Events+of+Alturiak+7-Alturiak+9+1374+DR

Midmorning Alturiak 7: **Confusion in the Ranks**
The camp was abuzz as Kethiel, Variska, and Dacker returned from their mission with the dwarves. They waded through the crowds, observing brawls, watching smiths at work, as they made their way to Lia's tent.

A messenger, bound for her shelter, arrived just before they did.
 * 'Council of the Tribes at Highsun, called by Sibilante'** the missive read.

They exchanged notes on the happenings of the last day.

Highsun Alturiak 7; **The Muster in Jeopardy**
A druid, perhaps with the help of an eath elemental, had carved an ampitheater out of the bedrock for the tribes to assemble. The stone table at the bottom was a small semicircle, with room enough for one delegate from each of the tribes. Lia, apparently, was meant to stand in the center. Thousands of Shaarans packed into the ampitheatre, and the company had to barge through the mob to get to their appointed spot.

Sibilante had threatened to leave the muster, because there was no promise of plunder, and no direction for the horde after Shaarmid was taken. Whether genuine or not, the Eagle tribe also threatened departure, to aid its fellow tribesmen that had besieged a city in Lapaliiya. Without them, the Ankheg tribe reasoned the horde would lose too much strength, and considered leaving too.

Lia and her command council were on the defensive, warding off disaster. In the meantime, Gabriél didn't seem to be on their side, either. "We appointed you to lead us, without favoring one tribe or another. But now we fear that you don't represent our interests at all.  There is no one in your 'command team' that is Shaaran!  How do we know you aren't merely using us for some end of the Archmages?"

Variska fielded the charge. "If nothing else, we represent the memory of Jesús Ricardo of the Eagle, Who died ensuring the first Council could convene. Let us not forget that it was Sibilante that allied himself with the same beholder.  Perhaps even now he is in alliance with the demons? Hm? Cavorting with demons, Sibilante?"

Sibilante Bit down hard on his tongue. It was Gabriél that spoke next. "But where is he now? Dead, no?  All we ask for is a representative in your circle.  If it cannot be me, then let it be Jesús.  Does anyoe object?  When we renew his life he will be exiled, but Shaaran.  Not an eagle, but a Shaaran for all of us, as the Council Keeper is.'  Have you his remains?

The answer was no, but he did rest in the Coucil Hills. Lia and Dacker departed momentarily to retrieve his remains. When they returned, an altar had been prepared by Calie and a Druid out of the stone. They returned without a body, and merely an urn. Bad news. "Who has the diamond to renew his soul?" Gabriél asked, but there was no answer.

Lia looked expectantly at the Eagle delegates, who were doing some frantic calculations. They came up short. A shaaran in the milling masses took flight, transforming into a great, golden dragon. It was Lysander the Shining. "I will pay for his soul. In exchange for his life, in service to Bahamüt." Shaarans were cowering, fleeing, or drawing swords at the dragons. The delegates shook in their seats. Gabriél spoke, "We accept the covenant. Until Shaarmid is liberated, he will represent us.  You may have the service of this dead man after it is completed.  It is agreed?" Every delegate, including Sibilante, agreed. Ten minutes later, Jesús returned to life. Calie completed the ceremony after exchanging a blessing with Lysander, and agreed that Jesús would owe one debt of service to the Elmanessee in his new life. She wrapped Jesús in a silk gown, and led him off of the stone table.

"Jesús Ricardo of the Eagles! Stand in life!" He stood, bewildered. Lysander made sure he was listening and enchanted him with his voice and a wave of his claw. "You were righteous in your first life in the name of Nobanion, and now you will serve Bahamüt. It is the terms of your revival into life.  Do you understand?" He nodded, again. He tried to explain that he was promised to Nobanion, but the dragon informed him that his tribe had signed him over. Whether the agreement was binding was lost upon Jesús. "You can undergo the Rite of Rebirth to strengthen you against the assault of evil if you choose. But that will be a choice of yours to make, when you are ready." They spent the rest of the day getting their companion up to speed and discussing their next move in the seige. They concluded that they should wait for the Dwarves' siege train before a storming. It could be a week or more, and so they also concluded that they should do something, in case the Shaarans were restless for a victory. Lia remembered the hostages that were in the demon's truce offer. Perhaps a rescue was in order.

Many proposals were bandied about, including one where elementals would be called to dig a tunnel under the citadel. The company couldn't resolve on an operational plan, and with the reunion with Jesús, the day slipped away from them.

