THE BODY COUNT
Carlos Frederico Pereira da Silva Gama
Once upon a time in a far, forgotten continent called Rampalla, there was a man. The man. SYRKALA, the Great. King of Nives. ARON MAVERICK, his Prime Minister, suddenly starts a coup d’etat. He tries to gain control over the Mairman Palace. He failed. As the shiny warrior known as “the damage girl” gathered the loyal troops of Syrkala and the mysterious Owar Conjurers, Aron and his mercenaries could no longer survive their failed attempt to kill the King. After all, what the hell motivated him to do such a madness?
Aron established a secret alliance with ABKOR, leader of a barbarian tribe known as ‘maskmen’ and YAGGASTONE, mercenary from the Cognar Confederation (confederation of mercenaries of course). Counting on their support to gain the throne, Aron was so blind that he couldn’t see that, in fact, the two dread man were intending to gain the throne for themselves, expecting the confusion among the combatants to beat the Mairman Castle’s defenders. And it really happened, as “the damage girl” head was on the top of Abkor’s spear. The King is dead. Long live the King. The Owar Conjurers fought steadily but, eventually, they ran away. Now barbarians and Cognar mercenaries (alongside with a few foothieves) ruled. Abkor the Great?
In the northside, there was also a man. The man. SAGA, Syrkala’s son. His goal, revenge. But, after all, he was only a teenager. And Abkor was evil, really man, EVIL! And that bunch of barbarians. And Yaggastone, that odd man. So, Saga desperately needed help. From whom? “The damage girl” was dead! The Foothieves, gang of thieves and smugglers renowned as great fighters. But who led the foothieves? Yaggastone! But...there was another man. Another. SPERAT, the Mage-Warrior. Former Owar Conjurer. They got rid of him because of his love for martial arts. Former Foothief leader. Yaggastone deceived them and Sperat was expelled as a betrayer.
So, where Sperat was?
Only one man could say the truth. The man (one more). STORMBRINGER, the eye of Eleusis. The Prior of Eleusinian Temple of Reifen. He knew everything, he could see everything. So, let’s go see the prophet. But, for Saga’s surprise, the prophet’s answer was astonishing. “I CAN SEE NO THING. I AM BLIND CAN’T YOU SEE? I KNOW ONLY WHAT ELEUSIS LET ME KNOW”. But, insisting, Saga obtained a better answer. “SPERAT BY YOUR SIDE HE IS”. Amazed Saga turned rear and, in fact, Sperat was there. He was meditating with his long-time friend Stormbringer...
So Saga told him his situation and they formed an alliance. They hired a bunch of mercenaries. They started what was called “fatal blow” against the barbarians. They conquered the northside. They challenged Abkor (now the Great) and Yaggastone. Both armies faced each other at Mairman Plains. They fought from sunrise to sunset during several months. Finally both armies rebelled, deciding to put an end to the madness of that four. The four leaders were imprisoned. Revolution was now taking the streets and the countryside. They were condemned by the Supreme Ruling Party of the Revolution (gathering of military leaders) to wander across the devastated continent of Rampalla for 10 years, during which they couldn’t separate, or all of them will be suddenly killed by a malediction imposed by both Neft and Owar conjurers. They started their sad journey from Mairman Palace. The Supreme Ruling Party had to deal with the insurgence of several provinces and the hunger for power from another kingdoms, specially that from the West led by JOUST (the ironic), that were approaching Nives with their armies. “Maskmen” and Foothieves entered the quest for supreme power. Chaos ruled. Stormbringer, the prophet, predicted a period of drastic continental change, after which one sole power would rule all lands. In the south , which has been known as a desert, rumours of a ‘miraculous bird’ started to spread, but again no one believed. Stormbringer, the only one that could know everything (everyone knew it) shut his mouth and disappeared. Maybe Eleusis had great really great plans for him no? (CONTINUES ON "TALES FROM RAMPALLA")
