DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
The Damn Forum mkIII
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Heir of the Empire: Prince Lucius d'Janikar
*****************************************************
#Post#: 778--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Heir of the Empire: Prince Lucius d'Janikar vol. I Story
One: Crossover
By: Dungeon Master Date: March 12, 2024, 10:50 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Events of Grand Empress Zeva Reign of the Saint-Story One The
Great Peace preceded this story located here:
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com/grand-empress-of-soreel/empress-story-one-reign-of-the-saint/msg702/#msg702
[center]Heir of the Empire:
Prince Lucius d'Janikar
Chapter One: My dearest Lucius [/center]
Soreel
Marika
Tarish Imperial Capital
Headquarters of the Office of the Black Cloaks
The Man known as Lucius d'Janikar is just over fifty years old,
fifty-two to be exact, but he in no way appears so. No, Lucius
is a Half-Irda. The Valin threw his parents together in a night
of shared passion after many years of courting.
And then his mother left the world of Krynn and traveled to her
Homeworld of Soreel. Seeing the state of the world and the
injustices heaped on the common people, things had only gotten
worse. The Queens lived debaucherous and decadent lives, all
while the people suffered. So it was during her pregnancy that
she conquered Soreel and took the Queen's heads for the people,
and in the years that followed, the star system. Lucius is the
crown prince, the heir to the empire. Everything had been fine
with his fiancé, but work became increasingly more deadly with
each passing year, and his time has become diverted by emerging
factions on the frontiers.
It was not that he did not believe his fiancée when she shared
some of her dread over the last year. There just was not a
viable explanation that was tangible to be able to address. Then
the attack happened. He looks out towards the palace. He had
been torturing a suspected assassin when he was alerted to the
fire. He did not even wash off his bloody hands. He ran up the
stairs and out onto the quad and across the park. A messenger
was running his way from his mother, telling him he needed to
come. Seeing Aravis alive was everything, but the devastation to
the Royal Apartments, their home…
Lucius is at the Intelligence Bureau, hard at work in his
office, when a messenger comes to the door. It is from the
palace. He already knows what the messenger is going to say,
not from any mind-reading special abilities; he has no powers
such as these. He can just read the man’s face. He bids him to
enter. The messenger comes in, bows, and presents a small
package from the Empress herself.
Lucius's shaking hands are muted, and he tries to conceal them.
He takes the package and tells the man to wait outside for a
possible return message.
The man departs briskly as Lucius is left alone with the parcel
in his hands, with his thoughts. Lucius places it on the center
of his desk, on top of the work he was looking at previously. A
list of possible threats to his fiancée in the Empire. The list
was not extensive, but it exists. He puts that out of his mind
and reads what he knows is coming.
He pulls out three scrolls, one is marked to Read First!
He hesitates and almost doesn’t read that one; it is in his
mother’s quickened handwriting. He relents and opens the sealed
scroll from his mother. It reads thusly-
My Son,
Aravis and Karnea have teleported away from the Palace. I
believe they are still on Soreel. Further, I think you’ll find
her at her Estate in Diasen before she leaves Soreel. Do what
you think is right, but you might be able to catch her if you
still want this. You have my leave. Catspaw the Eder is more
than up to the task of covering as your replacement for your
duties, should you need to step away for a time.
Signed, Zeva with her crossed swords seal sealed in blood red
wax beside it.
Lucius drops the scroll on his desk and looks at the other one.
He sits back in his chair and gives a forced exhale to prepare
for what is to come. He eyes the scroll, reaches for the scroll,
breaks the seal of Aravis, and reads:
My dearest Lucius,
By the time you read this, I will be gone from here. I think you
already knew, in your heart, that I had to go. Somehow, I think
we both knew that this attack was a harbinger of things
changing.
The fact that Mother arrived so soon afterward only reinforces
my belief that this somehow involves home, and Father...and the
only way to find out what is going on is to go to the source.
I know this can’t be easy for you, but at the same time, I feel
like it is necessary. You must admit, things have been stagnant
between us for some time. No, I know that you have been busy
with your duties and that it is important to both you and the
Empress that you learn everything you can, to take your
place…but aren’t I supposed to be a part of that place, as well?
