The Seventh Sword
Session Thirty-Eight of the Notoriety of Kings Campaign

Morday, 6 Kindlesmoke 204

Nicos, Arvan, Rio and Alessandre leave Uris at dawn. Nicos is distressed to learn that Rio won't be accompanying the party on their journey to the Hadradan Empire. She says that she still has a number of things she wants to work through. Perhaps she will remain in Umbria with Drasha. Alessandre, on the other hand is keen to be off. She has already booking a ship to Sorgar leaving on the evening of the eighth. She has booked seven places on the voyage in Elias's name.

Nicos is surprised that Alessandre is coming with them. He collected the ring from Jhasik late the previous evening, and Alessandre must know what Elias intends to do with it. He doesn't wish the bard any more distress than she has all ready been through. However, she seems cheerful enough and Nicos turns his mind to other thoughts: such as hiring an assassin to kill Boudewijn. Rio, despite her current crisis manages to dissuade him of the idea.

Raza remains in Uris to continue to administer to the king while the rest of the party have gone. He also goes to visit Gaston and asks the wizard to take some of his blood and use it to determine whether or not Raza could potentially be a sorcerer. Gaston isn't certain such a thing is possible, but when Raza says how easily Narramac could accomplish such a task, the court-wizard sets to work.

Brack, Elias and Ravenna arrive back in Oldheart just after lunch. Drasha is extremely pleased to see her husband, and quickly fills him in on local events. Squire Driskal has moved into the manor and they have been going through the old accounts that. However, Elias has an urgent appointed and he is spirited away to spend the rest of the day with Squire Driskal and finds himself judging prime porkers at an agricultural fayre. Without a shadow of doubt, he can say that he never expected this to come out of Narramac's quest. Fortunately, Elias knows a little about animals and can utter some small words of porcine wisdom, so he doesn't make a complete fool of himself.

It is late in the evening before the travellers from Uris arrive in Oldheart. Elias is quick to greet them and takes Nicos to one side. "Where's the ring?" – "What ring?" Elias's face turns bright red and Nicos can see him preparing to bellow. "I'm just kidding, I've got it," smiles the fire cleric pretending to fumble in his pockets.

The ring is a work of art. A beautiful serpentine owl, rendered in silver with sapphires for eyes. Inside, Jhasik even as the punctuation right: "I promise I will always be true, Elias." It is then that Elias notices that Alessandre is standing there, watching him. He quickly puts the ring in his pocket. Alessandre smiles at him, but the smile doesn't touch her eyes. "So can I do the ceremony?" Nicos asks. Elias, narrows his eyes. Surely that's more the purview of a priest of Vítaeous. "Oh yeah," says Nicos, a little crestfallen, "we're more into rebirth. I could do you a divorce." – "Really?" says Alessandre stepping closer. "That sounds very useful." Elias turns red, but before he can speak Ravenna has given Alessandre such an evil look that Alessandre just heads up to her room.

"When are you going to do it?" Nicos asks Elias, trying to change the subject. "Tomorrow," says the baron. It is true that it is probably too late this evening. Not too late for Arvan to pay a call on Watchers, however. He goes into their small temple in Oldheart and corners the first member of the clergy he can find. Arvan mentions the event of a few days ago with a Hound of Mortis (of which the cleric denies). He is most unhappy with the church and attacks them for being introspective and petty when they should be looking beyond themselves at the greater threat. They should be bothered about the growing unquiet in the Wraith Haunt or other areas. Arvan storms off, angrily.

Sunday, 7 Kindlesmoke 204

Early in the morning, Drasha and Rio head off on horseback together. Drasha leaves Elias a list of things to do in the barony. This rather annoys both Elias and Nicos as they were hoping to spend their last day with their partners, actually with their partners. Now Elias has three meetings before lunch. He sighs and fingers the ring in his pocket. When will the time be right? – perhaps at dinner this evening.

Nicos corners Elias. He has been exploring the house. "Do you really need all these bedrooms?" he asks. He says that Elias should sell it and give all the proceeds to the poor. Why should people suffer when he's living like a king (well, like a baron)? Elias tries to answer, not entirely sure whether his friend is being serious or not, when they are joined by Alessandre. "Nice place you have here, baron," she grins at Elias. "So, when do I get the tour?" Elias is not sure how good he would be as a tour guide as he doesn't know the place himself. "Then we can find out together," says the bard. "This afternoon?" Elias nods and Alessandre skips away. Elias turns to Nicos. "Please come with me!" he says.

