Sonori had been quiet, listening to everything, but not speaking. The feeling she had, she was trying to pinpoint it, turning her head a bit this way and that.  She followed, waiting to hear answers before adding her own questions. "I do not think I could turn back even if I tried or wanted. Nor am I sure she would spare us even if I, or really any of us other than perhaps Nino, did."

Nino heard his name and looked, but that was about it. He enjoyed the new snacks and stuck some of them in his pockets for later.

Zarmatan, we know she's got minions looking for the other stones already.  However, are there others like us looking for them as well to oppose her?

"Of course I'm in. This is the stuff of legends. This is how Kings and Queens are made. If we succeed, they will write and sing songs about us. We will be the envy of everyone we pass. People will want to be our friends just to say they have a hero as a friend. The gods will look down upon us and smile."

Zell then got real quiet for a second,

"If I said No, my mother would kill me."

Zarmatan looked at the group with a shrug. "Truth be told, I dunno what that bitch of a gecko will do...She's single-minded in her hunger for them, ruthless and willing to step over anyone to get them. If she gets them, she may just leave you be....or kill you all just for fun."

He looked at Kell. "You, my boy, have no say...it seems the earth stone has chosen you, so weather you want to or not, you are coming.." He looked at the rest. "It's true the stones can align to another person, but that is rare. Even so, they seem to know that the time is upon them....and no, they aren't sentinent. It's just the power they represent....know"

The man sighed, scratching his head. "Damn me....centuries hasn't made this easier." He muttered.

He again looked at them. "Yacob...the staff has nothing to do with the stones, nor has the gauntlet with your cousin, so you are not obligated yet....but believe me when i say that you and him may prove to be the pieces that help turn things if you do. But, No one is forcing this against you....as i said, she may leave you be, or kill you anyway."

He then looked at Nym. "As for minions, yes, she has. But that is for a conversation when i know if you all are in or not...so speak up yea or nay." He points at Zell. "...and stop living through your mother boy....put on your big boy pants and decide for your own reasons."

"I'm in."

She won't leave us be.  We have already eliminated some of her minions.  I don't think Nino and I have a choice after that last battle.  She's going to know about Nino and myself at a minimum.  I would bet she knows about all of us by the time morning arrives if not before.

Nym pauses for a moment before continuing.  The look on his face is peaceful calm.

I don't have that choice. I'm in.  We shall see going forward if it cost me my life or my dream or both.

Rivka shrugged
"I'm a ranger, and my party needs me.  It doesn't get simpler than that. "
Then she looked at Zell impishly, but affectionately.
"Well, there are some complications, but they don't change the answer."

"She knows a lot but not all. She has had her agents shadowing us since Waterdeep. Two dwarves remember and one is a mage. But she didn't know I had become this." he gestures to himself.

"I don't get to walk away. Not today not ever. No it isn't being forced on me, but to do the things I need and want to do well I don't have much of a choice."

Neliwen bit her lip, considering what the people were saying. This diverse group that had defiantly stood against an enemy that could have wiped them out. The elf thought about the task and what it would mean for her, after all she wasn't as short-lived as them - with the exception of Nym. Zarmatan and Kaltranath had said it, if they agreed to take the responsibility, it would be for the rest of their lives. For herself that could mean more than half a millennium, maybe longer. The sage looked at Zarmatan, for him it meant an extension of his lifespan, multiple times over, but when it came to the wizened elf... The young sage wondered if she should commit herself to centuries on the run, if she could handle it.

Then her mind tinkered with the consequences of what could happen if nobody heeded the call. "If we stand for nothing then we fall for everything." The thought echoed through her mind as she resolved to not stand idly by, before she spoke up. "This is too important to just be a spectator, I shall lend my aid to the best of my ability." she sage announced.

Zarmatan looks at the group, but has a slight smile on his face underneath his gruff demeanour. "I can tell you now, your lives are gonna be a damn sight more interesting." He sighs and reaches into his robe, pulling out a pouch. He pours the sack on the table revealing several gems.

