[PING!]
Iliana smiles again, her teeth perfect and even. "How many wizards will you find stranded in the Azlanti spire, I wonder, that you will need to be certain you have the right ones?"
Wymond blushes.
"Well, erm, with all due respect milady, the Spire's got the reputation of being one o' the most dangerous places in the Echo Wood, maybe even in the whole o' the River Kingdoms. Don't wanna accidentally mistake 'em for some deep dweller and hurt 'me by mistake. Human eyes ain't as sharp or as lovely as yours."
She describes Tiawask and Jharun, as well as the clothes they typically wore.
"Thank ye kindly," Wymond replies. "There's somethin' else I was wondrin'. You...uh...you know anythin' about that...what'd he call it...int-er-dik-shun on the Pathfinders 'ere?"
'Thank you ma'am, it's reassuring to know that a halfling can make something of himself here.' Perfire still looks tense but more relaxed than he has in a long time.
Swallowing, Yirrik manages to free his tongue enought to stammer, "I..I..I mean...we...we'll do our best to find your friends, m'Lady." he says, then realizing he'd actually said something to the beautiful elf, went crimson and looked down at the floor.
Iliara smiles at Wymond's compliment.
"I am no expert on all the details but a mercenary must be somewhat conversant in the political details of her region. Ah, I see you did not know that. Yes, the Goldenfire Order is a small guild of wizards-for-hire based in Thornkeep."
"Yes, I know something of the situation. The Pathfinders have no real presence in the River Kingdoms, though they have a lodge in Ustalav. Aldous Velikov has long been keen to establish a lodge in the area, but it seems the man is determined to anger the hellknights while doing it. He is not one who works well with authority and I think I can see why the Society keeps him here rather than in Absalom."
"The hellknights demand a thirty percent tax on any adventuring group that operates within their territory. Aldous being Aldous, he just couldn't abide it and proceeded to operate secretly. The Paralictor caught him and confiscated all his goods. He did it again and she retaliated by placing the Pathfinders under interdict - no Pathfinders are permitted to work within Fort Inevitable's territory for the space of ten years... eight now, I believe."
After he speaks, Iliara leans forward to regard Yirrik solemnly. "I hope so. They were dear friends and good researchers. I fear for their safety every day that goes by. Will you be able to start soon?"
Zaia watched and listened as the males in her party eagerly chatted with the Elven lady - at least two of them appeared openly enamoured with the Elf.
She listened as Iliara spoke of the Halflings and then the Pathfinder Velikov. When she asked when they would be able to start, Zaia simply and politely replied, "As soon as we have made our preparations and secured a license from the Lady Commander of the Hellknights, Lady Iliara."
"I'd be very grateful if you would," says Iliara.
Wymond bows as they prepare to leave.
"It will be an honor and a pleasure for one such as you, milady."
As they step out of the room, Wymond removes his helmet and mops his brow a bit.
"Wow! She's...she's the most beautiful person I've ever seen!" he says, grinning stupidly.
'Yeah.' Perfire responds absentmindedly. The Halfling has seemed distracted since speaking with the Elf woman. His stare has been focused on nothing in particular and he appears to be slowly chewing something though he's put nothing in his mouth.
Yorrik stammers something resembling a goodbye to the Iliara, bids goodbye to the halflings, then stands on the street outside, looking down at Wymond, "I can't argue that, Wy, she's a beauty that's for sure."
He then notices Perfire's angst, "What's eating at you, Perfire?"
Wymond rubs his chin as he looks at Perfire.
'Excuse me sirs, ma'am. This is all just very different. Back home Halflings couldn't hope to have it so well. Despite the Hellknights, this town is probably the best opportunity I've ever had. I just want to make sure I make the most of it.' Perfire starts uncomfortably, unused to speaking his mind. As he begins to share his thoughts he seems unburdened slightly.
Wymond jovially claps Perfire on the shoulder.
"Good te hear, Perry! It's like the fifth an' six River Freedoms say: "Slavery is an abomination," an' "Ye have what ye hold." An' what you 'old is yer freedom te live an' love an raise a family as any other man, er woman er...what they call it, non-bynairee? An' let NO Hellknight tell you any different! Never mind the "sir" though, I'm only 19. I think you actually might be older than me, Perry!"
'Sorry, sir. Oh, sorry again. Old habits. I appreciate your encouragement, though the Hellknights are still likely to unnerve me for awhile yet.'
"Then let's get that warrant an' be done with 'em for a while. Whadaya say everyone?" Wymond replies, looking to Yirrik and Zaia.
That the males were so enamoured with the Elven lady bemused Zaia but she said nothing aloud on the matter. She politely bid the Elf and the Halflings farewell. Perfire had deeper matters on the mind as he revealed upon Yirrik's question.
