Live to tell the tale
Mann Betler, Commander of the Service, disappeared in 759.II. He died during his expedition to try and take down an Elemental, a rare and mysterious magical creature that roams the lands of Boomal. However, the expedition has been short-lived, since only one of the 40 soldiers following him survived. The man has strayed in Faarie, telling the strange tale of how Mann met his faith in the hands of Sen, the goddess of Nature. For Sen is the mother of the elementals, and she would punish anyone who goes against her.
The Service has attempted to investigate the circumstances of Mann's death, to shed light on this controversial story. Its inquisitive efforts have gone all out to avoid the spread of rumours, but the tale has grown strong, and won't be forgotten.
Mann's death will be remembered as a wild mystery, and the mountains keep their secrets.
The Service has attempted to investigate the circumstances of Mann's death, to shed light on this controversial story. Its inquisitive efforts have gone all out to avoid the spread of rumours, but the tale has grown strong, and won't be forgotten.
Mann's death will be remembered as a wild mystery, and the mountains keep their secrets.
The inquiry
Leob was brought to the warlord's office. Warlord Reven II of Alewood was sitting in his chair, as Commander Iam Brigh installed the chained man on a small stool, facing the lord. Lord reven spoke first.- So, Leob… You got quite the story there, wandering around with your testimony. So, are you gonna tell us the same nonsenses, or will you explain what really happened?
-C'mon soldier, you can't possibly think that we're gonna believe that 'divine apparition' there ! The goddess is just an old myth, some old-fashioned paganism.
- Kalsh, this nonsense annoys me. Commander Iam! Take him to your office. You'll see that this man calms down. Have him tell us what he knows, but I forbid any violence. You'll complete the case report. I'll decide on further investigations later. Now, leave.
Case report of interrogation
On this afternoon of 759.II, 7th Ploeeii, first class soldier of the 4th Arm, Leob Rattle was heard and queried by Commander Iam Brigh, upon the case of the disappearance of Commander Mann Betler of the 4th Arm of the Service. Upon preliminary investigation, is had been reported that Mann Betler has disappeared during his last self-appointed mission, in the wild and uncovered massif of the Northern Saw chain. Mann was accompanied with his first special unit, consisting in 40 soldiers on duty. The official goal of the mission was: "Seek and destroy party of an elemental in the northern Blue sea". The edited testimony delivered to the Service by Leob Rattle is as follows:We were led north of Faarie. Our Commander had said that we were to hunt down an elemental. Among the troop, some said that it was insane, and that no one had ever managed to even come close of such creatures. But we trusted our commander in his guidance.
After thirty days of exhaustive march through the plains, and as we arrived at the foothills of the Northern Saw, we stumbled on the elemental whose tracks we had followed. It was a creature as I have never seen before. It was as tall as the central temple of Faarie, and it's whole humanoid body was made of the plain's grasses, dancing and waving in the wind. Mann quickly ordered us to shoot at will towards the creature. But as soon as the first arrows met the target, it shook fiercely, and with a deep and loud growl, it took the texture of thin air, and almost immediately disappeared. Its steps shook the ground as it was fleeing to the mountain.
Mann ordered us to keep going in the mountains. Several soldiers began to shout and object, claiming that it was insanely dangerous to penetrate the massif, but Commander Mann did not hear them. So, we entered an unknown valley. After two days of following the tracks of the elemental, we had gained a lot of altitude and began walking in snow.
The thick snow slowed us down alot, and our hunt was nothing close to successful. We started questioning more and more the legitimacy of the mission, but no one had the guts to oppose Mann's leadership.
At dusk of the third day in the mountains, as we had begun to set camp a hundred meters under a narrow mountain pass, the wind suddenly turned, and started to blow hard. We were very nervous. As I was focused in building our tent, my team leader raised his hand, and shouted a warning to the attention of Mann.
As the songs of wildlife stopped, and as the sun disappeared behind the mountain, the whole troup stood frozen, as we all felt like something was watching us…
Then, screams came from the team of [first-class soldier] Emma Eggy, which had gone to fetch wood for the campfire. The screams horrified us all, and I began to panic. At that moment, I suddenly felt like I was struck in the back by a huge mass of white and blue fur. I was thrown in a tree just below me. People in the troop started screaming and running. In the half-light, I saw multiple huge shadows, charging at them. Soon, only a few men had kept standing and tried to face the unknown threats attacking us. The Commander was standing in the middle. It seemed like, in this instant that I felt like an eternity, Mann himself did not understand what was happening. The shock was making me lose consciousness, and the last thing I saw was this huge, aetheral silhouette, that stood over the contour of Mann, as one of the beasts jumped on him and he disappeared in the snow.
Next thing I knew, it was early dawn, and I was still in the tree. As I came to my senses, I witnessed the carnage of last night. The camp was wrecked and covered in snow. There was not a single body anymore, but large traces of dried, frozen blood. The beasts had left large, blood-stained tracks.
As I tried to climb down the tree that seems to have saved my life, I felt severe pain in my left elbow. I ended up falling from the tree, but landing safely in the thick snow. Without an hesitation, I fled back to where we came from. I left the mountains as quickly as possible, fearing for my life.
Upon further interrogation of the examined, the "aetheral silhouette" is not provable to be caused by natural or magical illusion, nor by any kind of divine apparition. Unfortunately, Many people have heard and conveyed Leob Rattle's testimony. The priests of the Rebaari cult in Faarie are already spreading the tale to other temples and global newspapers. With no control over the veracity of the story, we are unable to shed light on the circumstances around the disappearance of Mann Betler.
Altogether, there is no real proof of desertion from the examined, so I advise decisional authority to drop charges on Leob Betler, and set him free, however with restraint on the question of letting him stay in the Service. I call for a discharge for Causa Traumati, under the warlord's decision.
Altogether, there is no real proof of desertion from the examined, so I advise decisional authority to drop charges on Leob Betler, and set him free, however with restraint on the question of letting him stay in the Service. I call for a discharge for Causa Traumati, under the warlord's decision.
The death of Mann
by Furilax
Spread
The tale of Mann's death has at first spread throughout the city of Faarie, where Mann's unit was based, and where Leob had come back and started to tell his testimony to various people.
Almost fourty years later, many believers of The Rebaal Pantheon have spread the story, as they think it is a proof of the existence of the gods. the tale is now known by many, thanks to the coverage of local newspapers and the pread by word of mouth in the Rebaari communities.
Cultural Reception
People who believe in the Rebaari gods understand the tale as a proof of the goddess Sen's power and control. On the other hand, most Kalendists highly dispute the religious interpretation of the tale. The Kalendic order has even ordered an official document from the Service to propose a logical interpretation, according to which Mann's party has been swept out by a pack of unknown predators.
The legend of Mann adds to the many tales that warn travellers away from the mountains. One cannot be safe in these lands of wilderness.
The legend of Mann adds to the many tales that warn travellers away from the mountains. One cannot be safe in these lands of wilderness.
Date of Setting
759.II, between Berelii and Floii.
Related Locations
Related Organizations
Comments