Maybe I am also to blame. Maybe I spend more time than I should
in my studies or working on my projects. Perhaps this time apart
will help us remember why we were together in the first place.
All I really know right now is that this is something I must do,
and the simple fact is that if I had come to you to talk it
over, I’m not sure I would have been able to leave.
Please do not be angry, my love. I promise that I will return to
you when I am able, when this looming threat is resolved. I will
hold you in my heart until that day comes.
Love always,
Aravis
The last scroll is what was left for Empress Zeva, and she
forwarded it with her seal. He opens it, and it reads
Your Imperial Majesty, the Greysword,
Zeva,
I wish that I had been able to face you and tell you that I must
go for a time. Mother has come, as you know, and she tells me
that I am needed at home…but how can that be when this place is
the only true home I have known these many years? You have been
more like a mother to me than anything, and for that, you have
my eternal gratitude.
I will return, someday soon, if you will have me back. For now,
I must return and get to the bottom of this threatening presence
that I have felt about me this past year. Mother seems to know
more than she lets on, but that is certainly nothing new for
her. I can only hope that this is just another of her flashes of
paranoia and that it will all blow over soon.
Thank you again for everything that you have done for me. I
cannot express how welcome you have made me feel in your court
and in your home.
With love,
Aravis
Lucius takes out a piece of parchment from his desk, brushes the
scrolls to the side, and writes on the parchment a letter to his
mother. It is short. He expresses his love and says he will
return. And rolls it up and seals it and calls in the messenger
and passes it to him and bids him to take it to the Empress.
He swiftly departs, and Lucius walks out behind him and walks to
another room, where he tells his mentor, the legendary spymaster
Catspaw, that he is in charge for such time as he returns from
his sabbatical. They shake hands, and Lucius begins to feel
concern that he is moving too slowly; perhaps he has already
missed his window. He grabs from his closet to retrieve his
gear. Just some clothes, money, in the form of precious stones
and silver bars, weapons, and helpful things he has discovered
from across the empire and devised himself and with others over
the years. Hidden blades, blindness powder, and such. His
collection of blades and his sword, the saber. A black blade
with gifts of its own.
He walks back to his desk and opens the secret compartment. He
retrieves his Three Rings.
A Ring of Protection
A Ring of Teleportation
And a Ring of Invisibility
Lucius stands up after he closes his desk. He backs away in his
chair and stands up, and looks around him.
He shuts it all out, all the crime reports, and this mob boss,
and that death master. Catspaw will cover things, go! He dons
his coat and hefts his pack and a couple of bags. And it is
then that the Heir of the Empire, Prince Lucius d'Janikar,
teleports to Karnea’s Estate in Diasen, Unari.
#Post#: 781--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Heir of the Empire: Prince Lucius d'Janikar Chapter Two:
Across the Threshold
By: Dungeon Master Date: March 12, 2024, 11:01 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Heir of the Empire
Prince Lucius d'Janikar
Chapter Two: Across the Threshold [/center]
Eastern Soreel
Unari Island Chain
Diasen Province
Karnea’s Diasen Estate
Karnea’s small holdings in the Daisen Province are located on
the second largest island in the Unari Island chain. It is
situated on approximately 25 square miles of land along the Tama
River. It is fertile land with several farms worked by tenant
farmers, and several cherry groves also tended by tenants. The
primary use of these cherries is in the making of wine, although
a fair proportion of them are exported as whole fruit as well.
The town of Daisen is on the river, below the imposing
seven-story structure that is the Daimyo’s residence. Daisen
town has approximately 2500 inhabitants, many of whom are
involved in the harvesting of cherries and the making of wine.
There is a river dock in town for shipping goods downriver to
Heiji, the regional capital, and seaport at the mouth of the
Tama. Lucius’s mother ceded this land to Master Karnea back in
In 21 ST, to give Aravis, family legitimacy in the eyes of the
great families of Marika.
Lucius arrives to find a portal left open and no one about. He
finds where Karnea and Aravis were standing for a while, by
looking at the grass, he follows their steps that lead into the
portal. He knows in his heart he must follow; There is no
question, he stops only for a moment to take in the air of
Soreel for what could turn out to be the last time for a while.
He looks ahead and walks through the portal.
