Decius

Decius is a male human cleric and an NPC in the Om campaign.

Decius is a once respected Cleric of Jamor. He receives visions from his deity and has begun to preach out the destruction of all, as well as publicly decrying the corruption the nobles and monied interests in Dunkirk. His visions seem to be prophetic and is an ally of the Fate Fighters, He accompanied them to the Elf Moot at Kal-Thalas and has aided them in battle. The Fate Fighters offered him a position at Stonewatch Abbey.

## Background

Decius had been a well respected cleric in good standing the Church of Jamor, residing in Dunkirk and delivering sermons and tending to his followers and church as best he could. However, one day he began reeving visions from The Father showing him visions of horror and a fiery apocalypse to the west that would destroy or enslave everyone. He believed that the only way to stop it is for all the races to band together.

He began to preach of these visions, as well as decry the practices of the wealthy, including Baron Webb, of taking advantage of the poor farmers in the region. This change in subject matter naturally angered several of the rich and powerful in Dunkirk, and the clergy believed that his sermons of "fire and destruction" was contrary to the church's message. He was sanctioned several times by the Church and eventually dismissed from it's service.

Decius still continued to have the visions, however. He would write of them but it did nothing to lessen their frequency or intensity. Decius continued to preach his message, but now from street corners of Dunkirk as an itinerant preacher. He was frequently dismissed by both the leadership of the town as well as many of the common townsfolk as insane and is derisively called "The Messenger" by them.

## A Fateful Meeting

On the 6th of Gatekeeper, 465, Decius finally met with some hope in his mission. While he was delivering a sermon the street he spied a Ki-Thian man in the crowd that he recognized from his visions. The man introduced himself as Wu Xen, a devotee of Leelin. More surprising, Wu confessed that he too had been given visions from his god, that of smoke rising in the west.

Decius described other people he'd seen in his visions, and Wu confirmed that these descriptions could match those of his companions. Decius was certain that these figures would be key to the coming struggle. Wu explained that they were currently on a mission from the Crown but that they were planning an expedition west. Decius stated he would be interested in perhaps being part of that journey, and gave Wu a collection of the visions he had written down.

## Leaving Dunkirk

On the 7th of Twins, nearly a month after meeting Wu, the Ki-Thain returned. Decius had been giving another speech however it seemed that some in the crowd had gathered merely to boo and jeer Decius. Some began throwing offal and fruit at him, and soon members of the crowd began to fight one another.

Decius called upon Jamor and with his divine magic calmed the crowed immediately, ordering them to disperse. The only ones who did not were a trio of toughs and Wu and his companion, Jasper Conroy. The toughs promptly left, and Wu warned Decius that they seemed to be about to attack the priest.

The trio retired to Decius' modest house and Wu explained that The Triad had been identified as the source of much of the corruption and the likely cause of their visions. He stated that they had caused no end of unrest in Gildorn and were likely driving, in one form or another, the hostilities with Orlesea and Duke Agrippa's reawakened crusade against the elves of the region.

Wu and Jasper explained that they sought start to bring the races together with an alliance between the Kirathi Elves and the Thunnish tribes. The first step was to get the elves to name Merith their king at a moot in Kal-Thalas, and they asked Decius to travel there with them to share his visions with the elves so they might understand the threat to all races. Decius agreed, and invited the two to spend the night so Jasper could magically transport them to Stonewatch Abbey the next day.

Through the night Decius and Jasper got on quite well, learning over several drinks that they shared a sense of humor as well as a strong piety to their respective gods. However that night they toughs from earlier attacked Decius again, led by Lord Hitchens.

The attackers were defeated and Hitchens and his men and interrogation revealed that, though he was of noble birth, Hitchens suffered financially and was offered a large sum of coin by Baron Webb in exchange for eliminating Decius.

