Unafe gasps, feeling the soil of Sarkoris again beneath her feet (grateful even though that soil is soiled by swine). She gazes up, shaking her head, still not quite understanding how that vast world they were on for nearly a day could be that burning rock in the sky.
She had been considering what to say to her clansfolk, and has a bit of relief, realizing she doesn't have to decide quite yet. They will want to know that Goryon is back, and that she gives promise that we can return the great saurians to life! But they will want to know more too. Goryon is so sure that they must not know her true history. What do I think...?
Seeing her companions and the Akitonians come back through, each alive, Unafe smiles. She exhales more deeply than she has in a day. Turning to focus on this door back to the comet, she says inwardly, < Gad inni gau un arall, Doeth Goryon. >
Then, that last task done, she turns to her companions and says, “Rydw i yn eich dyled. Roedd gen i dasg oedd yn ddyledus i fy hynafiaid - bydd un rydw i'n gweddïo yn fy ngwneud yn fwy defnyddiol i'n hymgais i gau'r malltod cythreuliaid hwn - ond fy oedd fy ymladd, a dewisasoch ei wneud yn eiddo i chi.
"O'r eiliad y cerddon ni trwy'r porth hwnnw, roeddwn i'n ofni fy mod wedi eich arwain i farw ymhell o gartref. Diolch i'r Cyndadau Cysegredig ein bod ni i gyd wedi dychwelyd yn ddiogel. A diolchaf chi."
"From the moment we walked through that portal, I feared I had led you to die far from home. I thank the Sacred Ancestors that we have all returned safely. And I thank you."
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Grateful to be back on Golarion, Myrna still trudges out of the pig pen immediately and shakes herself free of muck and mud. She checks her surroundings to be sure they're real, and then checks the pig pen to see that all her companions make it back and that the portal closes. "I would say it's no problem," responds Myrna with a small sigh to Unafe's thank-you, "But I sort of think that it is. I hope you're able to reconcile the truth with the voice in your head, and I'm glad we were able to defeat evil today, but I'm nervous we've only just summoned more trouble to us by serving a ghost, rather than having done an important service for an honored elder."
"Come and find me if you ever need help, but for now, I'm going to go home, rest, wash, and return to my duties. We still have a war to fight and win."
Back in Drezen, Myrna busies herself with regular work. She is welcoming her Hellfire Squadron into town, integrating herself and them into the city's normal business, and spending her off-hours in the training yard with the best Crusaders that she can find to volunteer to train with her. The whole experience at the comet had taught her that she really needed to get serious about this whole "being a badass" thing if she wanted to survive and make an impact. That had been an unexpectedly serious deadly threat, and Myrna had had few tools to use to solve it. She just needed to get stronger, tougher, faster, or she might not make it next time.
Myrna heads to the big city on her weekend, bringing along the giant's axe that she lugged all the way home from the comet on her back. In Nerosyan's marketplaces she finds a new home for Bunko's giant axe and uses the money at a local arcane blacksmith to fund a new weapon for herself: a cold iron warhammer that would strike true against the true enemies of the Crusades: the demons.
Beatrix is gladdened to see her superior back at work, and returns to her own duties with motivation redoubled. With the Hellfire Squadron moving to Drezen in earnest, Lieutenant Medici's focus is on preparing the workload for them. She is often seen in Citaden Drezen poring over maps and scouting reports, planning the excursions that the Hellfire Squadron would be sent on. As an elite squadron, they could be trusted to do things that normal soldiers wouldn't be able to do, and their tiefling natural resistances let them spend longer periods in the Worldwound than other soldiers as well. Their first task is merely to become familiar with the local environment, so Beatrix plans an extended tour of the plateau on which Drezen sits, with the Hellfire Squadron to report back on any local dangers, as well as routes up and down the plateau. Each of them is also given an assignment to hand-sketch the environment that they patrol each day in order to further advance their learning.
As Archivist, she also takes Myrna's report of events on the comet and transcribes them into a professional document to be sent back to base at Nerosyan and catalogued in the Citadel stores.
On three successive days, she also visits Myrna at home during the evening to try to identify her Captain's new shield for its magical properties. If her efforts on the third day fail, she seeks outside help.
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On some of her off-duty evenings, Myrna spends some time scribing scrolls using her spell kenning ability. The adventure on the comet had taught her excess preparation for unforeseen circumstances, so she secures a supply of inks and paper for future needs and stores away a few items that could help with various future problems.
She also buys green and red paints and uses them to roughly paint over the foreign water elemental lord's sigil on her new shield. She paints the whole shield green, about one inch all the way around red, and then she writes roughly in red as a second layer the phrase "A FREE SARKORIS".
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Despite all the challenges they had faced on Apostae’s Star, leaving its rarefied ley lines and silent weightlessness to step into the bright, loud, and smelly Golarion was quite a shock, akin to leaving the quiet praying ground of a monastery for a busy market place. But, here at least, it was safe.
Floating above the ground, Hinagiku avoids the mud and makes her way around the sty. Once on cleaner ground, she responds to Unafe’s thanks.
”Rydych chi eisoes wedi helpu Ehren, y croesgadau a minnau gymaint, ni fyddai wedi bod yn iawn gadael ichi fynd ar eich pen eich hun. Mae'n debyg bod Mrs. Myrna yn gywir wrth ddweud y gallem fod wedi gwneud rhai gelynion heddiw, ond mae gweithredoedd da hefyd yn dod â chanlyniadau da gyda nhw, neu felly mae'r doeth yn dweud.”
Having said that, Hinagiku welcomes their akitonians and invites them to follow Unafe and her to the outskirts of town where the Demetae and, likely, Dolok are waiting. She explains who the spirit is to the space travellers, hopefully alleviating the fears they had of the monster they had seen through the portal.
Afterward, Hinagiku motions for Ehren to join them and discuss what to do with the newcomers.
”Ehren-kun, Pagbean, Lohad, and their companions will need someone to help them speak to the people of Drezen. Apart from you, is there someone else in town that could help them?”
Once the akitonians are settled, Hinagiku, quite exhausted, allows herself to look at the comet in the sky, reflecting that since she had left Minkai, she had discovered lands ever more exotic: tundra, eversnow, demonic wasteland and desert. Perhaps she would discover something even more alien in the future.
The night of their return to Drezen, Hinagiku is so tired from their quest and from the confusion of having lost her ability to let the ley guide her body, that she lays down with Ehren; she needed a full night’s sleep, not a mere two hours. By his side, she grasped his hand to comfort him, who is likely as exhausted as her. The familiar sensation of his essence flows through her mind, making her feel at home. But, curiously, something as changed. As if a truth about Ehren-kun solidified, became more real. Holding on, she delves deeper, lets the feeling settle in her. The sensation is unmistakable, a presence similar to that of Sayrazul, the elemental ley of earth has left its trace in the archdruid.
”Ary knew it all along, you are rocky..” she whispers to him, her kitsune heritage introducing a hint of humour in her tone.
Thanks to Ehren’s generosity and power to travel the ley, Hinagiku makes her way back to her hometown. After a short time passed with her mother, where she needs to explains where the scar on her upper lip comes form, the monk leaves for the temple where she plans on studying its ancient tomes and knowledge. Entry is readily given to the ex Iroran.
Having received the permission to consult Body Outside Body, Hinagiku had settled in a corner of the library lit by a nearby window. In the lotus position, book laid over her legs, she pored through the text. She could remember much of it from when she had read the whole thing, but many of the subtleties had been lost on her back then. Now, with her daily meditations bringing her so close to being one with Existence, every subtlety was cast into a new light. After hours, it came to dawn on her that in strengthening her spiritual connection to the ley, she had forgotten her body.
Closing her eyes, the monk slowly let her attachment to the world drift aside while her mind slowly dissolved into the flow of the world. Reaching the climactic peace and oneness with Existence, she could feel being drawn to enlightenment; she could let go in that moment, leave her body behind and simply be. But, a shred of consciousness remained, the one purpose she had dedicated her life to: healing the Wound, allowing others to reach what she had reached. From that one point, on the edge of dissolution, the knowledge of Body Outside Body oriented her spirit, allowed her spiritual self to observe and know itself. Metaphorically staring into a mirror of the soul, she could see what she was, how she was connected to the ley, and how the connection was being forced into her physical body down below. A rainbow of ley lines, each color from a different facet of Existence, formed into a colorful vortex by her spirit and funnelled into her body by her mind. She could see that Goryon’s magical ward had wreaked havoc on some of the colours, with each elements forming knots and clogging the vortex. Slowly, she unravelled them, allowing the flow to recover. But, the truth was, this was not the problem, it only had been the drop that had made the vase overflow. In this case, her body was overflowing with energy from Existence, unable to contain it all. Although the connection to her first mother had given her an incredible body, even after being reincarnated, it had not been made to harness the whole flow of creation.
A thought then arose, by a memory of Ehren-kun, to an unstoppable wave: the body could be remade. The body of her close companion, the archdruid, had changed, it had modified it essence to be closer to that of Sarayzul. Could her own body not be remade so? Could she not attune it to the different essences of Existence, fashion it to resonate harmoniously with each waves of the ley? This was a revelation, until now she had believed that once her mind was fully attuned to Existence, she would be its flow. Yet, her body could not follow the flow like her mind did, she had mistakenly forsaken it, forgotten that is was where her mind and spirit met with the material world and made Hinagiku. But, fashioned in the image of her invisible self, the body would be a true reflection of her self, able to be the flow of the world.
Still in a trance, still staring at the metaphorical mirror of her inner self, she could see that her body was one and that it needed to be infused with the all of physical existence. From the comet she had recently glimpse into the vastness of the void, a feeling she now sensed as a part of all of Existence. And so, following her revelation, Hinagiku began to weave the ley from the vastness into her body, connecting the prismatic facets of the material to it, taking the first step into being harmony between the physical and metaphysical.
Waking hours later, Hinagiku sets her mind on the next essence of Existence to attune to. But, first, she needed to speak with her master.
Body Outside Body having guided her to new revelations, Hinagiku decided to seek her old master. Finding him in deep meditation, she respectfully sat at the edge of the courtyard he was in and fell into her own trance.
Awakened hours later by the greeting of Kuso Jiji, Hinagiku had bowed deeply. Straightening back, she had asked the shameless request that had been on her mind.
”Jiji sensei, I came to ask to consult the library. I found what I was looking for, and maybe more. Body Outside Body is a tome of great depth. Everytime I read it, I am reminded of essential truths. Everytime I read it, I have experienced more of the world invisible to our eyes, and I am able to draw more meaning from the text. Without it, I could not have come to the revelation that I have. Without it, I would struggle much more to grow. Yet, it is difficult for me to come here. Everytime I do, I leave the Wound of the World, the place I am dedicated to. And so, I have come here with a selfish request.“ in saying so, Hinagiku bowed once more, her head almost touching the ground. ”May I borrow Body Outside Body from the library? I realize how dangerous it will be, how likely its knowledge may be lost if I die there. But, I will let my companion know that the book should be brought back to you if I were to die.”
Being in her hometown, Hinagiku does not forget to spend time with her mother. She had brought some money with her from Mendev and pays for nice food for the two of them. She also takes some time to help her mother with her current flower arrangements. Yet, Hinagiku is not there long for the revelation she had during her meditation is tugging at her and she knows she needs to follow Ehren-kun in his travel.
As convened, Ehren came to visit Hinagiku to her mother’s house every morning. The morning of the third day, he finds her standing in the field, with her mother. A hint of longing in the old woman’s eyes makes it clear that she is there to wish farewell to her daughter that is about to depart once more.
”Good morning Ehren-kun. It seems that just like the cycle of soul and that of nature united us in ideals years ago, my quest for harmony lays with uniting with the forces you revere. It almost looks like faith wanted it that way when it infused you with the essence of earth. If you would let me, I would like to travel with you and learn to discover these different forces that come together to make this mother” she motions to the ground ”what she is.”
