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Topic: The Oathbound cliff notes (Read 46 times) |
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ALFA Northern Cormyr DM team
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This is not a "polished" RP post, but it does give you an idea of the "events" in this campaign. Alot of it of course makes more sense to the players involved that it will to a casual reader. none-the-less I hope it provides some enjoyment.
Current order of events...
Each character has their own back story as to their origin and then their meeting Ilana.
Each character was enthralled by Ilana in some fashion, most likely an out of normal character reaction.
The party worked with Ilana traveling the realms as her personal entourage, she would occasionally pick up a new member of the troupe, in ever instance the new member had some "falling out" in their life, she brought them a sense of hope and became like a mother to all.
In Tervale...
Zzarg, Farron, Bryon, Nailo, Mac, Dorlanun(sp), were asked to accompany her for the first time. She was in search of a map inside a long forgotten temple. Inside the temple they found it had not been so forgotten, some arcane cultists were in the middle of a ritual when the party fell upon them. A female spell caster called for her consorts to attack the invader's, and with a word she vanished from view. The group made short work of the few "thugs", however just as the last one fell the air cracked and exploded in sulfurous flames, one of the group fell smoking from the ears...Farron was quickly mended by Ilana and the group continued.
They came to a large room with shafts of colored lights, four rune scrawled pillars, and four pyramid cut gems of hues that matched the colored shafts.
With a stroke of insight the enigmatic magical device was understood. When a scroll of light was used on an altar in an upper level, suddenly one at a time shafts of colored light began to appear around the altar. It was decided that the colored gems should be placed within the matching colored light shaft in the same order they had appeared in the upper level.
This action caused a portal to appear, Ilana strode through the portal and was instantly confronted with a fireball. Singed and reeling from the sudden lack of air Ilana forced herself toward her attacker only to be struck by a volley of blue streaked bullets.
The party entered the portal just as Ilana delivered a killing thrust of her longsword.
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Ilana met a 1/2 elf named Kelo Mors, he was a young lieutenant in the Purple Dragons. He was to be stationed in the north where a surge of goblins and orcs were pressing the Cormyrian borders. Not wanting to be separated from Kelo, she enlisted herself and her companions into a Mercenary company that would be augmenting the Purple Dragons on what was presumed to be a "show of force" mission. It was Nailo that overheard Kelp talking about "They do not suspect a thing master, all is set."
The next night, the horde crossed the feeble trench and stake barrier and swarmed over an unprepared battalion. The Mercenaries fled almost immediately leaving the Purple Dragons to be slaughtered in place. In the chaos of "The Slaughter" (the sad nickname given to the encounter) Ilana and her companions attempted a futile escape.
Kelo Mors was seen on his horse leading the charge for the Orcs and Ogres.
Ilana called for her friends to flee while she remained to give them time...A red winged, black robed figure with a dragon motif helm appeared before Ilana. It scolded and tormented her in a fashion cut from dark villainous fabrics. He floated skyward on his scaled wings and blasted Ilana with a hate filled shard of red light. She stumbled but was quickly caught by her friends and led off in a double step retreat.
The sound of crashing and snorting made them twist their heads to look behind them, just in time to watch a lance plunge into Ilana's back. It had been launched from nearly 50 paces away by Kelo Mors from the saftey of his warhorse.
The group made their way to the "safety" of the forest. When they tried to heal their patron, it was not to be. She cursed her stupidity, she tore he cloak pins of Sehanine and Correlon from her shoulders and tossed them down. She tried to speak of a relic and a map ... she barely pulled the map loose. She expired shortly after cursing herself as a failure, she prayed to be forsaken for her weakness. As most of her prayers had been answered so then was this...
Just as she finished this curse, the moon passed in front of the sun, sealing her doom, her body was transformed into motes of sunlight that drifted into the stone she laid on. The stone became smooth like a smokey crystal and inside her body reformed. Her wounds were not visible. Those that knew her well, knew that what appeared to be an expression of peace was not. Only a friend could see the despair in her now frozen eyes. She lightly held her sword lengthwise on her body.
