Dawn, Readying 21, 591 Common Year

Indranil says, “Cousin, I would wish to attack Tavasmok and finish the
Deathwalkers immediately this morning, and then go after G’ruk.”

Fingol says, “Lady Rain and I were just discussing strategy for the
negotiations. When we are clear on that, I would like to discuss what
we are all to do if those talks fail. So be patient just a few
moments.”

Drago says in Common when everyone is in earshot, “I can offer some
small concessions on behalf of the lizardfolk in our negotiations
today with the Deathwalkers. I think Ulmar and I should go alone to
Patriarch Tavasmok while the rest of you free Saeva. The Patriarch
already knows about us. And I will live with them here in either peace
or war, long after you are gone. Let the lizardfolk and changelings do
what the humans refuse to do for themselves, mediate a temporary
alliance with the Deathwalkers.” After taking a breathe momentarily,
Drago mutters in Draconic, “If they can’t work with their own species,
then truly they are only worthy of being our food source. Lost in
their factions of good and evil. Ptah!”

Indranil looks at Drago and replies in Draconic, “Drago I speak
Draconic and I agree the humans can get caught in their own struggles.
But we are all beings that deserve respect. Your allusions to us as
only being good for a food source is deeply disturbing.”

Rain replies in Draconic with a hint of anger, “Agreed. You would best
take better care of your words, Drago. At the very least learn to keep
those thoughts to yourself.”

Aramek says, “Indeed, friend Drago. As I have gotten to know and train
with you, I have not doubted your friendship. However, this kind of
talk can plant such a seed. Each race in our world has its good and
bad traits and good and bad individuals. I believe that even among the
gnolls, it’s possible to find those among them who could be
reasonable. Please don’t sow discord among us with such ill chosen
words.” Aramek crosses his arms over his chest and looks at Drago
expectantly.

Drago says, “Feedstock. For a thousand years the humans have been
feedstock for the beast men. This is the way of Thracia. This you
should understand. Human flesh feeds the city. Deathwalker flesh feeds
the city. ‘Why kill off its feed source?’ I ask myself. You really
pissed off His Majesty.”

Drago.” Fingol cautions, “Lady Rain and I are discussing the strategy
for negotiations now. Have patience and we’ll discuss next steps
soon.”

“Friends,” Fingol calls out, “Please disregard his comments. There are
greater challenges before us.”

Indranil turns away from Drago and moves to Fingol and Lorindel and
says quietly to them in Elvish, “I fear my penance from Ehlenestra
will be diffficult to keep,” he chuckles.

Lorindel chuckles as well, and then says back in Elvish, “Indeed. But
Brother, do not let Drago goad you into another argument. Most of
what he says is inflammatory for the sole purpose to elicit a hostile
reaction. If anything, your complaints will only fuel his desire to
egg you on.”

Fingol chuckles as well, “We don’t know that he doesn’t speak Elvish,
my friend! I think the worst thing you can do to get back at him is to
ignore him.”

“Indeed!” Indranil replies.

Meanwhile, Lady Rain and I need to confer…”

After Fingol hears Drago’s suggestion for the negotiations, He
whispers to Lady Rain in Amedi (out of earshot of the captives).

After that Fingol calls to Ulmar. “Ulmar, would you confer with Lady
Rain and I? There are some questions we must ask.”

Fingol pulls everyone together to discuss next steps:
“OK, we all have ideas for what we should do next, I’m sure.

My first thought was to try to negotiate for the release of Saeva and Ulpu’s son. My thinking is, that if we can negotiate for them quickly, it’s possible that anyone that needs to be evacuated could be sent to Melkot with our friends the dwarves.

I have heard the suggestion for a raid as part of the negotiation. I dislike this for several reasons. First, it is treacherous. While some would not see that as a problem, I do. Going to such a strategy first proves that we cannot be trusted. We would not be able to negotiate with the deathwalkers at all after that, and we would have enemies on all fronts instead of a possible shield for our further raids against Stronghoen. Second, the raid may free Saeva, but it leaves Ulpu’s son in the deathwalker hands. Ulpu has given us a great deal of help, and we should at least attempt to repay that.

Rain will be negotiating for us. Our strategy is that she will insist on the prisoner exchange first, and if that is refused (which is likely) she will offer an alliance. Hopefully Tavasmok is desperate enough for allies that he will accept our help. I would think that after the losses he’s suffered, he would be.

