Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

Andariel had done all that the dark figure had told him. He followed the road without rest for what seemed like an eternity, moving as quickly as exhausted legs could take him under the dark of night. Finally, he reached the bridge where men awaited him. He did not know how he would pay them when he found a small satchel of gold coin within his bag. He knew it must have been planted there by the dark elven figure. Who was this elf, Andariel thought. The one who had seemed the cowardly instrument of Andariel's great shame, had also been the one to offer him his one chance at survival.

Andariel paid the men and watched as they eyed him eagerly. He did not know what held them back, they well knew he could not resist them if they chose to attack. Then one of their rank betrayed his terrible gaze, looking up to a ring of stone columns above. Andariel had never been so happy as when his emerald green eyes beheld the columns. He hastened his pace up the hill to find them and the promise of salvation.

By this time the summer's sun began to break above the ridge. Andariel threw his bag down next to one of the columns. He flopped beside another, pulling himself up to lean his back against it. In an almost involuntary action, he moved to pull forth the crescent moon pendant from under his robes, to kiss it and offer prayer to his god as he had done countless times before. When he caught himself doing this, he gripped the pendant tightly, tore it from his neck and threw it down upon the ground before him.

He pulled forth a finely crafted elven shortblade, gripped it tightly with one hand and with the other he rested his staff across his lap. He waited for the instrument of his salvation, or his destruction but he would do it with a blade within his hand. This much he now swore as an anger burned within his heart but tt was hours before even a breeze made way to rustle the grass before him and his eyes began to become heavy.........

Andariel now in reverie, dreamed of being back within his father's court. The other elven children running about and playing in the sun. He never felt a part of the rest of them, somehow he had always felt different. He wanted so badly to be one of them, to be accepted by them, to be accepted by him. A feeling of sadness set in, as suddenly Andariel watched himself as a child walk away from the others and toward the corner of his father's great hall to play with his own wooden toys alone. Then he saw a man walk over in shining gold armor, in all his splendor, the strongest, most proud elf he had ever known. It was his father. Oh, how he wanted so much to be just like his father.........

Andariel felt himself begin to choke, coughing violently, he felt water running down his chest and a hand behind his head. When he opened his eyes, he saw a woman's face brown olive complected and hidden beneath a dark hood which looked similar to the elven man within Soubar. He did not stop to think further when he felt her other hand take a canteen and place it into one of his own free hands. He quickly brought it to his mouth and slurped down the cool nourishing liquid heartily.

"Who are you, what are you doing here?", the woman's voice asked but Andariel's senses seemed too overloaded at the moment, too much focused on simply taking in water without choking. He felt her stand, cross her arms and look around. When he had finished, Andariel stared up to the woman huntress, clad in a padded armor, a bow and quiver of arrows strapped to her back.

The sun now shown down over head and shaded her features. "Are you Angharradh", the half crazed gold elf asked. The figure simply peered down at him with a strange glare. "No, I am Shyntvayas", she said pausing for a moment, "of En Dharasha Everae..........."

Ravens can be seen circling over head in the Misty Forest. (obviously then can be seen only from the tops of the trees)

The fledgling priest had spent the past ten day with the elves of En Dharasha Everae. He had mostly kept to himself, wishing not to discuss his travels within these lands. His pride had been taken from him, yet he was alive thanks to his kin. Still, he could not bring himself to explain how he came to lay before their ancient stones, the desecrated priest of the God whom he once held as his only salvation.

It was this god who was meant to be the salvation of all his people. The priest could not bring himself to even utter his name and had taken to solitary introspection to cure his pain. It had only lead to more questions and more pain. Then on the ninth day he heard the rumors and turmoil of those copper elves whom gathered by the stream.

A call to the people had come, a gathering of all elves within these woods and the surrounding lands such had not been seen in centuries it was said. The elves of these woods did not know why, though the name Saline had continued to be mentioned with reverence. A woman of the Moor, a commander of forces and a leader of her people it was said.

Andariel became curious though his heart still beat in an anxious pain, he did not wish to become embroiled in the affairs of others who may come to question his faith, a faith he simply did not understand anymore. Then the procession began and Andariel felt as if he were almost be swept up by the tide of his own people, as they slowly entered the cursed land, the land of the High Moor........

Andariel followed the procession, listened to the young wood elven women's gossip as they looked at him and giggled. He smiled back at them in return as the sun whose heat had nearly sent him into the ground centuries before his time seemed tempered by a breeze blowing from the north. They came to a pass lined by old ruins which lead to a large valley surrounded by hills.

He did not see it at first but upon those hills were large elven men, wearing tunics and hide armor. In their tasseled and braided hair was adored feathers which must have come from some form of birds of prey. The Misty Forest wood elf procession immediately halted and Andariel watched as the wood elven men exchange greetings customarily, laying gifts down before the feet of the large elves. These elves immediately embraced and soon the wood elves were waved forward into the valley beyond.

There were tents everywhere, as far as the eye could see with elves greeting each other with signs of friendship. Andariel had forgotten all about the plight which had befallen him, now enthralled with the on-goings around him. There was the smell of roasting garlic and root vegetables mingling with that of tobacco and weed pipes. Stalls were set up in a procession towards a central hill but no one was selling anything, they were offering their goods freely.

The sun was soon to set as they drew near to this central hill, he could see a large pyre atop and the silhouettes of two figures. "That must be the Lady Saline", he heard one of the girls say. "This is the woman", Andariel whispered to himself as he strained his eyes to look out across the mass of elves and up onto the hill.

