From the other side of the room Erek responds. "We can only assume that he is alive but with Iomadae's blessing he won't be for long."
Markus steps back. I thought I understood what she was... He looks confused as Jon helps her.
He takes her hand and helps her up. "He's not here but he's been taunting us since he took you." He places his other hand on top of hers. "Kendra... What happened? Please help us understand what happened when you were taken by Vrood. We know Adivion let himself be killed, we Vrood was his little pet. But why..." Markus realises he is rambling but there is so much he wishes to ask, so much he needs to understand.
Jon hugs her fiercely but the strange colour of her eyes makes him feel uneasy, he knew Adivion had changed her , he just feared how much.
of course we came, We never gave up hope. Not even In our darkest moments he says thickly, his eyes glistening with tears Markus would not let us give up he says with a smile as he releases Kendra and watches her embrace the Desnan.
tell us what you remember Jon says gently.
Kendra hugs Jon back and squeezes Markus' hand. Both of them note the strength in that touch, more so than the slight woman they left in Lepistadt.
He rises swiftly, the effects of Davos' spell somehow completely negated now, even in spite of the minimal amount of healing she has received.
Everything. she says darkly. I remember all of it. I don't want to talk here but please, let's get away. I... I.... Adivion told me everything and.... she looks down at her hands and for a moment you almost swear there is a spark of light that dances between her fingers. ... he saved my life. He believes he is going to save the world and... I'm not sure if that isn't true.
Please, let's be away.
Markus feels lost, the road lead him here after everything they had been through... and now he has it he can't see where it leads anymore.
"Ok we'll get out of here, but there is still that arch stopping us from teleporting out. So we'll have to walk out." He says unsure of their next step. "But we'll go back to Lepistadt, we can tell you everything and you can tell us." He smiles slightly, it doesn't feel like a win but here she is Kendra in the flesh, finally.
i doubt he told you everything, that bastard is a lying son of a b#*@+. He only tells you what he wants you to know Jon says bitterly, his hatred of the man shining through.
we can talk all about that snake later, let’s get out of this damn place Jon says as he leads them back the way they came.
She shakes her head at Jon's statement.
No. He isn't lying. After what I have... become I would know. He isn't lying about anything, or at least he is completely convinced about it.
Tears flow freely then and she says;
It's so good to see you all. Where is Sebastian, is he waiting outside?
"No..." - Caradwen speaks for the first time, inching closer to Kendra - "Kendra..." - and completely breaking down in her arms, sobbing and crying, releasing all the accumulated anger, fear and frustration - "I'm so happy you are well..." - she manages to say amidst the crying.
"The lad didn't make it Kendra" - the gruff dwarf stubbornly holds on to his earthbreaker, his knuckles white from the strain - "He... He... Was laid down, and we couldn't help him... There were some monsters and then some larvae that... I don't even know anymore..." - by now he has moved closer to her thought lost friend and the others, as Caradwen manages to calm down somewhat - "He died" - his eyes threaten to burst into tears, and his vision becomes completely blurred, but the stoic dwarf just stands there, wavering, but standing strong.
"It is good to see you again" - he nods.
After finishing looking over the dark priest, the wizard sheepishly joins the others "Are you ok Kendra? I'm sorry for hurting you in a such a way"
As the others talk about Sebastian, Davos remembers the way the monk lived to his order and died over it Such a foolish way to die, blinded by faith
Nodding over to Erek "We have had a new companion join us in our hunt to destroy the Way Kendra, he has helped us immensely this is Erek Tulmoon"
Markus holds strong as Sebastian is mentioned, the feelings flow back. "The Whispering Way killed him... I couldn't save him. But I swore then I would find you, we all looked for so long." He takes a step back from Kendra, reaching into his pocket and fiddling with her ribbon.
"Kendra there are Witchgates around that stop us teleporting away. Do you know of any other way to get away from them? Or to bypass them?"
Seb... she chokes and her hand moves to her mouth. Oh Seb... is all she can manage.
