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Tregan approached an encampment he had found in the middle of the Sharval Wilds; close to Blood Moor and the Rogues Monastery. The walls were built form the very forest it was housed in. He could see lit torches around the encampment. Tre was eager to learn more information about the corruption of his world and what had caused it. As he approached closer to the make-shift fort, he heard the undeniable sound of bows drawing.

"Halt" a mysterious voice beckoned out. Tre looked around but could not find the source. Knowing better than to test his luck against the inner sight of these rogues, Tre stood absolutely still. Five women appeared from the dense woods surrounding him and presented themselves; their bows still drawn and aimed right at Tre.

"What is your name and why are you here?" The woman in front asked.

"I mean you no harm. My name is Tre and I found this encampment while wondering through these woods. There is an Evil that is infecting the world around us and I am trying to find out more information on where it came from and more importantly, how to stop it."

As soon as Tre stopped talking three of the women huddled closer together and began whispering to one another as the other two kept their mark on Tre.

"Come with us." Was the only reply he got as the women began to walk back to their encampment. No longer at the mercy of their bows, Tre followed them calmly, unsure of what was to come of him.

Tre entered the encampment as he saw what appeared to be a somewhat functioning town within the wooden walls. He saw a Blacksmith in one corner of the fort and a gambler in the other. Dozens of rogues occupied the space; arrows flew across the courtyard as the honed their already magnificent skill with the bow. More surprising to Tre was a grouping of other people; Barbarians, Sorcerers, Necromancers and Paladins conversing with each other in the middle of the encampment near a fire. Tre walked past the group as he continued to follow his escorts to the South end of the camp.

"Wait here" The woman demanded of Tre as they stood in front of a tent. The leader of the group walked into the tent as the other four watched closely over Tre. After a few minutes a cloaked woman emerged from the tent.

"I am Akara, welcome to my camp." She looked at the rogues surrounding Tre and signaled for them to leave. "You will have to forgive my rogues, for these are not safe times we live in." She approached Tre and signaled for him to follow her into her tent. "I am the priestess of this encampment. We fled from the monastery awhile back as a corruption spread through most of the Rogues."

As soon as Tre heard these words, he eagerly wanted to ask Akara if she had any information about this corruption and if it was the same source as the corruption that had infected the nature around him. "This corruption you speak of, do you know its source?"

"Unfortunately no. All I know is that the Sisterhood of the Sightless Eye use to occupy a mighty monastery where we defended these woods from. Slowly, the rogues began to turn, one by one, as Evil took over the monastery. The corrupted rogues turned on the rest of us. We had to flee from our ancient home and make fort here."

Tre was upset that the answer he was looking for was not here. His mind began to plan out where else he could travel in hopes of finding the source to this corruption. "I am sorry but I have no time to waste. I am on a journey looking for this Evil that has entered our beloved Sanctuary. If this is all you know, I need to be on my way" Tre announced to Akara as he stood up and began walking out of the tent.

"Please wait" Akara cried out to Tre. "We are in desperate need of your assistance. This evil that has destroyed our clan is still about us." This comment peaked Tre's interest. "A horrible demon named Andariel took over our monastery. She must vital to the Evil that spread through these women."

"Then I need to find this Andariel. I must go to the monastery" Tre replied to Akara.

"In due time" Akara answered Tre's decision. "But there is something I... We need of you first. I am sure you saw those other people outside by the fire. They have come here on the same mission as you, to find the source of this Evil. I ask of you, there is a cave near here that has been corrupted. The demons emerge at night and constantly attack our fort. I am afraid supplies are running low and we will not be able to to fight them off much longer. Please, help us. Gather those heroes outside and find this cave and cleanse this den of Evil. If we loose this fort, then this whole forest will be its prey."

Tre paused for a second, thinking over the choices in his head. He knew he had to go after this Andariel creature but Akara was in need of immediate assistance. He turned back towards Akara and asked "Where is this den?"

"Unfortunately, my scouts have not been able to find its location. You will have to venture out into the woods and find it. I trust that you and the other heroes will be able to find it"

Tre left the tent and headed towards the men and women standing around the camp fire. The word Heroes kept playing over and over in his head as he approached the group. A hero he was not, this corruption was bigger than himself and the task of ridding it from this world was a mere illusion even to himself. He had planned on finding what had caused it but destroying it was another task entirely; one he could not accomplish on his own.

