Sera lifted her gaze to the vast night sky, where the constellation of Paladine shone brightly above the desert. The stars shimmered like a silver dragon’s scales, a reminder that her god was always watching. She took a steady breath and whispered her prayer into the quiet night.
**“Paladine, Platinum Father, I give thanks for the strength You grant me, for the guidance that lights my path, and for the mercy that tempers my blade. In Your name, I have stood against deceit, fought for the helpless, and sought justice where there was none.
Watch over the weak, those who have no shield but faith and no sword but hope. The people of Santech have suffered much; let their burdens be lifted and their future be bright. Grant them safety in the nights ahead and the strength to rebuild.
I ask, too, for Your grace upon Kasi, who seeks to mend what was broken within herself. Let her path be steady, her heart strong, and her spirit unwavering. May she find the redemption she searches for and walk forward with honor.
And if battle awaits us still, stand with me, as You always have. Let my shield be unyielding, my blade swift, and my will unwavering in the face of darkness. I am Your spear, Your shield, Your servant.
May Your light guide us all.”**
She let the words settle into the stillness, hoping they would reach her god’s ears. The cold desert wind brushed against her face, but beneath Paladine’s stars, she felt nothing but warmth.
Hastos is once again stoicly shocked at Sera’s… generous greeting. As she works to patch up the wagon, he helps looks for firewood but wasn’t able to find more than a little kindling which he adds to the pile of firewood the others were able to find.
He watches Merkas flitter about as he succumbs to the effects of the his drink. As the fire perks up, Hastos finds his place next to Sera and removes the breastplate of his armor and cloak with a sigh and examines it for any damage. He dabs a little water in his cloak and wipes off the blood on the bottom side of the breastplate were the darts hit him when he hears Merkas’ jibe at he and Sera.
Hastos gets up and helps load and secure the crates before returning to his former seat. When Merkas mentions what to tell Verhana when we get back.
”We don’t tell her anything.” He replies. “Just the basics. There were battles in the mines, they weren’t much of a threat, we made sure they were not going to be a problem anymore and that their lair has been sealed. No lies, no details. Anything that opens the door to questions is an opportunity to to be exposed.”
Hastos waits a couple of moments and adds “I would like to second asking you to join Dawnbound, Kasi. Family isn’t just those you share blood with, they’re the people you choose to care about beyond your own well being. I hope you’ll join us.”
After the cart is loaded the kender sits on the lip of the cart and looks around."Well I am still not tired I can take first watch, we also have to discuss how we're going to convince Verhana about how we destroyed the whole of Letni Inhelk and their caves" Merkas collects the scraps of wood and moves near to Barkly to start up a small fire for heat and light again. He pulls out his bedroll and covers the strider for the night. Smoothing some sand for Kasi he motions to her to curl up beside the fire. (Wisdom save- 14 for going to sleep after drinking the Kobold Jolt Cola) Once everyone is settled, Merkas curls up next the Kasi, sharing body heat with the displaced kobold. "Dawnbound is now your Noachi Gramma" He whispers as he settles in to sleep.
Kasi thinks about her time with Dawnbound, and how differenlty they treated her compared to other surface dwellers... even her own kin. There was no future for her by herself, nor was there one with Letni Inhelk. Perhaps Merkas was right. Maybe this was her Noachi. Her thoughts spin with the possibilities as she curls up next to Merkas.
She let the words settle into the stillness, hoping they would reach her god’s ears. The cold desert wind brushed against her face, but beneath Paladine’s stars, she felt nothing but warmth.
I'm going to let you Roll a Religion Check with that. Without an altar to pray it, then DC is going to be 15 to grant you Heroic Inspiration in the morning.
Hastos waits a couple of moments and adds “I would like to second asking you to join Dawnbound, Kasi. Family isn’t just those you share blood with, they’re the people you choose to care about beyond your own well being. I hope you’ll join us.”
Kasi lolls her head over at Hastos from her nest near the fire. With her head upside-down, her lips roll back, exposing her snaggled, stained teeth in a comical grin. She nods her head. "Kasi think about it. Masters take big risk making friend with kobold. Much much big risk keeping Letni Inhelk secret. Kasi respect that. But Kasi also no want to put extra target on Dawnbound back. Kasi think Dawnbound make enemies having kobold member. Did Masters see what Letni Inhelk protecting? War is coming. Danwbound have many enemies soon." With that, she falls asleep. Her rumbling snore is like an intermittent drum roll that echoes through the otherwise peaceful night...
Day 3 Begins... Ding! You all levelled up!
