New Frontiers #32

[GM Mad]

New Frontiers #32

The battle of Rennydale is over and Lord Cavius has been restored to his former self. Those falsely imprisoned in his dungeon have been freed and those in need of aid helped by the priests. Among the prisoners was one Gwenith Moonsong, who had been a Captain of the Guard.

She turns to Lord Cavius, " My lord when I was imprisoned my armor and weapons were stripped of me. Would you know of there whereabouts? All I have is the clothes on my back at the moment. Also are my quarters still unoccupied my Lord"?

"Your chambers are as you left them, Gwenith. Your gear is there as well. Please reclaim them and join us later."


Elsewhere, the fates of the two vile magic items in this affair have been decided. The Brazier and the Staff of Withering are taken by Kharyna and placed inside her Portable Hole for safe-keeping. Later, they will be feed to a Spell Engine in the possession of her mother Chasreena.


Laucian will spend a small amount of time with Lord Cavius, helping the man restore his faith. Like Laucian, Cavius is a ranger and normally a devoted follower of the Lady of the Forests.


The three surviving men still under the influence of the Black Water are placed in the dungeon. Chareos attempts to remove the spell that they are under with moderate success. Two of the three are freed from the influence and are released. The last man remains defiant.

[GM Mad]

Debriefing:


During the debriefing, Lord Cavius tells what he knows about the swamp.

"Beleme Swamp was been a blight on the land for as long as any can remember. It lies due north of Rennydale, a day's and half ride away."

"The swamp itself is a dismal place. An ill smelling bog of evil. A wound in mother earth itself. It is a confusing place where men can wander for weeks without finding their way out. There are a few trails that can only be found by trained woodsmen such as myself. You must stick to these trails to the exclusion of all else, err you wander into deep pools of water, muck and quicksand."

"The Shrine of Evil lies deep in the heart of the swamp. Those who succumb to the influence of the Basilisks of Compulsion automatically know the way. These basilisks wander the area outside the swamp, seeking to ensnare the unwary."

"Within the swamp there are undead to contend with. Zombies from what I observed. Those poor souls who died in the swamp have returned to haunt the living. There are also those men still living who have fallen under the spell of the Basilisks."

"Lastly there are the priests of the Shrine. The Shrine itself is a small rectangular building having only 3 chambers and a front entrance. Inside the building is where the Black Water gurgles up from the earth itself. It is this foul fluid that controls those who ingest it."

"Apart from Vryxnr, there are other lesser priests present. Given their limited spell-casting ability, they should not be that great of a threat to a prepared party."

"I do know that the strings of the Lord of Corruption reach into both Corunglain and the Ruins of Ardelphia. Many adventurers trying to reach Ardelphia have fallen under the sway of the Black Water. They've been using the situation in Ardelphia as a lure to bring heroes and adventurers in and bring them under the sway of the Lord of Corruption. I am unsure just what is transpiring in Corunglain, but no good can come from it."

"Lord Validar, Captain Moonsong is a fine swordswoman in her own right. Gwenith has great potential and is being wasted here in Rennydale. Perhaps she can join your associates and go forth to battle the evil in the swamp? She roughly knows the way to the swamp. Once there you'll have to rely on your woodsmen to guide you through the dangers within."

After the meeting Chareos will meet with Lord Cavius for a moment and ask his lordship," My lord could you suggest a merchant that carries decent wine?"

"I have plenty of fine, untarnished vintages in my cellar, friend Chareos. Please, feel free to help yourself. The grapes of Rennydale are quite sweet and are enjoyed by many. All of you may enjoy the fruits of Rennydale. I shall have what remains of the tainted wine gathered up and destroyed before they can harm any others. Rest well this night Lords and Adventurers. I fear your greatest battle has yet to come."

[GM Mad]

Morning:

The night passes without incident. Lord Cavius works through the night restoring Rennydale. Once the situation in the castle is settled, he and his trusted men move into the city below. The weather turns colder and a light covering of snow coats the land.

Late in the morning, Kylie is startled when Sherwood and three women materialize before her! Two of the other women are Lady Jallarzi Sallavarian and Elspeth of Azrella.

The last woman is currently wearing a luxurious hooded fur coat. Throwing the hood back, Kylie immediately recognizes the woman as yet another of Jallarzi's students: the invoker Argent!

[GM Mad]

GM Notes:

Continue your debriefing discussions. Sherwood has a great deal to discuss, but that can wait until your other talks have concluded.

The priests have helped those in need in the castle. You can now work on healing your comrades who have been injured and who wish to be healed. Validar's wounds mysteriously healed overnight.

Both the Roster page and Appearances pages have been updated with the new arrivals.

Hit Points:

Chareos 46 of 52
Lara 30 of 46
Swanny 38 of 64

Now what?

[Sherwood]

Sherwood:

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you, Kylie", Sherwood will say after appearing. "We located you in Argent's Crystal Ball to get a location to teleport to. So what did I miss?"

Sherwood will be pleased to learn that the situation in Rennydale has been dealt with in his absence. Excusing himself, Sherwood will seek out Validar.

"My apologies for being late, but there have been significant developments regarding our situation. Elspeth occasionally has visions from Azrella and she received one that shed a great deal of light on what is going on. We were forced to stop by the castle Sharadin has occupied to do some research and came across Argent there."

"At any rate, the nature of our enemy is now known. We'll need to gather everyone together so that we can explain it all. Jallarzi and Elspeth will accompany us to the Swamp. Argent tagged along as she wished to be reunited with Kylie and Kharyna."

[Argent]

Argent:

Throwing the hood of her fur coat back, Argent gives her fellow former student a wide smile. "Why hello, Kylie. You are looking well."

After the reunion with Kylie, Argent will follow Jallarzi and Elspeth around. When she sees Kharyna, Argent will go to greet her as well.

"Hello, Kharyna. I must say that you're looking rather well. Those are some very nice jewels you are wearing. We'll have to compare our collections sometime."

To the strangers Argent will introduce herself, as "I am Argent, an invoker of no small power. I'm also a former apprentice of Jallarzi and am known to both Kharyna and Kylie. Up until about a few days ago I was a member of the Company of the Sword on a quest for the Sword of Doom. My group met up with another band of adventurers named the Seekers and ended up merging together. I felt a bit out of place and parted ways with the new group. Sharadin asked me to do some research in the Keep for him and that's where I was when Jallarzi and Sherwood arrived. After hearing that both Kylie and Kharyna were in the same adventuring band for the moment and that they were going to meet up with them, I asked to tag along. And so I am here."


Argent is an attractive young woman in her earlier twenties. She has long curly brown hair and matching eyes. Underneath her fur coat, Argent is wearing a fine dark green dress decorated with elaborate gold embroidery. It is very flattering to her figure.

Argent carries a quarterstaff with her and has a dagger stored in a sheath from her belt. A large leather pouch hangs from her shoulder. She wears an ornate amulet on a golden chain around her neck. A pair of silvery earrings dangle form her ears. She wears several rings and has a pair of bracers around her wrists. A golden bracelet completes Argent's attire.

[Validar]

VALIDAR -

Validar listens as Lord Cavius tells the story of the Beleme Swamp. The guardians and the upcoming opponents seem none to overwhelming, but the insidiousness of the whole set-up makes Validar quite grim.

"The individual opponents seem none to powerful on an individual basis, Lord Cavius. Together however, and for those unprepared, the combination is unsettlingly effective. We shall be cautious and quite ruthless in our destruction of the enemy."

Validar is a little surprised to hear that the taint of this evil has reached into not only Ardelphia, which seems obvious, but also Corunglain. Lord Validar had not considered that this had already occurred. But even Lord Cavius is not aware to what extent this corruption has violated the lands of Corunglain. "We had heard that an adventuring party had cleared Fort Runnels. Could this be a lie or even a trap? Ardelphia is a land that some of us have sworn to free. Lord Acerion and Lord Corley here have committed to this cause. If Corunglain is under some evil sway, as Rennydale was also, then the Guardians of the Light will be commited to eliminating the effects of it in their lands as well."

"Lord Validar, Captain Moonsong is a fine swordswoman in her own right. Gwenith has great potential and is being wasted here in Rennydale. Perhaps she can join your associates and go forth to battle the evil in the swamp? She roughly knows the way to the swamp. Once there you'll have to rely on your woodsmen to guide you through the dangers within."

"Captain Gwenith is more than welcome to ride with us," the young noble says with a nod in her direction. "We would welcome your knowledge of the lands and the guide to the swamp. You may certainly join us on the attack against this soulless slug known as Vryxnr."


After the debriefing is completed, sleep comes easily to the noble from Pyris. His wounds have already started to heal and his limp has faded away. By morning, Validar is his normal self again. He eats a hearty breakfast and prepares his valiant steed Havok for the day, although he is not certain when Sherwood will return and whether they should strike out without him. As he rides about the castle, exercising Havok, his mind thinks about the task before them. His sword arm aches to end the life of this vile Lord of Corruption, but haste is not a necessary comrade in this battle. Preparation will be of vital importance. Returning to the stables, Validar leaves Havok in the capable hands of the stable attendants and returns to the guest areas.

There he sees that Sherwood has returned and has some company. "Greetings, my ladies," Validar will say with a slight bow to the three. "Welcome to Castle Cavius. I am pleased to announce that the situation here is returning quickly to normal. And it is good to see you again, Sherwood."

"My apologies for being late, but there have been significant developments regarding our situation. Elspeth occasionally has visions from Azrella and she received one that shed a great deal of light on what is going on. We were forced to stop by the castle Sharadin has occupied to do some research and came across Argent there."

Validar listens to the ranger-mage with interest. "Very good. I am quite interested to hear the details of your findings. Well met, Argent."

"At any rate, the nature of our enemy is now known. We'll need to gather everyone together so that we can explain it all. Jallarzi and Elspeth will accompany us to the Swamp. Argent tagged along as she wished to be reunited with Kylie and Kharyna."

"We will gather everyone at once," Validar will offer. He will dispatch Arocken to gather the group and assemble them all in a place large enough for the whole group to be accommodated.


To the strangers Argent will introduce herself...

"You say that your adventuring band joined with a group known as the Seekers. I was a member of that group until recently myself, along with Arocken here. I am very curious how the group is doing and who was there."

[Ivy]

Ivy:

"Without testing, it was impossible to know whether his affliction was of that nature, or something entirely different. I am glad it was successful. Your presence is ever a boon to this fine assemblage of ours."

"Thank you for your kind words, Grondar. I think we're all vital for the success of our mission." It that a touch of embarrassment on Ivy's face?

"Thank you so much for the offer and kindness but I am not wounded at the moment . Though I am famished and could use some food and water to regain my strength, I have only but had stale bread and water. I also could use a little rest, though i would like to come along and attend the debriefing on this situation."

"You're welcome, Gwenith. If you'll excuse me, I'll tend to the needs of the others."

Later an exhausted Ivy will seek out a place to sleep in one of the guest rooms. In her haggard condition, she's barely aware of what is going on around. Finding one of the guest rooms, Ivy simply lays down on the bed not even bothering to remove her garments. Completely unnoticed by her is the suit of recently cleaned armor that had been laid out on a nearby table. Sleep claims Ivy in moments.


Ivy rises late next morning and quickly says her morning prays and regains her spent spells. She is pleased to find that Sherwood has returned, but is surprised to find that he is not alone. Lady Sallavarian is here along with Elspeth and yet another of Jallarzi's disciples. Ivy will give her best friend a warm welcome and move off to chat with her fellow Azrellian. Curious as to what she missed, Ivy will gather with the others when summoned.

