The Story So Far

Part 2: The Bedos Crusade

It was the 304th year of the Third Gelgadoran Age and the Empire was in the midst of a never before known period of peace. Since the end of the Second Age there had been an era of expansion, ushered in by the rise of nine new gods. Fields were healthy, children were strong and the Gelgadoran Empire, built by the formerly separate nations of Arroway, Otar and Bedos, stretched across the continent, putting an emperor to rule at its heart. But, in the middle of this golden age, the Sword of Legends, the most cherished Gelgadoran relic, was stolen in the night. 

The three divisions of the Western Scouting Battalion, or Chimera Company as it’s more commonly known, were dispatched to Old Bedos, in pursuit of this most precious treasure. They arrived at a small fishing village known as Breakhead. In Breakhead their ranks were reinforced by a division of Imperial Crusaders, also on the hunt for the sword, and together they made for the town’s central stockade. They were admitted inside by a cadre of strange fisher-folk, beings the likes of which hadn’t been seen since the first age, that bore gills, blue skin and fins. Commander Blackgate, leader of Chimera Company, met with Sage Basso, second-in-command of Breakhead. Basso told them of a great evil that had befallen their little village. 

Sea-Monsters had been attacking the portside town for half a year and only a few of the villagers were left to fend them off. The scouts were insistent upon meeting with the town’s leader to see what they knew of the mysterious thieves. The villagers were resistant, but eventually a deal was struck: when the sea monsters attacking the town lay dead, the villagers would open their temple and allow an audience with Evad Adrianus.

Together, the scouts, crusaders and villagers set forth to recover three totems to aid in bringing down the Sea-beasts. Immediately upon setting out, however, they were set upon by the very monsters they sought to destroy. After suffering a few casualties, the forces split into three groups, and were successful in recovering the totems. With these sacred objects in hand, they battled the monsters on a hill overlooking the town and brought down the creatures. Under the suspicious eye of the Crusaders, the villagers successfully performed the rites of burial and passage on the fallen beasts, but were unable to return the totems to their holy sites. 

After a moment to recover themselves, the Scouts were admitted into the sanctum of Evad Adrianus, leader of the Breakhead village. The Evad welcomed them in and told the scouts many things the village had held in secrecy. 

First, the Villagers were Corallusks, the descendants of the same monsters that had begun to plague the town. For centuries the monsters and them had lived in harmony, and no one was sure why they had turned upon the village. Though a few of the beasts were defeated this day, more would be back the next morning. 

More startling than the parentage of the villagers were the religious customs they described. Breakhead worshipped a tenth god, Shadar Bashro, who three hundred years earlier had snuck into the pantheon. It was only through Bashro’s guidance that Breakhead was able to protect itself. When villagers asked Bashro for help with the monsters, they were shown a gleaming sword, covered in jewels, hidden away in high tower. They did indeed steal the Sword of Legends, but it was only at the behest of their god, who said the blade would protect them. Who were they to go against the will of the divine? While Bashro’s divinity allowed them entry to a tower protected by the Nine, there was one detail he left out. The sword can only be wielded by a great hero who is worthy of the blade. 

This new information was declared heresy by the Crusaders, who took a Corallusk hostage and fled from the sanctum. The scouts took this news more solemnly and had a brief moment of reflection on what they had learned. Many sided with the Corallusks, including Commander Blackgate, who thought it best to aid the poor villagers. But several remained loyal to the empire, saying it was by divine imperial mandate that they take back the sword, by force if necessary. None were sure what to think of the claims of a secret god.  All were drawn into a bloody battle with the Scouts and the Corallusks emerging victorious. In the end, the Scouts who survived swore to help the Corallusks against their plague of monsters and the sword was left with them. 

What is to come, no one could yet know. But you will… in Chapter Three CALL OF THE WAR COUNCIL.