The group made an oath to free her of this self imposed prison. "By Life and By Blade."
The horde closed in on their position. From a short distance they could see the lead orcs gather around Ilana's tomb. She appeared as a soft blue-white apparition and looked woefully at her friends, then her face turned fierce with willful rage and overflowing emotion she screamed...She let the energy of her cry twist her skyward and she wailed so horribly that those Orcs that witnessed it fell dead, and those close enough to hear became deaf.
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A year had passed.
Kelo Mors, had been awarded a medal for gallantry in the face of overwhelming odds. He and very small group were the only survivors and his bravery in the face of a traitorous mercenary seductress "Ilana" he was able to rally a few to flee and report the event in time for a reserve force to be called in place to stop the marauding orcs.
The party has been forced to keep a low profile, doing odd jobs. Arabel city though close to the dungeons and hangman's noose, was also so full it would be hard for any of them to be picked out of the crowd.
Recently, after 6 moons worth of discussions on what to do, they have begun to investigate the map, as well as seeking out anyone that would have intimate knowledge of the practices of Clerics, the Gods, and especially the Elven patrons Correlon, and Sehanine...
They received word that a champion of Sehanine resides in or near EveningStar... This came from "Mac" who had spent a week or so visiting the village looking for work.
On the evening before heading out to EveningStar, Zzarg and Mac decided to celebrate in a local tavern that was known for it's rough and tumble fare. Before too long, a piggish comment for Zzarg and Mac became too much for the pair to handle. "You there farmer, does you wife know you steal away with the pig for carnal bacon?"
Zzarg didn't really understand why they were fighting but they enjoyed themselves...until the guard came in to break up the brawl...Zzarg also didn't understand why he should not smash the purple clad human...
On their way to the jailhouse, Dorlanun(sp) happened to see them, and as synchronicity would have it, the Dwarf was standing next to "Mac's" contact Persephone, and frail Albino girl. Mac saw her and winked at her, she blushed and scrunched her nose up. Dorlanun realized she knew Mac, though she claimed she didn't.
A halfling woman approached the pair asking if they knew the men...
Simultaneously Dorlanun nodded while Persephone shook her head. She offered a plan for escape if they would simply offer 5 lions. Dorlanun seemed interested. Persephone, backed away...until "Lilly" the halfling mentioned that Persephone looked like the type that may tell the guard about Dorlanun's escape plan.
Lilly reminded them that tavern brawling wasn't a major offense so these types of escapes were common and fairly easy. Dorlanun believed Lilly, and the more important aspect was...
"Of course you could just wait till the morrow, I believe Magistrate Kelo Mors will be presiding in the morn, so you can guess on at least a 10 day of sewer mucking and a fine of no less than 10 lions."
Kelo Mors had become a Magistrate...if he saw Zzarg and Mac, he would surely remember them, he would also know that they knew "HE" was the real traitor...that would might as well be a death sentence.
A goofy plan involving ropes, a hijacked bed, copious amounts of pillows, a loosened sewer grate, turned out to work fairly well.
Lilly stood waiting on the surface with a string tied to a stone, the stone hung into the sewergrate. When she dropped the string and thus let the stone fall that was the signal for Dorlanun to yank the rope attached to the sewer grate, the plan worked well enough. Mac and Zzarg fell onto the bed suffering minor sprains and bruises. They ran as fast as they could, following the directions Lilly had given them...She showed up after a few turns to help lead the way, though she did get a bit turned around, they eventually came up inside a butchers shop...
With little time to discuss she bade them to be out to the first caravan they can catch before word gets out the gate guards.
They managed to make it to the caravan and board before anyone knew what had happened...
Persephone lead them to a cave somewhere on the outskirts of EveningStar.
When Nailo heard, he immediately began scheming with furious eyes.
