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Tales of the Legacy - Concluded
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<blockquote data-quote="Delemental" data-source="post: 2898092" data-attributes="member: 5203"><p><strong>Bad Tidings</strong></p><p></p><p>Osborn’s recovery from his death in the sewers of Vargas took a full ten days, though by the fifth day he was well enough to begin buying hin-sized furniture for the house he’d appropriated from the former head of the Watch (though he kept the very large, human-sized bed). Kyle disappeared the day after they party had returned with Count Robar’s head, and wasn’t seen again for a week. There were rumors in the manor of an altercation between the Duchess’ fiancé and Princess Ariadne, but when he came back their relationship seemed none the worse for wear. Autumn, however, did have some choice words for the wizard when he admitted that during his excursion he’d almost died from an untreated case of filth fever he’d contracted in the sewers.</p><p></p><p> Time moved in strange ways for the Legacy after the defeat of the Night Blades. Though the individual days were packed with so many events, visitors, and activities that it seemed that the sun was setting almost immediately after they started their day, the weeks and months were passing at a crawl. They attributed this unusual phenomenon to two things; the first was the unusual lack of news regarding the effects of the <em>love’s pain</em> spell that had been cast on Autumn. Though there was much speculation and uncertainty about what injury the spell would finally bring about, as time passed it became clear that neither Arrie nor Kyle had been affected, and no news came from Merlion. Autumn thought about sending another message, but her days were now so busy that she barely had time to breathe. Besides, how would one even begin such a letter? <em>Hello, just writing to see if anyone I care about is dead…</em></p><p></p><p> The other event that had time seeming to pass at a snail’s pace was, of course, the upcoming wedding of Kyle and Autumn.</p><p></p><p> At first, of course, the wedding was barely considered. The date was set for the tenth of Lutros, a little over three months away, and there was still a lot to do to clean up the city. Two crime guilds had been dealt with, but three remained. However, it seemed that Fate was finally willing to give the new Duchess a break*. The remainder of Autumn’s vassal lords followed Count Helaku’s lead, and made an appearance in the city to swear fealty and offer aid. This, combined with the arrival of a small contingent of the Imperial army, finally gave Autumn and Togusa the manpower they needed to get the city under control. Count Helaku’s soldiers were assigned to guarding caravans just outside the city, and proved an effective deterrent to the predations of both the Night Whisperers and the Silent Foot. Razael continued his tracking and harassment of the Night Whisperers, this time with the help of the Imperial troops. Though unable to pin them down or eliminate a significant number of them, Razael’s constant pressure forced the druidic thieves guild to relocate their base of operations several times, keeping them from organizing any larger schemes. With the arrival of several new adventuring groups from the Tower in early spring, the pressure only intensified. Autumn tasked many of the neophyte adventurers with ‘bandit hunting’ and ‘caravan guarding’ missions, further guaranteeing that commerce flowed freely in the city.</p><p></p><p> There was an attempt on Autumn’s life made by the Poisoned Edge, just before the caravan season began in earnest. Her evening meal was laced with a deadly toxin, that would have felled a normal person in seconds. But Autumn’s constitution was bolstered by divine grace, and so all the poison did was give her a stomachache and make her irritable for a day or so. This turned out to be unfortunate for the Poisoned Edge, as the next day the Legacy assaulted one of the guild’s safehouses and obliterated it. Within the next month, the entire assassin’s guild seemed to leave the city, as no one heard anything more about them after that.</p><p></p><p> The Silent Foot remained elusive, but it seemed they were having no more luck than anyone else. The rumors from the streets indicated that whatever grand scheme Osborn had overheard the guild discussing during his undercover work was apparently put into motion, and was successful for a time. But increased pressure from both the City Watch and random adventuring groups caused the plan to fall apart. In addition, Autumn was contacted by the leadership of the Black Hand, indicating that they would begin recruiting and training new members in the slums, and that once the training was complete they would begin a ‘silent war’ against the Silent Foot. The Black Hand assured Autumn there would be no killing in the streets, or wholesale slaughter of all short races, but a meticulous, surgical strike against known guild members. With pressure from all sides, the Silent Foot faded into obscurity.</p><p></p><p> There were other significant events. A contingent from the church of Tor arrived in the city, and Autumn negotiated with them to provide land in the city for a church in exchange for the clergy aiding in the administration of justice. Autumn was also able to complete work on a shrine to Bail within the manor itself, which seemed to lift a considerable weight off her shoulders when it was finally consecrated. The wizard’s guild finally came out in support of the Duchess, no doubt in large part to the influx of adventurers into the city, bringing their loose cash and love of all things magical. With things settling in the city, Autumn was finally able to send people out to the communities in the rest of her lands, to check on their status. There were rumors of lizardfolk starting to raid ships and caravans that passed through the swampy regions of Vargex, but this was an annual occurrence, and no more or less severe than usual, so Autumn was not forced to address the issue directly.</p><p></p><p> Slowly, the focus of Autumn’s attention shifted to the upcoming nuptials. Autumn’s daily meetings started to include more caterers and tailors than merchants and nobles. Lanara took up the task of keeping the people working on the wedding ceremony on task and up to speed, using liberal doses of both charm and threats. Arrie spent most of her time by Autumn’s side, helping her make decisions. Kyle, keeping up with the fine tradition of all grooms, offered what input he could, but mostly realized the wisdom of staying out of the way. Much of his time was spent in his new lab.</p><p></p><p>The event was turning out far larger than they had expected; Autumn’s own vassals were attending, of course, but she had also received responses from the Grand Duke of Mypos, the King of Erumian, and the Prince of Telluria, all indicating they would be in attendance. Prince Herion and Princess Aralda also announced they were coming, which was no surprise, though Emperor Haxtha excused himself from the ceremony, which was also no surprise. The only notable silence was coming from the small kingdom of Merlion.</p><p></p><p>Autumn had sent of a quick note to her brother, Aiden Verahannen, who served as seneschal to the twin rulers of Merlion. In her letter she implored him to ask the twins to come to the wedding without an escort. Although Damen and Corissane Coviere knew the secret of Autumn’s birth, as did Aiden, she did not relish the idea of some of the twin’s guards or servants seeing her. Autumn as an adult was nearly identical in appearance to her birth mother, Lysanne Coviere, the former Queen of Merlion and the mother of Damen and Corissane. The similarity was sure to generate rumors that Autumn didn’t want to have to answer for. She only hoped that her unusual request hadn’t so upset her half-siblings that they were now refusing to attend her wedding. Other, more terrible reasons for the silence out of Merlion came to her mind, but Autumn forced herself to ignore them. After all, if something had happened, someone would have sent word.</p><p></p><p>Finally, three weeks before the wedding, word did come. A messenger arrived bearing the seal of Merlion. The message was simple; expect visitors from the Kingdom to arrive tomorrow.</p><p></p><p>“Visitors?” Kyle asked, when Autumn passed on the message. “But who? The Verahannens? The Covieres?”</p><p> “I don’t know,” Autumn frowned. “It’s very strange.”</p><p></p><p>The next day, in the early afternoon, the arrival of a party from Merlion was announced. Autumn, Arrie and Kyle waited in the audience chamber; Lanara was also nearby, though not with the others, and the rest of the party was off on their own business, assuming that they would have the chance to meet the visitors later at dinner. Through the bay windows looking out over the main courtyard (a recent addition to the manor; Imperial Guardsman Imrahil had opposed the installation, saying it was too risky to expose the Duchess like that, but everyone else agreed that the windows made the room much more open and friendly) they could see two columns of five longspears approaching over the top of the manor wall. Each of the spears had a black banner flying from it.</p><p></p><p>“Something’s wrong,” Autumn and Arrie said in unison, and quickly left their seats to head for the front courtyard, followed closely by Kyle.</p><p></p><p>The guards stopped just outside the gate, which after a moment’s delay opened. Three riders came through the gate; the first was Aiden, who was dressed in much finer clothing than usual; the next was Auror, dressed in black; and the third rider was someone they hadn’t expected to see at all. Tolly Nightsleaving sat astride the third horse, his armor gleaming with the symbol of the Ardaran Inquisitor Primus set into the breastplate. Sitting in front of him on the saddle was a young girl, no more than eight or nine.</p><p></p><p>It was Auror that drew everyone’s attention, though; her black garb, combined with the conspicuous absence of the man they would have expected to be with her, spoke volumes. Auror’s face was pale, her cheeks sunken. She looked at though she had been in poor health for months.</p><p></p><p>Ashen-faced, Autumn stepped forward to greet her family. Aiden returned the greeting somberly, but Auror only nodded slightly.</p><p></p><p>“What’s happened?” Autumn asked, already knowing the answer. Auror did not respond, and when Autumn looked at Aiden he shook his head.