A Show of Unity

[Phantom Lamb]

The Arbiter's Alliance holds a large assembly in the Market Tier. The sun is bright and the weather is clear for once, yet the mood of the speakers is somber. Local worshipers gather and greet each other in the court. A middle-aged Everwatch Knight steps up to the podium, and the crowd slowly turns their attention his way.

The knight speaks nervously. He is obviously not a public speaker: his leg dances nervously, jittering the chain links in his armor.

"Excuse me everyone. Thank you, and h-hello. My father wished me to address the public today." He inclines his head toward the Abbot, who nods supportingly.

"I was on patrol with a scout friend of mine, a member of the army you know. And last night, well, we came across a brutal murder scene." The crowd gasps a bit, not prepared for his blunt description.

"Three dwarves, Skull Cleavers I think they call them?, and one of our own, a paladin, were slain in the Stonegarb Caves. This wasn't done by ogres." He grabs a circular object from the podium and holds it up for all to see. It is far too small for most of the crowd to examine, but the ones in front gasp--it is a holy symbol of Bane.

"The dwarves were... shaved, a humiliating deed in their culture, I hear. But they are alive, restored by the will of Helm."

"These Banite COWARDS..." he screams, his voice echoing a bit too loudly with the vigor of emotion, "have been acting in shadows. They wish to rule us, but not one of them is man enough to reveal their name. They want us to fear them."

"I will tell you a secret: they fear US. It is why they hide. It is why we never hear their names unless they outnumber us in battle. Their hypocrisy is limitless, but there is no logic, no mind to the madness of their evil."

"Their actions have been getting bolder. The Alliance will not allow the good people of Sundren to suffer under their boots. I call for unity among you. Stand TOGETHER, stand up for your neighbor and your brothers. They will not fight what they fear."

His emotion his final words sound like battle orders. He composes himself after a brief pause, only to add quietly, "Thank you." He walks back to the Abbott's side, and they quietly accept counsel from the crowd.

[Peridan]

Peridan had trudged into the City to gather more supplies for the front lines at Arbiter's Stand when he stopped to hear the speech. He looks exhausted and his body is covered in grime from the smithy, but he has to smile when he sees the human speak so passionately.

"Humans will never cease to amaze me, in all of my centuries to come. Such a firey people."

He heads over to the Abbot and smiles wearily at him. "You can count on the elves in this matter, at least those of us who stand for Corellon's dogma. Fear is good, it keeps you alive. But to be ruled by it is something else entirely."

He inclines his head. "I will stand for Sundren."

[Lanemeyer]

The young paladin had her eyes widen as she heard the news from the Everwatch Knight.

"Damned Banites!" She spoke in a low voice to herself and took her way back to the Red Blades guild hall.

[Lollercide]

And there stood the paladin Hano Fetten, having answered his call when those bound to the Arbiter's Alliance were summoned. His face was deadpan throughout the entire wait for the announcement and he would greet those who greeted him with nothing more than a handshake and a nod.

"It takes a tragedy before people get motivated to do something. A tragedy to pull people from the Trade Post's fire and to the battles they would otherwise choose to neglect. The costs this time came at the expense of the Master stone cutters from the Skullcleaver Clan, and for them I am sorry. For them I wish Torm's graces for standing against the Black Hand despite the costs. They are the noble ones here," Hano thought to himself before the nervous introduction from the paladin. Hano looked up to the podium and watched the shaking paladin throughout his speech and then offered a small applause when he finished.

"Good does not become better by exaggerating it, and a small evil becomes a bigger one by being disregarded and neglected. These are the lessons we learn here today as the agents of the Black Hand seem to be rising in bigger numbers and consequentially committing bolder actions after so many have neglected them for such a long time. The agents of the Black Hand will exploit every advantage they can get and will strike at every weakness that we expose to them," he explained to those around him after the Everwatch Paladin stepped down.

"But we can find strength in numbers and power in unity -- And together? We will strike down all of the agents of Bane to ensure the protection of this valley. For Helm. For Torm. For the people," he said with his tone full of the (in)famous paladin zeal before he approached the Abbot, Orlan Proskus, behind Peridan the elf who was already a step ahead of Hano, to state his reminder that the Triumvirate still honors that they are part of the Arbiter's Alliance.

[gbbishop]

Pain grips him. His mind struggles for consciousness. Images of rage flash in time with the throbbing of pain. His eyes struggle to open. Ever so slowly the room that surrounds him comes into focus. The room is unfamiliar. He recognize Helm's seal however. Knowing he is safe for the moment he knows he should stay. He moves to gather his things and pain sends him to unconsciousness once more.

None of the many priests in the temple saw the panther pad silently out of the temple on its way to take refuge in the one place that provided solace in this land.

[Allielliot]

His knuckles bruised and battered Peeli hit the wall one more time. "Durned COWARD humans!" He raged. Feeling shame at the fact that he had left his brothers to go into the cave without him. He felt he had abandoned them, and he felt shame. But most of all he felt rage. The coward humans would pay. even if he had to track down EVERY. LAST. ONE OF THEM! Hufffing to catch his breath, he turned and stormed out of the church of helm looking for the captain, looking for revenge.

*****

Sain continued his training in the Red Blades Hq, but the news of the blatant attack on the dwarves had him distracted. He danced through the forms with his master, giving strike for parry until his thoughts strayed too far to the plight of the dwarves. In two quick moves his master sent his sword spinning and sent him to the ground with a fiecre blow to the head.
"you must focus boy, especially when there are reasons to be distracted. We all want punishment for the dwarves. We all live to Protect Sundren and it's people, but we also know how to focus through our anger." He picked up Sain's blade, which had been magically blunted for protection during their spar, and returned it to Sain as he helped him off the ground."Y...y...yes s..sir" sain stuttered as he was pulled to his feet.

" this is my blade. I own it, but it can do all things..." The master began the Litany, and Sain said it with him, but inside he was screaming for his next test. Screaming for his next rank so that he could begin hunting the plagues of Sundren again.

[ThePaganKing]

A hooded figure standing in the back of the crowd looks on and smiles faintly. The words of the Paladin were true - for Elric knew full well the evil pull of the Banites.

He then looked at Hano and wondered...............