Session19


 * 5-18-13 **
 * The search for Amara and a city at war **

We gather up to head out of town to board the ship at our pre-designated return time, and on our way out, we are met by Paladin Brightwood who asks if we're on our way to another adventure. Erevin tells him that it's just a simple collection this time. Brightwood mentions that he didn't see the ship return to the harbor with us. Wren tells him that it, of course did... but they just dropped us off. Erevin assures him that the crew went to pick up supplies in another harbor, and that at least seems to satisfy the paladin enough that he bids us a good day and makes his leave. Judging his motives, it appears that he was sent to check on the ship... and sending it away from the harbor and prying eyes was a good decision and we would have to continue to be careful or find a way to stabilize the ship's threat in the future.

Trieste rides on a very nice horse along side of Azarius, carrying a banner with the Chaat Crest... Azarius seems irritated that the banner is in the way of his view.

Erevin asks Azarius if she's going to be carrying that everywhere we go... and if it's going to become a problem announcing our arrival on the battlefield. Azarius sends him to Trieste to talk to her about it personally. Erevin approaches her very politely and asks if she plans on carrying that everywhere. "Lord Chaat should be recognized and announced as we travel," she nods to him. Erevin nods, and tries again, very diplomatically, "Yes, yes, that's true... in towns and such. But say, for instance... we're heading into a bad situation or into a cavern where a dark and evil lord is supposed to be..." She shakes her head at Erevin, "Oh, no, there's no need to alert anyone to his presence then..." Erevin nods, satisfied, "That's what I wanted to hear."

Mali starts leaving pretty cherry blossoms in the road in front of Erevin, but Erevin is less than amused and casts a glance at her. "What? You're a prince!" She smiles at him happily. "That will not be necessary..." he sighs, but Shri seems happy and nods to her encouragingly. Erevin looks at Shri who responds with a smile, "I'm just thinking that it's not right for Azarius to have all the recognition... after all, he's just a noble... You're a Lionspaw, a prince." Erevin shakes his head and sighs. "Okay... let's have it, everyone get it out of your systems now... Hit me with everything you've got." Everyone grins, amused. Wren shrugs at him, "You wont hear anything from me... You know I already knew..."

Ursus whispers over to Mali that she should be careful... he's heard that elven lords can be quite vengeful. Mali laughs, "It's just Erevin..." Erevin notices their discussion and pulls out a little wooden box, whispering "Maliumpkin" into the box and tucking it away into his cloak. Ursus looks a little wide eyed and Wren giggles, playing along, "Oh the things I could do with that box..."

We walk down along the beach to meet up with the //Destiny//. Gregori, Whitestrake, and Gareth are on the deck to greet us. They inquire if everything went well in town. We let them know that people were rescued from the paintings and that the map from Thay was voted to be destroyed. They ask if we're ready to leave to go find Amara, and Erevin asks to speak with //Destiny// first.

The winged woman comes down from the sky, and Erevin explains to her the bouts of dizziness and nausea that we all had been experiencing, and that we thought it was possibly coming from travel on the ship. She cups her hands to his face and looks into his eyes, nodding, "Yes... there is something wrong with you... this has never happened before... but the ship wasn't really designed for the living... and I think your bodies are trying to adapt to the other worlds that you go to... but now that I'm aware of the problem, I can protect everyone on the ship.. Since I already have a link with each of the chosen, I believe it shouldn't be a problem to extend my protection to you while you leave the ship in the other spheres... if you want anyone else to go with you, however... I could perhaps protect one... Erevin nods, "So we'll have to choose who gets to leave with us...alright. We can leave now."

Azarius and Gregori go down to work the ship's control room. Hoping to avoid the recent reunited lovey-doveyness of Erevin and Shri, Yuki follows them down, asking them a bunch of questions, and Azarius tries to explain some of the workings to her. Trieste is there, but let's him work quietly. She moves to divert Yuki's attention to her, asking about her glossy pretty lip color. Yuki goes on to tell her how Mali creates the cherries from her staff and Wren uses them with beeswax and stuff to create the fabulous lip color. Azarius works in peace with Trieste's distraction.

Erevin and Shri head down to see the bar, clean and all set up. Saben is tending the bar, and Thirteen is there, helping as a bouncer if necessary and waiting on tables.

Heroes' Rest is even more lush. The stream has widened and there are a couple of more collected pools along the way. There are birds, bunnies, squirrels, and other small animals, and there are fish in the stream. The buildings look brighter with newer paint. Posy's destroyed door has been repaired.

Azarius gathers some of Amara's things that his parents had sent to him, and following the instructions with the books he sees the red ribbon link leading out to a distant sphere. Whitestrake turns the ship in that direction and flies masterfully. Distance and speed are difficult to judge, but using the sun and moon shifts in Heroes' Rest, a few days time passes as move toward the sphere. Occasional ribbons of energy crackle along the ship, charging it more.

