A t E: Session 09 - Epilogue

General Summary

Saverlathe's Report

I watch the distant trail from under my gloved hand. Through the glare cut by this temporary visor, is revealed a set of wagons making a rapid pace. As they are within sight of the 'castle', they should be going easier. It's clear they're moving to stay ahead of something behind them. As to what this might be I can't tell from my vantage point. I see Erees on a wagon. He's an able man. If he's in a rush to ford the Crazed River, he'd have a good reason. Once at the riverbank, the wagons head straight onward to the ford, while the wagon-master and five others separate themselves and step on to a river raft to head straight to Banderford Castle. In this group there is a vynscout, possibly Kade Arhkdevaunt and three others. Two of these might be arcadian contenders, but as to the young girl with them I'm not sure. Kade looks odd so I'm not actually sure it's him. Maybe it's a lookalike or he's quite changed. I'll find out at some point.

My need was simple. I only need to keep the party before me in view. If they head into the Waystop Inn so much the better. What I need is for them to not interfere with the intruder. They acted as I had hoped. This means I can leave them out of my considerations. They're not likely to get involved. There's a strange traveler at the castle. He acts so brazenly that I can assume he's powerful. He could even be a spire. I saw him enter the Perch at the top of the castle, some time before... Hours pass. My target doesn't appear. His strangeness should have caused some kind of commotion...
The adjutant appeared, entered the Inn, and reappeared with the vynscout of the caravan group. They proceed to the Perch. They are inside for twenty minutes. They return to the Inn and a short time later emerge with the best part of the travelling group. I note Eddivaine is now on the prowl at the foundations of the place. What he was up to, I didn't want to surmise. As the group headed up to the Perch, I decided I'd watched long enough. It was time to get a closer look at where my target had gotten to. It was obvious he was no longer above in the Perch. Too notable a person to elicit such a quiet response. That meant the chute below I determined. His evading everyone in this way made me re-think his activity and presence here. Maybe there was more to him than I had allowed for...


