Chapter 10: Greyhawk

The city of Greyhawk was considered one of the newer and more interesting cities on the continent of Flaeness. Centrally located upon the continent as it was, between the major kingdoms of Furyondy and Urnst, and sitting on the edge of the Selitan River, it was considered a major trading hub for many of the surrounding cities and kingdoms. Indeed, it had first started out as a simple trading town which had rapidly expanded outwards, soon becoming a major city in its own right. In the year 500, 12 years before Ash and Davis had first arrived, the city had declared itself sovereign from all its neighbors. The large amount of trade and traffic that passed through its borders made it a fairly wealthy and cosmopolitan city, easily able to stand on its own and thus also made for an excellent neutral meeting ground should the need arise. Citizens from all over the continent had moved through Greyhawk at some point, be they artisans, tradesmen, diplomats, or royalty and some had decided to settle down. This soon brought into being the common phrase that, if a thing could be found anywhere, it could be found in Greyhawk.

Alisha had explained all this to Ash when she learned he had no idea what Greyhawk was and proceeded to extol its virtues. While having never been there herself, she had often heard gossip from the customers that had passed through the old mage's shop where she had worked and trained in East Fair. Scrolls that you were unlikely to find elsewhere. Rare tomes of knowledge. Even magical weapons and artifacts long thought lost. Though, of course, she said, the last was probably the work of greedy pawnbrokers rather than having any real substance.

"Sounds like an interesting town." Ash replied as they were coming in sight of the city. Of course, nothing he had seen so far had truly impressed him, coming as he was from a different reality where skyscrapers loomed and anti-gravity cars were the order of the day. But the world he found himself in had charms all its own.

Torin and Beowulf showed little interest in the history of the city as both were just happy to have a roof over their heads after two weeks of constant travel. Beowulf had never traveled as far as this and was still feeling a bit out of his depth for various reasons.

"Will we need to have Beowulf cover up like in Nettix or will he be allowed to roam freely?" Ash asked.

"I suppose if the mangy mutt would be allowed anywhere it would be here." Alisha replied with a smirk.

Beowulf, who was beginning to get used to Alisha's sarcastic brand of humor, responded in kind. "Beowulf had bath the other day. Even used soap! Noisy bitch is the smelly one! Beowulf has to hold nose back here!"

"I do not smell!" Alisha retorted, glancing back at the Gnoll.

"Beowulf has sensitive nose, of course noisy bitch smell! Can smell sweat and rut from here!"

"How dare you!" Alisha snapped. "To suggest I've done something like that! And just who would I do it with? These two?"

"Heh! They not have your scent." Beowulf replied with a pant-chuckle. "Maybe you rut with hand while we sleep?"

Alisha yelled in frustration. "Ash! Muzzle that thing before I cut out its tongue!"

"That's enough Beowulf." Ash reprimanded him gently. "I've no doubt Alisha will castrate you if you keep that up."

"Cast-rate?" Beowulf asked in confusion.

"He means I'll cut off your balls and feed them to you!" Alisha replied sharply. "And I've got the knife to do it with!"

Beowulf growled, his ears back against his head. "Noisy bitch try it, noisy bitch lose hand!""Enough you two!" Ash stated firmly. "Beowulf stop pissing her off! Alisha, please stop egging him on!"

Alisha merely huffed and turned back around.

"Maybe Beowulf piss on noisy bitch when she sleeps." The Gnoll grumbled.

