An Archon's Journal

Author’s Note
The Journal of a Archon, one Ruvean Thurdin, recovered from an unnamed tomb that is believed to be his final resting place, though the bones are elven, no proof has been found stating that the bones contained within are his. Strangely written in third person and Translated from Draconic there may be grammatical errors
In the long history of Mer, Men and everything in between there have been many things to worship. There was once a fraternity of cloaked elves that worshipped the Goddess of Lust, they were known as the Fraternity of the Burning Rose, and this Goddess was known as Sepra. The elves were lead by the Grand Master clad in an ebony and gold mask, seconded by the house mother a cruel hag of an elfess. One must never look at the face of the Goddess or she would take it as a sign of affection, but sex with Sepra would lead to death. The elite of the order were known simply as the Masked Ones and they were raised to be leaders from birth. They were trained highly in both Martial and Magical skills, they wore white porcelain masks adorned with golden laurels. The goddess, angered by the masks hiding the eyes of the elite, cursed all of them current and future with glowing amber irises. When the Elves turned 50 they were formally brought into the order as apprentices, for the next 50 years they studied under an elven hermit at the summit at the nearby mountain in every school of magic. Ruvean and his twin brother Paelias were born to be masked ones, on the day of their 50th birthday they were officially brought into the fraternity, Ruvean was given an ornate elven curve blade that had belonged to his father, who died in battle with an ogre and his brother received a simple silver dagger, that had belonged to their mother who had passed away in childbirth.
For almost a hundred years the brothers served their goddess, Ruvean rose through the ranks, even taking an apprentice. Durgon, Ruvean’s apprentice, was a gifted young elf, but he was treated as such from birth making him an arrogant brat, leading to many beatings at the end of a willow branch. Durgon was flawless in combat except for one thing, his feet, he never paid attention to them, a leg sweep was enough to take him down always. Ruvean began calling Durgon Twinkle Toes, which angered the apprentice to the point where he would threaten his master, Ruvean always met these threats with a sarcastic challenge to a duel, which Twinkle Toes learned quickly not to accept, for if they fought he’d leave with new scars while Ruvean left with a smirk on his face. Paelias approached Ruvean in his personal quarters before Sepra’s awakening ceremony one morning. Speaking quickly and in hushed tones Paelias explained that he has had suspicions for years about the legitimacy of Sepra and that he had found that she was not a goddess but instead a succubus. Paelias proceeds to finger the edge of his knife, something he does when he’s nervous, as he says “Brother, I am going to end this, I want you to flee, never return and never mourn me as I will have died to save many”.
“ No brother!” Ruvean shouted with adamence as he grabbed his brother by the shoulders“We finish this together or not at all.”
“Alright brother, as you wish” Paelias said with a small amount of sorrow creeping into his voice. The brothers began to leave the room, but as Paelias stepped through the door he slammed it in Ruvean’s face and cast hold portal, “tzarreth” Ruvaen cursed, Paelias had always been better at magic than him, he practiced magic while Ruvean mastered the blade. Ruvean later found out that Paelias entered the private quarters of Sepra, he approached her while she slept, put as he was about to plunge his dagger into her heart Sepra woke and gutted Paelias with a single claw stroke. Later that evening Paelias corpse was found on the temple floor, his death was never solved, but was assumed to be in revenge for one of their contracts. Ruvean laid his brother to rest with all his worldly possessions in a simple unmarked tomb save the silver dagger which Ruvean renamed Black Star, and vowed he would plunge it into Sepra’s heart. The next day as Sepra was seated on her throne in the temple with the blood stain still on the floor, as smirk rested upon her face. Ruvean entered the temple as he has done everyday for the