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Chapter 1 King's College (scored build 1) Exams were over, and the three friends were enjoying a summer picnic in First Court. "Put it down, Victor, have you not read enough books by now? What's this mouldy old tome?" "Well, Darco, this particular dusty folio is rather special. It's a story of Kaligem and her treasures. They must still be there, you know. The treasures. No-one has found them" "Fairy tales. Will you never grow out of them? Put it down and have some more elf-wine." The prince smiled. The young lady spoke, "Do you really believe this one is true, Vic?" "This one, yes, Kat. This land is rich in legends. Some are fairy tales," with a nod to his friend, "but the story of Kaligem is very well documented. When I am a famous archaeologist treasure hunter, I will unearth the riches and King Darconius will be the richest monarch in history." Victor smiled, "Even after my 20 per cent." Darconius laughed, "Grave robber more like. I could get you a proper job here you know. Something useful, teaching history. What about you Kat, what are you going to do with your life after we graduate?" Kathryn paused, "I shall probably make some young man very happy. And I will keep on with the writing, of course. What about you, Darco? Hopefully your father will rule for many years yet, what will you do with yourself before you are King?" The king seemed to blush. Maybe it was the wine. "Oh, proper men's stuff. Hunting. Jousting. Feasting. Forming alliances with the Guild Lords. More wine!" Later that night, Kathryn's romantic nature got the better of her. Draco was very jolly company, and she knew he liked her, but Victor had such wonderful stories. His stories of days of old were always so chivalrous and funny. He was a dreamer, but a very sweet boy. 3 months later... "What am I to do? I can't marry Victor! Dreams of ancient stones will never feed a child. I'll have to marry Darco. I'm not really showing yet." And so it came to pass that Prince Darconius got his dream girl. Victor didn't reply to the invite, and they lost touch with him after that. 6 months later... "Congratulations Your Highness. It's a girl!" the elven midwife tried to put a brave face on things. "All this blood! Will she live? This is no natural child of mine." Sadly, Kathryn did not survive. The Prince fell into a black despair. He ordered the child to be taken far from his sight, drowned, fed to the wolves, anything, anything to take away the pain. This child had killed the one thing he loved above all else. The midwife could not bear to kill her, and she gave her to a family she knew in the deserts of Kaliphlin, far from Cedrica. Chapter 2 The Order of Eden It was a mellow evening. Rasputin and Viktor were discussing heliotrope production schedules on the shore. They were joined by Herr Leibnitz and an unknown man. "Rasputin, Viktor, it is time you knew the truth. May I introduce his highness Pharaoh Amset Ra." Viktor gasped. "My lord, you are risen! Frankenstein, at your service." "Gentlemen, the pleasure is mine. Pray be seated. I have a tale that will interest you." The risen lord joined them on the shore. "Ah, when I was a young man, I loved the sunset on the waves. That was a very long time ago. A very long time. You know, I think that the Mountain Mummies, as you call them, have the desert virtue of patience." Rasputin nodded. "That was a virtue long earned. We are an ancient people. When Historica was young, we were called the Druids, and we ruled a beautiful land. It was like Eden, and another name we went by was The Order of Eden. We made the Order, you see. It was a time of peace, and plenty. The women were spectacular. The food was exquisite. But we quarreled amongst ourselves, the Lions and the Falcons, and my Falcons came South. In time, this land crumbled to sand around us, and we retired to the ancient Holy Sites in Rakath, your Qarkyr as you know it, where we could meditate on how to mend our quarrel." "This fool Revolword, your namesake Viktor; he is dangerous. He upsets the Order of things with his dark Magick and his tortures. We have had enough. And so we reveal ourselves to you. Frankenstein, your new devices give us confidence in you. We will fight alongside you and your Order of Traders. But first, you must drink this potion of fortitude. You are a brave man and a clever man, but you need strength to lead an army." Frankenstein looked dubious,"Herr Leibniz, all this time...So when you were searching for the ancient sites with me...I don't think I'm am army type.." "Yes, trying to remember where our fellows were camped out. Climate change, you know, everything looks different... Drink up and see if you feel like an army type!" "Oh! Look at me.... I'm a monster! Oh, Sally can't see me like this, Rasputin, please tell her from me..." He turned to Amset Ra, "My lord, you said I was a brave man, but I was never brave enough to say the words I needed to. Yes, I will fight. The great mirrors are ready, and my father can run the factory. They don't need me here any more." And so it was, 3 days later, that the peaceable Natural Philosopher Viktor Frankenstein found himself leading a column of men and beasts, under the protection of the Order of Eden. And for the first time in many years, men of the Lion marched shoulder to shoulder with men of the Falcon. The Duke LeStrange flew alongside with the sighting Optick, which he would use to marshall the great heliotropes into formation. One of these devices could do enormous damage, but if many of the devices focused on the same point, a great conflagration would result in a very short time. The troop set out for the stores at Lost