The shulassakar do not seem alarmed or perturbed by the adventurers toting weapons. "Of course," says Kar solemnly to Ashshar, "Please bring what you desire."
Kar and Naginti lead the group back on to the street. Naginti explains, "Krezent was founded many centuries ago to guard some of the seals which bind the demonspawn within the bowels of Khyber. Originally it was the few of the remaining couatl, after their fellows had sacrificed themselves to create this great ward and end the Demon Wars, who maintained this vigil. But the labour was immense and they were few." Both shulassakar bow politely to others they pass in the street, who also nod in the direction of the visitors, before Naginti continues.
"Our ancestors were originally humans from Sarlona. But we chose to serve the couatl in their great endeavor. Over time we changed and took on a physical aspect to reflect those whom we served."
The group cross a bridge over the chasm in the centre of the city. Kar adds, "We still serve couatl, and the great force which they created. The children of Khyber" - he tilts his head to indicate the depths below the bridge - "constantly strain against their bindings. We can never rest."
"They never do, only those they gain access to and pervert change..."
Tal glances around signficantly but doesn't say anything else.
Cole pauses to look down the depths, "So, what does it take to keep them constrained?"
Nalverren will return the nods of the citizens that nod to him. He listens intently to the exposition, but adds nothing.
The two shulassakar ignore Tal's comment. "You know it as the Silver Flame," says Naginti, in reply to Cole. "Please, this way."
Across the bridge, the shulassakr lead their charges through a grand set of double doors. Within is a large circular chamber. Light filters in through multicoloured stained glass windows from the city outside, but most of the illumination is provided by softly glowing orbs which hover out of reach and slowly orbit the room. The ceiling is supported by pillars, with one larger column in the centre of the room which disappears into a high open space obscured by darkness. The walls are clad with white marble veined in red, orange and gold, while the floor is covered with mosaic tiles made more comfortable to walk on by soft rugs and carpets.
Set around the central pillar is a large round table of polished wood. Seated at it are three more shulassakar, plus Bokehn. Also at the table are a dark-haired human male dressed in a formal suit in the Brelish style, and a red-headed gnome who looks up as he stuffs a pipe with tobacco. The human's face is expressionless as the adventurers approach, while the gnome smiles and winks in greeting.
Kar and Naginti halt and bow towards the table. "Our council of elders, plus honoured guests," says Kar formally.
One of the shulassakar at the table stands. "Please be welcome within our city of Krezent. I am Ulramis, High Priest of the Warding Flame. I hope you have had time to recover from your journey. I am sure you have many questions, which we will endeavour answer. Please take a seat and make yourselves comfortable, and then we can introduce ourselves."
Cole is clearly not fully satisfied with the creatures' short answer, but he stills his followup questions as they enter the chamber.
The warforged doesn't seem to care how touristy he appears as he looks up into the darkness above. The council receives his usual stoicism. And when he approaches the table, he pulls out a seat, and—after a brief look down at the brittle-looking piece of furniture—he instead stands at his chosen spot at the table. If he receives any questioning looks, he responds neutrally, "These weren't made for my frame."
Otherwise, he looks at each of those present, taking in the moment and clearly expecting them to reveal what all this has been about.
Those seated wait for the rest to get comfortable.
"I am Tal'Va'Nocht, Priest of Dol Arrah, General of Dol Arrah's First Tender's Regiment, Bodyguard to Ancient Orzaxes." He narrows his eyes as he looks around, and then moves the chair, built for a humanoid, out of his way. His tail and arms leaving him in as little ability to use the chair as Cole's weight does him. Instead he simply squats a bit on his haunches, his tail acting as a counterbalance, next to Cole, showing some solidarity with the artificial soul.
The fact it leaves him ready to pounce or defend instantly is an added bonus.
Rehil waits for Nalverren to sit then takes the chair next to him so that the artificer can translate if the conversation is in draconic.
Nalverren takes a seat, and looks to each of those already seated (aside from his own allies) in turn.
"I am Nalverren. No titles, just Nalverren. Why are we here?"
"Rehil Ecraish," the elf says as he folds himself into the chair next to Nalverren. He rests his curve blade against the arm of the chair, then leans back and waits.
Realizing he may have been rude, the dark-armored wardorged dips his head. "I am Cole." He cocks his head, and his tone lightens, "Some bave called me Bane of the Devourer."
