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

Sharday, 12 Late Harvest 204

The day dawns bright, clear and heavy with tropical heat. Shortly after their breakfast the Chosen of Narramac are informed that the Assembly has reconvened. The verdict has been reached and they are summoned to hear it.

Ravenna, Elias, Nicos, Raza, Arvan, Brack and Alessandre soon find themselves at the centre of the ring and surrounded by the Council of Fourteen, the Elyastic Elders, the Cadre and Lord Marshal Nareem. Through the northern window the life-giving light of a summer sun illuminates the proceedings; through the southern window lights flare and crackle to time with the malevolent storm.

The Chosen wait for Nareem to speak, but it is powerful magus Tollomor whose voice is first heard. "The decision of this assembly hangs on your answer to this question. It is important you answer me truthfully and fully. We will know if you attempt to dissemble."

Ravenna scowls. She has built up quite a dislike of Tollomor in the two hours she has known him.

"How do you intend to escape the Great Dark?" Tollomor asks. "Even if you can recover the seventh Blade of Virtue, your entire quest hangs on your ability to return it to the northern world. Our decision, therefore, rests on whether we think you have the means. You," he addresses Ravenna directly, "have already told us your command of magic is insufficient to master the spells capable of sending you to freedom. How then do you intend to accomplish this feat? What is your plan?"

Ravenna glances at Elias and then the other members of the Chosen. Everything hinges on the Saldarím believing what they say. Everything hinges on the truth. "If I am to tell you," says Ravenna, "it cannot go any further than this room. This information would jeopadise the lives of powerful allies."

Tollomor's eyes narrow, but Nareen is quick to respond. "You have our word," he says. The word of the Lord Marshal of the Saldarím is good enough even for Ravenna and she nods.

"We have been given the means to open a portal between the Great Dark and the Greymere." A part of Ravenna enjoys the shock on the faces of the powerful personages assembled. "An elf of considerable power, whom I won't name," - she shoots a glance a Raza daring him to mention Etchen's name - "has given us the key to activate a portal stone, and the ritual we need to use it. It was hoped this would be our last resort, and that you could give us a way to escape the Great Dark without resorting to using this. But there is no other way, and this is the route we must take. Our plan, is to find the Prince, seize the seventh sword, locate a portal stone and to escape to the Greymere. Is that sufficient explanation?"

A number of urgent glances are exchanged by various individuals around the table. Ravenna believes she sees doubt on the face of Tollomor when the mage looks toward Nareen. It is almost as though a silent conversation is taking place between the assembled that the party are not privy to. It is a conversation that takes less than a minute, because it is then that Nareem stands.

"Very well," he says. "It is the majority decision of this assembly that your quest into the southern world is sound: that the risks involved are outweighed by the benefits of success. You are Chosen of Glyphmir, you wield the Blades of Virtue. We will give you what help we can. We have the means to start you on your journey to the Gates of Perdition.."

The party feel a wave of relief. At this sign the Assembly rises and leaves the chamber through the dark corridors that lead into the bowels of the Tower of the Marshal. Soon it is just Nareem and the Chosen in the room. He bids the party sit and proceeds to tell them about the help the Saldarím will offer.

"The Great Dark is far from here, and the journey to reach it a perilous one. You must journey south across the Black Sea in a special craft designed for the purpose. Such a journey will take almost two weeks. You will beach on the land of the Mannenites, or the Chulyak Kayet as they call themselves. You must pass across their lands and into the vast wastes that lie beyond. The Gates of Perdition are many weeks to the south."

This news is not greeted well by the party. Everything they have heard of the Mannenites, has led them to believe that they are the last people they would possibly want to meet. Elias feels Alessandre's hand tighten in his own. Arvan, although trapped in the Great Dark for the equivalent of ten seasons knows very little about the Mannenites. The party ask Nareem what he can tell them.

"The Mannenites are Men, but men who have been twisted and corrupted by the baleful influences of the southern world. They were originally tasked by the elves to guard the Enceinte before the elves left for the Greymere. But the evil of the Great Dark has long leaked through the Enceinte, and it altered them. The Mannenites are dark and evil and cannot be trusted. They carry the evil of the Dark in their soul. They continually war amongst themselves for land and power, their culture is one based on violence, torture and sadism. But it is not their numbers or their ethos that is their most dangerous quality."

"The Mannenites wield a special kind of magic that is unknown in the northern world. They are able to use the power of their mind to bend the Magical Weave to their will. It is a form of spell-casting they developed to protect them against the evil influences of Weave's corruption. This magic is endemic. Two in every three Mannenites can use it to some degree. This makes them incredibly dangerous."

"Then how are we going to sneak past them?" asks Nicos quite reasonably. The fire cleric is getting nervous again.

"Not every Mannenite subscribes to the evil of their people. There are some who carry the Light in their hearts, and are willing to help us. We have a contact in the Mannenites that live on the northern coast of their lands. A man called Kalu. The ship will take you to a bay in the Mannenite Lands near to a village called Imrhyool. You will go from there to a location the locals call Hangman's Hill. There you will meet with Kalu, and from there you are in his hands."

