Captain Lando

Like the other few survivors of Xydos' rampage, Captain Lando's life was irrevocably altered when most of the world was destroyed and the rest tainted by Xydos' insidious power.

Having obtained a Bachelors in Literature, Lando was pursuing his masters degree. Lando couldn't have then known that his true path lay elsewhere. Lando's old friend, Sasha, a 2nd grade teacher, got sick and needed someone to fill in for her as substitute. How hard could it be?

Lando spent 2 hours talking with Sasha. He got the lesson plan, the schedule, and advice about how to handle some of the more difficult children. He arrived an hour before the children did. He had graduated at the top of his class - well almost, a nice woman 10 years his senior surpassed his grade point average by a few points. He couldn't be too mad at her though; she had worked hard for it and was one of the nicest people he'd met in college. That didn't matter though, he'd do better in graduate school. The point was, he was prepared, so why was he so nervous? This is just a one-time thing, after all. Chances are, after today, he'll never see these kids again.

Once the children arrived, Lando introduced himself and explained that he'd be filling in for Ms. Sasha just for today. Lando then gave the morning announcements and the day proceeded just as Sasha had told him it would. Some of the kids were attention seeking brats, some were shy and withdrawn, while others were so rambunctious that Lando nearly had to tie them to their seats. He loved it.

So it was that, a year later, Lando found himself teaching his own class of 3rd grade kids while pursuing a new degree - Child Development. He once thought he knew what he wanted to do with his life, and it certainly didn't include wiping kids noses, but he was grateful because he'd found his true calling. How many find their true path in life before spending years living a slow death, pursuing things that do not truly interest them?

Every year, the kids went on a field trip to the local zoo. Lando had somehow never found the time to go, so he was excited - doubly so because this would be his first field trip as a teacher. As the kids were filing off the bus, Lando's eyes grew misty as he once again found himself ruminating over his changed life. Lando shook himself out of his thoughts; there'd be time enough for for such thoughts after the day was ended and the kids were safe at home. For now, he had a field trip to lead - his first field trip.

There were so many animals. He had seen these creatures in movies and television and thought them an adequate substitute for seeing these animals in real life. He now knew he was wrong. His wonder was only matched by that of the children as they gawked at and played with the animals from the other side of the reinforced windows. Lando wondered if he would have been as awed by these sights if he weren't here with his kids.

As the field trip was winding down, Lando looked forward to the one he would have with a new group of kids next year. The last part of the zoo they would visit before the trip ended was the wolf enclosure. He'd seen these animals in documentaries but seeing them in person was truly a new experience. They didn't seem to be all all that different from the domesticated dogs Lando was accustomed to, albeit larger and more aggressive in their play.

Lando was getting the kids in a line to move back to the bus when the animals started howling - all the animals all at once. A few seconds later, Lando's unspoken questions were answered as the ground began to shake. Lando had experienced an earthquake before, albeit a minor one, but he knew what to do. He made sure he had all his kids and instructed them to sit down to make sure they didn't fall and hurt themselves. The building they were in was clearly built to withstand earthquakes, so it looked like they would all be okay. Some of the glass windows separating the animals from the visitors cracked, but none broke. Many of the kids began to cry, but Lando reassured them that everything was okay and it would soon be over. A few moments later, as predicted, the earthquake began to subside.

As Lando was getting the kids on their feet and checking for injuries, something else happened, something that Lando had decidedly not experienced before. A burst of light swept through the building, passing through walls and animals as if they didn't exist. As it passed through him, Lando felt nauseous, but as it passed through the animals, something very different happened. The animals began to change, growing in size. The once happy and peaceful animals became violent. Many began charging the reinforced glass windows, throwing their bodies against it in a rage. Lando was thankful then that those windows were built to withstand anything these animals could throw at them. Except these were animals no longer - they were monsters. As this realization hit Lando, true fear seeped into his being. His guts felt like ice as the rest of his body froze. What should he do? Then he remembered that he wasn't here alone - he had to get these kids to safety. There would be time enough to check for scrapes and bruises later. Lando got the rest of the kids back on their feet and rushed them through the entrance. Trying to figure out the fastest way back to the bus, Lando never saw what hit him.

Lando struggled to gain his bearings as he regained consciousness. Why was did he lose consciousness? How long had he been out? Where was he? Where were his kids?

The answer to the first question became apparent as he grabbed his throbbing head. Sitting up, Lando realized he was on the school bus. Good, somehow they had managed to escape. The gruff voice of the female bus driver, whose name he couldn't remember, asked how he was feeling. Massive headache aside, he said he seemed to be doing okay. How were the kids? Barbara, that's right, that's the bus driver's name. Why wasn't she answering him? Did she not hear him? A new question emerged: Why was it so quiet? Turning around for the first time to survey the rest of the bus, this latest question was answered. Except for Barbara and himself, the bus was empty.

Anguish like he had never known overcame Lando as Barbara told him what had happened. Somehow, he had been knocked unconscious during the panic. Barbara had come looking for the group as soon as the earthquake began to subside and found Lando laying amidst the rubble. People were screaming and running everywhere. Barbara heard a monstrous roar, unlike anything she'd heard before, and looked towards where the sound was coming from. The cause for the panic became apparent as she saw a group of mutated zoo animals slaughtering people. Concerned now only for the missing kids, Barbara ran past the unconscious Lando into the wolf section. Barbara froze and emptied the contents of her stomach as she saw the carnage in front of her; not one child remained alive.

At first, Lando fought Barbara for control of the bus. They had to go back, surely some kids had survived. However, as he began to accept what happened, Lando fell into an immobilizing depression.

It wasn't long before the duo discovered that the events at the zoo were merely aftershocks of a much greater tragedy: Xydos had killed Alabark. The pair managed to make it to a military base, where they enlisted as soldiers in The Remnants of Alabark. Eventually, their unit found it's way to The City where Lando gained a reputation in The Remnants as a ferocious wolf killer. Lando lost his last friend when Barbara died during the recapture of The City. Now a Captain, Lando's responsibilities prevent him from continuing his one-man crusade against the mutated wolves that deprived him of his beloved children. Captain Lando seeks any willing to aid him in purging this planet of this threat.

**Location:** The City

**Quests:**

* Captains Orders