The Deeper Shadow, The Darkest Night
Session Twenty-Three of the Notoriety of Kings Campaign [continued]

Caladay, 4 Lollmeadow 204

The party emerges from the ceremony with the king, glad at the recognition, but not overwhelmed by it. After all, they had been chosen by Narramac and give six magical artefacts, everything else seems like something of an anticlimax. However, the nice shiny medals are an exciting addition to their ensemble. Ravenna immediately gives hers to Lucien in case her sword induces her to give it away.

The group return to the White Suite, to be greeted by Misgon and Lady Drasha. Drasha is delighted that they managed to secure the Heart of Llysallian, and is surprised that they didn't ask for her help in securing it. She says that she and Misgon will happily transport the item back to Dralcarnus for the party, but Elias says that it is something that he needs to do himself. Drasha says that she understands, but she wants to go with Elias. She is fond of the old half-dragon and she'd like to see him again. Misgon too is eager to return to Ashardon. While the party has been away he has cracked the wards surrounding Damodred O'Hare's spell book and is currently learning all the necromancy spells he can find! Elias and Drasha talk for the rest of the morning.

Nicos, Raza and Elias all want Gaston to do some scrying for them this afternoon, and the archwizard eventually agrees although he would like them all to know that he is getting a bit sick of it. After lunch, Nicos heads to Gaston's apartments. On arrival he notices the archwizard in a close conference with Alys. He cannot hear what they are saying and Alys leaves soon after Nicos arrives. Nicos soon puts this matter out of his mind, however, at the thought of the scrying spell. This time he presents the soup ladle and rapier as objects to find her with. Gaston casts the spell, and this time it is successful. Nicos sees Wren sitting beneath a tree in a woodland, reading the book. She is not wearing her red mask and for the first time he can see that she is definitely Rio! His heart misses a beat! In the image, Wren looks up as if she has heard a noise from the forest. She quickly hides the book as Rembrandt and Kelton emerge from the trees before her. With them is another Bombastic, wearing a red hood. Nicos cannot make out his face, but he is certain from the build and the swagger that it is Boudewijn. Abruptly Gaston ends the spell.

"We were seen," the archwizard explains. "Did you want Kelton or Rembrandt to send a spell down the link to affect us?" Nicos says that he didn't. The spells cast for Elias (to look at his homeland) and Raza (to find a fellow monk from his order) are not a success. Gaston shrugs as much to say "Just one of those things, now go away and stop bothering me." He does, however, use the opportunity to give Elias the Heart of Llysallian and get it out of his hands.

Elias is very worried that Gaston could not focus on Jotan's Point. Maybe the dragon has destroyed his home! Nicos isn't much happier as he is convinced that the image meant that Rio and Boudewijn are together again. Nicos heads over to the temple to tell Julian Maynard what he has discovered. He asks Julian whether the first flame thinks he should tell Rio's parents. Julian advises against it until Nicos knows more. "There's no sense raising their hopes." In the meantime, Ravenna has spent the afternoon in the company of Alys learning the spell, spectral hand.

However, while all this was transpiring, the true force of the party's destiny was making itself known to Arvan. Shortly after the ceremony the druid returns to the gardens of the White Suite, hoping that Aylisha would come to talk with him as she has done so many times before. Arvan sits under a tree looking at the medal in his hands. He is about to give it to Tok to play with when a shadow falls across him. Arvan looks up, expecting to see Aylisha but instead sees Archdruid Tular standing over him.

"Happy with yourself, pleased are you with your petty bauble?" the archdruid begins. Arvan gives the medal to Tok who hurries off to bury it. Tular seems almost manic, his gaunt features drawn ever more tightly across his face. He accuses Arvan of growing soft of sleeping in too many beds and embracing the trappings of civilisation. He says that Arvan should never have come here. "But you told me to come here," Arvan points out. Tular seems distracted, annoyed and extremely stressed, but he dismisses the initiates words and focuses on Arvan.

