New Frontiers #61

[GM Mad]

New Frontiers #61

The Guardians have returned to Corunglain...

Silvarn/Grondar

"Still, dragons and dwarves have not always been the best of friends, and I appreciate what you did, not only for me, but for all of us. I know it was our pleasure to help in ridding the world of that particular menace."

"We dragons vary in our goals and outlooks. Like most species, you cannot judge all of us back the actions of a few. We silvers enjoy helping others, while reds would probably just enjoy eating you. I’ve been helping Cynalon for decades now."


Teris/Acerion

"A pleasure to met you, I am Lord Acerion, paladin of Heironeous," Acerion replies, bowing his head slightly and kissing the Lady Teris upon the hand if he can do so without getting dirt and grime on her.

"Ah, yes, your name has come up in court recently as well. Your actions here in Corunglain have been extraordinary. You are to be commended. I am sure the King will properly reward you."


Alon/Validar

"Where is the planning to begin? Are there plans for an offensive already? Is that what the King will be announcing at this meeting?" Lord Validar is very anxious to see what comes next. He has his own plans and they can only be helped by the new King's aggressive stance against their enemies. The only problem that could erupt is whether the plans he has will be superceded by the King. If that were to happen, then adjustments would need to be made.

"Some of the planning has already begun. The new king has not been just sitting around waiting for his time to come. He has been preparing for many years now, forging alliances and making plans of action. I would not be surprised if his plans for many of us are not revealed at this meeting."

"After our meeting with the King, I would be pleased if we could discuss some other matters in private. I would like to know your opinion of certain situations," Lord Validar will request.

"But of course! I would enjoy catching up on things and sharing a drink."


After Validar and Agent have their exchange, Sir Alon will say, "Lord Validar! Where are your manners? Are you not going to introduce me to such an enchanting creature?"

Turning to Argent, Sir Alon will gallantly take her hand and kiss it gently. "I am Sir Alon Teramar, Knight of the Realm. It is an honor to meet such a fine flower of womanhood such as yourself."


Validar/Teris

"Have there been plans made to rescue the Duke and the other nobles? What do you know of our immediate plans?"

"I am sure that every effort will be made to find those nobles we have lost. I would expect our immediate plans to focus on defense. After all, it would reflect poorly on us all if we did return the Duke and his family only to find Corunglain in ashes."


While waiting for their audience with the king, the groups' mounts and supplies arrive from the Vesubian Gatehouse. Not too long after that, Arocken, Valena, and Rathlar arrive from their guard duties down in the orc caves. Valena still has Laucian's cat with her. The twins bring the Bag of Holding containing the spell books with them. (The contents of the books will be revealed in the Spell Book thread.)

They also have the items that were liberated from the orc leaders. These items include: a battleaxe, a footman's flail, 3 potions, a spear, a longspear, platemail armor, a girdle, boots, a phylactery, and 2 rings. Other miscellaneous items grabbed include a scroll, a footman's mace, a shield, spiked leather armor, chain mail armor and a morningstar.

[GM Mad]

Finally, Lords Acerion, Corley, and Validar are summoned to see the King. They are escorted across the fortress’ courtyard and into a Manor House, the Duke’s home. A herald greets you outside the chamber and asks you for their full names and titles so that you can be properly announced.

The door opens and the herald enters the large chamber beyond. He pounds his staff on the floor three times to get everyone's attention. The herald then announces each of you to those assembled inside.

"Presenting, Lord Validar Vanarkus, son of Relon, the Baron of Pyris. Presenting Lord Acerion Kalindor of Stone Ridge. Presenting Lord Corley Rowen, son of General Logan Rowan."

The chamber is two stories high and is the Duke's great feast hall. A railed balcony looks down overhead along the north side. Two great chandeliers hang overhead to light the room. Armored guards are stationed up on the balcony and several others stand at attention throughout the room.

After you're announced, the king himself comes forward. King Victor the 8th looks much like the other men who have been king. He has short brown hair with brown eyes and a mustache. The King wears platemail armor and has a weapon at the ready. He steps up to each of you and shakes your hands.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you gentlemen. Your work here in Corunglain has been exemplary. Your efforts here kept things from getting totally out of hand. The situation when we arrived here could have been much, much worse. This, coupled with Lord Validar's efforts in Gateway have gotten my attention. Come, join me and your fellow Lords of the Realm."

The King leads you deeper into the chamber. Looking around you can see nine other individuals. You know some of them, others only by reputation. Lord Sharadin is here, as is Sir Alon Teramar and Lady Teris Penhaligon. Lord Validar spots Lord Tameron Antonic close by. The King will introduce the others.

The first to be introduced is the only other woman in the chamber. She's a very attractive woman with reddish hair and sparkling green eyes. She wears the robes of a follower of Heironeous. While none of you have actually met her before, you all know her by reputation and by her exploits. Sharl is among the best warriors in the kingdom.

"May I present my consort, Dame Sharl Harlena, Knight of the Realm, Paladin of Heironeous."

In quick succession, the other lords are introduced. They are Lord Ustev Vandevic, Lord Mikel Vorloi, and Lord Lander Torenscu.

Turning back to you, the King says, "Lord Sharadin has filled me in on some of your exploits here in Corunglain, but I wish to hear it from you as well. Tell me how you came to be here in this city's time of need."

[GM Mad]

After you're finished with the tales, the King will continue to speak. "My lords, for far too long Cynalon has lain dormant. But no longer I can assure you! The sleeping giant has awakened and we will restore the glory that once was ours!"

"Our first step is to secure our borders so that our citizenry may live without fear of attack. While the force that attacked Corunglain was significant, it was not the only one that threatens us. We have reports that two more such forces are on the march as well."

"A second wave of invaders is heading here to Corunglain. It was this Ember's hope that we would come to Corunglain and drive the invaders away. Then they would strike back and overwhelm us, crushing our moral in the process. Then his armies could move deeper into Cynalon and cause terror."

"While that plan has now failed, these invaders must be fought off yet. Sir Alon and Dame Sharl will lead the force to deal with this army. Hopefully, with their leader slain, they will not put up much of a fight."

"The third invasion force is where you lords come in and your mission in this instance is three-fold. It is true that the humanoids broke through and overran Fort Fletcher, but they do not control it. We have reports of undead now controlling the former fortress. But its gates lie open, allowing orcs to pass freely through from the north."

"This third invasion force is now moving through the Valley of Khyr and will reach the pass within a week. Your primary mission will be to re-take the fortress before the invaders arrive and then hold them off. Fort Fletcher spans the narrowest point of the Khyr Pass and was specifically built to hold off an army with a minimal amount of men."

"Our plan is to use the Stone House to move your group and your supplies into the fort. You'll have to retake the fortress from the inside and then secure it against outside forces. Once that is accomplished, more men and supplies will be sent there to ensure that it remains in our hands. Lord Sharadin will check up on you every few days to monitor your progress."

"If you can hold off these invaders long enough, winter snows will all but block the pass and the elements will take care of the rest. Once this is done, that major invasion route will be secured."

"With that accomplished, the second phase of your mission can begin. With the fortress secure, you'll be able to make sorties into Ardelphia and begin to free that city from the scum that infests it. With the pass closed, there will be no reinforcements for those humanoids. In time you will be able to liberate Ardelphia from their foul clutches. How strong this coming winter is will determine just how much you’ll be able to do."

"But that is not all. We have renewed our friendship with the Dwarves of Rockhome and they will be sending units of warriors to help defend our borders. In exchange for this, we will be helping them reclaim those cities and outposts they lost in the Stone Ridge region. Once that is done, then they will be able to re-open their mines and ore can come forth once more. This will benefit all.”

"Our dwarven allies helped us build Fort Fletcher and close to it is the fallen dwarven city of Hammerfall. The third phase of your mission is to assist a dwarven contingent to be led by Aria Stonehand in reaching Hammerfall and freeing it. We are told that Hammerfall isn't suitable for we humans to enter, so our assistance may be only minor at best."

“This task is great, but you’ve done great things in the past and I am confident you shall succeed yet again. You and your companions will have three days to rest before you depart on your mission.”

