Sapphire:Sessions:20060114
[January 14, 2006]
Long Days 23, early morning. Jinto and Talina have just raised the platform, and then fallen unconscious. Aliana administers a healing potion to Jinto (who had used part of his own essence to power the spell), and Chalker asks Josh to wake up Talina. Runis observes that the platform is slightly elevated, and from outside looks like it’s covered with rubble. When Jinto and Talina recover, they walk up the low ramp onto the platform, a high-mana area where they can recover their strength more quickly.
Rory notices high in the sky, about 300 feet overhead, a lone crow circling the area. No other birds are visible. Rory approaches Jinto and Aliana and asks whether the crow is magical. Peering upward, Aliana can see that the bird is wearing something silvery on its breast. “I think it’s wearing a magic amulet,” she says. Overhearing this, Chalker reaches out with his power, gets hold of the amulet, and gradually pulls the struggling crow downward. Near the end the bird tries to dash itself onto the ground. Aliana reaches out and grasps the bird. She feels the crow expanding in her grasp and the silver amulet heating up. She flips the bird [ha, ha] in such a way that the amulet flies off its neck. She gets a glimpse of runic markings on the amulet. The amulet glows red, then explodes. The bird goes limp, but its heart is beating rapidly. Aliana sets the unconscious crow down next to the platform, and group of street urchins quickly scoop it up and run away.
“Well, now the bales are sending in their airborne reconnaissance,” Aliana says. “They put some kind of magic amulet on that crow, and it was designed to explode.” Talina: “I wish I could have seen it. Perhaps one of these [the three master mages whose memories she now contains] would have known something about it.” Aliana: “Ask.” Chalker: “I think that’s why they destroyed it.” Aliana: “I thought at first it was just a spy.” Talina: “It probably was.” Chalker: “But Jinto fooled ‘em.” Jinto gives him a look. Aliana: “Jinto pulled it right out of the sky!” Runis: “Without even making any gesture or sound or anything!”
Talina and Jinto are rapidly recovering. Runis walks up onto the platform. In Chalker’s vision, they are all glowing (except for Josh). The Diamond is extremely bright. Chalker can even see a vestige of the dancing lights over Rory’s head. He can tell that Talina, Jinto, and Aliana share a particular type of glow. Aliana: “What are you looking at?” Chalker: “You. You’re glowing.”
Runis sends a street kid away to fetch food and drink for Talina. Talina reports that she and Jinto should be fully recovered in another twenty minutes. Chalker: “Then we can discuss your army.” Aliana: “Yes, we can have you try to communicate with Geriana’s old friend.” Talina: “Yes… that should be interesting.” Runis: “Only if he comes to visit.” Chalker: “The thing I can’t figure is, all this disruption in this part of the kingdom, and the Big Bad has not returned, as far as we know.” Aliana: “It’s really only been a day.” Talina: “It depends on what he’s doing, also.” Chalker: “What do you think he’s doing?” Talina: “I don’t know.” Aliana: “Assuming that his intelligence is accurate, which it may or may not be, he may be gathering up his own forces to come and get his city back.” Talina: “Barshar goes away on these trips every so often. He’s gone for varying amounts of time. We never know why he leaves or how long he will be gone.” Chalker: “Does one of your hosts have any recollection of Barshar?” Talina is silent for several seconds. Aliana: “I think part of what he’s doing, he’s going to other countries and hunting up other bales.” Chalker: “That sounds like a reasonable deal.” Aliana: “From what you read to us from the history book, that’s how he’s been marshaling his strength, by this unprecedented assemblage of people of his race.” Talina: “While they have run into these creatures you call bales, they never met one by that name, or one resembling him.” Runis: “I don’t think he’s that old.” Chalker: “Probably not, but you never know.” Aliana: “Well, he’s at least 300 years old. That’s when you said he began to create Yavalin.” Runis: “But Geriana’s from 1500 years ago.” Talina: “And the other two are from further back than that.” Aliana: “Were they ever personally acquainted with any bales?” Talina: “They had to deal with them at various times, yes.” Chalker: “In any significant numbers?” Talina: “Nothing like this. Usually a family at most, five or six. Once, one of them stepped into a war between a bale family and a nest of vampires. That was messy.” Chalker: “Why would you get between them?” Aliana: “Just let them have at each other, then line up against the winner.” Talina: “There were too many innocents in the line of fire.” Aliana: “From what little I know of both, I’m not aware of any vampires that have enslaved thousands of people at a go.”
Chalker walks off of the platform and looks around for the stableboy, Stan, who had previously been controlled by the sage Pain Stay. He spots the lad peering at him from down a shadowed alley. Chalker points at him, beckons. Stan dashes away. To a group of nearby urchins Chalker says, “Y’all know Stan, don’t you?” “Yes.” “He went that way. Go get him for me.” One kid takes off running while another asks boldly, “Why? What’d he do?” Chalker walks away. [Tom: “Aw, come on. Go ahead and say ‘he asked too many questions.’”] He approaches a group of adults. “Where is Boss Craven?” Nobody knows. “Could one of you ask him to come meet with us? I’d like to talk to him.” From the platform Talina comments with a smile, “That could be interesting.” Someone calls out, “Yeah, things have quieted down now, he might come out from wherever he’s been hiding.” Chalker: “Well, if y’all could go in a significant number, like 20, and go and persuade him to come this way.” A middle-aged woman snorts, “Twenty? My oldest boy all alone could fetch him.” Chalker: “I don’t want him hurt much, okay?” About a dozen townsfolk move off down the street.
Runis: “Are you forming lynch mobs?” Chalker: “No… I’m just going and getting the people who might have been, for maybe good reasons or bad reasons, collaborators. And I’d like to talk to them.” Aliana: “The usual reason is to save their own butts. Or they want to enrich themselves.” Chalker: “Yes, well, those aren’t really bad reasons. I just want to know.” Aliana: “They’ll still have war trials, and people with not-very-bad reasons still get executed.”
Townspeople continue to straggle into the platform area to gawk at the goings-on. Aliana occasionally scans the crowds, looking for the spark of magery. She figures that Talina will find a use for apprentice mages. She identifies a teenage boy and a young woman, the latter assisting an elderly woman. Aliana saunters up to the lad and looks him up and down. “Yes, ma’m,” he says politely. She tells him, “Follow me.” She leads him up onto the platform and up to Talina, while he looks around taking everything in. Aliana addresses Talina in a low voice, “You have the power of Cor moving through you. Perhaps you can convey some of it to this one who has the spark within him.” Talina makes a gesture and gazes intently at the lad (Ishmael, aka Izzy). “He’s fairly strong,” she murmurs. “Hmm, maybe. I’ll have to think on how to do this.” Aliana says to Izzy, “Sit here. She will speak to you when she is prepared.” Talina tells him, “You’re now one of my personal couriers. Soon to be an apprentice.” She smiles.
Runis approaches a fiftyish human who bears one of the weapons that came out of the palace armory. “I’d like to have a report of what’s going on in Orc Town. Do you think you could find somebody to run get that report for me? I really need to stay here with Talina and Jinto.” “Yes, I could send somebody to find Blacksmith. He’s probably handling all that.” “It’s daylight, and the orcs aren’t going to wait forever to counterattack.” The man beckons to another, and they trot off toward the river.
Aliana studies the young woman. She thinks about bringing her to Talina as well, but the woman has an elder to care for. The young woman is cut and bruised, so she has been involved in the fighting, and Aliana spots the combat knife she carries concealed in her skirts. Aliana goes up to her. “Yes, my lady.” Aliana removes her fine shortsword from her belt, pulls it an inch or two from its scabbard, and lays it across her arm. “Use it to the defense of your people.” “But… my lady, it’s such a fine weapon. I barely know how to use such a thing. I’m sure there are better fighters.” Aliana stands silently, maintaining her pose. The woman slowly reaches out her hand, takes the sword, and attaches the scabbard to her belt. She curtseys deeply. “Thank you, my lady.”
