Kiera

## Kiera, the Lotus Dancer, the Spirit of Balance.

*I miss my Taluud (home), every night I remember my family every night, I listen to the words of my father: "Zaaval'Zam Sen'nergüi. Gebitgii Naovdölt'Tai, Kai'Zam." (You must follow your path, do not suffer for others, they have theirs, but yours is special.)*

*The Asjai are a predominant human ethnic group in Wes, we have traditionally been nomads, in my tribe we used to move between the slopes of rough mountain ranges. My family was very large, I grew up with seven brothers, my Han (mother) died due to a fever while we moved the village, I do not remember much about her because she was very small when this happened, she would be about three years old. So I received the education practically from my father Yarvej, he did not know anything other than combat, so my childhood consisted of training every day fighting against my brothers.*

*I did not like that, when I could I escaped and moved a little away from the town, climbed to the highest rock there was; and danced. It was one with the breeze that ran down the side of the mountain, one with the rhythm of the song of the birds, one with Nar that stood before me and the stars began to be seen. It was one with the world in harmony.*

*One day I once again faced my brothers in a combat like training hosted by my father. These combats used to be a fight between all; the last one to stand would win. That day I tried to fight as if I was dancing. Every stroke that they tried to give me, I dodged it leaving the movement to flow through my body. And taking advantage of the minimum exposure of a weak point, my blows flowed through my limbs, although they were not strong, they were precise. So I was able to knock down six of my brothers with a majestic dance, although there was the last one, the eldest of my brothers ; Khoro At that time, I focused on everything and gave everything I had. Suddenly, I felt like I could use the air currents in my favor, and I defeated Khoro from a distance by throwing a stiff punch into the air, which was followed by a gust of wind so strong that my brother shot out.*

*The people who saw that event began to scream, an event like that is extremely rare, some say that in a tribe only one person with the gift of controlling the Asuudal (elements) is born once every 100 years. When the euphoria of the moment had passed my father approached me, I was frightened with tears; I did not know what I had done and my brother was unconscious when he had stamped himself with the huts. He hugged me and tried to calm me down, told me not to be scared; that this power was a blessing for the tribe.*

*That night my father explained to me the Legend of the Master of the Elements. He must develop that power to the fullest; for this I would have to leave the village, my family, my Taluud; I would have to go to the mountains. He had to find the hermit who lived there, it was said that he was a Master of the Elements and that if I came and showed him mine, he would teach me. I told him I did not want to go, I did not want to leave them, I did not want to leave; and then it was when he told me the words already mentioned.*

*The next day, when I was only 14 years old, I left Gai'Taluud. I walked for days, until reaching the mountain ranges. I assumed that someone of such repute should be at the top of the highest mountain, and so were several days of climbing to reach the place. I was not wrong, when I arrived I saw an old man Asjai meditating on the floor, he was surrounded by four chalices in square arrangement, as soon as I approached him he opened his eyes with a celestial flash that dazzled me. Suddenly he began to move his hands and the substances that were in the chalices began to orbit around him; Us (Water), Golgör (Earth), Gal (Fire), Agaar (Air).*

*"I perceive the power in you, my time each day gets closer, I suppose you are the one who must happen to me, I am Alakh, the last Master of the Asjai Elements, I was waiting for you."*

*Each day I had to go down and climb the mountain with the old man on my back and try to control every element of each chalice, while performing my dance and the Asuudal revolved around me. Climb up vertical slopes while molding the terrain with earth pillars, swimming in a floating water sphere, jumping through rings of fire, fly up in a tornado between mountains and other workouts with the Asuudal. This was my life during adolescence. Each day was more agile, my power with the Asuudal was more stable and my dance more perfect.*

*Until one night ... Alakh called me.*

*"Kiera ... my time is approaching ... you are not ready yet ... you must continue training ... and perfecting your dance ... I liked it very much ... You should name it ... a visual spectacle like that he deserves ... "*

*My Sansar (master) died at dawn.*

*...*

*The Asjai no longer have a Master of the Elements. And I do not know another person of my race in which Elemental Powers have manifested. It is the destiny that has touched me and I have to reach it.*

*He used to say that the work of the Master of the Elements must be to maintain balance in them. A forest should not be burned, flooded, destroyed by a tornado or an earthquake. The water must extinguish the fire, the earth drain it, the air erode it and the fire again consume the air again; everything in perfect balance.*

***I am Kiera, the Lotus Dancer, the Spirit of Balance.***

After wandering for months alone in the world, one morning while Kiera walked through a meadow, could see in the distance a large crystal lake. And in the air there was a floating city that was descending towards the lake. The people were surprised to see an Asjai, but they did not forbid him to enter Alden. Life in the city was simple but for Kiera it became monotonous to be in a floating bastion, apart from the fact that she could not train the Elements there. Thus, Kiera decided to enlist as an adventurer of Alden, to make expeditions with other adventurers, to explore and learn about the unknown world. Although his real motive was to discover how he lives the balance of the Elements in the rest of the world and to restore it instead of needing it.

## Session Reports:

### 1st Expedition

During the second session, Kiera followed the party to The Wetlands at West. She rescued Kairon from the Chuul encounter and advised from the Gnolls attack in her guard. The entire group fighted against and defeated them. The party got a plan, using a Gnoll corpse to attract the Chuuls to their palisade at the Amber Savannah. And surprisingly, it worked; three Chuuls destroyed and killed the entire gnolls' camp. And after that, the group looted it.

In the way back to Alden she was attacked by a constrictor boa and was really hurt. Even that, she managed to reach the lake and fought against the boars at the last fight, next to the Crystal Lake.

### 2nd Expedition

Kiera fighted against a group of bandits that attacked the group at night. She tried a hard combat versus the bandit tiefling boss. Even with her most strong attacks, she couldn't managed to defeat him. But the team succeded in the fight.

They arrived Dol Gharaz, crossed the Tel'Iron Pass and reached Faelynor. They decided to continue a little more through the Inmortal Forests. The night arrived and they setted a camp, but in the night a young Emerald Dragon arrived and light the campfire off. He was going away, but Clerk started to triggering him saying stupid things; so it became aggressive and knocked out him.

