You pass the day in and around Gamol, then retire for the night at a decent tavern. Shrett, as usual, goes out wandering at night. Not too late into his wanderings, he hears a terrible shriek, and sees a man down the road, convulsing. Shrett approaches a little, joining a growing crowd of gawkers, and sees the man; who is dressed like a Safelstran Malkioni/Henotheist; slowly turn to dust from his extremities upwards. Guards rush to keep people away as this happens over the period of a few minutes; the man being able to do nothing but watch himself in horror as he disintegrates, and scream in anguish. Shrett hears many people talking about what’s happening, but can’t understand what it’s about, so he goes back to the tavern and relates his story to the others. Bog wonders if this was some kind of spirit possession. Who knows, in Safelster, all kinds of odd things can happen!

Then you move on northwards to Estali. The overcast skies that morning turn into a chilly day and then driving sleet, but Shrett sees the problem coming and expertly ensures you are nicely bundled up in the cold weather garb that Baron Ornim gave you, and he guides you from shelter to shelter downroad, reaching Estali in good time. You enter through the western gate; closest to you; and get a guide, who says that guides normally keep to the same areas of the city to seek customers, so if you wanted to re-employ Hunla he’d be at the eastern gate. But this guide knows of the Gilded Quill when you ask for it, and he takes you there; a single-storey house/shop on the northeast side. It sports a sign of a golden feather with “Gilded Quill” conveniently written in Safelstran and Tradetalk. You don’t feel a need for the guide anymore so you pay him and he departs.

Boamund knocks, and is answered by a bald, aged Safelstran man with a well-groomed white beard, wearing scholar’s robes designating him as a Malkioni. He looks at your group in bemusement as Boamund says that Baron Ornim said to come meet him. His eyes glance at Bog and then away, not concealing that he is frightened. Asked later, he admits that few troll-kind are seen in these parts and he does not know their ways, but hears many stories. He furtively looks around at the street and ushers you inside the front door into an all-purpose business/study/dining hall decorated with many fine illuminated manuscripts, new and ancient. Charong locks the door and then you talk (in Tradetalk, with Shrett translating to Bog) as you take in the layout of the simple building.

There is a bedroom and then a second room, from whose doorway peer a young scholar [named Arasen] who has a prodigiously thick and wide black beard, twinking grey eyes, and is a little portly; and an older man (bald, hyperactive, left arm and shoulder heavily scarred from lightning) who looks to be a Ralian Humathi warrior [named Chanai]. They don’t speak in the conversation that follows, but watch and listen.

Charong explains he is an expert in Safelstran documents, with an interest in local politics, and is a specialist in Estali/Galanini history and myth. You ask about several things, including Urcheth, the Wanderer, puma shamans, and so forth, but he confesses he does not know these things. However, trying to be as helpful as he can, he says that your questions about Hykimi, including Black Eyes, might be answerable to a friend of his, who is an independent scholar and member of the Ancient Beast Society, and is resident in the northern side of town’s market/guild district; his name is Olili Oli. Olili, Charong explains, is an expert in Hykimi lore of Ralios, and Hykimi relations/history with Arkat (a fraught topic). This sounds good to you. You’re grateful, and he looks fussed that he has not been able to give you more information directly, but if you want to know about people in town or such, feel free to return.

You ask about the “bed with a drunken snake” clue from the shaman-priestess Fraud met, and Charong thinks, then suggests that this reminds him of the Slurping Serpent tavern in town (on the map; south side near gates). It has a bad repute as a rough place frequented by rough types, and is adjacent to the territory of the Hand of Jade gang. He comments that it is beneath your station; not a place of fine comforts.

Charong opens the door as you leave, and outside surrounding the building there are nine masked, scale-armoured killers with dual glowing swords! Charong gets out a few words asking for you to buy time and he turns toward the back of the room, followed by the other two, and proceeds to open a concealed hatch under a rug and descend, as action proceeds. But a pall of utter silence falls across the whole scene as the assassins strike. Bog squares off with one at the door and quickly kills him. Two others take his place, and soon another, but Bog, Fraud and Boamund make short work of them without trouble. One is knocked unconscious. Meanwhile, Shrett stops one killer entering through a window in the study, and kills him before he can escape, as the interlopers (some of whom had made it in through bedroom windows) turn to flee.

they were a bit nasty with some Bypass Armour spells on their swords and such, so it’s good you didn’t get hit; they however were way below your skills

Boamund goes to the hatch and descends into the cellar storeroom, spotting a hidden doorway set into the stonework of one wall; with wisps of smoke or mist coming through its edges. The outdoor hatches into the cellar are open, so Boamund closes them. He forces open the concealed door and is engulfed in thick, bitter-smelling gases but holds his breath and closes the door, seeing nothing beyond but a small room. He figures that Charong and friends must have escaped somehow, and returns to you with this news.

