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Tales of the Legacy - Concluded
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<blockquote data-quote="Delemental" data-source="post: 2436350" data-attributes="member: 5203"><p><strong>Ghosts From the Past</strong></p><p></p><p>Tolly stepped up to the small pedestal, and looked out at the small but attentive crowd. He never got completely used to this use of his teachings, but he was assured by his Fathers that he was more than adequate for the task. At least the younger women seemed to pay attention at the Shrine when he would take the stand.</p><p></p><p>"Lo! Hearken to my words, for I shall speak of beginnings, of Love, and of cooperation.</p><p></p><p>"Out of Erito, first of Firsts, came the Concept of Life, and thus Truths revealed themselves. And those Truths partnered among themselves, and Behold! There were the Four, each a Duality of Truths.</p><p></p><p>"For there to be Life, there was required an Earth, and the Order to create form. Ardara set the Earth in place in the Heavens, and Erito smiled upon Her.</p><p></p><p>"Feesha looked at the Earth, and cried out, 'Sister, you are too strict, too rigid. I will encompass your Earth with the Skies, and ever alter direction and form, ensuring the change you reject.'</p><p></p><p>"Ardara sighed, knowing that her sister was willful, and unlikely to relent. She turned to her Brothers, and spoke unto Grabâkh. 'Brother, I would have you give of your strength to us and the Earth, as you are Strongest among us, and have such to spare.'</p><p></p><p>"'I will,' replied the Giver of Fire,' but I will be merciless in this giving, for I will dominate this life, and will tolerate the weak not at all.'</p><p></p><p>"Ardara hung her head, knowing that Grabâkh allied with her sister would lead to harsh and unbending conflict, and a loss of certain of Erito's gifts.</p><p></p><p>"'Worry not, my dear sister,' spoke Krûsh adoringly, 'For I will lie my essence upon this Earth and make a barrier with which to ease the climes, and make the Gift of Life less burdensome to those not so strong.'</p><p></p><p>"And Erito smiled fully, for her Children had done well, and even as they engaged in minor conflicts, had crafted a jewel finer than any other through their Work, and her Will was fulfilled.</p><p></p><p>"And speak we do, of cooperation, we who are the Children of the Gods. While the strongest may stand alone in their realm of expertise, only One stands truly above, and her Works are mysterious, so we strive to be the Tools of her craftsmen, those of us who are Chosen by her Children and their brethren. All else have weaknesses to offset their strengths, and we band together, so our strengths merge, to become more as they form a whole which is truly more than the sum of its parts.</p><p></p><p>"And it is the Order, the Laws of Nature, which encourage this that we must thank Ardara for. The essence of working as a unit rather than as separate and varied entities is what forges us in Strength, we who believe in Law, who form the Law, we who Ardara touches with her Blessed Aura. Gather to me now, and attend, those who revere Law, for I must also reveal that the Touch of Law is compassionate, and that Love is the one Law that can temper itself, for Compassion is a Law unto itself, but a Law nonetheless. She smiles upon us, we who follow Her Laws with Love, and She blesses our endeavors.</p><p></p><p>"But know this as well, Her smile does not show weakness, for the Blessing of Ardara can be the hard edge of Steel to those who feel the need to break her Edicts, and circumvent that which is not to be allowed, as do those who harbor that which is Forbidden, not just by the Giver of Laws, but the Giver of Light, and of Life itself! The very presence of these abominations is such that Lawful or Chaotic, Good or Evil, the Gods are united in the displeasure at their vile existence, these who attempt to alter the orbits of the worlds, and corrupt them with their blasphemous rumors, spouting such mistruths as they strive to change that which even Feesha regards as unchangeable. </p><p></p><p>"Remember, my children, and this day, and the next day, and for all the days of our lives, shall we strive to relieve the Forbidden of their heretical existence, and we shall be blessed in this endeavor by She who sees all Ends, for She shaped the roads which shall lead us to those Ends. In Ardara's Name, by the One, the Four, and the Many, let us be silent a moment in respect. Amen."</p><p></p><p>Tolly paused, bowing his head for a count of ten, and then moved away from the pedestal, closing the Book of Ardara and replacing it in the waterproof leather pouch it rode in on his hip. He looked out at his friends, and noted who had come to listen. It was well, for the word of Ardara should be spread.</p><p></p><p>One face in particular caught his eye. He was glad that he hadn’t seen Autumn in the crowd during the sermon, or he might have stumbled and lost his train of thought. Although she wore a large hood to obscure her features – even after their victory against Orth, she felt that the orcs, tieflings, and fire-touched that made up Keth’s tribe might react poorly to an aasimar in their midst – what he could see of her was still as exquisite as polished marble. He made a mental note to speak with her later today; she had wandered away from the celebrations at one point last night, and when she’d returned some of the spark had left her eyes, as if something heavy hung on her heart. Attempting to alleviate her distress was the least he could do; after all, she had come to him after he’d argued with Kyle last night over the forbidden artifacts they’d removed from the Abominations.</p><p></p><p>Tolly’s mind continued to reflect on Autumn, even as he received the praise of some of the gathered orcs for his sermon. As far as he could tell, his efforts at courting the sentinel were going well – she had certainly not rejected him. His lack of experience in such things made it difficult for him to tell for certain. Thus he had approached this courtship as he would approach work on a fine weapon or suit of armor; slowly, methodically, testing the temper as he went to make certain his work would take the shape he desired. But though he was pleased with his efforts so far, there was a part of him, deep in his still youthful heart, that kept reminding him that at times metalwork required periods of fast, intense effort – to ‘strike while the iron was hot’, as the saying went.</p><p></p><p>His recent conversations with Arrie had given him hope as well. Arrie had indicated that unlike herself, Autumn’s marriage had not been arranged by her family; in fact Autumn had apparently been quite insistent on that fact, superceding her adopted parent’s authority and pleading her case to Damen and Corissane Coviere, the current rulers of Merlion. So there was no competition for Autumn’s hand waiting in the wings. He smiled to himself as he remembered Arrie’s thoughts on a suitable mate for her sister – someone who would allow her to excel in her field, Arrie had said, someone intellectual rather than physical. Well, though he was certainly not incapable on the field of battle, he was more than willing to concede to her superior training. And he knew the priests of Ardara had honed his mind as well as his body, so he was more than capable of taking on the role of the contemplative. Arrie had also mentioned that Autumn’s mate should be someone who could handle the family’s political dealings, even if they weren’t an active participant. Again, something he was more than capable of managing. Those facts, combined with the knowledge that Autumn’s mother Auror approved of him (or, at least, disapproved of him less than most), gave him considerable hope for his success.</p><p></p><p>But all of that would have to wait. The orc-infested desert was no place to properly press his suit. And there was other business to attend to first.</p><p></p><p>Tolly made his way to their tents, where some of his other friends had returned to prepare for the day. They would be unable to leave Keth’s camp this morning to make their way south to the diamond mines; Keth had promised an honor guard to help the party avoid problems, but right now he needed his men here to help consolidate his power over his brother’s former territory.</p><p></p><p>Tolly scowled a bit as he considered the end of that battle. Keth had used magic to project a false image of Orth into the battle, once Keth knew they had captured him, and then ‘defeated’ his brother in front of both armies. Though it had the effect of ending the conflict quickly, it also meant that their own role in defeating Orth went unrecognized. They had been met outside of Keth’s camp by the Faceless One, who bundled the unconscious Orth into a sack and snuck into Keth’s tent. There they’d waited until Keth arrived and rather unceremoniously beheaded his brother, along with the corpse of a common soldier he’d dragged into the tent with him (obviously meant to be ‘Orth’). After placing his brother’s head on his battle standard, Keth had gone out to give his victory speech. The Faceless One had asked Lanara to modify her impressive accounting of the battle; Keth had told his men that the party had been sent to deal with the Abominations.</p><p></p><p>Though he disliked such duplicity in his name, Tolly could understand Keth’s reasoning in acting as he did. At the very least, it allowed them to remove the blasphemous items from the Abominations in the privacy of Keth’s tent, before they were claimed as spoils of war and distributed among the clan. Those items were still a matter to be settled.</p><p></p><p>As he walked by his tent, he saw one of those matters being packed away. Kyle knelt down inside the tent, carefully rolling up into a blanket some of the forbidden psionic items. As he stuffed the blanket inside his saddlebag, Kyle caught Tolly’s eye. Tolly noted the dark circles under the wizard’s eyes, as if he’d not slept well. Normally Tolly would have expressed concern, but his disgust at seeing the blasphemous items going with them instead of shattered under his hammer made it difficult for him to feel sympathetic. Instead Tolly just shook his head and growled unhappily before moving on. As much as he disliked the idea, Autumn had made a good point last night; perhaps there was some critical mineral or substance necessary in creating these forbidden items, and if Kyle’s research uncovered such a substance, they could then work to destroy the source of that material.