The Ancient Paths - Path I

[hippocrachus]

~ The Adventurers ~

Braggi nods his greeting to Nae'talis and offers him a chair beside Hrolf. The half-frost giant sets out a bowl of bread and cheese just as another knock comes at the studded wooden doors and Dowkan is shown in.
"Why am I not surprised that your elven companion is the last to arrive?" Braggi says, shaking his head. "The two of you have been well? I know you have helped the Temple quite a lot in the past few days, Dowkan. A dwarf's loyalty is stronger than a giant." He grins at the dwarven mercenary.
"Who is the new addition to the party?" he asks of Nae'talis, aiming his grin at the raven perched on the wizard's shoulder.

~ Hildor ~

"I found it cradled in your arm..." the cleric says, his look of worry mingling with that of creeping suspicion. Maybe Hildor wasn't quite right in the head after a "faceless" mound of dirt beat him to the ground or maybe the elf was trying to pawn his burden off on the kind cleric. He eyes Hildor like a cautious rabbit surrounded by stalking foxes until he takes the velvet. "Father Braggi requests your audience."
That would explain the cleric being away from the temple.

 

[Majin]

"This is Shadar," Nae'talis introduces the bird. "It is good sense to stay aware of ones surroundings, and this familiar can facilitate that by becoming my eyes and ears in ways that I cannot as of yet."

 

[ae1vart0n]

Accepting the item, and having been healed of his injuries, he sits for a moment, then stands, slowly.

"Thank you," he says. Fewer words meant less trouble as far as Hildor was concerned. "I'll head to the temple then."

He stood up, gathered his things, checking his backpack and weopons for damage or missing items. The scarlet item he placed in his backpack.

He'd wait and show the others. Hopefully Mars had sent that thing and this box, then Hildor, not knowing it was from Mars, would not be the one responsible for informing them, and his agreement would not be violated. If he opened it now he couldn't claim ignorance.

The task had seemed so simple in the beginning. Just follow him. Nowhere in follow had Hildor heard, 'fight your way through a cave full of bloodthirsty creatures', or 'I'm going to attack the Tyrrans while you're in their company', and especially not 'i'm going to send an elemental to beat you to a pulp'. That last one was the final straw. He wasn't sure if that was Mars, but he had a feeling whatever this was the elemental had left for him, it would prove it one way or another.

Still somewhat taken aback by the whole incident, and keeping his eyes on his feet more often than not, Hildor left for Braggi.

 

[hippocrachus]

~ The Adventurers ~

When Hildor takes the wrapped red velvet from the cleric, he notices the object wrapped inside feels more like a small dagger than a box. It fits inside of his backpack all the same.
The cleric leads Hildor to the Temple of Tyr and shows him to a room where Father Braggi and his companions are waiting inside. The cleric tells Hildor that Father Braggi will be very interested in what happened to him before now. He says it in a way that makes Hildor sure the cleric will tell Braggi if he doesn't personally, and probably not put Hildor in a good light.
The group ceases their idle chat when Hildor is shown in and Braggi doesn't waste any time getting down to business.
"I told all of you that I had much to discuss with you; unfortunately, I haven't found the time until now." The big man seemed to think the unnecessary excuse was in order. Probably to save his own sense of honor. "You four have been a great help to Silverdown, both in securing the outlying wilderness and helping with the reconstruction of the hamlet. But like all things..." Braggi pauses, noticing a subtle apprehension in Hildor. "Is there something you'd like to say?"

 

[ae1vart0n]

"Sorry. This...," he paused. He wasn't sure exactly what it was actually. He decided to give a little more background first. Not that they would believe it, but if the ones who helped him confirmed it, then he had a chance. After a deep breath he spit it out quickly.

"I was attacked.
Two clerics saved me.
This thing came out of the dirt," he swallowed. The attack still fresh in his mind.

A short look around the room before reaching in his backpack and pulling out the object still in the wrapping. "They found me holding this. It's not mine, and I haven't looked to see what it is."

 

[Legildur]

Dowkan becomes more alert as Hildor outlines his encounter. "Came out of the dirt you say?" the dwarf muses, caring little that he may be interrupting anyone. "There be a few possibilities for what it may have been. But most likely it be an earth elemental. Hornary creatures at the best of times - or so I've heard. Never actually seen one."

