Online Session Recap - 20.11.2018

Tylendel and Pabes walks down the marble stairs.

Pabes: "I have learned so much."

Despite wearing a new, green mantle, he still looks ascetic with his worn, brown robes and his tonsure.

Pabes: "You see, we managed to hide the book, then we convinced Muqad Fevra that the book was a metaphor for me, that all the knowledge was in here."

He taps his head.

Pabes: "He’s not stupid, that Ipeshtir."

Tylendel: "What happened after I left the Ghostweave?"

Pabes: "Well, I... I stayed aboard that ship for a good while, I think he treated me and got me back."

He’s silent for a moment.

Pabes: "But now I’m... Fine. And we sailed across the skies and I told him about the book and how I’d been chased from one world to the other. And he told me about this world and I asked if I could stay in the cabin to study and... And he said yes and he was helping me and gave me food and water and light and... And he asked me questions as well and I asked him questions and he could help me. Together we began to unravel some of the secrets. And that’s why we need to get him. I should have known it would be useful to have more than one mind."

Tylendel: "But... Where did you get the book?"

Pabes: "I’ve kept it hidden!"

Tylendel: "How?"

Pabes: "I learned how to bring it here."

Tylendel: "I see. I have learned to bring things here as well. I even brought Parafor here."

Pabes looks up at Tylendel.

Pabes: "Really? Didn’t work, did it?"

Tylendel: "No... Well, he did run away so, it worked a little."

Pabes: "Hmmm. The thing is we need to get this gate up first. Then we bring him, then we must lock, or destroy, that gate. As long as there is a free way of moving between here and there we can’t imprison him."

Tylendel: "Can’t I imprison him like I imprisoned Braek?"

Pabes: "What are you talking about?"

Tylendel: "Braek. You know who Braek is, right?"

Pabes: "I’ve heard the name. It’s one of the legends of old. She’s from here."

Tylendel: "Yeah, Ruis’ lover."

Pabes: "Lover? It sounds like you know some things as well."

Tylendel: "The Lady of Frost."

Pabes: " Yes, the goddess of Winter to some."

Tylendel: "I imprisoned her behind ten feet of blacksteel."

Pabes: "I think you are a very clever man, as I’ve always thought, and I’m sure that any blacksteel imprisonment would keep her at bay for a long time. But not forever. They are too powerful in our world. But who knows? Blacksteel, especially blacksteel that has been worked to be enchanted... It is a powerful shield against their powers."

Tylendel: "Like Artan Camrey’s armour."

Pabes: "Yes. You remember that they were depicted in the Codex."

Tylendel: "Yes, you gave us the first clue for them."

They come down to the walkway in front of the palace. They pass a man with a pure gold eye. By a building he sees a door a foot high with a sign that reads "The Mouse Family". Tylendel needs to keep concentrating on not being distracted by all the strange sights and sounds.

Pabes: "But Tylendel..."

They turn into a narrow side alley.

Pabes: "It may be best if we talk about this in private. Many eyes and ears in Yungul Goz."

Tylendel: "Yes. So I gather."

Pabes: "I have an idea. What if we promise the captain of the Maggot Betty whatever he desires, to fly us out. We get Ipeshtir, and we have Ghostweave and we just put him on some island or whatever. Someone will fish him up sooner or later. With him at our side I’m sure it won’t be a bother. He’s quite powerful."

Tylendel: "I can imagine."

Pabes: "Yes. I think he’s a sorcerer of some sort."

He winks at Tylendel.

Tylendel: "Now why doesn’t that surprise me."

Pabes: "Because you met him before?

Tylendel: "Well, partly that. And partly that I felt like he knew a lot that he wasn’t telling me when I first met him."

Pabes: "Ah, yes he is quite knowledgeable. Good, old Ip."

Tylendel raises an eyebrow at the familiarity in Pabes’ voice.

Tylendel: "The problem is I don’t know how long I can stay here."

Pabes: "How so?"

Tylendel: "Well, my body is at Tamolyn Pahórek and the Crow-king keeps sending assassins there."

Pabes: "I wonder where my body is. Haven’t seen it in a long time."

Tylendel: "Yeah, that’s another problem."

Pabes: "So you have to learn the secret of not being pulled back unless you will it."

Tylendel: "When I travel here in the Between, if I travel more than a few times I feel that my body is trying to pull me back."

