Politics at home doesn't seem so bad after all

Friday 17th December 356 AC - addendum

Later that day a messenger once again knocked on my door, given that they never seem to bear pleasant news I trust these messengers are well paid for their task. The lad politely informed me that there had been an ‘incident’ in the library involving Sir Dominic. It would appear the great & noble Chosen One of Paladine was indeed determined to retrieve the scroll he was so set upon finding, so determined in fact that he threatened the life of the head librarian and had to be subdued martially by Brother Ithariel. Less than an hour as a full Knight and he assaulted a scholar in our most high sanctum - I shudder to think what will become of him later.
On my way to the ‘high grade’ holding cells where I dreaded to find Sir Dominic stewing I was interrupted by yet another runner. This time the altercation involved Starsong & Nedlog and as I was hurried to their location the boy informed me that they had apparently assaulted the private suite of the three mages stationed here as liaison to the Knights’ Council. I assured him that this could obviously not be the case but as we neared the coven’s suite & the scorch marks on the walls came into view the pattern of events became somewhat easy to recognise.
The kender had such a look of wonderment upon her visage, as if she had just witnessed the mages turn themselves inside-out & back again, that I suspected no repercussions on her part. The plains-woman on the other hand was literally frothing with rage and I asked that they both be returned to their rooms, vowing on my honour that, in case the mages should press charges, they would both remain within the walls of the Clerist’s Tower.
So weary was I that I did not recognise the inherent dangers of such a vow when a kender is the subject. In hind-sight I understand why the Council sent a ranking Knight to collect these five from Palanthas rather than expecting them to make the, relatively simple, journey alone.
To conclude that eventful afternoon I collected Sir Dominic from his cell before retiring to prepare for the banquet that evening.

Dragons attack! (Apparently)

Friday 17th December 356 AC

Suddenly a cacophony of bells erupted across the sombre compound. My companions expressed confusion at the sound, having apparently been absent for the entirety of the War of the Lance, but my ears were all too familiar with the sound of the dragon attack alarm. Though it had been some time since the dragon bells were rung, my response to them during the war on so many occasions helped earn the rank I hold today. Despite my protest that I should be defending the walls with my brothers, Sir Andrew of the Sword ushered the group swiftly away to a secure location. To call the Tower dungeon a secure location is, of course, generous at best but I have to assume that Sir Andrew was genuinely concerned for all our safety and not simply intent on incarcerating us at the first opportunity. Why he felt the need to place a guard on our locked door I have yet to understand.
We found ourselves in the large common room of the dungeon - upon the walls are ten doors, the one through which we entered and the doors to nine secure cells. The only one of these holding rooms that had any obvious occupant contained the Aurak draconian arrested by ourselves not two days ago. Immediately I felt some irritation that the creature had not been executed upon arrival but I understand some care must be taken while undertaking that task, given the magical nature of the beast. That circumstance does not help me comprehend why the aberration was given a book to read.
From a dark corner of the room (either from an open cell or simply the shadows in the curve of the wall) a well built, young human approached us. He introduced himself as Ariakan, though we quickly recognised him as the son of the Dragon High Lord Ariakas. Some discourse was observed between Brother Ithariel and the Dragon Lord’s son before they engaged themselves in a somewhat tense game of chess, while Sir Dominic & Starsong attempted to interrogate the draconian prisoner. I cannot record the details of either conversation with any clarity as, I must confess I was so infuriated at our unjust confinement.
Eventually my blue blood won the battle over my patience & I beat upon the door demanding to be attended to. When the dungeon door opened I found myself confronted by a Knight of the Crown - my junior in rank, years & experience. I commanded an immediate audience with Sir Andrew and stormed off like the duke I was born to be, trusting the young knight to follow in my wake at his own discretion.
I was led to a board room where, after a vexatious delay, I was joined by Sir Timothy McCarthy, a ranking member of the Order of the Rose and very much my superior. This humbled me somewhat & neutered my pious rampage. Sir Timothy explained, with extreme diplomacy, that we were brought to the dungeons in haste & that it was indeed an error of judgement. He did point out that Ariakan was believed to be the target of the attack and he was reassured to have Sir Dominic & myself in place to defend the asset.
Bowing graciously & showing the appropriate decorum, I thanked Sir Timothy for his time before noticing that Sir Dominic had joined us. My brother at arms took this opportunity to once again request access to the scroll he sought in the Tower library but again he was denied.
This left Sir Dominic somewhat upset, as he was quite determined. I later learned that in communion with the Great God Paladine, Sir Dominic had been given clear guidance that he should acquire this scroll - by any means.

An Orderly Interrogation

Friday 17^th December 356 AC

At 6 am my slumber was disturbed by a knock at my door. No cleric this time but a servant sent to inform me that my presence, along with my travelling companions, would be required in the main court one hour thence. Upon arrival we found a large table set with a meagre breakfast platter for each of us and one extra place set, I have yet to discover the intended occupant of that seat.

