Instead of intrigue this time, you did some tourism. You rest for the night at the inn, and head to the Library of Safelster in the morning. Boamund pays one scribe for investigation into where the Night Gorge is and how to get there. And another one, Harwara, whom he’s hired before, delivers some news on her inquiry into the puma shamans: The first bit is not so helpful. The puma people’s numbers and distribution have never been recorded by any temple of Lhankor Mhy despite intense searching for those statistics. The second bit is much more puzzling. There is a recent report whose author is unknown, but through Divination (cast because the Guild inquired deeper) she has determined it to not be part of the Guild and it is unclear how the report made it into the Library records. It states the following. The Puma People are not technically Hsunchen, because they can transform at will and pumas are not their totem animals. They are solitary. The puma people have always been enemies of the Telmori wolf-people. They are immensely secretive, so much that they don’t seem to know where their fellows are, and so they wander in search of them, sometimes living hidden with other peoples without their knowledge. As for shamans, all that seems known is that only puma men can be shamans. Boamund thanks her for this and she asks if she should continue investigating, and he can tell that she is nervous and reluctant, but out of professionalism has agreed.

You gather your mules and depart Tiskos city, back eastwards, seeing the town of Carbo downhill from the road, and recollecting the horrors you faced there. You go on to the Jrimb River and head southwards along a Tiskos-Daran road parallel to the old Manirian road. Boamund soon espies a person lying somewhat concealed in brush near the road. It is an androgynous figure in robes and bits of light leather armour, and they look dingy and worn. The figure is manacled. Boamund and Fraud approach and see they are breathing and are female; they ask if they need help and she says some water, she is so tired, and Fraud also casts an Endurance spell on her, which helps. She says she is Frethegard, an escaped prisoner from Mios. She was held captive by the Donnag Clan there, saying it was for her heretical beliefs, as she rolls up her sleeve and points to a Darkness rune tattoo. She seeks help getting to Gamol. As you talk, and Miguel removes her manacles, some of you notice she has some lump of an object held in her armpit, which remains concealed. You help her onto a mule and proceed south. Fraud watches her closely but she doesn’t do anything odd.

Plenty of boats cross back and forth between the west and east shores of the river connecting Tiskos and Estal counties here by Gamol. From a distance, Gamol looks like more of a town than a fortress, and on a gentle ridge, not on a hilltop, with no great decoration. However, there is a ring of glinting metal surrounding the top of the sandstone-brick walls that resolves itself as you approach into three wondrous copper serpents, each about 1m diameter: the top one with its head looking up to the east; the middle one biting its tail; the bottom one looking down westwards to the river. The copper has been tarnished green by the ages. Bas-reliefs of prancing horses and fierce griffons dominate the sides of the walls. A large encampment of tents and other portable shelters, campfires, and then shacks and hovels surrounds the city, all the way downslope to the river. Often here you see people sitting or standing out of traffic, smoking characteristic Safelstran curved pipes, or in some kind of trance, or drumming, or dancing. There is a wide variety of beasts with the people outside of the walls, or even some wandering unaccompanied. Boamund gets you in through the Estali questioning at the gate. You hear that Chieftainess Lysandra Firecage rules, and you see her central keep attended by many Galanini guards and a barracks.

You bring Frethegard in and she says to take her to the market, where she’ll hide and wait for nightfall, and find allies, so she doesn’t need help once she’s there. Fraud gets interested more and more, and asks about Darkness friends, and she asks if he and others in your group are Darkness worshippers, and of the same faith, and he vaguely explains. She says that she would like to speak to him privately so they find a quiet alley. Much to his surprise, she pulls forth a lead statue of Arkat Chaosbane! EXACTLY same as Fraud’s! Although it looks older; his was made in Pithdaros not long ago. She says that she is grateful for his help in aiding her escape to Gamol, and so she will pass on a favour: she has a friend who is a Lhankor Mhy sage at the library in town, and Frethegard’s name would help you to meet her: the sage is Isgara Seven-Wits. But Fraud is not feeling that Frethegard is an Arkati mystic, so he holds back any revelation of his nature, and you deliver her to the market, where she slips away with grace that contrasts with how tired she seemed.

