It had been a long trip down the Golden Way to Telflamm. The trio had signed up for guard detail on a caravan travelling from Mulsantir to the port city on the Sea of Fallen Stars. The journey had taken almost three weeks and had been mostly uneventful. Only two bandit raiding parties had to be dispatched during the trip; the last group springing their ambush not far from Phsant. Jaedrilomara, Gann and Safiya had made short work of the thieves, much to the amazement of the Caravan Master. He hadn't shut up singing their praises the rest of the way and Jaed had wanted to strangle the man for the last 100 miles of the journey. She was sure Gann and Safiya were not far behind her in their sentiment and was glad when they had parted company with the caravan in the Merchant's Fortress.
They had decided to lodge in Shou Town, a settlement of immigrants from Kara-Tur, nestled just outside the southern walls of Telflamm. The White Lotus Inn had the best reputation in the area, not to mention an amazing hot spring and discreet service. It would take a number of days to arrange passage on a ship going in the direction they needed, so it was nice to wait in the lap of luxury afforded by their coin. They had not heard from Ammon since he'd ported out of the City of Judgement. Jaed hoped he wasn't in any trouble and wondered if he would catch up with them here.
"Tell me about your God, Jaed," Gann's voice carried over the wooden fence dividing the men's section from the women's section of the hot springs. Jaedrilomara, who had been submersed up to her nose in the healing waters, straightened up and leaned back against the rock next to where Safiya sat, bracing her head on the stone and letting her body float free in the bubbling onsen.
"What would you like to know, Gann?" Jaedrilomara replied as she watched the steam rise off the water and dissipate into the night sky above.
"Everything you can tell me, I suppose. We've never once spoken of it, even after everything we've gone through…" he answered, trailing off as if uncertain of what to say next. He was more willing to listen to other points of view now, even though his own stance and beliefs had not changed.
"Considering your own views on the gods, I thought it better not to speak of it at all. Though I know the dogma and tenets of the different faiths, I've never really been one for making a big deal out of religion. There are enough problems in Faerun without bringing religion into things. And we won't even talk about all the wars fought in the name of the gods."
"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable with the question, my love. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Gann's words were measured, careful.
"It doesn't bother me.
"Daeghun, my foster-father, is a follower of Solonor Thelandira, a god from the Elven pantheon. His wife, Shayla, was a cleric of Solonor. She died the same night as my mother when I was an infant. I've told you before of what happened that night and how the King of Shadows sacked West Harbour.
"Daeghun had made a promise to my mother that he and Shayla would take care of me if anything happened to her. With Shayla gone, it fell to him to raise me." She snickered a bit as she recalled her early years. "He wasn't very well equipped for the job, so he just added me to his routine and went about his life as usual. I spent half my childhood wandering the wilds with Daeghun, trailing behind his tall shadow, determined to keep up with him. Looking back, I can tell you it was quite dangerous. The Mere of Dead Men and surrounding lands are really no place to raise a child.
"I learned how to hunt and shoot at his knee. I learned to respect nature and balance as he taught me to track and trap. What Daeghun did and how he lived made sense to me. It worked for our lifestyle You know, there's a harmony and simplicity to it which is very appealing when you stop and think about it. Somewhere along the way I adopted Solonor as my own deity and it has been so ever since."
"Tell me of this Solonor, so I may understand you better, my love," Gann's voice was so soft it barely carried over the divide.
"I, too, am curious," Safiya added. "I know of him from books I have read, but I am interested to hear your perception."
He's the God of the Hunt to the Elven people. He's a restless god. He rarely stays put, which just about sums up my childhood. I think I lived a whole three years in West Harbour during the first fifteen years of my life. But it was still my home base, the place I put down roots. It was also the place Daeghun put down roots.
"I'm not sure if it's been resettled since I've been gone, but the West Harbour I knew was a place of superstition and ritual. It was a hard and unforgiving place. The people who lived there were born tough and were mocked for it all along the Sword Coast like they were stupid for living there in the first place. Although, there were a number of stupid people who lived there… take the Mossfield boys for example.
"Anyway, I digress…" she shook her head and laughed, "you have absolutely no idea who I'm talking about.
