Hi again,
You discussed your next move as dawn broke over the southern shores of Giraine and cast the Arvonesse reefs in an orange glow. Captain Gulos had helped you, even if for selfish scheming reasons, so you opted not to burn bridges with him, and so you found your way across the mudflats and swampy reefs back around to New Arvonesse (to the southwest), trying to remember how to get back to this lonely spot if you ever needed to. You arrived back at the gates, muddy and sweaty again; cursing Giraine again. Gulos met you soon inside and was pleased to hear of the gorps' demise but had no information about where to look for serpent cultists or what else to do. He did however show some gratitude in putting you up at the Excelsiinn for the night with every finery at your disposal, and many of you took advantage of that.
But Orsattus sallied out for the night to mix with “his kind” more at the Ophidi Inn and other rough areas of New Arv. His sly tongue and scrupulous application of coinage managed to loosen one tongue at the pub; a sailor who said he'd seen the “fast pirates” that had plagued New Arv lately. That man said that these pirates had swept into the harbor, passing his ship, and he'd had a good look at them, seeing that they were “not human” but had webbed fingers and toes. Captain Ahappi also checked out the harbor but didn't see any unusual ships. But by morning, a note had arrived at the Inn, delivered to the waking Fraud Shaven, with script reading “Seek the serpent that does not shed its skin.” You debated its meaning. Maugis thought it was at least a sign of friendly presence here in New Arv but there must be reluctance (or inability) to reach out or help you further, whomever that might be. Refreshed after the night's rest, you made the overland voyage back to Aria's Well.
Your settlement was much as you left it, tense with the island's strife between Rokari and others, with the Losers Movement up north making new progress, much as the Evracian monks were in the interior, while some Giranois had made their way into the swamps near your home but had not roused any trouble, just doing their regular foraging. Boamund, Ahappi and Fraud paid Big Ron a visit and found again that things were much the same as they'd been, with the Baron feeling the pressure from all around him. Jett asked on his behalf that you remain near Aria's Well for a while to bolster his strength if needed. Ron said that preparations for the great mission to sunken Arvonesse were nearly in order and after that bold venture, new ones might be considered- and maybe he could help with other things such as Ahappi's problem of lacking a ship.
It was now week 7 of Earth Season, so the autumn was drawing near its end and your friend Miguel and others were showing final signs of recovery. Furthermore, the Sage Scarabs were due to mature in about 2 weeks as Dark Season came. Syrr Kogag, meeting with Fraud back at the 'Well, was interested in your news of the “Strangers” you'd almost met, and especially the little letter that you'd recovered– the correspondence between the Strangers' apparent leader Kruushla/“Kim” and some writer named Nanni Pola in far-off Sun County, a place that few of you had ever heard of but Syrr Kogag spat out the name of in contempt. He didn't care a bit about the serpent cultists or sewers, but your mission had uncovered strong evidence that at least some of these “Purple Prophets” (the Strangers?) were allies/users of Chaos powers. He concluded that the puzzle was still too vexing- the Sage Scarabs were your hope for clearing it up. “We must wait for them; they will be able to scry what the shadows of twilight conceal, and lead us toward our poet enemies.”
And so Earth Season moved along, with a few days of reconnecting with your friends at home. But inevitably news came of more trouble. Jett had already told you that there had been disturbing events inland around the settled southwestern areas of Giraine. Then your friend amongst the elders of Oyesteria Major, the man Embullian the Clean, stumbled weakly into town after having hauled himself across the swamps to bring a new request for help. His village had seen peace for some time but now four of his Perfecti people had died, being found in the wilderness inland between your two settlements.
You sent a patrol there with Orsattus and found an old campsite, heavily trampled, and a trail that was easily followed to the northeast, further along the main axis of Giraine. There were hoofprints of several horses/mules, and plenty of meandering bootprints of up to two dozen people– definitely not Giranois, but people from civilized lands. Orsattus followed the trail further and spoke to some local farmers who saw him coming and were curious if he could be trusted to help. They'd had their own problems: the farmer's sister-in-law and his daughter had been stricken mad after seeing a travelling theatre show that had passed through the prior day. They'd gone so insane, clawing at themselves and screaming nonsense verse, that they had to be bound and gagged and placed in the farmhouse's cellar. Orsattus asked to see them but the farmer's wife stood firm that she didn't see what he could do to help them. Her distrust of his team of ruffian-looking men was obvious. Promising to bring word to and help from the leaders at Aria's Well, he took his patrol back into the wilderness and was home before nightfall, choosing to deliver this information to his Talari rather than chase the “theatre” overnight.
Aha! This sounded like more of these Purple Prophets; more trouble coming into Giraine like the bandits, pirates and Strangers you'd been struggling with. Enough of that! The weather had been fair and the trail was easy to follow so you agreed to form a team to pursue this performance troupe the next day, mounting what horses you could gather and bringing Orsattus's men along with the rest of your best and brightest. It was late afternoon when you reached a highland area looking down into a valley where a large tent and rickety wooden stage sat in encampment. There was a sign posted outside, mules tied out back, and a weird, giant, gangly puppet hanging from a post at stage-centre.
As you closed in, the place was still and silent. The sign read “Welcome! Indeed you have come to the theatre of the Dandy Dancers of Dusk, famed throughout the theatre! The show begins at twilight and is FREE! We love our craft.” Orsattus could see no heat-signatures nearby except for the mules, and he led some of his men around back while you moved to the stage. Boamund, reviled by this place, threw up his ring-of-fire magic to enclose the stage, tent and puppet-thing. They all began smoking, and soon the puppet lurched and lifted itself down off the post, speaking in a high Seshnegi voice “Fiddly dee, I am Dongly Boo. What I see, Is trespassers untrue.” But you threw magic after magic at it: Maugis palsied its left arm and holdfasted its feet to the stage, Ahappi impaled it with his spear, and Shaven cast many Darkstrikes on it, while Boamund's fires continued to burn the thing. These attacks provoked it to shriek madly and its eyes to glow a sinister violet. There was still no sign of the theatre performers, but you'd found one enemy and the battle had begun in your favor!
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