"Nonsense, Kaathe, you answered the call when The Order needed you. I cannot ask you to devote yourself to another crusade. You may accompany the Watchers but know you are not bound to them", Evelyn glanced at her left gauntlet, the numerous notches marked each of their comrades they'd lost five years ago. They were elves, dwarves, and humans but they were family and once again she was sending her family off towards danger. Turning to Tyr she spoke with words carried on a voice of a stern yet caring nature.
"Miss Sunderland, I will be leaving with Tyr. There are many things to discuss and not enough time in the city to discuss them. I hope you will give me leave to continue my work." "Of course Marcus, your skills are of more use in the field than in a castle court", Evelyn replied before looking over the group for the final time.
"You all know the task which you've been given. Locate the vampires near King's Gate, gather whatever information you can find on where they call home, and report back here. My forces will then establish a forward encampment at Kearvund Keep before moving onwards to eliminate the threat once and for all. This would normally be a simple reconnaissance mission but you are headed into Talmaria. We've not had contact with anyone since the war's end. Those forests may be home to new horrors we've yet to see""Don't worry, Eve. I'll take care of them", Tyr replied with a grin.
"It seems you're about to spend some time in my shoes", Evelyn smiled before saluting the watchers as they rode off.
It did not take the party long before they reached the valley of King's Gate. It was here the armies of the first men forged an accord with the wood elves in the first great war. This valley, the wide split in the massive mountain pass which stretched down the length of the continent, marked the borders between the realms of Farendar and Talmaria. At its center stood Kearvund Keep, one of the oldest standing structures of man. Completed sometime after the end of the war between man and mer, the keep stood tall and proud despite showing signs of its age. Kearvund had been built before the invention of the modern siege engine, leaving it vulnerable at certain points but despite this disadvantage, the keep was still manned by Knights of the Dawn. In fact, prior to the war, Kearvund was formerly under the command if Evelyn Sunderland and to this day her family's flag still flies over the walls.
Tyr led the party away from the keep, trying to keep them out of sight as they passed into Talmaria. While they did have disguises, she didn't want to risk their cover being blown if they were put under careful scrutiny.
"The nearest elven settlement is Rilas'maril. We'll head there, observe the area and set up camp there if it's safe. If we see vampires there then we'll back up towards King's Gate. The journey should be another hour or so", Tyr spoke with a low and serious tone as their horses strode between the tall trees of the eternal wood. They'd past the scorched lands around King's Gate some time ago and now finally they saw Talmaria for it's true natural beauty.
The entire ride to Rilas'maril felt wrong to Tyr. The whole time she felt as though they were being watched by something wrong, something that shouldn't be here. The turning gave her gifts, and she knew there was something out there but she couldn't determine what it was. Whatever sort of entity that stalked them knew to hide itself from her. It was intelligent.
After an excruciatingly tense ride, the group arrived at Rilas'maril. The Talmarian settlement was known to have been carved from the brightest whitestone and decorated with colored glass, now it was held within the tight clutches of the forest with vines and other plant life growing over everything. Rilas'maril was a small elven settlement; about twenty houses, a town hall, smithy, bowyery, market center, inn, stables, archery range, town armory, and a number of ruined structures. Tyr listened and watched carefully for signs of another presence. While she couldn't tell what it was that was watching them, she could tell where it was. The direction of the town was clear but further southwest she could sense the presence of their unknown stalker.
"Everyone, set up camp in the town hall. Take the horses to the stables then see if there is any food at the inn. I'll take first watch tonight, I need one other with me", Tyr gave off all this as she dismounted from her horse, leading it over to the stables while still trying tk get a sense of what was out there.
"If it's the damned Kest I swear to the gods"Iris already rode her horse over to the stables, she wasn't too keen on riding a horse, she preferred to be atop a ship deck. Tying the reigns to the post she returned to the town hall with her bags, dropping them off in a corner before opening it up to take out her bedroll. Once her corner was set up she headed back out and stood at the village square, pondering which of the ruins she'd check out first. She had to think fast as eventually they'd all be searched and she wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to get her hands on good exotic loot.
