Rise of the Drow Storyline

[HCGLNS]

A conference of conflicted opinions surges forth, on the price for the return of their friend. They instead decide to seek the counsel of other clerics and enter the Cathedral of the Lawgiver. A start contrast to that of Ambrosia, this building is rigorously constructed and highly organized into pews and rows, alters and knave. The follower of the faith Ralts, takes his turn to discuss the matter presently facing the outcasts and is sternly rebuked by the clerics therein. A third option is explored in the priest of Shalm, but that leads to more confusion and questions. The party is left pondering the notion that the way to find the soul of Solaria is to stop hiding from her.

The lateness of the evening overtakes them and they find an inn to lodge themselves for the night. There they learn more about their surroundings and some vital information about the mysterious Grandfather.

 

[HCGLNS]

Several small crafts beach themselves upon a small island in a a forgotten marsh. Heavily armed guards immediately leap from their crafts and scour the island for enemies. Finding none, they quickly take up defensive positions around the swamp soaked shorelines. A pair of massive suits of armour accompanied by men clad in black leather armour then perform the same actions. Soon a final pair emerges from the boats, a proud, tall elderly man, followed by a smaller subservient fellow.

The senior fellow, walks around the island, surveying the dirt and debris. He settles upon a fire pit, gazing intently into the ashes. With a wave of his hand streams of grey and gold light pour over the charred unknown remains. Minutes pass and the concentration on the man's face deepens. He strains with the mystical energies flowing through him into the soil for what seems an eternity before abruptly stopping.

His supplicant gathers the nerve to pose a question, "Is there enough sir?"

"What there is will suffice for the ritual.", an exhausted yet confident voice reponds.

"Can you do it sir? Can you do what has not been done?"

"I find your lack of faith disturbing."

With a subtle gesture, sands, sticks, salts and ingredients fly out of the boats and begin forming multiple circular patterns across the island. Rocks are upended and removed, water expunged and replaced with mud and lichens. Torches appear throughout the scene burning strange incense and other herbs. Soon the old man begins swaying as waves of magical force emanate from his body. Hours seem to pass as the ashes before him form into lumps and hollows, sweat begins to form on his brow. His hands start to shake and his knees bend, his second seeks to assist but holds back. Eventually he collapses on the ground, his breathing erratic and unsteady, he lies there. Beside him is the body of a small naked woman. The seconds turn into minutes, the minutes into hours as the second dotes on his master.

Eventually he rises to address his followers, "Put her in the boat, we sail for Holly at flank speed. If she wakes, notify me at once, I a curious to know if I got the ears right."

 

[rathkor]

I looked at my diminutive coinpurse. A few coins jingled in the mostly empty bag.

"3 gold for the journey" the man in charge of a large cargo ship said. "Food not included."

I thought to myself. Buying enough food to last me the length of the trip, and the price of the ride itself, would clean me out. I didn't like having only a few coins to my name. I liked the idea of having none less. I tried finding work around town, to no avail. Darkness fell, and I was out of time. I decided to head to the local shop to buy some food for the trip.

I entered the well stocked store and looked for some basic rations. I gathered some food and was walking to the counter, when a metal gleam caught my eye. A small grappling hook lay on one of the shelves. The idea came to me in an instant. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to stow away, on a ship. I bought the food, as well as the grappling hook and a length of rope. Both cost less than the cost of the trip would.

The others had gathered next to an inn. They decided to rent a room for the night, but I was worried about the exposure of leaving alone early in the morning. I decided to find a small wooded area at the edge of town and rested.

Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, I made my way to the ship. It was unguarded, which was lucky for me. I pulled out the rope and grappling hook, and swung it towards the ship. the hook circled around the railing, and I was able to climb up the side of the ship. I crouched down low and made my way towards the stairs leading to the lower decks.

Before I could make it to the stairs, I heard a small scraping sound. I narrowed my eyes and studdied the darkness. I was able to spot two large cats coming towards me. I pulled out my swords and got ready for a fight. I attacked first, striking each of them with my blades. They clawed and bit into me. I wanted to cry out, but I stifled myself, lest I attract more attention. After about a minute had passed, I slew both cats. I found a nearby chest, emptied it of its contents into the ocean, stuffed the beasts into it, and threw them over board. I watched as the chest sank into the water. The missing cats and chest may be suspicious, but far less suspicious than two dead carcasses.

I hurried across the deck, when suddenly and arrow flew past my head, landing at my feet. in the moonlight, I could make out a small inscription in the arrow. It was in a language I did not recognize. I grabbed the arrow and put it into my bag. I then got on my stomach and crawled across the deck. I made it to the stairs and found a nice storage room where i could rest and tend to my wounds.

After several uneventful days, I could tell we must almost be there. Suddenly, there was a loud commotion, followed by people creaming. I knew the others were on board and could handle the situation, So I took the chaos as an opportunity to search the ship. After several minutes I had searched a large part of the ship without finding anything. Suddenly the roof above me collapsed, revealing a large fire. I spotted a portole in the room next to me and ran towards it. I dived through the glass and landed in the water below. I swam to shore and quickly found the others.

The others looked at me dumbstruck. "How did you get on board?" The Captain from earlier asked me.

"I told you you should have hired us to guard your ship. Any nutjob could have snuck on board. I looked to the burning remains of the ship. "Though I guess it's a good thing you didn't or you'd be demanding a refund, I suspect." The Captain's face grew dark red and several veins began to throb in his forhead. I turned to the others. Inara muttered something about our luck with boats. "I suggest we take our leave, lest we end up like the ship.

As we walked away, The smoke rising into the sky, I couldn't help but be reminded of that night, where we burned Solaria's remains. The smoke was thick and dark, much like it was now. I wondered if the fire was meant to consume us, just as it did her. That's when I remembered my close call. I puled out the arrow from earlier and showed it to the others. None of them could read it. One of the ships crewmates approached us.

