Chapter 4: New Day

Wil smiles.

I would love to know that some of my stories would live that long.

He goes over and looks up at Verrian.

When we find more Naucans, will you show them my story? I would love to know that future generations will hear it.

He lets out a self deprecating chuckle.

Listen to me...more pride than a peacock, my mother would say. She would be shaking her head and tsking if she could see me now.

A sadness touched his features and he goes and sits a little away from the group for a bit.

As Wil has removed himself from the group, Verrian doesn't think it would be proper to follow him and invade the space he's created for himself. Still, she wants to answer his question, so she shares it with him telepathically.

Wil, it will be my privilege to share your stories with other Naucans. And I don't think the desire to be remembered is mere vanity or pride. Remembering those who have come before is how people maintain a sense of continuity, of shared identity and self-knowledge. And anyone who strives to pick up the pieces of this broken world and tries to put them in order again will deserve to be part of that continuity.

She pauses before adding, And frankly, I think your mother would be proud of you right now. She'd understand the need to ensure that you're remembered in the future, since you've been robbed of so much of your past.

Thank you.

Will is not sure if Verrian heard his thanks, but he sits a little straighter and his usual smile has returned to his face.

"I think that was quite lovely." Elora smiles and pulls out her journal, recording an abridged version of some of Willitan's stories for reference and reflection. The thrush pecks at her quill as she does so, causing a letter or two illegible. "No, don't do that." She softly pushes him away, only for the bird to bounce back, unrelenting. "I suppose I should give you a name...Tim? No. Jakel? Too intimidating. Pip?"

Consulting a small watch she keeps tucked away in her belt pouch, Verrian says, "If everyone is ready, I think we should contact Athisa now. We have a lot to report, and she will likely be alone long enough to tell her everything and get any updates she has if we start now."

"Okay, we do have an awful lot to report." Elora flips through her journal, skimming her notes for anything to include in the report.

The whitestone disk is activated and soon Athisa's voice comes through, expressing a bit of worry and a lot of interest in hearing about what the group has encountered since the last time they'd reported in. Verrian takes the lead for the sake of expedience and leads off with the fact that both Viani and Krav have decided to stay behind, and that they've taken on a new member of the party, a brave and capable fighter named Willitan Lightfoot.

Verrian moves on to describe the remnants of the massacre at Yelnar's estate, their discovery of his mother's message that indicated the One-Eyed Crows had taken her prisoner, their reconnaissance mission and subsequent rescue of Renaya from the Citadel. She doesn't go into the details of their plan and its execution, knowing that Athisa will ask questions if she wishes to know more. Verrian does describe the magical storm and their gruesome discovery of what happens to living beings unlucky enough to be caught outdoors in one.

Glancing at Renaya with an apologetic expression, Verrian adds, "Athisa, there's something else, something very disturbing. It seems that Garand Disos' movement have been employing magic selectively for a very dark purpose. One of the Crows mentioned being forced to drink a potion that subsequently gave her the ability to detect magic users. And once they capture magic users, they employ a device - a set of restraints fashioned partly out of whitestone - that will, when left on for a day or two, remove the person's ability to do magic. At all. Ildemu claimed that it is irreversible." Verrian looks Renaya in the eye as she says, "I find that impossible to believe. If you have any suggestions on where to look for possible ways to reverse the removal, we're very interested in hearing them."

"A former student? Are they on their own mission currently?" Elora speaks with intrigue, excited at the prospect of new mysterious members.

Wil is fascinated by this method of conversation.

He gets Elora's attention.

Ask her if they have a...talking disc thingie. Sorry, I don't know what it is called.

Can we do it here?

It’s a veritable Naucan-palooza and Ember doesn’t want it to slip away, for Verrian’s sake

She might be on her tip toes ignoring personal space rules.

Verrian's heart got caught on the words "Coreene of Ravens pure." She hadn't expected for Athisa to connect the party with another person from the School. Much less another Naucan. Much less someone Verrian had actually met.

She's so distracted that she misses Wil's question entirely, and it's only Ember's obvious excitement that brings her focus back to the conversation. "What? Can we do what here?"

Attune to the other disc!

"...I was afraid of that." Elora sounds disappointed they can't coordinate with the others, especially when the wilderness is filled with so much of the unknown.

Verrian, her attention now fully re-engaged, says, "Athisa, I gather that you already have an attunement to the stone disc Coreene is carrying and can act as a go-between to set up a meeting point?" Assuming that Athisa responds affirmatively, Verrian continues. "Before we try to get that set up, we should tell you about where we are now and how we got here."

Then she proceeds to describe the villagers' issues with undead monsters carrying people away in the tunnels, the party's battles with the monsters and rescue of a family held prisoner by them, and the final battle against the necromancer, as well as the portal he was trying so hard to open (and their subsequent solution of the puzzle that opened it).

She also describes how the portal seems to work and the conditions of the realm they've stepped into, and their encounter with the Guardian.

"We'll see if we can acquire some mounts," Verrian says. "Athisa, what more can you tell us about these preserves? And of the Guardian? Are the other preserves also overseen by such beings?"