[Lara Spellsword]

Lara:

Kylie moves over to join the discussion. "I too would enjoy hearing more of this. It sounds very interesting, and I have never heard of anything of the like. Could you tell us more?"

"To answer your question, Lilia, a Spell Engine is basically a powerful magickal artifact that has specific purposes, usually beyond the power of a 'normal' magic item. Some are more specific in their uses and some are more variable. To explain more would be to give away some secrets that I do not feel comfortable doing at this time unfortunately."

Since Kharyna doesn't wish to discuss the matter any further, Lara will add some parting words of her own. "A Spell Engine is a common magic item in Alphatia, but virtually unknown here in Cynalon. It is not the kind of thing one carries around with them, so it is not something you would use on an adventure. Chasreena uses hers to create magical affects around her home."

Lara will naturally join her adventuring partners in Kharyna's magical house. Next morning she'll memorize a new set of spells and greet the new arrivals.

"I guess we're getting to the end of this mission if Jallarzi is coming along. It'll be interesting to see how a high powered sorceress does things."

"Hello Argent. Nice to finally meet you."

[Grondar]

Grondar:

When no reply to his greeting of Gwenith is offered, Grondar shrugs. She's not the first human he's met with issues regarding dwarves.

He notes the form of Kylie move above him and covers his patient with her bow. "It is greatly appreciated." He chances a glance in Grondar's direction as Kylie makes her joke and a smile forms across his face. "Even if he were to escape, Grondar would be a match for him. To think a dwarf to outrun a human." He says it with an easy smile.

"It's all in the footwork, or footwear, or something like that," Grondar replies grinning. "I never can remember..."

She helps Grondar bind the man he felled if her dwarven friend needs assistance, otherwise she will stand guard until everyone is secured.

Rising when the quick work is done, Grondar smiles at his friend. "Thank you, Sherra. These feisty rascals appear to be taken care of," he says in dwarven. Seeing her look of confusion, he helps her though the more difficult parts of the phrasing. Dwarven isn't really a difficult language, but the structure is so different from most human languages that it can take a while to get acclimated.

"Thank you for your kind words, Grondar. I think we're all vital for the success of our mission." It that a touch of embarrassment on Ivy's face?

"You're welcome, my friend," he says. Noting the look on Ivy's face, Grondar says nothing more so as not to increase her distress.

"There is no danger from an item such as this. Although perhaps an item that was infused with a living spirit that was evil may be a worry. I will have to ask on that in the future."

"Then it seems we are in luck, my lady, and beholden to you for this solution to an otherwise thorny problem."

Grondar tags along last into the room where the debriefing is being held. He listens quietly to as the other participants put forward their thoughts. The first subject seems to be that of the initial alarm. The others seem to pointing the finger of blame at Kylie, but without much apparent evidence for doing so.

"The alarm came as somewhat of a surprise to all of us, I suspect. As I recall, the initial plan was to reconnoiter and attack tomorrow. What set off the alarms may remain a mystery, as Talia and Kylie aren't here to get their perspectives. Of course, I have no idea how any of you gained entry, so I can't be of help there."

The second issue is one of overall performance. "All things considered, it seems we did rather well. While our initial plan got scrapped for the most part, anyone that has been in much combat knows that few strategies survive contact with the enemy.

"In truth, it was a sad event. Many of those who opposed us were not in their right mind, and there were many grievous wounds. I only pray that the only true deaths were among those twisted priests. Even they had been corrupted from their true selves, and would seem to have once been pledged to honourable gods. More the pity." Grondar's voice is heavy, and his sadness at this day's events is palpable.

The young elf looks to the others reading their faces and then speaks," I think we did very well given the task at hand. In hind site I only foresaw one potential danger. During the battle Grondar retreated toward the portcullis and was effectively cut off from the rest of us. Though he handled himself admirably the situation could have turned dire."

"Personally, I feel our dwarven comrade could have easily handled the dozen or so soldiers that swarmed from the gatehouse on his own. Perhaps not easily, but I am confident he would not have fallen to their weapons, even had he battled them all. Therefore I would disagree that this is a potential danger point. This is an example of properly categorizing the threat levels, in my opinion."

"I thank you for your concern, Laucian, and for your confidence, Validar. While I was somewhat pressed, none landed any solid blows. While I was not injured, I will not go so far as to say that I was in no danger. It has been my experience that anyone can be wounded or killed by an untimely and unfortunate blow. I must thank Berronar this night for her protection, as I believe my good fortune in the battle to be as much her doing as my own."

"My thinking is that calling Acerion away would necessitate Chareos and perhaps even Lara and Kharyna to stand their ground in combat. You did well, Chareos. Had Lord Corley not gone to make contact with the trolls and instead gone for Cavius, then perhaps we could have dealt with the trolls on our left much like we did on the right. Kharyna has used a Wall of Fire before, that would have been effective, but was unuseable with our fighters in hand to hand combat. In any case, the left flank held its own and each of you did well. Next time we may be better at the assignment of targets and the splitting of our actions."

"What do any of the rest of you say? Comments on my opinions?"

"While I was not there to witness that part of the battle well, I can understand Chareos' concern. It sounds as though the concentration of forces may have left us weak in his area. Since Kharyna didn't use the Wall of Fire, we cannot assume that she had it available or was in a position to use it if she did. It is fortunate that no one of us was gravely wounded, but I am not so certain that we can count on that to always be the case."

Grondar listens carefully as Cavius describes what awaits them in the swamp. It seems they are likely to face many undead, which is to his liking. He is always uncomfortable facing sentients, but he feels no compunction about - and in fact a great duty toward - destroying the unliving.

"Lord Cavius, if I may, are we likely to encounter many more of the basilisks in the swamp?"


Once he wakes in the morning and has time to perform his proper devotions, Grondar will see that the rest of their company is healed up. After that is done, his spells will be spent on healing any remaining members of Cavius' troop.

To the strangers Argent will introduce herself, as "I am Argent, an invoker of no small power. I'm also a former apprentice of Jallarzi and am known to both Kharyna and Kylie. Up until about a few days ago I was a member of the Company of the Sword on a quest for the Sword of Doom. My group met up with another band of adventurers named the Seekers and ended up merging together. I felt a bit out of place and parted ways with the new group. Sharadin asked me to do some research in the Keep for him and that's where I was when Jallarzi and Sherwood arrived. After hearing that both Kylie and Kharyna were in the same adventuring band for the moment and that they were going to meet up with them, I asked to tag along. And so I am here."

Grondar introduces himself to the newcomers, including Argent, as he doesn't recall meeting her or Elspeth previously. "Well met. I am Grondar, devoted servant of our Revered Mother, Berronar Truesilver. If you need anything, you have but to ask."

In truth, Grondar is greatly curious regarding the news Sherwood has brought...

[Lilia]

Lilia:

The Elf Maiden is fascinated with the discussion of this Spell Engine and is disappointed when the subject is quickly dropped. Lara's parting words do provide some enlightenment to her. The Alphatians are known to be a magically powerful empire lying to the east. It is said that magic is more common place there, so having more powerful enchanted items seems only natural. Still, Lilia would like to learn more about these Spell Engines in the future.

Lilia will sleep in the conjured house if allowed and will memorize a new set of spells come the morning. She'll keep to herself and is content to listen to what Sherwood has to say. At least, this mission that dragged her from her home seems to be nearing its end.

[Corley]

Corley:

Once in the room and everyone is seated, Validar will start with an open ended question: "I am curious first of all what each of think of our assault and what we could have done better."

When it comes time to speak, Lord Corley will add, "I thought it went rather well myself. We were victorious and had no causalities. What commander could ask for more?"

Corley listens as Lord Validar continues to speak, going on and on and sounding a lot like his father. Corley's mind does wander for a bit, but will agree with what was sound if asked.

Lord Cavius expound upon the dangers lurking ahead in the dreaded Beleme Swamp. He also offers the services of Captain Moonsong to the group.

"Welcome to our band, Lady Gwenith. I am sure another strong sword arm would be most welcomed."

Next day, Lord Corley will greet Sherwood upon his return and give a gentlemanly greeting to the fair maidens with him by kissing their hands.

"Well met, Lady Sallavarian. Good to see you once more Lady Elspeth."

Lord Corley is rather taken by the lovely Lady Argent. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, milady. Is it your intention to join our quest?"

[Aswansea]

Swanny:

After receiving the wine he approach Swanny and whom ever is interested, "It appears that I have lost our wager my friend and I am a man of my word." presenting the bottle. "Would you care for a drink?" he says with a smile.

"Now there's man with the right idea", Swanny will say with a light laugh. "As long as that wine is safe to drink then sure I won't mind sharing. Let me ditch my armor and I'll join you as soon as possible."

Ducking into Kharyna's magical dwelling, Swanny will remove her armor and clean up a little bit and slip into more comfortable clothing. She will keep her sword belt on just in case. Swanny will drink her share and converse to those with her.

She'll rise late next morning and probably will have to be wakened to attention Sherwood's little chat. Seeing that several others have joined the band, Swanny will remark, "This is becoming quite a small army."

[Talia]

Talia:

As per her nature, Talia mostly stays out of the way. She'll chat with the other members of her band and with Sherra, but has very little to add on the current situation.

[Kylie]

Kylie:

He notes the form of Kylie move above him and covers his patient with her bow. "It is greatly appreciated." He chances a glance in Grondar's direction as Kylie makes her joke and a smile forms across his face. "Even if he were to escape, Grondar would be a match for him. To think a dwarf to outrun a human." He says it with an easy smile.

"You're welcome," Kylie replies with a smile. Laucian's comment draws a smirk from the half-elf. "Kind of like hearing of some flying pigs, eh?" she asks with a giggle.

While the others are discussing the day's events, Kylie finds her way to the castle's kitchens. Unless prevented by Cavius' staff, she will do some cooking of her own. She creates some treats from a recipe she learned from her mother and was greatly enjoyed by her and her father. When they are done, she proceeds to locate Lord Corley.

"Corley? I hope I'm not disturbing you, but I thought you might share a little treat with me..."

The discussion regarding the Spell Engine is interesting, and Lara's final comments help. Still, the information is insufficient to sate Kylie's curiosity. However, clearly, she will have to wait for another time to learn more.

Late in the morning, Kylie is startled when Sherwood and three women materialize before her! Two of the other women are Lady Jallarzi Sallavarian and Elspeth of Azrella.

The last woman is currently wearing a luxurious hooded fur coat. Throwing the hood back, Kylie immediately recognizes the woman as yet another of Jallarzi's students: the invoker Argent!

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you, Kylie", Sherwood will say after appearing. "We located you in Argent's Crystal Ball to get a location to teleport to. So what did I miss?"

Were Kylie not trained in stealth, the sudden appearance of the three might have brought a shriek from her. As it is, it is several moments before she regains her composure sufficiently to speak.

"Jallarzi! How wonderful to see you again so soon!" Kylie steps forward and gives her mentor a warm squeeze.

Even as she begins to speak again, Argent sweeps back her hood and Kylie recognises her old friend almost immediately. "Argent!" she squeels delightedly. "It's you!" Kylie gives her compatriot an excited hug, as words bubble from her lips. "How are you? How have you been? What have you been up to? ..."

Kylie's so excited, she can hardly sit still to hear the explanations.

[Argent]

Argent:

While making her rounds, Argent has come across Lord Validar. He is a tall, muscular, and handsome man. Definitely someone Argent would find interesting!