Midmorning Alturiak 8: **Resolution and Vision**
The company returned to their plan of teleporting out the hostages, and intelligence from the Dragon wing informed them that they were corraled in the rain, about two hundred, in the palace courtyard. Lysander offered to assist in a joint operation, and Lia devised a plan to eliminate the remainder of the Ballistas, burn away the gate doors, and collapse the walls with Variska's help and the dragons. Meanwhile, Dacker, Calie, Kethiel and Jesús would evacuate the prisoners. Kethiel teleported away to Khôltar, accompanied by Jesús. They returned later, and Jesús wore a new covering of leafweave, light, flexible, and a bit more protective than the silk toga he was wearing before. When they returned, Jesús calmed the winds for the next day's battle. Lia called an Eladrin in an arcane ceremony in her shelter, glyphs and all. He agreed to use his magics to help evacuate the prisoners.
 * Afternoon Alturiak 8**

Dawn Alturiak 9: **Ride the Lightning**
Lia and Variska flew in an impregnabe hurricane-fortress, evoked with Variska's mastery of storms. They both abjured teleporters away, as they flew with a flight of youngish dragons, destroying the remaining ballistas with impunity. They were doing so well they flew low and destroyed the doors of the South Gate. The dragons were getting closer to hubris and one had to wonder how long it would be before the demons would find a way to stop them. There had been two attempts to teleport inside the eye, and after each, they flew onward to leave the Vrocks and Chasmes tossed about by the wind.

Meanwhile, Kethiel Teleported Dacker, Calie, and Jesús into the citadel in an alley behind the temple of Siamorphe. The Eladrin, Herodotus, used his own magic to They peered around the temple to Siamorphe and onto the corral of huddling prisoners at the foot of the palace steps. Bulezau recreated, fencing with long glaives; two Hezrou were guarding the palace steps. Two of the bulezau spotted Dacker as he peered around the corner; even as he ducked back around the corner. Jesús was already in the air; seeing the situation, Herodotus teleported into the corral, and then away with eight prisoners.

Dacker swept himself, Calie, and Kethiel into the corral, and Calie made two trips with packs of prisoners. Kethiel swept himself and Dacker, away with hostages, and when they returned a second time, Variska and Lia had landed with the dragon flight and their hurricane.

The Demon's command and control assets hadn't been able to organize an attack while they were in the air, but once the party had landed. it was only a matter of time. Dacker lifted two groups out, and then Lia and Variska's abjurations gave them warning of an incoming force. A huge demon, probably a Glabrezu, and four guards.

The company barely saw the demons appear before Jesús uttered a single syllable, The Word of Balance, that blasted four of the six, including the glabrezu, back to the Abyss. Sadly, it also banished Herodotus, who was itching for battle. Arithisix, the silver in the flight, breathed over them along with a young brass colleague. One of the exhalations took hold, and the demons fell to the ground asleep. The company bought enough time for Dacker to make another trip with prisoners, and Lia likewise saved another batch, teleporting to camp and back again..

The next attack was more substantial. Twelve demons, two glabrezu, and no Word of Balance. Lia abjured one glabrezu back to the Abyss with a Dismissal, but the rest were fair game. The glabrezu clambered over the huddling, tortured captives and stood within claw's reach of Lia and Variska, where he knocked on Variska's wards. He demolshed her hurricane and teleport-abjuration, and stood ready to strike Lia or Variska should they cast a spell.

Jesús leapt back to his high perch in the sky, and rained down a pair of flamestrikes that made quick work of the Bulezau that had arrived with their glabrezu masters. The dragons finished the job while the party looked to the fight with the larger (and more dangerous) demon.

Lia leapt into battle, slashing in a fury of wing, claw and bite from her gold dragonform. Her attacks gained little purchase, but dacker was able to slip behind and land several telling blows that left the demon reeling. The glabrezu took care to demolish Lia's wards next. Some held, some did not. In any case, the company's magical assault, combined with a continued hammering from Dacker's blade, brought the beast down, while the dragons worked to make swift work of the beast. Lia's abjuration warned of an incoming horde of demons, all teleporting on top of the company.

The dragons picked up what captives they could, and a crowd of huddling prisoners clambered onto Lia's draconic form. Kethiel pulled the rest of the company away to safety just as they saw a crowd of armanites appear, hovering in the air over thirty hezrou and bulezau.

Good timing. All told, the company rescued 92 of the 200 hostages, though a number of them were stranded in groups of 8 somewhere in the wilds of Arvandor. At least it was safter than being held prisoner by demons.

The company returned to a celebratory army; morale was high and progress was good on the entrenchments despite the rain. Calie returned, courtesy of a Wind Walk, later in the day.