Campaign log: Report to Great Priest Ixanama

[Stomoxys]

Nuur-Karif left for the golden arrow and I returned to my bed. At some point, I woke up and saw Wolfram standing in the middle of the room, studying their own body. I just turned around and went back to sleep.

I woke up in the evening and got some food before sitting down to write. However, we were supposed to be at the Anati bath by nightfall, so I only had half an hour before Nuur-Karif knocked on the door. They had gotten keys to a room and everything seemed to be in order at The Golden Arrow.

Nuur-Karif drugged Wolfram and we set out to the temple area. As usual, Grogg and Wolfram got lots of attention and Nuur-Karif insisted on not wearing any disguise. While I did not notice anyone paying an unusual attention to us, it was hard to tell with all the gawking apeoids. At the gate, there was a small crowd, which caused Wolfram to grab Nuur-Karif's hand for some reason. The drugs did their trick, though, so they did not protest as they were led past the crowd.

At the Anati temple, we followed the same circuitous path as last time and eventually reached the large central building. Nobody challenged us and we wandered through the large temple. Some Anati priests were tending to some blindfolded apeoids lying on the ground in loosely fitting white clothes. One of the priests spotted us and hurried over to us, so I waited for them in the door while the others continued on. The priest asked if we knew where we were going and looked surprised when they noticed what I am, but did not challenge us and merely gave us a blessing when I said we knew the way.

The changing room was empty, so we undressed and waited. After 10 minutes, Nuur-Karif got impatient and entered the bathing chamber, but soon returned. The Ashtarite priest entered soon after in the company of an Anati priest and an unfamiliar human. When they saw us, the Ashtarite sent the unfamiliar human away and began to undress, indicating that they had been brought along as company. The Anati priest also left and we sat in silence.

After a few minutes the bell chimed and the Ashtarite priest went first this time. I went at the second chiming and sat in the cold shower. This time, I tried to open my mind to the cold and it felt like icicles shot through my mind. When I tried to get up afterwards, my limbs were stiff, as if I had been submerged in cold water for hours. For a moment, I was unsure if I would make it to the warm pool on my own, but I steadied myself and shuffled over. The rest soon joined me in the pool and we were ritually cleansed by Anati priests.

When the Anati priests had finished, Nuur-Karif told the Ashtarite what had happened at The Evening Light Terrace. The Ashtarite did not sound hopeful and agreed that the meet leader might favour a peaceful resolution, but did not have the influence to keep the more militant Ashtarites in line. Especially if they had seats at the king's council.

Wolfram presented a theory that Mir was behind the other faction and were playing the Ashtarites up against each other for their own reasons. While a cunning plan like that would be in character, it would require them to collaborate with Larma. While an interesting thought, I did not think we should follow the theory without corroborating evidence. Nuur-Karif and the Ashtarite thought it was farfetched and Wolfram themselves agreed after thinking it over. The Ashtarite had heard that Mir had an army of mercenaries making its way from Sam, which would be consistent with what we saw in Sam.

I asked the Ashtarite if they had heard anything about us, but they had not. At least our little operation was not well known yet. They asked if we had done something they should know about and I answered no. It would be safer and easier for them to not know. Nuur-Karif did not agree and told the Ashtarite we had killed Tivito members. The Ashtarite did not respond, but sank under the water and stayed there for maybe two minutes. That is very long for an apeoid. When they finally emerged, they hurried out of the pool and informed us we could not meet again. They could not risk being associated with anyone suspected of attacking Tivito for obvious reasons. In fact, they had never met or even heard of us.

After the Ashtarite was gone, we discussed what to do next. Nuur-Karif still wanted to go to The Golden Arrow, but Grogg and Wolfram had no specific plans. I wanted to find Korro, but Wolfram and especially Nuur-Karif thought this was a bad idea. Nuur-Karif gave the impression that they thought Korro had fooled me, but I find that unlikely. While I agreed that it was not ideal to contact Korro right now, we do not have the luxury of waiting and they might be of limited use after the dragons and demons were done with Byblos. Just seeing if they were alive or not could tell us something about Tivito's investigation. Besides, the apeoids are irrationally attached to their families, so warning Korro about coming events might help gain their trust. Willing agents are far more useful than the unwilling. Anyway, Nuur-Karif would be holed up at The Golden Arrow, so the main challenge would be finding Korro.

I had just suggested contacting Nulius when an Anati priest approached us. Bells had started ringing somewhere to the west and spread throughout the city and were now getting near. The priest told us we could stay as long as we wished, but they could not guarantee that we would have free passage outside and recommended that we left.

We got out of the pool and dressed quickly. Outside the temple, we heard bells all around us and they sounded like an alarm. Some guards where hurrying towards the eastern gate and the temple district was empty. At the gate, a few stragglers, including us, were waved through and the guards shut the gates behind us.

The sounds of bells continued east and it sounded like all the bells in the city would soon be ringing. Suddenly, Wolfram set off after some city guards that were running east, causing Grogg to run as well. I doubt the guards would take kindly to two trolls in heavy armour charging towards them. Yana seemed to agree and signaled for Nuur-Karif to do something, causing Nuur-Karif to grab Yana and run after Wolfram. Dragging Yana along, Nuur-Karif would struggle with catching up. I considered letting them run to see what would happen, but decided against it. Before running after them, I told an exasperated Hylda to go to the inn and guard our stuff.

I quickly caught up to Wolfram and pointed out the situation. They did not answer, but at least the slowed down and finally stopped while the running guards disappeared behind a corner. We decided that Nuur-Karif would go to the inn and prepare for The Golden Arrow while I would go west to find out what was going on. Wolfram and Grogg still wanted to go east, but said they would return to the inn afterwards. Right as I was about to set off, we heard horses approaching and saw six of the king's guard approach the gate to the temple district. An officer approached the guards at the gate. It was too dark to tell what they were talking about, but Nuur-Karif got the impression none of them knew what was going on.

[Stomoxys]

Heading north to get around the temple district, I heard the bells in the west going silent. The silence spread and by the time I reached the north eastern corner of the wall, the city was quiet again. The silence was soon broken by a patrol of guards ringing bells and yelling about a curfew. While small compared to our cities, Byblos is a sizable town and a curfew would be a drastic measure requiring considerable resources to enforce. The apeoids must consider whatever had happened very serious.

My first thought was that this was some kind of attack. Perhaps Mir's mercenary army had arrived. However, using your forces to enforce a curfew instead of defending the walls seemed like an odd priority. In addition, I had not seen any signs of attack and the alarms bells had started in the west, away from the walls.

I continued west, but made sure to not attract the attention of any patrols. I first headed towards the harbour to see if Nulius' ships were still there. On my way through the wealthier areas, the density of patrols increased and the city guards where increasingly replaced by the king's guards. They sternly informed anyone they saw that they had to get home and those that did not comply were escorted. At the harbour, Nulius' ships had not moved, but the palace guards had even more lanterns than last time. It almost looked as if the king's docks were on fire.

