Welcome to Gaia! ::

It had been awhile since Valen had been amongst so many people. The smell of prey was quite permeated everything, and the fact that Valen was feeling weaker did not help. He covered himself with the hood of his cloak and walked into the city. The guards at the gate watched as the people entered their city, and paid little attention to those who entered. Valen walked down the bustling streets. He walked past shops and forgeries. He always did admire blacksmiths and their craft. It impressed him at the works of art they could make out of raw ore. But he did not come here for armor or weapons. He walked through the city, and eventually came into the more disreputable part of town. Prostitutes called him over as he walked by, but he ignored them. The only times he ever spent the night in their arms was when he was hungry, and not for sex. This was a poorer part of the city, people were thrown out of bars for fighting, and people begged for money on the side of the street. He eventually came to a tavern, a wooden sign swayed in the wind above the door, on it was a the carving of a familiar red dragon. He walked inside. The room was very dark, with only a few candles lighting the place here and there, and the windows were heavily tinted. He held up his hand, flashing the insignia of his Knightly Order that he belonged to, at the bartender. The man nodded, and Valen then proceeded to the back and went down a hall until he came to the end. He opened a door there and was at the top of a stairs leading down into a cellar. There was a torch on the wall, but he left it where it was, and proceed down the stairs. This area was slightly better lighted than the tavern upstairs, but there were still plenty of dark corners.

When he reached the bottom of the stairs he walked for a ways until he came to a wall. He pressed a series of stones in the wall and a secret passage opened up to his left, emitting a soft glow from torches and candle light. He went inside and the passage closed behind him. He stood in a fairly large room. There were two Blood Knights guarding the door that he had entered through. Across from him sat another Blood Knight at a table, he beckoned Valen to come forward. "Welcome brother, I take it you received our message?" He stroked the head of another Undead Raven that sat on his desk.

"Yes, what is happening."

The Knight looked grave, "our scryers not too long ago were doing their daily monitoring of the Kierlak when their worst fears were realized. Angmar has awoken, and an Undead army, the likes of which we have never seen is marching towards the Empire." He paused to allow all of this to sink in for Valen, "they are also sending a smaller army to Estalia. Count Von Carstein has notified the Emperor and they are sending all available forces to the Kensrowe Pass. We have also sent word to Keslev, and their Queen is sending her forces."

"So, should I go to the Kensrowe Pass then?"

"No, we are rallying our soldiers at the Keep first, and then we will march their in force."

"I understand.... is there any faster transportation? If you have not noticed the sun is out today, and that is slowing me down considerably."

The Knight chuckled, "yes, I know. We have a ship that will be sailing up the Rappahalldran this evening. You may go with them."

Valen bowed, "thank you." He then left the secret base and the tavern. He went to the docks early, as he had nothing else to do. The ship was fairly large, the largest size a ship could be to travel up the river, and many other Blood Knights were climbing on board. All in all there were 34 Blood Knight on board, including Valen. Most of them were forced to stay on the deck though, but they did not mind. Many of the Knights met up with old friends, and shared their stories from their last meetings. At sunset they unfurled the sail and departed from the port.

(Exit to Rappahalladran Lake)