Bog remembers that Gamol is home to the Gamol Tradition of Shamans (mostly women), allied with the Ancient Beast Society. Shrett is interested in this, so he goes outside the walls where the Hykimi are concentrated. He asks around, awkwardly navigating the animal-people camps, and finds a place that seems to match what he is looking for; a shrine or similar. There are six tents around a central firepit, and lots of snakes about. He comes in and is confronted by a female guard, a fierce Beast Warrior, “Gormal Cuts-Balls-Off”, who brandishes a handaxe and has Death runes tattooed down that arm. She aggressively tells him to piss off, that he’s no animal person and doesn’t belong here, so he leaves to meet the others for lunch. But in leaving, he catches a glimpse of serpents gathered around a cross-legged woman; probably a priestess or shaman; in a tent.

The gate guards tell you a little about what’s in Gamol. There are Lightbringer temples, with a Lhankor Mhy library-temple of respectable size, and you find that. It’s not hard to get in to meet the Grey Sage Isgara Seven-Wits (a middle-aged Galanini with a fake pointy grey beard; braided blonde hair). She is a bit cryptically intrigued that you helped Frethegard and questions you a little about it, then offers to help you in return for your help. You also say you want to pay her to investigate anything about the Night Gorge, which she isn’t aware of. You have some more conversation and, as it dawns on her that you’re heroquesters and “dare-devils”, she drops mention of a stolen book that the Library is investigating. Aha! You mention how Fraud was set upon pursuit of a book in Estali, and name that “Seven Eyes” book, and she gets very interested. She states that their “Tome of the First Eye That Opened” is what was stolen from here! No clues who did it. You quiz her more and she really doesn’t know much. The book was secure, listed as a possibly “dangerous” one related to heroquesting (she whispers conspiratorily that it might be Arkati), but no current staff had read it. There are an awful lot of documents here to be read. A routine inventory revealed the missing book, which is a great offense to the Library as they are sworn against such removals; once in a Library, documents become holy. The timing of the theft matches the rough timing of the one in Estali. So you see a pattern, and Bog suggests that maybe each city-state has another book? You ask her about libraries around Safelster and she says that other sizeable ones are in Dainmol, Aziilos and further. You talk a little more, and ask for some more information then she says she has much work to do and must attend to it, so you leave.

Back together at lunch, Fraud learns from Shrett of the snake-camp. He goes there and makes a good case to the fierce guard that he, with snake-face revealed, should speak with the priestess. She takes him to her and is introduced to Serpent Priestess Seburg Unhorsed of the Gamol Tradition of Shamans. A snake-spirit whirls above her, its tail in its jaws. She is half in trance but aware enough to talk. Fraud explains a bit about who he is and what he seeks and she talks about herself. He proclaims that he seeks to solve Ralios’s problems and she isn’t so impressed that some foreigner can do all of that. But he asks what is needed in her view. She says that the problem which forms a growing rift in Estali is that the beast-blood has emerged, and yet this threatens the rulers, who seek to suppress it. She herself is a Galanini but has long left her Estali culture, following the calling of the ancestral spirits. She has Sun Horse blood, but the spirits of those ancestors in Estali remain weak. This is now true of more and more Galanini. Such people, if revealed, are prohibited from entry to cities, but tolerated because of the support of the populace and the need for shamans. She has felt the call of her ancestors and her deep connection to the Earth and its Serpents, so she has joined the Gamol Tradiition. Indeed, Sun Horse colts have been born! This has not happened in many centuries! But while this is good news to the Hykimi, it is immensely unwelcome to the civilised Estali who live in cities. The situation is immensely complex. They talk a little more then she returns to her trance and Gormal leads Fraud away. He tries to talk to her but she growls bestially and shoves him away with the butt of her axe. He goes.

