ralph_dnd | Turok, Prolix, and the emperor

February 28 (Saturday), later

We have done what we can to set up some defenses and alarms. We have sprinkled the chapel (the other end of the teleport) with garlic. We have talked with Delyan about how to reset the geas trap, but we have not done so yet because we might need to return to this place ourselves. We have guards at the inner teleport circle. Now it is time to attempt to sleep.

Liandra will be prepared to scry tomorrow if they do not come back. Viggo said there are some pools in the nearby countryside that would be suitable for her use. I'm glad she can scry, as Delyan thinks she probably can't use Prolix's mirror, though she knows the spell.

March 1 (Sunday)

They're alive, but I'm not sure if that's actually good news.

When Turok and Prolix did not return by lunch time, we concluded that something had gone wrong. So this afternoon we went outside the city to find a scrying pool. Liandra successfully scried Turok, and saw him talking with Garrett about our party. Turok was not visibly injured and had Kotara-nar in a scabbard on his belt, Liandra said, but he was not wearing his armor. He appeared to be free to move around, so he's presumably under Garrett's control. Kyle thinks he's a traitor, but I think treachery requires intent. We had a bit of a philosophical dispute over that, but the spirit to debate isn't in Kyle at the moment so I didn't pursue it. And the result is the same no matter what you call it.

After a few moments Liandra started, saying that Garrett had noticed the scry. She threw a stone into the pool to disrupt it and we ran away. If Garrett traces the scry back, we don't want to still be there when he's done. Damn; now Garrett knows someone is out there looking for Turok.

After some time we found another pool and scried Prolix. He is in much worse shape; Liandra said he's chained to a wall, naked (there are things about gnome anatomy I would prefer to leave to the imagination, myself), and covered in welts and bruises. There was a burly man in a black mask there holding a whip, and whenever Prolix started to nod off he'd say "no sleep for you!" and whip him. Poor guy. I mean, it's his own damn fault, and if I ever see him again I'll be tempted to slap him around myself for endangering Agondre like this, but still...

We all want to rescue them (especially Turok), of course, but we have no idea how. Clearly an attack on Garrett is not possible, and we cannot talk with Turok and Prolix through a scry. (Even if that were safe, Liandra does not know the spell.) And scrying Charlos will be very hard; Liandra thinks our best bet there is to use the scrying pool in Oakhame. I think we need to consult Boniface, priest of Pelor, in Kozel'sk for advice -- in particular, if we do rescue them, how do we break Garrett's hold over Turok? It is not safe to rescue them until we know the answer to that question. I think the others are agreeable to heading to Kozel'sk and Oakhame in any case; there is little more we can do here, and it is dangerous to stay now that Garrett knows we're here. (Turok has surely told him that by now.)

While outside we also sent animal messengers to Anarian and Oakhame, and one of Marius' birds to him, with an update on the current situation.

On the way out to scry we had encountered some of Captain Jorvik's men, and we promised that we would return in a couple hours and speak with the captain. He already knew about the emperor's death, so we took the opportunity to ask what should be done about a funeral. He said that this could be tricky politically; it's not at all clear who has jurisdiction, what with the war and all. We decided that our group, in consultation with the occupants of the sanctum, should do what seems best.

Captain Jorvik said that his men have been making progress in the city; the monster population seems to be down. We explained that we think that's related to the healing we did in the palace, but that we don't know how long it will last. We advised him to stay clear of the palace itself, just in case. And also in case the vampire we skirmished with returns there. (He knew that we were going off to fight a vampire, so we briefly told him of our failure there.)

Viggo asked Captain Jorvik for permission to accompany us for a while, explaining that our warrior, Turok, is currently a prisoner and he would like to protect us while we try to rescue him. Captain Jorvik reluctantly agreed. He also bemoaned the absence of Olver, but I think saw the value of having a living being in the sanctum as well.

Tobin was out in the field, not in camp, when we were there, so we left word for him with Captain Jorvik that the three of us had returned safely.

When we returned to the sanctum, we spoke with Brennan and Delyan about the funeral. They said that the body should be consigned to the chamber of elements, which is beyond a door with posted dire warnings. They said it would be ok for us to open the door for this, however.

All of us -- except Olver, who seemed to be absorbed in study -- gathered around the body to say brief eulogies. Brennan spoke of the emperor's dedication to an undesired task. I spoke of valor, saying that it is not found only on the battlefield and that the sacrifices the emperor made for Agondre were courageous and noble. Kyle said something like "he faced a vampire with courage and lost; he fared better than Turok and Prolix". (Liandra glared at him.) Liandra spoke of his compassion for the land.

When everyone was done, we opened the door to the chamber. Inside we saw four spheres -- a great ball of fire, a large swirl of earth, a whirlwind of air, and a whirpool of water -- which overlapped in the center. As we slid the body into the center, it seemed to separate into its four componens before our eyes. We closed the door quickly; we were not meant to see this for too long, I don't think.

Brennan said that this is where all emperors meet their ends, and that the chamber somehow provides sustenance to the sanctum.

Later, Brennan told us that he had found a journal that the emperor Agonadryl had written near the time of his death. In it he mentioned a small group he had sent eastward in search of the heart of Agondre, back during the Cataclysm. They never returned, and his journal does not provide more specifics. Brennan thinks that the heart might have been another way to stop the cataclysm -- they were pursuing all possible solutions, in other words, and this one didn't work out. However, maybe it would work for us now; if we could find the heart, maybe we wouldn't need to have Weeping Wounds. Maybe we could restore Agondre without having to confront Garrett! We do not have enough information, but perhaps this is where our research should now turn.