"The gods were a big part of life in the Harbour, not unlike most places along the Sword Coast. Most of the folks there worshipped human gods, such as Chauntea and Lathander, so Daeghun and I were different in that respect, too." Jaed shifted in the water and sank back down so she was sitting on the stone ledge once more. She looked up at the darkness, noting the full moon had finally freed itself from the cloud cover scudding across the sky. "You know," she began, "if you're interested, after we are done here, I can introduce you to a little ritual my father and I used to perform on the nights of the full moon. I haven't done it in a few years, but it doesn't involve going into a temple or anything of that nature so you needn't worry on that account."
"You have piqued my curiosity, my love," Gann answered
"And mine," Safiya added.
"Well then. When we're done here, we'll be taking a little trek outside Shou Town," Jaed told them both before ducking her head completely under water.
After another half hour of soaking in the inviting waters of the hot springs, the companions finally roused themselves and returned to their rooms to dress. When she was done, Safiya knocked on the door to the adjoining room Jaedrilomara shared with Gann.
"Is it okay for me to come in? Are you decent?" she called through the wood.
"Why do you always assume we're not decent?" Jaed called back, laughter bubbling in her answer.
"Because about fifty percent of the time you're not?"
"Only fifty?" Gann piped up. "Damn… I must be slipping."
"No, only incredibly full of yourself, as usual, Gannayev-of-Dreams," Safiya retorted. "Now am I allowed to come in or am I meeting you on a random hill somewhere outside of town?" She leaned on the door and fell into the room when said door was yanked open by Jaed.
"I didn't know melodrama was a skill the Red Wizards possessed."
"We're a multi-talented bunch."
"I get that." Jaedrilomara motioned Safiya into the room. "Now, there's a step to the ritual which would be better taken care of here. The light is better and both of you are unfamiliar with the order of things."
"What do we need to do, my love?" Gann sank, cross-legged, onto the floor next to Jaed and Safiya followed suit. They watched as three arrows were pulled from Jaed's quiver and set in her lap. They bowed their heads when she did, in respect for her faith.
"We do not have any trophies to offer at this time. We dedicate these arrows to you, Solinor, and ask that you bless them." Jaed handed Gann and Safiya one of the arrows, keeping one for herself. "Do you know the glyph that represents Solinor?"
"No, I don't," Gann replied.
"I'll show you. Then you have to carve your own glyph into the shaft of the arrow I gave you. When we're done, we can head to the outskirts of town."
"Are you ready?" Jaedrilomara asked her companions. They had travelled about a half hour out of town before Jaed had been happy with their location. It was remote and there was no-one around.
"As ready as I'll ever be for this kind of sport," Gann answered.
"I hope so," Safiya replied. "Can't I use my crossbow?"
"No."
"Fine then. Lend me your bow when you are done, Gann. I don't think I have the strength to pull that monster of a bow that Jaed uses."
Gann and Safiya watched as Jaedrilomara nocked the arrow she had carved and pointed her bow into the sky in the direction of the dawning horizon.
"Follow my lead."
"How?"
"We're paying homage. Give thanks for all the bounty and balance you've experienced since the last full moon."
"I'm sorry." Gann almost looked penitent as he nocked his own arrow and pointed his bow in the same direction as Jaedrilomara.
"Don't worry about it," Jaed reassured him. "Solinor, we send these arrows to pierce the firmament. Let your light shine down on us and bless us. Thank you for the bounty of the hunt we have experienced. We have walked in harmony with nature as you have taught us, and ask that you guide us until the next full moon." She loosed the arrow she had dedicated towards the horizon and Gann followed suit. The spirit shaman had just handed his bow to Safiya when a startled yelp of pain and surprise rang out from the direction they had fired their arrows.
"Oh, hells, no," Jaed spat as she took off at a run in the direction they had fired their arrows to Solinor. When Gann and Safiya caught up with her, they found her laughing helplessly as she knelt over a glaring Ammon Jerro, who was lying on the ground holding his arm which had been pierced by one of their arrows.
"Oh, Ammon, your timing leaves a lot to be desired. You just had to port in to the path of Gann's arrow, didn't you?" Jaed was gentle with the warlock as she snapped the shaft of the arrow off and pushed it out of the wound. She continued to talk to him as she tended his arm and healed him. "If you had ported two hours ago, you'd have ended up in a very lovely hot spring with naked women, but no, you have to go and port in to harm's way."
"Jaed, I expect no other sort of a welcome with you," Ammon replied with a laugh, seeing the humour in the situation. "You're detrimental to my health, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Although, the hot spring with naked women would have been a bonus. So tell me, my girl, what have the three of you been up to while I've been gone?"