The last of you awaken a few hours after the dawn. Kasi hasn't even moved from her fireside bed, but Barkly seems pleased to see the return of the sun and has gotten annoyingly loud. Her shrewish screeches indicate that she is feeling strong and ready to hunt. You all awaken with a renewed vigor. Perhaps the magical residue of the moss in the kobold mines aided your regeneration, but you feel a strength inside you that you haven't felt before.
Sharn spent the way back pretending the soreness of his muscles didn't bother him. He wasn't a young dwarf anymore, though he wasn't venerable yet. But there was something more important to do in those three days.
The dwarven battle techniques were very straight forward. They used momentum for everything from their focus to their movement. What Kasi had said was true, they would have plenty of enemies very very soon. So, in kind, Sharn would have to be more cunning as well. He spent what little time he had sharing it with Kasi and Merkas. Some of the kender's tricks may have seem childish, but they had the element of surprise and were far from careless. Despite the small blue kender ignoring his own potential. Kasi, in kind was practiced with the skills of those that would rather not be confronted. Though he had no time or resources to learn how to undo traps, Kasi knew what to watch for. Her senses were superb, despite her age or maybe because of it. One would always have to watch out for the person that reached an old age where many die young. Those were his days, training, learning. His nights however held much much more.
Every night drew forth higher focus. He didn't know what it was. Perhaps it was the fact that they slept in wild, untamed soil; perhaps it was the fact that they slept under the stars, those glinting pictures of divinity and the world beyond. There was something for certain, however. In his dreams, he could feel both decay and life in the palm of his hands. He could feel the great cycle of the world embodied within him. An unborn power that needed to be focused to touch those in the material world. A dangerous and awesome power, for it wasn't from the divine themselves, it was something more fundamental. Something that surrounds us and binds us together. Something that he was hesitant to show, but knew would have to emerge eventually, to heal or harm.
Hastos chuckles at Kasi. “Bigger target than this?” He points to the green dragon insignia and rank on his pauldrons.”That would be something!” He laughs briefly, “Well, then we really would be a pair!!”
The conversation continues briefly, Kasi flops over, hand asleep. The conversations die down and each of the Dawnbound make their place to sleep for the night.
Hastos woke to the screeching of Barkley. He suppressed the urge to tell the chicken exactly what to do with its screeching beak. Instead, he inhaled deeply and and exhaled slowly. He felt his tension fade and… something else. He felt stronger. And what was that dream about?
He stretches and feels Sera’s warmth against him. Pleasure mixed with dread for the coming day. “I guess today is as good a day as it gets.” He thinks to himself.
He caresses her shoulder and with a gentle squeeze. She wakes and stretches her arms over her head. “Great gods.” He says to himself looks over her outstretched form. “Don’t look, just focus… focus on… that rock… that’s a good rock. That’s, very brown. Sandy. You can’t have this talk with… that going on.”
He leans over and speaks softly as she gazes up at him smiling, his face has a distinct look of worry. “When you’re up and focused… we need to talk alone before we start to break camp.”
She slowly wake up feeling Hastos tender caress. Sera felt...empowered. The dream she had was so vivid, lingering at the edges of her thoughts like an ember waiting to ignite. She had glimpsed her potential—what she could become if she dared to truly embrace her calling. The power was there, waiting.
Then Hastos woke her. With a need to talk to her. Sounded serious.
"Gimme a moment...." she whispered back, meeting his gaze with a warm, if slightly questioning, smile. It was still her watch, so she donned her armor, piece by piece, the well-worn straps and plates settling over her like an old companion. Getting geared up for a talk made it look like it would become a very bad talk. A small part of her wondered—why now?
The chilly desert night was already yielding to the coming warmth of the day as they walked a short distance from camp. The golden light caught the edges of her armor as she folded her arms, feeling the dry breeze stir her hair.
As Sera and Hastos stepped away from the camp, the desert slowly stirred from its slumber. The sky, once a vast canvas of deep indigo, began to blush with the first light of dawn. Streaks of crimson and gold stretched across the horizon, painting the jagged peaks of the Khalkist Mountains in molten fire. A soft breeze carried the crisp scent of the cooling sands and the faint, sweet aroma of distant desert blooms that only dared to open in the night’s embrace. The hush of the world waking was broken only by the whisper of shifting grains beneath their boots and the distant, lonely call of a hawk gliding on the morning thermals.
She turned to him, tilting her head slightly, her expression caught somewhere between curiosity and expectation.
