Shadow War campaign In-Game: Chapter 76- Shadows in the Sun

[Strifeter]

Tren shakes his head.

"What do you think would happen if suddenly all powerful beings came down and said that they are the law now?"

Tren looks at his ally flying towards him.

"I believe we need to move to where we call home at the moment. Too many dangers about. My friend is coming we can go with him."

[Navarre]

Carrigan nods.

"It looks like I don't have any reason to be here. My boy's dead and our house is abandoned."

"I trust Gerald to watch the house until, or if, we return. But in the meantime I agree; we'd best be going."

At that moment, Bedlor touches down next to you.

[Gaumer]

Bedlor smiles a big smile at Tren

"Mission accomplished, mate. Well, it not be done yet, but a good leader be sayin' things like 'mission accomplished' just to be keepin' e'eryone thinkin' 'e be doin' a good job, hoho. I be sendin' our enemies - well, wit' more than a bit o' 'elp from Chestnut 'ere an' a few other friends - into a 'ornets nest o' fur o' feather. It be a sight these dwarf eyes not be forgettin'."

Bed looks at Carrigan

"Enghart. Bedlor Enghart. Sure'n I be knowin' yer face but be knowin' ye not be the same man I be callin' friend.


But time be 'gainst us, always. We should be makin' our rendezvous wit' the others."

[Strifeter]

Tren nods.

"My sentiment as well."

[Navarre]

Peter Carrigan regards you, Bedlor, with a face that is as warm and wise as you remember, tempered with the fire you knew from the last time you saw him.

"Peter Carrigan," he offers his hand.

"Can't say I know you, sir, save for the disturbing resemblance you bear to a certain Lord Commander from the north. But I had heard rumors on my passing of strangers who looked as leaders of this world yet, unlike them, sought to truly lead by example."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, though the circumstances are far from perfect. I would offer you and your friends the hospitality of my family manor but, as you say, now is the time to get as much distance from West Wellington as we are able."

He steadies himself on his the mahogany cane you remember, still favoring a leg that clearly bears some impairment even in this world, and looks to the north. Between you and Tren, you carry the gentleman with you over the northern wall and into the depths of the forest.

The return trip is a bit unsettling. Even at this speed, you can tell the forest has been emptied of life.

Branches are broken in the direction you travel and, the closer you get to your origin point, the more you see the ground painted in the prints of a dizzying variety of animals. As you reach the clearing, you can even hear their breath; gathered in legion.

The trees part to reveal an army of animals and three treants. Nearly a thousand creatures gather around Aracil Starborn as she stands in the center of the clearing.

The great dire bear has one giant forepaw placed on the chest of Pontiff Rashai. The cleric lies on her back, her white and gold robes now splattered with brown dirt and fresh blood.

The high priestess of Illumian is alive, her blue eyes staring up at the servant of the World Spirit with as much fear as disdain. Nearby, Lord Commander Enghart sits weaponless on his buttocks, surrounded by a pack of wolves with dripping fangs.

One of the mighty treants holds fast the unconscious form of Nephros, the Angel of Death. The scattering of black wings about the clearing suggests her few remaining Seraphim did not survive the encounter.

Likewise, the Luminators that have lived are huddled inside the cave. Their hundreds of animal guards ensure they will go nowhere.

Only Evanard Blackthere is missing from your sight. Whether he lies fallen, or consumed, somwhere or whether he has managed to escape is unknown to you.

Aracil, though none of her foes, spies you as you fly near the clearing. She nods cordially to you, as if she had done only a small favor on your behalf.

{Do you want to enter the clearing and engage anyone gathered or do you want to remain unseen and fly on after your party?}

[Gaumer]

{I'd say fly on. We can always come back later.}

Bedlor points to the seen and laughs

"Hoho! See? That's what I be speakin' o'. Whole damn forest be comin' to the rescue o' this world."

[Navarre]

Carrigan smiles.

"Maldomkin always mocked the World Spirit. He said free will was a thing of individuals; that there was nothing binding one life to another except for a bargain made."

"Guess he's the one being laughed at now. If you have the Trust in safe hands, then at least Wesley didn't die for nothing."

[Strifeter]

Tren raises an eyebrow at the mention of Maldomkin's name but says nothing. He looks over at Bedlor.

