W
wolfshadow
Guest
This is the framework/background for a tale I'm thinking of writing loosely inspired by the "4 word story thread".
They call themselves “The Seekers”, a ragtag group of refugees and exiles who had gathered under the religious banner of an outspoken zealot named Maaor.
Over the last fifteen years, the Seekers had become a name synonymous with hatred and fear as they routinely swept through the countryside in ever increasing numbers, boldly pillaging and looting every settlement they encountered. The survivors of these raids were given a stark choice by the Seekers; to either join or die. Most choose the former, which accounts for much of the recent growth within the sect, and it also seems that ‘new recruits’ are coerced into a ritual of brainwashing that produces unconditional fealty. The Seekers have gone from being a dire nuisance to a grave threat yet no one seems willing or able to take action.
Ominous reports have begun filtering in that The Seekers have now acquired permanent headquarters located somewhere along the Orion Peninsula. It still remains uncertain why Maaor would choose to settle his people in such a redundant part of the continent. Strategically Orion has little or no value; it is remote, barren and inhospitable, but Maaor has proven to be an extremely cunning and resourceful foe so it would be folly at this stage to assume that he and his fanatics aren’t there for a very good reason.
More perturbing still, seven weeks to the day we dispatched a clandestine agent to Orion in the hope that he could gather more specific data on the location of the Seekers’ stronghold and their plans. This agent was not due to break cover for another three weeks but he was found yesterday by the Ellesse watch roaming the highway, murmuring unspeakable gibberish and raking at his features in an effort claw out his own eyes. For his own safety he was bound hand and foot and placed in a cell. So far every attempt at questioning the prisoner has drawn nothing but a stream of indiscernible babble, which for the present is to our advantage. Ellesse would not respond favourably should it be discovered that we have active spies operating within her borders. It may even be enough to rekindle the old hostilities. As far as they are aware, their captive is a fugitive of Eruan justice, we have even gone to the lengths of forging a petition for his extradition and an official docket listing the charges against him.
This is where you come in Grey; you are to accompany the Ambassador to the court of Ellesse as part of his entourage. Should the Ambassador prove unsuccessful in his attempt to negotiate the release of our operative then you are instructed to infiltrate the holding area and break the target out of his cell. Once this has been accomplished he is then to be escorted through the old sewer corridor at the end of which you will rendezvous with a man named Tevor. You will then surrender custody of our agent to Tevor and make south for the village of Stockbridge. Tevor will also provide you with a horse and alternate clothing, so your passage should prove hasty and inconspicuous.
Before you set off Grey there are several things that you must be cautioned upon. Above all, if during your attempt to free our agent you are discovered we cannot help you, as a matter of fact we will deny all knowledge of your existence if put to the test. As a further insurance policy, if you fail arrive at the prescribed area within an allotted ten minute window Tevor will set fire to the sewer corridor.
Secondly, do not share anything you have been briefed upon with the Ambassador, as far as he is concerned you are simply there to pad out the ranks of his bodyguards, he has no knowledge of our backup plan thus providing him with authentic deniability should you fail.
Lastly, as you are now quite aware, this is a very dangerous assignment......
They call themselves “The Seekers”, a ragtag group of refugees and exiles who had gathered under the religious banner of an outspoken zealot named Maaor.
Over the last fifteen years, the Seekers had become a name synonymous with hatred and fear as they routinely swept through the countryside in ever increasing numbers, boldly pillaging and looting every settlement they encountered. The survivors of these raids were given a stark choice by the Seekers; to either join or die. Most choose the former, which accounts for much of the recent growth within the sect, and it also seems that ‘new recruits’ are coerced into a ritual of brainwashing that produces unconditional fealty. The Seekers have gone from being a dire nuisance to a grave threat yet no one seems willing or able to take action.
Ominous reports have begun filtering in that The Seekers have now acquired permanent headquarters located somewhere along the Orion Peninsula. It still remains uncertain why Maaor would choose to settle his people in such a redundant part of the continent. Strategically Orion has little or no value; it is remote, barren and inhospitable, but Maaor has proven to be an extremely cunning and resourceful foe so it would be folly at this stage to assume that he and his fanatics aren’t there for a very good reason.
More perturbing still, seven weeks to the day we dispatched a clandestine agent to Orion in the hope that he could gather more specific data on the location of the Seekers’ stronghold and their plans. This agent was not due to break cover for another three weeks but he was found yesterday by the Ellesse watch roaming the highway, murmuring unspeakable gibberish and raking at his features in an effort claw out his own eyes. For his own safety he was bound hand and foot and placed in a cell. So far every attempt at questioning the prisoner has drawn nothing but a stream of indiscernible babble, which for the present is to our advantage. Ellesse would not respond favourably should it be discovered that we have active spies operating within her borders. It may even be enough to rekindle the old hostilities. As far as they are aware, their captive is a fugitive of Eruan justice, we have even gone to the lengths of forging a petition for his extradition and an official docket listing the charges against him.
This is where you come in Grey; you are to accompany the Ambassador to the court of Ellesse as part of his entourage. Should the Ambassador prove unsuccessful in his attempt to negotiate the release of our operative then you are instructed to infiltrate the holding area and break the target out of his cell. Once this has been accomplished he is then to be escorted through the old sewer corridor at the end of which you will rendezvous with a man named Tevor. You will then surrender custody of our agent to Tevor and make south for the village of Stockbridge. Tevor will also provide you with a horse and alternate clothing, so your passage should prove hasty and inconspicuous.
Before you set off Grey there are several things that you must be cautioned upon. Above all, if during your attempt to free our agent you are discovered we cannot help you, as a matter of fact we will deny all knowledge of your existence if put to the test. As a further insurance policy, if you fail arrive at the prescribed area within an allotted ten minute window Tevor will set fire to the sewer corridor.
Secondly, do not share anything you have been briefed upon with the Ambassador, as far as he is concerned you are simply there to pad out the ranks of his bodyguards, he has no knowledge of our backup plan thus providing him with authentic deniability should you fail.
Lastly, as you are now quite aware, this is a very dangerous assignment......
