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The light filtering through the heavy canopy indicates that there is only an hour or two left before sunset. Your travels have left you dusty and tired; and the last portion of the journey has been more on an overgrown trail than an actual road. As you round the corner the trail opens up into a large, 50’ clearing. In the center of the clearing is a site for sore eyes- the first vallenwood tree of the valley. The vallenwood trees are mighty oaks that were tamed and manipulated in ages past. Each grows hundreds of feet in the air, and sometimes greater than 50’ in diameter. When a sapling takes root its canopy blocks out all of the surrounding trees, forming large clearings.
Standing several yards into the clearing is a stone trail marker; clearly planted here when the tree was much younger. It represents the boundary of Solace’s territory. It’s still several miles from the city proper, and looks as though it is a resting point for many traveling parties. Between the mighty roots of the tree are several used fire pits.
Another trail joins the clearing to east, and the road opens up to a well worn path in the south, leading toward Solace.
"Hey did you guys ever see a tree this big? What is this rock for?"
Geryn sighs and edges his horse a bit farther away from the Kender. Ah yes... I need to make sure and double check my packs when we get to the Inn, he thinks as he looks over the vallenwoods. It had been five long years since he'd returned to Solace--five years in which he'd fought and drank and mocked Solamnics--and here he was with a Kender again. Not that it's all bad, I suppose. I've missed the quiet of Solace. Must mean I'm getting old.
With a (barely) suppressed sigh, he turns his head toward Trapdodger. "Why, I do believe that you're right. After all, those trees have grown five whole new rings since last I was here! Quickly, quickly, go gather a souvenir of this moment--perhaps a low hanging branch or a handful of twigs. After all, new seasons bring different trees, and these will be different in several years' time!" His comment brings him little joy, though, especially compared to the prospect of seeing everyone else once more. It'll be good to sup in the Last Home again... I've missed having good spiced potatoes.
Joey smirks as Trapdodger gapes at the vallenwoods. 'You'd think he'd never seen them before.' Edging his horse forward he shift uncomfortably in the saddle, no matter how much time he spent in the saddle he just could'nt seem to grow any afinity for riding.
Eyeing the vallenwood the smirk slides from his features and his face sets in a hard frown as he remembers what awaits him at home. 'Well, I'm back. For better or worse.' he thinks with a sour taste in his mouth as he recalls the bitter disapointment finding his heritage had been. 'Saddlesores and a fop for a father, thats what I'm bringing home.'
Looking up at Geryn as he edges the kender he gives a hard smile and a sigh. "Almost home. I'm tired, we might as well stop for supper."
Rumal wanders up, well more like staggers up, his mule in tow. His words come out slurred, not that it's new, as Rumal's words are always slurred, but it's actually helpful. By slurring, he unknowingly speaks at a normal speed, compared to most Gnomes. This makes the gnome more understandable, under conditions that would make most people less so. "Hellllo, Dawje, it amase *hic* amase *hic* amases me how mush you still get workt up over the simp *hic* simple thinks." He wobbles slightly as he turns his head to the man on horseback. "Hey Joe, I too would like to stop at the inn, maybe grab a qui *hic* quic *hic* quick drink while we're there. We shood tie one on fer ol times, eh Geryn, you up fer it?"
Josiah stood by his horse, watching the companions return. At first he didn't speak, warring emotions playing out on his face. First happiness, then shame, then a sort of tired reservation. This was his life, it was what he had made it. It was time to face that.
"Oy! You lot look worse than what the cat drug in. You'd be mistaken for bandits 'round these parts. Best shake the dust off soon as you can and get cleaned up." He held his arm out to each one, briefly clasping them. After the kender, he sighed and plucked his belt purse back, putting it back where it belonged.
"Welcome back to Solace. Though you might not find much here. Things... things have changed. And not for the better."
Rumal's eyes go wide with worry at this last statement by Josiah. He can't help but ask, "By Reorxseses beard, not the ale. Please, te *hic* tell me it's no *hic* not the ale?" He looks to Josiah, pleadingly.
