The Dark Realmz

[Prayvyn Talusthrone]

When all else fails and idiotic sons venture off to sew their wild oats with the lesser harlots of the city, a father can only do so much, or so little. Lately there was no action, nothing to excite his old bones and life grew relatively boring to the point of wonder. Maybe it was time to broaden the kingdom, take out a few of the cities to the East and establish a new reign. Give this sordid doom hole to one of his sons and explore the new vistas of conquest. No doubt Median would share his thirst for the battle? Raven was a lost cause and Drae was too busy pining over some hot ass way out of his league. Shaking his head and muttering to himself “Loser kids, no hoper lunatics! Bah!” right hand swiping viciously at the air. He must be getting old, mumbling and cursing away to himself like one of the old, tattered beggars hobbling along the street struggling for a morsel, having to fight the rats for it.

Thoughts wavered to Raven and Drae, Medium was a thug but he served some purpose, whatever it was he would be sure to find out what it is, and exploit it to suit his own means and ends. Raven with his hydrated female sexual organs, he could not help but wonder if Raven had a sick fetish to be a transvestite or if he was a homosexual? Drae, poor misguided fool, throwing his life away over this Atra’Lamia piece that would eat him alive and look for more. “What a woman! Don’t make them like that these days!” not that he could even think of another female who could even closely compare. She was a Goddess, a legend on the stories of many warriors, soldiers, warlords and kings. It was only these stories this old king new her by, but, had the displeasure of witnessing her deeds, and countless bodies left in the wake of her and her hellish hordes. Droves and scores of chaotic beasts, multitudes of creatures he had never seen let alone ever wish to encounter, “Some kinds of demonic monstrous vampires” one comment was.

Another “No, they come from the darkest pits of the void, the bowels of Bodon!”, “Bodom, you fucking geezer!” was another before an all out brawl established itself, drinking went right down the pisser. There was only ever one reliable source, drunk at the tavern known infamously as the “Black Boar” a bad place, or at least bad for those who were no one and had nothing. It was a little higher class than the taverns where his sons dragged themselves to and fro, the “Black Boar” was well known for its villains, warlords passing through and other sordid riffraffs looking for trouble or to make trouble. Samorpheras, his name was. A hefty fellow with half his face missing, an eye and whatever remained was severely scarred. Prav had received a letter, addressed to his royal ass’ness, it was the only lead ever to make its way into his hand, he was not about to let this chance go by. To actually hear some truths about this femme fatale and not the drunken clatter his sons brought home with them.

After walking along many dark alleys, of dirty prostitutes trying to sell their goods. Goods that had long been unwrapped and smelled as if they were well into the rigor mortis stage. Beggars, starving children, a few bodies. Finally found himself gazing up towards the sign “Black Boar Tavern” the sign creaking in the wind from rusty hinges. Hand pushing against the doors and forcing them to bang and swing open while walking inside. Samorpheras would know him on sight, after all he was the most well presented here and stood out like a sore thumb in finery. Grabbing ale and making his way to the seat right near the fireplace, as instructed. Sitting down and taking a comfortable swig of beverage, relaxing and enjoying the warmth that glowed on his cold, clammy skin. It was not long before he was approached by a rather large man, drapped fully in a black cloak. Trying not to stare as features were revealed to be that of pure nightmare, scars scoring every inch of skin, though melted together to pool around the open socket where an eye once had stared out from. Nothing sat there ow, just hollow darkness.

“Gross” Prav throught to himself, but gestured to the man to take seat, ushering the bar waitress, a chesty wench to bring this man whatever he desired. Waiting for him to be served, leaning forwards and not wasting time “So tell me, my good fellow, who or what is this Atra’Lamia?” he hoped to get information on a weakness, a flaw, anything he could use should their paths every cross and he knew one dark day they would, it had been foretold. The deformed warrior, or so Prav thought due to the size and condition of the man, scars of battles and that air of death around him. “It is a name I care not to hear, but I shall tell you, Be warned, should you be thinking of messing with this woman, think twice, she will scrub you out from existence and all you hold dear with it.” Sam took a long hard drink of whiskey, already Prav was slightly amused, a woman? Men cowering at the feet of a woman. He nearly spat at the thought of it. “It was many many moons ago, we were ordered to cross into these charred lands, to attack this temple and kill the reigning Queen, Pandora. We travelled in hordes, and when approached this, temple expecting a formidable army, all we came across was this beauty.”

Sam took a harder swig knowing he was going to sound like a total amateur but he could only tell it as it happened. “There was no Warlord, no artillery, just her. Of course we laughed, thought it to be a joke. We knew her arms were never far, they flocked to her, I guess as many men would for not even I had ever seen one as stunning as she.” Prav could not help but be rude “Yeah yeah, got it, alone, hot, and?” then hands urged the man to get to the point of the story and not grow wood over it. Sam looked at him with weary eyes, was it fear or the fact he could not see too well, Prav could only guess. “ I watched her take out our entire army in under 5 breaths, and left me with a face to be shunned with. I saw Death through the eyes of Death itself, no, death would have been more humane. But I have never seen any warrior, warlord or overlord fight like this woman. She killed all but me, left me to tell the tale of my failure, our failure.”

