"That is splendid news!" Linah says and embraces Oxvard. "Be safe and remember this day. Always remember that you are not lost should your hope ever falter."
Even though she tries to hide it Linah frowns when Garavel introduces everyone by name except for Grall, but she doesn't protest. Her frown is quickly disrupted by Almah's entrance. "It honors you that you choose to pick up your sword for the liberation of Kelmare. We are fortunate to have you at our side."
As the introductions dies down Linah approaches Zeladiel and curtseys. "It is nice to meet you, master Araxyll. I am Linah Jamil'Kaid, a follower of the Dawnflower. From what i hear you will make a strong addition to your assault."
Zeladiel bows to Linah.
"It is I who am honoured to meet you, daughter of Sarenrae. The agents of the Dawnflower have saved my life on more than one occasion, though I hope not to trouble you in this way today."
He smiles grimly.
Garavel makes no attempt to hide his displeasure at Almah's decision to join the battle but does not appear to have either the authority or necessary intellectual argument to win the day.
As you say Mistress. Although as you have appointed me as leader of the mercanaries you and your guards will follow MY instructions in relation to the battle.
Done, she replies with a poor attempt at meekness. As long as you do not seek to keep me from it.
The preparations continue and it seems as if the wagons are almost ready to depart. Almah has instructed Dashki to lead them away. The greasy haired guide was conspicuous by his previous absence during battle discussions but now doesn't hesitate to tell all and sundry how sorry he is to miss the battle and would not but for his duty.
It soon becomes apparent that the mercenary Brotis appears to be missing from the monastery. When this is pointed out Garavel wastes no time rousing Dullen, his usual partner and asking him some pointed questions.
It doesn't take long for Dullen to cave in under the pressure.
All right. All right! I think he deserted. Said something about how there was no way he was going to fight beside a fu.. um.. flaming gnoll. Said one day the gnoll would be sorry for making him look the fool. No don't look at me like that. I didn't do nothing! Trying to make it back to civilization alone, its craziness.
A camel, food and water also appear to have disappeared over night.
Noone seems too upset about Brotis' departure although Oxvard mutters about oathbreakers getting their comeuppance.
By 7am everyone is outside the monastery and ready to go.
The two groups split. Dashki, the herders and servants head south with the wagons while your group, Almah, Garavel, Felliped, Oxvard, the five remaining mercenaries and the four pactmaster guards head north. The six of you move on ahead of the rest screening for any surprises.
As you come to a steep downward section of the path you see a flash of blue off to the left. It looks like the full pack of blink dogs seeing you off. The little one barks enthusiastically while the rest watch you with dignified silence.
You pick your way north about a hundred and fify feet ahead of the rest.
Zeladiel mutters some primal words, waves a hand, and the air around him seems to shimmer briefly.
"I am ready."
Nuveril pauses as they see the blink dogs, touching two fingers to her heart then extending them toward the pack. After they have passed by, she moves up next to Khalid and speaks to him in a low voice.
"I pray that it will have to come to that, Master Araxyll. Or that you will have to return the favor", Linah replies.
During her prayer before departure Linah places the emissary's wooden shield on the altar and asks the Dawnflower to remove the taint of the foul gnoll's influence and for the permission to carry the shield into battle.
Before the two caravans split up Linah approaches Dashki. "Master Dashki, may i bother you with a request?" she asks the ranger (). "If you encounter Brotis on your way, please see him back to civilization safely. I know that he has not made many friends during his stay here, but no one deserves to die alone out in the desert."
Linah prayers don't have any visible effect but as she takes up the shield the feeling of wrongness that she got from it before is gone. It feels comfortable strapped to her arm.
In response to Linah's request, Dashki starts out sour but by the end of Linah's entreaty is nodding along. I'll do what I can tho' I'd guess hes long gone by now. Probly end up in some desert scorpions' belly stupid sod.
You reach the cover of hills a few hundred yards to the south of the town without incident. A few lazy pumes of smoke drift up from the guild hall. You can only see the top sections and roof from here or at least you used to be able to. Now they're gone, the building presumably a pile of ashes.
You see no sign of the gnolls, no sign of anything moving.
Garavel and the rest of your forces catch up about five minutes later. Keeping low, Garavel moves over to join you.
The hill is certainly imposing. It was one thing to see it from the monastery, but this close up..
From what you've said I should be able to bring my force up the steep path to the battle market and approach the southern door. We'll block any gnolls still outside from entering the market and try and draw as many as we can outside. Assuming Undrella's count is accurate and Kardswann's guard stays inside my group should face no more than 10 gnolls. A near even fight but I am confident we can prevail.
He hands Khalid three of the, by now, familiar small glass vials. Three of Zantus' healing extracts. I've kept one for emergencies.
How do you want to make your approach?
"Sajan. That spell I cast. Come rap your knuckles against my cloak and feel how it protects me. I can do the same for you also, if you are not as suspicious as your companion." Zeladiel nods towards Nuveril, with a smile.
