Campaign log: Report to Great Priest Ixanama

[Stomoxys]

While we were gone, Nuur-Karif talked to the old chapel guard. They had been unwilling to talk privately with Nuur-Karif, but confirmed that there was some kind of conflict between the temples in the city. The different temples disagreed about the correct way to proceed on some issue, but the old guard did not want to involve Nuur-Karif unless they were absolutely certain. However, they were certain that their faction was correct and could be found at some place called The Evening Light Terrace. Yana supplied that this was a very expensive restaurant frequented by the wealthy and nobles north of the old harbour.

Wolfram wanted to join when they heard they could travel in the coach and I agreed it could be useful in case we had to fight. I tried to explain to them that we would like to avoid attention and should disguise ourselves. Being dressed like some maniac intent on starting a massacre would be the opposite of that. Unfortunately, I was not able to get this into their thick skull. They seemed to think that just wrapping themselves in a cloak would hide that they carry several very large weapons. Pointing out that they only have two arms and have no need for more weapons was equally futile. At least Grogg agreed to let Yana attach their dead arm to a sack so it would appear functional. My hopes of success were falling rapidly and before leaving, I made sure to hide the waterskin with the star water.

On our way out, I made sure we were not followed. Even though Grogg and especially Wolfram got some suspicious glances from passersby, we picked a route through the side streets and made it to the coach place without causing too much of a stir. I noticed with satisfaction that the discreet guards outside payed close attention to the street while we were lead to a stable in the back with a number of coaches of various type and build. A decoy wagon was sent out and a few minutes later we were on our way, taking a circuitous path through the city.

We decided to stop the wagon a few blocks away from The Cracked Pot and make our way on foot through alleyways. This area was poorer and the locals wisely kept a wide birth of a group that was obviously on their way to a fight. The Cracked Pot turned out to be a rather shabby serving place with a large roofed patio jutting out into a small square. Luckily, the place was crowded, so Wolfram agreed to stay hidden in the alleyway we came from and Grogg stayed with them to make sure they did not do anything stupid.

Nuur-Karif, Yana, and I entered the patio and talked to the bartender. They responded to an Ashtar signal, but did not have much to say beyond offering us drinks and a table. The place was open on three sides and, except for a door in the back next to the counter, we could see the entire place. Two apeoids were sitting next to the door and while they pretended to just be regular customers, it was clear they were keeping an eye on the place. We sat there for maybe 15 minutes, pretending to eat and observed the patrons. A female apeoid appeared next to the two guarding the door and Yana thought they were disguised to look poorer than they were. They were also less skilled at hiding their nervousness and looked over the patio before disappearing through the door. Nuur-Karif wanted to follow and I tried to signal to Wolfram that everything was fine, but they did not appear to notice. The crowd should keep them away though.

Behind the door was a staircase leading down into a dirt cellar with washstands crammed along the wall. We quickly cleaned ourselves and proceeded down to an underground chamber. Compared to some of the other chapels we have been to, it looked rather poor and squalid, but looks may be deceptive when it comes to Ashtarite chapels. Nuur-Karif certainly did not mind, but sat down in the middle of the floor to pray. I sat down behind them, but was more focused on watching our backs.

There were several apeoids in the room but none that I recognized except the worried one we had seen upstairs. They were sitting next to an older apeoid who's dress caught my eye. It was a very dark, almost black violet, similar to the dresses of the Azura high priests. I could not think of any reason for an Azura priest to be there, but I did notice that there was something strange about their eyes and pointed it out to Nuur-Karif. They had also noticed it and suggested we go talk to them. Just as we were about to get up, the worried one got up and left.

Nuur-Karif sat down next to the old one and tried to initialize a conversation. I sat down behind them and closed my. A very faint trace of star energy emanated from the old one's dress. I would probably not have noticed it had I not noticed the colour, but it was definitely there. Nuur-Karif finally got a response with the old one claiming that they were the reason we were there. Nuur-Karif responded that they were there to make right what was wrong in Byblos, but was told that everything was so bad that Nuur-Karif would have to live to get older than the old one to restore it.

The worried one came back and an expression of concern appeared on their face when they saw Nuur-Karif talking to the old one and asked if they could assist us in any way. Nuur-Karif responded that we had been sent here and the worried one told us they were waiting for someone. They indicated that they wanted us to go away, but was interrupted by the old one telling them we were the ones they were waiting for. When the old one turned their head, I noticed their eyes were completely white. We wanted more information, but were told to walk through the eastern gate of the temple district after one hour and the two apeoids got up and left. On their way out, the old one told Nuur-Karif to bring everyone who danced to the stars.

I was conflicted about the appearance of an Azura priest. I believe they intentionally or unintentionally would create another disaster if they got hold of all the Mirror Shards they wanted. However, they appear to be so incompetent it is not something we have have to prioritize. On the other hand, it could be possible to get some useful information from them through careful negotiations.

Back in the coach, we instructed the drivers to drive around randomly for a while and told the others what we had learned. There were likely to be a crowd at the gates, which made Wolfram pale. Nuur-Karif and I decided drugging them would be the best approach and Nuur-Karif knew of a plant called river thistle that had the desired sedating effects.

Grogg lit up when they realized we were heading for an herbal shop and almost charged out of the couch when we arrived. Dumping the contents of their pouch on the counter, they asked for something that could help them see spirits. The shopkeeper took the eager troll in stride and after a few specifications from Grogg and consulting a book produced the purple incense that makes spirits visible. Grogg looked disappointed, but with a bit of clarification, it was decided that crow's toes was what they wanted. This drug makes Grogg see ravens, but has also made them see horses which they do not like. The herbalist suggested they could add additives to the crow's toes which should give a more pleasant delirium which Grogg enthusiastically approved of. I was curious what Grogg saw in their visions, so I added a coin to the pile. In the meantime, Nuur-Karif had managed to explain our needs and got a bottle of river thistle tincture. The bottle should contain enough for several doses if we needed to drug Wolfram again or put them under.

[Stomoxys]

Back in the couch, I suggested we should start by giving Wolfram half a dose of river thistle to see how they reacted. However, Nuur-Karif had already poured a full dose into them. As we were driving around, Wolfram's response time got noticeably slower, both physically and mentally, but they stopped flinching at the mere mention of crowds and even looked at the passing crowds through the small hatch in the side of the coach. A small crowd was gathered at the eastern gate, but we were able to manoeuvre Wolfram through without too much trouble and even convinced them to leave most of their weapons behind. Weapons are not allowed in the temple district.

