Caerth feels refreshed after a short rest at the local shrine, and although he has never been there before, it feels familiar somehow. He wonders why his mentor told him not to go there, but only for a moment. There is work to do.
In seclusion, the half-orc performs his daily druidic rituals that he has known since early childhood; rituals that symbolize the respect for and connection with nature, wherever it may be found. With his hand, he digs a small hole in the ground; with the other he drops a seed from his pouch into the hole, spits a big glob after it, and running his little finger across the fine edge of his bone spear, Caerth finally draws two drops of his own blood to mix with the seed, spit and earth. The words, a mixture of Sylvan and the language of druids, are never the same but always the right ones for the day.
He suspects that the power lies not in the words or the components, but the very ritual itself, but Caerth has never tested that idea. Instead, he seems to know instinctively what to do and say, and today, as always, he is rewarded with powerful magics.
More powerful than before, even.
Curious but grateful, the half-orc first sets out to survey the area between the village and where the enemy will arrive. It would’ve been faster if Screech was helping, but he had already sent the owl to find the half-elven druidess and request her help.
Nevertheless, Caerth uses his refreshed magic to set various traps and prepare the very land against the coming threat.
When he is satisfied, he returns to the village proper to tell them of his preparations and how his spells can help during the fight.
Once he returns to the village, he finds that Aureus has returned from her foray out to the farms of the young Bowens. The two guards have returned with Meridith's mother and Wieland's parents along with a few horses. Wieland's father was badly hurt by some rooks but Aureus managed to help the man survive. She helps Wieland find a spot for the man in the inn. While Meridith escorts her mother and aunt to the manor to seek shelter there.
He finds Maur working to call everyone of power to council at the manor to make a plan. Sir Ghal helps rally everyone to the dwarf's idea and plans to leave Elijah in charge of preparing the villages defenses while the council is going on. Caerth hears work being done at the lumber yard. There is talk among the guards about building a wooden palisade that will be used to block the exit of the cave the horde will soon arrive through. The work is going quickly. The villagers are giving it there all.
"I need to rest first," Aureus insists to Sir Ghal.
"My ring will allow me to refresh myself quickly and regain the few spells I have."
Sir Ghal relents, and Aureus heads off in the direction of the shrine. "Tell Angus that we'll need him soon. He headed off in that direction a while ago." He motions for Caerth to come with him and Maur to the manor. "We need to form a war council and make some plans."
Caerth knows Angus is still feeling the effects of rushing back to the village, so he tells Sir Ghal he will be there later once he's helped the centaur fight off his fatigue.
"Very well, but don't take too long. Quinn has already gone to see Lady Pendour to ask about a rumor about some nearby monks. Just wild talk during a night of drinking a week ago."
JustinCase said:
Then he finds Angus resting at the shrine. Caerth studies the centaur for a moment.
He means well, the half-orc muses, not yet willing to let go of his anger at Aeron but trying to separate it from the warrior who fought ghouls with him.
A low grumble and a flower petal sprinkled over the horse-part, and he sees Angus breath a bit easier.
|
OOC:
|
Casting the spells described in the OOC thread.
|
|
Curled up next to Angus, Caerth also finds Aureus sleeping next to the centaur. Once he's helped the centaur, he leaves his two companions to rest and prepare for the battle to come. Looking at the sun, he can see that it will set soon.
The half-orc druid thinks about the old shrine on his way back into Carnell and thinks about Aeron's dedication to not only nature, but also the North God known as the Daghdha. Aeron had hoped Caerth would become a devotee of the Horned God but hadn't objected for the more traditional teachings of druidism. In fact, he'd been pleased. The Daghdha is as much a god of rural life and farming as he is a god of the wilderness. Still, Caerth knew that the North God seems to favor him for his choice to be a champion of the wild and not the god's church.
Siweard always worships the North Gods in the traditional way of the northern lands and the old adept was the one who Aeron had teach Caerth how to track. The half-orc druid quickly outpaced the old human and was soon teaching Siweard.
He finds his way to the manor as the villagers work to transport the palisade to the cavemouth. Wieland takes charge of that part of the plan while Meridith heads off with Timmins and the small militia patrol to try to find Sir Gareth and Quinten. Hopefully, their prisoner didn't manage to escape.
.. .. ..
Cruel Justice telepathically agrees with Quinn as Lady Pendour knights the man.
Quinn's heart is about to swell out of his chest at the duel approval of Lady Pendour and Cruel Justice!
.. .. ..
"My Lady, In my time of training with the troops, I heard tell of a monastery in the area. In the arena I have fought both with and against Monks, and let it be known that I would much prefer to fight with them and never again against them. Their skills in fighting are revered by any who have seen them in battle, for there is a skill that is drawn from within that goes beyond training that they have tapped into. Finding them is not going to be easy, as they are keeping themselves from common knowledge and I seek your permission to ask your scribe if he might know of this reclusive group?"
