Oda helped conceal the bodies of the goblins before they continued their climb.

The lights began to take on a more ethereal beauty as Oda climbed up the mountain. Perhaps it was the air, or maybe it was the possibility that had ignited within her, but the half-orc felt light. Stair after stair, the ascent almost felt so much more than physical labor and more akin to something spiritual.

Now, much closer to the town and its lights, Oda focused. She tried to order her thoughts and tried to resist the compelling call and rippling beauty of moonlight that cascaded across the landscape.

Oda shook her head.

"I do not understand what I am seeing., what are those lights?"

Rolen continues to move quickly up the mountain path towards the lights; hoping against hope this was not a mistake and keeping his bow at the ready.  "I hope they are just faerie lights or some sort of illusion and not shades, spirits of the deceased, or ghosts."

Searching the sky for his owl Rolen reaches out to his familiar with his mind. The group was badly in need of intelligence concerning the goblins they left behind in the orchard and lower village area.  Listening to Whisper's report Rolen's facial expression turns grim.  He relays to the others, "It would seem we have a problem.  There is a large group of goblins moving through the lower village areas.  Unsure if they are alerted to our presence yet, but the goblins in the orchard still seem unaware of us.  They have made no move to intercept us and their activities haven't changed.  That giant ape we killed on the beach is still there in the open though.  It's bound to get noticed eventually.

Whisper continues to scout the immediate area for any pursuers or threats.

How far is the upper village area and the humanoid lights from our current position on the trail?

Whisper will start scouting the area ahead of the party as they make their way up the mountain trail towards the lights and Rolen will try using the owl's senses to identify what is causing the lights ahead of the party.

Memories of the escape filled Lipika's mind.  The screeching cries of the hoard seemed to come from every side.  The calls from the guards of a breach in the wall to the west, then a breach to the north.  She remembered the panic as she was swept up in the crowd of refugees.  She breathed and calmed herself.  "Large numbers are the goblins' strength." she said at last, "we should definitely avoid the large group.  The lights are an unknown, but we'll need more than just the few of us to take on a large force.  If we're lucky, we could find allies; if we aren't it could still be easier enemies.  We need to weaken the goblins as much as possible before the real fight." She followed Jiri up the stairs.

Still working with Owl Reconnaisance... Rolen realizes that he can connect with his familiar's senses but it's a short ranged thing, the Owl has to be within 100'.  Still, at least nearby he can have an incredible top down view.  Owl vision is amazing.  He can see the party and their immediate surroundings in vivid detail at night... he can even see small nocturnal rodents, which make the Owl hungry.

Further away, he must rely on the pattern of sending the owl out and having it return with a report.

As they get closer to the top, they can see that time and war have dulled but not erased the magnificence of Mount Keru.  The stairs end in a broad terrace, bigger than the one below, with buildings along it.  They gleam like crystal in the dark.

The whole distance from the lower harbor to the upper town is about four miles.  It would be a simple thing, at most an hour and a half of walking, were it not for the fact that you are also going about a mile up.  It turns a simple walk into a laborious trip even for Mountain Elves, taking twice the time of a level hike.

As you go up, you pass the farms, built on level after level of terraces cut into the mountain- like the stairs, but on a grander scale.  Also, at strategic points, rest areas for those who did want to take the hike in one piece.  One has the remains of what might have been a food stand, but it has collapsed.

The buildings ahead, though damaged, have not.

As you approach the first light of dawn is reaching the higher spires, which glitter and reflect like cut gems, throwing out rays of prismatic light.   Most of the glowing "light people" are gone, but you spot a last few, in a shadow on the side of a wall.  Now it is clear, they do look humanoid, but glowing.  They say nothing, but they are beckoning you forward with gestures.

Nesterin had all but forgotten the goblins during the climb. More focused on the destination and the apparitions, ghosts or whatever they may be. There was so much here he would love to explore, but with the ghosts beckoning to them he paused to look around at the others, "So do we go see what the wish to show us?"

Rolen continues running up the trail to meet with one of the humanoids of light.  "We have no choice Nesterin.  We can not remain out in the open like this for much longer or the goblins will notice us and start pursuit."

Rolen nears one of the buildings and scans the area quickly for any threats.

Oda nodded her head in silent consent as she hurried up the stairs not far behind Rolan.

The party follows where the luminous beings beckon- as they get closer, they can confirm, these are definitely humanoid, glowing with pulsing color.

Even closer and.. pointed ears???

The glowing beings are fuzzy and indistinct, but there is enough detail to observe, at close range, an Elven build.  And when you can see ears clearly, the iconic Elven points!

The building they are summoning you is definitely unlike the rest.  All of Mountain Elf architecture is designed to be graceful and airy, and admit as much light as possible into the interior.  This one is different.  While it is still clearly a Mountain Elf structure, and shares most of the common design elements, it is almost entirely opaque, and has only a few windows.

