Over the course of the next year, the influence of the Lord Keeper had spread farther, and he now held sway over the town of Aaron's Hope and the construction of a new Village Center was well underway to the west of Twilight Star, opposite of Aaron's Hope. The humans of Aaron's Hope village, though hesitant at first of the racial mix they experienced, quickly began to warm to the various creatures they met.
A smaller dungeon was in the process of being dug out underneath Aaron's Hope where the Warlocks and Wizards would work together to open up a gateway that would allow quick travel between the two cities. The Dungeon itself would, of course, be where those that could not live under the sun would call home. It was the middle of the next spring when Aldain was hovering silently inside the tavern of Aaron's Hope, that he heard some things of interest.
A farmer and his wife sat at a table with a Droll and a Guardsman, all four of them with an ale set before them as they waited a pot of stew to be brought to the table. The Guardsman, while still wearing his armor, had loosened the straps holding it in place and his helm was resting on the table.
"…that's why I'm surprised we've heard nothing from Lord Johnston." The farmer said after taking a long swig from his mug. Aldain had to think for a moment before he remembered why the name was familiar, but then he reminded quickly by following the conversation.
The guardsman frowned, "So you're saying that this Lord Johnston lives in that tower off to the east and that all those troops that we fought a couple years ago were his?"
"That they were." The farmer answered. "That was a lot a guys that were killed, but from what I know, the army was never the most dangerous thing he had. Now keep in mind, Lord Johnston always did what he thought was the best for his people, always trying to do right by us. He just…"
"…took it to far." The farmers' wife finished for him.
Nodding in agreement, the farmer continued "His punishments weren't so bad back in the day, but these last few years are why Ellen and I moved out here to Aaron's hope. It used to be that the only thing that got you killed by law…was when you killed someone else. If you stole something, you paid it back and spent some time working for the one you wronged." The farmer paused and sighed before continuing, "Now though, if you speak out against the Lord, it was public lashings, if you steal something like a loaf of bread and all your belongings are stripped and you're a slave to the realm for a year. It's just too much."
The Old Man and the Imp that represented the sides of Aldain's conscience were hovering in Aldain's vision, listening intently to the tale the farmer wove. The Imp was smiling and obviously enjoying the tales of misery, while the old man shook his head in sorrow for those suffering.
The four at the table grew silent for a moment as their stew pot was set in the middle of the table and bowl handed to them by the serving woman, then as they ate, the farmer continued. "Now about three years ago, a big group of people tried to rebel against the harsher treatments, but that's when we found out about….it."
"It?" the Droll asked, eyebrows raised.
"Aye. It." The farmer said, but his wife was the one that continued
"It's a creature, bigger even than that pretty tiger giant, Riana. It looks like a giant bear that walks only on its hind legs. The fur is brown, but something weird about it, because every time it breaths, ashen smoke comes out of its mouth and nose and its fangs and claw are just wicked looking. Much more dangerous than a brown bears teeth and claws should look."
"What happened?" the Droll asked, already knowing the answer.
The Farmer sighed, "Lord Johnston set the thing on those people. It slaughtered them, each and everyone one of them. It could do all that magic stuff also and was blasting folks with giant balls of fire and lightning bolts."
The table was silent for a few moments as they ate, letting the tale sink in further before Ellen, the farmers' wife, spoke again. "So yeah, that's what we were wondering. Lord Johnston was always protective of the town, so we don't get why that hellish bear wasn't set on your home back then. With all that power, why wasn't it used?"
The Guardsman shook his head, "I couldn't say, but I'm glad it wasn't."
The table chuckled at that comment and grew silent as they finished their meal
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The Imp, larger and more dominant now, laughed. "Now that Lord Johnston, he sounds like a good fella. I wouldn't mind getting on his good side!"
Aldain could feel the pull on his conscience, the desire to do exactly that, to side with this Lord of the Land, to further the darkness that he was spreading over the lands.
The Old Man however sighed deeply, "How sad it is that these poor people have to live under the sway of a fallen Lord of the Land."
Aldain mentally shook his head and reached out to his High Priestess Vrianna, the Tigress Riana, and his General, Horny. Mentally he replayed the conversation that he had overheard and requested their opinions.
Vrianna was the first to respond, "My Lord, as you know, whatever decision you make, that is your will and I will follow it with all my heart and soul."
Horny chuckled in their mental connection, "He wants your opinion, not a decision to come from you." Then directly to Aldain he answered, "I too am feeling the pull of the Hearts Aldain, as it is by their power that I remain on this world. That said, my opinion to go in there, cut throats, and let the blood drain into a goblet is somewhat tainted towards what I know your future goals to be."
Riana spoke calmly, and the most diplomatically of the group. "From what I've heard, the people there are unhappy with his rule. I suggest subterfuge in the beginning. Send Disciples to gain a foothold within the populous. Send rogues for espionage to try to find out more about his military might and maybe find out something about this Bear. I concede the point to Horny that at some point, blood will be shed, which will hopefully sate both our blood lusts. For the good of those people, and the chances of taking that Tower, we need to be careful."
Vrianna spoke again then, "I agree with Riana my Lord. Taking heads in your name is one thing, and not something I'm against either, but I do believe that if we can show these people a better existence with you as their God, that we will win their hearts not necessarily faster, but definitely more completely."
Aldain was silent for a moment and he could see both the Old Man and the Imp waiting eagerly for his decision. "So Be it." Aldain said simply. "Vrianna, I task you with deciding who shall be the disciples that will spread the faith. Horny, I want you to have some swift troops ready. We're going to start with the outlying smaller town. They may have some pests harassing their villages and helping their security may be a way to help sway them. Also, get some rogues in place within the villages, as well as some Dark Elves where it can be managed. We can become a force of Karma in those towns when the people are treated badly. Riana, after a month or so, I want you to begin letting yourself 'be seen.' These people know the Hell Bear, let's introduce them slowly to the Twilight Tiger."
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The three minds of Aldain's trusted advisors fell away and the Imp began to rant, "You're not going to kill anyone? What kind of Keeper are you?"
The Old Man remained silent, wiser to what was happening. Happy that war was going to be avoided but not please with how the Lord Keeper intended to conduct business.
Aldain spoke to the Imp, "What do you think I mean when I said a 'force of karma?' I want to win their hearts, not just their fearful devotion. When this Johnston's troops treat people poorly within these town, these troops will never wake up. Dark Elves in the night and Rogues infiltrating their power structure. Oh yes, there will be blood."
The imps eyes widened a bit "Ooh, Cold Blooded Assasinations! Now that I can respect."