Lucien Nighthawk

The Story of the Nighthawks
Mainly Lucien Nighthawk
By Unknown
Recorded by Marcus Van Ulrich

Alexander Nighthawk was married to Crystal Corrino today. With these, two is the hope of our people as they take the throne. Unfortunately, during the ceremony, one of the elders of our people Geris inflicted a terrible curse upon the whole Keep before killing himself, using his life to empower the curse. The curse was that the keep would remain barren for the rest of time, and thus when the youngest of us died, the Keep would forever go into history. Poor Crystal was struck the hardest of all the women being the last of her family already. The Geris’ body and all of his possessions were burnt in a releasing ceremony to rid us of the curse. We will see if this worked.

It was a glorious day in the Nighthawk Keep, deep under Riana’s Sea, a child was about to be born to the King and Queen on the tenth anniversary of their marriage. This would be important in and of itself, but the fact that this was the first child born in 10 years, was another reason to rejoice. Perhaps the curse had finally been broken.

Alas poor Crystal has been in labor all Morning, some of the people are saying that it is the curse, and that she is still fighting it. On my way here, I flew past the Temple of the Goddess, and it was packed with people praying for the child’s safe birthing.

One of the mages decided to do an inspection of the old man’s residence, during his search he came upon a trap door in the floor. This was odd for no other residence had something like this. One trained in the skills of a thief was brought in to open it, incase there was a trap set, and alas, there was, poor Ephraim he had such promise, very noble for one of his path. At the very moment the door was opened and the trap sprung, Lucien Nighthawk was born. He was very healthy, what little hair he had was white as orichalcum, and his eyes were crystal blue and deep like that of an old soul. The king has announced that a festival will be held in honor of his son’s birth and the defeat of the curse.

What a day, the festival has raised the spirits of everyone in the keep, little Lucien has brought to the people more hope than the portal itself being opened could. Many gifts were bought to him, and to the parents. Also the contents of the trap door were presented to the King and Queen at this time; it was a gauntlet, covered with many different jewels and stones. When shown the King and Queen had no idea what it might mean or represent. Then an elder Saris came forward, he was a friend of Geris. This cause much concern for the safety of the prince and many people’s hands went to their swords. As he came forward he was carrying a box very ornately carved and decorated, he stopped next to the mage holding the Gauntlet and opened his box. There lay an almost exact copy except for a few small stones. The words of the man still chill me even now. “These are weapons of a time long before even the closing of the portal. They hold the ability to form full armor and weapons for the wearer.” With that said he put his on and showed us all. I have never before seen anything like it. From this gauntlet came full plate mail armor and a sword befitting a king. He explained that he and his friend were leaders of the Army that wore these gauntlets. Then on bended knee he offered his Geris’ Gauntlet as a gift to the new born Prince. The King accepted the gift, and then asked the man a painful question. “Saris, Do you know why Geris did what he did?” Saris answered, “No your Majesty I do not, it is something I have been trying to figure out these 10 years, but I am no closer to the answer. I can tell you that it has nothing to do with this Gauntlet, of those who wore the gauntlets in our time some were among the Royal Guard.” With this the festival continued for three days. I must say that we have been blessed with a gracious Royal Family.

Today we celebrate the first anniversary of Prince Lucien’s birth; alas there have been no other births in the year since. Perhaps Geris’ curse was not beaten completely. No one can explain it and for the sake of us all I hope we will figure something out soon.

Today is the Tenth anniversary of Prince Lucien’s Birth, and the rumor is that it will be another three-day festival. Prince Lucien having been taught and tutored by almost everyone in the Keep; he is the jewel in everyone’s lives. I can say on my own part that he is gifted with a quick mind. He has very high marks for someone his age and has shown many times that he will excel in what ever path he finally chooses. It seems the God and Goddess does still smile down on us, with this one child. It saddens me that Lucien has no children his own age to play and learn with, but it seems that he doesn’t mind perhaps it is the fact that he doesn’t know what it is like to have other children to play with. He has only known adults. One event of note was the presenting of the Gauntlet to Prince Lucien. He was amazed by it and begged his parents to allow him to try it on. They were very nervous to allow it, (something I believe Lucien definitely took note of, and will most likely ask me about later) but after many understanding explanations on the safety and usefulness of it from Saris, the finally gave in and allowed him to put it on. With as much pride as a grandfather, Saris showed Lucien how to put it on and explained what it did. Almost instantly, Lucien was fully covered in armor and had a nice sword, and was running around with it. I am sure he will sleep well tonight after lugging around all that armor, if I am correct that full plate is heavier than the chain mail that I once had to wear to remain safe during a Keep Arms Training Session.

