"I'd say take him to the ladyfavours house.  That always relaxes me, gets my head back in things after too much thinking.  This spell has the feel of too much thinking,"  Mord opined helpfully after a moment of thinking on the music and one-eyed staring.  "How do y'know it's him, and not something that can force him to answer?  Guessing some priesty truth-telling magics?"

With the signs being hopeful that the ritual had worked, Mord was back to his "always read for battle" semi-relaxed pose, instead of the "RIGHT NOW" extra hair-triggering muscle tension.

Hapthorn nods.

"Your friends request that you play Favrick's introduction music."

Once again, the bound man just looks confused.  The battle music fades away, but you don't hear Favrick's introduction.

"Go ahead and untie him," says High Priest Valdernathy.  "Who else but your cursed harper friend could summon music from nowhere without a word or gesture?  The man this body once belonged to might've known the song, but he couldn't pull off the musical miracle of bringing it to all our ears from thin air.  THIS," he proclaims, "is your cursed friend freed."

Brother Hapthorn, never one to doubt the word of the high priest, begins the process of unbinding the man.  While the priest is untying him another familiar tune fills the air.  It's a pleasant little happy song.

"Hey, this is Nanna Fresa's song about the morning birds," Glumr says with a smile.  It's the first time you've seen him smile since the incident with the tome.

Glumr ponders a little and adds "the eye was playing this song when we first met him."

Mord (who like Glumr was partially raised by the now departed Fresa Triplefang) and Sunna both recognize the song now.  Holly and Mord think back and remember hearing this song when the first saw the eye many months ago.

"That's right," Mord chuckled, moving over to help the man to his feet... and ensuring that Mord was situated between the fellow and the rest of the party.  There was at least some confusion or conflict going on here, and better to take a slightly careful welcome back over a dagger in the throat.  The battlefield caution was a touch hard to shake, and the fancy environments seemed to suggest that it was never needed, but reality was that it was needed more often than in the battlefield - in Mord's opinion.

"And to think that I had thought THAT day would be the strangest that I had seen."

"I would ask for caution Brother Hapthorn, at least for a moment. Scotthard will remember what we did for Favrick, and although we recognise what he can play a tune we all know, it means others will know as well. I cannot be absolutely certain this is Scotthard until I hear the introduction Scotthard did for our rather unusual friend Favrick. Let him take a moment to think, and then we will know." Holly tries again to prompt Scotthard to remember the simple introduction they had used to provide the magical introduction for Favrick before his duel.

Turning to her colleagues, she adds, "Patience. I believe it might be Scotthard, but without Favrick's music I will not be absolutely clear. Anyone who knows us, knows the songs of our childhood. Let Scotthard tells us something only he can know, and not some instrument of someone out to fool us. I may be overly cautious, but there is enough evil in the world without us calling forth something that is not our friend Scotthard."

Adiel is impressed by Nanna Fresa's song, and reassured by Valdernathy's confidence, but, still, Holly has a point. It could also be a sorceress conjuring sound from nothing, for whatever reason. Or, perhaps, the late Augustine. Why they would be interested in Scottfard, or in deceiving the Triplefang adventurers, Adiel doesn't know.

But he does have some magic that can provide additional evidence. He begins singing, a bold, rising melody of triumph and justice--a tune more like a hymn than a typical harper's song. A single voice hardly does the tune justice, but there is an underlying power to it. Adiel focuses intently on Scottfard, continuing to sing for about twenty seconds.

OOC: Casting detect evil, in a cone centered on Scottfard. Also, checking for any deception:
16:55, Today: Adiel rolled 30 using 1d20+11.  Sense Motive.

Sunna frowns a bit as the man - Scottfard, she hopes - does not remember the simple introduction they used fo Favrick. Maybe he just needs some time.
"Might it be that some memories got... lost somehow?" she asks quietly, more for her friends than the priests to hear.

The song about the morning birds fades away when Adiel starts singing.  The scholarly bard draws out his lyre for some instrumental accompaniment, all the while scrutinizing the formerly bound man.