Like its northern and southern counterparts, the eastern gate had a small square on the inside with a main street leading towards the Mitra temple. However, to our north was a bathing complex and I spotted the worried one sitting on a bench outside it. They entered the bathing complex as soon as they saw us, but waited for us inside and we followed them at a distance through the complex and an almost empty park. At the far end of the park, the worried one disappeared into a hedge and we discovered a hidden aperture and entered. I hope nobody will notice the deep tracks left by Grogg and Wolfram.

We came into a large open area that made up the northeastern corner of the temple district. On two sides, the area was enclosed by hedges and dense shrubbery while the rounded walls enclosed the rest. The remains of a large building or buildings covered the area, but it looked like it had been intentionally dismantled. Perhaps this had been an Azura temple. According to Pakk, they were driven from Arland after they sabotaged the imprisonment of the demons.

A few buildings were still standing next to the wall, including one of the towers dotting the wall at irregular intervals and the worried one darted into one of them. Wolfram, who until then had been ambling behind the rest of us, picked up their pace and marched straight towards the buildings muttering to themselves. They did not hesitate, but marched straight into the building, mumbling something about a Tiri tower. That would make sense if there had been an Azura temple here. The two cults appear to be closely connected, despite not realizing that Amna is the mother of the stars. I followed Wolfram into a dark, abandoned room, but the tracks in the dust betrayed that it had seen regular traffic recently.

The worried one motioned for us to follow farther into the building until we reached a curved wall that had to be the first level of the tower. Inside, there were stairs leading both up and down and the worried motioned for us to continue up the stairs. Wolfram led the way up the stairs past rooms with small loopholes that were all boarded up. At the top, we came to a room with a high ceiling with a large, circular aperture open to the sky. The Azura priest was sitting in a rocking chair in the middle of the room, staring up through the aperture.

If Amna followed their usual pattern they would be gone tonight and Wolfram commented that it was sad. The Azura priest answered them that Amna always came back and Grogg agreed that 'Grandfather Moon' as they call it is very stubborn. I will make sure to record whatever the priest says as accurately as possible. While they try to twist and turn the little information they give into something unrecognizable, I think they are forbidden to lie, so one must always look for the literal meaning.

I sat down to meditate next to the priest to see if I could detect whatever they were staring at, but were interrupted when they asked if the rough voice belonged to someone who had danced with the stars. That could refer to either Wolfram or Grogg, but Wolfram started babbling about how they had learned it from Tityra, their bear sign. The priest said that nobody could have learned the dance recently and I pointed out, perhaps unwisely, that it was The Nine that taught Wolfram. To this, the priest responded that it was "curious that the animals had learned to dance" and that "they might have chased us as heretics if there were more of us", presumably meaning more Azura priests. I responded that some considered it heresy to torment stars underground. They claimed that "There is much you do not know, little dancer. The males have already gotten their punishment.", presumably referring to the expulsion of the males from their cult.

Just then, we heard someone come up the stairs and the worried one and another apeoid appeared in the staircase. The newcomers gave an Ashtarite greeting and Nuur-Karif wondered what we were doing here after answering the greeting. In response they got a question if we had found what we were looking for and who we were. Nuur-Karif and Grogg answered, but I saw no reason to give that information and kept quiet. The new one said that they were a leader in the oldest Ashtarite temple in the city and only stared in confusion when Nuur-Karif declared they had come to set things right in the city. Obviously, the Azura priest has not told them anything. Wolfram and Nuur-Karif went down with the Ashtarites to discuss their situation, but I remained to observe the Azura priest who said they wanted to "wait for the stars".

Grogg and Kra stayed with me and Grogg asked Kra to greet the priest. Kra cawed a few times, but only got silence for several minutes. Then the priest extended their hand and I could hear Kra fly over and land on it. There, they proceeded to caw for maybe ten minutes until Wolfram and Nuur-Karif appeared again. I instructed them to not say anything, as giving any information away for free would weaken out position. However, Wolfram made it clear that they intended to tell the priest everything and hoped they might get something in return. They have been taught that one should share, give away that is, any information to the Azura and doing otherwise was bad. Considering they did not even remember how they learned to dance, I am happy we drugged them.

[Stomoxys]

Nuur-Karif was staring at the priest through the ring, but did not appear to see anything interesting. Wolfram wanted to tell the priest everything, but I reminded them that there was a cult in The Cities of the Prince that had sent agents in each of the cardinal directions to gather enormous amounts of energy for unknown purposes. Wolfram did not get the reference and Grogg thought Azura was great because one of them used a mind altering spell on them back in The Cities of the Prince. Unsurprisingly, they started babbling, revealing we had had contact with demons, but only got a nod and a comment about the weather in response. The priest gave the impression that they wanted to see something in the stars, which could be educational.

Wolfram continued to reveal as much as possible, but was interrupted by the priest exclaiming that "it is happening soon". Stars had started appearing, but the tower's domed ceiling hid most of the sky so I climbed up on Grogg's shoulder. The lead stars were still in the sky, making their way towards their signs and I could see both the horse and the cold sign clearly.

The next thing I remember is Grogg talking about dragons and the priest looking at them interested. I must have been meditating for a long time, because the sky was full of stars. While I could not remember anything clearly, I had a distinct impression that the priest had been gathering information from the stars and I had followed them, observing what they did.

When Grogg reached the end of their knowledge and started repeating themselves, the priest excused themselves and looked up on the stars again. I did the same and again I disappeared, but for a much shorter time. When I returned, Wolfram was talking about The Evening Fortress and how Tivito had made Tuza possess Madan. The priest was not interested and interrupted them saying "It is obvious that what I already knew about you were correct. I hope you know how dangerous you are. I must confess I do not know much about what the followers of Tiri are taught in The Cities of the Prince these days. I can teach you something you might know already.". They explained that they could read the star threads and see the most likely futures. Due to the enormous number of possible futures, small events could have large repercussions, making any vision very uncertain. However, a few events seemed to be predetermined and would happen no matter what. They thought there was something about us that could change even such a events, though, making even these visions uncertain. Now that we had started to dance, we could change events in the heavens as well, which could change everything with consequences greater than we could anticipate.

This is the second time I have been told I am part of a special group since arriving in Arland. At The Evening Fortress, Isa talked about some prophecy and speculated that we were destined to set everything free. I still find these claims highly dubious, but the priests description of their vision and the star threads were very interesting.

The priest had had three certain visions pertaining to Byblos that disturbed them profoundly, but they could not quite explain why. Since they believed we could maybe alter or keep the events from happening, they wanted to share them with us. Their hopes were not very high, but if we tried to run, the forces that would cause these events to happen could follow.