Witchgates function as permanent variant teleport
traps (The Inner Sea World Guide 296), radiating their
misdirecting inf luence throughout an area approximately
20 miles in radius. All long-range teleportation (including
shadow walk, teleport, greater teleport, teleportation circle,
and transport via plants spells) into or out of Virlych are
initially redirected toward Virlych’s outermost witchgate
groves (area A), regardless of the intended destination,
though short-range teleportation spells such as dimension
door are exempt from this effect. Once a creature has
left a witchgate’s area of effect, additional attempts at
teleportation shunt the caster and all accompanying
creatures to another witchgate—either the next closest gate
or an entirely random one, at your discretion.
A caster attempting to teleport into or out of a witchgate’s
area of effect can make a DC 20 Will save to resist the
effect; if the save is successful, the creature simply doesn’t
teleport at all—either to the intended location or to the
witchgate itself (but the use of the teleport effect is still
consumed). A DC 27 Knowledge (arcana) check allows a
caster to identify the presence and effects of a witchgate,
but does not reveal the location of the next witchgate in the
sequence. Once aware of a witchgate’s properties, a DC 35
Spellcraft check coupled with detect magic enables a caster
to determine the borders of a witchgate’s area of effect.
Each time a caster is redirected to another witchgate,
she must succeed at a DC 30 caster level check to avoid
an intense sensation of vertigo that spreads like a disease
among dimensional travelers. On a failed check, all
creatures accompanying the caster must make DC 25
Fortitude saves or become sickened for 1d6 rounds upon
arrival at the witchgate. The DC for the caster level check
increases by +2 for each additional witchgate the caster
attempts to reach with a single casting.
Erek moves across the room to introduce himself. He approaches slowly, not wanting to intrude on their bitter sweet reunion. He holds out his hand in greeting. "Erek Tulmoon, last. Pleased to meet..."
His words trail off and a puzzled look briefly crosses his face before his facade of implacable resolve returns. He stares at Kendra for a long moment as if trying to look into her soul. Finally, in a flat emotionless voice, he speaks three words that are as simple as they are profound: "What are you?"
Kendra doesn't look offended by the question, in fact it seems as though she expected it.
She sighs deeply;
Adivion would have completed his plans months ago, before he had even left Lepistadt in fact, if it weren't that he learned something about me that I had kept secret even from my father.
She turns to the others, the ones she knows and continues;
I was ill. Dying, in fact. A sickness of the blood that took my mother at a similar age. I watched my father spend years agonising over her condition, contacting every doctor and priest and scholar he had contact with.
It was exhausting for him and worse for her - she spent the last years of her life being prodded and poked by learned men and watched her husband wither into a shell when he knew there was nothing he could do for her and healing magic would not work. I didn't want that for him again.
But Adivion learned of it and.... he... the Carrion Crown elixir... he...
She swallows hard.
He used the concoction he had to make me... this...
He saved my life. she says simply. And risked what he had worked for the best part of his life in order to do so. He believes he can 'save the world' and that I am proof of it.
Please, let's go. I will tell you all of it I promise. and she begins striding toward the door, hugging her arms tightly to her chest.
Listening intently to what Kendra speaks about and holds back a bit while the rest of he group follows with Kendra, the wizard nods to get Erek to grab his attention and speaks in a hushed voice keeping a slow pace at the back out of ear shot from the others.
"If it's true that Adivion has given Kendra the Carrion Crown elixir, I know he cares for her but not sure if enough to cure her of her affliction. Or is something else at play by getting the Raven's head closer to the elixir. When Kendra reveals her story, we'll need you abilities to make sure no foul play as we each know kendra it could affect our judgement, yours will be sound"
This gates Markus, I have no idea I'm sorry.
Markus grits his teeth, everything Adivian has done and she still defends him.
"Kendra wait I can't. Adivion is no one's friend." He steps forward placing a hand on her shoulder. "He is the reason for all of this." He waves his other hand around at the end creatures that held Kendra's appearance. "What was all this?!" His voice is raised now. "There is so much I don't understand so much I need to understand. I can't just wait." He starts to look a little crazy now, the kind-hearted priest she knew he as is all but gone.