Arvan believes that the old baron Leston's wolfhounds have been cooped up in their kennels for far too long. He strolls around to the back of the manor, flings open all the kennels and lets all the dogs loose. Arvan then wildshapes into a wolfhound himself and leads a pack of two-hundred canines on a mad dash across the estate. The dogs instinctively follow him and he leads them across the grounds, through the town, across the bridge and into the countryside. This causes much trouble about the town, but Arvan doesn't really care.

At lunchtime Nicos finally puts together two facts that should have occurred to him long ago. Firstly Julian Maynard is missing and he doesn't know where he is; and secondly, he has a scrying mirror. "Show me Julian Maynard," Nicos asks of his wondrous device. A red screen shimmers into being and the form of Julian Maynard appears. He is alive and sitting on a black volcanic rock, in a cave underlit by a fiery red chasm. He seems a little depressed. There is much activity within the cave, but Nicos puts that out of his mind in favour of the revelation that Maynard is not dead. He must tell Rio when she returns.

In the afternoon, Elias, Alessandre and a co-opted Nicos go on a tour of the grounds. Across the river they can see a massive pack of hounds racing across the countryside. Elias thinks it odd that someone other than him would have so many dogs, but what can you do? During the tour Alessandre seems much less flirtatious and even asks questions of Elias's upcoming proposal to Drasha with seeming equanimity. Elias sees all this as a good sign. Nicos, however, senses some other motive in the bard's speech. He foresees that something might go terribly wrong this evening.

Rio and Drasha have returned for the evening meal taken in the great hall at Oldheart Manor. Of the Chosen, Ravenna is not present. She is in her room, lost in the crystal library. Arvan is there, albeit covered in mud and dog-hairs. Elias is sitting at the opposite end of the long table to Drasha. Nicos is on his left hand and Alessandre on his right. He keeps fingers the ring nervously to make sure that it is there. Nicos keeps making encouraging noises that make Elias feel ten times worse. "Are you going to go through with this?" Alessandre whispers to him during the main course. Elias says he is, and the bard merely nods and turns her attention to her food. After dessert has been finished Elias prepares to make his move, but suddenly, Alessandre stands.

"Lady Drasha?" asks the bard calmly. "I was wondering if I could have a word with you in private?" Drasha looks puzzled. It is a strange request, but then this Alessandre is a strange girl, hanging so close to her husband. Rio gives Drasha a concerned look as Drasha stands. "Of course," she says, and the pair depart together. Elias gives Nicos a look of abject horror. "I'll go and see what they're talking about," says Brack, slipping from his chair. "No!" says Elias. "Good idea," says Nicos, "I'll scry them." Elias slaps himself in the face. "No! Leave them to it?"

"Leave them to it? I like Alessandre as much as the next man – unless that next man is you, of course – but do you trust her not to say something to Drasha everyone is going to regret?" Elias doesn't answer. The group endures a painful twenty minutes waiting for the pair to return. Rio catches Nicos's eye. She is just standing to look for them when the pair return. The expression on both their faces is utterly inscrutable. They retake their seats and after-dinner drinks are served. Alessandre starts a conversation with Brack about nothing in particular. Elias knows that this is his moment.

He stands and walks the length of the table toward Drasha. He can see everyone's eyes following him. Fortunately only his friends are here, but that is bad enough. He stops in front of Drasha's chair and she raises a suspicious eyebrow in his general direction. Elias feels all of flutter and he's sweating more than a pig on a stick. He risks a glance over his shoulder and catches sight of Nicos beaming at him and raising his thick thumb into the air. Elias gulps down some nervous air and drops to one knee.

"Drasha, when we first met I held you in the highest regard. As time has passed, my feelings for you have changed. I said when all this began I would do this properly – more meaning, more feeling," he takes out the ring. "Drasha, I love you. Will you make me the happiest man and accept me?"

Drasha colours instantly. She looks at Elias's insanely cherubic face. Only Brack sees her flash a glance towards Alessandre who is staring at the scene intently. Drasha is trying to speak, but she opens her mouth and no words come out. There is silence in the room, except for the soft wailing of Nicos and Rio, both as soft as each other, who have been moved by the moment. Elias can feel the fluid gathering in his knee as he looks up at Drasha. There's something in her face that makes him feel this is all about to go very wrong.

"This isn't necessary," says Drasha slowly. Elias says that it is. He says that he loves Drasha and he wants to marry her properly. Drasha looks trapped and embarrassed as if she is not certain which way to jump. "Are you sure?" she asks. Elias nods emphatically, but Drasha does not seem to be convinced. "I'm not setting out to trap you, Elias. Stand up." Elias stands, he can feel the eyes of everyone else in the room watching him. He is glad Ravenna is not there to see it.

