The group has hustled through the night away from the undead at the Copper Hills mine. Shortly after the group passes the offshoot to Raff’s territory, Alexis asks Telosh “what was that you said about ‘Ath’?”
14 thoughts on “Been Waiting For That Name”
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Telosh looks at Alexis, a flash of frustration crosses his face, and he almost sighs.
“Which part Alexis? That after Thraan and using traps and trickery to defeat the dragon, I stopped resisting and in Sutheron started paying attention to to the stories of Ath? That I started to believe you were right about me and The Mark?”
He looks at Red pointedly, “and stopped talking about TyLin at all until the stone came back to me.”
“The part about how I believe it is Ath that weeps and moans in She Who is Fierce’s realm, and perhaps we should not break the twice broken sword again so She can cast Him out?”
“Or the part about how I, and others, speculate there is a reason he cut Torrvan down? Perhaps a sacrifice was needed to free Avv and only Ath was willing to make it? Perhaps Torrvan was unwilling at the end to free the Witch Queen, who had given so much to humanity?”
“The part about you embracing Ath in Sutheron, and coming to see him in a sympathetic light. Funny that you’ve come to see Ath in a sympathetic light, but Avv is still a only a witch.” Alexis shrugs.
“I guess I’m most interested in your growing sympathies for Ath, and how they might have been woven into your… summoning.”
Telosh looks at Alexis incredulously.
“ONLY a witch? Did I not just refer to her a THE QUEEN of Witches? Have I not called her THE Mother of Secrets? It seems your Faith may be lacking Alexis Laeliius. SHE gave us, Humanity, HER Son. Did Ishtar do that? Tymora?
“Yes, I killed Her follower, Nandra. To save my kin, is that truly any less than Her own Son did so save Her from the Arru Norroth?!”
As Telosh talks about Avv, Alexis looks increasingly skeptical. And as Telosh raises his voice Alexis looks around in case the group is beset by any of their adversaries.
“Hm. Yes. Well. Good to hear you’ve been talking to pr–… religious folks.”
“Let’s get back to Ath and how your thoughts, beliefs, teachings, etc might have been a part of that…” Alexis indicates the mine with his thumb. Telosh might not have seen it in the dark, but the intention was clear. “… summoning.”
Telosh takes a deep breath and let’s it out slowly.
“When I tried to copy what you were doing I was not thinking of Ath. I was thinking of the girl, the crow, and how to…”
Telosh pauses.
“I tried to steal a bit of your secrets. This whole… mess with Earyka and Rath and the Sword Chaotic reeks of betrayal. Of trickery and deceit. The claws and scale…”
Telosh shakes his head ruefully.
“That’s how Ath is woven in. That I meant to help protect us, that I tried to invoke TyLin for her insights, doesn’t matter.”
At the point where Telosh talks about secrets Alexis nods slightly in the dark. Probably not visible.
“Yes, the foci you chose would keep TyLin well clear of your… summoning. That follows.”
“‘The claws and scale’? What about them?”
Telosh nods,
“The dragon they came from was a creature of deceit in its own right, and poisons. It used stealth and guile when it attacked us. And to kill it we used trickery and traps.”
“So you see the dark-dragon as a creature of deceit? Of Ath?
My questioning is trying to get to the bottom of the nature of your… summoning.”
“The dragon was certainly creature of deceit, not a creature of Ath. I don’t know that the working was “Of Ath,” I was not consciously thinking of Him, nor did I invoke Him. I can see how elements of His Path are present, but he is not the only patron of trickery and guile…”
“You’ve given me more to think about regarding… the dark portal.”
Alexis starts rubbing his stubbly chin with his right hand while they continue walking.
“Do you want to talk with Nell about it?”
Telosh motions to the lump next his right shoulder.
Alexis slowly turns his head to look at Telosh while the group keeps walking. After a short pause Alexis responds.
“You… summoned… Nell through creating a abyssal scar with the aid of the Arru-Noroth, a force of undeath, and whatever dark power likes crows; perhaps Ath. You’ll have to excuse me if I decline the offer.”
Alexis makes a small partial bow while continuing to walk. “No offense intended.”
Telosh shrugs, “No offense taken,”
He looks down at his shoulder and withered arm, and whispers something.
He falls a half step behind, and skips to catch up with Alexis and the others.
A few minutes later, he coughs quietly to get Alexis’ attention and follows up.
“Crows and Ath? I didn’t hear of any such associations while I was in Sutheron, scorpions perhaps, as in the fable of the scorpion and the frog, but not crows, have you heard of such an association before?”
Alexis shakes his head.
“I’m a treasure hunter. The gods I know are the ancient tomes lost to humanity, the Quinvaloor tomb, the Maker’s tools, the lost temples, the Orthen stones, Ederos…
My first guess was that the dark crows were from Dro’mon or Malor.” Alexis shrugs. “Ath makes more sense given your intentions, energy, and nature, but perhaps not.”