Sapphire:Sessions:20140426
The guardian's wounds have healed except for the skin on its face that was torn off when the wooden mask was removed. Trace checks; the third gear is still turning steadily.
Chalker recalls that in the command room in Bicarn, there were constructs that had crystal slots. He says, "Rory, let's go back to Bicarn."
They step into a vestibule which contains three other gates. Rory sets some crystals into another gate and steps into what appears to be a military situation room, dominated by a large table made of transparent metal and surrounded by twenty-five chairs. There are places on the wall where maps could be posted. The air is not stale, and there is not a speck of dust on any surface. Somehow he senses that someone had come and hurriedly removed important items from the room. Rory writes in his book, "Can you read this?"
Chalker has entered a room with racks of swords and leather armor. On the walls are paintings of military scenes from the Venettian "golden age," depicting heroic humans driving back fearsome monsters. One painting is labeled "1367" and the other "1304." On a table is a stack of blank parchment. The ceiling is about 10' high, and there are slots on the wall near the top. The entire room is underground and isolated. Chalker replies to Rory's message by writing "Yes" in his own book, to which Rory responds "Okay."
Rory and Chalker meet back in the vestibule. After a brief experiment with a flickering crystal, Rory announces that different arrangements of crystals cause the gates to open to different places. Chalker steps into a bedroom suite that clearly belongs to a male. The bed is neatly made, and the clothing in the wardrobe is that of a soldier. Tapestries on the walls depict realistic woodland and meadow scenes. Under the bed Chalker finds a sheathed knife with a blade sharp enough to split hair and balanced for throwing. The intricate design on the sheath contains magic runes.
Rory signals to Chalker, who takes the knife and also snatches up a packet of letters written in Venettian before stepping back through the gate. Rory indicates that he'd heard someone moving around on the roof; when Chalker looks through the ceiling, he sees a gigantic griffin. They leave in a hurry, pulling crystals as they go. Chalker: "What did you do?" Rory: "I didn't do anything. Maybe it sensed the gate activity."
Chalker shows his new knife to Trace, who verifies that it is a powerful artifact, definitely Venettian.
Another arrangement of crystals opens a gate to a banquet hall; chandeliers light up as Rory and Chalker enter. Easily 40 people could be seated around the massive table. To one side is a small stage for entertainers. Chalker finds magic symbols on the underside of the table and chairs. Behind one tapestry Rory finds faint runes that possibly outline a secret door, but when Chalker looks through that section of wall, he sees only stone and earth. Rory begins working out a method of charting the crystal patterns and the gate destinations.
Chalker feels a presence, then sees Mensep (in the form of a young boy, representing his thievery aspect) and Cor. Mensep: "I'm proud of you. You've had a busy day." Chalker: "This is about the knife, isn't it?" Mensep, smiling: "It had been moldering there a long time." Cor, with a nostalgic sigh: "Those were good times." Chalker (to Cor): "Anything I can do for you?" Cor: "I had to check this out for myself." Chalker: "Tell the Mother of Night I'm sorry." Cor: "She's busy." Cor passes his hand briefly over the packet of letters and smiles. Chalker: "I tried to resist taking them." Cor: "It's not the letters, it's what they represent." After a pause, "One more thing... do you have a plan yet?" Mensep and Cor vanish before Chalker can respond, but he says aloud, "Get our wayward companion back."