There is an uncomfortably long pause, then, "Ye may find that things are not so simple.  Though I would wish ye good fortune in this... "

"Not so simple?" Veldrostin seems stunned, "My Lady, methinks that ye have underestimated the folly of this course of action.  Have ye forgotten the War of Autumn?"

"I have forgotten nothing, Veldrostin.  Have ye forgotten that my own brothers fell during that accursed War?"

Veldrostin looks abashed, "A thousand apologies, My Lady."

The woman continues, "I feel that I must apologise to ye, travellers.  Veldrostin misspoke.  Three centuries ago a group of adventurers entered Rappan Athuk - they were neither the first, nor the last, to do so - but some deed they performed in the Dungeon of Graves, ere they perished, caused an evil horde to spill forth and ravage the communities of my people in the Forest of Hope.  We were forced to scatter, and many of us hold bitter memories of that time."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:47, Sun 14 Jan 2018.

Aarnr is concerned by the Elves words.  Their tale is indeed a cautionary one.

"Ye should froggin' fear not," the priest assures the travellers. "We'll take great care to let none of the clouted guts-gripin' pignuts escape."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:26, Tue 16 Jan 2018.

Eilieen purses her lips.  That...does sound less-than-ideal.  Aarnr, of course, offers up a potential solution, but that assumes they have the power to contain the issue (and not, for example, be eaten themselves).

"I understand," Eilieen replies.  "Buy entering Rappan Athuk, we risk endangering those who live close by.  A dreadful chance, then."  Her shoulders lift, then fall, and she opens her hands helplessly.  "But what to do?  Allow it to continue?  Evil grows and spills forth from that place.  Orcus' foul brood use it for their breeding grounds.  And slowly, the dark will spread to cover the land with its taint - all lands, yes, starting with those closest to it."

She releases a heavy sigh.  "Sometimes, one must chance danger.  I realize that we have no right to endanger YOUR lands with our acts, and yet...it is the beasts from Rappan Athuk who attack you, not us.  And I will not sit by as the darkness grows, leaving the world a worse place for our children and their children."

Silent and morose since the funeral, Arkan had been becoming moodier the closer they ventured to their destination. However the appearance of the elven travellers offers a welcome respite and he listens attentively to the conversation between the travelers and his own companions.

"Lady Eilieen speaks true, though the dangers are great, both within and of a possible fallout from our actions of stirring a demons nest, we cannot remain idle. At the least we hope to scout the place, and perhaps send word to Bard's Gate and the Justicars of what stirs."

Arkan flexes a gloved hand out of habit as he speaks with determination, and looks the elven lady in the eye. "If we can but strike at the heart of the evil within that accursed place, be it a foul priest of the demon lord or some other manifestation of its will, it is possible the spawn within will scatter like dust in the wind. Rudderless and leaderless they will pose far less of a threat to the lands and forests around here."

Erista nods solemnly.  "I'm sorry to hear about your home, and especially your brothers.  I hope someday we or those who come after us can win your home back, at least."

"Methinks that ye have misunderstood." the elf responds, "Despite Veldrostin's words, I do not seek to dissuade ye from this quest, but merely to urge caution in the undertaking of it.  Much danger is to be found at the Dungeon of Graves.  Many, it is said, perished in the graveyard, ere they had even entered the dungeon proper."

She hesitates a moment, and looks at the back of her right hand.  Then she slips a ring from her index finger, a silver band, set with a green gem, and holds it out before her.

"I would grant ye this boon.  A gift, if ye will, from my brother Beldrathastase, who was slain by creatures of darkness which crawled forth from that accursed place.  It is not magical, as ye would use that word.  But it was crafted by an elf smith, and I believe that the stone holds a part of my brother's spirit, for he was fond of this colour.  Mayhap it will bring ye good fortune."

Aarnr has spoken out about the folly of graveyards before, so the elf's words do not surprise him at all, though the warning is appreciated.  Of course they'll need to deal with any unliving first ...

... and is equally impressed as the elf offers the ring with her brother's bound spirit.  His own half-sisters are fearsome enough, though he's certain that in the event of his demise and in the unfortunate instance that his soul was trapped, they'd not seek to have it sent to such a place of horror and evil as Rappan Athuk.

Fairly certain, anyway.

Still, the elf seems to be trying to be helpful, and if she wants her brother damned for all eternity it seems but small recompense.

"If that's what thou wish," the priest shrugs, holding out his hand.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:27, Sun 21 Jan 2018.

She hesitates for a moment, before placing the ring in Aarnr's grimy hand, and then she pauses with her fingertips resting on the tiny item as it lays in his palm.

"Just promise me this...  If ye should die there, ye'll do all that ye may to wreak vengeance for the deaths of my brothers ere ye fall.  Do ye swear this by that which ye hold most sacred."

The priest is momentarily nonplussed by the elf's demand.  He holds but few things sacred, and solemn oaths is not one of them ... but most sacred ?