As he made it to the camp fire, the other people around it looked at him eager to hear what Akara had told him and what was to become of all of them.

"Hello, my name is Tre. I am a Druid from Scosglen. Akara has asked of all of us to help save this camp and in the process end the Evil that is infecting these woods. I do not know any of you or your motives for being here but I cannot turn my head to these people in need. I plan on finding this Den of Evil and eliminating all the creatures that dwell within it. From there, I will continue traversing through these woods to find the source of this Evil that has emerged onto our Sanctuary. Destroying and turning the world upon itself. Anyone who would like to join me on this quest is free to do so. Buy any supplies you will need and prepare yourselves for this journey. We will leave shortly. I will meet any of you who decide to join at the Northern gate"

Feeling a bit awkward addressing these people he did not even know, Tre looked around the fort, seeing what wares and equipment he could find to take with him on this mission.

The druid spoke of destroying the evil, so Anagra looked up slowly. He was just another warrior, he thought.

But no, he wasn't. There was something in his posture, or his words, that set him out from the other idiots that came through the camp. Anagra has been waiting for days for someone like this man, and he stood up.

"I will meet any of you who decide to join at the Northern gate," he said.

What made him stand up to join this man? Anagra did not know. All these years he has been waiting to free his soul from his terrible deeds, and this finally seemed like his chance. The lone necromancer stood, and he said in words that can were barely audible, "I shall join you in this quest."

And with that, what choice did he have? He pulled out his dagger, and was ready.

Grasping a handful of dirt with his left hand from the ground, standing up from his previously crouching position, Tilika holds his head high and closes his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he pours the dirt into the palm of his right hand, lightly widening his fingers letting the dirt run through them. As soon as the last dirt hit the ground he opens his eyes and speaks loudly. "This quest is not to be taken lightly. Whatever forces are thriving in that den has its roots burrowed deep within these peoples' homelands", he said, "and more likely even deeper than so."

Brushing off the dirt on his already dirtstained tunic, he looks eagerly at the others, albeit not knowing their true motives for coming here. "Add me to your ranks if you want some thinking to go along with these brutes, 'ere", he said mockingly, "more cunning a barbarian you have never laid eyes on."

With a smirk on his face, gently pushing aside those standing in his way, Tilika makes his way to the blacksmith.

Stopping fast, not turning his back, he considered the words spoken to him recently. "Hold off, brother Grogbaargh. Despite the use of filthy words, the holy warrior simply ephasizes our cause here", Tilika said out loudly, "We need not shed human blood on account of this journey we're setting out on. The vile creatures we face have done this thoroughly already". Tilika lowered his head and went yet ahead towards the sound of hammer against an anvil.

"Greetings, stranger!", the woman hollered as he approached the sound of steel in the making. Pausing what she was doing, holding a steelblade in her hand, "This demonic plague must've reached far, seeing the likes of you in this area. Might I ask where you're from?".
Intrigued by the steel- and leatherworks, Tilika smiles at the woman "Greetings! Such finely crafted swords and armors I have not laid eyes on for a long time. I heed from a small village not far from the mount Arreat upnorth. Primarily hunting food in my younger years, I've switched course to hunting demons now", he said with a jestful tone.
"Don't hesitate to ask if you want to try any of the blades, having a fully trained barbarian wield my crafts would be an honor."
The blonde-haired man smiled. "I'm Charsi, just call me if you need something", she added and went on with her business.

sighing quite loudly to show a bit of boredom and possibly a little disdain at the perceived theatrics of his soon-to-be comrades...

"So much talk, so much chest-beating. Do you all think the demonkin and their rotting allies are traipsing around their little den out there, proclaiming their own greatness? Idle talk will be fine when you're sitting around the hearth telling your grandchildren this tale many years from now, but if you want to live to see those days we'd best be served by ending this unholy infestation before it grows in power, more than it already probably has. In my long studies if these kind, they do not sit around for long. We should probably count ourselves lucky to not already find them at the walls, ready to suckle every drop of marrow from the bones of all who dwell here."

"I'll be waiting at the gates as well."

with a level, momentary stare Kiserai heads straight for the gates of the encampment, producing a large, unmarked and notably dusty book from a traveling satchel that he proceeds to page through as he walks

A shadowy figure stepped out of the shadow and started to twitch while laughing quietly then began to say
" Then I might as well come, seeing as we hopefully share the same purpose... My name is Algranon, I do not care what you call me..." Then Algranon stared at Kiserai and walked over to him stared at him cautiously and pulled out his own tomb of lore and began to read

Meanwhile, Anagra sat in the corner. Waiting for the moment of departure. He saw the others mingling, and even some conversing. It would take a much younger version of him to be like the others. For now he would wait for the Druid to lead the group to the wilderness.

