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(You will not be able to use your companions for this quest.)Morning comes, showering you in a brilliant white light from the nearby window frame. Completely refreshed from a good nights sleep, you hop out of bed ready to get back to work. Collecting your belongings from the sparsely furnished room, you head downstairs to the common area, where you see a few patrons idly sipping their drinks and listening to a gorgeous female elf in a long sleeved green dress singing in her native tongue about Elven heroes of legend. Pausing for a moment on the stairwell you listen to her, when you see the owner of the Drunken Dragon Boger waddling about the establishment chatting excitedly with newcomers, while a young female dwarf moves about the room refilling tankards and cleaning tables.

Waving your hand over at the dwarf to get his attention, you wait for Boger to make his way over towards you. "Was there something else I could do for you laddie?" You pull out the contract from your pocket. "Can you tell me where I can find the Red Lantern?"the Dwarf's eyes widen in surprise and he begins looking around the inn furtively, before grabbing hold of your shoulder roughly, and dragging into the back of the inn where barrels of alcohol lie neatly piled up along the stone wall.

Thrusting aside his arm, you take a step back from the panicked dwarf, who stares at the doorway fearfully. The voices and music from the common room slowly dying away. Until all is deadly silent. Boger, sweat dripping down his forehead mutters something about foolish outlanders, before turning his back towards you and tapping on one of the casks, which cracks wide open. Shocked you peer inside and see a stone staircase leading down into darkness. Waving at you urgently to get inside, you walk past the dwarf into the hidden staircase and turn to face him. Seeing the question in your eyes, he whispers, "You'll find what you seek below. Tell him...tell him I've kept up my part of the deal." With that the dwarf thrusts you backwards to bounce hard down the stone steps, where you crash land at the bottom. (- 10 Health Points) Bruised and angry, you leap back up to your feet, draw your weapon, when the light from above disappears, leaving you alone in darkness.

Half-panicked at thought of being locked down here, you hurriedly scramble up the stone steps and bang on door. Except it's not a door anymore, your fists hit cold, hard stone. Stunned, you stare down at your bleeding knuckles, unsure what in the abyss is going on, and as if to answer your question a tiny pinprick of blue light floats into view. Magic? The small blue ball of light moves up and down as if to attract your attention, before gently floating down the staircase. With no other options left to you, other than to staying up here all alone , you follow the blue ball of light down and into a narrow side passage. All the while hoping against hope that this isn't some sort trick of the mind. You trail after the strange light, through crisscrossing corridors, down more stairs and into a cavernous chamber that stretches up more miles above you. The only source of light the bobbing beside you.

You stare out into the inky black darkness trying to see another way out of here, when a harsh, creaky voice whispers through the air. "Welcome my friend to the shadows." Skin prickling with ill foreboding, you gaze all about you. "Who are you?"The dark ominous voice becomes louder, almost sneering at your fear. "That is not the question you should be asking me child of death. Tell me, what is it you desire most in the world?" You think for a moment, wondering what game is being played here, before deciding to speak the truth. "Power." You hear laughter and feel something hot touch your neck. Spinning around, you draw your weapon, searching the blackness, but you see nothing. "You will have power, child of shadow. More power than you will ever need, but first you must complete a task for me. Do this for me and I will grant you power."

Slowing your breathing, you stand still in the darkness, the pinprick of blue light your only friend and relax. Whatever was out there, should have been able to kill you by now? The touch on your neck a clear warning of what it was capable of. With that in mind, you sheathe your weapon. "What is it you want me do?" The air becomes thick with acrid smoke that fills your lungs. "Repeat my words and do as I say.

"Blood of the first gave us life. Blood of the second gave us strength. Blood of the third gave us shelter. Blood of the fourth gave us desire. Blood of the fifth gave us death."

At each word spoken, you feel a flood of unnatural energy course up through your veins. Leaving you completely rejuvenated. (All Heath Restored.)Shivering at this feeling of invincibility you repeat the words and like a child too close to the fire, you feel an intense heat that almost burns you up.

"Good... now speak the words, and I will tell you what must be done."