“This probably isn't a huge revelation or anything, but it’s important to set the story straight before we head back to town.” Hastos pauses. “I was indeed in the Green Dragon Army. This armor is mine. I left when they betrayed the Sylvanesti and realized that my friends and I had been used for over a century to weaken our ties with surrounding groups which provided them the leverage to finally invade.”
Hastos breathed. “But I wanted to be truthful to you and the group, and you should know first. I helped to shape this world into what is.”
Sera listened carefully, her expression unreadable as Hastos spoke. The weight of his past—his time in the Green Dragon Army, once fighting under the banner of Takhisis—was heavy. It was a bit frightening to hear, but not entirely surprising. She had sensed something hidden, something guarded in him. And now it was laid bare between them.
She let out a slow breath, gathering her thoughts before speaking. "Hastos.... I haven't personally been ruined by them. I've had my share of pain, yes... but not like some." Her fingers curled slightly, a flicker of past wounds surfacing in her voice. "But you represent a terrible pain for many. If you truly want to set things right, that armor must change.... If not, you’ll only bring more pain and fear with that display."
She reached out, resting a hand on his arm before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around him. "Please?" she murmured against his shoulder. "I care for you, and I don’t want to see you get into trouble."
She lingered for just a moment before letting go, stepping back toward the camp to begin packing. Did she hope for something more? Something she hadn’t already suspected? Yes. Perhaps she had been waiting for this moment longer than she realized.
But hope alone wouldn’t be enough. If she wanted something meaningful, perhaps she would have to take that step herself. Ideas flickered through her mind—small gestures, a shared moment over a meal, something simple yet deliberate. A romantic dinner, maybe? Something to show him that, despite everything, despite his past, she saw him for who he was now.
A small, knowing smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she packed. Yes... she would have to do something about that.
Hastos watched Sera return to the camp and followed. The conversation had gone better than he feared it would. But Sera had a point about the armor. He had kept the armor not only because it was good armor, but it was served as a tool. it allowed him to move through the ruins of the Sylvanesti forest and surrounding areas unmolested because of the fear it engendered. It also served as a lightning rod, a means by which he would be able to atone for the horrors he had helped create.
He had not considered the fear that it engendered in the people who had already paid such a high price for his ignorance and arrogance. Perhaps it was time to lay old demons to rest.
Hastos returned to the camp and packed his gear alongside Sera. After he had packed, he requested a moment of the group’s time before they headed back. He convey the same story to the group and included his revelations after his conversation with Sarah. He concluded by asking Kasi if she would be willing to help him remove the remnants of his past from the armor.
Sharn sighed. "I figured as much, you wear that armor as if it had fit you in the past. Though I'm glad to hear that evil was not in your heart, despite it being in your actions. I'm proud of your choice Hastos, something I can't say of others that had surrendered their heart to the Queen of evil."
Waving his hand over at the screeching Barkly Merkas announces “Barkly! It’s too early for that, go back to sleep, here’s some heat for you!” Then turns over while at that moment a bonfire erupts from the rock nest around the strider. (10 fire damage/ 5 healing for Barkly)A second later his eyes pop open wide and turns back to look at what had happened. “Um, who cast that? Kasi you got some sorta spells I don’t know about?”Watching Barkly enjoy the heat he settles back and looks about the camp. “Guess it’s time to go, should we hunt something for breakfast?”
Hastos announcement has him drop the packing up and move over to hear his confession. He listens carefully to the elf and the dwarf while munching on his jerky and says through a mouthful. “Whelp, ifs we’s making confessions, I don’t wash my hands every time I go to the washroom. Also the 100 steel I gave to Sera was the same hundred that I got from Hastos.”
Waving his hand over at the screeching Barkly Merkas announces “Barkly! It’s too early for that, go back to sleep, here’s some heat for you!” Then turns over while at that moment a bonfire erupts from the rock nest around the strider. (10 fire damage/ 5 healing for Barkly)A second later his eyes pop open wide and turns back to look at what had happened. “Um, who cast that? Kasi you got some sorta spells I don’t know about?”Watching Barkly enjoy the heat he settles back and looks about the camp. “Guess it’s time to go, should we hunt something for breakfast?”
Hastos announcement has him drop the packing up and move over to hear his confession. He listens carefully to the elf and the dwarf while munching on his jerky and says through a mouthful. “Whelp, ifs we’s making confessions, I don’t wash my hands every time I go to the washroom. Also the 100 steel I gave to Sera was the same hundred that I got from Hastos.”
Hastos stares blankly at Merkas before laughing “I guess that makes us even!” He says. “I appreciate your… honesty?”
