Session #11.7 – A brief homecoming
Everyone assembled in one of the keep’s courtyards just before dawn the following morning. Due to weight restrictions, much of the group’s non-essential gear had to be left behind in a secure locker. Rurik refused to leave his armor and shield, but was placated when Kisty allowed him to store both in her Bag of Holding…as well as the group’s small treasure chest. Trevor Aberdeen, dressed for travel and carrying a satchel full of maps, contracts, and other business papers, joined them.
Captain Silverleaf introduced those riders who would be flying them out to New Selmar and Mt. Goldforge. One extra griffon would be brought along for supplies, bringing the total to seven – just under half of the Duke’s total force. One of the riders opened up a small steel box and offered it around to everyone. Within were Rings of Featherfall, one of which was issued to each of the guest riders for their safety should something unforeseen happen. Everyone was happy with this arrangement.
Within a few minutes, everyone’s gear was securely stowed and the griffons were mounted. The flight began just as dawn broke over the Thunder Bay. With short breaks to rest the mounts every couple hours, the days passed quickly. Trevor consulted his old trade route maps against the landscape and occasionally scribbled in notes about what he saw and possible changes to the caravan’s course. The nights were uneventful – apparently few things in the wilderness were really hungry enough to try dealing with a dozen armed humanoids and over half a dozen trained griffons.
With one exception, everyone began to relax and enjoy the flight. It was easy traveling and the higher altitude air was cooler and drier than the ordinary muggy summer haze on the ground. The view was spectacular and there was little risk of attack. The one exception was Rurik. He began to feel ill late on the first day out of Water Break. Each day out, he began to feel more and more ill, though he couldn’t specify a single symptom. It felt more like all his energy was drained. He tried calling upon Moradin to purge himself of this ailment, but the prayers seemed to have no effect. Being a typical dwarf, he tried to suck it up and not tell the others.
By the fourth day out, Rurik’s ailment was becoming obvious to everyone. The dwarf was pale and feverish, only able to stay on his griffon’s saddle because he was strapped to it. The others were worried about him but could render no aid. Their first stop would be a brief one at Shadykin’s in about a day, and they hoped the wise old gnome might shed some light on Rurik’s condition.
The stop at Shadykin’s turned out to be a very brief one indeed. The rescued villagers were still busy reconstructing the school and Shadykin was working right alongside them. All welcomed the group back, surprised by their arrival on griffons. The group spared only a few short minutes to sum up some of their adventures since leaving, and explained their purpose in returning on the griffons. Trevor briefly spoke with Shadykin and a couple of the villagers on matters of supplies and trade. Shadykin then looked over the now unconscious Rurik. He knew little of disease, but suspected that the dwarf’s condition may not be natural in origin. He suggested that clerics might be much more useful than he could hope to be.
The riders took off again for New Selmar. They had to pause for the night at about the halfway point between Shadykin’s and New Selmar. Everyone was restless, both for being so close to home again after a couple very rough months on the road and because of Rurik’s deteriorating condition. There were a few clerics in New Selmar, including Rurik’s uncle. They hoped one could shed some light on his ailment.
Shortly after noon the next day, they spotted the settlement of New Selmar and the ruins of Old Selmar. People started to scatter as the griffons circled and landed in the central courtyard before Lord Andren’s small keep. When people started to recognize Zalman, Nigel, Rurik and Amblin, cheers arose. The fancy uniforms that the elvish griffon riders wore also impressed the gathered crowd. Word spread through the city like wildfire and soon it seemed that the entire three thousand inhabitants had gathered in the courtyard.
Zalman oversaw that Rurik’s unconscious form was quickly delivered to his uncle’s house. His uncle was shocked at the sight of the dwarf and ordered him brought inside and laid upon a table in the small chapel on the first floor. He asked several pointed questions of Zalman and then asked for privacy while he worked on Rurik. Zalman said he’d be back in a while to check on his friend.
Back in the central square, Nigel and Amblin introduced Trevor Aberdeen and Captain Tanavue Silverleaf to Lord Andren Murell. Andren announced that a feast would be held that night to honor the return of their heroes, but that everyone should go about their business until then. He then brought Trevor inside the keep to discuss matters of trade. Nigel took responsibility for the griffon riders and led them over to the ranger’s barracks where they could tend to their mounts and settle in for their stay.
