Outside Varya

[Hatsuo1980]

As the monkey left Varya, he contemplated the path. He looked through all the knowledge and memories of the previous Annointed Ones, Lythander, Jasdu, Adreana, Lophiatus Kalist and Dreth'kar. Images of the sentinels past flooded his mind, from the very inception of the Sentinels to this present day. The monkey saw the sentinels rise to power and their deviation from the path through the years.

The monkey thought long and hard as he travelled, seeking enlightenment. And with time it came.

The monkey stopped and began to write in a small journal.

The Waning of the First Age of the Sentinels

At the inception of the Sentinels mortals with great potential were chosen, those who would bring changes to the world around them. Many of these initial Sentinels were looked at with reverence, to the point of many ascending to the heavens.

On a side note, there have been no recorded occurrences of any Anointed Ones becoming a deity. It can only be assumed that this is due to them leading The Sentinels and fulfilling the destiny of The Path.

Throughout the ages many were named as Sentinels to guard and protect the lands of Velmaneth; however none were as highly regarded as the original group.

In the more recent years it would seem that evil touched the Path as creatures such as Squits the goblin and the infamous Dakron follower V’Jel were expected to aid it… the Anointed One, it seems, found her sanity eventually and both were no longer part of the Sentinels… but what they had done would bring the end of the First Age.

Of course, after such a taint of darkness the choices were to look to the light. This was the beginning of the end. Enter Kalist Silverfire, The Warden and Aquilla Razorwind, The Guide, the first of the new order and The Anointed Ones attempt to restore the balance to the path.

The pure good that these two exhibited might have tipped the Path in their favour, bringing about a restoration, yet that was not to be. The Anointed One, with the aid of the Path, was supposed to see the destinies of those named, and in these two it was no doubt they would bring changes to the world… but from all of the other tales told everyone knows trouble searched them out and interfered.

In one exploit to deal with a number of murdering outlaws The Warden was kidnapped and an inept sorcerer somehow managed to tear a rift in Time, once more the world as it was known was about to change. Kalist had, to everyone that knew him, ceased to exist. Divine power, mortal links and Sentinel hood gone, yet the tear in time remained.

Many chose to seek out the truth as to what had happened, here they found him, no longer what he was, he had all of Time’s powers as he had used his to heal Time. After the rift had been healed and Time herself saved everything went back to how it should have been.

During one such journey in to the fabled Shadow Plane, in assistance to the Asternian knights, it seems that The Guide managed to find himself taken through time, thus throwing events that he had taken part in, to fail. Here it seems Chance has as much of an impact on the world as Destiny, for the destruction of the world was not something to be expected.

Once more the might of the Sentinels (and other Heroes) banded together in an effort to make things right. All of the Sentinels were renamed in this time, some kept their titles: Aquilla, Kalist, Purification and Corin; others gained the titles once held by others: The Golem, Lophiatus, Dolleran, Raz Amataz and Setema with Adreana at the helm.
From this excursion, Corin, Purification and Raz Amataz did not return but in their sacrifice time was fixed and the world was safe once more.

Another such mistake of the Path was one little heard of hero, Fedor, who was briefly named as The Seeker. By all accounts his time with the Sentinels was brief yet eventful and The Anointed One stripped his position and thus his life, in less than twelve hours of naming him.

In yet another journey Sentinels travelled forward in time to seek out the best option for the choice they had to make for the newly risen Colourful Isle, The Anointed One, The Guide, The Warden and The Explorer travelled there.
The Guide passed on from life in one of the futures they would never again see and Quayle become The Guide.
The Anointed One lost her life in the same future and the mantle of the Path’s leader moved to its former Explorer.
The Former Explorer, now the Anointed One, met his death on the night which Despair chose to announce his Ascendancy.
Once more the mantle passed on, this time to its Warden. He was sheathed in grief and yet with his strength they met the dawn and the end of Despairs Night… and it truly was.

From there others have been named to fulfil the positions, each time they position was accepted and all but The Hunter have been stable.

The position of The Anointed One was, for the first time since Laythander, passed on before death. Dreth’Kar, one of Eremine’s Teachings, took the mantle and led them further.

And now? As Varya was besieged by the evil aspect of the first Warden and the heroes were ushered into the Hopewastes, in an effort to keep them out of the city whilst it was annihilated, the Yeetas came once more and obliterated Dreth’Kar.