Krynn
Eastern Ansalon
Port City of Flotsam
When Lucius reaches the other side of the portal, he comes out
into an unfurnished house containing another Portal that leads
to Sigil. He will assume a Human guise and hide his Irdian form.
He finds himself in a Port City in the early evening, he can
smell the sea air from where he is standing. There is no Tower
here. he is disorientated, with no clear path to follow. He is
on Krynn, but where? Another factor is in effect that he was not
expecting. He feels a pull somewhere. He looks into the sky and
sees a large white moon dominating the sky. it is full and is on
its way to reaching its apex. There is a red moon that is
waxing. The white moon has a quantifiable effect on him. It is
leading him north to the Island of his people.
He does not know how he knows that, but it just came to him. He
is afraid of what is affecting him uncontrollably. Does this
happen to every Irda, at the High Sanction of this white moon
they are called home? Is that what is happening to me? Will that
take me to him? A feeling wells up inside. Instant fear. Fear
that what if he is a complete letdown, what if he is not proud
of me? What if we do not meet? My mother left and never came
back, what am I doing here? My Fiancée left me, but here I am
chasing her, leaving my Mother all alone with an Empire of
enemies. This moon thing confuses him. Is that what I am
supposed to do? this sign that I find right as I come to
Krynn... is that it. Am I supposed to do this? Am I supposed to
find him? He finds some reason to guide him.
This will not last long, he will no more than find a ship to
take out to sea and the the call will be over, and I will be
lost at sea. I must plan for the next coming of this moon. I
need information. He locates a reputable-looking Inn called the
Rookery and enters. The Proprietor is a silver-haired older
woman dressed in Black. He looks around and feels the
atmosphere. She is a wizard. He sits down and engages her in
conversation, teasing out of her, her connection to Master
Karnea. He allows himself to entice her enough that she will
reach out to Karnea to inquire if she knows this handsome
stranger from Soreel. Lucius takes a room, but before he
retires, he tries to gain some more information from Vorena. The
white moon? Solinari is the answer. He asks about its monthly
cycle, and she answers thirty-six Days. He asks if he is close
to the Wizard Tower of Karnea. The answer is it’s a three-week
trip by ship.
Voreana has a shipping arrangement with the Island where the
Tower is located, Vorena tells him she will take him over when
she hears back from Master Karnea. He sets him up with a room
and fixes him a meal for dinner after she sends a message to the
Blood Sea to Tower for the Master of the Tower.
Lucius accepts this may be the only way he can get to the
Island, even if he may face Master Karnea. Will she even come,
will she only come to tell me to go back? I must impress on her
his right to converse with Aravis and that she should not try to
keep them apart, at least he hopes it would get that far.
Surely, she will not turn him away. He eats his meal, all the
while feeling the tug of the moon towards his father. He decides
he will seek him out after he talks to Aravis. He heads up to
his room and does the normal things to secure the door and check
for any peepholes that could be used for assassination.
Satisfied he has looked everywhere for anything amiss; he
finally lays down and gets some sleep.
#Post#: 824--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Heir of the Empire Prince Lucius d'Janikar Chapter Thre
e: Reunited, only to be....
By: Dungeon Master Date: April 11, 2024, 9:03 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Heir of the Empire
Lucius d'Janikar
Chapter Three: Reunited, only to be.... [/center]
Lucius was not considering it would take so long to receive an
answer from Mistress Karnea. Lady Vorena assures him she sent
the message, but it will take some time to arrive.
He starts to leave the inn and she Vorena warns him that
“Flotsam is not for the faint hearted. It is a rough and tumble
place. They find out who you are, and you could find yourself a
hostage and worse.”
Lucius did not discount her warning, something about the place
on the way over from the House with the portal told him this was
not the safest of places. Still, nobody knows who Lucius is
beside this woman. He asks, “You are going to keep that
information to yourself I hope.”
Vorena assures him she will but bids you to take her warning all
the same.
And so, Lucius leaves the inn the walks around the local area of
the city. Lucius takes in his surroundings and decides what he
thinks of the place, it is a step away from squalor despite the
laughable beautification efforts he sees going on. It depresses
him. Vorena called this place Flotsam, I can see why. Still
there are a lot of people about, he sees several cases of
vagrancy and possible criminal activity.
