Chapter One: The Summoning
The vast metropolis of Kaldiir glittered in the rising spring sun, rays glinting off glass windowpanes and the streets, still wet with last night’s rain. Few people frequented the streets at this time save those opening their shops for early business or others preparing carriages for the long, hazardous journey to the coastal hub of Noliir, over one hundred miles East.
King’s square, located in the center of the city, was home to a number of merchants and traders, who were setting up their storefronts and carts for another day of selling their wares. However, they all gradually stopped as they noticed the two gigantic obsidian doors at the front of the temple of the Raven Queen swing open with a hollow creaking noise. The temple was one of three buildings that framed the main square, and it stood out with stark contrast to the platinum-colored dome of the temple of Bahamut and the marble columns in front of the City Hall. The dome on the temple was a shining black, the walls a light grey stone, and the doors in front of it were rarely used save for official funerary rites or major ceremonies.
The merchantmen watched as six black-robed figures walked in a formation out of the obsidian double doors and directly across the square towards City Hall. It was impossible to miss them; they walked in-step in a slight v-formation, and the clank of armor was audible as well as the swish of ceremonial robes.
The head of the group was the tallest and the most noticeable, for his gold-scaled head glittered in the sun that shone down over the square. Some of the merchantmen looked surprised; though dragonborn were fairly common in Kaldiir, they rarely saw any with scales of such color, gold being a hue found more often in the east than the West. The dragon-man towered over his companions, leading them across the square with an air of absolute confidence and authority. A scimitar was sheathed at his side, and his armor was blackened.
Two dwarves walked beside the dragon, one to his left and one to his right, making him seem gigantic in comparison to their short, stocky frames. Though both hooded, they still had significant differences between them. The one to the dragon’s right had a large hammer strapped across his back, while the other had no such weapon. A keen eye would notice that the hammerless one, while wearing a black cloak identical to those of his companions, had the cloak held together at his throat with a brooch in the shape of shining silver raven-shaped talisman. His companions had similar brooches, but they were colored black with red markings, the traditional color of the holy symbol of the Raven Queen. Both dwarves were stony-faced as they walked in-step with their tall companion.
To the left of the hammerless dwarf walked a young-looking man, his hood pulled over his face and a bow held in his left hand. From the fact that he walked softly and the way his green eyes glittered as they scrutinized the merchantmen, it was clear to all of them that the young man was of pure elven ancestry. His face was a grim as the faces of his dwarven companions as he walked in-step with the group.
The final two members of the group were to the right of the dragon-man, behind and to the right of the dwarf with the hammer. To a distant observer the two figures looked identical under their hoods, which were pulled over their faces only part-way. Both were pale, with dark hair and intense gazes, and they both stood much taller than the dwarves but over half a foot shorter than the dragon-man. The only noticeable difference between them was that the one who walked closer to the dwarf was female, the other male. Also, the man was decidedly human while the woman’s ears had a slight point to them; not as much as her true-elven companion, yet enough to indicate elven heritage in her recent past. They too had grim, stony-faced expressions that matched those of their companions, which neither wavered nor changed as the group of six crossed the square to the stares and mutterings of the merchantmen and ascended the marble steps in front of city hall.
The black-robed group entered City Hall through the main doors, two gigantic wooden structures that swung inward as if being pulled by some invisible servant. They crossed the threshold and walked down the short corridor that opened up suddenly into a vast chamber lined with chairs and set with a raised podium in front. They crossed this room, the main audience chamber for the city of Kaldiir, and took a sharp turn to the left, where a guard snapped to attention the moment he saw them and opened the heavy wooden door.
The group passed through the door in single file and entered a smaller ante-chamber, laid out in similar style to the grand chamber they had just crossed. At the end of the room was a raised dais that held a long table behind which sat five stern, official-looking figures.
At the far left sat a Halfling woman who wore a simple green dress and silver cloak with a clasp marked with a shining ‘R’, marking her as Lady Lillian of Clearwater Paths elected representative of the people of the Kaldiirian Plains. She was young, but not naïve; her eyes glittered with knowledge beyond her years and heritage.
To the far right sat a Tiefling woman wearing leather armor with her hair pulled back behind her horns in a tight cluster of braids. Everyone in the room knew of her: Lady Briseis Dalamond, head of the Guild of Merchants and Traders, master thief and infiltrator. Once a mercenary in her youth, Lady Briseis had taken to the world of politics recently compared to some of the others on the council, but her knowledge and network of spies was invaluable.
