Gazing around, Xizoh pinched the bridge of his nose. Where could she have gotten off to?
Noticing the angry expression on the otherwise jovial innkeeper's face, the half elf approached her, asking, "Have you seen Henri? She hasn't caused any trouble has she?
Seeing Laurett upset, Alaina couldn't help but think, What did Blondie do now?
Cel follows the group back in the bar trying to take in the information as it comes, but still highly confused as to what all happened in the first place. Trying to be better about "reading the room" so to speak, he thinks better than to start interjecting questions all over the place.
When the party gets closer, they overhear Laurett and Smitty are talking about the necromancer taking Silo from the tavern.
After Xizoh's question, Laurett gives him a concerned look. "I'm glad you asked dear, we were just about to go up and check on her. A soldier gave her a letter just before we lost Silo. Turned white as a sheet and ran up to her room." Laurett casts a glance at the stairs. "Hope everything is alright."
"I'll go check!" Cel blurts out intent on getting a chance to be alone with his thoughts for a moment to try and process everything that's just happened in the last .
Cel find the door to Henri's room ajar. Henri is hurriedly stuffing her belongings inside her backpack with an assortment of them still strewn haphazardly across the bed.
When he enters she looks up and gives him a melancholy smile. "Hello Rabbit."
Henri continues packing up her things, not meeting his eyes. "It's been fun Windy Kid, but Sally and I need to ride out tonight." She carefully wraps up a violin. "You gonna be okay without me?"
"Sorry kiddo," Henri looks away as she closes up her backpack securely and swings it over her shoulder. "Sally and I need to put as much distance as possible between here and us. We're headed north."
She walks over to Cel, grins, and ruffles his hair. "Yeah, you'll be fine." Henri opens the door and starts to walk downstairs. "Say goodbye to the others for me?"
After a couple of minutes, Henri comes down the stairs with Cel behind her. Henri has all her winter gear on and her backpack is full and slung over her back. She heads toward the bar and seems surprised to see the rest of the party there.
“Hi,” she grins without meeting their eyes before crossing to the bar and handing Laurett her room key. ”I need to head out tonight. Keep the change.”
"Tonight? Are you leaving?" Xizoh knows he should be worried about the mission, but something was wrong right now with one of his friends. Huh, I don't think I can say that about anyone else I've met running from home.
"Yeah, Doc." Henri shrugs. "It's no big deal, I'm all good, I just need to be elsewhere like now."
Dulae gives Henri a hard look and raises an eyebrow. "Leaving in the freezing cold on a moments notice, and its no big deal? Right. Just remember that Rabbit's wand will wear off midday tomorrow. Don't be caught unprepared."
She snaps Henri a fast solute. "Altien watch over you, Fireball."
"Thanks Sarge," Henri chuckles.
She clears her throat and stares at the floor, stuffing her hands in her pockets. "Listen, it's been really great. Even with the giant dead wolf thing. I'm gonna miss you guys."
Henri says to Alaina, "I'd say you should come with me, but you gotta stick with your wizard until he helps you find that bastard. I get it." She grins. "But we keep running into each other, so it's not like this is goodbye, right Red?"
"Not likely no. Take care Blondie."
Henri waves her thanks to Laurett and winks at Smitty. She gives Dulae a half-mocking salute, punches Xizoh softly in the shoulder with a quiet "Thanks Doc," and wraps an arm around Alaina to clap her fondly on the shoulder.
Henri smiles wistfully at the group. "Look after our Rabbit for me, yeah?" She tips her hat to the them. "See you around."
Henri walks out into the cold night at a quick pace.
Earlier that evening a soldier unfamiliar to Henri said, ”I think this is yours,” and dropped a letter in front of her on the bar.
The letter read:
My friend,
Your brother is under the impression you’re in Southtown. He’s on his way there now with your mother.
If you have no idea what I mean, then it seems I wasted a favor. If you do, whatever possessed you to use that name?
Hope you are well, whoever is reading this.
Yours,
--WM
Watching Henri walk away, Xizoh felt something twinge in his chest. I hope where ever she goes, luck follows her. Xizoh called out her as she walked away. "Good luck Henri!
Cel eventually makes his way downstairs after Henri leaves still holding the look of mild shock. When getting near the group he says in a quiet voice, "Henri's leaving, she said to say goodbye." So many emotions right now, I don't know what to pay attention to. Alaina and I, that was great, but what does it mean? Henri is leaving, she was my first real friend, but now she's gone. The Captain and the havoc I keep creating. Am I drunk? Is this what drunk is?
He plops down in a chair staring at nothing in particular on the table in front of him, dazed and only a little aware of anything around him.
