Adventures of Malric 03

3/24/872

Attack at the Lowweb Market

In the vibrant streets of Port Arlith , Malric Kindhell and his companion Dazhra stepped into the surreal glow of the Lowweb Market—a maze of silk-draped walkways, glowing fungi, and whispering shadows. The obsidian streets shimmered beneath their boots, the air thick with incense and latent arcane tension. Towering over the market was the Echo Tree, an ancient, bioluminescent sentinel that pulsed with light and memory, its tendrils carrying ghostly fragments of voices from ages past. The market was alive with energy, yet beneath its brilliant colors and shifting shadows, something darker stirred.

As Malric and Dazhra explored the labyrinthine stalls, they were drawn back to the Echo Tree and the mystery surrounding it. A vendor explained that the tree preserved and replayed memories; unseen fragments whispering through its leaves. But peace was short-lived. Beneath the glow of prayer-chimes and shifting light, Malric overheard a chilling echo: “They will die. Kill them both.” The world dimmed in an instant. Magical silence descended, and from the darkness dropped five cloaked assassins, their faces hidden by enchanted hoods, weapons wreathed in necrotic energy. These were no common thugs; they were here to eliminate Malric with deadly precision.

The ambush was swift and brutal. As market-goers fled in panic, Malric struggled to defend himself, managing only to singe one attacker with a firebolt before being struck down. Just as the tide seemed lost, a mysterious woman descended from above - a drunken, wild-eyed warrior wielding twin blades and a gleeful hunger for violence. She dispatched one assassin in a blur of motion and saved Malric from death, while Dazhra battled the others with grim determination. Together, they triumphed—but just barely. The assassins’ bodies burst into flame, leaving behind only enchanted weapons and cloaks… and a memory crystal that whispered a contract: "For the blood of Malric Kindhell."

Aftermath

The woman introduced herself - Naelira Tyne, a half-elven ranger with a sharp tongue, sharper swords, and a yet even sharper buzz from mead. Unashamed, she staggered through a retelling of her heroic interruption, claiming a drunken vision from the Echo Tree had prompted her to intervene. Before anyone could process her wild energy, the Echo Knights arrived, surrounding the trio. Their captain, Myrrakel T’zynn, a fearsome drow knight with silver hair and a steel-hard gaze - demanded answers. Naelira immediately made things worse, vomiting on some knight's boots before trying to pass herself off as part of Malric’s “team.”

Despite the chaos, Myrrakel recognized the threat for what it was. She demanded Malric’s account and took possession of the memory crystal for further investigation. Her sharp questioning revealed a concern: someone had hired elite killers to take Malric out within Dynasty borders - a dangerous political transgression. Suspicious of Naelira’s sudden involvement, she challenged Malric to vouch for the chaotic ranger. When he did, Naelira latched onto him like a lost kitten, promising he wouldn’t regret it. Myrrakel separated the three for individual questioning. Dazhra remained stoic, Naelira performed an impromptu reenactment, and Malric offered the truth, or what little he knew.

Moved by Malric’s sincerity and his actions in defense of Port Arlith, Myrrakel performed a rare gesture: a formal bow. She declared Malric, Dazhra, and even Naelira under the Dynasty’s protection; but also under its watch. The attack, though narrowly survived, had changed everything. Word was spreading. The Market had witnessed something extraordinary. As night descended fully over the Lowweb, and the glow of the Echo Tree resumed its quiet pulse, the city remembered. Naelira, now only mildly drunk, kicked the ashes of a dead assassin and handed Malric a note she’d found - another piece of the puzzle. It noted that he was aboard the Sundancer, and that he was marked for death. As the trio headed to a nearby tavern to rest and share stories, Naelira confessed a pain of her own: the murder of her father two decades ago, a mystery she had never stopped chasing.