Athalau
Onwards
18/3/10,122 - Southern Steppe's
Later, sat around a small fire, the friends share the magically preserved food with Gunter, Illyra's dog & the ravenous sled pack. Illyra, tired from her conjuration's, curses her forgetfulness, having exhausted a great deal of her power administering to Molin's battered body, to late remembers' the so recently acquired healing bowl.
Knowing they can wait no longer, the animals are quickly harnessed & the scattered wealth is quickly collected from the ichor & feted tunnel from which they so recently escaped.
Crawling North the weather grudgingly improves, the icy plateau slowly turns to sulphurous laden dirt, which finds its way into food, water & bodily crevices. Molin, still sore but intact, is again relied upon to supply fresh meat & his falcon spends much of its time in flight scouring the gullies & ravines of the steppe's.
Breaking their fast on the third day Illyra decides to try her luck with Kilite, holding his gaze she speaks intently into his face, recognising her clumsy attempts to entrap his mind he decides she must learn a valuable lesson, perhaps remembering the unfortunate merchant of whom Illyra ripped his very essence, & deftly begins to exert his own will upon her. Illyra for her part, realising her failure tries to break his gaze but to late finds herself forced to combat his towering will. Gazing up Molin makes some benign remark concerning their journey, receiving no response he repeats his question, again unanswered he knows something is wrong, but not what. Stepping between the two he demands they cease their play, ignored he pushes Kilite who topples unresistingly onto his side. Shaken Illyra finds herself released from Kilite's mental assault, but still feels his withering stare upon her. Calling for an end to this foolishness Molin remounts Gunter & waits impatiently for the others.
Two days later, taking a break from the trail, Tharla fondles the small disc strung about her neck, since its recovery from the halls of Athalau she has given little thought to its purpose, determined to learn more she tenses intending to exert her will upon discovering the secret of the pendant, however, recalling her apparent lack of success on the last occasion she tried to identify the bauble she allows her will to dissipate. In a moment she realises it has changed, no longer is its surface entirely white, one edge is a thin crescent of black. Pondering, she wonders whether it reflects the phases of the moon but recalling the last few nights this is clearly not the case. Showing the amulet to the others it is suggested that maybe the colour change reflects its proximity to Athalau, with this in mind Tharla decides she will keep an eye on the amulet over the next few days, hoping to gain an insight to its use.
Waking on the eighth morning since leaving Athalau, 2/4/10,122, it is decided that only Illyra & Tharla will travel into Brev, Molin & Kilite, will remain out of town with the bulk of their goods. Knowing that the cities walls are only a half days ride & not wishing to be seen approaching from the Southern desolation, they spend the day circling the city so as to approach the North West gate on the road from Thailot, gazing skyward the there is no sign of either eagle born riders or the sky city itself.
With Molin & Kilite camped at the road side, Illyra & Tharla head towards the city with a small fortune concealed beneath the sleds false running boards, before departing Molin comments upon the apparent lack of use the road has seen in the last week or so.
Reaching the walls it is immediately clear that all is not well, the gates are firmly shut & obviously reinforced & the ramparts are manned with city militia & sky city troops, several eagles can be seen patrolling the skies above the city itself.
At the gates a voice from above demands the name & reason for being abroad, explaining that they are recently fled from Samadum their inquisitor continues to demand as to why they have come to Brev. Inspired, Tharla claims friendship & refuge with her former employer at the the Broken Doll, cottoning on, Illyra refers to family & friends, grudgingly, after a brief search which does not reveal the hidden wealth, the two are allowed entry into the city under dire warning to comply with the curfew. They are also adamantly refused access under arms, reluctantly weapons are surrendered to the gate keeper.
Hitching the sled & dogs in the yard to the rear of the inn, Tharla slips in through the back door, but maintains contact with Illyra by mindspeech. Within the normally busy bar is near deserted, a girl, presumably Tharla's replacement, laboriously wipes the bar with a sop laden cloth. Startled as Tharla appears behind her, she shrills a string of questions towards the intruder, quietly Tharla asks after the landlord, Natty Virden, surprised the girl bellows up the stairs.
Some twenty minutes later Tharla sits back & contemplates what Natty has told her, the Governor, backed by the might of the Sky City, has come down hard on the populace, as noted during their entry into the city there are many new, & occupied, gibbets & any property suspected of harbouring an undesirable is either burnt or confiscated. Seeing that Natty's business has been hard hit she palms him several gold coins, which disappear beneath his apron. Further questioning reveals that the Sky City was last here three days before where upon it wheeled & headed for Bilsinx. Finally Tharla learns that of the Quincunx cities only the sorcerous people of Wirix have withstood the threats of the Sky City, Thailot, Brev & Bilsinx have fallen whilst Kara-Est has kow-towed to Synalon's demands.
An hour on the two skirt Kilite's spiritual home, the chapel of Jirre, finding the doors barred & the steps unswept they circle the chapel to the small house at the rear, smiling Illyra can see one of her niece's playing in the dirt, the child, frightened, shrieks for its mother & runs inside. As her sister emerges on sight of Illyra she bursts into tears throwing her self into Illyra's arms. Through the sobs Illyra learns that her foolish brother in law swung soon after they left, surprisingly so to did Kilite's mentor, the old priest. Further her, & her sisters family home was torched & all goods, animals & savings confiscated. Despite the priests involvement the church was only ransacked & she has been left alone since.
When Illyra tells her they must soon leave she becomes near hysterical, between curses & pleading from her sister Illyra's cajoling of her sister to leave this place falls on deaf ears, finally seeing that her sister will never voluntarily leave Brev she presses a fist full of coins into her hand to at least ensure that food can be bought for the next month or so. To the wails of her sister Illyra & Tharla return to the Broken Doll to collect the provisions that Natty had agreed to purchase on their behalf. By the time their provisions were delivered, sorted & paid for, it is to late to flee the city, avoid the curfew & reach the others before darkness would be upon them, thus a quiet but comfortable night is spent dicing & playing cards with Natty.
Early next morning the two depart, less a few coins but laden with travellers fare. At the gate they are again briefly searched & relieved a several farthings in return for their confiscated swords. Setting out on the road the weather looks clear & bright for the first time in many days.
Waking early Kilite & Molin cook up the last of the scrawny Coney's allowing the dogs & Gunter to forage for food. Impatiently they stare towards Brev eager for the return of their friends & fresh provisions, turning North they are surprised to see dust rising on the trail as a large caravan slowly wends its way towards Brev. An hour or so later the wagons, a dozen large Horn bull pulled drays, escorted by thirty or so Sky City dog riders & mercenaries move past the camp. The officer in charge ignores the greeting thrown in his direction but sits astride his dog adjacent to their camp ensuring no trooper can be tempted to speak with the watching pair.
Moving away from the Brev Illyra & Tharla can see the wagons crawling towards them, moving off the trail they sit & watch as the cities gates are flung wide to admit the train. On impulse Illyra reaches into her pouch of summoning & throws a small claw into the air whereupon the a small bird explodes into flight, directed by Illyra it lights upon one of the wagons & disappears beneath its covers, watching through its eyes Illyra can see the wagon contains much food stuffs to restock the cities depleted shop keepers. Satisfied the pair continue down the trail eager to catch up the friends & discuss their next move.