"Trenches" follows Mercurius, Vennel, Luna, and Lefwain as they accompany Soltrius's wagons along Rauthauvyr's Road.
Back in Essembra, the contingent mutually decided to split ranks, with three members—Markel, Hadrian, and Brother Bevue—pledging their return to the Eshen Glade in its days of turmoil following the great elven Retreat from Cormanthor. The remaining companions, led by Soltrius and his half-brother Anintko, a veteran warrior from Ordulin, continued their journey along Rauthauvyr's Road, driving three coaches stocked full with supplies and spices be to traded north of the Moonsea.
The contingent's venture to Hillsfar and the southern shores of the Moonsea was anything but easy. After arriving at the great Standing Stone, a monument to the centuries-old treaty between the humans and elves of the Dalelands known as the Dales Compact, the party found itself passing through the Vale of Lost Voices, a region of Cormanthor said to be haunted by ancient elven ghosts. Such tales proved their warrant, and within the Vale, the contingent battled fierce goblins and found itself at the whims of spirits of those long removed.
The companions rode throughout the night to clear the haunted Vale, and the ensuing ride saw one of their caravans damaged by a thick, dead vine laid out across the road. The incident recalled warnings from Essembra that dangerous "creeper vines" had been waylaying travelers on the road through Cormanthor, and the party continued on with the utmost caution. Soon after, the contingent found itself battling living vines along the road that caused further breakage to its wagons before the companions finally prevailed.
Two days out from Essembra, weary from their journey and their encounters along the road, the travelers were met one eve by a trio of riders who named themselves soldiers of the Red Plumes of Hillsfar. The Plumes declared the road to be closed due to perils such as the deadly creepers, and led the contingent back to their camp, a short ways into the woods, to await an official escort back to the city. The Red Plume camp housed over two dozen strongswords, along with their captain, Wrenegal Larson, and his wizard-adviser, Nemmish.
The contingent remained among the Plumes until the following night, when the camp was inexplicably assailed by an unyielding tribe of wild elves. Despite its efforts to retaliate with spells and blades, the camp was defeated, and nearly all the Red Plumes were slain. One soldier, a young, blond-haired man named Penrith, was spared, incidentally, by the fact that he'd been keeping watch with Soltrius's contingent at the hour of the attack. The wild elves, who named themselves the Sy'Tel'Quessir, led Penrith and the companions further into the forest, where they explained that the Plumes had knowingly breached the Dales Compact, and sought to overtake elven lands protected by the ancient treaty. Among the Sy'Tel'Quessir was a young elf maiden named Ellisendria, Markel's godmother from the days of his youth in the Tangled Trees.
Thanks to Ellisendria, the otherwise inimical wild elves allowed the contignent to continue its journey north, and accompanied the companions back to the road. Before they reached it, however, the friends found that one of their three caravans had been stolen during the night while it lay unguarded in the grounds of the defeated camp. Ultimately, the friends decided that Antinko, Penrith, and two others would return to Essembra, both for Penrith's safety in the wake of an impending conflict between Hillsfar and Cormanthor, and to warn Essembra of what the party had learned.
Shortly thereafter, the remaining members of the contingent arrived at Hillsfar's south gates, bearing a single one of its original three trade caravans.
The contingent's venture to Hillsfar and the southern shores of the Moonsea was anything but easy. After arriving at the great Standing Stone, a monument to the centuries-old treaty between the humans and elves of the Dalelands known as the Dales Compact, the party found itself passing through the Vale of Lost Voices, a region of Cormanthor said to be haunted by ancient elven ghosts. Such tales proved their warrant, and within the Vale, the contingent battled fierce goblins and found itself at the whims of spirits of those long removed.
The companions rode throughout the night to clear the haunted Vale, and the ensuing ride saw one of their caravans damaged by a thick, dead vine laid out across the road. The incident recalled warnings from Essembra that dangerous "creeper vines" had been waylaying travelers on the road through Cormanthor, and the party continued on with the utmost caution. Soon after, the contingent found itself battling living vines along the road that caused further breakage to its wagons before the companions finally prevailed.
Two days out from Essembra, weary from their journey and their encounters along the road, the travelers were met one eve by a trio of riders who named themselves soldiers of the Red Plumes of Hillsfar. The Plumes declared the road to be closed due to perils such as the deadly creepers, and led the contingent back to their camp, a short ways into the woods, to await an official escort back to the city. The Red Plume camp housed over two dozen strongswords, along with their captain, Wrenegal Larson, and his wizard-adviser, Nemmish.
The contingent remained among the Plumes until the following night, when the camp was inexplicably assailed by an unyielding tribe of wild elves. Despite its efforts to retaliate with spells and blades, the camp was defeated, and nearly all the Red Plumes were slain. One soldier, a young, blond-haired man named Penrith, was spared, incidentally, by the fact that he'd been keeping watch with Soltrius's contingent at the hour of the attack. The wild elves, who named themselves the Sy'Tel'Quessir, led Penrith and the companions further into the forest, where they explained that the Plumes had knowingly breached the Dales Compact, and sought to overtake elven lands protected by the ancient treaty. Among the Sy'Tel'Quessir was a young elf maiden named Ellisendria, Markel's godmother from the days of his youth in the Tangled Trees.
Thanks to Ellisendria, the otherwise inimical wild elves allowed the contignent to continue its journey north, and accompanied the companions back to the road. Before they reached it, however, the friends found that one of their three caravans had been stolen during the night while it lay unguarded in the grounds of the defeated camp. Ultimately, the friends decided that Antinko, Penrith, and two others would return to Essembra, both for Penrith's safety in the wake of an impending conflict between Hillsfar and Cormanthor, and to warn Essembra of what the party had learned.
Shortly thereafter, the remaining members of the contingent arrived at Hillsfar's south gates, bearing a single one of its original three trade caravans.
0 adventurers hailed: