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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hairy Minotaur" data-source="post: 3756840" data-attributes="member: 11574">A new member, or are you just happy to see me?Haimish reached Catalan in just over two days; he retold the tragedy at Omen and the death of Xanthos at the hands of the orc warlord. The Catalan officials questioned Haimish more on the odd weather pattern rather than the battle or its outcome. Haimish sensed they were actually please Omen had ceased to exist for the time being, Haimish chalked it up to the mining that was occurring there and the druids natural aversion to using the land in that manner. Haimish relayed the party’s trip north from She-Wolf and the weather they encountered and included the attack by the cryo-hydra as well. The Catalan council nodded in agreement with Haimish’s observations from the Southeast edge of the Majestics. Catalan sat midway on the Western edge of the mountain range and overlooked the barbarian plains, the city had once been a staging ground for numerous barbarian excursions across the plains. Twenty years ago however Grinnor the Cruel rampaged too far west and reached the Gigabolt Mountains and the druids that lived there. His horde was decimated and he was made to lead the druids back to his base. The druids quickly subverted the barbarians and all has been quiet for over fifteen years.Haimish noted Catalan’s interest in the Majestics Mountains was something new and he wondered exactly what their new interest really masked. Catalan asked how the barbarians that had gone south to help rebuild Kindoras Keep were behaving themselves and when they could expect them to return. Haimish wondered if they were covertly asking if or when Kindoras would be rebuilt, or if Catalan had no interest in that morsel whatsoever and truly only cared about the barbarians. “I’m not involved in the day-to-day of the keep, that question is best left for those in charge.” Was Haimish’s reply“Xanthos had made us understand your party’s role was to help in its rebuilding, are you no longer involved in that aspect?” a druid askedThese guys are tricky, Haimish thought. “I’ve never been involved with that, I’m more of an inspiration than a stonemason you could just bring Xanthos back to life and ask him yourselves.” “Whether Xanthos returns to us and in what form is the sole choosing of his spirit, it is far less taxing to seek these answers from someone who is present at this location and not expend our efforts to bring someone back to the Prime just to ask them a few questions.” The druid spoke“Oh well, I just assumed you’d want someone to look into this weird weather pattern we’re having and someone who can fly over the range in a measure of weeks rather than years would be beneficial to you. I guess we’re talking about two different things here, my willingness to help and your indecisiveness in telling me what it is you want me to help you out with.” Haimish responds“We know what the problem is unnatural; we do not need you to tell us this with your arcane divinations, the creatures of the mountains have communicated this to us already. Unfortunately that was two weeks ago and no further creatures have come down from the slopes since then.” The druid replies“I’m sure Xanthos would love to help, he’s that kind of guy. Plus you’d get it done a lot quicker and not reduce your friend level any further.” Haimish offers“Fine, we will see what Xanthos wishes.” The druid answersXanthos’ deformed body is placed in an oak circle as the twelve members of Catalan’s council form a circle just inside the oak circle. Haimish hears several sounds escape from the druids’ mouths, a rushing wind, a crackling fire, a landslide, and a babbling brook. All of these sounds wrap around Xanthos as a faint green light shimmers in the center of the flesh mound that is the current iteration of Xanthos. The light brightens and envelopes Xanthos, the light then turns a ruddy brown and recedes leaving the shaking form of a Dawn Elf huddled where Xanthos had been.“The Xanthos spirit has returned to us, Gaia’s graciousness be witnessed.” The druids state in unisonNo longer a centaur, the newly remade Xanthos kisses the ground and then accepts a cloak of leaves from the druids before joining Haimish and Doopa on the outside of the oak ring. “Welcome back Xanthos, everything feel alright?” Haimish inquires“I am satisfied with the results. I assume by your presence here that you managed to defeat Hledra and you kept the orc’s head as a trophy.” Xanthos asks in a low monotone“Yes and no. Menthos tricked the orc into leaving and Omen was able to repel the remaining hill giants. Turgar was lost however; I can tell you the whole story on the way back to Kindoras.” Haimish explains“I will not be returning to Kindoras with you. I seek the orc who adorns himself with my heart. I take flight in the morning to Hledra, I will destroy him myself.” Xanthos answers“Uh, I sorta had to promise we’d check out the weather problems.” Haimish states“Check them out then, I will return to Kindoras once I have what is mine back.” Xanthos answers“Um, the plan involved you doing aerial reconnaissance.” Haimish explains“Foolish of you to involve a dead man in your plans, I cannot comply with your request at this time.” Xanthos answers, turns and leaves Haimish and Doopa bewildered“Changing man seem mad at singing man.” Doopa observes“No, I don’t think so, if he was mad at me, I’d be dead.” Haimish answersThe bard and ogre lead the rangers they traversed up to Catalan with back to Kindoras that evening, Haimish reconciles Xanthos’ attitude by stating aloud to Doopa that he never wishes to be reincarnated. Doopa states his understanding of what Haimish wishes and then promptly asks what reincarnation is.