Ring Time

During the last few nights the group is at the Greyfax estate, Alexis starts taking half an hour before bed to lay out the two wooden rings on one of the inn tables and chants while fingering the one ring and then the other.

The chanting has some of the same feel as when Alexis uses his magic; the words have a similar nebulous sound.

“Impiea padtion xame herum” Alexis takes a finger and circles it around the ring once. Then repeats the ritual several more times before swapping rings and doing the same thing with the other ring.

Back to the Copper Hills Fort

As the group returns to the Copper Hills Fort, Ethelred is feeling his mortality in a way he has not before. The brush with death has not shaken him from the hero’s path, the loss of all his gear has not defeated his spirit (even if it has rendered him more or less useless).

“Alexis, we can’t out run or hide from the Darkhand for ever. They will find us at the Copper Hills. There probably wont be an army, who know what forces will remain. And ever if there was an army they wouldn’t care about our squabble with the Darkhand.

We do know of at least two groups that have no love for the Darkhand. Our current travel companions, though they seem more interesting in killing Gods? But also the bandits we gave the sword to.

Could we deal a blow to the darkhand by defeating some valued treasure hunters? Ride ourselves of foes and forge some loose alliance with the bandits?

Maybe you have other plans?

And can you talk with Telosh. I need money to get some tools”

The Dead Weeping God

Sometime in the two weeks after Utiog has been defeated. The group has gathered at the inn to discuss and share.

“I’ve been thinking about the nature of The Dead God. The one who wanders She-Who-Is-Fierce’s hunting ground.
‘He mourns and weeps and is quite unseemly’
Gnolls enslaved by the Dark Hand are trying to find the last of Him.
He weeps because of an ancient wound that is fed with blood daily. This wound is feasted on by The Made… or possibly whomever made The Made.”

“Have I overlooked or forgotten anything about this dead, weeping god?”

A Tale of The Land

About a week after Barra has defeated Utiog, Alexis is waiting for Gus as he returns from his morning shit.

“And what a fine day this has started out to be. Before I go back to my studies, I was hoping you might tell me a little something about your new ‘magics’. We have been talking about the gods a lot recently, and I would be curious to know where your ‘magics’ come from.”

“Before you try and bullshit me, play dumb, and stonewall me, I have a reason for my question: if Earyka targets your ‘god’, I want to know it; it’s important.”

Alexis stands in front of Gus awaiting his answer.

Tell Me About Your Father

About a week after Barra has defeated Utiog, Gus has chanced on something close to a feast for the group. The group is at one of the tables in the Inn. Alexis is in good spirits. He turns to Telosh.

“We’ve never taken the time for you to tell us about your upbringing. About your father. Care to tell us the ‘Tale of Telosh’?”

Bound, gagged, and left for dead

Sometime during the quick march to the Grayfax estate, as the group is moving down the road. Alexis moves up and addresses Gustov.

“I feel bad for the poor woman. Surely she was mentally tormented in some way by Barra. You seemed so confident about tying her up… and gagging her. I see now, I hoped there was some of-the-land magics you were in the process of working on here to alleviate her torment. In hindsight this seems like a childish wish.”

“What was your plan?”

Brittle Sword. Easy to Break?

Sometime during the two weeks after Utiog has been destroyed, Alexis is walking with Ethelred through what used to be the village green.

“Having seen the sword in action, do you still think it is very fragile and easy to break? From what you’ve said, Barra bashed it several times against the ground while destroying Utiog. A layman like me would think that a powerful being like Barra smashing a sword on the ground would destroy a weak sword.”

Killing gods?

Sometime during the two weeks after Utiog was destroyed, the group is in the old Inn of the River Village for a meal. Alexis addresses Telosh.

“While I admit there was some intellectual interest in the idea of killing all the gods, you seemed particularly interested in the idea. Do you still that strongly?”

What now?

Lucius looks around at his companions, and his “liege,” stirs the dirt a bit with a stick, and speaks up,

“We’ve done a bit of exploring, and survived a group of outriders, and now the army is moving out of the Copper Hills fort, it seems to me that we’ve kicked the nest a bit already, and there is a strong likelihood Barra will attack the fort soon…

“Red’s suggestion from a few nights ago was a good one, and now that the army is on the move, it seems like it is time to return to the fort and begin to plan for the inevitable. Being in the woods while Barra attacks the fort doesn’t seem like it will help us fr… break the sword.”

Wait and see…

Standing on the path after talking with the trail warden Ethelred takes stock of the situation. There are many paths forward from here. Many twists and turns our fate could take.

Into the field and the hills beyond seem appealing. It is one of the Heroes paths. This action would be taking the fight directly to our current enemy. We know the numbers are not on our side. We know little of the terrain and what else is out there. But from where we stand it is the most direct route to our goal, The Twice Broken Sword.

Turning back to the Copper Hills Fort is another option. There are forces we could rally at the Fort. There is more we could learn about. At the Fort we could join up with the next mission to take on the bandits. We could join the forces fighting the enemies of humanity, or simple to join to learn more about the Fort, about this area and the threats all around.

Or we could wait, watch and learn. Soon enough there will be an attack on the Copper Hills Fort. During this attack we would stand a good chance of capturing the Twice Broken Sword.

Turning to Alexis Ethelred says:

“I would not advice we continue on this path. What do we have to gain now that we know this way is watched? We know the enemy force are larger that we can take on directly. But if we do choose to go forward towards the hill we should prepare. The riders and not a threat alone, but on the wargs they are a problem. We need a way to separate the ride from stead. Could be a trap, I have a net. Could be a pit, I have a shovel. Could be food, since the steads are probably poorly feed, Gus could help procure that.

My advice would be to return to the Fort. Possibly join up on the next outing to take on the bandits, this would allow us to learn more about the enemy.

Better yet be patient. Learn more from the Fort itself. We could easily be a boon to the Fort. But that will take time.

If I was to be honest I would try and bait the enemy to attack the Fort. In the battle we could focus on locating and grabbing the sword.

If we just wait at some point soon the enemy will attack The Copper Hills Fort. But it will probably be when the army has already left.”