past century years, but this time to the astonishment of Sepra’s servants he stares directly into her eyes, they gasp as Sepra stares back in Ruvean’s eyes with such innocence that Ruvean almost doesn't believe that she slayed his kin, but he follows his plan he steps forward and offers his hand, Sepra takes it and they strut back to her quarters. The servants shake their heads, never expecting to see Ruvean again. Inside of Sepra’s bedchamber Ruvean lays on his back with Sepra on top of him, the tip of his silver dagger sticking out of her back, blood gushing all over both. Ruvean dumps her off the top of him and sneaks out of the room, but not before setting her corpse on fire, back at his own room, collects his backpack and scales the wall out of the compound, into that vast world he has spent the last century and a half killing his way through in the name of a succubus, the blood of the succubus still coating Ruvean’s cloak and dagger. Ruvan then hid in the forest to prepare for his long journey to escape the pursuers that were probably already on his tail.. He climbed a tree to stay hidden while he prepared, he cast Pregistitation on his cloak turning it gray, he then took off his mask, not sure what to do with it, he decided to cast Pregistitation on it aswell making it look steel, and he placed it back onto his face, the familiar feel of the mask always calmed him even of now it reminded of his slain brother. Ready for this new world to explore he jumped out of the tree and jogged to the nearest town, he had spent quite a bit of time outside the walls of the compound hunting nobles for Sepra, so he knew the woods like the back of his hand. When he arrived in town the people didn’t even take notice of the cloaked stranger, he made his way to a tailor who was more than happy to exchange his red cloak for a gray one as red was a very expensive dye to make, after which he made his way to a smith using a few coins to buy a steel mask that was the same shape as the one he wore. Ruvean then drifted over to the tavern to rent a room for the night as after the stressful events of the day all Ruvean wanted was sleep, but the tavernkeep recognized the mask and cast Ruvean out, so Ruvean went over to the slums and found a collapsed house to squat in he curled up and slept a forced light sleep, if anything tried to sneak up on him, he would know. Later that night Ruvean woke aware of footsteps behind him, He drew his Black Star and jumped onto his feet to find not an assassin as he was expecting, but a kitten simply looking for a warm place to sleep, Ruvean picked the small ball of fluff and layed back down wrapping himself and the kitten in his cloak. When he woke he felt that rumbling in his gut and he knew it would be a mistake to attempt to return to the town, so suppressing the pain in his gut he picked up his belongings and began to walk, except he felt extra weight on his cloak, he looked to see the kitten clinging to it, he tried three times to set the kitten down and walk on, but to no avail, so he placed the kitten in his satchel leaving the lid open, and he decided to call the kitten Jhari Oli translating to little one in Elven.
Ten years down the road in small town known as Candor, Ruvean had been taking Monster contracts in the area for months, making coin in order to survive in a harsh world. The mayor of Candor had said that he was the only man taking contracts on monsters, but the Mayor of Candor lied. Ruvean was approached in the tavern while cradling a mug of dwarven breakfast mead, by large man in chainmail carrying a quarterstaff made of Ironwood, the Man snarled “So this is the goat fucker who’s been stealing my contracts.” Ruvean didn’t even look up from the tankard in his hand, stating as a matter of fact in a calm tone “Obviously I’m the better hunter here or they would find you” The Man proceeded to take off his left glove and smack Ruvean across the face with it. The man then said “Prove it, clearing north of town just after dusk” with that the man left the tavern aptly named “The Dead Man’s Drink”. Ruvean spent the day meditating, he had to decide what to do, if he used his magic the cult would find him, news travels fast and the news of a murder executed with magic would travel even faster, but Ruvean had a reputation to protect, so he made his decision.