She seemed seemed a tall, proud woman whom held her chin high as she spoke out to the people gathered. Andariel squeezed through the crowd to find himself standing before the hill. He seemed drawn to this spectacle. He no other attachments to anyone, or anything in this land, he was free to take it in without concern. This woman soon to be crowned the leader of her people, this proud woman standing before him, who was she he wondered.

He watched as a tribal leader presented her the position of leader of her people. He watched as she accepted it gracefully and with great dignity but there was something amiss he could sense. He watched as she spoke, holding her hands by her belly, her dark olive skin contrasted against shinning hazel eyes. Shinning for they were filled were tears and although she spoke proudly, he watched as she scanned the crowd.

A sadness seemed to enter Andariel at this brief moment, until he heard the words of the Priestess Luthien, behold your new Queen and felt the cries of joy ring out from the people around him. He was given wine, the first he had since leaving the Temple of Corellon upon the Green Isle and soon his sadness faded away. The newly crowned Saline even stepped toward him and not knowing what to do, Andariel bowed and offered his fealty, though he had not even thought it's ramifications.

"It would please me for you to stay with us young Priest", the Lady Saline said down to him and then gave him a wry wink. The haze of the wine had set his wits to foolishness and he offered his wine to the Lady as much as his toast, which she declined and accepted all the same. When she left, the same young wood elven girls stared giggling at Andariel as he stood. "Think one of them has an eye for you", another elf and newly found drinking company said while tipping his goblet into Andariels.

It was not long before Andariel was dancing, if ever poorly next to the young lass and smiling ear to ear. He had found his calling, he had found himself and he was happy.......

As Mendel is walking around the village in Misty Forrest, he cant help but wonder about Valge. The druidess was known to take long trips, but never before was she absent for that long. Having some free time, he packs a couple of things and moves out in hope to find her tracks.

Some travelers claim to have seen Valge in the area recently and when asked, would point somewhere towards the Cloakwoods. At the outskirts of the woods there is a wide array of footprints from adventurers and lizardmen but as the woods grow thicker, there are fewer tracks of people to be found. There are no obvious tracks of Valge, which isn't that strange as she can take the shape of any woodland animal. The wind rustles the leaves eerily and Mendel has a strong sensation of being watched.

Andariel emerges from the depths of the sharpteeth cave, confused and disorientated but quite enthralled as well. He was not quite sure what had just transpired as he felt like he had just come out from reverie but what he thinks he had seen was truly amazing. His only wish now, is that he is able to put all the pieces together and help figure out what his people had just born witness to.

((Many thanks to the Doron crew for allowing we EDE people to tag along. It was fun and a very kind gesture on Doron's part. Oh yeah, and uh...thanks to the DM too! What's that guy's name again, DMogoogle.....DMonoodle......well, no matter.... Thanks to the O-man!!))

Mendel keeps heading further into the woods still searching for Valge. Occasionaly he stops and looks around since he cant shake off the feeling of him being watched. He examines any tracks he comes upon, hoping that they will lead them to Valge

Something large and white jumps out of the bushes in front of Mendel. Lumi watches Mendel with intelligent eyes, showing no hostility and turns around and starts to walk through the undergrowth slowly. She looks behind her occasionally to see if Mendel is still following. After some time of walking in this slow pace - this cat is clearly in no hurry - they arrive in a small opening in the woods. A stream runs through the area and sitting crosslegged on a stone is Valge. She watches Mendel and Lumi come closer, its clear she knew of their approach. Valge's appearance is more wild and unkempt than it usually is.

"Thank you Lumi." Vage waits for Lumi to lie down near her before addressing Mendel. "Its good to see you Mendel. Naturally I have to ask you, what brings you here..?" She offers him a smile, its a bit stiff, as if she's not used to smiling. Perhaps too much time spent shapeshifted is the reason for it.

Mendel is following Lumi and stops when he sees Valge. He pets her and then looks around.

"So this is where you spent all your time?" He asks Valge with a concerned look in his eyes. "I was worried about you. You have never be gone for so long time. Naturally I have to ask you, why you have been away for so long" He offers her a kind smile and walks close to her.

Lumi closes her eyes and looks content at being petted.

"I've not been gone for that long, have I..?" Valge frowns and seems to think. "I don't know, perhaps I am losing track of time. I've been... occupied with some tasks." She shakes her head as if to bring herself back to the here and now and focuses her silver eyes on Mendel. "I was passing through here when I heard some adventurers speaking of extinguishing the lizardman population in these woods. I had to investigate. The population is safe, for now."

Valge climbs down from the rock and speaks in a lower voice. "It seems more trouble is brewing. I attended a recent meeting of the Faithful, the ones Robin Silver arrange. I'm not sure what to think of it all. Is it wise to get involved.." She seems to ask herself that, and with some delay asks a real question. "How is the village? I hope that is not why you are here, because it is in danger."

/// Hm, there was an exit through the temple?

Nyeleni wrote:/// Hm, there was an exit through the temple?

// The doors are locked to those with no En Dharasha Everae token.

(Although it appears they do not relock after being unlocked. Regardless the tree tops are off limits to visitors, without an escort.)

Mendel listens to Valge intently. He smiles when she asks about the village. He moves closer and speaks to her with a calm voice.

" The village is safe. There are many issues though... elven issues in general that need our attention. We can stop at the meeting of the Faithful first. I was planing to attend the meeting for some time now. I will tell you more once we get back to the village If you are ready to get back that is"

Caleb wrote:

Nyeleni wrote:/// Hm, there was an exit through the temple?

// The doors are locked to those with no En Dharasha Everae token.

(Although it appears they do not relock after being unlocked. Regardless the tree tops are off limits to visitors, without an escort.)

(( should just make the transitions to get up in the treetops check for the key instead, that way people won't get stuck and the doors locking won't be a problem if they can't get up there.