Rask approaches Alexis in moment where the others are busy.
”Alexis, have you ever heard of Raiden being named a Storm God?”
Rask looks around warily, “My connection to Aegir is lost here, and it has been difficult…”
He gestured at the tattoos on his chest and back. Clearly a saddened and a bit lost.
“I have a vague… memory? “My… grandmother? Referring to Raiden as the Storm God…”
Rask’s brown furrows… Alexis gets the sense that’s not quite right, and that Rask is hoping for help understanding…
As the group is all on the surface near the ruined tower where they found and imprisoned Zyrithack, during some down time. Alexis talks to the group
“Some of the greatest human knights, scouts, and explorers used to have saddles that would summon steeds which would never tire. The greatest of these were said to summon steeds that could even carry their riders across the water or open air across chasms.”
“For this kind of exploring” Alexis gestures to the ruins “we could really use some of those saddles. Unfortunately I don’t know where the great knights and scouts could have been housed around these human lands. Perhaps the Collegium has one or two in the bowels. Perhaps there are some in Ederos. Perhaps there are a few between here and Ederos.”
“Red, is this the sort of thing you could figure out? Some essence of the Westlands imbued in saddles, that is brought forth. Or perhaps a creature captured in a saddle that is forced to serve in the form of a horse. Perhaps a creature like Yog’s large cat. Or the 3-armed giant. Or Earyka.” Alexis gives Ethelred a large, playful smile and a wink “How would that work without necromancy? Perhaps there’s a better way.” Alexis waits for an answer from his companion.
Over some breakfast since leaving the 1st Gate, Alexis is thinking aloud
“Without Drennos I can go back to my musings.” after a little pause Alexis continues.
“I’m still thinking about the Hammer and Crown, and what the Collegium is supposed to be kept from knowing. What about the history or the nature of those artifacts is supposed to stay hidden? Since nobody but villains talks to non-humans” Alexis says with sarcasm “it seems reasonable that the knowledge that the Collegium doesn’t have was acquired from non-humans… perhaps from some long-lived creature or from some lost library.”
“Perhaps the Crown and Hammer could be items that Dwarves would rally behind, but it seems like they would have to be held by a Dwarf, otherwise they wouldn’t be objects to trade, but objects to use.”
“The simple explanation, the uneducated explanation, is that these items are connected and together they form a symbol of royalty. Similar to a crown and scepter.”
“Less intuitive is that they are somehow items used by some ‘rightful chosen of the Maker’, and the hammer is the real item. It forges something. But this gets into wild speculation.”
“What would be a threat to our enemies, or a great boon to them, from those items, that the Collegium wouldn’t be aware of?” Alexis thinks on this while they all eat together.
At some point when the group is all together after Zyrithack has been enslaved in the black blade. The group is talking about what happened. Alexis speaks.
“Zyrithack mentioned Thun-Bül-Dor. Given the twisted path Zyrithack took to get to this location at this time, it could be anywhere. Given how close the legendary dwarven city of Dura-Intun was, maybe Thun-Bül-Dor is just as close. We know there are Dwarves under the Twins, and that the dwarves used to control the top of the Twins as well. There are Dwarves under Mount Sutheron, and perhaps they used to control its peak as well. Perhaps Mount Sutheron was Thun-Bül-Dor. Or the fabled Nadden-Tor. Maybe every major mountain used to hold a dwarven city. Maybe there are old dwarven cities abutting Middlebar fort. That could be a major boon for the rebels if that was true.” Alexis thinks on this for a moment.
“Maybe Mount Lanos has a dwarven city. Maybe Thun-Bül-Dor. Maybe Mount Kobos. Maybe even Nadden-Tor!” Alexis gets a far-off look and a smile starts creeping up his face. “Or… Mount Avernus…!” Alexis looks more serious “No. That doesn’t seem right.”
“I need to get a map of all the major mountains. They could all have dwarven cities!”
After the creepy blue goblin-wolf things are driven off and everything settles back down, Rask mutters in his bedroll to himself:
“taste like blood and steel…”
…
“War… man.. abomination spirt… pester you?
…
War… sh… what… the dwarveson ThuBalDor fell?
…
“Knock knock… gifts… How many souls… the blade is full? war …man?”
…
Later… sleepily…
“…ak the Endless… wh.. talk.. with… soul’s in the blade…”
My friends– as we approach the heavy fortifications of the West Gate, I feel compelled at last to tell you. Throughout this journey I have been tortured by visions, including glimpses of the silent and stern visage of Raiden. I have felt that our steps were taking us away from, not closer to, the goal for which I asked my Lord’s guidance– the defeat of the Dark Hand.
Dennos has taunted me. He identified me as a priest of Raiden, from the outset, and as we traveled further and further into the west. I ignored him while he was challenging my God. But as we walked further west– and my visions grew more intense– I realized his taunts and my visions echoed each other. Raiden beseeching me to turn back. Reminders of the desolation visited upon his armies, long in the past.
Now that we stand in sight of the fortress, I need you all to hear and believe me, for I know as well as my own name– we have deceived no one. Drennos of the Dark Hand leads us gleefully into a trap. This fortress is so well defended, despite being in the wild lands, we have to ask ourselves, why? Maybe this is where Bandesingh and the Dark Hand are making weapons and training armies.
But maybe this is a prison, and we are about to be locked inside.
Later in the evening after the group has seen Baalrex for the second time and Alexis has the silver coin. The group is in their shared room.
“I’ve been wondering why Baalrex has taken an interest in us. Many interesting things happen in the Collegium, so I thought less about it there. But his showing up here has me wondering about what drew him to us specifically.” Alexis looks thoughtful.
“Given how he exerts a mechanistic, rigid effect on the world, I wonder if our defeat of the Abyssal Lords’ champion earned us an audience with his lordship.”
“Or perhaps something to do with Telosh’s Pit? This doesn’t seem likely, but I can’t rule it out.”
“Perhaps someone has acted as an unwanted intermediary on our behalf and suggested to Baalrex that he solicit us for ‘business’.”
Alexis alternates between studying Baalrex’s silver coin and looking at his companions.