Drasha slowly takes the ring from Elias. He is completely absorbed in the moment; but he is the only one who doesn't notice Alessandre push her chair back and hurry from the room. The bard manages to contain herself until she is outside. Nicos half-moves to follow her, but he feels Rio's hand on his leg. "Leave her," says Rio.

Drasha holds the ring in her hand and tells Elias that it is lovely. She then unfastens her necklace slips the ring onto the chain. "You're going on a very long journey, Elias. I can see that you wanted to do this before you left but…." Drasha spares a glance to Alessandre's empty seat. "If you still feel the same way when you return then I would be delighted to accept you as my husband." She stands, smiles at everyone and leaves the room.

Rio hurries after her. Elias is completely stunned, and slumps into the nearest chair. "Not quite sweeping her off her feet," says Elias dejectedly. Nicos comes over and tries to cheer up Nicos but to no avail. Eventually, a returned Rio takes him away. It is the last night in Umbria, and Rio is staying here. Nicos won't see her again until he returns from Hadras – if he returns. He has to be with her, Elias must understand that.

Eventually everyone departs leaving Elias sitting alone at the dining table. The servants bustle around him and take away the dinner things and still he sits. He looks right out of the door where Alessandre fled and left through the door where Drasha went. His eyes linger on left. He sighs. Undoubtedly, he has blown it.

Vítday, 8 Kindlesmoke 204

With the ship sailing at dusk the party must ride for Uris before dawn. In the courtyard of Oldheart Manor Elias, Nicos, Brack, Ravenna, Arvan and Alessandre are saddling their horses. Alessandre is some way from the rest of the group and is ready to leave first. She spurs her horse to the gate impatiently. She wants to be gone from this place.

Drasha comes out early and talks to Elias. "I am sorry," she says, "I didn't mean to embarrass you last night…. it's just….." She sighs and looks into Elias eyes. He is a wearing an expression that is slightly reminiscent of a four-week-old spaniel. "Alessandre and I talked last night." – "What did she say to you?" Elias asks. He is a spaniel no longer, and there is steel in his voice. Drasha shakes her head. What she says, she says with difficulty. "Do not blame Alessandre for anything that happened last night. She simply made me consider some things that should really have occurred to me before. I…. need some time Elias."

Elias nods, pretending he understands. He then urges his wife to be careful. "Should the king die while we are gone…." Drasha nods. "I know. Galahyde will not suffer one of the Chosen of Narramac to remain as the baron of Umbria when he has the throne. He will try to seize the barony." – "You must not be here when that happens. Take Misgon and get to Ashardon. You'll be safe there." Drasha is stubborn and shakes her head. "I will not run. This is my home, Elias, and I am prepared to lay down my life defending it. I will make sure of Misgon's safety, but my place is here." Then Drasha does something she has never done before. She hugs Elias. "Take care," she says.

On the other side of the courtyard, Rio is saying a tearful farewell to Nicos. Nicos asks her to come but she shakes her head. She will stay here with Drasha. "I've done some terrible things over the last few years, Nicos. I have to do something to make up for them. I'm going to try to find Maynard." Nicos wants to talk her out of it, but instead urges her to be careful. They kiss and very soon the six are away along the Hadradan road to the capital. Nicos and Elias look back at Rio and Drasha. It is very cruel. They only just found them and now they are having to leave – and all on the word of Alessandre. Elias turns back when Oldheart Manor is lost from view and watches the bard swaying rhythmically on her horse.

The group arrives in Uris with very little time to spare. They race to the palace, grab Raza, say their farewells to the king and start packing. Ravenna gives her uncle 250 crowns of her own purse to start his business from scratch. He doesn't want to see her leave, and thanks her (and Elias for everything) Jhasik asks how the ring went down, but Elias chooses not to reply. At the White Suite they bid goodbye to Lucien, and race to the docks. Alessandre has booked passage on a trading vessel under the captainage of the extremely ugly and one-eyed, Captain Uno. The boat sails on the evening tide and they are away to more adventures.

Terday, 9 Kindlesmoke 204

By dawn the ship is far from Uris, and heading south along the Norandon coast. With Umbria and Drasha behind her, Alessandre seems to have shaken off the black cloud she has been carrying and is using all her skills to entertain the crew and the party. Captain Uno looks at the bard hungrily, but no-one is concerned. For the most part Alessandre can take care of herself.

