The Many Paths of the Eternal Stride
(by Azazel, aka Rick Luebbers)
There is a
legend among the Merren people. A legend of a great hero who, born of an siren
air captain and soon passed on to a traveling merchant began his journey before
he had even left the womb. Traveling throughout his childhood he was the
embodiment of wanderlust and, at the age of ten, embarked on a journey alone.
He served on
ships, he hiked across deserts, he dove from shard to shard. Eventually he flew
on the backs of dragons and sailed the clouds themselves or so it is said.
Long ago a
powerful Merren Arch-mage fought a doomed battle for a small Merren community
whose Shard had fallen out of alignment and was threatened with consumption by
the Beneath. His fight was valiant, yet futile. He, the community, and the shard
were lost. But what the Beneath wrought from his bones and birthed of his blood
was terrible.
Although it
took years a new race was born. An abomination of Merren flesh, dripping an acid
laced blood, white fires burning in their eyes, they arose from the Beneath upon
reptilian wings to seek out their "kin" and consume their flesh.
The battles
were titanic but the Merren were losing. None could discern their weakness and
none could best them in combat. The Merren race was without hope. But in their
darkest hour a flight of dragons arrived, lead by The Wanderer.
His forces
burned away the darkness and he forged amulets proof against the Beneath's foul
magics. The tide was turned and The Wanderer led the assault that banished the
darkness forever.
After all was
said and done the Merren people gathered to honor him but he was no where to be
found. A small boy had spotted him as he went and begged him to stay. But he
sent only a message. With a smile he said he had a journey to continue but he
would return when it was over. When would that be asked the boy. At the end of
time, for my journey is eternal.
From The
Wanderer's tale was The Eternal Journey born. To this day Merren embark on the
eternal quest, vowing to see all that there is to see within The Shards, to grow
strong, and to return at the end of time to lead the Merren to paradise.
The Eternal Stride is but one of a million paths to this goal.
The Eternal Stride (Non-Spell Casting Version)
The Eternal Stride (Bard Version)
The
Eternal Stride makes use of the Hooked Chain, a
weapon invented by Rick Luebbers, aka Azazel.