Farewell for a Friend

Issachar heard people outside saying the Kelpie had arrived.   Guess I'll head down to the dock and see what kind of riff raff they sent to join the riff raff that's already here.   His wry smile would have shown anyone listening to his thoughts that he included himself in the "riff raff" on the island.  He closed the door behind him as he left.   I don't think Zordlon would steal from me, but it's better to be safe, I s'pose.   It was while he was walking down the street that he heard it.  Lyon's deep voice booming from the watchtower, "By the Dawnflower!  What has happened to these two?"   He turned to see what could cause the normally phlegmatic Paladin to openly display distress.  Pezzack came running by.   "Where is Prytania?  Agela?  They need help, now!"   Issachar had never seen the birdman so upset.   Who is it, Pezz?  I think Prytania is still in the field with Harold and Zordlon.  And Agela is at her shop.   Pezzack seemed to hear, since he turned and ran towards Agela's.   I better get over there and help whoever it is,  Issachar thought, as he broke into a run.

This is way too many stairs.  Why did I try to run to the top of the watchtower?   Issachar pushed through the hatch, sweat running down his face.  Lyon was staring down at two mangled bodies, a look of horror on his face.  Prytania, Ren, and Zordlon just kind of... appeared.  They must have used the Honing Stone.  Prytania was crying, almost in hysterics.  Ren and Zordlon were both pale as ghosts.   What has happened here?  Where are Viggo and Harol...  Issachar looked down at the bodies.   Harold?   Not Harold!?   Prytania, you have to heal him!  Why are you just standing there?  YOU HAVE TO HEAL HIM!!  HEAL HIM!!   Issachar roared in disbelief and grief!   Heal him, please...

"He's.......gone......" At this Zordlon throws a glance at Prytania knowing she used a spell which may have ended him. Though he was dead anyway. "There wasn't anything we could do....."

      It worked. The honing stones were quite interesting, but Ren wasn't really concerned about that at the moment. Before using the stone Ren had already examined Harold and was 99% sure he was dead and beyond saving, magic or medical. However Ren took his pulse one more time... before standing back up. Guess I didn't really know him.      Ren had been right next to him as Harold and Rusty were hit the the dinosaur, instantly crushing them. If you hadn't been there I probably would have been hit, thanks. Ren waved his hand. Though I'm sure you would have preferred not to be lying here right now... There was a lot of noise nearby, Pezzack was trying to get help and Issachar had shown up. Ren also thought he heard Agela. If it had just been a little longer. I'm not there yet, I need to study a bit more and maybe ... "What a shame."      

Issachar ran up the stairs and freaked out at the scene: Ren and Zordlon looked defeated. Prytania was leaning on Rusty, cursing and crying (" I could had saved you, Rusty, You were close... So close to his light... "). At their feet, Harold and Rusty lied dead in the ground. Now that they were dry, everyone could see the magnitude of their wounds... They were terrifying.  "Prytania, you have to heal him! Why are you just standing there? YOU HAVE TO HEAL HIM!! HEAL HIM!!" ... "Heal him, please..." - Prytania raised her head, wiping her tears. " I'm sorry Issachar, there was nothing we could do. The dinosaur was too much..." - She then got up and approached Issachar, placing a hand in his shoulder - " If it serves you, he died in peace. His last thoughts were for someone called Maegan, he was going to her... " - She sighed - " Now if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare the funeral. I'm sure you'll come up with a great speech "

Wait priestess.  He was killed by a dinosaur?  You will share the location with me, after we have laid Harold to rest.  And you do not need to prepare a funeral.  Harold made his wishes known to me while we explored together.  We made a pact to lay the other to rest under a certain tree by the lake, if one of us should survive the other.  Prepare the body, I will pay.  But I will honor our agreement and bury him where he wanted to rest.   With this, Issachar gathered Harold's body and began to walk back down the stairs.   I will meet you at your temple so you can prepare him.

"I wish i could join him but.... I know I'd just be in the way. They were much better armored and much stronger than me and they were swatted like flies." Zordlon usually doesn't give to much to go on about his emotions but, the deaths clearly hit hard.

