The three of you arrive at the gates that lead to the Blood-Warden base. Two intimidating young men, who appear to be in their mid-20’s, stand at either side of the entrance.
The shorter of the two men is still quite tall in his own right, easily standing at about 6’4’’. He is clad in shining, gold platemail and though his expression is quite kindly, it is easy to assume this is not the sort of man you want to tangle with. There is an enormous greatsword fastened to a breakaway hilt upon his back. It is an impressive piece of craftsmanship, and denotes his status amongst his people.
This is obviously someone important, so you might wonder why he is charged with the relatively mundane task of guarding a gate. His deep, blonde bangs sweep the tops of his chiseled cheekbones, though the back of his mane is a little longer. His blue eyes have a laughing quality to them and despite the fact he is clearly dangerous, you feel at ease near him.
He raises a hand to stop you. “Hello, gentleman. You are obviously new here. I notice that you have no escort, thus, I must apologize that you will not be allowed passage until your paperwork is in order.”
The mountainous man on the other side of the gate lumbers towards you and takes his place at his companion’s side. This second man is nearly seven feet tall and is clad in dark brown leathers. His armor lacks sleeves, thus revealing his massive biceps, which are adorned with dark, black tribal tattoos. As he crosses his arms over his chest, his well-sculpted muscles tense considerably. He glances over each one of you suspiciously, and you find that his piercing green eyes are a bit unsettling. They appear more feral than human and there is a certain barbarian wildness to his manner. There is a huge, silver, greataxe fastened to his back and you get the impression that he certainly knows how to use it.
He says nothing but gives a short grunt when the blonde-haired man whispers something into his ear.
“So, if you have no escort, we are going to have to ask you to depart,” speaks the blonde man, and his companion nods slowly in approval.
Dethys, a sheepish smile upon his face, rejoins you. He glances at all of you apologetically. “I assure you that she is actually a pleasant woman. It seems that I just know all the ways to inadvertently irritate her.”
“Adia Blood is the Captain of The Blood-Wardens, and was appointed by the General herself,” he explains. “She takes her duties VERY seriously. She is completely fixated on the greater good and will do just about ANYTHING to protect ANYONE. Hence, why she is so irritated with me right now.”
He laughs in amusement. “In fact, she’s petitioning to have my apprentices assigned to another Ageless. Ever since Serenity lost her eyebrows in my last experiment, Blood has been haranguing me to ensure safer working conditions for my charges. Personally, I seem to think that the means justify the ends, but not Blood… not Blood.” He smiles and you note that despite their conflicts, the two must be quite close. “But she is in a far more difficult position than I. While I orchestrate from the background, she is always on the front lines.”
“We took a few losses on the front lines,” speaks the blonde-haired man. “Dignity fell in battle.”
Dethys turns his attention to the two guards at the gate, as if noticing them for the first time. He looks upon both young men, and as he beams at them, the larger one’s expression softens considerably.
“Hello there, boys!” greets Dethys warmly. “I see you arrived back safely.”
The dark-haired young man nods, and when he speaks, his voice comes out in a low rumble. “Yes, Uncle… we have… But Father is yet on his way.”
The blonde man nods in agreement. “Yes. Thus far, there has been no word from him in a few days. Mother is on pins awaiting some correspondence.”
“I am sorry to hear about Dignity, Corvus.” Dethys pats the blonde-haired young man on the shoulder. “You have my condolences. I know you were close.”
The blonde man nods appreciatively but appears to be too affected to say any more.
Noting his discomfort, Dethys changes the subject. “Is your mum inside?” asks Dethys.
The larger man nods. “Yes, Uncle.”
Dethys claps his hands together. “Good!”
He puts an arm over each man’s shoulder. It looks rather awkward as one is nearly a foot taller than the other. Looking from one to man to the other, he introduces all of you. “Lads, these are Fenwick, Faran and Sembas. And of course you know Faile.”
The larger man smiles widely at the mention of Faile. He immediately puts out his gargantuan arm and the falcon lands upon his bare wrist as if she had spent time there before. The man appears unperturbed by the talons that dig into his flesh.
His words are slow and deliberate, as if he is not used to speaking much. “Hello there, littlest chick.” He gently strokes her under her chin and she coos in approval.
“This here is Dennan Justice,” says Dethys, introducing the human giant. Dethys looks to Sembas. “Dennan here was present when Faile and her kin hatched. He and Archer saw that they were tended after their birth. Until Faile struck out on her own anyway.” He winks at Faile as she flies back to Sembas.
The man named Dennan nods. “Yes. She was the littlest chick in the nursery. But she has grown strong in her years from here.” He pats Sembas on the shoulder, and though it was meant as a friendly gesture, this man must be unaware of his own strength, as he nearly topples the falconer. He mutters an apology before he continues. “Sembas, is it? You have done well for the littlest chick. You have my utmost respect for caring for her.”
Dethys pats the blonde man upon the shoulder. “This, lads, is Corvus Virtue. He and Dennan are brothers. Don’t let the looks fool you. Corvus and Dennan are actually twins. These are the sons of the General and the Archon. They’re a bit of an anomaly of sorts.”
