Sectaurs Issue# 1
Story Title: Upheaval!
In Synax, the capital city of the Dark Domain, Empress Devora summons her Chief Administrator, Senrad, for an update on her troops movements. Senrad reports the troops of the Dark Domain left before dawn and were well on their way to invading the neighboring Border Kingdoms of the Shining Realm. He questions the actions of his Empress, stating that by invading the borderlands they break the peace treaty between the Dark Domain and the Shining Realm. Devora retorts that the truce served purpose once but the benefits of that peace have now passed. The dark empress inquires what excuse will be issued when the Shining Realm questions the aggressive action. Senrad offers the excuse that heretics were found in the neighboring villages and the villages had to be purged to expel the threat. Devora is pleased with the idea. Using the fears of her adversaries against them delights the empress to the depth of her dark soul. "Destruction of a village harboring heretics should concern no one. . .," she cackles, "no one at all!"
Meanwhile, Pinsor rides out to a farming village in the border lands of the Shining Realm. He is returning home to the skall fields he once farmed at the request of his brother, Draymor. Upon entering, the old warrior is welcomed warmly by the villagers who feel honored to have the presence of a Shining Realm Knight in their midst. He shrugs off the praise as flattery, remarking ". . .Have I been so long away that you have forgotten how I used to labor in the skall fields beside you?" Pinsor walks into Draymor's home and the two brothers exchange enthusiastic greetings. Draymor's wife invites them to sit down to a well laid dinner table. Pinsor asks why he was sent for. Draymor explains that the village sect-herders have seen Dark Domain troops massing at the border as if to invade. He begs Pinsor to use his influence as Prince Dargon's friend to appeal to Dargon's uncle, Regent Galken, for help. Pinsor expresses doubts about a possible attack by the Dark Domain citing the truce. There is no reason for them to attack he says. Barely before Pinsor can finish his sentence, chaos erupts in the small farming village. General Spidrax and Commander Waspax lead their Sting troopers in a sudden assault as they converge on the locals mowing down everything in their path. Spidrax shouts orders to slay all heretics in the village. A farmer approaches to defend his home and loved ones with sword and shield in hand. He protests saying there are no heretics in this village. Waspax cuts him down in mid-sentence. "Of course there are, peasant" Waspax shouts as his victim falls to the ground, "why else would we be here?" The villagers fight on to no avail. Skulk comes up behind Draymor and stabs him in the back. Pinsor sees his brother fall and rushes to his side by viciously attacking Skulk, driving him off. As Skulk flees, Pinsor refrains from pursuing him. The Shining Realm Knight notes that his brother's insectoid feels the agony of his master's wound, a result of the telebonding shared between them. Draymor urges Pinsor to leave for Prosperon, the capital of the Shining Realm, and speak of the treachery they have both witnessed. Pinsor drags his brother to safety and then reluctantly leaves for the Shining Realm as the invaders continue to sack his village. The battle finally ends and Spidrax declares the village "saved". A woman prisoner protests saying it was more likely "enslaved." The defeated villagers are chained and lead away while Spidrax gloats over the victory by blatantly admitting that the presence of heretics in the border lands was false. Skulk admonishes Spidrax's openness and stresses a continuation of the propaganda set forth by Skulk's step-mother, Empress Devora. Spidrax brushes the need for a cover story aside. They've won. There never were any heretics here. Unbeknownst to the Dark Domain warriors, a strange man peers from around the corner of a local dwelling. It just so happens that he is a Keeper (a heretic who practices the lost ancient arts of Symbion) and he is convinced that the conquest of his village and people was a result of a hunt for him. The man slowly retreats into the shadows. Skulk jumps astride Trancula and begins to ride off. Waspax and Spidrax contest his sudden withdrawal. Skulk turns to them and says simply that there may well have been a heretic in the village.
