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Summer of Storm and Shadow: Interlude #1
Sharing Fire and Swper "...so there's definitely some potential troubles brewing." Reswald grimaces and puffs on his cheroot. "These 'travelers on the Fford Purdeb' mean well; I'm convinced of that. Unfortunately, it's going to be all too easy for some lunatic to take what they're saying and pervert it into something poisonous, something dangerous. When things don't go smooth, people look for someone to blame. Now that the Sakhut are defeated, the Brenin and the Old Faith are easy targets for anyone who's dissatisfied and looking for a target for their anger. Give potential fanatics philosophy that says all their troubles are because their leaders aren't "pure" enough..." "I think they bear watching." Reswald stops speaking and takes another puff on his cheroot, as Arawn Strongbow, First Ward of the Olwythi gan Gyruff nods thoughtfully. The two Olwythi are seated on camp stools outside the First Ward's tepee, watching Pelor settle behind the mountains. The other Olwythi and the adfilwri are stoking the remains of the night's bonfire, and eating their own meals as they discuss the day's exercises. After a few moments of quiet, the red-haired peer speaks again: "Well, you've fed me swper and listened to everything I've had to report. So what do you want to discuss, Arawn?" The First Ward smiles at his friend's directness. "Straight to the point, as usual. It's always refreshing to talk to you, Res. Especially after spending time at the Court. You're missed at the Peer's Council, by the way." Arawn says, his grin betraying the half-truth. Reswald snorts in derision. "Yeah, I'll just bet I am. No thanks, Arawn. I'll make my appearances at the required occasions at Court; Kelthia enjoys dressing up for them, after all. But the Council can go to blazes, for all I care. If you or Owen needs me to do something, y'all have only to ask, but I'm done with that debating society. Besides, I'm getting too old and comfortable to fight duels." He smiles at his friend and they chuckle together at the memory. "But you still haven't answered my question." Arawn's countenance serious, "There aren't enough of us." he says plainly. "Even with the adfilwri we're gaining at this camp, there are a lot of Responsibilities that are going unfulfilled, yet no shortage of threats that need to be watched. Just days ago I received urgent word from Cuthalion. The siege at the Citadel of Light near Enderyn isn't going to last much longer. The Order's being overwhelmed. Lily and uncle are helping Darlon gather whatever forces they can, but even with all of the tribes united...well, let's just say the scouting reports aren't encouraging." "What about the Brenin's new standing army?" the red-haired Peer asks. "You know it's never that easy Res. At this point a full-on campaign would take too long to reach the Citadel, and the Brenin is stretched pretty thin as it is. He's just sent a contingent of his best skirmishers abroad to help Bissel in their 'border dispute' with Ket... to repay them for their years of help against the giants. The closest arglwyth is Teral in Dwyr, but Hocholve is still rebuilding and he can't risk the fades taking his town while his men are fighting across the Y'Avon. Talvan's militia are mostly fishermen and farmers and they won't go into the Dim." Arawn pauses, and takes a puff from his cheroot. "We've got a few warders in the forest, and I'm going to ask for volunteers here, but I don't know what difference a dozen more Olwythi will make against thousands of shadow creatures." "If the shadows take the citadel, that leaves the few wood elven settlements east of the Taura Ridge. Do you think they could find Argel ys Aberva?" Reswald asks, referring to the hidden settlement just inside the forest that Arawn and many other 'giant war' refugees called home. "No, not likely." Arawn says, "Waylan's wards are second to none, and the druids still hide the paths every day. The fades may know the place exists, but even they would be hard pressed to find that hidden haven in miles and miles of forest." Reswald takes it all in and then makes the logical leap, "Do you think Arweth is in danger then?" "There's no telling what that she-dragon has in mind." Arawn says, "But there's already been evidence of her presence outside the Dim forest, and if Darlon and Lachion's forces can't stop them at the Citadel, there's really nothing standing in their way." "Well, I'd say it serves the Watchers right for taking Arweth... if it wasn't for the fact that those ffolk living in the Cup are still Gyri!" Reswald grimaces, "Those are our ffolk Arawn, that's rightfully our land! We're got a responsibility to them!" "I thought that might get your attention." Arawn says calmly. Seeing the expression on his friend's face, Reswald pauses and then asks curiously: "What do you have in mind?" "I'm giving you the Responsibility of Arweth, if you'll have it." says the First Ward, "It's not a part of Gyruff anymore according to the Court of the Land, but when I read the accords, it seemed to me they were open to interpretation when it came to certain details." Reswald's stunned silence turns into a wide grin, "Like it probably doesn't say anything about Olwythi making low key visits, maybe on their way to Argel ys Aberva. And if on their way the warders in question were to visit with the local ffolk and warn them about impending dangers, maybe help them prepare defenses, or escape routes..." Reswald takes another puff of his cheroot, "No harm in that is there?" Arawn looks long and hard at his friend's face in the twilight behind the glowing tip of his cheroot. "None that I can see. Beyond that, it doesn't hurt that your good friend Darian Malthus is a high ranking Dispatcher in Hochoch. Between his help, and the help of the Gwys Glaif, I trust that the ffolk of Arweth will be well warded." The silence stretches between them for several moments, until Reswald asks in a low, deliberately casual tone: "And what do you know of the Gwys Glaif, old friend?" "Not very much. Rumors, mostly. It's supposed to be a secret society, dedicated to fighting tyranny in the name of the Summoner. From what I've heard, its members take a dim view of the Watchers, the Marchers, and anyone else who meddles in the freedoms of others. Word is they had a hand in supporting the recent dwarven expedition against the Hextorites and neoghi last month, and that they have a good number of resources upon which to draw. No one knows for sure who's in charge of it or even who's a member for certain." The First Ward puts a little extra emphasis on the words 'for certain'. "Hmmm." Reswald's answer is very noncommittal. "Sounds to me like they do good work." Arawn looks long at his old friend in the firelight, finally nodding and raising his mug, "May the Makers grant that it's always so." "May the Summoner grant the same." Reswald adds, raising his mug in response and taking a long draught. 
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