The first few drops of rain can be heard striking the roof above, which quickly builds into a cacophony as the storm reaches the city in earnest.
”Orri - we all need to improve ourselves or our lifespans will be remarkably shorter. It’s especially important that everyone going on this extremely dangerous mission be prepared to react to situations as they come up, without one of the others yelling at them. We’ve all had problems with this, but Annalla, through no fault of her own, has been thrust into this world, and the problems have been acute. How can someone who was born two months ago know how to dungeon delve?”
”No, Chrysa, I won’t return without more foresight. You’re being too polite.” She sighs, ”honestly, it’s a wonder she or we didn’t die. Orri, I will not have a repeat of the Stag Lord’s fort.” She regards him with determination, ”we will plan and think about things. We’re not out there to f-... muck about - not any more. Your sister is pregnant, and Isabella is not invincible.”
Chrysa's dark eyes flash more than frustration, WAY more than frustration at the half elf, holding her gaze on her and only her. "Sophie. This is about talking as a group. If it turns into Ordering, then there is no reason for it to continue."
Orri nods ”I mean I can understand the concern, but almost every situation you’ve mentioned, I don’t think it has been an issue of teamwork. We’ve all tried our hardest and done what we can. Honestly, more often then not it seems we just walk into a bad situation. Maybe our problem is lack of planning or preparation? Even then, when we try for preparation it backfires like at the fort and the zombies... that’s just bad luck.”
He shrugs a bit as he continues ”Your right we can always keep improving, but I honestly don’t think we are at a deficit or have been doing things wrong. These wilds are chaotic, that’s why we’re here to bring a bit more order to the chaos, but when your fighting against chaos it’s hard for situations not to end up chaotic, right?”
Isabella holds up a hand as Annalla gets handed books. It seems as if Sophie is handing out assignments for everyone, but she has nothing to work on herself. She doesn't get frustrated, but she definitely is concerned that Sophie is picking on Annalla.
She looks between Sophie and Annalla and then the Pathfinder books from Annalla and puts them back on the table. "Why don't you keep these safe for us, Sophie? We're going to be busy reading these books on parenting for awhile. We'll get back to you."
Annalla places a gentle hand on Isabella's arm. "I'll be happy to read these if Sophiel feels that there is some benefit to be gained by them," she says in a soft voice.
Isabella's turns back to look at Annalla, studying her for a second. She relaxes, perhaps she had been reading too much into it. Nodding to Annalla she smiles "Alright, but we need to figure which ones we are reading first."
Sophie looks like she wants to go down a long list she has in her ledger, in the same unreadable language, when Isabella relents, and she is II Lou response, ”the chronicles. Annalla can read those, you should read the others. I want to be clear to you Isabella, you may see this as an attack, or being unfair, but you put too much of a burden on a person that has not existed for more than two months. And that burden risks her life, and all of ours. I’m doing this to hopefully prevent that risk, if I can.” She sighs, ”I had hoped that providing some different chances to work through things in a neutral place people would be less defensive and more introspective.” She throws her hands up. ”THAT didn’t work.”
Isabella admits that she did not consider that. She looks down at her knees before sheepishly looking over at Annalla, studying her.
Was Sophie right? Is she being unfair and asking too much of Annalla. Is she taking advantage of her?
Isabella looks away from Annalla, looking down at the table. Unsure why Sophie's words always resounded so strongly with her, she folds her hands in her lap. She looks up at Sophie and asks plainly "Sophie, tell me true. Do you think I've acted rashly by asking Annalla to take my hand in marriage and raise this child with me?"
Sophiel looks down, and then exhales, and then back up at Isabella, ”Yes.”
Isabella nods and swallows a large lump in her throat "Do you believe I am being unfair to her and taking advantage of her?"
Chrysa closes her eyes, shakes her head and moves back to the wall, clearly not happy where the conversation is going.
Annalla looks between the two woman for a moment.
"I am still learning, but isn't it considered rude to talk about someone as if they weren't present?" she asks. "From what I understand that is how one treats a child."