Before telling us about their visions, the priest made absolutely sure we wanted to know, as if there was any reason why we would not want to know. The first was a vision of an Ashtarite holy site with the floor covered in blood. The second was a dragon attacking, bringing disorder where there was order. The final was a vision of a bound demon that would end lives. All of these things would happen before Amna started waning again.

Since the priest had told us of their vision and even let me observe them, I decided to tell them about Odon and their desire to meet the Azura. Wolfram had been babbling a lot, but it was clear that they had not told them this, which might actually be important. The priest said that if we met Odon again, we could tell them to come to the Byblos.

As expected, Wolfram was most interested in the demon, Grogg in the dragon and Nuur-Karif in the bloody floor. The priest had more to say though. They were very restricted in their movements due to Tivito. "Were it not for several of the old temples that had chosen some important members to maintain the old religion, they could not have been there.". Grogg muttered that the Ashtarites certainly worked with Tivito, but the priest told them that their Ashtarites did not.

As a response to my original comment, they said that "The Azura temple would never go on a conquest to gain control of the night mirror. If they needed the powers to see clearly, they would find other ways to do it.". I had the impression that the priest did not have much contact with the Azura priests in The Cities of the Prince and honestly did not know more. I would like to know what they want to see clearly and what "seeing clearly" even means. I have a feeling that the lines between power and knowledge is even more blurred for the Azura than others.

The priest indicated that they were tired and that the meeting should end. Before sending us on our way they handed Wolfram a pouch containing three silver coins. "As long as nobody gets violent, those that receive the coins will always let you pass.". They then held out their hand and Kra came flying again. Stroking the invisible spirit raven, they picked up something invisible and told Grogg that they should attach it by sewing. Grogg held out their hand to receive whatever it was, but did not look like they succeeded. However, they did say something about attaching it in moonlight, which Wolfram approved of. After sending Kra back to Grogg, the priest told me they had showed me all I needed and finally to Nuur-Karif and informed them that they could not help with Nuur-Karif's biggest question but they would not succeed if they forgot that they were human. Yana could help them remember this.

On our way out, they told us to "Walk in peace under the stars." For some reason it reminded me of the star circles and I asked about the Azura priests trapped in them. They had little response beyond a nod, but indicated this was not an immediate issue. The important thing now was their three visions and it might be easier to change how the events happened than to keep them from happening.

[Stomoxys]

Outside, I wondered if we should try to find an alternative way out. If someone was keeping watch on the eastern gate, it could lead to complications. The walls were not very high, so the others should be able to get over. It would certainly not be silent with Grogg and Wolfram though, so I peeked over the walls. There were a few apeoids around, but with good timing it should be possible to get them out without waking the entire neighbourhood. Nuur-Karif, impatient to mate with Yana, walked off in the middle of the discussion and went back into the tower. We had not seen anyone keeping watch at the gate, so the rest of us decided I would jump over the wall and scout the area. If it was clear, we could leave. Considering that Ashtarites were told to watch for us and Hylda was alone with our equipment, I wanted to get back to the inn. In addition, Wolfram's weapons were still in the coach and we would have to return to the wagon place to the next day to retrieve them.

I easily got over the wall and made my way towards the eastern gate. Four guards were standing in front of the gate, but when I got close, I noticed that the gate was open. Usually they are closed after dark. Taking a small round through the side alleyways and streets around the gate square, I did not notice anyone acting suspicious and returned to the north east corner. Climbing back over the wall, I saw Wolfram and Grogg sitting where I left them playing thumb wrestling.

We agreed that we should try to leave through the gate and test the coins Wolfram had received if necessary. I did not detect any energy in them, so I wonder how they work. Then again, apeoids are generally easy to bribe. If it came to it, Grogg would be able to send the guards flying and it would be a short run to the waiting coach. We had hired it for six hours, and we still had about 45 minutes left which would be more than sufficient.

I went back to the building and made my way to the tower. I took the stairs leading down since Nuur-Karif tend to seek out subterranean areas to make their lair. There was a small room at the bottom of the stairs with three doors that were all closed. I tried the one to my left and discovered that it was locked. Upon closer inspection, the locking mechanism appeared to be well maintained, but it was quite straightforward to pick open. Behind it was a stair leading further down into the dark and the dust layer indicated that nobody had been through in a long time.

Sneaking down carefully, I listened carefully, but could not hear anything and made my way down two winding flights of stairs to the bottom. Producing the Shimmer Coin from my pouch, I found myself in a hallway going perpendicular to the stairs about 10 meters in each direction and ending in closed doors. I estimated that it went more or less parallel with the walls. Right across from me was another door and the floor looked like it was less than a week since someone had come through.

I carefully checked the doors and they were all locked. The door to my right, the southern direction, would maybe lead to the eastern gate, so I started to work on the lock. It was a more elaborate lock than the one above and it took some time to unlock. Just as I was about to get the bolt holding the door in place moving, I heard Wolfram shout my name from above. I considered for a few seconds, but I had not heard anything or anyone down there, so I answered them.

Wolfram started making their way down the stairs, so I continued with the door and got it open. Behind it was a another corridor going in the same direction, but curling slightly to the right, supporting my theory that it followed the wall. Wolfram arrived and reminded me that we would have to leave to get back in time for the coach. I would have liked to explore the tunnels more, but Wolfram insisted we had to leave and pointed out that I could come back later. I reluctantly agreed. The northern gate had had an excessively large cellar and this tunnel indicated that all the gates were connected. If so, all the guards could be Ashtarites and the way to their temple would probably be down there somewhere.

We met up with the others and hurried towards the eastern gate. If the guards started asking questions, Nuur-Karif could claim they had had a private bath at the Anati temple and made their retainers wait for them. However, when the guards saw us, they stepped out of the way and let us pass. While they looked at us strangely, they did not say a word. As we hurried across the square, they started closing the gates behind us. It seems very likely they were indeed Ashtarites and were instructed to wait for us.

The coach was still waiting for us and took us back to the wagon place. We got our equipment, but would have to return the next day to reclaim the deposit, and everything seemed calm as we made our way back to the complex. Once we got there, Nuur-Karif wanted to go down in the chapel, but I wanted to see the stars and followed Grogg and Wolfram up. We walked by Grogg's room and I waited long enough to make sure nobody had slit Hylda's throat, but they were sleeping peacefully.

In the room, I wanted to see if I could do what the priest was doing. The cold sign was high in the sky and I sat down in front of the window. I realized it would take a long time and lots of energy, but by tracing the different star threads, I could fix impressions of them in my mind. If I gathered enough such impressions, I could perhaps find patterns and glean some underlying meaning from their constant whirls and twists.