The two week journey from Nellix to Greyhawk had been fairly uneventful. After leaving the city, the group had trooped through the endless grasslands of Urnst until they came to the mountain range of Abbor-Alz. This range of hills and mountains divided Urnst from its western neighbors and created a barrier from the Bright Desert to the south. Torin and Alisha explained to Ash that many millennia ago, the desert was the site of the mighty Seul Empire and just as lush as the grasslands they were passing through. Considered by historians to be the first true human empire, the Seul had banded together from many disparage tribes. Guided by the Elves, over the centuries they became a truly powerful empire, even going so far as to entrap powerful elementals into Binders to do their will. Sadly, in time they disregarded the wisdom of the Elves and began pursuing their own goals with the intention to conquer all they could, including the Elves themselves. After several centuries of conquest, weakened by in-fighting and plagues, a large remnant of the empire broke apart in the hopes of establishing a new empire based on good will and trade as had been done in the beginning. Enraged, the magi of the Seul Empire attempted a Great Invocation to destroy the traitors. Aided by the gods Pelor and Rao, the splinter faction's magi and clerics launched a massive counterstrike that would become known as the Rain of Colorless Fire. Not only was the Invocation disrupted, but the entire empire was immolated in a great burst of power. The incredible attack had destroyed the Seul completely and turned the entire region into a barren desert devoid of life. Some claimed that the mountain range had come about as the result of that powerful blast, a force great enough to rise up mountains from the flat ground. What had happened to the splinter group no one knew for sure, but it was believed that they had gone on to found other cities and tribes. The only way through that formidable mountain range was a single large pass which separated Urnst from Furyondy and Greyhawk to the west. The castle city of Maure sat on the mouth of that pass and was considered its defender though it had not had a serious challenge since it had been built so long ago. The group had passed through the city relatively quickly, staying only to restock before moving on through the pass and then northwest to Greyhawk. The group had had to fight a few small skirmishes as bandits often laid in wait in the mountains of the pass but between Torin's blade, Alisha's spell-casting, Ash's rifle, and Beowulf's ferocious nature, they had come out with only minor injuries which Ash had quickly healed using Pelor's power. As they passed through the gates of the city, a filthy beggar staggered towards them.

"A few coins for a poor man?" He asked feebly.

Torin and Alisha glanced over at the man in discomfort. Ash dug in his pouch and produced a few copper coins, dropping them into the man's begging bowl.

"Thank ye kind sir! The blessings of the gods be upon ye!" The man cried.

Bowing low, the man stepped away, making a beeline for another pair of travelers as the group continued on their way. Walking through the great market place, they bought a few edibles for themselves. Ash bought Beowulf a pear, much to the Gnoll's delight after trying it. Ash was pleased to note that the people seemed quite moderate; no one looked twice at the Gnoll wearing brown and green. Beowulf, of course, was merely happy to experience another city and all it had to offer. Embarrassingly, Ash was forced to pull Beowulf away from some of the street walkers when they came over to offer their services to the group. The Gnoll had complained about this but Ash had explained to him later on that, not only would he probably catch some disease from them, but they had no money to spend on such things. Ash had wanted to explain the moral reasons behind not doing such things, but he came to the conclusion that the Gnoll would not be interested in such an explanation. With Beowulf, practicality came before morals, it seemed. Though Ash hoped that would change in time as the Gnoll became more knowledgeable and sophisticated in his thinking. Selling what items they had found on the bandits, the group headed to a nearby inn for dinner. Beowulf found the common room rather noisy for his tastes but decided that the food was good enough to keep him at the table, in particular the spiced ale that was served.

"Funny color water is good!" Beowulf declared, thumping his fist on the table after he had finished a pint.

"Hmph. Just what we need, a drunken Gnoll." Alisha groused.

"I'm sure Ash will keep him on a tight leash, won't you Ash?" Torin asked the cleric pointedly.

"Was that a Gnoll joke?" Ash asked with an amused raised eyebrow..

Alisha snorted with a smile. "Oh, yes, that's an excellent idea. That dog of yours does need a leash. Perhaps a hangman's noose would work best."

"Why you want to give Beowulf moose?" Beowulf asked, puzzled.

Alisha smirked. "Not moose you dog-brain! Noose. We tie a rope around your neck and-"

"I'm sure we don't need to have another argument started, Alisha." Ash said insistently.

