Omen 8: Light and Betrayal
Oct. 7th, 2009 05:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
janestarzWe'd packed on Thursdaynight, I'd picked up the car on Friday at 10 am, and we were off ten minutes before our parking time ended. The car, an Opel Corsa, was slightly smaller than my mother's Opel Astra but newer. I'd also insisted on packing economically. Why bring three primusses when you can make do with one? Why bring a copper tea kettle when the black emaille one will fit the large primus better, and will mean that you don't need to bring extra petrol for the primus if the kettles are both the same size?
After all, we were packing our largest tent and praying the weather would hold.
We drove there without incident, stopping only at the Sligro to pick up cookies, and arrived at the terrain after some light traffic jam near Den Bosch at 13.45 at the Uden terrain. NoKey pinpointed the location of our old camp without problems and I parked the car there, unpacking our things and placing them under a tarp so nothing would get wet while we set the tent. The walls were still there, old wood and fallen and pruned branches and half-trees making for a great barrier for any invaders. We checked the perimeter and I was pleased with the place.
However, placing our tent was a little harder. We have this 'Sahara' tent, as it's known, but ours has a five meter diameter so you'd need five meters of empty forest floor to place it in. There was only one option: we'd steal the place Ragar's tent had taken six months ago and would find him and his four meter tent a different spot. In the end it all worked out: Dennildur climbed a tree quite cunningly to anchor our tent over our heads, Dreek helped us hang a tarp over the kitchen area so the supplies would be dry, we sawed off a piece of the wood barrier that wouldn't unstick itself from the rest, and NoKey removed old treetrunks from the spot where Ragar's tent would be.
By the time the camp was nearly finished, the rest of the Anarquendor started arriving and I changed into most of my costume, glued on some elf ears, and the others helped Ragar pitch his tent before we went out for dinner at the Kwalitaria. We'd already checked in before leaving the terrain, and by the time we returned there was a small briefing. We waited in our camp, and went In Character probably before the rest.
Dramatis Personae
Beriadanwen - Captain of the Anarquendor, played by me
Sairahiniel - priestess of Rystill for the Anarquendor, played by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
nathreee
Amras - pengyll and second in command, played by Keffie
Luthine - a bard played by Margriet
Nessa - a field medic and archer played by Leona
Balamaethor - an archer played bynokey
Sumolan - an archer and druid beastmaster, played by Dreek
Arevalo - a druid forestmaster, played by Remco
Krughal - leader of the clan of the Bear
Reinard - a paladin of Shivaun and a knight, played byomdathetkan
Raphael - a human fighter, played bykenshinichinyo
Jean-Louis - a nobleman, played bykainelslor
Marquis Guraksson - former leader of the Trading Post
Jacques leMorte - a priest of Angharad played bycabaray
And many more...
Fridaynight
All the Anarquendor gathered in the camp for the evening briefing. I looked around the circle, saw many expectant faces. There was a lot to do.
I sent Dur'Ithil and Luthine into the forest to find the fauns. Autumn was coming, and Luthine wanted to do a ritual with the fauns and satyrs to celebrate the coming of autumn and to reminisce about the warm summer and all the gifts of nature we'd receieved. I sent everyone on various errands and welcomed the Eventyr family in our camp. They had decided to visit us first thing, and they were of course welcome. Amras had brought me a hamburger, some strange human food, and there was sauce that ran down my glove.
Rána and I walked with the Eventyr to their camp and we were offered a place by the fire. Outside, Aras was working on his forge, but soon the sound of his hammer stopped, and the family started milling about, coming inside with two newcomers. Aras had moved into the back of the room, and said that this person was a ghost. It was rather confusing, but I realised that it was a family reunion of sorts, and I rose from my seat.
"We shall not intrude, if these are your family members returned to you, than you should be with them. I will return at a later time." I left them behind, a joy in my heart that these people had thought their family to be lost, but now they were reunited.
Rafael Eventyr and Jean-Louis later came to our camp and spoke of the village council. The Adarans who had welcomed us as refugees, had also demanded a council be elected to rule the rabble. They were it. And they wanted me, or another one of the Anarquendor, to have a seat in the council as well. I heard their proposal and waited until they were finished.
"We are a military unit." I said, "And as such, we are ill-equipped to deal with making policies. It is simply not our function, and I doubt that it would be wise if I were to try and fulfill this role. It would be a conflict of interest." I paused. I could see them mull my words over. Rafael Eventyr nodded, and said he understood. "However." I continued. "I agree that it is imperative that the voice of nature and Rystill is heard in the council. As Anarquendor we are very nearly the liaison to the satyrs and fauns, and it would be unwise to ignore this."
"It would be simpler if you were in the council. You or one of the Anarquendor." Jean-Louis said. "It would cut out the middle man."
"True. There are those within our ranks that are less involved in military matters. I will confer with them to see if they would be willing to fulfill such a role. You will have their answer shortly."
After they left, I spoke shortly with Sairahiniel. She is a priestess of Rystill and has much patience. She would be a good candidate for the job, and we agreed that if the council would agree to her membership, she would fulfill the role willingly.
Reports started trickling in during the evening. A new woodelf group arrived, saying that Weylin Woods was aflame. Luthine and Dur'Ithil hadn't been able to locate the satyrs, but that was, as we found out later, because they were preparing an attack. While the Marquis came over for a chat, the Satyrs entered the village, and two different tribes of satyr started to attack eachother. Of course, the stupid villagers tried to interfere, and when Amras tried to intervene, he was hurt because some idiot hit his bow and the bowstring came loose, whipping his armpit in a rather painful spot.
The marquis had disconcerting news as well. He had been selected by the Adarans to be the spokesperson for the empire, and he would depart that night, leaving us alone. He spoke how he had faith that we would fare well, and he asked me whether I would be the liaison for the Queen of the Woodelves.
I hesitated. I knew it had been a difficult sitation, that the war was the hardest test I'd ever had to face, and that I had interpreted orders in a way that may or may not upset our Queen. And I had lost so many of my men, that I doubted whether I would be fit to be a liaison. And then there was the memory of our first diplomatic mission, back in the day when I was still a pengyll. But when I voiced my doubts on whether I was the right person for the job, the Marquis said he would write a letter of recommendation for me, and that I would have it before the night was through. I never did get it though.
And I insulted his son, inadvertently. I had said I had had my doubts about the war council we had had before, and that a priest and a druid did not have a place in the council. Guraksson took that very personally, but I managed to apologise well enough, saying that I knew his son was a very capable druid, and that I valued his opinion, but that he was not a general or a captain and as such had no place in a war council but in an advisory capacity.
I also spoke to Javil, a High Elf and Fithe's father. He had mentioned he could teleport to places, and that he'd been to Silverpeaks to check for survivors, finding none. The city had been destroyed in the war several months back, and there was very little left of it. I asked Javil if he could teleport me to the Wood Elf court, so that I may speak with the Queen, and we arranged that I'd account for any components he still missed. The Marquis said he'd supply me with the components that he still needed, but little did I suspect that perhaps I would not need Javil's help after all.
Reinard, Krughal, a man that I didn't know, Istare and myself were needed to speak to Takgar Blackeye. He had written to us several months ago, and it was good to finally meet him, though his appearance was disconcerting. The dwarf had a rough black beard and was very tall for a dwarf. He carried a tall hammer, and his eyes were glowing red, burning with an intensity I have never seen in any other living creature. Rána stayed outside in front of the door with Nerak, while we talked.
Takgar had information for us. He spoke of the war, and events that had occurred while we were in Adare. The capital of Weylin Woods had fallen, all elves including the Queen fleeing. The wood elves were fighting a guerilla war, but they were slowly losing. They would destroy many undead, but every time an elf died, he would be raised to strengthen the undead ranks. They were holding out better than humans would in those woods, knowing the terrain very well.
The Empire had retreated behind the walls of their large cities, which were besieged.
Takgar spoke at length of how he would travel around the world, sharing information and helping where he could. He spoke of how Kalithé had several liches as his general. And how the lich Benjamin, that had been destroyed by Frederick and Asterion, had risen again. How Kalithé held several items that were of great importance to the liches. Whether these were focus-points or parts of the souls of the liches, I don't remember. It was clear that Benjamin, as powerful as he had been, was not even one of the great generals of Kalithé...
And Takgar had a mission for us.
The Anarquendor needed to go to Weylin Woods, to destroy a strong vampire that made many casualties among the woodelves. As Takgar described the mission, it seemed an impossible task. And then he asked us if I would accept.
