Tulvak resists Tandri's spell. Tyr grabs hold of the hag and squeezes her tightly, holding her in place so Sariana is able to land a hit as well. Floare protects Valerie as she continues to battle Fredero, gaining the upper hand once more. Tulvak claws angrily at Tyr but only manages one hit.
While Deregar supports Tyr with his magic, the dragon attempts to hold on to the hag. Then, both strike out at the hag.
for
for
With Valerie protected, Flore turns her magic upon the hag.
Tandri got distracted watching her mistress work over the horrible hag, enough she almost forgot to send her magic into the fray to help end the creature's expired life.
Her remaining magic soars into her mistress to help with the beating.
Floare and Tandri burn and blast the hag while Tyr holds her tightly. Deregar slices her with his cold iron blade and Sariana pummels her twice to finish her off! Valerie knocks Fredero out with the hilt of her blade and stands over him, panting heavily.
"I always took Fredero for an arrogant fool. Now I know I was correct. He deserves whatever punishment is coming to him for being so easily manipulated," she says icily.
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Sariana breaks the hag's neck with her customarily efficient twist and then turns to Valerie. Her face forms a frown briefly as she considers the prone paladin and then she shakes her head.
"Banishment. He leaves Nightsong, never to return." She decrees. "Sweetling, wake him up so that he can be informed of his sentence. Unless you would seek a different punishment." She offers to Valerie. "You are the wronged party here."
Dante moves to Tandri's side to give the man a close-up view of his 'welcoming smile' when he wakes.
In the meantime, Floare looks through the hag's possession, tossing the salted pork aside in disgust. She chuckles at the wand before lodging it through her hair and over one ear.
"And we're still waiting for a public apology," the witch adds to Sariana's declaration.
Tandri would much rather the decree have been days of correction before banishment. But she obeys, giving Dante a gentle scratch before praying to her goddess to heal. "Lady Nightsong has decided on your fate."
Fredero grovels at Valerie's feet. "I am deeply sorry, Valerie. For everything I've done to you, both in the past and present. I fear I have strayed far from Shelyn's teachings and the beauty of my soul has been thus tainted. I shall seek atonement for my transgressions."
He bows and scrapes before scurrying off. Valerie scoffs. "Good riddance to bad rubbish." She turns to you. "We're done here. Let us return to more important matters." She pauses, then adds, "Thank you."
"We all serve our Lady Nightsong" Tandri says, giving Valerie a small smile, glad they didn't need to dispatch her as well, since replacing leadership is difficult.
Chapter 7: Blood for Blood
Some time has passed since you integrated Varnhold and its citizens into your kingdom. This morning, a messenger bird arrived from one of your other holdings, the town of Tatzlford, with a missive from the mayor Loy Rezbin:
Greetings, my lieges!
Would that I had the opportunity to contact you via missive in gentler times. Since its founding, Tatzlford has faced many challenges, but recent rumors of a much more disturbing sort abound. A woman named Kisandra Numesti has come to Tatzlford bearing warnings that, if they are to be believed, indicate we may face a terrible threat. She speaks of armies of bandits, hordes of Tiger Lords—and worse!—organizing to the west beyond Hooktongue Slough. To date we have had no trouble with these elements, but this woman is quite convincing. She tells us an army from Drelev is marching on Tatzlford. If this is true, we will need your aid in defending our homes. Please come as soon as you can.
—In good faith, your humble servant,
Mayor Loy Rezbin
Deregar reagards the missive throughtfully. If he still have eyebrows, they would be furrowed.
"This as least bears investigating, Lady Nightsong," he advises. "If dangers come from beyond the borders of our kingdom, we should deal with them. If this Kisandra Numesti is spreading rumors for some unknown end, she should be dealt with appropriately."
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Sariana nods her head sharply. "Agreed. Threats to Nightsong will not be allowed to stand. Sweetling, Little One, have either of you heard anything like this?"
Nightsong doesn't have spies. Not really at least, but they do have both diplomats and traders so if something was brewing beyond her borders then Sariana's... lovers? Spawn? Concubines? might have heard rumours at least. Sariana herself is much more focused on rumours within the kingdom, which she tracks, manipulates and crushes ruthlessly as needed. No spies, but internal peace the like of which Brevoy or Cheliax could only dream of.
Tandri does listen to rumors when she oversees the coming and going of caravans, so if something credulous came in she would have told her mistress. Shifting through credulous and incredulous is sometimes difficult.
There are a few rumors swirling around Nightsong about Baron Drelev. One claims that he has surrendered his fort and his town to King Irovetti from Pitax. Some belive that Baron Drelev was a plant from Pitax from the start, and he’s only now showing his true colors—“surrendering” was just a sham.
Another rumor claims that Baron Drelev has taken on a beautiful young lover, much to his wife’s dismay. . . and with good cause, for this lover is in fact a succubus who has dominated the baron and is behind all of Fort Drelev’s problems!
Whatever the case, what is clear is that forces from Fort Drelev have indeed been spotted on the western outskirts of your kingdom...
"There have only been the cursory missives between myself and the Baron," Floare replies with a frown. "Nothing that would raise suspicions or lend credence to any of the minor rumors circulating."
"Shall we meet the encroaching army openly or shall we attempt to infiltrate and query the commanders directly?" she questions with a smile, knowing the predilections of her mistress.