Akiros Ismort III's page

"Much like Master Garess is doing at that border keep, is what we did when we first came here with a derelict keep we had found on the Tuskwater. It is sturdy to hold out for some time against a siege, and with access to the rivers then it would be a longer one wait, but we didn't have engineers to design and construct it. We just repaired what was already in place so it probably isn't as strong as it could be. I do not know the camp well enough to give you significant details about the layout or patrols, but it is just a circle of tents, a couple tree stands for spotters, and a cart that they use for their dirty work."

Akiros nodded, "If you routed them from the Keep then whoever had the will to continue to fight would have eventually returned to that camp. It is closer then the fortress. If they were bolstered by numbers from the Keep then I don't know how many would be there."

Akiros takes the supplies offered to him with a nod. "Be careful out there. One of the bandit camps is directly east of here, if you cut cross then you will surely run into them. I would suggest going back around the way we came."

Akiros takes a hold of Valeska forearm for support as he rises again. "Thank you, but decision have you come to concerning my companion?" He gestures to the man.

The former 'Stag Lord' looks nothing like the portrait of Falgrim

Akiros realizes after a moment what is happening and takes a knee. He places his fist over his heart, "I will swear fealty to Lord Kesten Garess, a Swordlord of Brevoy, until such a time as his orders are contrary to my God. I will provide stewardship over this place until my duties are dismissed, providing assistance and support in times of hardship and distress."

Akiros nods, and goes about gathering the things that he had abandoned here when his companion and him were last here. He sets a bedroll down and moves his companion to it.

“I feel with all of my being that this man can be a force of good, despite the things he has done since he was under the influence of that druid. I ask that you do not hand him over to the Brevic authorities yet. I am certain there is documentation in the keep about the authority originally invested in us, and I firmly believe the true villains are Dovan and that druid. We were just led astray, but the path can be found again. I will freely give my life over to this temple, or you can take it now. I will be your Stag Lord for the authorities..." Akiros pleads.

Akiros stops with a nod to Arasmes as he allows the healer to channel positive energy in the entire area. The glow that had begun to surround his hands dims and vanishes. He does another check on the man, "He hasn't awakened, but he won't be dying any time soon. He just needs rest and he will recover on his own now. It does seem that Erastil has given us his favor... I will tend this shrine from this day forward. I know that I don't have any right to do so, but... I have a favor to ask of you."

"I..." Akiros shakes his head as if clearing the cobwebs. "I suppose I could do that. Allow me to tend to my companion and your priest can save his healing. Does anyone have a spare cloak?" Akiros asks as he moves closer. His hands begin to take on a white glow as he kneels by the man that was the Stag Lord, cursed, and now stands at death's door.

Akiros shields his eyes and head as the leaves blow in. He remains guarded until after they drop. He turns back to the party as if he is going to approach them but stops a moment. He lifts his hands as if to stare at them in surprise. He flexes his fingers a bit and his eyes widen slightly...

"I can feel it again. His presence..."

"I am not sure. We came here, and didn't see anything at first. We going to set camp, and were talking when it came rushing out of the temple in a roar and charged us. After my companion struck the final blow it transformed into a man. He looked happy, almost smug as he turned to dust before our eyes to be carried off by the wind. My companion fell to the ground screaming and grabbing his head at that point then transformed into the same beast we had just killed. He nearly killed me in the same rage as the previous monster..."

"Not that it matters, but I am impressed. You seem to have quite an ability to make friends of the Stolen Lands. Had we been so lucky then maybe the Stag Lord wouldn't have fallen as far as he did from his quest." Akiros said; breaking the silence that he held during the during the meeting with Perlivash and Tyg.

"I am no expert, but if they were skilled enough to find their way into our camp to play such harmless tricks then they could have likely gravely injured or killed some of us if they were malevolent."

"I am no expert, but if they were skilled enough to find their way into our camp to play such harmless tricks then they could have likely gravely injuried or killed some of us if they were malevolent."

"There is a tribe of Kobolds in the area, but they haven't really been concerning us. We usually had the numbers to chase them off, but never found their lair. None of us had the ability to communicate with them so I can't give any insight to their purpose."

