Darkwood--Darkness Rising

[Sigrid]

"Many would go to war with the elves just because they are elves. They would not stop with just the leaders."

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

"How do you oppose such as them without bringing war? Convince the elves to fight their leaders? Have them organize the allies you seek? If they are as arrogant as this one suggests," she points at Skyseeker, "then I wish you luck. You talk of not only finding allies, but of turning a people against themselves."

[Seven Words]

Vistyai speaks up..."My people are already divided. The so-called Protector has maintained power through fears he has helped create, orchestrated the terrors which kept everyone meekly following, and slaughtered all who stood even a chance of discovering the truth. There are many of us who will stand ad fight, now that we have a clear enemy, rather than mysterious evils in the night. Skyseeker herself will bring many in against the demon-elves, as you called them, simply by existing. We've been lied to, told no other elves survived. Her presence refutes the greatest pillar his rule is built on."

[Led Pighp]

"And if these elves fall to evil, they will surely bring their FrusVolk neighbors into a giant morass of war that will continue until the Doom returns to finish the world. So, yes. Will will turn the people against their leaders. We will earn the trust of the Warforged and the Shifters, and the Volk all about. And when we're done with that, if we're very lucky, there will be enough left able to fight that we may assist the countries farther to the south, or perhaps even take the fight to the Darkwood itself."

"The alternative is to find shelter and live in hedonism until the end takes you."

[Sigrid]

"The Doom? The Doom has returned? Oh no."

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

"You make hedonism sound like it's an unpleasant choice..."

[Led Pighp]

"Not unpleasant, no. Just... not really a viable choice over the long term. When there is no more 'long term', it's a perfectly reasonable choice, though."

[Seven Words]

In the distance, DarkRock and Bitch-Kissed can be seen speaking to a group of other elves.

"It appears they have just been told about me" remarks Skyseeker wryly, as some screams of disbelief and joy can be heard....along with the sight of some even falling to the ground, in shock, laughing in joy, or in tears. Eyes flitting briefly to Sigrid, "Hedonism is but the term used by those who lack the capability to truly LIVE to describe the simple act of enjoying life in all its facets."

[Led Pighp]

"Ah, no. My people call that 'living'. Hedonism is when one becomes so fixated on experiencing the present that he sacrifices all possible futures for it. My people see it when certain of us discover some of the more... introspective herbs. The settled lands to the south have those crushed under the weight of drink, and I have seen a few so corpulent from eating that they cannot walk alone. It is most assuredly a bad thing."

"Folk myths speak of those who make pacts with dark powers, eventually falling pray to the need to commit attrocities. Frequently, that's the only way to find them... that they are so bold in their horrors that they are easy to find."

[Seven Words]

Marrik grimaces in distaste, "Some of my own relations have difficulty moving like you mentioned, Led. I only hope that their evils are merely the small, petty, everyday sort. Although their eagerness to see me depart bodes ill on that score."

[Seven Words]

Ok, skipping ahead a bit...


The Leaf Callers gathering is solemn, but positive. Though they did suffer casualties, they succeeded in rescuing the Volk and the Freed. Now, however, word of Led, of Skyseeker, and of Marrik has percolated through...

No decision is to be made this day, but upon the morrow, it seems the choice will be made, to march upon the Protector, revealing his lies.

[Seven Words]

The assembly of the Leaf Gatherers...

Vistyai speaks first, and simply...

"We have been lied to. Ever since the Coming of Doom, we've thought, been told, that none other of our people survived. But many thousands, even tens of thousands, survived, and live, and believe themselves to be all that remains. Here is one such....Lady Skyseeker!" at this, he points to her...she frowns briefly, before performing an elaborate formal bow.

"And the Witnesses of our Shame, the Shifters, and Warforged....Mentally deficient, unable to truly live on their own, incapable of adult responsibilities...Led Pighp here refutes this! Ever since the Doom, his people have forged lives,forged a culture, forged a CIVILIZATION of their own."

"I say, it is time now, with these truths here, to demand an accounting from he and his, from all the Highest Branch folk. We are the Elder Race,no more should we cower in our holes, squatting in terror amidst the ruined glories of our ancestors, no more sowing fear and strife among the Youngest. We must be worthy of our heritage. We are not divinely meant to rule over all. That attitude is what brought the Doom! Those from whom Lady Skyseeker comes still have history, records from the Time Before Darkness."

[Laurel]

Laurel humbly approaches the gathering, and quietly breaks in to a memorial song she composed regarding the heroics of Beauregard. She sings of his individual accomplishments against orcs and demons, and finally of his untimely demise at the fangs of Marrowrime.

When she finishes, she speaks of what she knows will happen among the Rees of the Darelline Confederacy. The clans will hold an ingathering, and then move to the border in force. She warns the politicking will take time, but that she was sure things in her homeland had begun to move in the direction of fighting the oncoming Darkness.

"My people are very far from here, and if they even knew of The Protector's deceit and decided to come help you against him, they would arrive far too late. But I am certain both the halflings and my people will join together with others to face and defeat the coming Darkness with bravery."

[Led Pighp]

Led stands there, in the finery of a Lorekeeper of Serloth. "In the shadow of the Darkwood, my people live. To our north are villages of Warforged as well. Most of us believed the elves to be long gone from this world, and revier them as some kind of savior species. We know nothing of the Coming of Doom, and nothing of those elves who helped bring it about."