She even tries to get Raza to sing with her, to try and cheer the monk up. Since leaving Uris, Raza has become even more introspective and downright miserable. Raza says that the only music he accepts is the doleful gong that rings out from his monastery. It is called the sound of creation. Alessandre suggests a duet – she could sing and he could bang the gong. Raza relents and the result is actually quite good. This disenchants Raza who mutters that the sound of creation should not be a joy to listen to, and he goes and sulks in a corner.

Ravenna spends the morning with the crystal library, but is still not getting anywhere and so she takes to sparing with Elias. She is determined to work out how to swing this damn sword if it kills her. Elias can feel Alessandre's eyes watching him dart across the deck, getting progressively sweatier. She smiles at him and he feels uncomfortable.

Over dinner Alessandre tells Elias that she hopes they are not spending too much time in Sorgar. She'd love to see her great-aunt, but she isn't sure how the Order of Dragon feel about her at present. Elias is surprised that she doesn't mention anything that happened in Umbria. Maybe Alessandre really has put it all behind her. He should feel relieved, instead he feels oddly disappointed. All this passes Nicos by. He is sitting on the stern, his legs dangling off the side, staring into his scrying mirror. The image of Rio flickers on the red screen. He cannot believe that he won't be seeing her for months.

Vítday, 15 Kindlesmoke 204

It is midday, when the ship rounds the last promentory and the Chosen can see their destination. In all their travels they have never been to Sorgar. Truly this is the greatest city in all Norandor. 11,000 souls call this place home. A third of the population of Uris in an eighth of the space. Sorgar is built directly on the coast and on scores small islands that dot the end of a fractured peninsular. Canals and bridges run between islands, and everywhere buildings of wood and stone rise three or four stories into the air. The rulers of Sorgar have attempted to preserve the Hadradan feel of the place, and although hardly any of the buildings date back to Hadradan times, Sorgar has an exotic ambiance that isn't present in much of Uris. It is a city of high buildings and balconcies, of canals and ornate bridges. The Mark flows into the sea here and the canals rise and fall with the tide. The currents around this place can be dangerous, only the most experience can guide the small boats and gondolas that duplicate the tasks of wagons in other cities. Large vessels, such as Uno's vessel, dock on one of the large islands, half a mile from the main city. Descending the gangway you are met by four men dressed in tabards of black and gold. They wear wide hats to keep off the sun and thin swords hang by their sides.

One of the men steps forward. He addresses himself to Elias. "Baron Elias of Umbria? I am Captain Holstein. I have been sent by Lord Sorgar to accompany you, and your companions, to his home. If you would follow me, I have a boat waiting." He turns on his heal efficiently and heads down toward a jetty. Elias glances at the others and then follows swiftly.

The Chosen and Alessandre walk through the docks to a large flat-bottomed boat capable of holding twenty people. The seats are well upholstered as the seven, Captain Hostein and his three companions take their seats. Four oarsmen and one steersman (discreetly screened form the passengers) begin to toil across the bay. There is a fantastic amount of traffic on the water, and it seems no laws govern the movements of boats. They make fast progress across the bay, zig-zagging past larger vessels and through narrow channels between islands. From here one can see that it is impossible to get from one place in Sorgar to another without a boat. Some islands are entirely cut off from the land, if only by a hundred yards. Eventually they arrive in a small private harbour on an island cut off from the mainland by only thirty feet. Rising above is an impressive mansion in the Sorgar tradition. White wooden lattice stretches up along square towers and great archways that lead from balconies into the interior.

It is then that Ravenna remembers who Lord Sorgar is. "Iltilmus Devries," she mutters. Iltilmus has never had a nice word to say about the party since they ran in to him during Narramac's quest in Brightday. This is a sour turn of events. Brack ties up Shredder to the fence outside the mansion and Holstein leads the party within. The mansion is as elegant inside as it is out. Servants take the Chosen's coats and luggage and the captain leads them up a wide marble staircase. They enter through a door of black wood into a long chamber ending in three enormous arched windows, through which an impressive view of the bay is visible. In front of the windows is an expensive and elaborately carved wooden desk. At the desk sits Iltilmus Devries. He does not rise when he party enters, neither does he gesture them to seats. In fact, there are no seats. Holstein bows and exits to room, leaving the Chosen alone with the count.

Ilitlmus regards them slyly. There is a disturbing look of quiet triumph on his face. "Well, well, well. The Chosen of Narramac. It has been a long time. And Arvan, back from the dead. Lovely. I was so thrilled when Father told me you were coming, and so shocked when he told me why. A ship to the Hadradan Empire! My, my. All travel to Hadras has been forbidden since the Coming of the Gods. But of course, you are the Chosen of Narramac, and you can flout any law you wish. Protocol and tradition mean nothing to you. The king dances to your tune, and no-one seems ready to deny you anything. No-one but me."

