I send you this story of bravery involving our good Knight Eloiran Tyreal of Forces of Light, myself, and Order of the White Dragon’s "elite" Treff Couldsoar, who once dwelled within our ranks. I am not the hero in this tale, and I only wish to convey this event in hopes of strengthening the hearts and minds of our people, showing that there is still hope in the most direst of situations.

On the thirteenth day of April, I took part in a raid against the royal Sarnaks of the Brood of Di’Zok themselves. Our forces were strong, and we believed victory would be ours. I had personally been sent by Master Modani Qu`Loni to retrieve Prince Selrach Di`zok’s head. Our forces, however, waned, as many were unable to continue the journey for reasons of their own. We had almost reached the foul prince’s chamber when an evacuation had been called. Mages and priests cast their gating spells so that our warrior force could be singled out amongst our ranks and grouped together with what evacuating druids we had. I stayed, however, as I was usually weary to be of the first to leave. As part of my training, I felt in necessary to stay and control any stray Sarnak forces that may see advantage in attacking our remaining few.

Unfortunately, as people departed around us in flurries of lightning, it was discovered that there were not enough druids to transport all of our massive force. A distinguished fellow by the name of Grovetender of Lost Heroes came up with the solution of binding his soul at the very spot, evacuating his group, and returning to his point of binding to retrieve the rest. This seemed like a simple solution, and Preserver Grovetender cast his spells and dispersed into the air with his crew.

If my memory serves, it was the leader of my group, Vicar Eenadanie of Crystalline Avengers, who unfortunately entered the conversation too late. She asked if Grovetender had managed to bind himself here in the now darkening hallway of the royal passageways, as she had tried earlier and was unable to. This alarming information stifled our hopes, as we heard a most distressed Grovetender over our magically-linked channel, finding that his attempt to spin his binding point had failed.

At this point, there were only a few of us left within the ominous tunnels of tile: Eloiran, Treff, Eenadanie the vicar, me, and our forces commander, Rhunt the Dwarf of Leaders of Justice. Our situation was dim. Most folk were already severing their communication links we had set up at that blessed entrance. Eenadanie and I could have easily whisked ourselves away by magic, but that would leave 3 brave fighters stranded within the depths of Chardok with no hopes of escape from the devious scaled inhabitants.

What happened next was, I’m sure, of no creation of my own natural faculties, as I am known for my passive and loner ways, but a direct product of the excellent training I have been blessed to receive within the ways of the Light. There was no other choice, and I had an idea. I had not bound myself at the entrance, as I had foolishly forgotten to, so I asked Eenadanie where she had last bound. She replied that she had bound at the entrance, and my plan went into motion. I called for help to the remaining forces still listening in on our telepathic line as I gathered our doomed few together. I called for anyone to call upon a mage of high enough ability to summon a party member out of the depths of a dungeon to the safety of his side. I had seen this done in the reverse, calling forces deep inside past traps and dangerous monsters. Apparently, I had been quite frantic in my pleadings, as the good Grovetender heard me all too well and flooded the link with, "I’M WORKING ON IT!" I quieted myself and calmed my mind, realizing I had already started to panic not for my own sake, but for the sake of the magicless. After all, it was not their fault, as their specialties were in the physical and simple magics, not the arcane. Wasn’t the duty of those of high intellect and wisdom to stand by their side to the end?

Before I run away with the point, let me not keep you in suspense. After several minutes of nervous glancing about, Grovetender responded, claiming he had found one of the elite mages! I gave Eenadanie leadership of our party, and she gated away to the entrance to invite the coming mage into our group, giving him the exact details of where to channel his magics necessary for his Call to work. We rejoiced, but were still in grave danger – at least one Sarnak minion was due to pass through our hiding place very soon, and no magics of invisibility could hide us from their keen eyes. Even one of their powerful inhabitants could defeat our tiny pack of two warriors, a paladin, and an enchanter. Sure enough, one of the great creatures arrived and began to quickly tear down our defenses. Knight Eloiran could not heal the bodies of our warriors fast enough, and the situation was becoming dim. Another Sarnak, a sorcerer who had perhaps heard the commotion, entered the battle, and I naturally used the powers of my class to dazzle him into a stunned stasis. Assured we could not drop our foe, I ordered the flying weapons to cease, and mesmerized the sorcerer, too. The creature gasped, its beak gaping in surprise.