Nareem explains that much of the southern world beyond the Mannenite lands is unknown to the Saldarím. The closer one gets to the Great Dark the worse the corruption of the land, the weave and the people who live there become. The Mannenites are, by definition, the least nasty things they are going to meet on their journey south. This obviously brightens everyone's day.

Fortunately, the day our heroes set foot on Mannenite soil might be a day long postponed. A terrible storm rages over the Black Sea to the south, which makes the ten day crossing too hazardous. The party must wait until the storm clears before they can move on, something that may take several weeks.

But Belsinor's Girdle is not the worse place to remain for several weeks. If one can ignore the proximity of the southern world, as well as the ever present threat to life and limb by the indiginous insect life, the Girdle is a paradise. Yet for once Nicos does not have malingering on his mind. He made Raza a promise to create some magic boots, and he aims to keep his word.

Nicos asks Nareem's permission if he can use the laboratories of the Saldarím to manufacture some items that might be of use in the Great Dark. Not only the boots of striding and springing, but also some Eyes of the Eagle set into a pair of rose-tinted raybands. He is also thinking of an everful tankard of beer but he keeps that idea to himself. After a little thought, Nareem is willing to allow Nicos supervised access to the magical and alchemical laboratories of the Cadre. Never one to be left out, Ravenna states her desire to accompany Nicos. She wants her own edge in the southern world. Nareen says that he will send someone to collect them both tomorrow.

Nareen then turns to Elias. "You are to report to the proving ground tomorrow at dawn," he says gesturing to a clear area of compacted sand at the foot of the Tower of the Marshal. "There you and five other hopefuls will be indoctrinated into the Saldarím by Kendra. She is a stern task-mistress, but she is fair."

Elias is pleased, although Alessandre seems a little put out by the news. "Paladin school?" she demands on the way back to their quarters, "You want to go to paladin school?" Elias mutters that it was a difficult decision, but one he has come to gradually since becoming one of the Chosen of Narramac. "Well, I'm glad to see you talked to me about it," the bard snaps. Elias's heart sinks.

"Think about it, Elias!" Alessandre implores. "You can fight the good fight without lowering yourself to their level! This isn't you, Elias! It's not who you are! You're like me, you're free - you do what you want when you want to, you take risks. Paladins aren't like that. Paladins don't bend for anything. They don't know how to have fun. They're dull! Paladins are boring Elias, and if you become a paladin you'll be boring too."

"The Saldarím aren't like that," Elias begins, but Alessandre is having none of it. To her all paladins are the same. They might be nice people, but they're not her sort of people. She doesn't want this for Elias and she doesn't want this for herself. In exasperation she storms off. Elias stammers after her but to no avail. Nicos and Ravenna aren't very helpful as they seem to bee taking Alessandre's side.

"I'll go and talk to her," says Raza magnanimously. Elias regards the monk suspiciously. He doubts very much that he can be of any help. Raza is to social work what Nicos is to tact, but the monk bounds off after Alessandre. Elias throws a pleading look at his other companions, but Arvan doesn't seem interested in the exchange and Brack just shrugs, as if he saw this coming months ago but couldn't be bothered to point it out to anyone.

Raza finds Alessandre atop the wall staring south over the broiling black sea. The rain is hammering down just in foot in front of her face, but not a drop of it crosses the boundary into the northern world. Raza is tempted to stick him hand over the wall and see what happens to it, but an astute paladin advises him against it. Remembering why he is here, he goes and talks to Alessandre.

The bard is disconsolate. To Alessandre, Elias is a man of reckless abandon who risks himself for no good reason and because he doesn't think things through. That's what attracted her to him in the first place. If he becomes a paladin, if he becomes rigid and unbending - if he becomes dull, then Alessandre isn't sure what she will do. She loves him, but she loves him the way he is, not what he will become.

Raza tells Alessandre that he doesn't believe Elias will change. "I meant what I said to the Vampire of Sorgar," the monk says, "Elias will betray his honour for love. He thinks more of you than he does of becoming a paladin."

Against all reason and expectations, Raza's words actually succeed in making the bard feel better. And even though Raza puts his foot in it slightly by inferring that Alessandre is Elias's property, she has warmed to Raza and asks if there is anything she can do for him.

The thing consuming Raza's mind at the moment (besides recovering the seventh sword and saving the world) is sex. He can't accept that Sanjay got to have sex with the prostitutes at the Spinning Top and he didn't. Alessandre raises an eyebrow at what he suggesting, but Raza quickly back-tracks and tells the bard that he isn't trying to make a pass at her. He just needs help. Alessandre smiles and a glint comes into her eye. "Raza," she says putting an arm around him, "you do need help, and I'm just the person to do it. Come on, let's find you a woman."

