The way east

[at]

The ground around the entrance to the camp shows signs of countless wagons that have travelled in and out over the years and the wooden palisade looks old but recently reinforced and expanded.

Rake unties his kerchief and waves it overhead as the group approaches, wary of goblin attack. Atop the palisade a half dozen warriors stand with bows ready but seeing that you are not a foe they call down for the barricades at the entrance to be drawn back.

The scene inside is somewhat squalid, far too many caravans and tents packed into the fortified enclosure with animals penned beyond. A crude forge has been set up near the entrance and there are cooking fires and stacked crates and barrels of food scattered around.

Vadania notes that there are two groups of soldier here - a handful of mercenaries and a more uniformly equipped band of women bearing a mark similar to that on Grales armour, the blacksmith from Clearwater that fought at the temple gate.

One of the female warriors, clad in chainmail, approaches and speaks, "Welcome outlanders. I don't know what cruel turn of fate brought you here but if you have any sense of self preservation turn back now before nightfall closes your path. There is only death for you here."[rand=94406587173677174897421338777406030330626240217791166356095215]

[harknail]

"We came to report to the surviving priests," said Vadania. "Are they here?"

[sageaqua]

Ka'lion returns to human form. "Which bad news, the zombies or the goblins or the undead dragon's or perhaps the spectral elemental things? This has not been a good week."

[at]

"My name is Isolde, I am the most senior of ... those of us that have survived. You may report to me"[rand=6284493397775499294075811108652554892759542744179527257809816948697]

[sageaqua]

"We need someone that knows the temples and faiths history. Is that you or someone else?" asked Ka'lion

[at]

Isolde sends an angry glare towards Ka'lion, "who are you to ask outlander"

She seems on edge and a sense of loss hangs over the entire camp.[rand=9165382195735732128814816908754964966089228099232720924664950792]

[sageaqua]

"I may be one of your best chances to end the assaults. But if you'd like us to leave - we will. We can't be of any use to you if you won't trust us. Captain, she can't help us or doesn't want to. I think we are going to need to find the priests elsewhere. We can't deal with the attacks without the information we need and only the high priests are likely to have it. If they don't have it. A high level bard may also be of use.
I don't like to run from a fight but I prefer running to standing still and being overwhelmed." said Ka'lion

[at]

(these are clearly the priests from the temple, you know they were a somewhat militant order, but they have no reason to entertain the demands of a bunch of dishevelled wanderers, nor does their mood seem charitable - there are few here considering the size of the fortification)[rand=671068275859491468769053345150585068988925671929780493921423429]

[sageaqua]

"They don't seem to know anything about the artifacts we found or the book or the demon hoard hiding under their temple or even the time bubble we where trapped in. I say we should go and help someone that wants it." said Ka'lion looking at the priest in annoyance.

[at]

At Ka'lions words the woman pulls her sword from it's scabbard and a dozen nearby pull their weapons and aim their bows at the group as she speaks "I don't know who you are outlander but if you have desecrated our temple then you will pay for your arrogance"

Ka'lion can see Rake and Jeroen in the corner of his vision back a step away distancing themselves from his apparent suicide attempt.

(these women are from the order of the silver flame - from the fortified temple across the pass, not the priests of clearwater - though they have no way of knowing that it is not their temple that Ka'lion speaks of as he has made no statement of his intent since arriving)[rand=793005955493462351567562942084396063641599134962666352001985062]

[sageaqua]

"If you came from Clearwater. We didn't take anything from the temple but we did find an entire evil kingdom under it with imps and other spectral monsters. We found the artifacts there. So you have no claim to them. We don't have enough information to be sure of anything else. And you don't have any reason to make this personal. Our did you put the demon's down there? I hope not. We should track down that village killer. These people have no interest in helping anyone but themselves." said Ka'lion refusing to be bullied by a faith that hides demon's under it.