"He working with the Whispering Way, he's the reason your father is dead, he took you from us he took you from your home. He had himself killed! So we wouldn't suspect him of being more than what he was!" Anger raises in him again, as she just brushes off everything he's done.
"Explain it to me, explain how he's the good guy here how any of this makes sense. We're in a temple of The Whispering Way, you were a prisoner there is no other explanation." Then his face turns to sorrow to heartbreak. "Why didn't you tell us... We would have found a way, no matter I would never want you in debt to a man like him."
Jon shakes his head stubbornly as Kendra speaks about Adivion, grinding his teeth together. The mans very name angered him and as they speak about Sebastian his grief rises up to choke him and he angrily fights it back down.
Ereks question rings in his mind “what are you” and he fears the answer, fears what Adivion has done to the girl he knew .
just because he is convinced what he is doing is right it damn well doesn’t mean he is right. He has plotted and schemed and killed. Sebastian’s blood is on his hands and he will pay for it Jon says bitterly
Markus is right, we need answers. Make us understand how any of this is ok? Because all we see is a master manipulator at work. Only striving to achieve his own twisted goals
Erek steps back with a troubled look on his face. The others are too intent on their questions to notice but The inquisitor is visibly shaken. Of what she says is true, and he sees no reason to doubt her then Kendra is like him. Someone who is now not why they once were. A being twisted and morphed by magical means.
Erek gathers himself and returns to the conversation. "Now is not the time for questions. We need to leave. I am burning this place to the ground."
He begins setting fires and the group leave. As they walk Davos approaches and whispers to him. The inquisitor looks at the elf and nods agreement. "Yes. You are right. My friend. "
"Erek wait." Markus says showing clearly he won't step down from this no matter what. His face showing a stern edge a man seeking something before he jumps off the deep end.
Erek shakes his head and says. "my friend I am glad you found her. I know you have questions. We all do. But I will not abide what this temple to my god has become any more. It is a travesty. It offends me to my core and I will cleanse it with flame. You would do likewise were it a temple of Desna defiled in this way."
He grabs a torch from the wall and tosses it into the pile of wood and rage he has doused with oil. Suddenly flames spring up and he strides from the room. As he passes He says. "You want to talk? Talk and walk."
The group hauls themselves out of the hellhole that is the Whispering Way's bastion and out into the blasted hills of this wretched place.
They are unharried but need to decide on their next move.
Erek looks back at the burning Abbey and says a silent prayer to Iomadae. The group is in sore need of rest so he says. "Let's head into the trees. Find somewhere to camp."
Jon nods in agreement with Erek and his mind is cast back to the church that Sebastian died in and he can’t hrlp but see a parallel here. Although no one had died, the Kendra they all knew was gone and he feared what Adivions changes had wrought in her.
i will help you Erek, the rest of you get Kendra outside Jon says as he too begins to smash furniture to pieces and start fires burning in as many of the rooms as possible.
By the time he and Erek reach the ground floor the place is choked with thick smoke and they set about firing the rest of the place .
With the place well ablaze they finally turn their backs upon it and move outside to rejoin the others.
we should put some miles between us and this place, the smoke will draw attention he says as he sets off with the others
The glow of the burning Abbey fades quickly into the darkness as the group put as much distance between themselves and the wretched place.
Later, at a hollow beneath an enormous but overturned tree. Kendra stands some way from the camp, looking up at the glittering stars in wonder, as though seeing them for the first time.
In the moonlight her skin looks paler than ever, almost shimmering. It is hauntingly beautiful - and somewhat disconcerting.
She appears completely enthralled in what she is doing. She takes a deep breath, letting the scents of smoke and pine enter her and infuse her before breathing out and unwittingly giggling at the heretofore unknown pleasure of such a simple thing.
Hunkered down beside the small cook fire they had started Jon looks across the camp toward Kendra. He still could not quite believe they had actually found her in that horrible place, rescued her from the clutches of the Way.