Akiros dismounts as well so he can tie the horse up as Grendolynn moves off to investigate the groaning noises. He seems distracted since the group has left the trading post and he keeps staring off into the distance at random places. For now he seems present in the moment as he lashes the horse to the tree, and nods to Teyran as he does the same thing.

Akiros nodded, "Falgrim. He seemed like a decent one, but he was recruited by the twisted druid right before the end. I didn't trust anyone at that point."

"There are many dangerous creatures around the area. I could only make uneducated guesses, but it is possible that my companion is not bound to the cursed location if you suspect it to be him. There are also natural bears about as well as some wolves, some kobolds, trolls and more."

He seems sincere.

Akiros nods to Morley and rises from his seated position. A frown crosses his features for a moment then he sighs. ”If you are interested in Kressle then you may be interested to know that the temple in the woods where my companion was cursed is less then half a day walk from the camp in the woods. I feel that you should know that even if I believe that breaking the curse or dying is my path.”

"I don't recall... wait... Yes, there was a Kressle. One of the druid's sycophant. She was sent to prowl the main road with her crew. Large group too, but I've seen them at work while we were in hiding... they use a busted looking wagon on the road to lure people in close."

"Dovan is a cruel. He rules through abuse of all types. I did not associate with him. I can only guess what he would do now that he is in charge."

Akiros sighs, and looks into the sky. "That twisted druid is even more of an enigma to me. He wrapped my companion up in his abuse so thoroughly that he would not allow me close to him. He whispered in his ear the words that he was required to speak when we did see him. He turned the organization into a wretched hive of scum and villainy. If you spoke out against it then you weren't long for the world. I will answer any questions that you want to know about them but I don't know what useful information I could offer."

He pounds his fist into the ground in a gesture of frustration and a moment later there was a look as if he remember something that crossed his face.

"One thing that I can remember is the druid had a fondness for the drink, and I think it was a rather rare one. If you have a map of the region I can show you where the fortress is on the Tuskwater as well. I warn you that it is well-fortified and manned."

"You mean my friend? I know it seems odd, but I never had the need to ask him nor did he ever offer it to me. We just never talked about it, and once we settled here that is when we started calling him the Stag Lord. Yes, as the guardian turned human then dust he changed into the beast that was slain. Dovan is a cruel one and hungry for power, and probably has taken the mantle of Stag Lord, but the twisted druid... he has the real power."

"I don't know what good it will do. The Stag Lord is cursed and gone now. We have been in hiding for almost two months, but I assume Dovan or that twisted druid is in charge. I will share with you what I knew before."

Akiros settles in somewhere and falls silent for a few minutes before he looks to those who remain. "I was once a paladin of Erastil in a village in Taldan many years ago, but a stranger came to town. People started dying in brutal and violent ways. I was positive that it was him. My church barred me from taking actions against him. I got angry, and I helped the villagers form a lynch mob against the traveler. Erastil left me then...”

Akiros pulled an amulet from around his neck to stare at it. ”Several hours after the man was lynched the true killer was caught by a hunter and revealed to be nothing more sinister than a worg. I may have been able to make right in the eyes of Erastil but I lost faith in myself there. My involvement in the village's overly aggressive pursuit of the traveler's lynching was actionable. Only the fact that the traveler happened to be a bandit spy sent to look the place over, which I didn't discover until after the man was executed and his belongings were searched, kept the church from ex-communicating me but I had to accept exile instead.”

He breathed deeply and sighed, rubbing the cold silver on the amulet with his thumbs, ”Something I was all to ready to do. Anger filled the void left by Erastil after that... I took it out on anyone that crossed me. I found myself in Pitax during the coup and that is when I met him. His presence pulled you to him, and his words filled you with purpose. He reminded me of who I was, and I found purpose again in his quest to bring life to those that society had forgotten. He rallied us against the tyranny in Pitax, but we were forced to flee to the Greenbelt. He was not dissuade from his purpose and he sent the call out for people to come to his banner. He even met with a man from Brevoy that supported him. He got a message from the Lord Regent giving him rights to claim lands in the Greenbelt.” Akiros put the amulet down next to him and stared at it a moment...

