A Rose In The Wind: A Saga of the Halmae -- Updated June 19, 2014

[Ilex]

Yay, babomb!! That would be it -- well done.

This was a very fun puzzle. Fajitas had strips of paper ready for each of us revealing what we'd personally heard, and as soon as he handed them around, we were spreading them out as a group and working hard. Everyone stayed engaged throughout -- no one wandered off and lost interest -- and it was a lot of fun to see the answer come together as we caught on to how it worked and people called out more and more connections.

Now if you could kindly just tell us exactly what it all means....

 

[Rughat]

Darn, I figured it out after you did. I was hoping for first on the puzzle.

I'm a fan-boy for the cosmology that Fajitas has created. The use of the elemental/seasonal imagery in the prophecy is awesome.

 

[Ilex]

11x01

"That's it," concluded Twiggy softly. "It has to be."

All of them, even Nyoko and Arden, pressed closer to the flimsy strips of paper laid out in orderly progression on the damp earth near the pond. By this point, after many minutes of discussion and debate about the proper arrangement of the strips, they were all familiar with the words of the prophecy. This, however, was the first chance they'd had to read the whole thing:

Find the last breath of the dying king,
The single gasp amidst the gale,
The gasp that can’t, but must, prevail
To turn the storm the twilight brings.

Break the last stone of the ruined wall,
Once a stalwart, guarding tower.
Crush it ere it crush the flower
And autumn’s dark intents befall.

Catch the last drop from the broken vessel.
Follow it where e’er it go.
Though fired strong, the agent’s blow
Will crush it ’gainst ill fortune’s pestle.

Fan the last coals of the smothered flame,
One for each once all are taken,
One of which may be forsaken
To make the Lurking Lady tame.

"Ah," said Kormick, straightening up and cracking his back. "At last everything is perfectly clear."

Kormick’s sarcasm aside, Twiggy suspected that this was probably about as clear as prophecies ever got. She was puzzled by the gods’ apparent propensity for communicating in opaque metaphor . . . but she relished the challenge of deciphering this one. "We can figure this out," she said.

"How?" asked Rose. "It makes no sense. Except that it scares me. It says we can't prevail."

"It doesn't say that, not exactly," Twiggy insisted. "It says that a gasp must prevail. We don't know what that means yet. It could mean anything."

Rose was silent, unconvinced.

"Look," said Twiggy. "A breath amidst a gale. Like wind. That's Sedellan, right? Then a stone – that's Kettenek. Then a drop – Alirria. Then a flame – Ehkt. Four stanzas, four gods."

"But what does it mean? Who's the dying king?"

Tavi turned to Nyoko. "The Sovereignty doesn't have a king, does it?"

Nyoko didn't look up from studying the prophecy – she was committing it to memory, Twiggy guessed. "No. The Lord Regent is Kettenek's mortal representative on this earth. He is old, of course, and – "

"And what?"

"There has been speculation that his time is coming to an end."

"There," said Tavi. "There's our dying king."

"He is not a king," corrected Nyoko firmly. "He is the Lord Regent."

"Our King in Dar Und is always in danger of horrible, horrible death," Kormick pointed out.

Mena interrupted. "Four Fathoms isn’t so much a king, as a . . ."

Kormick cocked an eyebrow. "As a what?"

"As a crime boss who has murdered his way to the top."

Kormick shrugged. "Your point?"

The discussion continued for a while, as people proposed theories and others expressed skepticism. Twiggy was right in the midst of the debate – this kind of puzzle was so fascinating – but she couldn't help noticing that Rose was growing more and more lost in thought. Finally, as Tavi speculated whether the "broken vessel" might refer to the spring, Rose turned away from the group and walked to the edge of the water.

Twiggy tore herself away from the conversation and followed. She heard the conversation die behind her as everyone noticed their departure. A breeze blew. There were ripples on the water, and the trees rustled. Across the water, the dwarves had built a campfire and were tending to their injured, and not far away lay the bound derro prisoners. It was late afternoon on Alirria Ascendant, and they had received a divine prophecy in the goddess's own sacred valley… but the magic of the place was gone, its grass now torn and blood-stained, the muddy earth plowed up by blades and boots and dragged prisoners' bodies.

"I should have known," Rose said, as Twiggy reached her side. "She follows me everywhere."

Twiggy felt the depth of her own obligation to Rose in this moment. It wasn't just that she was Rose's servant, and her job was to keep Rose feeling comfortable. It was that she was Rose's friend. She put her arm around Rose and took a second to gather her thoughts.

