The Rift Chronicles

[Alistair Smith]

Nather Rift is an impressive specimen. Standing at 6'5" tall and weighing in at 235lbs unarmored. So it is no surprise when he decides to venture out from Thay to go to Sundren and attempt to help The Enclave there. Before his journey he sells all of his possessions except for one set of clothes. He would then be seen buying a basic short sword. He keeps a small pittance of gold for himself the rest he gives to a Red Wizard to aid Thay. Then he ventures out carrying no additional supplies, his thought is that he will have to make it with next to nothing otherwise he is not worthy of helping.

((fast forward through all the travel))

Once passing across the border into Sundren Nather breathes a sigh of relief. He has made it. His next goal is to find a Red Wizard and offer his services. Before leaving Thay Nather was a simple fighter. During his travels he honed some ability with the short sword, but with his size the small weapon is awkward in his hand. He thinks maybe if he can be accepted by the local Enclave he can get a weapon more fitting his size. Finally finding his way to a local Inn((the Second Wind)) he feels lucky since standing there is a Red Wizard. His journey might just be over and his next about ready to begin.

He kneels before the wizard head bowed in respect. He waits for the Red Wizard to speak knowing that it is he that will determine if his mission was a failure or success.

[sonuvalich]

High Arcanist Sandro stood by the fire at the Second Wind, sighing internally over the lack of sales or anything else to break the tedium. Getting ready to pack it in and return to the comforts of the Enclave, his thoughts were interrupted by a voice behind him, thick with the Mulhorandi accent of his homeland.

"High Arcanist."

Turning to the source, he beheld a man kneeling in the dirt, head bowed in respect and reverence. He was simply dressed, and had a worn and inferior sword at his hip. His clothes looked threadbare and worse for wear, but the man seemed to be otherwise respectable.

A brief conversation revealed the man to be Nather Rift, a newly arrived swordsman from Thay. His tale was short and simple: he wanted to serve the Red Wizards and came to Sundren in the hopes of doing just that. Sandro smiled inside his head, thinking that at least his Enclave was not wholly forgotten back home and they still thought to send the occasional drone his way. He had to admit to himself however, that he was impressed with the man for making such a long and dangerous journey with nothing more than a blade and his willingness to do anything to survive. Deciding that if nothing else this would be a good way to distract himself from the persistent drudgery, Sandro welcomed the man to the Enclave and gave him some trinkets from amongst his wares with a few parting words:

"Go, and spread the glory and fear of Thay. If I am pleased with your results, the rewards will be beyond measure; disappoint me and I will recoup my losses a hundred fold from your worthless hide."

[Alistair Smith]

After being instructed to spread the fear of Thay and being informed of the consequences of failure Nather was handed over to a recently arrived Thayan Knight (Kris Blake) to be put through his paces. The High Arcanist gave Nather a few enchantments to aid him and then the Knight and Nather were off. The pair headed to the Sharahan Hills where Kris would tell Nather to go and kill one hundred goblins and if he could manage it the chief himself. An eager smile formed inside Nather's head. "Finally my first test" he thought to himself, "I will not fail." He charged further into the hills. He quickly found a group of goblins and engaged them. The large blade gifted to him fitting nicely in his hands. Then as quickly as it had started the combat was over, but it wasn't enough. Nather's newly found bloodlust was rapidly rising. He wanted, no, needed to slay more, but his was not a wanton last for blood. His was driven by a need to please his masters. He would encounter a few more parties of goblins before reaching their cave. None of them lasting very long. All of them adding to his need for blood. He knew he would not be happy until he killed the Goblin Chief. "The only way to assert the might of Thay is to kill the leader. It is the leader or death." he said to himself, pulling his blade from a cleaved skull. He stepped into the cave taking only a moment to let his eyes adjust to the dim light before proceeding on. He worked his way through the cave killing every goblin he came across. With every kill he would collect the right index finger of the goblin as proof of his kills. He continued on until he came to a locked door of all things. "What the hell?" he cursed. "Since when do goblins use door with locks. Knowing he had no chance of picking the lock Nather did the only thing he could...he hacked to door into tiny splinters for he was not leaving this cave a failure. He would not go back to his Thayan Masters a failure. Not while he still breathed. with the door destroyed it was business as usual and for Nather he found business to be good. Goblins came and goblins fell. The magic coursing through him allowing him to continue where normal men would have rested or even fell to enemy weapons. As Nather neared the designated kill number he came to a stone bridge leading to a platform. On it were several goblins and even a human. "Submit to the will of Thay or die painfully." he stated simply. As he had expected those gathered readied their weapons. With a shrug and a smile he said, "The fun way it is then." Raising his blade he charged into battle. Felling his enemies left and right. The chief he saved for last, the killing blow sending the chiefs head rolling. After collecting his trophies he climbed the ladder out of the cave and proceeded back to the encampment. Killing the goblins he could find along the way. Once back at the encampment he headed straight for Kris kneeling and presenting his trophies awaiting what the knight would say and hoping for another task. The Knights praise was brief. His next task to teach a group of necromancers who thought themselves better than the Red Wizards the error of their ways. "It shall be as you command." Nather said barely hiding his smile but the last for spilling blood in the name of Thay evident in his eyes.