From a short distance away, Chalker takes this all in. Using his Cor-granted vision, he can now identify the marker that indicates magery, and he knows the one that indicates his power over metal. He notes that something in Aliana’s aura that he sees in no one else’s appears deep purple, and Josh has a not-of-this-world indicator.
Talina and Jinto descend from the platform. Runis: “Are you going back to the house?” Talina: “Yes, let’s go there and we may discuss our next move. I expect Blacksmith will hear of this and will be here before too much longer.” Josh escorts Talina and Jinto into the building (HQ).
Rory has been walking the perimeter, keeping watch. He hands out coins to a number of street kids, telling them to keep him informed of what’s going on, “especially if Pain Stay or Boss Craven shows up.”
Runis decides its time to revisit the shrines and temples. Chalker assigns Josh to go with him.
Food has been brought for the group. Aliana stays outside, watching for new arrivals. Rory starts to take her some food, but Chalker intercepts him and takes it to her himself. “I want to ask you something. I’ve learned something, but I don’t know what I’ve learned. I was wondering if you’d share it with me.” “If you don’t know what you learned, did you learn it?” “Cor has blessed me with the ability to see things in people. Like we all have this little glow.” “You’ve always been able to see things in people. Magic beans…” “That’s kind of like looking through them. This is a different thing. It’s like we have glows, and they’re of different shades and different colors. There’s a glow that I see in you, Talina, Jinto, that guy you were talking to, and that lady you were talking to. But I already knew you had the magic. But there’s another trait which I see. So, is there something else really special about you?” “I don’t know what you’re seeing.” “It’s kind of like different colors. One color binds you with those other people. Then there’s a different color. I look at me and I see there’s a color that marks me, that is not in the rest of you.” “What color are you?” “Polka-dot, I think.” “That’s not a color.” “Yours is purplish. Mine is tinted red. So… are you going to share this special trait? I’m just trying to mark it, just in case I see somebody else with it.” Aliana is silent, thinking. Chalker asks, “Is there anything special you can do besides magic?” “Does everyone have a color?” “We all have a baseline color. It’s like a canvas. Then there’s special colors marking people, marking their abilities.” “People I know who can see auras are looking at personality traits.” “Maybe it could be a personality trait that I’m looking at. This is pretty new. I don’t know if magic is a personality trait, but it could be… After I identified the magic glow, I started to look at others. I know what mine is. But then I look at yours, and I don’t know what yours means. If you don’t want to tell me what it is, then… well, I doubt that this gift will last too long, anyway.” “I don’t know why Cor would take it away from you.” “I don’t know. But… whenever you want to tell me. Like I say, I’m just comparing. It’s something to know.” “There’s… nothing special about me.” “*That* is a lie. There’s something special, then there’s something extra-special. And the extra-special is what I’m asking about, that I don’t already know about. … It could be a curse. Are you cursed?” “In a way. But it’s not the kind of supernatural smiting you usually associate with a curse.”
Meanwhile, Rory had seen Stan snooping around the wagon. He almost catches the boy, but Stan flees. Rory walks over to the wagon and starts taking inventory. Everything that should be there is there, including the bloodstained ornamental brick taken from the throne room (that Aliana had intercepted from a goblin and handed over to Jinto). Chalker and Aliana glance up from their conversation in time to see Stan running away, and Chalker takes off after him. The boy zigs and zags, but in a couple of minutes Chalker nabs him. “You are Stan, aren’t you?” “Uh-huh.” “Did you know I was looking for you, Stan?” “Now I do.” “Stan, did you know I was looking for you?” “He said you might be, but I had to watch anyway.” “I had people looking for you, Stan. Did you know that?” “They weren’t very observant.” “Stan – “ Chalker doubles up his fist, “do you think I would punch a little kid? Am I going to have to use this on you? Stan, won’t that hurt?” “Not as much as he’ll hurt me.” “Aw, Stan, Stan…” “I thought his name was because he’s a pain in the @$$, not because he could make pain.” “He hurt you? Come with me, Stan. Let’s go see Mister Dwarf. He’ll put you out of your pain. I mean, misery. You know, the guy with the big axe?” “But he only kills orcs! Right?” “When I finish with you, he won’t be able to tell the difference.” “They said he only killed orcs!” “He really can’t see very well, and you’re kind of short and dumpy. He’ll go ahead and take you out, too.” [John: “Right now he smells like an orc.”] Chalker hauls Stan back toward HQ.
Runis reaches the marketplace and the street of the shrines. The shrine of Santash is undamaged; the dwarf enters and performs the proper observances. Next he visits the shrine of Solash (also undamaged), then of Gauder (slightly damaged during the fighting; Runis makes some repairs). By now a hundred people, including a few goblins, are following Runis around. He scans the row of shrines. The shrine of Bar (in his ‘hardship’ aspect) has been vandalized, and the shrine of Aaoo completely destroyed. Yasseph’s shrine is intact. Sooth’s (moon, love) is damaged by vandals. The ground around Asseraah’s shrine is scorched and bloodstained, and a stench emanates from the shrine itself. (“Somebody made a mistake,” Runis thinks.) All the other shrines to the First Chosen are damaged to some extent.
Runis stands before the crowd and sings a song that names all the First Chosen. When the song is done, he tells the crowd “There are shrines here that have been damaged and destroyed, and they need to be fixed and replaced. Yes, even including the one to Aaoo.” Deeply moved by his words, the crowd moves immediately to begin repairs. Runis removes from his pack the tiny statue of Aaoo (that he had found in the ruins of the secret temple), strides over to Aaoo’s destroyed shrine, places it in the center, and offers up observances (“Please spare us from the stench of orcs”). He leaves the statue there to serve as the centerpiece of the new shrine.
Rory sits in the back of the wagon and studies his five magic arrows. They are very finely made, with razor-sharp heads, and there are some sorts of markings on them. Each marking is slightly different. [Tom: “If there’s one that looks like a little boomerang, don’t use that one.”]
Chalker, gripping Stan by the scruff of the neck, marches the kid back to HQ. Aliana: “Ah, our little spy.” Chalker: “He’s a spy?” Aliana: “Mm-hmm.” Chalker: “I didn’t know he was a spy. I was looking for him.” Aliana: “He’s spying for Pain Stay.” Chalker: “You are?” Stan: “I thought you knew. I’m sorry.” Chalker: “Why would I know? Did you tell me?” Stan: “No.” Chalker: “Okay, then shut up. If I let you go, would you tell Pain Stay to come here and see me?” Stan: “Yes. Yes, sir. Definitely.” Chalker: “You know if he doesn’t come, I’m going to have to come find you.” Stan (cutting his eyes back and forth): “Okay.” Chalker: “You don’t want me to find you again, do you?” Stan: “Definitely not. No, sir.” Chalker: “Next time I’m going to really run, okay?” Stan: “Yes, sir. Tell Pain Stay to come here.” Chalker: “I don’t want him to ask ‘when’ or anything else. Immediately.” Stan: “Are you going to be here?” Chalker: “What was that… an accommodation…” Aliana: “He wanted to come to an accommodation with you.” Chalker: “Oh. Well, that’s fine.” (To Stan) “You don’t need to spy on us anymore. You can just come and ask questions. It’ll make it easier.” Aliana: “Shall I accompany young Stan on his errand?” Chalker: “Why, certainly. That would probably be best. Don’t you think, Stan?” For some reason, Stan’s body language indicates that he believes otherwise. “I must stay here because I’m waiting on another one of your important people to come.” Aliana: “Rory, would you toss me a rope?” Rory (hefting the brick momentarily): “You want this weight to tie to him?” (Chalker notices that his newfound vision doesn’t show the brick as magical.) Rory carries some rope over to Aliana, who fashions a harness around Stan’s torso. Chalker to Aliana: “Do you want Rory to go with you?” Rory: “I’m going with her.” [Tom: “Even if she doesn’t!”] Aliana quietly warns Stan that if he tries to misdirect them or signal for help, “there will be consequences” (unstated, and thus more dire).