Turning to look at Markus Jon says
Markus, what’s wrong with her. What has Adivion done? he asks quietly as he pokes at the fire with a stick
Erek sits half in shadow some way awaybfrom the fire and watches the strange woman. He is lost in memories of his own past as he studies her, trying to work her out.
His thoughts centre on her apparent transformation and his mind swims briefly with painful memories of his own torment at the hands of the demons. He recalls how painful his own transformation was and wonders uf she suffered similar.
She now seems a strange mix of angelic and damned. The totality of which is unknown and potentially dangerous. She seems innocent enough but he decides to watch her carefully.
Caradwen moves closer to her friend - "Kendra, how do you feel?" - she smiles, the bow casually slung over her shoulder, and her look somewhat less disheveled than it has been for the last couple of weeks.
Hunkered down beside the small cook fire they had started Jon looks across the camp toward Kendra. He still could not quite believe they had actually found her in that horrible place, rescued her from the clutches of the Way.
Turning to look at Markus Jon says
Markus, what’s wrong with her. What has Adivion done? he asks quietly as he pokes at the fire with a stick
"Does it matter lad? She's here, and lookin' every bit as beautiful as always" - the dwarf gruffly pipes in, between two morsels of meat, and a few generous gulps of some long dead beer.
where Adivion is concerned it matters a lot, I don’t believe for one second he saved Kendra out of the goodness of his heart Jon says to Morbar there is another reason he has done this to her, and I am afraid to guess what it might be. Whatever it is it is not going to be good for her or for us Jon says fearing the worst
Markus balls his hands into fists and Erek ignores him and just goes about his way. He says nothing as they move through the corrupted church all thought of cleansing it all gone now as he watches Kendra.
Moves a ways not even taking the time to look back, sitting at the fire he again watches Kendra as she looks up at the stars. "She hasn't told us anything. Erek just had to rush us out of there..." He takes out his flask and takes a long drink. He thought this moment would be a happy one, with all the weight lifted from this shoulders.
As the group take to rest for the evening, the wizard removes a powdered corn and a twisted loop of parchment from his spell component pouch and conjures a thirty feet rope which appears to end into a five foot widow.
Taking a step back and admires the shelter "There, will be bit cozy but will protect us from the elements and give us much needed rest" he says to the group
Taking a water-skin from his side and takes a big swig from it and offers it to the others as they sit around the makeshift campsite
As Cara approaches, Kendra turns to her and smiles. The bow woman notes how hale and healthy Kendra looks, that her clothes are clean and pressed and her hair clean and straight.
I feel well, Cara. Better in fact, I feel wonderful she reaches out and touches her friend's cheek. You've been through so much to get here....
Come to the fire, keep warm, the cold doesn't bother me anymore. I'll tell you all of it.
She returns to the fire, hand in hand with Cara and takes a seat on a log among the group, smoothing her dress flat as she does so.
I suppose I should start in Lepistadt. she says, the fire dancing on her pale skin.
Adivion came to my townhouse. He looked worried, stressed, drawn in a way that I had never seen him before. I made him tea and settled him down but he wouldn't tell me what was wrong.
He had a book with him, belonging to the Palatine Eye. He kept talking about lies and mendacity and history and... he could hardly speak sense at all he was so upset. Finally, he said "I'm sorry Kendra, I know now what I must do, and that you are the beginning of it - not because I want you to be, but because you must be." He said I must be because I was sick and that he could not bear for me to suffer and to die when he could save me. To this day I don't know how he learned of my illness.
She picks up a stick and pokes at the embers of the fire.
I was afraid then, of course. In truth, just seeing him, normally so unflappable, in such a state scared me anyway.
He said; "I can save you Kendra, I can save everyone. They won't understand, they've been bred and conditioned to the point where they cannot understand. I don't blame them or hold any hatred for them - people are the products of the environments they are raised in and our environment is one of absolute divine falsehood."
She licks her lips.
"I can save you, but to do so I must undo you." Gods... he looked scared to death when he said that, I'll never forget it as long as I live.