Dillon tried to rescue him, but in his attempt, the dragon caught him, even though he managed to dodge the creature's relentless strikes, a pack of werewolves was attracted, and two of them focused on Dillon. The rest of the party stood and watched silently up and frightened until he was on the verge of death. With his last strength, he managed to climb up to a tree, while realizing the enormous wounds those Werewolves had just put on him. The party quickly returned to Faelynor, and the elves, looking at his state, and thanks to some convincing speech by Venn, set up a carriage back to Alden. Kiera feels now compasion for Dillon and feels bad for not being able to saving him, she didn't want to mess with a Dragon and Werewolves. So she would try to compensate Dillon and protect him to get her own forgiveness.

### 3rd Expedition

Kiera participated in the first expedition to the North. Foughted against a Grimlock that got his skull burst by her. The the next morning Kairon and Deptter tried to hunt some rothés for the breakfast but they made a mess with the herd, she helped them summoning a dirt pillar that made a rothé killing himself. Deptter ran out of food very quickly, so they had to return Alden and went on an expedition again.

### 4th Expedition

They went to the same place quickly. In the middle in the night, they meet a group of elves that asked them for help to attack an ogre palisade. When the assault began, Kiera killed a goblin using the fire of a flaming arrow shooted by Kairon. She fought the boss ogre with strong hits using her bo and her martial arts. And after that, tried to save Deptter who was engaged on a fight against two oggres. It was an extremely difficult combat, even that, Kiera didn't suffer any damage. Her combat was clean and smart.

### 5th Expedition

Kiera went into another expedition to the North with a new group of adventurers. They reached the forest easily and entered in it. They passed long time between trees until the air became cold and it started to snow a little. In the snowy forest they found a monstruosity, and although it was an extremely dangerous animal they defeated a Gray Render easily, but Kiera was hurt in the left shoulder with a serious wound. They reached the end of the forest and find the tundra, a giant plain full of snow; but the weather became worse, and a blizzard was arriving from the east, so the group had to return back. When they were out of the forest, a peryton attacked the camp and dived to Kiera and impacted on her so strong that she got unconcious. When the combat ended the group didn't know how to save Kiera, but fortunately a half-giant druid appeared and helped bringing them to his camp. The druids healed Kiera, and gave them food and refuge. At the third day they were in the camp, the druid came with a bad new; a group of minotaurs was near the camp and they have to go away. But the group convinced him to fight against the minotaurs. The plan was good (at least if the number of creatures were what the druid said. They started to kill minotaurs effectively, but there were so many, so they couldn't win. The druid was killed by a minotaur's charge and the group tried to retreat. There were like 10 minotaurs running after them, and probably they wouldn't survive, so Tycho Telestis aep Arcadius, sacrificed himfself, stopping almost all the minotaurs, so the rest of the group could escape; a non-cape hero.

After running a huge number of miles they were so tired that they had to stop and pass the night. But a wolf herd attacked their camp; they throwed food to them and tried to go away and hide theirselves, but Hornfel made so much noise that the wolves found and devoured him between screams in the nigth. After losing two partners, the stress in Kiera was so high, even that, she could focus herself with an only objetive; reaching Alden. Ceallach was also stressed out, couldn't find the way so well, but after walking a couple of days, they reached Alden.

It was a very traumatic experience for Kiera loosing two parterns, she got a scar in the shoulder that will remember her this expedition forever. She probably won't go on another expedition for a while.

### 6th Expedition

After a week of deep thoughs, Kiera felt mentally recovered and accepted to go on another expedition with three other adventurers. The route was in northe-east direction, but when the groupe saw the snowy forest and they started saying to go in, Kiera advised about the dangers that exist there. Even the advise, the group wanted to investigate a little. They found an animal corpse covered by the snow, but when she saw six eye socket in the skull, Kiera realized that it was the Gray Render. She was seriously telling them to go out of there, but the group started to do silly stuff while something was taking down trees in the distance. At this point, Kiera realized that was sorrounded of idiots. And tried to escape from the danger in direction to Alden.

The group fortunately followed her and escaped too. In the morning they decided to change the route to the south east. They bumped with another forest, but this didn't seem dangerous. Deptter found a hidden path in the forest and they decided to use it and find out where it reached. They followed the way and arrived Lleylem, a hafling village defended by goliaths, in the middle of a clear between mountains. It seemed a safe place so Kiera felt extremely relaxed with no danger. They visited a tavern and enjoyed the music and beer, the two dwarves became really drunk, but Kiera only drank one jar, just to be a few happier and enjoy the party.

The next morning the two dwarves had a strong hangover that they couldn't even get up. Kiera felt tired but actually she was able to get up and expend the day around the village. She spotted a small river where haflings were fishing, she was so relieved in that place so she started to do her dance in harmony with the elements, controlled a line of water from the river and made it turning around her. An ellegant dance between wide lines of water that impressed the haflings and they throwed gold coins to her. At night the group assisted to Venn's comedy performance and there were so many laughs. At the end, Kiera saw the two goliaths that have sung before Venn's jokes. She approached herself to them and broke the ice asking if they had participated in an important battle, their reaction was friendly and the answer was that the songs told the story of their ancestors. They continued talking, and there was a moment that Kiera told about her adventures, specially the last of the Gray Render. The goliaths became so enthusiastic and started writing a song about the adventure of Kiera and the rest of the group against the Gray Render, and after that they began to toss her in the air on a blanket. In that moment Kiera felt so satisfaced with herself, because she could make Hornfel and Tycho Telestis aep Arcadius to be remembered. The next day they farawelled from Lleylem and returned Alden with no trouble. After this expedition kill felt so happy and relieved for her fallen partners.

### 7th Expedition

A second expedition to the Amber Savannah bagan. They crossed The Wetlands without any problem, once they have reached the savannah the twilight had arrived. In the middle of the night the lookout heared a roar and a shake of wings, he alerted the rest; it was a Chimera. It was rounding the campfire, until Aaravos decided to light it off, and the Chimera became aggresive and pounced into Kairon. Kiera approched to it quickly and hitted lots of blows at point-black, Dillon got two shots on it and more damage from the others continued. The Chimera moved back and spited an enormous fire breath that knocked out Dillon and Kairon. After watching this, Kiera moved faster than wind to the Chimera and a rain of fists killed it without any opportunity of counterattack. Kiera passed the night waiting next to Dillon, desiring he woke up. And finally, at the morning he did it, but not the tiefling. They returned to Alden with no troubles.

