The Approaching Storm (Ayanna)
From Toosigma
| Title | The Approaching Storm |
|---|---|
| Author | Philip Mann - Ayanna |
| Campaign | Shattered Prisons |
| Session | The Approaching Storm |
| Posted | |
| Game Date |
I arrived in Silvervale a small number of hours after I left the others. It felt so good to run through the forest, but I had to remind myself many times that I had a purpose and a destination this day. The others, I knew, would be mayhap as far as a day behind me or longer if their normal travel patterns hold; this meant that they might not arrive until after the attack had turned this village to ash.
The drive to continue burned through my legs with the spell that carried me forward even faster. I focused on the village so hard that I almost didn't notice I was swiftly closing on the elder Laster who was walking a horse back from the caravan ambush just yesterday. He looked well but tired, and I thought it better to walk up to him rather than run up as a wolf and risk a fright.
I did not linger long beyond telling him what was coming and I was on my way again at my best pace. He understood how difficult the situation was about to become even as he asked his horse for just a little more to get him quickly into the village...
My first stop was the Laster home. Again, not wishing a fright, I abandoned my wolf shape in favor of what would be more familiar to these people. I walked toward the dwelling and past what seemed to be the whole of the village's children playing as if nothing at all mattered beyond right now. The children at play along my route paused their activities as I strode by, and little Trina took the opportunity to recover a doll of hers that was held tightly by another child. I could not help but smile as she enthusiastically returned my greeting wave from a heart that was clearly unburdened by the concerns of the adults inside.
My arrival at the door was quite unexpected to guess from the confused expressions before me. When Arna came forward, obvious signs of grieving on her face, I began to understand that the context of events could be much deeper than my perspective allowed. I reassured her that Roth was a short distance behind me and, when the glee subsided, conveyed what I had returned to the village to do. The warning hit the family hard, but they resolved to help though I was unable to provide any guidance other than to let everyone know.
Next, to the Fenn house, a family that worked very hard and with whom I had enjoyed many hours since my arrival. Kaliss paused in the middle of his work to greet me and to call his wife over as well. He was likewise surprised to see me, expecting that I would be with the caravan moving toward Merylsward. I explained what happened and about the plans that we had recovered, and that I had no idea of what to do with it. The couple seemed to have an instant resolve to do whatever needed to be done, and Kaliss again donned the armor and weapons he had left from the war.
Kaliss escorted me to the town center and the Leaky Cauldron where much of the town was already gathered. The commander of what remained of the Aundairian forces immediately recognized me as an escaped prisoner though I hoped simply to pass on the information I had and depart. Surely the mistake that had jailed me would resolve itself in time, and the safety of the whole village was much more important than any such grievance they could have with me. Still, reluctant as she was to listen to my information, reason prevailed if only to have the scout woman who attacked me so viciously become my escort as I sought to warn Krax and his people of the danger. Though this scout woman called me “demon” as a provocation of some sort, at least I had her name...Firella...
The kobolds were already aware of the army that had invaded and were unsure of what to do. They reasoned, as I had, that they would likely be better to pool their abilities with Silvervale rather than to go out on their own, but Firella seemed reluctant to even consider the proposal. Still, with representatives of the tribe in tow, we returned to the village to get things moving to whatever end the tactically minded people decided.
My last mission, to tell Aemylithria and to discover if Keradin had been found, turned as I expected. My friend was going to go into hiding until things settled, and neither Keradin or Zaarin were around as the latter still searched for the minotaur. Part of me wanted to go search for him, but I knew that my responsibilities lay with the village and those around it, and to see them safe had to come first. Aemylithria gave no indication of whether I would be able to find her if I needed to, but I felt our parting had some sort of finality to it...
The leadership of the village decided it best to evacuate as quickly as they could and asked if I could help by scouting the area. I soon found myself near the edge of a huge encampment to the west that appeared to be waiting for some sign to move. All manner of weapons and armor were around, as well as some distinct leadership among the mass of goblinoids. I thought long on trying to count their number and of how to position myself to intervene should they charge the village when I saw the dragon among them. A dragon! I immediately returned to the village to tell Kaliss what I had seen. With a calm that I could only imagine was from his days as a soldier, he noted every word and quietly asked me to return and keep watching for movement. He was not ungrateful that I had brought this information straight away, but seemed to instantly factor it in with the plans already in motion with a practiced mind so used to such things.
As I raced back to my patrol I found that I could not imagine a life where such things as today would become routine...
It was late before the others arrived, clearly showing signs of having pushed very hard to get back as quickly as possible. When I returned to the village I could tell that their horses were in poor shape, but could not bring myself to admonish everyone for they looked equally worn. They seemed somewhat surprised to see the village nearly prepared to leave, probably set to defend the town in an impossible fight to the death. I was happy for the wisdom of the village leaders, for Silvervale and for my friends...
When the caravan left it was very dark. I provided what illumination I could as I continued a patrol around the caravan. Tired people and animals pressed on into the day, stopping only long enough to feed the creatures and resettle loads. I remained distant from the caravan and tried to keep my keen wolf senses trained on the forest around them. Eventually I discovered pursuit from two groups, one far more powerful than the other, and we organized a hasty defense. Marius seemed surprised that I would not stay behind the rocks and such as he directed, instead circling behind the trolls and others. I thought only that, to them, I would be just another creature in the forest and might be able to confuse them somewhat by targeting them from behind. As the fight wore on, I found that I was only able to disrupt their advance slightly as I became an isolated target on my own. Still, though I was hurt badly, I felt that I had contributed just a small amount to the effort and that much was better than I had hoped.
We relieved the kobolds that had been harassing the second approaching group and the others quickly cleared what remained. I busied myself rounding up part of the kobold group and trying to push them along to get back to the caravan. By doing what they could and being very effective in delaying the other advance, I hoped that the tribe had somehow proven their worth to the skeptics that rode in the caravan. Only time would tell, but that outcome would be beyond my ken as we decided not to stay with the caravan into Aundair.
I must have spent a year of worry and concentration as I tried to pick a path for the others to return to the ruins we had visited twice. Even the most stealthy among them seemed so clumsy and loud to my ears. I was grateful though that they did try to be quiet or we might not have made it to our objective without being forced to engage one or more of the many patrols that scoured the forest.
There was a contingent already at the ruin and it seemed to me that they were defending it. I tried to locate assistance in the forest, but I knew that was probably not to come because, like Aemylithria, those who dwell among the trees likewise went into hiding against the invading army...
Instead, we fought and dispatched the guardians on the surface. Still, what remained was below and powerful, and the others seemed oblivious to the danger. Marius charged down the stairs, followed by everyone save me...I just could not see a way to help so crowded as it was...and I was scared to die down there as bad as the fight had gone for me at the river crossing...
For a long while all I could see was people and weapons, but when an opening appeared toward the back of the room I could see into, I called a dire bat to assist where I could not. The bat fought well and seemed to help a lot until it was struck down by an unseen foe where I remembered the other hall to be. The others, as I should have known, charged into the area and a fight began against an enemy that could not be seen from my perch atop the stairs. Against my own better judgment, I descended into the blackness and found I was able to do little.
When the fighting was over and everyone healed to some degree, the discussion began about the keys. I paid little attention to it as my mind was with the village caravan and in my heart I hoped that we had not left them too soon. My charge was to serve the forest and to promote harmony with the village and its people, and now I found that nothing remained that I could do. A monstrous army occupied what had been a peaceful village, and patrols scoured what had been a beautiful and quiet wilderness. Animals and people alike fled the new force in the area, but I struggled somehow to remain as if my duty to the region remained unchanged...