If I could get close enough, I could perhaps overhear orders given by officers and figure out what was going on. The nearest place to look for high ranking officers would be the gate to the north. Going there would also take me past The Golden Arrow. The gates of The Golden Arrow were shut and there were no guards outside. However, the light shining through the curtains on the third floor indicated a lot of activity going on inside. If Nuur-Karif and Yana could make it past the patrols, they would have to find some way to get in. They could probably claim they lived at The Golden Arrow and get an escort but that might require some explanation for what they were doing in the poorer parts of town. Perhaps they could claim they enjoyed watching the misery.

Beyond The Golden Arrow, I could see the city gate, but the density of patrols were too high for it to be worth the risk. Instead, I headed towards the palace square. When I approached, I saw guards with torches and lanterns patrolling on the palace walls. Earlier, there had not been any visible patrols and, from their uniforms and excellent equipment, I thought they belonged to the loyalist guard.

Over 400 of the king's guard, most of them with horses, where lined up in front of the palace. Hoping someone would address the troops and perhaps say what was going on, I hid behind a cart someone had been forced to abandon. Soldiers were continuously coming and going, arriving in ones and twos and setting off in small squads. The entire king's guard must have been mobilized. Unfortunately, the only announcement I heard was an officer that ordered a squad to follow them to The Harbour Gate, the gate I had just been at, I believe.

I waited for about half an hour, but nothing interesting happened. The gates of the palace were firmly shut and the guards on the walls were keeping a close watch on the square below. On the other side of the square, I could see lights in the towers at the entrance to the temple district, but nobody outside.

Sneaking into the palace would be a challenge, but entering the harbour the same way as last time should not be any more complicated. Nulius might know more about what was going on and might want help contacting the outside world. Having Nulius owe me a favour might come in handy. When I left, there were still at least 200 soldiers in the square.

Like last time, I hid my clothes under a pier and swam silently through the dark waters of the harbour. The gap under the gate was easy to find when I knew where to look and I slipped through. Inside, I drifted towards the ships and observed the scene. Someone had strung up heavy chains across the entrance trapping the ships inside. The palace guards were no longer patrolling the quay, but were stationed every few meters and keeping a close eye on the ships. In response, the crew on the ships were on deck and positioned in the shadows, keeping an equally close eye on the palace guards.

A window was open in the back of the middle ship, Nulius' ship, and I swam closer. The crew and palace guards were busy watching each other, so I had no trouble climbing up the ship's side and peeking in. Inside, Nulius stood bent over a table containing several maps and a bodyguard was seated by the door. The largest map was a detailed map of Byblos, while a smaller map on the side appeared to depict the palace. Various tokens were placed on the maps and a few notes were scribbled various places.

I knocked softly on the window to get their attention. Nulius barely looked up, but the guard drew their sword and approached the window. The guard's reaction could be unpredictable, so I whispered "good evening". That got Nulius' attention. They took the guard's sword and approached the window themselves, keeping the bodyguard behind them. From their body language, they appeared to be more curious than anxious so I waited for them silently. However, they did not see me, even though they were less than a meter away from me. I suppose my camouflage has gotten better, but I had the impression elves like Nulius usually had keen eyesight.

To get their attention, I told them to look down and they finally spotted me. Their expression was one of mild annoyance, but they returned to the table and gestured for me to take a stool. The bodyguard's reaction was surprisingly muted. Either they were very disciplined or Nulius had told them about my existence.

Nulius opened by asking if I was some kind of ransom they could trade for something and be on their way, claiming this was some kind of local custom. I told them I am even less familiar with the natives than them and had no idea what they were talking about. They looked slightly disappointed and asked me what I was doing there, to which I replied that I had stopped by to say hello.

The initial conversation was awkward and they indicated for me to leave, so I decided I had to give them some information. I told them about the Azura priest's vision of the dragon and demon, though I did not to tell them the origin. Instead implying that I had seen it myself. This opened them up and they told me that Mir had promised the dragon from the west would protect the ships from the dragon in the east. I was a bit perturbed by how casually they discussed dealing with dragons and wondered what they had sacrificed, but kept my face motionless. The more they thought I knew, the less careful they might be. They were not concerned about the demon at all, expecting the dragon to deal with it easily. My thoughts returned to a discussion I had with Wolfram earlier. Perhaps the sacrifice was the demon.

Nulius had apparently decided to trust me and told me someone at the king's council had been assassinated, causing the curfew. They believed it was part of a plot to justify prosecution of some group. This would make sense considering the conflict between the Ashtarites and I told Nulius about the last vision of the Azura priest. They agreed that it sounded plausible, but wondered what had set of the assassination. According to their intelligence, the plan had been to wait for the day of judgement. I have a strong suspicion, but I did not mention our little operation.

Nulius' plan had been to stay at the palace until the day of judgement and then escape with something 'valuable'. They were intentionally vague about this 'valuable', so I did not ask. However, for some reason I think it is an apeoid. They did not tell me how they intended to do it either, but they said they had the best agents and gave the impression they had infiltrated the palace. If the tokens on the maps indicated agents, there was a lot of them in the area.

Suddenly, they asked me if I could carry a message. I agreed and they also wanted to arrange a meeting with Wolfram, Nuur-Karif and Grogg present. I thought that could be a good idea if it was possible. They would instruct their agents to arrange it, but needed to know where we were. I decided to tell them and they looked very concerned when I said Nuur-Karif might be at The Golden Arrow. I reassured by pointing out that Nuur-Karif can usually control their murderous urges, and they hoped I was right as they had agents inside there.

They wrote two messages and placed them in a bottle and gave me instructions. There was an inn a few blocks east of The Golden Arrow and I should attach the bottle next to a window on the second floor. This sounded like a simple enough task and they gave me strict instructions not to open the bottle. The recipient would be able to tell if the bottle had been opened and would not trust the contents. It was probably in Litin, so I would not be able to read it anyway. I am not used to apeoids having any idea what security is.

I prepared to leave and they asked if they should smuggle me out. I hesitated a bit too long, concerned about my clothes, which made them change their mind. Unfortunate, as I would have liked to see their methods and perhaps get a glimpse of their agents. Instead, I dived into the water, causing a big splash to amuse Nulius and set the guards on edge.

[Stomoxys]

Whoever was in charge must have decided that the inhabitants of Byblos had gotten home by the time I left Nulius, because the intervals between patrols were much longer. I easily made it to the inn Nulius had indicated and attached the bottle as instructed. While this inn was less affluent than The Golden Arrow, it clearly catered to the upper classes. Curtains were drawn in most of the windows, but there were light in two on the third floor. Climbing up and looking in, I saw an apeoid dressed like a merchant writing something and counting money. In the other, I could see the shadow of someone standing next to the window, but could not see them or what they were doing.

I climbed down and waited to see what would happen with the bottle. After a few minutes, the window opened silently and a hand stretched out and grabbed the bottle. In the dark, I could not tell who the arm belonged to, beyond that it was an apeoid. The arm did not fumble, so I suspect the owner had good night vision. Perhaps a dwarf.

Since I was in the area, I returned to The Golden Arrow and considered whether I should attempt to contact Nuur-Karif. They were supposed to be on the fifth floor on the western side of the building in a suite with two windows. With ten windows to choose from, I did not like those odds. We had intended to arrange some kind of signal, but were interrupted by the bells and forgot in the rush.