Behind me I heard Wolfram turn themselves into a bear, but payed them no mind. It was just appropriate that they transformed themselves into the Star Bear. However, they did not stay in bear shape and would have closed the window had I not stopped them. After that, they went silent and must have gone to bed.

It took a long time, and several images seemed to form before slipping away again. None of them made any impression beyond a blur though. I was beginning to tire when a pattern began to emerge and clarified into an image for a moment before dissolving immediately. The image had been of the priest in the tower, gathering threads and patterns just as I had just done and using them to see. The threads spanned the whole world and went forwards and backwards in time. It looked like anything that has ever happened and could ever happen could be read from the strings. However, the patterns became weaker and more delicate the further away they were, both in space and time and the future had a strange character, as if the threads had not decided where they wanted to be yet.

I sat down to ponder my vision for a while. It had taken a lot of energy, but unlike my previous visions, I could remember everything clearly. It seemed to agree with what the priest had said earlier, but I will have to experience more to know for certain. However, I needed rest, so I crawled into the bed where Wolfram was sleeping. If nothing else, the apeoids are good at keeping a bed warm and comfortable.

[Stomoxys]

Wolfram and I went down to get breakfast in the morning and we were soon joined by Nuur-Karif and Yana. I wondered if the river thistle would work on Grogg as well. Of the seven demons, Volkir was the one that fit the Azura priest's vision best. They are associated with flanking, whirlwinds, and lightning, which Grogg is deathly afraid of. Assuming Odon has decided to test the powers of their new acquisition of course. Even though the common room was so empty even Wolfram could stay there, we decided that this discussion was best taken in private and went to one of the booths.

I asked Nuur-Karif and Wolfram what they had learned from the Ashtarites the previous night. They had mentioned Tivito and Elik, but the relationship between those organizations and the Ashtarite factions was unclear. Presumably they were opposed the Azura faction. The fanatics with shiny knives in the basement in Ur had been ranting about Elik and seemed just as murder happy as the Ashtarites, so I am surprised that Ashtarites would be willing to collaborate with such competitors. Yana noticed that our presence had attracted the attention of the the chapel guards and we could not hear any screams from Hylda, so we went to Grogg's room.

Wolfram thought we should walk around in the city and look for demons. How they intended to do that was unclear and I pointed out that Tuza had appeared in Guling the same night the king died. Lunas and Mir seemed to believe that the king had been possessed by Tuza, so this would require the demon to travel incredibly fast. Possibly through the sky aided by the burrowing rat in a similar way to the star lightning between Guling and Ur. Wolfram thought that had only been possible because Tivito had had the mirror shard, but I am not so sure. They might have needed the shard to break through the wards of The Evening Fortress. Either way, it was far from certain the demon was even in the city and if it was, Tivito would not be parading down the street.

They seemed to get my point and instead wanted to know how to contact Tivito. Yana did not really know, but thought one should contact someone at the temple. If the king had been possessed, it sounded likely that Tivito would have a presence in the palace and I said as much. Besides, we wanted to know where Tivito was, not for Tivito to know where we were, so contacting them seemed a bit counter productive. Nonetheless, Nuur-Karif said they would go out and investigate at the Ashtar chapels to learn more. I asked them if they could pick up the deposit at the wagon place, but Wolfram wanted to have a coach again in the evening and, after they agreed to pay, we agreed to rent it for another night. I suggested that Nuur-Karif should contact The Evening Light Terrace. They desired to prevent bloodshed between the Ashtarites, which would require a diplomatic approach. Visiting both factions could be interpreted as a sign of goodwill and Nuur-Karif said they would consider it if they had time.

Grogg's banner was crumpled in a pile on the floor. It depicts a raven and a fox and Grogg usually wears it attached to their chest. They are immensely proud of it, even though it is not their best work. They sewed it while we traveled from Guling to Ur using the silver needle and a moving coach is not the best work place for a seamster. However, they had somehow managed to tap the mirror shard with the needle, producing a small flash and I later had a vision of The Slurping Toad being snatched from the shard. In Darwan's illusion, Grogg had appeared with a tattoo of The Slurping Toad on their chest on the spot where their banner was. Considering Grogg's strange behaviour when we entered Byblos, I decided to investigate the piece of cloth. Already from a cursory inspection, I could tell there was energy in the banner, so I sat down to do a thorough analysis. Downstairs, I could hear the common room filling up and Wolfram and Grogg started doing exercises, strongly encouraged by Hylda. I put it all out of my mind and focused solely on the banner.

It took a long time and I still could not grasp the full complexity of the spell on the banner, but at least I could figure out its main effects. The energies of The Slurping Toad had been bound into the banner, as if the silver needle had threaded the star threads as well as normal thread when Grogg put it together. By exposing the banner to the night sky, the energy in the banner should be recharged. The complicated part was how the energies could be accessed. They seemed to be tightly bound and impossible to unravel except for a strange knot that made me think of Lunari's aura. Probing it further, I got the impression that there was a piece missing that would release the energy. Grogg thinks they can invoke Lunari through the banner. The troll certainly had a close connection to the dead elf and perhaps they can somehow channel the missing piece. It is all very strange, but I would like to experiment if we find another elf connected to The Slurping Toad like Lunari was.

I asked Wolfram if they had felt anything when we tried to get them to enter Byblos. They said they had heard sounds that could have been voices, but at the time they had dismissed it thinking it was the wind. They also said they had seen a spirit at The Evening Fortress that had refused to disappear when they tried to banish it and wondered if it was Lunari. While the description was vague, it did not seem to fit Lunari very well and we have not seen any signs such a spirit since. Furthermore, the forces in the banner were star forces and I did not get any impression of any spirits in it. I have not experimented much with spirits though, so I can not be certain. I tried to get Grogg to use the banner, but they could not come up with any requests for Lunari and nothing seemed to happen.

[Stomoxys]

Hylda interrupted and wanted Wolfram and Grogg to wrestle. From experience, I could tell that Hylda wanted to mate and I withdrew to my room. I was tired from the spellcasting, so I sat down on the bed and started leafing through the book I had bought. As expected, it was mostly tall stories and, frustratingly, Furkan writers seem to be highly resistant to geographical knowledge. For example, a large lake in the north west corner of our map which is the source of one of the branches of the Ar was called "the lake at the end of our river". Like anywhere else the Furkan goes, monsters live there. They clearly wish to portray themselves as masters of the wilderness and most of the stories involved a Furkan going and fighting some beast. I should ask Pakk about fishing in the lake. They are from the area and large pike can be delicious.

