Getting back on track

by Gael

When we left for the Feywild, we were warned. Time flows differently there and that we could thus be gone longer than we thought. But the true weight of that warning hadn’t hit us until we returned and saw just how much everything had changed.

Keralon, the Silver City, had lost some of its shine. As vermin roamed the streets unchecked. With vines and trees growing rampant, as though trying to smother the city’s buildings and tear them apart. A wildness had entered the city that also seemed to seep into the hearts of the people, darkening them with fear.

Worse still, two of the Circles, the Long Table and the Briar, were locked in open conflict. The details for which escape me, but their argument seemed to concern an expansion into the Gloom. A petty concern, in retrospect, compared to the true tragedy that had occurred in our absence.

Ser Donovan, Knight of the Octagon and a good man, had died in his sleep, a mere week before our return. Peacefully, they said. But whether it was out of grief, anger over lost time, or simple denial, we simple couldn’t accept it so easily. And thus, in search of answers, Hayley cast a spell she had learned in Nevermore to contact an envoy of the God of Death himself.

The envoy confirmed that Ser Donovan had indeed died—but that it had been anything but peaceful. His death had been orchestrated by none other than the masked council lurking in Keralon’s shadows. Meaning that our reasons for opposing them had only grown. But with no proof, we had to tread carefully.

Still, it wasn’t all grim news. Though Galiene’s condition hadn’t improved, it hadn’t worsened either. And the scholars we had hired had uncovered some key details about her curse.

It all traced back to the first king of Keralon. When he sought to liberate his people from imperial rule and found the city, he struck three dark bargains. Once each with a Fiend, a Fey, and Death itself. Selling not only his own soul, but also those of his heirs for the help he needed. When he died, all three came to claim their prize. And, understandably, none were pleased to find others laying equal claim to their prize. So to settle the matter, they devised a competition: the Tournament of the Final Challange.

Each chose a champion, later known as the Nemesis Knights, who would fight on their behalf. The winner would claim the souls owed. The curse Galiene carried seemingly existed to ensure a champion for Death would always be present. Yet records said the final battle had not yet taken place, contradicting what we learned in the Feywild.

That meant her curse could not be broken at this time. At least not by us. However, a local necromancer named Mortimer proposed an unorthodox solution. Rather than curing the curse, he could attempt to extract it. But doing so would also strip her of her draconic essence, which was currently deeply entwined with it. Fully transforming her into a human.

It was a drastic measure, and Alistan wisely chose to delay the decision. As whatever he chose, it would change Galiene forever. And whether she would agree to it was another question entirely.
Speaking of change, that brings me to Elsa.

Before we left, Luke had discovered she’d been swindled by a traveling merchant, leaving her deeply in debt. To ease her burden, we had asked Lady Morenthene to cover the amount. Yet Elsa still faced the daunting task of rebuilding her fortune. And in the end, her only viable option was to accept an arranged marriage.

It was yet another regret. Had we been there, perhaps we could’ve helped her more. But as they say, what’s done is done and hindsight is perfect. She had made her choice. And while she may not have been overjoyed, she seemed at peace with it.

I wasn’t quite sure how Luke felt about it. He had long harboured feelings for Elsa. And it was saddening to see things end this way. But he had Lumiria by his side now, who was clearly smitten with him. Perhaps a bit too much so, as she was fiercely possessive of him and quick to jealousy.

Which resulted in one of the most awkward dinner parties I’ve ever attended. It was obvious that some feelings still lingered between Luke and Elsa. Though both tried their best to smother the embers. For their own sake, and each other’s.
As for Elsa’s fiancé, Lord Thalian Andilot, he seemed like a kind and respectable man. He came from a successful merchant family that had only recently earned noble status. Something I could appreciate. After all, we too had arrived in Keralon with little and carved out our own place.

Still, something about him rubbed me the wrong way. He was a bit too eager for my taste to suggest a marriage alliance between his cousins and the De La Roost family. And while I know that political marriages may be common and accepted in noble circles, it’s not something I wholeheartedly support. Or wish for either myself or those close to me.

All in all, the dinner ended on a positive note. Especially after Thalian suggested Alistan as a possible successor to Ser Donovan’s seat on the Octagon. A suggestion I fully support.

Given everything that had happened, we decided to slow down for a week and focus on smaller tasks that had long been neglected. Along with one significant matter I had been mustering the courage to face.

One of the things I wanted to return to was my research into Vincent’s mask. Thanks to our recent exploits, Luke’s powers had risen to new heights. And he was now able to cast a spell that revealed more of the mask’s secrets:

“This mask, when whole, was made by a lover’s hand, for a prosecuted king. It hid the reflection of the usurper and gave the wearer his greatest desire.
On the day of the last chance, when all that was right lay in the balance, it was sundered. From then on it served two masters, the original and the reflection. It hid both from their enemies and granted them the kind of peace they craved.”

