giraine:summary-343
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| - | ==== Summary 343 - Seeking Arkati in Estali (2024-03-01) ==== | + | <- giraine: |
| + | ====== Summary 343 - Seeking Arkati in Estali (2024-03-01) ====== | ||
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| + | You are getting a taste of how Estali is “dizzyingly complex” after just a day or so. But, also, that connections matter a lot, and that’s part of what makes it complex. | ||
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| + | Shrett and Bog head to The Temple of the Great Green Lady; the others hold onto their weapons, except Bog’s magic axe. They see others leaving their weapons at the temple entrance, under watch of the two Babeester Gor axe sisters, who hiss and point to piles of hides where weapons are bundled. Bog and Shrett are interrogated, | ||
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| + | They opt to go to the Temple of Ralia, which features a huge statue of Ralia, made of jade, her arms entwined with verdigris snakes, her outstretched hands bearing wheat of gold, and her head of luxuriant red brick hair crowned with jewelled fruits and vines bearing emerald and ruby grapes. Three Galanini guards keep close tabs on the entryway and periphery. They say that the Temple is closed except to initiates, and when Shrett politely (he thinks) tries to push the issue, he finds out that he has made a very lewd suggestion and the furious guards hurry him out of the central walled complex entirely, saying that he is no longer welcome around here. | ||
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| + | Boamund goes to the Sun Temple of Estali City, which is smaller and much less elaborate than Tolin’s. It is a three-storey complex with a golden dome atop it, which is ringed by four golden horse statues that blaze in the daylight. There’s a fine garden of peach trees to the west of it. A patrol of soldiers in fancy, formal golden decorative armour rides around the complex on Galanini ponies. The pillared, arched main temple entrance is on the north side, via a steep stone staircase with gold-inlaid railings. Heavy guards of Galanini men and women stand by at this entrance, which has a looming, golden face of sun-faced Ehilm looking downwards from above its arch. Here, he too is stymied by the guards, who say that the staff are too busy for visitors. It doesn’t sound good for him to get future access. Maybe he needs to have an inside connection? | ||
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| + | Fraud, hoping for better fortune than the others, heads to the Great Library of Lhankor Mhy. Twin statues of sages, twice the height of a man, stand to either side of the short stairs up to the temple gate. Grim Humathi warriors stand by the statues, having terse words with people entering. Leave weapons with Humathi guards outside. Entry is at the base of the “Y”, with wooden doors flanked by pillars structured as ivory towers. The warriors, pledged to protect the Truth of the temple, stop Fraud and question him about his purposes. He says he wants to go in and peruse the Library, but they explain that only scholars of the Temple may do so. Fraud considers appropriate behaviour here and improvises an eloquent, extremely polite argument for why he could speak with someone there. He is allowed past as a messenger runs ahead with an explanation. | ||
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| + | An apprentice, far too young for the grey beard he wears, comes to lead Fraud in. He doesn’t introduce himself, seeming distracted, but mutters explanations as he guides Fraud down the base arm of the temple, saying that there is a gymnasium and rented space through the doors along the corridor. And then that corridor opens into a huge, vaulted central juncture of the two “arms” of the Truth rune. This is a vast hall of shelved scrolls, tablets, etc. Fraud sees many sages around; all in yellowish or golden robes, with some of them, apparently older or wealthier, having robes decorated with embroidered gold. All, men and women, wear beards of grey or white. And, with great deference, the apprentice introduces Fraud to Brazar Linasch, Chief of Loremasters (who is one of the three top Sages at the Temple, he soon explains; in charge of non-magical teachings; copying; and general issues regarding the library). Fraud soon realises that he is very lucky indeed to be able to speak to such a prominent priest. He maintains his decorum. | ||
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| + | Fraud dissembles at first, asking about heroquesting books and such, but Brazar insists he must know more—this is a huge library, and there are many books about heroquesting. Soon, in hushed tones, Fraud gets around to name-dropping Impossible Landscapes and Arkat. Brazar converses about this in a roundabout way, leading Fraud deeper into a more private corner of the shelving, and says that he should indeed be wary of asking about such things, but there can be sympathetic ears even in Estali. Fraud asks about myths of Arkat Chaosbane, specifically. Brazar does not know any, or what book to consult, but says that he will research the topic. Yet it will take quite some time. Indeed, for this favour, perhaps – if fate smiles on Fraud, he might find out about a very rare book that went missing over the past few weeks, from Brazar’s private collection. Brazar only noticed it recently when doing one of his regular catalogue inventories. It is one of The Tomes of the Seven Eyes That Opened. Fraud easily understands the significance of that name. Brazar says it is the “Fifth Tome”, his only one of the series, that is gone. He doesn’t really know what it’s about, except it is about Arkat’s secret ways. He has so much literature. Fraud leaves, rather pleased that he now knows a person in high places at this Temple, and some information, | ||
