Elohir looks relieved for a second before a look of horror takes over his face. He looks away from the stars and clears his throat, regaining his composure once more.
"Things are back to normal at least. This is good."
Aden follows the others, not noticing a thing.
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Yon-Sin gives Elohir an odd look, then gestures for you to follow through the gate. A pair of heavily-armed dragonborn guards, one of them holding a lantern, escort you up the path, while a third closes the gate behind you.
The path winds up a wooded hill to a large, mostly-dark house. Two more dragonborn stand guard at the door. One of those with you speaks briefly in their hissing tongue, and Yon-Sin makes a gesture, taking care to shield it with his body. A door-guard nods, then gives a knock at the door.
Hoku:
All:
Elohir giggles a bit at the dragonborn, but does nothing else other than share some glances with the rest of the party as if looking for confirmation of some inside joke.
Hasnett watches for any signs of sudden (but inevitable) betrayal.
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After a rather lengthy pause, the door is opened by yet another guard. He leads you through a darkened hall to a sitting room, while your earlier escorts take up station inside the front door. The room is lit by a single candle on a shelf at the far end, behind and above a large chair facing the door. Any occupant of the chair would be essentially invisible.
Yon-Sin enters first, and genuflects in front of the chair. "Master Xan, some of those I hired have returned and insisted on speaking to you immediately."
A hoarse whisper comes from the chair: "So, what is your urgent need of me, and why have you returned so early?"
"It's not our urgent need you should be worrying about Master Xan. The precious item you sent us to find has sent us back to find you."
"You messed with his head, Master Xan. That's wrong for a lot of reasons. He's not pleased."
"As much as I hate to..." Aden speak up "A don't think Wheat-Head would take kindly to be called an item... Just saying"
Elohir enters the room brashly and looks suspiciously about the surroundings, trying to pierce the gloom with his elven eyes.
"What did you do to the island?" demands Elohir, surprisingly without any hysterics in his voice. "Something went wrong."
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Yon-Sin rises and takes up position next to the chair.
Xan takes a moment, then chuckles. "'Wheat-Head'? I am not sure whom is being less than respectful here." His voice hardens. "I have not 'messed with his head.' I have merely helped tutor him in the ways and dangers of this world. Inadequately, it would seem.
"And where is your catalog and map of the island's resources? I believe you are in breach of contract. That would be unfortunate."
Elohir:
"His name is Alkanis. As to breach of contract Master Xan, when a deity chooses to transport you, there is no choice."
"Resources? Was big lizards, big people, big ants. Probably disappeared by now, hey? Might as well erase map."
Irawaru approaches the chair to look their mysterious employer face to face.
"We start by asking why you told Alkanis that Sehanine's agents would hunt him down."
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The figure in the chair makes a sudden gesture as Irawaru approaches and a blinding flash of white light dazzles and staggers the party.
"Do not do that."
"As for your question, Hasnett Corduba, the Sehanine story was simpler to explain -- which I'm sure you learned is best in this case. The actual opponent is the god of undeath . . . and secrets. You will pardon me if I choose not to name him. I have intelligence that his agents are masquerading as Sehanites -- and it is thus they at 'Alkanis' need be concerned about."
Blinded as she is, Hasnett can only trust to her instincts.
"Master Xan, it's been a long few days. We've been taken to a demi-plane, babysat a deity and blinded. Do you think you could give us a few more answers and a bit more of an idea of what you actually employed us to do? We've got no idea where Alkanis is now, but he's probably not happy with you. That'll be our fault, but I've got to say it's yours as well. Can we please have some cards on the table?"
Hasnett sits down where she is and waits for her sight to clear.
Yippee. Another tunnel-visioned egomaniac. Just what we all needed to make life complete.
Elohir is blinded and reels back from the brightness, letting out a small yelp of surprise.
Blinded, Elohir feels about in panic, grasping onto the nearest person. His eyes have gone black again and he seems to be looking at something despite his blinded condition.
"No, no, no, no, I don't want to see it, no no..." he mutters, and lets go of whomever he was holding onto. He moves to the nearest wall and tries to calm himself. He looks over in Xan's direction with black eyes, seriously contemplating the curse he would like to place on the mysterious figure in the chair.
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"Master Xan, it's been a long few days. We've been taken to a demi-plane, babysat a deity and blinded. Do you think you could give us a few more answers and a bit more of an idea of what you actually employed us to do? We've got no idea where Alkanis is now, but he's probably not happy with you. That'll be our fault, but I've got to say it's yours as well. Can we please have some cards on the table?"
"Listen closely, then, Hasnett Corduba, and all of you. I was alerted to the emergence of the new god -- Alkanis -- eight weeks ago, while on the continent. My sources, who are extremely reliable, also informed me of the plot against him by he whom I shall not name; I will explain that momentarily.
"At that time, Alkanis was alleged to be on one of the smaller islands. As you can see, I maintain a presence here, and I am a very wealthy man, so it was not difficult for me to obtain passage. When I arrived at the island, there was not a living thing on it, save Alkanis.
"For reasons of his own, he did not kill me outright. Perhaps he was learning to control his power. I spoke to him, and informed him of some of the forces arrayed against him. As I said, I kept it simplified. Alkanis is, or was, yet naive. A very dangerous quality in a god of death. For so he seems to be, as you no doubt learned -- a god of death and, I hope, rebirth. This should account for the, ah, unpleasant interest in him.
