Nova Terra- Greymane

by Seth Ring

*ding*

  Title: [Moon Temple Inheritor]

  You have been chosen as the Inheriting Disciple of the Temple of the Moon. Unless you lose this position, you will be treated by all Wolfkin as the next leader of the temple.

  Slowly the radiance around the wolf faded leaving behind the worn stone statue. The bright moon in the sky lost some of its silver luster and the cloudless sky began to fill with dark clouds again. With a slight pop, the shining ward disappeared and Elder Havva lifted his head toward the sky with a sigh.

  Fumbling around for his cane, he rose to his feet. Captain Del’har saw him struggling to stand and hastened to help the elder Wolfkin to stand. Around them, the collapsed Wolfkin struggled to get to their feet.

  “Greetings, Lord Greymane.” His attitude totally different, Elder Havva bowed his head slightly as he faced Thorn. “We have much to discuss regarding the words the Great Wolf spoke.”

  *ding*

  The True Lord Greymane: Complete

  The elder of the Temple of the Moon has recognized you as the appointed representative of the Temple of the Moon and as Lord Greymane. Through your trial by combat and the words of Hati, god of Night, you have convinced them that you are the rightful holder of the Greymane title.

  Rewards: Allegiance of the Wolfkin

  Asking Captain Del’har to help organize the Wolfkin who were still trying to recover from the corruption the Madness of the Moon brought, Thorn and Elder Havva sat down for a long talk. Settling himself on his rock seat, Thorn tried to wait as patiently as possible for the elderly Wolfkin who was sitting in silence.

  It was obvious that the Temple Elder was having trouble adjusting to what had happened. Thorn did not know if it was the fact that the temple’s Head Disciple had turned against the teachings of the temple, embracing Karrandras the Betrayer’s power. Or maybe it was the fact that Hati had manifested, speaking directly to Elder Havva. Either way, Thorn was on a tight schedule and was getting a bit impatient.

  “Congratulations, Lord Greymane.” Thorn was about to start speaking, when the elder began to talk. His voice was strained, but as he continued his tone evened out and gained strength. “You have successfully passed the ritual trial and will be properly recognized as the Greymane. The Great Wolf has also granted you the mantle of the Inheritor.”

  “What is that about?” Thorn scratched his head.

  “To properly understand all of this, please allow me to give you an overview of the temple. That should make it easier to understand. The Temple of the Moon has a simple ruling structure. A single Temple Elder rules over the temple. In this generation, I am the Temple Elder. You might think of the Temple Elder position as an Abbot. I oversee the direction of the temple, help make executive decisions and approve rewards and punishments.

  “Under the Temple Elder are the four Path Masters, each ruling one of the four courts. The courts are divided into the Dusk Court, Full Moon Court, New Moon Court, and Dawn Court. Inside the courts are the Chamberlains, Deacons, Night Walkers, and Disciples. Each court is responsible for overseeing one of the martial forms practiced by the disciples of the Temple of the Moon. When a new disciple is admitted to the temple, they choose a martial form and join the associated court. This determines what role they will take in the temple and what their training will be like.

  “Your position in the temple is a bit different, since you are both the inheritor and Lord Greymane. The position of Inheritor is held by the disciple who is marked to succeed the Temple Elder as the next leader of the temple. For you to hold the title of Greymane as well as the title of Inheritor grants you significant responsibility and authority.”

  “I meant to ask about that.” Thorn frowned lightly as he thought through what Elder Havva had told him. “What is the role of Greymane? I thought that Lord Greymane was the name of the individual who ruled the valley?”

  “Really, the position of Greymane is comprised of two parts.” Elder Havva gestured to the ring on Thorn’s finger. “The first part is the appointed title, held by the bearer of the ring. The last temple appointed Greymane was corrupted many years ago and fled the valley, taking the ring with him. The second part of the position is the ruler of the valley, also called Lord Greymane by the people of the valley. To truly hold the title of Greymane, one must have both the ring and take possession of the Wolf Throne in Greymane Keep.

  “Historically, the temple was divided into two sides. There was a public side and a reclusive side. The temple itself did not involve itself in any mortal affairs, sitting apart from the world. However, as part of their training, all disciples would spend a period of time in the world as Night Walkers. The Greymane was not only the public Elder, but also led the Night Walkers. Greymane Keep was the place the Night Walkers lived while outside the temple and acted as the public temple. According to the ancient law, the Greymane is the public facing Temple Elder.”

  “Hold on, doesn’t that mean that if I am both Greymane and Inheritor, I’ll eventually be both the public and private Temple Elder?”

  “Yes.” Elder Havva gave a long sigh. “The elders are called the Full Moon Elder and the New Moon Elder. You are already the Full Moon Elder since you hold the title of Greymane. That is why only I, as the New Moon Elder, am able to challenge you.”

  “Huh.” Scratching his head, Thorn was lost for words. For a moment silence fell over the hut where they were sitting as the two temple elders looked at each other.

  “Regardless, we should now discuss the reason you came.” Shaking his head, as if it could get rid of the depression that shrouded him, Elder Havva changed the topic.

