Latest / The Euro Legions Podcast / 127: Mythic Legions News and the Horror of Einsamall Stories 1-4
Transcript
- 0:02My wallet is sobbing. I can hear it.
- 0:04I can hear it in the hall now. It is breaking down crying.
- 0:08It turns out that Attila the arrogant soul.
- 0:11And so he's got a fake hammer. Oh.
- 0:13A fake? Yeah.
- 0:15Whoa. As I say, Dick.
- 0:18Welcome to episode 127 of Dear Allegiance podcast.
- 0:22We're back after a short little break for holidays, but it's
- 0:26just me and Mal this week. Just me and Mal.
- 0:28I mean, you know, it's me and Mal, the dream team Rich is in
- 0:34sometimes. Get rich involved sometimes.
- 0:37Rich is in North Wales visiting his mum for the week and I was
- 0:42there last week on my travels across the UK and my holidays
- 0:45and I can confirm their phone reception isn't the best up in
- 0:49that particular corner. So, you know, I understand that
- 0:55connection issues aren't the best when he's up there.
- 0:58So especially when he's mum doesn't have Wi-Fi.
- 1:00So all good and we're going to what we're going to do this week
- 1:05is just have a little recap of any news that's happened, which
- 1:07isn't, I mean, there's been stuff, but it's not super loads
- 1:12of news or anything. I guess that's going to ramp up
- 1:15now in the in the runway, the rampway into allegiance Con and
- 1:20then we're going to do some of the stories that Jeremy dropped
- 1:25the great week of Lord drops. He did do it on his mythic
- 1:31customs channel as well and YouTube.
- 1:32You read through the whole stories, so you may have already
- 1:35listened to that was a. Really good reading as well.
- 1:38I've got to say. Yeah, he did a really good job
- 1:40with it was I really enjoyed listening to it.
- 1:43And it's a we're going to do our own little, our own little way
- 1:48of doing it. You, if you're familiar with us,
- 1:51you know, in the ballpark how we try and do it a little bit like
- 1:54audiobook style if we can. And so if you want to catch all
- 1:58that bit, we're going to just put this first bit up on YouTube
- 2:02where it's me and Mal chatting a little bit about the news.
- 2:04And then we're going to sign off.
- 2:05And the audio podcast is where the rest of the stuff is because
- 2:09we don't you don't want to see audio of us just reading the
- 2:11story, looking down at iPads or screens or whatever.
- 2:15And that won't be too interesting to watch.
- 2:17And I don't have time to edit all pictures and make a nice
- 2:20animation and stuff. You know, if if it was my job,
- 2:24maybe. So I think that's what's going
- 2:27to work out best. So go for once, if you watch it
- 2:29in YouTube and you're listen interested in listening stories,
- 2:32go and seek out the audio podcast.
- 2:35Spotify hosts it and it's on all the major podcast platforms and
- 2:41LinkedIn the description of the video here if you're watching on
- 2:45YouTube, so you can get all the lovely links down there and
- 2:49subscribe to the channel. And we don't often say that, but
- 2:51do subscribe to our YouTube channel if you're on there.
- 2:53We're we're on the road to 500. I'd say the slow road to 500,
- 2:56but we're we're more than well, more than halfway there.
- 2:58So, you know, nice organic growth over the over the time.
- 3:04It's a very niche topic. So, you know, we don't expect to
- 3:06get the million subscribers at any stage, but you know, the
- 3:10Horsemen do have a couple of a good, good couple of 1000.
- 3:15So, you know, if we can get a portion of that eventually on
- 3:18the show, that would be pretty cool.
- 3:20And so I've been travelling across UK now and a little bit
- 3:24into Ireland for a couple of days.
- 3:26Got caught by the storm on the way back from ferry.
- 3:30Yeah, my ferry got cancelled and because it was on the fast
- 3:33ferry, which, you know, sometimes when you book stuff to
- 3:36be quicker, it ends up not being quicker.
- 3:38So we got put on the slower ferry, but it was OK.
- 3:42I had to drive through the storm, but the ferry was OK.
- 3:45And yeah, I've had a great time in the UK.
- 3:47In fact, got so used to speaking English to everyone that when I
- 3:51was back here yesterday, sitting in the garden and my wife's
- 3:55brother came over, I was like, oh, crap, Oh, crap.
- 3:59I mean, it was nice to see him. And I say, yes, I know we're not
- 4:02speaking English here anymore. Yeah.
- 4:04Yeah, yeah, yeah. How do you put it was?
- 4:07Fine, he didn't know the token. So I know the kids.
- 4:10You tend to speak English with the kids.
- 4:12Yeah, yours anyway. But how did they find it?
- 4:15They love it. You can see their, their
- 4:17confidence is even higher because of the, there's just
- 4:20such certainty. So you know, if they want
- 4:22anything in a restaurant or you know, if they are off in the
- 4:25hotel or somewhere they want to get in like an extra piece of
- 4:30ice for their drink or something, they just run off and
- 4:32ask. And you know, it's a great, it's
- 4:34a greater kind of luxury to have for his over here.
- 4:38You know, if, if the waitress speaks French or something,
- 4:41they're just not going to, you know, even if they know if
- 4:44they're learning French, but they don't have the confidence
- 4:46to go up and ask for stuff unless they're really sure of
- 4:49it. But.
- 4:50Yeah, and you've probably answered this before, but they
- 4:53they also speak German as well then.
- 4:55Yeah, so school is school is through German until secondary.
- 5:00So high school in the UES and they learn French as well as
- 5:05they go along. And then they, I mean, a lot of
- 5:10Luxembourgish is also Luxembourgish is kind of the
- 5:13language, the kind of glue language in school.
- 5:16And then German is what the stuff is taught through.
- 5:18But still if you know, some of the stuff is explained in
- 5:21Luxembourgish as well. And then they do learn German,
- 5:24German, French and Maths are the kind of main subjects in primary
- 5:27school, plus some of the other. German though, isn't she so?
- 5:31No, she's a German teacher, which is Luxembourgish, Yeah,
- 5:36but she she claims her German is like native level for her and
- 5:43it's better than her English. But her English, I would drop
- 5:46her into Ireland and no one would notice.
- 5:48So she has those three and then she speaks French, but she
- 5:52claims to not like it and claims to be bad at that.
- 5:55But I've never seen her have too many problems.
- 5:59It came to. Yeah.
- 6:01But I suppose just this part of the world, people are used to
- 6:04speaking more than one language. And, you know, in this little
- 6:08small country here with a lot of big countries around it that
- 6:11speak different languages, they all, you know, how do you
- 6:14survive? Over the years, you, you learn
- 6:16to speak to all the different big countries around in their
- 6:18own language and you get stuff done.
- 6:19So I think that's how it's developed, you know, And then
- 6:24there's, you know, most people can have a bit of a decent grasp
- 6:27of English. They all learn it in secondary
- 6:28school. But you know, some people are
- 6:30really keen to learn it because, you know, it's maybe the
- 6:33language of the world, the wider world, and they want to go
- 6:36abroad or, you know, they're into pop culture, music, all
- 6:40that kind of stuff. So they have a head start.
- 6:41And already and now with the Internet today, you know, if you
- 6:44want to look at, although on YouTube they have autumn this
- 6:47automatic dubbing, which I believe isn't great, but it
- 6:49works. You know, if, if, if you just
- 6:52really want to get the information.
- 6:54And so, you know, maybe someday we won't need to learn any other
- 6:59language. We'll just use technology.
- 7:01But it seems a bit into in personal, you know.
- 7:03Yeah. So, yeah, so it was, it was
- 7:09great. And we got nice weather in the
- 7:10UK. Can you believe that?
- 7:11And I believe there's a Scorchio this week.
- 7:14So I'm glad we missed that. Yeah, it's 20.
- 7:18The Americans sit listening. It's not that hot, but it's 27.
- 7:23I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit. 80 something, 83
- 7:26years. Yeah.
- 7:27And then tomorrow it's it's an hour to 34.
- 7:29So yeah, it's going to be interesting.
- 7:34Yeah, we have. Pretty warm here, but I don't
- 7:36know we, we get that more often than you guys, I would say.
- 7:39So it's not a big deal, but but I.
- 7:41Think, I think, I think the the biggest problem in the UK and
- 7:44why we complain so much about it is nothing's built for hot
- 7:50weather. Nothing is designed to cope with
- 7:52hot weather. We have brick buildings with
- 7:54insulation everywhere. We don't have air con most
- 7:58places. It's why I go into the office
- 8:00when it's this hot because there is air con, you know, and, and
- 8:04you know, you go to most hot countries.
- 8:06So well, OK, in the Mediterranean and, and I'm
- 8:10guessing Luxembourg's the same. It's a lot of, umm, you know,
- 8:14you've got the blinds for when it gets hot in the the Savior
- 8:17and terracotta floors and walls and things like that.
- 8:21Yeah, terracotta we don't have, we don't have carpets.