Wu forced Hitchens to write confession of these crimes, and stated that to avoid this despicable deal from becoming public, Hitchens would have to begin to speak out against Webb's exploitation of the poor and his baseless slander of the people of Fernstead. Hitchens reluctantly agreed and was released the following day when Jasper, Wu and Decius departed along with one of Hitchens' men, named Vinnie, who had defected.

## Journey to Kal-Thalas

### A Necromantic Diversion

Using the power of The Traveler, Jasper magically transported Decius, Wu and Vinnie directly to Stonewatch Abbey. Within a couple hours the Fate Fighters and Decius departed for Kal-Thalas. En route the party encountered Xerxes the fawn and Nixie, a nymph.

Nixie explained to them that a group of necromancers had inhabited a nearby graveyard and was performing foul blood magics and had already slain a group of elves that had tried to defeat him. The leader of that team of elves, Kalfaran, materialized to them at Nixie's request.

Kalfaran explained that his spirit was able to appear to them due to a charm he wore but that the. He stated he was from Kal-Thalas and warned that the necromancers were raising the corpses of any who ventured there with foul blood magic and that his group was sent to stop him and failed, dying in the processes.

Though Decius was willing to accompany the Fate Fighters on their mission, Nixie advised she had much to discuss with Decius and wished to learn of his visions. The Fate Fighters assured Decius that they could handle matters and so Decius did his best to explain his visions to the beautiful nymph, a task he found more pleasant than with his usual audience.

As they were talking, however, they heard a horn blast from the direction of the graveyard. It seemed the Fate Fighters may have been in trouble after all. Decius declared he had to help, and Nixie ordered Xerxes to assist. The two arrived to find a powerful liche and no sign of the Fate Fighters. Decius immediately engaged it, calling upon the power of Jamor to massively damage the creature. The liche retaliated, slaying Xerxes. Suddenly Jasper appeared and together with Decius, slew the creature.

They were soon joined by Corin, Fynn, Fern, and Opal's pet ape, Apal. They explained that Opal and Fern's leopard, Lynx, had been slain and that Fynn had teleported the group to a mountain far to the west with the help of his Irda amulet, Fiyang’yellak, but had brought all but Wu and Noel back to Nixie's grove for healing and rushed to aid Decius and Xerxes when informed they'd gone to fight the liche.

Jasper insisted upon finding the liche's phylactery, however Fynn stated that Fiyang’yellak had forced him to use a gem recovered from the necromancer they'd slain to capture the soul of the liche. Disturbed that the amulet could exert such control over Fynn, Jasper demanded that the sorcerer remove it, Fynn refused, resorting to violence to retain it. A quick scuffle followed, with Fynn ultimately being wrestled to the ground and it being physically removed, though the half-elf did use his fire powers those participating.

Once the amulet was off, Fynn admitted he now felt more clear minded and had not realized how insidious and subtle Fiyang’yellak's control had been.

### Back on the Road

As the party had to be in Kal-Thalas in time for the moot on the 10th of the Twins they could not wait a day for Jasper to regain his powers and retrieve Wu and Noel and he only had enough power for one trip. However, using a scroll found on the necromancer, Fynn was able to make the journey there, and then Jasper could return them the following day.

Fynn transported himself and Jasper away, however when they did not return after a few hours they were forced to conclude that something had gone wrong. Corin, Fern and Decius agreed that they must press on to Kal-Thalas or miss the moot, and asked Nixie to inform the others that they had left should they return.

Along with Apal the trio was quickly met in the woods by elves and were swiftly taken to a grove to meet with Korroticus, who informed them secrecy would be important. The moot would have to be held in the Grove of the Dancer, however Kal-Thalas was occupied by Gildornian soldiers and was the seat of the seat of the Gildornian Prefect. Edicts from Duke Agrippa's had forbidden any elves from entering the Grove of the Dancer or even meeting in groups more than three or four.

