***The intricately covered
ice blue journal contains a single
blue crystal on the centre, with the simple gold lettering below it
'Lazulin' ***
Page 17
Juniper had turned all the documents over to Bloodbeat, Elisen, and myself to research what we could on this Warlord threat. Through various reports and stories we turned up the name Acufru, it is good to know what would go on the gravestone if they were worthy of it.
We gathered the five involved in the discovery of the slave trade and Warlord and compared intel. Apparently the group under Acufru were working from a place given a number of names, the 'processing center' and 'the farm' among others. They were predominantly active around the Serpent on either side of Sosanopa. This sounded as if a spotter was located in Sosanopa for them, possibly on the way there as well.
We gathered some crates and loaded down Isidoros with a false shipment of living crystal. A dyre full of rare enchanting materials should suffice to get us noticed. The added theatrics of Juniper and Elisen ensured it was a poorly kept secret. In an effort to leverage our best talents, we opted to try and travel by land instead of by boat, we made it known that we were NOT "travelling towards the Scythan mountains to deliver a large quantity of living crystal to a hidden alchemist".
We crossed the river and began the trek northward to try and locate the hideout. It didn't take long for someone to come sniffing, six in total. I'm not sure if our display reassured them that we were an easy mark or if they really were as incompetent as we made them look. In a matter of seconds, there were only two. They quickly gave up all the information we needed and traded the location of Acufru for their lives.
Again we moved with advantage in mind, while following the river would be faster, there was a greater chance of being spotted and/or captured. We pressed north through the hills and forest and approached the fort undetected. Like the mountains we remained still, like the trees we watched their movements. Bloodbeat picked up more than twenty patterns of life at various points. This seemed daunting until we realized fully half of those appeared to be slaves being shuttled between buildings.
It was then that we saw the game changer, Willow, the questor of Dis we had encountered before. We took more time to determine if the entirety of the camp was under the thrall of the questor, or if they were acting of their own accord. This was important to determine how our opponents would react to our assault. Mindless drones would crash upon us without pause, where as a regular bandit would think twice about approaching a party of highly magical adepts. With the confirmation of a guard change we had the information we would need.
The plan was put together very quickly to throw them off guard and move into a position to try and reduce the advantage of numbers. Just prior to dusk, Elisen would charge along one of the outer walls, while Bloodbeat would Shadowstep to the gate with a Friendly Darkness. That left Juniper, Vralino, and I to run in from the opposite side as Elisens approach.
The shocking blitz of our assault caused the guards to fallback into a poor position inside a tower, being caught in a Foul Vapours they attempted to push out, with Acufru finally showing himself as he leapt from a window in the tower. Behind me I heard Bloodbeat scream, but my attention was on Acufru. Grasping a spear from the air in each hand they began to spin and pierce into this much larger troll body. As he fell to his knees in front of me, before a plea for his pitiful life could escape his lips I drove a glowing spear of sun down into his chest.
We quickly cleaned up the remaining bandits, and as we again attempted to apprehend Willow, she set the compelled slaves upon us, crashing into the Foul Vapours. We managed to only loose a few of them, but Willow escaped again with the door trick.
We put the encampment to the torch and returned the slaves to freedom. Juniper gave them a long and very detailed explanation of how Lochost provided their freedom. More importantly these people were safe and would contribute to the betterment of others.
Like arrows through the night, our group managed to locate the proper target and with careful aim felled them without a sound. This is what justice looks like, a well honed weapon defending those who can not fight, and taking that which we need to protect them. Even Vralino seems to be coming into her own, if a bit preoccupied on circus theatrics.
***A great
Iced Claw adorns the bottom of the page ***