Instead, I decided to go to the Anati temple to warn them about what Nulius had told me. Presumably, they would be able to pass a message on to the Ashtarites. On my way, I spotted two apeoids darting across the road ahead. They were trying to remain hidden, so I followed them to an unremarkable building somewhat further east. Climbing through an open window, I discovered that they lived there with another apeoid, but had been away due to activities frowned on by the authorities. I decided it was probably not very useful, so I left and made my way to the temple district.

I climbed the wall in the north east corner by the Tiri tower and saw no signs of any apeoids, so I decided to visit the tower. Inside the buildings, the darkness was complete and I carefully felt my way towards the stairs. When I reached the staircase, I heard the breathing of apeoids above me and froze, which caused the edge of my cloak to brush against the ground and disturb some rubble. The apeoids above me did not seem to notice, but an apeoid behind me called out for someone called Alem to bring a lantern.

In the darkness, I had missed the apeoids behind me. They must have had unusually good breath control, as apeoid respiration is usually quite loud. I would not be able to turn back, so I tiptoed down the stairs, listening for any signs of pursuit. The apeoids seemed to fumble around upstairs and murmured something about evacuation, so I continued through the open door and down the stairs to the subterranean tunnel. The door on the opposite side of the tunnel was ajar, leading into a dark room, while a torch burned in a sconce next to it.

I listened at the door, but heard nobody inside and carefully pushed it. Someone inside asked who was there, and I recognized the voice of the Ashtarite that had accompanied the priest the first time we were in the tower. They would be a more direct contact than the Anatis, so I stepped into the light of the torch and waited for them to open the door.

They recognized me immediately, but were not happy to see me. They had gotten strict instructions to stay away from us from the priest. I told them that somebody at the council had been murdered and that things that had been predicted would begin. They nodded, but was interrupted by someone coming down the stairs, shouting for someone called Redal. The Asharite told them to extinguish the lantern and go away, as it would be safer if nobody saw me. Thee apeoid in the stairs complied and I took my leave.

I made my way towards the temple of Tsovin and Vagan. They would probably like to know that two dragons were approaching. The temple district was mostly empty, but a large number of Mitra guards were patrolling the central square. District guards were stationed at the southern gate. However, they looked confused about what they were supposed to be doing and almost appeared to be loitering.

Guards were also patrolling around the Tsovin and Vagan temple. I could probably have made it past them unnoticed, but decided it was not worth the risk. The priest had talked about a tower, so I sneaked over to the nearest tower along the wall. It was dark and closed, so I scaled the outer wall. Near the top, the tower had a balcony facing south, consistent with a Tsovin and Vagan building. However, the door to the balcony was also locked and nobody answered when I knocked. The roof of the tower, which also extended over the balcony, was unusually steep. I suppose that will make it more resilient to dragon storms, but very inconvenient if you want to study the stars.

I returned to our inn and wondered how I should get in. However, there was no need for concern. Grogg was leaning out the window of their room, staring at the sky. At least the parts they could see. Our rooms were facing a back street with only a few meter clearing to the next building. It turned out they were keeping watch, looking for the dragons they smelt approaching. Whether they can actually smell the dragons is a bit unclear, but I would not rule it out. I told them what Nulius had told me and they only snorted when I asked what Mir could have traded with the dragon. Our discussion were interrupted by Hylda, who woke up and wanted Grogg to go to sleep. They would need their strength if they were to challenge the dragons again, so I said I could keep watch. That convinced them and they went to bed while I climbed up on the roof.

[Stomoxys]

Ajaw was peeking over the horizon when I woke up on the roof and heard Wolfram calling. I could not recall falling asleep, but it felt like I had been sleeping, not like I had had a vision. Peeking over the edge of the roof, I saw Wolfram looking up and quickly climbed down. The streets below were still empty due to the curfew. As I climbed, I felt a headache and nausea building up and if the climb had been longer, I might have fallen.

Sitting down on the bed, I was about to tell Wolfram about Nulius, but instead had to ask for the wash basin and got it just in time to catch the contents of my stomach. As I crouched over the basin, puking my guts out, it felt as if a searing cold thread was being ripped out of my brain and I was afraid I was going to pass out. Thankfully, it subsided once the puking stopped and I realized I had been reliving a memory.

Images from the night before slowly coalesced and I heard myself babbling to Wolfram about my experience. After I climbed up on the roof, I had seen a new type of threads in the sky and had followed them up towards heaven. Suddenly, I realized that I was somewhere dangerous, but before I could get my bearings, the Azura priest had appeared. They were enormous, reaching from the ground into the sky and had yanked the threads out of and away from me before putting me to sleep. Before I blacked out, they announced that I must not do whatever I was doing alone, as it was dangerous.

I cannot say I am surprised that the priest has been watching me. While their intentions are as unknown as ever, at least they revealed themselves. Besides, wherever I was, I could feel the danger myself, for the time being, I will play nice. Wolfram seems to have forgotten most of their initial reticence about magic and is usually willing to stay around. Besides, their bear shape opens up posibilites.

The malaise passed faster than expected and I got something to eat before going to bed. However, I had barely closed my eyes before Wolfram woke me and told me guards were approaching the inn. They had been using Nuur-Karif's empty room for their excercises and had seen the guards registering how many were in the different buildings. At most doors, they merely knocked and talked to those inside, but they entered some places. We decided it would be best to wait in our room and I quickly put on my disguise. Thankfully, the innkeeper came by and was satisfied when Wolfram said we were two. Apeoids in some of the other room sounded more quarrelsome, taking attention away from us.

After the guards had left, I went back to bed and slept until I felt rested. The curfew was still in place, so I fetched the Arani book and sat down to study. Sometime in the afternoon, city guards marched through the streets again with their bells. This time it was to announce that the curfew was lifted when Ajaw while visible in the sky. However, the gates of the city were closed and anyone who wished to leave would have to bring official papers proving that they had legitimate business outside the walls.

I was idly wondering how big the bribe would have to be to obtain papers for my companions when, I heard Grogg and Hylda clumping down the stairs. I had had enough of the Arani squiggles for a while, so I put on my cloak and beard and joined them. Wolfram was already downstairs and we joined them at their table and got something to eat.

Just as the food arrived, two apoids entered the inn. Wolfram eyed them suspiciously, making Grogg burst out that it was rude to stare, using Wolfram's name. A few weeks ago, this would have made me groan inwardly, but I realize I no longer care. If there are anyone not aware of us by now, they must be blind, but Grogg and Wolfram are formidable opponents in combat, so making any moves against us would require substantial resources.

This time, Grogg's indiscretion proved to be fortuitous. One of the apeoids that entered repeated Grogg's comment, while the other produced a note and discreetly left it on our table before they both left. The note said "The Lame Mule, near The Marked of Good Green Gifts". A mule is a mammal similar to a horse used for drafting, but in context, the note indicated an inn or eatery. We did not know where it was, but Hylda said they could find it. Of the four of us, they were the least likely to attract attention.

Hylda left and in the meantime, I filled Grogg in on what Nulius had told me. I asked Grogg, but they claimed the smell of dragon had not intensified. Hylda returned about an hour later and had found the inn. It was a few minutes north of The Cracked Pot, the eatery with the Ashtarite chapel in the basement.