Dusk came quickly and was accompanied by a snowfall. Ruvean buckled his daggers on his chest, almost as absentmindedly as someone would take a drink of water, he then pulled his sword belt around his waist, and action so ingrained in his brain that he could do it while asleep. He pushed the cat off of his cloak laying on his bed and he threw his cloak over his shoulders and went out the door, he found the clearing and the man standing there in his chainmail holding his quarterstaff. The man did not know the weapon Ruvean wielded, but when he saw Ruvean pull the blade from his sheath he knew that he was facing a skilled swordsman, not the con man he was expecting, Ruvean dropped his cloak revealing the studded leather underneath Ruvean’s steel mask still covering his face making his glowing amber eyes standing out even more against the night. The man snapped out of his stupor and charged Ruvean, Ruvean took one step to the right, and stuck out his foot, but the man knew that trick and easily stepped over the elf’s foot only to find the elf’s left fist contacting his face throwing him off balance. The man staggered but regained his footing too quickly for Ruvean to end it early, he brought down his staff overhead expecting the thin elf to dodge again, but instead the elf met the stick with blade, left, right, up, under, right, under, every swing the man took was met with blade, every jab the man made was easily evaded, until after repeated attempts he caught Ruvean’s left arm, at which point he didn’t notice the silver dagger flying toward his chest, by the time he noticed the blade was already piercing his heart. Ruvean’s voice seemed to float above him as he spoke, “take heart brother, great warriors were never meant to die in bed” and with that he faded into the blissful void. As Ruvean guided the man’s body to the ground he picked up the man’s quarterstaff and held for a moment before he heard many men crashing through the brush. Ruvean’s elf eyes could easily make out forty town guardsmen surrounding him, and he faced the town commander before the commander had a chance to light the lantern, of course Ruvean could see the men shaking in their boots, all they could see was two glowing amber rings and the shine of Ruvean’s blade in the moonlight. Ruvean picked up his cloak, wrapped it around him, and as the the commander finally got the lantern lit he saw a cloaked masked thing with glowing Irises. Holding two bloody blades and a monster hunter at his feet. Ruvean cackled and vanished, the guardsmen began to cower as they were assaulted by hideous laughter, meanwhile the now invisible RUvean sprinted back through the trees throwing ghost sounds at the guardsmen. The laughter flowing out of the trees was enough for all of the guardsmen to drop their spears and run like frightened children, but that was honestly the smart thing to do, when dealing with a mage you never know what is going to happen
Hours later Ruvean returned to the site of the battle and he buried the Monster Hunter, he placed rocks on top of the grave and made a simple wooden Tombstone that read
Here Lies an unnamed Monster Hunter
Slayn in battle he died with honor
RIP
Ruvean left the gravesite and wandered on down the road, vowing to never take a contract in the town of Candor again.
Another 7 years passed before Ruvean even realized it. Jhari Oli just fell over one day and Ruvean hit the sudden wall, Oli was only a cat and didn’t live for Hundreds of years like his master, but Ruvean couldn’t let death take this small cat. “NO!” Ruvean yelled like a maniac standing in the middle of a forest path “REAPER! You cannot have him, you hear me, never!” Ruean picked up Oli and slid him into the satchel like he always used to ride, except this time there was no soft purr against Ruvean’s hip. Ruvean made the decision to return to the old hermit that lived at the summit of the mountain near Sepra’s Temple, Ruvean knew that it would be dangerous to pass so close to his old barracks, but he needed his fuzzy companion, he also had an ulterior motive, it was a ninety day trek to the gravesite of his brother, he kept Oli’s body chilled in an enchanted bag he had bought with all of his monster hunting money. He approached the tomb that he had laid his brother to rest in seventeen years ago, to find the door hanging off its hinges, and coffin behind wide open, Ruvean to a few shaky steps forward looking at the coffin, the rage building in his chest. When his brothers bones came into view he saw that the skull was missing, and he knew. He dropped his bags leaving the staff behind. He stepped out of the door, cast mend on it and went hunting. He was now hunting the hunters, he would not rest until they were all dead, no more fleeing. They desecrated a warrior’s grave something forbidden by even the Heartless wretch Sepra. Ruvean arrived at the temple as dusk set in. Before the sentries even had a chance to react they both had daggers embedded in their chests. Ruvean stepped out of the shadows up to the front gate and cast spider climb. He walked up the wall and onto the roof, here he donned his familiar white porcelain mask.. From here he was able to stroll to the courtyard, the runes supposed to prevent magic were not designed to work on a Masked One. Ruvean scuttled down a pillar and onto the ceiling of the area around the open space. A sentry came around a corner but Ruvean was lost in the shadows of the torch light Ruvean decided to simply crawl past this Sentry, he needed someone to take the news of the slaughter to the Grandmaster who Ruvean knew was out with the hunting party. He then crawled into the throne room, the next room over, sticking to the walls and Ceilings, there upon Sepra’s throne sat a skull Ruvean figured it was a trap, so he scuttled around the room to the east wing, the armory, where he heard hushed voices of young men.
“He’s not going to show” Said the first
“No, probably not, A masked one isn’t that stupid” The second responded.