"He's telling the truth," says Adiel, finally. "This is a pure place... and there is no longer any evil about this body. It worked. This is truly Scottfard."

He approaches the freed man, looking him in his one eye. "You seem to be having a little trouble adjusting to a human body again. It was a long time, wasn't it?" He speaks more gently than usual, imagining a little of the pain Scottfard must have endured, being confined for so long.

Scottfard nods very slightly in response to Adiel's question.  The priests help unbind him as the archers depart the courtyard.  He is able to stand and walk alright, though he still appears disoriented.  After a short blessing from the high priest you all leave the courtyard and go inside the main temple.

"Before you leave, there is someone I'd like you to meet."  Hapthorn walks you towards a woman in robes sitting at a table with two children.  "My Triplefang friends, this is Sister Clarimonde.  I am sending her with you to retrieve the staff from Goldenpoint.  She has experience as a healer on raids and has seen more danger than most of us.  I feel she is best suited to this task."

Sister Clarimonde stands up and gives you a short bow to greet you.

"Yes," says Clarimonde somewhat slyly, "the dangerous task of walking through peaceful clan lands to a temple of Pelor and back.  I think I can handle it."

"Then do you mind us tagging along, under your protective wing so to speak?" Holly asks, instantly liking the Sister. "Other than some Alligogs in the swamp, I don't think we have much to trouble our travels back and forth. My name is Hollykhan Shipsail, of the Triplefang Clan. Please call me Holly."

Turning to the others, Holly introduces them all with suitable introductions, trying to remember how Sunna and Adiel would do it. Finally she comes to Scotthard, and says "And this is our old friend Scotthard, newly restored to our company."

"When should we be ready to leave Sister?" Holly asks, deferring to the Sister in the temple, and personally hoping they will be leaving today.

Mord took Scotthard off to the side for a moment, to discuss things in manly fashion.  Of course, being Mord, when he spoke it was with exuberance and still fairly audible.  "...No, I'm telling you - you look like yer punch-drunk hungover, and there are two schoolings of thought on dealing with that.  Depending on if it was hurt from punch or drunk.  One says ye go wenching, the other drinking.  I say ya do both, and cover the bases.  They work well together, after all."

Having dispensed his sagely advice, the barbarian went over and gave the Sister a welcome hug, too strong, like he did for folk.  "Mord the Mighty, slayer of goblins and Holly and Sunna's patience.  Sister Clarimonde - a mouthful, but ye seem nice and such.  Glad to have ye with us."

During Holly's introductions Mord squeezes all the air out of the surprised and formerly composed cleric.  She has to set a hand down on the table to recover from the friendly greeting.  The kids have a good laugh.

"This is your journey, Hollykahn," she says motioning to the lot of you.  "I'll leave whenever you see fit."

"Why don't we set out tomorrow morning," suggests Adiel.  "I have some business to attend to before we leave."

"As do we!" adds Mord giving Scottfard a one armed squeeze.

You make plans to meet back here at the temple in the morning.



When you get back to your room at Idora's boarding house Scottfard looks at Holy and says "fox"

"Huh?" Holly replies, surprised to hear a word come out of Scottfard's mouth.

"The fox," he repeats.

Adiel takes the book of Children's Illustrated Fairytales and heads off to meet with Proctor Limon one last time before leaving town.  During the visit Adiel presents Limon with the book as a gift and thanks him for allowing the prisoner to be used for Scottfard's ritual.  They also discuss gremlins (Adiel tactfully avoids mentioning anything to do with Glumr's gremlin run-in or his inability to sign The Tome of Legends) and the petrifier beast.  Limon considers the gremlins more of an annoyance than a danger.

"The little monsters know just when to throw a wrench into the machine.  Why can't they go pester someone else's city?"

The mysterious petrifier beast is much more a concern.

