A note, a death and a mission

[Bodal]

All was quiet in Britannia. After the recent return to the land of many legendary heroes of old, darkness had been vanquished and peace and light reigned once again. Vast plagues of Vampires and Trolls had been beaten back into their dark caves and laughter and merriment could be heard throughout the streets of Vesper and Minoc once more.

After several recent voyages on the wide ocean, Bodal decided he did not fancy getting his feet wet today - not least as his armour was showing significant signs of rustiness! He wandered the land for a good hunting spot and by sheer chance found himself outside the dark caverns of Destard. Destard, he recalled, was a miserable place which, as his good friend Xanola later reminded him, was certainly no spot for a picnic.

However, Bodal had grown wary of the apparent recent rise of the Ophidian race – even the orcs of Cove had fled in their wake, meaning that the guards and people of the city, young Xanola amongst them, had to be extra vigilant these days. Bodal, supported by his trusty Great Dragon, Larac, decided that he’d show those Ophidians they weren’t so high and mighty. Into Destard he plunged, sending many of the vile creatures to their deaths by steel, fire and fury.

After a short while he encountered a curious sight – another human being. However, this was no ordinary human. It was, as Bodal recognised instantly from his time sea, a pirate. He also knew that pirates, despite all their bravado, we only a threat in numbers, and indeed he easily dispatched the foe with a blow of his mace.
He began to loot the body, hoping to find maybe a bottle of rum which he could later share with his old friend Grandpa Ranar. Instead, he was astonished to find *a salt encrusted bag*. His heart racing, he opened the bag to discover a note and a map...



“The prisoner has escaped!” it read. “We expect him to swim to the location on the enclosed map at around 19.00 GMT on Saturday. Do NOT let him escape again, at any cost.” The map’s location, as Xan subsequently identified, appears to be Trinsic.

It was then that Bodal, possibly distracted by his intriguing discovery, failed to notice an Ophidian Mage and Executioner bearing down upon him and, caught unawares, was dismounted from his steed and slain (I’ll spare you the gory details).

Fortunately, his druidic brother Bodunha heard his cry for help and, with the aid of Xanola, Bodal was returned to the land of the living and transported safely back to Britain where he and his friends were left to ponder the mysterious note and the course of action they should take...

[Thomas Duklain]

Thomas took another look at the sword laying before him and with a sigh straightened his back. The blade had developed large grooves and pits. It's sharpness resembled a toy wooden sword, and the hilt wobbled on the tang. Pondering his next steps he carefully took the battered weapon and, placing it in leather he put it away. Frowning, he headed out to Trinsic. "Damn Adventure's Guild.. Maybe they'll have me hunt down shaboolis.. Like I have any clue where they're holed up."

Having reached Trinsic he headed through the South Gate, but instead of heading through town a commotion to the east stopped him. It was coming from the east, and from the docks he could see a ship anchored off the beach of Barrier Isle. A little jaunt to check it out wouldn't hurt, and the AG would still be there ready to hand out ridiculous quests when he got around. The closer he got to the East Trinsic Bridge the less he heard. The noise of the city was quieted here under the eastern arch and facing Barrier Isle one could almost forget the sprawling mass of stonework behind them. Thomas looked across the calm waters at the island ahead and saw nothing out of the ordinary. There was only the lone dragon ship to the south and a silence greater than normal hanging over the area.

Shaking his head Thomas urged his horse to turn and as the beast took it's first step a mass of leather and iron flooded onto the bridge. Before he could act a horde of pirates surrounded him. Thomas fought them off, wave after wave. The pirates numbers were staggering but they were ill equipped to handle the hardened iron wall they threw themselves against. Explosions rocked the stonework of the bridge as countless marksmen fired into the fray, injuring friend and foe alike. Pirate bodies fell into piles as Thomas continued to push forward as more and more pirates sprang from hiding. The horde swelled and Thomas battled on. Ill equipped as they were, the pirates had numbers and started to overwhelm him. Fortunately, Chelsea showed up. Armed and armored, riding an obsidian steed, she thundered onto the bridge. The ground the pirates had made was lost quickly. Together, Thomas and Chelsea made quick and effective work of the invasion.

With Chelsea's help, Thomas removed the pirate presence from Barrier Isle. However, as he rode his horse through the gruesome aftermath he was bothered. He could find no clues as to what the pirates were doing here. Had they come to invade Trinsic? There were no clues in the dragon boat. Invasion was the simplest conclusion. Cities all over Britainnia were constantly under the threat of invasion. The city itself lent credence to the theory. Barrier Isle was the best launching point for a siege. The pirate rabble that lay strewn about the island were not equipped for a prolonged engagement.

Questions continued to nag him but for now the threat was gone. Thomas made his way to the Adventurer's Guild with Chelsea. Her back dues brought some amusement to an otherwise bleak morning. The amusement was short lived, however, as it normally is when the Guild hands down a quest. Thomas had spent the better part of the morning battling sea faring cut-throats and now the guild was sending him across the ocean. So Thomas left the AG and headed to the bank. If he had to buy a boat, it was going to be a big one.

[Trinsic Citizen]

Curse you! Now they will only bring more to complete their task! And who's stuck with them when they're done? We are!