### 8th Expedition

Up to the next day Alden was down, they went on another expedition with another partner; Tylhana. They arrived the same place where they left three days. They continued to the south rounding the crags, until they spotted the jungle; The Scarlet Garden. Only Dillon had been there, and had checked how much dangerous it is. So they retreated back in the savannah in the north direction. They walked along all of it until they found a forest and approached to it, they spotted a creek where there where two deers that Dillon and Tylhana slaughtered for the dinner. When they followed the creek a little with the eyes, they discovered the entrance to a cave. So the plan was to explore it at the next morning.

After the breakfast they entered and founded an Aldean adventurer bleeding out. Before he died, advised the group about the inhabitants of the cave; Bugbears. At so it was, they were continually fighting groups of Bugbears, also Giant Spiders; but in total Kiera counted 23 Bugbears and 5 Giant Spiders. They cleared the entire cave, saved one adventurer that was prisioned, and got a chest full of gold that divided into the four. The saved adventurer guided them to Alden crossing the forest by a shortcut; and they got another successful expedition.

### 9th Expedition

After spending two weeks as a "prison" in the Church, Kiera left and changed her appearance to be unnoted. She went on a expedition to the Goblin Wasteland, where they only found more Bugbears. A group that appeared frrom a cave attacked their camp at night, but the enemies slayed before they could even reach them. At morning the group entered the cave and continued killing Bugbears, the last drunk a potion that made him grew in size, tried to attack Kiera two times but she easily dodged the attacks, and took some hits to the Huge Bugbear as comeback and fell dead. The reward was so poor, just some gold and a potion that was taken by Wilry; it was actually a tramp, so a metal block impacted in his head and they had to take him unconcious to Alden.

### 10th Expedition

One more time, course to the Goblin Wasteland, but this time the objetive was reaching its end. They faced group of Goblins, Goblin's palisades, and more Goblins; until they reached the end of the wastelands and could see the Orcrirm Mounts. They started to climb them but the twillight had actually arrived, so they made a campfire; in the night, a party of 17 orcs attacked their camp, even the huge number of the enemy, they could wipe out them easily with no problems.

In the morning the scouts spotted a watchtower that they decided to attack. The plan was approaching seneaking up, but Dillon and the minotaur (yes, one of the adventurers was a minotaur) caused a rock detachment and a gong sounded in the distance. One Orog and 21 Hobgoblins with crossbows went out of the tower up to attack them with a bolt rain. Kiera reacted quickly and used his Avatar Power to create a water jet in the row of the Hobgoblins, 11 of them died injected under pressure. The others run away and get closet in the tower; the Orog was alone, so Kalradak inmobilized him with his chains and Dillon had a perfect shot to wiping him out. The 10 Hobgoblins remaining started to shoot their crossbows from the top of the tower, anyway, the bolts didn't even hit. So Kalradak started climbing the tower, the hobgoblings continued shooting, but couldn't stop a minotaur that when he reached the top, he started throwing them out of the tower like if they where garbage.

They spent in the tower one day, Kiera climbed a high hill to get the caantens full, in the top she saw three Hippogriffs, but seemed paceful creatures. They thought to enter on a forest they had spoted in the south, if Kiera's map were correct, it would be the Inmortal Forests. So they did it the next day, they entered into the forest and they got lost; luckily they found an escape to the hills again, but they Doravor wasn't with them. They passed the night next to a campfire, and in the night they were attacked by a Peryton (Kiera's nightmares), but it was easy to slay it. At the morning they went again into the Inmortal Forests and all found a light in the distance, that Doravor was actually following too. It seemed they were walking like years, but suddenly the light got closer and they reached the Skyveil Waterfalls.

It was a paradise, majestuous views of waterfalls and in an endless twilight. They where so shocked that they didn't percept the pressence of a creature until it made a move; an Ancient Emerald Dragon. Some got feared, some got astonished; but Kiera was simply marvelling of that creature. The Dragon started talking, he was Arvanthor, the last descendant of the Last Emerald Dragon. He was extremely kind with them and let them ask for anything they want; Dillon wanted to find Esfall, the mythic city that they had heared some legends. The Dragon give the four of them a magic mark in the front with the Esfall's Disntictive. And brought two Eladrins to guide them; a Spring Eladrin called Pip and a Summer Eladrin called Lianna.

Before go, they spent a time having fun in the lake with the Dragon, and they got some special magic from the Dragon power, their gold got duplicated, and some of their power too. They were walking many miles to the south of that flat, until they reached the highest waterfall, and behind it; Esfall. Three times bigger than Alden and full of magic. They where sightseeing when the guards asked for audience with the Archmage, it had to be with the The Electrum Scandal. There Dillon "confesed his crimes", luckily that he had the mark of the Dragon, who knows what could have happen if he hadn't. The Archmage was satisfied but he need one thing for them to do; bringing Ceallach to Esfall, as so Dillon knew his whereabouts. They talked with his Majesty Royal Highness Prince Phoenix, who will accompany them. So has a quest the, next expedition starts from Esfall; the destiny as Dillon have said are: The Freecoasts.

### 11th Expedition

Leaving Esfall and with accompanied with the protection of Glorfindel Eiwel Aranath the Esfall Justicar's General. They crossed the Orcrirm Mounts and part of the Goblin Wasteland until they entered the Inmortal Forests again and easily get to Faelynor. Once there they started to go through Tel'Iron Pass, to speed up, the Aldarian Paladin summoned a horse; nobody in the party wanted to ride, so Kiera tried. And, for some reason, she was extremely good at it. It was like she had ridden horses before.

Anyway they crossed the pass and Dol Gharaz and started to look for the pass between the risks Ceallach told Dillon about. They were seeking some hours, until Kalradak found it with his beast view. They crossed it, and they reached The Freecoasts; and extense beach area was in front of them, and some cities could be seen in the distance. The place where Ceallach was living now was Daggertooth, a city where the crime is  the order of the day. When they went there, a thief tried to stole Glorfindel's scrolls, but Kiera with her "hawkeye" advised him. If the crime were not the law in that place, Glorfindel would probably beheaded him.