"You say that your adventuring band joined with a group known as the Seekers. I was a member of that group until recently myself, along with Arocken here. I am very curious how the group is doing and who was there."

"Ah," Argent will say with a smile. "You must be Lord Validar then. The others did speak of you."

"Let me frame my tale with a little background. As I stated, I was a member of the Company of the Sword. We were dispatched to Karn's Keep in quest of the Sword of Doom. Along the way we aided a Temple of Ehlonna by dispatching the Zombie Master who had perverted a small forest with dark necromantic magic. We were successful and Ehlonna granted us a boon and teleported us directly to Karn's Keep."

"The Keep was a large and fantastic place, apparently built by giants in the distant past. We discovered that Karn had hidden the sword and had used items as part of a scavenger hunt to locate it. We also find a pillar artifact in the basement of the keep, but one that was keyed to the specific items of the quest."

"We used the pillar to travel to the former Isle of Everwinter and ended up in the lair of a white dragon. We drove the beast off and managed to return to the keep. Other issues side tracked us for a time including the arrival of a Hextorite force seeking to claim the sword for themselves. Just as we defeated the invaders, the Seekers arrived at the keep by way of the Pillar Artifact."

"Turns out that they had used the Artifact under Gateway to travel to a tropical island where they fought snake men and a red dragon. They had been trying to return to Gateway, but something went wrong and the artifact took them to Karn's Keep instead."

"After realizing that we were not enemies, the two groups discussed things and ended up merging. Our ranks had dwindled considerably since we had left Gateway. I started to feel out of place and decided to depart as did several others."

"From what I remember, the Seekers were led by a warrior named Stephanie and an invoker named Claudius. There was tall fascinating mage named Padraig present, along with an insufferable elf named Finrod. There was a simple warrior named Blod, a halfing named Bernice, another elf named Fiben, a pair of Mystrains by name of Dani and Tania. A bard named Armon and a half-drow by name of Mercy. Those were the Seekers that I encountered."


Argent will say hello to Ivy. "I can see that you are an Azrellian. Very good. There was another of your followers in my previous group by name of Schar. Have you heard of her?"

"Hello Argent. Nice to finally meet you."

Looking down, Argent spots a small elf. "You must be Lara, one of Kharyna's companions. It is nice to finally meet you as well. I was told that you are something of a scholar on things magical. I've just come for the reclaimed Karn's Keep. I can tell you that it has an outstanding library of tomes both rare and mundane, not to mention a fine collection of spell books. Sharadin has started a new mage guild there. I thought I would bring it to your attention."

Grondar introduces himself to the newcomers, including Argent, as he doesn't recall meeting her or Elspeth previously. "Well met. I am Grondar, devoted servant of our Revered Mother, Berronar Truesilver. If you need anything, you have but to ask."

"Hello to you too, Grondar. I can't say that I've heard of Berronar Truesilver before, but then again my knowledge of priesthoods is limited to those with whom I've adventured with. While I am an Invoker by training, I do try to follow the teachings of the Lady of Mysteries."

Lord Corley is rather taken by the lovely Lady Argent. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, milady. Is it your intention to join our quest?"

"Why thank you for your most gracious welcome, Lord Corley. My it seems that there are quite a few nobles around here. However, I must insist that you just call me Argent. I am the daughter of simple Crossroad merchants and do not come from a noble birth. At the moment, I have no solid plans. I mainly came here to visit my old friends."

Even as she begins to speak again, Argent sweeps back her hood and Kylie recognizes her old friend almost immediately. "Argent!" she squeals delightedly. "It's you!" Kylie gives her compatriot an excited hug, as words bubble from her lips. "How are you? How have you been? What have you been up to? ..."

"I am doing well, Kylie", Argent will say hugging her friend back. "I had been adventuring in the Frontier lands performing a quest for Sharadin. My adventuring band joined forces with another and I felt out of place. I was doing some research on what is called the Pillar Artifacts when Sherwood and Jallarzi came to Sharadin's castle. When I learned that they were coming here and that both you and Kharyna were here, I asked to come along and here I am! So how are you doing?"

For the curious, Argent was the middle of the three apprentices. Kharyna was the first and then Argent came on the scene. Kharyna departed shortly after Kylie arrived.

[Gwenith Moonsong]

Gwenith Moonsong

Gwenith thanks Lord Cavius for the information on the whereabouts of her armor and weapons and runs to retrieve them. She returns down to the debriefing and quietly takes a seat to listen in on what has happened while she was in the dungeon.


Grondar...
After the meeting Gwenith catches up with Grondar whom she had forgotten to greet earlier, "I am so sorry for my mistake," she tilted her head and smiled at Grondar. "Lets start again. My head is not where it should have been. I am Gwenith Moonsong and it is my pleasure to meet you . Please forgive my rudeness for I wanted to retrieve my weapons and armor just in case there was a need for me."

Corley...
"Thank you so much and it is my honor to be here to help your group with whatever may arise."


Validar...
"I would be honored to help under your leadership. I am able to help get to the swamp as soon as everyone is well rested and ready to go. I am at your group's service since you helped free my Lord from the evil spell that befell him."

As soon as the meeting is over Gwenith looks around to see that everyone is heading to their quarters for some rest. She herself could use some rest before heading out. She decides to turn in and thankfully it won't be on a dungeon floor this time around .

Gwenith wakes up refreshed the next morning and she is always ready for an adventure where ever it might take her .
She meets up with the others to see how she can be of help.

[Lyonessa]

Lyonessa:

such a commotion, I feel as though I am back in the crowded streets of Kingsport Lyonessa will continue rendering aid to as many as she can assist. Soon enough she is near exhaustion and famished. Seeking out some food she finds a place outside the castle walls to sit and relax.

It does wonders for her tired body, and soon Lyonessa's mind replays the day's events. She begins to hum as words flutter in her mind as she sets upon the task of compiling them into a worthy ballad. The rest of the day drifts away and Lyonessa seeks out a place to sleep in one of the magical dwellings.

quite a few more faces around. seems we've acquired more help from far and wide Lyonessa moves about and sees the new arrivals, some of whom break into smaller groups that know each other. All seem to be getting re-acquanted.

Lyonessa shows some lines of worry on her face as word reaches her ears of the vast influence of the evil they are facing seems so widespread. oh sister, I pray that you have not fallen victim in this dire time. if only I knew where you were She will do her best to regain her composure and meet all of the others who have been arriving and joining the band, although she still seems to be lost in thought and a million leagues away.

[Laucian]

Laucian

Laucian watches as Lord Cavius approaches him and wishes to speak to him in private. Laucian bows slightly with a nod of his head and soon follows where the two can be alone for a few moments. Lord Cavius begins to speak of his troubles of not being able to resist the black water. Having cleared his soul he looks to be a free man which brings a smile to Laucian's weathered features. He speaks to him in a reassuring and encouraging manner and that Ehlonna will surely forgive him.

At the debriefing Lord Cavius speaks of the trails that lay head and raises some questions in Laucian's mind.

"The swamp itself is a dismal place. An ill smelling bog of evil. A wound in mother earth itself. It is a confusing place where men can wander for weeks without finding their way out. There are a few trails that can only be found by trained woodsmen such as myself. You must stick to these trails to the exclusion of all else, err you wander into deep pools of water and quicksand."

He wonders if his skills are adequate enough to find these trails as well as those of his fellow woodsmen Arocken. "Would you share your knowledge of finding these trails of which you speak? What signs or markings show the way? Anything you may recall about these trails maybe of help."

Laucian will listen to what Validar says on Grondar's behalf. And he responds in saying, "I do not doubt Grondar's skills nor anyone one of our comrades. I believe this to be only a minor detail to be avoided if possible in the future."


As the night unfolds he sits at the fireplace of the shelter tending to the fire. He turns in after praying to Ehlonna on behalf of Cavius, his comrades, himself thanking her for her guidance.

Gathering his gear and weapon he will head outside where a light snow has fallen. For a moment he looks around the courtyard then heads toward the stables to get Starfire ready for the trails that lay head.

During the down time of getting ready for the day ahead Laucian will unpack part of his gear and begin work on some arrows for his Longbow.

Word is soon spread for everyone to gather for a briefing. Laucian stows his gear in his pack and places it aside. Once at the briefing he will say his greeting to Sherwood and Jallazari as well as their two friends. He will introduce himself to Argent as well as Elspeth. "I am Laucian Nailo of Clan Grundalf. May Ehlonna's blessing be upon you."

Laucian catches wind of The fact that Argent has met his patron and he cant help but wonder, "Where was this temple of which you speak? Do any of her followers remain there?"

Grondar-
"It's all in the footwork, or footwear, or something like that," Grondar replies grinning. "I never can remember..."

Laucian merely shakes his head while smiling as he dresses the wound of the affected man.

Grondar soon expresses himself about Laucian's and Validar's words. When Grondar speaks of his concern he will give a nod in the dwarf's direction.


Kylie--
"You're welcome," Kylie replies with a smile. Laucian's comment draws a smirk from the half-elf. "Kind of like hearing of some flying pigs, eh?" she asks with a giggle.

Laucian snickers as he hears her joke and he can't help but say,"As long as the pigs aim isn't better than mine.... "

[Chareos]

Chareos
Chareos listens intently to what Lord Cavius says about the swamp. Particularly the fact that swamp has deep water pools as well as quicksand. The fact that we would be fighting undead as well as these Basilisks in tandem is a bit troubling but the young mage is up for the challenge ahead.

As the three men are brought to the dungeons and placed in a cell Chareos begins to cast a Dispel Magic spell at the men. He his hopeful that the three men all can be healed. He has moderate results as two of the three men show signs of awakening from their sleep yet the third seems to have no effect from the spell.

He will then tell Lord Cavius and Validar of the results, "Two of the three men are free from the acursed black water. Unfortunately the third was beyond my skill to heal. Perhaps one of the others would be willing to try free him?"


As the meeting comes to a close Cavius speaks with Chareos,
"I have plenty of fine, untarnished vintages in my cellar, friend Chareos. Please, feel free to help yourself. The grapes of Rennydale are quite sweet and are enjoyed by many. All of you may enjoy the fruits of Rennydale. I shall have what remains of the tainted wine gathered up and destroyed before they can harm any others. Rest well this night Lords and Adventurers. I fear your greatest battle has yet to come."


"That would be greatly appreciated. I must admit I have heard of your wares but never tried such things. It will be an experience to say the least. Thank you."

Once he studies his magic and has a sparing drink of Cavius' untainted wine, he will go to sleep. He wakes early and steps outside to see the frozen breath in the morning air. He goes about his daily work speaking to the others about what to come to expect. Seeing an opportunity to test out the girdle he was given he will head to the stables and help the hands move hay bales to the horse stalls.

It becomes aware to him that Master Sherwood, Lady Jallazari and two other arrived in the late morning. Soon a meeting is called and Chareos goes to attend. Once there he is introduced to Argent, an invoker of no small means, she declares. Chareos can't help but notice her good looks, as well as her many rings, as she mentions working for his master. "Hail and well met, Argent. I am Chareos a humble mage. It is a pleasure to have you among us."

"You have been working with Sharadin? How is my old master?" he says with an easy smile. With his curiousity peaked he will ask Argent, " What matter of research were you doing?"


Swanny---
"Now there's man with the right idea", Swanny will say with a light laugh. "As long as that wine is safe to drink then sure I won't mind sharing. Let me ditch my armor and I'll join you as soon as possible."

" I have Lord Cavius's assurance that it is. He mentioned that it is one of his better wines. Though sadly I am unaware what makes a wine fair or not."

