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       #Post#: 480--------------------------------------------------
       429 AC Rian Half-Elven Rogue Knight of the Skull Book Three 
   DIR By: Dungeon Master
       Date: September 19, 2023, 3:37 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       This Story is a sequel to 429 AC The Knight of the Skull Book
       One: The Mission to Khur
  HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com/neraka/the-skull-knight/msg133/#msg133<br
       />
       And
       429 AC The Rogue Knight of the Skull Book Two: The Death of
       Lydia Ravenheart
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       [center]Rian Half-Elven
       Rogue Knight of the Skull
       Story Three
       Chapter One: Metamorphosis
       [/center]
       
       The Skyfire Mountains
       Valley of Blue Sands
       Inath Wakenti
       A new day of a new life, Lydia has chosen Rian as her new name.
       She would embrace this opportunity and give back as much as
       possible, without giving herself away. It will be difficult. I’m
       not even sure they bought my story. I think they are letting me
       run free to give myself enough rope to hang myself in some plot
       or malfeasance, scouting. No. Just being with her is enough for
       me. They laid me down for a couple of healing sessions. I
       questioned at one point if it would even work on me. But it did.
       I don’t question it anymore. This almost feels like heaven, no,
       what did they call it, from my distant memories, I've drawn a
       blank for what seems like forever until I come to it. Zhan, yes,
       the home of the elves in Chislev’s grand forest. How do I know
       that? Talking with somebody, but who? It was when I was young.
       Hmm.
       I can’t believe I am here. All those times I thought I was dead.
       This last time, if Terrex had his way, I would have been. I wish
       I did not turned him so against me, but it was inevitable. How
       can it not be personal? He was my mount I was his rider. There
       was a certain relationship there. Not so much between him and
       me. That life is behind me. Focus on the here and now. I do
       wonder what's going on out there if the Titans have caught up
       with the Dark Knight Army. Who won? What will the Titans do
       next? Figure a way in? Blast their way in? Are there enough
       Elves to do something about it? They have somehow pulled off
       miracles just in the few past years. There were wildflowers in
       Neraka after the Elves took over the Inath Wakenti. There was
       some Dark Knight involvement in the end. The Dark Knight was not
       treated adversely and was allowed to return to Neraka with a
       stern message. A Message my former Masters did not abide by.
       I do not know what will become of me, but it was better than
       dying by the hand of the undead or by the Burning Sands, or by
       Horsemen, or spiders.
       The art of Treeshaping is such an organic symbiotic
       give-take-share-grow. It’s completely natural, and yet, it's
       extra natural. The windows have different colored stained-glass
       panes in them. It's like I saw that in a storybook or a dream.
       She recalls what she knows about the Silvanesti/ Qualinesti
       similarities
       House Royal – Profession (administrator)
       House Cleric – Profession (scribe)
       House Protector – Profession (soldier)
       House Mystic – Profession (apothecary)
       House Metalline – Profession (merchant)
       House Advocate – Profession (barrister)
       House Mason – Profession (architect)
       House Gardener – Profession (farmer)
       House Woodshaper – Profession (herbalist)
       They have a combined Senate consisting of Silvanesti,
       Qualinesti, and Kagonesti Senators.
       From what I can tell they are thriving. But it looks like almost
       every male and at least female of a certain young adult fighting
       age has been conscripted into a Fighting Force.
       The General I talked to; He is the General of the famed
       Wildrunners. He had an interesting way about him, very precise,
       maybe he had me figured out but I don’t know. They would have to
       be good to play me.  I tried to get everything just perfect
       enough and enough that was not. I tried to give the right
       tonality to sound convincing. Well. I’m staying here. I’m not
       doing anything to get myself in more trouble.
       The wind blows and some leaves begin to drop down an fly away.
       The Autumn Colors are coming.
       Soon,
       Two elven guards come from her and take her before the War
       Council.
       She passes by General after General, the Scarecrow, his wife,
       The Lioness, Speaker Gilthas, Samar, An unknown man wearing a
       brown robe. Every expletive known to her is bound inside a
       cracking crystal sphere of inner turmoil she hides behind a
       strained smile. A Priest, The Walking stick, what could that
       denote, A Druid. He knows Know Lie. This should be interesting.
       Admit to it up front defuse, or get caught in a lie that
       uncovers other lies? I did not try to lie much, just twisting
       things. Here it goes.
       Continued in the Royal Court of Speaker Gilthas Kanan, and
       Hierophant of Chislev.
