A Giant Opportunity
General Summary
Sybil,
Things continue to escalate in Castle von Drakkan, and I fear the future holds yet another fight for me. In my centuries of life, all I ever wanted was to serve others, to be of value to the community I live in. The Broadwings hold dear their service as a pillar of existence, the call to one's community. In recent days it seems we have even more to be worried for, and our struggle against the powers of Redgaard seem to only sink us further into the mud. Today was a lot like that, dear.
It started as it normally does, Vik'r and I heading out for the morning hunt to put food on the table for some of the other patrons in the castle. Vik'r is an amazing hunter, though he refuses to use a bow or even learn it, claiming "the Old Way" would allow him to catch his prey all the same. To his credit, he does round up more than enough meat using his druidic forms. I had to pry, but while we were out in the Overlook, I asked him about the druid he asked for help from when we were trapped in the Spokes. He shrugged, and after some coaxing from myself, he agreed to let me tag along to the meeting. Agostinho joined us for a bit of extra company, which is always appreciated.
We made our way deeper into the Overlook (for once not inside of the city walls of Redgaard, so no mutant creatures to speak of) to meet this druid at this place called the Shine of Morrigan. His name is Yogen Ghostweaver, a very powerful druid who seemed disillusioned with the state of the world. He originally dismissed us, telling us that we were doomed to die and succumb to the Haze around us.
Vik'r disagreed with the old druid, claiming that we were warriors of the Old Way, and that it was on us to keep the cycle moving forwards - towards rebirth. Sybil, it was the only time I've ever seen the man speak more than 10 words and do so passionately. This 'Old Way' seems to be the only thing pushing Vik'r forwards. Yogen dissented, and finally gave us the information we sought out.
According to him, another druid of his circle named Merilla was captured by a group of local hill giants, and Yogen believed it was a forgone conclusion that she would eventually die at their hands. Apparently, she was captured whilst looking for a cure for contamination, which is why Yogen believes she was kidnapped in the first place.
We offered to investigate, despite the obvious threat. Yogen ushered us on, claiming that it was our right to choose to die whenever we wanted, and let us leave, pointing the way towards the Old Windmill, where the giants have made their home.
Scouting giants is ... pretty easy. For one, they're giant, and there wasn't much to investigate otherwise. There was a family of 5, two brothers fighting in a field, a sister tending to the sheep, and a mother and father, claiming to be King and Queen of their hill giant empire. I figured if we were going to get the druid out without a fight, our best shot was at negotiation, to Agostinho's ire. Vik'r and he stayed behind as I approached the giants myself. Negotiations were short, but the father, King Germagh, spoke truthfully and, despite being a bit short on intillect, wanted what was best for his people. He even had a copy of the tome The Way of Kings, if you believe that, though I doubt his ability to read.
Despite my best efforts, the hill giants were not willing to part ways with the druid, so I changed the subject to the impending attack on Castle von Drakkan in the coming days. The giants witheld their assistance, wanting us to prove ourselves in combat first. After some deliberation, I agreed on behalf of my party, to fight the two hill giant brothers, Tug and Tog.
We slipped into their fighting pit, nothing more than a giant muddy crater in the center of a field, and began combat. This is a private letter, to you, my dear wife, that no one else will read. I don't know why I am compelled to do this, despite the lack of consequence, but I will stay true to my promise to Agostinho. So here goes:
Agostinho was a flash of lighting. A man possessed by the love of a dead companion and fueled by the rage that took her from him, Agostinho made the hill giants look like clay to be molded. Using a single sickle, Agostinho cut down Tog with three swift strokes, removing his eye completely from the socket. With the one brother down, Agostinho turned towards Tug with malice and hatred in his blade. Narrowly avoiding the strikes from the massive giant, Agostinho used his cunning and swiftfoot acrobatics to maneuver behind the giant, slicing the tendons in his ankles and sending him prone to the ground. The sister of the hill giants casted a moonbeam onto Vik'r in response to Agostinho's rage fueled domination of the brothers, quelling the combat. Agostinho felled two hill giants, alone, in difficult terrain, against all odds. He was a sight to behold that day, and I relish that he is on our side.