"He working with the Whispering Way, he's the reason your father is dead, he took you from us he took you from your home. He had himself killed! So we wouldn't suspect him of being more than what he was!" Anger raises in him again, as she just brushes off everything he's done.
"Explain it to me, explain how he's the good guy here how any of this makes sense. We're in a temple of The Whispering Way, you were a prisoner there is no other explanation." Then his face turns to sorrow to heartbreak. "Why didn't you tell us... We would have found a way, no matter I would never want you in debt to a man like him."
Markus is right, we need answers. Make us understand how any of this is ok? Because all we see is a master manipulator at work. Only striving to achieve his own twisted goals
Markus face turns to disgust as she speaks of Adivian, the anger rises up again as he hears the lies and delusions. "Kendra but why, explain why he did all this. He's delusional, he wants to save the world he wants to change everyone but he's mad. He thinks himself smarter than everyone he doesn't care about anyone, not even you, he used you like he's used every one. Why did he let himself be killed by the whispering way he worked with them they killed your father." He lets up taking in deep breaths as his face turns red.
Erek sits back whike tge others question Kendra. He narrows his focus to the point where he watches her intensely looking for signs of falsehood.
"Bah lass" - Morbar groans - "I'm just happy ta see ya again. And healthy as a dwarf! But ye know Adivion is stark raving mad, right?" - he continues on eating.
That's the thing, he says he is manipulating the Whispering Way. Kendra says, not unkindly. I'm not defending him. I"ll never forgive what happened to my father, never! But I truly believe it was never his intention, he loved my father.
I don't pretend to understand the way he thinks, his intellect is dizzying, but he had himself killed because he knew that you were getting close to interrupting his plans.
He kept saying that he had to keep me safe, that the world would not understand what I had .... become... I don't even know what that is. He used the Carriown Crown elixir on me and when I awoke, it was like the lights had been switched on for the first time. I was suddenly aware of everything, I felt so strong and better than I have before in my life.
She looks sadly at Markus;
He truly believes that he can end all the suffering in the world by removing the higher races from the ties of divinity. He talked about how Aroden and Tar Baphon were working together on this but Aroden between him when he realised that mankind wouldn't need him any more and starting the War of the Whispering Way.
He intends to harness the power at Gallowspire to transmit whatever he has done to me out into the world. I don't know. she throws up her hands. Markus, I feel different, I feel like I am in touch with the world for the first time and an enormous weight has been lifted off my shoulders that I wasn't even aware was there in the first place!
If he does this then no one can predict the outcome.
Erek stands up quickly, his fist clenched in excitement. "At last we know where our orey geads. We have a chance to catch him before or at Gallowspire and crush him."
He smashes his fist into his hand to emphasise.
"I don't care what his motives are. I just need to corner him and end him. Iomadae demands it. We have no time to spare."
He turns to the others and says. "The sooner we get to Gallowspire, the better. We must away at first light."
Markus stands up. "That's the point, he see's himself above everyone even above the gods. He thinks he can decide for everyone and he kills anyone who gets in the way." He starts to pace now.
"Kenda I'm touched by the divine, I'm Assamiar I have the smallest drop of celestial blood in me. It's the reason I was given to Desna. I had a purpose but that doesn't mean I want everyone to be like me."
"The gods aren't infallible, look around you there is suffering everywhere no one ever thinks of them capable of righting all wrongs. But they gift us power, they wish for us to worship them to show dedication to prove we won't abuse our power and do something as insane as Adivian. Trust is earned, what happens when everyone is turned in to a being like you? We don't understand what has done to you, you say your more wake than ever but what has he truly done? "
Jon pokes at the small Cook fire before him and listens to the others as they try and make sense of Adivions plans, to him it was all irrelevant. He did not care if Adivion was right he only wanted to destroy him.
We have no idea what will happen if he gets his way. I am no lover of the Gods, I have more than enough reasons to hate them but are we better off without them? I don’t know he says rising from beside the fire but Adivion thinks he can do whatever he likes because he believes he is right.
