Fragments of the Lidu diaries: Gorilla war in Golismorga
All that came out of the discussion was that we decided to spend the day in Farshore. We’d return to that monstrous city tonight to spend the night. We’d make our move early tomorrow morning if everything went according to plan.
. . .
Getting back to Golismorga proved to be a complicated affair: I wasn’t powerful enough to transport everyone by myself. Buffy’s spell wouldn’t work on places she wasn’t familiar with. I would need to use two teleports just to get us back to the foul city which would mean we’d be trapped until I’d rested and regained my spells. This had some people on edge. I hadn’t realized how much the others had come to depend on my magic. My teleport spells were peace of mind. They meant a quick exit.
Anyways, the process of returning to Golismorga went like this: I teleported Buffy, James, Fredrick, Kale, and myself to Golismorga. Once we were sure it was safe Buffy would use her magic to take her and I back to Farshore. Then I’d take the girls, Buffy, Kiki, Orlani, and Churtle, to Golismorga.
. . .
We chose a place that was far away from the pyramid. The location was just big enough for my secure shelter spell and would sit between two mushroom-like buildings. One of the wonders of my spell was it constructed itself from whatever was common. Here the shelter looked to be made out of the strange fungus. It was hardly invisible, it didn’t quite blend in, but it wouldn’t stand out. It was perfectly camouflaged if you didn’t know what to look for. We didn’t take any chances either way. That encounter with the purple worm told us that there were other things down in these caves besides Korpru, naga, and troglodytes.
. . .
It was an uneasy sleep at best but nothing entered our camp. The strange noises made everyone feel on edge. Even with Hop-Toy watching over me I had trouble relaxing. When sleep did come it was a light thing and when I woke I was instantly wide awake knowing where I was.
Fredrick once again made his feelings known. Thus far the others seem content to follow the lead of Kale and I but Fredrick is nothing if not persuasive. I wonder if he will continue to argue his case when Kale and I aren’t around? I do hope I won’t need to take actions.
We had a light breakfast before setting out. We carefully crept through the city. Some of the sites we recognised. The light source was more or less static so the shadows always fell in the same locations. We found the site of a previous battle. It was picked clean. The Troglodyte corpses still remained but the Korpru must have done something with their dead. After careful consideration we choose a new ambush location: this time to the north. We’d dealt with a patrol to the south and ambushed korpru forces to the west. We thought it best to keep our opponent guessing.
I chose to stir up the hornet’s nest differently as well. I crept to within sight of the pyramid before summoning hoards of pseudonatural creatures to harass their forces. I flew off before the naga’s were drawn into the fight. I rejoined the others. We waited to see what the Korpru response would be. We didn’t wait long.
The Korpru didn’t send any surprises. Their response was similar. There was little variation with our initial response as a result. This time, however, we were better prepared. As before we targeted the Korpru rather then the troglodytes or the naga, the Naga were quite dangerous, but the mind control was the greater threat. This time we practically enticed the large korprus to grapple with us. The big monsters were dangerous but they left themselves open for attack when they wrapped their tentacles around someone. No sooner did they snatch up Kale or James or Fredrick then the others were able to slice them open. In less then a minute two of the behemoths were dead and dieing.
Unfortunately our decision to ignore the nagas proved to be costly. Jets of fire blasted Fredrick and James. Their agility and weapon prowess proved to be no defence against the flame. I commanded my summons to shred one to ribbons while I flew over the other, intending to blast it into oblivion with my magic. Suddenly I realized that Fredrick had disengaged as well. His blades no long slashing at the korpru, they had been returned to their sheaths, but his attention had turned to me!
His mind had been compromised of course. His fleshy human brain was far too susceptible.
Fredrick had a regular supply of potions. He’d quaffed a potion of flight and invisibility before the fight. Thankfully the invisibility had worn off, but the other made him one of the few on this battle field capable of reaching me. He flew strait at me. I quickly realised that he was attempting to pin my arms in a misguided attempt to stop me from casting. On instinct (more then anything else) I extended my arm straight out. His forehead slammed into my palm, my body arched away from him and his hands, and his hands, grabbing for my waist, snagged nothing but air.
He wouldn’t be detoured though, his groping hands aimed for my body, my breasts, but my hands were accustomed to such attacks. I slapped them off, easily keeping out of range. Then he caught my wrist. He was much stronger then I was and he quickly pulled me into his embrace, pinning my arms to my sides, and then he began squeezing the air from my lungs.
It was a frightful experience, that loss of control, being handled in such a way, but it was over in a moment. I simply pulled myself through the 4th dimension and suddenly I was on the other side of the field of battle. Fredrick tried to chase me down again but I simply turned invisible and flew away at a right angle from him. The behemoth that had addled his mind was soon put to the sword and Fredrick returned to normal. I couldn’t help but wonder how much of that assault had been alien influence and how much had been Fredrick’s own dark twisted desires? His hands had been desperate, grasping, and sexual. With his arms about me his pelvis had . . .
I put it out of my mind. No good would come from thinking of such things.
We discovered that James had taken another hostage. This Korpru was as indignant as the other. We questioned him/her/it on the shadow pearls, about numbers, what their goals were, but every question garnered the practically the same response. There was a pause though when I questioned him about Demogorgon. It was a hunch at best, we’d only seen the odd hint here and there, but the creature’s cold calculating mind had clearly not expected for us to make that connection.
“Well what do we do with it now?” James asked, “I’ll be damned if we’re going to let this thing go so it can come back to try to kill us again.”
“Funny,” I said looking towards one of the violet burning pillars, “letting him go was exactly what I had in mind . . . after a fashion anyways.”
“What do you mean?” Kale asked, eyes narrowing, jaw tightening.
“Those pillars,” I said gesturing, “what do you suppose they’re made of? I have my suspicions of course, but I have no way of testing my theories.”
“You want us to throw this sad sack into the pillar?” Kale asked, “Are you insane? Wait,” he said holding up his hands, “don’t answer that last question. Tristan I’m not going to let anyone get close to those things again. It’s too dangerous.”
“Don’t worry Kale,” I said, that mirthless smile felt natural on my face now, “I had no intentions of any of us getting close to that thing. I suspect that those pillars are living wounds on the fabric of reality and knowing more of their nature might allow me to figure out some way to fix them. I suspect that the reason this city continues to live and exist is because of their unnatural light. Destroy the pillars and I might be able to end this city once and for all.”
“And what do you think will happen?” Kale pressed, “He’ll likely burn or freeze or whatever but how will seeing that help you?”
“Don’t be so quick to make such conclusions,” I said, “Magic can be crafted to affect only certain beings. Those that attach themselves to the upper planes might feel sick approaching those pillars while the vile are unaffected. Why would these demon fish create something that would affect them in such a way? I suspect that the pillars will only harm us, good creatures of flesh and blood, but these vile aberrations will likely not feel a thing. It is only a theory but I must find out though, for science.”
“Yes,” James said, sharing my smile, “for science.”
We bound the korpru up and I summoned pseudonatural hippogriff to deliver him into the pillar. The Korpru let out a scream when it discovered our intentions but my beast took off before we could feel too much pity for the monster. My hippogriff tried the direct root but clearly the aura was too great and it turned back. It flew higher and higher and then it turned and flew at the pillar at a full speed on a partial incline, then as it drew closer it dropped into a full dive, but then it turned away again . . . but something continued along the trajectory. We watched as the bound korpru twisted and turned through the air. We heard a brief scream as it floated over our heads. We gasped as he flew into the pillar . . . then instantly disappeared in a loud snap and a puff of purple and green flame.
“Interesting,” I forced myself to say. The pause after witnessing that horrible sight had grown well beyond awkward, “and unexpected,” I quickly added, “ I don’t think we’ll be doing that again . . .”
Kale suppressed a shiver and trudged off. I had no love for Korprus but I shared his disgust and horror. Had I known that the vile little being would be winked out of existence I would never had suggested the experiment.
We collected what we could from the bodies before returning to Farshore
. . .
“I don’t see how I can give you a penance Tristan,” Smarnil sighed, “you’ve not technically broken any of her tenets, and I’m not going to prescribe something just to make you feel better about the situation. She is the Stern Lady. You need to put pity out of your heart for such a monster. That creature may or may not have deserved death in that manor but don’t kid yourself it needed to be done. Launching it into that pillar hardly . . .”
“What if I’d done it willingly?” I asked. Having your own priest wasn’t much use if they wouldn’t do what you asked them to do.
“But you just told me that you didn’t know . . .” the priest sighed.
“Fine,” I said, I’d need to find some form of atonement somewhere else.
“Wee Jas isn’t about feeling better about yourself Tristan,” Smarnil said, “she . . .”
“Let me ask you something else,” I said suddenly interested in something that had been bothering me for a while, “Wee Jas also is a love goddess.”
“Well yes,” the priest said, trying to keep up, “she has that aspect, not my area of expertise, and hardly one of her major focuses.”
“And how does the goddess feel about women falling in love with other women and men falling in love with other men?”
“Well I think that would depend on who you asked,” Smarnil sighed, “The sacred texts aren’t exactly clear, questions on this matter asked of her directly were always answered vaguely . . .”
“I’m asking you,” I said, my eyes narrowing, “your beliefs. You’re my priest and I want your opinion. Let’s not talk using a hypothetical either. Straight answers.”
“Well,” he said with a nervous laugh, “you must understand that she is a goddess of the suel people, and obviously propagating the species would only seem a natural concern for her. But I’ve also come to understand that if every adult female were to bare children caring for such a large brood would be near impossible. It’s my belief that some of us must look after the living, to protect and help raise the next generation, and so I think some of us are designed by the goddess to always be there to care for other people’s children.
