The Chain 01: Meet the Officers
General Summary
We see a painted image of a great airship, wreathed in an elemental ring of fire. Inscribed on the side of the ship are two words: Wayward Pilgrim. "Khorvaire loves heroes! A nation that has seen struggle and war, politics and intrigue- the people want more than that. They want to know that SOMEONE more is fighting for SOMETHING more. It gives people hope, knowing that heroes exist. But heroes come and go…" The camera pulls back slightly, zooming through dusty cracked glass covering the painting and its frame. You see a small closet-like room, filled with boxes of knick knacks and memorabilia. Statuettes of the heroes of the Wayward Pilgrim, sit under a thick layer of dust beside souvenir halberds, lightning guns, and other sundry trinkets. The camera swings past a shelf full of books, with many different titles chronicling the exploits of Khorvaire's greatest heroes. "The best and greatest Khorvaire had ever seen returned from saving the world in Xen'drik, and continued doing good deeds and making the continent safer for the next year. Then… they were gone. And the threats continued." The camera swings through a keyhole in a closed door into a much more clean shop space. The first thing you see is a simple sign that reads "You break it, you buy it!" A gallery full of art, dioramas, and memorabilia stands beyond in the vast store. Dioramas of terrible aberrations and great dragons greet you as your gaze slowly slides through the room. "… Some agents of the Far Realm, Xoriat, still remained on Khorvaire. A huge green dragon awoke in the Eldeen Reaches and struck into the neighboring nation of Aundaire. Many people panicked in those early days, but many more took action. A council of nations was formed, united for the first time in centuries in a common goal." Shifting down the aisle, you see dioramas of armies fighting these beasts alongside replica weapons and armor, emblazoned with the various symbols of the nations of Khorvaire. A ragtag but hardened group fought off a horde of tentacled creatures in one, while a disciplined force of Aundaire and Karrnathian winged cavalry fought a serpentine aberration in another. "The world needed new heroes, and many people stepped up to fill that role. But none more than Avina Talandro of Thrane…" The camera rotates away from the shelves of art (for sale at reasonable prices!) to look down the aisle between the shelves. At the end of the path is a single pedestal, upon which is a beautiful golden statue of an angelic figure. You slowly move forward to the pedestal. "They rallied the faltering armies during the battle of Athandra's Fields and drove the aberration threats back to Xoriat from whence they came! They singlehandedly slew the dragon, Crondoss the Fierce. Finally, the hero the people had been looking for!" You are closer now to get a better look at the figure, beautiful and striking but . They stand with one arm upraised and holding a sword and the other arm holds a shield emblazoned with a single flame (you recognize as the symbol of the silver flame). Their gaze is raised upward past the sword, looking to the heavens. On their back are two great feathered wings. "Under Avina's leadership, the lands began to know peace once more. But these things never last. The Mournland, under the direction of the Lord of Blades, began to strike out at the neighboring nations after they had enjoyed several years of peace. With this newest threat, the nations had but one hope, and it was to rally behind Xoriat's Bane, the Dragonslayer" You shift away from the statue to see several racks of pamplets, with headlines reading "Warforged armies strike into Thrane!", "Avina Talandro - our world's last hope?", and "Empire of Khorvaire formed, Council of Khorvaire disbanded". The camera continues to pass up the aisle until it gets to a small sales desk at the front. You go behind the desk and the camera turns around 180 degrees. You see an aging man, long-nosed and with salt and pepper hair and an easy smile. A small rack of gems and jewelry sit on the sales counter in front of him, a glimpse of his former profession. "Yes, and that is how we came to be led by our Sovereign, Avina Talandro in this great Empiore of Khorvaire. But that is just one story I know. I do so love stories…" At that a blast of white hot air rips through the storefront and whisks you away out into the open air between the towers of Sharn. You see people frightened, running and cowering from this wave of devastation. You fly through the air until you leave the city and rush across the countryside, the flash of hot white pushing you along. You pass through Breland, Aundaire, and Thrane until you end up somewhere in the land of Karrnath, far to the north. Whispered on the wave are the words: "Doom is coming" You start to descend toward the ground and see that you are approaching an army. Maybe 500 people in strength, it seems to be a sizable and well-trained (if a bit random) force. A banner stands at the edge of the force, holding a pennant with the symbol of a black spiked iron chain. The soldiers stand and look up toward you and the approaching blast wave. And as the destructive wave of heat blasts over this army and the entire world, a single voice whispers in the ear of every person of Ceramet: "Come on people, don't you recognize a portent of things to come? Back in my day…." The voice fades, and the wave harmlessly passes over the soldiers of the Chain of Avalas. Bewildered, they look at each other at this strange event. One hobgoblin in particular spends an extra moment scanning the skies to make sense of this prophetic event, but when she turns around to return to what she was doing, she is greeted by a SLOW MO PUNCH!!!!
