Rising Sun: Issue 6

Scions of Darkness
by Sean Robert Shaw
edited by Travis Pullen

Centuries of peace have passed on Magnamund--centuries of peace watched and warded carefully by the ever vigilant Kai Lords of Sommerlund--centuries of their dominance over the continent since the Darklords were destroyed--centuries in which the Dark God Naar could reflect on the defeat and destruction of almost all his servants--centuries in which he brooded on a way to strike back--centuries spent in contemplation of a new evil, a more massive evil, a more powerful evil than anything he has yet conceived--a new weapon to bring the final downfall of the forces of Good. You are that weapon.

Gradually over the years the Darklands, ancient home of the Darklords, have slowly been restored from dead wasteland to vibrant life. All the ancient strongholds of the Darklords have been overgrown except for one: Helgedad. Here, despite the best efforts of the herbwardens to heal the land, the barren wastes have stayed the same.

Helgedad--the heart of evil--in this city the Nadziranim and Lesser Darklords grouped together as an alliance of power and avoided the infighting and power struggles found elsewhere in the Darklands. Using their combined powers they have been able to retain their hold on this great city and the surrounding lands ever since the fall of the Darklords.

Using this council of Nadziranim, Naar has fashioned a way to resurrect the glory of the Darklords. Using many forced Drakkarim volunteers the Nadziranim slowly changed the way their bodies worked, their minds thought, and how their souls reacted. They made improvements making the Drakkar race faster, stronger, smarter, and more evil. Thus were born the skills of the Drakkar. Still, even with all these improvements, they still had failed to achieve their ultimate goal. Then they made you.

As all the NeoDrakkarim are, you were improved by the Nadziranim as a babe. Unlike the rest, the Nadziranim succeeded. Inside your soul a streak of pure darkness resides. A part of the soul of Naar makes up your creation. You are directly connected to the mind of Naar, and by this are able to achieve things no man or being has been able to accomplish before. Now, for the first time, a man is able to become immortal. Through your discoveries you will blaze the path for other Drakkarim to follow, enabling the goal of Naar of not just one, not just twenty, but an army of Darklords readied and prepared to conquer the whole of Magnamund.

Even more sinister was the fact that these new Darklords would have most of the strengths and none of the weaknesses of the old Darklords. There would be no vying for power, but total and complete order based on rank. They could easily exist outside the Darklands, coming from a race that could breathe both the atmosphere of the Darklands and that of the rest of Magnamund. Indeed, if Naar's plan was brought to fruition, it was doubtful that even the Kai could stop him.

It is little surprise that the Kai uncovered this plot. Aware of the grave danger, they have launched a crusade with one objective: to destroy you. Swiftly they came, led by their leader the Supreme Kai Master, Rune Fire, and surrounded the fell city of Helgedad. Rune Fire, wielding the great weapon, the Sommerswerd, presses hard on the defenses of the city.

After waking one night as the guards barely defeat a Kai assassin right outside the doors of your chambers, you realized your danger as did your Nadziranim mentors. They realized they must get you out of the city and also must find some way to break the siege. After hours of deliberation they arrived at their answer.

In all of Magnamund there is only one weapon with enough power to break the siege and turn back the Kai. It lies in the heartland of the Kai, near their very monastery fortress. Kept in a heavily guarded armoury, an evil weapon is kept from polluting their holy abode. It is Helshezag, sword of Darklord Kraagenskull. Discovered by the Kai two centuries ago on an expedition to the Plane of Darkness, they brought it back for study, and to prevent evil from utilizing such a diabolical weapon. In it are great powers which only you, with your connection with Naar, are able to unleash.

But for one as inexperienced as you to be able to enter into the heartland of the Kai, you will need a power to protect you. This can be found in a Doomstone. Unlike most mortal men who would succumb to such an evil artefact, your link with Naar makes you immune. This stone was lost years ago in a great battle between Darklord Haakon and the Founder of the New Order of Kai, Lone Wolf. Located deep in the tombs of the Majhan, it has awaited centuries for you to retrieve it.

First, before these quests may even take place you had to find a way to escape the city. To accomplish this you and an elite guard of Drakkarim Shock troopers embarked on Kraan to fly above the encircling armies. To your surprise, the Kai were expecting such an attempt and were waiting. Ambushing you in a trap, you were forced to land in the Middle of the vast army.

Utilizing your skills and abilities you managed to evade capture and escape the clutches of their charismatic leader Rune Fire. Finding your way to the overgrown ruins of Aarnak you were reunited with your guide only to find a new adventure awaited.

The Ruins of Aarnak were inhabited by a creature known simply as the Ghoulag, a monster created by the Nadziranim long ago. The Ghoulag was known to sell information and aid to anyone with enough to pay the price. For you, the price of passage to Vassagonia, and knowledge of the location of your goal lay in a test the Ghoulag had devised. This test would allow the Ghoulag to find out more about you and the special skills and abilities you possessed. Basically, it was trading information for information.

