The Seventh Sword
Session Forty-Two of the Notoriety of Kings Campaign

Sharday, 19 Kindlesmoke 204

Elias tries to get some sleep the following morning, but still finds it elusive. Nicos, for once, is optimistic about their chances against Eckerbar. "Oh, come on we've faced much worse than vampires," he says. "What about that Tular and all his nasties? What about that big nightcrawler thing, eh?" – "We didn't fight that," says Elias. Nicos shrugs. He has the power of Calafax on his side. As far as he is concerned, the vampire is toast.

Raza asks for a moment alone with the Wavemistress. He asks Telesko of her feelings on resurrection magic. Despite being a cleric of water, Telesko takes the Watcher's view that such things are profoundly wrong. Nicos wants to hire some expendable mercenaries to help them against the vampire – maybe they should get a priest of Vítaeous who can turn undead? Elias shakes his head. That is likely to scare the vampire away. If they are going to save Alessandre, they have to kill it. "What about a Scrivener?" Nicos asks. Telesko says that she would prefer if none of the other churches were involved. The whole Eckerbar thing is embarrassing enough without trumpeting it around the place. Not even all the clerics in the Coral Palace have been told. Telesko promises to furnish the party with holy water and scrolls of negative energy protection if they are discreet. She also says that, regardless of the result, the church of water will make sure that surviving party members have restoration magic cast upon them.

Raza goes to Arvan. According to the Watchers, it is incredibly difficult to harm vampires with non-magical weapons. He wants Arvan to cast a magic fang spell to help him in the combat. Arvan is all ready casting the protective scroll and believes that any further magic will delay him even longer. He will brew Raza a potion of greater magic fang using facilities in the Coral Palace. It will take him all day, so he leaves to make a start.

Brack leaves the temple looking for Shredder. The dog has returned to The Willow where a terrified innkeeper has been feeding it large quantities of meat to pacify the beast. Brack pays for the food Shredder has eaten and returns to the palace. He acts as Telesko's shadow during the day, just in case the vampire tries anything while wearing a heavy blanket. Nicos in the meantime, is creating a small hidey-hole for himself in Telesko's bedroom out of tables and chairs. He spends the morning happily hammering wooden stakes into the furniture to protect himself. Then he puts a small keg of beer in there. All the comforts of home for his vampiric stake-out. He reckons that the best plan is open the window and yell insults at Eckerbar, so that he appears and attacks them. Everyone else thinks that this is a truly stupid idea. "But I want to insult a vampire!" cries Nicos. "Wait until it gets here, " says Brack wisely.

While in the main temple, Elias catches sight of Alessandre's great aunt, Alamanda. She beckons to Elias who hurries over as fast as his plate armour will allow. He doesn't know what he's going to say to Alamanda. How he will explain what has happened to her great niece. "Is Alessandre here?" Alamanda asks. "No," Elias begins. "Good, follow me." Alamanda leads the way conspiratorially across the temple to a shady corner. She quickly produces a piece of parchment from her dress. "This letter was delivered to my house this morning, addressed to Alessandre," she pauses, "It…. fell open. It is from a man named Dysan. Dysan is a member of the Order of the Dragon. Obviously, it doesn't say he is in this letter, but he is. He has arranged a meeting with Alessandre this evening at dusk, by the Astornis Fountain. Elias, I don't want her to meet this man. He is extremely dangerous. You will remember what happened the last time she got muddled up in the affairs of these extremists. Can I leave it to you to handle this?"

Elias nods. He has wanted to contact the Order of the Dragon ever since he got to Sorgar. They represent the only link in Norandor that he has to his faith. But this evening? The timing is not fantastic. "Don't tell Alessandre about it," says Alamanda. Then she smiles. "I knew I could count on you. Keep her safe, Elias." She pats him on the cheek and leaves the temple.

Elias informs his companions of this turn of events, and tells them that he plans to keep the rendezvous with Dysan. "That's ridiculous!" exclaims Ravenna. "We all need to be here Elias. What if the vampire turns up while you're gone?" Raza completely agrees with Ravenna, a situation that doesn't often happen. Elias says that this is a religious thing for him. He has to speak to this man. "I thought the whole point of this was for Alessandre," Ravenna points out. "If we don't kill this Eckerbar, she isn't going to be released." The point is well made. What if Elias returns from this meeting and finds everyone dead? He says that he will promptly kill himself. This does not make much sense to anyone.

The day wanes and Elias gets ready for his meeting. It has been decided that Brack will go with him at a distance, just in case there is any trouble. This just leaves Ravenna, Arvan, Raza and Nicos at Telesko's side in case the vampire attacks. But they do have Captain Janus and fifty guardsmen in the hall outside. Before he goes, Nicos takes Elias to one side. "So, tell me. What's happening with you and Alessandre? Are you getting it on or what?" Elias at him soberly. "No." – "But you were holding hands." – "That was just holding hands." – "Just holding hands? No, there's something there isn't there? You can tell me." Elias hangs his head in shame and nods. "What are you going to do about Drasha?" Nicos asks. "I am a very bad man," Elias replies.

"Just pick one." – "How?" – "Which one would you rather be with? It's Alessandre isn't it?" Elias nods again. "Well, there you are. Don't beat yourself up about it buddy." – "But Drasha….." – "Look, we're going off on this quest thing, we're all probably going to die anyway, so what does it matter? Live for the moment!" – "That's what you said when we went to Kerikal, and we all survived. Well, apart from Arvan and he's back now." Nicos looks at Elias seriously. "Look, how would you feel if you spent all this time with her and you were all like 'no I can't, I'm married'. And then something happens to her and that's it, you've lost your chance?" Elias shakes his head. He must be in a very bad way if Nicos is starting to make sense.