</p><p></p><p>“We’ll discuss it inside,” he said.</p><p></p><p>Arrie helped her mother off her horse, while Autumn did the same for Aiden and Kyle helped Tolly and the young girl. As he handed the girl down, Tolly muttered a quick spell, and sent a <em>message </em>to Arrie; <em>Careful – Auror is fragile</em>.</p><p></p><p>“Where’d she come from?” Lanara asked, who had circled around behind to get a better look at the girl.</p><p></p><p>“She’s a foundling,” Tolly said. “Her name’s Iria.”</p><p></p><p>“That lady looks like your secretary, Tolly!” Iria said, pointing at Lanara.</p><p></p><p>Tolly nodded. “Lanara is Aranal’s sister, Iria.”</p><p></p><p>Lanara smiled and winked. “But I’m nicer than her, and lots more fun. Just ask Tolly.”</p><p></p><p>With a grimace, Tolly led Iria into the manor.</p><p></p><p>Once inside, Arrie took Auror down to the solarium, while everyone else gathered in a sitting room. Autumn looked at Aiden as he sat down.</p><p></p><p>“I received word a few months ago,” Aiden said. “Father died. They were in bed together, when apparently all the blood in his body just… escaped, all at once. Everything was covered in blood – the bed, the walls… and Mother.” Aiden sighed heavily. “She’s doing much better than she was, thanks in no small part to Brother Nightsleaving.” Aiden gestured to Tolly, who was helping Iria pick the lettuce out of a small sandwich. “She’s now eating on her own.”</p><p></p><p>Lanara leaned over to Tolly. “Do you think music would help her, Tolly?”</p><p></p><p>He frowned. “We haven’t tried it, but it couldn’t hurt.” He looked at the cansin. “Avoid dirges.”</p><p></p><p>With an eye roll, Lanara left the sitting room to find Auror and Arrie.</p><p></p><p>By this time Autumn was crying, squeezing Kyle’s hand for comfort. “Why?” she asked. “Why didn’t someone tell me? Why didn’t someone send word to Arrie and I?”</p><p> Tolly leaned forward. “Your mother… didn’t want word sent out. She felt it was too… personal. It’s taken us this long to get her to agree to come here.”</p><p></p><p>“I would have come myself, or sent word,” Aiden said, “but with Father gone, I was forced to assume his title. I had to locate a new seneschal for our sovereigns, travel to Noxolt for the Emperor’s blessing and seal, then return to Castle Verahannen to set affairs in order. Mother was in… no state to help. There simply hasn’t been time, I’m sorry.”</p><p></p><p>In some way, Autumn could understand this; her own experience as Duchess of Vargex during a time of upheaval had left her no time for personal affairs. Still…</p><p></p><p>Autumn suddenly stood, releasing Kyle’s hand, and left the room. It was not difficult to guess where she was going. Kyle, now suddenly in the position of being the only ‘official’ representative of the household, swallowed and decided to make the best of it. Fortunately, his job was made easier by the arrival of Osborn, who immediately introduced himself to Aiden and struck up a conversation.</p><p></p><p>“How long have you been with the Verahannens, Tolly?” he asked.</p><p></p><p>“About three months now. I arrived shortly after you were in Laeshir – thank you, by the way, for completing that little task in Lisk, though I was annoyed that you beat me to it by only a few days. Zanich had died not too much before then; they were hanging wreaths on the gates when I arrived.”</p><p></p><p>“Yes, on the twenty-second, I know.”</p><p></p><p>Tolly arched an eyebrow. “You knew when Zanich died? Then why…”</p><p></p><p>Kyle held up a hand. “Have you ever heard of the spell <em>love’s pain</em>?”</p><p></p><p>“I have,” the Ardaran said, his eyes darkening.</p><p></p><p>Kyle quickly and quietly explained the attack on Autumn by the cornugon several months ago, and how they had been expecting news such as this for some time. </p><p></p><p>Osborn wandered over and greeted Tolly. “Who’s your friend?” he asked, looking at Iria.</p><p></p><p>Tolly introduced the young girl. “I picked her up during an incident about eight months ago. She was being pursued by a mob led by a priest of Stok, and I intervened. The mob calmed down when I discovered that the pretense the priest had used to gather them was false. The priest tried to kill her anyway, and didn’t survive the experience.”</p><p></p><p>“Why would a mob chase an eight year old girl?” Kyle asked. “What did they think she did?”</p><p></p><p>“The priest was blaming her for killing her parents,” Tolly said, “and of using unnatural magics.”</p><p></p><p>“A nascent sorcerer?” Kyle said. “That’s not that unusual. I’m surprised that…”</p><p></p><p>“She’s a psion, Kyle.”</p><p></p><p>There were several seconds of silence. “Interesting,” Kyle said at last.</p><p></p><p>“It has been,” Tolly sighed. “It has been.”</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center">* * *</p><p></p><p> Aiden and Tolly were shown to rooms, and Kyle made sure that the Verahannen escort was provided with space as well. Osborn took Iria out to the yard to play with Rupert. When Kyle returned, he went looking for Autumn. The solarium was empty, however, and she was not in their bedroom or in her study either. He did, however, run into Lanara in the hallway.</p><p></p><p> “Have you seen Autumn?”</p><p></p><p> Lanara shook her head. “Not since the fight.”</p><p></p><p> “Fight?”</p><p></p><p> “Autumn came into the solarium a few minutes after I arrived. I was sitting in the back corner, playing, so I didn’t hear much. But I saw Autumn kneel down in front of Auror and say something to her, and then Arrie pulled her up to her feet. They had a very angry conversation, though they whispered it – I think to avoid upsetting Auror more, and then Autumn stormed off. Arrie took Auror to a room shortly after that.”</p><p></p><p> “Wonderful,” Kyle said. In his experience, neither Arrie nor Autumn handled death very well. Up until now, however, they’d only had to deal with one of the sisters at a time; Arrie, when Autumn was killed by the Ravagers, and Autumn, when Arrie was placed into the near-death coma by Neville.</p><p></p><p> “Need help looking?” Lanara offered.</p><p></p><p> “No thanks. I think I know where she is now.”</p><p></p><p> “Okay. Well, I was planning on sort of just wandering the halls, playing a little soothing music. People seem to be on edge tonight.”</p><p></p><p> “Tell me about it,” Kyle said, as he walked down the hall toward the new shrine to Bail.</p><p></p><p> In another part of the manor, Maddie had just arrived from the city, and saw Osborn and Rupert out playing with a little girl. She got the story of the arrival of the Verahannens and Tolly from the hin, and after staying a while to play with Iria, she went in search of the Ardaran priest. She found him sitting in the manor’s library, though in truth calling the room a ‘library’ was charitable at best, since there had not been time to stock the shelves with very many books. It would have been more accurate to call it a ‘trophy room’, as currently most of the shelves held mementos from the Legacy’s adventures. Tolly was examining one item in particular when Maddie walked in.</p><p></p><p> “Hello, Tolly,” Maddie said, giving him an affectionate squeeze on the arm. “How have you been?”</p><p></p><p> “Very well, thank you. And you, Kavan?”</p><p></p><p> “I’m fine, thanks. And it’s Madrone, now and forever.”</p><p></p><p> Tolly sighed. “Of course, forgive me. I haven’t been around you enough to get used to you as a woman.”</p><p></p><p> “There are times when I’m not used to being a woman. The moonsblood sucks.”</p><p></p><p> “I’ll take your word for it,” Tolly said, slightly taken aback. He’d forgotten how frank the favored soul could be. “Thankfully it’s something I’ve never experienced. But it will probably be something that I have to discuss one day, now that I have a daughter.”</p><p></p><p> Madrone smiled. “So the orphan takes in a foundling of his own.”</p><p></p><p> Tolly cracked a smile. “I’d considered bringing Aranal with us, but I wasn’t sure how you would all react to the site of the two of us coming here with a child. Besides, I won’t let Iria anywhere near Aranal.”</p><p></p><p> “Lanara would probably be glad to hear that,” Maddie said.</p><p></p><p> “So,” said Tolly, “back in M’Dos, when I left, there was an elf that was looking for you. What did he want?”</p><p></p><p> “Razael? Oh, the church and Herion assigned him to be my bodyguard. Bit of a pain in the ass, if you must know.”</p><p></p><p>“The situation, or Razael himself?” Tolly asked.</p><p></p><p>“Yes. Especially the way he would look at me sometimes.” Maddie shuddered. “Thank Erito he ended up jumping into bed with Lanara.”</p><p></p><p>Tolly’s eyebrows arched, but he said nothing.</p><p></p><p>“Fortunately, he’s been kept pretty busy lately hunting bandits in the woods, so I don’t see him a lot.” Maddie sighed. “It’s not his fault, really – he’s just doing his job. It’s the implication that I can’t defend myself that always rubbed me wrong.” She turned and looked at Tolly. “So, how is your church treating you?”</p><p></p><p>“The church itself is treating me fine. The Prelate Council, on the other hand…” Tolly shook his head. “Do you remember the time when the buckles on the lower half of my plate armor got stuck, and it took two days to pry them free?”</p><p></p><p> “Yes, I do. That was unpleasant.”</p><p></p><p> “Dealing with the Council is like that, but for weeks on end. If the Council had to take a vote on whether to go to the privy, they’d explode before they reached a decision.”</p><p> Maddie laughed out loud. “I never would have expected such a comment out of a priest of the goddess of Law,” she said.</p><p></p><p> “Archprelate Frelarr told me once that people who enjoy sausage and the law should not watch either being made. I understand what he meant.”</p><p></p><p> “Well, that does sound like the nature of bureaucracy,” Maddie said.</p><p></p><p> “It does. So, we’ve decided to rotate who holds the position of Inquisitor Primus. The church will now fill the position with those who they consider their most promising, the rising stars of the faith. The job will help temper them, but at the same time the influx of fresh ideas and enthusiasm will keep the drearier parts of the job from crushing the spirit of the Primus.”</p><p></p><p> “So, you’re unemployed, then?”