Ios the Seer (that be you) : People of Moorgate hear me! I
bring ill tidings of what was and what is to come!
I was in my study going over my star charts and began to feel a bit dizzy. I
blinked my eyes and there standing before me was Anyana, Herself! I bowed to Her
and she lifted up my head to meet Her gaze.
"Ios," She said to me. "Ios, I bring to thee visions of then,
now, and what will be. Look into my eyes, Ios."
I did as She commanded and She gave me the first vision
I was across the Southern Ocean in a land called Tyrnok. I stood in a bedchamber
two score years ago and gazed upon a sleeping King and his Queen. I saw the
Specter of Death steal into the chamber I was scared but He could not see me. I
then saw Death enter the King awakening him.
The King's eyes we like that of an animal's and I knew that Death was
controlling him.
The King then took his wife most violently. I closed my eyes but I could still
see. When He was through, blood poured from his eyes and mouth and then the King
died. The Queen lay unconscious from the agony of what had just happened.
I closed my eyes and found myself in the bedchamber watching the Queen give
birth. Her howls of pain were awful to hear. The midwives looked fearful for
they knew something was wrong. The queen was bleeding heavily. Suddenly, her
eyes became like a furnace and she said without a trace of pain,
"You will call my son Shaxul."
With that, she expired. The midwives had to cut the baby from the Queen's womb.
I found myself back in my study, Anyana looking down upon me. She wiped the
tears from my eyes and said to me, "Ios, I have shown you what was. Now,
Ios, look into My eyes."
And I did as she commanded me to .
I found myself flying over Moorgate, over the sea to the southern land of Tyrnok.
I came upon a great and corrupt city. Black ships resting in the harbor, waiting
to start a journey.
I saw them loaded with provisions. I saw foul Ogres, unlike any in our beloved
land of Cosrin. Larger they were, and they possessed an intelligence which their
brutish cousins in Cosrin do not have.
I saw them board the black ships. I wondered where they were going.
I then saw a horse. The horse was black as pitch and quite large. I squinted but
I could not clearly see it's rider. They too boarded a ship and the ships sailed
out of the harbor, away to the North.
I found myself again in my study, Anyana looking down upon me. She laid a hand
upon my shoulder to ease my shaking and said to me, "Ios, I have shown you
what is. Now, Ios, look into my eyes.
A third time I did as she commanded
I was floating over Moorgate. My beautiful city was besieged. The Invaders were
the very same ogres I had seen. They were led by a man in black armour. Tall he
his black hair hung from underneath his helm.
I saw that his helm was a skull. I began to know fear. Surly this man was the
infant who's terrible birth I witnessed.
He rode up to the gate and commanded to Moorgate's guards, "Bring to me the
one who carries Fate's Vessel! Bring him to me and I will spare your city!"
The Guard's fought valiantly to no avail. For soon the city's gates fell and The
Invaders entered the town, slaughtering all in their path. It seemed their
leader was following a scent. He seemed to know where he was going. They
rampaged down Brent Street meeting the Knights of Cosrin there and a fierce
battle ensued. The knights fought with great valor but even with the peaceful
shaman healing them as they fell, they were forced back.
The horde made it's way down Copper Walk and came upon the Thieves Guild. The
Guild was fastened shut and it's roofs lined with it's archers. Here they
stopped and their leader called up to them
"Bring to me the one who carries Fate's Vessel. Bring him to me and I will
let you flee."
The archers replied with a volley of poisoned arrows, which were soon joined, by
the arrows from Moorgate's Rangers. Many of The Foul Horde were slain, and as
they fell, their leader laughed.
"So be it! "he yelled up at them. "SO BE IT!!"
The corpses of the slain began to rise up. I looked at the Army of Death in
horror and I realized that not only were they the slain of The Horde, their
ranks also swelled with Moorgate's Fallen.
I was overcome with horror and cried out for Kali to save us.
I once again found myself in my study, looking up at Anyana. She lifted me to my
feet and said to me,
"Ios, I have shown you what is to come."
"M' Lady ," I cried, " Why have you shown me this? What is the
reason for these terrible Visions?"
She gave me a sad smile and She said to me. "Ios, only Kali can change the
Past. Kali will not do that."
As I recalled the Specter of Death spilling his foul seed into the young queen,
I shuddered.
And Anyana said to me, "Ios, what is happening now cannot be undone. Ios, I
gave you my sight, because the Future is not etched into stone."
As she started to fade from my sight, she said this "Fore warned is fore
armed, you must share what you have witnessed." And with that, she was
gone.
And now I tell you my countrymen. Death walks the world in the form of a man.
For if He takes Fate's Vessel. Then we are doomed. He will turn our land into a
foul wasteland, we shall pray for death to take us to Kali's sweet embrace, and
it will not happen. Damned we will be!
I beg the one who is charged with keeping The Vessel to take it and bury it deep
where none will find it.
I have seen the brave and great defenders of Moorgate crucified. I have seen
them suffer and die only to be reanimated so their suffering be prolonged for
standing against The Invaders.
I have seen my beloved Moorgate laid to waste.
I pray that Kali take me before I witness this a second time.
I tell you He is coming. Even now A foul wind blows into our harbor from the
South