At dusk Elias is sitting with his back to the Astornis Fountain, waiting for Dysan. All around him, courting couples are making him feel a little sick inside. Both he (and Brack from a near-by alley) can see a man watching Elias intently. The man is middle-aged, dressed in worn leathers, heavily muscled and sporting a severe crew-cut. Beardless, but unshaven the man approaches Elias and sits a few feet from him. "Where is Alessandre?" he asks without looking at Elias. This is evidently a clandestine meeting. "She can't make it." – "That's a shame," says Dysan and motions to leave. Elias holds out his hand where Dysan can see the ring on his finer. Dysan sits down again.

"Where did you get that?" – "It's a family heirloom." – "Put it on the seat and walk away." Elias goes so and when he returns Dysan has the ring. "Why would you lie to me? I know who this ring belonged to. It was stolen." – "Yes, I've been to Ashardon as well." Dysan seems to be mulling something over. "You are of the faith?" Dysan asks, still not looking at him. "I'm from Tibrai," says Elias. "I'm a member of the Order of the Wyrm." – "Why should I believe anything you say? You could be working for the authorities. You could have done away with Alessandre." – "Alessandre means more to me than life!" – "Where is she?" – "She is in terrible danger. She is a hostage." – "I'm sorry to hear that. There seems little point me delivering the message."

Dysan stands and begins to walk away. "I will see Alessandre. What message?" Dysan frowns and says. "She paid for a means to get her to Hadras. I keep my promises. There's a ship at the docks called the Enlightenment. It's been sitting there ready to go to Hadras for a week or more. I don't know what the delay is, but I can get her on board." Elias thanks him, but says that his help in this matter will not be necessary. Dysan nods and starts to move away. "What is your name?" he asks Elias cautiously. Elias tells him. If Dysan recognises the name he chooses not to show it, he only nods. "I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other." And with that, he melts away into the darkness.

Elias and Brack return to Telesko's apartment to discover everything as they left it. They take their positions and wait. Arvan falls asleep (he was up all last night, and brewing potions all today), but he is soon awoken. No-one notices that fact that Nicos has also fallen asleep. In the small hours of the morning, the vampire Eckerbar appears in the middle of the room. Half the party are stunned by the appearance, even though they were expecting it. Eckerbar was not a powerfully built man. He is still wearing his cleric's robes although they are torn and soiled. He lunges toward the surprised Rosemary Telesko.

Raza acts, although he does not want to put himself in front of those evil talons. He throws a vial of holy water at the creature and pulls out the potion of magic fang that Arvan gave him. The potion is in a small watertight skin about the size of Raza's fist. As he uncorks it, an eye snaps open and regards him. He is so startled that he almost drops the potion. Eckerbar is badly burned by the holy water, but not enough to distract him. He slashes at Telesko with his claws opening the artery in her neck. Blood fountains everywhere. Brack throws two more vials of holy water at the vampire, whose skin is now beginning to bubble. Elias takes the enormous skin of healing potion he got in Ashardon and dumps the lot over Telesko. The bleeding stops and the throat slowly begins to knit together. She lies on the bed very still.

Raza now leaps forward using his blade and newly-enchanted fists to great effect. The vampire turns on him and lunges out, hitting Raza twice. The monk crumbles and falls to the ground shaking as negative energy plays over his body. Arvan snaps out of his reverie and reads the scroll of negative energy protection. Brack tries to read his scroll, but has it upside down and fails. Nicos hastes himself. Ravenna throws a magic missile at the vampire and Elias moves in to engage it melee, and distract it from finishing off Raza.

Very soon all six members of the Chosen are motoring. Raza is back on his feet and he, Arvan and Elias have it surrounded. It lashes out with its claws, but he cannot penetrate the full plate armour Elias inherited from Baron Joseph Leston. Nicos summons the incandescent energy that he used to such stunning effect on the Isle of the Dead and hits Eckerbar twice. Brack tries to invoke the scroll again, but this time he completely misreads it, and instead of protecting him from negative energy it summons it. A dark cloud rises out of Eckerbar and speeds toward Brack. The dwarf tries to run, but to no avail. It catches him by the door and Brack is drained.

After their initial success, things are not now going the Chosen's way. True, none of them have fallen, but the vampire is healing its wounds as quickly as they can inflict them. Raza, Arvan and Elias are on it. Elias shouts out to Nicos, as more magic rains down upon them, that they mustn't injure Eckerbar so much that he becomes a mist. They have to stake him. Arvan and Brack draw their stakes. Ravenna casts true strike on Brack and the dwarf races forward and plunges the stake into the vampire's heart. Unfortunately, he does not have the force to drive the non-magical stake through the vampire's skin. Arvan stakes it in the back with the same result. The fight continues. Eckerbar drains Brack again, almost killing the dwarf. They have to act soon. Nicos casts magical weapon on the stake. Ravenna casts true strike on Brack and the dwarf steps into combat again…… and misses. What were the chances of such a catastrophic blunder at such a crucial moment?