</p><p></p><p>He was glad they would be moving on soon, forbidden artifacts or not. Though Keth was certainly far more organized and disciplined than most orcish warchiefs, the orcish culture was still far too random and chaotic for his tastes. He longed for an orderly dwarven settlement, but such dreams seemed far off. Especially since some of his friends were speaking of returning east overland, through the Steppes. The thought of enduring an entire tribe of wild hin made his spine shiver. But even faced with such a prospect, it would be good to finally have fulfilled his duty to the Church and to the Archprelate.</p><p></p><p>The thought of Archprelate Jerome gave Tolly pause. He had still never fully understood why it was that the Hand of the Earth himself had come to raise him from the dead; the function was well within the capabilities of lesser priests. That his work on Aelfenn was not yet finished he accepted without question; he had been told as much by the servants of his goddess, when his spirit had briefly resided upon Surrek after his death. What that work was still not clear, though Tolly had his suspicions. Perhaps when his quest was complete, he would spend some time in prayer to ask guidance from Ardara. <em>So many things to attend to,</em> he thought wryly. <em>It would be easier if there were two of me.</em></p><p></p><p>Tolly’s introspections were interrupted by Lanara bouncing up to him. “Hey, Tolly,” the bard said, “” spoke to the head of Keth’s warsingers last night. She was told by Keth to tell us about where we’re going for the diamonds you want.”</p><p></p><p>“Very good,” he replied. “Tell me about it.”</p><p></p><p>“No, no, no!” she sang. “You’ll have to wait! She’s going to recite the tale tonight.” She laughed at Tolly’s sigh. “Oh, come on, you’ll love it! I’ll make sure I save seats for the two of you right up front.”</p><p></p><p>“I suppose that if there is… wait, why ‘the two of you’?”</p><p></p><p>“Oh, did I say that?” Lanara said with feigned innocence. “My mistake. Maybe I was thinking there was someone in particular you’d want to sit next to.” Lanara turned to go, then turned back. “Hey, I have a question,” she said. “I noticed last night that after you and Arrie had been talking, she went off with Autumn and they talked for a while. Any idea what they were talking about?”</p><p></p><p>“None,” Tolly said. “The private conversations of two sisters are none of my concern.”</p><p></p><p>“Oh, of course. Just curious, that’s all. You know how nosy I can be, poking into everyone’s business trying to find out what’s going on. But they were probably just having a little girl talk – you know, talking about the men in their life, things like that.”</p><p></p><p>Tolly shoot his head as Lanara skipped off. The cansin’s behavior was absolutely inexplicable.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">* * *</p><p></p><p> “Long ago,” began Shara, the head warsinger and one of Keth’s wives, “there was a Warchief whose name was feared by all in Grabâkh’s lands. The tale of the <em>karrak </em> is told after every great victory, so that our Warchiefs will always remember that the Eye is always watchful, and to avoid the fate of the <em>karrak</em>.”</p><p></p><p> The party sat clustered in two rows near the front of the audience, listening to Shara recite her tale. Thanks to the judicious application of <em>tongues </em> spells, they were all able to understand the orcish story.</p><p></p><p> “Hey, Lanara,” Kyle whispered, leaning over from behind the bard, “I thought you said orcs didn’t use proper names in their stories. Why did she call him Karrak?”</p><p></p><p> “It’s not a name,” she whispered back. “<em>Karrak </em> is an orcish term; it’s difficult to translate into Common, which is why the spells probably didn’t pick it up. It refers to someone whose name has been stricken from the memory of the orc race.”</p><p></p><p> “Wow,” Kyle replied, “sounds like he wasn’t very popular, then.”</p><p></p><p> “Just listen,” Lanara advised.</p><p></p><p> “The <em>karrak </em> had accumulated great wealth and power,” Shara continued. “None know from where his power stemmed, but his success attracted a great many followers. But though his conquests were glorious, his heart was dark, and he honored none save himself. The karrak slaughtered the young, the old, and the infirm, simply because their presence on his lands offended him. He sent assassins to slay his enemies in their beds rather than face them in honorable battle. But the <em>karrak</em>’s greatest sin came upon the day he rode to the Ghar’kán Oasis, which was held by his enemy, and poisoned the waters there.”</p><p></p><p> There was a collective gasp from the audience, and a woman in the back began to wail.</p><p></p><p> “It was this last act that united the other clans against the <em>karrak</em>. Four of the greatest tribes united and rode out to do battle against him, for he was mighty and his followers were legion. But at last he was defeated and brought before the Warchiefs in chains along with his most powerful advisors. The Warchiefs did not wish to see the <em>karrak </em> go to the realm of Grabâkh, for his deeds had not earned him such a reward. Instead, he and his advisors were entombed within Ardara’s cold embrace, far from Grabâkh’s Eye. There he remains, forever denied the glory of Karakor, in a place where no orc may set foot lest they awaken the <em>karrak</em>. By the Eye and the Axe, this is what I have seen.”</p><p></p><p> The assembled tribe sat in mute silence, contemplating Shara’s words. As they began to disperse, Lanara leaned back and looked at her companions. “Guess where we’re going,” she said.</p><p></p><p> Autumn, sitting next to Tolly, frowned. “I thought we were going to a diamond mine, not a tomb.”</p><p></p><p> “When we first told Keth we needed diamonds, he assumed we just wanted uncut stones,” she explained. “So he mentioned the mines to the south. But these tombs are nearby, and rumored to hold a great amount of wealth, including several cut diamonds of the quality Tolly will need. Now that Keth controls the land on which the tomb lies, he can send us there without anyone knowing. The honor guard will think they’re escorting us to the mines, but we’ll divert our path once they’re gone.”</p><p></p><p> “Doesn’t Keth worry about ‘awakening the <em>karrak’</em>?” Kavan asked.</p><p></p><p> “Keth is far less superstitious than your average orc,” Lanara said. “And he thinks that after what we did to Orth and his friends, we should be able to handle ourselves. Besides, as he pointed out to me, we’re not orcs, and the legend only says ‘no orc may set foot’ there.”</p><p></p><p> “You seem unusually excited about the prospect of facing danger, Lanara,” commented Arrie.</p><p></p><p> “Well, who could resist? I mean, we’re going into the tomb of someone whose entire existence has been erased! What a song that’ll make! Besides, I have all of you here to protect me.”</p><p></p><p> She drew a few sporadic laughs as most of the party rose and began to make their way to their tents. Soon only Kyle and Lanara remained sitting at the center of the camp. Kyle’s eyes followed Autumn’s back as she walked away, chatting alternately with Kavan and Tolly.</p><p></p><p> “It hurts, doesn’t it?” Lanara said quietly.</p><p></p><p> “I’m sorry?”</p><p></p><p> “My shoulder,” Lanara said. “I said it hurts. I think I pulled something helping lug those lumps across the desert yesterday.” Lanara turned her back to Kyle, and pulled her cloak away from her shoulders. She pointed to her left shoulder. “Be a dear, would you? Xu’s off doing monk things, and you’ve got strong hands.”</p><p></p><p> Kyle sighed and began rubbing her shoulders. Lanara purred and squirmed in delight. “Thank you, Kyle.”</p><p></p><p> “No problem, I guess,” he said.</p><p></p><p> “Hey, you’d better get used to it, my boy,” she said. “One of these days you’ll find yourself a good woman, and you’ll be doing this every day.”</p><p></p><p> Kyle paused for a brief moment. “Sure I will,” he said, with a slight edge in his voice.</p><p></p><p> “No, really! You’re actually quite a catch, Kyle. I mean, you clean up pretty good. Sure, you may have a little trouble remembering which fork to use – or to use a fork at all – but… yow!” Lanara pulled away from Kyle’s pinch for a second before resuming her place.</p><p></p><p> “You have a point, I’m assuming?” Kyle said, though he was smiling.</p><p></p><p> “Just that you’re a good guy, Kyle, and if you want to, you’re going to make someone very happy one day. And don’t let anyone… anyone make you think different.” Lanara stood up suddenly, rotating her right shoulder. “Oh, that feel’s much better, Kyle. A little practice and you’ll give Xu a run for her money.”</p><p></p><p> “Thanks, I guess, I… hey, wait, didn’t you say it was your left shoulder that hurt?”</p><p></p><p> “Did I?” Lanara gasped. “Well, my mistake I guess.”</p><p></p><p> Kyle stood up and brushed sand off his robes. “Lanara, what you were just saying… I hope you aren’t trying to suggest that you… that well we…”</p><p></p><p> “Us?” Lanara said, and then burst into laughter. “Oh, Feesha’s Mercy, no, Kyle! You’re a great guy, but honestly, sweetie, I’d break you within a week.”</p><p></p><p> Lanara dashed off toward the tents, leaving Kyle standing there gaping.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">* * *</p><p></p><p> Kavan slowly pulled the tent flap back, nodding to Keth’s honor guard as he passed. He moved inside quickly, and knelt next to a figure lying on the floor. The figure, an orcish female, was covered in numerous burns and healed-over scars. She was barely dressed, and sleeping restlessly. Kavan reached out and gently touched her shoulder.</p><p></p><p> “Good afternoon, Gell,” Kavan said.</p><p></p><p> Gell’s eyes opened slowly. “Ah, my elven benefactor,” she said. “You are back. That must mean Keth approved your request.”