When we reach the sphere, we can see the red ribbon extending into a large coastal city. Hundreds of tiny fires form a ring around the city. Is it under siege? We hear //Destiny//'s voice, "Prepare for sphere entry."

Inside the sky is blue and there are forests along the coast leading up to a large, Lyrabar sized, harbor city. We take to the water to be less obvious and as we get closer, we see large ships, made of black wood, and flying black sails with a foreign symbol. Bringing out the spyglass, we can see the men on board the ships wearing light armor. Human build with jet black skin and white hair, too burly to be drow, and their ears are short and rounded like humans.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Two boats turn toward ours and a small spark lights up... bolts of lightning and a fireball are launched toward us. Half a dozen boats pull out of the harbor and move toward us. We quickly fly out over the forest. It's a very old forest. The red string goes into the city, so we prepare to disembark the ship and move on foot through the forest.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Trieste requests to accompany us as she was sent to protect both Azarius and Amara and we were going to find Amara. Azarius nods his agreement that it was a good idea. Everyone accepts her request.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren stands close to Kale, who smiles at her and tells her she should go with the others... Erevin will get into trouble without her. She nods and agrees as he talks her into leaving with the others. Erevin smiles, "Aww! I had no idea... You're all heart." "It's important to protect you, my lord." "Aww, you too huh?" Kale grins, "Well it did seem appropriate." Erevin shakes his head. Yuki tries to comfort Wren, and tells her it will give him lots of time to prepare for a special welcome back reunion! She starts suggesting all kinds of romantic things, but Kale just smiles and nods, "I think I can handle it, Miss Ashdown..." Yuki bursts into happy tears, and grabs his hands, "I'm just so happy for you guys!!" Wren starts laughing and shakes her head.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Shri smiles at Yuki, "Should I prepare something special for Erevin's return as well?" Yuki holds herself well, and takes Shri's hands into hers, nodding, "Whatever makes 'him'...the happiest." Shri nods and walks away.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Ursus and Mali hug their goodbyes and he tells her to be careful, and reminds her of their practice lessons.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">We move through the forest together. Wren is a little weepy, mumbling something about just telling him that she wouldn't go off anywhere without him... Yuki does her best to console her. Erevin teases her, "Does his warmth still linger on your skin?" She cries, "It's growing colder..." Seeing a campfire ahead, Erevin moves in to scout it out. More of the black-skinned, white-haired humans. All men. They wear black leather armor with the same heraldry as the symbols on the boats. There is one, a little older, in jet black plate mail with silver trim and foreign holy symbols. Well trained warrior behavior, very paladin like. He seems to be in charge. They are stacking stones around the campfire.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">A man in robes comes out of a tent holding the leash of another man in a collar, same black skin, and his hair is a mangy and unkempt white. The robed man drags the captive over to the stones around the fire, and yanking on the leash, and sends several short blows through a small whistle. The leashed magic user begins casting over the stones. Once finished the robed man takes him back toward the tent, but the leashed mage becomes agitated, pulling on his chain and heading toward Erevin.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin circles out wide to not lead them to us and returns to the group, letting everyone know what he saw.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Recalling that Amara was hoping to study at the magic university in Lyrabar, we rapidly become concerned about her being a chained up mage...

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin wants to go back in for more information... but the rest of us all use some type of magic and it could be dangerous... It's decided that Mali will accompany him as backup, taking the form of a bird as a disguise. Erevin turns to Mari and points at Yuki, "Guard." Yuki is moved as the great wolf comes to stand beside her, and Wren looks after Melloran, still small in his collar.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin sneaks into the tent that appears to belong to the paladin in charge to look for more information. Mali goes with him, but pecks the ground as a bird on the other side of the tent.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The plated warrior is in the tent, looking over a map and appears to be alone. Erevin comes out of the shadows, approaching him quietly with his hands open and unarmed, and speaks in common, "I mean you no harm."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The paladin looks at him with his helmet off, his face is older with creased lines, "Well that is an interesting attitude for an elf demon assassin to take... so Ellendar has finally listened to wisdom and decided to surrender."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin shakes his head, "I don't know who that is... I'm not from here."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The older man peers at him, "Where are you from then?"