As we began to break our fast we were joined by three ranking knights and a guard of Crown knights. Sir Richard of the Crown, Sir Andrew of the Sword and Sir Timothy of the Rose joined us at the table and once their guard were situated around the periphery the door was locked.

Our eminent superiors began proceedings by thanking Sir Dominic & party for joining them, explaining that this was simply protocol. This meeting reeked of many things but from the first I knew standard protocol was not one of them. Growing up at the heels of a Grand Duke one learns a thing or two of politics. Sir Timothy continued by reciting an account of Sir Dominic's heroic act (the primary requirement for advancement to the Order of the Sword). Rather unusually Sir Dominic & his party all claimed ignorance with regard to the act in question, this being the defence of the innocent on November 22^nd as witnessed & signed by the red mage Horstman. Though I was not party to the details, there were murmurs amongst the group of missing weeks and, if you would believe it, time travel. Whatever the cause of the confusion it was clear that the details would not easily be reconciled. On one thing Sirs Timothy, Andrew & Richard were clear – Sir Dominic was to hand over the sword of Sir Thomas Pinchin, a pre-cataclysm relic that Sir Dominic recovered while on his knightly quest. I could not understand the reasoning but Sir Dominic appeared reluctant to give over the sword, claiming some moral quandary. At that the Knights Superior left us to discuss matters, leaving the guard in place about the room & the door locked behind them.

As the bolt clicked into place the familiar look of Kender triumph settled across Nedlog's features and she drew from her sleeve a scroll that had been shown to Sir Dominic by Sir Andrew and then withdrawn. I considered admonishing her but I must confess curiosity won the day as I recognised this to be the scroll Horstman had charged me with delivery to Sir Dominic just prior to his death. At the time it had been sealed but now I could see that it contained only the letters 'NMTFMHPCMCWTTRA' which meant nothing to Sir Dominic or anyone else at the table. Similarly the others could provide no more information on the supposed heroic act, beyond the fact that they had all thought themselves dead before waking in Palanthas weeks later with no memory of what had transpired. We also noticed for the first time that there was an inscription of some sort on the blade of the sword Sir Dominic guarded so zealously, though the writing could be recognised by neither mage nor scholar among us.

Realising that only further confusion lay ahead of us Sir Dominic requested that Sir Timothy & the others rejoin the group. At length a commotion could be heard outside the locked doors. A mage of the Order of Law finally burst in demanding that Azshauna return to the Tower of High Sorcery immediately to report to with Par-salian, Master of the Conclave of Wizards, with the three furious knights following swiftly behind him. Once Lady Azshauna was on her way I apologised for the swift & nimble fingers of the kender & returned the scroll to Sir Timothy. By this time Sir Dominic had also remembered his place and offered up Sir Thomas Pinchin's sword to Sir Andrew with his most humble apologies.

Although neither Sir Dominic nor any other could honestly attest the accuracy of the statement provided, he agreed to sign it as truth. Between his party's previous dealings with Horstman & my own we judged him to be an honourable soul, true to his word. Indeed is it not in the nature of the red mage & his ilk to be neutral in all things?

With the sword returned & the act of heroism confirmed Sir Andrew was the first to welcome Sir Dominic into the Order of the Sword. Drinks were served, toasts made & congratulations offered.

Journey's end

16^th December 356 AC

To ensure we arrived at the High Clerist's Tower at the appointed time haste was essential and so we made an early start to our continuing journey. Indeed, such were the time constraints that we even ate the midday meal without pause, though we were forced to stop occasionally to give the horses brief rest.

As the afternoon wore on we were surprised by a sudden thunderous crack in our midst. A swift inquiry confirmed good health among all our number and, though the sharp eyed Kender did find shards of fine glass and traces of explosive components, we continued on – confounded but uninjured. Sometime after nightfall a scream was heard from Julie (the merchant's daughter) and both her parents were found to be dead, poisoned. It seems possible that some agent lay dormant within them and was activated by whatever chemicals the explosion released along the road, for no soul had access to them since they came under our protection. This theory is not without its gaps of course, for instance where did the mysterious explosive come from and why was the child unaffected? I pray that these questions will be answered in time, I do not favour the foe that hides himself in a web of concealment and falsehood; better to meet face to face in honest battle.

With little else to do we pressed on, finally reaching the Tower shortly after midnight. Upon announcing myself and Sir Dominic we were granted entry and met by Sir Charles, Captain of the Guard. The Captain kindly arranged rooms for each of us and took charge of our prisoner, whom he recognised. It seems the wretch was actually a commander of sorts and led troops against this very stronghold in the siege of the Blue Lady. I cannot help but wonder what precisely the merchant was dealing in to be troubled by so powerful an enemy. The beast will trouble no other innocents though as I expect he will be executed without delay. I must say I am pleased to have denied some lucky bounty hunter such a valuable prize.