</p><p></p><p> Kavan held up a small sack. “Lunch, as I promised,” he said. He opened the sack and began pulling out a few items of food, offering them to the orcish priestess.</p><p></p><p> Kavan had first come to meet Gell on the night of the victory. She’d been in bad shape then, covered in fresh burns. Kavan had healed her, then asked for permission to have lunch with her the next day. Gell had laughed at this – as if the decision were in her hands – but agreed nonetheless.</p><p></p><p> Kavan nodded at Gell’s arms as she ate. “There are a few fresh wounds, I see. Did they question you further last night?”</p><p></p><p> Gell shrugged. “It is no less than I expected. I betrayed Warchief Orth to come here, and they are very untrusting of traitors. But I am too useful to kill, not only for what I know of Orth and his forces, but because I am a priestess of Grabâkh. Keth has, truly told, acted with a great deal of restraint under the circumstances.”</p><p></p><p> “Have any of them… tried to take advantage of you?” Kavan asked.</p><p></p><p> She shook her head. “Not yet. I believe that is part of the ‘restraint’ Keth has ordered. Though I fear what may happen when Keth feels I have no more useful information to give. Then he will care less what happens to me. Most will not touch me, for I am married to Grabâkh, but there are some who will see me as simply another spoil of war. But I will throw myself on their spears before I allow that to happen.”</p><p></p><p> Kavan gasped. “Surely there’s something you can do to protect yourself?” he said.</p><p></p><p> “If I had the opportunity to commune with my god, then perhaps,” Gell said. “But Keth is not stupid. He ensures that my ‘questioning’ begins before dawn, so that I do not have the chance to pray. And of course, he keeps me in this tent, out of sight of Grabâkh’s Eye.”</p><p></p><p> Just then the tent flap opened, and Tolly walked in. Kavan quickly rose and went over to him.</p><p></p><p> “What are you doing here?” he whispered to Tolly.</p><p></p><p> “I want to ask Gell some questions about the Abominations in Orth’s service,” he said.</p><p></p><p> Kavan looked back at Gell, then at Tolly. “Tolly,” he said, placing his hand on the Ardaran’s shoulder, “as a friend, I’m asking you to take it easy on her.”</p><p></p><p> “I have no problem with the followers of Grabâkh,” Tolly said.</p><p></p><p> “No, I mean in your normal way of dealing with others. Perhaps you could use a bit of… softness.”</p><p></p><p> “I’ll take it under advisement,” he said, then walked to the center of the tent and knelt next to Gell.</p><p></p><p> “Ah, the Ardaran priest that helped defeat Orth joins my mysterious benefactor,” Gell said.</p><p></p><p> Tolly looked back at Kavan for a moment. “Benefactor?” Without waiting for an answer, Tolly turned his attention back to Gell. “I wanted to ask you why you came with us back to Keth’s camp.”</p><p></p><p> “Orth was consorting with powers he should not have been,” Gell said. “Takar and Sun-Harrow had managed to dupe most of the lesser priests, as well as Orth, who was always… well, somewhat slow-witted. When you and your companions came and slew them, I knew that I could be free.”</p><p></p><p> “What can you tell me of the ones that Orth consorted with?” asked Tolly. “We have made it our mission to destroy such Abominations. Though they are dead, knowing of their capabilities may help us defeat their allies.”</p><p></p><p> “There is little I can tell you,” Gell admitted. “They came as ‘Heralds of Flame’. Takar literally set the desert on fire and then they walked through it unscathed, proclaiming themselves to be the leaders of the orcish nation. But there was something wrong. They never mentioned Grabâkh, nor did they wear his holy symbols. But Takar did have tremendous control over fire, which is what convinced most of the others.”</p><p></p><p> “It is not unknown for those who are heretics and apostates to be able to mimic the powers of the faithful,” Tolly said. “Did they have anyone they appeared to be communicating with outside the clan?”</p><p></p><p> Gell shook her head. “They came with a very well-formed plan. Takar was clearly in charge, and Sun-Harrow was a bodyguard, though he had a keen mind as well and would often point out things the other would miss. I took steps to eliminate them myself, but was stopped by Sun-Harrow, not because he intercepted my assassins, but because he somehow knew beforehand that they were being sent.”</p><p></p><p> “Do you have any family or friends remaining here?” Kavan asked suddenly.</p><p></p><p> “I know not.”</p><p></p><p> “Will you stay here?”</p><p></p><p> “I have little choice. I will be strong, and I will either join this clan or I will die. Which it will be, Keth has not determined. If he decides to take me as his wife, then I will die.”</p><p></p><p> “Why?” Kavan asked.</p><p></p><p> “Priestesses of Grabakh must remain pure,” Gell said. “Should I be forced to submit, I will throw myself on the spears of the guards. In the eyes of my god, it is no different than being taken by force.”</p><p></p><p> Tolly nodded again, then stood. “I will see if I can have a word with Keth on your behalf,” he said. “In times such as these, we of The Four cannot allow our minor squabbles to keep us from working against the menace of the Abominations.”</p><p></p><p> Gell’s brow furrowed. “This is not the first time you have encountered such things?”</p><p></p><p> “No, it is not.”</p><p></p><p> “That is disturbing. You may wish to inform Warchief Keth of this. The presence of Takar and Sun-Harrow certainly interfered with Keth’s plans before. If he knows that more like them exist, he may wish to leave those who have had experience with them alive.”</p><p></p><p> “Certainly,” Tolly said. “I thank you for speaking with me.”</p><p></p><p> Tolly turned and left the tent. Kavan lingered for a moment, then leaned down to Gell. “I will return tomorrow,” he said. “I may be able to help you remain pure, or at least to punish those who would seek to defile you.” He stood up straight when he saw Gell nod her assent, and left the tent.</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">* * * </p><p></p><p> Early the next morning, Kyle began to gather the party for a meeting. Osborn stumbled out of the tents of the camp followers, blinking in the sun.</p><p></p><p> “It’s too early,” he complained.</p><p></p><p> “I agree,” Lanara muttered.</p><p></p><p> “Sorry,” said Kyle, “but we all seem to be getting busy later in the day, so I wanted to catch everyone early. We need to talk about what we’re going to be doing after we get Tolly’s diamonds.”</p><p></p><p> The group sat down around a cooking fire, heating up bits of meat as they talked. “So, where do we have to take the diamonds?”</p><p></p><p> “Most likely I’ll have to take them to the Archprelate in Medos,” Tolly said. “The Cathedral of Eminent Order lies in the capital city, M’dos. Unfortunately, it lies on the other side of the continent, which means we either trek across the land to get there, or we return to the coast and hire another ship.”</p><p></p><p> Lanara stuck out her tongue. “No more boats!”</p><p></p><p> “It probably would be a bad idea,” Kyle said. “It’s the middle of winter, and we’d have to sail south into colder climates. I’d rather not deal with winter sea storms.”</p><p></p><p> “And if we go over land, we could go through the Khag Steppes, where my people are from!” Osborn said excitedly. “Hey, maybe we’d even run into my troupe! You could all meet my mom!”</p><p></p><p> “Couldn’t you just send the diamonds from here?” asked Xu.</p><p></p><p> “The only form of delivery I’d trust would be to summon another one of Ardara’s servants,” Tolly explained. “And it would require an expenditure of time and life-force I’m reluctant to part with now. Besides, if I summoned an archon it might be subjected to some form of humiliating act by my companions.” Tolly then glanced at Arrie. “I can’t believe that you petted an archon.”</p><p></p><p>“It was a reverent pet,” Arrie protested.</p><p></p><p>“Well, anyway,” Kyle said. “Going to Medos might not be such a bad idea. Maybe we can get some more information from the libraries there about these psionics and pre-Cataclysm times; somebody had to have kept some records.”</p><p></p><p>“You are from Medos, are you not?” Tolly asked Kavan. The elven priest nodded. “Then so, in theory, is your son Marrek. We know that he is somehow connected to Xerxes. Perhaps we might find clues to allow us to track him down.”</p><p></p><p>“You know, I think I’d like to know Erito’s opinion on these psionic items,” Kyle said to Kavan.</p><p></p><p>“We already know her opinion,” Tolly said flatly. “They are Abominations and should be destroyed, along with their tainted items. Immediately.”</p><p></p><p>“No, that’s Ardara’s opinion,” said Kyle. “I’d like to have Kavan confirm that Erito feels the same way before I assume anything. I think that since it seems we keep running into these psionics, that we should pursue it further. But if the gods are wanting us to deal with the problem, they could at least give us a bit of advice.”</p><p></p><p>“As arrogant as that sounds, Kyle,” Tolly said, “I’m forced to agree that some guidance would be helpful.”</p><p></p><p>Kyle opened his mouth to speak, but Autumn, looking for some way to head off another argument between them, pointed at a large pavilion tent going up just outside of camp. “What’s going on?” she asked.</p><p></p><p>“I don’t know,” Lanara said. “Let’s go find out.”</p><p></p><p>The party rose and walked toward the pavilion, where several orcs were busy laying out blankets. Standing nearby supervising was Keth, wearing the plate armor that was once worn by Sun-Harrow. As the party approached, they were met by the Faceless One.</p><p></p><p>“Ah, good, you’re here.” The Faceless One reached into a sack, and pulled out a small round stone with the orcish rune for the number ten carved into it. “This is your token for your group,” he said, handing it to Lanara.</p><p></p><p>“Token for what?” she asked.