There was no reason to sit around at the inn, so we got dressed and got on our way. At one point, we turned a corner and almost walked into a small crowd, causing Wolfram to freeze until they had passed. They got a few strange looks and looked rather pale for the rest of the trip, but we made it to the The Lame Mule. There, Wolfram's fear of crowds made them refuse to enter, but Grogg and Hylda were able to arrange for one of the servers to open the back entrance.

We were shown to a room and were told we could use it freely for the night. The walls were thin, and a few places I could see the light shining through, but it did not seem like anyone was listening. Just as I was peeking through one of the larger cracks, someone knocked on the door and one of the apeoids from earlier entered. They appeared to be a mix between elf and human were dressed like an apeoid from the upper classes. After greeting us, they served themselves from the beer Grogg had bought. They could abrely contain their disgust at the taste, but they still forced it down. Apeoids will never willingly relinquish alcohol.

They informed us that there had been some complications and they had not gotten in contact with Nuur-Karif. They were vague, but hinted that they had not found Nuur-Karif at The Golden Arrow, or at least nobody who had responded. One the one hand, would not be very surprising if Nuur-karif had gotten themselves killed or captured, but on the other, I had not given Nulius any information on how to contact them. We gave the apeoid the name Nuur-Karif had used, Platykon, as well as a general description and one of my coins. It is unique and Nuur-Karif should be able to recognize it.

The apeoid left, leaving us alone in the room. Luckily, I had thought to bring the Arani book, so I sat down to read while the others drank beer. At one point, the server returned and told us we had the room for two nights. It was unclear if there had been some confusion earlier, or if the apeoid had bought the room for another night. Nulius hates orcs for some reason and our things were left unattended, so Hylda returned to the

When Ajaw reached the horizon, the apeoid returned and told us there had been a complication. They had indeed found Nuur-Karif and Yana, but they had fled. The apeoid had not had them followed out of courtesy, so they did not know where Nuur-Karif and Yana had gone. They also told us they had some information that we might find useful and would give us in exchange for cooperation. However, they found Nuur-Karif's behaviour untrustworthy. Unless they showed up again, they did not want anything to do with us and warned us to stay away from the wealthier parts of town. Remarkably reasonable behaviour. I would not have wished to have anything to do with us either.

The apeoid left and we discussed what to do. I had a lingering feeling that the threads I had seen the night before could somehow be traced to find individuals. It would have to wait until after nightfall to be tested and required somewhere away from prying eyes, so it could be complicated. I also wondered if maybe Nuur-Karif had run away with Yana and did not wish to be found. They have increasingly been isolating themselves from the rest of us lately.

Staying in the room would not be very useful, so we set off to the inn to get there in time before the curfew. Outside The Cracked Pot, we spotted Nuur-Karif and Yana in the street and Wolfram started waving. They did not respond immediately, but slipped into a side street. I half expected them to be gone when we reached the alley, but they were waiting for us and came willingly to The Lame Mule. Hopefully, the apeoid had placed someone to keep an eye on The Lame Mule and they might return when they saw we were all there. It was too late to make it back to the inn now before the curfew.

Nuur-Karif told us they had been contacted twice by Nulius' agents. However, they were convinced that it was some kind of trap and had panicked. They could not have thought it through as it would have implied that I had been captured or somehow been made to give the agents my coin. Considering that we had discussed contacting Nulius, it would have been much more likely that the agents were telling the truth. Besides, it is unclear what good running was supposed to do.

They also told us that they had met the Ashtarite I had talked to the night before, but they had merely reiterated what we already knew. They could not be seen to work with us directly due to the whole killing Tivito thing.

[Stomoxys]

It was too late to get back to the inn, so we decided to stay at The Lame Mule. Nuur-Karif sat down in a corner with their back to us and started praying while I asked Grogg to arrange for mattresses. Their gold had put the staff in a friendly disposition. After a bit of back and forth, it turned out Nulius' apeoid had arranged rooms for us if we wished. There was even a hidden staircase we could use to get from the rooms upstairs to the meeting room. Wolfram, Grogg and I shared a large room with windows to the north and east, while Nuur-Karif and Yana took a small study next to our room.

There was no point in staying in the meeting room, so I remained upstairs with Wolfram. Maybe it would be possible to find Pakk and Gromann using the threads in the sky. Wolfram thought it was worth a try and that it might be possible to send a message to them. While I could not rule that out, I reminded them that I had never tried it before and was unsure if I would be able to find them at all.

Grogg appeared while we were talking and suggested I try their crow's toes, claiming it would put me in contact with the stars. I doubted it, but experience told me I should at least consider Grogg's farfetched ideas and reluctantly agreed. They produced a small pile of the black, bark like substance and a pipe to smoke it. The dose would be more suited for Grogg than me and an infusion would make for a smoother experience, so I asked Wolfram to fetch some hot water. If nothing else, I would not have to inhale smoke into my lungs. Wolfram returned and a bit later, one of the staff appeared with a a cup, a pot of boiling water and some honey and sugar, as well as a small spoon of real tea and some ground up root from the wetlands. Both the tea and the sugar had to be imported via the caravans from the south, while the honey came from the forests in the north, so this was not normal fare for a relatively modest establishment like The Lame Mule.

Mixing the crow's toes with hot water released a bitter smell that Wolfram recognized. Nyra had served a "tea" that smelt just like it on the night they fought with Grogg and Jori. This sounded odd and Grogg's expression indicated they knew more than they let on. It would explain quite a lot, but I let it go. I was grateful for the honey, though, as it partially masked the foul taste of the brew.

There were no immediate effects, but after a while, I found candle flames and the voices from the apeoids in the drinking room below extremely fascinating. I also felt the wind from the beating of Kra's wings and thought I saw the flames flicker. In hindsight, I believe this was just the product of my imagination, despite Grogg's claims that crow's toes makes you see spirits. A controlled test would be interesting, but difficult to arrange. The overall effect was reminiscent of the poison of the zataka frog, but without the unpleasant after effects. At some point, Grogg opened a window and I spent the next several hours staring at the stars.

Eventually, I came to myself. Wolfram had gone to sleep, but Grogg was sitting in the window looking for dragons. I woke Wolfram and proceeded to search for the threads of Pakk and Gromann in the sky. For a second, I thought I had found them and was somewhere far away. However, the threads slipped away and I found myself back in the room. I suppose it was a bit ambitious to find someone that I had no idea where were. I will have to test it on a less distant target.

Wolfram went back to sleep, but Grogg wanted to stay up. I reminded them again that they needed to be well rested when facing the dragons, so they went to sleep, leaving me alone in the dark. I struggled to sleep, but felt pleasantly relaxed. No doubt as a result of the drugs.

[Stomoxys]

The relaxed sensation was still there when I woke up and it felt like everything would be fine. I can see why this would be highly appealing to the neurotic apeoids. While enjoyable, I doubt it is healthy in the long run, but for now, I simply enjoyed the feeling and went back to sleep. Sometime later, Wolfram entered the room and said that Nulius' apeoid was back and wanted to speak with us. I got up and met the others downstairs in the meeting room.