The elf removes a small pearl from his belt pouch, waves it lazily round while chanting, then places a finger to Sajan, and the air shimmers briefly around the giant.
"That should last all morning. Do not think yourself invulnerable. I look forward to knowing you for more than a single day."
He stops smiling and turns to Grall. "I shall enlarge you just before we go in. It will only last a few minutes. Before then, I would like to know why you are helping us."
Sajan does as he is bid, listening intently.
I don't fear magic, but I don't understand it either he says to reassure Zeladiel.
If it helps your own plans I will engage my forces where it will do the most good. If theres no outside group and we can't pull any outside we will support you by assaulting the southern entrance.
@ Zeladiel, Sirrre, I am a slave owned by Garrravel. If we rrregain Kelmarrraine frrrom the Gnolls, I am to earrrn my frrreedom.
Have no fearrr of my motives, I share no love for my people.
Pulls out his holy symbol of Sarenrae, I am a followerrr of the Dawnflowerrr and I hope to gain my rrredemption thrrrough my actions herrre.
Any Gnolls who stand against us will fall beforrre ourrr might.
Linah can't help but smile as she overhears Grall talking with Zeladiel. It is a wonder what small everyday miracles the Dawnflower can perform.
.
You tell Garavel your plan and he nods. Very well. Lets ascend the ramp in a group. I doubt we'l find them unaware with a group this large but we'll do our best to keep out of sight for a few minutes to let you take the longer path. Abadar's Oath I promise after that you'll hear our attack. He looks at each of you in turn. Good luck and may the Dawnflower keep each of you safe from harm. What ever happens, noone can say that you haven't done your duty. He stops to shake Khalid's hand and gives Linah a respectful nod before returning to Almah.
Garavel signals and you move out of cover and head toward the town, extremely aware of how much extra noise the much bigger group is making. You pass the lower gatehouse and climb the ramp. Here and there shafts lie where they fell during yesterday's escape. You keep your eyes peeled for archers or other signs of active defense but see nothing.
You make it to the turn and continue east up toward the split in the path. As expected the guildhall is just a ruin, the mostly wooden building burnt down pratically to the foundations. The neighboring buildings are intact, the hall's position away from the others must have kept the fire from spreading. The enemy bodies have been removed although you can still see numerous patches of dried blood where you worked your bloody havok during the battle.
You split off, taking the eastern path. Oxvard gives Linah a cheery nod while Elia waves at Khalid, her face expressionless. Nuveril catches Felliped watching her, the gnome looking away as soon as she makes eye contact.
With the battle market looming high on your left you work your way round the eastern path. The rightmost sections seem to have partly eroded and the footing there looks treacherous but the path is plenty wide enough for you to navigate.
You walk past the point where Felliped created her illusionary wall and round the corner. (AT,20). Ahead you can see the guardhouse. A square, dome topped, stone tower rises about fifty feet above two one storey brick buildings to the left. About twenty feet up a small door leads out onto the fortified section, basically two large stone sections. The right hand section has sunk about five feet from subsidence of the edge giving that part a lopsided look but the whole thing looks fairly formidable still, completely blocking the path.
The doors are closed but you spot no sign of life either from the tower or the other fortifications. The section leading up to the doors is steep if not nearly as so as the path Garavel and the others will be taking. At that point the climb up the left-hand bank doesn't look too hard although it would be in plain sight of any watcher.
You still have several minutes before Garavel will launch his attack.
Nuveril narrows her eyes as she stares after Felliped. She fears the Gnome's sudden and inevitable betrayal will doom at least one member of the other party. "I warned them," she mutters to herself, trying to absolve herself of guilt should anything befall them. "They won't turn their backs to it blindly."
Once the others are out of sight, Nuveril dismisses them from her mind. She can do nothing to change their fate now and will need all her focus for the fight ahead. "Which way?" she murmurs to Khalid. "Ahead through the guardpost, or up the hill directly to the battle market?"
Zeladiel's eyes narrow, and widen at Grall's tale. "I see. Well slave, if the Dawnflower watches over you I wish you well. I have already said you shall have the aid of my magic, and I shall stand by my word even though you are a slave. I look forward to your redemption."
He turns to Khalid and Nuveril. "I agree we should ignore the guard post. They're cowards and will all mass together. I doubt we'd find anything there except traps, a poor start to our battle. Khalid, if it suits your purpose you might go ahead and try the east door invisibly, returning to us if there is a problem. Otherwise, we will meet you there and we can go through when Garavel attacks. I suggest when we do, we turn left and immediately head up the stairs for the third level. We may even be able to see out to Garavel's battle and aid him from above."
You move forward cautiously up the path keeping your eyes on the guardhouse but everything is still. At a suitable spot (AT,12) you climb up the embankment to the west.
At the top you take cover (AR, 15) behind the brick buildings.
Past them you get your first close up look at the battle market. Sheathed in grey stone the imposing building seems little touched by the ruin of the rest of the town, the massive dome rising 60 feet in the air.
