Fires of a dead Fenix – 1 – Jeansen Vaars' Fiction House

Cover image by donmalo, Ferryman

In this short story game, I am trying to set up a dark-ages inquisition game with monsters and magic. It is going to be primarily magic, and the aspects of the game will be Darkness Returning and Dark Ages of Mighty Corrupt Powers.

I will be giving using GMA Fantasy and Horror Oracles this time, with FATE Accelerated as the basis RPG. Enjoy!

Lord Inquisitor Nfaethius from Pfaar

Anxious black horse, tied up just to the side of the long stairs of Temple of Zayed. Heavy footsteps on the broken marble of the old structure.

Black robes covering a reinforced leather armor behind, a long sword on his belt, and a bag with small potions and herbs.

Large, heavy double doors open with a strong crackling noise, cold air coming from inside, clashing with the grim cold outside. A large, empty hall with just the light coming from the crystallized windows, at evening.

Scene 1: Baptism of Fire

– “Lord Inquisitor Nfaethius Such an honor to have you in our humble temple.” greets Priest Baptolomeus.
– “Greetings. Where can I find Cardinal Tholos?”
– “He is with our Lord Protector, my Lord”

Nfaethius looks around, disappointed. Releases a short breath.

– “But, we are not unprepared, my lord. In fact, our temple visionaries advanced us from your coming. So we have something for you”, rushed the Priest, a bit nervous. “Bring him in!”

The priest’s call echoes in the large, dark blue colored hall of the Temple of the old God Zayed, the Protector. Two boys in hoods open a heavy metal door on the left corner of the hall, and a Large man brings a prisoner, in chains, naked with his head broken of tiredness and sliding feet in the cold rocks.

– “Who is this?” says Nfaethius, approaching the prisoner, raising his head with his right head”

[Is the prisoner conscious? (likely) -> No]

The priest nervously approaches, grabbing a cup of blessing water, and pours it on the prisoner’s head. The large guard then proceeds to shake the prisoner with the chains, until this wakes up.

– “Give me that water”, imposes the Inquisitor Nfaethius.
– The priest, confused, proceeds.
– “This man is of no use to me dead of thirst, you fools”. The Inquisitor proceeds to give the man, the blessed water for actual drinking. The priest, astonished
– “That is no drinking water! That is HOLY, Blessed Water of Zayed!”
– “When you find Zayed, tell him he owns me something” – Ends abruptly the Inquisitor.
– The prisoner coughs after the first sips, and proceeds to wake “thank you, thank you”.
– “Of what, are you accused?”
– “He was the one to…”, “Shut up. I am asking him” – Interrupted the Inquisitor
– “I am accused of setting on fire the town of Creya, m’Lord. But it was not me, I insist. It was the wrath of the gods. I saw them myself”
– “Why were you accused of that?”
– “The first fire was seen on the Crematorium of Creya, my place of work”
– “How did the gods start the fire?”

[Catalyst → A miracle]

The prisoner looks at the Inquisition, opens his eyes in an effort, and says almost perfectly, as if quoted:

“The Fire came pouring from the sky, a large growling crow took the shape of fire, and with a smile of hatred, it opened its mouth and exhaled not air, but fire, from which it owns wings turned into fire, and said the Gods: this shall be the price of your lies. The crow, entered the Crematorium of Creya, and disappeared.”

– “He is nothing but a heretic! A lunatic! He deserves to die!”, screams the Priest in anger.
– “No one is dying here, today, priest. Take well care of this prisoner until I come back. Where can I find the rest of the survivors of the fire?”
– “They are in quarantine, my lord. The Lord Protector ordered it so.
– “Where?”

[Location: Faerie Ring]

“The district of Faering, my lord!”
“And the Lord Protector, and Cardinal Tholos?”
“They are in Creya, m’Lord, cleansing the land!”

Scene 2: District of Faering

Nfaethius goes to the District of Faering, where survivors of yesterday’s fire can be found. They are doing camp in a large park of dried grass, with a dry fountain in the middle, holding a large statue of angels of the old. The weather is cold, foggy and with a weak but annoying wind.

[What is going on in there right now? → Enslave, Immaculate, Knowledge]
[Scene is altered anyhow? → No]

A large crowd of people, sitting down on different places, rocks and improvised camps, or on the floor, while groups of preachers traverse their place with torches: “Regret your sins!” can be heard repeated over, and over.

Nfaethius will investigate and ask around people.
[Careful (3) → Success (4)]
[A Sight → A Pile of dead birds]
[A Smell → Drying paints…]
[A Place → Farmland]

Nfaethius learns that before the fire, at dawn, a pile of dead birds was seen on a farm, south of Creya. The guards were informed. He also learned from a kid, that some houses had paintings that were never seen there before, and they were dry as if old, with strange symbols. Nfaethius will look for a capable person, to come with him, that knows the town of Creya.

[Does he find anyone? (Unlikely → Yes)]
[Name → Khalea]
[Virtue → Courage]
[Belongings → Pet supplies, Collar of Protection]

Khalea lived in Creya her hole life. She joined the huntsman along his brother, who is now lost to the fire. She will be looking for his brother back in town, so she accepts coming with the Inquisitor as a guide. She has a companion Puma, who helped her escape the fire, although she was badly hurt because of her collapsing house.

Scene 3: The Path to Creya

– “You are one of those Inquisitors of Pfaar, aren’t you? We are in Quarantine for Heresy…”
– “Yes”
– “My grandfather told me some stories of your organization. You were summoned here?”
– “No. We chose to come”
– “But, how do you know things are happening?”
– “We dream of them. I did.”
– “So, something bad is happening then…”
– “Not necessary. Sometimes, we can be wrong.”
– “Does it feel like this time, something is happening?”
– “We’ll know soon. Us humans are to blame, however”
– “So, we are condemned.”
– “No. The Church of Paragon. It is not following the right principles of Old anymore…”

[Does something happen on the way? → No]

– “How do you feel, with those dreams?” – Khalea asked, surprising the Inquisitor with the question
– “I feel unrest. And cannot sleep. I feel danger”
– “Must be a bad feeling, to feel like that at all times…”
– “It is”
– “Does it go away once you solve the problem?”
– “If the problem can be killed, yes. Most times, however, it is not the case”
– “So, you live in fear all your life?”
– “We learn to endure it. We journal our feelings and dreams to the Scribes of Pfaar, and they help us understand them, in exchange, to not make fear and pain our own feeling”
– “Does it help?”
– “It does. But until we figure out the root, we have to carry on with the sorrow…”