Aquatania:State of Governance. Ar'calima Crann's report to The Grove of Shiandria

Ar'calima sets in thought. Before him, splayed out on a simple stone tablet, is a simple quill and ink pot. The wind outside his tent murmurs, brutal and shrill, as it whistles through the budding branches around him. The night birds were all silent, in the face of the coming storm. The scent of rain wafts into the tent with each gasp of the wind, but the scents of Spring have been washed out, depriving Ar'calima of the beautiful scents of the rejuvenating world he loves. A chill hangs in the air this night.

Ar'calima picks up and sits his quill back down several times without writing a single letter. A strange bastard sword, in every sense of the word, rests on the ground wrapped in a black cloth in arms reach. The sigils and runes of protection he had just placed on the cloth were already eaten away for the third time that day. As his eyes stray towards the sword again he shakes his head, disbelieving that the light near the sword was slightly more red than elsewhere. It had been only a short while since he had picked up the sword, and simultaneously felt his connection to Shiandria and the divines disappear like the stars behind the clouds. At least the sword had fallen silent, for now. And it is in the silence he had decided to begin his report back home, but he was having trouble with exactly how to start. After a time, he began to think it would be best to forget the usual elegance of writing he had and just report the events as he witnessed them. Finally, quill met ink and paper.

"Dearest Grove,

I hope that this letter finds you well. In this letter is my report of the events that transpired in the town of Aquatania in the month of the Greek Olympiad, 8218.

As per your request we joined up with the Vikings outside the town of Aquatania. We made camp with them, and were blessed by the company of a priestess of The Morrigan as well. Early on I met up with Thesus Ironhair who had quite the surprise for me. He described details of a plan to kidnap without harming the New Quaestor of Aquatania, Valeria Domitia Aemiliana, and push for a repeal of the tyrannical taxes that would unjustly penalize only certain groups. In lieu of his plan he produced a magical artifact that would allow us to do so relatively unharmed by transforming into a Stafa Ulfur, a Spell Wolf. I approved of this plan, since in the end the only harm befalling the Quaestor would be a small portion of time.   That night, in the cold shadow of the moon, we had our first encounter with an Avarice Shade. Of course they were refused when they promptly offered to play a game. Instead I left them with a warning, that once the light of the sun had returned and the shadows receded that they themselves would be the ones to be hunted. The presence of the shade confirmed the darkest rumors, the Pluto had fallen. At no time would the realm of Pluto be allowed to be open or traversed. It was then that I knew what had to be done. We would find a way into Pluto's domain in the underworld and secure what we could to research to bring back the fallen God and restore balance to the divine realm again. Early the next day we began our campaign. Our map of the area and my connection to the divine led us immediately to a circle of trees housing a shrine to the Raven Queen. There was a tiny piece of paper with a secret phrase for us to follow. As we followed this trail we had a visit from Vixen "Vixey" Oakthorn who gave us a scrap of paper with a clue leading us on a whirlwind tour of Aquatania. As we followed our clues throughout town we met several of the good remen folk.   It pleases me to report that both General Marcus Aemilius Severus and Brannith Marius are good folk of morals and virtue. Though they are loyal to the Remen senate, they are both willing to find and crush tyranny and corruption while upholding the rule of law and protecting their citizens. Though we may have clashed in some of the battles, as politics can become complicated easily, I will vouch for their character. In fact it was these two good men who informed me there was a bounty on destroying the shades and returning them to the realm where they belonged. Likewise, we had another oppurtunity to assist Bunny of the Woods, which we gladly accepted.   It was around this time that we had to move to assist the Vikings as a Remen led raid was planned to pillage the Vikings they were so afraid had come to plunder the town. We fought bravely and repelled them, but Kenear became seperated from us in the heat of combat. regretfully I could not move swiftly enough and we were both injured, having to limp back to the Priestess of the Morrigan for aid. It was during this time that Thesis lost his standard, though he would later reclaim it. A blow for sure but not the end of the battle. After the battle had ended we resumed our questing through the beleagured town.   As we were following the clues through town, Lightbringer approached me. She let me know that the shades were bothering the Dockmaster. I made haste to the location leaving Lightbringer to guard any escape routes. Quickly I smited the first shade and chased down the second but the third had escaped through the Crow's Nest and sought to evade me. Lightbringer and I gave chase but Kenear had already headed off the shade. Working together we quickly slew the shade and I healed Kenear's wound he had recieved in his battle. As we collected our reward, our ally, Lex came baring a most wonderous item. A scroll key to the Vault of Pluto.   Now our path was clear. I asked General Severus and Sgt. B. Marius if they would waive any reward for the shades but instead allow us into the Remen Vault, under their guard, to retrieve the items we sought. They hastily declined and gave us a stern talking to about destroying sacred entities form the divine realm, while winking and giving us the bounty on them. It was at this time I noticed Sgt. Marius was wounded and moved to a secluded location to heal him. It would normally go against the Remen way to recieve magical healing, but Sgt. Marius is not your typical Remen. It was regretable that our negotiations failed, but we had to make haste to get into the vault. So it was when General Severus's attention was turned away, we bribed the mercenary guard to allow us entry. We moved quickly, Lex charged in, activating the key, and we dashed through the portal. But inside the Vault of Pluto the shades awaited us, and the guards came to investigate. We had to retreat, again, wounded, to the safety of the Viking camp and the healing of the Priestess of the Miorrigan.   Finally, after awaiting for the opportune moment and restructuring our party to include Eldigan and Zephyr, but without the aid of the enigmatic Lex, who had disappeared as though he were a mischevious Fae. One of the Viking political plots advanced, and the Remen guards found themselves incredibly occupied. It was during this skirmish the Grove of Yggdrasil made a break for the Vault of Pluto. Furiously we charged, and any remaining guard stepped aside, daring not to face us in our full might. Inside the vault the Shades awaited once more, but we cut them down.   In my advance I became seperated and cut off from my group. We had agreed that I should not be the one to take the treasures, we had heard the rumors. However, we had also agreed that if pressed we should do what had to be done. The cursed sword Stormbringer was too powerful to fall into enemy hands, and the Crown had to be taken to be studied if it could be used to resurrect the fallen god Pluto and restore the natural balance to the divine realm. I was able to hold my position for only seconds before Admiral Ursagor appeared before me as if out of the mists that surrounded me, stating that if I was going to do something now was the only chance I would get. 