To Wymond's question, she answered simply, "Aye, let us proceed to the licence office."
A trio of armigers stand guard at the entrance of the Citadel. They carry impressively sharp glaives. They are professional, vigilant and dour.
"Good morning," says one, his sharp gaze roving over each of you, taking in your weaponry and armor. "Do you have business in the Citadel?"
Once informed that you're looking for a warrant, he says "Well, only the Lady Commander can issue a warrant. You can wait in the yard and I'll inform her that you're here."
He sends a runner to carry the message and escorts you into the citadel's inner ward. There, young armigers practice with staves and blunt swords, pushed mercilessly by a man with short gray hair and an ugly scar across the bridge of his nose. A few eye you curiously and get a sharp rap on the head with a quarterstaff for their inattention. At one point a middle-aged handsome man crosses the yard and regards you with a friendly smile. He wears a pendant that shows a crimson trident piercing a golden ring.
After forty minutes, a young page approaches and says "The Lady Commander bids you join her." He gestures toward a staircase that leads to a covered wooden gallery looking down into the yard. There stands a dour-looking female figure in full hellknight plate armor, but without a helm her hair is as close cropped and severe as any soldier's.
Wymond gulps quietly, waiting for the Lady Commander to turn around.
At the intersection before turning down the road to the citadel Perfire slows to a stop. 'I hope it's not too much trouble, but I think I'd feel better waiting out here. I'll stay close in case you need me' The Halfling seems fairly adamant about remaining outside.
"That is fine," she replied to Perfire, knowing his reticence when it came to the Hellknights.
Zaia followed Wymond up the stairs and stopped a little distance from the female Commander sans helmet.
Since Wymond had not presently addressed the female, Zaia began speaking, attempting a level of politeness even though she was nervous in the woman's presence. "Good day, Lady Commander, and thank you for granting us an audience so promptly. I am Priestess Zaia Acayan and our small party were advised by Lieutenant Drosthar to seek out a letter of warrant if we mean to act as lawful adventurers and undertake advertised postings in Fort Inevitable."
Once Zaia speaks, Wymond feels more comfortable speaking.
"Aye...Milady Commander. It's an honor te be granted such an audience fer a group o' young an' inexperienced adventurers such as ourselves."
The Lady Commander, her armor all claws and spikes, her lips thin and bloodless, her face hard and weathered, regards you with no sign of emotion. "You are very inexperienced. It is most likely that by giving you a warrant, I would be sending you to your deaths. Why should you wish to die? And why should I permit you to try?"
At the perceived insult, Wymond straightens up and his mustache bristles.
"Well, most likely fer the same reasons yer armigers sign on. 'Cuz they know it's dangerous work, but it's gotta get done. An' a smart, wise Lady such as yerself knows yer knights can't be everywhere at once, especially here in'a River Kingdoms. That's why ye've got these warrants in the first place, ennit? Besides, we can't get more experience without riskin' our lives anyway. If I were scared o' dyin' I wouldn't 'ave become a knight an' I'd've stayed on me brother's farm!"
Once Wymond had finished speaking, Zaia calmly and steadily added her own voice, reiterating the knight's message in her own way,
"While it is true that our experience is limited, if you grant us a warrant, we can gain experience with each job we take on, and, any associated risk we accept with eyes open, Lady Commander. Experience comes with practice and hardship."
Perfire watches as his companions enter the citadel and then tries to find somewhere out of the way to wait in sight of the citadel. He tries to appear inconspicuous and involved in various mundane tasks.
Yirrik finds the Lady Commander beautiful as well, in her own severe way. But, since she reminded him of his Aunt Maggie, he found himself more comfortable around the authoritarian woman.
"It is as my friends say, Lady Commander. We seek adventure and will face whatever dangers come our way. We each possess different talents, that will hopefully keep us from the early death you see in our futures. Still, those futures are our own, please give us warrant to succeed or fail."
"Your words are both honorable and naive," she says. "I am charged with protecting the people of the Crusader Road, not selling them licenses to get themselves killed. Tell me, have you any experience at this sort of thing?"
"Beggin' yer pardon, Lady Commander but I'm a River Kingdoms man through an' through! I've 'ad te help my family defend our farm from bandits since I was old enough to swing an axe. An' Erastil's given me a holy charge te defend these lands from evil. So yes, I'd say I can take care of meself in a fight. I wouldn't be a paladin if I couldn't."
She looks at Wymond with a little more interest. "A paladin? Interesting. You at least should understand the rule of law and the importance of keeping open the Crusader Road."
"Tell me what you would do with such a warrant. Tell me also why your halfling companion is skulking down in the yard."