“However we have other matters to discuss. For a long time now I’ve had various agents keeping an eye on the nobility in search of like-minded individuals to join with me in our task to restore Cynalon to its former greatness. Such are those who are gathered here with me today. To that end, I am extending an invitation to both you Lord Acerion and you Lord Validar to join my council of lords.”

[GM Mad]

"Lord Sharadin has another matter that you need to keep your eyes open for."

At the King's direction, Lord Sharadin comes forth.

"Gentlemen, we've learned that the Duke of Corunglain was seeking to assemble an artifact known as 'The Guardian Shield'. Legend says that the Shield is composed of four parts. The Shield of Justice, the Shield of Magic, the Shield of Life, and the Shield of Protection. Each of these shields corresponds to four of the gods of our land. The Shield of Justice to Heironeous, the Shield of Magic to Mystra, the Shield of Life to Azrella, and the Shield of Protection to Helm."

"The story goes that the Guardian Shield was created for the Ardel family in an effort to protect their holdings from orcish invaders. In the central plaza in Ardelphia, there were four statues, one to each of these gods. In their hands they were to hold their shields. When this was done, a mystical barrier was going to cover the land forty miles in all directions. This barrier would hedge out those beings who would want to cause harm to those who lived in Ardelphia. In short, it would prevent orcs, goblins, and their ilk from coming within forty miles of Ardelphia. This part of Cynalon would never have to worry about humanoid invasion ever again!"

"The Shield of Protection is here in the Duke's Fortress, but all four are needed to activate the Guardian Shield. The Shield of Mystra is said to be close to recovery elsewhere. You’ll need to keep your eyes open for these other two shields. The shields themselves do resemble a normal shield, but are constructed of stone. They are much larger than a real shield and bear the markings of the specific god on them."


At the main door of this chamber; the herald stamps his staff three times signifying that there is another new arrival. The herald steps forth and announces, “Presenting Lady Jallarzi Sallivarian.”

[In the original posts, Lady Allonica was here also with Jallarzi. With the rewrite Gabriella was in Corunglain, but had not been working with the King. She would be noticed by him soon enough however. Gabriella's dialogue was transferred to Jallarzi and altered to fit her. bit.ly/GabbyValidar]

Turning you see Jallarzi approaching. “Ah,” the King says upon seeing her. “Another member of the council approaches. Tell me, have you news from the Elfholds.”

Lady Jallarzi bows in respect before giving her report. “I have, Your Majesty. Lord Sergei Pyotrev, Cynalonian Ambassador to the Elfholds reports that the elves are agreeable to sending units of archers to help defend our territories. However, they wish a boon in return.”

“Not unexpected,” the King remarks.

“They asked for Sherwood to carry out a mission of some great importance to them. The exact nature of this mission they would not reveal to Ambassador Pyotrev. However, I am carrying a letter that would explain the situation to my cousin. Has he arrived as yet?”

“Not yet,” Lord Sharadin speaks up. “My nephew regularly drops out of sight for sometimes weeks at a time. He seems to prefer his privacy and being away from civilization as much as possible.”

“That is incorrect, Lord Sharadin,” Lady Teris speaks up. “Lord Sherwood arrived not too long ago, along with his traveling companions. I spoke to him at that time. He went to bring the rest of them here before reporting in.”


As if on cue, the Herald stomps his staff three more times. “Presenting Lord Sherwood!”

Sure enough, Sherwood comes walking up. He grasps hands with the King and nods at the Lords Acerion, Corley, and Validar.

“Sherwood!” the King calls out. “Nice of you to join us.”

“I’ve been preoccupied,” Sherwood responds. “I was beginning to think this day was never going to come. Too bad that it took a crisis like this to make it happen.”

“Come, my friends. There is much for us to discuss.”


Elsewhere in the vast Star-Shaped fortress, the Guardians are reunited with some of their former members along with a few new faces.


GM Notes:

Tons to discuss and virtually everyone is here. Mages don’t forget to check the Spell Book thread for Opikus’ books. There’s also the matter of the orcish magic items.

Now what?

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

Sir Alon:
"Some of the planning has already begun. The new king has not been just sitting around waiting for his time to come. He has been preparing for many years now, forging alliances and making plans of action. I would not be surprised if his plans for many of us are not revealed at this meeting."

"That is good to hear, my lord," Validar will respond. "I have heard good things about the Crown Prince who is now our King. There has been much frustration among some of the nobles, as many felt held back by the old King. I welcome the new King Victor and anxiously await the glory to return to Cynalon once more."


"After our meeting with the King, I would be pleased if we could discuss some other matters in private. I would like to know your opinion of certain situations," Lord Validar will request.

"But of course! I would enjoy catching up on things and sharing a drink."

"Very good. It is my pleasure."


After Validar and Agent have their exchange, Sir Alon will say, "Lord Validar! Where are your manners? Are you not going to introduce me to such an enchanting creature?"

"Forgive me, I must be tired, for my manners have deserted me. Sir Alon Teramar, this is Argent, a very potent Invoker and a member of the Guardians of Light."

Turning to Argent, Sir Alon will gallantly take her hand and kiss it gently. "I am Sir Alon Teramar, Knight of the Realm. It is an honor to meet such a fine flower of womanhood such as yourself."

"Sir Teramar was my mentor in training before I joined the Cynalon military. He taught me much about the use of weapons and skill at arms. He is truly deserving of his knighthood."


Teris:
"I am sure that every effort will be made to find those nobles we have lost. I would expect our immediate plans to focus on defense. After all, it would reflect poorly on us all if we did return the Duke and his family only to find Corunglain in ashes."

"I did not presume that the entire assembly of nobility here would rush off to find the Duke. However, there is a serious vaccuum of power in this extremely unstable territory if The Duke is not recovered soon. I can certainly understand the need to establish a defense here however. The citizens have already been through enough with this battle."


Validar will welcome back the remaining three of their group when they are brought back with Sharadin's daughters. In all it was a very successful battle and Validar is most proud that not a single casualty from their group has yet to occur. Indeed this group has a much better result there than the Seekers.

Validar thinks on his friends from that group and hopes that they are all well. While he misses his friends, there is so much now here to do. The political landscape has changed dramatically and with it, his plans may change as well. There is much to learn in the immediate audience that Validar awaits as well as the coming weeks and months. The noble warrior has a good feeling about the new King, but he wonders whether he will be able to accomplish what he once planned. In any case there is much more glory to achieve for Cynalon.

Soon, Lord Validar is summoned. He quickly heads where lead to the Duke's Manor House.

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

Lord Validar steps proudly into the chamber as his name is announced to the King and the assembled lords.

Lord Validar steps in and kneels briefly before the King as the others join him. The new King approaches and Validar rises before him and takes his offered hand.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you gentlemen. Your work here in Corunglain has been exemplary. Your efforts here kept things from getting totally out of hand. The situation when we arrived here could have been much, much worse. This, coupled with Lord Validar's efforts in Gateway have gotten my attention. Come, join me and your fellow Lords of the Realm."

"The pleasure and honor are all mine, Your Majesty. May your reign be long, fruitful, glorious and full of honor. As for our actions here, we did what was required of us. The Kingdom is dear to all of us and we would gladly sacrifice ourselves for the safety of Cynalon. Thank you for your invitation. We are honored to join you and the other gathered Lords."

King Victor leads the three into the chamber and introduces the others. Some he knows well and others he has met briefly. All are know by reputation to some degree, as Lord Validar has taken interest as well in the exploits of the Lords of Cynalon.

Lord Validar nods knowingly to those he knows and has battled with briefly: Lords Sharadin and Tameron, his first mentor. Sir Alon and Lady Teris.

"Dame Harlena, it is a pleasure and an honor to finally meet you. I have heard of your many exploits and am privileged to be in your esteemed presence."

Lord Torenscu and Lord Vorloi, Validar has met very briefly before, but only in passing. He will great each of the Lords with a firm handshake. All are Inner Kingdom Lords, and as such their families do not always have close ties with the Outer Territories. Lord Vorloi is the son of the Duke of Vorloi and the others are sons of Inner Kingdom Barons or Lords.