Chalker enters the building. Talina and Jinto are deep in some metaphysical conversation about communication spells. Chalker chats with Izzy, learning that the young man was a craftsman’s apprentice whose master was killed in the recent fighting. His mother died years ago, and his father was taken away by the bales. Chalker shows him his magic ring. “Does that look sparkly to you?” “Yes, it does.” “Why do you think it looks sparkly?” “It’s one of those things that the lords wear. Oh, people are starting to call the lords ‘bales’, whatever that means.” “That’s the race they are.” “The… bales wore a lot of stuff that looked shiny and glittery to me. I thought it looked that way to everybody. Doesn’t it?” “Not to me. At least, it didn’t use to. Then Cor touched me for a while.” “Hm, I should know that name. Sounds familiar.” “That’s one of the First Chosen. Yes, you should know that name.” “Oh, yeah. There’s a shrine to Cor down at the marketplace.” “You should get to know that name and that place very well, okay?” “Is that why that lady assigned me to be Talina’s courier? No… she assigned me, Lady Talina said I was the courier. Is that why they did that?” “What is your question? Because you can see the sparkly things? Yes.” “Which is tied to the First Chosen, Cor?” “Yeah.” “Is that why they did that?” “Yeah. You thought it was your good looks?” “No. I’ve never been accused of being handsome.” “You have big things coming. You’re either going to be very important, or very dead.” Izzy looks at Chalker strangely. “I survived yesterday.” “Well, that’s why we’re able to talk about it, right? But if you’re dead tomorrow, we won’t have to talk about it anymore, will we?” Izzy asks in a low voice, “Are they going to attack us today?” “Well, I don’t know. If you were them, would you attack today?”
Before Izzy can respond, Chalker hears the sounds of a crowd of people approaching the house. Telling Izzy to stay and “make sure nothing happens to those two important people,” Chalker goes outside to see what the commotion’s about. Several people are dragging/pulling/prodding a resisting older man toward HQ. A crowd of fifty or so are following, including a couple of guardsmen Chalker recognizes from the previous day’s fighting in the castle. The guards are grinning wolfishly. Chalker waits as the man is marched up to him, then shoved to his knees before him. Chalker asks, “Are you the one they call Boss Craven?” “Yes,” he replies, his voice quivering. “Get up off your knees, man. Were you in charge of this place before things changed?” “Yes, I was.” “And how did you keep control?” “Through the guardsmen and the lords. The guardsmen that the lords assigned to this part of the city. And those that collected taxes for the lords reported to me.” “Oh. The people aren’t happy with you right now.” Craven glances from side to side at the silent crowd. Chalker continues, “You seem to be in trouble right now. Don’t you think?” In a barely audible voice, Craven answers, “Yes. I think quite a bit of trouble.” “Well. The only way I can think of to handle this, and let you live, which is probably what you want, isn’t it?” “I’m probably dead either way.” “There’s dead and there’s *dead*. I could be really cruel and send you over to Orc Town.” “The lords would…” “And then we’d have to kill you as a zombie. Of course you wouldn’t care, but, you understand what I mean, don’t you?” “Oh, yes. They would punish me for my failure yesterday. Failure to rally the guard and successfully put down rebellion.” “It’s not a rebellion anymore. Well, let me see.” Chalker beckons to the taller guard, who steps toward him. “I have a thought on how to handle this, to at least keep him alive for a while. But what I want to happen is that I want him to confess all his crimes. I want somebody there to write them all down. I don’t want anybody to ask him what he did. I want him to confess his crimes. Don’t ask him questions or try to lead him on things you think he might have done. I want it to be just him saying ‘I did this.’” “I understand,” says the guard, almost laughing. Chalker goes on, “You have my permission that if you think he’s not being forthcoming to inflict pain. Boss Craven, do you understand the meaning of ‘pain’?” “Yes, I do,” responds Craven. Chalker says, “When you have exhausted all your past crimes, if we’re not here – they’re probably going to kill you. But if you haven’t, and we’re still here, which means you might want to confess real fast, then we’ll have another discussion on what needs to be done. The reason I’m doing this is because a lot of people want to know what happened to their loved ones, and you can tell them, can’t you?” “I… was…” “And you know where… well, there are not any bodies anymore because they’re zombies. But you know about the things the lords did, how they kept control of people.” “I know what the lords told me, yes.” “You know who your spies were. I want you to give them up, too. And then we’ll have the same discussion. We probably won’t too much kill the spies… well, I really can’t say that. But you’re a source of information, and there’s no reason to…” “Hold back.” “Yes. And the more you give, I don’t know, the more you live, but the more people will want to kill you. So it’s a double-edged sword.”
A deep gruff voice says, “Or a very blunt hammer.” “Ooh, that would hurt!” Chalker says melodramatically as Blacksmith approaches. Addressing Craven, Chalker says, “Right now, I am in control, but the person who’s going to be in control the minute we’re past the city limits will be him. And what do you think of my idea, Blacksmith?” “I think it’s splendid, Chalker,” Blacksmith growls. To the guards he says, “Do what he said, take Craven away.” Chalker suggests they not mistreat Craven too badly. “Just treat him a little better than he treated y’all.”
“I have this Pain Stay coming,” Chalker says to Blacksmith. Blacksmith: “Well, I’m here because somebody said that your master bard Runis wanted a report on the status of the opposition forces. I figured I’d deliver it myself rather than take a chance on somebody misrepeating my words.” Chalker: “He should be back shortly. He went to give observance to the First Chosen. He seems very devout in that.” Blacksmith asks whether Talina has returned from her training. Chalker: “She is back, and she is now a master mage.” Blacksmith: “In one night?” Chalker: “No. Three nights.” Blacksmith: “Oh… that’s so much better.” Chalker invites Blacksmith into the building. When Talina sees Blacksmith, she jumps up from her discussion with Jinto and greets the big man.
Stan doesn’t lollygag. He started to once, but thought better of it. He leads Rory and Aliana to a humble cottage near the eastern wall of the city. “He’s here now, but he might know we’re coming.” Rory: “That’s fine.” Aliana: “I hope he does.” Stan swallows hard, but he goes up and pounds on the door. A raspy voice bids them come in. Rory puts away his bow and draws his sword. They enter the combination sitting room/kitchen of the three-room cottage. Seated in a rickety chair is an old man, his gray hair pulled back into a ponytail and bound with a leather thong. His dark brown robe looks worn and shabby.
Aliana: “Are you the one known as Pain Stay?” Stay: “Yes, I am. You are of the Six, aren’t you.” Aliana: “You could say that.” Stay: “I didn’t think Stan was going to be bright enough to observe you without being caught, but he’s the best I had. I had to know what you were doing.” Aliana: “Why?” Stay: “Don’t you think I should be interested in somebody who turns the world upside-down in less than three days?” Aliana: “Certainly, so you can report the same to your masters.” Stay (sighing): “Yes. That is where I’m tied. I can’t say I ever had much choice of it.” Aliana: “Perhaps you can explain that to me. I know something about lack of choice myself.” Stay: “Oh, well. I assume you want to take me back for more intense questioning?” Aliana: “There is the possibility that anyone you might have harmed during your collaboration with the lords might want to extract justice from your person.” Stay: “Ah. Several tried that, yesterday. It didn’t work very well for them.” Aliana: “Why, what did you do to them?” Stay: “Just minor pain. They ran away, generally. I figured it wouldn’t be wise to kill anybody yesterday, but I sure was not going to let them kill me.”
Pain Stay sits up straight. Aliana unties the rope harness from Stan who, surprisingly, doesn’t bolt; he simply moves off to one side. Stay: “I don’t know if Stan told you or not, but this is not where I live. I believe my home was probably burned to the ground, or perhaps knocked down. I didn’t stay around to see exactly how they disposed of it.” Aliana, dryly: “What a shame.” Stay, reflectively: “It had some nice… It was nice. So, what comes next?” Aliana: “My understanding is that you have an awful lot to answer for.” Stay: “You’re right.” Aliana: “And rather than question you here, I thought I would take you before the ones who are most likely going to judge you in these things.” Stay: “That’s only fair. I’ll have to take my chances with that.” Aliana: “Unless you’d prefer not to face the music at all, in which case we can hasten your end.” Pain Stay looks from Aliana to Rory. “That’s not in the stars yet, either. At least, not by my request.”
