Journal of Talian, #3
20th day of Running Moon (#2)
Leaving Rimple to collect his things, and prepare for tomorrow, I left his chamber, and made my way to the entrance. Opening the tomb's door to the outside, Light poured into the darkness behind me. I doused my Light spell and stepped out onto the field. The afternoon was overcast with low clouds, but it was still so bright that I needed to squint as I walked to Ordonos' home. My eyes became mostly adjusted as I reached his door and knocked.
At first I was greeted with silence, but I could still hear the faint sound of rustling from beyond the door. I knocked harder and heard a very cautious sounding "Hello? Who's there?" from inside.
"It's Talian, I'm back." I called out. There was a moment of silence and some more rustling. Then some steps that seemed to come closer to the entrance. The curtain of the small window next to the door slid slightly to one side and I could see the old man peeping out.
The curtain quickly slid back, and the door latched clattered. It opened and the old Sage stood there beaming. "Is is done!? Is it safe to go back in?" He opened the door even more, inviting me in.
"Not yet," I said. "There have been some complications, and this is going to require far more effort that I thought." I entered the home, and looked around. It was exactly as I expected, though I had to admit it was cleaner than what I was bracing for. It was a wooden floored kitchen with a cupboard on one side with pots and pans hanging next to it over a wooden wash tub that was leaning against the wall. There were two chairs by a small table situated near a dwindling cooking fire on the other side of the room. There were bunches of herbs hanging from one of the cross beams above our heads by twine. The room smelled of fire, herbs and oats.
"How so, I only have so much money to pay you" he said shaking his head, causing his beard to wag back and forth. "You said a couple of days, it's been that. How much longer is it going to take." Ordonos turned grabbed a poker next to the fire and stoked it back into life and began adding some wood.
"First off, the rumble you heard a week ago was indeed a collapse of the tunnels below. This collapse opened it up to the Underdark." My words had quite the impact. This was obviously something he was worried about. He stood up straight and turned towards me as I continued. "Even more concerning is that I've discovered that the collapse, was not an accident. It was made deliberately by dangerous forces trying specifically to find a way to the surface."
"What!?" Exclaimed Ordonos, "Who are they, what do they want, are they some kind of monsters from the deep?"
I didn't know how to make this next statement any easier, so I just spit it out, "They are Cultist of Xall, from Kesh. They are being led by one of the Fiends of Kesh, and I think they plan on secretly disrupting this kingdom. They may even be looking for a way to move more forces under the Mistfell Mountains to attack."
Ordonos said nothing. He just stared at me in bewilderment. He then stammered, "How, but, are you sure they're from Kesh, could they just be denizens of the deep realms, looking for plunder, or..."
I interrupted him by showing him one of the medallions worn by the cultists I killed. He stopped speaking and stared at it. I continued, "I was able to kill some of the cultists. But there are others, and the Fiend that is leading them still in there. That thing is too much for me to face on my own, I'll need help."
I sat down at the table and changed my tone from alarm to one of conspiracy, hoping to blunt the news. "I've already made on ally in the tomb below, but I'll need more than that. My plan is to go to the local lord of Dornia. I heard he's an old knight of the kingdom. Can you write me a letter of introduction, I'll need to leave right away. My plan is to get help, return to the tomb, and destroy the fiend before it can retreat back into the underworld to retrace its steps to Kesh."
"I, of course. But an ally? Who? Was there someone in the Tomb this whole time?" He asked, while he got up and moved to the next room. He motioned me to follow.
I followed him to his study. At first I didn't believe what I saw. It was fastidiously organized with everything in neat piles and shelves. I honestly was expecting a mess. Even the surfaces seemed dusted and polished. This wasn't anything like the scholars I remembered of my youth in arcane apprenticeship.
He put a piece of paper on his writing desk and with a careful hand began to write. I spoke while he wrote. "His name is Rimple. He's a Gnome, but not of a type I had ever known before. He says he's part of a community who live deep under the earth. He found his way up through the hole made by the cultists a couple of days ago, I think. However long a Sandglass is to his people. They obviously don't track time with the moon. He agreed to help, because he wants to set up a trading post and trade with the people up here. I told him it would go a long way to getting people to accept him if he helped defeat the cultists."
"A trading post you say?" Then he stopped writing, "In the TOMB?" He then looked looked out a window at the standing stones. "I'm not sure, that place, it's historic. If there's a trading post there, people will be traipsing all over the place. ruining things."
"I'm sure you two can come up with guidelines. There's pressing matters that make it all speculation unless they're solved." I said.
