Dark Investigations

[Ssin'urn Ssussun]

Within The Britain Graveyard...

A dark figure clad in black robes strolls through the graveyard casually. He runs his hands across gravestones looking upon each name solemnly. The Shades and Zombies step back giving the figure a path to walk, As if showing respect. As the figure enters a tomb a Lich turns to him with the remnants of a grin upon it's face.

"It has been man years Ri-" The Lich spoke but the man raised a hand.

"Do not speak my name...I did not come here for a chat" The figure spoke quickly.

"Then Why have you come here then eh..? I find it hard to believe it was on a whim?" The Lich spoke with what resembles a laugh.

"There are Dark magics afoot in this area Nedryl...Perhaps you know something of them?" The Figure spoke tilting his head at the Lich.

"Really....You think I am doing it? How foolish, I am not that powerful" The Lich retorted.

The Figure let out a small chuckle and strolled over to The Lich. His expression soon changed as he gripped The Lich by the neck and growled at him.

"I know it's not you...Someone is causing trouble around here and I was sent to find out WHO. Now you're an old creature and a coward by nature....So unless you want me to drain the Ectoplasm that holds your miserable corpse together...You're going to tell me what I want to know..." The figure released the Lich quickly.

"....I don't know who's responsible....Always very weird things going on out in those woods...Over the years many a cult or guardian worshipper has caused trouble... I can't even keep track anymore.." The Lich spoke, a hint of fear on it's voice.

"How many times has your body been destroyed now?" The Figure spoke picking a skull up off the floor.

"Too many to count I suppose...Those Brittanians play rough..." The Lich said with a small laugh.

"You know, I know where your Phylactery is....So I hope you aren't lying to me about knowing nothing...." The Figure grinned beneath his hood as he dropped the skull to the ground.

The Lich frowned deeply at that statement. His hands tightened and what remained of it's lips quivered slightly as it spoke.

"I have not lied to you...My kind know better than to even try such a thing with you..." The Lich said as he turned.

"Then I will have to ask elsewhere...I shall report my findings to The Lycaeum....One more thing Nydrul...Stay out of trouble so I am not ordered to banish you.....You are an amusing conversationalist when you want to be..." The Figure spoke almost humorously

"Very Fu-" The Lich turned but the figure had vanished from the tomb.

"He never has gotten my name right...." The Lich spoke with a sigh as it shambled to sit in the corner.

[Ssin'urn Ssussun]

Rilien sat at the desk in the Inn room with a smile. The outburst had worked like a charm. In his years of field work he knew there was one thing that could get a suspect to crack, and that was anger. He had gathered all the information he had needed on the subject now.

He raised his quill and began to write...

"On The Monk Einhildur, He has pushed himself mentally to his breaking point with all his studying of the journal. However this is extremely dangerous. If The Monk does not regain his strength it won't matter how skilled he is against magic, The dead are patient and will wait till he is at his weakest to strike. I have attempted to caution him even now, But his arrogance is worthy of a magincians. I have begun preparing a reversal ritual just incase. If I am wrong it will go unused... if I am not.... Then let the Monk be thankful someone was prepared."

Rilien looked over his words a moment before continuing his writing.

"On his Companion Ms Fawn, I sense much concern in her over The Monk's condition. It is obvious that even she has noticed something is wrong. Her pride however is getting in the way of logic, She will consider me an obstacle to whatever profit she is attempting to make from this venture. She will not be a problem and I am sure if things do go south she will likely be the first to notify me"

Rilien blew on the ink to dry it, before moving down to the next line.

"On Zoe, her connection to all of this is hazey at best. A wrong place at the wrong time situation. She appears to be the only one within this trading company who actually pays attention to people. Her observations have proven to be very insightful, She knows these people better than I and can explain if they are acting weirder than usual. There appears to be so much more to her, I feel as if I have barely scratched the surface. She is more important than I realize, Yet I cannot fully understand why yet."

Rilien contemplated his writing, Dipping the quill back into the ink he continued.

"On The apparent owners of this Trading Company, Uneducated would be a rude term for me to use. They are simple folk only out to make coin in the world. Their ignorance to everything around them appears to be a defense mechanism of some kind. They will not understand the nature of the issue till it is too late. However I can see some use in them when it comes to dealing with the Sentients."

"On this evening I encountered a Sentient Bone Warrior within my Inn Room. It was rifling through my belongings seeming to be searching for something. When it saw me it lept with weapon in hand at me. Luckily, the poor pup I had befriended in the tavern lept to my defense. It distracted the creature long enough that all I took was a small gash to the arm. I was able to make it to The Salty Dog where a few of the denizens were able to treat the poison it inflicted me with. Such a Complex Undead creature being present can only mean that Britain is only in the wake of this disturbance. Something very powerful has been released into this area, and it is starting to create more dangerous beings. The energy is still the signature of Terort Skitas, Whatever is causing this the source came from there. I will use the trip to return the journal as a chance to try and divulge this source, if it isn't the journal itself."