Turning back to you, the King says, "Lord Sharadin has filled me in on some of your exploits here in Corunglain, but I wish to hear it from you as well. Tell me how you came to be here in this city's time of need."

"Our tale started mundanely enough. But it has taken many dire and disturbing twists along the way. For myself, the story begins not long after the Seige of Gateway..."

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

“My comrades, the Seekers, were recovering in Gateway, after helping to lift the Hextorite and humanoid siege and filling time with adventures and explorations as we awaited the Spring attack on Keln. An unexpected message arrived from my mother, Lysandra Vanarkus, requesting my return to Castle Pyris. It was vague and therefore somewhat dire and mysterious. I returned immediately to find that the Baron had been struck down by a mysterious malady.”

“Lord Sherwood and the Lady Sallavarian were assembling a party of adventurers to search for the culprit and Lord Corley was already at the Castle when the vile deed was done. He gallantly took to the protection of the Baron and joined the group that Sherwood had assembled. Lord Acerion was one of those summoned, although he did not join us immediately, he has been a valiant and skillful member of the Guardians of Light as well.”

“Clues led us to both a bandit leader in Elcadan’s territory known as Lothar and also curiously to Lord Cavius of Rennydale. It was especially odd, as Lord Cavius and Baron Relon are known to be friends. The defeat of Lothar and his bandits was completed as expected, however, we found that we were once again facing the Cult of the Blackflame. Needless to say, there would be much more to discover about the resurfacing of this vile cult of evil. The Guardians of Light were then officially formed to oppose this evil.”

“Our trail took us north to Rennydale and there we encountered many disturbing events. Peasants were trying desperately to leave the territory and an ominous haze hung over the city. Stories of trolls and other fell creatures roaming the city reached us and we moved in to investigate.”

“Upon entering Castle Rennydale, we found that Lord Cavius was under the influence of some horrible potion and was merely acting as a puppet for his dark master. Our invasion of the castle was successful and we managed to free Lord Cavius from his stupor and kill the attendants who helped to direct him. We had learned that Lord Cavius was affected when he attempted to defeat some undead evil in the Beleme swamp.”

“Having helped to reclaim Rennydale, the Guardians of Light, along with Lady Sallavarian and the healer Elspeth of Azrella, we journeyed into the Beleme swamp and joined in battle with the evil that had corrupted Lord Cavius. This self-styled Lord of Corruption was easily defeated, but not before a summoned Spirit of the Swamp had to be dealt with, along with his other foul minions.”

“Elspeth is also a bit of an oracle, apparently, and she foresaw how to defeat the evil in the swamp. Inside the shrine of Vryxnr, Elspeth created a Circle of Power. Many of us there joined and using our shared energy, Elspeth closed the prison of the Dark One and stopped the flow of the putrid water that corrupted those exposed to it. Somehow, we were joined or more correctly aided by the powers of many of the deities of this world, Azrella, Heironeous, Mystra, as well as dwarven and elfin deities also.”

“The Swamp of Beleme was eradicated by a Nature Elemental that arrived on the scene not long after our mystickal combat with the Dark One. Our group split as Lord Sherwood took a few of the group to look further into the Cult of the Blackflame, while the remainder of us headed even further north toward Corunglain. Word had reached us that there were troubles in Corunglain and we headed here expecting to find the after effects of the Dark One’s foul influence. Instead, we saw the city in flames as we approached…”

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

“A large group of refugees from the city were fleeing towards us, chased by humanoids as well as several wyverns. We rescued the citizens by slaying the humanoids and killing or driving off the wyverns. It was then that we learned the city had been under siege and was in the midst of falling. At this point, we were faced with a dilemma: whether to save the refugees, which numbered about 50, mostly women and children, or to ride to the defense of the city.”

“Had we led the refugees away, we certainly would have had to either divide our small force or simply leave the city to its own, which appeared to be a bleak choice. We could save 50 and lose thousands more. By the same token, abandoning these people, who were not even prepared for the weather, to the harsh conditions and roving bands of humanoids would have condemned them to death. Worse there was a young mother about to have birth.”

“We decided to do both and save the refugees while we moved to counterattack in Corunglain. We organized the refugees and while waiting for the baby to be born, we attacked the Vesubian Gatehouse. The humanoids were not expecting a counterattack, especially from without the city and we secured the gatehouse and moved the refugees there for safety.”

“Some of us defended the Gatehouse, while we made another attack on the enemy. We scouted what we could by air and that was when we found the sacrifice going on by the orcs in a park in the center of the city. One goal was to destroy the catapults of the Fire Giants which rained down on the Duke’s Fortress, but this was the priority. Under two waves, we managed to destroy 4 of the enemy catapults, while a group of us rode on the disgusting scene at the park.”

“We attacked and drove off the orcs there and managed to rescue Drakkimor and his allies and many of the soldiers. Alas we were too late to save those who had already been put to the knife in the name of the foul orc god. That was when we learned the truth behind the attacks and the dire situation involving the city, the capture of the Duke and his family and the appearance of Opikus and the involvement of Xanathom, the six-armed witch of Hextor, as well as the Dark Elves and the humanoid horde. It seems that the same potion and tactics used on Gateway was used here with the addition of Opikus transporting a force into the Fortress and capturing all at the festivities.”

“We returned with the rescued soldiers and Drakkimor’s band and retook the Western Gatehouse as well. This was then secured by Lord Corley, while some of us returned to the Vesubian Gatehouse, whihc remained ably defended under the command of Lord Acerion. While plans were being made to conduct another wave of attacks, the blizzard arrived. While it kept us from making any more sorties against the humanoids, it also gave the city a reprieve as it drove the humanoids underground, we were soon to learn.”

“With the city fighting now come to an end, except for the Fire Giants and some small battles, we concocted a plan to assault the humanoids entrances to the city from their underground tunnels. Early this morning, we began our attack…”

[Lia]

Lia

A moment later we are in, what Lia can only imagine as, a large fortress of some type. Many armed guards are patrolling the area and the battlements look to have seen recent battle. She looks about, gathering in her surroundings. After a moment Sherwood departs for the King's Court.

Lia will stay close to Talen and Sherwood for the time being until they are shown to their rooms. Afterward Lia will ask Lilia if she can accompany her around the complex, as she is a bit overwhelmed by its sight.
(More to come later on in the week)

[Laucian]

Laucian

As he spends his time with Lyonessa, word reaches him that their supplies have been brought to the fortress. Laucian will ask Lyonessa, “Would you care for your things?” If it is agreeable to her, Laucian will excuse himself and retrieve both their gear but first he will check on Starfire in the stables, petting and seeing to his horse.

On the way back from the stables Laucian catches a glimpse of his clanswomen and soon catches up to them in the guest corridors. A few new faces emerge in the guest corridors. A smile comes to his face at seeing his recently departed friends, “Look who the cat dragged in!” he says with a smile. “What brings you to Corunglain?” he asks his clanswomen.

After greeting them he will stow his gear and talk for a bit with them, He will greet the others in a similar manner though with Nariya he will introduce himself. “Greetings, I am Laucian Nailo of Clan Grundalf,” he will state noticing the tattoos about her face and body. She is of Sylvan decent. “Ah a Sylvan elf. Your markings are quite beautiful.” If asked how he knew he will raise up his sleeve of his robe exposing his own clans' tattoos. Sadly he hasn’t earned the right to brand his skin as much as she yet.

After a time he will excuse himself and begin to bring Lyonessa her gear, if that is acceptable to her. As he returns he catches word that the others have returned safely from the caverns. Laucian will go and greet Valena and thank her for watching Onyx. Afterward he will return to the hospital wing, and show him to Lyonessa, perhaps bringing a smile to her face.

When the time comes to meet Lia, Talen, Rat and Yusef, Laucian will be polite and extent his hand in friendship to each of them and introducing himself. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Laucian Nailo of Clan Grundalf. And you are?”

Later on if there is time Laucian will ask one of the guards or servants, “These past few days my armor has seen much battle and has suffered from it. Would you happen to have an leather worker or armorer that would be able to repair my armor?”