Getting up from his sitting position next the Sharn he walks over and pats Hastos on the leg "Look, Haz, Sera has a sword she calls Father, Sharn listens to dirt, Kasi speaks draconic, Barkly tried to eat the horses, and I'm blue. That's just who we are and what happened to us before. For now we use what we learned elsewhere to help those we are with now. No need to dwell on it unless you plan of betraying us later. I hope not but if so then you better be sure it's what you want cause you already know what we can do but I am pretty sure all of us could still surprise you with a trick or two." Looking up at the elf quizzically before shaking his head."But I'm just a kender looking for a way to repay a sister that gave herself for me. As long as you can accept my reason I can accept yours. Now I was thinking you still got them darts that you said you were gonna return? I was thinking the people that set us up are perfect targets for a set of darts!"
Getting up from his sitting position next the Sharn he walks over and pats Hastos on the leg "Look, Haz, Sera has a sword she calls Father, Sharn listens to dirt, Kasi speaks draconic, Barkly tried to eat the horses, and I'm blue. That's just who we are and what happened to us before. For now we use what we learned elsewhere to help those we are with now. No need to dwell on it unless you plan of betraying us later. I hope not but if so then you better be sure it's what you want cause you already know what we can do but I am pretty sure all of us could still surprise you with a trick or two." Looking up at the elf quizzically before shaking his head."But I'm just a kender looking for a way to repay a sister that gave herself for me. As long as you can accept my reason I can accept yours. Now I was thinking you still got them darts that you said you were gonna return? I was thinking the people that set us up are perfect targets for a set of darts!"
Getting up from his sitting position next the Sharn he walks over and pats Hastos on the leg "Look, Haz, Sera has a sword she calls Father, Sharn listens to dirt, Kasi speaks draconic, Barkly tried to eat the horses, and I'm blue. That's just who we are and what happened to us before. For now we use what we learned elsewhere to help those we are with now. No need to dwell on it unless you plan of betraying us later. I hope not but if so then you better be sure it's what you want cause you already know what we can do but I am pretty sure all of us could still surprise you with a trick or two." Looking up at the elf quizzically before shaking his head."But I'm just a kender looking for a way to repay a sister that gave herself for me. As long as you can accept my reason I can accept yours. Now I was thinking you still got them darts that you said you were gonna return? I was thinking the people that set us up are perfect targets for a set of darts!"
Hastos furrows his brows and thinks this comment over. “I suppose I understand.”
Merkas requests the darts.
“Oh, of course!” Hastos pulled the darts from his belt and hands them to Merkas. “Here you go!”
Accepting the darts, Merkas pockets them and heads back to Barkly and breaking camp. “Now if you’re done with this meeting then we better get moving, gotta get somewhere Barkly can hunt something before she gets to antsy out here.”
Collecting the pot of lava and wrapping it into his pack again he mounts up onto the back of the cart.“Well I’m ready, who’s driving? I’m gonna try and get Barkly ready for riding here and hopefully can have her comfortable with me by the time we get back to town”
Hastos returned to the camp and packed his gear alongside Sera. After he had packed, he requested a moment of the group’s time before they headed back. He convey the same story to the group and included his revelations after his conversation with Sarah. He concluded by asking Kasi if she would be willing to help him remove the remnants of his past from the armor.
Kasi appraised the armor, pulling back the cloak and running her fingers along the many dents and scratches, and finally around the crest of the Green Dragon. "Kasi replace this mark, with the mark of Dawnbound. Replace symbol of fear with symobll of hope, yes?"
Kasi pats Hastos on his formidable shoulder. "Think about symbol. Kasi make for you when we return to Satnekh as heroes."
Waving his hand over at the screeching Barkly Merkas announces “Barkly! It’s too early for that, go back to sleep, here’s some heat for you!” Then turns over while at that moment a bonfire erupts from the rock nest around the strider. (10 fire damage/ 5 healing for Barkly)A second later his eyes pop open wide and turns back to look at what had happened. “Um, who cast that? Kasi you got some sorta spells I don’t know about?”
Kasi considers the question. She'd been feeling a closer connection to nature as they'd been travelling the desert. This new way of co-existing with the land felt right to her. She observes a Ground-Jay prancing across the desert rocks, foraging for insects. She makes a bird-like sound with her mouth, a perfect imitation of a Ground-Jay: high and squeaky, like nails on a chalk-board. On a whim, she decides to hold her hand out, forming a symbol. The bird looks to her and responds. Kasi's eyes pop open wide, and she whistles back another bird call. The bird responds back. "Kasi always love talking to birds. Kasi never think birds talk back! Maybe Kasi can do magic!"
Kasi casts Speak with Animals. For the next 10 minutes Kasi can talk to a bird.
A bit distracted by her new bird friend, she takes the longest to realize that Hastos has been laying his soul bare. She listens to the rest of the group accept Hastos without question, then, in a weird display, she cackles out a loud, belching laugh. "Hastos and Kasi make funny pair! Kasi come from clan that serve Red Dragon, much much year ago. Both Kasi and Hastos outcast now! HAHAHA!" She points at Hastos and grabs her stomach. The humor seems difficult to grasp, but for some reason Kasi has never seemed more amused and relaxed. "Old Kasi know just how Hastos feel." She wipes a tear of laughter from her eye. "Now, Hastos and Kasi have new clan, yes. Hastos and Kasi have new home to protect. Do it right this time, yes."
If the party is ready, I'll begin moving the scene forward.
Hastos laughed at Kasi’s response. “Yes, we do make quite a pair!”
Inside he felt a weight had lifted. It had been over a hundred years since he had felt like he could be himself, but even then he never felt like he could let his guard down. But who was he? He supposed he would find out in time. He takes a deep breath. “I’m sure we’ll come up with something!” He replies to Kasi.
Sera lifted her gaze to the vast night sky, where the constellation of Paladine shone brightly above the desert. The stars shimmered like a silver dragon’s scales, a reminder that her god was always watching. She took a steady breath and whispered her prayer into the quiet night.
**“Paladine, Platinum Father, I give thanks for the strength You grant me, for the guidance that lights my path, and for the mercy that tempers my blade. In Your name, I have stood against deceit, fought for the helpless, and sought justice where there was none.
Watch over the weak, those who have no shield but faith and no sword but hope. The people of Santech have suffered much; let their burdens be lifted and their future be bright. Grant them safety in the nights ahead and the strength to rebuild.
I ask, too, for Your grace upon Kasi, who seeks to mend what was broken within herself. Let her path be steady, her heart strong, and her spirit unwavering. May she find the redemption she searches for and walk forward with honor.
And if battle awaits us still, stand with me, as You always have. Let my shield be unyielding, my blade swift, and my will unwavering in the face of darkness. I am Your spear, Your shield, Your servant.
May Your light guide us all.”**
She let the words settle into the stillness, hoping they would reach her god’s ears. The cold desert wind brushed against her face, but beneath Paladine’s stars, she felt nothing but warmth.
Hastos is once again stoicly shocked at Sera’s… generous greeting.
As she works to patch up the wagon, he helps looks for firewood but wasn’t able to find more than a little kindling which he adds to the pile of firewood the others were able to find.
He watches Merkas flitter about as he succumbs to the effects of the his drink. As the fire perks up, Hastos finds his place next to Sera and removes the breastplate of his armor and cloak with a sigh and examines it for any damage. He dabs a little water in his cloak and wipes off the blood on the bottom side of the breastplate were the darts hit him when he hears Merkas’ jibe at he and Sera.
Hastos gets up and helps load and secure the crates before returning to his former seat. When Merkas mentions what to tell Verhana when we get back.
”We don’t tell her anything.” He replies. “Just the basics. There were battles in the mines, they weren’t much of a threat, we made sure they were not going to be a problem anymore and that their lair has been sealed. No lies, no details. Anything that opens the door to questions is an opportunity to to be exposed.”
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Hastos waits a couple of moments and adds “I would like to second asking you to join Dawnbound, Kasi. Family isn’t just those you share blood with, they’re the people you choose to care about beyond your own well being. I hope you’ll join us.”
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Kasi thinks about her time with Dawnbound, and how differenlty they treated her compared to other surface dwellers... even her own kin. There was no future for her by herself, nor was there one with Letni Inhelk. Perhaps Merkas was right. Maybe this was her Noachi. Her thoughts spin with the possibilities as she curls up next to Merkas.
I'm going to let you Roll a Religion Check with that. Without an altar to pray it, then DC is going to be 15 to grant you Heroic Inspiration in the morning.
Kasi lolls her head over at Hastos from her nest near the fire. With her head upside-down, her lips roll back, exposing her snaggled, stained teeth in a comical grin. She nods her head. "Kasi think about it. Masters take big risk making friend with kobold. Much much big risk keeping Letni Inhelk secret. Kasi respect that. But Kasi also no want to put extra target on Dawnbound back. Kasi think Dawnbound make enemies having kobold member. Did Masters see what Letni Inhelk protecting? War is coming. Danwbound have many enemies soon." With that, she falls asleep. Her rumbling snore is like an intermittent drum roll that echoes through the otherwise peaceful night...