</p><p></p><p>“For the division of spoils. Tokens are given out to each unit based upon rank and merit. It signifies the order in which each unit will enter the pavilion and be allowed to collect their share of the spoils.” The Faceless One nodded toward Keth. “Obviously, the Warchief and his command staff have already made their selections. It’s a good system, really; most orcish tribes settle for a ‘first-come, first-serve’ approach that leads to several fights, and consequently, a slightly larger pile of spoils. Usually the spoils are laid out inside the Warchief’s tent, but Orth commanded a very wealthy clan.”</p><p></p><p>“When does all this start?” Osborn asked.</p><p></p><p>“Later today. Come when you hear the horns blow. When it is your turn, you will have five minutes to search through the spoils for what you want. You should know it is considered poor sport to simply collect everything you can carry out of the tent. Your position in the lottery ensures you a certain quality of treasure, not quantity.”</p><p></p><p>“We’ll keep that in mind,” Lanara said.</p><p></p><p>The party returned to the camp. Once there, Autumn went into her tent and pulled out a large bundle, handing it to Tolly. When he unwrapped it, he saw it was the crystalline greataxe the orcish barbarian had used in the ambush, the one that was charged with psionic energy. Tolly looked at Autumn curiously.</p><p></p><p>“Kyle gave it to me,” she said. “He’s learned all he can from it. He says it’s relatively benign.”</p><p></p><p>“Nothing about these things are benign,” Tolly said curtly.</p><p></p><p>“I think he meant that its properties weren’t very unusual. The point is that he gave it to me to give to you, so you can destroy it.”</p><p></p><p>Tolly beamed. “Most excellent. Will you assist me, Autumn? I need to make sure that not so much as a single sliver of this unholy relic is left behind.”</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">* * *</p><p></p><p> The huge pavilion tent was nearly bursting with the many treasures looted from Orth. They were spread out on rugs and blankets, hung from pegs in the tent poles, and collected in piles in the corners. The heat inside the pavilion was uncomfortable; all of the walls had been enclosed to ensure the privacy of those inside, leaving no way for air to circulate.</p><p></p><p> In the end it had taken most of the day to set up the pavilion, and so the sun was setting by the time the first squad went inside. Now the party was inside, spread out while they picked through the stacks of weapons, armor, and other treasures. The only other person inside the pavilion was the Faceless One, who stood near the entrance next to a large hourglass that marked the time they had remaining to choose.</p><p></p><p> Lanara sidled up to Autumn as she regarded a magical helmet. Keth’s mages had worked non-stop to identify most of the magical goods found in Orth’s camp, and each one had been tagged with a strip of cloth marked with runes denoting its function.</p><p></p><p> “See anything you like?” Lanara asked casually.</p><p></p><p> “One or two things,” Autumn replied, not looking up.</p><p></p><p> “Yeah, it can be so hard to choose, can’t it?”</p><p></p><p> Autumn nodded her agreement before putting the helmet down and picking up a set of gauntlets nearby.</p><p></p><p> “I mean, at least we’re all in the same boat here, right?” Lanara pointed across the tent. “Take those two, for example.”</p><p></p><p> Autumn glanced over to where Lanara pointed. Tolly and Kyle were standing close to each other, considering separate items. Kyle was trying on a large leather belt, while Tolly held up a platinum medallion on a silver chain.</p><p></p><p> “I mean, you can tell a lot about a person by the choices they make. Kyle, there, he’s got something kind of rough, but practical. I’m sure with a little work it’ll clean up real nice, though. Tolly, on the other hand, is going for the polished, more impressive piece. Useful, if a bit obvious.”</p><p></p><p> “Is there a point you’re trying to make, Lanara?” Autumn was getting slightly irritated that the bard was wasting what little time they had chatting instead of looking through the piles.</p><p></p><p> “Not really, just saying it would be hard to choose between them. But I’m sure it’d be easy for you.”</p><p></p><p> Autumn ignored Lanara at first, but then something about the cansin’s words made her pause. She looked up to say something, but Lanara was long gone, now chatting up Osborn.</p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p></p><p> The party left five days after their battle with Orth. They were sent on their way by a joyful and cheering mob of orcs, as well as a speech from Keth thanking them for their aid. Osborn proudly displayed the clan token he wore that marked him as a clan brother, apparently part of some agreement he had with Keth after their success in capturing his brother. Keth sent an honor guard of ten lancers with the group to escort them to the diamond mines, as well as one of the apprentice warsingers, who was charged to learn all he could of the psionic Abominations and their abilities. The wide-eyed, youthful orc warsinger immediately gravitated toward Lanara, who proceeded to fill his head with dozens of off-color ballads.</p><p></p><p> On their first day out, during the daily stop to avoid the worst of the desert’s heat, Tolly approached Kavan. “I noticed that you went to Keth’s tent this morning before we left. Did Gell tell you anything else that was relevant?”</p><p></p><p> “I didn’t go to Gell to ask questions,” Kavan replied. “I went to offer her some help.”</p><p></p><p> Tolly’s brow furrowed. “You did know that Keth has decided to accept Gell into his tribe, correct?”</p><p></p><p> “Yes, Gell told me that herself. But not everyone in Keth’s tribe may choose to recognize that. I only wished to make sure she could still serve her god.”</p><p></p><p> “What do you mean by that?”</p><p></p><p> “I gave her some protection against anyone who might wish to violate her.”</p><p></p><p> “Kavan,” Tolly said slowly, “you do know that if Keth’s men find a weapon on her, it will not go well for her? Keth may be willing to accept her, but she is still a prisoner.”</p><p></p><p> “I didn’t say I gave her a weapon,” Kavan said. “I scribed a glyph.”</p><p></p><p> “Why would you do that?” Tolly said loudly. “There are men who will need to enter that tent for other reasons than to question Gell! I don’t think they deserve to die for that!”</p><p></p><p> “Tolly, Tolly,” Kavan said, smiling. “I didn’t scribe the glyph on the entrance. Well… not the tent entrance, at least.”</p><p></p><p> It took Tolly a moment to catch the elf’s meaning. His eyes went wide as buckler shields. “You didn’t.”</p><p></p><p> “I did.”</p><p></p><p> “You… you couldn’t.”</p><p></p><p> “Actually, it wasn’t that difficult. As you might remember, I do have some familiarity with the female body.”</p><p></p><p> Tolly stammered for a moment before Kavan laid his hand on the human’s forearm. “Tolly, relax. The glyph will do nothing unless someone tries to force themselves on Gell. And should she decide she is willing, she knows the command word to deactivate it. Though I doubt she would do that, as that would mean betraying Grabâkh. Should it happen to be activated, it should serve as a strong reminder to the rest of the camp that Gell is the bride of Grabâkh.”</p><p></p><p> Tolly could only walk away, shaking his head.</p><p></p><p> Two more days passed uneventfully. Occasionally they would see riders on the horizon, but they were either some of Keth’s scouts, who would then ride up to exchange news with the captain of the lancers, or the unknown rider would see the banners being flown by the orcish escort and would quickly vanish over a dune, never to be seen again.</p><p></p><p> On the afternoon of the fourth day, the group was sprawled out over the sand, struggling to capture as much of the meager shade as they could as the sun beat down from high over their heads. Though the morning’s ride had not been hard, the group was weary, and soon dozed off, trusting to the sentries to alert them to danger.</p><p></p><p> The indistinct gray behind their eyelids resolved itself into a most unexpected scene. Each person in the party found themselves standing on a balcony overlooking the ocean, with rolling storm clouds overhead. They were dressed in their normal clothing, but none of them had weapons or armor. The balcony connected to a house constructed of gray granite blocks. The floor of the balcony was a red slate tile, and the railing appeared made of a weatherworn hardwood. The group almost immediately realized this was no ordinary dream, since they were all together and apparently in control of their faculties.</p><p></p><p> “Where are we?” Autumn asked. “How did we…” she shuddered involuntarily as memories suddenly flooded her. The others were experiencing similar sensations. A long-forgotten dream, of a shipwrecked crew on an island ruled by a strange being who forced them to live in each other’s bodies, suddenly became very real to them, and they all knew instantly that it had really happened to them.</p><p></p><p> “Can someone help me break off the end of this?” Arrie said, grabbing onto the railing and starting to pull. Tolly walked over and had it half out of its posts before someone said something.</p><p></p><p> “Excuse me?”</p><p></p><p> They all turned to see an elderly man approaching. He wore white robes with a golden belt. His hair, once red but turning to white, fluttered in the coastal breeze. His eyes sparkled with intelligence.</p><p></p><p> “Excuse me,” he repeated, “but would you mind not… well, I guess that’s my fault.” He sighed. “I did bring you here, and I apologize for not warning you. I would ask that you not destroy my home, but I understand how you are somewhat tense and off-guard right now.”</p><p></p><p> Tolly turned to face the old man, while Autumn moved in front of Arrie in a defensive stance.</p><p></p><p> “I’m sorry,” said Arrie, putting the section of railing down, “but the last time something like this happened to us, things got… weird.”</p><p></p><p> “Very.” Tolly asserted.</p><p></p><p> “Oh, you’ve run into Jak, then,” the old man said. “He was one of my former students, who deceived me.”</p><p></p><p> “He called himself Lord Momuus,” Xu said.</p><p></p><p> “Yes, that would be Jak.”</p><p></p><p> “So, there are more of you running around?” Lanara asked.