In the space of only a few days, and the archdruid of Sarkoris’s guidance, Hinagiku comes to attune herself with nature faster than Ehren has ever seen. Perhaps her spriritual harmony with the world had made her more receptive, or maybe it was her link to her first mother. Nevertheless, meditating in ley infused places seems to bring about invisible changes to her body. The feeling Ehren gets is almost indescribable, he feels the changes, the elements infusing his fiancée, he knows they are physical, yet he cannot see, hear, smell, nor feel them. They are, yet they are not.
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The instant he emerges from the portal and sets foot on the soft, loamy soil, Ehren knows he is home. He closes his eyes and inhales, taking in his first breath of fresh, natural air in over a day. A wide smile spreads across his face as the druid pushes his feet deeper into the ground, wriggling his toes like earthworms, basking in the sounds, smells, and other sensations absent on the barren comet. Amid it all, he feels ever-present ley, coursing through the land like a raging river. Even without his beckoning, its thrum penetrates his body, resonating with the pool of power deep within his soul.
And deeper still.
Unperturbed as he appeared to be on réalta fánaíochta when Hinagiku showed him his reflection, Ehren did not know what to make of his abrupt metamorphosis. The only thing he knew for sure was that it felt right, like the culmination of something that had started long ago. Still, the planetouched druid had questions that could be answered here, close to the Green. However, before he could do that, there were more present matters. Ehren opens his eyes and looks at his friends, his joyous expression turning placid once more.
“There is more to say on the matter now that the fear of imminent death does not gnaw at us,” he says finally, understanding Myrna’s sentiment. The worthiness of their accomplishment aside, they could not ignore the complications that might arise, nor could they overlook Goryon’s reckless endangerment of their lives. The dragon, after all, is here to stay. “But let us attend to other matters first. We must share the news of our return and introduce our honored guests. They will need a place to stay until we can find them passage to Akiton.”
Ehren then turns to Unafe, his gemstone eyes shifting colors as he peers into hers. His lips form another smile, small but genuine.
“Unafe, gyfaill, nid dyma’r tro cyntaf i mi lafurio ar eich rhan chi a’ch pobl, ac nid dyma’r tro olaf. Ac eto, nid oes gennyf ddyledion arnoch, oherwydd byddwch yn eu had-dalu filwaith yn y treialon sydd i ddod,” the archdruid replies, switching to their native tongue. There were often times when Taldane could not do his words justice. This was one of them. “Yr wyf yn siŵr eich bod eisoes wedi meddwl llawer am yr hyn y byddwch yn ei ddweud wrth y Demetae. Eich bod yn ymwybodol iawn o beryglon gwirionedd a chyfrinachedd. Ond p'un a ydych chi'n dewis anrhydeddu dymuniadau Goryon ai peidio, byddaf yn cadw at eich penderfyniad.”
Finally, Ehren joins Hinagiku, sharing her concerns about the Akitonians. They needed a place to stay, and by tomorrow, Pagbean and Lohad would no longer be able to communicate with everyone quite so easily. As much as the druid wanted to help them, he would not be able to do so alone.
"We could reach out to Sosiel and see if there are priests who can offer assistance," he suggests. Ehren had always admired the kind Shelynite's commitment to ensuring faiths apart from his own had a voice. How would he react to meeting a cleric who came from another planet entirely? "The spell I used to share my knowledge of Taldane with them is not particularly powerful, so I imagine many priests could do the same. All the better if any of them could speak Sylvan - they would have a common tongue with Pagbean, at the very least."
Once the Akitonians have all come through with the other heroes, Unafe raises a hand and closes the portal, causing it to dissolve back into the mud of the pig pen.
Goryon speaks, clearly, still in a state of shock.
"Roedd y ddraig a welsoch yn fy ewythr i, Lonzyon. Roeddwn wedi credu ei fod wedi marw gyda'r gweddill ... Mae'n torri fy nghalon i'w weld ef nawr, mewn cyflwr mor gam, yn weision bach i Ayrzul. ... Unafe, rwy'n dyledus i chi am eiriau ymddiheuriad. Roedd y cenhadaeth y gwnes i chi ei hebrwng yn llawer mwy peryglus a llawn perygl nag yr oeddwn i erioed wedi'i ragweld. Pe na byddai am eich nerth, efallai na fyddem wedi byw i weld y diwrnod hwn. Mae fy mregret am eich camarwain yn dwfn, ond gobeithio eich bod chi nawr yn deall y angen tu ôl i rai o'r twyll hwnnw. Am y tro, dylai cuddio'r Frenhines o fewn eich tirlun breuddwyd rhoi seibiant i ni sydd ei angen yn fawr, er ei fod yn fyr ... Gadewch i ni ailgyfeirio ein sylw at y Demetae. Plîs, arwain ni atyn nhw. Rwy'n hiraethu i wybod eu henwau a'u hwynebau."
Over the course of three nights, Beatrix delves into understanding Myrna's newest possession, a heavy shield shaped like a turtle shell, forged from the metallic body of a yangethe - an extraterrestrial creature Myrna informed her she fought on the surface of a comet.
On the first evening, in Myrna's home, Beatrix closely examines the shield. With her fingertips tracing its cool, hardened surface, she carefully notes the intricate details of its form and ponders its origins. The shield seems to resonate under her touch, a faint hum suggesting a complex weave of otherworldly magic and ancient stories.
Returning the next night, Beatrix engages in a more profound exploration of the shield. Under the soft glow of the room's candlelight, she extends her senses into the arcane pathways ingrained within the extraplanar shield, attempting to decipher the foreign enchantments it bears.
By the third night, the mystery unravels. A sense of accomplishment washes over Beatrix as a single Aquan word - "vali", translating to "rush" - emerges from a tome she had borrowed from the library at the Citadel. The shield's command word reveals the unique magic it harbors.
Kuso Jiji looked at Hinagiku, his eyes gleaming with a blend of compassion and wisdom beneath his wrinkled brows. He watched her bow, deep and respectful, receiving her request in the serene courtyard, gleaming with winter snow.
The old master sighed softly and raised his hand to stop her. 「立ち上がれ、ヒナギク」he gently commanded. Once she was upright, he took a moment to consider his response.
「ひなぎく」 he started, his voice calm and composed. 「あなたは、敬意と知識の熱心な探求をもって私を尊敬しています。ボディ・アウトサイド・ボディはまさに偉大な知恵の本であり、その秘密をゆっくりと、そしてそ れを受け入れる準備ができている人々に明らかにするものです。それは次の証拠です。あなたの勤勉さと献身から、あなたはそこから多くのものを集めてきました。」
He paused for a moment before continuing.「しかし、あなたの要求により、私は難しい立場に置かれています。ご存知のとおり、あなたの元クラスメートで熱心な色蘭の張昭さんは、現 在テキストの学習に取り組んでいます。それは彼女の自己完成への道の重要な部分です。あなたもそうであったように。ご存知のとおり、私たちの伝統は私たち自身の 信奉者の霊的成長を優先しています。あなたが別の道を歩み、世界の傷に身を捧げる一方で、彼女は巡礼を終えてここに戻ってきて、自分自身を捧げました。いろりの 教えに従ってください。」
Kuso Jiji's gaze softened. 「ヒナギク、あなたの献身は理解しています。そして、あなたの旅は高貴です。しかし、知恵を探す中で、これを考えてください。おそらく、あなたは自分の道があな たを前進させているのに、過去にしがみつこうとしているのでしょう。」
One of the first orders of business is to find a home for the displaced Akitonians. As the Archdruid navigates through the crowded city of Drezen, his path eventually leads him to an old friend and fellow High Priest, Sosiel Vaenic, who is now accompanied by his recently restored brother, Trever, a living testament to the remarkable deeds of the heroes. Sosiel's permanent dwelling is in the Multidenominational Cathedral of Drezen, an enormous building with multiple chambers of worship devoted to the various faiths in Drezen. Outside, leading up the stairs to its enormous entrance, are a series of statues reflecting the different faiths represented within, beginning with a statue of the warrior goddess, Iomedae, and ending with its newest statue, a stone-hewn monument of the demi-goddess, Ary Bishop.
Ehren had been swept up in his own whirlwind of duties, tending to his people's needs, that it's been a seeming eternity since he last crossed paths with Sosiel. The moment he spots the familiar figure, a sense of warmth washes over him, a nostalgic tug at the corner of his heart. Sosiel is a picture of radiant joy, his eyes lighting up as Ehren comes into view.
"Ehren!" Sosiel beams, clasping the Archdruid's hand in a firm shake. His smile widens at the sight of his old friend. "It's been too long. What brings you here?"
Sosiel chuckles, as he listens to Ehren's explanation. Once he is done, he speaks, warmth resonating in his voice. "You always know how to keep me on my toes, Ehren," he says. "But don't worry. Trever and I will do whatever we can."
True to his word, Sosiel pledges to extend his helping hand, offering to provide shelter and sustenance for the alien refugees. The Akitonians, in return, are overwhelmed by relief. After a journey fraught with peril, they have landed on a hospitable planet, blessed with breathable air, edible food, and drinkable water. They are eager to reciprocate the goodwill shown by the Crusaders, willing to contribute their efforts and assist in any way they can.
Calistril 26 4718
As the darkness of night fell and the rest of Drezen was surrendered to sleep, Ehren Ferron himself lay down, the weariness of the day pulling him into a deep slumber. Suddenly, his dreams were pierced by an ethereal vision.
A large wood and stone fortification, once imposing and majestic, now stood partially in ruins, a sad reminder of its former glory. Ehren recognizes it from his scouting trips into the surrounding Worldwound. These are the ruins of Caerwen, a Sarkorian fortification built during the First Crusade by a group of rangers of the Green Faith. During their last trip over a year ago they had cleared the fortification of demons, but given the severe structural damage and great distance from Drezen, were not able to reclaim it.
Now, in Ehren's dream, the skeletal remnants of the fortress were surrounded by an army of vile, monstrous demons. Ehren looks among them, identifying among their number - two hezrou, two derakni, four tiefling cultists riding rift drakes and a few troops of babau. Their roars echoed through the night, a horrifying symphony of hate and bloodlust. These monsters were foes that the Archdruid knew well. Among the legion of beasts, a figure stood out - a hunchbacked, blue skinned hag, her malevolent gaze filled with cruel delight.
Despite the odds stacked against her, one figure resisted. Valaria, resplendent and brave, a beacon amidst the encroaching darkness. Her body was marred by a grievous bleeding wound. Yet her spirit was unbroken, her eyes burning with determination and defiance.
Suddenly, a gust of wind, cold and sharp, carried Valaria's voice to Ehren. "Ehren...Please. Can you hear me?"
"We stand on hallowed ground, within Desna's sanctuary. We are besieged... trapped. Jaruunicka, a cleric of Sifkesh, commands the demons that surround us. We have held them back, cut down their numbers, but more remain... and the hag's cursed blade has found its mark. I am wounded and running low on supplies." Her voice is defiant, but weary from exertion. "We're seventy miles west of Drezen. Please, Ehren, we need your help."
And with that, Ehren awakens.
Ehren recognizes the hag as an annis hag. This monstrous crone stands taller than a man despite her grotesque hunch, her skin an unsettling hue of a fresh bruise, iron-hard, and studded with repulsive warts. An annis hag draws on raw physical power and malicious cruelty, delighting in the terror she instills and the blood she spills. Her claws, sharp as rusted iron, are deadly instruments of torture and death, and resists being pierced or sliced by blades.
She dwells within the heart of icy marshes, hidden within cursed ruins, tangled hollows, or the deepest, darkest caves. Under the guise of night, she steps forth, spreading fear and hungering for the flesh of the innocent. The annis hag possesses a disturbing preference for tender flesh, that of children, young animals, and the pure of heart. Her grim feast doesn't end at mere consumption. She strips the skin from her victims to dress in their despair, preserving pieces of them to perpetuate the horrors they experienced in their final moments.