"Yes I found this rather large pine cone.....should I check the trail and make certain no one dropped anything. I found some fire wood, but some of the peices are too interesting to burn, look here how the wood curves!......Which fire pit should we use I stuck my hands in them and they are all cold, so no one has been here for awhile...."
"Hey Geryn what if you were the last person here! Maybe you lost something, did you? did you lose anything here? I bet we could find it now that your back!"
Geryn smiles as he greets Josiah. "Well, it's good to see you again at any rate, and you too Rumal, although I'm a bit surprised you were able to walk anywhere like that..." He pauses for a moment to look to the Kender. "Err, yess, of course. That is very interesting Trap. I don't think that I lost anything, but why don't you go look?"
He sighs mentally before turning back to Josiah, Joey, and Rumal. "So, what is the problem here? And how long have you been back? Not often that I see a change, but then, I haven't been gone for five years before." He laughs as he scans the woods for the aforementioned bandits. Trouble, trouble everywhere... And kender here to boot!
Loey looks at Geryn like he's lost a few pages in his travels. Shrugging he replies, "I don't know, I'm just back myself now." and turns to Josiah waiting for him to explain.
Josiah sighs, the sigh of a man with a burden. "I didn't stay away long. What do you know about the Seekers?"
Trapdodger builds a fire and sits down cross-legged as the men speak something you said caught his attention, likely when he was lurking around the area.....
"Is it time for a story. I want to hear about the seekers."
He looks back and forth, silently waiting for the story to start......
Your leaders have been suspicious of your piety, and have begun to exclude you from the administrative meetings. More likely than not, you're assigned to be a runner or messenger and frequently left out of the loop by the high seeker priest.
More information on the vallenwood trees requires either a knowledge nature or religion check.
Josiah sighs and ties his horse to a tree before sitting down next to the fire that the kender has set.
"It's not good news, I'm afraid. The Seekers began as a group dedicating to finding the gods. They started as a group of believers who wanted to see if they could locate the old gods, or failing that, new ones. Recently they've turned quite a bit darker. They've resorted to thuggery and intimidation. I'm not proud to say that I'm one of them. Or at least, I was. As they've gotten more terrible, I've started thinking about getting out. I hope I'm not that person anymore."
Josiah pauses. He breathes out a long breath and begins again. "Recently there's been rumors of secret meetings on high. Of dealings with less than pleasant folk. I used to be a rising star, but I think they might have noticed my lack of faith. I've been relegated to the position of runner. Right now I'm supposed to be getting a report on tax collections from Low Seeker Vicount. 'Low Seeker' indeed. It's a scam, and one I'm happy to be rid of, but I might need your help. They don't let anyone out. I may need some muscle at my side."
"And Solace has become their capital. They've begun shaking down the residents for 'taxes' at least once a week and rounding up them as can't pay and putting them to slavery. It's bad here. Things are not what they were. Oh, and to kick it off, they're working with goblins."
"Secret meetings, where are those? ... we should go and listen they might say something important."
"They better not come to kendermore to get taxes!
"Slaves! No one has ever made kender slaves, I do not know why all kender are industrious, hard-working, quiet and easily lead."
Geryn frowns as he considers Josiah's news, drumming the fingers of his free hand on his sword as he sits thoughtfully on Huma for a moment before dismounting and tying Huma to a tree as well. He is so preoccupied in his thoughts that he doesn't bother responding to Trap's comment about hard-working kender. As he moves toward the fire, he takes a bit of dried meat from his belt pouch and takes a bite, pausing before he responds.
Geryn says in a quiet voice, "Wait, who was that? I swear I heard something just before you spoke..." He carefully puts the rest of his meat in the pack, turning his attention to the woods as he slowly moves his hand to rest on his sword. In a louder voice, he responds to Josiah. "Rough times in Solace, then... especially if goblins are about. I'd be happy to help you clear them out--the road here's been fairly quiet, and I don't want to fall out of practice. How's the Inn been holding up? Hate to see them falling on hard times."
Bandits, even this close to Solace? But why would they comment about the Seekers... taunting us perhaps? Maybe the Seekers' mercenaries are toying with us, even, or some hidden group hoping to harm them somehow.
