Fantasy RP

[Duck14]

Alfred

“Hmm, well then. Perhaps it will do no ‘arm in saying then. Though I doubt it will do much good for the priest unless he had a means of travel. You see our friend has gone to Belgate on business and I know not when he will return.” I cleared my throat and looked about.

- - - -

Verous

I nodded to Perrin and those at his table. It seemed those on that table would be of more assistance on this crypt matter. Perrin would not leave my side and perhaps the good Sister would know something of use. But that was not my first destination, instead I went first to Prue and Count Ballus. “Morning,” I said putting aside the dream for a moment as I focused on each of them. “What’s on the agenda for today? How are supplies looking?”

[Tikobe]

Othan

A conversation with the Earl and his advisors? I would assume that would include Kallian and myself. Well, if otherwise we'd be dismissed anyways. I decided to remain silent and watch the flow of the situation

Kainer

I grimace. There's no saving the man; Carrying a normal person, let alone an armed knight, would put us both into a situation where we'd get killed. I look to Rhyewn.

"Let's get out of here!" I yell as I begin running. Our tiny legs weren't going to take us very far compared to those giants. However, if I'm going to be in a risky position either way I go then there's no more holding back. We have a village that's on fire all around us, and there's nothing more effective to fight these bastards with. I go straight for the smallest avenues between the buildings, my hand covering my mouth to prevent myself from inhaling the smoke. Hopefully the flames can force the trolls to break pursuit.

Arelia

I give a small sigh.

"Trying to figure out how I'm going to grade all of this homework!" I whine. I'm not going to involve my family in this quest of mine. No matter what, I won't.

[Bannanachair]

Jonos

"It doesn't matter why it happened," Vena said, "It was a strategic blunder. If I may speak frankly, your majesty, I believe in your dream of a reunited Thasia - but I want it united behind you, and not against you."

Edric

Elirion looked at the necklace for a bit, examining it, and then spoke. "We got what the guildmaster wants. If that bitch Silver, whatever her real name is, wants to remain unaffiliated, that's her loss. We had best head out."

Arthwyll gave you a glance, and then spoke. "Hey, boss, is there any chance at all that I'll ever get to meet this mysterious guildmaster?"

Elirion, who was already halfway up the ladder, turned back and glared at Arthwyll. "Shut up, Art. You know how the guildmaster values his privacy."

Alfred

"Most mysterious friend I've ever met, if ye pardon me sayin' so, cap'n," Artie said. "Still, there be no denyin' that he saved Garry's life."

Verous

"As meager as ever," Prue said. "Count Ballus, Ver will support me on this - children should get just as much food as adults. Young kids are still growing, and those too young to eat will need healthy, well-fed mothers or wetnurses to feed."

"It doesn't matter if they're less healthy, as long as they survive," The count replied. "You're a kind woman, but you've seen the numbers. Until his Majesty's supply-train arrives, we should plan as though it won't - "

"It will," Prue interrupted.

"It's on it's way doesn't mean it will arrive. At least three grain shipments that we know about were capsized in the storm, and they were full of food that would feed people."

"So you think another storm like that one will occur again?" Prue asked.

"Hells, I don't know what will happen!" Ballus said.

"There's no need to blaspheme," the priest said, but was ignored.

"I certainly didn't expect the first storm to happen," Ballus finished.

Othan

Large numbers of people start shuffling out, including Raethus, but you and Kallian remained. You noticed a number of your father's close friends and confidants remained - you saw Hedrek Talverton and his close friend Hartwig Almerry in one section, your uncle Marthus was there, as were some people who you hadn't realized arrived in Mallowater for the tournament - the barons Cregan Darfield, Orryk Parverton, Runhild of Lakewell, Forsen Brythant and Osric Celnaer being the most striking examples. You spotted Horthon, sitting with Sir Galad Forsnith.

There were two absences of particular note. You were unable to find Northan - perhaps he left with the rest of the crowd, or perhaps he was spending time with his newborn. The even more noteworthy absence was that of your father.

"Where's Thander?" Nizeston asked. "I last spoke with him just three years ago - while some of my kindred may lose track of the years, I do not."

"Your highness," Kallian replied. "My father, Earl Thander Mallowater, is rather old, and unable to manage the day-to-day governance of the realm any more. My brother Othan and I have been running things in his absence."

"Is that so?" The dragon replied. "That's quite a shame. I had hoped to speak with my old friend at some point."