Finally they entered a tavern and asked for "Bitter Steel" (Ceallach encrypted name), waited some hours there, and finally a hooded man appeared; Dillon recognised him, and the most awaited reunion took place. Ceallach was again with the group, they told him about all the adventours they had have; Esfall discovery, the Emerald Dragon, the audiences with the Archmage... But joy was up to finish, when they had to tell him that was considered a criminal, and a paladin was waiting out to arrest him. Ceallach didn't believe ar first, but anyway he get handcuffed.

They were leaving Daggertooth in the morning. But suddenly, the earth started to tembler, and a horde of Red Lizardfolks emerged from the jungle to raid the city. They started to kidnapping citiziens and controlling the dinosaurs. All surrounded by rows of Lizarfolks; they had an army, but we had a paladin. Everyone charged against the frontline and reptile heads started to roll. Three rows were reaching them from the back, but suddenly a scream in the distance said "KRAKEN DOWN", and a broadside of cannons wiped out all the rows. There was a row left and a Red Lizarfolk Priest who was leading the raid protected by four Large Red Lizarfolks. Kiera and Dillon focused on the last row, as Ceallach would be in danger if it arrived to him, he was still handcuffed. Doravor and Glorfindel were against the bif lizard guys; and Kalradak took advantage of the no defense to the Priest, and went directly to him to vanish him from the existance.

The battle ended, the Lizarfolks retreated to The Scarlet Garden, and a "ghost" pirate reached the coast laughing. He congratulated the warriors and invited them to celebrate the victory at the Dead Man's Cove. They spent three days there with the cursed pirates and the Captain Krakenbeard. He told them the story about how he faced a Kraken, he lost and though he was dead; but he awakened in his gargantuan boat, The Black Ark.

### 12th Expedition

Before they leave, Krakenbeard gifted them a black pearl to each, it was the way to reach Dead Man's Cove by themselves, he was really hoping they became pirates to restore the Cove reputation; but for now that's not a priority. They landed at Port Callaghan and started the way back to Esfall. In a few days they were almost there when the night arrived and they decided to pass the night and in the morning reach Esfall. To avoid night dangers Kiera and Kalradak scouted the surroundings; Kiera spotted a Sabbertooth Tiger, and Kalradak didn't came back. Tired of waiting, the others followed his footprints and realised that they ended in front of a strange tree. When they tried to examinate it, it vanished them from the Inmortal Forests...

And they appeared on a different place, where they saw Kalradak talking with an Aldarian. The party was reunited again and Kalradak did a summary of what he had been talking about. The elf was called Ael Morthil Elduanor, he had been caught there for so many years, and theorically he was the last inheritor of Esfall's throne. When Glorfindel heard this, he got triggered and challenged Ael into a duel; he accepted, and in a blink, Glorfindel was defeated. Everybody got astonished quickly ran to help Glorfindel which get restored with the water of a near magic fountain.

Anyway they were all trapped on that place, so the best way to face it was to work in team and trying to find a exit. In the surroundings there was a high tower without no entrance than a window; so Doravor was the one how tried to climb it, and when he went in, an extremely bright purple flash was seen from below. Doravor was taking so much time, so Glorfindel climbed too, and the same flash was seen making him flying off from the tower so hurt. He said that he didn't see Doravor, that actually the one who saw was Ceallach. The tower seemed very strange and dangerous, so they left it for the moment and investigated a near lake. There were some forest female creatures called Spriggans, they got closer but weren't hostile so there was no problem, but no answers too. The last place left was a crypt called The White Archive, if there was a way to go out, the answer had to be there.

So many traps between narrow corridors; in one moment they founded a chest full of gold, and when Dillon wanted to take it all, he disappeared (the greed breaks the bag). They continued exploring with two partners lost; fighted versus some Wraiths that Ael killed in a blink and two Chimeras, a monstruosity that Kiera has fighted before and had no problem in wiping them out. And finally they reached a great room with a huge statue with a great spear, and in one wall there was a mosaic that was making everyone feel unconfortable; and the strange thing was that each one was seeing a different thing. The thing that Kiera saw was the figure of her master; it was strange because when she used to remember him, was with nostalgia hankering, but in this moment she felt frustration. Due to his death, his master left her alone in her training, the way was more difficult and devasting; she wished that Alakh were still with her.

Before they could investigate, Kalradak destroyed the mosaic (the thing that he saw had to be hardener); and the satue started to move. They all fighted bravely in a long battle, although the statue was almost demolished, it was still attacking them; and the paladin, Glorfindel, was defeated with the power of the spear. In that moment when she saw the paladin in the ground, Kiera took all her forces; jumped into the air and got the strongest flying kick, bursting the statue head but hearing in her head "Your friend has no salvation".

The party moral was down, Ceallach took Glorfindel's greatsword in order to bringing it back to Esfall. They continued exploring the crypt and finded a pool of acid with a big eye in the middle and in one hole was Dillon extremely hurt. He told that fighted an alien creature with one big eye in the middle and ten tentacles with more eyes that shoot rays. Covered in the hole, avoiding rays and shotting to the eye; he could kill a Beholder.

They founded a big treasure full of gold, electrum, potions... And when they continued exploring, they founded a strange book that nobody knew what was written. They also founded a trapdoor in the ceiling of a corridor, climbed some ladders for a very long time, and reached the top of the tower; there was extinted purple gem in the middle, and a strange person with the same appearance that Ceallach. It was a doppelganger that greeted them friendly. They asked for help and showed him the book they found; and after reading it he said that it explained the way of reactivate a Waystone. Some have seen a very big purple stone in the middle of the yard but didn't even know what was. First of all he tried to swindle them saying that so much gold was necessary, but they were not fools; the real prize of the spell was 50 electrums and the essence of a forest creature. Everyone covinced Ael to go and talk with the Spriggans, the two creatures accepted and everybody participated in a strange ritual which ended in a purple light lighting on. The doppelganger said that they only have to think in the place they want to teleport clearly and they would reach it.