Dulae lets a few seconds pass as she watches Henri walk away, then turns to her companions. "Lets get to the Captain's office. Someone find Rabbit. I need to get my armor on before our next crisis."
She stomps back towards the barracks.
"Let us. I don't want to dwell on this any longer than required." Xizoh's face was a mixture of emotions, flickering between joy and sadness.
"Rabbit's right over there," Alaina pointed out.
Moving over to the young man, the Wolf put her hand on his shoulder, "You okay?"
Hurrying behind Dulae, Xizoh stays quiet.
Most of Dara’s journey through the pass is bitterly cold but uneventful. The sun shines brightly, she sees no other tracks in the snow, and her borrowed pony keeps up a steady pace. It strikes Dara as odd when she doesn't see any sign of wildlife after awhile.
About two-thirds of the way through the pass, beginning to round Mount Oranis, she sees a snowstorm brewing to the northeast. An hour later, the wind begins to rush through the trees, blowing a dense cloud of fine snow into the air. The sky darkens as the clouds roll overhead and the first large flakes of snow begin to fall. She notices a tendril of mist curling around the top of Mount Oranis before rolling down the mountainside.
By the time Dara reaches the end of the pass, the snow is falling heavy and fast. The mist is only a hundred feet behind her and creeping steadily closer. Having detoured to avoid pockets of mist along the trail, the sun has just set. Roland’s urgent warning to avoid the mist and make sure to reach town before nightfall echoes in her head as the mist seems to gain on her in the growing darkness.
Suddenly Dara emerges from the treeline and sees the warm glow of Southtown's lights from across a wide clearing. Behind her, tendrils of mist reach through the trees but not far beyond, as though there is something holding the mist back. An eerie, unnaturally loud howl splits the air, spooking her pony.
Ahead, Dara can see two large stone buildings looming on either side of the road. As she gets closer, Dara thinks she recognizes one as a church of Altien, and the other is obviously the Southtown Altiendel military headquarters. She also sees more than a hundred smaller buildings beyond, nestled evenly on either side of the road.
Dara notices the large military building is designed for a practical defense, with a few windows. Dozens of torches light up the exterior in the night, burning in sturdy metal holders bolted to the walls every ten feet. A few soldiers are clustered outside the stables rubbing their hands together for warmth, but otherwise the headquarters and the rest of the town is quiet. As Dara nears the military building, a soldier in a green uniform with an ioun torch burning above him approaches her.
”Evening,” he says in a polite tone, though he keeps a safe distance between himself and Dara. “May I ask who is traveling through the pass at night and on what business?”
Most of Dara’s journey through the pass is bitterly cold but uneventful. The sun shines brightly, she sees no other tracks in the snow, and her borrowed pony keeps up a steady pace. It strikes Dara as odd when she doesn't see any sign of wildlife after awhile.
About two-thirds of the way through the pass, beginning to round Mount Oranis, she sees a snowstorm brewing to the northeast. An hour later, the wind begins to rush through the trees, blowing a dense cloud of fine snow into the air. The sky darkens as the clouds roll overhead and the first large flakes of snow begin to fall. She notices a tendril of mist curling around the top of Mount Oranis before rolling down the mountainside.
By the time Dara reaches the end of the pass, the snow is falling heavy and fast. The mist is only a hundred feet behind her and creeping steadily closer. Having detoured to avoid pockets of mist along the trail, the sun has just set. Roland’s urgent warning to avoid the mist and make sure to reach town before nightfall echoes in her head as the mist seems to gain on her in the growing darkness.
Suddenly Dara emerges from the treeline and sees the warm glow of the lights of Southtown from across a wide clearing. Behind her, tendrils of mist reach through the trees but not far beyond, as though there is something holding the mist back. An eerie, unnaturally loud howl splits the air, spooking her pony.
Ahead, Dara can see two large stone buildings looming on either side of the road. As she gets closer, Dara thinks she recognizes one as a church of Altien, and the other is obviously Southtown's military headquarters. She also sees more than a hundred smaller buildings beyond, nestled evenly on either side of the road.
Dara notices the large military building is designed for a practical defense, with a few windows. Dozens of torches light up the exterior in the night, burning in sturdy metal holders bolted to the walls every ten feet. A few soldiers are clustered outside the stables rubbing their hands together for warmth, but otherwise the headquarters and the rest of the town is quiet. As Dara nears the military building, a soldier in a green uniform with an ioun torch burning above him approaches her.
”Evening,” he says in a polite tone, though he keeps a safe distance between himself and Dara. “May I ask who is traveling through the pass at night and on what business?”