However, all is not lost. Eckerbar seems insane, bestial. He is using neither wit or tactics, simply lashing out blindly at the Chosen. Another true strike from a weary Ravenna, and Brack moves in again. This time the stake strikes true. Brack plunges it into the vampire's dark heart. Eckerbar shudders and flails out wildly. Then he falls backwards into Arvan's arms in a state of torpor. "We must behead it," says Arvan. The druid places the now circular Blade of Hope around the helpless vampire's neck and pulls it back sharply. The head is severed from the body. The vampire's flesh burns away in an instant leaving only a smoking skeleton. The Chosen have defeated their enemy.

There is a crash from the hallway. Elias runs to the door and opens it. A great wall of ice that was prevents Janus and his guards from rendering aid, has crashed to the ground. Janus runs into the room. He is contrite and apologetic. Healing magic is focussed on Rosemary Telesko, who sits up in bed. She thanks the party wholeheartedly for their help and their discretion. "If there is anything I can do for you in return….." After some debate the Chosen decide that the best help Telesko can be to them is as a favour they can call in at later date. As Elias rightly says, when they return to Norandor from Hadras everything might have changed. They will need all the friends they can get.

Raza and Brack are conveyed to the nearby Justician Church where the accomplished priest and first-class pervert, Raymon, feels them up before casting the appropriate restorative magic. They do not care. The vampire has been defeated. Back at the Coral Palace Nicos picks up the pointy-toothed skull of Eckerbar, it is still smoking. Elias only hopes that, where-ever he is, Altara knows that he and his companions have upheld their side of the bargain. By the time Raza and Brack return, the sun is peeping over the horizon and they must make their plans for the following day.

Morday, 20 Kindlesmoke 204

The skull of Eckerbar is still steaming when Nicos slams it down on Ilitilmus's elegant desk. The lovingly varnished wood turns black and begins to smoulder where the bone touches it. The count pretends not to notice, his face is all ready contorted into a petulant frown. "It's all very convincing, in a macabre sort of way," he says at length. "But I know a fake when I see one. Are you really trying to tell me this is the vampire of Sorgar?"

"You didn't ask us to kill the vampire of Sorgar," says Raza, "just the creature that was doing the killings." The count snaps, "No I didn't! Are you continuing with the fiction that this is the remains of the water cleric Eckerbar?" The group say that they are, Iltilmus's contempt is almost palpable. "I have sent Captain Holstein to the Coral Palace to confirm your story. I will get to the truth!"

The Chosen of Narramac regard the count of Sorgar wryly. They do their best to suppress smirks. Seeing Iltilmus put in his place, as he soon will be, goes some way to make up for all their problems in this city. "So where is the little chit?" Iltilmus asks Elias. Elias stiffens, all the mirth forced out of him. "Killed facing down this vampire was she? Such a pity. Oh well, you can always get another one I suppose. They're not expensive."

Miraculously, Elias keeps his temper. The interview drags on in silence for several more minutes before Captain Holstein appears. He is able to confirm everything that the Chosen have said. The six watch Iltilmus's face get redder and redder as tries to fight off his rising anger. He glares at their six smug faces. It seems that the biggest insult they could possibly have done him was to accomplish this task, and live through it.

"So," says Elias coldly. "When do we seek Enlightenment?" He allows himself a small chuckle at the look that gets him from Iltilmus. The count leaps to his feet as if to say something. Nicos grins at him expectantly. Iltilmus turns and faces out of the large arched window across the bay. "Get out," he says quietly. "I'm sorry?" asks Raza, "What was that?" – "I said get out!" the count yells. He has completely lost it. "Holstein! Get them out of here!" The captain nods and leads the way to the door. As they leave the Chosen make a point of laughing just loud enough for Iltilmus to hear. They hear him thump his desk impotently in rage and cast Eckerbar's skull to the floor.

"I never thought I would laugh again," says Raza joyously. Holstein leads them into the same small room where he gave them information on the vampire's killings only five days earlier. He turns and says to them: "I am very glad that you succeeded in this quest. I am sorry that I was not able to aid you as much as I would have liked. There is a ship, ready to sail for Hadras. I has been ready for several days." – "This entire hunt the vampire thing was nothing to do with the duke, was it?" asks Elias. Holstein shakes his head. "You are correct. Duke Devries had the boat prepared for you as soon as word arrived from the king. But this is Sorgar, and here the count rules."

"How is the king?" asks Raza. Holstein shrugs. "The last word from Uris was that the king was well, but that information is more than a week old." Raza's head sags. He cares for the king, and would not like to see anything happen to the man. He fears that the king will be long dead by the time he returns to Uris. Holstein takes the pause as a sign for him to continue. "Go to the docks and speak to the harbour master, Gulchen. Tell him you need to a see a man named Madak. Madak is the first mate on a ship called The Enlightenment. They will be ready to sail on the afternoon tide."

"There's one other thing," Holstein continues. "Messages have been left here and at The Willow from the Watchers." The Chosen shift uncomfortably on their seats. "The Archnecrotain, Belsan Uneer, wants to see you all." – "He said he never wanted to see us again," says Raza. Holstein shrugs. Of course, the group knows why Uneer wants to see them. They remember meeting Annarene Pluner at the Coral Palace on the night Ellwyn Bymiro was killed. The fall-out resulting from that and the disappearance of Tobin M'Kesh is more than enough reason for the archnecrotain's interest. Elias fears that the Watchers may discover the existence of the Vampire of Sorgar, condemning Alessandre to worse than death.