</p><p></p><p> “It’s a long story,” the man explained, “and frankly I don’t have a lot of time to tell it. I have perhaps an hour during which no one can look in on us. I would like to offer you the hospitality of my home. There are some things that need to be explained. I have some tea available, as well as some small sandwiches. I may have some wine, as well, if anyone wishes it.”</p><p></p><p> “And you are?” Tolly asked suspiciously.</p><p></p><p> “My name is Aran.”</p><p></p><p></p><p>-------------------------------</p><p></p><p>Ah, the 'Lanara decides to screw with the Love Triangle' adventure. A few things happened in the background during this period which probably bear explaining. After Tolly and Arrie spoke (detailed in the last post), Arrie finds Autumn and tells her flat out that Tolly's intending to court her. THis leads to some conflict for Autumn, and she ends up finding Kyle and essentially giving him the 'let's just be friends' speech - she needs time to decide who she should choose, though Autumn doesn't tell Kyle about Tolly. So, as of right now Kyle and Tolly are still unaware of their mutual interest in Autumn, which is probably good given the growing tension between them.</p><p></p><p>Don't worry, folks, it's not too much longer before this all comes out in the open. And for those whose stomachs turn at all this 'Days of our Lives' romance crap, I'll reassure you by saying that it really becomes more of a background thing as time goes on.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Delemental, post: 2436350, member: 5203"] [b]Ghosts From the Past[/b] Tolly stepped up to the small pedestal, and looked out at the small but attentive crowd. He never got completely used to this use of his teachings, but he was assured by his Fathers that he was more than adequate for the task. At least the younger women seemed to pay attention at the Shrine when he would take the stand. "Lo! Hearken to my words, for I shall speak of beginnings, of Love, and of cooperation. "Out of Erito, first of Firsts, came the Concept of Life, and thus Truths revealed themselves. And those Truths partnered among themselves, and Behold! There were the Four, each a Duality of Truths. "For there to be Life, there was required an Earth, and the Order to create form. Ardara set the Earth in place in the Heavens, and Erito smiled upon Her. "Feesha looked at the Earth, and cried out, 'Sister, you are too strict, too rigid. I will encompass your Earth with the Skies, and ever alter direction and form, ensuring the change you reject.' "Ardara sighed, knowing that her sister was willful, and unlikely to relent. She turned to her Brothers, and spoke unto Grabâkh. 'Brother, I would have you give of your strength to us and the Earth, as you are Strongest among us, and have such to spare.' "'I will,' replied the Giver of Fire,' but I will be merciless in this giving, for I will dominate this life, and will tolerate the weak not at all.' "Ardara hung her head, knowing that Grabâkh allied with her sister would lead to harsh and unbending conflict, and a loss of certain of Erito's gifts. "'Worry not, my dear sister,' spoke Krûsh adoringly, 'For I will lie my essence upon this Earth and make a barrier with which to ease the climes, and make the Gift of Life less burdensome to those not so strong.' "And Erito smiled fully, for her Children had done well, and even as they engaged in minor conflicts, had crafted a jewel finer than any other through their Work, and her Will was fulfilled. "And speak we do, of cooperation, we who are the Children of the Gods. While the strongest may stand alone in their realm of expertise, only One stands truly above, and her Works are mysterious, so we strive to be the Tools of her craftsmen, those of us who are Chosen by her Children and their brethren. All else have weaknesses to offset their strengths, and we band together, so our strengths merge, to become more as they form a whole which is truly more than the sum of its parts. "And it is the Order, the Laws of Nature, which encourage this that we must thank Ardara for. The essence of working as a unit rather than as separate and varied entities is what forges us in Strength, we who believe in Law, who form the Law, we who Ardara touches with her Blessed Aura. Gather to me now, and attend, those who revere Law, for I must also reveal that the Touch of Law is compassionate, and that Love is the one Law that can temper itself, for Compassion is a Law unto itself, but a Law nonetheless. She smiles upon us, we who follow Her Laws with Love, and She blesses our endeavors. "But know this as well, Her smile does not show weakness, for the Blessing of Ardara can be the hard edge of Steel to those who feel the need to break her Edicts, and circumvent that which is not to be allowed, as do those who harbor that which is Forbidden, not just by the Giver of Laws, but the Giver of Light, and of Life itself! The very presence of these abominations is such that Lawful or Chaotic, Good or Evil, the Gods are united in the displeasure at their vile existence, these who attempt to alter the orbits of the worlds, and corrupt them with their blasphemous rumors, spouting such mistruths as they strive to change that which even Feesha regards as unchangeable. "Remember, my children, and this day, and the next day, and for all the days of our lives, shall we strive to relieve the Forbidden of their heretical existence, and we shall be blessed in this endeavor by She who sees all Ends, for She shaped the roads which shall lead us to those Ends. In Ardara's Name, by the One, the Four, and the Many, let us be silent a moment in respect. Amen." Tolly paused, bowing his head for a count of ten, and then moved away from the pedestal, closing the Book of Ardara and replacing it in the waterproof leather pouch it rode in on his hip. He looked out at his friends, and noted who had come to listen. It was well, for the word of Ardara should be spread. One face in particular caught his eye. He was glad that he hadn’t seen Autumn in the crowd during the sermon, or he might have stumbled and lost his train of thought. Although she wore a large hood to obscure her features – even after their victory against Orth, she felt that the orcs, tieflings, and fire-touched that made up Keth’s tribe might react poorly to an aasimar in their midst – what he could see of her was still as exquisite as polished marble. He made a mental note to speak with her later today; she had wandered away from the celebrations at one point last night, and when she’d returned some of the spark had left her eyes, as if something heavy hung on her heart. Attempting to alleviate her distress was the least he could do; after all, she had come to him after he’d argued with Kyle last night over the forbidden artifacts they’d removed from the Abominations. Tolly’s mind continued to reflect on Autumn, even as he received the praise of some of the gathered orcs for his sermon. As far as he could tell, his efforts at courting the sentinel were going well – she had certainly not rejected him. His lack of experience in such things made it difficult for him to tell for certain. Thus he had approached this courtship as he would approach work on a fine weapon or suit of armor; slowly, methodically, testing the temper as he went to make certain his work would take the shape he desired. But though he was pleased with his efforts so far, there was a part of him, deep in his still youthful heart, that kept reminding him that at times metalwork required periods of fast, intense effort – to ‘strike while the iron was hot’, as the saying went. His recent conversations with Arrie had given him hope as well. Arrie had indicated that unlike herself, Autumn’s marriage had not been arranged by her family; in fact Autumn had apparently been quite insistent on that fact, superceding her adopted parent’s authority and pleading her case to Damen and Corissane Coviere, the current rulers of Merlion. So there was no competition for Autumn’s hand waiting in the wings. He smiled to himself as he remembered Arrie’s thoughts on a suitable mate for her sister – someone who would allow her to excel in her field, Arrie had said, someone intellectual rather than physical. Well, though he was certainly not incapable on the field of battle, he was more than willing to concede to her superior training. And he knew the priests of Ardara had honed his mind as well as his body, so he was more than capable of taking on the role of the contemplative. Arrie had also mentioned that Autumn’s mate should be someone who could handle the family’s political dealings, even if they weren’t an active participant. Again, something he was more than capable of managing. Those facts, combined with the knowledge that Autumn’s mother Auror approved of him (or, at least, disapproved of him less than most), gave him considerable hope for his success. But all of that would have to wait. The orc-infested desert was no place to properly press his suit. And there was other business to attend to first. Tolly made his way to their tents, where some of his other friends had returned to prepare for the day. They would be unable to leave Keth’s camp this morning to make their way south to the diamond mines; Keth had promised an honor guard to help the party avoid problems, but right now he needed his men here to help consolidate his power over his brother’s former territory. Tolly scowled a bit as he considered the end of that battle. Keth had used magic to project a false image of Orth into the battle, once Keth knew they had captured him, and then ‘defeated’ his brother in front of both armies. Though it had the effect of ending the conflict quickly, it also meant that their own role in defeating Orth went unrecognized. They had been met outside of Keth’s camp by the Faceless One, who bundled the unconscious Orth into a sack and snuck into Keth’s tent. There they’d waited until Keth arrived and rather unceremoniously beheaded his brother, along with the corpse of a common soldier he’d dragged into the tent with him (obviously meant to be ‘Orth’). After placing his brother’s head on his battle standard, Keth had gone out to give his victory speech. The Faceless One had asked Lanara to modify her impressive accounting of the battle; Keth had told his men that the party had