Meanwhile, back in the Shining Realm, Dargon and Zak are hunting a venipede in the waters of a local swamp. The venom from the creature is used as ammunition for venguns. But for the venom to have any useful potency, it must be taken from the creature alive. Riding Dragonflyer, Dargon confronts the venipede head on. On shore, Zak has his insectoid Bitaur grab the creature by it's tail. Bitaur holds the venipede's tail firmly in his jaws as Zak begins to traverse up the creature's back. On a nearby tree branch, Gnatseye and his insectoid, Jumpyr, arrive on the scene. Gnatseye smiles saying, "We've arrived just in time to watch the fun. . .from a safe vantage point of course!" Another pair of eyes also watches as the hunt proceeds. Mantys, Dargon's tutor, looks on expressing particular attention to the Royal Heir. The venipede sprays its venom at Dargon, knocks Zak off its back, and breaks free from Bitaur's grip. Zak expresses disappointment at being unable to remain on the creature's back. Gnatseye replies jokingly that Zak couldn't remain in the royal guard either without being kicked out. "You have problems sticking to anything!" Dragonflyer grabs hold of the venipede by the neck while Dargon jams his skall spear into the creatures mouth, forcing it open. Dargon carefully tries to reach down the venipede's throat to retrieve the venom when the beast suddenly dives head first into the water. Zak, Gnatseye, and Mantys look on in horror as they realize the sole heir of the Shining Realm was dragged beneath the water when the venipede dove under. The surface of the water breaks revealing not only a gasping Dargon but a flask full of venipede venom. Mantys gives a sigh of relief. Zak cheers on while Gnatseye remarks that the hunters could have saved themselves a lot of trouble by purchasing the venom in Prosperon. The prince argues that buying the venom would not be as fun as hunting for it. Dargon, Zak, and Gnatseye journey back to Prosperon in the direction of Stellara's Pub, The Crimson Claw to celebrate the successful hunt over a "frothing flagon of nectar."
At the pub, Zak recounts the details of the hunt to Stellara and offers a toast for future hunts like it. Gnatseye mentions that Stellara used to go with Pinsor on like hunts. Stellara confirms his statement saying she would go again if he were there. The jovial atmosphere is suddenly silenced by the entrance of a very stern and serious looking individual. Mantys. Gnatseye and Zak express disappointment as they brace themselves for for one of Mantys' lectures on responsibility. Mantys counters that he is not there to interrupt their merriment, but to remind Dargon of his royal duty. Zak angrily confronts Mantys saying that Dargon has as much right to have fun as any other warrior. Dargon breaks him off noting the added responsibilities his stature brings. Mantys agrees suggesting that Dargon may have to assume the throne sooner than he may even think. With a fixed, tense expression on his face Dargon responds hotly, "I will not accept the crown until we know for sure that my father, King Markor, will never return from his mysterious quest, Mantys. To do so would be to admit his death." Dargon states that he is satisfied with the job his uncle, Regent Galken is doing in governing the kingdom. Mantys and Dargon continue to banter back and forth while Skito sits with his back turned in a nearby corner, listening on as the exchange transpires.
Back at the now conquered border lands, Skulk discovers the Keeper from afar and begins to follow him. Spidrax sees Skulk and the Keeper through his trinoculars and swears against Skulk's luck. He and Waspax take following off after the two. Hiding under some cover, Spidrax watches as the Keeper faces a mountain. As a glow envelopes him a ghostly form flows forth from the heretic's body (an astral form). The astral form travels through the mountain wall and then reappears suddenly. The Keeper begins to brush away the side of the wall to uncover a plaque with a warning that "None May Pass." The stranger chants a few words and the cliff opens to reveal a Hyve. The Keeper admits that he is not versed well enough to wield such awesome power and begins to retreat to go in search of someone who can. Skulk appears and has Trancula hold the heretic within his jaws. Skulk rushes seeking to claim the power for himself despite calls from Waspax and Spidrax. Skulk pushes a hidden panel and the floor gives way beneath him. Spidrax and Waspax look down at him and begin to mock him. Devora's step son reasons that with the power of the hyve in his hands, no one could laugh at him ever again. Waspax and Spidrax walk in, marveling at sights they have never witnessed before. Skulk begins to speak of the potential power of the hyve, information he gained while torturing heretics. The hyves were supposed to hold lost secrets of the ancients who ruled Symbion long ago, including a lost science with the capacity to control Symbion's weather. Something had gone wrong, and a great cataclysm swept over the planet plunging it in an age of darkness. Waspax and Spidrax shrug off such stories as fairy tales. Skulk believes otherwise as reaches out to touch a glowing object on a console. If the power did indeed exist, why shouldn't he possess it. . .