With this Ruvean dropped down at the door and kicked it open. Ruvean scolded, “Apprentices should stay alert even when faced with overwhelming boredom”. The apprentices were not given a chance to even get into attention stance before Ruvean slew them on the spot, his curved blade flashing in vicious crimson arcs, he looked around the blood splattered room, picked up two daggers and replaced the ones buried in the sentries chests, then he found and elegant compound bow carved in draconic, he slung it over his back with a quiver. He exited the armory to find three men speaking to the skull, two of the men were masked ones, but the one in the middle was the House Mother, so not a man, she was the authority when the Grand master was away, and she was very dangerous. Ruvean heard her speak “The Grand Master requires more information, where exactly was your brother’s safe house located,. Next the raspy whisper of the skulls voice rattled the very bones of Ruvean’s body “HE NEVER TOLD ME EXACTLY, FREEEE MEEEE!!” Paelias, brought back from the dead, tortured and interrogated, a fate worse than death. Ruvean could not stand by and watch this, he slipped back on his steel mask, stepped into the throne room “you can tell the Grand Master he’s too late” Ruvean spat the Grand Master’s name like the words were laced with hemlock. The House Mother stumbled back in shock as Ruvean drew his blade, the blood still dripping from it and in his left hand, Black Star. He hurled Black Star at The House Mother As the Skull screeched “BROTHER, FREEEE MEEEE!!!” One of the masked ones jumped in front of the dagger burying itself deep in the elf’s chest. Ruvean yelled in rage, charging the second Masked One, their blades met in air and held for a moment, Ruvean knew this Masked One from his style, Durgon young but capable, Ruvean’s first and only apprentice. He whispered “I’m sorry” Ruvean put family first, he swept his leg kicking Durgon’s leg out from under him. Durgon knew his mistake, the same one he made a hundred times sparring with Ruvean, but this time it was fatal. As Ruvean plunged his blade into his ex-apprentice's throat. Ruvean spun on heel to face the House Mother, she was enraged by the sight, she hadn’t even realized what had happened until Durgon’s Death gurgle echoed through the hall.The House Mother began to prepare a spell, but she felt a sharp pain in her palm and was suddenly jerked backwards, she looked to see a dagger embedded in her palm securing it to the wall. She attempted to pull the blade out with her free hand, but found out two things quickly. The blade had barbs on it, and she was now a captive. As Ruvean’s second blade thudded into her wrist. She cried out in pain, the only response was Paelias Screeching “How’s it feel Shor. Ruvean looked around the room now bathed in blood, satisfied he searched the compound for any others but found none. Returning to the House Mother in the soundproof throne room, he began to work on her. His blades holding her tight against the pedestal she was pinned to. Ruvean returned to the Armory, picked up a rope and a battle axe. He wrapped the rope, now tied in a noose with thirteen knots, around her neck and wrapped it around a rafter, and began to wrench on the rope until something gave way. That something was the flesh of her hands, tearing free of the knives embedded in them. Ruvean let her drop just enough so her feet scraped the floor, just enough to keep herself alive. Ruvean tied the rope around a pillar, hefted the axe and took a swing at her left arm, the axe passed through like a knife through butter, the House Mother’s screams must’ve been heard by the gods. “You’ve grown weak” Ruvean teased as he hefted the axe again. The House Mother pleaded “What do you want to know, I’ll tell you anything” Ruvean’s sneer hidden by his mask couldn’t be masked in his voice, “this isn’t about information, THIS IS REVENGE” Ruvean roared as he brought down the axe again, this time it embedded itself into The House Mother’s left shoulder, continuing to come down to the middle of her chest with a sickening crunch, she was dead. Ruvean left her hanging, the axe still embedded in her torso and stepped out into the courtyard, the sentry began to holler to get attention, but was cut short by Ruvean’s arrow in his throat. Ruvean stepped back into the armory, picked up some bombs, Ruvean never favored bombs, Too loud and lacks subtlety, perfect for the current situation. Ruvean picked up a few and left one at the door. Back in the throne room, he picked up Paelias’ skull and set it in his cool bag next to Oli. He tossed bombs in every corner of the building, walked outside lit one and tossed it in. The resulting explosion was enough to destroy the entire building except the House Mother;s corpse till hanging from the throne room rafters. Ruvean set off on his way knowing that the Grand Master would not let this slaughter stand.