Lady Pendour looks Quinn straight in the eye.
"They exist. However, they are unlikely to help the village. They never agreed with my husband on matters of... expansion for Carnell. They even opposed him openly once a few years ago. Peregrine agreed to stop building more farms to the northeast in return for them not recruiting our citizens for their monastery." She sighs.
"They aren't pacifists by any means and their leader, Maximin, is an... unpleasant fellow who uses the law of the Strandlands to his advantage. Sir Quinn, do not go stir up that hornet's nest or spread knowledge of the monastery among the people. It was kept secret for reason. Gangrell can tell you more, but it's not important right now."
Maur and Sir Ghal enter the chapel along with the old adept, Siweard. He has taken a break from helping the wounded at the inn. without Maur's help, the village would have lost more people. "Lady Pendour, I can't do any more today," he says wheezing. "I'm not as young as I used to be."
"It is fine, Siweard," she replies.
"Go and rest now. I'm sure Mr. Deepdelver can look after the wounded."
"Did you find out anything about these ethereal monks of yours, Sir Quinn?" Sir Ghal notes Quinn's new sash. "I see Lady Pendour went ahead with your knighting. Congratulations! We'll have to have a celebration once these blasted cultists are dealt with."
"I have explained to Sir Quinn that there are no monks," Lady Pendour says with a exasperated look of her face. She lies to The Guardian with ease and shows no signs of discomfort at the topic.
"Let us focus on real help, shall we?"
"I have begun the centaur's plan of building a palisade to block the exit of this sea cave to the north. Hopefully that is the only path for this army of undead. Caerth has told me of his own plans and the spells he's prepared. It will help slow them down."
"And where is he? He should be here," she insists.
"He is at the shrine, my lady," Sir Ghal replies. "He will be here soon. He went to help ease the centaur's wounds. Aureus had gone out to the two Bowen farms with Meridith and Wieland. She managed to save Wieland's father and his and Meridith's mother were unhurt. Wieland's father is resting at the inn." Sir Ghal pauses. "We really should move the wounded here as soon as possible, my lady. The inn is not defendable."
"The manor is not a castle, Sir Ghal," Lady Pendour says.
"If these attackers break through the lines of our defenders, I doubt the manor's defenses will be any better than inn's. Besides, I have another plan. We evacuate the village."
"
Lady Pendour, we cannot flee! If you leave the village to razed to the ground, you will lose this lordship!" Sir Ghal exclaims loudly.
"Do not give up hope that we can win! Yes, if it was just me, the soldiers, and the militia, we wouldn't stand a chance, but with Sir Quinn, Caerth, Maur, and the others, we can win!"
"I will not risk the lives of the people of Carnell on hope, Sir Ghal!" She shouts the knight down.
"You will do as I say!" She pauses and he nods.
"And... I am not abandoning Carnell. You and your soldiers, the bulk of the militia, and these fine heroes will stay and protect the village, but I'm ordering you all to not throw your lives away for some buildings that can be rebuilt. The moment I read the note Caerth and Phar sent to us I sent word out to the farms and ranches for the people to make plans to evacuate to Fort Symas. I did the same for the people already in the manor. They are ready to go, now. The wounded will be transported using the few covered wagons my husband had made for such a contingency, and all available horses will be used to pull them. It will be a difficult journey, but I must protect the people. My position in the Strandlands isn't important."
Caerth walks into the manor's chapel. He heard Sir Ghal and Lady Pendour yelling out in the hall.
She sighs
"The senate was never going to let me keep these lands anyway. I am not a warrior like my husband and neither is my daughter or her fiancée. I'm glad she's already on her way to Belporte and won't be here for this battle."
Sir Ghal looks like he's going to say something else but one look from Lady Pendour has him looking at his feet. She turns to looks at Maur and Quinn.
"I know you probably object, but my decision is final. I hope you are up for a delaying action against this horde. Destroy as much of it as you can, and if by some miracle you win the day, it will be a simple thing for the villagers to come back. I do not want them here if they cannot fight. That, I'm afraid, is most of them. They are either too young or too old."
"What about the palisade?" Sir Ghal asks.
"Those skilled enough to help will have to stay and finish it," Lady Pendour says.
"If they have time to flee afterwards, they should do so. If there isn't time, I will give them sanctuary here."
"You're not going, are you?" The knight says, worried.
"I must not leave my place as Lady of Carnell. It is the law of the land but that doesn't mean I'm going to watch my people get slaughtered."
OOC: Siweard is an 68 year old human. Caerth knows that Aeron is only around 5 years younger but in a lot better shape.
