The Saga of the Gwandorlings 17

The companions fared to Famegrave, the home of King Alfgar Goodspear of the Locaem. Alfgar was one of those rescued by the friends from Temertain's prison.

Famegrave is on the tula of the Madarni clan and borders Sun County. A large band of weapons thanes immediately challenged the band when they arrived on the tula's boundaries. They called the greeting and Argrath answered. The thanes were discomfitted by Argrath's presence but told him that the king was in Richberry Vale mustering the tribe.

"What does he muster them for?" asked Argrath. The thanes told him that Sun County was readying troops to invade them and showed him a proclamation; it stated that Alfgar had been outlawed by the Empire for "collusion with that corrupter of men, Argrath Friend of Dragons and his nefarious band of cut-throats and murderers". The friends inquired further and learned that the clans were ready to fight to support their king. The thanes offered the friends guesting until Alfgar returned and they accepted.

Come morn, Alfgar returned and welcomed the companions and thanked them for rescuing him from Temertain's grasp. He broke fast with the friends and asked after news from afar. Argrath told him of the aid that Sota had promised them and Alfgar told of Sun County and how they had been strange but peaceful neighbors until Ogunjar gained power.

A huscarl came and reported a strange bird hovering over the hall, "We shot at it but it skipped aside and keeps swooping about." What with the hall being naught but a league-and-a-half from the Sun County borders, all immediately knew that they were spied upon and Gudny dispatched the hawk with a gout of lightning.

Alfgar agreed to co-operate with the Lismelder if Argrath was to get their help. Gudny flew to Pegasus Plateau to meet with Sota while Agrath, Sigmund, and Bronwyn fared to Lismelder land.

At noon on Pegasus Plateau, Gudny flipped the coin from Sota in the air and awaited Sota's messenger. Soon, the sun changed colour and a beam of light bathed Gudny in golden light. A sudden blast knocked him off of his feet and singed his shirt. "Why'd you blast my hawk?!" demanded Sota. "Your hawk? We thought it was Ogunjar's hawk!"

After much grumbling, Sota told how he had sent the hawk with very important information. Sota had learned that Ogunjar was gathering two hosts. The first, with nearly 600 Sun Dome Templars, 200 Grazer mercenaries, Baron Sanual with around 200 heavy cavalry of Yelmic type, this being his entire muster, and three-and-a-half hundred tribesmen from the Curtali and Bacofi tribes were preparing to strike the Locaem. Additionally, 160 men from the Royal Sartar Army had arrived in Sun County to "observe the operations and aid in the apprehension of the outlaws."

The second host was gathering in the north. 800 troops, including 200 Templars and Dinacoli, Farpoint, Cincina, and Malani tribesmen was to take boat on the Creek and the River rivers and sail down into Delecti's Marsh, and then strike at the Lismelder with the support of Delecti's zombies. These two efforts were to be co-ordinated.

Gudny raced to meet his friends at Temple Fort, King Kallai Rockbreaker's hall in Lismelder land.

Meanwhile, Argrath had arrived at Temple Fort and was taken before King Kallai. Kallai was speaking with Bork Greatblade, the Sword of the Indrodari Humakt Temple; he was trying to convince Bork to aid the Lismelder in their fight with the Sun Domers. Bork refused as the purpose of the Indrodari was to fight the undead of Delecti's legions.

Argrath talked with Kallai and brought him news of the Locaem's willingness to work with them. He asked after the Drulz [1] and Kallai told him they would probably fight with the Lismelder if only they knew what they were facing. Argrath told him of the aid they were getting from Sota and bid him wait with him for Gudny's arrival.

So it came to pass the Gudny told Sota's tale to the group, Argrath convinced Bork to fight with them if the Zombies appeared and called council to make his plans.

Bronwyn and Argrath were to journey north by dragon road to seek aid or informatin from the dragonnewts and then move onto Dwarf mine to talk to Isildirian the Wise as the northern force would have to take boat at Isildirian's docks.

Gudny and Sigmund were to fare west and bring the Drulz into their alliance and appraise them of the what they faced.

Nestin was sent by sylph to Old Wind to summon Argrath's warband, the Firebull's fyrd and whatever aid Utguard would lend them from the Temple's wardens. These forces were to meet the companions at Famegrave as soon as they could.

Bronwyn led Argrath to two plinths he had spied, he performed a strange dance between them and sang something none could understand. A bright green light flared, cracking and spitting, across the opening between the plinths and he and Argrath stepped into it and seemed to fade into the distance.

After what felt like walking less than 100 ells, they stepped out into a room in Dragon's Eye severely startling the dragonnewt guards. Bronwyn greeted them in wyrmish and asked to see his old dragonmaster Glowing Eyes. The guards stared at him for a moment, "Ummm...You wait, I back soon." and one left.

Shortly, a Noble dragonnewt arrived with his entourage of guards and retainers. Bronwyn greeted him in wyrmish and asked to see Glowing Eyes. The Noble looked started (or as startled as a dragonnewt will ever look) and asked after his business. Bronwyn explained that he had returned from a mission he had been sent on and also brought a friend to meet his master. The dragonnewt told them to wait and left with his followers.

