The Cardinal seems amused with all the banter during the hand-waved dinner. He doesn’t intrude, happy to just observe.
--
He seems yet more amused at Valence writing his addendum, and when the barrister signs the contract he turns to Cecelia, gently nudging her to take a decision as well.
After both had signed the contract, the cardinal reveals parts of his plans:
”The bugbear horde marches towards the capital and with each battle we see a new victory for our General, Sakkarot Fire-Axe, but even with his genius tactical mind, the odds are too even. We cannot leave this to chance. Fire-Axe must destroy the Talirean army.”
”My Ninth and Seventh knot had just begun an endeavor that will bring Talingard to its knee and provide Sakkarot with the advantage he needs, but alas, they are too sloppy. They’ve advertised their endeavor for all Talingard to see, and I fear they’ll be overrun by our enemies if things are left as they are.” he pours some tea and continues ”That’s where you comes in Valence, the court will suddenly deem fit to send you to investigate this matter, matter which you are to make sure remains unknown for as long as possible.”
Reaching out to the woman sitting at his side and placing his hand over hers, he says to Cecelia ”But even with Valence skills, it’ll be impossible to negate the first ruckus caused and without your support, they might not be able to overcome all the challenges.”
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Bizan smiles at Mysty. I think we´ll get along very well.
She then turns to Nahia.
My mother wasn´t a witch and i have no idea about witchery.
Within a moment her shape changes into that of a humanoid fox.
It´s more like i am like my mother, not really a human and those Mitrans really don´t like that. They just don´t understand that we lived in peace among humans before they came and mistake our abilities as witchery, hunting and killing us. They are a plague to the land and need to be rooted out!
I´m very thankfull you lot saved me. It seems you dislike the Mitrans as well, so i think we should join forces there. You´ll find me a great help at infiltration and any battle.
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It's the final convo
Valence chuckles. "Telling stories, Lady Wentworth. It's a fine way to pass the time."
=====
Business is attended, and the Cardinal details his plans.
Bugbears? Bugbears. Perhaps I should have Harsk tote a portable tub for me...the stench is undoubtedly going to be terrible.
Valence nods at the Cardinal's plans, and, though he shouldn't, finds himself a bit impressed with the man's apparent connections within the courts.
"Understood. If I may, what exactly will I need to clean up? Aside from public image, of course..."
He gives a nod to Cecelia as well. "Seems we shall have ample time for further stories, eh?"
Cecelia needs little prodding to sign the contract. Once Thorn and Valence's negotiations are complete, she takes the silver dagger and presses it against her palm, wincing as blood drops on to the quill.
---
Making sure she understands her orders, Cecelia asks, "So, I am to travel with Valence and help him cover up the activities of these other...knots?" Reflecting on this, she adds, "I suppose I will also be playing the role of an investigator, representing the concerns of..."" Cecelia swallows hard and clenches her fists, "...the Mitran church?"
Letting out a deep sigh, she says, "If it your will Master Thorn, I will see it done." Turning to face Valence, she adds, "Yes, I suppose story time is not yet over..."
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Already wondered about you. You´re very short for a human, aren´t you? But not a dwarf either, i heard even their women have beards!
She pauses a bit...
As for me...i´m one of the last descendants of a divine race, directly descended from true gods, not like that Mitra. I forgot the name humans use though, perhaps you know it? You surely believe in a god too, do you? Obviously not Mitra?
Interesting that you have a boss. I assumed you were working on your own. You think there´s an employment chance for me too? Hiring new talents?
@Valence and Cecelia.
”You are to travel with Valence, but your duties will be to your fellow members of the Ninth Knot. They’ll need your spiritual guidance and your amazing abilities.” he looks to Valence and also answers this question in a very vague way. ”How you deal with the situation and what should be done, I trust you’ll excel without me putting limits to your expertise. Deal with the situation as you think its best. All that matters to me is that they bring me the Daemon’s gift!”
- Thorn commands Valence to stay in the manor, after dealing with the formal things such the court order to investigate the events at Farhold.
- Valance entourage’s trip will take about one month.