With our combat prowess proven, the hill giants agreed to help us with our defense against the Queen's Men in a few days, and would be open to negotiating the release of the druid in future meetings. In return, they asked for collateral in that we keep one of our own at the Old Windmill. Seemingly out of nowhere (I am the most perceptive person in the von Drakkan Keep, and for my life I cannot understand how a 6'8" bright white lion can sneak up on me as if he was a housefly), Cecil Goldmane appeared to volunteer, as if he had seen the entirety of our actions from the sideline.
With the exhange handled, Agostinho, Vik'r and I headed back to the Keep to prepare. While there, I met up with Ansom again, who gave me more information about Zarien. A decade ago, he was in the Hooded Lanterns, working for Elias, under some expidentiary force into the city. I don't know what has happened to him, but Ansom promised he would continue looking, even with his new station as Captain of Sheppard's gate. He also told me that Petra was looking into Captain Mercer, the Hooded Lantern weilding Zarien's sword that I fought (and lost to) on the rooftops of Redgaard.
With them gone, Blackjack Mel made an appearance inside of our walls (I'll have to double up the training on our men on watch. A man that bulbous should not be able to sneak into our walls unseen). He was after a painting that Hutch had, apparently an old one from his uncle's inn. Hutch produced it, and I saw the likeness of Balthazar in the portrait of the von Kessels. Even his signature, Leonard. Nurse Isadora called him Leonard, too. He also told me that there would be an attack on Sheppard's gate by the Silver Order, and Ansom was positioned there because he would fight to the last man, something that Elias would rather have than his son live. I tell you Sybil, Elias was always cold and calculating, but this is a new low, even for him. I left Ansom a warning, and I plan on helping the Silver Order take a different gate so they don't kill Ansom. It may just delay the inevetable, but it feels lately that's all we can do. I'm off to confront Balthazar about his past, if he is Leonard von Kessel and a true heir to the throne still lives. I hope it isn't true... this will surely complicate everything.
I'll see you, dear. Hopefully in this life, and definitely in the next.
Sarlen.
Things continue to escalate in Castle von Drakkan, and I fear the future holds yet another fight for me. In my centuries of life, all I ever wanted was to serve others, to be of value to the community I live in. The Broadwings hold dear their service as a pillar of existence, the call to one's community. In recent days it seems we have even more to be worried for, and our struggle against the powers of Redgaard seem to only sink us further into the mud. Today was a lot like that, dear.
It started as it normally does, Vik'r and I heading out for the morning hunt to put food on the table for some of the other patrons in the castle. Vik'r is an amazing hunter, though he refuses to use a bow or even learn it, claiming "the Old Way" would allow him to catch his prey all the same. To his credit, he does round up more than enough meat using his druidic forms. I had to pry, but while we were out in the Overlook, I asked him about the druid he asked for help from when we were trapped in the Spokes. He shrugged, and after some coaxing from myself, he agreed to let me tag along to the meeting. Agostinho joined us for a bit of extra company, which is always appreciated.
We made our way deeper into the Overlook (for once not inside of the city walls of Redgaard, so no mutant creatures to speak of) to meet this druid at this place called the Shine of Morrigan. His name is Yogen Ghostweaver, a very powerful druid who seemed disillusioned with the state of the world. He originally dismissed us, telling us that we were doomed to die and succumb to the Haze around us.
"We are fertilizer for an age of suffering and darkness."
Vik'r disagreed with the old druid, claiming that we were warriors of the Old Way, and that it was on us to keep the cycle moving forwards - towards rebirth. Sybil, it was the only time I've ever seen the man speak more than 10 words and do so passionately. This 'Old Way' seems to be the only thing pushing Vik'r forwards. Yogen dissented, and finally gave us the information we sought out.
According to him, another druid of his circle named Merilla was captured by a group of local hill giants, and Yogen believed it was a forgone conclusion that she would eventually die at their hands. Apparently, she was captured whilst looking for a cure for contamination, which is why Yogen believes she was kidnapped in the first place.
We offered to investigate, despite the obvious threat. Yogen ushered us on, claiming that it was our right to choose to die whenever we wanted, and let us leave, pointing the way towards the Old Windmill, where the giants have made their home.
