given up. Most were now sulking in taverns, hiding in their homes, doing whatever they could to get right with their gods.

Nasir himself was sitting in a tavern, his clock pulled tight to hide his blackened skin and pointed ears. With the panic running through most residents no one paid him any mind.

"I heard it was magic."

"Magic ain't been round here since the tower fell."

"Ye well those witches got what they deserved."

"Dis is them i tell ya."​

He listened quietly as the men around him spoke, all of them spouting vagaries. The story wasn't an uncommon one here though. Ten years ago Hurrit had been home to the Tower, a place of learning much like Elbion...though much smaller. Unfortunately, Hurrit had never been as tolerant as the city of the College. One Sorcererss had made a misstep, killing a girl in one of her rituals.

The townsfolk took the opportunity and overwhelmed the tower, slaughtering the two dozen or so students and teachers in a single night.

It was a tragic story, and now the residents were blaming the massacre for the field that had isolated Hurrit from the world. Nasir had no idea if it was true, but he intended to find out. The tower, or the ruins of it, sat at the edge of town. Once the sun fully fell he would make his way there, and hopefully find something that would guide him home.

 

[Kalia Oro Khastan]

This was an unfortunate village to be in at this particular moment in time. The impenetrable ward completely surrounded the village in a dome and nobody could get out. Days past while the villagers panicked, doing their best to find a way through but to no avail.
Finally the townspeople gave up and tried to cope with their situation however they could.

Kalia walked around the village along the wall of the ward. He could sense the magic that was the fabric of the spell, but who had cast it? why? and where was the caster now? Or... Could this be the effect of some magical item improperly used? There were many theories running through his head as he made his way back to the village center.
Theories were no good to anyone right now, they faced a crisis. First and foremost was the concern of food, which nobody seemed at all concerned about yet. The village elder and village chief seemed to have stepped down from their duties, nothing was being done and at this rate, the village will die.

This was a siege, essentially. Probably the most effective siege Kalia could possibly think of, in fact, while he was king of Djedi Akhmis he had conducted such a siege on an enemy kingdom. It took many mages to accomplish since the enemy had mages also, but in the end he was able to conserve manpower while those inside the city slowly starved, went mad, killed each other, and in the end were quickly subdued when they dropped the ward.
It's because of this insight that he knew something had to be done and quickly.

He approached the village chief and pulled him to his feet, making him drop the bottle he had been nursing sorrowfully. His voice echoed behind his bronze mask, taking a menacing yet commanding tone, "Village chief, it is imperative that we take charge of this situation immediately. We can have no more of this wasteful drinking and eating."
The man looked up at the towering bronze armored adventurer with bloodshot eyes, "Washat ya Shed! Ya made me drop my bottle... Why try ta do anything, nothing worksh!"
Kalia scoffed and summoned some magic to his hands, they needed to make plans and he couldn't do that with a man so inebriated. Green light emanated from his clenched fists as the held the chief up by the collar and traveled into his body removing the poison from his system. Kalia then found a filled rain berrel and dunked his head into it several times.

Now a bit more sober Kalia set down the comparatively small man on a bench and let him collect his thoughts for a moment.
"We are under siege, Chief. We can figure out how to break the siege if we can increase our time, but in order to do that we must gather up and ration our supplies, take measures to prevent rioting, keep everyone as calm and collected as we can for as long as possible."
The chief was still bloodshot, but his mind was operating under his own power now. He really was a reasonable man when he could think clearly.
"What do you suggest, warrior? This village has no militia, I have no men under my charge to enforce anything. Unless you plan on doing all of this yourself."
Kalia nodded thoughtfully, the mask that served as his face scanned the village and ward around them.
"I was afraid of that, but no matter. Find the men you trust the most above any others, give them this task and have them watch over the village and guard the stockpiled food. If we can hold out till the end of the month then I have no doubt that we will be free from this prison before then."

He actually hoped to have this ward down before this week was out. He just had to cover all his basis. While he suspected the caster is on the outside of the ward, it would be foolish of him to disregard the legendary tower that also reside inside the ward.
For now he walked the streets, perhaps he would try a tavern and see if anyone knew the full legend of that tower, and maybe even see if someone were willing to guide him there.

 

[Nasir]

The mood of the city was slowly turning sour.

He had seen similar behavior during some sieges. Humans were always an outwardly angry folk, incapable of keeping a balance within themselves that would see their species truly thrive. It was rather...pathetic.

There was no dying in grace with these people. There was only panic and chaos, a sense of dread that took control of everything they could hope and dream of. Disgust covered his palette as he moved through the streets, eyes spotting drunks and bandits.

Desperation was growing now.

Food was not yet so thin that people were starving, but rumors had been spoken of low grain supplies and merchants hoarding what they could for themselves.

Soon riots would break out.

Nasir decided that he had to make his move for the ruins of the tower now. If he waited any longer the civilians would burn everything to the ground. He was a foreigner here, and worse; a Drow. They would see him hung from the rafters before anyone else.

The Dark Elf quickened his steps.

 

[Lieutenant Shko]

today was not the day to scout this place for relics. i sit with my companions in a dusty bar quietly drinking in the corner. guests gawk at our beastly forms from time to time. the bar keep was surprised we even had coin on us. my medic and my second in command decided to come on this quest, but the search for relics is now a moot en devour if whatever UN godly forces decide to end us were we stand. my medic is quietly praying in old language to a small praying stone in his palm. my second growls at him, he stops for a moment before continuing. he was always the scarred kitten but i can feel the power the magic this was the reason we came here we figured there must be an artifact here we were wrong and now we are prey.

"i don't like the talk iv been hearing this town may not be to keen to have three big cats that are also mages around, they might think we did this"

my second whispers before taking a sip of ale.

"then i guess we wont let them find out" i give him a smirk and take a drink of the ale.

" roc'kara knock off the praying the gods will protect us if it is our fate to survive, if not we will join them in the ever lasting darkness" i say reassuringly to my medic. i fear that may happen anyways when this all started we went to an isolated part of the dome and tried every spell we had that would dissipate the field not a thing worked and without a master spell book it would never work. only the kings of our lands have such things.

 

[Kalia Oro Khastan]

Kalia had to duck down considerably to enter the tavern, and once inside he had to remain ducked down so his head didn't hit the ceiling. Not the most dignified or impressive entrance, though his size was impressive in itself.
He looked around the room and stalked over to the bar, having to duck lower for a brief moment to avoid the center rafter. He needed to ask the host some questions and see if maybe he could point him in the direction of a guide into the tower.

The lionmen in the corner didn't escape his notice but his mask showed no sign of recognition. He might speak with them if the bartender couldn't help him, such people in these parts could only mean they were adventurers of some kind and may be of help to their current predicament.

He couldn't really sit down at the bar, but he settled for kneeling, which brought him to a more comfortable level with the wide eyed man.
"Good evening. I am the adventurer Kalia Oro Khastan. I'm trying to figure out how to remove the ward that is covering this village and I'm wondering if you can point me in the direction of a guide or someone who is familiar with the old tower on the edge of town."
He spoke loudly enough so that anyone listening could hear him. Friend or foe he wanted people to know that there was a chance to be free and not all was lost, and that knowledge could cause any culprit to make a mistake or tip their hand too early, disrupting their carefully laid plans.