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Story Hour
The Westgate Campaign Chronicles - serial
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<blockquote data-quote="Carlo-One" data-source="post: 8042401" data-attributes="member: 7015827"><p>The next morning on Ches 12, Darrow and Dermot rose first and started preparing a soup for breakfast, each contributing ingredients and know-how from their travels. Shanni continued sleeping as Aerikoth teleported to Tallwell to retrieve Rahnee, but she then woke with a gasp and a start as the two magically returned inside the conjured hut. As Shanni stretched languidly, Darrow and Dermot offered up the results of their labors, a hearty broth with dried meat, carrot, and some ale mixed in. Over breakfast, Darrow caught Rahnee up on what they knew so far about the situation in Ironhelm.</p><p></p><p>Once the meal was finished, the party exited the hut and noticed one of the dwarven defenders inspecting its outside. Gruffly, the dwarf requested that the hut be taken down, now that they were all outside, since it was blocking their view. After confirming that the others no longer had a need for it, Aerikoth waved a hand in dismissal and the structure vanished. Since they still awaited a formal answer from the dwarves in order to enter the clanhome, Rahnee entertained the others by describing how one of the Tallwell villagers thought he had found the Beast’s buried treasure in the forest, but only succeeded in uncovering a rotted leather bag and some silvers. (<em>Rumors of buried treasure seem to be a powerful attraction for greedy, hopeful, adventurous, or simply bored folk. Of course the dangers of such a quest usually outweigh the returns that one can expect to receive in the end. --C</em>)</p><p></p><p>Clan Greeter Rumnaher appeared and greeted Rahnee as a dwarf-friend. Warning that they faced a difficult day ahead, Rumnaher informed them that they were to be brought directly to High Priest Iskar, with Darrow’s word serving as the bond for Dermot and Shanni’s behavior inside clan halls. As soon as Darrow had formally given his word, Rumnaher escorted them past the guards, officially declaring the party as two dwarf-friends, along with two unknowns to the clan under Darrow’s bond.</p><p></p><p>Once inside the underground citadel, an apparently fascinated Shanni looked around as the Clan Greeter led them towards the temple. He attempted to move them quickly through the halls without stopping, ignoring various whispers and stares from the Ironhelm dwarves, but was foiled by Darrow running into his mothe Nurina in the tavern area. She offered a crushing hug to her son, then sent him on his way, as he made faces at an exasperated Rumnaher. After entering the temple, Darrow and his younger brother Andin, the temple acolyte, then made faces at each other as High Priest Iskar welcomed them. Rumnaher collected Andin and the two departed, on the way out also collecting a stray dwarf who had followed them into the temple, shouting about the Redeemer.</p><p></p><p>The dwarven high priest expressed his surprise at Darrow’s return so soon after pledging to depart Ironhelm for three months. However, after examining the copy of of the axe Haelgrim with its runic message and listening to Darrow’s explanation, Iskar softened; he acknowledged that the message had been ambiguous, and that Darrow had simply acted out of concern for the clan. In response to a question from Aerikoth, Iskar said that he did not know for sure who was behind the faction aiming to put Darrow on the throne, but the name of Toran Goldfinder came to mind. He explained that Toran, the clan’s treasurer, was greedy and pushing to change many things about how the clan was run.</p><p></p><p>Iskar then began to outline the plan that he and the clan elders loyal to Prince Dalgan had debated the previous night. They believed that Darrow should not simply depart, as their enemies could then whisper among the clan that he had been forced to go, further inflaming opinion against the Prince. At this point Darrow enthusiastically interjected the idea of challenging Toran Goldfinder to a trial by combat. He reluctantly backed down after Iskar told him not all problems could be solved by force of arms; Shanni and Dermot also pointed out that they did not actually know if Toran was the one responsible. (<em>The adventurers at this point, admittedly rather logically, are being reasonable and giving Toran the benefit of the doubt. This approach will soon change, however. --R</em>) Darrow then volunteered to publicly pledge loyalty to the Prince, but his idea was again rebuffed by Iskar, who stated that loyalty to the throne was assumed. Shanni perceptively observed that if Darrow did that kind of a public pledge, it would imply that people were questioning their loyalty to the Prince - a subtle political point which impressed the high priest.</p><p></p><p>Iskar then asked Darrow and his companions to venture into the Deep Delve once more, which would be a pretext for his presence in Ironhelm. Iskar in addition admitted that there might be some real cause for concern, as recently he had felt the wards established on the Deep Delve’s entryway being tested. Rahnee expressed her understanding that this expedition had the benefit of keeping Darrow away from the clan, but a more suspicious Shanni questioned whether the clan leadership might be looking to solve the problem by having Darrow not come back from it. (<em>Not an illogical consideration, although perhaps more suited for a thieves guild leader than a dwarven priest of Moradin. This question it seems reveals more about the nature of Shanni's background, of which we know rather little, than it does about Iskar's trustworthiness. --R</em>) The high priest assured her that he had every confidence in Darrow’s ability, with Haelgrim and his companions, to handle anything in the Deep Delve, as they had done before. Iskar then switched into dwarven and had an exchange with Darrow, who laughed at the end of it.