"Why are you all looking like that?" asks Nicos. "We don't have to go. Blow the guy off! He's nothing to do with us, we don't have to do what he says." Ravenna immediately agrees with Nicos. It takes less than a second to convince the rest of the party. "All right," says Elias. "But we have to send them a letter explaining why we had to leave. A letter than gets delivered after we've left." Nicos smiles. "I'll write it. I know exactly what to say."

Holstein says he will hold on to the letter and deliver if after The Enlightenment has sailed. It is the least he can do for not helping them against the vampire. Nicos manages to conceal the contents of the letter from other members of the party. Elias simply hopes he hasn't said enough to start another war.

The party bid farewell to Holstein and head to The Willow where they collect their belongings. From there, it is short walk to the office of Harbourmaster Gulchen. Ravenna has met the man before, and has no intention of meeting him again, so lets Elias do the talking. Gulchen is a strangely emaciated man who looks years old than he really is. He has white hair, wire-wool stubble, two teeth and an impressive collection of skin complaints. No one would be surprised if he didn't have Genbassi blood in him at some stage. Gulchen mutters something that is more expletive than substance and leaves them waiting by the dock-side.

About half an hour later a tremendously tall and heavily-bearded man appears. He stands seven feet in height, is well muscled and extremely broad. The reason for the long hair and beard could well be to hide orcish blood somewhere in his ancestry. The man smiles amiably, however, and extends a massive hand to each party member in turn. "Hello," he says, "My name is Madak, and I am first mate on the Enlightenment. I will take you to the captain. He will want to talk with you. Captain Grindel is a hard man, and a bit of a doom-merchant. He'll tell you the journey can't be done and that we're all going to die, but take no notice of that – it's just his way. There's no better captain for this crossing. I was expecting there to be seven of you."

"She will be joining us en route," says Elias flatly. "How will she manage that? Not by some sort of enchantment?" – "There will be a certain mystic forces at work," says Elias desperately trying not to lie to the man. Madak inhales sharply through his teeth while shaking his head. "The captain won't like that. Best not to tell him. Say your friend is all ready below, he won't check. He certainly won't go down to your cabins for the entire voyage."

Odd words for a first mate, but they follow him through the maze of wharves with ships loading and unloading until they reach The Enlightenment. It is a large vessel of the caravel style. It is a hundred feet long with three tall masts and raised fore and aft-castles. On the bowsprit is a carving of a robed woman carrying a book. Madak tells them that the ship has a crew of forty, plus himself and Captain Grindel. They clamber up the gangway and Madak leads them to the aftcastle, in side which is the captain's cabin. Madak motions them to wait, knocks and enters. A minute later he returns and gestures that they should go in.

The six enter a room extremely large for a cabin. The ceiling is low, brushing the top of Arvan's head, and everything in it is either built into the bulkheads or fastened to the floor. Even the chairs. This doesn't make sitting a problem, as the captain doesn't offer them a seat. Captain Grindel was lying on his bed when the party entered. Now, he swings his legs to the floor and sits up. He is a large man, bald and heavily stubbled. He was once a heavily-muscled man but after fifty seasons of life, that muscle has turned into fat, a fact made plain by his lack of a shirt. Grindel eyes the group up down and snorts as if clearing a bad smell. He spits in a nearby bucket and speaks.

"Well, come in them," he begins irritably. "Right, let's get some things perfectly clear. I don't like passengers on my ship, I don't want to go to Hadras and I'm only here as a favour to the duke. I am the captain of this ship. What that means is while we're at sea, I am your master, your king and your god. When I say jump you jump. You may have come aboard as passengers but in a crisis everyone pulls their weight man or woman. All our lives depend on it, do I make myself clear? If you're not needed then stay out of my way and the way of the crew. There are forty good men on board this ship, I don't want them distracted by stupid questions or a pretty face, do you understand?" He looks directly at Ravenna who eventually nods. The whole party have listened to his narrative silently. Apart from Raza who makes a snide remark.

"And I expect you to listen when I'm talking, boy!" the captain storms. This has an unexpected effect of getting Raza to shut up. "I know who you are, and I know you've brought magic with you. I don't like magic. It has its place, but that place isn't on board a ship. If I catch you using magic on my ship without my express permission, there will be hell to pay." Nicos timidly raises a hand. "What?" the captain barks. "I'm a fire priest. I need to set fire to things, at least on Caladay." Elias gives Nicos a withering look. "Well I do!" the cleric continues. "I won't set fire to things on the ship, but I'll need to use my magic for religious reasons." Grindel glares at Nicos, thinking things over. At length he nods. "For your faith, I'll make the concession. But only on Caladay. If you cause me any trouble, for any reason I will turn this ship around and head back to Sorgar in an instant. I don't make threats, you want to get where you're going you tow the line, clear?"

The Chosen nod and the captain continues. "You've each got your own cabin, taking up valuable cargo space, stay in it. If you must come onto deck, stay out of the way. And control your animals. I don't expect travellers to bring a menagerie with them. The aft-castle is my cabin. Only come there if you've got a damn good reason. A damn good reason is something along the lines of 'Help we're being boarded by sea devils,' and not 'Hello captain, I fancied a chat' – clear?"

"Everyone on this ship eats the same thing. It's not princely, but its good fare. There's two sittings for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cook sounds the gong once for first sitting and twice for second. You're all on second. Don't let me catch you trying to eat twice. The galley is below the forecastle. You miss a meal, you miss your food end of story. Food is rationed. Water isn't. We have an Odyssian cleric on board. Water barrels in the galley all day. Knock yourselves out."