</p><p></p><p> Tolly nodded his head. “For a while. The Archprelate has not removed any of my powers yet. There are effectively two Inquisitor Primus’s now. You should meet Argent some time. He’s the Favored of Ardara that is succeeding me. He’s young, and naïve. He reminds me of myself, when we graduated. But more diplomatic, and less worried about everything.”</p><p></p><p> Maddie frowned. “You’re not making some sort of…” she paused for a moment, then waved her hands. “Never mind.”</p><p></p><p> “I’m not matchmaking, if that’s what you’re wondering,” Tolly said.</p><p></p><p> “Thank you,” Maddie sighed.</p><p></p><p> “I wouldn’t do that to Argent,” Tolly added with a grin.</p><p></p><p> Maddie was about to reply when Kyle came walking by, looking grim. He glanced into the library, nodding curtly at the two people in the room.</p><p></p><p> “Looking for someone?” Maddie asked.</p><p></p><p> “Arrie,” Kyle said. “Probably in her room, though.”</p><p></p><p> “Something wrong?” Tolly asked.</p><p></p><p> “Nothing more than there was,” he said. “I just need to… clarify some things.” He walked off, heading for Arrie’s room.</p><p></p><p> “He doesn’t look like he’s having a good day,” Maddie commented.</p><p></p><p> “I don’t think anyone is. You heard about Zanich?”</p><p></p><p> “Osborn told me, yes. Poor Autumn, finding out only a week before her birthday.”</p><p></p><p> Tolly looked surprised. “Oh, it is, isn’t it?”</p><p></p><p> Maddie turned slightly pink. “Oh, Tolly, I didn’t mean to bring up…”</p><p></p><p> Tolly held up a hand. “It’s all right, Maddie. As they say in my church, even the hottest forge will cool with time. I’ve come to terms with how things turned out. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”</p><p></p><p> “Good point.”</p><p></p><p> “So,” said Tolly, changing the subject, “I have yet to see Xu. Where is she?”</p><p></p><p> “Probably with Togusa. He’s been in the city for a few months, running Autumn’s watch. They spend a lot of time together.” She shook her head at Tolly’s inquisitive glance. “Not like that. More like how you naturally gravitate toward someone from your home town when traveling in a strange place.”</p><p> “I see.” Tolly’s gaze wandered back to the object he had been looking at before Maddie arrived. “This is an impressive piece,” he said. “What is it?”</p><p></p><p> “Oh, that’s the crown of the king of the orcish empire,” she said.</p><p></p><p> Tolly’s eyes bulged. “This crown is worth a fortune,” he said. “And you just have it sitting here on the shelf?”</p><p></p><p> “No, Tolly. This is just a replica. The real crown’s stashed in Autumn’s <em>portable hole</em>. We never could decide what to do with it, and then we got busy and kind of forgot about it.”</p><p></p><p> “You <em>forgot </em>about a priceless artifact of Affon’s history**,” Tolly said, shaking his head. “Frelarr was right. Adventurers are some of the most jaded people on the planet.”</p><p></p><p> “Hey, at least we didn’t pull it apart and sell the pieces so we could buy ale and whores,” Maddie countered.</p><p></p><p> “I doubt you could have drunk that much ale, or… never mind.” Tolly gestured around the room. “I recognize most of the other items in this room, but not all of them. You’ll have to tell me what you’ve been doing since M’Dos.”</p><p></p><p> Maddie spent the next hour telling Tolly stories of their adventures since he’d left the Legacy. Finally, when the servants started to come around and light the lamps in the halls, Tolly took his leave and made his way to the room he’d been given. He hoped that Iria might already be asleep in the room, but with Osborn looking after her, and no doubt Lanara as well, it was far more likely she was currently in the kitchens, eating something that was both too sweet and too sticky. <em>Oh well</em>, he thought. <em> We’re on vacation.</em></p><p></p><p> He passed by Kyle and Autumn’s room, and noticed the door was slightly ajar. The flickering light of a fire came from inside, and Tolly could hear Kyle muttering to himself inside. Peeking in, he saw the wizard sitting in front of the fireplace, holding a nearly empty glass of spirits. A half-empty decanter was on the table next to him.</p><p></p><p> Tolly went into the room and gently put the stopper on the decanter. “I think half a decanter is enough for one night,” he said.</p><p></p><p> Kyle grunted. “Remind me,” he said, slurring a little, “that the next time someone dies, I need to stay as far away as possible from those two.”</p><p></p><p> “Things went poorly with Arrie, then?”</p><p></p><p> “Right now, Tolly, I think that Aiden is the only Verahannen that still likes me.”</p><p></p><p> Tolly gave Kyle a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Things will be better in the morning, Kyle.”</p><p></p><p> Tolly walked out of the room, taking the decanter and setting it back in the open cabinet on the wall. Kyle watched him leave.</p><p></p><p> “Better in the morning,” he muttered. “That’ll take a miracle.”</p><p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">* * *</p><p></p><p> Sleep, when it came to Autumn, was fitful and unsatisfying.</p><p></p><p> Her dreams were haunted by images of her father, dying in agony. Her mother, dressed in black and covered in blood, shrieking as her mind broke. Her sister, her brother… all of them looking at her accusingly.</p><p></p><p> She barely remembered going to the solarium. Her memories seemed distant, as if she’d only been watching everything from a distance. When she knelt in front of her mother and confessed her role in Zanich’s death, she felt like she was hearing herself say the words instead of actually saying them. She saw herself draw the dagger and beg Auror to kill her in revenge, but couldn’t remember the feel of the blade in her hand. She felt hands pulling her away, a voice in her ear – Arrie’s voice.</p><p></p><p> <em>I won’t let you do that to my mother!</em></p><p></p><p> My mother… not our mother. <em>I’ve lost a father, and now I’ve lost a mother too.</em></p><p></p><p> There were other images – were they real, or just dreams? Kyle sprawled dead on the floor, Arrie standing over him, her chain still bloody. Arrie running into the church of Tor, striking down the priest with psionic power and then being overwhelmed by a cascade of angry archons. Aiden leaping from the tallest tower at Castle Verahannen. Phyros, the head of the Order of Sentinels, rebuking Autumn and casting her out of the Order. The city of Vargas in flames. And behind it all, the wicked laughter of a cornugon.</p><p></p><p> She felt a hand on her shoulder, rousing her from sleep. Wearily, she opened her puffy, bloodshot eyes, squinting against the light. It took her a moment to realize that she was still in the shrine, draped over the altar. It took her another minute to realize that the candles she had lit should have burned out hours ago, and it shouldn’t be this bright in here.</p><p></p><p> She turned slowly to see a strange figure standing behind her. He was large, well over nine feet tall, and his skin was a brilliant emerald green. He wore a simple white tunic, which matched the large, feathery wings that emerged from his back.</p><p></p><p> “Messages have been passed among the Servants,” the planetar said. “I heard that my daughter was in need. So I have come.”</p><p></p><p> Autumn looked up at the celestial for a long moment, and then was overcome with a wave of emotion. She broke down, sobbing hysterically. A moment later, she felt the comforting embrace of a pair of strong arms… and strong wings that smelled like the ocean.</p><p style="text-align: center"></p> <p style="text-align: center">* * *</p><p></p><p> Kyle sighed, and tried not to go cross-eyed.</p><p></p><p> He’d woken up that morning to find that he’d spent the night alone. Not particularly in the mood to find Autumn just yet, he had dressed and come downstairs. He was stopped on the stairs by Autumn’s valet, Aleria.</p><p></p><p> “I was just coming to inform you that the florists will be here shortly,” she said.</p><p></p><p> “Wonderful,” he moaned. “Have you seen the Duchess this morning?”</p><p></p><p> “Not yet, my lord. Is she still in her chambers?”</p><p></p><p> “No, she’s not. She’s in her shrine.”</p><p></p><p> “I see. Shall I go and get her?”</p><p></p><p> Kyle thought for a moment. “No. Bring her some breakfast and leave it outside the door. You might mention the florists, but don’t wait for an answer. If she comes, she comes. If not…” Kyle looked back up the stairs. “Have you seen Princess Ariadne up and about?”</p><p></p><p> “I’m afraid not, my lord. But Master Greenbottle is here, at the breakfast table.”</p><p></p><p> “Of course he is.” Osborn never missed breakfast at the manor. “Tell him not to wait for me – I’m not particularly hungry this morning.”</p><p></p><p> “He’s already started his meal, my lord.”</p><p></p><p> Kyle half sighed, half chuckled. “I should have known. Do we have any court business today?”</p><p></p><p> “None I know of, my lord,” Aleria said.</p><p></p><p> “Then we’ll have the florists set up in the audience chamber. Have someone bring in some chairs and tables.”</p><p></p><p> “Very good, my lord,” Aleria said, curtseying before she proceeded up the stairs.</p><p></p><p> Kyle decided to go outside and walk around the grounds for a while. He’d need a clear head if he ended up picking all of the flowers for the wedding by himself.</p><p></p><p> However, when he returned and went to the audience chamber, he saw that Arrie, Xu, Maddie and Lanara were all sitting in the room, watching as the florists set up their displays.</p><p></p><p> “We figured you’d need some help,” Lanara said.</p><p></p><p> “Someone with a discerning eye for color and form,” Xu added.</p><p></p><p> “Your confidence in me is overwhelming,” Kyle said, sitting down at the end of the table. “But thanks. No Autumn, I take it?”</p><p></p><p> “Raz went to go get her,” Lanara said. “I thought about telling him not to, but it’s not like he listens anyway.”</p><p></p><p> Osborn came walking by the room, and poked his head in. “What’s going on in here?”</p><p></p><p> “Florists,” Arrie said. “Come on in. We could use your opinion.”</p><p></p><p> “Gee, thanks!” Osborn said, walking in and pulling up a chair.</p><p></p><p> “Yeah, thanks,” Kyle huffed.</p><p></p><p> Arrie flashed Kyle a slight smile, which he returned. Volumes were spoken in those two glances.</p><p></p><p> “I’d go with mostly white,” Arrie said, “accented by blue. Many people will tell you that too much white will wash out the bride, but in this case that’s not going to be a problem. And since the wedding’s outdoors, you’ll have a natural green background to offset it.” Arrie pointed at a small bunch of small blue flowers. “Those are her favorites.”