Search Posts
Bren glares mutely at Elias for a while, but is unable to respond. He abruptly turns around and walks the other way. Without looking back he says, "farewell Catriana. Yomi. Cyrus. Elias. It's time I went my own way. Until we meet again, my friends, at the gates of Valhalla. Or Hell."
Bren seems to deflate a little at the mention of Eglantine's name. "No, we aren't getting Eggers back. And the elves aren't getting their friends back either. Everone loses, except who? Roderick! And he's the one who caused all this mess! The man's got to pay, somehow."
"Darkness? Oh no, Elias, what I'm going to do will be very bright," he says with a threatening grimace.
The Bren wrenches himself out of Elias' grasp and does not stop.
"Don't do anything rash? Ha! You're a fine one to speak!" Bren continues towards the mill.
The fighter sets Eglantine into the massive arms of an ogre guardsman. "Good. I am sorry for the fey lives I took, here and in the your land. I had a hunch that Roderick was to blame for all this. I would kill him for what he's wrought, but then Eglantine would have died in vain. I'll have to punish him another way." The fighter stalks off in the direction of the mill. DM
Spoiler: If Bren makes it to the mill, he will check if anyone is staying inside. If it's empty, he'll set fire to the mill, with whatever materials available.
To the fey party Bren presents the shrouded remains of Eglantine. He looks tired but relieved. "Bury her properly, in a good place. She helped save you from the gnome, Ellesandra. And yes, she fought your son, but remember that her friends had the heart to spare him."
"She died trying to protect this village from yet another attack from the feywild, led by your little boy," says Bren accusingly. "Why have the fey been attacking Riverbend? What threat could these little people ever pose to you?"
Bren locks eyes with the Reeve. You see? he seems to say.
"Now we rest up and wait. I'll spend tonight in the stronghouse, in case Flax's friends try to sneak him out."
Bren turns to his party. "If we hold Flax there, we can also keep an eye out for Ellesandra or his cronies. Though I doubt any of those black fey cowards would dare come back."
Bren halts, considers what Elias says, and turns to the Reeve. "You'll have no problem with us keeping Flax here in Riverbend." Though phrased as a question, he pronounces it like a demand. "Nobody is occupying Roderick's house, right?"
"Ellesandra is royalty? That makes sense. How else would her whelp end up a fey commander? There's more to this story than that weasel Roderick is letting on. It's time we had another chat with him." Bren heads to the jail with Flax in tow (whether walking or dragged along.)
Bren nods at Catriana. "We spent nearly three days in the feywild and only three hours had passed here. A full day here is almost a month in there. Let's wait a day or two and see."
Spoiler: Have a great trip, doc!
"I say we wait for Ellesandra come back here for her son. We're in no shape to face the Black Fey right away."
"Three hours?" he exclaims, incredulous at the distortion of time between worlds. He was doubtful Yomi and the others had met a young Flax earlier, preferring to believe the half-elf was another offspring of Ellesandra and Roderick. He turns to the party, unsure what their next move is, if any.
Bren looks straight into the Reeve's eyes when he says "you have the solemn word of each one of us that she is alive and well in the Feywild. And she'll likely turn up here in Riverbend sooner or later looking for her son. So I say you should hold off for a few days before passing judgment on Froderick."
The human warrior pointedly ignores Elias' query.
"Oh, I don't know. I wager if we put the two cowards in the same cell together, they'll start pleading for each others lives."
Bren tries to put on an expression of grim stoicism when he addresses the Reeve. "We found Ellesandra alive and well. She was abducted by some demonic gnome to the fey-lands. For what reason we do not know. She was coming back with us to Riverbend, but then we ran into this vicious half-elf ... she and Froderick's son, which cost us Eglantine Pradeska's life." The warrior gestures at their captive.
"I say we drag him back to Riverbend and let the villagers decide what to do with their would-be invader."
"The River King. Everything goes back to him one way or another. So he's powerful, right boy? Would be so powerful ... to be able to resurrect the dead?"
"Only problem with that plan, Cat, is the Reeve wants Ellesandra, not her son. And do we know if this boy even cares about his human father?"
Bren tries to say something, but can't find the words. He looks to his surviving friends with a lost expression. "Eggers wants to go back," he blurts. "I mean, she wants us to bury her in the feywild. She said that's her home, not this place." He stares at the pond apprehensively. "What are we going to do?"
Bren seems to forget Flax, at least for the moment, and sets Eglantine back down on the grass. He takes from her body what looks to be a crumpled note with writing on it, which he reads.
Bren gently gathers up Eglantine's body in his arms. He glares at Flax with murder in his eyes. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't strangle him."
At the sight of the retreating enemy, Bren laughs haughtily. "Flee, you black fey cowards! Flee!"
Bren cheers Elias' victory. "Good job, brother!"
Bren gets up and rushes at the elf captain. "This is for what you did to Eglantine, you bastard!"
"AAARRRGHH!" yells Bren, half in rage, half in terror, as Flax's great steed explodes out of the pond.
"Eggers! Is she alright? .... no! Those bastards will pay with their blood, I swear!"
Spoiler:
Drellin's Ferry
Spoiler: "Yes, they must know immediately. But I'll stay here, to guard the passage of the others."
Pat Spoiler: Bren's Athletics is +11, so he makes the DC.
Spoiler:
Spoiler: I cast Cure Disease. Still not better? Hmm...the gods vex me.
Bren dives for the millstone that he's quite sure will be there.
Bren is stone-faced when he nods. But his eyes communicate great admiration. "You're a great warrior, Eglantine Pradeska. Greater than I shall ever be." He salutes her and steps into the pool.
Though unable to hear the conversation between Flax and Eglantine, he clearly understands their body language and what is about to transpire. "Elias, Cat, Yomi!" he shouts. "Come back! Eglantine has challenged Flax to a duel!"
"Eglantine, jump in the pool!" cries Bren even as he is ducking arrows. He clutches his great black axe helplessly.
|