"We are a military unit, under the command of Queen Tisaren Shanaehan." I replied. "But we fight for all that is alive. We cannot deny this mission. I accept."
Perhaps to the humans it sounded like I wanted to deny the mission, but it was merely a statement that if I were to deny the mission, I might as well turn to help Kalithé then and there. But long to ponder my statement they didn't have. Takgar had a mission for the humans, the Empire, as well. They were to prevent that one of the brilliant tacticians of the Empire would be turned to an undead. And they would have to capture a lich, so that Takgar could interrogate it.
It seemed like another impossible mission. But Takgar had items that would aid us complete them. We were handed runes, special runes that would bless our weapons. For the two missions, there were merely ten runes, where twenty people would go on quest. It was not enough -- but it was so much already. We would have to make do.
I called the Anarquendor together in our camp, and huddled in my cloak I sat waiting for all of them to arrive and settle down. We'd sat in that tent with Takgar for two hours or more, and I was chilled to the bone. Furthermore, I could use a drink.
I told them about Takgar, and how Takgar had first come into contact with us. I spoke of the information that he had given us, how it seemed to be true that Weylin Woods had fallen, had burned, and asked Radag'hén to check its validity by a vision later. And then I told them about the mission.
"Our mission is to slay a powerful vampire called Boris." I said. "But before we can get to Boris, there are some obstacles. The camp where he is held, is surrounded by lesser undead. Skeletons and zombies, as far as we know.
"After these, we will encounter wraiths. The wraiths will be a problem. We cannot see them. We cannot hurt them."
"But captain..." Dur'Ithil interrupted, but I stopped him with a gesture.
"I'll tell you how. We have to make a potion so that we can see the wraiths, and Takgar supplied us with runes that will allow our weapons to hurt them. There are only five runes, and they need to be worked with before they can work for us in turn. We need to use water, blood of the bearer, and the sap of a tree and place the rune in this mixture, wrap it in cloth, and bury it in the ground near your sleeping place. Istare took notes, he knows exactly what we have to do and he has promised to provide us with a copy tomorrow.
"Then, once we get past the wraiths, there is a barrier, a circle of some kind, around Boris and his underlings. We can't pass through this circle unless we have a salve that we have to smear onto our foreheads. Inside the circle are Boris and his underlings, who are vampires as well. The lesser vampires can be killed by a stake or by cutting off their heads, but we are not strong enough to do that -- and it would take too long in the heat of battle. Boris can only be killed by a stake of one of two kinds of wood, but it has to be a silver-tipped stake." I sighed. "Balamaethor, I trust you can carve the stakes. I want you to make five, and I want them all to be silver-tipped. It's not necessary to kill the smaller vampires, but it will improve the chances of us killing Boris."
Balamaethor nodded.
"I know this is a very dangerous mission, and though I can order you all to go, I am reluctant to do so. Should anyone want to stay behind here, I will understand. If you do not wish to speak now, you may tell me in private if you so wish, but I think we all want a shot at revenge against Kalithé. Now, who will carry the runes?"
Hands shot up. Dur'Ithils was in the air nearly before I finished speaking, and I knew he would be willing and ready to hurl himself at the enemy. Rána's hand, Sumolan's and Balamaethor's were up as well. That left me with one rune. "Amras?" I asked, and after a moment's pause, Amras nodded gravely. I handed each one rune. "Nessa, you and Arevalo oversee the making of the potions, salves, and preparations of the runes."
I paused. "If this mission is successful, Takgar has promised to transport us to the Queen, so that I may update her on our situation. We leave in three days."
After the meeting broke up, I went into the bar for that drink. I knew I needed one...
Saturday
At the morning briefing we repeated what had to be done, but since Istare had not supplied Nessa with the copy yet, we could speculate idly, but I didn't feel like that much. We divided the tasks for the day and were pleasantly surprised when a couple of fauns showed up at our shrine for the Autumn ritual Luthine had prepared. Radag'hén had baked a cake and gathered berries, not skimping on the berries on top of the cake. It was loaded. Luthine took out some musical instruments and the fauns started playing with them until they saw Radag'hén and the cake.
They needed to learn how to share, but soon enough we were all gathered around the shrine and we were all nibbling on a bit of cake.
Anarquendor, fauns, and guests at the Autumn Ritual-- Photo by NoKey
After the song, and remembering the good times of summer, spring and autumn to warm us and help us through the cold winter, we took the musical instruments to hand and we danced. Wolf danced as well, yapping loudly and following the tamburine I held in my hand. It was good to be among friends and have joy in these kinds of rituals.
But then satyrs arrived. They wore striped markings on their chest, and looked like the other tribe that attacked the spiral-marked satyrs the night previous. The fauns tried to pacify them, but the stripes were adamant. We had to leave, because it was their forest. No amount of talking changed it, and then they retreated into the forest. I made a round of the village, starting with Reinard and the village council to update them on the satyr situation. If I had known the situation would grow out of hand, I might have acted differently, but I had no idea. These were the first satyrs and fauns we ever met, and talking with them is always a surprise.
Rafael and Jean-Louis also told me that the Marquis had decided, before leaving the camp, that Fithe would be the third member of the Village Council and that was that. Before I could relay the message to Sairahiniel though, we were attacked by nightmares and a man stepped in front of me to protect me with his sword while I loosed arrows. We worked well together, and after the nightmarish creatures were vanquished, I invited him to our camp.
I set a kettle to boil some water and the man arrived for his visit. He formally introduced himself, bowing with a flourish, as Raphael de Sorel de Cabernet-Sauvignon, although he spoke too fast for me to remember anything but his firsdt name. We sat and chatted politely and I thanked him for his protection in the fight earlier. Raphael was most courteous, and as is normal in our camp, Anarquendor and friends walked in and out. I was not on guard, because the attempted murders of six months ago were the last signs of agression from the refugees. When Jean-Louis stepped into our camp, drew his sword and attacked Balamaethor, we were all surprised. The man was disarmed and worked to the ground quickly, and there he shook his head and acted surprised. He had no recollection of attacking Balamaethor, and apologised profusely. Raphael suggested helping Jean-Louis up and we all drank tea, discussing what had happened.
Later, we found out there was a game that influenced people from the village, and that notices were appearing out of nowhere in the bar, predicting the moves in the game. Jean-Louis' action was supposedly because 'his' chess piece on the board struck Balamaethor's chess piece from the board.
We only found out later, that Balamaethor was not the only one affected. Luthine was attacked as well, and though I have no recollection of this, I took off for no reason, handing my bow to Amras to my left, and undoing and dropping my belt with quiver and sword. I even took my dagger from the sheath on my leg and held it so Balamaethor could take it, before I assaulted one of the gypsy girls, Belladonna. I woke up after I had struck her in the face, a startled Belladonna next to me on the ground.
Quest! -- Photo by Maarten.
As the game confused me, and I had no way of knowing how to play it, how to stop it, or how to influence it even in the slightest, nor could I even read the notices in the bar, I decided to just let the matter lie. After apologising to Belladonna, I joined Krughal, Jean-Louis, Raphael, Aimée, Madeleine, James, Nerak and several others to find a flask of some sort. They were apprehensive to enter the forest alone, and it would present us with an excellent opportunity to go into the forest and scout for herbs we'd need for our mission. Sadly, Aimée and the others were not so happy with the detour and we finally ended up at the small lake that had dried up during the warm summer. (Don't ask me to scout for a place I only went to following other people, that's all I'm saying!)
The others grabbed the flask while Amras and I kept an eye out for satyrs and herbs, and Saira sat with Wolf, watching the proceedings. The flask was retrieved and we returned to the camp, looking for Nessa and Arevalo. Istare had given us the instructions that morning, but they were written in Common. He read them to Nessa, who wrote them down in Woodelven so she could read them too, before starting to gather the necessary herbs. They were getting along, but some herbs were very hard to find, and a special druid spell would be needed to grow enough of each herb. I also instructed Arevalo to replant some of the herbs in the forest, so we would have some more later if we needed them.
I sat down with Sairahiniel in the shrine of Rystill next to our camp, and we composed a letter to our queen. I knew full well I should probably have taken precautions earlier, but with the mission over our heads, chances were we would all fall. I had made Asterion a promise, and one way or another, I would keep it. I had asked Takgar to keep some items safe for us while we were away, and should we fail and fall, he bring those items to the Queen. This letter would be the most important thing, next to the pendant I wore around my neck.