Rilien set the quill down. He touched his wounded arm gently, The cut was not deep but the poison had been quite painful. he sat upon his bed and leaned back against the wall. In the next room he could hear Zoe breathing rhythmically as she slumbered. it brought some peace to him. Thinking back he could remember it.. his first Case. He flipped back to the beginning of his Journal and scanned the pages, reminiscing.....

[Ssin'urn Ssussun]

Two Years Ago..

Rilien stepped off the small rowboat. The journey to Trinsic was rather rough. It did his legs good to feel solid land again. Unfurling the map he was given he stood on the docks a moment.

"Alright.... Apparently there is a small house just north of the city walls... And apparently they have spotted quite a few weird apparitions near it..." Rilien spoke.

"Lovely... more dead things. You really know how to woo a girl you know that?" a young woman walked up beside him and looked over his shoulder as he spoke.

"This is work Diane, and you know it. We'll have to investigate that place soon enough. But right now there is quite a bit of residual fallout here. Feels like a heavy fog..." Rilien turned to the woman as he spoke.

"Never a dull moment with you, Why I love traveling with you. So where do we go first then!" Diane said with a large grin.

"The Prison, they reported the sightings and are close to the epicenter. Clearing that first will give us some leeway to that house" Rilien began walking while he spoke, Ushering the woman along.

Two Days Later....

Rilien and Diane sat upon Trinsic's north wall quietly. People gathered in the streets forming a crowd around a small area.

"What's going on...?" Diane asked curiously.

"It's getting worse.... The Blight has started..." Rilien spoke in a rather sad tone.

"The Blight? what is that, like a plague?" Diane inquired.

"Worse.... Necrotic energy entering the body.... No symptoms... no warning.... just death. I spoke with the mayor, He still won't allow us to investigate that home. Claims it belongs to a wealthy contributor to the community..." Rilien spoke in disgust.

"Well that's Bullshit, We can't just let this happen because someone says they aren't doing anything wrong!" Diane eagerly replied.

"Yeah....You're right. Grab your weapon. We are paying this wealthy contributor a visit..." Rilien smiled as he climbed to his feet.

At The Home..

The house seemed to actually be in decent shape. It was larger than originally described... The owner's wealth was quite obvious.

"Woooahh.... that's..... I cannot even put this sensation into words... It's as if something is sitting on my back... slowly trying to push me into the ground..." Rilien spoke, seeming to wobble in his tracks a bit.

"I am really glad I cannot feel this crap, Being you has to suck a little bit Ril" Diane replied with a grin.

"Oh if you only knew.... well best knock I guess" Rilien responded with a grin as he knocked on the large door.

After a few moments the door slowly creaked open. Within the doorway stood a rather educated looking man in his fifties.

"I do not usually open my door to hoodlums. What is it you want? be quick I am a busy man." The man spoke rather rudely.

"Yeah, I apologize sir but I represent The Lycaeum. There are some disturbances in the city, your home seems to be the epicenter... I am worried perhaps something might have gotten in here without your knowledge." Rilien explained quite plainly.

"That's nonsense, There is nothing in my home doing such a thing. Get out of here with your senseless dribble" The Man replied quite directly.

"Sir... have.... you been to The Dungeon Doom recently..?" Rilien asked rather randomly.

"I have.... But how did you know that?" The Man looked on a bit curiously.

"Now that i am this close, I recognize this energy. same necrotic energy that animates some of those creatures there.... Sir did you bring something from that place back here..?" Rilien asked a bit quickly.

"Just a small statue, Nothing of any consequence. I am not dumb enough to take anything dangerous from there." The Man responded.

With that Rilien ducked under the man's arm and into the house. Moving quickly inside to the main hall.

"Now you see here, Remove yourself from my home or I WILL have you arrested!" The man turned and yelled quite frantically.

"Oh save it old man, he only does this when he has a lead" Diane spoke as she just shoves by the man.

Rilien stood silently in the room. Staring at a small statue sitting upon a writing desk. By all means it looked completely harmless, it was even of a small girl holding a doll. Rilien looked at it silently, he already knew what it was...

"You idiot..... That isn't just a statue... it's a Phylactery. You brought a damn Phylactery here to Trinsic. Do you have any ide-" Rilien turned to see the man was no longer standing there.

"Diane?! where did he go!" Rilien yelled, flailing his arms a bit.