"Beowulf not need leash anyway." Beowulf stated snidely. "Beowulf not common dog!"

The rest chuckled and continued with their meal. Nearby they could hear the conversations of the various patrons. Deciding to listen in unobtrusively, he turned his head slightly, focusing his hearing.

"You hear about the hordes? Apparently they started attacking caravans around Grabford. Might even try to take the city itself!"

"Iuz wouldn't be stupid enough to try that! Furyondy would be up in arms if they attacked a city right next to their border! The King-"

"The King can't do shite, what I heard. All those lords in the south cities got his hands tied. King gets most of the army from them. If they won't move-"

"An' where do they think Iuz'd strike next if Chendl fell? You think that'd be the end of it? Nah! Littleberg and Libernen would be next! The southern lords would be screwed!"

"You think they care so long as Iuz and his monster hordes stay in the north? Pah!"

"What about Critwall and Riftcrag? Any word on them? The Shield Lands are right in Iuz's path after all and they got the Horned Society to the west of them! I got family up that way."

"I ain't heard nothing about them. Seems Iuz wants to go after Furyondy something bad. Maybe Veluna too from what I hear."

"Can Veluna hold out? They ain't as big as Furyondy."

"Dunno, but the Canon is supposed to be a pretty powerful priest and he's got the ear of Rao, so I hear. Maybe if they all pray real hard…(chuckle)"

"T'ain't funny jokin' about the gods like that. You'll get struck down, mark my words!""Ahhh, shove off!"Ash turned to the others. "Who is Iuz?"

"A monster, by all accounts." Torin replied. "Nobody knows if he's human or not. But he's gotten himself a whole bunch of tribes under his thumb in the north. Goblins, Orcs, Trolls. How the hell he pulled that off, no one knows since they'd rather kill each other off than fight together, normally."

"I heard some of the others mention places like the Shield Lands and the Horned Society. Where are they?" Ash asked.

Torin pulled out the map he had been using to guide them and spread it across the table before pointing out Greyhawk in the middle of the map. Then he pointed to the lands further north beyond the great lake Nyr Dyv that was just north of Greyhawk.

"Iuz's kingdom is to the far north. Below him, the Bandit Kingdoms and below them, the Shield Lands that lie just above the Nyr Dyv basin. Below that are the Cairn Hills and then the cities of Greyhawk and Dyvers. The hordes have been causing a lot of trouble up north in the bandit kingdoms. If he gets that lot on his side, he might have enough of an army to march them towards the Shield Lands or maybe even Urnst which is further southeast. He's already got the Horned Society to his west under his control and some people think he might be trying to get the Theocracy of the Pale to his east to ally with him.

"If that happens, all hell's going to break loose." Ash noted, pointing out various places on the map. "From what I've heard and read, I'm sure Aerdi would undoubtedly help the Theocracy if they were willing to take a stab at Nyrond to thin their forces. That would be enough for Ivid to overrun Nyrond before helping the Theocracy take Urnst."

"The Theocracy themselves could probably take Urnst if they didn't mobilize quickly." Torin nodded. "But for some reason, Iuz seems fixed on Furyondy."

"Which is pretty out of the way for the Theocracy." Ash noted. "But even still, that's right on the borders of the Horned Society who would probably be more than happy to lend aid. I hope he doesn't make a push into Furyondy anytime soon as that's where we're passing through next."

"Pssh. Furyondy's too big to take over just like that." Alisha scorned. "It'd take those monsters a month to march from one end to the other and that's without resistance. You can bet if it looked like he was going to march on the southern cities, the southern lords would muster up an army real quick. A whole bunch of stupid Trolls and Orcs wouldn't do much against a real army."

"They may not be as stupid as you think." Ash replied carefully. "We've seen how intelligent Gnolls can be and we know Orcs can make tactical decisions in small groups, at least to some extent. Then too, there's the demoralizing effect a monstrous army can have on soldiers." Ash added, thinking back to the terrifying countenances of the terminator armies. "Plus we have no idea as to their military structure and their weaponry. Intelligence is important too."

