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

Vítday, 29 Gathering 204

As the ship continues toward Hadras and most of the crew are gawking at the land to the west of them, Elias has got to thinking about Alessandre. He has no great desire to speak of Drasha, but every time he gets vaguely near mentioning his wife to Alessandre the bard skilfully changes the subject. So skilfully in actual fact that after several weeks on The Enlightenment that he has only just noticed.

And so it is that in the morning of the day that they arrive in Hadras, Elias corners Alessandre in their cabin and asks her the question that has been niggling at him weeks. "Before we left Umbria, what was you said to Drasha?" – Alessandre looks at him ruefully and then sighs. "It was nothing important, Elias. Do you think Hadala Klazid will have any news of Mortimer and Nosuch? They've been missing for so long."

"Alessandre," Elias says calmly removing the bard's shoes. "I want an answer." – "I don't want to tell you," she says flatly. "You're better off not knowing. Now give me my shoes." Elias hangs onto the shoes, "I need to know." – "No you don't need to know! I promised Drasha that you wouldn't find out." Elias leans against the door, trapping Alessandre. "We're not leaving here until you tell me."

Alessandre sighs and sits down on the bed. "It was just a quiet discussion," she says, "there were a few things I thought Drasha ought to know and so I told her." – "What things?" – "I may have intimated that I didn't think she loved you." Elias shakes his head. "That was beneath you, Alessandre." The bard leaps to her feet, "It's true, Elias! She's not in love with you, she's in love with Umbria. You can't blame her, she's lived in the place for eleven seasons, its her home…. but she just sees being your wife as a means to remain baroness. I'm not saying she's not your friend, but she doesn't deserve to be your wife."

Elias says that she is wrong. Drasha would never behave in such a way. Alessandre is a little upset that Elias continues to have such a high opinion of his wife when compared to her. "If she loved you, why didn't she accept the ring?" That stops Elias. Why did Drasha refuse him? Alessandre comes close to Elias and takes his hand. "I didn't want to tell you this. I knew it would hurt you." Elias dismisses it. He forgets things so readily that he will have forgotten all about it soon.

Around lunchtime a cry from the deck gets all of the Chosen up and active. Huge peninsulas are now on either side of the vessel, coming together at the party's destination. Crowding onto the focsel with the first mate, the Chosen strain to get a glimpse of the city. A place that may hold the answers to very many secrets.

"Behold! Hadras," says Madak cheerfully. Before the ship is an enormous city. Enormous. Huge golden domes and spires from ten thousand building reach towards the sky. The city rises from the ground in five huge tiers, like a great stone wedding cake. Each tier is bordered by a huge wall of white stone. On the top-most tier is a huge building of columns, and archways. There is a faint familiarity in the design, and the Chosen are reminded of the Royal Palace in Uris, but this is much, much grander and significantly larger. "It is the seat of the emperor," Madak says. He was right when he said all of Uris could fit in the grounds of the Emperor's Palace. Under the rays of the strong Hadradan sun the city seems to glow. No wonder the Hadradans call this place The City of the Sun. There is so much lustre on the roofs of the buildings that it does seem to shine with a golden light. The closer the ship gets the bigger Hadras looks. The city must be at least thirty times the size of Uris. Staggering.

An enormous river, perhaps two mile wide, lazes its way around the city and into the estuary. Along the eastern and western shores are numerous harbours. Slowly The Enlightenment heads towards the docks. The crew are pleased that their journey is over. They will be remaining in Hadras throughout the storm season. This does not displease the crew, all are visibly excited at the thought of Hadradan women. The docks are at the foot of a large hill, several hundred yards from the gates that lead into the first tier of the city. A community of buildings have appeared to fill this gap. The entire community, and the docks are surrounded by a further wall, that extends out along the perimeter onto the headlands to the left and right. Guard towers are here, and on rocky islands all across the bay and the river. By the looks of it, huge chains can be winched up cutting off the harbour from the outside. Flowing under that wall and into the sea at this point are several large canals, presumably constructed to stop the city from flooding. More than three-hundred ocean-going vessels are using the western docks, completely dwarfing the importance of Sorgar. Soldiers and guards can be seen patrolling the walls. From The Enlightenment, Hadras does not look like the centre of an empire in decline. Far from it.

Gravity-fed aqueducts, and pipes carry water from the rivers into the city. In the small 'town' in front of Hadras is a clock tower as large as the one in Uris. Hadras is advanced, it is well defended and it is populous. The Chosen think of their histories, and how it was sacked 200 years ago. How powerful did a force have to be to take a city such as this?

Within minutes of the vessel heaving-to the Chosen, Alessandre and Professor Wilf Zipweed Wunderflaps are on the gangway. Madak catches Elias's shoulder as he moves to leave. "You seen like a good man, so let me give you a little advice," the first mate beams. "Keep that ring hidden. Wearing it openly will bring you nothing but trouble in this place." Elias nods. "Seek out the harbourmaster, Annanikas. He will be able to help you find what you are looking for."

Captain Grindel comes onto the deck and regards his departing passengers. He wishes them well, and perhaps he means it. The docks of Hadras are a hundred times busier than even Uris. Ships from foreign lands, men and women of peculiar hue, shouts and smells of alien origin…. it is all here. Crowding their way down the wharf, Professor Wilf bemoans the fact that he cannot find a gyroship among the dozens of vessels lining their path. Ravenna is more concerned that they cannot find the harbourmaster.

Despite warnings that the Hadradans did not take kindly to non-human races no-one is giving Arvan or Brack a second glance. Eventually they stop and ask directions of a large bare-chested man pulling a barrow filled with strange fruit. He looks oddly at Ravenna as she tries to speak to him in True Hadradan. Obviously the language has gone through a slight metamorphosis in the last 200 years. However, she can make herself understood and the man kindly gives her complicated directions to find the harbourmaster. She thanks him and the group presses on into the crowds.