You passed his test, but only with a little difficulty, as in order to test your abilities thoroughly the Ghoulag had developed a deathtrap meant to destroy all but the most cunning and powerful. Released from the bonds of this nefarious test, you finally boarded the Ship 'The Bleeding Merchant' only to find a long and dangerous journey ahead.

The Kai were aware of your quest and made an attempt to destroy you and your quest before you could pass by their homeland. Led by their great Supreme Master, Rune Fire, they nearly succeeded, but the luck of Naar was with you. You had survived yet another attempt on your life, yet you were far from being safe, for Naar had decided to test you and evaluate your worth. Captain Mosk became a creature of the undead, almost indestructible, seeking to do battle with you before you could find the Stone of Haakon, a battle which he failed to win, for even he cannot face the ire of a nascent Darklord.

You found the stone, or what you had thought was the Doomstone, only to discover a useless item, a mere rock cracked and powerless, but, despite this setback, you were determined to continue, even if it meant your death, for you would rather die than admit defeat. Surprisingly, the Kai have left Sommerlund and the surrounding lands virtually undefended. They seem to believe all threats are now contained in Helgedad, where their armies lie in siege. You entered their lands in a large cloak, hiding your features from all but a few inquisitive Border Rangers. Sommerlund now has a few less of those guardians.

With much more ease than you expected, you have found the secret area where the Sword of Dark Lord Kraagenskull is hidden, a small sanctuary which you detect is ironically an area at one time sacred to Naar. Bloody rituals by Cener druids were at one time practiced in this clearing where the Sword Helshezag is kept. Perhaps the Kai built this small holding refuge to protect against it from ever happening again. When you garner your power at last, you vow they will fail in this mockery of your Lord. With one last look over your equipment, you ready yourself to enter these buildings and find the object of your quest, and in so doing, finally gain the power you need to put an end to these annoying champions of your enemies.

The Rules

The basic rules are the same as found in Lone Wolf.

Combat skill is 10 added to any number from a random number table.

Endurance is 20 added to any number from a random number table.

Combat follows as in the books.

You also start of with a five of the Drakkar Disciplines. There are Disciplines beyond these, but these are yet to be discovered by your consciousness. The Superior Disciplines will be shown to you once you have mastered those presented below. For each adventure that you successfully complete, you will be able to choose yet another discipline.

Hunting

A Drakkar does not have to eat when told to unless in areas of Wasteland and Desert. It also gives improved Speed and Dexterity.

Weaponskill

A Drakkar gains a +2 to their CS when wielding a weapon they have skill in. You may choose which weapon this may be from the following.

Dagger
Spear
Mace
Warhammer
Shortsword
Sword
Axe
Staff
Broadsword

Basic Instinct

Every animal is born with the instinct of warning. This is a skill most men have lost over time. In a Drakkar this instinct is restored and heightened to a greater level to where at times, not only do they know of danger, but they know what, where, and why it is.

Tracking

Allows a Drakkar to determine the best path as well as able to read prints and signs in the wild.

Spying

Developed long ago when the Drakkarim first appeared on Magnamund, it originally was used by Drakkar to make them appear more like other races on spying missions for the Darklords. Now, Drakkar use it once again on forays outside of Helgedad to mimic the voice patterns, the appearance and mannerisms of other countries. They also are trained in hiding and stealth from enemies hunting them down, or those seeking to thwart Helgedad interests.

Mindshield

Many creatures use their mind to launch mental assaults, this skill protects your mind from such attacks.

Mindblast

This gives you the power to attack enemies using the Force of your mind. When you use this skill in combat you may add 2 to your Combat Skill. Some creatures are immune to this power.

Riding

Another Skill passed down from the Drakkarim of old. Drakkar Cavalry is some of the finest in the world, only surpassed by the Kai. Tricks, maneuvers, and a communication with their mounts aid the Drakkarim in an almost unbelievable riding ability. This is not limited to merely horses, but any type of mount, including the dreaded Kraan and Zlanbeast cavalries of Helgedad.

Regeneration

This skill takes effect directly after a combat is finished. After a fight is over the NeoDrakkar's body starts to heal the wounds attained in that combat only. Between 1 and 10 Endurance points are regained (choose a number from the Random Number Table to decide this, in this case, 0=10). This is a predecessor to the immortality hinted at in the Darkness of Naar.

Immunity

This skill awakens the latent Immunities within a NeoDrakkar's body making the Drakkar immune to any form of poison or disease.

Choose your five skills carefully, for only a correct choice of skills will enable you to accomplish your mission and fulfill your destiny in the skein of Naar.

If you have completed any previous adventures you already have your Combat Skill, Endurance, and Disciplines. You may have also acquired weapons, Special Items, money, and other equipment which you held at the end of your last adventure which may now be entered on your action chart. Also you have learned much in your travels and acquired one more Drakkar Discipline of your choosing.

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Contact: TheRisingSun@bigfoot.com http://www.crosswinds.net/~therisingsun/November2000/4/