All hope of quick departure is thrown from their minds. Ravenna speaks, "The king has authorised our trip to Hadras," she begins, but Iltilmus cuts her off. "You are not in Uris now, you are in Sorgar. The king's influence is very thin here. Appeal to him if you will. He will probably be too weak, too busy or too dead to help you. You cannot take a vessel to Hadras from this port without my permission.e won't allow them to take a vessel to Hadras. If you believe I cannot stop them, then you truly are fools."

Ravenna and the rest of the Chosen engages in a verbal sparing match with Iltilmus, but the count seems to have been planning this meeting for a long time. Ravenna says that the Chosen have done nothing but good since the end of the quest. Iltilmus sees them as dangerous rogues. By his words they deduce that Iltilmus is a supporter of Galahyde the Black. "You are always the heroes, always doing what is right," Iltilmus sneers. "If fact you would go out of your to do good, even at great risk to yourselves, is that not true, Ravenna." Ravenna nods, "I feel I am being manipulated, but it is true."

Ilitilmus smiles triumphantly and leans back in his seat. "Well, there is one way that I will grant you passage on a ship. You perform a service for me, and I will be inclined to bend Norandon law for you. Do not worry, Lord Umbria. This task is honourable enough even for you. All I ask is that you find, and slay the Vampire of Sorgar."

The Chosen might look at one another blankly, but Alessandre almost chokes. "The Vampire of Sorgar!?" she exclaims. The count nods. Elias looks at the bard questioningly. "The vampire is a myth," Alessandre exclaims. "It adds to Sorgar's ait of the exotic. No-one really believes in it. Not even the Watchers."

"True, true," says Iltilmus, "But then nine dead bodies is enough to inspire faith in anyone." – "Nine bodies?" Alessandre shudders. The count nods. "The Vampire has increased its profile. Nine people in the last few weeks – and scandalously some of the have been of noble blood. My militia are having little success fighting such a creature of the night. But surely the Chosen of Narramac can succeed in this little matter. After all, if half the stories told about you are ture, you have faced far worse than this. What do you say? More innocents will die if you don't help me. You would hate that, wouldn't you?"

"We'll do it," says Elias grimly. Alessandre isn't convinced, there's something in her eyes that tells Elias that this might be a mistake. "My aunt is the expert on vampire lore, not me," she whispers. "But the Vampire of Sorgar is supposed to have lived for longer than there has been a Sorgar!" Raza begins to ask questions of Iltilmus be he shakes them all away. "Captain Holstein has the details, not me. He is waiting for you outside. I suggest you hurry, there are lives in peril."

Iltilmus sneers a gleeful sneer. Even Elias can tell that he would like nothing more than to see them dead. He obviously thinks that this will be too much for them, and this vampire will kill them all. And yet if people are being killed, what choice do they actually have. Even if their trip to Hadras wasn't dependent on it, Elias would want to help anyway.

The Chosen turn to leave. As they do so the door to the room opens and a figure steps in. He is a man in his middle years in a long robe of red and orange. His hair is raven black and tied back in a long ponytail the length of his back. He wears a neatly trimmed moustache and beard. As he enters, Iltilmus leaps bolt upright from his desk. "Lord Mínaris!" he exclaims. "I was not told of your arrival!"

Mínaris? The Chosen have little time to be shocked by this occurance, because as soon as the dark sorcerer steps into their room their swords begin to vibrate so swiftly they are painful to the touch. Instinctively the Chosen draw the Blades of Virtus. Almost all of them. Arvan stays his hand. He feels the compulsion to draw the swords that his companions felt, but his will is stronger. Perhaps it is the time he spent in the Great Dark, where one mistake cost you your life, but he resists the urge to leap into battle, and waits as the other five leap forward around him.

The vibrations of the swords are a thousand times greater than they were at Castle Caled. If the vibration measures the potency of their foe, then Mínaris is the greatest threat they have ever faced. As they leap forward, Mínaris slowly raises his right palm revealing a jet black gem imbedded in its centre. A crackle of black energy springs from it and lances outward to strike everyone in the room: Elias, Nicos, Raza, Brack, Ravenna, Arvan, Alessandre and Iltilmus. All eight are frozen in their tracks.

