S4E6 - THE EXPEDITION

MIERAK (thinking) Hmm... So that's how Zorin came to be in charge now? Wow, that was a long-winded story... KELDOR I agree, it was... maybe a bit more elaborate than needed, Mierak but... I'd rather you all be prepared for what may lay in store. The Netherspring is a mysterious place, not much is known about it. MIERAK (chuckles) It's fine, Keldor. Just giving you some grief is all. After all, we all know Zorin's not actually in charge. ZORIN Thank god I'm not. ZEV Sounded to me like it was Sophie. MIERAK Hear that. ISENATHA Well Keldor, Elloveve and Elona are the ones that keep this place running. ZORIN Yes they do, and they do it well and we are grateful. But if the question is about our little group though, Za... (clears throat) Sorry, I mean Sophie has always stepped into that role in my eyes, if there ever is one needed. (beat and whimsical chuckle) Heh... Family. What of you? Do you have a family? NAR - KELDOR The dining room filled with an uncomfortable silence as the 7 of them looked at each other. The past few hours we had told our own stories, as requested by Zorin, from after Darkovnia and leading up to this moment. This moment being just yesterday when Sophie, Isenatha and Zorin had returned... alone. Now, it was only out of courtesy that Zorin was looking for their (MORE) 84. Created using Celtx NAR - KELDOR (CONT'D) stories as well. After all, I knew them only as Volunteers, both for our reclaiming of Garnet Keep months ago but also for this quite harrowing and daunting task. Time had passed our supper time now, the once filled bowls stacked on the table still smelling of the sage and pepper that dressed the really good ham. (chuckle) but Zorins question lingered in the uncomfortable silence now. They all looked at each other in a way that made him wish he hadn't said that. VIRION (sarcastic chuckle) Heh, what good is a family when it just leaves... a hole in your heart. NAR - KELDOR One of two brothers sat next to each other. One was an elf but the one speaking was a human. There was something familiar about the blonde elf but I couldn't place it as he gently put a hand on his brother's shoulder. Across from them sat Meirak and Edde. He was 6 foot, deeply tanned, dark eyed with long dark hair and she was easily half a decade younger than him. Long curly blonde hair and deep blue eyes... I remember thinking they were sad eyes. Eyes that kept some dark secret. They were rarely seen outside of each other's company. She was unsettled by Virion's outburst, no matter his intention. Her eyes trembled slightly. MIERAK (soothingly) It's ok, Edde. ZEV Really? But... Your family is right next to you, Virion. NAR - KELDOR A tall young half-orc in gold armor named Zev spoke up. His olive green skin was more unique now that the Orc Tribe that was here before had been run off, and it must be noted that his help was instrumental in both taking the keep and helping to heal and tend to the wounded. A talented Cleric of the Hag, though different, wasn't something that was considered evil to me. She represented the elements themselves, those neutral building blocks of everything. REINOLD He... doesn't mean it really. He's just been... 85. Created using Celtx VIRION Oh shut up Reinold! This is... (beat) I'm going for a walk. NAR - KELDOR Reinold was stunned as his brother stormed out the door and down the hall. REINOLD He's been really struggling since my sister's death. His wife. He blames everything and... later feels bad about it. (beat) To answer your question, yes. I hail from my people in the Silver Maple woods. There, I have family but... now I am taking care of him... at least for the time being. We came here to try and see if we could start again with so many others trying to do the same. ZEV I'm... I'm sorry to hear that. REINOLD Oh don't be. We are happy to be here, trust me. And now that my true brother has returned home it's his turn to take care of our immediate family's needs. ZEV That's nice of him. REINOLD Oh, you don't know my brother. He isn't... nice. I spent most of my time travelling around playing this old lute for coin where I could, met everyone in the Silver Maple Woods for sure and most of Bellz. Partially so I didn't have to spend time with him when he came around. My sister, on the other hand. Her grace was unparalleled in all of the forest. What about you, Zev? ZEV I love my family. Though I haven't seen them in a long time. (sigh) My tale is longer than my relatively short life would reveal though. (chuckles) MIERAK We met when you were a sailor. How... did that become your work? DOOR TRANSITION 86. Created using Celtx ZEV (Narration Whimsical) My story begins just south of the town of Whitford in a small Apothecary shop. My mother's shop. She sold tinctures and balms to help heal and strengthen those who purchased them as well as collecting their components from the nearby woods. She told me it wasn't easy since she was born without sight, but my mother was far from being hindered by it. She could see