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Isilme chuckles at the mention of 'halfling goodbyes', knowing Xanderghul would be in for an extended meet and greet that he probably wasn't terribly interested in. She leaves him to discern the meaning himself, however, as he was likely as familiar with it as she was.
"Carbauxine Forges?" Isilme says, thinking. Pulling out her spellbook, she opens it to a blank page and taps on it, imparting it with the magic necessary to divine information on the forges Dornarnus had mentioned. Though initially blank, the pages begin to writhe with text flowing in from the edges, filling the pages with a squirming mass of symbols from different alphabets. Within a few moments they begin to sort themselves out, and after straightening into lines, change their script to the curved, flowing celestial she was most comfortable with. It was unlike her own expansive memory before, but the magic worked quite well for finding information if she had time.
"Ahh, I see... The forges can work both adamantine and mithril. Perhaps we will be able to find someone to provide mithril for us or perhaps even work it," she says. "We wanted to get a set of adamantine lockpicks, and a couple of weapons made for sure, and I was looking to barter for some mithril, or even to purchase mithril armor if someone here works with it."
Dornarnus nods. "Aye, I'd wager adamantine'd be the only thing you'd have they'd be willing to part with mithril for. If you want mithril, though, you'll need to talk with some of the higher ranked forgepriests. Ye could try Forgepriest Kaptra Dorethain for instance, she's always been a pleasure to work with."
In the end he gives her a long list of people to try and seek out, based on specialty and ease of access when requesting a commission.
Val taps her chin thoughtfully. "Mind if I tag along, Isilme? I'm a bit curious just how these forges work. I might not know the details, but it's not often that you get to see a dwarven smith in action. And it's polite to thank the craftsman in person if they're doing good work."
Absent the sense of urgency present the last time they navigated the Underdark, Ehren finds the return trip to the Janderhoff considerably more enjoyable. The dangerous underground environs were not conventionally serene, but to a druid, especially one attuned to the element of earth, they were as a shrine is to a priest. Even so, he is just as happy to reach Janderhoff.
"Hm. I will await you all at Crystalrock." Ehren tells the others before the group splits up, intent on heading directly to their departure point. Not because he was eager to return to Drezen right away, but because what was present in the cavern there interested him more than matters of gold or adamantine. Looking to Hinagiku with a smile, he asks, "Care to join me?"
Xanderghul has confidence that Val and Isilme will be able to figure out what to do with the adamantine. He, on the other hand, is not prepared to meet dozens of dwarven relatives all at once, and he is not prepared to sit through hours and hours of friendly conversation. Friendly, pointless conversation is never something that Xanderghul enjoys. He sits through the whole thing in sullen silence, only contributing direct communication and advice such as, "I don't think he wants to be a merchant".
Xanderghul is thrilled to be freed from the family's attentions, but simultaneously disappointed that no time remains to shop and sightsee.
No sense in dwelling on regrets, though. He motions to Anevia to follow him back to the crystal chamber to meet with the others. Someone would just have to take a trip to Nerosyan to do some shopping.
Anevia spends the entire time with the dwarven family as an excited onlooker... she didn't have a huge family, but she loved to see so much doting. Aside from the painful stings at life-style choices. But in the end, she likely makes the whole affair stretch on longer by gossiping with any dwarves that aren't busy with the black sheep of the family. She couldn't wait to get home to her family!
* * *
Ary goes along with Isilme, continuing to be the bipedal packmule of the party. "I think we should attempt to meet with the forgepriest, it certainly can't hurt to get an expert opinion... and a dwarven craftsperson who also happens to be particularly religious seems a wonderful choice to get your celestial armor from... She might even have some in stock! Ooh. And I could look at all of her other weapons and armor, maybe we can find some things to bring home." she says, excited to interact with what she assumes will be a large hoard of weapons and armor and other magical items.
Hinagiku returns Ehren's smile and accompanies him to Crystalrock. Eversince they had first arrived, she had been looking forward to meditating in the strange cavern.
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"Of course Val, having company when seeing new sights always makes it more enjoyable. I'm also curious to see how they operate!" Isilme smiles and gestures for Val and Ary to go ahead, walking side-by-side with the two. "The forge priest does seem like the best place to start, Ary," she says, and then stops for a moment to ponder Ary's suggestion. She unhooks her celestial buckler from her pack and looks it over for a moment before answering, "Making something to complement this would be ideal. I wonder if Forgepriest Dorethain would be interested in attempting to make such a thing. If not perhaps I could try to make a trip to Absolom in the coming months to find someone who could. I believe mithril is a key component, so trading for it here will be helpful either way!"
"What should we do with the remainder of the adamantine?" she asks as they walk along. It was valuable enough that it would be a waste to have it sitting around. "We could sell it back to Nerosyan, I am sure they would be happy to buy it at market value, or more altruistically perhaps we could craft a few suits of armor for those in charge of the crusaders in Drezen?" She looks at Ary and Val, curious for their input on the subject.
When they finally arrive, Isilme takes the time to ask around and introduce the group to the Forgepriest, making use of her natural fluency in Dwarven to disarm her and those around. "Beannachdan, Sagart-teine Dorethain, is mise Chevalier Isilme, is e seo Morair-stiùiridh Drezen Ary Bishop, agus ar companach Valaria, curaidh Drezen agus neach-leantainn Òran nan Raointean." She pauses briefly to gesture towards Ary and Val respectively as she speaks. "Tapadh leibh airson an ùine a ghabhail gus coinneachadh rinn. Mura dèan thu gearan, bhithinn a ’leantainn air a’ chòmhradh seo gu cumanta gus an tuig mo chompanaich."
"Thank you for taking the time to meet with us. If you do not object, I would continue this conversation in common so my companions can understand."
"We were told by Dornarnus of Angraad's Liberators that you were who we should speak with on making use of some Adamantine we recovered on our most recent expedition."
With that she pulls out the piece of cloth she had reduced the pile to after several days of travel, allowing them to fold it and store it safely within one of their bags of holding. Moving over to a clear spot on the floor, she gestures for everyone to step back and then calls out 'berrezarri!'. With a pop, the cloth expands violently into a pile of adamantine armored plates, claws, bolts and other components they had unfastened from Ironfin and subsequently cleaned carefully with magic to avoid the smell attracting predators.
"We were seeking to have it smelted into ingots, and were that our only goal I assure you we would not be taking up your valuable time. We seek to have several items crafted from the adamantine, and also seek to trade a portion of it for the mithril to forge a suit of armor and weapon to accompany this." She again unhooks her buckler from her pack and hands it over to the Forgepriest so that she may inspect it. "If you would be willing to accept the challenge of such a commission, or could direct me to someone who would, I would be very appreciative."
"Val, Ary? Care to explain what you would like to have crafted?"
As Isilme begins her introduction, Val wonders if she should add learning Dwarven to her list of things to do in the future. There are certainly enough dwarves back in Drezen that she should be able to find a teacher to help her pick it up and it seemed quite useful. "Well, if you insist," she says with a little bit of a chuckle as Isilme passes the buck. "I'm looking for a set of adamantine lockpicks and we were hoping to trade some of the metal for mithril in addition to having the rest smelted down for transport."
Kaptra Dorethain's shop isn't difficult to find - it's just off the largest throughfair in the forge district. Nearly the entire top layer of the mountain city is composed of houses, forges, and forge-temples, since the open windows to the sky allow for adequate venting of all the smoke and ash.
Dorethain's forge is both a place of worship, and a place of craftsmanship, as are nearly all dwarven forges. It is a large one-story building hewn out of the surrounding rock, with a slate roof. It sits nestled between a private residence and an alleyway.
Inside, the forge is large enough to staff two dozen dwarves. The main entry way leads into what forms a large display area for the sale of armor and weaponry. Two doors off the side lead to two side-chambers, presumably where the actual forges are kept.