"You sound like you're ready to take them all on." Alisha remarked. "Don't forget we aren't going to Mitrik to fight Iuz, we're going there to keep a safe distance from Ivid and whatever your personal business is. Hopefully we can all find some steady work there. I'm getting tired of being itinerant. Plus that statement about Gnolls being intelligent are suspect at best." She smirked at Beowulf.

The Gnoll frowned at her. "Beowulf not know what you said, but knowing noisy bitch, it not nice."

Alisha chuckled haughtily. "I love being intellectually superior."

"You just think you are." Torin smirked. "Don't forget, there are other people at this table besides the Gnoll. And besides, is it really an accomplishment to be smarter than Beowulf?"

Alisha raised an eyebrow as she glanced at the two men. "And that makes a difference how? I'm still smarter than all of you put together. And the only head you all think with is the one between your legs."

"Beowulf good at using that head." The gnoll leered. "Noisy bitch want Beowulf to prove?"

Alisha sneered back at him. "I bet the only thing that's gotten close to it is your hand. Maybe you 'rut with hand while we asleep'."

Beowulf said nothing but his grin was suggestive enough.

"Can we please lay off the lewd comments for a while?" Ash complained. "It's becoming rather tiresome."

"Not my fault the Gnoll only has that on his mind." Alisha remarked with a sniff. "And I suppose your clerical virgin ears are too pure to handle such things?"

Torin chuckled. "Have you even been with a woman?"

Ash frowned. "I was happily married and had children, thank you very much! I'm hardly a virgin."

Torin gave him a puzzled look. "If that's the case, where are they and why'd you run off to join the clergy?"

Ash's expression turned dark. "They were killed a few years ago. Before all this I just existed day to day without any purpose." Ash looked up, his gaze staring through them as he remembered. "Then I found a new purpose, a new reason to keep going. But to be honest, I think it was still something to just pass the time. I put everything I had into it, but I think it was just a way to keep busy. To avoid the grief I was feeling still. To me, it was just a game, really. But then I came here and I found something more. I found Pelor. And what He has given me…I can't say that I don't grieve for my wife and children still, but Pelor has at least helped me start healing. That is, after all, what Pelor does. He's not just about physical healing. He heals the mind and the spirit as well."

He focused on his friends. "That's why I joined Pelor's ranks. Because He has given me hope that I never had before. Hope that I will be able to see my wife and children again. Maybe not in this life but perhaps in the next. Where I come from, the gods either do not exist, or they're so subtle that you can't tell if they work in your life or not. But with Pelor…"

Ash spread his hands, allowing Pelor's power to suffuse through them, making them glow with power. "Here I know my god watches over me and gives me His blessing."

Torin and Alisha nodded quietly. Beowulf stared at Ash's hands, entranced.

Ash allowed the power to fade and his hands returned to normal. Finishing his meal, Ash stood and nodded to them before walking through the common room and up the stairs to the roomHop he and Beowulf had rented. Walking into the room, he heard the soft padding of Beowulf's feet behind him and the door shut. Ash turned around to see Beowulf looking at him solemnly.

"Alpha has lost much. Beowulf is sorry."

Ash shook his head tiredly as he removed his quilted armor. "It's not your fault my friend."

The Gnoll frowned. "Why did Alpha not kill the ones who killed his mate and cubs?"

Ash glanced over at him as he removed his shirt. "The one who did it is in prison. And he'll be there for a long time."

Beowulf spat on the floor, near the corner. "Not enough. Life for life! Stuck in hole too good for him!"

Ash looked at him tiredly. "That is not the way of Pelor. Or Jesus for that matter." He muttered.

Beowulf snorted. "Alpha is too soft in this. But Alpha does not fight stronger Alpha he trusts so Beowulf understands."

