Embers

[at]

The party spend a few days recovering and preparing to set out again, the goblins and the fallen sisters pulling back to the valley entrance and beyond where they gradually fortify all approaches to the monastery.

Vadania and Lynette are busy practising their swordsmanship in camp when a scout approaches from the east. At first Vadania expects news of Eldon but to her surprise the watch have spotted two figures moving west not far from camp - and one has been identified as Ka'lion.

The scouts opted not to intercept them, unsure of where the barbarian's loyalties lay after he left the group. They say there is ample time for Vadania and her companions to cut him off and that by his path he appears to be heading towards Clearwater - though they have no idea how he slipped this far east to begin with.

[sageaqua]

Ka'lion continues on his way to retrieve his horses and thinking about the elf trapped in the pit under Clearwater and wandering where the rest of the party currently are.

[at]

(could be the shortest party re-merging ever - if neither Vadania nor Garrot see fit to go after Ka'lion then it's back off to separate boards for another level unless the groups timeframes happen to sync up again)

[harknail]

Curious as to why he's in this area, Vadania goes to intercept him, with Garrot and Lynette if they are willing to see Ka'lion again.

OOC: We still might not be merging. I don't think Ka'lion is going to like Vadania's plans.

[at]

The sisterhood here know the land better than Ka'lion and guide the group on a path that will loop around infront of him. Ka'lions appearance has changed somewhat, he now wears a black shadowy armour and is accompanied by wolf and a human woman in soft leather attire.

[sageaqua]

"Hi Caption. How are you?" asks Ka'lion

[rhinobullet]

Garrot will follow along, though he has some reservations about seeing the strange character again. He will remain quiet and watch the interchange between the two to better judge if anything has changed.

[sageaqua]

"Garrot, I hope you've gotten a knighthood over the last few weeks. It should come with lots of treasure. I sent George home. His mind snapped and he had become a danger to himself and others. He wasn't happy here. I felt he'd do better with his family." said Ka'lion

[harknail]

Vadania answers, "Alive, though it was close. Still we stopped the demons servants from casting yet another ritual in a mausoleum. Learned some new tricks in that fight. How did you fare with the Barbarians and what happened to George?"

[sageaqua]

"I want to see the barbarians none of it worked out as intended their king and prince are dead, their people are on the run from the ibaxain. Men, women and children are all going to die from the ibaxion herding then away from their kingdom. I wont be surprised if none of them survive.

George was growing more and more paranoid. In the end, he didn't seem to care if he lived anymore. So I sent him back to his family. A war zone was not a good place for him. A little paranoia is healthy in a war zone. To much paranoid you start to fear your own shadows. But the last time I saw him he was alive and well physically but his mind was gone.

The two of us returned to the underground city under clearwater. The city and the temple are full of undead now. Not sure what type but they don’t seem to be normal zombies, but we have encountered ghouls, shadows, undead swarms and at least one undead and intelligent elven archer.

Which reminds me. We got out of the underground city by means of a portal painting. I need to go back down to see it the elven archer that had just followed us into the underground city is still alive. I also need to retrieve my horses from a 12 year old barbarian boy we left topside with a dying barbarian. I think we could use some help? I’m sure the boy has more then enough horses to sell. He has no way to manage that many horses by himself. I couldn’t do it and I was raised around animals.

But the barbarians that had returned to clearwater trying to learn what happened to their kin are all dead or missing.

What happened with you?” asked Ka'lion

[harknail]

Vadania answered, "The siege had already ended when we arrived. But the goblins had taken a mausoleum and were working on a ritual, presumably to raise more ranks of undead. We used Garrot's device to get though the siege around the Mausoleum and to block the entrance while we were inside. We fought some goblin guards, and also some of the sisterhood that had been taken over. It was one of them that was casting the ritual and almost killed me with a spell."

"So I'm now ready to use that spell on others, along with some other damaging spells. The new down didn't have any money, but they paid us with potions"

"As for getting horses, we've been using Garrot's device to get around. It's not as fast as a horse, but it never needs to sleep. Garrot and Lynette take turns operating it while I and Ylva take turns watching for danger."

