50: Return to Ald Velothi

It has been months since my first visit to Ald Velothi. My new boots certainly made this trip easier. Ald Velothi is remote, best reached by foot from Gnissis. The maze of trails flashed underfoot. Even the cliff racers, always belligerent, allowed me to speed past uninterrupted; too fast to be preyed upon. I could have run all the way from Ald-ruhn I think.

I was, in fact, considering making the trek on foot, but a compelling argument landed in my hands before I got out of the guild hall. Edwinna handed me a bulky packet; reports from all five guild halls. Taking the silt strider to Gnissis gave me a start on wading through them.

Just south of Ald Velothi itself I recognized the yurt of Abassel Asserbassalit, the self styled Ashkahn of the local Ashlanders. I slowed to a walk and entered the camp.

"Arvil Bren!" Abassel boomed as I ducked through the heavy flap into the shadowy interior of the tent. "Welcome back to my hearth."

"Abassel! I trust your people have not been preying on the soft house dwellers."

"No, no," he laughed. "They are not so soft really; clever traders."

"Your people are fed though?"

"Yes, and we still have gold. We hunt, and the house people trade for hides and plumes even from blighted beasts that we could not use for meat."

"Excellent," I said. "I am glad that there is peace among the people here in this small corner of the world, and that the blight is being pushed back, but the time is at hand to take that battle to its source."

"Source? Red Mountain?"

"Yes, Red Mountain," I said.

"You should tell that to Sul-Matuul. We are Urshilaku, but we have left the clan camp. The Cult of the Nerevarine leads the clan. They wait, we take care of ourselves. Tell him that it is time to attack Red Mountain, maybe he will call you Nerevarine." He laughed.

I raised the ring, Moon and Star. "He already has, as has Azura."

His red eyes flew wide. "Nerevar?" His voice had dropped to a shocked whisper. "You are the Nerevarine?"

"Yes."

"When you said the time is at hand...you are leading an attack on Red Mountain?"

"Not yet. Perhaps not at all. I may face Dagoth Ur alone. It is time though to gather the clans. Sul-Matuul will need your swords, and what you have learned about living in peace with the house people."

"As you wish. We will rejoin our clan." His eyes never left the ring.

I was also warmly welcomed at the outpost itself. I congratulated the Redoran hetman, Theldyn Virith, for having kept the peace with the Ashlanders. I also let him know that Abassel would be leading his people back to the east. "They are rejoining their clan. You will have even more Ashlanders to trade with."

"We will be fair, and happy to trade. Keeping the peace has not been too hard...and we are grateful to you for making it in the first place."

He was also grateful for the potion I delivered, and glad that I had joined House Redoran. He is drafting a report to Miner Arobar, Lord of the North Gash, detailing the situation with the Ashlanders. I will pick it up tomorrow to take it back to Ald-ruhn.

I considered taking his offered hospitality and staying at the outpost, but there was enough daylight left to return to Gnissis. The Madach Tradehouse is far more comfortable, and gives me the privacy to continue the seemingly endless task of managing the guild.