Utterly expressionless, Mínaris takes a step toward his frozen foes. Suddenly he is next to them, seemingly without crossing the intervening space. Then he speaks. His voice is the stuff of nightmares: a strange, metallic whisper, that assaults the ears like a rusty nail being scraped across a blackboard. "Like a well-oiled machine. But then, I would expect nothing less from that feeble fool, Narramac. As if you could ever be a threat to us. Ah, the Blades of Virtue. It has been a while since I have seen these."

Mínaris presses his thumb and forefinger on the blade of Brack's axe. There is a sizzling sound and the smell of burning flesh. He shows no pain as he removes the two badly burned digits and looks at them. "As potent as ever they were, it seems. And here you all are. Nicos Allumière, more adept at making enemies than winning friends; Brack Ogrebane, mystified if faced with a problem that cannot be overcome with force; Elias Raithborne, part time sorcerer, full time fool; Ravenna Tannesh, such potential, a shame to quash it; Arvan, back where you belong? Raza de Luna, you are a threat, but not in the way you suspect. And who are you?"

Mínaris runs his burned hand over Alessandre's face. There's terror in her eyes and she looks to Elias for help. "Not one of Narramac's pawns. An ally, perhaps. You really have picked the wrong side, haven't you, my dear?" Mínaris returns his full attention to the Chosen. "You are late. You should have been here long ago. But you are here now. I simply had to see you for myself. Take a long look. You will not remember me when this interview is over. Take a long look at the face of the one who will kill you." A smile curls his cruel lip. "Happy hunting."

Without moving, Mínaris is at the door. When he closes it behind him a wave of amnesia falls over the party. Ravenna shakes her head and wonders why her sword is suddenly in her hand and she is standing half-way toward the door. Alessandre, Brack, Arvan and even Iltilmus haven't a clue what is going on. Iltilmus thinks the Chosen are about to attack him and shrieks in fright. But the amnesia does not affect everyone.

Elias and Nicos remember. They look at one another and exclaim "Feck!" at the top of their voices. They remember everything. And because they remember everything they have absolutely no desire to follow Mínaris. Raza too is muttering to himself. He can feel his memory of the instant disappearing, but he can is using the power of the blade, he is trying desperately to hold on to the thoughts. "Did you see what happened?" he raves. "It was Mínaris! It was……" Elias and Nicos tell him to be quiet, that Iltilmus is looking at them funny and that this is not the time. Raza hops from foot to foot desperate to speak. Elias turns and tells Iltilmus that they will go and speak with Holstein now. The count is a little preturbed but dismisses them.

In the hall, Holstein meets them and leads them to a private room. Raza is dancing around like someone with a case of the galloping clap. Raza, Arvan, Ravenna and Alessandre want to know what the hell is going on, but Elias silences them with a look. They enter a small meeting room. Holstein says that he will be very glad of their help as he is currently getting nowhere with this case. Before they begin, Elias asks if they could have some drinks. Holstein nods and leaves to get some. This gives the Chosen a few minutes to speak.

Elias and Nicos relate everything they remember – that is, Elias repeats it while Nicos swears at appropriate moments. Raza writes down everything he remembers before he stops concentrating and it is flushed from his mind. When their narrative is done, Ravenna shakes her head with wonder. "And Alys wanted him to train me?" What this encounter has established is that Mínaris is no mere Malficient. The swords don't react to Malificents. He is a full-blown creature of Karatath, and an exceptionally powerful one at that. "We need the seventh sword," says Ravenna. "How else can we defeat him?" At that, Holstein re-enters the room, and their discussion must wait until another time.

Holstein sits down and gives the Chosen the facts. "Since the twelfth of Midsumme nine people have been killed by a vampire. This creature is widely considered to be the Vampire of Sorgar." Holstein looks at Alessandre's disbelieving face and nods. "I know. I doesn't sound right. The vampire is a myth. Occassionally people disappear and its chalked up to the Vampire of Sorgar, but there's never been any proof of its existence. Legend says that the vampire has been in the area since before Sorgar was even built. If it does exist, changing its pattern now seems ridiculous." Ravenna says, "So you believe this is a different vampire?" Holstein nods, "I think so. But the count has not released the resources to find this thing. That's where you come in. Here is a list of the victims." Holstein hands the party a list of the victims so far:

"Any connection between the victims?" Raza asks Holstein after a few minutes. The captain shakes his head. "There doesn't seem to be any pattern. The dates of the killings have no links and the victims themselves seem to be random. The only relation that we have found is location." Holstein shows the party a map of Sorgar with the murder sites marked upon it. Ravenna and Nicos can see that the killings seem to be circling a central point, and getting nearer and nearer to that point. "It's the most famous part of the city," says Alessandre. Holstein agrees. It is an area of the city of great architectural and spiritual siginificance. The Church of Life and Justician temple of St. Mathers stand on the Avenue of Spirit, that ends in a square where the famous Astronis Fountain can be found. From there it is a short walk to the amazing Coral Palace (the largest church of water in Norandor), and Jenkin's Wharf where many private boats, taxis and gondalas sail from. Holstein has absolutely no clue as to why this area of Sorgar might be significant.