more by listening than you and I can see with our eyes. She could sense past the words to someone's true intention. She could tell the difference between a scared and angry threatening creature. One day, many years ago, 2 visitors came and one was very sick. The other asked her in a rough but pleading voice if she could heal his brother's fever, as he was on death's door. She agreed and set him up in her small guest bed. She could tell he was larger than the bed, but he didn't complain. She cared for him night and day, spooning a thin broth made from salty chicken with local mushrooms and savory green herbs. Which was her specialty. (chuckle) I remember it fondly myself as a young lad. Eventually one day he became better. He also grew to love my mother and she him. He was a kind man and had an elegant way of speaking. She told me he had short tusks that came up from his jaw. Like mine. He was embarrassed, claiming it meant he was weaker in the eyes of his tribe, but my mother loved him regardless. And so he stayed and helped my mother gather her herbs, and even taught her the orc names for them. And months later my mother was with child. They were... very happy. But his brother was not. The orcs called my coming an... abomination... and they threatened to kill all 3 of us, even with me not yet born to this world. My father devised a plan, and left. My mother and I moved north, just to the south of the Silver Maple Woods along the eastern coast. It was here I grew up... never knowing my father... but... I honored him. I knew I'd never find happiness with the Orcs or Man but... the sea always called me. The way she ebbed and flowed was like the gentle wave of a close friend in greeting. I would spend hours early in the morning watching the surf on the sandy beach as the sun rose in the eastern sky. ZEV'S MOTHER (calling out musically in the distance) Zev! Come home, son! I wish to speak with you! There's someone here to meet you. 87. Created using Celtx ZEV (Narration cont') This was the day... The day I was given a chance by Captain Bugle of the Southern Star to come aboard as a deckhand. I said goodbye to my mother the next day and I sailed off with him out of Whitford. I served with him over 3 summers, coming home periodically to see my mother, whom I love dearly. I took to the duties aboard ship naturally, grew to be welcome and trusted for many positions about the merchant ship. In the storms I found a strange sanctuary and, talking with some of the older crew, they taught me about The Hag. The 4 elements themselves and her 4 bastard children: lightning, magma, mud and steam. I learned that the chaos of the elements still followed the great laws of the universe like the reeling of a ship on the waves of an angry sea. I learned that, in some ways, we ALL are her bastard children. Sometimes Angry or Sad but it's in those... peaceful times we find our true selves... Well, now I had a new love of faith. I had found myself a purpose. I didn't have to run from my anger, I now could accept it, use it and move past it. This was even more freeing than my journey aboard the Southern Star. I had made up my mind that it was time to set out in a new adventure when next we returned to the new country, but we had just landed in First Port. It was here I met Meirak and Edde who... were... starting again I believe. So they came aboard and we sailed back to Bellz. Here we heard about the mustering of an army to take back Garnet Keep from a a tribe of orcs and bandits. This... This seemed like a worthy cause to fight in. Mierak and Edde came with me. MIERAK (Softly) Edde... Go up to the Tavern and treat yourself to some of that sweet cake you liked... (beat) Use this. Got it today splitting wood with Deacon. I'll... I'll be there after this. NAR - KELDOR She nodded and smiled at him and left the room in a happy jog. Her long cream colored dress waved in a trail behind her down the long hall. Once she was out of earshot... ISENATHA Mierak... about Edde... She doesn't say much, does she? 88. Created using Celtx MIERAK She... She can't. VIRION She... can't speak? MIERAK No. (Beat) Hasn't in the past few years. (beat) Zev did pick us up but (sigh) ...not in First Port. TRANSITION MIERAK (Narration slow and melencholy) Edde and I come from the Emerald Atoll. A small island off the coast of Viridian. Up... until now it was more than an Island, at least to us it was everything we knew. We rarely saw outsiders in our village and when we did they were usually elves trading from the mainland for our fish, dyes and oils that came from the rich shallow ocean there. PIKE (laughing) Come Mierak! Race you to the wharf! Hahaha! Don't let me beat you haha! MIERAK (narration con't) Pike. He was Edde's brother. We... we were being raised together by the tribe after our parents were lost at sea many years ago. Yes... we were 3 orphans but, we were happy. Our community was tight knit and provided for each other happily. Pike and I were helping to repair the nets and occasionally