Day 3 Begins... Ding! You all levelled up!
The last of you awaken a few hours after the dawn. Kasi hasn't even moved from her fireside bed, but Barkly seems pleased to see the return of the sun and has gotten annoyingly loud. Her shrewish screeches indicate that she is feeling strong and ready to hunt. You all awaken with a renewed vigor. Perhaps the magical residue of the moss in the kobold mines aided your regeneration, but you feel a strength inside you that you haven't felt before.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Sharn spent the way back pretending the soreness of his muscles didn't bother him. He wasn't a young dwarf anymore, though he wasn't venerable yet. But there was something more important to do in those three days.
The dwarven battle techniques were very straight forward. They used momentum for everything from their focus to their movement. What Kasi had said was true, they would have plenty of enemies very very soon. So, in kind, Sharn would have to be more cunning as well. He spent what little time he had sharing it with Kasi and Merkas. Some of the kender's tricks may have seem childish, but they had the element of surprise and were far from careless. Despite the small blue kender ignoring his own potential. Kasi, in kind was practiced with the skills of those that would rather not be confronted. Though he had no time or resources to learn how to undo traps, Kasi knew what to watch for. Her senses were superb, despite her age or maybe because of it. One would always have to watch out for the person that reached an old age where many die young. Those were his days, training, learning. His nights however held much much more.
Every night drew forth higher focus. He didn't know what it was. Perhaps it was the fact that they slept in wild, untamed soil; perhaps it was the fact that they slept under the stars, those glinting pictures of divinity and the world beyond. There was something for certain, however. In his dreams, he could feel both decay and life in the palm of his hands. He could feel the great cycle of the world embodied within him. An unborn power that needed to be focused to touch those in the material world. A dangerous and awesome power, for it wasn't from the divine themselves, it was something more fundamental. Something that surrounds us and binds us together. Something that he was hesitant to show, but knew would have to emerge eventually, to heal or harm.
Hastos chuckles at Kasi. “Bigger target than this?” He points to the green dragon insignia and rank on his pauldrons.”That would be something!” He laughs briefly, “Well, then we really would be a pair!!”
The conversation continues briefly, Kasi flops over, hand asleep. The conversations die down and each of the Dawnbound make their place to sleep for the night.
Hastos woke to the screeching of Barkley. He suppressed the urge to tell the chicken exactly what to do with its screeching beak. Instead, he inhaled deeply and and exhaled slowly. He felt his tension fade and… something else. He felt stronger. And what was that dream about?
He stretches and feels Sera’s warmth against him. Pleasure mixed with dread for the coming day. “I guess today is as good a day as it gets.” He thinks to himself.
He caresses her shoulder and with a gentle squeeze. She wakes and stretches her arms over her head. “Great gods.” He says to himself looks over her outstretched form. “Don’t look, just focus… focus on… that rock… that’s a good rock. That’s, very brown. Sandy. You can’t have this talk with… that going on.”
He leans over and speaks softly as she gazes up at him smiling, his face has a distinct look of worry. “When you’re up and focused… we need to talk alone before we start to break camp.”
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
She slowly wake up feeling Hastos tender caress. Sera felt...empowered. The dream she had was so vivid, lingering at the edges of her thoughts like an ember waiting to ignite. She had glimpsed her potential—what she could become if she dared to truly embrace her calling. The power was there, waiting.
Then Hastos woke her. With a need to talk to her. Sounded serious.
"Gimme a moment...." she whispered back, meeting his gaze with a warm, if slightly questioning, smile. It was still her watch, so she donned her armor, piece by piece, the well-worn straps and plates settling over her like an old companion. Getting geared up for a talk made it look like it would become a very bad talk. A small part of her wondered—why now?
The chilly desert night was already yielding to the coming warmth of the day as they walked a short distance from camp. The golden light caught the edges of her armor as she folded her arms, feeling the dry breeze stir her hair.
As Sera and Hastos stepped away from the camp, the desert slowly stirred from its slumber. The sky, once a vast canvas of deep indigo, began to blush with the first light of dawn. Streaks of crimson and gold stretched across the horizon, painting the jagged peaks of the Khalkist Mountains in molten fire. A soft breeze carried the crisp scent of the cooling sands and the faint, sweet aroma of distant desert blooms that only dared to open in the night’s embrace. The hush of the world waking was broken only by the whisper of shifting grains beneath their boots and the distant, lonely call of a hawk gliding on the morning thermals.
