The Nodes of Mana - Introduction

I (Rufus) am getting to old for this. This time I had come down with some form of plague. I was resting at Landfall Castle when the sorcerer arrived.

He was a short, wizened figure wrapped in a dark cloak. We could not see his face because his hood was pulled low. He approached Lord Lancelot, who beckoned him to speak.

"I come to offer my regrets, Lord Lancelot."

Puzzled, Lancelot responded "Whatsoever for?"

"The destruction of Landfall Castle." the figure replied.

Well, that got everyone's attention.

The sorcerer then took a crystal ball from beneath his cloak and placed it on the table in front of Lancelot. We all gazed into it, and it seemed as if we were drawn into the scene that the ball displayed. We could see Landfall Castle in ruins, the Sentinels, dead, scattered throughout the stronghold.

"What does this mean?" I asked. "Does this ball show what will be?

"Not what will be but what may be. 'Tis shall happen if ye take no action."

"What kind of action?" asked Lancelot.

"To seek the Nodes of Mana."

We looked at each other, puzzled expressions on our faces. The sorcerer then explained the situation. Somehow, nine Nodes of Mana had been pulled into Caligo. In the wrong hands, they had the potential, the power, to wipe out Landfall Castle. But they were currently hidden throughout Caligo. Lancelot seized on this point.

"If they are hidden, how can they threaten us?"

The sorcerer replied: "Because the voidlings know how to find them."

My eyes grew wide with the tension. If the voidlings found those first, well words cannot describe the horror. Lancelot asked how to find the Nodes. The sorcerer showed him a map.

"Here," he said, "is the first Node. Find it and it shall lead thee to the others. But beware, for it is guarded."

"Guarded by what?"

"Ye shall see." stated with sorcerer, with a chuckle as he turned and strode from the hall.

Lancelot wasted no time. He called for the Sentinels to gather their gear and prepare for an expedition to retrieve the first Node.

OOC Notes

• This is an introduction to a new campaign I have introduced to Caligo. Every month during our Amtgard Day we will have a battle to claim one of the 9 Nodes. Once the Nodes are claimed? I have some ideas that I wish to keep secret for now.