Rory: “You see stars, too?” Stay: “Why, yes, I do. I read the stars, actually.” Rory: “I don’t actually see them, they just follow me around.” Stay: “May I… check the young man’s aura? I don’t want you to think I’m doing any type of detrimental magic.” Aliana: “Why are you asking me?” Stay: “Ah. A person enrobed in the mysteries… somehow I attach more power and status. Of course, that can be misleading. Maybe I have misjudged the situation. (To Rory) May I read your aura?” Rory: “Will it hurt?” Stay: “Not at all.” Rory gives his consent. [Bill: “Of course, if you hurt him Lord Vader will take care of you.”] Pain Stay gestures. “Ah. Quite interesting. Thank you.”
Stay: “It’s always possible that the people will be more reasonable than you give them credit for. Given time to think, and not in the heat of the uprising, they may realize that I really had no choice, and I did no more than I had to. And some of those, truth be told, probably did things they’re not too proud of while the lords were in control. And we might all need to cooperate, because after all, I don’t think you managed to kill all the lords yesterday. It’s just the beginning of a long, long road ahead of us, and we all must walk it one way or another.” Aliana: “And if you don’t share your knowledge of these things, then you become disposable.” Stay: “They do have that hold over me, yes. I see the wisdom of that. It’s just being in the right place at the right time, doing what’s required. If it’s required that I share my knowledge, I will share my knowledge.”
Pain Stay rises to his feet and reaches for his staff (which Aliana can tell is magic). “Unless you want to fight, I’m quite willing to cooperate… unless your task was not to bring me back alive.” Aliana: “That’s a very odd thing to say.” Stay: “I’ve had to deal with lords for the last… all my life, so I’m used to the change of the winds, and people not saying what they mean. The lords were quite good at that. And, I assume, are still quite good at that. After all, I assume you killed four, five in the last day?” Rory: “Eight, but who’s counting?” Stay: “Quite impressive. A week ago, that would have been unthinkable. You have turned the world upside down in less than a week.”
Stan stands frozen, gaping, as Pain Stay starts forward and Aliana turns her back and precedes him out the door. [Tom: “Who are you, and what did you do with Pain Stay?”] Rory, sheathing his sword and readying his bow, follows the sage. Before long they’ve picked up a roving patrol as an escort, keeping the curious crowds from getting too close. By the time they reach HQ over a hundred people are following them. Aliana overhears them asking questions like “What are they going to do with him?” “Is he controlling them?” “Is he going to have to pay for what he’s done?”
After Runis puts people to work rebuilding the shrines, he and Josh return to HQ. Runis: “Well, have they contacted the elf yet?” Chalker: “They haven’t told me. I think they’re discussing how to do it.” Runis strides right on past Chalker. Josh asks “Everything okay?” and Chalker tells him “Boss Craven came and left. I talked to him and…” “Took care of the situation.” “Yeah. With the help of the Blacksmith, we have him now recounting his crimes.”
Runis marches up to where Jinto and Talina are talking; Blacksmith sits nearby, listening. “Well?” asks the dwarf. Jinto: “We’re deciding the best way to do it, to make sure we reach him.” Runis: “The best way would be to do it, not talk about it.” Jinto: “We want to do it right.” Runis: “That’s why you had three days up there, to figure out how to do it right. Now that you’re down here where you *can* do it, now you need to *do* do it. Either that, or I’m taking this guy with me and we’re going to go kill a bunch of orcs.” Blacksmith grins at Runis. Runis: “Because if you don’t find an army, I’m going to have to be the army.” (Chalker, overhearing this, mutters, “I’m going to have to go out here and lay bets now.”) Jinto: “Okay, we’ll shut up and get started.” Runis: “Do I need to clear the way for you to get back out to the platform to do that?” Jinto: “That’s where we’re going to do it from, yes.” Runis: “That’s what I thought. That’s why I tried to bring food there in the first place, so you wouldn’t leave and come inside!” Talina: “I’m sorry. I just… I’m still trying to…” Runis: “Yeah, but I know him.” Jinto: “Let’s get back out there.”
Aliana, Pain Stay, Rory, and their crowd arrive. [John: “Our crowd’s bigger than your crowd.” Tom: “Yeah, I put mine to work!”] Runis brandishes his axe at Pain Stay. “Here to help them?” Chalker: “We don’t know yet.” Aliana: “I’d say first he’s here to be judged.” Runis: “You (gesturing to Pain Stay), in the house. You (indicating Jinto) keep going that way. You don’t need to judge him; you go on that way.” Jinto smirks, then offers his arm to Talina, and they step through the rubble. Chalker: “Whoa… don’t you think we need mages to help us with this mage? But! I don’t want to slow anything down. I see you have your axe out.” Aliana, a tad loudly: “Yes, there are no mages around here.” (Chalker: “I apologize, Lord Vader.” Aliana: “*What* did you call me?” Chalker: “Just ‘Lord’.” Aliana: “You said something after that.” Chalker: “Yes, but I’ll keep it to myself.”) She mutters something under her breath and gestures with her hand.
Runis climbs up on the wagon and starts pounding on it with the butt of his axe. A hush falls over the crowd. Runis bellows, “There’s orcs over that way to kill. There’s fires over that way to put out. There’s goblins over that way that fought with you and now you have to go help them. There’s this going on over here. There’s a big bunch of magic getting ready to happen there that could kill people if they get too close to it. There’s a mage that we don’t know whether he’s on our side or not in that building that if it blows up you’re going to get hurt. Why are you standing in the middle of this street?” Heads hanging in shame, the crowd melts away. Up on the platform, Talina and Jinto begin an elaborate ritual.
Chalker shows Pain Stay to a chair. The sage lays his staff against a nearby table, but Chalker takes and moves it further away. Pain Stay smiles. Chalker notes that Stay has about one-third the magic potential that Jinto has, and he is wearing a magic ring (set with a large gemstone) on the middle finger of one hand. Chalker asks Blacksmith, “What’s the worst crime you’ve heard he’s done?” The big man says, “He did the lords’ bidding.” Chalker: “But what was the worst one crime?” “One crime,” repeats the smith thoughtfully. Several moments pass before Blacksmith admits, “I can’t really think of one in particular. It’s said that he helped them take people, helped select the ones to be used for zombies, but as far as proof that he actually did, or was he ever actually seen taking anybody, actually, no.” “That’s what I thought,” Chalker murmurs. Blacksmith continues, “The lords allowed a very few human magicians.”
Chalker looks over at Pain Stay, who smiles. “Do you know who I am?” Chalker asks. The sage replies, “You’re one of the Six that entered the city several days ago. Actually, from what the stories say, only five entered the city. The sixth one magically appeared.” “Yes,” Chalker says, “she’s like that sometimes.” Stay inclines his head politely toward Aliana. “That’s one of the reasons I thought it would be most impolite to ask to see your aura.” Chalker says softly, “She’d probably kill you.” “Ah. You just confirmed my supposition that she is one of the master mages of the group.” Runis asks, “Do you really think it would take a mage to kill you?” “Or a lord,” replies Stay. Chalker: “That’s what the lords thought, right?” Stay: “Valid point.”
Chalker: “But we’re not here to discuss our demise.” Runis: “No, we’re here to discuss arrogance.” Stay: “I have been on top of the heap for a long time. It’s a habit that’s hard to break. I guess I will have to retrain myself if you let me survive.” Chalker: “Ahh… did you take a look at Talina as she walked by?” Stay: “I saw her.” Chalker: “What did you think?” Stay: “Her bearing has changed. She’s different.” Chalker: “From what I understand from my friends who can see this kind of thing, you would be considered a minor mage, not a major mage.” Stay: “I have not as much potential or promise as the lords.” Chalker: “What did you do for the lords?” Stay, with a smile: “What’s the old saying? ‘Anything they ask.’ They had all the power. I had none…” Chalker, abruptly: “I’m going to cut you if you keep doing this. I’m going to ask you again, what did you do for the lords? I’m not here for a speech.” Stay: “They told me that I should tell all my sins. Is this where I should start?”
