Part 1: A Family Matter

[Game Master]

"Good morn' to you ladies." Sila bowed in greeting. "I would ask what you would have me do to earn my wage good ladies? There hardly seems need of a knife thrower after all."

[manicpixie]

"Good morning to you also, Dear Sila," Celalil answered, "Do not look down upon your trade for knife throwing will probably come in handy for the days to come. Otherwise, just do your duty to help this journey run as smoothly as possible, help with the cooking, help with the supplies, in a time of need just try to be there with what you can offer, so on and so forth, " Celalil just listed off some general things that everybody is going to need and need help taking care of, " But really, the knife throwing, I am sure will come in handy, so hone that skill to as perfect as you can get, sound good?"

Elisiel said, "Yes, Sila, my sister is right, that is a skill that we might end up needing in the near future, I just hope this all answers your question."

[Game Master]

Sila left to help the others quite satisfied. It was obvious she felt much better about her role within the group.

The party was ready to go within the hour. Those with horses rode up front while those without rode in the cart with Tull driving. The paladin trotted up next to Celalil. "So my lady. Where are we headed exactly?"

[manicpixie]

"Well," both sisters answered but only Celalil continued, "We are headed to the Church of the Tree in the town of Gedro."


"Yes", Elisiel stated," You know the one? In Southern Timiro."

[Game Master]

"Well I've never been there personally, but I know of it. As your escort I must ask what sort of dangers do we expect if any?"

It was obvious that neither Lorchier nor their father had informed the henchmen of the Lich. A quick glance to Lorchier showed he was behind the three and listening. He simply shrugged.

[manicpixie]

"Well, you should know what you have gotten yourself into yes? And therefore the danger that lies ahead." Celail stated. She kind of went a little glassy-eyed as if thinking of the best way to put this. Then she suddenly stated, very seriously and quietly, to her sister, "Elisiel, please, I feel the need to pray for our safety," Then she turned to Lord Alex and said, "I must step away for a moment sir, but my sister will explain, if you will excuse me." She walked away quickly.



"Well," Elisiel cleared her throat a little, "Our father, well I do not know if you know any of the histories of our father and his company, but to make a long story short, the Lich he fought and defeated for the most part in the past.... As far as we know, he seems to ave returned, but not at full strength, yet." Elisiel, of course, is not as formal as her sister.

[Game Master]

"A Lich you say? That is grave indeed. I've never had the ill luck to run into one, but I hear they are quite nasty. So whatever is in Gedro will help us defeat this Lich?"

[manicpixie]

"Yes, I am afraid that is why my sister felt the need to pray so abruptly, it is the main part of our journey we are not looking forward to." Elisiel stated gravely, "But we have confidence that what awaits us in Gedro will most definitely help in defeating the Lich, yes. And I urge that we leave as soon as possible, it is imperative that we make haste in getting to that point of our journey."

[Game Master]

With that the group quickly set out to Gedro. The day went by quickly with no incidents. The weather was hot for spring, but chatting with Alex and the others made it bearable. They spent the night in a wayside Inn. Lorchier payed the bill. The Inn was pleasant and clean and everyone slept wonderfully. The next day passed as well though a watchman on the road warned of bandits. That night as they set up camp in tents just off the road side.....


DREAM SEQUENCE! (Both sisters!)

The elfin maiden woke with a start. It was still night, but an unbearable scratching could be heard. It was the box! The hand was scratching to get out! The maiden half clothed reached with trembling hand to open the lid. The gnarled, whithered hand of the Lich jumped out and clawed it's way up the sheets of the Inn's bed. The Maiden screamed, but no sound left her throat. Suddenly the door to the Inn's room burst forth revealing a shadowed figure. The smell of rotting flesh permeated the room and the creatures ragged cloths blew in an unnatural wind. Of the dark face only one blood shot, yellow eye could be seen. "I come for you..." the creature whispered.




The girls woke simultaneously in separate tents with a start. Celalil could hear faint scratching noises coming from the box.

