Valeros' eyes twinkle, he's seen that look before. Larn might be a caught man before long! He himself had spent the time getting to know Xen himself, trying to figure out if he was over his head and misreading signs, or not, He was scared to death!

He nodded to Augtry when she left her message, "We'll be there directly at the appointed time. Miss Augtry, thank you." His new cloak was hanging on the back of the chair, it was excellent in quality, and he was working out in his new chain armor, getting used to it. When he got his new plate mail, he would put it in the kitty for the adventurers guild when they started it.

[Private to GM: Can you please update my AC, add it to my sheet and deduct the cost of chain armor and a cloak from my sheet.]

After she left, he told the others, "It sounds like she needs our help getting rid of that which isn't mentioned!" he whispered to the team
This message was last updated by the GM at 14:03, Sat 13 May 2023.

It is all a new experience for Larn, time spent at market or meals at the tavern where he wasn’t expect to serve the meal. It gave the young man a moment or two to reflect on other enjoyable things too so that when sister Augtry caught him looking at her his cheeks blush and he smiles. When she looks again his smile deepens, his voice was weak when he offers her a farewell as she left the tavern “at your service sister”.

“Do you think it that serious?” Larn asks Valeros. Getting out of town would be a relief for the tribesman but he feels that danger would lurk outside the safety of Falcon’s Hollow.
This message was last updated by the player at 14:03, Sat 13 May 2023.

Duivelssmak had hoped that his new plate mail would be ready before they had to head out again.  But gods’ Will be done.

“We’ll be there after Vespers.  Until then, may the Saint watch over you.” He gives the girl what he hopes is a warm smile.  It was so important to keep the everyday kindnesses that separated the civilized from the savage.

When you battle evil, you always have to resist becoming it.  Even in the tiniest of ways.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:04, Sat 13 May 2023.

"Yes Larn, I do believe she is smitten with you. At least you know she is safe while you adventure! Playing with her hair, her blush and that smile, true signs of blooming love, you're a lucky man!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:04, Sat 13 May 2023.

Elmona sits listening as the acolyte speaks, and says nothing when she finishes. She remembers the conversation concerning a necromancer, but knows little beyond what she overheard. Perhaps this meeting is related to that matter, she thinks to herself. Looking at the one addressed by the acolyte, the one called Myshra, she waits to see what her response will be.
This message was last updated by the GM at 14:04, Sat 13 May 2023.

Thorgwain bursts into laughter with a belly pumping up and down with each guffaw. "Waa ha ha ha! Oi don think he meant tha lass Val. Do ye think it, tha whi should no be named be serious?"

Thorgwain drinks the rest of his goat's milk.

"Don listen ta him lad. Valeros has tha charm of a mole rat."

[Private to Valeros: purely speaking to your CHA score... :o)]
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:05, Sat 13 May 2023.

"That's okay Thorgwain, women love me for my size!" and he grins at the shorter Dwarf as they head to the temple and the meeting.
This message was last updated by the GM at 14:05, Sat 13 May 2023.

Thorgwain blows air from his mouth, moving his mustache outward then laughs even more. He follows Val to the temple.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 14:05, Sat 13 May 2023.

As Valeros and Thorgwain get up from the table to head out, Elmona grabs her sword and bow and rises also. She follows quietly along behind the pair her eyes trying to take in everything as she walks along.
This message was last updated by the GM at 14:06, Sat 13 May 2023.

The words of Valeros surprise Larn, the youth blushes again. Lost for words he can only offer a smile to Thorgwain. Then glad to get away from the topic he grabs his belongings and follows along to the temple.
This message was last updated by the player at 14:07, Sat 13 May 2023.

Xen has been lost in thought for some time while the group of companions surrounding her continues to grow. She thinks about her parents and whether or not they are safe now that she has been foolish enough to defy Vade.

When the others depart for the temple, Xen follows, a knot tightening in her stomach. It is good that they have a possible mission before them. Still the prospect of destroying something so powerful
This message was last updated by the GM at 14:07, Sat 13 May 2023.

Once they get to the temple after Vespers, Valeros waits with the others until they are summoned by the Priestess.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:07, Sat 13 May 2023.

While they wait, Duivelssmak prays quietly as he opens his heart and mind.  Sometimes when he does this, he gets a better sense of where things are going.

And sometimes he doesn’t…
This message was last updated by the GM at 14:08, Sat 13 May 2023.

Alaion was quiet as they were summoned to the church.

He waited outside with the others and checked Loki for the fit of his new armor and adjusted his own scale mail.  It would definitely take some getting used to for both of them.
This message was last updated by the GM at 14:08, Sat 13 May 2023.

It is a few minutes past the hour of vespers when the companions gather in the cupula of the temple near the central fountain. Lady Cirthana greets them with a weariness evident in her eyes, yet she still offers a warm smile.

"It is good to see you all again, and I see you have added to your company of adventurers." Lady Cirthana says,  she nods a greeting to her daughter  then addresses the rest. "For those who do not know me, I am Lady Cirthana, prelate to this temple of Iomedae, or the goddess Pelor as known in these modern times."

