Helfaine's face tightens visibly at the mention of Juliana.
"Yes, of course. My apologies. Let us go quickly. We are wasting time with idle talk. Follow me."
He turns to enter the Sildaine when the hooded woman calls out with a screech:
"The Shadow will not enter the Sildaine! He has sold his soul to the darkness! His cold smile hides an evil intent that will find no friend here! Enter the sacred groves of the Sildaine, you may true ambassadors ... but not as friend of the Shade. Should he take one step further he will die."
All bows are raised within the blink of an eye, every single one of them trained on Kartuus. Silent but smiling until now his face becomes a sneer as he throws down his olive leaf.
"Fools. All of you. I came here to help find your Lord's precious daughter and you spit in my eye. Why I do so is inconsequential. A grave error in judgement." Arrows pepper the ground around him, one flying past his face leaving a red line of blood where it grazed his cheek. Kartuus' sneer flares into barely contained rage.
"Mistress Illaria neither forgives, nor forgets the treatment her loyal servant has received on this day." He turns on his heel and stalks off in the direction he came leaving the group reduced to five.
| GM: | That is me writing Kartuus out of the adventure. No response was ever received from him at any stage, it is safe to assume he no longer wishes to participate. [MENTION=90924]LordGraz'zt[/MENTION] I'll calculate XP totals for him from the last date you posted and post them on the first page at some stage in case you ever wish to do something with your character at a later stage. |
|
Still somewhat in shock from the sudden turn of events you follow the elves that guide you at a swift pace towards their forest home. Even among the trees of the Sildaine Forest, cold wind and mist make travel uncomfortable.
Eventually you arrive at an elegant village along a wide creek. Wind has been unkind to parts of the settlement, but it retains itsfey beauty. Your escorts take you aloft among buildings built in the trees. From a waceful home slightly larger than others emerges a tall elf with long green robes and dour expression. At the explanation from your guides, his expression softens.
"I am Carric, Lord of the Sildaine" says the elf.
"I am pleased that Lord Varis has agreed to intervene in this matter. I am weary of the conflict. And now my daughter Juliana has disappeared. I believe the boy, Orlando, is involved in her disappearance. My forest wardens saw them together near the woodland verge several days before her disappearance. I questioned her but my daughter is most head strong and defiant and remained silent. She had been acting strangely for several weeks before then, making up reasons to travel in the woods alone. When she was here she was distant as though her thoughts were far away. This boy ... this boy has lead her off somewhere, the fool! He doesn't know how dangerous the forest has become! My daughter must have covered their trail, as my scouts have found no sign of her. Of either of them. Or ... they did not enter the Sildaine. I suspect that snake Lady Tamora could be harbouring her in Crystalbrook in secret. If you could go there and ... make some quiet enquiries I would be most grateful..."
Lord Carric looks to you hopefully, obviously painfully unaware of what might have happened to his daughter.