- During this one month period, the Cardinal will actively train/instruct/advise both of this new underlings.
- The cardinal is a gently person and caring, when Cecelia is involved.
- Cecelia is treated with honors in the manor, and when the cardinal has to teach her something, he goes to length to provide examples, or even practical demonstrations.
- Valence on the other hand, the cardinal treats him as someone capable of learning by himself. All he does it to point the half-elf in the right direction and then wait for the results.
- Tiadora is always around, and she never speaks much, unless talked to.
- There’s a multitude of servants, and you notice the host don’t really care what happen to them, they can be used as you see fit.
- Once the month has passed, Tiadora will teleport both of you out of the manor.
Cecelia remains as diligent as ever in her training. As Thorn instructs her, she begins to look to him much like a father, working tirelessly to gain his approval. By the end of the month her battle focus has been honed to the point where she almost enters a zen like state when casting her spells and she can consistently fight through the nauseating feeling in her stomach when she channels positive energy.
While Cecelia still spends much of her free time in the library, she does rather enjoy having other people in the manor, besides Tiadora and the servants. She makes a point of showing Valence the manuscripts they had discussed over dinner and continues to remain conversational with him for the rest of the month. Yet, she still emotionally retreats anytime he probes into her life before the manor. Cecelia also makes a point of regularly attempting to converse with Harsk, viewing it as a personal challenge to get some sort of meaningful information out of the dwarf.
Nahia smirks at the girl. "Descended from a God? I've heard tales of your kind, not that I can help you with a name, but I was always told it was nature spirits you were descended from. Animal spirits mingling with themselves with more civilized people. Which, to be fair, isn't that far off for what you claim."
Nahia cuts Mysty a look before continuing though, "As far as working for us, or maybe with us, that might can be arranged. You look like you have useful talents. That said, what guarantee do we have of your loyalty?"
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Bizans hoists nose and chin a little higher before she responds to Nahia.
Nature´s spirits, animal spirits, that sounds exactly like humans, always in need of elevating themselves and lowering others despite knowhing nothing!
You will see, as long as you respect me, give me what is mine, neither plot nor scheme or behave violently against me in any way, i will be your best ally. Especially when it comes to knights, monks and other mitrans. I do have an open bill there.
@Valence, Cecelia
The days passes and you do what you think must be done in the one-month-time-period the cardinal gives you to prepare yourself for any eventuality.
The cardinal approaches the duo just before they leave and convey his last advice ”Valence, you are to control the flow of information. The Seventh Knot led by a witch name Elise is already taking care of any adventurer that might want to oppose the Ninth Knot effort. Do what you can, but your priority as member of the Ninth Knot is to bring the Daemon gift. The others will be better suited to tell you the details of this operation.”
He takes Cecelia’s hand and then says ”The time we spent together was too short, but fate is calling and revenge is at hand. You are to support the Ninth and give them spiritual refuge. Trust yourself and you’ll do fine.”
That’s what he says before sending you off.
@Valence, Cecelia
Soon after your meeting with the Cardinal, Tiadora does her part in the plan. As you take her hand, in a blackish explosion, you instantly disappear from the manor, and are standing in what appear to be temperate forest.
The northern Caer Bryr is a temperate rain forest richly blessed with rain fall and broadleaf trees. The trees here are tall and broad. The thick-trunked baobab tree, unusual in such a wet clime, is common here and grows to enormous size. It is not uncommon to see trees hundreds of feet tall with trunks twenty feet across. To walk into the deep Briar is to enter the domain of giants.
Every flat surface is covered with brilliant green moss and lichens in every hue. Mushrooms of a million sorts proliferate and crowd every fallen log. Small animal life is dense -- squirrels, voles, mice and white-faced ghost monkeys. Birds dwell here in endless variety and dazzling panoramas of plumage are everywhere on display. It is a bountiful place rich and thriving with nature’s splendor.
Perhaps the single most famous feature of the northern Briar is the great stone spires. They proliferate everywhere in this jungle rising hundreds of feet above the forest floor. Often covered in foliage, they are the home to countless small animals. These are natural spires though the Iraen are full of stories about how they were carved by ancient giants. This is how the entire region looks like.