"What is said here stays between us. Kalthranath is already a part of this being a stone-bearer himself. No one else knows the full scope of what i'm about to tell you all."

He grabs the biggest gem, a red ruby the size of a small plum. "You know something of what you face....the mistress, but you don't know the whole story." He looks at the stone and his features soften, making him look old. "before i start on what you face, i'll tell you all what you seek. The stones, as you have no doubt figured out, are elemental, raw magical manifestations of the elements. There are eight in all....Fire, water, Earth, Air, Life, Death, Light and darkness. Each stone taps into it's own elements. The power of the stone is incredible when fully realised, but that comes in time. But the stones are actually part of a relic known as the pestle of creation."

He looks at Kell. "You will know this, but when you....i guess you could say, bonded with the stone, you gained access to its power. As your bond grows, so too will the power."

He again looks at the group. "Before life, before time, two fates came into being, the essence of good and evil. They wrested for dominance, always even. In times, other beings came to be....Gods, dragons, mortals. Before anyone could remember, the fates influences a great evil, and the gods needed to step in. Each put in a part of their life to create a powerful weapon, even Ao.....the pestle was created. It was used to banish the evil in a place beyond time."

Time went on, and the gods fought about who should use the pestle and why. Ao became angry at his children, knowing the fates' words. He destroyed the artefact, scattering the essence over the lands."

He shook his head. "These essences of the gods, are teh stones....Pieces of godhood in the form of elements. The were lost to all, even the gods. It was that time that Ao became distant from men and gods alike."

The human sighed. "Centuries ago, the Fates became aware of the stones and their destint.y with the stones was intertwined., so a champion was chosen by each side. The darkness chose a cruel and melovent being, a intelligent red dragon...the mistress. The other chose someone not of this world....a man beyond this time and place."

Zarmatan sighed again as he looked up. "I don't even remember my other name, or my home....thats how long i've been here. All i knw is i came from a place that had no magic....it created things to move great distances, even to fly. They had towers as tall as a bird could fly."

His vision misted over, then he returned, his usual gruff demeanour. "We soon found that with our choosing came power, but at a cost. Each had equal amount of power, but we are limited by what the other uses." His gaze again went distant. "in the earlier days, we did not hold back, using the full force of our power. I'm not proud to say that we were the cause of much death and destruction because of our single-minded hatred."

He quickly snapped out of his thoughts. "When i learnt patience, it was then that she began to try test the limits, causing her much pain."

He looked around. "our last altercation was when i gave the stone of earth to Anthel, but she found us. By then she had learnt the value of minions, and they swept over the place like a plague. in the end, it was me and her, and we fought. The result was we were both gravely injured....in fact we both were near death"

"When I woke I found I had a fraction of power that I had, more human than ever, so I wandered." He narrowed his eyes. "It's in the last 10 years that my powers have returned...and i suspect hers have too."

He sighed, holding the ruby, placing it on the table, and tapping it. A illusion of two figures manifested....that of a scarred red dragon, and that of a middle aged drow woman with platinum hair, red eyes and a cruel gaze. Both had a scar down their left cheek.

He held several gems. "in the years since, she has learnt the value of subordinates. So much so that she has gathered people to her of exceptional skill. Some she has groomed as her generals, she has aptly named her dauhters of darkness.....you have met one of them."

He placed a yellow topaz down and an image came of the woman that you fought at the river. Her hard gaze equalled that of the red queen, and though human in look, her frame lithe as you remember, you remember her skill and the sword she wielded. "This is Madryana, known by most as commander. She is single handedly the one who keeps the vast army in check. Her skill with a sword is devastating, and given her blade, known as 'swifttooth' is highly enchanted. The army of men and monsters respect and fear her...for good reason. She is a expert tactician. Believe me when I say that you will only ever underestimate her once, and if you live to tell the tale, you'll be luckier than most."

