-7- Gathering (Pt. 2)

The tavern was dirty and smelled of orcs and urine. Dusk covered his nose, but Blasko nudged him, saying "That my friend is a sign of quality. We're going to get some really good ale tonight!" Arrhenius led them to a large table in the corner where two more figures sat. As they approached, the lamplight flickered across their faces, and Vaishu immediately recognized them as being Traelith and Ruhl. "You guys assembled some muscle together here," Blasko smiled as he took a seat. "Hope we got a perty serving wench today." "I beg your pardon?" said a voice from nearby which made Blasko jump from his chair. Loven appeared at the other side of the table, hiding a grin as she made herself known to the newcomers. "Uhhh, I didn't say anything," he replied as his face turned red. "That's better," she said as she unfolded a map across the table, using the glasses as paperweights. "Since everyone knows one another here, let's get right down to business shall we?" Quickly taking a seat, Vaishu and Dusk leaned in with the others as Loven began to explain the route known as the Eastern Highway while tracing it with her finger. "With an airship, we can make the trip in just under a day. With magic, I can make it in a few hours, but we don't have the luxury of either right now, so it has been decided to assemble a caravan to haul the archives north." "Have you thought about using dragon mounts to fly the archives out?" Arrhenius asked as he took a sip from his ale. "Dragons are expensive, inadequate to haul the amount of things we plan on moving, and unless you know of a good trainer, I'd just as soon not deal with them." Loven replied as she continued. "So earlier today, Ruhl found some merchant traders who would help us in return for some information. They can provide about 10 horse drawn carts among other things." "But wait," Traelith intervened. "I don't have a firm understanding of the arcane, but isn't it the ruins that keeps you from transporting things by magic?" "Yes, which is why we're only going to take the carts as far as the summit of the Storm Horn Mountains." Loven pointed at a dark area on the map. "There we will transport most of the less sensitive things over, using a wizard on the other end as an anchor point. That's assuming we have a place to move the archives to." "I've been assured that it's being taken care of," Vaishu replied. "In any event, all of us will set out for Myth Drannor bright and early tomorrow morning. I can knock off two days from our journey with a gate spell, and then we hoof it ahead of the caravan and get everything packed and ready to go." Loven replied as she leaned back in her chair. For a few moments, everyone sat silent as they thought about the plan. "I hear there are bandit along the mountain trails. Do you see that as being a problem Loven?" asked Vaishu. "Not really. After all, we brought the muscles. Right Blasko?" Loven laughed as the titan pretended to ignore her. After several hours of lighthearted conversation, the keepers retired to their rooms one by one. The next morning the band of keepers met in Waymoot Square and set out southward towards Trollbark. Ruhl's merchants came through as expected, meeting them just south of the Trade Way. With Loven's help, the group was transferred east of the summit of the Storm Horn Mountains, which was already covered with a thin layer of frost. Two long and taxing days later, they emerged near the Temple of the Morning Sun just south of Drannor Forest. The keepers had reached the place which started it all.

Current Character Description - Vaishu

Angular features and an ageless beauty leave little  doubt about this  man's Elven lineage. The intricately woven  scale mail and shifting woodland robes mark him a battle mage among the Elves. Little about  his attire offers any insight into his allegiances. No house siguls  adorn his armor. The hilts of his blades do not bear the mark of any lord.  The only hint of his allegiance is in the pendant slung from a silvery chain about his neck.                                         

The pendant is shaped as a seven pointed star. The unassuming shape bears no markings or  intricate filigree. No gemstones break up the smooth surface.Their presence would only  detract from the elegance of the piece. Despite  the lack of identifying marks someone with knowledge of myths and ages long since past might recognize the mark and realize the Elf's master.