- 8:23Basically. If you do have a carpet, it's
- 8:26actually what they call a carpet is usually just this rug.
- 8:29Yeah, that might be in the middle of the floor on a tiled
- 8:31floor, you know, or maybe a wooden floor.
- 8:34But. And for the most part, it's
- 8:36tiled floors. And yeah, those, those metal
- 8:39shutters, they're pretty much standard here.
- 8:41And yeah, they'll, they'll give you if it's really hot, they'll
- 8:45give you a good week where it doesn't get too hot in the
- 8:47house. And then at that point, you, you
- 8:49just can't keep the, if it's too hot overnight, you can't keep
- 8:53the heat out eventually. But it still won't, it won't be
- 8:56like sauna levels, you know. Yeah, yeah.
- 8:58Which I can imagine over there and.
- 9:00That's the thing with the humidity, don't we?
- 9:02We have a lot of humidity. But yeah, the one who tell we
- 9:05had to stay in Ireland because we arrived late into Dublin.
- 9:08And so I stayed up in Dublin rather than driving back to
- 9:11where I'm from that night. And I wanted to visit a couple
- 9:14of my relations in Dublin. They would be my dad's brothers
- 9:18and sisters. So they're in their 80s and 90s
- 9:20now and then seen the kids in ages.
- 9:22So we spent the morning visiting them.
- 9:24So it was good to stay in Dublin.
- 9:25But that hotel, I didn't check and they didn't have air con in
- 9:28the rooms, pretty modern hotel Newark.
- 9:30And the one window opened like, you know, 3 inches maybe.
- 9:35And it was, it was cold in our, it wasn't that warm.
- 9:37It was that, you know, it was 15 to 20° maybe.
- 9:41But it was like a sauna in the room overnight, you know, even
- 9:43with that window open and you know, the the temperature
- 9:46dropping. So yeah, you need air con in
- 9:48hotels, whatever about. We don't have air con, the
- 9:51standard in the houses, but hotels definitely should have
- 9:54it. Well, yeah, because half the
- 9:56hotels don't have it either, do they?
- 9:58So or more than half of. Them a lot, yeah, yeah, a lot
- 10:00don't, yeah. But if you can open the window
- 10:02fully and it's not that cold at night, yeah, yeah.
- 10:04That's the other thing, isn't it?
- 10:05A lot of them do have it. So you can only open it a little
- 10:08crack, if at all, because. If at all, yeah.
- 10:10Concerns, I guess over yeah, what accidents could happen,
- 10:13but. Yeah, we take no liability.
- 10:17Yeah. Yeah, exactly that.
- 10:20So any bit allegiance news before we get on to the stories,
- 10:23we better save our voices for that recording and in stock and
- 10:27shipping now. So there's a couple of things
- 10:30going on, but the first thing to pop up was so this is going to
- 10:34be for the summer while stock lasts a bunch of the past or
- 10:38more recent legions waves going back to All Stars 5.
- 10:44Is that in the bottom left now I?
- 10:46Think so, yes. Because.
- 10:48It's the plus one, isn't it? Yeah, we've got some Cosmic 1
- 10:51and Cosmic wave 2 figures and three.
- 10:57So the first three waves of cosmic.
- 10:59Yeah. Poxus Wave and the Armory
- 11:04Knights. They've been there all the time
- 11:06as well, but the Poxus Wave is new.
- 11:07I think they've added a couple of.
- 11:10I might be wrong, but I'm sure they've added a couple back on
- 11:13to the. So check that out if you're
- 11:16interested in. I'm sure you have already the
- 11:18retailer wave, the more recent that are the previous one.
- 11:23Is that the Hagnon and DJ? That was the first recent
- 11:26retailer wave, wasn't it? So they have a few.
- 11:28Limited amount of those which were originally retailers, but I
- 11:32guess the horsemen got some maybe customer service stock or
- 11:35whatever to to for the retailers basic I suppose.
- 11:43So they they're up there. I don't know I'm going to check
- 11:45now. They're still there, yes, and
- 11:47they're still yeah, stuff still there.
- 11:49Yeah, before we started. And then ATL 25 is a great
- 11:56figure if you want to yeah, if you want to Army build kind of
- 12:00soldiery looking dudes or space Marines or whatever.
- 12:05And and the elephant Ganesha, he's also up there.
- 12:12He she and the headhunter, the second one, the Zolocon
- 12:14exclusive from this year. Yeah, so the standard version.
- 12:19Oh, and of course the heavy gunner assume they're in the
- 12:21middle. One of my favorites, Cosmic he.
- 12:26He's been available though I think for a long time.
- 12:28A little while, but again, excellent figure colors are
- 12:31awesome. Aren't they on them so.
- 12:33Yeah. So that was that.
- 12:35And then there was also this sale, which one of them was this
- 12:40past weekend test shots. So the 9th of August and the
- 12:4616th of August at 10 AM. So that's Saturday mornings, 10
- 12:50AM. What did that work out at your
- 12:513:00? Was it for you, man?
- 12:55Yes, 3:00 it was. 4:00 Then for most of the rest of Europe.
- 13:02So they had a bunch of test stops, test shots this weekend.
- 13:05They've sold out, but they didn't sell a crazy fast.
- 13:08I mean, some did, but others didn't.
- 13:12And it was a Necronominus wave and.
- 13:19A valiant night was in there a couple of the of the war.
- 13:22Of the Ather Blade game. War of Ather Blade, yeah, and it
- 13:26was probably the ones everyone expects.
- 13:28Would you expect sold out first and I think.
- 13:30Reinforcements wave 2 was in their barriers from Walters 5 to
- 13:33mistrust figure obscure Father Christmas.
- 13:36That was an interesting one. Did he come with the soft goods
- 13:39as well? I think so, yeah.
- 13:42I saw the Calazar did and the Calazar self goods was even most
- 13:46of them pretty much the same as you got with the actual figure.
- 13:49Same colours and everything, yeah?
- 13:52And Necronominus looks like he did as well.
- 13:55Yeah. So yeah, it was.
- 13:58That was actually Poxus wave, sorry.
- 14:00So this, sorry, wasn't Yeah, yeah.
- 14:04Poxus definitely came with these goods.
- 14:07So more importantly then, I guess for our purposes now this
- 14:11weekend, so if you're listening to this thing, it goes on Friday
- 14:13before there's your advance warning from us, Necronominus
- 14:18Wave and the Cosmic Legions Grave night wave.
- 14:23And that's the one with Novian lean, right?
- 14:25Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- 14:28Walter the Mad figures, so both of them.
- 14:31The Borgas and Familias 2 So those figures from Legions come
- 14:37that year and Stavros the unwavering and three figure
- 14:44Obscura. So soon we come Monkey King mask
- 14:47at the Red death and ghost of Jacob Marley.
- 14:51So I didn't go near last weekend's one.
- 14:54Are you interested in anything coming up or?
- 14:58Yeah, there's a few in this one that I might.
- 15:02I'll see. I'm not desperate for them, but
- 15:05it'd be not, you know, would it be nice, but not desperate.
- 15:09So I might try for a couple this weekend, but I won't be gutted
- 15:14if I miss out, that sort of thing.
- 15:17You can probably guess Novian Lean's going to be one of them,
- 15:20Yeah. He'd be cool.
- 15:21One to have. Yeah.
- 15:22I have a Lord Bardrick. I think that's probably, I'm
- 15:25going to leave it at that. And he's one of my favorite
- 15:28figures. Yeah, that's good.
- 15:30Same for me with Novian Lean. That's why I quite like him.
- 15:33But again, if I don't get him up.
- 15:36But Joe wouldn't go down the road particularly of collecting
- 15:38these because they're very rare. And they're, the other thing is
- 15:43I would say they're more limited edition unpainted samples than
- 15:47yeah, true test shots. I mean, test shots to me are the
- 15:49ones that they actually use to configure and yeah, you know,
- 15:53and oddly color. Didn't.
- 15:54Know. Yeah.
- 15:55And there might be only one or two of them or three, whereas
- 15:59these are a batch that I think maybe 20s seems to be the number
- 16:02maybe for for them. So it's more of a limited
- 16:06edition, kind of very limited edition I think.
- 16:09I think that's awesome. I think it's one of those, isn't
- 16:13it? It started out as perhaps more
- 16:15actual test shots, but it's become a bit of a thing within
- 16:19the, within the, the, what you call it, the catalog of what the
- 16:24horsemen do, hasn't it? And yeah, yeah, whilst they're
- 16:28by no means the same as finished figures, they're they're close
- 16:32in terms of I imagine it's stuff run through to check the
- 16:36toolings. All right.
- 16:38And spot on. It's last things of.
- 16:41Yeah, yeah. So I got my retailer Nick All
- 16:50Star Six Bill in through the e-mail for €400 for my extras.
- 16:55I didn't realize I ordered that many, so I was like Ouch.
- 16:58So probably won't keep many of them now, but.