 

[hippocrachus]

Braggi licks his lips and rubs his mouth. He doesn't seem skeptical; if Hildor was lying, Braggi would know soon enough once he asked these "clerics."
"Why would an earth elemental attack you, Hildor?" Braggi asks slowly, worry creasing his brow. The elf had mentioned an attack on the Tyrrans before. Possibly the attacker sought to eliminate Hildor for threatening their plans. Or if he was still their man, teach him a sharp lesson. He nods at Hildor. "Open it."

 

[hippocrachus]

~ Hroar ~

The assembly hushes as the High Cleric Hroar Kraki steps up to the alter in the Longhall of Tyr in Silverymoon. The collective of Tyrran clerics was surprisingly small; most of the Tyrran forces in the Silver Marches were off with Father Braggi establishing a place of Law in an otherwise chaotic wilderness.
The clerics gathered in the Longhall, every one a high ranking member of the clergy, elected High Cleric Kraki as the Prolocutor of the Just Moot. He was the one that had gathered them here after all, and he presided over the Longhall. There were those that fought to refuse Hroar the honor, a younger Father, with hardly the gray hair to be granted such a title, named Beorn, but his voice was drowned by the numbers against him. Hroar was the one that would initiate the Moot and select the speaker because of his new responsibility.
“Tyr’s Justice serve,” he announces sagely, his prayer is repeated by the hall’s entirety. “A great force of chaos has gathered at the edge of our reality, threatening to envelope all that is just and lawful. For the past few weeks, I have gathered intelligence about the history surrounding the Silver Marches and one place in particular: Silverdown.”
The collective listens attentively as the Prolocutor unfolds his studies and findings, but are most interested when Hroar mentions a powerful ogre mage from a time long passed.
“In the ancient days of the world, Tsathzar Rho was an ambitious sorcerer of considerable power. He forged gates between worlds, bent demons to his will, and cultivated magical abilities the likes of which the world has not since seen. Yet, as the saying goes, power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Tsathzar Rho mastered magics of the ninth circle, enslaved the demon-generals of the murkiest Abyss, and shattered the Silver Gate of the Eighth World, yet he still desired more. While his successes grew his power, so too did they cultivate his arrogance. In time, he sought out power and magic beyond the reckoning of men, gods, and even the demons that whimpered at the mere mention of his name. He sent prayers and supplications to the Outer Gods, the Old Ones, the Lords of Infinite Emptiness, and other mighty beings that existed outside of planes. In his hubris, Tsathzar Rho believed he had the skill and cunning to bind such unspeakable horrors. Delving into texts judged ancient even in his distant epoch, he called forth the Keeper of the Gate and demanded that the Outer Ones appear before him. In doing so, he sealed his fate for all eternity.
“The Outer Gods did indeed answer Tsathzar Rho’s call, but they came neither to hear his appeals nor to witness his magic. Their very nature warped and twisted the fabric of reality, causing a tremendous explosion that disintegrated Tsathzar Rho’s tower and turned the region around it into an ashen waste. The local men and elves breathed a sigh of relief and continued with their lives, thankful that the tower’s ominous presence had been expunged from the horizon.
“Ages passed and soon the memory of Tsathzar Rho did too. My sleep of late has been anything but restful. I dream of realms empty and full to bursting all at once. Our reality was permanently scarred by Tsathzar’s meddling, and that scar has begun to resurface,” Hroar’s words become more strenuous and pointed as his voice crescendos. “The Lost Vault of Tsathzar Rho, holding the secrets of unspeakable and eldritch horrors, has resurfaced. Tyr has shown me what we must do to defend the Realms! To defend the Laws of our existence! Together…!” Hroar’s words strangle off and he grabs at his throat in panic. The hall begins to fill with anxious whispers, encouraging him to continue on, not seeing the danger: the small dart protruding past his finger tips in a slowly weakening grip.

~ Ali’Shaun ~

It is done.

 

[Majin]

Nae'talis watches on, as Hildor explains himself. Silently he agreed with the dwarf on what most likely had attacked the elf. But he watched more intently as the rogue took out the scarlet wrapped object, awaiting its unveiling...

 

[ae1vart0n]

"I wish I knew."

With hands outstretched he slowly removed the wrapping to reveal the contents of this package to the others.