She looks down at the books.
"I decide for myself what responsibilities I'm capable of dealing with - no one else. I have chosen to be Isabella's partner and help raise her child. Me. As a rational being."
She turns to Sopiel.
"Do you consider me an adult capable of making my own decisions or do you consider me a child?"
Sophie seizes up, then considers, replying slowly, ”no...”, and looks at Annalla, and more firmly saying, ”no.”
She smiles at Annalla, ”I consider you to be a rational being, but neither adult nor child seems applicable to someone with latent memory, but very little learned wisdom of how to do things. Please do not take offense, you’ve had remarkable growth for a being that is two months old, if I were asked to judge.” She looks apologetic.
Orri shoots Chyrsa a concerned look and tries to sit there quietly not drawing any attention to himself as things appear about to explode between the women.
Annalla's comment gets through to Isabella who turns to her fiance and notes "I did not mean to hurt your feelings, Anna. I was just trying to understand where Sophie stood on this matter is all. It is considered more rude to ask questions when someone is not present, it's called talking behind ones back. I thought by talking openly, we could put all of our problems on the table."
She looks at Orri and Chrysa "What is it you both would like to say? What have you been dying to get off your chest and but have been too afraid to say it?"
Chrysa opened her eyes at being addressed and glares in irritation at everybody (accept Orri) "I believe I've been talking plenty, Bella, already. I am worried we all will die if that wasn't apparent but am VERY happy you and Anna found happiness before we all do. And would rather you, her and your child live!!!" She snaps her gladness.
"Then let me ask you this, Sophiel. Do you believe that I have the autonomy and wisdom to make the same decisions that everyone else here at the table is capable of making?" She tips her head. "If the answer is 'yes', then I believe that attempting to put the responsibility of decisions that I have made on Isabella's shoulders is unfair." She looks around at the others. "And if the answer is 'no' then ... then I'm am unsure how to proceed."
Isabella takes Annalla's hand and squeezes it, turning to Chrysa. "Thank you, Chrysa." and turns to Sophie and nods "And thank you for being honest with me, Sophie. I do not want you to be afraid to tell me how you feel."
Orri hesitates a moment, looks to Chrysa then takes a deep breath. ”Ok, if we are clearing the air... Annalla is kind of like a machine right, just different in that she thinks for herself. But... well she is still learning all this stuff we just know because we’ve grown up and lived through it. Well, nothing against all that and I’m not saying this is the intent, but with her being as attached as she has been to you Bella it seems all her learning has been directed by you. Isn’t it a little strange that your essentially molding the person you are going to be marrying? Even more concerning, we don’t know if there is something else already there underneath that just got covered up at some point? Like... what if she was created to wipe out all biological creatures and something happened where she got broke, but then some day she remembers all that?”
Orri sighs and frowns as he looks to Annalla, ”I’m not saying that’s the case, and I’m glad you make my sister happy, and youve been a big help, just... just we don’t really know anything about you other than from when Bella found you...”
Isabella's head turns to Orri in slow motion as she tries to process what in the hell just came out of her brother's mouth. She repeats key phrases of his speech as she tries to process this "I'm molding the person I'm going to be marrying?! Wipe out biological creatures?!"
With her mouth open, she slowly shakes her head back and forth, no words coming out, unable to comprehend what was just said.
"I couldn't say, Annalla. It seems odd to me that you can't remember any specific mistakes you've made."
She shrugs, "or why you're fixated on Isabella. We've been traveling together for weeks - this is the longest conversation you've had with anyone else in that entire time." She pauses, "short of criticizing people for hurting Isabella. Unless my memory is mistaken - and I was not with you the whole time."
"I didn't say that I couldn't remember any mistakes. But how I remember mistakes may not align to what you were expecting me to verbalize. So I simply chose to query further to seek the answer that you were looking for."
She blinks as she processes.
"Example: At the lizardfolk compound. Approximately eighty-four seconds into the hostilities, I attempted a sonic attack against a medium-sized lizard. I believe that I used a frequency that was too low. if the frequency had been between five and six thousand cycles per second higher, it would have been approximately sixty two percent more effective. I've noted this and will adjust in the future."
