The Summit Road Campaign Thread

"Y-Yes m-m-ma'am." Taran says, taking another deep breath.

Caelius takes the money and stands,

 He looks to Taran,

 With a wave, he heads for the door.

"M-Mister C-Caelius is h-h-heading to the portal, to s-s-see Arthem, hopefully be-before his lessons" Taran translates as his hands move.

Kaori quietly takes her share and looks around at the others, cooing softly.

"Stay safe ... Everyone ... I will see ... you soon."

She gives another look around to make sure nobody has any objections as she slowly moves towards the exit.

About a week later, you all find yourselves summoned to the monastery/port of Ruukosi. Ranari is waiting in a briefing room, where she gets straight to the point. "We've been talking to the water soldier you turned a month ago, Riikana, and working our way through what we can learn about Sulatesh's secrets. One thing in particular stood out. Supposedly, Sulatesh's quori has been working to turn a young Storm Guardian. Riikana thinks he was close to succeeding when you all departed, and when we reached out to Riannoass, the Storm Guardian expert at Kasshta Keep, she confirmed that one of their young dragons recently disappeared. They've been trying to find her, with little luck, I would guess that Sulatesh is warding her against divination. Fortunately, he seems to think that Riikana died rather than being turned, so her information is thus far uncompromised, and she knows where he was preparing the convert's lair, in the Frostwalls of Dor Maleer. I don't need to tell you how much sensitive information this Storm Guardian could provide to the Riedrans if left alive in their care. So we need you to go to the lair and eliminate the threat. We leave it up to your judgement whether you believe the Storm Guardian can be brought back to our side, or if she needs to be killed. We will provide you with her location, and your ship leaves tomorrow morning. You should be at her lair in a little over a week. Questions?"

Lore: The Storm Guardians are a group of blue dragons that live on top of the mountain Korrandar in the middle of Adar. They usually keep out of direct conflicts in the Riedra-Adar war, but they are clearly generally interested in keeping Adar out of Inspired hands.

"Do you think we might potentially be hiding in a manifest zone or a wild zone?" Vishal asks recalling what he knows about the region.  

"It's possible. We don't have a comprehensive map of every wild or manifest zone in Riedra, especially since they can change with the planes' movements. A Lammanian zone could provide sufficient food to feed a dragon without taxing the reserves of a Maleeri village." Ranari says thoughtfully.

Taran struggled for a few moments with primal terror. A Storm Guardian? One of the Servants of the Lady of Storms? Betraying them!

Taran shoved aside those thoughts and focused on the mission. The potential problems and challenges, the information. If he was going to be helping plan, he needed to focus on that.

"Tr-Trailblazer, wh-what d-d-do w-we kn-know a-about the G-Guardian? H-Her n-name, h-her sp-specialities? Sh-she is y-young, b-but d-did sh-she h-have a cl-clutch? That m-might have b-been l-leverage to t-turn her. O-Or d-did M-Miss Riikana not kn-know wh-what l-leverage Sulatesh h-had?"

Taran mentally consults his understanding of the geography, "Al-Also, w-we w-will b-be s-sailing p-past In-Inspired p-ports, c-correct? Wh-What s-sort of c-cover d-does our sh-ship h-have if w-we r-run into n-naval v-vessels? A-Are th-there p-pirate r-routes w-we sh-should b-be w-w-worried of? D-Does th-the c-captain b-believe th-they c-can d-dock a-at a p-port, o-or sh-shall th-this b-be a h-hidden c-c-cove?"

Taran bit his lip and turned to the group, "I-I d-don't n-need cl-climbing eq-equipment, b-but i-it w-would b-be b-best for u-us to purchase s-some. A-Also, I, um, I h-have n-not p-purchased new w-winter w-wear, and, p-perhaps f-five s-silver w-will b-be enough, b-but... I m-may n-not b-be able t-to f-fully c-c-cover th-the c-cost f-for g-gear n-need f-for the F-Frostwalls... I-I'm s-s-sorry..."

"Her name's Siepha. We're not sure exactly how she was turned. No clutch. It likely happened in her dreams, making it difficult to track when and how it happened." Ranari sighs. "You'll be sailing under an Inspired flag we captured about a week ago. It should keep you from being stopped by Riedran vessels, and they do a good enough job of keeping their waters clear of pirates. You'll dock at a hidden cave, where the captain will wait for you until you return or a month has passed."

"Un-Understood." Taran says, filing away the name Siepha and letting his mind churn with ideas. "W-Will w-w-we h-have an-any c-contacts n-near the Fr-Frostwall's, i-if w-w-we n-need em-emergency s-supplies o-or in-information? O-Or w-w-will th-there be a-a R-Riedran ou-outpost there?"

"The mountains are pretty barren, and Dor Maleer is so far north that we don't have many outposts there. But it's also barren and miserably cold, so there are next to no Riedran outposts. You'll be on your own, for better and worse."

