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Team Eyestrain in the Library: "Not so old as that, I think. Whatever lore was here, most of it's been destroyed." He pointed to the torn away pages in disgust.
"This is older than Cormanthyr. Remarkable; I didn't expect to find such ancient lore anywhere on the mainland. At least not still in the hands of the People."
Iym considered the reference and tried to situate it with what lore he already knew.
** spoiler omitted ** Library: "All very unhelpful, but I might be able to narrow it down from internal evidence."
Iym, knowing just what to expect at the library, wasted no time getting to work.
Not if you keep a hood over it, I don't! :)
Nivian smiles, and when they are past the guardian and out of range of hearing, she asks So, what are the rules and traditions of Evereska that you just agreed that I would follow?As I've never looked too deeply at this I'll let Dragon field that question and Pero will puppet the response I/C :-) All new visitors have to do a nude performance of Silmarilion: The Musical. We will be graded on our high kicks.
Bad enough to be half-human, but a noble house's byblow? Fenmarel had best smile on Henris. Few others would. Iym kept carefully silent until the guards were behind them. "You must reveal to none all you see and learn here. The Fortress Home has not lasted so long because every bard sung her secrets."
Iym fought to hide his irritation. Bad enough to come all this way back and risk everything. Now to not be believed? Questioned like N'Tel'Quess? Next they would pry with Art. "It has been a difficult sojourn," he said instead of what he was thinking.
"We must go on," Iym agreed, sighing.
Pero considers Iym's argument and nods, "A fair point Iym. Very well, I am in agreement with your assessment. Should the need arise to consult with our Elders we shall omit the Kiira's place in the story until we learn more of it, or perhaps, from it". Iym smiled, relieved that someone understood.
Pero shrugs at Iym, "Are you suggesting we research this odd occurrence ourselves and not consult the wisdom of our Elders?" "It's said that once every House had its kiira, but many are now lost. Some may care less for regaining their kiira than one they can claim as theirs'. We should keep it from grasping hands. Even those of good heart may fear ancient secrets still locked within being loosed on the Realms once more and be moved to drastic steps. And this must have come to us for some reason, even if only to give it to those of the People to whom it truly belongs."
"That might not be wise," Iym said. "We must go there, of course. But we may attract the wrong kind of interest even in the Fortress Home."
Iym smiled when it all faded. He'd been right. Now...the kiira was awake. It could contain anything! Without two breaths' hesitation, he put it on his brow again.
Iym regarded the kiira blazing in his hands with undisguised delight. He took it up in his hand and began to inch toward the darkness, bright stone held forward.
"That's fascinating, but not well for us. Let's take it back at once."
"Agreed! We can ask that boy." Henris looks around. "Erm, does anyone know where he is?" "Yes," Iym said, removing the kiira with some reluctance. "We should ask the boy, then."
Are you saying we *ethically* can't? That's causing the curse. Will anything less end the curse? If we don't know how or it cannot be destroyed by normal means, then we need to find a way. If we can destroy the curse and not the kiira, then great, but giving Raurniel peace from her life of torture is more important than any heirloom. "Of course, but it makes no sense for a kiira younger than this place to have brought doom upon it and snared those already gone when it first felt the touch of the People. Those here must be cursed by something that they would have known, and would have known them."
"Can we destroy it? Do we have the ability to do so? Does anyone know what it takes to destroy a kiira?" "We cannot. Whatever else it is, this is a priceless artifact of the People. If it's not trapped in here, we must restore it to its proper heirs."
Henris frowns, looking at the kiira. "So...nothing happened? Do we need to find the Kiira's rightful owner and restore it to break the curse?" "Perhaps. Either way...that was disappointing."
"So, this might be a rather foolish thought, but should one of us try putting it on?" "Excellent idea!" Iym did so.
"This is truly ancient, even by the standards of such things...but it seems as though it may have seen fewer winters than this tower. Only just a few, but enough to tell. It shouldn't be here, just like us."
Iym cast his own divination over the kiira, not trying to hide his excitement at seeing one in person. An actual one, not whatever was on Pero's brow. And still holding its Art, no less!
So hi. I'm currently going through some relatively serious issues in my personal life and may be unavailable for a while. I also might not be. One of those things where I have no idea how it's going to shake out or when I'm going to be capable of posting. It sucks and I'm sorry, but it's unavoidable. I'll do what I can.
"Our history?" Iym said. "I don't think we've met, small one."
** spoiler omitted ** "A most interesting subject," Iym said. "What history would it be?"
Iym cautiously approached the child. "Well met, small one."
Iym cast his own divination and looked about. "Papers don't usually move on their own. Usually."
Iym screamed in terror.
Let's hope our split goes more the way of Scooby Doo than the Order of the Stick! :-) There is a hall with many doors. They all somehow connect to each other. Perhaps a filing cabinet with the same properties.
"Yes, the library then," Iym agreed.
"A library is an excellent place to start in any event," Iym said.
Working together, the travelers can discern that the curse is not coming from the room. It's coming from some place else in the keep. Up... and to the north. Towards one of the upper floors of the keep. Not directly above, maybe a room in the inner keep? A storeroom or armory? "Raurniel, what is above us in that direction?" Iym said, indicating the north.
"Art is Art, but not all Art flows from the Weave in the same ways," Iym said. "Ancient Art, touched by such time and of such sophistication, can go easily wrong."
"This is all very complicated," Iym said. "There is a powerful curse here, as you know too well, but I hope it will give you some solace to know that you are not its cause. If we can manage to deal with that root, then everything should proceed as-" Iym stopped himself. "I'm sorry; you know how it ends."
"With your leave, then," Iym spoke a brief incantation.
Iym roused himself from his continued befuddlement at all that has taken place. "You bear a heavy burden. It would be my privilege to help lighten it."
The guards look at Nivian like she's insane. "Cormanthyr? What place is this? You speak.. oddly." Iym's head spun. None of this made any sense.
Iym thought it over, "This Dark Knight is as old as Cormanthor. If he could withstand that realm in its prime...we don't have a chance."
Elohir shakes his head. "The legends only say that those who fought him, die. Only witnesses, hidden from sight, or too cowardly to fight, have lived to tell the tale. They say swords shatter against his armor." "There must be some way," Iym said. "The People have faced worse; nothing is invulnerable."
"I agree with the consensus, we should go now and then rest. If they catch us while sleeping again it would not be favorable, at least in the ruins we can control the battlefield better than here in the open". "You're right," Iym said. "Reverie can wait or we may not experience it again."
"Wait, I remember this. There are ruins of the People all about here. This used to be one of our realms. Many times over."
"We can't lead them to Evereska," Iym said. "Where in the Realms is the Forgotten Forest?" Iym said. "And can it be near to a n'tel'quess temple crawling with priests?"
"I'm not much for arms, but I have Art for our ambush," Iym said.
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