"Rose – " she began, and then suddenly there was Kormick.

"I don't understand your gloom, Signora," he announced. "There's no evidence to back it up. Allow me to illustrate." He whipped out his ever-present notebook and pen.

"Kormick, not now," said Twiggy, but the Justicar was undeterred.

"Just a moment. Just a moment." He was scribbling now.

"Rose," Twiggy tried again. "All we can do is move forward…"

Rose gave a shuddering sigh.

"There," announced Kormick, and held up what he'd been writing. It was a chart with two columns. One said "GOOD." One said "BAD."

"Consider our accomplishments objectively," Kormick continued, pointing at the chart with his pen. "Under the 'good' column, we have, among other items, 'all in party alive and healthy. ' We have 'saved dwarves.' We have 'saved Nyoko. ' We have 'stopped marauding derro.' We have 'something as close to religious experience as it gets.' Yes? Now, let us consider the 'bad.' 'Spring destroyed.' The end. Indeed, very sad. But you must note – you cannot ignore – that this 'bad' column is considerably shorter than the 'good' column. I rest my case."

Twiggy looked around at the group. Mena was bemused. Nyoko looked like Kormick was making perfectly reasonable good sense. Arden was concealing a smile.

Rose, however, was stiff beneath Twiggy's sheltering arm.

"Kormick, please. Let me talk to Rose," said Twiggy.

"The evidence is right here," insisted Kormick, tapping the notebook. "It's inarguable. There is no reason to feel bad."

"Kormick," Twiggy said firmly, "You’re not helping." Everyone grew still. Twiggy knew how inappropriate it was to talk back to a Justicar—how inappropriate it was for a lady-in-waiting to talk back to anyone—but she also knew Rose. Kormick was right, of course. His chart was accurate. Twiggy knew that. But his chart was too glib, and . . . and comforting Rose is my job, thought Twiggy.

Kormick raised an eyebrow, turned to the others, and muttered, "I mean, am I crazy? Does the math lie?" Twiggy faced Rose, trying to shut everybody else out. She held Rose's eyes with her own and spoke. "All we can do – all we can do, all right? – is move forward. Alirria must have known that we need this information. She kept telling it to us even after blood fell into the spring. Now we have that information, and a decision to make. We have to decide what to do next."

"Remember my last decision?" asked Rose. Her flat despair made Twiggy wince. Her last decision. The decision to come to the spring in the first place. When you put it that way … Twiggy struggled for what to say.

And Kormick was back. "I understand now," he said, and this time his tone was softer. "When you make your first kill… you think it's going to be a high, yes? And maybe it is, for a little while. But then there's a time when the world seems very empty. Very cold and very lonely. Because now you know that you – with only your two hands – have the power to ruin things. And that means things can ruin you. And justice … justice has to compete with three other gods, and sometimes it doesn't win."

Rose was looking at him solemnly. Everyone was.

Mena stepped up beside Kormick. "But although we've learned that we're definitely fighting a goddess," she said, "we seem to have another goddess on our side. That matters."

After a moment, Rose nodded. Twiggy didn't think Rose was entirely convinced. But she was calmer. Twiggy hugged her close for a moment, and, to her relief, Rose hugged her back.

Around them, the group dispersed. Savina and Arden checked on the dwarves – Arden tightening her lips uncomfortably as she learned that the slaves she'd rescued were now addressing her as "Honored Benefactor." Tavi, Mena, and Kormick returned to the derro prisoners, checking once more to make sure their bonds were secure and searching their equipment. They returned to the spring's edge with two healing potions, a potion of vigor, a pair of enchanted boots, and two magical weapons – a short sword and a warhammer.

The shadows were growing long. The holy day of Alirria Ascendant was drawing to its close.

Kormick hefted the warhammer and stuck it through his belt. Then he said, "Arden." He tossed the boots to Arden without another word; she caught them, startled, and her eyes widened further as he held the short sword's hilt toward her. She closed her hand around it and they looked at each other.

"Thank you, Justicar," she said.

He shrugged it off. "Anyone object to me helping the murder-slave become more murderous?" he asked. No one did: in fact, Twiggy could tell that Mena, in particular, was pleased with the Justicar's gesture. Kormick turned away and then wheeled back. "On second thought…" he began.

"Kormick – " Mena objected, exasperated.

"No, no, hear me out," he said. "Our Sovereign friend, Nyoko, fought bravely beside us today. She didn't have to. It's fair to give her something in return."