"I can have a runner sent to get him immediately, your highness," replied Forsen.

"No, I can wait to speak with him if he is at the age already where he must spend most of the day in rest," Nizeston continued. "I had heard a rumour that there were those in Mallowater arming themselves for war."

Kainer

In the corner of your eye, you thought you saw Rhyewn pick up the torch and fling it in the Troll's eyes as you fled, but you moved too fast. Miraculously, you managed to get away from the battle, and by the time the fire was just a dim light on the horizon, you collapsed, too physically exhausted to move any further but with too much adrenaline to actually fall asleep.

After about an hour, you heard the found of hooves, and Rhyewn's voice. "There you are, Kainer," Said the knight on horseback. Slung over the saddle was a mangled man, or perhaps a corpse, and though you couldn't tell in the dark, you think he was the man who that troll had crushed just as you left. "I managed to find a horse as I fled; it's the only reason I haven't collapsed yet as well."

Arelia

The rest of your evening continued on much the same. At dinner, Javrey managed to annoy Reiselle with a few comments, though you're unsure which it was specifically that tipped her over the edge. Still, it wasn't anything particularly unusual, given their age. After dinner Halsey said her goodbyes for the evening and headed out to look after her own children.

That evening, you had the same dream that you had every night - a dream of Arlan's field, the dream in which your beloved Gaer died and then rose again and, like the rest of the undead abominations, had to be killed again. You weren't sure who killed him at Arlan's Field as it actually happened, but in the dream, it's always you who has to kill him the second time.

[Duck14]

Alfred

“You’re pardoned, I agree. He seems to still be interesting in the help we can offer him so I’m not sure if that’s the last we will see of him. And I suppose we do owe him,” I said clearing my throat and looking back out onto the river where he had our treacherous journey. “If you don’t mind could you tell the good priest that he is out of town for the time being. Probably best not to say exactly where in case we send him on a wild goose chase.”

- - -

Verous

I thought on it for a moment. Both had a point. The young needed food just as much as anyone else, I wasn’t long out of childhood myself and I knew that. Though there was no way to be truly certain if or when the supplies would arrive. “Even if we’re waiting on the shipment we should still be giving equal shares to all whether they’re small or not.”

I looked across the table to the Count. “Though you’re right. There is no certainty when our cargo will get here. But it will come, storm or not we have a duty to protect the people of Datha and that will be done. Though I’m afraid to say that it’s our own citizens who are causing us problems. We have the richer folk hoarding for themselves and then bandits taking from others. This is our time for the people to be unified and that is becoming hard to achieve. We need the food to be shared that we currently have in this city.”

[Leggo]

Jonos

I'm trying to be nice here. I really am. I want to shout that I don't care and storm off. But I'm supposed to marry this woman... I can't! That'll only make things worse.

"I'm glad I have your counsel, then. Next time, I hope you're there to counsel me against... rash decisions," I say as politically as I can. Turning to walk out of the tent, I quickly say, "If you'll excuse me, I have something to attend to."

Edric

I roll my eyes when Elirion turns back to the ladder and make sure Arthwyll sees. We've been on this job for a few weeks now, and yet we still know little about the guildmaster. It's always, "You'll meet him when you've proven yourself," or "The guildmaster values his privacy," or some other stupid line. Being used for grunt work is so boring. Hopefully the others have made some more progress, although I doubt it.

I follow Elirion up the ladder.

[Tikobe]

Othan

(I don't know why I struggled to find a formal title to refer to Nizeston with)

Arming ourselves? Had he perhaps been speaking of the war meetings I had been holding with Hedrek, Hartwig and Raethus?

"Your majesty, if it is alright for me to speak, I do believe you're referring to the ones planned out by myself and a few close associates. We have long since anticipated that there may come a time to clash against the enemies of Orevod, so some of the lords and militants of Mallowater have begun pre-emptive preparations to prepare ourselves should the need arise," I announce.

Kainer

I dash over to examine the man.

"Is he alright?" I immediately question Rhyewn. I'm not a doctor, but some of the basics like bandaging and making a splint were taught to me by the elves of the Autumn Court. Even then, the man was flattened by a troll's club. If he's alive, it won't be for very much longer.

Arelia

I wake up, disturbed. The dream, as always, is twisted to the extreme. I take a deep breath to stabilize myself. I'm a mage, and one that is the forefront of defensive magics. My composure is my lifeblood. I can't be shaken.