Vegas, and a detachment went ahead at double pace to relieve the siege of Queen's Cross... Chapter 3 Lost Vegas Revolword's forces were routed at Mpya Stedor and Queen's Cross, but still they exercised dominion over the land. Historica was at civil war, for the many brave lords of the Guilds rose against the usurper. Killing, burning and taking were the trademarks of The Hand under Rellik Nam. And what did they do with the proceeds of their thievery? They spent them in the pleasure houses and gaming rooms of the biggest hive of scum and villainy in Historica: Lost Vegas. Frankenstein's troop were in brave spirits from the rout at Queen's Cross. The Order of Eden was taking back the land. The areas under the protection of The Order grew and grew, in Avalonia, Mitgardia, Nocturnus and Kaliphlin. Revolword's stragglers were hunted down and offered mercy or death. Frankenstein was ready for the big one, the total destruction of the foe at Lost Vegas. The leaders of The Hand were surrounded. Conditions were very favourable. The giant heliotropes were ready to burn all resistance to ashes. Victory was certain. (scored build 2) The enemy location was the Royale Casino. Frankenstein's gentle nature showed through. "Parlez!" he offered. "We are The Order Of Eden. We come to restore peace to the land. Our forces outnumber you. Lay down your arms and you will be treated mercifully." "We are the King's men. Look at the Uniform. You are a terrorist organisation. Where is the treasure of Lost Vegas, terrorist?" "You are the treasure. You, the customers." "You are a heretic and an unnatural monster. And you will die" The Hand mage-general made a prodigious leap. The two generals struggled in a deadly embrace, like those fatal twins hubris and nemesis. The hidden blades found Frankenstein's throat, and Frankenstein's death-fall crushed the life from the enemy. The Order prepared for the inevitable terrible onslaught. But something quite different happened. With the end of the mage-general, the glamour of the Hand fell from the King's men. "For Freedom and the King!" they cried. Their arrows found the mark easily enough, and the Hand was finished. In death, the Alchemickal potion of fortitude wore off. Lost Vegas was secured. The pallbearers began the long march of honour for their fallen hero. Chapter 4 The End (scored build 3) "Victor, It's been 30 years. Have you come to kill me?" "Of course, Darco. You took away everything I ever cared about. You killed the woman I loved and left me with Hell in my heart. Now you will know what that feels like!" "Victor, I understand. More than you can know. Before you kill me, listen to me! Kathryn was pregnant when I married her. She died giving birth to your daughter." "You lie!" "Victor, I loved Kathryn more than you can know. I was in Hell too. For years. I ordered the girl to be killed." The King's eyes glistened with tears, "And you may justly hate me for that. But her maidservant saved her life. May her sweet nature be praised." "About 10 years ago, when my father passed away, I decided to make peace with myself. I found the girl and had her freed from the minotaur's slavery. I made her liberator the Lord of Kaliphlin and swore him to protect her always. I wanted to make peace with you too. All those fairy stories you used to tell us, about ancient treasures and lost cities; you were right, some of them were true. So I sent you the books that would lead you to the treasures." "Oh, Darco, is it true? Where is the girl now?" "Did you not see it, Victor? Did you not see the resemblance, when I sent her to you on one of your treasure hunts? Could you not tell from her nature? From her name? And you, by all acounts, have trapped her in some accursed Hell! You, her own father!" Victor's hate broke like a dam, and tears flooded from him. The girl. Now he understood why he had liked her. And he had imprisoned her! He had done this to his own daughter! He broke his staff and smashed the gems. Stunned, dazed, the four heroes stood before Victor and Darconius. "Oh my own Kathryn! My love! I have so much to explain" the tyrant cried. Events moved quickly. The 3 men started towards Revolword with murder in their eyes. King Darconius held back Lord Owain and Ragnar the Fearless, but Khazoul was too fast, too silent for the older man. Kathryn was unable to move, paralysed by shock. The blade found its mark. And the assassin was gone. "I'm sorry Kathryn. Victor was your father. And there was good in him. I felt it." "Oh father!" Kathryn's inconsolable sobs echoed hoarsely in the chamber. Later, when her grief had subsided, Darconius told her the whole tale, and with her permission he adopted her as his own daughter. The next decade was one of rebuilding and reconciliation under the Wise King Darconius. It was a glorious time for Avalonia's timber merchants, Mitgardia's masons, the moneylenders of Nocturnus, and the trading companies of Kaliphlin. Chapter 5 Epilogue The Frankensteins are a curious family. They are justly famed for their certain skills, and Doktor Viktor Frankenstein was a foremost Natural Philosopher of Kaliphlin. His knowledge was passed on to his father and his manservant Igor. And so it came to pass, one dark and stormy night... "Igor! The Alchemies! Do it now, while I harness the power of the storm!" "Yeth marthter" A few days of recuperation later, Viktor invited Sally to watch the sunset with him on the shores of lake Akbri. "Viktor, I'm so glad you're back safely." "So am I. You know, I learned a lot about bravery, in the war. And I've decided to be brave. There's something I've been meaning to ask you." "Oh Viktor, of course I will!" And they all lived happily ever after.