diving for clams in the harbor, as we could hold our breath almost a full 5 minutes. Edde was only 12 when... when the dark ships came... clouds seemed to follow them in, but that could just be my memory. Huge galleons with dark sails... a crimson skull and dragons heads painted on the largest. A dark man approached our elder. She looked at him, leaning on her shaman's staff, the feathers of seabirds gently swaying in the wind... unlike her proud stance. I... I don't know what was said but the man raised a single white claw-like hand and green bolts of energy ripped into her frail body under her hooded robes of coarse wool. Thus began our waking nightmare. PIKE Run! 89. Created using Celtx MIERAK (narration con't) Pike and I were hiding behind some crates when they struck. Our village fought bravely against what we believed were men... until I saw they were ONCE men. Rows of shambling dead were killing our friends and family with rusted weapons and empty eyes. We darted between our palm frond-topped houses and buildings, the rough water-worn wood tearing into our arms as we brushed against them. When we... found Edde... She was kneeling in the center of a shallow pool of mud, eyes wide in terror. Circling around her trembling body were 6 wispy blue and white translucent forms. Ghosts or banshees, I knew not then, but their mouths peeled back revealing shark broken teeth and inky tendrils of smoke came from their eyes. Edde saw us. PIKE (hushed whisper) Edde! Don't... Move... MIERAK Edde's chest heaved, her lips trembling behind her muddy face. Her chapped lips cracked and tore as her mouth ripped open in a scream... A scream I will never forget. The spirits circled more earnestly as if they were living off this terrified child. Suddenly Edde threw her arms out and... a shockwave erupted from her... and all went silent. They were gone, Edde had collapsed in the mud. I... ran to her and scooping her up the 3 of us ran to the boat house at the edge of town and, hiding behind the barrels of fish, we continued to hear the massacre of our people. They... killed all of them over the next few days. They asked for our allegience and when it wasn't met they killed us. We watched them tie our people to boulders 6 at a time, wrapped around them... then a dragon would drop it in our shallow harbor... Shallow or not it proved to be enough... Once they thought all were gone they left us... We were alone. When the food supplies we could find finally dried up we worked together to salvage what we could from the sea. Our... haunted sea. I thought I could hear the voices of our people in that harbor, and many times I'd find Edde just looking out across it. Silent now. Her voice completely lost to that horrible memory. A year passed slowly when I met up with Pike to look at a project he was working on. He had begun lashing 3 small boats together in a triangle. 90. Created using Celtx PIKE In this boat we can leave! (laugh) We can travel away and start again, Mierak. It will be strong enough to get us North to First Port in the heavy waves. You... I and Edde! Hahaha! Oh my friend we will soon be free of all this... and (softly) Edde... Edde can find her voice again! (laughing in happiness ) Hahaha! MIERAK (narration con't) We worked on the boat night and day for weeks... then... Pike became ill. Taking a fever, he died. We wrapped him in the blue blankets reserved for the heroes of our people and loaded his body onto the boat... He would escape with us, just like he planned. We sailed out past the harbor and Edde curled up next to me. For the first time ever I saw her relax and allow herself to dream... We were picked up by the Southern Star while we were drifting. Zev brought us aboard... and you know the rest. ZORIN What about Pike's body? MIERAK We are children of the sea... I watched his body and his boat that brought us our freedom, carry him off to the next life. NAR - KELDOR We sat there with nothing more than the soft fire crackling in the fireplace for what felt like an eternity. The story sharing had been a lot for us to take in and the silence was welcome. For a moment. REINOLD What about you Isenatha? ISENATHA Oh... I've... travelled a lot. Odd jobs, that sort of thing. (changing subject) So just the five of us? Is that all that will be leaving in the morning? ZORIN Yes. The rest must stay here to prepare for the Assault on Garnet Keep. With Benedict gone... I... I mean absent, currently, we will need all hands availiable to make ready. KELDOR You five volunteers will set off to ride north across (MORE) 91. Created using Celtx KELDOR (CONT'D) the Great Glen Valley, past the Celestine Tower to the edge of the Shattered Lands. There a grim monument stands. Legend has it that it was one of the last of the great giants from 2000 years ago before they were lost to time. NAR - KELDOR As they all left, Zorin grabbed Reinold for a moment. REINOLD Yes Zorin? ZORIN Isenetha. You ever met her before? REINOLD N... No. This is the first time we have met. ZORIN Oh... no