Arvan has become increasingly irritable since arriving on the Girdle. He and Caius strike out on their own while the rest of the group settle down in Elias's room. Elias flops down and gazes out of the open window upon the jungle below. Ravenna sits at the desk and begins to study, and Brack takes out a small portable grindstone and begins to sharpen his collection of disemboweling tools. Nicos bounds over to Elias and tries to cheer him up.

"It's too bad," says the cleric consoling, "but you can't deny she has a point." Elias is ready to start an argument when Nicos produces the last of Narramac's suspicious tobacco. He suggests that a good puff of the evil weed will be enough to take Elias's mind off Alessandre. Elias is a little peery at first because he has his first day of paladin school tomorrow, but in the end his resolve is as limp as week-old celery and soon he is as high as a kite. A few minutes later, as the room fills with clouds of noxious smoke Ravenna downs her books and joins her companions. Brack is happy to play his part, but it doesn't seem to affect him at all.

Meanwhile, a mile from the wall, in a village that was erected to hold the families of the Saldarím, Raza and Alessandre head towards the local public house. Raza is extremely nervous, but Alessandre says not to worry. "I have a very handy ventrioquism spell. You just open and close your mouth. I'll do the talking." Raza is extremely unsure of what to do. "Relax," comforts Alessandre, "I'll pick you a good one. I'll choose the sort of woman that I'd go for." Raza nods, and then is stunned at the words of the bard. She smiles at him enigmatically and pushes him into the wooden inn.

It is getting toward evening, and the inn is beginning to fill up with patrons - mostly paladins and their families. Alessandre looks around for an unattached young lady, and then spies a blonde vision in the corner. She gestures to Raza who looks and then nods repeatedly. Alessandre walks quickly over to the bar and introduces herself to the bar man as an accomplished entertainer. Within two minutes she has convinced him to let her perform.

"Now go and talk to the girl," Alessandre says to Raza. Raza hurries over and starts to introduce himself to the girl (Melissa) in his unique, bumbling fashion. His stammering quickly disappears however, as Alessandre imposes her own voice upon him - and she is doing a very passable impression of Raza to boot. With Alessandre talking for him Raza is everything that normally he is not: suave, urbane, debonair….. he impresses himself almost as much as he impresses Melissa. It isn't long before Alessandre takes to the stage and Raza finds himself asking Melissa to dance.

As the music starts, Raza is struck with terror. He really can't dance. With the exception of that one lesson at the palace in Uris all those months ago, no-one has bothered to tell him his left foot from his right. But Alessandre's song seems to fill him with confidence and with a sense of self-belief that was hitherto undiscovered. He pulls Melissa into an energetic and passionate dance routine and, by the end of the second song, she has completely fallen for him.

As they talk after the dance Melissa becomes more and more enamoured with the witty Raza (well, the witty Alessandre really although she does not know that). Very soon they are walking arm in arm up the moon-lit path to Raza's bedchamber. "It's all right, I'm still with you," says Alessandre, using the power of the wind to carry her voice to Raza's ear alone, "I'm invisible and not far away. You're doing really well."

Alessandre goes ahead and meets Brack who is sitting in the corridor reaking of narcotic substances. "What happened to you?" Alessandre asks him as she becomes substantial again. The dwarf shrugs and explains Nicos, Elias and Ravenna's binge on Narramac's tobacco. Alessandre seems a little afronted that no-one came to find her. "So why are you sitting in the hall." - "Doesn't have any effect on me. It's no fun being the only sober one at the party."

Alessandre eyes the door to Elias's room with anticipation. "Listen Brack, can you do me a favour? In a minute Raza is going to wander past with a girl. Would you mind mentioning how incredibly brave Raza is and how he's saved your life on several occassions?" Brack looks up at Alessandre incredulously. "Please," says the bard, "for me?"

Brack acquiesces to Alessandre's charm, and when Raza and Melissa round the corner he (rather gruffly) compliments Raza on his Brack-saving abilities and congratulates him on his stunningly attractive partner. Very soon Melissa is all over Raza in the monk's quarters. While she goes to freshen up, Raza runs to the window. His heart is pounding, he really doesn't have any idea what to do next.

"You still need my help?" comes a voice from outside. "Down here, Raza" The monk looks down to see Alessandre sitting on a ledge just below his window. "Look you're doing fine. She's gorgeous, it's going to be great." Raza isn't convinced, so Alessandre promises to sit outside the window for another half an hour, and send him magical instructions. But, Raza better appreciate the sacrifice she is making.

And thus it is that Raza fulfills one of the natural urges that his monastery was so keen on him supressing for the rest of his life. Although quite where he stands with his order after this evening's activities is another matter entirely. Alessandre offers a little advice (mainly helpful directions), but when she hears Raza invoket he power of the Blade of Temperence to grant him the mental strength to keep going indefinitely, she thinks it is time to bow out.

The bard returns to Elias's room to join Ravenna, Nicos and Elias. The three of them are completely stoned, and she has a lot of catching up to do but she rises to that challenge gleefully. A part of her is pleased to see Elias embracing such abandon when he is supposed to be at school at sunrise tomorrow.