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

"Reinforcements arrived in a small number, enough to guarantee the defense of the two Gatehouses we controlled. We moved to the warehouses and found that the humanoids had retreated deep into the underearth. Drakkimor and his band went to the warehouse in the center of Corunglain and we went to the entrance in the south part of the city."

"We learned that the main invasion force had retreated to a huge cavern below the earth, used as a large staging area. Deciding that we could strike a telling blow against the invaders, we decided to counter-attack the invasion force. We moved on them and found thousands of the humanoids encamped."

"Doing our best, we attacked with might and with magic and managed to kill a sizeable number of them. When the Orc Leader Dek was finally killed, we finally drew the direct attention of Opikus. It was not long before we found out that Opikus was truly the Red Dragon, Ember."

"A titanic battle ensued and we managed to wound the beast so severely, that magick that the dragon had in place whisked him away automatically from our midst. It was then that Lord Sharadin and Silvarn arrived."

"We had learned from the Priestess of Heronious that travels with Drakkimor that Opikus used a device known as a Mirror of Mental Prowess to move about. We had heard of such an item as a friend and ally who helped us with the attack on Rennydale also has one of these items and explained the use of them in detail."

"Using this information, we followed Ember back to his fortress, the Crystal Citadel at the Ring of Fire in the Broken Lands. There we killed the Dragon, ending his threat forever. Silvarn and Lord Sharadin returned us all here, when the Crystal Citadel was destroyed."

"We are proud to have be able to assist in the conflict here and help to keep the invasion from spreading any further along. The Guardians of Light stand ready to continue to defend Cynalon at all costs, Your Magesty."

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

Lord Validar listens as the King talks about his plans for the Kingdom and the situation with the enemy.

"The third invasion force is where you lords come in and your mission in this instance is three-fold. It is true that the humanoids broke through and overran Fort Fletcher, but they do not control it. We have reports of undead now controlling the former fortress. But its gates lie open, allowing orcs to pass freely through from the north."

King Victor then proceeds to explain the situation to them.

"If you can hold off these invaders long enough, winter snows will all but block the pass and the elements will take care of the rest. Once this is done, that major invasion route will be secured."

"We will hold, my King. Of that you can be certain," Lord Validar will say. "I have already commited to the Lady Vera Ardel that we would free her lands from the scum that have invaded it. It has long been a plan of mine and I will undertake this mission with all available enthusiasm."

"Our dwarven allies helped us build Fort Fletcher and close to it is the fallen dwarven city of Hammerfall. The third phase of your mission is to assist a dwarven contingent to be led by Aria Stonehand in reaching Hammerfall and freeing it. We are told that Hammerfall isn't suitable for we humans to enter, so our assistance may be only minor at best."

"We will assist as we are able. But I must ask: if Fort Runnels was lost again to the humanoids in the recent invasion, who is going to secure that location? Surely it is a priority as well, even if not under the immediate threat of attack. And most definitely it is a necessary step in the liberation of Ardelphia."


“This task is great, but you’ve done great things in the past and I am confident you shall succeed yet again. You and your companions will have three days to rest before you depart on your mission.”

"We will complete your task, Your Majesty. You can rely on this to be done as you ask. Three days will be sufficient to prepare for this mission. As a personal request, is there some manner in which a message could quickly be sent to the Barony of Pyris. I wish to inform them of our current situation."


“However we have other matters to discuss. For a long time now I’ve had various agents keeping an eye on the nobility in search of like-minded individuals to join with me in our task to restore Cynalon to its former greatness. Such are those who are gathered here with me today. To that end, I am extending an invitation to both you Lord Acerion and you Lord Validar to join my council of lords.”

Validar is silent for a long moment. "It would be my extreme privilege and honor to accept your gracious invitation, my King."

The King also tells them about an artifact that is deigned for the lands of Ardelphia to save them from future humanoid invasions. It will be a great defensive instrument should it be assembled. "We will do our best to learn all that we can pretaining to the Shield of Protection. And we will certainly take control of any pieces that we should encounter in our travels."

[Nariya]

Nariya:

Arriving in what has to be a human fortress, Nariya already doesn't like the situation. She could never understand how humans felt safe locking themselves into cages of wood and stone. To live underground is one thing, like Dwarves, but to live above ground and then block yourself from the sky and the earth. It never made any sense to her.

The human guards seem to accept their arrival and let them be even after Sherwood departs. Of course, he was here once before with the others so they probably expected Sherwood to bring more with him the second time. Keeping close to the rest of her group, she spots an intriguing elven male who notices them and approaches.

After greeting them he will stow his gear and talk for a bit with them, He will greet the others in a similar manner though with Nariya he will introduce himself. “Greetings, I am Laucian Nailo of Clan Grundalf,” he will state noticing the tattoos about her face and body. She is of Sylvan decent. “Ah a Sylvan elf. Your markings are quite beautiful.” If asked how he knew he will raise up his sleeve of his robe exposing his own clans' tattoos. Sadly he hasn’t earned the right to brand his skin as much as she yet.

"Yes and thank you," she replies to Laucian's observation. "I am Nariya, pathfinder of the Callarii tribe." She reaches out a hand and traces the pattern on Laucian's arm, giving a scrutinizing gaze. Her eyes met his with an approving look. "So you know Sherwood also?" she asks Laucian. "We were travelling with him when he was called here."

Her attraction to Laucian is evident although she attempts to hide it. He seems in a bit of a hurry so she may not have any choice but to let him leave. She wonders if she will be able to see more of him soon, and she ponders that, almost forgetting the horrible interior of the fortress, while she waits for any word of what they will be doing next.

[Lyonessa]

Lyonessa:

As he spends his time with Lyonessa, word reaches him that their supplies have been brought to the fortress. Laucian will ask Lyonessa, “Would you care for your things?” If it is agreeable to her, Laucian will excuse himself and retrieve both their gear but first he will check on Starfire in the stables, petting and seeing to his horse.

Lyonessa smiles at him, "Yes, that would be nice, thank you." She watches him go, then looks over at Ivy, seeing how much Lord Acerion cares for her is so evident it brings a tear to Lyonessa's eye. A love ballad begins to form in her mind. Soon Acerion has to leave, summoned by the new king, leaving Ivy and Lyonessa alone again eventually, in between those that come to visit. Smiling at Ivy, Lyonessa says, "He is really taken by you. I could feel his joy from over here. I don't mean to pry, but what do you think he means to tell you?"

After a time he will excuse himself and begin to bring Lyonessa her gear, if that is acceptable to her. As he returns he catches word that the others have returned safely from the caverns. Laucian will go and greet Valena and thank her for watching Onyx. Afterward he will return to the hospital wing, and show him to Lyonessa, perhaps bringing a smile to her face.

Lyonessa thanks Laucian for bringing her stuff up and put in either this room, or wherever they will end up. When he brings in Onyx she will smile and say, "Oh, he's adorable." She will let Onyx get familiar with her while making sure Dusk behaves. She imagines thought that her owl would not be the one to be concerned over, expecting instead Onyx to be the troublemaker of the pair.

"Don't let me keep you if you have matters to attend to, Laucian. I would hate to feel selfish by taking all your time." Her face shows that her words are at least a partial lie, as she would not mind one bit if he stayed all night.

[Argent]

Argent:

"Well," Sherra begins, sitting down on her bed in the shared room, "remember the scroll I gave you to cast the Wall of Fog? There's another spell on it as well, and I can read them. Nowhere near your level of skill, but for one untrained in the arts of magic, I can still read spells with decent results from scrolls."

Pausing a moment, Sherra continues, "So what I was wondering is if, as time and materials allow, you could scribe a scroll with low level, but useful, spells upon it? That way, in a pinch, it would be something I could use, or any of the mages of course, and it could prove as valuable as that Wall of Fog spell was."

Argent is mildly surprised by Sherra’s request as she really had no idea just what she wanted to discuss.