- 17:04Well, if you've got extra an extra, what's his name?
- 17:10The one I ordered one of the the Templars.
- 17:13I'd be tempted to take him off. OK, I think I got 2, two extra
- 17:18terraces and two extra, I think the Templar.
- 17:21Yeah. So maybe we can do a deal on
- 17:23that. Definitely, yeah.
- 17:26So anyway, I'm sure it'd be easy to to get rid of.
- 17:31Oh. Yeah, yeah, They're flying off
- 17:33the shelves everywhere. I think Big Bad sold out and all
- 17:35sorts of yeah. And and then this last thing I
- 17:41thought was interesting. So this is the Four Horsemen did
- 17:44a sculpt for this Mr. Beast lab figure FA 26 is the name figure.
- 17:51So this is retail line from the creator YouTube creator called
- 17:57Mr. Beast and people might know him.
- 17:58He had I mean, my kids are definitely watch his videos from
- 18:02time to time and they watch that beat.
- 18:04It was a beast games on Amazon Prime.
- 18:06He had a kind of a show where people do all these challenges
- 18:10for money. Yeah, it's it's a particular
- 18:12type of content. It's pretty he started his very
- 18:16first video was him counting to like an abnormally large number
- 18:22in sequence and the video was like 24 hours long or something
- 18:25like this. Is it counting to a million or
- 18:27something? I can't remember exactly.
- 18:29So, yeah, that's the kind of content but very well produced
- 18:34these days because he has lots of money from his success.
- 18:39So anyway, this is a cool looking figure.
- 18:41I mean, it's it's a more, you know, kids toy type level of
- 18:44stuff. So don't expect the the legions
- 18:47level paint jobs on this or anything.
- 18:48But just in terms of design and sculpting, it's it's pretty
- 18:52awesome. Yeah.
- 18:53I mean, yeah, I must admit I saw this and I thought, oh, I could
- 18:55be tempted because expecting maximum 2020 lbs, maybe a bit
- 19:00more than that. It's a bit of like you say, it's
- 19:03fun, it's big, it's colourful. I could be tempted to pick it
- 19:07up. Yeah, so George from 4 Horsemen
- 19:11was on the panel and SDCC. So that's what they meant.
- 19:14Popped this up to kind of promote that his appearance in
- 19:18that panel. It's it's a it's pretty much
- 19:21similar along the lines of when 4 Horsemen did sculpting or does
- 19:24sculpting for other companies like Super 7 or whatever, you
- 19:26know, it's the same type of thing.
- 19:28So it's not 4 horsemen releasing this figure with them.
- 19:30It's 4 horsemen, you know, for hire.
- 19:33That's how the so there was lots of of course, comments on the
- 19:36post about, you know, people that don't like Mr. Beast for
- 19:38excellent said reason and because he, you know, doesn't
- 19:42treat your staff well or whatever, all that kind of stuff
- 19:44that's, you know, rumbled around about him, whether it's true or
- 19:47not. And and I think the horsemen,
- 19:52but that wasn't really their intention with putting it up.
- 19:55It was more just to say, you know, we've been hard to do this
- 19:58cool job and. You know, the customer is the
- 20:01customer. You know, it's, it's, it's not
- 20:04really about that. And but yeah, it's the Internet.
- 20:07So that's what happens. So yeah.
- 20:11Unfortunately. Yeah and so horror smell the
- 20:17pre-order finished as well. In the meantime, did you double
- 20:21dip or go back or? No, well, I stuck with my all in
- 20:26and then as I think, I think the last show we we said I'd bought
- 20:31a couple of the the Imp scale I have from Big Bad, then
- 20:37pre-ordered another couple of the Imp scale and another, I
- 20:44keep wanting to call him Frothvar.
- 20:45It's not Frothvar, is it? I love his name.
- 20:50Right. By the time we're reading the
- 20:51story, Alvar, yes, but yeah, another one of him because it's
- 20:59dawned on me. I hadn't, you know, he's got
- 21:01brilliant. I love his build, I love his
- 21:03parts and I hadn't bought and got a second one to play with.
- 21:06I was going to do an all in from the UK retailer but I saw the
- 21:11price of it was like oh that feels expensive, especially
- 21:14because they don't include the accessory pack which oh that's
- 21:17the other thing. I've ordered a second accessory
- 21:19pack because I think it's a very cool accessory pack this time.
- 21:24Yeah. So the the retailer price for
- 21:26the standard figure seems to be $55 now.
- 21:30Yeah. Now the euro retailers prices
- 21:34were very good, but I think the exchange rate is good to know in
- 21:37terms of yeah, euro terms and. They were hard to swallow.
- 21:42Yeah, they were. They're always bad like that.
- 21:45They just, they did the exchange rate on a one to one basis
- 21:50first. The euro guys do it on a real
- 21:53basis. So I think the standard figures
- 21:56that worked out at €48 something which is pretty good man.
- 22:03So yeah, that's interesting. The usual ones, the German ones
- 22:08are particularly good, Mighty Underground and Figure and
- 22:12Lager. They'd be my two big
- 22:13recommendations for Euro retailers, so go for them if
- 22:17you're interested. Right.
- 22:20Shall we get on with the stories then, before this runs on too
- 22:23long? And next week, we'll reach to
- 22:28catch up with him and see what's going on in the world of
- 22:31Legions. So if you, as I said, if you're
- 22:34watching the video to catch the rest of the story, go on the
- 22:37audio version, blame me for not putting the video version up.
- 22:42But you know. It's what it is.
- 22:45It's fair enough. It would take a lot of editing
- 22:48for the video for something like this.
- 22:50Exactly. Yeah.
- 22:51So cheers. And although I don't use
- 22:55copyrighted music, sometimes they copyright some of the sound
- 22:58effects and stuff. It's just YouTube can be a bit
- 23:01of a mind for that. So anyway, cheers.
- 23:10Horror of Einsermal. Part 1A.
- 23:13Grain. A grain of eteros your presence
- 23:17has been requested. By the five seats, a grain rose
- 23:22as she heard the knocking echo through her chamber.
- 23:25Opening the door, she saw a pair of tower guards waiting for her.
- 23:29Please come with us. The first guard said as he
- 23:33motioned to Grain out of the room she'd been given during her
- 23:36stay at the Castle of Four Sides.
- 23:38She'd been there for almost a year now, acting as a
- 23:42representative from the Kingdom of Etheros.
- 23:45It was a role she was still trying to become comfortable
- 23:48with, accepting that her place was now in a room filled with
- 23:51conversations and compromises rather than on the fields of
- 23:55battle. It was a far cry from how she
- 23:59had served the realm during the Second Great War.
- 24:02She was only a young conscript in the Order of Etheron's army
- 24:05back then, but she fought well and bravely, and she was one of
- 24:10the soldiers who survived those horrible times.
- 24:15In the aftermath of the Great War, as the realm slowly began
- 24:19to rebuild itself and the Legions of Light pledged to
- 24:22begin a new age of cooperation and friendship, Igrain was named
- 24:26a Knight of Ethos. It was her life's dream and her
- 24:30greatest honour to serve her Kingdom, and she imagined that
- 24:34she would be asked to use her skills in combat to continue to
- 24:38defend the realm from those who would seek to do it harm.
- 24:43That, it seemed, was not her path.
- 24:46Her sword had not left it scabbard in many years, other
- 24:50than for the occasional training session, and she found that she
- 24:53was now more of a politician than a soldier.
- 24:57What do the seats want? Igrain asked.
- 25:00We do not know. The first guard replied.
- 25:05Rumour is that some kind of urgent message just arrived from
- 25:08the far north. It was carried by a trader who
- 25:11said they were given it a week ago in Al Qaeda.
- 25:15Far north, but shell garden vacant fell have not yet been
- 25:19resettled. The grain questioned further
- 25:22north than that Even the second guard answered.
- 25:26They say that the message came from Einser Mole.
- 25:31The remote settlement of Einsermal was a place that many
- 25:34in mythos didn't even believe existed, founded by pilgrims who
- 25:38left the newly formed kingdoms, the Legions of Light, after the
- 25:42events of the First Great War, the people of the Far North had
- 25:46long since removed themselves from the doings of the rest of
- 25:48the realm. Einsermal had not fought in the
- 25:51Second Great War, nor had there been part of the rebuilding
- 25:55process after those battles. For all practical purposes,
- 25:59Einsermoor was not part of Mythos in any real way, which
- 26:03made correspondence from the settlement a truly unusual and
- 26:06unexpected occurrence. The remainder of the walk to the
- 26:10audience chamber was made in silence.
- 26:13Is a Grain wondered why she would have been summoned.
- 26:17She would know soon enough, but something in her felt, or at the
- 26:21very least hoped, that this summons meant that she was
- 26:24needed beyond the walls of the castle.