After five minutes, the apeoid appeared and sat down. I noticed that they discreetly scanned the room, mentally noting down everyone present and their position. They had a kind of job for us. Somewhat east of Byblos was a village called Hosei and they had heard rumours that something magical had happened there and that Larma and/or Tivito was involved. This had happened the night of our operation. Grogg whispered to Wolfram loudly enough for everyone to hear, asking if that was the place we had been which Wolfram partially confirmed before hushing Grogg. I found it quite amusing, but I doubt Nuur-karif shared my sentiment. The apeoid acted as if they had not noticed and said that any information on what had happened would be a great help that could be reciprocated. Nuur-Karif asked them to leave us for fifteen minutes to discuss and they obliged.

Nuur-Karif insisted they should do the talking, and they would not tell the truth. Instead they wanted to claim that they had been in the village on the night and witnessed a murder. I agreed that implicitly telling the apeoid what had happened, leaving enough room for plausible deniability was the best approach. Nulius and the apeoid are aware that Nuur-Karif is a member of a murder cult in conflict with Tivito, so they would be able to deduce who the murderer was.

The apeoid returned and Nuur-Karif told them there had been two murders. It turns out they had not been satisfied with just the Tivito, but had also killed some officer in the king's guard. They also claimed nothing magical had happened, which I suppose was technically true. The apeoid was pleased with this information and indicated that Tivito had kept any information from leaking out. Normally, Nulius' agents could have bribed members of the king's guard for information, but they hinted that it was not possible in this case. The murder of a Tivito would explain it. The information we had given might be enough for them to reciprocate, hinting that Nulius had given them permission to share their resources with us. They left to evaluate the information and said they would be gone for about an hour.

I suggested that we should check if any letters for Biskutello had arrived. Nuur-Karif was unwilling, however, so I left with Grogg to fetch Hylda and our things at the other inn. We were back in good time before the apeoid returned and settled in the meeting room.

When the apeoid returned, they told us that the arrangements were in order, on a condition. The rest of us, especially Wolfram and Grogg, had to say what we had been doing that night. Nuur-Karif's face became very still while Wolfram and Grogg looked awkwardly at each other. Sensing the tension, the apeoid said they could return in fifteen minutes and send more beer to help them remember. I was a bit disappointed that Grogg had not blurted out everything. It would have been fun to see everyone's reaction.

Nuur-Karif insisted that nobody should say anything. Apparently they expected the apeoid to believe their story literally and were afraid to be caught in a lie. If there was no other way, they would rather we did not say anything. I pointed out that Nulius is not an idiot and would have a pretty clear idea of who the murderer was. Refusing to cooperate would not exactly increase their willingness to work with us and it was not like we had managed much on our own. Ostensibly, Nuur-Karif's goal is to prevent the Ashtarites from killing each other, but so far we have only accelerated the process.

They refused to budge and the apeoid had to leave for another fifteen minutes. When they returned again, Nuur-Karif attempted to send the apeoid away, but I interrupted and let them in to the meeeting room. It resulted in a odd situation with Nuur-Karif insisting that we had nothing more to tell while Wolfram and Grogg stared awkwardly at each other and the apeoid. I found the situation strangely enjoyable. I suspect it was a side effect of the crow's toes.

After a long pause, I suggested that it would be helpful if the apeoid could produce a token of good faith. They only repeated the promise of access to their resources. Nuur-Karif suggested that we should meet with Nulius, but the apeoid said this would not be possible. Grogg, in a moment of clarity, pointed at the scorched holes in their armour. Together with Wolfram, they managed to more or less confirm that the holes were caused by Elik daggers, which got the apeoid's attention. I wonder if Grogg called on Lunari for that idea or came up with it themselves. While the details were hashed out, Nuur-Karif whispered to me and asked if it would be possible for me to take them to Nulius. I said it would be fun to try, but they would probably drown. However, Grogg's damaged armour had piqued the apeoid's interest and they said they would make a genuine attempt to arrange a meeting.

After the apeoid left, Wolfram brought up the letter to Biskutello, but Nuur-Karif claimed they had a headache and left the room. On their way out, they displayed symptoms, but they are an excellent actor. I cannot shake the suspicion that a headache was a good excuse to be alone with Yana, which seems to be Nuur-Karif's primary concern lately.

We discussed various ways to check for the letter without Nuur-Karif, including using an illusion to disguise myself, but decided the simplest was for Grogg to go and claim they had been sent by their master. Wolfram would have been better suited, were it not for their fear of crowds.

Grogg, Hylda and I went to temple of Tsovin and Vagan and Grogg impressed the apeoid in the post office with their physique. Unfortunately, no letters had arrived. Since we were there, we went by the temple proper and approached a priest. Grogg said they wanted a dead dragon, which resulted in a theological discussion of whether Orga is a god or a hero. I do not think trollish theology has a clear distinction and they both agreed that it was not important. I warned the priest that there were dragons approaching and they believed me, saying that they would prepare the temple. On our way out, Grogg suddenly inhaled deeply and said the air in the temple was fresher and cleaner than anything they had smelt since they entered Byblos. I suppose it is a side effect of the wind that seems to always be blowing around the roof.

The temple district was full of apeoids milling about and donating money to the various temples. Tsovin and Vagan seemed to receive relatively little traffic. Bad prioritizing, considering what is about to happen, though I doubt any amount of donations would make a difference.

On our way back, I bought a book about elven families and their star signs, hoping to find something of value among the superstition. When I left the store, Hylda produced a note they had received the day before at the inn. I took one look and recognized Arani writing. It said "Someone knows where you live.". While anyone could have figured out where we lived by following the towering Grogg or Wolfram, it was concerning that someone who knew I could read Arani had found us and we hurried back to The Lame Mule. However, when I knocked on Nuur-Karif and Yana's door, it turned out that it was Yana who had written the note. Caravans from the south use Arani, so many Amrosh know a few words, including Yana.

Returning to the bedroom, we got something to eat and waited for nightfall. The view from the room was not very good, but I could see two of The Nine dancing in the east. I wanted to see what they were doing and started gathering threads. It felt like I was making good progress and swirling hints of an image flickered at the edge of my vision when I heard horses approaching The Lame Mule. I warned Wolfram and Grogg and kept working while a commotion started downstairs. A few minutes later, the apeoid opened the door and said we had to come while their agents were distracting anyone downstairs. I had gathered a sizeable bunch of threads and feared what would happen if I let them loose all at once. Carefully, I let them go, one by one.

[Stomoxys]

The threads drifted off into the night and I prepared to leave. Wolfram and Grogg wished to bring their arms, so I and Hylda helped them to speed up the process. Shouts drifted up from downstairs and it sounded like city guards had arrived looking for someone to arrest. Just as we were about to leave, Nuur-Karif knocked on the door and asked if we were ready. Hylda wondered if they should come along, but we decided it was best if they stayed due to Nulius' disposition to orcs.