Ruvean began his trek high into the mountains, prepared to fight anything necessary to reach the old man at the summit. Ruvean wrapped his cloak tighter around him as the blizzard began, the snows were enough to put out any fire that Ruvean started. Finally the sun began to sink beyond the horizon, Ruvean knew he had to find cover or die. Through the blizzard Ruvean saw some ruins, he was thinking they were castle ruins, but when he closed in he recognized them, they were the ruins of an insane asylum, all the apprentices who make the trek are told to never go near the ruins, but Ruvean was no longer a scared apprentice, he was scarred veteran. He swaggered into the Ruins, already with an idea of what lurked in the dark, he gripped his staff tight, clicked out the silver blade and called out, “Geoff, I know you’re bound here, you stay back and I won’t have to use this” Ruvean thumped his staff against the ground for emphasis with the last word. With that Ruvean advanced further into the basement of the Asylum, his breath steadily steaming more, the air around him felt like it tiny icicles hanging everywhere. Ruvean called out again “Geoff, speak if you’re there” a ghastly voice rang through Ruvean’s bones, but Ruvean wouldn’t let that show. “YEOS, I’OM HEORE”, The voice called out. At this point Ruvean stepped into the morgue, knowing what he must do to remove the spirit of the Psycho killer named Geoff. Ruvean began the long task of searching for the killer’s bones without arousing suspicion, first Ruvean searched the morgue, but didn’t even find a phalange. So naturally Ruvean began to search through the cells for any bones, but the ghastly voice rang through the halls again “Whoat aroe yoou loooking foor” Ruvean began to doubt that the bones were what was tying Geoff here, “Just the source of the draft brother”, Ruvean answered., “But tell me about yourself” Ruvean added, trying to find the link to the Asylum.
Geoff instantly responded “Naoh, I haove too fiond ano inotruder”. Ruvean readied himself for the attack, but after a few agonizing moments there was nothing, “Diod Yoou thoink I meoant yoou?”, Geoff’s voice rang “Noo, broother thoere iso anoother, yoou aroe weolcom heore, yoou aroe a troue kioller lioke meo”
Ruvean began to relax, but it hit him like a bag of bricks “Another intruder? Who?” Ruvean called out. “Is it another of my order?”
“Noo, broother” Geoff’s voice sounded close,
Ruvean turned on heel to see Geoff’s silhouette, holding a young elven woman by the throat.She looked to be less than 90, with long golden hair and a slim body. Ruvean called out as he approached her “Geoff release her until we know more”
“Aso yoou wiosh broother” the fear in the killer’s voice was palpable.
Ruvean approached the young elven woman, he held out his hand in a friendly manner, but as he got close he twisted his arm, bringing the woman’s arm into a chicken wing, he whispered in her ear “You should know better than to follow strange men into the ruins of an insane asylum,” Ruvean put pressure on her elbow, and hissed in her ear “What are you doing here?”
“I saw what you did to those cultists” she said quietly “I-I wanted to see the man that was finally able to kill those rapists”
“Rapists? Them?” Ruvean Chortled “Girl I’ve been away for a long time but, there must be flakes in hell if they are rapists” Ruvean released his grip on the girl’s arms and turned her around, “now, if you desire to continue this conversation you’re going to let me search you for weapons, or option two, I let Geoff have his fun”
The girl looked startled, but she complied, stripping down bare to prove that she was not hiding a dagger, Ruvean allowed her to dress and sat down to light a fire, he grabbed some straw from one of the cells, and began to strike his dagger against his flint, as he did this the girl began to speak “ wait, you’ve been gone? What does that mean?”
“It means” Ruvean sighed “children shouldn’t poke their noses where they don’t belong” an edge of annoyance crept into his voice.
“Oka-ay, then why did you kill them?” The girl questioned
Ruvean sighed “What is it with young people and trying to know every detail of a matter that could easily get them killed?”