Equipped with sinister spells, an annis hag can assume the form of any humanoid, a deceitful trick used not to infiltrate societies, but rather to lure unsuspecting victims into a false sense of security. She is also known to create clouds of fog, providing cover for her dark deeds. While oftentimes solitary, an annis hag may sometimes join with her horrific sisters in a coven. Such covens are typically led by an annis, accompanied by green hags, or even witches, and they seek to enlist brutish creatures such as trolls and ogres for their defense.
It is morning, 7:00 AM, - it is cold, but not extremely so, and the sun is rising outside. Ehren, after receiving such an unsettling dream, has gathered the other heroes, Myrna, Unafe, Li'an and Hinagiku, at Myrna's home in Drezen alongside Lt. Beatrix. They stand in her living room, warmed by her hearth, having been summoned by the Archdruid with urgency.
Myrna's house is small and humble, featuring an exterior outhouse, a mud-room, a small kitchen, a bedroom, and a living room. Myrna asks that all visitors remove their shoes in the mudroom before entering the middle of the household, and hasn't had anybody over since her housewarming party before the adventure on the comet, so the place is a little disorganized and unready for company. The living room is at the center of the house, and connects to all the other rooms.
There is not enough seating. Myrna owns two chairs and a couch, and while Myrna herself is standing, she's given her lieutenant the comfortable right side of the couch. A wooden coffee table sits in the center of the room, upon which are dishes of Stonewild sausage (made of cheese, leeks, and breadcrumbs) and sweet frybread from Myrna's larder.
Few decorations have made it into the house so far. Her old shield, the one she carried until she picked up the magic turtle shield on Apostae's Tear, hangs from a wall. A low bookcase is pressed up against one wall, upon which are shelved a few books on mythology, a few song-books, and a few books on military strategy. The room is lit by a lantern on a side-table beside the couch.
"So, Archdruid," begins Myrna, looking at the assembled group. "While I appreciate your visit, I usually don't receive company so early. What brings you all to my house with such urgency?"
When the others have passed through, Li'an heads through the portal ahead of Unafe. As she steps out into the area they'd left, she stops to appreciate having an actual sky, even if it was the distorted sky of the worldwound. Sound, smell, the sensation of the air rushing past her out the portal, all were reassuring. But it was only after the Demetae Clan-liege stepped through and closed the portal behind them that she allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief.
She takes a moment to pat Unafe and her companions on the shoulders, feeling a sense of relief and accomplishment that they had successfully traveled out to a comet, freed a Marid and her followers, done battle with an assortment of Asura and... something? Rescued a goddess? She wasn't entirely clear on what had happened in the period she had been unconscious other than things had been far more complex than what they had been told originally. In her opinion Goryon owed them all a lengthy apology, but it was over for now... at least in the short term. Something told her that the ravener they had encountered would find them again eventually. It could not have been a coincidence that a crystalline dragon ravener had been waiting for them on the way out, and if they had eventually found out where Goryon had hidden Sara the first time, it would be even easier for them to do so this time, as there were many more people involved, and they had an entire maze filled with hidden rooms that likely belonged to Goryon and which would aid them in future scrying and divination attempts.
When Myrna gives her opinion of the situation to Unafe and is unapologetic in pointing out that Goryon may have brought more trouble to their door in the future, she found her logic hard to argue.
Moving up close to Unafe so others beyond their group couldn't hear, she expresses her own opinion on the matter, in common to avoid the draconic ghost from eavesdropping. "Thanks to our power and skill, and no small amount of luck, we made it home alive. For that I am grateful. And, I am happy that I was able to contribute to aiding you in your quest Unafe... But I agree with Myrna. I worry what may come of this going forward. I doubt that ravener will simply give up on what was clearly its mission. I hope that retrieving it was worth the future risk we all likely face. You should spend some time contemplating what you do going forward. I suggest you remember that dragons do not consider mortals equals or partners. She considered us tools at best, if not an outright nuisance, and in neither case would we have been deemed fit to even stand in her presence were she alive. I would also consider that your people have a right to understand their heritage."
"I am going to return to Drezen now, this trip has given me much to think about. I need to decide what it is that I am trying to accomplish here," she says to the group, "If you need me I'll likely be around the keep somewhere."
As she begins to head out, it isn't long before Auraelia manages to find her, having spent her time in the nearby village entertaining herself by sharing stories with the Demetae villagers and listening to the ones they had. The Demetae, much like many of the other Kellid clans were always good for stories of battle and adversity, which she found far more entertaining than the kind one generally found in taverns with crusaders.
"It is about time you are back!" Auraelia says, chiding Li'an. "You can't just leave me behind like that, I am supposed to be looking out for you!"
"I am sorry I left you behind, Arie, but given there was no air over there and everything that happened, I am certain it was the right decision," Li'an responds, deciding not to broach the subject of the fact she'd somehow miraculously avoided dying in the chamber fighting the Asura and Oni. Seeing the Lyrakien was only going to ask more questions, Li'an cuts her off. "We can talk about everything that happened in detail some other time. For now I am tired and need to rest, and then I need to start finding answers to questions I have."
Auraelia sighs, seeing she that she isn't going to get anything else useful out of her elven companion and resigns herself to a quiet trip back to Drezen. Much like Li'an, the trip off Golarion made it clear that what had worked in the past wouldn't be sufficient if she wished to be able to achieve the task Pulura had set before her.
The trip had proven four things to Li'an. First, she needed to understand herself better. Somehow she had survived blows that would have killed anyone... that should, in fact, have killed her. She was clearly more than simply something between an elf and a Brijidine Azata, and testing the limits of her own powers was more essential than ever.
Second, while the others had rescued Sara, she'd received a vision that she didn't yet understand, but it had seemed too real to merely brush off. She would need to spend time researching that dream to try to understand if it had any relevance. The fact she had seemingly interacted with herself in the vision only made her more curious to determine what its meaning was.
Third, she didn't trust Goryon to protect them from the consequences of their retrieval of Sara. The dragon's insistence on conflating her need to hoard with some theory that hoarding valuables would somehow make them safe was just infuriating. She had seen that ravener, she understood what it was and had a good idea of what it was capable of. They had escaped it, but only because it was forced to fly slowly in the vacuum they had been in. She was certain they would encounter it again, and she intended to know everything she could about that particular dragon before they encountered it again.
Fourth, she really needed to do something fun and for herself, and there was little in the world that appealed to her more than taking the Covetous Flame and breaking it on the Purity Forge. Reforging a tool of devils, one so deeply rooted in their concept of flame as a greedy, devouring force, appealed to her in a way little else did.
To do so would be no small feat however. It was a powerful artifact, and an intensely evil one at that. If she was going to turn it to her ends and purify it, she would need to hone her own magical crafting skills and learn as much as she could about artifacts that had been destroyed or changed in the past. She would also need to do all this and get to work on it before that Narikapolous woman was able to get through the bureaucracy that stood between her and the candelabra.
With that in mind, after unloading all the valuables they had retrieved on their journey--with the exception of the 'demetae' artifacts, were entrusted to Unafe--she set about collecting the books she would need and upgrading her laboratory. To do so she managed to talk Irabeth into withdrawing her from active duty so she could begin teaching arcana at the Crusader Academy in Drezen. Doing so freed Irabeth from the issue of figuring out what to do with a low ranking crusader who was also a powerful outsider and nearly an archmage in her own right.
In exchange for teaching, she was given her own quarters and a proper laboratory space, allowing her to finally move out of Aravashnial's old tower. She quickly filled up the space with books she 'borrowed' from the collection in the tower, along with the equipment she'd need to better study magical items. It was there, beneath one of the floor stones, that she kept the covetous flame hidden in its box, within another box lined with lead thick enough to prevent any divination from locating it.
Her new home and lab were mostly filled with shelves with books, desks with books open on them, and a few places to sit. Even her personal room had only a chaise lounge where some might have had a bed. She had no need for sleep, so mostly she enjoyed having comfortable places to read or meditate. The plaster walls were covered in chalk diagrams working out the structure and meaning of various magic runes, which were unintelligible to all but the most knowledgeable in magic, and only then to those clever enough to figure out her personal notation.
In the meantime, she managed to work on her skill in forging rings, first accepting a request by Ehren to forge a ring to shield him, and then later a pair of rings for him and Hinagiku. The latter she took great pleasure in, and spent much time refining the designs of the rings to try to bring in Sarkorian motifs into the design and to enchant them in such a way that would benefit the two of them as partners going forward.
Besides that, and spending time scribing new copies of the scrolls she had used on their trip, she spent every remaining moment either reading about artifacts, forging rings, or studying the purity forge with Joran. Having been involved in reforging the artifact Xanderghul had once retrieved from the Duergar, Joran had first hand knowledge of leveraging the forge towards her goal, something that no book could provide.
With Li'an focused on learning, Arie spent somme of her time interacting with the Akitonians that had returned with Li'an and the others, finding them a fascinating bunch to talk to, and also being able to help in translating when they weren't able to benefit from magic to do so.
The majority of her time, however, was spent in prayer to Pulura. She had spent much time seeking champions to aid in the battle for Pulura's Falls, and before that champions to serve Pulura in general. But never before had she encountered a situation where the power of the champion and her allies was growing so quickly as to make it difficult for her to accomplish her goal of getting them to the falls. Li'an had great promise, but if she herself wasn't able to keep up, or was killed because she was too weak to follow Li'an into battle, it would do little to benefit the North Star and the defenders of the Falls.
It was on the morning of fifth day of prayers, when the sky was still dark, that she saw an aurora in the northern skies and received a vision. She could have what she desired, but not without risk. If she gave up her contract with Li'an as a familiar, she would be permitted to give herself entirely to the task.
Having been in service of Pulura for so long, she was quite a bit more powerful than a normal Lyrakien, and the familiar contract she generally used to serve champions was a double-edged sword. It greatly limited her power, but as a familiar her spirit was still somewhat protected. Were she slain Pulura would be able to return her to service before long. Now she would be free of her limitations, but in doing so truly put her own life at risk.
Still, despite that she found herself motivated more strongly than ever to enter Li'an's service. This time truly as a partner, a knight with access to divine magic who was also a capable fighter and healer in her own right. So it was that she went to Li'an to break her contract and begin the ritual to fully bring herself to the material plane.
Li'an was still adjusting to the revelation that Auraelia would no longer serve as her familiar when the call came from Ehren on the 28th.
She had spent the previous night reading up on summoning familiars and had just finished calling forth a dweomercap to aid her in her crafting. Unfortunately she had had little time to get a proper container to bring them along in, so instead she left Singeri in her lab to tidy up the place and get familiar with what she had. She had made sure to call forth a spirit that was well-versed in magic item crafting to help support her scribing and ring forging, and Singeri was able to 'read' by tasting differences between the ink and inkless paper and to sense subtle differences in magic, as odd as it might seem for a mushroom to be able to do so. Auraelia, on the other hand, had retreated into her own room within Li'an's home to begin her ritual, and was still deep within that when it was time to head to meet at Myrna's.
"Thank you for allowing us to meet here, Myrna," Li'an says as she enters, bearing a sealed clay amphora of a one-of-a-kind elvish mead produced in Greengold. "I suppose this is as good a time as any to congratulate you on finishing your move to Drezen!" she says with a smile, holding out the amphora to the tiefling. "And thank you Beatrix for loaning me your book, I've managed to procure my own set now! It's nice to have something fun to read when I need to clear my mind."
Turning to Hinagiku and Unafe, she nods, before turning to Ehren. "So what has happened? Hopefully it's not another comet!"