Fraud interrogates the captured assassin, intimidating him into divulging information, with Bog adding menace. He is defiant at first, condemning you as agents of Gbaji the Deceiver by your association with Charong, and dismissing your denials as Gbaji’s lies. But he comes around, or at least is confused and uncertain, after more discussion. Fraud knows he is an Arkati and the man says the same of Fraud. He says he is a member of the “Whispers of Freedom” sect but won’t say more, such as when Shrett suggests he serves the Arkat the Liberator mask. The man doesn’t know who hired his group, but they were paid and given the “knowledge” that now was the time to strike at the Gilded Quill and slay Gbaji’s agents. You get about as much out of him as you think you can, and he requests to be set free, taking his swords with him by promising that he won’t trouble you again. You feel that by the time he departs, he is more unsure about who you truly are and why he was sent here.

You bring the bodies inside and leave after waiting a few minutes without seeing Charong return. A cursory look at Charong’s many documents, mostly in Safelstran (but Bog sees a few mundane ones in Darktongue), reveals nothing out of the ordinary; it is illumination work or simple documents on the Galanini.

And so you go to visit the next sage, Olili Oli (a Henotheist Lhankor Mhy adherent). His house/shop is roughly similar to Charong’s, with a roofed and pillared veranda. Boamund knocks and a voice asks what you want, and Boamund says you’ve come from Charong and also know Baron Ornim, and seek aid. The man’s reply shows some reluctance or caution and he inquires further as he cracks the door open, and you see a tall, thin older man in nice gold-trimmed robes and many blue tattoos (of Beast runes and such, but no clear Hykimi ancestry depicted), and sporting a long grey beard and moustache. Boamund says that you seek Black Eyes and puma shamans. The man grabs Boamund by the arm and wrenches him inside, leaving enough space that the rest of you can file in, and then Olili slams the door shut, continuing to curse Boamund in Safelstran (later in Tradetalk, with Shrett translating to Bog) for his stupidity in saying such things in public or even at all. Boamund protests that he didn’t know and that’s because no one would tell you things you need to know, and that’s why you’re hear. Fraud takes his mask off and Olili scolds him for doing such things willy-nilly; Fraud tells his Froalar story but Olili doesn’t show interest in the story.

Soon enough Boamund’s reasoned, calm words reassure Olili and he talks with you, demanding to know more of you and why you should be trusted. He shows little interest in Baron Ornim’s letter but says he is listening to you because Charong sent you. And his interest in you grows as you talk.

Eventually, Olili is satisfied. He says that you should meet Black Eyes, and that he is here, so wait in this entry room. He turns a corner into another room and you hear a door open and close. A few minutes pass. You look around and see lots of Hykimi art, masks, crafts and other implements as decorations and subjects of study on desks or tables. Nothing stands out as odd. Then Olili returns accompanied by a most impressive man who magnetically draws all attention to him with his powerful presence. At last you meet Black Eyes! (this is the man you first heard of from Antlerman the Pralori shaman outside Seshna Gira’s tomb, in “The Alliance” story of the new Serpent Beast Alliance)

Black Eyes is a middle-aged male Telmori on two legs: tattooed toes to forehead with Darkness and Beast and Spirit runes etc. His eyes are cold black pools. He wears two necklaces; one of teeth and one of claws, and a wolf pelt jerkin and trousers; and carries a bone-tipped spear. He carries a wriggling leather sack at his side, much as in The Alliance story. His huge 4-legged companion and brother is Silverspine; a SIZ 20 wolf with a line of glinting silver fur along his back.

Black Eyes refuses to speak anything but Beastspeech, so he talks to Shrett, although it is evident that he understands other languages. Olili occasionally interjects. Shrett struggles to keep translation going to the rest of you as Black Eyes monologues, in between Shrett’s own tale-telling. First Black Eyes asks for your story; you seek allies, so why should he help you? Shrett tells the story from Handra to here, ensuring to raise points (which had been raised before to Olili) about various Hykimi you’ve known and aided, also recounting your friendship with Antlerman and the other Pralori. Black Eyes likes this and says that you indeed can work together, and your tales of recent battles against Chaos are good examples of what he needs, although he says that all of this stuff with the Wanderer (a name he does not know of) is just “symptoms of a bigger problem in Ralios”. He explains what that bigger problem is, which he has travelled from Maniria to here seeking answers to.