"That seems appropriate," agreed Tavi, with a courtly nod to Nyoko.

"I appreciate your thought," said Nyoko, "but I desire nothing that derro have touched."

"I'm already ahead of you," said Kormick. "Slave, you always knew that magical cloak was far too nice for you."

Arden opened her mouth as if she was going to argue, closed it again, quirked a philosophical smile, and reached up to unclasp the cloak – with its teleportation ability. It fell from her shoulders. She walked over to Nyoko and handed the Sovereign woman the fine fabric.

"On behalf of these gentlefolk, Honored Adept," she murmured.

Nyoko looked puzzled, but accepted the garment.

"You earned it – it's yours," affirmed Kormick.

"Until we find its proper owners," added Savina.

Nyoko looked even more puzzled. Kormick patted her on the shoulder.

"I'll explain later," he said. "Right now, we should make camp. I'll take care of shelter." He unslung his ax and headed toward the nearest tree – until Savina threw herself in his path.

"You can't cut down trees!" she said. "Not today!"

Kormick threw back his head in frustration. "Of course not. Fallen branches, then. If that's acceptable."

Savina nodded. "But wait a moment," she said. "I feel… I need to try something. A ritual called Bloom."

While they all watched, Savina drew an Alirrian holy symbol on the ground near the pond and sat cross-legged in its center. She closed her eyes in meditation and began to chant. The ritual drew itself out as the sun sank down toward on the rim of the valley. Suddenly, something rustled near Twiggy – she jumped. Tendrils were springing out of the ground close by, uncurling and budding with green leaves. Flowers were blinking open everywhere she looked. The sprouting tendrils turned into green shrubs and vines. The very forest's edge seemed to creep closer, tree limbs drooping heavy with leaves and blossoms. The air smelled of warm rain, petals, and springtime. Soon, the entire area around the spring was overgrown with a lush tangle of flowers, vines, bushes, and eager young trees.

As the rapid growth subsided and the sun, which had almost seemed to balance on the horizon, now slipped over its edge, Savina opened her eyes and surveyed her work with a joyful smile. "The pool will be protected now," she announced, looking around at the results of her ritual.

Mena put a hand on Rose's shoulder. "See, child?" she murmured. "Alirria hasn't completely abandoned this place."

Rose managed a faint smile. Twiggy could tell that her friend had bitten back a grimmer response. But as they made camp, sheltered safely under the tangle of new life, that little smile in the twilight would have to do.

 

[Shieldhaven]

Yay, update!

Out of curiosity, was this a skill challenge to stop Rose from despairing?

Haven

 

[Fajitas]

Yay, update!

Out of curiosity, was this a skill challenge to stop Rose from despairing?

No skill challenge. Just good old-fashioned RPing.

Savina's Bloom made me unspeakably happy, by the way. Part of me wanted to let the Spring do something like that on its own because it was such a beautiful image, a sign that all was not lost. But giving the PCs a moment of hope felt like such a betrayal of the bitterness of this victory. The Bloom let them earn that moment of hope, let them find their own hope amidst the ashes. A perfect solution.

It made me do my Happy DM Dance.

 

[jonrog1]

You know, it was a very good list. I still don't understand why the others couldn't see the sense behind it.

Things in Dar Und are a lot simpler.

 

[Jenber]

You know, it was a very good list. I still don't understand why the others couldn't see the sense behind it.

Things in Dar Und are a lot simpler.

I believe this is the point where Mena says "If the heart ever learns to see sense, Sedellus will lose half her power." I believe this is also the point when she heartily wishes for a flask with something in it that burns going down. For the kids.

 

[Ilex]

April 1 Announcement

So... you may have noticed that we've been a little sporadic about posting recently, and I'm sorry to announce that, due to creative differences, the story hour and the game have totally fallen apart. Here's what happened. Basically, we've all realized that D&D just isn't for us anymore. WisdomLikeSilence, for example, has become obsessed -- and I do mean obsessed -- with professional football. Yes, it's the off season, but she's spending all her free time researching prospects for her fantasy teams this fall and re-decorating her daughter's room with Raiders paraphernalia. And she keeps calling us all "nerds" and "dorks" in, like, a mean way. Meanwhile, Fajitas has declared that he'll keep running the game for us only on the condition that we convert it to a futuristic space setting starring a boy band of Justin-Bieber lookalikes who travel the universe teaching wacky aliens Upstanding Moral Lessons through song.