-9- Loose Ends

It was four weeks since Bosch set out for the northern lands, and at the start of the fifth week, Clausius received a message. Thanking the kenku courier once again, Clausius opened the brown envelope and scanned over the letter written hastily on parchment. "Is that from Bosch?" asked Arrhenius as he stood nearby packing away the contents of a shelf. "Yes, and it is very good news that I must share with everyone." Clausius pulled himself up atop his desk and stood out over the main collection. One by one, the Keepers turned to acknowledge him as he cleared his throat and read the letter out loud: Keepers, I cannot begin to explain how, but I have reached the end of the Long Road where I now am given word that there are several abandoned mines available for our cause. I have also met an interesting individual who has joined us in hopes that we can help him out as well. He is a podrikev of exceptional intellect and command of the weave, and I am certain that with his help, we can have the archives reassembled very quickly. I wish I could give more detail, but Dagon and I are preparing to leave for the mines as I write this to you. By the time this reaches the archives in Myth Drannor, we will have found a place and will most likely be on our way back to help in any way we can with the move. An appropriate spell anchor will be left for our transportation needs. With warmest regards, Bosch Muffled conversations erupted from the Keepers as Clausius lifted his hand to gain their attention once again. "I have communicated with the Wizards Council and they have concluded that Bosch is who he claims to be. Success in his quest has proven him to own a true Keeper spirit, and I would now ask that the faction discuss the terms of his reinstatement as leader of the Keepers of Antiquity." The conversation resumed among the faction as Clausius stepped down from the desk. As he made his way through the collection, he passed the rows of boxes and displaced artifacts. "It is rather sad to see the archives in such a state," commented Traelith as Clausius passed by. "I sympathize with you Trae, but greater things necessitate change. All of us working together now offers the resources to create something more splendid than ever dreamed of before. We just need the courage to uproot ourselves from how things are." Traelith nodded as Vaishu broke into the circle. "Clausius, dont you think one month is not enough time to have all of this moved and resorted? I mean, we can get it there in a week, but putting it all back together is going to take some time." Nodding, Clausius replied, "And that is where we have been very lucky to have found a podrikev. With Dagons help, we will have it assembled very quickly." "And what future does this place have once it is empty?" asked Dusk. Clausius stopped at this question and turned his head. "There are some loose ends to tie here in the ruins. I have an appointment with my dreams."

-1- Dawn of a Legacy

Dark clouds loomed over the forests around the ruined city. At an outcropping of rocks there sat carved a small place called simply 'The Archives'. It is a place where on this particular evening an aged titan sat in an equally aged wooden chair inside a room with no roof. In place of one was a tattered canvas, partially draped over a series of rings fabricated into a dome such that leaves and birds wandered in freely from the outside. Also that evening, the titan named Clausius let wander in thoughts of shaking the stability in his life. For longer that he could remember, this place served as his repository for all things he knew or hoped to know about his world. It was his lifes work, and as such his life, but he also knew that beyond the antiquities and beyond the volumes of knowledge, there lied a greater cause that pre-existed all others. It was time to complete the legacy. And with those thoughts came the rain. The droplets fell through the open roof with no resistance and struck the ground forcefully, saturating the room with the smell of dry earth. The elder titan sat in his chair, tossing a ball of string to the ground such that it rolled and bounced across the floor. A length of the string remained tied to his finger such that with a tug of his wrist, the ball came bounding back to his hands. This he entertained himself with through the rain, until the ball became saturated to the point that it fell like dead weight onto the ground. That is when he realized it was raining and that he was not alone. "You become stranger by the day, Clausius" a voice called out through the downpour. Clausius turned to see a cloaked halfling standing in the entranceway holding several bags. Ah Vaishu. Good to see you again." Clausius rose from his chair as he pocketed the ball of string. "Good to see me or to see these bags full?" Vaishu replied as he lifted them slightly to show they were indeed heavy with items. "Both to be honest, but you above all else. Let me gather my senses again and we'll have a look." Clausius made his way over to the large rope which was tied to the canvas. With a gentle tug, the canvas pulled shut and with it came several splashes of water. Vaishu watched this display carefully, being more interested in the funny length of string which ran from the titans pocket to his finger. "So I must ask you: what is the ball of string for?" Vaishu asked as they made their way down the hallway. "Well, it was of the advice of a friend that I take up new hobbies, and I found that the string helps me understand." "Oh really? How so?" asked the halfling. Clausius looked up again, half taken by surprise at the question. A few paces later, he replied, "Well, I was just thinking how much me and this ball of string have in common. Someone drops it and it rolls like it was meant to roll, across the ground in all its imperfections. Somewhere it will stop as it hits a rock or maybe just runs out of momentum, but no matter what niche it finds, theres something it cannot change. It is always tied to something; tied to its driving force if you will that will eventually decide its time to pull that ball of string back in and let it roll again." Vaishu looked at him with a puzzled look and shook his head. "You know, dont take this the wrong way, but sometimes I think all this isolation starts getting to your head." Clausius cracked a smile amidst a look of concern. "Perhaps youre right. All I know is that Ive been sitting in my little niche too long now for something not to come along and pull me out." Clausius stopped at the end of the short hallway to hang up his robe which was soaked with water. Taking one of the bags from Vaishu, he patted him on the back and said, "Let us dry by the fire and see what kinds of things you have for me."