“But,” he said raising a finger, “that doesn’t mean that she approves of us giving into our base desires. I’m not saying that she outright denies such relationships but I feel there needs to be . . . hmmm, there needs to be understanding, she has great compassion and understanding, I don’t think she would deny or ban such a thing outright, but I don’t think love can be the only consideration. People might cite Wee Jas’ love for Norebo but she is also the goddess of duty and arranged marriages, and while Norebo is a scoundrel he is a Suel god, and so such a marriage could be seen as strengthening her people.”
“So you’re saying . . .”
“She couldn’t deny someone love as long as they remembered their duty to their people.”
“What sort of trouble did you get in up near Greyhawk?” I asked switching topics.
Smarnil’s face paled. “I . . . I” was all he could sputter for a moment.
“There was talk about a cult,” I said, trying to remember the details, “I only recall because I did a bit of research on the Age of Worms, but you know the stories didn’t quite go into exacting detail.”
“It wasn’t a . . .” Smarnil paused, than sighed, “There were those that worshiped the Green Lady as a full saint. She was guided by visions, or so they say, she foresaw the destruction of the empire and led a small group of . . . it doesn’t really mater. The church has outlawed her worship and doubts our . . . their claims. There was talk about rooting out heretics . . . I denounced my beliefs and have returned to the fold.”
“Isn’t there a statue of the Green Lady in the church of Sasserine?” I asked.
“No,” he said too quickly, “there isn’t you are mistaken.”
“Yes there is!” I snapped, I disliked being lied too, even if it was a priest who may have thought himself shielding me from the church’s ire, “I often pray to her because it’s threw that statue that . . .”
Thankfully I caught myself. I had heard the voice of Wee Jas through that statue. It had talked to me. I remembered nothing of the words but I knew it was so. I could scarcely tell Smarnil that. His reaction might have been similar to my fathers. I couldn’t stand to hear such scepticism from a priest. I bit my tongue.
Smarnil said nothing for the longest time. He just watched me, perhaps thinking of the words to say, likely searching for a way out of this conversation, but finally he licked his lips and sat down beside where I was kneeling.
“The Green Lady’s existence has never been denied by the church,” he said, “but I am on very thin ice and must be extremely careful as to what I say. She lived and died nearly a thousand years ago, she saved a handful of the Suloise and their followers from the rain of colourless fire, and she did, unlike many before and after her, make peace with the local Flan and enlisted their aid. There are some who view her as a saint but the church has been very reluctant . . .”
Smarnil trailed off. There was lots he wanted to tell me, but he was likely under an oath not to say any more. Perhaps he’d been forced to denounce her. I felt for a moment that I knew who this priest was and felt his sorrow.
“I’m sorry if I brought up painful memories father,” I said rising and dusting off my dress, “but that statue always had special memories for me, and whatever teachings this lady gave to you are yours to keep.”
“Thank you child,” Smarnil said with a feeble smile, “but time has past where I can keep hold foolish dreams and beliefs of the past . . .”
“She said she would return,” I gasped as a sudden insight hit me like a hammer, “that she would be born again,” Smarnil looked up at me, eyes wide as saucers, “you should never have doubted her.”
Only that wasn’t exactly what I’d said.
I suddenly felt very queasy. I turned and ran. Smarnil sat stunned for a moment but then he cried and stood, and he quickly gave chase. I used my ring of invisibility once outside the temple and disappeared. Smarnil’s continued pleading and begging for me to wait as I flew away but I couldn’t face him after that. I was as shocked as he was. I had meant to say “she” and “her” when I spoke of the Green Lady, those were the words that I had formed in my mind, but as soon as those words came tumbling out I realised there was a horrible discrepancy.
I had said “I” instead of “she”.
I had said “me” instead of “her”
. . .
Avoiding the priest had been a bother. Lavinia didn’t ask why I was avoiding Smarnil but she wasn’t exactly complicit with my attempts either. When I went to Blenak’s to get that wand she told the priest that I’d returned to Sasserine (which was true at the time) but when I returned she didn’t even try to hide the fact that I had taken refuge inside. She simply explained that she didn’t know why I was avoiding him but denied him entrance to her home. Smarnil politely bowed and again asked Lavinia to tell me that he wished to speak to me. Lavinia returned to her office and glared at me. I gave her a sickly smile in return. How could I explain to her what happened when I wasn’t entirely sure myself?
. . .
The Naga had gone invisible but I launched a fireball in the direction I thought it would be in. We needed to end this quickly. The pyramid was a few hundred feet away and reinforcements could soon be here.
The Korpru behemoth were the concern now, although their mind effecting magic was no longer a concern for us they were still dangerous. If they managed to isolate one of us their tentacles could make resistance near impossible. These lesser Korpru were more of an inconvenience then anything. They weren’t that great of a threat to our sword wielding warriors but they could still drag down some of our weaker and smaller members . . . if the korpru weren’t so slow. The troglodytes were a hindrance at best. Buffy moved about using her wand to renew the protection from evil spells, but having to fend off troglodytes made things much harder. Still, this fight was far easier then the previous one as we no longer had to worry about our team mates turning on us.
. . .
“Wait here,” I said to the others, “I’ll be right back.”
“Wait,” Kale called, “where are you going?”
“To blast the pyramid before we leave,” I said, “I want them always guessing when and where we’ll strike again!”
I turned invisible and flew towards the pyramid. Using my boots I was able to select a fine hiding place amongst the shadows of the stalactites and far out of retaliation range by the weaker Naga spell casters. I took my time selecting my target, and then I called out:
“Attention Lords of Dread! It’s time for your daily beatings!”
Perhaps not one of my best lines but it would do. The fireball arced down blasting a small group of troglodytes and Korpru. I ducked behind the stalactite and prepared to activate my ring . . . but then I realised I wasn’t alone. I turned to see four cold cruel eyes. A three meter long mouth filled with dagger length teeth. A massive bulbous body covered with tentacles. Above those eyes I saw a dozen transparent sacks that held humanoid brains. It seemed to smile. Its teeth practically glistened with saliva.
‘Think fast Tristan,’ the severed head in my haversack laughed, ‘and don’t loose your head.’
“A brain eater,” I whispered in wonder. Until that moment I couldn’t have told you for sure if those things actually existed. I’d read about them in the forbidden texts sure, but that was different, those were words on a page, this was pseudo-real flesh and blood. And It sat less then a meter away from me. I’d never laid eyes on such a thing never mind been so close. I would love the chance to take one of these things apart. My examination was sadly cut short. Those cruel teeth lashed out. I felt a sharp pain in my calf. I felt the most of the strength leave my body.
I activated my ring and used dimension door to move well out of range. The monster, perhaps thinking I might seek revenge, turned invisible as well and we both disappeared into the darkness. I rejoined my companions.
“Any trouble?” Kale asked.
“None,” I said, “the Korpru didn’t even see me.”
. . .
“But we are making progress,” I said, stressing the ‘are’, “Yesterday we fought within sight of the pyramid and the korpru didn’t dare send out reinforcements.”
That wasn’t entirely true, we’d fled before reinforcements could arrive, but the forces around the pyramid had seemed much weaker and sparser.
“But we don’t know if we are making any difference,” Fredrick said, that fang hung out over his lower lip when his face was tight and angry, making him look like a petulant child then the master diplomat that he was, “there could be a thousand of those monsters in the lower tunnels, perhaps they’re so thinly spread out because they set dozens of traps like that throughout the city. If we destroy the tear . . .”
“We’ve been over this!” Kale snapped. He seemed to be loosing his temper, and for once his tantrums weren’t directed at me, “We’re destroying that tear as a last resort. We faced some difficulties early on but now I feel we’ve got these things figured out. We’re in no danger and these things don’t have unlimited numbers. In might take a week, might take a month, but for all we know it might be over tomorrow.”
“It could be over tomorrow,” Fredrick said, “very easily. You’re risking our lives to prevent a threat to a civilization that hasn’t been around for a thousand years. You seem to forget these demon fish are immortal. They live in an undying city. They don’t operate on the same timeline as we do. I can’t imagine they’ll be a threat until they’re ready. These Oman people could have a thousand or more years to prepare for that! In the mean time they’d most certainly take care of the Korpru threat for us.”
“He does have a point,” James sighed, I looked at the others, they seemed war weary. Kiki and Orlani nodded. It wasn’t a revolt but people were loosing their resolve.
“We’re at the final push,” I said smiling.
“You said that yesterday.” Fredrick reminded me, “and they seemed to have plenty of forces to offer a resistance.”
“We should have pressed on,” Kale said, “I can’t blame Tristan for wanted to return, we did finish off one of the healing wands, and I’m sure Tristan had used lots of her higher level spells, but James and Fredrick and I could have dealt with a few more of those Korprus. Perhaps we could have hunted down some more of those nagas. These short raids are fine but here I’ll agree with Fredrick. It might not be enough. We should have pressed on and taken the base of the pyramid at the very least.”
“If we just destroy the Tear . . .” Fredrick started.
“Tomorrow we’ll end this one way or another,” I said.
. . .
The base of the pyramid was cleared. The troglodytes vanquished. There weren’t many Korpru amongst the dead though. We didn’t see any of the Naga. The small huts were empty. The pyramid was sealed.
“Tomorrow we open that,” I said.
“You said yesterday . . .” Fredrick gasped, “we took out the remainder . . .”
“I said that we’d end this today,” I said, “and it is. It’s over. Look around you. Do you see any more Korpru? Is there any resistance? The pyramid is ours to explore. But we do it tomorrow. That’s likely going to be a tough nut to crack and there’s no reason to rush anymore. We wait till tomorrow.”
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Fragments of the Lidu diaries: Gorilla war in Golismorga
Nice, two updates back to back!
... but... where are the gorillas?? ;)
That's cool. It was quite an epic endeavor to get to the pyramid.
We didn't investigate the flame pillars at all in my group. We didn't think about it.
Watch out for that Fredrick guy... I don't trust him!
