As we peer into the strange room with the hour glass.
“Alexis, I would strongly advice we attempt to solve this room and gain that hourglass. Given the power of the scrying ball and all the time effects in this dungeon. Having that hourglass could turn out to be very helpful.
Thoughts?”
We reach the strange metal door for the 3rd time. Ethelred turns to Ca’armine.
“Ca’armine you mentioned detecting for keys. I might have been too hasty in dismissing your idea. We have gone through some trouble to get here and not yet found the 3rd key.
Detecting for the 3rd key might be our best option. It would be a shame to leave this area hoping the key is beyond the door we skipped, only to be wrong.
Alexis, what do you think?”
Ethelred is mostly in his own world for two weeks. As the rest of the crew works on their things, he pays little attention. Breaks are only taken in the evening to eat and catch up. Mostly he inquires how the mushroom gathering is going, how the metal filing is going. That we have enough wood and water. Eats a little as possible. Instead he sharpens the wood ax, inspects the metal file, cleans the shovel and breathes.
He ensure the fire is always lit, that water is always boiling. Red is constantly damp, and warm. Like a candle made of water. Ash on his fingers, ash on he face. Yet always clean for the evening meal.
His book is out and he seems to be writing everyday, often into the night. Some nights he sleeps not at all. Just tends to the fire, ensure the water stays hot with steam. The fire and the water. Opposites that fit together so easy when approached correctly.
With all the work, he does seem content, absorbed with study. Burning the candle of the day at both ends. Swimming into the pages of the scrolls. Climbing the ink blots of his book of spells. Burning his flesh, searing his hair.
The days go by consulting the scrolls, writing, reading, stoking the fire, keeping water boiling, reading, writing, fire, water, ash, smoke.. over and over again.
Until the end approaches. He lets the water steam away, lets the fire turn to ash. When everyone is asleep late in the night he brings forth fire as if to light a knife, but instead he folds the fire into a small pool of water in a wooden cup he made. The water rests, a bit less fluid than normal water, with a tint of color. He waves his hands, recites a word, swirls the cup and steam erupts above the rim, leaving behind the hint of warmth and a bit of dampness.
With a sigh of relief Red cleans up and gets a good rest for what feels like the first time in weeks. Tomorrow he will be able to use the stone to gain the next set of scrolls.
The morning after the talk about brewing potion Ethelred approaches both Ca’ramine and Gustav.
“Gentlemen if we are to brew potions we will need supplies! Beyond the mushrooms I have continued to ask for, with limited returns, I will require more items.
Next Red turns to Alexis and Rask.
“You can aid in the brewing of potion by grinding metal to powder. Here are 3 bags one for copper, silver and gold. The files. If you need coins search the horse bags. We can never had too much”
Red feels like the conversations the group has had about Raiden’s protection have been fruitful. Each morning after breakfast he gathers the faithful of Raiden to reflect on Raiden and recite the song Ca’armine has created (Alexis is welcome of course).
Red keeps a watchful eye on Rask, noting his tone, posture, tension. During Red’s watches at night he stays near Rask. Not wanting more dark murmurs to go noticed.
Red is tempted to ask Alexis to grant him the wisdom of the past, to recall more precisely what Rask was like before the encounter in the spiders area. But something stops Red, something seems off about such a step. This task must be done with the blessings of Raiden. And this thought, inspires Red.
Red takes a piece of the wood from Gustav’s Glade to Raiden from his pack. He carves a small shield with the symbol of Raiden’s protection on it. Make sure to keep all the shavings from the carving. He takes his time crafting this totem. The symbol must be just right, the shield shape just so. As he does this carving he recites to himself the song of protection to Raiden. The wood yields in way that seems odd, as if ready for the task.
The shield takes days to make. Red is not in a hurry. He continues to keep watch on Rask during his breaks from the scroll. He continues to gather the group. He continues to try and keep Raiden protection present.
Finally one morning after reciting the song Red offers the shield to Rask.
“Rask I have a small offering for you. The protection of Raiden takes many forms. But the shield seems the most fitting. Here is a small shield of Raiden I made of wood. I wish it was of metal, but I lack those tools at the moment. But the wood is from the Glade of trees Gustav created in honor of Raiden. It can be worn on the breast of your cloak, if you like?”
One afternoon on break from scrolls Red approaches Alexis. Red is peering out across the plains scanning all around with his spy glass as if looking for something.