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin smiles, "Far away... I simply have my own business to attend to and you seem to be the one in charge."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"I'm pleased you came willingly, elf demon." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Are all elves called demons here?" <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Yes. They need to be cleansed by Xian... our priest will be happy with your sacrifice." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"I'm not here to surrender to your blade..." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Good! It's more sporting that way!" The paladin pulls out his blade, and an explosion of dark, crackling energy blows Erevin and Mali out of the tent. Mali shakes her head, cawing out loudly with random different fake sounding bird calls.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren stands with Azarius, Trieste, and Yuki waiting for the others to return and hears a horrible loud racket by some crazed bird and realizes that would Mali and something has gone horribly wrong. They move quickly to the camp. Wren's heart beats hard in her chest as she remembers again that she'll be going into battle without Kale... from the edge of the trees, she sees a camp full of soldiers with Erevin and Mali in bird form stunned on the ground....somewhere inside she pulls out her strength, knowing that what she is about to do will draw a lot of attention on her, stepping out of the woods, she unleashes a lightning bolt through three of the leather armored men clustered together.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Yuki steps out beside her, taking in the scene. The leather armored men have a crazed look about them... thinking they might be under a spell, she tries to dispell one, only to find out that it must be some sort of alchemy or drugs affecting them.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The paladin's sword crackles with dark energy as he stands before Erevin, "Get to your feet elvish demon, so I can cut you down."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin, still a bit stunned from the force, looks up at him, "Oh... a gentleman among the people... how quaint."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Several of the soldiers rush to the edge of the woods to meet the intruders. One spears into Yuki, but Mari leaps up, tearing into his throat. Another stabs his spear into Wren.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Three warriors are gathered around Mali jabbing their spears at her threateningly, uncertain of her strange calls. The robed man yanks on his leashed mage who puts up a sphere around the two of them.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Azarius steps forth investigating the sphere, recognizing it to be a protection from lesser spells. He pulls out his rod of empowerment and unleashes a fireball into the two, BOOM! The handler explodes on impact and the leashed mage is burning with fire and going crazy.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mali flies away from the soldiers and drops into halfling form back with the group, leaving Erevin across the camp alone.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren turns and spews tiny, furry, black spiders from her lips to swarm over the warrior attacking her. He drops to the ground, screaming as they bite into him with their poison and start consuming his flesh.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mari continues to tear into the soldier on the ground who had attacked Yuki, leaving her free to cast out a sleep command over the paladin challenging Erevin. He yawns, and slumps to the ground... She calls out to Erevin that it wont last long.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin gets to his feet and looks at the paladin, morally conflicted with the noble act the leader had extended to him... He uses the moonblade to send the paladin's sword to the edge of the camp and turns to fight the group coming forward who used to surround the bird.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Another warrior pushes past the spider covered soldier and spears into Wren.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Trieste effectively guards Azarius from any approaching warriors, and calls out strategic commands to our group.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Azarius sends in a fireball into a group of warriors, but they fight on, even though they are left burned and smoldering.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mali sends Melloran after another warrior coming close to her, and she summons in a swarm of mischievous monkeys to attack another.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren brings out Cirdan, stepping back and launches a lightning crackling arrow into the soldier jabbing his spear at her.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Yuki steps back beside her and sends out a touch of warmth and healing over Wren.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin strikes with both of his blades, heroically fighting a large group on his own. With a massive strike of cold, one keels over impaled with ice.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The paladin stands up, awake and a little confused. He begins to pray.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Monkeys tear into a warrior crazily as he tries desperately to get them off, while two others spear into Melloran and Mali, seemingly drugged and fighting like they have no care for their own lives.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">A demon erupts out of the possessed leashed mage.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Trieste finishes off a warrior, continuing to protect Azarius. Azarius launches another empowered fireball between the demon and the praying paladin, BOOM!

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Monkeys continue to thrash one of the warriors, shoving poo into his mouth and ears and up his nose! Mali summons forth an earth elemental, sending him in to maul another of the warriors. Melloran drops the other.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Spiders continue to eat a soldier alive, and Wren launches another arrow into a warrior.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Yuki uses her ribbon to disarm the spear from another.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin strikes with both blades, dropping another, leaving just one standing in front of him.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The demon moves forward and opening his mouth wide, blows a wide burst of fire in front of him, killing most of their own remaining warriors. The monkeys and spiders are burned to ash. Flames wash over Yuki, Mali, and Melloran badly, but Azarius, Trieste, and Wren manage to avoid the main blast.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mali, Melloran, and the earth elemental swarm around the 2 warriors left standing near them, and take one of them down.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren launches a vibrantly crackling arrow into the demon, who turns to glare at her.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Yuki beautifully sends out a wave of her loving healing over everyone.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin heroically smites down the last warrior beside him, and turns toward the praying paladin.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The demon angrily rushes Wren, stabbing her with two of his claws, and as he goes to bite into her... two strong arms pull her back. Looking down she sees that the arms are black furred, and looking over her shoulder she sees the face of a black puma faced man. He looks at her, "You have very pretty eyes..." Shocked and badly injured, she screams out, "KALE!"

