\--==Official Submission==-- FROM: General Debinani Rahl RE: Chapter Fourteen - The Search for Justice Reports from the Front - The Search for Justice The following are excerpts from reports concerning the raid on Castle British to produce evidence that would clear the charge of treason from my name. I think the three reports below outline the events that unfolded rather well. \-Rahl Sometimes I wonder if I really am back from the dead, or if I've wound up in some hell. Maybe my curse has just taken on a different form? It would't surprise me. If I'm not, then the whole world has gone mad. That's about the only sane explanation. Last night was the latest chapter in this madness. With Soltain Grishnac dead, we had to hope that he left some record of the actions that he took to set up Rahl. As per Rahl's instructions, the Black Roses gathered at the Winery in Yew. Few were able to make it, unfortunately. Shadowspawn was there, as were Paul, Talgar, Galanon, Silent, Draven and Stryke. When the Royal Army is hunting you, it becomes difficult to get around, so I assume the others were delayed. I called upon a few others to aid us. Among these was Myca Vodyanoy, Master of the Covenant of Blood. Many wonder why the old vampire would aid the Black Roses. That is for the Annals to explain, not me. Jas Lightstryder and Sithas also came to our aid. The mission was simple. Go into Castle British and search Grishnac's room. If we were lucky, he left something behind that would show that Rahl had been convinced that it was British's wish that Yew be independent. With that, we could show that Rahl had not knowingly betrayed British. Unfortunately, nothing is ever simple. Jas scouted the castle and found the presence of the Royal Army along with a large force from the Emerald Empire. It seemed that someone had sent word to them of what we were planning. At this point, Myca left us to see what he can do. It turned out that he could do a great deal. I never really thought about it, but I guess a vampire has all the abilities to enter and get around unseen. Especially one as powerful as Myca is. Myca contacted me through some form of telepathy (which I found rather unnerving) to let me know that he had found a locked box in Grishnac's room. He made his way out of the castle, and we travelled by gate to the Bard's College in Britain, where we met him. A few of the men went ahead to the castle to see what kind of opposition we might have to face, should the box not contain anything useful. As it turns out, the box contained a report from Grishnac that was exactly what we needed. I can't really say what it really said, as I only skimmed it, then travelled with all haste back to Yew to put it in Rahl's hands. When I arrived at the Winery, I found out that some of the men that went to check out the castle had been ambushed and captured. I think that may have been when things started to go wrong. Rahl took the report and read over it. It was exactly what we needed. While we were congratulating ourselves, Talgar and the others that had been captured arrived. Their captors had released them. Why? Well, as it turns out, it was done so they could follow them and find where Rahl had been hiding. And this is where things went from bad to much, much worse. Jas and Sithas got word to me within moments of each other saying that the Emerald Empire had just arrived, in force, and was heading for the Winery. We had enough time to ready ourselves for battle before they burst in. By this time, we had been joined by Kamir Sang and by Sandoval. Both sides just stood there, looking at each other. Finally, Rahl started to explain. Judas did most of the talking for the EE. Rahl showed him the evidence. Judas looked over it, then did something that I still don't understand. He observed that, without the document, Rahl's innocence couldn't be proven. He then took the document and ran out of the Winery with it. We were facing a sizable force, so pursuit was not an option. He returned a few moments later, and told Rahl to surrender. When Rahl didn't right away, one of the archers with the EE began to fire upon Rahl. That's when the battle started. I saw Rahl escape. Other than that, I couldn't keep track of too much. Battles are funny things. They take on a life of their own after a while. I engaged the archer that attacked Rahl, and we fought back and forth for a while. Someone started taking swings at me with a halberd, too. I noticed Ashley healing me. She was about the only person that I did look for. Even in the heat of battle, I worry about her. At some point the battle swept the archer away from me, and I faced the halberd. I don't even remember what the wielder of it looked like. I was just trying to stay alive and bring down my opponent. I finally did after some time. I then found the archer again. Unfortunately, several of their archers had targeted me by then. I went down fast. Before everything went black, I saw Ashley pull out a sword and defend herself. I later learned that she had escaped. My spirit wandered to a healer, who promptly restored me to life. I don't know what ended up happening. All I know is, we no longer have the evidence. Judas either destroyed it, or he has it. Why he did this, I don't know. I do, however, intend to find out, and to recover it again if he hasn't destroyed it. I just wish I knew how I was going to do this. Lt. Lazarus Shade, BRS \------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------- \- A continuation by Sgt. Sandoval, Commander, 21st Outriders, BRS... When Lt. Shade fell, my mind flashed back to the final battle in the Yew war, when the battle turned after the orcs and undead pulled him from his horse. I thought it was over, that we were going to be slaughtered to the man. We fought on. Men and women on both sides dropped as the healers tried desparately to keep us alive. Had it not been for Jas' Outriders and the Covenant of blood, we would have all died that day. With their help, we managed to push the Emerald Empire back out of the winery. The next few minutes saw us attacking any who came through the door, only to have them healed by Empire healers. No one was able to gain a decisive victory at this point. The best we were able to