Tomb of the Tome (Jaina, adventure)

A rumor had made its way into the center city of Midergern, and from there, up the ranks from common folk to royalty, and eventually, to the queen. No one knew for certain if it was true or not, but it certainly made for a good story regardless.

It was claimed that only a week back, a roaming hunter had discovered a strange stone building, covered with vines and nearly consumed by the brush around it. It appeared to hundreds of years old -before the reign of The Dragon perhaps- and it also seemed undisturbed for nearly that long. The hunter, curious as any would be, was intrigued by this, and ventured in. Once inside, it was clear that it was a tomb of sorts, but there was a strange presence to it as well.

Naturally, this rumor would remain small, as the hunter fled the scene after being disturbed by what he now assumed to have been the wind; however, a group of bandits had taken interest in it after hearing the tale. They were a local group of thugs, well known and vastly feared, but the fact that these men had suddenly sought out this tomb made the word of it spread very quickly.

And so, from mouth to ear up the chain of command the rumor went, and ended at Jaina Proudmoor.

Jaina had received word that a group of local thugs known as the Syndicate had begun to move out toward an undiscovered temple ruin located in the deepest recesses of Midergern. Convinced that if the treasure had been important enough for a group as notorious as the Syndicate to try and uncover, it probably would have been quite the novelty to have. Thusly, she prepared to head out, and donned herself with her combat armor, fitting snugly onto her torso and beautifully woven, embroidered with ancient markings of Midergern's oldest ritualistic Warlock cult, known as Vorpa Lanius. In fact, if Jaina had assumed properly, she'd have guessed in the back of her mind that this temple would have been the housing facility for the Vorpa Lanius and their leader, Morrigan Lanarius, arguably known as the most powerful Warlock to have ever existed. However, as the shadow of death looms, so did the renegade Syndicate's. Having been established a little over eighty five years ago, they now mostly dwell in the furthest rural areas and trade routes throughout Midergern, mostly around that of Westfall, which is unfortunately one of the lesser guarded areas of Midergern due to its remote location and difficult terrain. 

Razed by the dragons just prior to the end of the Reign of Dragons, Central City required a small army of engineers and artisans in order to begin a massive program of reconstruction and reformation. After restoring the city to its former glory, the wrorkers gathered outside of Midergern Keep, so as to collect payment for their services. This came as a surprise to the nobility of the city, who had assumed that the work was being done as a matter purely of civic pride. Whether they were unable or simply unwilling to proffer payment, they immediately ordered the workers exiled from the city under threat of violence. With only the tools in their hands and the clothes on their backs, the workers were forced out of Central City and into Westfall. High-ranking members of the masons and artisans were offered payment in the form of city jobs. In respect to the hard work every member put in, their leader refused the offer and sparked a riot. In response to this, the nobles accordingly had these remaining members exiled as well. 

The shocked and forlorn workers were rallied by master engineer Vedin Clevan and became bandits, collecting their payment on travelers from the royal city at the time. Marking themselves with the tattoo of a cog on their right hand, the bandits declared that "the machine will not run smoothly if the parts go renegade" to each waylaid traveler. Banditry and thievery quickly became a way of life for the exiles, banding together under Clevan's leadership as the Syndicate. Over the early to mid-years of the group, the ranks of the brotherhood have been bolstered by the skilled, the desperate and the outcast - but now those marked with the cog signifying membership are believed to be under one-hundred. In Westfall, and the surrounding areas, the Syndicate had mastered the art of ambush and, despite protection by the Midergern Royal Guard, few caravans managed to get through the woods unhindered. The Guard's inability and unwillingness to pursue the Syndicate into Westfall had led the farmers and villagers in the area to reform into a People's Militia, which was actually supplied by Jaina Proudmoore by forming a hidden back route through Brill, in an attempt to stave off their constant looting. 

Lacking any formal military training, the outcasts who formed the Syndicate might have been forcibly disbanded long ago were it not for the skilled craftsmen and tinkers who made up its founding membership. These founders have worked together to give members of the Brotherhood access to an array of mechanical devices and weapons ranging from climbing equipment and smoke bombs to automatic crossbows and wagon traps (clamps buried in the ground that seize heavy wheels passing overhead and stop wagons on the spot). When the Syndicate advanced into Westfall, the goblins of the area were upset both by the raids on the merchant trains that supplied their shops and by the Syndicate's refusal to sell their inventions at goblin merchant outposts. At this point, the former King of Midergern had figured the goblins of Westfall would have taken care of them. 

