Meeting in Eastwatch. Fight or Flight in Darken Wood.
"I'm not sure tonight is the best night to get acquainted with dwarf spirits," said Dorm Silverfalcon as he and his elven companion Timber Nightstalker entered the Inn of the Last Home. The ranger scanned the crowded lobby and felt a little nervous. Dozens, maybe even hundreds of customers, had decided to come to the Inn on this particular evening. "We might have to knife someone just to get a seat," the ranger commented as he brushed back his brown hair.
"And you say that like it's a bad thing," Timber remarked as he slid past a young couple who just happened to be engaged in the act of kissing. Using his elven eyes that could see much farther than the average human's, Timber found an empty three-person table that was right next to two dwarves who were playing a game of khas. "Here we go. A seat right next to those gentlemen. Oh look, the town guard is here tonight."
Dorm and Timber quickly made their way to the table, sitting down seconds before a group of short haired gnomes could make the table their own.
"We got here fair and square," Timber said in a harsh voice as the gnomes walked away in defeat. "Now we just need some service. I wonder if that delectable Jillian is working this evening."
"Jillian actually has the night off Timber," answered Laura Majere as she arrived at their table, holding two mugs of ale in her right hand, and a letter in the other. She set the mugs in the middle of the table, then handed the letter to Dorm.
"What do you suppose this is?" asked the ranger as he opened the letter.
Timber quickly took a sip of ale. "Maybe it's that love letter you've been waiting for Dorm. I told you that you had a chance with a woman as beautiful as Laura."
Dorm's green eyes rose to look at Laura, whose face turned a slight reddish color. "Actually...the letter was delivered by someone earlier in the morning. Tyrese didn't get a good look at him, but the stranger apparently told Tyrese that the letter was for you two and Roxi." Laura Majere turned to walk away, but quickly added," By the way gentlemen, your drinks are on the house because you just made this woman's night."
"Well look at that," Timber commented as he took another drink. "Maybe you should try getting with the owner of this fine establishment, Dorm. You two would have such beautiful children. Then when they inherit the Inn, Uncle Timber can have all the free spirits and food he wants."
Dorm raised an eyebrow as he began reading the letter. "Uncle Timber?"
"Well year. Who else is going to be the godfather of your children?"
"True," the ranger said as he finished the letter. "Then I guess that would make Roxi their godmother."
The elf slanted eyes glared at Dorm. He was about to make a comment when he noticed the seal on the letter. "This must be from the Legion of Steel."
Dorm nodded as he handed Timber the letter. "Apparently we have been summoned to Castle Eastwatch in Southern Ergoth. Mason must have left something for us in his will."
"Inheritance? But his funeral was months ago. And it was in Solamnia, not Ergoth."
The ranger shrugged his shoulders as the sound of music and chatter filled his ears. "We were part of his unit. Maybe they found something in his will they forgot to give us when we went to the funeral. Let's wait for Roxi."
Timber's eyes turned to the door. "Won't be much of a wait. The evangelist has arrived."
Sure enough the moment Dorm looked at the door, the half-kender cleric of Mishakal was already on her way to their table. She wore light blue robes made of silk and her silver medallion of faith that hung on a dwarven made chain around her slender neck. One thing Dorm noticed was Roxi wasn't carrying her staff.
"What a journey. Praise Mishakal I made it here safely," Roxi said as she sat down next to Timber. "People who saw me walking to the Inn called me a stinkin kender."
Dorm smiled. At first glance, she would have been mistaken for a stinkin kender because of her slanted ears and because of her childlike innocence, as well as the way she wore her beautiful blond hair in a topknot. Yet Roxi stood at least four and a half feet, which was far above average for a kender.
"Maybe you shouldn't be taking things from other people and putting them in your pouches."
Roxi shot daggers at the elf next to her. "That's rich coming from someone who constantly takes from other people's coin purses." Timber bent his head down and looked at the three guards sitting two tables down from theirs, relieved that they weren't hearing what the cleric was saying.
"And besides, kender don't steal," Roxi added with a humph. Seeing that her raised voice was drawing attention, she lowered her voice. "Oh, your neighbors the Moriettas just had their babies at the temple. Beautiful twin boys named Demos and Valmaxi. I helped deliver them, that's why it took me so long to get here. Maybe you two will baby-sit. I wonder if they'll remember me when I come to visit. Say Timber, what is that you're holding?"
Timber looked at Dorm. The ranger nodded, then explained what was written in the letter, including the request to go to Castle Eastwatch.
"That's interesting that Mason left us something in his will," she said softly. "Although there weren't many at his funeral, mainly just us and some of the old knights he used to adventure with. I'm sure Lynsey, Melinda, and Ash were all busy and that's why they couldn't make it."
Timber finished his ale. "What concerns me is how we are going to make it to Southern Ergoth."
"We could always go to Zaradene and take a boat," suggested Dorm. "But I'm not sure what we could use for fare." The ranger reached into the front of his leather shift and pulled out an eight sided jewel that resembled a star.
Both Roxi and Timber stared hard at him. "Dorm I know what you are thinking and the answer is no," Roxi scolded him. "Jaina gave you that after she died."
"I know, but how else are we going to get to Ergoth. Timber and I had sell Alcarin and Silverwind just to keep the house."
Timber sighed. Dorm could see in the elf's face that he had some ideas, but couldn't really discuss them. Not with present and nearby company around. The ranger looked back to Roxi, who seemed like she had an idea of her own.
"I could always ask the temple for donations," the half-kender said while patting his back. "I'm sure they could spare some steel."