The armors and weapons on display are numerous and of impressive make. There are multiple adamantine pieces, but Isilme doesn't see any mithril pieces on display. After they enter the forge, the dwarves assigned to the front-end of the forge immediately go to the back to fetch the Forgepriest once they come to understand they're here interested in commission. After Isilme makes her introduction, Dorethain nods agreeably. She maintains a cool, professional demeanor, but she's still visibly surprised at the amount of adamantine on display. She raises both eyebrows. "Ah. Well. These shapes are... unusual. What was this adamantine forged to do?" she inquires. She then goes on to add - "It would take at least three months for me to finish up my current projects before I could attend to this one. But this buckler is something else entirely. Is this elvish?" she asks, turning it over to admire the Celestial handiwork. "Yes, I have some ideas to create something that could work with this sort of magic." She thinks it over. "Mithril is the metal of choice, and I'll part with enough of my own personal stores to craft this for you, in exchange for a quarter of the adamantine you have there, and a 12,000 gold commission fee, including tax."
The deal she is making is fair enough, though skewed in favor of the Forgepriest getting more value of the deal.
To Valaria, she responds, "Adamantine lockpicks would be simple, are there any other tools you want to request? I'd be happy to trade for the mithril... but I would much prefer to also get a commission out of the deal, too. What are you looking to use the mithril for?"
Other goods are available on sale. While there is both an arrangement of arms and armor, the Forgepriest is an armorer, so there is more armor on display than weaponry.
-> An arrow deflection spell-resistance (15) heavy steel shield with shield spikes, ornately made, emblazoned with the holy symbol of Torag
-> A warhammer emblazoned with the holy symbol of Torag that ignores 2 hardness, that is considered a masterwork tool for the creation of arms or armor, and can be used to cast mending at will to mend metal objects only. (3,012 gp)
-> Scale Mail of Blinking (CL 7) (31,200 gp), made in a distinctive style, colored red and black.
-> Adamantine daggers priced at 2,500 GP each
-> An ornate light mace that also functions as a rod of flame extinguishing (20,000 gp)
-> A set of creeping chainmail.
-> An expeditious light steel shield
-> A bashing light steel shield
-> A set of grinding studded leather armor
-> A set of studded leathers that allow the user to become ethereal (as ethereal jaunt) up to 10 rounds per day (not necessarily consecutive) (11,575 gp).
-> A fighter's fork
-> A repositioning light mace
-> An ominous battleaxe
"We put a Bulette to sleep and surgically removed them after it helped us kill a duergar slave train." Ary says nonchalantly as she looks at all of the shiny gear placed around the room. Nothing of particular note for being useful to their allies... except for maybe the shield if they had an incredible sum of money to spend on Lann. She mourns that all of these items are sitting in a shop rather than being put to use on a battlefield somewhere. But alas, that was the way of things.
The mace was interesting too. Weaponized rods would be useful if they could make the style work more commonly. "Did you make this mace or did you purchase it or trade for it from elsewhere?"
Isilme chuckles at Ary's response, the sound of the explanation seeming so absurd when stated so plainly. "It was quite an adventure," she adds.
"The shield is celestial in fact, it was a gift from a Choral Angel we preformed a service for while we were visiting Heaven recently." Listening to the Forgepriest's offer, Isilme thinks for a moment. "How about 10,000 gp in commission for the armor. What would a weapon to pair with them, a rapier, add to the cost?"
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Link to Crystalrock description.
On the relatively short walk from Janderhoff to Crystalrock, Hinagiku allows herself to fully enjoy Ehren's presence. This was the most alone that had been in weeks now (passerbys on the road not being too nosy), and she wanted to appreciate the presence of her friend. Little to no words, as was often the case between them. But the silence was not heavy, it was light and refreshing. She did not feel the responsibility to guide him or be respectful. She could be herself and enjoy the simple walk in the impressive mountain side.
"I am looking forward to seeing Mother earthwood and the reclaimed land of Drezen. It is always a boon to my heart and such a sign of hope." she says, holding her hand to the wound in her chest. "Maybe we can travel a few days together to enjoy some time together." she grows sligtly darker. "Though, maybe not too long... I thought Isilme had said we would be away for only a few days... not weeks. I know we did a good thing here, but I cannot help but feel like every day away from the front is one more crusader who falls, and one demon who lives. I know that everything is connected, and that good bequeaths good, but the darkness of the worldwound seems so great in comparison to the rest. What do you think Mr. Ehren. Was it the right choice for us to come here?"
Hinagiku enters the beautiful cave, her eyes glimmering ever so slightly at the awe the place inspires. Truly, her Mother was beautiful, and she hoped to see more of this beauty... maybe when Ehren would take her to her hometown... maybe.
Still, now was the time to enjoy this cave. And so, heading as close to the center as possible, Hinagiku sits in a lotus position in front of the main floating crystal and closes her yes to let the find humming of the stone fill her being. Her breath slows and stops, her heartbeats slow almost to a halt, and the ley becomes clearer and clearer in her mind. She focuses on its silvery threads, letting her mind glide through them, leading her mind to what she hopes is the heart of her mother, the source of the world's harmony.
”Well, we do still have a big trip to plan for,” Ehren muses, having not forgotten his promise to help Hinagiku visit her homeland. Intervening circumstances made it difficult to arrange such occasions, but if they could spend weeks away from the Worldwound spelunking and hunting down slavers without incident, a shorter sojourn to a more distant land might not be out of the question. So he tells himself, at least. His smile shrinks somewhat when Hinagiku voices her concern, one that he shares.
He could not deny that at the start, it was a desire to help Lann that had motivated him to come here. For better or for worse, he had set aside his duties as archdruid to journey someplace far beyond the realm he had sworn to protect. Perhaps, in a way, that made him selfish. But having seen some of the evil that lurked within the Darklands, having had a role in ending even just a miniscule part of it, he knew without a doubt that they did the right thing.
”We have been here for longer than I anticipated, but I believe we made the right choice,” Ehren affirms, nodding his head. ”Our fight in Sarkoris might well determine the fate of the whole world, but I do not think we should lose sight of the smaller, older struggles. Some of them have been around since long before the Worldwound ever opened, and most will be around long after it has healed. There are other places where the land is in pain, where people are in need of help. This one just happened to be within our reach.” After a moment he adds, ”And it is not such a bad thing, to fight for a cause other than one’s own.”
Once they have reached Crystalrock, near the Heart of the World, Ehren settles into a spot just a few feet across from Hinagiku. He did not need to open his spirit sense to know that this is a place of power. For the ley to surge so close to the surface, for it to affect the environment in such a dramatic fashion, its influence had to be strong indeed. Focusing on the strange, calming hum emitted by the crystal, Ehren closes his eyes and extends his senses, approaching oneness with nature in his deathlike stillness.
Kaptra raises her eyebrows at Ary's story, then laughs and smiles. "You're just like me middlest son, you are! Well, good riddance to 'em." She doesn't seem overly phased at the news it is of heavenly make. "Beautiful. Wonder if it were forged in the Holy Mountain itself?" she inquires to no one in particular.
She chuckles at Isilme's wheeling and dealing. "In one breath you bring the price down, then in the next, back up again! A rapier, hmmm?" She scratches her chin all the while observing her shrewdly. "You wield a starknife now, do you? I'm somewhat familiar with the weapon - I've met many a traveling Desnan in my time. I know that they handle completely differently, it seems like an odd- hmmm." She drifts off for a moment, lost in thought. "Loathe as I am to lose a second commission, I think you should lend me your ear for a moment. Perhaps you should think to seek out a skilled craftsperson of starknives to request a rapier specially built for your hand. Such a person would be an expert in translating one weapon to the next."
At that she turns and lights up as Ary comes across her mace. "Ah! That design is of my own invention." She beams. "It was partially born out of a desire to help contain explosions... the materials we work with here can be rather volatile... haven't had an explosion-related injury since!"