"I've called a halt to northern caravans.  Some of the merchants grumble about it, but I simply can not have some dragon turning my supply trains into stone.  I know we'll have to deal with it head on sooner or later.  Pelor help us if the beast is a tool of the goblin hordes.  They're dangerous enough as it is."

"If you can't take the ferry to Kammarra you should do what the merchants have.  Book passage on an empire ship.  Sail out of Tergan.  They'll charge you a stack of gold, but it's safer and faster.  You can afford it, my friend," Limon says with a laugh.  "In fact there's a ship going to Silvergate in two days - The Paulina Belle.  Talk to Captain Octus.  Tell him I said to make room for you."



Mord is anxious to take Scottfard, complete with his brand new man body, to The Playground.  The wait for night to fall isn't made any quicker by Scottfard's lack of conversation.  For a while Mord does enough talking for two, but eventually you all just take to restful relaxing.

Adiel returns before Mord and Scottfard head out.  He suggests the option of going to the port of Tergan, just south of Rankor Heights, and sailing to Silvergate on an empire ship.  You can take your horses and the cart and avoid a potentially fatal run-in with whatever is turning people to stone in those accursed swamps.

Mord and Scottfard enjoy an evening at the Petticoat playground.  The revelry is a bit more modest than your previous visit and Scottffard doesn't end up in a crate this time.

Holly breaks into a broad smile as she realises what Scotthard had just said, and suddenly moves forward and gives him a huge hug! "Oh Scotthard. It is you. I am so glad we have got you back."

Breaking the hug, Holly steps back, still holding his arms in her hands and adds, "Won't be long and you'll be talking as much as Mord! Although hopefully what he has planned for tonight won't be too disagreeable. It is truly wonderful to hear your new voice. I liked the music, but a voice is just as special"

When Adiel comes back in with the news of using an Empire ship to get back to Silvergate, Holly has mixed feelings. Deep within her is her families desire to ride the seas, balanced heavily by her own love of solid ground beneath her feet. More pressing for her is the concerns on the closure of the marsh route, and how she will get Moonlight back to Volge. Holly had never tried to get Moonlight on anything more than a ferry before now, and that had been identified as something that even her special bond with Moonlight could not overcome easily. Taking a boat to Silvergate would probably be the safest option, even if that ship was potential owned by a potential enemy. Sitting down, Holly considered the question, and listened to the others views.

"Taking the ship would be a fun little adventure," Adiel says. It seems the most advantageous course of action, unless any of his companions has information he does not.

"It puts some of us in a little danger, and I for one hate being on the water, no matter what my family name is." Holly says, wishing there was a way around it, but knowing it is something that probably needs to happen.

"We would need to ensure the owner of the ship is not one we have run across before. I think at least one member of the empire would take great pleasure in taking us on board, and then throwing us over the side out at sea. Perhaps I am being paranoid, but I'd rather try a trip over the lake, rather than one over the sea."

The moment as Scottfard actually speaks Sunna turns around in surprise, then breaks into a broad smile. "I'm so glad that you found your voice." Even if it might take Scottfard some time to get used to it, after all this time in his other form. "Holly is right. It's wonderful!"

"Captain Octus... Have you heard that name before? Preferrably not as someone you crossed" Sunna asks the others. "I think this trip could be interesting. And proctor Limon seems to know the captain, which I think is a good sign."

Mord nodded his agreement after some careful thought.  "Anyone trying to harm us goes through Mord.  A ship journey sounds grand - perhaps there are water goblins like the ground goblins.  I've heard tales that there are places in the sea that the water fountains up in streams of ale, from the secret brewers of ale beneath the waves.  I'd be interest in seeing that."

It's not too tricky to convince Holly, who has some misgivings about the trip, that sailing to Silvergate is the best course for now.  What little you are able to turn up around Rankor Heights points to Captain Octus being a fair man who handles little of the business of buying and selling goods, preferring to leave that to others in his employ.  His family is known for fine ceramics and textiles, but he moves all manor of cargo.  You're unable to find any direct link between he and Flavius.