"Arvan. You have been busy fighting petty battles for civilised man, so I see. Are you ready to fight the battle for which you were born? I have called a great moot. There is a storm brewing in the north, and only you can quell it. You and your friends. Lord Narramac has bound you six together, and so it must be. We have a long journey ahead of us, and I would leave now if I could. We leave at dawn. Tell your friends to gather their belongings and to put their affairs in order. They march into great danger, and the odds of us all returning are slim indeed. Tell them to hurry, for the passage of time waits for no Man, and the time is now."

Arvan says that he will do all he can do to make himself and his companions ready for this challenge. Tular nods, and says the time of Arvan's Acceptance is quickly approaching. He will return at dawn tomorrow, and with that he is gone. Arvan stands purposefully and strides back to the White Suite. "Where is everyone?" he asks Brack. When Brack tells him, Arvan says "Find them and bring them here," in a tone of command that Brack has not heard before. He scurries off to obey.

By early evening, Arvan has gathered the rest of the Chosen before him. He tells them what Tular said earlier in the day. "This is the threat the Circle has sensed for some time," he says. "This is the reason I went on Narramac's quest in the first place." For a grand moot to be called at any time other than an equinox or solstice spells terrible danger, they must go. It is obvious that Arvan will brook no dissension from the ranks. Nothing is as important as this: not finding Rio, or returning the Heart to Dralcarnus, or even protecting the King. This is what they must do. Arvan thinks that his is what Narramac expected them to do. None of the others have ever seen Arvan quite so focused or demanding before. None of them can say no to him. He reminds the group that Tular is an Archdruid. That means he is one step down from the ruler of all the druids in Norandor. He is old, and he is not used to social niceties but he demands respect and Arvan makes it perfectly clear that he expects the party to give Tular the respect that he deserves. Equally, it is practically unheard of for any non-druids to attend a moot. They will behave themselves or the repercussions will be dire indeed. Even Nicos says that he will do his best, although he is very worried about Maynard's health and will spend this evening at the Grand Conflagration. The group can collect him in the morning.

The rest of the day is spent in getting ready for the journey. Raza sends word to the king that they are leaving, and as much as he knows of where they are going. The moot is in three weeks time, somewhere in the Úngorn forest. This is no time to go to Ashardon so Elias, reluctantly, seeks out Lady Drasha and gives her the Heart. She can make the journey for him. He hopes to see Dralcarnus eventually.

It is a tired party that heads to bed on this evening, but they are awakened in the early hours by the smell of a familiar tabac coming from the reception room. The five of them tread carefully across the stone garden. Within the room they can make out the faint glow of a dog-end in the air. Entering they see Narramac relaxing in chair and warming his feet by the fire. He turns when they enter.

"Well, well. Still alive I see. That's news worth knowing. Let me look at you all." Narramac catches each of them by the eye. "You look older. Yes. Not older in the flesh, but older in the soul. You've seen things far beyond the ken of most mortal beings, and now it feels as though your lives have been taken away from you. You want to return to your monastery Raza, but you won't. You have aspirations of becoming a warmaster, Brack – that will never be fulfilled. You touched the blades, you embraced them. Now you are woven into the legend of the swords. Destiny is now your master. How does it feel? Do you despise me for what I have done to you? to what I may still do to you in the name of salvation?"

The group (bar Arvan) say that they will forgive him. Narramac snorts as if they couldn't possibly know what they are forgiving him for. Then he's all sweetness again, saying how good it is to be back in his old stomping grounds. It has been many years, he says. Narramac asks after their adventures, and the group tell him what they have been up to. He's impressed that they have mastered so many of the sword's functions so soon. "More will become clear before too long," he says with a twinkle.