"Your right of course." He stated as he looked back down and finished the letter. He sealed it with wax and a signet, then handed it to me.
"And before I forget, here's some sketches of some of the locations that you might find interesting once this is all over. If it all works out that is." I then handed him the parchments I brought back. I kept the map, I'd need that later.
"Oh very good." He stated as he began to leaf through them. He read in silence seeming to drift off. He began reaching for tomes to look through as I left him there.
"Remember to lock the door." I called out as I left the house.
"I will", he replied from inside. A few steps from the door I heard a clatter of the lock behind me. No footsteps, just the lock, as if the door locked on it's own. I got the feeling Ordonos, was safer where he was than I first thought.
The walk to Dornia took a little longer than I expected, but I was able to arrive long enough before nightfall to still allow me to speak to the local Lord. Dornia is what I guess people would call a medium sized town. They had a very old stone wall on three sides for protection with two gates. One to the South, and one to the East. The Western side was bordered by a river. Lord's house, one of only three stone buildings in town was in the northern quarter.
I crossed the bridge spanning the river, that I hadn't yet learned the name of, and walked towards the southern gate. The two guards there were about to close the portcullis for the evening and I arrived just in time to be a bother. The two guards there, who obviously just wanted to shut the gate and get something to eat, looked at me first with a sort of tedious weariness, then as they took a good look at me, with concern.
"Who are you, and what's your business here in town", said a grey bearded guard eyeing me with more than a little suspicion. He looked at my gear, and damaged armor. At that moment I realized I was still soaked in dried blood and dust from the tomb. I probably looked frightful.
I decided to be blunt and straightforward. Most times it's best to deal with guards just like that. No beating around the bush. "I have an urgent letter for Sir Etienne Bascou, from Ordonos the Sage."
"Is that so, let's see it then." The guard reached forward his hand. I fetched out the letter from the pouch on my belt, and showed him the seal and address.
I don't think the guard, expected me to be telling the truth. He looked at the letter, then looked at me, and pointed to the blood on my clothes. "What's all this then, have some trouble on the road? We'd need to know it there's bandits."
"Not bandits" I said. I was exploring the ancient tomb by Ordonos' home, on his request. There was some trouble inside." The guard just stared at me, then his mouth dropped open.
"IN the tomb! What in the name of the Prince of Peace were you IN the tomb for?" Saying this out loud drew the attention of other guards. All about as ancient as the one I was talking to.
"That is for Sir Bascou's ears alone." I stated as I pointed to the letter. "And you are delaying my message. I need to speak to him before it gets too late in the evening." I made it sound just a little more urgent, but not an emergency. I knew that my news may be dire. But I also had the sense that starting a panic in his town, before speaking to him about it would probably sour his attitude towards my request for help.
"I'm sorry Mr. Talian. I didn't mean to pry into the knight's business, but I had to question you. You looked like, well, like you'd just been in a pretty bad fight. And not got the better of side of it. I needed to make sure I wasn't letting trouble into the town." He handed the letter back to me and allowed me to pass by stepping aside. As I walked away from the gate, I heard the inevitable gossip beginning, "Trouble in the Tomb.." the guard was saying to the others.
As I made my way through town, I stopped briefly at The Bronze Flask. It was a decent inn that I stayed at when I first arrived. I spoke just briefly with Hannah the innkeeper, paying for a night, then moving on to the Knights house.
The Keep, wasn't really a keep. More like a well built stone house. It was strong enough to have no windows on the first floor, and looked like it had really stout doors, but that was where its defenses ended. Thought it did look like you could stand on parts of the roof with some protection if needed.
I walked up to the front door and used the large iron knocker to announce my presence. It was answered in short order by a middle aged man in footman's livery. I stated that I was Talian, and I had news and a letter of introduction. I handed him the letter. The footman looked at it, examined the seal, then gave me a good hard look at my appearance. "Please wait here, while I inform Sir Bascou of your presence." He then shut the door, with me still outside.
While I waited outside the door I looked across the town. The Keep was on a hill, that may very well have been artificially raised when it was constructed, and it gave me a decent view of the town. The second stone building in town, near the Eastern Gate was the Temple of Heaven, it housed the Shrine of the Heavenly Three. This was the dominant religion among the civilized nations, and the one I grew up with.
The last of the three stone buildings was the main reason for the prosperity of the town, the customs house which governed the river trade. It also seemed the most impressive. It looked more like a keep than The Keep.