Next he placed down a purple amethyst. The image of a drow elfcame up with a slender but hard features, a silver and purple robe and a staff. She had long flowing silver hair with an undercut and deep blue eyes that had a hard edge. "This is Kyn'Armaina....a high ranking and well favored priestess of Lloth, the spider god. Her thirst for torture and death is only surpassed by the wyrm herself. She is her most trusted advisor and right hand....even most of the daughters bow to her 'wisdom'."

Next stone was a black onyx, where no image came up. "Her former assassin was known as Trieani, a devious human who was as skilled at stealth as death. She diedtrying to finish me a few years back, but rumor has it she has another assassin/spy in her ranks. No one knows what she looks like as she has only been recruited recently."

Next was a Pink sapphire where the image of a woman came up. her features were one of beauty, unnatural by human standards...even by elven standards she was striking. "Kendall" Zarmatan snorted. "This woman is skilled with magic in her blood, using her looks, skills and magic to manipulate people. This bitch turned one of my oldest friends against me as easily as a smile and a flutter of her eyelashes. She doesn't like getting her hands dirty, so she makes others do it."

He looked them all over. "the 'sisters' are loyal to a tee...swaying them from their path isn't an option, so don't try. These women are lethal on their own, and all command respect and loyalty"

He took out several smaller gems. "Not as influential as the daughters, she also has several advisors."

A smooth white opal, devoid of color was placed down, where a gaunt elf appeared, his hair silver, his skin pale. "Krennith is a necromancer of unusually great skill. Of them all, he is trusted the least...his dealings with death and necromancy has given him some tolerance by the wyrm though. You find a place with lots of undead, odds are it's him."

Next a red garnet, where a dark skinned gnome, bald head and a burn scar on the left side of his face. "Karanyth, of the lesser, has the most respect....even by the drow witch. He is a potent spellcaster, specialising in offensive magic. He thrives on destruction, and does it well."

Next an emerald, where a slender half orc. "Gyrn is the wyrm's tracker and huntmaster. Skilled with the bow and with several animals at her side. You won't see her before her arrow hits you." He looks at Rivka and Zell. "If you know she's tracking you, keep your eyes sharp, or you will be dead."

The final stone is clear, where a dark haired human appeared. "...and finally Trent. He was once a follower of truth and balance, and my old friend. A druid of great skill, he was captured and...." His tone dropped off as he grimaced, but looked up. This was obviously the hardest of the lot to talk about. "He has perverted his calling and order.....he believes destruction brings renewal and balance. What most druids would call the darker side of nature. I call it an anti-druid."

He sighed and looked at them all. "then there are the armies they have mustered. Trolls, orcs, humans, goblins and more. This is what stands between us and the stones, and what chases after them should we get them. I know that they have at least one stone in their possession....the fire stone with the wyrm. They may also have a lead on the death stone, but that's rumor."

"Now....you have any questions for me?"

Sonori looked on quietly, soaking in the information. "Your powers, they are balanced. Does she have information like this on us? And do you have generals, advisors, and armies like she does?"

Nino belches and chuckles to himself. He had no clue what the old man was talking about, but he liked the stones and stared at them.

  "Questions are well and good. But even I need a moment to digest that tale." he walks back and forth merely four or five steps and then stops turns back walks those and repeats. He does this for a few minutes. "Well now the Pestle of Creation is the end game. Then we do as we must. We, meaning our side, has life and earth. She has to have at least one more likely two or three. So we need to gain parity. We know the location of the water stone. We go there to get it. At least brings us to a theoretical even. I'm gonna ask you this straight out and a simple yes or no will be a great answer. Do you know how to make the Pestle work? Because if you can so can she and plan b goes out the window."

