The Descent to Madness (Mini Series)

LOL !!

What u laughin at Wodan? This is for serious!

Random, your thoughts are brilliant! I'll begin searching homes near the cemeteries to see if there are any home with similar features as the one where we last found the hunter.

It's just ... i had a bad feeling when i sold that cleaver ...

"I often walk past blue rings to see a new," sounds like a moongate

Any skilled or trained anagram specialists care to try and decipher these phrases?

Ails Cuts Five Us

Drear Thews A Grebe Twill Coifed Ivory Us Armed Encysts Lams Ye

Interesting story line....Trying to "get within the mind of madness" is not a easy task.

Thanks again for a fantastic trip into the "other world"


As always

have fun and be safe



Westra

Much time passed again as the killer's efforts seemed to lack he decided to take on easier prey until he could get the thrill he had become so accustomed to. Until than he would butcher those whom sought adventure. Easy prey he thought to himself as he finished cleaning up the corpse. I will eat tonight, but my lust for the hunt still lingers... Until he remembered that it was not just his bad luck it was the fact that he was being hunted himself. This enraged him until he thought of a brilliant idea to end his pursuer. It was time he took drastic steps to ensure his survival. However, the murderer couldn't help, but think to himself that he should place measures in case of his untimely demise. Maybe it was time he saw a dark tormenter from his past once more.

Tay sat quietly at the table, his mug of ale long empty and the barmaids stopping only briefly before being brushed away with a gloved hand. His eyes hurt from the strain of reading the lines over and over and over again. His brain hurt, though not from the ale but from the puzzle laid out in words before him. The parchment was wrinkled from constant frustrated outbursts that saw it crumpled and thrown against the wall only to be reopened, spread flat with a sweaty hand and read over again.

He sighed heavily...

It was time he thought to himself as his slipped the letter in the container for the village of Paws... it is time...

Covetous, in 5ths is split.
Where the birds encased, beat you.

to lam is to beat.

Yes!


I'm fairly certain we would have found that eventually... with time and thoughts...


Time to strike back at madness and see if the butcher can do "evil" bare handed.

Now he will have to be careful with every steps! Good work.

drear thews a grebe twill coifed ivory us armed encysts lams ye

the rewards will be great if you

coiedry encysts lams ye

can slay me

cant make out the rest, but seems straight forward.


I believe Ails Cuts Five Us is his name, but I cant make it out...

Brymstone sat on an old high-back chair, weathered and pitted by years of exposure to the salty humidity indigenous to the island of Buccaneers Den. He sat at the very back of the Pirate's Plunder, angled into a corner so as to observe the front and back doors, there would be no surprises this evening.

The serving wench had asked but once if Brymstone was in need of drink, he made it quite clear that he was there on a matter of personal business.

There was one other patron, dressed in a simple royal blue robe, a man from the far east, with the tell-tale mannerisms as he ordered a rare soy malted ale known to be a staple of such. They ignored one another as each man had obvious reason to avoid conversation.

It was at ten tolls of the bell that a rugged, rather large shouldered man entered the pub, a pony tail and goatee of rather impeccable grooming belied his otherwise gruff and worn exterior.

The visitor scanned the room quickly, with shrewd eyes of a steel gray hue. He took stock of the blue-robed man but focused on Brymstone in the corner. He immediately walked straight to the back, grabbing a chair without losing a step and deftly twirling it about as it came to rest at Brymstone's table.

"Take a seat Blackjack, this won't take long". Brymstone spoke in a monotonous whisper that carried with it the gravity of a serious situation and a possible business deal in the making.

"Ah, Brymstone, it has been ages, and still you are looking as if you have not aged a day, what's your secret old friend!?" Blackjack rambled and looked to the serving wench with a lustful glance and a wink as he motioned her to come near.

"You are in rare form for one who's head seems to always be in demand, so to speak, I have business to discuss with you." Brymstone produced a small bag that chimed of large coins as he dropped it squarely in the middle of the table.

"Aha, well it would seem you are paying for drinks tonight my friend, I'll have a large honey mead and a draught of your fiery dragon's blood wine, it is expensive but worth every gold piece". Blackjack spoke to the serving wench, who had just arrived at the table and was about to take the order when interrupted by a slap to her ample bottom as Blackjack laughed out loud and she hurried off to the back, blushing and imagining a rather generous tip if she played her virtues right.