And everybody could reach Esfall, except Ceallach. They went on another audience with the Archmage Tassarion and gave a report of all the occured; they were giving the details when Ceallach entered accompanied by two justicars. Tassarion gave back his memory and said sent them with his brother Tyrion to inform the general's death. Tyrion was extremely pissed off, at leats the greatsword was back, brought by Ceallach; but what saved their heads was the pressence of Ael. When he said his name, Tyrion challenged him to a duel; and as he did with Glorfindel, he defeated him in a blink, and the phoenix was reborn from his ashes. He got in good mood and forgave all their lives, named Ael as General of the Justicars, and sent them back with Tassarion.

### 13th Expedition

Back to Tassarion's living room and talk about the situation. It was crucial repairing the Waystones web system, so they could reclaim the White Archive and many other places they had lost. For doing that, they would have to finde the core waystone and reactivate it. He gave the supposed location of the place and sent them to finish the quest. Before that, he also gave a free silver templer on their weapons. When they were up to go, they met with Ael in the streets; he insisted so much in going with them. So they had to ask Tyrion if he would let him, and reluctantly Tyrion accepted, with the condition they were back before his coronation that was in fourteen days; with his general alive...

From Esfall to Epholm Valley quickly and without problems, they started to look for a passage between risks; with the memory recovered, Ceallach was able to find it easily. As they crossed, the grass turned purple, and they reached the Spellplagued Mangrove. The winds of magic were felt in the air, the terrain changed randomly, and extremely strange creatures and aberrations; in the night three Blue Slaads attacked their camp but there was no problem in slashing them. They continued travelling throught mangrove, a Hook Horror tried to attack them, but there was no problem again. And finally they reached the darkest forest they had ever seen, covered by ash.

As they where crossing, they were seeing spectral figures, Kalradak spotted two huge Skeleton Minotaurs, so they varied the route. Ael was extremely nervous, couldn't stop tremblingt, so in order to calm him, Kiera asked Dillon to tell the story about his combat with the alien. With the story near the campfire Ael was better, but still very nervous.

In the night during the second guard, a knight appeared in the distance. He looked at the campfire and pronounced some words "Is burning my land? No, it burns yours!". It was a Death Knight, he presented himself as Aexion III. Ael ran out of the combat, and they were the five alone against the great emperor; but they won't surrender without fighting. It was the most difficult battle they had ever been in; the Death Knight was swipping his one-handed greataxe and the death aura made the atmosphere unbearable. In a despair, Kiera got a rage of blows made the Death Knight kneel down seeming defeated; but he started laughing and exploded in fire making her and Kalradak, who also was melee, fly off back.

The entire forest was on fire, all the adventurers were stunned; there was no hope... However, Ael Morthil Elduanor passed through the flames handing his sword, "For the glory of Apalor, I will avenge my father". One more time in a blink, the Death Knight was defeated, but not dead. "I am defeated... But you come with me!" The Death Knight took Ael and both souls vanished in a rip silence.

They were all devasted, their friend was gone; without Ael they wouldn't find Apalor, Tyrion would probably behead them. They continued going to the south during the morning, until they reached the sea, in a beach where the sand was black as ashes. Sorrounding the coast, they bumped with a mountain. This made Ceallach to make an idea; what if somebody climb the hillside in order to see all the forest from the height and spot where was the lost city that Ael had told them about. Kiera was the one who did it, she ran vertically throught the hillside for two miles until she saw some ruins in the distance. Went down a told the information, so they set the course to Apalor.

They reached the ruined city at night, a dismal atmosphere covered the ambient. There was a large pit in the middle of the ruins, and when they looked inside, they spotted a purple stone bigger than than the one of the White Archive; but obviusly was off too. There was a crypt near the pit but instead of exploring a new crypt with spectres and something worse than the previous; they thought in a way of going back to arrive to the White Archive and meet the doppelganger so he explained them how to activate a Waystone. In Faelynor some legend is told about a place called The Druid Stone, and by the descriptions of the people; it would be a Waystone. So they opted to do the way back a go to Faelynor before entering another crypt with more dangers.

They spent much time in doing this way, but anyway Ael was dead carried on Kalradak's shoulder; so it didn't mind if they reach Tyrion's coronation at time. In Faelynor they asked some indications to the rangers, and as they followed them, reached The Druid Stone. It emanated a magical blue bright, when they got closer, the energy got out and was absorbed by Kiera. She got a vision of a female elf crying with her hands on the stone.

They could teleport rightly to the White Archive, and there was Zachary, the doppelganger. He was so happy for them to visit him again. They asked for a solution to their problem, and he explained Doravor the process of activating a Waystone. Once they did that, they went back all the way to reach Apalor again; in the process of teleporting back to The Druid Stone, they lost Kalradak. Anyway they had to continue thinking he would be good. Anyway they got to the ruins without more problems and started the ritual. With Dillon's shovel could collect a kilogramme of ashes inside the pit; then Ceallach, Kiera and Dillon put their right hand on the stone while Doravor started to sing the ritual. This caused a defeaning sound while the stone started to bright more and more, until a purple beam was shoot to the sky and exploded in hundreds. In the Spellplagued Mangrove an arcane storm started to devast everything. Kiera watched it in detail from the top of a tower with Ceallach's spyglass, there weren't clouds, it were purple rays in a great hurricaine which was destroying it all.

Now it was time to return Esfall and explain everything. So they did it with Waystone and reached Esfall automatically. They moved quickly to have an audience with Tassarion, he didn't paid attention to the story of travelling and battles, only to the details of the Waystone; anyway he didn't understand anything. After that the went to see Tyrion, which encounter was really strange, because when he saw Ael's corpse, he seemed to be smiling. Tyrion invited the four to his coronation, and after the event, Ael's funeral took place.

### 14th Expedition

They completed all Tassarion quests, but there was one left; when they entered the plane and met Arvanthor. He asked them if they could visit the tomb of his ancestor Nurvanthor which was located passing Lleylem. So they went on a long travel, but with no troubles during it.

They reached Lleylem in two days and a half, quickly asked a hafling for the location of the Drake's Descent and reached it before the twilight. There was an enormous stone with runic words in different idioms. They all touched the stone and pressed F as they were hearing the dragon laments.

They returned Lleylem and accompanied Ceallach to the Bulwark, he said that needed to talk with the Warden privately about Alden. Also advised the group of not saying his name in Alden, it was the reason why he was exiled. He took a time, but when he finished said that could stay in Lleylem. It seemed that the population had decreased after a recent war.