Runis: “Chalker.” Chalker: “What?” Runis: “Can I ask you a question?” Chalker: “Me?” Runis: “Yeah. I want to ask you a question.” Chalker: “No, I don’t want you to ask me a question, because I usually have to think about it. Go ahead.” Runis: “Why do we care what he did with the lords?” Chalker: “Well…” Runis: “Don’t we really care what he can do for us?” Chalker: “No. No, not really.” Runis: “Then why is he here?” Chalker: “Well, we don’t want to kill him out of turn. I mean…” Aliana: “Chalker, Runis is right. If we don’t care what he can do for us, why are we leaving him alive?” Chalker: “Well, that’s a good point, too.” Stay: “Because I might be innocent?” Runis: “That really has no bearing on this.” Aliana: “You’re a serpent and a manipulator. There’s no innocence in you at all.” Chalker: “But if he’s harmed people, the people he’s harmed will want to take justice to him.” Runis: “Okay, that’s not what I asked. I said ‘Do we care what he can do for us?’” Chalker: “No, I don’t see what he can do for us.” Runis: “Then why is he here? Give him to the people and be done with it!” Chalker: “What if he’s not who they think he is? What if they just kill him out of turn? Does that make any difference?” Runis: “I just asked you if it mattered, and you said no!” Chalker: “You said ‘did it matter to us.’” Runis: “Okay, it doesn’t matter to us.” Aliana: “His name is on the lips of everyone in Human Town.” Chalker: “When you say ‘us’, I think of us six. And to us, whether he lives or dies, to us it makes no difference.” Runis: “Okay, then why is he here?” Chalker: “Well, we can just go give him to the people.” Runis: “That’s what I just said.” Chalker: “That’s fine. We learn nothing.” Runis: “So there is something we want him to do for us. That was my question.” Chalker: “No.” Runis: “I thought you wanted to learn something.” Chalker: “He can do something for them, for the people that are here. Not for us. Let’s separate the two things. What we want to do is get them an army, and leave. Correct? That’s what’s for us.” Runis: “What chance can he aid in that? Can he help…” Chalker: “Them.” Runis: “Specifically, can he help Talina?”
Pain Stay, a smirk on his face, has been watching like a spectator at a tennis match. As Chalker and Runis argue back and forth, Aliana notices that for a flickering instant Stay gets a faraway look in his eyes. “Wait!” Aliana snaps. Runis and Chalker turn to regard her. In a low voice she states, “The bales are using him as a spy. Right now.” Runis drawls, “Really.” “Me?” exclaims Stay innocently. “How would they do that?” “Magic,” Aliana states. “The same way you use young Stan as a spy.” “Good point,” allows Stay.
Runis: “So is that something that he could resist, or something he really has no choice over at this point?” Stay: “You yourself have said that they’re much more powerful mages than I am…” Runis: “I’m not talking to you.” Stay: “Oh.” Rory: “You’re not, you’re talking to the bales.” Aliana: “Whether or not he chose to resist, he did not. You don’t negotiate with snakes – you kill them.” Runis and Chalker seem fine with this conclusion. Runis: “Smith? Yours or mine?” Blacksmith: “It probably should be my task.” The big man steps forward. Aliana: “Not in the kitchen!”
Chalker reaches out and stays Blacksmith’s hand. He asks Stay, “How are they controlling you?” Stay: “Controlling me? Nobody’s controlling me.” Chalker, to Blacksmith: “Could you, like, hurt him really bad but not kill him? Like, hit him in the chest the first time.” Runis: “Or the kneecap.” Aliana: “Now you’re wandering into torture. Is there a reason?” Chalker: “I’m just trying to figure out how they’re doing it.” Aliana: “Magic, Chalker.” Runis: “He was in their control for a long time.”
Stay: “May I speak?” Runis: “You still have time, for a while.” Stay: “I basically want to survive. So I’ll cooperate. I’ll let you cast a spell to cut off any link that I might have with the bales, if they’ve got it. You can cut me off, or dispel magic, or whatever.” Runis: “Do you have any means of cutting off his contact with them? I have a means, but then he couldn’t talk.” Chalker: “Well, I guess you can go ahead, Blacksmith.”
Just then, Aliana hears a large group of people approaching the area where the wagon is parked. Josh cocks his head, nods at Aliana, and heads out the door.
Stay: “If they have a link on me, I don’t really know about it. Well, you know they all have a link on all of us, don’t you? Every citizen of Yavalin has a wizard mark. The bales give it to us when we’re born.” Aliana: “Which, as you’ll recall, individually identifies each of these people.” Chalker: “Yeah, but that just means they can find him, right? That doesn’t mean they can control him with it, does it?” Stay: “If they can find us, they can tack other magic onto us. It makes us a beacon to them.” Chalker, to Aliana: “Is that true? That if they can find them, they can use other magic on them?” Aliana: “I have no doubt of that. I’ve no doubt that he’s being so used right now.” Chalker: “Well, go ahead, Master Blacksmith…”
Josh slides back into the room. Aliana: “What’s going on, Josh?” Josh: “There are about thirty townspeople approaching the wagon. They look like people I’ve seen before, but there’s something suspicious about them. It just doesn’t look right.” “The stone!” blurts Rory, “The stone’s in there!”
Aliana dashes outside, and Chalker, Rory, and Josh aren’t far behind. Runis remains where he is, watching Pain Stay, who shows no particular reaction to the commotion. Runis glances at the sage and says, “You may have just gotten a reprieve.”
Aliana leaps onto the wagon and draws her sword. Rory readies his bow with a magic arrow. The townspeople look familiar, from their having participated in work details and patrols. However, Chalker notices an anomaly about three of them – they look as they did yesterday, not as they did earlier today. The mob spreads out in a military-style formation, with a cluster of four heading determinedly for the wagon. Something about their demeanor seems unnatural. To Rory, they appear to be acting like trained guardsmen, but he knows they’re not.
Aliana: “The bales sent them after the stone.” Rory takes aim and mutters, “Magic arrow, if I line them up right, can I get two of them?” Chalker runs toward the wagon. Rory looks down at the ground trodden by the mob; their footprints are made by boots, rather than the shoes or sandals commonly worn by the townspeople. Rory yells “Orcs!” – knowing full well that that will bring Runis running.
The mob charges. The cluster of four reaches the wagon. Josh moves to meet the mob’s left flank. Aliana swings all-out, strikes one of the attackers and is parried by another; she realizes instantly that the man she struck, though he appears unarmored, is wearing some sort of mail, and the other parried with a sword. Heading for the door, Runis glances back at Pain Stay, gestures toward the sage’s staff, and commands, “Follow me.” Chalker leans over the side of the wagon and grabs the stone. Rory fires a magic arrow that punches clear through one of the attackers nearest Aliana; as the attacker falls, his appearance begins to change.
Runis picks up speed. Chalker runs at an angle back toward the building. Josh swings at a man who appears to parry with a scythe; the latter’s illusion wavers. Aliana swings at two, hits one. Rory fast-draws and nocks a magic arrow and takes aim. Four of the orcs (for that is indeed what they are) charge toward Chalker. Two orcs rush toward Runis. [Bill: “They’re dumber than I thought.” Tom: “I told you, the only orcs that are afraid of me are the ones I’ve already met. The others are too stupid.”] An orc strikes Aliana but merely scratches her brand-new leather armor. Runis hears scuffling sounds from inside HQ.
Aliana swings and hits two. The one she felled has resolved into a well-armored orc. Runis swings and hits an orc that has rushed up to meet him. Chalker slides along the side of the building, then concentrates. One of the orcs shouts, “The Talker’s got the stone!” Josh nearly cuts off an orc’s head. Rory fires at one of Josh’s attackers; the arrow veers and hits the orc smack in the left eye.