I fell to my knees and immediately began to meditate, regenerating my mana pool. I had had experience keeping one creature stunned for a very long time, and knew if I would stay alert, could indefinitely. I did not believe, however that I possessed the sustaining mana to keep two creatures stunned indefinitely. As I sat in meditation and scourged through my spells, I realized that the answer could be found in a spell I had already put to memory. Theft of Thought was all I needed to steal the mana from my stunned sorcerer foe, adding it to my pool. I broke the good news to my weary friends, probably a bit too enthusiastically, and we began to relax just a bit. Eloiran, Treff, and Rhunt were very thankful that I had stayed, for obvious reasons, but I assured them it was only my duty.

Time passed as the preserver flew through the air high above us, our rescuing elementalist in tow. After several rounds of re-stunning the huge Sarnaks, the strangest thing happened. We were accompanied! Phantasmist Jagann of Circle of Legends, a prestigious Erudite, peered around the corner. We were all completely confused as to how he could have possibly reached us when our high numbers had endured so much to reach this point. Then it dawned on me. He was allied with the Brood of Di`Zok! I wasn’t sure at first if his intentions were in our favor, as he was accepted by their kind, but as a fellow enchanter, I understood the pursuance of unusual factions for spying reasons, and decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. Sure enough, he hailed our tired and very nervous camp, walking comfortably up to us, but with a curious look. We told him that we had been stranded, and he seemed to understand.

Once again, we come to a point where my forgetfulness got not only the best of me, but of those who held trust in me. I allowed myself to become distracted with our new and unusual arrival, and lost track of my timing in keeping the large beasts tamed. The muscular one awoke, shook its head, and knew exactly who had taken advantage of him. The sneering beast leaped onto me, and before anyone could react, proceeded to beat my body and shred my flesh until my soul could reside no longer.

After my soul’s journey back to where I had last bound it, it awoke within my reincarnated body, and mourned for what must be happening to my friends stranded deep within the depths of the Chardok tunnels the Sarnaks called their royal fortress. My naked form shivered in the bitter Velious winds, the snow melting at my heels. I did not care to don the thick fur of the were, an illusion so real as to even fool the snow, for I had let down my colleagues in a very embarrassing way, unbefittiting of one who claims such high intelligence. I could faintly hear the shouts in my head over the howling gusts pulling at this little zephyr, my comrades yelling of my fall, leaping into action, realizing their impending doom. Before my thoughts could trouble me more, a light appeared before my face, urging me to follow. I recognized it at once as Eloiran’s blessing, calling my soul back to my body. Grasping it at once, my new form screamed through the sky, across the continents, diving through the earth into the depths of Chardok.

I wasn’t sure what I’d find when I awoke, but I recognized at once the shredded form of my old body. What a way to keep ones skin young! I looked up to find two unusually peaceful Sarnaks, gazing into space under Jagann’s powerful enchantments! Jagann was truly our ally! To make the situation even better, I heard a new voice over the channel, that of whom I came to know as Zacatac, asking which Hero he should Call out first! Eenadanie had bee successful. Our great magician had arrived!

After reclaiming my belongings from my old form and dressing as quickly and as modestly as possible, I walked toward Jagann, who kept a watchful eye on the two beasts in his control. As Eloiran, Treff, and Rhunt disappeared about me, I asked Jagann what he would do, if he would have to gate himself. He seemed calm and casual, saying he merely planned to erase his doings from the creatures’ minds. I agreed that this was the first thing I would think to do, but told him I personally had had trouble creating amnesia in the Sarnaks here. He seemed confident, however, and I assumed he knew what he was doing. After all, he was a Phantasmist, and he was accepted by those of the royal fortress. As soon as I had said my thanks and goodbye, I was Called from the depths, landing at Zacatac’s side at the entrance, where my rescued companions waited for me. I later found out Jagann had safely confused the Sarnaks and was safe. I am still unaware as of yet what guild Zacatac belonged to, but it does not matter, as I will find some way to thank him personally in the future.

Again, I tell this tale to give heroes courage. This story is full of heroes, from Grovetender aiding from above and Eenadanie waiting patiently at the entrance for a rescuing mage, to the elite magician himself and the lucky appearance of Jagann, who couldn’t have appeared at a better time in the strangest of situations and possibilities. Perhaps one day, this tale will even be sung by bards across Norrath, and beyond by the feline singers of our moon of Luclin.