been sent to deal with the Abominations. Though he disliked such duplicity in his name, Tolly could understand Keth’s reasoning in acting as he did. At the very least, it allowed them to remove the blasphemous items from the Abominations in the privacy of Keth’s tent, before they were claimed as spoils of war and distributed among the clan. Those items were still a matter to be settled. As he walked by his tent, he saw one of those matters being packed away. Kyle knelt down inside the tent, carefully rolling up into a blanket some of the forbidden psionic items. As he stuffed the blanket inside his saddlebag, Kyle caught Tolly’s eye. Tolly noted the dark circles under the wizard’s eyes, as if he’d not slept well. Normally Tolly would have expressed concern, but his disgust at seeing the blasphemous items going with them instead of shattered under his hammer made it difficult for him to feel sympathetic. Instead Tolly just shook his head and growled unhappily before moving on. As much as he disliked the idea, Autumn had made a good point last night; perhaps there was some critical mineral or substance necessary in creating these forbidden items, and if Kyle’s research uncovered such a substance, they could then work to destroy the source of that material. He was glad they would be moving on soon, forbidden artifacts or not. Though Keth was certainly far more organized and disciplined than most orcish warchiefs, the orcish culture was still far too random and chaotic for his tastes. He longed for an orderly dwarven settlement, but such dreams seemed far off. Especially since some of his friends were speaking of returning east overland, through the Steppes. The thought of enduring an entire tribe of wild hin made his spine shiver. But even faced with such a prospect, it would be good to finally have fulfilled his duty to the Church and to the Archprelate. The thought of Archprelate Jerome gave Tolly pause. He had still never fully understood why it was that the Hand of the Earth himself had come to raise him from the dead; the function was well within the capabilities of lesser priests. That his work on Aelfenn was not yet finished he accepted without question; he had been told as much by the servants of his goddess, when his spirit had briefly resided upon Surrek after his death. What that work was still not clear, though Tolly had his suspicions. Perhaps when his quest was complete, he would spend some time in prayer to ask guidance from Ardara. [I]So many things to attend to,[/I] he thought wryly. [I]It would be easier if there were two of me.[/I] Tolly’s introspections were interrupted by Lanara bouncing up to him. “Hey, Tolly,” the bard said, “” spoke to the head of Keth’s warsingers last night. She was told by Keth to tell us about where we’re going for the diamonds you want.” “Very good,” he replied. “Tell me about it.” “No, no, no!” she sang. “You’ll have to wait! She’s going to recite the tale tonight.” She laughed at Tolly’s sigh. “Oh, come on, you’ll love it! I’ll make sure I save seats for the two of you right up front.” “I suppose that if there is… wait, why ‘the two of you’?” “Oh, did I say that?” Lanara said with feigned innocence. “My mistake. Maybe I was thinking there was someone in particular you’d want to sit next to.” Lanara turned to go, then turned back. “Hey, I have a question,” she said. “I noticed last night that after you and Arrie had been talking, she went off with Autumn and they talked for a while. Any idea what they were talking about?” “None,” Tolly said. “The private conversations of two sisters are none of my concern.” “Oh, of course. Just curious, that’s all. You know how nosy I can be, poking into everyone’s business trying to find out what’s going on. But they were probably just having a little girl talk – you know, talking about the men in their life, things like that.” Tolly shoot his head as Lanara skipped off. The cansin’s behavior was absolutely inexplicable. [CENTER]* * *[/CENTER] “Long ago,” began Shara, the head warsinger and one of Keth’s wives, “there was a Warchief whose name was feared by all in Grabâkh’s lands. The tale of the [I]karrak [/I] is told after every great victory, so that our Warchiefs will always remember that the Eye is always watchful, and to avoid the fate of the [I]karrak[/I].” The party sat clustered in two rows near the front of the audience, listening to Shara recite her tale. Thanks to the judicious application of [I]tongues [/I] spells, they were all able to understand the orcish story. “Hey, Lanara,” Kyle whispered, leaning over from behind the bard, “I thought you said orcs didn’t use proper names in their stories. Why did she call him Karrak?” “It’s not a name,” she whispered back. “[I]Karrak [/I] is an orcish term; it’s difficult to translate into Common, which is why the spells probably didn’t pick it up. It refers to someone whose name has been stricken from the memory of the orc race.” “Wow,” Kyle replied, “sounds like he wasn’t very popular, then.” “Just listen,” Lanara advised. “The [I]karrak [/I] had accumulated great wealth and power,” Shara continued. “None know from where his power stemmed, but his success attracted a great many followers. But though his conquests were glorious, his heart was dark, and he honored none save himself. The karrak slaughtered the young, the old, and the infirm, simply because their presence on his lands offended him. He sent assassins to slay his enemies in their beds rather than face them in honorable battle. But the [I]karrak[/I]’s greatest sin came upon the day he rode to the Ghar’kán Oasis, which was held by his enemy, and poisoned the waters there.” There was a collective gasp from the audience, and a woman in the back began to wail. “It was this last act that united the other clans against the [I]karrak[/I]. Four of the greatest tribes united and rode out to do battle against him, for he was mighty and his followers were legion. But at last he was defeated and brought before the Warchiefs in chains along with his most powerful advisors. The Warchiefs did not wish to see the [I]karrak [/I] go to the realm of Grabâkh, for his deeds had not earned him such a reward. Instead, he and his advisors were entombed within Ardara’s cold embrace, far from Grabâkh’s Eye. There he remains, forever denied the glory of Karakor, in a place where no orc may set foot lest they awaken the [I]karrak[/I]. By the Eye and the Axe, this is what I have seen.” The assembled tribe sat in mute silence, contemplating Shara’s words. As they began to disperse, Lanara leaned back and looked at her companions. “Guess where we’re going,” she said. Autumn, sitting next to Tolly, frowned. “I thought we were going to a diamond mine, not a tomb.” “When we first told Keth we needed diamonds, he assumed we just wanted uncut stones,” she explained. “So he mentioned the mines to the south. But these tombs are nearby, and rumored to hold a great amount of wealth, including several cut diamonds of the quality Tolly will need. Now that Keth controls the land on which the tomb lies, he can send us there without anyone knowing. The honor guard will think they’re escorting us to the mines, but we’ll divert our path once they’re gone.” “Doesn’t Keth worry about ‘awakening the [I]karrak’[/I]?” Kavan asked. “Keth is far less superstitious than your average orc,” Lanara said. “And he thinks that after what we did to Orth and his friends, we should be able to handle ourselves. Besides, as he pointed out to me, we’re not orcs, and the legend only says ‘no orc may set foot’ there.” “You seem unusually excited about the prospect of facing danger, Lanara,” commented Arrie. “Well, who could resist? I mean, we’re going into the tomb of someone whose entire existence has been erased! What a song that’ll make! Besides, I have all of you here to protect me.” She drew a few sporadic laughs as most of the party rose and began to make their way to their tents. Soon only Kyle and Lanara remained sitting at the center of the camp. Kyle’s eyes followed Autumn’s back as she walked away, chatting alternately with Kavan and Tolly. “It hurts, doesn’t it?” Lanara said quietly. “I’m sorry?” “My shoulder,” Lanara said. “I said it hurts. I think I pulled something helping lug those lumps across the desert yesterday.” Lanara turned her back to Kyle, and pulled her cloak away from her shoulders. She pointed to her left shoulder. “Be a dear, would you? Xu’s off doing monk things, and you’ve got strong hands.” Kyle sighed and began rubbing her shoulders. Lanara purred and squirmed in delight. “Thank you, Kyle.” “No problem, I guess,” he said. “Hey, you’d better get used to it, my boy,” she said. “One of these days you’ll find yourself a good woman, and you’ll be doing this every day.” Kyle paused for a brief moment. “Sure I will,” he said, with a slight edge in his voice. “No, really! You’re actually quite a catch, Kyle. I mean, you clean up pretty good. Sure, you may have a little trouble remembering which fork to use – or to use a fork at all – but… yow!” Lanara pulled away from Kyle’s pinch for a second before resuming her place. “You have a point, I’m assuming?” Kyle said, though he was smiling. “Just that you’re a good guy, Kyle, and if you want to, you’re going to make someone very happy one day. And don’t let anyone… anyone make you think different.” Lanara stood up suddenly, rotating her right shoulder. “Oh, that feel’s much better, Kyle. A little practice and you’ll give Xu a run for her money.” “Thanks, I guess, I… hey, wait, didn’t you say it was your left shoulder that hurt?” “Did I?” Lanara gasped. “Well, my mistake I guess.” Kyle stood up and brushed sand off his robes. “Lanara, what you were just saying… I hope you aren’t trying to suggest that you… that well we…” “Us?” Lanara said, and then burst into laughter. “Oh, Feesha’s Mercy, no, Kyle! You’re a great guy, but honestly, sweetie, I’d break you within a week.” Lanara dashed off toward the tents, leaving Kyle standing there gaping. [CENTER]* * *[/CENTER] Kavan slowly pulled the tent flap back, nodding to Keth’s honor guard as he passed. He moved inside quickly, and knelt next to a figure lying on the floor. The figure, an orcish female, was covered in numerous burns and healed-over scars. She was barely dressed, and sleeping