There was a Felster Lake island city-state in Ralios called Partan or Portan or Parthan, which was powerful until recently. It had been founded by the Godlearners with magics and armies to convert or suppress the beast tribes of Estali. Its Malkioni citizens emphasized their humanity and the natural inferiority of beasts to disrupt the hsunchen magics; the Man and Law runes vs. the Beast and Spirit runes. In response, some of the hsunchen adopted more civilized ways (Theist/Henotheist), though they kept contact with their ancestors through the Ancient Beast Society. Black Eyes doesn’t hide that he isn’t so fond of this shift of traditions. His people have always remained true.

But, to move this story toward the present, he explains that Jorglaban of Tinaros County is a city now lost (between Wexten and Misrotmol; these can be seen on the Foundry’s big Ralios map, as can Partan; circled), but famous in the Second Age. The Godlearners constructed it as a great sorcerous city where everyone was welcome; a melting pot for immigrants. It remained a powerful city for many centuries. Yet Partan’s war with Estali, which he explains later, brought ruin to it in 1598, razing it to the ground and cursing it so even its ruins left this world. When the comital regalia of Jorglaban went to the bottom of Lake Felster along with its bearer in 1597, the surviving widow sacrificed her three children in order to gain revenge. Reportedly she then lay with the Devil to beget Argin Terror.

Called the Nightmare Sorcerer and Son of the Devil, Argin Terror is the most feared magician in Ralios; Black Eyes even admits he fears him. It is said that he would have taken over the whole world in one year except that he waited until his mother was dead before eating her, and so she is now his unceasing tormentor, diverting his attention to their immortal war rather than petty Gloranthan pursuits of world domination. Or so it was. Argin Terror is the Count of Jorglaban (such as it is; a county without a city) and Tinaros county. But until very recently it seems that Argin Terror has had little interest in mundane affairs, and Tinaros has been governed by a succession of ambitious tyrants appointed by Argin Ter Orror. The city has grown rich off tribute from other city-states, and from the tolls it collects on the busy trade route between Safelster and Fronela. Many cults not welcome in other Safelstran cities have temples in Tinaros, as Argin Terror treats all cults with equal disdain. Such has been the state of affairs since the Partan war. But things are changing, Black Eyes says.

Estali acted some years ago, in a fast-paced war with Partan: [note it is the year 1625 now, for reference, so some of these events happened early in your lifetimes] 1595 - The Partanites attacked a gathering of the Ancient Beast Society in Estali City, in a raid called the Beast Butchery. 1599 – The Fleet of Partan was sunken by the Estali League. Rumours spread that this was done at the exact moment that Argin Terror uttered his first word. 1600 - Partan was razed by the Estali League, and looted by the Archon’s forces. Rumours are that this was done at the exact moment that Argin Terror took his first step. So Partan has since remained a dead city-state; its centuries of prominence ended.

Black Eyes comments: “No one should be surprised at this history if they know it. Partan had a history of very destructive wars with Tinaros many years before. It is surely is no coincidence that another County ruined Partan. Coincidences like this do not happen in Safelster. Now that the Estali have destroyed Partan City, and other important changes have happened in the world, many believe the beast people will revert to their primitive spirit cults. The Serpent Beast Alliance is succeeding in making this happen now. Many do not like that idea. Many do. But—enemies of both sides conspire to use this conflict against them all, and I am sure that some of those enemies are on Partan. But to go there without knowing where to go would be a fool’s errand. The place is cursed and haunted by angry spirits, and worse. There must be some specific location—a temple, a fortress, a gateway to a hidden world, or whatever—from which the enemy’s power flows toward Estali. You can see where I’m leading- the enemy of Partan and Estali is Tinaros and that is Argin Terror. But who is the connection? Argin Terror is acting in Estali through agents; who and how? That would tell where the connection is on Partan.”

Black Eyes had followed clues to Estali city. These clues involved a foreign sorcerer-spy named Pehraln, who came here from Maniria, and has a ship in harbour somewhere here, and Black Eyes and connected the dots to this Tinaros plot, then got Olili Oli to help him, finding that they both had an interest in some books that others (like Pehraln) sought. These are the seven Tomes of the Seven Eyes That Opened, which you had brought up in conversation here too. The fifth tome is missing, and they (and you, now) know that Pehraln’s group stole it, very brazenly, from the Lhankor Mhy Library in Estali. Olili says that he has most of the other tomes, and has been rushing to translate them and understand what they can tell him and why Pehraln and others seek them. Black Eyes is sure that Pehraln is an agent of Argin Terror. And Argin Terror has a cult who worships him, and spreads its influence to Estali, surely with terrible intentions, which the Tomes must involve. They think that Pehraln does not have as many Tomes as they do, but they do have quite a few.