The power which the Path kept was within him and it took several hours before its power went to its last chosen, The Seeker which no Anointed One had named was now its leader.

With Dreth’Kars passing the Sentinels had lost their Path. Its new leader would be the one to find it again.

Its new leader would be the one to bring about the Second Age of the Sentinels.

[Hatsuo1980]

Reading back what he had written, the monkey seemed pleased. He removed the pages from his journal, rolled up the paper, took some string and bound the parchment. Upon placing it in his bag he noticed another parchment. The monkey, being intrigued as to what it was and how it got there, removed the parchment and opened it.

What he found was both interesting and suprising

The Dawning of the Second Age of the Sentinels
Written by Solace the Bard

And so, as with the previous evenings, the sun had set. This time, however, moving to the Hope Wastes was welcomed as Annihilation could not follow them; Marcus had fallen to Annihilations power in defence of the others, as all good Knights do.

Upon their arrival the Yeetas met them, three who walked toward the Heroes and attempted to destroy their very existence. Between them the Heroes split the triad of hostile beings, scattering to the four corners of the fort.

One was surrounded by half a dozen heroes who could not harm such a creature. Another stood on the hillside with the Null Elf watching the fort as he slowly convinced it to be a Yeeta instead of a Yeetas. The third stood within the fort and reached over to grasp the neck of Dreth’Kar.

That was his final living moment. That was the moment when the Yeetas removed him from existence, the moment when the Path had almost been ended completely. This was the end of The Anointed One of The Sentinels of the First Age.

As Dreth’Kar, The Anointed One of The Sentinels of the Cosmic Path, passed from the mortal world The Path passed on its crown to Monkey Lan Panama, formerly The Seeker.

Within the Hopewastes the newly proclaimed leader of The Sentinels met one of the toughest challenges the Path would lay before him, see the death of many other Heroes and then Velmaneth or call upon the Path to aid him… his payment? His life.

As everyone knows The Sentinels are chosen to help defend the world of Velmaneth, to lead the world to its destiny. Therefore as hordes of undead stormed the gates of the fort which housed the Heroes, Monkey was imbued with power of all previous Anointed Ones.

The power of Laythander, Eremines’ First High Priest, Jasdu, her successor and The End, Adreana of the Air Elves, Lophiatus the second son of a mighty power, Kalist Silverfire the Hopebringer and Dreth’Kar the Balancer had permeated the Monkey. Unstoppable in his might, without the Sentinels the Heroes would have fallen and darkness taken over Varya.

The fight would last long in to the night, with nigh on infinite power The Anointed One showed the forces of death what it was to be a true Sentinel. What it was that others before him had done and would continue to do.

As the General and his vassals of power entered the fort Monkey jumped into action, calling on the power from the past he protected the Heroes who would fight so valiantly against the evil. His staff a blur in the night it struck creatures, shattering the weaker ones in a single blow.

The armour of the Knights rebounded with brief words of power from the Haran of the Telefret, ensuring their lives would not be given up. The fallen were administered restorative magic from the powerful Shaman of the Tribes, keeping the wounded on the better side of life.

As the Vassals of Power begun to fall the General gained in strength, one such Vassal exploded in such power that the heavens opened and lightening of such quantity rained from the skies, never before had such an event occurred where so much would come, the might of Gerethanax rose his head and using the power from the earth channelled the lightening to him.

Bolts of static struck the brave diamond elf again and again in such succession that no one doubted his bravery to accept such punishment, from a variety of places the Heroes banded together, protections flew around the Paladin, giving him vital seconds to call upon his Lords might for more protection.

And still the battles raged, The Celestial Emperors Sword cut through the waves of walking dead, his Host, the dutiful Celebrant of Lenamo accepting that the sword was his survival at this moment. The peasant charging down and bravely facing off a Hopeslayer who controlled the dead, and using a borrowed blade cutting through his defences straight to his very soul.

The Vassals of Power destroyed, the General once more unstoppable with the power at his finger tips saw the battle reach new heights. Three rings taken from the three Vassals were brought to the Ritual Circle. There the creature born of the Anti Magic that dwelled within the Hopewastes’ Jewel begun the rite to see the destruction of the rings, for with their ending the General could not channel his power and his death would be final.