[Validar]

VALIDAR -

Chareos will then tell Lord Cavius and Validar of the results, "Two of the three men are free from the acursed black water. Unfortunately the third was beyond my skill to heal. Perhaps one of the others would be willing to try free him?"

"Very good, Chareos. I fone of our group does not succeed in removing the effects from the man, then I am certain that Lord Cavius own staff will manage to succeed in that yask."


Grondar - "The alarm came as somewhat of a surprise to all of us, I suspect. As I recall, the initial plan was to reconnoiter and attack tomorrow. What set off the alarms may remain a mystery, as Talia and Kylie aren't here to get their perspectives. Of course, I have no idea how any of you gained entry, so I can't be of help there."

"Indeed the only way to be certain would be to ask the guards that actually raised the alarm in order to put aside all doubt. While we can try to surmise the reasons, we will never know all the information at hand stricting from ourselves."

The second issue is one of overall performance. "All things considered, it seems we did rather well. While our initial plan got scrapped for the most part, anyone that has been in much combat knows that few strategies survive contact with the enemy.

"You are correct, my Dwarven friend. It takes either regimented training or a group that knows what to expect from the rest of the individuals to effectively alter a plan while in progress. Otherwise the battle will degenerate into individuals doing only what they think is best, which may not be, based on the big picture."

"In truth, it was a sad event. Many of those who opposed us were not in their right mind, and there were many grievous wounds. I only pray that the only true deaths were among those twisted priests. Even they had been corrupted from their true selves, and would seem to have once been pledged to honourable gods. More the pity." Grondar's voice is heavy, and his sadness at this day's events is palpable.

"It was a sad event, true, but it was also a glorious event. Not because of the deaths and injuries, but because of the end result. Rennydale is now freed and how much more suffering and death did we avoid by this battle?"

"I thank you for your concern, Laucian, and for your confidence, Validar. While I was somewhat pressed, none landed any solid blows. While I was not injured, I will not go so far as to say that I was in no danger. It has been my experience that anyone can be wounded or killed by an untimely and unfortunate blow. I must thank Berronar this night for her protection, as I believe my good fortune in the battle to be as much her doing as my own."

"Your humbleness does not allow you to take credit where credit is due, Grondar. I am certain, as before, that you had those men outnumbered yourself and not the other way around."

"While I was not there to witness that part of the battle well, I can understand Chareos' concern. It sounds as though the concentration of forces may have left us weak in his area. Since Kharyna didn't use the Wall of Fire, we cannot assume that she had it available or was in a position to use it if she did. It is fortunate that no one of us was gravely wounded, but I am not so certain that we can count on that to always be the case."

"Kharyna was not able to use the Wall of Fire because of the members in the party in melee with the trolls. A Fireball or a Wall of Fire is not selective in its targets and by engaging the flank, we were forced to fight with arms and direct spells. Had we not engaged we could have used area effect spells, which would have resulted in no combat. And even if Kharyna was busy, we have other spellcasters who could have cast a Fireball or other and dealt with them. You are correct that it was indeed fortunate that we had no casualties. From experience in the Seekers, I can say that I have seen dozens of comrades at arms fall while on campaign in the Frontier Lands. It is the nature of this life."


When it comes time to speak, Lord Corley will add, "I thought it went rather well myself. We were victorious and had no causalities. What commander could ask for more?"

"I strive for us to be better than we are, my good friend. I strive to be a better warrior and for us to be a better and more effective team. We were successful with no casualties. That is wonderful. But this is a minor victory at best. There will be much harsher tests to come and I do not wish our learning to come only after we have lost comrades."


"Ah," Argent will say with a smile. "You must be Lord Validar then. The others did speak of you."

"Indeed I am, my beauteous lady. I am the son of Baron Relon of Pyris."

Validar listens to Argent's tale and what she knows of the Seekers. A slight smile crosses his face as he hears the familiar names spokeh: Stephanie, Finrod, Blod, Bernie, even Mercy and Armon. Zynara surely was home with her new baby Ross. Some of the other newcomers were strangely absent, but it is hard to tell what the reasons may be. People came and went for various reasons in the Seekers. "It is very good to hear that many of those I know are still well. The Seekers were led by Stephanie, you say?" Validar considers that thought for a moment. Interesting. "She was one of the last original members of the group."


Gwenith - "I would be honored to help under your leadership. I am able to help get to the swamp as soon as everyone is well rested and ready to go. I am at your group's service since you helped free my Lord from the evil spell that befell him."

"You are welcome to join us, Captain, however, you are not in our service and do no feel that you owe us anything. Your gratitude is sufficient."

Later at the meeting with the group, Validar listens to Sherwood's tale and the information gained. "Unless there is reason to move more quickly, I believe that we should remain here in Rennydale for one more day to give us time to prepare our plan of attack as well as continue to assist the land and Lord Cavius in their recovery. Also with Lord Cavius heading out to deal with any loose ends, our presence here would deter any further attack. I doubt this Lord of Corruption is going anywhere."

[Grondar]

Grondar:

"Hello to you too, Grondar. I can't say that I've heard of Berronar Truesilver before, but then again my knowledge of priesthoods is limited to those with whom I've adventured with. While I am an Invoker by training, I do try to follow the teachings of the Lady of Mysteries."

"I am not surprised, lady Argent, few humans are familiar with the dwarven pantheon - other, maybe, than Moradin himself. Berronar is the wife of Moradin, and together they are known as the All-Father and Revered Mother of the dwarven race. One ancient legend has it that Moradin created our mortal shells and Berronar gave us life. She is the Matron of Marriage, Home and Hearth, and the Lady of Truth, Safety and Healing.

"Huh. Listen to me rattle on," Grondar says with a smile. "I doubt the details of our beliefs are of great interest to you, but if you ever wish to hear more, just let me know.

"Mystra is a fine role model, and popular among spellcasters as I hear tell. I'm sure you will do her proud."

After the meeting Gwenith catches up with Grondar whom she had forgotten to greet earlier, "I am so sorry for my mistake," she tilted her head and smiled at Grondar. "Lets start again. My head is not where it should have been. I am Gwenith Moonsong and it is my pleasure to meet you . Please forgive my rudeness for I wanted to retrieve my weapons and armor just in case there was a need for me."

"No harm done, milady," Grondar says with a chuckle. "It has been my experience that many humans aren't quite sure what to make of us dwarves. Lack of experience, I figure. We tend to stay to ourselves and are not as commonly found amongst humans as some of the other races."

"I would be honored to help under your leadership. I am able to help get to the swamp as soon as everyone is well rested and ready to go. I am at your group's service since you helped free my Lord from the evil spell that befell him."

Grondar overhears Gwenith's pronouncement to Validar and offers a hand. "Glad to hear you'll be joining us for a while, Gwenith. I'm sure your skills will be of great use and benefit to us all."

"Indeed the only way to be certain would be to ask the guards that actually raised the alarm in order to put aside all doubt. While we can try to surmise the reasons, we will never know all the information at hand stricting from ourselves."

"An interesting idea, Lord Validar. One that might yield useful information if we have the time. However, since we succeeded admirably, not really vital."

"It was a sad event, true, but it was also a glorious event. Not because of the deaths and injuries, but because of the end result. Rennydale is now freed and how much more suffering and death did we avoid by this battle?"

"I cannot argue your point, Validar," Grondar says. "The sadness is primarily in that it was necessary at all."

"Kharyna was not able to use the Wall of Fire because of the members in the party in melee with the trolls. A Fireball or a Wall of Fire is not selective in its targets and by engaging the flank, we were forced to fight with arms and direct spells. Had we not engaged we could have used area effect spells, which would have resulted in no combat. And even if Kharyna was busy, we have other spellcasters who could have cast a Fireball or other and dealt with them. You are correct that it was indeed fortunate that we had no casualties. From experience in the Seekers, I can say that I have seen dozens of comrades at arms fall while on campaign in the Frontier Lands. It is the nature of this life."

"No doubt that is true. I was merely thinking that it may have been helpful if someone were able to fill that gap when Lord Corley was pulled away. Or perhaps the spellcasters might have urged our comrades in that area to pull back so that those spells might have been used. Just some thoughts for if we are ever in a similar position again..."

Later at the meeting with the group, Validar listens to Sherwood's tale and the information gained. "Unless there is reason to move more quickly, I believe that we should remain here in Rennydale for one more day to give us time to prepare our plan of attack as well as continue to assist the land and Lord Cavius in their recovery. Also with Lord Cavius heading out to deal with any loose ends, our presence here would deter any further attack. I doubt this Lord of Corruption is going anywhere."

"I would have to agree," Grondar says. "It will also allow us to finish up healing our comrades and go forth with a full compliment of spells."

[Kylie]

Kylie:

Lord Corley is rather taken by the lovely Lady Argent. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, milady. Is it your intention to join our quest?"

Kylie cannot help but notice Corley's attraction for her old friend Argent. Perhaps she does not have what it takes to capture Corley's heart. It is a sad thought, but one that leads her to give it her best shot. Perhaps some treats for the large warrior would help...

"I am doing well, Kylie", Argent will say hugging her friend back. "I had been adventuring in the Frontier lands performing a quest for Sharadin. My adventuring band joined forces with another and I felt out of place. I was doing some research on what is called the Pillar Artifacts when Sherwood and Jallarzi came to Sharadin's castle. When I learned that they were coming here and that both you and Kharyna were here, I asked to come along and here I am! So how are you doing?"

Kylie smiles. "Sounds fascinating! You'll have to fill me in on all the details when we get a chance to relax.

"As for me, I'm allright. In truth, I'm still not entirely sure that I'm cut out for this life. Still, I've pledged to the others to do the best I can for as long as I can. It's important work, even though I suspect that it will result in my demise at an uncomfortably young age. So far, I suspect our great success is as much a function of the size of our group as it is of anything I've contributed so far."

Laucian snickers as he hears her joke and he can't help but say,"As long as the pigs aim isn't better than mine.... "

"Better than an elf? Somehow, I find that unlikely."

[Validar]

VALIDAR -

Grondar - "An interesting idea, Lord Validar. One that might yield useful information if we have the time. However, since we succeeded admirably, not really vital."

"Information is always important, but you are correct, this detail is not vital, other than knowing what not to do next time."


"It was a sad event, true, but it was also a glorious event. Not because of the deaths and injuries, but because of the end result. Rennydale is now freed and how much more suffering and death did we avoid by this battle?"

"I cannot argue your point, Validar," Grondar says. "The sadness is primarily in that it was necessary at all."

"Alas, this world is full of turmoil and though we strive to balance the evil that seeks to corrupt, a life without strife and pain and death does not seem possible. Therefore I think it better to concentrate on the good that we have done, rather than the sadness for the evil that strikes. I do not prefer to dwell on the bad."


"No doubt that is true. I was merely thinking that it may have been helpful if someone were able to fill that gap when Lord Corley was pulled away. Or perhaps the spellcasters might have urged our comrades in that area to pull back so that those spells might have been used. Just some thoughts for if we are ever in a similar position again..."

"We have a limited number of warriors in our midst unfortunately and this group is already quite large compared to most adventuring bands. We had 2nd line fighters, those with combat abilities in hand to hand available should that be necessary: Lara, Kharyna, Laucian, Arocken. We simply acted too much as individuals in the battle. Even little teams that work together would be preferable. It is a matter of each individual not knowign what to expect from the others, else there never would have been the need to engage or there would have been knowledge to pull back."
That is why I called this meeting, so that we may know more in the future what to do in combat situations and what each of us is capable of. That is another reason I like to know what spells the mages and clerics have available. That way someone can direct their useage rather than each individual. We were lacking in one direction in this battle and perhaps have had overkill in others. Working together effectively does not come without difficulties and errors."

