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The Beginning
A senior council member beckons me to the table where the others are gathered over a large map. The attacks on our city walls have grown bolder and more frequent the last few weeks, as if someone…or something is coordinating the assault. It’s no coincidence that evil tidings began with the betrayal and death of our beloved king. In our darkest hour we fight not only the creatures outside our walls, but also the monsters within.
It is unusual for a spell caster to be present during a council meeting, but these are desperate times requiring desperate measures. I can see the fear in their eyes as I join them. They are right to be afraid. I was different than the others. My magic, the source of all my power, was corrupt…tainted with a curse that I cannot hide. It drains those nearby of their very life force. If I am not careful, it will destroy everything around me. They are right to be afraid.
The council has made a decision. The assassin responsible for the death of our king must be brought to justice. Not an easy task with our kingdom in turmoil and no heir to the throne. I have been asked to venture forth into the wilderness and track down the killer, while the council tries to find a way to restore order among the people. A new king must be chosen soon, and two clans are fighting for the crown, gathering loyal followers along the way.
The assassin left his mark in the king’s bedchamber, a single black rose. I must seek help if I am to decipher this riddle. Fortunately, I know exactly who to turn to. A guardian of secrets, Resum was an alchemist by trade. Normally a plant specimen would send him off in a fit of glee, but the look of horror that crossed his face when I showed him the black rose was not reassuring. Neither was the story he had to tell. Black rose is an ingredient used to make wolfsbane, a potent elixir that helps protect against a werewolf’s attack. Our king discovered it more than a decade ago, around the time when these monsters first appeared. The petals from the flower, which are used to make the elixir, are very rare and can only be found in the Whispering Fields of South Belintin. Home to a variety of plants and flowers, the field gets its name from the sound of stalks and stems swaying in the wind. The great outdoors can be peaceful at times, but this was not one of them. A pair of fresh tracks on the ground reminds me to be on guard. Whoever…or whatever made them might still be nearby. Against my better judgment I decide to follow them.