"Now for the journey itself. The Enlightenment is a good ship. She can do a hundred miles in a day with a good wind. We're not going to have any good winds. I've done this journey twice before, but never at this time of year. This is the storm season, and if by storm you're thinking of the stuff you've seen on land, think again. Take a look at the mast. Now imagine a wave three times its height. Imagining? Good. Now, like I said, we have an Odyssian cleric, but the will of Sharrash is the will of Sharrash. If she wants to take us she will, and this time of year she's not in a good mood. I don't want to die, so I'll do my best, but my best will give us a two out of the three chance of getting to Hadras. Still want to go?"

Elias answers emphatically that they do. Grindel seems a little disappointed. "Very well," he says. "Now, if everything goes my way, the next time I see you will be your backs heading down the gang-way in Hadras. So, is there anything you want to ask me now? You won't get the chance again." Raza pipes up that Alessandre isn't feeling well and has been taken down to the cabins. Grindel accepts this as an irrelevance. The group has many questions, but isn't prepared to ask any of them of the captain. This seems to please him. Slightly. "Right, off you go. You want to ask any one anything, ask Madak. He's a much nicer man than I am, anyway."

The interview is obviously at an end. The Chosen file out of the cabin, Grindel can hear their conversation. "I like the captain," says Nicos. "It's nice to finally meet someone who lets us know where we stand right away." Elias agrees, but he thinks that liking the captain and avoiding the captain should be two activities that go hand-in-hand.

On deck, Madak says he will conduct the party to their cabins. Their cabins are directly below the aftcastle. He tells them that the forecastle is where they can find the galley and the kitchens. Beneath the forecastle is where the crew sleep. The rest of below decks is the hold. There is no way to get from fore to the aft without crossing the deck. Their cabins and the room where the crew sling their hammocks are not connected. Madak leads a way down a ladder. It leads to a short corridor that ends in a horse-shoe of twelve doors, right in the stern of the vessel. Of the twelve rooms, seven have been set aside for the party, one is locked, one is for the Odyssian priest (although he is on land at present), two are empty and one is Madak's, although he sleeps in a hammock with the crew. The party stow their gear in the rooms. Brack is beginning to feel exceptionally nervous. A long sea voyage does not thrill him. Plus living with Shredder in confined quarters is not going to be fun.

Madak then takes them to the galley and introduces them to "….the most important man on the ship after the captain and me." This is Dallance, the ship's cook. He is a weasely thin man, with lank greasy hair and a apron that is covered in the most dubious stains. Despite Madak's recommendation that Dallance is a card, the man seems about as amusing as an unexpected case of gout. He speaks in a very nasal voice, is highly morose and Ravenna gets the impression that he is also a bit of an old lech. They talk to Madak about Hadras. The first mate says that he has never been, although the captain has been twice before. He says that it is an enormous city – that all of Uris could fit in the gardens of the emperor's palace.

Madak says the ship will sail in just over an hour. Nicos wants to go back into Sorgar to buy a barrel of beer for the journey and some clothes that don't mark him out as a fire priest who should be killed. Soon they are all settled in their cabins. Brack pulls out the huge rock he took from Underbarron and decides to restart his stone-carving. He hopes if he fills his tiny cabin with stone chippings it will seem more like home. He also paints some mountains on the porthole to try and convince himself he is not at sea, although he fears that he will be spending most of the journey in his wardrobe.

About ten minutes before the ship is due to shove off, a young man dressed into the light blue of the Odyssian Church scrambles onto the ship. From their cabins, the party can hear Grindel berating him for being late. The cleric, a young sandy-haired man in his twenties, smiles apologetically and goes to stand on the forecastle.

Soon the ropes are cast off and the ship begins to move out of Sorgar. All the members of the party, except Brack who is all ready feeling sea sick, head up to the deck to take a last look at the most beautiful city in Norandor. It is a beautiful, sunny afternoon and the sea as flat as a sheet of glass. Raza waves enthusiastically at the Isles of the Dead as they pass. He hopes that Belsan Uneer can see them. Elias is not so cheerful. He looks back toward Sorgar as The Enlightenment negotiates the shipping lanes and heads into open water. After an hour, the city is barely visible. Two days. Two days the vampire said until Alessandre would be returned. Can he trust such a creature? Will he ever see Alessandre again?

That evening they take their first dinner in the galley. There is only sitting for twenty at a time. Grindel does not eat with the crew. The crew are friendly enough, but it is almost as if the captain as encouraged them not to speak with the party. Some of them are giving Ravenna hungry looks. Nicos makes a comment that the only man who would go for Ravenna is one that's only been in the company of men for six months. She slaps him.

Sunday, 21 Kindlesmoke 204

With the dawn, all sign of land has completely disappeared. They are on their own. Madak says that they would not expect to see another vessel until they are just a few days from Hadras. Few people ply these routes, and those that do, stay away from them at this time of year. Brack continues to hide in his wardrobe, pretending that this isn't happening and he won't be on this boat for at least the next five weeks.

Elias is having difficulty sleeping. He keeps waking up from a dream where Alessandre is back and in his arms. They are embracing, and then she bares a set of fangs and rips his throat out. Nicos is making best use of the weather. Among the clothes he purchased in Sorgar the previous day was a set of short trousers made of a light material that terminate at the knee. He asked for the most luridly coloured pair the grocer had. Now, just wearing these and sandals (and with a keg of beer under his arm) he is sitting right at the head, nestled behind the bowsprit. He drinks, he sleeps and he enjoys the sun. Sometimes he watches the crew working around him, but that often tires him out. Unlike subterranean travel, Nicos loves boats and is looking forward to a long and relaxing journey. His day is only slightly spoiled by the fact that the crew uses the head as a latrine – but still, the wind is blowing in the other direction.

