Bloodstone Fen

The White Mantle will know by now that I am with the Shining Blade.  They will know that I helped give them the Chosen, and they will assume now that I am hostile.  I don't expect a reception of Battle Isle Iced Tea and jars of honey where I see them next.  To be honest though, I know not what to make of these Shining Blade.  They are unorganized, but powerful.  They dress like exhiles and rebels but fight with the fervor of trained soldiers.  They speak of a princess, thrown aside by the takeover of the Mantle.  Salma is her name, she takes refuge in the Temple of Ages.  What makes me trust the Blade more, is that they have left me the decision.  They told me to find the bloodstone, then all my answers about the White Mantle will reveal themselves, and I fully intend to do so. 


Blade Scout Ryder awaits us in the deep thicket.  The Mantle have regained the Chosen and lead them to the bloodstone and we must beat them to it.   We find Saidra by some vine seed plants, and she explains to us the magic of the vine bridges.   I am to keep an eye out for these particular plants, because if we are to catch up to the Chosen we will need to use vine bridge short cuts.   We find two vine points, but no plants are in sight, so we delve deeper into the brush in search.  Atlast I find some plants, and I am forced to backtrack. 

I get lost on the way, and I find a large stump with ritual symbols carved in to it.  The plants surrounding shine bright with bioluminescence.   A Druid appears, spectral and in the face of Melandru himself.  He tells us we must awaken the Elder Druids, and we must not kill the jungle guardians.  This will be difficult with my renegade team of merry misfits.  Slowly we awake the Elder Druids.  I take command of my team, and it is quite difficult for they are in battle rage and wish to slay all hostiles, but I have done it.  The Elder Druid is awoken, and he gives me reward.  The jungle guardians are no longer hostile, and with the blessings we continue after the White Mantle.

So many bridges, so few hands to hold vine seeds.  Finally we find Blade Scout Ryder, but he is of no help.  He was to take us to the bloodstone but his team was destroyed by the White Mantle, and he refuses to go back.  He tells us where to go, and returns to the vines in shame.

 Further in I spy an island we can traverse, and in the center is a beautiful fountain.  The healing waters dripping down the leaves.  We take a drink and heal our weariness and forge on.  The White Mantle await us at the other side.  They are hostile, and we are forced to cut through them on our way to the bloodstone. 

 I feel a dark power eminating in the air, we must be near.   Sure enough we arrive just in time.  Just in time to see Justiciar Hablion slit the throats of all the Chosen.  He sees us.  If I thought he had known we were with the Shining Blade I would have been proven wrong.  He thought we had been killed by them, and he also seemed quite uncaring about it.  I swear death upon him.  We charge him, the sounds of metal on metal course through the jungle, and sparks fly from where our weaponry meets. It is I who emerges victorious, when I stab my blade through his heart, the heart he left unprotected in his moment of conceit.  I curse his corpse, and we go to Quarrel Falls.  Time for rest.