"Hmm, that was not something I had considered, but I am not certain where I would find such a person that would also dabble in exotic materials. I suppose divination might allow me to figure out how best to proceed in that case. Unless, of course, you happen to know any Desnan blacksmiths who just happen to be staying in Janderhoff?" She asks the question jokingly, assuming that the Forgepriest would have already mentioned someone if she had an idea where to start.
"In that case, add in mithril sufficient to craft a weapon, and that will suffice. I wouldn't worry too much about losing a commission, however. I suspect we will cross paths again in the future, to both our benefits." While she wasn't going to mention the Corruption forge at the moment, she didn't doubt that they could convince a forgepriest of her stature to at least come visit the forge once purified.
"Material and a third of the gold up front, the remainder upon completion?" she asks, turning the conversation back to the deal.
"Oh. That does make sense. What is it that explodes so commonly?" Ary asks, surprised by the suggestion they would need something for that.
"Could you make other sorts of rods within the handle of a weapon? I'm not sure what I'd want... but I know that there are rods that would be useful to mages, and I haven't seen any of my mage friends using them. I assume because of busy hands moreso than lack of ability to procure a rod. Do either of you have suggestions for that?" she asks, opening up the question to Isilme as well.
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Eventually, Xanderghul returns to Crystalrock with the chest of gold ingots safety stored away in his haversack. He spots Hinagiku and Ehre meditating near the crystal, and calls out to them. "Hello!" he calls. "I come bearing money, and frustrating stories! How has the evening been? Surely you've taken advantage of the alone time in some way."
"Never fear, though. That alone time is ended now."
Forgepriest Kaptra considers Isilme's comment for a moment, then replies with a laugh, "Hah! Yer a funny elf, lassie! I like you. Well, I guess if ye have to ask me, ye can't just ask around some elvish forgesmiths, hmmm? That's quite a funny onion. Well, you never know. Augurs and haruspicy can take you a long way, gods be willing."
"quite a funny onion" is a dwarven idiom similar to "in a pickle" or "in a bind"
To Ary, she replies with a smile, "Ye need more than a bloomery to smelt adamantine, they don't get hot enough. We dwarves use a gas called carbauxine tae do it - but it has tae be handled very carefully, as it is extremely explosive."
Forgepriest Kaptra shrugs at her second question. "Rods are delicate things, it's hard tae get the magic just right just in a rod, let alone in anything more complicated than that. Lots of trial and error... over many, many years of time. 'tis rather expensive research projects ye speak of! This one 'twas a special project of mine, and I'll be passing it on tae me sons."
To Isilme she nods and shakes her hand. "Sin beart!"
"Deal!"
"I do wonder. The worldwound is an incredible danger. Out of all the evils of this world, I could sense it all the way to my hometown. Could feel it in the trees, flowers, grass, and even mushroom. They all carry the pain of my Mother. But, but maybe you are right about fighting other's cause, maybe it will help us meet new people and encourage them to join with us. Though it seems our companions do not see it this way." Hinagiku adds at the end, thinking back on the feast.
"Good evening Mr. Xanderghul." Hinagiku answers, slowly opening her eyes and rejoining the physical world. "Yes, we meditated here. It is just so calming. But, frustrating stories what do you mean? Are you alright?" she continues, only giving a simple smile to the wizard's suggestion that time without him was boring.
"Your work is truly spectacular," Val agrees as the forgesmith describes her work on the items she has on display. "I don't think I've met many other smiths capable of making something nearly this fine and I've seen most of the continent."
"Oh." Ary replies, clearly disappointed, but then nods along. "So we couldn't even use it back home without significant investment. I wonder if we could add some upgrades to the Purity Forge to make use of Carbauxite..? Then... I'm not sure it's wise to add any more shaking to that particular portion of the Citadel."
She rolls her shoulder, having not found anything that she particularly preferred to purchase.
"Perhaps something for breaking locks and chains from range for you, Val? We could use them to free people... or maybe even break open a gate." she asks the Tiefling, before turning her attention back to the foregepriest. "If not, could you make some arrow heads? I'm sure a few wouldn't be too difficult, and it would enable the same, perhaps."
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"I do not believe it is wrong to ask people to join our fight," Ehren replies, considering the issue carefully. "But we should take care not to pull people away from the things they care about, least of all from a cause they already believe in. Nor should we try to convince them that their home is worth abandoning. It is a call that they must answer of their own volition."
There is a momentary pause before he suggests, "Perhaps it is different for us. You and I can both trace our roots to Sarkoris. It is only fitting that we feel bound there."
"You can join us, if you'd like," Ehren offers without opening his eyes, presenting the poorly-crafted illusion that he has achieved some impregnable form of inner peace that Xanderghul in no way disturbed. Beneath the surface, the question of what else the wizard expected them to do in a cave with a giant humming crystal nags at him. "All you must do is sit still and be absolutely silent, like a stone."
The druid does not wait long enough for an answer, opting to open his eyes and allow his body to relax. Confirming that Xanderghul is the first to arrive, Ehren smiles pleasantly, evidently in a good mood. "I trust that all went well with Dornarnus?"
"I will return tomorrow to retrieve the ingots not necessary for what will be crafted, along with the mithril for the weapon then," she says, returning the handshake.
She then waits for Val and Ary to finish up before getting the gold for the downpayment on the commission from Ary to settle up, and then heading out. "I will get Ehren to bring me back quickly tomorrow with one of our bags of holding," she says to them as they head back towards Crystalrock.
Isilme arrives to find Hinagiku, Ehren, Anevia and Xanderghul all there. "Ehren, I will need to make a brief trip back here tomorrow to retrieve the ingots of adamantine we have remaining, if that doesn't pose a problem. Shall we head back?"
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Ehren's assertion that he must sit still and silently makes Xanderghul laugh out loud. "Riiiight," he drawls. "Things with Dornarnus went just fine." He sets his haversack on the ground and pulls out a large chest. Opening it, he reveals the gold ingots within. "His clan was very generous," he says, flashing a smile. "They were also very... attentive. They did not agree with Dornarnus' decision to become a vigilante. As a wealthy trading family, they believed he had more lucrative uses for his talents, and they let him know that for hours. It was a long dinner. I did not get the opportunity to purchase anything."
"Someone will need to make a trip to Nerosyan, or remain here, in order for us to spend this money."
"I, unfortunately, have important business to attend to. I believe the next item on our agenda is to travel to the celestial ley line that we discovered in Heaven, right? We're still not sure how to manipulate those, only that Chorussina and Vorlesh were able to do it, and we have some of Chorussina's notes on the subject. Ehren, would you be able to cooperate with me and my students on discovering the answers to that question? I expect it will be a significant research project."
"If all is well at Drezen, then I do not see any problems with us coming back," Ehren replies to Isilme when she arrives. Figuring that everyone is about ready to leave, he stands up and dusts off his robe. "Now that I know about this place, I can bring us here as often as we need to."
The druid listens to Xanderghul's proposal with interest, giving it the careful consideration it deserves. While the method behind creating and accessing menhir is a carefully guarded secret, sharing what he knows of the ley itself is not necessarily prohibited. If they could somehow recreate Vorlesh's methods without her original notes, they would be saving themselves a great deal of trouble.
"I do not know how well I will be able to work with your students," Ehren admits. Asides from his less than pleasant meeting with Bellandrus, he has not really interacted with them in any significant capacity. "But I am willing to try. You should know, I am already capable of ensnaring the ley line we need, now that we know where it is... but I believe the distance is still a problem. If we can overcome that obstacle, then we will have everything we need."