Ne'ertheless, Aarnr is very much keen on the wreaking vengeance bit, and perhaps with this woman's blessing on the venture his companions will be less disturbed by the odd accidental death or fire.  Certainly that would make the journey to Rappan Athuk much more pleasant and enjoyable.

"Thou has my word ... I shall bring upon that foul den of bat-fowlin', hell-hated nuthooks such bloody slaughter that if any of the  pukin' half-faced rats do survive they will froggin' piss themselves at the memory of it !  This I swear to ye in the name of Bowbe, Bringer of Battles and wielder of Bm'fob and Wytch-Killer ... by this sword I bear, born in the forge of mighty Gonder ... by the last drop of my friends' lifeblood ... and as a son who could not look his mother in the fobbin' eye were he to do gleekin' otherwise !"

Eilieen bows her head, pleased that Aarnr has accepted the ring and not made a hash of it.  "Aarnr speaks for all of us," she states, then pauses.  "In a way," the priestess clarifies.  "I am honoured by this gift, and promise to stand strong against the darkness."

A glint of grim humour enters her eyes.  "I do not intend to die in the doing, but if that be how things turn out, rest assured I shall not go quietly."

The elf woman smiles, and dips her head.  "Know ye that ye have the gratitude of Sedalla'iatu, merely for swearing to do this thing.  Should ye enter Rappan Athuk, and return, then ye are free to come to my domain outside Varagost, where ye will be greatly honoured.  Thus do I swear before Darach-Albith and Rialae-Aibaru."

A moment's pause, and then, "At Varagost ye need but speak my name, for all there know of me, and can direct ye to my realm.  Ask for me at Varagost.  I am Selloriana Hakalatur, once a queen in the Forest of Hope."

Shocked, Eilieen remains riveted for a long moment before bowing deeply.  "Your majesty," she states.  "You do us great honor; I can only hope we prove worthy of your gratitude."  The pale priestess straightens up, hand clasped around her holy symbol.  "Once queen, queen still, though your lands have fallen upon hard times.  I pray that will turn around once again, for you and your people, in the future."

A moment's pause, then she continues.  "Is there aught more you might ask of us, your majesty, that we may make the attempt, in the lands of the Forest of Hope?  Or is there anything you might tell us of those lands which might make our attempt more successful?"

Aarnr too is impressed.  A Queen no less.  And while he was initially reluctant, he has now accepted her ring, which from what little he understands of the customs of the decadent civilised world, means he's now married to her and therefore King of this Forested realm !  As anyone who comes from the swampy fens can tell you, wood is an extremely valuable commodity.  And all he has to do now is vanquish all the evil in Rappan Athuk and venture to Varagost to claim his prize.

Not a bad morning's work really ...

"Ye may look for our arrival !" he assures Selloriana Hakalatur.

A gift might be appropriate when next they meet.  Perhaps a few severed heads to show intent.

Selloriana Hakalatur shakes her head sadly, "That honorific is no longer mine.  The elven demesne in the Forest of Hope is no more.  The land over which I ruled is now a haunt of demons, wights, and worse.  The elves are scattered like leaves on the wind, living in a dozen minor realms, and no group greater than a few hundred strong."

"I was a queen, but I have renounced my title until the elves return to their ancient home.  Some, such as Veldrostin, and the people of Varagost, still accord me the honour associated with my former position.  To most, though, I am but a minor noble remembering a lost past, and they name me Sedalla'iatu - the Dream Regent."

Aarnr seems most enthusiastic to visit the Elven realm; it's uncharacteristic, barring him having gotten the wrong idea about them being enemies, and worrisome.

However, that's for a later date.  Maybe.  Now, she deals with deposed nobility, still a few heads above anyone in this group (barring someone hiding something in their background, for which Eilieen would never forgive...well, a week at least).

"A once-queen awaiting the liberation of her lands?"  Another bow.  "Your renunciation is your choice, and I shall respect it.  Your majesty," Eilieen finishes with a small smile.  "Noble or royalty, you are due honour for your past, and for the past of your nation.  I pray it returns to its glory, once Rappan Athuk falls."  As an elf, Lady Hakalatur has more opportunity for patience than others; should their party fail, another will certainly come within her lifetime.

"I can assure you, there will at the least be less demons, wights, and worse in your lands when we are finished."  One way or the other, the priestess grimly considers.

Aarnr is pleased to now be royal himself, trifling details aside, though wouldn't want to be thought an effete noble and would kill anyone who dared insult him so.  Though in truth he was already rather well placed as his father was among those vying for leadership of the tribe, with the strong encouragment of his mothers.

... and is equally pleased that Eilieen is at last entering into the spirit of things - indeed it seems the priestess of Zadastha is almost as keen as he to slay demons and undead.  He certainly admires that she is planning ahead what to do once Rappan Athuk is emptied.

Bowing her head at the courtesy shown by both Aarnr and Eilieen, Selloriana Hakalatur declares, "We must take our leave, noble travellers.  We shall remember this meeting, and ye shall reside in our thoughts."

