A Hundred Years of Hate

His teammates dead and his family shamed, Mendez headed back to Gon Dulat to face his responsibility and to kill the Dragon.
During the journey he bribed, bought and recruited as many men and monsters as he could find.
The most powerful of these were the lightening resistant, flesh golems bought from the insane Derros.
Unfortunately the battle against the ancient Blue Dragon and his followers was as futile as it was brutal.
Hundreds died and Mendez was dragged wounded and unconscious from the slaughter.
Realising that there was nothing more he could do, Mendez made his way back to the orphanage at Redford and the warm embrace of Etta.
Once there, Mendez quickly bought the Mayor ship and used his gold to buy off and then pay the Pit-fiend’s tax collectors.
When the Pit-fiend was driven out, Mendez continued to pay the taxes for the entire town to the Dragon.
He and Etta had many children together, as well as looking after all the orphans.
Mendez taught them all to fight and when he died, he passed on the responsibility of looking after the town to his eldest son.
Years passed until eventually, as was bound to happen, Mendez’ gold ran out.
The town was soon devastated and the population that could, moved away.
The teenage Vogir, grandson on Mendez, travelled to the nearest ‘free’ town: Highmarsh.
There he spent his time brooding and planning on how he would complete his grandfather’s quest.

A Final goodbye

Booking passage on a ship back to Seawell, Mendez says a final goodbye to Thesis.
‘Are you sure you won’t come with me? I could use your strength if I’m to defeat the dragon.’
Thesis is fully recovered thanks to Mendez’ healing magic, the ministrations of the devoted Lizard-woman and his own remarkable constitution.
‘I’m ssorry Mendezz, but you know what I’m desstined to do. Will you not reconsider and come with me?’
Mendez smiles. ‘You’re about to head off to an island ruled by evil humans and lead an army of oppressed Lizard-man slaves against them. Even if you truly become their King, I doubt there’ll be a place for someone like me. Still good-luck and I sincerely hope you’re successful.’
The normally quiet Lizard-woman steps forward and kisses Mendez’ hand.
‘I thank you for my people and my King. May Semuanya watch over you and blesss you with many children.’
Mendez smiles for the first time in days.
‘And may ‘Semiwuniwawaw’ do the same for you.’
With a wink to Thesis over the head of the blushing Lizard-woman, Mendez boards the ship.

Grave departures

Working all day, Mendez manages to dig the four graves.
Tears well up again as his now unclouded mind realises that both Eolar and Durin were killed by his bow.
It gives him no solace that they had killed his sister and one of his brothers before his retaliation.
The Were-bear, the Dwarf and the Half-Elf wear expressions of surprise but Bodush looks weirdly relieved.
The traitorous Elven Archer and the sly Kobold have long gone but Mendez had no real feeling for either of them. He hardly knew them at all really.
Fingers bleeding and fine silk clothes soiled, Mendez trudges back into his Father’s mansion to clean him self up.
He passes servants and family like a zombie.
A short while later, he visits Thesis’ room; he notices that the door is bolted shut from the outside and there are two guards posted.
‘Let me in’, Mendez growls at them.
The two guards exchange worried glances before acquiescing.
Thesis lies on the cold wooden floor. All the furniture has been removed from this room and the Lizard-woman slave has draped herself around him in an attempt to keep him warm.
Casting one of the few spells available to him, Mendez pours a little strength into his horribly wounded friend.
It’s enough.
Thesis opens his eyes with a double-lidded blink.
‘Mendezz? Isss that you?’
‘Yes my friend. You are safe and I’m about to take you out of here.’
Hefting his massive friend onto his feet, Mendez heads towards the relocked door.
‘Let us out!’
One of the terrified guards peeps through the small barred window in the reinforced wooden door.
‘We’re under orders not to let the creature out.’
Mendez utters a curse with a voice no louder than a whisper, ‘Let us out now and I won’t kill you where you stand. Do you think a few inches of timber can protect you from me?’
Hurriedly the guards slide back the bolt and open the door.
‘Supported by Mendez on one side and the Lizard-woman on the other, Thesis makes it through the doors and eventually to the outside courtyard.
Three horses are waiting for them, all saddled up and loaded with their equipment.
Mendez takes a moment to say goodbye to his weeping Mother before leading the three of them out through the front gate.

Miserable Ever After

The ‘battle’ is over and all of his friends lie dead with the exception of Thesis.
Tears rolling down his cheeks, Mendez pours his last bottle of healing elixir down the mighty Lizard-man’s throat.
It doesn’t revive him but it keeps him from death.
After shouting down his Father’s call for Thesis’ head, Mendez numbly walks over to the horribly burned body of his little sister.
Despite his Father’s spells, he’d managed to resist firing on his teammates until Eolar had killed her with a single blast of divine power.
She had been so young; so beautiful.
How could Eolar have done it?
‘Don’t fret son’ comes the voice of Estaban.
The now hated voice of his Father.
‘A simple call to our nearest Cleric will have Eris back with us in no time’.
Mendez spins round in a fury.
‘Never call me ‘Son’ again. I’m no longer under your spell or your thumb. I shall bury my friends, pack my bags and leave forever. Never ask for my help again or expect me to return.’

Eolar, Eolar...

Estaban sings to Eolar...
(To the tune of: ROBIN HOOD)

Eolar (Pompous) Eolar, with your band of friends.
Eolar (Poor) Eolar, here is where it ends.
Nowhere to run, your adventuring days are done.
Eolar, (Poor) Eolar.
I'll miss you Eolar.

:(

Rudha-an of Rowandale

As I enter the tavern my mind wanders off to the forests of Rowandale like
it usually does when I find myself in an uncomfortable situation. The tavern
is loud, full of people and stinks of old ale and rebreathed air. But I have
been traveling the lands for too long on my own and need to find companions
which can help me to explore the nature and secrets of the evil which drove
me of my homeland.

Centuries ago my family, being close to the king of our long forgotten
realm, was entrusted with the wellbeing of all that lives in Rowandale and
the mountains surrounding it. But the thick forests and purling streams
started to fade away when I was young and an unknown evil started to gnaw on
the roots of the trees my family had protected for generations. Being raised
in the ways of nature I was sent out to learn more about its source and to
find a cure. That was a long time ago.

My ultimate goal is to go back and reclaim what was lost. After countless
years of exploring the wilderness without any result, the dangers ahead and
the task at hand force me to find companions with whom I can explore these
lands. A party of five, weathered and interesting looking, makes me shift
back to the here and now. I ask one of the humans in the group whether I
could sit down, and after he invites me to do so, I tell him my name:
Rudha-an of Rowandale.

After discussing the coming plans of the party, the group is quite
happy to have a guardian druid on board. I think this for me is the perfect
opportunity to seek for what was long lost and help the forces of nature to
gain back control over all beings. "I am the seeker. I am the stalker. I am
the storm."

The Big Finish

Moritz took some photgraphs!