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| + | You regroup outside of the central walls, where ashamed Shrett awaits, and Hunla takes you to one of Estali’s many inns, this one with good fare and private rooms. You speak in that privacy, sharing information. The mules are stabled. You inquire of Hunla whether there are black markets here, and he chuckles and says that there are many, but he is just a young man and doesn’t know the workings of such things. But he says that the most likely place to look would be the ghetto, the Streets of the Sinister, and at night. But it’s dangerous then. He’s not at all keen to take you within. He says that the “Hand of Jade” gang operates there, and they are to be feared. | ||
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| + | Then, as there is still daylight and Hunla hints that it’s not so great to wander at night in some places, you opt to go to that Jrimbside villa where the “starseer” is. Hunla says it should be easy to find. Indeed it is. You enter a gateway into a plaza, and meet that same female trollkin, Brekk. She welcomes you and escorts you through the plaza, with a fine garden of lush-smelling flowers and burbling fountain. Bog sees another value trollkin groundskeeper: | ||
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| + | Two people answer the door, and introduce themselves (Bozjarn the troll merchant, looming over the starseer Marthedes’s shoulders). Marthedes looks you over in surprise and concern, “Oh, four of you, oh how unexpected.” | ||
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| + | Marthedes begins: “So I take it that you’re interested in my unique talents? I have a special room for starseeing; I call it the Chamber of Astral Reflection. To help you understand my method, I’ll lead you down there. We’ll stay in our main villa. The southern one is just storerooms and quarters for my servants. You’ll see fine patios and a dock below. We have decent comforts here.” Bozjarn adds, “And I keep an aquatic spice garden down there. Usually too much flavour for hoomanz.” Bog gets rather interested! | ||
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| + | Marthedes leads you on a tour through building; Bozjarn (and that annoying cat) follows along, commenting. The hallway has a simple carpet and a long couch; at its end there are stairs up and down. But you turn and enter a meeting room with a long table. Marthedes moves around the room touching amulets that hang from various surfaces. Smiles, “This is where our business begins. You can see my decorations – baubles like this amulet that start to attune us to astral energies. Please, walk about, touch and inspect them.” You do so, and feel a little tickling of magic, but none of the “baubles” strong, even those with runes of interest to you. Marthedes strolls back around to the next room: a study with shelves, desk, chairs, and a lion hide on floor (Boamund is displeased). Marthedes goes to the desk and picks up an old sistrum; a musical instrument not uncommon in Safelster; and says, “Our sanctum, which like the prior room has these fine windows out onto the Jrimb River. Hear the gentle rush of the waters, and hear this.” He rattles the sistrum noisily and there’s a prickling of magic. You can feel a soft trance descending on you, ever so gently but comfortably. There is some tug at your spirits, but it does not bother you. Marthedes moves out to the hallway, “Above we have the colonnade, which has our villa’s finest 360 degree views of the sky, but that is not our destination; | ||
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| + | He comes down to a hallway, and takes you into a kitchen-dining room. Marthedes steps to stand under a hanging sword. Fraud recognises it as a First Age Arkati demon-slaying sword! Ahh hah, very interesting! Marthedes meanwhile: “So here our cook Bromil serves meals that he has prepared in the other buiding. But as everywhere in our villa we’ve also prepared decorations that serve ceremonial purposes.” He then walks around the room, pointing to hanging sheets of papyrus with miscellaneous symbols, and says “See, these are not recipes for food but for magical invocation. Of trifling power I assure you, but they prepare us and our customers for the discoveries that we shall make at the end.” | ||