Next to Lady Briseis sat a Dragonborn man who towered over her and the other five members of the council. He was tall and regal-looking, with blood-red scales and shining armor. He was Lord Heskan Olaris, High Priest of Bahamut the platinum dragon god and warpriest of the Kaldiirian Army. A very large axe was strapped to his back, and was still crusted with blood from a long-passed battle. He had a reputation across the entire continent of Avarios regarding his skills in battle and his mastery of the divine.
The woman seated next to the Halfling was Lady Aliira Eringess, High Priestess and oracle of the Raven Queen. All six members of the company knew her well as their mentor and leader in the church. She was not a tall woman, but she caught the attention of all in the room nevertheless. Her black hair fell in soft curls to her shoulders and her eyes, a deep silver-purple, seemed to glow with an ethereal light
The man in the center, clearly the most senior of the group, was human, with graying hair that was pulled back in a loose ponytail that hung past his shoulder. He wore a breastplate and a grey cloak, and the group noticed the longsword belted to his side. His eyes were blue and looked weary, and his face was lined and scarred from many years and many battles. All six members of the group recognized him as Lord Mayor Johannes Vaniir, once proud general of the Kaldiirian military, now retired and leader of the capital city and the surrounding regions.
The company of six also noticed two figures leaning against the dais, talking in low voices. One was obviously human and male, and he wore no visible armor, merely a black robe. His face, though youthful, was still lined with many years of travel. He was talking to a tall woman with light hair, pointed ears and eyes covered with green-lensed close-fitting goggles who appeared to be juggling about a half-dozen shuriken in front of her. At first glance she looked like an elf to those in the group who were paying attention, but she had a mysterious presence about her that made a few of the group scrutinize her more closely. She certainly seemed elven in nature, but there was something ethereal and otherworldly about her, as if she was not truly of this world. She and her human companion had stopped talking and were looking at the black-robed group, both exhibiting signs of curiosity.
The group walked towards the dais and stopped about ten feet from it at a signal from the dragonborn at the front of the party. Upon stopping, all six of them dropped to one knee in front of the dais and bowed their heads respectfully.
The guard who had been standing in front of the door previously had entered the room behind the group of six, and as they knelt in front of the dais he noisily cleared his throat and announced: “Presenting the Company of the Raven Queen’s Talon milord’s and ladies.”
The five sitting behind the table on the dais nodded to the guard, and Lord Mayor Vaniir slowly rose to his feet. “Welcome,” he said, his voice gruff and raspy. “I thank you for your prompt response to your summoning. You have been called here by me at the request of your High Priestess, for she feels your skills and talents as a fighting force will compliment the task for which you have been called.”
He sat down and High Priestess Aliira rose from her position at his right. When she spoke, she barely raised her voice, yet it echoed throughout the silent chamber.
“Welcome to you, members of the Talon,” she said. “You have been selected for this mission because you are the best and brightest within our church, as well as having had the most experience with the issue at hand. The merchant emissaries from the surrounding towns have reported an inordinate rise in the number of undead creatures in the area, and they have been attacking humans and livestock with increasing fervor.”
The Talon did not speak, but all six faces changed from expressions of stony silence to variances of concern, disgust, revulsion and outright anger. The dragonborn man at the front of the group rose from his knee, looking down at his priestess (for he still had to look down on her despite her standing on the dais) with respect.
“You may speak, Face of the Talon.” The Priestess said, nodding to him.
The dragonborn stood up a little straighter, putting himself up to his full height of over six and a half feet. “My lords and ladies,” he said. “The Talon requests the location of the rising undead sightings.” His voice was forceful, yet melodious, as if it were a low woodwind instrument.
The Lord Mayor nodded to Lady Lillian, who stood up and addressed the group: “Sightings of zombies, wights and other creatures have been reported mostly south of the main city on the outskirts, most notably in the area about the village of Pelarii.” She said, her voice small and high compared to that of the Mayor.
There was an audible murmur among the Talon at this, several members exchanging inquiring looks of concern.
The Mayor gave the High Priestess an inquiring look, and she raised her right hand to silence the Talon, whose mutterings died down instantly. “The Talon was sent on a mission a year ago to investigate an undead presence near Pelarii.”
“How many lives were lost?” the dragonborn asked Lady Lillian.
Lillian was silent for a moment, and then spoke softly: “Few survived,” she said. “It was a devastating massacre.”