“Ya got a vist’r!” Gorn shouts while kicking Menthos out of his bed“What the hell time is it?” Menthos asks irked at the interruption of his beauty sleep.“Time fer ya to come to da front gate!” Gorn answersGorn slammed the door to Menthos’ room behind him and proceeded to the tower exit/entrance before turning around to see if Menthos was following him or not. What he discovered was more tiefling than he cared to see.“What?!” Gorn exasperated “Hey, you’re the one who said big emergency, come now, limited time only, everything must go, sale, sale, sale!”  Menthos said, arms waving theatrically, as his naked form walked up to meet Gorn at the tower’s door“Yer not going out der like dat!” Gorn demands“Move aside patsy, I’ve got guests.” Menthos answers and pushes his way past Gorn and heads for the gate.The full moon overhead wrapped itself in a sliver halo, ice crystals in the air giving the moon a serene glow. Menthos pushed open the gate tower entrance as four guards therein snapped to attention, the guards circled a lithe elf slowing stroking the back of a large white tiger. Heavy steps and hurried breathing forced their way through the door behind Menthos as Gorn recovered his disbelief and ran to the gate. Shocked expressions gave way to facial avoidance as the guards all turned their heads toward the visitor once they realized the state Menthos was in.“What’s the meaning of this? I don’t know this guy.” Menthos states“Sir, uh he said he had been um following you and your party for um days.” A Guard distractingly got out without trying to look at MenthosMenthos walked up to the stranger and looked him over. The elf stared at Menthos, counting the appendages below the teifling’s waist.“Hey!” Menthos shouts while snapping his fingers in the stranger’s face, “I’m up here.” Menthos accentuates by pointing his index and middle fingers of his right hand at his eyes.“Do all teifling’s have egos large enough to physically protect them, thus eliminating the need for clothing and armor?” The stranger asks“No, I have the multi-attack ability and I don’t do biting.” Menthos answers smugly“I witnessed your fiasco at Omen, I too wish to be rid of the goblin menace. I seek to aid your ridding of their tribes from the Majestics.” The stranger states“Wait, did you just insult me? And if you were there, I really appreciated you staying the hell away and not saving lives.” Menthos insinuates“I came far too late to be of any effective resistance to your plight.” The stranger states“What makes you think you’re good enough to do it now?”  Menthos questions“My road is littered with burned bridges under which has flowed many streams of misery, surely you of all people can appreciate that.” The stranger answers“Nope, sorry you got the wrong guy. Unless it’s women, I ain’t buying.” Menthos replies“Does your plan of attack involve tracking of some kind, in this weather you’d be lucky to spot a frost giant’s tracks let alone a small goblin’s.” The elf states“A tracker huh? Do you shoot arrows and whine about how other people do your job better than you? And more importantly can you actually track and not fake it?” Menthos inquires“I could track your forked tongue over the river of deceit three weeks after your reign ended.” The elf answers“It warms my heart to know that my olfactory sense has not failed me, because this room is filling up with the stench of your BS. Other than tracking what special talent do you have?” Menthos asksThe elf’s eyes seem to fracture into hundreds of smaller eyes and then in a blink revert back to their sky blue color cradled in a cloud of white.“Impressive, but the role of freak of nature has obviously been filled by me.” Menthos states shifting his hips“The only good goblins are ones twisting on me spit of hate seasoned with the tears of the fallen.” The man answers“Maybe you’ll do, you’ll have to pass the physical exam along with a rectal exam and Doctor Doopa is out right now. When he gets here I’ll let you know. Until then you can make yourself useful and go mortar something.” Menthos dismisses the elf“Certainly, I am wizened for having met the Menthos Lyptus of my cud. I am Eeyore of the Apaxvn* tribe.” Eeyore introduces himself formally“E or what?” Menthos asks“Excuse me?” Eeyore asks“E or what? F? Or G?” Menthos states, “Wait, orgy? Heh, I like you already.” Menthos answersTwo days of wall work later and Haimish along with Doopa and the rangers return minus Xanthos“Xanthos will not be returning for a while.” Haimish relates the Catalan trip“Awe, and here I was hoping this new guy I met could kill, I mean meet him.” Menthos answersMenthos introduces Eeyore to Haimish and Doopa as a large eagle quickly descends winding around the pyromancer’s tower. Xanthos transforms back into his elven form and interjects himself into the conversation.“Hledra’s found allies, frost giants move on this keep. They lie only a day travel to the north amid a cold I have never experienced or wish to recount. I fear my vengeance will need held until these foes have been dealt with.” Xanthos states* astute readers may find out his secret before the story hour reveals it  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> *</blockquote>

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