”We found a fortress on the Tuskwater. It was still in amazing shape, and we thought him blessed by Erastil himself as we found an artifact in the place... A stag helmet. We had purpose then until the dreams came... He began dreaming of a woman, a powerful fey, who told him things. He claimed a dalliance and she made promises to come to him. Leaving only a strand of hair and a ring behind from the dreams when he awoke. I thought that Erastil would send him a powerful ally but instead that twisted druid came... he poisoned his mind, body and spirit until he was no longer of use. He changed everything... we became nothing more then vermin under his influence.” Akiros' eyes fill with water at that point and he turns away to blink a few times.

”I finally had enough. I tried to appeal to the better judgment of my friend but we fought. I raged against him, but he was still the better man. I was forced to flee, but I regretted losing my rage after. Before I could return he was betrayed by another lieutenant, Dovan. The druid worked him into a drunken stupor then Dovan slit his throat and tossed him over the wall into the river below... I found him by chance as I had made camp so I could work up the courage to return and face him. I used the skills I had learned in the church to bring him back from the brink of death. I could feel Erastil influences again and he guided me to a sanctuary in the forest until my companion could act on his own again. We spent weeks there until Erastil gave us a chance for redemption and guided us to an old temple...”

Akiros clutches his chest tightly at that moment, ”There was a cursed guardian... a massive bear with antlers. We killed it, but not before it latched its teeth into my companion. I know the guardian was cursed because he became human and then dust. My companion changed... literally transformed in front of my eyes. It was him that gave me the wounds... I fled again. I only remember flashes of things after that. Something told me to keep walking. I kept seeing this place in my fevered illusions... and when I woke up here I could no longer feel the presence of Erastil again. I have failed...”

"I admit that I do not know much about Sarenrae but it is not her redemption that I am seeking. I was once a paladin of Erastil many years ago, and I thought his presence gone from my life until I pulled my companion from the river."

Akiros remains tense for awhile but calms with each passing gesture. He gives a nod of acceptance to Grendolynn, ”That is acceptable. I will rest a few days and carry only a dagger as you request. You will find plenty of conflict in these lands.” He removes an empty sword belt and offers it up, ”Unfortunately my sword has already been lost. Fallen from my grip when... the beast set upon me.”

When Erostil speaks the man just shakes his head sadly, ”I do not refuse to tell the story though not all of it is mine. It is just not a story that can be told in a few minutes. He never told me his name and I never asked. I dragged him from the river where bandits had left him to die and saved his life. I have failed as the Stolen Lands have claimed him now. My only hope for redemption is to return and slay the beast or die trying this time.”

He gives a bow to Antha, ”Thank you, but the touch of the divine can be invigorating. I do not think that I will need rest for a couple of hours now. I will make camp everywhere you feel is best.”

Since no one has left Akiros alone yet, and Teyran's question may be answered before Teyran has the chance to ask in private I am going to hold off on answering it.

Akiros slowly rises from his seated position as Valeska says her final words. Maybe he misunderstood the meaning in her words but he seems suddenly defensive and makes a quick glance around the area as if weighing his options. The tension of his muscle suggest that he is readying to defend himself.

”As I have repetitively said that is a long story that would take hours to tell and not all of it is my story to tell, but the short of it is that by helping a friend find the peace I was hoping to find my own road to redemption.” He answers Valeska.

”I wouldn't let myself give up. I just walked until I found someone. When I stopped I could see the shadow of death so I kept going and going. I was feverish so it all comes in flashes...” Akiros answers Valeska.

"I was born in Taldan, but I have not been there for many years. I think I am beginning to get a better picture where I am; Brevic soldiers, a keep in disrepair, between Mivon and Southern Brevoy; I couldn't have wandered more then a few days. Is this the old derelict keep in the Greenbelt?" The man questions.

Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

"I do not have an interest in knowing anything beyond where I am." He hesitates for a moment as he glances around as if viewing everyone in a suddenly suspicious light, but shrugs. "It doesn't look like I am in much of a position to not trust you, but my injuries are a long story, and one I may have to return too sooner then later. My name is Akiros."