Rain and Aramek, Godsday, Fireseek 4, 591 Common Year

As they jog alongside the knights Rain says to Aramek, “We will have time to talk later, my friend. Keep your questions for now. I’ll answer anything you put forward.”

Soon enough they are reintegrated with their unit down at the docks. The Olman have been cleared away for the most part. They find their squad patrolling the docks downriver to keep them clear. The paladins and other knights ride through the streets to clear them with the other squads coming in behind. Sgt. Apone is not all that happy that Aramek has used up all his spells, but understands that he needed them to save his neighbor. There is finally a lull during which Rain and Aramek are left to themselves to watch a crossing a couple streets up from the River Way.

Seeing that they will be left to themselves for awhile at the empty crossing, Aramek finally speaks up, “Rain, what the hell is going on? What is with these brothers of yours being strong-arms for the Guild?”

Rain answers, “I’ll get to that. First tell me exactly what happened with you, Dion, and Cole prior to me arriving at Parwyn’s place.”

Aramek then recounts everything that happened between the time Dion and Cole entered Parwyn’s shop to the time that Rain showed up and helped them fight the Olman rioters. Rain frowns and shakes her head slightly from time to time as Aramek reveals a truer accounting of what happened.

“Yah, that sounds like them – always trying to act bigger than they are. I truly am sorry Aramek. My brothers and I grew up on the wrong side of the city with very little but our own wits to survive with. We all have our own stories, and I believe Dion’s to be the saddest, but I won’t go into that now. Mine I don’t mind sharing with you when we have the time, but theirs is for them to keep. Dion and Cole work for Fergus, whom you have met and he is a member of the Guild. It sounds like since I left they both have gotten themselves in deeper with Fergus and his…” At this last comment Rain drifts off slightly into her own thoughts and says lightly to nobody in particular, “I’m gonna have to see to that when I get the chance.” From this it seems obvious that Rain sees herself as the ‘Big Sister’ and may feel some responsibility to their welfare.

“Anyways,” Rain returns her attention back to Aramek, “Again, I am sorry about their rude behavior. I am sure Fergus and Parwyn have legitimate business to attend to, but there was no need for my brothers to act as they did. Please accept my apologies for them.”

“Thanks, Rain. And there’s no need for you to apologize. The only thing you did was help get us all out of a bad situation. As to your brothers, I made it clear to them that you and I are friends and if they wanted to be my friends, they needed to help us with the rioters. And they both did. That counts for a lot, regardless of their bravado and earlier behavior. Right now I’m just trying to figure out what happened to set everything off and when we’re going to be able to head out for the marshes.”

Rain replies, “Yah, I’m getting itchy to leave this city too. It’s been a few years since I have seen beyond these walls. So remember the Heironean Mission we passed last night, with the defaced statue covered in bat dung? Apparently that mission had not only been taken over by Olman refugees, but was housing their evil shamanic leader Nauyotl. It sounds like some of the paladins including Jankin, Fingol, Gar and the half-elves went back there this morning to confront them. Well, looks like it turned ugly. I was in the barracks when we were all called to muster up and march down to the docks to investigate a brewing riot. We got to the mission and found several dead Olman with Fingol and his group holding the Mission – and marching up the street against us was that evil bastard Nauyotl and his Olman minions. Just as it looked to get interesting I was dispatched to run and fetch you. The rest you know.”

“Wow,” Aramek exclaimed. ”After what they’ve done to the city, they’ll end up being slaughtered to the last child, if they don’t flee the city while they still can. I don’t understand why the refugees would want to turn on the very people who took them in. It just doesn’t make sense. But then where religions are concerned, a lot of things don’t seem to make sense.”

Rain just shakes her head in agreement.