Before I was able to retire a cleric came knocking at my door, apparently Sir Dominic desired access to the library which requires the permission of someone of rank. Nobody else of rank was awake at this hour. The cleric accompanied me back to the library where Sir Dominic explained he needed a particular scroll for the last part of his quest. I was left with the vague impression that he was not being entirely open regarding his reasons but, I have faith in my brother Knight and conceded to vouch for him.

The long day finally over I returned to my chambers and much needed sleep.

The battle continues

15^th December 356 AC

As Sir Dominic's armour cooled from the cowardly bolt I charged the draconian wizard alongside the courageous Starsong. Sadly the contemptible creature disappeared from sight before our blades found their home in its flesh. Brother Ithariel recognised the fiend as an Aurak draconian, having faced the wretched magic users in combat before. Unsure of what magiks were in play this time Starsong & myself became motionless as the trees around us, though the cretin never betrayed itself with sound.

After some moments trepidation Brother Ithariel took to action & began shepherding the valiant defenders of the cart to our own wagon, wielding shield on main arm & off. Believing these three to be the object of the criminal's intentions I withdrew from the fight to add my own shield to his defence and we pursued a guarded retreat.

Not long after Nedlog (the Triumphant?) began yelling the most heinous taunts, the details of which do not bear recording, Lady Azshauna took on a strange look. Almost immediately she drew a rod from within her robes & unleashed a barrage of unholy fire on Brother Ithariel & myself, as well as Sir Dominic. Despite the discomfort, we struggled on to evacuate the civilians while the Holy Brother whispered Great Kiri-Jolith's blessing of aid.

A swift pebble flung from the sling of Nedlog brought the elf back to her senses & she attempted to ignite the woodland in flames, though the effects of the mind control would seem to have temporarily impaired her magic. The kender and Starsong were both struck with yet another bolt of lightning while the Lady Azshauna struggled with her spells, though this did not stop Nedlog (the evidently durable) bounding brightly into the undergrowth.

Brother Ithariel & myself continued the withdrawal as Sir Dominic & Starsong finally came within striking distance of the Aurak, though the beast stepped through another frustrating portal.

Without warning Brother Ithariel dropped one of his shields and swung with mace at the wife of the merchant. I managed to parry his attacks but I was unable to disable him, Lady Azshauna moved the innocents away as we contested.

Unable to ascertain the location of the enemy Sir Dominic took advantage of the moment to investigate the human accomplices, finding tattoos of the Red Dragon-armies upon each of them.

A circle of fire immediately surrounded Ithariel, Azshauna & myself, as well as the three under our protection, further compounding my suspicion that this was no simple act of brigandry. The dauntless Brother Ithariel bent his will to dispel the flames about us, but the toll of combat both physical & spiritual was beginning to show on his countenance. Fortunately this act of spell-casting served only to reveal our foe's location.

Sir Dominic mounted his steed for the charge, while Nedlog succeeded a hit with a poisoned dart of some kind. Unfortunately Sir Dominic lives by the rules of Knight & Paladin both and so reaching the apparently unarmed draconian he chose to dismount and fight the cretin bare-fisted. I encountered many such knights during the war, many locked into the old fashioned way of thinking and most of them now dead. I must explain to him at some stage that the finer points of chivalry do not apply when facing a superior foe, or magic-users (both of which applied in this case). Needless to say, despite my misgivings, the combat began to swing in favour of the Chosen Warrior. That is until our dear kender decided to lend her aid by inexplicably attacking Sir Dominic with a grapple, he all the while continuing to pursue the creature's surrender.

Meanwhile we had reached our own wagon and the noble Ithariel very nearly secured his demise dispelling another Aurak lightning bolt while I struggled to load one of our heavy crossbows. As I brought tension to the weapon Lady Azshauna peppered the enemy with arrows before I sent a bolt to its jaw. The reprobate did have time to swallow a potion of healing at this point but soon after Starsong's axe cut it very nearly in half and the beast yielded. We proceeded to bind, gag & blind the prisoner so that it could be brought to the High Clerist's justice while Nedlog kindly unleashed another barrage of taunts & jeers, sending the draconian into such a fit of rage that it could think of nothing but thrashing madly at its bonds.

With all our foes vanquished we prepared to continue our journey. The attackers we left to the wolves and crows, though Sir Dominic was careful to collect a breastplate as evidence of the nature of our enemy. The merchant's guards on the other hand deserved a decent burial, so we placed their bodies, along with the prisoner, on their cart and hitched to our own. Sir Dominic took up the duty of driving & protecting the train, while I rode ahead in case the Aurak had more men waiting ahead on the road. With the extra load our horses struggled to maintain good pace trailing the two wagons but we covered what distance we could, stopping an hour after nightfall. Watches set, we ate a swift meal & then retired.