There are colorful decorations on the slender pilasters surrounding the front door, which is open.  Cornucopias.  Here, as in the lands of other cultures, it is the common symbol for agriculture, and by extension the goddess of agriculture.  But this is no temple.

Inside, it is dimly lit- the dawn's light is still weak, and not yet enough to spread much light through the doorway and narrow windows.

In the darkness inside, the beings are more clearly seen, and they certainly do seem like Elves.  They are made of light, glowing and transparent.  There is nothing solid to them.
 Shape without substance, they could be the opposite of shadows.

It is only there that you hear them speak, in Elven.  Their voices are strange.  A being- it has the shape of an adult male Elf makes a graceful twirl, like a dance move unaccompanied by music, and the voice seems to come from the air in front of it, a projected sound.
But only a quiet whisper.

"Have you come for us?  Are there more of you?"  it asks.
Another, behind, "speaks" in the same way, invoking sound from the air with arcane gesture and movement.
"It has been long, and we grow weaker.  Please say you bring good news."

Lipika was fascinated but a bit nervous about these figures. She examined their arcane gestures.  It seemed they were casting spells to communicate.  Were they spirits or illusions themselves?  She wanted to know more before giving away too much, but she wanted to appear friendly.  So, she spoke to them in elvish, "uhm, hello. We are a scouting group.  How long have you been here? How may we assistance you?"

11:17, Today: Lipika rolled 9 using 1d20+5.  arcane.

Oda looked over the spirits, she was *most* curious. She had only just begun to understand the pulse of life and how the divine magics connected with her own faith so this might have been beyond her. She attempted to recall the stories of her elven "mother" to discern if there was any information of relevance-even in myths.

---

Oda rolled 23 using 1d20+3.  Knowledge: Religion

Rolen follows the two light figures into the building they becone us to and cautiously enters the room.  I hope this is a building dedicated to a god of agriculture. He thinks to himself and starts scanning for any details as to what or who these two figures are.  Seeing the figures using arcane hand gestures to do magic Rolen wonders what form of magic they are using....



18:34, Today: Rolen rolled 17 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 14.  perception check.

18:34, Today: Rolen rolled 22 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 17.  arcana check.

18:33, Today: Rolen rolled 25 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 20.  insight check.

18:33, Today: Rolen rolled 8 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 3.  investigation check.

The light-beings have to respond using their peculiar magical way of speaking, creating sound in the air. They seem unable to produce any on their own.

"All our lives.  We are Elves, like you."

They also have to be stingy with their words. Unlike the more corporeal party, they cannot go around spending words freely- when the spells are spent, that is it.  So they are careful.  Still, they are able to explain in brief what has happened here.

Many Elves were trapped.  Not only here, but at isolated pockets throughout the Mountain Elf kingdom.  Unable to get to the evacuate, they realized that the choices were rapidly narrowing to slavery or death.

Until a creative temple mage-priest, who was a devoted servant of the god of sun and light, hit on a bizarre solution:  the "Plane of Light"



The beings here speak of the Plane of Radiance, and doorways opened into Radiance at the temples.  Oda knows a few things about those temples...


The beings here explain that the surviving Elves used the Plane of Radiance as an escape route.  They were turned into beings of light, but they found they were still bound to this world.. much like Shadows are bound to the world.  They cannot leave.  They could return, and become Elves again, but... not with the temples, where the portals were made, still in the hands of Hobgoblins.

Those are the toughest, smartest of the Goblins.

"The Goblins sought at first to rule this land, but soon their society fell apart.  Without the cause of destroying us, they had no unity.  Now they are just scattered bands and tribes, each jealous and fearful of the others.  Some have changed their ways.  Some have not."

Oda looked at the starlight beings in wonder and awe as a memory of story floated to the fore of her mind. "There are beings, spiritual entities who are associated with the Plane of Light, but... these don't seem to be them.  Those beings wouldn't be worried about daylight, nor would they seek the darkness." Oda said as her fascination grew.

"The temples, the Elven temples are scattered across the kingdom..." Oda began pulling herself from her thoughts.

"They worshipped a number of deities, like most races, but for the elves many of their mountains were named for them.  The main temple of their faith was located in this kindgom but not on this mountain. There is however a temple of Correlon, god of light and sunshine.  I do not know where it is  but it should look like shining tower of glass.

Nesterin Was so curious about the building, the Elves and the history. He listened closely to everything that was said. Making mental notes as he examined the building they were in.

Lipika listened to Oda, and thought on what they had learned, "At least the goblins aren't unified, but even so, there are large groups of them."  She asked the light elves,  "can you tell us where the temple is that we need to liberate? and do you know how large the force guarding it is?"

" and a map would be helpful too."Rolen interjects while listening to Lipka question the "light" elf.

The "Light Elves" don't make any noise, but it almost looks like Rolen got them to laugh when he mentioned a map.