 

After only a moments hesitation, I did the only thing I could do. I took them both. And as soon as my hand brushed against the sword I felt my connection to the divine disappear. It is with humility, I must admit my faith, though still unwavering, was not strong enough to resist the powerful curse placed on the sword.    I took both treasures and retreated as quickly as I could back towards the Viking camp, unaware of the eyes in the shadows watching me. It was only after a moments rest that the shades appeared before me, calling me Pluto. Our suspicions are correct. the Crown is the secret to restoring the balance. If the shades know only the wearer of the crown to be their master, we will be able to use it, somehow, to bring him back. While wearing the crown, the shades followed my commands to the letter, as I tried to end the battle that had broken out and send everyone away peacefully. It was to no avail though, as I was wounded and the crown was stolen by someone who I didn't see. As I recovered a fierce battle for the crown took place, eventaully finding some rest with Kalsipher Dalkier having taken it.   What happened next is hard to describe as the artifact given to me by Thesus activated and I took wolf form for the first time. I joined him on the field in an attempt to retake the crown, but when the dust had settled the rumors said that Admiral Ursegor had departed with the crown, and the shades without a master ran rampant. It is of the utmost importance that we find Ursegor immediately and retrieve the crown to restore Pluto and order.   Doing our best for the rest of the day we were able to find and decipher The Morrigan's puzzle and find a safe passage to escort a Remen to safe harbor, a detailed report of that event will follow this. However we found a duplicate copy of the scroll contaning the key that opened the portal to Pluto's vault. It will be studied to gain any information it contains on the portals as well as how we might seal Pluto's realm and restore peace to Aquatania.   The last part of the events to report is that with the combined efforts of the factions the Quaestor was detained successfuly and agreed to a repeal of the taxes that effected minority groups, aligning the government to be much less on the side of tyrany and more on the side of justice and law. However her husband summarily was reported dead,possibly to poison, so be wary of seeing her moving in political circles. The Vikings we aided did well in a final skirmish, pushing back the opposing vactions and using their positioning to hold the Remens off from buikding an unneccesary bridge to weaken their position. The Vikings recieved the honor of escorting the taxes collected to the treasury, and improved their own political standing in the process.   Finally, I fear I must request aid from the home Grove. The curse is more than I can deal with personally, and any information or resources on how to remove or purify it would be greatly appreciated. I am following my training when dealing with the sword, but I am also seeing growing effects from it. Currently it is causing some disturbing dreams, and its whispers are unfortuneate. I am taking the measure of talking to it, and I am trying to teach the sword correct morality. I figure if the sword can try to corrupt me, I should try and purify it in turn. Hopefully my will is the stronger of the two.