Upon touching the strange object, Skulk accidentally releases the power of the hyve. At the recently conquered village, the Sting Troopers stop in their tracks as they see a large, ominous looking cloud appear in the sky. The reddish cloud descends wiping out the dark army instantaneously.
At that same moment back in the Shining Realm, Dargon and Mantys hear a powerful thunder clap. Zak observes that it's the wrong season for sudden storms. The storm overtakes all of the Shining Realm faster than can be anticipated and widespread destruction ravages for as far as the eye can see. Skito scurries away from the pub, and considers how delighted Empress Devora will be to learn that the kingdom of her enemies was weakened by a sudden storm. Dargon leaps onto Dragonflyer and leads a relief effort to save his people. While holding up a collapsing wall, Dargon and Zak begin to discuss how unnatural the storm seems to be. They recall old superstitions their nurses use to frighten them with about great storms which swept over the planet and annihilated an ancient and powerful civilization. Finally the storm begins to subside, though Mantys expresses concern that could well return. The wise old teacher affirms what Dargon suspected. The storm was unnatural and released by their enemies. Dargon questions where the Dark Domain would find such power. Mantys interrupts him, noting a light illuminated atop castle Lightkeep. Regent Galken has summoned the Council of Kings into session to discuss the unnatural storm which appeared so suddenly.
Sitting before his brother's portrait on his brother's throne, King Markor addresses the assembly, "I have summoned here, Lords of the Shining Realm's City-States, to seek some answers to the savage storm that has swept our realm!" One lord expresses fear that storm is a consequence of allowing heresy to exist within the Shining Realm. Another lord offers the legends of the ancients and their lost arts in controlling the weather. If the Keepers have rediscovered those very arts. . .. Just then, one of the royal advisors, Hardyn, interrupts the discussion saying that word has been received from Empress Devora of the Dark Domain. Her troops invaded a nearby village in the border lands to wage war on a sect of Keepers located there. While purging the village of Keepers, the storm struck and slew her soldiers. Hardyn offers that it was wise to sign the truce with the Dark Domain. "Peace will give both our realms time to deal with the keepers!" Galken thanks Hardyn for the information and calls forth Mantys for his views. Mantys addresses the counsel and confirms their fears. The storm, he believes, was indeed unnatural. Dargon leans on every word his old teacher says wishing to understand the events which almost destroyed his kingdom. Zak turns and finds Belana standing next him. The two were betrothed to each other at birth at birth, and Zak is both surprised and delighted to see her. Belana says that the Duchess she serves has become old and infirm and she now must handle the affairs of state in her name. Zak tenderly tells her that he will no longer have to travel so far to see her. Belana quiets him, insisting that she would prefer to listen to Mantys, although Zak would rather do anything but. Dargon silences his friend, reminding him that it was his impertinence that got him stripped of his command of the royal guard. Belana makes a mental note of Dargon's sense of maturity and quietly wishes she could be with him instead of Zak. She quickly dismisses the idea. She is betrothed to Zak and that is the way things must be. Dargon glances sideways at Belana and sighs at how beautiful she is. If only she weren't. . .he quickly stops himself, ashamed to even think of betraying his best friend. Meantime, Mantys is continuing his talk. He believes the storm was indeed a product of the ancient's lost science, and was released by the soldiers of the Dark Domain. Galken erupts furiously at the accusation saying that the storm was the work of heretics not the work of the Dark Domain. "To suggest otherwise is treason," he shouts! The counsel meeting ends. Dargon wonders about his uncle's decree. Mantys approaches him and asks the young prince what he believes truly happened. At this point Zak leaves taking Belana with him. The conversation was far too serious for his taste. Dargon approaches Mantys, conceding that the storm was indeed unnatural but unwilling to accept that the Dark Domain broke the truce. Mantys entices Dargon with the potential of learning truth for himself and old mentor invites the young prince to his lab.