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Anevia still has a smattering of treats that she hoarded into her belt pouch. "These dwarven cookies are to die for. I'm bringing some of them home to Irabeth and Sana... and I totally did not steal them. It was practically a buffet. But anyway, the cookies are like ginger snaps but with molasses and this spicy rum-flavor that I think was mostly cooked out. Gods, dwarves make the best food. Especially rich dwarves." Anevia announces, procuring a cookie, and offering it to Daisy and Ehren. "You can split one, the other two-dozen are mine." she says, adding a fake maniacal laugh. "Gods, why didn't I bring a bigger belt pouch, I could have brought some of that cake. And the bread, Ary would have killed for some of that bread. Layers of flavor in everything."
"You are right Ehren-kun. Slowly, like one guides a plant, of their own volition, as they begin to understand the stakes... like planting a seed and watching the flower grow. I remember growing up how the stories of our ancestors would inspire many of the others. When they heard about the heroics of others excitement would bloom in them. I remember even Shu-Lien getting excited about the stories of great heroes. Maybe Mrs. Isilme and Mrs. Valaria would benefit the crusade more if they were to tell stories of the heroes of the wound to people across the world." Hinagiku says before falling silent, pondering how she could guide the two storytellers to inspire others.
"Thank you Anevia, that should be more than enough to sustain me for a day." Hinagiku says, taking her half-cooky with two hands and slowly eating it.
"Considering that we do know a few other skilled dwarven smiths, it might be worth considering investing in smithing improvements," Val adds thoughtfully. "And since we're trying to make inroads here, there's a good chance we'll see more in the future too."
"I was hoping to get a meeting with one of the Sword Knights for the research project Xan and I were discussing," Val mentions as they gather to be on their way. "If you give me a shopping list, I can pick things up while I'm in town."
Lann and Javyn were the final pair to reach Crystalrock, just after Valaria, Ary, and Isilme finally arrive. They had taken a bit longer, as Isilme had to wait and pose for measurements to be taken, and discussion about the style and fit of the armor was had before they could leave. Afterwards they settle on terms of delivery, and the entire transaction was signed off on with an official seal.
Lann and Javyn had spent the same amount of time off on their own, exploring Janderhoff and catching up with one another. This was Javyn's first time in a surface city, and thus everything was astonishing and new to him. When they arrive, seeing everyone already gathered, Lann becomes flustered and apologizes, which causes Javyn to laugh and tease him. Finally done, they leave the way they came (though this time, under intense scrutiny by the dwarven researcher, lest they topple over his many instruments he had set up throughout the cave).
In a flash, all of the heroes are transported hundreds of miles across Golarion through the ley, their way shepherded by the Archdruid of Sarkoris himself. And then they are back again, just outside of Drezen at the menhir stone. Things are calm and peaceful as far as they can tell. But that was just as they tended to be here at Drezen - thanks to the Sword of Valor most demonic incursions occurred further than the artifact's reach, preying on travelers to and from the city or traveling crusader parties. It was an ironic consequence of reclaiming the city from demons, that even after reclaiming Drezen, the demons only continued to intensify their efforts against the border cities of Mendev which had comparably less potent defenses.
It is late at night. Anevia, Lann, and Javyn are all eager to retire and get some shut-eye, and meet with people that they had been missing for weeks. What will the heroes get up to next?
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Xanderghul is already walking briskly towards the city. He has lots of work to do, and very little need for sleep. The group's next goal is to move the Celestial ley line into the castle, and the first thing that needs to be divined is whether or not that sort of thing is even possible. Before leaving, he makes sure to mention to everyone that they're invited to the school anytime. He lets Ehren and Valaria know that they're expected to show up.
- He wants to appoint Valais as the school's administrator. Basically that just means she keeps all the bookkeeping and records in order.
- He wants to suggest that Bellandrus join the Pathfinder Society and move to Absalom.
- He wants to set up volunteer classes. Anyone can teach a class on anything, and anyone can attend any class.
- He wants to send mail to the Pathfinder Society to ask about Valaria joining and what will be required in order to get that done. He also wants to ask about the ability to designate people as Pathfinder Initiates.
- He wants to announce that the school's next research project is to learn how to manipulate leylines. Anyone who wants to contribute to that goal is welcome to. Xanderghul will study it until he is certain what it will take in order to accomplish it, or until he is certain that the information does not exist.
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Their arrival back at Drezen is a relief. No more long journeys underground eating rations and whatever they could scrounge up, and no more sleeping on a bedroll. Bidding everyone a good night, Isilme quickly polymorphs into a bird and takes off towards the city, not wasting any time. Not long afterwards she arrives in the tower attached to the citadel. "Ai'sintar!" she calls, alighting on the balcony and walking in. She searches around for a while only to find him passed out at his desk with a variety of books open. Bolstered by the magic of her cloak, she picks up the comparatively light elven mage and carries him off to his bed, placing him there gingerly and giving him a kiss on the forehead. "I will come find you in the morning," she whispers before heading back towards the balcony.
Being shackled to Li'an's body was rapidly becoming a major issue for Isilme. She was no longer truly an Azata, so it was unlikely she would ever be able to return to her original form, but she could not rest easily in borrowed skin either. If she wanted to be free to pursue her relationship with Ai'sintar, she would need to find a way to untangle her soul from this body and place it within a new vessel. How she could accomplish such a thing, however, was still beyond her. Between her newfound ability to use divinations and Ai'sintar's research, however, perhaps they could make some headway. 'Certainly there were no two people more motivated to find a solution to this particular problem', she thinks, chuckling softly.
In the end, instead of leaving she heads back to the room and crashes on the bed. As much as she enjoyed the company of her companions on the trip, she was too lonely now to retire to her own chambers. Duke could catch up with her in the morning on the state of things in the city and surrounding regions.
Over the next few days she spends some time on divinations and consultation with the Desnan priestesses who happened to be visiting the shrine at the moment, looking for information on where she might find an expert in smithing with a flair for her Lady Starsong's preferred weapon and the skill to work with exotic materials.
She makes a brief trip back to Janderhoff to retrieve the Ingots they'd had smelted and drops them off with Ary for storage, as well as several trips to Nerosyan along with Aravashnial to search for books that might help guide them on the way towards creating a body for her.
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Ary stretches languidly under the starlight as everyone begins to disperse, allowing her mind to wander for just a bit longer. The long yawn prompts her to close her eyes for a moment before casting Keep Watch and heading back into the city proper.
They had been gone for weeks, and there was a great deal of work to be done. Yes, Irabeth had kept everything running, but now Ary had to apprise herself of everything that she had missed while she was on 'vacation'. So she swings by their office to collect the notations Irabeth had left for her and retires to her room.
As she arrives in the little room beside the temple's doorway, she quietly says "I'm home." before entering the room, and looking about for any changes. Likely, Fenton had busied himself with keeping it clean since Ary hadn't left him with any work besides training to do.
As she steps into the room, she casts a glance over to her desk, pursing her lips. Instead, she removes both backpacks and places them into the nook beside her bed, and places all of her weaponry on the rack to its side. As she sits on the bed, she turns to lean her back against the wall, knees tucked up to create a space for the book-keeping to sit while she reads on all of the things that had gone on in her absence.
The next day, she would go to visit Nurah, then Joran, then all of her students, before officially returning to work.
Once Isilme delivers the ingots, Ary will move them into the secret room where she trains, in order to keep the bag considerably less cluttered.
Ary will focus on the expansion of the school - teachers, students, building what needs building - as well as the various diplomatic steps required to integrate Avi's mage school and Xanderghul's... Life School? into her designs, as well as finding a way to transition her probationary crusaders into the program first, continuing to pour the income she brings in with her position (above a few luxuries and what she needs to survive) into funding the school, teachers, and scholarships.
In addition to those things, she'll keep an eye on the diplomatic works in Sesker's Gully, hoping to rekindle the alliance the Crusaders and Kellid population once had there, rather than allowing the two to form rigid separations.