I would not normally report new years resolutions in this journal, but this one I feel I must. Today during a discussion with Prince Lucien on the different paths a person could take in life, he asked me what I thought of the Thief Path. I told him it had it place in an honorable society if used correctly. I then gave him an example of Ephraim the young man who had found his still favorite possession the Geris’ Gauntlet, and explained how he had been adept at picking pockets and locks, but he used this to help with traps and security systems instead of steeling what did not belong to him. I also mentioned another young man who like Ephraim was a thief but he was not honorable and after many times of being caught with another’s possessions was given bells to wear on his ankles and wrist so that he could not sneak around. Lucien then performed an amazing likeness of the young thief lurking about trying to be quiet with the bells on; I believe Lucien could have done it with a million bells tied to him. Seeming content with my answer Lucien and I went on with the discussion. At the end of the discussion, I asked him the question laying heavily on many minds of the Keep, “Lucien, which path do you think you will follow?” He gave me one of his amazing smiles, and just then I saw something that made me choke, I saw the likeness of Ephraim in his face, when he then said, “I think I will be like Ephraim, Yes in honor of him I will become an honorable thief. Needless to say I was a bit disappointed, I had hoped he would follow me in the life of a scholar, but I am sure all of us in the Keep have our own dreams for are young one.

Something strange has happened today while practicing to become a thief Lucien found a secret chamber in the keep that none of us knew about. In this room were 15 rows of the amazing Gauntlets that Lucien and Saris wear (of late Saris has been wearing his) in the Center of the room is a pedestal with another of these Gauntlets, this one is amazing in craftsmanship I have never seen it’s like. Of course, Lucien could not help himself and replaced his with the new one. Having studied the room and the order of the Gauntlets I have figured out that the small stones on the back of the hand represent a rank Saris has confirmed this, and seemed to have some pride in his own rank.

Tomorrow is the eleventh anniversary Prince Lucien’s Birth, and he is tremendously excited. For tomorrow also marks the day he will be given the title of First Circle Thief. It is odd that only four months after his training started, but I can say it is not because he is a Prince, no, in fact it comes from the fact that Enarin feels that she has nothing else to teach him. Like me, she has noted that he learns anything given him with an amazing quickness almost as if he already knew it, and we only had to refresh his memory. I just hope he will still make time to have discussions with this old scholar. He has an insight on things that has often helped if not changed my thinking on some things. Both the God and Goddess have definitely touched him. This was the last entry into this man’s Journal, when we found Lucien; he was frozen in a large crystal surrounded by eight others. One of which we believe was the man who wrote this journal. We have no name for him and that which I have transcribed above is what Lucien was able to translate for me. Lucien does not seem to remember his name or what happened to cause this to be the last entry or for him and the eight others to become encased in crystal. The other eight were destroyed during a fight with a large multi-eyed snake creature. We believe it was a horror or horror construct. The map that brought us to this place we believe to be 3000 years old. After my discussions with Lucien, I believe we could have been off by many years. I have sent letters to friends of mine at all of the major Libraries of Barsaive and many of the things Lucien has told me about are not known about by any of them. I next plan to possibly call upon the knowledge of Mountainshadow. Perhaps with the immense knowledge he has collected in his years can give me a better clue as to when this young boy comes from, until then I will watch him, like this old scholar I have found a deep interest in Lucien Nighthawk. The above is the pertinent information about Lucien Nighthawk form the book in his equipment list. The writer Marcus Van Ulrich was a member of the Aces High group known for opening many kears, some of which were still inhabited. Some of these Lucien was able to help with. At least until the group came upon a challenge they were not ready for, a rather powerful Horror had taken over a kear, they found this out when they accidentally fell into the room that the Horror was trapped in. Lucien was the sole survivor, which he claims his size and the Gauntlet are responsible. He vows that one day he will return and destroy the Horror. Until then he will use his skills and talents on the path he chose to help others and become better.