And peacefully in Lleylem watching the sky, clouds turned the shape of a hawk and a dragon. And they rested for a little, ending these days of rushing adventurers for a while.

### 15th Expedition

Ceallach, Dillon and Doravor finally came back to Lleylem after a week and a half; Ceallach said that he had to talk with the Wardenn, so they went to the Stepholm Bulwark; when Ceallach finished asking, Dillon tried to know about some "visions" that he had been seeing in dreams. The Wardenn dind't have a clue, anyway Dillon supossed he had to start looking in Drake's Descent's surrounds.

So next day they travelled to the Drake Descent, they couldn't reach the destination in one day so they passed one night; and that night they got the same dream jointly. Their were out of their bodies in the Drake's Descent, and a titanic figure in the distance could be sopotted; a Dragon, no reasoning was neccesary to understand that he was Nurvanthor, who was looking them mindfully. They started to walk to Nurvanthor's position, and when they were leaving their bodies behind, their spectral form changed; Dillon was a gunslinger with a golden revolver, Kiera was a female Aldari, Doravor a male one, and Ceallach was an Aasimar Potector with his wings unfolded.

In front of them, appeared a spectral anvil, whose earth below started to grow more and more to the infinite. Then Nurvanthor approached and extended his hand; they doubted a little, but if he had wanted to kill them, he would alredy done it. So they climbed Nurvanthor's hand, and he started to fly, in south-east direction. They passed above the Goblin Wasteland, the Inmortal Forests, Esfall, the sea and ocean; and finally there was a volcano island, where an astral forge is located. After that, they woke up.

They talked about the dream, nobody understood; it seemed like Nurvanthor wanted to show them that place, maybe he wants them to go there. Anyway that's a thing that would happen in a far future, for now, they would investigate the fog that the Wardenn have told them.

Continuing the route, they finally spotted the fog; with Esfall's disntictive there was no problem in passing through it. They reached a place full of luminous trees and as is very common; a crypt. It was the tomb of some mage from the past, they entered to explore it; climbing down a cave's waterfall they entered to the first room, and Ceallach discovered a secret room, where there was actually 16000 pieces of gold. He started to get it off with is power to go through walls. But a strange pressence entered the room, a spectral figure of a huge crocodile appeared from a wall. It was an Astral Crocodilian, which was cutting the step.

The battle was very hard, Kiera and Ceallach suffered a lot; the creature had trampled many times, and Kiera could endure with her Mountain Stance. Anyway they were so hurt to continue so the took the sac 8K of gold; altough the door was covered with roots, Doravor could destroy them with acid. They returned to the Drake's Descent where they watched Nurvanthor spectral figure protecting them during the night.

They were pacefully in Lleylem celebrating that fight and the loot they got, when the bells of Lleylem started to sound; all the goliaths began to move to the bulwark; it seemed that the Goblin Wasteland was attacking, but these group won't stand idly by, they moved to the bulwark too.

A green wave of Goblins ridding Worgs and Giant Spiders, with an army of Orcs and Black Oroggs. Ceallach talked with the Wardenn about the situation and gave the rest instructions; as Doravor asked to be in the nearest part of the battlefield to use a recent powerful magic he'd adquired, Kiera would escort him and defend the left front, while Dillon would be shooting with the artificers in the right front.

The army finally arrived, Doravor waited when they were close, opened his book, and casted a Prismatic Spray which almost vanished the left front. The rest were slashed by Kiera's Fist of the Unbroken Air, then Doravor turned back and looked and Ceallach, he read his book again and casted another sell; suddenly, Ceallach got transformed into a Tyrannosaurus Rex that started eating the enemy army. When Kiera finished the left front completely, she ran through the bulwark wall, jumped on the dinosaur's tail and went to his head, where she jumped again and ran vertically to the top of the rigth front. The orcs had reached it and the Wardenn was in problems, Kiera was running like the wind to help him, but suddenly, an Angel appeared and a radiant sword burned all the orcs.

The battle finished, Ceallach talked with the Angel as he seemed to know him; the rest were celebrating the victory. There was a feast, and the four of them where given a militar medal for providing services to Lleylem. They spent a couple of days in Lleylem until they decided to visit Zachary in Faunalyn, as they had earned various arcane gems in the tomb. He received them friendly and made a Waystone for 25 Electrum. They travelled to Alden, and activated the Waystone in the basement of the Crestfallen Falcon. The innkeeper lived there, in fact he was the Angel who appeared to save the Wardenn.

### 16th Expedition

They continued exploring the strange fog in the Drake's Descent, they investigated it until they realised that it connected with the same plane where Esfall is located; crossed some other fogs and saw in how many ways that plane is accessible. They also travelled to Esfall to trade information about the Waystones with Tassarion, and bought an Esfall's distinctive for Ceallach. And also, Kiera had more visions about the female Aldari, how she decided to leave Esfall for love reasons, although her family was not in agreement.

### 17th Expedition

Some day after, Kiera was passing through the Crestfallen Falcon, she hadn't seen it so crowded before, there was kind of a celebration rigth there. By the time she could look at it, she heard the words; "and this is the new Crestfallen Falcon's owner, Ceallach Mawr Dyffryn". She waited until the atmosphere was calmed, and approached to the group and asked about everything.

\*ellipsis\*

The group went to Lleylem to address some issues and they wouldn't return in a while. Kiera tried to look for a new group of adventurers. She met two guys; Altaïr and Ilphas, and also with Amadis who knew from a previous expedition. They travelled to the Amber Savannah with no problems in the way, altough they spotted a party of Red Lizardfolks scouting that not noticed about their pressence. So the group controlled their position, until the Lizardfolks got back in the jungle; they followed them in stealth and discovered the existance of a jungle temple called Kukul. Altaïr advised about the high number of creatures that were inside, they were more than 300, so they decided to go back.

As they were crossing the Savannah, returning from scouting a pair of miles, Kiera saw Amadis looking a familiar necklace, she couldn't resist to take it. A moonbeam fall over her giving the last vision of Lanara, how she escaped from Faelynor and a herd of werewolves devoured her body while she was ascending to the astral plane. When the vision finished, she was wearing the necklace, which emanated very high magic power.

