Our bio, written by Saigo, with it's own thread

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Sat Feb 02, 2002 11:30 pm

As quoted by Saigo, our most esteemed historian.

Rhino has accepted a revised history for our group. Only the last two paragraphs are different, so if you are familiar with the story, skip to the bottom.

The Blades of the Banshee

Near the tongue of land bridging Upper and Lower Argyle, the Imperial Region of Zamollia was cut off from the Empire geographically and politically. The Emperor, Innue the Wise would spare none of his resources for a region or a regional Governor that would not support his mania. Zamollia's Governor, Cedric Lesporel, became king at about the same time the other governors took the mantle, but Cedric would rule well. Cedric's legacy would be a line of descendants who would rule at least as well for almost two hundred years.
Under the rule of the Lesporels, Zamollians flourished, living off of the rich farmland and off of the sea and mountains that embraced them. Cedric had established a free community that welcomed immigrants of any race, so it was not unthinkable for non-humans to work or trade together. Rare, but not unthinkable. Then, in 1043YP, the first of the Plague refugees began to arrive, and the region was decimated. Kendall Lesporel, king for only three years, sealed the borders and burned the bodies, gradually abating the spread of the plague. By the spring of 1048YP, the month of Actheros, the threat of plague had diminished, and Zamollians thought they might survive.

One night in the month of Innue, 1049YP, the plague fires burned as warmly as the hearth fires, tempering the chill in the air. The moon's sliver was high above. Few noticed the light show atop Windcleave Mountain until its glow outshone the moon. Blue lightning danced and green flames cavorted with shimmering spectral forms, but none could discern its cause or effect. When the gray winter light grew in the morning sky, the peak of Windcleave mountain was charred black down to Blood Eagle pass. Straddling the pass, glowing with the heat of still burning coals, was a vile black fortress that Zamollians would call Xetheron's Spike.

For another month the iron Spike would cool while an icy snow fell across the valley.

The king gathered his army, and was dismayed by its size. Fewer than ten thousand were left. Still, he deployed them between the villages and the mountain, determined to protect his people.

One frosty winter morning, Kendall watched from the flap of his command tent as black shapes began to pour from the Spike, a boiling swarm of fleas against the snow. The swarm continued through the day and, by torchlight, though the night until morning. The dark army of inhumans, semi-humans, and demons was triple the size of the Zamollians'. Kendall spoke to his Generals and to Sarkis, captain of Banshee Brigade, the king's personal guard. The fifty elite Banshees were each worth a hundred men -- they might turn the tide. Kendall ordered Sarkis to lead the Banshees into battle, leaving the king defenseless. Sarkis protested but lost the battle of wills, and when the armies clashed, the king was alone.
In the midst of fierce fighting, the Zamollians were losing ground, but it was not the devastating defeat that the dark army expected. The Banshees fought with skill and power beyond anything seen before or since, and Sarkis out fought them all. Then thunder rocked the battlefield as Xetheron rode in. For a moment, the field was hushed. Then Xetheron charged and the battle raged again. Xetheron and his steed cut through the opposing armies like a ship through fog, making for Kendall's camp. Sarkis followed in the demon's wake, but he was too late. Xetheron had skewered the king on his lance and was hoisting the body as a standard.
At this, the Zamollian army broke and was overrun, slaughtered to the last man. The remaining six Banshees rushed to Sarkis and drug him away, headed as fast as possible to the Eastern Pass and out of Zamollia forever.

The Banshees, true defenders, had failed. Sarkis was determined that they would atone. Quietly, he and the other Banshees founded a school of martial arts, the Academy of the Blade, to train elite guardsmen and other mercenaries. Graduates became members of the mercenaries' guild, the Brotherhood of the Banshee, and were hired out to worthy rulers at exorbitant prices. The fame of the Academy and its graduates grew, and by the time of the reckoning the Banshees were respected across the land.

For over five hundred years, the Academy of the Blade had taken exceptional novices into its apprentice program and trained them for war. Masters of each discipline oversaw the training of fighters, battle mages, rangers, rogues, clerics, monks, and paladin. Banshee divisions fought on the side of good in every major battle across the land of Argyle until just a few generations ago. The last was for the Allied Armies against the tyrannical Blackguard, Saluvius, and it was the Banshees who turned the tide. The conflict ended in Saluvius' defeat, but the Blackguard escaped. For three months he plotted with his demonic mentors to exact his revenge.
For the first time in its history, the school itself was attacked. Saluvius led a horde of demonic warriors into the Academy grounds while demon mages shattered its walls with devastating spells. Pennor, Grand Master of the Academy, gathered the apprenti, nearly a hundred in all, and ordered them out through a secret tunnel and into the hills. Once away from the compound, they were to scatter, in groups of no more than five or six, and seek a safe place to wait. News of the Academy's victory or defeat would certainly reach them wherever they were.
Unknown to the Banshees at the academy, similar demonic strike forces were attacking the Banshee divisions in the field at exactly the same moment, so reinforcements would never arrive. Few of the Banshees abroad survived those attacks, and those who did were broken and alone.