       #Post#: 488--------------------------------------------------
       429 AC Rian Half-Elven Rogue Knight of the Skull Book Three
       Chapter Two: Coming Clean
   DIR By: Dungeon Master
       Date: September 20, 2023, 2:05 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [center]
       Rian Half-Elven
       Rogue Knight of the Skull
       Story Three
       Chapter Two: Coming Clean
       [/center]
       East Central Ansalon
       The Skyfire Mountains
       Valley of Blue Sands
       Inath Wakenti
       Rian/ Lydia realizes the game is up. She can not go forward
       without going back. She must atone to find any peace. She does
       not deserve heaven. Is a fake, living in a house of cards.
       In the small space of moments, Rian/ Lydia sees two outcomes,
       well, perhaps Five. The first is I go on and they find out later
       and I have broken their faith. Two, I could come clean and they
       immediately kill me. Three, I am made a prisoner a prisoner with
       the possibility of parole, Four, I am put out into the cold,
       thrown out of heaven.
       Five, I can tell the truth down the line and hope that I have
       value enough weighed against my transgressions.
       Option Five it is then. Rian/ Lydia clears her throat and
       directs her next statement to the Druid present.
       “Sir Druid, you can detect truth correct?” Rian/ Lydia asks.
       “I have that power, yes,” Talidaar replies.
       Rian/ Lydia begins “Then I ask you to test my truth now. I
       wanted to come here and begin a new life, but I see that it will
       have no meaning unless I come clean from the start.  Up until a
       few days ago, I was a Knight of the Skull Dragon Rider. I
       commanded a Wing of Five Dragons and Riders.”
       “Hold, Speaker Gilthas says, but he is not talking to Lydia, he
       is talking to his wife, the Queen, also known as the Lioness and
       he is talking to the Scarecrow as well as both had been moving,
       silently, and slowly into position. “We will let her speak, and
       then decide what will be done with her. Continue.”
       Rian/ Lydia thanks the speaker and eyes the Lioness and the
       Scarecrow. Both are at the very top of the Dark Knights kill
       lists in Neraka.
       She continues, “Three Weeks ago I was given orders in Neraka to
       come to Khurri-Khan and act as General Hengriff’s second. To
       become his inquisitor, and help prepare and initiate the
       destruction of the Elves and their final sanctuary.”
       The murmuring gets louder from the assembled Generals and court.
       The speaker calls for silence.
       Rian/ Lydia goes on “It is at that moment I knew I could not
       carry out my orders, but could not tell my superior that for
       fear of my own life. So, from that moment forward I tried to
       find a way to leave the Dark Knighthood. I had men I had to get
       to Khur, but when I could, I would try to do what I could to
       delay, pass information, whatever it was, I had to stop this
       impending attack. I just could not be a part of any plan that
       was going to lead to the death of the Elven People.
       My Dragon unfortunately saw through me and called me out from
       the start. He has undermined me at every turn and it was only a
       matter of time before he tried to call me out for treachery. I
       was cast out of the Order by General Hengriff, and my dragon
       took me into the desert to kill me.  Only, The Ogre Titans and
       their army interrupted my execution. I convinced my Dragon to
       kill me himself but don’t let me die a death by the undead. He
       listened but was struck by some power the Titans can wield. I
       left him to die and made my way here.”
       “That was your Dragon that attacked near the front gate.”  The
       Speaker makes the connection. The Dragon was heard yelling
       Traitor.”
       “Correct, I guess he was not completely done for like I thought.
       More the pity.” Rian/ Lydia replies.
       Speaker Gilthas looks to Talidaar, who just nods his head.
       Speaker Gilthas nods to his guards. They begin moving forward.
       “I think that explains a lot of questions we had. We are going
       to talk things over, meanwhile, the men are going to take you to
       your house. You should consider yourself under house arrest
       until further notice.”
       “I understand great Speaker. Thank you, Sir Druid, for
       confirming my words. Good day.”
       Rian/ Lydia is led out of the Court and taken to her new
       dwelling where she enters, and just sits and waits while looking
       out the pretty multicolored stained-glass panes of her window.
       Well, that went about the best I could hope for. Now I wait for
       judgment.
       DM- This story is being told from three different angles-The
       Hierophant of Chislev, and the Royal Court of Gilthas Kanan.