Seven years from the time I was rescued by the Aches High, I am now a 10th Circle Thief, and still I have not yet avenged them. I vowed then to avenge my friends by becoming stronger and destroying the accursed horror. Today I will do that, or die trying.

I thought I had joined a group destined for greatness, Alas all they were good foe was a midnight snack for a horror. I am the sole survivor of the ten of us that came. Even the weird young elf that came in here while we were fighting could not defeat the horror he is now encased in a strange crystal, but what do you know, he actually killed the horror. Now here is a kid who could have gone somewhere, and been someone Big. Well I am going to leave this book with the kids pack incase he ever gets out of that crystal stuff. I copied everything in my own journal anyway.
Alexander Mackie
Finder and opener of Kears.

Yesterday I awoke to what little was left of the group that was fighting the horror when I arrived in the old Kear. What I saw when I arrived at first enraged me that they would kill the horror before I got a chance, but then I saw how well they were doing. Already they were pretty badly hurt, but they kept fighting so using the shadow I lowered myself down to help. I dropped my pack at the entrance so it would hinder me and ran into the fray. The battle was terrible, left and right I watched as another group was slaughtered. That is when I saw it; an unprotected spot on the Horrors side. I jumped dirks formed on both hands for the spot and planted the blades deep. Headless of my own life, I pushed with all my strength. Suddenly there was a bright light and the darkness. I thought I was dead, but I had dreams during the time I was in the crystal. The dreams were of my parents and the others of the Keep, the stuff they taught me and then I remembered my mother saying something about a dragon in our lineage. Then the dreams changed and I found myself speaking to a disembodied voice. He said that he was my ancestor and that he was a Dragon. He was my Great-great Grandfather, he told me that though it was not much there was dragon blood in me, he said I was about a quarter Dragon Kin, as my mother had been half. He explained to me that there was a magic hidden inside me that had long since died out of the world it was a crystal magic. Like the Phoenix if I got to the point of death, I would be encased in crystal and be purified then reborn but as I was just before death. He said normally it would only take a couple of days, but since I was not one who practiced the magic, it had a malfunction and would last for thousands of years as it had the first time in the Keep and this time in this kear. I am not yet strong enough to venture forth, alas even this short note has exhausted me. So tonight I will sleep and prepare to see what is out there, I only hope I have not awoken during another scourge. It does feel weird here though the magic does not seem as strong as it used to be. Oh well I will have to depend on my own strength then.

This time is amazing; there are airships that are made of metal and crossbows that send small little bolts at its targets. The cannons are more refined and do not seem to use the elements to fire and some even fire things like ballista missiles. I met another elf but he is covered with a strange long hair from head to toe. We talked for a while but he seemed to get a little to curious about where I was from. Therefore, I dropped a silver piece on the table of the dinner and left quickly

I have learned more and found that while not having full use of the thief magic of old, I can still hide just as well in plain site. I have learned to listen to other people talking and found that my elf ears help me to hear better than they used to. It seems that it is only within the past few years that people started changing into Metahumans as we elves, the Dwarves, and other non-human name-givers are now called. It seems that Humans now consider themselves the true race and the rest of us are just mutated Humans. Many Humans seem to hate metahumans and go out of their ways to let us know it. Already I have killed two of them for attacking me, I sense that I am lucky they attacked me in the shadows of a dark ally. For it seems the law here is ten times worse than in Barsaive, especially the human members of the law. I have heard stories of people who are called Covert Ops Specialist. These COS’s are a groups or loners that are spies and do special missions. From what I have heard of the missions, I have decided that Covert Ops Specialist may be my best way to fit in this new world.

After two years in this the 6th world as I have heard some of the Magic users call it, I have had become quite successful in the Covert Ops and the Shaman magic that follows the Totem of the Phoenix. This seems ironically right for me with the ability of the crystal healing. Recently I have felt the presence of other people from Barsaive. I also seem to have started feeling the dragons that are rumored to be here, one seems very old. I hope to find this one and see if they can help me with the many questions I have. Perhaps I will even join with this Dragon and the others, it would be nice to talk with people who know and have seen what I do.

One day later I have just gotten a new possible job, but it is not a normal one, I have never seen a Mr. Johnson like this. I have even had females before but never like this one sounds. I meet with her later today.