She turned to him, tilting her head slightly, her expression caught somewhere between curiosity and expectation.
"Yes?... What do you want to talk about?"
“This probably isn't a huge revelation or anything, but it’s important to set the story straight before we head back to town.” Hastos pauses. “I was indeed in the Green Dragon Army. This armor is mine. I left when they betrayed the Sylvanesti and realized that my friends and I had been used for over a century to weaken our ties with surrounding groups which provided them the leverage to finally invade.”
Hastos breathed. “But I wanted to be truthful to you and the group, and you should know first. I helped to shape this world into what is.”
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Sera listened carefully, her expression unreadable as Hastos spoke. The weight of his past—his time in the Green Dragon Army, once fighting under the banner of Takhisis—was heavy. It was a bit frightening to hear, but not entirely surprising. She had sensed something hidden, something guarded in him. And now it was laid bare between them.
She let out a slow breath, gathering her thoughts before speaking. "Hastos.... I haven't personally been ruined by them. I've had my share of pain, yes... but not like some." Her fingers curled slightly, a flicker of past wounds surfacing in her voice. "But you represent a terrible pain for many. If you truly want to set things right, that armor must change.... If not, you’ll only bring more pain and fear with that display."
She reached out, resting a hand on his arm before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around him. "Please?" she murmured against his shoulder. "I care for you, and I don’t want to see you get into trouble."
She lingered for just a moment before letting go, stepping back toward the camp to begin packing. Did she hope for something more? Something she hadn’t already suspected? Yes. Perhaps she had been waiting for this moment longer than she realized.
But hope alone wouldn’t be enough. If she wanted something meaningful, perhaps she would have to take that step herself. Ideas flickered through her mind—small gestures, a shared moment over a meal, something simple yet deliberate. A romantic dinner, maybe? Something to show him that, despite everything, despite his past, she saw him for who he was now.
A small, knowing smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she packed. Yes... she would have to do something about that.
Hastos watched Sera return to the camp and followed. The conversation had gone better than he feared it would.
But Sera had a point about the armor. He had kept the armor not only because it was good armor, but it was served as a tool. it allowed him to move through the ruins of the Sylvanesti forest and surrounding areas unmolested because of the fear it engendered. It also served as a lightning rod, a means by which he would be able to atone for the horrors he had helped create.
He had not considered the fear that it engendered in the people who had already paid such a high price for his ignorance and arrogance. Perhaps it was time to lay old demons to rest.
Hastos returned to the camp and packed his gear alongside Sera. After he had packed, he requested a moment of the group’s time before they headed back. He convey the same story to the group and included his revelations after his conversation with Sarah. He concluded by asking Kasi if she would be willing to help him remove the remnants of his past from the armor.
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Sharn sighed. "I figured as much, you wear that armor as if it had fit you in the past. Though I'm glad to hear that evil was not in your heart, despite it being in your actions. I'm proud of your choice Hastos, something I can't say of others that had surrendered their heart to the Queen of evil."
Waving his hand over at the screeching Barkly Merkas announces “Barkly! It’s too early for that, go back to sleep, here’s some heat for you!” Then turns over while at that moment a bonfire erupts from the rock nest around the strider. (10 fire damage/ 5 healing for Barkly)A second later his eyes pop open wide and turns back to look at what had happened. “Um, who cast that? Kasi you got some sorta spells I don’t know about?” Watching Barkly enjoy the heat he settles back and looks about the camp. “Guess it’s time to go, should we hunt something for breakfast?”
Hastos announcement has him drop the packing up and move over to hear his confession. He listens carefully to the elf and the dwarf while munching on his jerky and says through a mouthful. “Whelp, ifs we’s making confessions, I don’t wash my hands every time I go to the washroom. Also the 100 steel I gave to Sera was the same hundred that I got from Hastos.”
Loyalty Begets Honour
Hastos bows slightly towards Sharn in gratitude. “Thank you, Sharn.”
Hastos stares blankly at Merkas before laughing “I guess that makes us even!” He says. “I appreciate your… honesty?”
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Getting up from his sitting position next the Sharn he walks over and pats Hastos on the leg "Look, Haz, Sera has a sword she calls Father, Sharn listens to dirt, Kasi speaks draconic, Barkly tried to eat the horses, and I'm blue. That's just who we are and what happened to us before. For now we use what we learned elsewhere to help those we are with now. No need to dwell on it unless you plan of betraying us later. I hope not but if so then you better be sure it's what you want cause you already know what we can do but I am pretty sure all of us could still surprise you with a trick or two."
