The council has voted to use one of the wishes to rescue the paladin party who were helping Ezekiel’s sister – at least rescue them from an ignoble burial in the ghoul pits, that is. So we did it with full ritual – we formed up on the field in front of the gates of the fortress, with the paladins on four corners of a circle of holy water. A company of crossbow men waited at Ezekiel’s back while he said the words:
May the bodies of the party, that were not previously recovered, be returned to the circle before us.
Two squads of paladins appeared, lying dead in mauled armor, while a half-dozen or so ghouls stood around them…they used to be young women, but the change the ghoulification makes is truly horrifying. They couldn’t reach anyone, because of the power of the paladins, so they just snarled at us until the crossbowmen took them down. Ezekiel cast a ritual to remove the curse, and then they could all be properly prepared for a wagon ride back to Gorna. Ez says their families will be comforted, at least…and they did a service to Geoff.
Ez says he has another serious matter to discuss with the council tomorrow.
****
Meeting of the Masters of Haven:
High Priest related a visit he and First Paladin had from the inner door of their room. Grey-haired man with resonant voice introduced himself as “Ao” – manager god of a place called Abel’Toril (couldn’t enter their bedroom; I guess it’s warded against extra-planar things). Seems HP has heard bits and pieces of him before, which would explain why he used to think the God he worships was named Ao. Actually, it’s someone even higher up the chain!
Ao explained that several years ago, the gods under him were neglecting their duties and he had to discipline them. He made them mortal until they could prove their contrition…and the people of that world now call that event the “Time of Troubles.” Several deities were killed and their offices reassigned, but one of them has simply “disappeared.” If she had died, Ao could reassign her job, but instead she’s just “missing” and he wants her found.
Her name is Wawkeen, or the “Golden Lady,” and sounds like their version of Zilchus (who is not a “bad” guy, but doesn’t worry about “good” much, either). Someone called “Giver of Joy” is covering her duties for now, but everyone involved would like her found again.
Master Ao says he can transport us to visit the Lady’s high priest for more specifics (and allow us to understand the language) if we’re willing to help. HP points out it seems a problem tailor-made for us. Someone pointed out our investigation method seems to consist of stumbling around until we bump into undead, and then starting to kill things. FP expressed no discontentment with killing undead.
Exact role of those embarking to be discussed later. Ez insisted Lord and Lady Karenath must spend time with their new baby, and Lady Karenath rather miffed.
**
Assignments settled. Master Ronhass to lead training of monks while Master Keom attends Head Monk. Dame Guderwinda, Dame Clatrial, Head Doorkeeper Usin, Sir Theobaldus, and Agnar-the-Handsomest-of-Burly-Dwarves to accompany HP and FP. And the rest of us are just coming.
Actually, “Arch Druid Mikael of the Hidden Grove Who Follows Paths Unknown” is coming. I’m not doing that again.
Ez has figured out how he can get all of us back safely, and given Usin the ring of cleric spells, so we leave tomorrow.
(Sirion to take care of Andari ’til I get back…and make sure Ragni and Agni don’t embarrass him too much.)
****
We formed up in Ezekiel’s bedroom, where he whistled a dittie and opened the rear door. At first it looked like the same old dark cave, but by the time I got up there, the others were filing out of some kind of tent – like a market shelter. I don’t remember if I closed the door or if it swung closed on its own, but when I looked behind, all I saw was canvas and closed crates and an empty shelf.
Once we emerged to the street outside, we found a bustling market – no, more like a bazaar, since there were people (apparently human) of all different skin tones and all different facial features, mingling and buying and selling out of shelters like the one behind us. Their clothes were strange, but it different ways, so it’s clear many different cultures gather here to interact. Many of the people were wearing gold or jewelry, so our signs of wealth wouldn’t make us stand out especially…although Raven pointed out nothing looked particularly like a magic artifact, or glowed or anything. I did not ask Tressarian his opinion, as I didn’t want to make a scene.
Ez and Aliana asked for directions, and we were directed to the “Gold Spires” – very apt, as it turns out. On leaving the court full of shops, we found ourselves in some kind of city, with an easy-to-follow main road that led across a bridge toward a walled fortress on a shelf above the city. The fortress has sharp, narrow towers that glint in the sun – and if gold really is so easy to obtain around here, it could be they are actually gilded. (Maybe not “easy to obtain,” since I get the idea it’s still a symbol of status and wealth…)
Signs outside the fortress welcomed us in the name of the “Bringer of Joy” (regent of the “Golden Lady”), so we figured we had the right place, and when we asked the guards to speak to someone in charge, they called a boy to escort us to a waiting room. Everyone seems very polite, but I can’t shake the feeling we’re being watched.