Concentrating on the map is difficult as the viewer spends little time focusing on it but you can see several bear plaques very close to the other plaques as well as several plaques depicting the forces of Trollheim. Your knowledge regarding the northern heraldry and territories is incomplete though. If you are reading it right then the ice/mountain plaques are still mostly on Irrissens side but there are a few near Trollheim and the new plaque replaced one of several plaques with a black raven on it. As well you see the symbol of the Oakrun clan beside a red plaque with a fanged wolves head plaque close by.
"No, youve been in our war room. Its maps concentrate on our nearby territories and has nothing beyond a few leagues. I know of no spell to draw out hidden dreams or memories, this spell requires someone to actually bring the memory out themselves." then he turns to Thorvald and Zethyris, "This is her dream, if it has ties to the real world i dont know. it may be a dream brought on by worry or it could be some form of psychic or mystical link deep in her blood, i dont know. Since the destruction of Aroden there has never been any accurate prophecy just as magic, no matter how powerful can look into the future. I am sorry but i have only prepared this spell one last time. If one of you has it prepared you may use it afterwards but this is the last dream i can draw out today for you. I think you should also make a decision regarding what you wish for me to scry upon. SOmeone you know, a place youre familiar with or an item you that you used to own or know something about."
While the remainder of the group stay inside, Jediah, Julian and anyone else who chose to leave find themselves outside waiting. During that time you see several groups of robed dwarves walk past you talking to each other quietly but one stray bit of conversation catches your ears. "Did you hear? a squad found an abandoned hold in the tunnels."
"Really?"
"Yeah, apparently that earthquake unearthed it. It was flooded and full of some vicious water snakes."
"Water snakes? How bad can a snake really be, we're dwarves theyd have to be pretty venomous to threaten one of our squads."
"No, i heard theyre so big one of them ate the groups scout.
"What? that's big."
"Yeah. Guess a whole brood of them have been using the hold as a lair but i have no idea how it got flooded with sea water.
"So what are they gonna do? Clear it out and settle it?""
"Yup, i heard that the Stonelord is requesting every squad be assigned a priest or alhemist and he even wants us to go with them."
"Not me, i have no interest in mucking about some waterlogged hold, no matter how ancient it is."
The conversation starts to trail off from there as they begin rounding a corner.
"I'm not certain if it's coincidence, or if there is a reason this opportunity puts me in mind of the gifts of the Fae. There are several possibilities before us - scry for the battle standard? the crown? Ana's relative that stole the book? We might also scry for the forces of Oakrun to see if they are embattled - as the dream might indicate, or for the forces of Soval, to determine their imminence. Are there other possibilities I haven't thought of?"
"Ana, do you have another dream for us to examine? If not, I would like to share my dream from the night Thorvald had his. It doesn't have anything to do with Ana or Irrisen, but showing just seems easier than explaining. "
"I'm not certain if it's coincidence, or if there is a reason this opportunity puts me in mind of the gifts of the Fae. There are several possibilities before us - scry for the battle standard? the crown? Ana's relative that stole the book? We might also scry for the forces of Oakrun to see if they are embattled - as the dream might indicate, or for the forces of Soval, to determine their imminence. Are there other possibilities I haven't thought of?"
"The Raven Guard themselves perhaps... can one scry on one who has only been seen in a dream?" He asks
** spoiler omitted **
Julian nods sagely.
"Yes. Since we only have one more spell, lets look at your dream, Zeth. I've had more dreams - but they are repetitive. Maybe from your dream we can learn something new.
"Alright this is it." the dwarf settles Zethyris down near the orrery and begins just like before. The room darkens and images begin to form.
