Late yesterday evening I was startled by Eldred Wodeu, the Britain Postmaster, while perusing some newly discovered tomes for the Library of Sosaria. He handed me a letter, apologized for its tardiness, and went about his rounds. The unsigned letter was written on parchment that had a faint scent of incense:</P> <table Align=center border=0 CellPadding=0 CellSpacing=0 Width=50% Height=0> <tr> <td> "Martyna,
Great evils have beset this land and while I have seen much of it through the looking pools, your voice has shed light on the topics of our day. I write to you to give you a lead on a story that besets Britannia. The cure for a coming evil hangs in the balance. I have sent word to the Armed Forces of this vision in hopes that they act upon it. My vision was of a convoy of hooded figures moving into the pass between Skara Brae and Britain, but they do not appear coming out of it. By the sun I can tell it is somewhat closer to mid 9 in the evening. I do hope they make it in time, for disaster must be staved off." </td> </tr> </table>
My curiosity piqued, I waited until 8:45 pm and used the public Yew Moongate north of the Library and went to Britain. Minutes later, I arrived at the mouth of the mountain pass and headed east. At the old fortification I came upon Templar Oona and several Redemption Knights, needless to say they were curious as to why I might be in the area. I showed them the letter I received, and Oona mentioned something about strange dreams she had been having which coincided with a letter that she had also received:</P> <table Align=center border=0 CellPadding=0 CellSpacing=0 Width=50% Height=0> <tr> <td> "Templar,
Ye may not know me, but believe me I know much about you and your fellow Knights. The bubbling water allows me to see come of their tales before they even happen. I say that I can sense that you will take this letter with some feeling to dismiss the words of a pagan woman, but I assure it is in your interest that you not! A great evil is about to befall Cove. I see the bodies of innocent strewn about the city, rotting, no signs of others making any attempt to give them proper burial. There is also the sight of a caravan much sooner carrying the key to divert this future. I can not see in the crates, a magic locks my vision from them, but it is clear they do not arrive at their destination. They enter the pass between Britain and Skara Brae, never to exit. By the sky I would assume they entered somewhere about 9:15 under the central sun. I hope this letter reaches you in time." </td> </tr> </table>
While we waited in the pass, Soke Bishimi of the Blue Lotus Clan suddenly appeared in our midst. A long-time enemy of Britannia, the Soke's arrival instantly raised the Templar's hackles. She demanded to know why he was there and why she shouldn't arrest him on the spot. Bishimi coyly stated the he was "here due to prophecy delivered to the Dojo that very day." Apparently a messenger had verbally delivered a message to the Blue Lotus leader. They continued to argue as the sound of several approaching travelers grew louder. </P>
Three men dressed in brown monk's robes strode towards us, two pack llamas in tow. Templar Oona stopped the men and asked them why they were in the pass. The lead man, who said he was a "Prior of the Order of the Sacred Heart," informed her that they were monks taking cargo from Britain to a ship docked in Skara Brae - and from there on to Yew. When asked what their cargo contained, the monks produced a manifest declaring it as two cases of 'dusky red paint.' They also produced a scroll bearing a note from the Abbot of their Order:</P>
<table Align=center border=0 CellPadding=0 CellSpacing=0 Width=50% Height=0> <tr> <td> "Dear Sir or Lady,
I request that you permit my Brothers safe passage along the road from Britain to Skara Brae. The Brothers have been sent to collect some fine red paint from the markets of Britain. Some naïve young thieves broke into one of the Abbey's prayer rooms painting it with slanderous and vile words. We are going to have to reapply a fine coat of this paint to cover it. These are good men and they follow the Virtues in its most esteemed ways.
Lucas Wagner,
Abbot of the Order of the Sacred Heart" </td> </tr> </table></P>
Unimpressed by the monk's papers, the Soke repeatedly demanded to inspect the llama's cargo. Templar Oona steadfastly rejected his demands and groundless, seeing as not only was he an agent of Tokuno, thus he had no authority. The monks looked nervous and asked to be on their way, refusing a B.A.F. escort to their destination. Bishimi gruffly demanded they hand over their cargo to him..."or else." He stated that the monks were carrying items "crucial to averting a catastrophe for the Tokuno people."</P>
Of course, the monks refused to hand over their cargo, saying it was only paint. One by the name of Vorn even went so far as to show the edge of one of the cases, only to discover that the paint had begun to leak. The monk's dismay over the loss gave Bishimi an opportunity to swing the encounter to his benefit and a group of ninja descended on the Redemption Knights - who also had several hidden members reveal themselves. Escaping through the canyon in the melee, the monks made it to the road heading into Skara Brae before the victorious forces of the Blue Lotus caught up to them. I hid behind an oak tree and watched what transpired...</P>
More demands for the cargo were met by refusals from the monks, and threats soon escalated into violence. One ninja that I recognized as Garret, held a blade to the throat of the monk called Vorn. He quickly lay lifeless at the feet of his brothers. The Prior looked shocked, but refused to give in to the demands for their cargo...the second monk then joined Vorn in the afterlife. Curiously, one of the llamas chose to avenge its master's death and attacked Garret; one swift stroke of his leafblade later and its lifeblood pooled on the ground with the others. </P>
It was then that the Prior, looking his soon-to-be murderer in the face, chose to reveal himself as an agent of Absu Maul - and a follower of Nosfentor. The 'monks' were not what they appeared. The ninja took the cargo; two crates soaked with a red liquid, and killed the 'prior'. The remaining B.A.F. forces came upon the scene just as the Blue Lotus clan gated away.</P>
Men working for Nosfentor by posing as monks carrying mysterious cargo through Britannia... A 'prophecy' about a disaster in occupied Cove - or is it in Tokuno? Who are we to believe? Who is the mysterious 'pagan woman' behind the messages? What was in those crates that were so important to the Blue Lotus Clan that they would risk coming deeper into Britannia? I implore the author of the letters to contact me personally. Tell me your secrets...</P>
As I sat down to write this article, a confidential source arrived and informed me that the Blue Lotus Clan had been attacked by the Triad of Evil earlier that evening. Apparently Nosfentor had sought to kill the Empress of Tokuno, Miko Nakamura. The Crimson Order was broken; Tokuno had cut its ties to Nosfentor. Anything that weakens the Shadowlord is good news! Could the end of her reign of terror be neigh? One can only hope...</P>
**Interesting aside: The Order of the Sacred Heart did indeed exist. However, it was a charitable organization based in Britain and founded on the Principal of Love. It's logo was that of a heart with three drips of blood underneath. It was founded in BY 5 by Lucas Wagner, a peasant farmer who became rich after finding buried treasure on his land. It prospered for many years bringing food and clothing to the needy, which ultimately created the village of Paws to the south of Britain. The Order eventually foundered in the chaos after the mass exodus from Felucca to Trammel in BY 331.**</P>
<FONT color="#800000" face="Monotype Corsiva" size="5">Martyna Z'muir, Library of Sosaria</FONT></P>
Great evils have beset this land and while I have seen much of it through the looking pools, your voice has shed light on the topics of our day. I write to you to give you a lead on a story that besets Britannia. The cure for a coming evil hangs in the balance. I have sent word to the Armed Forces of this vision in hopes that they act upon it. My vision was of a convoy of hooded figures moving into the pass between Skara Brae and Britain, but they do not appear coming out of it. By the sun I can tell it is somewhat closer to mid 9 in the evening. I do hope they make it in time, for disaster must be staved off." </td> </tr> </table>
My curiosity piqued, I waited until 8:45 pm and used the public Yew Moongate north of the Library and went to Britain. Minutes later, I arrived at the mouth of the mountain pass and headed east. At the old fortification I came upon Templar Oona and several Redemption Knights, needless to say they were curious as to why I might be in the area. I showed them the letter I received, and Oona mentioned something about strange dreams she had been having which coincided with a letter that she had also received:</P> <table Align=center border=0 CellPadding=0 CellSpacing=0 Width=50% Height=0> <tr> <td> "Templar,
Ye may not know me, but believe me I know much about you and your fellow Knights. The bubbling water allows me to see come of their tales before they even happen. I say that I can sense that you will take this letter with some feeling to dismiss the words of a pagan woman, but I assure it is in your interest that you not! A great evil is about to befall Cove. I see the bodies of innocent strewn about the city, rotting, no signs of others making any attempt to give them proper burial. There is also the sight of a caravan much sooner carrying the key to divert this future. I can not see in the crates, a magic locks my vision from them, but it is clear they do not arrive at their destination. They enter the pass between Britain and Skara Brae, never to exit. By the sky I would assume they entered somewhere about 9:15 under the central sun. I hope this letter reaches you in time." </td> </tr> </table>
While we waited in the pass, Soke Bishimi of the Blue Lotus Clan suddenly appeared in our midst. A long-time enemy of Britannia, the Soke's arrival instantly raised the Templar's hackles. She demanded to know why he was there and why she shouldn't arrest him on the spot. Bishimi coyly stated the he was "here due to prophecy delivered to the Dojo that very day." Apparently a messenger had verbally delivered a message to the Blue Lotus leader. They continued to argue as the sound of several approaching travelers grew louder. </P>
Three men dressed in brown monk's robes strode towards us, two pack llamas in tow. Templar Oona stopped the men and asked them why they were in the pass. The lead man, who said he was a "Prior of the Order of the Sacred Heart," informed her that they were monks taking cargo from Britain to a ship docked in Skara Brae - and from there on to Yew. When asked what their cargo contained, the monks produced a manifest declaring it as two cases of 'dusky red paint.' They also produced a scroll bearing a note from the Abbot of their Order:</P>
<table Align=center border=0 CellPadding=0 CellSpacing=0 Width=50% Height=0> <tr> <td> "Dear Sir or Lady,
I request that you permit my Brothers safe passage along the road from Britain to Skara Brae. The Brothers have been sent to collect some fine red paint from the markets of Britain. Some naïve young thieves broke into one of the Abbey's prayer rooms painting it with slanderous and vile words. We are going to have to reapply a fine coat of this paint to cover it. These are good men and they follow the Virtues in its most esteemed ways.