Zarmatan looks at the gnome. "Your kidding, right? Half of tbe realms have heard of you by now...the heroes that found Anthel's tower. Its been a little over a month, yes, but your heard of. Luckily your descriptio
has been altered over telling. They seek Dwarven brothers, a small half mermaid, a dark elf ranger fighting for good. Most other descriptions are pretty accurate."

His expression went serious. "They would know something of you, so assume they know everything, even though I doubt they do..." looking at both Nino and Yacob.

"As for the army....no. I have learnt that a small group can do more than an army. The wyrm sees numbers as power, but I see skills. You ask if I have generals....I'm no tyrant. I seek a group, a team....and that is you. Your worry isn't the army...people will rally either at my word or yours - your consern is the stones and the wyrm and her generals...they will be your challenge."

  "The general who tried to take us told us as much. She asked where I was. Didn't for a moment suspect that I had become as I am. Good with a blade yes. Seeing anything beyond that not so much. Oh I'm sure the mind itself is quite capable but well she told me more than she wanted to in one sentence. The Mistress is good at this and at gathering info, but we traveled faster than her info. As for the Shadowhunter of hers I would wager that is who was tailing us just outside Waterdeep. Passed the info into the chain and they confirmed it in Silverymoon and that is where they tagged Kell and the Earth Stone. Anyone got reasoning that contradicts anything I have said."

  "My Uncle was over joyed at Anthel's Keep and we are going to rebuild it. Both in her honor and as a Wizard Clanhold. No matter what I would have my uncle told I died on this. Dragon's fire or some such. Nothing left to recover. I won't be going back until and unless I can see The Keep restored and Myth Drannor cleared if we survive this whole ordeal."

"The Green that imprisoned the Silver in the staff is she still alive?"

Kell says "the Stones, themselves, are 'of the Earth'. Is the Earth stone capable of detecting or attuning to other Stones?  Like a lodestone?"

Zarmatan looked at Yacob. "Shes a warrior....not a thinker boy. She may have confirmed some things, but don't take her for a grunt....she is far more than that. And as for her hunter, last I heard she was hunting something south of here. If she was hunting you, you wouldn't know short of them two..." pointing at Rivka and Zell.

"As for what will be told, that isn't on me...I'm not your messenger. Tell your friends here, but either way, I doubt you'll see him in some time, and if so, it will be in passing - You will be busy hunting the stones."

Pointing at Kell. "As to the stones finding others, there is no proof on that. You hold the earth stone, this old fool..." pointing at the old elf. "..holds the life stone. Do you sense it. No....I think the only way you may sense them if the opposites are in proximity....life and death, water and fire. I know of no way to find them, even to detect them. All I know is the stones have a presence...the death stone tends to attract undead, fire stone was holed up in a volcano, things like that."

Nym having listened to Zarmatan attentively speaks in a tone that says he is at peace with his decision to go forward.  Those who know more than just rumors about bladesingers realize Nym thinks he is not going to be one of those who survive this but is still going to try.

One major issue I see.  We will, at some point, have to confront her generals and advisors.  To get to them, we will have to, somehow, get through there armies.  That will be an almost impossible task to do without major fighting.  The major fighting is going to serve as a warning that trouble has come looking for them.  They may be very intelligent and wise to what is going on, but if Madryana is anything like the rest of them in arrogance, all of them will be arrogant with an ego to match.  The question is now, how do we move around the world without attracting more attention to ourselves.  Madryana is going to tell the others our descriptions.  You can bet your last gold piece we will be having a much harder time finding friends and help going forward.  We can hope their arrogance and ego are greater than their will for self preservation when it comes time to confront them.

Zell kept quiet and just listened. He had a ton of questions he could ask, but the thing that bothered him the most was the fact the old man said that half the realm knows who the party was now? Zell didn't like that. Zell liked being anonymous and hoped he remained that way while Nino fought the woman named Madryana. Zell was invisible the whole time, so he was sure they didn't get a description of him.

Descriptions were not what Sonori was really concerned about, but rather abilities and skills. Nonetheless, she felt she had the answer she sought.