Well he does not have the right to chose for everyone! Damn him and his arrogance.
Who is he to decide? The man is insane.
I am with Erek on this , we find him and we put an end to him and his schemes for good.
Responding to Markus she says;
All he told me is that I would become all that the higher races were meant to be. Before the Gods moulded them into something they could manipulate and control through the drip-feeding of favours and divine power.
His words. Not mine.
A thin rain begins to fall and she pulls her cloak about her. She begins to cry then, silently at first and then in great shuddering sobs.
I don't know what I am! But he did save me, I feel that. What if he is right? And that mankind could know a time without sickness and suffering, without fear of the demons and darkness in the world? I... just ... don't.. know... what's.. real.... any... more!
"This is real" - Caradwen grabs Kendra's hand, then turns on the others - "What the hell is wrong with you?!" - she roars - "Have you completely forgotten about why we started in the first place?! To rescue our friend?!" - her voice is steady and firm now, no more crying - "Instead of reassuring her, instead of embracing her Markus!" - she points her finger at him - "What do you do? You question her as if she was our enemy, and not our best friend - are you all idiots?!" - she finishes, back turned to all of them, again turning to Kendra.
"Friendship is real" - she insists, holding her fast in an embrace - "And will always be"
Jon flinches as Cara berates them mercilessly and he can see the truth in her words, they have treated Kendra with a kind of detached caution.
that’s because that’s not the Kendra you knew Jon, she is Adivions creature now! Ha ha ha who knows what he has done to your sweet Kendra
The sinister voice suddenly cackles in his ear and his shame is replaced with anger at himself at Adivion and at the spirits that haunt him because he feared they were right and he was thinking the same thing himself.
But he would not let Kendra be controlled by him, he would see her free of his influence.
we aren’t idiots Cara Jon says softly we are just afraid, afraid of what Adivion has done to our friend. Afraid of how he has changed her and afraid of what may come next. he says sombrely
Kendra we are sorry if we seem more interested in finding out what happened to you rather than making sure you are ok. I think we are all still a little shell shocked, truth be told I doubted we would find you and after everything that has happened It is hard to come to terms with but we are here for you, now and always
Cara words are like a slap in the face. He wants nothing more than to run to Kendra, to hold her to let her know everything will be alright and for them all to just run away from all this. Things have changed. I've changed.
He stands up and steps away from the group away from the campfire and the shadows cast him half in darkness. "Kendra you have to understand, after everything..." He places his hands together now and just squeezes. "We were all so happy, we saved Hugo it was all done the count restored. But then we had a message, I think that was the moment that broke me. I slipped from my path, and every little bump in the road has taken me in the wrong direction. I still feel Desna is with me but she can only give me the means to step onto the correct path again." He takes a deep breath and sighs.
"We lost you, all of us. We expected you to be dead or worse. I don't say anything to hurt you, before all this seeing you cry would break me. But we're all different people now, you're safe but you weren't in danger anyway... It pains us deeply to think you would defend such a man like Adivian, a person that would take you away and store you in such a place. It hurts to think of you with him." He looks around at each of them.
"You say we go to Gallowspire, but what are we expecting there? He said he didn't want to bring back the whispering tyrant. Does he still need the Ravens head do we deliver that to Gallowspire? and what of Kendra." He looks back at her, the face he would dream of his only drive and she is here and he brings more pain to her than Adivian would.
I... I... I've no idea. she sobs, squeezing Cara's hand. He seemed afraid to go to Gallowspire but I think he had to after he used the Elixir on me. I think that whatever that mace would have allowed him to do, he now needs to go to Gallowspire instead.
We've all changed. she says softly under her breath.
You mean to stop him then? How do you know he isn't right? she asks, almost afraid to do so.
Erek watches the emotional scene impassively. When Kendra asks the question he replies in a matter of fact way. "Right or wrong matters not. The risks of either are too great. Stopped he must be and stopped he will be."
Don't kill him... is all that Kendra says in reply.