Ash smiled. In Beowulf's world there was no higher position than the Alpha of the pack as the Gnolls had no hierarchy beyond each pack. But the idea of an alliance was not unheard of. To dishonor an ally would be a dishonorable act. As Ash's ally was an 'Alpha' more powerful than him, it would be foolhardy or even suicidal to consider.

Removing his boots, Ash opened the window to allow a breeze to drift through the room before stretched out on the bed and sighing, staring at the ceiling. Beowulf stared at him sadly before removing his own clothes and laying down on the other bed before blowing out the candle.

"Can Alpha's friend do many things?" Beowulf asked quietly.

Realizing the Gnoll was referring to his patron, he nodded. "Pelor can do all things. Even raise the dead."

The Gnoll glanced over at him, his amber eyes shining in the dark. "Why does he not give back Alpha's mate?" He asked carefully.

"It's hard to explain." Ash replied. "We lived very far away from here. I don't think Pelor's reach is that long."

"If friend is so powerful, why does far matter?" The Gnoll asked in confusion.

Ash smiled, wondering how he could explain the concept of dimensional barriers and infinite space to the simple Gnoll before giving up. "Like I said, the place where I come from has no gods, or very sneaky ones. Pelor couldn't or wouldn't be let in. Plus, I don't think he can get to where I'm from."

"So talk to others and tell them to let friend in. Show friend how to get there. You came here. He can go there." The Gnoll replied simply.

Ash frowned in thought, wondering at the implications of what Beowulf had said. Would it be possible for a god to extend his reach into other dimensions if guided by a dimensional traveler? It was certainly worth looking into. Allowing his mind to wander, Ash quickly fell asleep.

Ash suddenly woke to a furred hand placed over his mouth and a pair of shining amber eyes, staring at him in the darkness.

"Mmmurph!"

"Quiet!" Beowulf hissed, staring back at the door. "Someone is trying to open door! Be ready!"

With that, the Gnoll removed his hand and padded silently behind the door, crouching with his knife clutched in his hand. Lying still, his eyes slits, the door's handle jiggled slightly with a snick before slowing opening. The figure in the doorway was silent and alert, his body dropped in a slight crouch to avoid noise. In its fist it held what appeared to be a knife. As the figure crept into the room silently it started to close the door behind it, reaching back with its other hand. Beowulf quickly sprung from behind the door but the intruder appeared to sense his approach as he quickly dived to the opposite side of the room. Beowulf quickly shut the door behind him, brandishing his knife.

"You stay, you die!" He rasped harshly nodding his head at the open window next to the figure. The intruder quickly drew what appeared to be sand from a pouch before flinging it at the Gnoll's face before racing forward. Beowulf quickly brought up his arm to deflect the sand from his eyes before blocking the knife blow with his own blade. He quickly stabbed at his attacker's arm but the would-be assassin quickly side-stepped before slashing again. In seconds, the two combatants had already parried each other's moves while moving in an intricate dance of footwork. Several times, Beowulf attempted to swing at the intruder with his fist but would meet only air, the assassin knowing instinctively the best way to dodge. Ash had, by this point, grabbed his mace from beside the bed and was waiting for an opportunity to strike without hitting his friend. Suddenly he saw a second shadow appear, crouched in the windowsill, also holding a blade. Focused as he was on the first intruder, Beowulf had not noticed the second. Ash's mind froze for an instant as he saw the intruder preparing to strike the Gnoll's unprotected back. Instinctively, he stretched out a hand, willing all the power he had into it.

"HOLD!" Ash cried as the figure leapt.