She blinks again and looks at Sophiel.
"I did not feel that something like that would satisfy you because I believe that we interpret mistakes differently. And giving you an example like that will only further the divide between us."
Annalla glances at Isabella before looking back at the half-elf.
"As far as my ... fixation, as you say? I will counter with a question. How do humans fall in love? Do they make a list," she gestures at Sophiel's ledger, "of positives and negatives and weigh the total to determine the outcome?" She turns to Isabella and reaches out to take her hand. Bringing the hand up to her face she kisses the back while keeping her eyes on Isabella's. "Or do they simply know? Don't they feel a spark of desire that grows into something more?" She looks back at Sophiel. "Why am I not allowed that same experience?"
"In regards to conversation frequency, I have had more conversations with Isabella for two reasons. I desired so. And no one else has really attempted to have a conversation with me. Perhaps I make people uncomfortable. I'm sorry if that's the case. But people like who they like. And they love who they love. It is the way of nature and the way of the world."
She puts Isabella's hand back down. "But you can't evade the question, Sophiel. For us to move forward, you either have to declare that you believe I am capable of making my own decisions as are all of you. Any other response is a statement that you don't believe that to be the case and we shall proceed accordingly."
Sophiel thinks for a few minutes, and then leans back, "it wasn't an evasion Annalla. I don't know."
She thinks for a full minute more, then looks at Isabella, and then back at Annalla, "well, saying that did help. For my part, I do now believe that you have autonomy and wisdom, and you have the capacity to make decisions, foolish or clever, that the rest of us are making."
She leans forward, "but, and this is important, we have a nasty business ahead of us. You may not like the rest of us very much, I suppose, but you'll have to help us, too - regardless of your feelings towards Isabella."
She extends her hand towards Annalla, "it is a deal? Many people in societies such as Restov shake hands when they reach an accord. If you agree, please extend your hand and shake mine."
Chrsya's eyes follow each of the people in the room, all their thrusts and parries. She walks overtakes, another scone (this time without cream), and resumes her perch against the wall.
"Thank you, Sophiel. I make no claims to wisdom. Rather it is respect for my autonomy that I ask for and you are granting me that. There is no one here that I dislike. There are some that I am angry with," she glances at Chrysa and then looks back to Sophiel meaningfully. "But I will let that pass in the interest of working together."
She extends her hand and takes Sophiel's in hers. She looks down at it for a moment before letting it rise and fall a few times.
"Is that sufficient? I have no wish for it to be awkward."
Once the handshake is completed, she looks around at the others.
"Is there anything else we need to discuss this morning? Otherwise I believe my fiance is deserving of a massage."
Sophiel nods, "Yes, one last thing. I remind everyone that Annalla has expressed interest in gaining one of our charters for the stolen lands. Everyone may wish to resolve this with an interested party while we are in Restov. For my part, I cannot assist, and I say so with sorrow." She closes her book and leans back, then pushes her chair out, "I will leave you all, unless someone has need of me, to discuss the matter. The only advice I would give about this is - do not assume that it will work out, Isabella. If you'd like your fiance to rule part of the stolen lands, you'll have to figure out how."
She heads towards the door, "I have to finalize the materials we need. Should you wish for me to craft you anything in the coming weeks, now is the time to tell me, as I am making my final shopping list of materials. Annalla, if you'd like advice about what to choose, I am happy to provide it. The rest of you can figure it out yourselves." She waves her hand dismissively.
She says, "I wish to leave, no later than early afternoon. I believe King Sootscale and the others would like us to drive out the trolls as soon as possible. We owe it to him not to dally, he has given us more than almost anyone, and is a kind and valiant friend. We should not let him down." She departs, gathering Bjorn and working in her room for a while.
Orri just gives his sister a 'What?' look. When no one seems to address his concerns he just shrugs and grabs something else to eat with a sigh.
The storm eventually grows in intensity to be quite strong, eventually forcing businesses to close up early.