There was hardly enough room in Hinagiku's old cell, in any case, and he wished to live closer to his people, especially since they often sought his advice or blessings. Once he made that decision known, volunteers leaped at the chance to build the flustered archdruid a new home. Ehren tried to help, of course, but quickly found that for all his skill with earth magic, there was an art to stacking stones he had no talent for. As a finishing touch, he mounted a simple sign over the doorway - a tangle of sturdy branches fashioned into a crown of antlers. All who needed him would know where they could find him.
Apart from his beloved, the home was also that of his young cousin for as long as she needed one. Gone were the days of leaving her with Riftwardens or asking Anevia to babysit her, and though she offered guidance from afar, Isilme could no longer be present for Yulin. And so, Ehren was now the child's teacher. Having trained her mother in the ways of the Green Faith, he thought it natural to take her on as an acolyte. It was easier said than done: instilling their people's values in the rapidly growing child and teaching her to resist her baser instincts without subduing her ability to express herself. He could not help but worry that his efforts would not be enough. Not the least because, as much as he loved her, others would always need the archdruid.
That night, as he lay in bed with Hinagiku, he pondered his next move, knowing only that it would take him away from Sarkoris again. It felt selfish, leaving so soon after being so far away - even if only for a day. But there was something he had to do while this moment of respite lasted.
" Ary knew it all along, you are rocky.." she whispers to him, her kitsune heritage introducing a hint of humour in her tone.
Ehren chuckled as he stroked Hinagiku's hair, his eyes half-lidded. “Maybe… Even after all this time, I still can't talk to rocks, though… apart from the ones that can already talk."
He woke up bright and early the next day, agreeing to an itinerary with Hinagiku. Although he originally intended to travel alone, he was happy to take his fiancee. After what he saw on the comet - the previous night, even - he knew that something was amiss with her. It was little surprise to him that she was still searching for answers after all this time.
And so, when he visited her in Minkai on the agreed-upon day, he took her hand with a smile and beckoned for her to sit among the flowers atop the immense ley convergence. "We best start here, then. After this, there is much ground to cover."
Of course, the distance was of little concern to one who could walk the lines, much less a druid who has visited many places of power. After meditating in Minkai, Ehren drew them into the ley again, taking a circuitous route that seemed to extend the otherwise nigh instantaneous journey by a barely perceptible length of time. Being part of the ley, even if only for an instant, was exhilarating. But in a flash, they were already at their next destination.
It had been years since they last meditated in Crystalrock, where the enormous floating crystal called the Heart of the World sang a song that seemed only the two could hear. And so Ehren meditated again, attuning himself to the ley and opening his senses to the crystal's resonance, allowing the sound to drown out all other thought. Somehow, it came to him more quickly than before, but his unasked questions about the crystal's true nature were distractions, so he also let go of them. The druid did not meditate for any particular time, nor did he impose such a limitation on Hinagiku's contemplation; they meditated for as long as necessary and then moved on.
Ehren next brought them to Icerift, offering only a cursory warning about the sudden plunge in temperature; naturally, he offered Hinagiku an endure elements spell, though going without could just as quickly have been a part of the "test." There, the archdruid communed with the menhir again, imparting it with the knowledge he had gained since he last did so. He was somewhat amused to find the memories he poured into during his last visit, his desperate attempt to preserve the wisdom inherited from the Kenabres wardstone before marching to a possible death at Drezen. Such pessimism!
From the snowy peaks of the Rimethirst Mountains, Ehren then blazed a trail through the deserts of Rahadoum, emerging in the Hanging Gardens of Manaket. Seeing they were still likely wanted criminals, the druid quickly informed Hinagiku that they would only be there briefly, as it was not a safe place to meditate. Instead, Ehren channeled his druidic magic, blessing the languishing gardens with the plant growth spell he had prepared. He doubted it would be powerful enough to overcome the forces slowly killing these plants, but the godless nation could not stop him from trying. Satisfied with his efforts, Ehren moved on.
Their next stop was where they started - the menhir outside Drezen. It would not, however, be their last. Ironically, it was here that Ehren felt the earth's pull at its strongest, and for once, he knew exactly why. Flowing through this place was a ley line from the Elemental Plane of Earth itself; that very force had allowed them to purge Mother Heartwood of the corruption that once tormented her. Could it be that this is where it was all set into motion? Like many times before, Ehren sat down to meditate, becoming as still and implacable as stone. Not to be outdone, Grumtarr plopped down nearby, determined to prove that he could sit still for longer than they could. (It was a contest he would win when at the end of their sojourn, Ehren and Hinagiku found that the durdalis was still affixed to that same exact spot.)
After many hours of meditating and walking the lines, the archdruid brings them to their final destination - where Hinagiku was born. Ehren slowly paced through the temple, his eyes following the circular patterns on the walls and ground. They were all that remained of the ancient Sarkorian druids who once worshiped here, the Meddigaeth, the guardians who stood vigil between the sunlit surface and dark depths of the world.
He looked at his life partner with a warm smile; although he could not put it into words, he could already sense the change within her, subtle yet absolute. For so long, he had pondered the mysteries of her existence: what she was, where she came from, why in that very instant, she came to be. When he finally realized she was more than a living miracle, he had already fallen in love with her.
Ehren's summons was as vague as it was brief, conveying little more than urgency. Thankfully, for his friends, that was cause enough to convene in reasonably short order. The archdruid gives off an air of stoicism usually reserved for austere ceremonies; to anyone that knows him, however, it is evident that he is shaken. Even Li'an's joke does not elicit so much as a smirk.
Once everyone has assembled, the druid nods to Hinagiku, the only one who would already have some idea of what this was about, having been given a severely abridged version. Under the circumstances, he would rather avoid having to repeat himself.
"Valaria is in danger," Ehren says finally, looking at the others in the room. Even to those who did not know her personally, the bardess's reputation preceded her. "She is trapped in the ruins of Caerwen, the old Sarkorian fort seventy miles west of here, and surrounded by an army of demons. The place is utterly indefensible - the only thing protecting her now is the Desnan sanctuary there."
The archdruid leaves only a few short moments for that information to sink in before further elucidating everyone on the threat.
"The army is being led by Jaruunicka, a worshiper of Sifkesh. She is an annis hag - a powerful one, at that. Valaria has already sustained a grievous blow at her hands. I fear that she might not have much time."
”Thank you for having us. ” Hinagiku had said upon entering Myrna’s house. Her voice, calm as ever, had conveyed a subtle hint of gravity. With a soft smile, she had greeted each of the others with a nod.
As Ehren succinctly described the situation to the others, Hinagiku stood by his side, supporting him with her kind gaze and usual comforting presence.
”We plan on going to her help. It may be forward of us to think so, but we believe each of you would be interested in knowing this, maybe even joining us. But, from what Ehren-kun has described, it seems that even with the five of us would be outnumbered by troops of babaus. We would greatly appreciate your aid and counsel.” she tilts her head slightly in Ehren’s direction ”Together we have people with great minds, courage, and resources, we can find the best way to come to Mrs. Valaria’s aid. What are your thoughts?”
Li'an is caught more than a little off-guard by Ehren's revelation that Valaria was calling for help in Caerwen and might be mortally wounded. She had expected the tiefling had moved on to wandering the world far from the tainted lands of the world wound. Because of that Li'an had moved on to focus on studying magic and helping her friends.
Nevertheless, despite having only shared a couple days together years ago, she found herself feeling somewhat conflicted.
"Val? What is she doing there? How did she end up with an army going after her? If she needed something so close why didn't she come here first?" She found herself not really sure how to feel about the situation, but regardless it was clear they needed to intervene.
"We need to learn what we can about the army, how large it is, what it consists of. We need to try to reach out to Val as well, if we could get a sending from someone perhaps?"
Myrna listens to the Archdruid with care and attention. She didn't know who Valaria was, but she heard from tone that she must have been a friend of the Archdruid's. She hears "army of demons" and "hag priestess of Sifkesh" and knows that the situation must be extremely dire. Myrna begins with her own offerings: "We can call on the Hellfire Squadron to support us," she says. "They can keep up with us on an overland journey to Caerwen, and they can be of use against the demonic army."
"We can ride horses, right? We could be there in less than two days if we ride hard and use magic."
Ehren shakes his head, having asked himself the same questions that Li'an posed now. Valaria's departure had pained him, but he could rest easy knowing she was serving the cause of good wherever she was. The firebrand had a real knack for getting herself out of trouble, even if it sometimes meant relying on a demon's help. Which begged the question, where was the Bound Horror now?
"That much I can tell you," he replies to Li'an when she inquires about the composition of the enemy's army. "The hag commands several troops of babau, but there are also two hezrou and two derakni among her forces, as well as four rift drake riders. Perhaps there are more, but Valaria did mention that they already thinned their numbers somewhat..."
The druid frowns, suddenly realizing his oversight. "Hm. She said 'we' in her message, so she is not fighting alone."
"We cannot set out without knowing more. We need to know how many she has there, what they know about the forces. We have divination and scrying, we should make use of those. If it was just a matter of getting to her immediately, we can teleport and be there in an instant," Li'an says, somewhat frustrated. Obviously it would be nice to rush in immediately, but from what Isilme had told her, that had been what she did to save Aravashnial and they had not been prepared at all for what they found in Azir--and Azir was a city, not the barren, cursed wastes of the world wound.
"We have no counters for the blasphemy of the Hezrou or the droning of the derakni, both are sonic effects. We will need at least a couple scrolls of silence. But the troops of babau will be able to dispel any magic we put up to protect ourselves. And all of the demons will be able to teleport at will. We will not be able to flee if we are caught and we are travelling on the ground. Your group may be elite, but out in the open all of us plus your squad would quickly fall to troops of babau and the Hezrou and Deranki, Myrna."
She stops for a moment, thinking about the situation. "If Caerwen is not truly defensible, how is it that the demons haven't teleported in and overwhelmed them yet? The sanctuary must be warded against the demons' entry quite effectively. We need to know more about her situation, her forces, and we need to know if Drezen can spare forces to march on Caerwen."
"Auraelia is busy, but I may be able to impose on her to commune with Pulura for us, and I can do divination. If we can buy a scroll of sending or find someone to cast for us who knows Valaria, we might get some more useful information that way as well."
Myrna listens to Li'an's orders and pessimistic appraisals with a detachment inherent to her stubbornness. She was right about some thinge, of course, and other things might not matter.
Myrna gestures to her lieutenant to get up. The two women clean up the snacks she'd prepared while Myrna says, "It seems like we have a lot to do, then. We'll split up for now, in order to get our preparations done. I'll go and speak with Irabeth and my squadron, to see what forces we can muster. Can we plan to meet again, at the Citadel, in a few hours? If your friend's life is in imminent danger, and she's already taken a mortal wound, we shouldn't delay too much."
Seeing Myrna set her own independent path, Hinagiku steps in to try and organize the rest of the group so they may act in synergy.
”The wisest thing would be to learn more, I agree. And doing so quickly. Ehren-kun, Mrs. Valaria contacted you, so you know the most about her situation, would it not make sense for you to speak with Mr. Sosiel and contact her? Li’an, you know most about how to thwart the powers of these creatures, could you look for items that would help us? I am not sure about Unafe and I, should we shop for any non-magical supplies? ”
Having said this, Hinagiku motions to the doors, encouraging the others to start moving.
Sifkesh is the patroness of heresy and suicide. Her symbol is a pair of crossed female hands with slit wrists, and her holy weapon is a war razor. Sifkesh differs from most other demon lords in that her primary goal is to corrupt mortal souls, rather than strictly causing harm. Her highest ambition is the fracturing of a good, devout person's faith through careful seduction, leading them to apostasy. It is said her greatest joy lies in witnessing the moment when a corrupted priest realizes how far they have sunk and seeks suicide as the answer, forever damning their soul to her Abyssal realm of Vantian.
