Story:

Chapter 5 – The Liferock of Ahodhya

Cairngorm Druze

Cairngorm Druze, a relatively young Obsidiman, had been apprenticed to the famous Elven Weaponsmith Kalvaro Ironhand for roughly two years, and had just become a First Circle Adept.  He had sought out Kalvaro because he was known as one of the finest weaponsmiths in Barsaive.  One day, Kalvaro produced a beautifully worked set of weapons and armour for Cairngorm, along with a shining cloakpin showing a green jade arrow on a field of onyx and gold.  Kalavaro announced that they were leaving Bartertown to travel on a riverboat down the Alidar River to the Cliff City of Syrtis.

When they reached the forlorn city, Kalvaro questioned Cairngorm on his motivation, needling the Obsidiman with pointed questions.  Kalvaro told his apprentice he stood at a crossroad, able to make a choice between a long life of cautious craftsmanship and financial success, and a short but exciting life of adventure.  When Cairngorm chose excitement, Kalvaro shrugged and told him he was an idiot.

Kalvaro announced that he had private business in Syrtis.  While waiting for his master, Cairngorm wandered the half-deserted city.  He met with other Obsidimen who were working on a scaffold, repairing aged masonry.  Cairngorm and his brothers cconversed for a whole, before visiting the Syrtis Liferock together.

Hantar-jorn Jharub

The Troll Hantar-jorn Jharub had sought out the Ork Beastmaster Shalindra in the Caucavic Mountains where she dwelt, eager to become her student.  Although for a long time she had rebuffed him, little by little she had started teaching him her art when he showed that this was more than a passing whim. 

Withouth warning, Shalindra disappeared one day.  After looking in vain for her, Hantar eventually decided, accompanied by his faithful wardog Squall, to follow the Caucavic River down to its confluence with the Serpent River at the Lalai Gorge.  As he approached the outskirts of the city of Syrtis, he came upon a wooden tower, at the top of which four t'skrang were playing a game of chance to pass time.

Hantar called up to the t'skrang: "Have you seen my master, Shalindra?"  The t'skrang looked at him with some alarm and scrambled to their feet.  "Shalindra the Blood Drinker?" a t'skrang called back to Hantar.  "Um... yes," he answered with some bemusement.  The t'skrang started pointing at him and discussing with animation in their language. 

The Troll decided to climb up the tower.  The t'skrang shut the trap door before he could get in, and started ringing an alarm bell.  Hantar tried to force his way into the top of the tower but was repelled and wounded in the process.  The t'skrang guards then arrested him and took him to Syrtis. 

In the city, the t'skrang guards and their prisoner ran into Cairngorm Druze.  Noticing the Obsidiman's Green Arrow path badge, the t'skrang questioned him about his affiliation and his master.  Reassured that he was a reputable member of the company, they asked Cairngorm if he would take charge of Hantar.  He agreed, and the wounded Troll was released into his custody.  The two young Adepts exchanged their tales.

That night, Cairngorm and Hantar-jorn met with a disgruntled Kalvaro who seemed to have been in a brawl very recently.  Kalvaro, it appeared, had had a run-in with Shalindra, though he refused to discuss the encounter.  He gingerly handed Hantar a beaten, scuffed, tarnished insignia showing an arrow in a wavy circle, which he said had been left for him by Shalindra.

The next morning, Kalvaro dragged his younger companions on, continuing their travels down the Serpent River.  They made their way to the Floating City of House V'strimon on Lake Ban.  There, Kalvaro wished to visit some of his businesses and left his two charges to visit the city on their own.

Tylee

Tylee's master, the renowned Dwarf Warrior Lindar, had long trained her for the day they would leave Throal and return to the Citadel at Erengazor.  Although Lindar had left some grudges there, he had also left friends, and particularly the troubadour Skira Mathoren, who still visitied him on occasion.  Lindar had told Tylee she would be his last apprentice, and hopefully his best.

He finally announced that the time had come.  They would sail on a barge to the Floating City of V'strimon on Lake Ban.  There, they heard the buzzing rumours that Thera was attacking Barsaive.  Lindros immediately told Tylee to wait for him while he went to investigate. 

While in V'Strimon, Tylee met with the shiralaki, the all-female Windling unit that serves as personal guard of the shivalahala of House V'strimon.  Their leader was the fearless Marash.  The shiralaki had been sent downriver to scout the Theran air fleet.  Half on a lark and half to prove herself, Tylee joined them on their expedition.

As they approached the Liferock of Ahodhya, the Windlings beheld the Theran kila, the vedettes, balloons, and a flock of griffin riders.  Tylee attempted to get closer to the center tower of the kila, but was repelled by a hard knock from some sort of magical field.  Perhaps it was this, or some other triggered ward, that caused an air elemental to appear and attack the Windlings.  The griffin riders swooped in, and the Windlings rapidly retreated; two of the shiralaki were killed in the action.  Exhausted, they swooped down toward a gaily painted t'skrang riverboat that was moving upriver.

Green Arrow Path

From the deck of the Foolish Venture, Eldan, Ka'El and I observed two Theran galleys rowing toward their riverboat from Lake Ban.  We were discussing in low tomes the distateful Blood Magic that powered such vessels, at the cost of slaves' life force.  But after a few moments of tension, the Therans waved our riverboat on and continued past on their way downriver.  Everyone aboard breathed a sigh of relief.

