Blackflame's Report III
To the hands of Commander Ven Brecht
My lord,
The vision of our augur, Halrik Duskwhisper, led us into the godsforsaken mountains. We arrived at a place where the rocks reached toward the heavens, and vast deposits of emberstone surrounded us. Brother Halrik guided us to a forgotten mine or some ancient subterranean dwelling. He was driven by a powerful force—he sensed the presence of someone of great power from within our order, buried deep beneath the earth.
As we neared the entrance to the tunnels, unexpected adversaries barred our path. The servants of the elven Alarith temple refused us entry into the underground passages, claiming our presence would disrupt the geomantic arcana and destabilize the mountain range. However, Knight Vrax insisted on entry at all costs. The temple guards raised their weapons in defiance. Their preceptor summoned the spirit of a nearby mountain, which took physical form—a massive, living incarnation of the mountain itself. Vrax, in his arrogance, engaged the entity and, as expected, was swiftly defeated. An avalanche of boulders struck him down, and he had to be carried from the field, his armor cracked and spirit dimmed.
Despite this, we fought our way into the mountain’s depths, forcing the elven defenders into retreat. As we entered the gloom, I could still hear the curse the elven sorceress hurled at us—an incantation that sealed the entrance behind us with a rune of stone. With no way back, we had no choice but to press forward into the darkness.
Eventually, our search brought us to a sealed vault, thrumming with magical energy so intense it shook everything not firmly bound. When we broke the seal, we discovered Brother Nareth Umbraforged within—marked and weathered by long captivity. Yet, the Silent Ones immediately knelt before him, recognizing their inspiration and true leader. Perhaps his counsel will keep Kyros Vrax from dragging us deeper into ruin and oblivion.