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Tiger Wolf

A large party of human and warforged adventurers moves through the jungles of Xen'drik. Each race acts more or less independently with each other although they do coordinate their movements. Watchful eyes note their passing as none dare to attempt to impede their progress. Voices call out in tongues no human ever spoke and no human ever will as the natives discuss their invaders. But the question of what to do about them is clear. Nothing is to be done yet as they have done nothing to earn the wrath of the natives. Cat folk follow them in the trees, intent on observing their movements. Lizard folk and tortles on the ground note their passing and go about their business.

The humans are led by a tall man approaching middle age by the white shocks in his beard and at his temples. Dressed in black leather armor as dark as his hair and beard might have been and carrying a spear, a heavy mace and a heavy sickle he is quite the impressive figure although his eyes are grim and determined as he looks every inch the menacing Warlock his own reputation makes him out to be. By his side is a young woman with semi-thick spectacles that could be the warlock's daughter. She near constantly checks her books to reference where they are and what they are seeing and when she is not reading she is writing. The only times she is not doing something with a book is when she needs to lean on her staff. Dressed in black silk robes that are cut to reveal more than they conceal she seems to be a dark and capable wizardess of her own right. Traveling with the humans is another woman who looks to be of some other area than her more European looking compatriots, her swarthy skin and almost Arabian manner of dressing conceal her more than the other female human as only her eyes, hands and sandaled feet show beneath her black robes. Although one piece of jewelry she wears can be seen quite clearly: a brooch of sorts she wears on her forehead which along with the design of the things is made to suggest that she has three eyes. The two males in the human party look like were brought along primarily for muscle. One of them looks like some Norseman complete with axe and shield. The other looks to be some sort of assassin or ninja in his black attire that almost covers his whole body.

The warforged have no real leader among them, although the tough talking fighter with rogue training called Machete is the closest thing to a leader among them. Most of the forged here are male personality. Almost constantly near Machete is the teams artificier who, in their case, doubles as a medic but prefers the blaster role and do what he is called to the enemy which is Zap. Forming a rear guard are the twins, not biological as even for psiforged this is next to impossible but they are as close as humanoid twins the psychic warrior Hack and his Soul Knife companion Slash doing their best to protect the psion of the team and its only female personality member, Crystal. All five are loyal to the Lord of Blades back in the Mournland but the three psiforged are intrigued by some of what Morgan, the warlock leader of the humans has told them. Which is why they are here looking for the ruins that Sabine, the psion and the wizardess Wendy. Unfortunately for both camps more than animal based humanoids are watching as a warforged similarly attired as the human stealth specialist, Al, divides his time between both and sends reports of their activities back to Breland on Khorvaire. The two groups are fairly close together in their meanders with one group keeping no farther than a single mile from the other. All in all they are more canvassing the jungle in conjunction rather than conducting individual surveys. Not much needs reporting back until they happen across an expansive set of temple ruins.

Much of the temple complex has been taken back by the jungle but what can be seen indicates that this must have been a major site. Four massive obsidian monolith provide the corners of the wall less complex, each stretching some two hundred feet straight into the air carved with intricate runes that still give off a soft glow hundreds of years since their initial creation. Between the cornerstone monoliths are step pyramid gate house, intricate complexes in of themselves that rise some fifty feet above the forest floor. And in between the gate houses and the obelisks are stone statues of giant warriors that one hundred and fifty feet whose subjects are dressed in ceremonial plate mail armor of bronze and each statue has a club as large as itself, the business ends of which are octagonal with the similar bronze plates to the armor both sets of plates inscribed with more runes. Both human and warforged parties converge on a single gatehouse that looks to be the front door of the complex. Through this pyramid is a colonnade built for giants as a covered pathway on the way to the palace. Directly in front of this northern most gate is a stadium of sorts built of the same massive stone blocks as the gatehouse and indeed every other building that was made to be occupied. The stadium itself is built in many respects as a kind of convergent evolution with the Coliseum in Rome of our own world save that again the structure was built to service the giants who lived here. Giant steps converge away from the covered path for patrons of the games with the path ramping down under the stadium for those to be performing or just passing through.