Pabes: "Well, if you are jumping around the place, no wonder. It is an incredible strain on your flesh and your blood, and your brain and your soul and your toes and everything!"

Tylendel laughs.

Tylendel: "Well, unlike you I haven’t had any guidance, so... If had to fumble my way forward, trying to learn."

Pabes: "Ah yes, of course. No-one to guide you."

Tylendel: "Exactly."

Pabes: "I’m not saying I’m a guide, but Ipeshtir might help you."

Tylendel: "For that to happen we need... First, to take a ship full of crew, pilot that ship, and then free Ipeshtir."

Pabes: "Yep. He is on the islands that belong to Kylenik."

He points upward, into the skies at a cluster of islands.

Pabes: "Up there. It’s not that far."

Tylendel: "There is something here that is... Resisting my ability to mould the world around me. Is it because there are so many people here?"

Pabes: "Yeah. There are parts of the Between where magic, sorcery, is subdued. Some places its even non-existent. That’s where they are mining blacksteel ore. And some places its very, very potent. I have to say that those places are even more dangerous, harder."

Tylendel: "I can imagine."

Pabes: "It is an ethereal thing, a power, that flows through this Between. Keeps these slices of old lands literally hanging on. Maybe its that endless sea below. Ip says that there is no-one that really knows anything about it. There are many scholars in the Between that spend their lives studying this strange power source."

Tylendel: "But this area, the power is subdued for miles around. That’s inconvenient."

Pabes: "It is, but not if you want to rule a city in some semblance of peace."

Tylendel: "Well, I can see that. Muqad Fevre seemed very surprised when I almost summoned some Candath ore into his throne room."

Pabes: "Then you are very powerful. Of course, the power of using this source of sorcery. It doesn’t stop filling if you’re not careful."

They walk under a clothesline with some gigantic clothes. Ladies underwear the size of a tent. A pair of large gloves with seven fingers. A man walks by, leading a tiger by a chain, a tiger with massive incisors. Tylendel backs away when he sees the animal. Pabes stops only to look for obstacles before crossing the street.

Tylendel: "I once punched a Dehn Sovor wildcat, but... That one’s twice as big!"

He follows Pabes.

Pabes: "Yes. People here own the strangest pets."

Tylendel: "And are there more giants around?"

Pabes: "Yes, there are a few. Didn’t you see those undergarments we passed? Those were hard to miss."

Tylendel: "Those were undergarments?"

Pabes: "Yes."

He chuckles.

Tylendel: "I... I see."

Pabes: "I could actually bring it with me as a tent."

Tylendel: "That was something like what I was thinking as well."

He shakes his head.

Tylendel: "But you brought a copy of the Codex of the Lost here?"

Pabes: "Yes."

Tylendel: "Not the original."

Pabes: "No."

Tylendel: "Because I believe that Merbus the Monk asked Ruis to take it here and hide it."

Pabes: "So they’re both here?"

Tylendel: "Possibly."

Pabes: "I thought the Cult had the other one."

Tylendel: "Well, they may have another copy."

Pabes: "Ah. Why didn’t that cross my mind? If I can copy something..."

Tylendel: "What did you copy it from?"

Pabes: "But you would have to be quite skilled in the arts of illumination to make it something eminently valuable and readable."

Tylendel: "Merbus said that the lettering of the original filled him with unease."

Pabes: "Yes. Good old Merb. Of course it did. He wouldn’t understand what it was. Do you think he did?"

Tylendel: "He translated it. Or at least he was working on a translation. It was said he destroyed all his notes and asked the Lost God to hide the book."

Pabes: "That would mean that it is true that the Cult of the Lost also has a copy. That is the copy I copied.

Tylendel: "That’s not good."

Pabes: "Maybe, maybe not."

Tylendel: "So now that you’ve been reading. Is the Lost God Ruis and the Lost God Found Arakin?"

Pabes looks up at him.

Pabes: "What? What?!"

Tylendel: "I don’t think the Lost God Found is Ruis."

Pabes: "Of course he is."

Tylendel: "No, the Lost God is Ruis. But the one they worship as the Lost God Found is Arakin."

Pabes studies Tylendel, scratching his pate.

Pabes: "Are you telling me that the Lost God Found is the Lord of the Hunt?"

