Chapter 15: Session 02

The Warbringer Daemok is questioned for a short time, revealing that after its revelation by the theft of the Doxinaru's Gem, those Daemok loyal to Calimus had stolen the Warpstone from the Scar to use for their own ends -- in this case, to keep Liera, the Talmoril, imprisoned. They seek to keep Mevonn's Quill from passing, therefore hindering the ascension of a new Talmoril upon Liera's death. When questioned why, the Warbringer scoffed at them, revealing only that the next Talmoril will be a danger to their kind. Instead of killing the Warbringer, Soreiss dismisses it, and it departs -- but not before attempting to collapse the tunnel atop them all.

Relocating to the surface with much haste, Warpstone in hand and a beleaguered Talmoril in tow, the party decides upon their options. They realize they cannot use magic to move the Warpstone, so wherever they end up going, it must be physically carried along with them. Two ideas seem the obvious options -- once more contact Sable and use to shadow powers of his ring, Thohlemmryz, to transport the Warpstone, or makie contact with the Order of Oryon, and see if they will carry the stone via their great eagles and then perhaps hold the stone at Mount Wind. Sable could not be located, leaving the Order of Oryon to be contacted. However, they were unable to contact the Order either. Kestra makes an offer to the party, presenting them with a short term contract for the Bronze Bull's services for guarding and delivering the Warpstone into the Mount Wind Protectorate. The party agrees, albeit somewhat reluctantly, and for two days travels along the roads connecting Kesh to the Hegemony, and, ultimately, the Hegemony to the Protectorate.

After two days, however, contact is made with the Order of Oryon, with the spellsword Hovirith arriving to palaver. He tells the party that they must wait an additional day for an answer as he must report the finding of the Warpstone to his superiors.

The following day, and Order of Oryon contingent arrives along with Hovirith. The man in charge, a stooped, wizened old fellow named Ulius, claims to lead the Voice of Oryon and begins a series of negotiations. Eventually, the matter is resolved simply. The Order will take possession of the Warpstone for safe keeping, to use at their discretion until such time as the Party comes to reclaim it, and providing the stone is not needed for use for immediate Order concerns. The PCs are told that within two days time, Eagleriders will arrive to take the Warpstone, after which they are all welcome guests of the Protectorate.

Liera, the Talmoril, says very little during this time, except to respond to questions and generally to indicate (after seemingly consulting her sword) that her path leads to Mount Wind.

True to their word, members of the Order of Oryon arrive in two days time lead this time by a stocky, older man named Vargus. Vargus is both a sorceror and wizard of some skill, as well as an accomplished warrior, who reveals later that he is the head of the Shield, the faction of the Order of Oryon dedicated to Internal Security and the general protection of the Protectorate. Once the Warpstone is secure and being flown westward, Vargus offers his services for rapid transport to the Protectorate. The Bulls are dismissed from service and the bill settled before the party departs.

The Mount Wind Protectorate extends a great distance beyond the mountain itself, and includes the hills, forests, and grazelands all around it. It is to the foothills by the edge of the northern forests that Vargus takes the party. Within a small base camp of sturdy yurts Vargus reveals that he has an immediately pressing concern to handle, and that come morning he will transport the party to the city itself at the base of great Mount Wind itself. Liera reveals that she has matters to deal with at the foot of the mountain itself and then must reach its summit. But first, she comments that her path lies downhill, in the nearby forest. Vargus comments that there are many Nom communities in those woods, and the party should find hospitality there if that is their desire. Only Rin seems reluctant to leave the hills and enter the forest, although he does so with everyone else.

The forest itself is home to a thriving Nom community preparing for the Festival of Krakaroon... which causes Mitu to scowl. Indeed, most of these Nom are ardent Phoenix Cultists, and their animated frenzy is almost infectious. The party settles in quickly enough, and decide to join in the festivities. Rin and Mitu go so far as to join some of the other festival goers in Krakaroon's First Rite of Weathering, kneeling in sand pits adorned with multiple iron lightning rods. Liera, the Talmoril, disappears into a small hut for most of the festivities, but emerges later to sit beneath an old tree and watch.