"Begging your pardon, sir, but I couldn't help but overhear. That arrow, It has Dwarven written on it."

"Do you happen to speak Dwarven?" I asked.

"Only a little, but it seems a little bit more than you. I might be able to help." I handed the arrow to the man. He studied it for several seconds. "Its rubbish. Low Sea Inn." He handed the arrow back to me.

"Thank you." It made no sense to me. Low Sea Inn. Low Sea Inn. LowSeaInn. Locian.

"Locian!"

One thing was for certain, Something was after us. And judging by what happened to the ship, it was more than a few undead archers. From here on out, we would have to start being much more careful.

 

[MindDetective]

I am tired. The nights had been uncomfortable until now but it was not the straw-filled mattress, a true comfort at last, that kept me awake. It was the heavy choice we had been offered. A hurried tour of Lutal's temples turned into a desperate plea to save our fallen comrade, to return her to our ranks. Surely the priests of Allytyn's children have faced the pleas of distraught widows before now. But each temple gave us vague or confusing answers. The temple of Ambrosia held a sliver of hope, though its clerics did not inspire much confidence. Trade a piece of our own souls to resurrect Solaria, they said. It could work, possibly. They shuffled about their dusty archives, hemming and hawing about if it could be done and whether or not it should and why would we want to anyway? Surely Solaria is better off with Ambrosia now.

Tonight I wrestle with the implications of the clerics of Ambrosia's proposition. What does it mean to trade a piece of my own soul? Who possesses it? Solaria? Ambrosia? Surely Allytyn would not care if I did. But there is something about the prospect that is foreboding. The trade promises a fealty to Ambrosia that I do not feel. I find myself questioning my own faith. Would I have traded my soul for Brother Wembley's? The pain of his passing was not yet healed and I find myself speculating that I would. Wembley would be here instead of me. What would he have done now? Wembley would have stayed strong. He would have said no. I resolve to keep to my faith. Every man, woman, and animal goes the way of Wembley...and of Solaria. Mourn her. Remember her. I pray continuously, falling asleep only as the dawn light softened the darkness outside.

After waking, we discuss our options. Only Ralts had ever indicated any strength of faith before and I cannot read his face. We dodge the issue for a while, commenting on our accommodations, this strange city, and our breakfast. At last Inara gets to the point, perhaps a bit flustered. "I'm not trading a piece of my soul for her."

I lower my eyes, sad but nodding. "I can't do it either. I miss her but this is not the right way."

"It doesn't feel right," Ralts says.

"Maybe we can find something better in Holly," I say.

We all latch onto this small hope as a good excuse for passing on a chance to bring our comrade back. A sliver of guilt remains but everyone shows relief in their eyes. We didn't want it this way.

I spend the day helping an old farmer unload and load his wares. He offers me a generous payment of a silver coin but I merely smile and close his open palm around the coin. It mended my soul a tiny bit to have performed a good deed. I had many more good deeds to go, though.

 

[Gusto]

*GAAAAAAASP!!!*

 

[HCGLNS]

Before you lies the city of Holly, Capital of Sheanere. It's dark grey walls extend up from all sides of the island, climbing to touch the sky. Battlements dot the skyline so frequently you think you could easily walk along them. Approaching the massive Southern Bridge, the group of castaways is swept into the wake of hordes of citizens entering the city. They join a sea of thousands, startled at first, they soon hear a bell tolling in the city, summoning it's populace. Passing through the gates, a man wearing black studded leather with a shaved head stands watch from the center of the gate. His gaze lingers on the castaways for a while before turning to other wayfarers.

The road into the city is wide and meticulously clean and level. Shops line the wide street with their backs against the high inner city walls, inns and stores, boarding houses and gathering places all fill the giant corridor. The crowd moves further into the city, but slower as the people bunch closer together. The Grays find themselves at a standstill outside of a gate to the industrial sector. The engraving over the granite gate reads Sword Avenue.

Across from them against the eastern wall is a large stone terrace with steps leading up to it's apex from each side. Moments after the tolling of the bells stop, figures begin to climb the steps from each side. From the south a heavily armoured man and a equally armoured female dwarf. From the north an ancient looking man and a brightly clad female elf.

 

[rathkor]

I spotted Solaria standing amongst a group of mismatched races. I pointed out the elf to the other. Personally, I could not believe my eyes. But who else could it be, she and I were the last elves in the world. I had to fight the urge to rush over to her, and i stopped the others from advancing. As happy as I was to see her, she should not be alive. I was suspicious, and wanted to play this one carefully. We did have people actively trying to kill us, and this "Solaria" might be some kind of bait for a trap or an ambush. Her new companions didn't look like one I would want to fight, at least not all at one. I suggested we spread out to make ourselves less conspicuous, and tail the group to find out what they may be up to.

 

[HCGLNS]

A dark fire burns in a greenish hue, beside it lies the corpse of a not unattractive woman. From the flames can be heard,

"Seek your needs in Storlock, Selpats. There you shall have what you require."

A tall man, stands from the corpse, bundles his great black bow into a burlap and guards himself against the night. A glance up at the moon to gather his bearings before kicking the corpse into the fire.

"To Storlock, to dead friends and living enemies. It shall be done my Queen."

 

[Gusto]

The old one knows. He knows it well.

We gather in the trees as we always do. We sing our song. He knows it. We are were the others were, the confused ones who didn't know. They left this place and left one behind. That one was dirt now, but the old one is searching for her.

Many songs pass. Many go to roost, but many still sing. The old one sways with our song. He knows it, and he uses it. It feeds him, it gives him strength. He is like us, in a way.

The land swirls around him as he sits there, just knowing. I stop singing. The others continue.

I do not know why.

Something has bothered me. Interrupted me.

Confused me.