It takes nearly half and hour of wandering through the docks before they come across the blue-painted building the sailor sent them to. On a small plaque next to the door they read the name "Annanikas". Relieved they enter. Inside, the room is small, no more than ten feet to a side. On one side is a counter. Once they have all crowded in a man enters from a door behind the counter. He is well dressed in robes of white and gold. His nose is large, his skin the colour of tanned leather and his beard neatly trimmed. He flashes them a brilliant white smile, and asks how he can serve them.

"We are looking for a man called Hadala Klazid," says Ravenna very slowly. "You are from very foreign climbs, am I right?" asks Annanikas. "It is not often that we have visitors from as far as Barbrasa. Here, let me get you a drink. He returns with several glasses and a bottle of a strange viscous liquid. He pours drinks for the party and for himself. Ravenna refuses a drink so Nicos takes two. It is not alcoholic but is extremely sweet and oddly refreshing; it has consistency of honey and citrus flavour. "Now, where were we? Oh, yes. Hadala Klazid. You must mean the Malik, yes?"

Annanikas explains that a malik is a nobleman, a lord in their terms. Klazid is quite well known and keeps an estate in the second tier of the city. He can give the party directions, but it will be a long hard walk to get there. Ravenna asks if they need any special identification, but Annanikas shakes his head. "You will find this a very open city. Everyone will be pleased to see you. Annanikas gives them directions, happy to render any assistance he can, and asking nothing in return.

When he has finished Professor Wilf asks if he knows of any ships bound for Hadras. Annanikas says "Not at present my friend, but there are many other members of your kind in the city at the moment searching for exactly the same things as you." Wilf is very excited to meet more gnomes. He suspects that between them they can build a gyroship and be back at Walhoon in a fortnight. Annanikas says that he will show Wilf the hostel where his fellow gnomes are staying. The party give Wilf a fond farewell. He has been with them for nearly five weeks, after all. And thus, armed with directions they head off into the city.

It takes almost two hours to reach the gate to the first tier, but when they do they find it open with no-one to challenge them. Brack believes that he can remember Annanikas's instructions and heads into the crowds. On every corner there are a hundred things that make them stop and gawk. Alessandre's eyes are as big as plates by the time they have gone twelve yards. There are hawkers selling strange wears, entertainers and even a newspaper vendor. Ravenna buys a paper. Chariots clatter down the paved streets, balladeers can be heard singing from buildings and all around them is the crush of humanity. Occasionally they get some curious looks, mainly from children, but there is no overt hostility toward them.

As they travel they pass many buildings that they take as churches. They are huge cylindrical buildings with vast golden domes. At the top of the dome is a post on which is set a golden sun. The larger temples are surrounded by four thin towers. Each tower houses one bell. These are sounded on the hour. They are not all in sync and each hour is heralded by about ten minutes of cacophony. The Hadradans don't seem to mind this.

As time drags on and the sun gets lower in the sky, they begin to fear they are lost. By now they are in the third tier. The buildings and the streets seem to become more opulent on each successive level. There is little in Norandor to match the third tier and there are still two more tiers to go! Arvan is keeping an eye out for local wildlife and sees, what he thinks is a six-legged house cat as it leaps the wall of an enclosed garden. At this point they catch sight of something rather worrying bobbing through the crowds toward them. Eleven men in burnished armour, wearing purple capes and brandishing the sign of the purple dragon at their breast. One of the soldiers, who seems to be their commander, strides toward the party. Raza tries to slip away into the crowd, but finds one of the troops blocking his path.

"Good day," says the soldier, giving Brack and Arvan a slightly longer glance than the others. "May I see your papers please?" Ravenna explains that they have no papers. They spoke to the harbourmaster who said that they didn't need them, and that they are on their way to see Malik Hadala Klazid. This gives the man pause. "Is the malik expecting you?" Ravenna has to confess that he isn't, although he extended an invitation to them when they were in Hadras. "I see," says the soldier thoughtfully. "You will understand that I cannot allow you free reign in this area of the city. The malik will speak for you?" Ravenna says that he will. "Then follow me."

The soldiers escort the Chosen into the second tier of the city. The only thing about them now is the palace of the Hadradan Emperor. The soldiers do not make conversation with their charges. One refers to the leader as Decurian Yassaf, but his name is not directly revealed to the party. Yassaf does not seem eager to arrest the party, or to prove them liars, he seems to be genuinely seeking the truth. The Hadradans are an odd people, and not at all what Ravenna expected.

The decurian and his force stops at a wall of white stone, encased in marble and protected from the worse of the Hadradan weather by an ornate overhang. The wall runs several hundred yards to the left and right. From this angle, and because of the other buildings that crowd around, it is difficult to see what is the other side of the wall. At least one gilded done is visible, as well as two large towers.

There is a wide arched gateway in the wall to the left. The gates are open and a stream of wagons packed full of boxes is entering, another stream of empty wagons is leaving. The wagons are not pulled by horses but by odd, pony-sized creatures that Arvan recognises as camels, although they are much smaller than the creatures found in the deserts of Junos. Yassaf commands the party to wait and walks over to a man. The man is stripped to the waist. He wears a pair of elegantly embroidered white trousers and a cloth of the same material is tied around his head. As Yassaf approaches the man adopts a penitent stance and averts his gaze. After a moment, the man walks through the gateway and Yassaf returns to the party.

"We will wait with you here," says the decurian. "One of the slaves has gone to summon Malik Hadala." After a few moments, the slave returns led by a small man of sandy complexion. He is middle-aged with dark hair and a perfectly trimmed beard. He is dressed in expensive robes, but the sleeves are rolled up and he seems flustered, as if he is annoyed at being interrupted from something important.

"That's our man," Alessandre whispers to Elias. Hadala Klazid vents his annoyance at his slave and then at the decurian. "I hope you have a good reason for this, decurian. My daughter marries in the morrow and I would not be distracted from the preparations." However, then he sees Alessandre and his demeanour changes greatly. "My dear! My dear girl, you have come!" he races over to her. Alessandre smiles at taking centre stage. "Oh my!" says Klazid, "and these are….." – "The Chosen of Narramac," says Alessandre. She then proceeds to introduce each of them to Klazid by name.

