Session 32 (2,000 xp)

Heroes: Sigurd, Vladimir, Malik, Rowena, Niobhe

Year 642 MR (4th quarter)

Niobhe and Vladimir travel to Lemnjohen to meet with Sigurd, but only after the young Vos priest has stabbed Thrakkaz through the heart to take his bloodline. When they arrive at Old fort, they find Sigurd changed, and at his side hovers a priestess of Karesha to consel him, but he looks still in control of himself. They decide to honour the late king Hrothwulf's wishes, and swear their allegiance to him as High-King of the Giantdowns and the Blood Skull Barony, now renamed Jentilak.

Huralla visits the capital, and informs the Heroes of all that came to pass in the Gorgon's Crown. She also delivers thoseweapns she managed to retrieve from their parents; Vladimir receives Lena's sword, Verginord; Ansen receives the holy weapon Illuminus; Sigurd receives the elven sword Crimdrach; and Niobhe receives a lump of white-hot metal, that was once the sword of Nathanael... strangely enough, nothing can quench the fire burning on the metal.

Sigurd gathers the Jarls to attend his father's funeral, and to swear allegiance to him. Huralla readily accepts, when Sigurd accepts to marry her daughter Kolina. Ansen Tieghan begs to be released frm his oath, for he wishes to return to Anuire to help his family in their rebellion against the Emperor; Sigurd agrees, and bids him farewell.

The dwarves declare their independence, and ask to be recognized as the Dwarven Kingdom of Silverheart; they make clear that they will remain allies of the new king, but no vassals. Sigurd agrees.

Daegandal, the elven prince, informs the new king that Lluabraight wishes to reclaim the provinces of Caer Cwnnar and Rhuiddar, as they once belonged to their kingdom. Sigurd is not willingto concede lands that his father liberated from evil villain at the cost of many lives, and refuses. The relations with the elves remain uncertain, and Daegandal departs to confer with his mother, Queen Llaeddra.

After a few days, the marriages of Sigurd with Kolina, and of Rowena with Trevan are celebrated, and Malik returns from his adventures in the Brecht lands. Huralla crowns Sigurd as King of the Giantdowns, and Rowena as Queen of Jentilak. Lands and holdings are divided among the Heroes according to previous arrangements.

Year 643 MR (1st quarter)

The new year sees the Heroes diving into their duties as regents, as they try to strengthen their influence in both realms. Sigurd and Niobhe have a disagreement regarding Caer Cwnnar and Rhuiddar: the king will not give away his provinces to the elves, and he would rather burn them to the ground than lose them.

Niobhe reaches out to her uncle and her grandmother to avoid bloodshed, and plans to travel to Lluabraight next season to plea her case. She also visits her uncle as he makes preparations to leave Caer Cwnnar. He updates her on the worsening emotional condition of Siobhan, his sister and Niobhe's mother. When she visits her, she's but a shadow of her former self, consumed by the pain for the los of her husband.

Yet, in a moment of lucidity, she recognizes that a powerful aura lingers on the burning metal that was once Nathanael's sword; with words charged with prophecy, she bids Niobhe to seek the Phoenix (an ershegh rumored to be in the Khnasi lands), so that the blade may be whole again, and her father's soul be freed. Before Niobhe leaves, she's entrusted to take care of her baby sister, Estel.