Then there's jonrog1, who has joined a religious cult "study group" and made bizarre threats to us if we say anything more about it or so much as comment on his new headgear.

Thatch and jenber are building some kind of bunker out in the middle of nowhere that has nothing to do with conspiracy theories and everything to do with their new preoccupation with motorcyles. They, like WisdomLikeSilence, have taken to declaring that the rest of us are "uncool" although they do, to their credit, keep trying to buy us studded leather jackets so they can feel less ashamed of our geekiness when speaking to us.

spyscribe has taken a job with the Republican National Committee to organize classy donor outings in the Los Angeles/Hollywood/West Hollywood area. And by "outings" I mean... never mind.

ellinor is still into D&D and this story hour, and has nobly tried to hold everyone together through reasoned argument, legal wrangling, heartfelt song-composing (not, to Fajitas's disappointment, in a boy-band vein), and some light, quasi-legal bribery. But I've told her, and everybody else, that I can't be friends with anyone who supports the Raiders, I just can't, and that's the end of it. GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...and with that April 1 announcement out of the way, here's the next story hour update. We think we're back on track; look for us on Thursdays as usual again.

 

[Ilex]

11x02

Mena awoke at dawn to the sounds of Savina's prayers mingled with the groans of bound derro. Across the coals of the fire, Rose sat up from her bedroll, blurry-eyed. The girl looked like she was having trouble waking up – which meant, to Mena's scant relief, that at least she had slept a little. At least she'll feel a little better, physically. We've got to find a way to give her hope again or she'll give up before we finish this. Mena glanced around and realized the rest of the party didn't look particularly cheerful, either. Clearly sleep hadn't done much good for anyone's mood.

As they finished breakfast, Tavi cut his eyes toward the prisoners. "So," he said. "We have to decide what to do with those guys. What's the punishment for illegal enslavement in Pol Henna?"

Kormick, with disheartening predictability, shrugged. "We're not in Pol Henna," he said, covering what Mena suspected was ignorance. Mena opened her mouth to comment, but Tavi didn't miss a beat.

"Lady Nyoko," he said, "what's the punishment for illegal enslavement in the Sovereignty?"

"All slavery here is illegal," answered Nyoko. "A local lord might intimidate or force someone into bondage and dependency as a serf with impunity, as his word in his realms is law. Now, if he's stealing serfs from another lord, obviously the Council of Peers could intervene. Such issues are on the far side of the Circle from the Adepts, of course, though we might be called to testify."

Everyone stared at her blankly. Wonderful, thought Mena. We've managed to find a place with dicier politics than Pol Henna.

Yes, sleep had definitely not improved her mood.

"Hmm," said Kormick.

"Was I not clear?" asked Nyoko.

"Not … precisely," ventured Tavi.

"Forgive me, I was trying to speak plainly. As I said, the local lord's word is law."

"And who is the local lord here?" Tavi asked.

"We're in the midst of the Ketkath, in unclaimed lands. And among those affected by the crimes of these derro – that is to say, among myself, the dwarves, and your party – I believe you hold the highest rank, Signor Octavian-san."

"Are you saying that Sovereign law allows Tavi to decide the fate of the derro?" asked Mena. Send the boy out into the wilderness to help his sister thwart a goddess, force him to kill to save lives, but don't ask this. Please don't ask this.

"Indeed. I will stand as witness to the legality of his actions should you ever require testimony in that respect."

"And what fate would an average Sovereign lord assign to these derro?" asked Tavi.

"Execution."

"And thus we come to it," said Kormick, and silence fell.

Of course, they'd all known it was coming. It was the penalty they hadn't dared to think about enforcing yesterday. Mena watched Tavi as he considered what he had been told. "Rose, Savina,” he said, squaring his shoulders, “you stay here with the dwarves. Kormick and Lady Nyoko, if you would come with me…"

Mena stood to join Tavi without being asked, and he nodded his thanks.

Sertani, the dwarven matriarch, walked up with her hand on the seven-year-old Thurran's shoulder.

"That won't be necessary, Sertani," Tavi said.

"We're coming," Sertani answered. "These creatures murdered Lord Rockminder's father, enslaved Lord Rockminder and others of his kin, and in so doing insulted us all. Honor requires us to see them answer for these offenses."

"But Thurran's just a boy … " Savina began.