The lizardfolk with the spears steps forward, in front of the chair he has chosen. He braces the spear with both hands and attempts to bow in respect "I am Ashshar of the River Sserpent... a hunter and a chossen one."
Happy with himself, the lizardfolk quickly sits to shift the attention to the others.
As the adventurers make themselves seated, Ulramis continues, "Let me introduce the others." He indicates the two shulassakar to either side of him. "This is Eyalteph, High Warden and Protector. And here is Leshlec, High Speaker."
"The titles are archaic," says Eyalteph, a well-muscled shulassakar in a simple robe. "I am responsible for the protection the city and ensuring the wards remain in place. Leshlec sees to our interactions with the wider world."
"Indeed," adds Leshlec, who is scarred on one side of his face by a patch of mottled skin where no feathers grow. "These interactions tend to be more clandestine in nature. It is I who had you brought to us, following reports from Bokehn, who I believe you know."
Bokehn returns Wultram's gaze calmly. "I am Bokehn of the Shadow Marches, Gatekeeper," he says.
"I am Rilik," says the human curtly.
"And I am Shanquo," says the gnome as he sucks the stem of his pipe. Fragrant smoke begins to fill the air around him. "Both Rilik and I are guests of Krezent, as are you."
As Kar and Naginti also take seats at the table, Ulramis states, "I believe you have met my assistants. So now we are all present. I apologise for the way you were brought here, but it was necessary. I hope that this discussion will make this clear. I imagine you have questions for us, and indeed suspicions. Please, ask what you would."
"Give me reasons to trust any words that come out of your mouths. You have already shown only deceit to what you claim are allies you wish to court. And on top of that, open hostility in the face of their understandable discontent. Personally, I see no reason to trust any words spoken at this table."
Cole listens to their introductions, but Tal’Va’Nocht’s antagonism takes him off-guard. He looks down at the kasha. After a moment of considering, he rumbles, “I don’t distrust Bokehn.”
His gaze shifts back up to Ulramis, “And I’d like to hear what our hosts have to say.”
Tal shrugs. "I see no reason to be diplomatic at the moment. Should I feel the need, I am quite capable of being diplomatic, unless the definition of Diplomatic has changed over the centuries." He says dryly, and then nods. "While I rarely agree with Wultram, I do agree in this instance, Construct Cole."
"Wultram, Bokehn dragged our near dead bodies across the jungle too. Perhaps we can call it even."
Rehil turns to their hosts. "I only want to know what you think happened to us, and what you want us to do."
Abnormally cordial, Nalverren replies, "Well, I'd normally be very angry and probably would have started stabbing by now. This is not a good situation for us, and is very akin to that of a prisoner, albeit in a fancy prison. However, considering the recent eternity I spent in that jungle, and in particular the fact that I am no longer in that jungle, I am more amenable."
He looks around, hoping his comment has aided in smoothing things over.
"As for questions, it'd be more efficient if I asked them after you were done revealing the tasks you no doubt wish to pay us handsomely to perform."
Shanquo chuckles at Nalverren's comment, "I like this one."
"I don't recall any hostility from anyone except you," adds Bokehn, looking levelly at Tal, "You simply had some facts of life explained to you and you decided to reject them. Doesn't make them any less true."
"Please, please!" says Ulramis, "It is understandable that you are confused. You are unaware of the true facts. And you have been brought to a place you do not know and greeted by strangers. They are entitled to feel defensive.
"As for what happened to you, that is what we wish to determine. We have suspicions but, like you, few facts. You are not prisoners, you are free to leave at any time. But it may be that we can help one another - time will tell.
"As for who we are? We are a coalition that fights against the greatest evil in the world. What do you know of the Lords of Dust?"
Tal shakes his head, and nods at the brother who showed hostility before. "That one was openly hostile to being told he was less than honorable. As to you, Bokehn, you had opportunity to treat us as potential allies. You could have offered us the use of the ship to go where we wanted, as you originally did, but required that you be allowed to travel somewhere else first due to prior commitments on your part. This would have been true, and would have treated us with respect, rather than lying to us. You could have even stated that your detour might be beneficial to us as it would allow us rare access to research we might not normally get, all without revealing your employers. We would have almost certainly agreed, as the side trip would have still been faster than slogging through the swamp. Instead, you lied to us, and then patronize us by insisting that your methods are correct and that we need 'the world' explained to us. I do not require your world explained, your world is deceit and lies. Nothing built on deceit and lies is built on a solid foundation. Your continued lack of ability to understand why others would no longer trust you only pushes any trust further and further away."
He does however listen to Ulramis's words politely enough. "I have no knowledge of these 'dust lords'. They are almost certainly from after my time."
"Obduracy coupled with arrogance," mutters Rilik, "Hardly surprising his species went extinct."
Shanquo grunts in assent and then asks, "So, Tal'Va'Nocht, would you lie to save an innocent from death or injury? Or would you insist upon your honour and let them suffer and die? You assume that deceit always has a sinister motive, but is that necessarily the case?"
Tal stares coldly at Rilik. "You throw up what my people called a dirt lizard, it looks like a lizard, but one hit and it smashes apart. You create a theoretical situation where if I do not lie, someone else will kill an innocent, and therefore I am to blame. This is a fallacy. I have no control over someone else's actions, they are responsible for their own actions, just as you are responsible for your actions. By trying to transfer your responsibility to me, you are rejecting culpability for your actions. In other words, you're lying to yourself to sooth your conscience. Shall we continue your dirt lizard arguments? If it would save an innocent from death or injury, shouldn't I slaughter all of you at this table now? If it would prevent one death of one innocent, should I not kill everyone in this city? At what point does your dirt lizard collapse of it's own weight?" He spits. "Begone with your attempts to assuage your own guilt by insisting I lower my own honor to make your own self feel better. If you can't have the balls to own your actions, then a plague upon you."
Cole takes a few lumbering steps away from Tal, putting physical distance between himself and the kasatha. He doesn’t break his gaze from the hosts of the meeting, though.
“So, how did you learn of us?” He gives a look to Bokehn, “What do you know of us? And who are these Lords of Dust?”
"Actually, I'm asking you a very pertinent question," replies Shanquo casually. "Nobody operates in a vacuum. Your refusal to answer shows, to me, a deep well of hypocrisy. You claim to be honourable and true, yet you refuse to answer a simple, practical question. If you lie, someone lives. If instead you tell the truth, they die. This is the very essence maintaining security of information, and a very real example of what might happen if you fail to do so. You talk of honour but it seems to me you have no concept of it beyond your own smug preconceptions, which take no account of the actual impact of your actions on other people. That hardly seems honourable, does it? Quite the opposite in fact - selfish and self-centred. How can we trust you with information if you seem so cavalier with its use?"
Tal shrugs, and stands up. "I am not the one trying to convince you to help me. I have no reason to entertain your dirt lizards, nor to listen to your lies and insults further."
Tal then turns and leaves.
Cole watches impassively as Tal leaves, then turns his attention back to the other speakers ... still waiting on their answers to his own questions.
"Pardon me."
Rehil rises from his chair and scoops up his sword. He quickly, but smoothly, follows the kasatha from the room.
"Tal!"
Rehil hustles a few steps to catch his four armed companion.
"Wait, Tal'Va'Nocht. I need to talk to you."
Tal stops, and nods. "Yes, companion Rehil? I apologize if I antagonized you, but I see no reason to bother with that ilk."
"All my life my whole family told me knowledge is power. If they are right, and they are a lot smarter than me, then you are the weakest person in Khorvaire. So if you want to help us, if you want this new life to mean anything, do the most important thing my family did teach me. Shut up and let everyone else talk. Don't let them know you're not happy or don't agree, because that just makes things worse."
It's probably the longest speech you've heard the elf make.
"I thought we were interviewing him," replies Rilik. "Oh look, another one."
Ulramis sighs and gestures as Kar, who hurries after Rehil.
"To answer your question," says Bokehn, looking somewhat bemused at all the activity, "I became aware of you when you showed up in Newthrone and wanted a job upriver. Beyond that, you didn't seem all that remarkable, I'm afraid. That changed when... whatever happened at Da'sheth, happened."
"We detected a disturbance in the wards," explains Eyalteph. "We were able to trace that back to Da'sheth. We contacted Bokehn as he was recovering and arranged transport, for both him and you. From the reports he was able to give us, clearly something extraordinary had happened to you."