“Unfortunately, there are a few problems. One is that I’m unable to make my own scrolls just yet. Soon I will be able to, but not at the present. The second problem is that I do not even have the materials necessary to make a scroll. Special paper and ink are required. Not the sort of thing you’re going to pick up in a general store. I would be agreeable to what you suggest when I am able to do so.”

Argent starts to walk off, but changes her mind and comes back. She rummages through her bag and pulls out another scroll.

“In the meantime, you can hang on to this scroll I found many months ago. I’ve since found the spells in other spellbooks and already know them. It has three spells on it. Fist of Stone, Protection from Paralyzation, and Last Breath.”

After Validar and Agent have their exchange, Sir Alon will say, "Lord Validar! Where are your manners? Are you not going to introduce me to such an enchanting creature?"

"Forgive me, I must be tired, for my manners have deserted me. Sir Alon Teramar, this is Argent, a very potent Invoker and a member of the Guardians of Light."

Turning to Argent, Sir Alon will gallantly take her hand and kiss it gently. "I am Sir Alon Teramar, Knight of the Realm. It is an honor to meet such a fine flower of womanhood such as yourself."

Argent listens to the words between Lord Validar and the armored stranger with amusement. Obviously, the armored man is someone of import and also known to Lord Validar. It turns out that the armored man is a Knight of the Realm!

“The honor is all mine, Sir Alon. You’re the first Knight that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.

"Sir Teramar was my mentor in training before I joined the Cynalon military. He taught me much about the use of weapons and skill at arms. He is truly deserving of his knighthood."

“Ah, I see,” Argent says as the relationship between the two men is revealed. Mentor and student. “You’ve done an excellent job with Lord Validar here, Sir Alon. I am sure that he’ll join you in knighthood before too long.”

Argent will happily converse with the two men, but since they seem to be on their way somewhere, she’ll let them go about their business.

Finally, the spell books arrive along with a bunch of magic items that were taken from the Orcs. I’d forgotten about those! Much of it looks like warrior stuff, although there is a scroll. No matter, it can wait as we’ve got spell books to check out!

Four of the books are beyond Argent’s ability to understand, but one makes a little more sense than the others. She must be close to understanding the spells in that book, but not just yet. Paging through the other books, there are many interesting spells that she can’t wait to cast! Argent will take two of the books, leaving the other two to Chareos. Once we’ve learned what we could, we can than swap them back.


Later on, Argent hears a commotion out in the halls and comes out to see what is going on. Much to her surprise Kylie, Lilia, and some others are there.

“Kylie! How did you get here? How have you been? Who are your friends?”

[Ivy]

Ivy:

Grondar beams at the look of relief on Ivy's face. "Azrella was most gracious in allowing me to use its power. It seems our patrons have much in common, and certainly were with us in that time of trial. Without that boon, I may well not have had the power to save Lord Corley when the time came."

“That is wonderful! I only wish I had been there to see it. Thank you so much for caring for my mace. I am in your debt.”


The next thing Ivy knows, Lord Acerion enters the room. He looks bloodied and dirty from the battle, but it matters not to Ivy. Her pulse begins to race as he draws closer.

Those words are barely out when he is at the foot of Ivy's bed. Acerion kneels down next to her and gently takes a hand of hers in his, the other hand running lightly across her forehead. Fighting overwhelming emotion he says, "I feared I had lost you forever, my lady." Looking deep into her eyes, she can see the tears poised to fall, and he places her hand to his armored chest. "I fear I do not have long before I need to answer the summons of the new king, but know that I have important things to say. Things that cannot be waited on much longer. I will not lose you again before telling you."

“Your father loves you very much,” Ivy suddenly and very unexpectedly blurts out. What made her say that? “I’m not sure why I said that, milord."

"Rest now, sweet Ivy," Acerion says, "and I shall return to your side as soon as I am able. Then, if you are willing, we can talk at length." He brings her hand up to his lips and kisses it softly.

“I’ll be waiting here,” Ivy manages to get out before Lord Acerion is gone again. The visit was nice, but should have been much longer! Oh well, until later.

Smiling at Ivy, Lyonessa says, "He is really taken by you. I could feel his joy from over here. I don't mean to pry, but what do you think he means to tell you?"

Ivy smiles back and has been smiling since Lord Acerion’s visit. “I’m not really sure,” Ivy admits, “but I thought he was going to propose there for a moment!”

[Chareos]

Chareos

“Yes, that’s right! I’m sure they're smart enough to realize that once the portal vanished that they didn’t need to wait for us to come back down there. Hopefully those books will be showing up any minute now!”

Chareos readily agrees, and cannot wait to see the product of their trials with the dragon. Hopefully there are many spells that the group can use later on in their travels.

Dropping his gear in the room with Laucian’s, Chareos will do his best to wash the blood from him and change into a new set of clothes, a simple vest and shirt with pants. As he checks his reflection in the mirror a thought comes into his mind of a new spell and he quickly grabs his spell book jotting down the enchantation within his book!

After a time a commotion outside the room catches his ear;, it seems several of their former band have come to Corunglain! Chareos will go and greet them and though he has had little time speaking with Lilia and Kylie he will be friendly to them both. “It is good to see you both, I take it your quest is complete?"

Also they seem to have brought friends: A few half elves and a few elves, a strange man with odd eyes and a halfling. He will say hello to each in turn, greeting them politely. “Welcome to Corunglain! I am Chareos. It is a pleasure to meet you. Where did you come across our friends?” he will ask Lia, Talen and Yusef. Those whom do not know him will gather he is a mage of some skill, given he still has his tome in his hand.

When word reaches him of the twins' return Chareos will go down and look for them as well as the spell books they carry. When time permits Chareos will take the two books Argent has given him to unveil and begin attempting to learn any spells that might intrigue him to learn. When completed with those two he will return them to Argent saying, “This Opikus knew his magic; some of these spells I had never heard of before. Imagine binding two spells at once? It is unheard of!”

While his mentor is in court with his fellow Lords and King, Chareos remembers several things said about a Mages Guild that was established not long ago. Finding the twins, he will ask, “It has come to my attention that Lord Sharadin has established a Mages Guild from the findings within Karn’s Keep. It is rare that I have a chance to speak with you since I left your home, which I miss,” he adds with a thoughtful smile as he realizes he still can’t tell the twins apart. “But I was wondering if there was room for another of Sharadin’s apprentices within this guild?”

[Corley]

Corley:

Acerion is lost in thoughts so joyous they are nearly painful, almost to the point of not hearing Corley's words. "Yes, of course," Acerion finally manages, "and it's good to have you back Corley." Acerion slaps his armored hand against Corley's likewise-armored ribs in a friendly gesture, and then clasps wrists with the young lord. "Praise the gods of good," he says as he departs.

“Truth be told, I didn’t really know I was gone,” Lord Corley adds with a mirthful smile. “Nonetheless the sentiment is appreciated. Aye, praise to all the gods of good. I shall see you later at the summoning.”

Lord Corley settles into his room and works to remove his dirty and damaged armor. The notion of having the rest of their gear retrieved from the Vesubian Gatehouse strikes the young noble. Out in the hallway, he encounters Lord Validar and another armored man who he feels he should know, but the name does not come to him.

“Lord Validar! Good to see you again, my friend! I’m not sure what that priestess did to me, but I feel better than ever.”

After being introduced to Sir Alon, Corley will say, “Ah, yes, I thought you were familiar. A privilege to make your acquaintance, Sir Teramar. Lord Validar has spoken very highly of you in the past.”


Lord Corley will stop by to give his regards to those who are healing. “Ah, fair ladies, it does my heart good to see you with us again! I look forward to our continued association in the Guardians!”

Once his belongings have been retrieved, Lord Corley will don his military uniform and await his audience with the king with Lord Acerion and Lord Validar. Finally, the time comes and we’re off. Lord Corley will be cordial with everyone he meets.

He meets the King and listens intently to His Majesty's words. Dame Harlena is met and based on her introduction, it seems that she’ll be our Queen in the future. Her exploits are most impressive.

After Lord Validar’s long recount of our recent exploits, the King speaks of our next mission. To recapture and then hold Fort Fletcher from another wave of invading humanoids!

