Session 68a: Fallout

Talsil 2nd
Reaching the Crater and Deciding the Next Move

The group traveled the scenic Haven Valley toward the crater, finding therein a massacre. Giers' Children of Light had been decimated, they and their horses torn to pieces, burned, frozen, melted and petrified. Curious amounts of scrap metal and oils also littered the scene. It smelled of cooked and boiled flesh, and parts of the earthen bowl had felt such intense heat they formed glass or liquefied into puddles of magma.

Thamior studied the tracks and markings, determining a separate party fled the battle via horse-and-wagon, dragging something heavy behind them. Around the same time, something grabbed Gens' ankle, the only present survivor. He was a Child of Light, whose plate had been dented inward, and whose face had been burned (in the shape of lips) and carved with a happy face. Tyvis growled, suspecting Mara, and Thamior Jeda, but Kaylan reserved her judgement until the man could speak.

His name was Kyle Tenner, a follower of Kalinda and Templar Giers. He'd fought alongside many brothers and sisters in efforts to rescue High Priestess Finduilas, who was overcome in battle against a great metal monster with steel tentacles, and whose twelve eyes fired beams of killing light. Giers managed to escape, headed for Etheria and reinforcements, while a grinning man with a fancy chapeau and his costumed servants injected Finduilas with something and loaded her limp form into a wagon. The man, DeWitt, ended up sparing Kyle, his pale assistant making the paladin watch his friends die. After being carved, burned, beaten and sufficiently broken, DeWitt then imparted a message for the wedding party.

It more or less went: Come to Edmark in one month's time, with all your friends and your Hearts, or else watch as the high priestess is offered up to the Emperor Endymion on his birthday the following week. Kyle despaired as he recounted the message, fearing the health of Kalinda's church and the loss of a champion during war time. Kaylan and Thamior did not lose their hope, and tried reassuring the man.

While the others spoke with Kyle, Tyvis went to keep Christina away and occupied. During their interaction, the Archdruid expressed his displeasure at having her along. It was dangerous enough for adults, and his job of protecting everyone would only be made harder with a nine-year-old along for the ride. Coming off a little too strong, the girl got upset, promising she did take things seriously and that she wouldn't be a bother. She accused him of wanting her to go back, which he did, but over and over she expressed her most heartfelt need to stay with her foster parents. She'd already lost one family. Something inside her, something that even had a voice, compelled her to continue on, and without fear. Truthfully the only thing that terrified her was leaving Kaylan and Thamior. Tyvis sympathized, and eventually came around, so long as she listened and was always mindful.

She proved her maturity in the minutes that followed, when Thamior came to fetch her. He insisted she keep her eyes closed no matter what. The girl ended up blindfolding herself, knowing she'd peek otherwise, bringing a smile to the Archdruid's face.

When the group was assembled, plans were slowly drawn and various avenues explored. They only had a month to get to Edmark, and where they stood it would take nearly all that time by horse or any other mundane mean. Grand ideas were hatched, fostering rebellions, enlisting Redbeards (and seducing queens if need be), aligning with the rebellious Jiwari, but ultimately the group resigned to take a direct route to the Nors port. Whatever extra time they had could be used to find Finduilas and free her, and hopefully confront DeWitt for the last time.

They did, however, send Kyle back to Etheria will their hopes and aspirations of new allies for the Alliance. He doubted whether he could sway anyone, but Kaylan managed to get him to at least bring it up to Giers.

In order to even enter the empire, though, they'd need a good cover (and quite a bit of luck besides). Tyvis would pose as a bountyhunter, and Tina his sister, dragging behind a bountiful elven catch. Tina had a good laugh at having to pretend to be Chiela, not quite understanding that she could play anyone and just say she was Tyvis's sister. The Archdruid didn't mind much, though, and thought it rather funny.

They'd also need new names, which Kaylan encouraged Christina to pick. The girl's imagination ran wild, deciding Kaylan would become Blossom, Thamior would become Shale (and Vilthanos Coal), Tyvis would become Herman (and then later Eustace), and Gens... Mr. Domino. She explained the bard should probably only wear black and white. And for herself, a ponytail and the name Hanna.

With the assumed identity, Hanna would have to learn at least a little of the Nors language. However much like her foster mother at a young age, the girl seemed allergic to an honest lesson. She'd much rather learn to play flute and sing, which Gens was quite willing to impart. Kaylan put her foot down, though, insisting she practice Nors, but it wasn't until Tyvis began to talk about the girl in the imperial tongue (which drove her crazy) that she decided she wanted to learn. And on top of that, the girl also wanted to know more about Kalinda, like the correct words for prayers and the proper signs instead of her made-up sayings and funny motions. It was quite obvious the girl wanted to be like Kaylan, a Kalindian cleric even.

While Thamior kept watch, and Tina received her first lesson from Kaylan and Gens, Tyvis wandered off along the slope. He'd a mind to ask for aid in speeding their travel, and suspected he knew just the Great Spirit to help...

Experience: 300 xp each (31, 828 total)
Magic: n/a
Money: n/a
Loot: n/a

New NPCs
Brother Kyle Tenner: Human Child of Light and one of only two survivors from the crater massacre. After being healed by Kaylan and imparting DeWitt's message, he agreed to appeal to Giers on behalf of Jiwar and the rebel dwarves in hopes of expanding the Alliance's allies, though he couldn't promise his success.

New Hooks
The Way to Edmark
Reach Edmark before DeWitt's deadline, sooner if you can.