Defenders of Tamarus

The chanting had gone on for some time now and the screams had dimmed into nothingness.  A single shaft of light shone into the small dank room that sheltered the thin form of a man called Garent who lay near death waiting to be dragged to his doom.  The sound of footsteps woke him and with a click the door opened to reveal a skeletal form and a robed figure.  The robed figure pointed at him and said, in a muffled voice, “Bring him.”  The skeleton clattered forward and with a vice like grip clamped a bone hand around his forearm, dragging him forward.  He struggled and tried to break the grip but he was too weak to utter more than a sorrowful “no” let alone break the grip of a supernatural creature.

Within a few minutes he found himself lying upon an alter,  He was chained by hand and foot as five robed figures and about a dozen undead creatures moved about the room.  Four of the robed figures continued the chant that had been going on since he had been dragged to this ancestor-forsaken place.  Garent found himself trembling in fear when he realised that the fifth was holding a dagger in preparation for what was to come.  Whatever it was Garent was sure that it wasn’t going to be nice.

The robed figure raised his hand high, the dagger firmly in his grip.  He started to chant.  The words sounded vile and as the chant continued they got higher and higher, faster and faster.  Suddenly, without warning, the door to the room exploded showering all those within with pieces of wood.  Through the now gaping hole ran a group of warriors, armed and wearing a livery of red & black with a silver star shining in the centre of it.  The first into the room was a doughty warrior carrying a two-handed sword which he started using with great effect on those robed figures within the room.  Following him came a noble looking warrior armed with a large shield and sword and following him a warrior who wore a frightening black mask.  The two men started pointing at the undead and dismissing them in Celestial’s name.  The next to enter was a striking looking woman, wearing heavy armour, followed by a large, imposing man dressed in plate armour, and finally, hidden behind this armoured being, a  kindly looking elf who immediately upon entering rushed over to Garent and started chanting, leaving the others to deal with the remaining creatures.

Garent wasn’t sure what was happening at first, he didn’t really understand it at least not until all the aches, pains and cuts started to disappear.  When he realised this he knew that he was being “healed” and more importantly, he was being saved.  The imposing man turned to the warrior with the shield and sighed.  “You were right Aldous, there were necromancers on Tamarus.”  He shook his head, “the question now is how did they get here?”  Aldous shrugged, “I’m not sure, but we’ll find out.”  They both then noticed the elf who was pointing towards Garent.  “Ah of course, sorry Wenceslas.”  Elrood Grandmaster of the Order turned to the others “Ironaye, Hargrim could you free him please?”  Garent shivered as the woman and the masked warrior walked over to him and unbound him from the alter.  It was at this point when another warrior walked in, nodded to the Grandmaster and said “All’s clear on the perimeter Elrood”.  The Grandmaster nodded and thanked him.

The doughty warrior strode over to Garent and smiled.  “Relax, I’m Nethanial.  You are safe for now.  We’re from the Order of Celestial.”  At this Garent felt able to relax, he had believed himself to be dead.  “What can you tell us about these people” asked Aldous.  Garent shook his head, “I’m sorry my lords, all that I can be sure of is that one minute I was sleeping and the next moment I woke up here.”  Elrood sighed, “never mind, we’ll get you home now.”  He took Aldous to one side and asked him to continue searching for clues to the reason the necromancers were here. Aldous nodded and the knights moved out to obey their Grandmasters wishes.