A flash of white light surrounded the figure who grunted in astonishment, its limbs suddenly paralyzed in mid-leap. The flash also surprised the first assassin, ruining his night vision and startling him. Beowulf's blade instantly found its mark in the intruder's neck and arterial blood sprayed across the room, covering the inhabitants in red. As the man went down with a gurgle of blood Beowulf spun, smashing his fist into the second assassin's head as he began to fall to the floor. With a snap, the spell broke as the man fell to the floor in a heap. Growling menacingly, the Gnoll grabbed the edge of the man's cloak and hauled him up, smashing him against the wall. Ash quickly walked over and looked out the window carefully before shutting it, locking it in the process. He then wrenched the hood from the man's head. The face that glared at him was completely unfamiliar. The man's pale skin and bald head gleamed in the moonlight, his green eyes staring balefully at Ash as he seemingly ignored the large Gnoll holding him against the wall.

"Who are you?" Ash asked him harshly. "Why did you come here to kill me?"

The man merely gave him a twisted smirk. Growling, Beowulf smashed him against the wall again. "You speak or you die!" He growled, baring his fangs.

The man merely glanced at the Gnoll with a patronizing look before turning back to Ash with a cunning smile. "Call off your little puppy and perhaps I'll tell you." He suggested, his baritone voice surprisingly smooth and cultured.

Beowulf growled deeply in his throat but it appeared to have no effect on the man who hung there with a disturbing look of calm on his face. Ash looked him up and down before clumsily frisking the man, patting down his clothes. The man watched with what appeared to be idle curiosity as Ash retrieved several more knives and vials from various pockets before removing his pouches and belt. Reopening the window, he quickly dumped them outside before shutting it firmly again. Stepping back a few feet, he nodded at Beowulf who released him before stepping back a foot, still ready to pounce. Drawing on the knowledge he had gained from his visit to the Nettix chapter house's library, he quickly brought forth his power until it blazed around the room. Focusing his intent, he spoke.

"By the power granted to me by Pelor, I declare that no falsehood shall pass your lips when answering any question I put to you. The light of truth shall allow you to speak only truth! So mote it be!"

The light flared in response around the three. He could feel man attempting to resist his spell even as he struggled to maintain it. Realizing the power he had left would not hold the spell for long, he spoke quickly.

"Who are you?" Ash asked.

"I am Brother Talos, an assassin." The man said.

"Who sent you here to kill me?""The master whom I serve.""Is your master Overking Ivid of Aerdi?""No.""Does he have any part in this?""I know not."

"Who then is your master?" Ash asked intently.

Suddenly the man clenched down on his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut. Suddenly he began to thrash and froth at the mouth. The spell expired as Ash leapt forward, grabbing the man by the cloak, shaking him.

"Answer me!"

The assassin merely chuckled brokenly as his seizures began to fade, the light dimming from his eyes. Ash watched as the man collapsed, his eyes vacant, and his mouth still covered in froth. Ash dropped the body, letting it thump to the floor as Beowulf crouched before the body. Sniffing at the substance on the man's face, Beowulf forced air through his nose to cleanse the scent, his face wrinkled before rising.

"Poison."

"How do you know that?" Ash asked.

"When still in pack, Beowulf saw arrows being dipped in green paste that bubbled." He replied grimly. "Was told never touch arrows like that. Saw Orc get shot with one. He froth at mouth too before he die. I ask. Warrior says they crush plants in bit of water to make arrows more deadly."

"Come on." Ash sighed with a nod. "Let's get this cleared up with the constables."

That process had taken the rest of the night. Ash had woken Torin and Alisha and informed them of what occurred before waking the proprietor. Upon seeing the bodies, the man had been dismayed but hardly shocked that such a thing had occurred. He had of course offered to return their money due to the incident but demanded that they find another inn in case another pair of assassins made another attempt. The owner had quickly gone to the nearest guard post and explained the situation. The group had been questioned by the guards outside while the bodies were quietly being hauled out before dawn broke. Finally, after several hours they were free to go about their business. As they exited through the gates of the city, heading west, they failed to notice the old beggar at the gate, staring at them intently, his eyes narrowed.