For a brief moment confusion flickers across your face, unsure what the voice is talking about, when the words from the scroll flash before your eyes. "Death is no stranger." As soon as you speak the words, pain unlike anything you have ever felt before cuts across your chest, dropping you to your knees gasping for air. ( You've temporarily gained 'Shadow Art.' An ability that allows you to cast Shadow Spells. Add 10 Shadow Art points to your stats sheet.)

"You've been marked by the shadow and so you shall serve. Above you in the City of Barenter are three lives that must be extinguished. Slay them all, show no mercy, and you will be rewarded. Farewell... son of shadow."

You open your mouth to try and learn more, when the small blue ball of light shatters into a thousand pieces blinding you. Blinking your eyes repeatedly, you look up and realise your no longer under the City. Mouth gaping in shock, you get up off your knees and stare at your new surrounding. Standing in the alleyway of a street corner, you realise your back in the City of Barenter in front of you is a two story building made of stone that appears to be the home of a wealthy merchant. Night has fallen upon the City and the white star hangs above you in the sky, throwing shadows in all directions, while City guards in plate armor patrol the streets. Their footsteps echoing dully on the cobblestones.

Adrenaline pumping with untold possibilities from your new powers, you gaze at the building ahead of you and feel the power inside of you quiver, waking up an insatiable appetite. Licking your dry lips, you slip across the streets silently and move to the back of the dwarven home to search for a way into the building and see two entry points. A few feet above the ground is a balcony and to your left is an open window.

Half trembling with excitement, you twist the doorknob and slowly open the door. "Is that you Bloodfist?" You pause at the unexpected voice calling out to you. Then grin and swing the door open to reveal a spacious room, a beautifully crafted bed with canopy, a desk with mirror attached and plethora of dwarven banners hanging on the walls. Standing in the middle of room, ready to meet you is a hard faced dwarf with red hair and beard, in full obsidian plate armor, wielding a blade that has fire sparking along the edges. Recognizing an elemental weapon, you lick your lips again. The dwarf unfazed by your appearance, stares sadly at you with brown eyes. "I knew you would come. Just, please don't hurt me young'un..."

Oblivious to his words, you feel the power inside of you surge forth, causing you to bare your teeth and attack. Your weapon crashes against his in a thunderous crash of steel as the two weapons meet. The dwarf not unskilled in battle proves to be a stalwart enemy, blocking your strikes and countering with his own.Flames searing your skin as the elemental weapon burns through the air close to your skin. Calling upon the shadows to lend you strength and speed(- 1 Shadow Art), your body becomes a shadowy blur, striking with powerful blows to cut into the dwarf's well made armor. But it's much stronger than it appears and withstands the blows easily, so instead you slash for his throat, but the dwarf anticipating your move is ready. Punching you hard in jaw with a right hook and carving open your shoulder. Wincing, you back away, but the dwarf sensing your weakness, presses into to attack you with a flurry of strikes.

Blood boiling with anger at being pushed back by this pathetic creature, you roar angrily and break the dwarf's line of assault. Swirling forward with the shadow, you smash aside his weapon to send it flying from his hand, before hammering the dwarf with heavy blows so powerful that cracks appear in his armor. Then with a final swing of your weapon, you decapitate the dwarf's head from his shoulders, blood spraying into your face, which is soon followed by a high pitched wail (- 70 Health Points).Heart still pounding from your fight, you gaze across the room and see a young dwarfling curled up into the far corner of the room, tears streaming down her face, staring at you in horror. Eyes lighting up with interest, you lift your weapon again and step towards the child, when the small ball of blue light reappears by your shoulder. Then in a shower of bright light it shatters again.

A cold breeze blows across your face forcing your eyes open and you find yourself out on the side of the road. The familiar lights of the city far off in distance, the white star glowing right above in the night sky and the sound of axle wheels creaking right behind you. Annoyed at being teleported once again, before finishing your task. You twist around and catch sight of a wagon rolling across the road, guarded by four tall minotaurs in chain mail armor. Their battle axes gleaming in the star light. And judging by the way they moved, they were veteran fighters.

Guessing your next target is the black robed figure driving the cart, you step into the middle of the road to block their path forward. The wagons slows to a halt and the four guards glide forward, hefting their battleaxes. One of the minotaur's missing his right horn and with a face that could make children cry, leers at you menacingly. "Get out of our way!"