Prytania asked her team for help to carry the corpses to her room. They borrowed a cart, covered them with blankets, and headed to her house.  Issachar was already waiting there. She knocked at her door and turned to Issachar - " I'll go with you and give him a proper burial, that's the least I can do. I'll magically preserve him every day and won't charge you anything if we get to explore around the lake a bit " - Gabriel opened the door, and Prytania hinted with her head towards the cart - " Uh... You probably don't want to see this, but think about it and come in two hours or so and we'll talk again. Time is a big issue in these cases " - And just as she remembered - " Oh, could you bring me his favourite clothes? We cannot bury him with these " - She said, looking at Rusty's corpse as she unloaded it with Gabriel's help. When she had finished, Prytania made Issachar come in. A strong perfume flowed from the store as he entered, then he saw Harold on the ground, lying on top of a blanket that also served to preserve his decency... He almost looked alive:  His chest filled with straw until it regained its form, a relaxed expression on his face and his skin didn't lose too much color either... A good job you might say. " Well, here you have him, now we just have to bury Rusty and we'll be on our way " (OOC Managed to do a Masterwork job on Harold! - Profession check: 22; Rusty's corpse was too mangled to fix easily - Profession check: 16)

...after Issachar has left. An eagle lands near by and transforms into Old man. " young lady, do not bury Viggo just yet. I may be able to pull a few strings and .... requisition a scroll of reincarnate. I have heard one has arrive on the ship" "I'm not sure on your personal beliefs, but Pharasma is known to not mind slight delays to her judgement". 

Zordlon having come to the ceremonly steps back seeing the man appear but looks.... hopeful? At the thought of rusty or harold potentially coming back.

Prytania recieved the visit of the man named... Well, Rusty called him Old man. He worked with him at the barracks, and it seemed to be a shapeshifter or druid of some kind. In his winged form, he brought her the good news - (" A reincarnate spell... Is he serious? No way someone is that lucky... Is it possible... No way... ") -Prytania was lost in her thougths for a while, too shocked to react - " Can you actually do that?"  - After his confirmation, she jumped on him, almost in tears, hugging the old man, just short to the point of tripping him. " Oh gods thank you, thank you!"  - She said before recomposing herself- " I'll have to prepare his body either way, he will have a funeral, he has to have one! "-(" And then a rebirth, and then... ") - No, no way... Even with the luck, the facets... There is only one way of knowing... And she'll have to wait for the funeral.

Zordlon goes up to Prytania and pats her shoukder "Is... is something like that possible I'm not much of a magics man. But if it is then.... well... maybe this won't be so bad after all. Something like that would surely raise town spirits." as he says this Zordlon seems relived that one of them may yet get to live

"It is a sad day to lose Harold. For him I can do nothing. Margot thinks he has already been judged and she has a knack for knowing this. He deserves the best funeral we can provide for his heroic actions" That young boy Tharel, the one with the bear, will be devastated. Perhaps someone with tact could stop by for him and his family."

Clearly caught off guard with the old man's request, Prytania doubted a bit - " I... don't really know who Tharel is, I'll see what can I do after I finish the job... Was he close to Harold? " "Is... is something like that possible I'm not much of a magics man" - Zordlon then asked - " Yes, it is quite possible. Yet, it is almost a miracle that a scroll is coming this way " - Prytania scratched her hair a bit, time was running, so she added: " I... Have to get in and treat the bodies before they start decomposing. Could you check on that Thare- (" Did you seriously send ZORDLON to speak with the kid? ") - It was too late... Oh well, she will have to go check him later...  You are quite perceptive, could you do me a favor and find me a rose while you're at it? " - She thanked him with a smile, before going back inside to work on the bodies - (" At least  I'll be able to confirm or dismiss my theory ")

Kellen, finished packing his bags, stepped out into the street and was startled to see a crowd gathered at the graveyard. Being the curious person he was, he couldn't possibly head out of town before checking on this rare occurence.