Krughal, Raphael, and Nerak -- Photo by Maarten.
During our absence, the Woodkids had gotten themselves into some trouble. They had started on some quest or other, found a genie, wanted to get three wishes, and now one of their comrades was petrified. I sighed deeply when Rána took me to the wood elf leader. "So you're in a spot of trouble, and now you need our help. It looks to me like you need a good spanking." I said. I have little patience for the group that was once called the Woodwatchers, but was now known as the Order of the Brotherhood of Nature. Long names aside, these were the people that entered the woods even after our warnings that the satyrs didn't allow them in their territory and them attacked the satyrs when these tried to chase them out. Some brotherhood. The leader, of course, was not so charmed by my behavior, but I delegated the task to someone else, someone with more knowledge of elementals. Don't mess with an earth elemental, that's all I'm saying.
I also introduced myself to another group of woodelves that had recently arrived and spent a quarter of an hour sharing information. This was all very courteous.
After dinner, we had another briefing in the Anarquendor camp. The preparations were coming along well enough, I was pleased to note. Aras joined us for our briefing, sitting quietly in the corner. The stakes Balamaethor had carved, Aras had tipped with silver, and he bashfully waved away my offers to be compensated. When we were finished talking, he mumbled softly "I don't know if I'm allowed to leave, or whether I have to ask to be dismissed first." and I told him he could go if he wanted, but that he was welcome to stay for the rest of the briefing. However, before the briefing was over, I blacked out. Later, I heard I acted very strangely, very paranoid, and that I had spat at my sister that she too had wanted me dead, and that Dur'Ithil wanted to be captain, and that he had poisoned the inside of his tent to get rid of me. (I don't know where I get this stuff either...)
The Anarquendor softly shook their head, Nessa summarizing "It's probably that chess game." We had found out that the most important piece of the black player was 'my piece'; that I was the black king, and that Reinard was the white queen, where Aimée was the white king.
Arevalo and Nessa arranged for the people from the Empire who would be going on their own mission to join us at the shrine of Rystill so that only one tree would give its sap, and it could be healed afterwards. The inquisition showed up as well, demanding that Reinard be purified, which was to happen later that night.
When night fell, the satyrs came out again. They came up to our camp and walked up to me. One of them smeared some mud into my face and said something about a warning. It was all too fast, as soon as they stepped back, the satyrs started to hit me with their weapons, saying "Tag!" and that I was it. I didn't understand, this newly found game was as much a mystery as chess was, but I tried to tag the satyrs back. To no avail, as they said I was still it. I suggested we played on near the bar, where there was more light and less fallen trunks to break your neck over, and we slowly moved towards the center of the camp, when suddenly I toppled forward. Just before I lost consciousness, something whispered into my ear "Check mate."
I came to only minutes later, and the satyrs were getting impatient. I shook my head and we resumed our way. I asked Sumolan for his waterskin, and we made a little bit of mud next to a tree. I grabbed some mud in my right palm, the sand scratching my glove. "Alright. Rána, grab and hold one for me, please." I ordered, and Rána jumped and held a satyr as I asked. I pulled its head up, and wiped the mud on its face, smearing face and hair and horns with a muddy mark. "Tag. You're it." I said.
The rest of the satyrs were still trying to get to me, but then I pointed to the marked satyr. "No, he's it!" I said, and they gathered around the marked satyr, bounded off into the night trying to tag him.
I went into the bar to get my breath back and to wash the mark off my face, but the ordeal was not finished yet. The satyrs left us alone for now, but Reinard needed me in the camp of the Mayaranti. I asked permission to enter and sat down at the table. Reinard had his sword in his hand, and he was radiating a grudging feeling of violence. He was clearly ill at ease, and he was strung taut like a bowstring, ready for violence.
"I have been given a mission by the white chess player," he said, "but I can't tell you what it is. Let me just say that it gives me no pleasure to fulfill this mission, and that I do so grudgingly."
I nodded and held up a hand to pause him, waving Dur'Ithil closer to me. I whispered into his ear. "Bring Aimée here, at swordpoint, as my hostage. Do it now."
When Dur'Ithil left, I continued chatting with Reinard, trying to stall him. He still held onto his sword, and people were thronging around the table, also clearly feeling that something was wrong.
Suddenly, Reinard struck at me, and I let myself fall backwards off the log I was sitting on. Rána bent over me, getting in my way, and others holding Reinard down. "Hold!" I cried. I had not been struck by his sword, though I felt at my throat to make sure my head was still attached.
Reinard had been pulled off his chair, and he was struggling to breathe. Someone must have muttered a healing spell, because he could still speak, or perhaps I just don't exactly know how much the paladin can take. But he was calmer now, subdued even. I had also placed my dagger on his throat, never even remembering doing so. "Give us some room." I ordered, and the circle around us widened somewhat. Dur'Ithil had arrived with Aimée as his hostage. "I have as my hostage the white king. You are the white queen. This is futile. I have won."
Reinard stayed still, aware of our blades near his throat. "Come closer." He looked defeated. I bent over him, my ear near his mouth, so he could whisper to me without the others hearing what he had to say. "My mission was to let you feel fear for once more, before midnight. Did I succeed?" he whispered. I nodded. "Then I have fulfilled my mission." he spoke louder now, and I sat up straight again. "I never did mean to hurt you." Reinard said.
Reinard was helped up, and I turned towards the shrieking Aimée now. "What is the meaning of all this?!" she demanded. I tried to explain, but Aimée kept interrupting me. I placed my hand on her mouth, but she kept talking. I mistook her anger for hysterics and slapped her in the face to silence her, but she fainted.
Reinard and I walked a towards the bar together, Rána glued to my side, Dur'Ithil close by as well, and other Anarquendor also. I told them to wait and Reinard and I had as private a chat as you can have with four elves trying to eavesdrop.
"It was never my intention to hurt you." Reinard explained. "And I am somewhat ashamed that I let myself be used by this white player."
"In a way, you have given me a gift." I replied. "After Asterion's death, I thought I was beyond fear. The only thing I was afraid of, was that the Anarquendor would all be dead and that I would be powerless to stop it." I paused. "Wood elves have a legend, the legend of the Crimson Hunt. It's not a very well-known legend because it hardly ever happens. When a Wood elf loses control of his emotions, and gives in to anger, rage, the lust for revenge, he can be consumed by this hunger, by these dark emotions. He joins the Crimson Hunt, loses all bonds to his former life. They go off into the wild, living only for the Hunt, to fulfill those emotions, to exact revenge.
"I thought... I thought the Hunt would claim me too. But your action of tonight has shown me that I still care too much about my own life. That I cannot live solely for the hunt." I waited. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"
Reinard nodded. "I think so."
My elves had stepped closer, people were passing around us. "I have in my possession still that letter you gave me. Should you no longer trust me, I will return it to you." I said. Reinard blinked for a moment, thinking of whatever I might mean. Then he shook his head and told me it was still his wish that I had the letter.
I extended my hand. He grasped my forearm, and we placed shoulder-to-shoulder, the grip of warriors used to fighting together, clapping our left hands on eachother's armour. We smiled. All was well.
We sat in the bar for a drink for a moment, but suddenly we were frozen, a spell cast by someone who later turned out to be an ice elemental. She warned us that her mother, the Queen of Elements was coming here, to fight us, and that she was powerful, bringing powerful mages. After we were thawed out, I went looking for the village council. Rafael and Jean-Louis assured me that if this was a family fight, we would not get involved. Sadly, things turned out a little differently. As soon as the Queen of Elements turned up, she set her mages to kill us. Bereklauw and Jacques helped me with their spells, making me stronger and blessing my weapon, but the Queen of Elements exacted her revenge by letting a kind of boulder crush over me. I fell into Amras' arms until someone forced some goodberries down my throat so I could continue. Finally, the Queen of Elements was killed -- as well as the Element Earth for which I had been deemed a suitable successor. I never did get to speak with him about it.
Amras was more dead than alive though, and I took him into the bar where Ingvar spent his last mana to heal his wounds, and then continued with his "holistic" (i.e. with holes) healing methods. He sliced open the arms of Amras, proceeded to remove parts that, according to Ingvar, Amras didn't need, and then bound the wounds. Ingvar did this with such maniacal laughter and elan that OC I was rolling over the floor from laughing so hard, while IC I was apalled at the methods. Amras said it had hurt him a lot.
Now that Amras was finally sitting down enough for us to chat, I asked him about the wounds on his face. He had appeared with a blooded face earlier that night, and had refused to tell me about it.
"Rystill gave it to me." he said. "She wants me to protect you, and when I wasn't there when you fell earlier tonight, she told me to mark myself to show my failure."
I was moved nearly to tears, remembering Asterion, remembering my adulthood ritual with the accompanying visions, and moved that She would need me so much.
Later, Luthine, Krughal, Wolf, Balamaethor, Dur'Ithil, and others joined us in the bar, and the mood turned more festive. Jacques placed bread and cheeses from his home country onto the table, and poured himself a glass of wine. Luthine and I sang songs, choking on the words and bursting into tears on one song, remembering those who have fallen. But soon we were smiling again, as Wolf joined in our song, and Balamaethor too. I drank more uishge and even when striped satyrs came to steal the sausage of Jacques that could not press on our mood.
Sunday
In the morning I took a good look at my armour, noting that where that boulder-spell had crushed me, it would need to be repaired. I gave it to Balamaethor, who asked Sumolan for help in capturing an animal for the required leather. Along with Sairahiniel I walked into the camp. Reinard was there, ready to have the chains he would require to capture the lich with blessed by as many faiths as he could. We all gathered in a circle, more Anarquendor joining.
Balamaethor (right) and Beriadawen, without her armour or helmet for a change with Nessa and Amras in the background. -- Photo by Immanuel.
Many people of many different faiths gathered. Some brought offerings, like Madeleine who offered wine to Driscoll, some just brought their faith or a loud voice. Reinard spoke a long, loud plea to his god Shivaun, and Sairahiniel was an image of calm in the midst of it all.
From left to right: Amras, Beriadanwen, Sairahiniel, Balamaethor (bending down), Rána, Nessa -- Photo by Immanuel.
Reinard praying to Shivaun, with James in the background -- Photo by Immanuel.
Radag'hén said she'd wanted to visit the Stone of Life, so we traipsed down a path for a while. A lot more people followed us than we initially expected, but the forest was very quiet. When we arrived, Bereklauw cautioned me that this stone reminded him of his ordeal of Fridaynight, but I could hardly interpret that. Radag'hén went ahead towards the stone while we set up a perimeter watch. But Radag'hén toppled over and the healers Wolf gathered said she had no pulse. Bereklauw sat behind her, and started to hum, her head in his lap. I decided to wait. Perhaps something would happen. And after a while, though Sairahiniel didn't do anything, Radag'hén awoke again. She spoke in riddles, but then she said she had seen things. That by worshipping the gods on Adaran soil, under the already failing sun shield, we were slowly destroying Nature all around us.
From the village people came running. Marleen and Lyavanna, who had picked up parts of Radag'hén's vision, Rafael of the council, and others. I stopped them from asking about everything -- we were still in the forest, and the satyrs had shown themselves to be most agressive recently. We brought Radag'hén back to the village and sat her down on a bench. I hustled Reinard and Jacques towards her, for if our prayers were affecting nature, than they should know this too.
But before the story could be told, Satyrs came hurtling out of the forest. The spiral-marked satyrs who had been friendly enough when we first arrived, had been attacked by the striped-marked satyrs. The 'spirals' had forbidden us to intervene, and I understood it could be taken as a sign of their weakness if they accepted our help, but by the previous night they had changed their minds again, and had told us if they weren't looking, we could attack the 'stripes'.
And now, it seemed, they had forged an alliance.
Amidst the shouts and confusion, I called the Anarquendor to me. The satyrs weren't attacking us yet, but the people from the Empire and the militia (we have a militia?!) were fighting with the satyrs. I ordered to hold, hold arrows, hold position, not to attack. But then one of the stripes loosed an arrow at me, and I had no choice. We were forced to attack the forest creatures. Bows twanged, arrows soard through the air. One satyr was hit by five arrows in quick succession, the Anarquendor were in top form. When they retreated, I regrouped the Anarquendor and checked where the field hospital was. We would keep the right flank, near the hospital, but the satyrs dashed back towards the forest, making casualties on the left flank. I hesitated. Be drawn from the medics and assist? One of the satyrs said he wanted to talk. It was one I had spoken to a few days ago, and I approached him, my sword tucked away, hands in the air. "Talk!" he said. "Talk?" I asked, and when he nodded I walked forward. But when I got closer he hit me. "No more talk!" he shouted, and hit me again.
A dryad was jumping through the ranks, travelling through the trees. Bereklauw whispered a spell into my ear, making me stronger. Fuelled by wrath, I jumped on top of the dryad and hit her so hard, she nearly flew back into a tree. When she emerged from another tree, I grabbed her neck, and told her to go, to leave us be. I roared in anger, and the satyrs slowly retreated.
They retreated slowly, the dryad still spitting anger. "Our forest! Go! Five days walk and leave! You break the forest. Die the forest!"
"Show us how!" I pleaded, holding my arms out and making myself a target. "We don't want to hurt nature, we want to heal nature. But we don't understand. Show us how we can heal the forest, mend the damage we've already done!"
An archer shot me, his arrow going through my side near my liver. Without my armour I was more easily wounded, but the arrows would pass through me, in stead of sticking.
"Go!" the dryad answered me. "Go, leave! Then you help."
A second arrow pierced my side, but I told my archers to hold. I'd rather not kill more of the satyrs. If we were so destructive, then perhaps we should leave.
The satyrs, fauns and their dryad disappeared in the undergrowth. I toppled backward, giving into the pain. A last goodberry was handed to me, and only when I was healed did I see Amras fall over, never having left my side. He must have caught some arrows for me as well, but with Rystill's warning in his ears, he dared not leave my side...
In front of the bar, the defacto heart of the village, I again met with Rafael Eventyr. His eyes were sad when he told me he would no longer take up a sword. "My legs don't want to work any longer. It's over for me. I'll spend the rest of my days sitting down and talking." he sighed. "And I doubt that the family will be doing much for the rest of this camp from now on. It cost us too much. The family goes first."
"I am sorry to hear that. Your efforts would have made a great difference in this war." I replied.
"But as for the Anarquendor, some bonds are stronger than friendship. Some are bonds of family, despite our different appearences." Rafael smiled sadly. I was moved to tears, and took out a small silver pin. "Without you, we would have lost so much, and there would be no hope to win the coming battles. I name you mellynedhil, friend of elves." I pinned the leaf to his sash. "I have but one leaf, but it is for all of your family, as a token of our respect and gratitude."
And there was one last thing to do. Reinard had spoken to me sternly about my behavior of the previous night, and he demanded that I would apologize to Aimée. We went into her tent and she even offered me a seat.
Both Aimée and I were stiff, and formal, but I explained my actions to her.
"To be forced into a game, that not only I did not know, but had no idea how to play or win is one thing. When Reinard acted so threateningly towards me, I thought that by taking the white queen as my hostage, I might win. I had been told it was a game of war, and it was merely a strategical move on my part. Perhaps my interpretation of the game was wrong. The reason I slapped you is because I thought you were hysterical and that you might snap out of it that way. I was wrong." I explained (well, this is a summary, anyway).
Aimée said that her image had suffered. "I was humiliated in front of all those people!"
"Then perhaps it is time for us to go into the bar, and have a drink together, so that we can show them we have come to terms." I replied. Aimée extended her hand, and we shook hands daintily. She really was rather frail, her hands so unlike my own. Hers were used for sewing, sewing wounds. Mine were callused by my longbow and my sword. But we shook hands, and went out to have a drink with Reinard and Madeleine.
When Time Out was called, the dungeonmaster waiting outside the tent for us to finish, we skipped towards the bar and did a round in front of the players singing a silly children's song. (Alle vriendjes, en vriendinnetjes, dat was het dan wel weer!"). The Outtro talk was sad though, so many people leaving the orga. Jeroen, the Godfather of Omen, Jochem and Wouter the plotdudes, and even Monique who briefed all the NPCs. But I have good faith as Tim is staying on, and Bob, and Jaap. Omen will endure!
Too many people wanted to talk to me afterwards, so I helped but a little to break down camp and tear down the walls of dead wood around it. We fitted everything into the car again and had pancakes in Uden before driving home.
The mission we've been preparing for (I'll get three liters of Holy Water from Jacques!) will be held as a special and to top it all off, we'll be having an Anarquendor picknick at Jacques Guild of Good Taste somewhere in January or February.
Omen was, once again, a blast!
~ Sairahiniel's Story ~ Jean-Louis' Story ~ Aimée's Story ~ Luthine's Story (Dutch) ~ Jacques' Story ~ Lyavanna's Story (Dutch) ~
(More will be added as they come online!)
The Anarquendor website has all the photos we took with my camera. Mostly elves though!
After all, we were packing our largest tent and praying the weather would hold.
We drove there without incident, stopping only at the Sligro to pick up cookies, and arrived at the terrain after some light traffic jam near Den Bosch at 13.45 at the Uden terrain. NoKey pinpointed the location of our old camp without problems and I parked the car there, unpacking our things and placing them under a tarp so nothing would get wet while we set the tent. The walls were still there, old wood and fallen and pruned branches and half-trees making for a great barrier for any invaders. We checked the perimeter and I was pleased with the place.
However, placing our tent was a little harder. We have this 'Sahara' tent, as it's known, but ours has a five meter diameter so you'd need five meters of empty forest floor to place it in. There was only one option: we'd steal the place Ragar's tent had taken six months ago and would find him and his four meter tent a different spot. In the end it all worked out: Dennildur climbed a tree quite cunningly to anchor our tent over our heads, Dreek helped us hang a tarp over the kitchen area so the supplies would be dry, we sawed off a piece of the wood barrier that wouldn't unstick itself from the rest, and NoKey removed old treetrunks from the spot where Ragar's tent would be.
By the time the camp was nearly finished, the rest of the Anarquendor started arriving and I changed into most of my costume, glued on some elf ears, and the others helped Ragar pitch his tent before we went out for dinner at the Kwalitaria. We'd already checked in before leaving the terrain, and by the time we returned there was a small briefing. We waited in our camp, and went In Character probably before the rest.
Dramatis Personae
Beriadanwen - Captain of the Anarquendor, played by me
Sairahiniel - priestess of Rystill for the Anarquendor, played by
nathreeeAmras - pengyll and second in command, played by Keffie
Luthine - a bard played by Margriet
Nessa - a field medic and archer played by Leona
Balamaethor - an archer played by
nokeySumolan - an archer and druid beastmaster, played by Dreek
Arevalo - a druid forestmaster, played by Remco
Krughal - leader of the clan of the Bear
Reinard - a paladin of Shivaun and a knight, played by
omdathetkanRaphael - a human fighter, played by
kenshinichinyoJean-Louis - a nobleman, played by
kainelslorMarquis Guraksson - former leader of the Trading Post
Jacques leMorte - a priest of Angharad played by
cabarayAnd many more...
Fridaynight
All the Anarquendor gathered in the camp for the evening briefing. I looked around the circle, saw many expectant faces. There was a lot to do.
I sent Dur'Ithil and Luthine into the forest to find the fauns. Autumn was coming, and Luthine wanted to do a ritual with the fauns and satyrs to celebrate the coming of autumn and to reminisce about the warm summer and all the gifts of nature we'd receieved. I sent everyone on various errands and welcomed the Eventyr family in our camp. They had decided to visit us first thing, and they were of course welcome. Amras had brought me a hamburger, some strange human food, and there was sauce that ran down my glove.
Rána and I walked with the Eventyr to their camp and we were offered a place by the fire. Outside, Aras was working on his forge, but soon the sound of his hammer stopped, and the family started milling about, coming inside with two newcomers. Aras had moved into the back of the room, and said that this person was a ghost. It was rather confusing, but I realised that it was a family reunion of sorts, and I rose from my seat.
"We shall not intrude, if these are your family members returned to you, than you should be with them. I will return at a later time." I left them behind, a joy in my heart that these people had thought their family to be lost, but now they were reunited.
Rafael Eventyr and Jean-Louis later came to our camp and spoke of the village council. The Adarans who had welcomed us as refugees, had also demanded a council be elected to rule the rabble. They were it. And they wanted me, or another one of the Anarquendor, to have a seat in the council as well. I heard their proposal and waited until they were finished.
"We are a military unit." I said, "And as such, we are ill-equipped to deal with making policies. It is simply not our function, and I doubt that it would be wise if I were to try and fulfill this role. It would be a conflict of interest." I paused. I could see them mull my words over. Rafael Eventyr nodded, and said he understood. "However." I continued. "I agree that it is imperative that the voice of nature and Rystill is heard in the council. As Anarquendor we are very nearly the liaison to the satyrs and fauns, and it would be unwise to ignore this."
"It would be simpler if you were in the council. You or one of the Anarquendor." Jean-Louis said. "It would cut out the middle man."
"True. There are those within our ranks that are less involved in military matters. I will confer with them to see if they would be willing to fulfill such a role. You will have their answer shortly."
After they left, I spoke shortly with Sairahiniel. She is a priestess of Rystill and has much patience. She would be a good candidate for the job, and we agreed that if the council would agree to her membership, she would fulfill the role willingly.
Reports started trickling in during the evening. A new woodelf group arrived, saying that Weylin Woods was aflame. Luthine and Dur'Ithil hadn't been able to locate the satyrs, but that was, as we found out later, because they were preparing an attack. While the Marquis came over for a chat, the Satyrs entered the village, and two different tribes of satyr started to attack eachother. Of course, the stupid villagers tried to interfere, and when Amras tried to intervene, he was hurt because some idiot hit his bow and the bowstring came loose, whipping his armpit in a rather painful spot.
The marquis had disconcerting news as well. He had been selected by the Adarans to be the spokesperson for the empire, and he would depart that night, leaving us alone. He spoke how he had faith that we would fare well, and he asked me whether I would be the liaison for the Queen of the Woodelves.
I hesitated. I knew it had been a difficult sitation, that the war was the hardest test I'd ever had to face, and that I had interpreted orders in a way that may or may not upset our Queen. And I had lost so many of my men, that I doubted whether I would be fit to be a liaison. And then there was the memory of our first diplomatic mission, back in the day when I was still a pengyll. But when I voiced my doubts on whether I was the right person for the job, the Marquis said he would write a letter of recommendation for me, and that I would have it before the night was through. I never did get it though.
And I insulted his son, inadvertently. I had said I had had my doubts about the war council we had had before, and that a priest and a druid did not have a place in the council. Guraksson took that very personally, but I managed to apologise well enough, saying that I knew his son was a very capable druid, and that I valued his opinion, but that he was not a general or a captain and as such had no place in a war council but in an advisory capacity.
I also spoke to Javil, a High Elf and Fithe's father. He had mentioned he could teleport to places, and that he'd been to Silverpeaks to check for survivors, finding none. The city had been destroyed in the war several months back, and there was very little left of it. I asked Javil if he could teleport me to the Wood Elf court, so that I may speak with the Queen, and we arranged that I'd account for any components he still missed. The Marquis said he'd supply me with the components that he still needed, but little did I suspect that perhaps I would not need Javil's help after all.
Reinard, Krughal, a man that I didn't know, Istare and myself were needed to speak to Takgar Blackeye. He had written to us several months ago, and it was good to finally meet him, though his appearance was disconcerting. The dwarf had a rough black beard and was very tall for a dwarf. He carried a tall hammer, and his eyes were glowing red, burning with an intensity I have never seen in any other living creature. Rána stayed outside in front of the door with Nerak, while we talked.
Takgar had information for us. He spoke of the war, and events that had occurred while we were in Adare. The capital of Weylin Woods had fallen, all elves including the Queen fleeing. The wood elves were fighting a guerilla war, but they were slowly losing. They would destroy many undead, but every time an elf died, he would be raised to strengthen the undead ranks. They were holding out better than humans would in those woods, knowing the terrain very well.
The Empire had retreated behind the walls of their large cities, which were besieged.
Takgar spoke at length of how he would travel around the world, sharing information and helping where he could. He spoke of how Kalithé had several liches as his general. And how the lich Benjamin, that had been destroyed by Frederick and Asterion, had risen again. How Kalithé held several items that were of great importance to the liches. Whether these were focus-points or parts of the souls of the liches, I don't remember. It was clear that Benjamin, as powerful as he had been, was not even one of the great generals of Kalithé...
And Takgar had a mission for us.
The Anarquendor needed to go to Weylin Woods, to destroy a strong vampire that made many casualties among the woodelves. As Takgar described the mission, it seemed an impossible task. And then he asked us if I would accept.
"We are a military unit, under the command of Queen Tisaren Shanaehan." I replied. "But we fight for all that is alive. We cannot deny this mission. I accept."
Perhaps to the humans it sounded like I wanted to deny the mission, but it was merely a statement that if I were to deny the mission, I might as well turn to help Kalithé then and there. But long to ponder my statement they didn't have. Takgar had a mission for the humans, the Empire, as well. They were to prevent that one of the brilliant tacticians of the Empire would be turned to an undead. And they would have to capture a lich, so that Takgar could interrogate it.
It seemed like another impossible mission. But Takgar had items that would aid us complete them. We were handed runes, special runes that would bless our weapons. For the two missions, there were merely ten runes, where twenty people would go on quest. It was not enough -- but it was so much already. We would have to make do.
I called the Anarquendor together in our camp, and huddled in my cloak I sat waiting for all of them to arrive and settle down. We'd sat in that tent with Takgar for two hours or more, and I was chilled to the bone. Furthermore, I could use a drink.
I told them about Takgar, and how Takgar had first come into contact with us. I spoke of the information that he had given us, how it seemed to be true that Weylin Woods had fallen, had burned, and asked Radag'hén to check its validity by a vision later. And then I told them about the mission.
"Our mission is to slay a powerful vampire called Boris." I said. "But before we can get to Boris, there are some obstacles. The camp where he is held, is surrounded by lesser undead. Skeletons and zombies, as far as we know.
"After these, we will encounter wraiths. The wraiths will be a problem. We cannot see them. We cannot hurt them."
"But captain..." Dur'Ithil interrupted, but I stopped him with a gesture.
"I'll tell you how. We have to make a potion so that we can see the wraiths, and Takgar supplied us with runes that will allow our weapons to hurt them. There are only five runes, and they need to be worked with before they can work for us in turn. We need to use water, blood of the bearer, and the sap of a tree and place the rune in this mixture, wrap it in cloth, and bury it in the ground near your sleeping place. Istare took notes, he knows exactly what we have to do and he has promised to provide us with a copy tomorrow.
"Then, once we get past the wraiths, there is a barrier, a circle of some kind, around Boris and his underlings. We can't pass through this circle unless we have a salve that we have to smear onto our foreheads. Inside the circle are Boris and his underlings, who are vampires as well. The lesser vampires can be killed by a stake or by cutting off their heads, but we are not strong enough to do that -- and it would take too long in the heat of battle. Boris can only be killed by a stake of one of two kinds of wood, but it has to be a silver-tipped stake." I sighed. "Balamaethor, I trust you can carve the stakes. I want you to make five, and I want them all to be silver-tipped. It's not necessary to kill the smaller vampires, but it will improve the chances of us killing Boris."
Balamaethor nodded.
"I know this is a very dangerous mission, and though I can order you all to go, I am reluctant to do so. Should anyone want to stay behind here, I will understand. If you do not wish to speak now, you may tell me in private if you so wish, but I think we all want a shot at revenge against Kalithé. Now, who will carry the runes?"
Hands shot up. Dur'Ithils was in the air nearly before I finished speaking, and I knew he would be willing and ready to hurl himself at the enemy. Rána's hand, Sumolan's and Balamaethor's were up as well. That left me with one rune. "Amras?" I asked, and after a moment's pause, Amras nodded gravely. I handed each one rune. "Nessa, you and Arevalo oversee the making of the potions, salves, and preparations of the runes."
I paused. "If this mission is successful, Takgar has promised to transport us to the Queen, so that I may update her on our situation. We leave in three days."
After the meeting broke up, I went into the bar for that drink. I knew I needed one...
Saturday
At the morning briefing we repeated what had to be done, but since Istare had not supplied Nessa with the copy yet, we could speculate idly, but I didn't feel like that much. We divided the tasks for the day and were pleasantly surprised when a couple of fauns showed up at our shrine for the Autumn ritual Luthine had prepared. Radag'hén had baked a cake and gathered berries, not skimping on the berries on top of the cake. It was loaded. Luthine took out some musical instruments and the fauns started playing with them until they saw Radag'hén and the cake.
They needed to learn how to share, but soon enough we were all gathered around the shrine and we were all nibbling on a bit of cake.
Anarquendor, fauns, and guests at the Autumn Ritual-- Photo by NoKey
After the song, and remembering the good times of summer, spring and autumn to warm us and help us through the cold winter, we took the musical instruments to hand and we danced. Wolf danced as well, yapping loudly and following the tamburine I held in my hand. It was good to be among friends and have joy in these kinds of rituals.
But then satyrs arrived. They wore striped markings on their chest, and looked like the other tribe that attacked the spiral-marked satyrs the night previous. The fauns tried to pacify them, but the stripes were adamant. We had to leave, because it was their forest. No amount of talking changed it, and then they retreated into the forest. I made a round of the village, starting with Reinard and the village council to update them on the satyr situation. If I had known the situation would grow out of hand, I might have acted differently, but I had no idea. These were the first satyrs and fauns we ever met, and talking with them is always a surprise.
Rafael and Jean-Louis also told me that the Marquis had decided, before leaving the camp, that Fithe would be the third member of the Village Council and that was that. Before I could relay the message to Sairahiniel though, we were attacked by nightmares and a man stepped in front of me to protect me with his sword while I loosed arrows. We worked well together, and after the nightmarish creatures were vanquished, I invited him to our camp.
I set a kettle to boil some water and the man arrived for his visit. He formally introduced himself, bowing with a flourish, as Raphael de Sorel de Cabernet-Sauvignon, although he spoke too fast for me to remember anything but his firsdt name. We sat and chatted politely and I thanked him for his protection in the fight earlier. Raphael was most courteous, and as is normal in our camp, Anarquendor and friends walked in and out. I was not on guard, because the attempted murders of six months ago were the last signs of agression from the refugees. When Jean-Louis stepped into our camp, drew his sword and attacked Balamaethor, we were all surprised. The man was disarmed and worked to the ground quickly, and there he shook his head and acted surprised. He had no recollection of attacking Balamaethor, and apologised profusely. Raphael suggested helping Jean-Louis up and we all drank tea, discussing what had happened.
Later, we found out there was a game that influenced people from the village, and that notices were appearing out of nowhere in the bar, predicting the moves in the game. Jean-Louis' action was supposedly because 'his' chess piece on the board struck Balamaethor's chess piece from the board.
We only found out later, that Balamaethor was not the only one affected. Luthine was attacked as well, and though I have no recollection of this, I took off for no reason, handing my bow to Amras to my left, and undoing and dropping my belt with quiver and sword. I even took my dagger from the sheath on my leg and held it so Balamaethor could take it, before I assaulted one of the gypsy girls, Belladonna. I woke up after I had struck her in the face, a startled Belladonna next to me on the ground.
Quest! -- Photo by Maarten.
As the game confused me, and I had no way of knowing how to play it, how to stop it, or how to influence it even in the slightest, nor could I even read the notices in the bar, I decided to just let the matter lie. After apologising to Belladonna, I joined Krughal, Jean-Louis, Raphael, Aimée, Madeleine, James, Nerak and several others to find a flask of some sort. They were apprehensive to enter the forest alone, and it would present us with an excellent opportunity to go into the forest and scout for herbs we'd need for our mission. Sadly, Aimée and the others were not so happy with the detour and we finally ended up at the small lake that had dried up during the warm summer. (Don't ask me to scout for a place I only went to following other people, that's all I'm saying!)
The others grabbed the flask while Amras and I kept an eye out for satyrs and herbs, and Saira sat with Wolf, watching the proceedings. The flask was retrieved and we returned to the camp, looking for Nessa and Arevalo. Istare had given us the instructions that morning, but they were written in Common. He read them to Nessa, who wrote them down in Woodelven so she could read them too, before starting to gather the necessary herbs. They were getting along, but some herbs were very hard to find, and a special druid spell would be needed to grow enough of each herb. I also instructed Arevalo to replant some of the herbs in the forest, so we would have some more later if we needed them.
I sat down with Sairahiniel in the shrine of Rystill next to our camp, and we composed a letter to our queen. I knew full well I should probably have taken precautions earlier, but with the mission over our heads, chances were we would all fall. I had made Asterion a promise, and one way or another, I would keep it. I had asked Takgar to keep some items safe for us while we were away, and should we fail and fall, he bring those items to the Queen. This letter would be the most important thing, next to the pendant I wore around my neck.
Krughal, Raphael, and Nerak -- Photo by Maarten.
During our absence, the Woodkids had gotten themselves into some trouble. They had started on some quest or other, found a genie, wanted to get three wishes, and now one of their comrades was petrified. I sighed deeply when Rána took me to the wood elf leader. "So you're in a spot of trouble, and now you need our help. It looks to me like you need a good spanking." I said. I have little patience for the group that was once called the Woodwatchers, but was now known as the Order of the Brotherhood of Nature. Long names aside, these were the people that entered the woods even after our warnings that the satyrs didn't allow them in their territory and them attacked the satyrs when these tried to chase them out. Some brotherhood. The leader, of course, was not so charmed by my behavior, but I delegated the task to someone else, someone with more knowledge of elementals. Don't mess with an earth elemental, that's all I'm saying.
I also introduced myself to another group of woodelves that had recently arrived and spent a quarter of an hour sharing information. This was all very courteous.
After dinner, we had another briefing in the Anarquendor camp. The preparations were coming along well enough, I was pleased to note. Aras joined us for our briefing, sitting quietly in the corner. The stakes Balamaethor had carved, Aras had tipped with silver, and he bashfully waved away my offers to be compensated. When we were finished talking, he mumbled softly "I don't know if I'm allowed to leave, or whether I have to ask to be dismissed first." and I told him he could go if he wanted, but that he was welcome to stay for the rest of the briefing. However, before the briefing was over, I blacked out. Later, I heard I acted very strangely, very paranoid, and that I had spat at my sister that she too had wanted me dead, and that Dur'Ithil wanted to be captain, and that he had poisoned the inside of his tent to get rid of me. (I don't know where I get this stuff either...)
The Anarquendor softly shook their head, Nessa summarizing "It's probably that chess game." We had found out that the most important piece of the black player was 'my piece'; that I was the black king, and that Reinard was the white queen, where Aimée was the white king.
Arevalo and Nessa arranged for the people from the Empire who would be going on their own mission to join us at the shrine of Rystill so that only one tree would give its sap, and it could be healed afterwards. The inquisition showed up as well, demanding that Reinard be purified, which was to happen later that night.
When night fell, the satyrs came out again. They came up to our camp and walked up to me. One of them smeared some mud into my face and said something about a warning. It was all too fast, as soon as they stepped back, the satyrs started to hit me with their weapons, saying "Tag!" and that I was it. I didn't understand, this newly found game was as much a mystery as chess was, but I tried to tag the satyrs back. To no avail, as they said I was still it. I suggested we played on near the bar, where there was more light and less fallen trunks to break your neck over, and we slowly moved towards the center of the camp, when suddenly I toppled forward. Just before I lost consciousness, something whispered into my ear "Check mate."
I came to only minutes later, and the satyrs were getting impatient. I shook my head and we resumed our way. I asked Sumolan for his waterskin, and we made a little bit of mud next to a tree. I grabbed some mud in my right palm, the sand scratching my glove. "Alright. Rána, grab and hold one for me, please." I ordered, and Rána jumped and held a satyr as I asked. I pulled its head up, and wiped the mud on its face, smearing face and hair and horns with a muddy mark. "Tag. You're it." I said.
The rest of the satyrs were still trying to get to me, but then I pointed to the marked satyr. "No, he's it!" I said, and they gathered around the marked satyr, bounded off into the night trying to tag him.
I went into the bar to get my breath back and to wash the mark off my face, but the ordeal was not finished yet. The satyrs left us alone for now, but Reinard needed me in the camp of the Mayaranti. I asked permission to enter and sat down at the table. Reinard had his sword in his hand, and he was radiating a grudging feeling of violence. He was clearly ill at ease, and he was strung taut like a bowstring, ready for violence.
"I have been given a mission by the white chess player," he said, "but I can't tell you what it is. Let me just say that it gives me no pleasure to fulfill this mission, and that I do so grudgingly."
I nodded and held up a hand to pause him, waving Dur'Ithil closer to me. I whispered into his ear. "Bring Aimée here, at swordpoint, as my hostage. Do it now."
When Dur'Ithil left, I continued chatting with Reinard, trying to stall him. He still held onto his sword, and people were thronging around the table, also clearly feeling that something was wrong.
Suddenly, Reinard struck at me, and I let myself fall backwards off the log I was sitting on. Rána bent over me, getting in my way, and others holding Reinard down. "Hold!" I cried. I had not been struck by his sword, though I felt at my throat to make sure my head was still attached.
Reinard had been pulled off his chair, and he was struggling to breathe. Someone must have muttered a healing spell, because he could still speak, or perhaps I just don't exactly know how much the paladin can take. But he was calmer now, subdued even. I had also placed my dagger on his throat, never even remembering doing so. "Give us some room." I ordered, and the circle around us widened somewhat. Dur'Ithil had arrived with Aimée as his hostage. "I have as my hostage the white king. You are the white queen. This is futile. I have won."
Reinard stayed still, aware of our blades near his throat. "Come closer." He looked defeated. I bent over him, my ear near his mouth, so he could whisper to me without the others hearing what he had to say. "My mission was to let you feel fear for once more, before midnight. Did I succeed?" he whispered. I nodded. "Then I have fulfilled my mission." he spoke louder now, and I sat up straight again. "I never did mean to hurt you." Reinard said.
Reinard was helped up, and I turned towards the shrieking Aimée now. "What is the meaning of all this?!" she demanded. I tried to explain, but Aimée kept interrupting me. I placed my hand on her mouth, but she kept talking. I mistook her anger for hysterics and slapped her in the face to silence her, but she fainted.
Reinard and I walked a towards the bar together, Rána glued to my side, Dur'Ithil close by as well, and other Anarquendor also. I told them to wait and Reinard and I had as private a chat as you can have with four elves trying to eavesdrop.
"It was never my intention to hurt you." Reinard explained. "And I am somewhat ashamed that I let myself be used by this white player."
"In a way, you have given me a gift." I replied. "After Asterion's death, I thought I was beyond fear. The only thing I was afraid of, was that the Anarquendor would all be dead and that I would be powerless to stop it." I paused. "Wood elves have a legend, the legend of the Crimson Hunt. It's not a very well-known legend because it hardly ever happens. When a Wood elf loses control of his emotions, and gives in to anger, rage, the lust for revenge, he can be consumed by this hunger, by these dark emotions. He joins the Crimson Hunt, loses all bonds to his former life. They go off into the wild, living only for the Hunt, to fulfill those emotions, to exact revenge.
"I thought... I thought the Hunt would claim me too. But your action of tonight has shown me that I still care too much about my own life. That I cannot live solely for the hunt." I waited. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"
Reinard nodded. "I think so."
My elves had stepped closer, people were passing around us. "I have in my possession still that letter you gave me. Should you no longer trust me, I will return it to you." I said. Reinard blinked for a moment, thinking of whatever I might mean. Then he shook his head and told me it was still his wish that I had the letter.
I extended my hand. He grasped my forearm, and we placed shoulder-to-shoulder, the grip of warriors used to fighting together, clapping our left hands on eachother's armour. We smiled. All was well.
We sat in the bar for a drink for a moment, but suddenly we were frozen, a spell cast by someone who later turned out to be an ice elemental. She warned us that her mother, the Queen of Elements was coming here, to fight us, and that she was powerful, bringing powerful mages. After we were thawed out, I went looking for the village council. Rafael and Jean-Louis assured me that if this was a family fight, we would not get involved. Sadly, things turned out a little differently. As soon as the Queen of Elements turned up, she set her mages to kill us. Bereklauw and Jacques helped me with their spells, making me stronger and blessing my weapon, but the Queen of Elements exacted her revenge by letting a kind of boulder crush over me. I fell into Amras' arms until someone forced some goodberries down my throat so I could continue. Finally, the Queen of Elements was killed -- as well as the Element Earth for which I had been deemed a suitable successor. I never did get to speak with him about it.
Amras was more dead than alive though, and I took him into the bar where Ingvar spent his last mana to heal his wounds, and then continued with his "holistic" (i.e. with holes) healing methods. He sliced open the arms of Amras, proceeded to remove parts that, according to Ingvar, Amras didn't need, and then bound the wounds. Ingvar did this with such maniacal laughter and elan that OC I was rolling over the floor from laughing so hard, while IC I was apalled at the methods. Amras said it had hurt him a lot.
Now that Amras was finally sitting down enough for us to chat, I asked him about the wounds on his face. He had appeared with a blooded face earlier that night, and had refused to tell me about it.
"Rystill gave it to me." he said. "She wants me to protect you, and when I wasn't there when you fell earlier tonight, she told me to mark myself to show my failure."
I was moved nearly to tears, remembering Asterion, remembering my adulthood ritual with the accompanying visions, and moved that She would need me so much.
Later, Luthine, Krughal, Wolf, Balamaethor, Dur'Ithil, and others joined us in the bar, and the mood turned more festive. Jacques placed bread and cheeses from his home country onto the table, and poured himself a glass of wine. Luthine and I sang songs, choking on the words and bursting into tears on one song, remembering those who have fallen. But soon we were smiling again, as Wolf joined in our song, and Balamaethor too. I drank more uishge and even when striped satyrs came to steal the sausage of Jacques that could not press on our mood.
Sunday
In the morning I took a good look at my armour, noting that where that boulder-spell had crushed me, it would need to be repaired. I gave it to Balamaethor, who asked Sumolan for help in capturing an animal for the required leather. Along with Sairahiniel I walked into the camp. Reinard was there, ready to have the chains he would require to capture the lich with blessed by as many faiths as he could. We all gathered in a circle, more Anarquendor joining.
Balamaethor (right) and Beriadawen, without her armour or helmet for a change with Nessa and Amras in the background. -- Photo by Immanuel.
Many people of many different faiths gathered. Some brought offerings, like Madeleine who offered wine to Driscoll, some just brought their faith or a loud voice. Reinard spoke a long, loud plea to his god Shivaun, and Sairahiniel was an image of calm in the midst of it all.
From left to right: Amras, Beriadanwen, Sairahiniel, Balamaethor (bending down), Rána, Nessa -- Photo by Immanuel.
Reinard praying to Shivaun, with James in the background -- Photo by Immanuel.
Radag'hén said she'd wanted to visit the Stone of Life, so we traipsed down a path for a while. A lot more people followed us than we initially expected, but the forest was very quiet. When we arrived, Bereklauw cautioned me that this stone reminded him of his ordeal of Fridaynight, but I could hardly interpret that. Radag'hén went ahead towards the stone while we set up a perimeter watch. But Radag'hén toppled over and the healers Wolf gathered said she had no pulse. Bereklauw sat behind her, and started to hum, her head in his lap. I decided to wait. Perhaps something would happen. And after a while, though Sairahiniel didn't do anything, Radag'hén awoke again. She spoke in riddles, but then she said she had seen things. That by worshipping the gods on Adaran soil, under the already failing sun shield, we were slowly destroying Nature all around us.
From the village people came running. Marleen and Lyavanna, who had picked up parts of Radag'hén's vision, Rafael of the council, and others. I stopped them from asking about everything -- we were still in the forest, and the satyrs had shown themselves to be most agressive recently. We brought Radag'hén back to the village and sat her down on a bench. I hustled Reinard and Jacques towards her, for if our prayers were affecting nature, than they should know this too.
But before the story could be told, Satyrs came hurtling out of the forest. The spiral-marked satyrs who had been friendly enough when we first arrived, had been attacked by the striped-marked satyrs. The 'spirals' had forbidden us to intervene, and I understood it could be taken as a sign of their weakness if they accepted our help, but by the previous night they had changed their minds again, and had told us if they weren't looking, we could attack the 'stripes'.
And now, it seemed, they had forged an alliance.
Amidst the shouts and confusion, I called the Anarquendor to me. The satyrs weren't attacking us yet, but the people from the Empire and the militia (we have a militia?!) were fighting with the satyrs. I ordered to hold, hold arrows, hold position, not to attack. But then one of the stripes loosed an arrow at me, and I had no choice. We were forced to attack the forest creatures. Bows twanged, arrows soard through the air. One satyr was hit by five arrows in quick succession, the Anarquendor were in top form. When they retreated, I regrouped the Anarquendor and checked where the field hospital was. We would keep the right flank, near the hospital, but the satyrs dashed back towards the forest, making casualties on the left flank. I hesitated. Be drawn from the medics and assist? One of the satyrs said he wanted to talk. It was one I had spoken to a few days ago, and I approached him, my sword tucked away, hands in the air. "Talk!" he said. "Talk?" I asked, and when he nodded I walked forward. But when I got closer he hit me. "No more talk!" he shouted, and hit me again.
A dryad was jumping through the ranks, travelling through the trees. Bereklauw whispered a spell into my ear, making me stronger. Fuelled by wrath, I jumped on top of the dryad and hit her so hard, she nearly flew back into a tree. When she emerged from another tree, I grabbed her neck, and told her to go, to leave us be. I roared in anger, and the satyrs slowly retreated.
They retreated slowly, the dryad still spitting anger. "Our forest! Go! Five days walk and leave! You break the forest. Die the forest!"
"Show us how!" I pleaded, holding my arms out and making myself a target. "We don't want to hurt nature, we want to heal nature. But we don't understand. Show us how we can heal the forest, mend the damage we've already done!"
An archer shot me, his arrow going through my side near my liver. Without my armour I was more easily wounded, but the arrows would pass through me, in stead of sticking.
"Go!" the dryad answered me. "Go, leave! Then you help."
A second arrow pierced my side, but I told my archers to hold. I'd rather not kill more of the satyrs. If we were so destructive, then perhaps we should leave.
The satyrs, fauns and their dryad disappeared in the undergrowth. I toppled backward, giving into the pain. A last goodberry was handed to me, and only when I was healed did I see Amras fall over, never having left my side. He must have caught some arrows for me as well, but with Rystill's warning in his ears, he dared not leave my side...
In front of the bar, the defacto heart of the village, I again met with Rafael Eventyr. His eyes were sad when he told me he would no longer take up a sword. "My legs don't want to work any longer. It's over for me. I'll spend the rest of my days sitting down and talking." he sighed. "And I doubt that the family will be doing much for the rest of this camp from now on. It cost us too much. The family goes first."
"I am sorry to hear that. Your efforts would have made a great difference in this war." I replied.
"But as for the Anarquendor, some bonds are stronger than friendship. Some are bonds of family, despite our different appearences." Rafael smiled sadly. I was moved to tears, and took out a small silver pin. "Without you, we would have lost so much, and there would be no hope to win the coming battles. I name you mellynedhil, friend of elves." I pinned the leaf to his sash. "I have but one leaf, but it is for all of your family, as a token of our respect and gratitude."
And there was one last thing to do. Reinard had spoken to me sternly about my behavior of the previous night, and he demanded that I would apologize to Aimée. We went into her tent and she even offered me a seat.
Both Aimée and I were stiff, and formal, but I explained my actions to her.
"To be forced into a game, that not only I did not know, but had no idea how to play or win is one thing. When Reinard acted so threateningly towards me, I thought that by taking the white queen as my hostage, I might win. I had been told it was a game of war, and it was merely a strategical move on my part. Perhaps my interpretation of the game was wrong. The reason I slapped you is because I thought you were hysterical and that you might snap out of it that way. I was wrong." I explained (well, this is a summary, anyway).
Aimée said that her image had suffered. "I was humiliated in front of all those people!"
"Then perhaps it is time for us to go into the bar, and have a drink together, so that we can show them we have come to terms." I replied. Aimée extended her hand, and we shook hands daintily. She really was rather frail, her hands so unlike my own. Hers were used for sewing, sewing wounds. Mine were callused by my longbow and my sword. But we shook hands, and went out to have a drink with Reinard and Madeleine.
When Time Out was called, the dungeonmaster waiting outside the tent for us to finish, we skipped towards the bar and did a round in front of the players singing a silly children's song. (Alle vriendjes, en vriendinnetjes, dat was het dan wel weer!"). The Outtro talk was sad though, so many people leaving the orga. Jeroen, the Godfather of Omen, Jochem and Wouter the plotdudes, and even Monique who briefed all the NPCs. But I have good faith as Tim is staying on, and Bob, and Jaap. Omen will endure!
Too many people wanted to talk to me afterwards, so I helped but a little to break down camp and tear down the walls of dead wood around it. We fitted everything into the car again and had pancakes in Uden before driving home.
The mission we've been preparing for (I'll get three liters of Holy Water from Jacques!) will be held as a special and to top it all off, we'll be having an Anarquendor picknick at Jacques Guild of Good Taste somewhere in January or February.
Omen was, once again, a blast!
~ Sairahiniel's Story ~ Jean-Louis' Story ~ Aimée's Story ~ Luthine's Story (Dutch) ~ Jacques' Story ~ Lyavanna's Story (Dutch) ~
(More will be added as they come online!)
The Anarquendor website has all the photos we took with my camera. Mostly elves though!
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Date: 2009-10-08 02:43 pm (UTC)My own report is finaly finished. It's long so don't feel obligated to read it all.
Margriet aka Luthine