Tylendel: "Yes."

Pabes: "And Merbus... No. That can’t be. I cannot..."

Pabes is visibly struggling with the thoughts.

Tylendel: "And if that’s the case, Merbus didn’t ask Ruis to hide the Codex of the Lost, he asked Arakin."

Pabes walks over to Tylendel and grabs the sleeve of his tunic.

Pabes: "Wha--- Where did you get this from? Tell me, tell me!"

He seems very disturbed by what Tylendel said.

Pabes: "Hm. Yes, well... We’ll... It’s hard to think that its been so many centuries..."

They pass some cathedrals with spires reminding Tylendel of the buildings in Bormost. There are signs hanging outside buildings along the street. There are poles with lanterns hanging from them giving off light, but Tylendel can’t see any flames.

Tylendel: "What are the Tombs of Light?"

Pabes looks up at Tylendel again.

Pabes: "Ah, you’ve heard of those. It’s some secret place to bury souls. One of the legends of the Between."

Tylendel: "Parafor seemed surprised that his presence didn’t kill me, and he said "I see you’ve gained access to the Tombs of Light"."

Pabes: "Oookay... So you have seen the Tombs of Light?"

Tylendel: "I have no idea. I don’t know what they are."

Pabes: "Tombs! Holding light!"

Tylendel: "In that case, I don’t think I have."

Pabes: "Okay then. Sounds to me like he... I still can’t get over that you met him. It sounds to me like he thought you would be destroyed, but that you had been awash in this light of souls and that it protected you or something."

Tylendel: "Could it?"

Pabes: "Sounds like it. You never know in a world this strange. Anything goes."

Tylendel: "Interesting. He had a leash around his wrist."

Pabes: "Ah, yes. His chain to Eras."

Tylendel: "Why did it lead to the capital of the Empyre?"

Pabes: "I would think..."

He seems to consider the question

Pabes: "Chained to the capital... Well, that’s where Eveninghall is. The greatest temple to the Lost God Found. Parafor..."

He looks at Tylendel, looking as if he thinks he’s about to surprise him.

Pabes: "Parafor... You probably do not understand this, but... Part of him IS the Lost God."

Tylendel: "I know."

Pabes: "Do you?"

Tylendel: "Well, that’s why they’re called the Cult of the Lost."

Pabes: "Yes. Yes! I never thought about that!"

Tylendel: "What’s the name of the book."

Pabes: "The Codex of the Lost."

Tylendel: "Yes."

Pabes: "But that’s just the name that the Cult gave it."

Tylendel: "Wasn’t it the name the Watchers of Old gave it."

Pabes: "And then the Cult took it from them, I guess."

Tylendel: "The Watchers of Old were the ones that found the Codex and brought it to Merbus."

Pabes: "I’m not sure about that, but...  That doesn’t matter, it was so long ago. But I don’t think they found it. They were given it."

Tylendel: "By whom?"

Pabes: "By its writer."

Tylendel: "Who wrote it?"

Pabes: "Who do you think wrote it, considering what you can read in it?"

Tylendel: "Well, considering it says how to kill the gods, someone who was not a god."

Pabes: "And still thought it would be nice to fight them?"

Tylendel: "That they all fight each other. Well, from the encounters I’ve had, I would have thought it was written by Loronë!"

Pabes: "You’ve met her too?"

Tylendel: "Well, she’s the only nice one of them I’ve met yet. And I only briefly met her – she could be a bitch as well!"

Pabes: "But don’t you see? This codex, it’s a manual. That’s what we’ve been deciphering. It’s what we’ve been trying to figure out."

Tylendel: "A manual to do what?"

Pabes: "How to use Eld’s forefather’s sword, for example. How it was made!"

Tylendel: "Well, Lug made it."

Pabes: "Yes!"

Tylendel: "The last King of the Giants."

Pabes: "Indeed."

Tylendel: "But Gaffon tricked him into making it, along with Nyssal and Pentarlys."

Pabes: "So?"

Tylendel: "So did Gaffon write the book? He doesn’t strike me as the literate type."

Pabes: "Oh, you underestimate these people. But I’m of the opinion that it is indeed Gablug Maístor’s work. A codex to assist those who would have to fight them."

Tylendel: "That makes sense. So how do we make a new Twilight Gate?"

