After some consideration you left the manor grounds for St Thosos, where with the aid of a few silvers in Baroolashti the Polisher's palm and little help from the Bishop's servant Bordrinn, you found the mad Umrovide, 'Bishop of Arvonesse,' out doing his rounds on a merchant ship. You prayed with him for the land to rise again (many quick invocations of heroes, blood, king and such) and he said that Arvonesse was cursed by Makan for the unbelievers of Giraine, and haunted by Krjalki. He gladly accepted the task of cleansing Enelaena of her chaos wound and took her away. Baroolashti promised to keep an eye on them for you (for a kind price of silver again from the Baronet).
Back at the Manor, you met a Pithdaran hunter from Oyesteria Major, named Tahir, who in his odd terse way told you of three previously-possessed villagers who had been taken away by “serpent-haired” shapes. He then returned to his folk. Cyroosta strutted and explained that she had banished a Thed spirit back to Hell from the body of Gubberej, the 'feral man', who was left in an idiotic feral state but harmlessly so. She seemed to see him as her pet now. The Captain had some private words with the fish-spirit Omen and learned of the local Ouori and Arvonesse, and accepted Omen's offer to guide you to the Ouori who would know more. You departed through the cold, dark, quiet Night-Channel and carefully plied your way along the edge of the Arvonesse reefs with Omen's guidance to a spot south of the hole-in-the-reef where Arvonesse was said to be sunken, with Ouori watching it.
Soon, on The Shadow's dinghy, you met the walrus/seal-like Ouori including one who spoke Seshnegi, named Gumthunooreebou. Fortuitiously he was also a Magasta worshipper like the Captain (but in a fully pagan way, not as a Saint), whereas the others revered the equally grim northern ice god Valind. Gumthunooreebou revealed himself to be quite the joker, but also like his fellow bull Ouori a warrior, complete with coral helm and barbed spear reminiscent of St Buquaim. Indeed he spoke knowledge of a Captain Buquaim, a tragic foe of the “mad empire” (Godlearners/Middle-Sea). He said that Arvonesse was forbidden to all, and the Ouori watched it because sea trolls lived there, hiding within some evil kelp they grew to cover the ruins in darkness, where they had eaten all that was good. He warned of a sinister dark ship that wandered the waters in strange ways he could not explain- reminiscent of mumblings from Embulian the Clean. Then he offered to show you another bad place nearby, where a “drowned castle” lay under the reef and was a source or part of some sickness that plagued the waters between here and Asparagus Isle. It was also said to be a Mad Empire place and had ill effects on the sea life of goddess Triolina, so they wanted your help. In return it was clear that this would curry more favour with the “king” Sumbinaroomeesh of the Trenchward tribe (although it is unclear if such a thing exists among the Ouori, it is a rough translation) of the Ouori, who might tell you more things about the oceans around here or Buquaim.
You came to the part of the reef, not far from the giant 'forests' of Asparagus Isle, where the Ouori said a sickness flowed. With their aid and Boamund's magic you descended below an overhanging lip of reefs to find an elongate, algae-encrusted ruin. The Captain raised his eyebrows in recognition, as soon did the Baronet, but you were too deep to speak of its meaning, and soon too deep in trouble too! Dark clouds bloomed over the ruin in the waters, and the Ouori departed to watch from a safe distance. Sinister, wriggling things darted out of those clouds, clutching and thrusting with many snakes, or tentacles, or limbs…
© Copyright - 2000-2024 - John Hutchinson, Tim Evans, Pete Nash, Colin Driver and Gordon Alford