Harakhty's reflection is broken by Arista's announcement. "Gerard? That's good news..." He peeled his eyes away from Godrick and walked toward the exit. "Let's see what else he has to say," he suggested to the aasimar. "Maybe he can answer some of your questions along with mine."
I thought we'd have to chase him down. Maybe we'll have a chance to make a deal after all...
Harakhty went to see their visitor, curious about his change in motive.
Well, they don't seem too worried about this fellow....maybe he's an okay sorta guy...then again...
Not wanting to get too caught up in her own thoughts, Arista quickly follows the others out to meet with Gerard.
"I'll be right there." Cyna takes a moment to say her last before donning Aurelia's still stained armor. It soon magically reshapes itself to Cyna's form, and after a few words she joins the others outside.
I don't know how long it will take but we'll get him Aurelia, for you and for Clara.
Godrick looks at Alethiro, knowing what the elf is looking for. "He did not bite me, if that's what you're worried about. My bones will mend in time. My faith however is a little shaken. You don't seem interested in sharing anything with me, so why don't you join your companions? I'll be here."
You approach the man standing where Arista left them. He immediately nods to Harakhty. "We did not have time to be properly introduced. I am Gerard of Greenwall. I am not entirely sure why I came, vanara, but what you did last night attracted some attention. I'm fairly sure that all of it is for ill. Lord Straub sends a carriage your way."
Not fully convinced, the Elf just shrugged and left to sit with his companions. He was very surprised to hind them missing. Asking one of the other Paladins where they went, Alethiro left to join them. His eyes went wide when he saw the man who's wolf nearly killed him. The Cleric reached for his crossbow, but waited to see what was happening.
"Lord Straub is one of the thirteen ruling wizards of Zahvroma, or necromancers as they've been called for lack of a better term," Gerard says, eyes on Alethiro's crossbow. "He is obsessed with extending life through clockwork. He is insane and I would urge you to flee than take him up on any offer."
"Not all of these wizards embrace the darker arts, but all of them are quite dangerous and only interested in their schemes."
Harakhty kept his silence while Gregario got the obvious questions out of the way. "If you're not sure why you came, that makes two of us. Last we met, situations were a bit different. Why the change in heart?"
After the encounter with Reinhardt, the inquisitor was in no mood to be jerked around further.
"Whatever your goal is, it is better for those of us who prefer not to live under the shadows of these wizards. Far too long have they spilled innocent blood for their fascinations. Whether you bring peace or tyranny, any change would be welcomed at this point. If you mean to bring another form of tyranny, then we can fight about it another day. It is as they say, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'."
Arista looks around, unsure of what to say. She has no idea what they are talking about. Necromancers? Clock work? What were all these things?
"I'm sorry, but what are you talking about? What is this necromancer, and what does he want with us? Where could we possibly go if he already knows how to find us?"
Gerard pauses at Arista's questions. "I see you are not aware of what has been going on in the world for some time. I am probably not the best one to explain things, but Straub or his servants will be headed for the destroyed shard and then find this fort in short order."
At this alarming news Arista looks at the others.
"If that is the case then we should perhaps warn the others so they know whats coming. We can't just leave them without knowing whats coming and give them a chance to either fight or flee. Whatever the case, I don't think we should dally here much longer."
Harakhty knew a ruse when he saw one.
"You hadn't exactly struck me as an innocent when we met, Gerard, so I'm afraid I don't understand your concern with spilling innocent blood. I do understand a truce though." Harakhty watched the man's face carefully. Where is his dog? "And I accept. But I must reject your path of caution."
The vanara turned to Arista. "This Straub likely knows more about what's going on that we do. He has magic and resources on his side. If he intends to come here in force, he will do just that. And he would siege it, keeping the people within trapped. If the vision I - or we - had was anything true, he must be good with his clockwork. Even the basic gearcraft I saw at Nathys' church would outlast the best-fed garrison if arranged well." He walked the rope in his mind as he spoke now, trying to piece the puzzle together. "Like it or not, I think the fate of this fort lies with Lord Straub. His invitation may be his way of saying we can avoid the assault by giving him what he wants - us." But it is more than just that.
Harakhty turned his gaze back to Gerard. "How did you come by this information?"
Harakhty is entirely certain of Gerard's motives, but the fact that he showed up soon after a taxing battle and without Milo probably meant he wasn't looking for trouble.
"I wasn't talking about myself, vanara," Gerard says. "As for Straub, do what you will. Just don't say you weren't warned. Keep your ear to the ground, vanara, and you'll hear much about what goes on around here."
Gerard turns and walks away.
“What is the Shard meant for?” she asks, momentarily blocking out the idea that her friends may not have survived.
Tesia stares after the stranger in stunned silence before turning and running back into the building where Godrick is resting. She bursts into his room without knocking and takes a breath.
"What do you know about some crazy guy named Lord Straub? It's very important because he is apparently on his way here with a carriage of some sort to collect us, and for some reason Harakhty is thinking this is a good idea, where as I don't tend to agree. I don't think I came back from where ever I was to made someones experiment."
She takes a deep breath and tries to calm her nerves while finding a chair to sit into.
"Calm yourself," Godrick says as the aasimar bombards him with the latest developments. "Lord Straub, you say? I have not heard that name in years. He was a legendary wizard concerned with finding away to bring an everlasting peace to the world. That was before he went mad. Even so, learning our enemies' weakness is not necessarily a bad plan. However, going with him would give him an upper hand that you don't necessarily want to concede. What do the rest say?"
After taking a few breaths to collect herself, Arista tells him what she knows.