Cults of Sifkesh typically function either as charismatic murder-suicide cults or as sects working to drive others into committing suicide.
Because of her corrupting ways, Sifkesh presents somewhat of a conundrum to most demonologists, combining elements of all three fiendish races: she corrupts like devilkind, feeds on souls like a daemon, but is still a demon. Some believe that Sifkesh was originally a powerful erinyes devil who was seduced by the power of the Abyss and became one of the first of Hell's heretics.
"Good plan, Myrna. Do what you can, and I will work to get some information via divination. We need more information on Caerwen if possible as well," she says when Myrna suggests they head out. She wasn't wrong that they needed to act decisively.
"Hinagiku, if I give you a shopping list of scrolls and magic supplies, perhaps you and Unafe could see what is available here in Drezen while looking for mundane supplies? If we can avoid a trip to Nerosyan for magical items that would be ideal."
Pulling out a parchment quickly, she begins to jot down a list.
"I am sure Ehren and Myrna might have some ideas for scrolls that might be of use as well," she adds, handing the list to Hinagiku.
Unafe nods. "Of course.
"I can also speak with Valais, if we think she might have insight on any of our questions? I've been meaning to stop by at any rate."
When Unafe wakes, her first morning back on Golarion, Goryon says, < Nawr blentyn, mae'n bryd i chi arwain ysbrydion eich hynafiaid, a'u gwahodd i'ch meddwl. Mae'n ymddangos eich bod bob amser yn gwrando arnynt yn gyflym, neu'n eu dal yn y man; dim byd rhyngddynt. Rydych chi'n sylweddoli, os gwnewch chi le iddyn nhw, na fyddan nhw bob amser yn fwrlwm ac yn heidio o gwmpas, gan rybuddio'ch gelynion am bob symudiad, onid ydych chi? >
The young clan-liege shakes her head, confused.
Goryon sighs and says, < Ti'n cofio pan ddois i nhw i mewn i ti ar y gomed? Fel hyn…mae hynny’n iawn…yn awr galwch ar yr hyn yr ydych yn ei ddymuno ganddynt. Maen nhw'n aros i'ch cynorthwyo. Mae ganddyn nhw hefyd eu hanghenion a'u dymuniadau eu hunain ... ond nid yw hynny'n golygu bod angen i chi wrando ar bob sŵn maen nhw'n ei wneud. >
Slowly, Unafe begins to notice the way to open herself to them–and almost collapses. “Maen nhw mor… uchel iawn…
Goryon chuckles. < Nid oes mwy y gallaf ei ddangos i chi mewn gwirionedd. Ar ryw adeg mae angen i chi sylweddoli eich bod yn Ddwy Galon ac yn ymddiried yn eich hun i ddarganfod hynny. >
Sensing Unafe’s frown, her ancient ancestor adds, < Os yw’n helpu, dywedodd Cunall mai’r gamp iddo oedd gadael i bob llais fod fel criced gyda’r nos: Peidio â cheisio eu tawelu…ond na rhoi sylw i unrhyw un nad oedd ei angen arno ar y funud honno. Bydd llawer o hynafiaid byth yn dawel; mae ganddynt eu hanghenion a'u dymuniadau eu hunain. Dysgwch sut i'w setlo y tu mewn i chi, heb amsugno'ch ffocws yn llwyr. Nawr gadewch imi orffwys, blentyn. >
Unafe goes for a long walk, the Ancestors and Sacred Saurian spirits buzzing and screeching louder than ever. The young shaman continues trying to repeat Goryon’s trick, and each time leads to nothing but a pounding headache.
Eventually she finds herself under the boughs of Mama Calongoed, and lets herself doze off. When she wakes, the stars dancing unsteadily in the wounded sky. Walking back through the quiet night, she tries again, and gasps! as the spirits, once boisterous and overwhelming, now seem more distant and subdued. The voices of her ancestors and the sacred saurians still speak within her, but they are no longer a noisy cloud swirling around her. She looks, and sees no trail of ectoplasm floating behind her.
"Fe weithiodd! Goryon, fe weithiodd yn wir!" Unafe exclaims, her heart racing with excitement.
For a brief moment, the sacred saurians and other ancestors exist as a harmonious chorus, their wisdom and guidance seemingly just beyond her reach. Moments later the chorus shatters into discordant honks and urgent shouts, and Unafe has to strain to focus on anything else…but she manages to keep them inside her, without her skull exploding.
Waking at dawn the next morning, Unafe sings her morning praise to the ancestors and then begins to experiment anew with this newfound skill, fine-tuning her ability to attune to the spirits without being overwhelmed. With each attempt, she grows more adept, and the voices become clearer. Fascinated, she realizes that she can choose to focus on one at a time, ignoring the rest of the chorus. In the days that follow, Unafe dedicates herself to honing this gift. Each morning and evening she sings her prayers and communes with the spirits. As she practices, she begins to differentiate the voices of her ancestors. When she does, she finds Rhys, son of Owen, bursting with pride at his expert in harvesting parts from the corpses of fallen foes to crafting totems. Meanwhile Angharad, daughter of Bronwyn, was a master craftswoman from centuries before Unafe was born, who is eager to teach another apprentice how to instill the mithral armor she crafts with magic. Efa the Stout tells how she bound the spirits to protect Demetae warriors from their foes. And there are So. Many. More…
One night, while sitting beneath the stars, Unafe experiences something extraordinary: The boundary between her waking world and dreamspace starts to blur. She realizes that she is (somehow) both asleep and awake, conscious of the physical realm and the ethereal dreamstate simultaneously.
In this new state of awareness, Unafe discovers that the dreamspace is no longer confined to her sleep. It now follows her as a faint backdrop to her waking reality, like a soft echo of her dreams. The dreamspace is subtly intertwined with her consciousness, a reminder of the constant presence of her ancestors' guidance. As the shift happens, Unafe finds that the sacred ancestors are now present in both…and that as more seep into the dreamspace fewer are shouting with her, and her head throbs less.
She begins to perceive the world differently, seeing connections and patterns that were previously hidden from her. Her interactions with the living spirits of her clan and the sacred saurians take on new dimensions, as if she can grasp their emotions and thoughts with greater clarity.
Yet, Unafe also realizes that this heightened connection comes with its own challenges. The emotions and energies of the spirits can still be overwhelming if she lets her guard down. It requires a delicate balance to keep their presence from becoming too intrusive. She continues to practice her battle exercises, but finds herself ever-to-slightly distant from the tension she calls on to fuel her in battle. And she finds that sometimes she's surprised by details of conversation she missed, because the ancestors were speaking at the same time.
Despite the challenges, Unafe is elated by the wealth of knowledge she discovers. She now understands that being Two-Hearted is not just about her connection with Goryon, but about embracing the unity of the living and the spirits. She has the power to bridge the gap between the physical and the ethereal, using her gift to protect her people and lead them forward.
As the days pass, Unafe continues to grow in her abilities, learning new magics and skills from the whispers of her ancestors and the sacred saurians. She sees herself surrounded by a living tapestry of knowledge and wisdom that she can now draw upon, and Unafe knows that she is more ready than ever to face whatever challenges lie ahead. With her newfound skill, she is prepared to protect the Demetae and take on the demonic blight that is a growing scar on her homeland, confident in the guidance of the spirits that now walk with her every step of the way.
Myrna opens the door to let her compatriots out of her house. "Alright then," she adds, "I'm going to get moving. Let's meet back in front of the Citadel at noon to share our next steps. See you soon." She motions for Beatrix to follow, and then the two Crusaders head into the heart of town. Their first destination is the barracks where the Hellfire Squadron is quartered at the moment. While it would be best to secure the assistance of additional troops, the Hellfire Squadron were actually under Myrna's direct command. She knew she could count on their support when circumstances demanded it, and from what the Archdruid had said, they could be of use against the babaus.
Hinagiku had heard read about Sifkesh in the past, yet her experience with Existence and the multiple planes suggested to the monk that the demon lord was quite a strange one. Facts she relates to the others.
"Strange, i wonder if there is something more to this for such a creature to come after Mrs. Valaria." she adds at the end.
"Yes, of course I can do so." she responds to Li'an's request.
Myrna leads the way with a determined stride as she crosses the busy Crusader keep, passing various soldiers getting ready for their morning orders. Beatrix follows, their shadows stretching out in front of them, shaped by the emerging sun. The clanking of armor and shouts of soldiers echo around them as they make their way through. Their destination is a mid-sized barracks tucked along a major road that leads directly to the Citadel, a stronghold for the Hellfire Squadron – Myrna's squadron.
The Hellfire Squadron is a unique force within the Crusader ranks, a team of tieflings from all walks of life. Myrna can count on their unwavering loyalty; not from blind obedience, but from the bonds of trust forged in the crucible of battles won defending Nerosyan in the past few years.
They arrive at the barracks, a wooden structure that houses the current members of the Hellfire Squadron. The remaining half of her crew are still en route from Nerosyan. As they walk in, they are greeted by the sights, smells and sounds of Myrna's squadron enjoying breakfast before their morning assignments. The six present - Gaiwan, Thornam, Braith, Den, Renat, and Afanen - are the ones who have so far made it to Drezen.
Upon their entrance, the bustling scene within the barracks takes a sudden pause. Heads turn, forks pause midair, conversations trail off. With the smell of frying bacon and fresh bread still in the air, the once raucous dining hall falls into a quiet anticipation.
"Morning, Captain," "Golden" Gaiwan acknowledges with a nod. The others echo his greeting, a chorus filling the hall.
Myrna lifts her chin, her gaze sweeping across her Hellfire Squadron. She takes a moment, giving them a measured look before she finally speaks. The day's orders have been given, the dawn has broken, and the real work is about to begin.
"Alright, boys and girls!" calls Myrna. "Prior daily assignments are temporarily suspended!"
"We've got a demonic force at Caerwen that needs expulsion, and some allies of the Archdruid that need an exfiltration. I'll be seeing the Lord-Commander about getting some additional support on this one, but you're all first on my chopping block! I don't care that you're at half strength. We've got a mission!" She looks around at each squad member, confirming for herself their readiness. "There'll be tough resistance. We've got reports of hezrou, derakni, and babau led by an annis hag."
"We're convening in front of the Citadel to discuss next moves at noon. I want you all to be there! So make sure you're packed and ready to go for a multi-day excursion into the Worldwound by then. Make any excuses you need to for anyone who's expecting you elsewhere. Got it?"
She looks around to see that they all understand, gives them a firm nod, and then turns on her heel, headed for wherever she expects to find Irabeth at this hour.
Unafe has been busy over the last week (working with the Demetae following the joyous shock of Goryon's return, and spending time on her own–often in long walks–as she found her relationships with the ancestors shifting).
She hasn't yet gotten to talk to Hinagiku about it, but as they walk off to look for scrolls, she smiles and says, "Hinagiku, do you notice anything different about me?"
"It's...fascinating. The ancestors, the sacred saurians, they each have their own desires. Well, many do at any rate. I'd only heard them as a roar before. Now, with Goryon's prompting...I'm learning to hear each voice. Some urgently crave to teach me the skill they mastered in life. Some, just to be seen.
"Learning to listen to them as individuals has been a bit overwhelming, but I can't even begin to describe what I've been learning...and it means I can now coax them inside me–even into my dreamspace–instead of having them buzzing about!
"And speaking of my dreamspace, watch this!" Unafe blurs her eyes for just a fraction of a second, reaches as though to pick up something, and suddenly has a scrap of the star metal that formerly contained Sairazul in her hand. Then she moves to set it down, and it's gone again. "The boundary between this world and the dream world isn't nearly as thick as I had thought. In some ways, now, I see that I never need stop dreaming completely."
The Hellfire Squadron springs into action, their purpose renewed and the morning's languidity replaced by an infectious sense of urgency.
Golden Gaiwan, always the first to rally, stands tall and claps his hands together. "You heard the Captain!" he bellows in his deep voice. "Let's get moving!"
