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Explorer
47—Home Again, Home Again.
The six figures stand outside the golden doors—Taran with his hands on his knees, still trying to fully gather his breath after taking a vicious blow from Gutlhais. Indianichus examines the writing on the doors, using a light spell to ward off the long shadows from the cliff walls. Kyreel, Thelbar, Ahl-Ithevia and Elminster stand huddled, discussing the implications of recent events. Khelben had excused himself immediately after exiting the demi-plane, and citing pressing business, teleported into the ethers.
Elminster proves himself more of a gentleman than his arrogant companion, and takes the arm of the elderly elven holy woman, leading her toward the party’s nearby campsite. As they walk, he tells the group of how he came to find himself the blood-slave of an elven vampire.
Khelben had contacted him a week ago, and told him that there was a cult making noise in Waterdeep about the mystery of the new stars—claiming that they were responsible, and that the stars heralded the return of an ancient elven goddess. Worse yet, the rumor was that this cult was preaching an anti-elven agenda, speaking out against the return of the elves to Faerun. Elminster, always known to be an elf-friend, and widely rumored (true, he asserts) to be one of the primary architects of the Elven Return, determined to look in to the matter, and if there was any trouble, to deal with it.
He conferred with his goddess through potent divinations, and asked her to name the one person unaffiliated with the cult who knows or will know the most about their history, goals and practices. He was given Ahl-Ithevia, a name he had recognized immediately for her prominent role within her church. But Ahl-Ithevia’s superiors could not produce her, and told Elminster that she had gone alone to the Great Scar. Unobserved, he discovered her arguing the golden doors and determined that whatever lay beyond, it would be better for everyone if he crossed the boundary, rather than wait for an elven religious debate to be concluded! “After all,” he says, “despite rumors to the contrary, I won’t live forever.”
He contacted Khelbin Blackstaff, and confident that they would prove more than a match for whatever they might find on the other side of the golden doors, he wished the two of them into the heart of the matter. Literally.
Gulthais fell upon them, and without access to their magics, the two most famous wizards of Faerun were essentially helpless. Gutlthais had drained them leisurely for days, but surely would have soon killed them both. Elminster the Sage of Shadowdale, and Khelben Arunsun owe the party their lives.
For their part, Thelbar and Kyreel explain the truth of the new stars, and their role in returning them. They tell their stunned audience about the Risen Goddess, her relationship to the elven pantheon, and her new role as the creator of the pasoun.
Ahl-Ithevia is shocked speechless. After several silent hours where she either meditates or prays, she thanks the group for their assistance, and uses a word of recall to travel home. Elminster as well, regards the group with a canny expression and takes his leave, promising to be in touch. Before he disappears, he says “If I can ever be of assistance to you—just call on me.”
The four Champions of the Risen Goddess look at one another, then prepare to head home.
“Hey Thel,” Taran says, “you forgot to ask him about your mage-fair.”
Thelbar smiles to himself and pats his brother on the shoulder. “Oh, I won’t have to ask his permission for anything ever again, brother.”
-----
Within days, Thelbar has begun construction of his mage’s college at Mistledale. Taran has returned to the steady ritual of training his Riders, and Kyreel and Indy fall to crafting magic items. Kyreel enhances the weapons and armor of the Champions, and presents Taran with a sun blade—a bastard sword identical to Black Lisa in size and mass, but magically light. The sun blade is balanced like a shorter weapon, allowing Taran to wield it in his off hand. He names his new sword Little Sister, and takes to gleefully engaging his top lieutenants in live-edge sparring matches. His select group of top-shelf warriors begins making a reputation for themselves as unusually hard men, and tenacious combatants.
Thelbar crafts a robe of the archmagi for himself, deigning not to name it, but assuring the group that his enemies will have more to fear now than ever before. Kyreel crafts a bastard sword for herself, a flaming, holy weapon.