The funny thing with the mind control is that party members can do bad stuff to each other, and then pretend they were mind controlled. Like Fredrick groping Tristan, or Belessa and Lagaan fighting each other in my campaign. ;)
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It wasn't until I was looking through my PHB I noticed that protection from evil spell protects from mind control that things got easier. Tristan traveled back to Sasserine to get a wand of protection from evil. From that moment forward things got easier. Protection from good has the same effect BTW.
Yeah, Belessa uses Protection from Chaos since the default option isn't available to her. ;)
Merry Christmas everyone!
And a very Merry Christmas to you too Guy! :)
Guy, dropped in here on a whim. I am very glad to hear from Tristan again. I liked the change of pace with Hop-toy narrating. Hope your New Year is most excellent.
I was eighteen. The thought occurred to me as I dressed for this final confrontation. My Birthday had passed a few days ago. I was now an adult and would need to start acting accordingly.
There had been so much that I’d hoped to accomplish. Professionally I knew I’d already accomplished a great deal already, in my arcane studies I’d just gained access to the 7th sphere (something that is unheard of for anyone my age), I’d been awarded the spire of Sasserine, I was to be made a white dagger of the Witchwardens, I’d been named a high citizen of the Dawn Council, I’d been published, I’d captained a ship, I’ve helped run a successful election, I’d earned the respect of the oman people, and I’d help orchestrate the single greatest defeat the Crimson Fleet has ever suffered, but socially I was a failure. Many women my age were betrothed or actually married. I had cousins that already had children.
Strange thoughts to have before a battle.
My birthday, I realised, had been the day I’d stumbled across the brain collector. Their proper name is the Neh-Thalggu. They were more commonly called brain collectors in our tongue, but for some reason I’d thought of them as brain eaters. The entity known as Chimpman thought that was apt misinterpretation because in their own language there was little difference between the two words. Still, I would have liked to have marked the occasion in some way, but in truth I didn’t feel any different. I wish I did but I didn’t.
I was glad we’d returned to Farshore before attempting to delve into the pyramid. I had a feeling of apprehension today, like something horrible or monuments was going to happen, and I’d had my chance to say my good-byes to Lavinia should the unthinkable happen. I wanted to return to her yesterday but I’d promised her. We would finish this once and for all. I couldn’t return without fulfilling that promise. Besides I’d found the courage to ask her for a kiss . . . for luck I’d assured her. I turned at the last moment, like a coward, presenting my cheek to receive the kiss rather then my lips. I felt the urge to say more, to profess my feelings then, but how could I steel myself to do my duty should she invite me into her arms?
‘You should have told her then,’ Hop-Toy predictably interjected, it seemed he always had something to say when I thought of her as of late, ‘or else you should have finished off the pyramid yesterday. All these needless delays won’t make your task any easier. You need to make your feelings known. You think you can fool me by inventing reasons to delay or postpone but I know what you’re really up too.’
I decided not to argue with my familiar. He was right. I had delayed. Yesterday I decided that we’d need to wait for the water to drain. It seemed another pointless delay to Fredrick and perhaps he was right. After all opening the pyramid proved to be no problem (once we discovered all four pressure points that is), and four remaining Nagas that occupied the first room within only succeeded in earning my ire. Two of the fools blasted me with jets of flame. I fell back, dug into my haversack, and turned loose with the wand of fireballs that I’d liberated from Yaun-ti sorcerer. When I was finished the nagas were char . . . as well as the fleshy insides of the pyramid. We discovered that it was a faux pyramid, the veneer on the outside was stone, but the building itself was an ancient demon fish structure. After my savage beating the whole building had been left whimpering.
That’s what happens when you cheat and build with meat.
We discovered that the next layer had been flooded with water. I summoned a fish like monster to explore but the water instantly grew choppy. I continued summoning until the water started to calm and an orange tinge started to spread. This was Korpru blood. We tried a couple of experimental dives but if we were to go deeper we needed to open a stone hatch in the floor. James and Kale didn’t seem strong enough to do that. Kale naturally thought of smashing the hatch but after I explained something to him about water pressure and suction he wisely decided to wait. On the morrow Buffy would have the proper spells to help us explore.
We did take the opportunity to loot what we could from the water. James proved to be a very capable diver and soon we had everything he could hoist pulled out of the water. We had found all sorts of treasures. That’s also when we discovered that the water level had been slowly lowering. We had secured a rope onto the ladder, James used it to dive with and we used it to pull items out of the water with. Around his eighth or ninth dive James noticed that the water level had dropped about an inch. The math was rough, I guessed around twenty hours to drain the room, if the water drained at the same rate, which it most assuredly wouldn’t. Still I told the others that we’d best wait for the water to drain on its own, I suppose I could have used a summons to smash the stone, but subconsciously I welcomed the delay.
I was worried about confronting Lavinia. This would be a battle that no amount of preparation could prepare me for. It would all come down to Lavinia. There was nothing that I could say or do to sway her mind. She either felt the same way as I, or she didn’t. I’d spent time looking through books, history, medical, even romance, and from my research I believed my condition was fairly rare. To be honest, until I looked into it, I didn’t even know that there were other options out there. The chances that Lavinia had a similar mind seemed highly improbable. I would likely return, face rejection, and possibly even ridicule. I doubted the last bit but it was a small town and things spread. I put it out of my mind for today we needed to focus on the task at hard. I stepped outside of my secure shelter and looked up at the pyramid. Already Kiki and Buffy climbed the steps.
The pyramid had changed. The flesh in the first room had regenerated. Strange eyes, growing out of the very living innards of the pyramid, regarded us curiously. The water in the next level was completely gone. We gave the room a quick search and discovered a few more baubles . . . namely a ruby ring. Right away I knew the item would need to be mine! It was magic Churtle discovered but how could I, a follower of the Ruby Sorcerer, allow the item to fall into the hands of another. It was divine providence I thought.
There was also an Alter to Demogorgon. Kiki set to work prying the gems out of it. I almost asked if she had examined the thing for traps first . . . but I didn’t think I’d like the answer. Yesterday James had pulled up a number of potions from the mangled mess that had once been the room’s guardians, today we managed a few more . . . I thought we should continue searching more but the party urged me on.
We lifted the stone and descended down into (what would prove to be) the final chamber. The smell of oil and bile told us what we should expect. There were four great pools of black bile surrounded a central platform. The heat was horrid. The bile gave off its own heat but we were also in the heart of a living building. The pulsating flesh hung like curtains. We were in the gullet or belly of some great thing. The abundance of flesh surrounded and divided the room. The setting was ghastly but our foe was beyond comprehension . . . as we descended into fleshy sauna Kiki saw something move beneath the bile.
“There’s something in that,” Kiki said pointing. My eyes detected nothing.
“Don’t be absurd,” I said, “nothing could live in that . . .”
Suddenly the oily black sludge rippled and a massive chitin hide slithered just beneath the surface. I held back my dread. Such things should not have been possible . . . but something else drew my attention. Something else was in the bile: eight glowing orbs, the size of a man’s head floated in the goo, and I confess my attention was drawn to the sparkling baubles. It wasn’t gold that interested me. I immediately saw those baleful orbs for what they were! This was how the black pearls were made! This horrible arcane process was laid bare to me.
“Um guys,” Fredrick whispered, “that’s not our only problem.”
We turned to see what Fredrick was looking at. A final Korpru knelt in the far corner of the room. The sinister monster finished the spell he had been casting and stood. If it were possible I’d say he smiled at us. For a moment I considered talking with it, we weren’t going to reason with it, but smug types sometimes said more then they intend. I thought for a moment, if we could get it talking, it might spill all of its evil plans.
“Make your time . . .” I sneered, not quite what I’d meant to say, “Your base are belongs to us . . .”
Human language had been a bit of a problem for me as of late. Not so much with the people I knew, Kale, Kiki, Buffy, James, Fredrick, Orlani, and Churtle . . . the words came easy when I spoke to them. But strangers, people that I hadn’t connected with, the words sort of twisted. It was though my brain was on a different wave length from theirs. I couldn’t connect, part of my mind knew the acceptable words, but they failed to reach my mouth . . . or my words came out before I realised what I was saying. I despised talking with most people anyways, few understood what I understood, and I was growing tired of having to speak at their level or make concessions.
No one paid me much heed anyways, Fredrick and James moved to deal with the Korpru, and the rest of us looked to deal with whatever lurked in the bile. The Korpru was a priest I realised, he used his magic to hold Orlani, but then he turned his magic on Fredrick as well! He was casting twice as fast as I could. Somehow he was able to get out two spells to my one!
Fredrick looked about ready to turn on us, but thankfully my break enchantment spell was able to chase out the implanted thoughts and Buffy was able to dismiss the hold person on Orlani using a dispel magic. Meanwhile Kale poked at the black bile. He suddenly stood to scan the other pools:
“We’re on a platform,” he shouted, “All these pools are connected! That thing could pop up anywhere!”
Then the monster erupted from the pool behind him! It was a magnificent horror. The simplest way I could describe it was that it had the body of a centipede with a squid like head. It was all arms and tentacles it seemed. Black bile sprayed from its malformed mouth hitting most of us with its corrosive and combustible bile. Kale seemed particularly effected as the flames coating his body looked to be a bright blue in colour!
Kale lunged forward driving his sword into the beast’s addendum. Meanwhile Fredrick took flight against the Korpru priest. James and Orlani were forced to use their pistols against the priest: they were unable to reach him because of the black bile. The priest somehow floated harmlessly above the bile. Buffy shouted something about a resistance spell, I guess that’s what he was casting when we entered, and so now both Buffy and I cast dispel magic on him. He dropped into the ooze and started swimming away. Smoke pored off of his body. When he pulled himself up on the far side of the room his body was covered in angry read blotches but he was far from finished though! He lashed out at Fredrick, its tentacles seeming to grow to imposable lengths.