The east and west gatehouses have elevated walkways to the palace as twin lakes of great depths lie directly in front of each of them instead of the Coliseum in front of the north gate. Flanking the stone bridges are columns that have rope bridges tying them to each other and the road they attend. Anyone with high enough elevation can see an occasional tentacle rise quickly out of the water to snatch a bird and drag it down to the depths. Whatever beasts inhabit the lakes, it would seem swimming is not a viable option. In back of the central palace is another "lake" albeit one filled with boiling lava instead of water. Four iron columns rise from the magma like building sized spears. Wire bridges connect two of the columns to the south gate and two of the columns to the main palace. Beyond a leap of faith the only to get from the one set towers to the other is to visit the foundry that connects to all four via a strange mechanical contraption that looks like it will dump passengers into lava below as much as it will convey them to the forge complex. Almost making an inner box with themselves as the corners, domed tower surround the palace at the northeast, southeast, southwest and northwest points between the perimeter of the outer ziggurats and the palace itself each one rising some five and seventy feet in the air.

Squatting about this stone field of worked rock is the palace itself. Another quartet of obelisks surround the palace which rises one hundred feet, half that of the monoliths, into the air. The procession road from the north continues right up the front doors of the palace. Flanking the road are two more stone warriors with a third in back of the palace looking at the foundry as the bridges from the columns flank it. Although the jungle is working hard to reclaim it, the splendor of what it was in its hey day can still be glimpse with carved dragon heads at the corners and twelve gargoyles keeping silent vigil from their perches. This is what Morgan came for and for a long while he just stands on a hill overlooking the complex, marveling at its size and features.

Receiving the communications from Toss is a veteran commander of the Last War. Marshal Davis does not like what he reads from the reports. Morgan and his crew are parts of a known Cult of the Dragon Below. Whatever they are doing in conjunction with the team of operatives of the Lord of Blades cannot be good for Breland or most other nations on Khorvaire for that matter. On his desk are the dossiers of known agents past and present he can call upon. Going over the files he comes across people he has not commanded since the last war ended. Blaze, a warforged artificier that can be every inch the mad scientists profess her profession to be but whose heart is nearly always in the right place. She is also a very outspoken opponent of the Lord of Blades something that will be useful in the mission both skills and attitude wise. Fenrys and Maya Obscure, two of the four hundred shifters that he oversaw that invaded Cyre in what was to be a major offensive against that nation in secret. Unfortunately the day chosen for the mission would be known throughout the continent as the Day of Mourning when the nation of Cyre became the Mournland, with countless lives perishing in but an instant. The shifters were dramatically altered by whatever magical energies were involved in that cataclysm. Permanently shifted they renamed themselves lupin in honor and now most of them still live in the Eldeen Reaches. Fen and Maya were always a couple. They share a passionate hatred of aberrations.

Eventually it was revealed they were Gatekeepers. Fenrys is a mystic ranger whose spellcasting and martial prowess, especially in the field of archery brought down many monsters that came to the surface as in some cases the daelkyr took to the field and clashed at some truly odd moments. It has been conjectured that the aberration armies of the daelkyr the lupin faced were after Fen and/or Maya, a druidess of no small ability herself. But even so, Fen later became obsessed with the Dragon Cults, seeing them as much a threat to the safety of Khorvaire as anything else. His special training against humans paid off but there were times he was more feral than civilized. But still, their skills and dedication would be useful. As he looks over the dossiers an albino woman dressed in black leather armor designed to be stunning in what it reveals as well as what it protects. While the enchantments are not obvious, Marshal Davis know enough that just looking at her that the armor is enhanced with magic.

"Good day, Mystery," Davis says with some mirth to the changeling spy entering his office. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"I wish it was good news, Davis, but it seems that a caravan trying to enter the reaches has been slaughtered a few days ago." Mystery reports: "While the caravan was found with Dragon Cult iconography, I know from some...acquaintances...of mine within the Royal Eyes that the caravan in question was one of their own expeditions to spread unrest in the Eldeen."

"Wonderful," Davis says as he sighs heavily. "Another problem that we should be looking into."

Mystery looks over at the papers on Davis's desk and gasps. "Oh, my Gods! We have a dossier on the Tiger Wolf?"

"Tiger Wolf?" Davis asks with an annoyed tone. "What are you talking about, changeling?"

"I have been following the various skirmishes between the Royal Eyes of Aundair and the Eldeen Wolves." Mystery explains and points to Fenrys's dossier. "This is one of the more brutal leaders among the Wolves. No one knows his real name, but the eyes have designated him Tiger Wolf for his fur pattern and his ruthlessness, not to mention how damn sneaky he can be."

"Fenrys Obscure," Davis says with pride. "I commanded him and other shifters during the last war. A platoon of four hundred of them were sent into Cyre on the Day of Mourning."

"And how many survived?" Mystery asks incredulously.