Was... was it always this way? What was that song again? What's happening?!

Below, the old one stands shakily above a young one. A different one. I had never seen one of her before.

...Right? Had I?

I.... hate this girl. She doesn't know. She knows nothing! She stopped my song! WHY!? I squawk at her, and begin circling the clearing.

I... I....

I land. I remember my song. I join the others again. Everything is fine.

I sing my song again. But everything is not well.

 

[Gusto]

I am here because Grandfather asked me to be here. On this terrace, that is. Well, in general too, I suppose. In a manner of speaking.

He was able to restore my life. It's a process I still don't fully understand. I remember being struck by arrow after arrow, I remember feeling my blood running hot, soaking my dress. Then I remember feeling nothing, and how curious a sensation that was.

Then I remember waking up, naked, in a bedroom I didn't recognize. Had it all been a dream? People I didn't know and I had been sent to an unknown land by unknown forces where we struggled against unknown foes. I suffered an unknown fate, and my companions were in unknown situations.

Gradually it all came back to me, as a kindly old man was able to explain it to me. I had been killed by soldiers of Dralk, the goblin god who sought the destruction of all elvenkind. This was likely the cause of the war this world was embroiled in: the forces of man against goblinkind, after the long-ago eradication of all the elves in this world.

Until Locian and I came to be here. Grandfather could offer me no answers about our arrival here, unfortunately.

This actually came as a surprise to me. We'd heard of Grandfather trying to contact us, despite having never met us. He was able to resurrect me. Surely he must be some superintelligent being, possibly a powerful psychic or even a prophet or deity.

He had simply chuckled at my "youthful enthusiasm" (don't forget, old man, we're probably around the same age) and explained to me that his methods had been much more mundane then that. He was a military officer of sorts, more of a contractor as head of the Golem Academy here in Holly. He'd heard intelligence reports of our presence from the military monastery we'd stumbled into unannounced. He knew of my death from the clerics of Lawbringer that my companions had talked to in Lutal. From there it was a simple matter of scrying and divination to determine the cause of my death and my final resting place.

Which brings me to this terrace.

Grandfather brought me here to act as a symbol, a rallying force for the soldiers and sorcerers stationed here in Holly. He and his aides referred to me as The First Elf of Sheanere, and called me that so regularly that it had almost become a title. He wanted to present me to the world as a symbol that the goblins had fought in vain, that elves still existed in Sheanere, that the war was almost won. I would be treasured by the world. But I would become a public target for those goblins who sought to kill me, and had succeeded once before.

I was nervous. For many reasons. The idea that I could be assassinated again was only the most obvious.

But Grandfather brought me back to life, so I'll help him.

So here I stand on the terrace over the courtyard at the Golem Academy in Holly, dressed in ancient elven ceremonial dresses and jewels, concealing my new shortbow, hide armor and lyre should the need to defend myself suddenly arise.

Grandfather just stepped to the front of the terrace, preparing to address the crowd. It was time. Soon the world would know me as The First Elf of Sheanere.

For better or for worse.

 

[MindDetective]

"Someone is trying to kill us," Locian says.

Ralts sighs. "Perhaps. Or perhaps dry wood burns."

"Neither of you saw what I saw," says Inara. "It was intentional."

"See?" Locian says.

"You can't talk," Inara says, jabbing Locian spitefully in the bicep.

"My order has a saying," I say, somewhat quietly. Sometimes speaking low will cause others to listen more carefully. "Tinder ignites the wood but flint ignites the tinder."

My companions stare at me as if I have suddenly spoken dwarvish. I sit up, disguising a small sigh. "What I mean is that we cannot know the motivations behind our...trials here. It may be dangerous for a good many people here. This world is embroiled in a war we do not understand."

They do not appear convinced. "What is there we can do about it?" Ralts says at last.

"We can continue on to Holly," I say, "and perhaps find an ally that can tell us about the dangers of this place."

"We are a bit exposed here," Inara says in grudging agreement.

The midday sun blazes overhead as our hired transport blazes magnificently on the river before us. After many minutes, we pull ourselves to our feet and restart our journey to the big city on the horizon. There is no rescuing the ship now. We leave it to burn.

The remainder of the day is fraught with paranoia. Travelers approaching from behind or from ahead are considered with suspicion. I suggest traversing the countryside instead of the road to avoid strangers but my companions prefer to stay with the road. I eye Locian as we discuss our options wondering where this solidarity was when we were securing transport from Lutal.

At last we reach the gates of the giant walled capital that is Holly. Things happen quickly then. Giant bells peal, alerting large swaths of the populace to gather. We find ourselves swept up in the rapids of a human river that deposits us at the base of Sword Avenue. For a moment I feel both safe and exposed. In the monastery there was never a concern for assassins. My fears ebb as I see an old man prepare to address the throngs of Hollians. Is that Grandfather? He looks like a grandfatherly sort. Beside him stands a young woman, very thin, and dressed brightly. At first actors on this stage mean nothing. It could be an execution or a wedding announcement for all that I know. The young woman walks a few steps, standing closer to the old man and I realize that I recognize that stride. I blink, doubting my still-grief-stricken mind, and look closer. She is indeed an elf. I thought elves were extinct now, save for Locian. I leave my comrades and weave through the crowd, suddenly anxious. The crowd is agitated as I am. They are like tinder awaiting a spark. I push my way past merchants and mothers until I stand a mere 200 feet from the old man and his elven companion. And now I can see that it is her. Solaria lives! She looks out into the sea of faces, unaware that we have arrived at her feet, as unaware as we were minutes before that she lived at all. I am unable to contain myself.

