(066) Vulfenlund

[waysoftheearth]

Highbough examines the stone ring of the ancient Elves... yes, yes, these are the Grand and Local constellations mapped out... but, if memory serves, they appear to be backward. Wait, wait, the whole thing is the wrong way around!

Nay, the tang of scent upon the air is not foul and stuffy like Hezmog. It is hot and open and burnish like... like... some long buried memory, perhaps?

[mgtremaine]

Wen would look up from his thoughts to see Highbough, he would switch to the Elven tongue. "Something is strange about this.. Could it be Alcazar 74 that we smell, as the spirit of the wood told us? Is this then the Seal of Seyal that has locked it away? Her words always bothered me and still I fumble to understand them"

[heartless]

Meanwhile Demond/Mondes moves aside to examine the pictograms carved into the walls. These seem to depict various sorts of wolves and wolf-men. Some of them are, in fact, larger and even more monstrous and diabolical than what would technically be termed "wolves" but this could easily be artistic license. One panel has a circle in the middle of it--to the left hand side of it the panel is night, to the right hand side of it the panel is day. On both sides there are wolf-man with standing with their backs to the circle and something--perhaps a stick or a sword?--held upright infront of them.

Ashtad carefully examines the pictograms to see it the stick or a sword held by the wolf-man is just an image or moveable.

[waysoftheearth]

Ashtad carefully examines the pictograms to see it the stick or a sword held by the wolf-man is just an image or moveable.

Ashtad finds the carvings to be solid stone. Whatever is carried by the wolf-figures nearest the circle is, in Ashtad's opinion, too thin and uniform to be a sword, and too straight to be a stick...

[ehiker133]

"Too thin for a sword and too straight for a stick..." Desmond mutters, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "What's thinner than a sword blade and straighter than a stick? An arrow? hanging rope or twine? Maybe some sort of magician's rod or staff?"

He shakes his head, at a loss for all of the confusing things in the room.

"Wen, you mean Alcazar 47? The elven Loremaster said there were but 66 of them... Either way, ancient backwards elven symbols sounds just about right for that seal thing you were talking about the other da, not that this makes me feel any better about it, given those wolfmen priests seem to know how to use it."

[waysoftheearth]

Dieter points his new sword at the wall emphatically, and swishes it through the air with intent, but no communication is forthcoming from the weapon.

[mushgnome]

Highbough is excited by a discovery! "Wen, something about the stone ring isn't right. Look at the arrangement of these runes. They are all backward... the inverse of our reality. It's almost as though they are ordered from the perspective of someone looking in at us from the other side!"

[waysoftheearth]

Hiridhren your adventures starts... now!


Some moons ago Hiridhren's Master bid him travel from the Ivory Wold (the seat of the Wood Elf Kingdom) to the distant watchtower of Haurelee (Southwatch) to quietly assess the growing Goblin influence in the region around Ket, and particularly whether other powers might be guiding Goblin movements. Not that the Lady Gallaine, Warden of Haurelee, is mistrusted by the Ivory Wold; but Hiridhren's Master thinks it wise to have an independent, first hand assessement of the sitution...

Hiridhren was as surprised as anyone else when the Goblins recently moved to occuply Ket, and at the complete success of their ploy!

When a band of reluctant heroes and their entourage came upon Haurelee is search of succor and shared tidings that the Last Abbey had fallen to evil machinations and the Sisters of Mercy were come under fell influence, Hiridhren immediately requested permission to verify this tale. He was granted this leave by Gallaine, and several days later he was carried by Hippogriff to a safe aerie in the ridge adjacent to the abbey, and from there hiked a day trail to overlook the abbey.

From there he observed the abbey from afar for several days. Then, one clear mid morning, he spied a flight of Hippogriffs land near to the abbey, and the same company of adventurers alighted to challenge the abbey once more.

Hiridhren set off at once to join them; for what better opportunity would there be to find out what was going on within? The march to the abbey itself took another halfday, then attaining the damaged wall was easy...

[waysoftheearth]

Hiridhren the Elf now climbs down into the abbey courtyard just after Josiane, Dorgan, and Helmut leave the kitchen and are beginning to march across the courtyard.

He hurries after the trio as they re-enter the broken chapel, descend the stair, negotiate a short dungeon passage, and then arrive here at the Ring Room where a larger company await.

Hiridhren the Elf catches up just as the trio reach the Ring Room.

Olaf, who is keeping a watch at the entry, immediately notices that Josiane, Dorgan, and Helmut are followed by Hiridhren...

[Merctime]

Hiridhren, a generally non-descript elf of rustic attire and appearance, wearing nothing save woodman clothes and a sword at his hip, stops bodily in his rushed attempt to apprehend the heroes.

"Stay your hands, valorous ones! I am no foe!" Says he, both hands held palm-towards the party in a motion of peace (and far from his blade). "I am sent of the Lady Gallaine to fetch tidings of the wicked goings-on of this place, and for my own master. Hiridhren be my name... Peace be unto you!"

At his back is a common napsack; It is as bulky as any would be for one who intends to remain away from shelter for any amount of time. Other than his sword, the Elf appears without arms.

Hiridhren stands firm and quiet, hands outward; Awaiting the party's further action or reply.