One
Thousand Souls
16/3/10,122 - Athalau
Staring wistfully up at the tower the four friends eventually agreed that indeed the sorcery woven about the tower was far to powerful for them to deal with. There was some concern that believing Erimmes held the key to the tower Synalon sought him to open up the tower to aid her conquest of the realm, if this was the case they were sure that Erimmes had told the truth in that he had no idea of the towers magic as it had been built after his death, however of Magda, well, who knew what she new.
Putting aside the greater questions the friends pair off to continue their search for abandoned artefacts & loot, after all it would be a shame to leave it in Athalau - wouldn't it.
Keeping in contact through mind speech Kilite & Illyra return to the artisans quarter, more trinkets, occasional coin & other small items of monetary value are collected & a third of the sorcerous food storage containers is found, when opened it houses a particularly fine cheese.
Tharla & Molin's search however proves to be far more fruitful, tramping the more official looking structures around the temple square they enter what appears to have been a museum of sorts pertaining to the events of the War of the Powers, faded & dusty tapestries hang forlornly from the walls whilst debris litters the floor from long rotted display cases. Archaic blades & strange gripped weapons lie where they have fallen in the dust, finery long discarded. Whilst Molin tries the oddly shaped hand grips, Tharla spots a gleam amongst the rubbish. Pulling the debris aside an ornate ring is uncovered, reaching forward her fingers brush its surface, instantly she recoils as if burnt, her fingers tingling, she scoops up the ring in the fold of her cloak, clearly it is not hot but she has an uneasy feeling about it.
Molin, having thrown the unwieldy weapons to one side, is interested enough to cast detect magic upon the item, a deed he would normally avoid if at all possible, asking Tharla to move to one side as the plethora of magic about her person confuses the fetish, Molin confirms it is indeed of a magical nature. Pocketing the ring, carefully, Tharla suggests that as his spell is cast it would a pity to not use it to aid their search of the museum, reluctantly he agrees. Continuing their search they are about to return to the tower when the fetish indicates a nearby magical radiance, with care they clear the rubbish to find a small highly polished wooden box with a clear & clean glass lid. The box is in remarkably good condition & is locked with a non-magical hasp, the fetishes leadings suggest it is the box which carries the sorcery & not its contents. Through the glass they can see an open book, the box clearly being utilised to display & protect the manuscript within. Erimmes, who has accompanied their search, stairs intently at the box's contents through the glass &, for once quiet, advises that this is what Synalon seeks.
Joining Erimmes, Tharla reads the script on the visible page, it is part of a translation of a summoning of the demon Lord, Istu, & how this could be used to free the Sky City from the Quincunx.
Communicating their findings immediately to Illyra & Kilite they return to the tower to discuss their findings.
Before the case is opened Illyra is keen for Molin to accompany her to the artisan quarter & cast around for hidden sorcery with his fetish, eventually he is persuaded as long as his friends ensure he has silver enough to fulfil his clans charge of him.
Quickly they pass through the areas already looted & then those beyond, only once does his spell guide him to an undiscovered & hidden bauble, beneath a loose hearth stone a silver grey sphere some inch in diameter is recovered after which they return to the others at the tower.
With care the box's hasp is prised open & the book removed, Molin's fetish is still operating & confirms the it is the case which is magical however it has fulfilled its function in preserving the book.
A quick scan of the hand written text confirms Erimmes earlier comment; the book details the means of summoning Itsu & the release of the Sky City from its fixed flight path. It also contains several pages of an unknown script with comment referring it to be the original Gr'zsv text. With Horror they note the summoning requires the sacrifice of a thousand souls, the unfortunates to be cast down from the well of souls central within the Sky City. It dawns on Tharla whilst studying the book, as she has a some small knowledge of these matters, that its leather jacket looks remarkably liked tanned human skin.
Both Erimmes & Magda decline to read the details of the tomb; both acknowledging that if they were to fall into the hands of Synalon its content may be revealed.
Before continuing Tharla is keen to know more of the other items recovered from the city, casting a spell of identification the sphere is revealed as having a permanent light spell cast upon it, operated by a simple command when held in the hand, the ring however is a different matter, it is revealed as a ring of impurity, manufactured by Gr'zsv witchcraft, it is intended to aid a Gr'zsv warrior in battle against humankind. Illyra reaches out to touch the ring but hesitates her fingers hovering above it, utter revulsion washes over her & she turns away in disgust. Molin too considers the ring but under the angry gaze of Illyra shrugs & walks away, Tharla considers the degree of Illyra's revulsion & realises that the effect of the ring is not as intense for herself or Molin, presumably as they are both only half breeds. Sighing she throws the ring down a nearby frozen well.
Over the following hours the four debate what should be done with the book, arguments to destroy or hide it in the tower or down a well, to take it or even to give or sell it to Synalon or to the Gr'zsv &/or Morianna are thrown about with equal abandon. Kilite even goes so far as to contemplate the use of the book, after all Jirre is the mistress of destruction as well creation.
Eventually Illyra declares that whatever is to be done with the book she intends to read it first & immediately sits down to do so. The others whilst still undecided discuss how they are to escape the city, arguments are put forward for Molin to burrow out transformed as one of the ice worms however he is reluctant to do so as he could not mimic a worm of sufficient size to allow easy passage or guarantee that he would not fall foul to a larger worm. Consideration is given to climbing or burrowing up one of the ice columns formed by the meeting of stalactite & stalagmite but again the risks seem to great. With growing resignation the four accept that to walk out of the tunnels as they entered is the only practical means of escape open to them.
Looking to the underside of the glacial dome above them no light now penetrates the ice, night having overtaken their incursions, having decided upon their intended escape route & knowing that the dogs & Gunter are without food, Tharla, Kilite & Molin make haste to collect the discarded blades from the museum as well as chains & trays that they can find to be used as ice axes & rope to aid their climb up the sloping icy inclines.
On their return Illyra announces that she has read the Gr'zsv code & having contemplated the full horror of its terrible words it cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of Synalon or be returned to the Gr'zsv, as she speaks she kicks the half burnt binding out of the ashes of the fire.
Foot Note - Illyra has in fact not burnt the book, only its cover, it is currently stashed in her back pack away from prying eyes, Tharla too has lied to he companions, during the night she scaled the depths of the well & retrieved the ring thrown down earlier.