The door opened behind me. Now there were two footmen, the original middle aged man and a taller, young man with red hair. The younger man, perhaps only a season or two older than me, spared only a single look then he was off at a quick pace down the lane away from the house. The other spoke to me, “Sir Bascou will see you now.” He then beckoned me into the building.
I followed him up a set of stairs that were immediately inside the door to the second floor. We then walked down a short hallway and stopped at a door. The footman knocked three times, then opened the door. He stepped inside and announced with a little too much formality, “ Mr. Talian, M’Lord.”
I observed a decent sized room, that had enough furniture and art to be considered comfortable, without being cluttered or gaudy. There was a tapestry across one wall, the opposite wall had a fireplace that already had a comfortable fire in it. Opposite the door was a window that was letting in the glow of the sunset. Sir Bascou was sitting in Front of the fireplace in a tall backed chair that was turned just enough away from the fire to allow a view of the entrance. He was an older man with a trimmed white beard. He himself was probably trim and fierce in his youth, but he now sat a bit ponderously with his hands across his enlarged midsection. There was no second chair.
“My lord I hope you pardon this intrusion, but...” I began but was silenced by him raising his hand.
“This intrusion, as you rather eloquently put it is rather confusing” He began. "Firstly, Ordonos sounded downright panicked in his letter. I’ve known the man for years, and I didn’t think anything short of a fire in his library could panic him.” He said his as he held out the letter. He then placed it on a small table next to him.
He then gave me a good look. “Next I see someone, that by his rather tattered and blood stained clothing, appears to be one of the mountain shepherd people, who allows himself to be introduced without his clan, with a very non-mountain person’s name, and speaks with an accent from a lot farther away north than just The Mistfells.” He then leaned back in his chair. “I hope your story can shed some light on these mysteries.”
“If I may, the second mystery may be the fastest to resolve. My full name is Talian Dufresne, and I’m from the Kingdom of Balinara, that fell to Kesh, two years ago. I escaped the destruction of the capital by fleeing into the Mistfell Mountains. I have spent the last two years living among the mountain people, which would explain my appearance.”
“Dufresne? Talian Dufresne?” The old knight leaned forward in his chair. “Are you related to Lord Armond Dufresne”
I swallowed hard. “ Yes My lord. I was his third youngest child. I was apprenticed to a wizard. I was away studying and thus was just far enough from the fall of the capital to escape. But I no longer claim title. My family is dead, and our lands are in the hands of the Kesh. If they haven't already been razed to ashes.”
Sir Bascou waved to the footman standing quietly in the corner. He stepped through a concealed door on the other side of the tapestry. “You May lay no claim to title, but there’s no need to have you stand while you tell the rest.” He stood, slowly lifting his weight. "I once met your father as part of a trade delegation. We were trying to establish a caravan route over the mountains. But we were just a little too ambitious, and the Mistfells were a little too tall."
With that the footman arrived but not alone, another footman, even older than him followed. They both bore chairs. They placed them across from the old knight. Bascou motioned for me to sit. “We await another guest. I sent for her upon reading Ordonos’ letter.”
The one of the footmen left then returned with a bottle and three glasses, he was pouring wine into two of them when the door opened and the young red haired footman entered. “May I present Sister Ysabel.” And a woman in her mid 20’s entered. She bore the robes of the clergy, and the holy symbol in of the Heavenly Three; The Queen of light, The Prince of Peace, and the Father of Time.
"Ah, Ysabel, Welcome!" Sir Bascou stood up to greet the priestess. I also stood. "This is Talian Dufesne, of Balinara. He has been working with Ordonos out at the tomb he is so fond of studying."
The woman glanced at me, and lingered on my attire. "Balinara? Are you on the run or in hiding Mr. Dufresne? You appear to be in some sort of disguise"
"He has been living in the mountains, after the fall of his home" Bascou stated. "Surviving in the wild, as it were."
"I see" she said as Bascou motioned us to sit down, and we did. "Then perhaps you can tell me why it was so urgent that I be summoned at this hour. I was about to prepare dinner."
"We were just about to get to that. As for dinner I can have my cook prepare something." he waved his hand and one of the footmen bowed slightly then left the room.
"If I may Sir." I said then opened my pack. The book and amulets were on the top. I was glad I had them. This would be a hard sell otherwise. I then told them my story.
A few minutes later Bascou seemed more than a little uneasy, "You have proof of this!" Bascou bellowed as I finished. I pulled out the amulets and book. and showed them to both of them.
The priestess let out a hiss. "Those must be destroyed at once!" she she stood up, glaring at the emblems of Xall. "And the book must be burned! Into the fire!" She yelled, as she stood up, pointing at the fireplace.