"I prostrate myself before your greatness," he says. "Forgive my brusque manner before. You are the most honoured guests." He takes Alessandre and Ravenna's hands in turn and kisses them gently. Then he turns to Elias. "And you are blessed to be travelling with two such beautiful ladies." Ravenna and Alessandre make the necessary polite noises. "And you are Elias. That is a good Hadradan name. The greatest prophet was named Elyas."

The decurian shakes his head slowly, and Klazid realises he is there for the first time. As Klazid evidently knows these people and can vouch for them, Yassaf leads his men back into the lower tiers of the city.

Klazid quick ushers the party inside. They are led into a vast court yard surrounded on three sides by a two storey building of balconies and balustrades. Several towers rise from it, one with a large gilded dome. In the centre of the courtyard is another domed structure that looks much like a miniature temple, except it is not bordered by the four bell towers. All around them are bare-chested slaves carrying bunting and tables, streamers and gifts to their appointed place. Many of the servants are women, who seem to show no embarrassment are baring themselves in such a manner.

Nicos looks around open mouthed. "We have got to move here," he says. Elias can only nod mutely. All the barechested individuals lower their eyes when Klazid passes. Evidently they are his slaves. Klazid has no time for discussing such matters, however. He is incredibly excited that the party are here. It is all he can do to stop himself reaching out and touching the swords. But he says he must be strong. Lowering his voice he says:

"We cannot discuss the Blades of Virtue now. We must speak of evil things, utter names that are not meant to be uttered. This is a joyous time, my little Serinya is marrying. This is not the moment. The wedding is tomorrow. We will speak of this the following day, on Ekamon'cin. In the meantime you must relax. I will personally show you to your quarters. Tomorrow you will be honoured guests at my daughter's wedding."

Klazid leads them up a flight of stairs and along a balcony. It is here that Alessandre skips forward and asks Hadala whether there is any news of her friends, Mortimer and Nosuch. "Ah yes," says Klazid, "Do not worry yourself. I found where they were being held and purchased them immediately. I freed them of course. They are on my staff. Perhaps you will meet them later today."

At a wooden door Klazid pauses. A large, bald, bare-chested man is waiting there. "Ah," says the Malik. "I will leave you in very capable hands. This is Bron. He is of great help to me in all things. He will see to your needs. We will have dinner together this evening. But now I have to go to get things ready for the wedding! Peace my friends, we will talk soon."

Bron opens the door and leads them into quarters that make the White Suite look like a doss-house. Nicos shakes his head, "He's going to die. He's going to die before he can tell us anything. They always do." Ravenna runs off after Klazid and asks if she can stay with him, saying that he could be in some danger. Klazid laughs this off. "Who could possibly want to harm me?" says the kindly nobleman. Ravenna returns disheartened. "He's going to die," she says.

The party rest and are bathed by a number of comely slaves. Elias is quite enjoying his bath at the hands of two bare-chested Hadradan women when he realises that two handsome men are doing the same favour for Alessandre. Ravenna has Bron summon a hairdresser. She is going to cut her hair short. Nicos comments that this is the crowning move in an elaborate plan Ravenna hatched more than a season ago to get all women at court to ruin their hair by aping Ravenna's previous mad style. Then, the cleric continues, she is going to return with a perfectly respectable hair-cut and rub their noses in it. Ravenna doesn't dispute this theory. Nicos too decides that it is time for a new look. He thinks a wild beard and dreadlocks are definitely the way to go. Within three hours, a partially transformed group, are washed, clipped, dressed and descending to dinner with Hadala Klazid.

Amazingly, their host has not been brutally murdered in the intervening time. He is sitting at an elegant table with his daughter and several other women. Also present are Mortimer and Nosuch. At the sight of Alessandre, Mortimer leaps up and rushes toward her. She hugs him tightly. The insecure wizard babbles that he had thought they would never see her again. Nosuch says little, and simply farts outrageously as is his wont. Mortimer evidently still has feelings for Alessandre, but the bard pretends not to notice and gently manoeuvres him back to his seat.

Soon they are deep in conversation about the Hadradan religion, its customs and the forthcoming wedding. Elias wants to know what they can expect from the wedding and Klazid fills them in on the matter. He is very excited that his daughter is to marry Azman Allendros. Azman's father is second cousin to the emperor himself and comes from a very rich and important family.

The wedding will be a long ceremony, taking the entire day. It follows the Elyastic tradition. Everyone is dressed in brilliant white and the bride's family hosts and pays for the wedding. At dawn the bride and her family go to the temple and pray for the entire morning. They are asking for God's blessing. The groom and his family will be doing the same at their local temple. The priest arrives for lunch and is given a banquet. He is Father Onihma. He is also an orthodox Elyassinite which means he doesn't cut his finger nails. He has to be aided by his assistant Minwé.

The ceremony will take place at two of the clock. The groom's family arrive an hour before hand, and take their places in Klazid's temple. Ten minutes before two the bride's family arrive. Serinya will then be led into the temple by her mother, Darrasít, at the pointed time. Both Serinya and Azman Allendros will be bare-chested and wearing nothing by voluminous white trousers. They appearance as slaves is symbolic of the fact that they are forever slaves to each other. There is no divorce in Hadradan culture, but as you can take as many partners as you like and ignore as many partners as you like, this isn't much of a problem.

Serinya, Azman and the priest will stand at the centre of the temple surrounded by families of the bride and groom. Both families are integrated, showing the union between them. The priest then takes an ornate bracelet and cuffs the partners together for the duration of the service. It is a golden bracelet connected by a small chain. Then there is much chanting, and singing in an ancient form of Hadradan that even those who speak Hadradan will have difficulty in understanding. No vows are given between the couple. The vows are implicit in the ceremony itself. The priest then snaps the chain. The bracelets are like wedding rings and remain on the wrists of the partners. The pair are then married.

Then the entire thing degenerates into a party of biblical proportions. The wine flows, everyone dances and celebrates. The party continues until the father of the groom retires. Klazid bemoans this isn't likely to be early. Sometimes the son-in-law moves in with the his wife's father, but in this case Serinya is to go and live with Azman and his family. Klazid looks across the table at his daughter a little misty-eyed. She smiles back at him.

