5. Onwards, West!

At the entrance of the Salt Mine, Buildhammer bid the the Goats good-bye. The Goats were still perplexed as to what this strange dwarf wanted, but at this stage he would remain at the mine, working on his remarkable salt statue and waiting for whoever found a special key or "a place without a face".
Lorna, the dwarf blacksmith who had just lost her brother said she would venture up north-west to Hyemsfrey, the dwarven Sky Hold.
Wagnerstrauff, Tahlie and the other survivors departed south, heading back to the safety of temple on Rez Isle. Some of the survivors held within some kind of sickness or alteration, reflected by a strange glow in their eyes.
The Goats decided that they would head to the Dezarian capital, Voystok which was situated further south of the State. To get there they would travel west to avoid the Steel Caller's legions and this path would put them near Ozerksy. The old Firbolg woman, Primrose, decided she would come along with them as she said her pilgrimage took her this way, at least for now.
After their good-byes, the Goats departed on their journey which would take three days, mostly thanks to the good road between Trg and their destination.
As if by design, the messaging stones the Goats made a stacatto of chirps. When they answered, the Goats were shocked to hear their old comrade's voice - Surina Myastan. The dragonborn paladin said she was contacting them on behalf of her master - Ihra, The Flame Mistress and Avatar of Helm - who wished to see them. Surina declared that the Goats would have safe entry into Ozerksy.
The days ahead were mostly quiet, except for meeting a merchant which Catsby and Burtalithops tried to steal off, though the man had enough experience on the road to avoid his wares being taken and escaped into the distance.

^{Excerpt from Sir Catsby's Meowmoir: Great Clawnicles of Adventures, Catastrophes, and Furrenship - 14th Talos, 5249AC}
The Ugly Pigg had been taken over by orcs and renamed the Dirty Pigg. The greenskins didn't seem to mind us, so we asked around.

The Steel Caller's legions were besieging the city of Ust. If this fell, the legions would be marching on Voystok.

The orcs had been ordered to stay away from Ozerksy, though none of the orcs knew exactly why. Some were keen to pillage the holy city, though feared the walls would be nigh impregnable.

Speaking of impregnable, I'm still not pregnant. No luck with Ghebbil's jizz, though maybe for the best.

Managed to pilfer that captured tiefling's stash of Breezo. Should come in handy!

On the day before arriving at Ozerksy, the Goats came upon the Dirty Pigg, a run down tavern on the long road where they had originally met Catsby during their travels. The establishment was now run by Lotar - an orc, as was most of the patrons. Seeing Bal'Aur, Brutalithops and a disguised Catsby, the orcs didn't take too much interest in the Goats. The adventurers took this opportunity to find out some information.
The Goats did some work for Lotar, which helped them gain some information and free lodgings in the lean-to stable.
Brutalithops wasn't much for the work though, and received a beating for it. For the rest of that evening, he tried to find a way how to barricade the tavern and burnt it to the ground with all the orcs and goblins, but the other Goats were mostly against this idea, despite fuinding out that the stew cooking in the tavern kitchen was made of the previous owners.
There was also a captured Tiefling female who constantly played the lute. Catsby noticed that the tiefling used Breezo to help her continue to play long into the night. Some of the adventurers fell sorry for the tiefling and Bal'Aur ended up freeing her.
When the orcs found that the Tiefling had escaped, they searched for the Goats but they were already making their escape.
The adventurers did overhear Lotar and his son speaking how the tiefling was a bit crazy and was responsible for the murder of the prior owners.

The Avatar of Helm

After the days of travel, the Goats could see Ozeksy on the horizon. A group of Soulguard controlled a grand bridge that cross the mid-river of Helmslake and Lake Peh. The knights held banners with an altered version of the original Soulguard fist, which now had three outstretched fingers.
The Goats approached them and upon stating who they were, the Soulguard let them pass without issue. A short while later they were right before the city. It held vast defensive walls, topped with gilded spires. Grand banners and flags fluttered in the winter wind, proudly displaying the Solguard faction's new iconography.
Around the walled city was Pilgrim Town, a considerable stretch of shanty buildings, haphazardly built by the pilgrims that would seek entrance to the city, possibly waiting their whole life for only chosen ones were allowed in.
The Goats walked around Pilgrim Town, taking in the sights and smells. Bal'Aur found an average Blacksmith to repair the Smouldering Armor Mirabel had crafted him earlier this year, whilst Xarras and Catsby looked around for potions that could aid healing.
Here Primrose told them that she would be staying in Pilgrim Town for the next three days before venturing further west. She would be glad if the Goats joined her but would understand if that was not the case.

Brutalithops was eager to find a powerful posion, and was approached by a child who claimed he knew a spot where poison was available.
Marik accompanied the goblin and they were lead through the crowded narrow streets before reaching a different part of Ozerksy - a sector which had been under construction but had stopped mid-way through a long time ago. Wide boulevards spoke of the by gone potential of a wealthy sector and the excellent workmanship was marred by time and lack of completion. This failed sector was called Wealthspire.
Brutalithops and Marik were soon joined by the other Goats and they promptly arrived at a lavish building in the centre, the only building that was mostly complete. Reliefs of gargoyles and merchants adorned the facade and the boy prompted them to go inside.
Inside the building, which was known to the locals as the Broking House, was a motley crew of humanoids, happily drinking and carousing. At the far end of the Borking House interior, on a raised steps was a grand work desk, occupied by a small and wispy looking human. This man introduced himself as Robald and had a proposition for the Goats. Brutalithosp was eager to get poison and Robald obliged him with a vial of vicious poison, claiming that was "on the house".
Robald's offer was for the vast sum of one-hundred thousand gold pieces in return for the Sky Key. The item was secured by the Helmites and their Soulguard somewhere within Ozerksy. The key was powerful, able to activate and operate Hyemsfrey - the nearby floating skyhold the last of the old dwarves called their home.
The Goats were enticed and took their leave to enter Ozerksy proper.
At the gates of the walled city, they were met by Surina. She proudly wore the iconography of the new order. She greeted the Goats kindly but told them that to enter the walled city, they would need to relinquish their weapons, which the Goats did except those arcane items that could be mistaken for something trivial.
Surina didn't seem to hold any grudge from their previous encounter which caused her to depart the Goats and was saddened to hear of Gilles' death, even if he was a heretic to her. The Goats didn't detail what happened to Eberond, who had turned into a murderous creature of pure murder.
She guided them through the regal city, kept clean and patrolled by the Soulguard knights. They walked past well tended gardens and arrived before a great keep with doors that reached higher than any building in Ozerksy. Inside was a great hall, with great art works on the side of the wall depicting holy saints and sagas. A large stained glass window depicted the god, Helm, clad in Everwatch Armor.
Their steps echoed through the great hall as they approached the figure that sat on a gilded throne and the Goats saw she was no mere human. Great wings folded out behind her and white robes cascaded across her lithe body. Her face was pristine and two gilded horns delicately protruded the top of her head. She had a delicate silver choker around her neck and her eyes were pure crimson, She smiled and welcomed the Goats.
She introduced herself as Ihra, Avatar of Helm and she too had a proposition for the Goats.