He decides to walk the other way towards the docks. He looks up,
Solinari will be full tonight in the sky, the pull will be even
stronger tonight. He wonders if he will be able to sustain its
pull. Lucius takes in the docks and the activity, but the smell
starts to get him, he walks to a far dock and gets some sea air.
He keeps awareness of his surroundings as well. Dark clouds and
lighting in the distance makes Lucius start to walk back to the
inn. He admits his position is precarious and decides to rejoin
the Vorena, who has made some breakfast for him.
Midafternoon comes and with it a great daytime storm. A man
comes in, Vorena has seen him before, he works for the Mayor’s
office. She goes over to him and explains Master Karnea has not
been today. He orders lunch and a drink and tells her “He can
wait.”
It is not much later that Karnea arrives under a traveling cloak
from the basement, she is a bit drenched and windswept.
Karnea comes and reads a scroll from the man that came in.
Vorena explains about the mayor being immortal and something
about demons or devils, Lucius did not catch which. Lucius
thanks Vorena for looking out for him, and Karnea does the same
and thanks Vorena and Karnea and Lucius go to the basement and
stand on the teleportation circle. And they teleport to the
Island. The Rain is nearly sideways, and lightning and thunder
greet their arrival. Lucius is taken to the Inn of the Three
Moons. He is given a room and food is served up for him. Karnea
leaves with saying Aravis will join him soon.
Note: This is a companion piece with Karnea II Chapter Seventeen
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com/karnea-master-of-the-black-robe/karnea-master-of-the-black-robe-34/msg823/#msg823
Hours later,
Lucius looks out the window and notes that the storm has let up
a bit. He sits back in his booth, sated from a very fine meal,
and two drinks later, Aravis comes in with a woman that stands
by the door. If Lucius didn’t know any better, she would suspect
she was a monk of some kind. Karnea’s doing.
Aravis slides into the booth and asks for some wine. Aravis
looks at Lucius. She can hardly believe he is here. It seems so
wrong. The White moon pokes through the clouds, it is rising. It
will reach High Sanction soon. The feeling returns. What a
moment for it to return, he thinks, then he looks into Aravis’s
blue eyes.
Lucius begins “I’m sorry”
Aravis shakes her head slightly “No, I could not face you when I
left.”
“I just want to hear you say you are coming back.” Lucius asks.
She had been looking away, but she looks directly into his eyes
and says “I’m coming back. If that’s what you want?”
“It is, I do.” He stumbles his words.
“But I am here now. And I have very important reasons for being
here. Just like your work is important to you, this is important
to me. But you have things you can do here, too. Try to find
your father. I’m sure that both you and he would benefit from
that meeting. We can see where we are when you’ve returned, but
for right now you have to let me work this out.”
He looks at her. They both know what each other is thinking of
the last time Aravis was taken off to the Gray. The lengths he
went through to see her returned to life; he did not know he had
that within him. He has grown much since then, but he knows they
are Aravis words every bit as much as they are Karnea’s. It is
clear she was not overly pleased to see him here. He’s
practically in the doghouse.
Aravis watches him as he thinks about all this. She tells him
“In the future, somebody very competent needs to be trained up
and take over your job and allow you to step away and be with
me. You can keep an eye on things, and I can do what I do, but I
need you around if this is going to work. You have to decide if
you want to be married to me or married to your work.” She takes
a sip of her drink and penetrates him with a gaze that reminds
him of her parentage. “And I will be no one’s second choice,”
she says with an edge to her voice.
Every bit of Lucius rebels underneath, he is maintaining control
of the system kept and it keeps him sane and has made him feel
safe knowing he was keeping everything held together in his
hands. Now, somebody else doing that? Other than Catspaw the
Elder? I mean there is the Lesser, but that’s just it, she’s the
Lesser. Catspaw the Elder’s daughter Ariana was better known as
Catspaw the Lesser. She’s still in the business, she’s capable.
They were “safe” until the attack and the subsequent fire. He
still doesn’t know how Aravis survived it. The guards said they
were sure she was going to die in the fire.
“Alright. I will…” Lucius pushes out.
“Twelve months.” Aravis says firmly.
“Twelve?
“That’s right, Twelve.” Aravis reinforces.
“Alright. That’s… fair.” Lucius manages to get out, coming to
peace with the concept.