Dargon enters Mantys' lab with care. It had a long time since he had entered this space. Memories of long spent hours studying in that very room came flooding back to the young prince. Mantys concurs that indeed Dargon was a bright and open student. Yet despite that openness, there were some things Mantys simply could not speak of. But Mantys feels the time has come for Dargon to learn the truth. The planet Symbion was in danger, but to save the future, they first had to learn the past. In the long ago past, Symbion was a beautiful, utopian society, ruled by the ancients. The paradise was maintained through the incredible sciences and ecological controls of the time. Then something went wrong. The Great Cataclysm, as it was called, as savage storms swept over Symbion, driving the planet into a dark age the populaces were only slowly trying to get out of. Dargon strongly states that is why all Sectaurs everywhere fear the ancients lost arts, and the keepers who seek such knowledge lest another cataclysm be unleashed upon the planet. Mantys corrects him. Not all Sectaurs fear the ancients technology or the keepers who seek it. In fact it was his father, King Markor, who made a keeper his personal counselor. Dargon is shocked. "Mantys! Your are a keeper?!" he exclaims. Mantys confirms that he is indeed a keeper, a seeker of the lost arts. "there was much good in the power the ancients possessed, Dargon! But power is power, and in the wrong hands. . .." Mantys trails off and stops momentarily to gather his thoughts. He starts again saying that Dargon's father understood the consequences of power falling in the wrong hands. So the king left his kingdom and young son to gain the power of the ancients for the Shining Realm before it fell in the hands of the Dark Domain. But before leaving, King Markor left his broad skall with Mantys so that he may give it to Dargon when the time had come for him to learn the truth. Dargon takes the sword from Mantys' hands and recognizes it instantly. "Symator," the crown prince exclaims, "My father's legendary broad skall!" Mantys asks Dargon if he is willing to take up the challenge and pick up where his father left off. Dargon begins to weigh his options when his thoughts are suddenly interrupted by the entrance of Pinsor. Dargon is shocked at the condition of his old friend and inquires what happened. Pinsor relates all that has happened at his village, the attack, the sudden and strange storm, the obliteration of the Dark Domain's forces. It becomes clear to Dargon that everything his father feared is coming true. The lost arts of the ancients could potentially fall into the hands of those who would use it for their own power hungry means. The Dark Domain was enacting war on the Shining Realm and masking it in a search for heretics. No one in the Shining Realm could get past their fear of heresy to see through the deception, and ironically enough, the Dark Domain was close to obtaining the power of the ancients for who knows what dark deed. Dargon accepts his father's broad skall and, lifting it above his head, vows to fight for the future of his kingdom.
Back in the Dark Domain, in the murky corridors of Castle Grimhold, Senrad hotly interrogates General Spidrax, Commander Waspax, and Skulk demanding to know how the invasion of a simple farming village could result in the destruction of an entire army! The three claim that the village was indeed conquered, and that they had discovered a mysterious hyve of great power, the accidental release of which destroyed their forces. Senrad accuses the three warriors of presenting fairy tales as an excuse for failure, and orders them sent to the executioner. As Spidrax is led away, all he can think of is the power contained in the hyve. Perhaps there was enough to raise a general to the status of an emperor. Empress Devora suddenly appears and halts the order of execution. "You believe us then, mother?" asks Skulk. The evil Empress affirms that she does believe them. First because none of the three possessed the courage to lie to her and second because outside sources confirmed a destructive force which laid waste to her troops and to parts of the Shining Realm. Surely if one hyve exists then so must others. She charges her three warriors to go out in search of such power and retrieve it for her, so that she, Devora, may become Empress of all of Symbion.
Commentary
I got issue#1 long before I got the other 7 issues. They were hard to find and I was ecstatic just to find issue#1. And what an issue. The story telling was fantastic and the characters were all given depth of background. I loved how Devora was written and drawn. You never see her face. All you see are hints of seductive malevolence gone warped. Dargon is drawn with these cool melodramatic stances of angst and given lofty, handsome young prince-hero type lines. . .sometimes I expect to hear him spouting verses from Hamlet. The one complaint I have about this issue (as well as the other 7) is the Zak, Belana, Dargon triangle. Dargon is often referred to in the series as the "Noble Dargon." It's probably me, but I have a difficult time seeing someone as noble when he has the hots for his best friend's girlfriend. However, to play devil's advocate, many of the old Medieval legends involved unrequited love, a pining for the unattainable. I personally am a fan of the Arthurian legends and am well familiar with the stories of Lancelot, Gwenevere, and Arthur, especially the affair between Lancelot and Gwenevere which led to the eventual destruction of Camelot (have I mentioned how much I disliked Lancelot?). It is possible that the creators of this series were inspired by like legends. I'm kind of the "Tristram and Isoude" type myself and would recommend that story to anyone who is interested. Overall, I thought it was a great story and a great start.