Holstein says that there are not many Watchers in Sorgar. Most of those that are present keep a few temples on the Isles of the Dead, almost an hour's boat ride from Shoretown. There are less than twenty members of the local Shadow of Mortis. They have divided into three teams and are hunting for the vampire. They have had little success. Since the death of Samantha Bold the Church of Fire has also got involved. The townwatch got involved after the death of the noble woman, Mina Seston, about three weeks ago.

Holstein conducts the party to a plushly appointed inn called The Willow, on a island not far from the mansion. There they can unpack and decide what to do next. The Chosen quickly come to the conclusion that there is no connection between the victims, so it is not worth investigating past murder sites. Two of the murders stand out, however. The first is Joro Klar, taken to the top of St Mathers and eaten. The vampire has some gall to try that. Elias will go to St Mathers and talk to the priests. Alessandre says that she will accompany him. Elias sighs. The second off thing is that bard, Jessica Elann. Her's is the only body that hasn't been recovered. She may well rise again as a vampire. Can Nicos find her with his scrying mirror?

The fire cleric seriously doubts it, but he will give it a whirl. Miraculously, it works. The red screen flickers into life and Jessica Elann is visible, lying on a stone slab. The room she is in is lit by a single torch. The design is crude with huge blocks of granite. Holstein says that he doesn't know of any building in Sorgar with brick like that. Nicos says that he guesses its in the area of the Astornis fountain. He and Brack will wander around the streets and see if anything matches.

Arvan says that he will head for the sewers. He can talk to the rats and they might have some persepctive on the situation. Then he will go to the Isles of the Dead and talk to the Watchers. Raza is not sure whether to go with Arvan. Ravenna is thinking of where the creature came from. If they are assuming it isn't the Vampire of Sorgar then it must have arrived in town recently, probably very close to the first murder. Sorgar is a port so it probably came in by boat. She asks Holstein if records are kept of the ships that come and go into and out of Sorgar. Holstein says that records will be held by the harbour master, Gulchen. He can be a difficult man, so Holstein will go with Ravenna. They can tell the captain is very impressed with them so far. They leave The Willow, agreeing to rendezvous at dusk at the Astornis Fountain.

Arvan heads off with Caius along the waterfront, looking for a grating that will lead him into the sewers of Sorgar. He passes a large sewer outfall pipe that runs directly into the bay. Three clerics of the church of water are standing in using their magic to purify the effluent. Arvan smiles wryly. So there are worse jobs than being one of the Chosen of Narramac. He finds a grate in the stone floor just opposite a tavern. Many patrons are sitting outside in the sun, all a little surprised when a hulking half-orc summons a sword from nothing and uses it to pry up the grating. Arvan is about to go down when Raza runs after him.

Raza has had a change of heart. He wants to go with Arvan to see the Watchers. Caius says to Arvan that Raza is becoming a pain. Raza cannot understand this, of course. "I have a new theory," says Raza. Arvan's heart sinks. Raza postulates that Karatath doesn't exist. He is either a ruse, or the party killed him in Kerikal. Mínaris is using the fact that Karatath is alive to his advantage, although Raza doesn't know how. "Perhaps also Minaris is Karratah. The vibrations of the swords were very extreme when we met him. The other thing that ponders me is the fact that Minaris and Narramac must have had a past which neither would tell. Is it that Minaris and Narramac have two ideologies which conflicts one another? Could they be opposites?"

"Do you want to come down the hole, Raza?" Arvan asks. Raza looks into the darkness. A vampire could move about the city during the day if he stays in the sewers. He'll stay on the surface. No he'll come. No he'll stay. Arvan goes without him, and Caius goes with Arvan to get away from Raza. In the dank tunnel below Arvan casts the spell beastmask so he can be taken for a rat, and speak with animals so he can communicate with rats.

Arvan singles out one rat and crouches to speak with it. Arvan asks questions and he is disquieted to find that he rat (and indeed all the rats) seem to owe allegience to someone they refer to as The Master. The rat tells Arvan that he too should serve the Master. This weirds the druid out and he returns to the surface.