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| + | Marthedes leads the tour back into the hallway and into another room, which is more open, with a central carpet and a few small stools, and an open window at the far end. “We maintain a fine lounge here for meditations.” Bozjarn adds: “Some of my spices have heady effects if burned, I assure you, but I will not trouble you with them.” Marthedes lights a brazier with a quick magic casting, and says “For example, these feathers from a Wind Child can aid introspection and bring one closer to the Sky Realm.” And he tosses the feathers into the coals where they burst into flames and smoke. You hold your breath as the smoke fills the room with a strong, sweet scent. Fraud chokes a bit but keeps his breath in. | ||
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| + | Bozjarn incants to snuff the brazier out as Marthedes leads through a door into another room. He says, “And now you may have a look into our private lives. As special guests, I welcome you to see our bedroom. But it is not merely for rest. The window here brings in the twilight at just the right angle to use with my Duskdial (he shows an intricate bronze device on a table by the window). “I was fortunate to come across this old Mostali device at a market stall, and immediately saw its value to a starseer. It helps me to speak with the stars; with the right settings, to turn twilight and its stars into numbers, runes or words, and even use these to fuel conjurations of insight. It takes much practice to learn. We may return to it to put it to use, if you allow.” Then he leads you back to the hall and downstairs. | ||
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| + | Bozjarn takes over. “Yeah. Down here is where the real business happens. And there is fun, too. That doorway leads onto our lower patio and down to the docks. There’s a pleasant veranda past these two rooms. But first, the rooms.” Bozjarn takes you in: “I set up this room. It was designed as a guest bedroom but I repurposed it as a study for our arts. There are many artefacts of value here, and most not just for their attractiveness, | ||
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| + | Bozjarn stays here after you poke around and Marthedes unlocks the door from the hallway to the final room, the Chamber of Astral Reflection, holding the door open for you. The cat scratches at Marthedes’s leg and he curses angrily, nudging it away. He says, “And now we come to our destination. Our journey has made provision for the final formulae and my starseeing on your behalf.” The largely empty room has its windows blacked out with black curtains decorated by golden stars, and the same fabric covers all walls. You file in. Marthedes pulls a rope just inside the doorway and turns back into the hallway as all of the curtains drop! The door slams shut and its lock clicks! You hear Marthedes’s muffled yell, “Demon, your guise is revealed and your scheme foiled!” Behind those curtains, dozens of mirrors mounted on the walls are revealed! And you see yourselves, but only your deepest, strongest self that drives you forward in this world. That self tries to take over as you inevitably look into a mirror, but none of you succumb to its command. | ||
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| + | At the same moment, a bizarre thing erupts from the body of the cat! It looks like a big, man-sized cat, sort of, but made of “jewels” or crystals that also look like eyes, and glimmer and glitter like stars, glowing with a rainbow of colours that dance off the mirrors around the room. It scratches at the door with its great rending claws, digging deep furrows into the wood. Shrett tries calling to Marthedes of your innocence but he retorts that this is what a demon would claim. So you’re trapped, with an alien star-thing. But it doesn’t pay heed to you at first. It seems to want to get out. Fraud grabs a curtain. Boamund draws his demon-sword, | ||
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| + | [this combat went very poorly for the star-demon: it fumbled twice, failed its high skill once, and was critically hit twice; unable even to hit any of you, although its real aim was to escape and kill the two scholars] | ||
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| + | But: even though you all snap out of your harmonisation, | ||
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| + | “I’m sorry we had to do all of this. The stars had spoken that a Demon of Two and Endless Eyes, from the skies of Hell, would come to us today, and we thought it was you. Now the truth is revealed, and it is a cruel ruse that the demon has played, yet it has lost thanks to you. Brekk’s message was just her normal advertisement for us, with hopes that someone with similar secret knowledge as we have privy to would understand our message’s significance and meet with us to exchange knowledge. We did not expect help to come today. We’d given up hope.” Fraud says that he indeed is such a “someone” and wants to talk with them both. There’s tension at first; you’re pissed off at them and they’re still unnerved at all the violence and uncertainty, | ||
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| + | They invite you to share dinner and talk with them as they thank you for saving their lives. They promise help, including the starseeing they offered. Fraud says he wants help finding out about a missing book, which the Temple noted to him. Marthedes knows nothing of it, stating that if the stars have seen it, then they might say something of it. A human male, the mute cook Bromil, serves you up in the dining room. It’s nice. | ||
