RP:A Venture into the Mountains Part 1
Part of the Thy Kingdom Come Arc
Part of the Home Sweet Home Arc
Summary: After her meeting with both Xzavior and Linn, Gilwen and her entourage travel into the mountainous village of Xalious. There, the party splits into two groups and Gilwen and her sentry guard seek out Hildegarde to pledge her allegiance to her campaign- not only to see the dragon on the throne of Frostmaw, but also to have access to the Sage elves that remained in the frozen lands so that she could hunt down someone who might know more about the curse on sage. However, Hildegarde offers some sage advice that sees Gilwen contemplating reaching out to other factions for help or further knowledge on the curse.
The Dancing Destrier
Built against the rocky mountains behind it, The Dancing Destrier is a large inn. Double doors open to a massive dining area, often filled with magelings, villagers and visitors to the town, and even a few errant hobbits who have braved leaving the Burrows to live amongst the 'Big People'. Many wondrous smells come from the kitchen, where the barkeep's wife prepares exotic foods with ingredients given to her by mages, and recipes gained over a lifetime of meeting the strange patrons who come from all around to study within the Mage Tower or pay their respects to the Xalious Tree. The owner is a friendly man, with eyes that betray a fierce intelligence. Thin of arm and quiet of voice, he nevertheless emits the confidence which comes from those who have studied the arcane. A small fire burns without wood in the corner, but it is more a source of light than heat; kept alive by young pyromancers in the Guild as an exercise in control. There is always a student or two sitting in one of the high chairs which surround it, their features fierce in concentration. The entire building is made like the rest of Xalious Village: simple and sturdy, yet clearly built with the love and attention which can only come from the villagers themselves.
Hildegarde had set up her military camp in the large park of Xalious and had since done her best to make peace with the villagers. While few begrudged her presence given that she was a Xalious native, the knight still felt the need and urge to ensure the people that she would try to prevent the camp from sprawling any further than necessary and that it wouldn’t get in the way of daily routines and lives here in Xalious. Of course, to make sure people had belief in her words, the knight felt it was important to bond with the locals in the Dancing Destrier. She sits at a table with good food and drink, smiling and laughing as the elders and youths talk. Some ask questions that she answers honestly and openly, some older folk talk of when Hildegarde was young; some even talking of how they used to play together but now the humans were old and Hilde was still youthful. The Silver kindly touched her hand to the shoulder of this older person and offered them a gentle squeeze of reassurance, before they all depart from her company and leave her to sit alone and dwell on her thoughts in relative silence.
Gilwen, after speaking with both Linn and Xzavior, found enough reason to leave the elven camp in Sage to make the trek to Xalious with a set of guards and a fellow druidic elf. The party had split once reaching the mountainous village, allowing Gilwen and a single guard to move through the large encampment, asking for the silver dragon. Eventually, she was directed to the inn, and pushed her way into the establishment. Immediately, she found the knight, and with a gesture to the accompanying sentry to find refreshment and relaxation at the bar, the elven leader moved toward the table the dragon occupied. “Lady Hildegarde,” Gilwen greeted before slipping into a chair recently abandoned by one the older persons. “I do hope you forgive my lack of manners, but I come on important business.”
Hildegarde, having never actually met Gilwen, does not recognise the elf who now sits by her. “Is that so?” she asks, obviously curious as to who Gilwen is and the urgent business she brings to Hildegarde. Certainly, it must be urgent if there was no time to at least offer some kind of introduction. “You seem to know who I am, but sadly, I do not yet have the pleasure of knowing your name, m’lady. Not that you need call me ‘Lady’. Hildegarde will do just fine,” she said it all quite politely, offering a little smile to cap off her sentence. “Pray tell, what is your important business?”
Gilwen knew of Hildegarde from the years spent living in Frostmaw, and had even seen the woman once in passing, and while the elf knew she had never actually been introduced to the dragon, she had been so caught up in her own thoughts, that that knowledge had escaped her; thankfully she had apologized for her manners, even if it was in reference to not waiting for permission to join the knight. “I’m Gilwen Ousseaityrn.” She hoped name alone would suffice for introduction. “I’m not privy to the current ongoings of Xalious, aside from your camp here. But I’ve heard disturbing rumors of necromancers summoning deadly creatures?” While that itself had been a rumor she had picked up in passing, she was quick to add, “I was also told that Gevurah D’artes was trying to summon some sort of shade nightmare. I don’t know how truthful my informant was, but I wanted to come and offer any aide I could.” There was a touch of sheepishness lingering in her otherwise stoic expression.
