The End of Days
Session Thirty-Three of the Notoriety of Kings Campaign

Morday, 13 Heathaze 204 [contined]

Raza decamps to the kitchens where he gorges himself on as much food as possible. This being his monastery, however, means that he is fit to bursting with raw turnip and suede. Sanjay would mock Raza's attempts to fire himself up for the Trial of Temptation if he wasn't doing exactly the same thing.

It is a five hour walk from the monastery to the village of Kelrin. Raza and Sanjay, accompanied by Elias, Ellyboodle, Nicos, Brack and Ravenna take the winding stair through the monastery and down to the nursery level. There they find that after the events in the Dreamheart, the monks are all ready beginning to restock their collection of killer beasties. One of the monks is busily polishing an enormous egg which, on enquiry, he happily reveals to be a white dragon egg. Elias has a brief crisis of faith, and declares that he considers the divinity of dragons to be a little suspect. Being attacked by that white dragon yesterday, has left him with a slightly less respect for them. The monk carries the egg away muttering something about needing someone to help him gather buckets of snow to keep it cold.

Before they leave, Raza is accosted by Zookie. The ancient gnome smiles falsely at Raza. "Good luck to you in your trial, Raza," he says. "Return quickly, there is much for us to do." Zookie tells Raza once again about the glorious revolution that he will lead in Urova, as he will use his authority as a godspeaker to turn the world against the eighteen churches. Raza just smiles weakly, nods a humouring nod, and hurries off to the Trial of Temptation.

The passageway to Kelrin takes the party through a high stone arch and down a tunnel only just wide enough for two Men to pass abreast. After a mile or so the tunnel emerges from the mountain side. The high walls to either side are still in pace, but the sky replaces the rock ceiling above, and they are able to enjoy a delightful late summer sunset. Raza and Sanjay are suffering from their raw turnip, and a suggestion from Elias that they should jog is met with a determined apathy. Ravenna tells Ellyboodle about Misgon, and says that he is a wizard as well, and he's happy to share some spell books with her. Elly does her best to look politely interested.

From their vantage point the group can look down on a most pleasant vista. The path they are on winds cautiously down the mountain and onto the plain beyond. In the distance, the sharpest-eyed of them can catch a glimpse of the town of Kelrin. Not a large town by any means, home to perhaps a 1000 souls. Kelrin sits on a parched dirt road running east, west and north. To the south is a thin crack in the land that must be the Straits of Contemplation – and beyond them, the country of Salmaynak in the distance. They have traversed many miles in the past few weeks. The straits are a mile across this point; much narrower than the Straits of Gunstadtan to the north.

It is dusk by the time the party wind their way into Kelrin. The thought of a good night's sleep with a real pillow is making Ravenna really quite excited. It does not take long to find, The Spinning Top. The inn is one of the few two-story buildings in the town, must structures rambling along on one floor rather than rising. The back rooms of the inn are only a few hundred yards from the edge of the cliff, and probably afford spectacular views in the light of day. Ravenna reminds Elias of how nice their last holiday at an inn was. "There's even a cliff for you to jump off," she says. Brack ties Shredder to a post outside. The group stands aside, and Sanjay pushes Raza in the inn before them.

The bar is packed as they enter. All eyes turn to regard the group, then a cheer goes up when the crowd see Sanjay and Raza. From the shouts of encourage, the lewd remarks and good-natured jeering, it would seem that the trial of temptation is something of an entertainment for the locals. For once, the Chosen of Narramac are not recognised as the Chosen of Narramac, the two monks drawing all the attention. Raza waves nervously, he has never seemed so nervous.

"So you are here!" calls an enormous tree-trunk of a woman standing behind the bar. Mistress Weaver, squeezes herself through the four foot gap in the counter and waddles rapidly over to the monks. "You must be Brother Sanjay! and you are Brother Raza! And your friends! Welcome! Welcome!" Mistress Weaver ushers the group over to a large round table in the centre of the room that has been set aside for them. There is more cheering from the crowd. "What can I get you to drink?" the innkeeper beams. Ravenna orders a bottle of mead, while Brack requests the most hideously strong ale she has. Mistress Weaver is only too happy to obey, she has never had a dwarf in her pub before, and she is delighted to serve him. "Nothing for you two, eh?" she says to the monks. "Too full of turnip I bet. They always do it. It never helps."

Elly is presented with some cushions and is keen to experience as much of the alcohol as possible. Ravenna is very envious of her cushions. Eventually the drinks are brought over, not by Mistress Weaver but by six attractive young girls. Elias does not think they are as attractive as Alessandre, they look a little falsely painted. As soon as they deposit the drinks on the table, they drape themselves around Raza and Sanjay like particularly tight overcoats and commence jiggling. The girls are introduced as Damsin, Maeve, Sabine, Yvette, Gwendolain and Fen. There are further cat calls, and words of encourage to the monks. This continues for some time before Mistress Weaver bangs her fist on the bar.