(( Farron and, Bryon -- were off looking for clues elsewhere, lets say they went back to the sight of Ilana's demise to see if anything about her tomb could give a clue. Ranger leading the wizard to investigate. provided they both show for next game that will be the story we go with. They will know to meet in EveningStar ))
Realizing that their is no way that the guard in EveningStar would know of the "great escape" of a couple of drunk ruffians all the way from Arabel...eventually the group makes their way into the village. They have found work mucking out stables ((Nailo)), standing guard for ... nefarious circus gnomes ((Zzarg and Mac )), and working as an a "fetcher" for the local blacksmith ((Dorlanun)). After a day filled with menial chores Persephone gives each of them the welcomed strangeness of a woman's voice. Her similarity to Ilana is likely very minimal, yet she is a priestess...and this strikes a cord with all of them whether they voice it or not. For some of the party her presence is soothing, and yet for a few her smile is like salt in a wound that does not mend.
After a 10 day of chores, Farran returns from their investigation of Ilana's tomb, without Bryon.
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Persephone was not seen.
Zzarg was fired from his duties for doing something "un-natural" that scared his employers children...
Mac was unable to be awakened after a night of debauchery.
Ksiel was plotting the groups next moves when he became ill and needed to retire at the Inn. (( Tech problems could not get past load screen ))
Farron returned and tried to explain to the Dwarf and the half-Orc about the conjuration magic surrounding Ilana's tomb, but both seemed to barely listen let alone understand. Zzarg and Dorlanun tried to find the "Champion of Sehanine" that was supposed to be in the area, they did but then had no idea what it was they were supposed to do, they decided to head back to the cave to await Nailo.
On the way they were ambushed by a wee little lady "Lilly" who explained that Persephone tried to turn her in to the authorities ...
When they entered the cave it had a new inhabitant a giant insect that spat acidic slime...
Dorlanun fell with a severe wound to his neck trying to protect Farran. The group managed to get him back to the Lonesome tankard inn. Farran ran to the temple to buy a potion to heal the Dorlanun.
Lilly needs to talk to the group in private...
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Lilly explains she and her associates are loyal to the crown and that if the group did not trust Magistrate Mors then she was interested in hiring them. She also told them that Persephone had tried to "turn her in" and was willing to turn herself in as well. She thought this could present a problem for the group, if she turns them in, they will no longer have a safe refuge in EveningStar, or at the least it would draw undo attention to the group and thus make it impossible for her and her associates to work with them, as they need to keep a low profile. The group was not convinced, Mac especially made it known that he believed she would not do the group any harm, they considered that they should at least talk to Persephone...if they could find her. The halfling explained what she wanted to "hire" them to do. She said that her group has reason to believe that some of the "march" nobles (Zzarg's word to describe nobles that have been decreed small tracts of lands in the wilderness for duty and are expected to maintain a small force and "march" to aid should a greater noble or the crown request it) some of these nobles were not to be trusted. She wants the group to be her eyes in the wilds, checking on any organizing threats and see whether the local nobles react to the threat or do nothing...she believes if they do nothing the noble is not loyal and her group will then expose them to the crown, if time is critical the group is to report any dangerous sitings directly to Lord Winter.
The group asked for an advance...
Lilly laughed then realized they were not joking...She retracted her offer stating that she cannot trust a group that is penniless, poverty has a way of clouding judgement...they made sure to tell her that they did not trust her either and wanted to know what she knew about Kelo Mors to which she replied ...
If you earn some coin first then we can talk about these things, there are many ways for adventurers to earn coins, off the top of my head, there are some brigands east of town on the road obviously robbing single travelers and easy targets ... she had avoided them on her way to EveninStar, so dispatching them could earn them some coins as it is okay to steal from dead crooks. Also rumors of Gnomes north of the town stealing simple items and leaving behind gems ... If they could find the gnomes they could possible barter with them and earn some funds that way.
She would revisit her offer of employment after they were no longer vagabonds and had resolved the issue with their friend Persephone.
She would send a messanger once a ten day with a "passphrase" so they would know it was a legitimate courier (Pass phrase omitted for Meta reasons)
She left the group to debate.
They decided to go after the brigands. They sent Mac in as bait, hit the group with a silence spell that ... affected Mac as well as the brigands.