[GM Mad]

GM Notes:

Lord Cavius:

"The individual opponents seem none to powerful on an individual basis, Lord Cavius. Together however, and for those unprepared, the combination is unsettlingly effective. We shall be cautious and quite ruthless in our destruction of the enemy."

"As such was our downfall, Lord Validar. We were unprepared for what we were about to face."

"We had heard that an adventuring party had cleared Fort Runnels. Could this be a lie or even a trap? Ardelphia is a land that some of us have sworn to free. Lord Acerion and Lord Corley here have committed to this cause. If Corunglain is under some evil sway, as Rennydale was also, then the Guardians of the Light will be committed to eliminating the effects of it in their lands as well."

"Ardelphia itself is a trap, Lord Validar, so in all likelihood Fort Runnels is one as well. Lady Ardel in her genuine desire to see her homeland liberated has dispatched dozens of adventurers right into enemy hands. I do not believe she acts deliberately, but must surely be aware of the effects of her actions."

"Lord Cavius, if I may, are we likely to encounter many more of the basilisks in the swamp?"

"No, my dwarven friend. Basilisks are even more at risk in the swamp than we are. Any of the creatures who do wander in eventually end up drowning in the deep pools or the pits of quicksand. Once inside the swamp, you'll have little to fear from them."

He wonders if his skills are adequate enough to find these trails as well as those of his fellow woodsmen Arocken. "Would you share your knowledge of finding these trails of which you speak? What signs or markings show the way? Anything you may recall about these trails maybe of help."

Lord Cavius will quickly go over what to look for. Primarily, the safe paths are those with the most foot traffic. Nothing too difficult for any ranger to locate and follow.

[Sherwood]

Sherwood:

"And it is good to see you again, Sherwood."

"Nice to know I was missed," Sherwood will respond with a grim smile. "It seems that we've uncovered quite a messy situation here. I fear that things are going to get worse before they get better. Recovering Lord Cavius is a big step in the right direction."

[Corley]

Corley:

"Corley? I hope I'm not disturbing you, but I thought you might share a little treat with me..."

"But of course, Lady Kylie! Always a pleasure to sample your cooking talents!" Corley will, as usual, eat heartily.

"Why thank you for your most gracious welcome, Lord Corley. My it seems that there are quite a few nobles around here. However, I must insist that you just call me Argent. I am the daughter of simple Crossroad merchants and do not come from a noble birth. At the moment, I have no solid plans. I mainly came here to visit my old friends."

"Nay, milady," Lord Corley will respond with a smile. "I was taught to be courteous to all ladies until proven that they are not worthy of such accolades. I am always most polite to the fairer gender."

"Thank you so much and it is my honor to be here to help your group with whatever may arise."

"Then you appear to be in the right company, milady. May glory and honor be ours."

[Jallarzi Sallavarian]

Jallarzi:

"Jallarzi! How wonderful to see you again so soon!" Kylie steps forward and gives her mentor a warm squeeze.

"Hello, Kylie. I am pleased to see you as well." Jallarzi will take the time to see how Kylie is doing and answer any questions that she may have before moving on. Jallarzi will say hello and speak to those who approach her.

[Ivy]

Ivy:

Argent will say hello to Ivy. "I can see that you are an Azrellian. Very good. There was another of your followers in my previous group by name of Schar. Have you heard of her?"

Ivy will consider the question for a moment. "No, I can't say that I have heard of Schar before. But if she belongs to an order near the Frontier Lands, then would explain it. My home temple is in Elcadan."

Chareos will then tell Lord Cavius and Validar of the results, "Two of the three men are free from the accursed black water. Unfortunately the third was beyond my skill to heal. Perhaps one of the others would be willing to try free him?"

"I will make the attempt once I regain the spell, Chareos."

"Unless there is reason to move more quickly, I believe that we should remain here in Rennydale for one more day to give us time to prepare our plan of attack as well as continue to assist the land and Lord Cavius in their recovery. Also with Lord Cavius heading out to deal with any loose ends, our presence here would deter any further attack. I doubt this Lord of Corruption is going anywhere."

"That is a sound suggestion, Lord Validar. There is much work yet to be done here."

Ivy will take the opportunity to introduce Grondar to Elspeth. "Grondar, this is Elspeth. We grew up together in the orphanage and I consider her to be my sister."

[Lara Spellsword]

Lara:

Looking down, Argent spots a small elf. "You must be Lara, one of Kharyna's companions. It is nice to finally meet you as well. I was told that you are something of a scholar on things magical. I've just come for the reclaimed Karn's Keep. I can tell you that it has an outstanding library of tomes both rare and mundane, not to mention a fine collection of spell books. Sharadin has started a new mage guild there. I thought I would bring it to your attention."

Lara is indeed interested in this!

"Thank you for the information. That does sound very exciting indeed! How does one reach this Karn's Keep?

[Lilia]

Lilia:

The Elf Maiden listens to the dialogue between Lara and Argent with equal interest.

"Greetings, Sorceress", Lilia will state. "I am Lilliathelionn Allandros of Clan Grunalf. Lilia for short. I too am something of a scholar on things magical and am also interested in the place you speak of. How can one join this mage guild?"

Since Lara already asked how to get there, there is no need for Lilia to repeat the question.

[Aswansea]

Swanny:

"I have Lord Cavius's assurance that it is. He mentioned that it is one of his better wines. Though sadly I am unaware what makes a wine fair or not."

"Well, then let's open it up and find out!"

[Argent]

Argent:

"I am Laucian Nailo of Clan Grunalf. May Ehlonna's blessing be upon you."

Argent will smile back at Laucian. "Thank you so much for your blessing. Indeed, the Lady of the Forests has been most kind to myself. Another member of Clan Grunalf in this group? Are you two related perhaps?"

Laucian catches wind of The fact that Argent has met his patron and he can't help but wonder, "Where was this temple of which you speak? Do any of her followers remain there?"

"I'm afraid that you misunderstood me, Laucian. I do not claim to have met Ehlonna personally. Instead, my adventuring band encountered a temple dedicated to her name in the forests north of Gateway. There is a single follower there, an elder priestess whom we aided. She was alone save for a collection of forest creatures that served to protect her."

"Upon the completion of our mission, the priestess said that Ehlonna would have a gift for us. Next day when we were ready to depart, a strange mist surrounded us and our mounts. When the mist cleared we were on the road outside of Karn's Keep. Ehlonna's gift saved us weeks of travel through treacherous lands."

"Hail and well met, Argent. I am Chareos a humble mage. It is a pleasure to have you among us."

"Well, you are a most unusual mage then, Chareos," Argent responds with a wide grin. "A humble mage? I find it hard to fathom such a thing. If anything, we mages are anything but humble."

"You have been working with Sharadin? How is my old master?" he says with an easy smile. With his curiosity peaked he will ask Argent, " What matter of research were you doing?"

"Ah, you trained under Sharadin, did you? How interesting. I actually first tried to apprentice myself to Sharadin as he was closer to my hometown of Crossroads. But he sent me to Jallarzi instead. From what I gather he trains wizards while Jallarzi trains sorceresses."

"Sharadin does have his hands full at the moment. He and his daughters just recently moved into Karn's Keep out in the Frontier lands. (Argent will repeat the information she gave to Lara to Chareos, and to all other mages present who may be unaware of it.)"

"As part of my training, I learned how to read the Elder Writings. I also came across what is being called the Pillar Artifacts. Apparently they are a type of teleportation network of a size we are as of yet unsure. Each pillar bears Elder Runes and appears to be powered by magic. My research concerned the Pillar Artifacts."

"Indeed I am, my beauteous lady. I am the son of Baron Relon of Pyris."

"Ah, from Pyris. Yes, a fine city it is. You should be proud of it. I've passed through Pyris several times with my parents when I was younger."

"I fear that your comrades did not mention just how impressive you were in person," Argent will add with an easy smile. "I shall have to correct that error should I encounter them in the future."

"It is very good to hear that many of those I know are still well. The Seekers were led by Stephanie, you say?" Validar considers that thought for a moment. Interesting. "She was one of the last original members of the group."

"Were being the operative word there, Lord Validar. From my understanding Stephanie stepped down when the groups merged. Her spot was taken by the leader of my former band, Lord Omni Tuens. He and Claudius are now the leaders of the Seekers of the Sword."

"I am not surprised, lady Argent, few humans are familiar with the dwarven pantheon - other, maybe, than Moradin himself. Berronar is the wife of Moradin, and together they are known as the All-Father and Revered Mother of the dwarven race. One ancient legend has it that Moradin created our mortal shells and Berronar gave us life. She is the Matron of Marriage, Home and Hearth, and the Lady of Truth, Safety and Healing.

"Ah", Argent will say in a voice of enlightenment. "So Berronar is the Mother of all Dwarves. I understand."

"Huh. Listen to me rattle on," Grondar says with a smile. "I doubt the details of our beliefs are of great interest to you, but if you ever wish to hear more, just let me know.

"Oh, quite the contrary, Grondar. I find all sorts of information fascinating. You'd be amazed at the number of unusual facts I've collected in my short life time. They say knowledge is power and I for one have no intention to stop learning."

Kylie cannot help but notice Corley's attraction for her old friend Argent. Perhaps she does not have what it takes to capture Corley's heart. It is a sad thought, but one that leads her to give it her best shot. Perhaps some treats for the large warrior would help...

Argent catches Kylie's watching her and Lord Corley and can't help but notice the sadness in her young eyes. Later she'll speak to Kylie in private.

"From what I gather you've taken an interest in Lord Corley. Is he aware of your interest, Kylie? I can assure you that I would never come between any couple on purpose. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"As for me, I'm all right. In truth, I'm still not entirely sure that I'm cut out for this life. Still, I've pledged to the others to do the best I can for as long as I can. It's important work, even though I suspect that it will result in my demise at an uncomfortably young age. So far, I suspect our great success is as much a function of the size of our group as it is of anything I've contributed so far."

"That always was a concern, even back when we were both apprentices," Argent will gently agree. "There is something to be said for having safety in numbers, Kylie. Judging by the number of handsome warriors around here to protect you, I think you'll be okay. Just try to keep your wits about you and don't do anything stupid."

"I know that you're still young, but perhaps it may help you if you can figure out just what you want out of life. It's all right to wander without direction, but you can only do that for so long. So what do you want your life to be like?"

"Nay, milady," Lord Corley will respond with a smile. "I was taught to be courteous to all ladies until proven that they are not worthy of such accolades. I am always most polite to the fairer gender."

"Ah, how refreshing and charming. Civil niceties is sometimes lacking in adventuring parties such as this. Thank you for enlightening me."

Ivy will consider the question for a moment. "No, I can't say that I have heard of Schar before. But if she belongs to an order near the Frontier Lands, then would explain it. My home temple is in Elcadan."

"That is a logical explanation. In fact, now that I think about it, Schar did say that her order was in Gateway. I was unaware just how widespread you Azrellians were. I should have also known that there was in order in Elcadan as that's where Elspeth is from."

"Thank you for the information. That does sound very exciting indeed! How does one reach this Karn's Keep?"

"Well, you simply travel north from Gateway and…", and Argent for one of those rare times finds herself at a loss of words. "Hmm, now that I think about it, I really haven't traveled overland to Karn's Keep as of yet. I've either been teleported there or arrived via the Pillar Artifact. I fear you'll have to ask Lady Sallavarian for more exact details on how to reach Karn's Keep."

