Chapter 8. The Winter Tree & Rajatar
The Questers made for Rajatar, running across the Palarian wastes. They thought it no accident went they saw a white tree that bled in a cold glade. From it walked a blue Eladrin, the Winter Eladrin named Ysäne. Her pale green dryad allies tended to the forever dying tree, the Winter Tree.
Ysäne greeted them as allies and welcomed the Questers to her glade. Rakab asked if it was an accident or by design. Ysäne said that she had chosen for her tree to be revealed for she wants them to succeed on their quest to find the three Chosen Children, three girls…
The Questers are nonplussed as to why she thinks it is three girls, but she says she follows the Crystalline Prophecies, and in this, the three Chosen Children are three girls. She is outraged when the Questers told her that Väreth the Spring Eladrin has intervened to create the child Aemaeon in an old Eladrin mating ritual. Ysäne touches Aemaeon and tells him that he is impossible.
Ysäne remained their friend and ally, but certainly very shocked. She spoke to them of Wisschling, the Demi-God of Winter Serpents, and how she chased him from these lands into Tertravalle. She told them that if they have spoken to Wisschling, then he is already in their minds, and forever will be.
They partook in food provided by the Winter Dryads, except Meridius who boxed it up for rations.
Ysäne warned them of Rajatar, and that a great evil whispers in the ear of the Lord Ilgaroth, the Half-Elf Duke of Rajatar.
She then asked each Quester individually what they seek.
Rakab told her he seeks the Seven Nexus’ of Power, that he had found one, the Cave of Light. Ysäne told him that she knows of another, the Witchpool of Wyrmwood, to the east.
Meridius told Ysäne that he seeks his two brothers, Maximus and Decius. The Winter Eladrin told him that he will find answers in Rajatar and Lucidar, and that they are both in Azarak.
Lohar told Ysäne that he seeks nought but fame, wealth and glory. Ysäne told him that he may find more than that in Lucidar.
Yaeldrin told Ysäne that he seeks to complete his quest, but that he does not know exactly what it is, but to defeat his one enemy here and return to the Monastery in the Stars.
Finally, Ysäne asked nothing of Pascal the Bard, she smiled sadly and told him that she sees him alone and old, writing a book at the end of it all…
Ysäne bid them farewell, but before departing warned them that there is one amongst the group whose intentions may not be trustworthy. The Questers think they have a traitor amongst their group…
They set off to Rajatar. They discussed possible traitors over lunch. They interrogated Meridius if he would leave the quest for his brothers.
Meridius answered that he does not know what he would do if he were faced with the choice.
Rakab poked fingers at Lohar, perhaps in jest or perhaps not, that Lohar was always the suspicious one. Lohar responded that he’s the ONLY one with honest intentions, that his goals are clear.
Lohar pointed his dwarfish digit at Yaeldrin, and declared him too vague, asking him to clarify his intentions. Yaeldrin did not for he claimed that he knows not, only to go on The Quest.
Pascal remained quiet, as did Aemaeon and Tareen.
They were soon outside the walls of Rajatar.
Before the gates, led by a green-cloaked ranger with a fox furred hood, a group of hunters brought defeated and ashamed Wood Elves from Wyrmwood. The Wood Elves were battered and tied up, and many people cheered as the elves were brought into the city.
Pascal disguised himself as Romari and the Questers entered Rajatar with many different purposes.
Rajatar was sat on the Palar River, a great fortified castle-town, split down the middle, with huge grey fortified bridges. Archers lined the walls and guards in grey cloaks with conical blue helmets patrolled the fort-town. Many boats lay on the river at small ports, in the south were dwarfish trade vessels, in the north were ships of Lucidar, the human and half-elf factions.
Firstly, Pascal as Romari went to the Rajatar Library, a small grey building in the centre. Aemaeon and Tareen went with him.
Secondly, Lohar wanted to sell all the gems they had acquired. They had two options, to go to the Dwarfish District or the Half-Elf merchants. They went to the Half-Elves, and after much haggling, sold their hard earned dragon gems for about 850 gold pieces, with a white dragon scale thrown in.
Thirdly, Meridius wanted to have a large white dragon scale melded onto his shield. He went to the Dwarfish District and found Kelgor the Smith. The Dwarfish Smith told him that he could do what he asked, but for 900 gold pieces. Meridius bargained a little and lowered the price with the tales of how they fought the dragon, and how Yaeldrin the Star Elf slew it. Kelgor promised Meridius the shield the next day and Meridius paid him in Carmalekian electrum from the Quester’s Bag of Holding that they found in the white dragon’s hoard.
