~*{The Fearing}*~

𝕻𝖗𝖔𝖑𝖔𝖚𝖌𝖊

               Evania. The country in the world of Iketer. It is beautiful and peaceful for all races, from Elves to bugbears. Haldion is the capital of Evania, the land of peace with the High Council that runs the country, consisting of 8 council members. As peaceful as it seems, there is its fair share of tragic incidents, such as the Great Beast that killed over 25 people. All that aside, Evania was peaceful.

               Evania was built upon an abandoned continent that was called "The Free Land," where everything was legal such as killing, murder, raping, and so much more horrific incidents. That all came to an end when the heartbreaking crying song in old common of a mother holding her dead son in her arms silenced the vicious fight for land. The mother, Evania Haldion, declared that there would be no war and only peace, and she would strike down anyone trying to break this peace. Thus, the land of Evania was born after her. Peace was upheld, and towns and nations were built upon its beautiful land. All dead land came alive and thrived as no war or tragedies ever happened. A trusted council of 8 was set to rule and care for the peaceful country to prevent an evil ruler from taking over Evania and ruining the peace.

               Years and years of peace held for a long while until significant sickness struck the land. Races become sick by fearing things others couldn't, becoming insane and hostile. In the end, the victim of this sickness would either become a creature of shadows or end their lives by not having to face harsh judgment or to face their horrid fears. These creatures of shadows would then become known as Imals, ones that could inflict and spread the sickness to others by stalking and repeating the same things that happened to them before they turned. During the day, they would not even give a peep until the night crawled into place, and they would go out to hunt for their victims. They called it "The Fearing".

               Many races prayed to their gods for help, but none responded... Hope was dwindling in Evania as many would wander off searching for a cure or the source to stop this madness from ransacking the country to ashes. Parties of folk heroes would fail, either dying to the Imal or turning into an Imal themselves.

               Death was in everyone's eyes now, with no hope in sight.

~

               Loud cheers would echo through the homey Tavern in Gonglove. Men and women sang as they would get drunk on their drinks. Small or large parties celebrate the victories of their week or day while enjoying downtime before they venture into their new adventure.

                The Barkeep, Ugoheoic Manlor, and his three daughters, Ikue Manlor, the adopted dragonborn sister; Hab Manlor, the Tiefling second oldest; and Ophroah Manlor, the Tiefling youngest sister. The four-run the Tavern by the name "The ColdStone." Anyone who comes into this bar must respect Ugoheoic's beautiful Tavern, which he built with his own hands and the help of his daughters after traveling from afar and finally settling down. If you had any disrespect to anyone in the bar, including the barkeep and his daughters, Ugoheoic immediately threw them out with his bare hands. The ColdStone always housed many traveling bands who wanted to perform in town to earn money. The Tavern would accommodate many unique types of drinks made by Ugoheoic himself, from a wide variety of lovely drinks to scorching drinks that would cause people to spit or burp fire. The place was decorated and themed after a ship mixed with a mine, giving the earthy but sea emersion.

                 However, all celebrations would have to end when the familiar footsteps of an armored fighter closed in to collect their bounty. The footsteps would clank with each footstep, and the jingles of rich, nice-looking jewelry would hit against one another, the footsteps heavy but soft as they closed closer to the Tavern. All singing and cheering would halt as everyone could feel this massive source of raw energy and power coming closer. Not even a peep would come from the drunkest in the Tavern as all eyes and heads would turn towards the dual heavily decorated wooden doors. Silence is all that stood now as the footsteps had stopped.

               The doors to the Tavern would then swing open, and there stood a 5'11 armored woman with a skull mask of some animal hiding her face. A black sack slung over her shoulder as she scanned the silent Tavern and soon began to walk towards the bar where Ugoheoic stood smiling, looking over to the woman in heavy armor. "Jackyl, you made it!" he would pipe up happily upon seeing the armored fighter woman. But a particular pair of five eyes were on this woman and Ugoheoic. The woman remained silent as she slung the black bag over her shoulders and onto the bar between two gentlemen. Ugoheoic eyes widened as he stared at the woman before him. "Holy shit, you did get it didn't you?" his eyes would hold surprise as he would stare at the black bag. He would hesitantly reach his hand out to grab the bag and begin to open it. Upon opening it, a foul smell would waft into his nostrils, and he would have to back away, gagging, his brows knitted together, and place a face of disgust. The smell was so pungent and sour that it made a few other gentlemen sitting at the bar get up and walk away because the smell was so horrid. The large man, Ugoheoic, would wave his hand in front of his face, trying to give himself a better smell in his nose. Soon, getting enough courage, the man approached the bag again and removed an Imal's head.

               A shock, awe, and gasp would resonate inside the bar as everyone stared in shock at seeing a beheaded Imal. "How?" a human man would yell from close to the stage, his eyes wide with wonder and amazement. The crowd's attention was on him for a split second until they turned all their attention back to the armored woman. Silence stood until she spoke.

               "Sunlight... Pure sunlight is their weakness... Unless you kill them with brute force. I did a bit of both and managed to get the head in time before it would disappear." Her voice was low yet calm, a moderate tone of what you would expect from a woman who looked solid and intimidating. Her long blonde hair framed her mask, making her look even more intimidating to most. But as moments passed as silence stood, the head of the Imal would disappear, leaving a thick black smoke in its leave.

               "How did you manage that?" A 5'7 red Dragonborn would almost hover behind her, looking at the black back that held the head. "Like I said, Sunlight and brute strength." she would huff softly, slight anger in her voice, having to repeat the words she had said not too long ago. Her stature then turned to look at the shorter red Dragonborn before her. Looking at him, he looked like he had been through hell and back, his stature robust like he had served in the militia for Evania, but she wouldn't question it. It was another man trying to get on her nerves.

               It seemed the Tavern full of its customers would then continue partying and celebrating as if nothing happened or parties talking about now having to do that so they could take it to Haldion so they could earn more money but also see if they could somehow help with this sickness called "The Fearing." Ugoheoic would then lean under the counter to grab something and put a clipboard on it, nodding to it. Jackyl would turn around to face Ugoheoic, then take a pen from the bar and sign it. He would then place a decent-sized bag on the counter, the clinks and clanks coming from the bag ever so evident that there was gold inside. Jackyl would pick the bag up and soon place it into her bag of holding and give a soft nod to the tall, powerfully built barkeep. Jackyl would then sit at the bar and order a drink, ready to rest for the evening.

               The Red Dragonborn would sit next to her, ordering a drink. A human male next to Jackyl would have a large beer mug in his hands, his hair and thick beard white as snow, and built like a barbarian—a horrid scar on the left side of his face—fur decorating his outfit and silver armor. A woman elf sat at the end of the bar with brown hair, and her outfit seemed to be related to a monk yet also a pirate. On the table near the bar sat a tall male Goliath, with deep blue hair that was short and fit his stature nicely. Then, a male Warforge sat in the far back, in a nicely secluded corner next to the bar. He was mainly made out of metal and some stone. His outfit was very fancy and intricate, with a nice hat to top it off with a large feather from the hat.

               Something about these five that looked at Jackyl was interesting. Who were they, and what did they want with the woman that was able to kill an Imal? What did these five eyes looking at her genuinely wish to do?

               Only the future could hold the truths of what is soon to come...