- 26:28In the aftermath of the Second Great War, a sort of four sides
- 26:32had once again become not only the geographic center of mythos,
- 26:36but also the political capital. Originally built to be a
- 26:40gathering place for the Legions of Light in the early days of
- 26:43the realm, the castle eventually became more of a ceremonial site
- 26:47rather than a political and military location.
- 26:51In more recent times, it had not even served a ceremonial
- 26:54function and had gone largely unused for many years.
- 26:58As the kingdoms of Mythos became increasingly insulated in the
- 27:02days before the return of the Dark Four, that had now changed
- 27:09as the realm worked to rebuild after the end of the Second
- 27:12Great War of Mythos. The Castle of Forsythe shined as
- 27:16both a symbol of the Legions of Light's cooperation and the true
- 27:20seat of power in mythos. The vast audience chamber in the
- 27:27centre of the castle was once again populated by
- 27:30representatives from Ethos, Leandor, Zylonia and Efidian.
- 27:36But these 4 kingdoms that had long made-up the Legions of
- 27:39Light were no longer alone in their stewardship of the realm.
- 27:43While the exterior of the massive castle still featured 4
- 27:46distinct sides, one for each of the great beasts whose armies
- 27:50formed the Legions of Light, 1/5 seat and corresponding gallery
- 27:54had been added to its audience chamber.
- 27:58The Legions of Light had been accused of turning a blind eye
- 28:01to any who did not swear allegiance to one of their four
- 28:04kingdoms, and so this fifth seat was open to any in Mythos who
- 28:09wished to have their voice heard.
- 28:11That seat held as much power and influence as the others,
- 28:15evidence that the Kingdoms of Mythos had learned a lesson
- 28:18during the Second Great War and were committed to building a
- 28:21better world for all the denizens of the realm,
- 28:24regardless of where they lived or what banner they flew.
- 28:29With the additions of this gallery, the council that met at
- 28:32the castle to discuss the important matters was renamed
- 28:35the Five Seats. One of the ironies of the
- 28:38creation of the Fifth Seat was that the representatives who
- 28:41most often occupied that spot were from the House of the Noble
- 28:45Bear. Hailing from the colds of
- 28:48Bjorngar. This faction of Barbarians and
- 28:51outcasts, well known for their general disdain for authority
- 28:55and for the faction system itself, LED in the Second Great
- 29:00War by the one time Prince of Leandor, the barbarian king
- 29:04known as Atlas the Conqueror. Their battle prowess was one of
- 29:08the factors that tipped the scales in favour of the Legions
- 29:11of Light in that war. After the fighting was over, the
- 29:15House of the Noble Bear insisted that the faction system itself
- 29:19was flawed and that it had failed too many in Mythos,
- 29:23leading to many of the problems that had allowed the Dark 4 to
- 29:26rise again. The Legions of Light agreed, and
- 29:31in response decided to not only once again cooperate with each
- 29:34other, but with all people and races who sought to live a good
- 29:38life in Mythos. And then they asked the House of
- 29:41the Noble Bear to be part of that change and participate in
- 29:45the politics of the newly formed five Seats.
- 29:50Reluctantly, the House of the Noble Bear agreed, and whilst
- 29:54the Fifth Seat and its corresponding gallery of the
- 29:56Castle of Four Sides were indeed open to all, the Barbarians of
- 30:01Bjorngar were the ones who could most commonly be found there.
- 30:04Speaking for the disaffected and factionless members of the
- 30:08realm, Igrain made her way into the cavernous room.
- 30:15While she would never be comfortable as a politician, she
- 30:18had to admit that the space was impressive, as were the
- 30:21accomplishments that she had seen in that chamber since she
- 30:24arrived at the castle. There was no doubt that they
- 30:28were making the realm better and she told herself that whenever
- 30:31she felt out of place in the Castle of Four Sides.
- 30:36The name Five Seats was a bit misleading for those who did not
- 30:40understand the workings of the great audience chamber.
- 30:43There were indeed 5 chairs arranged around a table in the
- 30:46centre of the room, but the members who sat in those chairs
- 30:50were not permanent, nor did they alone have absolute say for
- 30:54their faction. Behind each of these seats
- 30:57stretched a large gallery of benches where other members of
- 31:01each faction sat. During official proceedings.
- 31:04Any votes would be cast only after the representative sitting
- 31:08in the floor seat consulted with their gallery, and it was not
- 31:12uncommon for the delegate chosen to sit on the floor to change
- 31:15from day-to-day. Ukraine had even found herself
- 31:19seated on the floor a few times during the past year, a far too
- 31:23visible position that she certainly did not relish and was
- 31:27always eager to relinquish to another delegate from Heathros.
- 31:32Ukraine, I'm happy you're here. Called a voice to the young
- 31:36Knights left. She turned to see General
- 31:38Delphina Reethros, one of the heroes of the Second Great War.
- 31:43Egrain had been inspired to join the Order of Etheron's army
- 31:46after seeing Delphina rise through the ranks of the
- 31:49Templars. While Egrain was not a Templar
- 31:52herself, she had served under Delphina and the other Templar
- 31:55Knights during the attack of Eichenfeld, and she had long
- 31:59idolized her. Delphina was not normally
- 32:02stationed at the Castle of Foresight, so to see her here
- 32:05now was a surprise. General Delphina, Grain said
- 32:09with a reverential bow. I am at your command.
- 32:14Please raise a grain, we have no time for formalities.
- 32:17Delphina replied. There is much to discuss come.
- 32:22We need to begin immediately. Only four others were in the
- 32:26chamber with a grain, and Delphina and the early night
- 32:29gasped when she saw who they were.
- 32:31All revered heroes of the Second Great War from the Convocation
- 32:36of Basilia was the mysterious as a spirit Bender, one of the
- 32:40oldest living beings in mythos. As it was once a member of
- 32:44Poxus's forces, this powerful necromancer broke free from the
- 32:48evil influence of the Lord of Disease and joined the side of
- 32:52good. She was instrumental in saving a
- 32:54faction from the assault of the Circle of Apoxis during the
- 32:58burning of a Fidian. Calling upon the spirits of the
- 33:00scholars that had once walked the halls of Basilia schools,
- 33:04she chased Apox forces away and allowed her faction the time it
- 33:08needed to regroup from the devastating attack.
- 33:12The fact that any members of the Convocation were even alive to
- 33:15fight during the final battles of the Second Great War was
- 33:18thanks in large part to AS its Spirit Bender beside us at the
- 33:24Jaguar Lean thief from Zylona's flock named Kai Pasha.
- 33:29He was responsible for breaking into the Bloodless Throne and
- 33:32rescuing the imprisoned Queen Artemis.
- 33:34Silver Cord, the leader of the flock, would also not have been
- 33:39around to fight in the final battle of the Second Great War
- 33:42had the Jaguar Lean not brave the cold expanse of the White
- 33:46Spine and the threat of the Frost Ogres that guarded the
- 33:49vampire's Black Fortress to save the Faye Queen from the army of
- 33:56Lee. Odysseus stood the mighty
- 33:58Magnus, A decorated warrior with almost folk hero levels of
- 34:02reverence around his deeds and military prowess.
- 34:05Even before the battles of the Second Great War, Magnus LED a
- 34:09regiment of soldiers that held the door of this very castle
- 34:13secure against an overwhelming assault from the massive ogre
- 34:17Kerzog and the rest of the legions of Arathea's forces.
- 34:22Finally, the SATA warrior who Grain was used to seeing in the
- 34:25audience chambers of the Castle of Four Sides.
- 34:28How Vard of Frofar did not have the same kind of heroic legacy
- 34:32that the others in the room had tied to their names, but he had
- 34:35fought alongside Atlas the Conqueror and his House of the
- 34:39Noble Bear during the Second Great War.
- 34:42Since that time, he'd been assigned as the envoy from
- 34:45Braungard to the Castle, and A Grain often saw him sitting in
- 34:48the fifth seat, which is where he's at now.
- 34:52It's the chamber in session. A Grain asked.
- 34:55Everyone in the room was looking at her and she blurted out the
- 34:58question to break the awkward silence.
- 35:01No. Delphina replied.
- 35:04This is not a matter for the Chamber as a whole, this is
- 35:07something we wish to handle more quietly.
- 35:11Is this about the letter from Einson Mole?
- 35:13A Grain questioned. Kai Pasha laughed.
- 35:17He leaned back in his chair with his feet upon the chamber table
- 35:20as he deftly balanced a dagger on his outstretched fingers.
- 35:24The thief flipped the blade over and over in his hands, expertly
- 35:28finding its balance with each flip of the dagger.
- 35:31No chance of keeping something secret in this place, is there,
- 35:35he said. And you wonder why I don't spend
- 35:39more time in the castle. For someone who trades in
- 35:42discretion like me, this place is bad news.
- 35:46And yet here you are, Magnus replied coolly.
- 35:50Lucky for us, Kai. Pasha shrugged and removed his
- 35:54feet from the table. The flock wanted to make sure
- 35:57this was done right and done quietly.
