This is a brief story I wrote about a random NPC in Therra. I didn't spend too long so it's not that great and also I don't believe the ending could actually happen. -Andrew         

 

Mazik looked up. “It is nice to see you again so shortly.” He stared at the gnome standing before him, who was staring back with wild eyes. The gnome’s unkempt hair and loose garb made him look weak, almost peasant-like. But Mazik knew better, as Cain, shackled before him, bore his dark intrusive eyes into Mazik. “It appears you have harmed my city, and I assume you know what that means.” The guards standing on either side of Cain gave each other a smirk, as Mazik stood up. Cain, likewise, let out a meek smile.

 

            Cain was born as Orion to a small gnome family on the outskirts of the great plains. His family lived almost a nomadic life, and Orion liked his simple life of farming and horseback riding in the open plains. The only touch of civilization in his life was the monthly visit of a Maddock’s gate tax collector that coldly collected large portions of Orion’s families’ crop. Recently, Maddock’s gate raised it’s taxes on non-city residents, and this hit Orion’s family badly. Soon, they were barely able to afford to feed themselves. Scattered families shared this same pain, and one day Orion’s father organized a meeting of local dwellers. “It is time this comes to an end,” remarked Orion’s father. “This has been going on far too long. We pay far too much of our own labor! And for what? For what do we get in return? Nothing!” With a loud holler from the two dozen or so men, Orion’s father had won the crowd. The men all agreed to deny the tax collectors demand the next time he came around.

 

            One month later, an overweight man slowly trotted along on his horse towards the small house of Orion. “I suppose you are denying your taxes as well?” Asked the rude servant of Maddock’s Gate. The other farmers had already denied their payments. “I will say to you what I said to them,” commented the tax collector with a sigh. “If you do not pay than tomorrow expect to see it taken by force.” Orion’s father coldly remarked, “Come take it.” With that, the tax collector rode away back towards the distant city.

 

            At daybreak, Orion awoke to screams. About thirty soldiers bearing the flag of a Maddock’s Gate councilman were fighting several farmers who refused to pay their taxes. Orion walked out to the main room to see his father donning armor and his mother pleading him not to. “I will not give to them what they do not deserve,” cried Orion’s father. He valiantly grabbed for his sword and charged out to meet the perpetrators. His mother quickly charged out with a small knife to help. He was frightened beyond remedy, and cowered beneath his bed, shivering with fear.

 

            After a few minutes, the clash of swords died down, and he heard horses trot away. In fear, he waited for what seemed like an infinite amount of time. Finally, he arose from hiding and ran out to the fields, tears streaming down his eyes. He saw the corpses of farmers and children all around. Two of them were his parents. He held his father in his arms, and tears wiped away the dirt on his face. “Father..,” cried Orion. Slowly, Orion’s sadness turned to anger. His eyes filled with a burning hatred, and his temperament shifted. Suddenly, as if out of no where, Orion screamed and an inferno pulsated from within him and charred everything within one hundred yards in a radius around him. This inferno lasted for ten seconds, scalding everything in it’s wake. When it was done, Orion fell over, unconscious from the power that just moments ago filtered through him.

 

 

            Four years later, Orion was selling fruit on a small side street in Maddock’s gate. After the incident, he had come here to make a living and plot revenge on his families’ aggressors. At night, Orion perfected his magical power that he discovered he had just four years ago. He was quickly becoming an adept sorcerer, gaining power far beyond his years of practice. Soon enough, a corrupt mage’s guild contacted him with an invitation to the guild. Orion accepted, hoping to further his power to get revenge. Immediately upon entry to the guild, the master, Lujin, requested his personal presence. Orion entered a magnificent chamber, filled with spices and jewels in every direction. Lujin sat like a king upon a majestic throne made from foreign ivory and gems. “Ah, my new boy,” stated Lujin. “I know you just joined with the guild, but I need your assistance immediately. Most of my members are far away doing a project for me, but I have been asked by the king to send a powerful mage to aid in a recent attack on Jemreh, a small towen in Kislev. We’ve been watching you through this crystal ball and know of your vast power. The king’s pay is very large, and you will surely share in it’s profit if you go.” “Done,” stated Orion coldly, and with that he was off.

