“My lady, the latest reports from the augurs are… confusing,” reported the Deep Dweller attendant.

“Just spit it out. I’m due to meet with this Vice Guild master in the next few minutes. I’m appalled that I would even need to bother with her, but the Adventurers Guild was owed a favor. What news from the augurs? Have they found this Deacon yet?” asked Venita of house Hascavir.

“They just keep repeating the same three words over and over again. Dragon, monkey, and catastrophe. It makes no sense. There are no dragons in the area and monkey’s are not native to this land. Catastrophe could mean anything, my lady,” responded the servant eyes locked on the floor in front of him.

“Pure nonsense. They spend too much time surrounded by those fumes. Probably melted their brains. Tell the kitchen to make me a snack. I like to snack as I crush peoples hopes. Then inform the Vice Guild master to wait an additional ten minutes. At that time see her into my studio. Quickly now,” Venita said as she clapped her hands.

Venita stood up from the lounger she was in facing the panoramic windows of her sitting room. Each wall had at least one of her paintings hanging from them. The frames were the best quality the craftsmen could create. Nothing but the best for the first daughter of house Hascavir. The rain had finally come and there was still much to do. Once she was done with this nuisance from the guild, she could go back to choosing which noble families would survive the next few days to serve her in the new world. Once Priestess Ruby claimed the surface world as her own, Venita would be the queen of her new kingdom.

With that thought she stood up smoothing out her new dress and heading toward the door. Out in the carpeted hall with hanging chandeliers every ten feet, were a line of servants, heads downcast and eyes on the floor. Too meet her gaze was to draw attention to yourself. That was a house rule no servant would break. When you are needed you are called. Plain and simple. Venita passed several doors before stopping at the door to her studio. There was a passable facsimile of herself on the door. A beauty in repose. She snapped her fingers and a nearby servant opened the door for her. She strolled in seeing half finished pieces leaning against walls and four different stations, each with an easel. Upon the easel’s sat four blank canvases ready for her artistic endeavors. Next to them were several sets of paints and her favorite magical paint brushes.

Shortly after entering the room and centering herself a tray of food was placed on a nearby table. It held grapes, cheese, crackers, and an assortment of breads. She snacked a little before there was a knocking at the door.

“Enter,” she called.

The door swung open to reveal a distraught looking Sophie Turner. Her black cloak with the red rose pattern was slowly dripping water on the floor. The very sight of her made Venita sneer in contempt.

“Lady Venita. It is a pleasure to meet you. I’m –” Sophie began before being cut off.

“Sophie Turner, Vice Guild master from Iron Mountain Plateau. Here as an Adventurer’s Guild representative on behalf of Deacon, Champion of Chimera. Yes, I know who you are and why you’re here. Tell me, what do you think you’ll accomplish by having this audience?” Venita spat as she turned back to her canvas and the brush began painting.

“I only wish to convey that the charges against Deacon must be manufactured. He actually comes here at the behest of your Stone Council. On top of that we bring word of an invasion from the sea—” Sophie started up again, but Venita held up one hand.

“Yes, we know about the foolish pirates sailing into the storm. We have a fleet of our own ships, and they will hardly be a nuisance. You don’t run a port as large as ours without learning how to defend it. I would think with all those tattoos you’d spent a great deal of time at port. Back to the matter at hand. This champion you hold in such high regard is accused of sedition. Should he set foot within the city limits he is to be arrested and immediately brought up on charges. The only way to clear his name is within the council chambers itself,” Venita explained before turning back to look at Sophie. Brush still painting away behind her.

“But there is also the matter of the Goblins. They seem to be ranging unchecked in your lands—” Sophie tried again before being sharply interrupted, heat laced in Venita’s words.

“Now you listen to me, Vice Guild master. Goblins are my peoples most hated race. The very idea that we would allow such a thing is laughable. They can’t even see in sunlight. This is how these events are going to unfold. You will deliver your guildmate to the Stone Council. We will have a trial, although the outcome is already known. Once we pass judgement he will be executed for his crimes. If you don’t want us to throw every Adventurer’s Guild member out of our city, I suggest you deliver him to us quickly. There is no way out for him save death. I will give you twenty four hours, then I unleash the very motivated bounty hunters. Are we clear?” Venita spoke with finality turning back to her canvas.

“Crystal,” replied a sour faced Sophie.

“Then you are dismissed. Tell guild master Velmar her favor is all used up,” scoffed Venita without turning to see Sophie leave.

As Sophie walked through the halls on her way out, she lifted her right hand to her face from under her cloak.

“I hope you got all that,” she said into a stone in her hand.