- 36:01Can't trust the mighty Magnus to do things subtly or quietly, can
- 36:06we? That's not Magnus style from
- 36:09what I hear. She wishes to know why she has
- 36:13been called as a spirit Bender. Interrupted the Jaguar Lean.
- 36:17Her eyes were hidden by the shadows beneath her hood and she
- 36:21leaned on a staff that she clutched in her hands before
- 36:24her. Time is fleeting.
- 36:26We must get on with why a grain of ethos has been summoned this
- 36:30night. Delphina handed Egrain a small
- 36:32folded piece of paper. This is about the letter from
- 36:36the North. She said.
- 36:40Here, please read it yourself, we have already done so.
- 36:46Egrain unfolded the letter and began to read silently.
- 36:50Hello and warm greetings. I do wish this letter found its
- 36:54way into the hands in merrier times.
- 36:57I am writing from the far northern settlement of Einsmann.
- 37:01I expect you are surprised to hear from us, and there is no
- 37:04need to be dishonest about our place in mythos.
- 37:07It is true that the people of Einsmann have long cared little
- 37:12for the doings of the greater realm and been content to keep
- 37:15to ourselves. But I write today with an urgent
- 37:18plea. We need help for the past two
- 37:21fortnights, as has this writing. We are being attacked by
- 37:25something that comes for us every few nights.
- 37:28Something has made off with the villager on 4 instances now.
- 37:33We have found their bodies torn to shreds upon the ice the next
- 37:37morning and after the first we expected it was someone who had
- 37:42gotten lost in the tundra and fell victim to one of the
- 37:45predators of the far north. Then a second went missing.
- 37:50Then a thought. We've sent our hunters to find
- 37:53their beast responsible, but nothing has been found.
- 37:57Then last night it came again, but this time we heard the
- 38:02screams as it dragged away the watcher we had stationed at the
- 38:06gates. We found his body this morning.
- 38:09Once again it was torn apart and ravaged.
- 38:14We are at a loss. Some here do not wish to contact
- 38:18you for help. Some of the old ones whose
- 38:21families have lived here isolated the night's mouth for
- 38:23an age, but I was not born in this place.
- 38:27I have seen much and I knows when something is beyond our
- 38:32ability to handle. Damn the old ones who think we
- 38:36can continue to keep to ourselves.
- 38:38We will not survive this long without some help.
- 38:42Please send your warriors. NI have little like an offer by
- 38:47the way of thanks other than a warm bed and a cold mug of my
- 38:51ale at my inn. But I hope that the goodness
- 38:55that was once professed by the legions of light to protect the
- 39:00people of this realm will hold true for us all the way up here
- 39:04in the cold of Einsmann. I do not know when this letter
- 39:08shall arrive to you, or if it will arrive at all, but we are
- 39:12desperate. Come here to Einsmann.
- 39:15Please come. Einsmann needs you.
- 39:17Sincerely, Boris Borgastore, Mayor of Einsmann.
- 39:24Igrain looked up from the letter, but before she could
- 39:26talk, Delfina began to speak. We are sending a party up north
- 39:30to help them out. She explained.
- 39:33There is no time to debate and deliberate the best course of
- 39:36action with the full chamber. Time is clearly important here,
- 39:40so we are assembling A-Team to leave immediately.
- 39:43But there is also more to the story than simply helping our
- 39:47neighbors, Azza added. We have detected some kind of
- 39:52magical anomaly in the far north.
- 39:54The convocation was planning to investigate it when I was
- 39:58summoned here about this letter. We do not know if the 2 are
- 40:01connected, but it would seem too coincidental not to be.
- 40:06Either way must be looked into. Hence the discussion.
- 40:12Kai Pasha chimed in. Until you know what is happening
- 40:15up there in the Northlands, we want to keep this to a small
- 40:20sacker of those who need to know.
- 40:22Congratulations, you get to be in that sacker.
- 40:27Yay team. The grain turned again to
- 40:30Delfina. We would ask you to lead this
- 40:32mission. The Green.
- 40:33She said. We have assembled a small party
- 40:37with each of the factions represented.
- 40:40All of them have been briefed on what is expected, but they need
- 40:44a leader. I expect you are ready to get
- 40:48out of these chambers and back to some re election, am I
- 40:52correct? Ikraine nodded and tried not to
- 40:54smile. She did not succeed.
- 40:57I would be too. Delphina smiled back.
- 40:59We are fortunate to be in a time of peace where deliberation and
- 41:03discussion are the tools of the day.
- 41:06But for ones like you and I, for whom the sword and the shield
- 41:10are our tools, these walls can feel like an enemy too
- 41:13insurmountable to be defeated. I wish to serve any way that I
- 41:19can, Igrain replied. I accept this mission.
- 41:24Magnus walked towards Igrain and placed a hand on her shoulder.
- 41:28We thank you. He said.
- 41:30Delphina has said you can be trusted and will not shy away
- 41:34from whatever dangers you find up in the north.
- 41:37That is good and it is why you have been chosen to be a leader.
- 41:41It is a burden not all can handle, but something tells me
- 41:45that Delfina is right and that you are ready for this task.
- 41:50All the heroes in the chamber stood up and nodded to a grain.
- 41:54We thank you for your commitment and service.
- 41:57Delfina said. Good luck Commander Igrain.
- 42:32The. Horror of Isomer, Part 2.
- 43:00Halvard. I will accompany our north.
- 43:05Halvard of Frothvar announced the room turned to look his way,
- 43:09but before any protests could be logged, he continued.
- 43:13My house has no one picked for this mission, so I choose
- 43:17myself. I know the North better than any
- 43:20of you and this lot will be grateful for my help when all
- 43:24goes white and the path is lost and only I can find the way
- 43:28forward. Have you actually been to
- 43:30Einstein? Mal, A Grain asked.
- 43:33Nay. Alvard replied.
- 43:35But I have been much closer than any others on your team.
- 43:38Have a good group you've got behind you, but Southern blood
- 43:43in them, each and everyone. Not a true northerner to be
- 43:47found. I shall see you too.
- 43:50I'd smile this, I promise. Delphina of Ethos looked at the
- 43:55other members of the Legions of Light gathered in their secret
- 43:57meeting. Do any gather here object to
- 44:00Halvard of Frothva joining this mission?
- 44:03We do not object. Responded as a spirit Bender.
- 44:06Kai Pasha a Magnus in unison. Delphina turned back to Halvard.
- 44:12Get your things. She said.
- 44:14The party leaves immediately. Halvard rose from the table and
- 44:18smiled. Already packed?
- 44:20He said. We of Bjornga are always ready
- 44:23to travel. You never know when the
- 44:26adventure will come calling. The adventure party left the
- 44:51castle of four sides in secrecy under the cover of night.
- 44:55The grain led the way, with Halvard taking up the rear.
- 44:59The remainder of the party was comprised of a paladin from the
- 45:02army of Lee Odysseus, A mage from the Convocation of Basilia,
- 45:06and a Ranger sent by Zeilona's flock.
- 45:09The Grain had been briefed on each of their skills and why
- 45:12they had been selected for this mission, and while she had never
- 45:15met any of the party before except Halvard, they were all
- 45:19seasoned soldiers who were ready to serve their kingdoms in the
- 45:22realm. She expected no trouble from any
- 45:25of them. Shortly after the group had left
- 45:27the grounds of the castle, the mage cast a spell to transport
- 45:31them towards the Northlands. They wouldn't be able to use
- 45:34magical means to get all the way twine some mile, however.
- 45:37The distance was too great, and the cold of the far north had a
- 45:40way of distorting portal magic. Spells that relied on specific
- 45:45locational information were often unpredictable in those
- 45:48frigid climates. Instead, the party was whisked
- 45:52away to Alkyrian on the borders between Leandor and the
- 45:56Northlands. Alkyrian had survived the
- 45:59ravages of the Second Great War and had even grown over the
- 46:02years since, becoming the northernmost point of trade and
- 46:05travelling mythos for all practical purposes.
- 46:09From here, Igrain and the party could gather supplies and make
- 46:13their way further north towards the settlement of Iinsamal.
- 46:17It's a miracle that Iinsamal still stands.
- 46:20Igrain said to Halvard as they gathered their supplies needed
- 46:23for the journey. The commander had sent the other
- 46:26members of the party off on various tasks, so it was only
- 46:29herself and the barbarian from the House of the Noble Bear who
- 46:32were left behind at the Outfitters to acquire the
- 46:35supplies. No one of right mind would go up
- 46:38to that far north unless they had to.
- 46:41Alvard replied. As you shall see soon enough.
- 46:45Tell me, what do you know of Einsermarl and the people that
- 46:48live there? Igrain asked.
- 46:51They are called the unsworn folk.
- 46:54Halvard explained. They are descended from the
- 46:57first people of Mythos, who journeyed north in the first
- 47:00stage after the dark force of defeat by the beasts.