Hildegarde’s camp had settled in Xalious due to Frostmawian matters, not due to Gevurah’s machinations. The Silver’s fiery brow furrowed for a moment as if in thought or in confusion. “Gilwen of the Elven Council, I know the name,” she said, she had heard much of council matters from Aeth and even spoke to the council a few times but Gilwen had obviously been away dealing with other matters at the time. “Indeed, there are rumours of necromancers and I too have heard of a creature being summoned – only to then escape. But my camp is, sadly, not here to deal with any shade nightmare or Gevurah D’Artes,” she informs Gilwen. “My camp is here to prepare to take back Frostmaw. I would not have you offer aid to the wrong cause, Lady Gilwen.”
Gilwen settled back into her chair as she listened to Hildegarde, and in the wake of her response, the elf’s ruddy brows lofted in a brief show of surprise. “I wasn’t aware that the creature had already been summoned.” Clearly, Xzavior wasn’t in such good graces with the Drow priestess as he had originally though. “And please, just Gilwen. No need for formality.” She paused, rubbed at her mouth and then leaned forward to rest her forearms on the table. “I was told that any of Gevurah’s possible dealings in Xalious could disrupt your attempt to reclaim Frostmaw. I’m here to offer my services to –you-, Hildegarde.”
Hildegarde shrugged her shoulder, “Something was summoned in Xalious, but I do not think Gevurah summoned it. I doubt she would be so bold or so foolish to travel so close to Frostmaw after suffering the defeat that she did,” she explained, meaning that perhaps what she knew and what information Xzavior had offered were two different things. “At least, that is what I have heard. So take it with a pinch of salt,” she warns politely. “And what services are those, Gilwen? And why do you offer them to me?”
Gilwen chuckled lightly, in a completely unamused fashion and made a mental note to call upon Xzavior once she returned to Sage. “I absolutely love when informants feed you wrong information, don’t you?” While Gilwen had doubted Gevurah was in any position to do anything the naga had described, she also couldn’t put anything past the drow, and it was for that reason alone she had taken the information to the small council in Sage. When the topic of her services came to light once more, Gilwen’s disgruntlement eased slightly. “I can offer my services as a healer, or as a solider. Frostmaw helped the elves in their time of need, and so we would like to return the favor with the few troops we can spare at the moment. And, for the sake of transparency, I wish to try to bring the elves still in Frostmaw back to Sage."
Hildegarde shook her head at Gilwen’s disgruntled reply, “There is always hints of truth in what people tell us. Do not treat your informant harshly, lest you wish to make a real enemy of them,” she advised. That being said, the knight reclined in her chair and listened to what Gilwen had to say. As she boldly claims she wishes to tempt the elves back to Sage, the knight frowns slightly. “I have never stopped the elves from returning to Sage. In fact, about half or more of them did. You cannot make people return to Sage if they do not wish to, Gilwen. I understand why they would not wish to leave, given that they are afraid of being ousted from their land again. They are afraid to leave the lives they have made for themselves. Certainly, you are welcome to try, but you cannot make people leave if they have no wish to,” she said thoughtfully. “But if I recall correctly, you were quite outspoken in your opinion of me and Frostmaw in regards to the elves and the efforts made to help… Why are you so inclined to help now when you previously thought little of Frostmaw? Is it really just to convince people to return to Sage?”
Gilwen lowered her gaze to settle it on her clasped hands that still rested on the table, and slowly nodded along with Hildegardes words. In the seconds after the posed questions that Gilwen’s embarrassment and shame came flooding back, and she quickly ran her hands through her fiery mane. “I was wrong. I was blinded by my own ambitions to see how any further aid for my people, going to war with us, might upset the politics of Frostmaw.” It was then that the elf settled back into the backrest of her chair once more, her gaze fixed firmly to the dragon once more. “I need to make amends. You came to help us when we needed it, I’d like to return the gesture. And, while I have no want to try and force the elves back to Sage, because they’ll have to up and move on again and I have no wish to see that happen more times than it should- we need their help. More specifically I’d like to try and find an elf by the name of Landirion.”
Hildegarde made a thoughtful ‘hm’ noise. “You thought Frostmaw was not doing enough for the elves,” she said, not attaching the fact that Frostmaw had essentially won the war for the elves by coming to their aid and restoring them to Sage by repelling the drow forces. “I cannot say I have heard of any such elf by that name, not in Frostmaw. But that isn’t to say they aren’t there,” after all, people could give a false name or remain hidden if they really wanted to. “You need their help. Why?”