While they waited Fynn suddenly appeared with Wu and Noel, explaining that he had apparently mastered the ability to teleport. They did not know where Jasper, though he turned up a short time later having been founding by the elves wandering in the forest. It turns out that the scroll had inexplicably sent him to Arcadia, but after resting for the day he had managed to regain his powers and transported back. Decius oversaw finding an elf among the collection of tribes that could resurrect Opal, and escorted him back to the others to await the moot.

## The Moot of the Tribes

The moot was held the night of the 10th of the Twins at exactly midnight, when the moon was high in the air. The attendees had sneaked to the Grove of the Dancer in small groups to avoid arousing Gildornian attention and the elven mages and clerics erected a series of illusions and protections upon the grove to attempt to have the moot remain uninterrupted.

The four known tribes had sent representatives, the religious Dralthanor, the conquered and mercantile Kal-Thalas, the defeated Nilthanor and the warlike Lorathel. To the surprise of nearly everyone the secret and hidden Valthanor Tribe also sent a delegation as well. The tribes attended to a variety of mundane matters and the settlement of disputes, and then called upon anyone who wished to address the tribes.

Decius and the Fate Fighters had discussed addressing the tribes, and Decius agreed to go first, explaining who he was and his visions to the elves and his belief that if they did not all band together that the coming cataclysm would destroy them all.

Wu and Opal spoken next, the former urging them to name Merith king and forge an alliance alongside the Thuns and use that position of strength to force concessions from Orlesea and Gildorn to forge a road of unity ahead in order to fight The Triad and the coming disaster. Opal's words were more fiery, urging blood and violence and the utter destruction the Gildornian and Orlesean colonies.

Next Fynn and Fern gave a speech explaining how they had been named as the Heralds and that they had identified Merith as the rightful king.

Finally Merith approached the center of the circle and gave a rousing speech about how the Gildornians had wronged the elves and would continue to do so and how capitulation would only end in their destruction. He avowed that he would live in peace with any who showed elves equal respect but he would just as readily bring war to those who sought to harm them.

However Gallerius, of the Lorathel tribe and the new leader of the Wild Runners spoke up. He denounced Merith because the support of the Fate Fighters, condemning them as agents of the Gildornian Crown and implied that Merith had not been imprisoned by Duke Agrippa, but collaborating with him. He stated that only he could save the elven people and that he was destroy Gildorn and form an elven kingdom himself.

The moot then adjourned, while the tribes debated which claimant to the elven throne to support. The Fate Fighters made efforts to convince the other tribes, while Decius prayed for guidance and attempted to help where he could.

### An Attack on the Moot

The following night the moot resumed, however Iolaus, the lone Nilthanor representative present who had counseled not naming a king at all and capitulating to Gildornian rule, was absent form the proceedings.

After the honorifics the tribes took their votes for king. The Valthanor and Dralthanor backed Merith, while the Lorathel and Kal-Thalas voted for Gallerius. Without the Nilthanor to break the tie it seemed unclear how the matter would be resolved. Tyderious, the eldest of the elves, called for a recess so they could determine whom should receive the kingship, but suddenly a black robed wizard teleported in, accompanied a force of soldiers and a what appeared to be the bird form of Penelope Strong.

The wizard announced that everyone present was under arrest for treason and ordered all present to stand down or be killed and ordered the bird creature to take Merith into custody. Decius helped the elves and Fate Fighters fight the GIldornians, though he did try to immobilize them rather than harm them as they were his fellow countrymen.

Many of the soldiers clearly had enchanted equipment, as attacks from their spears would paralyze a target and the solder would then activate a magic brooch and vanish with their target. They seemed to be targeting the elven leaders and in this fashion had managed to kidnap Tacitus and Memnon of the Dralthanor tribe, Athos of the Valthanor, as well as Merith. They had also paralyzed Gallerius, however Noel was able to save him before he too could be kidnapped.

While that attack took place a large force of Gildornians, accompanied by Iolaus also arrived and began cutting their way through the magical hedge that the elven wizards and clerics had erected around the grove. The animated topiary did damage to the troops but would not hold them for long.