The Academy was destroyed. The battle raged for three days, and when it was done, not a single stone was left atop another. What could be burned was burned. The bodies of the fallen were violated, and the land that soaked up their blood was desecrated. The demons returned to Hell, taking Saluvius with them -- it was time to pay his debt.

At the exit from the escape tunnel, the apprenti watched, disobeying Pennor's command. Before they did as they were bid, they swore a blood oath to carry on the work of the Academy of the Blade and the Brotherhood of the Banshee, taking the name the Blades of the Banshee. As they split up, a troupe of the fiendish warriors poured out of the mouth of the tunnel and chased after the apprenti. The demon spawn were under a geas to hunt the Banshees to the last man, and would pursue their mission to its end or suffer an eternity of pain. Many of the apprenti got away thanks to the head start they were given. Some were caught years later by demons determined not to fail their master, and others were never discovered. None ever forgot that they were being hunted.

Now, more than seventy-five years after the fall of the Banshees, the children and grandchildren of the apprenti are finding clues to the truth of their history. A grandfather tells his grandson the story on his deathbed. An elf finds a Banshee emblem in her mother's old things. A young dwarf finds a Banshee tattooed on his father's shoulder, hidden until his death. One or two Banshee descendants discover old journals with an account of the Banshee history and the names of some of the apprenti. The sons and daughters of the Blades of the Banshee, the last connection to the ideals of a hero named Sarkis, begin looking for each other, resolved to pursue the oaths of their ancestors. They are looking out for themselves as well....some of the demons are still on the hunt.

*With the new history, it will take longer for us to locate each other, but it does add another interesting quest right from the beginning. Remeber, despite what you know from the Blades of the Banshee web site, no metagaming! Your character will only know that there are others and that he wants to find them.

Pebz · Post by **Pebz** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 8:21 am

Great bio (wish I could write so well

)

It does leave a litte problem however... everyone has to be good/neutral.

I dont find this a problem myself, as i always play good, but we do have some evil aligned memebers.

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 11:07 am

Actually, we discussed this as well. First and foremost, everyone must remain true to their character. If your character is evil...well, then he is evil. You just need a reason for him being in the blades.

We decided not everyone has to be a descendant. Your character might have learned of the ideals of the blades, and might have joined up with us for protection, hiding your true nature.

Of course, you would have to learn of these ideals in-game, or you would have to start off with some characters who already know about the Blades, and incorporate such dealings in your character bio.

Most importantly, nothing is set in stone yet.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 1:24 pm

Originally posted by Pebz
Great bio (wish I could write so well )

It does leave a litte problem however... everyone has to be good/neutral.

I dont find this a problem myself, as i always play good, but we do have some evil aligned memebers.

IMO that is no problem - we are not the original blades and thus the decendant (or a newcommer) can have any personal ideal for themself.

An evil person is not neassecary somebody that runs around killing all people - it generally means that he has no scrubles to do so, but if it serves his interests not to kill every body - he will abstain from that.
It is thoese little in-game (possible) conflicts that will be fun - and BTW - remember your character doesn't know the aligment of other characters - you might do, but your character dosen't

Pebz · Post by **Pebz** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 1:57 pm

Originally posted by Xandax
IMO that is no problem - we are not the original blades and thus the decendant (or a newcommer) can have any personal ideal for themself.

But it is basicly the same organization, and should (IMO) try to keep the same ideals.

Originally posted by Xandax
and BTW - remember your character doesn't know the aligment of other characters - you might do, but your character dosen't

Yes, but an intelligent/true hearted character would "sense" someones evil nature unless that person is very intelligent/charismatic.

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 2:14 pm

Not necessarily Pebz. Just because a character is pure of heart doesn't mean they are filled with wisdom. A good character could be quite naive, thus finding themselves duped into helping or even trusting an evil character. It's all about roleplay.

Pebz · Post by **Pebz** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 3:43 pm

Meant more like a "6th (7th?) sense". It may require som wisdom tho, as you say.