“As Lord Validar stated, we shall hold the fortress against all invaders, My Liege! This do I swear!”

Corley is very pleased when the king extends the invitations to his comrades to join his council. Both are upstanding men and are most deserving of the honor.

“Congratulations to you both. I cannot think of two more deserving men.”

Lord Sharadin tells us about the Guardian Shield. Not long after that, Lady Salavarian arrives.

More surprises follow and Lord Sherwood has arrived. Corley can’t help but wonder if Lady Kylie is with him as well. Corley waits to see what is going to happen next.

[Aria Stonehand]

Aria:

"Forgive me, sweet lady. I could not bear the thought of you being crushed by this malevolent aberration in its death throes nor would I be fulfilling my duties to Berronar if I allowed it. We must get safely away!"

“Well, all right,” Aria relents. “I’ll let it go just this one time.”


Once back at the human castle, Aria’s first order of business is to get something to eat. Slaying dragons is hearty and thirsty work! She’s worked up an appetite. While dining, Aria receives a surprise visitor--- a dwarven ambassador to Cynalon! Bortol Nordenshield is his name. The two discuss things for some time.

Later, Aria finds that she’s been assigned a room with the two human females. Not the best arrangement, but no matter. Aria can sleep through any noise that they put out!

After stowing her gear, Aria seeks out Grondar. “The time to start reclaiming our lost lands has arrived! I’ve been notified that the Cynalonians will be retaking Fort Fletcher very soon. That’ll put us just a few miles away from Hammerfall, a former dwarven city!”

“We dwarves helped the humans build Fort Fletcher, so its bound to still be in good shape. Once that task is complete, then we can begin to explore Hammerfall using Fort Fletcher as a base of operations. There is a small outpost on the surface, but the majority of the city lies deep underground. Gold and other precious metals were mined there, along with coal. These mines are second only to the legendary Glory Hole Mine as far as wealth goes! Our quest will soon begin!”

[Valena Feador]

Valena:

Finally, the time to leave these dreadful caverns arrives! Valena happily hops up on the flying carpet with Onyx and is whisked out of this horrible place. The return to the surface is welcomed and we soon reach the warm confines of the Duke’s Fortress.

Laucian is spotted and Valena gives him back his new pet. “He was well behaved, but I think he missed you.”

Not having much else to do, Valena follows Laucian into the guest area. She’s eager to hear about what happened once they went through the mirror.

Along the way we come across some elves and half-elves that are strangers to her, but seem to be known to Laucian.

“Greetings. I am Valena Feador. Welcome to Corunglain.”

[Sherwood]

Sherwood:

As if on cue, the Herald stomps his staff three more times. "Presenting Lord Sherwood!"

Sure enough, Sherwood comes walking up. He grasps hands with the King and nods at the Lords Acerion, Corley, and Validar.

"Sherwood!" the King calls out. "Nice of you to join us."

"I've been preoccupied," Sherwood responds. "I was beginning to think this day was never going to come. Too bad that it took a crisis like this to make it happen."

"Come, my friends. There is much for us to discuss."

Sherwood endures all the pomp and circumstance that goes with having an audience with the King. He’s not all that surprised at who else is present. He knows everyone here. He takes the letter from Jallarzi when it is offered.

“Thanks. I have the suspicion that I already know what this is going to say.”

Sherwood reads over the letter and even chuckles to himself once. Finishing it up, he stashes it in one of his pockets. He then addresses the King.

“Ironically, I was just made aware of what the elfin trouble is only an hour ago. I agree to go on the mission as they request. However, they also wish for this to remain a private elfin matter, therefore I cannot go into specifics. I can assure you, however, that there is no danger to Cynalon itself. Although, should we fail, our Elfin allies will be greatly weakened. The task may take many months and it will be necessary for me to travel far away from our lands. I’ll try to come back and keep everyone abreast with what is going on as often as possible.”

Sherwood makes a point to speak with both Sharadin and Jallarzi as soon as he is able. They’ve got much to discuss.

[Lilia]

Lilia:


After several teleports, we arrive in Corunglain. It feels colder here than it was in the Lost Valley. A few minutes later, Sherwood returns with the others.

Lia will stay close to Talen and Sherwood for the time being until they are shown to their rooms. Afterward Lia will ask Lilia if she can accompany her around the complex, as she is a bit overwhelmed by its sight.

“Of course,” the Elf Maiden states. “If the Guardians are here, then one of my fellow clansmen is as well. I am sure that he would want to assist us on this quest.”

On the way back from the stables Laucian catches a glimpse of his clanswomen and soon catches up to them in the guest corridors. A few new faces emerge in the guest corridors. A smile comes to his face at seeing his recently departed friends, "Look who the cat dragged in!" he says with a smile. "What brings you to Corunglain?" he asks his clanswomen.

“Well met, fellow clansman,” Lilia will say and give Laucian a hug. She’ll introduce the others with her and notes that there is another elf with him. A Valena Feador. “Sherwood was required to come here and he brought us along.”

Lilia looks around to see if there is place where they can speak a bit more privately. Spotting an alcove, Lilia gestures for Laucian to follow. Switching to elvish, Lilia will explain what is going on in hushed tones. It doesn’t bother her if Valena hears or not since she is an elf too.

“This is a quest to save our homeland. You must come with us.”

After a time a commotion outside the room catches his ear, it seems several of their former band have come to Corunglain! Chareos will go and greet them and though he has had little time speaking with Lilia and Kylie he will be friendly to them both. “It is good to see you both, I take it your quest is complete?"

“Unfortunately, that is not the case,” Lilia answers. “Another matter has come up, but I cannot speak of it.”

[Grondar]

Grondar:

“Well, all right,” Aria relents. “I’ll let it go just this one time.”

"Thank you. I don't relish the thrashing you would likely give me otherwise..." Grondar replies with a grin.

She will relax for the rest of the evening, unless she is later summoned. Sherra will see about getting some food and maybe spend some time conversing with Grondar if Aria doesn't keep his attention permanently. <"So how many dragons does this now make you the champion over?"> she will ask Grondar playfully.

Looking up from the religious texts he was reading, Grondar chuckles and waves his hand airily. <"Oh... it's been so many, I've lost count..."> From his tone it would seem to be a trivial matter. In truth, he didn't really have much to do with the dragon's demise, busy as he was with keeping Lord Corley alive. Still, he enjoys the joke.

"We dragons vary in our goals and outlooks. Like most species, you cannot judge all of us back the actions of a few. We silvers enjoy helping others, while reds would probably just enjoy eating you. I’ve been helping Cynalon for decades now."

"Of course. I did not mean to imply otherwise. Still, I appreciate you keeping my crusty hide intact."

“That is wonderful! I only wish I had been there to see it. Thank you so much for caring for my mace. I am in your debt.”

"Truly, it was a glorious thing. It seems the gods can work together when it suits them..." he says with a smile. "No need for debt between friends, fair lady. You would have done as much for me."

“Your father loves you very much,” Ivy suddenly and very unexpectedly blurts out. What made her say that? “I’m not sure why I said that, milord."

The sudden outburst from Ivy captures Grondar's attention. Though he doesn't remark on it, he pauses to stroke his beard contemplatively for some time. The rest of the exchange between her and Lord Acerion is private, and the dwarf leaves them to their business.

After stowing her gear, Aria seeks out Grondar. “The time to start reclaiming our lost lands has arrived! I’ve been notified that the Cynalonians will be retaking Fort Fletcher very soon. That’ll put us just a few miles away from Hammerfall, a former dwarven city!”

“We dwarves helped the humans build Fort Fletcher, so its bound to still be in good shape. Once that task is complete, then we can begin to explore Hammerfall using Fort Fletcher as a base of operations. There is a small outpost on the surface, but the majority of the city lies deep underground. Gold and other precious metals were mined there, along with coal. These mines are second only to the legendary Glory Hole Mine as far as wealth goes! Our quest will soon begin!”

"That is wondrous news indeed, lady Aria! I don't know this region well, but my understanding is that Fort Fletcher isn't terribly far away. I suspect we shall be there soon. And good thing, too, as I feel a yearning to begin our quest to regain the lands of our people.