Pabes: "Well, that’s what we’re working on."

Tylendel: "But how did the Watchers of Old get ho-- Lug died long before the Watchers of Old."

Pabes: "The first Watchers, my friend, were the priests of the Dragon Kings."

Tylendel: "The ones holding the key to the other world."

Pabes: "Yes."

Tylendel: "So why do the Cultists use the masks of the Watchers?"

Pabes: "Why the Cult uses them? Because they too are prized artefacts made at the hand of the Master. The true, original eight masks."

Tylendel: "Well, there’s a lot more than eight masks now."

Pabes: "But I’m talking about the eight original ones. They are also empowered by Lug, and maybe some of the others on their behest."

Tylendel: "What are the ones Lug made made of? Blacksteel? Moonstone?"

Pabes: "I guess it depends on the mask. In the Codex these masks are described as well, that’s how I know it. I have been studying, but I’ve only been able to decipher two of them so far. Because this is written down in a language that is hard to decipher, it takes some time to get it right,. And that’s why things have been moving faster now, because Ip can help me! I know that there is one mask I believe that it must be golden, mostly, and this mask would allow the wearer to take over another being’s soul and use it to steer that person’s body. Like some kind of remote possession. The other mask that I have deciphered I believe it was carried by the Librarian at the Hall of the Watchers, half silver, half gold. It was a mask that, according to the Codex, would allow the wearer to, somehow, perhaps through sorcery, it must have been sorcery, would be allowed to go unnoticed, to be passed over, to be forgotten, to be... stealthy. It could explain how he could be undiscovered as an enemy for so long. The problem with that mask is that it was taken by Liviu’s apprentice, Masek Pospisig, so I suppose he has joined the Cult."

Tylendel seems to remember the apprentice was one of the Pale Ones.

Tylendel: "There was a gold and silver one in a hidden vault beneath Tamolyn Pahórek."

Pabes: "Interesting. You think there are more? Maybe it somehow got there?"

Tylendel: "Well, that one disappeeee--- Oh, fuck. Oooh, fuuuck. Okay. I have a bronze one."

Pabes: "I’m sorry, Greyoak, but I have to remind you of your manners. That language has no place here."

Tylendel: "Well, I just realised how the Crow-king’s assassins were able to get into Tamolyn Pahórek. I think it deserves that kind of language."

Pabes: "No."

Tylendel: "Well, pardon my Klatchian, but... Fuck."

Pabes shakes his head, his face flushing.

Tylendel: "If blacksteel can resist magic, what does moonstone do?"

Pabes: "moonstone. Most people back home believe that it is rock that has fallen down from the moon. But actually it comes from the moons of the Between. Sometimes loose chunks hit the passageway and fall to Eras. Actually do you know the Kurunh swamplands east of Thalentia?"

Tylendel: "No."

Pabes: "In the Glenmyr lands! I believe maybe some kind of moonstone rock fell there some time ago. It’s a crater, that became a swamp."

Tylendel: "But how is moonstone the only thing I can use to kill the manwolves?"

Pabes: "Well, because if you fuse it with silversteel, the combination creates a sorcerous binding that negates certain creatures’ ability to... Well, it somehow reduces their strength or something. I’m not sure. But there is some information on moonstone in the book, I believe. Or at least in the descriptions of some of the items he made."

Tylendel: "But why is moonstone and blacksteel enemies? They resist each other. Or they repulse each other."

Pabes: "Aaah. Blacksteel is blacksteel."

Tylendel: "That’s not very helpful."

Pabes: "It has a dislike for many other steels. It is a very peculiar thing, Lord Greyoak. And you have to kind of be a very, very good worker of steel to be able to do anything with it at all. It is highly resistant to magic."

Tylendel: "I’ve noticed."

Pabes: "Unless you are able to work it in ways Gablug Maístor apparently could. And so, unworked blacksteel would repel moonstone. moonstone that has been enchanted, or fused with silversteel."

Tylendel: "What do you mean with ’worked’ blacksteel?"

Pabes: "Infused with enchantment."

Tylendel: "Have I been carrying a fake all these years?"

Pabes: "Fake what?"

Tylendel: "The spider amulet. Part of Artan Camr---"

Pabes: "You still have it?"

Tylendel: "Yes."

Pabes: "I’ll hold on to it. We’ll figure it out."

