User blog:ATK1734/The Intrepid Tales of Brazen Storm - Volume 2: The Rings of Oblivion, Chapter 1

Like the current of a river, Time moves on; so too do our intrepid adventurers.

After a night of tallying treasure and raucous debauchery, Fenrir and Dilista meet up to discuss their next move (allowing Luna to rest and recover). While talking to Tikki and Crokon, the Crocodilian gave the two a letter (found by Glavios) written by Hathonier. After some time to grieve the loss of their late, Paladin friend, the two were unceremoniously met by a wily trickster:

Enter, Eyrie of the Hawk: a Tabaxi Rogue/Cleric with a love of teas, ale, and the thrill of the hunt.

While the Tiefling seductress made a steady greeting with the Tabaxi, Fenrir did not; the two instinctually clashing with each other, mostly the Werewolf disliking and distrusting the Tabaxi’s antics. But before the two could come to blows, Crokon separated them, negotiating peace…lest they suffer punishment for their behavior. Though Fenrir begrudged the Crocodilian’s demands, a dark air continued to linger about his mind as Hawk left.

After leaving his new acquaintances behind, Hawk stumbled across several strange sights within the settlement. The first, was that of a blue Kadachi looking down over the village…and seeming towards Hawk himself before vanishing into the forest. The second, and most curious of all: was that of a new ramen shop, that none had ever seen before. Inquiring further, Hawk encountered Vorrazeal, the former stablemaster, and current owner of the Ramen shop. Hawk learned of Kadachi and their relationships with their masters, learning of their larval stage and metamorphosis upon consumption of their master’s soul.

Later, while searching for Aerial, Dilista and Fenrir too stumble across Vorrazeal’s Ramen Shop; however, the Bard and the Barbarian both got more than they anticipated. Dilista was horrorstruck to learn the secret of the Ramen (the flesh of those infected with Umbrygal’s curse), while Fenrir was horrified to learn of Vorrazeal’s true identity: the Elder Dragon’s twin brother.

Vorrazeal explains their inherent nature to the pair: he reveals that he is, in fact, the creator of Exandria itself. Vorrazeal also explains that Umbrygal will never truly die as he is the Essence of Death and cannot die so long as he (the Essence of Life) continues to live.

Though the God is remiss for his brother’s recent actions, he prophesizes (to the horrified pair), that a being known as: The Essence of Destruction has been summoned by Umbrygal’s sealing and is coming to destroy all life in Exandria. He instructs the two to head to the southern continent before leaving them with his final, cryptic prophecy:

In the land where the Sun no longer sets,

Toss your weapons into the sea…

And it shall appear.

Dilista, unsettled by these words (and the fact that Fenrir and Hawk continue to eat the human riddled Ramen) speaks to Aerial on the matter, who reveals that the next stage of their journey will unfold in the town of Byroden. As the angel departed (promising to meet them there), Dilista left to have a tender farewell with Tikki.

Fenrir, choosing to rest in his Fortress, was startled to find himself not alone that night. Spending the whole night, turning the fortress upside-down to find the intruders, he found a most unwelcome sight. Imposing on his hospitality, was Were-rat Sorcerer named Toby and three young Were-rat Rogues.

Being that his own tribe (the Skeaver Clan) lived off the scraps of Fenrir’s tribe (the Longtooth Clan), Toby instinctually came to find aid and mercy from the Werewolf. His intentions did not go as planned, as Fenrir grew enraged at the revelation that the four had been attempting to rob him.

With the arrival of Hawk, hungry from the scent of rat, Fenrir threw the youngest to the Tabaxi…who made easy work of them with a snicker-snack of his daggers. Fenrir and Hawk made quick work of the remaining two, and soon enough found themselves slowly bonding over the morning cook fire, with roasted Were-rat as their breakfast.

When Dilista returned, Fenrir decided that the tidings of Toby were enough to warrant help from his companions. He told the two his tale: of his tribe and his family, and how raiders captured his daughter and killed his wife. Hawk, with a rather startling shift in tone, was taken by the story and offered his assistance to the group. With little better offers, Fenrir and Dilista readily accepted their new companion.

And thus begins a new chapter.