Snow White Hills Blood Bowl Chronicles

I had not come so far to fail so near my goal, but it was difficult to persuade any of the natives as they said my quest was madness. The guide I finally secured answered to the name of Razim and I found him to be of a singularly untrustworthy sort, but I had little choice in the matter as he alone showed any willingness to escort me to the fabled ruins of Bel Aliad. Our journey was long and monotonous, the only constants that I can recall being sand, wind and relentless heat by day followed by bitter chill at night. Many times Razim suggested that we turn back, stating that it was foolhardy. He thought that I meant to loot the ancient city; an irony considering what was yet to come. After two hard weeks we arrived at the outskirts of what remained of the City of Healers. Razim stated that he would go no farther, but would wait for me for two days before returning to the port of Zandri. Poor fool, if he had stayed true to his words he might've seen old age, but I curse him not as his dishonesty benefited me in the end. The first day, I found no trace of the wisdom I sought, nor could I decipher the location of the Library of Horeptis. On the second day, I awoke to the prodding of a bronze headed spear, clutched in the hand of an armoured skeletal warrior. I've have seen such sights in my days that I'm all but jaded to terror, but being awoken by one of the undead surely took another year or two off my life. A group of similarly armed skeletons allowed me to dress, then forcibly lead me to a gilded courtyard. At the centre of the square stood a massive marble throne, upon which sat a magnificently arrayed being, resplendent in jewels and rune inscribed bandages. His eyeless gaze bore into me as I stood before him and I bowed as I would to a king. Next to him stood a withered looking man in priestly vestments, Razim sat on the ground before him, gold and jewels lying clustered at his feet. The mummy nodded at the priest who looked at me and then spoke, to my astonishment, in Reikspiel. 'His Radiance Sutekh, Guardian of the Waters of Life, Prince of the Shifting Sands wishes to know why you have come so far to loot his possessions.' I looked at Razim and saw my doom in his actions if I was not very clever. But kings are kings, undead or otherwise and I knew what to say. 'I came not for mighty Sutekh's gold but for his world renowned wisdom, for Bel Aliad is a city of healing and I am in desperate need of a healer.' And so, I told the undead pharaoh of my woes, of my love Karelia's poisoning at the hands of Heinrich von Bruno and my desperate quest. The priest quietly translated all to the unmoving mummy. When I finished the courtyard was still for the span of three heartbeats. Sutekh gestured and Razim's head was struck off his shoulders. He spoke and then, amazingly he smiled, nodding to me once before he rose and departed, his armoured guard smoothly withdrawing to surround him. The priest walked to me and said, 'My lord commands me to tell you that he too, loved once. He too, would've gone to the ends of the world to save his love. I am to show you the wisdom you seek.' If not for Razim's greed, I would never have found the hidden place that the wizened priest took me to and my Karelia would've been lost to me forever. Strange are the turnings of the world.: — Metrious Null from The Quest for My Heart