Looking at eveyone in kind as the seem to be settling in, here at the trail marker, "You guys don*hic* don't want to press on to the inn? We will sur*hic* sure*hic* surely run out of drink if we take too long to get there." at the talk of the seekers and taxes, Rumal sees things from Dodge's perspective "No one comes to Mt. Nev *hic* Never *hic* Nevermind to collect taxes from the gnomes. We must not owe any."
Brand hums to himself as he approaches the fire on the road ahead. As he walks he shrugs his shoulders to readjust his pack and makes sure his flail is loose in the holster. He's not sure who he might meet, but confident that he's more than a match for them. As he draws near he hears the unmistakable slurred voice of Rumal talking about ale and he relaxes.
"Ho! What have we here? I go away for a few years and you decide to start a party without me? How have you been? Trapdodger, I barley even noticed you over there. Rumal my friend got any of that special brew to share?"
Looking at Geryn, Joey and Josiah.
"Why is everyone so serious and jumpy? Is it me? I know I'm a bit older, but I've been told I've only grown more handsome with my age."
Brand smiles and greets his friends giving them hearty pats on their backs.
Joey mulls over the news as he settles in to camp, unsaddling his hores, he hadn't bothered to name it yet, and tying it to a tree, he lugs his gear over to the capfire Trapdodger lit and takes out some breead and chease to munch on.
Sparing Brand a look as he comes up all smiles he gazes back into the fire. "Josiah was just telling us that a group called the seekers has taken up residance in Solace, a bunch of hoodlums hiding behind religeon by the sound of it." Lookin up at Josiah he scrutanizes him before continuing. "Who gave them the authoroty Josh? Ans what of the towns militia? Solace is suposed to be a haven for refugees, not a bloody headquarter for goblins and their ilk." he scoffs.
As Durom comes in on his pony he over hears something about hoodlums and goblins in Solace.
The group hears a loud bellow, "HOODLUMS AND GOBLINS YOU SAY, IT'S CAUSE THEYDON’T HAVE A GOOD DWARF AROUND!”
The group turns around and sees the familiar dwarf , and all can see that he’s a little upset everybody beat him here.
As he gets closer to the group voice goes down a bit, "I see you’re as jumpy as you were as a kid there Geryn, so what’s this about goblins you’re talking about there Joey? Also surprised Rumal is still here wich ya'll, since were so close to the inn." He stops and smells there air, "I can smell Otik's spiced potatoes from here and why did you all get here so soon, I swear we all said we would be there by sunset." As he gets to the group the armored dwarf steps off his pony with a loud thump and readjusts his holstered crossbow. And looks around at all his friends thinking back when most of them were just kids. As he remembers a little bit of smile peeks out from his mouth.
Rumal pops up at the sound of Brand's voice, "Aha, finally slumone who aprissiates my talense. Of course I have spes*hic* spessu*hic* spessul brew to share. I've even been workin on a few new ones." Rumal begins to rummage through his pouches and bags, extracting vial after vial, mumbling and replacing them one after another, opening and sniffing their contents. He finally ends with three that seem to confuse him. He hands one to Brand, takes it back, hands him another one then hands him the third, taking back the second, before swapping them both back out for the first. "There, I'm sertin that's the spirits. It has quite a kick. WAIT!" he grabs it away, handing him the second vial with a nod, as he points and winks.
As Durom makes his way to the firepit Rumal responds, "I tried to get them to make the last of the walk, but Dawje here awreddy made the fire. I would go mysef, but affer the time the walk shifted and Geryn had to cash me, I don like to go alone. They shtill prawly don haf rellins."
"Durom. Hi." Joey spares a small smile to the ever-loud dwarf. 'You'd think nothing good came to this world unless dwarves were involved.' he thinks sourly. Nevertheless, he is glad to see another friendly face.
"So I'll repeat myself then." he says with a smirk, "Josiah was saying Solace is overrun by a religeous cult known as the Seekers. Raising an army of mercenaries, laying taxes and afiliating with goblins. We should feel right at home."