  “Sure.” Thorn straightened and leaned forward slightly. “A few days ago I cleared the current Greymane Keep. From what I understand, the existing castle was built on the ruins of the Temple of the Moon. My goal in coming here is to gather the Wolfkin, leading them back to the valley to rebuild the temple. The valley will be gaining a spawn point and I think it is a good opportunity for the temple to rejoin the world. I have all the resources necessary to rebuild the temple apart from the workers and I was hoping that you would be able to help with that.”

  “Very well, we shall join you.” Without pausing Elder Havva nodded his head.

  “Uh.” Stunned, Thorn could only stare at the Temple Elder for a moment. He had expected some sort of negotiation and had planned out numerous convincing reasons why it would make sense for the Wolfkin to join him. In the face of Elder Havva’s calm acceptance they all fell flat, leaving Thorn tongue-tied.

  “Don’t be too surprised.” Elder Havva shook his head with another drawn out sigh. “You are the Greymane, your words carry weight equal to mine. You have shown yourself to be a warrior beyond compare in the holy trial. That alone grants your voice power. You have joined the Temple of the Moon, an honor never before granted to one of another race. You joined by the command of our god no less, showing that you have Hati’s favor upon you. You have taken up the mantle of the Avatar of Hati, becoming Hati’s voice among us, tying yourself to our race with a bond that cannot be broken.”

  Slowly rising to his feet, Elder Havva made his way to the door of the hut, leading Thorn out into the main square. The Wolfkin had gathered into a group on the stone ring, standing before the altar in neat rows. The elder blinked his muddled eyes as he watched them.

  “Our people have dwindled over time. There are less than six hundred of us left, with only three hundred warriors. The mountains are good for hiding but they do not allow for growth. Since you have cleared the werewolf threat, it is time for our race to venture out. We will either flourish, or we will die. Either way, we will follow you.”

  Taking in the crowd of Wolfkin, each standing over a large pack filled to the brim with their possessions, Thorn could not help but swallow. Everything they owned was on their backs. Even the statue of Hati that had watched over the stone ring was being carried with them. Bright eyes filled with excitement and anticipation stared at him from the crowd. Children peeked at him from be
hind their parent’s legs and elderly Wolfkin bent with age smiled excitedly. Facing the clear expectation of the crowd, the importance of what he was doing settled on Thorn.

  To Thorn, this was a game. A series of quests whose failure would not, ultimately, mean much. He could simply try his best and not worry about the result. His life was settled and secure. The staring eyes of the assembled Wolfkin told him that their lives were anything but. They were walking away from their homes, their lives, to follow him. Their hopes, their ambitions, were no longer their own. Instead, they were betting on him, pinning those hopes on the giant in front of them.

  “Salute the lord.” Captain Del’har’s voice rang out. With a loud thud, all six hundred Wolfkin fell to one knee, saluting Thorn together. “

  “We greet Lord Greymane!”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  The voices of the bowing Wolfkin echoed off the mountain. Shaking his head slightly, as if to get rid of the weight, Thorn gestured for his new subjects to rise. Taking a small step forward, he summoned his armor. Streaks of pale silver covered his body as his armor materialized, the wolf motifs glinting in the moonlight.

  “I am Thorn, Lord Greymane, the Moon Wolf, Avatar of Hati, Inheriting Disciple of the Temple of the Moon. Tonight, I will lead you back to Greymane Valley. Back to your home. Together we will rebuild the Temple of the Moon and reestablish the order of the Night Walkers. You have persevered through the generations, holding fast to the ancient laws, serving Hati faithfully. The work will be hard and we will face many enemies, but under the light of Hati’s eye we will be victorious.”

  Cheering, the crowd shouldered their packs and turned to follow Captain Del’har who led the way toward the valley. Thorn marched among them, his tall figure sticking out above them. As they moved, Thorn realized that the Wolfkin were well suited to travel. Even the young children could run well, their long legs allowing them to keep up.

  Rather than walk, the entire group jogged forward at a distance eating pace, reminding Thorn of marathon runners. The group accelerated and decelerated as one, spurring one another on. In the middle of the group, Thorn had no trouble matching their tempo, as if an unseen chord bound them all together. At the front, Captain Del’har led the way,

  [Pack Travel]

  Wolves can travel extraordinary distances with little energy. When you travel with other members of your order you only spend a tenth of the energy and can travel 50% faster, regardless of the terrain.

  A little bit of searching soon revealed the truth. One of the abilities that Thorn had gained from his class granted him faster travel speed while moving with other disciples from the temple. Curious about the other abilities that he had gained, Thorn pulled up his status.

  Name: [Thorn]

  Race: [Titan]

  Health: [100%]

  Mana: [100%]

  Titles: [Battle Mad], [Wolfsbane], [Lord Greymane, the Moon Wolf], [Friend of the Earth], [Inheritor]

  Class: [Disciple]

  Mastery: [None]

  Allegiance: [Temple of the Moon]

  Abilities: [Wolf Lord’s Howl], [Avatar of the Wolf], [Call the Pack], [Blessing of the Moon], [Presence of the Wolf Lord], [Martial Form: Unselected], [Basic Weapons Mastery], [Pack Travel]

  On top of the [Inheritor] title that he had earned, the three abilities that his class had granted him were listed. Thorn also noticed that rather than showing his conditions, his status now showed his class instead. Under his class he also found a line listing his allegiance as [Temple of the Moon]. Making a mental note to ask Velin about how allegiances worked, Thorn turned to his new abilities.

