Last Stand of the Dorinthians (Final Chapter)

It's a solemn journey back to New Dorinth as a depressed Caramip has to help the newly blind Nikolos during the travel. After a few days, the group does reach the outskirts of the new refugee home and are somewhat surprised by the changes that they see. Radnal's Ruffians have continued to keep order and had placed everyone capable on temporary work details in the settlement, until the damaged homes were repaired and several new temporary homes put up. Now more than half the population had decent housing, with the rest looking hopeful for space of their own. Trade has grown too, supported by the halfling merchant family and their peaceful dealings with the nearby dwarves, gnomes, and elves. The orc threat seems to have been much diminished as their society has collapsed since the Lord of the Mountain was set loose, and word has reached you that several orc corpses were found far west of New Dorinth looking starved and diseased. There are disturbing words coming from the occupied Dorinthian lands, however, such as the use of rebellious Dorinthians in labor camps and the scouting of elven lands by Tallione light cavalry. And then the night after you arrive the corpse of an arrow-ridden Imperial soldier was found near New Dorinth floating in the nearby river. An elven delegation has arrived, led by the elf Silas Generwine, and the party has been asked to meet with him as well as Syra and Cal Dorin in order to hear news that the elves bring about this great threat. The meeting will be held within an hour in the administrative building in the center of town.

Dartis
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Nikolos comes to find you, or at least finds his way to the place that you were brooding by using his staff to walk and calling for you. As you welcome the priest, he turns his cloth-covered eye sockets towards you and says, "Well met, Baron Dartis Kalnian," he says, using your full title. "I fell asleep just now and had the strangest dream, you know. My god came to me and said that I had strayed from my path and participated in history rather than stay a scholar and record it. I answered that I could not record history correctly if I was not a part of it, and so therefore must participate for accuracy. As you can imagine, we had the most lengthy discussion of the tenants of my faith and what they mean and should mean. In the end he seemed to forgive me for my lapses and asked if I would still like to continue my work, to which I agreed. In the next instant I found myself watching a rider on a horse who came to two roads, one that led uphill through a path of brambles and loose rock and the other that was flat and tranquil and filled with pleasurable vices such as drink and soft beds. But oddly, at the end of that left road was a field of Dorinthian and Imperial corpses, one of which was the rider's. At the end of the difficult road were also corpses, but there were also many more survivors and they raised their arms in praise of the rider. When the rider, bloodied from the harder road and appearing either lifeless or nearly lifeless, was lifted from his horse by the crowds I saw it was you, Dartis. So now I must ask you, why would I have such a dream?"
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Caramip
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Phly arrived in New Dorinth the day after you, sent in order to continue relations with these humans. His eyes seem distant as he approached you, as if hearing something in the distance. "Hello, Caramip. I'm sorry to interrupt your thoughts, but I'm afraid your the only one who might understand what I'm feeling right now. It's strange, but at first I felt empty and withdrawn when that...thing... took whatever he did from my soul. And yet now it's almost as if he replaced it with something else, and I've begun to feel numb when I think of our own kin, as if the beauty of living with them under the hills has faded from my eyes. I started feeling it when I would daydream, this feeling as if the very water and stone and air held its own sense of life and beauty that I never noticed before. Do you sense that, too, Caramip?"

He asks in an almost pleading voice, afraid of falling into insanity, but you shiver inadvertantly when you close your eyes and feel it, too. The stones underneath you seem to sing, although you cannot quite hear the tune or understand the words. Your greater fear is that you realize that you one day will, and as you look you can see what Phly means. The beauty that you saw in this human town seems diminished to you, despite the recent improvements that were made in your absence. You feel that homes could be made from the earth, air, and water itself. That you could bind these elements and... shuddering you stop your hand from raising further and the feeling of control you had is gone.
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Silas
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Your reunion with your family is more pleasant than you even imagined, but the feelings of happiness fade as your mind once more falls to recent events. As you stare out the window while having a moment to yourself, the weathered hand of your father holds your shoulder firmly for a moment as he asks, "What is it, son? What happened out there that you can't even enjoy this moment with your family?"
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Barok
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When you arrive in New Dorinth one of the first things that you decide to do is see Hector, the so called 'Incredible', and see if he can tell you anything about the changes to your weapons. The man isn't the wizard that Silas is, but the abjurer was infuriatingly busy trying to tend to the gnomes and Nikolos the entire way. On a positive note, he wanted to show off his skill to you, probably out of jealousy for Silas, and did not charge for the identification.