[at]

"Clearwater?" Isolde seemed not surprised but confused. Behind her another older woman speaks up "It would seem these new visitors know little of our lands Isolde", turning to Ka'lion "we are ... or were guardians of the fortress of the silver flame and the gateway to the eastlands, and not of the temple of which you speak ... though if what you saw beneath clearwater is so it would explain a great many things"

(again - as Ka'lion has ranks in knowledge-religion he is aware that these are not the priests of clearwater - they are however well armed, on edge, and clearly not impressed by Ka'lions less than diplomatic nature though they did not threaten the barbarian until it was suggested that you had been looting a holy site)

[sageaqua]

Ka'lion has no diplomacy skills but also loathes bullies. After finding the Temple above demon's the priest have lost all credit with him. He's pushing them to get a better idea as to their character. If they kill him. They'll have no credit with the group.

"We still need to talk with an expert on your faiths ancient past. You don't know us and I see little reason to work with you if you can't take criticism. Your faith has nothing to offer me that I want anymore. The holy water I needed to help a few of my Friends is gone. I worked for the temple to earn a barrel of holy water for some monk Friends of mine to treat diseased crops and waters. Without it, I worry about their chances to survive." said Ka'lion, "So as I said. You have nothing I want. Captain. I prefer to honor the village's dead. I don't rest easy knowing the villagers killer got away with it."

[at]

Aug 27, 2013 17:11:37 GMT -5 sageaqua said:

After finding the Temple above demon's the priest have lost all credit with him.

NOT THE SAME PRIESTS

[sageaqua]

I understand they are not the same priests. We came here to help them and they don't want help. Ka'lion thinks they follow the same god. Who do they follow?
knowledge religion 5+roll [dice=20][rand=61662967223674067620176679920405671727373730391307872863835655153]

[at]

Aug 27, 2013 18:13:44 GMT -5 sageaqua said:

Ka'lion thinks they follow the same god. Who do they follow?

Ka'lion knows that they do not pray to a specific god but rather a proxy entity known as the flame, rumoured to be an intermediary between Gaia and the celestial pantheon.
Beyond that much of their history is lost in myth.

The priests of clearwater worshipped the triumvirate of Pelor, Heironeous, and Cuthbert, the state religion of Merebas (while Woldegard primarily worships Trithereon)

[sageaqua]

"I'm sorry. I can see that I'm mistaken. Captain we are in the wrong place. We need to find priest from Clearwater's temple." said Ka'lion

[at]

Stepping closer the older woman says "I think you first need to explain who you are, and this demon that you speak of"1

[sageaqua]

"We don't know that much. We where hired to investigate seals to make sure they remained closed so a demon would not escape. I never heard his name. When we found a seal it was cracked and all the dead skeletons in the tombs stood up and tried to kill us. We ended up running for our lives. We where no match for 1,000's of undead. We returned to Clearwater to report and to get paid for what we had found.

A barbarian attack occurred the following morning. We tried to help the temple and manage to stop most of the barbarians but not before they whipped out a large number of the temple. We followed to their sacred waters. We fount a 80 deep hole but the waters where gone.

We fought the last of the barbarians. Once they died they got up again as undead. Then a blinding pool of light knocked us out of time. Or at least a month had passed that we missed. We want outside and found the village being attacked by what I think where undead dragons. We climbed down into the pit. Found a book of light and a number of artifacts and an imp that tried to kill us. I think that covers what we know. Or at least most of it." said Ka'lion

[at]

There are mutterings from the assembled warriors and several, including Isolde and the older woman step back and engage in a brief but heated discussion amongst themselves.

Before long they turn back and Isolde speaks, "no priest from Clearwater reached this far, but if you were there ... did you see a knight marked with the symbol of the flame?"

The older woman then steps forward, "a terrible force came here from the west, from Clearwater. It has moved beyond to the east and we do not know what it seeks but it has left it's mark here and now the forces of evil rally to its call."[rand=2620677377132572379304389172767361005612696673315079799475377376]