"So, what business is it that you should have need to employ my services?" Blackjack leaned back in his chair, in an attempt to appear indifferent.

"There is a man I need, dealt with as he imposes himself upon the business of the dead. An unnatural killer, a madman who must be stopped." Brymstone's gaze became a fiery blaze that illuminated the corner of the pub.

"Well then why don't you simply kill him yourself, you are surely capable of such a thing?" Blackjack began to stroke and twirl the tip of his goatee, as he awaited the reply to his query. At this time the wench had emerged from the back with two drinks and set them in front of Blackjack, she loitered in anticipation of payment. Blackjack reached into his money pouch and gave the woman two gold coins with a cat-like grin as he whispered "thank you my dear, now leave us to our business" The wench did as asked and moved on to inquire if the blue robed man was in need of anything else.

"The deed must be carried out by another, as I must not be implicated in this matter, it involves the lives of acquaintances that I do not want harmed, as I have use of them." Brymstone settled further back in his chair, indication that this revelation was uncomfortable to him.

"Oh, I see, a bit of the old game of pawns that you enjoy so much, well it will cost you, I must know the man and where he makes appearances." Blackjack grinned a wry smile and lifted his honey mead in a toast.

"Very well, this is his name and his last known whereabouts. Make it quick and above all........discreet." Brymstone pulled out a folded scrap of parchment, placed it on the table and slid it quickly over to Blackjack.

Blackjack sipped his mead slowly as he glanced down and picked up the note. He placed his drink down and opened the parchment, scanning it's contents he looked up. "Never heard of him, but I'll find him for you and make sure he doesn't pose a problem for your "friend". The price is ten thousand, five now, five when it is done."

Brymstone produced a golden, embellished parchment with the seal of the Royal Bank upon it, he slid it across the table. Blackjack snatched it up and tucked it firmly away under his studded tunic. "Well then, I believe our business is done for night, care to join me in a drink then?"

Brymstone rose from his chair, walked but a few paces, looked over his shoulder back at Blackjack, "Enjoy your drinks, I will be in touch Blackjack." he then walked out into the open, salty air. The blue-robed man had followed Brymstone outside and spoke. "Can he be trusted sir, this man you have hired?"

"I have known him a long time and he has never failed me Shinzo, but if it pleases you, keep a close eye on him for me, just in case." Brymstone summoned his mount, and as he settled into the saddle nodded to Shinzo in recognition of his concerns. Words of power were heard upon the thick humidity of the jungle night and Brymstone was gone.

Shinzo stared at the doorway of the Pirate's Plunder and slipped into the surrounding trees, and was nothing more than a shadow.

Blackjack grabbed the pouch of coins and dangled them in a manner as to arouse the attention of the serving wench. "Well my lovely it is just you and me, let us drink and be.....merry, if you catch my meaning." He smiled wide as the wench made her best attempt at appearing seductive as she walked over to his table.

Orrin sat against the trunk of his favorite oak near the Wayside Tavern. Very few things soothed him more than propping himself here, whittling away at his collection of dragon teeth. He was becoming quite skilled at sculpting out figurines that resembled his friends, and had a decent set at this point. Blowing off the shavings of his newest piece, he smiled at the detail, surprising even himself with the replica of his Uncle.

FenderFellhammer had a strong jaw line and deep set eyes. Orrin had even managed to notch the scar that Fender had earned during a late night dueling session with his brother Bili the Axe on one fateful Hollow's Eve. Clasping his fingers together behind his head Orrin stretched out, kicking his boots off, a quick rest before setting off on gathering the meat for the nights meal...an afternoon nap was not something to be passed up on so fine a day.



It was the silence that snapped him out of his respite. No squirrel's climbing. No bird's singing. Just the sound of a few leaves rustling in the wind, a breeze that suddenly felt unseasonably cold. Steadying his breathing Orrin opened his eyes slowly, peering from one direction to the next. No movement. Springing to his feet Orrin snatched up his shield and broadsword.