Geryn nods in greeting as Brand and Durom arrive, but keeps his hand near his sword hilt. "Jumpy I might be, but I could have sworn I heard a voice, and this news of goblins and thugs does nothing to put me at ease." He smiles slightly as he continues, "Blame any 'jumpiness' on me being good at my job. It's better to try and be ready than to be caught off-guard."
"As far as us stopping here, well, blame that on the kender. It's probably best that I don't have to escort Rumal again anyways." He glances to the gnome, "Although I could, if need be. At least you're a light load."
"Brand!"
"Durom!"
"Now I see what all the fuss is about it must be serious for a motley crew like this to amass and join back up!"
"Not to fear I have been honing my skills to the verge of perfection ... or at least darn good."
"Where have you all been, I was looking for you everywhere?"
Durom looks at Joey, "Thanks for repeating yourself lad, I guess we see what happens when I take a little trip all kinds trouble starts a brewing." He looks at Geryn, "Yeah, I know the voice came from me mouth hehe. Anyway Rumal would be fine either way, gnomes are related to dwarves you know like second cousins and such. So he has drinking in his blood, right Rumey." He gives the gnome a light punch in the shoulder, and gives a laugh.
"Trap, glad to see that you didn't get your self into to much trouble and as you saw my skills of hiding from kender have gotten darn good as well." Durom grumbles to the kender.
"Dwarves is the best hiders they hide under rocks and in deep dark tunnels, I think that all started as a game with us kender, they kept hiding better end better, that is how uncle trapspringer tells it anyway."
Brand gives the dwarf a bear hug. "Durom! How have you been you old cuss? I see your still as ugly as ever." He laughs and releases his grasp. "Josh, Joey and Geryn need to lighten up. Things can't be that bad in Solace. Are there really goblins? I've heard of the Seekers. They're out of Haven right? I thought they were helping people. I met a missionary or two when I worked for some local merchant lords. They weren't bad people."
Brand sits down next to Joey and stretches his legs out to warm his feet by the fire. He pulls the cork from the vial the gnome handed him and drinks it. His eyes start to water and he starts to cough. "*cough* Yup, that's the special brew all right. *cough* If there are goblins in Solace we'll go in and take them out. I think it's just an exaggeration anyway. Who in their right mind would hire goblins?" He wipes his eyes and turns to Trapdodger. "That's what I've been doing Trap. Killing goblins and other vermin for the past couple years. I mean I started looking for proof of the true gods, but I've given up. They don't exist." He takes another swig from the vial and begins to cough again.
"Actually I have been working on kender five-finger fighting."
Pulls out a shortsword.....
"The way it works is this hand stabs and this hand grabs, wands, keys, spare weapons whatever looks good at the time."
"Uncle trapspringder says I am likely enough to get something one way or the other....."
"The Seekers didn't start out bad, but they certainly have ended up that way. Solace is occupied territory. It's like a war zone, everyone's afraid to step wrong or they'll throw you into jail or worse."
Geryn nods in agreement with Durom as he eases up, moving his hand away from his sword while his eyes continue to quickly scan the forest. He moves over to the fire and eyes it for a moment before saying, "Well, with all of this word of Seekers and goblins, do we even want to move on to the Inn? I could make something here if you'd like. A bit rougher than if I was fully prepared, but still something edible." He looks around to his companions for a moment before continuing. "Although a few of us are still missing, it seems. Have any of you seen Janos, Selesh, Alessa or Asliath? Of course, he gives a slight smile, "A five-year timeline can be thrown off by a day or two easily enough."
"No thanks Geryn." Brand says with a smile. "I haven't forgot that "rabbit" stew you made on that one trip. I still say it was skunk you had in that pot. I'm sure Durom and I agree that we'd face just about any danger to taste Otik's potatoes again." Brand laughs.
Turning to Joey he says, "So my friend, do you have any new stories to tell us? Let's enjoy ourselves while we can. Meeting up after all this time should be a time to rejoice, not a time to sit around worrying and fretting about this or that."
As Brand puts Durom down, the dwarf is a little flustered and tries to hide a quick blush of embarrassed . "You know you shouldn't sneak up on a dwarf like that usually you would missing a few chompers, but good for you I knew it was you the whole time."
