35. Tzaryan Keep Report

General Summary

10th Nymm, 998 YK

• Singe reveals that he believes The General is Robrand d'Deneith, the disgraced commander of the Frostbrand Company.
• Geth becomes withdrawn, and grumpier than normal. He growls at Warden !
• In the evening, Terfel rejoins the party and confirms that the General is from House Deneith.
• Terfel trains Blinky some more, getting him used to carrying weight.

• The following day, Terfel broaches the subject of the Frostbrand to the General. He confirms he led it, and that he recognises Singe and Geth. He just doesn't care, that part of his life is over.
• At midday, the party is allowed to try and talk to Ekhaas. She remains gagged, so Kalshana tries to mind link with her. She states she will tell them nothing, calls them chaat'oor and then stonewalls them. Terfel attempts to explain that they aren't going to defile the ruins, but the power dynamic here isn't exactly equal.

• They come within site of Tzaryan Keep in the morning, and the orc settlement around it.
• The keep is surrounded by fields of crops, they're actually working the land!
• The General explains to Terfel that the village are a group of the Gaa'ran, the Children of Sacrifice. They're orcs, and one of the few groups to attempt to cultivate the Barrens. They're also pacifists, believing that violence irreparably taints the soul, and they've held fast to this belief in the face of torture and death.
• This particular settlement of Gaa'ran are under the protection of Tzaryan Rrac, and in exchange they provide the keep with a portion of their yield. This allows Tzaryan to feed his people better than most in Droaam.
• In the evening, the party arrives at Tzaryan Keep. Tzaryan meets them at the door, descending from the darkness above.
• They present Tzaryan with gifts, the painting of Arcanix and one of the moon orbs from the Orrery. They explain why they've come, he accepts the gifts but says it wouldn't be prudent to accept their request without due consideration.
• He'll decide by morning, and in the meantime he'd be honoured to have them as guests.
• Chuut brings forth Ekhaas, and it seems like Tzaryan is going to kill her. The General intervenes and states she knows something about the ruins, but won't speak to Tzaryan's honoured guests. Perhaps if imprisoned, she could be "persuaded" to share what she knows.
• Tzaryan agrees, and then floats into the sky and disappears.
• The party are led into the keep, and Terfel is able to stable Blinky in the Forge at the top of the stairs.
• In the forge, they are introduced to Sengo Mura, another Oni. He is apparently the resident artisan, and also the architect responsible for construcing Tzaryan Keep. Construction only began 9 years ago!
• He's the strong and silent type though, he doesn't say anything to them.
• They are led to their rooms by Chuut and the General, but all of the furniture is too big. Chuut fetches some stools to help them get into the chairs.
• Dax' Athla , Kalshana , Terfel and Warden go to Tzaryan's study to speak with him.
• Warden explains his entire backstory, which Tzaryan takes in.
• Kalshana is next, and it seems that she and Tzaryan have something in common. Tzaryan explains that his people are also marginalised by Riedra, they are taught that their gifts are the result of being living prisons for fiends; it is the duty of the oni to redeem the fiend within them through their own devoted service to the Inspired.
• Tzaryan compares this to slavery, and strongly implies that he is one of the few Oni to reject this life and flee Sarlona.
• Dax explains her own history, and about Masvirik. Tzaryan casually mentions that if the sun got destroyed, there would be no interruptions to his stargazing. He's joking though, of course!
• Shortly after this, Tzaryan explains he has had his fill of social interaction, and his curiosity is sated. He thanks them for expanding his knowledge of the world, and sends them back to their rooms.
• They are led back to their rooms by an Ogre. Tzaryan Keep is labyrinthine, and it would be easy to get lost.
• They get back to their rooms, and Dax suggests they need to talk about what to do if Tzaryan refuses their request.