Season 2: Episode 53 – Grief, Joy, and Frustration (Kerubiel’s point of view)
 
With that incredible transformation, the elven man approaches us. His hair is a dark navy blue, very similar to Ellira’s and his eyes are also reminiscent of hers. He also has a rune of some sort – probably druidic, painted upon his forehead.
 
He asks us where Ellira is with a calm but commanding voice. I ask him who he is, although the clues are all pointing in one direction. Crap. He says one who has travelled far and cares deeply for her. Double crap.
 
I invite him inside the castle walls and tell him we have grave news. I turn to the others who also look solemn. Finn has a quizzical look upon his face as he regards this man. I then let him know of the sacrifice she gave to save our kingdom.
 
He then cries out, “My Daughter!” and in an instant a lion larger than a horse appears, roars and runs off into the hills towards the woods. Moments later we hear an even more powerful roar. I can only imagine the pain he is suffering compared the sense of loss we all feel. The two vulpine then go running off as well, but Tamus pauses at the portcullis to look back at us. I wave him away, and he goes scampering off.
 
Cora comes up to me at this point, seeming to look for reassurance that what I said was untrue. I point to Jhod and she cries and I let tears fall as well as we walk more into the castle. Jensothi approaches and I tell him to call the council. Crestfallen, he nods and rushes off to get the others.
 
As we are walking in, Drael asks if we have a plan for her body. Finn says he has something in mind and Glanrim asks a question we’ve all been constantly thinking – are we sure she doesn’t want to be brought back? Finn nods.
 
As we sit down at the council table, Akiros is quick to notice and asks where Ellira is. I let the whole council know of our tragic loss. Tears and ‘what a shame’ flow from many but Akiros after a moment of silence stands and gives a passionate speech about how us Barons helped to put him on a better path again, but it really wasn’t until Ellira talked to him and showed she cared that he started to see a change in himself. That he felt like he might one damn have a chance at healing his soul. He then pulls his sword from his sheath and says that this kingdom’s first royal assassination has a target, and it is the troll filth, Hargulka!
 
And then he slams the blade into the table in front of him and a flash of divine light and the smell of a stag fills our nostrils, and we are certain that this hunt has been blessed by Old Deadeye himself. It is then that there is a knock at the door to the council room, and the lion elf man is back.
 
He apologizes for his outburst and introduces himself as Lyrontell Thorella, Ellira’s father. We talk about how Ellira was a vital part of this kingdom and ask if there is anything we can do.
He then goes on to say that farmers don’t understand, and that fertilizer is sacred. Living things come from the things that lived before. That places matter because they nourish the people. Things and people don’t matter. That these Stolen Lands have been enriched by his sweet daughter and changed forever. He then turns to ask each of us how Ellira has changed us.
 
When he looks at me, I pause and look down at my best friend who is always by my side and then answer. Ellira has been a trusted and true friend. A stalwart ally and most of all, she helped bring back my best friend and so every day I think of her now and will continue to hold her dear in my heart and push for the things she found important.
 
The others have other meaningful responses from friend, to ally to teacher. Finn mentions his new path that he’s on. And Glanrim tries to sound deep comparing dwarves and elves to the grey and the green, but I get what he means.
 
Once we have all had a chance to respond, Lyrontell states that we didn’t want this end, but it is what happened. Then he goes to her body, which Jhod has been steward of. Cups her face and then starts to take his leave. Just before exiting he turns and tells us that normally his family is entombed in the roots of their whisperoak but that it is a long way to take her. We then ask if her tree would be appropriate. He inquires to which tree, and Finn takes out his bulb that for all accounts was the same kind as the one she planted.
 
He looks at it and says that it does not belong to a tree. What?! We continue to her tree, and he says that it looks like a tree, but it is an anchor to another plane. Glanrim says then that Ellira was quite invested in the tree. Then without touching it, he looks quite closely at it. And doesn’t say anything for what feels like ages as we stand around this tree. Then he turns to us and says that it is connected to the First World, the plane of the fey.
 
Finn then asks the good question of, it was first? Lyrontell responds by saying that the fey world was like the gods first draft, and our world, Golarion, was the 2nd draft, where they fixed things that they didn’t like the first time. The first world is where the fey are from and it is a place of infinite raging wilderness.
 
Drael then asks about what would be the consequence of using the new bulb with the current ‘tree’? He says that it would cause the anchor to grow stronger to the First World. Which could be a good or bad thing depending on how much we would want to be linked to the First World.
 
As we take this new information in, I tell Lyrontell that he is welcome to stay in the castle, in his daughter’s tower – let him hopefully feel a connection to her. He thanks us and asks what the plan is now. Finn tells him that he would like to have a park and a memorial holiday and underground crypt. I also say that we will have a service soon to honour the fallen. He nods and asks if he could speak at that occasion. We of course agree.
 
We enter back to the council room and as we are all debriefing and chatting in different pairings, a guard comes and talks to Keston and apparently has some news that is not urgent, but it’s not great news. We are all exhausted, so we decide to have him come back in the morning with his news.
 
Tears flow that night as I share the whole war campaign with Cora. She is there and holds me close, especially when I talk about Ellira. That poor sweet elven girl. Eventually we rest for the night.
 
The next morning, while eating, Keston comes in and for the first time, looks rather abashed as he speaks, which turns out he should be. He lets us know that Grigori has escaped. He did so while we were all away the rat bastard. He says that he has the head jailor here to tell us what happened. A man named Baerth.
 
Baerth is an older man with greying patches and is a little bumbling when he speaks. He says this is all a misunderstanding. They started playing cards with Grigori over the course of his first week in prison and each day they just got more and more lax with his bindings till he eventually just left. I somehow remain calm, as Drael gets redder like the fire he wields.
 
Frustrated I tell him to go play cards at the Blue Lantern, and before we can discuss it, Drael tells him he should probably look for employment there as well. None of us have any argument to keep this twit employed here so we let Drael’s words stand.
 
We then discuss the ramifications of Grigori getting out. Glanrim is still pissed we didn’t kill him before. We then discuss lawful protest vs treason. And I think we do come up with the conculusion that once found, Grigori’s life will be forfeit. Treason, escaping jail, avoiding trial. Many things stacked against him.
 
Keston finally then pipes in again and says despite the horrible timing, he would like to introduce us to Lily and Taldeth. This is at least good news, so we welcome it.
 
Lily is a beautiful brunette woman who is wearing simple clothes but wears a necklace that doesn’t match. Keston then asks if perhaps he and Lily, once married could become one of the first noble families of Argentum as the Garress-Weavers. Sounds good so far. And that they want to marry right away but want to know which faith they should pledge their love to each other in. I suggest that they meet with Finn since he is educating himself so much on, well everything, including beliefs of different faiths. All three think this is a good idea.
 
We then meet Taldeth, the gift kept by kings. Being able to create weapons that can bear enchanting. A rare treat and he just asks for a “modest” place to set up shop. I guess we may need to wait a bit. We have other priorities, towns, land, and a temple to build first. Oh well, I shake his hand and assure him we will do what we can and glad to have them all in our kingdom.
 
Two days from when we arrive home, we have the funeral for the fallen. Lyrontell speaks of fertilizer and planting and the cycle of life and things, and the people all seem genuinely moved. There is a moment as I have Sorath by side that I wonder if I made the right call, but then as my hand goes through her fur, I know I couldn’t have made any other choice.
 
Once over, he stays for a few more days and spends lots of time with Finn before he once again thanks us for our hospitality and leaves.