"Hmmm..." Hector says as he examines your blades. Well, they are definitely enchanted so that they will be more accurate and cut easier, but the metal has also been changed. It seems that these weapons are now made of cold iron instead of steel, which is effective against fey. Also, a second layer of enchantment seems to have been placed on them, some kind of conjuration magic made out of the spiritual essence some lifeform but twisted so that it is almost the antithesis of the original. Almost like it is a bane to itself or to its original essence. I can't tell what that essence is, however, but..."

Hector's eyes grow wide as both blades begin to glow slightly and vibrate into an almost angry buzz. Both of you watch as Silas Generwine, leader of the elven delegation, passes near Hector's window and goes to his meeting inside the administrative building. The wizard gasps and begins to back away from you and your newly enchanted weapons. "Get rid of those things, Barok!"

OOC: Cold Iron Rapier +1, Elf Bane and Cold Iron Dagger +1, Elf Bane
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Generwine, Barok sneers when he hears the name. They could have sent anyone out of a thousand gorgeous elven women, and they had to send that pompous blowhard. If that was the elven idea of good diplomacy, well, he could hardly respect the little sissies any less than he already did. And now they come to ask for more favours, giving nothing in return.
He shakes his head silently, then goes to get a drink at the local pub.

Having spent a couple of coppars he decides to pay Hector a visit. He stays quiet while the wizard identifies the enchantment on his weapons, until Generwine pass outside the window and he feels a surge of hatred rising from the weapons that mirrors his own contempt. "Get rid of them? Why?" He asks the wizard. "These little buggers are my new best friends."

Dartis welcomes Nikolos and helps him sit as he listens. After Nikolos speaks, Dartsi says "I am glad to have come to peace with your god and you path Nikolos. Usually priests bring the prophecy with the vision and do not ask ignorant soldiers their opinions" replies Dartis with a smile. The smile fades quickly as Dartis realizes the young priest cannot see it. He lays a hand on Nikolos' shoulder, "Forgive me, I have been in a dark mood, mostly over you, but Caramip as well. And I have no right to be more gloomy than you my friend. As for your dream, well I would have hoped you had more advice, but a scholar records what he has and lets others determine their significance right? Well i would think that I have a choice ahead of me. One path, one choice. the easy choice leads to ruins for all. The other, the more difficult path, leads still to my destruction, but perhaps the salvation of my people. I would have hoped that I had already traveled the bramble path. The past few weeks and months have been nothing but brambles it seems. But it seems there are paths yet untrod. I just pray that the Rider gives me the guidance find the path, and that indeed I have the courage to finish it." Dartis falls silent and sits with Nikolos for a while.

Barok
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Hector seems to give a quick pray under his breath and the says, "If you insist on keeping such vile things keep in mind that the elves you are about to visit will most likely want to know why your blades hiss like serpents in their presence. Still, do what you want. Just get them out of my shop."

It's time to join the delegation in the administrative building.
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Dartis
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"What if... could you live without Dorinthians, Dartis, if the right path meant you might never see them again, my friend?" A cold silence falls between the two of you at the question, then Nik laughs to break the pall and says, "Nevermind what I said. Just the addled talk of a priest, Dartis, and nothing more. May this journey the elves are about to ask you to take lead you to the correct path, and may you return here after some time. Wherever this next, long journey takes you." Nik turns his mind towards happier topics, but before you know it it is time to join the delegation in the administrative building.
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OOC: Giving Silas and Caramip one more day, then we'll go to the elven proposal.

"It is they who are visiting us, Wizard, and I believe they may need a little reminder of the debt they owe us. It is time to call that debt due." He sneers coldly, turns and walks out the house to the administrative building.

The party members run into one another while on the way to the administrative building and enter the main office where Silas Generwine, Kyle Radnal, and the two offspring of the late Baron Dorin are speaking while leaning over a map. As the elf is not popular with the group, the greetings are cold and uncomfortable, to the point that no one questions the strange humming noise coming from Barok's blades. Silas Generwine quickly gets to the point of his visit, "As I was explaining to your fellows, a Tallione legion has stationed itself in the center of the former Dorinthian territory, occupying the conquered city of Tarin. From this location the legion has sent several aggressive patrols along the lands that border the forests of my people while the commander of this force has also made several demands, one of which being the surrender of all Dorinthian refugees given sanctuary. So far, my government has refused to respond to such a threat and we have not heard anything more from the legion commander for nearly a month. This commander is known to you as Gnoss Abarani, or as you have called him, the Butcher of Tallione." The elf lets the news sink in, as your mind races with this new bit of knowledge. Gnoss Abarani was famous for his skill at tactics and strategy during the Dorinthian-Tallione conflict, and infamous for his treatment of both armed enemies and civilian populace after they were defeated. "Unfortunately, the elven patrols that we have sent were attacked on sight, keeping us from realizing what the man has been up to in the last few weeks. Although we expect an attack at any moment, we are unable to successfully scout the area around Tarin due to a lack of familiarity with the land. Three weeks ago we gave up and decided to stick with divinations, but those have also been nearly useless."

"And now your Council decides to send us, as if we were servants to their whim," Cal Dorin growls.

"No, not at all young noble," Silas Generwine says with a vicious smile. "You see, I'm just here to maintain relations and report on your successes. My orders were to ask you to stand down while we continued to investigate. The Elven Council has no desire for you to ignite a conflict that might bring us to war. Your friend, Kel, is the one that asked me to tell you about this and see if you could gather information about Commander Abarani's troop movements. I am simply enjoying telling you of these conflicting requests. Stand down like the Council is requesting, and you'll never know the legion's strength and whether or not Abarani's eyes are looking to us or to the small town that you have built in ancient elven territory. Decide to do what your friend Kel asks, and you risk your relations with the Elven Council and jeopardize Kel's political position. It doesn't matter what path you take, for the Elven people will succeed and carry on at any rate, but I can enjoy myself watching your indecision." The elf crosses his arms and gives a smug look as he awaits your decision.

Barok's face twists into a sour expression as he listens to the arrogant elven fop. Making a conscious effort not to insult the elf directly he speaks in an acid voice.
"You are already at war, fool, and surrendering us to the Tallione will not deterr them from advancing deeper into your lands. I have seen their strength first hand, and your people will be swept away like sewage in a rain-storm when the Tallione legions come for you." As he continues to speak his anger resonates with the hate rising from his weapons and grows almost beyond his control, but his voice remains cold. "Cling to your arrogance if you wish, but it is a flimsy mask that will soon be ripped apart when grim reality finally catches up to your feeble race. Your time in these lands is over if you do not act now and with all your remaining strength to strike at the Empire while Dorinthia is not yet under their complete control. If you wait and allow them to consolidate their grasp, they will strike out at you with our lands as their base time and again and your precious civilization will be reduced to ashes. You cannot coexist with the Empire, you must aid us or die!" Barok breathes heavily, his eyes feverish and black. Then he laughs bitterly and continues in a tired and resigned voice.
"But you will do nothing. You will do what you have always done, and you will continue to fade away. I wish I could live to see your final end, as the last of you die as a withered crone in an Imperial brothel, but I have no intention of surviving this war."

Dartis listens to the conundrum proposed and to Barok's attempt at civility.

"Peace Barok, the elves know the danger they now face better than before. Though we did warn them that the wolf would come hungry to their door. They now realize that throwing the rabbit to the wolf will not satiate the wolf when it wants the forest stag. I shall preemptively speak for my beloved cousins" says Dartis facing Cal and Syra "and say that Dorinthia shall abide by the Council's request so long as the compacts and alliances we have made are honored by the Silver Woods. We stand together Silas Generwine. The Tallione will devour us seperately, our only hope is to face them together. Dorinthia will wait however, upon our allies counsel." says Dartis solemly.

Dartis soon leaves the group, and exits out the door.

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Dartis will find Kyle's second in command and give him a small folded blue cloak, with orders to return it to Kyle.

Dartis will then saddle up Swift and head out to Tarin, alone. Without a cloak, Dartis no longer represents Dorinthia, so Dorinthia indeed is not going to Tarin. Only a lone man, on a long and bramble filled road.

OOC: I fully expect the other party members to find him and accompany him. But make the standard protestations- it's too dangerous, you have sacrificed too much already etc.

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Caramip Ashhearth

Even after arriving to New Dorinthia Caramip does her best to tend to Niks needs depite his best efforts to ensure her that his fine and to quit her fusing. Still she is persistant and though he might not say it, she knows that he is thankful for her help. The event in the Gnome tomb was some time ago and Caramip has yet been willing to talk about it despite Nik’s probes. Mainly because she somehow feels that something has changed within her, that she is part Gnome and part something else. She cannot explain it, though she hopes that with time and with the Gods blessing the feelings will correct itself.

[sblock=DT]In truth her own thoughts have been dwelling long on hard on what had happened to them and she is still not too sure if she is ready to put her own feelings into words. Too her it still feels like it all just happened as the scares on her soul still refuse to heal. She lets go a deep and long tiring sigh before responding to Phly’s question. “I was hoping you wouldn’t bring that up Phly. I was doing my best to pretend that thing never existed. But I guess I can no longer pretend … huh.” She says before she takes another deep sigh. Her mood seems to darken for just a second and then goes away. She looks back up to Phly and continues, “I…. I sense those things too… Its almost as if I can control those elements and bend them to my will. I don’t know what to make of it… though I am not to sure if I ever want too…”[/sblock] Caramip offers a seat to Phly at the council meeting if he so desires as the Gnome Nation have just as much at stake as the rest if the Empire have their way. During the debriefing Caramip sits quietly towards the back and does her best to listen to the Elven speaker while ignoring the songs of the earth. She watches Dartis leave with a confused looks on her face but does not follow. Instead she waits for the rest of the group to make their decision on the matter at hand before following Dartis.

Silas Generwine and Barok almost come to blows until Dartis intervenes with his own impromptu speech. At the end of it the noble walks out, causing a surprised elven delegate to mutter, "What do you know? He decided to leave his friend, Kel, in the lurch. I suppose human friendship is a short-lived thing." The rest of the gathering is even less substantial when it comes to topics of worth, and the groups eventually retire from one another.

Silas the Abjurer, Caramip, and Barok decide to track down Dartis, but he is nowhere to be found. What is more his horse, Swift, has also gone missing. "He saddled up and headed towards Tarin. He handed off his cloak and other symbols of a Dorinthian cavalryman to one of my sergeants saying that he did not want to have his fellows blaimed in case he was captured, and he asked that you not follow him. Naturally, I figured you would ignore this last order and so I am currently having three horses prepared and a weeks worth of food on each," Kyle Radnal says with a grin as he approaches from behind your group. "We'll keep the elf preoccupied while you get ready, and then it will be too late for him to respond to you four going off on your own to scout those positions. You might look to make any last minute preparations now, as you may be gone awhile."