The Talon became more silent, still exchanging glances but remaining stoic.
The High Priestess stood once more and addressed the Talon: “Reports have been made of a network of caves fifty miles north of the capital in the Tollesand Hills, which sit at the foot of the Margrave Mountains. These caves have been infested with goblins for many years, goblins that have served a much darker, more powerful master for about as long as they have been present. Lady Briseis’ merchant scouts have reported less activity in the area over the last six months, and her spies have made some attempts at infiltration. They did not get far, but they learned that somewhere in the cave, a powerful mage had been performing disturbing experiments and toying with the forces of death and undeath. We know not if the mage still lives, but it is certain that all of his research is buried somewhere within that cave. You have been summoned to flush out the infestation in the caves and to retrieve that research.”
The Face of the Talon bowed his scaly golden head to his priestess. “Thank you My Lady,” he said. “We shall set out at once,” he turned slightly to nod to the Lord Mayor. “And we shall leave you with the subjects of your prior meeting.”
The Lord Mayor looked mildly confused. “I beg your pardon?” he said.
The dragonborn nodded towards the man and the woman to the side of the dais. “Your prior engagement milord,” He said.
“Ah,” the Lord Mayor shook his head. “No, no, they were summoned here because they too have experience and areas of expertise that will be useful to this mission. Your mission is too dangerous and difficult to send only the six of you, so we found two others with talents that would complement your groups’ abilities and therefore make you a stronger group.”
Another ripple of conversation crossed the six members of the Talon, and this time it was clear from their tone that they were displeased with the Lord Mayor’s words. One of the dwarves, the one to the left of the dragonborn, spoke up above the rabble of the others. “With all due respect milords and ladies, the six of us are used to working as a single unit and have no need for the aid of others in our missions.” He said, his voice low and gruff and with the accent of one from the Margrave Mountains directly north of Kaldiir.
“Be that as it may,” Mayor Vaniir said. “It is the desire of the council that these two contribute their expertise to your mission.”
“Lord Mayor Vaniir,” the High Priestess said, her voice taking on a tone of soft, careful anger. “While I respect your wishes, I assure you that it is quite preposterous to ask these two people to work with the Talon. The Talon is singular elite fighting force, and anyone wishing to join their ranks must undergo many months of training and ritual,” her voice was wavering, as if she were trying not to let her anger be heard in her voice. “I can assure you, the Talon is quite capable of handling anything they find in those caves and eradicating anything else they come across.”
The Lord Mayor sighed. “These two citizens have invaluable skills that will contribute to and complement the Talon’s already indisputable talents. Milady,” mayor Vaniir nodded to the Tiefling, Lady Briseis, who looked over at the two figures at the far end of the dais.
“I recommend them both as experts in the fields of magic and martial trickery milord,” she said. “Also, Sariel is one of my best and brightest students in the silent arts, and is one of the Guild’s most experienced travelers on the trade routes.”
The Mayor nodded. The ‘silent art’ Lady Briseis had referred to was her own art of infiltration and trickery, something invaluable in a group who would attempt to navigate a network of caves or a dungeon. “And the other?” he inquired.
Lillian of Clearwater Paths stood once again. “Rasa Noir is one of the most accomplished Warlocks in the city and in the region,” she said. “His talents are unprecedented in the area and he brings a wealth of experience to any group he joins.”
The Priestess seemed to care little for these reassurances. “Regardless, my Lord,” she said. “The fact that you did not discuss this with me earlier is just preposterous.”
The Lord Mayor sighed, and then turned to speak to the Talon, who had erupted into irritable chatter. “If I could have some order!” he said, his voice lost in the din. “Some order, please.”
High Priest Olaris stood up, regal and imposing at his full seven feet, opened his mouth, and belched a cone of fire into the air. It shot over the heads of the Talon, injuring none but startling all. They all fell silent, knowing that it would be unwise to anger the High Priest. He snorted once, another small jet of flame spurting from his nostril, and then sat back down, nodding to the mayor. “Your order, Lord Mayor Vaniir,” He said in a deep voice that, like the dragonborn of the Talon, held a soft, melodious quality, as if he were speaking through a bassoon.
“Thank you High Priest Olaris,” Mayor Vaniir said. “High Priestess, if I may speak with you alone for one brief moment.”