Rory draws a normal arrow. Wounded by an orc, Aliana screams angrily. An orc scratches Josh. One of the orcs fighting Runis calls out, “Bowmen!” Chalker sees three orcs react to the shout; he grabs one of their crossbows with his magnetic power and jerks it out of the orc’s hands. The orc next to that one dodges the flying crossbow but loses his aim. Aliana leaps up out of the wagon and brings her sword down full force upon an orc’s shoulder. Josh strikes down an orc. Runis bashes with his shield, driving the spike into the orc’s chest and knocking the orc off its feet.
Rory nocks an arrow and looks around. An orc misses Runis entirely and lops off another orc’s head. (Both Runis and the orc look confused.) Runis parries a crossbow bolt that flew seemingly out of nowhere. The dwarf swings and his target dodges. Aliana swings and hits two. With his power Chalker reaches into the wagon and picks up his magic spear, raising it up over Aliana’s head.
Aliana fells an orc. Chalker moves the spear up behind an orc. Josh strikes an orc in the vitals. Rory fires, missing a bowman by a narrow margin. “Nice swing,” Runis says to the orc that just beheaded its fellow, then the dwarf bashes another orc, driving the pointy thing into its vitals. The orc Runis spoke to decides he’s had enough of this fight, drops his weapons and runs away. [Bill: “The other orcs say ‘We must kill that one before he breeds.’”] The bowman that lost his bow also runs away. Runis parries another crossbow bolt. The orc with the spear following him tries to grab it. One of Aliana’s attackers runs away, but another one injures her.
Rory draws a normal arrow, nocks and aims. Chalker jabs the spear into an orc’s neck. Aliana hits an orc. Runis turns and charges back into HQ. [Everyone decides either that’s not really Runis, or he’s been ensorcelled. Tom: “I killed all my orcs.” Mary: “There’s no such thing as ‘not your orc’!” Bill: “Where is my shield going?” Tom: “Where you should have gone with the stone in the first place!”] Runis sees Blacksmith lying on the floor, and a mere yard away from the dwarf is Pain Stay, staff in hand, completing a gesture. A horrified expression crosses the sage’s face as he beholds the rampaging dwarf swinging his axe at him. “I said ‘follow’,” says Runis. Josh finishes off an orc.
Chalker shouts “Flame on!” The sword leaps from his ring and Chalker nearly chops off the speared orc’s head. Half of the orcs who were following the speared orc run away. Aliana kills an orc. [Bobby: “Now you have no orcs.” Bill: “You can have some of mine.” Tom: “Chalker’s willing to share.”] Josh drops the last orc that was on him. Pain Stay tries to cast a spell on Runis, but fails against the dwarf’s innate magic resistance. Runis smashes the sage to the ground. Rory fires and hits one of the bowmen, whose finger reflexively triggers his crossbow, sending the bolt flying harmlessly away.
Chalker pulls the spear out of the dead orc. Rory pulls out a regular arrow. Three of the remaining orcs run away. Chalker grits his teeth as an orc’s sword bites into his flesh. Josh attacks the orc that hurt Chalker and cripples its arm. Runis, figuring Pain Stay won’t be getting up any time soon, turns and heads back into the orc fight. The dwarf mangles an orc that had the misfortune to be running by. Aliana chases after an orc and wounds it severely.
Chalker swings his sword and kills an orc. Josh hits another orc, getting its attention. The orc with the crippled arm runs away. Aliana chases after another orc and slashes it. One of the bowmen starts running away, while the other calmly loads his weapon and aims at Rory. Rory fires and misses the bowman. Runis bashes an orc, which falls down.
Runis looks up at the bowman, grins, shouts “Better run!” and takes one step. The bowman doesn’t even take a potshot at Rory, but turns and flees. [Mary: “The fear of the dwarf is the beginning of knowledge. It’s part of the scriptures of Santash.”] Chalker chases down and kills the crippled orc that cut him.
Rory retrieves his arrows, making note of the locations of the two magic ones. Runis checks on the unconscious but unhurt Blacksmith, then binds Pain Stay’s wounds. Runis ties up and gags the sage and props him in a corner. Chalker enters HQ carrying the brick. Aliana looks over at the platform, wondering what the mages had been doing all this time, and sees that Sa’tire Belandrie has appeared. Talina, Jinto, Belandrie, and Izzy descend from the platform. Talina and Jinto look around at the carnage, saying “What happened?” They had been completely unaware of the orc attack. Talina goes over to Aliana, who is crouched next to the building holding her middle, asks “May I?” and casts a healing spell, then offers Aliana a hand to help her up.
Everyone enters HQ. Runis is using a corner of Pain Stay’s robes to clean the gore off his sword and shield. Runis: “You missed the fight.” Talina: “Seems like you had it well in hand.” Runis: “Well, there were only thirty of them. This one (indicating Pain Stay) wasn’t what he made himself out to be.” Talina: “I’m not surprised. What were the orcs trying for?” Chalker: “The brick. I’m not sure what it does, but they wanted it.” Talina walks over to Chalker. “May I?” Chalker: “You know if I give it to you, they’re going to come after you next.” Talina, smiling: “Like they don’t want me already?” Chalker: “Yes, but they really wanted this. They sent thirty after it.” Aliana: “I say it’s because they have the other three and they needed this one for some magic or other.” Talina makes a mystic gesture and speaks a word; her smile grows broader. “You’re right. It’s part of the control they have over us. Without it, the marks on us are nullified, and can only be used for on-sight identification.” Aliana: “Well, then. This thing needs to be destroyed.” Runis hefts his axe… and walks over and kills Pain Stay. “He wasn’t controlled. He was doing it all on his own.” Aliana: “I think he was being given orders from somewhere else.” Runis: “He said it was because of the marks, though.”
Belandrie: “Justice has been served. Santash will be pleased.” Runis: “Well, justice on this end. How about from your end?” Belandrie looks over at Talina and Jinto. “They say I owe support to this cause. I thought I’d discuss this reasoning with your entire group before I made my decision. Why do you see that the elves owe support?” Runis: “Because you knew what was going on all along, and didn’t do anything to stop it! Now they need help, you need to help ‘em!” Chalker: “You *were* aware, weren’t you?” Belandrie: “Not of exactly what was going on. Just that something unusual was going on in the area.” Chalker: “Oh, come on.” Runis: “You used to live in this city…” Belandrie: “A long time ago.” Runis: “…or at least visit it occasionally.” Belandrie: “When I was young. But yes, I’m familiar with the area.” Runis: “Yeah, it’s tough being a young elf, isn’t it? All those responsibilities and everything?” Belandrie (glancing at Jinto): “Yes, it can be a challenge.” Runis: “He didn’t leave anybody sitting around under the control of a bunch of bales.” Belandrie: “Last time I was here there weren’t bales, and we weren’t aware there were bales here.” Runis: “But you knew there was a city here. “ Belandrie: “We became aware of that, yes.” Runis: “No, you were here! You knew there was a city here!” Belandrie: “A long time ago. But that city went away… a long time ago, by human standards.” Runis: “And you’re not human.” Belandrie: “Neither are you.” Runis: “No.” Chalker: “I am.” Aliana: “You probably helped sink what you considered the important parts of it beneath the earth.” Belandrie: “I did assist Newsome.”
Runis: “Well, Cor has done this (pointing to Talina).” Belandrie: “That’s what they have said, that Cor has once again taken an interest in this area.” Chalker: “Don’t you know?” Belandrie: “Yes, I do.” Chalker: “You sound skeptical.” Runis: “There was quite some battle in this part of the city. I went down to the place where they have the shrines to the First Chosen. I found it very interesting that there were only four of the shrines that weren’t even damaged, in all the fighting that went on.” Belandrie (nodding): “And they were?” Runis: “Santash, Solash, Cor, and Yasseph.” Aliana: “Funny how that lines up.” Runis: “Sounds like you owe them something.” Belandrie (after a pause): “You’re right. There is an expectation.” (Chalker, under his breath: “So can we leave now?” Aliana, whispering: “Just a little longer. But first, we’ve got to give out the Heisman Trophy.”)