</p><p></p><p> “I know,” Kyle said.</p><p></p><p> They were just beginning to discuss what types of ivy to use on the trellis over the altar when Razael walked in. He was looking very clean, which meant that Lanara had gone after him recently with a <em>prestidigitation </em>spell.</p><p></p><p> “No greataxe wounds,” Maddie commented, looking Razael over. “Autumn must be feeling better.”</p><p></p><p> “She’s probably not coming,” Razael said. “She’s busy with her father right now.” He jerked his head back to indicate where he’d just come from. “Her other father, I mean. The one with wings.”</p><p></p><p> Everyone just looked at Razael for a while, processing this bit of news. Then Osborn jumped off his chair.</p><p></p><p> “A celestial? Wow!” He went running out of the room. Lanara moved to stand up, but Arrie caught her eyes and shook her head.</p><p></p><p> “Please wait,” she said.</p><p></p><p> “Yeah, what’s the big deal?” Razael said. “It’s just a planetar.” He shook his head. “Don’t even see why Lysanne fell for him in the first place.”</p><p></p><p> “Shouldn’t you be out in the field playing with the cows?” Lanara asked.</p><p></p><p> “They’d run away from me,” Razael said, pointing out his newly cleaned garb. “I don’t smell like them any more.”</p><p></p><p> Kyle produced a wand, and reversed Lanara’s earlier <em>prestidigitation</em>. “Go,” he said. Razael smirked, and then walked off, leaving a little bit of dirt on the floor behind him.</p><p></p><p> After a while, the people remaining in the audience chamber noticed an unusual buzz of excitement coming from the house staff outside the room. The florists, who were starting to present their ideas for the bridal bouquet, looked past the party to the hallway outside, and stopped suddenly, staring. Arrie looked at the florists, then over her shoulder to see what they were looking at. When she saw, she stood up.</p><p></p><p> “I’ll let you take it from here, Kyle,” Arrie said, nodding to the florists as she walked out through a door on the other side of the room.</p><p></p><p> Kyle understood. As a psionic being, Arrie was considered anathema to the gods. Their servants were under strict orders to destroy any psions they encountered.</p><p></p><p> Autumn walked into the chamber, followed by a tall, green-skinned celestial. The florists and servants in the room bowed deeply, as Kyle, Lanara, Xu, and Maddie stood and gave Autumn’s father a courteous nod. Osborn walked in behind Autumn and the planetar, grinning from ear to ear.</p><p></p><p> Xu turned to the florists, who were still gaping. “Perhaps you could return this afternoon? We have dignitaries to attend to.”</p><p></p><p> Nodding, the florists quickly gathered their things and left, their minds reeling at the fact that the Duchess and her companions were referring to an angel as a ‘dignitary’.</p><p></p><p> Autumn introduced each of her friends, stopping at Kyle last. “This is my fiancé, Kyle Goodson. Kyle, this is my father, Phanuel.”</p><p></p><p> Phanuel reached out and placed one massive hand over Kyle’s head. There was a moment of stillness in the room as the planetar concentrated. Suddenly, Kyle felt a wave of positive energy pass through Phanuel’s hands and into him, and he knew that he’d just received the blessing of Autumn’s father.</p><p></p><p> Phanuel stepped back, and smiled. “There. Now I can distinguish you from the other mortals here, see you as you are. It is good to meet you, Kyle.”</p><p></p><p> “Likewise.”</p><p></p><p> Phanuel turned to Autumn. “And what of your sister? Or, the one that you call your sister; is not related by blood, as I understand it, but a sister of the heart.”</p><p></p><p> “Oh, yes, Arrie,” Autumn wanted Arrie to meet her father, but also knew that such a meeting would be difficult to arrange. “I should go and get Aiden, and probably Mother too… my adopted mother, Auror, not…”</p><p></p><p> Phanuel motioned for Autumn to remain still. “Let us make this simple. Close your eyes and think of those you love.”</p><p></p><p> The planetar reached out and touched Autumn on the forehead. She felt a burst of energy travel through her and out of her. She knew somehow that that energy had traveled out to those she cared about, touching them as she had been. The party members in the room felt a sudden surge of bliss that seemed to come out of nowhere.</p><p></p><p> “There,” Phanuel said, dropping his arm. “Now I have touched them through you. I will know them now.” He smiled at his daughter.</p><p></p><p> “What brought you to visit Autumn today?” Kyle asked.</p><p></p><p> “Her prayers to Bail were received by one of his servants, the trumpet archon Urial. When he sensed her need, he passed a message to me through the channels that the angels maintain with the archons.”</p><p></p><p> Autumn looked around. “Where’s Tolly?”</p><p> “I haven’t seen him,” Kyle said.</p><p></p><p> “He probably found a church to pray in,” Lanara said.</p><p></p><p> “He is a man of faith, this Tolly?” Phanuel asked.</p><p></p><p> “He’s a priest of Ardara,” Lanara said. “Very high up in his church.”</p><p></p><p> “Then I will be sure to recognize him when I see him.”</p><p></p><p> Maddie, Lanara and Xu took their leave, so that Autumn, Kyle, and Phanuel had time to get acquainted. After they left, they were pulled into another room, where Arrie and Razael were talking about some secret plan. Meanwhile, Autumn took her father on a tour of the manor and grounds, with Kyle accompanying them both. In order to prevent the commotion that had followed them from the shrine, Phanuel altered his form, condensing his massive frame into a more human visage. Kyle noted that Autumn seemed none the worse for wear this morning, despite being close to insane the night before.</p><p></p><p> “Are you happy here?” Phanuel asked, as they stood in the stables with Autumn’s horse Defiance.</p><p></p><p> “Yes,” Autumn admitted, “though there is much to do. We have a… quest to complete.”</p><p></p><p> “I hope that the journey will mean as much to you as the completion of your quest,” Phanuel said. “I plan to stay until your wedding, with your permission.”</p><p></p><p> “Of course,” Autumn said, smiling.</p><p></p><p> “If you have need of me while I am here, you need only call my name. But in the meanwhile, I think I will go and observe the people here at your home. I will need to reacquaint myself with human mannerisms.” With that, Phanuel vanished. Kyle could see that the angel had turned invisible, and was now following one of the serving girls back to the house.</p><p></p><p> By the time Kyle and Autumn returned to the manor, Arrie was in her traveling clothes. Razael and Maddie were standing next to her.</p><p></p><p> “We’ll be back in a couple of days!” Arrie announced brightly.</p><p></p><p> “Who’s ‘we’,” Autumn asked, “and where are you going?”</p><p></p><p> Maddie answered. “Me, and Arrie, and Raz, and Tolly and Iria. As for where we’re going, it’s a secret.”</p><p></p><p> “Yeah, and ye shouldn’t be asking so many questions this close to your wedding,” Razael said.</p><p></p><p> “I want to see Tolly before you leave,” Autumn said.</p><p></p><p> “I’ll go find him,” Razael sighed. He walked into the manor and bellowed the priest’s name.</p><p></p><p> “<em>I</em> could have done that,” Autumn said, rolling her eyes.</p><p></p><p> “I’m so glad that I’m too old for him,” Maddie added.</p><p></p><p> After a while, Tolly and Iria came outside. “You bellowed?”</p><p></p><p> “I just wanted to thank you for coming,” Autumn said. She stepped forward and embraced the Ardaran. After a brief moment of uncertainty, he returned the hug.</p><p></p><p> “You’re welcome, Autumn.”</p><p></p><p> The sentinel smiled. “And you haven’t yet introduced me to the young woman you brought with you.”</p><p></p><p> “Oh, of course.” He looked down at Iria, who was standing next to his leg. “Iria, curtsy to the lady.”</p><p></p><p> As Iria dipped into an awkward little girl curtsy, Tolly made the introductions. “Autumn, this is Iria, my ward. Iria, this is Duchess Autumn.”</p><p></p><p> “It’s very nice to meet you, Iria,” Autumn said.</p><p></p><p> “Nice to meet you too,” she replied. “You’re very pretty.” Iria smiled. “Tolly thinks you’re pretty too.”</p><p></p><p> Lanara laughed. “That’s a lovely shade of pink you’re turning, Tolly.”</p><p></p><p> “Iria,” Tolly said, “there are times when you shouldn’t make certain comments. We’ll talk later.”</p><p></p><p> Arrie leaned down and said in a loud whisper, clearly meant to be overheard, “Iria, I’ll teach you how to say those things without getting into trouble.”</p><p></p><p> “I think perhaps we’d better go,” Tolly said.</p><p></p><p> “But I wanted you to meet my father,” Autumn said.</p><p></p><p> “The angel? Yes, I’d heard.” Tolly looked around the courtyard. “Perhaps when we get back, so I can arrange for Iria to be elsewhere when I meet him.”</p><p></p><p> Autumn looked puzzled by this, until Kyle stepped forward. “Iria is a very special little girl, Autumn. Special, like how Aran and your sister are special.”</p><p></p><p> “Oh,” she said, understanding. Then her eyes widened as she realized who was caring for the girl. “Oh, really?”</p><p></p><p> “It’s good to know that you remembered that, Kyle,” Tolly said.</p><p></p><p> “I remember more than most people realize,” he replied.</p><p></p><p> Razael emerged from the manor again, and moments later the four travelers were off, borne on the wind by Maddie’s magic. As Kyle and Autumn waved, Autumn spotted the florists slowly walking up to the manor from the gate.</p><p></p><p> “Oh, good,” she said. “The florists are here. Kyle, you can help me pick things out.”</p><p></p><p> “But we covered most of this already,” Kyle said.</p><p></p><p> “Well, I haven’t, and it’s my wedding,” Autumn said. “So, let’s have them set up inside again.”</p><p></p><p> Kyle sighed. “All right.”</p><p></p><p> As they walked into the manor and entered the audience chamber, they were surprised to see Auror sitting in one of the chairs, looking out the large picture windows.</p><p></p><p> “Oh, Autumn,” she said, smiling just a little. “I had the strangest dream. Are you all right?”</p><p></p><p> “I am now,” Autumn said, tears glistening in her eyes. “Are you okay?”</p><p></p><p> “I’m… not yet,” Auror admitted. “But I know I will be, eventually. May I sit and help you with your flower arrangements?”