"Greetings, Sorceress", Lilia will state. "I am Lilliathelionn Allandros of Clan Grunalf. Lilia for short. I too am something of a scholar on things magical and am also interested in the place you speak of. How can one join this mage guild?"

"That is quite a mouthful", Argent will say with a grin. "I am most grateful that you decided to go with a shorter version for common use."

Argent will regard the two elves with the similar interests. Talk about bookends. She can't help but wonder if they are related, although Lara didn't claim to be from Clan Grunalf, so it is most likely a coincidence.

"Getting back to your question, there is a membership fee for joining the guild. I can tell you that the mage laboratory that is there is quite impressive. Even more exciting was the large collection of spell books. I am unsure of the exact gold amount to join. Being as I was part of the group that helped liberate the Keep, I was given a free lifetime membership. I would imagine that there are enough tomes present to keep both of you occupied for several decades."

Argent will attend when Sherwood has his talk. She's interested in what's been going on in this part of Cynalon.

[Validar]

VALIDAR -

"The individual opponents seem none to powerful on an individual basis, Lord Cavius. Together however, and for those unprepared, the combination is unsettlingly effective. We shall be cautious and quite ruthless in our destruction of the enemy."

"As such was our downfall, Lord Validar. We were unprepared for what we were about to face."

"Fortunately, we can build upon the experience you had and use that to finally defeat this vile foe," Validar will say. "Your sacrifices, though regretable, will not be in vain. That I swear."


"Ardelphia itself is a trap, Lord Validar, so in all likelihood Fort Runnels is one as well. Lady Ardel in her genuine desire to see her homeland liberated has dispatched dozens of adventurers right into enemy hands. I do not believe she acts deliberately, but must surely be aware of the effects of her actions."

Lord Validar considers those words for a moment. "The Archmage Drakkimor and his band went to free Ft. Runnels I am told. We will have to see what their results were. As for Ardelphia, what sort of trap do you mean? We know that it is infested with humanoids and unsavory individuals. What else is waiting for those on the way there?"

"As for Lady Vera, I am hoping that the actions of our band will preclude any more adventurers heading futilely to Ardelphia. Lord Acerion and Lord Corley and myself have vowed to free Stone Ridge and all of its lands."


"Lord Cavius, if I may, are we likely to encounter many more of the basilisks in the swamp?"

"No, my dwarven friend. Basilisks are even more at risk in the swamp than we are. Any of the creatures who do wander in eventually end up drowning in the deep pools or the pits of quicksand. Once inside the swamp, you'll have little to fear from them."

"That is good to know. Then we can ignore the threat of the basilisks one we enter the swamp itself."


"Nice to know I was missed," Sherwood will respond with a grim smile. "It seems that we've uncovered quite a messy situation here. I fear that things are going to get worse before they get better. Recovering Lord Cavius is a big step in the right direction."

"We have done well and continue to unravel layers under layers. The situation may be getting worse, in other words, more dangerous, but at the same time, it is getting better, more people of the Kingdom are safe now that Lothar has been removed and that Rennydale is on the way to recovery. Removing the blight in the swamp will be one more step to improvement. And if it uncovers another layer of intrigue and danger, then the Guardians of the Light shall be ready to oppose it."


"Indeed I am, my beauteous lady. I am the son of Baron Relon of Pyris."

"Ah, from Pyris. Yes, a fine city it is. You should be proud of it. I've passed through Pyris several times with my parents when I was younger."

"Thank you for your kind words. We are very proud of Pyris and our entire barony.

"I fear that your comrades did not mention just how impressive you were in person," Argent will add with an easy smile. "I shall have to correct that error should I encounter them in the future."

"You are too kind, milady Argent," Validar will respond with an easy smile. "You are quite impressive yourself and not only because I have battlefield magick experience and know full well the value of a powerful Invoker. I certainly welcome your presence here."


"It is very good to hear that many of those I know are still well. The Seekers were led by Stephanie, you say?" Validar considers that thought for a moment. Interesting. "She was one of the last original members of the group."

"Were being the operative word there, Lord Validar. From my understanding Stephanie stepped down when the groups merged. Her spot was taken by the leader of my former band, Lord Omni Tuens. He and Claudius are now the leaders of the Seekers of the Sword."

"I see, milady." Validar thinks back on the changes that were happening in the Seekers before he left them. It seems the group has changed dramatically, as always. "Apparently, my old group is no more then, having grown into something different. I would relish the chance to meet my old adventuring partners, but alas now my place is in this part of Cynalon. There is much that needs to be done here, for the good of the Kingdom."

[Acerion]

Acerion:

In the morning admidst a flurry of activity and information gathering still going on, Acerion will notice that Sherwood has returned along with three others, two of whom he recognizes. He will move to greet Sherwood with a clasp of wrists when a moment presents itself. "Good to have you back among us," Acerion will say after greeting him.

Acerion will greet Jallarzi in his typical manner. He did not get a chance to know much of her earlier, so besides a pleasant welcome, he doesn't have much to say at the moment.

Upon seeing Elspeth, he will kiss her hand in greeting and smile at her. "Good to see you again. How have things been for you?"

When an opportunity presents itself when Argent is not surrounded by the other mages, Acerion will introduce himself and kissing her hand. "I am Lord Acerion Kalindor, paladin of Heironeous. Pleasure to meet you."

Acerion will also extend a similar greeting to Gwenith since the opportunity was not right when she had just been released from her jail cell. Acerion figures after a good night's sleep and a chance to freshen up that she would be more receptive to a formal greeting.

[Lara Spellsword]

Lara:

"Well, you simply travel north from Gateway and…", and Argent for one of those rare times finds herself at a loss of words. "Hmm, now that I think about it, I really haven't traveled overland to Karn's Keep as of yet. I've either been teleported there or arrived via the Pillar Artifact. I fear you'll have to ask Lady Sallavarian for more exact details on how to reach Karn's Keep."

"Getting back to your question, there is a membership fee for joining the guild. I can tell you that the mage laboratory that is there is quite impressive. Even more exciting was the large collection of spell books. I am unsure of the exact gold amount to join. Being as I was part of the group that helped liberate the Keep, I was given a free lifetime membership. I would imagine that there are enough tomes present to keep both of you occupied for several decades."

"Thank you, Argent, I will. It sounds like a nice place to visit in between missions with Kharyna."

[GM Mad]

GM Notes:

Lord Cavius:

"As for Ardelphia, what sort of trap do you mean? We know that it is infested with humanoids and unsavory individuals. What else is waiting for those on the way there?"

"Followers of the Lord of Corruption are in Ardelphia. The fallen city acts as a lure to draw adventures to it. The humanoids who dwell there are prepared for this and seek to capture any adventurers. They are in turn given to the followers of the Lord of Corruption and then given the black water. It is how they increase their numbers and take away from the strength of Cynalon."

"As for Lady Vera, I am hoping that the actions of our band will preclude any more adventurers heading futilely to Ardelphia. Lord Acerion and Lord Corley and myself have vowed to free Stone Ridge and all of its lands."

"The best of luck to you then, young lords. I only hope that you do not succumb to what so many others have. And do remember, it is yourselves, along with Sherwood and Lady Sallavarian who the Lord of Corruption is most interested in. By traveling into the swamp you may well still fall into their hands. It is a sobering thought."

[Argent]

Argent:

"You are too kind, milady Argent," Validar will respond with an easy smile. "You are quite impressive yourself and not only because I have battlefield magick experience and know full well the value of a powerful Invoker. I certainly welcome your presence here."

"It is always nice to be welcomed and appreciated, Lord Validar and I do toss an impressive Magic Missile. I admit that my original motivation was the reunion with my friends, but I certainly could stay longer with the right incentive. Perhaps you could fill me in further with the current situation? What transpires in this portion of Cynalon? And perhaps you could share a few tales of your exploits. From what I heard, some of them seem almost larger than life."

When an opportunity presents itself when Argent is not surrounded by the other mages, Acerion will introduce himself and kissing her hand. "I am Lord Acerion Kalindor, paladin of Heironeous. Pleasure to meet you."

"Three lords?", Argent will state in a mildly shocked tone, but with a wide grin on her face. "How lucky can a girl get? There was only one lord in my previous adventuring band. It appears that all the good-looking lords gather in the western part of Cynalon and not the eastern. We better keep this our little secret or there will be an influx of ladies seeking handsome husbands."

"I can assure you, Lord Kalindor, that the pleasure is all mine. I am pleased to find a Paladin of Heironeous in our midst. It seems that your adventuring band is rather large and quite diverse. All the better."

"Thank you, Argent, I will. It sounds like a nice place to visit in between missions with Kharyna."

"That it should be, Lara. I hope to return myself and continue my studies when outside matters are not as pressing."

[Elspeth]

Elspeth:

The gentle priestess will follow Ivy along as she meets new people. She'll greet Grondar when introduced.

"A pleasure to meet you, Grondar of Berronar Truesilver. Ivy spoke of you during your short stay in Elcadan."

Upon seeing Elspeth, he will kiss her hand in greeting and smile at her. "Good to see you again. How have things been for you?"

"Good to see you as well, Lord Acerion", Elspeth will respond, slightly embarrassed by the kiss on her hand. "I am doing well, but I am disturbed by the vision I was given. I have seen what could be the ultimate evil with my own eyes. One cannot help but be shaken by that."

[Jallarzi Sallavarian]

Jallarzi:

Acerion will greet Jallarzi in his typical manner. He did not get a chance to know much of her earlier, so besides a pleasant welcome, he doesn't have much to say at the moment.

"Hello once more, Lord Kalindor", Jallarzi will say with a smile. "How are you today? I hope that with Elspeth's help we'll be able to break the grip of this Lord of Corruption once and for all."

As it appears that we're going to be spending one more night in the tight confines of Castle Rennydale, Jallarzi will speak to the adventurers.

"Since we are spending the night here and accommodations are scarce, I can provide a safe shelter for the evening. I'm sure you're familiar with the spell that Sherwood uses for such occasions. I have the version of that spell beyond Sherwood's construct in memory. It will more than comfortably hold all of us."

She'll also provide Lara with the requested information about Karn's Keep.

[Acerion]

Acerion:

with Argent:

"Three lords?", Argent will state in a mild shocking tone, but with a wide grin on her face. "How lucky can a girl get? There was only one lord in my previous adventuring band. It appears that all the good-looking lords gather in the western part of Cynalon and not the eastern. We better keep this our little secret or there will be a influx ladies seeking handsome husbands."

Acerion will laugh, "If that were the only true threat we were facing."

"I can assure you, Lord Kalindor, that the pleasure is all mine. I am pleased to find a Paladin of Heironeous in our midst. It seems that your adventuring band is rather large and quite diverse. All the better."

"Yes, we have been blessed by having such a fine gathering as we have amassed. There are instances when such a large group could be a disadvantage, but the benefits far outweigh those concerns," Acerion will reply.

with Elspeth:

"Good to see you as well, Lord Acerion", Elspeth will respond, slightly embarrassed by the kiss on her hand. "I am doing well, but I am disturbed by the vision I was given. I have seen what could be the ultimate evil with my own eyes. One cannot help but be shaken by that."

Acerion's look turns somber, "What is it you have seen? I have heard of many 'ultimate' evils, but it is apparent the vision has shaken you so even without your speaking of its effect upon you. Can you reveal this?"