"He's a big guy, I couldn't stop him. He went to get the..." Diane also stopped dead in her sentence as three guards with crossbows stepped into the building.

"Wait! I found it! The cause of all the trouble all I have to do is De-" Rilien started before being interrupted.

"Silence, The Mayor warned you about coming here. Keep your hands up and if you move we will shoot" One of the guards interrupted.

"But you don't Und-" Rilien spoke yet again being silenced.

"Move towards the door NOW!!" The guard shouted raising his crossbow.

Rilien gulped and slowly walked forward with his hands up. The guards quickly shackled her and Diane and hauled them both off.

"You really need to carry a bloody weapon you git!" Diane protested as they were being hauled away.

"I am a pacifist, I don't like weapons... sue me" Rilien shrugged with a sigh.

Four Days Later....

"Well, it's been four days now.... What's your plan now?" Diane spoke, letting out a small cough.

"You've been doing that for the past two days.. are you alright?" Rilien responded seeming to dodge the question.

"Fine... it's just a cold or something....Now plan, what is it?" Diane replied.

"Well... they haven't come to our cell in some time. likely deciding whether to deport us or not... Diane what is that on your hand?" Rilien halted as he looked over.

Looking at Diane's hand he noticed black veins running up it.

"Diane, that's Blight! When did that start?!" Rilien rushed over to her and grabbed her hand.

"Last night... i didn't want to worry you...." Diane lowered her head as she spoke, avoiding eye contact.

"Guards quick! We need help!!" Rilien rushed to the bars and yelled. Two guards came and unlocked the door.

"What's the problem.?" Both guards spoke, both spotting Diane's hand.

Two Hours Later...

"The Healers managed to stop the spread... but they were not able to save her hand I am afraid." The Mayor of Trinsic looked on a bit sadly as he spoke.

"You said there was another problem... didn't you?..." Rilien looked up as he spoke, no emotion in his eyes.

".. a lich.. It came from the bog to the north.. It has attacked quite a few homes and we think it is coming towards the city..." The Mayor replied.

"It is after it's Phylactery..... I need to get back in that house. It needs to be destroyed." Rilien requested angrily.

"..Just....do it.... I'm sorry. I should not have stopped you like I did. But I have a duty to those who got me this office.." The Mayor spoke sadly.

"No, You have a duty to your fellow man.... Your sorry isn't going to change what has happened to Diane... or any of the people who died from this.... you make me sick..." Rilien rose angrily as he spoke, walking from the office and slamming the door.

At The Manor..

A knock on the door brought the owner to it once again. As he opened it the lithe form of Rilien came swooping in under his arms yet again.

"Sorry Guvna just doing a little cleaning up!" Rilien said quickly as he ducked in.

"You again, I told you to-" The man was quickly interrupted.

"Shut up you whiny pretentious prick....OK that felt good" Rilien smiled to himself as he grabbed the statue.

"Who the hell do you think you are!? put that down this instant! It's worth more than your worthless little life!" The Man's face went red with anger and he stomped towards Rilien.

"Jeez fine, Never let anyone play with the good toys huh?..... oops" Rilien replied as he released the statue and it came crashing to the floor, shattering into fragments.

The Man looked on in horror, not from the breaking of his statue but as a transparent figure rose from it screaming in agony. Blood trickled from the statue fragments and soon the figure was gone.

"Phylactery my friend.... an item you store a piece of yourself in to be immortal... Well for your soul to be immortal, Body is another thing. Now.. You won't be arrested this time around, You were obviously just too stupid to realize what it was..." Rilien grinned as he spoke.

"How dare you.. you.. you" The Man began.

"Oh come out with it you stuttering ogre, Just live with it. Stop bringing home things from evil places. There is a reason they were left behind. Now you may want to get a broom, I left quite a mess for you to clean up!" Rilien interrupted as he calmly marched out the door... leaving the man in a state of awe..

One Day later...

Rilien sat beside Diane on the boat. Her left wrist was wrapped, sans a hand. Rilien put his arm around her reassuringly.

"It's not so bad.... Sure I can do without. So.. when is our next job?" Diane said trying to sound chipper

"There isn't one... Diane it's time for you to go home. I've put you in enough danger already... I mean look at you.. I cost you one of your hands..." Rilien spoke seriously.

"...No.. It's my fault for not telling you about it. I chose to come along with you. So it's my burden and not yours" Diane responded.

"Danger always finds me and it is always my fault for making you want to impress me. You may have chose to come along but The Danger is following me. I am sorry Diane, But this is goodbye. You are safer without me." Rilien spoke sadly.

"I will find you, you can't just tell me goodbye and think I won't follow" Diane replied with a smirk.