Amblin, meanwhile, thought he’d check in on his old master Chelis. He had a few questions he wanted answered about his training and the School of the Springing Sphinx. En route, however, Kardeen Ironjack, the head of the New Selmar militia, stopped him. The brutish dwarf planted himself in Amblin’s path and demanded to know where Boaz was at as no one had seen the half-orc dismount with the others. Amblin told of Boaz’s death rescuing several dozen people from a tomb filled with undead gnolls. Kardeen listened to the tale and almost shed a tear.
“The boy died well, then,” Kardeen said. “I’m sorry to have lost him so young, but there are few who will ever accomplish as much in their sacrifice.” Amblin agreed and the dwarf allowed him to continue his business.
Zalman, after seeing to Rurik, decided to visit his family. On the way, though, he wanted to make a quick stop to say hi to Sangelais, his old master. When he entered her house, three of his old apprentice comrades looked up and welcomed Zalman back. After all that Zalman had been through in the last couple months, he suddenly felt so very old next to these other young apprentices.
“I’m on my way to visit my folks,” Zalman said, “but I thought I’d stop and say hello to Sangelais. Is she in?”
The students looked back and forth at one another, hoping for someone else to do the talking. Then a voice from another doorway: “She died about a month ago, Zalman.” It was Erling Task, the second best mage in the city behind Sangelais. Zalman had never been too close to Erling, though he considered him a decent mage. Now that he thought about it, Zalman figured he had probably eclipsed Erling’s skill over the last few months of regular practice in the field.
Sangelais’ death, however, hit Zalman hard. “What happened?”
“She was out on a raid on an orc encampment,” Erling said. “A stray arrow caught her in the throat. She died almost instantly…long before a cleric could reach her.” Zalman just looked at the floor in stunned silence. “I’ve taken over teaching the students,” he continued, “though I’m a poor substitute for Sangelais. I don’t know what you’re up to, Zalman, but your presence here wouldn’t hurt to bolster the city’s magic capacity.”
“Uh,” Zalman began. “I don’t know. I need time to think.” The offer to stay was very tempting. Life on the road had been hard and he’d had too many brushes with death to be very eager to return to that challenge. However, Rurik was still set upon seeing through his mission to return the book to Mt. Goldforge, and Zalman wanted to help to the end of that. Perhaps he’d return to New Selmar after the last leg of that episode.
Amblin finally reached his master’s hut. Within, he heard the oh-so-familiar sound of a broom sweeping the floor. Amblin decided to knock rather than just enter. The sweeping paused and a young boy of no more than eight years or so answered.
“Yes sir?” the boy asked.
Amblin did not recognize the boy, but that hardly surprised him. While he’d been living here, he was rarely given much free time from his chores to meet the people of New Selmar. “Uh, I’m looking for Master Chelis,” Amblin said.
“Master Chelis is out, sir,” the boy said. “I do not know when he might be back.”
“Oh, I see.” Amblin peeked inside the hut, mostly to see how well this boy was keeping the place clean. Something about the fact that he’d been replaced so quickly after his departure from New Selmar bothered him. “So, you’re Master Chelis’ new student then?”
“Yes sir,” the boy said, standing proudly.
“And he keeps you busy cleaning?”
“Yes sir.”
“Good,” Amblin said. “You know, kid, when I was the student here, whenever I finished cleaning something I always left a tiny pinch of dust in the corner. You know, to see if anyone noticed.”
The kid gave Amblin a very perplexed look. After a moment, though, the look changed ever so subtly. Though Amblin didn’t expect the kid to pick up his old habit, he felt that slight change in the kid’s look had planted just a bit of a rebellious seed in his fertile young mind. Amblin felt he owed it both to the kid and his former master.
“Well, okay kid,” Amblin said. “I suppose I should let you get back to cleaning. Remember, a pinch of dust.” The kid gave him a short bow and then closed the door. The sound of sweeping resumed and Amblin walked away with a brief grin.
Zalman wandered off to his parent’s shop and house. His entire family, much to his relief, was working in the store – all seemingly unchanged since the day he left. Everyone warmly welcomed him back and was eager for news of his travels. He tried to recount some of the tales, watering them down so as not to make them seem like they had been in mortal danger quite as many times as in reality. Even still, his mother fretted over the risks and creatures they’d faced. His father was proud, yet concerned for Zalman’s safety. The family planned a large private dinner to continue the reunion.