“I know, I’m trying to be.” Aravis answers.
#Post#: 832--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Heir of the Empire: Prince Lucius d'Janikar Chapter Fou
r: Ripped Apart
By: Dungeon Master Date: April 21, 2024, 1:19 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Heir of the Empire Lucius d'Janikar
Story One
Chapter Four: Ripped Apart[/center]
Blood Sea Isle
Lucius has traveled the island and explored, trying to get his
bearings as he acclimates to this small area to roam around. The
people here are mostly tradesmen or fishermen. His stay at the
Three Moons has been without any incident. The Food has been
edible and, in some cases, very good, and he has not felt
threatened by the populace of Twenty or more people that have
taken up residence in the town at the port.
On her second visit down, Aravis brought Lucius the book she has
been reading and the book her mother bought when she returned to
Krynn about the Age of Mortals though she was not finished with
it, she wanted to give him something to inform him of the world
and this time period. He thanked her and has been devouring the
book for its information. He learns about the different regions,
races, and cultures of the time when the gods were separated
from the people and how the people strived to live with the loss
of the gods.
Aravis does not come down for breakfast or lunch, he hopes that
means she will join him for dinner.
A week after Karnea left to travel to the Ethereal Plane there
was another terrible storm that swept across the Blood Sea and
over the Island. The island had the first clear night in days.
Aravis walks into the Inn with the dark elf bodyguard.
Over dinner, Aravis and Lucius discuss different aspects of
Krynnish life and the gods of Krynn and if the Dragon Overlords
are still a thing to be concerned about.? Aravis allays his
fears about giant monstrous-sized alien Dragons being an issue
anymore, nearly all of the Dragonlords are dead now and if they
are not, they are far away from here. Malays died in a battle
that ended in victory for the Dark Queen Takhisis before she was
undone.
Lucius and Aravis walk along the shore of the Island’s west
side. Lots of different things have washed ashore, barrels,
parts of a ship, parcels, and other refuse. Some seals and
walruses, along with ocean-going fowl have begun using the parts
of the shoreline for refuge and sun themselves upon the rocks
and sand this evening Lucius and Aravis, and the bodyguard. They
near what looks to be bodies along this section of shore that
have washed onto shore. Aravis calls for Lucius to stay away
from them, but Lucius says one of them is still alive. He kneels
and turns her over. She is scantily clothed and nearly wearing
nothing. She is strikingly beautiful, with light green hair and
a yellowish skin tone, her eyes take hold of him, and he
realizes too late what she is.
He hears Aravis and the bodyguard coming up to him and he turns
to stop them, sits up, and pulls him back around and she kisses
him deeply. He is stunned, he can’t turn away from this
creature. Aravis stops and tries to reconcile what she is
seeing, this girl is kissing Lucius, he has some spell upon him.
The woman from the sea brushes his hair from his eyes and
sweetly sings to him “And to all that is around and anyone that
can hear me will to come to as I sing and then come with me back
to the sea and just be with me for forevermore.”
The Sirine takes Lucius by the hand and takes him into the water
and sees if Aravis follows, Aravis gets the feeling she is
waiting for her Aravis is who she wants, but Aravis and Talron
the bodyguard find themselves unaffected and advance at the
Sirine, but she dips under the waves, she then disappears into
the watery dark, leaving Aravis stunned into silence.
Her mind races what she can do. She wants more than anything to
follow, but she remembers her father's words, do not leave this
island, you are safer in the Tower. She feels like her heart has
been ripped from her, but she is too shocked to notice. Talron
is talking to her, telling her they have to return to the Tower,
but Aravis is looking at where he was taken under, wondering if
she can find the spot again if she leaves from this spot. She
takes in landmarks she could use to help in that regard.
Aravis looks at Tarlon and tells him "Take me back to the
Tower."
Aravis's story will continue in her own Story coming soon and
continue to follow here to see what comes of Prince Lucius
#Post#: 845--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Heir of the Empire: Prince Lucius d'Janikar Chapter Fiv
e: The Deep Dark
By: Dungeon Master Date: July 1, 2024, 1:23 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Heir of the Empire: Lucius d'Janikar
Story One
Chapter Five: The Deep Dark[/center]
Lucius knows this is wrong. The deeper they go, he has trouble
clearing his ears, he kicks away from the woman’s hand and swims
upwards, he tries to clear his ears, releasing the pressure as
it is getting too much, but now he feels relief.
