News from abroad
Subject: Turn
Its tonight already where I am. In fact, it is so far past tonight, that is it now tomorrow.
From: Mark
Subject: New from abroad
Salix cradles Acer in his arms. Another druid comes forward "We have prepared a place for him to rest. Come." Salix stands and carries Acer gently the hundred or so yards to where a small cot has been set up. The rest of the party, not sure what to do, follows along. Salix lays Acer down and the other druid covers him with a blanket of woven leaves. The other druid, a full elf, turns to the party and motions them to keep quiet and follow him. When they are a hundred feet away he turns "I am Lou-Tor, elf from the southern forest." He gives a short bow to Kal "Hail Bladesinger. May your weapon always sing in defense of the Nation." Kal nods his head in recognition of this ancient greeting. Lou turns to the others "Places to rest have been prepared by order of MountainFather Flint. Follow me. You will have a few hours before the scouts return and the council meets to decide the fate of Faldor and Boddentown."
Lou gestures around and 8 beds of soft moss and grass have been prepared. The party is led to a small pool where they are allowed to bath. Those that bathe are greeted by the loud snores of those who stayed. All are asleep within 20 minutes.
When they are awoken several hours later, the sun is high in the sky. Lou-Tor is there "Come, dress quickly. Acer wants to talk to you before the council meets. Armor and weapons will not be needed. Several of the party member are not happy about that and a few take a dagger along. 5 minutes later they are seated at a large table with Acer in the middle. The frail old man looks much improved. The difference of the skin on his hands with that of his arms is dramatic. The skin on his hands is pink and supple, the skin on his body is scared, leathery and old. Acer laughs when he notices them looking "Yes, it will take some getting used to. Some of those calluses on my old hands were decades old. Please join me." He gestures and the party sits and they all eat. Acer is obvious in his intention to keep the chat light, adroitly changing the subject when anything serious is brought up.
When they are about done his tone does change. "Salix, and the rest of you, I want to thank you for rescuing me. I, more than almost anyone else, understand the risk of what you did and the dangers you faced. It is a testimony to your skills and resourcefulness that I am able to talk to you today. You have the gratitude of the Druid Council." He holds out a set of 8 broaches. Salix catches his breath when he realizes what they are.
"Yes, my young friend, these are broaches of Obad-Hai. They are but a small thanks for what you have done." Acer then proceeds to pin one of the broaches on each member of the party while explaining what they do. "The broaches are enchanted. Most animals, other than those magically controlled, will have a better disposition towards you (Wild Empathy). Once a day, if it is touched and the name of Obad-Hai is spoken, it can help influence the fey of the forest (Charm Monster, Fey only). It can also hide your path (Trackless step). You deserve more but this is all I have at the moment."
Harp holds up his hand and Acer says "Yes, my young ½ orc?" Harp stammers a bit but gets out his request "Stormfather, as you might know, we were sent by the head of my order to retrieve one of the gems of Valorshield. We were told that you had it. Is this true? If so, there is need for it." Acer looks a bit shocked at this but recovers quickly. "I did not know you had come for the gem. Is it that time again? That changes things a bit." Acer suddenly seems a bit more preoccupied. He turns his attention back to Harp. "I do not have the gem on me. I will have to retrieve it. However, it will have to wait. We have Faldor to take care of. Are all of you done? Good, please follow me."
The party follows the old man through the woods. Salix is surprised at how loudly Acer moves and how slowly. He seems to have forgotten everything he knew about the forest. The party reaches the large clearing again, the one with the stone table in the middle. There are 24 druids sitting there, half female, half male. Salix and the others recognize Flint and a few of the others. Acer stands in front of the table and calls another druid in from the edge of the clearing "Report" he says.
"Stormfather, I have only bad news. The scouts have been overflying the place called the Mayor's Estate. All of the tribes of the Northmen are dead. It looks as if when Faldor sent out the tribes to find those who rescued you" at this the druid gestures at the party "he took the time to gather up the women and children that had remained and, somehow, killed them all. Not just killed them. He used their deaths to empower himself. So when the tribes returned and found out what had happened, he was able to subdue them all with just a word. Evil black power was at his beck and call. He then used the returning tribesmen in some sort of evil ritual. While they were still alive and helpless, he took the bodies of the women and the young and formed some monstrous thing."
"As I watched from overhead, he took the tribesmen one by one and bleed them. He cut their throats and collected their blood. Hundreds of them. He had barrels of blood. And when the last of the tribesmen were dead, he took that blood and used it to infuse the huge corpse he had created. Gallon after gallon he used, all the while his few acolytes chanted and maintained his power." The druid starts to break down. "Council, how do I tell you of this horror? It is a bloated thing, standing well over 20 feet tall. It's legs are like oak stumps and it's arms like battering rams. When it took it's first step, I left. This was just over an hour ago." Acer nods and the druid leaves, tears still in his eyes.