"This will be difficult on my daughter as it is her first wedding," smiles Klazid. "Her first wedding?" asks Elias. "Of course," says the Malik. "Oh, I recall. Things are very different in Barbrasa. The children of God may marry as frequently or infrequently as they choose." He shakes his left arm and a number of wedding bracelets clatter together noisily. "I, myself, have seven wives." Klazid goes onto explain that men and women can take as many partners as they choose. There is nothing wrong with it as long as they are married. His wife Darrasít, herself has another three husbands. None of this seems particularly strange to Klazid. Nicos whispers to Elias that this could solve all his problems with Alessandre and Drasha. Elias nods saying that he would love to move to Hadras permanently. However, he has a feeling that getting Drasha to abandon her strict Justician faith and embrace Hadradanism might be asking a little too much.

The group asks about the slaves that Klazid keeps. Their host sighs. "Yes it is tragic. Thinking beings in enforced servitude. It is not something that sits well with our original beliefs, but evil takes many forms. I make sure that my slaves are well looked after and treated with respect, as I am sure Mortimer and Nosuch would agree." – "But why don't you do something about it?" asks Nicos. Hadala smiles wearily. "Emancipation would destroy what is left of the empire. The senate would never agree to it. Better for those of us who are good masters to protect the interests of the slaves that fall under our care. I could take up the cause, and speak out against slavery, but I all ready have a cause. And it is significantly more important than the rights of slaves." There is little argument with that.

Conversation turns to Hadradanism itself and Klazid speaks a little of the history of the empire and the religion; of Elyassism, Vandanism and Timinism and all the matters inbetween. He is Elyastic, the most ancient of the Hadradan sects, named after the prophet Elyas. He smiles at Elias as he says this. Elias asks if he can be present at the ceremony tomorrow. "The whole ceremony?" asks Klazid incredulously. "It will be rather dull I am sure." Elias says that he definitely wants to be there. He later tells Nicos that he wants a word with this Father Onihma regarding Elyastic beliefs…. and marriage.

Elias asks Klazid if there are any books on the history of the empire or Elyassism that he could have a look at. Ravenna asks if there is such a think as a map of the world. Klazid nods and says that Bron can provide the party with all these things. Then they turn to the serious business of desert, where the party are introduced to strange and varied confections. Ravenna is delighted to discover chocolate, although Elias isn't convinced as he fills his mouth with sherbet. After dinner the talk continues. One of those six-legged cats leaps up into Klazid's lap much to the surprise of Arvan. Klazid said that the animal is Azza, his house pet. His kind are apparently common this side of the vast ocean, while four-legged cats are a rarity.

Eventually they retire to bed. Alessandre goes to some lengths to avoid displaying any open affection with Elias in front of Mortimer. It has been a long and trying day and they are soon asleep – except for Snowy. She sits outside Hadala Klazid's bedroom door. Ravenna is still convinced the malik will be knifed before he can reveal what the Blades of Virtue are capable of.

Terday, 30 Gathering 204

In the morning the members of the party poor through the books Bron has provided. Elias looks at the Thirteen Laws of Elyas and realises that everything is finally coming together for him. He has felt the call of paladinhood for many months now, and Elyassism seems to be a religion he can get behind. He underlines all of the thirteen laws that he has broken and sighs. It would have been quicker to underline the ones he had kept.

Ravenna is fascinated by the map. It is, of course, just a map of the northern world. Urova is revealed as one of many continents in a gigantic hemisphere. Directly south of Tibrai is another continent almost as large as the fractured land. Hadrada is to the east, and north of that is the land of Vikallia. South of Hadrada are many islands called the Isles of Lareth. Far to the west beyond Hadrada is the land of the Érewhoi. A people the Hadradans tried to conquer in the past but were forced to abandon when they had to defend their own lands.

The history of the empire is as long as it is fascinating. After Elyas led them from enslavement under the Vikallians 1325 years ago, the prophet Vanda changed the Thirteen Laws of Elyas and the Vandanian faith replaced the Elyastic one. The Vandanians were crusaders and conquerors, wanting to rule the world in the name of God. They also frowned on all non-human life. They exterminated the dwarves who lived in the Black Hills and all non-human races in Hadrada fled south to the Isles of Lareth. The Isles themselves were later conquered by Hadradan troops and used as interment camps where they sent all non-humans they could find. They conquered all of Urova (except for Maldomoor and the Pits of Walhoon), they began to conquer the Érewhoi. They almost wiped out the Vikallians, and they bit off more than they could chew when they went south of the Girdle and stirred up the Mennonites. A few years before the Coming of the Gods, the Mennonites descended on Hadras and laid siege to it, destroying everything they found. It took two years for the Hadradans to drive them off, and only then by pulling back troops from all their conquered lands and subsequently losing the Empire. The Elyassanites returned in those dark days, hardened by their exile centuries before. They pursued the Mennonites south when they retreated and were (unsurprisingly) never seen again. The defeat of the Mennonites was also the defeat of Vandanism. A new religion, Timinism took off. A far more gentle and tolerant religion. That is why Elyassanites like Klazid are now tolerated in Hadradan society.

Ravenna wants to find out more about the Érewhoi, but it is time for the wedding. Elias has all ready been there for several hours. Ravenna, Arvan, Brack, Alessandre, Raza and Nicos join the wedding of Hadala Klazid's daughter to discover that it pans out almost exactly as the noble said it would.

Ravenna uses her magic to comprehend the ancient form of Hadradan being spoken in the wedding ceremony. I was not really worth hearing, an ancient appeal to God to protect Azman and Serinya from harm, and to recognise their love, repeated over and over again. When the ceremony is finally over and the party begins.

Elias corners Father Onihma at the buffet, as the orthodox Elyassanite is trying to skewer some vol-au-vents with his unfeasibly long finger nails. Elias explains his situation, as best he can in five minutes. He says that he has been reading up on Hadradanism and finds it appealing. Onihma is quick to point out that only Elyassism is really worth following. As to any problems arising from Alessandre and Drasha, "Marry them both," is the priest's words of wisdom.

