It is often said in children's stories and folklore that when darkness falls, candles appear in the night. Some of these candles cannot hold back the darkness. Their light is snuffed out before it manages to grow.<br/><br/>Others grow brightly, their flames spreading out to fight back the darkness that has decended. Eventually, those tiny flames become blazing fires of retribution. Some find their flames tainted. Others remain pure, and seek to do little more than fight back the encroaching darkness. Not all stories end with heroes fighting back the evil, becoming saviors. Not all heroes are really heroes. Sometimes, they are just those who refuse to quit, refuse to stand idly by and allow others to do as the like without the fear of repercussion.<br/><br/>That fateful night, a candle was lit. How brightly will it burn? Will the varied wants and desires eventually turn in on each other, destroying the flame before it can truely begin to burn? Or, will that tiny spec of light in the darkness ignite a wildfire? It takes but one candle to start a fire. Yet, it takes little more than a stiff breeze to put that candle out.<br/><br/>The tapestry of fate has already begun to weave itself around the handful of adventurers who met that night. The night Lesik and his band had planned to raid the Singing Donkey tavern, taking slaves to advance his own agenda. When officials had been carefully bribed to stay out of the outer-city. A blind eye would have been turned to the operations, and slowly but surely..Lesik's hold over Espen would have tightened like a vice, strangling the life out of the clueless inhabitants.<br/><br/>His plans were torn asunder by a few ill-timed maneuvres on the part of his band, and the strength of those who'd chosen that specific Tavern to bed down in for the night, or to simple enjoy a drink within. Yet, all was not over. While they slept peacefully, other minds were hard at work, devising plans and means to destroy the interlopers, and make sure they ended up on the menu before they could further cause turmoil to the carefully laid plans that had already been put into effect.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Sherani</span>- Sherani, the tigress shifter from the Falteen Forest, discovered a startling fact from the ill-fated Tiefling that had been captured. Her mother had been captured. How? Why? It seemed impossible. Her father was an incredibly powerful guardian, with more than a handful of skilled guardians under his immediate command. Her mother was a powerful shifter in her own right, capable of incredible feats of beastial strength and wrath. The fact that this 'Lesik' fellow had somehow managed to capture her, and even now was using her as leverage was a startling revelation. Whoever or whatever had been used in her capture had incredible strength, or incredible luck.<br/><br/>The feisty tigress had made short work of Sheera, a short-tempered Coyote-girl, then aided in keeping Bolag - a surprizingly powerful Gnollish beserker - from tearing of the bar interior long enough for other threats to be taken care of. Her act had earned her the appreciation of both Mirana, the young Catgirl who served as a waitress, and Vincent, a kindly old barkeeper who wanted nothing more than to live out the rest of his years in peace, and make sure others did the same.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Ureck</span>- Ureck, a collie from Espen, managed to break the tenuous hold the Granger pact had upon him that very night. The very pact that had cost him the love of his live, and even now - weeks and weeks later - held him by the neck in an ever-tightening noose. That hold broken, he enjoyed the first night of real rest he's managed to have in what seemed like ages.<br/><br/>His part started as nothing more than an attempt to lure others into a well-thought plan; Or, at least, a plan that had seemed well-thought out at the time. However, his quick exit from the bar nearly cost him his life, and only by his quick reflexes (and quick feet!) did he managed to make it back into the bar, with three thugs hot on his trail. The coyote, Sheera, seemed eager to make a meal of the collie. Kenze, a Nekojin, had also seemed quite eager to end the Collie's life. However, the tide turned quickly when Ureck entered the fray with a determination and fury that would have set the most hardened warrior back on his heels. Drawing a hidden weapon, he'd cut the throat of his assailant, causing him to flee...then turned his Ire on Sheera.<br/><br/>Safe again, the collie spilled the information about his ties to the Granger pact - and what they might very well be up to. The Grangers were a powerful bunch of notable figures in Espen, and if Lesik had managed to sink his claws into them...there is no telling what the wolf could do. Perhaps he'd have the chance to right the wrongs of his past, and finally get some revenge for his broken heart.<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Lilium</span>- Lilium, the powerful mystic Kitsune, and her large companion Rak had made quite the impression that night. Showing herself to be both a quick thinker and a valueable companion, her part in the night's events had been twofold. Saving Mirana from a blade-wielding Tiefling, who seemed quite eager to slit the girl's neck...and gathering valueable information that could very well lead to the routing of the lout, Lesik. Apparantly, the two have some minor history together, but what that history might be has not been revealed.