Hail traveler,

Welcome to the Knights of Armageddon.

Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Gammon, Archmage and Guildmaster  of the Knights of Armageddon.

I would like to tell you a tale of my past, an accounting of my history. It is by no means complete, but it will give you some idea of who I am and why I am here. Take from it what you will. I give it freely.

I began as a woodsman’s son. My father carried an axe and harvested the growth of the forest to craft into furniture and other goods. From a young age I was allowed to follow him in his work, and I learned the ways of the lands, as had all my family before me. As soon as I was strong enough to wield a hatchet and swing it accurately I joined my father in his work.

We brought back lumber to our home in plentitude. The forests were kind and we prospered. My father was a grand craftsman, more than a master at the art of carpentry, and his creations were in demand by all who knew of them. He created wonderful works for sale and trade to traveling merchants and his fame spread throughout the land.

Our home was a wonder of workmanship, filled with beautiful inlay and carvings. There were dozens of marvelous pieces of furniture, polished to a shiny gleam. The hardwood floors, the open-beam ceiling, even the cleverly balanced great doors bore the loving marks of my father’s patient hands.

My interests, however, tended more towards the crafting of weapons. I was an impatient child, for all my loyalty to my father’s work. I felt the urge to travel, to wander the distant trails, and to live the life of high adventure. I studied the crafting of bows, and other weapons of wood. My father didn’t understand my interests, but he accepted it and allowed me the study.

Eventually I was old enough to strike out on my own. I followed the trails to the main roads and wandered from land to land, crafting weapons and trading them in whatever town I happened through. Occasionally I found a need to protect myself from the occasional snake or lizardman, but my axe served me well.

It was in a situation like this that I happened upon another wandering soul. I was fiercely battling three lizardmen at once, and becoming quickly overwhelmed, when I heard a shout behind me. It seemed as if the creature on my left fairly fell apart as a flurry of blows separated its appendages from each other. A moment later the one on my right found his head and entrails flying in separate directions. It wasn’t but another moment and the third fell to a single blow from this newcomer.

Before me stood a knight in a shiny suit of armor. He calmly wiped his sword and replaced it in the scabbard at his belt then looked to me.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, and proceeded to minister bandages to my various cuts and bruises.

"You are an amazing warrior, sir." I observed. "It was well that you came along when you did. I was hard pressed."

"There are worse than these to be had in these lands," he said. "You had best learn to defend yourself." He reached into his pack and pulled out a shiny longsword and held it out to me. "This will help," he said. "Keep it sharp and well oiled."

"Thank you," I stammered. It was a beautiful weapon. I could see the polish gleaming on the blade, and the leather wrapping of the hilt were fresh and unstained. "I don’t even know your name, yet you give me a wonderful new sword. How can I repay you?" He dismissed my offer with a wave.

"Perhaps," he said, "you would welcome a traveling companion for a time." I could hardly refuse.

"On one condition, sir," I replied. "You must tell me your name."

"My name," he said, "is Brightblade."

We roamed the forests from Brittain to Vesper, battling all manner of creatures from orcs to ogres, snakes to specters. All the while this knight taught me the art of the sword. We faced thieves on the road but they ran when we threatened them with their lives. We faced murderers but my companion proved tougher. The journey was long, but I learned much.

As we neared Vesper Brightblade cautioned me against the monsters that frequented the forests around the city masquerading as men. Some, he said, had no scruples when dealing with their fellow men. Killers like Bojangles, he said, were a plague in the world that could only be stopped by brave souls banding together.

He told me of the Knights of Armageddon. He explained about the dream they had of ridding the world of vermin such as these. These Knights, he said, were building their forces to patrol the forests and cities of Sosaria against these murderers. I had dealt with their kind in the past and many times had fallen prey to their depredations. They had been the main reason I was having trouble getting a fund built up to start my own shop, in spite of the efforts I had invested in carving and selling bows and arrows.

When we reached Vesper he took me through town and showed me where he lived. A small cottage on the outskirts of town held a guild stone on the front steps and a wonderful view of the city across the river. We talked for a while. He asked me to join his organization. I was glad to contribute my efforts.

A week later I found myself ranging the lost lands. I was getting a little handier with the blade and thought I would do some exploring. There were times when I faced dangers I thought would be the end of me, but the lessons from Brightblade stood me in good stead. I made it safely to the outskirts of Delucia.

Somehow I found myself surrounded by a group of orcs. They seemed to come out of nowhere. Even my exceptional longsword was not sufficient to save me from the situation. My own meager skill was just inadequate in overcoming the mob that was beating me senseless.

At first I didn’t see what happened. I had fallen to my knees with a particularly nasty blow to the head from the biggest of the orcs. When I was able to wipe the blood from my eyes I found the leader’s helmet on the ground before me. I turned my head and found the rest of him spread out nearby. I also found two of his buddies in rather ungraceful poses with him.

I climbed to my feet as quickly as I could to find a bright-clothed stranger dispatching the two remaining orcs. He shouted this atrocious howl like some kind of bloodthirsty pirate as the last of the green-skinned monsters fell to the ground. I could only stand and wonder at his bravado.

"Thank you," I said, when I could find the words.

"Glad to help, mate." He smiled a lopsided grin and bandaged my cuts and bruises. "My name’s T-Dan, leader of the Knights of Armageddon."

"The Knights of Armageddon?" I asked. "Brightblade just recruited me last week. What happened to him?"

"He’s gone," said T-Dan. "He called me to the stone a few days ago and said he had to go away for a while. He asked me to take over with him in case he couldn’t make it back."

"I’m sorry to hear that," I said. "But I’m glad you came along when you did, I was needing help."

"No problem, Gammon" said T-Dan. "Welcome to the Knights of Armageddon!"