The salty air tickles your skin and the sea wind pulls at your clothes as you find yourself once again atop the deck of the swift pirate hunter Prodigy of Resolve skipping across the southern waves under a tropical sun. Standing at the fore like usual is Savol, his heavy and muscled frame deeply tanned and leaning out over the waters searching for the next target, the next battle, and whatever the horizon holds. Standing at your side like usual is your new friend and constant companion Valborg. "Amazing isn't it Zeth? That man, no matter how rough it is or how bad it seems just never seems to give up. It's kinda crazy but I almost feel as if whatever happens, all we have to do is follow in his footsteps and it'll all end up all right, don't you think?" as you turn back and look at Savol again the sky gets darker and the winds begin to pick up strength. heavy cold rain pours down upon the deck and the sailors begin frantically working the rigging. Thunder roars and the winds begin to howl, pulling at you and everything else not securely attached but through it all Savol remains standing just like before as if the storm doesn't even touch him. "What a man. He spits in the face of danger and picks fights with monsters and beasts that no sane man would seek out. Yet all the while he drags us along for the ride heedless of what becomes of us. All he cares about is the next fight, the next thrill or tomorrow, never today. Never us. Do you think he would even notice if we died?" As you turn back to look at your friend and his uncharacteristic comment you see him standing there not as you knew him but more likely as he appeared upon his death. Long purplish bruised mark his pale almost alabaster skin and odd shaped chucks are missing, most likely wounds from the fell beast's tentacles that dragged him off the boat back then. Clumps of sea weed and barnacles dot other parts of him as he stands there looking at you. "Did he notice when I died? Did he pause to remember me? I followed him south and stood in his shadow for years, so why did he let me stay dead when he could have brought me back? Wasn't I worth it?" With a crash the ship rocks sideways and you find yourself hurled off the boat and falling into the water. And the scene ends.
"It seems like all of our dreams seek to tear down that which we most believe in. Savol cares for those who serve him, he honors those who fall and seeks to bring the north together not drive it apart. How would Savol have brought someone back from the dead?"
"It does make me wonder though, Zethyris was brought back from the dead with specific instructions that his mission was even more important than Savol's mission. It would stand to reason that there will be forces equally as powerful, perhaps ones that seek to break up our fellowship to prevent us from continuing our path."
Before he presents his dream, Zethyris steps outside to speak with Jediah and Julian.
"We've finished with Ana's dreams, but there is a dream I had that I would like to share. I think it is sort of important that you two see it too. Would you come inside and watch?"
Julian's mouth twists a bit, but Zethyris DID come back from the dead ...this dream was probably not about who had desires for whom.
Very well. Jediah heads back inside at Zethyris's request.
Though she tries not to, Dagmar can't help but begin to cry as she see her poor brother and hears his words. Sniffling a bit, she turns her back to group and wipes her eyes, trying to compose herself.
Ana is about to say something in response to Thorvald - but then decides against it.
I'm sure Savol has the money and the contacts to hire a spellcaster to raise the dead ... But no need to mention this. We need every ally we can find - even if he is not as good as we thought.
Instead she asks Zeth: "Who was this person you were talking with? Do you know him? Did he really die?"
Rutilux looks at Dagmar with sympathy but has no words that he thinks would comfort.
When the dream has played out, Zethyris quietly steps over to Dagmar. "I'm sorry, I forgot to warn you before we started." He drapes a comforting arm across her shoulders and whispers, "Take your time," into her ear.
Once Dagmar has recovered, he turns and addresses everyone.
"That man in my dream, the one that spoke to me, was my friend Valborg- Dagmar's brother. I had this dream the night we arrived here. In the days after that, I really started to wonder about what he said. I used to think of Savol as larger-than-life, the greatest hero ever. But while he does all these great things, the rest of us get caught up in it. The question Val asked at the end haunted me. To Savol, would he have been worth bringing back if his body wasn't lost? And if not, then am I worth it to him? Are any of us?"
"Then I died. At that cave with the horses. But when I came back, the first thing I saw was you. All of you. You cared enough about me to carry me all the way back here and hunt down a priest to resurrect me. At that moment, that's when it all became clear for me: it doesn't matter how important we are to Savol. We have each other. And that's enough. As long as we stick together, work together, and look out for each other, we don't need to worry. Do I really think Savol doesn't care about us? Of course not. But it doesn't matter if he did. We don't need to rely solely on him, we have each other. As long as we don't lose that, the north can throw anything it wants at us."
Zethyris looks at Anastasiya. "Right now, it seems Ana is of interest to Irrisen. The rest of you have the right to choose for yourself, but I promise that I will do anything it takes to keep her safe and solve the mystery of what is haunting her."
Zethyris then rotates slowly, looking at each of his companions in turn. "And that stands for all of you. Whatever it takes to keep you safe."
"Because to me, you are all worth it."
"I am afraid I'm not quite ready to abandon my hero worship of the Kodiakborne just yet, Zeth. Even if I die, he has given my family a chance, and I am grateful for that....but thank you for your words," The cavalier smiles.
