Secrets of the Disciples

This Book is one of the rarest in New Britannia.
It was written by an unknown author.


Secrets of the Disciples

I write this to open everyones eyes, there is a way out of here...

"K*the rest of the name was scratched out* is my name."

My end is near. I betrayed the Dark Father, the bard of evil.
His bloodcurdling tune is stuck in my mind, and I cannot rest.

Even though my time in this world will not last for long, those
words I write will remain. What I witnessed needs to be shared,
and be a warning to whomever reads these words I write in this very moment...

"Everyone is the Same"

I was once like you. An Avatar. Pulled into this world by magic I to this day cannot comprehend.
However my desire to find a way home never ceased. New Britannia felt like a cage to me, and I spent months trying to find a way home.

My attempts to alter the Lunar Rifts failed desperately and I gave up all hope
on returning to my home world. I started learning the ways of magic, and made a living collecting black pearls, make potions and enchant weaponry for traveling Adventurers. My travels brought me to Finchfield, a town located just outside of Brittany.

Even though being sieged frequently by Cabalists, the local well trained Militia kept them at bay and guaranteed a free passage.

"Keenness of Hearing"

I spent the day wandering through the forests around Finchfield, when I heard a soothing tune touch my soul.

I ran towards the bay and saw a large boat docking just a little outside of Finchfield's small harbor.
It never occured to me why I could hear the music play, despite the fact I was still quite a distance away from
the city and the bay. I decided to head back to the city, even though I felt an attraction towards that place.

"World's End"

The boat had docked just outside town. I couldn't resist to take a look at it.
It appeared to be a Tavern called "World's End". A lot of strangers from outside of town were around.

They must have come just to visit this tavern, as I had never seen them around town before.
I didn't know what it was at the time that lured me into this den, but now I know that the Dark Father
called for me.

"I found you."

I found a table on the upper deck of the boat, which seemed a little quieter. Downstairs music was playing,
and I never felt in the mood for that since I was brought to this lands. I order an Ale from an automated waiter.

This Kobold technology always scared me, but the waiter delivered the ale almost instantly.
Suddenly a door opened and a dark figure entered the upper deck. A chill went down my spine and I caught myself gazing at the stranger.

He disappeared as quick as he entered, and I couldn't take my eyes of him.
When he went downstairs I looked back onto my table, and I find a note.

"Lost?"

I startled when I saw the piece of paper lying in front of me. "How did it get there?", I asked myself.
I left the tavern and went back to the city. I waited to read the note until I was back in my room at the local Inn.

It only contained one word: Lost? I was puzzled. And again this tune I couldn't get out of my head.
I decided to go to bed, thoughts going through my head on who could have left me that message, and why...
Eventually I fell asleep.

"Last chance."

Suddenly I woke up. It was still dark outside and the wind was hammering on the shutters of my window.
"Must be a gusty night", I thought, as suddenly a shock went through my body and my heart started pumping.

A letter had been pinned onto my door with a dagger. I pulled the dagger out and took the note. I could feel the power that dagger contained. A shard of night.

"How did someone get in here?". With shaking hands I turned the note and read it out loud: "To find a way home this world must die and we all can return. Prove yourself worthy."

"Rise."

I put on my cloak and garments and run to the street. They were empty, I could not see a single soul around.
There it was again - that tune. It came from a side street just next to the Inn. I could not resist, I followed the music.

When I entered the alley I saw a guard sleeping next to a barrel. I to this day cannot comprehend why I did what I did, but I suddenly realized that I still have the dagger in my hand. Maybe it was my desire to get back to my world that made me do it. I stood in front of the guard and pushed the dagger deep into his throat.

He started to gargle and blood spilled everywhere. The music in my head became louder and in a rush I cut off his hand and took it.

"I will follow."

Next thing I remember is waking up in my bed with bloody hands and my cloak was soaked in blood. I must have slept all day.

It was dark again, and the meal the Inn Keeper put in front of my door looked like his dog had eaten it.
"What have I done?", I said to myself. I washed my hands, burned my cloak and made sure my other garments where clean.

I could not find the dagger anymore and the hand was gone too. I left the Inn, and just as I left Finchfield's gate behind I see a dark robed man looking at me from the docks. He approached me and told me to follow him... and I did. Two other black robed men came out of the darkness and all four of us left Finchfield on a boat waiting at the docks.

"Secrets of the Disciples"

I was brought down a dark catacomb. In front of me a huge city underneath the earth revealed itself. Workshops, barracks, study chambers, libraries and a large dining hall.

I was not alone. Others who seemed as unfamiliar with place as I was joined me. We were being told that today a new life would begin and we will start our journey home.

I lived as a Disciple of Damnation from now on. I pledged allegiance to the Dark Father and learned
his name: Machismo, the Bard of Evil. He is the one, that once he enters the realm of New Britannia will end the world, complete the cataclysm and create a way home for all of us that are trapped here for eternity. I felt his powers and I am sure he will end this world as it is foretold.

We became assassins, cold-blooded, fearless and undetectable. Failure was not accepted. Everyday we trained, all awaiting a task to complete.

The Guildmaster is called Midian, accompanied by a priestress named Clare Nordwind. At his command was the Master Assassin and Thief, named Vallo Frostbane.

Some of us never returned from their assignments and died unknown.

The Disciples are well organized and we infiltrated all of New Brittania's societies. No one can escape us, our eyes are everywhere and there are people who know that. Those people use the services the Disciples of Damnation provide as assassins for hire or thieves of precious rares.

The cause does not matter for us. I killed children, women, priests, bandits or murderers and I learned to feel nothing while executing my orders. For the right price, we ended the life of anything.

From every dead corpse a trophy was collected and later offered as sacrifice to Machismo.
Each sarcrifice brings him closer to entering this world and end it for all of us. But until then gold is needed to maintain and expand our influence. That is why it is of utmost importance only people receiving the death mark get assassinated, as every person on the street is a potential client for us.

"Everything I lived for has been lost..."

I earned up my ranks within the Disciples completing assignment after assignment.
One day I was sent to kill an outlander named Berek. I was warned as he was rumored to possess powers that render him invincible.

It was a trial, I know that now. Knowing Berek's protection is not permanent, I lurked waiting for the right moment.

He was easy to find, a man living large in New Britannia attending festivity after festivity.
I spotted him dancing with other outlanders in a tavern somewhere on Elysium, but when I nocked my arrow to put him out I suddenly couldn't hear the Dark Father's tune anymore that accompanied me since the day I murdered first.

A new feeling grew in me... I started to care...

Care about everything. My prey, the outlanders around him and everything else. I suddenly started to hear the music playing through the aether amplifiers and put away my bow. The feeling overcame me, and I started to step out of the darkness and mingle into the crowd dancing. It went over in a rush.

When the music stopped and the crowd got sparse I suddenly realised what I had done.
I had forsaken the Dark Father, now and forever the Disciples are going to haunt me.

As I am writing this I know Vallo Frostbane will find me... I will become a sacrifice to Machismo.
I cared so much about this world, that I forgot where I came from, forgot my family and friends back home.

In the world I came from they say God forgives... the Disciples do not.

And so my destiny is certain and all I love is lost... because I cared.
May my remains help bring Machismo into this world, and make my brothers return home - the home that I have forsaken.

 

Nice story. Well done.

 

Nice.

 

Masterfully done. A needed antagonist pursuing the dark powers with a well thought out backstory. R/Boris/El Pirata