</p><p></p><p> “Of course, Mother,” Autumn looked at Kyle, happy to see Auror but uncertain how it came to be. Kyle briefly touched his index finger to Autumn’s forehead.</p><p></p><p> Nodding, Autumn understood. She had her father to thank for this, as well.</p><p></p><p>-------------------------</p><p></p><p>* In other words, the players and DM agreed that we didn't really want to spend the next three months of game time fighting thieves and assassins, so the elimination of the rest of Vargas' criminal element was neatly summarized in narrative form.</p><p></p><p>** The Crown of the Orcish King is the 'real discovery' that the Legacy found in Auxariel's hoard, mentioned briefly at the beginning of <a href="http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=2815390&postcount=116" target="_blank">this post</a>. It was literally listed on our treasure sheet as 'priceless'. It's not magical, but just a very important status symbol. To this day, we're still carrying it, unsure of what to do. It's too big a cultural artifact to consider selling it off in pieces, so we would want to sell it whole. Problem is, there are very few who could afford to pay even close to a reasonable price (none of us players are naive enough to think that the DM would hand over millions of gold pieces for it - we were thinking more along the lines of services and favors in payment) and we're even leery of that, because anyone who could pay for it would probably use it in unfavorable ways. We are definitely leery about giving it back to the orcs, because it could very well lead to the formation of a new orcish nation, which would probably be a bad thing. So, eventually I figure we'll think of a way to make use of the crown, but until then it continues to sit in the <em>portable hole</em>.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Delemental, post: 2898092, member: 5203"] [b]Bad Tidings[/b] Osborn’s recovery from his death in the sewers of Vargas took a full ten days, though by the fifth day he was well enough to begin buying hin-sized furniture for the house he’d appropriated from the former head of the Watch (though he kept the very large, human-sized bed). Kyle disappeared the day after they party had returned with Count Robar’s head, and wasn’t seen again for a week. There were rumors in the manor of an altercation between the Duchess’ fiancé and Princess Ariadne, but when he came back their relationship seemed none the worse for wear. Autumn, however, did have some choice words for the wizard when he admitted that during his excursion he’d almost died from an untreated case of filth fever he’d contracted in the sewers. Time moved in strange ways for the Legacy after the defeat of the Night Blades. Though the individual days were packed with so many events, visitors, and activities that it seemed that the sun was setting almost immediately after they started their day, the weeks and months were passing at a crawl. They attributed this unusual phenomenon to two things; the first was the unusual lack of news regarding the effects of the [I]love’s pain[/I] spell that had been cast on Autumn. Though there was much speculation and uncertainty about what injury the spell would finally bring about, as time passed it became clear that neither Arrie nor Kyle had been affected, and no news came from Merlion. Autumn thought about sending another message, but her days were now so busy that she barely had time to breathe. Besides, how would one even begin such a letter? [I]Hello, just writing to see if anyone I care about is dead…[/I] The other event that had time seeming to pass at a snail’s pace was, of course, the upcoming wedding of Kyle and Autumn. At first, of course, the wedding was barely considered. The date was set for the tenth of Lutros, a little over three months away, and there was still a lot to do to clean up the city. Two crime guilds had been dealt with, but three remained. However, it seemed that Fate was finally willing to give the new Duchess a break*. The remainder of Autumn’s vassal lords followed Count Helaku’s lead, and made an appearance in the city to swear fealty and offer aid. This, combined with the arrival of a small contingent of the Imperial army, finally gave Autumn and Togusa the manpower they needed to get the city under control. Count Helaku’s soldiers were assigned to guarding caravans just outside the city, and proved an effective deterrent to the predations of both the Night Whisperers and the Silent Foot. Razael continued his tracking and harassment of the Night Whisperers, this time with the help of the Imperial troops. Though unable to pin them down or eliminate a significant number of them, Razael’s constant pressure forced the druidic thieves guild to relocate their base of operations several times, keeping them from organizing any larger schemes. With the arrival of several new adventuring groups from the Tower in early spring, the pressure only intensified. Autumn tasked many of the neophyte adventurers with ‘bandit hunting’ and ‘caravan guarding’ missions, further guaranteeing that commerce flowed freely in the city. There was an attempt on Autumn’s life made by the Poisoned Edge, just before the caravan season began in earnest. Her evening meal was laced with a deadly toxin, that would have felled a normal person in seconds. But Autumn’s constitution was bolstered by divine grace, and so all the poison did was give her a stomachache and make her irritable for a day or so. This turned out to be unfortunate for the Poisoned Edge, as the next day the Legacy assaulted one of the guild’s safehouses and obliterated it. Within the next month, the entire assassin’s guild seemed to leave the city, as no one heard anything more about them after that. The Silent Foot remained elusive, but it seemed they were having no more luck than anyone else. The rumors from the streets indicated that whatever grand scheme Osborn had overheard the guild discussing during his undercover work was apparently put into motion, and was successful for a time. But increased pressure from both the City Watch and random adventuring groups caused the plan to fall apart. In addition, Autumn was contacted by the leadership of the Black Hand, indicating that they would begin recruiting and training new members in the slums, and that once the training was complete they would begin a ‘silent war’ against the Silent Foot. The Black Hand assured Autumn there would be no killing in the streets, or wholesale slaughter of all short races, but a meticulous, surgical strike against known guild members. With pressure from all sides, the Silent Foot faded into obscurity. There were other significant events. A contingent from the church of Tor arrived in the city, and Autumn negotiated with them to provide land in the city for a church in exchange for the clergy aiding in the administration of justice. Autumn was also able to complete work on a shrine to Bail within the manor itself, which seemed to lift a considerable weight off her shoulders when it was finally consecrated. The wizard’s guild finally came out in support of the Duchess, no doubt in large part to the influx of adventurers into the city, bringing their loose cash and love of all things magical. With things settling in the city, Autumn was finally able to send people out to the communities in the rest of her lands, to check on their status. There were rumors of lizardfolk starting to raid ships and caravans that passed through the swampy regions of Vargex, but this was an annual occurrence, and no more or less severe than usual, so Autumn was not forced to address the issue directly. Slowly, the focus of Autumn’s attention shifted to the upcoming nuptials. Autumn’s daily meetings started to include more caterers and tailors than merchants and nobles. Lanara took up the task of keeping the people working on the wedding ceremony on task and up to speed, using liberal doses of both charm and threats. Arrie spent most of her time by Autumn’s side, helping her make decisions. Kyle, keeping up with the fine tradition of all grooms, offered what input he could, but mostly realized the wisdom of staying out of the way. Much of his time was spent in his new lab. The event was turning out far larger than they had expected; Autumn’s own vassals were attending, of course, but she had also received responses from the Grand Duke of Mypos, the King of Erumian, and the Prince of Telluria, all indicating they would be in attendance. Prince Herion and Princess Aralda also announced they were coming, which was no surprise, though Emperor Haxtha excused himself from the ceremony, which was also no surprise. The only notable silence was coming from the small kingdom of Merlion. Autumn had sent of a quick note to her brother, Aiden Verahannen, who served as seneschal to the twin rulers of Merlion. In her letter she implored him to ask the twins to come to the wedding without an escort. Although Damen and Corissane Coviere knew the secret of Autumn’s birth, as did Aiden, she did not relish the idea of some of the twin’s guards or servants seeing her. Autumn as an adult was nearly identical in appearance to her birth mother, Lysanne Coviere, the former Queen of Merlion and the mother of Damen and Corissane. The similarity was sure to generate rumors that Autumn didn’t want to have to answer for. She only hoped that her unusual request hadn’t so upset her half-siblings that they were now refusing to attend her wedding. Other, more terrible reasons for the silence out of Merlion came to her mind, but Autumn forced herself to ignore them. After all, if something had happened, someone would have sent word. Finally, three weeks before the wedding, word did come. A messenger arrived bearing the seal of Merlion. The message was simple; expect visitors from the Kingdom to arrive tomorrow. “Visitors?” Kyle asked, when Autumn passed on the message. “But who? The Verahannens? The Covieres?” “I don’t know,” Autumn frowned. “It’s very strange.” The next day, in the early afternoon, the arrival of a party from Merlion was announced. Autumn, Arrie and Kyle waited in the audience chamber; Lanara was also nearby, though not with the others, and the rest of the party was off on their own business, assuming that they would have the chance to meet the visitors later at dinner. Through the bay windows looking out over the main courtyard (a recent addition to the manor; Imperial Guardsman Imrahil had opposed the installation, saying it was too risky to expose the Duchess like that, but