Bedeviled

Hexatina 18, 1000 PC

Our heroes, having taken advantage of the opportunity to use the magical chest in The Floating Tower, teleport off to their own various destinations to continue with their various agendas.

While, Sparta returns to Rebelton to recruit followers, Nyza returns to vethiSha'Tek to speak with Varnil and the others return to various locations in Troll's Bridge: Legeand to The Fortress of Armee, Luanes to The Orphanage of Visaria, Oliveryn to his estate, Ozimius to The Blood Cloth Inn and Wintersky to her tepee  on the grounds of the Chicdell estate.

Oliveryn, making great strides in reconstituting the Council of Houses, makes his way to Schloss Tanglewood Zuooririmystos to personally attend his daily meeting.  As he arrives, he is ambushed along with all of the other House Lords and Ladies by a gelugon controlling several of the castle guards.  Alarms are raised and shortly Imhiakaam, the mastermind of the attack, arrives at the castle and wards it from intruders while she causes the armed occupants to turn on each other.

Mask, aware that Imhiakaam is up to something followers her to the castle, but serendipitously escapes the castle and seeks help at the Chicdell estate where she find Wintersky already using the crystal ball to contact the other heroes spread out throughout the land.

Nyza responds to the call and retrieves Sparta and his new cohort Dale Blackfoot, interrupting a feast in which Sparta is trying address the future of Rebelton, Troll's Bridge and Tangleton.

Shortly, Mask, Nyza, Sparta, Wintersky and their various companions are standing before the gates of the castle.  Nyza makes short work of the magical seal on the gates and the group enters the castle to find carnage as its guards appear to have slain each other at Imhiakaam's bidding.

After entering the keep, the stench inside of which causes Mask to reveal her healed self to the others, a quick search reveals the location of Imhiakaam and the gelugon piling the House Nobles on a banquet table in the private part of the keep.  Battle is met during which the heroes find they feel disinclined to target the brachina and concentrate their attacks on the gelugon.  Mask, now revealed as Celesta Artural, confronts Imhiakaam and manages to bypass the brachina's Mark of Nessus and wards giving cause for the devil the depart the fray.

Our heroes make short work of the gelugon, but not before it manages to unleash a cone of cold on many of the combatants, leaving the kobolds' mounts frozen to death.

Once, the threat has been eliminated, the House Lords and Ladies are found to be alive but unconscious, hovering at death's door until healing is imparted them by T'Krosh.  Oliveryn's halberdiers are the first soldiers that arrive to begin re-securing the castle while Wintersky, dismayed by the death she has been experiencing of late, sends the multitude of warriors' spirits on their way to the beyond.

Oliveryn returns to his estate from The Floating Tower and immediately makes his way over to Schloss Tanglewood Zuooririmystos to join his daily meeting. He enters the meeting hall and everything goes black.

Suddenly the bells of the castle sound in alarm.

Nyza is plotting with T'Krosh back at Tangleton when she gets a chill down her spine.

Mask hears the evil cackling of Imhiakaam near the teleportation circle and then the familiar sound of teleporting.

Wintersky looks into the crystal ball at the sound of the tolling bells, "Oli? What is going on over there."

Mask: What in The Hells is she up to?

Mask runs up to the teleportation circle gathering her gear as she goes to follow the devil.

A brief image of Oliveryn lying on a marble floor comes into view before it is snuffed out.

Wintersky: Dead?

Wintersky grabs her medicine bag, SnowShadow and Cinder and casts Greater Teleport, attempting travel to Oliveryn.

Mask teleports and finds herself in the bailey of Schloss Tanglewood Zuooririmystos, just catching a glimpse of Imhiakaam entering the keep.

Mask: Not good. Everyone is spread out over hell and creation!

Mask rushes out of the castle gates and runs towards the Chicdell estate.

In Rebelton, Sparta and Dale enter the feast hall to the warm welcome of the the citizens of the town.

Nyza: T'Krosh, it suddenly seems very cold. I thought the heat vents were already excavated?