"I returned to my base of operations here to set my network to learning what I could of movements against him. Even against another deity, the older gods do not move openly on this plane. Meanwhile, I received word from Captain Alice of the existence of the new island, and had Yon-Sin hire you to investigate. I did not know you would find Alkanis there, but it stretched the bounds of credulity to believe the events were unconnected with him. Do not blame Yon-Sin -- I did not tell him of Alkanis and my suspicions.
"From your swift return, I judge that he is growing rapidly in control, and likely in power as well. However, you know as well as I that gods need worshipers. Until he develops a following -- another project I am about -- he is vulnerable. If he never does, he will fade and die himself, without fulfilling whatever role is intended for him."
"Those are my 'cards.' Will you aid me in aiding this new power?"
"Master Xan, there's obviously more going on here than meets the eye or than you're either willing or able to tell us."
Hasnett feels that dealing with Master Xan isn't necessarily much easier than dealing with Alkanis. Finally, she settles for straightforward.
"I'm assuming you want willing help here, as you can probably either kill us or make us help you if you want to. So, I'd say that whether we help or not depends on what you want us to do."
"Alkanis vanished. He said something was wrong and brought us back here. He sent us, mainly, to try and talk to you. We didn't think you should profit from him and nor does he."
She pauses. "Just for the record, I appreciate your open-ness, but I'm not sure I'm inclined to trust you just yet."
Elohir stands up straight from against the wall, seemingly in control of his faculties.
"It is not just the gods interested in this creature. Words are being whispered from the Far Realm too. I believe this Alkanis is yet more important than any of you realize. In the Far Realms there are things not even the gods understand."
Elohir looks about dejectedly, now seemingly oblivious of everyone else in the room. "I still do not know what part I have to play," he says and then looks up at Xan. "I do not think I have any other choice than to help you, Master Xan."
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"Doubtless true about his importance, Elohir Miriel. No such event has been recorded in millennia. If it has happened, word was suppressed.
"He said something was wrong, but did not say what or where? That is . . . alarming. Yes, I want, need, willing help. Your creativity and insights would be of no value otherwise. I ask you to help me in unraveling the threads the god of undeath has woven. Of course his factions do not operate openly here, but I -- we -- must know what his agents are doing about Alkanis.
"The information I have is that they, or at least some segment, are representing themselves as Sehanites. There is a small temple to Sehanine here, and shrines on several other islands. It is highly unlikely that they are entirely corrupted, but they may have been infiltrated. That may be a place to start. There are other avenues. Perhaps this has happened before? Perhaps the servants of the Raven Queen would be informed of a new god of death? I will be devoting my own resources to locating Alkanis before more damage -- to him or to others -- can be done. But if you find leads as to that, that would also be valuable."
"I'm sure some of the Raven Queen's servants already know. And knowing them are already coming to investigate."
"New investigations, hey? New contract?"
"That's perfect then. The Raven Queen, Sehanine-who-isn't and Alkanis. We're moving in exalted circles all of a sudden."
Hasnett crosses the room to join Elohir.
"What can you tell us Elohir? Have you had any messages that might be about this? I'm thinking of things you've learned or heard that didn't make sense before but might now."
"What can you tell us Elohir? Have you had any messages that might be about this? I'm thinking of things you've learned or heard that didn't make sense before but might now."
"I can tell you very little anymore" replies a sullen Elohir. "My dreams have either been terrifying or blissfully empty. I have not seen anything of importance since before my trip to Naugston. The dreams cannot be controlled...it is the other way around I am afraid. The last I saw was the wheat growing from the caldera. I thought for sure all answers would lie there. Instead I only have more questions. I do not even know whether Alkanis is responsible or other, darker creatures. What They would want with the godling, I have not a clue."
"The Raven Queen," says Elohir with a far off look. "Perhaps we could start there."
Happier now that Elohir has something to think about, Hasnett also turns her mind to the problem.
"We could split up, but if Master Xan is right, we need to work fast and remove any distractions. I think this is going to need all of us."
The mentioning of the Raven Queen sends a shiver up the shadar-kai's spine. Knowing he may have to face people not willing to see him, or go places he isn't allowed.
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Hasnett knows that Naugston does have a major temple to the Raven Queen in the main burial ground. Only landsmen are typically buried on the island, whether due to preference or space considerations, but the Goddess of Death is always a presence in a seagoing people's lives. Sehanine also has a minor temple, and shrines scattered throughout the archipelago.
"Naugston, then."
"That just leaves the renegotiation of the contract. What do you suggest, Master Xan? You know us well enough by now to realise that our methods tend to the direct."
Elohir stares off into space, seemingly lost in thought. He has little concern about the contract.
"We could go to the temple at Naughston, but I don't think the initiates of the Raven Queen will take us particularly seriously without some proof.
I think I should consult my own temple. At least I have begging rights there on the library, such as it is. Melora's not much of a one for books, but there'll be records.
Then we'll look for Alkanis. He's not safe out alone."
"We could go to the temple at Naughston, but I don't think the initiates of the Raven Queen will take us particularly seriously without some proof.
I think I should consult my own temple. At least I have begging rights there on the library, such as it is. Melora's not much of a one for books, but there'll be records.
Then we'll look for Alkanis. He's not safe out alone."
"Safer than us," mutters Elohir who stands up straight again. "The temple is a well-enough place to start. If you know the way Hasnett then I will follow. I have faith that any path we take right now will eventually lead to Alkanis."
"Good enough, lets go. We must find SOMETHING!"
Elohir looks impatient to be on the move again.
"Then we are done," says Elohir curtly. "Hasnett, where is this temple of yours? Perhaps we can at least seek advice there. Along the way I shall try and consult the stars, though one never knows what to expect from Them."