"You could always go back to Darken Wood," suggested Laura as she walked back to the table and sat down two more mugs of ale, one for Roxi and another for Timber. "Dorm, would you like another glass?"
The ranger cocked an eyebrow. "I didn't touch my...," he stopped and glanced at his elven friend, who was downing the ale from the ranger's glass. "Umm...sure Laura. Do you really think we should go to Darken Wood?"
The proprietor of the Inn gently grabbed the empty glasses. "My father once told me that a group of winged horses carried them from Darken Wood to the mountains. I'm sure you've seen them before."
"No I haven't," Dorm answered, shaking his head.
"Still, we should try anyways Dorm," Roxi said as Laura was leaving the table. We might even get to see the centaurs. Or maybe even specters and ghosts."
"I think the undead left after the War of the Lance," the elf remarked as he drank from his new glass.
"You don't know that Timber," the cleric fired back in a soft voice. "After all, undead like liches and vampires can live for centuries."
Dorm sighed and rose from the table. He decided to leave the potent ional godparents of his children to their bickering (which had drawn a small crowd) and walked to the door.
Dawn's light orange and pink sky was just barely peaking in the horizon when Dorm, Timber, and Roxi passed through Darken Wood's border.
Dorm's eyes lit up as he looked around, remembering how the thick and green trees seemed almost life like. They heard the soft snapping of twigs and the rustling of bushes coming from all around them. They knew they were being watched.
"Dorm, when Laura suggested that you come back to Darken Wood, does that mean you've been here before?" asked Timber in a quiet voice as he kept a hand on the handle of the rapier he wore on his belt. He looked over at Roxi, who had been wondering the same thing.
"I came here before joining the Legionnaires, hoping to find an animal companion," Dorm answered with a bit of regret in his voice. "But rather than finding an animal friend, I found a group of centaur called the skorenoi. And while that might sound intriguing, I assure you that I was fighting for my life. I ended up being rescued by the Forestmaster and her followers."
"Is it true that she is a unicorn?" Roxi asked him.
"Why don't you see for yourself," spoke a powerful voice from ahead.
Timber and Roxi looked in awe as a large unicorn stepped into their view. Roxi bowed gracefully while Timber could only stare with his mouth open. Dorm merely smiled at the Forestmaster, as if she were an old friend.
"And what brings you back here Dorm Silverfalcon?" asked the Forestmaster as he gaze turned to the ranger as he tightened his green cloak.
Dorm stepped forward and bowed his head. "Milady, my friends and I are trying to reach Castle Eastwatch in Southern Ergoth...Laura Majere suggested we come here and speak to you about helping us."
The Forestmaster tilted her head at the ranger. "No doubt she sent you here because of the pegasi that live here in the woods, but guessing by the reluctance of your voice, you know that the average pegasus can only fly so far. However, it happens that a group of pegasi from the North have just arrived to visit me. If I may speak with them, I'm sure I can convince them to fly to your destination."
"Thank you," Dorm said with a sigh. "Is there anyway we can repay you?"
The unicorn shook her head. "You are a friend of the forest Dorm Silverfalcon." She said no more and walked deeper into the woods.
"Do you think she can help us out?" Timber whispered to Roxi and Dorm.
"Well obviously she has some influence in this forest," Roxi whispered back. "I've heard that every creature who resides in these parts follows her command."
Not everyone follows her, Dorm said to himself, thinking of the chaos-altered centaurs who were out somewhere in the woods, waiting to attack.
Minutes later, the Forestmaster returned with three, very large white winged horses.
"We have to move quickly," said the Forestmaster. "The skorenoi are coming this way. Dorm Silverfalcon, you and your friends must leave. We will fight them while you take flight.
Dorm drew his short sword and Timber drew his rapier, but Roxi grabbed them by the shoulders. "You heard the Forestmaster. We have to move."
The ranger cursed under his breath, but then followed his friends. They each mounted their own winged steed (Timber commented that his pegasus's back felt like the cold reaches of Icewall, to which the pegasus responded by threatening to kick the elf in the face if he should choose to make a comment like that again).
Just as the pegasi lifted off of the ground, a group of nine skorenoi emerged from within the woods and immediately approached the Forestmaster and the centaurs who were now surrounding her.
From twenty feet in the air, Dorm looked down and saw two more skoreoni advancing towards a golden haired centaur who had a gaping shoulder wound.
Throwing all caution to the wind and ignoring the protests of the pegasus he was riding, Dorm drew his sword and jumped into the air.
On the ground, the wounded centaur gripped her bleeding shoulder while the enemy centaurs came closer, their red eyes filled with blood lust. She held her blade forward, reading to go down fighting, but her eyes looked up in surprise as Dorm landed on the skoreoni, knocking them both to the ground.
Dorm was instantly on his feet, slashing his short sword across one skoreoni's throat. Watching the fallen centaur's lifeblood spill from the throat, the ranger stepped back and felt something sharp dig into his lower back.
Feeling the weapon slide from his back and the blood that followed, Dorm stumbled forward, then stepped in a left semi-circle, swinging his short sword in a high arc that resulted with the blade slashing a horizontal line across the skoreoni's face. He was about to finish his foe when the bloodied tip of a another sword penetrated through the centaur's forehead.
Dorm looked back, seeing the female centaur retracting her weapon. He started to walk towards her when he came to realize that Roxi and Timber were well on their way to Eastwatch while he was still in Darken Wood, fighting for his life once again.
Then without warning, the ranger blacked out.