Tylendel: "But it repels moonstone."

Pabes: "Oh, then it’s blacksteel."

Tylendel: "And the helmet repels moonstone."

Tylendel breathes out heavily.

Tylendel: "So what is silversteel?"

Pabes: "That is as simple as it sounds. It’s a meld of silver and steel which was used in the ancient Brentonni kingdom. In itself it is brittle and useless, but when you combine it with moonstone it takes on new qualities. Depending on the smith."

Tylendel: "So Howler and the other daggers, they’re an alloy of moonstone, silver and steel?"

Pabes: "I guess you could say it like that. Those were the daggers, yes, yes, I remember. They are also in the book. In descriptions."

Tylendel: "And what do they do?"

Pabes: "That is how you were able to best the Lady of Winter?"

Tylendel: "No?"

Pabes: "Oh!"

Tylendel: "I punched her ’till she lost consciousness."

Pabes snickers.

Pabes: "Well, that’s rude."

Tylendel: "She was trying to kill me at the time."

Pabes: "That would negate some of it."

Tylendel: "And she had killed some of my friends."

Pabes: "Okay, okay, you weren’t rude. You were merely being vengeful. Anyway! I would assume based on the little that I have gathered from the books so far, on that part, because I’ve been kinda focussing on that gate thing, I would assume that those daggers were forged by [unintelligible]"

Tylendel: "In the Moonstone Forge?"

Pabes: "Hmm?"

Tylendel: "Please continue."

Pabes: "Well, as I said, I assumed perhaps the she... That those daggers were made to be able to defeat Braek, much as Creeping God’s Bane was made to defeat Parafor."

Tylendel: "I thought the daggers were made to defeat the Children of the Wolf."

Pabes: "Then it would be perhaps Arokin. Can you imagine all those people lining up at his forge? ’I want a weapon that destroys that one’, ’I want a weapon that destroys that one’, ’I want a weapon that destroys that one’. Hihi!"

Pabes giggles.

Tylendel: "Well, by sss--- By the saints."

They enter a new street. The walls are covered in stone with lit veins.

Tylendel: "Glowing marble. Well, I’ve never... Who’s the guy with eight arms? Is that Old Bones or something?"

Pabes: "The guy with eight arms?"

Tylendel: "Eight arms, each holding a dagger."

Pabes: "Oh! Kind of like the Lost God Found! You have seen this image?"

Tylendel: "Twice."

Pabes: "Twice!"

Tylendel: "Once in Eras on a page that fell out of a copy of The Prophecy of the Red Rivers  Illustrated--"

Pabes: "Ooo, have you a copy of that particular tome?"

Tylendel: "I do. And the second time was in a chamber here in the Between. A chamber surrounded by lots of alcoves with blue smoke in them."

Pabes: "Portals."

Tylendel: "I imagined as much."

Pabes: "Gateways."

Tylendel: "Well, I tried on of them, and it was indeed a gateway."

Pabes: "You’re reckless!"

Tylendel: "Yes. No teacher, remember?"

Pabes: "Ah."

Soon after they stop in front of a house.

Pabes: "Ah, here we are."

The house looks dilapidated, the windows boarded up. It is a narrow house, six floors high. Pabes lifts a mat in front of the door and pulls out a key, then unlocks the door. He enters, Tylendel following.

Pabes: "I quite forgot myself, actually. We were supposed to wait with all the things we’ve been talking about, but... Here we are."

He claps his hands and the narrow hallway lights up. He enters a door on one wall, and Tylendel hears him clapping again, then the sound of flames. Tylendel follows Pabes.

Pabes: "This humble abode is an apartment that Ip rents. It’s cozy, don’t you think?"

The place does look better on the inside.

Tylendel: "That’s a neat trick with the light."

Pabes: "Yes. It’s part of the house."

Tylendel: "So who is he? The creature with eight arms?"

Pabes: "Well, it would be a religious representation of the Creeping God."

Tylendel: "But why is he depicted as religious here in the Between?"

Pabes: "It depends on where in the Between you saw it."

Tylendel: "Well, I don’t know, it was just a room full of portals."

Pabes: "Hmm. You see, in the Between, in its sorcerous ether, float the pieces of many worlds. Some crash into each other, some float past each other, the boundaries ever changing. What is Ilk today could be in Candath tomorrow. It would stand to reason that, in some part of the Between, there had been people that worshipped him as a god, as they do on Eras."

