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The Thorns of Winter -(updated 8/1/2023)
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<blockquote data-quote="Nthal" data-source="post: 8434531" data-attributes="member: 6971069"><p style="text-align: center"><strong>Pining in the Darkness - 10/21/2021</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>The grey face was calm and composed as it sank into the earth. The strands pulled and pushed the soil in the ground, allowing the cooling body to be interred within. My hands trembled as I did this as I felt my emotions churn within me.</p><p></p><p>I had killed many in Faerun, each death I tried to honor their passing. But here, in this still strange place to me, everything I had killed was an abomination. A corruption of the natural order. I felt no compunction to worry about their souls…provided they had them.</p><p></p><p>On the other hand, the souls they took all to make these horrors concerned me quite a bit. Some of them had died horribly in my eyes. Wy, and the others were slaughtered, exsanguinated, flayed… terrible endings for all. With I as their only witness to their passing. So, while I had known Mobad for less time, I felt that his burial was a burial for them all. That his ferocity in life, to survive was the one we all had in ourselves.</p><p></p><p>I felt guilty though. That I hadn’t done all I could to stop any of their deaths. I could perhaps forgive myself for Wy and the others; we weren’t prepared. But I didn’t do my duty…my responsibility to their souls. And as for Mobad, were I but a bit quicker, more skilled, more…secure in my faith I could have saved him. That I could have made the girl who now had her back to us all safe and secure. A lie we all to readily tell ourselves until its false comfort is ripped away. One of the first lessons of death and life:</p><p></p><p><em>Life and death are temporary; signs a long a long road. Both can start and end without warning or seeming intent. That which appears random, has purpose and meaning, even if you cannot divine what. For does knowing the path’s destination, make the journey easier? Does it have less meaning if one doesn’t know the end?</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>So, one person’s specific journey; its start, its middle and its end isn’t one to judge or be concerned with. It is what we can learn and take away from that person’s full journey, and how that gives meaning to our own.</em></p><p></p><p>The soil ceased to churn, and I knelt into the dirt and recite the litany:</p><p></p><p><em>“No one should be alone, in life or death,</em></p><p><em>Death is part of life, not an ending but a beginning</em></p><p><em>Death is without deceit and has meaning,</em></p><p><em>All should strive to help those to live, </em></p><p><em>So, they can die at their appointed time,</em></p><p><em>I will honor those who have died before me,</em></p><p><em>For it is their lives and deeds that give us the world today—"</em></p><p></p><p>As I spoke, I realized that my voice was joined by another; Adrissa. She was now on her knee over the soft soil. Her eyes were clear, and the tears dried as she nodded her head and we continued the litany together;</p><p></p><p><em>"Bless this soul at his chosen, appointed time, </em></p><p><em>So, his deeds will live forever,</em></p><p><em>So be the will of my Lord, and my desire in faith</em></p><p><em>May Death grant you peace.”</em></p><p></p><p>Adrissa turned to look at me and gave a me a weak smile. The rest each looked over the grave keep their own council, until Doxx broke the silence.</p><p></p><p>“Well…I suppose we should move on before more swoop down upon us,” Doxx said somberly.</p><p></p><p>“Indeed,” The Blade concurred. “We might have had a different story together in Sharn. It seems that wasn’t our destiny.”</p><p></p><p>“We should go,” Sage said looking at the sky warily.</p><p></p><p>“You might want to keep your eyes on the ground. There are other monsters hiding in the mountains here,” Adrissa said standing up. She looked at the group once, and then started off into the woods. Rosa and Bookshelf shrugged and followed her both keeping their thoughts to themselves and together we moved on.</p><p></p><p>[HR][/HR]</p><p></p><p></p><p>The Ironroot Mountains were nothing more than shear cliff faces descending into the valley. So there was little need to ascend them, instead following the hills that ajoined them. We didn’t see any more monsters, despite us all being jumpy at the slightest pickup of the wind. But as we continued our search, Rosa spoke up.</p><p></p><p>“Well well…these are awakened tracks…and vegeogre things I think,” she said, looking at a muddy pool with bark and fungus on the surface.</p><p></p><p>The Blade squatted and pickup some of the bark and examined it, “It’s not logged with muddy water; we must be close.”</p><p></p><p><em>Goss, go up to the treelimbs and tell me what you see on the ground.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--uh…can’t I stay closer to you? Might be safer.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>I doubt you qualify as a snack.</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em>--well…can’t be too careful.</em></p><p></p><p>Gossamer took flight and flew high in the tree branches, scouting ahead of us. We followed in the same direction, and it wasn’t long before we found something.</p><p></p><p><em>--A campsite…it’s a wreck though.