Behind me Kale was snatched up in the strange beasts many legs. Kiki, James, and Orlani lunged in stabbing at the horror. I summoned some back-up, flying monsters to attack the priest, hoping that Kale would survive long enough for me to save him. Kale struggled in the beast’s grasp, taking little damage and dealing little in return, but then the monster sprayed bile directly on Kale. Earlier Kale had managed to avoid anything but a graze but now, pinned as he was, he was forced to suffer a direct hit! Kale screamed in pain as his body seemed to light on fire. I moved to save Kale but before I could Kiki tossed aside her crossbow and lunged in with her rapier, I’m not sure what she was thinking, but the squirmy horror suddenly had her wrapped up in it’s multitude of arms as well!
I was forced to make a tough decision. Both were trapped but I couldn’t reach both. Kiki was my friend, as was Kale I suppose, but Kiki had been a constant companion and Kale always seemed to give me grief. I doubted Kale could survive another blast of the bile and without him we might not be able to win this battle but poor Kiki wasn’t as sturdy as Kale and might not survive long enough for me to come back for her. There was also the dreadful possibility that the thing might dive under that caustic pool dragging our companions with them.
I flew forward. The beast’s legs swung at me, somehow detecting me even though I was invisible but missing all the same. I put my hand on Kale’s foot and pulled him through the 4th dimension. Suddenly we were on the other side of the room. Buffy Healed Kale as he rushed past her to get back to the centasquid. We all assaulted the beast together. We hit it with everything we had. I blasted the thing with an orb of cold. Kale sliced into its thick chitin hide. James and Orlani managed to flank the best taking the time to slide their blades into vital areas. Finally the thing let out a shuddering howl, a few spasms and twitches, and then began to sink into the bile. I managed to pull Kiki to safety before the corpse vanished beneath the sludge.
While we struggled to deal with the monster Churtle and Fredrick fought with the priest. Fredrick tangled with the priest in melee while Churtle used her crossbow at range, nether were making much progress, but they kept the korpru occupied which also kept it from interfering in our battle with the centasquid. My summons also aided, but to a lesser degree, mainly they kept Fredrick out of the Korpru’s grasp. This nasty beast put up quite a fight, even managing to stall with its healing and its strange ability to cast double spells. I wasn’t quite sure how it was doing it but thankfully it wasn’t able to keep up with the pace. Some time later the monster was dead.
Our final foe must have been the one in command because he was certainly well equipped. We picked over his body like a colony of vultures. There was a set of bracers, a periapt, a ring, a spear, and a chain shirt, but the most fascinating find was a small piece of cloth. It unfolded into a black hole in the very fabric reality! I had heard of such things, they were called portable holes, and I was excited to lay my hands on one.
“What are those things?” Kiki asked, looking into the pool at the glowing orbs, “black pearls?”
“We need to fish them out,” I said, “They have secrets that need to be unravelled for the safety of all civilizations everywhere.”
“I don’t know,” Kale said, “those things are pretty vile and dangerous aren’t they? I think people would be safer if we just destroyed them here.”
“Kale,” I said, trying to keep control of my voice under control, “if you have any shred of human decency you will listen to me for once. Just once. These things could destroy all of humanity. We stumbled across one that was headed to Sasserine but there’s not guarantee that there was only one, and I don’t doubt for a moment that these things are in other cities. If we have any chance, any chance at all, of stopping this fiendish plot we need to understand how these things work. If we destroy these pearls here we will loose our best chance of discovering how we can stop these things. Stop thinking about your theoretical and idolized notions of good and evil and start thinking as a commander! We’re facing the hoards of Demigorgon and we don’t even know the full scope of the demon prince’s plans. We don’t know anything about his weapons! Kale if you sabotage this effort you could well be condemning all of civilization to that maddening hunger that we witnessed in the Kraken Cove . . .”
I could have continued but he seemed to relent slightly.
“How could you keep these out of enemy hands?” he asked.
“I suspect that these aren’t fully formed, that their magic is incomplete, and they’re probably not much danger to anyone. I will give them to the Witchwardens who are currently studying these things. You needn’t worry I will keep the one fully intact pearl until we find a safe way of disposing of it.”
“Yes . . .” Kale said, suddenly anxious to jump on that contentious issue, “about that . . .”
“That debate is long ago settled,” I said, “we don’t trust it to be left unguarded, and there’s no one else we can trust to hold onto it. And seeing as no one else can carry around the bulky thing: the pearl stays in my possession.”
There hadn’t been much of a debate to begin with. When we began picking though Vanthus’ gear I spotted the shadow pearl almost immediately and snatched it up. Publicly we didn’t dare discuss it. People by now knew they existed and perhaps realized that Vanthus had been carrying one but I hadn’t allowed the item to be viewed by anyone since. In the days after the invasion there had been little time to debate the matter and then, by the time things returned to normal, the pearl had been in my possession for too long for Kale to claim that I would misuse it. That didn’t stop him from raising concerns though, talking about magic being corrupting or some other nonsense. Magic wasn’t corrupting. Power was. There is nothing like a layman trying to debate you on the failings of your chosen craft. I had to admit that he’d done some research and he’d clearly listened when I explained things to him. Sadly that just meant that he knew just enough to be dangerous.
“We should fish these incomplete pearls out before this bile hardens,” I said, “and sadly I have no timeframe for that. Until a few minutes ago I’d have told you that this stuff, and specifically this much of it, was imposable to be kept in liquid form. Don’t touch this stuff with your hands. Open the portable hole and dump them in there.”
I eventually used one of my more powerful summons to scoop out the pearls. The bile was just too caustic. Everything else we tried melted or burned almost immediately. Thankfully my summons had a slight resistance to acid. The far realms were a toxic and caustic place after all.
After we’d thoroughly searched the pyramid we decided to travel to Sasserine instead of back to Farshore.
‘Coward!’ Hop-Toy accused, ‘you’ll take any opportunity to stall!’
“When we entered that pyramid today there’s no way we could have known what we’d find. We need to return to Sasserine and report our findings . . .”
“And sell all this loot,” Kiki said, practically rubbing her hands.
“Who are you talking to Tristan?” Kale asked, looking suspicious.
“The boss talks to however she wants too,” Churtle said, acting surprisingly bold. She had never talked back to Kale before.
“She’s talking to her toad, duh,” Kiki said rolling her eyes, “who do you think she’s always talking too? Sheesh it’s like we haven’t been traveling together for the last few months. Kale meet Tristan, Tristan Kale.”
“I only ask because sometimes wizards make pacts with outside forces to gain power,” Kale said, clearly doing his best to remember what he’d learned from a magic 101 course, “and demon and devil pacts are particularly common with the conjures.”
“Oh you don’t have to worry about that,” I said over the maniacal laughter emanating from my haversack, “I promise you that I would never stoop to dealing with demons or devils.”
We teleported back to Sassarine. I allowed the others to go on ahead to Blenak’s while I went straight for the witchwarden tower. I stayed invisible until I landed on the very door step. The guards blinked in surprise at my sudden appearance but once they realised who I was and that I meant no harm they quickly returned to their usual unflappable selves. I imagine working in a wizard’s tower quickly takes much of the wonder out of life.
I climbed the stairs to the top level, there was a shaft that allowed quicker ascension though levitation or fight, but I, as a novice, wasn’t allowed to use that yet. I tried to remain in good spirits about the whole thing. Lux had practically told me that I was guaranteed my white dagger next award ceremony, and I didn’t really spend much time in the tower anyways, but with my history with the witchwardens every little restriction felt like a slight. I was actually surprised that I was sent right up to the commander’s office. I climbed to the top landing opened the door and practically ran right into the lady herself.
“Tristan,” Lux Sioni said looking right through me, “You’re here to see me?”
I had started to curtsy to show respect but the woman didn’t stop walking and I could only bow my head. Lux was on the move, she was flanked by black daggers and clerks, all of whom looked at me very impatiently.
“Yes,” I said as she walked past, down the stairs (as the clerks couldn’t fly), “it’s very urgent and . . .”
“I have rounds,” Lux said, “walk with me.”
The mistress never slowed or stopped. She set a brisk pace back down the stairs that I’d just climbed. The black daggers, who had been keeping pace, suddenly had to slow to let me into the group. I quickly squeezed into the scrum and fought to move up beside the commander of the Witchwardens. The others didn’t look pleased, clearly there was a hierarchy and I was disrupting it, but Lux had told me to walk with her and no one would dare object.
“I’ve read your reports about Golismorga,” the mistress of the tower said without looking back at me, “the veil, Tlaloc’s Tear, the korpru, and the brain collector. Very interesting reading. Your reports sent many an acolyte into the archives of your old school. It was luck more then anything that one of our researchers discovered the name Golismorga in an ancient text. It was an Aboleth city. These demon fish of yours do fit the description. Now tell, me have you destroyed the tear?”
“No,” I said as we glided down the stairs to the labs, “we decided very early that . . .”
“Good,” Lux said, “I suspect that it would be wise to leave that alone for the time being. Now, I’m a very busy woman, why don’t you tell me what I can do for you then.”
“It’s about the shadow pearls” I said trying to keep my voice low, but someone behind me scoffed, and I couldn’t help but turn to see who it was. The woman was the black dagger that I’d first delivered the pearl fragments to all those months ago. I clenched my teeth but said nothing.
“You have something to say Yvette?” Lux asked without looking.
“Mistress I still believe these black pearls to be the result of this novice’s over active imagination,” the woman had the gall to say right in front of me, “why is it that the young Lidu and her companions are the only ones to witness this weapon? We have no records of its use anywhere. How could something this destructive have been kept under wraps?”
Lux suddenly stopped as we entered the lab and turned towards me. She said nothing but she seemed to be demanding that I defend myself.