Fourthly, Rakab wanted to go to Lord Ilgaroth’s hall, but the group were tired and hungry and so sought refuge at the White Leopard Inn, where the chubby half-elf Skazel served them. There they discussed their next steps and drank wholesome amounts of ale, Aemaeon and Tareen found themselves quite drunk.
Pascal as Romari offered Skazel his services for the night, to sing a set. Pascal as Romari does so, and sings some of his famous hits, plus some new songs. He sings A Rapier in the Eye, Duergar in the City, Red Horse, Snake Against the Web and… Friends of the Wood Elves…
At the last song the soldiers of Rajatar rumbled, and surrounded the table, telling Pascal as Romari that his last song was disgusting and he will pay for his crimes. They hate the wood elves and he will be thrown in the dungeons. Pascal demanded to speak to their captain and shortly the captain arrived.
The Questers asked the captain to take them to the Hall of Rajatar, but he refused and threatened to throw them in the dungeons. Pascal cast a great charming spell, he commanded the grey-cloaked Captain Nezlid to take them to Duke Ilgaroth. Nezlid and the soldiers of Rajatar obliged.
Soon they found themselves in the great hall of Rajatar. There were five characters dicing around a roaring fire, drinking mulled wine. They were invited to join after they introduce themselves as the Questers from the Cave of Light!
Duke Ilgaroth, Lord of Rajatar, a elderly half-elf noble with a staff and rich clothing and posh demeanour. He seemed to have his mind controlled, as he seemed kind and sincere, but his orders did not reflect his personality.
Ranger-Count Gruzdar, the very same half-elf hunter they saw torturing wood elves on their way into the town.
War-Countess Shaith Elshare, a human noble from Lucidar, reserved and relaxed but authoritative.
Coin-Countess Sabar, quiet and shy half-elf, but cutting.
Trade-Count Bazmak Gan, a fat grey dwarf who has been on the council for decades. He trades downriver with the dark dwarves and upriver to Lucidar.
(Ilgaroth, Gruzdar and Sabar have no family names as half-elves are infertile)
Pascal as Romari cast detect thoughts and probed the minds of the council members as the other Questers interrogated them subtly. He found that he could not probe the mind of Duke Ilgaroth nor of Coin-Countess Sabar, they believed her to be the evil influence.
They found out many other things. Count Bazmak Gan trades with all and when Lohar insulted the Dark Dwarf and their black king, Bazmak Gan defended them. They discovered that Count Gruzdar is an up-jumped lord, formerly a hunter in Wyrmwood. Countess Sabar has been on the council for four years, Bazmak Gan for decades, Countess Shaith Elshare has been here for a year, sent by Isharath. Ilgaroth rules under the watch of Isharath the Immortal, King of Lucidar, though his orders have been controversial in the past year.
Shaith Elshare and Ilgaroth informed Meridius that a countryman of his had been her not a week ago, and headed north to Lucidar. They said his name was Maximus and he bore the symbol of an eagle, wearing the same helmet as Meridius. He was travelling with a group of Carmalekian soldiers, and was the leader of them. He has risen to great military rank amongst the empire of the west, and Elshare told Meridius that his brother spoke of siding with the more civilised nation, who sought to defeat but include the Hernish barbarians.
Pascal detected that Shaith Elshare wanted to get the Questers alone for a meeting away from the council’s eyes. He slipped her a note after Rakab spilled out the contents of their Bag of Holding, some 24,000 electrum pieces. Rakab did this to provoke the council and plunge the festivities into chaos so someone might let their guard slip. Pascal found the Gan was thinking only that is a lot of bloody electrum and he wants it.
Rakab pointedly asked Duke Ilgaroth if he knows of the King-in-the-Ark and finally there was a slip in the clouded mind of Ilgaroth, he dreamed of a white humanoid tiger…someone on the council!
The Questers left the hall after collecting their Carmalekian electrum. Rakab told the Questers his grave concerns, that one of the council is a Rakshasa, an evil devil who can take the form of others.
Yaeldrin tried to detect if there was a fiend in the nearby area, and there was only one…he also detected some undead near, plus Aemaeon the fey.
Tareen and Aemaeon were even further intoxicated by the mulled wine and headed to bed whilst the Questers gathered in the White Leopard to decide what they were going to do.
They were discussing for a short time before Shaith Elshare entered hooded and nondescript into the empty tavern.
With Shaith Elshare they discussed the safety of Rajatar and that the Lord’s mind is not his own. Lohar went outside to survey the surrounding area.
Lohar soon discovered that they were being surrounded by invisible dark dwarves, at least two dozen, their footsteps in the snow.