Runis grasps and holds up the Diamond. “We were told that before we could call this task complete, they needed a powerful mage. Cor provided that. And they need an army. Because there’s a whole bunch of orcs over there still, more than thirty.” Aliana, muttering: “Not to mention a whole bunch of bales, all over this demented country.” Runis: “Now, at your behest we shut off twenty thousand of them already. I mean, you did give this (indicating the Diamond) to us.” Belandrie: “It was chosen.” Aliana, dryly: “We’ve already assigned plenty of blame to the elf.” Chalker: “Yes. We’re making his reputation grow because of that.” Belandrie: “Actually, it looked like Jinto chose wisely.” Runis: “I didn’t say it was wrong. I didn’t say it was unwise.” Aliana: “I’m not sure Jinto had a choice.” Belandrie: “Fate may have guided him. Or there could have been a little bit of Yasseph’s luck involved.”
Belandrie: “I will consult with Talina, and I will provide… perhaps not what humans would call a full army, but I will provide support. Rangers, journeyman mages…” Chalker: “They can kill bales, can’t they?” Belandrie: “She (looking over at Talina) can kill bales. You haven’t been too bad at it, either, from what I’m given to understand.” Runis: “We have other things to do. We’re not here to solve the problem.” Belandrie (glancing at Josh): “Yes… Newsome said some interesting things about that long, long ago.”
Runis: “Is that why we were picked?” Belandrie: “No. You chose, you weren’t picked.” Runis: “Not us. Is that why *you* chose us. You could have called anyone in to give that Diamond to, any group of adventurers. Is he (indicating Josh) the reason we were chosen? Because of her?” Belandrie: “I know of him (looking at Jinto). As far as other individuals here…” He leaves the sentence hanging. Aliana: “Not that I would ever have bet against Runis, but he’s right again.” Chalker: “Yep. You didn’t know of me before the stone, did you?”
Belandrie: “How’s your father doing?” Chalker: “My father’s fine. You mean my stepfather.” Belandrie: “Is your kingdom preparing along its borders? I hear it’s a little messy down there in the Coastal Kingdoms right now.” Chalker: “I haven’t been able to contact them for a few days. You understand that I’ve been busy here.” Belandrie: “Do you think they could spare a few troops? Or are they going to need them all for their border patrol?” Chalker: “I’ll have to talk to the king.” Belandrie: “You could write a letter, and I would see that it gets delivered.” Chalker: “I don’t need a letter to contact him.” Belandrie: “No, but to make a request to release some troops to help these poor people here defend themselves…” Chalker: “Okay. I’ll write a letter to the king expressing the need.” Belandrie: “And think of the advantage it would give his northern border, especially as one of his neighbors has recently gone on a war of expansion.” Aliana: “Which country would that be?” Belandrie: “Bicarn.” Aliana: “You’d think they’d have learned.” Belandrie: “Oh, they’re still continuing it. That war is not finished. You changed their plans in the northern frontier, but…” Chalker: “I’m sure that if I write a letter explaining it to the king, he’ll take it under advisement.” Belandrie: “Of course, he’s going to have to act very quickly. The rangers and archers I will provide to assist the yeoman army that Talina is pulling together will be able to hold the orcs and maneuver them, but as far as sheer force of numbers, we’ll need some assistance.” Chalker: “Well, as I say, I’ll see what influence I have with the king. As you know, my stepfather the Duke… he has some ability. But maybe the king will listen to me.” Belandrie: “With a little bit of luck, and the mages we have, and using the method that your Master Bard here mentioned, I might not need that many other troops.” Chalker: “If you’re going to deliver my message personally, I think that that will make a big difference. Simply tell him… well, I think they will probably help out.”
Belandrie: “I know you have been using these recently discovered platforms as travel pathways. You do realize (glancing at Jinto) that that can be quite conspicuous, and in certain circumstances dangerous?” Jinto looks innocent. Chalker: “No… what do you mean, conspicuous and dangerous?” Belandrie: “While the platforms themselves are masked, the usage of the pathways can be a beacon to certain mages. And it can be easy to travel to them if you have the right amount of knowledge and power. I have made Talina aware of that so that she can control and ward this one.” Chalker: “If you were tracking us, would you follow us, even if you could?” Belandrie chuckles. “Given the role you have chosen to take, that would be like standing in front of an avalanche. But there’s always a chance.” Runis: “It’d take a long time to dig your way out, though.” Belandrie: “That’s the problem. So the answer is ‘no,’ not unless Yasseph so directed me.” Chalker: “It’s good to know that mages can track us, but I’m not that much worried about that particular point.” Belandrie: “My main warning has been to Talina; though she is now a powerful mage, she’s still relatively inexperienced. Once we’ve used the platform for the upcoming transport, I’ve advised her to not… get creative with it. We need to use it only for emergencies, not for a normal trade route; that would leave it too exposed.” Chalker: “Makes sense.”
Runis: “So is there one of these portals in Chalker’s kingdom? Is that how you’re going to get there?” Belandrie: “Not exactly.” Runis: “How are you going to get those people back here, then?” Belandrie: “Under the hill.” Runis knows this refers to the arcane travelways the elves use. Chalker: “That’s your territory. I live on top.” Runis: “So when you were talking about ‘once we use this portal for this transport,’ you were talking about us leaving.” Belandrie: “You alluded that it is about time for you to go.” Runis: “Well, that’s why we found it, so we could use it to go.” Belandrie: “I don’t discourage that. I just wanted to make you aware of… something.” Runis: “The last time we found one of those things and tried to go somewhere, we ended up bouncing off the… never mind.”
Belandrie: “I myself will provide the army that you talk about. I have other duties, though, and I will not be able to assist Talina in the campaign that is to follow.” Runis, drolly: “I wouldn’t expect one of the High Council to lower themselves to a mere battle for survival of lowly humans and goblins.” Belandrie: “There’s a lot happening, Master Bard.” Runis: “I understand that. I said ‘I wouldn’t expect one of the High Council to lower themselves.’”
Chalker: “These platforms are in elven country too, right?” Belandrie: “We allowed a few to be built back in the days of the Venettian Empire. They are heavily warded.” Chalker: “Does that mean that if we wanted to come in unannounced, that wouldn’t happen?” Belandrie: “It would be very impolite.” Runis: “Unless Jinto used the secret knock.” Belandrie: “The platforms are one of many ways of arcane travel developed by the humans at that time. You discovered another one in the keep that you found.” Runis: “Yeah, we didn’t know how to use that one, the big open hole in the middle of the building.” Chalker: “With the black stuff that you couldn’t see through.” Belandrie: “No, I didn’t get that. I did know that there was a place in there that had a series of portals and archways.” Chalker: “Different one, sorry. We haven’t been in that one yet.” Runis: “That was where it looked like there was a portal, but there was no door. We didn’t use those. We were talking about a dark chamber in the middle of the glass walls.” Chalker: “Like a dark well.” Belandrie’s curiosity is piqued. Chalker: “You couldn’t see anything, no matter how you looked at it. It’s all dark.” Runis: “Shine a light into it, nothing happens.”
Belandrie: “I will have to move fast, because I assume that once the bales that are here finish fighting among themselves…” Runis: “Or when Barshar returns, and kills three or four of them to prove he’s still in charge.” Belandrie: “Maybe we have several days while the bales that survived your first onslaught determine who is their leader. I’m sure they’ll be vying for position. Until that is decided, they probably won’t move to attack.”
