3. In the Temple of Lathander - Shadow War

In the Temple of Lathander - Shadow War


  • After reading trough the report, Hammer nods respectfully to Val.
    "For what it's worth, coming from me, it's good to have you back. Better with us than with them."


  • _Rico, swiftly, is the first to offer his blade and life to help.

    "We have missed you dearly."_


  • A very weary looking but happy Val is there with Ronan as well, smiling with a hint of sadness in her eyes. She hugs each of those present who are dear to her, strangely without speaking. Afterwards, she takes out some parchment and begins to write in plain view.

    @3dcb3ffe44:

    My thanks to all of those who thought of me, prayed for me, sought me out, and especially those who came for me, thinking not of themselves first. I have much to share with you, so please, bear with me.

    When I was kidnapped, the Shadovar General himself carried it out, and spoke with me once I was imprisoned on the Shadow Plane. There were three reasons he kidnapped me… one, I can cast the spell Legend Lore, which could have revealed information they wished kept hidden. Two, I can cast Shadow Walk, which will allow me to open the rifts between here and the Shadow Plane, and take as many people as I wish with me. Three, I know much of the land and could potentially aid them in what they sought to find.

    I swore an oath before him, that I would die before I told him a single thing. They tried to break my mind with magics, but I resisted their initial attempts. And so began the game of cat and mouse. The cell they gave me was large, but dark... thankfully there were books there and a torch over my bed, so I could read. They seemed to not wish me harmed, as they did not torture me, but the isolation and taunts were difficult.

    The General came to me again, after they had recovered an artifact from your hands. Told me that I would either aid them willingly, or they would cast spell upon spell onto me until I broke. And so, I bit off my own tongue. That act alone seemed to frustrate and confuse him beyond belief... so much so that I have not seen him since then.

    They made no further attempts to interrogate me. Rest assured, they learnt nothing from me. But I have learnt much from them.

    They have four of the five pieces of the artifact. The fifth piece is currently held by Furlinastis, the Ancient Shadow Wyrm, in his Prison on the Shadow Plane. I believe that the rift we need to use to get to there, is hidden within Arnath. Furthermore, should the Shadovar manage to recover the fifth piece of the artifact they will use the Ritual of Unwinding to bypass Mystra's ban, and restore power to Akinaeth, from which they will rule our land.

    We cannot allow this to happen.

    I believe that the Shadovar will try and use our attempt to recover the fifth piece as their own way to get to it, and attempt to wrest it from our hands again once we have dispatched Furlinastis, who is their hated foe. We must be prepared for this, and yet we cannot risk them getting the artifact piece themselves.

    Unfortunately, I am afraid that I will not be able to aid in this recovery until I have undertaken a quest of my own. You see, when I bit off my own tongue, the wound became infected somehow with negative energy. It cannot be healed, and so I will never be able to speak again. There is hope however. I have heard whispers and rumours over the years of a Singing Sword, one that bonds with and harmonises with its user, allowing them to cast their spells and sing through it.

    Using this sword, I would be able to cast Shadowwalk, through which we can get to Furlinastis.

    Once I have recovered my strength, I will do some research and when I have a location, I will need strong arms and able minds to aid me. I ask for volunteers to do this, and I will not force anyone. Should it be necessary, I will do it alone.


  • Ronan reports to all there..

    Val'kyrie has been recovered, but not without casualties of our own. The ritual of Unwinding was stopped as well, but again… twas a very deadly battle where nearly all of us were killed, most of us being killed.

    Still, we stopped part of their plan and rescued one of our own. Details will be forthcoming when I am less weary..


  • That's still only five. That's not enough.

    If more don't turn up, we'll need another plan.


  • "Of course I've no problem with that." Lycka smiles lightly, handing the small object over. "The condition is to bring me back the tale of what happened, though! You know us bards, the ~story~ is where it's at."

    //I've no means of getting IG to do the transfer, though I'll happily trash the orb once I'm back IG if it's been used.