Elias and Alessandre take the walk to St. Mathers. The conversation turns to Tibrai, Alessandre interested to hear what Elias means to do about his home. Elias confesses that he is worried about it, and tells her of the vision he had on the Plains of Acheron. "Was I there?" she asks. Elias swallows and nods. He says that she was. "I think we were married," he says and wishes he hadn't as Alessandre gives him the stare that turns his legs to jelly. "Married?" she says at length. "You and me, married?" Then Alessandre senses that she making Elias feel uncomfortable and she stops. "Don't panic," she says ruffling his hair. "Look: St Mathers!"

The Justician Church is indeed impressive. The tower rises a hundred feet above the crowd, and the steeple that sits atop it is almost as high again. "The vampire flew up there and ate someone?" Elias is incredulous. The pair enter the church and ask to speak to Aldous Marratet. Marratet appears and once he is sure of the Elias's credentials he is happy to help.

"I saw the whole thing," the Justician comments. "It was after dark. The street lamps had been lit all down the avenue. There were many people about. Then a shape swoops in, grabs a man and flies up into the night sky with him! Once it got beyond the lights no-one could see where it went. Then I spotted it settling on the steeple. We raced up all the steps but by the time we had got there it had all ready dropped the drained body back to the street and flown away. Would you like to go up?"

Elias hates heights, but thinks that it is advisable. Marratet, a short balding man, leads them up the 382 spiral steps onto a wide balcony. From here all of Sorgar is visible. The towers of the Coral Palace that reach up as high as St. Mathers, the compound of the Vítaen temple across the street. All is laid bare. From here Elias can see all the spots where the vampire struck. It is very windy, and the drop to the stone avenue below is dizzying.

"Well, might as well take a look," says Alessandre. "What are you doing?" Elias demands of the bard, as she leaps up onto the three-foot wall running the length of the parapet and reaches up to the guttering of the steeple above. "I'm going to see whether own vampiric friend left any clues. You can come if you want, but I think you'd better stay here. I know what you're like with heights!" She grins at him cheekily and pulls herself up. Alessandre's legs soon disappear from sight. Elias glances at Marratet. "Exhuberant, isn't she?" says the cleric. Elias nods.

Alessandre makes her way slowly up the extremely steep, tiled surface. On several occassions she slips, and slides toward the edge, but she catches herself in the nick of time. Elias is getting more and more worried. "I've found something!" Elias hears Alessandre announce. He can cope no longer and, gritting his teeth, he goes over the side onto the roof. Marratet gives him a look that says "You're a mad man!"

Elias is extremely unsteady on the steep connical roof. He is hugging the spire, flat on his chest with his arms and legs spread wide, trying to desperately inch his way upwards. He is not having a great deal of success. This might be something to do with the fact he is still wearing metal armour. Alessandre is about twenty feet further up the slope, trying to pull something out from under a tile. Elias gets ten feet from her, and then slips down five. This is when Alessandre notices he is on the roof. "You idiot, you'll get yourself killed!" – "What have you found?" asks Elias. "Some of the vampire's leavings. It's a bit icky." Elias tries to wriggle upwards like some bizarrely misplaced, metal-clad seal. He makes a little progress then one of the tiles flies off the roof at pressure from his foot and he loses his grip completely.

Elias cries out as he slides backwards to oblivion. Alessandre reacts without thinking. With no regard for her own safety she lunges forward and grabs Elias's wrist with a free hand. Elias's momentum pulls her position and they both slide toward the edge. Alessandre quickly spreads her legs and remaining arm. As they are not clad in metal, they find purchase. Elias stops with his ankles over the edge. Alessandre, grins and inches forward, lowering him slowly so he can swing back onto the parapet. A moment later she has joined him.

Elias is shaking. He had a feather fall spell prepared, but it would not necessarily have worked. Alessandre could well have just saved his life. She brushes it off. "Hold out your hand," she says. Elias does so and the bard deposits on it a handful of slime and the decomposing remains of what was once a finger.

The entire ballet on the spire of St Mathers was witnessed by Nicos and Brack who are sitting at the Astornis Fountain. They have walked around all the streets at least three times and they have seen no building where the stone matches the vision of Jessica Elann. "Why did we agree to meet at dusk?" moans Nicos. "There's a vampire about and we agree to meet at dusk! Does that sound sensible to you?" Brack shrugs. Before the pair is the impressive Coral Palace, and beyond that, Jenkin's Wharf where the last victim was found. "Want to have a look in the temple?" Nicos asks. Brack isn't sure about getting any closer to the water, but agrees, and the pair enter the Coral Palace.

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