Morday, 13 Late Harvest 204

Raza is awake before the sun, his eyes glued to the ceiling with dawning horror. Melissa is snuggled under his arm and looks completely at peace. He tries to move and wakes her. Without Alessandre speaking for him, Raza doesn't know what to say. He hurries off to make her breakfast, but eventually finds himself drawn into conversation with the girl.

Raza realises that he wants to extricate himself from this mess as quickly as possible. He doesn't want to tak ehis relationship with Melissa any further, but unfortunately she does. Within ten minutes Raza's inexperience in these matters has shown. After Melissa kisses him, takes her coat and leaves his room he slumps down onto the bed trying to work out why he told her she would be on the Girdle for six weeks, and more importantly why he agreed to have dinner with her parents this evening. He has to talk to Alessandre about this!

Back in Elias's room the would-be paladin, Nicos and Alessandre all feel like death. All of Narramac's suspicious tobacco has been exhausted which, Elias considers, as he steadies himself from the spinning floor, can only be a good thing. The group is roused from their lethargy by a tremendous noise from the hall that the unaffected Brack points out is only a gentle knock on the door.

The dwarf opens the door to reveal the paladin, Blesmor. On the orders of the the Lord Marshal Nareem he has arrived to take Nicos and Ravenna to the magical laboratories of the Saldarím where they can discuss using those facilities. Ravenna growns, but Nicos is not to be denied this opportunity. He goes to find Arvan to beg the druid to help remove his headache, but Arvan is nowhere to be found.

Only Brack has magic that can help, but his abilities are limited to slowing the effects of the drug, and not neutralising it. They will still suffer - but later in the day. Elias is worried that he spell will wear off in the middle of paladin school, but Arvan doesn't seem to care. He feels Elias should have known better, and perhaps this lesson will teach him to take things more seriously.

A perky Nicos and Ravenna depart with Blesmor leaving Elias and Alessandre alone in the room. They have not really had a chance to speak since the previous evening, and there is still bad feeling between them. However, a pounding on the door indicates that now is not the time to speak.

At the door is a tall and imposing Saldarím warrioress; her skin is dark even for an Hadardan and the look of stern disapproval on her face tells Elias that he is not starting his first day of school on the best foot. "Elais Raithbourne?" snaps the woman. Elias nods meekly. "The Lord Marshal himself informed me that you were serious about this vocation, and yet here it is a hour after dawn and I find you still abed." She allows her gaze to fall on Alessandre, who puts her hands on her hips and stares back defiantly. Elias can see a fight brewing.

He apologises with such speed that the paladin is taken aback. In less than a minute he is properly attired and trotting out of the room behind his new teacher. Alessandre watches him go with a mixture of disgust and despair. She feels his ressemblance to a trained lap dog is already noticeable. She slowly closes the bedroom to block out the unwelcome sight.

Meanwhile, Nicos and Ravenna are led down into the bowels of the Tower of the Marshal by Blesmor. The paladin explains that the Cadre has many hundreds of such facilities all along the Girdle, but this is the largest and most significant. Ravenna runs her hand along one of the walls. They are made of the same black stone as Ashardon. There are obviously doorways that lead to lower levels, perhaps to the Temple of Corcordance itself, but they have been blocked by tons of rubble.

At the foot of a winding stair the passageway opens up into a large room illuminated by a number of floating globes. In this room are dozens of large wooden desks where hunched figures pour over dusty books and faded scrolls. The heat in the room is palpable from the many small fires lit beneath bubbling vats and fuming pots of strange coloured liquids. The stench of brimstone is the most pleasant smell in the air.

Blesmor raises his hand to a tall stunningly beautiful woman with long raven hair, of about Nicos's age. She is bending over a desk chatting conspiratorially with one of the wizards. On seeing Blesmor, Nicos and Ravenna she jumps up and bounds toward them. Her foot catches in the hem of her long gold and white robes and she careers into the group, ending up in Nicos's arms.

She snorts with laughter as she extricates herself. "Sorry, always doing that," she says hitching up the robes. She pauses to beam at the group and then suddenly takes Nicos's hand in both of hers and begins to pump it thoroughly. "Nicos Allumière!" she announces authoritatively (in case Nicos was unaware of what he is called. "And Ravenna Tannesh, too. I had heard you had arrived of course. I am Nadya Pellinikas and I'm a genius in the field of creating magical devices. Well that's what they say, isn't it Blesnor - " Blesmor opens his mouth to reply but Nadya powers on " - I wouldn't go so far as that. Gifted maybe, certainly a hard worker but genius? I don't know. Now, Tollomor - he's a genius. Have you met Tollomor? You must have done. There are things he can do with an incantation that no-one else has thought of. But you don't want to talk about that you want to use the facilities here, and you're more than welcome, we can clear you a spot. Would you like a tour?"