[Validar]

VALIDAR -

"As for Ardelphia, what sort of trap do you mean? We know that it is infested with humanoids and unsavory individuals. What else is waiting for those on the way there?"

"Followers of the Lord of Corruption are in Ardelphia. The fallen city acts as a lure to draw adventures to it. The humanoids who dwell there are prepared for this and seek to capture any adventurers. They are in turn given to the followers of the Lord of Corruption and then given the black water. It is how they increase their numbers and take away from the strength of Cynalon."

"I see," Validar will say somberly. "I had not considered the possibility that the were swelling ther numbers in this manner. That could prove to be a challenge then. The Mage Drakkimor and his band went to Fort Runnels to clear it out I am told and if they succumbed to the taint of the black water then we could be facing powerful adventuring parties as opponents."

"This vile evil grows more insidious all the time. We have all the more reason to rid it from our lands."


"As for Lady Vera, I am hoping that the actions of our band will preclude any more adventurers heading futilely to Ardelphia. Lord Acerion and Lord Corley and myself have vowed to free Stone Ridge and all of its lands."

"The best of luck to you then, young lords. I only hope that you do not succumb to what so many others have. And do remember, it is yourselves, along with Sherwood and Lady Sallavarian who the Lord of Corruption is most interested in. By traveling into the swamp you may well still fall into their hands. It is a sobering thought."

"If this soulless slug is so interested in us, then we shall give him exactly what he wants, but not in the manner he expects. When this conflict is over, this so-called Lord of Corruption will no longer be a blight on our Kingdom."


"You are too kind, milady Argent," Validar will respond with an easy smile. "You are quite impressive yourself and not only because I have battlefield magick experience and know full well the value of a powerful Invoker. I certainly welcome your presence here."

"It is always nice to be welcomed and appreciated, Lord Validar and I do toss an impressive Magic Missile. I admit that my original motivation was the reunion with my friends, but I certainly could stay longer with the right incentive. Perhaps you could fill me in further with the current situation? What transpires in this portion of Cynalon? And perhaps you could share a few tales of your exploits. From what I heard, some of them seem almost larger than life."

"I know that I would welcome the services of one such as yourself, milady. The conditions in this part of the Kingdom are dire indeed. The outer lands here are left to their own devices compared to the older inner domains and there are many foes besetting us, both from inside and outside the kingdom."

"Elcadan sets its sights on Pyris and other baronies in the area and openly condones banditry and more to achieve their ill-gotten gains. Humanoids have taken our northern forts and all of Stone Ridge. So of the western lands have been recovered, but the north is a battleground that leans in our enemies favor."

"The Duchy of Curunglain is caught between the two and is being eaten away from both sides and also is infecte by this Lord of Corruption from inside. The entire western side of the Kingdom teeters on the edge and we have dedicated ourselves to making it right. There is much danger and much reward as glory and honor await our actions. There is much more to tell in the details, but this is the situation in a nutshell."

"We have committed to opposing Elcadan, freeing Corunglain, driving the humanoids from Stone Ridge and reclaiming all of the Kingdom that has fallen."

"As for the tales of the Seekers, the Frontier was an interesting place and we did meet with dire opponents: giants, humanoid hordes, dragons and demons. Perhaps sometime I can tell more of the Seekers and their glory, brief though it seems to have been."


As it appears that we're going to be spending one more night in the tight confines of Castle Rennydale, Jallarzi will speak to the adventurers.

"Since we are spending the night here and accommodations are scarce, I can provide a safe shelter for the evening. I'm sure you're familiar with the spell that Sherwood uses for such occasions. I have the version of that spell beyond Sherwood's construct in memory. It will more than comfortably hold all of us."

"That is a wonderful suggestion, Lady Sallavarian. Your efforts would be most welcomed. Not that we did not appreciate your own efforts toward our comfort, milady Kharyna," he will say turning to the follower of Mystra and bowing his head slightly. "I hope we get some time to speak about things not so serious and catch up a little on our personal lives while you are with us."


"Three lords?", Argent will state in a mild shocking tone, but with a wide grin on her face. "How lucky can a girl get? There was only one lord in my previous adventuring band. It appears that all the good-looking lords gather in the western part of Cynalon and not the eastern. We better keep this our little secret or there will be a influx ladies seeking handsome husbands."

Acerion will laugh, "If that were the only true threat we were facing."

"Indeed. Although such a threat can also be more dangerous than a flight of dragons," Validar will say, clapping the paladin on his shoulder as he passes by.


"Good to see you as well, Lord Acerion", Elspeth will respond, slightly embarrassed by the kiss on her hand. "I am doing well, but I am disturbed by the vision I was given. I have seen what could be the ultimate evil with my own eyes. One cannot help but be shaken by that."

Acerion's look turns somber, "What is it you have seen? I have heard of many 'ultimate' evils, but it is apparent the vision has shaken you so even without your speaking of its effect upon you. Can you reveal this?"

This bit of information gets Validar's attention and he moves closer. "Indeed. Knowledge of your foe is more than half of the means to defeat him." Validar will listen intently to anything that the healer and sage Elspeth says before asking more questions.

[Kharyna]

Kharyna -

Since Kharyna doesn't wish to discuss the matter any further, Lara will add some parting words of her own. "A Spell Engine is a common magic item in Alphatia, but virtually unknown here in Cynalon. It is not the kind of thing one carries around with them, so it is not something you would use on an adventure. Chasreena uses hers to create magical affects around her home."

"That is as good a description as can be without going into more detail, Lara. And I definitely wouldn't want to carry one around, that's for sure," she says with an easy smile.

Kharyna conjures her Shelter, while a little cramped is still better than a night on the ground, especially in this climate. Everyone of course is welcome.

The next morning she awakens and studies her spells (as posted).

After the reunion with Kylie, Argent will follow Jallarzi and Elspeth around. When she sees Kharyna, Argent will go to greet her as well.

"Hello, Kharyna. I must say that you're looking rather well. Those are some very nice jewels you are wearing. We'll have to compare our collections sometime."

"Great to see you as well, Argent. Thanks, we've managed to do okay in the collecting areas, both gems and magick. I'd love to hear what you've been up to lately."

Kharyna notices Lord Validar ride by and he appears no the worse for wear from the previous day's battle. Their old friend Daramos would certainly have benefitted from Lord Validar's quick recovery of dire wounds.

Eventually everyone is gathered together, as Sherwood and the others have more news to share.

"I guess we're getting to the end of this mission if Jallarzi is coming along. It'll be interesting to see how a high powered sorceress does things," Lara says.

"Yes, indeed, there is always something to learn even now. I look forward to the chance to watch her in action as well."

Swannie'll rise late next morning and probably will have to be wakened to attention Sherwood's little chat. Seeing that several others have joined the band, Swanny will remark, "This is becoming quite a small army."

"Yes, very different from what I am used to, but interesting nonetheless. Still once we have completed this part of the adventure, we need to return to the Towers, as they are a priority to me as well."

Kharyna too is interested in the talk about the library at Karn's Keep. "I think our next break will have to take us there. It seems very interesting and I would love to check out the information stored there."

[Grondar]

Grondar:

"Alas, this world is full of turmoil and though we strive to balance the evil that seeks to corrupt, a life without strife and pain and death does not seem possible. Therefore I think it better to concentrate on the good that we have done, rather than the sadness for the evil that strikes. I do not prefer to dwell on the bad."

"No argument there. However, in my beliefs, every life is precious, and the world is poorer for its loss. To deny or ignore that loss is to deny the value of that life. Everyone deserves to be mourned."

"We have a limited number of warriors in our midst unfortunately and this group is already quite large compared to most adventuring bands. We had 2nd line fighters, those with combat abilities in hand to hand available should that be necessary: Lara, Kharyna, Laucian, Arocken. We simply acted too much as individuals in the battle. Even little teams that work together would be preferable. It is a matter of each individual not knowign what to expect from the others, else there never would have been the need to engage or there would have been knowledge to pull back."

"I have no doubt that we'll improve in our execution. However, I suspect that the enormity of our group works against us in trying to gain that level of familiarity with one another and improve our squad tactics."

Grondar listens as Validar and Cavius discuss the situation in the surrounding territories. "It seems we have much to do and far to travel. I like not the sound of powerful adventurers being turned against us and their own natures. I suspect we will have to be very clever if we are going to win out."

"No, my dwarven friend. Basilisks are even more at risk in the swamp than we are. Any of the creatures who do wander in eventually end up drowning in the deep pools or the pits of quicksand. Once inside the swamp, you'll have little to fear from them."

"That is good to hear, my lord. I'll let the spellcasters know so that they can take that into account when choosing spells. Are there other monsters we'll need to be prepared for, or are the zombies our only real concern?"

Ivy will take the opportunity to introduce Grondar to Elspeth. "Grondar, this is Elspeth. We grew up together in the orphanage and I consider her to be my sister."

The gentle priestess will follow Ivy along as she meets new people. She'll greet Grondar when introduced.

"A pleasure to meet you, Grondar of Berronar Truesilver. Ivy spoke of you during your short stay in Elcadan."

"A pleasure to meet you, Elspeth. I'm sorry I didn't get the opportunity while we were in Elcadan. I must thank you for your assistance in getting the shine set up for visiting dwarves there in Elcadan. I understand that your help was instumental in that coming to fruition and ensuring proper maintenance. Thank you."

"Ah", Argent will say in a voice of enlightenment. "So Berronar is the Mother of all Dwarves. I understand."

Grondar chuckles. "Yes, I suppose you could phrase it that way. She is certainly maternal in a universal kind of way that most mothers are likely to understand quite well."

"Oh, quite the contrary, Grondar. I find all sorts of information fascinating. You'd be amazed at the number of unusual facts I've collected in my short life time. They say knowledge is power and I for one have no intention to stop learning."

"Oh, well in that case, I'd be happy to share whatever I know with you. However, it is likely to take some time, as there is much to know of dwarven religion, society and folklore. Feel free to ask questions whenever you like, or let me know when you have time and we can discuss it further."

[Kylie]

Kylie:

"But of course, Lady Kylie! Always a pleasure to sample your cooking talents!" Corley will, as usual, eat heartily.

Kylie gladly allows Corley to eat the lion's share of the treats she made. "I learned this recipe from my mother, so it may be elven originally, though I don't really know for sure. I do know that my father loved it, and I try to make it for him when I can. It's been a few years since we could afford the ingredients, though."

She smiles shyly at the large warrior. "So, are there any particular foods you prefer? I'm sure your mother must be a fabulous cook, what with having so many stapping sons..."

"Hello, Kylie. I am pleased to see you as well." Jallarzi will take the time to see how Kylie is doing and answer any questions that she may have before moving on. Jallarzi will say hello and speak to those who approach her.

Kylie will use such time as Jallarzi can spare, questioning her about various spells, and the difficulties she has encountered in using them. Some of the frustration she has been feeling with her magical talents comes through, though she also brags about how effective her Sleep spell was in the battle of the previous day.

Kylie joins in the discussion regarding this Karn's Keep that Argent encountered. It sounds to be a fascinating place that would be interesting to visit. Unfortunately, as things stand, it is likely to be quite some time before the opportunity presents itself.

"Can any of you tell me a bit more about this mage guild? I'm afraid I have very little experience with such things. What are they and how do they function? Might it be possible to find further training in the mystic arts there?"

Argent catches Kylie's watching her and Lord Corley and can't help but notice the sadness in her young eyes. Later she'll speak to Kylie in private.