Deacon didn’t feel like the rain was going to stop anytime soon. They were all gathered on the landing at the top of the stairs. Typhus was busy with the communication stone in the corner while Hani fell asleep. Tantus was examining the bowl he was given while Amanda was keeping watch. This area was just stone walls and metal steps. He had no idea how Hani could sleep on the cold steel grating.

For Deacon’s part, he decided to meditate. Not being as tired as the others, Deacon figured he could check in with Chimera. The last time they spoke it appeared like something big was happening with the gods. He took out a pillow from his bag and tried to get himself comfortable. Deacon steadied his breathing.

It wasn’t long before he reached that trance like state. Only this time he wasn’t in in personal universe. It was cold and everything around him had a green tinge to it. The walls were still stone, and everyone was still doing the same things as before. Tantus was staring at a bowl, Typhus was mumbling in the corner, Hani was sleeping, and Amanada was peeking out of the exit door. But they were all overlayed in pale green. Then Deacon felt a familiar presence.

“Finally. I didn’t know how long it would be before you meditated in a cemetery,” said the familiar voice.

Deacon looked around but didn’t see anyone else. Then he looked up. Floating pressed against the ceiling was the man in robes he’d met when Tantus inadvertently opened a portal to the Nether Plane. This was it. He had an opportunity to complete one of his oldest quests.

“Who are you?” Deacon asked standing.

“I’m Samhain. You wear my ring although we haven’t properly been introduced. I was the first mortal Nether Monk,” replied Samhain.

He sounded like he had been smoking Marlboros since he was nine. When he pulled his hood down Deacon could make out pointed Elven ears. His skin was a dark-brown and one of his eyes was filled with green Nether energy.

“Have you been the one talking to me every time I found myself in a graveyard? Pretty creepy,” Deacon said.

“Ha, I guess you could say that. I was hoping to speak with you, but you never seemed to be in a cemetery for the normal reasons. Nether Monks are supposed to calm spirits in places where the boundaries between the Nether and Mortal planes are thin. It helps keep hauntings down. We also act as a conduit for lost spirits to find their way to the afterlife. You don’t seem to do any of this. Who was your master?” Samhain asked.

“Wow. That’s a lot of new information. Sorry I didn’t have one. How do you keep finding me? Are you at like every cemetery?” Deacon pondered out loud.

“Nothing as fantastical as that. You wear my ring. It’s meant to lead you to my Toll. You don’t seem to know much about that either. Very strange. I’m very curious how you even learned about this class. Doesn’t much matter now. You are here and I can help you,” said Samhain as he floated down to join Deacon standing on the metal landing.

“Help me with what?” Deacon asked.

“If you have no master that means you don’t actually know our abilities. Things like cleansing cursed ground or closing gates to the Nether opened by unworthy mages. Our calling,” Samhain said with a smile.

“What about walking through battlefields and wiping out all the troops in an area? Yea I saw the vision the spirits gave me when I took this ring,” Deacon asked folding his arms and raising one eyebrow.

“I admit. I lost my way at one point. I paid the price for my… lack of foresight. The elemental monks punished me for interfering. I just couldn’t stand by and watch as the battles caused a thinning of the dimensional wall. I thought the best thing I could do would be to stop the fighting all together. Hubris,” replied a more sedate Samhain.

“So what now? You just spend your afterlife haunting me every time I come across a graveyard?” Deacon asked, wondering where this was headed.

“No. My offer to help still stands. There is a temple far to the north that housed the teachings of our order. I would hope it’s still intact, but you’ll need my Toll to get inside. I’m also fascinated by how you, a living mortal, was able to exist on the Nether Plane without immediately dying. Hold out your hand. I’ll teach you a helpful ability for getting around. No tricks, I swear,” Samhain said as he held his hand out palm up.

Deacon considered for a minute. He thought about his class and how different he’s been using these abilities. So far Samhain’s done nothing but talk to him and finish off an old enemy. He himself has been accused of being too quick to trust. Deacon decided to go for it and rely on his luck stat to keep him safe. He reached out for Samhain’s hand and received a prompt.

New Class Ability Unlocked: Grave Walker- Using Grave Walker the Nether Monk can travel from one known cemetery, grave marker, or tomb to another. This ability costs one hundred soul energy and will cover up to half the Nether Monk’s level in travelers per trip. Since this ability connects two points on the same plane using the Nether, it is exempt from Dimensional Sentinel scrutiny.

Quest Complete: Stranger in the Wastes- Find out who that stranger in the wastes was. Reward; New Class Ability- Grave Walker.