He knew that at any moment, his last quest would begin. The quest for self-gratification.

As Tilika looks back at the site where the party at first was gathered, it seemed people were already moving up to the northern gate. Having his supplies packed down already, and his axe sharpened to the point of being able to shave the thickest of beards, he walks towards the gate where he'd begin his new adventure with the other fellow travelers.

As he passes where he had crouched down before, in front of the fire, he suddenly stops. Feeling the eyes of the others upon his curved back, certain they all await of him a spoken word, he opens his mouth. "Tilika Vyieturn, cunning yet ferocious warrior of the north." the barbarian says loudly.
Another smirk appears on his face as he resumes his way to the northern gate, relieved of what he just announced.

Algranon looked at Tilika
Hahahaah you haven't seen what they do. Not at all... cunning and ferocity doesn't mean anything if you are a mindless minion
Then started to murmor about people interrupting his studies for stupid bosts

raises an eyebrow with the faintest hit of interest at the mention of 'sorcerer', looking with a cold, arrogant humor toward Grogbaargh

"The real fool is he who opens his mouth without using that piece of haunted meat between his ears. If you'd like to prove your -fascinating- little theory, you're welcome to try and slap me. It would probably be more productive, however, for us to find the demons. I'm sure our coming victory will do more than enough to fill that tremendously monstrous ego so inherent in your people."

Kiserai then sighs quietly, closing his large book and placing it back into his satchel with a shifted glance toward the dark wilderness that spreads out only a short distance from the warm, protective-seeming firelight of the camp, raising a hand to rub at his forehead, clearly an attempt to assuage a headache

Algranon stared at Kiserai
I agree with you, for now... Hiding in a corner fighting like animals will only give them time to become stronger, and the stronger they get the more chance of us all dying. Though you shouldn't be so confident, I was at one time and look what it got me
Algranon began to violently twitch and then just as sudden as it started it stopped.

Tilika had reached the gate and found a spot where he leaned against the wooden fence surrounding the camp. "Thick is the air with disgust for each other. To overcome what lures in these woods, and to push beyond these monsters' defensive lines, we have to be able to put trust in one-another and not wish harm to your next in battle." Tilika said as he looked out over the plains. "This corruption is right now forcing its way into our very souls, stirring our anger to the point of boiling over. Had we not seen war in our days before this, surely we would not have been able to control ourselves to this extent." He continued, swallowing quickly thereafter. Leaning his head back against the boards, he searched one of his bags hanging around his waist, shortly pulling his hand up along with a pear-like fruit. He started eating it slowly, savoring each bite of the delicious piece he held in his hand.

Algranon started to stare at Tilika and then started to murmor and giggle
"You are correct, but standing here preaching isn't going to solve anything, what we must do, is cautiously fight our way to this den of evil and cleanse it!"As Algranon was talking his hands started to shake"For if we stand here and do nothing we will all be overcome eventually, either by demons hacking us apart, or demons corrupting us from the inside as Tilika has suggested... Though obviously if we charge in axes swinging we will all die... we MUST come up with a plan!"As Algranon finished talking his eyes widened and he started to stare out into eternity and mutter gibberish

Tre watched as the rest of the heroes became restless. He could tell that these men were ready to fight this corruption that had infiltrated their world and were even willing to risk their lives to do so. Although he did not know of these people, he felt confident taking this journey with them. One by one, the heroes made their way to the Northern gate.

"It appears it is time that we find this Den and destroy everyone or everything in it" Tre announced aloud readying the rest of the group. Just as Tre was making his way to the Northern entrance, a strange short man pulled on his sleeve.

"You are going to look for the Den of Evil, right?" The strange man said after over hearing Tre's speech.

"That is our quest, yes. Akara has asked us to locate this Den of Evil and purge it of its corruption. Why do you ask?" Tre answered the curious man.

"I know of someone who can help you locate it." The man replies with a shifty look upon his face.

"Who? How do you know someone who knows its location?" Questions soon filled Tre's mind as this mysterious person seemed to know more than the rest of the people in this camp.

"Ah.... for the right price, I can give you these answers"

"Price!? How can you ask for money for knowledge to help us not only kill this evil abut in the process save your own life."