Nuur-Karif was waiting outside the room and indicated we should follow them down the stairs. At the bottom, we saw the apeoid and followed out the backdoor to an anonymous, but sturdy looking couch. The apeoid unlocked a padlock concealed behind a hatch and handed it to Nuur-Karif, advising us to lock the door once we were inside. They were not joining, but two cloaked apeoids were sitting at the drivers seat in front and I spotted mounted guards at each end of the alley. After ushering everyone inside, I closed the door and we locked it. It was a bit tight, but I found a space on the floor next to the door.

Nothing happened for several minutes. From the front of the inn, we could hear shouting and the guards beating up one of the patrons. Wolfram got fidgety and wondered if we should do something, but I reassured them and told them to wait. After a few more minutes, someone from the front of the couch shouted if they needed to bring anyone. They were told that it would not be necessary and they could leave. Soon after, the couch started moving.

I got the shining stone Kra had brought from my couch to light up the inside of the couch. The light was faint, but it was a huge improvement compared to the windowless couch. The padlock in the door was accessible from the inside through small hatch and, with a bit of fumbling, I was able to open the outer hatch to see where we were. We were going past the northern gate of the temple district and then turned south, leaving us in the area north of the palace square. The couch waited for a few minutes before someone opened the gate of one of the buildings and it drove in. I noticed that the apeoids outside greeted each other with "Beautiful evening". A somewhat unusual phrase that I heard several times throughout the night.

I discreetly closed the hatch and hid the shining stone. Soon after, an apeoid dressed as an officer in the city guard knocked on the door and Nuur-Karif opened. The officer wondered if anyone was afraid of dark tunnels and hinted that we were going underground. Luckily, Wolfram's neurosis is not triggered by cramped surroundings, so we followed. After knocking on a door, the officer led us further into the building and down a set of stairs to a basement. Another guard formed up the rear guard and they both had lanterns. We were first led through a prison and then into an interrogation room with two doors on the far side. The guard in front looked nervous and fumbled with the keys to the interrogation room. I got the impression they were not familiar with the keys. From the interrogation room, we took the the door to the right, which led down a new set of stairs into a dark and damp stone tunnel. It was so low that Wolfram banged their head several times. It was a good thing they brough their helmet. Grogg also banged their head, but their thick skull makes them more resistant. The guards seemed more interesting in watching their surroundings than us.

The tunnel went in both directions, but the guard in front produced a small note and then led us to the left. Clearly, they were not familiar with the path. Grogg complained that something smelled of sewage, but the guard just continued. After a few minutes I picked up on the smell as well and it got stronger as we went along. The tunnel ended in a T-junction with another tunnel that led up to left and down to the right. The stench of sewage came from the right, but we were thankfully going up to the left. The ramp up was a bit slippery, but to my relief it was just water and not sewage.

The ramp ended and we took a new corridor to the right. Again we walked in silence for several minutes. There was a side corridor going off to the right, but we continued straight until we reached a staircase leading up to a large room. Strikingly, it was separated in two by metal bars. On the far side was another staircase leading further up. I am quite sure the chamber was subterranean, because there were no windows and what looked like small ventilation holes near the ceiling. The air in the tunnel had been very stale, but it was fresher in the room.

There were shackles along the walls, suitable for restraining someone. Judging by the tracks in the dust, someone had been held on our side of the bars quite recently. I did not inspect closer because the guard looked nervous enough already.

Nuur-Karif sat down to pray and the rest of us stood around looking at each other in the light of the lanterns. Suddenly we heard someone marching down the stairs on the far side and two apeoids appeared. They were well armed and appeared to be well trained. One of them had a lantern and, after making sure there was nothing unexpected, the other smacked the wall two times. On cue, Nulius descended the stairs followed by two more soldiers.

[Stomoxys]

Nulius crossed the room to the bars, but stopped a few meters short and greeted us. The guards who had led us looked relieved. Wolfram greeted Nulius and got a cordial greeting in return while Nuur-karif got back on their feet. We got an hour to talk and the guards who led us got a nod. They gratefully scurried down the stairs and away into the dark. With the guards gone, Nulius wondered why we were there, and was echoed by Grogg. I agreed that dragging Nulius down into the basement was probably unnecessary, but let Wolfram explain about the visions of the Azura priest and that they wanted help stopping it. Nulius did not see how it concerned them, but got more interested when Wolfram said that the various cultists wanted to kill each other.

Wolfram did not pick up on the cue, but started talking about demons instead. Nulius was dismissive, so Nuur-Karif turned the conversation to the Ashtarites scheming with Tivito. According to Nulius, the new laws had been presented very differently at the council. Instead of granting powers to the various cults, more power would be granted to Tivito who could choose to delegate them to other cults. While this makes a lot more sense, I am surprised that the cultists would fall for it.

Wolfram started talking about Elik and what had happened in the basement in Ur and also threw in the murder back in Sulla. Since we know almost nothing about the murder, it is premature to pin it on Elik, though it is certainly a possibility. Nulius said Elik had a presence in the west as well, but there they were called Elam. They did not know much about them in Arland, but thought it would be worth an investigation. I mentioned that one of the Elik cultists in Ur had ranted about purging sinners from Arland and Nulius thought it sounded like Elik/Elam. They had been very useful for purging the orcs from the west as they were willing to run into combat and underground places with no concern for personal safety.

What a sinner is, is a bit unclear and depends on which apeoid you ask, but my impression is that a sin is some arbitrary act an apeoid disapproves of and claims their god disapproves of as well. I suppose it makes sense if you think the whole world revolves around you.

The conversation turned to what Korro had said about Elik and Nuur-Karif insisted that Nulius send away their soldiers. Nulius obliged, but I believe we could trust them as far as we could trust Nulius. I asked Grogg to show the holes in their armour and tell Nulius how they had gotten them before summarizing what had happened the night of the operation, including the names we had gotten out of Korro. Naturally, Nulius wondered how we had ended up fighting Tivito and I asked Wolfram to explain. Somehow this led to a discussion on the history of slavery between Nulius and Wolfram, but Nulius broke it off and I told them about Korro. Nulius would have the resources to handle an asset like Korro, though I was a bit sad to give them away.

In exchange, I wanted to know why Nulius was in Byblos. They were unwilling to say much more than last time, but hinted that it would be very difficult for their enemies to travel on the Ar if they succeeded. I wonder what could possibly affect the whole river. I guess the storms of the Volkir could make it difficult, but that would require some form of control of the demon and they had earlier claimed to not know which demon was under Tivito's control. Perhaps it is some kind of powerful artifact.

Nulius moved to end the meeting and wanted to know if we had any more questions. If there was anything we needed, we could ask their apeoid who would come by The Lame Mule. Grogg asked about dragons in the north and south. Nulius was strangely bothered by this and said it was not appropriate to talk about the dragon in the north. It and its worshippers had been defeated and it would be best to forget about them. They had learned to make boats from the dragon's worshipers though. If Grogg found a dragon worshiper from the north and killed them, Nulius would cover them in gold and they had never heard of any dragons in the south. If the dragon in the north was truly defeated, one would have thought they would be willing to talk and even brag about it, so there is definitely more to the story.

Nuur-Karif dasked about Mir and the stupid horse spear. Nulius did not want to tell us anything, except that they were sure that Mir was greater than the spear and would be able to handle it. We shall see. I asked about Gromann and Pakk. On this subject, Nulius had actual news. They had heard that Pakk and Gromann had reached their destination, but not anything since. They might be able to find out more and could possibly send a message for us if we gave it to their agent.