During the afternoon, they get to know the Odyssian cleric a little better. He introduces himself as Úsaan Altorro. He loves to travel (a prerequisite of his profession) and has been to many exotic places. He is more interested in hearing about the adventures of the Chosen, and he is told some of their greatest achievements by Nicos. Elias gives Ravenna pointers on swordplay, but his heart isn't in it. All his thoughts are bent to tomorrow evening.

Vítday, 22 Kindlesmoke 204

Following breakfast, Raza comes to the rest of the members of the Chosen. "I need to speak with you," he says. Nicos is not too chuffed at having his lying-in-the-sun time compromised, but he'll give the monk a few minutes. Below-decks, in one of the empty cabins, the six gather waiting for Raza to speak.

"There I things I would explain to you," the monk begins. "You know what happened in Sorgar, you know that I spoke to the gods." This gets Nicos's attention. Raza tells them of the cries for help and for vengeance that he heard, he says that even now he is being drawn to Mount Korvast from where he can speak directly to them. "Why did you do it?" asks Ravenna. Raza sighs. "I was overwhelmed by everything that has been happening. We need some answers to questions." – "And you thought the moon gods could provide them?" – "Perhaps. Or the elves. We need to speak with them, and we have no other means to contact them. The elf we met in the Dreamheart told us that gods and the churches weren't working toward the same ends" – Raza ignores Nicos's objection and continues – "I have to speak to her again."

"You went through all that just to talk to the elf again?" Ravenna is incredulous. "There's nothing going on between the two of you is there?" Raza flushes, and says that she is the only one who can provide answers, and talking to the gods is the only way that he could think of summoning her. "The moon gods, the dragons and the elves are all connected. Godspeakers can talk to the moon gods, but elves hunt down and kill them before they have chance to do so. Therefore the elves fear what would happen if I talk to the gods. I think that the gods are imprisoned, maybe they were imprisoned by elves and dragons. I believe that they cannot act in the real world without a godspeaker."

Nicos is having none of this. He is a priest of Calafax! Calafax has no problem interacting with the world. He grants spells, doesn't he? Raza shakes his head. He doesn't have all the answers. He is sure that the demon Karatath is connected to all this somehow, but he doesn't know how he fits in. The elf in the Dreamheart did not consider Karatath as much of a threat as the moon gods. "The elves and dragons fear what would happen if the moon gods were released." Nicos can't agree. He's not well read, but even he knows that everything Raza is saying goes wholly against the Korvast Scrolls. "I don't need you to explain my religion to me, you know what I'm saying?"

"Raza," says Elias. "You realise all you've done by talking to the gods is invite the Brotherhood of the Black Rose to kill you." Raza nods. "I am mixed up in a fate I cannot escape. It does not matter what I do, I will be killed sooner or later. I know that I would not be missed." There is silence for a moment, as no-one raises a voice to contradict Raza. Then Elias says, "You will be missed, Raza." – "No," corrects Brack, "he would be missed." Raza says that he, that all of them, must have answers. Elias is getting a little annoyed that Raza took the decision to involve the Brotherhood of the Black Rose in this unilaterally. "You remember what happened last time? They don't just want you. They kill anyone who sees them or knows anything about them. You remember what happened to Beleus in Uris? They're going to come onto this boat and try to butcher everyone."

Raza says that he doesn't think so, but doesn't offer any explanation as to why this may be. "I have much more to tell you," he says. Raza then proceeds to tell them everything he discovered (or didn't discover) at Eurikas. He lists his investigations into Alberdark, Lucien, Aylisha, Gaston, Castle Caled, the creature Grexam and the dozen other things he landed on the lap of poor scrivener Kybos. "I have been trying to draw a line on a piece of paper and list our enemies on the left and our allies on the right." Ravenna snorts, "Better make the line close to the right margin," she quips.

Here is a discussion that everyone can get involved in. Raza says that when they return to Uris everything could have changed, so who are their allies? Drasha? one would expect so, although who knows which way she'll go when Elias's indiscretions are made known to her. Rio? Nicos would like to say yes, but he knows that the girl is still finding out who she is, and may not dance to his tune when the time comes. Aylisha? Raza believes that they can trust Aylisha to look after the king. "She is not who she says she is," the monk says. "Although she swore me to secrecy." After the king dies, none of them can predict what Aylisha will do. She is powerful, but how is she powerful? Raza's investigations did not bear much fruit in that area. Ravenna says that Alys is a servant of Galahyde the Black and cannot be trusted. Likewise, Gaston will vacillate whichever way the wind is blowing. He will serve the power in Uris regardless of who it is. Alberdark? Here opinion is divided. Raza thinks that he will switch to serve Galahyde like Gaston will, but Elias disagrees. "Just because he hates the sight of us, shouldn't make us think he isn't an honourable man. Alberdark serves the Crown. If Yaddagon gets his way and names a successor before he dies, then Alberdark will serve that successor, not Galahyde."