As I regain my wits, I take a look around, and if there's nothing there, get myself ready for the day.

[Bannanachair]

Alfred

"Aye, cap'n, I'll tell 'im the next time I'm in Church," Artie says.

Verous

"It would add to our stores, but they won't last forever either," Count Ballus said.

"We don't need the food that we have no to last forever," Prue said, "We just need it to last until Darryl gets back."

"On the topic of getting food from the hoarders, how is that going, your majesty?" Count Ballus asked.

Jonos

"As you command, your majesty," Vena said, and departed. When you left your tent, you saw that preparations to begin moving had already begun, with people packing up tents and bags. Standing immediately outside of your tent was Sir Haral Thirnwod, ready to resume his bodyguarding.

Edric

As you climb the ladder, you find yourself on the deck of a large and luxurious ship; the kind that can only be brought by someone with money. Down the gangway, when you find yourself in the docks, however, it becomes apparent that that ship was the exception, and that most of the boats were much more practical in their design.

"The guild will be in touch for your next job," Elirion said, as he put up his hood and walked away from you and Arthwyll.

"I could use a drink, if you want to go to the pub," Arthwyll said.

Othan

Nizeston looked at you, and then a spark of recognition appeared in his eye. "Ah yes, it would be you," He said, and a smile crept across his draconic face. "Tell me, Othan Mallowater, what ideas are turning in your head? You're not a man to make a military move without a plan, to pick a fight you don't think you can win - and making war preparations is certainly both of these. If you were leading the military campaign, what would your strategy be?"

Kainer

"He's alive, for the time being at least," Rhyewn says. "Unless you know any faerie-magic, I don't think he'll survive for long unless we can get back to Secelle. Do you think you can walk? If not, you can ride and I'll walk alongside you."

Arelia

And so you get dressed, breakfast with your children and then, eventually, find yourself back in your office at the University. The book on Eredalian history was still where you had left it, but sitting on top of it was an envelope bearing the seal of Naroth var Droskyn, a wizard from Ayomar with whom you have had some correspondence, and who was a friend of Gaer's.

[Leggo]

Edric

  "Sure," I say with a nod. "I need a drink." 

[Duck14]

Alfred

“Aye Artie. I didn’t know you were a church man,” I said eying him.

————
Verous

“We’re still working on that problem. Those who hoard seem less than helpful or considerate of the rest of our population. And beyond using force to get them to share there is little we can do to get those resources. I suppose I should attempt again.” I said looking over the table. Rations had become the norm here and we could help these people if the hoarders gave a portion of what they held.

“Beyond that we also seem to have a bandit problem. With thieves finding a way through the catacombs. It seems this storm has brought out the worst in people.”

[Tikobe]

Kainer

"I think I'll be fine. Not much more than a few scrapes and bruises at least. Just gonna have to hope that there aren't more trolls," I say, keeping an eye on the man's condition.

Arelia

From van Droskyn, is it? I take my letter opener and carefully open the envelope to peruse it's contents.

[Bannanachair]

Jonos

Over the course of the day, your men packed up camp and made the journey to Mescor-the-city itself. Three days into your march, however, you receive two letters, one from Hallon Talsworth and one from Cirthil Holmsbury. They read as follows:

Your Majesty,

I must report that there has been a battle recently, near the castle of Vinstone, here in Mescor. The armies of Count Arnil had decided to turn north, to try to intercept you as you reached Mescor-city itself. Sir Wallace decided to harry them to slow them down, and wound up in a pitched battle. We had surprise, and chose favourable terrain; in spite of that, we lost a third of our men, and Sir Wallace himself is missing. We fear the worst. As of now, Ulfilas, Ballus and I have assumed joint command of the military forces, and, after recouping our losses, seek to rejoin you in advance of Arnil's armies.

Hallon Talsworth

The second didn't contain much better news, after you held it over a candle to see the hidden words on the back of a long note to his mother about cider production.

Your Majesty,

Despite my best attempts, count Arnil has found that you plan to march on his capital, and has started marching there. I have tried to slow him down in my own ways, as has Sir Wallace. You have my assurances that your knight is alive and well, though a prisoner of the count's. I ensured the battle was broken off before your losses were too severe. If my scouts are right, you will be outnumbered when Arnil's forces arrive; you will want to recall your barons of Darham and Capvering, along with your mercenary, and you will outnumber the count soundly.

