Our next day of travel was an interesting one but it started off far different that our last ones for on the morning I offered to prepare a delicacy for my Associates. I took it upon myself to gather each of their rations and along with my considerable culinary skill and magic turned the normal stale tasting rations into a wonderful delight for the palate. I know it was only a little thing but it was a start. After the night we had suffered through before what with the burial of the other Naiem I figured a better meal to start the day was the least that I could do.
We would travel the day and make camp while I began contemplating the strengths and weakness of the Associates and began to realize just how daunting the take that lay before us might very well become. Either way a great evil cloud had settled over the Associates and if the Harpers themselves had felt this group was worthy of a chance then who was I to argue. I knew that Donavan was a priest driven to redeem himself and make up for past transgressions. While Arrol who after succumbing completely to the Dark Side of Shar I could tell even before I noticed the holy symbol of Torm the True Deity of the Humans that had glowed on his chest was a man trying to find his way back to the light. I was a daily battle he waged and the night before had been willing to risk his own life. I could admire them both for could I really say that Caspian would have been able to long resist if the gift they had offered had been money for spells instead of power.
Well it is perhaps then fortunate that while Caspian had wished to buy items of magic for his personal use I had managed to persuade him to purchase items that might very well help insure the survival of all of the Associates. Of course that left me with the directionless Ranger Naiem who I could see was perhaps more lost than I for he lacked even the knowledge that I possessed to realize that the actions I had been taking were close to crossing a line. Bolora was a wild card but I hoped as I had seen the night before one whose intentions were good and while I knew she was a wild one I could fondly remember something she had said to Caspian one night while they drank. She had been very direct exactly the way I respect and revere. She had told him “Neither Beauty nor Vanity has bearing in the eye of the enemy.” Truer words I believe have never been spoken more clearly and I while I know not where or how the Associates ever gained her loyalty I am thankful that they and I have.
Krolis is perhaps to new to really gain any insight but if his inclinations to destroy that which he perceived as evil and the quickness with which he was prepared to do it. I knew he needed to be watched for while I am not bound by law I do follow a code one that even Caspian is thankfully bound by as well. It is really quite simple and is composed of four parts; Death before dishonor, Love conquers all, Beauty is life and of course Never forget a debt. For while I adhere to all four parts of the code Caspian holds strongly to the last three parts with I hope will enable us to keep the darkness that is always within us at bay. Now Krolis a follower and priest of Gond might very well prove to be as unpredictable as the wonders constructed by his followers.
Which left me with the skilled and deadly killer disguised as rogue user of poison and who I knew was like Caspian willing to accept money to maintain a point of view Invelous. Don’t get me wrong even the Elven Army has those skilled in a similar vein to Invelous trust me I served with a number of them. If I learned anything it was as Invelous had plainly stated before there had to be those willing to make the sacrifices for the greater good. There had to be those who lived on the fringe who while they might never be worthy of living with the righteous it was the job to prepared to and often even seek out those who would destroy their home. The darkness had tried a plan of deception and stealth but it was not match for the skills of Invelous the Survivor. My faith in him remained for he had risked his own life to once save Naiem when for a moment even my enemy Mister Thorn had been willing to place a dagger in his eye if he felt it would protect us. In truth I owe a debt to Invelous as well and I begin to understand just what the former native of Halruaa named Kal’Rath Alet’tar has seen in him.
I made dinner that evening and also informed the other to be aware that during second watch I would be an extra set of eyes prepared to give aid as well as show quarter as would be expected of one stood with the light. It was a start and a good beginning but I knew if the Associates were to ever become a unit we had a lot of work to do.
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