Wolfram came up after a while dripping with sweat, so I ordered them to wash themselves while Hylda started screaming below. Wolfram had just finished cleaning themselves when Nuur-Karif and Yana entered. After they left us, they had initially gone to the chapel in the basement and found Lero. However, Lero had made it clear they wished the chapel to remain neutral in the Ashtarite conflict, so Nuur-Karif had judged it best not to discuss sensitive topics there. Instead, they had walked towards the northern gate of the temple district, arranging the coach on the way. At the northern gate, they had found several Ashtarite symbols, but nowhere to enter the gatehouse unnoticed, so they decided to go to The Cracked Pot instead. On their way, they had spotted the last Ashtarite from the night before in the uniform of a temple guard, but the Ashtarite had made it clear they did not wish to speak with them.

At The Cracked Pot, they had found a chapel attendant that was willing to talk to them reluctantly. The most gentle way to contact Tivito for commoners was to contact temple guards and explain the situation. However, they warned that Tivito were never gentle, so one should never do this unless it was absolutely necessary. For the nobles, it was rumoured to be a building in the north west of the city one could go to. I noted that The Evening Light Terrace was also in the north west. Nuur-Karif had also tried to learn more about the Ashtarite infighting, but was only told The Cracked Pot was a neutral place and going to temples could be dangerous. Since we planned to return to the temple district in the evening, we could ask the Ashtarites there about both topics.

Hylda's sounds had finally died down, so we went downstairs. I wondered if we should contact Nulius. They might be able to get us access to the palace should it prove necessary and would possibly be grateful if we warned them about a dragon or demon attack. None of those would be very pleasant on a ship. On the other hand, Mir had hinted that some of the apeoids from the west worshiped a dragon, presumably Tinibagra. For all we know, they are planning to summon the dragon here. I asked Grogg what they thought and they said it was possible to bribe dragons, but the bribe would be larger than what one were willing to give. Far to the east were apeoids that tried this. They hated trolls and worshiped Palongi. This sounded unusually cryptic for Grogg, so perhaps it was something they learned from their tribe before it was massacred.

Nuur-Karif said some of the patrons in the common room had talked about an Aldera parade and went downstairs to get more details. They soon returned and told us there had been apeoids from the west and lions in the parade. However, there had been no signs of any Aldera, consistent with my observations at the ships. The most surprising part had been two Larma that appeared at the end of the parade. They had proclaimed that they were working for peace between Aldera and Larma. From their description, they could very well be the prisoners Mir had kidnapped in their raid and none of us thought it likely that they were not speaking under duress. I do wonder what leverage Mir had over them though. The threat of torture seems unlikely for such a public display. If one of the prisoners decided to not cooperate, the whole demonstration would be ruined and I have the impression that at least some of the Larma are not afraid of suffering. Some of them are willing to be possessed.

We had to get ready to go to the coach and Nuur-Karif wanted to inject river thistle directly into Wolfram's blood. Naturally, Wolfram was reluctant and I wondered if we should wait to see if it was necessary, but Nuur-Karif insisted. They produced a needle, similar to Odon's needles, attached to a small bag they filled with the tincture. On closer inspection, the metal in Nuur-Karif's needle seemed much softer and easier to work with than Odon's needles. Wolfram's eyes glazed over almost immediately after the injection, so it was a very efficient way to deliver the drug. I have the impression that river thistle can be addictive, but Nuur-Karif assured me that it was mild and nothing Wolfram would not be able to handle. I hope they are correct.

[Stomoxys]

We made it to the wagon place and on to the western gate to the temple district. There were relatively few apeoids around, so it would have been possible to get Wolfram in without the use of tranquilizers. The first temples inside the gates were the temples to Ratanu and Mitra and we hurried past. Just as we were about to enter the park behind the Anati baths, two Anati priests approached and informed us that we were dirty and had to follow them so they could clean us. From their anxious expressions, I conjectured that our hygiene were not their primary concern. Nuur-Karif must have thought the same, so we followed them despite Wolfram's protestations.

The priests led us back into the baths and into one of the larger buildings. All the Anati priests I have seen so far have been young females, so I stayed alert and hoping to spot a more senior priest. My efforts were in vain and I wonder were the older priests go. Perhaps the Anati baths have some kind of rejuvenating effect or maybe they are somehow disposed of.

Inside the large building, we were told to wait in a white painted antechamber. White seems to be Anati's favourite colour, as all the rooms we saw were white. After a few minutes, a priest slightly senior to our guides led us from the antechamber through a large sanctuary and down a corridor ending in a staircase leading down half a floor. At the bottom of the steps was a new chamber, with several chests and lockers. The nudity in Anati temples had attracted Lunari, so Grogg had seen such rooms before and said it was for undressing.

Wolfram was confused due to the presence of females and Grogg struggled to take off their armour with only one arm, but the rest of us undressed. I must have looked ridiculous when my skin turned white against the walls while my face was painted dark. When everyone were naked, we heard a bell and someone carefully opened a door on the opposite side of the room from where we had entered. The hidden door opener said that the first one that were ready could enter. Nuur-Karif jumped up and wanted to drag Yana along, but were told they had to come alone. After a moment's hesitation, they let go and disappeared through the door. A few minutes later, the bell chimed again and I followed.

I came into a large circular chamber dominated by a circular pool. In the middle of the pool was a small island with scrubs and soaps and a fountain in the shape of a naked female apeoid spraying fresh water into the pool. Fountains depicting various creatures were also dotted along the edges of the pool, so there had to be some hidden drainage somewhere. Nuur-Karif was sitting in the pool at the far side and appeared to be enjoying themselves. A loggia wrapped around the entire chamber and small slits in the roof let daylight in. They did not provide a clear view of the sky though.

A priest was waiting for me and had clearly never seen a Person before. However, they quickly gathered themselves and asked if it was a long time since I had been cleansed. The Anati priests are more focused on thoughts and emotions they consider unclean than physical dirt. Especially mating is considered unclean and they have a strange fixation on their priests never mating. For some reason, this is considered a desirable trait in females among the apeoids. Perhaps because it is so rare among them. Either way, I considered telling them that I had no need of purging such thoughts, but decided it would be pointless and they might take offense, so I followed the priest into a smaller side chamber separated from the main chamber by a curtain.