Lucas Wagner,
Abbot of the Order of the Sacred Heart" </td> </tr> </table></P>
Unimpressed by the monk's papers, the Soke repeatedly demanded to inspect the llama's cargo. Templar Oona steadfastly rejected his demands and groundless, seeing as not only was he an agent of Tokuno, thus he had no authority. The monks looked nervous and asked to be on their way, refusing a B.A.F. escort to their destination. Bishimi gruffly demanded they hand over their cargo to him..."or else." He stated that the monks were carrying items "crucial to averting a catastrophe for the Tokuno people."</P>
Of course, the monks refused to hand over their cargo, saying it was only paint. One by the name of Vorn even went so far as to show the edge of one of the cases, only to discover that the paint had begun to leak. The monk's dismay over the loss gave Bishimi an opportunity to swing the encounter to his benefit and a group of ninja descended on the Redemption Knights - who also had several hidden members reveal themselves. Escaping through the canyon in the melee, the monks made it to the road heading into Skara Brae before the victorious forces of the Blue Lotus caught up to them. I hid behind an oak tree and watched what transpired...</P>
More demands for the cargo were met by refusals from the monks, and threats soon escalated into violence. One ninja that I recognized as Garret, held a blade to the throat of the monk called Vorn. He quickly lay lifeless at the feet of his brothers. The Prior looked shocked, but refused to give in to the demands for their cargo...the second monk then joined Vorn in the afterlife. Curiously, one of the llamas chose to avenge its master's death and attacked Garret; one swift stroke of his leafblade later and its lifeblood pooled on the ground with the others. </P>
It was then that the Prior, looking his soon-to-be murderer in the face, chose to reveal himself as an agent of Absu Maul - and a follower of Nosfentor. The 'monks' were not what they appeared. The ninja took the cargo; two crates soaked with a red liquid, and killed the 'prior'. The remaining B.A.F. forces came upon the scene just as the Blue Lotus clan gated away.</P>
Men working for Nosfentor by posing as monks carrying mysterious cargo through Britannia... A 'prophecy' about a disaster in occupied Cove - or is it in Tokuno? Who are we to believe? Who is the mysterious 'pagan woman' behind the messages? What was in those crates that were so important to the Blue Lotus Clan that they would risk coming deeper into Britannia? I implore the author of the letters to contact me personally. Tell me your secrets...</P>
As I sat down to write this article, a confidential source arrived and informed me that the Blue Lotus Clan had been attacked by the Triad of Evil earlier that evening. Apparently Nosfentor had sought to kill the Empress of Tokuno, Miko Nakamura. The Crimson Order was broken; Tokuno had cut its ties to Nosfentor. Anything that weakens the Shadowlord is good news! Could the end of her reign of terror be neigh? One can only hope...</P>
**Interesting aside: The Order of the Sacred Heart did indeed exist. However, it was a charitable organization based in Britain and founded on the Principal of Love. It's logo was that of a heart with three drips of blood underneath. It was founded in BY 5 by Lucas Wagner, a peasant farmer who became rich after finding buried treasure on his land. It prospered for many years bringing food and clothing to the needy, which ultimately created the village of Paws to the south of Britain. The Order eventually foundered in the chaos after the mass exodus from Felucca to Trammel in BY 331.**</P>
<FONT color="#800000" face="Monotype Corsiva" size="5">Martyna Z'muir, Library of Sosaria</FONT></P>