Most of Dara’s journey through the pass is bitterly cold but uneventful. The sun shines brightly, she sees no other tracks in the snow, and her borrowed pony keeps up a steady pace. It strikes Dara as odd when she doesn't see any sign of wildlife after awhile.
About two-thirds of the way through the pass, beginning to round Mount Oranis, she sees a snowstorm brewing to the northeast. An hour later, the wind begins to rush through the trees, blowing a dense cloud of fine snow into the air. The sky darkens as the clouds roll overhead and the first large flakes of snow begin to fall. She notices a tendril of mist curling around the top of Mount Oranis before rolling down the mountainside.
By the time Dara reaches the end of the pass, the snow is falling heavy and fast. The mist is only a hundred feet behind her and creeping steadily closer. Having detoured to avoid pockets of mist along the trail, the sun has just set. Roland’s urgent warning to avoid the mist and make sure to reach town before nightfall echoes in her head as the mist seems to gain on her in the growing darkness.
Suddenly Dara emerges from the treeline and sees the warm glow of the lights of Southtown from across a wide clearing. Behind her, tendrils of mist reach through the trees but not far beyond, as though there is something holding the mist back. An eerie, unnaturally loud howl splits the air, spooking her pony.
Ahead, Dara can see two large stone buildings looming on either side of the road. As she gets closer, Dara thinks she recognizes one as a church of Altien, and the other is obviously Southtown’s military headquarters. She also sees more than a hundred smaller buildings beyond, nestled evenly on either side of the road.
Dara notices the large military building is designed for a practical defense, with a few windows. Dozens of torches light up the exterior in the night, burning in sturdy metal holders bolted to the walls every ten feet. A few soldiers are clustered outside the stables rubbing their hands together for warmth, but otherwise the headquarters and the rest of the town is quiet. As Dara nears the military building, a soldier in a green uniform with an ioun torch burning above him approaches her.
”Evening,” he says in a polite tone, though he keeps a safe distance between himself and Dara. “May I ask who is traveling through the pass at night and on what business?”
The private cautiously steps a few feet closer, takes the envelope, and reads its contents in the light of his ioun torch.
After he finishes reading he gives her a snappy Altiendel-style salute. "Welcome Corporal Shadeshard. I'm Private Hotakainen." The private whistles at the soldiers standing near the stables, who begin jogging over. He reaches a hand up in an offer to take the reins so Dara can climb down. "We can see to your pony and I can take you to Captain Vazquez."
If Dara accepts, her pony is led toward the stables and Private Hotakainen leads her up the three wide stone steps to the entrance.
Inside there are several lamps on the walls providing a practical amount of light. The floors and walls look very clean, but completely barren of decoration. The air feels much warmer than outside if not warm, but Dara can't see any fire or stoves from the entrance. She has a sense from the outside view that the building is large enough to hold a barracks for dozens, a small mess hall, a meeting room, and a few offices.
From the broad landing just beyond the doors, a set of steps lead downward to a hallway. Dara can see soldiers moving across it going about their duties. Short flights of stairs on either side lead up a level to another hall, and private Hotakainen leads her up the stairs on the right.
The hall leads into an open space which had probably once had a long table for meetings, but is currently organized with chairs to look something like a waiting room. The room is well lit and comfortably heated, with two large woodstoves against the building's outer wall. Some of the feeling starts to return to Dara's extremities in painful prickles.
Private Hotakainen leads her toward a large double door on the left. Dara recognizes the presentation and ornamentation as the office of the highest ranking officer. It's guarded by a friendly looking private who watches her with interest. Dara suspects he hasn't interacted with many dwarves before.
"Evening Zahan," Private Hotakainen greets the other private, holding up Dara's envelope of introduction papers. "For the captain."
Zahan accepts the envelope with a nod. A tall lieutenant in his mid twenties emerges from the double door with a worried expression. Dara notices his silver paladin's uniform bears the white sash of the southern branch of the army, based in Southtown. Witnessing this exchange, the lieutenant remarks as he passes, "Go on in Private. She can see you."
Zahan nods again and heads through the double doors. Dara and Private Hotakainen wait outside for a minute before he emerges, waving Dara through with a smile "Welcome, Corporal."
As the door shuts behind her Dara hears Zahan say to Hotakainen, "Stick around for a minute? I won't be able to show her around if she's staying."
The room is expectedly spacious, with two small doors leading to private offices. But in stark contrast to the usual meticulous order of a ranking officer's office, it is something of a mess. Dara can see many piles of scrolls and papers neatly stacked, all weighted down with heavy objects for some reason. She can see magic items commonly used by the Altiendel military scattered on desks and the floor, including the biggest pile of teleportation orbs she has ever seen.
