The Unmourned King

As the scorching days and summer nights of the fifth year of a new age passed by, the roadways of Sapience found themselves host to a dizzying gamut of criminal activity. Ruthless outlaws took to the land’s highways in a resurgence of banditry and skulduggery, threatening the lives of those unfortunate enough to cross their path, prompting many bold adventurers to choose violence as proof of their superior skill and moral fibre. As these bandits grew increasingly desperate in the face of ascendant violence and the stubborn spirit of adventuring warriors, they increased the fervour and pitch of their aggression by banding together and approaching notable city-states in an attempt to secure sanctions, allies, and customers willing to pay them off to deter their persistent violence. Calling themselves ‘the Mourners’, they chose to approach Enorian and Duiran first with their bloody offer: safety from their banditry in exchange for extorted coin. Both city-states summarily denied the racketeering attempt, and shortly after a massive Kelki named ‘Hammerhead’ made himself known as the de-facto leader of this unsavoury band. The self-proclaimed king of thieves took up quill and parchment to address the public soon after to extend a second chance to at his crew’s magnanimous offer: gold for protection, gold to spare the realm’s peoples from his predation.

Though most leaders initially sneered at this ‘generous’ offer, it did not take long for enterprising individuals in these city-states to try bargaining with the arrogant bandit under the table. Rumours circulated of agents from every city aside from the Hammer of Dawn throughout the realm, alleging that each tried to contact Hammerhead with utmost secrecy that spared even their peers from the truth of shady propositions. Throughout these exchanges, it came to be known by the general public that this self-styled noble and ‘master thief’ was one of the myriad escapees of the Infernal Durance, the realm that had once housed the Demon Blade’s countless victims before Varach Scolrys’ ejected its prisoners in a bid to repair the weapon to full function. Though many adventurers failed to uncover information regarding this antiquated individual, the Grand Library soon released sparse notes found within the dustiest archives and tomes held within their possession, granting scant few hints about his history and the veracity of his claims, including his former identity as Hamalis, the Kindler.

Armed with this knowledge and determined to put a stop to his mayhem, Sapience’s champions gathered together to seek out the clever bandit and put him to the sword, though they were met with countless difficulties and setbacks when attempting to pinpoint his location, and found that he possessed the ability to depart through infernal gateways to elude capture if need be. Hammerhead continued to stay one step ahead of his pursuers throughout the next several weeks as he laid the foundations for a historic criminal act: the bombing of Esterport and the raiding of its plentiful vaults, as well as the kidnapping of Magistrate Zhamakela amidst the chaos. The Mourners devastated the city’s streets with magic and explosives to create distractions and clear a way through the bank’s security measures, leaving the populace of the coast city reeling in the aftermath, leaving Ambassador Aaranu to negotiate for the leader’s life.

All was quiet as the bandit considered the Esterporean diplomat’s request, leaving the realm to speculate endlessly about the reason for the theft and kidnapping. As hushed rumour and insane conspiracy surged through every city-state, mysterious crystalline weapons appeared in Bloodloch, Duiran, Enorian and Spinesreach, which adventurers took to experimenting on vigorously. The weapons displayed unusual characteristics; researchers were able to glean that they appeared vacant of life and sentience, yet they simultaneously felt hollow and once full of memory. The Grand Library suspects these weapons were likely forged from the latent energy of legends within the Demon Blade, though the benefactor who gifted them remains a mystery.

Eventually, Hammerhead issued a reply to Aaranu, allowing the two to strike a deal: in exchange for a ship for him and his men, Hammerhead would facilitate the Magistrate’s safe return.

In spite of Esterport’s willingness to accept this deal, adventurers took justice into their own hands. Utilising the enigmatic weapons left to them, each city-state deployed a group of warriors that rallied together to battle Hammerhead and his cohort upon the bridge leading to the city. Magistrate Zhamakela managed to flee into the custody of the Esterporean City Watch, allowing the gathered champions to employ indiscriminate violence that added a coat of bellicose paint to the bridge’s walkway and railings Eventually, Hammerhead found himself outmatched, his vitality and strength whittled away by too many bows from too many assailants. Unable to conjure his infernal portals to escape due to the magic-negating presence of the assembled weapons and hidden behind a protective barrier, the unsavoury legend attempted to strike a deal with his captors. The defeated King made his case: he would be a reliable source of information regarding other escapees of the Durance should any decide to wreak similar havoc, and he warned that many of them were ‘far worse’ than others thought of him.

Even as Hammerhead cried out for mercy, the four adventurers entrusted with the city’s special weapons knew they were confronted with a choice: use the weapons to pierce the shield guarding the King of Thieves, or cast aside the weapons and see him spared. Without a second thought, Eliadon of Enorian called for Hammerhead’s execution before turning the hammer on the bandit’s magical barrier. Aelir of Duiran followed suit in short order, his practiced Red Serpent style driving the spear’s tip through the shield in short order. Tyrant Maeve asked several cursory questions before she, too, cast her vote in favour of execution, the gleaming edge of her enchanted scythe shearing yet another layer from that which guarded their collective quarry. Viceroy Legyn, in contrast, weighed its options as surely as it weighed the dirk in its hands, and it inquired of many things from Hammerhead before time – and the magic constituting the weapons – began to dwindle away. With disgust and disappointment, the Architect of Progress added its vote with a killing thrust – an act that sealed the decision as unanimous.

As if brought about by absolute consensus, the force within the weapons converged upon Hammerhead and unraveled the brutish Kelki into a pile of gore as his shield collapsed, leaving nothing but the memory of him and his dying scream behind. The Mourners scattered without their leader without yielding the twenty million stolen from various Esterporean financial institutions, leaving its location a loose thread in a saga otherwise ended…

Penned by my hand on Tisday, the 21st of Omeian, in the year 6 AC.