"Solaria!" I yell and push my way to the front of the crowd. I yell it again and again as the crowd gets so dense that I have no place to shove citizens to pass through. I climb rudely onto the shoulders of a boulder of a man, inked along both arms with anchors and naked women. I apologize as he curses loudly and step as lightly as possible, as quickly as possible the last 35 feet from shoulder to shoulder. At the base of the terrace where our resurrected companion stands I insert myself back into the crowd. I yell again, my hands outstretched to the woman above me, mere yards away. I can see her as clearly as the day she lay bleeding; as clearly as the day the flames consumed her flesh and bones.

"Solaria!"

She looks my way with a blank, searching expression. For a brief moment, I hold my breath. Will she remember us? More importantly, will she forgive us for failing her?

 

[rathkor]

I watch as Bastion charges towards Solaria, ignoring my warning. "I'm going to die because of everyone else's lack of control and tack, aren't I?" I mumble to myself. I split away from Bastion, trying to blend into the crowd. I Eye the surroundings, looking for anyone who might take Bastion's scene as an oppertunity to strike, preparing to have to swoop in and save the naive caring monk.

 

[Far]

As my companions and I traverse the streets of Holly, mingling with and meandering through the dense crowd, I cannot help but reflect upon our time in this land. Since our arrival, itself still fraught with mystery, we have been plagued with a number of calamities. And while I know little of the lives of those who now accompany me in this place, we have forged, if nothing else, a tenuous bond and a formidable cabal meeting most of the challenges that have been thrust upon us with success. unfortunately, despite all our triumphs, none of them can be seen as such, not in my eyes at least. The night we lost Solaria, in which we were unable to defend the girl and allowed her to be slaughtered in a volley of arrows, will forever hang over me, a mark of shame blighting my conscience. if I am unable to protect the innocent and uphold justice, what is my worth?

In the flurry of the past few days I have felt something missing within myself. Initially I had assumed it was solely anguish for the loss of our friend but as we have continued to travel, and specifically at the Temple to Lawbringer in Lutal, the truth has revealed itself to me. I am unable to hear his guiding voice, or divine any sort of direction from him. I feel drained and even more lost than before. Never in my life have I been without his presence and here, at a time that I and the others could surely use it most, it is lost to me. Bastion, the other man of the cloth traveling with the group, has seemingly not been affected as I have. When I next have a chance I must make note to inquire with him regarding the issue. Perhaps he has noticed the feline nature of many of our attackers and felt the divine presence that has accompanied each of them as well.

"Ralts," Locian had stopped me with an outstretched arm and pointed forward with the other. "look, it's...Solaria. We should be cautious."
I nod in astonished agreement and follow him slowly towards the terrace on which the once deceased elf now stood, brightly adorned amongst several others seemingly participating in a ceremony of some sort. As we approach, a commotion in the crowd draws our attention and we see Bastion scurrying onto the shoulders of a giant of a man then begin making his way towards her on the backs of the crowd.

"Solaria!" he cries, drowned out by the large audience that has gathered."Solaria!"

"Well," I say to Locian" so much for caution."

 

[HCGLNS]

The crowd is silent at first as they watch the four people ascend to the terrace. Then like a wind blowing across plains of wheat, whispers begin to flow over the crowd.

"Together? Both of them?"

"It's been a century!"

"Not in our, lifetime. Not since Prefector Ulaf An’druk."

"An’druk! Don't speak his name, Lawgiver protect the West."

"Who is with Grandfather? Is she Tansdenian?"

"Tansdenian? Don't be daft, she's more olive than purple."

"She's obviously Merdian."

The large soldier on the terrace steps forward, confidence in his gait, the midday sun gleaming off his polished platemail. He removes a simple yet polished helmet to reveal a closely shorn head with gray hair. He puts his hand on the pommel and waits patiently before raising his hand calling for silence. In a booming voice that rings through giant stone walls of Turth Street;

"People of Holly, I am Prefector-Primus Gaufrettes Neville-Turth and I am a man of few words," before pausing and gauging the crowd, "Prefector Kaleah Jessica Tansden has sacked Drakarth!"

His words have barely left his mouth when the street erupts into frenetic cheers. Hats are tossed into the air, couples embrace, children shriek and some cry. The soldiers in the crowd stiffen with pride as they try to remain composed. The cheering goes on for almost a quarter of an hour before Gaufrettes signals for calm and even then he is made to wait for it.

 

[rathkor]

I used the opportunity of the crowd's sudden burst of excitement to close in on Solaria and her new friends. I approached from behind, trying to remain unseen. I yell out to her a message in Eladrin, Hoping it can be heard over the roar of the crowd. "We are not safe. Be at the nearest Inn in an hour. Come alone."

 

[HCGLNS]

Gaufrettes lowers his hand once more, "Citizens of Holly I share in your exuberance, but I caution you against your conclusions. Our struggle against the horde has been long and painful, and yes we have taken their final stronghold, but this does not mean that the conflict is over, only that it will change. Our rangers have already informed of us of a goblin force making their way towards The Great Ice, to what end we do not know, and we have yet to capture their warship Grimspeed. But do not relinquish your joy to quickly, for here we have ..." and the dwarf behind him steps forth and withdraws from satchel a hideous deformed head, gasps are heard from the child and they become still. "the head of Kurgan! Taken by Tansdens own hand with Steel!"

The ovation from the crowd from this second announcement drowns the first, the streets become a throng of unanimous chanting of chanting "Tansden! Tansden! Tansden!" the row continues seemingly unabated, Gaufrettes, removes himself from forefront of the terrace. As the elderly gentleman to his left nods his approval and walks slowly to the front of the terrace. The crowd becomes still once more, quieter than the grave and patiently wakes for him to speak.