- 47:05Halvard and Ukraine completed their purchases and thanked the
- 47:08merchant for his help. The rest of the party was still
- 47:11completing their assignments, so the two soldiers continued their
- 47:15conversation as they waited for the others to return.
- 47:19I've only met one traveller from Mind Smile.
- 47:23Halvard continued. This was many years ago, well
- 47:27before my house marched to fight alongside your faction and the
- 47:31others. He was travelling through
- 47:34Bjorngar on his way back home. Good man and he told us some
- 47:39tales during the first few days he spent at Frothva.
- 47:44He said that his people went N after the first Great War.
- 47:49They followed some wizard, I can't remember his name.
- 47:54Last name was something like Dark spell or dead spell I
- 47:59believe. They followed him to get away
- 48:02from what was happening in the realm after the war was done.
- 48:07They wanted no part of his new making of kingdoms and armies,
- 48:13they simply wanted to be let live their lives.
- 48:17The House of the Noble Bear understood that, and those of us
- 48:23who heard this man's tale felt a kinship with these people that
- 48:27we had never even met. The Traveller told of the harsh
- 48:31days of old and of settling the place they would call Einsamel
- 48:38said that Wizards magic was the only thing that kept them alive
- 48:42those first years. But eventually they made their
- 48:45mark and they tamed the land to be their home, or at least as
- 48:50much as they could tame the north.
- 48:53Those people have lived there ever since.
- 48:57They keep to themselves and expect the same from the rest of
- 49:01mythos. They did not fight the war,
- 49:04Ukraine said, the disdain hard to keep from her voice.
- 49:07Even though the House, the noble bear, did not agree with the
- 49:10legions of light politics, you still fought with us against the
- 49:13Dark. EIN Smelt did not come to our
- 49:16aid. As is their right.
- 49:18Alvard replied. They went N to escape these
- 49:22fights even back then. I expect their wizard saw that
- 49:27the evil powers would rise again and so he took his people
- 49:32somewhere. He believed they would be safe.
- 49:35We chose to fight. They did not.
- 49:37That is that. Igrain looked up to see the rest
- 49:40of their party making their way towards them.
- 49:42Now we should get going. She said.
- 49:46Halvard nodded. I know not what we are going to
- 49:50face. The barbarian said to Igrain.
- 49:54All I know is the people of Ikesville do not ask for help
- 49:57from outsiders, ever. Something must be wrong in the
- 50:01North for them to have sent that letter.
- 50:05The rest of the party gathered before Igrain could reply.
- 50:08Already ready then? As Ilenian Ranger asked.
- 50:11The sooner we're done with this, the sooner we can all be back at
- 50:14the castle. Igrain nodded.
- 50:18Yes. She answered.
- 50:19Gather the supplies, distribute them evenly.
- 50:22There's still much of the day left.
- 50:24We make Frine Samal immediately. How Vard will lead the way.
- 50:29How? Vard hefted a large pack on his
- 50:31back, arguably taking more of the burden of the supplies than
- 50:35his actual share, but he did not protest as he silently headed
- 50:39towards the long and lonely path that led to Einsermal.
- 51:26Horror of Einsammel Part 3 Boris Burger Story The road north was
- 51:33not an easy one to travel. The grain did not understand how
- 51:36Harvard was able to navigate in these conditions.
- 51:40Everything was stark white and covered in ice and snow.
- 51:44And yet he never faltered or questioned his step, nor did he
- 51:48lose sight of the way before them.
- 51:51The others did not complain during the hard trek.
- 51:55Igrain was not sure if this was due to their training or
- 51:58discipline, or because it was too cold to muster even the
- 52:01smallest protest. The party trudged ahead in
- 52:04silence as Halvard of Frothfar led the way.
- 52:08The Journey Twine Somal comprised the best part of eight
- 52:11days of hard travel. The party made camp each night
- 52:15and everyone took turns on watch while the others rested.
- 52:19A Grain couldn't help but notice that even when Halvard was not
- 52:23on watch, he did not seem to sleep.
- 52:26The stout warrior from the House of the Noble Bear always seemed
- 52:28to be alert, always watching for danger.
- 52:33As the group got deeper and deeper into the northlands, they
- 52:36saw fewer and fewer signs of life.
- 52:39On the second day they saw evidence of ice trolls, but
- 52:43thankfully the monsters did not make their presence known.
- 52:46The party did encounter a lone Frost Ogre on their 4th day out,
- 52:51likely a survivor of the broods defeated forces.
- 52:55The Ogre tried to attack the camp shortly after nightfall,
- 52:59however did sense that they were being followed in the hours
- 53:01before they stopped, set up camp and he had the party ready for
- 53:05an assault. The ogre was a formidable foe,
- 53:09but without the element of surprise on his side the party
- 53:12made short work fit and left the body as a warning to any of the
- 53:16predators who thought they could take advantage of these
- 53:18travellers. It was at the start of the 8th
- 53:23day out of Valkyrium that when a wooden sign with the word
- 53:28einsermal crudely carved in it, appeared on the road ahead of
- 53:31the party. Before the end of that day, they
- 53:35arrived at the gates of the small community set as far north
- 53:39in mythos as any had been known, to venture a Yee lot from the
- 53:43castle of 4A. Watchman atop the gate cooled
- 53:46down as a grain and the party approached.
- 53:49We are, the grain replied. We've been sent by the Legions
- 53:52of Light and the five seats. May we enter?
- 53:57The watchman scrambled down a wooden ladder and latched the
- 54:00locks that held the gate closed. Come in, come in, he said as he
- 54:05motioned for the party to enter the gates of Einsermal.
- 54:09Egrain noticed that the locks were old and the gate would be
- 54:11useless against a force determined to break them down.
- 54:15She expected that this was a little concern to the people of
- 54:18this small settlement, since their remoteness provided the
- 54:21best security they could generally hope for.
- 54:24We'd like to see the mayor of Einsermal, Egrain said to the
- 54:27watchman. Can you take us to him
- 54:29immediately? That is where we are going, the
- 54:33watchman replied as he led the group into town.
- 54:36I was told to bring anyone from the legions up to Mayor's place
- 54:40straight away and should they turn up, it's just a head there.
- 54:43You see the EIN Somalian and Public House.
- 54:47We need your mare, not libations, the Grain said.
- 54:50Our mission is urgent. Where does he keep his offices?
- 54:54The watchman laughed. In EIN Somalian, he replied
- 54:59Boris Berger stories not only the mayor, he also owns the inn
- 55:04and he's the barkeeper. That bar's fine establishment
- 55:08acts as magistrate in these parts.
- 55:10As well as being our Barber. He does his wife Berla, she
- 55:14helps with the inn and he's also our town seamstress.
- 55:18And not that we need it too much, not too many babies being
- 55:21born out here and all, but she's our midwife too.
- 55:24Not too many of us folk here in Einser Mall.
- 55:27No, there isn't. Got to have lots of jobs if
- 55:30you're going to live all the way up here.
- 55:32Look at me. I had to take over as the
- 55:34watchman after we lost the last one who did that job.
- 55:37But I also work as a Carpenter and a farmer.
- 55:41How do you farm up here in this cold?
- 55:43The Ranger asked. Who finds a way?
- 55:46The watchman Carpenter farmer answered with a shrug.
- 55:49We've been doing it forever now and here we are.
- 55:53The largest building in the settlement stood before the
- 55:55party. The name Einsermal Inn and
- 55:58Public House was written on an icicle covered sign that hung
- 56:02from the doorway. Howard pushed open the heavy
- 56:05door. A warm light and the sounds of
- 56:07music immediately leaked for out from inside the inn.
- 56:12The party from the Castle of Foresight stepped inside and
- 56:15found themselves before a packed establishment.
- 56:18In the centre of the room was a large bar, and a red captain
- 56:22gnome stood upon an upturned barrel in front of that bar.
- 56:25A large mug of frothy brew was in his hand as he called to the
- 56:28room. The music stopped and all eyes
- 56:31went to the gnome. The calls won't chase us away
- 56:34when we have the warmth and of our heart and the home to look
- 56:37forward to each day. Lift the mug of brew with me and
- 56:41hear our call. Cheers to the North and the
- 56:43people of Ang smile. Cheers, Cheers to the people.
- 56:49The room echoed back in unison before collectively taking a
- 56:52drink from the mugs in front of them.
- 56:55Once they were done, the music started back up again and the
- 56:58gnome wiped the froth from his large white beard.
- 57:02Boris, the watchman called. The castle sent help.
- 57:06I bought them here, just like you said to do.
- 57:08I did. The gnome jumped down where he
- 57:10stood and made his way over to the group.
- 57:13And you're a Boris Burgess story?
- 57:14The mayor of Fine Somal, yes? Igrain asked.
- 57:17That I am. The gnome replied.
- 57:19Come, come, we've much to discuss and it's too loud here
- 57:22to speak easily. Boris made his way back to the
- 57:24bar and placed his mug on the top.
- 57:26A female gnome was behind the bar serving drinks.