This is how the Horn looks like.
A great stone spire, rises some hundreds of feet high , the trees surrounding it, gigantic in stature, seems to be nothing in comparison.
Walking around it, you find ruins of what once appear to be the entrance to it.
A boulder rests in the smashed top floor of a three‐storey stout, stone watchtower. A nearby rotting catapult appears to be the culprit. The remains of a thick, reinforced wooden door lie scattered on the wide, stone steps leading up to the entrance. Bits of broken weapons and armour litter the otherwise intact interior.
Past the tower, scattered blocks of obsidian, inscribed with the iconography of an evil deity, surround the foundations of a once proud archway. A few outlying buildings remain relatively intact.
The entrance seems to have crumbled in most of the parts, and it leads down to a series of dark caverns.
From the ruins, you are able to gather that the was attacked in a swift and brutal manner, almost no damage was done to nearby structures, and from that you concluded that the defenders did not had time to mount any resistance.
As you explore the ruins, a fog begins to form in the place, it feels malevolent and evil, as if someone or something trying to reach from a faraway place.
With nothing to stop the group,Tiadora leads you towards the two stairways leading to some entrance 100ft and 150ft high.
There’s a cave entrance leading beneath the stone spire.
Following the woman, you take the longer stair, the one leading further up, into the second floor and it doesn’t take much until all the villains are reunited.
@Everyone, except Bizan
After receiving Tiadora, she is quickly to business.
”Rose is needed somewhere else, and the Cardinal recruited replacements for her, as well other member to boost your numbers.” she points to Valence and Cecelia.
Cecelia is clearly nervous on the morning that she is to leave the manor. She wakes up early, taking extra care to make sure she has packed everything she needs. As she packs, she find her old Mitran holy symbol, an old wooden starburst with a deep crack on the back from being thrown violently into a wall. With a sigh of contempt, she roughly shoves it into her belt pouch. With her bag prepared, she begins to dress for the day. Wanting to be prepared for anything, she dons her armor, a breastplate made of shining silver mithral. Finally, she puts on a delicate looking white cloak with a hood. Hoisting her backpack up off the bed, she moves to the foyer and begins pacing anxiously as she awaits her orders.
---
Cecelia smiles at Thorn's words of reassurance during their final meeting. She replies, "Thank you...and thank you for all you have done for me these last few months." Her face turns serious, as she bows slightly and remarks, "I will do all within my power to not disappoint you and punish our mutual enemies."
---
As Tiadora leads the group through the Caer Bryr, Cecelia does not look up to admire the great stone spires even once. To onlookers she might seem uninterested in the spectacular view surrounding them. However, the reality is that her vision becomes cloudy long before the structures reach their peak, causing their true majesty to be all but lost on her. Instead, her eyes remain mostly on the ground, as she carefully watches her footing and tries to notice landmarks that are within her limited field of vision. She continues to faithfully follow Tiadora up the long staircase, still blind to the entrance that marks their final destination.
However, eventually they reach the top and Cecelia finds herself being introduced to the infamous Ninth Knot. As soon as they enter within her field of vision, Cecelia offer a curtsy and a smile. "Cecelia Wenthworth. Pleasure to meet you..."
A rather large man stands next to an even larger ogre. He is shaven bald and wears well maintained armor and weapons. His eyes scan you with suspicion and he seems to sniff at you when you are introduced. Welcome to your new home.
Nahia curtsies at the two before them, drawing her intricate choli out to her sides. She smiles and adds "Welcome, I'm Nahia and I look forward to working with you. We should get to know each other over dinner. We have some particularly nice delicacies tonight."
Cecelia looks cautious of the large man. When he sniffs the air she instinctively gives herself a subtle sniff to ensure nothing is amiss. However, she relaxes slightly at Nahia's introduction.
Smiling she replies, "Of course. It would be my pleasure." Looking around the strange cavern, she adds, "I also wouldn't say no to a brief tour of my...er...new home..."
For some reason, Tiadora don’t display her usual not-friendly-persona, instead she listens, and when Mysty tells about the possible recruit she simple says ”I’ll inform the cardinal.”