"No time for the boots."



Peering through the woods he could see the Tavern's porch, it appeared to be empty, the door still closed. He turned his gaze towards the heart of Paws...that is when the stench hit him. Eyes watering, Orrin placed one foot infront of the other. The smell was far too foul for the Orcs, Lizards, or Ettins that sometimes strayed into the Village. Experience told his senses that the Undead had arrived...however this was the type of stink that indicated a rotten, but not yet reanimated corpse.

Ignoring all pretenses of stealth, Orrin sprinted to the Tower of his oldest friend. If so much as a single straggly grey hair had been disturbed...

Past the Tavern.



Past the Shrine.



To the doorstep...





Blood and gore.

It's hard to tell if it was the sight, or the smell that made Orrin begin to wretch. Forcing down the bile that had crept into his mouth he flung open the iron door. More body parts and bones met him. His lower back wracked with pain as his adrenaline rushed full force. Motor functions came as instinct. Thoughts of his family and friends rushed into his mind. Up the stairs he went, two at a time.



"Jupiter?! Athena?! Borin?! ANYONE?!?!"



His screams were met with nothing but silence.

Still he climbed.

The roof! The Pond! Surely the Maiden would have answers!

A green glow, followed by an overwhelming sense of dread.

Orrin fell to his knees, realizing that the only pure water left in this most sacred of sites,

Were the tears streaming down his face...

This game had to end. How many more would fall victim to this hunter’s game?

A man trained in the ancient art of hunting. A hunter trained by an order that it is said they could move freely in any wooded area without even the air breathing a word their presence.

This deranged hunter had eluded Jupiter for far too long, and now he had gone too far. And with his brazen intrusion into the very proper of the village, Jupiter could not avoid confrontation any further. He would have to follow the game, and so it led to Stormhold. The hunter had threatened that his next targets would be found there.

Arriving in the heart of the great kingdom, Jupiter Greystone along with Alesha the Paladin and Fara Wolfheart of the Wilds spread out to search for any clues.

Near Vlar’s favorite winery, where the song and merriment of the harp carried throughout the kingdome, they encountered two very strange men, one of them looked terribly sickly; and the other was only slightly less emaciated and was apparently hungry. They quickly accosted Jupiter and his company and demanded answers to questions that made no sense.

After several attempts to diffuse the fellows, it became clear that they would not relent so Jupiter put to them two questions. Holding up a mirror he inquired, “Can you name he whom this mirror reveals”

The man howled and lunged at Jupiter with a cleaver. The strike was easily dodged, but just then Jupiter realized they had hired thugs, presumably from the backstreets and dark alleys of Vesper, who joined the fray. Alesha and Fara did not stand idle and quickly dispatched the fellows.

They examined the contents of the fallen men, and found a bingo book, with Jupiter’s face clearly drawn, and an offer scrawled for a reward to be paid upon returning Jupiter’s head. Jupiter looked to the sickly man, who still breathed a few faint breathes. “Where were you return the head of this vile Wizard Jupiter?,” Jupiter asked as he crumpled a few roots of mandrake, “Tell me and I can make your passing less painful.” He spread the root’s sap over the man’s chest and murmured “In Mani.”

“Miiiinoc,” the man strained, “he.. uuughhhhaaa hhhhhh” the man’s eyes rolled to his skull and he exhaled the remainder of his life.

Jupiter mused for a moment and thought aloud, “It feels as though this whole matter is a diversion. There is something far greater at play here, and this lunatic’s game is a diversion. But we must continue to Minoc. We cannot allow any further innocent lives to fall to this mad man. Something tells me, every virtuous soul will need to be protected in the days that soon follow.”

Jupiter could not have guessed at the treachery that transpired at Paws while they were all out – A tainted pond, scattered bones and limbs throughout the Tower.

The only thing that seemed to be in Jupiter’s favor was the recent construction of the Ossuary. At least that would provide some place to put this whole mess to rest upon conclusion.












After his second hideout is discovered, the hunter fled back to moss covered cottage. There, a random fellow by the name of BelXavier came to the aid of the company and helps flush the hunter out

bump from the past

This is a good story, its not often we get this level of complexity and development in stories from the game.