Challenged Reign
Unrest permeates Heathmoor. The Scorching Herald's fiery tales of battles past continue to spread; the Samurai of Dokuja's House massacred; the Arakure in revolt. The Khatun's peace threatens to tear apart at the seams.
Guljin's Last Resort
Guljin could feel her grip on the people loosening. To instill control, she needed a major show of force. Something that would get everyone to notice and cower in fear once more. Or rather… someone.
The Keeper's Mission
To carry out her will, Guljin has sent the Keeper of Chains out into the night with a crucial mission: to defeat a mysterious lord who has plagued the Western forests of Ashfeld and take him as her prisoner.
The Prize
Growing desperate, Guljin has sent her fearsome Keeper of Chains to cage a reclusive lord seldom seen but feared by most. Beyond his domain, brutal slayings have become far too frequent. He will make for the perfect prize.
Keeper of Chains
The Keeper of Chains is the warden of a bleak dungeon. His days are spent roaming its dirty, rust-ridden halls, overseeing his prisoners. Faint lantern glowing along the damp walls, he can be heard mumbling dark musings.
Before the Keeper (1)
Xaphan was once Chimera. But he turned his back on the Alliance when they proved inefficient. Unwilling to do what needed to be done. He became a free agent, fighting for what he perceived to be the right version of peace.
Before the Keeper (2)
Under the cover of night and rain, Xaphan attacked a Horkos stronghold all by himself. He brutally killed many warriors, but their numbers proved too great even for him. They threw him in a dark cell, laughing as they did.
Before the Keeper (3)
Trapped for a year, abandoned in the dark, Xaphan stewed in hatred. But then Guljin came and set him free. In her, he saw what Chimera never could be. Control, order. Peace. She offered him a choice. He became her hunter.
True Believer
The Keeper of Chains pledged himself to Guljin because he well and truly believed in her vision. That which he had always craved but never found until she came along. The Shepherd was necessary, for the good of the flock.
The Keeper's Journal (1)
"I have read many tales of this man, the superstitions the neighboring villages spew in fear. They say he hails from a valley of constant darkness. A domain surrounded by a realm of death. What is fact? What is fiction?"
Cautionary Tales
The Keeper's dungeon is filled with Guljin's enemies. All those who refused to submit to her peace. If called forth by the Khatun, the Keeper will deliver them to her arena as new champions -- or lambs to the slaughter.
Light in the Dark
When he was himself locked up, Xaphan was trapped in the seemingly endless dark. Until one day, from a crack in the stone, a firefly came through. More would soon follow, and he bottled them up. A kinship was formed.
Viking Prisoner
Deep in the dungeon's halls is a cell holding the Jormungandr Hulda. She, along with other Vikings, resisted Guljin. She can often be heard screaming, vowing to escape and spill the blood of all whom she shall find.
Astrea's Keeper
The Keeper of Chains' first task was to deliver Astrea and several other Horkos members to the Khatuns' battle arena. Most eventually fell. But the Warmonger, forced to fight alongside Queen Kalliopi, continued to thrive.
The Keeper's Journal (2)
"The Factions are threatening to rise up and break free from her will. This will not happen. Guljin will have her prize. When I deliver him, they will they see no one is out of her reach. Her peace will not be denied."
Shooting Star
As the Keeper led a company of warriors on a perilous journey towards their quarry, they spotted a shooting star in the night sky. From South to North it flew, tail burning bright against the black towards Valkenheim.
Dark Castle
After weeks of travel, the Keeper's party exited the forest. Beyond a thin curtain of mist, they found a sinister castle bathed in moonlight. The locals had warned them to keep away. Some of the men felt they should have.
Walk in the Graveyard
A torn gate creaking in the flat air allowed the Keeper's party passage through a graveyard. They marched warily, quietly in the loose dirt. Indistinct whispers seemed to surround them. They felt like they were being watched.
A Dire Warning
At the castle's outer limits, the Keeper's army found a line of mutilated bodies. A message to Guljin, and any who dared venture further. One of them, still drawing breath, heeded a dire warning: "the… dra… dragon…"
The Keeper's Journal (3)
"Although I have never met him, I feel as if I know this man. We are of the same cloth. Blood and iron. Creatures of the black. Hunter and stalker. He may prove my greatest challenge. But my queen will not be disappointed."
Guljin's Command
"The rabid lord must be brought to me. They all need to see him kneel. Muzzled."
Villager's Tale
"We dare not speak his name, for to mention it is to invoke him."
The Keeper's Speech
"I don't care if he is man or monster. Fear not the dark, men. We will chain him."