This is alien to him, he is eager to do the bidding of this
fanciful creature of myth. She is stunningly sexy and deeply
alluring, and yet, he knows this is wrong. He can’t pull himself
from her sway, he should be dead or drowned, he can’t breathe
the air from the water, and yet, he is breathing fine. What
magic is this?
Lucius looks upward one more time, the sirine takes his hand and
they descend into the inky blackness of night. Unfortunately,
his mental capacity has been diminished from the sirine’s song.
He is finding it hard to reason.
He clears his ears continually as they continue to drop in depth
to a dormant volcanic tunnel complex created when the great
asteroid destroyed Istar during the Cataclysm. They swim some
ways until they come into a strangely lit underwater cove and
surface.
Here, trinkets from the past have been scavenged from the bottom
of the Blood Sea and brought here, either by trade or
scavenging, and put into piles on the Cove floor. The Sirine
tells Lucius to lie down and rest while thinking about what to
do. She is in huge trouble for not attaining the girl. That she
got the girl’s mate may be the only thing that saves her life.
Meanwhile, Lucius tries to remember how he got down here and
wonders where he was before all of this. his noetic facilities
are dulled, and he can not calculate in his current state they
are hundreds of feet below the sea, he would never be able to
swim to the surface even if he could get away.
#Post#: 899--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Heir of the Empire: Prince Lucius d'Janikar Chapter Six:
Rescue
By: Dungeon Master Date: July 19, 2024, 12:14 am
---------------------------------------------------------
TV-MA Rated R for suggestive themes and actions
[center]Heir of the Empire: Lucius d'Janikar
Story One
Chapter Six: Rescue[/center]
Eastern Ansalon
Under the Blood Sea of Istar
Lucius is in a relaxed state. His sleep has been the only place
he can dream and try to get back what has been stolen from
himself, but alas, his mind is invaded, who? It is Aravis, how
is she here, how have I remembered her…. How could you ever
forget her…..Lucius takes her into his arms and pulls her to
him. Their bodies come together, and he opens his eyes -not
Aravis?
The sirine sings and locks onto him. He looks up at her, he is
rejecting her somehow. He burns with rage. Out of nowhere, he
shoves her off from him and across the cave. They look at each
other for a moment. They look as if they might fight, and he
dives into the ocean and tries to get away and the Sirine dives
in and goes after him.
When the Sirine gets outside of the cave, the prince is gone.
Nowhere to be seen. She swims around in a panic; she looks all
around trying to find her charge. She is terrified now at what
this means. She looks around and fears her life coming to an
end.
Lucius hides from his captor. He can still breathe, At least he
has that going for him. He is afraid to wait out his captor as
he does not know how long he will be able to breathe air from
the Ocean.
His mind is still locked away from him, but he can access flight
or fright basic instincts. He wrestles with who he is and what
he could be doing in these circumstances.
He finds himself startled awake, somehow, he had fallen asleep
through the night. He can barely tell that it is day now. He
swims a short way before he is intercepted by blue-skinned
humanoids, they are being propelled by several Dolphins that are
with these mermen.
Lucius is taken in a net and taken to the Undersea City of
Istar, and in short order, the Sea Elves as Lucius now knows
what they have returned his mental faculties to their original
state with no lasting effects expected. He is treated as a
guest, though as it is explained to him, Sea Elves generally
have a distaste for most earth dwellers. He is soon to be taken
to the surface, but Lucius has a question to ask. So, he is
brought before the Council of Elders and the Steward for Lucius
to ask his question. Lucius asks if they know the way to the
Irdan home that calls with the passing of the White Moon. The
Elders discuss this among themselves and with the Steward, and
Lucius can’t help but notice her stunning regal beauty.
The answer comes back that his best chance is to sail off the
tip of Nordmaar and travel north, wait for the Full White Moon,
and depart on a smaller boat and the way will be clear to him.
Lucius stores this information away. He thanks the court and the
steward for their assistance in saving him and setting him
right. Some volunteers come forward to take the visitor to the
surface, and Apoletta decides on six of the volunteers. She
charges them with taking him to the surface and wait for
payment, you will give them this tabulation and then return with
the payment.