“First of all,” I snarled as I turned on my critic, “we weren’t the first, the ancient Oman civilization in its glory was snuffed out instantly by some great cataclysmic event. We’ve seen the bones of that civilization, explored the ruins, and witnessed their mystic might first hand. The aboleth city of Golismorga was crushed under the majesty of that empire. And I have seen Golismorga! I have seen that eternal city, witnessed the breathing buildings, bathed in the sickening glow of the freezing fires of Y’chak, and battled an unfathomable creature that breathed the very black bile of the earth! Wonders more beautiful or horrible I have not witnessed nor could have imagined. Yet the Aboleths were defeated. Their undying bodies littered those caverns. But the Oman civilization collapsed shortly after this victory. The savage jungle has claimed the island. The few ancestors that remain speak of a great madness. Those that survived shunned their former civilization. They don’t even live in the shadows of their great ruins. What happened to the ancient Omans is a mystery . . . but I think I have solved it . . . I think . . .”
I paused to wipe some of the spittle off of my chin. Many looked at me with nervous eyes. I hadn’t meant to rave like a lunatic but the words just poured out. The woman who challenged me had lost her smug smile and now looked as concerned as the others. The only one whose expression hadn’t changed was Lux Sioni. Perhaps she wondered if in my current state I might still be a useful tool.
“We have witnessed the influence of Demigorgon,” I said in a much calmer tone, “his temples spot the island, the pearls are somehow tied to the abyss, and . . . we have discovered that the Korpru were using the aboleth city to manufacture shadow pearls.”
“Wait,” one of the black daggers said, his face was sort of twisted with confusion, “I don’t understand your jump in logic here. How are the forces of Demigorgon using an Aboleth city to manufacture shadow pearls? The aboleths don’t worship gods. Why would they have been working with the demon prince? I think you’ve got your facts . . .”
“The original magic is of an aboleth design,” I said, connecting the pieces for him, “they were building some kind of a weapon while the omans were doing the same. The omans were able to weaponize theirs first. After releasing the tear they traveled down into that ancient city . . . we discovered oman carvings miles below the surface of the earth, and there they discovered a great pearl. I imagine they took it back with them as a prize, as a trophy. How or why it was set off I don’t know but the aboleth design must have unintentionally caught the attention of that double headed ape. The prince couldn’t help but feel the connection between his realm and our world when the madness was seeped through. In the centuries that followed his forces discovered the aboleth magic and began building their own shadow pearls . . .”
“That is indeed a chilling tale,” Yvette, the first black dagger said, “if it was indeed true, but again we get back to this pesky business of evidence . . .”
As she spoke I drew out the portable hole and threw it open at our feet. Inside the hole was a pool of water that had been placed in there by the original owner. It splashed about, tipping water onto the lab floor, but that’s not what caught people’s attention. Something was beneath. Deep below that dredge sat the glowing pearls, visible even through that murky water, and my sceptic trailed off mid sentence at the exhibition. I heard some of the black daggers whisper divination spells. The aura from those things was unmistakeable. The room was filled with a deafening silence.
“I had thought that somehow they were mining them,” I said after a time, “that they were somehow found in veins of bilestone deep bellow the earth somehow, but now there is little doubt now that they were manufacturing them, and that they were using ancient Aboleth magic to do so. These we salvaged from the korpru operation. They’re not fully formed, all of our reports tell us that the black pearls don’t normally glow like that, and I suspect that they might be unstable. I pulled them straight out of black bile and most have a hardened shell around them. Use extreme caution while handling them.”
“How many,” Lux asked, her hand suddenly gripping my arm like a vice. She too looked down into that black pit, her eyes focused on the vile things within.
“I have no way of knowing,” I whispered, knowing full well she wasn’t asking about the pearls in the hole, “this is one batch, and this has been going on for years. I would guess that there could be one in every port in Oerth by now. To be honest I can’t even tell you how they’re set off. That’s why I’ll leave these in your care . . .”
“Shut that door,” Lux commanded, pointing to the lab, “Margold, Sparkillo secure this level. Make sure no one heard anything they shouldn’t. Everyone here is now sworn to secrecy. This is our current project. Nobody moves onto anything else until we get answers. Tristan you come with me, I’m going to go over everything you got on these pearls.”
We returned to her offices. Lux found a notebook and proceeded to ask me everything, in the most minuet details, that I knew about the shadow pearls. She asked things that I never even considered myself, things I’d taken for granted, and it was hours before I was allowed to leave. I felt mind numbingly tired. Lux had left me with a lot of questions but I was too tired to consider them.
“Tristan,” Mistress Sioni said as I tried to make my way out, I reluctantly turned, afraid she was going to grill me some more, “There will be a ceremony at the end of the month, I expect you to be there. We’ll be advancing some novices into white daggers.”
I nodded and half turned to leave, “It’s a shame really,” Lux continued, “That I couldn’t have advanced you sooner but your lack of respect . . . well I think we both know that was something that couldn’t have been over looked. You’re quite close to earning your black dagger as well in my estimation, but the others a nervous of you, and rightly so in my estimation. You’re mind doesn’t function on the same level as theirs and you seem to be advancing in your studies in an unfathomable rate. If only there was some way to placate them. The knowledge you’ve shared with us was quite invaluable but perhaps if you were to also donate some magic items you’ve discovered, proved your mastery of magic by researching a new spell to add to our arsenal . . .
“You know it’s quite unheard of for a witchwarden to advance twice in the same ceremony,” Lux said leaning back in her great leather chair, “but that’s not to say it’s never happened before. In times of war and desperation certain exceptions can be made. However my current command doesn’t know you, most of them graduated and advanced long before you even entered the House of the Dragon, and if I allow you to advance that quickly then their lack of trust will quickly turn to anger and resentment. You will need to work ten times harder then any of them. Just being better then everyone isn’t good enough. You would need to learn to inspire. You need to learn how to invoke their confidence in you. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“I think so,” I lied. I knew she wanted me to become a black dagger. I wasn’t entirely sure why, I was still reeling from that revelation, but now she was talking about me taking on a stronger role . . . a role of leadership! Something clicked together. I must have allowed the surprise and wonder seep into my face because Mistress Sioni laughed.
“There is only one step beyond Black Dagger,” She said patting her red dagger and badge of office, “and I’ve been thinking of retiring back into teaching and research, but I can’t just let anyone take my place. I haven’t come across many that I’d entrust this tower too, and don’t get it into your head that I trust you yet, but I do think you’re someone I could learn to trust. And more importantly, I think you’re one of the few people that could run this tower effectively. So with all that out in the open perhaps it’s time for you to go . . .
“And Tristan,” Lux said as I moved to open the door, “if you breath a word of anything we discussed in here I’ll rip your lungs out.”
Lux didn’t bother to look up as she made the threat but I didn’t doubt for a second that she meant it. I was honoured. I was thrilled beyond belief. She was someone that I’d looked up too as a child and now I discovered that she respected me? It felt surreal but as I stepped outside and saw the sun beginning to set I felt something deep in the pit of belly. In a few hours I would face Lavinia . . .
I took a few unsteady steps towards the Lidu compound and I felt the anxiety wash over me. I’d made up my mind. Tomorrow I’d face her. Tomorrow I’d tell her how I felt. There could be no more delays. There could be no more excuses. I stumbled towards an ally and there I lost my supper. This was something I’d never faced felt before. Death was easy to face, the stern lady had a place for me, but what could she do for my heart? Everything was culminating towards this moment. What would the tower be without her? What would the city be? Why save the world if not for her? My stomach tried to empty itself again.
‘You are strong enough to do this Tristan’ Hop-Toy said, ‘she is your first love and success or failure she will always be. Tomorrow you face your destiny. Tomorrow you will face your greatest fear. You think yourself an adult? Well now you need to start behaving like one.’
I pulled myself together and found my way home. Hop-Toy’s words rang true. Tomorrow I would need to prove myself an adult. Lavinia needed to hear how I felt and I needed to tell her how I felt. Tomorrow, one way or another, it would all be over.
Everything for the love of one woman,
Cthulhu dreams
Ow, procrastinating again...
But we are getting closer to the instant of truth, I can feel it in my addendum ! <wink, wink>
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But but... you promised!
I noticed some easter eggs that made me smile: "All your base are belong to us", and a mage named Sparkillo. :)
I'm glad that you reached the end of this adventure that you didn't like writing about. I hope you enjoyed City of Broken Idols more!
Congrats on Tristan's upcoming promotion as well.
Now looking forward to the Lavinia scene... FOR REAL! ;)
I noticed some easter eggs that made me smile: "All your base are belong to us", and a mage named Sparkillo. :)
I am afraid that my english fails me here... I didn't catch the pun (and still don't) and assumed it was a grammatical glitch. Care to do some explaining to a foreigner? Please?
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As I understand it, that phrase comes from an old video game that was extremely badly translated from Japanese. It has become famous in geek culture.
Actually, as always, one can find the answer on Wikipedia. ;)
As I understand it, that phrase comes from an old video game that was extremely badly translated from Japanese. It has become famous in geek culture.
Actually, as always, one can find the answer on Wikipedia. ;)
Oh my... It WAS an obscure reference! But got it, thanks.
Technically All your Base is what they call a "Meme" and Sparkillo is the Easter egg. All your base was really popular on the internet and it has even spread into main stream media.
Stop, stop, cease fire! (but thanks for the links).
I knew what an easter egg is (please!), but wasn't familiar with "memes". Which is quite funny, because according to wikipedia it's supposed to come from a french word... which means entirely something else.
I will go to sleep a little smarter that when I rose this morning...
Today's Lidu Diary contains adult themes. I have decided to put it in spoilers so as to not offend anyone. In my opinion there isn't anything lewd or distasteful in this entry but I don't want to take any chances.
Today's Lidu entry behind the spoiler:
I was surprised to see Kale had brought someone with him.
“This is . . .” I prompted as they approached.
“This is my brother Kyle,” Kale said, “He’s coming with us back to Farshore.”
“Is he now?” I asked turning to Kyle, “Is you some sort of spell weaver Kale’s brother?”