So now the question became: how did Vincent come to possess the mask? Was it given by the original master, or by the reflection? Either way, unless I can locate the second piece, I was certain the mask wouldn’t yield any further answers. Meaning I would have to approach things in another way to uncover more about either Vincent or Reeva.

Another matter that had troubled me was raised by Hayley.

After noticing that Luke had started using his new divination skills to peer into various questions for each of us, she gathered us one morning with a warning. Not to use such spells on Dynia. Whatever charm was places on her, it was done so for her own safety. And if we truly cared for her, we needed to stop prying.

I won’t lie, it was hard to accept. It’s not that I don’t trust Hayley. I do. But if something threatened Dynia, I wanted to know, even if I was powerless to stop it.

In the end, I chose to trust in Hayley’s judgment. For whatever her reasons, I believed them to be the right ones. And if the time or need came, I knew she would share what we needed to know.

But our brief moment of peace was already coming to a close. The knight’s calling awaited us and Alistan had a plan.

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A day of celebrations and beginnings
30th of Daga, 121 year of the tree

A trial of brambles
30th of Daga, 121 year of the tree

Departure
1st of Lug, 121, Era of the Tree

Dreams and Peril
2-5 Lug, Year 121, Era of the Tree

City of Strife and Secrets
5th of Lugh, 121 Year of the Tree

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6th of Lugh, 121 Year of the Tree

Onwards towards the west
7th & 8th of Lugh, 121 Year of the Tree

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8-11th of Lug, 121 Year of the Tree

For now I am the hunted
11th of Lug, Year 121, Era of the Tree

Hunted no more
12th of Lug, Year 121 Era of the Tree

Trial by fire
13th - 14th of Lug, 121 Era of the Tree

Keralon at last
15th of Lug, 121 Era of the Tree

Has it truly been five years?
1st - 2nd of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

The Journal Entry’s title

Escorting the envoy
2nd of Nuan, Year 126, Era of the Tree

Heart of fire
3rd - 4th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

A festive day
10th Nuan, Y126 Era of the Tree

The Journal Entry’s title

Shadow of Ravenfield
14th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

The Tomb of Hollow Hill
15th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

The battle for Ravensfield part 1
16th of Nuan, 126 Year of the Tree

The Journal Entry’s title

The Journal Entry’s title

The battle for Ravensfield part 2
16th - 17th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Return to Keralon
18th - 21st of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

The Journal Entry’s title

The Embassy ball
22nd - 23th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Searching for Norgar
23th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

The fall of Robert Talespinner
23rd of Nuan, Y126 E.O.T.

Intermission: Letter home

An Audience With The King
28th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

The Journal Entry’s title

A new beginning
29th of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree

Breaking and making deals
1st of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Nightly intrusions
2nd of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

The Journal Entry’s title

The Journal Entry’s title

Dinner for Seven
9th of Aran, 126 Era of the Tree

Graduation Day
25th of Aran, Y126 EOT

A love for the ages
24th of Aran, Y126 EOT

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26th of Aran, 126 Year of the Tree

Battle of the bards
26th of Aran, 126 Year of the Tree

Fire in the night
2nd of Brigan, Y126 E.O.T.

Lord Quinn I presume
4th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Departure for Latebra Velora
5th - 6th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Wurms and Dragons
6th - 8th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Gold in the dark
8th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Heart of Acid
8th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Meeting Grandmother
11th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

The Journal Entry’s title

A shadowy evening
12th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

The Journal Entry’s title

Latebra Velora
16th of Brigan, Y126 E.O.T.

A dragon's fate
16th - 17th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

A royal summons
17th - 20th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Planning ahead
21th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

A Rabbit and a Mole
21th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Hall
Hopefully 22th - 25th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

Into the Warg's den
I think 25th of Brigan, 128 Era of the Tree

On feathered wing
No clue

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7th of Mannan, 128 Era of the Tree

Whitewail
still no idea

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29th of Gobu, 128 Era of the Tree

A day in the library
30th of Gobu 126 Era of the Tree

The Tournament
1st of Mannan, 128 Era of the Tree

The Wolf and the Knight
1st of Mannan, 128 Era of the Tree

The Fey Dance
1st of Mannan, 128 Era of the Tree

Home at last
2nd of Madan, 126 Year of the Tree

Getting back on track
4th - 10th of Mannan, 126 Year of the Tree

Entering the King' Tomb
11th of Mannan, 126 Year of the Tree

A key challenge
11th of Mannan, 126 Year of the Tree

Getting back on track

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