“Alexis…. I am worried a bit. I know you and Rask wanted horses. But…. I am concerned. The how we got those horses… the death.. the stealing.
Let me back up… The Westlands is known for two things. Slaves being stolen. And Horses.
The horses we have just seem like horses to me. But I am guessing that Westlanders would see them differently. I bet that when we get to Ghanil someone will recognize these horses… at least where they are from.
Worst would be if word of the killing had reached Ghanil. Then the stealing and the murder
it could be messy”
During all of this Red continues to scan the horizon looking for something
On a morning that everyone is preparing for the day Red approaches Rask. Rask is DOING SOME SORT OF MORNING EXERCISE. Everyone else is around.
“Morning Rask! For some reason I find my missing home today. I haven’t built anything in a while. Makes me miss the old shop in Aigier. Make me miss the grand city.
This got me thinking that maybe knowing more about Raiden might warm my spirits. My parents never really taught me too much about Raiden. I am curious about any stories about Raiden you might know?”
During the midday, the sun high, Red approaches Gustav. The group is moving through the endless grasslands. Rask and Ca’armine are in conversation. As Red engages Gustav in conversation he slows his pace, forcing Gus to slow down.
“Gustav, it such a warm day should you not let your Crow fly free for a bit? That is where I would want to be, up in the breeze. Who knows what your Crow could see from such a lofty position…
As they move far back from Rask and Ca’armine Red lowers his voice, and side steps closer to Gus, shoulders almost touching.
“I am concerned about Rask and the soul that seems to be trapped within him. I sadly understand little of the whole mess. How it happened, and how can be resolved. But I had a thought. Rask is aligned with Raiden. Removing as soul from a body…”
Red’s seem stunned for a moment, has a slight shiver.
“What I am trying to say is Rask needs to lean into Raiden more now than ever. You have spoken of the protective Raiden powers that your mantel offers. Would you be willing to allow Rask the privilege of wearing the Mantle of Raiden?”
Red peers ahead and tries and sense if Rask suspects anything about his conversation with Gustav.
Red takes a moment to chat with Ca’armine as we travel through the Westlands.
“Ca’armine, I have gotten the sense you are increasingly unhappy with the direction the group has been going. We have been distracted from our shared goal: pursuing Bandesingh.
We know of many possible locations we could head to get information about Bandesingh, or encounter those working for him. We know he had forces in the Copper Hills Fort. We know he had forces near the Grayfax estate. I assume he would have forces watching the MiddleBar fort. He likely has forces near Fjællsby. Last time we were in the Twins he had forces there.
But most importantly we know he has at least a few people in Gahnil, which we are getting very close to.
We have very little information about Bandesingh. We know he works with many humans. We know he works with the ‘3 cheek’ Orcs. I would assume he works with ‘normal’ Orcs and other non humans.
But we need more information about him We do not even know what he looks like, Is he human? Can he cast magic?
We have focused so far just on ‘where’ he might be, but that doesn’t seem like the most important piece of information.
Do you know anything about Bandesingh? Is there anything specific you would like to learn?”
Ethelred on watch hears some of Rask’s utterances, seeming to be open to turning on the group.
A night later while Rask sleeps Ethelred chooses to awaken Alexis and Ca’armine. Taking great pains to make little noise. He signals them each individually to be quite and to move away from the group. The three move out of vocal range, but can still see the sleeping Rask (and Gustav).
Whispering and keeping a solid eye on Rask as he sleeps…
“Gentleman, I am worried about Rask. I have heard disturbing utterances from his own lips last night. He seems to be pondering, relishing?, attacking us.There is something not right with Rask.
If we are to pursue taking the fight to Bandesingh we must all be aligned. We do not know enough about Bandesingh. Bandesingh might be able to effect Rask in a way that would leave his even more vulnerable to the soul that seems trapped with in him.
I have racked my brain for things that I might be able to do to help free Rask, but the magics that posses him are beyond my understanding.
Do we need the skull that was involved in the ‘ritual’ that Rask performed to take the soul into this sword?
Car’armine might you have some healing, or turning that could help?
Alexis what light might your goddess shed onto this situation?
It would seem that combining the powers of Ave and Raiden might prove to be a challenging knowing some of the history of them. But maybe that is an option?”
Red looks between his companions, a clear expression of concern is upon him.