I placed it before her and Sir Bascou. "It may have a clue to the reasons they are here. But to be fully truthful, I hadn't opened it yet. The memories it triggered were two potent when I found it. "
"We don't need their reasons." She stated through clenched teeth. "We only need to purge them from our lands."
"Please, please, allow me a compromise." Stated Sir Bascou. He picked up the book and opened it. "Any arcane scribblings will be nonsense to an old cavalier such as me. But anything else I should be able to get a quick feel for." He quickly leafed through the volume. Sister Ysabel clutched her holy symbol.
"Hmm, Nothing of purpose in this." He said as he closed the book. "It appeared to be prayers and some rather gruesome preparations for corpses, nothing more." With that he nodded to Sister Ysabel and tossed the book into the flames. Then with a grunt he reached forward, collected the amulets and tossed them in after it.
"You said you had a plan to deal with these things in the tomb." Sir Bascou said after the book was fully engulfed.
"Yes, I need some soldiers, and perhaps a local wizard, if they're close." The gnome, Rimple will wait till noon tomorrow, we can easily get to him before then. After that, we find this creature, and destroy it." I stated looking into each of their eyes as I spoke. Sister Ysabel seemed filled with divine fury at the prospect. Sir Bascou was different.
"How many men?" He stated. "We don't have an army stationed here. We've never needed one. I have a handful of guards that watch the gates. This is a peaceful town. And if what you are saying about an invasion from on the other side of the mountain is true, I'll need the gates secured more than ever."
He held out his hands in front of him. "I'd go of course, but it's been so long since these hands held lance or sword, I'm afraid I'd me more of a hindrance than a help."
"Well, how many men can you lend me for this." I stated. leaning forward.
"I think, there's one who may be up to it." He said scratching his chin.
"One!?" I said sitting back in my chair exacerbated.
"They're all old, with families. None of them will go marching into a tomb looking for some demon spawn horrors. But there is one, he's young, full of energy, maybe too much energy. I'll send for him." He waved over the remaining footman and whispered in his ear. The footman left.
"Well, I'm definitely going to go." Sister Ysabel stated defiantly. "I won't stand for such things so close." She stood up ad faced me. "Be at the temple at dawn. I will await you there."
"But..." I began as I stood up. But she was storming out of the room before I could finish. Sir Bascou was standing as well.
Before the door could even close on Sister Ysabel's departure, there was a man at the other side. Sir Bascou waved him in. "Vincent, come in. We have a job for you." It was the red haired footman. "This is Vincent LeVern, he was sent to me by his father, a former companion in my adventures when I was young. He spends most of his time as one of my men at arms, which is how he was trained. I've also been teaching him the finer details of house duties, but his heart's not into it. Too much fight in him."
I faced Vincent. He was a good hand taller than me. With broad shoulders and stood with a balance that spoke of training in footwork as well as just swinging blades. "What arms do you bear?" I asked him.
"Spear and shield, firstly, and then sword. Taught to me by my father." Vincent puffed up just a little.
"Ever been in real fight?" I asked.
"Of course." He replied. "Against some rebel lords in the east baronies. Though it was only one battle. The only other fighting was against some greenskins that made some trouble on the Northern Border."
I nodded, he seemed like he would be ok. There was no way to know for sure how he would deal with what we were up against until we faced it. But it was better to have someone who seemed up to the task and willing to go, than one of the grey bearded gate guards who would balk at going into the tomb.
I left after eating with Sir Bascou, and making plans to meet Vincent at the Temple of Heaven at first light.
Dornia had oil lamps, on poles, on the main avenues through the town. So walking back to the Bronze Flask would normally be a pleasant experience. Especially after a decent meal. But, I was still concerned. With only a few guards, I wondered how Sir Bascou managed the town. But there was one bright side. Ysabel seemed indomitable.
It had been too long since he thought of the Heavenly Three. The mountain people revered their ancestors, and a spirit they called The Sentinel that protected the dead. It was one more thing that made me an outsider among them, for they were bonded to each other and their clans through this worship, and my ancestors were not a part of it. Synona seemed to pay it lip service. But her heart was in the wild, and the natural spirits of the wild. It wasn't exactly what a civilized person would call a religion. But while I thought about it, I began to get ideas on how I could call on them for help tomorrow. Things she taught me that didn't make sense then, was starting to grow clear in my mind.
But, a night's sleep in a bed was exactly what I needed right now. I entered the Inn as I thought this. I asked Hannah to wake me before dawn, and paid her a copper for the service.