CXVII. Egar's End

General Summary

The Ring & Wren found themselves in Egar's hall, waiting to address the god of the sea himself after a night of drunken revelry. Nervously, and in preparation to ask Egar for permission to leave his realm, Jäger addressed his god and kinsmen:  

"Egar, I’m sorry.
  Cousins, aunts and uncles, mothers and fathers, Ironbeards:
Ironbeard was to be the name which served the will of Egar. We dedicated our glories and triumphs to his name...sadly, I believe over the decades of Ironbeards, we’ve slowly let the darkness of Dhor sneak into our minds, which lead into the back doors of Egar’s halls. By the time we started to figure it out, it was too late.   We have failed you, Tideking.   Ragnar, do you remember one of father’s earliest teachings? When he took the three of us to swim out to Fintop Rock. He asked us what our purpose was. Roak said 'To be the strongest on the sea.'   Based off of stories of our history, it was not a bad answer from an eight-year-old. But father proved to us it was wrong. He asked us, if that was the case, why was the symbol of Egar--the symbol we chose to put on our house flag--a Hammerhead shark, and not a Great White, truly the mightiest in these waters? He told us the Hammerhead is not the strongest being in the ocean, but the smartest! He does not consume and conquer everything in its path, like the Great White or the Tiger. The Hammerhead takes what it needs and keeps other predators away. The Hammerhead is the protector of its shore. It does not need to conquer and prove its the mightiest. It simply protects and keeps the circle of life moving in its shore.   Ironbeards, we lost this way and let Dhor’s darkness turn us into Great White sharks from the Hammerheads. We’ve glorified stories of raids and pillaging when there was no need for them. Father started down the correct path and The Ring & Wren showed me the greatness in it. The spark of the storm that we can become if we give instead of take anything in our path.   Balda the Blind, and your defense of the pentacoast we always sang of! I’ve met the children of those storm giants. They weren’t raiding those fishing villages: they were forced out of their homes because Dhor tainted their food supply. They were just trying to find food for their young, they did not need to be hunted down and slaughtered. I believed it was a fierce, glorious battle, and you and your men fought bravely, but there was no need for it. It was not a Hammerhead, but a Tiger shark the Ironbeards embodied. Many of our battles over the decades of control have many connotations to this...and so I’m sorry Egar.   Raiding and pillaging, we took from the oceans and the shore like the Great Whites and the Tiger sharks, instead of doing our duty of the Hammerhead. We never gave. Only took what was in our path. Father, you saw this and tried to put us on the right path. I’m sorry, father. I’m sorry, Egar. We must give back now. We must be the protectors of your influence. We must be the hammerhead."

- Jäger Ironbeard

  Though several Ironbeard voices could be heard voicing their dissent, notably that of Redvar Ironbeard, Egar only laughed, and praised Jäger for his spiritedness. He said that both sides held truth, that there were times for both modes of action--they waxed and waned with the tide. This was how Egar had always wanted it. At this point, Jäger and the Ring & Wren asked Egar if they could leave his realm. Egar was resistant to the idea at first, wishing for the party to stay until the final battle with Dhor.  

"DHOR WILL RISE AND THE OCEAN WITH HIM, AND WHEN THE TIDES COME IN, WE SHALL DO BATTLE."

- Egar's Prophecy

  Jäger tried to appeal for a chance to save his brother. At this, Egar became reflective.  

"I remember when my brother fell. When his destructive path was set."

-Egar

"Would you save him?"

-Jäger Ironbeard

    After speaking with Egar, the party talked to Ragnar. He told Amari that he knew he had made the right choice, and gave King his stole, which emblazoned the Ironbeard crest on King's animated shield.   At this point, one of the Leinkreiger guards spoke up:   "My king, we have a new arrival!"   A hooded figure made its way to the center of the hall. All eyes followed the mysterious person, who stumbled and swayed as they walked. Coming up to the dais upon which Egar's coral throne sat, the Leindkreiger phalanx surrounded them with spears pointed. Only then did the figure drop their hood and reveal themselves to be Garish. As the Ring & Wren looked on in shock, Garish related:  

"They attacked the temple...Dhor's followers. They came from the water. They infiltrated the pools, slew everyone. I don't know what happened to Oman. Dhor has come sooner than I expected. They desecrated the temple. I had to watch. They used my blood--"

-Garish

"Enough. This is not a failure of yours. It is a machination of the deep. I must send forward my vanguard. I must send forth my forces. The final death!"

-Egar

  Egar then brought out a conch shell and blew into it, but no sound came out. A deep laugh filled the room. The walls of water surrounding the room began to become clouded with black ink.  

"BROTHER, YOUR PROPHECY IS WRONG. IT IS I WHO COME FOR YOU."

-Dhor

    The Ironbeard warriors seated at the tables all drew their weapons. The wall of water, now black, parted. Matching the stature of the Leinkreiger emerged Dhoren; figures clad in black coral and volcanic stone, with dark purple eyes from within the depth of their closed helmets. Fenris Kirsen, the Betrayer, stepped forth, wielding a gnarled, barnacled blade.  

"My lord's will be done."

-Fenris Kirsen

  Shambling monstrosities of the deep began to make their way out of the darkened pools of water.  

"Egar, your followers are dead. Your powers are weakened. Today, you die."

-Fenris Kirsen

"Not if we can help it!"

-Ragnar Ironbeard

  Jäger looked to Egar, who, weakened, could barely move. Egar spoke to Jäger:    

"You must go now. You were right about the prophecy. This is my end. And you must be Dhor's. Jäger Ironbeard, go now, last of the Leinkreiger, last of my followers!"

-Egar's Last Words

  The Ring & Wren fled through a back corridor guarded by Balda the Blind.  

"Have faith in your way."

-Balda the Blind

  In the corridor was a long canal that seemed to cut through space. A rowman stood at the ready in a boat, at whose head sat Pike. Rowing out of the canal, the waters of the normally-sunny island were churning and dark. Ten Men Clay waited onboard the Leeward, which he had made repairs to in the time since the Ring & Wren had last seen him. As the Leeward took flight and prepared to go through a portal in the sky, Fenris and two other Dhoren suddenly appeared on the deck of the Leeward. Fenris threw down Ragnar's Glaive. The party felt sick at the idea of Ragnar having died, again. Jäger picked up the weapon and used to do massive damage to Fenris in turn. The Ring & Wren managed to kill Fenris and one of the other Dhoren, with the last jumping ship as the Leeward finally made it out of the portal. Before leaving, Jäger called out to Rota Sturmdottir to make sure she would meet them on the Material Plane now that she was free.   Back on the sea of their own realm, the party decided to continue with their original plan, and set sail for the rendezvous point to meet with Captain Callistan and the Storm Giant Refugees.

Rewards Granted

• Ragnar's Glaive
• Ironbeard Coat of Arms --> King's Animated Shield

Missions/Quests Completed

Escape Hammerhead Isle without pissing off Egar

Character(s) interacted with

Balda the Blind
Egar
Fenris Kirsen
Ragnar Ironbeard
Redvar Ironbeard
Rota Sturmdottir
Ten Men Clay

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CXVIII. Taking Back the Quarry

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