Next, you go to Mios; in Daran County. Along the way, an Orlanth Thunderous priest walks down the road, followed by eight initiates. He confronts you, orating in Ralian that he is Fionntan the Rumbler, from Helby County, favoured by the gods, and he will show one of you how Orlanth is Ernalda Earthmother’s greatest Husband-Protector. Who shall it be? Fraud hesitates for a long time, debating with you if his Froalar role with Seshna is a good fit for this or not, and eventually he agrees. By now, the Orlanthi is laughing at your indecision and says that you wasted so much breath in talking about who would accept his challenge that he’ll approach so Fraud can hear him. He switches to broken Tradetalk and whispers to Fraud: He feels pressured by his initiates to challenge notable people he meets, but asks Fraud would let him win; Fionntan is weak. Fraud sort of says yes, and agrees to a contest of 3 skills, the challenged gets to decide as usual, and the best of 3 wins. Fraud asks what would be the best contests and they agree on a footrace, then wrestling, then air magics. Fraud wins the first and last; with Fionntan showing remarkable fortune (he’s blessed by the Fate rune) in reversing a wrestling hold in order to in Fraud in the second contest; but Fraud holds back on all of them to make a better show of it. Fionntan’s declaration after his first loss that Fraud must have used Godlearner magic to win the race does not put him further into Fraud’s good graces. In the air-magic contest though, Fraud’s fan is so powerful that it blows Fionntan off the road into the countryside, head over heels, and he must limp back to concede victory. With his initiates visibly downtrodden, Fionntan puts on a brave face for his initiates and says that when your paths cross again you won’t be so fortunate; he will defeat you. Your two groups pass each other.

The city of Mios stands on a cliff overlooking the river, with winding paths heading up to it from there, where a sizeable dock sits. Mios is compact and very heavily fortified, with newer grey stone walls built upon ancient, dark stone foundations that are covered in moss. The perimeter hosts a variety of siege machines, and there are robust, gleaming iron statues of warriors at key positions atop the walls. Mios conveys the feeling of a city poised for action, crouching on its lofty perch. Its fortifications are matched by many soldiers and patrolling guards. Even just approaching the city, it feels tense. Even though it is not far from Gamol, it is a very different place despite its comparable size. There are two arched entrances through the walls, each reached by a different side-road from the main road and watched by well-armed guards in strikingly different garb. The entrances are heavily fortified and barricaded. The northern entrance is under watch by men in recognisably Malkioni attire, and its archway matches this. The eastern entrance is watched by Ralian Orlanthi, and has a Henotheist Lightbringer style to its arch. You go there. Boamund navigates detailed questions in Ralian about your religion and politics from gruff, rude guards. The guards mention a wine shortage and pub closures until Archon reopens. You must camp outside if staying; there are no rooms free; what few existed are full. Bog recalls hearing that Mios is known for its Oracle to the Dead, where there is an opening into the Underworld.

You poke your heads into Mios before finding a campsite outside the wall. Inside, the city emanates strength, but there is no display of gold here, and the emblems are mostly more like those of Tanisor of Seshnela; Rokari Malkioni iconography, like in Tiskos county; and the faces of authority on that iconography are all masculine, usually martial in bearing. However, Lightbringer imagery stands out in the eastern side of town. The city is split into almost two halves, with the majority being Malkioni but the Lightbringer side being prominent. Street traffic moves at a good pace, urged on by a heavy presence of more guards, but with frequent checkpoints where walls and barricades ward passage between Mios’s halves. There are signs of considerable wealth and healthy trade.

That night, you’re disturbed by shouting and other noise erupts from down the hill, where a crowd grows. Ralian (Henotheist) guards are rushing past you in that direction. Shrett and Bog investigate: a surly crowd is pushing and shoving against the guards, jeering and singing protest songs (in Ralian) about the shortage of wine in Mios. You watch for a bit, and the situation doesn’t degenerate into violence, but it’s angry.

You wander the marketplace on the Orlanthi side of town the next morning and learn a few things. Two factions control halves of the city: the Temple of Ehilm and House Ebrulf (Rokari); and the Lightbringer Temple and Donnag Clan (Storm Henotheists). Each has its other allies. The Archon Diokles Chlotar (a Rokari) tries to keep the peace. You pass an old keep with strange decorations and architecture that do not match those of the rest of the city so much, except that Law runes decorate the walls and there are several dozen man-sized iron statues at the guardhouse by its gates. This is where the Archon rules from.