everyone else agreed that the windows made the room much more open and friendly) they could see two columns of five longspears approaching over the top of the manor wall. Each of the spears had a black banner flying from it. “Something’s wrong,” Autumn and Arrie said in unison, and quickly left their seats to head for the front courtyard, followed closely by Kyle. The guards stopped just outside the gate, which after a moment’s delay opened. Three riders came through the gate; the first was Aiden, who was dressed in much finer clothing than usual; the next was Auror, dressed in black; and the third rider was someone they hadn’t expected to see at all. Tolly Nightsleaving sat astride the third horse, his armor gleaming with the symbol of the Ardaran Inquisitor Primus set into the breastplate. Sitting in front of him on the saddle was a young girl, no more than eight or nine. It was Auror that drew everyone’s attention, though; her black garb, combined with the conspicuous absence of the man they would have expected to be with her, spoke volumes. Auror’s face was pale, her cheeks sunken. She looked at though she had been in poor health for months. Ashen-faced, Autumn stepped forward to greet her family. Aiden returned the greeting somberly, but Auror only nodded slightly. “What’s happened?” Autumn asked, already knowing the answer. Auror did not respond, and when Autumn looked at Aiden he shook his head. “We’ll discuss it inside,” he said. Arrie helped her mother off her horse, while Autumn did the same for Aiden and Kyle helped Tolly and the young girl. As he handed the girl down, Tolly muttered a quick spell, and sent a [I]message [/I]to Arrie; [I]Careful – Auror is fragile[/I]. “Where’d she come from?” Lanara asked, who had circled around behind to get a better look at the girl. “She’s a foundling,” Tolly said. “Her name’s Iria.” “That lady looks like your secretary, Tolly!” Iria said, pointing at Lanara. Tolly nodded. “Lanara is Aranal’s sister, Iria.” Lanara smiled and winked. “But I’m nicer than her, and lots more fun. Just ask Tolly.” With a grimace, Tolly led Iria into the manor. Once inside, Arrie took Auror down to the solarium, while everyone else gathered in a sitting room. Autumn looked at Aiden as he sat down. “I received word a few months ago,” Aiden said. “Father died. They were in bed together, when apparently all the blood in his body just… escaped, all at once. Everything was covered in blood – the bed, the walls… and Mother.” Aiden sighed heavily. “She’s doing much better than she was, thanks in no small part to Brother Nightsleaving.” Aiden gestured to Tolly, who was helping Iria pick the lettuce out of a small sandwich. “She’s now eating on her own.” Lanara leaned over to Tolly. “Do you think music would help her, Tolly?” He frowned. “We haven’t tried it, but it couldn’t hurt.” He looked at the cansin. “Avoid dirges.” With an eye roll, Lanara left the sitting room to find Auror and Arrie. By this time Autumn was crying, squeezing Kyle’s hand for comfort. “Why?” she asked. “Why didn’t someone tell me? Why didn’t someone send word to Arrie and I?” Tolly leaned forward. “Your mother… didn’t want word sent out. She felt it was too… personal. It’s taken us this long to get her to agree to come here.” “I would have come myself, or sent word,” Aiden said, “but with Father gone, I was forced to assume his title. I had to locate a new seneschal for our sovereigns, travel to Noxolt for the Emperor’s blessing and seal, then return to Castle Verahannen to set affairs in order. Mother was in… no state to help. There simply hasn’t been time, I’m sorry.” In some way, Autumn could understand this; her own experience as Duchess of Vargex during a time of upheaval had left her no time for personal affairs. Still… Autumn suddenly stood, releasing Kyle’s hand, and left the room. It was not difficult to guess where she was going. Kyle, now suddenly in the position of being the only ‘official’ representative of the household, swallowed and decided to make the best of it. Fortunately, his job was made easier by the arrival of Osborn, who immediately introduced himself to Aiden and struck up a conversation. “How long have you been with the Verahannens, Tolly?” he asked. “About three months now. I arrived shortly after you were in Laeshir – thank you, by the way, for completing that little task in Lisk, though I was annoyed that you beat me to it by only a few days. Zanich had died not too much before then; they were hanging wreaths on the gates when I arrived.” “Yes, on the twenty-second, I know.” Tolly arched an eyebrow. “You knew when Zanich died? Then why…” Kyle held up a hand. “Have you ever heard of the spell [I]love’s pain[/I]?” “I have,” the Ardaran said, his eyes darkening. Kyle quickly and quietly explained the attack on Autumn by the cornugon several months ago, and how they had been expecting news such as this for some time. Osborn wandered over and greeted Tolly. “Who’s your friend?” he asked, looking at Iria. Tolly introduced the young girl. “I picked her up during an incident about eight months ago. She was being pursued by a mob led by a priest of Stok, and I intervened. The mob calmed down when I discovered that the pretense the priest had used to gather them was false. The priest tried to kill her anyway, and didn’t survive the experience.” “Why would a mob chase an eight year old girl?” Kyle asked. “What did they think she did?” “The priest was blaming her for killing her parents,” Tolly said, “and of using unnatural magics.” “A nascent sorcerer?” Kyle said. “That’s not that unusual. I’m surprised that…” “She’s a psion, Kyle.” There were several seconds of silence. “Interesting,” Kyle said at last. “It has been,” Tolly sighed. “It has been.” [CENTER]* * *[/CENTER] Aiden and Tolly were shown to rooms, and Kyle made sure that the Verahannen escort was provided with space as well. Osborn took Iria out to the yard to play with Rupert. When Kyle returned, he went looking for Autumn. The solarium was empty, however, and she was not in their bedroom or in her study either. He did, however, run into Lanara in the hallway. “Have you seen Autumn?” Lanara shook her head. “Not since the fight.” “Fight?” “Autumn came into the solarium a few minutes after I arrived. I was sitting in the back corner, playing, so I didn’t hear much. But I saw Autumn kneel down in front of Auror and say something to her, and then Arrie pulled her up to her feet. They had a very angry conversation, though they whispered it – I think to avoid upsetting Auror more, and then Autumn stormed off. Arrie took Auror to a room shortly after that.” “Wonderful,” Kyle said. In his experience, neither Arrie nor Autumn handled death very well. Up until now, however, they’d only had to deal with one of the sisters at a time; Arrie, when Autumn was killed by the Ravagers, and Autumn, when Arrie was placed into the near-death coma by Neville. “Need help looking?” Lanara offered. “No thanks. I think I know where she is now.” “Okay. Well, I was planning on sort of just wandering the halls, playing a little soothing music. People seem to be on edge tonight.” “Tell me about it,” Kyle said, as he walked down the hall toward the new shrine to Bail. In another part of the manor, Maddie had just arrived from the city, and saw Osborn and Rupert out playing with a little girl. She got the story of the arrival of the Verahannens and Tolly from the hin, and after staying a while to play with Iria, she went in search of the Ardaran priest. She found him sitting in the manor’s library, though in truth calling the room a ‘library’ was charitable at best, since there had not been time to stock the shelves with very many books. It would have been more accurate to call it a ‘trophy room’, as currently most of the shelves held mementos from the Legacy’s adventures. Tolly was examining one item in particular when Maddie walked in. “Hello, Tolly,” Maddie said, giving him an affectionate squeeze on the arm. “How have you been?” “Very well, thank you. And you, Kavan?” “I’m fine, thanks. And it’s Madrone, now and forever.” Tolly sighed. “Of course, forgive me. I haven’t been around you enough to get used to you as a woman.” “There are times when I’m not used to being a woman. The moonsblood sucks.” “I’ll take your word for it,” Tolly said, slightly taken aback. He’d forgotten how frank the favored soul could be. “Thankfully it’s something I’ve never experienced. But it will probably be something that I have to discuss one day, now that I have a daughter.” Madrone smiled. “So the orphan takes in a foundling of his own.” Tolly cracked a smile. “I’d considered bringing Aranal with us, but I wasn’t sure how you would all react to the site of the two of us coming here with a child. Besides, I won’t let Iria anywhere near Aranal.” “Lanara would probably be glad to hear that,” Maddie said. “So,” said Tolly, “back in M’Dos, when I left, there was an elf that was looking for you. What did he want?” “Razael? Oh, the church and Herion assigned him to be my bodyguard. Bit of a pain in the ass, if you must know.” “The situation, or Razael himself?” Tolly asked. “Yes. Especially the way he would look at me sometimes.” Maddie shuddered. “Thank Erito he ended up jumping into bed with Lanara.” Tolly’s eyebrows arched, but he said nothing. “Fortunately, he’s been kept pretty busy lately hunting bandits in the woods, so I don’t see him a lot.” Maddie sighed. “It’s not his fault, really – he’s just doing his job. It’s the implication that I can’t defend myself that always rubbed me wrong.” She turned and looked at Tolly. “So, how is your church treating you?” “The church itself is treating me fine. The Prelate Council, on the other hand…” Tolly shook his head. “Do you remember the time when the buckles on the lower half of my plate armor got stuck, and it took two days to pry them free?” “Yes, I do. That was unpleasant.” “Dealing with the Council is like that, but for weeks on end. If the Council had to take a vote on whether to go to the privy, they’d explode before they reached a decision.” Maddie laughed out loud. “I never would have expected such a comment out of a priest of the goddess of Law,” she said. “Archprelate Frelarr told me once that people who enjoy sausage and the law should not watch either being made. I understand what he meant.” “Well, that does sound like the nature of bureaucracy,” Maddie said. “It does. So, we’ve decided to rotate who holds the position of Inquisitor Primus. The church will now fill the position with those