"From what I gather you've taken an interest in Lord Corley. Is he aware of your interest, Kylie? I can assure you that I would never come between any couple on purpose. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"You are right, of course," Kylie sighs. "I am interested in him, though I'm not really certain whether he's aware or not. I've been trying to find ways to demonstrate how I feel, but he may be slow catching on or he may just not share the interest. I just can't tell. He doesn't really seem to treat me notably different than the other women here. And he may not really have an inclination to settling for one woman. I'm sure you've noticed his tendency to a wandering eye.

"Any advice for a young fool?"

"That always was a concern, even back when we were both apprentices," Argent will gently agree. "There is something to be said for having safety in numbers, Kylie. Judging by the number of handsome warriors around here to protect you, I think you'll be okay. Just try to keep your wits about you and don't do anything stupid."

"I know that you're still young, but perhaps it may help you if you can figure out just what you want out of life. It's all right to wander without direction, but you can only do that for so long. So what do you want your life to be like?"

"I'm trying to avoid doing anything stupid, but I'm not sure how well I'm succeeding. I'm still alive, but that may not mean much with all these warriors around."

Kylie pauses to consider. "I don't really know. I'd like to have a comfortable life and to make sure that my father has the same. I know I want to find my mother some day, or at least find out what happened to her. Admittedly, I enjoy having some excitement in my life, but - frankly - robbing houses seemed to fill that bill in a way that I was more comfortable with than all of this fighting. I know that we're doing good, and that it's important, but I'm not sure that's really me. After all, I've never been particularly altruistic in the past, and I still don't feel a great need to save the world or anything."

Having had the opportunity to stay in one of Jallarzi's magnificent magical shelters, Kylie is looking forward to the opportunity to do so again.

At some point during the day, Kylie will find a small stone that fits easily in her palm and cast her Continual Light on it. She then secrets it inside one of the many pockets of her wondrous Girdle.

[Validar]

VALIDAR -

"Alas, this world is full of turmoil and though we strive to balance the evil that seeks to corrupt, a life without strife and pain and death does not seem possible. Therefore I think it better to concentrate on the good that we have done, rather than the sadness for the evil that strikes. I do not prefer to dwell on the bad."

"No argument there. However, in my beliefs, every life is precious, and the world is poorer for its loss. To deny or ignore that loss is to deny the value of that life. Everyone deserves to be mourned."

"You are correct, of course, Grondar of Berronar. I agree with you I just choose not to dwell on the sadness, else it might consume us. I have lost dozens of comrades at arms in the Seekers in only a few months. I have lost close friends without a chance to say goodbye. It may be a sad time, but I prefer to honor their memory by remembering the good in their life, not the passing of it." Validar looks away and clearly there is a deep memory in his mind that returns from this conversation etched on his face. Eventually the memory fades, but his face does not change expression.


"It is a matter of each individual not knowing what to expect from the others, else there never would have been the need to engage or there would have been knowledge to pull back."

"I have no doubt that we'll improve in our execution," Grondar replies. "However, I suspect that the enormity of our group works against us in trying to gain that level of familiarity with one another and improve our squad tactics."

"I too echo your thoughts, but I would prefer not to allow trial and error to be the means to gain such experience. The Seekers did the same and we lost many along the way. And while our group may be large for an adventuring party, as we often split into smaller groups it should be more manageable. After all, military companies are made up of much larger groups than this and they can act in, albeit limited, cohesion quite well."


Grondar listens as Validar and Cavius discuss the situation in the surrounding territories. "It seems we have much to do and far to travel. I like not the sound of powerful adventurers being turned against us and their own natures. I suspect we will have to be very clever if we are going to win out."

"Nor do I like the implications that have surfaced. But I am much relieved to know that information now, rather than finding out by surprise in the field. Unfortunately, we can now, no longer trust anyone in this part of the Kingdom, unless they first prove their intentions. We cannot afford to be trusting and end up taken by surprise. In truth, we are as alone in this conflict, until all effects of the Lord of Corruption are removed. This task will be our truest test yet."

[Gwenith Moonsong]

Validar....

Gwenith says "I am very grateful for what your group has done for the Lord. But there is no need for formalities, you can just call me Gwenith", she says with a smile.
"I just want to say I am here when you need me and the pleasure is all mine."

Grondar:

Gwenith looks at Grondar and says:
"Well that is a shame; you seem like a wonderful dwarf." She leans over and kisses him on his forehead. "Dont worry I am not the type that judges people on their race. I rather look inside their heart and see who they really are".

[Chareos]

Chareos

He waits for a reply as he speaks with Validar.
"Very good, Chareos. If one of our group does not succeed in removing the effects from the man, then I am certain that Lord Cavius own staff will manage to succeed in that task."

He replies, "If not I have begun to make it a habit to keep a Dispel magic handy." He scratches at his chin when a thought comes to him. "Don't you find it the least bit strange that Lord Cavius does not have any mages in his employ? If he did why did he not keep them near him or at the castle."


Soon afterward Ivy offers her services to see to the hindered man. "I will make the attempt once I regain the spell, Chareos."

"Very well Ivy, I will study that spell as well tonight. With any luck we will free him from his present state."


Validar-"Kharyna was not able to use the Wall of Fire because of the members in the party in melee with the trolls. A Fireball or a Wall of Fire is not selective in its targets and by engaging the flank, we were forced to fight with arms and direct spells. Had we not engaged we could have used area effect spells, which would have resulted in no combat. And even if Kharyna was busy, we have other spellcasters who could have cast a Fireball or other and dealt with them. You are correct that it was indeed fortunate that we had no casualties. From experience in the Seekers, I can say that I have seen dozens of comrades at arms fall while on campaign in the Frontier Lands. It is the nature of this life."

As Grondar and Validar speak of the battle, Chareos listens to what both man and dwarf say. He soon responds. "Very forunate indeed. I merely wish for all of us to come through such a conflict as we do so today. It may be the nature of this businesss to lose friends and comrades alike but I personally don't have to sit by and watch them fall. This was an oppurtunity to voice a concern. A concern that we will hopefully not relive. With any luck we will be a stronger unit soon enough."


Validar-"That is why I called this meeting, so that we may know more in the future what to do in combat situations and what each of us is capable of. That is another reason I like to know what spells the mages and clerics have available. That way someone can direct their useage rather than each individual. We were lacking in one direction in this battle and perhaps have had overkill in others. Working together effectively does not come without difficulties and errors."

"If it is your wishes to know our spells to use them to full advantage, then perhaps it would also be wise to elect one of our mages to be in charge of such things." Chareos will reach into his belongings and take out his tome. He will then speak of which spells he has of his disposal.


Chareos overhears Lord Validar and Sherwood speaking, "Nice to know I was missed," Sherwood will respond with a grim smile. "It seems that we've uncovered quite a messy situation here. I fear that things are going to get worse before they get better. Recovering Lord Cavius is a big step in the right direction."

Being short and to the point he will ask Sherwood," How so?"


As Argent speaks with Lara, Chareos overhears of a mage guild that Sharadin has started. With his curiousity peeked he asks, "This is interesting indeed. While I was apprenticing under him he had a large library. I wonder how many tomes and books he has at his disposal. What is the fare to join this guild?"

Swanny,--"Well, then let's open it up and find out!"

As he pours the wine and both have a drink in hand Chareos will raise his glass and propose a toast. "To new aquaintances."


Argent-"Well, you are a most unusual mage then, Chareos," Argent responds with a wide grin. "A humble mage? I find it hard to fathom such a thing. If anything, we mages are anything but humble."

He can't help but let out a laugh. "I guess it is due to my upbringing. My parents always taught me to take pride in one's work but not at anyone else's expense."


"Ah, you trained under Sharadin, did you? How interesting. I actually first tried to apprentice myself to Sharadin as he was closer to my hometown of Crossroads. But he sent me to Jallarzi instead. From what I gather he trains wizards while Jallarzi trains sorceresses."
"Sharadin does have his hands full at the moment. He and his daughters just recently moved into Karn's Keep out in the Frontier lands. (Argent will repeat the information she gave to Lara to Chareos, and to all other mages present who may be unaware of it.)"

"As part of my training, I learned how to read the Elder Writings. I also came across what is being called the Pillar Artifacts. Apparently they are a type of teleportation network of a size we are as of yet unsure. Each pillar bears Elder Runes and appears to be powered by magic. My research concerned the Pillar Artifacts."

"Aye I did, My mother did as well for a short time but was inadequate at the arcane. She spoke with Sharadin and put me to a task. I proved my worth to him and he soon took me in. He is a fine teacher, I couldn't have asked for a better mentor. Though come to think of it his daughters were always a distraction. Yet somehow I worked through it."

"Perhaps because Sharadin would have had words with me if I wasn't distracted." he says with a playful smile.

[Laucian]

Laucian

Kylie--"Better than an elf? Somehow, I find that unlikely."
"You would be suprised. I once knew an elf while near our borders that wasn't too fond of the bow. He was vastly better with his sword."

Lord Cavius begins to go over what to look for when scouting these trails and Laucian listens intently and taking mental notes as it is explained to him. Upon completion of the briefing Laucian will say his thanks. "Your knowledge of these trails is greatly detailed. It will be of great help."


Argent--Argent will smile back at Laucian. "Thank you so much for your blessing. Indeed, the Lady of the Forests has been most kind to myself. Another member of Clan Grunalf in this group? Are you two related perhaps?"

"Nay, we are not related of which I know of." A thought comes to his mind as he speaks this; a matter he will have to ask Lilia later on. "Our clan is of adequate size with sub race of elves as well. I was raised in the denser forest."


"I'm afraid that you misunderstood me, Laucian. I do not claim to have met Ehlonna personally. Instead, my adventuring band encountered a temple dedicated to her name in the forests north of Gateway. There is a single follower there, an elder priestess whom we aided. She was alone save for a collection of forest creatures that served to protect her."

"Upon the completion of our mission, the priestess said that Ehlonna would have a gift for us. Next day when we were ready to depart, a strange mist surrounded us and our mounts. When the mist cleared we were on the road outside of Karn's Keep. Ehlonna's gift saved us weeks of travel through treacherous lands."

"My apologizes; I misunderstood. One priest? That is fairly odd. Usually there is a handful of followers. Truly wondrous indeed. I have never witnessed such a marvel of which you speak. Though I have a heard of them from our texts."

Later on in the day Lau will approach Lyonessa, "How are you faring? You seem somewhat out of it. Is there anything that I may do?"

Laucian will then write a letter to his temple letting them know of what he learned about thier sister temple north of Gateway. He will ask Lord Cavius if he has any means in which he may send the letter. If he does he will then send a third of his earnings to his temple.

He will also ask Lilia later on in the night," Pardon me Lilia, but how old are you?" if she is a little bit younger than he is he will ask her another question soon.

[Lyonessa]

Lyonessa:

Later on in the day Lau will approach Lyonessa," How are you faring? You seem somewhat out of it. Is there anything that I may do?"

Lyonessa will smile pleasantly at Laucian, not realizing she had painted such an obvious portrait upon her face. "Actually I was quite well until I began to overhear all of the news," she admits.

"I had been occupying my time with the notes and composing of an appropriate ballad for our deeds here. As word trickled in though about how adventurers are falling to this evil treachery, I can not but fear for my sister. I do not know where her path takes her in her quest for knowledge and magic, but the band I was with seemed to think Ardelphia would be as likely a place as any. Now there is a feeling of dread that she might be under what Lord Cavius had suffered."

Lyonessa remains hunched by the wall she was leaning against, huddling herself as if cold. The simple fear of not knowing her sister's fate is evident to Laucian as he looks upon her.