CH 10: The Tharkadan Towers

[JadedDM]

Stepping through the door north of room 39, the party is led into a long hallway. Along this hall are three large cells, each holding between 30 and 60 human women inside. Surprisingly, there are no guard and the cell doors hang open, and yet the women make no effort to try and escape.

In the very first cell there is also a single old man, battered and bruised, lying on a cot. Some of the women are tending to his injuries the best they can. The party recognizes him as none other than Elistan, the Highseeker priest from Haven that they met while captured by the dragonarmies.

[Breila]

Goldmoon stares at Elistan, unsure about what to do. She had only few healing spells left, and would prefer to keep them to be able to save someone from death. So she just stands there, waiting for others to take action.

[Kafen]

"Hey look, they are already free." Tas says in a normal voice. He looks around for any invisible chains. "I bet they are scared to escape because of the menfolks. Some people give up way to easy. They would rather be slaves than escape because it is too hard as well. Also, they could like slavery. That would be kind of neat in a strange way."

[Jenara]

"Elistan?" Laurana gasps, fixing on the stricken seeker "How did you end up here?" Moving towards the Cells she sees all the women.

"I am Laurana, where are the men? Our friends were taken..." She moves a little closer.

"Me Magpie, me with Pretty Princess." Magpie shuffles forward, the cells looked clean, comfortable even.

[JadedDM]

The women are surprised by the sight of the party, and a ripple of murmurs moves through the crowd. "You're not with the dragonmen," one of them observes.

A frumpy plain-looking , middle-aged woman of stout build approaches Laurana boldly. The other women seem to look up to her, as if she were a leader or spokesperson. "I am Maritta, the Seamstress," she says. "Elistan was put to work in the mines, with the rest of the men. When he became too injured, they let him stay with us, so we can nurse him. I fear there's little more we can do for him, though, but to make him comfortable." She glances back to the old man sadly, then turns back to the party. "The men are working in the mines, and kept in a rude cave south of the fortress when they're not working. There are more women held prisoner on the bottom of the western tower. And our children are kept on the ground floor, watched by the dragon, Flamestrike. Are you here to rescue us or do you only seek your friends?"

[Jerrard]

"We seek to bring down the army here." Sturm steps foward with a low bow to Maritta, "A task we cannot complete alone. We need your aid, and the aid of your men, together we can bring down this Lord Verminard." He moves closer to Elistan, "We bring a true Cleric, one to help us drive back this evil." He says motioning to Goldmoon.

[Jenara]

"Sturm speaks the truth, our friends were captured on our way to the Fortress, we wish to free them, to aid you." She stands by Sturm, thankful for the support. "My people...." She trails off. "The Elves of Qualinesti sent us, they wish us to help you to bring down the armies."

"You see skinny man in red?" Magpie asks bluntly, referring to Rastlin, "He powerful wizard."

[JadedDM]

"We would be grateful for rescue and will do what we can to help, but as long as our children are in danger, we cannot risk much," Maritta explains. "They allow us to send a dozen of us to feed them each night, so we can see that they are safe. The dragon oddly takes good care of them. We haven't seen a man in red, but if your friends are men, they are likely in the mines with the others."

Elistan coughs weakly and nods to Sturm. "Ah, yes. We...met once before. It is good to see...that you all managed to survive."

[Breila]

Goldmoon kneels down by Elistan and examines him. How is he?

[JadedDM]

Elistan appears to have suffered internal injuries. Explaining, one of the women tending him says, "There was a minor cave-in in the mines, and rocks fell on him." The women have applied healing salves to his bruises, but there is nothing to be done for the injuries inside his body.

"My...reflexes aren't as sharp as they once were," Elistan admits with a pained chuckle. A trickle of blood escapes his lips, which one of the women quickly dabs with an already red-stained handkerchief. "Perhaps I should have gone with you after all," he adds, referring to when they last parted ways.

[Nuke]

Riverwind steps up and adds "So, you know where the children are? Would they follow you out of there?"

[Breila]

Seeing that conventional healing is of little use to help Elistan, Goldmoon reaches a decision. She puts down her backpack and reverently takes out the disks of Mishakal. "Here, Elistan" she tells the man. "These disks contain the wisdom of Mishakal, Godess of healing. Read them, and pray to Mishakal to accept you as her servant. Then you too will become a true cleric and can serve your people, like I have done. And to give you the strength to do so, I will call upon her to heal you."

Goldmoon casts cure light wounds (1d8) to restore 3 HP

[JadedDM]

"We do," Maritta says to the plainsman. "But the problem is the dragonmen. If they find us taking the children elsewhere, they would put an end to it right away. We aren't strong enough to face them. And then there's the matter of the dragon herself who guards them."

As Goldmoon lays her hands upon Elistan, the nearby women all gasp and murmur to themselves as the color returns to the old man's skin. He then sits up carefully. Although still injured, it now appears he will eventually make a full recovery. Even having witnessed Goldmoon's miracles firsthand before, Elistan himself still appears shocked by the healing. "Amazing," he whispers, accepting the Disks reverently. "But I am not worthy to read the Disks of Mishakal," he says with downcast eyes. "I have sinned against the heavens and against men. My time as a Seeker was foolishly misspent, convincing myself and others that new gods were replacing the old. I had no faith that the old gods would remember us or that we would find them again. I'm afraid I do not deserve the luxury of faith now."

[Jenara]

"My Lord, now is the ideal time for Faith, people still follow you, they follow your words, do you see how they help you?" Laurana says softly. "My own people..." She shoots Gilthanas a glance. "They shouted at the Gods, they blamed them and humans for bringing down the gods wrath.." She sits near him.

"You are a good man, and good men make mistakes, as do good women, even we elves. Read the disks, and then say you are not worthy.." She looks up at Goldmoon. "Will the disks let someone who is not worthy read them?"

[Breila]

"I am still learning about the Gods myself" Goldmoon tells Elistan with a reassuring smile. "I had been brought up with the belief that our ancestor kings and queens would become Gods. That is even worse than what you were led to believe, I think. Yet Mishakal in her mercy sent me a staff that could heal and even defeat a dragon, and led me to her temple where the staff now resides in her divine hands. She gave me these disks, which taught me all I needed to know, and reassured me that everyone who reads them in faith will be granted powers, too.

So trust yourself, you have now found what you seeked. Read the disks. May Mishakal guide you." She lays her hands on his shoulders.