<br/><br/>Proving to be quite the adept predator, Lilium utilized her powerful magics to paralyze the Tiefling that threatened Mirana, and set to work devouring the delicious girl. However, her predatory nature had revealed useful information, when instead of digesting the Tiefling...she'd extracted information. Afterwards, the Tiefling was released, with a terrible message to send back to her leader - "We are coming."<br/><br/>Her magical abilities seemed to not only have the ability to harm, but to heal as well. The soothing magic had been passed on to Calia, who accepted it graciously. Now, with newfound information and newfound allies, she has a chance to get what she is after - the magical artifact that had been unearthed nearby. A artifact that is said to make animals grow - but at what price?<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Undol</span>- It had been another day for Undol. A long ride in Mirana's mouth (And more than a few thinly veiled, but playful, threats to swallow him), to the bar that they both worked at. The Lilliputians flight from his home in the Falteen forest had left scars on his memory - scars that would not soon heal - but at least he'd found some console in his loving friend, Mirana. Undol had proved to be an invaluable companion to the young Nekojin, who's inherant clumsiness was often offset by the Liliputain's mage hand. She valued his company, and Vincent had nearly taken to him like a son.<br/><br/>That night, though, the 'peaceful' family had been stirred, a new take on life rearing it's ugly head. Mirana had nearly been killed, or abducted. Information gained pointed to a wolf by the name of Lesik wanting the girl for some nefarious purpose. The orders were to take her alive, but a certain tiefling seemed to have other ideas in mind. Starting with swallowing him. However, the tiny - but skilled - man had wormed his way free, and proved to a rather powerful leopard from the band of thugs that size does not always matter in a fight.<br/><br/>Now, the brave young man has the opportunity to show the world what he is really made of. Show that he can protect Mirana, as he had been doing all along. Show that, even in a world of predators, he can survive and thrive. Even in a world of predators, he can protect those he loves. That way? Taking down a powerful wolf, who seems to have his claws already sunk deep into Espen. Lesik.<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Calia</span>- Another day, another fight for survival, to keep the chains from around her neck. The skilled gladiator wants nothing more than a place to settle down and call her own, a place to ply her trade without fear of capture or having to look over her shoulder every moment. Espen had promise to be that place, but after less than a month - they'd found her. The mercs.<br/><br/>Tracking her to the Singing Donkey had not been the smartest move two lone mercs could have done. Calia quickly dealt with both, though not before extracting information from a struggling Wild-Elf that seemed to think she'd be let go. That information? There were TWO mercenary companies after her, and both had been hired by a wolf named Lesik. This wolf seemed intent to capture her as well - apparantly, someone had offered up a large sum to own such a highly sought-after gladitoral combatant.<br/><br/>It seemed she'd never get rest, never get away from those who hunted her at every turn. That is, not until she dealt with the source of the problem - perhaps this Lesik knew more. More about who wanted her. Ending him would just be the first step on a road to discovering who her hunter was, and how to stop them. Then, maybe, she could finally find some peace.<br/><br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Spike</span>- The honorable orc had risked life and limb in a failed attempt to save the beloved cook, James. His struggles with the powerful leopard had culminated in the eventual retrieveal of James' body, though the cheetah had passed on. Even powerful curative magic would not have reversed that fate. Enshrouding the unfortunate cook, Spike shared his own thoughts with the group of what should be done, and already seemed to be formulating a plan to deal with the unscrupulous wolf that seemed to be embroiled in some grand scheme. Though, for what purpose? Why was a wolf, a single slaver, risking so much to take control of a small place like Espen?<br/><br/>The thought might haunt the orc, but for the moment, he could at least be content that he'd found allies. Allies who might help in his fight against the darkness that was building on the horizon. Allies who would make the growing legend of the orc spiral into the song of bards, and the tapestries of the grandest kingdoms. Would he fulfill his goal, truely earning his place in legend? Or, would the shadow that trailed him, following in his glowing footsteps, be his end?<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>Within the darkness, a candle blazes.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">Welcome to Chapter One</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 200%; line-height: 116%;">Candle's Flame</span></span></span>