Plantmonth 27th 9:00 PM, 289 of the 29th age. The group arranged to rest after a few of us had conversation with Steward Scotar Bork of Bork Keep. We expected to have some time here to rest and relax, a few weeks at the minimum. Many of us had felt our skills had improved and we needed to take the time to hone them.
In no discernable order, the group availed themselves of Bork Keep and what it could do for them. Unlike in our time, the lands around Bork Keep had a number of homes and crafting halls about the exterior of the stout walls, making it bigger than a town but smaller than a city for our needs. We took to visiting the shops when our days allowed us to, purchasing items now and again.
Shimlagesh took to visiting the Keep’s magister, an elven practitioner named Stehian Longmeadow. Shim not only wanted to study up and make sure he was well versed (rose to 7th level), but also the option for doing some spell crafting. Stehian, and his main apprentice Hamysh, were happy to help. Being there was a place to study and books to refer to, Shim would not be recreating the wheel so to speak, but it was still going to be a serious amount of funds.
Over the next 2 weeks he and Stehian and Hamysh worked on his magic missile spells again and again and again. Incorporating what he had seen the Speaker of the Sun do by infusing it with glass, he was able to put his own spin on it. Eventually the effectiveness of the spell outgrew its former rigid boundaries but to Shim, the cost outweighed the simplicity of it. From now on, Shim’s spell would be encompassing a kaleidoscope of fragmenting hard candies, making it do extra damage as it tore through the air.
Nate wanted the opportunity to hang up his halberd for some time and dive deeper into the world that Keira and his creche were a part of. Being out here there were no thieves guilds per se, but there were a group of scouts and agents that Twilick was able to guide the human fighter towards. A meeting was arranged with Duwastis, the main agent of the Southern Colors, a paramilitary group of gnomes, halflings, and humans who have made a number of forays across the Enderlyn River and into Starlitzian Lizardman territory.
He had to prove himself amidst the group of 30, eventually getting the nickname Swivel, bestowed upon him by one of the senior agents, Barry, a reminder to Nate to watch his surroundings all the time and keep his head on a swivel. The days were long and the missions mock or serious were difficult, but Nate learned a lot and honed skills he already had to a finer degree, eventually getting a membership scarf and admission to the Southern Colors Scouts.
We also had a conversation with Desmond (who did NOT know us in this time, 202 years in the past and has no idea about the diamond). We learned about the thoughts and portents of the Norns. The lack of true future site. The weave and trends. Desmond wants to make sure the group succeeds in what they are trying to do because according to the few nuggets he’s gotten from his daily divinations, their successes means his successes.
Desmond did bring a Speaker of the Dead, a Helian priestess named Timuryl Berylsdottr. She looked over godric’s body and was able to cast a speak with dead – getting us 2 questions and some conversation with the fallen wizard. He thought it over and wanted the group to use their 1 charge from the rod of resurrection for someone else. The group and its mission is more important that his specific life. Someone like Shim who is running the diamonds, or Darius or Connal who’ve been at this longer than anyone else. Or Eoghan who has gotten over so much adversity and keeps the group moving on. He also mentioned that Nathaniel was a friend who came out of no where and let him know that he would be missed. He mentioned that if his stuff was still back at home, Nate who started with nothing was welcome to all of Godric’s riches. And then his soul moved on.
And Captain Asher was frowning. Why wasn’t he mentioned? Seems he was left out. Someone did say that maybe it was because the Captain didn’t do as much as he could when he could but the matter was dropped for the most part.
Speaking of Asher, he brought the magic sword Doombringer to the Keep Smithy where he was directed to talk to Master Smith Hegenan. The middle aged orc looked over the weapon and whistled. This was a 5 or 600 year old heirloom elvish blade and needed lots of work to fix. Crafted of meteoric iron it was going to take time and funds (over a thousand) to repair. So Captain Asher haggled and traded the weapon in exchange for a set of field plate, scored black and festooned with colored piping and accents. Happy with his efforts he showed the group and Darius visited the smith with the Ankheg plates, getting a promise of a custom set of armor in 2 months of the plates.
And finally Darius, the fighter, talked at length with the Steward who directed him to Captain Felstone Wolvesbane, Cavalier of the Order of the Radiant Shield. The Half Black Orc took Darius in, the Steward willing to stand for him, and had him ride out after picking a steed to borrow. They rode across the country side (actually passing into Grymeria, or where it would be in our time, trippy!) talking about the knightly order, needs and wants, and what it means to actually take the spurs.
Darius worked hard for weeks, showing the Order (110 active members in the rolls) that he was able and capable. Eventually the time came that he was welcomed to the cavalier order. A ceremony followed where he took the knee and pledged himself to be a knight, noble and true. He arose afterwards and was welcomed to the Order.
With all we had done it was now Birthmonth the 11th and we could go to the next rip for the diamond (The Stronghold of Donnegarten) or since we were so far ahead of time, we could take a detour. We opted to go and visit the Nightwoods, the ancestral home of the gnomish kingdom. It was going to be between 6 and 8 days by airship but we wanted to go and take a look around.
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