From what I read there is no fear of dreams being tampered with as long as we stay away from the biggest cities. It’s technically under Riedar control and they believe and love all that stuff but because of the very harsh climate the population is so sparse. In essence as long as we don’t stick our neck ours too far we’ll be free to do what we wish.” Vishal explains remembering his reading 

Taran nods, "I-If it i-is j-just th-the w-wilderness, I-I c-can k-keep us f-fed and sh-sheltered." he turns back to Trailblazer Ranari, "A-Are th-there a-any sp-special t-tools w-we sh-should br-bring f-for d-dealing w-with.... o-o-o-one of th-th-the St-Storm G-G-Guardians?"

Ranari shakes her head. "Not really."

Akuma listens quietly to the conversation, tracing along the lines of, (what the others can easily see), a relatively fresh, black, braid of barbed wire neck band tattoo that shimmers slightly in the light, before mumbling to herself (in celestial) "Sa dragon.  Sop.  Sa pop un olsith."

After a moment she glances down at herself before looking back at Taran. "We can go shopping before setting off. I could use some better attire as well. I'll pay."

Translation:

Akuma's new Tattoo:

"Th-Thank y-you Miss A-Akuma," Taran says, focusing on staying positive, "W-We m-may also st-stop b-by the m-messenge s-service, s-so I c-c-can s-send a l-letter. A-And I-I h-have p-potions f-f-for e-everyone, a-as w-well, a-as, u-um, s-s-s-something e-else... wh-when w-we are f-f-finished."

Ranari nods. "Druhdaar is on a...personal trip in the wilds of Tashalatora at the moment, and has requested a leave from the Road. He will return soon, hopefully, but this mission will be without him."

She dismisses you, and you all convene briefly in a side room so Taran can distribute potions and do his something else.

Taran looks at his four companions, opens his mouth, then turns and rummages through his bag.

"I-I g-g-g-guess th-that th-these w-w-will b-be m-more u-useful th-than I th-thought," he stammers taking out eight brilliant vermilion bottles and setting two each in front of each member of the party, "Th-These a-are m-my o-own r-recipe, t-took a l-lot of Eph-Ephedra, h-half my st-stock to be h-honest b-but they sh-should b-be nearly t-two and a half t-times m-more powerful th-than a b-basic h-healing p-potion. Th-That sh-should h-help i-if w-w-we.... y-you kn-know...."

(Each Improved Greater Healing potion is 4d6+4 healing)

Taran twists his fingers, biting his lip, "Th-That i-isn't, th-there is s-s-something e-else, l-like I s-said, and I-I t-told M-M-Mister C-Caelius p-part of i-it, b-but I w-wasn't, I m-mean I w-was s-sort of h-hiding i-it, un-until I kn-knew m-more... b-but th-that i-isn't tr-true ei-either, I-I w-was s-scared, an-and, I st-still am, b-b-but M-Mister C-Caelius s-said i-it w-was o-okay an-and I-I'm tr-trying to w-work fr-from a pl-place o-of h-hoping f-for th-the b-best in-instead of b-being sc-scared o-of th-the w-w-worst.... B-But I-I'm m-messing i-it up.... j-just..."

Taran stops, takes a deep breath and steps back into the Flow, focusing his thoughts, speaking slowly and in a monotone.

"When I was preparing the room as a trap, I discussed Pyrine with Esteemed Tashana. Tariiq had said someone important there desired me alive, and with the inclusion of Pyrine in Esteemed Vishal's vision, I feared it might be a clue. While scouring my mind for connections to Pyrine-" Taran stops, a shivering running through him, "I had a memory from when I was a baby. My mother coming into the room where me and Father were. She is a Chosen named Lady Ashara. My Father was her personal assassin. She had been selected to become the Inspired in charge at Pyrine."

"I am Chosen. But something is strange. Esteemed Tashanna said I had not been fully prepared as a vessel, likely because I was not given a name. Or perhaps because I was not raised in Riedra. Father fled, it seems, but I do not understand why. I fear he may have been a double agent, but I do not know. When Master Diamond investigated after I revealed this to Trailblazer Ranari, he and Esteemed Naray discovered another factor. There is a silver bar in my mind, acting as a barrier to all Quori. Someone put it there, but we do not know who, or why they would have bothered. My Mother's Quori cannot possess me, and even other Quori would find access difficult. I do not know why... And I was scared to tell you... I am sorry."

Taran stands ramrod straight, not making eye contact, as he finishes his confession.

Vishal moves in and hugs Taran, "Dummy. Should have told us a long time ago. Would explain why they want you. Why they are still searching for you. Make some actual sense of what Vakri was telling me." 

"I-I d-didn't want to w-worry you, d-distract you b-before the m-mission." Taran chokes, hesitantly returning the hug, "And, I... I w-w-was sc-scared... sc-scared I w-w-was a th-threat, th-that I-I m-might h-hurt ev-everyone."