The King has proclaimed that each region must send their best and bravest to help fight unrest and evil throughout the kingdom and into the outlands.Persons deemed qualified by the leaders of each region shall be sent to the castle.Once there they will report to the high priestess Liliana, head of special projects.They will be sent on a mission with the liaison for special projects, Melianthe.Those who are found to be competent and loyal will be put in the employ of the kingdom.
Details will follow.
Your region received a proclamation from the king Calling for the best and brightest to be sent to form a special unit to help fight the unrest that has been rampant throughout the kingdom.Each area chose its people; some held contests, some took volunteers, and some just nominated people.However you were chosen, you were given a sealed letter from your leaders and you made your way to the castle.
As soon as you arrive, the guards lead you into a small, bare room where many people are in the process of disrobing and inventorying their belongings. You are given a simple robe, guided towards a box and a scribe, and told to remove all your personal items and list them for the scribe. They stress that everything will be returned once you finish the initial examinations.
When you are finally finished, a guard leads you to a lavishly decorated room where several groups of people in the same robes you are wearing are sitting, with four or six to a group.You are shown to your group, and one of the guards takes your sealed letter.
You wait.
You notice that periodically a young boy in a simple white robe approaches a group and two of the guards leave with himThe guards return some time later and take the group with them. In time, the boy comes to your group and two of your guards leave.Soon your adventure will begin.
You are now in the presence of only four guards, and the other groups in the room. Luckily the chairs are lavishly padded, and there is plenty to look at. The tapestries on the wall seem to depict an epic battle between fiends, celestials, dragons, and fantastic monsters of all kinds. The heroes all are represented with a white light illuminating them. The only non-battle scene is a beautiful portrayal of the castle, with the lush valleys and high mountains that surround it.There are also ornamental weapons hung on the walls and armor placed around the room.
After some time your guards come back. With three of them in front of you and three of them in he rear, you are lead through a door into a hallway where the small boy in the white robes is waiting. He leads your party through a dizzying series of barren hallways. He finally stops in front of a door and leads you through. There are several other people of all ages in the same plain white robes. The room also contains an altar, and there are strange markings on the floor and walls. The air smells of candle wax, herbs, and brimstone. You are reasonably sure that this is the main religious chamber for the castle. A woman in white robes with ornate gold embroidery approaches you. She is about 5 foot tall, with dark hair and dark green eyes.
She says, "I am Liliana, the high priestess and head of special projects. I will be your link to the King; the assignments I give you will come directly from him.Shortly you will meet Melianthe, who will be leading you in your assignments, evaluating you, and reporting back to me. There will be no shame if you do your best and don't work out, but if you betray any of your group it will be as serious as betraying the King himself. You may also be shifted from group to group depending on the needs of a particular assignment. Your paperwork appears to be in order. Follow me and I will take you to the stables where you will be given your mounts and you will meet Melianthe."
Still accompanied by the same six guards, she leads you through more labyrinthine hallways. After an indeterminate period of time, you are outdoors. Another woman, only slightly taller than the first, is watching you intently as you approach.She has very fair skin and golden blonde hair, and is clad in what appears to be leather armor and a black cloak.When you get to her the soldiers have you all line up and Liliana approaches the other woman. They converse quietly and you notice that the resemblance between them is striking. The blonde woman points to two members of your group and immediately a guard grabs each of them by the arm and escorts them away.
Liliana turns to you and says, " This is Melianthe. She will take you to get your mounts and restore your belongings. Once that is done you will all report back to me for your assignment."
She then turns and leaves. Melianthe tells you to follow her through the door she is standing in front of. The smell of fresh hay and livestock tells you that the building you are entering is the stable. She leads you past some mundane looking horses to a very large, black horse.
"This is Celestine, my mount. Your mounts are right over here."
There are several horses past the imposing black one that, even in the dim light, appear to be silver and gold in hue.
"You may each choose one of these Celestial Heavy War horses. That will be your mount for the remainder of your employment. You will need to name it and work with it until you can handle it efficiently. We will now get your belongings. You will have time to get ready and then the guards will lead you back here to saddle your mount and get your orders."
The remaining four guards lead you to a large building near the stable, which turns out to be the armory. One by one, you are given your gear.You notice that the items you had have been supplemented and, in some cases, replaced with better items. This is the first of many advantages to working for the King.