-2- Greater Things

Clausius and Vaishu entered the main collection of the archives, which was a vast chamber filled with rows upon rows of shelves and cases. At the end of near every row were stacks of containers filled with overflow which made the aisles extremely difficult to navigate. Clausius and Vaishu meandered their way through to a large fireplace at the northern wall. In front of it was an equally large desk that sat in a small clearing that managed to remain uncluttered from the invading antiquities. With a smile, Vaishu placed his bag on the desk and pulled it open. "Two sets of crystal panes from Waterdeep," he said as he produced two wooden boxes. "The jeweler apologizes for being late with them." Clausius opened the boxes and examined the panes under the firelight. "I will settle with him next month when he visits. Did you manage to find the tools?" Vaishu smiled as he produced several leather bundles from the bags. "They were hard to find, but I managed to locate a trader from Heifong that acquired them for me." Clausius nodded as he produced a dwarven toolbox from under the desk. Taking the tools one by one, he began to sort them in the toolbox with the greatest of care and satisfaction. For several minutes, the two rooted through the bags, producing a sizable pile of seemingly unrelated items. Along with the crystal panes and tools, there were three bronze shields, two spools of binding leather, a tanner's kit, several small sheets of various metal, including copper, tin, and soft iron, a canister of metal polish, and several books related to manufacturing of small machines and other mechanical contraptions. All of these things Clausius sorted and piled next to more items which looked even stranger together. "I know you won't tell me what these things are for, but I ran into Bosch who was also in Waterdeep, and he seemed to know about the items I was looking for. I was just curious if you two were planning something." Vaishu asked as he stood up in front of the desk. "Well, it is a safe assumption that we are always planning something, but to answer your question: Yes, he has always known about the dreams and my interest in them." A spark of interest showed in the halfling as he looked up at Clausius, such that Clausius had to justify his statement. "Well, my intentions regarding these things you brought me are not related to the future of the faction. It is strictly a personal interest, but one that may prove beneficial to our cause. I think I will stop at that for fear of dragging you into my flights of fancy." He was adamant about keeping secrets. That is one thing Vaishu was certain about when it came to Clausius. While curiosity burned within him, he knew also that Clausius had his reasons for not letting on to certain things. It was an old observation that Vaishu had learned about and also learned to live with from the day he came to know the keepers now just half a year prior. And as expected, Clausius had another task to utilize the strider's abilities with. Tearing a strip of parchment from his stack of notes, Clausius penned several lines and handed it over to Vaishu. "I need you to locate these keepers for me and have them come to the archives." Taking the parchment, Vaishu folded it up and carefully placed it in his pocket. "And when do you need them here," he asked. "Within the next few weeks if possible. As we speak, Bosch is busy searching for a new place to store the archives and we will need all the help we can get for the move." Vaishu blinked slowly. "The move?" Clausius smiled at the reply, having purposely instigated it. "Yes, I would like to have everything moved within the month. There will be no problem finding them right?" The halfling grinned at the question which he couldn't possibly answer in any truthful capacity. He thought how ambitious such a proposal was when there wasn't even a place to move to as of then. Even with all of the keepers assembled to work on the move, it would be very difficult to have it all transported and reordered within the year, much less within the month. But then something had to be said about optimism and that is where he mustered the courage to reply that finding them would be no problem. "Good," replied Clausius. "Good luck?" asked Vaishu. "If any luck is with us in this endeavor, it will be good," was Clausius' reply as Vaishu exited the archives.

