From the time he is banished back to his home plane, to the time he encounters Lord Gilead on the banks of a river, life is very challenging for Lord Ash. He drops the Lord title, for one, feeling now far removed from the demi-monde he once ruled over but which no longer exists. He drops too some of his old values and views, having been changed by the training he received from the dark elf Cyana. Lastly, he drops any pretenses he might have once had about noble sacrifice, having since realized that by becoming a living Lantern of Light, his survival has become a matter of broader interest than just his own.
This last point is reinforced by Lord Gilead, who is also a living Lantern of Light, and, he believes, the reason why this world has been invaded by Queen Vlaakith.
But it takes much time before Ash is able to get Lord Gilead to speak truth to him. While they are on the banks of the river, before being rescued by the Sea Ghost, it proves in fact to be an impossible task to get Lord Gilead to admit to any knowledge of any kind on any subject whatsoever. But when the astral ship – the Sea Ghost – appears upon the river as though out of nowhere, with a mismatched crew of worldly travelers, and spirits them away to safety just as Queen Vlaakith’s forces descend… well, Lord Gilead begins to have faith.
The reality is that Lord Gilead has been mercilessly pursued by Queen Vlaakith’s forces and assassins ever since her troops first began to march out of the Hool Marshes. Since then he has been chased out of his castle, through miles and miles of countryside, through fields and valleys, through caverns and towns, chased by dogs…
“I feel like Alandra de Winter must have felt when I first met her,” Lord Gilead sighs. “I was dying from poison I had received in a bar fight… She cured me.” He sighs again.
“I have heard the tale,” Ash responds, knowing he has for sure not heard all of it.
Lord Gilead nods. “I met Morgan for the first time that night too,” he frowns.
Ash decides not to volunteer that he has also met Morgan; had dinner with Alandra and his daughter Kayleigh too at ThunderRock.
The silence oppresses Lord Gilead and he begins to speak more. “I don’t know why she saved me. Other than, I suppose, she saved everyone, all the time, everywhere she went.”
It is immediately clear to Ash that Lord Gilead loves Alandra de Winter and has for a very long time.
“I was nothing special then. Not a Lord, that’s for sure. A rapscallion, more like.”
“But she saved me. She told me I was a good man.” His eyes well up.
“And since then I have been, more or less, a good man. A much better one than I would have ever thought before that night.”
“I felt like I owed her. I owed her my life and she told me what to do with it.”
Another long silence hangs and by now Ash recognizes the power of it against this man.
“We parted company so quickly. She was being chased then, as always.” He waves a hand at Ash. “I was about to say you wouldn’t understand but I’ve decided not to because I think you actually do.”
“It sucks. It’s exhausting.”
“Morgan spirited her away and hid her underground. They spent many months in the Underdark…”
Lord Gilead swallows hard.
“When I saw her again, she was pregnant.” This time he gives Ash a look that does mean, ‘you wouldn’t understand’.
“And she knew bad things were coming. She always knew what was about to happen next.”
“So she took the light from a lantern she had used in the Underdark and literally gave it to me to carry and hold for her. Just the light. Not the lantern. Just the light! Just like that. Like giving me a jar of preserves to someday return uneaten but with no friggen jar!”
He shakes his head. The whole thing is bizarre.
Another long silence. Lord Gilead is speaking more to himself at this point than anyone else.
“Then Meat Grinder Rock happened.”
He stares off blankly.
“Morgan is the most terrible being you will ever meet.”
His hands shake.
“It changed her. After Meat Grinder Rock, she was different.”
Lord Gilead is crying openly now.
“She did it to protect the baby.”
“She knew it would change her and she did it anyway.”
Ash suddenly remembers Benedict telling him that Alandra de Winter died at Meat Grinder Rock, and that he should make no mistake about that.
“But I keep the faith. That baby of hers has turned into one fine lady.”
“I can’t see the future, and I don’t want to lay an unfair burden at her feet, but I honestly believe that Alandra de Winter’s child will be what saves us all.”
[I encourage everyone to read Ash’s story post again before our next game. Lots of important nuggets in there for understanding the new, darker Ash, and the companions who now travel with him]
Game Story, Logs and Maps from our Quests