The abrupt silence that follows Nadya's outburst seems to fill the room. Ravennna nods quickly before she says something else, and Nadya turns and leads them through the room. "There are twenty individuals here, all working on magical weapons. We have six million paladins to arm with magic swords, you know. Everyone's got to have one against those many-eyed horrors from the south," she mimes a man-eyed horror for the benefit of her guests, "I only wish we could make that many."

"We do our best, of course. The wizards here are highly specialised. Rumbolt over there can churn out four enchanted long swords per day without paying the physical price that many wizards do." Ravenna silently observes that the place looks more like a sweatshop than a magical lab. The wizards here work extremely hard, but it is apparent that they work this way because there is no choice. Nadya seems to know what Ravenna is thinking.

"Of course, I'm not one of the drones," she guffaws and leads the pair into a back room that seems to house slightly more boxes, books and items of magical paraphenalia that its dimensions are designed to allow. "This is where I work," says Nadya proudly. I am working on a number of important projects at the moment. Like this one:"

Nadya picks a tall hat from her desk, revealing a small object that ressembles a gyroscope spinning madly. The hat was muting the intense whining sound that the device is producing. "It's a demon detector. I invented it yesterday. Something wrong though as it keeps going off. Hopefully I'll work it out. And this," she drops the hat back on the demon detector, "this I'm particularly proud of."

She hands scabbard to Nicos. It is made of mithril and sports a complicated pattern of runes down one side. "Call for a weapon," Nadya instructs. Nicos calls for a sword. Instantly a long sword appears in the scabbard. "Oi!" comes a voice from the work room outside. Nadya quickly closes the door. "I thought this would be the answer to our prayers. Every paladin equipped with one of these enchanted scabbards that can call a magical sword from a central store. That way we wouldn't need magic swords for every paladin. Ingenious, eh? Unfortunately, making the scabbard takes four times as long as five times as much energy than making a sword. Bit of a waste of time really, but we live and learn."

Ravenna now interrupts the narrative. She explains that she and her companions are heading into the Great Dark. They have been told that touching the Weave is extremely dangerous, especially for arcanists, so Ravenna wants to get her hands on as many one-shot magical items, spell storing devices and scrolls as possible. Nicos on the other hand request a little bit of lab space to work on his own projects. Nadya readily agrees to both. Nicos and Ravenna start work, but decide to go and watch Elias training later in the day as it might be a laugh.

Elias himself has arrived on a area of compacted sand almost directly beneath his bedroom window. The paladin, who has not spoken to him since leaving his chambers, leads Elias to a group of five other indviduals, who are apparently also ready to start their training.

Elias is introduced to Garath Saldtor, once a politician from Calclafique who now wants to do some good with his life. Harrigan was once a pirate, but has forsaken his pillaging waves for a chance to fight in the greatest battle the world has even seen. Sark is a hobbit from the Isles of Allath. Elias is keen to find out more about this place, but the hobbit seems oddly withdrawn and reticent for his race. Miranda is a noble-woman from Hadras an acquaintance of Hadala Klazid. The fifth member of the group is a creature that Elias has never seen before.

It stands on six legs, and holds a sword clumsily in two forelegs. Its body is bloated and elogated, rising up to a snake-like head upon a thick, bulbous neck. It bows greeting to Elias. Its name is Sesstini, and it is a neogi - a race of slavers that exist in the southern world. Most of his kind would butcher or enslave humans on sight, but Sesstini subscribes to higher ideals.

The paladin claps her hands to get her pupils' attention. She finally introduces herself as Kendra, and she begins to hammer home to her pupils the role of the Saldarím, the importance of the thirteenth law and the weighty responsibility that is placed upon them. It is mostly everything that Nareem already told Elias, but Elias tries to listen, although his attention keeps slipping to Alessandre's silhouette in his chamber above them.

"Your own religious beliefs are not an issue as long as you hold true to the fourteen laws laid down by Elyas and Saldor," Kendra says. She speaks of the training regime to come in the next few weeks - one that must be spiritual as well as martial. They have to be trained to use the sword and use it well, but they are also trained to hunt out the light, to find their paladin powers and gain the ability to touch the Weave.

Meanwhile, Raza finally finds Alessandre. First he tells her about using the Blade of Temperence and she should call him Raza Nine-Times-a-Night de Luna from now on. Alessandre is impressed, but then raza tells her how everything went wrong the following morning. After she has finished laughing at his predicament Alessandre agrees to help. She says that she will go to see Melissa and her parents. "What will you say?" asks Raza. "Oh, I'll think of something," smiles the bard. Raza, who has bursting to ask Alessandre whether she swings both ways for the best part of a day now raises the issue. The bard is noncomittal as she leaves for the village.

After lunch, Kendra has finished talking and fielding questions. Now it is time for some martial practice. Kendra wants to see what her students are made of. Elias can feel the slow poison spell beginning to wear off. He feels this could get very embarassing very quickly - a situation made all the more acute by the presence of Ravenna, Nicos and Raza who are sitting on some near-by steps, having their sandwiches. Nicos waves encouragingly.

