Chapter: Council of War

Cast: The entire Pius Cabal, as well as several important NPCs.


The following takes place between 7 Decanum and 10 Decanum, YE 1022.


Following the victorious Battle of the Blight, most of the cabal gathers in the Barony of Geistwald for some gardening, while Gryff heads North to be with his daughter and acquire some meese; thereafter the companions joyfully gather again, and several prominent personages are invited to attend a palaver in the Black Man's Mill.





The new Baron of Geistwald, Velimir Tito asked that the cabal assist him in reawakening the Heart Tree of his fiefdom. A millennium ago, during the Elfswar, human magicians had cut it down, and driven an iron wedge deep into the marrow of the once proud tree. Now the stump sat dead, in the middle of his court, and until its canopy was again restored, no Mana would flow from the Hallow. A discussion ensued, but van Zaar finally agreed to partaking, despite his inherent dislike for everything connected to the "disgusting little fluffers" of the Shadowrealm.


Galan, figuring this was as good a time as any to take some personal time, first went to Fornost, to visit what he calls "his Crystal Castle". This castle lies on the Isle of Man, deep in the treacherous Elfswood of Pendrell. Once a Watchtower stood here, but now the island is covered in a vicious thicket of crystal thorns. The captain's plan was to harvest Mana, and return with his pants full. This was not to be, as much of the arcane essence was consumed by the spirit of Fornost. Still, he came away with a slightly frayed coat and a small amount of Tass, in the form of beautiful crystal roses.


Thereafter he went North, to his wife and newborn daughter. Here he spent a few days in peace and harmony, before returning to Eria. As he had promised Tito -- who wished there to be moose in his woods --he brought back six, two male, two female, and two yearlings.


In Geistwald, the cabal had busied themselves with fixing the tree. After some trial and error, they managed to make the roots start absorbing energy from the nexus of leylines the tree stood on. Hardly a miraculous event, but Velimir is a patient man, and he's certain that come spring, things will have improved further.


Now the heroes decided it was time to get back to business, and so they got right down to debating how to tackle the Nattland-problem. Or, more accurately, they invited a long list of important people to attend a war council in the Black Man's Mill. A few words on the location of the summit first. The mill lies not far from teh western edge of Geistwald, in Corillia. In YE 1016, during the Corillian war, it was the site of one of the most famous miracles in Eria; a Skythian mercenary regiment under the command of one Friedric von Roeder, vanished while retreating form the Parliamentarian forces of Pendrell. Thus the Legend of the Lost Regiment was born.


To this ruin came Hermetic Masters, a Wezellian Onkel, a Draccian Warlord, the Lord Marshal Roeder's second-in-command, Black Friars, adventurers, Proxima, and vagabonds. As is usually the case when the Pius Cabal delves into diplomacy, the whole thing seemed perhaps a little improvised. So far, nothing has been decided, but with so many fine folk gathered at one place, something is bound to happen. What that is, we will find out in the next chapter.


Storyteller's note: This again was one of those nights where we did more drinking and talking than solving global problems. Personally I think I needed that, as my brain has been a little empty since the Great Adventure. The plan, as I've understood it, is to start preparing the assault on the OUT base on the moon, but since I've played with these guys before, I'm approaching the next chapter with an open mind.


As usual, if you have a comment, you know where to put it.




[Picture source: unknown]