"If this is his duty," said Tavi, "then who are we to stop him? Let's go." Tavi stalked away toward the derro prisoners. Thurran struggled to shoulder the heavy warhammer that Kormick had given him as he and Sertani followed Tavi. Kormick, who didn't speak dwarven, fell in beside Mena, jabbed a thumb at the boy, and muttered out of the side of his mouth, "Why’s the kid coming?"

"Gods-damned dwarven honor," answered Mena. The things we force children to witness in the name of "honor" and "duty." No wonder the Twilight Lurker has such an easy time of it when we turn such principles into weapons for her.

They slashed the ropes on the derro’s feet and got them up and moving in a mass, spurred onward by glares and brandished weapons. The derro hung their heads and skittered, looking servile and cowardly – all except Dolax, who glared at them with his one remaining good eye and twisted his arms, trying to free his bound wrists.

They marched the prisoners down the valley, leaving the spring far behind in its protective copse of new flowers and trees. Only after they were definitely out of earshot as well as sight of the spring did Tavi call a halt.

While Mena, Kormick, Nyoko, and the dwarves waited to one side, Tavi stood before the derro and spoke in dwarven. "I am Signor Octavian di Raprezzi, and in accordance with the laws of the Sovereignty I charge you with the following crimes: highway robbery, kidnapping, false enslavement, assault upon the person of an Adept, attempted murder, and murder." He raised his eyebrows at Nyoko, asking if she had anything to add.

"So witnessed," she said simply.

Tavi turned back to the derro. "The punishment for your crimes is execution." Mena bit back a snarl. This is wrong. Wrong that it's Tavi, wrong that the victors seek vengeance when the battle is over, wrong that we turn so easily to death when it's not needed. That's just doing more evil, not good. You know better than this, boy. Think, damnit!

As the derro cowered and Dolax shouted imprecations, Kormick nudged Mena for a translation and she quickly summarized Tavi's words.

"Technically, he's skipping the trial," muttered Kormick. Mena nodded. She and Kormick exchanged a look.

"I have witnessed their crimes," responded Nyoko. "That is evidence enough for any local lord to reach a conviction. There is no irregularity."

"Signor Octavian!" Kormick called out anyway. "A word?"

Tavi cast a warning glance at the derro before stepping over. "What is it?"

"I – " Kormick began, and hesitated. Mena had never seen him struggle to explain himself, but he struggled now. "At the spring. We have just been part of something … something … " He paused, then continued in a rush. "Look, no one is more shocked than me that I am advocating such a disturbingly heartwarming deed but I think we shouldn't kill the prisoners."

Tavi's eyebrows shot up. The beginnings of relief were flickering at the edges of his eyes, but doubt hung there as well. He just wants someone to tell him the law and his duty allow leniency.


"Unacceptable!" Sertani crossed her arms.

"They're criminals," said Nyoko.

"—All the prisoners," Kormick amended. "We shouldn't kill all of them. Dolax and his lieutenants, I'll happily crush their skulls myself. But the little guys… they were just following orders. They lack – what is the word – culpability."

The group was skeptical, but they were listening.

Kormick pressed on. "Furthermore, if we kill them all, none of the other derro will ever hear of how fearsome we are. These guys" – he motioned to the cowering derro footsoldiers – "they will be rushing back to their caves, arms flailing, screaming ‘the mighty humans killed Dolax!’ If we leave some alive to carry our legend back, I think the derro won't be bothering anybody for a long time to come."

"I wish we could be sure of that," said Tavi.

"Let's ask," said Mena. If we can give Tavi enough reason to believe that his sister would be safe from these creatures, perhaps he'll choose not do Sedellus's work for her today. She strode over to the derro and picked out a sturdy footsoldier who looked a little less craven than the rest – he hadn't wet himself yet, at any rate.

"You there. If we let you go, what will you do?" She remembered asking a similar question of the very first derro they'd met. This one, however, gave a different answer.

"Return below," he said.

"And …?"

"Return below!"

"Will you seek to follow us?"

She liked the way he glanced fearfully past her at her comrades before answering, "No."

She grabbed his topknot and forced his head back so he was staring straight up into her face. "If I find that derro have tried to follow us, I will personally destroy every member of your family" – she pointed to the footsoldier standing next to him – "every member of his family, and on down the line. Make sure everyone understands. All right?"

The derro, trembling, nodded as best he could beneath her hand. She let him go, shoving him backwards so he fell, and turned toward her comrades. "I like Kormick's plan," she commented. Her eyes met Tavi's and she prayed that this would be enough, that all his training and lessons would be enough. Sedellus wins or loses here, child.

"We do not," said Sertani.