Dara sees a man in his late 40s of average stature and a scholarly build in high-ranking wizard's robes wiping tiredly at his eyes as his enters one of the private offices and shuts the door.
Directly in front of Dara is the commanding form of the captain of the southern contingent. She looks to be in her mid-50s and she is resplendent in the silver celestial armor of high-ranking paladins, complemented with a rich Altien-blue cloak. "I am Captain Jaya Vazquez. What brings you to us, Corporal Shadeshard?"
The room looks otherwise deserted, and Dara feels comfortable speaking about matters she wouldn't want anyone besides the captain to overhear.
"Also, have you been contacted by an Alaina Steele?"
Captain Vazquez reads Dara's papers with a carefully neutral expression. She looks back up at Dara. "I see. Welcome, Agent Shadeshard." Instead of immediately answering Dara's question, the captain folds the papers back up and says, "Your sigil, please."
Dulae and Xizoh walk back to the military building alongside a slow stream of soldiers. All the joy of earlier in the evening seems to have worn away in the cold air and no one says much.
Once inside, Dulae walks down the stairs and notices the beds in the barracks room are now about half full instead of nearly empty. Soldiers are sleeping off alcohol, cleaning weapons, and fixing attire with the air of preparing for battle. Dulae sees her armor on her bed as she left it, and she notices the bed next to hers is covered in the belongings of a new occupant.
Once inside, Xizoh parts with Dulae as she walks down the stairs to don her armor and he walks up the stairs to the captain’s office. He can hear signs of soldiers bustling below, preparing for the morning’s mission.
In the waiting room, the double doors to the captain’s office are open, and Xizoh can see Captain Vazquez, Lieutenants Buhari and Narwita, all four of Silo’s apprentices, Blaine Guillen, a few other faces he doesn’t recognize inside. Private Zahan is standing by the door, watching the waiting room. Zahan notices Xizoh approach and waves him over.
As Xizoh gets closer to the door he overhears them discussing their plans. Lieutenant Buhari says softly, “Captain, we could search now.”
“Foolish.” Captain Vazquez shakes her head. “We still don’t know what’s out there. We’re most useful to Silo alive.”
The captain nods at Xizoh. "We could use more information, Mr. Shadelock, if you can remember anything else. The layout of the caves, anywhere he's liking to be keeping Silo."
Xizoh feels the eyes in the room turn to him.
Captain Vazquez relaxes slightly after seeing the sigil intact and returns Dara's papers to her. “You have fortuitous timing, Agent Shadeshard. We could certainly use someone with your expertise.”
A worried expression flickers across the captain’s face. “From your question I take it you haven’t seen any sign of Ms. Steele yourself, having just come from the pass. That is troubling.”
She frowns. “No doubt you were informed that Southtown has been the site of an excavation operation on Mount Oranis for many months.
"Over a month ago we observed an unusual mist originating at the peak of Mount Oranis after sunset each night that spreads down the mountain before disappearing after dawn. Three weeks ago we found evidence that the mist is harmful, in the form of animals found dead or mutilated in the morning and the death of a traveler in the pass.
"We have since taken care to avoid the mist, but it seems to be strengthening with the colder weather. The mist is steadily approaching nearer to Southtown, especially when there is little moonlight or it is particularly cold. Lately we have noticed it will form even when heavy clouds block the sun.
"Four days ago we lost a six-person excavation team when it became cloudy unexpectedly. A twelve-unit search and rescue team disappeared in the same way the next day, including three Abbhen soldiers. No bodies have been recovered.
"The main Kinghaven force is marching south to give aid. They're still two days out.
"In the meantime," she sighs, gesturing toward Silo’s office and making no effort to further lower her voice, "this boneheaded wizard is hiring civilians to use experimental magic maps in some hope of finding these people before the month or more it would take a traditional search and rescue to cover the mountain."
Captain Vazquez takes a breath. “Ms. Steele volunteered earlier today to serve with one of these search parties. They were meant to return by nightfall.” She gives Dara an uncertain look.
"I see. Well I have faith she and her companions will return soon. In the meantime, may I perhaps be given accommodation in the Guest Barracks? The trip was exhausting."
Cel jumps slightly at the touch, looks up to see who it is, then turns bright red for a second, eyes darting back to the table. The question she asked registers and he responds, "I don't know? Everything just got really complicated. Where is Henri going? What happened outside? And then upstairs..." He turns red again, but then steels himself a bit, "Yeah, I'm sure I'll be fine. Lets go see what's going on."
"What happened upstairs was a beautiful thing," Alaina responded.