If the negotiations fail, I do not want anyone attacking the deathwalkers or Tavasmok. I consider Tavasmok too dangerous for us to take on. We also need him to be an obstacle to Stronghoen sending out his army. If Tavasmok attacks our first goal is escape. Throw tanglefoot bags and thunderstones and the Obscuring Mist potion, so he cannot chase us or use his spells then we run.”

Drago bobs his head while listening. “I like it. May I join Lady Rain for the negotiations? I would like the lizardfolk to join such a secret alliance; plus I am dangerous even when I am unarmed for her protection, milords. At the very least, if I become chief shaman today, I can promise that Thracian humans will no longer be used by the lizardfolk for non-feedstock purposes and that I will explore other food sources locally, if they work with us… and if I live to see another day. If you don’t want me to join her… then the status quo is fine with me.” Drago flicks his left wrist and smiles.

Rain smiles “Thanks Drago… but I think only I should talk with Tavismok. Less confusion. And to be perfectly honest I just can’t trust what you would say. You have proven only to be very unpredictable.”

Drago smiles, “Yes, milady. Know that I will protect you always.”

Indranil can’t help but smirk at Drago’s comments, “Drago by ‘status quo’ do you mean you will continue to look towards humans as food stock for your nascent kingdom?”

Drago smiles. “One cannot take away their only food source and not be killed by my cousins. Other meat would have to be found. One thing at a time, milords. Of course, Keolanders are not cattle. You are great warriors who make your enemies quake in fear at your approach. You are famed as Great Fighters throughout Thracia’s underworld. Truly.”

After stifling a laugh, Newt says “Drago, you mean that ‘you can promise that Thracian humans will no longer be used for feedstock purposes,’ don’t you? Because otherwise you’re still eating humans, and they won’t react well to that.”

Any sense of laughter leaves Newt’s voice as she continues. “ And while we’re talking about eating sentient beings, I think your people should stop it!”

Drago shrugs, “Meat is meat, sentient or not, but yes, I will endeavor to make it so, Lady Newt.” Drago bobs his head with a smile. “To eat or be eaten, this is the way of the world.”

“You and I will talk later!” says Newt, trying (unsuccessfully) not to get riled up. “Right now Sir Fingol is talking about smaller things than… murder for food” she ends, crossing her arms and turning her attention pointedly back to Fingol.

Aramek, looking distressed, leans over and whispers something to Newt.

Newt nods sharply in agreement with Aramek but says nothing aloud. She keeps her back turned toward Drago and her arms are still tightly crossed.

Fingol: “It sounds as if no one objects to this plan, nor has additional ideas. Let’s move out toward the villa. We will travel under a flag of truce, move to within 100′ or so of the villa and then call for Tavasmok. Lady Rain will then step forward, but not further than 30′ from us and certainly no closer than 30′ to Tavasmok. Then we’ll see how the negotiations fare.”

Evening in the Arena, Readying 20, 591

Indranil’s face ripples with thought and emotion, then as he draws a breath his face and demeanor changes to one of peaceful calm. “Sir Fingol has told a tale that leaves out the pain and contention I caused.” Indranil nods towards his leader and friend while he says this. “Thank you, Cousin.”

Indranil is silent as he fills and lights his pipe for such a long time that his friends wonder if he plans to continue his tale. He then settles against his pack, crosses his ankles and lets out a few smoke rings.

“Friends, it is good to be back in your company again. First let me start by begging each and every one of your forgiveness for my sins of hate, anger and intolerance. I trespassed on your trust and lost your respect. My soul will be long in recovering from my self-inflicted wound.” Indranil sighs, “My human blood is difficult to manage.”

“Especially to good Drago here. Thank the Goddesses it seems the unintended consequences of my sins have borne fruit in ways no one could have suspected and turned out to aid our mission. In that I take some small consolation that irrecoverable harm was not wrought by my actions.”

Indranil is then lost again in thought for some time. Shaking himself he stirs and says, “Ah, yes. My tale. I am wool gathering at the wrong time. But this tale provokes contemplation in so many nuanced ways.”