The six members of the Talon watched as the Mayor took their Priestess to one side, standing beneath a low archway to the right of the dais. No words could be heard, not even by the elf’s keen ears, but the members all watched the Priestess emphatically gesture for several moments, then stop as the Lord Mayor spoke. Her gestures did not resume, and her facial expression changed from one of restrained fury to one of understanding and begrudging acceptance. When she spoke to him again, it was with less gesturing but with an authoritative look in her eyes. The Mayor nodded to her, and then they both walked back over and took their seats behind the table once more.
Once again, the High Priestess rose and addressed the room. “I have been made aware of the usefulness of two assistants on this mission,” she said. “However, it is my wish that these two specialists do not engage in any mission with the Talon unless they agree to uphold the tenets the Talon holds within their group. It is vital that the Talon, and any who choose to work with the Talon, adhere to the same oath so that they may work as a single unit able to function with equality.”
The Lord Mayor nodded and the Talon relaxed. “That is acceptable, High Priestess,” he said. “If you could describe the oath that must be upheld so that we may be made aware of these conditions, it would be very much appreciated.”
“The Bearer of the Scroll shall read the oath my Lord,” she replied. “And I shall draw up a temporary oath for your two specialists to sign.”
The man and woman to the side of the dais, Rasa and Sariel, looked at each other with raised eyebrows. An oath? They seemed to be saying to each other silently.
The dwarf with the hammer at his back got to his feet and removed a long, thin scroll of parchment from the recesses of his cloak. He unrolled it and began to read in a loud, clear voice that rang throughout the room:
For those who call themselves the
Raven Queen’s Talon.
These are the tenets that you shall obey
The Mission
We shall always serve the will of the Raven Queen, performing any mission and sending any soul deemed worthy to the Queen and Lady Superior of Death.
Obey the tenets and values of the Raven Queen at all times. Never act contrary to these values, as the will of our Queen is above all else.
The minions and servants of the Foul One shall be annihilated on detection.
The Talon shall act as one. On all missions, the Will of the Talon will be decided by a vote, the proposal gaining the most votes being the one that is chosen
The Anathema
Do not steal from, lie to, cheat, or act to the detriment of the Talon.
Never knowingly serve the Will of the Foul One, and Never act against the orders or will of the Queen of the Talon.
The Burdens
There are those in the Talon who will bear a larger burden, and work for the benefit of the group. The burdens are as follows.
The Face of the Raven will convey the will of the Talon to those outside the group.
The Voice of the Raven will convey the will of the Queen to the Talon and ensure that the internal life of the group is tranquil.
The Bearer of Names will ensure that this scroll will be always protected, and will handle the division of any treasures secured by the Talon.
The Authority of the bearer of the Burden is negated by a veto of the majority of the Talon.
The Trial
If anyone should be accused of violating these rules, they shall be put on trial.
The accused member will defend themselves.
The Face of the Raven will represent the accuser, unless they are accused, at which point the accuser must perform this duty.
The Voice of the Raven will judge the trial, and ensure it is fair. If the accused is found guilty, they will determine punishment.
The remainder of the members will act as a jury, and will vote to determine guilt. The Accused, Face, and Voice do not vote.
The Punishments
There are three punishments that may occur.
If accused is sentenced to death, then the Talon will strike them in order of Joining, until the accused is dead. The accused is then stricken from the record.
If accused is sentenced to maiming, then the Judge will determine what part of them is to be maimed and the part will be so maimed by the Talon. The accused remains on the record.
If the accused is sentenced to Banishment, then they are forever cast out of the group, and are stricken from the record.
Acquisitions
The Talon will recover all items from those we send to the Queen. These shall be gathered by the Bearer of Names and sanctified.
Five percent of all we take shall go directly to the Raven Queen through temples and charities.
An extra share shall go to the Talon, to be used for things that shall serve the Talon as a group. The Bearer shall carry and adjudicate the funds.
Item allocation shall be determined according to those who need it. If there are multiple claimants to one item, then it shall be put to a vote. If there is a tie, then the tie shall be broken by the Bearer.
At this point, the dwarf rolled up the scroll and tucked it away in his robe. He then knelt down once more and began intoning a soft chant, one that the other six members of the group began chanting in unison with him:
“And Reapers we shall be
For thee, my Lady, for thee.
Power has descended forth from thy hand,
That our feet may swiftly carry out thy command
And We shall flow a river forth to thee,
And teeming with souls shall it ever be.”
The dwarf spoke again: “I, Erthur Ironvault of Margravia, have signed in blood my pledge to the Raven Queen to uphold this oath.”