In north direction they rounded the Western Ridge, crossed the Figrid Forests and the Silver Taiga. There, Kiera had an encounter with a Winter Eladrin during the night, these creatures are like legends, it is said that you can see only one in your life; Kiera asked questions but the Eladrin didn't understand her strange words, she gave her winter cape to Ilphas, who was freezing as he hadn't brought traveller clothes.

In the morning they continued rounding the Western Ridge, until they reached... the Thunder Fjord. When they entered them, Kiera had a bad feeling, but she didn't get frightened. Suddenly 11 creatures appeared from a fog, they were like Gnolls but more intimidating, and they were wearing whips; Flinds. Amadis instantlly transformed himself into T-Rex. They started the fight, but suddenly they focused all to Ilphas and killed him instantly and starting eating. They were bloodthirsty, in a round of whips fainted the Tyrannosaurus. There whwas no other option than run.

Kiera and Altaïr escaped easily, as Kiera is fast as the wind. Amadis was caught in the flight. But for some reason, when the Flings were eating him, they stopped and ran away. Quickly Kiera approached and gave him a health potion for saving him, and started running with him in her arms. When she was leaving the Fjord, she remembered the word of her master "Of all the elementals, he is the worst", and before leaving, looking back she saw the Elder Tempest, the most dangerous elemental.

Running through the Silver Taiga, when they stopped at night to rest, a herd of werebears appeared, although they were savage, the herd's leader refuged them and accompanied to the Figrid Forests' exit, and they easily reached Alden.

They went back leaving a partner. Again. As it happened with Tycho months before. The expeditions to the north aren't successful at all, they always end with someone's death.

### 18th Expedition

What Ceallach told her in the night he became the Crestfallen Falcon's owner was that they were preparing the revolution; if it resulted succesfully, Ceallach would be new Alden's Warden. But for doing it, it was necessary they travel to the anvil they saw in Nurvanthor's dream. So they had to prepare theirselves for the most risky expedition ever done.

The coup plan was to adquire props from the Protectors of Order, the Church and Lleylem. Ceallach would meet some old friend that he knew from his training in the Protector's Academy, and Gabriel, Crestfallen's owner, would speak with some contacts in the Church; at this moment Ceallach had already spoken with Tiberius, Warden of Lleylem.

So, Ceallach, accompanied by Dillon and Kiera, went to the High Academy to talk with Bremer dar Gorst. At the beginning he didn't take it seriously, but when he realized it was completely in earnest, he confesed he was tired of the regime, and obviusly he would prop him in the revolution. But when he was finishing the phrase, a group of protectors bursted in the room, they all got hided successfully; nobody noticed and they could hear the news. The Supreme Patriarch had dead.

The entire city was in chaos in front of the Cathedral. The Archbishop Gonnell was giving a speech, and accsing some high posts of the Church from treason; the things were turning very cahotic, this could lead on a civil war. They located the rest of the group and also Gabriel, who take them outside of the crowd and entrusted the destiny to the city to them; they needed to go the place where the visions showed and became heroes.

With a spell of slow falling, Gabriel throwed the six of them from Alden, and the ultimate expedition began.

Ceallach, Dillon, Kiera, Doravor, Amedis and Raekas where the chosen to travel to the end of the world.

They quickly moved to Dol'Gharaz, crossed Tel'Iron's pass and reached Faelynor. The astral weapons of Doravor, Ceallach and Kiera worked as a compass, and they pointed south; so they started to pass through the Inmortal Forests. Remembering the firsts expeditions, where they were unexperienced adventurers, that night Dillon almost died against the werewolves. They spotted the altar again, and Dillon remembered the Young Emerald Dragon which tried to kill him too, so he insisted in not setting the camp there.

Altough it didn't matter, because at night the Dragon appeared, Amedis and Kiera were awake and saw him in time. Amedis knew him better than anybody, he started to play and petting him, but the Dragon had the view focused on Kiera's necklace and dind't set aside of it. Amedis told Kiera to approach with no fear, Kiera agreed and approached slowly, the Dragon was at the beginning in defensive position, but he started to smell slowly and ended licking Kiera's face and neck joyfully.

They continued travelling to south in the morning, they reached a kind of swamp; Bayboia Quagmire. They lasted an entire day in crossing it, at the night they were surprised by a Green Slaad who obligated them to leave his "sacred zone". And finally in the morning of the next day, they reached the coast, and beyond in the distance of the sea, they could spot a volcano island; but the weapons pointed to other place. An arm of land connected with the southwest in a volcanic terrain.

In the way, they bumped with an Adult Red Dragon, everybody got hiden except Ceallach who spoke with the Red Dragon. The Dragon knew where they were going "where everybody goes", he left them to travel, but not before giving them a fire breath; he flew to the distance laughing evilly. The finally reached a colossal mountain where a white beam shinned at the top. The weapons pointed there; they had to climb and face the callenges.

A female joking voice gave them the welcome; "let's see if you can become heroes".

They climbed the outskirts, and the Dream Forge sent the first challenge. A sound of propellers was heard in the distance, and a gargantuan construct landed in behind them; it openned its big eye and with a robotic sound said "Destroy. Heroes." It assembled itself, and they could see the figure of the Marut.

The fight against the Marut was the most difficult of their entire life, the Marut started to slam everybody; but thanks to Dillon's powerful shoots and specially to Kiera's necklace, the Marut was getting damaged everytime it slammed. And after slamming for heap of time, it was up to explode; but the Dreamforge imprisoned it, and surely it gets repaired.

Once the Marut was defeated, they did a short rest. And after that, they continued climbing to face the second challenge; the Steel Predator. It was not an extremely dangerous problem to face, with six strong adventurers, the Steel Predator couldn't resist more than five rounds. It tried to escape, but couldn't; as Dillon's shoot destroyed it while was it was running.

One climb more, a group of undead duergars went out of a cave. Raekas' water swirl combined with Doravor's blizzard, let them all frozen in the place they were. And Dillon's shoots, Ceallach's sword cuts and Kiera's bo hits, finished with them.

In the next climb, a fire meteors rain, Kiera was totally surprised by that and fell unconcious, but their partners helped her with healing spells.