[Navarre]

Carrigan seems to sense the unease at his words and replies without provocation.

"Don't worry. I don't serve the Lord of Bargains...at least, not anymore. There were some dark days in my past, I'm not going to lie."

"But Wesley served the Lord of Light, Maldomkin's enemy, as Lord Commander. Oddly, the service to such disparate brothers is what brought us together."

"While others shed blood in those brothers' names, we exchanged words. Over the course of our debates, we both came to realize that neither was entirely right nor entirely wrong."

"The structure Illumian espouses serves to allow all to exist in cooperative peace...if it wasn't for the fact that he only cares for the hierarchy itself instead of the actual people who build it. Likewise, Maldomkin's belief in free will provides each of us with choices and control over our individual lives...all the more pity then that he would subjugate that freedom by binding people to bargains to Maldomkin's benefit."

"Over time Wesley and I concluded that no one Einshar had the right of it all. It is a pity that the rest of the people of this world will not take the time to truly listen to each other."

[Navarre]

The three of you fly on for as long as you can. It is some time later that you catch up to your party.

Aldina signals you as you fly toward them. You soon find yourself at Moira's side again as she embraces you, Bedlor.

"Oh, thank the World Spirit you are alive! I was so worried!"

After greeting Peter Carrigan and making introductions all around, the priestess studies her surroundings.

"Aldina says we are three days travel by air from Forest Falls. Coby should be returning from the south if he has had any luck while Vinnrog should arrive from the north."

"But we have that three days to decide our final gambit here. What is it you believe we should do now that we at long last have the Trust...and have become the target for all who would see Ashearea exist under their name?"

[Gaumer]

"Three days?

Three days be seemin' like a year wit' the all o' the world breathin' down our necks.

I be set to find more allies; more who would be comin' to aide in our cause. But I be fearin' for 'em should we be discovered 'mong 'em, e'en if'n they be choosin' to stand 'lone.

If'n we be to hunker down for a time, sure'n the wood I be findin' earlier be the safest place I be findin'. Any other ideas, mates? Sure'n the World Spirit be grand in that wood."

[Strifeter]

Tren shakes his head.

"Three days is too long to just sit around. We need a distraction. Something to lure our enemies away from the Trust.

I may be able to do this. But we need a plan. I am open to ideas."

[Navarre]

Moira replies.

"It is not enough for us to have the Trust. We must return them to the Primordial."

She regards Peter Carrigan for a moment then continues.

"We have to get the rings to Forest Falls. Only there can we reunite the creators with their sacred items."

Carrigan returns Moira's scrutiny, likely convincing himself that this young woman is no more Pontiff Rashai than Bedlor is Lord Commander Enghart. Hearing her statement, he replies.

"Forest Falls? Is that where the Primordial are to be found?"

"Then we may already be in worse trouble than we thought. Blackthere made mention of that place. He said Ximon had a group of allies there but that Maldomkin had traitors among them."

[Strifeter]

Tren thinks for awhile.

"Wasn't there mention of requiring a Nexus as well. I mean no offence but if we need our Nexus back and Maldomkin has traitors in the other group I will find them and kill them personally. We need to take action not wait to be attacked."

[Navarre]

Carrigan nods.

"I agree with you there, son. I don't know anything about this 'nexus' thing though."

Moira replies.

"A Nexus is a conduit to alternate realities. Tren is right, without a Nexus the Primordial would have to physically travel to their many universes and begin setting things right one universe at a time. Such a process would avail no one."

"But with a Nexus they could channel their will across the multiverse, restoring balance to all their universes. Unfortunately, we only know of one Nexus in this universe and he is in the hands of at least one loyalist to Maldomkin."

Aldina inquires, "Where would they take him?"

Moira considers.

"Unfortunately, Liv told that entire group the location of the Primordial. I doubt it would be possible to destroy the statues but they would likely try to take Faerun far from Forest Falls. That does leave the question though of where they would go."

Carrigan replies.

"Maldomkin's main servant, Hayden Hyde, operates out of a place called Law's End. But that is very, very far from here. It lies to the southwest, on the far side of Sashca's forest of Ages, at the lower forks of Blackthere Road."

He shows you on his map.

Aldina sighs.

"If they have been traveling in that direction the entire time, there's no way we'll reach him before we are discovered by our enemies."