I’m worried.
Activity has increased to the level that I have to assume that Deignghaul is involved. The only reason to wait on a final conclusion, is the constant mention agents in the region make in reference to Ceries. I still want to believe that the ‘Trident’ works on behalf of the Profane would-be conqueror. At this juncture though, no conclusion as to their association can be made. I ran into Eddi — yet again. His interest in me wouldn’t be so bothersome if he were less in the way of my actions. This time it was beneath Banderford Castle. The Ulmavyn scouts have built a decent escape chute beneath it. I had learned of the chute through Azgoyn, the strange being I mentioned last report. Eddi came close to dying. My wanlight wards were in place for more serious threats when he stumbled into them in the tunnel. I spoke to him and he told me about the presence of two individuals within the castle. One a Monster and the other ... well, he wasn’t sure about the other. He couldn’t get a definite reading which surprised him as his caste ability always worked... I had decided to leave him trussed for the oven, to be found whenever, when I heard others approaching from the shaft entrance. I allowed them through the wanwards. The lead man was a construct of some kind. Used a name, Surtice Ly, which was reassuring after so many meetings with the Gallowfounds! I prefer to have a name, to know who I’m dealing with. Much as the Gallowfound constructs, this one was different in his speech and attitude. Unlike those constructs, this Ly fellow, was able to respond in words and phrases. Altogether, I’d say he’s not made of the same mould. Maybe even, he could be a singular construct created by a new hand. He didn’t indicate a strong leaning in any direction. My experience with constructs is that they usually are made for a specific reason. Odd if his maker made Ly without one in mind. Unless the creator has loosed him for the time being and plans to leash him later, when Ly has learned enough to be useful? It might be a consideration to have a steward keep an eye upon him. That these will recognise Ly, know that he is made from gold, head to foot but that he wears clothing of a well-off merchant or nobleman. He seems to have the healing touch. He used this ability in my presence and mentioned once being connected to the Baymish Or’Rahns. His gold ‘skin’ may also indicate his maker’s affiliation with the Colour. Ly used Gold skeins several times, so it may be noteworthy. Ly was joined by Kade. You will have to pull my reports on the Garroting Gates Incident for some background. Time has changed him. His youthful face is furrowed by the plow’s blade of responsibility. Surely his face isn’t weathered by time. I saw him last, only two years since. I can’t put the change down to simply being out on the trail for some time. Something has occurred to him after he left Miranse. He didn’t mention what it might be. The few travellers to the advanced worlds I have spoken to, always seem this way. Here’s to the ‘less advanced’ life, eh? ... Despite his changed look, it was interesting to note his apparent ease with me. He tried to sound as he did the last time we passed each other by. Hard to ignore his advanced garb and equipment while he spoke with his casual tone! Maybe he doesn’t realise how authoritarian he looks in his Arcithian uniform. The jacket he wears is the type the commodorals favour. As well he chooses to use a monocle! I think his eyesight is fine? This must be to assist in castings or aiming, I’ll bet. If not, it may be a thing for allowing others more distant to view what he sees. He might be serving another’s purpose in this way. Given my previous stance on Ly, I think it necessary to assume these two associates work for someone above them. This one might be of Miranse or another world.
We moved down the corridor until confronted by two Black Cav. These are the most ‘warden-like’ of all of Arcithia’s troops. My misgivings in this are known to you. I still feel that they work for the Canticle. These two gave me no pause to defer my opinion. We would have to deal with these a little later on... It was easily discovered that all these newcomers were after the same Monster as myself. Abelkose had not covered his tracks well. Rather than have these follow me or worse try to outdo me, it seemed an easier thing to allow them to join in the tracking. Eddi is reasonable in these types of situations as my reports have mentioned. He’s no different than before. Eager to please or feel he’s earned the right to think of me as his equal. I put this down to his partial Thale heritage. They have to feel they have the upper hand with the opposite gender too. As we made our way upriver along the Crazed’s banks, I was surprised that Eddi was less useful in the search than the others. It goes to show you how well skilled Kade and Ly must be that Eddi became a mere tag-along. At the isle of Scoose, we could make out the silhouette of the Monster we sought. His situation was hardly one of a masterful success. It would be expected that he might be happily learning more of the mystery object he had stolen. Sphere, egg or nest; it doesn’t matter what name it has, the prize was his and yet he was certainly not enjoying its possession. In act of deed, he didn’t seem to have it with him. My glint blade showed me it was nowhere about. Instead, there was only baleful Yellowlight all about Abelkose. This held him fast in its branch-like tendrils. These wrapped about his waist and legs and moved at the will of the more slender and spidery tendrils attached to his neck and shoulders. While Ly and Kade made their way around to his right,