 

            He saw fire everywhere and sounds of battle echoed through his ears. Surprisingly, he enjoyed it. He enjoyed the sounds of help and the clang of metal. Orion walked casually into the center of town, instantly killing anyone that came near him. He now saw it was a planned orc attack against this small town of Kislev. Jemreh was the last gate between the orc lands and the heart of Kislev. Orion smiled as he blasted away both orcs and humans that came near him. He decided to begin his revenge against the wretched human civilization that slaughtered his family. The sound of battle, the sound of terror, the sounds of death were all more wondrous and appealing to him. This odd sensation brought about curiosity, but enjoyment as well. He basked in the chaos encircling him, and wanted to join it. He started summoning a fireball, and his eyes grew wild as the chaos grew more powerful all around him. Each scream he heard, each sound of death delighted him. Each fire he saw go off, each explosion made him feel more powerful. He got so consumed by the chaos around him; he realized that he could never go back to organized life ever again. This was the life he wanted. This was the life of chaos. His fireball was at this point growing so large that Orion could barely contain it. In a fiery eruption, the massive ball of fire exploded. The radius was so massive that it consumed the entire town. It seemed to last minutes as the flaming sphere of death burned everything inside of it. It died out eventually, though, leaving nothing alive. Even Orion lay limp in the center.

 

            Three days later, when word of Jemreh’s destruction reached Maddock’s Gate, Lujin got worried. A large task force of Maddock’s Gate went to go down and investigate. They saw the charred wreckage, and saw the charred bodies scattered across the small town. In the center they found Orion, the only dead body with a smile. Confused, they discussed the town and how this destruction happened. Amidst the peace, a member of Orion’s guild spoke up. He mentioned that perhaps since Orion had witnessed the battle, the city would pay the cheap fee to resurrect him to recount the story. Also, the clerk mention, Orion seemed in the center of it all. The taskforce agreed, and Orion was taken back to Maddock’s Gate. He was brought forward to a cleric of pelor who willingly brought back Orion from the land of the dead. Orion, as he crept back into life, could feel his blood pulsating through his every vein. He began to realize the importance of blood, and how powerful a substance it was. Upon awakening, Orion wasn’t confused at all. He remembered exactly what had happened and smiled at the incident. “Thank you,” said Orion. “Welcome back, Orion. The district judge would like a word with you.” “You can call me Cain, now. Let him know I need rest. But, it was a pleasure to meet you and I owe you my life.” Orion, now Cain, extended his hand. The cleric accepted the greeting, but didn’t realize it would be his last. Upon contact with Cain, the cleric’s hand exploded in a bloody mess and he let out a scream. Cain instantly killed him, and ran out of the temple. He flew up in the air, and let loose a fireball to the temple, which instantly exploded. “You made a mistake in bringing me back!” said Cain, laughing mockingly. He flew away, and no one saw where he went. Revenge was on his mind. Revenge on civilization, on society, on humanity.

 

            This is the story of how Cain came to be what he is today. He spent the next 10 years of his life traveling to wherever his legs brought him too, and wreaked havoc. He basked in chaos, embraced and loved it. It was his lifeblood. As he kept causing chaos, he grew in power, and learned abilities to manipulate blood and control it. He enjoyed either setting buildings to fire or causing all of its inhabitants to explode in a bloody mess. This is Cain, the most destructive gnome in Therra. Until the day he decided to attack Maddock’s Gate again.

 

            Mazik walked forward. “You’ve done enough harm to Therra. It is time you must part. I hope you know that the forge you destroyed will be rebuilt shortly, and it has harmed no one. Your destruction has led to your demise!” expressed Mazik quietly. He started motioning with his hands as his eyes closed. His lips muttered words that no one else understood. He nearly finished his spell of banishment as he heard a scream erupt. He quickly opened his eyes and saw one of the guards fall to the floor in a bloody heap. Cain was no longer in the room. He had disappeared. The other guard screamed and ran out. Mazik was angry. Never had someone escaped his punishment. Never had someone skipped his judgment. Sitting down, Mazik looked through a crystal ball. He saw Cain explode in another bloody heap through an orc’s body. He had somehow teleported to the Dark Lands. Mazik sent a telepathic message to Cain that said “If you ever dare step foot in Maddock’s Gate again, I will kill you without a second thought.” But Mazik knew Cain wasn’t listening. He could see through the crystal ball that Cain had enough problems at hand. Thousands of orcs surrounded him, quickly getting dispatched by the fireballs getting loosed in all directions by the spinning devil that was Cain. Mazik couldn’t help but to let out a smile.  

 

 

Cain: Chaos Gnome 1 / Sorcerer 8 / Blood Magus 10