- 57:30Barla. The mayor called.
- 57:33They are here from the Castle of the Beasts.
- 57:36I will take them back to find some quiet so I can tell them
- 57:39the tale. Will you be OK for a bit?
- 57:42Well, a Bergie Story nodded and smiled.
- 57:44Go on, she said. I can handle this lot, don't you
- 57:48worry none. Boris nodded.
- 57:50Call for Josiah and tell him to make up the last two rules for
- 57:54our guests. The Frost Monk knows where to
- 57:56find everything, and he's always happy to help out when needed.
- 58:00Boris added as he motioned for his guests to follow him.
- 58:04Birla replied that she would make sure that it was done, and
- 58:07Boris led the party deeper into the inn and threw a door in the
- 58:10back corner of the establishment.
- 58:13The door LED into the keeper's wing of the building.
- 58:16The inn had not always been owned by gnomes, and thankfully
- 58:20the room was of standard size, even if the furniture beyond its
- 58:24door was made for the diminutive burger stories, and was much too
- 58:27small for any of the party to sit in.
- 58:30Sorry I don't have a better place to bring you.
- 58:32Boris apologized. But this is the only quiet we
- 58:35will find anywhere in the in these days.
- 58:39Business is booming, the paladin remarked.
- 58:42That must be nice. If only it were under different
- 58:45circumstances. The name replied.
- 58:49This public house is the centre of town and it's where everyone
- 58:53comes to waste away the small hours.
- 58:56That's why I bought it. Figured I'd want to be male.
- 59:00What better place to be seen by the folk of this here town?
- 59:04Besides, people are more likely to vote for you when you are the
- 59:10one who serves them drinks. The name patted the side of a
- 59:13large keg of ale with the words Wolfsbane Lager Batch 43-O
- 59:18painted on the front. This here is my speciality.
- 59:22This is my own recipe. Won't find it out there in your
- 59:26fancy Taverns out there in the Four kingdoms?
- 59:28No, you won't. Had to store a few barrels in
- 59:32here because we just finished up this latest batch.
- 59:37Best 1 yet, if I do say so myself.
- 59:41I'm sure it's wonderful, but we did not come here for samples of
- 59:44your ale, a grain said. We came because you said you
- 59:48needed help. Yes, yes, yes, of course.
- 59:51The Nome replied. I was getting to that.
- 59:55As I was saying, we're always busy in the public house, but
- 59:59the beds of the inn are usually empty.
- 1:00:02Most times. The only over I guess we're able
- 1:00:04to get are those folks who don't want to go home after a long
- 1:00:08night in their cups. But it's never been like this
- 1:00:12with the killings. Most everyone wants to stay here
- 1:00:15now. Safety in numbers and all that.
- 1:00:18We can't keep up, but we can't kick anyone out either.
- 1:00:22It's just not safe out there. Tell us exactly what is
- 1:00:25happening. Why did you call us?
- 1:00:28Igrain said as the party moved aside the small furniture and
- 1:00:31sat on the floor of the keeper's quarters.
- 1:00:33Boris pulled up a chair and sat before the group.
- 1:00:36Did you read the letter? I said.
- 1:00:38He said. We did, but we want to hear the
- 1:00:41story from you from the beginning.
- 1:00:44The gnome nodded and began to tell the tale.
- 1:00:48It all started around 5-4 nights ago.
- 1:00:52One of our local buys went missing.
- 1:00:54Nice lead, real strong, but sometimes he made some poor
- 1:00:58decisions and got in a mess. Sorry I should not speak I'll of
- 1:01:03the dead but he was a really nice lad.
- 1:01:05Very helpful. I used to have him help Chapwood
- 1:01:09here for the inn and he was always good to have around if I
- 1:01:12sled. Got stuck in the drifts one
- 1:01:15time. May it grain snapped.
- 1:01:17Please get to the point. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry.
- 1:01:21The Nave said. Just tired dissolved.
- 1:01:24Tend to ramble a bit when that happens.
- 1:01:27Anyway, we found the boy. He did.
- 1:01:30At first we figured he drifted off and got lashed in the storm
- 1:01:35and froze to death. And then something found his
- 1:01:39body. It was torn apart and ripped and
- 1:01:43shredded, but frozen to the ice. We had to chisel him out to
- 1:01:48bring him back home. What did you think could have
- 1:01:50done it? Alvard asked.
- 1:01:53Troll maybe, but trolls usually don't come this far.
- 1:01:57Not. Boris replied.
- 1:02:00Some suggested it may have been a Yeti or a witico, but neither
- 1:02:07of those creatures have been seen in these parts in ages.
- 1:02:11More likely it's something far less monstrous that found the
- 1:02:16body and had an easy meal. At least that is what we thought
- 1:02:21at first. The Nome paused and shifted in
- 1:02:25his chair before continuing. We had lost four in total when
- 1:02:30we went the letter to the castle.
- 1:02:32Since then, we've lost one more. By the time we lost the third,
- 1:02:37we knew that these were not accidents, but our hunters went
- 1:02:41out and came back with nothing. Something has been common every
- 1:02:45few nights, but whatever it is, we cannot find it.
- 1:02:50We set a guard at the gate at all times, but then we lost the
- 1:02:55guard to whatever evil has set its eyes on our town.
- 1:02:59That was the last throw and it's when I sent the letter asking
- 1:03:04for help. I didn't know if the castle
- 1:03:07would listen to us or if there would even care and be willing
- 1:03:11to send us some warriors, but thank you for coming.
- 1:03:15Gray nodded. And nothing since she asked.
- 1:03:18No more attack. One more victim.
- 1:03:21Boris replied with a sad look on his face.
- 1:03:24It was a tough one to swallow, a child.
- 1:03:28One of the few heroines, man. Most of the town is cooped up
- 1:03:32here in the inn, but the kid grew restless and she knocked
- 1:03:35out of the room she was sharing with her family.
- 1:03:37She loved to play in the snowdrifts and we'd had quite a
- 1:03:40nice squaw that day before all stuck in here.
- 1:03:44Seems like she just wanted to have some fun.
- 1:03:47Poor kid. Her parents found her bed empty
- 1:03:49the next morning, and we found her body on the ice a few hours
- 1:03:52later. It was a bad sight.
- 1:03:54Since that morning, none have gone out after dark.
- 1:03:58We even stopped the watch once the sun goes down.
- 1:04:01It hasn't helped to keep us safe, so no need to put the
- 1:04:05Watcher at risk. The hunters found the thing.
- 1:04:08Alvard asked. No tracks.
- 1:04:11No trace, no tracks. Burris replied.
- 1:04:15The winds cover up all tracks almost immediately, but they did
- 1:04:20find this. The gnome got up from his chair
- 1:04:24and went over to a drawer, which he opened.
- 1:04:27Reaching inside, he removed a large chain.
- 1:04:30It was only four links in total, clearly broken off a larger
- 1:04:34chain. Those 4 links were large enough
- 1:04:37and heavy enough that the gnome struggled to lift it.
- 1:04:41Alvard took the chain from their host and inspected it.
- 1:04:44It was somehow warm to the touch.
- 1:04:48We found it near the garden. Boris said.
- 1:04:51We don't even know what kind of metal it is.
- 1:04:54You will feel it. It's one.
- 1:04:56No. What metal does that?
- 1:05:00Alvard said he did not know as he handed the chain to the
- 1:05:03others he had travelled with. We are thankful you are here.
- 1:05:07Boris said. What will you do now?
- 1:05:10You said it comes a diet, correct?
- 1:05:12Grain asked. Boris nodded.
- 1:05:15Nightfall is just a few hours away, Grain said.
- 1:05:18We'll set up a watch. Once it grows dark, something
- 1:05:20comes. We'll be here to meet it.
- 1:05:22Very good. Boris smiled.
- 1:05:24Until then, you are our guests. Come, we have apples, we have
- 1:05:28grapes, we have sausages. Oh, and of course we have some
- 1:05:32Wolfsbane lacrosse to warm me up after what I'm sure was a long
- 1:05:37cold trip to smell. Horror of Einsermal Part 4
- 1:06:28Jekyll Iron Bones It's surprising to see the people so
- 1:06:33merry with everything that has happened, Egrain said to Halvard
- 1:06:36as they sat at the table in the Einsermal Inn in Public House.
- 1:06:40These are hard folk. Halvard replied as he ate a
- 1:06:43plate of sausages. If they let every hardship
- 1:06:46defeat them, none would rise to sea the day.
- 1:06:51That may be true, but these seem like extreme circumstances,
- 1:06:54Igrain answered. Why are they not out looking for
- 1:06:57whatever is attacking them? How can they sit here while
- 1:07:00whatever is killing their own is out there?
- 1:07:03You forget where you are the. Grain of the troth.
- 1:07:06Howard snapped. These are not the front lines of
- 1:07:09your army. These are people who wish to be
- 1:07:12left to their lives. That is why they came here in
- 1:07:15the 1st place, to get away from the death and all the fighting.
