Bancroft's Story

Chapter 1

It is good to be king, so they say!

Alas I'm not king. I'm merely an old curator of exotic and re-appropriated goods.

I have outlived most who have risked this particular trade. Many acquaintances, very few friends. And half the upstarts I trained would stab me in the back for a handful of coin!

I long for the days of my youth... When my bones didn't ache and the ladies gasped at my vigor.

Now all I have left is my expertise...

Chapter 2

I woke up in the tavern attic, beside a wench twice uglier and more round than I remembered.

I shoo'd her away and paid for it as my body ached from revery. It felt like a vampire had sucked the life from my marrow.

I stared at the ceiling. Raising my hands, the scars on my arms reminded me of the treasure I've lost and scores gone sour. Even the sunlight hurts my eyes more than it used to.

I did my morning stretches, my back cracking in protest .

But I've learned the key in my old age - moderation.

I spend time going slow... So I can move fast, when necessary.

I've made enough enemies over the years, that a fast escape is often called for.

It becomes second nature, as you twist away from the painful memories of life... The body follows...

Chapter 3

The tavern stunk of sweat and dung as usual. I started breakfast with a mug of ale. And overheard the bartender talking to one of the regulars. One of Eisendorf's henchman.

Appearantly Dawnseer Keep had been razed to the ground. Impossibly, the Hearthgrove had been destroyed. I honestly didn't know such a thing were possible. They're supposed to be magical. Impenetrable.

I remembered an old bard's chant, it goes, "The mage says, burn the grove and free the sun, that's the immortal's bounty! So take up your axe, friends! Set fire to its roots! Try your luck for the immortal's bounty!"

It was sung to encourage fools into foolhardiness... But given my recent state of affairs... I'm feeling a bit curious.

I drank the last of my morning ale and decided to go right to the source. Where there is often misery... There is opportunity.

Chapter 4

Eisendorf's estate seemed busier than usual.

Some thugs I recognized. Others were new to me. The man has a reputation and his reputation proceeds.

I might have been a viscount myself one day, if I'd taken better care of my finances...

Soon, I found myself in the strangest conversation... Indeed the Hearthgroves were falling... And something big was happening in Castellia.

Eisendorf was short on skill and needed a spellcaster named Luna brought back to him. I'd been known to catch a mage or two in my day. So naturally, I was hired.

Chapter 5

Two weeks later I found myself in Two Brooks, escorted - or rather babysitting - a rather green knight named Ser Caldor.

After much planning - we finally had Luna tracked to the middle of the forst, alone and in our sights.

I raised my crossbow, tranquilizer prepared and aimed at the spellbinder... When I realized the tree before us wasn't just any tree. It was a Hearthgrove. One hidden, somehow, by magic.

Confusingly, the tree exploded in blinding light! Chunks of wood and dust flying past us. It was moments until I could see and hear again. There was yet another, damning flash of light. The bottom fell out of my stomach and I stumbled, nearly losing my balance - so out of character for me!

When I finally regained my bearings, I realized we were back in Two Brooks. How...? I'm not sure. I could only imagine it was magic. Luna was there, presumably she had tried to escape with a spell - and failed by bringing us with her.

Then to add to my increasing confusion, the monsters came. Strange creatures, some I'd never seen before. Seemingly poisoned by some kind of magic.

If I hadn't seen stranger things - I would have turned around - left - 'noping' right out of this insanity. But I've probably had worse days. At least I wasn't injured and my pants were still on.

The town was filling with monsters. So Caldor and I did the sensible thing - we joined forces with the mage and fought for our lives. Occasionally we even managed to save a towns person.

The battle lasted hours, I knew my muscles and back would make me pay for it later. Finally, when the battle was done, I didn't skip I beat. I hit Luna with a tranquilizing bolt. And thanked the Gods that nonsense was over. At least, so I thought.

Chapter 6

On the way back to Eisendorf's, Ser Caldor, the Knight, moaned and bickered.

He was conflicted about the abduction, as if this was his first kidnapping!

When I told him it was a small price to pay for life everlasting, he seemed confused.

I realized I had tipped my hand too much. Perhaps not all of Eisendorf's thugs knew what he was really after. And truthfully, it was only a theory.

Chapter 7

We made it fifty miles when we were ambushed again, by the same kinds of creatures we encountered in Two Brooks. Their skin mottled and corrupted by some foul arcane source.

Between Ser Caldor and I, we were overwhelmed. I'm sure the fool would have gone down fighting, if I let him.

But I'm a survivor. I used smelling salts on the spellbinder and to take her - knowing a tranquilizer dart wasn't likely to catch her unaware a second time.

The mage's eyes glowed and she called lighting down from the sky.

The ferocity of her power was stunning.

The three of us fought for our lives, again.

And when it was over, an unseen force bound my legs and arms.

Luna, unfortunately, had turned the tables and made me her captive, this time. I took the gambit. I'd lost the score, but not my hide. Story of my life!

Chapter 8

I was used to situations like these.

I shrugged my shoulders shamelessly, looking at Ser Caldor, who was just as bound by Luna's magic.

"So here's the thing..." I said. And explained three good reasons to let us go.

She raised her hand, sparks leaping towards me, shocking my skin. The pain was awful and the hair on my arms stunk as they singed. Apparently, she was the vengeful type.

Then something curious happened. Luna seemed to hear, or sense something. Turning to face something in the distance.

Chapter 9

The spellbinder stood, illuminated by the moonlight, standing on the ridge. Her hands tightening into fists and she whispered, "I feel it..."

Ser Caldor looked at each other, perplexed.

"The final Hearthgrove." She said, "I couldn't feel it before, but it's there now. It was always so close, I never even know..."

That stirred the two of us. We leaned forward. I cleared my throat, "Where, exactly?"

She raised an arm and pointed, her eyes meeting mine. They were bright and intense when she said, "Beneath the Arcane Stronghold. Deep in the mountain."

Chapter 10

I cleared my throat and said, "Well. It just so happens I've been there before. Their catacombs are infamously difficult to reach. Let us go and maybe I can show you the easy way?"

She bared her teeth. Seeming to dislike my proposition. Floating into the air she disappeared into the dark forest. Gone.

I could feel her power on us waning. Leaving Ser Caldor and I free and without our prize.

I stood, my old, tired body sore from fighting. I sighed and said, "I suppose we're going after her, aren't we?"

Ser Caldor paused. Then nodded, "I suppose."

And so we marched after Luna. Knowing we both wanted the Hearthgrove... Though I sensed, for different reasons.

Something in my mind was buzzing. Luna, the Hearthgrove and the monsters seemed related but not... Like a puzzle without all the pieces. Whatever was happening, was dangerous.

A smarter man would have turned tail and run.

But I am a greedy man. So I twirled my daggers and ran recklessly towards my destiny.