restlessly. Kavan reached out and gently touched her shoulder. “Good afternoon, Gell,” Kavan said. Gell’s eyes opened slowly. “Ah, my elven benefactor,” she said. “You are back. That must mean Keth approved your request.” Kavan held up a small sack. “Lunch, as I promised,” he said. He opened the sack and began pulling out a few items of food, offering them to the orcish priestess. Kavan had first come to meet Gell on the night of the victory. She’d been in bad shape then, covered in fresh burns. Kavan had healed her, then asked for permission to have lunch with her the next day. Gell had laughed at this – as if the decision were in her hands – but agreed nonetheless. Kavan nodded at Gell’s arms as she ate. “There are a few fresh wounds, I see. Did they question you further last night?” Gell shrugged. “It is no less than I expected. I betrayed Warchief Orth to come here, and they are very untrusting of traitors. But I am too useful to kill, not only for what I know of Orth and his forces, but because I am a priestess of Grabâkh. Keth has, truly told, acted with a great deal of restraint under the circumstances.” “Have any of them… tried to take advantage of you?” Kavan asked. She shook her head. “Not yet. I believe that is part of the ‘restraint’ Keth has ordered. Though I fear what may happen when Keth feels I have no more useful information to give. Then he will care less what happens to me. Most will not touch me, for I am married to Grabâkh, but there are some who will see me as simply another spoil of war. But I will throw myself on their spears before I allow that to happen.” Kavan gasped. “Surely there’s something you can do to protect yourself?” he said. “If I had the opportunity to commune with my god, then perhaps,” Gell said. “But Keth is not stupid. He ensures that my ‘questioning’ begins before dawn, so that I do not have the chance to pray. And of course, he keeps me in this tent, out of sight of Grabâkh’s Eye.” Just then the tent flap opened, and Tolly walked in. Kavan quickly rose and went over to him. “What are you doing here?” he whispered to Tolly. “I want to ask Gell some questions about the Abominations in Orth’s service,” he said. Kavan looked back at Gell, then at Tolly. “Tolly,” he said, placing his hand on the Ardaran’s shoulder, “as a friend, I’m asking you to take it easy on her.” “I have no problem with the followers of Grabâkh,” Tolly said. “No, I mean in your normal way of dealing with others. Perhaps you could use a bit of… softness.” “I’ll take it under advisement,” he said, then walked to the center of the tent and knelt next to Gell. “Ah, the Ardaran priest that helped defeat Orth joins my mysterious benefactor,” Gell said. Tolly looked back at Kavan for a moment. “Benefactor?” Without waiting for an answer, Tolly turned his attention back to Gell. “I wanted to ask you why you came with us back to Keth’s camp.” “Orth was consorting with powers he should not have been,” Gell said. “Takar and Sun-Harrow had managed to dupe most of the lesser priests, as well as Orth, who was always… well, somewhat slow-witted. When you and your companions came and slew them, I knew that I could be free.” “What can you tell me of the ones that Orth consorted with?” asked Tolly. “We have made it our mission to destroy such Abominations. Though they are dead, knowing of their capabilities may help us defeat their allies.” “There is little I can tell you,” Gell admitted. “They came as ‘Heralds of Flame’. Takar literally set the desert on fire and then they walked through it unscathed, proclaiming themselves to be the leaders of the orcish nation. But there was something wrong. They never mentioned Grabâkh, nor did they wear his holy symbols. But Takar did have tremendous control over fire, which is what convinced most of the others.” “It is not unknown for those who are heretics and apostates to be able to mimic the powers of the faithful,” Tolly said. “Did they have anyone they appeared to be communicating with outside the clan?” Gell shook her head. “They came with a very well-formed plan. Takar was clearly in charge, and Sun-Harrow was a bodyguard, though he had a keen mind as well and would often point out things the other would miss. I took steps to eliminate them myself, but was stopped by Sun-Harrow, not because he intercepted my assassins, but because he somehow knew beforehand that they were being sent.” “Do you have any family or friends remaining here?” Kavan asked suddenly. “I know not.” “Will you stay here?” “I have little choice. I will be strong, and I will either join this clan or I will die. Which it will be, Keth has not determined. If he decides to take me as his wife, then I will die.” “Why?” Kavan asked. “Priestesses of Grabakh must remain pure,” Gell said. “Should I be forced to submit, I will throw myself on the spears of the guards. In the eyes of my god, it is no different than being taken by force.” Tolly nodded again, then stood. “I will see if I can have a word with Keth on your behalf,” he said. “In times such as these, we of The Four cannot allow our minor squabbles to keep us from working against the menace of the Abominations.” Gell’s brow furrowed. “This is not the first time you have encountered such things?” “No, it is not.” “That is disturbing. You may wish to inform Warchief Keth of this. The presence of Takar and Sun-Harrow certainly interfered with Keth’s plans before. If he knows that more like them exist, he may wish to leave those who have had experience with them alive.” “Certainly,” Tolly said. “I thank you for speaking with me.” Tolly turned and left the tent. Kavan lingered for a moment, then leaned down to Gell. “I will return tomorrow,” he said. “I may be able to help you remain pure, or at least to punish those who would seek to defile you.” He stood up straight when he saw Gell nod her assent, and left the tent. [CENTER]* * * [/CENTER] Early the next morning, Kyle began to gather the party for a meeting. Osborn stumbled out of the tents of the camp followers, blinking in the sun. “It’s too early,” he complained. “I agree,” Lanara muttered. “Sorry,” said Kyle, “but we all seem to be getting busy later in the day, so I wanted to catch everyone early. We need to talk about what we’re going to be doing after we get Tolly’s diamonds.” The group sat down around a cooking fire, heating up bits of meat as they talked. “So, where do we have to take the diamonds?” “Most likely I’ll have to take them to the Archprelate in Medos,” Tolly said. “The Cathedral of Eminent Order lies in the capital city, M’dos. Unfortunately, it lies on the other side of the continent, which means we either trek across the land to get there, or we return to the coast and hire another ship.” Lanara stuck out her tongue. “No more boats!” “It probably would be a bad idea,” Kyle said. “It’s the middle of winter, and we’d have to sail south into colder climates. I’d rather not deal with winter sea storms.” “And if we go over land, we could go through the Khag Steppes, where my people are from!” Osborn said excitedly. “Hey, maybe we’d even run into my troupe! You could all meet my mom!” “Couldn’t you just send the diamonds from here?” asked Xu. “The only form of delivery I’d trust would be to summon another one of Ardara’s servants,” Tolly explained. “And it would require an expenditure of time and life-force I’m reluctant to part with now. Besides, if I summoned an archon it might be subjected to some form of humiliating act by my companions.” Tolly then glanced at Arrie. “I can’t believe that you petted an archon.” “It was a reverent pet,” Arrie protested. “Well, anyway,” Kyle said. “Going to Medos might not be such a bad idea. Maybe we can get some more information from the libraries there about these psionics and pre-Cataclysm times; somebody had to have kept some records.” “You are from Medos, are you not?” Tolly asked Kavan. The elven priest nodded. “Then so, in theory, is your son Marrek. We know that he is somehow connected to Xerxes. Perhaps we might find clues to allow us to track him down.” “You know, I think I’d like to know Erito’s opinion on these psionic items,” Kyle said to Kavan. “We already know her opinion,” Tolly said flatly. “They are Abominations and should be destroyed, along with their tainted items. Immediately.” “No, that’s Ardara’s opinion,” said Kyle. “I’d like to have Kavan confirm that Erito feels the same way before I assume anything. I think that since it seems we keep running into these psionics, that we should pursue it further. But if the gods are wanting us to deal with the problem, they could at least give us a bit of advice.” “As arrogant as that sounds, Kyle,” Tolly said, “I’m forced to agree that some guidance would be helpful.” Kyle opened his mouth to speak, but Autumn, looking for some way to head off another argument between them, pointed at a large pavilion tent going up just outside of camp. “What’s going on?” she asked. “I don’t know,” Lanara said. “Let’s go find out.” The party rose and walked toward the pavilion, where several orcs were busy laying out blankets. Standing nearby supervising was Keth, wearing the plate armor that was once worn by Sun-Harrow. As the party approached, they were met by the Faceless One. “Ah, good, you’re here.” The Faceless One reached into a sack, and pulled out a small round stone with the orcish rune for the number ten carved into it. “This is your token for your group,” he said, handing it to Lanara. “Token for what?” she asked. “For the division of spoils. Tokens are given out to each unit based upon rank and merit. It signifies the order in which each unit will enter the pavilion and be allowed to collect their share of the spoils.” The Faceless One nodded toward Keth. “Obviously, the Warchief and his command staff have already made their selections. It’s a good system, really; most orcish tribes settle for a ‘first-come, first-serve’ approach that leads to several fights, and consequently, a slightly larger pile of spoils. Usually the spoils are laid out inside the Warchief’s tent, but Orth commanded a very wealthy clan.” “When does all this start?” Osborn asked. “Later today. Come when you hear the horns blow. When it is your turn, you will have five minutes to search through the spoils for what you want. You should know it is considered