       #Post#: 536--------------------------------------------------
       429 AC Rian Half-Elven Rogue Knight of the Skull Book Three
       Chapter Three: Honor 
   DIR By: Dungeon Master
       Date: October 3, 2023, 7:39 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [center]Rian Half-Elven
       Rogue Knight of the Skull
       Story Three
       Chapter Three: Honor [/center]
       Inath-Wakenti
       Valley of the Blue Sands
       The mandatory evacuation of the Elves of Inath-Wakenti has
       included their guests and prisoners.
       He hears the thunderstrikes and hesitates going below into the
       Tunnels.
       She has never shrunk from battle before; she is not about to
       start now. She ducks out of line, and when an elf guard tries to
       stop her, he sees her heading to where the priests are.
       He follows behind her.
       She stops when she sees that they are all whispering prayers,
       some at different times, in different intervals. She sees a
       Black Robe Wizard across the way, she knows him by reputation
       only, they have never met.
       He has noticed her, from across the way.
       She is not powerless; she just does not know their plan. But she
       is there to help.  The Guard catches up and asks her to return
       with him.
       Talidaar hears her voice, he considers the situation and steps
       forward and tells the guard she can stay with him.
       He asks her "if she can stand guard over him while he casts
       spells?"
       "It will be a honor." Rian answers
       #Post#: 565--------------------------------------------------
       429 AC Rian Half-Elven Rogue Knight of the Skull Book Three
       Chapter: Lifeline
   DIR By: Dungeon Master
       Date: October 9, 2023, 12:23 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [center]Rian Half-Elven
       Rogue Knight of the Skull
       Story Three
       Chapter Four: Lifeline
       [/center]
       Her eyes flutter open. She tastes the metallic taste of blood in
       her mouth tells her what happened to her was real. She almost
       died. Completely. The Druid I’m told saved me. I’m in shock. I
       can’t believe I’m alive.
       The Black-Robed Wizard known as Dalamar the Dark gave me a
       potion and he was the first thing I saw when I first opened my
       eyes.
       He spoke High Elven to me, I tried to keep up, it was such
       beautiful words, it almost made this hard-edged woman cry. And I
       almost died from a flying tree in a sandstorm, thrown by an
       Ogre-Titan.
       The kill count was sixteen. Several priests, and a few mages.
       People are helping me up, the potion is still kicking in, there
       must have been a painkiller in that that potion because now I
       feel loopy as can be. They are moving her to the tunnels because
       the Dragons are not finished.
       They (The Chromatic Dragons) have brought terror here. They have
       made the day into night. They wreak havoc in the valley. The
       sounds are terrible to hear.
       The night is lifted and the day comes. Dragons! It is the Good
       Dragons! The sun shines down on their shiny scales.
       A battle in the sky ensures between good and evil. The Evil
       Dragons fight, but many of them run, the word must be taken back
       to the Warlord.
       The Good Dragons remain in the air, flying over the Valley.
       There are not very many. I hope that is not it.
       #Post#: 803--------------------------------------------------
       429 AC Rian Half-Elven Rogue Knight of the Skull Book Three
       Chapter Five: Wild Card 
   DIR By: Dungeon Master
       Date: March 18, 2024, 11:12 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [center]Rian Half-Elven
       Rogue Knight of the Skull
       Story Three
       Chapter Five: Wild Card [/center]
       
       Rian is watching the Dragons in the sky when she feels a
       piercing through her back,  a lung collapses,
       Rian hears the word “Traitor!” as a robed figure walks past, it
       looks as though he is going to walk away. She falls to the
       ground, dying, the figure returns and gloats, “you get what you
       deserve. When I kill the speaker, the Elves will be completely
       broken.” He walks away and towards the speaker's tent.
       Rian saw his face, he was an elf, a strange elf, in blue robes.
       She crawls with all of her dying might through the woods. She
       comes out into the field. She has one goal, one goal….one goal,
       reach the Tympanum! Must!
       That elf in Blue was Terex!
       She crawls, she is bleeding out,
       Her inner indomitable Skull Knight self comes back to her,
       Lydia Ravenheart rises inside her and yells, "Would I ever give
       up? Never!"
       Rian forces herself forward, she crawls the last space to make
       it to the White Granite Tympanum (Drum). She turns over and
       almost expires, she lays there…
       Lydia yells at herself to get up.
       Rian turns over and yells with what little breath she has left,
       “Great Speaker, the Blue Robe, Dragon!
       She rolls over, bleeding out.
       Follows in
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       [center]See The Royal Court of the Speaker of the Sun and Stars
       Gilthas Kanan and Lashia Wizardess Windrider for new stories
       coming soon.
       And are these the final actions of the Rogue Skull
       Knight?[/center]
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