The words had jumbled again somehow, but Kale answered for him, “He’s a tailor like our father and I thought Farshore would present rather unique business opportunities.”
“You like sewing for freaks?” I asked, thinking of the mongrel folk, “Can you sew pretty lady things?”
“Stop trying to scare him Tristan,” Kale said, thankfully thinking my language malfunction was intentional, “he’s coming with us.”
I sighed. After spending the better part of the day unsuccessfully researching a magic spell I found that I was being reduced to a pack mule. Kale hadn’t even thought of asking before bringing his brother. He had just naturally assumed that I’d take him out of the goodness of my heart or something . . . even though he was moving purely for economical reasons. I suppose I should have denied him passage but the lad did look apologetic . . . and I had enough things on my mind without worrying about Kale and his brother taking advantage of my generosity.
The moment of truth was at hand! I would teleport to Farshore and reveal my feelings to Lavinia. I hadn’t slept much last night. The research had been horrible. I can only hope that there’s something salvageable in my lab notes, because with the lab fees being so exorbitant, and with my mind wandering, I basically had paid a little over one hundred gold to practice the speech I’d composed for Lavinia in my head.
Finally Kiki joined us (reading some rag) and I was able to teleport us back to Farshore. I left them to their own devices and I went straight to Lavinia’s place. I’d considered a little liquid courage from the Last Coconut but wisely thought against it. I couldn’t confess my love with alcohol on my breath, that had nearly backfired once, and now I needed to rectify that. I landed on Lavinia’s doorstep and made my way inside. One of Lavinia’s maids greeted me and moved to assist but I could suffer no delays. I removed my cloak and Bullywug crown, and without slowing, I handed them to her. Thankfully the woman knew me. She graciously took my cloths and didn’t try to interfere or announce or direct me. I knew were I could find Lavinia at this hour.
I found myself outside of Lavinia’s office. I’d practiced my argument over and over and my logic seemed flawless. I wasn’t sure how Lavinia would receive me but I was sure I had the answers to any of her arguments and I thought that I was well prepared to face her refusal. I stepped into her office without knocking and closed the door behind me.
“Tristan,” Lavinia said looking up from her work. She seemed surprised but then she quickly flashed a smile of relief. We had been gone for the better part of three days, “You’re back! Things went well I hope? I was very worried. I thought you’d be back yesterday! You need to tell me if . . .”
“Yes, yes,” I said, with a dismissive wave of my hand, “There were minor complications. To make a long story short: the source of the bile removed, the kopru scattered, and their underground operations destroyed. Another threat resolved but you needn’t have worried, I promised you that I’d deal with these matters before I returned and I always keep my word to you.”
“Tristan,” Lavinia snarled as she slapped the table, “I have a right to be worried about you, despite what you think you’re not invulnerable, and your promises to me won’t keep you safe . . .”
She rose to confront me, perhaps planning to manhandle me again, but I held up my hands. She must have seen something in my face because she respected my space and held up just on the other side of her desk.
“I’m not here to speak to you about that,” I said. That brought concern to her face, “I have come to discuss something of far greater importance.”
“Tristan what is it?” she gasped, “something more important then these shadow pearls?”
“Something of greater importance to me,” I said again holding up my hands to silence her objections until I could finish, “and I must insist that you hear me out. No matter what you feel I ask that you allow me to speak my mind. If you have any love for me you’ll do this. This is of a personal matter and I’ve steeled myself to get this all out in the open. If you cut me off I don’t think I’ll ever be able to say what must be said and that’s why you must let me do this. This concerns you and me and our relationship.”
She leaned back on her desk. Steadying herself. Looking worried. Could she suddenly be fear that I’d speak that unimaginable thing that she’d been trying for the sake of our friendship to ignore? I couldn’t look at her and continue. I felt seeing rejection in her eyes at this point would destroy me. I turned to face the door.
“We have been working very closely together these last few weeks, and although I’ve treasured our time together I’ve also come to dread it as well. There is something between us. I’ve done my best to keep my feelings from you. I know you’re a strong independent woman and you’ve probably been naively assuming that our relationship was nothing more then simple friendship, perhaps a strong friendship, but this is a façade. It has been a total pretence if you will. I don’t want to be your friend. Being in your presence, without being able to express my feelings, has been like torture . . . worse then death. Lavinia Vanderboren, I know no other way to say this, but I believe I have fallen in love with you.”
I paused as I felt her approach. I turned to face her. To silence her. To accept a slap if need be.
“Please let me finish . . .” I begged before her mouth clamped over mine. For the longest time I was unable to speak.
“I’ve put a lot of thought into this . . .” I managed as her kisses moved to my neck. I tried to get through my speech. This wasn’t one of the complications that I’d prepared myself for and at the moment my brain couldn’t come up with a new strategy. I continued my speech, though slightly breathless, but it was the only thing I could think of doing
“I know there is a difference between real love,” I managed, “and foolish girl crushes. How could anyone look at you and not be in love with you? You’re beautiful beyond words; men want to possess you, woman want to be you, but I couldn’t be so shallow as to think I could build a relationship with someone based solely on physical attraction. I needed to be sure, to be as sure of you as I was of myself. I needed to know these things before I dared approach you. During the election I knew. When I saw you there, taking charge, fighting for what you believed in . . . by Wee Jas I knew then, but I wanted to take care of the election before I said anything. I made a promise to you and I wouldn’t betray your dreams due to my feelings . . .”
“Tristan,” Lavinia whispered, kisses trailing downward, her hands exploring my body.
“I need to finish,” I said, ignoring her protests, “but the elections made me think. I come from a well established family, but the Vanderboren family only has only one heir in Sasserine,” Lavinia paused at that, but I continued on, “How could I put my wants and needs ahead of your duty? I could never consider asking that of you. However I couldn’t imagine being without you. Seeing your face every day, knowing I couldn’t touch it . . . a compromise needed to be found. I remembered that the ancient Suloise houses allowed, in certain situations, powerful individuals to have lovers. Usually male heirs with female concubines but there are fragments of history that say that one of the first queens of the newly unified Suloise, Mitrychime was her name, actually had a female lover. She took one of her personal guards if I recall . . .”
“Much more?” she asked, sounding slightly annoyed, clearly she hadn’t placed as much thought I had into this situation.
“Yes,” I said, trying not to sound perturbed, “there a lot more! Maybe I could skip the historical references but I have a whole . . .”
“Can you tell me the rest on the couch?” she asked, dragging me over to the small office couch. She pulled me down to join her before I could respond, “I’ll keep myself entertained while I wait for the question. The answer is ‘yes’ by the way.”
“I suppose,” I said, trying to ignore her hands . . . this was going to take concentration, “So as I was trying to say a male heir couldn’t feel threatened by another woman, there would be no question of lineage, and so it would free your hand for marriage. I do not like the thought of sharing you much, but I think the prospect of loosing you is unbearable. This is the arrangement I suggest would allow you to perform your duty while . . .”
Lavinia’s mouth again covered mine. For a moment I thought she sought to take the words out of me. Her tongue was certainly searching for something. I felt sparks. Colours danced before my eyes. I felt her hand slide into my bodice. Then I could breathe again. Her eyes were needed else where.
This wasn’t unfolding as I’d predicted it. She was supposed to be the shy bashful one. I was supposed to be the one teaching her the ways of the world! Were had she learned to kiss? For a moment I couldn’t decide how to proceed. On the one hand I longed to participate but on the other hand I had spent more then a few hours researching and preparing for this discussion. I had studied anatomy.
“I understand that you might be unwilling to commit,” I continued, as Lavinia began untying the front of my dress, “one shouldn’t take the first lover she sees. I shall do what it takes to win you over. I’ve studied poetry, I can read to you in ancient Suloise, and I will learn music to serenade you. I will use my magic to show you such sights. I suppose it’s not exactly common place for a woman to have such feelings for . . . well, supposing you are favourable to . . . well, seeing as you are favourable accepting a woman as a lover I shall glaze over the advantages. I had 42 you know. It seems I’m going to need to scrap the better part of this . . . “
Lavinia suddenly opened the top of my dress!
“Let me think,” I almost begged. She was making this very difficult. “I think there is a connection between . . .”
“I don’t mean to interrupt,” Lavinia said, as she forced me to lie back on the couch, “but how do I get this belt off?”
“There is a small catch here,” I said showing her the release. Lavinia nodded appreciatively as it clicked open.
“Please continue,” she said, as she pulled off my belt.
“Well,” I said trying to remember my place, “I feel a connection between us, and I didn’t think I was imagining it. That night, before the election, that kiss . . . I lied to you, I remembered almost everything. But I was a coward. I was scared about the election, I wanted you to win, and I didn’t want my selfish needs . . . I fought you then because I wasn’t sure what you wanted. I didn’t want to start something that would have left you feeling hurt. Then . . . that business with your brother. You were vulnerable. I couldn’t . . . it wouldn’t have felt right. So when this business with the lords of dread came up, well, I decided that I’d wait till this last task was completed before I would confess my feelings.”
Lavinia pulled my legs up onto her lap.
“And what about me?” Lavinia asked, she didn’t sound angry, but she’d stopped for the moment and just looked at me, “why is it that you got too decided when?”
“Because you saw me as your subordinate obviously,” I said, that was something I’d guessed a long time ago, but I felt it was true, “you hired me, you were responsible for me, and you couldn’t take me to your bed until I proved to be a willing participant. It was as you said to Tolin. If this had happened any other way you’d have felt that you pressured me or used your influence . . .”