They set out to the surface; Lucius has been given an herb that
is grown in the Undersea City to allow him this underwater
breath without the influence of the Sirine.
They soon return to the Surface of the Isaland and Lucius is
sucking down oxygen again, standing in the brightness of the
day. He does not know what day it is or how long he has been in
her clutches. Lucius is seen by several people who know that he
is missing and comes to see if he is okay. They get Lucius to
the Three Moon Inn and a message is sent up to the Tower.
Lucius sets down to some of the best food he has ever tasted.
[center]This story continues in Aravis Story One Chapter Five:
Returned
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com/422-ac-aravis-daughter-of-the-black-moon-story-one/422ac-aravis-daughter-of-the-black-moon/msg909/#msg909<br
/>[/center]
#Post#: 1084--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Heir of the Empire: Prince Lucius d'Janikar Chapter Sev
en: On the Blood Sea of Istar
By: Dungeon Master Date: April 8, 2025, 8:47 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
See 423 AC Aravis Daughter of the Black Moon Chapter Six: Making
Plans and Setting Sail before continuing with this story.
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com/422-ac-aravis-daughter-of-the-black-moon-story-one/422ac-aravis-daughter-of-the-black-moon/msg1064/#msg1064<br
/>
[center]Heir of the Empire: Lucius d'Janikar
Story One
Chapter Seven: On the Blood Sea of Istar[/center]
Eastern Ansalon
On the Blood Sea of Istar
Aboard Progress
Over the next few days, Lucius met a majority of the crew, and
through talking with the crew and having dinner with the
captain, he learned that once a great storm had lasted from the
time of the Cataclysm until the Chaos War. The great maelstrom
of the Blood Sea of Istar was the one thing keeping the
minotaurs at bay. Now, there will be no stopping them, for they
command the seas. He learns of the Islands off to the east, an
extensive archipelago of hundreds of islands. All very
interesting points, he will have to relate to Aravis. He gets
the idea that they are respected and a healthy fear among the
crew and the Captain. He gets the lowdown on what to expect if
they are targeted by minotaurs or pirates. They are going to try
to outrun the ships until we can’t get away, then we will have
to fight to a man.
The Progress
One of Karnea’s five ships of her small shipping fleet. The
Venture, The Vanguard, The Capital, The Brightdawn, and the
Progress
Captain Aldo Wilks
First Mate Mr. Saul Pike
Kerns
Mr. Kennington
Driver -Sailing Master Mr. Hyde
Ship Surgeon Vernon Sharp
Quartermaster Samual Peel
Ship Cook Mr. Glen
Bos’n Mr. Lynch
Sailors
Pol
Max
Abe
Carl
Cliffton
Lenard
Yancy
Lookouts
Caleb
Passengers
Lucius
Talron
Lucius and Talron have been invited to the captain’s mess for
their meals with Captain Wilks. Also in attendance is the ship’s
surgeon. After mealtime, they go over the maps and how to chart
their course, and asks for the weather report from the First
Mate. Lucius reflects on how little experience he has with
sea-going vessels and determines he should educate himself by
asking some questions. Lucius asks the captain a number of
questions about charting their course. The captain takes him
outside and has him study the stars. The captain tells him what
he is looking for. The captain teaches him the first steps of
navigating by the stars.
The next day, he pairs Lucius up with his first mate, Saul Pike,
to shadow and be prepared to get an education. First mate Pike
is a no-nonsense character, a bit short, and a bit of an
overcompensating attitude. He’s over forty, but not by much.
Pike explains from bow to Stern why everything happens. He
explains the sails and the need to always be cleaning or
scrubbing the ship, to cut down on the chance of spreading
disease. Within the week, Lucius was passed to different sailors
to gain knowledge and insight, and to answer his questions the
best they could. He has gained a new respect for the naval
services back home.
This morning, it was rainy, with darker clouds in the west. The
Blood Sea becomes a bit more violent, and Lucius slips and is
caught by a couple of crew members, stopping him from going
overboard. Lucius is told to return to his cabin while the storm
comes in. His stomach turns. He has survived this whole trip
without getting sick. He manages to make it to the trash bin in
time.