"I am but simple gambler. The name is Gheed and I am afraid that in these days, nothing comes for free. If you do not want the information, I will find someone else who is willing to pay" The man said with a sense of arrogance over the situation.

Tre stood there for a minute, dumbfounded by how a man who's life is at risk could dare to ask for money to help destroy that what threatens him. Conflicted by his own ideals, Tre had no choice but to pay the man. This information could help them find the Den quicker and easier, avoiding any unnecessary risk. Tre reached into a small bag on his hip and pulled out some coins. Tre through the coins at Gheed. "Tell me everything you know"

Without hesitation, Gheed bent down and picked up the coins from the ground. "Thank you" He replied looking up at Tre. "There is woman, a rogue to be exact that lives outside these walls. She is usually camped a few miles from here. She knows where this Den of Evil lies." "Who is this rogue. Why does she not live here with the rest of the fleeing rogues? How does she know where this Den of Evil is?"

"I am sorry but those answers are going to cost you more gold" Gheed replied eager to try to make even more money off of Tre.

"Forget it. I have enough information from you" Tre turned from the man, disappointed at his greed. Innocent people were dying, their world itself was transforming to an Evil that has never been seen and all he cared about was making some money.

Tre did his best to put the man out of his mind and focus on the quest at hand. He approached the Northern gate as everyone else waited for him.

"I have gathered some information and to find the Den of Evil, we must find someone who knows its location. There is a rogue who should be camped not to far from here who will hopefully be able to show us its location. However, we must be careful, the road to this quest is sure to be filled with even more monstrosities."

With that said, Tre and the others ventured out into the woods. Unknowing of exactly what lay ahead for them.

The safety of the Rogue Encampment was now truly felt as they took their first step into the wilderness. At once, you could see the slaughtered bodies of those who were not strong enough. Blood was spewed across the grass. Blood was everywhere. The Blood Moor...

There was an eerie fog in the air, and the sun hasn't risen yet. They walked on a lowly path that was barely visible through the mist. The ground crunched with ever step, producing an echo that seemed louder than a yell.

Then all of a sudden, a figure was seen in the distance. He seemed to be in on his knees, and the first thing that came to to Anagra's head was the image of his dying wife on her knees. The image disturbed him, and Anagra shook it off. However, whoever the figure was, he needed help.

"There is someone out there," Anagra said.

He ran over to the figure, and slowly the mist around him let him see the victim at hand.

The body wore warrior clothing that was ripped in many places, along with the blood stains that seemed to give it its color. Blood were on his fingernails and hands, with half of his arm distorted and misshapen. The person, whoever it was, did not acknowledge Anagra's presence, and just simple ignored him. It seemed to be focusing on something.

"Get up" Anagra whispered. "Get to the Rogue Camp and get to the healer."

The figure finally stopped thinking, and it looked up.

His mouth was full of blood, and his eyes were missing, with the vile redness running down his eye socket. Yet it knew exactly where Anagra was. The face was distorted with the mouth clinging on only one muscle. If the person had hair, it was long gone. Instead, char was on his cranium, with ash clinging onto the few bits of rotting hair.

Anagra stepped back, in awe of this man. But Anarga knew that this man was no longer alive. He was a shadow of death left on the Sanctuary. An imprint of the living dead.

The zombie swung at him and moaned, revealing broken and missing teeth. Yet Anagra reacted faster. He pulled out his dagger, and in one swift motion, lashed out at the zombie's neck. In an instant, the head of the lost soul tumbled off, and the soul less being could finally rest.

However, staring at the zombie gave Anagra an idea. He remembered how sorcery would teach him to get energy from the air. What if he could transfer energy into the body, making it his puppet? He concentrated his powers of necromancy and at once, put the energy into the zombie. For a moment, it looked like he failed, however, he quickly saw how the zombie looked at him as in recognition of its master.

Anagra flicked his dagger, motioning the zombie to get up. Yet the dead zombie did something strange. Instead of getting up, its skeleton ripped out of former flesh. The skeleton seemed eager for battle, and looked at the other in the group. The skeleton seemed to know that they were allies, and it quickly summoned a bone sword and shield, and joined the group on its journey to the Den of Evil.

"Not always perfect..." thought Anagra.

Algranon saw Anagra fight the zombie and remembered, where there is one there will be others and said

"Be on the look out, we have already found a demon, there will be more nearby.

