Sai Returns

Dan was feeling like playing Sai again, so...well, here is Sai

Sai is in the cold woods. His clothes are tattered and rotted away.

The barking of dogs come from the distance.

Night is falling.

This is Chard's town.

Sai overhears some hunters saying they had no luck. Apparently they lost their quarry near the river.

Sai goes into Chard's house, and finds some food and clothing, as well as a half written letter. It reads, "My friends, the resurrection of your friend was successful, however he managed to escape." Sai replaces the letter with a note saying "Better luck next time".

Sai then leaves, stealing a horse and riding through the night.

We make camp, and before long we hear hoofbeats. It's Sai.

We're surprised to see him alive, and he tells us what has happened.

Dhell detects a trace of necromancy about Sai, and it's not simple magic, probably a True Ressurection.

We hear the sound of hounds. Sai is being perused. We prepare an ambush.

Two burly men burst into the clearing with a pack of six hounds and something large and monstrous dragging a sled.

Green chili of the soul

The hounds charge us, and Ravosh's summon spirit guardians destroy them. The formorion abandons its sled. On its arm is barbed wire, and I slash at it with my sword, and blood splurts out. Dhell uses suggestion on it, telling it to destroy its former master. It runs off into the forest.

The hunters refuse to surrender, saying they cannot return to their boss empty hands.

I shout "then you shall go back with no hands" and I cut both the hands off of one of them.

Dhell subdues the other hunter using Command, once again showing that true will is an illusion.

Dhell identifies the barbed wire. It's enchanted with a necromantic spell of high level. It restores and twists the creature to be more formorianesque (it was probably a giant before), and it will follow the commands of its master. Most likely suggestion would not have worked if the barbed wire had still been wrapped around its arm.

The hunter is questioned, and Sai was payment for Lord Croft's body. Sai's mother was making a trade of Lord Croft's body for Sai being resurrected. Chard is just the middleman.

We return to Barron's Croft, and are greeted with news of Solace's murder by the Steward. The town is in turmoil. Speculation is rampant as to who is behind the attack, with thought that it might be Shylocke.

There is a will as well. My name is at the top.

I'm not sure if this is for me, so I ride to Altaire. He counsels me to follow my heart. I admit we need a strong leader, but I don't think it is me. He doesn't want it either.