I used the glint to sever some of this Yellow’s strength. It’s smart to, “weaken a fortress before attacking its walls”, I’ve been taught. My master, Etu-Steward Codwillah would be disappointed in me if I’d forgotten such simple ploys. I miss teaching at the tree of tactics but not so much as I’d miss my life now. I made the right choice to become a steward.
Kade managed to approach the far side of Abeljose’s stationary position. Ly, seemed to change his approach. As I viewed him, he drew then replaced his salvoes. Instead, he drew out Gold skeins from about his person. Unlike me with my hair, Ly has no permanent hold upon his Colour. I might have to show him how he may reserve some Colour for his use. He was clearly intent on the oddly, glowing manacles that floated just before Abelkose. I saw the Monster’s right eye flare once as though he concurred and Ly’s effort was begun. He challenged the Yellowlight for Abelkose’s freedom. Bravely, as direct grafting such as he enjoined is dangerous to the mind, Ly sought the Yellow’s weakness . It was difficult to watch much else. I always find that casting’s direct employment is fascinating. I also know that many feel the same. At the Arcade some years back, a duel like this between two casters took over an hour. At the end the strain was so great than when the loser finally was bested the entire audience was exhausted. Many watchers collapsed. One succumbed entirely. The efforts of the casters had made that much of an impression on the man...
Ly was very much on the defensive for a time. That or he toyed with the Yellowlight. As emotion doesn’t show on his featureless face, I could not be sure. He was determined for sure. Twice the Yellow was within a hand’s span of touching and overwhelming the construct. Twice Ly held his resolve and pushed back the foelight. At points — I don’t know why these were infrequent — Abelkose’s Gold-fused eye shone out and seemed to reach toward Ly’s outstretched hand. In response, Ly seemed to gain confidence or strength or both and forced his Colour into dominance.
Kade had managed to spot what I had not, the hidden entrance to the vynscouts’ tunnel and the spying gaze of one of the black cavs. Using a version of a caste lumen, Kade managed to cause the black cav to drop down the entrance shaft. Taking his cue from the advantage gained, Kade acted immediately. Rising to his full height, Kade sprinted across the intervening ground between where he was and the tunnel hatchway. I couldn’t see what he did as he slid past the opening but the resulting explosion seemed only too just, given the black cavs’ love of detonations! The explosion had a devastating effect on the two Arcithian spies. It had an even greater effect on the vynscouts’ chute. A loud hiss announced the rupture in the tunnel wall.
At the same moment, Ly’s struggle came to an end as he pushed his Gold to reach past the Yellowlight. The object of Ly’s effort, the odd set of manacle cuffs flew to Abelkose’s wrists. At this, the tendrils were lamed and fell away. The Monster walked free from the Yellow-centred trap. Abelkose’s gratitude at being freed meant that he quickly recounted how he had been tricked into revealing the location of the nest by one, Ahmorr, a cadavivva or undyne of Zomb. Once he had told the cadavivva the way to obtain the nest, Ahmorr had brought forth the Yellow locus to ensnare Abelkose. As we took the vastness boat upriver in search of the cleavers, I realised, that Eddi’s lack of caste success in identifying Ahmorr might be explained. As Ahmorr wasn’t alive, Eddi couldn’t read him. Which meant that tracking him would be difficult. What we needed was a way to find this Ahmorr or the nest. One would likely be with the other. I needed someone who excelled at tracking tincture. There was only one I could easily get to join us who had this level of skill and that was Kingmaker. I didn’t ask the others I travelled with, I just put forth the recourse caste. Hopefully the Shaysteward will answer before my next report. The air grew cool, suddenly. On the bank of the Crazed we saw a vast. His name turned out to be Freynker and he led us to the cleavast citadel. Things were easy with the queen of these cleavast. Her name is Narcolf. The ‘L’ is silent. She told us of the trouble at Waterskin — which you already had mentioned — and that Longbow would be Ilquinas’ next destination. As well, she revealed that two ther town agents were close at hand and seemingly intent on meeting with the ‘Plaguesun’. The party determined that they would prefer to stay closer to their intended course as travel at such distances means additional problems on returning. To answer their worry, the queen has her attendant bring out Kade’s breezer. I’m glad you allowed it to be collected from the battlements of Alone! It may allow them a quicker dealing should that be their intention. In the meantime, I will try to gain further ground with the queen as we’re already getting along well. By the time we are rejoined, Kingmaker may be here and we can move toward the cadavivva, Ahmorr. Shay! Saverlathe

Character(s) interacted with

Kade Arhkdevaunt - Praetorian Mundane and 'all around good man'
Surtice Ly - Healer and now 'medical investigator'
Avoss - Vynscout and 'happily so'
Derwent Ahm - Vynscout and 'present sirescout of Banderford Castle'
Yseth - Teen girl and 'damaged goods'
Curtaine - Knight-truant and 'betrayer of Deignghaul'
Eddivain - Cleftyck thief and 'major dung stirrer'
Saverlathe - Freeward of the Stewards of Shayghan and 'white-haired babe'
Abblekose - Abomlord and 'surprisingly normal'
Narcolf - Cleavast Queen and 'extremely Kade-worthy'
Bhrinlog - Cleavst; sister of queen and 'extremely worth avoiding after lights out'
Nonsuch - Monstrous and 'prone to fits'
Yama - Abomlord and 'likely a force to come'

Report Date

21 Nov 2018