Whenever she has spare time, she’ll look into Kiarah and Ghalcor’s notes on interaction between the Ley and the Divine, and passing those bits of information on to both Ehren and Xanderghul, enabling the continued search for not only how to move the ley-line, but what else it could be used for.
Tactically, she'll look primarily to the east in terms of reclaiming Icerift and placing a waystation in between, well-aware that the bandits in the area were being particularly problematic, and seeking a way to reduce the influence that the succubus was having. It would seem that the garrison in the east had likely been a better choice for their small discretionary funds, but no use crying over spilled milk.
She’ll ask Xanderghul to perform sendings to the Gunduara on occasion to ask how things are going in their home, as well as with Ironfin, getting a translator if need be to pass the information on.
If they can maintain a stronger presence in the east and tamp down the bandits attacking their troops, she’ll make an effort to connect with the Kellid villages, cities, and tribes in that direction as well.
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Upon their arrival at the stone circle, Ehren greets Grumtarr warmly, having not seen the elemental since their departure weeks ago. Of course, the dozing durdalis hardly seems to have noticed the passage of time, let alone the fact that their group now had one extra person. At ease with himself after meditating in Crystalrock, the druid is content to take his time getting back to the city proper. He would need to check on Ailig, Isbeyl, Houna, Ledsa, and Crocris, but there was no need to disturb them this late at night.
Walking along the scenic route, Ehren makes his way to the Temple of Irori, where he shares a cell with Hinagiku. He did not exactly feel tired, but given how long they spent in the sunless Nar-Voth, going to sleep soon would go a long way towards reacclimating him to being on the surface. As he reaches the modest place of worship, Ehren reminds himself that he still needs to acquire more seeds for the temple’s garden. Almost anything would grow within Mother Heartwood’s field of influence, given the proper care, but having a greener thumb wouldn’t hurt.
As he settles into bed for the evening, Ehren reflects on the time they spent underground. Among other things, he still needs to speak with Ary about what she experienced down there. And then there is the matter of Javyn. What will become of the people of Neathholm once Chief Sull passes away? It is a sobering thought, but Ehren is not one to mourn prematurely. Death is just another part of life, after all.
Ehren will continue to reach out to Kellids in Sesker’s Gully, Silvershore, and other communities, doing what he can to foster positive relationships with the Crusade. He is particularly interested in finally getting around to checking on whether the situation with Estrovian Forest has improved any since years back.
Ehren will collaborate with Xanderghul and the others on attaching the Forgeheart ley line to the former Corruption Forge. He already knows the ensnare ley line spell, but what needs to be done to move a ley line that is fifty miles away, and deep underground?
Ehren will arrange to meet his parents with Hinagiku, either by bringing them to Drezen or by taking her to whichever wardstone fort they are closest to. Asides from introducing her to them properly, he intends to ask his father for permission to train druids.
When he has the time, Ehren will check libraries in Drezen and Nerosyan for maps of Tian Xia, in addition to descriptions of possible ley nodes close to Hinagiku’s hometown. Arranging the trip itself would be more difficult, but having a solid destination would be a start.
Ehren will help with the reclamation of Icerift, especially since he can walk the lines to get there now. While he is there, he will look for any signs of Kalek’s influence, just to make sure that he is gone for good.
Xanderghul immediately took charge of his school, which had been left to the student's devices for the past several months, announcing that the focus of the campus' research was to be diverted to leyline research effective immediately. There was also some quiet administrative re-shuffling: Bellandrus departed Drezen for Absalom, to undergo Pathfinder training, while Valais took his place as school administrator, in charge of scheduling, book-keeping, and financing. A new administrative assistant was hired to replace her seat at the Pathfinder Lodge, and in a move of boldness that Xanderghul had not previously thought possible of the usually introverted elven Pathfinder, Valais demanded that as part of her promotion Xanderghul be willing to allocate funds to her own independent research: a project centered on studying Outsider physiology.
Xanderghul makes some strides as Pathfinder Venture Captain, as well. He finds that his campus has attracted a number of traveling Pathfinders, who were mostly happy to help themselves to his accrued knowledge - this was an important function of any Lodge, that the knowledge within be freely given to those of the society. In exchange, Xanderghul could call upon those Pathfinders to perform tasks for him in the interest of accruing further knowledge. He received a stipend from the central Lodge to aid with outfitting these sorts of ventures - the amount of stipend received was commensurate to the quality of his own contribution of information back to the central Lodge. As for what tasks he could send them on - that was up to Venture Captain Xanderghul himself! And as for Valaria, Xanderghul quickly receives the go-ahead to train new-recruits, allowing them to gain accreditation through what were known as "field commissions" - basically, Valaria could function independently as she was, but she would need to make contributions to the Pathfinder Society to prove herself. The downside to this was that without seeking formal training at Absalom, as Bellandrus was, Valaria would not profit as much from the networking aspect of joining Pathfinder Society.
At the same time, Isilme spent two months focusing her divinations towards finding a Desnan smith skilled enough to work mithral. Her answers to come to her in the forms of dreams, that eventually lead her into the hidden elven capital of Iadara within Kyonin. There she is introduced to Triandal, an elven worshipper of Desna who maintained a way-shrine that also functioned as a forge and workshop. There she indulged in artistry related to the crafting of Desnan holy symbols, weapons and starknives. Thrilled to meet another adherent of Desna, she is happy to pledge her aid to crafting her a weapon that would respond to her in the ways she was used to while wielding a starknife. And so Isilme received a set of armor of dwarven-make, and a rapier of elven-make, all paid for by sky-metal re-claimed from slavers.
Her voyage to Iadara made for a rather pleasant trip along with Aravashnial - they had known each other for so long, but this was their first time visiting Kyonin together, where Aravashnial was raised. Once the two had returned, they both threw themselves into their work and research. Aravashnial was focused on managing his newly founded school, and on puzzling over their problem regarding Isilme's body. As a consequence he was constantly traveling between Nerosyan and Drezen, cross-referencing what he could between both cities' stores of arcane knowledge.
As for Ary, Fenton was the first person to truly greet her home, though several sets of guards in succession saluted her return as she crossed the gates into the city, then into the keep, then into the citadel... but it didn't truly feel like home until she stumbled on Fenton dusting her bed-side mantle and the little lad, after a moment of shock, immediately wrapped her into as tight of a hug as he could manage. The next day she sought out Nurah, whom she found strangely more sullen and introverted than she had been prior to Armasse. Her guard revealed to Ary that she had become prone to breaking down into fits of crying every now and then, though Nurah would become harsh and guarded if Ary ever tried to bring them up to her.
Joran, on the other hand, was doing well at the Temple of Irori. Now a full-blown Iroran, Joran wasn't exactly a kind-hearted nor warm individual, but he tolerated Ary's presence well enough. Upon meeting her again, Joran was quick to ask her to share her experiences upon meeting the grey-skinned dwarves and her adventures down below, though he doesn't have much more to offer her in response than, "Well, there was a reason we dwarves decided tae head for the Sky, tha's all I'm goan say."
Ary's next few months are a whirl of administrative tasks, namely the lengthy chore of vouching, interviewing, and evaluating the various educators that had been drawn to Drezen in hopes of securing a staff position within one of the multiple schools that were being built within the Crusader City. While not working on that, she organizes, leads, and executes a full reclamation of Sesker's Gully, which sits just beyond the reach of the Sword of Valor, but well within the fully expanded reaches of Mother Heartwood's influence, meaning that the area could once again be used for farmland as it once was, long ago. But before that could happen, supply routes, guards, and resources had to be shipped their way to jumpstart the community back to what it was before the demons came.