“I did no such thing,” Lavinia said, she looked annoyed, she seemed a sad sort of happy, but she looked as though I’d vexed her badly, “I gave Tolin that excuse to reject him gently. I wasn’t about to give him the real reason now was I? I didn’t move on you because I was terrified that you’d reject me. If I’d thought that there was a chance for us, something solid, I’d have bedded you so fast you would have thought my last name was Meravanchi! But you! You horrible little . . . beauty, you kept giving me mixed messages! One moment I thought you shared my feelings the next you seemed cold as ice and I thought I’d imagined it. I thought I might catch something in your eye when we spoke. That I might feel something when we embraced but you always seemed to pull back, to hide. I should have guessed that it was just you over thinking things. I suppose it didn’t help that you were so good at what you do. That you seen to excel in everything. That I was so worried that I’d never replace you if I forced myself on you and you rejected me. Even still, I thought long and hard about that, that it might have been worth the risk.
“I don’t suppose you thought of that did you?” she asked sounding annoyed, “That I longed for you? Have for the longest time. That night you saved me from . . . the night my poor Cora died, I would have fallen into your arms then. I wanted you badly then. I would have gladly clung to you rather then being alone with my grief. I’m almost furious right now thinking of the time we’ve lost. But as much as I want to throttle you, right now, I think I’ll settle for drowning you with kisses.”
Lavinia pulled off my boots as she spoke and when she paused it was to run her hands slowly up my legs. She gently caressed my caves, and then my thighs, slowly forcing the hem of my dress further and further upward. She seemed satisfied when my dress sat well north of my knees. She then readjusted us so that she knelt between my legs. Her eyes met mine.
“There,” she whispered, “everything‘s out in the open now, my feelings, your feelings, everything is out . . . well almost,” her warm soft hands gently slid up my hips and bunched my dress up past my waist, “there,” she added with a smile, as she gazed down on me lovingly, “I’ve dreamt of this moment for months Tristan. You want to talk about torture? Seeing you in my bath, washing you, touching you, and all the time wanting to kiss . . . wanting to taste you. Let’s make up for lost time Tristan . . . and let’s forget about the future for now . . .”
. . .
For the first time in my life I felt no desire to get out of bed. I had a mountain of work as usual . . . but I didn’t care. Beside me slept Lavinia. It felt surreal waking up beside her. I didn’t dare pinch myself for fear that I might wake from this dream. She lay on her belly with her arm draped over my waste. Slowly I edged my way back, using the headboard as leverage, until I was sitting beside her.
I watched her sleep for a while. She seemed peaceful, content, and her breathing relaxed. The sheets had dipped below her shoulders and I, still feeling rather frisky, carefully pulled them down further so I could gaze upon her naked back. It seemed so strange sitting there, yesterday I’d never even kissed a woman before, but now I was Lavinia Vanderboren’s lover. I felt the urge to write my name and hers in little hearts. Sadly the moment couldn’t last, not that I minded what came next, but I can’t remember a less chaotic more content moment. I felt Lavinia stir beside me. She too seemed to have a sudden epiphany as she realised her arm was lay across my lap. She quickly remembered the events of last night and she realised that I was still in her bed. She shifted and looked up at me.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Good morning,” I said in return.
She moved before I did, pulling back the sheets and suddenly wrestling me down to the bed. Not that I put up much of a fight . . .
“So tell me Miss Lidu,” Lavinia said when she was on top of me, “what do you have planed for today?”
“Well Miss Vanderboren,” I said gazing up at her, “I plan to make love to my new lady if she is agreeable.”
“She might be,” Lavinia said coyly, she had pinned my wrists high above my head and she lowered her breasts tantalizingly close, yet far far from my mouth, “and then what?”
“Then . . .” I said after struggling for a moment (it didn’t seem fair, she kept pulling away), “I shall return to Sasserine for I have business in the Witchwarden tower, this black pearl business as well as magic research, and I wish to speak with High Magus Annah at the cathedral of Wee Jas. I’ll eventually need to confront my priest but I want to be sure of a few things before I dare talk to him . . .”
I noticed that Lavinia loosened her grip and I glanced up to see disappointment on her face. Perhaps she expected me to stay by her side? I would have enjoyed nothing more, but I still had problems to solve, and the world was still in great danger. Knowing I had Lavinia gave me something new to fight for. I pulled myself free.
“This is bad business with the shadow pearls,” I said pulling myself up to a sitting position, Lavinia still sat atop of me, but my arms were free allowing me to embrace her, “I need to look into this first. Also, I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone this but I might be earning my black dagger from the Witchwardens. If I could accomplish that I might earn some respect. There are those that even now don’t believe in the shadow pearls. Also I need to look after my personal things but then I suppose I will return to Farshore, you have business of your own to take care of don’t you?”
“Yes,” Lavinia said, “dreadful business. You probably know your ship returned a few days ago. Loaded with refugees. As you can probably guess: they haven’t been well received . . .”
“Let Kale and Fredrick sort that out for you,” I said resting my head against her chest, “they should be able to calm things down, they might be useful for once . . .”
“And when will I see you again?” Lavinia asked. She didn’t sound needy but she clearly didn’t like having to wait on me.
“I should be back for supper . . . if you dine late,” I quickly added kissing her shoulder, “I have a lot to do, but I’m in no rush this morning. I do need to study my spell book before I go but I might be interested in other things as well . . .”
Loved it Guy..if only I could make Mel half as vivid a character as Tristan is I'd be happy
Well done!
The way Tristan kept talking without really listening, spouting her by-rote argumentation, was hilarious. A good way to delve into sexual/love matters without syrupy or too awkward dialogues.
wonderfull entry, guy. Its great the way Tristan overthinks everything (comes from being a wizard I suppose). Have you thought of publishing the Lidu Diaries? I've been reading for the better part of a year now, and I think the writing is excellent. I suppose there would be difficulties publishing fiction that is based on an intillectual property that is copywritten. Especially since WOTC , of late, doesn't have a stellar record of sharing. Anyway it's good stuff , please keep it coming!
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I meant to write this comment sooner.
I am still enjoying your journal. I truly appreciate how well written this last one is. It's very romantic comedy. Good work.
On a side note. I've started running my game again after over a year hiatus. They're in the Lightless Depths. I ran an encounter with a Lords of Dread Scouting party and my group wasted them easily. Unfortunately, most of my group have really good Will saves. To make up for that, I've decided to make some of their thralls more potent.
Happy Gaming
I was surprised that Annah consented to see me immediately. Important people often liked to show their significance by making by making you wait on them but the young acolyte summoned me right away. Perhaps this was a sign that I was becoming more prominent . . . but as I entered the High Magnus offices she extended her hand without bothering to stand or look up and I was forced to kneel and kiss her ring. I then remembered that there were other ways someone could flaunt their power.
“Rise young Lidu,” Annah eventually said, “what can I do for you.”
“I have some questions . . .” I said sitting in one of the red leather chairs, “of a religious nature . . .”
“Didn’t I send you a priest?” Annah said, not quite sounding annoyed, but she responded far too quickly to not have been slightly perturbed, “why don’t you ask him?”
“It’s about the Green Lady . . .” the priestess’ head snapped up at that, “I was wondering . . .”
“What has he told you?” Annah demanded.
“Nothing,” I said, “that’s the problem, I would like to know more about her but he refuses to speak about her. I suspect that he’s been ordered not to talk about her but I’d like to know more so I came to you.”
“That is a subject that is very dangerous,” Annah cautioned, “a subject that I’d only dare discuss with the churches top theologians, in private, and certainly not something I’d discuss with a young impressionable and impulsive child. You should forget that name and never speak it again. If I have to officially order you to drop it or censor you it won’t be good for either of us.”
“But we have a statue of her in the church,” I said, “how controversial could she be?”
“We most certainly do not,” Annah snapped, “that is simply another visage of Wee Jas . . .”
“I might have thought so as well,” I found myself saying, “but as an architectural student we were allowed to look over the original plans to the cathedral and while many of the other sub chambers and shrines were unnamed the statue to the Green Lady was named thusly, which felt odd because many of the other statures were commissioned . . .”
“Tristan I will warn you once more . . .”
“Then there is the telling accounts in the Lidu Histories, the Tylloniod Chronicles, and of course the very recent and uncensored accounts from the Age of Worms. I may not be a religious scholar but I am a scholar and a tenacious researcher with a memory like a steel trap. I pick up things in my studies that even I’m not aware of until I need them. For example did you know that Lady Sasserine and the Green Lady were contemporaries? Meaning they were both alive around the same time, though not necessarily the same age, in fact I believe that Lady Sasserine was a bit younger, and it is a well known fact that Lady Sasserine came from the north not the west . . .”
“The fact that the Green Lady existed is not the problem,” Annah cautiously added, “she most certainly did but the connection between her and Lady Sasserine is slim at best. The problem with the Green Lady is . . .”
“Her views are controversial,” I said for the High Magnus, “the fact that she believed in rebirth . . .”
“Now that,” Annah hissed, “is far enough! I will not stand hearing those words out of your mouth! I will give you such a penance for your defiance! You keep talking and I will . . .”
“You said it yourself,” I said, “I am a young impressionable youth, not heard to believe that I’d hear things and repeat them, and you, a High Magnus with one highly publicized failure to your name . . .”
Annah’s face went white, “How dare you,” she hissed, “I will not be blackmailed. I will have you excommunicated before I . . .”
“But I will follow orders and I want to obey you,” I said quickly moving around the desk to kneel at her side once again, “allow me to become your servant. I need your instruction. I need you to talk to me. But you need to know this isn’t simple curiosity, I need guidance, I’ve had visions,” I said before she could object, “I’ve seen things that I should never have seen or felt, I need to know if it’s my imagination or something else. I might be insane . . .”
Annah’s face changed, the anger seemed to vanish, “What are you talking about child?” she demanded taking my head into her bony claw like hands, “What visions?”