However, as evidence now suggests, the late King was incorrect in his pompous assumption, and now, Jaina seeks to both uncover this wondrous mystery as well as disband the Syndicate - permanently. Though the political views of Midergern have shifted since Jaina's rule, Jaina felt that she can not allow their past glories to justify their present guilt. The lives of all merchants they have slaughtered, looted and pillaged can not be ignored. However, understanding that undertaking this journey would be much too risky for her people, she commanded that the Royal Guard of Midergern remained behind so as to protect the city in the event that she does not return. Arming herself with stave in hand, and spells in mind, she set out on her destiny, hoping to both crush the Syndicate rebellion, as well as figure out exactly what this tomb was and what it contained. Once she had received a mapped out geographical document containing a path to the temple from her scouts, and a sitrep of the Syndicate's moving numbers, Jaina had formed a plan after spending the many hours traveling to the location on foot. Astounded by the amazing scriptures shown to be engraved throughout the stone columns and framing, she approached the entrance with caution, hiding behind a nearby bush to cautiously scope the area out before heading any further.

"What the hell did you do that for?" A voice could be heard, shouting just inside the entrance of the tomb. 

"Shut up, it's old anyway," was the reply. Both voices were clearly male, and the one which spoke first sounded to be closer to the entrance than the other.

The first of these men would be able to be clearly seen if one looked in the entrance, his attire being no more than a common bandit; a short sword at the side and clad in leather armor. However, although no more voices called out, there were noises inside which suggested a far greater party than the two whom had spoken.

With the large stone tomb around them, there was only one way in and one way out for the bandits; but of course they knew this. They had brought enough men to fight their way out if need be, though killing was not their intention.

None either saw nor heard Jaina as she waited behind her bush, but carried on searching inside, with one man by the entrance to keep watch. 

(sorry if that's short; I thought my computer broke, but it turns out it might not actually be broken, but there's a chance it is? I don't know, but I had to post from my phone, which is hell to me.)

Jaina would overhear the bandits conversation after taking in the magnificent sight of this temple. The markings and hieroglyphics around the temple suggested that of the Vorpa Lanius, and this was more than just an exciting discovery for Jaina, this was believed to be, by her, her destiny. Ever since the tracing of her lineage led back to Morrigan Lanarius, it had always been her dream to reinvoke the Vorpa Lanius, and finding this temple would have been the best bet to do so. Unsure, but determined, Jaina was curious as to the kinds of artifacts that may lay within it. And so, she would measure her distance by eye from the entrance of the temple, where this first bandit guard was located. She would figure it was about fourty feet away, which was a good firing distance for her Lesser Disruption Spell. She would lean down and pick up a small rock, taking a quick peak at the bandit to make sure he hadn't been looking in her direction, and then lobbed it overhead, nailing the large stone tablets behind him. 

If he had turned around to look at what made the noise, she'd launch a single Lesser Disruption spell at the bandit, in an attempt to knock him against the wall and cause a greater extent of damage due to this "push" of force. As it would make its connection, she would smile, as a secondary Lesser Disruption spell followed up, which would smash into the tablet at its foundation at an excessive enough force to cause it to crack, leaning slightly forward and prepared to fall. This tablet was around five tons in weight, and considerably tall, at around then feet, whilst about seven feet wide. She would ten disappear, hiding behind the bush again and peering through the brier, awaiting the reactions from the bandits should they have done anything immediately after their kin had been struck. 

However, as this tablet was behind the stone wall of the entrance, it would have been impossible for them to see it, or its location, nor what had been done to it. Hoping the initial attack made on the bandit was sufficient enough to cause a group of them to exit the cave, she waited, and if one or two were to follow up her assumption, she would fire an additional Lesser Disruption at the tablet, which would accordingly cause it to fall and crush the group beneath it. Considering the distance, it'd be practically impossible for them to dodge it. Her heart was pounding and her mind was racing, but this was the rush of a warrior. She must do what it necessary to promote a better life for her people. And if it meant putting her life on the line to stop the Syndicate before more damage was done, she'd do it. Especially if it meant granting her a way to reform the ancient cult of Warlocks. 

"Found it," a voice called within, and the bandit at the entrance tilted his head to the side to peek in. However, the angle at which he rotated allowed the rock to fly safely over his head, without his noticing either, thus not being able to tell just where it had come from when it landed. 

"What-," he suddenly jumped, shocked at the rock landing. He knew it must have been thrown because the rocks on the inside were different than those outside, and this one had clearly come from outside. However, not yet entirely sure what had thrown the rock, the bandit turned to the source, drawing forth his short sword. Yet, the moment he began to turn, he was met squarely in the chest by a force (60 -20 from leather armor = 260 hp r. 55 before knock.), and tripped over the stone due to the force.

The bandit then heard a loud crack behind him, and looked over to see a massive stone tablet threatening to fall over. Quickly pulling himself out of the way, the man grabbed for his sword.

"What's going on-" A voice shouted, and two more bandits ran around to see the commotion. They, however, were stopped abruptly by the falling of the tablet due to the third disruption, bringing them all to their deaths.

After this, two more bandits emerged, and looked down at what had happened. At the sight, one shook his head, and covered his mouth, slightly sickened by the mass of red that began to come from under the tablet, and the other drew out a long knife, and looked out the door.


"Some one else is here," he growled to the other. "This thing wouldn't fall on its own.
"Tell the other's to get what we came for and go; you and I will deal with whoever is out there."

It would have been at this time Jaina would react again, creeping around a small brush, though far enough from it to not touch it or create any type of stirring noise that could blow her cover. As she approached the entrance, caution and fear washed over her for just a moment, allowing her to rethink the plan. The tablet that had fallen on the pitiful fools beneath it served as a rather large stepping stone which acted more like a rooting spell for Jaina, slowing them down which would accordingly make it quite difficult to just run out of the temple balls in hand. Jaina waited until the perfect moment arrived, where both men may have looked the other way, and she'd stand just quickly enough to launch another disruption spell at the entryway's upper pointed level, which, upon impact, would collectively cause it to collapse downward thanks to the force generated by the spell. This would crush both of the men if they had remained underneath of it at the time and decided against spreading out, which, in the flurry of things, they may very well have.

Additionally, considering any of the men had approached and ran toward the entrance at the commandment of his superior, he to, would have been swallowed by this cascading rain of falling boulders. Jaina would nod in approval of her fantastic planning, though remained weary. You must never underestimate the opponent, nor overestimate yourself. Keeping a close eye out for any possible scouts, she sought to seek any threats in the immediate vicinity before choosing to walk toward the entrance, which would have been barricaded completely. Smalls rocks and dust clouded from the debris, Jaina affixing her hair as she approached the entrance. Lifting her hand and gently touching the stone, she would yell, "Lesser Disruption!" Following suit, if successful, the mass of rocks before her would be shattered and sent flying inward, tearing anyone on the inside of the cave to pieces, whilst bigger rocks bludgeoned and broke bones to kill.

She'd remain standing there, and she would lean against the wall, much like an officer would before storming a room, her shoulder to the corner of the entrance. Jaina, now feeling the senselessness of tiring, realized quickly that she had expended a larger amount of mana than anticipated. Conclusively, she knew if there were any survivors after the third phase of her attack, she'd have to fight them off by hand, which Jaina assumed may not have been as difficult as before thanks to the attack she'd launched beforehand. It would have certainly injured them greatly, if it hadn't killed them outright. Allowing the dust to settle, she would peak in only slightly enough to see around the main temple hall, trying to count the dead bodies and see if any had survived the onslaught of Jaina Proudmoore.

(short post incoming, sorry.)

With the two men who had come to deal with Jaina now crushed along with the three previous, few within the tomb remained. 

At the sound, the three final men remaining inside rushed to the entrance to see what the noise was, only to find their only exit gone and demolished, along with seemingly the whole front of the temple. 

Standing with no notion of what to do, the men heard a voice on the other side, but mistook it to be one of their own. Rushing towards it, they were met with a hail of rocks, bringing two to their instant deaths, and leaving the third crippled, a rock smashing his leg.

Watching as a single woman walked into the temple, the bandit knew that if she had killed everyone else, he too would soon die.