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The Orbaal Campaign
or
What Happened in the North
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The Story of Khare Pesed
(Vanegorn)
Khare is a bastard son of Xelden Pesed (at a very young age) and
Senya Vanegorn (reputedly a witch) who was killed during labor.
He was raised for the first ten years of his life as a freak and
outcast at Paranan by one of his mother's friends, a hermit and
herbalist named Chalek. Xelden, who had gone on and became a senator
and a man of great power in the province, decided to favor Khare
by taking him from the hermit's care (who later died of old age
(?)) and back into the protection of Paranan Keep of which he had
become the marshal. Khare, tall and ungainly, was laughed at and
not taken too seriously as a relative, but because of this, he was
left out of many intrigues and apprenticed himself to the chamberlain
of the keep (a sorcerer of some skill). From his father's men-at-arms,
Khare learned skills of strength and stamina. From the chamberlain,
Orbellas, he learned the esoteric mysteries.
At the age of 17, Khare took the trip to Shiran with his birthright
(some silver and fine gear). In Shiran, Khare worked as a clerk
for the massive government bureau. Here he learned skills of subterfuge
and deception, for in Shiran, such skills are invaluable. When he
turned 18, Khare was asked by the government to Finlor of Telen
and become a spy. It seems the government needed some "fools"
to go into the heartland of the Kom provence and investigate the
ill doings of the miners guild. Thus Khare was thrust into the middle
of a power struggle and many intrigues with only a few inexperienced
companions to accompany him. It seemed that everyone in the area
was involved in some sort of scheme to acquire money, power or both.
Khare eventually developed his untried skills and learned that his
magic was of an older, more arcane nature than those of countless
petty magics and quacks. Khare also picked up an interest in gargun
lore and learned Perani and a smattering of tongues from a circle
of friends met during his investigations. Khare returned to Shiran
more experienced a little wiser, and with some nasty scars. Khare
had explored much of Kom province, helped in the destruction of
Hikun camp and met elves and ivashu. Upon his return to Shiran,
he entered the priesthood of Agrik in which he had been a lay member
his first years in Shiran. Khare then became involved on a raid
on a gargun complex and some minor intrigues in Shiran, Paranan,
and Steimos. Khare was still officially a government agent and a
spy for the Red Shadows of Herpa. Khare then carried through with
a bold plan that would drastically alter political events to come.
Using knowledge gained by Stryker and a bandit named Helmar, Khare
discovered the Senate's plan to return Themenson to the Thardic
Republic. With a band of mercenaries hired by the government, he
managed to set up a figurehead chief and temporarily unite the bandits
of the Hefosia Highlands. Thus, the ragtag force, armed with iron,
steel and several stolen passwords, attacked and seized Menekai
Keep, headquarters of the Red Shadows of Herpa. During this time,
back in Shiran, Assassins unrelated (?) to Khare's activities struck
down many priests senators and thieves in one week's time (known
as the week of the bloodlettings). During the carnage, many used
the chaos caused by the slaying as cover to have assassinated many
opponents. Khare, tentatively in control of Menekai, with bandits
guarding him, and wanted by nearly everyone, decided to leave the
Thardic Republic until things settled back down. By this time, Khare
had become a major political figure and wild card. Bandits and Agrikans
loyal to Khare's chieftain (Broud) of Menekai were in control of
the provence of Rethem and were dealing carefully with the Senate
and the King of Rethem. In Shiran, many of his foes were slain,
but he was still in a great deal of danger. Khare took a boat to
Golotha where he used his funds to go into hiding where he healed
his abused body.
With a ring of perusers on his tail, and the situation in the Thardic
Republic still very tense, Khare and his companions joined an expedition
to Orbaal. Journeying to and in Orbaal was very dangerous. Enemies
old and new surfaced to pursue Khare. Using his continuously expanding
magics and lore skills, Khare and his companions come into possession
of ancient and powerful Jarin artifacts, and eventually discover
the ancient Jarin Kingdom and Earthmaster site of Buir Dom. Meanwhile,
back in Shiran, a sorcerer who kept in safe keeping some of Khare's
items in caches was wounded by an assassin named Grilly the Knife.
The sorcerer managed to save Khare's small collection of writings
and had them sent to Khare's first mentor, Orbellas.
Khare spent the harsh Harnic winter (TR 723-724) in Lorkin, waiting
for the snows to melt so he could return to the ruins of Buir Dom.
Once at the ruins, after exploring a bit with former enemies, a
complex plot finally begins to make sense. The king of Orbaal, the
lord of Kieran keep, and others were caught up in a race to find
a hidden power detectable by the Jarin artifacts. Using the globes,
Khare spends several hours in another world (aging many years mentally),
tracing the history of the globes. Khare is greatly affected and
disturbed by what he had seen, but he has discovered the location
of the shrine of the globes. A mad race to the shrine ensues with
bloodshed and death in its wake. At the shrine, forces of Kieran
keep, led by Soloren, were defeated by the combined forces of the
Ilvirians, the Angisha and companions of Khare.
When the last bit of blood had dried, Khare and his companions stood
in victory. Alas, the feeling was short lived as another mage, Thrasymachus,
demanded and was given two of the three globes. The bitterness that
Khare felt was heavier than the burden of carrying the globes for
a year whilst dealing with madmen and assassins.
The company journeyed to Gedan and there learned that the globes
had been sent to Cherafir. They then returned to Lorkin where the
company split to go their own ways for a while. In Gwaelin, the
company befriends Shylocke and her tale is added to the tale of
the adventurers.
The company then traveled towards Araka-Kalai. Khare had developed
an intense interest in Ilvir and particularly the cult of the Dark
Hand. The group traveled by the Wall of the Winterbornes and reached
Araka-Kalai, where Khare freed Duras Kot who had been imprisoned
there. Soon thereafter, the company was sent away by the Ilvirians,
who were intolerant of Brodan the Agrikan. The company then crossed
Lake Banath and returned to Shiran (August 24, TR 724).
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Tribute to Khare Pesed – Am I Evil?
(Metallica – Kill ‘Em All)
My mother was a witch, she was burnt alive,
Thankless little bitch, for the tears I cried
Take her down now, don't want to see her face
All blistered and burnt, can't hide my disgrace
Twenty seven, every one was nice
Got to see them, make them pay their price
See their bodies out on the ice.
Take my time.
Am I evil? Yes I am.
Am I evil? I am man. Yes I am.
As I watched my mother die, I tossed my head
Revenge now I sought, to break with my bread.
Taking no chances, you come with me.
I'll split you to the bone, help set you free.
Twenty seven, every one was nice
Got to see them, make them pay their price
See their bodies out on the ice.
Take my time.
Am I evil? Yes I am.
Am I evil? I am man. Yes I am.
On with the action now, I'll strip your pride.
I'll spread your blood around, I'll see you ride
Your face is scarred with steel, wounds deep and neat
Like a double dozen before you, smells so sweet.
Twenty seven, every one was nice
Got to see them, make them pay their price
See their bodies out on the ice.
Take my time.
Am I evil? Yes I am.
Am I evil? I am man. Yes I am.
I'll make my residence, I'll watch your fire
You can come with me, sweet desire
My face is long forgot, my face not my own
Sweet and timely whore, take me home.
Twenty seven, every one was nice
Got to see them, make them pay their price
See their bodies out on the ice.
Take my time.
Am I evil? Yes I am.
Am I evil? I am man. Yes I am.
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