Shades of Gray in a World of Red

[BedlamX]

Slave. He had been thought of as such by almost all of the Red Wizards he had ever seen or conversed with.

Slaver. He had been thought of as such by all who had seen or conversed with him that were not Thayan.

Ursus has constantly dealt with the conundrum of being in the employ of the Thayan enclave. He has dealt with everyone looking down on him for one reason or another his entire adult life...ever since his vengeance upon his treacherous mother and her pathetic excuse for a lover was made possible by the Red Wizards.

No family. No kin. nothing except his honor oath to repay the Thayans for their assistance with his revenge. Honor is all Ursus has left to keep hold of.

He now sits in the tavern with a mug of ale. Alone in a crowded room. He mumbles to himself as the ale begins to numb his mind.

"I have spent my adult life in the service of vengeance and honor. I have suffered the insults and hatred of those who do not even know me...those who only see the color of my armor. I have been called slaver, though I neither own, sell, nor gather slaves. I have had my honor insulted to the point of barely containing my rage. Yet, it is that same honor that holds my blades in check, as striking out would only serve to give the cretins proof that I am the monster they believe. And it would bring problems for the enclave which I am honor bound to protect."

He takes another long drink and calls for another round.

"I have been ordered to aid those who would defend this land against the horrors of beast or man. I have done this to the best of my ability...so long as it does not adversely affect the enclave. No matter the reasons for such orders are less than honorable. Following said orders brings honor and aids the inhabitants of this valley. And what do I get for such service? Thanks? No. I recieve veiled threats and overt hatred simply for who my employer is.

"Were I the monster they all are so happy to believe me, I would simply watch them all perish before slaying the attackers to avenge their deaths. That would still follow the letter of my orders and rid me of a few who see me only as an evil in black and red armor."

Takes a drink from the fresh mug and smiles slightly.

"Evil. Good. Who decides where one ends and the other begins? The self righteous fools strutting around claiming all who believe differently from them are evil? The sanctimonious bastards running around stating their god can whip any other god's arse any day of the week? Or the poor peasant stealing food to feed his family? The endentured servant that scrimps by on table scraps and is beaten for doing a task wrong? The slave that is treated exactly the same?

"Life is not black and white. It is made up of shades of gray and vibrant colors. I have been told I have no morals. From a man how has never even taken the time to speak with me. I have been called a fool and evil by another who has barely even spoken a word to me. To judge a man by your perceptions of what he believes. Another form of evil? Who is to say? To allow a so-called undead abomination to walk freely with no such prejudices while a living, breathing man is harrassed and belittled without the same courtesy? Most definitely some form of evil, I would say."

Ursus snaps out of his self pity party and looks around. No one in the tavern has even paid him one iota of attention. He nods, happy, for once, that no one really wants to get close to a Thayan Knight. His thoughts were not meant for others. He looks into the half empty mug and downs the rest.

The drink. Blame it on the drink.

He stands and makes his way for the door and then to the barracks. As usual, they way is parted so no one has to get too close to the knight in black and red. Outside, the moonlight has cast an eerily dim light on the world. Ursus smiles as he heads back to the enclave.

"The night is illuminated in shades of gray..."

[BedlamX]

Ursus walks into the tavern in Sestra after a check on the mines. He sits his helm on the counter and orders his usual ale. He sits drinking, pondering the events of this eve with a scowl. The miners sit around him after a hard day's work. They do not judge the man that has protected them from lizards coming from the depths. They do not judge the man who has drank with them so often. Many fear him. All respect him. They do not see an evil before them. They see a guard. A protector. A Knight. A few of the men even speak with him on occasion. It is nothing more than idle chit chat. Probably to prove to their comrades they have the guts to speak to the pale-eyed warrior in black. Ursus could not care less. It is nice to be spoken to instead of at. No matter the reason.

He orders another and a round for the house.

"You're good men. You do a fine job. To you and to honor." He raises his mug to the room as they try to figure out what to do. One brave soul finally breaks the silence and calls out "Honor" as he raises his mug. The rest follow suit as it seems to please the armored man.

He drinks and mumbles, "Not much else to do with the gold I take from the enemies of this land." He finishes his ale and drops enough coin on the bar to cover all he had already bought as well as another round for the miners. Then he walks back to Aquor. Back to the sparse barracks. Back to his home and dreams of a desert he will probably never see again.

[BedlamX]

The tall man in the black full plate of the Thayan Knights sat at his usual spot at the end of the bar in Sestra. His ale sat before him almost untouched as the bartender kept glancing over at him nervously. He had usually had at least two by now and his lack of drinking and thoughtful expression had the bartender and usual patrons on edge this eve. Every few moments, a gauntleted hand would turn the mug a quarter way around absently as the Knight stared into the contents as if seeking answers at a scrying pool.

Honor, duty, and vengeance, he thought to himself. The three things I have lived my life by since leaving my beloved desert that fateful night.

Another quarter turn of the mug. I have sworn an oath to serve the Red Wizards as a protector and have done so for all my adult life. I made the oath for all three aspects of my being. The oath gave duty to my life in exchange for the means to gain vengeance upon those who had wronged me and my father and I have honored it to the best of my abilities for so long that I know nothing else.

