conversations: human
conversations:  There is strife.
  
  Long ago, there were 7 nations. Fire, earth, water, steel, air, light, and darkness. These nations were scattered across the world, living in relative harmony. Wars were fought, but for the most part, the kingdoms were peaceful. Until the coming of the void.
  
  The void swept into the world, and no one noticed a single agent of them. There were rumors that they did not exist. One day, a city would be alive and flourishing. Then, at night, the void came. The next morning, there would be no blood. No bodies. No sign of a struggle. No trace of their existence. No trace of any of the villagers, either.
  
  For years, the void raged a shadow war, hiding in the darkness, causing villages to disappear in their wake. No one survived. They struck at random, and had no demands. It was swift, silent, undetectable, and unpredictable. And then it stopped almost as quickly as it came. After wiping out half of the world, the void disappeared. Legends tell that they will come back, but no one believes it.
  
  However, what they do not know, is that the void is more aptly named than they know. They come from beyond our world, and are unaffected by our laws. They come from what the people today know as the 'far realms'. They are master assassins, only able to come every thousand years. They destroy all that they can, but they have a motive. An alien, unknown motive that human minds cannot comprehend. And they are moving towards it.
  
  The nation of darkness knows it. They let them into the material plane in the first place. Dark shamans and warlocks of their tribe wanted to control the nations through fear and destruction, and so bound the beasts to our realm. However, the creatures were smarter and stronger than they thought. They broke free of the seals binding them to the wills of their summoners with ease, and, rather than returning home, they decided to, for some reason, stay. The ones who brought them to the plane saw the destruction wreaked, in ways mortal eyes could not see. While regular eyes saw everything except the corpses, the magic wielding people saw what happened. Corpses were imbued with chaos, mutated and maimed horribly. Even to their black hearts the scene was disgusting. They, despite their nature, sacrificed their lives to end the threat.
  
  But it would not be permanent. The bindings they had wrought earlier were stronger than they had thought. The stars themselves were part of the force to bind the void to the world. Every thousand years, when the stars aligned, the seal would once again bring the void to the world until the third month of the year. However, this would not come to pass this time.
  
  Legend in the clan of darkness says that, one time, the stars would not send the void home. That they would stay on the world. If this were to occur, humanity would be wiped out in thirteen months. The void grows stronger in the world every passing day that is there, the mangled corpses of it's victims joining it's ranks. However, the clan also prepared for this day.
  
  For they made shinobi. Masters of stealth and skill, who could do the impossible with ease. These elite warriors trained doing impossible missions, working for hire to assassinate kings and ambassadors, sometimes even replacing them. However, these were all just tests and training. They all knew that they would eventually have to use their skills to destroy the binds of their ancestors.
  
  However, the other clans didn't know that. The clan of light, darkness's everlasting rival, upon seeing the first acts of the shinobi, attempted to wipe out the entire clan. They succeeded in scattering the shinobi to the winds, leaving territory unoccupied. The greedy nation of fire expanded into these lands, combated by water. At first, these were mere squabbles. But as the stars begin to align, tensions become greater. Wars broke out even more, involving the neutral countries in disputes. As the world approaches it's downfall, the clans stand in disarray, making the jobs of the shinobi harder.
  
  The final clock is ticking. The clan that is said to have been destroyed is making it's final preparations. They are going to fulfill their duties as the defenders of the world, even though they are regarded as shady beings working for their own ends, using demon magic and vile acts to achieve their goal, which led to their destruction. They will save the world, without the world noticing.
  
  Such is the way of the shinobi. None of you know of any other shinobi still in existence, as long ago they had scattered to the four winds. You are all in a small fire clan town, waiting until you must fulfill your obligations to your clan and meet your destiny.
  
  That day has come.
  
  As the sun sets along the horizon, you feel a sharp jolt and a sweeping sensation of forewarning. Suddenly, you hear a raspy voice in your head that says, "The time has come. The void is among you. Fulfill your destiny." You know, somehow intrinsically, that you must go to the docks of the town and that, for the first time in your lives, you are not alone. At least, not yet.
  
   OOC here. 
conversations: FlamingKobold:
conversations: human
conversations:  Triath tenses up with the voice.   Finally I can use the power of this infernal creature against them, but how long until I first get the chance?    He He silently walks to the docks, not talking or looking at anyone.
conversations: Trodon:
conversations: human
conversations:  Tankada smiles for the first time since he lost contact with the Clan.
   Ah, and the work begins anew. 
  
  He will put on his equipment and head for the docks, and once he gets there look for a dark place to quietly observe the area for a while, using the power of his cloak to blend with the shadows.
conversations: DaedalusMkV:
conversations: human
conversations:  I move towards the docks. Careful to keep some distance. Checking for others.
   