Cirthil Holmsbury

Edric

The tavern that you and Arthwyll went to was one called the Olive Tree, the bar where, for the past few weeks, you had met with the rest of the infiltrators of the Thieves' Guild to discus your progress. Already, you see Igraille and Jaime sitting at your regular table in the back corner, and the two of them could not be more different - Igraille almost the picturesque Argolonian maiden, Jaime a grizzled forty-year-old soldier.

As you sit down, Arthwyll is the first to speak. "Where's Redd? He wasn't at our last meeting, and I haven't seen him in a while."

"I don't know," Igraille said. "He could be compromised. Or dead, given this line of work."

Jaime shook his head. "I've worked with Redd before," He said. "He does this from time to time, just disappearing. If there's one thing I know about the bastard, he isn't compromised."

Alfred

"I wasn't, not before the storm," Artie said. "I've been going more since the storm, since… What I saw in the storm."

Verous

"Nobody likes being forced to live off of rations," Count Ballus said. "Some just don't have the foresight to see why it's necessary, and will do everything in their power to remain comfortable even if it hurts everyone else."

Arelia

Arelia,

I came to Belgate as quickly as I could, but I arrived while you were asleep, so you were not here. I found a manuscript that you might find interesting, with a name that you might recognize. Have you ever heard of Abel Olcorth? I will be in the library when you read this.

Naroth var Droskyn

Kainer

"We lost the fight, Kainer," Rhyewn said, helping you to your feet. "There's no telling where there's more trolls. I don't think there will be safety until we reach Secelle."

As the two of you travel, the moon begins to hang lower and lower in the sky. The night will soon draw to a close, it seems, as awful as a night as it has been - perhaps the worst that you can remember, though doubtless not the worst you will experience.

Rhyewn didn't speak much during the journey back, even if you tried to initiate conversation. When he spoke, he sounded exhausted. However, as you neared the town of Secelle, your other traveling companion did speak - somehow alive and conscious, you could hear him wheeze out some words.

"Please… If I don't make it… Please look after my son… Look after Arthur…"

Arthur

You stood at the head of an army of Cyclopes, sword in hand. The figures, the disturbing hooded things, emerged from the mist that surrounded you, their blades cutting down your one-eyed allies. In the back of your mind, you feel that there was a name for your opponents, a name that you had learned from a friend long ago, but the details are as foggy as your surroundings.

The tree that you defended burned brightly. It was burning in all your dreams, burning for thousands of years, but you knew that that was wrong and that the tree shouldn't be burning. The tree that you defended from the hooded things should have been beautiful, and yet the hooded things that emerge from the mist kept attacking you, and you kept cutting them down…

And then, you awoke.

[Duck14]

Alfred

I nod. I understood exactly what he meant. I had similar thoughts since what had happened. Since what had been seen. “I see. Does it explain anything?”

———
Verous

He was right. These people kept their riches to themselves. Perhaps it was fair as they had earned them one way or another. But in a time like this we needed people to band together and help. How could we expect something from those with little when those with more did nothing.

I didn’t know. I didn’t even know if I would part with what was mine.

“Yes. That’s it. But we need to show them that they are wrong.” Did I even know what that meant.

————
Arthur (the burning tree)

I looked about my room. And searched for a mirror confirming that I did in fact have two eyes and hadn’t transformed into a cyclops overnight. It was a strange, twisted dream but these were dark times and such a thing was perhaps on the mind of all the folk.

I made my way downstairs hoping beyond hope that my father would be there but knowing he would not be. Fortune wasn’t a thing at the moment. Not with what lay beyond our city.

[Tikobe]

Kainer

I look at the man, and try to smile.

"Hey, don't worry! We'll get you to your son, just keep trying to hang in there."

I don't know what I should've said to the man, but if possible, I would like to hope that the worst doesn't happen.

Arelia

Abel Olcorth?

It wasn't a name that I had heard of, but this was Naroth. I highly doubt that he would raise such names without reason. I should head to the library as soon as time allows.

[Leggo]

Jonos

This is bad. Really bad. I need to move to quickly assemble the war council. It is time for me to personally join the fray. Solmyr is a powerful tool, if utilized properly. I can fly to Hallon's camp and be there within a day to personally take stock of the situation and relay orders. But first I will need to get things settled here...

Edric

I lean back in my chair. If Redd was compromised, we'd know it by now. 