"Have you heard when we may be departing? I have seen as much of this city as I really need to. Seeing Hammerfall will give my spirit a great boost, as I suspect it will you."

Later, Grondar wanders the halls of the fortress while waiting to be called to meet this new human king. Rounding a corner, he comes upon a most surprising and delightful sight: Kylie and Lilia, with some companions.

Grondar trots forward to join Laucian, Valena and others in greeting the new arrivals. "Lilia! How wonderful to see you again," he says with a bow. Turning, he hoists Kylie into the air, knowing full well she's likely to throw a fit at the action. "Sprite! Couldn't bear being away from my charming and witty self, I see. Perhaps I can regale you with tales of all the rocks and stones I made friends with in your absense." His chuckle makes it clear that he's having a little fun with his diminutive friend.

"I see you brought some companions with you. Could you be so kind as to introduce me? Is Sherwood here as well?"

[Laucian]

Laucian

"Yes and thank you," she replies to Laucian's observation. "I am Nariya, pathfinder of the Callarii tribe." She reaches out a hand and traces the pattern on Laucian's arm, giving a scrutinizing gaze. Her eyes met his with an approving look. "So you know Sherwood also?" she asks Laucian. "We were travelling with him when he was called here."
Her attraction to Laucian is evident although she attempts to hide it. He seems in a bit of a hurry so she may not have any choice but to let him leave. She wonders if she will be able to see more of him soon, and she ponders that, almost forgetting the horrible interior of the fortress, while she waits for any word of what they will be doing next.

Laucian watches as she transfers her gaze to his markings, looking at them approvingly. When she is done tracing them she soon meets his gaze, which lingers for a few moments. If he didn’t know better he would say she liked him.

“Ah, a pathfinder. It seems we share a few things in common. I also have some skill in trails and tracking both man and beast. I am also a follower of the Lady of Forests.” He adds evenly, paying attention to her evident feelings upon her features and returning them ever so slightly. “Aye, I know Master Sherwood. He is responsible for the uniting of the Guardians of Light. If it were not for him, I would have never met Kyle or Lilia.”

"Oh, he's adorable."

Laucian lets out a smile as he places Onyx on the bed for a time.

"Don't let me keep you if you have matters to attend to, Laucian. I would hate to feel selfish by taking all your time." Her face shows that her words are at least a partial lie, as she would not mind one bit if he stayed all night

“You aren’t keeping me from anything,” he states. “Though Lilia and Kylie just arrived not too long ago. They did not bring very good news.
Laucian is spotted and Valena gives him back his new pet. “He was well behaved, but I think he missed you.”

‘Thank you,” he will say giving her a hug. Placing Onyx in his arms he begins to pet it as they walk.

Not having much else to do, Valena follows Laucian into the guest area. She’s eager to hear about what happened once they went through the mirror.

As they head back to the guest areas, Laucian will tell Valena of all that transpired within the Citadel, from the treasure to the battle to the running for their very lives.

“Well met, fellow clansman,” Lilia will say and give Laucian a hug. She’ll introduce the others with her and notes that there is another elf with him. A Valena Feador. “Sherwood was required to come here and he brought us along.”

“ A pleasure,” he will state introducing himself to them.

Lilia looks around to see if there is place where they can speak a bit more privately. Spotting an alcove, Lilia gestures for Laucian to follow. Switching to elvish, Lilia will explain what is going on in hushed tones. It doesn’t bother her if Valena hears or not since she is an elf too

Lilia soon ushers Laucian to an Alcove and Laucian can‘t help but wonder if this is necessary though quickly realizes she means business when she begins speaking their native tongue. She begins to tell him of what transpired and Laucian stands in awe listening to every word. “I gave my word to Lord Validar to accompany him….” he adds but after a second he continues.” But my duty is to my people and to preserve our Lands. When do we leave?”

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

Argent:
“Ah, I see,” Argent says as the relationship between the two men is revealed. Mentor and student. “You’ve done an excellent job with Lord Validar here, Sir Alon. I am sure that he’ll join you in knighthood before too long.”

"It is the fondest wish of mine that you are correct, Argent. In the meantime, I do what I can to assist the Kingdom and protect my Barony."

Argent will happily converse with the two men, but since they seem to be on their way somewhere, she’ll let them go about their business.

"If you would excuse us. I am certain we will have much information to share in the morning. I hope you find the spartan arrangements here in Corunglain to your satisfaction."

Corley:

“Lord Validar! Good to see you again, my friend! I’m not sure what that priestess did to me, but I feel better than ever.”

Lord Validar claps the warrior on the shoulder. "It is hard to say what her magic may have unleashed," Lord Validar says with a half-grin. "This is why I try to avoid having such cast upon myself. One can never be too sure what the result is, unless you are one of them. Still I am very pleased that you are well and recovered. It is our first Dragon slain for the Guardians."

In the King's Audience:
Corley is very pleased when the king extends the invitations to his comrades to join his council. Both are upstanding men and are most deserving of the honor. “Congratulations to you both. I cannot think of two more deserving men.”

"Thank you, my friend," Validar says no more, but it is clear his pride is showing.

Sherwood - “Ironically, I was just made aware of what the elfin trouble is only an hour ago. I agree to go on the mission as they request. However, they also wish for this to remain a private elfin matter, therefore I cannot go into specifics. I can assure you, however, that there is no danger to Cynalon itself. Although, should we fail, our Elfin allies will be greatly weakened. The task may take many months and it will be necessary for me to travel far away from our lands. I’ll try to come back and keep everyone abreast with what is going on as often as possible.”

Apparently, Sherwood is not going to be involved in the defense of Corunglain but in this diplomatic mission with the elves. That seems to be more his style anyway, Validar cannot help but think to himself.

[Sherra]

Sherra:

“Unfortunately, there are a few problems. One is that I’m unable to make my own scrolls just yet. Soon I will be able to, but not at the present. The second problem is that I do not even have the materials necessary to make a scroll. Special paper and ink are required. Not the sort of thing you’re going to pick up in a general store. I would be agreeable to what you suggest when I am able to do so.”

Sherra listens to what Argent has to say about the manufacturing of scrolls. It seems like a lot of effort for something that will vanish once cast. Also too that she is not proficient enough yet to manufacture them is something of a suprise.

"I had no idea it was so difficult," Sherra replies. "I would hardly see the reason for doing such a task then if it takes so long and the benefits are so minimal, although I guess it would depend on the type of spells chosen. What would you need, or does it differ for each spell? It would be something I can keep an eye out for if I know."

“In the meantime, you can hang on to this scroll I found many months ago. I’ve since found the spells in other spellbooks and already know them. It has three spells on it. Fist of Stone, Protection from Paralyzation, and Last Breath.”

"Well thank you," Sherra will say, smiling at Argent. "I'm not familiar with all those spells, but they indeed could come in valuable, especially if they are not frequently memorized even though you posses them in your books." Sherra will secure the scroll in her case.

Looking up from the religious texts he was reading, Grondar chuckles and waves his hand airily. <"Oh... it's been so many, I've lost count..."> From his tone it would seem to be a trivial matter. In truth, he didn't really have much to do with the dragon's demise, busy as he was with keeping Lord Corley alive. Still, he enjoys the joke.

Sherra laughs and walks over, kissing Grondar on the top of his head before leaving him to his studies.

Word travels that others have appeared, and it turns out its Sherwood and his new group. Arriving too late to see Sherwood, she says her hellos to Kylie and Lilia, although it appears there is something going on that is very serious. She will introduce herself to the new faces as well. "Hello, I'm Sherra," she'll say simply, but will talk more with anyone who wishes to.

She does notice Yusef and finds herself staring in spite of herself. He is quite rougishly handsome and he reminds her of some of her previous shipmates a number of years ago. "Might I inquire," she'll ask Yusef, "where you hail from?"

[Acerion]

Acerion:

“Your father loves you very much,” Ivy suddenly and very unexpectedly blurts out. What made her say that? “I’m not sure why I said that, milord."