#Post#: 1253--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Heir of the Empire: Prince Lucius d'Janikar vol. I Chapte
r Eight: Survivor Part One
By: Dungeon Master Date: August 29, 2025, 4:38 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Heir of the Empire
Lucius d'Janikar
Vol. I
Story One: Crossover
Chapter Eight: Survivor
Part One [/center]
Eastern Ansalon
On the Blood Sea of Istar
Aboard the Progress
Ships are bearing on the Progress’s Starboard flank, and a storm
is threatening to cut them off from us. For most of the day it
is like this. Another ship appears on the horizon, it bears its
colors, and Lucius finds out they say they are an ally* to
Karnea and her ships. The Ship cuts off the Marauders that have
been chasing them, and a short naval skirmish is carried out as
the Alley ship has just thrown a fireball onto one of the
Marauder ships, and a great watery hand smashes the main mast of
the other Marauder ship. The storm moves past them, and the ally
sets off for the Tower of Blood Sea while the Progress moves on.
A couple of days later, they come across a shipwrecked survivor.
Lucius is wary of anything that comes out of the ocean due to
recent experiences, but he is completely surprised when he just
knows this young woman is one of his kind. She can see it as
well. They remain quiet about their recent discoveries and
prepare themselves for what they might say to one another when
allowed to speak alone.
The Captain comes and speaks to Lucius and tells him she is the
survivor of a small shipwreck. “She says she is heading north,
and she would like to speak with you.” Lucius asks the captain
if she said why she wants to talk to me?
The Captain answers, “She thinks you are headed to the same
place she is going.”
Lucius thinks to himself, she is probably right. He is
especially concerned because he has been warned that his kind
reproductive cycle can happen anytime, under literally any
circumstances. He tells the captain, “Okay, I will see her.
Bring her to my cabin, just give me a moment...
[center]End
Part One[/center]
*The Ally was Darius Desaad, aboard the Explorer. As seen in
Darius Desaad Black Robe of Nuitari Chapter Ten: Intervention
Darius will be seen in Chapter Three of Karnea vol. I Story
Three: Power Moves
#Post#: 1280--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Heir of the Empire: Prince Lucius d'Janikar vol. I Story
One: Crossover Chapter Eight: Survivor Part Two
By: Dungeon Master Date: December 13, 2025, 2:56 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Heir of the Empire
Lucius d'Janikar
Vol. I
Story One: Crossover
Chapter Eight: Survivor
Part Two [/center]
On the Blood Sea aboard the Progress, nearing Nordmaar.
The cabin door opens, and Lucius hears the guest step inside his
cabin. Different footfalls than he expected, he expected a
woman, but it would seem a male had shown up in her place.
Lucius hazards a glance; it is a man, but for his yellow eyes,
Lucius would have calked him to another one of the crew, but
this is the Irda that is on board. She has changed her sex and
appearance to calm my fears. Perhaps it is as much for her as it
is for him.
Lucius had intended to leave his back to this stranger lest he
fall into his people’s mating too easily, but this alters
matters. Lucius turns to see a normal human male, but for the
aforementioned yellow eyes staring back at him, until they lower
their eyes in a nod of respect. The stranger asks him, “Are you
traveling to the Isle, or returning?”
Lucius considers, “I am traveling there for the first time.”
The stranger tilts their head slightly, “I return to the Isle,
get others to return with me. The one who leads us has been
captured by highly magical ogre abominations. They plan to use
his essence in their evil cocktail of power.
This is nowhere close to where he thought this was going to go.
He is afraid to ask, but he does anyway. “Who is this one that
leads you?”
The stranger again tilts their head slightly. The question… why
should this founding care… “His name is Rotas.”
Of all the twists of fate, how did this come to pass now? Lucius
is stunned. He thinks through the sets of circumstances that
brought them to this day. The odds are inconceivable… “Listen, I
am bound to my intended. I appreciate the steps you took to
alleviate my discomfort. I am Lucius d'Janikar, I was born on
another world, I am the heir to my human mother’s empire, but I
was conceived here on Krynn,”
The stranger asks who his male parent was.
Lucious answers, “His name was Rotas, and if what you are
telling me is true, it looks like I am going to have to try to
save him. I owe him that much.”
*****************************************************