"Surely he isn't compromised," I say. "If they figured out who he was, they'd either be kicking in that door right about now or they'd be a whole lot more careful. I didn't notice anything different on that boat." 

[Bannanachair]

Alfred

"It does, a bit," Artie said. "It's just… You saw what I saw in the sky, cap'n, you know I'm not crazy." He shook his head. "Well, I'm off for a drink and a hot meal."

Verous

"We're trying," Prue said. Then, from behind, came Perrin's voice. "Your majesty, you need to see this!" He said excitedly. "We found something incredible in these maps."

Arthur

When you got downstairs you found, indeed, that he was not there. There was still food in the pantry, though, and you were able to breakfast on that - some apples and some bread, freshly baked earlier this week by Phin Reed's wife. Still, Camasse is not that far away, and a battle shouldn't take this long - word should get back about your father soon.

Kainer

He seemed comforted by that, and became quiet again, though he kept breathing. It was an hour of travel later when you finally reached the gates of Secelle. "Ybris take me, what in the Hells has happened?" one of the guards at the gates curses.

"It was a slaughter," Sir Rhyewn replied. "We didn't arrive in time to save the rest of Karleon's men. Have Sir Caidwyr and the rest of our party arrived?"

"Not yet, or not through this gate," The other guard said. "By the Prophets, is that Olin slumped over that saddle? You need to take him to the castle immediately; Count Karleon's healers will work on the town guard even when they're as overwhelmed as they are."

Arelia

Your classes don't begin for another week, and so you're able to head to the library immediately. You were also able to find Naroth fairly quickly, just by asking around for the tall man who spoke Eredalian with a thick Elusian accent - and, when you find him, he very predictably was scanning the titles on a shelf.

"Arelia, it's been a while since I've seen you," He said. "How are you? And how is your family?"

Jonos

The council is assembled quickly, given its smaller size - the first to join you is your bodyguard Sir Ornith, followed closely by the Lady Vena. After that is the spymaster Herwin Talsworth, and then the engineer Sir Oswald, arriving alongside Baron Horthon. The last to arrive, by a substantial margin, is Count Herwin Otterberg.

Edric

"Nor I," Arthwyll said, "But it's a glaring absence nonetheless."

"If Redd's not going to show up, then we should perhaps just get down to business," Igraille said. "Would anyone like to give the first update? Has anyone gotten close, at all, to finding out who the leader of the guild is?"

[Duck14]

Alfred

I nodded. “Aye, I know you’re not crazy. Have a good meal, you’ve more than earned it.” I would have loved one myself but I had to set my mind to my ship now and my crew. Though every time I closed my eyes I couldn’t shake the image of what we had seen in the sky. Maybe it was time to do some research. Surely someone would know.

Verous

I lifted from my chair and bolted over to Verous. Perhaps not becoming of a Lord but if it was something about the crypts then I wanted to see them. “What is it?”

Arthur

No battle should take this long, unless they were in trouble or worse trapped. I needed to find him. After making sure I had everything in order and had packed everything away I left. I didn’t go to the blacksmith right away but instead beelined for the city gates. Someone would know something there.

[Tikobe]

Kainer

"Thank you, we'll bring him right over," I say, looking to Sir Rhyewn. "We should ask the other gates about Sir Caidwyr. That was the first time I've ever fought a troll, but if it's that bad we're going to need to regroup with the others. But of course, that comes after taking this man somewhere to be healed, right?"

Arelia

"They're doing fine, thank you," I give a light a smile to Naroth. "As for me, I haven't been doing much beyond for preparing for classes to begin. How about you, Naroth? What brings you all the way up here to Belgate?"

[Bannanachair]

Alfred

"Thank you, cap'n, and a nice evening to you too," You hear Artie say as he leaves.

Verous

"Well, your majesty," Sister Monia said, "If these ruffians had been going into the crypts to hide, after decoding these maps - some of which were literally written in code which I actually had to decode, if you'll believe it - I started thinking about what sorts of things they'd need access to. Food, water, sunlight, somewhere spacious - "

She was cut off by Perrin. "Anyway, there are three main entrances to these crypts, and we suspect they'd choose a location central to all three. One was in an armoury in the location that's now the backroom of the Singing Steeds tavern, where we were the other day. Another is - Oh, right, there was a fourth main entrance, here in the cathedral, but Sister Monia has told us it was sealed decades ago."