Shrett does some asking around the markets about interesting events along the road. He hears of odd visitors who have come from there to Mios. They claim to be lion-worshippers. He finds out that they are squatters in an abandoned house in town. So you go there and Boamund calls “Hello” into the doorway as he hears gruff conversations in an unfamiliar Orlanthi (Theyalan language group) tongue. He hears no reply or change in the conversation so he tries all of his languages. Ralian gets a response. Three people are in there; a bare-chested tattooed leader and a fearsome man and woman; all looking warlike and barbaric. No civilised Henotheists here; these are wild Orlanthi types. Boamund mentions he seeks puma people and the leader, who explains he is a Wind Lord of Vorlan, Vonchu Never-cursed, responds that one of their gods eats lions like pumas. “We represent the Blue Lion Clan. We have come through Caratan. Our godtalkers have seen visions of Hurrlanth the Storm Lion and lion-eater, son of evil Basmol and sweet Hara, and we have followed clues to Ralios, seeking more. We are Harandrings; our broken tribe wanders Wenelia and Heortland, the land whose true name is Auld Harandela. We fight the Endless War against the Emperors of the Broken World. We are at war with the gods, even those we worship, who have gone power-mad. We are Freedom Fighters, needing no home because we are free to roam where we please. We have learned the power of ‘no’.” Wow, these people take Orlanthi “no one can make you do anything” ideals to an extreme beyond that you thought possible. Not humble Aulorings! Boamund says you’ve been to the Boat Planet and he blusters that he heroquested to Kero Fin, and his god Vorlan can blow the Boat Planet away; it is stupid and inferior. Boamund doesn’t argue back. He gets the feeling these people aren’t going to be very helpful here, so you leave.

You approach Lartuli. The Estal river from the Tarin Mountains and Tarinwood flows northwards here to join a smaller river called the Green Stream by some, and become the sizeable Jrimb river which goes to Lake Felster in the heart of Safelster. You come to the fortress of Lartuli, which sits atop a sizeable hill and is surrounded by a robust wooden stockade first, then old, brownish stone walls within. A cliff face rises on the northeast side of the hill from a stronger slope, and even from afar you can see its decoration, over 10 metres tall: a warrior woman mounted on a golden horse, battling a black draconic king of the underworld. [Bog takes a magic picture of this—he’s very intrigued by what he sees as a victory of some hell-king over a solar wimp]

Bog knows some trivia that he probably finds boring, but he can’t forget it from his training about Ralios. From the years 1360-1400 ST, the Estali League of the Third Age ruled much of Safelster from centres of power like Lartuli. Then, venturing forth from Dangim Province in westernmost Tanisor, the King of Sodal’s Malkioni army broke them. The rule of the Sodal lineage lasted 55 years before the Seshnelan dynasty (the Bailifes, which King Guilmarn is descended from) did the same to them, and with the demise of the Sodal Kings, the Estali League reformed. Thus it’s a rather new phenomenon; not Second Age; but the Galanini did form other powerful groups back in the First/Second Ages.

You pass the patrols and Boamund gets you through the gates easily enough. You’re warned, as routine procedure it seems, that mining at Irn (somewhere?) is only allowed under approval of the Chieftainess, under penalty of mutilation or death. The walls between the stockades are well guarded by mounted patrols and watchtowers. There is a second set of walls with bronze gates decorated with golden likenesses of fantastical unicorns. Centrally, there is a wide open plaza of Lightbringer-style temples, foremost amongst them a fine temple of Ehilm with a gilded crown; and a lovely square temple to Ralia. Otherwise, Lartuli is clearly specialised not only as a centre of martial power guarding the Estal border, but also as a first or last major stopping point along the road and river outside of the Tarinwood, and so dealing with trade from that route. Chieftainess Anastasia Strongsaddle is its ruler. You explore Lartuli but its Lightbringer Library is closed to non-cultists, which is disappointing. Eventually you rest for the night at an acceptable inn. Then you head further south into Daran County.

And you reach Ornim. It is dominated by a middle-sized stone, square-shaped castle, nowadays somewhat decayed, with a shallow ditch and wall. Remarkably, the wooden gates are bound in iron. A moderate-sized town of wooden houses and other buildings surrounds the castle, but a large number of fishermen and hunters have settled in sheds in holes; or better yet, huts; along the river and in the swamp. It is not finely decorated, but the castle still looks secure, home to maybe five hundred people; with the surrounding town likely holding about twice that number; overall a bit larger than Dolios, you understand. The castle has a heavily fortified dome-topped tower and robust gate guarding the bridge spanning the Estal River, where it gathers tolls from travellers. Hills rise to the west of it along the Estal-Daran road. Boamund again guides you past the gate-guards and Fraud begins making your case at the keep for meeting the Baron Ornim, who you’d heard decent things about.

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