The found tracks that lead south and came across a small encampment of the brigands, they surrounded the group and then Dorlanun stepped in a hole ... the brigands charged them before their trap was set. Dorlanun was critically wounded and nearly expired before the battle was won. (-9 is as close as you get ... gave the DM sweaty palms, glad you made it!)
They found a locked chest and obviously trapped chest (it had a jar flask of alchemists fire attached to it) Zzarg spent a good 30 minutes fiddling with it and eventually got it. Then the lock, well Zzarg began beating on it when Mac and Farron noticed the key hanging from a branch on a string...
on their way out with a very good set of loot, the group came across Lilly again she said she had watched them from a distance and that they had done well, In a tenday she would send a messanger with a small advance and a bit of information on Kelo Mors, all she would want in trade is an agreement to look over the wild lands near some of the nobles estates.
They brought to her attention that there were some effects they found that had a symbol on them. She noted that it was the symbol of the Obelnor family, which were nobles but little more than farmers near the stonelands ...
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Zzarg coming down the stairs in the Lonesome tankard was the first to notice the Knights enter the tavern. He ducked back into the hall and up the stairs. Farron was reading in the private dining area, Mac was passed out in their room, Nailo was in the room...plotting, Dorlanun was at work with Dustin the local smithy sharpening weapons.
Zzarg informed Nailo, Zzarg climbed out of a window and hang dropped the remaining 8ft (being 7 feet tall has some benefits!) on the west side of the building. Nailo met FirstSword Dogurrel in the upstairs hall and played dumb. The Guard went to the room the innkeeper had directed to find Mac passed out, they dragged Mac away proclaiming that they would find the others at first light.
Zzarg snuck to a back window for the private dining area and told Farron about the situation.
Farron made his way to a back room where Nailo met him.
Nailo asked the Innkeeper what was going on, to which the innkeeper replied. *w* "Friend they claim your associates are criminals, and frankly I have not enjoyed the company of the Orc, I have half a mind to tell them you are a friend of theirs..."
Zzarg snuck through the town to the smithys and informed Dorlanun, they agreed to meet at the small cave.
Zzarg and Dorlanun get separated. Farran leaves the inn and gets lost looking for the cave. Dorlanun gets to the cave and waits for the others, Farran sends his familiar in search of the others and finds the cave. Zzarg stops hiding in the forest and makes his way to the cave.
Nailo skulking about the back rooms of the Inn runs into a woman who speaks the password. What timing! As he begins to discuss the "offer" a pair of elves walk into the back hallway. Farran's pet arrives to watch the events. Nailo kisses the woman, who explains to the elves that they are "old friends". The elves offer a drink to Nailo because they are interested in his "nickname".
They all walk into the main room, the woman gives Nailo a package of some sort of cake from mother before she departs.
The elves, Elerion and Amaril, sit and discuss some hypothetical situations with "Wren" aka Nailo. Including what his nickname really meant. Amaril turns out to be a priest of Correlon which could be helpful in discerning what to do about Ilana.
Eventually "Wren" states he needs to consult with his friends. He leaves.
Nailo, Dorlunan, Zzarg, and Farron discuss their situation...they see three choices before them ... free Mac, hopefully by paying a fine, Bring the elves to Ilana's tomb, go on the scouting mission given them from the messenger woman that was sent by Lilly, they have a map of an area in the southern woods and the family name Yeltor. Nailo and Farran decide to go back to town to see about Mac and meet the Amaril.
Amaril and Elerion over hear a heated farmer explaining about how the rumor is that a Dwarf and Orc criminal from Arabel are being hunted by the guard, along with their friends, they have the drunk, now all that remains is hunting down the Orc, Dwarf, strange accent human and the half breed elf. They will leave at first light with a search party.
Amaril and Elerion decide to go see "Wren" and find out if he is involved. Elerion is from EveningStar and knows of a few places that one would "hide" a small cave and an abandoned house in town. It is very late getting close to morning. The house is empty, so they make their way to the cave that he recalls children used to hide at..until the Ankheg infestation.
As Nailo and Farron exit the cave they are abruptly met by Amaril and Elerion. A call for Zzarg to come outside and a drawn bow are some of the first reactions of Farran and Nailo.
Ameril and Elerion explain that the town hates the Orc and the guard is sending out a search party soon. *cue first light*
Zzarg and Dorlanun waste no time talking and start walking away saying "time to go"
Amaril, Farron, Nailo, and Elerion discuss matters, including showing the elven priests the Symbols from Ilana's cloak. This galvanizes the elves to aid, well that and the sound of approaching hunting dogs...followed by the shouting of men and clanking of armor.
The chase begins ... The 4 run as long as they can eventually outpacing the pursuing men, Farron sends his bird to harrass the dogs...
Those are some of the last commands heard from the pursuing men.
Eventually they run into Zzarg. Dorlanun is still separated ... he did kill himself a goblin Wink
The 4 (Zzarg having walked since early on is rested enough to run) quickly realize they will not be able to outrun the dogs catching a glimpse of them coming over a hill, they see the dogs are wearing Purple Dragon heraldry as a sort of barding. One of the dogs is in fact a trained Dire Wolf ...
The early morning fog covers the headstones of some old graveyard...
RUN !!
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Zzarg took off in a full sprint. (Karvon unable to attend Monday Games) The group hastily pulled together a plan. Involving an animated rope which successfully landed on "Jack" the dire wolf tracking hound, a few summons to distract the other hounds, and a sleep spell rested the remainder.
This tactic only slowed the pursuers. But a horn blast sounded calling the dire wolf away from them. They made their way through the woods doing what they could to hide their tracks...
Eventually they all met at Tyrluk, with a couple new members...Hossathen "Hoss" a Dwarven merchant that happened to run into Dorlanun, and an Elf Aglaril whose curiosity led him to flee with the main group.
Knowing it would only be a matter of time before the pursuers found the trail, the group decided to split up and make the Purple Dragons chase 2 trails instead of one.
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ALFA Northern Cormyr DM team
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The following is a narrative post created by the players of the campaign Oath Bound.
This is a bit more creative/fun read than the above "cliffs notes"
By Life and By Blade
“FLY!!” Her voice rang out above the din, echoing like some shouted plea to the gods. “FLY FRIENDS! FLY BRAVE FELLOWS!! She stood, as if on a bloody hill, astride the body of two huge ogres felled by her flashing blade. It pointed now towards the tree line some hundred paces distant, the westering sun glinting along its length like some guiding star. She waited. Expecting the horde to break around her like some holy island in a raging river of flesh, blood and steel.
Hard had been the fighting and devastating their losses the past few days and nights. Now, the remains of an entire battalion, reduced to a stumbling band of stragglers, ran desperate through the dreary rain to hide among the trees under the cloak of the coming night. If not for Ilana Mir’Lan, Blessed of Correlon and Sehanine, all would surely have been lost. Time after time her dancing blade had won them respite as they fled the field, her strong commanding voice urging dead men on to valor and a chance for life.
She stood now upon her gory isle, bright helm lying battered from the ogre’s blow at her feet. Her long silver hair unbound, flowing like moonbeams on the wind, and streaked with red by more than the setting sun. Her fabulous gold and silver plate, seemed to cling dented and hanging to her slight frame. But yet her noble, angelic face stood firm, set against the coming storm.
Mac lopped the pursuing orc’s head from its shoulders with a screaming chop of his great sword, turned and crested the hill at a dead run. Through soldier’s habit and training, he immediately picked his remaining companions out of the fleeing throng: Ilana, their leader, unmistakable like a beacon upon a gory hill. The wily elf Nailo, sprinting to his left, short sword in hand making for her, and in the distance, back from where he had come the hooded dwarf, chugging on stunted legs up the mud soaked hill towards the sound of her voice, that somehow rang loud and clear like a temple bell as if peeling “COURAGE! FAITH! SALVATION! THIS WAY!” Four only. Of their band of twenty that had joined the battalion under Ilana their Captain, only these four remained.
Turning to look back down the hill, what Mac saw brought foul curses to his lips and a red haze before his eyes. No, not four, five. There, astride a foaming charger rode the traitor – Kelos Mors, the half elven Lieutenant of their company, at the head of the advancing horde, his lance pointing the way after the fleeing band up the hill as the slavering orc, goblin, and ogre horde howled its blood lust and thundered up the hill sliding in the muck and gore. Turning to run again for Ilana fear seized his soul, as if out of some alien plane, suddenly before her floated a dread being of sorcerous nightmare.
Black robes billowed about what appeared to be a human form. A red dragon crested helm, wings cast back in full flight and claws extended, crowned the apparition’s head. A second set of wings, also blood red and vicious, swept out of the dark being’s back, the points meeting high above its helmed head. As he drew nearer as if in a daze, Mac could hear its baritone voice echoing eerily from deep within the helm: “ ... all this and more can be yours sweet Ilana, the relic you seek, riches beyond your wildest imaginings, you need only renounce your Lord and Lady and bow down to me.” “NEVER!!!!” Cried the paladin raising her sword before her. The demon shape let out an echoing laugh. “What love you have for your precious Seldarine elfling, is it as strong I wonder as that which grips your heart for my pet, or for that holiest of relics he promised you as he pledged his heart and soul to you each night?” Again the draconic being laughed flapping its wings as if in mirth. “MONSTER!!! screamed Ilana, tears now streaming down her golden cheeks “YOU SHALL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR TREACHERY!!” She shouted, pointing her sword at the fiend, her voice regaining the steady ring of courage that her faith inspired. Laughing again the fiend swooped into the air high above her head, strange guttural sounds issuing from it, and dark vapors forming around its gauntleted fists. Ilana brought her sword up before her lips, a song of prayer issuing forth across it, and a bright white light springing from the blade to envelope her, just as the sun set on the western horizon. Then with an ear shattering crack, a blast of eldritch energy issued from the monster high above, striking Ilana head on and hurling her towards the trees.
Mac heard Nailo scream – “NOOOOOO!!!!” and saw the elf racing towards her. Without a second thought he ran towards her as well. Amazingly, she was rising shaking on one knee when they both reached her, using her sword to prop her up. With Nailo’s help she rose and they all turned towards the dwarf’s shout from the tree line: “This way! MOVE! NOW!” Grabbing Ilana by one arm to aid her, the three ran for the trees, when suddenly Ilana lurched forward and fell to the ground as if struck from behind. There, protruding from her back stood the traitor’s lance, hurled with such force that the razor point had punched through the plate covering her shoulders. Ilana gulped for air writhing as Mac turned with a primal roar, the muscles and veins bulging from his neck as his knuckles grew white gripping the great sword before him. “NO! Creed, no!. She still lives! Hurry, I cannot carry her!” The elf said as the dwarven ranger urged them on from the trees. Snapping the lance where it entered her body, Mac lifted Ilana and dashed for the wood, cursing his rage through clenched teeth as they followed the dwarf on a winding route through the trees. Darkness fell, and if not for the elf urging him right and left Mac would have lost his way a dozen times. The sounds of men being slaughtered around and behind them pounded in his ears, driving him ever faster as the pursuing horde finished off those that fled into the trees.
But the dwarf had skill, and as darkness continued to fall he led them deeper and deeper into the thickest part of the forest through winding ways until the sounds of pursuit grew far off and the night grew long, almost to the dawn. Ilana’s breathing grew labored, and Nailo pleaded that they must stop to try to give her healing. The dwarf led them into a small clearing of stone, hidden beneath an overhanging crag. There Mac laid her upon the lip of a large, flat low lying boulder, and Nailo began to remove her armor. What they saw unnerved them. Protruding from between her breasts was the tip of the razor point of the lance, blood oozing from it. Nailo brought a potion of healing to her lips and Ilana’s eyes fluttered weakly, the light almost gone from them.
She spoke then in elven to Nailo, which Mac could not understand, and he began to weep. ((“For betrayal and death I spurned your love” she said in elven to him)). Then weakly to them all she said in a voice heavy with despair, barely above a whisper, “Loyal friends, I am unworthy of your faith. I have betrayed you all for a false love and a fool’s hope.” Fumbling for a pouch at her hip she withdrew a folded paper and handed it to Mac. “A map *coughs* ... the rel ... the holy relic... she coughs, blood coming from her lips, and her eyes rolling skyward. “Oh Father and Mother I have betrayed them all” Tears and blood stream down her face as blood comes from her lips with each sob. Reaching to her shoulders she wrenches the symbol of Corellon on her right and Sehanine on her left and throws them from her. “Unworthy” she sobs “cursed I shall be, and never shall my shade come to Arvandor for my sins.”
The companions stood dumbfounded around her. Never before had they seen her so direly wounded or in such despair. Always had she been their strength and their succor in need. Then, her body began to tremble, as the sun began to lighten the sky with the coming of dawn. Her trembling ceased and her eyes fluttered open to the light. Looking to each of them as they held her crouched around the stone, she whispered “Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me ....” and was still.
The companions stood silent, heads bowed over her. Then, not far in the distance they heard the sounds of their pursuers searching, coming closer to the clearing. The sun then rose full with the dawn, light streaming through the trees to fall as a beacon upon Ilana’s face in the hollow of rock. The dwarf spoke first: “This canna be. We canna let one so pure an good end so.” The elf looked up nodding, eyes streaked red with tears, unable to speak. The man took up his sword. Laying it across her breast he looked to the others. The sounds of the approaching marauders grew nearer and the light of the sun brighter. “By me life and me blade I swear, we’ll three set this a’right. Its bastards like us what deserve cursin. ‘Lana’s earned ‘er rest.” Looking to him the others drew their blades and laid them over his across her breast as the sounds of pursuit grew ever nearer. “We, shall redeem her, and in Arvandor the Blessed shall we meet again. By life and blade I swear it.” “Aye” said the dwarf “By life an blade, all three o’ us bound.”
A breeze then blew quickly through the trees, rising to a howling wind. The risen sun seemed to grow brighter through the thicket above them, and then slowly the disc of the moon moved across it in an eclipse. The orcs and goblins, very close now began to howl and cry out in fear. A soft glow appeared around Ilana where she lay, growing to a blinding light. The companions shielded their eyes and backed away, as the light seemed to grow like the very heart of the sun itself. Then suddenly all was blackness.
As the darkness receded the three dazed and shaken looked upon where Ilana had lain. Now stood only the rock, but its surface had been turned to crystal like some opaque glass. Within lay the paladin. No mark or wound upon her, her sword hilt clasped before her breast. The dwarf examined the rock, tapping it with his hilt, and pronounced it hard as diamond. The elf taking up the map and two symbols warns the others, “We should be leaving… those beasts are coming around and will be after us again in moments…” Nodding in agreement the three tried to run from the clearing with the howls of the waking horde behind them. Realizing that they would not make it they turned to face what would most likely be their last moments.
As the goblins and orcs made their way across the clearing, scrambling over the crystal tomb, and approaching the three companions a light began to glow again around the tomb. Seeing this the orcs and goblins slowed their approach. In a quick flash of light a transparent Ilana appeared floating above the tomb. The apparition looked at the three with tears streaking her face and opened her mouth as if to speak but a most dreadful sound issued forth. A wale so filled sorrow, a sound of complete and utter hopelessness nearly brought the three to their knees. Ilana’s soul kept her mouth open and lifted her face to the sky and the wale grew louder and louder until it was unbearable to hear.
Nailo dumbstruck stood watching, while Mac did the same. The trailing horde that was closest to the Ilana’s tomb flailed on the ground trying to cover their ears or ripping them off to keep from hearing the harrowing cry. It was only the dwarven ranger that yanked the two away from the morbid sight to escape into the woods using this last gift from Ilana to save their lives. The three made their way back lost in their own thoughts not uttering a word, but knowing that their oath now held them by life and by blade.
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