"As adept Augtry hinted at, I have a quest for you all concerning the destruction of the vile tome you discovered. That is... if you want it."

"The Darkwood Vale has not always been the savage frontier it is today. More than a millennium ago,  a vast dwarven kingdom sprawled across the landscape and pervaded deep into the stubborn rock below. Their civilization was unrivaled in its time, but as most kingdoms do, the dwarves conquered themselves from within. As their glories became innumerable, the dwarve's decadence knew no bounds and their society began to collapse. Rampant indulgence fueled corruption, and soon the honor, discipline, and benevolence on which the kingdom was built gave way to petty infighting over status, wealth, and power. The tattered kingdom sputtered but its death was delayed by the rise of a new cult devoted to a mirthless ancient God known as Droskar. Hence, the name of the nearby Mt. Droskar."

"Droskar's followers reacted against the bon vivant trends that staggered the kingdom by instating a dogma of salvation through endless toil and subservience to the Dark Smith, as Droskar was often called in the first era of mankind."

"These things, I learned through some texts brought out of an ancient monastery devoted in the end to Droskar. It is to this monastery you must travel. The adventurers who brought me those texts have since gone back there for further adventure, but they are long overdue of returning. That was several months ago. Once there, you must find Droskar's Forge and destroy the tome."
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:12, Sat 13 May 2023.

"How do we destroy it Prelate? Burn it in the forge?" he asks in question, not sure of anything now. He looked at the others for other questions, letting them know he was not their voice, they each had their own.

He would now need to prepare for a longer trip, food and items, maybe within a few days at most they could head out, the evil wizards hot on their tail no doubt!
This message was last updated by the GM at 14:13, Sat 13 May 2023.

“Was this Droskar considered a god of good, or of evil?  I have met men of great virtue who had absolutely no sense of humor, so I recognize that mirthlessness in and of itself isn’t necessarily a mark of the shadow.  But if this deity is not considered a brother of the light, I hesitate to use his tools against an embodiment of evil.  Still, we must do what must be done, as always.”  He reflects quietly for a second, then adds, “Those poor dwarves…”
This message was last updated by the GM at 14:13, Sat 13 May 2023.

"I do not know Valeros." Lady Cirthan replies.  "It come to me as 'Destroy the book in the Foundry of Souls'.  I had to research the name and it leads to Droskar's forge and the monestary. You will have to figure this out when you get there, or travel to Falcarragh and do more research maybe. I can provide no further information on it."

She turns to Duivelssmak, "That is a good question for theologians.  My personal opinion is thus; Droskar willed the suffrage and subservience of His worshipers. This to me is evil in nature.  It is definitely on the side of chaos."

"Hmmm, the Foundry of Souls would be the Forge. An abandoned Dwarf underground city. It should be full of wealth. Vast wealth! Where would we be able to find a Bagof holding or some such item I wonder? I can't imagine. I can imagine death though! For failure!"

Elmona stands to the side as they are discussing the Book of Souls. Dwarven forges, Human Gods, and the like are things she has little knowledge of. But while she can contribute nothing to the discussion on how to destroy such a powerful artifact, she can at least provide support to the others as they attempt to do so, and what she will learn on the way will expand her knowledge and help her hone her abilities.

"Whether to Droskar or Falcarragh we go, I stand ready to assist. But if m'lady has not been able to ascertain more information on how to destroy the book, I see not where us traveling to Falcarragh will be of any greater use."

"Tha mount be volcanic." Thorgwain adds suddenly.  "O tha I am sure.  Vast dwarven kingdom, I donnae know aboot.  Mebbe it be erased from our history. Oi thought Forgehome be tha only dwarven kingdom 'sides tha Derosian Underworld one.  Mebbe it be part 'o tha."

Thorgwain pulls at the braids in his beard.  "Aboot tha book.  This foundry 'n forge could be like tha 'o Forgehome.  Aye, the volcanic heart 'o da foundry would likely destroy tha book."

"A volcano!" the priestess questions crossing her arms. She looks surprised at the dwarf. "Are you sure?  I have never heard references to a volcano here."

"Aye! Oi be as sure as ye stand'n before me."  Thorgwain sputters, giving the priestess a look that questions the dare of the priestess on his knowledge of the stone.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 17:13, Sun 05 Feb 2023.

“Then I suppose the best plan is to head directly to the forge without wasting time on additional research.  I’m certainly in favor of doing this, although the potentially chaotic nature of the forge still gives me pause.  The idea of using evil to fight evil doesn’t sit well with me… although allowing the vile book to survive is even less palatable.”

And although he leaves it unspoken, the mention of all that wealth awaiting them in the fallen dwarven kingdom does excite him a little.  He mainly wants to use it for charity, of course.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:05, Sun 05 Feb 2023.

"There is a difference between chaos, and evil Duiv. The Blood Wars were fought between Law and Chaos, good and evil fought together to oppose each other. Lawful good, fought together with lawful evil, to oppose chaotic good, and chaotic evil. I'm not sure how it worked out for them, that  was a long time ago."