After the doesn’t lingers, pressing Rose and Kitara to pack her things, couple of hours later, farewells are said and Tiadora teleport away with Rose, Pyre and Kitara.
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Being only in a cell and not being bound, tortured and questioned for a change as well as getting served presumably good food, Bizan visibly relaxed and took some time recovering from past exhaustions.
After some meals and naps, she quickly grew more unrestful though, pouncing up and down in her cell, playing around with fire, melting stone and iron around her just for fun, but also asking many questions when possible.
You know nearly everything about me, now it´s your turn to tell!
Are you actually those from Branderscar?
What´s going on here? Did you found some sort of secret organization?
What´s this place? How did you get it?
Do you have any greater plans? Where you behind those attacks in the north?
What do you mean with sign up?
Grumblejack, the half-demon grinning ogre look at Tiadora, makes a face, looks away and then glare at the newcomers.
”These un’s seem very weak.” the ogre says bluntly ”Grumblejack could rip their un’s head with a single bite.” he boast not too forcefully.
But then, he introduce himself ”Grumblejack, slayer of lots of things. Eater of even more things.”
Cecelia takes a step back from the ogre, as her hand instinctively finds her mace. Caught off guard by his introduction, she nervously replies, "N...n..nice to meet you...Grumblejack...and don't you try anything...I...I..I'm stronger than I look!" Straightening her posture, she tries to look more confident than she actually is.
Grumblejack, the half-demon grinning ogre look at Tiadora, makes a face, looks away and then glare at the newcomers.
”These un’s seem very weak.” the ogre says bluntly ”Grumblejack could rip their un’s head with a single bite.” he boast not too forcefully.
But then, he introduce himself ”Grumblejack, slayer of lots of things. Eater of even more things.”
He has quite the fondness for heads.
Hound gives a quick run down on The Horn. Our mission is to secure The Horn and perform a ritual that will summon a daemon of disease to this world. We will then bargain with it for a unique disease that we will then give to The Cardinal. We have repelled some minor adventurers and have slain a Liliend and her guards. However, there are currently under threat from some creatures called Moon Dogs that can penetrate our defenses and teleport themselves around to kill a number of our guards so they must be destroyed.
Nahia smiles at the gush from the girl, giggling as she responds. "So many questions. I'll answer a few, though not all. Not yet, at least. I am indeed from Brandescar, as are several of us. As far as this place, well, we've reclaimed it as our own, and we did so with blood, sweat, and no small amount of malice. I also enjoy black candle lit dinners, long walks under a full or new moon, and the sounds of pleading from my enemies."
Nahia steps closer to the cell and leans in, looking the girl up and down amusedly. She reaches up to her neck and offers a hand, the small red and black viper that had been laying there moving and coiling around her wrist. Both of them look at the girl in the cell, staring for a long while and hissing faintly to each other. After a moment Nahia hold her hand out, the viper's tongue flicking and the skin around its mouth twitching.
Withdrawing the serpent, Nahia adds "So, I think you should come to dinner with us tonight. It will give us some time to get to know you. You should also get cleaned up in case we have company. Andros seems to think that you're alright. I'll show you to a bath and you can borrow some clothes."
She looks at the others with a 'trust me' look, and adds "Besides, there is no where to run. The doors are locked and the only way out is ridden with all kinds of nasty surprises. But don't let that put you off. You are our guest, after all..."
- - - - -
Nahia pats Grumble on the arm and adds "Now now Big'un, don't judge a book by its cover. You could probably crush my skull in too but you haven't gotten the chance to eat me yet! We little ones tend to be feisty that way."
Nahia excuses herself from the tour though, explaining that she is going to go prepare dinner.
Seren is returning from the caverns when the tour group comes around. Looking at the new ones, she stares at Cecelia for a moment before a frown comes over her face.
She carries herself like a Mitran...
"Hello. More guests for the horn? I'm Seren." She says as she gives a nod of her head.
Cecelia relaxes slightly as Grumblejack is talked down by Nahia. They seem to have him under control at least...