[manicpixie]

Having woke with a start after such a vivid dream or vision, and with the hand beginning to become restless within the box, Celalil felt a very strong urge to pray. She wasn't one to scare easy, but then again she has to admit whe has not fully been herself for this.
She WAS afraid, but not so much for herself as for her companions.
Celalil felt the need for some air, so she stepped outside her tent. She decided to find a quiet spot out here to pray. She felt closer to the Mistress when she was outside in the open surrounded by nature. She needed to speak with her Mistress, she needed to pray and ask the Mistress if she would kindly watch over them as they ventured further into this journey of theirs.
She knew afterwards she would have a clearer mind and she could speak this dream or vision over with her sister.
But right now she just need to find a quiet place to pray where she would not disturb everyone who was still sleeping.

[manicpixie]

Seeing as Elisiel is almost never alone, she wasn't too frightened once she focused a little and remembered where she was.
The vision was extremely vivid, but at the same time very vague. All she knew was she was going to have to pay attention to the, sometimes, ever annoying spirits, not that she could do much about it, but eventually, they sould come across one or more that new something about the Lich or even working with/for him.
She also knew that they were not going to be able to stay anywhere at anytime for very long, of course, a nights rest each day but even that might be too much.
She stepped out of the tent quietly, it was still early, but it was not too early to speak with her sister. The hand, after all, is in Celalil's posession, at the moment.
She started walking softly towards Celalil's tent, but somehow she felt her sister was not going to be inside. How is this, Elisiel wonders, she might have gotten up early for her prayers so to not burden anyone else with them.
Elisiel just stood where she was for a moment. If Celalil's tent was not ok enough for Celalil's prayers, Elisiel knew what sort of place would be. And if she found her sister praying she would pray with her.
Elisiel went in search for the sort of "quiet, serene place" Celalil would always look for. It wouldn't take her long, it never takes the sister's very long to find each other, no matter where they are.
If her sister was praying, yes, then Elisiel would pray with her, but this Vision was urgent, she needed to speak with Celalil most importantly.

[manicpixie]

It took Elisiel a little longer than she thought it would to find Celalil, but that was only because the clearing that she found her in was more hidden than she thought it would be. Not too far, but hidden. This made Elisiel wonder, because Celalil normally liked open spaces where everyone else was visible without too much effort.

Either way it was a little disappointing to find that by the time Elisiel found her, Celalil was just standing up from a medium sized boulder, meaning she was done with her prayers. Its been a while since Elisiel prayed to the Goddess and she was hoping to catch her sister in time, but maybe next time. After all it was more important to speak with her before everyone else wondered where they were.


Elisiel called quietly before stepping into the clearing, as not to startle he sister, " Celalil? Celalil, are you there? I need to speak with you." She walked toward her sister.


Celalil answered, she sounded a little shaky, " Yes, Elisiel, what is it? Is everything alright?"

"I should be asking you that question, but......" Elisiel, sort of trailed off into thought, trying to think of the best way to state the situation. Awwww, to the Goddess with it, she thought. " Celalil, I am worried that we are in graver danger than we thought, and it might already be closer than we expected. But what I do not like, tremendously, that out of all of us the one in the most danger, might and could possibly be you."

As Elisiel spoke she saw her sisters eyes widen with fear. "Celalil, seriously, I am not going to go on with what I have to say. You need to tell me what is going on with you, you are apparently and clearly not OK, and you are most definitely not acting like the priestess I know you are. Celalil what is wrong, I am worried about you?"



"I know." Celalil answered quietly." I am sorry. I am used to having father to talk to. Right now it is just me and the Mistress and Father is not here and I guess I must be feeling a little homesick, now is not the time to feel this way I know and that is why I pray to the Mistress for Inner strength. I need my confidence restored for some reason, I seemed to have lost it. I am truly very sorry."


Elisiel looked at her sister's face for a moment and knew that Celalil was not telling her everything. She decided to tell her of her vision and maybe that would shake her into telling her the truth. "Celalil, I don't know why you do not want to talk to me about what's really going on, I suggest you pull yourself together, it is OK to worry me, but I ask you not to spread fear into our newfound friends." Elisiel did not give Celalil long enough to respond, " I had a vision last night, and it left me very uncomfortable. There was a hotel room. There was a maiden. There was the hand and then there was the Lich or at least that is what I think it was. The smell is still apparent in my nose. I did not see where the hotel was or who the maiden was but I must ask you? Celalil, where is the.....?" Elisiel did not get to finish her sentence because Celalil cut her off.