Scouting giants is ... pretty easy. For one, they're giant, and there wasn't much to investigate otherwise. There was a family of 5, two brothers fighting in a field, a sister tending to the sheep, and a mother and father, claiming to be King and Queen of their hill giant empire. I figured if we were going to get the druid out without a fight, our best shot was at negotiation, to Agostinho's ire. Vik'r and he stayed behind as I approached the giants myself. Negotiations were short, but the father, King Germagh, spoke truthfully and, despite being a bit short on intillect, wanted what was best for his people. He even had a copy of the tome The Way of Kings, if you believe that, though I doubt his ability to read.
"Heavy is the crown that wears the head."
Despite my best efforts, the hill giants were not willing to part ways with the druid, so I changed the subject to the impending attack on Castle von Drakkan in the coming days. The giants witheld their assistance, wanting us to prove ourselves in combat first. After some deliberation, I agreed on behalf of my party, to fight the two hill giant brothers, Tug and Tog.
We slipped into their fighting pit, nothing more than a giant muddy crater in the center of a field, and began combat. This is a private letter, to you, my dear wife, that no one else will read. I don't know why I am compelled to do this, despite the lack of consequence, but I will stay true to my promise to Agostinho. So here goes:
Agostinho was a flash of lighting. A man possessed by the love of a dead companion and fueled by the rage that took her from him, Agostinho made the hill giants look like clay to be molded. Using a single sickle, Agostinho cut down Tog with three swift strokes, removing his eye completely from the socket. With the one brother down, Agostinho turned towards Tug with malice and hatred in his blade. Narrowly avoiding the strikes from the massive giant, Agostinho used his cunning and swiftfoot acrobatics to maneuver behind the giant, slicing the tendons in his ankles and sending him prone to the ground. The sister of the hill giants casted a moonbeam onto Vik'r in response to Agostinho's rage fueled domination of the brothers, quelling the combat. Agostinho felled two hill giants, alone, in difficult terrain, against all odds. He was a sight to behold that day, and I relish that he is on our side.
With our combat prowess proven, the hill giants agreed to help us with our defense against the Queen's Men in a few days, and would be open to negotiating the release of the druid in future meetings. In return, they asked for collateral in that we keep one of our own at the Old Windmill. Seemingly out of nowhere (I am the most perceptive person in the von Drakkan Keep, and for my life I cannot understand how a 6'8" bright white lion can sneak up on me as if he was a housefly), Cecil Goldmane appeared to volunteer, as if he had seen the entirety of our actions from the sideline.
With the exhange handled, Agostinho, Vik'r and I headed back to the Keep to prepare. While there, I met up with Ansom again, who gave me more information about Zarien. A decade ago, he was in the Hooded Lanterns, working for Elias, under some expidentiary force into the city. I don't know what has happened to him, but Ansom promised he would continue looking, even with his new station as Captain of Sheppard's gate. He also told me that Petra was looking into Captain Mercer, the Hooded Lantern weilding Zarien's sword that I fought (and lost to) on the rooftops of Redgaard.
With them gone, Blackjack Mel made an appearance inside of our walls (I'll have to double up the training on our men on watch. A man that bulbous should not be able to sneak into our walls unseen). He was after a painting that Hutch had, apparently an old one from his uncle's inn. Hutch produced it, and I saw the likeness of Balthazar in the portrait of the von Kessels. Even his signature, Leonard. Nurse Isadora called him Leonard, too. He also told me that there would be an attack on Sheppard's gate by the Silver Order, and Ansom was positioned there because he would fight to the last man, something that Elias would rather have than his son live. I tell you Sybil, Elias was always cold and calculating, but this is a new low, even for him. I left Ansom a warning, and I plan on helping the Silver Order take a different gate so they don't kill Ansom. It may just delay the inevetable, but it feels lately that's all we can do. I'm off to confront Balthazar about his past, if he is Leonard von Kessel and a true heir to the throne still lives. I hope it isn't true... this will surely complicate everything.
I'll see you, dear. Hopefully in this life, and definitely in the next.
Sarlen.
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