In all, the group spends three months researching spells, training, crafting magic items, and in the case of Taran, staying drunk and cavorting with Jhanira Barasstan, the local priestess of Chauntea. Juron and Glim slowly adapt to life as domestic servants, for despite their role helping Taran to train the Riders of Mistledale, they spend the majority of their time keeping up the adventurer’s household, and running errands.
After this three-month span, Indy announces that he can no longer remain with the group. He is incensed that the party has brushed aside his repeated assertions that his lady-love Evaliegh is in need of assistance. He announces that if his so-called adventuring companions won’t fly to his aid, he will go it alone. That next morning, Indy leaves for the gate to Greyhawk, and vows not to return until he has found a cure for Evaliegh’s condition.
------
As the mage’s college takes shape, Thelbar and Kyreel are able to arrange for the teleportation of the entirety of Palatin Eremath’s Waterdhavian faithful to Mistledale, and provide for their living quarters.
The party establishes Mistledale as the permanent home for Palatin Eremath’s church in Faerun. Of course, the church brings with it the statue of the Risen Goddess, liberated from Undermountain, and build an appropriate shrine for the artifact. The folk of Mistledale are uneasy with the presence of Palatin Eremath worshipping drow in their midst, but in light of the recent peace, come to an uneasy acceptance of their new townsfolk.
Another month passes by uneventfully, and spring gives way to fall, but one evening the entire town leaves their homes to witness a massive celestial phenomenon—a huge spark shower fills the night sky with a mysterious glowing light, and while no two people can agree on its meaning, everyone who sees the shower is filled with a sense that they have just witnessed something grand.
The next morning, Taran, Thelbar and Kyreel are informed that they have visitors. As they gather in their parlor, they are greeted by Elminster of Shadowdale, along with a pair of doughty-looking adventurers wearing cloak-pins that identify them as Harpers, members of Faerun’s mysterious intelligence network.
After greetings are exchanged, and the group updates Elminster on their recent activities, Taran asks him, “so what’s with the bodyguards?”
Elminster replies that shortly after the group rescued him from the Heart of Nightfang Spire, he was set upon by none other than Klauth, an ancient red dragon, said to be the oldest and most foul of his kind walking the earth. Elminster tells them that he was able to escape the encounter with his life, but only by the barest of margins, and has determined to travel with companions by his side for the time being.
The real reason for his visit is revealed when he asks pointedly what the group knows about the spark showers of the night before. Thelbar explains that he knows nothing more than any other witness to the event, and Elminster seems satisfied with the answer. He goes on, however, to relate several other mysterious happenings that took place at the same time.
Apparently, there is a second new star in the night sky, this one very near to the star of Palatin Eremath. This of course, causes men of wisdom to assume that the two events are related, and brought Elminster here. In addition to the second star’s appearance, mariners off the coast near Waterdeep witnessed another portent. A huge school of whales surfaced and began an eerie song that lasted for the entire night. In the High Forest, Harpers adventuring there reported that the trees themselves spoke the phrase “Praise be Palatin Eremath. Sharlequannan is reborn.”
The high priest of Palatin Eremath is summoned, but can add nothing to the discussion. The name of Sharlaquannan is unknown to the faith of the Risen Goddess. If the goddess is sending portents to the mortal realm, she is not favoring her chosen with any unique insight.
Elminster thanks the group for its time, and sits down to a meal before he leaves. During the meal, one of Elminster’s bodyguards approaches Taran, Thelbar and Kyreel with an offer of membership in the Harpers. The organization, he says, are always on the lookout for capable adventurers who seem intent on furthering the cause of good, and the Champions of the Risen Goddess are considered prime candidates by no less august a personage as Khelbin Blackstaff himself. The group thanks the man for the compliment, and says that they will take it into consideration, but likely will decline, claiming that their time is not their own, and it is the will of Palatin Eremath that sets their agenda.
After the meal, Elminster and his group take their leave, Juron and Glim return to their interrupted drinking binge, and Taran returns to Jhanira to brag about his invitation.