Remeber at some point in Icewind Dale if you speak with some guy (that seems really nice) he asks you if you need healing and shelter, but if you are a Paladin and speak with him you can tell him that you can sense his evil aura, and then he says that your presence makes him sick, and attacks you.

der Moench · Post by **der Moench** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 4:00 pm

Wow - a history!

I had never seen the original of this history, so this is all new to me, but it looks great!

And it's very cool that you have gotten this approved by the Argyle-boys. Thanks, average joe!!

Now I just have to tinker with my background to get it in line with this ...

Juno · Post by **Juno** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 8:25 pm

I must admit it's an interesting history.

Well done both Saigo and average joe

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Sun Feb 03, 2002 10:17 pm

Average Joe did nothing in this...he's just a bum. Saigo's the man with the plan! I just wanted to be sure everyone was aware, as it's a good piece of writing. It also helps you understand your character's background, and allows you to decide how he fits in with today's blades.

This is the kinda creativity that will make the Blades of the Banshee a unique part of the Argyle realm.

Rail · Post by **Rail** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 1:36 am

Originally posted by Pebz
Meant more like a "6th (7th?) sense". It may require som wisdom tho, as you say.

Remeber at some point in Icewind Dale if you speak with some guy (that seems really nice) he asks you if you need healing and shelter, but if you are a Paladin and speak with him you can tell him that you can sense his evil aura, and then he says that your presence makes him sick, and attacks you.

Being a paladin doesn't automatically give you a license to attack evil people. That would make you a murderer. We paladins stop evil acts and we hate crime and injustice, but we sincerely hope evil people learn the error of their ways and repent. Just all IMO.

While the BotB may be aligned toward Neutral and good causes, if you want to play someone evil, just find your own reasons for joining.

Pebz · Post by **Pebz** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 4:35 am

Sure, a paladin can control himself and not killing a person just because he is evil... but if noone has to know, the less evil the better...

Just making a conversation... this board is "somewhat" dead

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 11:18 am

Originally posted by Pebz
Sure, a paladin can control himself and not killing a person just because he is evil... but if noone has to know, the less evil the better...

Just making a conversation... this board is "somewhat" dead

But this goes against everything a Paladin stands for. It sounds more like assassination. To be honest, my opinion of a Paladin is someone who has a duel instead of attacking someone without them knowing. In reality a Paladin would try to make the evil one repent instead of destroying him. Remember, a Paladin takes more reward from a succesful conversion rather than a successful killing...

Pebz · Post by **Pebz** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 11:28 am

But keep in mind that Paladins, just like everybody else, are stil just humans (or elf, half-elf...), and are not perfect.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Mon Feb 04, 2002 11:31 am

Originally posted by Pebz
But keep in mind that Paladins, just like everybody else, are stil just humans (or elf, half-elf...), and are not perfect.

But they stive to be, or face loosing there paladin status if they mess up.
Reason enough for not running around killing evil people, just because they "blip" on a detect evil scale

Pebz · Post by **Pebz** » Tue Feb 05, 2002 10:15 am

Looked up in the PHB and noticed that a Paladin starts with these three class features:

Detect Evil - At will, the paladin can detect evil as a spell-like ability.
This ability duplicates the effects of the spell detect evil.

Code of Conduct - A paladin must be of lawful good alignment and loses all special class abilities if she ever willingly commits an act of evil. Additionly, a paladin's code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, etc.), help those who need help (provided they do not use the help for evil or chaotic ends), and punish those that harm or threaten innocents.

Associates - While she may adventure with characters of any good or neutral alignment, a paladin will never knowingly associate with evil characters. A paladin will not continue an association with someone who consistently offends her moral code. A paladin may only hire henchmen or accept followers who are lawful good.

average joe · Post by **average joe** » Sat Feb 16, 2002 10:41 pm

bump....for the bio....not all the gobbledy-gook that follows

Xyx · Post by **Xyx** » Mon Feb 25, 2002 12:54 pm

My character wouldn't mind if our Paladins "scanned" the whole Guild and we eliminated all the Evil "blips"... It's not that far-fetched either, if you ask me. It's hard to trust Evil folk.

Nippy · Post by **Nippy** » Thu Feb 28, 2002 3:42 pm

Originally posted by Xyx
My character wouldn't mind if our Paladins "scanned" the whole Guild and we eliminated all the Evil "blips"... It's not that far-fetched either, if you ask me. It's hard to trust Evil folk.

Hehehe good idea. That'll get 'em sorted...

CM · Post by CM » Fri Mar 01, 2002 4:08 am

And then i will run them through with my normal looking sword!
Playing just black and white - no gray areas - evil is purely evil, I can do that!