"Well, Gregario didn't seem to think it was a very good idea, but I didn't stay there long enough to find out what the others thought. The last time they did something that I had a bad feeling about, one of them died, so I don't see how going with this person would turn out any better for them or me. I just thought you should know what he was planning on doing before it was too late. I don't know honestly what Harakhty is thinking, but it's obvious that recent events have taken a toll on him. He may not be thinking clearly. I didn't know what else to do since they didn't listen to me last time, I thought you could help them see reason."
"Some people must confront the problem head on, others must think upon it and then deal with it however they see fit. However, neither view is wrong and both must learn to work together. Acting upon a calculated risk is no better than taking no action immediately, nor is it any worse. Unfortunately, I cannot fix this for you," Godrick says as the woman from last night appears in the doorway, dressed in neophyte's robes. "You will have to learn how to trust him and he will have to learn to trust you. Harakhty is a good person, despite his aloofness. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some people to tend to."
He stands up from the bed with the aid of a crude staff and walks to the waiting woman. She puts a hand on his shoulder and leads him outside.
Arista shakes her head, not sure of what to do next. Whatever, I guess if we all get killed it wont matter.
Without any clear answers and not knowing what else to do, she goes back out to the main hall and finds a place to sit and something to drink. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts
"It is surely worth the risk. The alternative is waiting here for our deaths at his minions." Inside, Harakhty did not feel as certain as he sounded. However, sitting on his hands didn't feel right after Reinhardt.
"Then I will back you", the paladin says begrudgingly.
"Aurelea died for this cause. I won't let her death be in vain."
"Shouldn't you defend the keep with your kin? If things don't go well with this ... invitation, I'd expect our host to take a tour here."
Arista walks back outside, clearly frustrated and at the end of her rope.
"So, is somebody going to tell me whats going on now, or do I have to wait for the afterlife to learn whats going on? It's obvious to me that Gerard was trying to warn you against this mad wizard, why you don't want to listen to him I don't know, but I need a pretty convincing reason why I should put my life in the hands of some crazy wizard that likes to experiment on things."
Arista looks at the Vanaran, "Or...we could actually have gone with Gerard who actually seemed to have something in mind. I'm sure he wouldn't have come here if he didn't have some kind of plan. Just because someone has power, or some kind of magick, doesn't make them the good guy or someone that we should confront."
She stops talking for a minute and shakes her head as if trying to clear her thoughts.
"I'm not trying to start an argument, I'm just trying to get you to look at the possible consequences of your actions. Lets just think about it for a minute before we all jump on board the crazy carriage. Gerard had no other motives than to come and warn us, so what is it we truly seek?"
Not knowing what else she could possibly say to sway them from this reckless path, she waits to see what the others think of the plan.
She just shakes her head again at the old paladins words.
"You seem to misunderstand me. I'm not saying I'm going to stay behind. I'll go with all of you, on whatever crazy path you choose. As long as you are doing what you truly believe to be for the best. I know nothing of this time, but I don't believe I would have been brought here to just sit back and do nothing. If you all feel the same way, and think this...this whatever he is has the answers you seek, then we will all go together. Just beware that the price for the information you seek, might be higher than you're willing to pay."
Arista looks around at all the wounded men, and remembering that Godrick is still recovering and has a thought.
"I think it would be a good idea not to be here when he comes looking for us. He may want us, but he doesn't know where this place is yet. If we left right now, and headed back to the shard before he arrives the others should be safe. There's no need to stay here and put them at risk."
Alethiro just stood there in grim silence, his mind reeling, All this talking is getting us nowhere. Every moment is one more that Drago is using to get further away. The Cleric finally spoke up, "I think we should at least see what this Lord Straub has to say."
"Arista, the last we met with Gerard, it wasn't exactly cordial. If anything, I'm inclined to do the opposite of his warning." I'd still like to know where he got that information in the first place. "I'd like to see Straub precisely because he has the power. Better us meet him there with it than arrive here in force."
She leads you through some more parts of the city until you arrive at a cave entrance. The smell of sea air permeates the cavern. "We are still in the southern part of Zahvroma. Hopefully, you can find your way."
Then again, a few weeks ago coming back from the dead, not once but twice would have been impossible as well.
"Thank you, for everything. I fell like I should be giving you a hug or something. I promise I'll try to find out what happened to the other swords and...my "sisters". If my friends made it they'll need to know what I do, and all of Zahvroma needs these shards destroyed.
Taking a deep breath of the sea air she feels refreshingly alive and oddly whole.
"I've chosen my name......Sādhanā"
The older woman embraces you and gives you some new armor and belongings. "Travel safely, Sādhanā."
You depart from the cave and spy a small fishing shack nearby.
Arista nods her head in agreement with the vanara.
"I don't think we can afford to make anymore enemies in this place. So I guess we can be a little neighborly, see what he wants and try to avoid killing things for a day. If nothing else seems well informed and might have a lead on the others ."
Sādhanā dons the armor, gathering the gear and takes her leave, trekking from the cave, northward.
'So we have our mission. This body that I'm in now, was she the one who wielded you before? Do you remember the bond with the other blades? Your brothers?'
As she sees the fishing shack she approaches slowly, eyes scanning for any signs of life.
You approach the fishing shack and you see an old man sitting in a rocking chair out front staring out to the sea.
Deciding to meet this possible threat head-on, you walk away from the fort, hoping to at least keep Godrick and his people safe from any further conflict. After about an hour, you see a great carriage of brass coming over the horizon. As it nears, you see four finely crafted steeds pulling the carriage towards you. The sound of whirring gears and extending pistons soon drown out the sounds of all else. A clockwork man, sits at the head of the carriage, reins in its hand slack.
Its eyes turn blue as it looks up toward the group. "Excuse-me-sirs-and-madams-are-you-the-adventurers-who-have-destroyed-the-s hard-that-was-near-here-not-long-ago?"
The words coming from the automaton's mouth, which does not move, are flat and run together quickly.