“My tale is a cautionary one of the dangers of intolerance and…,” he pauses while his gaze passes over Adalwulf before returning to stare off into the distance, “… Lawfulness. For there is a thin line between lawful good and evil. Perhaps they are even two sides of the same coin? And, the outcome depending on who tosses it? One does not have to travel too far to go from what they think is good for themselves to what they think is good for everyone else and then it is easy follow on to condemn those who believe otherwise. That was my sin. I came to believe only I knew what was right and good. I was lost in the hubris of my initial successes as commander.”

“I saw in the good Father here things about myself that I did not like and found abhorrent. I was not able to govern my thoughts and feelings. I became more intolerant and arrogant with each passing day until that fateful night…” Indranil smiles, “… was it only last night? It feels like a lifetime!”

Indranil waves lightly at Adalwulf, “Nay, Father, I am not suggesting you are in any way evil or untrustworthy. You do not suffer from my sins and are well grounded in your Patron the God Pholtus. I strayed from the path of my patroness and lost my way.”

“After I left you all, while descending from the plateau I was gripped in a great, dark, black, rage. I actually lost my vision becoming blind by the time I to the bottom. Aatu had to lead me through the swamps back to the stream. As he led me through the swamp I raged at you all for your ‘disloyalty’ and universe for Its ‘unfairness.’ I longed for the righteous unambiguous black and white of rules and laws.”

“I raged and raged and cried and wailed. Once we made the stream I fell into a coma and received a visitor. It was Thanatos himself!” Indranil shivered with the memory. “He was frightful and awful to behold; a walking cadaver and ghost of his former greatness as a god. Thanotos came to offer me the peace and surety of Death. To become one of his disciples and minions.”

“Fortunately some core of the Goddess’ blessing lingered in me still and caused me to see through his siren song of Peace and Bliss in the Finality of Death. I rejected his offer saying I preferred the uncertainty of life itself, in all its good, bad and chaotic manifestations, the joy the suffering, the love the hate, the full magnificent cycle of birth, old age, sickness and death. I knew again that true peace and happiness for me lies in balance.”

“I was transported to the Green Elysian Fields and visited by Ehlenestra and her cousin Vandria, Steel-Heart, and protector of the Elven Race, who took pity on me and gave me atonement and forgiveness. They gave me tasks as penance and set me back in this World with the mission to find you all for they said you were in dire need.”

Indranil then falls silent while scratching Aatu’s ears and puffing on his pipe. “Friends this tale is deeply personal and I am grateful you have let me tell it. I feel transformed. I hope you will all forgive me and in my actions allow me to atone for my sins.”

Rain places her hand on Indranil’s shoulder and says quietly “It is a humbling experience to be in focus of an entity of such goodness. I also had the great fortune of having such a being view my soul. Though I was found wanting, you have been shown your path. I admit to being a bit jealous, Indranil. But am very happy for your realignment and return to us.”

Indranil replies, “Thank you M’Lady, that means much to me.”

Fingol adds, “Sir Indranil, I thanked you before for coming back to rescue us. Now that I hear your tale, it sounds like I will have my friend back as well.”

Indranil: “Indeed you do cousin!”

Evening in the Arena, Readying 20, 591

I suppose I should start from Melkot. That way Drago can get caught up with all the events; at least as I remember them and from my point of view…

My errand to Melkot was happy and unhappy. Drago must be wondering where our friends the dwarves and Father Adalwulff come into this tale. They were recruited there, and they have figured large in our successes.

Sir Aramek and Father Wat accompanied me to Melkot. We stayed at an Inn outside the city because I wanted to learn more of the town before presenting myself as a representative of Prince Prospero. While staying at the inn, we had the good fortune to meet a priest of Fharlanghn, Brother Cerball. He set up a meeting between myself and the governor of Melkot.

At that meeting we warned the Mayor of the danger Thracia might pose to Melkot. It was at that meeting, I first met Grim and Morgrym. They were the mayor’s guards. Unfortunately, we also met Serlo, Mayor Weibex’s advisor. It was he who conspired with an evil cult to kill Father Wat. The same assassins would have killed Sir Aramek and I, had Father Adalwulf not stepped in to save us.

The mayor then offered us support in our quest to end the danger Melkot poses. He gave us a generous sum of gold to buy magic which might prove helpful to us. We also gained the help of Father Adalwulf and Grim and Morgrym with their kinsmen, though they cannot stay beyond first light this morning.