</p><p></p><p>After a brief discussion about supplies, along with declarations from Rahnee and Shanni in support of the clan and Darrow, respectively, Iskar thanked the party for their assistance. He suggested they spend some time in clan halls, talking about Darrow’s deeds on the surface with Haelgrim and their plans to enter the Deep Delve. Rahnee asked about the health of the Prince and was told by Iskar that there had, in fact, been a slight improvement in his strength. This was the first time such an improvement in his condition had occurred, so the high priest was hopeful. The cause of the malady remained a mystery to Iskar, however, who had already attempted all of the healing magics he knew.</p><p></p><p>Aerikoth inquired about the reasons for the deeper delves being sealed. The High Priest looked to Darrow for the tale of how the axe Haelgrim was originally lost, then chided him for not remembering his school lessons. Iskar explained that Relan Ironhelm, the last bearer of Haelgrim, had been part of the clan’s rearguard in fighting off an Underdark invasion. Legends were contradictory about what exactly he had fought – demons, drow, duergar, or other creatures – but all agreed that he had borne the legendary clan weapon alone into the corridor facing the door to the Underdark. Before that, he had dismissed his companions and told them to flee to the upper levels, sealing off the Deep Delve to protect the rest of the clan. They spoke of Relan carving his way through a wave of foes before being lost to sight. Rahnee noted that they had found Haelgrim in that corridor during their last visit.</p><p></p><p>Iskar further related how afterwards the clan priests had sealed off the entrance to the Deep Delve with powerful wards; he was responsible now for maintaining them. He cautioned that the story of Relan remained a legend, rather than true history, also observing that the clan still knew relatively little of the Deep Delve even after the last expedition. Iskar said he had nothing more specific in terms of objectives for their next attempt at exploring the area, other than to check the Underdark door once again. After Aerikoth clarified some points with the High Priest regarding the testing of the wards, the companions decided to spend the rest of the day preparing for their descent.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Carlo-One, post: 8042401, member: 7015827"] The next morning on Ches 12, Darrow and Dermot rose first and started preparing a soup for breakfast, each contributing ingredients and know-how from their travels. Shanni continued sleeping as Aerikoth teleported to Tallwell to retrieve Rahnee, but she then woke with a gasp and a start as the two magically returned inside the conjured hut. As Shanni stretched languidly, Darrow and Dermot offered up the results of their labors, a hearty broth with dried meat, carrot, and some ale mixed in. Over breakfast, Darrow caught Rahnee up on what they knew so far about the situation in Ironhelm. Once the meal was finished, the party exited the hut and noticed one of the dwarven defenders inspecting its outside. Gruffly, the dwarf requested that the hut be taken down, now that they were all outside, since it was blocking their view. After confirming that the others no longer had a need for it, Aerikoth waved a hand in dismissal and the structure vanished. Since they still awaited a formal answer from the dwarves in order to enter the clanhome, Rahnee entertained the others by describing how one of the Tallwell villagers thought he had found the Beast’s buried treasure in the forest, but only succeeded in uncovering a rotted leather bag and some silvers. ([I]Rumors of buried treasure seem to be a powerful attraction for greedy, hopeful, adventurous, or simply bored folk. Of course the dangers of such a quest usually outweigh the returns that one can expect to receive in the end. --C[/I]) Clan Greeter Rumnaher appeared and greeted Rahnee as a dwarf-friend. Warning that they faced a difficult day ahead, Rumnaher informed them that they were to be brought directly to High Priest Iskar, with Darrow’s word serving as the bond for Dermot and Shanni’s behavior inside clan halls. As soon as Darrow had formally given his word, Rumnaher escorted them past the guards, officially declaring the party as two dwarf-friends, along with two unknowns to the clan under Darrow’s bond. Once inside the underground citadel, an apparently fascinated Shanni looked around as the Clan Greeter led them towards the temple. He attempted to move them quickly through the halls without stopping, ignoring various whispers and stares from the Ironhelm dwarves, but was foiled by Darrow running into his mothe Nurina in the tavern area. She offered a crushing hug to her son, then sent him on his way, as he made faces at an exasperated Rumnaher. After entering the temple, Darrow and his younger brother Andin, the temple acolyte, then made faces at each other as High Priest Iskar welcomed them. Rumnaher collected Andin and the two departed, on the way out also collecting a stray dwarf who had followed them into the temple, shouting about the Redeemer. The dwarven high priest expressed his surprise at Darrow’s return so soon after pledging to depart Ironhelm for three months. However, after examining the copy of of the axe Haelgrim with its runic message and listening to Darrow’s explanation, Iskar softened; he acknowledged that the message had been ambiguous, and that Darrow had simply acted out of concern for the clan. In response to a question from Aerikoth, Iskar said that he did not know for sure who was behind the faction aiming to put Darrow on the throne, but the name of Toran Goldfinder came to mind. He explained that Toran, the clan’s treasurer, was greedy and pushing to change many things about how the clan was run. Iskar then began to outline the plan that he and the clan elders loyal to Prince Dalgan had debated the previous night. They believed that Darrow should not simply depart, as their enemies could then whisper among the clan that he had been forced to go, further inflaming opinion against the Prince. At this point Darrow enthusiastically interjected the idea of challenging Toran Goldfinder to a trial by combat. He reluctantly backed down after Iskar told him not all problems could be solved by force of arms; Shanni and Dermot also pointed out that they did not actually know if Toran was the one responsible. ([I]The adventurers at this point, admittedly rather logically, are being reasonable and giving Toran the benefit of the doubt. This approach will soon change, however. --R[/I]) Darrow then volunteered to publicly pledge loyalty to the Prince, but his idea was again rebuffed by Iskar, who stated that loyalty to the throne was assumed. Shanni perceptively observed that if Darrow did that kind of a public pledge, it would imply that people were questioning their loyalty to the Prince - a subtle political point which impressed the high priest. Iskar then asked Darrow and his companions to venture into the Deep Delve once more, which would be a pretext for his presence in Ironhelm. Iskar in addition admitted that there might be some real cause for concern, as recently he had felt the wards established on the Deep Delve’s entryway being tested. Rahnee expressed her understanding that this expedition had the benefit of keeping Darrow away from the clan, but a more suspicious Shanni questioned whether the clan leadership might be looking to solve the problem by having Darrow not come back from it. ([I]Not an illogical consideration, although perhaps more suited for a thieves guild leader than a dwarven priest of Moradin. This question it seems reveals more about the nature of Shanni's background, of which we know rather little, than it does about Iskar's trustworthiness. --R[/I]) The high priest assured her that he had every confidence in Darrow’s ability, with Haelgrim and his companions, to handle anything in the Deep Delve, as they had done before. Iskar then switched into dwarven and had an exchange with Darrow, who laughed at the end of it. After a brief discussion about supplies, along with declarations from Rahnee and Shanni in support of the clan and Darrow, respectively, Iskar thanked the party for their assistance. He suggested they spend some time in clan halls, talking about Darrow’s deeds on the surface with Haelgrim and their plans to enter the Deep Delve. Rahnee asked about the health of the Prince and was told by Iskar that there had, in fact, been a slight improvement in his strength. This was the first time such an improvement in his condition had occurred, so the high priest was hopeful. The cause of the malady remained a mystery to Iskar, however, who had already attempted all of the healing magics he knew. Aerikoth inquired about the reasons for the deeper delves being sealed. The High Priest looked to Darrow for the tale of how the axe Haelgrim was originally lost, then chided him for not remembering his school lessons. Iskar explained that Relan Ironhelm, the last bearer of Haelgrim, had been part of the clan’s rearguard in fighting off an Underdark invasion. Legends were contradictory about what exactly he had fought – demons, drow, duergar, or other creatures – but all agreed that he had borne the legendary clan weapon alone into the corridor facing the door to the Underdark. Before that, he had dismissed his companions and told them to flee to the upper levels, sealing off the Deep Delve to protect the rest of the clan. They spoke of Relan carving his way through a wave of foes before being lost to sight. Rahnee noted that they had found Haelgrim in that corridor during their last visit. Iskar further related how afterwards the clan priests had sealed off the entrance to the Deep Delve with powerful wards; he was responsible now for maintaining them. He cautioned that the story of Relan remained a legend, rather than true history, also observing that the clan still knew relatively little of the Deep Delve even after the last expedition. Iskar said he had nothing more specific in terms of objectives for their next attempt at exploring the area, other than to check the Underdark door once again. After Aerikoth clarified some points with the High Priest regarding the testing of the wards, the companions decided to spend the rest of the day preparing for their descent. [/QUOTE]
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