The Children of Colibrus

[Saulus]

Vampyres have always been a justifyably feared presence in the realms. Creatures with little traits of their past lives, they live in the undeath only to feed and destroy.

The exceptions of a domesticated vampyre are few and far between, the tales of tragic love between mortal and vampyre are rare but not unheard of. As is the once fabled war between vampire and lycan, but orgnanized groups of each of these sects are rarer even still... enter the legend of Colibrus. An ancient lord born of noble blood and changed into a creature of darkness only through the malignant evil will of the dark god Bane.

A family.... there is much strength in a family but few in said family are tame enough to mingle with the common peoples of the realms. The elder children are a cadre of prohpets, each possessing a power more unique and disturbing than the other... Syran was the first child of Colibrus, one born without remorse or hatred or fear.

The year is 1339, Sundren is but a fledgling state and Syran's madness had only begun to cloud his mind. With few families or heirarchies existing with the sects of vampyres in the realms, Syran was an exception. The family of the Ogenswaald had taken to the vegetarian lifestyle in the lands of Cormyr, praying on animals with the occasional human lurking among their midst. However the wolf within was destined to fall for the lamb as soon the son of the Ogenswaald Clan become enthralled with a daughter of the monarchy. At first their fraterization was only one of social acceptance publically, but as it grew so did the vampyre Harolds desire to have his bride become immortal.

Such things were destined to become a threat to the existence of these creatures, and the Ogenswaalds did not lose the ire of their resident maniac, Syran. These were his hunting grounds, and a skilled predator he is... no tracks, no scent, no trace. He took few and left little remains, content to believe their neighbours had moved to greener pastures, the townspeople of the village neglected the insight to understand their plight. Syran knew of the Ogenswaald Clan and their pathetic desires for a peaceful existence.

It was clear to him, they were weak... and perpetuated a weakness in a race destined for strength. But how could a fitting end be orchestrated? Ah, such was the difficult task at hand.

Despite the pleas of the bride, Harold of Ogenswaald could not kiss his bride of the immortal kiss, and instead took to a life of solitude lest he destroy what he truly loved. Syran's origins mark him as a creature of chaos and deceit, for it was on the night of their anniversary he acted. The bride, sleeping somberly was assaulted. Draped in bounded spiked leathers and a blood red cloak he appeared, quickly entering her chambers.

Her screams fell upon deff ears as they faded into the noise of the abyss, Harolds senses had failed him, and his actions were late in speed. Syran had changed her forever into a creature of the night, and perpetuated his madness into her. No longer a conscious being of understanding, the bride had become an agent of death and chaos, viciously attacking all those who drew near.

Harold, against his heart and judgement destroyed his once meant to be bride in an altercation in the nearby woods only days later...

Burdened by the death of his mortal love, Harold swore vengeance upon Syran and any of his ilk... the few who knew this creature knew Syran only as the Heretic for his defiance against all gods. It took months, nay years before Harold could track Syran down... the trail ended at the Gate of the Sunderer, but could this Heretic be so foolish to unknowingly let an enemy track him, or was this only part of his devilish game...

Regardless of such events it is said only a woman good in intention and black of heart could ever hope to earn the ire of the Heretic, and tame his power of madness enough for less destructive means... What happens next remains to be seen....

[Saulus]

Years earlier before Harold reached the gates of the Sunderer he unwittingly picked up a new friend... for while on his travels from Cormyr by chance a devout Doomguide of Kelemvor by the name of Argyle took notice of Harold.

It was this very doomguide that made it his mission to destroy this creature and put those he had harmed at rest. But when to act? Strike at the wrong time and risk utter failure, strike too late and another victim is added to the toll. Argyle too came upon the mighty gates of the Sunderer, knowing this turbulent valley would be the stage of his execution of the creature.

Argyle's journey led him past the Necropolis, once the death place of Sundren's peoples, it was now a festering vile pit of death, flowing outward and destroying the Temple of his patron deity, Kelemvor. Disgusted by these acts and knowing when he is outnumbered, Argyle pressed on, venturing past Sundren City and continuing his journey into the mountains. Could this creature have reached as far as Icewind Dale? Where was he going?

Argyle's perilous journey came to a climatic end as near the foothills of the snowy mountain tops of Icewind Dale he came upon him.... Harold Ogenswaald, his many years in search of Syran had left him without his better habbits and he had become the very beast he had tried so hard to resist.

Harold was a duelist of some reknown in life, and these skills served him well in death, the battle was brief but fierce, Argyle suffered a wound to his arm, but it was the divine magics of Kelemvor that were Harold's undoing, battered and nearly destroyed, Harold lay on the cold patch of crunchy snow as Argyle stood overhead.

In a somber tone only capable of being spoken by a Kelemvorite, Argyle spoke to him. "Will you repent the last moments of your wretched life, creature?" It was at this moment for a fleeting instance that the beast within was saited, and Harold spoke of the Heretic, and on his last dying breath of unlife he gave the Kelemvorite due cause to continue his crusade of destruction against the undead.

Who was this Heretic? How could he find one who's plans followed no reason nor design but of his own. Despite Argyle's resolve and his strong faith in Kelemvor, he had only begun to understand the prey he will now track... "Prey"... how unwitting he is.

[Saulus]

Though Syran was the first of Colibrus' children, he was not destined to be the last... indeed Colibrus had many agents, not all of his own creation. The lycans for instance were a relatively disorganized group and only small remnants of them existed in Sundren.

It was the eldest of these lycans that became their spirtual leader and through fear and obedience he too served Colibrus, but this was not destined to always be so. The primal nature of the lycans made them rebellious, and despite common sense and good judgement they made the crucial error of defying the Dark Lord, no longer volunteering to protect his crypts and his mansion, but instead killing and maiming in their own name, for their own reasons.

This, was not to be tolerated. The great lycan leader was yet unamed to the great loremasters of the realms, a reclusive and powerful creature, but a match for Colibrus? Only time will tell how their plight ends... but one thing can be certain... Colibrus' words would become doctrine, or lead to eternal death...