These events occurred in and around the town of Stonehold from late February to early April of 2000. All of the major events that follow did happen in-game, although the exact descriptions may not be totally accurate due to the fact that these events took place almost a year ago. ~Teru

~ Chapter 7 ~

I returned to Stonehold one clear brisk morning, having camped out in the wilderness during the night while on a hunting trip. As I saw the town appear in the small valley, a smile crossed my lips. Despite the constant raids by the FSS and other guilds of murderers and thieves, the town was still as beautiful as when I first saw it so many weeks before. When I entered town the townsfolk were already awake and buzzing with activity, I knew something had happened. I saw Sai-Ban standing by the largest building in town talking to a member of Ronan's guild, one of our closest allies, I approached Sai to ask him what had happened.

Before I could say anything, Sai saw me and yelled out, "Can you believe it! He's turned against us!"

"Who? Whats going on?", I responded with puzzled look.

"Colonel Coward and Ballpark Billy, they attacked the town last night, killing anyone they could find", Sai answered with disgust.

"The Colonel and Billy attacked Stonehold?", I couldn't believe it, but slowly it all seemed to come together."

"Yes," Sai continued, "Word has it they are tired of the town, they are tired of defending it."

The Ronan, who had been listening to our conversation quickly added, "I know my guild will not let them get away with this. After the first attack came we kept watch during the night in case they returned."

I nodded to him, "Yes, it will take both our guilds working together to keep the town safe from now on."

He nodded back.

As we stood in the square I looked up to one of the hills that surrounded Stonehold, I saw a lone figure silhouetted against the white sky. I watched as this figure slowly descended the hill coming down into the town.

I was then able to make out who the figure was and yelled out, "Ballpark Billy!"

Sai and the Ronan turned to where I was already pointing my bow, they prepared for a fight. Billy walked slowly towards us but he did not have his bow drawn, he held his open hands out to show that he hand no weapon. I was skeptical, keeping my bow drawn and aimed at his heart.

"Billy, don't come any closer, you and the Colonel have made your intentions clear!"

I yelled out as he came within range.

He stopped, his head hung low on his chest, " I've come to give myself up", raising his hands to the sky, "We made a horrible mistake, we want to come back."

"What!", Sai-Ban blurted out in disbelief, "You were slaying Stoneholders only hours ago and now you want our forgiveness?"

Many thoughts rushed through my mind, I knew they had betrayed us but I also knew that they were two of the best fighters Stonehold had, if they truly meant to reform, we should give them the chance.

I looked Billy in the eyes and said, "If you truly want the towns forgiveness you will have to ask the one man left in this town who everyone still respects, you will have to ask General Zang."

Billy looked down to the snowy ground and sighed, " You're right, we will ask the General."

I let a small smile cross my lips, "Good Billy, that's good to hear."

I knew Billy, or at least I thought I did, he was perhaps a little immature but I knew he and his brother weren't evil, they made one mistake, they deserved another chance. Billy walked out of town, back up the hill where I had seen him standing before, as he got to the peak he vanished out of site, I hoped we would not lose them.

"We should have killed him, you didn' t see the carnage those two brought to the town last night", said the Ronan with an angry scowl.

"I know", I said looking up at the hill were Billy had been, "But everyone deserves a second chance, we cant forgot what they did for this town."

Nothing was heard from Colonel Coward or Ballpark Billy for many hours, I was worried that they had left the Stonehold community for good. The talk in town was that they were planning on joining a well-known evil guild known as Joy of Villainy. The townsfolk were already building the guillotine, all they needed where Coward's and Billy's necks to put in it.

Later that night I learned about the agreement that had been made. The General had met with Colonel Coward and Ballpark Billy in private to discuss their return to Stonehold. I' m sure the same thoughts that had ran through my mind also ran through the Generals, we needed these two to defend the town from the likes of the FSS and others who prey on the innocent. Despite strong pressure from the leaders of other local guilds to banish them both, the General decided to give them a second chance. Zang put his offer down on the table, he would allow the two to return to Stonehold and live in peace as they had before, as long as they vowed to never betray our trust again by attacking the town or allying with the towns enemies, specifically the FSS. The town had been saved from collapse if only for a little while longer but none of us foresaw the coming betrayal to the banished serpent.