The next scouts comes forward, this time leading three people. All of the party recognizes one of them, MountainSister Sephira, still as damaged as they last saw her. Some of the party recognizes the other two, Jimmy the Hand and Thanga. The druids with them step forward "StormFather, when you were returned to us, MountainFather Flint sent us to follow up on information that Salix and the other told us about MountainSister Sephira. When we got to the location we found her and the boy but also this ½ orc. The boy claimed that she was with him, and we did not want to gain say our mission, so we brought all three before the Council."
Acer nods "Sister Sephira. Much has passed since we saw each other last. I understand the pain you are in and ask you to bear it a few days longer. The council has much other work to do today and will not have the power to spare to heal you. Do you understand? The maimed woman nods and his helped from the circle. Acer then turns to Salix "Do you want to talk to the young man, since it was you who dealt with him?" Salix nods and turn to Jimmy. "Jimmy the Hand, of the Mockers, tell this council your story from when we last met."
The young man, no older than 12, steps forward "Your greatnesses" he says haltingly, looking very unsure of himself. Salix motions to Surin and whispers "Help him out." Surin nods and heads over to stand next to the boy. Jimmy is taller than Surin, but the halfling presence settles him enough for him to continue.
"I am called Jimmy the Hand, best pick pocket and sneak thief in Boddentown. I worked for The Upright Man, the guy whose was in charge of us, us bein the Mockers. A few days ago we made an agreement with this guy here" he points to Surin "to try and rescue that lady you just took away." He stops for a second and realizes that everyone is still waiting for him. "He, the Upright Man, took most of the Mocker's bashers and a few of us others. Just after midnight, he led us over the walls and into the barn out back. There we took the long service passage and killed the guards in the guard room. Then we snuck into the next guard room and that is when all hell broke loose."
Jimmy's eyes start to tear up but he does not cry. "These things came out of the wall. Surin had said that they were some kind of undead so we had brought the little holy water we still had in supply from before the temples got shut down. We threw the holy water on the two things but while it seemed to sizzle, it did not do any real damage. The Upright Man and the bashers then fought with the things while I was sent to get the lady out. I had no problems with the locks, but, you saw how she was, she didn't move fast at all. By the time I had gotten her back to the main hall, most of the bashers were down. They had taken out of of those things, but the other was left."
Now the tears start to fall. "I went to help the Upright Man. It was just him against that thing. I got behind it and stuck it. It should have died. A normal man would have died. But it weren't normal. It turned and tried to kill me. That was when the Upright Man shoved me out of the way and told me to save the lady. The last I saw of him, the thing was tearing off one of his arms." Jimmy stops for a few seconds, regaining his composure.
OODM: I will write more later. Work to go do tonight. Will probably be tomorrow.
From: Jason
Subject: Restoration
He can get it twice in one day, I'm just waiting for the writeup to say we rest or some such before I switch the spell list.
From: Porter
Subject: New from abroad
When they come in and see Acer for the first time since he woke up, Mund breaks into a big smile and rushes up to him. "Grandpa! You're awake! Good to see you up and about." Mund feels the Stormfather tense as he gives him a hug.
"Oh, I'm sorry. You've never seen me before. I carried you part of the way." Speaking in a voice just for the Stormfather, Mund continues "I'm the one that told you we was probably not gonna make it." Mund looks down, awkward, and goes back and sits down next to his brother.
----
When Mund hears the news of the slaughter of the Northern Tribes, Mund is furious. "Dammit!" he bellows. "We shoulda warned them! We shoulda done somethin'! We shoulda..."
Mund stops abruptly. Something is wrong. For the first time since puberty, Mund was as mad as he could be, but the strength of the Bear wasn't with him. He looks at his hands and his arms, sits down and shuts up.
He listens to the description of Faldor's new horror in shock. He had known other Northmen like himself who were only able to summon their strength one or twice a day, but Mund had never had that problem.
Had his wounds sapped the strength of the Bear from him? Was there some evil in the orc's axe that was keeping him from his strength?
From: Mark
Subject: More news
Jimmy continues "I hustled her out of the place as fast as I could, which was pretty slow, all things being equal. We had left a few guys to create a diversion to cover our escape and they did. Started fires and such. So me and the guys we left guarding the way out joined up and made it back over the walls. Then, as is usual, we split up. Me and the lady went on by ourselves. After 20 minutes I knew I was gonna need help. She was just too much for me to handle on my own. So I took her to where Thanga here worked. Thanga is a member of the Mockers. She works the Inn trade. Hostess, you know?" He makes a motion with the index finger on his right hand, moving through a circle formed with the thumb and first finger on his left. Harp finally understands and blushes under his dark skin.
