They Who Walk In Death
Prologue
The Man was tall, gaunt, and insanely thin. He wore a multi-colored surcoat: red around the torso, gold shoulders, and white arms. Across his chest was a leather strap with seven bells, each a different size. In his left hand was a staff and in his right was an en-spelled sword. His skin was bleached white, as though all color had been drained. Combining those qualities with raven black hair and startling white, red, gold, green, and infinitely other colored eyes with reptilian slits; he was shocking. He turned to me – and in an impossibly deep voice – said "You will find me in the frozen room, with knowledge long lost. I will lay on a stone altar, with marks of binding, sleeping and compelling around me. Saraneth and Ranna will ring above, and elementals shall protect me. At first you shall be curious, and then afraid, and then determined. You will know me as you know yourself."