Running With the Devil

by Floyd Fiftynames, Licensed Bard

TWO beholders???

Actually, there were thirty, but Lothar and his friends only had to fight the two, who guarded the top of the auxiliary tower at River Bend. After dispatching the beasts in a room lined with mirrored walls, the team gave the summit a thorough once-over, and discovered the mirrors were hidden doors, revealing chambers where twenty-eight sleeping beholders waited in stasis. The abberations were quickly and quietly dispatched, and treasure was located and distributed.

Among the rewards, the Band of the Red Oak uncovered a journal, and it soon became clear from perusing its contents that the author was Virgil, the magician whom Vulpian had gone to visit during the group's visit to the Tantus Valley. So far as our heroes could reason, Riordan's new keep had, at one point, belonged to the realm's most fearsome wizard at some point. What importance this would have for the future remains to be seen, but for the time being, it had become clear that Virgil was a fellow the team needed to know more about.

The party, including new stone statue Emerson, made their way back to the keep proper, where they spent the next few weeks preparing for the arrival of River Bend's new citizenry. At last, soon after Early Spring began to show its face, some twelve hundred showed up at the keep, whereupon Riordan, Salem, Lioto, Ajanni, and Lothar began acclimating the pilgrims to their new homes. Riordan, Salem, and Ajanni held a conference of the magic users, and began the process of setting boundaries and policies for the practice of arcane and divine magic. Lothar met with Royce Whiteshield and started the process of training the miltia. Lioto and Demetian started a new monastery in earnest, and Ajanni worked with Simon and his son, as well as the dire wolves, to start a grove and create safe havens for local wildlife.

The settlers were now home; a new chapter was beginning for over a thousand of Westwich's citizens. For the Band of the Red Oak, a new chapter was about to begin as well, but it would be a chapter that was likely to take them far from River Bend, and far from their hometown of Oakshadow - physically, that is. In spirit, the memory of Oakshadow would factor heavily into their next adventure, especially the memories that came flooding back when our heroes tasted a familiar brew, which was now being imported from the north.

FF