— Keira —

Once again Keir found herself explaining the events following her resurrection. Unlike before, she began with an outline of her past, beginning with her exact position on the royal family tree of the Steel Coast Archipelago. Followed by a quick few sentences each about her extensive service history and time spent as an adventurer. Once they’d gotten past her history and into more recent events, Alasdair and Antheia occasionally pitched in, but they mostly let her do all the talking.

Throughout the tale the king mostly sat in silence doing his best to maintain his impassive facade. It was obvious to Keir that the king was not especially practiced or particularly inclined towards the sort of political theater they were dealing with. Most people without a skill for detecting deception or considerable training wouldn’t have been able to see through his mask. Keir hadn’t cared for such lessons but her tutors had been both excellent and exacting so she could read him quite easily. It was clear he didn’t believe most of her story. He also didn’t seem to be ready to actually call her a liar either.

Keir was just in the middle of explaining the reason for her visit to the city when she was interrupted by the large double door swinging open. The hinges and counter weights were expertly crafted and well maintained but even so the doors must have weighed as much as a fully loaded cart and the horse pulling it combined. The heavy scrape of metal against metal drew attention but the scintillating lights it allowed to dance across the walls were what really made Keir turn and look.

A striking female dwarf in equally striking armor was casually striding into the throne room. The armor she wore was mostly mithril plate but there were large sections of inlaid crystals in a myriad of colors. In one hand she held a matching helm of mithril with clear crystal covering what the open faced mithril section didn’t. Much like the empty throne, her armor was adorned with the many symbols of Ammolithen. At her side was a masterwork and likely artifact grade war ax with a orichalcum handle and a violet and blue ombre crystal blade. On her back the edges of a large shield peeked out. The only part of the woman not covered by heavy armor was her head, and that alone drew almost as much attention as her gear. Her short helmet mussed hair was almost crystal like pale purple her face could be best described as regal. Her eyes held the intensity of a battle hardened warrior along with an unmistakable sparkle of humor.

Keir was not at all surprised when she walked directly up to the thrones and set her helm on a section of the crystal throne, clearly made for that purpose. She turned first towards Keir’s group and then to the king and said “So, These’re tha undead ye wanted ta know the origin of.” Despite her somewhat blunt words, amusement was clear in her voice.

The king let out a small sigh, perhaps in response to the way his queen’s tone undercut the serious atmosphere he’d been cultivating, and said “Yes, dear. They ‘ave told their tale but there’s nah ta be done without testing the truth a that tale.”

She nodded before turning back towards Keir and her group before addressing them for the first time “If yer truly divinely awoken this’ll show the truth a yer words.”

Keir nodded more to herself than to the royals and said “I think I speak for my companions as well when I say that we have nothing to hide. If a test is what’s required then please go ahead.”

It was clear to Keir the queen must be a rather high tier paladin as she gently pulled her ax free and offered a quick invocation to Ammolithen. Gentle light filled the room and tiny motes of crystal drifted through the air catching and refracting it as she finished the short chant.

Under the light of the spell divine influence and attention were clearly visible around the occupants of the throne room. Most of the guards showed only faint reactions, most likely it was simply the effect of any worship or oaths they made habitually. One of the guard’s armor took on a lighter hue and frost rimmed their armor forming a symbol of Arctithis, specifically their winter aspect.

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The man standing before the throne was clearly a relatively devout follower of Synteth judging from the spectral tabard draped across his breastplate with several simple symbols decorating it of both her honor and honesty aspects.

Alasdair and Antheia’s shadows deepened and twinkled with stars. It wasn’t the only effect however. Alasdair’s clothes took on a strange armor-like quality with a couple of symbols showing his loyalty to Karrielle. As for Antheia every enchantment across her gear glowed with power and the knowledge they contained seemed eager to make themselves known. Somehow within the glowing lines of magic were a handful of Syliantha’s main symbols.

Neither of her companions drew her attention as much as the royals and Marsaili. The already impressive weapons and armor Marsaili wore took on a truly mighty air. The signs of Karrielle’s favor were heavy around her. The ground was overlaid with a semitransparent constantly shifting blood soaked ground. At one moment it looked like churned bloody mud and the next it resembled bloodstained flagstones.

The air around the king's armor wavered with heat of the forge and most of the common symbols of Emtharm, the god of metal and smithing, glowed red across the metal of his armor. The metal of his throne constantly shifted its composition.

The queen showed a slightly more impressive indication of Ammolithen’s favor. Light glinting off of her polished armor and refracting along the symbols in the crystal section. The large crystal flakes in the air around her refracted complex fractal patterns of rainbow light.

Strangely, almost no one was looking at any of the impressive displays that drew Keir’s own attention, every pair of eyes was focused squarely on her.

Clearly noticing Keir’s confusion the queen pulled her shield from her back and its polished mithril and crystal surface made a decent mirror.

Keir was draped in a heavy cloak of night sky, every symbol of Mortis clear in the constellations that covered her. Waves of the sanguine sea washed across the ground at her feet. The only way Mortis’ attention and favor could have been more apparent was if she was actually standing behind Keir wrapping her in a hug. Perhaps even more shocking, albeit less noticeable, was the fist sized ruby like stone acting like a clasp on her cloak. Glowing dark red within was the start of a fractal symbol.

After maybe a minute the light faded and the signs of the divine along with it. With the effect ended, the queen deposited her ax and shield on the raised platform by her throne. WIth that done she looked at Keir with a smile and said “Aye, yer mightily blessed by the goddess a death alright. It’s good ta meet ya, name’s Ealasaid bu’ ya can call me Eala.”

With the most hard to believe part of their story confirmed things moved quickly. The ban on entry for Still-Leaf villagers was lifted and the first stages of a new trade deal were hammered out. A couple of the villagers who’d traveled in their group for that purpose would finalize the deal and sell the crops and Ancient Viper Matriarch materials.

Barely two hours later Marsaili was leading them to where the rest of their small convoy had been taken to wait. The large room was guarded and heavily reinforced but comfortably furnished. Clearly the other villagers hadn’t been exactly trusted but they also weren’t imprisoned.

Once they were assured they were allowed the same freedoms of any visitor to the city the group largely split up and went their own ways. Some went to acquire rooms at inns and taverns that were the most likely to accept undead patrons. Most of the rest left to start dealing with business out in the city proper and the rest were the ones who would be acting as diplomats within the castle.

As the rest of the villagers scattered Antheia turned towards Keir and said “when you get some time come find me. I’ll probably be in the temple academy of Syliantha. They should have records of most if not all of the contents of the other libraries and the ability to request texts from them.”

Keir gave a small smile and said “researching with you seems like a good use of the night. Thanks for the invite.”

After Antheia left Keir alone with Alasdair and Marsaili Keir approached the pair and said “If you're still willing to help out, would you mind suggesting a reliable blacksmith and a mechanic. As I’d mentioned, we need some help rebuilding a water wheel powered saw.”

Marsaili was clearly amused as she said “Aye lass, I’ll still help ya out with that. I know just the pair that would probably be willing ta visit yer village and help with rebuilding.”