Another quarter turn. But, after all these years, I have given two more oaths. The first has been fulfilled. Mirakus is back in the hands of the Noble Red Blades and Lady Mara.

Another quarter turn. The second is a bit more...complicated.

His hand paused as he reached to make another turn. The mithral-encased fingers tapped lightly at the edge of the mug. The break in routine brought the gaze of the bartender back to the dark-plated knight. His eyes were filled with a look bordering between unease and concern. He did not stare long before going back to his business and cleaning the mugs.

The tapping stopped as the knight gathered his thoughts and made another quarter turn of the mug.

The Harbinger of Wrath and his ex-Warden, Dain. I have given both my oath to aid in the protection of Sundren and its people from the forces that would see either harm. While it was aimed at the coming evils of Myrkullites and vampires, no true distinction was made. Thus, my honor demands I aid against any threat. Hoar's dogma requires me to avenge any who have been wronged ...and so many of this land's people are in need of vengeance that I could not turn down the request for my aid.

Yet another quarter turn. Now, Dain has asked that I submit myself for consideration as his replacement as Warden of Wrath. I can not just decliine this request. I have given my oath to aid in any way I can. But which oath holds more weight? The one to the paladin, or the one to the Enclave?

The knight paused a moment before turning the mug a full half turn, then paused some more. His hand still lightly touching the heavy mug, still full of his ale.

Both oaths were open-ended. Neither have a particular endgame accomplishment that will release me from them. The oath to the Enclave was for selfish reasons. The one to the Harbinger was...something else. Something I cannot explain. Something...right.

The knight paused a long while, lost in thought. He eventually shook his head to snap himself back to the present. His gauntlet-encased hand took the mug and downed the contents before setting it back on the bar with a slight "thud." The sound made almost every patron jump a bit.

If I have to make a choice, I trust in Hoar's guidance. If He judges my abilities better used bringing vengeance for the masses rather than further repaying the Thayans for their aid in my vengeance, so be it.

He smiled to himself as he made his way out of the tavern. Of course, I doubt any of the "good" people of Sundren would be happy with yet another "evil" baby-eating, slaver of a Thayan...ex- or otherwise...being the one they count on for protection.

The black plate-clad warrior stepped out into the night of Sestra. He was again amazed at how the colors muted to grays in the soft glow of moonlight.

Or, perhaps they wouldn't care. He mused as he made his way back to Aquor...alone as usual.

[BedlamX]

Spy?

The dark-clad Knight fumed as he stood his post atop the stairs to the Thayan Enclave. The other knights...and even the lesser-experienced Red Wizards...gave him a wide berth as they came and went. His only movement was as his hands clenched and relaxed on the hilts of his sheathed swords.

The nerve of this...Harbinger...questioning my honor and word. He thought to himself as he glared ominously at each visitor to the enclave.

As a supposed, ex-Knight, I had hoped he would not see the armor and tattoos as making the man that bears them. Obviously I have underestimated his level of hypocracy.

Ursus' grip tightened to the point of making the leather wrapping his swords' handles creak loud enough to startle the mage to his right. The knight simply ignored the nervous mage and his protector. Their thoughts on his current mood meant nothing to him.

I have been treated as a monster since my arrival in this pathetic and cold land. Even those who claim my friendship do not trust me. Most others will not even speak to me unless it is to berate my person, my honor, and my position.

He glares at some fool that stops to ask directions to the Stronghouse, before pointing to the doors and giving the location in a short, gruff fashion. The gnoll on guard duty wimpered slightly.

I give my oath to aid the people of this land. An oath given to an honorable man. Now the oath is nul and void as the man is no longer the same. He is no longer Warden of Wrath. Why defend a people that despise my very being? Hoar's vengeful wrath means nothing to these people. If it does not fill their pockets with gold and treasures, it is a waste of their time.

Wrath

These pathetic people know nothing of wrath. They know nothing of true vengeance. Perhaps it is time to move on. Leave this place. Leave this life I have grown so used to, yet so tired of. Perhaps it is time to make my way back to warmer climes and bring Hoar's poetic justice to those who truely deserve it on behalf of those who truely appreciate it.

Ursus let out a sigh as he relaxed his grip. Those around him didn't know whether to be relieved...or terrified as he looked up at the sky before turning his gaze upon the Red Wizard to his right.

"My shift is ended, Arcanist," he said coldly. "By your leave."

With that, the tall, dark warrior strode down the stairs without waiting for a reply from the mage. His long strides took him across the bridge, through the gates, and along the path to Sestra.

I will have to set up a chat with this Harbinger soon. If I am to leave this land, I will need to know how to break the hold of the Enclave. He will share his secrets.

Or he will face true wrath.

With that last thought, Ursus entered the tavern he had grown so fond of. While several patrons hushed and looked away, many of the regulars, mostly miners from the zinc mines, nodded their silent greeting to the familiar Knight of Thay. His mood lifted as he approached the bar. An ale was waiting for him at his usual seat. The barkeep simply nodded with a faint smile.