The journey begins, circle the wagons

15^th December 356 AC

We have completed one third of our journey, having set Palanthas to our backs yesterday at dawn. To this point our first day and night had been uneventful.

This morning Brother Ithariel prepared a hearty meal to set us on our way.

Some distance along the road we heard screams in the trees to our flank. Not wanting to blunder needlessly, the more stealthy ladies of the party drifted noiselessly into the undergrowth. Before they had crept far they discovered a clearing in which sat a covered cart surrounded by seven or eight dead warriors. Atop the cart were two brave souls mounting a final defence against their five remaining foes. Starsong came back into our sight to signal the situation before melting back into the trees.

Sir Dominic seemed somewhat unsure of the procedure for a cavalry charge in a wooded situation and hesitated to act. Whether or not I had pledged my sword to his cause, I was unwilling to see innocents slaughtered while we debated the best course of action. Without a moment's hesitation I donned my helmet, kicked my steed into a charge and couched a lance, following the broad swathe through which the wagon had been dragged and silently saluting my enemy as I rode. Brother Ithariel was on my horses heels and, sensing action, Sir Dominic was not far behind.

Upon hearing the pounding of our horses' hooves and bearing witness to the foes who were to fall upon them, the cowardly attackers threw themselves behind the cart while two hidden crossbowmen sprang from the long grass. Sir Dominic and myself obtained trophies in the form of heavy crossbow bolts, but our charge continued uninterrupted. Sadly, as we neared our enemy they threw themselves to their comrades behind the cart causing me to discard my now target-less lance and draw my favoured broadsword.

On facing a superior, mounted foe the gutless cowards began to attack our horses, injuring my mount and bringing Brother Ithariel's down on top of him. Perhaps, though, I was the more cowardly in failing to match my enemy on foot? I shall meditate on this.

Eventually I was forced to dismount as I was unwilling to see my steed fall to a brigand's blade. Sir Dominic followed suit and we proceeded to vanquish the unworthy foe.

Unworthy they may have been, but they were not unprepared or under armed. Upon first glance the attackers appeared to be attired in woodsmen's garb, but when our steel failed to meet flesh it became apparent that the rogues had in fact disguised breastplate and pauldron, another black mark. No level of armour, however, could defend against the attack of Nedlog the kender (who up to this point had been flinging stones with a marksman's skill). Skipping gleefully into the melee brandishing a small vial she smashed the unknown substance on the ground, enveloping herself, the enemy and ourselves in a vile cloud of noxious properties. The most hardy among us began instantly to gag with nausea, but the constitution of the two remaining robbers failed as they wretched uncontrollably. Braving the pestilent fumes for a short time longer myself and Brother Ithariel 'subdued' the two enemies who still stood (albeit barely).

As this action played out Lady Azshauna was attacked at the edge of the clearing by a hidden draconian, who bit her ferociously and fouled her breath. With the fortune of the blessed, Starsong witnessed the attack and was able to bring her bow to bear, wounding the abomination. With a hiss the creature vanished into a dark portal of its own creation.

We were given a few moments respite while we attended our wounds. Sir Dominic inquired of the health of the wagon's defenders, finding a man and women nicked & bruised and defending a young girl. Our elven sorceress put us all on guard before he could inquire further as she explained that she recognised the portal used by the draconian. Apparently it is called a 'dimension door' and it only allows travel of a hundred yards or so. As we all scoured the edge of the tree line for signs of movement Sir Dominic was hit in the back by an unseen bolt of lightning...

Introductions, Invitations & Procrastinations

12^th December 356 AC

Having been allocated rooms at the establishment shared by Sir Dominic and his companions, I decided to take the evening meal as opportunity to make my introductions and deliver invitations to the unlikely group.

We are to arrive at the High Clerist's Tower one week hence and so we determined to occupy ourselves productively before undertaking the three day ride. Brother Ithariel engaged me in a theological discussion for most of the evening (though, as is often the case with members of his most Holy Order, the line between theology and tactics is severely blurred).

13^th December 356 AC

Lady Azshauna, who hails from Qualinost, evidently shares the understanding of etiquette for which her race is famed. She has taken the Plainswoman, Starsong to the Palanthians’ best dress-making emporiums to find attire more suited to the solemn occasion they have been invited to. Though since the outbreak of war it is more common to see females on the fighting lines, I suspect even my most honourable superiors would baulk at the sight of the warrior-woman as she currently stands; axe et al.

I have used the time to prepare Sir Dominic for what is to come, drawing upon my own experiences as an Initiate of the Sword. By the rise of the White Moon this night Sir Dominic's mind had ne'er been sharper and his armour had ne'er shone so bright.