After leaving the cave tunnel, we quickly made our way back to the merfolk city. We united Vertike with Prince Lacitosh. We spoke with him for some time and eventually started chatting about the symbols. I shared with him the symbols found in the tunnels below. Turns out that both him and Vertike can see some semblance of merfolk script in the symbols. Which is fascinating because Siona said she saw a direct connection to ancient dwarven. Maybe these symbols are the first script that everything derived from? Again, I don't know, and the more I think about it. The more I want to pound my head into a table.
Lacitosh told us that it seems that Volsaid was also making her way to the desert flower location and she had killed some of the merfolk scouts on her way there. Which again is super annoying. It feels like she is trying to follow us and steal our discoveries away while also pissing off anything that inhabits the area.
The next bit I thought about not including in case anyone finds this. Maybe I'll tell someone in the party to remove this section if I die or something. Nevertheless it needs to be written down.
We decided as a group that Volsaid needed to be stopped. I was hoping for a bit more diplomacy, but it sounded like that wasn't going to happen. Without rest, we quickly made our way to the merfolk holy site. On the way, we found a merfolk scout's head on a pike. Again, I don't get it. Why did Volsaid need to do that? Merfolk would only try to bring larger forces, they aren't going to back down. I could see that this made Verike's blood boil. Any hope of a diplomatic option was completely lost. I honestly think given the chance, we would have killed Volsaid. I have no idea what those repercussions would have looked like, but gods I can imagine.
The funny thing in all of this? When I was a beggar child in the capital I dreamed of somehow becoming a knight. Hearing of their conquests, their discoveries, their adventures memorized me. I think those dreams kept a young Keph going, gave a small glimmer of hope in a rather dark world. They were something to look up to, to revere. Now... maybe not as much. My friends have shown me so much more. It's not that I don't agree with Volsaid and what Gilead is trying to do. My mind has been open to the consequences of their actions. Of course there are also consequences to our actions and our attempt at keeping a semblance of harmony in the natural world. I guess part of me wishes this didn't become an us vs. Volsaid (Gilead). Maybe that is naive, or just hopeful thinking.
We tried to sneak up to Volsaid and her group, but they had set an alarm spell.
From there, Volsaid and Crestin had a duel. I tried to shift the balance in our favor with a subtle spell, but in the end Crestin fell. Instead of bending the knee, we decided to fight as a group. Which to be honest, in retrospect seems like a way better option than watching Crestin fall. Not only because it appeared that members of WA really didn't seem too keen on joining Volsaid's side outright, but we've always been better as a group.
Not to bore anyone with details, the fight happened. Crestin was turned into T-rex Crestin, and he did some chomping on Volsaid. She nearly went down. Jean nearly went down. When the hillock began to move.
You can stop removing text now.
We got to the hillock, Volsaid was there with her group and the earth began to move.
Turns out the hillock is actually an ancient earth guardian. Which is terrifying. The guardian threw some rocks at people, but eventually settled down and opened it's mouth. From it, there ghostly creatures appeared and began to speak.
"We have much to say..."
Fuck me that's how you get an audience.