You pay Idora for the room and board, and pay Jeremy for taking care of your horses, before heading to Tergan.  Being out of the city suits Holly and Mord well, and being reunited with Moonlight brightens Holly's spirits dramatically.  It's just few hours ride south to the port.  There isn't much more to Tergan than the large impressive docks, a few warehouses, a stables, and a longhouse.  There is still a buzz of activity loading and unloading ships' cargos.  You marvel at the wooden and iron cranes used to move crates of a very uniformly large size.  You've seen these crates before in Silvergate, but never before the cranes.  They are wondrous!

The trip is not cheap, over 100 gold, but you have it to spare in Ferisedan gold, which is required here too.  Soon you, your horses, fox, and the wagon are all aboard and setting off.  The Paulina Belle is a massive and very stable ship.  It barely pitches around on the waves at all.  That's a remarkable difference from the smaller Triplefang boats.  At times your forget you are not on solid ground.  This would annoy the more nautical of clan raiders.  They prefer to let the seas speak to them through the movement of their waves.

There are only a few merchants on board, and only one other woman - the wife of an empire merchant.  The all male crew outnumbers the passengers by two to one.  You find out that a female sailor is rare to unheard of in the Empire, but it's not clear as to why.

You are invited (and accept) more than once to have a meal with Captain Octus.  He is a friendly, well dressed, bearded man your fathers' age.  Octus enjoys regaling you with stories and delights in hearing your bard's tales as well as you personal adventures.

"I do so love Caledonia."  That is what the empire calls your clan lands.  "There is such freedom here."

"In Carth, where I'm from, and throughout the Empire there is a rigid caste system.  You are born into a life and that is what you will always be.  If you are born a serf you work your lord's fields, a single unchanging rotation of crops, and tend the same pack of animals your father did.  Your wife is chosen for you, and your children take your place in the fields.  If you are born a priest your days will be spent in service of the same god at the same church as your father.  So too will be your child.  Be you prince or pauper your life is mapped out from the cradle to the grave.  Even the lords and ladies are paired up by arrangement.  It feels as not a single choice in life is your own.  People just accept it."

"But not here!  The Triplefang man is free to make what he can of his life.  The poet can be king.  The waterbearer can roam far and wide.  The warrior can become a shepherd.  And the adventure!  Oh, there is much left to explore and discover.  Caledonia is a land of wonder."

"This is why I sail instead of tending a shop in a province of Carth.  I was very lucky to be born into a wealthy family too large for it's own good.  There is no need for me back home.  Why I was practically discarded."

Captain Octus spends more than a little time flirting boldly with Sunna.  You lose track of the number of times he extolls the virtues of choosing your own wife.

In four days you arrive in Silvergate, back home in Triplefang lands.

"Listen my friends," Glumr says solemnly.  "I've had time on this boat ride home to think about my path.  I don't know why the Tome refuses to link my fate to yours.  The way of the world can be as fickle as the wind, but it blow the way it blows all the same.  You four are the legends now and I need some time to find my way.  The journey continued when Snow left us and when Farden went his own way.  Rolf and Vidar, Israth, Giselle, even Erma have all come and gone.  I guess what I'm saying is you'll be fine without me."

"I've talked with...  um, talked to Scottfard, and I think he'll be safer with Talita and I for now.  You guys have enough bards already.  We're going to go see Reynard first.  If anyone has answers for us, it's him.  Ehlonna would approve of some time wandering the wilds.  I think I'll spend some time with Alma too."

Glumr is reluctant to talk about money, but as much of your current wealth is his doing as anyone's else.  He doesn't want as much as Farden took with him when he left, but everyone agrees Glumr deserves a substantial sum of coins.  You end up settling on 25,000 silver.

The archer gets choked up during the good-byes.  He pulls the long brim of his hat down over his face to try to hide the tears as he gives you each a hug before departing.

It's not just Glumr who has his own personal business to attend to.  This chapter has wrapped up and you each have a considerable span of in-game narrative time before the next chapter begins.  Please let me know via private message what you'd like to do for the winter.