~ Chapter 8 ~

Stonehold slowly settled back into a normal routine, there was no organized government, but the town seemed to run on its own momentum. After being allowed to return to the community, Colonel Coward made a strong attempt to show that he would put the town's well being above all else. He became the figure head and spokes person for Stonehold. Coward took it upon himself to bring some kind of order to the town, believing him to be genuine General Zang backed him, however as we came to see, this would turn out to be a mistake on our part.

The relative peace that prevailed over Stonehold since the break up of the FSS came to an end with a conflict that would tear the town apart, it would be later known as " The Lop War". Colonel Coward drew a line in the sand and he wasn't going to budge no matter how many Stoneholders fell in battle.

The beginning of the conflict with Lop was as hazy in my mind then as it is in my memory now. As with the break up of the FSS I had not been in town at the moment that the first stone was flung, however I would soon be pulled into the conflict along with my guild. From what I would later learn, the issue arose around a vassal of Lop's named Mistress of Desires, someone I knew in passing and had fought along side. Although the guild under the leadership of the powerful mage named Lop did not live in Stonehold, a small group of his followers could be found in the town. It was said that a Stoneholder had stolen from Mistress of Desires, she in anger killed the Stoneholder and in doing so was attacked by other Stoneholders, the conflict grew quickly. Mistress of Desires swore to continue to kill any one who attacked her until her stolen goods were returned. The thief was never found and Colonel Coward told Mistress of Desires to leave, that she was not welcome in town any more. Lop then entered the affair, traveling all the way to Stonehold to talk to the townsfolk.

I attended a large meeting at which Lop argued that no one had the right to keep others out of towns. I disagreed with his argument, but I was later to realize he spoke the truth when he told us that we were being played as pawns by Colonel Coward. The talking soon came to an end as it was obvious Mistress of Desires and Lop had no intention of leaving and Colonel Coward had no intention of letting them stay. Although I felt that this conflict was not in our best interests, we supported the Colonel and were soon involved in running battles through Stonehold against Lop's forces. Many times, Frost Gunner and I found ourselves up against either Lop or Mistress of Desires, both powerful mages that we were no match against. We suffered many loses, fighting Lop was like trying to damn a rushing river using small pebbles. He was an unstoppable force, only on few occasions could we force him to recall away.

Violence soon erupted between Stoneholders as Colonel Coward began enforcing a rule, which we agreed to, forcing everyone to fight against Lop or leave. One such incident occurred by the entrance to the Phyntos Dungeon outside of town. A large group had gathered around the dungeon to listen to a well-known guild leader argue that she would have no part in the conflict. Colonel Coward informed her that she would have to leave the town. She began to protest and one the Stoneholders in the crowd pulled out his bow and fired a shot at her, killing her in one shot as she was totally unprepared. The sight of Judge Death's lifeless corpse flashed through my mind and I knew I had to act. I pulled out my trusty Gertahs dagger and thrust it into the archer's back as he leaned over to loot some valuables off the corpse of the fallen woman. Frost Gunner then pulled out his sword and gave the finishing blow, sending the archer sprawling down the steps into the dungeon. Silence fell over the crowd as we tried to comprehend all that had just occurred.

Colonel Coward stepped forward, "The archer overreacted, he did not have to kill her as quickly as he did, he deserved his fate."

I looked down at the two still warm corpses and thought to myself, "How could we have come to this, this war is tearing us apart!"

Fortunately the War would come to and end soon. One night long after the sun had set behind the northern mountains, Colonel Coward stood atop the bowyer's house in Stonehold, a favorite place of his when he wanted to give speeches, which he often did. He proclaimed from his pulpit that Lop had informed him that he would not return to Stonehold and that his vassal, Mistress of Desires will leave the town or he would release her from her oaths of loyalty. This announcement was received by the townsfolk with cheers of joy and celebration, however I was not so optimistic and it didn't take long for my pessimism to be proven right.

To be continued in Part 4 of 4 tommorrow....

Click here to see Part 2 of the Stonehold Saga