"What..?" Acerion fumbles, completely taken by surprise by Ivy's words. "My father? Have you spoken with him?" Unsure of what she said really means, he can't help but wonder why his father would have spoken to Ivy. Maybe he knows of Acerion's decision as well, and if so, hopefully he approves. Saying goodbye to Ivy is difficult, especially given the shock of what she said, but his mind is filled with additional thoughts as he hurriedly leaves their room.

With enough time to spare, Acerion joins Corley and Validar as the herald asks our names and titles. Within moments the three of them are introduced and Acerion finds himself before King Victor the 8th. Acerion kneels, then rises as the king walks up and shakes his hand.

"It is an honor to met you, Your Majesty. I second Lord Validar's words that we do what is needed of us not only here in Corunglain, but throughout the Kingdom. It is truly an honor to be invited to such company as is present here."

Acerion will take in all those present, noting many of those he is not directly familiar with. Something that will be quickly remedied, as this is a day he will not soon forget. First to be introduced is the Dame Sharl Harlena.

"May I present my consort, Dame Sharl Harlena, Knight of the Realm, Paladin of Heironeous."

"It is a great honor to finally have the chance to meet you, Dame Harlena," Acerion says with upmost respect and a deep bow.

Acerion will greet each of the other lords as well, exchanging hand shakes and a few brief words. There is little to say to most of them at the moment, for this meeting is not a purely social event.

Turning back to you, the King says, "Lord Sharadin has filled me in on some of your exploits here in Corunglain, but I wish to hear it from you as well. Tell me how you came to be here in this city's time of need."

After Validar's tale, Acerion finds nothing that was missed, and the early parts were before his arrival, so he could not speak of such in any matter. Politely, he will say, "Lord Validar has given you the best picture of what we have encountered, Your Majesty, both before my arrival and during my time to present with the Guardians."

The king then begins to speak at length of the tasks needed of us. Re-taking and holding Fort Fletcher will not be an easy task, but Acerion is confident they can face this task as they have all the others to date. Furthermore, they are expected to enter Ardelphia and turn the tide there, as well as assist the Dwarves in reaching and freeing Hammerfall. Again there seems to be little time before all of this must happen, and Acerion finds himself thinking once more many varied thoughts.

“However we have other matters to discuss. For a long time now I’ve had various agents keeping an eye on the nobility in search of like-minded individuals to join with me in our task to restore Cynalon to its former greatness. Such are those who are gathered here with me today. To that end, I am extending an invitation to both you Lord Acerion and you Lord Validar to join my council of lords.”

Validar is silent for a long moment. "It would be my extreme privilege and honor to accept your gracious invitation, my King."

Validar's silence mimics Acerion's to a degree. Yet another unexpected twist has arrived before Acerion in his path through this life. There is only a moment's thought of consideration once he realizes the offer and what it will mean. "It is a grand honor to have received such an invitation, Your Majesty, one that I do accept."

Corley is very pleased when the king extends the invitations to his comrades to join his council. Both are upstanding men and are most deserving of the honor. “Congratulations to you both. I cannot think of two more deserving men.”

"Thank you for your words, Corley," Acerion replies. Acerion listens closely to the information about the Guardian Shield. He can help but ponder to those shields that are still missing and the relationship to some of the members of the Guardians.

Acerion waits patiently to see if any other news will arrive or if there is anything further the king wishes to impart upon them. Three days is hardly time for what he was hoping to accomplish, but there are more pressing matters than for him to be having selfish thoughts. There will be time enough to speak further with Ivy, and that is all he could hope for.

[Validar]

Lord Validar -

While the information about the elves and Sherwood's part in it are interesting in a political sense, it seems that there is little to be found out about this task, as it is direly secret. Validar immediately understands that it must involve something vital to the elves artifacts or heritage. As the Dorwyn Elfholds is completely surrounded by the Kingdom of Cynalon, a direct threat against their lands would also threaten Cynalon and Sherwood assures us that Cynalon is in no danger.

Or the threat is from inside, or it involves some persons directly of import to the elves. In any case, if there is no threat to Cynalon, then the matter remaining internal is satisfactory to Validar.

He cannot help but hink about plans for the attack on Fort Fletcher. They should be receiving some of the Elvish archers that Gabriella mentioned. And hopefully the dwarves can be of assistance in defense of the fort as well.

Using the Stone House to enter is a fine tactic. The Stone House is an artifact first found by King Victor the Second. It is much like a magickal mansion that Sherwood or Kharyna would create, except that the space was extra-dimensional and activated by a simple stone cube. Supplies, troops and weapons could be taken into the Stone Cube's domain and then one mage could teleport the entire offensive in at one time. The artifact was used many times in Cynalon's defense over the years.

There would be much fighting if undead controlled the fort now. They would not simply be driven off like the humanoids can be. The undead would have to be slain individually and completely. Validar makes a mental note to see if another Priestess of Azrella may be available for this mission.

When a break in the conversation occurs, Lord Validar will address the King. "Your Majesty, The Guardians of Light will be ready in three days to invade Fort Fletcher and take it from the humanoids and undead that currently control it. While we have what I expect to be sufficient strength to take back the Fort, I am wondering if there are any others who are being made available to our initial atttack."

[Lia]

Lia

“It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Laucian Nailo of Clan Grundalf. And you are?”

Lia gives Laucian the once over and notices the silver medallion hanging from his neck and soon returns his gaze, “ I am Lia Galadol, a priestess of Eilistraee.” She will state, “Whom do you serve?” though the answer is soon given.

“Of course,” the Elf Maiden states. “If the Guardians are here, then one of my fellow clansmen is as well. I am sure that he would want to assist us on this quest.”

“Oh who may that be?” she asks innocently.

Grondar trots forward to join Laucian, Valena and others in greeting the new arrivals. "Lilia! How wonderful to see you again," he says with a bow. Turning, he hoists Kylie into the air, knowing full well she's likely to throw a fit at the action. "Sprite! Couldn't bear being away from my charming and witty self, I see. Perhaps I can regale you with tales of all the rocks and stones I made friends with in your absense." His chuckle makes it clear that he's having a little fun with his diminutive friend.

"I see you brought some companions with you. Could you be so kind as to introduce me? Is Sherwood here as well?"

Lia can’t help but stifle her laugh as a dwarf picks up Kylie like a child or loved one. Switching to Elvish Lia whispers to Lilia, “Were they together at sometime?” she asks innocently.

When she is introduced she will greet Grondar with a smile and shake his hand. She quickly gathers that he is also a priest of some patron though she is unsure of which. “It is a pleasure to meet you Grondar. Pardon my ignorance but whom do you serve?"

Later on, Argent hears a commotion out in the halls and comes out to see what is going on. Much to her surprise Kylie, Lilia, and some others are there.

“Kylie! How did you get here? How have you been? Who are your friends?”

A beautiful women approaches dressed in fancy garb of that Lia has never seen. Approaching Argent Lia will comment, “Your dress is very beautiful! Never have I seen such a dress,” She forgets to introduce herself.

Also they seem to have brought friends: A few half elves and a few elves, a strange man with odd eyes and a halfling. He will say hello to each in turn, greeting them politely. “Welcome to Corunglain! I am Chareos. It is a pleasure to meet you. Where did you come across our friends?” he will ask Lia, Talen and Yusef. Those whom do not know him will gather he is a mage of some skill, given he still has his tome in his hand.

“The Lost Valley in which we live, I brought them to see my Grandmother.”

“Greetings. I am Valena Feador. Welcome to Corunglain.”

"Greetings, I am Lia Galandol. Thank you. Is this Fort always this chaotic?" Lia stares at Valena for a few moments as her name registers… “Feador? As in the clan?” spoken in Elvish.

Word travels that others have appeared, and it turns out its Sherwood and his new group. Arriving too late to see Sherwood, she says her hellos to Kylie and Lilia, although it appears there is something going on that is very serious. She will introduce herself to the new faces as well. "Hello, I'm Sherra," she'll say simply, but will talk more with anyone who wishes to.

“Lia,“ she replies with a nod, “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

[GM Mad]

Post Closed