The side chamber contained a smaller pool without any water. However, the stones were wet and a statue was holding a vessel as if it was pouring a liquid from it. I was placed underneath the statue and expected water to pour from it, but was shocked when I was hit by shower so cold that I nearly passed out. The only other time I had felt something that cold was when Wolfram and I visited Krull in our vision, but this time it was over in a few seconds. It took a few minutes for me to steady myself afterwards and in hindsight, the shower had been so short that it should not have affected me that much. It felt as if the cold water had penetrated through my skin and washed away the heat from my body. While I was showered, the priest had given a prayer thanking Anati for the cleansing waters that kept them pure, but I had not seen any visible triggering mechanisms.

I was still reeling from the cold shower when the priest led me back to the large pool and I discovered that it was pleasantly warm. Grogg, Yana, and finally Wolfram were led into the chamber and were cleansed by the cold waters before joining us in the large pool.

The pool water was extremely pure and the coloured water quickly disappeared into hidden slits when I cleaned off the makeup. Anati is considered to be connected to rivers and fresh water, so I had wondered if they were the apeoid's confused impression of Haxi, but the water in this pool was to clean to support any kind of life.

A few priests were walking in pairs in the loggia, murmuring to each other and seemed uncertain or concerned. When everyone were settled in the pool, two of them undressed and approached us. Nuur-Karif had attached to Yana and the priests did not approve of such carnal displays. One is not supposed to think about mating in the pool. However, they did not say anything, instead announcing that those that wanted to be cleaned should rise. Nuur-Karif rose and finally let go of an uncomfortable looking Yana. I also got up and the priests blessed me with Anati's gift of purity and stroked me with a wet cloth on the head and belly. When the rest saw that it was nothing dangerous, they rose as well. Nuur-Karif had had a strange expression when they received their's. I suppose they have to beg for Ashtar to take them in the night now that they have acknowledged the existence of other gods.

[Stomoxys]

The priests had just finished the ritual when the bell chimed again and the Ashtarite that had appeared at the Tiri tower entered the chamber. They got a cold shower before they slid into the pool while the Anati priests left the room. Nuur-Karif had explained that they were a priest and I will refer to them as the Ashtar priest from now on. They explained that they had had to pull some strings to arrange the meeting, but we should be safe to discuss anything without the fear of being overheard in the pool. The meeting also demonstrated the collaboration between the "true believers" in the city. The priest was certainly less dogmatic than Nuur-Karif.

Wolfram wanted to talk about the visions of the Azura priests and the Ashtar priest found it shocking that the Azura priest had told us about them and believed it to be important. Lately, Wolfram has gotten it into their head that we are going to "save the world" which apparently involves the visions. Despite their strange ideas, they were able to present the visions concisely and correctly and asked the Ashtar priest if they could provide us with any information.

They could not say much about the visions, but they could tell us about the situation in the city. So far, nobody associated with any of the temples had been attacked. However, friends and relatives had been assaulted, blackmailed or disappeared. It was not necessarily Ashtarites that were responsible, but a faction of the Ashtarites had joined forces with the other cults in Arland. The Ashtarite faction of the priest, whom they called traditionalists, was centred on the Ashtar temple somewhere in the temple district, while the other faction was associated with the temple at The Evening Light Terrace. Most of the temple guards were traditionalists and worked with the other temples in the temple district, especially Anati and Varatga, a kind of warrior god. The Mitra priests considered themselves above the petty squabbles of the lesser religions while the Ratanu followers might side with the other cult faction.

What the cults have in common are that they are not fully recognized by the other temples and, with the exception of Tivito, the law. The goal of the collaboration was to change the king's law, so that the cults would be fully recognized and get special privileges like Tivito. Why a god would care what an apeoid has written on a piece of paper is a question only an apeoid could dream up an answer to. However, it would be very convenient for an Ashtarite to claim protection under the law after murdering someone for fun and profit.

Wolfram stopped listening when they heard Tivito and only wanted to know where they could be found. It sounded like they wanted to storm out and attack them right away, but I got the Ashtar priest to explain that they were unlikely to catch anyone important and such an endeavor would most likely end with Wolfram getting skewered on the spears of the king's guard. The priest did not seem to know the extent of Tivito's available forces in Byblos, but we could assume they were considerable.

Wolfram told the priest about the attack on Guling and the priest wanted to know more about Mir. They had heard that Madan was incapacitated, Isa had gone insane and that Lunas and Mir were fighting over the leadership of the Aldera. After we explained what we knew, they told us that someone who claimed to represent Mir had promised the Ashtarites greater freedom in territories under Mir's control, similar to the offer Mir had given Nuur-Karif. Recently, the Ashtarites had gotten a new letter that specified that Ashtarites would still have to follow normal laws against murder, but could enforce them as they saw fit in their own areas. This sounded like a rather limited offer that would only affect the Aldera areas, but I pointed out that Nulius had been ranting about a fourth empire.

Again Wolfram interrupted and accused Tivito of being demon worshipers. The priest sounded doubtful, considering that it was Tivito that captured the demons in the crypt. This set Wolfram off on another rant, but the priest was eventually able to add a detail to the tale of the demons' capture. Tivito had used powerful artifacts to lure the demons into the crypts like Odon said. Since Krull and Albor had escaped, Tivito had taken possession of their artifacts and kept them hidden somewhere. In addition, they must have Tuza's artifact and now also Volkir's. Hopefully Nefalonia were able to secure the mirror in Darwan's crypt and Odon has Jori's ballista. The crown was probably Gritt's artifact, at least I did not sense anything else as powerful in their crypt, but we did not have time to search the place properly. Darwan's corpse had been clutching a small mirror that had been a part of the ritual and was cracked when the demon was released. It is possible the crown had a similar function and that there was a more powerful artifact somewhere in the crypt.

I asked what side the Tsovin and Vagan priests were on. If The Hunters are dancing in the sky, they might tell me more about the dragon in the vision and the Tsovin and Vagan temple would be the best place to ask. Its priests are running the postal system, so they prefer to be neutral, but would probably side with the traditionalists if forced. In addition, they despise dragons almost as much as Grogg, so consulting with them might be worth it.

I also wanted to know which cults were conspiring and the priest said it was the four large cults in Arland, Tivito, Kabal, Elik and the Ashtarite faction. I wonder if the other cults also have factions or fully support the collaboration. Divide and conquer as they say. While we have some idea about Kabal and Tivito, Elik was unknown to us. The priest said the Elik cultists worship a connection between the fires of Ajaw and the earth and consider this an aspect of Ajaw residing underground. The Mitra priests has an ambiguous relationship the cult. My impression is that this silly cult is one the world would be better off without.