The party goes on long into the evening. Serinya and Azman are the centres of attention. Alessandre dances with Mortimer who seems rather put out when Elias intercedes. Is in the small hours that Azman's father is carried off the premises and the wedding celebration finally ceases. It is with anticipation that the party retires. For tomorrow Hadala Klazid has promised to tell them everything he knows about the Blades of Virtue. "If he lives that long," says Ravenna.

Zephday, 31 Gathering 204

Despite the party, the group awake early today. Hadala Klazid has promised to tell them everything he knows about the Blades of Virtue! However, nothing happens early in Hadrada and it is not until after lunch that the Chosen and Alessandre are beckoned to follow a bare-chested slave.

They are led by the servant along a white walled terrace, overlooking the gardens where the strange Hadradan wedding ceremony took place just yesterday. Stepping off the terrace, they climb wide marble steps that wind around the outside of a squat, domed tower. The steps lead to a small, covered entrance way that terminates in a large bejewelled door, worked in opals and alabaster. The servant walks to the door, thumps twice with a huge metal knocker in the shape of dragon, and enters.

The door leads to a single, vast room. Four enormous arched windows, each thirty feet high dominate the four walls. The room is filled with books, scrolls and papers. Rows of bookshelves stand neatly in the centre of the room, shelves line the walls rising upwards through two galleries to the domed ceiling. On the ceiling is a vast fresco that shows seven warriors clad in amour of shining silver facing a legion of horrors. They are each wielding longswords. A pure light is shining from the swords; it takes only a moment to recognise them as the Blades of Virtue. On the wall opposite the door is gigantic oil painting, twice the height of a man, showing seven dwarven smiths at work in their forge. As they are taking all this in, the servant walks forward and addresses her master who has risen from a antique chair to greet them. "The Chosen of Glyphmir, Master," she says. Glyphmir – how many names does Narramac have? Klazid nods and dismisses the servant with a glance. He smiles and walks toward the party.

"Welcome my friends, welcome. Welcome to my humble retreat from the world. You are standing in the greatest repository of lore on the Blades of Virtue to be found anywhere in the northern world. It is the work of three generations of Klazids." He gestures to small portraits of two other men. "My grandfather, my father and myself. Even the great wizard Glyphmir once consulted the tomes here. Please sit and be at your ease. We have very much to discuss. You must forgive that I seem to have delayed this matter for so long, but evil words are to be spoken in this house that do not sit well with the blessing of my daughter's future happiness."

The party notice that Bron is present in the room. "Fear not," says Klazid. "Bron is more than a slave. He has no small skill in wizardry himself, and is a formidable loremaster. He has my complete trust." The poe-faced Bron doesn't look at all bothered whether he has Klazid's complete trust or not. He eyes the party thoughtfully.

Klazid on the other hand is jumping from foot to foot. He looks like a child in a toy shop. "Can I see them?" he asks humbly. "Of course," says Nicos and hands Klazid the Blade of Faith. Klazid holds it in his hands as if it is a new-born baby. "In all my days I never expected – never thought that I would have the chance to hold it. It is a thing of beauty." As he looks up there are tears in his eyes. "Thank you! Oh, thank you all." He runs his hand over the hilt. "Ancient Larethian," he says tracing the runes. "The highest aspiration of the soul. Amazing."

Klazid shakes his head as if snapping himself out of a daze. He hands Nicos the sword and capers toward the door. Wrenching it open suspiciously he looks out. "I am a fool," he says. "We could have been heard." He closes the bejewelled door and, taking a large key from his belt, locks it securely. The party hear several bolts slide smoothly into place. Those with magical aptitude feel a shudder in the Weave as this happens. "This room is warded against detection," Klazid explains.

As Klazid turns back to the party, the tension rises. Are they actually going to get some answers? Their host says: "I thought I would begin by outlining he history of the Blades. I have managed to piece together a great deal from my library." Elias asks, "Where did the library come from?" Klazid smiles. "It was compiled by my grandfather, my father and myself. I know certain individuals who have a knack for acquiring things." Elias then gets elbowed in the stomach by Ravenna for slowing Klazid down. They wait attentively and the man speaks.

"The story of the Blades of Virtue is the story of the Great War. A cataclysmic battle between the forces of Light and Evil that lasted for more than three-hundred years. How did it begin? Of all the books in this library, only a few tomes even hint at its origin. Perhaps only the elves themselves know the truth of this. The most reliable account comes from the journal of Morrigan, Grand Druid of the Order fourteen-hundred and fifty-four years ago. She dwelt in the Barbrasan land that is now called Eldagaire, and she had the privilege of being the first member of Mankind to encounter an elf. Not one elf, but many – a delegation of elves that had travelled from their great cities in the lands of the north and had come to the druids on the eve of their most desperate hour."

"The Order had long known of the presence of some great civilisation in northern Barbrasa. They had been in contact with the dwarven nations for many years and the dwarves had had their own dealings with the elves. Few of them very pleasant. But this was the Order's first meeting. The leader of the elven delegation was called Slovellis of the Lashanakiir. He spoke long with Morrigan and told her of a great evil rising in the south that would consume the northern world and all those who dwelt in it. A demon of undreamt power was rising in a place the elves called Thanassanoir, and we call The Great Dark. This devil was gathering to his banner all manner of fiendish entities from the stygian depths, and reaching out beyond his places of power to corrupt the hearts of Men. Slovellis offered Morrigan an alliance: elves and men together against the darkness. And Sloveliss gave the evil a name: Karatath."

The party shudder at the mention of the name. Klazid apologises. He says that he has never been fearful of uttering the name. In this place, warded from the outside, he believes it is save. And furthermore, he believes that the name must be spoken. They must know what it is they face. He continues:

"Did Karatath create The Great Dark, or was he created by it? The southern world is a place of dark and evil in the folklore of both our countries. Perhaps The Enemy's origins will never be properly explained. In the years that followed, the Order and the elves formed their mighty alliance against the forces of evil. These events took place one-hundred and twenty-nine years before the beginning of the Anurean Calendar. Elyas had not been born and the people who would be Chosen of God had not been freed from their bondage. The Vikallians gave grudgingly to the alliance at first, and then as their homes burned and their children died, they did their part. The dwarves of Barbrasa and those of the Black Hills in this land united against the evil. However, regardless of how many others the elves could rally, the plain fact was that they were losing."

