As he waited for the ferry, Brunvoldt took the chance to pray to Holy Vanth for strength, guidance and for the people of Portwater to have that same strength to weather the storm that had crashed upon them.
Firebrand: Gather fire, +Spirit; 5 +5 vs. 10 & 7 => weak hit => +2 Fire, now 5 (max)
The ferry arrived and carried Brunvoldt, Scar and Magnus over to the Portwater side of the bay. Debarking, they climbed the hill to the village gates and found them closed, as Brunvoldt had expected given the current crisis. He hailed the Wall-Wardens and was soon admitted to the village.
Reaching Portwater is the first step in his vow, so it is
Reach a Milestone: formidable vow "I will journey to Portwater and investigate the Broken attack through the Lighthouse", progress now 1/10
Time to ask the Oracle how things have progressed while Brunvoldt was travelling...
Have the Wardens held the Broken back? 50/50, roll 22 - yes
Is Ser Taylah wounded? Likely, roll 51 - yes; Lightly? likely, roll 66 - yes
At the Temple-of-Vanth, Brunvoldt found Ser Taylah, whose left arm was bandaged and in a sling, at the centre of a hive of activity. Wounded Wardens were lying on the pews being attended by the elderly folk of the village and Brunvoldt walked to Ser Taylah's side, interrupting her briefly so she knew he had arrived and then went to the guestroom to deposit his gear. Returning to the altar-room, he waited until Ser Taylah had finished speaking to one of the villagers, who hurried out, and then approached her.
He embraced her and then stepped back, "Ser Taylah, I am sorry to see you hurt, but glad to see you on your feet at least."
"Brunvoldt, it is good to see you. I had hoped that Lady Sibila would send you to help us, but last I heard you were looking for Giants."
"I was indeed," Brunvoldt replied. "Unsuccessfully - I'll tell you what happened later. What is the situation here?"
Ser Taylah told Brunvoldt what had happened - in the middle watches of the night, all the dogs in the village had suddenly started barking, waking everyone and it was good that they had for otherwise the Broken that had come boiling out of the Lighthouse soon after would have been able to kill everyone in their beds. As it was, the Wardens and villagers had only just been able to force the Broken back and barricade the Lighthouse's entrance, keeping them contained.
Since then, the Broken had rushed the barricade on three occasions, in greater numbers each time, nearly surmounting it the last time. That had been eight hours ago - the longest time between attacks so far. As the dogs had warned of the Broken's first attack, the Wardens watching the barricade had been using them as very effective sentries. The Broken had attempted several stealth attacks, but been foiled by the dogs' warnings.
As they talked they had left the temple and headed up the hill to the Lighthouse. Standing before it, Brunvoldt surveyed the barricade they had constructed as Captain-Warden Selva approached.
"Priestess, Sentinel," Selva began. "Still nothing - I'm beginning to think that they might have given up. But it's too dangerous to make that assumption. Someone will have to go in there and find out what's going on."
"I'll go," volunteered Brunvoldt immediately. "Magnus will help me, won't you boy?" and he ruffled the Vaghunt's ears, earning a doggy smile of appreciation.
"And I will go to," said Ser Taylah surprising them both.
"But you are injured!" objected Brunvoldt seconds before Selva said the same thing.
Ser Taylah looked from one to the other and began to take off the sling. "It is not my sword arm," she said and besides, it's merely a scratch." Her look of iron defied either of them to object further.
Brunvoldt had always believed that you should only fight battles that you stood a chance of winning so wisely said nothing further. Captain-Warden Selva obviously agreed and withdrew, saying that she would get access through the barricade ready. Brunvoldt and Ser Taylah returned to the temple to prepare for their foray beyond the barricade.
When both were ready, they returned to the barricade with Magnus to find that Selva had everything ready and was waiting for them.
"Good luck," she said to them. "Vanth willing you won't need it, but in case you do..."
There was nothing to say in return, so they just nodded, clambered through the barricade and into the darkness that lay beyond ...
Return to Brunvoldt Index Page