Nicos tells Raza that he has started work on the boots of striding and sprining and it is time for Raza to make good on his promised vow of silence. The monk silently agrees, and the group settle back to watch Elias make a fool of himself. He is battling Harrigan when the spell expires. Elias collapses to the ground completely stoned. When Kendra tries to pull him to his senses he tells her that "he loves her" and that "she is the best teacher, ever". Sensing drugs at work Kendra neutralises the narcotics coursing through Elias veins. She sends him home in disgrace.

The group are sitting down for their evening meal without Arvan when Alessandre returns. She sits down next to Elias, "I heard about this afternoon," she says. "Good job." Elias strikes the table several times with his forehead. Then the bard turns to Raza. "It's all sorted," she says. Raza smiles widely, then Nicos tells Alessandre that Raza has begun his week of silence. Not all of the group knows of Raza's nocturnal shenanigans so Alessandre happily fills them in.

"One small problem," Alessandre grins. "I had to tell them you were dead." Raza leaps to his feet, but Nicos gives him a warning look not to say anything. "I gave you a really heroic death," the bard continues, "in fact I think she's more in love with you now you're dead than she ever was when you were alive. Anyway, I'll need you to stay out of the way tomorrow afternoon so we can bury you. And of course we need someone to officiate at the service….."

"As a cleric of Calafax I would be pleased to do that. Anything for my pal, Raza. I just can't be believe he's gone….." Nicos feigns tears. "What about you Elias?" asks Alessandre, "coming to say a few words at your friend's fake funeral, or going to paladin school?"

Sunday, 14 Late Harvest 204

In the morning everyone gets ready for Raza's funeral. Elias is skipping paladin school for the day in favour of being with Alessandre and taking part in the charade. Raza is spending the day hiding in a cupboard. Before they go Elias asks Raza to use the Blade of Temperance on him. After hearing the stories last night, he has something in mind that might get him back into Alessandre's good books.

Arvan is still absent this morning as the Elias, Alessandre, Nicos, Ravenna and Brack caries a weighted coffin down to the village. There in the presence of a tearful Melissa and her family Raza is buried with full military honours. Nicos says a few, very moving words, over the casket as Brack lowers it into a large whole. Then Melissa speaks and tells them all what Raza meant to her, even though she only knew him for such a short time.

Elias feels very guilty going along with this, but as guilt is the perpetual state in which he lives his life at the moment he manages to master it. He noted a barn they passed on the way down here, and on the return journey he persuades Alessandre to accompany him inside for a Blade of Temperance enhanced roll in the hay. By the end of the day the pair are on more than speaking terms.

Vítday, 15 Late Harvest 204

"So let me get this straight," says Nicos thoughtfully. "On your first day of paladin school you turned up stoned and told the teacher you loved her. On the second day you played truant to attend the fake funeral of a randy monk. What makes you think they want you back for a third day?"

Elias says that he has to try. Alessandre doesn't seem too against the idea this morning and he wants to try to make an effort to impress Kendra. Nicos's suggestion of getting Raza to use the Blade of Temperance on him again is unwelcome.

Meanwhile Brack, who is at a bit of a loose end, takes to patrolling the wall with Shredder. The paladins are grateful of the help, even if Shredder does ressemble the sort of creature they normally fight. To the horror of everyone, Brack starts training himself on how to ride Shredder and goes about acquiring a special saddle for the purpose.

Morday, 20 Late Harvest 204

It is the end of Raza's week of silence. The monk, who has been hiding himself away in case he bumps into Melissa, finally comes out of hiding to celebrate. Nicos has finished Raza's magic boots and presents the gaudy items to the monk. In the lining he has sewn the message: "Raza - an amazing adversary with a sock". The monk is appropriately touched by the gesture.

Vítday, 22 Late Harvest 204

Elias's training continues apace. He is the most proficient studne twith the blade, but his spiritual development is beginning to lag behind the others. Nowhere is this more apparent than when Kendra turns her attention ot the Weave. On this morning the paladin says:

"Before you leave here I will teach you the incantations you need to manipulate the weave into the form of spells. It will take time and practice before you can master this. You will not walk from here with spellcasting ability. Some of you may never master it. The first step is to find the light. The essence of all that is good and right. The magic comes from the weave, but the power to manipulate the weave comes from the light. Reach out with your mind. Find the light. You may not be able to use it, but you should still be able to sense it."

Of course, Elias can't sense anything. He has never been the wisest of people, and although he has no trouble touching the Weave for his small skills as a sorcerer, trying to use the Light as a conduit to the Weave is all but impossible for him. He can't even find the Light. To her credit, Alessandre is supportive of Elias's failure and urges him to keep trying.

Zephday, 24 Late Harvest 204

Brack, riding on Shredder, engages in an epic battle against a horde of flying spiders assaulting the wall ten miles to the east of the Tower of the Marshal. The fight lasts for the best part of a week, but Brack and the paladins return victorious.