"Zethyris, what you say is important - important for us all to keep in our thoughts and our hearts. None of us is immune to the demons of our lesser nature or our histories - not me, not you, not Ana, nor Savol. As a man and leader of men, Savol aspires to great things, and intentionally leaves space in his wake for others to accomplish great things as well. There are aspects of Savol that are as a force of nature - a great storm that scours the sea and sky creating great upset and damage, but leaving behind fresh winds and calm seas. The storm, wind, and wave do not readily return the bodies of the dead. But treated with respect and care, the danger also they present also brings opportunities to run fast and true."
"No, we should not have a blind, unthinking loyalty to Savol. Nor should we expect the path he shows to be easy or forgiving. We must grasp our own destinies and care for our own - and praise the storm for the winds that fill our sails, even if they shatter mast and spar and leave us adrift. These are the opportunities I sought under Savol's banner, and the risks I willing undertake."
"We all have some inkling now that Savol and his destiny may be only a part of what plays out here in these northern marches. As we discern more of this, and the risks that it entails, I do not fault anyone that turns aside from such dangers. With Savol, I foresaw honors and rewards to merit the risks of riding under his banner. With greater forces in play, I foresee necessity and survival, which can also be great motivators. I can't claim to know enough to evaluate our choices, and so must live on faith, and an intuition that the forces arrayed against us are evil, and Savol represents a force for good. It is thin broth, but comfort enough for now, for me."
"Pardon me for a moment, I'll just let our friends in the hall know the dreaming is over." Isham looks at the Priest for assent before potentially breaking any warding circles or other mystic negative consequence.
If no one voices objections, Isham opens the door, puts his head into the corridor, and says, "The dreaming bit is done, you may want to see the next bit, involving scrying."
"Thank you, Zeth. That means a lot to me."
When people start discussing whether or not Savol can still be trusted, she tries to change the subject.
We can think about whether we to trust him or not once he defeated grandmother and reaches for a throne himself. Till then, he is the lesser evil - and we can't be picky with our allies right now.
"So, have we decided yet what we want to scry on? I really want to spy on my sister ... but it is probably true that she has the means to prevent it."
"That book your sister stole, what can she do with it? What secrets did the book contain that they would siege an entire city for it then let the siege just fizzle out?"
"It is said that when Baba Yaga returns, she takes the old queen and her daughters on a journey through the multiverse. Maybe thats what they need it for. Maybe grandmother thinks she will need a travel guide."
"Or maybe it is a clue to where relics and regalia of power await the next queen?"
"I don't know what is in the book, in fact I doubt anyone still alive would know. The book was taken from our Vault. A magically warded and protected room built by the founders of my order to keep dangerous knowledge and artifacts away from the world. We have a catalogue that records all of the items that are stored within but it merely states that it is a book related to the planes. Many of you have spoken of a banner. What is it? What does it look like? Did you lose it? Do you have a piece of it that I can use to help locate it?"
"Unfortunately, I don't think we even know what it looks like. It is the ancient banner of the Kodaikborne, but it was lost years ago. We were told of it by a fae lord in Grugnir forest."
"Something else occurred to me. Those items from the dragons belly were not magical but they were intact, the spear was ancient. Do you think they could have been from the raven guards hold? Or something else entirely? I am trying to figure out their significance. Someone got eaten by the dragon and I don't think they were dwarves. "
"The banner of the first Kodiak? I've heard that story but I thought it was just that, a story. If you have something given to you directly from a descendant of the Kodiaks I may be able to use that for a sympathetic link ." when each of you hand him an item given to you by Savol he is a little perplexed but walks over to the wall and carefully removes a crystal ball. He slowly begins channeling his energies into the ball while he meticulously places the items around it. Those of you watching can see an image slowly resolving within the ball of a mountain range passing by at staggering speeds. As the image slows it begins to focus in on a pass high up in the frozen mountains. The pass is full of ice and snow constantly battered and swept up by fierce winds but within the snow, at the edge of the pass under an overhang of rock you can see the tip of a banner pole and part of the banner showing an animals paw that looks very much like a bear's.
"Forlorn pass? To think it is so close. It's less than a weeks hike in the summer but during winter the entire area is completely impassable."
"You're not thinking about searching for the banner are you?"
If we do, we better be all ready for climbing. Good thing Savol granted me the ring of climbing, plus the enchanted rope I have. We still need to make serious plans.
"The banner could be very important, now more than ever, but it's not something we should undertake lightly," the cavalier considers.
