<Prologue -- 'the last quest of Relgar the Dauntless >
Relgar quests with a party of intrepid adventurers for a holy place that the Order believes could be dangerous if found by the wrong people.
but something goes wrong and Relgar disappears. The place is not discovered.
<The initiate>
"Dak! Dak! Have you heard? Have you heard?"
The young initiate ran into his mentor's room. Dak looked up from his prayers and smiling at his pupil, he began to stand up. The initiate helped the old man to his feet saying excitedly "I have been accepted into the order! I am to become a brother Monk!" Standing Dak replied "That is good news Mishkal" Clapping his hand onto his protege's shoulder he continued "you are ready for the order protectorate, you've bested even brother Gethart with a mace." Mishkal stood beaming next to his teacher. "That may be, but Gethart slipped the first time." "Combat is part luck as well as skill, Mishkal, now hurry along or you will miss kinder-prayer." Seeing his face dropping, Dak laughed. "You forgot, eh? Well get a move on, you're not a monk yet!" Beginning to run Mishkal laughed and shouted back "Brother Bethin never notices we're there anyhow!"
... Time passes ...
<The ceremony>
Dressed in the dark brown woolen robes of the order, Mishkal stood at the entrance to the chapel. He smiled, standing by the alter was both Abbot Cay, his mentor Dak, and the monks that had been involved with his training. The members of the order protectorate that he was to join standing in ceremonial breastplates, and the brother's and sister's of healing with the bright red pouches of herbs. The gong by the alter was sounded by Dak, on the sound Mishkal stepped forwards into the room.
"One who has been trained enters" chanted the old teacher. The abbot replied "Let him who would take up the mantel of the protector come forward." Mishkal walked slowly with a measured gait up to stand over the holy seal in front of the gathered monks.
The abbot spoke, "Today one of the brotherhood takes up his mantel and joins those who stand against the darkness, are you ready young initiate?" Mishkal replied "I am ready." Dak sounded the gong once more. Abbot Cay turned to the monks and said "let us gift him with the tools of our order" Brother Gethart stepped forward carrying a highly polished but worn breastplate with the mark of Pelor on its front. "I bring Pelor's protection to aid our brother in our quest." Strapping the breastplate onto a slightly confused looking Mishkal, he whispered "you will understand later, lad, later." Then stepping back Gethart was passed a matching shield. "I bring Pelor's defender to aid our brother in our quest." Stretching out his arm Mishkal received the oiled shield, and Dak again sounded the gong. Dipping his fingers in the holy water of the font, the Abbot stepped forward. Mishkal knelt and received the blessing. "You are a member of the order protectorate of Pelor, God of Light and Truth. Go forth brother, protect the order and the innocent." Mishkal stood and Dak sounded the gong.
<The aftermath>
.....this is the point where Owen got bored with writing a story and started just having the abbot explain it....
Now standing in the Abbots private chambers with Dak and Abbot Cay himself, Mishkal suddenly found himself wishing for the simple life of the initiate. "Brother Mishkal, welcome, I know you will be anxious to be off on your pilgrimage but I have something to tell you first. you know, of course, that you are an orphan, left here as a child and the brothers and sisters of the order raised you. how ever the manner of your orphan heritage is in question as you will see. You are no doubt aware the the greatest of our order, Relgar disappeared a little while before you where found, apparently vanishing without trace. That is not quite true. You see the breastplate and shield that you now wear where once his. A child was found abandoned with them by the people of the wolf, a tribe of plainsmen to the north. They recognised the symbol of Pelor on the armour and returned it to us here, along with the child, you."
mishkal collapses into a chair. abit shocked.
"We are preparing another expedition into the north, like the one Relgar was on when he disappeared 27 years ago. We continue searching for <insert holy artifact decided by the DM here>. I would like to to come on this expedition, but to do so you will need to have proved yourself in the order protectorate. you must complete a trial, go forth into the world, help those that need it and return when you have the knowledge and experience necessary for this dread mission. Pelor will show you the way, and you will know when it is time to return to us."
... yadda yadda ....
<Mishkal ventures out into the world>
.. ok Owen is getting more bored with stories and now summarises, mainly stolen from Kirsty's own summary. ....
Mishkal wanders around through towns and villages, mainly through the peasant community healing those that need it and cannot afford the donations that some temples require. He sleeps either rough, in the houses that offer a bed to him or in temples of Pelor. Being one of the order protectorate he can defend himself and has had to a few times since leaving the monastery, his mace having seen a few skulls. He does however understand the plight of the bandit and has been known to heal those unfortunates that have attacked him, leaving them to sleep off their concussion.
However it is a fairly quiet life with little opportunity to gain valuable survival skills, and Mishkal looks for problems he can help solve.
<antara>
... Owen More bored, gives up and copies and pastes from Kirsty's summary...
One day as he arrives in the town of Antara Mishkal saw a brightly coloured poster that advertised a competition. The prize is training and employment as part of a party of adventurers, no experience necessary. He had heard of Nobles financing certain quests to recover artifacts and treasure for the employer, and has heard of the competitions that are set up to select the adventurers.
The competition is being held at an abandoned mine a few miles outside town. There is much talk among the local inhabitants as apparently the mine has something of a reputation. It closed about a year ago after a series of unexplained accidents, rumours of mysterious noises and disappearances and finally the discovery of the mutilated body of one of the miners.
... some more information ...
Mishkal looks forward to this as not only is it a challenge and an opportunity to gain much needed skills, but he wishes to help the locals and discover exactly what the problem is. After all that is the mission of the wandering brothers and sisters of the order, to seek out new knowledge and help those in need.