As they headed out towards the massive farmlands that served the city's needs a few miles away, Ash quickly brought Davis up to speed on what had occurred.

~~Assassins, huh?~~ Davis muttered grimly. ~~Glad to see you're in one piece. Who do you suppose was behind it? Ivid?~~

~~I don't think so.~~ Ash replied. ~~Unless he's got a very impressive and wide-spread spy network it's unlikely he knows I'm here. I guess it's possible he does. But more to the point, that spell I cast prevented the assassin from outright lying. I suppose if he'd tried to be clever with his words I might have thought otherwise but he flat out denied it. No…there's another player here we're not seeing.~~

~~Your so-called 'Powers of Darkness'?~~ Davis asked.

~~Perhaps.~~ Ash mused. ~~But something tells me they'd use something other than ordinary assassins. Granted I don't know how an evil god thinks, but I would think if they wanted to kidnap or destroy me, they'd use something much more effective. Some demon minion or something I couldn't overpower with a Gnoll and a low level paralysis spell.~~

~~Unless that's what they want you to think. This whole thing could be a red herring to throw you off the scent of someone else who wants you dead.~~ Davis replied.

~~Now we're getting into brain twisting territory and I'd rather avoid that. Ash commented. Working on the general assumption that a demonic being would use demonic agents for the most part, creatures they could trust to get the job done, I think we're looking at another human agency. If it's not Ivid, maybe one of the other kingdoms nearby, like the Theocracy of the Pale. They might be trying to curry favor with Ivid. I don't think Iuz knows I exist yet and I doubt he'd bother with me while he's in the middle of skirmishes with Furyondy.~~

~~Who is Iuz?~~ Davis asked, confused.

~~Apparently he's the leader of a loosely-knit band of tribes and creatures that live in the far north. Ash explained as they walked. Somehow, he managed to get them to start working together and they follow his lead. He's already causing problems for cities near his own lands and he's courting the kingdoms on either side of him to get a large alliance going, rather like the Axis of Evil from World War II. Apparently he's fixated on Furyondy for some reason and might start making strikes into their northern territories soon.~~

~~How will this impact our mission?~~ Davis asked.

~~I'm not sure yet.~~ Ash answered frankly. ~~I'm pretty sure we won't have any direct confrontation with his forces on the way to Mitrik. If he's as far north as I've heard, it would take weeks for him to get a sizable force down this far and Furyondy's armies wouldn't stand for it. We're more likely to run into them if they start marching north to defend their border. But the gossip I heard says the southern lords who control most of the armed forces won't move unless they're directly threatened.~~

~~I assume Furyondy has a monarchy of some kind in place, yes?~~ Davis asked.

~~They do, but the King's hold on his lords are tenuous at best right now.~~ Ash replied. ~~They're using the situation to their own benefit to wrestle more autonomy into their own hands, blackmailing the King into submission. If they don't send troops north, the capital city of Chendl will fall and the King won't have enough men to defend the city otherwise.~~

~~Sounds like the kingdom's coming apart at the seams.~~ Davis mused. ~~Civil war between the northern and southern cities seems most likely. Assuming any of the northern cities survive the assaults.~~

~~I think we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves.~~ Ash replied. ~~So far none of the cities have even been attacked yet. There's no guarantee Iuz and his forces will try to take on Furyondy directly.~~

Davis made a thoughtful noise at that. ~~So, are you still housebreaking your dog?~~ He asked, changing the subject.

Ash sighed. ~~He's a Gnoll, not a dog. And yes, I'm still working on…housebreaking him. At least he's not running around in his underwear anymore.~~

~~Yes, and that makes him so civilized. Next thing you know, he'll be eating with a knife and fork.~~ Davis said teasingly.

Ash snorted in amusement, remembering his attempt to explain cutlery to Beowulf before he caught up to Torin and Alisha who were walking about a yard ahead of him.

"Where are we headed to next?" He asked.

Torin frowned. "I think it best we avoid any major cities for the time being, considering what happened. Dyvers would be the next likely place we would go, considering it's only a day or two from Greyhawk. We'll make our way along the edge of the Gnarley Forest, past Dyvers, until we hit the Att River. It runs west from the great basin through most of Furyondy before it turns north and goes all the way up the kingdom as its major river. Once we follow it far enough to see the city of Littleberg we can head straight west to Mitrik."

The days passed quietly for the group as they followed the river towards their destination. Many farming communities and small trading ports made their homes along the river banks so the group was able to keep up their supplies of food. Beowulf always caused some minor consternation whenever he entered a town but the fact that he was travelling with others without issue and seemed peaceable helped calm some nerves. In keeping with his vows to Pelor, which he felt he had been neglecting for far too long, Ash always made a point to provide simple healing and other services to whoever needed it. While his healing abilities were somewhat weak due to his inexperience, he could feel his power beginning to grow in increments as he worked. While he was not able to heal permanent damage such as true blindness or lost limbs, he worked diligently to heal what physical wounds were presented to him. Weak eyes and failing hearing were strengthened under his touch. For some of the poorer people in the villages he was able to create simple food and drink for them to sustain themselves for a few days. He sat with the old and listened to them tell stories of what they had experienced in their lives. Sometimes he held their hand as they passed on, granting them Pelor's blessing of restful repose to prevent the body from decaying before it was buried.

As he exercised the power Pelor had granted him, he discovered he could temporarily enhance the minds and bodies of others for a short time. A farmer attempting to lift a heavy load had his strength bolstered by Ash's hand while another felt his mind sharpen while figuring out the solution to a problem which had vexing him for days. Broken heirlooms and equipment repaired themselves with a touch. In one case he had managed to keep a young child from death after she had eaten a poisonous mushroom by slowing down the poison in her system long enough for the village healer to give her the antidote. Every time he called upon Pelor, Ash luxuriated in the feel of his god's power flowing through him like a river of tenderness and compassion, seeking to heal the pain and suffering of those he touched while his own soul, frayed by loss and grief, took in the healing power like balm to a wound bit by bit.

While Torin and Alisha had wanted to move on immediately, Ash always made it a point to stay a few days in each town, helping where he could. Beowulf, of course, was happy wherever he was, so long as it was with Ash. As he worked, his friends began to notice a subtle change in the man. While they could tell Ash had always had a dry sense of humor and a sharp mind, they had never seen him as generous and outgoing as he was being now. Unlike when he passed through the various cities, he was going out of his way to help others without any thought of compensation or recognition. Beowulf at one point declared this the mark of a great Alpha, always aiding others of his pack.

When Torin and Alisha had asked him who he thought Ash's pack was, he looked at them thoughtfully, composing the answer carefully in his mind before speaking.

"Alpha's pack is all that need him, wherever they are. All he has touched with the light of the Great Alpha he serves."

It took them a moment to realize Beowulf had given Pelor his own title of respect: the Alpha of all Alphas.

Ash found it heartwarming and encouraging that Beowulf had spoken of Pelor in such terms and began to slowly teach him about his god. While he did not believe Beowulf would have the temperament to be a healer like he was, he was certain that either Pelor would find a use for the Gnoll or one of the more martially-minded gods would take a liking to him. He firmly believed that Pelor had brought Beowulf to him for a reason and he was determined to train the Gnoll as well as he was able.

When the city of Littleberg came into view, they immediately turned west and continued their journey. After several days travel through various grasslands and farms they crossed the Verdyva River into Veluna. About a week later, they came at last to the immense city of Mitrik, capital of Veluna and home to the Canon of Veluna, the Archcleric Hazen. Ash looked up at the gates as they walked through them and smiled. For the first time since he left the chapter house in Edge Field he was starting to feel safe.

A\N: This chapter was re-beta-ed on 2/21/13.