Then their list of allies begins to peter out. Can that really be all the people who will stand with them if they return home and find Galahyde on the throne? Drasha, Rio and Aylisha – and they can't be 100% certain about them. There's Dralcarnus, of course. Each of them is convinced that Dralcarnus will always stand by them, but he is trapped in Ashardon, and that's not really very helpful. "There is Kelton and Rembrandt," says Raza. He thinks that the Chosen will be able to buy the services of the sorcerers. Ravenna says that they seem to work for whomever amuses them the most, as they have Nicos on their side, they are starting with an advantage. Elias says that there is a difference between true allies and mercenaries.

Raza says that during the journey they must work on their list. They must try to anticipate what will happen when they return to Uris. He also confesses that he doesn't fully trust any other member of the party. He cannot decide on which side of the line they fall. This is Raza being honest and open with the rest of the party – not something that is often seen. The discussions continue for several hours, Nicos retreating to his spot in the sun.

The light of the day eventually gives way to evening. They are two days from Sorgar. This was the night that Altara, the Vampire of Sorgar, promised he would return Alessandre. Elias heads up to the deck. The only secluded spot is the bow, where Nicos has been languishing all day. He is accompanied by Raza and Nicos, although he wants to be alone. Nicos heads below, but Raza does not. He has his own reasons for wanting to see the vampire.

Elias stands on the bow of the ship staring out to sea. He is adrift on a sea of terrifying thoughts. What if the vampire doesn't come? What if he has lost Alessandre? What if she is a vampire now, could he raise his hand against her? The wait is interminable, and extremely long. It is the early hours of the morning before anything untoward can be seen. There is a mist on the air, pushing against the wind. It comes to rest a few yards in front of the bowsprit and coalesces into humanoid form. The blue-scaled form of the Vampire of Sorgar hovers before Elias. It smiles at him wickedly, and nods toward Raza. Elias steps forward.

"Where is she?" he asks coldly. The vampire does not answer for a moment. Looking around Elias is completely sensible of the fact that Alessandre is not with this creature. What has happened to her? "Where is she?" he demands again, a little more desperately. The Vampire narrows its eyes at Elias. It is a look of cold contempt.

"What would you do?" it asks in its deep and terrible voice. "What would you do if I had taken her, if I had given her the gift of eternal life? What could you possibly do? You sicken me. You have life, and you aspire to greatness. You would be a warrior against darkness, a holy crusader against evil. And yet, you left the one in your life you treasure most, with a creature like me. What did you expect would happen? You sacrificed her to save your own life. Do you really think that after that you deserve her?"

Elias cannot speak. Part of him cannot disagree with the words of the vampire. He has felt very little but guilt over the past few days. And then there is a sinking horror that Alessandre is not coming back. He stares at the vampire impotently. "Yisweran Larrien is worth ten of you," the vampire says. "His values and beliefs are misguided, but at least he has integrity. You are honourless. A boy pretending to be a man."

If Elias won't speak, Raza will. "You promised to return her," the monk says. "And you believed me? I have been vampire for more than a thousand years, Yisweran. I was made by the Deceiver himself. I have slaughtered innocents, I have watched my race die. Why should I keep my word." – "Because you trust me," says Raza. "And I trust you."

Elias gives an abrupt snort of relief. "You had me going for a minute there," he sighs. "You were created by the deceiver? Where is she?" The Vampire shrugs almost imperceptibly and turns back to Elias. "You are honourless. I am not. She sleeps in one of the cabins below. Go and take her in your arms, if you can bear the guilt of what you have put her through." Elias stops abruptly. "What have you done to her?" – "Nothing comes without a price," the vampire says. Elias turns and runs back across the deck leaving Raza and the vampire alone. The undead creature speaks. "You will still abide by our agreement and return to me when all this is done?" Raza says that he will. "Good," says the vampire, fading from sight, "I am interested to learn which side of the line I appear on your list."

Elias almost falls down the ladder as he blunders into the wrong cabin and almost has his face bitten off by Shredder. Then he flings open the right door and there, lying on the covers is Alessandre. There is something wrong. Her head lolls to one side, and her limbs fall across the bed haphazardly. Is she dead? Elias swallows and runs into the room. Her skin has a deathly pallor, but then Elias sees her almost imperceptible breathing. He races to Arvan's cabin and hammers on the door. The druid quickly opens it, sees the horror in Elias's face and hurries after him.

Elias leads Arvan to the cabin and mutely points at the bed. Arvan moves toward the bard and places his hand on her forehead. "She is as cold as death," he observes. Elias steps forward and takes the bard's hand. Arvan is right, she is freezing. "She has been bled," the druid remarks. "Drained," mutters Elias, desperately looking for a wound. There is nothing on the neck, but on the wrist of her left hand is an incision, made with a sharp knife. He swallows. "Calm yourself," says Arvan. "She will not rise as a vampire." Elias is worried about more than that. "Will she live?" he asks. Arvan shrugs. He thinks so. She has been drained of a dangerous amount of blood. There is a magick he can try, however.

Drawing upon the live energy of all the living creatures on the Enlightenment Arvan reaches out and snares the magical weave, bending it to his purpose. He has still not got used to the fact that he weave here is untainted. But the spell he casts, lesser restoration, has a sour feel to it. Arvan is holding the forces of life and death in his hands. It sickens him. An amber light is passed into Alessandre's body. When it is done Arvan shivers. "Not a nice spell," he comments to Elias.