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| + | You sit, drink, eat and talk more. Marthedes goes to a container and pulls a glittering oblong golden crystal shard out. “This is a Harpstring Crystal. It is from a wound caused to the Harp constellation [near the Sky’s centre] in the Gods’ War. We bought it, through legal channels, from the Estali trade in the crystal mines of Irn near Lartuli. And now it is yours in thanks for your help.” Fraud takes it. You ask Marthedes about it, and he says that he had tried attuning but didn’t understand, as he’s no musician but it seems to relate to musical energies. | ||
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| + | The scholars love your tales of the Boat Planet. They ask many, many enthusiastic questions. | ||
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| + | Bozjarn takes Bog down to the docks, where he keeps his aquatic spice garden of algae, lakeweed and such. Bog samples some and agrees that it is very “piquant”, | ||
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| + | Talk turns to the starseeing as twilight comes: “Whether you call them the rune of Fate or Infinity or Glorantha, our ritual of starseeing peers into that rune via starlight. The stars have their inscrutably planned paths that, properly analysed, can reveal what future might hold for individuals. If you still wish it, I can do this service now, and look into what the paths of the constellation of Evandal [favoured of starseers and philosophers] say of you.” | ||
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| + | They take you up to the Duskdial and sit at a table with you. Light creeps over the Duskdial and it glows dimly purple, with sigils standing out and changing as Marthedes clicks the dials around. After a few minutes of contemplating, | ||
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| + | Then Marthedes does the starseeing Fraud asks for, about that stolen book. He gets a clear message from the stars, meaning that what has happened to the book has, at least in part, occurred their gaze (i.e., night). “The stars have seen that The Wanderer and Pehraln seek it, but Black Eyes knows where it is.” You recognise the first and last names there, but not the second. It’s another clue to chase. Another thread in Safelster’s web. | ||
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| + | Why did the demon come, you eventually ask? “We’re not sure what brought the demon upon us. We have been studying certain changes in the stars since the Boat Planet rose, and applying some secret knowledge to understand them. We have noticed something unpleasant in those changes, and directed some of our studies toward Tyram the Sky Tyrant, with great caution. So it may be no coincidence that a demon of the skies of Hell has come to us, but who sent it is the question. The demon did not come on its own accord. We asked the stars and learned nothing. Nothing in the sense of a frightening nothingness in the result.” This is not welcome news to you. Tyram has been far too “busy” lately, after what you thought were centuries of inaction from Orlanth’s defeat of Tyram in the Greater Darkness. | ||
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| + | Bog asks Bozjarn about Uz, and Bozjarn says that there are more to the west; that Tiskos and Azilos are “melting pots” where all sorts of people from around the area gather. Duke Kimiv and his entourage, he responds, passed Estali and went that way not long ago, and may still be in Tiskos or else in Azilos or nearby. The topic of Zorak Zoran arises. “Not here! No way! Get destroyed fast. Everyone hates Lord of Demons here. Even if dey don’t hate Him for nasty deeds in their myths, dey hate Him because He reminds them of Arkat the Destroyer. Bad news guy. Destroyer ruined too much. Like Zorak Zoran, one day he kill your enemy but another day he kill your friend. That Arkat wears a crazy mask of Disorder. He might do anything. Can’t trust him. But hey, Zorak Zoran, he’s fine with me I suppose. Never did me wrong.” Bog smiles menacingly and says something about Bozjarn being a friend today. Bozjarn is frightened. | ||
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| + | Bozjarn comments, during conversation, | ||
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| + | You have a nice night with the two philosophers and leave before it is too late. Hunla guides you back through the west gate; the Duskgate, which is extremely fortified, featuring a sunset/ | ||
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| + | But this place is very active right now. Peaceful but tense protests throng the streets. The protesters are a mix of what look like regular citizens, and obvious Hykimi animists. Hunla listens and explains that this is about Ancient Beast Society loyalties in Estali City, which have been provoked by the Archon’s poll about whether their ceremonies should be limited to a restricted area outside the walls. The poll has failed, but people still are upset. Shrett enters the crowd to talk with people. The guards surrounding the crowd are easy to pass. The rest of you retire to the inn. Shrett inquires about a few things in Beastspeech, | ||