"What these two are getting at," Osthir interrupted, "Is that we think they're operating out of this chamber here, the tomb of King Welren VII."

Arelia

Naroth gives a skirting glance around, looking for eavesdroppers, then speaks in a hushed tone. "I happened upon some historical records that I thought I might find more about here in Belgate. In villages and cities on the edge of the Spiderwood Forest, there are legends of a city called Ghanshir, or perhaps a fortress, created by Awitar Oronos near the beginning of the days of the Ghoril Empire. Supposedly the library of Ghanshir contains many historical secrets now lost to time. I had thought it a legend, but there are floors of the Kraken Tower where no man has stepped foot in centuries. While in one of those floors, I found evidence of its existence, alongside some clues to its location, at the source of the Nubarb River itself.

"I'm in Belgate for the simple reason that the library here at the university is one of the largest in western Emuine, and isn't even the only one in the city - there's the Royal Library, for example. I'm hoping I can find some more information that can help point me the right way on my journey.

Kainer

Rhyewn nods in agreement. "We'll split up for now, and regroup later - you take the man to Count Karleon's castle, and I'll head to the south gate." He turns to the guards. "You're volunteers, right? Right then, Sir Kainer, if you see the Count, speak with him about conscripting men into the militia, from Secelle and the surrounding towns, and doing what we can to train them." Then, he walks off Northwards, likely towards another of the town's gates.

Arthur

As you walked, you noticed the air around you was damp, as though it had been raining the previous night. The streets were still mostly empty this early in the morning, so there were no crowds to push past, just the chill morning air. When at last you reached the South Gate, the one nearest to your house, you recognized the guards on duty as friends of your father.

"Halt! By Count Karleon's orders, it's not safe to - Wait, you're Olin's son, Arthur, right?" You hear Ellard the Squire say; nicknamed as such because he had squired for Count Karleon at one point, though he was just a commoner and had never been knighted. "Any word of your father?" He asked.

[Duck14]

Alfred

I nodded and watched him go. It was getting late and I was tired. Still fatigued from the storm after everything. So instead of doing anything else that day I returned to my chamber to have a nap.

————
Verous

A tomb? Of course it had to be a tomb. It always seemed to be something of that nature. But that didn’t bother me. This was a chance to prove myself and a chance at adventure.

“Alright then. Tell me the best way to get into this tomb. If they’re there we will flush them out.”

—————
Arthur

I looked nervously at the group of guards. They hadn’t heard anything from him either. “I was hoping you would have heard from him by now,” I said with a hint of a nervous stammer. “Are you sure he hasn’t come by? Are there any words from those who set off? What’s happening?” I couldn’t help myself, so many questions.

[Bannanachair]

Alfred

As you doze off to sleep, you find yourself again on your boat, caught in that same storm. Though you know that you captain a river-ferry, the river seemed so much larger that it would have been an ocean, were it not for the strong westward current. The winds were worse in this dream than you can recall them ever being, even in that storm. A bolt of lightning struck the mast; it fell over, and swept you overboard. As this happened, the thunder grew ever louder around you, and it sounded like it laughed at you.

Verous

"Well, there are three main entrances that we can find," Perrin said. "There's an entrance to these crypts in the back-room of the Singing Steed, and we know this gang has gone that way before. However, they know that we know about it, so they're likely guarding it. There's another entrance on the north side of the city, which we think was completely flooded. There's no telling whether the flood made it dangerous, but we'd probably have the element of surprise. The last entrance is near the old watchtower here," he indicated on the map, "which has since been turned into someone's house."

Arthur

"I'm sorry, Arthur," Ellard the Squire said. "I haven't - " he was interrupted then, by another figure who approached from the north. This new figure was wearing a suit of plate armour that was torn to pieces, battered and bloodied. It had the look of fine, expensive armour, and some of the ornamentation was still intact. You don't recognize the knight, for a knight he must have been.

"Have any other survivors of the battle come in through this gate?" the knight asked.

"I - no, sir," Ellard said. "What happened?"

"Albince is dead. King Arthel sent Sir Caidwyr and myself, and a few others, to help out, but we were too late. Even with a knight from the fae courts by our side, it was a bloodbath."

"Were there any other survivors you know of?" Ellard asked.

"Kainer, the fae knight, and I were the only two of our party to escape. One of Count Karleon's men was with us, but badly injured - I think he said his name was Olin."