We returned to Thracia and found our friends again. In our absence they had scouted a large portion of the city and learned a bit of it’s situation. I also learned that a falling out between Sir Indranil and Drago resulted in Drago’s expulsion from the squad. I am glad to have you back.

Now, let’s see… what happened next. So much has happened it seems like a month or more has passed.

I suppose the next major event was the fight in the Wight House. We were pretty hard pressed by a troop of gnolls, but in the end we prevailed. Sir Aramek proved to be quite proficient with his wand of Scorching Rays, and Sir Indranil dispatched a powerful leader of the gnoll clan.

It was after that, Sir Indranil decided we should pursue the gnolls up the cliffs to their village. We had another tough fight on our hands there too. I am glossing over a list of heroic deeds by all hands of course, but I am concerned with taking too much time. Still, it’s thrilling to recall Lady Rain’s heroics to open the gate, the charge of the dwarves and Indranil’s capable sniping which kept us from being stopped by the gnoll’s own archers. I’m sure we’ll all have a great time embellishing the stories in the coming days.

In any case, it was after this fight that we found ourselves with four deathwalkers captured and enslaved by the gnolls. Sir Indranil and I and Father Adalwulff differed on how to proceed with questioning them. This resulted in a major disagreement between Sir Indranil and Father Adalwulff, and they fought a duel. Fortunately for all, it was not to the death and Father Adalwulff showed both wisdom and mercy. However, it was after these events that Sir Indranil relinquished command to me.

Following that I asked Lady Rain to interrogate the prisoners. She learned a great deal from one of the women named Ulpu. Ulpu provided us with important intelligence including maps of the deathwalker caverns and warning us about Tavasmok. She also told us that both Adelina’s parents were held in the villa at one point. And while her mother was still in the villa, her father was sent elsewhere. We were left to assume and to hope that this meant he could be found in the deathwalker caverns. While discussing these plans, Sir Indranil and I differed on certain key choices. He decided to leave for the boat immediately.

Following our interrogation, we decided to launch a bold plan of raiding the deathwalker caverns in hopes of finding Adelina’s father. Then attacking the relief column of deathwalkers, when they marched through the city to the caverns. We hoped to make these attacks look like gnoll-work. And if Tavasmok took the bait, we would raid the villa in hopes of finding Adelina’s mother.

The events of that raid were quite different than planned, but resulted in our being found by Drago, Ulmar and Sir Indranil. So, all’s well that ends well, I suppose.

Following Fingol’s story, he passes his spyglass over to Sir Lorindel. “You’ve keen eyes. Keep watch for Tavasmok for us, while Lady Rain and I confer.”

Fin then turns to Lady Rain, “May I ask you to walk with me a while?”

They walk around the upper perimeter of the arena in as much as the ruins allow and engage in a quiet discussion. Upon returning, Fin turns to Father Adawulff “Good priest, You seem ready to endorse this idea of eliminating the deathwalker priesthood and taking over the deathwalker rank and file as a check to the beastmen. Have you thought through this idea? We are here with light provisions and will need to leave this place from time to time for fresh supplies. What happens to the check on the beastmen then? Do you think that a few guards is what is stopping the gnoll army? Or is it Tavasmok? I think eliminating him is far more destabilizing than anything we have done thus far.”

“As a priest of Pholtus I recognize that those aligned with Law can be
trusted to a certain extent, and though they may have evil ambitions
they also want stability and not wanton destruction. We might be able
to form a temporary alliance with Tavasmok if it is impossible to get
rid of him. Perhaps we can exchange hostages,” he glances at the
Deathwalker captives, “Saeva, and Ulpu’s family, for at least Jaana
and the two men. I will not condone giving up or betraying Ulpu
however, as she has come to the Light of Pholtus. Anyway, if we can
exchange hostages and form a temporary alliance to fight the Chaos and Evil of King Stronghoen then I think Pholtus will not be displeased.
But I will say that under no circumstances must we directly be
involved in any evildoing or the condoning of evildoing. If we can
make a deal with Tavasmok without tainting ourselves we might be able to get back Saeva without violence, and then together with them defeat King Stronghoen. But both we and they must understand that after the temporary alliance is over we will again be enemies. So we should be careful of the terms of the agreement so that we can make sure that we are clear of them when the fight against the beast-men is over.”