Chapter 1: Kidnappers

[Bitom]

Here begins chapter one of the First Dawn Chronicle.

Three likely and two unlikely companions gather at the city's main gate shortly after dawn. Matthew, the reformed thief has been waiting since before the sun rose with the supplies for the three priests of the Order of the Hammer with whom he is to travel and serve as part of the condition for his release. The builders law would have his hand struck off for his crimes, but the blueprint says that instead his repentance must be served in servitude to three newly ordained priests instead.

Two of the priests arrive together, Brothers Tiberius and Zanik. Holding their weapons and what few possessions they belive will be useful in this, their first real trip outside the city.

In the shadows of the guardhouse waits Korban, a Sergeant in the city's secular police force, choosing for the moment to keep with those of his own profession. The Priests will be forced upon him soon enough.

Brother Hanz arrives late, again, huffing and puffing as if he ran to the meeting point. This time he has much more gear with him. His armor is still on with shiled slung over his pack. This man has a plethera of weapons strapped, slung and tied all over him. He even has a spear sticking up from his pack with a banner of the builder on it. "oh <huff> good <gasp> I made it."

All have gathered for one purpose. Children are going missing in the outlying towns and villages. They are being taken on the day of the full moon, and in a set pattern. One child a month from each of five towns each five moons. This cycle has been completed for two years. The group is to travel to Daylale to prevent the fifth child from being taken from there during the full moon of next week.

Now they only await the rising of the city Portcullis, due in only a few minutes time.

[Shurijo]

Zanick turns to Brother Hanz and says, 'œBrother, we would not have begun our journey without you.'

The warrior has the same armor, shield, and warhammer as before and now he carries a backpack full of gear over his shoulder. As they wait the rising of the portcullis, Zanick walks over to Matthew and states, 'œMatthew, it is good you have repented. We, like yourself, are like raw pieces of iron who cannot fully know what we will become. While the Builder molds and shapes us into useful tools to serve him.'

He looks around at the city and asks, 'œWhere is the other one?'

[BrokenWire2086]

Sitting upon a small pile of several full packs, with his hoold pulled up over his head and face, Matthew appears to be takeing this oportunity to catch up on what sleep he must have missed dragging the small city to the spot that it now lays.

Matthew is a young man, perhaps just beyond twenty years, with unkempt black hair falling over his ears. Matthew is dressed for a trip, in well worn cloths of varying mix matched pieces of leather that appear to have been patched togeather. Sturdy black leather boots, a heavy belt, and a stained traveling cloak compleate the outfit.

With his body sitting up, and his head resting upon his chest, Matthews face is covered by the hood of a rather battered and beaten cloak.

When Zanick speaks to him Matthew looks up then makes his way to his feet with nimble yet lethargic motions. "Um, I suppose sir." he says with the confusion clear in his voice. To the second question he answers, "Im not knowing sir, only told howmany for stuff to bring."

Display

Not Sleeping just sitting quietly. Its amasing how many people will ignore you if they think you are ignoring them.

[Vardaen]

Brother Tibernious Palanthas arrives with the Warrior Zanick. Brother Tibernious is also a young man just reaching manhood he can be no older than 18 or 19 years of age, and the spark of fanatic youth fills his brown eyes. He is dressed very different from when he met with the His Emenience Cardinal Prine. Then he was dressed in robes, now those robes are stowed in a pack that he has slung over his back. In place of the brown robes he wears a vibrant suit of bronze scale mail. The overlapping scales forms a shell of armor around the Priest reaching down his upper arms, as well as forming a skirt of armor around his waist and upper legs. The scales are polished a bright golden-bronze color except for two black patchs that form the design of a large battle hammer on both his chest and back. He carries a small wooden shield painted in the opposite colors, a black background with a golden-bronze hammer painted on the face. A heavy silver holy symbol, another hammer, hangs on a thick chain around his neck. Strapped to his colar, hanging down his back is a simple domed helm to match his armor completes the attire.