Corvus blushes considerably. “Uncle…”
“What? You are!” says Dethys. “They’re… special. You see, as an Ageless, you have VERY little chances of ever reproducing. Unfortunately, that’s a bit of a trade-off for our special condition. In addition, any child born of an Ageless parent is inevitably mortal.” As Dethys makes this last statement his gaze becomes distant and the two young men shift uncomfortably. Dethys quickly shakes his head to dispel whatever disturbing thought had momentarily bothered him. His normal grin is replaced upon his face. “But not these louts!” He ruffles Corvus’s hair but has to jump a bit to reach Dennan’s.
“Anyway! It’s a hell of a story! You should ask them about it sometime!” smiles Dethys. “Now, lads. These blokes are with me, so I’m just going to take them inside to have them meet with your mum. Why don’t you run ahead and let her know we’re coming?”
The young men nod obediently and open the gates, but maintain they should not leave the passage unattended.
Blood appears behind Sembas. “I’ll take care of it boys,” she assures.
Corvus grins up at his brother with youthful exuberance present upon his face. “Alright. I’ll race you there, Denny!”
Dennan grunts in approval and the two take off at a breakneck pace. They are nearly twenty yards away when Dennan Justice seamlessly shapeshifts into an intimidating dire wolf and manages to pull ahead of his brother.
“That’s cheating!” Corvus shouts after him, as they both disappear down the corridor.
“So… Today has been… eventful. Okay, some things that I should probably tell you if you didn’t already know, which some of it you likely didn’t, unless of course you did, then…” Dethys smacks his palm against his forehead. “Sorry. I’ve been working on an experiment and haven’t slept in a few weeks. It begins to wear on you after awhile. Though sleep isn't really necessary for me, I do enjoy the occasional reprieve from consciousness.”
Somewhere behind you, Bloods shouts, "That can be arranged!"
Dethys shudders. “At any rate, General Fury is the leader of The Bulwark of Heaven and is the beloved of the Archon. She answers only to him, and the Archon answers only to the Divine. The Bulwark is a collection of us Ageless who are the most proactive in seeing that the Forsaken are kept at bay.”
“Often, we fight on the front lines, and when we are not embroiled in conflict with the forces of the adversary, it is our duty to ensure that humanity is protected. The security of humanity is our utmost concern, and we lay down life and limb for each other and the preservation of our human cousins. The Forsaken seem to have forgotten that they, too, were once human. They have abandoned their roots, and under Severan’s leadership, have come to detest the very people they once called their friends and family.”
“Though the Bulwark is composed of several factions within the Ageless society, we also have found great allies in many mortal partners, such as The Crimson Wolves. In fact, they are out on a rather important mission for the Bulwark now.”
“Any Ageless in Avalon, and even some who never make it here, enjoy the protection of the Bulwark. However, not everyone is recruited into the Bulwark. The Bulwark of Heaven orchestrates very important movements and knows many secrets that the majority of Ageless are not privy to. There are many Elders, including myself, that serve as officers in the Bulwark, but upon occasion, if a Childer Ageless proves himself or herself, or has exceptional aptitude, General Fury recruits them into the Bulwark.”
“This is why we can’t simply trust EVERYONE to be a member of the Bulwark. I take my instructions from the General, as do all in the Bulwark. Of all the Ageless, she is the oldest, save for the Archon himself. She is a brilliant tactician, a relentless warrior, a just, wise person, and the best friend I have ever had. I would follow her to the Adversary’s front door if she bid me to do so.”
“But the Bulwark isn’t for everybody. There are always risks involved, though I find the benefits and camaraderie far outweigh the negatives. For example, you will be able to train with the most elite of our order, and should you become an active part of Ageless society, especially in Avalon, you will undergo the Naming Ceremony. When you prove yourself worthy, you will receive an Ageless name that reflects something about you. Mine, of course, is Night. When you are given this name, you will also receive The Blessing of the Archon, a great power that only he may bestow upon you through the will of the Divine.”
“However, despite what you are addressed as, you must always retain your human first name. It is our link to our pasts and reminds us of what we are fighting to protect.”
“Now, there is much more to it, but the reason I am telling you all this is because when you meet the General, she will determine whether or not you will be a suitable candidate for the Bulwark. Regardless of your response, we will continue to work with you, should you choose to accept our aid.”
“However, should you choose to join the Bulwark, if the offer is made, it will be far easier for us to aid you, and through your interactions with the Elders of our society, so will your might and power grow. The Bulwark of Heaven is comprised of the most elite of our order: the strongest, the wisest, the most intelligent, the most skilled, and the greatest leaders.”
“ However, it must be your decision if you wish to join us. Even if you side with the Bulwark, no one will ever force you to do anything you are opposed to. However, there must be order and cooperation for us to succeed. We all depend upon each other, and thus, you must be willing to follow the advice of the Elders.”
“Do you all understand? Do you have any questions before we proceed to the offices of General Fury?”