"I know that they would rise up to help our cousins here in the north, though there would be misgivings to fight elves in the process. And yet, I suspect that they would be better served to fight the Doom where they are, since they are standing under the branches of the 'Wood."

"For though this battle here is important, and close to my heart, it is not the whole war. And if the clans of the Volk battle amongst themselves, and the elves battle amongst themselves, and the Shifters and Warforged fight on both sides... the result is that everybody dies."

"Like you, most of the elves here are acting under false information, fed to them by this so-called Protector. But there is more to it. We know that one called Farstrider journeys between your people and Skyseeker's, and he seems to have posed as a human to sow dissent among the Heshic tribes as well."

"Why would the Protector make plans to embroil his people in a war where everybody died? Even an evil ruler would build the strength of his empire. Only one who is a pawn for a higher power would cause nothing but chaos like this."

"Yes. Chaos. There are rebellions and civil wars all over. They are pitting your people against each other, simply so that you will be unable to stop their main plan: to bring back the Doom and end the entire world. Their weapons are hatreds, bigotry, and silence. None speak to their neighbors, mistrusting them and perhaps killing them. But we're all just puppets dancing on their strings, instead of standing together."

"The Frost Giants and the elves, the orcs and the Rhees to the south, we ALL have much to lose if the world itself is destroyed. But instead of facing our real foes, we're bickering amongst ourselves instead. I know I'm guilty of it myself. Mere days ago, I was calling down curses upon your whole nation for your sins against my people. But I repent of my anger against the symptom. And I vow to fight the real cause."

[Sigrid]

"And I will help show the Volk the truth."

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

Kali tries to keep a very low profile while listening to the speeches. Her nervous glances, exotic look, and use of the Warforged she nicknamed Arbee as cover cause her to fail miserably.

[Seven Words]

Marrik is staring intently at one of the elves, who is working his way closer to the large rock which is serving as a stage.....

Skyseeker speaks....."What you remember as the Coming of Doom, we recall as the last act of the Nameless One, a Prince of our people who elt we were meant to rule the younger races....in pursuit of the power to do so, he made alliance with, even pledged his allegiance to, an ancient evil, so vile it is whispered the very gods themselves banished it....it's malign influence twisted even the some of the gods themselves, some scrolls hint. TO stop him, a great warding was erected, all around the Golden Wood..the powers he wielded, and served, blasted and blighted it all...for these long millenia, it has been called the Dark Wood. But the wards would hold the evil at bay forever...the sacrifice was lamented, but necessary. Except, we found the seals weakening....Dark Elves, even, marked by the colors of corruption and decay, we have fought. Even seen a fabled weapon from ancient times, the Darkness-Beyond-Death. We thought that with the Nameless' command of Jao at the end, his forces overran every settlement save the distant mining enclave where my ancestors settled. Lacking the Aetherweb, and lacking any hint of other survivors, we grieved, and mourned all that was lost...the Darkness comes again, and all of the elves must gather, and stand, else this time the Nameless' forces will triumph and wash this world in blood and scourge ti with unholy fire. In our hubris, long ago, we deemed the younger races insignificant, and did not ask for their aid, though they have as much stake in the fate of the world as we do, for do we not ALL live upon it? All goodly folk MUST stand together, as Led said."

[Seven Words]

Marrik suddenly lurches forward, knocking Skyseeker aside, as the not-quite-stealthy-enough elf tries to stab her. In his startlement, he drops something....however, his blade scores along Marrik's arm.

PMs for results of Spot checks for those who succeed.

[Laurel]

Laurel jumps back in surprise as Marrik moves suddenly to push Skyseeker out of harm's way. Seeing the small bag drop as the attacking elf merges in to the crowd to attempt escaping, the bard rushes to see what he dropped, then stands stock still before bending down to very gingerly cradle it in her hands before standing and facing the crowd.

Lifting up the bag cautiously so all could see, Laurel projects to the crowd, "These mystical glyphs of warding should be warning enough; however this elaborate triple seal is very familiar to those of us who saw the effect of The Darkness Beyond Death, and who came across further supplies of it later.

"This bag contains the deadly fungus!" Laurel's voice rings out among the gathering. "We dare not open if here!"

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

Watching the speakers' area from the vantage point granted by her height, Kalindriel sees Marrik gazing intently at one of the elves in the crowd. Unsure of her hosts' ways, she makes no move other than rapping on Arbee's armor plating. "Keep an eye out, something might be happening."

Soon enough the intent of the elf becomes clear to her as Marrik intercepts the attack meant for Skyseeker. Instead of charging the stage she steps up on one of Arbee's lower spikes to follow his path through the crowd. Certain it will take him near to their position she hops down and works her way through the nearby people. Move forward a few feet. Step back. Hold it, don't move.

Having set herself and glaive behind a few of the people, she does not have long to wait until the elf comes running through the ambush spot. He grunts in surprise as much as pain as the glaive slices a deep gash his left side as it springs from the ground and arcs up. He keeps running, dodging away from the glaive wielder. Kalindriel spins while twisting the glaive between the nearby elves and brings it down to dig deep into the back of the fleeing figure.

Finishing her stroke, she prepares to give chase as someone at the speaker's rock begins talking to the crowd about Darkness and glyphs.