He strides up to the gathering of wagon, and people, "Blessing of the Builder!" He intones loudly as a greeting. The Preist looks on as The Thief is greeted by Zanick. "You supose? Do you not take your repentance seriously?!" The Preist strides up closer to the sitting man and leans over him, he does have an impossing frame, weighting in around 200lbs of raw steel and iron, and standing well over 6 feet tall. He quotes scripture, loudly, "In the beginning we lived as thieves, Stealing fur and fang of beasts for survival. Then came the Builder who brought us the Hammer, And with it we forged a new way of life. To reject the Hammer is to denounce the Builder." The Hammerite Priest points a finger at Matthew, "Your salvation is my responsibility. Stand and speak the first tenants of the faith!"

[BrokenWire2086]

The young thief, who for all apearances is unarmed, stands a bit streighter looking up towards the towering metal clad form of Brother Palanthas and his resolve quivers. Moveing his eyes towards the dirt at his feet, Matthew answers in a meak voice, "Im sory sir, I know not the tenants." He stands there defeated for a few moments before looking back up at the gathered priests, "I come to help, to learn, maybe so one day the building show me my path. See I bring things, things need for long trip in outside of city, I pay for them, see I reperant, nolonger steal, those days gone." The longer he is allowed to speak the more sure of himself he seems to become untill at the last he seems to realise his place and casts his eyes to the ground and stops speaking.

[Vardaen]

Tiberniouss face turns bright red, as he nearly shouts out in disbelief, "You do not know the Tenents?!" Flustered the Priest looks at Brother Zanick and Brother Hanz. "I thought he was repenting? How can he repent if he doesn't even know the Builder's scripture!" He points at the young man and the pile of things he's brought, "The Builder teaches us hard work leads to a pure body. Load up the goods on the wagon, and listen to my words, and bath in the glory of the Builder's Scripture." As he waits for Matthew to start loading things up he goes into his pack and draws out a leather bound book with small steel triangles on the corner. An iron hammer is embossed on the center of the cover.

He flips open the book, "Chapter 1, Page 1...The Stone cannot know why the chisel cleaves it; The iron cannot know why the fire scorches it. When thy life is cleft and scorched, when death and despair leap at thee, beat not thy breast and curse thy evil fate, but thank the Builder for the trials that shape thee...." The Priest continues to read from the book not skipping anything as he begins his instructions to The Thief.

[Shurijo]

Zanick takes a step up to Matthew and helps him load some items onto the cart. The warrior is careful to not interrupt his Brother Tiberniouss' readings of the holy scripture, but, when Tibernious pauses, he whispers to Matthew, 'œIn time, you will learn the scriptures and tenents. For now, be true to yourself and make sure your heart and head are in the right places.'

The warrior is as devout as the more outspoken Tibernious, but he will try a more gentle approach to the newly repentant.

After the loading is complete, Zanick looks back to the city portcullis and scans the area for the remaining person.

[TetNak]

Korban waits and listens. The man's eyes roll as the Hammerites begin yelling in the street chastising the poor young man. With a groan Korban takes a step forward, now realizing exactly the lunacy of these men he is about to travel with. He wants to instantly start digging into the Hammer about having to open his book to know the tenets himself, but the constable restrains himself, saying simply, 'œHaving a sermon are we?' Korban forces a smile, though it does not stay painted upon his face for long, and laces his arms behind his back. 'œOh .. right '¦ I am Sergeant Korban. I have been asked to escort you all '¦'

[BrokenWire2086]

Matthew takes his lashings and begins to load the large packs into the wagon, his musles strainging with some of the larger bags. Working silently he dose what he can to not interupt the priest and his surman. When Zanic starts helping with the bags the prist gets a greatfull smile.

[Vardaen]

Tibernious hauls himself up onto the wagon, and flips the book to page two as he reads the Hammerite Bible word for word, line by line, passage by passage. This may very well be a long trip if he plans to read the entire thing. He pauses a moment as the Sergeant arrives. "Ah yes, the Constable that wants to come along to make sure the Builder Justice is metted out. The Grand Cardinal has told us you would be tagging along. Get on board Sgt Korban, we do not have time to wait for you, the Heretics must be ferreted out, and the Builder's Blueprint followed without delay." As soon as the group sets out he leans over and whispers to Zanick.