Tylendel: "But the Crow-king said that Parafor and Ruis and all of them fled from the Between."

Pabes: "From the destruction of colliding worlds."

Tylendel: "So it wasn’t a person or being that chased them."

Pabes: "I don’t think so."

The room they are in is very sparsely furnished. A table, a chair and the fireplace. Marks on the floor tells the tale of crates having been placed there in the past. There is thudding coming from upstairs.

Pabes: "Ah. The neighbours upstairs, they’re always so noisy."

Tylendel: "Pabes... If Arakin is the Master of the Wolf, and Loronë is the Lady of the Moon... Why does the Moonguard oath say that we honour the wolf and the moon is our mistress?"

Pabes: "Does not the wolf howl at the moon?"

Tylendel: "Who did the Moonguard really serve?"

Pabes: "I assume they began like any other imperial border guard, tasked with guarding the newest imperial border."

Tylendel: "No, but... Our original mission was to guard the Seals of Night."

Pabes: "Then there must have been someone guarding those seals before the border guard came, then the border guard somehow got involved in this."

Tylendel: "That would be the Watchers of Old."

Pabes: "You’re talking about priests of the Dragon King again."

Tylendel: "Well, the Moonguard fortress is called the Hall of the Watchers."

Pabes: "It is."

Tylendel: "And the Crow-king said that his mirrors, that he took them from the Hall of the Watchers."

Pabes: "Yes, he did. They, by right, belong to the Lady of Mirrors."

Tylendel: "And who’s that?"

He cocks his head to one side.

Pabes: "Loronë!"

Tylendel: "Oh, shit. Well---"

Pabes: "She ruled a city of mirrors, once."

Tylendel: "I know that."

Pabes: "Do you?"

Tylendel: "Yeah, far to the east of the Empyre."

Pabes: "Which empire?"

Tylendel: "Well, both Brentonni and the God-kings."

Pabes: "The Hall of the Watchers is pretty far to the east."

Tylendel: "No, but the guy that broke Braek free spoke of a city of mirrors far, far, far to the east."

Pabes: "Who?"

Tylendel: "Slalev."

Pabes: "I’m impressed. Not just a fighting man, but a reading man as well. I’ve heard of this Slalev, he was an explorer. A scholar. A historian."

Tylendel: "Yes."

Pabes: "You found a book of him? By him?"

Tylendel: "Yes."

Pabes: "Do you still have it?"

Tylendel: "I left it in Sirry."

Pabes: "Sirry?! What in the names of the saints would you do in Sirry, of all places?"

Tylendel: "Well, it was on the path from Skyfall to Bormost."

Pabes: "Where? Skyfall?"

Tylendel: "Where the God-king was murdered,"

Pabes’ eyes grow larger at this comment, and they are silent for a moment, thinking.

Tylendel: "So that’s why she was happy! That I broke the Crow-king’s mirrors. He stole them from her!"

Pabes: "The God-king is murdered?"

Tylendel: "Wh--- Oh. I am sorry, Yes."

Pabes: "What happened?"

Tylendel: "The Black Flames killed him. Hired by either Braek or the Crow-king."

Pabes: "That was not good news."

Tylendel: "No."

Pabes: "Unless, of course, you have an interest in sitting on the Holy Throne and you just happen to have some imperial blood..."

Tylendel: "What?"

Pabes: "Nothing. Are you hungry?"

Tylendel: "The God-king was my half-brother."

Pabes: "So you do know."

Tylendel: "How did you know?"

Pabes: "Ip told me. Good old Ip!"

Tylendel: "How did you know what happened to Livíu? Is there a way to spy on Eras from here?"

Pabes: "I can’t. But I know someone who can."

Tylendel: "Let me guess: Good old Ip."

Pabes: "Indeed. But that was not an impressive guess."

Tylendel: "Can I use the Between to travel in Eras?"

Pabes: "Maybe. If we can get that gate working. I admit I don’t understand half of it, but I¨seems to have a grasp of these things. I have to ask again: Are you hungry?"

Tylendel: "A little."

Pabes: "Chicken?"

Tylendel: "Please."

Pabes leaves the room, leaving Tylendel deep in thought, staring at the flames.

