A New Dawn (HADB only)

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== A NEW DAWN ==

On the slopes of the mountainrange it stands. Ominous. Forboding. The black marble stones of the castle faintly reflect the sun's first light. The structure is large, towering spires looming above, and fortified walls protecting those that are inside.
Yet inside all is silent. Cobwebs and dust inhabit the place once so vivid, once so full of marvelous, yet insidious plans. The icy wind coming from the north blows between the spires producing an eerie sound that echoes on through the empty halls. Here, the leaders of the clan held meetings. Here, the clan feasted. Here, the glory of the HADB originated from. Here, the glory of the HADB will originate from.. once again!!


A lone traveller stands on the vast plains that seem devoid of all life. The rocky hills hide the proof of any living organism from plain sight. The blistering cold winds make the assumption of a barren wasteland even more truthful.
But once, the traveller thought, once...
An icy breeze sends a shiver through his spine and he wraps the scarf around his neck a little more tight. There's a long way to go still. The castle can be seen from here, but if he wishes to make it there before nightfall, he should hurry. Already the sun is in full descent and in the distance the grey of the sky had already begun making place for a crimson red. Blood red.

---

Dusk has already settled when the traveller reaches the large wooden doors. The iron hinges show no sign of rust or decay. His faint smile remains invisible beneath the scarf when his eyes meet the sign above the doors.

"The Forboding Castle of the HADB"

Plain. Simple. There's no need for threats upon arrival. After all, everyone knows what the HADB is about. A simple mentioning of the four letters just the trick just as nicely as a life threatening curse in whatever language.
A howl sounds in the distance on the plains behind, already covered in the night's darkness. Not so devoid of life after all, the traveller thinks in himself. From beneath his chainmail cuirass he pulls out a string with a small metallic key attached to it.
"I hope they haven't changed the locks around here," the traveller mutters as the howls behind him grow in number, and seem to draw closer by the minute.
Carefully the key is inserted into the lock, and with a soft click - without problems whatsoever - the locks are set into motion for the first time in many years. Just then, the clouds part for a full moon to shine on the steps that lead to the castle's doors. Bathed in moonlight, the doors groan in their hinges as the traveller pushes open the doors to step into the mighty halls of clan HADB's ominous castle.
With a flicker of his wrist he sends a magic spark to the torch nearby which bursts into flames immediately. The hall looks exactly as he had remembered it. Vast, large, a decent reminder of how things had been and ought to be right now. Walls covered with paintings and tapestries of illustrious warlords, battles won and monsters defeated. Through one of the windows the moon's light protrudes the darkness of the castle making the hall even more ominous. A novice might think these halls as hallowed, the traveller thinks.
"Hallowed!"
He yells it, the word echoeing through the empty castle. Hallowed indeed.
Undoing himself of the scarf, the traveller smiles broadly. The time has come to make a new start. A new dawn has risen in the dark of the night, the moon a silent witness of a resurrection of times of old.

Gripping the torch tightly, the traveller moves ahead through the castle leaving footsteps behind in the gathered dust.