Tane's account
Fortunately, the journey North was uneventful. The group again settled into a routine. The two scouts taking point and rearguard with the others paying particular attention to the snow elf on the travois. She was feverish, tossing and struggling at times then alternating with calm and sleep. Naith, her escort seemed cowed, visibly shrinking every time Zana came near him.
During one of the evenings, Loren, who had been studying the letters recovered from the goblin’s courier pouch intently, gave a triumphant cry. He had carefully moistened the blank sheet of paper, which revealed a coded message. Loren happily settled down to break the code. Whilst it took him a little time, he managed to do so, revealing the following message.
SOLDIER LEGATE RIMHELDA WAS OBSERVED RIDING EAST TOWARDS HAMRA AND EISIN ROAD WITH FULL GUARDS AND HALF A DOZEN PACKHORSES, TWO DUSKS AGO. SHE IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN ORDERED NORTH FOR EITHER PROMOTION OR PUNISHMENT.
WHEN NEXT ZOIDAN OF ZORGETCH COMES NORTH WITH HORSES TO TRADE IT WOULD BE WISE TO ARRIVE EARLY AND IN FORCE. HE HAS MADE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS THIS TIME.
CLAWED DIGGERS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT IN FOR WORKS SOUTH OF THE HAIRPIN BEND IN THE NEW NORTH ROAD POSSIBLY A NEW MIRROR WORKS. ARE SUPERVISED BY A SINGLE LEGATE ACCOMPANIED AT ALL TIMES BY THREE LARGE BLACK WOLF HOUNDS.
DAWN 15 MONTH YEAR99LA.
When Loren read out this missive there no one was much the wiser although Zana did mention that she had heard of Zoidan, a horse trader known to her father. The decision was made that it would be best to take the letters to Dargham’s Folly and show them to the authorities there.
Travelling as swiftly as possible, the newly augmented group entered Vant’s Hollow. Tane breathed a sigh of relief. At least the were now in a heavily forested area. They had some cover. Then it started raining. The rain was solid for at least a couple of days as they skirted the edge of the hollow. It was at this point that the snow elf became conscious of her surroundings. Loren approached and spoke softly to her. Her eyes were able to follow his movements and she was able to understand comments and make voluntary movements. Or so it seemed. Tane wondered how long she had been watching and listening to them surreptitiously before she made her consciousness apparent. It didn’t really matter. After a brief moment her gag came off. Loren seemed abashed and ill-at-ease speaking to the lady. She asked for water. Everyone was curious about her story. At first she was a little wary and defensive but eventually she told the following tale.
“My name is Kiriel. My brother and I, together with several others were instructed to go and collect the essence of a magic node. We managed to do this and then our instructions were to go to Baden’s Bluff where we were to meet some gnomes. On the way there, we were attacked by orcs riding Boros, fearsome beasts. They attacked us using strange skulls filled with malevolent dusts and maggots. I was the only survivor to my knowledge. My other memories are hazy. I remember a dark place, full of rats, damp and smelly. I remember being thrown about on this thing.” She pointed at the travois. “Now, could I please have a little more water, some food and a place to bathe. Then I must get to Carathor, the elven capital in Erethor.”
Jezzt accompanied Kiriel to a nearby pool while the rest of the group continued setting up the camp. Both women came back a little later, with Kiriel looking much refreshed. There was a little more discussion. At Loren’s prompting, Kiriel revealed that she was also a channeler, who amongst other things, had the ability to heal. There was no question that she was going to accompany the group at least until Dargham’s Folly. Further decisions could wait until then.
The next morning dawned sunny and fine. The group rapidly packed up and made ready. This could be the most dangerous leg of the journey. The small gap of open ground between Erethor and Vant’s Hollow. The landscape was steeply graded and folded. Plenty of cover and lots of opportunity for ambush. Both Keeran and Tane had made this journey before. They were aware that orc patrols tended to travel on the flatter ground of a dried riverbed which led to a dried lakebed. There was a partly ruined stone bridge across this lakebed. Whilst dangerous it was still usable. Both the rogues agreed that it was this bridge that was their best chance to pass unscathed. Kiriel pronounced herself fit to walk albeit still weak so Zana decided she was going to ride the horse.
Approximately two hours after setting out that morning Loren started muttering to himself and looking uneasy. He looked around as if he was being followed. Finally he blurted out to the others that he felt an strange oppressive atmosphere, almost as if all the life was being leeched from the land. His magic certainly was being affected. He said he believed that this was the Shadow of the Dark Temple. Keeran and Tane looked at each other, not really understanding but Keeran dryly informed him that he would certainly keep an eye out for any Dark Temples or Shadows sneaking up on them.
Soon after this Keeran motioned for the group to stop. A little later he returned with the news that he had spotted a dead orc. He had been transfixed with an arrow. Both Keeran and Zana then went forward for closer examination but found nothing amiss. With even more luck, the orc still had his equipment of which he was rapidly deprived. Moving on, the group saw a large murder of crows in the distance, pretty much at the location of the lake bowl. Using great caution, they moved forward, Keeran on point. As usual, he went ahead a little to investigate further. He came back reporting that a battle must have taken place. He could see the remains of two wagons and the corpses of at least two to three dozen orcs.
