The Ashfiend Thus Far

[Malaroth]

Malaroth peered out across the Myrken Wood countryside in the early hours, watching the dawn spill like a golden river over a populace only too eager for the childish comfort of a full, burning sun. Another report had reached him of a second invasion of the Broken Dagger this week, this time by the Ashfiend. It was also the creature's second gift of violence upon that particular nexus of monsters and mayhem. The thought drew a grim scowl to chapped lips. The creature had done much and the path had grown confusing. In his mind he worked to piece together all that had happened thus far.

Firstly, the Ashfiend and its memories had haunted him, driving him to seek out this land, this Myrken Wood, that he had not heard of before. And the haunting, he duly noted, after he had nearly fallen in battle with the dragon amongst the distant streets of Sidgar, a Zachean port city.

Secondly, having grown seemingly more aware and awake, Ashfiend drove Malaroth into a nightmarish slumber and tied him to a tree - leaveing him as a feast for crows. Mocking the would-be Shepherd Knight, Teron reclaimed a weapon he said he forged long ago, Arak's Ruin, from Malaroth, before departing.

Thirdly, the Fiend had somehow gotten wind of Ariane's brief possession of serpent-bangles, that readily transformed into wish-granting metal serpents, able to manifest wings and subtle powers. When she and the High Constable, Cinnabar Calomel, sought to destroy the things the Ashfiend tracked them down to the smithy where the two sought to unmake one of the serpents and engaged the pair in combat. Teron evidently thought that they were the creature's servants as he voiced a desire to destroy it as well, and that the serpents served Vraal.

It was then that Syl Duquesne's estate detonated. Seeking the cause of the fiery explosion, and survivors, Ariane and Cinnabar rode swiftly towards the estate. The Ashfiend accompanied them, wishing to see if his hated enemy, this Vraal character, was responsible. Deeming that this wasn't the case, Ashfiend searched the dangerous ruins for Ariane but found nothing.

Shortly thereafter, farmers began to vanish from their farmsteads. Only a handful to be sure, along the southern reaches of Myrken Wood and in a progressively eastern direction. Trails of dead grass and crops hinted at the Ashfiend's passage as well. The creature had, given his easterly trajectory, likely passed on into Derry (seemingly unlikely as they had not reported any signs of his presence) or stopped amongst the mountainous Myrken - Derry border. And, if that were true, he might be making his lair at the abandoned Snowstill Priory.

Perhaps a week later, the Ashfiend invaded the library and tore up several books in a desperate attempt to locate something... something that pertained to ancient weapons and mythic knights. He slew a patron and kidnapped a librarian who had yet to be discovered but had been presumed dead.

This was followed by Ashfiend's first attack upon the Broken Dagger during which he kidnapped the taverngirl Teddi for some unknown purpose. Seth Bloodmoon, Valaeli, Khalika and Kaelum all attempted to stand against him and though they fought bravely and certainly delayed the Fiend, he was able to spirit her away.

His second visit to the Broken Dagger was simply an attempt, or so he claimed, to deliver a message to Ariane that he had found no survivors at the Duquesne estate, nor any trace of anything. Several patrons, notably Alastir the healer and Khalika attempted to weasel some information out of him though he left soon enough.

And lastly, the Fiend had assaulted Broken Dagger patrons yet again out of some sense of vengeance, or merely anger, to punish or pry Glenn Burnie, the mapmaker's purpose in spending a lot of time at the library. Evidently the Ashfiend was concerned that the cartographer was about to, or already had, unearthed something that Teron found alarming.

There were rumors, whispers and suspicions that others had met with the Ashfiend as well but he could confirm nor deny nothing save what he had just run through his mind. Apart from the creature's apparent undying hatred of Sin'Vraal, an even more enigmatic figure than the Ashfiend. Somehow Myrken Wood seemed to be getting caught up in an ancient feud between the two.

He hoped it would survive.

[Malaroth]

The creature had struck again. As poor Lirya had related to he and Seth Bloodmoon but a few evenings ago in the middle of the Broken Dagger, the poor girl had stumbled across her own butchered family waiting her return home. Another waited for her as well - the reanimated body of her family's grounds keeper - apparently left behind to watch over the grim spectacle.

Given Myrken Wood's habitually violent nature a slaughtered family, while certainly tragic, need not necessarily indicate the Fiend. What had caught his attention however was when the grief-stricken girl related the horribly gruesome nature of the violence as well as the slain appearing to have been stricken with some sort of strange frost that lingered on even during the summer heat.

Furthermore, the orphanage that the enigmatic Vraal had overseen had recently suffered from an attack, apparently arson, that had done severe damage to the structure's topmost floor. The two slain engineers, and the horrific death-mask one wore, forged from intense and cruel suffering, bespoke the Ashfiend's hand as well.

It seemed that the Ashfiend had grown increasingly bold since the Council's decision to seek a diplomatic solution to ending the creature's threat. Perhaps he felt emboldened by the government's distinct lack of any response.

Perhaps such forthrightness of the Fiend's part would help the Council to reconsider. Or such was his hope.