The penultimate challenge appeared in the next climb, another construct with canons that seemed they would expel fire; it actually was the Hellfire Engine. After all the previous challenges heroes candidates where really exhausted and hurt; this battle got Amedis, Raekas and Kiera unconcious. But with the last of their forces, the heroes could destroy the construct.

In the last climb, another fire rain fell over them, but they could resist it. They reached the top; the Dreamforge was in front of them. "You made it. You will become heroes now." And they entered the Dreamforge...

Everything was dark, but full of stars; seemed like being in the space. In front of her, Kiera was seeing an anvil; and on her right, Lanara's figure appeared. "Lanara's destiny and yours will be now together, come here and forge".

While she was forging, she was reviving Lanara's life events that she saw in dreams, but she was thinking in the forge's words and saying for her interiors "But my destiny is other, and mine; only mine". She didn't forge the item, the necklace disappeared, Lanara's spirit vanished.

"So it seemed the destiny of Lanara and you wasn't connected at all. Kiera, what's your life purpose."

*- I was told by my father to train my elemental abilities to the perfection. That's the only reason why I climbed the Western Ridge being a child; I trained for years with the Master of the Elements, but he died, and left me with my training uncomplete. I decided that I wouldn't return to my Taluud until I complete my father's task. That's the only thing I want to, the reason why I started exploring the world, to face its challenges and become stronger; the strongest. That's the only reason why I started this journey.*

"I see. So, continue your journey Kiera; and return here when you believe you're prepared."

All the rest left the forge with their astral weapons, Ceallach had is majestic sword, Dillon had is revolver, Doravor his staff, Raekas his anchor, and Amedis his blood. Someone could say that Kiera lost her opportunity. But, in fact, she gained the ones she deserved.

A white light emerged from a beacon that was in front of them. They entered the light, and teleported to Alden, which was in chaos, a civil war was started.

Protectors have revealed, the Archbishop Gonnell was in the cathedral protected by paladins. The group went to the Quarters of the Protectors, where Ceallach challenged Adrius Quinto, Alden's Warden, to a single combat; he told the rest to go to the Cathedral and stop Gonnell. In the way Doravor faced the Plerald Vinio, and killed him summoning a summer eladrin.

They reached the cathedral, Gonnell was in front of them with a line of paladins protecting him. Ceallach landed came quickly when he finished Adrius in his protector form. Then, Gabriel landed, he was extremely hurt; but with his last effort, he looked back and smiled; and casted a spell.

"Guys, it was a pleasure being your inkeeper".

Nothing seemed to happen, but after ten seconds a familiar voice was heared behind.

- Commander, it's Tycho. Do you receive me? ... On your left.

They looked back and saw, Ael, Glorfindel and Zachary spirits looking them. Then Tycho's one appeared.

Followed by Ilphas, Xiphias, Tylhana, Davriel, Isagwynn, Lazarus, Aaravos, Brandon, Arandun, Venn...

They were all back, for the last raid.

Ceallach took his Volh's Torment, looked at all of them, and said;

"For Alden"

They all charged wagnerianly, and gave all what they have. Killing the Archbishop Gonnell and ending the civil war.

After a few days, Ceallach was crowned as Ceallach Sextus, Alden's Warden. He told his speech, and the first thing he did, was returning Amedis his real name; Wilry Bearclaw. After all the ceremony and all the celebration, they all reunited the next day in the Quarters; there was a city to rebuild, and an empire to give born. Ceallach looked the all the maps thinking, he lifted up the view and looked everybody.

"Shall we start?"

### Epilogue

Kiera will continue the way to reach her destiny in the future. But from now she will rest as everybody will do.

**The Journey will continue.**

\*No more contents will be published on the wiki\*

To follow Kiera's Journey visit: https://www.worldanvil.com/hero/c4f0fe22-3362-4f19-860e-ec05cdb819df

And to follow Alden's development visit: https://www.worldanvil.com/w/beyond-alden-delfador

## Dreams:

### Astral Mark: Lanara's Trance

Since Kiera visited the Druid Stone and absorbed the blue energy, she started to have some visions and strange dreams. In the dreams, she is a female Aldari who was very attached to the Druid Stone, like she was the one that created that sanctuary. He had a sentimental relationship with a male Lunarian that took walks with her through the Inmortal Forests.

But in another dream she saw how the man that loved the Aldari was a werewolf, and the only purpose with her was to raid Faelynor and turn it into the werewolves city. She heared that when Lanara weren't helpful anymore, he would kill her.

## Relevant Events:

### Imprisioned in the Church

Due to some Ceallach and Dillon acts, Kiera was arrested and used as scapegoat. As she was innocent, the Church decided not to execute her and have some mercy. She was free with the condition of passing two weeks in the church so any citizien could see her. She "served sentence" and passed the time asked there. Even, it was worthful to obtain some information of Alden's religion.

When she was released, for her seccurity, she changed her monk clothes to pass unnoticed.

### Lleylem's Celebrity

The rest of the group went on a expedition by themselves; and Kiera decided to rest a little bit after all the big recent events. Her hair had grown after all these 7 months, and instead of having her usual cut, she opted for a simple ponytail; and as she was outside from Alden, there was no problem changing her monk clothes into ones less sneaky. During the week and a half, she trained every morning; dancing, obviusly, as she used to do when she was at Home, making the water from a near river flowing around her in a visual spectacle. For some reason, the haflings considered that like a performance and usually throwed gold, and Kiera became kind of a celebrity there; some female haflings started to dress like her.

### Shalkar

After finishing her 17th expedition, one day in the Crestfallen Falcon like any other, Kiera saw Ceallach and Dillon in the barn. And for her surprise, Dillon was breeding a baby white jaguar, those that are raised up by the Asjai beyond the Western Ridge; by her Taluud.

She remembered her childhood in the Lordless Steppes, she always wanted one of those kitties; so couldn't resist asking Dillon if he would give her. And surprisingly Dillon agreed without asking something back, so for his charity, she gave him 500 pieces of gold in gratitude. His name is: Shalkar.

Crestfallen Falcon's owner allowed her to having it in her room, with the condition of not seeing any hair of the jaguar's fur out of her room, and if one was near the food... the jaguar would not be there anymore. But Ceallach is gentile, surely he wouldn't say seriously.