Moments after the the Theran galleys had passed, a flock of female Windlings landed on deck and hid.  One quick gesture of Captain Voosa G'dorren and the crew helped hide the unannounced visitors.  After the Therans, both on the river and in the sky, were well out of sight, the Windlings came out again.  They poked around a bit, one of them peering closely at us.  We realized that she was wearing a tiny Green Arrow Path badge, and she noticed our badges in return.  She introduced herself as Tylee, apprenticed to the famous Lindar.  Eldan was rather doubtful about her claim and offered to spar to see how good she was, but she suggested they wait until a better time.  We told her of our intention to come back and learn about the Therans' intentions.

Another Windling approached Tylee and they had a rapid conversation.  Tylee told her companions, now rested, to continue with their duty to report to the Shivalahala; she would remain with us, she said.  We passed the time exchanging our tales as the Foolish Venture continued its way to Lake Ban.

Late that night, Eldan found he was too restless to sleep.  He made his way to the deck, foundering in the dark.  He stumbled, caught himself, and came face to face with a beautiful woman he had never seen before on the boat.  She told him she appreciated the efforts he had made on her behalf.  He did not recognize her, but she said they had met in a place of great suffering.  She tossed him a broken link of chain, and disappeared.  In the morning, Eldan asked us whether we knew which Passion uses a broken link as its symbol, so I told him, of Lochost, Passion of freedom.

As we finally approached the docks of the Floating City, Captain G'dorren called Eldan, Ka'El, Tylee and I for a short meeting.  She reminded us that we would be moored for a week; after this, the Foolish Venture would head down the Coil River toward Urupa.  And she gave us one of her significant looks.

At the foot of the gangplank, we were met by Lindar, who had found Tylee's note, then promptly ran into Cairngorm Druze and Hantar-jorn Jharub.  This sudden profusion of Green Arrow Path members left us confused, but Lindar merely smirked knowingly.  "That crazy bitch Ardath," he muttered to himself.

We agreed to all meet at an inn.  On his way, Eldan stopped by a weaponsmith's establishment to purchase a short sword, in which he asked that the broken link be inset as the guard.

We all met at the inn and shared a drink.  Lindar seemed well known there and the inn keeper was content to let him put expenses on his tab.  We had been there for a little while when to our great surprise, a bundle of sticks came walking into the inn's common room and approached our table.  Though we had never seen such a thing, we recognized it for a wood elemental.  The elemental chittered something to Lindar, who got up, excuse himself, and left the inn.

Eldan was content to continue drinking wine at the table, but Caigorm, Hantar, Tylee and I started walking out, only to run into an Elf who introduced himself as Zadoren, my measter's friend.  We returned inside and approached the table where Eldan was still having a drink.  Zadoren told us that he had rented rooms for us for the evening.  Eldan was unimpressed with Zadoren, and showed no inclination to pause in his evening of relaxation.  The burly Hantar lifted Eldan out of his chair and turned him to face Zadoren.  When the Troll let go, a look of cold hatred crossed Eldan's features.

Zadoren asked for a private dining room and the innkeeper brought us a meal.  We started eating heartily, though I became somewhat uncomfortable when we noticed that Zadoren himself did not eat at all.  After we had eaten, he told us that at one time, he had been a patron of the Green Arrow Path and that, if we wished, he would be happy to act as such again.  He wished for us to find out why the Therans were "investigating" the Pilgrimage Route.  Since we had intended to do just that, and I remembered Skira Mathoren holding Zadoren in high esteem, it was easy to agree.

We retired for the night, or at least most of us did.  Tylee went for a bit of scouting with Hantar's wardog Squall.  Eldan, furious with Hantar's manhandling, went out to find a length of wood the size of a short sword, and patiently waited for the Troll to be alone in the common room.  He then called him out and Hantar, apparently equally willing to brawl, followed him out in the alley.  Despite the size difference and Hantar's beastmaster talent to display claws, Eldan beat the Troll to an inch of his life, then went back in to have another drink. 

Meanwhile, Squall had come back running for her master, and with her Tylee.  They found Hantar lying in the alley, and Tylee alerted the innkeeper.  The commotion got the rest of us out of bed, aghast at the scene, and we helped Hantar to his bed.

In the morning, we met for breakfast in a somewhat subdued mood.  Hantar was bruised but better.  When Eldan came down to join us, he looked furious again; he was walking barefoot and carrying his shoes.  He roughly put the footgear on the table, and we saw that it was filled with honey.   I was puzzled, for I had never known that Humans had such a custom; Tylee was snickering.  Eldan glared at her, and it became apparent that he did not in fact choose to use his boots to store honey.  It seems Tylee had played a prank on him to punish him for his sour disposition.

After Eldan had obtained new footgear, we took a boat supplied by Zadoren and traveled back downriver toward Ayodhya.  The Theran airflotilla was still hovering above the sacred site.  We decided to approach it as a House K'tenshin party on pilgrimage.  It was easy enough for me and for Cairngorm to justify our presence on the pilgrimage, and Tylee could stay out of sight.  Hantar would pose as Cairngorm's servant, and Eldan as mine.  Ka'El, too recognizable with his Cathan tattoos, would remain on the boat for the moment while we reconnoitred.  Before leaving, we had Eldan hide our Green Arrow Path badges on the boat, in case we were searched by the Therans.

We made our way up; about halfway to the Liferock, we encountered a party of well-armed Theran Orks on horseback.  They examined us, asked our business, with Eldan acting as interpreter since he spoke Theran, then let us through.

When we reached the Liferock, we met with another group of Therans.  The most important among them seemed to be a well-dressed Dwarf whom others referred to as High Mage.  He proved very interested in Cairngorm, and through Eldan, made a litle conversation.  He asked if this was Cairngorm's own Liferock; I knew this must be very offensive to the Obsidiman, but he answered courteously, if evasively.  The Dwarf smiled benignly and invited us all to dinner with him on the kila for that evening...

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