"A decision was taken by the White Council, the elven ruling body, to use the skills of the alliance to forge weapons that would strike down their enemy. Where Karatath was corrupt, they would be pure; where he was darkness, they would be light. Fifty-eight years before our deliverance – 1179 PL by your reckoning – seven magical swords were made: the Blades of Virtue. One blade for each of the cardinal virtues that the alliance stood for – Faith, Fortitude, Charity, Temperance, Hope, Prudence and Justice. The swords were forged by the finest dwarven smiths: Makers, who believed that the divine hand of Moradin worked through them. They were enchanted by the Grey Princes – the foremost elven magic-weavers. And they were potent, by God they were potent."

"The blades were given to the seven greatest heroes of the age. Five of them elves, one a Man and one a dwarf. The dwarf was Rargos Stoneheart. He took the Blade of Fortitude. The Man was Lacenor, who gave up the mantle of Grand Druid to join the seven. He held the Blade of Temperance. Of the elves, Merissa carried the Blade of Hope; Deruwyn the Blade of Faith; Berethas the Blade of Charity; Olreth the Blade of Prudence. And finally there was Karduche. A holy warrior said to be descended from Corellon Latherian himself. Karduche was the leader and carried with him the hope of all the world. He held the Blade of Justice."

"For ten years the seven cut a swathe through the forces of evil. Lacenor's life was artificially extended by the Grey Princes, so he could continue to stand with his companions. But the Blades had a weakness. They could only be used at their full strength when the seven were together – within a radius of two-hundred feet. In the year 1169 PL, by your calendar, a great battle was fought on Belsinor's Girdle. The seven wielders of the Blades of Virtue finally drove Karatath's horde back to the southern world. They seemed victorious. But this was all part of the Enemy's evil plan. The war seemed over and for several months nothing was heard of the Enemy. The seven relaxed their guard, they returned to their families and, when separated, Karatath's forces struck at them. Without the others, each sword is little more than a magical trinket. None of the seven survived the assassinations. Not even the mighty Karduche, although he is said to have taken ninety pit fiends with him. The seven were killed, and worse, The Blades of Virtue were in the hands of The Enemy."

"This was the death-knell for the northern world. Their greatest weapon had gone. They fought on as best they could, but there seemed no hope. In the year 26 – 1095 PL – Karatath dealt his great blow. He struck against the seas of the northern world, destroying them utterly. Billions perished. A year later he marched his army north across dry sea floor. Hadrada was all but ignored. The bulk of the army turned to Barbrasa for it was the centre of elven power. It is my belief that Hadrada flourished and became the empire it was, because The Enemy did not visit his engines of destruction here. Of course, once Barbrasa had fallen he would have turned to Hadrada, but fortunately that never happened."

"The swords, could they have been to destroy the seas?" asks Nicos. Hadala looks at him gravely. "I have made the connection myself," he says. "Weapons with the power to level mountains and boil seas, the legends say. However, there is no record to suggest that Karatath was ever able to utilise the power of the blades. You must remember that these are weapons of Light. They will not function for an evil master. They cannot be tampered with."

"Narramac tampered with them," says Ravenna. "He changed them so they would accept us, and tried the same thing for Ellyboodle." – "Really?" asks Klazid, the narrative broken temporarily. "Show me?" The party hand him their swords and he passes them to Bron. "What can you tell us, Bron?"

Bron casts a few brief incantations over the hilts. He shrugs. "Odd. Some additional enchantments have been placed on the Blades. Something beyond what we know. It might take weeks to discover exactly what they are. Glyphmir's Chosen are right, Master Hadala. The swords have been altered, but we do not have the time to discover the exact nature of the change. It is probably as they said. To accept them as wielders."

"Why the hurry?" asks Nicos. "I will explain why time grows short," Klazid replies. "Where was I? Oh yes, imagine a world without seas. The weather in the northern world was changed utterly. Drought, terrible storms. Civilisation across the northern world was attacked and largely destroyed. In Hadrada, God protected us, in Barbrasa the elves and the Order fought a losing battle. Karatath's great army landed at many points along the coasts, but their main power base was located in a place named The Land of Sorrows. Today, the people of Barbrasa use the Elven name: Sorostrae."

"In any event, once Karatath had a foothold on Barbrasa it was only a matter of time before his final victory. The forces of light seemed to have nothing to fall back on. The forces in Sorostrae were commanded by three individuals of fantastic power. Little is known about them beyond their name: The Triumvirate; and they prepared the way for The Enemy himself. He would not walk the northern world until all resistance had been crushed under foot. Under the Triumvirate were seven Champions of the Dark One – corrupt warriors of evil. They carried the seven Blades of Virtue. Despite the fact that The Enemy could not utilise their powers – indeed, the Grey Princes had seen to it that no force could tamper with the blades – Karatath wanted to flaunt the elves' greatest failure in front of them. This proved to an error."

"In the year 54, or 1067 PL if you prefer, the forces of light struck in an unexpected attack and retook six of the seven blades of virtue. The Blade of Justice was not recovered. The other six blades were returned to the Grey Princes. They declared that the weapons, though powerful, could not be relied upon to defeat Karatath. Only all seven together had a hope of doing that, and without the seventh blade there was more danger in using them than in not using them. Many disagreed with this decision, but the decision stood. The Blades of Virtue played no further role in the Great War."

"The loss of six Blades was little more than an inconvenience to Karatath. The power of his army had not been diminished. All through Barbrasa Mankind turned to serve the Dark One. Not all humans turned to him, but most did. Some forces were sent from Vikallia to help in the fight, but they made little impression. To my shame, Hadrada did not move against the evil. Only one group, the Elyassanites, the founding fathers of our Church, saw that we must act. A force was sent, but they arrived too late to be devisive. The elves, the dwarves and the Order stood with little help. In 71 (1050 PL) the elven nation of Cyryth Allavorean was destroyed by the forces of darkness. All hope seemed lost."