This was obviously an area where she had to work closely with her friend "Rocky", or Archdruid Ehren Ferron, one of the three spiritual leaders of Drezen. Ehren had spent the last few months doing his duty as not just a leader of Drezen, but as a leader of the growing Sarkorian populations adjacent to Drezen... and beyond. His ability to walk the ley lines meant he could spend one day meeting with the leadership of Silvershore, and the next with Houna at the base of Mother Heartwood in a flash. Needless to say the young man was constantly traveling further than and faster than most mortals could have conceived. He even went out to settle the matter of the Estrovian Forest, which greatly improved relations between Drezen and the Chapel of the Argent Shield, which bordered the deep forest. It turned out the the forest had been cursed by a sect of Sarkorian druids who were angry and suspicious at the influx of foreigners during the beginning of the First Mendevian Crusade. Unfortunately their dark magic had grown out of control and slain them in the process, but their dark abominations still lurked in the forest. Ehren was able to purify the forest, though it was quickly becoming clear to him that he alone would not be enough to maintain the vast expanse of Sarkoris. He would need to speak to his father about training more druids, so help replace the many druidic circles that were wiped out when the proud Kellid nation crumbled beneath the demonic hordes.
Otherwise, Xanderghul spent the next few months working primarily with Isilme and Ehren to research the nature of the ley lines and exactly what it would take to move the line they had learned of from their adventure in Heaven to Drezen in order to truly purify the Corruption Forge. First, they conducted tests and measurements to determine exactly the scale and scope of Ehren's influence on the ley. They found that he was able to move the ley great distances, but his accuracy was dependent on how close he was to the actual perceived ley-stream. Based on the outcomes of their research, they theorized for a branch of ley the size of what the Heavenly atlases indicate, it would take a few weeks of slowly moving the strand of ley up and across the countryside in multiple hour-long meditative sessions to pull it off. Such a thing would leave Ehren vulnerable in the open, demon-infested Worldwound far from the influence of Drezen and its many protections.
A war-meeting was held where it was decided the most sensible thing would be for a war-party to be built to protect Ehren while he moved the Heavenly ley to Drezen. This group consisted of the heroes, along with whomever of their many soldiers, organizations, and attendees, that they wished to bring with them.
Probably the trickiest part of the endeavor was that Drezen and its surrounds was on a 40' high plateau, raised up from the rest of Sarkoris. The ley stream came closest to the surface just beyond that plateau, and there wasn't really a convenient way to go up and down the cliff. Of course, this was relative - some of the heroes could easily fly at will - but the same couldn't be said of their cohort, and so a small camp was set-up a-top the cliff. From here, the heroes would probably have to break off from the main group on foot, to accompany Ehren as they scope out a way to get as close to the ley-line as possible so that he could begin his efforts to pull the stream up and into the plateau above.
And that brought us to today....
24 Abadius 4716
It hit you the moment you returned to Drezen from Janderhoff but you could feel that something was wrong. The only problem was it was just a feeling, something deep in your gut that you could not really explain to anyone else. The feeling of wrongness intensified into a deep pain inside the wound of your chest, that persists to today.
Your last dream with Arueshalae faded into something as warm and comfortable as the memory of the last coffee you had at that Varisian cafe. She only visited your dreams once in the last four months, to say that she was on the trail of the Blackfire Adepts, now moving deep into Qadira. She is always confident and sure of herself when discussing the antics she's been getting into - and she is happy to recount tales of her latest subterfuge attempt into a cultist lair. But she ends the dream on a serious note when she reveals that she had discovered some disturbing information that would be of note to her - that the Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth were specifically targeting young kellids in their latest recruitment initiatives, in an effort to destabilize the region around Drezen. Unfortunately she wasn't able to figure out where their newest base of operations was, though she was told it was "an old hideout of Aponavicius'", which would definitely come with some seriously good protections.
Same spell as usual (empty slot). Sell the hearthstones from the witches to the clergy (so they can purify them).
A few hundred feet from the camp, alone on the edge of the cliff separating them from the world wound proper, Hinagiku is sitting in the lotus position, eyes closed, meditating. In the last few days, she had had to add a second meditation to her daily ritual. If a lone meditation had been sufficient to focus her mind and soul, it was insufficient to focus through the pain that had grown in her chest. Slowly, she lets out the 100th and last breath from her meditation. As the air escapes her lips, she slowly opens her eyes to gaze upon the wounded land. The tension in her body was gone for now, but she knew it was only a matter of hours before the persistent pain would cause her body to fall out of balance again. She would need to tell the others soon... but not now, there was much to be done today.
Val hadn't quite realized how much she'd missed the stars above her until they returned to Drezen after their adventure into the Darklands. She spends a great deal of her first evening back in town cleaning the shrine and relaxing with a glass of wine before she joins Xanderghul at the school in the morning to get started on their next several projects.
- Continue hunting the gun smuggler to end the increased bandit threat
- Finish the wayshrine network to provide safe rest points on the roads to Drezen
- Begin researching the mutative properties of the Worldwound with Xan (meeting with the Sword Knight to share notes?)
- Look into Aruechalae's lead on the Templar's hideout, offer to help her further
- Try to talk with the Bound Horror more, be friendlier, try to work toward possible redemption
Val pushed her cloak back in the moderately warm day. She was used to the Worldwound's odd weather by now, but she still wished that there was a bit more consistency to the strangeness on occasion. She had left Ayavah behind again. It seemed like the sorceress was more comfortable in her place in Drezen than out on long expeditions into the Wound. Hopefully, this particular trip would have some promising results.
He finds that his campus has attracted a number of traveling Pathfinders, who were mostly happy to help themselves to his accrued knowledge - this was an important function of any Lodge, that the knowledge within be freely given to those of the society. In exchange, Xanderghul could call upon those Pathfinders to perform tasks for him in the interest of accruing further knowledge. He received a stipend from the central Lodge to aid with outfitting these sorts of ventures - the amount of stipend received was commensurate to the quality of his own contribution of information back to the central Lodge. As for what tasks he could send them on - that was up to Venture Captain Xanderghul himself!
Just the same as any other time there was a break in action, Xanderghul is at rest. He has exchanged his colorful and loose robes for something darker, sleeker, and more practical. He would have suggested bringing his students along with him - the two most promising, most responsible members of the school. Getting field experience - especially deadly field experience that also involved long periods of tedium - helped to temper one's character. In addition, he would have requested that at least one of the new Pathfinders come, at least to keep records for the Society so that Xanderghul did not have to.
He dangles his feet over the edge of the cliff, looking down to the land below. He considers carefully how to get a group large enough to protect Ehren down the cliff without isolating too small of a group on top of the cliff.
Ary busily moves about, worrying over both the team that would be descending, and the camp above. "So, are we going to separate or stick together? What sorts of safeties do we have in place for if one of us is to get knocked from the cliff?"
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Unlike the dwarves working their forges in ceaseless toil, their inspiration driving them towards completion, she had worked the mithral for only a few hours a night for nearly a week, working under the light of the waxing gibbous moon in preparation for the final act of creation. It was then, on the night of the full moon that she began in earnest. Isilme had been invited to witness the forging of the weapon, and truly she had seen nothing like it in all her years. In something that was more akin to a dance than hard labor, Triandal twirled about the forge in the moonlight, her hammer swinging down almost at random and striking with force that sent sparks flying from the blade. As she spun and danced, she recited the names of stars in the heavens above, each star named, step taken and blow struck both chosen in the heat of the moment and yet with a studied deliberateness.
With each strike the flames enveloping the blade became hotter, the yellows and reds soon replaced by silvery whites and pale blues. Each blow of the hammer now unleashed sparks more akin to shooting stars desperate to return to the heavens. Once she finished the blade itself, she plunged it in the waters of a hundred lakes she had visited in her travels, its glowing form cooling to darkness in an angry hiss of steam. From there she worked more of the mithral, crafting the hilt, at the center of which lay a star with the opening for the blade to be bound within it. Thin tendrils of the metal shot out from the central star haphazardly, weaving outwards in a tapestry whose purpose only became evident as she affixed other stars to the locations at which the threads crossed. Together they mapped the stars that surrounded the realm of her goddess in the sky, thus naming the star hosting the blade, and the rapier itself Cygnus.