Sharday, 26 Late Harvest 204

After four days of trying Elias is still no closer to touching the Light. His progress is so pathetic that Kendra takes him aside from the other students and talks to him. She says, "You are strong and you are true. You will make an outstanding paladin for those reasons. However, I mean no disrespect when I tell you that your mind is weak. It wanders. That is why you cannot find the Light. If you cannot find the light you will never be able to draw on the weave for spells. Through time you may be able to train your mind to behave, but it could take years and I doubt you would succeed. This places you at a disadvantage. You have so many other talents. You were born a sorcerer. Tell me if this is the path you truly wish to follow. I need to hear it from you only once."

Elias says that he wants to be a paladin and member of the Saldarím. Kendra nods. She has developed some respect for Elias over the past two weeks. "I respect your decision. A handful of great and good paladins have lived their lives without the Weave. You may be one of them."

Caladay, 32 Late Harvest 204

First thing in the morning the Chosen of Narramac (minus Arvan) are summoned en masse to the Tower of the Marshal by Nareem. Their presence is quickly explained when a knight enters with news that the delegation of paladins from Urova Nareen spoke of weeks ago, have finally arrived.

"Lord Marshal, may I present representatives of the Paladin Orders of Urovan and the Church of Vítaeous." Ten individuals enter the room, and are introduced as, "Sir Edward Lustatis Knight Commander of the Order of the Shining Fist, The Revered Poulenc Elsava, Nerris Salber and Jeremiah Newday of the Church of Life, Sir Garnir, Sir Zender and Sir Lowron of the Order of the Hawk, Lady Patricia of the Righteous Order of Eternal Light, Sir Cardon of the Order of the Roaring Lion and Sir Minsc of the Order of the Shining Fist."

The party were expecting this. They have had a number of weeks to get used to the idea that Minsc is alive and about to return their lives. The paladins have had no such time to prepare. The shock and outrage on the face of Sir Garnir is amazing. Forgeting himself he demands to know why "there people" are here of all places. Ravenna thinks he was counting on being the first person from Urova to set foot on Belsinor's Girdle and the presence of the Chosen, of all people, has wounded his pride. Nareem side-steps Garnir's rudeness, introduces the Chosen as his guests and greets the Knight Commander.

"Minsc, buddy!" exclaims Nicos, bounding over the paladin. Minsc looks a little on edge. The last time he saw his old companions as when he had them arrested, stripped and strategically shaved in the dungeons of Castle Northmeet. However, although Ravenna is considering testing her lightning bolt on Minsc, Nicos holds no such grudge. He and Minsc were friends right from the get-go of the grand quest and Nicos is happy to renew his acquaintance.

"You are of course here about the Cross of Vítaeous," says Nareem to the new-comers, and in doing so completely disarms them. The delegation from Urovan were expecting several weeks of dodging the issue before actually bringing up the reason for their visit, but this is not the way the Saldarím work, and Elias is pleased to see it befuddles them slightly.

"Sit," Nareem commands, gesturing to the same half-moon table that was present in this room when the Chosen were interviewed several weeks ago. "The Cross of Vítaeous is here in this tower, where it was brought by the paladin Sir Nybor 186 years ago and here it must remain. In the past weeks since your ship landed on the Girdle you have obviously become aware of the depth of our duty here. We require the Cross, and although I am prepared to discuss matters of access, it is here that the cross must remain."

An explosive argument now breaks out. The Order of the Shining Fist has been searching for the Cross of Vítaeous for over thirty generations. To find it and be told they cannot recover it is ludicrous. Minsc sits back and lets his knight commander do the talking.

Garnir will not let the matter of the Chosen of Narramac's presence drop and inevitably the matter turns to their mission to the southern world. Nareem sees no need to conceal the nature of their mission from these paladins. Suffice to say that Garnir is not amused. "These are the last people who should be entrusted with such a mission!" he exclaims, "They won Narramac's quest through deceit. They are band of cut-throats and brigands who cut down cut down two innocent men in cold blood! And as for this one," he points at Alessandre, "I know her reputation, Lord Marshal. The thought of a whore like that wielding the Blade of Justice is unconscionable!"

Elais leaps to his feet to defend Alessandre's honour, but Ravenna is there before him. The tirade of vitriole aimed at Garnir is only curtailed by Nareem himself, who suggests a recess for everyone to regain their tempers. He proposes that the group reconvene in tomorrow.

Sir Lowron, Sir Zender, Lady Patricia and Minsc remain to talk to the Chosen. Minsc greets his old companions. Nicos quickly puts his arm around the paladin and steers him away from Ravenna. "Minsc, it's been so long. Why don't you tell me everything that's happened since we last saw you."

Lowron apologises to the party for Garnir's actions. They are reminded that he was prepared to stand as their advocate at Colharn's court before they were pardoned of their crimes at Osroth Manor. "He is under a great deal of pressure to succeed," Lowron explains. "And of course, he never really liked you very much." Ravenna says that the feeling is mutual.

