In the early days of the Third Nalshbori War, a servant of King Orril, skilled in ancient lore and the use of the runes, traveled to the Hiksuyara Peiruar [The Fir Wood] and built a strong fortress, intending to wield the power of the wood in the war against the Nalshbori which were at that time streaming across the Cheyth in great numbers. But he was overmatched by the power which dwelt in the wood, it is said, and in after days things of evil crept in and dwelt there. These were all driven out, or so it is believed, by the Wayateth during the final days of that war, and since then no man has passed beneath its gate of ancient stone and returned to tell of what he saw.Two roast ducks and a large quantity of tea purchased at the Cracked Beaker was enough to get the information he was looking for. A talk with a plump, chatty woman by the name of Vitherai (no relation to the Amber Cutter) got him at least one local legend: apparently it is not at all uncommon for locals who have lost someone--a parent, a spouse, a child, or some other loved one--to meet with them again on the borders of the Wood. Deciding that this was enough to go on and that where there was that kind of magic there was bound to be treasure, Tengelbur promptly set about recruiting the rest of his friends for another foray into the unknown. Anaris (who had finally caught up with the rest of the party as Arthur rejoins us) was already in the Cracked Beaker and was the easiest to convince, especially since she was forced to flee the Amborian Wood after being pursued by agents from Sencankarr--apparently not everyone there genuinely believes the party to be dead.
In the meantime, Tanurendal, Reiana, and Vanera all showed up (one by one) at the Norinlakor to speak with the scholar Palfeinan. Due to Palfienan's idiosyncratic filing system (which seems to be based on the stellar calendar, but moves at a different pace than time in the real world), they will all have to wait some time for their answers:
- Tanurendal was looking for information about the Nelkenganar and was instructed (using very small words; Palfeinan seems to be laboring under the notion that Tanurendal is illiterate) to return in 2 weeks time.
- Reiana was looking for more information about the history and function of the magical bow she'd found at the bottom of the sea during the previous adventure. She was instructed to return in three months' time--at the end of Summer--when Palfeinan would be able to access the books necessary to read the Kothorlas script on the bow.
- Vanera was interested in some advice about how best to sell the small book--the description and drawings of the shrine he'd made on Artana's island. After giving him some advice concerning it, Palfeinan offered to store it in the Norinlakor, and instructed him to return in eight days, when the arrangement of the library would be more aligned to receive the new tome.
Tengelbur and Anaris later met up with Vanera at his home, where Vanera reluctantly agreed (at the urging of his wife, who was trying to be supportive) to go on yet another treasure hunt to ancient and magical ruins--basically the most reluctant historian and archaeologist of all time. Tanurendal agreed as well but had some errands to run first, so the Company agreed to head out the next day.
Tanurendal went first to the shop of Telini the Fletcher, the beautiful redhead who seems to have stolen his heart. To his dismay, he found several other local hunters already there, each vying for her affections. Tanurendal gave her the shells he had brought back from the island and purchased an extremely large quantities of arrows, trying to inquire as to whether or not she knew of anyone who might have come from Sencankarr looking for the Company. Telini said--enigmatically, but truthfully--that she "couldn't say she did." Heading from there to the farm of Onerama the Bald, Tanurendal sought an audience with the local strongman--one which he was granted, being ushered into Onerama's bedchamber where he was greeted by the sight of the man's bulky, powerful frame in a huge marble bath. Explaining something of the Company's situation and the need to know if anyone had come from Sencankarr looking for them, Tanurendal asked for Onerama's help. Onerama (while making it very clear that he was entirely comfortable in the nude) agreed, on the condition that Tanurendal and his friend would arrange a meeting with Sir Ralus, commander of the border forts--it seems Onerama has been trying to make this meeting happen for some time, but Sir Ralus has been unwilling to give the strongman the time of day.
Agreeing to this, Tanurendal returned to town, and the Company made plans to set out on the eight-day journey for the ruined tower. Traveling West along the King's Road, they turned northward at the village of Kor-Gilin (where Tengelbur bought everyone a round of the village's famous grain spirit) and traveled, by an ancient and ruined roadway, towards the Fir Wood.
It was rounding a turn of the old road, where it bent around a huge mound raised within the midst of the wood, that they encountered Tengelbur--that is, a second, older Tengelbur, his face heavily lined with age, his hair streaked with grey--and first and foremost, missing his left hand. The company was immediately puzzled and alarmed; all it seems except for Tengelbur, who met his altered self with a joke and a laugh, offering to let him touch his still-intact left hand. The older Tengelbur warned the Company to "drink the cup to the bottom, but do not ring the bell" and then stepped forward into Tengelbur, and both of them vanished from sight.