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| + | You meet up. The others have been asking around about markets and such, learning that the best places to find things of interest (cued by the scholars’ findings of trinkets and artifacts) are in the northwest market district inside the gates to the docks, and outside the southern gates, where an outdoor market serves the road and those who prefer not to enter the city, whether because they are Hykimi who dislike it, or others evading taxes, or what. You find out a little more as Shrett returns. (I forget what it was) And you find rest for that evening. | ||
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| + | A new day dawns. Bog returns to the Temple of the Great Green Lady, with Boamund watching his weaponry. Now an acolyte, looking surprised, says to follow her, as the axe-maiden lets him through with cursory questioning about the bad spirits, and the serpent-railing remains silent. She doesn’t say much. She keeps very silent as she walks inside. The long, wide hall beyond is painted with scenes of birth; of babies, beasts including serpents, and of plants. Within the Temple are all manner of women: ages, bodies, state of dress or undress, and religious symbols. Snakes; some of them very large indeed; wander the halls along all surfaces and through holes in them. The decorations reach extremes: greenery, grains especially spelt wheat, horses and their mythical relations to Ernalda, snakes of course, and myths of the Ernalda and her many husbands. The hallway is kept dark, with few oil lamps, and the air is heady with the aromas of smoke and incense. Bog is surprised to feel a bit comfortable, | ||
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| + | The main hall leads straight to stout double wooden doors plated with copper that is carved with images of Ernalda and her family. Two more Babeester Gor axe maidens eye you up, look at the acolyte and open the doors. You’re ushered in. The doors close behind you, and you are in a cozy square chamber with two angled side-passages toward its back, each closed by a great copper door attended by a Babeester Gor axe-maiden. The chamber has some decorations, | ||
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| + | It is the famed High Priestess Alangellia: gorgeous, unabashedly half-naked, tattooed with the runes of Earth, Fertility, and Mastery, wearing an artefact called the Golden Necklace of Life (glowing green); sitting on the Throne of Seven Arkats, which has an arched back bearing seven very impressive, detailed carved stone masks of Arkat. | ||
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| + | As Bog uncharacteristically is at a loss for words, she says: “Yes. Mmm. You took a strange, serpentine route to get here. From your island of Giraine, to Handra, where you did famed deeds, through Caratan and Pralorela down the main road, but then turning away into the wilds until you had an encounter that might have been fortuitous or accursed. Renuvela lives, and will serve Tolin well. Nemiast has not been found. There is some honour in your actions. And you sure have a talent for destroying abominations of Chaos. Unless they outsmart you. I’ve had you come to me because of all of this. I’m interested in why you’ve come this far. Speak of that, please, will you? | ||
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| + | Bog talks about his axe, but she asks about why you’re all here in Ralios. She notes that she knows you seek allies. To what end? He says that she seem to know everything about you, but she says she only knows some of the who, what, where, how and when – but not much of the why. Bog gives some not-too-revealing answers and drops in a little offer of intimacy with her now and then, which she plays with. | ||
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| + | The monster-pet; | ||
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| + | Bog asks again about his axe, and other things. She says: “Yes, this request can be done in the fullness of time. A message will come to you when that time comes. The near future might provide opportunities where your aid would be of value. If so, I will send word. Or, if you have knowledge that would be of value, I will welcome another visit from you to the Temple of the Great Green Lady. But for now, I have many more appointments to attend to. I am thankful for our first meeting. It has met expectations.” He exchanges a few more words but gets the notion that he must leave, so, reluctantly, | ||
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| + | You regroup again. | ||
| + | You did learn that there is a Temple to Hykim and Mikyh, related to the Ancient Beast Society, in the central complex. Shrett is very interested but not sure if now he’s allowed in, with Alangellia’s blessing? | ||
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giraine/summary-343.1709993513.txt.gz · Last modified: 2024/03/09 14:11 by tim45tenwa
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