Gilwen bit back whatever retort rose in her throat at the reminder she had initially thought Frostmaw wasn’t providing sufficient help and instead took a deep breath. “I had thought that, yes. And I was sufficiently humiliated the moment you proved me wrong. I felt, and feel, terrible for my words, and if I can start to repair or forge any relationship between Sage and Frostmaw- between me and you- by pledging myself to your cause, then that is what I wish. On that same token, I need access to Frostmaw, and I can’t have that until you’ve taken the city back.” She explained. “And the last anyone has seen or heard from Landirion was years ago, just after we relocated to Frostmaw. It’s said he’s been living in the wilds, but-“ she paused to shrug in that moment, indicating that he may very well be dead. “Landirion was the one who negotiated with Tiphareth, from the reports I’ve read, which led to my people moving to Frostmaw. Not only that, Landirion is a skilled druid. Sage is rotting, and I think Landirion might know more than we do.”
Hildegarde raised her hand in a placating gesture, “Peace, Gilwen, I’m not seeking to humiliate you,” for that was never really her method or goal. “I am merely speaking of the past and what occurred, not trying to make you feel bad,” after all, she wanted to clear the air between them and figure out what exactly Gilwen wanted. But that became clear when Gilwen explained more about Landirion. “Rotting?” she asked, “But it seemed fine prior to the elves returning,” she said, knowing for a fact that the forest looked healthy. “I believe you, though, when you say it is rotting. However, I think if the entire forest is rotting, you’ll need more than one druid to help solve that. What about the elves who are there now? Are they safe?” Obviously she cared for the elves. They had lived in Frostmaw, they had become part of her life.
Gilwen nodded, and the weariness the elder had felt over the past weeks settled on her shoulders and she slumped slightly. “The council feels that Landirion might provide answers we seek, and while –I- can’t even manage to keep a sapling alive, we’re hoping that if we pool our resources we might have a chance at saving the trees.” The mention of safety drew a short sigh from the elder, but again, she nodded, “We lost a patrolman a few days ago to a drow scout, but everyone is otherwise safe. There’s a growing fear that the plague might extend to the denizens, but the thought of relocating again is unsettling and is a big argument among the council right now. The forest in Larket isn’t far, and so I hope to approach the council there to lobby for brief refuge.” Again, the elder swiped her hands through her hair- a gesture born of frustration and uncertainty. “I wish we had known about this curse sooner.”
Hildegarde did not know much about Larket’s politics, other than it was muddled and full of contesting opinions. “I wish you luck in seeking refuge in Larket, but you and your council know that Frostmaw will always welcome the elves,” she told Gilwen with a welcoming smile. It was true, of course. “But there is no real way to have known about the curse and it would waste valuable time to whine and simper about it now. You and your council must act, rather than discuss. Don’t wait for the work of one man when there are other men and women out there who can be of assistance.”
Gilwen had no knowledge of Larket’s politics either, but it could offer the most protection –despite the fermin- while still allowing the elves to remain close to their ancestral home. “If Larket denies us, then we’ll have to get you on the throne as soon as possible.” She met Hildegarde’s smile with one of her own. “It’s hard to convince the council of immediate action when they all have their own opinions on what’s best. I’ve been trying to act outside of the council, but eventually, I’m going to have to go against the council outright, but I’m not willing to risk the retaliation of that yet. I need to know more about this curse first.”
Hildegarde nodded as Gilwen reasoned acting outside the bonds of the council. “They will discuss and delay, then you save the day and they take the glory for that. Tale as old as time,” she said with a wry smile. “My advice to you, Gilwen, would be seek others who are inclined towards druidic magic and divine magic… or even the opposite. A paladin, a priest, a monk or necromancer might be able to adequately identify the curse and the precise nature of it; the strength and so on and perhaps help to lift it.”
Gilwen ’s brightened slightly, and the smile that had lingered in the corners of her mouth strengthened and grew into a grin. “That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to tell the council! I want to reach out to the paladins in Larket, but I don’t know who to talk to. In fact, I have no idea who to talk to outside of my people.” Gilwen hadn’t been concerned of the on goings across Hollow over the years, and was ignorant of the leaders currently stationed. “Could you suggest a few names of people I might reach out to? It’ll save me considerable time if I don’t have to hunt down the information.”
Hildegarde said to Gilwen, "Kelovath is a paladin of Arkhen, a good man of Larket too. Talyara is a witch, so you might want to ask her about her ties to nature. Larewen is a necromancer. Perhaps she might understand the nature of the curse."
Gilwen said to Hildegarde, "I actually tried to get in contact with Larewen earlier this week regarding a separate matter, but I wasn't aware she was a necromancer." Hopefully, Gilwen hadn't ruined any chance she might have of asking the vampire for help. "But Kelovath and Talyara? I'll make sure to reach out to them as soon as possible." She pushed from her seat in that moment, which called the attention of the guard who had lingered at the bar throughout their entire conversation. With a nod to her escort, she turned back to Hildegarde, "Thank you for your help, both today and in the past. Please, do not hesitate to call on me if you are ever in need of something. I'm sure there are many elves who wish to lend their arms to your cause as well."