Last Stand of the Dorinthians (Final Chapter)

[Deuce Traveler]

Eroll looks into the faces of Dartis and Silas and realizes that they speak the truth. He walks quietly past, cradles Ulavree, and kisses the crone on the lips as she closes her eyes for the final time. He then lifts her to the field that the group had fought the elves in, where Caramip and Sanmar still watch over the captured elves.

The party watches silently as he works quickly, gathering enough firewood within an hour to make a mighty pyre. The large man lights it with flint until the wood creates an eight-foot tall inferno, picks up his fallen love, nods to Sanmar, and walks into the flames without uttering a sound. As you and the astonished elves watch him fall and the fire cover the two forms Sanmar murmurs, "And now two more are gone as they realize that the world is no longer a place for them. Even if the Dorinthians survive this, they will no longer be the same people and their gods will either change or cease as do their most ancient beliefs. What will we be at the end of this journey, I wonder?"

 

[Fenris]

Eroll looks into the faces of Dartis and Silas and realizes that they speak the truth. He walks quietly past, cradles Ulavree, and kisses the crone on the lips as she closes her eyes for the final time. He then lifts her to the field that the group had fought the elves in, where Caramip and Sanmar still watch over the captured elves.

The party watches silently as he works quickly, gathering enough firewood within an hour to make a mighty pyre. The large man lights it with flint until the wood creates an eight-foot tall inferno, picks up his fallen love, nods to Sanmar, and walks into the flames without uttering a sound. As you and the astonished elves watch him fall and the fire cover the two forms Sanmar murmurs, "And now two more are gone as they realize that the world is no longer a place for them. Even if the Dorinthians survive this, they will no longer be the same people and their gods will either change or cease as do their most ancient beliefs. What will we be at the end of this journey, I wonder?"

Dartis weeps as he watches the pyre. He had fought beside Eroll, he was a comrade, he had helped save lives, and now he was gone. Sanmar's words are and even greater shock to him, knocking him to his knees, wondering whatt his road still had in store for him, if he could even save his people at all, or if they would still be his people at the end of the brambled path.

Dartis took some small measure of hope, as much as Eroll and Ularvee were a part of Dorinthian culture and tradition, none could surpass the role of the Rider, and so long as he stood, so would stand the Dorinthian people.

 

[GlassEye]

The spectacle of the passing of two gods shocks Silas into stony silence. He stands apart from everyone else and watches the fire. Sanmar's words, "...two more are gone...", reaches his ears and he thinks of his last vision of Matrial. Now certain that she is included in that number, tears finally course down Silas' face.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Caramip uses up a large number of charges from her wand to fully heal Dartis and Silas, while Sanmar casts a sleep spell to knock out the prisoners. The group heads east once more towards the elven capital. Dartis rides Swift, but his navigational skills fall short this time and the party realizes that they are lost. Sanmar snickers, and you realize that the being who represents roads and travels has changed from his previous self. Now he seems more manic and mischievious and his ears seem more pointed and fey-like. He yells to the party to follow him and heads out into the forest, taking the lead. Lacking a proper sense of direction the group does so, following glimpses of his flickering clothes in the darkened forest and the echoes of his laughter bursting from distant shadows.

The pursuit does not remind Dartis and Silas of Sanmar of the Roads, but instead of Sanmar of the Wood... tales that ancient aunts used to tell at the fireplace of the time when the land was untamed and the forests capriciously deadly. Sometimes that Sanmar would lead lost Dorinthians to safety, others to be forever lost in unending, hungry forests. You feel tense as such tales are recalled by Caramip in her now-unfeeling earthy voice. She too seems more changed.

After hours of this wandering, however, you come to the edge of the forest where hops a slim-faced, pointy-eared Sanmar who directs you to look through nearby brush. There you see the welcome sight of the three spires of the great elven city: the Tower of Sol, the Tower of the Magi, and the Tower of the Council.

 

[Fenris]

Well, maybe he won't abuse as many women in this guise thinks Dartis trying to find a silver lining.
Dartis looks out at the citadels.

"Well, this is your part now Silas. Where to and how?" Dartis asks Silas.

 

[GlassEye]

Silas rubs his hand side-to-side on his forehead as if trying to rub away a headache. "This hasn't gone at all how I had planned. We cannot save our people without an elf sympathetic to our cause." He sighs and carefully parts the bushes so that he can peer out at the three towers. "The Tower of the Council is where the celestial crystal was hidden by the Avariel. The key, however, I saw on Councilman Varrel's staff. They were holed up in the Tower of the Magi before our allied elves were driven from the forest. Where he is now I don't really know but it's possible that he's using the Tower of the Magi as his base. If we get the key and make it to the council chambers then we only need an elf to perform the actual ritual."

Silas stares at the towers before rocking back to face Dartis. "Maybe I can get us in but then it'll be up to those formidable powers of persuasion of yours." He grins at Dartis knowing his plan, such as it is, is a madman's plan.

With a low, rumbling chant and a few arcane gestures that seem to frame his face, Silas begins to change until instead of the worn human wizard Dartis sees an equally worn elven scout. Silas peers at his hands and staff (which should now resemble a bow) for a moment before again grinning at Dartis. "Splendid. I wasn't actually sure that would work."

OOC: Silas casts Alter Self

 

[Deuce Traveler]

"So, what would you have us do," Caramip asks indicating herself and Sanmar.

 

[GlassEye]

"Go with us. We walk up to the door and I announce you as emissaries of the approaching armies and we give them one last chance to undo the evil that they have caused. If they refuse, then peaceful methods have been exhausted and it is up to the armies to win through. We may be able to secure the key and the council chamber for when our allies arrive. We may be walking to our deaths..." Silas shrugs. "But if we do nothing then we are dead anyway and our people with us."

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Dartis, Silas, Caramip and Sanmar walk straight into the city to the astonishment of the dozens of paranoid elves roaming the city. Seven armed elves approach while the others run, presumably to alert the city of your appearance.

The seven walk up to Silas and begin to angrily ask him several questions in elven. That is when you realize from Silas' blank expression that the abjurer doesn't speak their language. Caramip looks back and forth between Silas and the seven elves before injecting a comment of her own in their language, but they shut her up with sharp words before returning to speak in elven to Silas.

Sanmar throws his head back and cackles disturbingly, making the elves further ill at-ease.

 

[GlassEye]

Silas almost laughs along with Sanmar at the situation that he finds himself in. "Brothers," begins Silas in Common, "I speak the human tongue as a courtesy to these emissaries. They say they have come to discuss matters with our leaders."