Now missing a member of their Company, the heroes decided to press forward, not knowing exactly what else to do. On the eighth day they arrived at the tower, situated as it was upon an island in the middle of a moat around which ancient trees had crowded long ago. The drawbridge was down, the gate was open, and the courtyard completely empty. Before entering the tower itself, the heroes decided to explore the courtyard to make sure it wasn't a trap. They found it silent, and empty--too silent and too empty, for there was no sign of man or beast, or even so much as a bird's nest, either within or without the courtyard. Vanera did notice, however, that the foundation stones of the tower--which was too large to be of normal Amborian construction--were ancient. At first he mistook them for late First Eon Neo-Treian revivalist work, but a second, closer examination showed that they were not an imitation of the work of ancient Starland, but in fact the genuine thing.
Entering the tower, the company was confronted by a massive oak tree, some twelve feet or more in diameter, with branches pushing upward and outward, as though attempting to escape the tower's confinement. The tree was pierced, through and through, by a massive black spear, itself some eighteen inches in diameter and nearly thirty feet long. From the huge gaping wound in the bole, black sap was dripping hot onto the flagstones. Wondering if the sap would melt steel, Tanurendal dipped his dagger in it--and was stunned and horrified to see actual petrification spreading over the weapon and upward towards his hand. He dropped it just in time as the dagger turned completely to stone, melding with the flagstones on the floor.
Moving closer, Vanera could see that the outer branches of the tree were frozen in a state of half-petrification, though there was no doubt that the trunk was still a living tree. As he moved in a moaning, as of wind whipping through stones, filled the hall, and Vanera seemed to hear a voice in the wind:
Sing to me the song which has never been written.
Bring to me the sword which has never been forged.
Break three hearts but no more.
Break three hearts but no more.
Go, now. There is not much time.
Heading up the stairs into the upper room of the tower, the company found a small garret in which several tapestries were hung, and in which was sat a table with five ornately carved wooden chairs. On the table was a silver bell and hammer, and set before each chair was a silver goblet full of wine. And slumped over, sleeping in one of the chairs, was Tengelbur.
As Tengelbur awoke, Vanera and Reiana examined the tapestries. They depicted the rise and fall of seven cities set upon seven hilltops--and though the style of the art and iconography was foreign to the eyes of the companions, Vanera was able to identify the cities as the Seven Cities of Lanenomen which were built in the Hills of Jade in the days before Orkon's shadow fell upon them, and they became the Black Hills and the Mines of Torment. Meanwhile, Anaris found the following inscription written in ancient Treian around the edges of the table:
Ring the Bell, or drain the Silver cups:
But if you drink, drain it to the dregs.
The Wine is the heady taste of another's love,
But the Bell will show the hour of your death.
Choose, each--stolen love, or unveiled dread
When fickle Time removes its funeral shroud
Which covers mighty kings and cities dead
And turns to dust the Empires of the proud.
Drink the cup, or ring the bell of Time--
Else moulder here amid the ruin and grime.
This began a long debate between the members of the Company (including Tengelbur who was awake by now, but didn't feel like getting up out of the chair) about whether they should drink the cup (as the aged Tengelbur had instructed), or ring the bell, or do some third option. After a few good Riddle rolls for clues they established that, at the very least:
- Each person would have to choose individually for themselves whether to ring the bell or drain a cup
- The inscription seems to imply that they cannot leave here without doing one or the other
- The heroes suspected strongly that the instructions Vanera heard earlier, to "break three hearts and no more" correspond in some way to drinking the cup instead of ringing the bell
One by one, they made their choice. Reiana was the first to drink the cup, hoping that in so doing she would prevent Vanera (the only married man among them) from having to do so, and she fell asleep in one of the chairs.
Tengelbur attempted to drain a cup as well, but fate was stronger that day. In reaching for the cup, his left hand brushed the hammer and rang the bell, and he fell back in his chair, asleep.
Anaris decided to follow Tengelbur and rang the bell, falling asleep in her chair.
This left Vanera and Tanurendal. Against Vanera's inclinations, both of them drank from their cups since they had been instructed to "break three hearts and no more," and believed that this was in some way related to the cups being "the heady taste of another's love." So they drank, and fell into a deep and forgetful sleep...
---
The world seems to drop away from each of you, as you wander through the waste places of the world, hemmed between darkness and strange stars. You walk alone and unclothed for time out of mind until slowly, gradually, and then all at once, you find yourself in your body, the memories of your past life a shadow--and for some of you, only the shadow of a shadow.
Tengelbur, you adjust the chinstrap of your plumed helm as you stand at the top of the tower, overlooking the vast forest. In the distance--hundreds of leagues away--you can see, with the long sight of the men of Starland, the smoke rising from the ruin of the Seven Cities of Lanenomen. One of your aids appears at the top of the tower beside you, kneeling as he salutes.
"Lord Tengelbur... The Horned Things are coming. What are your orders?"
No comments:
Post a Comment