who they consider their most promising, the rising stars of the faith. The job will help temper them, but at the same time the influx of fresh ideas and enthusiasm will keep the drearier parts of the job from crushing the spirit of the Primus.” “So, you’re unemployed, then?” Tolly nodded his head. “For a while. The Archprelate has not removed any of my powers yet. There are effectively two Inquisitor Primus’s now. You should meet Argent some time. He’s the Favored of Ardara that is succeeding me. He’s young, and naïve. He reminds me of myself, when we graduated. But more diplomatic, and less worried about everything.” Maddie frowned. “You’re not making some sort of…” she paused for a moment, then waved her hands. “Never mind.” “I’m not matchmaking, if that’s what you’re wondering,” Tolly said. “Thank you,” Maddie sighed. “I wouldn’t do that to Argent,” Tolly added with a grin. Maddie was about to reply when Kyle came walking by, looking grim. He glanced into the library, nodding curtly at the two people in the room. “Looking for someone?” Maddie asked. “Arrie,” Kyle said. “Probably in her room, though.” “Something wrong?” Tolly asked. “Nothing more than there was,” he said. “I just need to… clarify some things.” He walked off, heading for Arrie’s room. “He doesn’t look like he’s having a good day,” Maddie commented. “I don’t think anyone is. You heard about Zanich?” “Osborn told me, yes. Poor Autumn, finding out only a week before her birthday.” Tolly looked surprised. “Oh, it is, isn’t it?” Maddie turned slightly pink. “Oh, Tolly, I didn’t mean to bring up…” Tolly held up a hand. “It’s all right, Maddie. As they say in my church, even the hottest forge will cool with time. I’ve come to terms with how things turned out. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.” “Good point.” “So,” said Tolly, changing the subject, “I have yet to see Xu. Where is she?” “Probably with Togusa. He’s been in the city for a few months, running Autumn’s watch. They spend a lot of time together.” She shook her head at Tolly’s inquisitive glance. “Not like that. More like how you naturally gravitate toward someone from your home town when traveling in a strange place.” “I see.” Tolly’s gaze wandered back to the object he had been looking at before Maddie arrived. “This is an impressive piece,” he said. “What is it?” “Oh, that’s the crown of the king of the orcish empire,” she said. Tolly’s eyes bulged. “This crown is worth a fortune,” he said. “And you just have it sitting here on the shelf?” “No, Tolly. This is just a replica. The real crown’s stashed in Autumn’s [I]portable hole[/I]. We never could decide what to do with it, and then we got busy and kind of forgot about it.” “You [I]forgot [/I]about a priceless artifact of Affon’s history**,” Tolly said, shaking his head. “Frelarr was right. Adventurers are some of the most jaded people on the planet.” “Hey, at least we didn’t pull it apart and sell the pieces so we could buy ale and whores,” Maddie countered. “I doubt you could have drunk that much ale, or… never mind.” Tolly gestured around the room. “I recognize most of the other items in this room, but not all of them. You’ll have to tell me what you’ve been doing since M’Dos.” Maddie spent the next hour telling Tolly stories of their adventures since he’d left the Legacy. Finally, when the servants started to come around and light the lamps in the halls, Tolly took his leave and made his way to the room he’d been given. He hoped that Iria might already be asleep in the room, but with Osborn looking after her, and no doubt Lanara as well, it was far more likely she was currently in the kitchens, eating something that was both too sweet and too sticky. [I]Oh well[/I], he thought. [I] We’re on vacation.[/I] He passed by Kyle and Autumn’s room, and noticed the door was slightly ajar. The flickering light of a fire came from inside, and Tolly could hear Kyle muttering to himself inside. Peeking in, he saw the wizard sitting in front of the fireplace, holding a nearly empty glass of spirits. A half-empty decanter was on the table next to him. Tolly went into the room and gently put the stopper on the decanter. “I think half a decanter is enough for one night,” he said. Kyle grunted. “Remind me,” he said, slurring a little, “that the next time someone dies, I need to stay as far away as possible from those two.” “Things went poorly with Arrie, then?” “Right now, Tolly, I think that Aiden is the only Verahannen that still likes me.” Tolly gave Kyle a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Things will be better in the morning, Kyle.” Tolly walked out of the room, taking the decanter and setting it back in the open cabinet on the wall. Kyle watched him leave. “Better in the morning,” he muttered. “That’ll take a miracle.” [CENTER] * * *[/CENTER] Sleep, when it came to Autumn, was fitful and unsatisfying. Her dreams were haunted by images of her father, dying in agony. Her mother, dressed in black and covered in blood, shrieking as her mind broke. Her sister, her brother… all of them looking at her accusingly. She barely remembered going to the solarium. Her memories seemed distant, as if she’d only been watching everything from a distance. When she knelt in front of her mother and confessed her role in Zanich’s death, she felt like she was hearing herself say the words instead of actually saying them. She saw herself draw the dagger and beg Auror to kill her in revenge, but couldn’t remember the feel of the blade in her hand. She felt hands pulling her away, a voice in her ear – Arrie’s voice. [I]I won’t let you do that to my mother![/I] My mother… not our mother. [I]I’ve lost a father, and now I’ve lost a mother too.[/I] There were other images – were they real, or just dreams? Kyle sprawled dead on the floor, Arrie standing over him, her chain still bloody. Arrie running into the church of Tor, striking down the priest with psionic power and then being overwhelmed by a cascade of angry archons. Aiden leaping from the tallest tower at Castle Verahannen. Phyros, the head of the Order of Sentinels, rebuking Autumn and casting her out of the Order. The city of Vargas in flames. And behind it all, the wicked laughter of a cornugon. She felt a hand on her shoulder, rousing her from sleep. Wearily, she opened her puffy, bloodshot eyes, squinting against the light. It took her a moment to realize that she was still in the shrine, draped over the altar. It took her another minute to realize that the candles she had lit should have burned out hours ago, and it shouldn’t be this bright in here. She turned slowly to see a strange figure standing behind her. He was large, well over nine feet tall, and his skin was a brilliant emerald green. He wore a simple white tunic, which matched the large, feathery wings that emerged from his back. “Messages have been passed among the Servants,” the planetar said. “I heard that my daughter was in need. So I have come.” Autumn looked up at the celestial for a long moment, and then was overcome with a wave of emotion. She broke down, sobbing hysterically. A moment later, she felt the comforting embrace of a pair of strong arms… and strong wings that smelled like the ocean. [CENTER] * * *[/CENTER] Kyle sighed, and tried not to go cross-eyed. He’d woken up that morning to find that he’d spent the night alone. Not particularly in the mood to find Autumn just yet, he had dressed and come downstairs. He was stopped on the stairs by Autumn’s valet, Aleria. “I was just coming to inform you that the florists will be here shortly,” she said. “Wonderful,” he moaned. “Have you seen the Duchess this morning?” “Not yet, my lord. Is she still in her chambers?” “No, she’s not. She’s in her shrine.” “I see. Shall I go and get her?” Kyle thought for a moment. “No. Bring her some breakfast and leave it outside the door. You might mention the florists, but don’t wait for an answer. If she comes, she comes. If not…” Kyle looked back up the stairs. “Have you seen Princess Ariadne up and about?” “I’m afraid not, my lord. But Master Greenbottle is here, at the breakfast table.” “Of course he is.” Osborn never missed breakfast at the manor. “Tell him not to wait for me – I’m not particularly hungry this morning.” “He’s already started his meal, my lord.” Kyle half sighed, half chuckled. “I should have known. Do we have any court business today?” “None I know of, my lord,” Aleria said. “Then we’ll have the florists set up in the audience chamber. Have someone bring in some chairs and tables.” “Very good, my lord,” Aleria said, curtseying before she proceeded up the stairs. Kyle decided to go outside and walk around the grounds for a while. He’d need a clear head if he ended up picking all of the flowers for the wedding by himself. However, when he returned and went to the audience chamber, he saw that Arrie, Xu, Maddie and Lanara were all sitting in the room, watching as the florists set up their displays. “We figured you’d need some help,” Lanara said. “Someone with a discerning eye for color and form,” Xu added. “Your confidence in me is overwhelming,” Kyle said, sitting down at the end of the table. “But thanks. No Autumn, I take it?” “Raz went to go get her,” Lanara said. “I thought about telling him not to, but it’s not like he listens anyway.” Osborn came walking by the room, and poked his head in. “What’s going on in here?” “Florists,” Arrie said. “Come on in. We could use your opinion.” “Gee, thanks!” Osborn said, walking in and pulling up a chair. “Yeah, thanks,” Kyle huffed. Arrie flashed Kyle a slight smile, which he returned. Volumes were spoken in those two glances. “I’d go with mostly white,” Arrie said, “accented by blue. Many people will tell you that too much white will wash out the bride, but in this case that’s not going to be a problem. And since the wedding’s outdoors, you’ll have a natural green background to offset it.” Arrie pointed at a small bunch of small blue flowers. “Those are her favorites.” “I know,” Kyle said. They were just beginning to discuss what types of ivy to use on the trellis over the altar when Razael walked in. He was looking very clean, which meant that Lanara had gone after him recently with a [I]prestidigitation [/I]spell. “No greataxe wounds,” Maddie commented, looking Razael over. “Autumn must be feeling better.” “She’s probably not coming,” Razael said. “She’s busy with her father right now.” He jerked his head back to indicate where he’d just come from. “Her other father, I mean. The one with wings.” Everyone just