"Finding the temple is not the problem," the being that has been doing most of the talking says, again using magic to make the air speak.  (It didn't seem to take much effort this time, apparently one spell lasts them a while).

"The problem is traps the Goblins have left behind.  They loot our buildings, for any treasure they can find, for pieces of the solidified sky and light we use, for any leftover valuables.  And they make traps, and leave guardians.  Most of the time, the traps and guardians are there to protect against other bands of looters.  Each of the different groups is in conflict with the others, now.  None of them want to live there, they prefer the gloom and shadows of the forest.  But they want riches, and they want to be the only ones.  So they have patrols and traps and guardians.  I think you met one.

"The traps do not affect us.  We are not solid and pass right through.  But we also cannot move things, at least, not easily.  It is costly."

"The Temple of Correlon is a place of strength for us, and it is where we can get a message to the Glimmerfolk who are Correlon's messengers and guides.  But during the daylight, now, we are too weak.  The light of the sun causes us to fade and spread, join with the light, and we do not reform until sunset if this happens to us.  We cannot go with you unless you wait for dark."

"Well, I for one can wait until dark.  We didn't get much rest last night." Rolen addresses the rest of the group.

Oda nodded, it sounds like the group would wait and she was okay with that idea. She thought about the elves and light and wondered how long could their light endure...

...not long by the look of things.

Rolen nods his head and finds a quiet corner of the building to hunker down and rest until nightfall, so the light elves can accompany them on their journey.  "We only have two more days before the ship expects us on the beach.  I hope we can solve this mystery up here quickly."  Whisper finds a safe hidden spot outside the building to be aware and alert of any threats enter their area and buildings.  Rolen will periodically reach out to Whisper and use the owl's senses to examine the area outside....

It's dawn and the owl is a little skeptical about doing a patrol again.  It's been a long night, and of course being an owl its natural inclination is to rest during the day.  It's an owl thing.  It will of course, if Rolen insists, but it will limit its patrols to nearby. And it will take some time to do some hunting.

The light beings retreat into the dimmest, most shaded portions of the building.  There aren't many places the Mountain Elves designed for darkness, but since sunlight hastens the spoilage of food, food storage buildings are the largest among the rare exceptions.

They explain what happens if they do get caught in bright sunlight.  It's not as if the sunlight destroys them.  They are light.  Light would seem to be their natural element.  But for them it is like being lost in an endless raging sea, and they "lose their being".  This was not their original form, of course, so they have had to learn through trial and error.

"Early on we did not fear daylight.  But as our own glows weaken, to be caught out by the sun is like to be lost in a great flood of water that you know, at your full strength, you could swim with easily."

They know the party is under no such restriction.

"You do not have to remain here with us during the day.  Mount Keru is yours to explore.  We can advise you, but we cannot go with you.  Still, you are not required to stay here."

In the morning Rolen gets his first Owl report:  the Goblins are patrolling the lower terrace area in greater numbers, but have not made the journey up the mountain.  They look at it, but they seem afraid to go up.

Turning towards the rest of the party Rolen asks, "Ok, everyone.  What would you like to do now? Wait here until nightfall to go with the light elves or continue exploring for awhile around the upper mountain side village? So far the goblins are not willing to travel up the mountain to our location, but are patrol in larger numbers in the lower village areas."

"We will need to take a rest at some point, but we could do some scouting if that's what the group wants to do."

I'm thinking we've probably been awake for a long time by now.

The "light elves" are more than happy to share their refuge for resting, and given the exertions of the night, and the long climb up the hill...

"You do look like you can use a rest," one says.  "Once the skylifts were working and it was easier to come and go."

The light beings look like Elven adults, although their features are blurred and indistinct, softly glowing.  There is an exception- one looks like younger, like an Elven teenager.  Elves age only a little slower than Humans before reaching maturity, but a teenager is still considered a child.

There's only one.  Elves are known to treasure their children, which make up a much smaller portion of the population than they do among Humans.  From the stories the Mountain Elves have, the Mountain Elves put every effort into making sure children were among the first evacuated- a fact that explains why there is a whole generation of young Mountain Elves now.  It seems unexpected to see one was left behind.

The youngster finds his way over towards the party.  He has a different way to communicate- with his finger, he traces letters in the air.  The glow lasts long enough to read.

"Tilidi Cloudhawk," he writes.  "I was studying at the temple.  I stayed, they told me not to, I thought it was my duty to warn the priests.  The priests are on the Plane of Radiance now, I think.  To do what they had to do, they crossed.  We're going to need new priests now, to open the portals again.  I don't think they can do it from their side.  Are you going to the temple?  I know it well.  Better than the others, because I was a novice there.  They might not want me to help you, they might say its dangerous.  What danger can I get into now?"

Oda nodded "There is always more danger that we can find ourselves in. I respect your bravery, and your rationality but maybe they have a point about how dangerous this might be for you."

Oda said as she looked over the elf.