Wolfram had decided that Elik was dragon worshipers for some reason. The priest did not agree, but changed the conversation to the dragon from the west, Tinibagra. They had heard rumours that Mir's lions got their power from the the dragon. I had the impression that there was little love lost between the lion tamers from the west and the other group that might be dragon worshipers. Nulius would know more of course, but we could not know whether we could trust them. Swimming into the harbour and visiting their ship might be worth a try though.

At this point in the conversation, someone mentioned Furkan and Wolfram added them to the grand dragon demon conspiracy. As evidence, they mentioned the goblin incursion we had dealt with west of Guling. The priest was not so sure. They confirmed my impression from the book and could not imagine that Furkan would not attack Aldera themselves and brag about it to everyone. Then again, that is the impression Furkan wants to give.

Another point was that Larma had been working on more laws designed to suppress the greenskins; orcs, goblins, and something called green trolls. I had never heard of those before, but the priest claimed that they were as big as trolls, but had green skin and were less intelligent and more violent and aggressive. Grogg had not heard of green trolls before either, but speculated that they might be hybrids between orcs and trolls. The way they and Hylda are conducting themselves, that hypothesis could soon be put to the test.

It seemed like the best way to obtain more information was to capture a Tivito and interrogate them. Wolfram grinned like an idiot at the prospect. Nuur-Karif suggested they could enter an inn and act insane or possessed and someone might alert Tivito. The downside to this plan would be the large number of witnesses, but if we could spread the rumour that a house was haunted it might work. To demonstrate the possibilites, I created an image of an animated corpse in the pool. Without a string to tie into knots, I had to use my tail, which must have looked very odd. The corpse appeared in the water as it should, but it was almost as if the water washed the image away and it disappeared before anyone but Grogg noticed.

Wolfram was a bit grumpy about the spellcasting, but soon forgot about it and returned to the topic of smiting Tivito. The priest suggested that we could contact Nulius and get access to their Larma prisoners. According to Mir, at least one of them had a high rank. A downside to the plan was that it required a cooperative Nulius and Wolfram thought it did not involve enough smiting.

The priest decided it would be better to not know our plans and got up and left. We agreed to meet again two nights later at the same place. They did not wish to meet at the Tiri tower as too much traffic could attract attention. On their way out they cleansed themselves with a cloth in the Anati fashion, making Nuur-Karif frown.

[Stomoxys]

Nuur-Karif got up soon after, dragging Yana along. They were planning to go to the The Evening Light Terrace and talk to the Ashtarites there. They believed they could convince them to end the conflict. While I doubted their diplomacy would get them very far, they might be able to obtain some more information. Assuming they did not start stabbing.

Wolfram and Grogg also left, saying something about sewing in the moonlight on the way out. I wanted to visit the Tsovin and Vagan temple so I stayed behind a bit longer. I would have liked to spend some time alone in the pool, but through the slits in the roof I could tell it was getting dark outside. Here in Arland, Kama and Taxini appear in the far south and are gone soon after Ajaw reaches the horizon. If I wished to consult with them, I had to get going.

The Tsovin and Vagan temple was similar to the temple in Sam. The main chamber was divided in two by a screen and each side had a towering statue of a male apeoid. There were apertures in the ceiling providing a glimpse of the sky and their shape made it sound like a gale was howling outside. Except for a single priest, the temple was empty. They asked if they could help me when I approached and I told them that I had heard a dragon was approaching and had to consult The Hunters. They said I could stay in the temple as long as I wanted, but they could not give me access to the roof. The priest had clearly not realized the gravity of the situation, so I removed my hood and beard. When they saw me, they started raving about dragon spawn, but I interrupted them sternly and explained that I had hunted with The Hunters. At least it calmed them enough to ask me to wait while they fetched a superior. Interestingly, they thought the dragons have camouflaging skin like me that hid them against the sky. I had assumed they were incorporeal like most of the demons, but I suppose this is a possible.

After the priest left, I was alone in the temple and sat down underneath one of the apertures to meditate. However it only took a few minutes before I heard two sets of footsteps approaching. One was the light steps of the priest I had met and the other sounded like someone marching towards me. They stopped about ten meters away and I waited for them to address me before getting on my feet and acknowledging them. The priest had brought an older apeoid with a large beard and a spear. It looked like they knew how to use the spear and were clearly the higher ranking of the pair.

Again I was accused of being dragon spawn and the older apeoid wanted to see how I hunted. The Tsovin and Vagan priests are fond of quarreling, so I answered belligerently that I could show them if they insisted and started meditating again. The aperture was small, so I did not get proper contact with the stars, but I could still feel their presence of star. While I was meditating, I could hear the older apeoid circling me, sometimes tapping their spear on the ground.

After some time they stopped and I opened my eyes again. Two more priests with beards, but no spears, had come and the older priest was discussing with them. They had realized my connection with the stars, so the older priest gave me permission to climb wherever I wanted in their temple and marched out saying something about their tower. There was no tower on the temple, so I suspect they meant one of the towers dotting the wall of the temple district. I climbed up to one of the apertures on the inside and slipped out onto the roof which seemed to impress one of the remaining priests. From there I had a relatively clear view to the south and could see Kama and Taxini dancing. They looked relatively normal, but something told me they were a bit anxious.

Repeating the process from the night before, I tried to gather the star threads and realize their patterns, focusing particularly on Kama and Taxini. This time, it was easier and I had a vision lasting much longer. I saw two star creatures, each with a spear and they were pointing and discussing some tracks on the ground that were not fresh. While their bright visage made it impossible to make out any features, the creatures had beards and reminded me of the older priest. While their discussion turned into bickering and quarreling, I felt a cold draft on my back.

Behind me was an enormous head. It was attached to an equally enormous neck that disappeared into the darkness where I could sense the vast bulk of a body and wings. Every time the head drew a breath, the wind changed direction around me and it felt like I was standing in a gale. Intuitively, I knew this to be Palongi.

Apeoid creatures approached the head with a gift and tried to place it on the ground in front of the head. However, when they approached, the dragon woke up and roared, making the lead apeoid toss their gift towards the dragon and run. The winds around me grew to a storm and I lost all sense of direction. Stumbling around, I glanced in a direction away from the dragon and saw the horizon get redder.

Back on the roof, it had now gotten completely dark. Below me, the two bearded priests were looking up at me from the temple floor. I climbed down while they fetched the older apeoid with the spear. I described my vision to them and they huffed in their beard, cursing the apeoids in the east that worshiped Palongi. They were particularly worried about the tracks and whether they were on the ground or not. If the dragon had landed, it was a bad sign. Unlike most apeoids, they were not afraid of the dragons, but rather furious with them. While they did not like Tinibagra, at least they had fought the hated Palongi. I told them that it was Grogg who chased away Palongi, but they did not believe me, saying that titans did not exist any more. I decided to introduce them to Grogg.

