Ballad of the Pigeon God #73: Whatever Happened to the Pigeon God of Tomorrow?

The Battle of Apotheosis, as sages who weren't there would call it, cut a scar across the landscape of eastern Crosedes, as well as upsetting the political landscape of the continent for generations to come.

First there were the funerals for MacKay, Beourn, Markuus, Velandro, and even Mellandria, Talis, and Ozark.  

Emperor Rurik IV was very generous to the adventurers he and his group considered friendly foes just weeks before.  

Of course, there was an awards ceremony for all the survivors which took place at the end of the his coronation week.  Plaques, medals, and rewards beyond their comprehension were bestowed upon them.  

Some, like kobold priest Dag di Velandro, took his riches and built a permanent monastery dedicated to kobolds wishing to worship, Akana the God of Law and Order.  

Others, like Ashe and Binkley Winnebago, retreated back into the woods of Agenmoor and away from the horrors of mankind.  

Rolf and his new tribe of tattooed warrior-barbarians proved to be a thorn in the side of law and chaos, roaming throughout the land, correcting those who were wronging others, be it brigand or government official, and taking a substantial cut of the loot as their payment.  

Norm had gained a few minute alone with Rurik IV, and garnered the Imperial Duchy of Mercadia, a number of miles south of Eding.  He proved to be a far more effective Duke than mushroom farmer.

Thorrin could be seen tagging along with Norm, acting as the Duchal armorer.

The Chateau d'Echelon was rebuilt, stone by stone, by "Baron" Felix to the dreams of its former owners.  All of the heroes and their families were always offered a hot meal and a place to lay their head.  When he passed in 1090, Babette de Hydicnall purchased the grounds. Her sons, Yuri and Darius, and their families run estate.  There has been no change to the invitation.  

Zoe the housekeeper still works there, although her son Luke, was the only child to get bit by the wanderlust.  He became a trusted courier throughout the land, getting ensnared in numerous adventures, and rumored to have a certain special lady in every town.  His father Maloran, and Uncle Talis, would be proud.  

Even young Sigard, maimed by the battle, found a place within Eding,  he eschewed the warrior values of being a paladin of Akana and turned into a simple priest, responsible for constructing the first Temple of Akana in Eding in decades.  

But not everyone gets the happy ever after they deserve.   Echelon's mentor Mohammad, had been found in the ruins of the Chateau, completely catatonic.  Despite all the finest healers and magic, he would live his final eight years being moved by his friend Kane, between the second floor broom closet, and once a week to a large windowbox seat down the hall, to watch some of the adventuring family arrive for a communal dinner.  He never responded to anyone.    

Echelon's faithful wolf companion, Pathfinder, suffered a similar fate.  The battering he took during the apocalypse was permanent, both mentally and physically.  When Echelon moved into Maless Manor outside Omsjik, he took the pain-stricken wolf with him.   He would spend his days near the hearth in the great hall in the winter or in the observatory during the summer.  His psychic connection with Echelon grew stronger the more Pathfinder was in pain, reaching such a point, that the cleric needed to use Wave to put his poor friend out of his misery.   After the tragic loss of his companion, Echelon would disappear for months at a time, only to return for quick streaks of time, before going off in a different direction.

But I entice the noble reader to look further ahead into the future than this writing has already peaked at.  The party is back en force at the Chateau d'Echelon, celebrating a great feast. Most of the heroes are there, even Rolf and Ashe, along with a grown Baron Timmy and his wife and children, and their children as well.   At the head of the table is Echelon himself, much, much older, but still recognizable.  It is his last meal with his friend as his god as told him it's time to take up his duties as God of the Sea... and Pigeons. There is much rejoicing at the table from everyone. 

But as the camera pans out, it gets blurry, refocusing the vision to a dingy tavern in a village that's barely the size of their dot on the map. A group of small children are surrounding a scruffy middle-aged man telling a story. He reeked of alcohol and depression. A tall muscular man covered in furs, his face a mixture of age, scars and tattoos, walks into the tavern and towards the crowd.

"That's it for now, lads. When you can scrounge up a couple more coppers to quench Talis' thirst, I'll tell you about what happened after we went down the rapids from Silver Valley."

"But Talis, you already told us that story."

"yeah, i want to know how came back to life!"

"But I didn't die, I was rescued!"

"No, you weren't. you said you fell into the mud and the group left you for dead!"

"Enough now kids," barked the tall man, "get outta here"

The kids scattered, and the tall man slumped down in the chair besides Talis. Talis took one last swig of backwashed grog from his flagon, and asked, "Rolf, the farmers will be in here any moment, ya wanna go their homes and screw their wives again?"

Rolf was not amused, "Talis, you really want to spend the rest of your pitiful life screwing the fat old wives of farmers and making kids steal money to hear bullshit stories of things that we never did? They think we're actual heros, for Akana's sake! And here you are, deluding them with your imaginary tale."

Talis paused for a moment from staring blankly at the table and said, "Rolf, it is an imaginary tale, which may or may not be true. It's a story about a bunch of young guys who came to a small village to seek their fortune. By luck and by talent they made a name for themselves and had the chance to travel to exotic lands, met fantastic people, and became heroes because of it. They met the forces of evil head on, and despite all their gallantry, some of their friends fell. Not all of them made it to the happy ending, but they all tried to make in happen, dammit. They brought hope to the people, and just like them, these kids today need hope. We may have died inside years ago, but there's no way these kids need to know that. Of course it's an imaginary story.... aren't they all?"

*fade to black*