So the magic gathered, turning the circle into a hurricane of power which swept away the more conventional magics, as the circle began to glow and the time was right Leofric, guided by Solace, struck the rings.

As the rings were shattered the General also shattered and his forces fell the power waned, it was then that Kan Slarr arrived. Angry at the intrusion of the evil into his realm and pleased that there were some fighting it he spoke at length to the Heroes… until The Path claimed the life of its newly appointed leader in payment.

Here, Kan Slarr proved his compassion for those who defended his realm and not only destroyed his staff but gave his life to ensure that Monkey, The Anointed One of The Sentinels of the Cosmic Path, would not be dead and allow him to continue the fight to remove those who did this to both lands.

With such a sacrifice often comes great clarity. The Monkey had been touched by the minds and power of all the previous Anointed Ones, he had seen where the Path had been. He saw its end come close on numerous occasions, yet it was always saved, always had a Sentinel there to halt the End.

With such an insight he knew a change to the order would come, one that would ensure the strength of the world once more.

As Monkey Lan Panama was revived from death, as were The Sentinels. As Monkey Lan Panama awoke to look at the world with new perspective, so did The Sentinels.

Dreth’Kar was the last of The Anointed Ones of The Sentinels of The First Age. Monkey Lan Panama steps forward and leads them into their Second Age.

-Solace
Ø

[Hatsuo1980]

And so it came to pass that the Monkey would ponder the path, ponder what it meant to be a sentinel, ponder the choices of the previous Anointed Ones and refocus the Sentinels into what this world needed.

The names of old, names that once inspired courage and belief, would fade into the ether.
Each Sentinel would be blessed with a new name, a title befitting the land they protect, a title befitting a being of such strength, honour and power, a title befitting a true Sentinel.

With the Colourful Isle being born unto creation so was the need for a being to protect it. Through the eyes of Kalist, the Monkey had seen that in the future this Isle would be protected by its own Sentinel and he mused Why wait for the future when the Isle needs a protector now?

Monkay removed another parchment from his bag, a parchment depicting all the lands of Velmaneth. Upon assessing the maps and the creatures that inhabited them, the Monkey’s mind again wandered. He thought upon the titles, he thought upon the elements of each of the land and then it came to him.

Oh Great Path, hear the call of Monkay, the Anointed One of the Cosmic Path. You see what Monkay thinks, you know what Monkay want to do. Monkay will bring the Sentinels to evolution.

Monkay honours the Guides of old. Danahil Coshwood, Quai Zeal, Mikatsi, V’jel, Aquilla, Quayle. In your times you did the work of the path and we, the Anointed Ones, thank you for your efforts. Let the memory of the Guide rest in the pages of history.

With the destruction of Eremaine and the flood of magic flowing through the Heartlands, we name you the First Affirmation of the Guide, Protector of the Heartlands, the one who brings about the termination of magic, you are the one to oversee this land. Let null magic be the Heartlands defence.

Monkay honours the Wardens of old. Varya, Belleth, Kalist and Litchbane. In your times you did the work of the path and we, the Anointed Ones, thank you for your efforts. Let the memory of the Warden rest in the pages of history.

The fort of Varya has taken heavy damage and while the forces of Annihilation have been turned back, many threats still remain. In this dark time of Varya’s history, let the First Beacon of the Warden, Protector of Gweria bring light to them all. Let the magic of light extinguish the shadow.

At the thought of the passing of his friends, Kalist and Aquilla, two of those he fought beside when he became a Sentinel, the Monkay paused. To much death had crossed his eyes recently. In his mind he heard comforting words We are still with you Monkay. The Monkay smiled and continued.

Monkay honours the Hunters of old. Raime, Steelskin, Corin, Galiv and Haze. In your times you did the work of the path and we, the Anointed Ones, thank you for your efforts. Let the memory of the Hunter rest in the pages of history.

And so the tribes and the beast kin of Arnad Guaranth need a protector. Let the winds flow and let lightening rain down as the First Tempest of the Hunter, Protector of Arnad Guaranth protects the tribes. Let the magic of air cool the enemies fire.

Monkay honours the Voyagers of old. Ranor and the Guardian. In your times you did the work of the path and we, the Anointed Ones, thank you for your efforts. Let the memory of the Voyager rest in the pages of history.