She offers Seren the same polite smile that she had given the others, but feels the weight of the woman's gaze. I know that look...judgement...distrust...I'm not off to a great start. Master Thorn warned me that this would be different to the life I knew...I need to stop acting so... lost...
As Hound leads them around the horn, Cecelia tries to steady herself by remembering the words she read in the first book that Thorn ever had her read. "Seek the forbidden, for your oppressors have lied much. Accept the bizarre, for it offers great opportunity. Embrace the darkness, for only then you will be free..." she whispers to herself, too caught in her own head to realize the words had been spoken out loud, even if quietly. She takes a deep breath and then slowly lets it go, just like Thorn taught her. An aura of calm sweeps over her and she feels more prepared to embrace the unfamiliar world she has just entered. Now focus on the mission, like you promised...
When the Hound mentions that they are summoning a disease, Cecelia's ears perk up. "A disease...? Hmm...the Mitrans will fight it...for certain...they'll have to...but they probably don't have enough manpower to truly combat an epidemic...a century of distrust towards even their own casters will do that..." A truly evil smirk appears on Cecelia's face and she begins muttering to herself again. "That's good...that's very good."
She continues to listen and asks, "Moon dogs, you say? So what preparations have you made for their return?"
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mysty looks at hound with affection.
As gound saidwe are summoning the one who created it. A daemon prince of great power. And we must get the disease...one way or other. Be wary of speaking plans out loud in the horn. It contains a powerful wraith who is loyal to that prince: and not to us.
She waved her hand
And as for the moonhounds...they are very powerful opponents who bested us once. we have had few ideas except to take the fight to them; we did hurt them. Perhaps you lot may have some thoughts
Nahia enters the kitchen and begins retrieving what vittles she had the time to grab before they had to escort their prisoner, er, guest back home. On one side she pulls out her cauldron, on the other lies the iron stove that she shovels some wood into. Smiling to herself as she thinks of the fox girl, she closes her eyes and begins a quiet supplication "Destruction of nature, come forth, that we may create with your beauty..."
At first there is a simple disturbance in the air, a waviness to it. But then a spark begins floating, and it quickly grows into a small flame that takes the form of a winged fairy. It flutters about, resting briefly on the cauldron, which quickly beings to show its own heat. Then it flutters to the wood of the stove, crackling with laughter as the wood begins to smoulder and burn.
Taking out her sickle, Nahia grins as she begins trimming the meats and peppering them with herbs. It isn't long before the boggards drag in the next parts of the meal, which she sets to butchering with a now more practiced ease.
Mother would be furious to see me applying flame to such nice specimens. But there is a power in the effort of shaping the raw essence of these meals... She glances over at a bowl and reaches in, drawing out a small orb. She stares at the vibrant green pupil in it before popping it into her mouth.
But some things are still better raw...
- - - - -
When dinner arrives each of the diners will see a variety of dishes set before them. Some of it is fairly standard faire: well marbled steaks, greens simmered in lard, a vegetable barley soup with the stock bone still in, and even a simple mincemeat pie.
Some are more set on the fancy and exotic: bone in chops, a tripe stew with bean sprouts and tubers, oily fried fillets, meat and cheese stuffed pasta, and eggs and mushrooms cooked with a spongy gray meat.
And for dessert, pastries stuffed with a mixture of honey, nuts, and foie gras.
A glass of wine in hand, Nahia waves at the table and says "Come everyone, let us break sweetbreads together in this time of celebration."
Seren nods at Cecelia and adds "Well, I need some rest after our adventures earlier in the day, but I do look forward to getting to know you better." before walking back to her room.
She is either going to be very handy... or very annoying...
Hound settles in and dines with the others as a show of trust..for now.
Cecelia is somewhat shy during the dinner, still feeling a little embarrassed about her reaction to Grumblejack. However, she does remark to Nahia, "Everything looks wonderful, my compliments to the chef..." That being said, it is mostly the traditional faire that winds up on her plate, although, she eyes the grey meat with curiosity, too nervous to ask what it is and make a fool of herself once again.
Unsure what else to say, Cecelia jumps straight to business. "So, these Moon Dogs? They have been attacking your guards?" she inquires. "What current procedures do the guards follow to raise the alarm in the case of a crisis?"
