Velus's Story

Velus chuckled as he put his mask back over his face. "That is a very long story, M'Lord!" He looked over at the old, startled ranger. "You must be Old Alfredo the ranger." He bowed slightly.

Alfredo gave an audible sigh. "A pleasure to meet you Velus. But how do you know who I am?"

Fred's face lit up. "My lost magical sword from the Dragon's hoard! It hums so quietly when I swing it. Although I do miss my old one, it was a family heirloom. And look! It's the pouch which contains the Dragon's eyes I scooped out for evidence of it's demise. [7867] Splendid! I never thought I'd see those again!"

"To answer your question, Alfredo, we must go back to the jolly night at the Boar's Head. And so went his tale:

Velus had been having a good time that evening, even though he had drank no ale or liqour, figuring one of the company should be clear- headed that night. It was getting late into the evening when Astra approached him where he stood on the porch, gazing at the stars.

"I have a gift for you." She said, showing him a leather pouch she carried. "Water from the river Ethans. It is a most holy river, and drinking from it's water adds life to both body and soul. I have been saving it for a special occasion such as tonight. Will you not take a sip at least?"

The next thing he knew, Velus was naked and wandering alone through the dark hills. They loomed tall and menacing above him and seemed to call his name. All about him the trees were whispering dark secrets in the night. The horror of their waving branches and the ceaseless murmuring of the leaves drove him mad.

~Am I a man or an animal?~ He thought to himself. But he had no memory of his former life. He looked back at his hands and saw that they were now hooves. ~Maybe Im a goat~ He thought.

And so it was by luck, or maybe fate, that Velus wandered down into the valley in the Shreken Mountains he had called home since birth. It was his long time comrad and fellow sheep herder, Mayderry Two- River, who saw Velus wandering around like a beast of the field. Mayderry took his old friend down to the valley's central village and to the village healer, an old monk.

Then Velus had suddenly awoke, clear headed but disoriented. "Where am I!?" He asked as he sat up in his bed.

It was then that the monk discovered an interesting passage in one of his older scrolls on herb-lore of the south. He could only make part of it out, as it was written in Old Hespanish. Apparently there was said to be a weed which grew in southern Aqualaria and parts of Nom Malbra which would cause a person to become insane if ingested or smoked. The exact name of the weed was lost on the scroll but it's symptoms were exactly the same as those of Velus. What disturbed Velus the most was the ending note on the weed. The text claimed it could be ground and mixed in water without greatly altering it's color or flavor.

It was not a long journey from the valley to Mudspot, a day's walk at most. When the two arrived in the minning village they found it quite astir with rumors of the singing dragon slayer and old ranger's arrest. They went to the Boar's Head to speak with the innkeeper. He did not prove much help, but he did inform them that the singing knight had hired a ranger named Old Alfredo to track down Velus and the other two travelers only to be attacked by a gem-wielding stranger and then arrested by a group of soldiers from Caemlyn. He also made mention of the knight making a to-do over a weremonkey or woodsmen in his chamber. "I'm glad he's gone, honestly." He told them. They thanked him for his time and left the inn.

"You mean you think that whoremonger Duke Zular is responsible for Lord D'Honaire's arrest? That would be very ill..."

They decided to leave Mudspot with much haste. Velus asked Mayderry if he would send out the word that a secret council would be held that very night for him and the most trusted members of the Fellowship of the Black Hand. The Fellowship was a secret militia which had been formed in the valley to deal with the threat of Duke Zular and his soldiers. For once every month Zular would send a raiding party into the fair valley to kidnap one of it's virgin daughters for his own twisted desires. Only in recent years had they began to fight back with organization, and their hatred for Zular and the House of Mollari was fierce.

"Fellow Allarians, fellow Valesmen. Although I am not a member of your militia and have been lost for many months without explanation I have called you all here tonight to call upon your blades and your honor. As many of you well know by now, the Wyrm of the Southern Caves lays rotting in it's hole. Lord Frederigo D'Honaire of Suffex went forth to slay this beast and was succesful with the help of Astra of Aquilaria. He was also the one who saved me from the evil spell of the dragon which had me transformed into a hellhound. He is now in the hands of another mutual enemy, that dastardly duke, Zular Mollari! Even now I fear they are nearing the duchy of Trescent on their way to Obsallom. I know you are all skilled trackers and swordsmen, ride north with me this night. Let us hit Zular where it really hurts for once. Let us ride to slaughter and victory!"

Velus ended his story.

1. Meanwhile...

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