"And as for helping you retrieve your horses, we're not quite done in town. But if you want to return here after you get your horses, we should be ready to move out then. The only question is if you want to go to the same places the rest of us do."

[rhinobullet]

Garrot nods at Vadania's words and says "that about sums it up. We stomped goblins and their allies and did what we could."

[sageaqua]

"Alright I'll meet you back here as soon as I can." says Ka'lion heading to Clearwater.

[harknail]

Vadania, "OK, see you in a few days. You can decide then if you want to join us or not."

[at]

Your choice if you want to roleplay out separate adventures at this point, or just skip ahead a few days and assume Ka'lion appeared shortly after the fight underground while the group was still recovering.

If Ka'lion is going to return and then decline whatever plan Vadania has it would be easier for me to just kick on with a separate thread for both groups now.

[sageaqua]

Ka'lions going to rejoin the party. His reluctance will be decided by the party choices. But it is it where he belongs. 2 side issues the first is the elf still down there and the second is what happens to the kid and his horses. Ka'lion would adopt the boy unless the boy has someone else.

[at]

(Ka'lion is assumed to have turned up shortly after the groups adventures at the mausoleum - so they return to camp to rest and prepare after he departs)

[Ka'lion only]

SPOILER: Click to show

Ka'lion travels for nearly two days until close to nightfall he spots a fire in the distance. He is surprised on investigation to discover the barbarian boy, the wounded warrior, and the horses. The boy explains that later in the day after Ka'lion and Elika departed a large group of men, mercenaries by their look, entered the town and began scouting the surrounding area.

In order to save the horses, believing the mercenaries would have taken them, he left a message hidden at the camp for Ka'lion based on what he had been told of his travels - lest it be found by others - and then fled with the horses and the wounded warrior around to the north and then onwards to where Ka'lion had found him.

The warrior for his part had briefly regained conciousness but was unable to say much. When told of the fall of the Hollow he had muttered something about the north and tried to rise but the exertion was too much - he still lives, though barely.

The description mercenaries match those the group had encountered at Melwyn's home. The boy had no news on the elf - having not encountered them.

[Garrot/Vadania only]

SPOILER: Click to show

It has been two days since Ka'lions departure when Garrot and Vadania are roused to news of a messenger from Burr Town - and are surprised to find that it is Lynette's sister, Xana. She has brought with her the copies of the Ka'lions book. They contain scribbled notes about locations and legends.

"Eldon was captured not far from Burr by mercenaries from the south, I think the same ones we saw at Melwyn's home. Altar is pursuing them but he told me to bring Eldon's notes here, he said there is a bigger problem - more than one demon. Eldon thinks the first is freeing it's companions."

She holds up the scrolls, "but he said the legend speaks of mortal bodies to which they are bound, and if the body is destroyed the spirit can be trapped before it can find a new one. He said the monastery flame must have been one of these prisons, and that he can still feel it's power - but that it is fading."

Vadania recalls that Eldon had spoken earlier about his faded power. The high priestess at the camp also confirms that their power has been waning since the demon's attack. She describes a great silver flame held in a brazen bowl, their connection to the divine power of the gods. Normally held in the monasteries highest tower but not seen since the attack.

[sageaqua]

“Okay - I don't like to abandon people. I'm going back down to get the elf. Once I get back we need to leave. Kid, you need sell off anything but your best horses. You just don't have enough people to keep them. I'm going to meet up with friends. In town. You should be able to get the best price. Right now horses are very scarce. I over paid on all my horses Uses the money you make to help your people. When we want down the the last time we found one body. No one else. And the body we found was dead and badly burned.” said Ka’lion

[rhinobullet]

Garrot looks at Vadania and says "What's the plan now? You say the word and I am good to go elf-lady!"

[at]

(is Ka'lion headed to Clearwater or back to the camp?)