Thornam grunts in response, pushing away from the table and making his way to the armoury. The dwarven tiefling is methodical in his preparation, ensuring every piece of his gear is ready for the challenges to come. He calls over his shoulder, "Renat, Den, check your bowstrings and stock up on arrows. We won't have much time for maintenance once we're en route."
"Right behind you, Thornam," responds Braith, following the dwarf’s lead. Her large hands deftly pack away her half-eaten breakfast and she strides off after Thornam, her heavy boots thudding on the wooden floorboards.
Myrna exits the barracks, leaving behind the bustle of her squadron in the midst of their preparations. As she steps onto the busy streets, her senses are immediately flooded with the sights, sounds, and smells of Drezen in the early morning. There is the smell of horses, the sight of knights spar in makeshift arenas, and the sound of clerics of Iomedae chanting their morning prayers. But amid the cacophony, her destination is clear: the Citadel.
The Citadel looms large over Drezen, its stone walls a fortress built to stand against the demons that loom beyond the city's borders. At this point the Citadel had been fully built, making it grander in reclamation than it had been even before the city fell. As she approaches the heavy oaken doors, the guards, recognizing her, snap to attention and pull the doors open, while paladins from above stare sternly ahead as they monitor for hidden demons masquerading as one of their own. She steps into the cool, shadowed interior of the citadel.
Inside, the hallways are lined with tapestries depicting the city's storied past and the Crusades against the demonic incursions in the typical Iomedaen style. She follows the familiar path to the war room, her footsteps echoing in the hallowed halls.
The war room is a large, circular chamber, its walls covered in maps, dispatches, and missives from all corners of the Worldwound. At the center of the room, a massive table is strewn with more maps, weighted down with pieces representing their forces and those of their adversaries.
As she enters, she finds the Lord-Commander engrossed in these plans alongside a few other Crusader captains that Myrna recognizes from the city. The half-orc paladin stands tall, her shiny armor illuminated by the enchanted lights that line the walls. Her green skin is marked by old battle scars, and her short black hair is slicked back from her forehead, leaving her focused gaze unobstructed.
"Captain Riversoar," Lord-Commander Tirablade greets her. She looks up, making eye contact. She was the sort of superior who never made a person feel less-than. "It's too early for your report. What is it?"
Myrna comes to stand at the war table beside the other captains. She snaps her Commander a smart salute. Lieutenant Medici approaches just behind her Captain, repeating the salute.
"Lord-Commander," begins Myrna, "The Archdruid approached me this morning with some news: Demonic forces have converged on Caenwen." To emphasize her point, she points at the map to indicate the old Sarkorian fort. "According to the Archdruid, they gather in some numbers. Derakni, hezrou, babau, and rift drakes are among their forces. Such a force so close to our territories can't be permitted, and the Archdruid's group is already planning a sortie to meet them and investigate the situation."
"Lord-Commander Tirabade, I'm here to request command of additional squadrons, with which I will destroy these demons. Caenwen lies outside of our magical radii of protection, but we must be aggressive when dealing with forces approaching so close."
She looks around at the assembled captains, daring any of them to challenge her. "Are there any squadrons ready to leave into the wastes immediately?"
“The wisest thing would be to learn more, I agree. And doing so quickly. Ehren-kun, Mrs. Valaria contacted you, so you know the most about her situation, would it not make sense for you to speak with Mr. Sosiel and contact her?”
“I will see if he can prepare a sending,” Ehren replies, nodding in agreement. Sosiel would not have any difficulty establishing contact with Valaria, and even if he was not available, the cathedral is where he would most likely find a priest capable of the same feat. One of the Desnans, perhaps. “More than one, if necessary.”
The druid leaves Myrna’s house in a hurry when the group disperses, determined to make the most of hours allotted. As concerned as he is for Valaria’s well-being, foolishly rushing to Caerwen without preparation was a surefire way of getting her killed, if not the lot of them. The tiefling was one of the toughest people he knew; he had faith that she could hold out for a while longer.
Header
Percept +22 low-light vision, blindsight 45', detect evil creatures within 190' emanation | Init +6 | AC 32, Touch 29, FF 25 +4 dodge when moving | DR1/- | CMD 31 | Fort + 16 Ref +17 Will +19, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 4 dex, 5 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 3 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious)
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Left..|..07........30........6........4........14....07
Max.|..04........18........6........4........17....11
143/143 hp
Contingency:
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Free:
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Full round action:
On their way to the shops, Hinagiku gives a kind, almost motherly smile, to Unafe as she demonstrates her new found power. She had noticed as soon as the clan liege had met with them that the spirits were gone, but had been too busy to comment on it then. She could tell that her companion was proud.
“Gwirioneddol, ac rydych chi'n gallu gwneud hynny nawr heb gymorth ysbryd Goryon. Mae'n…”
Hinagiku pauses as she feels the ley ripple in the strangest of way, a weaving of the waking and sleeping thread, that she had never sensed before.
”Rydych chi wedi tyfu'n wirioneddol ers i chi ymuno â hi. Roedd gallu dod â gwrthrychau i mewn i'ch breuddwydion eisoes yn arwydd o ysbrydolrwydd mawr, ond dyma un cam y tu hwnt i hynny. Un wythnos i gyrraedd hyn, mae'n rhaid bod eich bond wedi tyfu.”
The monk’s tone, her posture, and usual amiability invite Unafe to go on and share her experience from the last few days.
With the plan sorted out for the first half of the day, Li'an heads out with the others. Unsure what to do with the gift she'd brought Myrna that was completely ignored, she sets it on a table on the way out. As she's stepping out she stops, having realized she'd forgotten something.
"Ehren, here, I forgot to give you the other ring I forged for you," she says, pulling out a small dark metal ring engraved with elvish script into which she'd bound the shielding spell that she'd imbued it with. Placing it into his hand, she adds "The command word to activate is 'arian'," which Ehren recognizes immediately as the Hallit word for silver. "Enjoy!" she says as she heads off to return home.
"I will divine what I can, and then meet you all at the keep," she says, and then heads back towards her quarters. Even if Auraelia was busy, hopefully she would have the time to commune with Pulura for advice.
When she arrives back at her place she is surprised to find Auraelia in the main room flipping through a book of sketches Li'an had done for the rings she'd been working on.
"I thought you had to meditate?" she asks the Lyrakien, curious why she was relaxing.
"I did! I'm all done now," Arie says, clearly pleased with the results. "Now I won't have to worry about you going off to comets and other places without me!"
"Good timing," Li'an says, taking some time to explain the situation. After some discussion, Auraelia agrees to commune with Pulura to attempt to gain information on the situation, and they narrow down Li'an's questions into six that would fit the pattern required by Arie's commune spell.
Floating in the middle of the room, Auraelia focuses her attention upwards, closing her eyes. A shimmer begins to fill the room, first silver, then slowly changing to green and blue before condensing into a small aurora-like crown above the Lyrakien's head. Her eyes still closed, she begins to ask the questions one at a time in the lilting celestial of Azatas.
-Are there additional threats besides Jaruunicka and the demons we are aware of at Caerwen?
-Is there an entrance that would allow us to sneak forces in undetected to aid Valaria?
-Will Valaria survive the night if we are unable to make it today?
-Is the Jaruunicka acting under orders of a superior to pursue Valaria and her companions?
-Does Jaruunicka possess special power beyond being a hag and a cleric of Sifkesh?
-Will we need magic beyond that which I already possess to heal Valaria's wound?
Li'an does her best to wait patiently, wanting to hear Pulura's answers before proceeding with her own divination, and hoping for some good news from her friend's communing with the North Star.
Irabeth listens carefully as Myrna outlines the situation, her brow furrowing deeper as she goes on. Her hand absently traces over the map, following Myrna's pointing finger to Caerwen. When Myrna finishes, Irabeth is silent for a moment, deep in thought.
Finally, she nods. "I agree, Captain. This force threatens Sesker's Gully to the west. We cannot let it stand," she states, firmly. "However, we must tread carefully. Hezrou are not to be underestimated. They are powerful demons, capable of wiping out entire armies with just a word. I recall one such demon killing the Archdruid a few years ago - he was resurrected by his own father."
She holds up a hand to forestall any argument. "I am not doubting your abilities, Captain. I am well aware of your and your Squadron's accomplishments. You have bested a derakni, which is no mean feat. However, I need you to understand the risks. This is not Nerosyan. We are fewer here in Drezen, and at the moment, most of my elite soldiers who could hope to stand against a hezrou have been dispatched to deal with a particularly powerful vrock gang in the south that has been causing trouble for us as of late."
Irabeth falls silent for a moment before continuing, "But, I will provide what support I can. I can spare twenty men for this mission. They will be about as skilled as your Hellfire Squadron. Now, what do you need? Cavalry? Infantry? Ranged support? Medics?"
Ehren leaves for Paradise Hill and, after navigating the city streets of Drezen, finds himself stepping into the calming, hallowed halls of the Multidenominational Cathedral, the smell of incense lingering in the air and the faint harmonies of a Shelynite hymn floating through the archways. Sosiel Vaenic, the high priest, is preparing to lead a service when Ehren arrives, but the moment he notices Ehren, his welcoming smile widens.
“Ehren!” Sosiel exclaims. He is clad in his formal attire - a dark blue tunic and leggings - and he is in the middle of putting on his make-up in his priestly quarters. He extends his hand to Ehren. “What brings you here, my friend?”
The room fills with a celestial aura, a soft and soothing glow that paints every corner with celestial light. Auraelia floats in the middle of this halo, her eyes shut as she begins to address the divine entity. As she delivers each question, the crown above her head pulses, its shimmering dance becoming more pronounced. The divine aurora fluctuates with each question, the hues dancing and twisting as if reacting to the enquiries put forth. Each response comes as a gentle whisper in the lilting celestial language of Azatas, filling the room with divine energy.
-Are there additional threats besides Jaruunicka and the demons we are aware of at Caerwen? - Yes.
-Is there an entrance that would allow us to sneak forces in undetected to aid Valaria? - Yes.
-Will Valaria survive the night if we are unable to make it today? - Yes.
-Is the Jaruunicka acting under orders of a superior to pursue Valaria and her companions? - Yes.
-Does Jaruunicka possess special power beyond being a hag and a cleric of Sifkesh? - Yes.
-Will we need magic beyond that which I already possess to heal Valaria's wound? - No.
Unafe nods with pride at Hinagiku's words.
As they stroll she continues, "Mae cymaint i'w ddysgu ganddyn nhw. Bywydau heb eu dweud...
Prynhawn ddoe treuliais amser yn cymuno gyda Rhys, mab Owen, sydd wedi bod yn udo ers misoedd...oherwydd, mae'n troi allan, roedd am rannu ei arbenigedd mewn cynaeafu darnau o gyrff gelynion sydd wedi cwympo i grefftio totemau. Pan fyddwn yn cwrdd â'n gelynion byddaf yn gwneud fy ngorau i anrhydeddu ei wersi gyda'r cythreuliaid cyntaf y byddwn yn dod ar eu traws.
"Mae Efa'r Stout wedi bod yn dangos i mi sut y bu iddi arwain ysbrydion sawraidd i amddiffyn rhyfelwyr Demetae - corff a meddwl - rhag eu gelynion. Mae'n teimlo mor syml nawr, ond welais i erioed cyn iddi ddangos i mi sut!
"Ac wrth i mi gysgu neithiwr bues i'n sgwrsio ag Angharad, merch Bronwyn. Roedd hi'n grefftwraig feistrolgar o ganrifoedd cyn i mi gael fy ngeni, ac yn awyddus i ddysgu Dwy Galon arall sut i osod yr arfwisg mithral rydw i'n ei chreu gyda hudoliaethau. A dweud y gwir , dim ond nawr roedd Angharad yn gwrando ar y briffio ac yn torri ar draws i ddweud ei bod am i mi geisio rhwymo ysbryd gwallgofddyn brenin i fy arfwisg, i helpu fy nerth yn y frwydr.Efallai y byddaf yn prynu'r cydrannau ar ei gyfer tra byddwn allan."