The vision does seem to indicate that someone is indeed sacrificing to Palongi, but it was impossible to tell when or who or where. The priest with the spear was convinced it was someone in the east, probably the same as those in Grogg's stories. According to Odon, their brothers are somewhere to the east and I suppose the power crazed grays could attempt to bribe a dragon. Wolfram are convinced that the grays and Tivito are collaborating, but I consider their theories to be speculation. The sky reddening at the end of the vision could indicate a battle between Palongi and Tinibagra. The strangest part was the beards on the star creatures, very similar to the priest with the spear. The hunters are obviously not apeoids, but perhaps my vision was affected by the location and my recent experiences. I suppose the lesson is that the visions can not be interpreted literally.

I made it back to the complex and woke Grogg to tell them that I had found someone who hated dragons as much as themselves. At my own room, I discovered that Wolfram had locked the door. They have finally realized that we should take security more seriously and opened the door with their sword drawn.

[Stomoxys]

For breakfast, Wolfram announced that they wanted to practice being around other apeoids and wanted to eat in the common room. This sounded like a good idea, though my expectations beyond a good show were low. However, we met Nuur-Karif in the common room and it was decided our discussions would be best suited for the privacy of Grogg's room.

When we entered the room, Nuur-Karif exclaimed that Kra had gotten bigger. and walked over to the bed where they started petting the air. From the excited cawing, Kra was there. They were not using the ring and their motions were much larger than Kra used to be. Neither Wolfram nor Grogg reacted to this and I believe something must have happened while I was consulting the hunters, However, it is equally possible that Nuur-Karif was putting on a show for Grogg to ingratiate themselves. I will have to ask them in private when I have the chance. If they are able to see spirits unaided, it is an important development.

Sitting down, Nuur-Karif told us what they had discovered at The Evening Light Terrace. Ajaw had reached the horizon when they got there and they realized that they would have trouble getting in. Apeoids use their clothing to signal their material wealth which again is used to establish the hierarchy among them. The Evening Light Terrace was a large terrace facing west frequented by the very wealthy and low status individuals would not be allowed to enter. Nuur-Karif's clothes were cheap and worn and the staff would not let them enter, even after they flashed an Ashtarite sign. As usual, the solution was bribery and they were discreetly led to a staircase leading down in the back of the building.

The temple had been just as opulent as the terrace above and they saw about twenty Ashtarites waiting for the meet to begin, the youngest of the chapel guards at the complex among them. Something about the place had given Nuur-Karif the impression that there was much that was unsaid that should be said and much that was said that should have been left unsaid in a holy place. In addition, they did not feel the usual calm of a temple to Ashtar.

A few more apeoids arrived and an older human led the meet, but Nuur-Karif noticed that some of the Ashtarites kept whispering among themselves. The meet was also strange, with the old human repeating several times that they knew that many of those gathered wanted to make new ceremonies, but they had to wait until the time was right and then everyone would respect Ashtar. This caused a murmur of discontent to ripple through the room and a number of the Ashtarites left as soon as the meet was over, including the chapel guard.

Nuur-Karif approached the meet leader to discuss the conflict. They agreed that the conflict was terrible and the meet leader spent every night calming the congregation. Eventually, the meet leader believed, everyone would realize that the terrace faction was right. Retreating to a side corridor, the priest explained the goal of changing the law so that Ashtarites could murder whomever they wanted. Nuur-Karif pointed out that such a law would be excellent for anyone that wished to rid themselves of rivals and other threats to their power, but the meet leader was in denial and insisted that this was the correct way to serve Ashtar. Many powerful apeoids were working for the change, some of them even had positions at the king's council, and they were supposedly sacrificing something to push through the changes together with Tivito and the other cults.

The meet leader agreed that infighting among Ashtarites was bad and they should try to avoid it. Nuur-karif pointed out that Tivito, took spirits that belonged to Ashtar and trapped and tortured them. The delusional meet leader agreed that this was bad, but made the excuse that it was for the greater good. The law was supposed to suddenly change soon, probably on the day of judgement, and then everything would change and the Ashtarites would no longer nurse the old Azura priest. They did not believe there was any point in mediating, but agreed to meet someone from the other temple as long as they did not set cutting the ties with Tivito as an ultimatum. On their way out, the meet leader had warned Nuur-Karif that they could become a target if they tried to stop the law change.

Nuur-Karif's tale got Wolfram starting on a long exposition on how worshipers should follow the laws in an area and leave if their beliefs ran counter to the laws. The idea is absurd of course, as demonstrated by Wolfram being in Arland and worshiping the illegal Tiri.

I do share their concern for what Tivito wish to get out of the collaboration though and we changed topic to kidnapping them. The best would be to lure them out of the city, ambush them somewhere with no witnesses and find some unused building were we could work in peace. Wolfram could turn into the demon bear and chase away the farmers in an area, which should pique Tivito's interest. However, finding a secluded place to work on any prisoners would be difficult. Due to overpopulation, the nearest place with no peasants would be the crypt which was several days away. We agreed to get a coach and search for a suitable locations.

Nuur-Karif wanted to go to the Tsovin and Vagan temple and see if we had received news from Pakk and Groman. I convinced Grogg to come along and meet the priests there. On the way, we arranged a coach. At the temple, I directed Nuur-Karif to the post office and entered with Grogg. On of the bearded priests without a spear was there and I dragged Grogg over to them. They did not recognize me immediately but I reminded them and got Grogg to tell the story of Orga. The priest recognized it as the story of the Titan, but in their version, the Titan died, while Grogg insisted Orga was alive, at least in spirit. This got the priest attention and we walked over to a bench were Grogg could tell more. On the way, I heard Grogg whisper for Lunari to help them. Even though I have now heard the tales many times, Grogg's telling was unusually riveting, so perhaps The Slurping Toad did aid them. The priest certainly seemed riveted and said we had some of the essence in Tsovin and Vagan in us and might be the best hunters in existence. That remains to be seen. Grogg only looked doubtfully at me, but did not say anything. The priest left, but Grogg insisted that I stay and listen to the tale of Gromgar again because I had woken them the night before.

Nuur-Karif had received a letter and we opened it back at the complex. It was from Isa and said that Pakk and Groman was not there, but thanked Kra for the visit and said that someone was welcome at any time. It was unclear if they meant us or Kra. I hope the historians have not been eaten by swamp creatures and that Odon will find them.