Ariel Wyndmere Troubles the Village Peace

Since his battle with the first Dark Slayer, Duncan has not been himself. After donning the armor of the defeated Slayer, Duncan became a man possessed—at times himself, at times someone other than our friend and gentle neighbor. In one of those increasingly rare moments of lucidity, he took me aside and asked me to take up the reigns of power; to take over his position as Mayor of Edinburgh, a position he no longer could safely fill.

Duncan began to hear voices, dark whisperings that clouded his reason. He attacked those once considered boon companions, myself among them. We mourned the loss of a friend, while he yet stood among us. The village seemed helpless to aid our friend who had done so much for all of us.

Duncan was finally convinced to put aside the tainted armor of the Slayer. He told of throwing into one of the great lava pits on Fire Island. The man seemed more himself. The Whispering Pines Tavern reopened. Staff was hired. The merry laughter of comrades once more drifted from its doors. The Village of Edinburgh settled into an uneasy peace, but one that grew with each day that passed untroubled.

That peace ended last evening. Deminzata sent a pigeon winging to me—Scaramandine was again in the village, speaking with Duncan. I hurried from my home to the south of town, but found nothing amiss. Duncan seemed fine. The new barkeep, Andrew Mackenzie was entertaining the customers of the Pines with his witty repartee. I questioned Duncan if anything unusual had happened, but he seemed uncharacteristically taciturn.

More folks began to arrive for word was spreading of the tavern’s friendly staff, excellent brew and jovial clientele. A sudden commotion arose outside and many of the patrons exited to see what the excitement was about. There stood a young woman, looking about in a seemingly dazed state. She introduced herself as one Ariel Wyndmere. Though I had not met the lady before I recognized the name immediately; here was one of the minions of Scaramandine. She asked after Agisto Fyrebrant, her lover of four generations back. I was about to tell her the man was long dead, when Duncan appeared at the doors of the Whispering Pines. Immediately Ariel flew to him, calling him beloved and Agisto, darling and Duncan did nothing to correct her, calling her his darling in turn! I tried to tell Ariel this was not Agisto, but Duncan. She would have none of it. In her eyes before her stood her love of old, Agisto Fyrebrant.

As we argued with the lady, insisting that the man who stood before her was Duncan, not Agisto, the lady became increasing agitated and suddenly vanished. In her wake came an attack of elementals and undead. Pigeons were sent flying, calling to all members of the Justice Alliance to come to our aid. The challenge dispatched, the warriors of the Alliance repaired to the tavern to clean the dust of battle from their mouths.

Again Ariel appeared at the tavern, speaking to Duncan as though he was Agisto. I began to try and reason with her, to try and get her to return with me to the Brazen Monkey Tavern in Felucca. There we would try to get her to don the enchanted Verite Plate of Shielding, which would free her from the power of Scaramandine. Again the lady vanished, leaving in her wake a legion of demons. Many died in this vicious assault on the village, but at last the village again fell quiet.

I found myself distracted from our recent troubles for my beloved, Telos Agralia of the Defenders of Justice, came to the door of the tavern. I joined him out-of-doors. The duties of leadership have kept us from each other’s presence and I longed for a moment alone with him. T’was not to be, however. Just as we began to speak, Spyte the Knife appeared. I hardly recognized the man, clothed in the garb of a mage. He spoke hastily, saying he had obtained the object he sought, but must be off. In his hand he held a wand, which seemed to much resemble that Scaramandine had fashioned from the shattered shards of the Orb of Soul Seeking. Spyte seemed most nervous, and obtaining a change of clothes, he was on his way.

I again turned to speak with Telos, to discuss the coming Beldane, for we are pledged to one another. Tears of frustration filled my eyes, for now came Scaramandine. The man was much agitated over an item lost and he was seeking after Spyte. Frustrated to find Spyte gone, he disappeared in a crash of lightening. Now more daemons spawned along with horrible monsters of every kind. I cannot remember how many poor souls fell in the battle. Exhausted, the enemy at last beaten back, we disheartened villagers repaired to our homes and an evening of uneasy slumber.

Niamb Goldenhair

Mayor of Edinburgh