She urges her mount forward, and her followers move to take up positions behind her.

Veldrostin, though, moves aside, and watches as the other elves pass.  When the last of them has passed, he speaks, "Ye should be wary on the road.  Not all is as it seems in these woods.  Great evils wear fair faces, and await unwary wayfarers."

This message was last edited by the GM at 16:02, Sun 04 Feb 2018.

Veldrostin's confession appears to be casting a slur upon his new bride's moral character, but King Aarnr elects to let him live, since his Queen seems to like the nuthook and he's feeling a sort of regal charity in the heady afterglow of his recent ascension to the throne.  Should Selloriana Hakalatur or whatever her name was wish to prey upon unwary travellers ... well that's their lookout. Should have been taking more froggin' care.

The priest grunts noncommittally as he urges the oxen forwards hopefully.

Colwyn follows after the cart, nodding at Veldrostin as he passes, "We's knowin' all 'bout them there evils, mate, an' ol' Aarnr there, 'e's 'avin' a way with them.  Ain't never seed nothin' what 'e could'n' be 'andlin'."

"All the same, be wary." Veldrostin replies, "This land was once a mighty kingdom, Tarkanen, noble and just, but it fell to Vaedrakil, and the realms that came after are petty and filled with cruelty and the lust for power.  I'd rather ye weren't stirring them up, and making the journey back to Varagost harder for us."

The Elf does have a good point.  And not just his ears.

"Ye will find it is froggin' quiet back that way," Aarnr calls out, jerking his thumb over his shoulder where lies a still smouldering village now freed from the sway of bat-foulin' toad-spotted mold-warps, and the corpses of rather a lot of pukin' tax-collecters litter the path.

"If any pox-marked, mammerin', maggoty hedge-pigs on the road ahead do cross our path then the ground will be stained black with their blood.  Ye will find thy journey home gleekin' peaceful enough."

After bowing the former princess on her way, Eilieen waits patiently for the Elves to pass.  Veldrostin, however, chooses to repeat his concerns regarding them creating problems.  Well, that's his choice, but his lady has decided that it's worth the risk.

"We shall be wary," she puts in after Aarnr 'clarifies' the situation.  "But we shall not turn from evil where we find it, and hope to make the land the better for it.  Tolerating such things out of fear leads to their growth, unchecked; I believe those who bow beneath evil will find more of their freedoms taken, with less hope to resist each time."

The priestess releases a small sigh.  "It must be resisted and rooted out; for that, there shall always be a cost."  Zadastha knows that three of their companions have already paid.

The Nameless One.

Fergus.

And now Oswald.

Closing her eyes, Eilieen bows to the Elf.  "Safe travels, sir.  Zadastha's blessing upon you and yours."

Arkan too bowed to the queen after she revealed herself, and arose as she passed. Veldrostin though receives merely an inclination of the head from the warrior-mage, as Arkan finds the elf's passive-aggressive condemnation more than a little slighting.

He cracks a smile at Aarnr's words of reply to the elf and adds in an even voice, "The only things we intend to stir are inside the dungeon itself; an evil that yet festers for those around it take no action against it."

The implication is clear in his voice and he makes no further comment, instead hitching up atop the cart being driven by Aarnr

Aarnr's brow furrows like a well-tilled field ... but no, there's not a glimmer of understanding there for what 'wary' might possibly mean.  'Unwary' he's heard of, but he can't imagine the two words are related.  Probably he misheard (everyone does seem to speak rather unloudly compared to him) and Eilieen undoubtedly said 'weary', which makes a lot more sense as it sounds like there's going to be a lot of fighting and killing to look forwards to on the way to their destination.

Pleased that he's cleared at least one mystery up, the priest continues to drive the cart, something that seems to demand considerably more work than it should, having watched others perform the same task.  Indeed he's beginning to suspect that perhaps the oxen are paying little if any attention to his hauling on the reins and are making their own way, as they will, taking whatever direction Aarnr seeks to provide as mere suggestions.

"Do ye think we'll make it there by nightfall ?" the priest asks his companions hopefully.

"Doubt it, Mate." Colwyn responds to Aarnr's query, "There's still bein' a bloody long way ter go.  I's more 'opin' ter be findin' somewhere dry ter kip afore it's gettin' too dark ter bleedin' see."

The rogue heaves a sigh as a curve in the road turns out to have only more road beyond it.  Add to that the elf's warning about the dangers of travelling through this toppled realm.  By the sound of it, the kingdoms along the road are more dangerous than any potential bandits they might encounter.

All in all, it doesn't look like it will be a good day.

Then another thought strikes him.  One that just increases the dismay on his face.  Tarkanen was destroyed by a dragon, which just begs the question...

"'ere... is any of yers knowin' 'ow long dragons is livin' for?"

Dragons !  Now such a thing Aarnr has heard of, though to his great disappointment he has not yet seen one.

"Depends how froggin' big it is," he informs Colwyn wisely.

The larger the beast, the longer it'll take him to hack his way through its hide to its heart ...