Issachar was pleased with the work Prytania had done on Harold.   He looks almost like he's going to get up from there, clap me on the back, and laugh at the great joke he pulled on us all.   it was still hard to communicate such things to her, though.   Thanks for what you did here, 'Tania.  I'll load him in the wagon.   It was a two day trek to the lake, if they didn't run into trouble.   And I relied on you to keep me out of trouble a lot of times already, Harold...   Eilife was driving the wagon with Kellen sitting on the seat beside her.  Kizzak helped move Harold to the bed of the wagon, weighing down the shroud with the digging tools.   Maybe we'll get a stone worker here soon, and I can build him a monument.  Maybe a statue of him and Flint pointing up to the heavens.  You think Harold woulda liked that, 'Tania?   Issachar looked around for Zordlon, but didn't see him.   I expected that pointy eared sneak-thief to be here, but I guess he's got other things on his mind.   Mount up, Kizz and follow the wagon.  I'll scout up front and keep us out of trouble.  Much obliged again, 'Tania.  He nodded, then took off at a trot, the wagon following.

Zordlon spends a few... um.... hours.... trying to figure out where this "Tharel" is before finally figuring it out and arriving at there house (No seriously who is tharel?)

((OOC:   Lost Boys Mission Tharel was one of the boys that we "rescued" from a bear. ))

(" This guy has a serious issue listening to people... ") - She thought as the cart started moving. " Wait up, I haven't finished yet! " Prytania managed to jump into the cart and gave him a last blessing. " There, he should last a few days in perfect state " - She then jumped down again and said: " I'm sure it'll be a beautiful funeral. Take care! "  (OOC: Prytania casts Gentle repose on Harold's body. It will last 3 days) After they left, she started to prepare Rusty's funeral. The next day, all his friends and acquaintances were at the graveyard, it was a beautifull mass. His body levitated a few inches on one of the air beds, transported there by the Old man (It seems it may help with he reincarnation) - Some nice last words were spoken. Prytania couldn't help but to shed a tear in her goodbye: " Viggo, you came to this land searching for a name for yourself, well I have one for you: At least to me, you will always be my friend. If it is Pharasma's will, You will soon walk again, if not, may you forever rest in peace. You will always live in our hearts " (OOC: And thus, it ends one of the burials. For Rusty's story, you can check  THIS link. Harold's burial will continue on this thread. Feel free to leave your last words!)

Arriving at the lake at sundown, Issachar sets up camp quickly.  Leaving Kellen and Eliife to handle the last chores, he walks down to the waters edge, looking for the tree Harold had pointed out.  " Right there Issachar.  Right there under that big ol' willow is where they will bury me someday.  I'll be able to see the sunset over the water for all eternity."   Issachar found the perfect spot, with an unobstructed view over the water to the west.   I bet you wasn't expecting it to be so soon, huh?  Well, I'll do what you asked, though it pains me to say good bye.  You were my first friend.   Marking the spot, Issachar headed back to camp, planning to dig tomorrow and hold the service right at sunset.  Harold would like that...

Zordlon knocks on the door to try and get this Tharel to come out so he can talk to him (I happen to have a +7 on diplomacy)

Early the next morning, Issachar gathers the tools and begins digging.  Kizzak offers to do it magically, but doing the work by hand just feels right.  After the hole is dug, and a large, smooth stone found for a temporary marker, Issachar takes a quick swim in the lake to prepare for the funeral.   Almost feels like being washed clean from his death.  I'll miss you, my friend, but there is a whole world left to explore.

As sunset approaches, Issachar and Kizzack carefully carry the body down to the lake side.  Kellen and Eliife follow with torches.  Laying Harold in the grave, Issachar stands up and speaks in a low voice.   Harold.  My first friend in this new world.  My travel companion.  I learned much from you about how to handle this wilderness, how to laugh and how to mourn the loss to the world of those we are forced to kill.  Thank you for being a friend and a mentor.  May the sheltering wings of Apsu guide you to your final rest. With the last word, Kizzak began shoveling dirt onto Harold.  A low, keening growl is heard from a copse of trees to the east as Flint gives voice to his own grief.  At last, the stone is rolled onto the grave and the party packs up to begin the trek back to the outpost. If they thought to look back, they saw a dark, cat-like shape laying on the mound of new-turned earth...

Alone at sunset Viggo stands before the grave. "Sorry I failed you. You will see us from beyond creating a brave new world in harmony with the seasons. I will protect the balence and defend the weak". "You will see"...