</em></p><p></p><p>“A campsite?” I said aloud as the others turned to look at me. “Up ahead.”</p><p></p><p>The rest nodded, and we slowly made our way forward, trying to keep quiet. This was somewhat of a challenge for Sage, but even he kept the din of his plats and weapons down to a minimum. We quickly found ourselves at the edge of a clearing and were surprised at the camp we found.</p><p></p><p>First off, it wasn’t a simple hunter blind or travelers camp; the tents and racks here made it more like an expedition to a strange new place, than a simple place to sleep. The tents were large, some eight paces square. And while the canvas fabric was torn and shredded in the weaspon, the insides had wooden cots and tables. In the center of the encampment was a large firepit, with metal grills and iron works to hold pots and a roasting spit.</p><p></p><p>“What in Dolurrh is this about?” Doxx muttered, as the old woman poked her head in the ruins of the site.</p><p></p><p>“This isn’t a druids’ camp,” Rosa muttered. “This is like a..a…”</p><p></p><p>“It’s a basecamp,” The Blade said. “My family sells equipment like this for travellers to Xen’drik. It’s portable in the sense that you can carry it, but its meant to be setup and maintained, and abandoned when time to leave.”</p><p></p><p>“Who would go through this effort here?” Bookshelf said as they examined the site for clues to its former inhabitants.</p><p></p><p>“A Dragonmarked House,” Sage said as he pointed to a small pile of crates nearby. “Specifically, House Cannith.”</p><p></p><p>“Cannith? Here? And why?” Rosa asked aloud.</p><p></p><p>“Cannith is thought to have…something to the north. Well past my…home.” Adrissa said softly. “Each season wagons would go up the road, and a week or so later, wagons would return. But that was on the main road. I don’t know anything about this.”</p><p></p><p>“So why here?” Doxx said confused.</p><p></p><p>I moved around the camp, and then noticed that a ridge of rock projected itself into the clearing. I wandered around it and there in the cliff was the answer.</p><p></p><p>“Everyone…over here,” I said and soon the rest joined me and saw it.</p><p></p><p>There in the rock face was a fissure, opening into darkness beyond. On both sides there were piles of boulders, all organized neatly away from the entrance. But here there was signs of a different camp; Lean-to’s and simple domes of lashed strips of bark, and vines, around a small fire.</p><p></p><p>“A second group?” I said pointing out the obvious. Adrissa started to look around the campsite and her face has a frown on it.</p><p></p><p>“This is odd,” the girl started. “This is in a little better condition, but both sites were used at about the same time.”</p><p></p><p>“And tracks lead below,” The Blade said, motioning to the ground. Both the druids and the Cannith groups I imagine.</p><p></p><p>Rosa looked at the rock face, and then start to examine the pile of boulders set aside and the ground next to them. “The awakened…they cleared the opening. It must have taken a while based on the amount of rocks moved. But…it looks like they helped each other.”</p><p></p><p>“Why would a bunch of druids help out anyone at all?” Doxx exclaimed. “They tried to kill everyone else.”</p><p></p><p>“I don’t know,” I said shaking my head. “They must have had a reason to work together.”</p><p></p><p>“We should proceed below then,” Sage remarked. Bookshelf pulled out his driftglobe and set it aloft so the other could see in the darkness. I pulled on the energy within me, and felt the rush along my spine, and I set a yellow orb of light on Sage’s shield. And with that we entered the fissure.</p><p></p><p>The opening was a composite of rock and gravel on the rock floor, but not twenty paces in, we realized this was no cave. The passage was easily five paces broad, and the walls were straight carved rock. The main passage had a slope leading deeper into the roots of the mountain. As I turned to look closer at the walls, I realized that they all had carving or glyphs on the walls. Stepping towards the walls I traced my fingers on their forms in the rock. The design wasn’t familiar to me at all, and I felt chills as I touched them.</p><p></p><p>“What made this place?” I whispered.</p><p></p><p>“I am not sure,” Bookshelf said quietly. “Its not dwarven for certain. But the carvings aren’t fresh…the dust is thick, and they seem…worn somehow. My guess is Dhakaani.”</p><p></p><p>“Dhakaani?” I said puzzled.</p><p></p><p>“The Dhakaani Empire was a ancient goblin nation—” Sage started.</p><p></p><p>“Nation…ha!” Doxx sneered. “Goblins were just vermin, until humans finally put them into their place.”</p><p></p><p>“A common misunderstanding,” Sage said reprovingly. “They were more sophisticated than just wandering tribes. Many cities are built on their city’s bones. Sharn is a good example. But…I am not familiar enough with their works to confirm Bookshelf’s supposition. But these carvings are old. Very old.”</p><p></p><p>“Feels cold to me,” I said. “But let’s keep moving.”</p><p></p><p>We continued deeper and finally we came to an intersection. Wide passages led left and right, while the passage continued deeper, while turning to the right ahead of us.</p><p></p><p>Sage pointed with his armblade to the left, saying nothing. The others in our group nodded quietly. Doxx started to move ahead of Sage, staff at the ready as they tip-toed to the edge of the intersection.</p><p></p><p>“I don’t hear anything,” Doxx whispered, and the old woman stepped into the chamber beyond.</p><p></p><p>“Awakened don’t make much noise when they are—”</p><p></p><p>Doxx was then thrown back into the hallway, as the sound of wood and leaves slammed into them, bowling them over. There, coming around the corners were a pair of huge conifers; so out of place here in the depts of this constructed shaft. Filling the tunnel, four of them, plodded towards our group, with one of them clearly pursuing the prone Doxx.</p><p></p><p>“—not moving,” Rosa said bitterly as the trees lunged to attack us all.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nthal, post: 8434531, member: 6971069"] [CENTER][B]Pining in the Darkness - 10/21/2021[/B][/CENTER] The grey face was calm and composed as it sank into the earth. The strands pulled and pushed the soil in the ground, allowing the cooling body to be interred within. My hands trembled as I did this as I felt my emotions churn within me. I had killed many in Faerun, each death I tried to honor their passing. But here, in this still strange place to me, everything I had killed was an abomination. A corruption of the natural order. I felt no compunction to worry about their souls…provided they had them. On the other hand, the souls they took all to make these horrors concerned me quite a bit. Some of them had died horribly in my eyes. Wy, and the others were slaughtered, exsanguinated, flayed… terrible endings for all. With I as their only witness to their passing. So, while I had known Mobad for less time, I felt that his burial was a burial for them all. That his ferocity in life, to survive was the one we all had in ourselves. I felt guilty though. That I hadn’t done all I could to stop any of their deaths. I could perhaps forgive myself for Wy and the others; we weren’t prepared. But I didn’t do my duty…my responsibility to their souls. And as for Mobad, were I but a bit quicker, more skilled, more…secure in my faith I could have saved him. That I could have made the girl who now had her back to us all safe and secure. A lie we all to readily tell ourselves until its false comfort is ripped away. One of the first lessons of death and life: [I]Life and death are temporary; signs a long a long road. Both can start and end without warning or seeming intent. That which appears random, has purpose and meaning, even if you cannot divine what. For does knowing the path’s destination, make the journey easier? Does it have less meaning if one doesn’t know the end? So, one person’s specific journey; its start, its middle and its end isn’t one to judge or be concerned with. It is what we can learn and take away from that person’s full journey, and how that gives meaning to our own.[/I] The soil ceased to churn, and I knelt into the dirt and recite the litany: [I]“No one should be alone, in life or death, Death is part of life, not an ending but a beginning Death is without deceit and has meaning, All should strive to help those to live, So, they can die at their appointed time, I will honor those who have died before me, For it is their lives and deeds that give us the world today—"[/I] As I spoke, I realized that my voice was joined by another; Adrissa. She was now on her knee over the soft soil. Her eyes were clear, and the tears dried as she nodded her head and we continued the litany together; [I]"Bless this soul at his chosen, appointed time, So, his deeds will live forever, So be the will of my Lord, and my desire in faith May Death grant you peace.”[/I] Adrissa turned to look at me and gave a me a weak smile. The rest each looked over the grave keep their own council, until Doxx broke the silence. “Well…I suppose we should move on before more swoop down upon us,” Doxx said somberly. “Indeed,” The Blade concurred. “We might have had a different story together in Sharn. It seems that wasn’t our destiny.” “We should go,” Sage said looking at the sky warily. “You might want to keep your eyes on the ground. There are other monsters hiding in the mountains here,” Adrissa said standing up. She looked at the group once, and then started off into the woods. Rosa and Bookshelf shrugged and followed her both keeping their thoughts to themselves and together we moved on. [HR][/HR] The Ironroot Mountains were nothing more than shear cliff faces descending into the valley. So there was little need to ascend them, instead following the hills that ajoined them. We didn’t see any more monsters, despite us all being jumpy at the slightest pickup of the wind. But as we continued our search, Rosa spoke up. “Well well…these are awakened tracks…and vegeogre things I think,” she said, looking at a muddy pool with bark and fungus on the surface. The Blade squatted and pickup some of the bark and examined it, “It’s not logged with muddy water; we must be close.” [I]Goss, go up to the treelimbs and tell me what you see on the ground. --uh…can’t I stay closer to you? Might be safer. I doubt you qualify as a snack. --well…can’t be too careful.[/I] Gossamer took flight and flew high in the tree branches, scouting ahead of us. We followed in the same direction, and it wasn’t long before we found something. [I]--A campsite…it’s a wreck though.