Tavi considered for a moment. "Can you accept it?" he asked her.

Sertani pressed her lips together angrily, but nodded once. "The Lord Rockminder has not yet reached his majority," she said. "Thus we shall accept your leadership. But the day will come when my son, Lord Thurran the Derroslayer of House Rockminder, returns for his revenge." She had raised her voice, glaring at the derro, and they shivered.

"That will be his decision," said Mena gently.

Thurran hefted his warhammer. "I'll come back," he said.

Tavi turned once more to Nyoko. "If we only kill Dolax and the three big guys – the lieutenants – are you all right with that?"

Nyoko said, "My emotions must be irrelevant to your judgment." The way she bit off the words made her emotions clear, however, and there was vengeance in her eyes as she surveyed the prisoners.

"But does Sovereign law permit such a solution?" pressed Kormick.

"As I have stated, Sovereign law in this place is whatever he says," answered Nyoko, once more nodding at Tavi.

"Then we'll kill Dolax and the lieutenants and let the rest go," declared Tavi. Mena smiled grimly, proud of her student.

"Huh," was Kormick's final, pleased comment. "I think I just did my actual job."

Without wasting more time, they hauled Dolax and his lieutenants to the front of the derro group. Their deaths were quick: Tavi's blade flashed and Dolax's head went rolling across the grass. Kormick raised his derro ax and struck the head off the first lieutenant. Mena dispatched the second with her sword, and Tavi took the third. With the four leaders' bodies lying on the ground, the closest derro backed away, expecting to be next. They looked genuinely shocked when Tavi lowered his sword and announced that they were being shown mercy. They were so shocked that none of them even ran.

"Leave this valley," Mena told them. "Keep your place, underground. We will know if you do not. And it would be very, very wise for you to stay out of our way. For several generations." She paused, and her armor chattered and hissed. "You should get out of our sight now," she suggested quietly, and at the threat in her voice, they ran, hands still bound, away into the trees. She sighed quietly in relief and exhaustion. This battle was done, at least.

Kormick stuck his derro ax into the ground beside the corpses and left it there.

###

Rose, Savina, Twiggy, and Arden looked up solemnly as the group returned through the thicket to the water's edge. It was obvious that they wanted – and dreaded – to know what had happened. Tavi looked disinclined to speak. Still worried he's put Rose in danger by not killing them all. "We punished those who chose to fight," Mena said simply, "but those who were commanded to be there, we set free."

Kormick grunted, a satisfied noise, and set about packing up supplies. Tavi began cleaning his sword.

Mena noticed with a start that Savina's long hair had been hacked off: it now hung raggedly around the girl's ears.

"Child, what – ?" she began.

"I am mourning the sacrifices we made for the gains we won," said Savina, at her most formal. "Since I cannot wear traditional white mourning garments, I – I have decided on another gesture."

"I finally got to use my dagger," added Twiggy, flashing the blade she carried but never drew. "I could have done a lot better with proper scissors, but …"

"It's not supposed to look pretty," said Savina stoutly, although Mena guessed that Savina – being a nearly-sixteen-year-old girl – was nervous that it might be truly ugly.

"It was well done," Mena told her. She glanced at Rose, who, after looking up to hear of the derros' fate, had resumed staring at the water, unresponsive. She looked at Tavi, silently cleaning the blood from his sword, at Twiggy, at Savina. Gods, why should children be asked to shoulder such heavy burdens? She realized with a start that none of them could fairly be called children any more, not really, whatever their age. The sacrifices we made…

They packed their camp with quiet efficiency, and as the sun's mid-morning rays spilled down, they turned their backs on the pond and set off on their long journey through the mountains to the road they'd abandoned nearly a month – and so many sacrifices – ago.

 

[spyscribe]

While Mena, Kormick, Nyoko, and the dwarves waited to one side, Tavi stood before the derro and spoke in dwarven. "I am Signor Octavian di Raprezzi, and in accordance with the laws of the Sovereignty I charge you with the following crimes: highway robbery, kidnapping, false enslavement, assault upon the person of an Adept, attempted murder, and murder." He raised his eyebrows at Nyoko, asking if she had anything to add.

Ooo... I get chills just reading that. Nice work.

Not until reading this write-up did I remember Nyoko's mixed feelings on the whole thing. On the one hand, having seen her entire caravan be murdered or worked to death, on top of what she suffered personally, Nyoko really believed that the derro deserved to die. On the other, it's not like she enjoys witnessing executions. Ugh.