Algranon then took his own advice and looked around, yielding a quill rat about to fire upon him. Algranon pointed to the quill rat and spoke an ancient spell in a guttural language. His spell produced a pair of sharp teeth that flew towards the rat and skewered it, killing it and producing a large pair of holes in the rat's body. Then Algranon began to chant another spell. This spell made the quill rat's skeleton burst free of it's corpse. The skeletal minion's bones were sand colored and smeared with blood, and its head hung limply. The skeletal head's deep sunken eye sockets stared down at the ground. It's jaw hanging open filled with sharp dagger like teeth. Algranon looked at his skeletal minion and said

"Hmmm you may be useful... if unorthodox"

Tre looked into the distance as Anagra shouted "There is someone out there,"

At the first sign of trouble, Tre placed his thumb and middle finger into his mouth and let out an ear-piercing whistle. As if from no where, a raven, as black as the night sky appeared. It swooped down from the sky, hovering above and around the group.

Tre watched as the Necromancer attacked this man, watching his head roll onto the ground. The limp body feel over soon after. Tre was then astonished to see Anagra resurrect life back into this soul-less body. What flesh remained, tore away as a skeleton emerged, ready to fight along side the rest of the group.

Tre, who had always found power in the living world around him, was a bit disturbed by the act he had just seen. However, in these times, one could not be choosy of their company. This man was obviously powerful and would aid in their quest to rid the world of this corruption.

Just as soon as the skirmish was over, Tre's raven called out. He turned to see a monstrosity. What appeared to be some sort of rodent had razor sharp quills emerging from its back. Once again, Tre felt the unfortunate burden that this evil had done to the nature around him. Tre signaled to his raven, as the bird dove down towards the rat. The bird's aim hit the monster directly in its eye, blinding it from the group and unable t ofire its quills on target.

He then saw Algranon fire teeth like projectiles at the beast, ending its unfortunate life on Sanctuary. And just as Anagra had done with the human corpse, Algranon summoned a skeleton from the beast's corpse to aid in their fight.

Algranon turned to Tre and asked

Hmmm so that was the whistling noise I heard, I wonder what other surprises you will yield at the next encounter... I hope a useful one, for I sense some undead constructs up ahead.

And just as Algranon finished talking 2 zombies shambled into sight, moaning softly. They're bodies rotten and full of holes. They're eyes gone, just bloody sockets. But even without eyes they could still sense the delicious flesh and blood ahead of them and wished to sate they're eternal hunger.

As the fighting erupted around him, Algranon realized that some of the fallen were standing back up! He looked around for some sort of demon priest and found what he was looking for. There was a fallen, taller than the others, a look of sentience in its eyes.

It stared at Algranon and summoned a mass of flames and threw it at him!

Algranon screamed as he was hit by the mass of fire, falling to the ground clutching his rib with his hands.
Damn it! The bastard hit *cough cough* me.

Algranon continued to be on fire, as he was lying on the ground rolling and screaming in pain and his eyes staring off into eternity as well.

As Tre soon expected, the entire group was surrounded by all sorts of monsters. Humans once living, skeletons of slained victims, and demons of which Tre had never encountered before. They could truly only be from the Evil that was spreading all around them. Tre focused his attack on the two zombies in front of him as he watched the Barbarian more than take care of himself.

While others seemed to run around swinging their weapons and attacking the creatures, Tre knelt down to the ground. He placed his right palm flat on the ground and stayed in this position for a few seconds. His eyes shut, he seemed to be oblivious to the threat that approached ever closer. Tre then stood up as one of the zombies was in striking range of Tre. As soon as the zombie swung at Tre, a vine shot up from the earth below. The tip of the vine knocking the zombies arm off target. The vine then quickly swooped back around and plunged itself down the zombie's throat. Removing itself from the inside of the zombie just as quickly, the zombie began to stumble, even more so than before. The vine had left its toxin within the zombie's body as the poison did its damage. The zombies flailing limbs soon broke free from their sockets. His body falling apart in front of Tre. With one final effort, Tre tightened his grip on his club and swung at the zombies head. The body fell to the ground with thud as Tre moved onto the next zombie.

His raven flew above and attempted to attack the second zombie but with no eyes, the bird had nothing to drive its beak into. Tre swung his club again and missed the zombie. The monster took the opportunity and clung onto both arms of Tre.

"Somebody help" Tre yelled out, glad that he was not doing this on his own.