Jasper, fearing for the lives of the captured elves, enacted a hasty plan where he, Noel, Fynn and Fern would activate the telportation brooches on four of the dead Gildornians and go rescue them.

Orestes and Tyderious, both of the Valthanor Tribe, combined their magic to create a fiery whirlwind that tore into the Gildornians, killing their commander, injuring Ioalus (who promptly fled) and inflicting massive casualties, however more reinforcements were still coming.

The elven tribes all withdrew along with Opal, Corin, and Wu. Gallerius claimed command of the elves vowing to purge Kal-Thalas of all humans and wage a war of conquest and destruction on Gildorn. The Lorathel and Kal-Thalas tribes backed him immediately and the Valthanor tribe reluctantly agreed to do so as well. As the only representative of the Drathalnor present, Korroticus announced that his tribe would not support Gallerius.

Gallerius ordered Korroticus and the non-elves out of "his" forest and they withdrew. They interrogated the bird creature, who adopted a human form that looked like Penelope but with dark hair and called herself Number Twelve, though Corin quickly dubbed her "Ophilia." She only delivered threats and stated that she had her mission to capture Merith and that her only desire was to slay them and capture Merith. Wu and Corin tried to convince Number 12 that she could make it's own choices, but to no apparent success. Number 12 tried to escape, but was promptly beaten unconscious.

Decius deemed the creature an abomination created by man and not the gods and therefore advocated her destruction. Wu refused, however, stating how the creature came into being was not her fault and only her decisions and actions were. They ultimately left Number 12 unconscious in the woods, in the hopes that their words of forging her own path would have an impact.

## In Dralthanor

Korroticus took Decius, Opal, Corin and Wu to the village of Dralthanor via griffonback. While Korriticus went to report to his people, the Fate Fighters introduced Decius to Gunnar the Wolf, who had been attacked and betrayed by the Gildornians and was convalescing in Dralthanor. They brought the Thunish prince up to speed on recent events and asked if the Thun would be willing to ally with the Dralthanor Tribe. Gunnar said his father, King Harkan Halfspear, would make the ultimate decision, but that he would recommend it.

Decius, Opal Corin and Wu were given quarters in the village to rest. Decius attempted to contact Jasper magically, but found the cleric blocked, likely by the magic of the Grey Wizards. The following day, however, Decius attempted again and this time was able to contact Jasper, who reported that he, Noel and the twins were safe in Stonewatch Abbey. Korroticus arranged for another griffon ride to the abbey for a rendezvous.

## At Stonewatch Abbey

Decius remained in Stonewatch Abbey while the Fate Fighters launched a rescue mission in Waymere to attempt to rescue the captured elf lords. He attempted to assist and provide spiritual guidance for anyone in the Abbey who requested it while the Fate Fighters enacted their mission to free the elves and their greater mission of stopping the return of the Triad.

### Campaign against Midway Inn

In Minstrel of 465 word had reached Stonewatch Abbey that the cleric of Charno, Anders Roth, had erected an enormous golden statue using slave labor he acquired from the many refugees from the Battle of Waymere. The statue was destroyed by Jasper Conroy, and a short time later Penelope Strong and Margot decided to head south to scout the area. Upon their return to Stonewatch Abbey they reported finding that nearly all of the refugees seem to have been killed and that the statue had been harvested to create a small army of small golden statues.

As the Fate Fighters themselves were absent at the time the keep's steward, Aquibius, ordered a march on Midway Inn to destroy the golems. Decius accompanied the troops to Midway Inn, using his holy powers to aid in the battle. The campaign turned out to be a rousing success with few fatalities. All of the golems were destroyed, save one which was taken for study by Aquibius. After the battle he used his powers to destroy the magical stones that held the souls of those sacrificed in order to power the golems. This destruction freed the souls to travel to the afterlife, though it caused massive damage to Midway Inn. Anders Roth himself also managed to escape before Midway fell.