Satirnus called off his own troops from the search for the escaped giant; the Taruthani did not.
As they travel along the road to the Nitarin Gate the group will hear a commotion off the right. Making their way through the trees they will come upon nine Taruthani surrounding Ergaboreth and two panthers. All three are wounded and bleeding, but still ready to fight.
The Korönians have clearly been trying to recapture the young giant – they have weighted nets, poles with loops of leather on the ends, drugged darts. It’s these last which have made Ergaboreth woozy and forced him to stand at bay with his back against an immense oak tree.
As the party comes on the scene the two archers in the group are preparing to fire at the panthers. One of them will be mortally wounded, no matter how fast the group acts. But the second cat can be saved.
Once the Korönians are dispatched (if allowed, they will retreat if four or more of their number goes down, or if thier captain, Tekan Korisol, is taken out), the giant and his surviving pet (they reminded him of the cats he kept at home – he named them Keftin and Jengar – and they were charmed by his inate affinity for animals) will need to be healed. Ergaboreth will agree to assist hsi new friends in moving the throne – he is still excited to see the good side of Umantari civilization, despite his recent travails.
The group can return to Lothkir, but given the time restaints they face, going to Elidar manor would be a better course to take. If they don’t come up with this on their own, Master Vetaris will suggest they meet there when Mariala contacts him.
Wherever they go Vetaris will be there to advise them. He will be concrned that the Hand didn’t tell him of the Onyx Throne right away, but will set that aside for the moment. He agrees that the political ramifications of letting Arushal know of the Throne would unneccessarily complicate things right now, and he gets a wicked grin when he hears of the plan to publicly return the Throne, which would remove at least some of Satirnus’ options regarding it. Vetaris has connections in the Republic, and he tells the group to leave that end of things to him – just get the Onyx Throne to Bremkin on time, and he will make sure Senatorial representives will be on hand to witness it.
Vulk’s family will reccommend they seek the use of the local stone mason’s wagon, as it can carry up to a ton of stone, if very slowly. Mason Gherat Vorksul will be agreeable, but will want to come along, with his sons to help him… until he learns of the destination. Then he will not only not wish to go, he’ll be reluctant to even rent out his wagon. In the end the Hand will have to pay twice its value (300 sp) to procure its use.
There are no Gates anywhere near Nirokilon, which was a big part of why the paranoid sociopath who built the place chose the site, above and beyond its great view of the stars. So they will have travel 30 km east to the Gate near Dor Kolvin (which risks discovery by Arushali authorities), or 40 km north, to a lesser known Gate that Master Vetaris knows of, near Benalon Manor, on the banks of the Pelon River. The road north is in better shape than the one east to Kolvin, though the route is longer.
Going in either direction, the group will encounter the new host body of the demon spider they had dispatched on their previous visit to the ruined city. It now possesses a male rokiriki (which Toran would know by the name of Yelgri). He will be surprised to see the creature so far from the mountains. The creature seems to still be learning how to use its new body, but it will recognize the group and attack in a frenzy of rage. Shouldn’t be too hard to kill, but might make an amusing interlude – after an attack or two, which will include flinging shit on one or more of the party, the giant will snatch the harpy from the sky and dash its brains out against the wagon.
Unfortunately, this will damage one of the wheels, necessitating a lengthy delay as the group tries to fix it. They of course will fix it eventually, make it to the Gate, and arrive in Bremkin, with a Republican escort – Satirnus left a squad guarding the Gate, in case the group actually returned. The ten men and their commander will be as surprised as their leader, on entering the town, to find a party of Senators and socialites from the capital had arrived that very morning. Word ahd reached the city that not only had the great general secured the reurn of Bremkin, but had discoverd the long lost Onyx Throne of the Delfari Empire. Such a magnifcent artifact of the glorious past of the Kildoran people deserved to be greeted with all the pomp and ceremony the Senate could produce on such short notice.
When the group meets with Satirnus, in company of five senators, including Aric Kenorda, his long-time foe in the Senate, the great man seems completely at ease and unworried. He makes a gracious speech about the glorious past of Kildora, and how it gratifies him to be able to return to her people such a rare and beautiful piece of that past. He hands over responsibility for the Throne to the senatorial party smoothly and without hesitation.
When, later in the evening, he is able to meet privately with some or all of the Hand, he will seem darkly angry for a moment, then break into his great laugh and congratualte them on a game well-played. He will admit to underestimating their resourcefulness, and wonder how they manged to pull of such a coup in such short time, while still recovering the Throne. He will point out that the existence of the Throne is the important thing, not necessarily who possesses it – at the moment.
Being, in truth, a man of his word, he will assure Erol that his family is quite safe from any reprisals. He will also see to it that the ealrier incidents, including Erol’s slavery, will be excised from the secular records, as promised. But what the Korönians might seek to pursue on their own, he couldn’t say, and if if asked about the removal of the collar around Erol’s neck, he’ll just laugh and say that that is between Erol and the Order of the Fist fo Tarutha.
The big surprise for Erol will be the presence of his father in the entourage of Sentor Kenorda. The father and son reconciliation will be overseen by the Senator, who will later, privately, take Erol aside and thank him for the aid he gave his son Eldok in the Savage Mountains in the month of Sarnia (two-plus months ago). He gives no indication that he is aware of the Star Council or the more subtle machinations that brought him here. Erol’s father, however, gives him the secret sign and the tingling of Erol’s ring reveals his father’s affiliation!