  • G

    I have only one, so I could use Lycka's one if she has no pwroblem with that? María says quietly


  • I have two.


  • Two orbs. That's enough for one to make a single trip. Anyone else?


  • Lycka speaks up:

    "I was recently attacked by a Shadovar assassin, quite boldly I might add, in the middle of the commons. All my assailant would say was 'a message from the Shadovar'. We gave chase and found a patch of darkness behind the Mermaid, from which a shadow stalker also emerged, after the assassin was slain.

    The message, I interpret as something like.. 'stay out of our business, meddling Selunite-loving wench'. While I have NO intention of letting myself be scared off, the fact that both myself and Aelthas have been targetted by assassins makes me wonder if it wouldn't be better for our collective efforts if we took a step back. Make them think we're backing off, and maybe the rest of you will have a better chance.

    I've one shadow orb to give to whoever is going off to search for the artifact or artifacts remaining. And you all have my ear, and my advice, for whatever that's worth."

    //a good enough IC explanation for Christmas absence? Best of luck to all questers, I'll be back around Thursday next week, most likely. 🙂


  • Perhaps we should divide our forces. One group to search Jiyyd, the other to search Mintas.

    How many orbs do we have left?

  • V

    Kabul, who was again staying out of most of the other eyes, waits for Rico to finish his speach:

    • If conflict is to happen, as Yngdir and Mary said, I'd rather have it on our terms, and not on theirs. We pick the war ground, prepare properly, follow a leadership and our fate will be more in our hands.

    @60276ef2d0=cardamon:

    It's either that or Mintas Rhelgor.

    • If we know where to look, then it s time we go for it. Altough, we'll need some more experienced allies on those places. As I recall, they are too dangerous without the shadovar around. Mintas forest has come up for a few times now, I'd sugest to begin there, if we are to take this course of action.

    • In my opinion, waiting here is just giving them enough time to fulfill their goals. But again, I'm merely a hunter, with no knowlgde about planes and rifts, and I'm going to follow the course of action we decide.

    Once again he returns to his place, hearing what the others discuss.


  • I don't know. There appears to be at least two factions. The Dragon may be his own. Don't trust anything the general told us, Troff. But either way, we need to find this last piece. We do need to force a conflict if we are to finish this, but on our terms, not theirs.

    And when it comes to it, we need to destroy that piece.

    One was found in the Rawlins. One in the Cold Caves. One beneath Peltarch.
    breathes a heavy sigh

    We should look on the Long Road, beneath the battleground that was once Jiyyd.

    It's either that or Mintas Rhelgor.


  • which one are you referring to in the Rawlins?

    The first one they found, I believe, was when we first encountered them south of the lake near the Glenn. Fadia later went into the cave and found where they had dug, and excavated something.

    Is that what you are referring to?


  • Th' shadow dragon is said 't hold at least one. And we do have a ritual or something 't git to him, don't we? Though I'd rather not do th' shadovars work for em.

  • N

    Priest Janick

    If all reports hold true, and our assumptions are correct then it would appear that only one Artifact yet remains.

  • Legion

    So there is only one left to find?


  • One was taken from a Rift inside the Peltarch Barrows through a tunnel leading to the Oscuran mines. That at least, may be one outwith their control. Though, were Sharrans the ones to do so, the Shadovar very likely have four.

  • Legion

    No that's a good point Sergeant. In the end, no matter what road we go down, there will be a conflict. Best we be well prepared for that.


  • Yngdír, a new addition to the coalition against the shadow considers his words carefully before speaking…

    "What happens when we have the artifacts? They are clearly better at finding them than we here are. I do not like to guess - but it is very likely that to bring even one of these artifacts into our care would only invite them here to do battle with us. And even if we can keep it, to what end do we keep it? The inevitable is battle. I percieve but two choices, we recover one or two artifacts and dig in to defend for the rest of our lives - or we instead attack them; perhaps not by any conventional means. We may not win if we rely solely on arms. … But now I speculate, and I am not fully aware of our situation."