A short time later, the two were summoned by another beaked dragonnewt into the city. They were led through the city eliciting surprised looks from those they passed and were brought before Glowing Eyes.

It must be told that Glowing Eyes was a powerful and old dragonnewt. He seemed nearing the end of his journey on the Draconic Path. He had been Bronwyn's master during the EWF and had sent him to investigate Sky Fall lake. Unfortunately the dragonnewts were no longer willing to teach humans the Draconic Way and Bronwyn's return was...unwelcome.

"Things have changed. Times are past where I could have welcomed you back as my pupil. Now is not the time to open our wings to your people again. Now you came seeking my aid, what would you have?"

Bronwyn asked him if he knew when Ogunjar's northern force would go down river and if there were any dragonnewts who would be interested in fighting along side the Orlanthi.

"You have asked for information we don't have and aid we will not give. Perhaps you would like to leave now? We can help with that." Glowing eyes told them that he knew a road that would take them directly to where they wished to go and had them taken there.

They stepped onto the dragon road and appeared in a room heavy in dust and guarded by an iron armoured mostali. The sentry gave a start and reached for a curiously curved rod on his belt when the two stepped from the road. The room they stepped into was covered with a hand's breadth of dust.

"Here's my pass" said Argrath with an evil grin on his face. The dwarf looked at the pass, and at Argrath and back again. A strange look came over his face, his eyes crossed and he toppled like a felled tree landing with a resounding clang in the billowing dust.

With a cheerful swagger in his stride, Argrath led Bronwyn into the hall. The dust was as thick there as it had been in the room and a single set of boot prints led to and from the room they were in. They strode down the hall and eventually found another guard. They showed them Argrath's pass and asked to see Isildirian. The guard snapped to attention, gave them a strange salute and waved them on down the hall.

They wandered the halls for some time trying to find a dwarf who could speak with them. Many stopped and listened blankly to the strange languages the humans spoke. They finally found a Gold dwarf who could speak Sartari. The dwarf looked at the proffered pass and then at Argrath, "Hu-man...Sar-tar-i...I...speak...Sar-tar-i." Argrath spoke slowly and loudly to the dwarf asking to see Isildirian. The dwarf did not know how to find the Mine's master but agreed to take them to one who would.

As they passed down the halls, the dwarf kept up a lively conversation, "How...is...the...wea- ther?" Fine. "I...speak...good...sar-tar-i...yes?" Yes...you...do. The dwarf beamed (as much as dwarves do) and talked to every passing dwarf pointing to his mouth and saying something that included "sar-tar-i".

They were finally brought before Isildirian. Argrath told of his journey and how they had arrived and what he sought. "Oh, I just used that road the other day," Isildirian replied. With that much dust, asked Bronwyn? "Well, it would have been 500 of your years ago." Isildirian explained that he was charging the Lunar's heavily to use his dock and would not break his contract with them. He did relent and tell them that the force would be embarking in two weeks.

"Yes, they sent a rude lump of a man. So impatient." He got annoyed with the whole process and started t insult Isildirian. "So we gave him the long form of the contract. 47 pages, two signatures per page, in quadruplicate, with a leaky stylus."

Isildirian assigned a mostali to guide the friends back to the dragon road. The dwarf took a while to find the room on some strange blue paper with darker blue writing and then took the rest of the day trying to get there. The collapsed guard was still lying in the dust like a block of granite, unmoved. Bronwyn opened the road and they fared back to Temple Fort.

Sigmund and Gudny fared to Drulz land and asked them to aid the Lismelder fighting the red- men. The ducks agreed immediately, they loath the zombies and the Lismelder are the only orlanthi who have never hunted them. They send a liason back to Temple Fort with the friends.

Bronwyn, Argrath, Sigmund, and Gudny return to Famegrave and meet up with their reinforcements. Lothar and Kamoar were there. Utguard had come personally with 50 of his warband, Norolf Four-hundred-fighter and 20 of his warband had also come. 100 Firebull fyrdmen and Argrath's warband, 100 warriors, had come as well, Utguard had flown the whole lot.

The companions decided to seek other allies to help in the battle and to sow dissension among their foes. Alfgar sent the war arrow around the Wilmkirk confederation seeking aid.

Knowing that Baron Sanuel's entire levy was at Sun County, the friends decided to raid his hall. Utguard and Norolf agreed to come with their warbands. 300 hardened warriors swooped down on the sleepy village in the early morning and devastated it.

Tornadoes raced through the huts and fields flinging cows and chickens through the air. Lightning burned down scorching the few guards and leaving the pigs roasting in their own juices. Norolf incarnated the Storm and burst through the Baron's hall razing it to the ground. Sigmund turned the Yelm shrine into a crater.

The band flew off into the dawn having taken no casualties and completely destroyed the village.

[1] Drulz is the name that the ducks call themselves.