A Swiftail in Antonica

The life of an Iksar Monk is difficult across the Norrathian landscape, universally hated outside of Cabilis, traveling carries an added danger with inhabitants and guards of all other races eager to slay them without provocation, just because they are different. Taelon had no quarrel with the guards and residents of Freeport, yet they glared at him threateningly, so he chose to increase his faction with the good people in and around Freeport.

By slaying hundreds of Deathfist Orcs and collecting their belts, and with the help of a friendly Druid who changed his appearance to that of a wolf, he was able to turn in over 40 belts to Captain Hazran behind the West Freeport Militia headquarters. The residents and guards still regarded him dubiously in his natural form, but at least he was able to walk unmolested past the guards and merchants in the East and West commonlands as well as the southern areas of the human city of Freeport by his 30th season. Still he was hated by the paladins of North Freeport, they scowled at him and were ready to attack. Cursing the fact that they guarded the bank and the surrounding area, he vowed that someday he would find a way to be able to bank there, thus opening the opportunity to participate in the buying of selling of goods in the 24 hour bazaar in the East Commons tunnel.

Many seasons passed, he had completed the Quests the Swiftail Masters set before him and had acquired his Shackle of Steel. From time to time he would visit the commonlands and many more Orcs died to the fury of his fists, still the paladins would not allow him free passage into North Freeport. Eventually he discovered that completing the initial quest to attain the White Sash of Order from the human monks in West Freeport would increase his faction with the paladins of North Freeport. Gathering dozens of snake fangs, bone chips, and twice their number of Deathfist Orc Scalps he approached Velan Torresk of the Ashen Order. Turning in the required items, he was rewarded with the White Sash of Order, he then repeated the procedure over 40 times.

This simple task raised his faction not only with the monks of the Ashen Order, but also the Silent Fist Clan (monks in Qeynos) and the Knights of Truth. The paladins finally regarded him dubiously, allowing him access to the bank in North Freeport. Soon after that, he acquired the necessary items and completed the remaining Ashen Order Quests and received the Yellow, Orange, Red Sash of Order. Highly regarded as an Ally with the Ashen Order and with the strength, resolve, and maturity that he had acquired through his 50 seasons, he knew that soon he would need to make the long journey to Qeynos to befriend the Silent Fist Clan monks as well.

Now a Disciple, Taelon traveled beyond the Karanas and past the distant hills of Qeynos to revisit the gnoll stronghold of BlackBurrow. He slayed hundreds of the foul beasts including Elite Guards, Commanders, High Shaman, and even the SplitPaw Commanders that hid within the deepest recesses of the underground network of tunnels and caves. He acquired many gnoll pelts, and allowed a young acquaintance to acquire a full suit of cloth armor and over 60 gnoll fangs, but he wasn't able to retrieve an intact gnoll skin that he knew he would need to give to a master of the Silent Fist Clan. Eventually he grew weary of the lack of challenge within the burrow, and decided to journey on to the nearby human city of Qeynos, to see if the slaying of many hundreds of gnolls had gained him favorable status with the residents and guards there. It was also time to visit the Silent Fist Clan to receive the Quests necessary to attain the White, Yellow, Orange, Red, and finally Purple Headbands.

Gazing upon the stone fortifications at the north end of the city, he observed the guards from a distance and found them to be glowering dubiously. He proceeded cautiously past the guard houses and entered the human city, soon passing between Crows Pub and the trading post without incident. Close to a pond and with the monks guild on the hill before him, he heard a yell of hostility and saw a Lieutenant charging towards him. Taelon feigned death as the Lieutenant came within striking distance. Confused, yet alert and ready to strike at the slightest provocation, Lieutenant Dagarok stood over the seemingly lifeless body.

Minutes seemed like hours as he lay there waiting for the Lieutenant to return to his post or continue his patrol, but the corrupt Qeynos guard lingered, seemingly rooted to the spot. The voice of his masters echoed in Taelons' head to use this time to meditate upon the tasks and challenges ahead, the path to becoming a grandmaster was still an arduous one. Perhaps it was due to the lateness of the hour, or maybe the hours occupied with the mind-numbing task of gnoll slaying, or possibly the fact that although obviously a formidable opponent, Dagarok did not appear to be a gamble, Taelon grew impatient as he waited for the guard to move away. The Silent Fist guildhouse was in sight across the pond, he wanted to finish his journey by meeting and speaking with the monks, then he could rest his weary head. From past experience he knew that often times a creature wouldn't continue it's normal course of action if it only moved a short distance from it's original position. He reasoned that he should be able to jump up from his prone position and draw the guard 20 or 30 feet farther away from his post, then he could re-feign and the guard would move away to continue his patrol. It was probably a combination of all those reasons that caused Taelon to make what in hindsight was a rash decision.

A few more minutes passed without the guard moving or even turning away, the monk couldn't feel his tail any longer as he had been lying there all this time with it bent unnaturally under him. Taelon jumped to his feet and began his sprint past the entrance of Crows Pub, but the Lieutenant was equally fast and deadlier than he appeared. Before his heart could even beat the few times needed to circulate his blood back into his tail, Taelon fell again, this time not of his own choosing.

Reviewing the events of those few fateful seconds showed:



1582 damage in just a couple seconds!