I will add up EXP at the beginning of January and post the official numbers.  I can safely say that everyone will be going up a level.

It wasn't that Mord minded compliments about his people.  It certainly wasn't that he was seasick, with his stalwart constitution.  It most certainly could not have been that Mord resented the ship captain hitting on Sunna.

No, mere coincidence was the most likely culprit - and that the below-deck space just wasn't sufficient for a powerful large man like Mord.  A looming man needed space to hone his oversized axes, swords, daggers, and a good warrior made sure he could be where needed - in case of attack - so it only made sense that Mord found himself within line of sight every time the Captain moved on Sunna.

The sea air was fine, though the lack of chances to hit things did somewhat detract from the overall experience.

~
When Glumr attempted a half-hearted hug, Mord swept the smaller man up in a mighty bearhug.  "If another path you need for short time, then safe travels, much adventure and misadventure to you, Glumr.  Know that we are never too far to travel to yer aid.  Manage your things needing management, then track us back down.  I travelled another path for a time as well before returning."

Holly managed to survive the sea trip by focussing on Moonlight and staying below deck as much as possible. The ship might have been the best method of getting home, but the journey was hard on Holly. Having the land beneath her feet again was something she dearly wanted, and needed.

---

Holly cried. She couldn't do anything but cry when Glumr declared his desire to return to the wilds. Glumr had been Holly's longest companion on this adventure, and although Mord was back, Holly couldn't help think that it was again another loss that Glumr was leaving. Wrapping her arms around him, Holly sobbed into his chest, squeezing him tight before letting him go, Holly stepped back to let the others say their goodbyes.

A gentle nudge from Moonlight got Holly's attention again, and Holly pulled herself together. Wiping away the tears, Holly took a moment and then spoke.

"Glumr, for all your help, I thank you. I'm sure Scotthard will enjoy spending a little time with you and Talita, and I would like you to take a message back to Reynard to thank him for his help. Don't forget to pop in and see Snow every now and again, as I know she won't forgive you if you don't, and she has a cloak of yours to return I believe. Now, before I break down again, may I bless you with Obad-Hai's blessings, and my own as well. Good bye for now friend, for I think our paths will cross again."

Stepping forward, Holly gave Glumr a gentle kiss on his cheek, and then gave Scotthard a hug and kiss before kneeling to stroke Talisa. "Take care of him little one".

Chapter 9 EXP awards

 500 Save Tora (Holly and Sunna)
 525 Direwolf ambush
1132 Goblin camp assault
5000 Sign the Tome of Legends (Major Quest completed!)
 500 Restore Scottfard
-----
7157 for Mord and Adiel
7657 for Holly and Sunna

EXP
Holly 13933 + 7657 = 21590
Sunna 12068 + 7657 = 19725
Mord   8000 + 7157 = 15157
Adiel 10000 + 7157 = 17157

Holly advances 2 levels to 7th
Mord advances 2 level to 6th
Sunna and Adiel advance 1 level to 6th

Somehow the journey reminded Sunna a bit of their search for the Haunted Tower, every time the land was too far away to be seen, even if only for an hour. So it was a welcome distraction to be invited by Captain Octus. But as much as she enjoyed a flirt with the Captain, she was certain that she didn't want more than that.

"For a man of the Empire he's quite fun to talk to", she explained to Mord after they had had a meal with the captain, "but that's what he is: a man of the Empire. What could a Triplefang do with him?"

There's a little song Sunna has for the Captain:
Let me tell you that I love you
That I think about you all the time
Caledonia, you're calling me, now I'm going home
But if I should become a stranger
Know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything I've ever had

---

Sunna just nodded to Glumrs desire to leave. She would have done the same if the book had rejected her, she thought. Still, it hurt to see him go.

"Mord and Holly are right, I believe our paths will cross again at some point. Safe travels to you, my friend, and thank you for everything. Take good care of Scottfard and greetings to Reynard." She hugged Glumr and Scottfard.