At last he does so with a firm yet soft voice, "My friends it has my pleasure to serve you these past few years. They have seen changes like no other generation has seen, and none shall see in the future. It is no small rumour that we are seeing more mages born now with each passing generation. Many have speculated on what this means, myself included. Today though I bring to you an answer. Through our faith in law and our abidance to structure, Lawgiver has seen fit to reward us. And as Drakarth fell in the north, rebirth began here in the south. I have brought with me today, found in the glorious forest of Leanth, the first elf to walk on Sheanere in four millennium. The Lady Solaria Xilsciente of the elven city of Persolacquo. Please join me in welcoming her here today to our fine city." and with a elderly wave of his hand to the elf to his right.

She approaches with a subtlety and grace not seen in centuries, she smiles and bows to the crowd and speaks in a melodic and symphonic voice, the language of which is a mystery to the listeners, but entrances them none the less. Children cannot help but smile, and warm feelings flow into the hearts of old warriors. Curiosity spreads to many an onlooker, questions are proffered and bandied about amongst crowd, who now act as if they are enjoying a carnival.

Then from the west, from the great cathedral of the Lawgiver comes a piercing thunderous sound of it's massive organ blasts through the air in a song familiar to a few listening in the crowd. The skies darken as birds of all sorts descend upon the crowd, their squawking replacing the joy of the day. The crowd begins to move to avoid them, when the castaway Ralts is bumped by a large blacksmith. His veil dislodges for only a moment, but a moment is all that is needed. In unison the citizens of Holly point to him and scream a single word,

"GOBLIN!"

 

[rathkor]

My words seem to fall on deaf ears. Solaria is introduced to the crowd. The group seems excited to see her.


The cheers of excitement quickly turn to gasps and screams.

"GOBLIN!"

I turned and drew my swords, only to see Raltz with his hood down, and several of the guards advancing on him. I charged forward, crashing into one of the guards, knocking him off his feet. "Raltz, Run!!" I swung my swords at the other guards, trying to lure their attention on me long enough for Raltz to get away. After several seconds, I was surrounded, but Raltz was able to slip away. I kept attacking, making it impossible for them to pursue Raltz untill I was dealt with. Just when it looked like I was outmatched and about to be killed, I used my Eladrin abilities to slip into the Fey long enough to slip away, I reappeared in an alley about 20 feet from the guards. I ran down the alley, Putting as much distance between myself and the guards as possible before the guards could piece together what happened.

 

[Far]

As the bulk of the crowd whipped around, my gaze was met with those of hundreds, filled with a righteous rage. I am no goblin but in these lands, with the ravenous mob descending upon me, thirsty for blood and fueled by their recent victories, explanations would surely not suffice. No, my only course of action, my only means of survival was to run. But how? In the dense crowd there was little room to manuever and surely, with the thralls attention focused on me and my green tinged skin, slipping away was not an option.

Suddenly, several of the advancing guards toppled towards me and I gripped the hilt of my blade. While I had no quandary with the citizens or those sworn to protect and defend Holly, it was clear that taking prisoners was not part of the days festivities. However, their movements were unbalanced, their stances broken and a moment later I realized what had occurred. "Ralts, RUN!" Locian barked as he pushed and shouldered his way through the crowd and began slashing wildly at those who had encircled me. Perhaps not a stranger but still no more than an acquaintance, a travelling companion and yet he would risk life and limb at the hands of hundreds. For but a second, I stared, torn at the prospect of leaving him behind to face them but this was not the time nor place for internal conflicts. He had provided a distraction and if I did not act upon it then it would all be in vain. In the ensuing struggle I deftly managed to adjust the hood of my cloak to cover my face and began snaking my way backwards through the mass of people now huddled around the brawl that Locian and several guards were locked in. Soon I turned and spotted a large wall of dense brush and somehow managed to slip through unseen.

When I emerged through the other side I surveyed my temporary refuge. A young human woman stood casually amongst the flowers, picking several and placing them in a large basket close to her. Small birds circled the sky above and flitted in and out of the trees, their sweet song somehow piercing the crowds cries coming from just beyond the foliage.

"Sir? Are you all right? I do believe you've stumbled into the wrong garden. These grounds belong to my aunt and uncle. I visit this time of year to help them harvest." She looked bewildered but not frightened. "The crowd certainly sounds as if they're in a right state. I believe I heard several of them shouting goblin if you can believe it!" When she said this she snickered, bent down placed the plants she had picked into her basket and dusted her palms off on her apron. She extended her right hand towards me. "Mallory Lonsdale."

I hesitated. "Ralts. I heard them crying goblin as well, though I think I know their reasoning." Slowly I approached and thrust my hand out to meet hers.

She recoiled her hand and I nearly fled again but her eyes stayed fixed upon my cowl, filled with wonder and a certain slyness. "Well, Ralts, where I am from a gentleman removes his hood in the presence of a lady."

--------------------------------------------------------------
To be continued.

 

[rathkor]

I darted through the alleyway. When I was sure I had broken a clear line of sight from my pursuers, I spotted a manhole covering and decided to slip into the sewers to make my escape, hoping i'd be able to find the others when things calmed down.

 

[MindDetective]

She couldn't hear me, or wouldn't perhaps. The crowd was cheering and I was one face amongst hundreds, or perhaps thousands. Behind me a fight erupted, or something. I turned to look but couldn't see. Then cries of "Goblin!" spread through the crowd and they panicked like startled livestock. Some brave souls plunged toward the ruckus while many others pushed away, fleeing the plaza. Pure chaos ensued.

At first I was pinned by a wall of unwashed bodies. The surge of pressure was brief, however, as people ebbed away from the center of the plaza towards the exits and into the city. I crouched and followed an eddy of people swarming toward the south gate. Well before approaching the exit, however, I sidled up to the heavy stone wall and peered back over my shoulder. Guards were protecting the speakers at the center of the plaza but I could not see Solaria. She had disappeared, as if just a figment of my imagination all along. My eyes scanned the vortex of angry and panicking people for the attack. I could see the crowd thinning and saw an opportunity to leap into the fray and defend the city, if need be. I could see no fighting or any goblins at all. It was stormy sea of shouting, excited people.

Looking around, I saw a stone block jutting from the wall ten feet above me. I found hand and foot holds and scaled up to my perch where I could get a better view of the fray. There were definitely no goblins that I could see. The crowd quickly dispersed and I sat patiently, looking for my comrades to re-emerge. I had utterly lost them and we had been so swept up by the crowd upon entering the city that we had made no plans on where to go or where we might stay here.

My legs ached and grew stiff but I remained poised on my perch until dusk. At long last I dropped down to the cobbled streets and began to explore the now calm plaza. I could see no sign of my friends and it was getting dark. A temple might provide me with refuge, so I chose a path and began to search for some shelter. I hadn't ventured far beyond the plaza before I heard a sharp hissing.

"Psst," the voice said again. I looked about, dumbfounded. "Bastian, down here."

The street curved down to the foundation of a row of shops, where rainwater and liquid waste from the day's business could run off into an arched sewer hole. A cloaked shadow stuck his hand into the moonlight and waved me closer.

"Locian?" I said.

"Keep it down!" he hissed. "Get in here. You should see this."

I crouched, investigating the sewer opening. It smelled putrid but I could see other people milling about behind Locian. Maybe some of the others had gathered here as well. Deftly, I slid into the hole and let my eyes adjust to the very dim light...

 

[Gusto]

"GOBLIN!"

And my speech was interrupted, just like that. My eyes dart instinctively towards the alarm, and the blood drains from my face. I know those people. I know the "goblin". And despite what I might owe Grandfather, most of my token job has been fulfilled. I turn to him hastily, and begin removing my ceremonial dresses, revealing my casual clothes and new hide armor underneath.

"I am sorry, but my friends, they need my help. Please do what you can to settle this crowd - the man they think is a threat isn't, and you know it. I don't want anyone getting hurt in the confusion."

My attention diverted often back to the area where I saw Ralts, I see a familiar bald man crawl into a manhole. I take a second to stop fussing wit my belongings, and give my saviour a deep bow.

"Thank you for your help. Send word if there is anything else we can do to assist you in the future."

Grandfather smiles and nods, and with that, I fasten my pack, smile widely at him, turn towards the balcony's edge, and step off vanishing into nothingness.
Added at: 18:03
He is here, the Knower, and standing so close to the Abombination. He knows what she is. He must.

The creatures scatter. They know nothing. And despite seeing the Abombination here, I relish their chaos.

The fools.

 

[HCGLNS]

Master Nicholas Peers sat quietly in his office reviewing the latest ledgers from the fabric guilds and calculating there most recent price increase. It was not a chore he relished, but one he had inherited. In thirty years he had risen from scrubbing the hulls of naval slips to building his own galleons. Over five score ships of all shapes and needs bore the touch of his inspiration. Experience has it's drawbacks though, gone were his days with a tool in his hands. Gone were the saws and planes, replaced with ledgers, invoices and trade agreements. He gently puts down his latest headache and gazes out at the ship in drydock now being constructed. A fair vessel, for a merchant in O'Leare, capable of transporting almost 50 tons of materials at good speed. A knock at his door interrupts his train of thought.

"Come in Nevin."

"Master Peers, sir, missive from Holly, triple sealed." a small scrawny one eyed boy produces a firm piece of parchment clearly sealed with the seals of the Parliament of Sheanere, the Prefector-Primus and of the Golem Academy. The carpenter accepts the letter and politely dismisses the page, "That will be all Nevin. Thank you."

A deft opening with a favoured carving knife, and the Master Shipmaker begins to read the letter. A few moments into the prose and he takes a moment to sit down back at this desk. His brow furrows with the contents of his missive. He finishes reading it, sets it down on his cluttered desk. A moment or two passes and he reads it again. And then a third time. He pauses finally and cries out, "Nevin!"

The door snaps open and the page reappears, "Yes Master Peers sir."

"I want every guild master in the city in my office by three bells. Drag them out the brothels by their balls if needed, just get them here. Go."

As the page darts back out of the office, Peers turns to look again at the harbour. Five hundred thousand within eighteen months, what in Lawgivers name could it mean?

 

[MindDetective]

"Who is he?" I say, squinting at the man leaning against the stone wall of the sewer. A beam of moonlight splashes across his face, revealing a shiny bald pate and a dour expression.

"I thought he was you," says a familiar voice. I turn and see her again, not imagined but real. She gives a sheepish grin.

"Solaria!" I say, for lack of anything else to say. "Thank Allytyn in all her wisdom."

"Except for the bald head, I don't see much of a resemblence," Locian says, impatient with our reunion. They had most of the late afternoon to catch up, no doubt. My mind is still reeling at the prospect that the woman we saw die, saw burn, stands before me.

"You have to tell me..." I begin.

"I know," Solaria says, turning to Locian. "But he was very far away. It was an honest mistake from that distance."

"He is much fatter, even for a human," Locian says.

"That is all well and good," I say but am cut off again.

"Locian!" Solaria says with a familiar gentleness. "He doesn't deserve your suspicion any more than I."

"That is a good point," I say, trying to change the subject.

"We don't know that he is a shipwright just because he says so," Locian says.

"He smells like a shipwright," Ralts says finally.

"Ralts!" I say "How did you find them here?"

"Well I..." he says.

"He is unarmed, Locian," Solaria says. "And he hasn't even tried to escape, not even when Ralts showed up and scared him half to death."

"All the more reason to not trust him," Locian says. "He may very well be a spy."

"For who? Grandfather? The man who pulled me from the ashes?" Solaria says.

"I would love to hear that story," I say.

"Everyone we have met so far has been either unhelpful or outright aggressive," Locian says, cutting me off again.

"Well, why not let him go, then?" Solaria said firmly. "I'm sure he has a family or something that is missing him."

