Vorsaykorai
The Ancient Battlefield
As we talked about the visions we had seen before arriving on the boggy plain, a loud voice suddenly picked up on something we had said... "the key?!" it echoed. We looked down to see a small fairy looking up at us. Tak tried to greet it as a friend, as he always did, but she said that he didn't smell right, smelling of the sea. Apparently I smelled too, but Silanna seemed nice. Her name was Bryony, and she lived with her kind in the mud. She asked if it was the Key of Kagrash that we sought. This seemed to interest Tak; he had heard of the legendary keys of Kagrash, which were able to guide people to places they were attuned to, even when the path was well hidden. If it was a key to Vorsaykorai, then perhaps there was a chance it would still work? We asked what we might trade for such a thing, and she seemed as keen on gems as the other little pixie we had asked for directions. Tak was a bit dubious about following another wild goose chase, but what choice did we really have? I still had a few gems, so I handed one over and she pointed in a direction we judged to be southwest. She spoke of a massive battlefield with a dead dwarf that was fairly obvious, according to her. More interestingly, she spoke of my own people living to the west (both kinds, more worryingly), and Tak's to the east (no surprise there).
We began to journey to the southwest, and it took a couple of days before we saw anything of interest due to the boggy terrain. Eventually the going became easier, with the ground more like a tundra than a bog, and it was there we came across the first carcass. It was a little preserved by the peat, but had clearly been a dwarven warrior. We continued into the battlefield, finding more and more bodies as we did so, friend and foe alike. Still, by the time dusk came we had not found what we were looking for and were forced to sleep amongst the dead. Tak kept watch as usual, seemingly never needing to sleep, and we had a decent rest before we were disturbed.
Tak noticed a few lizard creatures approaching, which was something Bryony had warned us about, and he woke Silanna before they got too close. They were moving surprisingly quickly, though, and he was forced to greet them. He tried to placate them, saying that we would leave their territory, but they weren't interested in peace. Silanna had moved back, giving her the chance to engage with arrows before they could attack, killing one with two well-placed shots. The other two were able to close to melee, though, and Silanna was hit. I woke with the commotion, fighting for a moment with a cloak that Tak had laid over me to hide me from the foe.
Once I saw what was happening I moved to help, but I wasn't needed. Silanna cut her opponent down, but Tak was hit with a couple of glancing blows before he was able to fell his opponent. He tried to explain that he had given them the chance to give us safe passage, but had been left with no option but to kill them. He didn't have to explain himself - I was just happy we were safe! Tak and I used our minds to heal some wounds; I helped Silanna as Tak tended to himself. There was mist rising from the ground as the dawn broke, which made it hard to see more than a hundred yards or so. We continued in what we thought was the right direction, but it wasn't long before we saw more lizard folk up ahead. There were three, all facing away from us, and we could just make out some shorter figures beyond them. The sound of steel ringing suggested that they were fighting!
Tak urged us forward to help, running far faster than we could hope to match, all whilst shouting loudly for them to stop fighting and talk. As we hurried towards the combat we could see that they were fighting against pale-skinned dwarves dressed in black with orange on their shoulder guards, which wasn't reassuring. The terrain was hard going as well, which slowed us down. Tak kept shouting to try and stop the fight, which of course didn't have any impact. Had he ever seen the real world before he met us? Silanna coped best with the terrain, closing quickly, but stopped short to draw her swords, unwilling to loose arrows into the melee.
As we struggled to catch Silanna, I voiced concerns that we might end up helping the wrong side as we had fought both these foes before. Tak was sure that the lizards were against us here, though, and did not want to judge the dwarves prematurely. He managed to get past a bit of difficult terrain and quickened his pace, engaging a lizard from behind just as the dwarves managed to cut one down. Tak called out in the Dwarven tongue, getting some acknowledgement but no actual response, and then struck a lizard from behind. I joined him just in time to see one of the dwarves being hit by a serrated sword that seemed to be the favoured weapon of the lizards. I was behind the one wielding it, so I managed to thrust at a spot not completely covered by scales and it fell dead.
I moved around to try and help the dwarves with their wounds, which did not seem to be leaking any red blood I noticed, but they ignored me. Tak tried to tell them that I was trying to help and not a threat, but it didn't seem to help. The last lizard was surrounded now, and quickly cut down - Tak delivering the fatal blow. As soon as it fell, Tak sheathed his weapons and took a step back, holding up his hands to show that we meant no harm and speaking "friends" in their tongue. He asked if they spoke the Common tongue, but they just looked at each other and walked straight past him, clearly intending to continue their journey without a word. Rude! I said "you're welcome!" loudly at their backs, but got no reaction.
Just before they disappear they glanced down in between themselves and veered to the right. I said to the others about that, as it was weird, and Tak went out to where I thought it had happened to see if there was anything there. Nothing found though, try to catch the dwarves but when Tak hailed them they sped up, so left them.
Tak seemed down so I take the time to engrave a bit of metal with waves and give it a slight sound of waves breaking, gifting it to Tak to try and lift his spirits. He was overjoyed, hugging me and setting off west with renewed spirit. As mist began to rise we saw the mountains so headed for them. By afternoon the ground was rising quite steeply. We headed towards the highest peak.
Just before it gets dark I spot some stairs, which the others couldn't see. I alerted them and headed that way, until we lost the light. We camped as the ground started to slope differently, as if we were approaching a ridge. Rest again, with Tak keeping watch as usual. A few hours into the night Tak sees a horned goat-like humanoid leaping from rock to rock down the slope from above us. Carrying a gisarme of some kind and quite noisy (care free). Tak tries to hide, but coughs say that he is aware of us.
Tak greets as a friend, but it says "we shall see". Introductions "Geron". Knew of the Duergar (pale dwarves), but didn't like them. Not concerned with our sleeping, but were we warm enough? Did not see humans much, or certainly elves. Some of the half folk will fear Tak and try to kill him, but his "half folk" were here before the blasts of Ragnarak. Hintzu's tomb was within Vorsaykorai - notices the ring. It is a ring of power - of course it is important! Not as impressed with the surf token as Tak. Gets invited for supper, though, because he was nice. Wakes us, and we are a bit wary.
He waves his glaive and glitter outlines all the rock up towards where I had seen the stairs. Gather things, don armour and follow him up towards the steps, just before the steps he walks straight into the mountain. Attempt to follow him. An optical illusion that hides an entrance. Squeeze through (easy for me), and Geron apologises as he realises we don't know the way. He banged the glaive on the floor and torches light to show the way in a greenish flame.
Rock is shot through with metals, different colours, descend broad staircase and start to hear talking and laughter up ahead. Enter a massive hall, not as well crafted but easily as big as a Gnomish hall. A cheer from the throng that he found "them" as we enter. Ankorek spoke of us - birds, but not the ones that tried to pick us up. Bathomet's folk - not heard of them! Silanna seems to have heard of them, though - the one they worship. Given food and drink aplenty. Made welcome.
Trapped by the gnolls mainly here. They speak of my folk in the peak of Lords, with brightbane there! Would seek them out, but need to rest first. Spend some time at the forges and recognise the same desire to shape items and dweomer. We stay to learn from them. Tak seeks out the last survivor of Vorsaykorai, a mad monk driven insane by what has happened to him. Leveling.