Cygnus was as silver as the moon, as light as a feather, and balanced so exquisitely she could hold it aloft with a finger and spin it about its center of mass without any effort at all. Surprisingly, she had found that the blade's temperament changed in the day. The stars that had been affixed at the crossings of the basket's woven strands were all but invisible, and the metal of the blade wore the same golden hue as the celestial mithral of her armor and shield. But as night fell, the blade once again became silver and its stars shone brightly, as if catching the glint of the moon perfectly no matter how she looked upon it.
Since returning to retrieve Cygnus, she had paid Triandal several visits, though true to followers of the Song of Spheres, each meeting had been at a different wayshrine. The two spent much time discussing their travels and exchanging stories, many of which she shared with Ai'sintar upon returning home. They had spoken much of the forge in Drezen, and Isilme hoped that Triandal would be able to visit once they had purified it, both to see the forge, and to visit the wayshrines Valaria had set up within and around the city. Very few Desnans had made the trip to the Worldwound, after all.
Her time back in Drezen, when not working on her personal projects and helping to research the celestial ley line, was spent mostly cultivating and maintaining her network of informants. Duke had been doing an excellent job maintaining things in her absence, and his updates proved invaluable for getting back up to speed. Among all the reports she received, however, the one that troubled her most was not anything regarding cultists within Drezen or demonic incursions in the outer reaches of Mother Heartwood's region of influence. No, what troubled her most was the picture she had formed of the Lord Commander of Drezen. While she knew Ary was fond of making use of keep watch to provide extra time to accomplish things, it was clear now that Ary did not sleep at all. Her informants painted a picture of someone who spent every waking moment while within the city attending to all its needs both great and small. Her willingness to commit her all to the city and those under her command was commendable, but what she was shouldering was a burden that would eventually wear down even the strongest willed.
It was this concern which led her to approach Ary late in the evening, after everyone had retired. Isilme was more than capable of moving unseen within Drezen, and it was little trouble to arrive at Ary's chambers when she knew she was still present and visitors were exceedingly unlikely.
"I would ask if you are awake, Ary, but it is not truly a question that needs answering," she says, knocking briefly on the frame of the door as she lets herself into the room. "I wondered if you had a moment to discuss some things that have been troubling me."
Having come out to take care of the ley line in preparation for purification of the forge, Isilme found herself excited. While it was unlikely she would see anything in particular, what they were doing was something that had likely only been done a handful of times in history, if even that.
She had come to join the group a bit later than the others, having decided that Kule might be interested in being present for the ceremony and lending his aid in protecting Ehren during the ritual. The Unicorn had been more at peace since Heaven, though he had also become significantly quieter (if that was at all possible) and more reclusive as well. Still, she was happy that he had clearly begun to look towards the future.
Walking up to the cliff with the others, she stops to comment on Xanderghul's new garb. "Tired of your old attire?" she asks, taking a moment to walk around him. "It certainly suits the pathfinder side of you! You might even be mistaken for respectable now!" she gives the wizard a wink and a pat on the shoulder. "So what is the plan? I know if any of us fall, both Xanderghul and myself can fly continuously now. I can also cast fly upon others if necessary."
Ley lines determined the natural patterns of rivers, of mountain ranges, of the fissures between tectonic plates - they did not just move, not on their own. There was a reason that the ancient atlases mapping them out were still accurate to this day. Or rather, until this day.
Ehren takes in a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for the monumental task that awaits him. While he is no stranger to manipulating the ley, this would be several orders of magnitude above anything he has attempted before. Siphoning energy from a ley line was one thing, but changing its path was another thing entirely. Needless to say, he would never attempt such a thing with one of the Material Plane's native ley line. Of course, this particular ley line was the white stag they had chased for so long; a Heavenly ley line flowing into the plane from Forgeheart, divine realm of Torag. Fitting, considering what their end goal is.
"I could create some footholds to make climbing down easier, but it would be slow-going if everyone came along," Ehren remarks, he himself capable of safely reaching the bottom in any number of ways. He still felt odd about the fact that what amounted to a small army had been brought along for the express purpose of defending him... but after his scouting mission in this region several months back, he knew that he would need it.
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Hinagiku's initial attempts on finding Shu Lien were unsuccessful - she found that there simply wasn't much intelligence on the goings on in the disparate holdings within the Realm of the Mammoth Lords. She does recall Ehren and Xanderghul using magic to view Javyn from afar whilst they were tracking him down, but any similar attempts were unsuccessful - Shu Lien was simply too strong willed - though she did manage to have Sosiel invoke a sending. Shu Lien's response was simply this - "I will find my own path."
The rest of the next few months are fairly peaceful for Hinagiku. She assists Hua Xing with his classes at Drezen's new academy. There, she finds many tiefling youth that she is able to reach out to. Most of them are fairly normal children for their age, but Hinagiku overhears other citizens of Drezen gossiping about the tiefling youth (disparagingly "demon-spawn") poorly. It seems to Hinagiku that the actions of a few rebels were tainting some of the populace's view of the whole - the city was beginning to experience problems with crude vandalism and destruction of public property.
Valaria had spent the last few months working with Xanderghul. She was introduced to some of the scrappy Pathfinders that had been frequenting the new Lodge in Drezen - one of which had actually come along on this mission, Cyrul the Wanderer. Cyrul had come to the Worldwound driven by pure curiosity - the man had explored most other places in the Inner Sea by foot already. A Pathfinder both by name and by trade, Cyrul was mostly along to help notate the trip for Xanderghul, but he had made for lively conversation about his many travels the trip here, nonetheless. Cyrul was never the ambitious, sort, though. Which explains why he was here, and not delegated to one of the more difficult projects that Xanderghul was undertaking at the moment with his Pathfinders.
When not working with Xanderghul in regards to joining the Pathfinder society, Valaria was working with Anevia on scouting expeditions along the Worldwound leading to this point. The Worldwound seemingly birthed monstrosities from the very ground, and there were a few obstacles in the group's path on their way here, but nothing that wasn't handled with ease by Drezen's finest warriors.
Now, the target leyline was within at least within the next two thousand feet from the plateau here. They had spent a couple of days moving up and down the plateau, to confirm that Ehren couldn't possibly get a read on it from there. They would have to descend for him to get close enough. The cliff was 40' high. Once they got to the ground, it would be up to Ehren to help lead them in the right direction. Once he was close enough to "get a good grasp", he could start working on pulling it up and out of the ground and towards the surface...and eventually up the plateau.
For now, the party camped out atop the plateau included the heroes, Anevia, Külə, Pathfinder Cyrul, Xanderghul's students Tabitha (a young tiefling spellcaster) and Virrk (a young Underfolk from the Darklands), and a retinue of two dozen Crusaders.
Anevia looks over the edge, standing next to Ehren. It was a long, long way down. "Well! Guess we gotta head down. Ready to go whenever you are, Rocky!"
The view from here was honestly rather spectacular. To the north they could see the Lake Lost to the Sun, an enormous, still, black disc of water shrouded in thick, low-hanging fog. To the opposite end, to the south, they could see the river of lava that crept down the Grey Road at this part of the Worldwound. Exactly where the lava came from was less clear. Likely directly from a rift through to the Abyss.
The Worldwound here was mostly devoid of trees, save for the odd dead stump, and the only vegetation to be had was thick, wiry bramble that grew close to the ground. No creatures are visible nearby, though the odd winged creature far to the west could be seen.
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Having finished her meditation, Hinagiku walks by the edge of the cliff until she reaches her assembled companions. She silently nods to those who look toward her as she joins, as if to say that she was okay. She listens for a moment to what they are saying before gently entering the conversation.
