Chapter 1

The First Council

We, the Travellers, had been in Osterra for several months when a Council was called to try and sort out why were here. We had established a base camp near the Mountain Run Winery, run by a hospitable man named Foster. Orcs had been raiding the area, and we offered protection in return for squatting rights. We had encountered several bands of Orcs by now, all wearing the mark of an unknown rune.

The fights had been bloody, as many of the fighters here were green, and for some reason Magick in this realm was very difficult to conjure. The mage, Laya said that the Ley Lines were inert, but in time, she believed she could begin to reactivate them. The Orcs we battled were raiders, for sure, but also seemed to be trying to lure us somewhere, often waiting at the forest edge and retreating once we gathered our forces.

Once we had gathered for the Council, I interviewed all the new Travellers, trying to find some common thread with them. They came from myriad worlds, some with little memory of how they got here, and none knowing the reason. Many spoke of a doorway or portal leading them here, but they all appeared differently.

The council had little to discuss, as we had little information to work with. I spoke of the prophesy of the coming Everwar, and theorized that that may be our purpose here. We also talked of the deathless state of this realm. Those slain in battle would eventually rise, their wounds healed. I was aware of this phenomenon from my own world, and was surprised to hear that it was not common in the other planes.

At that moment our discussions were interrupted, as a late arrival burst into the chamber warning of an Orc band nearby. The had among them a black robed orc carrying some sort of pink Orb. We gathered our forces and sallied forth into the forest after them. Upon our arrival, the Orcs were gathered in a circle chanting while the robed Orc cast some spell, waving his hands in intricate patterns over a glowing pink Orb. The Orcs repeated their chant “Shagarash! Orzalon!”

We attacked. The orcs fell easily enough, but their mage hurled a human heart at one of our number, a man named Kailos. He was confused by this, as it did not seem to have any effect. The Orcs were slain, except for the robed one. His spell interrupted, he took told of the Orb and lunged at us. He cackled madly as he was cut down.

We took the orb back to the council and spoke of the battle. It seemed much too easy, and what could this strange Orb’s purpose be? Laya gathered a cabal of mages to study it, but could only determine that it was an artifact of moderate power. It had ceased emitting light, but rekindled several times throughout the night. One of the minor Magicks we had managed to eke out of the ley lines was that of a Ward, to keep unwanted visitors out of a small area. The orb was warded and hidden, to be kept safe for further study.

After dinner, Kailos began to feel sick. At first we thought it his meal, but soon he became feverish, and began speaking nonsense. He began screaming, speaking to some unseen assailant. Meryn, the half dragon priestess spoke softly to him while she prayed to her Elementals and was able to soothe him.

“Shagarash” he told us when he was calm again, was the name of the Orc in the robes. He was a Necromancer and in league with the dark forces of the Everwar. The Orb was a key, or part of one, he wasn’t sure. The Orc had appeared to him in a vision, beckoning him to join him in the darkness. He had resisted, but it took all his will to do so.

What a strange turn of events. Before this evening, we had almost no information to work with. But after Kailos was struck with the human heart wielded by Shagarash, we had much more to go on. Things were about to get very interesting…and dangerous.