Talina has awakened Blacksmith. Josh: “Did you ever get that report from Blacksmith of what the current situation was?” Runis: “Yeah, there’s thirty orcs coming to attack us.” Josh: “I mean besides that.” Runis: “No, we got kind of busy.” Blacksmith looks at Pain Stay’s cloven remains. “Oh. Okay.” Runis: “No, he didn’t get away.” Blacksmith: “Good. You said to follow, and I started to, and he threw some spell on me. Caused me to drop my hammer. And then I turned and charged him, and next thing I know she’s waking me up.” Runis: “Kind of a one-trick pony. I told him to follow, he tried to throw a spell on me, and that was the end of that.”
Blacksmith: “Last night, we sent out runners to the other towns to let them know about the rebellion, and to start things rolling. None of them have reported back yet. It could take some time. But this morning, instead of moving to the attack, the orc guards and a lot of the males of the orc village have moved out to block the roads out of Barshar City and put us under siege. It’s as if they don’t plan to attack us any time soon; they just want to make sure we don’t spread it.” Runis: “They’ll be in for a surprise.” Rory: “They wouldn’t have any way to block the south, would they? They wouldn’t have any way of getting there.” Blacksmith: “It will take them longer. They’ll have to go cross-country, circle all the way around.” Runis: “They may not even try.”
Belandrie: “Is there anything else you want me to know?” After a pause, “I do acknowledge that we owe this to the people here, and we will fill that obligation.”
Chalker moves off into a corner and begins writing his letter. “Dear King, Under the advisement of … how do you spell your name? Sa’tire Belandrie of the High Elven Council has suggested that we of the kingdom of Dolyena supply a number of troops to help this region along our border (and this is not my idea). I suggest that we help out to help ourselves. He asked about my father – not my stepfather – so do not be surprised that this old… [scratches that out] So say hello to the Queen. I am all right. He has not zapped me yet. Cor has blessed me (maybe), but I am still okay. Your Humble Servant, Chalker. PS: Help me! Protect me from myself!” [Tom: “’Can I come home now?’”] Chalker folds the parchment and seals it with his personal signet. “There you go. I think this should do it.”
Belandrie: “I will begin my task of gathering forces. I should have the elven part of it here by mid-afternoon. I’ll be using the platform as my focal point for the elven transfer. I will need Talina’s assistance, but if Jinto… if you need to be doing something else, he is not essential for the process.” Chalker: “We get to keep Jinto?” Belandrie, smiling: “For a while.” Chalker: “Your legend grows, Jinto.” Jinto ignores Chalker.
Belandrie and Talina go off to discuss their next actions. Blacksmith contemplates the body of Pain Stay. Aliana: “So that’s what a high elf lord is like.” Runis: “Arrogant. Kind of like Jinto grown up.” Aliana: “He’s remarkably – pardon the term, Chalker – human.” Runis: “Agreed.” Aliana: “Avaricious… selfish… only does someone else a good turn when his arm’s twisted behind his back…” Runis: “Actually, I think the humans got that from the elves, and perfected it because they don’t live long enough to be able to take their time.” Aliana: “Everyone but you, Chalker. You’re a saint among humans.” Runis: “(in a high-pitched giggle) Saint Chalker! (ahem) Saint Chalker. Yeah.” Chalker: “Yeah, well… I didn’t want to talk to him anymore. He knew more than I wanted…” Chalker and Aliana have a low-voiced conversation about Belandrie’s having followed Chalker’s career.
Runis tells Blacksmith that with the expected influx of human and elven troops, he should put a professional soldier in charge of organizing and directing them. “Somebody should get Tunteki back over here. You’re going to need somebody that those people will respect in charge of everything.” Blacksmith: “Do you think we can trust him?” Runis: “There are too many things that he had to do as head of the guards. There are a lot of people in this city that are not going to believe that he wasn’t still on the other side, if we put him in charge.” Blacksmith: “Even after what he did yesterday, I’m not sure…” Runis: “I’m not sure the people of the city matter anymore. You need to be able to control all the humans and all the elves in one group, as they come in here to fight. If you put somebody in charge that isn’t used to being in charge of a multiracial group, it isn’t gonna work.” Blacksmith: “You’re right. I can see the sense in that.” Runis: “He’s more of a diplomat than he knows… well, than you know.”
Blacksmith glances over toward where Belandrie and Talina are talking. “Do you think she’s up to it?” Runis: “She has no choice. Cor will provide for her.” Blacksmith: “She’s always been the driving spark for the resistance. She’s always been a strong-willed…” He starts to say “girl” but doesn’t. Aliana, murmuring: “There was no resistance until we came.” Chalker: “They called themselves the resistance.” Aliana: “They didn’t have a name.” Runis: “There wasn’t even any hope. It was just a dream.” Aliana: “They didn’t have a name, they didn’t have a plan, they didn’t have a banner, they didn’t have any of that stuff.” Runis: “She had a prophecy. And now she’s got a god inside of her.”
Blacksmith: “I’m sure Tunteki’s on the goblin side of the city, helping the General make sure the pickets and the sentry points are strong, and making sure that food’s being gathered and everything’s kept in order. We’ve pretty much finished picking up the bodies, and the fires and rituals have begun to make sure that no disease spreads. Given the way they’re deploying, we don’t think the orcs are going to attack today. That’s Tunteki’s opinion. Your group killed the higher-ranking bales, so the rest are probably trying to figure out who’s the boss.” There had been an incursion into the castle in the middle of the night, but it was driven off with few losses; the teleporting bale, Salret, had been wounded (apparently she can teleport one other person with her at a time). There are now some 200 troops patrolling the castle. Blacksmith will find Tunteki and tell him he’s now the military coordinator, the marshal in charge of the generals. Blacksmith will have Pain Stay’s corpse conveyed to one of the funeral pyres and burned, so there will be no doubt that the sage is dead.
Jinto claims Pain Stay’s staff. In reply to Chalker, Aliana says that determining what the staff can do is “beyond my skills.” Chalker: “You seem to be progressing. I know you tried a spell on me. I don’t know why it didn’t work. I’m open to you, so I’m not sure why it didn’t work. No love spell needed.” Runis: “That’s why it didn’t work.” Chalker: “Ohhh, cold heart.”
Tunteki has been informed of his new status, and has made arrangements for quartering the expected troops. Chalker and Runis get involved with the tactical planning. (Aliana: “Because if you leave it up to the elves, they will sit around and plan and plan and plan…”) Chalker learns from the Diamond that there are now fifteen bales in Orc Town, whereas yesterday there were six. He and Runis suggest that the first area of concern should be driving the orcs out and securing the city. Aliana suggests that the underground complex (earlier explored by Chalker, Runis, and Jinto) be used as a sanctuary for the noncombatants of the city. Talina thinks this is a good idea, and will dispel the protective spells as necessary. Chalker suggests destroying all temples to the Mother of Night.
Around mid-afternoon, Belandrie and Talina use the platform to start bringing the elven archers and rangers through. Within a few hours, about five hundred elves have been brought into the city this way. Late afternoon, Belandrie announces his departure for Dolyena to speak with the King and the Duke.
At the end of the day, as the group gathers in their headquarters building, Josh asks, “When do y’all want to leave? You prepared it so you could. Or do you plan on staying longer?” Chalker thinks to the Diamond, “Can we leave now?” {You have fulfilled the parameters as laid out by Cor.} Rory: “But where do we want to go?” Runis: “And have we fulfilled the parameters established by Santash? Cor seems to be a wonderful being, but I’m not following Cor.” {Justice has been dispensed, and a holy war begun to sweep the bales from the countryside. I believe Santash is pleased. Whether that is all she wanted you to do, you would have to ask her that yourself.}
The group debates whether to go to Alpina to deal with some undefined ‘trouble’ there, or go back to the Coastal Kingdoms, probably to deal with the Bicarn war of expansion. Runis: “We can do whatever we want to do. Josh has already said his boss doesn’t want us anymore.” Aliana: “Not that this should influence anyone’s decision, but I’m not going back to the coast.” Runis: “I’ve been there. I’d like to go somewhere new.” Chalker: “Alpina sounds good.”
(The group will remain in the city one more night. Jinto needs to rest. Runis says he has something he wants to do. Under cover of night, Aliana wants to take the Diamond and go assassinate some bales.)