The next morning, though, the skies have cleared and business resumes as usual. As you all pack your horses for the return to the Stolen Lands, you hear murmured discussions that seem to indicate that apparently someone was murdered through the night. The City Watch and the Swordlords were already investigating the matter.
After several days travel, you return to the Narlmarches and reach Tiressia’s Glade as the sun begins to set on the 6th day. There you find her glade alive with activity! Tiressia and Falchos are there, of course, the satyr playing a tune on his pipes. Perlivash and Tig Titter Tut are also there, lazily lounging in the grass. Up in the tree is a small grey skinned figure lounging in a tree limb, a pair of short antennae extending from his brow. A short stalk of wheat grass rests in his lips as he chews it casually.
Tiressia stands when she sees you and calls out excitedly ”Welcome back, friends! I’m so glad to see you all again! Please join us! Make yourselves at home!”
"Hello, Tiressia," Annalla says, with genuine enthusiasm. "It's so nice to see you again. You'll have to introduce me to your friends." She indicates the other fey that she hasn't met yet.
Once the introductions have been concluded, she speaks quietly to the woman. "I was hoping to ask a private favor," she says.
”Certainly!” Tiressia says excitedly. She points out a blue scaled dragon the size of a house cat, but with butterfly wings. ”This is Perlivash, and his Grig companion there is Tig Titter Tut,” she says, pointing to a small feminine form with the lower body of a cricket.
Gesturing to the grey skinned half king sized humanoid in the tree, she says ”And this fellow here is-“
”RiggGargadilly.CharmedI’msure!” he replies quickly, his lips turned in a broad smile.
Annalla's smile fades somewhat at the sight of the grey-skinned figure and her hand moves protectively to her forehead.
"Yes, um, yes. Pleased to meet you. My name is Annalla," she says. "If we could speak somewhere else?"
As Ipmeek arrives at the glade and sees Perlivash and Tig Titter Tut, memories of his time with the Deck of Many Things come flooding back. How he had gained so much power and pride. And how he was humbled again when his tribe was broken by the trolls, and he could not defeat them himself.
He decides to try and get a fresh start. "Hello Perlivash and Tig! Good to see you. You live here now? Nice place.". He looks around the glade admiringly. "Where is big strong knight you had?" he asks.
A different form of knight speaks up "Rigg Gargadilly. You and I will have words while Annalla speaks to Tiressia." Isabella says, staring down the grey wannabe thief.
"Follow me." she says sternly.
Chrysa is not exactly fond of this place, but seeing Tig and Perlivash makes it worth it. In the city she purchased something hard to get in the back roads of the Stolen Lands, which she has been rationing to one a day just to be sure they last. Cookies.
She fishes the remaining dozen out of her pack and open it for the only two fey worth a damn. "It is great to see you both, do you want a cookie!"
Sophie is also overjoyed to see Tig and Perlivash and chats with them amiably.
Perlivash and Tig return the fond reunions. Seems their knight perished in a prank gone wrong...
Rigg casually shrugs and says ”Naw,I’mgood.Quitecomfortablehere.”
Tiressia starts to move off with Annalla, but then hears the accusations leveled at Rigg. ”He came here seeking asylum, and I have granted it to him. I trust you all will respect the serenity of my glade and not have any fighting here?”
She then moved off with Annalla.
After a moment, Sophiel notes, ”Tiressia, Rigg tried to murder us over and over. And importantly, we tried to talk to him about helping him, and he just tried to murder us again. He hates everyone other than himself. You probably know him but - I mean, he’s a ludicrously destructive psychopath, right?” She winks at Rigg.
Isabella's frown deepens and she narrows his eyes. "He violated Annalla's body on multiple occasions. He may have asylum here, but let us hope he never leaves here."
She crosses her arms and stares at the quickling, as if daring him to do something stupid.
Sophie shrugs, and eats one of the cookies Chrysa got, and eats it while talking to the quickling,”smunch, so, did you get my note? Seems funny that you’re afraid of us now. What happened, Rigg?” She chuckles, ”Isabella, if he attacks us again, we’ll kill him. I’m prepared now.” She grabs another cookie and eats it, turning back to Perlivash and Tig, showing them some of the neat books she brought.