"Obviously I'd use it to keep things lurkin' in Echo Wood from harassin' the Road, especially bandits and their ilk, first an' foremost. An' then? The Emerald Spire. Somethin's lurkin' down there. Stirrin'. I can feel it. I wanna make sure whatever's down there STAYS down there."
He blinks in surprise a bit as she mentions Perfire.
"Perfire? Well, he's a freed slave from Cheliax, y'see. I reckon he's got some unpleasant memories of the place, so he wasn't too keen on comin' up 'ere. I think he's a'feared one o' yer men might overstep his bounds an' try to send him back there."
Yirrik nodded as Wymond described himself, but winced a bit as his honest friend perhaps divulged a bit too much about Perfire to the Lady Commander.
"I've been delving the caves for many years, and recently been investigating the ruins that dot the landscape with Theodus Canatik, out of Taldor...perhaps you've heard of him?"
"Like Yirrik, I have spent years traversing caves and ruins and feel more at home below ground than above. Most of my training and studies have been as a cleric and healer. I hope to be able to keep myself and my companions alive over the course of our travels and adventures."
Zaia wished Wymond hadn't been so forthcoming about Perfire and his reasons for keeping his distance from the Hellknights, but there wasn't anything to be done about it now. The knight could be too forthcoming and she made note to speak to him about it once they were done with the lady commander and had some privacy.
The Lady Commander gazes down into the yard for a few moments, then turns to your group. "Very well. You may have some chance of survival. Understand that the warrant will grant you legal authority to uphold the laws, not to break them. Pay the clerk." She indicates a doorway at the end of the gallery. It seems you are dismissed.
Later, when you have paid fifty pieces of gold to the halfling clerk, you receive your warrant. When you leave the clerk's office, the Lady Commander is gone.
"As if we'd have any reason to, Lady Commander. Have a good day."
Wymond accepts the warrant and reads it to the others.
"So...we've got our warrant. What's next?"
Perfire breathes a sigh of relief seeing his companions emerge from the citadel. He waits patiently while they draw near and speaks up expectantly when they get within a reasonable distance.
'How did it go? Are we warranted? I'm so glad to see you all made it out of there ok.' His concern appears geniune.
"It did. Here it is!"
Wymond unfurls the warrant and hands it to Perfire. He rubs the back of his neck and sighs a bit.
"The Lady Commander saw you down in the yard, by the way."
Perfire begins reading the warrant and stops immediately at the mention of the leader of the Hellknights spotting him. He stares past the paper for a moment and stammers out. 'O-oh, s-s-sir, did sh-sh-she want me to, um, uh, did she want to s-s-see me?'
"No, she just asked what you were doin' down there, why you didn't come with us. I told her the truth: Hellknights make you uncomfortable cuz yer from Cheliax an' that's a place you don't remember fondly."
He puts his hand Perfire's shoulder.
"She didn't press the issue, so I figger that was enough for her. I mean, we're not 'ere to cause trouble. Never were."
The Halfling casts a quick, worried glance at the citadel and sighs. 'I'm certainly not trying to cause trouble, I just want to live my life. I hope you're right. I don't think I can go back to that life. I'm sorry for not carrying my weight there. I should have been brave enough to take this step towards my future.'
Perfire keeps his eyes at his feet after looking away from the fortification's facade.
Having moved down the stairs, Zaia listened to the exchange between Wymond and Perfire. Looking to the Wymond, she uttered in low/discreet voice, out of the earshot of any Hellknights and attendants, "May I respectfully suggest not speaking so openly next time? It does us no good to tell them everything. If I may speak frankly, Wymond, you can be far too trusting. Let us all practice some subtlety and discretion." She said so much knowing full well she wasn't practising much subtlety in her message to the knight. The sum and terms of of the warrant had set her teeth on edge and had affected her mood. She could well understand why people like Velikov undertook pursuits without Hellknight sanction. The Hellknights were making a tidy profit on the risk and labour of others.
Turning her attention to Perfire, the priestess added, "Next time, just come along with us, even if there are Hellknights present. It does appear less suspicious that way and may save you some trouble down the track." She nodded to both males and smiled quietly, ready to move along.
Perfire nods and screws up his resolve before preparing to move along.
So are we off to the Spire?
[Are we? Are we?!, he asked excitedly.]
Yirrik greets Perfire with good humour, "Don't worry yourself, Perfire. Soon we'll be the talk of the town and you'll have no problems with these Knights and you can leave your past behind." he declares naively.