hope for was to hold the stalemate. The forces of the Empire were preparing to rush the door. I had no idea of their remaining numbers, but ours totalled only 8. So under my orders, Galanon opened a gate to Moonglow and I sounded the retreat. We may not have had a decisive vitory, but we were still alive. Then again, we may have. I was unable to see the surviving numbers of the Emerald Empire. But regardless of the number of survivors, there was no winner in this battle. Our former friends and allies had taken up arms against us. At first their actions were understandable, merely defending the realm against an accused traitor (even though there was always the glint of gold in their eyes at the reward money). But the evidence was found and ignored, then hidden or destroyed. Later, after we returned from Moonglow, the reason for the attack became clear: A member of the Emerald Empire was using the life of an innocent man as a bargaining chip because of his lust for another man's wife. \-==Sgt. Sandoval==- Commander, 21st Outriders The Black Rose Society \------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------- Recorded this day by Mstr. Sgt, Myca Vodyanoy, Commander, 1st Warders, Alpha Company, Rtr. Yew, town of blood and death, it comes to me now that mine fate in hell vill be to fight in this town for all eternity. Last eve was too alike so many memories, the blood, the shouting, the fallen all around. But I get ahead of mineself. It started late in the eve, I had jest left Yew having finished soem business with a merchant for the purchase of some crates of earth vhen a rider came upon me at great speed, he bore but a simple message: Lt. Shade vas in need and the honor of all the Black Rose vas at stake. Gather at the Vinery, call to arms, Call to Arms! I folded the shadows about me and vas soon outside the Vinerey, upon entry all vas made clear and quick, that pup Rahl vas in the mix again, I vould have taken time to chuckle and recall a ceratin incident vith an apple barrel from his youth, but the matter vas too fell. I looked over the men gathered and heard the plan, too few, too few and to take the castle of the King no less, the tale of fate vas vashed in blood, I knew something had to be done afore too many men died and for naught. Vith but a nod to Shade I wrapped the shadows about me again and moved to Britan, coming out in the bedroom of an old man, tossing in his sleep with troubled dreams of fluttering wings. I left him in peace to dream of sveeter things and made mine vay to the castle. The entry vas easy, I had feared I vould have to use mine powers, but mine old training served me vell enough, I moved like a shade past the guards and the massed Emeralds and Royal Army; fools, the training of the Ancient Black Roses made their pathetic attempts at vatchposting useless. In no time I vas at the site and had gathered the goods, a Royal Army man broke in on me but afore he could even draw his svord I wrapped mineself in shadow and vas gone. I reached to the mind of Shade and alerted him. It vas then that mine Childe Konrad found me, called to me by the deep bond of the Covenant. A fit a dought fighter he is trained under Kamir and mineself in the old vay, It vas good to have him at mine back. Soon enough the box vas vith Shade, opened and the goods taken. Ve all made haste to Yew and handed the evidence over to Rahl. Then, then the Maddness began. I have never liked the Vinery, Kamir and I pulled back there during the first battle of Yew, the gore, the dead, I hate that place. Yet here I vas thre again and tvice in von eve, must history alvays repeat. That question vas answered soon enough. While Rahl looked over the goods the Emeralds and their allys svarmed us, I bid Konrad to leave at vonce, I have lost too many I cared for in that damned hall afore. Konrad left but jest skirted the position, ahhh if I had only had that von in the old days. Then the talking began, useless of course, any soldier could see vhat the Emeralds ver there for, and it vasnt a plesant chat. In the midst of the parley the obvious happened, the enemy grew tired and some young pup shot, that vas the spark that set the tinder. I looked over and saw Kamir come racing in... Kamir, Kamir why must ve live that day again. Then time grew slow, it vas the first Battle al over again, mine svord cutting though foes like a scythe through vheat, Kamir's bow singing its fell song, Rahl somevhere in the back fighting as best as he could for his father, Black rose armor glistening vith blood and bile and all around us Death holding svay. Ve cut them down, down to the ground and took the door jest as ve had so long ago, varriors to the left and right archers to the back the last mage holding in the reins of his arcane art. The Doorvay became a portal to hell for any foolish enough to draw to close. The bodies piled up, and then I heard it, the call I could naught make so long ago, the option ve didnt have that day, Sand screamed out: Open the portal! As Konrad and I cut into an archer I saw it open, the portal I had prayed for so long ago, the portal that could have saved mine men's lives.... I heard mine own voice, no longer in mine control, Giving the order I had vaited almost 400 years to give: Black Roses Ve Are Leaving!!!! ve hit the shimmering force head on, Sandoval, Galanon, Konrad, Kamir, Private Stryke and the half elven Jas, ohh how battle makes strange bed fellows, but his aim vas quick and his honor fine, all of us out and avay. But I'll tell you this and you can amrk it true.. afore I hit the Portal, I looked back at the door to see vhy the Emeralds hadn't svarmed in after us and thre in the doorvay stood rank upon rank of the Black Rose, all fine and fit in their ancient armor, the men, mine men, I nodded at my old friends and then hit the Portal. Master Sgt. Myca Vodyanoy Commander First Warders, Alpha Company, Ret. Post scriptum: It is the recomdation of Mst. Sgt Myca Vodyanoy rtr. that commedation be given to the following men for service above and beyond the call of duty Master Sgt. Sandoval, Corporal Galanon, Private Stryke and that the following men recieve the Black Rose medal of honor: Heart of Stark, Jas Lightstryder Wisdom of Stark, Bakara Gynn