The second dwarf spoke next: “I, Urnithic Ironvault of Margravia, have signed in blood my pledge to the Raven Queen to uphold this oath.”
Next to speak was the elf: “I, Xelgin Melbent of Amaria, have signed in blood my pledge to the Raven Queen to uphold this oath.”
The fourth to speak was the tall dragonborn: “I, Beryl of Kasilian, have signed in blood my pledge to the Raven Queen to uphold this oath.”
Finally, the two remaining hooded figures spoke in unison: “We, Talic and Corvus of Kaldiir, have signed in blood our pledge to the Raven Queen to uphold this oath.”
There was a brief pause, and then all six members said in unison: “We are the Raven Queen’s Talon, and thus we serve Our Lady.”
When they finished, silence echoed across the chamber. Rasa and Sariel looked at each other again. Rasa rolled his eyes and Sariel held back a giggle at the pomp and spectacle of it all.
Before either could say anything however, the High Priestess was standing up and holding out a scroll similar to the one the dwarf, Erthur, had tucked away. She began to read from it, facing Rasa and Sariel as she did so:
“All those persons wishing to work with
The Raven Queen’s Talon
Must agree to abide the following conditions
“IT IS AGREED that you shall not steal from, lie to, cheat, or act to the detriment of the Talon.
“IT IS AGREED that you shall submit yourself to a fair and equitable trial, conducted in the same manner as any member of the Talon. Any trial shall be conducted in the following manner.
“The accused member will defend themselves.
The Face of the Raven will represent the accuser, unless they are accused, at which point the accuser must perform this duty.
The Voice of the Raven will judge the trial, and ensure it is fair. If the accused is found guilty, they will determine punishment.
The remainder of the members will act as a jury, and will vote to determine guilt. The Accused, Face, and Voice do not vote.
“IT IS AGREED that if you are found guilty of any infraction against the rules of this Talon, as set forth in this document, you agree to submit yourself to any and all punishments deemed appropriate as outlined below.
“There are three punishments that may occur.
If the accused is sentenced to death, then the Talon will strike them in order of Joining, until the accused is dead.
“If the accused is sentenced to maiming, then the Judge will determine what part of them is to be maimed and the part will be so maimed by the Talon.
“If the accused is sentenced to Banishment, then they are forever cast out of the group.
“IT IS AGREED that the Talon will recover all items from those we send to the Queen. These shall be gathered by the Bearer of Names and sanctified.
“Five percent of all we take shall go directly to the Raven Queen through temples and charities.
An extra share shall go to the Talon and its cohorts, to be used for things that shall serve the Talon and its cohorts as a group. The Bearer shall carry and adjudicate the funds.
Item allocation shall be determined according to those who need it. If there is a tie, then the tie shall be broken by the Bearer.
“A signature upon this contract shall be considered binding until such time as the contract has expired, as is agreed upon signing.”
When she finished speaking, the Priestess held the parchment out to Rasa and Sariel who, after looking at each other for another minute, both shrugged and signed their names in black ink at the end of the long scroll. The Priestess rolled it up and held it out to Erthur, who took it and tucked it away in the same place he had tucked away the other scroll.
“So be it then,” the Lord Mayor said standing once more. “You must leave as soon as possible before another storm hits. Take enough rations for a week, as we cannot be sure how long it will take you to clear the infestation. Upon your return, you shall be heavily rewarded for your services to the people of Kaldiir and all the surrounding lands.
“It is vital that the eight of you work together, for together you are champions, but apart you shall fall and any hope in completing this, and any other mission, will be lost. Good luck, and May the blessing of the gods be on all of you in your endeavor.”
The Lord Mayor remained standing, and the other five members of the council stood beside him. The all bowed their heads at the company of eight that stood before them, who bowed back. “Dismissed,” The Lord Mayor said. “Report back to this council upon your return with your findings.”
The council stepped down from the dais and left through a door behind the table, and as they did so the Talon and the two specialists left through the door they had entered from, crossed the great hall and left through the wooden doors at the front of City Hall, going out into the city and towards their mission.
Posted Friday, June 13th, 2008 at 12:10 PM
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Story copyright © Lora Hibbard 2008.
All Characters copyright © their owners 2008.
Oath of the Raven Queen's Talon copyright © the members of the Raven Queen's Talon 2008.
The original prayer copyright © Troy Duffy 1999. Adapted from the Movie Boondock Saints, modified by The Raven Queen's Talon 2008.