Looking up at the elf quizzically before shaking his head. "But I'm just a kender looking for a way to repay a sister that gave herself for me. As long as you can accept my reason I can accept yours. Now I was thinking you still got them darts that you said you were gonna return? I was thinking the people that set us up are perfect targets for a set of darts!"
Loyalty Begets Honour
Getting up from his sitting position next the Sharn he walks over and pats Hastos on the leg "Look, Haz, Sera has a sword she calls Father, Sharn listens to dirt, Kasi speaks draconic, Barkly tried to eat the horses, and I'm blue. That's just who we are and what happened to us before. For now we use what we learned elsewhere to help those we are with now. No need to dwell on it unless you plan of betraying us later. I hope not but if so then you better be sure it's what you want cause you already know what we can do but I am pretty sure all of us could still surprise you with a trick or two."
Looking up at the elf quizzically before shaking his head. "But I'm just a kender looking for a way to repay a sister that gave herself for me. As long as you can accept my reason I can accept yours. Now I was thinking you still got them darts that you said you were gonna return? I was thinking the people that set us up are perfect targets for a set of darts!"
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Hastos furrows his brows and thinks this comment over. “I suppose I understand.”
Merkas requests the darts.
“Oh, of course!” Hastos pulled the darts from his belt and hands them to Merkas. “Here you go!”
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Accepting the darts, Merkas pockets them and heads back to Barkly and breaking camp. “Now if you’re done with this meeting then we better get moving, gotta get somewhere Barkly can hunt something before she gets to antsy out here.”
Collecting the pot of lava and wrapping it into his pack again he mounts up onto the back of the cart. “Well I’m ready, who’s driving? I’m gonna try and get Barkly ready for riding here and hopefully can have her comfortable with me by the time we get back to town”
Loyalty Begets Honour
Kasi appraised the armor, pulling back the cloak and running her fingers along the many dents and scratches, and finally around the crest of the Green Dragon. "Kasi replace this mark, with the mark of Dawnbound. Replace symbol of fear with symobll of hope, yes?"
Kasi pats Hastos on his formidable shoulder. "Think about symbol. Kasi make for you when we return to Satnekh as heroes."
Kasi considers the question. She'd been feeling a closer connection to nature as they'd been travelling the desert. This new way of co-existing with the land felt right to her. She observes a Ground-Jay prancing across the desert rocks, foraging for insects. She makes a bird-like sound with her mouth, a perfect imitation of a Ground-Jay: high and squeaky, like nails on a chalk-board. On a whim, she decides to hold her hand out, forming a symbol. The bird looks to her and responds. Kasi's eyes pop open wide, and she whistles back another bird call. The bird responds back. "Kasi always love talking to birds. Kasi never think birds talk back! Maybe Kasi can do magic!"
Kasi casts Speak with Animals. For the next 10 minutes Kasi can talk to a bird.
A bit distracted by her new bird friend, she takes the longest to realize that Hastos has been laying his soul bare. She listens to the rest of the group accept Hastos without question, then, in a weird display, she cackles out a loud, belching laugh. "Hastos and Kasi make funny pair! Kasi come from clan that serve Red Dragon, much much year ago. Both Kasi and Hastos outcast now! HAHAHA!" She points at Hastos and grabs her stomach. The humor seems difficult to grasp, but for some reason Kasi has never seemed more amused and relaxed. "Old Kasi know just how Hastos feel." She wipes a tear of laughter from her eye. "Now, Hastos and Kasi have new clan, yes. Hastos and Kasi have new home to protect. Do it right this time, yes."
If the party is ready, I'll begin moving the scene forward.
My DM Registry
My Campaigns:
Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread (PbP); Secrets of the Island (On Discord); Lost Mine of Phendelver (tabletop)
My Characters:
Krik-tul, Thri-kreen monk; Mme Cragmaw, Goblin Artificer; River Kuthraeann, Wood Elf Paladin
Hastos laughed at Kasi’s response. “Yes, we do make quite a pair!”
Inside he felt a weight had lifted. It had been over a hundred years since he had felt like he could be himself, but even then he never felt like he could let his guard down. But who was he? He supposed he would find out in time. He takes a deep breath.
“I’m sure we’ll come up with something!” He replies to Kasi.
“We ready to go?” He asks everyone.
Character: Hastos, Ibahalii Vriwhulth, the Reaper of Glory v2: IC Thread
Sera take the seat in the wagon and carefully manouvers the now heavy wagon back towards Santech.