looked at Razael for a while, processing this bit of news. Then Osborn jumped off his chair. “A celestial? Wow!” He went running out of the room. Lanara moved to stand up, but Arrie caught her eyes and shook her head. “Please wait,” she said. “Yeah, what’s the big deal?” Razael said. “It’s just a planetar.” He shook his head. “Don’t even see why Lysanne fell for him in the first place.” “Shouldn’t you be out in the field playing with the cows?” Lanara asked. “They’d run away from me,” Razael said, pointing out his newly cleaned garb. “I don’t smell like them any more.” Kyle produced a wand, and reversed Lanara’s earlier [I]prestidigitation[/I]. “Go,” he said. Razael smirked, and then walked off, leaving a little bit of dirt on the floor behind him. After a while, the people remaining in the audience chamber noticed an unusual buzz of excitement coming from the house staff outside the room. The florists, who were starting to present their ideas for the bridal bouquet, looked past the party to the hallway outside, and stopped suddenly, staring. Arrie looked at the florists, then over her shoulder to see what they were looking at. When she saw, she stood up. “I’ll let you take it from here, Kyle,” Arrie said, nodding to the florists as she walked out through a door on the other side of the room. Kyle understood. As a psionic being, Arrie was considered anathema to the gods. Their servants were under strict orders to destroy any psions they encountered. Autumn walked into the chamber, followed by a tall, green-skinned celestial. The florists and servants in the room bowed deeply, as Kyle, Lanara, Xu, and Maddie stood and gave Autumn’s father a courteous nod. Osborn walked in behind Autumn and the planetar, grinning from ear to ear. Xu turned to the florists, who were still gaping. “Perhaps you could return this afternoon? We have dignitaries to attend to.” Nodding, the florists quickly gathered their things and left, their minds reeling at the fact that the Duchess and her companions were referring to an angel as a ‘dignitary’. Autumn introduced each of her friends, stopping at Kyle last. “This is my fiancé, Kyle Goodson. Kyle, this is my father, Phanuel.” Phanuel reached out and placed one massive hand over Kyle’s head. There was a moment of stillness in the room as the planetar concentrated. Suddenly, Kyle felt a wave of positive energy pass through Phanuel’s hands and into him, and he knew that he’d just received the blessing of Autumn’s father. Phanuel stepped back, and smiled. “There. Now I can distinguish you from the other mortals here, see you as you are. It is good to meet you, Kyle.” “Likewise.” Phanuel turned to Autumn. “And what of your sister? Or, the one that you call your sister; is not related by blood, as I understand it, but a sister of the heart.” “Oh, yes, Arrie,” Autumn wanted Arrie to meet her father, but also knew that such a meeting would be difficult to arrange. “I should go and get Aiden, and probably Mother too… my adopted mother, Auror, not…” Phanuel motioned for Autumn to remain still. “Let us make this simple. Close your eyes and think of those you love.” The planetar reached out and touched Autumn on the forehead. She felt a burst of energy travel through her and out of her. She knew somehow that that energy had traveled out to those she cared about, touching them as she had been. The party members in the room felt a sudden surge of bliss that seemed to come out of nowhere. “There,” Phanuel said, dropping his arm. “Now I have touched them through you. I will know them now.” He smiled at his daughter. “What brought you to visit Autumn today?” Kyle asked. “Her prayers to Bail were received by one of his servants, the trumpet archon Urial. When he sensed her need, he passed a message to me through the channels that the angels maintain with the archons.” Autumn looked around. “Where’s Tolly?” “I haven’t seen him,” Kyle said. “He probably found a church to pray in,” Lanara said. “He is a man of faith, this Tolly?” Phanuel asked. “He’s a priest of Ardara,” Lanara said. “Very high up in his church.” “Then I will be sure to recognize him when I see him.” Maddie, Lanara and Xu took their leave, so that Autumn, Kyle, and Phanuel had time to get acquainted. After they left, they were pulled into another room, where Arrie and Razael were talking about some secret plan. Meanwhile, Autumn took her father on a tour of the manor and grounds, with Kyle accompanying them both. In order to prevent the commotion that had followed them from the shrine, Phanuel altered his form, condensing his massive frame into a more human visage. Kyle noted that Autumn seemed none the worse for wear this morning, despite being close to insane the night before. “Are you happy here?” Phanuel asked, as they stood in the stables with Autumn’s horse Defiance. “Yes,” Autumn admitted, “though there is much to do. We have a… quest to complete.” “I hope that the journey will mean as much to you as the completion of your quest,” Phanuel said. “I plan to stay until your wedding, with your permission.” “Of course,” Autumn said, smiling. “If you have need of me while I am here, you need only call my name. But in the meanwhile, I think I will go and observe the people here at your home. I will need to reacquaint myself with human mannerisms.” With that, Phanuel vanished. Kyle could see that the angel had turned invisible, and was now following one of the serving girls back to the house. By the time Kyle and Autumn returned to the manor, Arrie was in her traveling clothes. Razael and Maddie were standing next to her. “We’ll be back in a couple of days!” Arrie announced brightly. “Who’s ‘we’,” Autumn asked, “and where are you going?” Maddie answered. “Me, and Arrie, and Raz, and Tolly and Iria. As for where we’re going, it’s a secret.” “Yeah, and ye shouldn’t be asking so many questions this close to your wedding,” Razael said. “I want to see Tolly before you leave,” Autumn said. “I’ll go find him,” Razael sighed. He walked into the manor and bellowed the priest’s name. “[I]I[/I] could have done that,” Autumn said, rolling her eyes. “I’m so glad that I’m too old for him,” Maddie added. After a while, Tolly and Iria came outside. “You bellowed?” “I just wanted to thank you for coming,” Autumn said. She stepped forward and embraced the Ardaran. After a brief moment of uncertainty, he returned the hug. “You’re welcome, Autumn.” The sentinel smiled. “And you haven’t yet introduced me to the young woman you brought with you.” “Oh, of course.” He looked down at Iria, who was standing next to his leg. “Iria, curtsy to the lady.” As Iria dipped into an awkward little girl curtsy, Tolly made the introductions. “Autumn, this is Iria, my ward. Iria, this is Duchess Autumn.” “It’s very nice to meet you, Iria,” Autumn said. “Nice to meet you too,” she replied. “You’re very pretty.” Iria smiled. “Tolly thinks you’re pretty too.” Lanara laughed. “That’s a lovely shade of pink you’re turning, Tolly.” “Iria,” Tolly said, “there are times when you shouldn’t make certain comments. We’ll talk later.” Arrie leaned down and said in a loud whisper, clearly meant to be overheard, “Iria, I’ll teach you how to say those things without getting into trouble.” “I think perhaps we’d better go,” Tolly said. “But I wanted you to meet my father,” Autumn said. “The angel? Yes, I’d heard.” Tolly looked around the courtyard. “Perhaps when we get back, so I can arrange for Iria to be elsewhere when I meet him.” Autumn looked puzzled by this, until Kyle stepped forward. “Iria is a very special little girl, Autumn. Special, like how Aran and your sister are special.” “Oh,” she said, understanding. Then her eyes widened as she realized who was caring for the girl. “Oh, really?” “It’s good to know that you remembered that, Kyle,” Tolly said. “I remember more than most people realize,” he replied. Razael emerged from the manor again, and moments later the four travelers were off, borne on the wind by Maddie’s magic. As Kyle and Autumn waved, Autumn spotted the florists slowly walking up to the manor from the gate. “Oh, good,” she said. “The florists are here. Kyle, you can help me pick things out.” “But we covered most of this already,” Kyle said. “Well, I haven’t, and it’s my wedding,” Autumn said. “So, let’s have them set up inside again.” Kyle sighed. “All right.” As they walked into the manor and entered the audience chamber, they were surprised to see Auror sitting in one of the chairs, looking out the large picture windows. “Oh, Autumn,” she said, smiling just a little. “I had the strangest dream. Are you all right?” “I am now,” Autumn said, tears glistening in her eyes. “Are you okay?” “I’m… not yet,” Auror admitted. “But I know I will be, eventually. May I sit and help you with your flower arrangements?” “Of course, Mother,” Autumn looked at Kyle, happy to see Auror but uncertain how it came to be. Kyle briefly touched his index finger to Autumn’s forehead. Nodding, Autumn understood. She had her father to thank for this, as well. ------------------------- * In other words, the players and DM agreed that we didn't really want to spend the next three months of game time fighting thieves and assassins, so the elimination of the rest of Vargas' criminal element was neatly summarized in narrative form. ** The Crown of the Orcish King is the 'real discovery' that the Legacy found in Auxariel's hoard, mentioned briefly at the beginning of [URL=http://www.enworld.org/showpost.php?p=2815390&postcount=116]this post[/URL]. It was literally listed on our treasure sheet as 'priceless'. It's not magical, but just a very important status symbol. To this day, we're still carrying it, unsure of what to do. It's too big a cultural artifact to consider selling it off in pieces, so we would want to sell it whole. Problem is, there are very few who could afford to pay even close to a reasonable price (none of us players are naive enough to think that the DM would hand over millions of gold pieces for it - we were thinking more along the lines of services and favors in payment) and we're even leery of that, because anyone who could pay for it would probably use it in unfavorable ways. We are definitely leery about giving it back to the orcs, because it could very well lead to the formation of a new orcish nation, which would probably be a bad thing. So, eventually I figure we'll think of a way to make use of the crown, but until then it continues to sit in the [I]portable hole[/I]. [/QUOTE]
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