You can see the east entrance, two massive double doors made of dark wood bound with thick iron bands. They are closed.
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Just before heading down toward the battle market, Khalid quietly speaks to those with him...
"My friends, there is a reason I have been so adamant about conserving our resources for this battle. This Kardswann we are about to face is no mere human opponent, nor is he a gnoll. Many of you know how my thoughts and dreams have been connected with Vardishal, one of the Templars of the Five Winds. Obviously, there were four other Templars....one of which was Kardswann. I know not if this Kardswann is the true Kardswann or merely the earthly embodiment of Kardswann as I am with Vardishal, but understand he will be our strongest opponent to date."
"My friends, forgive me for not telling you sooner, but I did not want to shake the already unsteady resolve of the mercenaries or the non-combatants heading for Sultan's Claw. I tell you all now because you deserve to know what it is we are about to face."
Grall meets Khalid's eyes and nods to acknowledge the warning but to make sure he knows it makes no difference.
He pulls out a Javelin just in case he needs one in one of his hands while he has his falchion in the other.
I doubt we'd find anything there except traps, a poor start to our battle.
Sajan nods solemnly at Khalid's words, clearly making a mental resolve to protect him.
"You have done nothing wrong", Linah ensures Khalid in her soft voice. "You are a true soul of Sarenrae who has chosen to take up against the darkness. I will follow right behind you." the cleric continues and draws her scimitar. "It has been, is and will continue to be an honor to take up the struggle beside you."
Zeladiel looks Khalid straight in the eye.
"The more information we have, the better it will go for us. Has he any weakness that you suspect? As a Templar of the Five Winds he may be immune to lightening, or be able to create it. My magic tends mostly to fire, but my bow is magical."
"I must also ask, if Vardishal and he are connected somehow, does Vardishal have any weakness? For it is possible Kardswann may share that, and we could exploit it."
You close your eyes and force yourself to relax, searching deeply into the vaults of your mind for any hint as to this Templar, this Kardwann.
You, Khalid, inquistor of the Dawnflower don't "know" anything about Kardswann other than what Undrella told you, what you read in the book.
But there is something there, a fragment of a lost memory, a spark of consciousness from the currently dormant spirit residing within you.
You concentrate on that memory, that spark, and move further inside yourself. The smell of ashes in your nostrils withdraws. You can no longer feel the ground under your feet.
A flicker of an image.
Feelings come. You know that Kardwann is brave, impatient, impetuous. He is no planner, no thinker, that was your role. An explorer. Never content to stay, always on the move.
A memory. A man fighting at your side. Not the boy from your dream but a figure of great strength and power. A force of destruction gliding its way with ease across the battlefield, cutting and slashing with his greataxe, sweeping away creatures of flame with ease, their fires not touching him.
For a moment despair grips your heart. You cannot defeat this creature. You have no hope, none. You can see Grall and Sajan falling before a flurry of blows, Nuveril being cut in half. Linah falling to the ground, her shield shattered.
And then you feel Vardishal stir. Yet dormant but on the cusp of awakening. Another thought comes, All of this cannot be our Mistresses will. He has lost his way and with it much of what he was.
The rest of you see Khalid close his eyes. He seems to go ... somewhere else. Just when some of you may be starting to get worried he opens his eyes.
"Khalid!"
Zeladiel frowns.
"Did you hear my questions? What are you doing? Now is not the time for surprises. There is no detail too small to reveal to us in the next few minutes."
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"My apologies...I was lost in Vardishal's thoughts and memories of his former companion. Kardswann is or perhaps was more of a brute than a thinker, impatiently cutting his way though battlefields of years since past."
Khalid glances up, looking directly at Zeladiel...
"Flame can not harm Kardswann..."
Then looks around at the others gathered around the recently tranced inquisitor...
"Vardishal remembers Kardswann as impatient and impetuous. We can use this to our advantage when we face him. Divide his attentions between us, keep moving, keep him frustrated and unable to focus on a single target."
Khalid shakes his head vigorously in an attempt to make his mind his own once again...
"We should move on."
"Give him time", Linah interjects and places her hand on the elf's shoulder. "You do not need to be impatient. Khalid does not hold any secrets."
None of you have time to question Khalid further.
From around the southern side of the battle market you can hear if not see Garavel's team commencing their assault, a chorus of yells and battle cries. Over all you hear the magically enhanced sound of roaring lions.
The gnolls react quickly, their warning yips and cries echo in response both from outside (from the vicinity of the southern entrance) and from within the market.
Up axes Kulldis!
The slayerrrs have come!
Eat theirr hearrts!
For Karrdswann! For the masterr!
Towering over Zeladiel he whispers to the elf, It is time, use yourrr magic as soon as we open the doorrrs, we will crrrush any who stand against us.
Up axes Kulldis!
The slayerrrs have come!
Eat theirr hearrts!
For Karrdswann! For the masterr!
Before the doors are opened Linah reaches over to Grall and bestows the same blessing of strength as during the battle at the guild house .