"What more should we know of the pestle of creation?" Sonori asked. "I saw, or shared in, a vision, which I think must have been that. It looks like a wheel, with a central hub and spokes, which I believe are the stones. From what I have gathered, this central hub is another piece, and can fully harness all the stones. I assume that the overall result, what looked like a wheel, must be the pestle. You say you do not know how to find the stones - what about the hub?"

She paused, "We need to find the other stones, but there is also immediate danger here, to this community. Do you recommend we fight first to protect this community, or that we leave to find the rest of the stones? Presumably the reason they are fighting is to find the Life Stone, so if it leaves, do you think they will stop fighting?" She doubted the latter. The others were evil, so unlikely to care much about killing. And with a necromancer, well, killing provided a fresh supply of easily accessible bodies.

Rivka wanted to ask questions, but she could think of nothing that her Traveling Companions hadn't already asked.  Also, she was feeling a bit overwhelmed.
"We're....famous?"
As someone who had previously worked as a professional guide and tracker for merchants and the wannabe hunters among the nobility, her successful business had mostly depended upon word of mouth to thrive, so a certain degree of fame and/or notoriety was welcomed and even sought after.
This, however, was a bit mind boggling.   Their host spoke as if they would soon, if not already, be thought of in the same breath as the heroes and Legends of Faerun. That was definitely not what Rivka signed up for, and was actually a bit frightening.
Still, it was her job, and if being on this proverbial, and perhaps literal, world stage was tye consequence of doing it successfully, then so be it (which is something she thought to herself with considerably more confidence than she felt)

And being mentioned by name by Zarmatan only hammered the point home.
Her responsibilities were literally epic now.  It was not the time to fail.


Still, she held Zell closer, though whether to comfort him or herself she couldn't bring herself to answer

In reply to Rivka (msg # 59):

Quinn thought about the Stone of Death and whether he was meant to carry it someday. Would he be worthy?

The evil queen holds the Death Stone? I will not have to bear it long if she does, I may not survive her to do so at all."

Zarmatan listened to the comments of everyone,  first looking at Quinn. "I don't think she has the death stone....just the fire stone. But she may have leads on other stones, as have I....but we'll get to that later. The death stone doesn't take live exactly, but channels the magic of death. Its common it attracts undead to it." the wizard smiled a half smile at Quinn. "It would be fitting at follower of kelemvor held that stone....to stay the death stones power."

He then looked at Sonori, his expression one of surprise. "A vision you say, of a hub....thats new to me, but makes sence." he grasps his hands in frontnof his face in thought. "I've surmised as much but never had proof of it, and from my research, never found any information on such. Given its a conduit of the rest, its possible it could somehow find the rest."

He looks at Sonori. "When we get time we need to talk...I want to know exactly what this vision was, who was there....everything. As for the army, your guess is right - they ate here for the stone. Luckily the elves here aren't without magical skills and tactics. They have lived for centuries preparing for war against the orcs and goblins."

Finally his gaze settled on Nym. "But what Nym says is true....they are an army, but despite their power they are like the Queen. Their egos and inspiration puts them at odds against each other. Madryana is a soldier through and through, but is also a Bully...she relies on strength and intimidation. Kyn'Armainan is Drow...she looks down on all who aren't drow or women, even her sisters she holds herself above them like a dominating older sister. Even Kendall is all about her beauty and ability to manipulate others. All of them fight for favor over each other, even if it's in secret. Like any family, siblings fight, and this isn't any different. You are different because your a team...you protect and compliment each other, they see each other as a power above each. Alone they are powerful, and together moreso.....IF they work together. If they don't, then they may fight each other as much as you"
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:09, Tue 12 Jan 2021.

Zell also held Rivka close because he knew she needed it as well as he.

"Don't worry, my love, I'll always be there for you." Zell whispered

Then he looked at the old man, "I would like to see my Aunt."