"I agree," I say, and gesture at the quiet stranger against the wall. "Let's let mister..."

"Arkan," he says.

"Arkan go and we can get down to..."

"He knows where we are!" Locian says.

"Also," I say, looking around, "Where is Inara?"

Solaria laughs. "Are you intending to stay here forever then?"

I sigh and sit down next to Arkan while the two elves bicker. "So you're a shipwright, eh?" I say.

"Didn't qualify for military service," he says without looking at me.

I nod silently to myself, happiness radiating my chest. I barely notice the putrid sewer water lapping against my feet.

 

[Far]

"I will lower my hood, but I must ask that you not scream or call for the guards. I promise, I wish you no harm and only to reunite with my fellow travellers." Pensively, I began removing my hood. I feel the warmth of the sun bathe over me as I do. Stuffed under my robes as I have been, hiding myself in plain sight ever since we arrived in this place, I had forgotten just how good its rays felt.

Mallory gasps quietly and stares, mouth agape. "You...well...you are certainly no goblin that's for sure but I can see how the crowd would have been fooled. But if not a goblin than what are you, where have you come from?"

"It may be best, better for you and my companions, if I remain silent regarding that. My concern at the moment is finding my friends and while I appreciate your kindness Mallory, I fear if I linger in these gardens much longer I will be found and you and your family charged with harbouring a fugitive."

Puzzled, the girl stood for a moment, thinking and then cried out "Oh! The well! If you return to the streets they will no doubt find you but you could descend into the well and make your way through the sewers."

Quietly, I nod and turn to make my way towards my newly offered escape route. "I will make this up to you Mallory. When or how I do not know but I am forever in your debt." Slowly I lower myself into the depths of the well.

"You had better return one day Ralts, I'm eager to collect on that debt!" She yells down the well, her words echoing as they bounce off the walls.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For hours I trod through the murky filth, unsure of where exactly I was headed. I swore that I could here voices that sounded like arguing and began following the sounds as the reverberated along the slimy, sticky walls.

"Explain yourself! Why have you followed us? WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?!"

"Please...I was only trying to avoid the crowd! I have no desire to be trampled under foot today and only sought refuge like yourself. How was I to know others would be down here? I am a but a shipwright."

"Locian, calm yourself. We don't have any reason to be suspicious of the man."

I quicken my pace once I heard Locians name spoken. Peering around a corner I see three figures standing in a tunnel and recognized two of their silhouettes.Placing my hood atop my head once again and approach the group.

"Certainly is fancy meeting you lot down here." The portly man jumped at my words and slipped, finding himself covered in sewage. "Someone is a bit on edge eh Locian?"

"Ralts! You old dog! You made it." Locian says, one eye still affixed to the stranger.

"I did, thanks to your intervention. I am glad to see you friend. And Solaria too." I bow graciously. " I am not sure how you are here but I can't say it's an unwelcome surprise."

"How did you find us Ralts?" Solaria asks.

"A young woman pointed me towards the sewers after I fled into her garden. She was...most kind." I think back on my time in that place and pray a silent prayer to my silent god that no harm befalls Mallory for aiding me. "Once down here, I heard Locian shouting at him." I say as I offer my hand to the shipwright while he sits dejected, flinging off mud and muck from his clothes.

He takes it and nods graciously as he stands to his feet. "Thank you sir."

"Have we heard nothing from Bastian or Inara?" I ask.

"No, not since he went clamouring towards Solaria and, come to think of it, I can't recall the last time I saw Inara..." Says Locian, more relaxed now but still weary of the stranger in our midst.

"I suggest we stay down here until nightfall, moving through the streets now would be unwise and perhaps the others will think to use the sewers as a means of escape as well." Solaria states with a watchful eye towards the grates and feet moving past them above.

 

[HCGLNS]

Five lost citizens of Aime and one wayward from the town of Holly, find themselves hiding in the sewers of that city to escape the calamity above. Some arrived through kindness, others from cunning, others just fell down a well.


Inara creates of globe of light with her hand and it hovers in midair allowing everyone a chance to see each other again. Questions aplenty for Solaria and how she came to be in the city, and how she came back to life. Answers are given, but little time for explaining, the group seeks to find their way out of the offal that covers their ankles.


Exploration leads to discovery, and soon the group finds what appears to be a ladder up to the street. Locian, begins to test the metal rungs only to find that the stone it was secured in had grown week and crumpled into pebbles. A dull groan is heard and the entire area around them collapses.


Startled but unharmed, the greys find themselves without their native guide in a lower level of the sewer system. This one much older than the other above, and much stiller. The flotsam barely moves in this system. Again Inara lights the way, and the party makes their way through a maze of tunnels. Several encounters with the local wildlife, rats of all making are dealt with in short order.


Until Bastions quick ears alert him of a more sinister threat. Great moaning can be heard in the passage way ahead. Slowly the party creeps forward until they glimpse the form of a horrible zombie! I immediately rushes at them, they are surprised by its speed and tenacity, but together they quickly deal with it. Fool heartedly Locian surges forward and runs directly into a pack of zombies investigating their companions fate. The elf quickly finds himself in the fight of his life against superior numbers. His fellow castaways quickly rush to his aide and with a concerted effort are able to destroy the horde of undead. A quick collective sigh of relief and the exploration of the tunnels resumes.


More encounters with rats and more sewage soaked boots, until the party comes to an intersection, as they discuss which route to take, horrible visions of undeath leap out of the sewage and tear into them like rabid wolverines. A deadly wight corners Inara quickly and savagely beats her until she falls to her death in sewage. Skeletons surround and isolate Locian away from his vulnerable companions. And a wight of considerable power rebukes the party and scatters them around the sewer. Only through their combined talents is the group able to defeat these Lilith charged aberrations. But the victory is not without cost, as one of their own lies dead in the sewage.