The cultists claim that Krakaroon's favor will be gained if the festival is loud and boisterous enough to draw his attention and therefore, bring forth a lightning storm. And indeed, a short time before midnight, the hooting, hollering, and whistling festivalgoers are rewarded by a flash of lightning, crash of thunder, and a torrent of rain that plunges from the sky. The storm grows rapidly more intense, and lasts until just before dawn.

Come the morning, the party rouses themselves even as a messenger comes from Vargus to rally them. However, something is amiss. The Talmoril remain sitting beneath her tree, a calm, placid expression on her face. Attempts to rouse her fail. The Talmoril is dead.

Rin attempts to communicate with her spirit, which responds like a whisper in the wind. She has passed on, but her final task is known to the PCs. She must be anointed by the dust of Mount Wind's foot and then carried up to its summit where they all will meet someone awaiting them. After this, the party must ferry her sword, Mevonn's Quill, to the next Talmoril. The sword knows where it must go and thus will point the way.

The party carries Liera's corpse back up to the Order's basecamp in the hills, where Vargus whispers the Canticle of Life over her body. He opens a gateway to the great city at the base of the Mountain, and all pass through it. The city is a sprawling assemblage of dusty gray buildings lined upon broad avenues that run along the hilly terrain like waves of stone. A minor member of the Shield rushes out to Vargus, informing him of a pressing issue in a nearby forest glen. Vargus informs an aid to help the PCs settle into the manor house at which they will be staying. He tells them they are free to move around as they see fit, but would consider it a courtesy if party informed one of the manor house guards where they were planning on being in case they are needed.

Meanwhile, Lugh, having recently finished several months learning more about the Druidim from S'Qarb, has used a Waywinder stone to get passage to Mount Wind. It seems the Order's libraries contain a wealth of information about the ancient rites of the Druidim, including -- he hopes -- how to call forth the World Wolf. However, upon his arrival in a small forest glen, he is surrounded by a half dozen Order of Oryon soldiers, questioned, and detained. That is, until Vargus arrives, and, after questioning the man himself, accepts Lugh's story. Vargus and Lugh walk back to the nearby residential districts, approaching the PCs manor house just as the rest of the party has decided it is time to ascend Mount Wind. When Vargus learns that Lugh is part of the same circle as the others, the animist, too, is quartered at the Manor. Satisfied that everything is in order, Vargus takes his leave of the party.

The PCs gather dust from the foot of Mount Wind and then begin the ascent of the Mountain itself. Perhaps it would be dangerous and quite difficult under normal circumstances, however, with Soreiss's expert translocation magics, they reach the summit in short order. Great Eagles circle them, and more than one of them stares intently at both Mitu and Soreiss. Voices fill their heads -- the voices of the Eagles it would seem -- questioning who they are, and deciding upon whether or not to eat them. Eventually, the eagles decide to leave the Party's fate in the hands of "The Lord of the Peak" and seem content just to watch.

The party lays Liera's corpse atop a flattened space, and then Lugh, too, recites the Canticle of Life over the dead Talmoril. Dust from the Mountain's foot is spread over her. Then the party steps back... Eagles approach her body and then begin to devour it. They tear apart her remains until barely a stain is left upon the stone. And yet, the whole time, there is no sense of ferocity -- indeed, there is an impression of reverence in the act. When the Talmoril's body is gone, the Eagle's step back in two lines that form a corridor. The Lord of the Peaks comes, they claim, and almost immediately something begins to amble up over the ridge.

Vaguely horselike, though massive in its proportions, the creature is covered in thick, dark hair with a silvery mane and beard that shimmers with a chromatic, oily sheen. Horns grow from atop its head, and curled tusks sprout from its chin. Smoke puffs out from its nose and mouth, and seems to refract the light that passes through it. There is no doubt that this creature is the Lord of the Peaks, and it speaks to the party about a few things -- Oryon, the Talmoril, the need for a new Talmoril who can be found on the Glass Continent all are addressed before the creature departs.

The party descends from Mount Wind, mulling over what has happened. However, before they can leave, they still need to access the Order's libraries located beneath the mountain itself.

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[Jolt Code: B2,C2,CB2,R3,S1]