Lohar went inside and alerted the Questers. They quickly hurried Shaith Elshare to their rooms and awoke Aemaeon due to his magic sword that can detect dwarves and kill them easily.
Pascal inspired the group.
The Questers devised another switch and bait plan, with Meridius and Yaeldrin acting drunk and stumbling out of the tavern, whilst Rakab, Aemaeon and Lohar went invisible to strike swiftly. Pascal decided to check on Tareen and Shaith Elshare quickly…he had his secret suspicions.
An epic battle ensued, so grand and difficult to explain.
Firstly Pascal entered the room upstairs and was knocked unconcious…his fears come true, that Shaith is the Rakshasa, a White Tiger. She made away with Tareen out of the window.
Meanwhile below, the Questers wrought terrible battle. Rakab withered with his touch, Lohar dodged and knifed and danced around his foes, Meridius struck with precision, Yaeldrin was swift and accurate. They were surrounded on the rooftops by Duergar Soulblades, they fought Duergar Stoneguard in the centre and were surrounded by normal Duergar foot-soldiers. Many of the Dark Dwarves wore purple amulets…and the Mind Master casted spells through them from 300ft away, such as hold person upon Aemaeon, who resisted, dealing death with his purple glowing sword.
Pascal rushed down to tell them Tareen had been taken by the devil tower.
Yaeldrin rushed into action…springing across the town, checking for the tracks of his favoured foe. He hunted down the Rakshasa alone.
Lohar also sprang into action, marking his foe, the Mind Master, who had two Yeth-Hounds hovering near him as protection. Rakab saw his friends intention and caste Haste upon him, which propelled Lohar with such velocity that he was able to reach the Mind Master before he could retaliate. The Mind Master’s Deathskull hovered over him threateningly, it opened it’s mouth and breathed fire upon Lohar.
Meridius drew Aemaeon close to him and cast a fog cloud upon all, making the battle even more chaotic. Rakab misty-stepped up to assassins on the rooftops and withered with his touch. Pascal cast heat metal upon a stoneguard and faerie fire upon the Dark Dwarves in the fog cloud, illuminating them.
Lohar did battle with the Mind Master, his Deathskull and his Yeth Hound. Rakab did battle with the assassins. Aemaeon and Meridius did battle with the foot-soldiers…
Poor Pascal retreated into the tavern and was surrounded by 4 Dark Dwarf Stoneguard, certain of his impending doom…they attacked with sharp axes and he bled all over the tavern, almost falling to his death…
In the far distance, Yaeldrin stood face to face with the evil tiger spirit…his immortal foe. They did battle, dragon sword against tiger claw, splashing blood into the snow of the street. The Rakshasa promised him death, and slashed him with her cursed claws. Tareen lay near comatose on the snowy street hill. They fought and fought, sword against claw, and Yaeldrin was too fast with his foe, too deadly with his magic sword…the Rakshasa cursed him with a final word, Yaeldrin swung with a final shot, but missed, failing to kill his foe…and the Rakshasa shifted out of this world.
He ran to Tareen and healed him with goodberries, Tareen grasped him and thanked him for saving his life. Yaeldrin embraced him and then ran towards the battle, jumping across rooftops.
Pascal was on his knees, the four dark dwarves were about to deal a final blow against him…but Pascal cast his last spell, a cloud of daggers…and almost miraculously… killed all four dwarves. He was felt his chest in disbelief…still alive! He rushed outside into the chaos.
He saw Aemaeon and Meridius emerging from the fog cloud, the last dark dwarf foot-soldiers falling to their magic sword and magic giant slaying axe. Rakab was grappling with the final assassins on the rooftops, throwing another down and misty-stepping to the final one.
Lohar was almost dead, spellcraft, fire from the skull and Yeth Hound bites fought against him, his rage getting wilder and wilder. But he fought on…and dropped the Mind Master wizard. Seemingly victorious, Lohar went for a final blow, but the Mind Master rose, his skull rising with him…
They grappled and Lohar looked to be dead, with no hope…
Suddenly an elvish arrow pierced the heart of the Mind Master…he fell.
Lohar stabbed up at the fiery skull and it fell.
Lohar roared in triumph, batting his chest like an ape, relishing in the blood, gore and glory.
Yaeldrin stood on a rooftop hundreds of feet away…having executed the Mind Master with an almost impossible shot.
Pascal was covered in glass and blood. Meridius and Aemaeon nodded to each other, warriors both, master and apprentice. Rakab descended from the rooftop and congratulated his friends.
The Questers were victorious, and dawn rose upon the castle town of Rajatar…
So ends the eighth chapter of the First Book of Azarak.