Davis smiles broadly. "All four hundred actually, they were on the boarder when the Mournland was born. A lot of what we know now is thanks to those lupin. They called themselves that after the war when they went home to the Reaches. Fen always could be a hot head. He's a Gatekeeper, him and his wife. They are dedicated to keeping our world from ever becoming close enough to Xoriat as to allow the daelkyr from being able to invade again."

"I imagine whatever they saw in the Mournland must have rattled a few of them. Although for the pair you're talking about might have compared it to the age of the Daelkyr if they are so focused on that time in our history."

"The personal thoughts of the lupin explorers weren't really recorded." Davis remarks. "I do know that they found much of what they saw disturbing and it was shortly after that when Fenrys became even increasingly incensed at the Kyber Cults."

"Do you think he was conjectured that should the Cults of the Dragon Below get their way all of Khorvaire could be turned into the Mournland?" Mystery asks. "By the way, what sort of mission are you setting up that you need all these dossiers?"

"Fen confided that fear to me when I shared a meal with them in the Glitterdust tavern in Sharn. As for the mission, Toss has been following a rather unusual pair of adventuring parties that seem to be working together in Xen'drik. Morgan Fellstar and some of his own cult of personality is feeling for something over there and they have help from some agents of the Lord of Blades."

"Kyber Cultists working with the Lord of Blades?" Mystery asks incredulously. "Davis, if this is true..."

"I know, Mystery," Davis says with a heavy sigh, "I know, which is why I am thinking of grabbing Fen, terrorist or not, and sicking him on this little doomsday party. If anyone can counter Morgan, it's Fen."

"I can probably safely assume that his wife is coming along as well." Mystery says. "I can see you have stealth muscle and healing, what sort of arcane support are you sending? How about a trap/sabotage expert?"

"I don't really have arcane artillery set up, although I am thinking of sending a warforged artificier who more or less specializes in demolitions in Blaze."

"Are you going to assign Toss to help them out or do you need a rogue?" Mystery asks with a smug smirk.

"Your expertise would be appreciated if you want to take the assignment, Mystery, I know you and Toss have the best interests of Breland at heart." Davis relates. "Not that Fen wouldn't but ultimately his loyalty is to the Reaches, although his beef is against Aundair at present and not Breland."

"I'd love to go," Mystery says honestly, "I just need to tie up a few loose ends for a bit here in Sharn and then I can be on my way."

"Alright, have fun, I'll be sending Blaze to pick up Fen and Maya anyway." Davis says.

Mystery drops a scroll at the Aundair embassy and tells the clerks there who it should go to. Within a few days time, she receives a communication from her friend to meet her at a coffee house. In a rather upscale coffee shop and tavern in Upper Menthis call the Griffon's Nest Mystery waits and sips her café mocha to await her friend. She doesn't have long to wait as a stern human woman in the sincerest fashion possible for Aundair approaches with a dark look in her eyes.

"Alright, Mystery," she growls to the changeling, "you said you had a line on Tiger Wolf. I have the Queen breathing down my neck to make some head way with these damn terrorists so let's have it!"

"Joan, Joan, my dear dear Joan." Mystery coos with a conspiratorial smile. "You know me better than that. Please, have a seat, and rest your weary bones and mind."

"I really can't," Joan says as she takes a seat opposite Mystery at the small table she sits at. "But who is it that you have found and where can I find him?"

"Tiger Wolf is a veteran of the Last War, dear." Mystery confides. "He's a former shifter who was warped into his current form by the Day or Mourning. He also saw first hand the horrors that that tragic event left behind."

"He was involved in that operation?" Joan asks and is now glad she is sitting. "No wonder he shows little fear. Compared to what he has seen and what has been done to him. What can our nation throw at him to bring him to heel?"

"Exactly, and he is also a Gatekeeper." Mystery reveals to which Joan goes pale. "He's one of those nuts!" To which Mystery nods as Joan continues: "But the Khyber cultists are all in the Reaches?"

"Don't be too sure, love, in any case you may see a respite from him soon. Davis has a job for him. Apparently a known Cult is poking around the bones of the giants for something new to play with. I managed to finagle myself onto the team, but keep in mind my loyalty is Breland first and everyone else second."

"Morgan's contract with the Lord of Blades, huh?" Joan asks to which Mystery just blinks. "Morgan is a powerful warlock. Khyber! Killing him would earn that Lupin a pardon."

"Well, we'll just have to make sure that very of this expedition survive. Few from my side that is, none from his." Mystery says with a malicious twinkle in her eye that turns into an conspiratorial glance as her Aundairan counterpart shares the look before she departs to prepare a report.