Before they left, they wondered if any of us had met any orcs with a bluish skin colour. None of us had, and they said this was because these orcs had been exterminated. We should not mention the dragon in the north to any of their soldiers or agents and hinted that the blue orcs and dragon was connected. As they were about to leave, I asked where we were. They said we were under the palace, not far from the harbour. That would explain the dampness.

We were left in the dark. Nuur-Karif said they would keep watch and used it as an excuse to be alone with Yana. I produced the shimmer coin from my pouch to get some light in. Staring into the star light, I saw how the beams were emitted from the coin and bounced off the walls and other objects it hit before reaching my eyes. By subtly twisting the threads near my eyes, I could amplify the light and see in the dark. It took several attempts, but eventually I managed to make it work. It looked like the coin was a bright star that bathed the entire room in the beautiful, blue-white light. Looking at Wolfram, they commented that the light was reflected weirdly in my eyes. I suppose that was to be expected. Hopefully it will not make me too easy to spot in the dark. I also wonder if it will work without starlight.

It was draining to maintain the spell for long, so I released it after a few minutes and we sat in the gloom. We did not have to wait very long though, as Nuur-Karif shouted that light was approaching. I hid away the coin and we made our way down to Nuur-Karif. One of the guards checked that nobody was lurking in the room and we were on our way.

Back by the prison cells, the guards told us to find a place to sleep. Nuur-Karif, Yana and I were quick to occupy the two cells with proper mattresses. Wolfram was balking, but after a quick inspection of the lock, I told them to take it easy. It would not have been a problem to pick the locks. Reluctantly they took a cell and we went to sleep. I took the opportunity to meditate on Ashtar, but did not receive any signs.

[Stomoxys]

Early in the morning, a new set of guards wok us up and let us out of the cells, one by one. They were surprised by Wolfram and Grogg's weaponry so I do not think they were in on the plot. The next question is whether the guards that guided us to Nulius were actual guards that had been bribed or agents of Nulius dressed as guards. After Nuur-Karif drugged Wolfram, we walked to The Lame Mule. Since none of us had gotten much sleep, we all went to our rooms. I was a bit concerned about Grogg and Hylda, but it turned out Grogg was so sleep deprived that they fell asleep immediately. I was asleep soon after.

At lunchtime, we were woken by one of the staff knocking on the door. They informed us that a dwarf and a troll were waiting for us downstairs. This is such an unusual combination that I allowed myself to hope it was Pakk and Gromann. It would not be surprising if Nulius had held some information back. Alas, when I got downstairs after waking a petulant Nuur-Karif, it was an unknown pair that turned to greet me.

They had been instructed to meet at least four of us and I told them to wait. Grogg, Hylda and Wolfram followed shortly, but Nuur-Karif and Yana took nearly fifteen minutes before they came shuffling into the room. The dwarf asked if everyone was there, which I confirmed. They then asked for Xipil and took my hand in the apeoid manner of greeting. This gave them the opportunity to study my skin and confirm who I was. As usual, I had put on my cloak and beard. Satisfied that they had identified me, the dwarf introduced themselves as Krago and the troll as Bruto. They used the same wording as Nulius and they had clearly been instructed to find me. While it is possible that others know my name, it would be foolish to wander into The Lame Mule and reveal themselves to Nulius' agents if that was the case.

Krago pulled a metal chest from their large backpack and two keys from separate pockets. They then inserted the keys into two keyholes, one on each side of the chest, and twisted simultaneously. With a small click, the chest unlocked.

Inside was a complicated mechanical contraption with several small knobs and levers that could be turned, pulled and moved. Giving a stern look to everyone in the room, Krago warned anyone that felt clumsy to steady themselves. Bruto put a hand against the wall, while Wolfram and Grogg looked meaningfully at each other. The dwarf then proceeded to manipulate the knobs and levers in what appeared to be a complicated puzzle. At some of the stages, they were particularly careful and I suspect that a mistake code cause the contents of the mechanism to be destroyed or perhaps even hurt the operator.

When they were done with the puzzle, Krago opened a lid on the mechanism and pulled out a small casket with a several wheels. They placed the casket on the table and told everyone to relax. The mechanism must have been the primary security measure, but Krago still had to turn the wheels into specific positions before the lid of the casket popped open. The metalwork on the mechanism and casket reminded me a bit of some contraptions I saw at the Salt Guild in The Cities of the Prince. This was much finer than anything I had seen before though. Only Odon's needles were more intricate.

From the casket, Krago produced a sealed letter and displayed it to us before breaking the seal and reading it silently. Sneaking a peak over their shoulder, the letter was written using some form of dwarfish symbols. These are more aesthetically pleasing than most of the symbols used by the apeoids and appear to be suitable for chiseling into stone. I am not sure if Krago's note was written with exactly the same signs as those I have seen before. The dwarfs are very secretive about their language, so I have not had the chance to study any texts.

Putting the letter down, Krago stated that the right question would be what they could help us with. It was a bit of an odd formulation, but, after a bit of awkwardness, Wolfram said they wanted to know about magical artifacts. Krago produced paper and an inkwell and started to write using invisible ink. I pointed out that we were not particularly interested in artifacts, but the demons they might contain. Krago turned out to be extremely particular and demanded we specified exactly what we meant. After a bit of back and forth, we narrowed it down to where Tivito could be keeping Volkir in Byblos or the surrounding area.

I suggested to Nuur-Karif that we could ask for proof that the law proposal would only transfer powers to Tivito, not the other cults. In response, I only got a dumb stare, but Wolfram picked up on my suggestion and started negotiating with Krago. Eventually, we ended up asking for any laws currently being considered by the king's council that affected or mentioned Tivito and the other cults. In the process, Wolfram managed to ask for instructions on the rules for passing laws through the council and Krago made clear their disdain for the the language called common. This is the language used by the lower classes in Arland and The Cities of the Prince, and it is no worse than the other apeoid languages.

We had more requests for information, but the dwarf's insistence on specificity made the requests tedious. Eventually we asked where Elik gathered in the town and if any of the cults were gathering forces anywhere. Grogg asked for any information on dragons while I wanted to know what the apeoids know about the cold and horse signs. In addition, Grogg asked for 100 gold pieces and 50 square meter of silk fabric and thread. Wolfram and I were more modest and asked for new knives and new arrows respectively.

Krago asked how to deliver the goods and we agreed they could hand it to any of us at The Lame Mule. They then told us to sign, but Nuur-Karif and Yana wandered off, leaving Grogg, Hylda, Wolfram and me. Grogg signed first, leaving little room for the rest of us. I put down some doodles in a corner, but we also had to leave a fingerprint. Satisfied with the signatures, Krago wrapped the order in another paper around it, sealed it and placed it back in the casket. They then put the old letter in a side pocket of the mechanism and pushed a button causing a small fountain of sparks to erupt, strengthening my suspicion that failing the puzzle would cause the contents to be destroyed.