Prav’s figers tapped on the table, normally he would have laughed his ass off but there was something in the one eye that told Prav this haggard was telling the truth. He leaned forwards more, tongue licking across lips in anticipation for whatever other information that would drip from this tale of destruction. Sam swallowed hard, taking a longer and harder drink until it was empty, looked as if he needed another which Prav obliged. Prompty it was brought and another swig taken. “Well!” he continued, his hand shaking “She told me to tell all who wished to know, that soon they would be meeting her, for where her name is spoken, she shall appear in all the wrath of the infernal, void and every dark place man can conjure. For if they wished to know death she would bring it to them with as little as a kiss, with as little as a single breath, with as little as a slow painful death.” Prav smirked “Perky little minx isn’t she?”. The man scowled “The thing is, while her words teased my ears, two realms away my wife and children were slaughter, skinned alive and left to hand from the ramparts as food for the ravens. They were shown no mercy!”

Taking another swig, pausing and then continuing “She told me that while my family lay bleeding, every other family of every other soldier was receiving the same fate, this was her power, that this was her sway. That no matter how vast the army, her army could match it 20 to 1, a force unimaginable by the feeble minds of her enemies. That she is unbeatable, bore no weakness of emotion or pain, pain was her lover, death and sorrow her paramounts. She would never stop until every fragment of life was crushed in her hands. Salvation is futile, death is the only thing certain!” The old king coughed “How chirpy! But what is her weakness?” Sam shook his head “I doubt she has any, not that I saw or what she had shown, all I saw was a power that crushed an entire army in only mere moments, like they were nothing but paper, leaves and dust. Pandora hid behind her like a coward, and Atra fought so vehemently for her Queen, perhaps that is Atra’s weakness, Pandora?” The worn man shook his head not knowing the answers to the questions “perhaps if you treat me as guest in your kingdom, offer me lodgings, food and clean clothes, something may come to me. But for now, I am tired, so very very tired”

Prav could see the man was exhausted, no doubt did a lot of running with a face like that. “Sure, come with me my good fellow and we shall talk more about this over a fine meal, wine and warmth. What say you?” The man agreed, Prav stepped up from his seat and gestured towards the door for Sam to follow, maybe after rest something interesting would escape the mind of this halfwit. Who knew what secrets were locked away in that ugly vault the man called a head. “Hmm” Prav hummed to himself, “Perhaps this evening shall not be a snore bore after all”. Leading the man back to his kingdom, ordering busty housemaids to tend to his every whim and organizing a lavish meal while hoping his children did not totally cock up the evening by acting like inbred assholes.

[Lidia Talusthrone]

Lidia always followed her father, there was always that mystery of what he was getting up to and who is was getting up with. She4 had to protect her wealth and position and had no problems culling any competition for her families wealth. She was the only daughter, and right now she was sitting pretty since there was no Queen on the throne or the looks of there being one anytime soon. Keeping to the shadows, ducking into corners before he had the chance of turning around and seeing her there. Lidia always managed to stay a step in front of her brothers and fathers, a clever trait learned to creep and be sneeky, in the Talusthrone family, it paid to be. There was no interest in actually walking into the tavern, it stunk of ale, piss and drunks. Turning her nose up it, deciding for the meantime to duck into the shadows and wait there to see what transpired. The Black Boar was a dispicable place and she had no clue what her father would want with anyone there, it was Median's haunt, why not just send him?

<b>"Curious"</b> Lidia thought to herself, slightly bored and unamused at her surroundings perhaps it was a good thing that only a short time later her father emerged back into the street accompanied by the hideous ugly man who looked more of a beggar than anyone of importance. Had her father gone mad? It was all now coming out from the murky holes now. Again she followed, avoiding the potholes in the street full of water, or other disgusting fluids. The streets stunk, the pungent stench of death filling her nostrils that she felt as if her stomach was fighting its way up into her throat. Vomit. Keeping her distance until reaching the palace, quickly diving in through the side servant doors, removing cloak and sitting herself down looking all calm, unmoved as if she had been there the entire time.

<b>"Oh evening Father, I pray your night was pleasant, the moon shone down to illume your darkness?"</b> The question was asked more as an accusation than anything else and Lidia knew her father would detect the sarcasim in her voice. She did not care, she was starting to grow tired of all the sneaking around everyone seemed to be doing, secrets led to distrusts and the Talusthrones already distrusted the other, surely this would make matters worse or would her father enlighten them all with one of his boring family dinners that usually ended up with Raven throwinf girlie bits at Medium and Medium throwing him through the walls, doors, windows, whatever hit first. Ah the entertaining shows that were always family dinners, not so classy but sure as hell funny.

[Draegan TalusThrone]

Old souls do gather, when they have little else to do. Median had vanished after their hard night on the booze and fast women. Easy women were a good way to get your mind of other things. Median was famous for pissing off and leaving him there in a pool of vomit that most of the time was not his own. One of the servants had found him and dragged him back to the castle and into bed. Waking up in the morning with a throbbing headache and aches upon aches, he had no urge to climb out of bed. Passing out and falling back to sleep until the evening.

Clambering into clothing and making his way to the dinner hall not knowing why the servants were rushing around here and there. Bringing from the kitchen multitudes of fine foods all fancy. Was there a fancy do on tonight that he did not know about? Following the servants who rushed along the hallways into the entertaining ball room, pushing past the doors to see the most lavish display and setting. What was the occassion? Had Lidia finally put up for someone and father was reeping the benefits?

Grabbing a goblet of wine and leaning against the stone cold wall, waiting for someone to show themself and inform him what the heckle was going on? Was the Queen Mother herself showing her moldy old presence and finally handing out their inheritance?