"We know where it is now, but it is unobtainable to us at the current moment. Perhaps later we might be able to, or we may find someone better suited to the task."
"When summer returns we will have to go looking for it. In the meantime, what else should we scry upon?"
"Strange to think that it has been lost for so long ... if that pass is so close and easy to reach in summertime. Do you know the reason why this pass is forlorn?" Ana asks the dwarf.
To Zethyris she replies: "How about the man you were told about in the afterlife?"
"I agree in principle - this pass is considered deadly in winter and hazardous in summer. I do wonder whether that applies to Irrissens, and whether this knowledge, so long out of ken, is now at hazard. Have we just started a race?"
"I think that in addition to Jediah's climbing gear, does Zethyris not also have equipment that protects him from many hazards of cold and winter? Perhaps other such magical assistance is available."
"At the moment, I believe we should pursue the gentleman identified to Zethyris."
I wonder how the banner of the first Kodiakborn got up there ... What for did he try to make his army cross that pass? Maybe just because he could ... maybe their lives meant little to him ... just like to his descendant today.
"Has that pass always been that dangerous? Is it known how the banner was lost in the first place?"
"The pass is close but no matter the season the pass itself is treacherous. Few people have ever made it through the pass and it serves little purpose as it only leads farther into the mountains before doubling back and swinging around to the other side of the same mountains. We'll I think I can shed some light on why. As you may know, the first recorded Kodiak was the Bannerman for the first Linnorm King but before that he was a mighty champion himself, and if the legends are true, the only man that the king had ever lost to in honourable single combat. The Kodiak led the kings mightiest champions into battle and the banner followed, bathed in the blood of those he defeated in the king's name and cleaned in the fires of war. Some stories tell of battles won before it even started because their enemies surrendered or fled upon catching a glimpse of that feared banner.
Down through the generations the banner was carried into many battles, taken south to raid and present in many wars until a legend was born, 'whoever carries the banner into battle shall be victorious' which caused so many battles and even entire wars for possession of it as would-be heroes and warlords fought for it and chiefs were betrayed by their own men for it. That his until another Kodiak comes around, this one is the younger brother of the chief and he knows that as long as his clan carries the banner they will constantly be on guard against deception and treachery so in the night he gathers a few of his trusted friends and they steal the banner and it is never seen from again. It's an item my order has several times investigated but could never find definitive proof that it existed as anything more than a legend."
He then listens to everyone's suggestions regarding looking for this Montulo man Zethyris was talking about. "Another challenging search but I will do my best." he sets down and begins searching for the man given Zethyris' information. The search takes a long time as the crystal ball seems to scan all over the north before finally, with the dwarven Mage sweating and obvious quite tired, stops upon the image of an old foreigner hanging against a wall in makeshift shackles, long brown unkept hair and beard full of grey and a fading tattoo on his upper right arm that looks like the symbol of Caiden Caylien before the image shudders and the globe goes dark. The dwarf turns to Zethyris,
"I am sorry but I cannot say for certain that this is the man you seek. He is a foreigner who bears the mark of your god on his body and the only one I could find within the linnorm kingdoms. I can mark his location on your friends map but I can do no more, I must rest."
"Rest then, and our thanks for all the aid you have provided," Rutilux says. He seems to have been lost in thought about the tale of the banner.
Ana looks at the position the dwarf marks on the map.
Isham hands the dwarf a flask to sip from. "Strictly medicinal," he says with a wink. "You may not have made a spectacle on some bloody battlefield, but today you have achieved mighty feats. You have our gratitude."
Isham will remain and be companionable with the dwarf until he's recovered a bit, or until someone arrives to walk with him.
"I think I agree with the consensus ...person-so-important-Zeth-got-resurrected-to-talk-to sounds way more important than 'magic flag.'"
Dagmar sighs. "As much as I would like to head straight out for the banner, if a god brought back Zethyris just so we could seek out a person, perhaps we should seek out the person first?"
Dagmar turns to the dwarf scryer. "Will you be keeping the things we have scryed upon a secret?" I really don't want to put off getting the banner only to find some other group has gotten to it first...
"Thank you. You have my word that what has transpired here shall never willingly revealed by me or my order."
The location he marked for the man is south a couple of days ride.
Isham sighs. "Really? In the middle of the bandit territory? Zethyris, I think whatever power returned you to us also has a sense of humor. OK, let's get it packed, stowed, and ready to head out."
"Bandits? Oh hell yeah!"