"It is time!" she announces. The six young ladies rise, and take the monks by the hand. Raza looks back at his friends helplessly; Sanjay can be heard muttering the litany against fear. They are led (dragged) up a narrow flight of stairs. The last the group see of them is the back of their shaking heads. The last they hear is the slamming of a door, and the clunk of a key turning with alarming finality.

The Chosen quickly get back to their drinking. "Tonight," Ravenna announces from the bottom of her second glass of mead. "We will all get notoriously drunk." Everyone agrees that this is a splendid idea. Then the sorceress raises her glass and speaks again, "To Arvan," she says. "To Arvan!" everyone choruses. "Whoever he is," says Ellyboodle.

"Now to the matter at hand," says Mistress Weaver. She has propped a large blackboard against the bar, and starts taking bets on how long it will take for the monks to fall to temptation. No monk has lasted the entire week in three seasons and there is no reason to suspect that these two will be any different. Money begins to fly around the room. Most people bet coppers, but the Chosen are the only ones who bet on Raza and Sanjay making it through the week. The odds of this happening are 3-2 on Sanjay, and 3-1 on Raza.

The merriment continues until late into the night, as Elly downs too much drink and places an unquantifiable number of cushions into her special bag, but upstairs things are taking a different turn. The monks parted company on the landing. Sanjay going through one door with three of the women, and Raza through a second with Fen, Damsin and Gwendolyn. He surveys the seen. The tables around the walls are filled with the most delicious of foods and wines, in the centre of the room is a huge four poster bed covered in pink sheets. The curtains are shut and the candles lighting the room are encased in red glass that happily screams BORDELLO at you. Fen smiles mischievously at Raza and pushes him onto the bed. It is going to be a long week.

Sunday, 14 Midsummer 204

The Chosen awake very late, the alcohol having a profound effect on them (except Brack, of course). The dwarf is up the lark trying to train Shredder not to pounce on small children and devour their ears. He wants Nicos's help when training the dog to kill, but the cleric made it perfectly clear that he was only interested in spending the next week doing nothing, except some dedicated navel contemplation.

Elias and Ravenna spend the day sparring as Elias attempts to teach Ravenna which end of a sword she should he holding and which end she should be sticking in the bad guy. Ellyboodle pulls out the book she acquired in the monastery library only to discover that it is a treatise on the history of the moon gods written by an itinerant monk, and therefore very boring. She decides to keep it in case she has to wedge open any heavy doors and sets off about the town to see what she can see.

Meanwhile upstairs, Sanjay resists the first day's pleasures. Raza does not, however, he cannot bear the shame of failing the second test and draws up the power of his sword to give him the will. Utter cheating, of course, but at least no-one knows but him.

Vítday, 15 Heathaze 204

Sanjay's resolves disintegrates like three-day old rhubarb crumble in a hurricane. The Chosen, sitting in the pub this evening hear him roar followed by the rapid squeaking of bed springs. Ten minutes later Sanjay hobbles down the stairs and sits at the Chosen's table. There is a half-concealed grin on his face. "I think I'll have some wine," he says simply. "You know, I don't think I want to be a monk any more."

Sanjay downs the wine and bolts down much to eat. He says that he has passed the test. You only have to last one evening, but the long you do last, the more kudos you receive from the monastery. The three regulars who bet that Sanjay would only last one day receive their winnings from Mistress Weaver, while the Chosen have lost the money they invested. Brack is well off though, because he only ever bets with Elias's cash.

Upstairs in the bordello, Raza must call upon the sword for a second time to see him through the night. All six women are now taking it shifts to make his life as pleasurable as possible, and every inch of his body is screaming to give in.

Terday, 16 Heathaze 204

As the rest of the Chosen have a pleasant holiday, Raza uses the sword for a third time to continue in the trial of temptation. How he rationalises this degree of cheating is unknown.

Zephday, 17 Heathaze 204

The more Raza uses his sword, the harder it is not to use it. Now Raza's willpower and determination have been completely broken by the trial. It is the sword, and only the sword, that stops him from eating and drinking and doing many and varied thinks to his delightful companions. Nicos spends the day sitting on the cliff edge, hurling fireballs at Salmaynak.

Caladay, 18 Heathaze 204

Raza has almost given up trying to resist the attentions of Fen and the others with anything other than magic. The ladies are impressed by his willpower. In the real world, Brack and Shredder have come to a certain understanding. As long as Brack wants him to rend and destroy everything in site, then the dog will always do as he's told. Brack is thankful that Narramac's charm monster spell is still in effect.