"Mrs. Isilme, could you and Mr. Xanderghul carry us down? I could beseech the Master of masters to strengthen one of you so that you may carry others down."
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With the group almost ready to head down, Isilme takes a few moments to prepare the group for whatever might come. First she focuses her efforts on the camp. Drawing upon her divine magic, she wards the center of the camp, consecrating it against demons. She then takes a the time to prepare the spell again, just in case they were ambushed out in the field while Ehren was vulnerable.
"I can ferry us down, and ant haul would certainly make it easier to do so quickly," she replies to Hinagiku. It was better to save the ability to convert her magic into fly spells for if they needed to move back up the cliff quickly. For the time, being, however, she expected the situation to be fairly calm.
Once she has the magic she takes time ferrying those who need it one at a time down to the base of the cliff. In fact, with the Hinagiku's spell enhancing her strength, she finds herself able to carry Külə, though his bulk makes it difficult, and it takes more than a few minutes of talking to him to convince him that it was worth him being flown down to the base of the cliff to aid the others. Isilme didn't fault him for being reticent, she basically had to bear his entire form on her back, a sight that was comical given her size and stature compared to his. The absurdity only increased as she lifted off the ground and slowly floated towards the edge of the cliff and then down and out of sight.
"Well Archdruid, what now?" she says once the group is finished assembling at the base of the cliff.
Ehren looks to Hinagiku with concern when she finally rejoins the group, but understanding the need to remain focused on the task at hand, merely nods in agreement with her idea. There would always be time for talk later. While the archdruid could have reached the bottom just as easily by turning into a bird or elemental, allowing Isilme to carry him down seemed to be a far more pragmatic use of resources. When it is Kule's turn, Ehren watches with amusement as the aasimar carries him down, quietly thinking that it would have been a whole lot easier if the unicorn had taken on a bipedal form, like he did in Heaven.
"We are close. Now we just need to find the right spot," he replies vaguely, once everyone has reached the foot of the plateau. He opens his spirit sense and scans their immediate surroundings, not expecting to find anything. If the ley line welled anywhere close to the surface, he would have likely found it a long time ago. In which case, he would have to rely on his other senses to figure out where they need go.
If the idea of carrying Kule seemed absurd, carrying Ary was even moreso. At least Kule wasn't covered in sharp and pointy objects that dangled in every direction. And he may even weigh less, when push came to shove.
But downwards Ary goes, ready to guard her allies should anything particularly dangerous make its approach, fully expecting for the group to have to move out deeper into the Worldwound once more.
While Isilme starts lifting and carrying people down the plateau, Xanderghul casts overland flight on himself and spider climb on his students Virrk and Tabitha. "Come with if you want. It may be dangerous, but if you stay near me at all times it will be okay." He flies to the bottom of the cliff at that point and invites them down. "Your hands will stick to the cliff face!" he calls.
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Tabitha and Virrk climb down the sheer cliff face while their teacher looks on, and Isilme slowly ferries each of the others up and down the cliff. Virrk moves much faster than Tabitha, having lived a life where physical athleticism was a necessity for survival. Virrk is a short, stout lad who would probably pass for a young dwarf, were it not for his arms. Both arms were bisected and covered with a hard and shiny exoskeleton. His left arm ended in a humanoid hand, though covered in blue exoskeleton with too many joints. The right arm ended in an enormous crab-claw. The rest of his body, though, is well-built, and free of the many disabilities that plagued his race. He didn't speak Common very well at all, but Xanderghul had immediately recognized that he had a knack for languages that the other Gunduara youth did not.
Tabitha, on the other hand, was a young Chelish girl of sixteen. She has pale, white skin and long, glossy dark hair that frames piercing, pale eyes. She has two fleshy antennae that protrude from her forehead, prominences that marked her as 'different' from a young age. She had lived a life on the run due to her family's penchant for demon-worship in a devil-worshipping country, a path that eventually lead her to the harsh reaches of northern Mendev. A brief stint at public schooling in Kintargo exposed her to ideas beyond her family's teachings, and that was enough to turn her against demon worship - though her parents had always viewed it as a childish rite of rebellion. She is tall, and thin, and mostly stands silently near Xanderghul and Virrk, watching the other heroes as they work with wide, curious eyes.
The heroes set out, lead by Ehren, as he reaches out with his invisible senses in search of the Heavenly ley. It was a matter of much contention between the Archdruid and Xanderghul's students - so much had to rely on Ehren's ability to perceive forces that they could not sense nor measure. This lead Xanderghul's student Laila on a trip with a strange new Pathfinder named Aisha to Ghalcor's Tower to learn of other progress made by the Crusaders in regards to technology to detect, sense, or measure the ley. But until they were done with that project, they had to rely on Ehren's senses, trained from a young age to be sensitive to the life-force that welled and surged beneath his feet.
The leyline in question was deep within the earth. Ehren knew that he wouldn't necessarily need to dig thousands of feet deep into the ground to ensnare the ley - but finding a cave, hole, crevasse, or other similar system that could get him just a little bit closer to it would be of a huge relief. Upon receiving that feedback, Valaria remembers aloud of at least one small cave system she had found near here. Last time she had been here there was a giant demonic spider inside of it. She had killed it last time she had scouted all the way out here, which was about a month ago, but who knows what had moved in since... common sense dictated caution, so they slowly approached the site.
Beneath the plateau, the terrain undulates in hills that slope downwards to the Grey Road. The Grey Road was once a mighty river that connected the Lake Lost to the Sun to the West Sellen River, but had since dried up. A little further down the riverbed great flows of magma erupt from cracks in the ground, and flow down in place of water. But up here it was just dry and barren.
Long ago, this area was home to geysers, and small hot springs. It was a popular place for many tribes to congregate, particularly during the brutal Sarkorian winters. But it seems they have long dried up. There is nothing but ash and ruin here.
The Gray Road was so named because now the road was a common throughfair for demonic armies across the Wounded Lands. This far up north though, adjacent to the Stonewilds, the Worldwound was mostly devoid of life, demonic or otherwise. A little up the slope from the Gray Road were a set of gravely hills, deepset into one is the entrance to what appears on the outside to be a small den, but Valaria had previously confirmed to be a large cave, like one that would serve as a resting place for a bear and her cubs.
The heroes walk south along the Gray Road, the cave entrance is barely visible at about five hundred feet ahead.
As you come up to here you notice that there are lots of footprints in the ash along the Gray Road. Many of them are recent.
They are humanoid, bipedal. There are also hoof prints. A cow?
There's at least twelve different humanoids that have been walking up and down this bank. Many of them are leading to the cave. The prints are heavy and deep-set - some of these people are wearing full plate.
The cow prints are a bit concerning. Definitely not a minotaur, since it's not bipedal - actually, you think the 'cow' has at least six legs... it seems to follow the people wearing full plate.
As you come to glimpse the entrance of the cave, you are struck with a profound sense of sadness. Looking to Ehren, you wonder if he feels the same way. In conversation, you had come to learn that many of the times you felt your 'mother' calling out to you, Ehren had heard her call too. But this time, he doesn't seem to notice whatever it is you are feeling.
Xanderghul is among the first to step forward. "We should send someone quick and quiet into the cave to make sure there's nothing lurking in there." Meanwhile, he picks at the ground. "Or does anyone else have some way of checking to see if this area is inhabited? I'd like to move quickly so we can return to the plateau and get moving soon."
"It doesn't look like that hard of a climb, but an easy way down is appreciated," Val thanks Isilme as the aasimar helps them down the cliff. Once everyone else joins them, Val doesn't even have to say a word before Xanderghul puts voice to her thoughts. "I can take the lead, no problem. Last time, there were some beasts lurking around, but nothing too difficult. Best to be careful, but unless something really bad has moved in it shouldn't take long."