13.1 Judgement

General Summary

Day 131

The day after storming the fortress, we turn our attention to figuring out what to do with all these people now that we’ve captured them. There are 800 humans in varying states of willingness to work with us, and only 20 elves. Ten elves are already inhabited by flame creatures but the others are “in-progress” in Killeon’s torture chamber. Seven more have already died. We recover them and turn our attention to the mass of humans.   Of the 800, 400 are eager to return to their lives before the Order. They leave, with our blessing.   The 400 that remain are divided into 200 who are uncertain of their place and 200 who are hostile and angry. Of those 200, 150 seem to be misled followers of the Candlemaker and 50 seem to be true adherents to Killeon.   Wellspring The uncertain ones will remain here with Willow, Ishvael, and Lael. A few fists of the Recovered will stay here to guard the Tree, and Lael will use this time to sift through the humans and separate the victims from those who are still dangerous. Before we leave, Bran dons his charismatic aura and speaks to them individually, assuring them that this elvish army is not hostile towards them. We are so lucky to have him with us, I think again to myself. I’m so proud of him.   Deldrin The 200 hostile humans present more of a problem. It is not in our nature to keep so many prisoners confined for a period long enough to rehabilitate them; elves would either keep their word or choose to die. Zadiyah wants justice against the 50 adherents, which means their death. Rosalia tells us that amongst humans they would likely be hung from the neck but that would not set us up as trusted leadership amongst the other humans.   Instead, Tira and Kadia and I devise a convoluted method of making them someone else’s problem. We weave a magical confinement for them much like Lone Mountain Keep was. Then, Haze takes Bran and Tira to Deldrin to fetch Shelor to pass judgement.   Lone Mountain Keep Zadiyah and Knotrael will lead all the elves back to Lone Mountain Keep and integrate everyone into the community. The remaining members of my circle will travel with them and reconvene at the Keep before heading towards the Grove again.  

Days 132 - 144

Shelor does arrive and pass judgement - much harsher than I anticipated. The buying and selling of slaves is not permitted in Deldrin but ownership is not illegal. She rules that this group of humans will be sold into bondage in Brighton, and the proceeds will return to their victims. I have no insight into how she expects to move the prisoners from Wellspring to Brighton but I’m sure she has her ways.   The journey back to the Keep takes us twelve days, during which time I speak with Gederick about our supply lines. Wellspring isn’t a place I want us to settle, so we only need to worry about it for temporary occupation and he can turn his concerns more towards winter-proofing the Keep.   Along the way, Knotrael also pulls me aside to speak about a happier topic. He tells me that normally he would ask Doraal about this but….he is here and immersed in the love of my family. He tells me that he has spent so long closed off and protecting others amongst the Severed that he feels uncertain now.   “Seeing the Order finished is the close of a chapter. This part of my life is done,” he says, “And now I want to let myself go where my heart’s leading me,”   His heart, apparently, is feeling romantic, and he is asking me for advice in expressing his feelings without ruining a friendship when he doesn’t entirely know who he is right now. I think of Thalien’s proposal long ago and the friendship and love that continued regardless. I share that story with Knotrael, and remind him that a relationship exists whether it is romantic or not, and that stepping off a cliff into love is perhaps not as terrifying as one might think.   In the following days I see him more reflective than before, walking by himself and lost in thought.  

Day 145

Upon our return to the Keep, I’m struck at how the atmosphere has shifted. The season is turning and the days are getting shorter. The community here has been shoring up for the winter - hunting and curing meat to see us through.   The town is actually large enough (and civilian enough) now that they may need their own governing group. Rosalia, Lanai, Zadiyah are military leaders and this is no longer just a military outpost. They need a Nishvalen, or a Vaneilli.