Interest in the town in Raza has grown markedly. Even Sanjay is impressed that his friend has lasted this long. All of the Chosen think he is using the sword to cheat like a demon. They wish Arvan was here so they could activate all the swords and give Raza the shock of his life.

Sharday, 19 Heathaze 204

This is it. One week has passed since Raza entered the red room. On this evening, The Spinning Top is packed to the rafters by villagers, merchants, traders and priests. Raza has become something of a celebrity over the past few days. No-one expected one so young to last so long. Mistress Weaver is extremely happy that she only has to pay money to the party. Only they had sufficient confidence to bet any money on him lasting this long.

Raza is led down the stairs by the six ladies to triumphant cheers from the bar. He is shaking all over. He has not eaten or drank anything in the last week, and he is suffering for it. But it is not only the lack of consumption. He has been resisting the persistent demands of his own libido. Now, the power of the sword has been spent, now he is relaxing, and now all those feelings are coming to the fore. Raza feels a hand on his shoulder. "Well done, lad," says Mistress Weaver. Raza snaps and leaps upon the innkeeper. He can't get his arms around the woman, but that doesn't stop him clambering up her and kissing her passionately about the face. Mistress Weaver is momentarily surprised. Fen, Gwendolyn, Damsin, Maeve, Yvette and Sabine plant their hands on their hips and look at one another with disbelief. "Shall I take you upstairs, dear?" asks Mistress Weaver. Raza takes his chance to fall unconscious.

Morday, 20 Heathaze 204

It is into the afternoon before Raza can even stand properly. He has eaten what he can, but still feels as weak as a kitten. Sanjay and the others are congratulating him on surviving the seven days, but Raza knows in his heart that he has cheated. In the late afternoon, the seven wind bid farewell to Mistress Weaver and the inhabitants of Kelrin. All except Raza are refreshed and ready for any challenges that are ahead.

The journey back to the monastery takes almost twice as long as the journey down, and it is a hard climb. They do not arrive until long after dark. Sanjay and Raza immediately present themselves before Abbot Magen. Magen is speaking with Zookie when they arrive, but he soon shoos the gnome away. Magen congratulates them both, but saves special mention for Raza. Soon the entire monastery knows of his accomplishments. This, combined with him saving them from the Dreamheart makes Raza the finest and most celebrates of monks. He and Sanjay attend a brother who tattoos the symbol of the dark moon onto their chests (actually, Raza's back) and then they head to bed.

Sunday, 21 Heathaze 204

Narramac has yet to reappear, and Ellyboodle is getting a little bored at the monastery. There just seems to be no interesting stuff. Elias spends the day in the library, while the rest of the children simply mill about waiting for Old Smokey to return with news of what will happen next. After a week in Kelrin, simple monastic food is not to their liking.

Zookie corners Raza and explains to him the reason why he must help bring down the moon faiths. "The Order of today is something quite different from the Order Father Logen envisaged," the gnome says. "Logen was originally a scribe for an Hadradan lord from Salmaynak. Logen's son was a godspeaker, born on the day that Uros died. He was sought out and killed by members of the Church of Water before he could toddle. Logen quickly began to see the Moon Faiths as something evil, and the moontouched as a force that they feared. Logen had done some research on his son's glowing birthmark, had noted the presence of an additional celestial body that appeared in the sky and blocked out the moons at certain times. He reasoned that this was a seventh moon, a dark moon that was the antithesis of the moon gods. Logen wanted to know what made these godspeakers tick. He wanted to prove to the people of this land that the Moon Faiths were evil, to make them wake up to the truth that only by the churches' destruction would they know peace."

"Logen left Salmaynak and spent a long time walking in the Karundite mountains. One day, he sheltered from a mountain storm in what we now know is the Cave of Fear. There he had terrible visions of the Moon Faiths at war with one another and Urova destroyed. He then knew he had to build an organisation that would preach against the Moon Faiths. It was seven years after the coming of the gods that Logen began to collect followers from the area. Remember, Raza, that Uros was dead, and Norandor was in chaos. Much of what Logen was saying made sense to many people. Logen modelled his Order on some of the monastic orders he had seen on his travels and took great pride in designing the monastery himself. Building it was a colossal task, and of course that is where I originally came in. Eventually I forsook my gnomish heritage and became a monk under Logen's able direction. He told me everything he knew about the godspeakers."

