Athory

[lathany]

Taronus (chrisvenus), Tengath (chrestomancy), Heleth (venta) and Gref (bateleur) retired to their assigned rooms as night fell over the city of Nalor's Clearing. Lady Bryanna (quisalan) and Lord Roland (ao_lai) had informed them that Duke Valentin was moving his army onto boats at the port of Loritath ready to sail up river.

Also Elias was in attendance. He began by informing them that Lady Fidelma had been captured and would be transferred to the custody of the party when the battle was over. He also explained that the rebels were moving the resident Lords and Ladies (Lord Wranley, Lady Jethella and Lady Harah) into the Court prisons meaning to try them for their crimes after the forthcoming battle. Elias was concerned that Lord Wranley might be a danger, even from behind bars, being a powerful mage with an extremely sadistic reputation. Elias' solution was simple; to assassinate the Lord immediately. After a short conversation, Tengath gave him permission. The act, sanctioned by all of the diplomatic party, spoke volumes of how the time spent in Athory had changed all of them.

Back over in Chir Shrine, Bryanna and Roland decided that a joint assault on one of the Royal Jewels might be the best way of winning them over. They faced Valerie of the Blades and won the ring Chir. The only drawback? It was to be used only for joint effects. So they began to work on the possibility of casting a joint augury.

Duke Valentin's army sailed the following morning, after an unsuccessful attempt to spy on the city using birds. Several exchanges between the Lathanians and the rebels resulted in the latter attempting to ford the river, however they also planned a storm attack which the Lathany party disapproved of.

Valentin's strategy was to split his army into two forces. One under his command and one under the command of Lord Thorpe. His own half sailed into the main port, losing a quarter of their ships to weather attacks, and then disembarked. Cats and dogs first, fighting men second. Lord Thorpe's half docked upstream and approached through the forests south and west of the city. This strategy may have worked had not Tengath received information from Chir Shrine (gained from observation at Irilika's Tower) and been able to plan for it accordingly.

The Lathany party initially attempted to deal with the giant animals now prowling the city. Heleth left arrows in three of the creatures whilst Taronus took out a handler with a mind blast. However, when an earthquake wrecked the court, Heleth proved successful at dealing with a giant cat directly - with some help from Tengath and Gref. Having dealt with their own invader, the group headed into the main court to discover, to their horror, that Bertha was dead and Nickolan had taken over. At that point Taronus chose to stay with Nickolan and his people whilst Tengath took Heleth and Gref (and two guards) outside to tackle Lord Thorpe's army.

Lord Thorpe never stood a chance against Tengath's magic. After an arrow or two from Heleth had forced him to drop into cover, Tengath used his abilities on Valentin's troops persuading enough of them to switch sides so that the force was effectively fighting itself. Meanwhile Elias re-emerged from hiding just as Taronus received news that Duke Valentin was personally doing rather better and his forces had entered the tunnel network beneath Nalor's Clearing.

Elias left Taronus to search for the Duke, believing that his death would be enough to end the fight. However, it was Taronus himself who was present when Valentin's group broke into the main chamber and the Lathanian mage was the one to engage him in hand to hand combat. The fight was long due to the armour that both fighters wore, but Taronus eventually emerged the victor. The war was effectively over.

In the aftermath, Nickolan was declared the new Duke. The Lathanians retired back to their quarters until Elias came to find Taronus and explained that there was someone he should see. One of Lord Wranley's prisoners was a Lathanian man. Specifically Taronus' twin Gerald who had been taken nine years earlier during the build-up to the Lathany civil war. Whilst still recognisably related, the differences between the two - once identical - twins were very obvious. Lord Wranley had experimented on humans and Gerald had been one of his favourite guinea pigs.

Meanwhile, back in Chir Shrine, Lord Fulton and Lady Dimity arrived, in person, to discuss the agreement of a new Lirrisorn-Human treaty with the Duchess Louise. Bryanna and Roland were called to give advice. Particularly on asking the Ordiriss to make contact with the Lirrisorn on their behalf and in persuading Duke Leonides and Duchess Sarabella to sign. Meanwhile Louise's own army had been ordered to march upon the recently-vacated Loritath and reclaim it for the Dry Duchy.

As the group in the north sailed back to their estate, Elias read the books he had taken from Lord Wranley's study. He revealed that the Lord had once captured an Ordiriss. Gerald remembered hearing it crying in the night, its feelings echoing throughout the dungeons. Lord Wranley had been interested in Lathany partly because other races could be found there.

As the day ended, the group were reunited. Their next task would be the treaty; this would also mean taking on King Imharn and Malthen.