Book 2: Chapter 3 - North and North

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji 

 

[Vladim]

[matt_s]

 

[Powderhorn]

A Timeless Void

 

 

 

 

Late Summer - Day 79, Mid Morning - The Oracles

The magic from the tower seems to fade into the distance. Stavard, Iphigenia, and Koji are each in the bottom, with the rope they climbed in on over their heads. They are merely a foot or two from each other, just depending on where they landed. Karadoon is dutifully standing watch from the edge of the entrance.

 

[Vladim]

She whispered a thank you after the spirit had faded. She knew that the man-if that was what he was still-could in all likelihood hear nothing, but she felt that she owed it to the place. Soon silence filled the empty hall again-it was time to move on.

"That was... strange." she said as soon as she was reunited with Karadoon and the others. "Good strange, I think. I tried to curb my curiosity and ask about practical matters, though I am not certain that any great secrets were revealed to me. But what I learned may prove useful..."

She turned to the others and gave them a meaningful glance, before settling her eyes on Karadoon.

"Do you want to go now? The spirit said that the magic is spent, but perhaps it will prove different for you."

[thesloth]

Karadoon

Karadoon smiled as Iphigenia and the others came up.

"It makes you see things differently don't it. There'll be no point in me going down. Done means done for the week.

I've seen no sign of pursuit but how do you spot an invisible foe? We have responsibilities and newly accepted refugees to see to. I think it best we move on."

Karadoon quickly went to work filling dirt and replacing sod, careful to align the sections and remove what evidence of the digging he could.

Weapon - Combat statsBAB +1
Extra +1 (Brother Koji spell effect)

Cutter: +2War Axe D6/D8 (1h/2h)

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji 

Upon leaving the oracle chamber, Brother Koji felt the weight of Cassandra’s final words pressing heavily upon him. The directive to obliterate his enemies and their associates, to pursue a path of utter destruction for the sake of peace, conflicted deeply with his spiritual beliefs and principles. Yet, he recognized his people's dire situation and the drastic measures that might be necessary to secure their future.

Returning to his comrades, Koji gathered them around, his expression grave and his voice imbued with a newfound resolve. "Friends, the oracle has spoken, and its words are clear," he began, pausing to ensure he had the attention of every eye in the group. "We face a formidable foe in the Maliente, one that will not hesitate to destroy us if given the chance. The oracle advises a path of total victory. We must ensure not only the defeat of the Maliente but also dismantle any alliances they hold. This is not just about survival; it is about securing a future where our children can live in peace."

Koji's eyes hardened slightly as he continued, "The oracle speaks of unity and the peace it can bring. To achieve this, we must be unwavering and perhaps take actions that we find difficult. We must be the shield and sword for our people. It advises that we should prevent any enemies from finding refuge or support, from here to our homelands."

While his words echoed the harsh guidance of the oracle, within his heart, Koji hoped to find a balance—perhaps a way to achieve security without resorting to the total eradication of his enemies. "We must think deeply on this," he added, "and choose our actions with the wisdom of not just the past, but with a vision towards the future we want to build. Let us prepare, and let us be wise. We defend not just our lives, but the spirit of our people."

[matt_s]

Stavard wiped the sweat from his brow. The experience had been stressful for reasons obvious.

I will share details when the time comes or rather when we have the time. Suffice to say that the oracle indicated we should take ourselves East to wage a war with the Maliente, a war that has evidently been on hiatus for time nigh uncountable and a war that I yet fail to comprehend its purpose or meaning. If war has any meaning beyond the grief of the father, the mother, the son, the daughter.

Both Maliente and Black Banner Legion were named as foes. But destruction need not be physical - if the Legion were to dissolve the parts constituting may remain but be reforged or reassembled.

To this task we have been suborned to by the deeds of the Maliente themselves and by the Oracle's declarations. East then unless your insights differ and then what to do I would ask but that has not come to pass.

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji 

"East is where the fight is, but we need an army, or several, with strike teams to go after strategic points, teams to sow discord between their factions and allies. We need to prepare first, and no go off, with out some measure of a plan"

[Vladim]

"I reckon this place is as safe as any..." began Iphigenia, her attention initially focused on Karadoon, "...If our enemies know about it, and the trap that it lay against them all those millenia ago, then I would not be surprised if they gave it a wide berth. If."

She turned towards Koji as she continued with a bitter smile.

"Yes, the good Brother is right-it does very much appear that we will need to get our hands dirty for this. The Oracle gave me similar counsel: to turn the Maliente's allies to enemies and then destroy them, if we can. But-" (and at this she looked towards Stavard) "... let's not put the cart before the horse. We still need to work out much before we can even begin.

What did you ask?" she finally concluded. "I asked about the history of this place and the mistakes of our ancestors, and counsel on how to defeat the Maliente, and knowledge on the spirits and the draguns. I am certain the Oracle has its own agenda, but I am curious to hear what it told you..."

[matt_s]

Stavard shrugged. I reckon most of what I heard you heard as well. But I asked what we should do and this is what I heard -

He then outlines that

- the Oracle told him to head East, destroy the Maliente, and destroy the Black Banner Legion

- "Destroy all who had helped them in the past, and reclaim this land as your own"

- the oracle is evidently a vestige of the old civilization of man and elf and dwarf

- the locations of their cities and dwellings were "Of the humans, we lived in the Five Cities of Galonde. It is quite some distance away - six hundred sixteen miles west-south-west from here. Of the dwarves, we lived in the Anvils of Bari and Kmbarukth Crags - another six hundred and seven west further, and another four hundred ninety four miles further still, respectively. Of the elves, we lived in the Llaisy Woods, Ravenwood Forest, and Mawry Vale. The first being about halfway to the Five Cities of Galonde, the second being three hundred and seven miles north-north-east of here, and the third being about five hundred eighteen miles east-north-east of here."

- "We believe that the Great War has been in a lull for the last eight thousand, five hundred, and thirty nine years merely for want of an opposition. The Maliente have reigned supreme in that time. By returning, you have created the conditions for the war to resume its active phase. You must continue it, for I assure you, a people that was once thought extinct returning with new weapons will cause the Maliente to go on the hunt for your recluse as well." "

- and that these cities if they were not perfectly scoured for relics and instruments of power could harbor them still but indeed they are far away...

... but there are only a handful of us. And we know not their numbers although even our allies seem poorly armed even if the numbers are matching.

 

[thesloth]

Karadoon

Karadoon stood a bit straighter and looked eastward.

"That far east? It sounds like a scouting mission of several months would be in order. Did the oracle mention any particular Maliente city that might be more important than the others?

We should head back to our settlement by the coast. They deserve to know what happened at the outpost. They deserve to know what they face.

Aephren and Elladra had a baby born this spring. It would not be right to keep them uninformed."

Weapon - Combat statsBAB +1
Extra +1 (Brother Koji spell effect)

Cutter: +2War Axe D6/D8 (1h/2h)

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji 

"and perhaps to get words to our respective kingdoms and orders. I'm sure that the Knights of the Father would come if we can convince them of the threat. although it is not something I relish truth be told."

[Vladim]

"Indeed." added Iphigenia. "As much as I am loathe to bring Kelmar politics into this, it may prove necessary, given our obvious and serious disadvantage-our lack of an army."

She smiled.

"I left Kelmar in part to avoid getting tangled up in my family's politics. It looks like leaving that life behind won't be so easy. But even if we were successful in receiving aid and military backing, it would be months before any of it materialised. That is time we may not have."

Here she paused, and looked at the others, trying to make sure she held their attention before proceeding.

"The Oracle confirmed what I had suspected. It said that, to defeat our enemies, we must first turn their old allies against them. It said that, lacking an external enemy, the Maliente must have made foes out of former allies. I think that much is true: the intercepted correspondence we were able to secure speaks of tensions between them and the orcs, whom they treat as inferiors-or perhaps even as thralls.

So the next order of business must be that: aid the orcs in their rebellion to weaken our common foe. Without an army of our own, I think this becomes our primary priority.

What the Oracle said next was... perhaps the part where we really get our hands dirty. It said that, after defeating the Maliente, we must turn against all those that have been their allies in the past and destroy them. This... may make sense from a pragmatic standpoint, but I am willing to reserve judgement for the time being. A lot can change in more than eight thousand years."

She turned to Stavard.

"Why East? Did the Oracle give a reason?"

[matt_s]

Stavard nods. Well, the reason is the completion of what is now evidently our duty. Going East is the oracle says necessary to the process of defeating the Maliente and the Black Banner Legion.

But the war is not going anywhere. We can stop by this outpost of ours if you two think that doing so will be wise.