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Derlinderry went from strength to strength - growing in wealth, in trade, in power. Their ships were a sight to behold, their masts decorated by the stones providing them with light and protection, the buildings grew tall and proud, halls of learning and research flourished, alchemist guilds sprung up to expand and cater for the thirst for knowledge that seemed to never be quelled.
However, the riches and the success did not go unnoticed. Raids began upon the trading ships, pirates harried the Derlinderrian fleet. The mages and the alchemists turned their skills to developing spells of aggression, fireballs that could be aimed at enemy ships, spells of speed to allow their ships to outrun the pirates. But, driven on by the promise of wealth, the pirates grew more bold, and were more and more eager to possess the power hidden in the stones, and bagan to launch raids on the city.
The danger came not only from the sea, but also from the desert. Roaming Nomads also launched attacks upon the city. Attacked from both sides, the town's small militia was overwhelmed. The city found itself more and more under pressure, especially as the mages were unable to heal the injured. It became more and more clear to the populace that they needed the help of the clerics of Sistrina.
The Mayor and the conclave of elders decided to send an emissary to the clerics to ask for their support. The decision was not easy, but the mood amongst the citizens was clear and even the mages could not ignore the fact that they were unable to work out the secret of healing.
The clerics of Sistrina agreed grudgingly (and not without a slight feeling of superiority) to send aid to the people of Derlinderry. The best wizards were sent upon the fastest ship to bring the clerics safely to Derlinderry.
The journey to Sistrina was uneventful, the ship kept close to the shore travelling under cover of night, protected by the wizards' spells. A frosty and hurried reception in Sistrina awaited them, before they made their return journey. The ship travelled with the utmost caution. As the ship sailed into the estuary that led to the home port of Derlinderry they stumbled upon an ambush, 7 pirateships awaited them. The news had obviously leaked out that one of the best ships of the fleet had been dispatched on a special missison to Sistrine, and the pirates had set a trap. The mages and the clerics fought bravely, but they were outnumbered. The ship was taken, and the crew lost their lives in the fight.
The clerics, of course, found themsleves back in the temple in Sistrine. In the middle of explaining what had happenned there came a noise behind them. From the blue light emerged, confused and disoriented, the mages who had been with them on the ship. The clerics were confounded - they had thought that the gift of rebirth was solely there for the true believers; and mages were anything but. The mages were obviously also confused (as well as relieved). A messenger was sent to Mantila to share the news with her.
The council met with the mages. Mantila addressed them;
"Sistrina works in mysterious ways, obviously. The happy fact that you have also been given the gift of re-life can only mean that Sistrina accepts you, despite your heresy. We are now-" she was interrupted by the arrival of a young acolyte - "Gentlemen - I believe we have a problem. It appears that Derlinderry is under heavy attack - heavier than before. It is imperative that you leave immediately for the city. I suggest you take the over land route, this time. You will have some friends to accompany you." During the meeting, more and more people had been emerging from the light in the temple, with reports of an organised attack upon the city, more than the usual raid.
The mages and the clerics and a force of the Knights of Sistrina hurried down to Derlinderry as quickly as they could. When they arrived the town itself had been invaded and the battle ground was the streets. It seemed as though the pirates and the nomads were attempting to take control of the Towers of Derlinderry. The fighting was heaviest in the streets leading to the Tower. The sight of the well organised knights charging down the street towards them led the pirates and the nomads to take flight. They were but a stone's throw away from the towers.
After the city had been rebuilt and its defences strengthened, the Conclave of the Elders of Derlinderry met up with the Council of Sistrina. The raids of the pirates had shown the Mages that they needed the clerics, just as the reincarnation of the vitims of the fighting in Derlinderry had shown the Clerics that the mages were also accepted by Sistrina. It was decided that in both Sistrina and Derlinderry, embassies would be opened to encourage good relations between the cities; thus it came to pass that in Derlinderry a Temple was built and that the Sistrinean Magic Academy was founded. The mages and the clerics even worked together to gain a deeper understanding of the stones and the power they worked. Thus a form of communication, telepathy, was developed which allowed those who were attuned to the stones to communicate with each other over long distances.
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