The real reason for his arrival is to tell Elias about the dragon at Jotan's Point, as promised. He says that Raith Keep and the people who live there are perfectly safe, and that the dragon has not increased its territory. However, he cannot scry into Jotan's Point itself, which means that this dragon is probably more powerful than he is. Despite their shock, he assures the group that that is not entirely surprising. The nature of the beast is unknown to him, but Quenqurial is on the case. The prismatic dragon is very interested in discovering what sort of dragon preys on other dragon. He will have answers soon. Now, does the party have any questions of him?

Of course, they do. And Narramac takes the remaining supply of tobacco from Elias to smoke while he listens. Elias is a little horrified but gives up the pouch. They tell Narramac what Yaddagon told them about The Enemy and the elves; about Andel and about Raza being a godspeaker as well as the Brotherhood of the Black Rose. Narramac says that everything Yaddagon said was true. Narramac knew that Yaddagon would tell the party, which is why he sent them to Uris. He couldn't tell them himself and there were things that they needed to know. Raza says that the king wants to see Narramac again before he dies, and Narramac says that he will visit Yaddagon before he leaves Uris. The creatures they fought at Caled Castle were indeed servants of the Enemy, and Narramac is sure that they will meet more of them before their lives are out. He advises however that Malificents (the human servants of The Enemy) are probably a greater threat to them at this time.

In regard to Arvan's quest with the archdruid, Narramac shrugs. "One quest is as good as another," he says enigmatically, but qualifies the statement by saying that the cause is a just one, and they should get involved. "I will not abandon you," he says, "But in some matters my hands are tied." There are still some things that Narramac refuses to mention. He continues to listen to their stories right up to the point where Elias tells him of their encounter with the Brotherhood of the Black Rose in Scaldarnus.

"Did you give us stolen goods?" Ravenna asks, stating how the Brotherhood though the blades were safe in a place called Shellembor. Narramac smiles and says he couldn't comment on the matter. "If they were stolen," says Elias, "and if Andel stole them for you, then Raza dropped him right in it. He told the Brotherhood that we are working with Andel." All the colour drains from Narramac's face. That alone is enough to terrify every member of the party present. For a second he seems at a complete loss for words. "Oh Raza," Narramac says. "Oh, Raza, what have you done?" He stands and pats the monk on the shoulder. "What have you done?" Narramac fades into the firelight and disappears. Everyone turns to look at the monk.

In his room at the Grand Conflagration, Nicos sense movement and someone sitting on the foot of his bed. It is Narramac. The wizard offers Nicos a dog end and does his best to reassure the cleric, although he looks incredibly worried himself. Narramac is particularly understanding on the matter of Rio. "You have found her," he says. "You will find her again. In the meantime you must proceed with your life, with your destiny." He leaves the cleric feeling a little more reassured.

Sharday, 5 Lollmeadow 204

At dawn, Archdruid Tular returns to the White Suite. He steps inside the building only grudgingly and looks at everything with disapproval. He gives recognises Brack as the ranger he is, and calls Raza a man he can work with. However, he shows little but contempt for Ravenna and is down-right rude to Elias. Elias storms off in a huff and hides in his room. Arvan follows and tries to placate his friend. Elias says that he will come and he will work with the Archdruid, but only for Arvan's sake. For no other reason. If only he had something to help him through the days – then a thought strikes. Elias rides like the wind to the Grand Conflagration to collect Nicos. "Did Narramac visit you last night?" he asks. "And did he leave any of his special tobacco?"

Before they leave, Aylisha manages one final meeting with Arvan. She wishes that she were going with him, but she must stay here and protect the king. She tells Arvan to be very careful. She senses a storm approaching and that she doesn't know if the Chosen will survive this journey. She very much wants him to survive.

By dawn, Archdruid Tular leads the Chosen of Narramac, he says to them: "I have very little time for you, and I am sure that you will all come to despise me. That is unimportant. We are united in purpose against a dark scourge that could ravage the entire land. We work together not because we want to, but because we must – because there is no other choice."

With that the party depart Uris for perhaps the last time. They have no idea when, or even if, they will return. It is the beginning of a great odyssey, Tular assures them, that will take them to the very jaws of Hell.

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