“Some of of us are not as easily dissuaded” the girl retorted
“Now if we’re done, I have a body to burn.” Ruvean stood and made his way to the back of the morgue, grabbed the latch on the door, but at that moment he heard running footsteps as the girl leapt into the air, Ruvean didn’t think, he just acted. Ruvean’s hand flashed as he reached for his black star dagger, then he jammed the blade into the girl’s throat, as her own momentum carried her into the blade. With her last breath the girl said “You will pay for what you did to the House Mother” Ruvean yanked his blade free, and wiped the blood off on her shirt. The blood already started to well as Ruvean strutted into the cavern beyond the morgue. Ruvean entered the large circular pit filled with corpses, Ruvean began to pour lantern oil across the top of the heap Ruvean then ran across the top of the corpses to the other entrance to the caver, a straight climb up 50 feet, Ruvean cast spider climb, then lit the oil with his flint and steel, then scuttled up the side of the wall back to the fresh air, where not a single flake fell. Ruvean remembered when the old man explained to him that weather could be manipulated like water, you can get it to go where you want, but in order to get it there you need a container, even then it won’t do exactly what you want. The blizzard was the old man’s doing. The rest of the trek was uneventful, as Ruvean made his way to the summit. The small cottage sitting on the top of the mountain. Ruvean knocked and there were large footsteps inside, as a massive centaur opens the door, Ruvean said “Tell your master Ruvean has returned”, the centaur stepped inside; grunted, Ruvean assumed that meant to come in, Ruvean stepped into the cottage already expecting the massive mansion that awaits all who expect a simple cottage. The Centaur walked to the back of the foyer, a massive room with staircases twisting towards the walls on either side, with a polished granite floor and large wooden walls, with paintings hanging in every available space. The Centaur pushed at the wall his massive chest heaving with effort as the wall swung inwards revealing a sitting room with two large red velvet chairs in front of an ornate fireplace. The Hermit stood and walked towards Ruvean, his bent back and crooked legs shaking with the effort of standing. “Ruvean, my favorite apprentice, how great it is to see you again” his voice rang out with surprising heartiness.
“Master” Ruvean bowed as he spoke “I’ve need of your assistance.”
“Well, come sit and have a drink, then tell me what you need” The old man replied.
Ruvean entered the sitting room removing his cloak, boots and satchel at the door, and the old man nodded his approval. Ruvean sat in one of the plush arm chairs, and the old man handed him a glass of scotch, Ruvean said “Thank you, but I have come on a grave matter”
“As I expected, not many men with a dead cat and a skull on ice come bearing good news” The Hermit responded, “I can see you brothers soul is trapped in his skull, and the cat’s soul has fled”
“That’s correct” Ruvean said “I came originally hoping to restore the cat, but that was before I found my brothers skull, but before we go further you are aware that I betrayed the Fraternity, Right?”
“Yes, I was not surprised after your brothers death, or after you found out about Sepra, but onto the matter at hand,” The old man rose from his chair “Follow” was all he said.
The old man led Ruvean through the mansion to the basement, into the old man’s workshop, corpses on multiple tables, body parts everywhere. The room was cooled magically to a nice freezing temperature. The old man stepped beyond a magic barrier, where the air was more temperate, and called out, “Ligny, Ruvean’s satchel please.” A hole opened above the table and Ruvean’s cool bag dropped through onto the work table with a thud, “now”, the old man started, “How to take a soul, the most complicated thing on this plane and move it from it's home to that of a much smaller creature?”
Ruvean raised an eyebrow quizzically “You can do it, right?”
“Of course my boy” he paused “It’ll be a challenge, but you know how I like challenges” The old man pursed his lips, “Now off with you” he commanded, “you look like the dead”.
Suddenly Ruvean was standing in a bedroom, the bedroom he had used when he was an apprentice here. He walked over to the desk that stood in the corner with an ornate book upon its top, bound in leather with a bloody handprint upon the cover, on the first page was written. “The names inscribed upon these pages, bound in blood, are now chained into to their destiny.” Bound in blood was sort of literal, Ruvean flipped through the pages each name had a bloody finger print next to it. Underneath the name was the fate of the apprentice, if they passed or died, and how they died if they were so lucky. He then flipped to the last page , on the last lines was his name, the last name in the book the last apprentice his master would ever take. Ruvean looked at the line below his name, which he had never read. “My last apprentice has passed, passed with all the glory one would expect from his lineage. And so my legacy will live on in him.” Ruvean instantly closed the book and stormed out of the room to confront his master. Ruvean burst into the laboratory where his master was still pondering the problem. Ruvean walked up to the small old man and looked him dead in the eyes “What is my lineage?” Ruvean demanded sternly.
“I was hoping you’d read that” The man’s voice came.
“WHAT IS MY LINEAGE?” Ruvean demanded again.
“Sit”, the old man gestured to a couple of chairs in the corner, “It is a long story”.