As he sat and lifted the mug to his lips, he thought to himself:

Or maybe I have found a home after all.

[BedlamX]

The stairs to the Thayan enclave seem oddly vacant as of late. While the Red Wizards, gnolls, and knights in training are constantly present, the absense of a certain tall and brooding warrior can not be missed. Whispers of reassignment or even desertion abound. No queries about his whereabouts are answered by any member of the enclave. It is as if he has simply vanished.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

The dark Thayan Knight, dressed from head to toe in black plate trimmed in blood red, stood at the end of the bar at the Rusty Tankard. He did not take his usual seat there. Nor did he have his familiar ale tankard before him. Instead, he quietly sipped a cup of tea. It was the same drink he had seen the Red Blade, Mara order on occasion and it felt...right, somehow. His pale eyes rarely roamed from the door.

Many of the miners had begun spending more of their off time here since the Luskans began attacking Sestra. Many had begun bringing their wives and even children to the tavern for fear that they would be picked off alone in their rural homes. At least here, their most visible protector would offer some defense against any who would attempt to harm their families.

Ursus waits. He waits for an assault on his miners. And woe to any who would try on his watch.

Tomorrow, after their shift, a few of the miners will begin basic combat training. Ursus glanced over the gathering as he took another sip of his tea. Most of those present were busy talking with their friends and family. But a few offered a nod and a raise of their mugs and glasses as his gaze passed over them. He returned each salute with a reassuring nod.

No. His charges would not go quietly into the long night. If they are to fall to at the hands of the Luskan bastards, he would make certain they had a fighting chance.

Ursus quickly scribbled a note and handed it to one of the miners. His teenage son was said to be the fastest runner in Sestra and could get in and out of places with little notice. The Knight asked that his son deliver the note to Lady Mara of the Red Blades and return with her answer.

The lad waited for his father to agree, then grabbed the note with a huge smile and headed out towards Mirakus. Ursus nodded his thanks to the family and paid for their meal before taking his post at the end of the bar once more.

As he sipped the tea again, he thought to himself...

A Thayan Knight...sipping tea...watching over those his employers have been accused of exploiting. Not exactly the scenario I had thought to be in after arriving in this cold land.

He took another sip and motioned for another cup. The bartender quickly refilled his tea from a small pot with a smile...a genuine smile.

Ursus sipped at the fresh tea and went back to watching the door. His posture was still that of a guard, but he seemed a bit more...relaxed...than usual. He casually glanced around at the families of the miners he had taken as his charges and allowed the slightest hint of a smile to break his normally stern coutenance.

Family. One day, perhaps....

[BedlamX]

Years have passed since the tall warrior clad in black and red vanished from the lands surrounding Sundren. His absence was barely even noted by the locals for all this time. Perhaps a few of the miners he had spent so long protecting would have missed him, but they, too had vanished...replaced by hollow men with nothing but hatred in their eyes at the armored man with the pale eyes.

His return to Sestra was much less enjoyable than he had thought. The air of blackness among the people was too heavy to ignore. So the knight left for his former home...the barracks of the enclave in Aquor.

His sense of loss at seeing his once-favored place of respite devoid of joy and life was only shadowed by the state of this formerly majestic city. Now covered in snow and cold, the people are as joyless and hungry as those he had seen in too many other places in his travels. Had the Wizards fallen so far that they could not keep up the front of opulence that had always permeated this place? How did they manage to leave all the urchins around in rags, starving in front of would-be customers? Even a lowly knight could see that this is bad for business. A shame things in the valley had fallen so far in such a relatively short time.

He listens to the rumors and gossip around the places of his travels. The high and mighty Triad wiped out nearly to the man. The pompous Hands fighting amongst themselves with one being branded traitors. The Legion barely caring enough to come down from their now-flying city long enough to help the ones they used to so diligently protect form the evils of the land. His once-beloved Sestra now lorded over by the Black Hand and their blood-sucking allies. And the Red Wizards being barely more than common merchants without the air of fear they used to strike in the hearts of men.

So much has changed. Yet here Ursus stands once more at the top of the main stairs to the enclave. Silent and foreboding as he stands watch for trouble in a world he finds much more troubling than any in his travels. His thoughts go back to his past here in the valley and he ponders his place in this new and cold land.

None are worthy of my loyalty or service in this land. The Thayans will not give up their hold on me, yet they have allowed their home to be defiled and shattered. Those I thought had the honor to stand against any foe have been crushed and broken by their enemies.

I no longer have vengeance to meet out. I am honor bound to those with no honor. And all I knew are gone from this world. Where does that leave an old warrior? Am I truly to become the slave I have always been called?

His pale eyes turn towards the sky as he keeps thinking on his current situation and his thoughts address his lord, Hoar.

Am I to become a useless puppet, Lord? Is this the price I pay for extracting your divine vengeance on those who wronged me and my father all those years ago? Is there no longer purpose for one of your faithful?

As the silence is his only answer, the imposing knight lowers his head and turns his pale eyes back to the gate. His expression becomes as blank as that of any statue....

...or a metal-clad puppet with no soul.