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Azarius sends another fireball directly at the paladin, who glares at him, "Free yourself from the curse!" Azarius taunts his attention further onto him as Trieste stands ready to protect him.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Mali and Melloran fight together to drop the last of the warriors, and the earth elemental moves up to smash into the demon, who rocks from the force and turns to face the elemental.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Sensing no real threat, Wren comes to her senses and thanks the black furred cat person, and sends Cirdan forward to send another arrow into the demon. The cat nods to her a little skeptically, "You're welcome." and stands her back up on her own.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin hacks mightily into the paladin, burying his blade into him, and as his blood splashes onto the rocks around the fire, a portal seems to be opening with figures ready to rush in.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Yuki sends out another powerful wave of healing light, keeping everyone standing and fighting.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Trieste moves up to slash into the demon and streaks of light fly over from behind us, striking into each of the demon's eyes at once. We turn to see two eleven women a large silvery grey cat. "More are on the way! This place will be swarming with Xianese soon! We should leave."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin places one last strike to take the paladin's head, and gathers the paladin's sword as armored men begin coming through the portal. We all run... fast! The elves and cat person seem to know it well and lead the way. 20 minutes of hard running through the trees, and we pause to breathe for introductions.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Who are you? We seen you fighting the demon and the Xianese..." Erevin introduces himself as "Erevin Lionspaw" and introduces everyone else.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Teeatha Starlight, and this is my sister Nuala Heartseeker. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Wren asks, "Does the cat have a name too?" <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The large silvery grey cat stands and forms into a very handsome elven man, "Why yes... I do... Lillarthi, commander of the elven force of Ellendar." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">She smiles, "A pleasure to meet you."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin's moonblade begins to glow and the bows of the elven women glow as well. "This has never happened before... where does that blade come from?" <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"It was forged from a metal that fell from the sky... what about your bows?" <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"We are archers of Ellowyn, goddess of the elves. Our bows contain the souls of the archers who wielded them before..." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin looks a little surprised, "The same for the blade. It also contains the souls of those wielded it before." <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"We should head to Valparia. The city up ahead."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The black panther person walks beside Wren, "I'm Vhoori. I didn't mean to startle you before... but you do have very pretty eyes." Wren smiles at him and blushes, "Thank you... and thank you again for the rescue." She walks beside him. Erevin tells the elves that we are looking for someone we're hoping to find in the city. Azarius describes Amara. "We don't recognize the description... but we do know of an Amara... she's an apprentice to Yarrik, the high wizard of Dakar."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">They lead us through the forest, avoiding patrols and camps, around to the back of the city. As we go through a first wall and then a second wall of the city, we notice there are three main sets of people... Human soldiers, with a roman like appearance, the city guard... and not quite as many is a human group of barbarian like warriors wearing furs... and a smaller group of elven soldiers in golden armor, carrying bows. While they are all working hard to fortify the area and prepare for the upcoming battle, the townspeople here are terrified!

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">We enter the citadel, a large wide room, the elven lord with us, address two men, "William, Lord Corelius, we have strangers who claim to be from another world..."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Lord Satrynus Corelius asks, "From another world? Are they on our side?"

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">High Mage Yarrik steps forth to look at us... and a familiar voice comes from behind him... "Big brother! Is that you?!" It's Amara... but she appears to have aged about 5 years and looks as old as Azarius now. "How did you get here? ... You shouldn't have come! It is bad here!"

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Azarius looks at her, "I had to come rescue you! Our family is beside themselves..."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Amara blushes and introduces us to Yarrik. One look and we can tell that she seems to be infatuated with the high mage.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"It is true what she says... it is bad here. The Xianese are making their final push... we could use more blades."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"We don't have much time... but with the time we have, we will help you."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"We would be glad to have you."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"We're told that the elves are the most hated enemy of the Xianese. They call them elven demons. They have been burning their way through the forests. We have formed a three way alliance. The Xianese have their dark god and their warriors throw their lives away. They do not have mages... so they put demons from their god into volunteers, who go mad from it but can cast magic for them."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"There are ziggurats around the city to port more troops in quickly... but they don't know how many elves we have, nor do they know about Yarrik."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"They also have the Hands of Xian... people who have totally given themselves up to destruction. They don't distinguish between friend and foe."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"The Xianese were a poor, refugee group of people. Xian gave them strength... and they bided their time in peace until the time was right to strike."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Thousands of troops are gathered outside of the city for the battle, but they have thousands of their own troops within the city. It will be a close, bloody battle... but there is a possibility of a win. We will have to draw them in... between the 1st and 2nd wall of the city where we will use magic to deal great, punishing damage to them as they move in."

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"Do you have healers?" Yuki asks.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"There are priests among the elves who heal." And Yuki can feel a rich presence of gods here... who feel close to the world. <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">She asks if Xian is the only god force active in this war or if the other gods are active as well. They tell her that Ellowyn is here on the world, protecting the forests, but they haven't talked to her in a few weeks... so... she is an avatar, here, living among the people.

<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Erevin asks if the god Xian walks among his troops, and they say no, but there is a high priest, favored with Xian, among those bringing the war.