In Tangleton, T'Krosh is finishes with healing the others and looks at Nyza curiously.

Sparta and Dale make their way to the head table in the clanhold's dining hall.

Wintersky's teleport seems to be deflected and she reappears where she started near her teepee.

The bells continue to toll over the castle.

Wintersky uses the crystal ball to contact Nyza.

Nyza: Ah!

Soldiers begin to mobilize throughout Troll's Bridge, moving to their posts to repel an impending invasion.

Wintersky: Nyza, something bad is happening here in Troll's Bridge.

Nyza: Oh, Wintersky. Nyza think you are a ghost, heh.

Nyza: Something bad? Do you know what?

Wintersky: Not a ghost yet. Oli is unconscious in the castle. I tried to teleport to him, but was repelled.

Mask gives up on the running as she comes into sight of Wintersky's teepee in the distance and Dimension Doors the rest of the way.

Nyza: Hmm, that is not good. There must be a spellcaster blocking the teleport.

Mask appears next to Wintersky.

Wintersky: Don't know. The alarm bells are ringing

Wintersky: Mask, do you know what is going on?

Mask: Imhiaakam is up to something.

Wintersky: Wait.

Mask: I saw her enter the castle.

Wintersky: Nyza, Imhiakaam is up to something. Can you come?

Mask: Where is Sparta? Rebelton?

Nyza: Okay! If Oli needs help, me come right now. And me pick up Sparta first, if he is still at Rebelton.

Wintersky turns back to Mask, "In Rebelton, I think."

Sparta is shown to a place of honor in the feast hall along with Dale. Algoma is waiting there already.

Sparta climbs on the table to the cheers of his clansmen, pounding on the tables and calling for a speech. He waves his hands and tries to quiet them.

Wintersky: Great, meet you near the castle, Nyza. I do not think you can just teleport in, I could not.

Nyza starts walking towards where Biter is stabled, T'Krosh in tow.

Sparta: Friends, neighbors, clansmen! Blackfoots, Riverreeds and Mantysons, I have returned from my travels to bring you news both great and gruesome, both joyful and rueful. Some of you have called for me to become Mayor of Rebelton. I'm sorry, but I must refuse your summons. There are other deeds afoot.

Nyza: See you there.

Wintersky tries to see Oliveryn again.

Mask: You could not teleport into the castle? I teleported into the bailey just a little while ago. Imhiakaam must have put up a ward.

Wintersky: No one else is here, Mask. Climb on up and we can ride. I tried a Greater Teleport and was bounced back here.

Nyza hops on Biter's back and casts her Teleport. The world before her shimmers briefly before reforming.

The halfling crowd, suddenly silent, takes in Sparta's words.

Sparta: Firstly, I have come, but recently, from Troll's Bridge. The city has grown vast and strong, but it is being corrupted by a terrible evil. The Mayor awakened an ancient vampire and he has himself slipped into the terrible twilight of the walking dead. My friends, the Heroes of Redemption slew the vampire, but we have yet to confront the Mayor. We have recently learned the city is threatened from below by a rising tide of Illithids.

Nyza teleports herself, T'Krosh, Biter and T'Krosh's mount to the outside of the Mantyson Clanhold.

There is a crack outside the clanhold that catches everyone's attention.

Wintersky's scrying seems to be completely blocked, as no image appears during this attempt.

Sparta is distracted a moment by the sound outside, but continues on with the speech he has been rehearsing in his head for weeks.

Sparta: There will be difficult times ahead for Troll's Bridge and they will depend on our help, especially on the harvest from our farms. I have enchanted many of your fields to return a bumper crop this year.

Nyza: Eh? Why are the streets empty again.

Sparta: See me if any of your fields still need of aid and I will see to it as soon as I can. Rebelton shall need all its sons and daughters to aid in the harvest this year.

Mask nimbly climbs up behind Wintersky onto Cinder.

Mask (whispering): This is so much easier now.

Nyza: Sparta?! You here?!

Wintersky gallops Cinder toward the castle.

The halflings gasp and turn at the kobold's shout.

Sparta: Nyza? Is that you?

Sparta: We're here in the clanhold.

Nyza: Oh, coming!

Nyza: Biter trots up to the clanhold doors, though Nyza dismounts before entering.

Halflings jump up and scatter at the sight of a kobold riding a dire weasel.

Sparta: Be at peace my friends, you have met Nyza before.

Nyza looks surprised at seeing everyone gathered in one place.

Sparta: Nyza, please come, join us inside.

Nyza nods and walks up beside Sparta.

Nyza (whispering): Chelsia is not back is she? You are all inside again.

Sparta: No, today is a day of feasting.

There is much chatter amongst the crowd of halflings.

Nyza: Ah, ok. Sorry to interrupt the feast, but Wintersky just tell me that Oli in trouble. And that the alarms are sounding in Troll's Bridge.

Sparta: And now you've thrown me off my speech, let's see where was I... What? Oli's in trouble again?

Wintersky finds soldiers running along the roads as they ride to the castle.

Sparta: I'll have to get through this quickly.

Sparta waves his hands again to quiet the crowd of halflings.

Nyza moves back a few steps.

The halflings return to their seats.

Sparta: Thank you, thank you, Nyza is one of the Heroes of Redemption.

Sparta: You may also remember Oliveryn.

Sparta: Oliveryn is the Troll's Bridge Mayor's grandson.

Sparta: Lord Oli has taken on the twin mantles of leading House Chicdell and Lieutenant Mayor of Troll's Bridge. House Chicdell will pay an honest price for goods we bring to market in the city. In the short term, they are suffering a shortage of garlic and other herbs. If we can bring these goods to market quickly, I am sure we can make you a premium on the fruits of your labors.

Wintersky, Mask, et. al. arrive at the castle to find the gates closed.

A strong coppery scent floats on the air about the castle.

Wintersky: Mask, can you get us in? I do not think that they will open the gates.

Sparta: Nyza has brought word that Lord Oli is in trouble this day. After our feast, the Heroes of Redemption shall set forth again to rescue Lord Oli.

The halflings bang utensils and mugs on their tables in response.

Sparta: But, that is not why I stand before you today.

Wintersky gets out the ball again, "Nyza, what is taking so long?"

Sparta: We have gathered to feast, to celebrate good news and toast the fallen.

Mask: Yes, Rebelton is not that big.

Sparta: Like Troll's Bridge, we have not been spared by these troubled times. Many of our own fell before the necromancer.

Sparta: I can tell you now that The Gaedracis is dead and shall not rise to trouble us again. My friends, the Heroes of Redemption and I slew the necromancer in battle and then I destroyed his phylactery.

Nyza: Er, sorry to interrupt again, Sparta. You know that devil from the tower, Imhiakaam? She is with Oli, too.

Several older halflings gasp and the mention of Imhiakaam.

Nyza: And um, Oli needs his soul, so maybe we should leave quickly.

Wintersky shifts focus, "Sparta! Get your little halfling butt here now.

Sparta turns to look at Nyza, "The She Devil? Um, yes, I'll hurry."

Nyza: Sorry, Sparta come back to finish soon!

Nyza tugs at Sparta's wrist speaking quietly, "Quick, quick!"

Sparta: My clansmen, I'm sorry, but I shall have to leave you to the feasting.

Wintersky: Sparta, you can get married another time. I will even officiate.

Sparta: I shall return as soon as I can and we will feast again.

Dale appears next to Sparta carrying their gear.

Sparta: Until then, a toast to the fallen, may they rest in peace.

Dale: They will not mind two feasts, Sparta.

Sparta lifts his mug of ale for a moment of silence then quaffs it in one gulp.

Wintersky looks up from the ball, "Halflings and their parties."

Sparta turns to Dale.

Wintersky: You best get down, Mask, before the others come.

Sparta: You're right about that. Are you ready to go?

Mask dismounts.

Nyza: She is coming too?

Dale: Darn, right!

Nyza: Well, whatever! T'Krosh is outside, so let us meet him and get moving.

Sparta: We need to gather Ringo, too.

Wintersky ties Cinder to the gate and tries to pull it open.

Sparta leads Dale and Nyza out of the clanhold.

Wintersky: Well, at least I can do resurrections now.

Nyza forms a circle with all the shorties.

Mask: The gate is probably magically sealed, Wintersky.

Wintersky: Quite right.

Wintersky: She unties Cinder.

Sparta: Hang on!

Sparta and Dale hold hands for her first teleport.

Nyza: Off to the front of the castle!

Wintersky casts Divine Power.

Mask: Team up on a dispel magic? I'll assist yours if you are prepared.

Dale gasps at the sizzle and pop.

Wintersky: I have one prepared.

Mask: I too.

Wintersky: Let us do it.

Wintersky casts Dispel Magic with assistance from Mask.

Mask casts Dispel Magic simultaneously with Wintersky.

The gates shimmer and gleam for a moment, but the spell seems to fail.

Mask: Hmmm.

Mask: I hope Oli has some budget to replace the gates. I may have to disintegrate them.

Wintersky: Let us see if he is still alive first before worrying about gates.

Nyza and group appear before the gates of the castle.

Dale: Wow! What a rush.

Nyza: Hi Mask, Wintersky. This is... uh... wait, who are you again?

Mask: Well, so nice of you to join us.

Dale: Do you do that often, Sparta?

Mask: The gates seem to be magically sealed.

Sparta: Nyza, do you still have your wand?

Sparta: The one that opened Gresham's house?

Nyza: For unlocking? Yes, one second.

Nyza had her hand raised at the door, sparks beginning to shoot out of it. She looks disappointed as she lowers it.

Mask: Oh, that is handy.

Nyza retrieves the wand from her haversack and activates it in the direction of the gate.

The sounds of clattering can be heard behind the gates and the open a crack after the beam from the wands strikes them.

Mask: Where are the armored folk. It smells like there is blood all over the place already.

Wintersky: Great, who is the muscle among us?

Nyza: Ringo...

Wintersky: That is what I was afraid of.

Sparta: Dale, perhaps you could show off a little.

Dale: Um, who me? Oh, yeah!

Wintersky: How about I make all our weapons good.

Dale transforms herself into a dire lion.

Wintersky: That is a big cat!

Wintersky: She can lead.

Dale the dire lion pulls open the gate.

The bailey beyond is spattered with blood and scattered with the bodies of soldiers as our heroes enter.

Sparta draws his sword and sets it aflame.

Mask casts Shield.

T'Krosh places a Bull's Strength spell on the dire lion.

Wintersky casts Mass Align Weapon (Good) enchanting our heroe's weapons and ammunition.

Nyza casts Mirror Image as her sole preparation.

Sparta casts Long Strider on himself.

Mask casts her own Mirror Image.

Wintersky casts Warning.

Nyza: Do you think it could be mindflayers in there?

Mask: No, devils. Silver weapons will work best.

Wintersky casts Mass Aid.

Wintersky casts Divine Favor.

Sparta: Silver and devils, eh?

Sparta douses his sword before sheathing it, then draws Manty's Heirloom.

T'Krosh casts Bull's Strength, Freedom of Movement and Battlemagic Perception on himself.

Wintersky casts Cat's Grace.

Sparta: Ready Grandpa?

Mask casts Cat's Grace.

Wintersky: Yes, the Heirloom is also good.

Dale the dire lion casts Greater Magic Fang on herself.

T'Krosh: I hope Imhiakaam likes to eat slowly.

Wintersky casts Divine Agility.

Sparta: That's odd. The guards were battling each other, like they were possessed or something.

Dale the dire lion casts Long Strider on herself.

Mask: Imhiakaam's modus operandi.

Wintersky: Let us go find her.

Nyza: She cannot do the same to us, can she?

Mask: She might try. We are more powerful than simple militia.

Wintersky: She might try.

Sparta examines a body to see if there are illithid marks.

Wintersky casts Stoneskin.

Nyza: Do we have any magic to ward against it? Protection from Evil and the like?

Manitowoc: Just stay near Sparta.

Nyza: Sparta will soon find himself flanked by dire-weasel-riding kobolds.

Dale the dire lion makes a half-growl-half-whining sound.

Sparta: Dale, say hello to Grandpa Manty.

Dale the dire lion shakes her head.

Wintersky casts Protection from Evil.

Wintersky opens the door into the keep.

Sparta: Looks like Imhiakaam's work.

A reeking stench assaults the heroes as the door to the keep is opened.

Sparta: Miss 'Sky, maybe I should go first?

Mask tugs off her mask and pukes.

Mask: Damn!

Celesta: Oh, well.

Sparta: Mask?!

Celesta: Celesta.

Nyza looks at the face, but she does not seem surprised.

Celesta: Let us keep this a secret if you do not mind...for now.

Nyza: Ok, but...good for you.

Celesta stows the mask in her bag.

Sparta: I guess we'll have a few more secrets, Dale.

Celesta: Let us just get this over with.

Dale the dire lion nods.

Sparta: I'll tell you later. We have some catching up to do.

Sparta leads the way into the keep.

Our heroes march through the keep finding bodies strewn here and there, but no sign of Oliveryn.

Celesta: The audience chamber?

Sparta: This looks bad enough, but how did you know Oli was in trouble?

Wintersky: I saw him unconscious through the crystal ball when the bells started ringing.

Celesta: Do you remember what the floor looked like?

Wintersky: Black and green marble tiles, alternating.

Celesta: Audience chamber.

Celesta points the way out to Sparta.

Sparta follows Celesta's point and leads the way.

Wintersky: TalksMuch, is Oli alive?

Our heroes find the audience chamber, but there is no one within.

Wintersky look for spirits left behind.

Sparta searches for tracks.

Nyza: Just to be on the safe side, Nyza rummages through her pack again until she finds the Eternal Wand of See Invisibility. She activates it on herself.

Wintersky sees spirits everywhere.

Wintersky: Which way did they go?

Sparta finds a faint trail leading out of the audience chamber and down a hall.

Sparta: I think they went this way.

Sparta points and moves down the hall.

Wintersky readies Blessed Black.

The dire weasels' claws clack repeatedly on the marble tiles.

The trail consists of water droplets and drops of blood and is as if many bodies where dragged this way.

Sparta bends to examine the trail, he touches the water to see what it is.

Wintersky follow Sparta watching the spirits, who seem confused by the events that released them from their bodies.

Sparta: What would leave a trail of water droplets?

Wintersky: A sweaty ogre?

Celesta: If it is devils, then I would expect an ice devil nearby.

Sparta sniffs his fingers for a scent.

Nyza: Great, it is not just devils, but ice devils now.

The brimstone and filth is almost overwhelming to Sparta.

Sparta: This isn't ogre sweat, that's for sure.

Sparta wipes his fingers on the nearest tapestry.

The trail leads to another chamber and the dropping temperature confirms there must be an ice devil nearby.

Wintersky: Hey, let us hurry a bit. We do not want them summoning more.

Nyza: Right, Oli is waiting for us.

Sparta moves ahead, following the trail of stench and filth left by the devil.

Sparta: I though Imhiakam was after Ozi, not Oli?

Celesta: Who ever knows what she is up to? Maybe she was after one of the other House Lords.

Sparta: They are an evil bunch of sons-of-bitches, but I don't think even I would wish Imhiakaam on them.

Wintersky: You are just unhappy to have a perfectly good feast interrupted.

Sparta: That too.

Wintersky: Maybe if we hurry, there will still be some left when we are done here.

Sparta: I am mostly unhappy they would tolerate the kind of evil that killed Ringo.

Celesta: I am sure Oli will thank you profusely if he lives.

Sparta continues to follow the trail as he talks.

Nyza: He is rich, he can pay us back when Ms. Sky resurrects him.

The trail leads our heroes into a chamber with red carpeting. A staircase leads upward in the middle before them, but the evidence of dragging leads through archways on either side of the stairs.

Sparta: Left or right?

Nyza: Right!

Nyza: Always the best way to get through a cave.

Sparta moves towards the right arch with Ringo at this side.

T'Krosh casts Righteous Might on himself, believing the end of the trail is near.

Celesta casts Sword of Deception.

Wintersky cast Righteous Might and she and SnowShadow double in size..

Dale the dire lion follows behind Sparta.

Dale the dire lion: RAWWWR!

Dale the dire lion moves through the archway and spots a woman and a big, white insect-like giant.

Imhiakaam raises her eyebrows amusedly as the dire lion enters the room.

Dale the dire lion also sees bodies piled on the table.

Celesta moves forward and casts Web, blocking the left archway.

Imhiakaam begins casting a spell.

Wintersky moves up to get a look at the devils.

Wintersky attempts to fire Blessed Black at Imhiakaam.

Wintersky aims at Imhiakaam, but cannot seem to let the arrows fly.

Wintersky fires at the ice devil instead.

The arrow drills a hole into the ice devil.

The ice devil begins casting a spell.

Sparta runs under the table and swings the Heirloom at Imhiakaam's ankles, but cannot seem to bring himself to strike Imhiakaam.

Sparta: Aaarg!

Sparta: Get her, Ringo!

Ringo cannot seem to bite the devil either and just growls at her instead.

Nyza moves up to try and get a look at the devils beyond thea archway.

Wintersky spreads her legs to allow Nyza to see the devils.

Nyza casts Arcane Fusion combining Raging Flame and Magic Missile on the ice devil. The ice devil's wards thwart all but one of the missiles.

Nyza: Nyza clicks at the spider in Ignan to follow her and attack the devils.

The inferno spider moves through the regular web and casts its own fiery web on the ice devil.

The flaming webs entangle the ice devil and ruin its spell.

T'Krosh rides up to just in front of the giant Wintersky.

T'Krosh channels a Spiritual Weapon at the Ice Devil.

T'Krosh's spiritual weapon dissolves against the ice devil's wards.

Dale the dire lion backs up a step.

Dale the dire lion, not knowing any better, casts Flamestrike between the devils.

The column of fires washes harmlessly over the devils' wards.

Celesta moves into the room behind the inferno spider.

Celesta: You really should be going now, Imhiakaam.

Imhiakaam: What? Noooo!!!

Celesta casts Solipsism on Imhiakaam.

Imhiakaam looks worried that Celesta targeted a spell as her and that she has to defend against it.

Imhiakaam vanishes in a cloud of fire and brimstone.

Sparta: Where'd she go?

Sparta: Cough, cough.

Nyza: Well...discuss it after our friend here is dead.

Celesta: Devil's teleport, probably plane shifted.

Wintersky rapid fires arrows at the icy creature, causing three more scorched holes in it.

The ice devil casts Cone of Cold.

The cone blasts away the flaming webs while covering Nyza, T'Krosh, Dale the dire lion and Ringo in a layer of frost and freezing the dire weasel solid.

Sparta manages to dodge the cone using this agility and the table he is under to his advantage.

Nyza shivers uncontrollably.

Wintersky: Come on, Sparta, take its head.

Sparta slides under the table past Ringo and swings the Heirloom, striking the devil solidly.

Sparta: I'll get you yet.

Sparta: The table blocked my swing at your neck.

Ringo snaps at the ice devil.

Nyza launches a searing Orb of Fire at the ice devil.

Nyza: Hah! Fire is stronger than ice!

T'Krosh looks quickly at everyone's frozenness and decides that triage demands he heal himself first.

Dale the dire lion feels quite frozen under her shaggy coat and also decides to heal herself.

Dale the dire lion moves to get a clear line to pounce at the next opportunity.

Celesta casts Magic Missile.

Three of the missiles penetrate the ice devil's wards and it melts before everyone's eyes.

Wintersky check those on the table.

Celesta steps to the table to look through the bodies.

Dale the dire lion returns to halfling form.

Nyza: Biter! Aww, poor weasel.

Celesta: Anybody alive?

Dale: Oh, poor Ringo, you look half frozen.

Sparta steps out from under the table.

Sparta: I'm still here.

T'Krosh: We will live.

T'Krosh: What about Oli?

Growns come from the table.

Wintersky and Dale check the bodies.

T'Krosh directs a Mass Cure Light Wounds at the table.

Miraculously, everyone on the table seems to have survived.

They are all the House Lords, including Oliveryn.

They are all unconscious, but it seems they will survive.

Wintersky begins to sing and chant. She works on sending the spirits on. Trying to get names for each.

Nyza looks very relieved that Oliveryn still lives. She is also still shivering tremendously.

Dale strokes Ringo.

The sounds of troops can be heard entering the halls of the keep.

Dale: You poor baby, you should be more careful.

Nyza: You know, it might not look good if two kobolds are found standing in a pile of bloody softskin bodies.

Sparta watches Dale amazed at her resilience.

Nyza and T'Krosh activate their hats to turn to halfling forms.

Celesta re-masks as she hears soldiers approaching.

A squad of Olivern's own halberdiers enter the chamber and begin assessing the situation and send runners to get help.

Sparta slaps the bard around trying to revive him, "Oli, what happened?"

Wintersky wanders finding all the remaining spirits.

Oliveryn growns, "Devils after Elan."

Sparta: Elan? Shoulda let them take her.

Oliveryn falls unconscious again.

Nyza: Do they get her?

Nyza looks among the survivors.

More of Oliveryn's halberdiers arrive and offer to escort the heroes back to the Chicdell estate while the other city watch are preoccupied with the carnage.

Sparta searches the unconscious lords looking for Elan.

Elan is among the other Lords and Ladies.

Wintersky: No, I have work to do.

Sparta: She's here, Nyza.

Sparta: Too bad.

Nyza frowns.

Celesta: She is part of Oli's plan and she has repented. She escaped rather than fight us, which I say was a smart thing to do. She knows her grandmother was wrong, Sparta.

Sparta: Her House still killed Ringo.

Sparta: She may have Oli's protection, so I'll do her no harm.

Celesta: But not her. What if the gnolls come back and claim your clan slaughtered them?

Celesta: Especially, when they were staying out on the plains now.

T'Krosh: Wanting revenge is fine, but make sure you take it on the right people.

Sparta: That's not the same, we've fought the gnolls for generations

Celesta: True.

Sparta: I'll do Elan no harm while she is loyal to Oli.

Celesta: And Troll's Bridge has been railing against House Elan for generations.

Nyza will take the watch up on the offer of an escort.

Sparta: All the more reason to destroy them while you have the chance.

Nyza: Sparta, you meet me at Oli's estate later? Nyza want to wash all the blood off.

Celesta: Let us let the healers do their duties and give them the room they need.

Sparta: Aye, our duty is finished here.

Celesta follows the halberdiers.

Sparta: Dale? Are you and Ringo ready to go?

Sparta tries not to let his anger with Elan creep into his words with Dale.

T'Krosh: Before leaving, T'Krosh says a prayer for the weasel mounts.

Dale has never seen Sparta like this and is more than a little scared by it, but is ready to leave the castle for some open air.

Wintersky is tired. She feels the weight of all of these sudden deaths. Slowly, she walks the halls.

Spirits flock to Wintersky as she chants and bid farewell to the world through her.

T'Krosh (draconic): They may have been sinners in their previous lives, but they served in combat admirably. May Kurtulmak agree and birth their spirits as kobolds in their next lives.

Imhiakaam