As soon as the magic is cast, Elias can see some of the colour return to Alessandre's cheeks; her hand feels a little warmer. "She needs rest and warmth," says Arvan. "Her body has been through an ordeal. She may not wake up for many hours. Perhaps days." Elias fetches some blankets, he does not intend to leave her side until she awakens.

Terday, 23 Kindlesmoke 204

The crew of the ship now know to avoid the deck for half an hour at sunrise and sunset, for this is the time that Brack takes Shredder for a walk. Or rather Shredder takes Brack. The dwarf, often with his eyes closed or fixed to the deck of the ship, is dragged around and around the deck by the massive dog. Captain Grindel has not seen this sight yet, Madak hopes that he never does.

Nicos decides to while away his time, drinking beer and using his magical mirror to spy on people. He cannot resist using it to see what Rio is up to. He sees her alone on a forest track. She is holding a rapier in her hand, a man with a club is advancing upon her. Nicos is not worried. He is confident that Rio can handle such an opponent, especially when he catches sight of a second man dead on the ground. The fight lasts less than a minute before Rio skewers her opponent. She then searches the men's pockets. Nicos shrugs, it's what he would do. Then Rio looks up. A horse canters toward her. It is Drasha, she jumps off and reproves Rio. They argue. Then Rio climbs onto the horse with Drasha and the vision ends.

Then Nicos scries Vince Loire. Vince is in a huge congregation of fire clerics assembled outside in front of a raging fire. Before the fire is a raised platform and an old fire cleric seems to be calling out names. Seven others stand on the podium with him. Vince's name is called out. Vince stands and walks to the front. He stands there as another name is called and the assembled on the podium number nine. The same number as there should be fire-eyes, Nicos muses. Then the nine, including Vince, step into the roaring flame. Nicos blinks, as the fire transports Vince and the others to the interior of a huge chamber made from obsidian. The Firewalker, Tarrashar is there. The vision ends.

This really bothers Nicos. However, he presses on and scries Julian Maynard. The priest is standing at a barred window looking out on a desolate, volcanic terrain. He seems extremely troubled. He turns, obviously having heard something, and moves toward the door. Maynard seems puzzled. Suddenly the door is flung open. Sesnic Lodrath is standing there. This shocks Nicos. Lodrath? Lodrath disappeared with Boudewijn from the Grand Conflagration months ago! What's he doing with Maynard? The vision ends.

Nicos doesn't know what to think. He shrugs and concentrates on Boudewijn himself. This vision cheers him up no end. Boudewijn is stripped to the waist and at the bottom of a deep black pit. He is having the shit kicked out him by two ogres. Nicos watches with relish as they pummel Boudewijn into unconsciousness. The ogres then hand Boudewijn up to a healer, who restores him to health. The ex-Bombastic is then pushed back into the hole to be beaten all over again. Nicos sips his beer and recalls this vision again and again.

Eventually he goes to seek out Elias. He tells them off his visions. Nicos only thinks afterward that it might have been impolitic reminding Elias of Drasha while he is holding Alessandre's hand and willing her back to health. Nicos shows Elias the vision of Boudewijn, but it fails to cheer him up. Nicos leaves Elias to his vigil over Alessandre. The bard sleeps all day and all evening. Elias begins to wonder if she will ever awake.

Zephday, 24 Kindlesmoke 204

Today is Arvan's birthday. Chronologically is 6 years old (24 seasons) today, although thanks to the bizarre time effects of the Great Dark he has actually lived 8½ years, and has the aches to feel it. The druid conceals the fact that it is his birthday from everyone else in the party.

Elias awakes stiffly in the chair. Alessandre's hand is still in his. The bard still hasn't stirred. Around lunch time, Elias goes out on deck for some air. He meet Nicos who is showing Elias his latest set of visions from the mirror. Elias sees Drasha for the first time in many days and sighs. Before Nicos mentioned her last night, all thoughts of Drasha had been forced from Elias's mind by the bard. He shakes his head wearily.

As luck would have it, this is the moment that Alessandre chooses to wake up. The first person she sees when she opens her eyes is Arvan. The druid tries to smile, but the task proves a little too much for him. "Arvan?" Alessandre says weakly. "You came back from the dead, right?" Arvan nods hesitantly. The bard smiles, obviously taking this as concrete proof that she herself isn't dead. She tries to sit up and then flops helplessly down on the pillows. "Where's Elias?" she asks. Arvan says that he will fetch him.

At Arvan's words Elias spins around and races back across the deck. He runs directly into Captain Grindel in his exuberance, but quickly dashes off before the captain can yell at him. Elias drops down the ladder and runs into the room. Alessandre raises an eyebrow as he enters, as if to say 'What took you so long?' Elias dashes over to the bed and puts his arm around her. "I'm sorry," he says. She looks at him quizzically. "What for? There's nothing for you to be sorry about."

Alessandre weakly returns his embrace. Elias asks her what happened, and she explains that the vampire demanded payment from her. "Almost like rent for staying in his luxury crypt," she smiles. "He wanted blood. I thought, well I've never been drained by a vampire before, it could be fun." Alessandre's eyes do not match the mirth of her words. She is making light of a situation that obviously terrified her.

Elias sits with Alessandre for the rest of the day. Mostly she sleeps and he watches. When darkness comes, he is completely exhausted and limps off to bed. At midnight, Elias is awoken by a faint knocking at his cabin door. He opens it and finds Alessandre standing there, naked apart from the bed sheets wrapped around her. No words need to pass between them. Elias steps back to allow Alessandre to enter. He closes the door quietly behind her.

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