Lowron congratulates Elias. "Although I do not understand their path, or their ways, it is obvious to me that the Saldarím epitomise paladinhood. They may not follow Terranor but that does invalidate their cause, or their nature. It gladdens me that you are following this path, Elias. I admire you for it."

Meanwhile, Minsc explains to Nicos where he has been all these months and why everyone thought him dead. After the end of Narramac's quest, Minsc joined the forces commanded by Sir Colharn, Sir Vrexax and Archnecrotain Varamil of the Watchers to hunt down the rogue dragon, Furnice. The final battle took place on the 21st Suntask, on the Barrowmoors.

"Garnir was crippled by the dragon while Lady Patricia and myself slipped under its defences. We climbed its neck and tried to slay the beast by stabbing it in the eye. Furnice took to the air, throwing Patricia to the ground. I hung on for grim death, and managed to get my sword in a position to strike. Moments later we both plunged into an icy moorland lake. Everyone thought I was dead. Everyone that is, except Lady Patricia."

Nicos makes several suggestive comments about Minsc and Lady Patricia that Minsc ignores. He continues, "Lady Patricia appealed to her Order, and the Order of the Shining Fist to mount an expedition to find out exactly what happened. She did not have much success. It was only when she was sent to the Village of the Eighteen Churches, on a detachment to The Order of the Hawk under Sir Geffris that anyone really started listening to her. It was then she met the Lowron and Zender again, as well Sir Garnir who had recovered from his wounds. Sir Cardonw as also based in the Village at this time. I think Garnir believed that I was dead, but he wanted to find my body and give me a decent burial. He's really a decent man despite what Ravenna thinks."

"The paladins approached Varamil for help in the matter. This was on 43rd Suntask - right in the middle of that Watchers/Firestarters war, that I am sure you remember. He was very distracted, but used his contacts to supply the paladins with a water cleric called Slerrin Mak who could help them search the lake for me. Patricia and the others left the Village on 45th Midsummer and arrived at the lake a week later - " about the same time the Chosen headed to the Úngorn with Archdruid Tular, Nicos thinks - "They paladins lost little time in venturing below the surface, and discovered some quite wonderful things."

"So what happened to you?" Nicos asks, Minsc's story has the polish of a tale that has been told many times, and the cleric is anxious to hear the end of it. "After hitting the water, the next thing I remember is waking up in a warm bed. I had been saved by a strange race of aquatic creatures who live in the flooded underground caves beneath the Barrowmoors. In hindsight I believe they were some sort of faeris creature, perhaps nixies or water sprites. In any case, they were very pleased to see me. As it turned out I was part of their mythology. The sprites had been harried for many generations by legions of troglodytes rising up from the underworld, eating them and making a general nuisance of themselves. Then, around 200 years ago a paladin turned up and drove the troglodytes back. He was an exceptionally powerful fellow called Nybor, and possessed a magical item that was able to heal the hurt the troglodytes inflicted on the sprites. It did not take long for me to realise this item was nothing less than the Cross of Vitaeous!"

"I recovered quickly and resolved to help the sprites against their foe. When Patricia and the other paladins arrived they joined me in campaign against the troglodyte menace-bashing for several weeks. On 25th Lollmeadow when we won a decisive victory. At this point we they left the sprites and headed to Vrex Cross - the nearest city where the Order of the Shining Fist was to be found."

"We recounted the story and emissaries of the Order were sent to speak to these sprites. When it was deemed that the information was true I was raised to the status of true knight by my Order. Now work began trying to trace Sir Nybor. Apparently Nybor was a paladin in the service of the Vítaeous - back when Vítaeous had paladins, which was many years ago. After weeks searching through old records it was discovered that during the spring of 17 PL Nybor left Norandor and headed south. He left a note to his wife (Vítaean paladins could marry) saying that he was going to hone his skills facing the ultimate evil. He was journeying to Belsinor's Girdle to face the legions of hell. He believed he would find allies there. He took the Cross of Vítaeous with him. Both the church of Vítaeous and the Order of Shining Fist were excited by this news. They decided to sponsor an expedition with the help of the Justician faith, to go to Belsinor's Girdle and locate the artefact. I stood to reason that we would be part of that expedition."

"On 43rd Lollmeadow the six of us rode east to Uris, passing through Umbria and arriving at the beginning of Midsummer. We boarded a ship, called The Cross of Vítaeous with a large number of other paladins and Vítaean priests. We left Uris on 6th Midsummer, arrivied in Sorgar on the 11th. In Sorgar, two statues were unloaded and delivered to the Justician and Vítaean temples. They would act as scrying devices so that both churches could keep track of the expedition. Two days later we headed for the Girdle. And we got here three weeks ago."

Nicos nods. Minsc's tale explains that those statues were in Sorgar, but something is unclear to Nicos. If they left Sorgar when they did then the journey to the Girdle took them four months. The Chosen of Narramac travelled from Sorgar to Hadras and then to the Girdle in less than two months. Did the paladins get horribly lost? Minsc says that he remembers the trip as uneventful.

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