In the lands of the South, the sun beats the sands relentlessly with burning fire. Let the Sentinels mirror this land. Let the First Inferno of the Voyager, Protector of Dolen Talath come forth and use the magic of fire to assault the enemies of the path.

Monkay honours the Explorers of old. Gungrol, Lophiatus and Booing . In your times you did the work of the path and we, the Anointed Ones, thank you for your efforts. Let the memory of the Explorer rest in the pages of history.

In the Orc lands, a land wrought of war and shadow, let the Sentinels stand. Let the First Eclipse of the Explorer, Protector of Noore I’Meles be born and let the magic of Shadow eclipse the light.

Monkay honours the Exiles of old. The First Exile and Setema . In your times you did the work of the path and we, the Anointed Ones, thank you for your efforts. Let the memory of the Exile rest in the pages of history.

The Frozen North, the lands of the cold, the unknown and, to many, the deadly. Let the First Blizzard of the Exile, Protector of the Frozen North rise from these harsh lands and let them harness the power of Water.

Monkay honours the Travellers of old. Harwood, Mikatsi, Squits, Raz Amataz and Dolleran. In your times you did the work of the path and we, the Anointed Ones, thank you for your efforts. Let the memory of the Traveller rest in the pages of history.

Sinya Palurin, the heart of the world. And from the heart of the world grew the Ordu Mountains. From this grows the First Traveller’s Mountain, Protector of Sinya Palurin. Let the strength of the magic of earth see you well.

Monkay honours the Seekers of old. Shade, The First Haran of Serke Kemi, Seeker, Purification, Fedor and, of course, MONKAY.

The Monkay briefly smiles

In your times you did the work of the path and we, the Anointed Ones, thank you for your efforts. Let the memory of the Seeker rest in the pages of history.

The lands of the honourable, the lands of the blade. Serke Kemi, a placed watched over by Lung Wang. Let it have the Sentinel it deserves, let the honourable be the First Sword of the Seeker, Protector Serke Kemi. Let the magic of Life and the power of Lung Wang tend the masses.

Lythander, I honour your decision to name The End of the Path. Let the Sentinel of the Hopewastes remain and let the balance to the Sentinels walk unhindered.

With the opening of the Well in Sanga a new isle was raised from the seas, now named Colourful Isle and now brought under the wing of the Sentinels. The First Pilgrim of Liberation, Protector of Colourful Isle is born, guided by the magic of Meta.

And so, that brings us to the Anointed One. The being that guides the Sentinels, touched by the power of each yet influenced by none. The Anointed One shows all the way. But for the first time, this Anointed One has encouraged change, this Anointed One, with the wisdom of all who have passed, brings salvation to the Sentinels. I, Monkay Lan Kay Mann Panama, am the First Anointed Saviour of the Sentinels.

The Monkey sat and smiled at the work he had done, he entered a deep meditation and centred his chi.

After a number of heart beats, a calming voice spoke to him.

You have done well, our First Saviour

A grin beamed across the Monkey’s face. He recorded the events in his journal, marked as "The Birth of the Second Age". Now all he had to do was find suitable people to fill the big boots of those who had passed....

[Hatsuo1980]

The monkey sat and pondered, as he had done for such a long time since the events of Varya. Names, images and memories filled the monkeys mind. Thoughts of those previous sentinels and thoughts of the heroes that walked the world who may suit the new age, the second age.

The wise earth elf Blake of Lily. Skilled, able, compotent. He had all the attributes required of a sentinel but was his mind to focussed on his home life, the life of a farmer, or would he be willing to put this aside in the name of the path and be it’s First Traveller’s Mountain?

His mind turned to another, he himself used to have the skin of earth but now was made of diamonds. Warryn Coshwood, the brave and honourable Paladin of Gerethanax. Like Blake, without his skills and prowess many more would have fallen at Varya. Without his sheer will in the face of adversity, the Mouth may have run free to slay us all. The way of the sentinels flows through him but would his dedication to his god get in the way?

Then again, there is another, the third follower of Gerethanax suitable to the task. Zemepatis, like Warryn, is a diamond elf, the second of his kind. He is not as skilled or as potent as Blake or Warryn but his heart is in the right place and he endeavours to do the right thing. Suitable by potential, yes, suitable by his current ability, unsure. In time, maybe this would become clear to the anointed saviour.

Three suitable candidates to be the First Traveller’s Mountain had been found but what of the others? Again the monkeys mind flickered through memories. It stopped as he got to the Warden of Gweria.

Sir Litchbane, Paladin of Firin and now an Angel of his Lord. The monkey remembered meeting Litchbane, fighting the armies of Nicholai and Nichal, the knights reaction upon first seeing Monkay – a man of little emotion broken by a simple hello. In life Litchbane was a force to be reckoned with but in his death and ascension as a being of his lord thing had changed. The Angel was unable to fully do the work of the path, his dedication to the arts of slaying undead had interfered with the needs of the Sentinels. Monkay knew what must be done, Litchbane must be the last Warden of Gweria and his mantle passed to the First Beacon of the Warden.

One name kept ringing over and over in his mind. Arthur. This holy undead of Firin had fought bravely against the hordes at Varya, had been willing to sacrifice his existence to protect Gweria and clearly was a being of great potential. Would his potential be fulfilled? The monkey suspected so. He pondered this when he heard a voice in his mind

The path finds Arthur an acceptable choice

And with that Monkay was sure, Arthur would be the First Beacon of the Warden, Protector of Gweria should he accept the position.

[Hatsuo1980]

The monkey began to analyse the Sentinels in greater lengths. He thought about the goblin, Boing. Monkey was confused as to why the great Dreth’Kar had named this insane, selfish water mage the Explorer of the Sentinels in the first place. How can one who follows the god of insanity be relied upon? How can one so crazy that he talks to his hand be expected to defend others? How can one who looks after himself put Velmaneth first? The Anointed Saviour looked upon notes he had. A look of anger crossed the monkeys face

How dare he. How can he openly say that if it wasn’t a Sentinel he would have teleported away from a fight? We are the Sentinels, we are the ones who do what is right, we are the world and its peoples protection!

The monkey crossed his legs, rested his elbows on his thighs and closed his eyes, taking in deep breathes. Calming himself, Monkay thought of the next Sentinel – the Guide.

Quayle was a man of honour, a man of ability and a man who would do what was required for the world. He always seemed to do the right thing and, as the High Priest of Danahil, he believed greatly in everyone being free. Did Quayle fit being the guide though? After sacrificing himself to stop the worlds destruction, Quayle wasn’t seen again until the discovery of the Colourful Isle. He first hero to walk these lands, Quayle would be ideal to be the First Pilgrim of Liberation, Protector of Colourful Isle.

This decision left a hole in the Sentinels though – the Heartlands, an area immersed in the pure magical energies leaking from the well at Dvarni. Rumour had it that Eremine’s form was the Jewel deep at the very core of the world and with Quayle’s actions Eremine had been shattered – this mist was apparently Eremine’s form, her very essence, now haunting the world. With such pure magical energy reaping destruction through the Heartlands, one with the power to destroy magic would be needed. Monkay knew the humans of blood where well protected against magic but they didn’t have the capacity to destroy it, especially not at that volume.

He thought back to Varya where he experienced the birth of a new elf, the Null Elf Solace. Perhaps Null magic would be the key to destroying, or at least fending off, this pure magical power. Monkay knew little of null magic but his memories showed him two such beings who wielded its power – Shifty and Solace.

Shifty was a demon, granted one who is not evil, but devious, willing to take actions to further his own ends – definitely. Willing to “help” others become demons while keeping himself away from the consequences – undoubtedly. A memory flashed to the front of Monkay’s mind – Kalist never trusted Shifty, Shifty was a colleague of Squits and Squits was an enemy of the path, so much an enemy that Kalist was forced to destroy the being. No Shifty was not suitable.

But this only left Solace. Solace was not particularly potent, far from it. He was undoubtedly competent and showed great potential, his quick thinking and skilled ritualistic techniques had proven invaluable during the Siege but his motives remained unclear.

The monkey consulted his notes once more. It appeared he had done the right thing this weekend past. He stayed on an island that was nigh on imploding to help Doki evacuate villages, he fought demon after demon without fear, without hesitance and without running away. He stayed to the end, continued the fight, even when all around him had fallen.

Maybe he would be the one but the monkey knew that this one needed to be watch more before a decision could be made.