As Cel stood up, she leaned in and whispered, "And I hope to have a repeat performance." After nipping his ear playfully, she grinned as she turned around and headed out after the others, a little extra sway in her hips.
After reaching the military building, Dulae walks briskly downstairs to her assigned bed. She quickly dons her armor and grabs her sword and shield before heading upstairs to the captain’s office. Focused on Silo’s kidnapping, Dulae doesn’t make much eye contact or any conversation.
Captain Vazquez nods. “Of course. I’d appreciate it if you could check back in here first thing in the morning.”
The captain walks Dara to the door. ”Private Hotakainen, Corporal Shadeshard will need a bunk while she is here. Please show her down.”
Private Hotakainen motions for Dara to follow him. Zahan gives her a shy wave as they pass out of the waiting room.
The private leads Dara down the stairs to the landing by the entrance, and then down the steps leading to the level below. The stone-lined space feels cavernous compared to the level above, as though some of it has been tunneled underground. Halls and rooms are well lit with lamps on the walls and feel comfortably warm.
Dara catches glimpses of what looks like an armory, a training room, a workshop, a series of meeting rooms and offices, and a small mess before they reach a large chamber with many rows of cots. Hotakainen leads her to the back of the room and stops next to a bed one over from the corner. "We usually use the back row for visitors.”
Dara's cot looks serviceable, with simple bedding and a clean pillow and blanket. The room is slightly warmer than the rest of the lower level, with no perceptible draft.
Hotakainen points to a chest at the end of the bed. "You can stow your gear here. Anything you need washed goes to the laundry," he points to a large basket on the other side of the room. "Lights are out in here an hour before midnight and dim two hours before that. Latrines are outside, you can get a bath two doors down, and the mess is the next room over with meals at dawn, noon, and dusk.”
He watches her expectantly for a moment to see if she has any questions. After answering any, he departs with a friendly nod.
Dara has a couple hours to herself. She notices after about half an hour soldiers start changing out of their uniforms and heading out somewhere, talking about a ‘salute’.
Later on, a half-elf with closely cropped hair and a fierce scowl stomps over to the bed next to Dara’s in the corner. She quickly puts on a heavy breastplate adorned with Altien's holy symbol and grabs a sword and shield before leaving.
A minute later, Private Zahan jogs over to Dara and says a bit out of breath, “Captain wants to see you in her office, Corporal.” He jogs away again, clearly assuming she knows the way.
If Dara heads up to the the captain’s office, as she reaches the landing she sees Alaina enter the military building with skittish-looking young man in a hooded fur poncho close behind her. They both look dirty and their clothes are covered in what looks to Dara like soot and blood.
Slightly ahead of Cel, Alaina walks up the steps and through to door of the military building to see Private Zahan jogging up the stairs to the captain’s office and her cousin Dara coming up the steps.
Cel walks up the steps and through to door of the military building just behind Alaina. As they enter, he sees Private Zahan jogging up the stairs to the captain’s office and a young female dwarf coming up the steps who seems to recognize Alaina.
In the waiting room, the double doors to the captain’s office are open, and Dulae can see Captain Vazquez, Lieutenants Buhari and Narwita, all four of Silo’s apprentices, Blaine Guillen, Xizoh, and a few other faces she doesn’t recognize inside. The group seems to be listening to something Xizoh is saying. Private Zahan is standing by the door, watching the waiting room.
Dulae joins Xizoh in the captain's office just after he answers the captain’s question.
“I see,” says Captain Vazquez. She nods an acknowledgement at Dulae and turns to Lieutenant Narwita. “Lieutenant, how many of these recesses are there in the Smuggler’s Caves? Functional spaces to keep a wizard?”
“A least a couple dozen, sir,” says Narwita. “Burn rooms for storing loot and crawl spaces for sleeping are distributed pretty evenly between the openings, I think.”
“Hm.” The captains drums her fingers thoughtfully on the desk in front of her. “And perhaps the caves somehow offer safety from whatever else is on the mountain." She looks at Dulae and Xizoh. "Tell me, did you see any evidence of mist or moisture in the caves?”
"By the Gods there you are," The red haired Dwarf exclaimed. Rushing over to Alaina, Dara threw her arms around the woman's waist, her head about breast level.
Hugging the Dwarf back, the Wolf said, "Dara?! What in the Hells are you doing here?"
Looking up at her cousin, "You didn't really think I'd let you meet that bastard sire of yours alone did you?"
Years of practice had made it easier for her to hide her thoughts from showing on her face. While she wanted to tell her cousin the truth, she was under orders not to.
"Well glad you're here. It's nice to have someone I know around," Alaina said as she grasped Dara by the shoulders.