- 1:07:19Plunging head first into battle is not their natural reaction.
- 1:07:23He downed his ale and got up from his seat.
- 1:07:25Excuse me? He said.
- 1:07:27I need to stretch my legs and get some air.
- 1:07:29A grain excused Halvard. Now alone at her table, she
- 1:07:33found herself looking about the room.
- 1:07:34These were indeed a hard and hearty people.
- 1:07:37The harshness of Einsa Mould did not allow them to be anything
- 1:07:40else, but Halvard was right, These were not soldiers.
- 1:07:44They knew how to handle hardships bought on by the
- 1:07:47weather or local predators, but whatever was attacking them now
- 1:07:50was beyond these normal threats. There was a monstering on Somal,
- 1:07:54or at least that is what the evidence pointed towards.
- 1:07:58Watch where you're going. Roared a deep voice over the
- 1:08:01dinner room. Igrain turned and saw her
- 1:08:04parties paladin standing face to face with an angry tundra orc.
- 1:08:09The York's body was draped in fur and bones while a pair of
- 1:08:12gnarled wooden horns rose from the side of his dark steel
- 1:08:15helmet. Calm down, friend.
- 1:08:19Said the paladin need to put his hands up in front of him.
- 1:08:22The York slapped them away. I'm not your friend.
- 1:08:25The York spat. And you're a long way from home.
- 1:08:29Lines do not come this far north.
- 1:08:33All had gone quiet and everyone was staring at the boisterous
- 1:08:36orc as he looked about the room. The lion is far from his den,
- 1:08:41and so is the snake and the eagle and deer.
- 1:08:46None of them know the North. But the bear does.
- 1:08:50Alvard replied, making his way from the quieted crowd of the
- 1:08:53inn and into the centre of the room.
- 1:08:56His hands were free of any weapons, but his axe hung at his
- 1:08:59hip and he was ready to draw it should the need arise.
- 1:09:03Do not doubt the words I speak, Hawk.
- 1:09:06Despite this lot that I travel with, trust that the bear knows
- 1:09:10the north as well as any Jackal Iron bones.
- 1:09:14Behave yourself. Burish chastised the orc.
- 1:09:18They are here by my invitation. I would have you show some
- 1:09:22respect. The orc spat on the floor in
- 1:09:26front of the nose. Feet.
- 1:09:28You're not my leader. I do not take no orders from
- 1:09:32you. You were allowed in here in
- 1:09:35nights, man, only by our consent.
- 1:09:37The Nome shot back. You are not the only hunter
- 1:09:41around. Where will you trade your kills
- 1:09:44if we close our doors to you? What do you think of that?
- 1:09:50The York named Jacquel snarled, but did not reply.
- 1:09:53There's no need to fight, Paladin said as he reached out
- 1:09:56to the York on the shoulder. We're here to save you.
- 1:10:00You should be thanking me and my friends, not picking a quarrel
- 1:10:03with me. The orc tightened the grip on
- 1:10:05the bone weapon he carried and used it to smash the paladin
- 1:10:09From your hand or over the head. The big man's knees buckled and
- 1:10:12he immediately fell to the ground.
- 1:10:15But who will save you? Jackal roared.
- 1:10:19Halvard drew his axe and launched forward, but the gnome
- 1:10:22immediately stepped between them and the orc.
- 1:10:25Get out. Boris commanded, staring up at
- 1:10:29the orc who towered above him. Despite the Tundra orc's clear
- 1:10:33advantage in size and strength, the gnome showed No Fear at all,
- 1:10:37and he did not back down. Keep your ale and your mate.
- 1:10:41The orc finally said as he turned a lefty in.
- 1:10:44And luck to you, when the night comes, death will be coming,
- 1:10:49mark my words, Jacol Ironbone speaks.
- 1:10:54The paladin rubbed the lump on his head and shakily tried to
- 1:10:57regain his feet as he watched the angry orc disappear into the
- 1:11:01swirling white snerve. Iron Samole Night came to the
- 1:11:05far north and the adventurers from the castle of Forsythes
- 1:11:09prepared for their first night in Iron Samole.
- 1:11:13The paladin assured Commander Grain that he was fine and that
- 1:11:16the orcs blow had simply caught him by surprise.
- 1:11:20He refused to miss the watch and insisted that he would join the
- 1:11:23others. Grain assigned each of her
- 1:11:27fellow soldiers a position along the perimeter gates surrounding
- 1:11:31Einsermal. The main gate where their party
- 1:11:34had entered, was the primary road to the settlement.
- 1:11:37At least one attack had happened there, the taking of the
- 1:11:40previous Watchmen, but there was no telling if whatever evil they
- 1:11:44were contending with was gaining access to the town by the path
- 1:11:47or from some other way. From the various vantage points,
- 1:11:51the heroes could observe almost the entire perimeter of
- 1:11:54Einsermal. If something came for them this
- 1:11:57night, they would see it, and they would be ready.
- 1:12:02Chacol Iron Bone sat on his throne, chiseled from the rock
- 1:12:06of the mountain itself. It sat inside one of the deep
- 1:12:09caverns that the tundra or claimed as his lair.
- 1:12:14The oak tore a piece of bloody meat off the bone.
- 1:12:17He had his latest kill providing with his evening's meal.
- 1:12:21He was the best hunter in the North, and he travelled great
- 1:12:24distances to seek his prey. Einsermal needed the meat he
- 1:12:29provided and they would regret sending him away.
- 1:12:33Jacol tossed the remains of his meal aside and rose from his
- 1:12:36throne. He would not let this insult
- 1:12:39stand. He was Jacol Iron Bones, and he
- 1:12:42would show the weaklings of Einsermal what they were up
- 1:12:45against. They would never forget his
- 1:12:48name, the hunter known as Old Iron Bones.
- 1:12:53Igrain had taken the patrol at the main gate.
- 1:12:56It was the most accessible route into the settlement and
- 1:12:59therefore the most likely to would be attacked.
- 1:13:01So as the leader of this mission, that is where she set
- 1:13:04herself. The night had been quiet thus
- 1:13:07far, and Igrain found her eyes growing heavy.
- 1:13:11She was a soldier and she was disciplined, but she knew she
- 1:13:15needed to sleep soon. She questioned whether they
- 1:13:18should have rested after speaking with the mayor before
- 1:13:20they set out for the nights watch.
- 1:13:23Made sense in retrospect, but there was no way to change that
- 1:13:26decision now. Night was upon them.
- 1:13:29Sleep was far away. A blood curdling screen cut
- 1:13:33through the night, immediately jolting a grain alert and
- 1:13:37driving anywhere in his for a bones.
- 1:13:39Help came the screen. Help me.
- 1:13:43Egrain jumped down from the watchers platform and ran
- 1:13:45towards the screams. They were coming from the other
- 1:13:48side of the settlement. She saw Halvard to a left,
- 1:13:52running in the same direction that she was.
- 1:13:54His cloak trailed behind him, and he held his axe and shield
- 1:13:57in his hands. It's the Paladin.
- 1:14:01He called to a grain. Something has him.
- 1:14:04Egrained it hadn't recognized the voice at first, but the
- 1:14:07screams continued. She knew that Halvard was right.
- 1:14:10It was the paladin from the Andor, and he was obviously in
- 1:14:13trouble. What's?
- 1:14:14Going on. Ask the mage and the Ranger as
- 1:14:16they came around the corner to meet a grain and Halvard look.
- 1:14:21Said Halvard. The large wooden fence that sat
- 1:14:24at the northwestern corner of the settlement laid before them.
- 1:14:27A taffered piece of red fabric with the golden line of
- 1:14:30Laodicius hung from the top of the fence, and blood dripped
- 1:14:34from what had once been the paladin's Cape.
- 1:14:37The red blood stood against the white snow below as it dripped
- 1:14:40down and slowly formed a pool at the base of the fence.
- 1:14:44Listen, he's still alive. Sure enough, they could hear
- 1:14:48screams over the wind, fading slowly into the night as
- 1:14:52something dragged the Palladin away.
- 1:14:54Come on. Grain said as she grabbed the
- 1:14:56torch and ran towards the front gate.
- 1:14:58We're going after him. It had been a dangerous plan,
- 1:15:02and one that A Grain had not fully considered.
- 1:15:05She'd instinctively reacted to the loss of someone under her
- 1:15:08command. She'd seen many of her fellow
- 1:15:11soldiers fall in battle, but this was her first true command,
- 1:15:15and as such the first of her own troops had been lost.
- 1:15:19In the end, the decision to pursue whatever had taken the
- 1:15:21Paladin was inconsequential. They did not find their fellow
- 1:15:25traveller, nor did they encounter whatever had taken
- 1:15:28him. As the sun began to rise, the
- 1:15:31heroes returned to Einsamar alone.
- 1:16:02Stay safe out there and don't let the horror vines somehow get
- 1:16:06you.