[/I] “A campsite?” I said aloud as the others turned to look at me. “Up ahead.” The rest nodded, and we slowly made our way forward, trying to keep quiet. This was somewhat of a challenge for Sage, but even he kept the din of his plats and weapons down to a minimum. We quickly found ourselves at the edge of a clearing and were surprised at the camp we found. First off, it wasn’t a simple hunter blind or travelers camp; the tents and racks here made it more like an expedition to a strange new place, than a simple place to sleep. The tents were large, some eight paces square. And while the canvas fabric was torn and shredded in the weaspon, the insides had wooden cots and tables. In the center of the encampment was a large firepit, with metal grills and iron works to hold pots and a roasting spit. “What in Dolurrh is this about?” Doxx muttered, as the old woman poked her head in the ruins of the site. “This isn’t a druids’ camp,” Rosa muttered. “This is like a..a…” “It’s a basecamp,” The Blade said. “My family sells equipment like this for travellers to Xen’drik. It’s portable in the sense that you can carry it, but its meant to be setup and maintained, and abandoned when time to leave.” “Who would go through this effort here?” Bookshelf said as they examined the site for clues to its former inhabitants. “A Dragonmarked House,” Sage said as he pointed to a small pile of crates nearby. “Specifically, House Cannith.” “Cannith? Here? And why?” Rosa asked aloud. “Cannith is thought to have…something to the north. Well past my…home.” Adrissa said softly. “Each season wagons would go up the road, and a week or so later, wagons would return. But that was on the main road. I don’t know anything about this.” “So why here?” Doxx said confused. I moved around the camp, and then noticed that a ridge of rock projected itself into the clearing. I wandered around it and there in the cliff was the answer. “Everyone…over here,” I said and soon the rest joined me and saw it. There in the rock face was a fissure, opening into darkness beyond. On both sides there were piles of boulders, all organized neatly away from the entrance. But here there was signs of a different camp; Lean-to’s and simple domes of lashed strips of bark, and vines, around a small fire. “A second group?” I said pointing out the obvious. Adrissa started to look around the campsite and her face has a frown on it. “This is odd,” the girl started. “This is in a little better condition, but both sites were used at about the same time.” “And tracks lead below,” The Blade said, motioning to the ground. Both the druids and the Cannith groups I imagine. Rosa looked at the rock face, and then start to examine the pile of boulders set aside and the ground next to them. “The awakened…they cleared the opening. It must have taken a while based on the amount of rocks moved. But…it looks like they helped each other.” “Why would a bunch of druids help out anyone at all?” Doxx exclaimed. “They tried to kill everyone else.” “I don’t know,” I said shaking my head. “They must have had a reason to work together.” “We should proceed below then,” Sage remarked. Bookshelf pulled out his driftglobe and set it aloft so the other could see in the darkness. I pulled on the energy within me, and felt the rush along my spine, and I set a yellow orb of light on Sage’s shield. And with that we entered the fissure. The opening was a composite of rock and gravel on the rock floor, but not twenty paces in, we realized this was no cave. The passage was easily five paces broad, and the walls were straight carved rock. The main passage had a slope leading deeper into the roots of the mountain. As I turned to look closer at the walls, I realized that they all had carving or glyphs on the walls. Stepping towards the walls I traced my fingers on their forms in the rock. The design wasn’t familiar to me at all, and I felt chills as I touched them. “What made this place?” I whispered. “I am not sure,” Bookshelf said quietly. “Its not dwarven for certain. But the carvings aren’t fresh…the dust is thick, and they seem…worn somehow. My guess is Dhakaani.” “Dhakaani?” I said puzzled. “The Dhakaani Empire was a ancient goblin nation—” Sage started. “Nation…ha!” Doxx sneered. “Goblins were just vermin, until humans finally put them into their place.” “A common misunderstanding,” Sage said reprovingly. “They were more sophisticated than just wandering tribes. Many cities are built on their city’s bones. Sharn is a good example. But…I am not familiar enough with their works to confirm Bookshelf’s supposition. But these carvings are old. Very old.” “Feels cold to me,” I said. “But let’s keep moving.” We continued deeper and finally we came to an intersection. Wide passages led left and right, while the passage continued deeper, while turning to the right ahead of us. Sage pointed with his armblade to the left, saying nothing. The others in our group nodded quietly. Doxx started to move ahead of Sage, staff at the ready as they tip-toed to the edge of the intersection. “I don’t hear anything,” Doxx whispered, and the old woman stepped into the chamber beyond. “Awakened don’t make much noise when they are—” Doxx was then thrown back into the hallway, as the sound of wood and leaves slammed into them, bowling them over. There, coming around the corners were a pair of huge conifers; so out of place here in the depts of this constructed shaft. Filling the tunnel, four of them, plodded towards our group, with one of them clearly pursuing the prone Doxx. “—not moving,” Rosa said bitterly as the trees lunged to attack us all. [/QUOTE]
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