He checks to make sure his stuff hasn't shifted to much. Then looks to Geryn, "The others are probably already at the Inn waiting for us. Let us be a little hasty, and test the waters of these seeker thugs. I see Brand is with me how about the rest?"
"OOO OOO can we leave now!"
Trapdodger prepares to put out the fire he lit less than an hour earlier.....
Geryn shrugs at Brand's comment, muttering "You still ate it with vigor as I remember..." before turning his attention to Durom. "That works for me. Probably I'm just jumpy--too long on the road, I guess." With that, and a glance toward the kender (Hopefully he doesn't burn himself to death...) Geryn moves toward his horse to untie it and remount.
Alessa, mounted on Summer approaches the group.
"See girl," she speaks to the horse I told you we'd find them here"
The horse snorts.
"I did! I knew the way!
The horse turns its head and locks eyes with the woman riding, stops walking, then goes back to a slight trot.
The woman approaches and dismounts.
"How is it that each of you always manage to arrive before me? It is not befitting of a great hero to arrive last! When the bards write songs of our deeds, I swear they'll leave me out because I show up to the battle after it's finished."
She sighs
"Still, it's good to see all of you! Trapdodger, have you actually grown?"
As Geryn and the others move to greet Alessa, a cloaked and hooded figure emerges from the shadows between the trees, riding tall in the saddle. The shadows recede and the dusky cloaked figure resolves itself into the familiar form of Asliath Argentleaf.
"Hello, boys." her lyrical voice called out to the assembled adventurers. "It's been a long time and a long road."
Asliath pulls back on the reigns slightly as her horse walks up close to the other mounts grazing near the camp. In a single graceful motion, she slips her leg over the side of the horse and drops down to the ground, reaching up to pull back the hood of her cloak and let her pale hair tumble over her shoulders in a cascade of snowy white strands. Stepping forward, she reaches out a hand to Alessa to greet one of her oldest friends in a warm and sisterly embrace.
"Asli! I'm so happy to see you! This means I am not the last one, for once!"
The towering warrior woman lifts the half-elf off the ground in an enormous bear hug.
"We girls have to stick together, especially outnumbered as we are in our little crew.
She sets the elf down and laughs heartily.
"The road has been too long without you, my dear friend, and Summer Song isn't nearly so good a conversation partner!"
The horse snorts.
Alessa turns quickly to the horse "Don't you even start! If you knew the way, why didn't you say so?"
She turns back to her friends, "Anyway, I believe our travels have been long, and we need food and drink, befitting proper heroes. They won't sing songs of us if we starve to death!" She lets out another laugh.
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"I have no fear that your name wil be forgotten by the bards singing of bravery and deed, milady. And indeed, you nor Lady Argentleaf are last to arive, ma'am", as Janos walks into the clearing and the fire's light gently, and offerering a formal bow to the lady's present. "And you, good sirs and my friends,", with a warriors nod of respect, "it has indeed been a long time".
Stopping a moment to secure his faithful mounts leash to a tree away from the fire before advancing, Janos offers a gentle pet along her brow and steps forward for hugs and/or handshakes.
"Forgive me for ease-dropping, but I couldn't overhear your comments about the Seeker-priests. It seems disrespectful to speak ill of those not here to defend themselves, especially with ill rumor mongering and hearsay. I have seen them do much good for the peoples of Ansalon, and there will always be slander. We are above this sort of childishnes, my friends".
Joey sits up straight and a look of anoyance crosses his face as he pauses in mid-chew when Trapdodger starts putting out the fire. "Are we going or staying?" he snaps, dusting ash of his pants as the ember start flying from the fire. Rolling his eyes he gets up and puts away his meal to pack up and saddle the damned horse again. "Yes, hi. Hello. Good to see you all again. Let's head for the inn them, that was after all our designated meeting place." he grumbles as he surehandedly packs up.
"Only in knowledge most fair one. Not everyone can be first into everything that job befalls your truely."
"Besides whom else can enter any place an when questioned answer, I was just curious and be let go?"