Chrysa looks at Sophie and then down at her dwindling box of cookies. "You do realize this is why I hide my sweets? You are worse than the pregnant lady." Chrysa teases and then sets out the remainder of the cookies for ALL to enjoy, after taking one herself of course.
She does not talk to the quickling, instead finds a place to sit and watch the proceedings.
After about twenty minutes or so, Annalla returns. Her travelling dress appears a little rumpled, but there's a serene smile on her face. She walks over to give Isabella a gentle kiss on the cheek and a whisper in her ear before turning to rest her head on the woman's shoulder. She seems content now to let the conversation carry on. Even the presence of the quickling doesn't seem to disturb her air of contentment.
Rigg just chuckles casually from his limb, watching everyone, particularly Annalla as she returns.
He eventually hops down and mingles through the group as if he owned the place and with no concern for their greater numbers at all. ”Sowheredidyouallrunofftoafteryouleft?Bringmebackanything?”
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A few days of travel south, and you come across what seems to be a somewhat drunk and forlorn hill giant wandering the hills. You are able to, in its inebriated state, initiate tenuous discussion with him. He informs them, in his native tongue that Chrysa and Sophiel can understand, that he is upset that the trolls refused to allow him to join their gang, and has since been wandering around alone. After some discussion, he seems to grow to like the pair, and informs them of where the troll's hideout is!
Heading west through the forest to get there, the group eventually comes across some disturbing signs...signs of dragon activity. As you discuss these worrisome signs, you are surprised by a roar from above and a crashing through the trees as a large forest drake attacks! You are able to avoid most of the ensuing chaos, but a broken limb crashes down onto Orri's back and leaves him in some pain, but nothing life threatening. You are forced to pull back to regroup as the drake returns to its lair victorious for now.
Accusations are made, names are called, but eventually tempers settle and blame is no longer thrown about the group. Agreeing this threat needs to be tended to, the group tracks the drake back to its lair and catch it unprepared! Their assault is far more successful this time around, and they bring the drake down!
The forest becomes considerably dense here, and you are forced to circle north and west to find a reasonable passage. In so doing, you eventually come to a huge deadfall of trees and brambles in a mossy heap, a mountain in miniature left from a violent windstorm. Numerous cave-like hollows can be found throughout, one of which is the home of a rare and legendary creature...a hodag! You catch it sleeping in its den, but a slipping rock awakens it before you can strike! It lunges to attack, throwing Annalla hard against the trunk of a fallen tree! In short order, however, the hodag is slain. Strangely enough, a spear was lodged in its back, just as Stas had mentioned in his flier...
The group now turns south, passing by many clear indications of troll activity, you eventually reach where the trolls have entrenched themselves. They seem to have claimed and ancient guard post in the forested hills between the southern Narlmarches and the Kamelands. The post is dwarven in design, and sits high on a cliff face among forested hills on the side of a rocky hill and is only accessible by a carefully concealed path. Ipmeek is able to spot the watch tower, cleverly disguised as a natural rock formation.
A narrow path winds its way up the hill, a steep cliff face on one side and a sheer drop-off on the other. At the top, the path follows a wide ledge, where the corner of a weathered stone building juts from the side of the hill. Inside, two trolls can be heard arguing with one another. The group begins their assault, and quickly learn why trolls are such monsters of legend. The fight does not go as they had hoped, but they eventually bring the pair down with just Sophiel and Isabella having the wind knocked from their lungs.
To their south is a single passage that leads to a wide flight of stone stairs that lead up to a circular chamber with a high ceiling. A foul stench fills the air, emanating from the layers of filth caked on the floor. It is clear this is where the trolls have made their latrine. The stairs lead up 100 feet to the sole room at the top of the tower, where a single troll does a poor job of keeping watch. The group engages it immediately, but even alone it is dangerous. However, it's laziness proved to be its undoing and it falls with little effort!