He shoulders the Pathfinders bag of supplies and looks to the others, "Shall we? "
Having moved down the stairs, Zaia listened to the exchange between Wymond and Perfire. Looking to the Wymond, she uttered in low/discreet voice, out of the earshot of any Hellknights and attendants, "May I respectfully suggest not speaking so openly next time? It does us no good to tell them everything. If I may speak frankly, Wymond, you can be far too trusting. Let us all practice some subtlety and discretion." She said so much knowing full well she wasn't practising much subtlety in her message to the knight. The sum and terms of of the warrant had set her teeth on edge and had affected her mood. She could well understand why people like Velikov undertook pursuits without Hellknight sanction. The Hellknights were making a tidy profit on the risk and labour of others.
Turning her attention to Perfire, the priestess added, "Next time, just come along with us, even if there are Hellknights present. It does appear less suspicious that way and may save you some trouble down the track." She nodded to both males and smiled quietly, ready to move along.
Wymond frowns.
"An' if ye'll permit me te speak plainly, how would bein' less open with'er 'ave accomplished anythin'? She'd probly'ave thought we were lyin' te her or'ad summat te hide. It ain't about me trustin'er so much as wantin' te handle the situation with care. We already got 'er Lieutenant p!ssed at us, we don't need 'er agreein' with 'im."
He follows after Yirrick and offers a shoulder for the pack.
"Lemme help ye with that, Yirrick. I got the stronger back."
Zaia shook her head at the knight's simple assessment of the matter but did not say anymore on it. He would think what he would and she was not going to try to argue the point with him.
They returned to the tavern and collected the Pathfinder pack and readied themselves for the Spire.
'Might I recommend we all take one of these whistles? They may come in handy if we get separated.' Perfire says as he takes one for himself and puts it in his belt pouch.
You ask for directions to the Emerald Spire and the locals just smile. "Ain't never seen 'er. But everyone knows where she lies. About a league an' a half northwest through the densest part of the forest. But that ain't your concern. If the Echo Wood wants you to find it, you will. If not, a lifetime of searching won't help you none."
The Echo Wood is a large forest crisscrossed by human cart tracks, game paths, and old goblin roads that date back to the Kingdom of Zog. Scores of small caves, dismal thickets, eerie groves, and overgrown ruins lie within an easy day’s march from Fort Inevitable.
You march through the dense stands of elm, alder, oak and larch, as well as trees you're not sure you can name, through thickets of gooseberries and across nameless little streams until there it is before you - the Emerald Spire! The Emerald Spire stands in a broad, raised clearing in the southwest reaches of the Echo Wood. This open area is known locally as the Spire Glen. The glen is almost perfectly circular and centered on the Emerald Spire, as if some unseen hand had long ago drawn a border around the old tower with a compass more than 500 yards wide. The trees of the Echo Wood crowd up against this unseen border and suddenly halt—nothing larger than a sapling grows in the Glen.
As you emerge from the Echo Wood underbrush, you find yourselves staring up at a ruined keep guarding a broken central tower, all made of smooth, green glass. It’s obvious that a grand battle took place here many years ago, and the clearing around the ruin lies barren, with sickly weeds struggling to rise from the magic-blasted earth. Melted chunks of twisted glass pepper the ground, lending a green hue to the clearing’s light. Despite the damage, however, the glass of the keep itself seems to have avoided the ravages of time, with those pieces that survived the initial cataclysm unmarred by pitting or cracking, clean of moss and other clinging debris. At the top of a steep dirt path winding up through the rubble, a doorway opens onto darkness, its entrance seeming to steal light into its inky depths.
Yirrik's excitement slowly ramps up as the group makes its way through the Echo Wood, the words of the local ringing in his head If the Echo Wood wants you to find it, you will.
When the green edifice comes into sight, his jaw drops open and for a moment he stands stupefied. Then a brilliant smile creases his face and he dances a little jig, even grabbing Zaia for a moment to spin her around barn-dance style.
Finally, muttering a few apologies to his friend he stands and looks at the Emerald Spire in all of it's glory, his enthusiasm fading a bit as the history of this place settles down upon him.
Looking to his fellows he says, "Many have come before, let's be the first to return...whole and with the many mysteries of this place discovered."
As they sort out thier gear and such, Yirrik says, "I'll lead..."
Zaia took one of the whistles offered by Perfire and thanked the Halfling. The priestess moved along with the others, silent and at times lost in thought, but still vigilant of her steps and surrounds.
When they reached the clearing, Zaia just raised her eyes to the Spire when she felt Yirrik grab her to dance and spun her around. The little twirl and jig brought a smile to her face, pushing some of the earlier, deeper thoughts aside.
When he let go and apologised, she shook her head and told him not to worry for it was fine, and, when he stated he would lead, Zaia quietly added, "I would rather remain in the middle of the group for I am no fighter," and then moved into position.