poor sport to simply collect everything you can carry out of the tent. Your position in the lottery ensures you a certain quality of treasure, not quantity.” “We’ll keep that in mind,” Lanara said. The party returned to the camp. Once there, Autumn went into her tent and pulled out a large bundle, handing it to Tolly. When he unwrapped it, he saw it was the crystalline greataxe the orcish barbarian had used in the ambush, the one that was charged with psionic energy. Tolly looked at Autumn curiously. “Kyle gave it to me,” she said. “He’s learned all he can from it. He says it’s relatively benign.” “Nothing about these things are benign,” Tolly said curtly. “I think he meant that its properties weren’t very unusual. The point is that he gave it to me to give to you, so you can destroy it.” Tolly beamed. “Most excellent. Will you assist me, Autumn? I need to make sure that not so much as a single sliver of this unholy relic is left behind.” [CENTER]* * *[/CENTER] The huge pavilion tent was nearly bursting with the many treasures looted from Orth. They were spread out on rugs and blankets, hung from pegs in the tent poles, and collected in piles in the corners. The heat inside the pavilion was uncomfortable; all of the walls had been enclosed to ensure the privacy of those inside, leaving no way for air to circulate. In the end it had taken most of the day to set up the pavilion, and so the sun was setting by the time the first squad went inside. Now the party was inside, spread out while they picked through the stacks of weapons, armor, and other treasures. The only other person inside the pavilion was the Faceless One, who stood near the entrance next to a large hourglass that marked the time they had remaining to choose. Lanara sidled up to Autumn as she regarded a magical helmet. Keth’s mages had worked non-stop to identify most of the magical goods found in Orth’s camp, and each one had been tagged with a strip of cloth marked with runes denoting its function. “See anything you like?” Lanara asked casually. “One or two things,” Autumn replied, not looking up. “Yeah, it can be so hard to choose, can’t it?” Autumn nodded her agreement before putting the helmet down and picking up a set of gauntlets nearby. “I mean, at least we’re all in the same boat here, right?” Lanara pointed across the tent. “Take those two, for example.” Autumn glanced over to where Lanara pointed. Tolly and Kyle were standing close to each other, considering separate items. Kyle was trying on a large leather belt, while Tolly held up a platinum medallion on a silver chain. “I mean, you can tell a lot about a person by the choices they make. Kyle, there, he’s got something kind of rough, but practical. I’m sure with a little work it’ll clean up real nice, though. Tolly, on the other hand, is going for the polished, more impressive piece. Useful, if a bit obvious.” “Is there a point you’re trying to make, Lanara?” Autumn was getting slightly irritated that the bard was wasting what little time they had chatting instead of looking through the piles. “Not really, just saying it would be hard to choose between them. But I’m sure it’d be easy for you.” Autumn ignored Lanara at first, but then something about the cansin’s words made her pause. She looked up to say something, but Lanara was long gone, now chatting up Osborn. * * * The party left five days after their battle with Orth. They were sent on their way by a joyful and cheering mob of orcs, as well as a speech from Keth thanking them for their aid. Osborn proudly displayed the clan token he wore that marked him as a clan brother, apparently part of some agreement he had with Keth after their success in capturing his brother. Keth sent an honor guard of ten lancers with the group to escort them to the diamond mines, as well as one of the apprentice warsingers, who was charged to learn all he could of the psionic Abominations and their abilities. The wide-eyed, youthful orc warsinger immediately gravitated toward Lanara, who proceeded to fill his head with dozens of off-color ballads. On their first day out, during the daily stop to avoid the worst of the desert’s heat, Tolly approached Kavan. “I noticed that you went to Keth’s tent this morning before we left. Did Gell tell you anything else that was relevant?” “I didn’t go to Gell to ask questions,” Kavan replied. “I went to offer her some help.” Tolly’s brow furrowed. “You did know that Keth has decided to accept Gell into his tribe, correct?” “Yes, Gell told me that herself. But not everyone in Keth’s tribe may choose to recognize that. I only wished to make sure she could still serve her god.” “What do you mean by that?” “I gave her some protection against anyone who might wish to violate her.” “Kavan,” Tolly said slowly, “you do know that if Keth’s men find a weapon on her, it will not go well for her? Keth may be willing to accept her, but she is still a prisoner.” “I didn’t say I gave her a weapon,” Kavan said. “I scribed a glyph.” “Why would you do that?” Tolly said loudly. “There are men who will need to enter that tent for other reasons than to question Gell! I don’t think they deserve to die for that!” “Tolly, Tolly,” Kavan said, smiling. “I didn’t scribe the glyph on the entrance. Well… not the tent entrance, at least.” It took Tolly a moment to catch the elf’s meaning. His eyes went wide as buckler shields. “You didn’t.” “I did.” “You… you couldn’t.” “Actually, it wasn’t that difficult. As you might remember, I do have some familiarity with the female body.” Tolly stammered for a moment before Kavan laid his hand on the human’s forearm. “Tolly, relax. The glyph will do nothing unless someone tries to force themselves on Gell. And should she decide she is willing, she knows the command word to deactivate it. Though I doubt she would do that, as that would mean betraying Grabâkh. Should it happen to be activated, it should serve as a strong reminder to the rest of the camp that Gell is the bride of Grabâkh.” Tolly could only walk away, shaking his head. Two more days passed uneventfully. Occasionally they would see riders on the horizon, but they were either some of Keth’s scouts, who would then ride up to exchange news with the captain of the lancers, or the unknown rider would see the banners being flown by the orcish escort and would quickly vanish over a dune, never to be seen again. On the afternoon of the fourth day, the group was sprawled out over the sand, struggling to capture as much of the meager shade as they could as the sun beat down from high over their heads. Though the morning’s ride had not been hard, the group was weary, and soon dozed off, trusting to the sentries to alert them to danger. The indistinct gray behind their eyelids resolved itself into a most unexpected scene. Each person in the party found themselves standing on a balcony overlooking the ocean, with rolling storm clouds overhead. They were dressed in their normal clothing, but none of them had weapons or armor. The balcony connected to a house constructed of gray granite blocks. The floor of the balcony was a red slate tile, and the railing appeared made of a weatherworn hardwood. The group almost immediately realized this was no ordinary dream, since they were all together and apparently in control of their faculties. “Where are we?” Autumn asked. “How did we…” she shuddered involuntarily as memories suddenly flooded her. The others were experiencing similar sensations. A long-forgotten dream, of a shipwrecked crew on an island ruled by a strange being who forced them to live in each other’s bodies, suddenly became very real to them, and they all knew instantly that it had really happened to them. “Can someone help me break off the end of this?” Arrie said, grabbing onto the railing and starting to pull. Tolly walked over and had it half out of its posts before someone said something. “Excuse me?” They all turned to see an elderly man approaching. He wore white robes with a golden belt. His hair, once red but turning to white, fluttered in the coastal breeze. His eyes sparkled with intelligence. “Excuse me,” he repeated, “but would you mind not… well, I guess that’s my fault.” He sighed. “I did bring you here, and I apologize for not warning you. I would ask that you not destroy my home, but I understand how you are somewhat tense and off-guard right now.” Tolly turned to face the old man, while Autumn moved in front of Arrie in a defensive stance. “I’m sorry,” said Arrie, putting the section of railing down, “but the last time something like this happened to us, things got… weird.” “Very.” Tolly asserted. “Oh, you’ve run into Jak, then,” the old man said. “He was one of my former students, who deceived me.” “He called himself Lord Momuus,” Xu said. “Yes, that would be Jak.” “So, there are more of you running around?” Lanara asked. “It’s a long story,” the man explained, “and frankly I don’t have a lot of time to tell it. I have perhaps an hour during which no one can look in on us. I would like to offer you the hospitality of my home. There are some things that need to be explained. I have some tea available, as well as some small sandwiches. I may have some wine, as well, if anyone wishes it.” “And you are?” Tolly asked suspiciously. “My name is Aran.” ------------------------------- Ah, the 'Lanara decides to screw with the Love Triangle' adventure. A few things happened in the background during this period which probably bear explaining. After Tolly and Arrie spoke (detailed in the last post), Arrie finds Autumn and tells her flat out that Tolly's intending to court her. THis leads to some conflict for Autumn, and she ends up finding Kyle and essentially giving him the 'let's just be friends' speech - she needs time to decide who she should choose, though Autumn doesn't tell Kyle about Tolly. So, as of right now Kyle and Tolly are still unaware of their mutual interest in Autumn, which is probably good given the growing tension between them. Don't worry, folks, it's not too much longer before this all comes out in the open. And for those whose stomachs turn at all this 'Days of our Lives' romance crap, I'll reassure you by saying that it really becomes more of a background thing as time goes on. [/QUOTE]
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