Realizing that Hinagiku will patiently let Unafe talk the entire time, she turns to her friend and asks, "But what of you? How have you spent this last week?"
Li'an listens as the answers to the questions they had come up with gently fill the room like the light surrounding Auraelia. While she was glad to hear that she had the magic to heal Val, and she would likely survive the night, some of the answers were concerning. There were threats they didn't know of yet, and Jaruunicka was far more than a simple hag cleric of Sifkesh...
Of all the answers, however, the one that seemed to hold the most promise was the one regarding a possible secret entrance to Caerwen. The trick now was to figure out how to gain enough information to put that to use. Being able to get in to join Val and her companions could easily turn the tide if the demons weren't expecting it.
"Thank you, Arie," she says, grabbing the tiny Lyrakien and giving her a hug. "now it's my turn to try and see if we can't learn more before we go meet with everyone else."
Sitting down, she scribes a question on a piece of parchment before her and begins focusing on invoking divination magic. She repeats the question aloud quietly as the ink on the page begins to blot and spread, rippling across its surface. "How can we discover the secret entrance to Caerwen to allow us to enter the fortress undetected by our foes?"
She waits for the answer and then jots it down in her journal before working on a second divination spell. This time she asks "How can we determine Jaruunicka's weaknesses?, hoping for an opportunity to gain an advantage over the hag cleric.
"Sosiel," Ehren replies warmly, taking the priest's hand with a soft smile tinged with a pang of regret. He has only turned to old friends out of need of late. His smile vanishes completely as he answers Sosiel's question.
"Nothing good, I am afraid. This morning I had a dream about Valaria." The druid stops, reconsiders, and then rephrases. "I received a vision from Valaria. She is trapped in the ruins of Caerwen, to the west of here, and surrounded by an army of demons. Myrna intends to assemble a rescue team, but I was hoping we could contact her beforehand to learn as much as possible before departing. Can you prepare a sending?"
As Li'an recites her questions, focusing on the parchment before her, the magic of divination begins to work its mysteries. The words seem to sink into the paper, and the ink begins to coalesce, swirling and transforming into two distinct messages that answer her queries.
For the first question, a message emerges from the vortex of ink, slowly becoming legible, "Through the underbelly of Caerwen, where water once flowed, shall you find the secret passage. Seek the forsaken cistern in the shadow of the fort."
For her second question, the answer forms more hesitantly, "The hag's pride in her heresy is her weakness. Engage her hypocrisy and strike at her faith. For her power wanes when her convictions falter."
Sosiel's typically jovial face turns serious at Ehren's news. "Valaria...trapped? By the gods, that's dire indeed," he murmurs, his gaze turning distant for a moment.
The request for divine magic, however, seems to bring him back to the present. He nods in understanding, his hand giving Ehren's a reassuring squeeze. "Of course, Ehren, we need to reach out to her. If we can get some information, it will give us a better chance of getting her out safely."
Sosiel pauses, considering the limitations of the spell. "Sending magic allows only so many words, so we'll need to make them count," he advises. "What exactly do you want to ask her?"
The outcome of the divinations was better than she'd hoped. Both offered solid leads to get at some of the problems they were dealing with.
Putting away the cloth, she stands up and heads out in a rush. There was more she needed to know, and they had little time for her to get the information. She already knew quite a bit about Sifkesh, but she definitely needed to understand more about Jaruunika, her worship of Sifkesh, and her goals and motivations if they were going to successfully exploit her weaknesses.
As she runs out the door, Auraelia follows. "So what do we do now?" she asks the elf. "We need to get some books and see if we can find information on Caerwen and Jaruunika. I need to see if there are any descriptions of the fort and its water supply, that will help us understand how we can get in. Secondly we need to understand how the hag is being hypocritical. I have some ideas, but there must be more information about her out there that we can get ahold of."
Her first stops are the libraries in the Crusader Academy, the Pathfinder outpost and the Archmage's tower. In each she and Auraelia search for any books relating to Caerwen, Sifkesh, and any records of infamous hags that might mention Jaruunika.
Li'an and Auraelia make their way to the Crusader Academy. The buildings of the Academy sprawl out across a large campus in southern Drezen, their austere stone edifices conveying an atmosphere of solemn purpose and dedicated discipline. Here, the day starts early; initiates and seasoned warriors alike rise with the sun to begin their disciplined regimens of training and study. The clang of swords and the rhythmic chants of Iroran mantras fill the crisp morning air.
Li'an and Auraelia navigate their way through the bustle and arrive at the Academy's library. The library here has a martial focus. The tall, robust shelves are filled with texts detailing military strategies, historical accounts of the Crusades, texts on demonology, and theological discourses. It is a testament to the Academy's dual emphasis on martial prowess and spiritual fortitude.
They dive into their research, their eyes scanning over age-worn scrolls and dust-covered tomes. The information they find on Caerwen is minimal but crucial. The fortress, they discover, was built during the First Crusade and was intended to withstand extensive sieges. Integral to its survival was an underground cistern, guaranteeing a steady supply of water even under the harshest conditions. Unfortunately, while multiple access points to the cistern are mentioned, no precise locations are given in this text, but it's not like Li'an has even spent that much time checking and there are so many more books here to try... Deep within the windowless library, Li'an and Auraelia lose track of time. They realize they've missed Myrna's timeline of meeting at the Citadel in a "couple" of hours.
Satisfied with what she knows of Caerwen, Li'an tries to go through everything she'd learned about Caerwen as well as information and stories she'd heard through the years.
Given the importance of finding some information on Jaruunicka, she decides to head to the Pathfinders' Lodge, this time hoping to get help from the Pathfinders themselves to go through the materials more quickly. There she and Auraelia head in to meet with Valais, hoping she'll be able to expedite getting any information.
"Valais, thank you for meeting me," Li'an says as she walks into her office, Arie following close behind. "I was wondering if I could get some information, if your lodge has any, about a hag named Jaruunicka, a cleric of Sifkesh. In return we're heading soon to the Ruins of Caerwen. I'd be glad to provide something in exchange, information about the ruins, or something else that might be of value to the Pathfinders. We are heading out to help Valaria who is under siege there."
The Pathfinder Lodge is located within the Crusader Academy's campus. As she rushes towards the Lodge, Li'an sorts through the wealth of knowledge she had gathered from her research on Caerwen. Its stout walls, carved from the deep-grey stone of the plateau, once bore elaborate bas-reliefs: intricate knotwork, depictions of fierce wolves, legendary druids, and mythical creatures. The fort was built according to a harmonious blend of practical defense needs and spiritual aesthetics. Its edifice, laid out in distinctive circular patterns akin to the legendary Sarkorian roundhouses, offered both a strong defense against enemies and a connection to their spiritual beliefs, symbolizing the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth. The citadel rose against the backdrop of the wilderness, a prominent silhouette that was as much a part of the land as the ancient pines and winding rivers around it.
Beneath its foundations, a cistern was built to provide a lifeline of water during prolonged sieges. Sarkorian druids, with their intimate understanding of the earth, guided the creation of a labyrinth of tunnels and secret passages leading from the cistern to various points within and outside the fort. Despite the valor of the Sarkorian defenders, they could not hold against the immense power of the Worldwound's demonic onslaught. The fort was overrun, marking a sorrowful chapter during the fall of Sarkoris.
Situated close to the center of the academic campus, the Pathfinder Lodge of the Radiant Oath is a structure of stone and timber, built from a reclaimed manor after Drezen's reclamation by Chevalier Bishop. Plaques inscribed with the names of noted Pathfinders and explorers adorn the exterior.
Entering the lodge, Li'an is met with the smell of aged parchment, leather, and of various magical components. The entryway opens to a grand hall filled with shelves upon shelves of books, scrolls, and maps. Tables are strewn with discovered artifacts of various sizes and shapes, each bearing a tag with meticulous notes on their origins and properties. A dozen or so Pathfinders are scattered about, absorbed in their research or fervently discussing their findings. She is quickly greeted by the receptionist - a strange, green youthful boy in a smart suit with a face that seems to be formed of layers of pink petals and long hair made of green vines. After a brief introduction, the receptionist departs while Li'an waits in the main room.
That is a Ghoran. Ghorans are a race of plants resembling humanoids that evolved from botanical experiments by the renegade druid Ghorus while in the employ of the Archmage Nex.
He soon returns, ready to escort her to an audience with the Venture Captain. Heading further in, Li'an makes her way to Valais' office. The hallways are adorned with paintings and tapestries, each depicting different periods of history and regions of Golarion. Valais's office is located deeper within the building.
Valais Durant, seated behind a desk cluttered with parchment and assorted artifacts, glances up as Li'an and Auraelia enter. Her luminous golden eyes meet Li'an's with an expression of curiosity. She is a tall, lithe figure, her hair a shimmering curtain of mahogany falling over her shoulders. In her presence, an aura of serenity permeates the room, a stark contrast to the urgency of their task.
"Li'an, isn't it?" Valais asks, recognition dawning in her eyes as she puts a name to the face. "Your reputation precedes you. Isilme has spoken highly of you." She rises from her desk, extending a hand in greeting. Her hands are lined with shimmering, golden tattoos.
Li'an outlines their predicament and Valais listens intently. At the mention of Valaria, her demeanor shifts, and the aura of tranquility is suddenly disrupted. "Valaria... her name holds significant weight in this lodge. She's done much for me. It's only fitting we return the favor," she says. "As for this hag, Jaruunicka... we may have records on hags of note. It may take time to sift through our archives, but we'll expedite the process for you. Could you return later this afternoon? Our archivist should be ready to speak with you by then."
Li'an makes a note of the Ghoran receptionist, surprised to see a member of such a rare race working in the lodge, and one that was artificially created at that.
When Valais offers to help, she is relieved. Given the divinations had suggested that they had some time, it wouldn't be an issue coming back for additional information in the afternoon.
"Thank you, Valais. I will be sure to return then to speak with your archivist. In the meantime I need to make sure we have the supplies we need and update the others." With that, Li'an heads out to join the others at the keep, hoping the others were already there so they could begin planning right away.
Ehren furrows his brow, ever frustrated by the limitations of sending. His questions needed to be simple but insightful and answerable with succinct responses. Fortunately, he had already given some thought to the matter: "Hm. How about, Sending help soon. We know of the demons, drakeriders, and the hag. How large is their force? Are there more enemies beyond what you showed?"
Myrna nods at Irabeth's understandable reluctance to commit a significant force to the problem and the many needs of the Drezen army. She knows well that the Crusade is understaffed, and the importance of getting needed tasks done independently. Irabeth's extra assignment will be enough.
"We will need a squadron of rangers, and a few loaner heavy infantry. We'll be traveling far from home," she says, "Those soldiers coming with us should be ready for distance travel, light on their feet, and competent warriors."
She gives her superior a curt nod. "We will be assembling in front of Citadel Drezen. I believe we will use magic to transport ourselves there, but it may not be necessary to all transit at once. Have the troops assemble in front of the Citadel gates whenever they can be ready."
With that, she herself heads to the Citadel Drezen rendezvous. It's been a few hours, and she wishes to be the first person there at the meeting place so that the group could assemble in an organized fashion.