reason, just curious. Well, sleep well. Long day tomorrow. REINOLD Yes, you too. NAR - KELDOR As he left, I too became curious. KELDOR Zorin. What was that about? ZORIN Something is bothering me about how Isenetha knew so much about Enruk, and was magically the only one to return from her party. No Cordelia, Una, Lorvana. Sophie and Skotmir somehow ended up in the arena and they can't explain it either... (beat) but one thing is coming to light though. KELDOR What's that? ZORIN Keldor... she's not from the Silver Maple Woods. DOOR TRANSITION ZEV (Narration) This is the journal and recording of Zevitar Fallowspire. Cleric of the elements and (MORE) 92. Created using Celtx ZEV (CONT'D) member of this Expedition to the Netherspring. Though the travel across the Great Glen Valley by horseback these last 17 days was largely uneventful, it was breathtakingly beautiful. Rolling hills as far as the eye could see covered in a blanket of kelly green grasses and sprinkled with delicate meadowflowers the colors of sunrises... the sunrises back home. 4 days ago we passed through the Whispering Mountains and if any stories are true it is that these mountains possess a strong old magic. At night we could feel ourselves being watched. Not... menacing, though. Just being observed from the inky shadows. Mierak was unnerved and couldn't wait to get out. The final night we were sitting around the campfire. MIERAK These woods have ears we cannot see... That is certain. I'll help again with the first 2 watches... I won't be able to sleep anyways until we are out of it. VIRION Are we there yet? REINOLD Really? Well right now we are camping. VIRION Yes I know... but... (sigh) I'd appreciate you just answering the question. ISENATHA We should be there soon. MIERAK It will be impossible to miss, given this pass in the mountains is the only way north... We will press on in the morning... right Zev? ZEV Yes. We should be there by midday if we get a good start in the morning, looking at the map. ZEV (Narration) The morning came without any further events of note, just the dim Sunrise from the flat eastern horizon. I assumed this was the vast and distant Thunder Lake 16 or so leagues away on the map. The largest lake in the world, almost its own small sea, was tucked away here in the lost and (MORE) 93. Created using Celtx ZEV (CONT'D) forgotton north of the new country. We continued our travel north and, as expected, middday rose but the sun was hidden behind some dark storm clouds forming in the sky. An afternoon thunderstorm no doubt was common at this cooler latitude... But I must be honest, I only note the weather from my memory as the next events will perplex and haunt me till the end of my days. Coming out of the forest into a large basin, we saw it. Rising out of the ground was a skull, mouth agape as if shouting at the sky above that its empty sockets stared at. Time had hade the skull part of the landscape to be sure, the foliage and greenery blending it into the landscape. If it weren't a small mountain at 70 feet high from the base to the grass and moss covered brow I would have thought it to be... Human. ISENATHA Behold... the Netherspring. MIERAK Is this...? Were they...? ISENATHA Giants? Yes. This is what remains of one of the ancient race before the fall of the stone. I know the giants still exist... though now driven under the waves. ZEV ...or further north. In the old country giants rule and trade there... Though I've never seen one this big. (SFX-HAUNTING WHISPERING ROAR FROM BEHIND THEM) REINOLD Wh... What was that? VIRION I'm not waiting to find out. MIERAK Run to the stairs! ZEV (narrating ernestly and energetic) We ran to the worn and old wooden stairs that wound up the throat and jaw of the hill. They creaked and cracked under the newfound weight of all of us. Looking behind, the (MORE) 94. Created using Celtx ZEV (CONT'D) storm clouds were descending and a Grey green mist was pouring out of the woods towards us. Virion grabbed the latch of the door, expecting it to be locked and had a lockpick already poised in hand... when it swung open. He looked back at us shocked. VIRION This... this can't be good... ISENATHA Quickly! Inside the door! MIERAK Move! ZEV (narrating ernestly and energetic. almost panicked) Mierak and I shoved the door shut behind us. We expected the wave of mist and cloud to slam into it... but it never came. REINOLD What the... VIRION Um... is this... where are we? ZEV (narrating - should be very dark, confused and slightly terrified) Slowly Mierak and I looked at each other, eyes wide in disbelief. We had our hands on the door. I... I swear to you we had our hands on the door! I felt it as we turned to stare down a barren and empty... dirt road. The sky was overcast and the woods surrounding us seemed dark and menacing. In the far distance we could see the towers of some citadel or castle perched on an outcropping like a large black bird... We turned back and there was no Mist... no howling wind of the storm... and there was... no door...