"Of course, I never became abbot – although I had a great deal of influence for many years. During this time, the monks of this order sought out those who bore the birthmark, but were entirely unsuccessful. It would seem that the godtouched were not easy to find. Over the years, the teachings of our monastery became more aesthetic, and less practical. The notion of seeking out godspeakers disappeared, and was replaced by things like the trials and continuous pursuit of perfection. The opposition to the Moon Faiths became opposition to the principles of organised religion. The Order of the Dark Moon became much like any other Monastic Order. Only I kept the flame of Logen's dream alive. That is why I founded The People of the Dream. I have waited so very long, Raza, but now you are here and we can begin Logen's work."

Raza doesn't know what to say. Zookie had mentioned part of this history to him before, but hearing it all strung together into one narrative disturbs him. But even if it is true, he knows that he wants no part of it. Zookie says that he can teach him to speak to the gods themselves. Raza is not interested. He makes his excuses and goes to see Abbot Magen.

"What will you do, Raza?" asks Abbot Magen. "You have risen to the fifth circle, but will you stay, or follow Brother Zookie?" Raza says that he will do neither. He does not agree with Zookie and has no intention of being used to further anyone's crusade, even Logen's, but neither will he say. "I have a mission," says Raza and speaks to Magen about his friends, Narramac, demons and malificents. The abbot listens with interest and promises any help that the monastery can deliver.

Over dinner (turnip) in the evening, Sanjay sits down next to Raza and the rest of the Chosen. "I am just about to begin the Trial of Pain," he says through gritted teeth, as if truly regretting that Raza has already got through these two trials. "I wanted to say goodbye. The chances are that Narramac will arrive for you long before I am released." Sanjay looks terrified, and Raza mentioning that only two people have died during this trial in all the history of the monastery does little to change that. Sanjay says that they have been good friends to him, and he will miss them. He hopes that their paths will meet again one day. Raza shakes his hand as he turns to go. For an instant he sees an older Sanjay with one eye missing. When he blinks the vision has gone. Was this a remnant from the Realm of Dreams, was it a true glimpse of the future or just Raza's bizarre mind playing bizarre tricks. Only time will tell.

Vítday, 22 Heathaze 204

Just before lunch time Narramac appears in the bonsai forest. There is no fanfare or brilliant flash of light to give away his arrival, and it takes a while for the Chosen to realise their sponsor has returned. As soon as they have, they begin to fire questions at him. Narramac raises his hand. "All right, all right," he says. "I will tell you what I can over lunch, but I warn you that there are still many things that I cannot reveal."

Narramac uses his magic to transform cold turnip and black bread to a medium rare steak, and listens to their questions. He will not be drawn to talk about many of the things the Dreamer from the brotherhood of the Black Rose mentioned. He won't speak of the Great Dark, the Greymere, the Swords or the nature of The Enemy. He will not speak the name Karatath and advises them not to do it either. The party are becoming increasingly frustrated and annoyed with Narramac, and he seems to understand and accept that this is the case. They do get something out of him, however.

"Why do Malificents who worship the moon gods still have access to their spells?" asks Ravenna. Narramac pauses, and considers before saying. "Why would the god continue to grant spells? Think about it." The Chosen come up with four explanations: either the gods are evil and are in league with Karatath; Karatath is granting the spells, not the gods; the gods simply don't care or the gods are Karatath. "One of those answers is right," says Narramac grimly.

"The great pact!" Elias begs Narramac to tell him what it is. It takes a long time for Narramac to answer, and when he does, he says this: "Long ago, a great agreement was made between elves and dragons. No elf would ever harm a dragon and no dragon would ever harm an elf. That is the great pact. That is the reason your sword will not work on dragons – they are elf-made."

Narramac waves away any further questions. "There are reasons why I cannot tell you everything, and when you find out what they are you will hate me. You can know too much. If I answered all the questions you posed it would jeopardise everything. You will just have to trust me and that is that. Now we must return to Uris. Now. Bid farewell to your friends here. Elly? you'd like to see Uris again, wouldn't you." The gnome nods eagerly. In answer to the Chosen's next question, Narramac says, "The king still lives but now he has completely taken to his bed, he has never been this ill. I have been in Uris for more than a week, and not seen him."

The Chosen, Elly and Narramac gather in the courtyard of the monastery. Zookie tells Raza that he cannot escape his destiny, and that wherever he goes, the People of the Dream will follow. Raza shrugs as Narramac makes the smallest of gestures and they are suddenly standing in the stone garden of the White Suite looking up at the sky. The heat in Uris is heavy and oppressive. Suddenly, the doors to the reception room swing open and a man steps out carrying a tray, laden with cooling drinks. "Madam, sirs," Lucien said. "It is a pleasure to see you again."

They have come home.

The end of The End of Days
The adventures of the Chosen of Narramac continue in
Requiem

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