"Amazingly, no records survive of Karatath's actual defeat. We know that it happened in 121 – 1000 PL. We know that Karatath and all his follows were returned to the Great Dark. We know that Karatath was imprisoned in the Aegis, that the Enceinte was built by the elves to keep the evil in. We know that the elves then departed this world – disgusted by their betrayal in the last years of the war. We know that their last act was to restore the seas to the northern world. We know all this, but we do not know how Karatath fell when he was a whisker from victory. Again that is a mystery only the elves can solve."

"Do you know what those column things are?" asks Nicos, demonstrating his secret obsession. "There are these ten great big stone columns in Norandor and Narramac said we would find out what they were when we found out what happened to Cyryth Allavorean." Hadala says that he doesn't know. Nicos beats his head against a table. "There is a poem, I found," says Klazid picking a scroll tube off a shelve. "It was written by an elven bard called Nallasean Etamyre. He was in Cyryth Allavorean when it fell. It is, however, incomplete."

Alessandre is interested. "Elven song?" she asks mistily. Klazid nods. "I have translated it as best I can, but I can do no real justice to the piece. It was originally written in a strange combination of Larethian and Sonorism – the Elven song magic."

"I know Sonorism!" exclaims Alessandre. "Well, I've never heard it sang, but I've heard of it. Not that the elves call it that, I'm sure. Sonorism is using song to manipulate the magical weave. It is like what I do, but so much more advanced. So much more beautiful! What I wouldn't give to hear it sung by an elf, Elias." Elias smiles at Alessandre's enthusiasm. "What does the poem say?" he asks Klazid. "I'm a poor orator," the Hadradan declares, "but I will read it for you."

Seven times the cry rose up,
Seven times the mountain shook,
Seven times did Mankind fail,
Seven times was he forsook

In elven city, light and fair,
With heavy heart and hands of care,
Blessed and cursed, both dwarf and elf,
United for all people's health.

In forges dark and halls of white,
They laboured long for what was right,
They battled hard, they must not fall,
The Blades of Virtue were for all.

Seven swords of power vast,
Made with wit, defied the past.
Into hands of strength and valour
We placed them in our darkest hour.

They faced the foe, put him to flight
Our champions of good and right,
Drove back the Dark that we abhor
Bathed in the light of Shallambor!

Yet victory was not as sweet
As hoped in home, in town, in street
For prophecy was not denied,
In all our hearts, the fault of pride.

When guards were down, when will was slack,
The darkness crept and crawled right back.
It struck with stealth it butchered kin,
It fractured bone, it rended skin.

It took the blades of light most fair
And hid them where no elf would dare
To venture. South by wounded wing,
The mouth of hell, perdition's sting.

"There is more of it," Klazid says, "but it has never been found." Elias begins to analyse the poem. In the light of Klazid's tale it is easy to see what Nallasean Etamyre was conveying. Ravenna then coughs abruptly. "Are we not forgetting something," she asks turning to Klazid. "You said the elves recovered six blades. Presumably the six we are holding. What happened to the seventh sword?"

"Of course," says Klazid. "The fate of the seventh sword was not known for many years. It was known that the elves took the six Blades recovered in 54 with them when they left, but as to the seventh….. The Blade of Justice remained in the hands of the dark and fell creature that served the Triumvirate in Sorostrae all those years ago. In truth I have been unwilling to tell you this." They now see that Klazid is looking at them with profound pity. "When Karatath was defeated, the creature and the Blade of Justice were imprisoned in the Great Dark. They remain there to this day."

Nicos swears. Ravenna swears. Brack holds his axe in anticipation. Elias thinks first of Alessandre's safety, then his own. Raza is resigned to their mission. Arvan sighs. The Great Dark He only seems to have left the place, and now he needs to go back in. He will return. He will see this Karatath destroyed for all the pain it has caused. It is Arvan who comes to his senses first, and Arvan who asks the questions that need to be asked. "Who holds the seventh sword?" he says slowly.

Klazid says, "It was my father, El Darrín, who determined where the Blade of Justice must be. He, like I, was a practitioner of Elyassism. He believed in the original teachings of God: that we each have a responsibility to do good in our lives. He commissioned a group to enter the Great Dark and find news of the Blade of Justice. Only one member of the expedition returned to the northern world. He arrived on Belsinor's Girdle on 17 Thaldrin 1319 – two years and a half years after he set out – and died the same evening. His group had discovered the wielder of the seventh sword. A being of great power, known to the denizens of the Dark as The Prince."

Arvan closes his eyes. As Klazid begins to talk of The Prince, Arvan interrupts him. "I know of The Prince," he says. "I have seen him." Klazid is shocked. "How can you have?" – "I have been to the Great Dark," Arvan explains. "I spent ten seasons in that place. I remember the day I saw the Prince as though it was yesterday. There was a village. Something or someone there had obviously displeases the Prince, and so he came. A creature of darkness. A giant standing more that twenty feet in height. He looks like a great shadow in the shape of a man. He wears a crown of black metal. At his command any army of those creatures we met at Caled Castle descended on the town like a tide. When they passed the village had been scoured everyone was dead."

"So who is the Prince?" Raza asks. "He is a servant of Karatath – perhaps the greatest and most powerful servant in the Great Dark. He is supposed to rally the supplicants who pray night and day outside the Aegis, but it is said that he can be anywhere in the Great Dark in an instant."

"How do we kill him?" asks Ravenna. Arvan scoffs. "You do not. Even with the six swords, even knowing all them, we couldn't kill him." – "Maybe we don't have to," says Nicos, and voices the theory that they might be able to pinch the seventh sword when the Prince isn't looking. "If we go up against him, spells will be useless. Not that we will be casting them anyway in the Great Dark if we have any sense. Especially you, Ravenna. The Weave there destroys wizards and sorcerers very quickly."