The group returns downstairs and turns down the western branch that leads deeper into the hillside. At the end of the worked stone hall is a heavy stone door, thick enough to have drowned out the sound of combat thus far...fortunately for the heroes. Pushing open the door they find a large stone table that takes up the center of this large chamber, whose walls are decorated with ancient carvings that have been defaced and vandalized with crude graffiti in several languages. A headless halfling corpse lies atop the bloodstained table. A troll stands next to the table, feeding scraps of the unfortunate halfling to one of the gang's trollhounds, a slavering, brutish beast that looks like a monstrous cross between a troll and a warhound. Turning to see the smaller group, they immediately turn to attack! Unable to get surprise on the foes this time proves to make the battle much more difficult, and the group is forced to fight their way out of even the doorway. The trollhound was a frustrating foe, but once it was down and the group was able to focus on the troll, they were able to clear the room for now.
More deep barking and growling can be heard from a passage to the north, and the group turns to investigate quickly. There they find three thick chains bolted to the northern wall, and a floor covered with bones, half-eaten rotting meat, and mounds of foul-smelling dung. One chain hangs slack, while the other two are pulled taut by the desperate attempt of two more trollhounds trying to reach the group! However, restrained as they are, they are far easier to dispatch than the one that had been free.
Turning south back through the troll's mess hall, the group passes through a room filled with stacked boxes, barrels, crates, and bags from floor to ceiling and line the crude shelves along the walls. A rough hole gapes in the southern wall, leading deeper into the hillside, the worked chambers falling behind them as they enter a true cavern now.
The rough tunnel widens into a thirty-foot-high natural cavern hunt with dripping stalagmites. Gnawed bones litter the floor, while the northern portion of the room holds a collection of severed, humanoid heads arranged around a large circle drawn on the floor with dried blood. Standing beyond the circle is an alarming sight...a troll with two heads! The troll charges the group, and he proves to be a vicious and surprisingly cunning foe! However, in the end he is laid low through a combination of efforts from the group! But before they can recover, they are surprised by an attack from two more trolls charging them from behind! They are forced to scramble to reposition and counterattack, and after a hard fight they manage to drop them both.
After catching their breath, the group presses on. Further into the cave, they find two passages. They elect to take the right one first, and press on. The air in this cavern seems somewhat cooler than that of the rest of the complex, but the stench of decaying flesh hangs heavy in the air. Along the walls are stacked carcasses of dozens of beasts, from foxes and wolves to deer and elk, as well as a couple of horses and what appears to be a skinned bear. The southern portion of the room holds a grislier collection of corpses: the bodies of several humanoids, from gnomes and halflings to humans and elves. Most of the cadavers seem to be decapitated.
Lording over this makeshift larder is a troll who stands a few feet taller than the others you've seen. his earth-colored skin studded with small crystals reveals him to be a rare rock troll! He charges you, trying to protect his stores with sheer brute strength and violence! Annalla's sonic spells seem to prove quite effective, and the monstrous creature is soon enough brought down! There is but one chamber remaining...
Pressing on, the group enters the final cave of the troll lair. The ceiling of this cavern arches thirty feet overhead. A wagon with its wheels removed sits against the eastern wall, heaped with smelly furs, and a single barrel stands in the southwest corner. Against the northern wall, a crude throne carved from a giant tree stump sits atop a makeshift dais made of boulders, with a large bearskin spread on the floor before it.
He seems surprised to see you have made it this far, and rises from his throne as he yells out "You! You da ones dat killed me brudda!" as he shoulders a massive morningstar. "I been lookin' forward ta dis! You gonna die slow! You gonna die bad! Hargulka see to dat!"
With Isabella's banner hanging from her back, Isabella charges ahead at the troll declaring proudly "We are! I challenge to you try!"
Hargulka unleashed on Isabella, swinging his Morningstar twice at her, then slashing with a claw and biting at her! She is able to avoid every single attack, however!
Orri moves a little closer as he casts a spell and a puff of glitter explodes over the troll.