   Spoiler 
  
  Spot  (1d20+10)[ 16 ] 
  Listen  (1d20+10)[ 21 ] 
   
conversations: mrcarter11:
conversations: human
conversations:  Guided by dark wings, Shrix'acatar flew under the shadow of night to alight on the docks, where he waited in silence.
conversations: Fable Wright:
conversations: human
conversations:  As you look around the docks from your vantage points, your eyes cross the name of a ship name "The Shadow." You are drawn towards it, moving across the crowded docks without being able to stop yourself by some strange force. You see others heading that way too and you have a feeling of deja vu, as though they were long lost acquaintances.
  
  You board the ship, and notice that it is empty but for you and three others. Standing about 5 feet apart form one another and facing inwards in a circle, you all break out of the strange trance-like state and observe your surroundings for the first time, faced with three very strange but familiar faces.
conversations: FlamingKobold:
conversations: human
conversations:  "If you all don't mind, just who is everyone?" 
conversations: mrcarter11:
conversations: human
conversations:  A human with with black eyes stands just over six feet with a greatsword in his hands. Although he is human there is an odd feeling around him.
  
   "I am Triath, are you here for the same reason as I?" 
conversations: Trodon:
conversations: human
conversations:  "I am Tankada, the Shadowshaper. I believe I have seen some of you before."  Tankada states in a quiet monotone.
conversations: DaedalusMkV:
conversations: human
conversations:  I am Shrix. There could be only one reason that we are here, is there not? Let us cut to the chase. The Far Creatures have returned. What are we to do?  Shrix says.
conversations: Fable Wright:
conversations: human
conversations:  The Clan will have prepared a path. I am certain that all we need to begin our mission will be on this ship.  
  With this simple statement of fact, Tankada begins to move around the ship, looking for anything out of place.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  Search Check:  (1d20+11)[ 24 ] 
   
conversations: DaedalusMkV:
conversations: human
conversations:  You find a small bottle with a note in it leaning against the helm, seeming out of place when contrasted with the otherwise empty ship. The note inside reads
  
  
   Brothers, Sisters, we will meet at last. Not physically, no, but in spirit. For years we have passed the burden of the darkness clan on to our children, and the time has come. This is a period of greatly contrasting emotions; sadness that it is you who must bear the burden of the world, though comforting to know that the final battles are near and that this threat will be gone, once and for all.
  
  I know that by now, our ancient lands will have been taken over by the other clans, so I may not give you more precise directions than this: the passageway to the far realms will be most prevalent in the former lands of our tribe, and that is where I expect our defenses will be shattered first.
  
  I have been dead for decades, I expect, and now you must find the path and fulfill your destinies. Open your eyes, your ears and your mind to find the trail, and follow it in silence.
  
  Such is the way of your clan. Such is the way of you. 
conversations: FlamingKobold:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Well, now that we know we are all here for the same purpose, perhaps it would be best for us to decide just what we would like to do?"  
conversations: mrcarter11:
conversations: human
conversations:  "That should be obvious, I think. We have a ship and we have a destination. The obvious solution would be to hire a few sailors and travel to our destination. Once we arrive, we infiltrate a government office to get the information we need." 
conversations: DaedalusMkV:
conversations: human
conversations:  Just then, the ship starts to move. It is no longer anchored, no longer tied down as the wheel sharply spins of its own accord and the ship makes a turn. From the sounds it makes, you can tell that this ship has not left port in a considerable number of years, possibly centuries.
  
  As the sun is disappearing over the horizon and the night is creeping upon you, you feel the chilling air, from the bay at night or the momentousness of the journey you are about to embark on, you don't really know.
  
  
  Make a knowledge (History check). (Read all that apply to your roll)
  
  9 or below
   
   Spoiler 
  You don't really remember where the darkness nation used to be...
   
  
  10-14
   
   Spoiler 
  The village you are in currently is not on the same landmass as the former nation of darkness
   
  
  15-19
   
   Spoiler 
  The southern edge of the now very large Earth nation, along with the northern tip of the water nation is where the nation of darkness used to sit. (And you can navigate there on the ship)
   
  
  20+
   
   Spoiler 
  The capital of the nation of darkness, which is where the rift was always strongest, resided in the capital of the darkness nation. That city is now an earth nation city called Karamdar.
   
conversations: FlamingKobold:
conversations: human
conversations:  "I don't suppose any of you thought to bring food? I was not expecting a long journey when I set out today.  Tankada states shortly after the ship gets underway.  "It would be quite inconvenient to starve to death before the battle even begins." 
conversations: DaedalusMkV:
conversations: human
conversations:  "That would be quite the shame indeed." 
   
   Spoiler 
   Knowledge,  (1d20+2)[ 5 ] 
   
conversations: mrcarter11: