The huge warrior in white-dragon scale armor finished cutting down the giant beast. Sinking his ancestral blade, the icy Snowfang, deep into the primordial's mushy flesh, Chief Udoros (though the ability of his magical helm) felt the creature's soul attempt to depart and knew it was dead. As was his practice, Udoros quickly chopped off its head and its hands (and put them in his magical head-and-hands bag) so that if some necromancer brought the body back it would be minimally dangerous. The big shifter felt accomplished. In recent months he had honed his skill in battle so much that he could essentially kill beings that were once as powerful as the supposed 'gods' in mere seconds. Witnessing Poer lock the primordial, Piranoth, into some magical prison, and then Kun spending just a moment to assemble some permanent divine prison-device, disabused Udoros of the fleeting notion that his own power was exemplary or unique. His friends and he were something strange in their world now, something awe-inspiring.
As Kun finished constructing the divine engine prison and began the exit portal ritual, Udoros thought about finally going home to Gardmore. He wanted time away from adventuring. He wanted time with his lady, the lovely Zarel. His wooing of the beautiful woman had been brief but intense, and he knew they were special to each other. They respected each other. Udoros respected other women, such as his lieutenant Sasha, but that was the respect of a fellow soldier. He respected abilities and courage; but he had never known a mate, a lover, like Zarel before.
After leaving the Winterbole and becoming a wilderness guide, Udoros lived for most of his life alone in the wilds. His friends were wolves and birds, and he never felt lonely, though he did not see other people for months at a time. Now, years later, he was Lord Protector of a city and the Western Claw, a figure of prophetic salvation to thousands of shifters. Zarel had spent weeks teaching Udoros diplomacy skills and habits, and now he was more refined in speech and behavior than any of the other Lords of Gardmore. This was fitting, since Udoros' function in Gardmore's leadership was as a mediator and ambassador to other cities and settlements. In the past, Udoros had resolved disputes among the other Lords (sometimes Crixus the town judge and Heskan the police head feuded) and had imposed peace with other settlements by simply standing ominously and glaring a silent peacekeeping threat (his skill in combat being undisputed and unmatched). However, Udoros was achieving a new understanding of the importance of leadership and the social framework (and friendship) with his new knowledge of diplomacy and resolving conflicts through shared goals and discussion. He felt that he was becoming a new person, a better person. And he had Zarel to thank for it.
As soon as Kun finished creating the portal out of Piranoth's elemental hole, Udoros decided what he wanted to do now. He saw his life open up before his eyes, and he knew he had a plan. Securing the faded city of Argent and the new divine engine, Udoros and the party returned to Gardmore. He immediately left his friends and went to his woman. Zarel was waiting. As soon as he stopped hugging her tightly in greeting, the shifter formally proposed marriage according to the customs of his tribe. Udoros offered Zarel his huge blade, hilt first, aimed at his own heart, and bowed his head silently. Zarel understood, and accepted joyfully. They laughed and embraced and shared thoughts and plans long into the night.
At the Gardmore Council Meeting the next day, Jeddin finally explained to the Lords what he had been up to lately. Udoros mostly understood - apparently Jeddin was up to some sort of weird experiments in his tower, which was now dangerous to enter. He seemed to be the same old Jeddin, and Udoros trusted him but didn't care to learn about the dark magics he was exploring. Poer shared some information about Erban of Winterhaven creating some alliance, the Nentir Coalition, with the Saruun Mages of Thunderspire and some bandits in Raven Roost. Apparently Erban had even gone to old Lord Markelhay of Fallcrest with his offer of alliance. Erban knew that Markelhay was Udoros, Kun, and Jeddin's old friend and would never join their enemy. That could only mean that Erban had also gone to the leadership of every other town in the Vale. That bastard needed to be put down, sooner or later.
Udoros stood and shared his plans with his friends. The next three days would be his wedding feast and celebration - he and Zarel were getting married. After that, they'd travel far to the south with a small party to accost the mages of the Iron Circle and free the enslaved shifter tribes Beasthide, Swiftwing, and Cliffwalk. The Iron Circle had enslaved these thousands of shifters many years before, and Udoros was their only hope. He was powerful enough now, he thought, but he was still taking Zarel, his lieutenant Sasha, and the mages Rubor and Talen. It would be a journey of months, at least, but he felt confident. They would travel in the magical floating tower that the lords of Mithrendain had gifted the party. The tower moved somewhat slowly, but travel would be safe, high above the clouds.
Cyrus, the man who'd just joined their last adventure in time to help fight the most difficult battle of their lives against the primordial Piranoth itself, stood and spoke at the meeting last. Cyrus had come from some pirate city far to the southeast, and wanted the Lords to accompany him back there and help overthrow the local lords. It seemed this city, Scuttlecove, was a blight to the safety of its region, the Midnight Sea, and Cyrus led some organization that was trying to take over to better the city. Udoros listened with keen interest about the southlands, as he himself would soon be traveling over them and then back through them with his shifter cousins. From Cyrus and Poer, he learned of Moonstair, Nera, Sasserine, and Rethmil, places he would visit the further south he went. Most of the area south of the Vale was either mountain-covered or a vast dangerous jungle, so the return journey would be difficult and time consuming. The other Lords of Gardmore agreed to help Cyrus and travel to Scuttlecove, so their course was decided.
The next three days were feasting and celebration. Udoros and Zarel were joined in matrimony by Elder Sangir of the Snowfang, and the whole town was in attendance. Udoros spent a heap of gold on the affair, sharing his treasure with his people and friends and sharing more than a little libations. Zarel and he had their chests pierced and blood drawn, as part of the ancient ritual. Then Sangir mixed their blood in the waters of the River Nentir, and they each drank of the combined mixture.
The ritual and joining complete, they enjoyed the party and made preparations for the journey. Ajani Swiftstripe would speak for Udoros while he was gone, and Lord Criswell would assist in running the town. After a week of festivities and then preparation, the southward bound rescue party entered magical floating tower and headed off south to Rethmil. With Kun, Dorrin, Quinn, and Poer all leaving Gardmore at the same time, Udoros spared a moment to worry about his home and his people. He'd wanted to spend more time at home, instead he had only further diminished it of protections by taking great warriors with him. Well, the town's magical protections would surely keep it safe in their absence. Udoros turned south and focused on the journey before him.