The robed figure stares down with shocked disbelief at its dead guards,before leaping down off the wagon and sprinting away. Laughing like a child with a new toy, you chase after the robed figure. Your longer strides quickly gaining on them, when the target spins around and launches a lighting bolt to smack hard into your shoulder, thrusting you back a few paces. (- 60 Health Points. Magic damage.) Grunting at the unexpected assault, you ignore the pain in your shoulder and quicken your footsteps, as the figure keeps running. Moving to intercept, you crash tackle the target into the ground and immediately drive home your weapon into their innards. Twisting the weapon to make sure their dead, before climbing up off of them. Job complete, you lift up the hood of the robe and give a grunt of surprise, as you recognize the face of the elven singer from the Drunken Dragon. Startled by this revelation, you begin wondering if this was a coincidence? When the small ball of blue right miraculously appears by your side again.

This time snapping your eyes shut, you wait for that bright burst of light that brings tears to your eyes come, before slowly opening them again... Not sure, exactly where you are this time. You look around at the tapestries of battle scenes that hang on the walls to either side of you, the black granite flooring and ornate weaponry that is held in glass cabinets along both sides of the wall. And can't help but feel that this place belongs to someone important, which means they probably well guarded.

Hearing voices coming down the hallway, you quickly move into the shadows,squeezing yourself into a corner, just as a pair of female dwarves in black and grey livery walk through the hallway into a foyer. You wait for them to pass you by, before slipping out of the shadows to slice open the throat of the nearest servant. Then coming up behind the second to clap a hand across her mouth. The servant struggles furiously in your grip, kicking, elbowing and biting. Swinging her around, you face her in the direction of her dead friend and whisper in her ears. "Unless you want to end up like her, you'd better do as I say." Her body finally becomes still, tears pouring down her cheeks to wet your fingers as she nods her head madly. "Who own's this place?" You ask, she says something from behind your hands, but you can't hear it. You remove your hand from her mouth and open your mouth to ask her again,when she lets a loud deafening scream that claws at your ears. With no choice, you cut her throat as well, and hear the distinct sound of armored footsteps pounding towards you,as well as gruff dwarven voices.

1. Do you use Shadow Art to disguise yourself as a guard? (- 3 Shadow Art)

Focusing your thoughts around memories of a city of guard you've seen. You call upon the shadows and gradually begin remolding your body into his form, when dozens of dwarven guards in black plated armor burst into the chamber, carrying round black shield and war axes. The leader of the dwarves a hard faced warrior with steel grey eyes, takes one look at the two dead servants at your feet and roars at his men to charge. Half grinning at your own stupidity, you leap forward to meet them. Spinning,ducking and weaving in amongst the guards, who quickly close formation to surround you.

The power inside of you sensing more blood is about to be spilled, bubbles up within you to quicken your movements and blur your body, allowing you to hack into the enemy, but it's not enough. The dwarves well trained and practiced in the arts of war, form up a shield wall to protect against your attacks. Bashing you with their round shields and slicing at you with their war axes. Only your ability to avoid being dealt a serious injury is keeping you in the fight.

With no way to shatter their defensive formation, you are slowly being herded into the corner of the foyer, when you see black shadowy forms hanging on the ceiling above you. Grinning, you watch the shadows drop down from the ceiling above to break open the ranks of the dwarves, rip out their throats and cut out their eyes. Smiling gleefully at your new allies, you join in the bloodbath, hacking, slashing and killing. The power coursing through your body with each kill. You then follow the shadowy forms from room to room killing everything in your path. Until everyone is dead...

Battle Results

- 120 Health Points

Loot

Once your job is complete, the blue ball of light returns you back to underground chamber, where you are rewarded with a glowing black orb.( Black Death received. This item allows you to call upon the Shadow Warriors to aid you in battle once per chapter. They act in the same way as a companion.)

You then leave to meet up with Lorna and Gorrack, who apparently were searching the whole city for you. You learn from them that the City Guard are out searching for an assassin, who has murdered a Dwarven Ambassador from their neighboring City Riadan, an Elven guardian sent here to investigate rumors of dark magic and the entire household of Lord Barenter.

(You my friend have gained the rank of Cold Blooded! May the darkness hide your deeds.)

Contract Complete