Yes. The guards keep signal horns at hand and work in pairs and we have cups and bowls of water blessed by Asmodeus and the daemon to sprinkle on those who are suspected.
Cecelia nods, "Good, good...and do they have different signals to indicate the type or location of the threat, like three short notes for the third floor...or is it more of a situation where everyone is expected to head to the source of the noise?"
Signals are more difficult since they can change shape, but those are indeed ideas.
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Bizan seems a bit uncomfortable at the table...looking over the other guests and the dishes.
Thanks for the nice invitation. Might i ask what this actually is? Doesn´t smell like chicken to me.
She looks at Cecelia.
I think we have not been introduced yet? My name is Bizan, seemingly i´m a guest of honor here tonight. Are you too by any chance?
"Ah, no. I do not believe we have..." Cecelia replies, somewhat relieved to see someone looking as uncomfortable as she feels. "Cecelia Wentworth. New recruit for the Ninth Knot. Are you part of the Ninth too? I didn't see you at introductions earlier?'
"...and guest of honor, you say?" Cecelia chuckles, "May I ask the occasion for which we are celebrating you."
The newest members of our group I believe. Although it might be a little dubious since our lives are even more dangerous with attacks on the place we need to defend.
Nahia nods at Cecelia's suggestions, and adds "The attacks just started less than 24 hours ago, so we haven't exactly had a lot of time to train the rather... slow minions yet. Still, good ideas are always welcome!"
Bizan's introduction comes as Nahia is chewing. Wiping the corners of her mouth, she adds "Yes, Bizan has shown interest in joining as well. You could call this, and the next few days a sort of working interview. And the celebration is manyfold. We have several new faces and we decimated not one, but two opponents this day: A group of Mitran knights, thank you for bringing them here Bizan, and a group of elven archers led by a Lillend of all things! Plus, those victories have provided us with the meals you see before you."
Nahia turns back to Bizan and points with her fork "Yes, you would be a fan of chicken, wouldn't you?" with a playful grin. "You should have some of the fillet there then, reptile is very close to chicken, though quite a bit oilier. But the angelic bloodline makes it much more refreshing. Good for the heart and lungs too."
Taking a sip of her wine, Nahia adds "Oh, and Ladies, if you'd like I've also had time to prepare a balm that does for softening and smoothing out the skin. I'm keeping it warm in the kitchen so that it doesn't coagulate."
Hound glances down at his food. Just some advice, human flesh is over rated not just for taste but for the sickness it can carry. In my youth there was a tribe that dined on human(plus elf, dwarf) flesh and fell prey to a sickness called 'Skull Fire' which made their bodies and minds fail. Our shamans divined the cause but the fools thought the gods had abandoned them and kept eating until they were eventually reduced to twitching sacks of meat.
Nahia laughs at Hound. "You have to know how to properly handle the remnant spirits formed by the death of the creature. Yeah, if it is done badly it can sap your own abilities, but in the right hands it can give you some of that creatures strengths as well. My mother used to even be able to ones youth for a time. Many a deal was made to turn an old crone into a round maiden again, even if but for a few days."
"A few less Mitrans in the world? Now that is a cause for which I am happy to celebrate!" Cecelia remarks, as she raises a glass towards Bizan. "...and a story I would love to hear!"
Nahia's implications regarding the source of the food on the table seemingly fly over Cecelia's head. However, as the conversation between Nahia and Hound continues, confusion creeps into her expression. She continues eating her meal, as her eyes move back and forth between the two of them, trying to make sense of remarks with seemingly no context. Angelic Bloodline? Dine on humans? Remnant spirits?
Suddenly, realization hits her like a 10ft tall ogre. Her eyes widen and her hand freezes with her fork mere inches from her mouth. She looks down at her nearly empty plate and is surprised to feel no guilt. Instead the image of Mitran Knight burning in an oven flashes through her mind and her expression becomes hard. Revenge.
With an unprecedented confidence and intensity, she declares, "Well, I don't know about anyone else? But, I think I am going to help myself to seconds."