  The first ability granted by his new class was [Martial Form]. According to what Elder Havva had said, there were four martial forms taught by the temple. Each form corresponded to one of the four different courts of the temple and focused on a different set of skills. When a disciple first entered the temple they would be assigned to a court. After gaining proficiency in the skills of that court, disciples would graduate to be Night Walkers and would leave the Temple of the Moon to wander, beginning their fight against evil.

  Selecting the ability, Thorn was not surprised to see four windows pop up. He passed the time as they hiked through the mountains by reading through them one at a time. [Disciple] was an interesting class because it did not belong to a single category. Instead, the category of the class changed depending on which Court, and form, the disciple chose. Each form taught a proficiency and an active skill and, upon mastery, led to a Two Category Class.

  Dusk Form - Support

  Disciples who learn the Dusk Form pursue the path of the scout. Fleet of foot, these disciples scout the enemy, setting ambushes and traps or flanking with deadly showers of razor tipped arrows. Few, enemy or ally, can match the wolves of the Dusk Form.

  Abilities gained:

  [Ranged Combat Proficiency]

  [Wolf’s Speed]

  Mastery Path: Dusk Walker

  Initially attracted by the [Ranged Combat Proficiency], Thorn could only laugh as he thought of himself setting traps or trying to hide for ambushes. While he really liked the idea of being a highly mobile archer, it did not seem overly practical, considering his size.

  Full Moon Form - Combat

  Disciples who learn the Full Moon Form pursue the path of the warrior. The main force of the Night Walkers come from the stalwart Full Moon Court. Trained in the use of armor and weapons, these tough as nails warriors drive their enemies before them relentlessly.

  Abilities gained:

  [Heavy Armor Proficiency]

  [Wolf’s Toughness]

  Mastery Path: Full Moon Walker

  Dismissing the window, Thorn frowned slightly as he scanned the side of the mountain, watching the steady stream of Wolfkin in front of him. Even though they were currently climbing a steep slope the group kept up a quick pace, only slightly slower than a jog. The Full Moon Form seemed to fit very well with his current abilities, though Thorn did not feel like he needed more toughness. Between his racial abilities and his size, Thorn felt pretty tough compared to most people.

  Plus, as the Avatar of Hati, he already had magical armor that did not require any proficiencies. While he could not deny the appeal of the combat category, Thorn was confident that he did not need a class to be able to stand toe to toe with even the best warriors. Smirking at the memory of his most recent fight, Thorn pulled up the next form.

  New Moon Form - Utility

  Disciples who learn the New Moon Form pursue the path of the Assassin. Unseen and deadly, the disciples of the New Moon Court ply their deadly work in the darkest shadows. Trained to disrupt and demoralize, these lone wolves combine their excellent senses and stealth training to gather information and deliver fatal strikes to their enemies.

  Abilities gained:

  [Stealth Proficiency]

  [Wolf’s Sense]

  Mastery Path: New Moon Walker

  The opposite of the direct Full Moon Form, the New Moon form suited Thorn even less. After spending a couple fanciful minutes imagining himself turning invisible and popping out behind people, Thorn closed the window. As cool as it would be to take the path of an assassin, it was not his destiny.

  Dawn Form - Leadership

  Disciples who learn the Dawn Form pursue the path of the commander. Inspiring their allies with speeches and issuing commands on the battlefield are only two of the many ways that Disciples of the Dawn lead their fellow disciples to victory. Disciples of the Dawn make the best diplomats, leaders, traders, and strategists.

  Abilities gained:

  [Oration Proficiency]

  [Rallying Cry]

  Mastery Path: Dawn Walker

  The Dawn Form was the form with the greatest appeal to Thorn at the moment. He had been leaning toward finding a leadership class and this seemed to fit the bill nicely. Bonuses to speech and cognitive buffs would be helpful, not only in leading the Wolfkin, but in his efforts to put together his own team. It had become more and
more apparent to Thorn that if he wanted to leave a lasting impact on the world of Nova Terra, he was going to have to gather others around him and taking the Leadership path would help with that.

  The [Oration Proficiency] intrigued him so he opened the description.

  [Oration Proficiency]

  The tongue has power beyond even the sharpest of swords if applied properly. A single word can calm a turbulent wind or ignite a firestorm. Empires have risen and fallen through the words of their rulers.

  You are an Orator, a practiced, experienced speaker. You know how to parry the strongest of strikes, to turn aside the most dangerous attacks, to avoid the tightest traps, and to steer through the strongest verbal storms. Others are more likely to take what you say seriously and to agree with you. At the same time, you gain increased resistance to verbal persuasion.

  [Rallying Cry]