"As for the Lords of Dust," says Rilik, "They are the immortal enemies of pretty much everyone and everything in Eberron. You know, of course, of the demonspawn trapped within Khyber? Well, not all of them actually are trapped in Khyber. The ones who walk among us - they are the Lords of Dust. And they seek to release the most terrible fiends from the depths and kick off the Age of Demons once again."
Looking around, the two adventurers see a young shulassakar peering down at them from the boughs of a nearby tree. It is slightly hard to tell but the child looks about ten years old, female, and dressed in a simple tunic and drawstring trousers. Her feathers are scarlet and blue, like a parrot. She smiles down and asks, "Are you OK?"
Tal smiles at the child. "Hello, small one. I am fine, and thank you for asking." He digs in his pack, and finds an apple from his food supplies. "Would you be hungry?" He offers the apple to the child. "Pardon me, small one, I must answer my companion in confidence for a moment."
Stepping back for a moment, he leans close to Rehil's ear and whispers. "I am not as stupid as Wultram thinks I am, companion Rehil. I understand I know not as much as everyone else. These people lie to us if it is convenient. You do not do so with allies, and they cannot be trusted. I am fully aware they have information I do not have. By making myself 'the dumb one', they will be more likely to let something slip to the others. While I do not like Wultrum, I have faith in his desire to keep his own hide intact, and he is wise in the ways of betrayal. If they let something slip, he will catch it. Additionally, I make myself the first target when they choose to betray us, for they know I am the most likely to be watching them and not believing them, giving everyone else that much more warning to prepare themselves."
Turning back to the child, Tal ducks his head. "My apologies, little one. I am Tal'Va'Nocht. This is companion Rehil."
Nalverren interrupts, having been seemingly lost in thought. "Fanatic cults, quite amusing in their antics, dwelling in Ashtakala in the Demon Wastes, supposedly. They worship the rakshasa Rajas. They range from the simply unhinged to truly diabolically driven. What's it got to do with us then? That we were in the vicinity of Da'Sheth when your wards fluctuated? Shall I inspect the wards? I'd like that. Did you simply want a report? Surely not, Bokehn could have managed that without us."
"Tell them you tried to talk me into coming back in and listening, and it failed. In other words, the truth suffices."
"Qbarra is particularly plagued with Demon Age ruins," says Shanquo, now disappearing behind a pall of pipe smoke. "It was a seat of power for the rajas during the long series of wars in that time, and many demons are bound beneath the jungles. Da'sheth was an ancient citadel - we believe that several trapped demons lurk within the mountain."
"If your absent colleague is to be believed - and I see no reason to disbelieve him, especially given his reported views on untruth - then it is also a place where the original ritual which bound the demons in place took place," adds Rilik. "There were many such sites, virtually all lost to history now. So it is most fascinating to have this sort of confirmation."
"Indeed," says Shanquo, "We must try and record his memories of that time. The historical insights would be incredible. You know, I've always wondered..."
"If we could remain on track," interrupts Leshlec testily.
"Of course, of course." Shanquo thinks for a moment. "As you are doubtless aware, the ritual which bound the demons created the wards to which Eyalteph just referred. You probably know these by a different name - the Silver Flame. Whatever you call it, we believe that part of the ritual involved the use of specially attuned pillars as foci. Hmmm..." He sucks on the stem of his pipe thoughtfully.
Rilik continues, "Most of these, like the places where the ritual actually took place, are lost to time or accident. And in any case, they seemed to be little more than historical curiosities - necessary for the ritual, but now irrelevant and devoid of magical power. However, if your account is true then this has been a complacent fallacy. It is my conjecture that a ritual obelisk was used as part of a powerful arcane machine to suppress the warding power of the Silver Flame, at least for a time. The potential ramifications of this are terrifying."
"Thanks for the, er... Here, try one of these." She giggles. "Is it true in some places you have to give gold to get food?"
Tal waves off the offer of the fruit. "It is called an Apple. I keep it for others, not myself. My kind only eat meat, we are carnivores. I thank you for your offer however." He tilts his head, and nods. "It is true, in many places you have to buy food. This is how the people who tend the food are able to get other things. For example, the farmer who grows the apples gives me apples for copper or silver or gold coins. He then takes the coins, and goes to the woman who makes cloth and buys cloth for his clothes. He can't very well wear apples now can he?"
Bokehn nods. "Grinnerson, Faeoli and Targryn. I think that's right, isn't it?" he asks the adventurers.