"What do you mean you had THAT vision last night?" After Celalil asked that question Elisiel got to watch a hundred emotions travel across her sisters face before it landed back onto the put together Celalil she always knew. "Elisiel, I had that very same dream last night, what do we do? The hand, which you were about to ask me, is fine. It is with me right now as we speak, although it is mildly starting to get restless. I am not sure that the maiden was me in that dream or 'vision' as you called it."


Apparently very quickly Celalil realized she was not alone, she not only had the Mistress, but she had her sister as well. She stood with confidence once again. Elisiel said, "You must have truly prayed to the Goddess for inner strength because you seem to have suddenly gotten you confidence back like you asked for, but seriously Celalil, what needs to happen is, we cannot for any reason stay in one place for too long and we need to talk to the others about night time watch and rotation I suppose....."



Then Celalil finished, like she always eventually ends up doing," ....we need to keep our tents closer together, there is more power in numbers and we were two of us born for a reason, right?"


"Right," Elisiel answered. "If we are done here I think we should get back, surely the others must be awake by now and they will worry if they cannot find us."


Celalil stated, "Yes, you are right and I am done here. But Elisiel I must let you know I truly am sorry for the way I have been the last few days, I don't know what got into me."


"I believe it could be the hand and the burden it lays upon you, do you remember the way father looked when he showed it to us?" Elisiel asked.


"Yes, I do." Celalil answered.


"Please Celalil. Let me share your burden in anyway you think possible." Elisiel said and she gave her sister a hug.


"Let us get back to the camp." They pulled away and said in unison. The twins giggled at that as they walked out of the clearing.

[Game Master]

The rest of the trip to the Church was uneventful except that the hands increasing agitation. Gedro was originally established by druids who adored the Great Oak which the town is built around. It was Centuries later, that elven monks came to inhabit the little town and the Church of the Tree was erected. Today both sects live together in harmony and peace in the quiet little town. Gedro is protected by a thin forest of trees grown so close together as to be an impenetrable living barrier. Bandits foolish enough to attack the settlement find themselves beset upon by every bush, tree and weed.

Entering Gedro the party are greeted fondly by two sentries. A monk and a druid who wave them through. Entering the wooded wall they see a quiet yet thriving community of farmers and merchants. There is a library, stable, blacksmith, the Woodland Inn, the Inn of the Might Acorn and the Mighty Oak Inn. The avenues are lined with thriving trees and oil lamps. What a sight it must be at night, mused Elisiel who had never been here. Celalil hadn't remembered being here before either until she looked upon the great Oak in the center of town. In her minds eye she could see herself as a child playing at it's base, collecting acorns as they fell. "Celalil" her father called.

"Celalil?" The cleric snapped out of her daydream to see the young human paladin looking at her with concern. "Are you alright mi'lady? I asked if I should follow you to the church or find a room at one of the Inns with the others?" Celalil looked around to see that the rest of the party had dismounted at the stables and split into two groups. Her sister and Lorchier stood to one side while the rest of the hirelings were walking off toward the Inns.

[manicpixie]

"Huh?!" Celalil, sort of jumped out of her little daydream, "Oh! Yes, I am quite alright thank you. Just a few memories, nothing of significance." She smiled at the Paladin and then said, " Actually, yes, if you don't mind. I would greatly appreciate the extra company, I am sure that Elisiel and Lorchier can help get the Inn situation in order."

[Game Master]

The two headed for the Church of the Tree. It was a magnificently simple Church. The typical grandeur one expects from a major church would be garish next to such natural beauty of this town so the priests had built the structure low and with natural curves covered in thatch and flowers making the church appear as grassy knolls not unlike a hobbit dwelling. Entering the holy place both priestess and Paladin made offerings and prayers to the Goddess of Life and Death. After speaking briefly with an acolyte the two were admitted to the buildings inner sanctum. Lavishly furnishings adorned the room showing the true if secret wealth of the church. Soon the Head Priest himself entered wearing traditional robes and hat associated with his station. At a glance Celalil knew he was high within the Churches Hierarchy. Introductions were made and the trio sat and made small talk of the area until The High Priest Cholenier inquired into the reason for their journey.