Locian moves to lift the corpse from the muck. The castaways watch in awe as their mage rises from halls of the dead with a deathly grip on the throat of Locian. Blank eyes stare into the elfs soul, before he is tossed across the sewer with unholy strength. A silence falls over the group as their once friend flees from scene of the rotting flesh and stale bones. A small clink is heard as Inara flees the seen.

"Her ring!" Spies Ralts, "There by the slime."

"And something more," echoes Solaria, "the wight had this upon it's person. It's pulsing with magic."

Dumbfounded over whither to pursue their dead friend or recover from their wounds first, the party pauses to examine the new item. Neither of the elves can understand it, not the plane citizen, but when presented to Bastion, mendicant of Allytyn, he collapses into a heap upon the sewer floor.


The monk twitches and flails as his eyes roll back into his head. Visions of what has past flood his mind, millions of years of information in a manner of seconds. The rise of empires, the spawning of the horde, the hardening of humans and dwarves. All is revealed, and in a massive shout of anquish Bastion lurches back into lucidness.
“I kn..knn…know where w w ww we are.”

 

[rathkor]

I mourned the loss of another ally, only shortly after being reunited with an ally I thought to have lost. Was this the cost we unwittingly paid, one life for another? To what end? I reached down to the unconscious body of our comrade, when she suddenly bolted upright. She grabbed me by the throat and actually lifted me off the ground. Her fingers dug into my throat, making it harder and harder to breathe. Her eyes seemed hallow, lifeless. She through me back, and I reached out. I grabbed her hand but was unable to hold on. My hands slid down her hand, pulling off a ring she was wearing. The ring fell into the sludge below, and I crashed into the wall on the other side of the sewer. Inara's body then ran down the sewers the way we had come. I sat there, in a state of shock. What had just happened?

 

[HCGLNS]

Mater Nicolas Peer stares out his window at the harbour below, when is office door is opened and belligerent dwarf is ushered inside. His protests cut short by the master builder, "Take your seat Fogle."

Turning to address the group seated around his table all have looks of contempt on their faces for this unexpected interruption to their routines. "As of this moment the price of all goods and materials relating to the construction of sea faring vessels shall remain fixed at their current prices."

"You can't do that! You don't have that authority Peers! This treatment is outrageous, what are you after.." screams Allain Bruvanes, leader of the carpenters guild. His voice trailing off as Master Nicolas raises the letter off his desk and shows the four of them the seals of the Triumverate. "No but they can, and they have."

"We have been tasked with an undertaking the likes of which has not been scene since the construction of the wall. Five hundred thousand sailors to dispatch in eighteen months. Ships the like of which have never been dreamed of; coastal cutters, ocean fairing slips, transports and warships capable of engaging and defeating a sea lion at a full half a leaque! Ships with the capacity to remain at sea for months if not years. We have before us a task unlike no other, today begins the creation of the first armada of Hollanth."

Stunned silence grips the four guildmasters in their seats.

"Allain, we will need every available carpenter in the country, draw them in from wherever you can, but be mindful not to take any wood cutters. Kelly, I will need crop estimates for fabric production for the next three months on my desk tomorrow. Cadance, we begin drafting preliminary designs immediately, there isn't enough time for us to have our hands in all the designs, so you will have to delegate it accordingly. Fogle, we will need Dwarven Fire, in manners only this letter can explain."

 

[MindDetective]

The world spun suddenly, dramatically. I think it was to my left because I remember falling to my right, trying to catch myself with my free hand. Maybe that is just the way I actually fell, though, and the Change didn't occur until a second later. At first it felt like I was shrinking or becoming younger. A wave of oppressive age just washed over me. I was feeling the age of the entire world around me and I felt infantile in comparison. The illusion of shrinking changed suddenly and I felt a constancy to my own person while the world expanded. Details dissolved. The old stones of the sewer walls lost their years of grime and the tiny colorations from the different types of sand and earth that composed the stones blended into a dull, uniform gray. Soon those bleak colors faded until I saw a skeleton of lines defining the barest structure of the world. I could see far beyond our dank, maze of a sewer.

Things happened quickly after that and I am not entirely certain of all the details. I remember a voice, as if narrating my vivid dream. It was not my own, nor one that I recognized. It was husky and vaguely effeminate and I could not find where it came from. I thought...I still think...it may have been Allytyn herself. I want so much for that to be true. The voice reassured me, I think. It was very non-threatening and matter-of-fact, describing what I saw. I felt as if I was in school again and I remember laughing...no, giggling at the thought. The voice was undeterred by anything I did or said, so I remained silent.

I saw creatures and plants and expansive vistas all soar past me...or...or through me. There were creatures I had never heard of, some of them truly terrifying in their ferocity and sheer power. I remember so little of them now except the fear and awe at their mere existence. My lesson progressed rapidly, so fast that I could not follow it. The minutia of magic itself seemed to unfold before my eyes and I could almost grasp how it worked. Then followed a brief respite wherein I found myself looking down upon the entire world. There was no narration and nothing moved through or around me. I found myself suspend above All That Is. I could see Kabisera and the entire southern and northern continents. Far to the east, beyond the great island of Lalaw, and expansive sea stretched...right to the shores of a massive land. It was larger than any land we know and it held a familiar shape. It was the one from the map, the one where we were washed ashore. We had been cast across the world to a land that was new...but it had always existed. I had a brief moment of clarity as I realized what had happened and where we were. And then everything collapsed. I fell, rapidly, terrifyingly towards the world. The frame of the world filled out and the detail returned. Smells and touch were powerfully present and I found myself groggy, but awake. I don't know how long I had dreamed but I felt tense and unrested. It was as if I had been forced to read a library's worth of books. I could remember nothing except that vision of the world, whole and large. Then I remembered: We are a long, long way from home.