(Note: ONLY join this project if you are able to stick it out. Otherwise, I'll complete it as a Solo. Continued after: ~Rise~ and is part of an ongoing series. Some parts will be open, other's will be solo's!!! Note if you're interested in joining please place yourself already within one of the steam buggies, thank you for understanding!!!)

~Day 1~

The Demon Compendium. It says that the time for hunting Demons is best at night...after The Witching Hour. Dyne thought to himself.

It was a rough environment out on the dune sea. Craggy rocky formations were present, and the hot sun beat down on traveler's backs. Dyne wore goggles to protect his eyes from the harsh glare of the afternoon sun. He was out that day with several other companions. Assembled at Ettermire for the task at hand. The house lords of the spires in Ettermire needed grunts like Dyne and his companions working the fields proper. The sands swirled about like constant moving streams, the ground was sturdy but one still had to be weary of sudden events like quagmires and pitfalls. Dyne carefully looked through the spyglass and was searching the area ahead of the moving steam buggies. Alerar was a nation of great technological advancements. Including steam technology, like the four vehicles carrying Dyne and the rest of the crew. As a demonologist, Dyne's knowledge of the demon compendium would be invaluable. Four passengers could fit into each of the steam vehicles. Their long, metallic pipes at the rear sections were sputtering hot steam. The vehicles were loud and noisy, scaring off most of the local wildlife and attracting still others.

Dyne was part of a hunting party.

An old enemy was spotted on one of the western ridges, and Dyne was ordered on the hunting party by his superiors. The Cursed, or the Drow of Alerar. Dyne's bald head was hidden by a hood that he wore, attached to his baggy clothing. He'd changed a lot from the idealistic days of his youth. Back when the Cormyr house was something. Those days, he no longer bore allegiance to Corone herself. Alerar was his new flag. The man carefully looked through the spy glass, it was a long instrument used for studying objects at a distance. The images appeared much closer than they were, and it was a good tool for scouting missions. Dyne stood up in his passenger seat, and carefully spied out through the instrument. His eyes straining against the heat of the goggle. It was a higher quality pair, but it still was hard to see at points since they fogged every so often. Dyne was hot, but they all were in that accursed desert heat. Dyne could feel the weight of the machine around him, he'd always did have a high view on technology and considered it the next aspect of Althanas's evolution. Dyne closed the spy glass, and sat down next to the steam buggy's pilot.

Dyne spoke with a gruff Alerar accent, his voice deeper those days. He'd aged considerably.

The mark of the psionic visible in his intensely glowing eyes.

"The outpost has smoke." Dyne said calmly. "The first scout's reports are validated."

The buggy's pilot did not look at Dyne when he responded. He kept concentrating on the control mechanisms of the vehicle. "What do you think happened out there, Dyne?" Came the response of the pilot.

"I have a guess. But we'll need a closer look to see if the taint is present." Dyne responded.

"The Thaynes are bastards, I swear. You suspect more demonic activity out here too?" The pilot asked.

"It reminds me of the other time." Dyne said calmly. "Either way, I'd have to test the psychokinetic energies there."

"Think there may be survivors out there?" The pilot asked grimly.

"Hard to say this far out. We're still quite a ways from the site. I have strict orders though so if there are survivors, extract may not be possible." Dyne focused on the task at hand. Demonic activity in this region has been unusually high. I might have a nemesis out here...somewhere. Gotta stay frosty. Dyne knew the nature of the mission, he was recruited specifically by his master. His master knew of Dyne's skill with the demonic compendium. The book in his possession. It was a dark tome, but would be the key to uncovering the mystery of the hour. It would have the necessary pages needed to command whatever forces had attacked the outpost itself. Dyne's eyes narrowed. He always did hate buggy travel, it upset his stomach at points with how fast they moved through the desert.

Dyne's face shifted to a very serious expression.

A pang touched his mind and Dyne put a hand to the side of his head.

"Are you all right?" The pilot asked.

"It's confirmed. We're dealing with Demons." Dyne said confidently, he could here the whisper of demonic speak in the back of his head...in the tongue of the demons.

[Enter here^]