The Brotherhood

## The Brotherhood (RP)

The light. That is what Manaia was told to seek. His ancestor, Lord Bond, had informed him of a great power that he might one day possess. His friend Barabbas of Firebrand fame had let him know that in order to reach his potential he would require the assistance of a Dave, and so Daves he sought.

Since first sailing to the vast lands of Lemuria, the Giant had spent much time with the Firebrand crew as Barabbas was able to seek them out and re-join them using a mystic bond that Longfellow could not explain. Together they searched and found a Dave, not one that had been known previously to Firebrand but rather a Lermurian Dave, a salty sea dog of a man known not for killing creatures with reckless abandon but for sailing the seas in search of treasures and adventure. This man had come with a companion of his own, Victor Morgan, an island native that had crossed paths with the new Dave during his travels.

After countless journeys to a plethora of lands and a significant number of battles with the creatures of the Lermurian islands, the two newly reformed crews found a home together on an island aptly named Giant’s Rest, the island was perhaps better described as a cluster of tall interconnected pillar-like islands with lush green land atop them. Over time they forged a life for themselves, living in harmony with each other and the creatures that inhabited their newfound home but something about it never felt quite right.

Over the months of settlement the two crews began to explore the neighbouring islands, they found maps that lead them to treasure, they battled great creatures of the sea and in the case of Ulf, a number of creatures of the land – the large cats were the catalyst for more than one of their island relocations. But it became more and more obvious that some of the members were not the men they once had been. Manaia, a simple farmer, no longer had interest in growing crops and tending livestock. Instead he hungered for the fight. The Sea Dog Dave and Victor spent more days at sea than on land in search of the next battle. An aging Ulf and his Firebrand companion, Fox built defences in expectation of a war at any given moment, never content to simply rest. It seems that the influence of The Ringmaster on the Firebrand crew had affected some more than others, that the time in the Void for Manaia was having a similar effect. Dave and Victor’s time amongst them would lead anyone to question whether they had spent time in the darkness themselves. The group may not still possess the powers of Archon and The Void but the rage never left them, the thirst for victory over others had changed these men. They were a brotherhood, bound by a desire for little more than conquest in battle.

One day, whilst adding another layer to the defence towers, Ulf saw a small ship on the horizon. He knew that the others were out in search of more gold to pay their crew of underlings and so he prepared his bear, rode it down the hill to the shore and awaited the landfall of this new vessel.

“Ahoy, permission to come ashore!” the single voice requested from the ship, a man stood with armour like nothing Ulf had ever seen on Lemurian shores.

“What’re ya here for? We don’t need supplies.” The old man replied.

“Honestly, I am not sure of my intentions. My name is Relon Vith, this armour I wear, it has drawn me to something on this island and I feel compelled to explore the reasons for it.”

Ulf pulls on the reigns of the bear and it stands and growls.

“How much of a threat would you be without that bear, old man?” Relon asks. Ulf looks down at his old, beaten sword and then back at Relon.

“I’d go down swinging, but I fear you might best me, boy.” Impressed at the response, Relon opens the chest next to him and grabs something from inside.

“Then let us change that”, he throws Ulf a brand new sword “plenty more where that came from.”

Reluctant to welcome a new person as he is ever on the defensive side of battle, Ulf allows Relon to anchor and ushers him towards a house on the beach, always staying atop his bear and always a few feet behind the stranger. Ulf informs Relon that he will have to wait and points him to a chair, the two begin to talk about Relon’s upbringing by a family a drow, a species known for their proximity to The Void and of how he had killed a man in his village for threatening his family, he had taken the man’s armour and a ship and fled for fear of persecution. He said he could feel his clothing bringing him to this place and he had no idea why. They share a bottle of rum from the cupboard as Ulf tells his story and that of Firebrand, of their manipulation at the hands of The Ringmaster and of how they came to be in this place.

It is after much conversation that the ships of the other members of The Brotherhood begin to arrive at home, last among them is Maui’s Return, a ship named after Manaia’s ancestor, a ship containing the Giant himself. As Manaia jumps ashore and ties his ship to the dock, Relon jumps to his feet.

“You! You are what my suit has been drawing me to.” Vith announces. “What…what are you?”

“I am the son of many warriors, one of whom it would seem you have met, I am born of The Void, I am the seed of a demon, of gods, of Giants and I am not here to entertain the questions of a human in a sparkly shirt!” Manaia replies.

Relon squares up to the Giant ready to initiate combat but Ulf holds him back.

“Forgive the Longfellow, he has been a little…short of late.” Ulf explains, choosing his words deliberately.

Dave continues “We all have. There is something affecting us in this place and our patience is thin to say the least. Manaia, this human is of a Drow village, his clothing has drawn him here, it would seem to you. Do you not think you should at least hear him out?”

The two calm down and Relon’s story is re-told, it seems that the armour he wears has bonded with him and has brought him to The Brotherhood, the reasons are not clear, but the results are undeniable. The group decide to allow Relon to stay with them while they investigate but will adding more elements of the Void help their situation?

Over the coming weeks Fox forms a plan for the Brotherhood, a means of scratching the itch that they all feel for war. He decides to travel to the nearest freeport and post an advert for their services. He has Dave scribe a notice for him;

\*PEOPLE OF LEMURIA\*

The Brotherhood of The Void would like to offer their services to any of those who need arms at war. We will aid in hunts for treasure, we will defend your ships from Krakens, Drakes and Hydras, we will defend your shores from invaders, and we will defend your honour from those who would besmirch it – all for a fee. Contact a member of The Brotherhood to discuss pricing!

- Dave The Salty Sea Dog

These notices are posted at every Freeport from the Polar to the Desert in the hopes that battle and profit might make a satisfactory pairing.

- By Martin Bond