Header
Percept +22 low-light vision, blindsight 45', detect evil creatures within 190' emanation | Init +6 | AC 32, Touch 29, FF 25 +4 dodge when moving | DR1/- | CMD 31 | Fort + 16 Ref +17 Will +19, +2 vs death effects, +4 insight vs starv., thirst, some diseases and some poisons | Evasion (for all saves)
AC breakdown: 4 dex, 5 wis, 2 sage, 2 enhanc, 2 deflection, 3 dodge, 3 insight, 1 nat ac enhanc
Others: Treat exposure to hot and cold as 2 steps milder (or 1 when sleeping or unconscious)
____.|.AoO__DgPool_LoH_Medit__Ki__MP
Left..|..07........30........6........4........14....07
Max.|..07........30........6........4........17....11
143/143 hp
Contingency:
Actions
Swift:
Move:
Free:
Standard:
Full round action:
Hinagiku nods along as Unafe tells of the various skills of her ancestor spirits. The harvesting of demonic parts was a grim idea to her, the relics they had made from Soltengrebe had always seemed wrong to her, even more so when she had carried its horn.
“Hyd yn oed o'r cythreuliaid? Dywed rhai fod drygioni yn dwyn drwg, fod eu cyrff wedi eu llygru ac na allent ddwyn daioni. Ydy’r cyndad Rhys fab Owen yn gwybod am ffordd i’w glanhau a chadw eu cyrff rhag troi’n lludw?” Hinagiku asks, quite impressed by the skills of Unafe’s spirits.
” Fi? Rwy’n hapus i ddweud fy mod wedi dod o hyd i ffynhonnell yr hyn a oedd wedi fy ngwanhau ar seren Apostae. ”
she responds, her closed eyed gaze serenely looking in the distance.
”Roeddwn wedi bod yn meithrin fy ysbryd, gan gredu y gallai fy nghorff gael ei arwain ganddo, gan feddwl amdano fel estyniad o'r ysbryd yn unig. Ond, mae'n gynhwysydd mewn rhai ffyrdd, ac nid oedd fy un i yn barod i dderbyn y grym cosmig hwn. Ymddangos fel tynged y dysgais gan Ehren-kun sut i'w newid, ei siapio gyda'r grym ysbrydol hwn. Treuliasom lawer o amser yn teithio, gan fyfyrio lle mae'r gwndwn yn gryf. Oddi arno, dysgais am yr union rymoedd roeddwn i'n eu plethu i'm corff. Ac, wrth wneud hynny, dechreuais synhwyro cymaint mwy a thynnu cymaint o egni o'r byd. O, ie, a dweud y gwir, fe wnaethon ni gwrdd â chyfriniwr yn Crystalrock a chyfnewid pethau am hyn.”
Hinagiku’s pulls out a dark purple crystal in the shape of a doughnut.
”Mae hyn yn fy ngalluogi i ailgyfeirio fy egni i mewn i eraill i wella eu corff, helpu i'w gyweirio fel bod eu trawiadau yn cael eu harwain gan lif gwndwn y byd. Gallai fod yn ddefnyddiol i chi.”
Sosiel nods thoughtfully. He then clears his throat and holds out his hand, summoning a soft light as he begins to cast the sending spell, repeating Ehren's words, word-by-word. The glow coalesces around his hand, shaping itself into the message as he speaks, before vanishing.
Moments after Sosiel sends the message, he receives a response. His eyes flutter shut, his brow furrows as he focuses on Valaria's reply. After a moment, his eyes open and he shares her response with Ehren:
"Hag, four drake riders, two hezrou, two derakni, dozens of babau. Be prepared. Need help quickly. We have fortified defenses. They will not stop."
Sosiel's face is filled with concern as he relays the information. "That is a powerful force, Ehren. The odds are not in our favor. But we cannot let that deter us." He glances at Ehren, determination etched on his face. "We must not fail Valaria. Is there any other way that I could help?"
The Temple of Abadar, the god of commerce and wealth, in Drezen is a grand edifice on Paradise Hill, full of wooden columns and carved statues. Unafe and Hinagiku make their way there through the city streets, their path often lined with locals who greet Hinagiku with nods of recognition and respect. Her time spent these past years assisting the Crusaders with their conflict, in combination with her distinct vulpine appearance, meant that she was somewhat a local celebrity. The temple itself bustles with activity as it has just opened its doors to the public for the morning. Traders, merchants, and artisans come and go, making offerings to the god of commerce or seeking his favor.
As Unafe and Hinagiku enter the temple, they are immediately greeted by a young acolyte. Recognizing them, the acolyte quickly guides them through the grand hall, past a large statue of Abadar himself, holding his golden key, and into a vaulted chamber that serves as the temple's treasury.
Here, they are met by the head priest, a stern looking man with graying hair named Brother Toran. Despite his austere appearance, Toran treats Unafe and Hinagiku with a warm smile and a respectful nod. He has met them personally before when they made their substantial deposit and knows of Hinagiku's role in reclaiming Drezen.
"The blessings of Abadar upon you both," he greets, retrieving a ledger from a nearby shelf and turning its pages until he finds their record. "I see you wish to withdraw the funds you deposited with us?"
When they affirm this, Brother Toran, efficient as ever, arranges for the transfer. Chests filled with the requisite gold are brought out and inspected to assure their correctness before being handed over. The large sum they had gathered from their expedition to the comet is now back in their possession, ready to be used to secure the supplies and resources they need to mount a rescue mission for Valaria.
With a soft murmur of words and a slight narrowing of her eyes, Unafe's gaze turns inward, focusing on the wellspring of spiritual power within her. As Hinagiku watches, the chests of gold, heavy and tangible, simply fade away as if being absorbed by the world around them.
In the blink of an eye, their carts are empty, the gold vanished from the material plane. Brother Toran stirs with surprise and awe, though this is just a normal sort of development for Hinagiku and Unafe. With their business at the temple concluded, Unafe and Hinagiku thank Brother Toran and make their way out.
Hinagiku and Unafe are looking for scrolls. They are not Crusaders, so they cannot use Crusader supply channels, but thankfully there is still a thriving public market in Drezen to support travelers and adventurers located around Paradise Hill.
The pair make their way through the bustling streets of Drezen towards a modestly adorned shop sign that reads 'The Scaled Quill'. The shop is run by a cleric named Wendy who follows the deity Sarenrae, the Dawnflower. The shop's interior is bathed in warm, golden hues from the stained glass windows.
As Unafe and Hinagiku enter the shop, they're greeted by a tall, slender, elderly woman with sun-kissed skin and curly white hair. Her hooded golden robe seems to shimmer in the morning light and a silver holy symbol of Sarenrae gleams at her throat. Her welcoming smile reflects her warm personality as she guides them through the process of procuring the required scrolls.
The air inside the shop is filled with the scent of fresh parchment and ink. Shelves upon shelves of carefully rolled scrolls are displayed meticulously in a system that only Wendy might understand. After some discussion, they are able to secure a scroll of delay poison, communal and three scrolls of ashen path. The scrolls are rolled and sealed with wax before being handed over.
Once they leave 'The Scaled Quill', they navigate their way through the labyrinthine streets of Drezen, making their way to a secluded alley that is home to a shop known as 'The Arcane Eddy'. Known for its vast selection of magical items, scrolls, and services, the shop is run by a wizard named Denise, a studious follower of Nethys.
'The Arcane Eddy' is an eccentric, otherworldly place with a distinctive wizardly touch. The sign over the door is an etched depiction of a swirling vortex, seemingly in motion due to a minor illusion enchantment. The interior is brimming with an assortment of magical knick-knacks, ranging from floating orbs to animated quills jotting down notes on parchment autonomously. Glowing runes and glyphs are meticulously inscribed on the floor.
As Unafe and Hinagiku enter 'The Arcane Eddy', a small bell chimes softly, alerting the proprietor to their arrival. Denise, a middle-aged halfling woman with long, dark straight hair that reaches her waist, glances up from the massive tome she had been pouring over.
"Ah, customers," she says, adjusting the half-moon glasses perched precariously on her small round nose. "Welcome to the Arcane Eddy. How may I assist you in your arcane needs today?"
Hinagiku steps forward and gives a respectful bow before stating their purpose.
The wizard strokes her chin thoughtfully, looking a touch intrigued by their request. "Ash Storm, hm? Not a common request, I must admit. I don't have one prepared at the moment, but I could inscribe one for you. It will cost a little extra for the quick service, of course. I could have it done by this afternoon for seven hundred gold, payment up front. What do you say?"
Irabeth listens carefully as Myrna outlines her requests.
"Good, I think we are on the same page, Captain," she responds, her voice as commanding as it is respectful. "Traveling light and ready for a long journey... yes, that will be critical. I believe I have just the soldiers in mind who fit your criteria - a group of rangers and heavy infantry who are experienced with distance travel and can hold their own in a fight."
She taps her fingers thoughtfully on the table, mentally organizing the troop assignments. "I will arrange for them to assemble in front of Citadel Drezen at the designated time. They will be prepared for whatever mode of transportation you choose."
As Myrna nods and takes her leave, Irabeth raises her hand in a brief salute. "May Desna's luck be with you, Captain," she calls out.
As the first light of dawn breaks over Drezen, Myrna is already making her way towards the entrance of the Citadel. Citadel Drezen stands tall and resolute in the early morning light. Myrna positions herself in front of the large gates. One by one, members of her Hellfire Squadron begin to trickle in. Each one is a familiar face, a tried and tested warrior with whom she has faced down countless adversities. They greet her with nods of respect, but otherwise stand silently at attention until their Captain delivers further commands.
Alongside the seasoned members of the Hellfire Squadron, the new troops assigned by Irabeth begin to arrive as well. Some are veterans with lines of experience etched onto their faces, others are younger but hold a spark of eagerness in their eyes. Their armor is polished, their weapons sharpened, and their resolve to fight demons, unwavering.
As the morning sun begins to climb higher in the sky, the group in front of the Citadel grows. Exiting the Lodge, Li'an is immediately welcomed by the hustle and bustle of Drezen in full daylight. She weaves through the city streets, taking a familiar route toward the Citadel.
As she approaches the Citadel, she sees the gathering of troops and the Hellfire Squadron members before her. She immediately spots Myrna, her figure standing firm and resolute against the Citadel's walls, already in deep conversation with some of the gathered soldiers.
Unafe nods. "It's part of a plan to save some crusaders who're cornered by demons. Their lives are certainly worth 700 gold. That said, if you can do it for a bit less we will appreciate it, and we'll put the savings to good use in our other work to protect Sarkoris...but we'll pay the full 700 if need be, just let us know what you believe to be most fair, given the circumstances."
Denise, the halfling wizard, looks up at Unafe, her blue eyes twinkling with a mixture of resolve and humor. She adjusts her spectacles, their glint mirroring the impish smile playing on her lips.
"Well now," she starts, leaning back on her stool, her hands spread wide, emphasizing her argument, "As much as I respect the work you're doing - and don't get me wrong, I truly do - you have to understand that I run a business here, not a charity."
She glances around her cluttered shop, filled with scrolls, ingredients, and the faint smell of herbs wafting through the air, "See, I've got a line of orders I'm working on. Rush orders too, might I add. All of them equally urgent and for causes just as noble as yours, I assure you."
She leans in, her tone turning serious, "Now, if you need it done quickly, I have to prioritize. And that, unfortunately, comes at a cost. If you can wait, then by all means, join the queue and pay the normal price."
With a shrug, she adds, "Feel free to look around for someone who'll do it cheaper. But remember, you get what you pay for. And when it comes to magic, well...you might not want to skimp on quality, if you catch my drift."
"But you know, what the Abyss, am I right? I'll offer it for 650 gold as a first-time-buyers deal," Denise gives Unafe a firm nod, leaving the decision in her hands. She goes back to her book, leaving the duo to decide their next course of action.
"Myrna, good news. The divinations were quite helpful, I'll give the full details once everyone is here, but I managed to get quite a bit of information on Caerwen and our foes. I'm waiting on some additional information from the Pathfinder Society that they'll have ready this afternoon. Depending on how many people we have, I might have an idea for getting to Caerwen quickly too," she explains. "How did your discussion with Irabeth go?"