"Well" Jimmy continues, his tears under control now "she helped me get the lady to the meeting point. We took a secret way out, one that the town guards don't know about and we waited. While we were waiting the town guard started getting all riled up. The door master told me that they Mayor had imposed martial law and was shutting up the city. No one in or out. That was when your guys showed up and said that they were from Salix there. They had the passwords so we went with them. The one there" he points to one of the druids "spoke to the door master. Must have said somethin terrible because old Tommy's face went white as a sheet and he's dark as night. Then your folks turned into horses and we rode away."
Acer speaks next "Jimmy, I want to thank you and your people for your help. It will be remembered." Jimmy is lead away with Thanga. The ½ orc looks at Harp, her eyes questioning, but no more. The StormFather turns to the Council and then fills them in on the purpose of Harp and Ragnar. When he is done he says "Those of you who know me, know that I do not scare easily. But I have learned much in the weeks of my captivity. Not only from Faldor, as he gloated over my broken body, but also from the earth. I spent those hours listening to the low whisper of the ground, the thrum of the earth, and it spoke to me."
"This Faldor is creating unnatural abominations. I have seen them. The ones I saw were not much larger then a man, but could kill a dozen men. He told me that he was going to create giant forms of these things, these blood hulks. Tonight we have heard how he has done this. Since it look like it worked, I am going to assume that he is going to use the population of Boddentown next. This we can not allow. So we have three things to accomplish. First, we must destroy Faldor. Second, we must destroy his estate and all the evil places and things there. Third, we must destroy Boddentown." He holds up his hands at the murmur that comes from the Council.
"We must destroy Boddentown for two reasons. First, it is another base of his operations. Second, he will, I think, use the populace as raw materials for his next creation. This we can not allow. Better the whole town be destroyed then this type of corruption be allowed. However, Flint has informed me that Scalfar" he points to the druid that rescued Jimmy and Thanga, "has given the Mockers warning. Even now, some of the populace of Boddentown is leaving. Those that can escape, we shall allow to go. The rest must perish. I, Stormfather Acer, head of the Druid Council says this must be done."
There is a few minutes of debate, more about how to accomplish the goals than if the goals are correct. Acer then speaks again "The Council will need to meet in Circle to accomplish this. The Council should use it's power to summon earthquakes and Storms of Vengeance on the Estate and Boddentown. I will need their help to remove Faldor. I plan on summoning an Avatar." There is shocked silence from the entire Council. Flint stands "Do you realize what that means?" Acer gives a rueful laugh "More than anyone. But it must be done. Flint, I am old. The things that were done to me, I will not speak of. But this must be my last act."
He turns to the rest of the Council. "Hear me. You all know what will be required of me for this. So I tell you, MountainFather Flint should replace me as the head of the Council and MountainSister Sephira, when her wounds are healed, should take his place, so that the Council is complete. Now go and prepare yourselves, for I think that high noon is the proper time for us to do this thing. We meet back here in half an hour. Faldor likes to work in the dark of night, we shall work in the light of day." The council members break into small groups, talking and discussing what has happened. Acer calls Flint over to where the party is sitting and the 10 move off to a secluded part of the woods.
OODM: When the party gets to the secluded part of the woods they can ask questionings.
From: Bryan
Subject: More news
OOC: What is the process for summoning an avatar? I assume it requires sacrifice?
From: Karl
Subject: More news
When Salix sees Sister Sephira, he lets out an audible sigh of relief. At the first opportunity to see her alone, he expresses his thankfulness to Obad-Hai that she was rescued, and apologizes profusely that it was not he, himself who effected the rescue.
When the party moves off to the secluded part of the woods Salix makes a point of staying as near as possible to the Stormfather. Acer was the closest thing to a father he had ever known. Deep down he knew that whatever terrible thing Acer was going to do, his mind was made up and there would be no stopping it. It was all he could do just to maintain his composure and try to act in a way that would make the Stormfather - *his* father - proud. Obad-Hai's will would be done, but Salix wanted to be as close to the Stormfather as he could be for as long as he could.
(ooc - Questions: It doesn't matter if Salix asks these or not, but he will if no one else does.
What is an Avatar and how does that work?
What can Salix do to help?
What of the gem that Angelwing needs?
What is Salix to do once this is over? (He's still under Acer's orders to help Quarion. He will want to make sure where he stands when this is over, and that there is a proper transfer of authority regarding himself personally if he is to lose his mentor. He *is* lawful/neutral, after all.)
From: Mark
Subject: More news
Most of the members of the party have never heard of an avatar.
I will make some knowledge religion checks, but this comment has left most of the party in the dark.