Cautiously the group approached the bridge. Two more orc corpses became apparent in the distance. Tane made sure these were looted again. Then the group crossed the bridge without mishap. At the other end they found another orc, this one locked in a death embrace with a wood elf. Travelling further Keeran again came back to tell the group that he could see a little group of figures ahead, seemingly looting orc corpses. With Keeran’s description of their distinctive hairstyles and dress Zana recognised them as orcmen, bands of men, who preyed on orcs. This could be a great opportunity to gain help to the forest. Zana rode forward with Keeran shadowing her in cover. She approached openly, calling out a greeting. However, as she rode closer she noticed several things. One of the figures had a huge gash across his chest, a gash that should have been incapacitated him. Another figure had one foot twisted backwards. So, ever the diplomat, she called out:
“If you are not Fell then I suggest you let me know now because you look undead to me”.
The figures seemed more concerned about their loot then their status of life or unlife. There was some conversation between Zana and the figures in which they revealed that they were stripping an orc motherwife and Zana became more and more convinced that they were Fell but very recent ones who had not realised it yet. She came to an agreement with them that the group could pass and they would leave each other alone.
Getting back to the group, she related her dealings. Loren was very adamant that Fell were an abomination and should be eradicated where found. The rest of the group was not as adamant but Tane thought they were more likely swayed by the thought that an orc motherwife could have higher quality loot. The group prepared. Zana rode forward, shadowed by the two rogues. By this point, the Fell could see what was happening and they charged. While they were quite weak, they were using vagrashes making them dangerous foes. The conflict was short, sharp and brutal. Zana, Jezzt and Jarod made a formidable fighting team whilst Tane promised himself that he would spend all his spare time at the bow range practicing his shooting. Yet again he couldn’t hit anything. Fortunately, the group was not relying on his shooting and the group was finally successful. Upon closer examination the group found a breasplate and a bronze amulet in the shape of a skull. Instinctively everyone was certain this was something to do with the Shadow and it was promptly destroyed.
The group pushed on. It was now almost dusk. They crossed an area that had been recently burned and finally made it into the edges of the forest of Erethor. A vast, tangled, menacing green presence. Loren had mentioned the “whisper” before. Tane didn’t really know what he was talking about but as he entered the forest, the feeling that it was alive was tangible. Even here at the edges of the forest, movement was slow and careful. Tane knew the forest was full of paths but only the elves really knew how to use them. They should be meeting the outer defences very soon.
Keeran came back, looking annoyed.
“Tane, could you go and talk to these guards. They are convinced we are Fell.” He rolled his eyes. “We have to go through this every single time.”
Tane stepped forward to the edge of a clearing and called out. “My name is Tane and I am from Dargham’s Folly. As you can see, my companion is riding a horse with ease. I will put down my weapons and step forward to prove that I and my companions are alive.” He stripped off his weapons and stepped forward.
A gruff voice could be heard from the undergrowth. “Well lad, its your turn. Go out there and confirm his story.”
A nervous young man, almost a boy, appeared and carefully held out a knife to Tane, who took it and carefully made a small gash on his hand, which bled freely. The young man looked visibly relieved and Tane called the others. Tom, the young man and Benjin his partner, a grizzled veteran, carefully steered the group through the undergrowth into a treetop structure, a Talann, where everyone settled down to sleep. There was a brief disturbance a little after midnight when a group of elves joined the group in the Talann but little conversation was exchanged and the rest of the night was uneventful.
The group rose the next morning for the final leg of their journey. An elven guide would take them to Dargham’s Folly where they would report. This journey was again uneventful and took approximately a week and finally Keeran and Tane approached a small collection of buildings within an encampment, which was the closest thing they had to a home.
Their first port of call was Captain Bernt’s quarters. He hadn’t changed them. They could tell that by the bellows heard through the door. The guard outside asked them to wait and soon two wildlanders exited. The guard announced them. The group entered.
Looking at Tane and Keeran, Bernt exploded: “Where in blazes have you two been?” He was standing next to a map with a variety of coloured tokens and stones. In the corner of the room stood an elven lady whom Tane recognised as Nayeen, Bernt’s elven advisor.
Tane then gave the Captain a report of everything that had happened to them, introducing everyone and handing over the contents of the courier pouch. Bernt had a quick conversation with the other four members of the group and then sadly removed one of the coloured tokens from the map. After some thought and a perusal of the letters, he turned to the group and said:
“Well, your best course of action would be to go back to the site near the New Road and harass the building of this Temple. The building is mentioned in this letter. A temple down there would be very bad news for us.”
Nayeen quietly approached Bernt and there was a rapid conversation. Then he turned around and said: “Our elven allies feels that it is imperative that the horse trading situation in the South must be investigated. This matter is of grave concern.”
Zana echoed Tane’s thoughts when she answered: “I feel that this is a more realistic mission for us at the moment as I think that there will be many hundreds of orcs in the vicinity of the new Temple.”
With that the group left. So the next course of action was to trade the goods they had stripped from the orcs. Tane hoped that Dimgol the gnome trader was in the camp. Finally there was the matter of Kiriel. Loren shyly asked Tane to convey to Kiriel that if she wished for an escort to Carathor with her precious drum then he would gladly oblige. Upon hearing this suggestion, the rest of the group was enthusiastic about this idea providing Kiriel agreed. She was more than happy to.
So Tane and the group were now going to visit the legendary elven capital of Erethor Forest. He was sure this was a journey he would never forget.