The six figures stand outside the golden doors—Taran with his hands on his knees, still trying to fully gather his breath after taking a vicious blow from Gutlhais. Indianichus examines the writing on the doors, using a light spell to ward off the long shadows from the cliff walls. Kyreel, Thelbar, Ahl-Ithevia and Elminster stand huddled, discussing the implications of recent events. Khelben had excused himself immediately after exiting the demi-plane, and citing pressing business, teleported into the ethers.
Elminster proves himself more of a gentleman than his arrogant companion, and takes the arm of the elderly elven holy woman, leading her toward the party’s nearby campsite. As they walk, he tells the group of how he came to find himself the blood-slave of an elven vampire.
Khelben had contacted him a week ago, and told him that there was a cult making noise in Waterdeep about the mystery of the new stars—claiming that they were responsible, and that the stars heralded the return of an ancient elven goddess. Worse yet, the rumor was that this cult was preaching an anti-elven agenda, speaking out against the return of the elves to Faerun. Elminster, always known to be an elf-friend, and widely rumored (true, he asserts) to be one of the primary architects of the Elven Return, determined to look in to the matter, and if there was any trouble, to deal with it.
He conferred with his goddess through potent divinations, and asked her to name the one person unaffiliated with the cult who knows or will know the most about their history, goals and practices. He was given Ahl-Ithevia, a name he had recognized immediately for her prominent role within her church. But Ahl-Ithevia’s superiors could not produce her, and told Elminster that she had gone alone to the Great Scar. Unobserved, he discovered her arguing the golden doors and determined that whatever lay beyond, it would be better for everyone if he crossed the boundary, rather than wait for an elven religious debate to be concluded! “After all,” he says, “despite rumors to the contrary, I won’t live forever.”
He contacted Khelbin Blackstaff, and confident that they would prove more than a match for whatever they might find on the other side of the golden doors, he wished the two of them into the heart of the matter. Literally.
Gulthais fell upon them, and without access to their magics, the two most famous wizards of Faerun were essentially helpless. Gutlthais had drained them leisurely for days, but surely would have soon killed them both. Elminster the Sage of Shadowdale, and Khelben Arunsun owe the party their lives.
For their part, Thelbar and Kyreel explain the truth of the new stars, and their role in returning them. They tell their stunned audience about the Risen Goddess, her relationship to the elven pantheon, and her new role as the creator of the pasoun.
Ahl-Ithevia is shocked speechless. After several silent hours where she either meditates or prays, she thanks the group for their assistance, and uses a word of recall to travel home. Elminster as well, regards the group with a canny expression and takes his leave, promising to be in touch. Before he disappears, he says “If I can ever be of assistance to you—just call on me.”
The four Champions of the Risen Goddess look at one another, then prepare to head home.
“Hey Thel,” Taran says, “you forgot to ask him about your mage-fair.”
Thelbar smiles to himself and pats his brother on the shoulder. “Oh, I won’t have to ask his permission for anything ever again, brother.”
-----
Within days, Thelbar has begun construction of his mage’s college at Mistledale. Taran has returned to the steady ritual of training his Riders, and Kyreel and Indy fall to crafting magic items. Kyreel enhances the weapons and armor of the Champions, and presents Taran with a sun blade—a bastard sword identical to Black Lisa in size and mass, but magically light. The sun blade is balanced like a shorter weapon, allowing Taran to wield it in his off hand. He names his new sword Little Sister, and takes to gleefully engaging his top lieutenants in live-edge sparring matches. His select group of top-shelf warriors begins making a reputation for themselves as unusually hard men, and tenacious combatants.
Thelbar crafts a robe of the archmagi for himself, deigning not to name it, but assuring the group that his enemies will have more to fear now than ever before. Kyreel crafts a bastard sword for herself, a flaming, holy weapon.