They found out that another local power-player, the Madam Magyra in town, had the first Tome in her collection of Arkati artifacts. Black Eyes stole it and they now have it, but surely the Madam’s people seek it. So, he/it are at least sought by plotters and Madam. He does not think those two are allied. Not yet anyway.

Black Eyes sees Tinaros is the real enemy now, but Estali imminently threatens the Ancient Beast Society and must be dealt with, any way it takes. Black Eyes’ attitude on this is rather foreboding. He has a feral, amoral tone; he is willing to take unpleasant means to his desired ends. Olili seems quite cooperative.

With Pehraln’s name arising in Black Eyes’ tales and also in your stories of seeing his name come up repeatedly in correspondences down south, it is clear that he is a common foe involved in many plots. But also Black Eyes is connected with him, in a way that personally involves Boamund. Boamund’s old friend died at the sunken city of Erenplose, and you’d collected clues that Black Eyes had found his spirit. This is true, and Black Eyes knows some gaps in that sad story: Pehraln joined the hero band masquerading as a scholar; betrayed them in Erenplose, ensuring all but him died at the hands of him and his agents; and he hurried back to Ralios, returning to Estali. He got something he wanted in Erenplose, Black Eyes thinks, but he is not sure what.

A problem, Black Eyes says, is that he is too visible and too sought-after to do much more investigating of Pehraln. A Telmori like him stands out enormously, drawing much attention. He does not wander the Estali streets openly. He needs someone who can do more of that, and stay alive while doing so. That would be you. Most importantly, any information on Pehraln: his location(s), his goals, his allies, whatever, is valuable. Meanwhile, Black Eyes will keep Olili safe during his translations, and Black Eyes has other things to do. Indeed, he goes away, ending conversation abruptly.

Not long thereafter, as you discuss what to do next, the front door explodes in a blast of flame! Bog is knocked down but unharmed; Shrett easily finds complete cover; and Fraud suffers the flames just fine, as does Boamund who doesn’t even bother trying to avoid the blast. Behind the smoke, a group of fire-spear-wielding Galanini warriors presses into the house! They glow with protective magics and shout war-cries. Olili calls for your help to do a fighting retreat deeper into the house while he gets aid. He soon is gone. Bog is caught left behind as the rest of you back off, heeding Olili’s words while you ready weapons. Bog fights two warriors at once and their fire-spears thunk harmlessly off his Shield spell many times, then Fraud and Boamund return to help and quickly four of them are dead, while Shrett finds two more entering through windows in Olili’s bedroom. By then though, you are soundly winning and the Galanini shout for a retreat, and run off. Four snarling, terrible wolf spirits swirled around the house, sniffing and snuffling, and two entered into the bodies of two unconscious Galanini, ripping their throats out from the inside. [these are really powerful spirits that do 2d8 MP spirit combat damage along with 2d8 HP no-armour damage!] You told them that others had fled, and soon two of the predator-spirits pursue them. You gain no captives for information.

Black Eyes returns with Olili. Silverspine laps up the blood pooling around one corpse and Black Eyes joins him. Bog thinks about doing the same. Olili thanks you for defending him, and says that you’ve earned their friendship. Boamund asks about Puma shamans? Black Eyes, indeed, knows of one headed to Hrelar Amali, but says that he might only relate details of that later.

Olili says that there have been some disturbing murders in Estali lately that might involve your mutual enemies. He doesn’t know details, but they have been grisly, unusual murders that have local authorities quite upset, and are spreading anxious rumours amidst the populace. Olili says that you might, if you wish, seek information on these, through official channels or through the local people.

They don’t seem worried about staying here, even though it is obvious that enemies are after them here. Olili says he’ll find help to protect Charong, although Charong is resourceful and should be OK.

You leave, choosing the Slurping Serpent as your next destination. Then the harbour, probably, to look for information on Pehraln’s ship and such. Fraud remembers that Brazar Linasch of the Lhankor Mhy temple owes him some research on Arkati heroquests. Olili says that, if you’re wily, Madam Magyra might be helpful, or a threat, so it’s risky.

You’re feeling, though, that you’ve become “celebrities” in town, having attracted two different groups of assassins in short time already today, and so the clock is ticking. Your ability to act openly in safety is getting progressively more limited, although so far you’ve not been attacked in the open…

Olili notes markings on the Galanini gear as identifying them as a local Estali mercenary group called the Legion of Pure Gold. They’re not official Estali military, but are tolerated by officials. He doesn’t mourn their deaths, commenting that the Legion of Pure Gold have been active in rounding up those suspected/accused of having beast blood, sometimes doing so violently, and quite a few of these people have been Ancient Beast Society members.

Black Eyes says they’ll get rid of the corpses, and the way he’s acting with Silverspine gives you a little shiver when you think about just how they’ll do that disposal.

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