How I had gotten to this point was a marvel to me, I felt that I had been pulled along by a mysterious force, and only now did I feel fully in control. I hesitated, scared at how Annah might react to my visions, and unsure what I should share and what I should keep. I quickly decided to present a toned down version of the dream I experienced along that cliff face, I kept back the rhyming lady, the multiple lives, and I didn’t share the strange prophecies of the Green Lady I’d experienced in the dream. Amella had woke me before I’d dreamt anything significant anyways, I’d seen some strange things as the green lady, had known many other bits of information as well, but thankfully Amella had woken me before I’d experienced the entirely of those visions. I’d been prophesying about the Age of Worms you see. Somehow I knew that there were many other prophesies buried in her head. Thankfully Amella mistook the Green Lady’s voice as my own. Thankfully the Age of Worms was all I’d been mumbling about. Thankfully I hadn’t given voice to some of the fragments I remembered seeing in my sleep.
Annah stared at me for the longest time after I finished speaking. I hadn’t given her much but the details were precise. I’d stumbled over the words a bit but what I presented sounded surprisingly lucid. Annah sat and absorbed what I said. For a moment I feared that she wanted me to continue or that she somehow sensed that I hadn’t told her everything but thankfully it seemed she was only mulling it over.
“Tristan,” she finally said, “you must never share this with anyone.”
“Why?” I said, not that I had planned to, but I felt there was something she wasn’t telling me and I needed to know what it was, “they’re just silly dreams, unless something I’ve seen in them was true.”
“Listen to me child,” Annah said, “not everything makes logical sense and not everything can be rationalized out. Sometimes when someone tells you to do something even they don’t entirely know why they’re warning you. There are people in this church . . . perhaps this very order, who will not allow their faith to be questioned. There are those that would paint you as a heretic for reasons you might not even fully understand. Even the recognized saints of her temple have been called heretics by some . . .”
“Like the Green Lady?” I couldn’t help but ask. That was a mistake as Annah still held my head and suddenly she caught my ear in one of her cruel talons.
“That’s right,” she snapped giving my ear a savage twist, “you keep interrupting me, asking your insolent questions, being smart, I’m trying to help you young Lidu!”
I’d never had my ear twisted, I’d seen the move preformed before, but I was surprised and shocked to have someone do that to me! And not just because it hurt far more then I suspected it would. This was a move used on insolent children. I was no longer a child. I almost struck out. I thought about using my magics to escape but I knew my best move was to endure and be humble.
“I can see that,” I said through clenched teeth, “I can feel it as well . . .”
“Impertinent child,” The High Magnus snapped, ratcheting my ear further, “you’ve gained too much power too fast, you don’t understand the position you’re putting me into. You might be able to fend off an entire ship of crimson fleet pirates but you don’t understand what responsibility is like, you might understand looking out for yourself and your friends, but you can’t appreciate the larger picture. You have too much potential for me to allow you to throw it all away. I can protect you Tristan but I’m old and Wee Jas will call me one day soon, I have no intention of leaving you to run amuck. Let me ask you: do you intend to listen to me for a change?”
“Yes,” I managed without snarling.
“I’m going to tell you something and I want you to listen,” the High Magnus said loosening her grip slightly, “When you were born your uncle . . . forgive me, your great uncle had me read your charts, it is family tradition, and it seems you were born under a very rare sign. Wee Jas’ own consolation was in the sky that night and Luna and Celene were both full. That is quite rare as Celene is only full four times a year, but there was also the red star rising, and Edill would have lined up with Luna. There were other factors as well, I’ll not go into the details, but as the stars go you were born on a very good night. Some say that the first priest of Wee Jas was born under that sign, that the undefeatable general and consort of Queen Neheli, victor of the Eight-House war, was born under those stars, as was at least one of the great queens of the Suel Imperium. But before you get a head of yourself with delusions and false hopes you should also note that there have been more then one notable failures having been born under this sign . . .”
I knew instantly who she was talking about. Somehow I knew the Green Lady had been born under this sign. She had died young, and in the eyes of some, hadn’t lived up to her true potential, but those others . . . Annah had been trying to dissuade me but I suddenly knew that I had been all of them. Everything suddenly clicked into place.
“The point being that you have great potential,” Annah continued, “it’s written in the stars, but if you keep acting they way you’ve been acting you might not live long enough to realise that potential. Right now no one knows who you are, no one will dig into your affairs, but if you seek out these meaningless conflicts, if you continue to accumulate enemies, if you continue to make waves, then at some point in the near future someone is going to look into your background and see your pedigree. Then, I suspect, more people will want you dead then alive. People like the status quo. Supposing that I knew a young babe was born under a powerful sign, supposing I knew she could be either a saviour or a scourge to my people, and then I suddenly discovered that she was asking questions that could send my church into chaos. Would history condemn me if I took steps to stop her?”
Annah suddenly released me. The High Magnus was old, frail, and yet in that moment she seemed a very tower of strength and power. I suddenly wasn’t sure if magic could best her as the living conduit of Wee Jas. Without the slightest show of strength I suddenly felt very humble at the feet of this woman.
“I have of course followed you over the years, discreetly of course (more then one of your instructors is loyal to the church after all), and I believe your heart is pure. You are a born and breed Lidu, you work hard and often put the needs of others ahead of your own. I’m sure given a rational argument you’d gladly accept my point of view and I suspect that even now you’d take my advice although I suspect that you’d question my motives. Which is good, because you shouldn’t take any advice from anyone without questioning motives. I don’t think you’d intentionally harm the church. I think you’d strive to prevent civil war. I think you’d do what’s best for Sassrine. You may raise young Lidu.”
I slowly stood, unsure of where this conversation was headed, but relatively certain that I had an ally in Annah. I struggled to understand how I’d gotten to this point though.
“I want you to promise me that you’ll never again talk about the Green Lady again,” Annah suddenly said as I regained my footing, “on your family name, on your ancestor’s grave. I don’t want you to speak of the Green Lady again.”
“I promise,” I said before I could stop myself, “I’ll never speak of her again . . . but I’ve already written much about her, in my diaries, please don’t make me destroy my writing . . .”
“You shall treat your writing like you would your voice,” the High Magnus ruled, “show them to no one, or if you continue this business of publishing them . . .”
My heart suddenly skipped a beat. The diary! The publisher! Annah pointed to a newspaper on her desk and I snatched it up without even thinking. There on the lower half of the paper was the journal of Tristan Lidu. A small wood cut characture of me glared out from the page with that insane emotionless smile. Another picture, larger and the focus of the piece, was of a navy battle and it told me in an instant that this entry was of my fight with Scarlet Brotherhood.
“I forgot about this,” I confessed, “but everything I submitted was heavily censored. I was using this to peak interest in . . . oh no! The shadow pearl! I . . .”
“Oh yes,” Annah said, quickly cutting me off, “that particular article was published weeks ago, both Lux and Worrin were furious, but Lux I was able to console with the notion that you were waging a PR war with the doubters in the tower by swaying public opinion. They might not believe in your mysterious shadow pearls but when concern was brought up in public meetings of the dawn counsel your uncle was forced to take action. The tower has now been officially requested to investigate this matter. Lux told me about the pearls you delivered the other day and had you not just confessed to having forgotten about these journals I’d think your timing was impeccable. As is fate seems to be working on your side.”
Annah sighed. She stood and turned her back to me, apparently looking over one of the wall tapestries, “Perhaps I’m loosing my touch, but I could have sworn you were an old hand at this game. Sadly you seem to be winning and you didn’t even know you’re playing. I suppose feigning ignorance could still all be a calculated move on your part but either way my choices are the same.
“Worrin was furious for other reasons of course,” the High Magnus said as she turned back to me, “and it took me much longer to calm him. Besides sharing the closed door meetings of the dawn council with the general public you’ve also gone and sullied the Lidu name. I fear he doesn’t like a Lidu writing for a newspaper. It’s not a respectable position. I fear you’re going to need to smooth relations there. I managed to talk him out of disowning you and little else.”
I hadn’t spoken with great uncle Worrin in a few weeks and so I didn’t know when exactly this had all unfolded but I didn’t relish the upcoming conversation. Publicly Great Uncle Worrin was mild tempered and conciliatory but privately he could be a tyrant and his temper . . . well he seldom lost it, especially with us children, but I’d heard that he’d lost it with my father, the details were never made clear to me, but since then my father rarely returned to Sassarine. I’d caught a glimpse of his temper once a few years back when Great Uncle Worrin was dealing with some silk merchant. I’d stopped by the offices to accept a small stipend he’d promised me, which was given in part as a reward for my grades and in part to pay for all the extracurricular activities I was involved with, but Great Uncle Worrin had someone else in his offices when I got there. The office door was slightly ajar and I could see that Great Uncle Worrin’s face was red. I’d never heard him yell at someone before and it was frightening. Thankfully Uncle Zob saw me in the hallway and ushered me away, giving me a few silver to buy a drink and a pastry, otherwise I might have stood transfixed in that hallway longer.
Great Uncle Worrin was a bit like Kale when I think about it. I wasn’t intimidated by Kale but Worrin still made me nervous at times. I suspect that it’s partly because I want his approval. I didn’t want Great Uncle Worrin to yell at me like he did that merchant.
“I’d better go see my great uncle,” I said to Annah, “I thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
“Tristan are you forgetting something?” Annah asked.
I had been moving towards the door but I turned towards Annah. I’m sure a there was a blank look on my face.
“Your penance?” Annah reminded me, “I trust you’ve not forgotten you impertinence already? Or perhaps you were simply playing lip service to your loyalty?”
“I am your humble servant,” I whispered.
“Good,” the High Magnus said, “because I intent to teach you a little civility one way or another . . .”
Guy, nice to see Lidu in print again as it were. You are still my offical source for all things STAP!
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Thanks Dax! I'm glad to hear your game is back up and running! I hope your players enjoy the Lightless Depths more then I did ;)Some stuff.
Happy Gaming
Unfortunatly, I lost all of my notes for the campaign and the two magazines for Lightless Depths and the one after it, so we decided to stop playing the AP. Also, unfortunately, we didn't enjoy Lightless Depths that much either. We just couldn't get reconnected to the plot and npcs after the hiatus. Anyway, keep up the awesome work and Game On!