While dinner was being prepared, Zalman took the chance to speak with his father over matters of trade. He told him of Trevor Aberdeen and the possible opportunity to make a few private deals with him for certain goods. Zalman also mentioned this wonderful new good that he’d encountered in Water Break – coffee. Said it might be worth ordering a couple dozen pounds to see how well it would sell here. Zalman, being a good son, also gave a considerable sum in loose gold to his parents (to help them with some trade agreements with Trevor).
Nigel generally had a relaxed good time with the griffon riders, showing them around a bit and then getting them fed at the mess hall. Nigel and the Captain, however, were to eat dinner with Lord Andren and Trevor. As the pair headed out to the keep, Bommer, a halfling scout that Nigel had worked with on occasion in New Selmar, walked up.
“Heya Nigel,” Bommer said. “Good to see ya back! I overheard some of your stories…sounds like you’ve been keeping yourself busy out there in the world.”
“Yeah,” Nigel said. “Too busy, it seems.”
“And you got all the way to a big city? What’s that like?”
“Honestly? It wasn’t all that. Lots of stuck up clerics in red robes and people trying to kill us on a regular basis. Did meet a nice lady, though.”
“Oh, how I’d love to travel with you guys,” Bommer said. “I’m getting tired of the same old stuff here. Nothing but scouting out orc and hobgoblin camps. Gets old fast. Say, now that you’re one short in your group with Boaz gone, think I might be able to get hooked up with you?”
Nigel hadn’t really thought about replacing Boaz. They’d done okay without him, but another pair of eyes and swords never hurt. He didn’t know Bommer really well, but from what work they’d done together he was a competent scout. He had sharp eyes and turned nearly invisible in the shadows. “Tell you what,” Nigel began. “Why don’t you check with Liuella (the Master Scout) and see if she’d be okay with it. I’ll ask my companions how they’d feel about taking on another. We’re flying by griffon, but I suspect they could handle an additional halfling.”
“Sounds good,” Bommer said. “I’ll catch back up with you later.”
When Nigel and Captain Silverleaf arrived back at the keep, Amblin wandered in and ate with them. Zalman never arrived, though everyone assumed he was either with Rurik or with his own family. They’d check up on both him and Rurik after dinner.
(Amblin and Nigel were both pleased to learn during dinner that Twiggy, the goblin they’d “rescued” from the hobgoblins in Old Selmar, had landed a position as a lackey in the Lord’s kitchen.)
Lord Andren pressed Nigel and Amblin for details about their adventures and was constantly amazed by how much they had seen and done. He expressed sorrow at Boaz’s death and concern over Rurik’s condition. Dinner was otherwise plain fare and Nigel and Amblin soon excused themselves.
Everyone reassembled at Zalman’s folk’s house and they went together to check up on Rurik. The dwarf’s uncle answered their knock and led them in to the chapel.
“Well,” the dwarf began, “I don’t right know what’s wrong with the boy. He’s not responding to healing magic at all. There’s reason to suspect magical is at the source, but it’s beyond my grasp. It’s strange, but I almost feel like there is a link between the effect and Rurik’s faith. I want you boys to tell me everything about what’s happened lately and who you’ve interacted with.”
They did their best to fill him in on their adventures. The news about the stolen book from Mt. Goldforge particularly peaked his interest. As did the cryptic message written in some archaic form of dwarven that Rurik had been given back in Water Break.
“My suggestion to you,” the old dwarf said, “is to take Rurik to Mt. Goldforge with all haste. I hope you’ll find better clerics than me there who can tend to his ailments. I also suspect they’ll be able to shed more light on this Kladish place.”
Everyone agreed that with Rurik deteriorating quickly, they had little time to waste. They would push Trevor to conclude his business tonight so they could leave first thing in the morning. Nigel also brought up the subject of bringing Bommer along. Everyone knew Bommer to one degree or another and knew that he had a good reputation among the scouts for his uncanny ability to walk into occupied orc camps and sneak back out with food swiped right off the spit of their campfires. They agreed to bring him along if he wanted to join them.
They would leave by dawn for Mt. Goldforge.
Next session: The dwarves of Mt. Goldforge