In all, the group spends three months researching spells, training, crafting magic items, and in the case of Taran, staying drunk and cavorting with Jhanira Barasstan, the local priestess of Chauntea. Juron and Glim slowly adapt to life as domestic servants, for despite their role helping Taran to train the Riders of Mistledale, they spend the majority of their time keeping up the adventurer’s household, and running errands.
After this three-month span, Indy announces that he can no longer remain with the group. He is incensed that the party has brushed aside his repeated assertions that his lady-love Evaliegh is in need of assistance. He announces that if his so-called adventuring companions won’t fly to his aid, he will go it alone. That next morning, Indy leaves for the gate to Greyhawk, and vows not to return until he has found a cure for Evaliegh’s condition.
------
As the mage’s college takes shape, Thelbar and Kyreel are able to arrange for the teleportation of the entirety of Palatin Eremath’s Waterdhavian faithful to Mistledale, and provide for their living quarters.
The party establishes Mistledale as the permanent home for Palatin Eremath’s church in Faerun. Of course, the church brings with it the statue of the Risen Goddess, liberated from Undermountain, and build an appropriate shrine for the artifact. The folk of Mistledale are uneasy with the presence of Palatin Eremath worshipping drow in their midst, but in light of the recent peace, come to an uneasy acceptance of their new townsfolk.
Another month passes by uneventfully, and spring gives way to fall, but one evening the entire town leaves their homes to witness a massive celestial phenomenon—a huge spark shower fills the night sky with a mysterious glowing light, and while no two people can agree on its meaning, everyone who sees the shower is filled with a sense that they have just witnessed something grand.
The next morning, Taran, Thelbar and Kyreel are informed that they have visitors. As they gather in their parlor, they are greeted by Elminster of Shadowdale, along with a pair of doughty-looking adventurers wearing cloak-pins that identify them as Harpers, members of Faerun’s mysterious intelligence network.
After greetings are exchanged, and the group updates Elminster on their recent activities, Taran asks him, “so what’s with the bodyguards?”
Elminster replies that shortly after the group rescued him from the Heart of Nightfang Spire, he was set upon by none other than Klauth, an ancient red dragon, said to be the oldest and most foul of his kind walking the earth. Elminster tells them that he was able to escape the encounter with his life, but only by the barest of margins, and has determined to travel with companions by his side for the time being.
The real reason for his visit is revealed when he asks pointedly what the group knows about the spark showers of the night before. Thelbar explains that he knows nothing more than any other witness to the event, and Elminster seems satisfied with the answer. He goes on, however, to relate several other mysterious happenings that took place at the same time.
Apparently, there is a second new star in the night sky, this one very near to the star of Palatin Eremath. This of course, causes men of wisdom to assume that the two events are related, and brought Elminster here. In addition to the second star’s appearance, mariners off the coast near Waterdeep witnessed another portent. A huge school of whales surfaced and began an eerie song that lasted for the entire night. In the High Forest, Harpers adventuring there reported that the trees themselves spoke the phrase “Praise be Palatin Eremath. Sharlequannan is reborn.”
The high priest of Palatin Eremath is summoned, but can add nothing to the discussion. The name of Sharlaquannan is unknown to the faith of the Risen Goddess. If the goddess is sending portents to the mortal realm, she is not favoring her chosen with any unique insight.
Elminster thanks the group for its time, and sits down to a meal before he leaves. During the meal, one of Elminster’s bodyguards approaches Taran, Thelbar and Kyreel with an offer of membership in the Harpers. The organization, he says, are always on the lookout for capable adventurers who seem intent on furthering the cause of good, and the Champions of the Risen Goddess are considered prime candidates by no less august a personage as Khelbin Blackstaff himself. The group thanks the man for the compliment, and says that they will take it into consideration, but likely will decline, claiming that their time is not their own, and it is the will of Palatin Eremath that sets their agenda.
After the meal, Elminster and his group take their leave, Juron and Glim return to their interrupted drinking binge, and Taran returns to Jhanira to brag about his invitation.
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