"I know... that's why I gave you that drink earlier.... I am so sorry" Rilien replied looking her in the eyes.

"What... What'd you do Rilien? What'd you do!" Diane Shouted.

"It will be okay, It's something the alchemists in The Lycaeum whipped up.... You won't remember a thing. The whole past year, the adventures.. None of it." Rilien turned away as he spoke.

"So I am going to forget about you.... and wake up without a hand..?" Diane replied blinking back a tear.

"The hand will be dealt with... it's fresh it will be res-" Rilien began but was interrupted.

"I don't care about the damn Hand Rilien!! I don't want to forget you! I don't want to forget all the traveling we did! For God's sake I L-" Diane spoke but stopped, The potion took effect and she fell over onto her side in slumber.

"I am so so sorry Diane, Goodbye and I hope you live a fantastic life..... Kal Ort Por" and with that... Rilien was gone.

Present Day..

Rilien closed the journal and sighed. It was usually policy for an Investigator to travel with an armed guard. However after her, he didn't enjoy others getting hurt for him. Other people always brought out the best in him, Without them he just seemed like a bitter angry man. His first Case always reminded him of the foolish nature of man, Putting Knowledge and Power before their fellow man. How many people have to die so that one man may be happy...

[Ssin'urn Ssussun]

It was no use, no matter how he laid he just could not get to sleep. The image kept popping into his mind no matter what he focused on. Fawn stepping into the tavern, her eyes looking as if they'd stared into death itself. Rilien stood up and dressed, Rest would not find him this evening.

Arriving at The Lycaeum he slowly made his way to the dorms behind it. Walking into one he spoke respectfully as he entered.

"Master Kordring.... Could I have a word with you?" Rilien spoke.

"Reinhardt of course, come in... what troubles you to be coming by here so late?" The old mage responded. The man before Rilien was at least in his 80's, his white beard and bushy eyebrows seemed to make up the majority of his face.

It is about my work in britain, This is not an official report... So I hope we can keep this between us and not The Council" Rilien returned lowly.

"Of course, Now what do you need?" The old mage retorted.

"it would appear that The Monk I was investigating may be involved in magic he doesn't fully understand... I fear it may turn out as an encore performance of my actions all those years ago..." Rilien explained in a sullen voice.

"I see... So you fear he may reopen the breach between the worlds with his actions? I imagine you have good reason for not bringing The Inquisitors into this...." Kordring responded curiously.

"The Monk has friends who are genuinely worried for him, I believe his actions may not be his alone. I believe something unseen may be pullign the strings... The Inquisitors would simply arrest him without investigating. I planned ahead, Two weeks ago I began work on The Tenebris Ostium. It is finally ready.. but I won't be able to create another for a very long time..." Rilien explained quickly.

"One is all you need, is it not? Or.. yes I suppose I understand, Another has gotten involved?" Kordring looked Rilien in the eyes as he spoke.

"The Tenebris Ostium preserves the story of whom it is meant for, removing and containing within it anything that doesn't belong. It can remove any form of dark magic from who it was written for.... But the only problem is the book itself needs a title.... And it would seem that there is another now in Britain who is in trouble..." Rilien spoke with a sigh.

"Yes... And in order to use the book, The title of it needs to be the name of whom it was written for. So you will have to decide whom to use it on. Because there is no second chance with it.." Kordring replied with a wise grin.

"If I don't use it on The Monk, All the work would have been for nothing. What am I supposed to do for a fallback plan..?" Rilien asked in a huff

"Rilien Reinhardt.... I have never once known you to be a man with a plan, Figure it out child, You are there to save lives not save the world" Kordring responded to him with a smile.

Rilien looked upon The Archmage with a look of disbelief. Though the old man was indeed right, When did he ever have a plan?

"They don't trust me you know.... They th-" Rilien began but was halted by the old mage.

"They never trust us at first Rilien, But give them time. Once they know you are there to help... things will change. You could use some change Rilien... You'll get it soon enough" The Old mage grinned and let out a small laugh. With the wave of a hand he ushered Rilien from his chambers.


With that Rilien made his way back to his Inn room in britain. Opening his pack he looked upon the large black book. The Tenebris Ostium was a sight to behold. Without a title at the moment it was simply useless. Looking at the blank cover he pondered. If he wrote The Monk's name upon it he could save him and end the madness, However what if something had indeed happened to Fawn? If he used it on Fawn he could save her life, But then he would have no way of saving The Monk.

Lifting a quill he slowly began writing upon the cover of the book. The letters seemed to crackle and hiss as they became part of the book's cover. There was no turning back now, he had made his decision. Raising the book he looked at the name upon it's cover.

"I just hope this works..." Rilien Spoke as he tucked the book back into his pack...