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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lars Frehse" data-source="post: 810387" data-attributes="member: 1674">A short respite- part 2They set up camp as they waited for the skies to clear up and the water to drain into the lake and the swamps. They lacked dry woods and other commodities to get a good fire going, and so they spend the first day cold, wet and miserable. However, in the evening the constant drumming of the rain on the canvas of the tents lost it’s raging violence and in around midnight the rain had finally stopped.Around them, the land had disappeared. All they could see where other islands in the distance and occasionaly treetops were peaking out of the brown and muddy water as well. But that was already all that hinted at solid land having been there just this morning. Gazing over the depressing sight, they realized that they would probably have to wait days until they would be able to continue their journey.After three such days of mindnumbing waiting on confined space, that time had finally come. The ground was still covered with water, and they had to be careful to avoid holes and other obstacles as they waded ahead, but at least the waterlevel didn’t go over their steeds knees.By the time they reached the little village at the north of Denev’s aquifer, most of the water had gone. The villagers, who still remembered their liberation from Radraan, the priest of Belsameth, greeted them enthusiasically and after the friends had explained that they were heading back to Vesh, the villagers offered them to aid them with constructing another raft, like they had done over a year ago.It soon became clear, however, that they weren’t able to construct a raft that was big enough for all them and all their steeds. The friends knew that the villagers didn’t have the money to buy the horses they had gotten from the calastian soldiers from them, and so they handed them over to the peasants and fishers as a gift, keeping only Swift Jane and the coreanic steed.If it was at all possible, the lavish gift made the villagers even friendlier, and they did everything to make the days the adventurers spent there as pleasing and comfortable as possible. When the raft was finally done, the villagers told the group that they would always be welcome in their humble village, and they waved to them goodbye until the friends had pushed the raft out of sight.The journey through the swamp was pleasantly uneventful- the lands here were still flooded and the hostile creatures that made it their home had to deal with the effect of the flood themselves. Without their knowledge, the flood was actually a blessing in disguise for the heroes.When they reached the southern border of Vesh, they were greeted by the same Vigilantes who had given them the boat for their journey south, and they escorted them on their journey through Vesh, until one afternoon they reached Lave. There, homecommander Kelemis Durn welcomed them in the hall of command, and after listening to their report and taking the transcript of the ritual, he congratulated and thanked each of them.He had changed for the better. Even though there were still subtle signs that he would never forget the tragic events of his murder at the hand of his own second-in-command, he at least seemed to have found a way to deal with it. Again, he was the powerful, cheerful and optimistic man they had met when they had brought the serpent amphora over a year ago.„I will give this transcript to our scholars. It looks like at last we will be able to get rid of the damned thing! And I don’t think I have to tell you just how much I am looking forward to having this lodestone of my mind.„Of course I will keep you informed regarding what we will find out. Now, however, I have a much more pleasant task to do. You know, usually it would be customary for me to give land or title to deserving men like you. At least a public ceremony would be in order, considering what you have already done for Vesh. However, since I think I will still have to rely on you in the matter of the amphora in the future, I would like you to remain as unknown as possible.“He paused for a moment, the cheer gone for now: „After all, I am worried how the servants of the Serpent Queen could have tracked you so easily. And the black haired woman you told me about worries me as well. Even though she was benign, she seemed to know what you were after... Else she wouldn’t have been able to help you at Marilvaz’ tomb. All that is disturbing, and I would like to prevent any further factions finding out about your importance, skill and tasks.“Kelemis Durm took a drink and then he continued with a big smile: „So, I had wondered how I could possibly reward you. This time, I had been certain that you would return succesfully, and so I had some things prepared.“He got up, rang a bell and after a servant brought in a large wooden chest and he had dismissed the servant, the homecommander opened the chest and pulled out a small, black crossbow, which he handed over to Torn: „This is for you, Torn. It is called a crossbow of the Assassin, and it is enchanted in a way to enable you to use your skill of hitting vital spots even more effectively and at longer range.“.Torn took the crossbow and thanked the commander who then pulled out a pair of leather boots: “Trepat, those are for you. They are called „boots of the huntress“ and they were enchanted by a priest of Tanil to strengthen two of your abilities. Not only will it be harder to track you and the people you are travelling with as long as you are wearing them, but it will also make you better at tracking your enemies as well!“„For you, Ben“, he continued after he had handed the boots to the grateful elf: „I have this periapt. As long as you are wearing it, your wisdom will be even greater than usually. This way, you will be an even more effective servant of the earth mother“.Ben took the periapt of wisdom, grinning broadly and Kelemis Durm had already turned over to Jan: „For you I have a gift crafted by the servants of Madriel. It is called the „ring of Madriel’s blessing“ and with it, your abilities against undead will be strengthened- it will be easier to turn or smite them, since you will be infused with the force of life granted by Madriel the healer.“For you, Niklas I have nothing in my chest. However, the same priests who had crafted this ring had learned from our elven friends in the Ganjus how to create magical tatoos. If you want, they will inscribe a tatoo that will give you Madriel’s blessing- and it can’t be taken from you“.Niklas accepted and after Kelemis told them to stay in the finest inn at his cost until he could tell them what the scholars had found out about the, he wished them a pleasant stay in the city. Once outside, they had time to look around- the people of Lave had used the time to rebuild the damages of the titanspawn attack and it looked that like their homecommander, the people had overcome the shock and were now going on about their daily business like they had done before.</blockquote>

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