-4- Keepers and Demons

It took less than two days to for Vaishu to find a lead. It was in the small city of Stonebow Dale that a local shopkeeper had sold supplies to two mercenaries who called themselves keepers. They were headed into the city of storms down through the Mithril Caves where Vaishu knew right away their destination. Gathering his things, he made the descent into the city known as Darrowmere on the seventh hour of nightfall. It was less than an hour before the gates of the city appeared in the haze, shrouded beneath a dense mass of clouds and darkness. Darrowmere was a city of extraordinary beauty, though cursed to forever dwell in the shadows of the rainstorms. For those who called it home, the rain was less curse than circumstance and the strider felt out of place, being the only one who ran for cover under the eaves of the buildings. It was just east of the southern entrance that he found the mansion he was looking for. Accounts document the story of Hawke and the demon which was imprisoned in his basement --A demon of great power and evil. And of course as such stories go, a demon that guarded a valuable antiquity. The doors of the mansion remained ajar, suggesting someone had recently been through it. To the right stood the massive door to the basement, which was also left half open, freshly picked as indicated by the scars on the lockhead. The stairs descended into a immensely dark and cold basement which sounded of strange noises and faint echoes. As he traversed them, he saw the glowing eyes of curious creatures darting back and forth through the darkness, though they were seeming more scared of him than he was of them. The echoes grew louder and it was perhaps halfway through that he realized they were voices. He followed these voices to an opening in the ground where two demon corpses sat amidst a pile of empty vials. Looking inside, the faint glows revealed the images of three figures: two mercenaries and the demon who towered above them flailing its arms and swinging its tail as it swooped back and forth on leathery wings of blood red. The mercenaries circled the demon equidistant from one another, while taking turns striking it with their weapons. The larger of the two held a pair of spears with a length of rope tied to his wrist. This he would use like a javelin at times, tossing it forward and drawing it in, but then when the demon faced him, he would wield it like a halberd, parrying the blows with one, while dealing them with another. The smaller mercenary wielded two swords, one of which shimmered like so many piles of treasure and resisted the blood like oil to water such that the blade never appeared dull. His other sword was a bit shorter and blue as ice as he used it to parry while striking with the first. For several minutes Vaishu watched the display from his vantage point while entertaining thoughts of joining in, but it remained too well orchestrated to toss in another variable. Within a few more minutes, the shorter mercenary dealt a fatal blow to the demon, and it fell to the ground such that the whole place shook with a great sound. "Drumroll" yelled the larger, titan mercenary to the first, who began to simulate a drumroll with his swords as he made a poor attempt at articulating the sound. "And nothing!" was the reply as the titan spit at the corpse in frustration. It also here that Vaishu could no longer hide his amusement as he let out a laugh from above. "Need a hand out of there?" he asked the titan, who he could now clearly identify as being Blasko. "Sure!" Blasko replied as he reached for Vaishus outstretched arm. "We can just leave Dusk down here." "Hey!" yelled the human merc, who quickly pulled himself out of the hole in fear of the others making true to their suggestion. "So you guys got time for a break?" asked Vaishu.
"Always," replied Dusk. Blasko nodded in agreement, and the three made their way out of the mansion.

-7- Gathering (Pt. 1)

Three days and two airship rides later, the three adventurers landed in a field just south of Waterdeep on a cold autumn afternoon. It had been a slow and tiresome journey that they were only halfway from completing. "Thanks again for the ride," Dusk said as he hopped down from the airship ladder. Vaishu and Blasko were already picking up their bags they had tossed over just seconds prior. "Don't mention it guys, and thanks for the beer!" The pilot waved as he secured the hatch for takeoff. With Vaishu in the lead, the three began their walk across the overgrown field as the highwind lifted off behind them. "Do you know where we are going?" Dusk asked Vaishu as they made the turn onto the Trade Way road. "Well, Clausius gave me instructions to meet up with some keepers in Waterdeep, though he didn't say where or when." "This will be interesting" Blasko said as he walked past the two without stopping. Dusk shrugged at the notion as they continued northward. Three hours past sunset, they reached the gates of the City of Spendors. The smell of burning wood filled the air as the cold wind bore down upon the city. Vaishu led the party along, not sure where he was going himself. They reached a large square with a sign designated the names of streets. The larger road ran north and south, while a smaller, darker road stretched west. They took the latter, which wound around several of the lower district, ending them conveniently at a tavern called 'The Thirsty Throat.' A shady titan character stood outside flipping a trinket in the air while chewing on a length of dry leather. "Interest you gentlemen in a game of trivia?" he asked them as he looked up. "No thanks," replied Dusk. "You might be able to help us though. We are looking for..." The stranger lifted his hand. "I think you'll like this game. All you need to do is guess the thing I will now describe." Vaishu sighed, looking up at the rising moon. "It is small, round, and bears the likeness of a ruined city inset with two laurels and a single star. Seen anything like this before?" Vaishu looked over at Dusk, who at the same time looked over at Vaishu. Almost at the same time, the two reached into their pocket and produced their tokens, which bore the resemblance that the stranger described. A few seconds later, Blasko found his token and held it out for all to see. "C'mon in fellows. We've been waiting for you," the titan said as he looked up and removed his hood. "You don't know how much of a relief it is to see you, Arrhenius," replied Vaishu as the three followed the mercenary inside.