"Aslaith and Alessa!" Brand bounds over and gives each one a hug in turn. He holds them back to inspect them. "Aslaith you haven't changed a bit. As beautiful as ever, but can this really be you Alessa? That scrawny little girl that left our company so many years ago? By the lost gods, you're a woman now! Now I'm starting to feel old." Brand laughs.
He turns to Janos and grabs his hand to shake it. "Janos, good to see you again my friend." Brand looks around and lowers his voice only slightly. "Before you say anything, I just wanted to apologize about that whole fiasco with that young maiden that was sweet on you just before we left. She probably should have said something about the two of you, but you know her and I started drinking and once the ale is flowing, well one thing led to another... anyway, that's all behind us now. Yes?"
Without waiting for an answer Brand looks around and says, "Yes, let's move on to Solace. Although you might want to give me and Trap a head start considering we don't have horses of our own. I sort of lost my "last" horse in a small gambling event in that last village I was in."
Returning Brand's warm hug, she flashes him a sly smile. "Still at it, Brand? I'd heard that you almost got married to some milkmaid you bedded two summers ago, and at the point of her father's pitchfork. However did you get out of that scrape?"
Listening to the others laugh and poke fun at Brand for his wanton ways, she leaned over to Alessa and giggling, said, "Lessa, you've grown so much in the past few years. Tell me everything. Have you finally made good on your promise to break all men like horses?"
Geryn smiles as the others arrive, and moves to shake each of their hands. "Ladies, Janos." His eyes glint mischievously as he glances toward Janos, and represses a laugh as Brand apologizes to him. Probably best to not mention the horse's name until later...
"So good to see all of you. Brand and Asli aren't exaggerating Alessa--you really have grown! I was worried that some of you might have been detained or forgotten to come... but never mind. I think this talk of Seekers is just making me nervous." He blinks at Asliath's last comment, but mentally shrugs it off and smiles again, glad to see all of his friends assembled for the first time in five years. "Don't worry about following us Brand, you can probably ride double with someone. Not me, of course, but I'm sure that Janos would be more than happy to help you out, eh Janos?"
"*SNNNNNrrrrkkk*fluidictransferenceratiosoffivetothree... What? We moving out to the tresetops? Good, I wus worried I woulnint be able to getta drink tonight before I wen ta bed." rubbing his eyes he leans forward and squints to get a good look, "Hey, Janos... and the ladies, when didjoo guys get here? Snuck right up on us you did. Well less get to tha inn, bafore the ale's all gone."
"Might as well head to the Inn. At least we'll be able to get Otik's food." Josiah sets his shoulders and unties his horse. "Let's go, but keep a low profile. You don't want to attract trouble in Solace these days."
As the rest of the group arrives, Durom sits back and watches all those he knew since they were little, he smiles as he watches them talk and is proud to see how each of them has grown, of course he'll never tell them.
"Alright the ladie's speak the truth we need be getting along, to where there's flowing ale and spiced potatoes! It's good to see that we all made it cause I know a few of you still owe me a few rounds at the inn." He gives Brand a look, that turns into a smile.
He responds to Josiah,
"Well you don't have to worry about me, Trap, and Rumal we always keep a low profile haha."
He'll unlatch his pony and get ready to leave.
The group has gathered and friends have greeted each other. As the circle breaks for their mounts, you're confronted by one of those silent moments where conversation dwindles and people turn from expression to self reflection.
The moment of unnatural silences is shattered by the howl of a wolf, then another and a another until it's a chorus. Five huge beasts leap into the clearing on large padded paws. Thrice the size of a normal wolf, these creatures are mass of bristling fur, sinewy muscle, and bared fangs. Globs of foam drip from their jaws. Each bears a crude leather saddle and a humaniod rider.
Grey skinned, thick of muscle, and hideously ugly, these man-sized creatures are draped in leather and chain armor,and hold their spears and shields in position for their charge. The back two drop from their saddles and balance crossbows on their shields aiming at the party as their wolves charge on. The middle of the remaining 3 who charge seems a foot taller than his companions. Leave no trace! he bellows, leveling his long black spear as his wolf lopes toward you.
Three riders charge, two drop and fire. Their wolves gallop behind.