When the sparks had died down, Krago locked the casket and put it back in the mechanism. They then reset the mechanism by performing the same operations as before, but in reverse order. I think I can reproduce the pattern should it prove necessary, but I would prefer to see it one more time first. Finally, the mechanism was placed in the large chest that went into the backpack and Krago and Bruto said goodbye.

[Stomoxys]

When they were gone I turned to the others and asked what was going on with Nuur-Karif. They had been acting very strange the whole morning, even by their recent standards. Wolfram speculated that the cause of their despondency was that it had been a long time since they were in contact with Ashtar, while Grogg thought it was because they had not killed anyone recently. Neither of the theories held up very well, because I have seen them go longer without either for longer periods of time before without any ill effects. Hylda suggested we could try to give them something they liked and the rest of us agreed that it could be worth the effort.

Wolfram claimed that females enjoy sweet foods and wanted to order some from the kitchen. My impression is that everyone enjoy sweets, so it probably would not do any harm. However, the only things that Nuur-Karif really enjoys are killing and snakes. While an apeoid would be easier to find, a snake would be much easier to handle than an apeoid, or a carcass for that matter. Grogg sent Kra to find something they thought Nuur-Karif would like and I asked them to find a snake before they flew off.

While we waited, Hylda arranged food and we sat down to eat. We had just finished our meal when we heard scratching on the window shutter and Grogg rushed to open. They were a bit surprised when they came face to face with a snake suspended in midair, but tossed the snake to me and I was able to calm it. It would prefer a dark place to hide, so Hylda fetched a mug with a lid usually used for beer and it seemed comfortable enough.

Grogg and Hylda followed me up to Nuur-Karif and Yana's room while Wolfram arranged buns and tea. Yana opened when I knocked and was reluctant to let me in, but I was able to entice Nuur-Karif to get out of bed and take the mug. Their disposition switched immediately from a dull stare to a smile and they inquired about the tea and cakes we had mentioned. Downstairs, they appeared to be back to normal and played with the snake while they ate, but I kept a discreet eye on them. Apeoid emotions are unpredictable.

When we had finished eating, Nuur-Karif said they wanted to talk with the priest under The Evening Light Terrace. They believed they would be able to convince them that Tivito had been lying about the law. They wanted to leave immediately, but asked me to go fetch a couch so Wolfram and Grogg could follow. That way they would have some muscle nearby if things went bad. We left The Lame Mule simultaneously and I made it to the couch place without any problems. They even recognized my beard, so I got the same discount Yana had negotiated and I rode the couch back to the inn to pick up Grogg, Hylda and Wolfram. Not knowing what to expect, we all brought our weapons.

I instructed the drivers to park in a side street and walked to The Evening Light Terrace. Yana emerged from the front door just after I arrived and I discreetly walked up beside them. They said someone would be coming with us and asked where the wagon was. I walked in front of them to the couch and they returned to the restaurant while I hopped in. After a few minutes, Nuur-Karif, Yana and a male apeoid I had not seen before climbed into the couch and instructed the drivers to go the southern gate of the temple district.

We had to drive all the way around the temple district, so I had time to whisper with Nuur-Karif and ask what was going on. The apeoid was the priest in the temple underneath The Evening Light Terrace and had agreed to meet with the priest in the other temple, Audria. Their name was Jaryn. Nuur-Karif had been instructed to go to the Tsovin and Vagan temple if they needed to contact Audria, so we were on their way there.

There was a queue at the gate, but Nuur-Karif got us through by charming and bribing the guards. They got out at the temple, and we agreed I could try to find the underground route from the Tiri tower. The garden behind the Anati temple was empty, so I sneaked through the hedge and across the decimated Azura temple. I saw nobody on my way and found the door to the tower was locked. After looking around a bit, I found a partially boarded up window I could eke through. Remembering last time I had been there, I carefully made my way through the dark building, but there were no signs of life.

The door down to the tunnel was also locked, but I easily picked it open and climbed down the stairs. Again, I heard and saw nobody, but there were a lot more tracks on the ground now. In the light of the shimmer coin, it looked like there had been apeoids passing through daily. The tunnel was curving slightly and I had entered it from the outer side. I checked the room on the other side and it was empty. It looked like it could be used as a prison.

We had seen various signs that the northern gate was associated with the ashtarites, so I took to the right, walking on my toes. The tunnel was very quiet and dark. After a while I saw a heavy door to my right, leading away from the temple district. It was locked, but it felt like there was a faint draft of fresh air from the other side. There is one tower between the Tiri tower and the northern gate, and I suspect the door led to its basement.

I continued on and eventually saw the light of torches ahead. Looking around the last bend, I saw that the tunnel ahead was barred by a metal grate. However, there were tunnels going both left and right just before the grate. I was about to sneak nearer when the sleeve of my cloak caught on a stone jutting out from the wall, making a small sound. From the direction of the grate, I heard apeoids talking and one of them had heard the sound. I carefully retreated back into the darkness and when two apeoids appeared from the tunnel to the right by the grate.

The guards where shining with a lantern, but did not spot me and returned to their tunnel. I tiptoed up to the tunnels and peeked in. The guards were standing a few meters into the tunnel to right at the base of a set of stairs leading up. The tunnel to the left continued a few meters before a set of stairs led further down. Decorating it was a set of symbols I recognized from other Ashtar temples, though they were very worn and easy to miss. With good timing, it should be possible to make it down the stairs unnoticed, but I had to get rid of the cloak.

As quickly as possible, I made my way back to stairs to the Tiri tower and left my clothes in the prison room before returning to the grate. I studied the guards for a few minutes and noticed that one of them was mostly focused on the stairs leading up, while the other cast a glance behind them once in a while. When the guard looking behind started sneezing, I saw my chance and slipped down the tunnel to the left.

The stairs continued down and turned 180 degrees. At the bottom, I came into a corridor going parallel with the main tunnel above and found wash basins. I silently performed the cleansing ritual and continued down the corridor. On the far side was what appeared to be another winding set of stairs going up. Halfway there was a larger opening to the left and I heard voices coming from it. Peeking around the corner, I could see into a large room, but everything was blurred, as if I was seeing a mirage. The light appeared to be flickering, even though there was no wind.

I sneaked forward and suddenly the mirage effect disappeared and I could see five apeoids in the room and the luggage of more scattered along the walls. It looked like they had moved in. None of them had seen me but an apeoid was praying at a large alter in the center of the room. Suddenly they turned and looked straight at me. It was Enani, the associate of Audria. I made an Ashtarite greeting which they responded to and gestured for me to come closer. They were not surprised to see me, but told me to fetch Nuur-Karif and the others as quickly as possible. I said I would have to fetch my clothes, but they thought there was no time and told one of the ashtarites to give me their clothes.

The clothing was much too large, but I put it on and Enani lead me up past the guards. They looked like they wanted to question what was going on, but Enani silenced them and took me to a door leading in eastern tower of the northern gate. Making sure my clothes were still hanging on, I strode out in the direction of the Tsovin and Vagan temple. There I found Nuur-Karif waiting and I told them what I had found. They said we had to wait for the couch with the others, but almost before they had finished speaking, it came around the corner. Flagging it down, we jumped in and instructed them to go to the northern gate.