It is obvious that Arvan's expertise is going to be invaluable. Klazid is amazed that all of them – even Nicos – is willing to go through with this. But, how will they get to the Great Dark? "The only reliable way of doing such a thing is to cross through one of the seven Gates of Perdition," says Klazid. "It is a long and dangerous journey from here. You must cross the ocean and the Girdle. You must head south through the Land of Mennonites, through the Vast Wastes and then you will have the dangers of the guardians of the Gates to contend with."

Nicos shakes his head. "And how do we get out again?" he asks. "I do not know. However, there are those that can help. It is my intention to send you south on one of my private vessels. On Belsinor's Girdle you will meet with a man called Nareem. He is a holy knight. The commander of a legion of holy knights – the last unpersecuted remnant of Elyastic belief. They take their responsibilities very seriously. They are the northern world's first line of defence. They guard the Girdle. They make sure no evil will pass. If any can help you get into and out of The Great Dark then it is they."

"Knights....." Elias muses, but is interrupted by Ravenna. "And once we are there, how do we find the Prince?" she asks. "You will not need to," says Klazid, "The Prince will find you. He will sense the other six swords and instinctively know where you are. I doubt you will have long to wait before he appears." Nicos mentions how 'super' such an event would be.

"I thought I would have to convince you to go," says Klazid. "We know our duty," says Raza portentiously. Klazid nods. "So, do you want to know what the swords actually do?" For a moment the group are snapped out of their despair by the rapid nodding of their heads.

Klazid reveals the powers of the Blades of Virtue. All seven function as one magical item. They are at their most powerful when they are close together. The more blades in range the more powerful they become. Each sword can shed light and is charged to defeat Karatath's minions. Each blade has a lesser power that is always active, a greater power that can be used a number of times per day depending upon the personal power of the wielder, and a transcendent power. The transcendent powers are the most powerful abilities the blades have to offer. These can only be used when all seven swords are within range, and then only once per day. When all seven swords are brought together then can unleash The Breath of Virtue. This is a beam of holy energy, and is the weapon that can "level mountains" and "boil seas."

The missing blade is the Blade of Justice – "To Give with No Thought of Reward." The wielder can sense guilt as a paladin senses evil. The greater powers make it impossible for anyone to utter a falsehood around the wielder and it compels criminals to mend their ways. The transcendent power turns evil thoughts and actions back against their initiators.

Elias's blade is the Blade of Prudence – "Soul of Caution, Sage of Wisdom." It enhances Elias's willpower and gives him good advice from time to time. It all so gifts him with a sixth sense that warns against danger. The transcendent power lets Elias look into the future and foretell the consequences of actions.

Arvan's blade is the Blade of Hope – "The Light that Shines in the Darkness." It makes Arvan an inspirational leader. It gives the power to inspire others, and can give the corrupt the chance to repent their evil ways. The transcendent power can turn the tide of any confrontation for it creates a miracle. It can only do so, however, when all hope is lost.

Raza's blade is the Blade of Temperance – "Resistance, Integrity and the Power of Thought." It gives Raza an indomitable. He can resist all temptations, and he can pass that resistance onto others. It also enables him to heighten the resistance or others to mind affecting magic and make Raza himself immune. The transcendent power allows Raza to be invincible to a particular condition.

Ravenna's blade is the Blade of Charity – "To Give with no Thought of Reward." It makes Ravenna a guardian angel, able to tell if her friends are in danger. It also gives her the means to control her own luck, and to take the ailments, wounds and danger of others onto herself. The transcendent power sends the mind into its own personal heaven, where it might remain indefinitely.

Brack's blade is the Blade of Fortitude – "Unfailing in the Face of The Enemy." It grants Brack fantastic endurance and an immunity to all natural diseases. He can instantly restore any target, including himself, to full health. The transcendent power turns Brack into a war machine effectively immune to all energy, magic and material weapons.

Nicos's blade is the Blade of Faith – "The Highest Aspiration of the Soul." It enhances his link to Calafax, increasing the power of spellcasting. It shows Nicos that faith can move mountains – if Nicos believes it is true, then it is true. Nicos can also surround himself with an aura of holy energy. The transcendent power can turn Nicos into a demigod, granting him omnipotence, omnipresence and omniscience as well as enabling him to grant spells to the other wielders.

The powers of the blades have not been underestimated, but their flaws are obvious. If the blades are more than a few hundred feet apart they no longer resonate. Any transcendent powers that were functioning cease, and cannot be used until the following day. "We'll learn from the mistakes of the last wielders," says Ravenna. "We won't split up. We'll stay together for as long as it takes."

Raza, who now finally understands how his sword works, thinks of one other thing they have not asked Klazid. "Have you heard of someone called Mínaris?" he asks. Klazid glances at Bron who shrugs. "Mínaris, Mínaris…. no I don't think so. Why do you ask?" The party tell Klazid all there is to tell about the dark sorcerer. Their host winces.

"You should speak with Glyphmir, he would know." Nicos snorts, "He's dead. I bet he's dead." Ravenna adds that Narramac probably wouldn't help them anyway. Klazid nods. "That sounds like Glyphmir," he says. "There is one thing though," he pulls a thick tome off a shelf and begins to flip through it. "The gem set into this Mínaris's hand. It reminds me of something."

The book is on the dark artefacts employed by Karatath during the Great War. On one page is the image of a withered, leathery hand, with a dark gem set into the palm. The text is in an ancient language that Klazid translates. "The gem is supposed to magnify the magical power of the host one hundred fold." Nicos whistles. No wonder they had no hope against Mínaris is Sorgar. "We can't beat him," says the cleric. "You're right," says Ravenna. "We can't beat him, not until we find the seventh sword. When all seven are together we'll see how strong Mínaris is."

Klazid is anxious to move matters along. But the questions keep coming. Raza finds the flower that Ishara gave him weeks previously. Before they depart he wants Klazid to have it identified. Klazid agrees and passes it to Bron. The monk also gives their host the eyes and teeth of the sea serpent from the atoll to see if they can get some money for them. Raza is a constant amazement to everyone.

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