Tylendel: "Pabes, what’s the power beneath to Holy Hill? Why is it so important to Parafor to get there?"

Pabes: "There is some sacred force there. I think it’s has to do with Saint Valenta."

Tylendel: "Well, she was buried there a few days ago."

There a sound of Pabes dropping something from the other room.

Pabes: "Really?"

Tylendel: "Yeah, she was... How to I but it. She had attached herself to a noblewoman in Barosia, and when the noblewoman died we buried her in the Everspring Garden."

Pabes: "Huh! Well, that’s appropriate."

Tylendel: "That’s what I thought as well."

Pabes returns with two deep bowls with fried chicken, bread and butter.

Tylendel: "How did you make that so fast?"

Pabes: "Part of the apartment. Part of the Between."

Tylendel: "That’s a neat trick."

Pabes: "I wanted it to be quickly done because I am terribly hungry."

He starts eating.

Tylendel: "Is it a bad idea that Loronë is heading for Byrkburgh? She told me she was coming."

Pabes: "You really have a way with gods."

Tylendel: "Well, she is the nicest one of them I’ve spoken to yet."

Pabes: "I guess she is. I would assume that she is going to try and help stop the Creeping God in some way."

Tylendel: "She already is. There is a darkness covering the land, and I’m starting to think is that the only place the darkness isn’t covering the land is where she is."

Pabes: "The light of the moon."

Tylendel: "Interesting..."

Tylendel helps himself to the food as well, still deep in thought.

Tylendel: "So how do we get a hold of Ghostweave? How do we get the crew to help us?"

Pabes: "Captain Asthaim is a simple man. We can persuade him with the promise of some money, or ... Doesn’t matter really."

Tylendel: "Muqed Fevre spoke about a currency. What’s that?"

Pabes: "It’s a word we use to describe different types of money and their worth compared to each other. I would think that a man of your knowledge would know what currency is."

Tylendel: "Yeah, I just didn’t know the word. I don’t know what 250 whatever he said is."

Pabes: "Qints."

Tylendel: "And what is that, like gold coins?"

Pabes: "A Qin? It’s not exactly gold. It’s similar, perhaps, in value, or how people appreciate it. It’s more of a, it’s mined from a rare ore here on the islands of Ilk. It’s what Ipeshtir is digging for right now. If he hasn’t broken yet."

Tylendel: "But how can there be trade if you can just wish something into existence?"

Pabes: "You can, and I can, because we’re from Eras."

Tylendel: "I see..."

Pabes looks around.

Pabes: "What?"

Tylendel: "What?"

Pabes: "What do you see?"

Tylendel: "The meaning of your words."

Pabes: "Ah. Just had to be sure. The thing is, these slaver bastards who serve Muqed Fevre, they’re all given chains. You can guess what’s in those chains." "

Tylendel: "Blacksteel."

Pabes: "And that’s how even a man like Ip can become a slave."

Tylendel: "Do you have one of these qins?"

Pabes hands Tylendel a coin.

Tylendel: "And Ipeshtir was bought for 250 of these?"

Pabes: "I don’t remember how much they paid for him. But--- Yeah. This slaver, I don’t think he can be, Kylenik is his name, I don’t think he is perhaps among the worst of Muqad Fevre slavers because he was kind enough to allow Ip to... Well, he bought him just because Ip got so sad because he had bought Qulluqu first. You’ve met Qulluqu, right? "

Tylendel: "Yes."

Pabes: "Dead fellow."

Tylendel: "Yeah, better than the dead one I met in Eras."

Pabes: "In Eras they usually stay under the ground or as ashes from the pyre."

Tylendel: "Well, ordinarily, not always."

Pabes: "That’s a problem when the ether of the Between seeps over ot our world. It changes the world."

Tylendel: "Well, the Crow-king had one of these dead guys watching his mirrors beneath his keep in the north."

Pabes: "Ah. Yeah, perhaps had them brought from here, somewhere."

Tylendel: "And I met one in Dehn Sovor as well."

Pabes: "Been all the way to Dehn Sovor? That’s like halfway across the empire!"

Tylendel: "I’ve also been in Mondas."

Pabes squints at Tylendel.

Pabes: "You sure about that?"

Tylendel: "Mmm, yes. We need money."

Pabes: "Why?"

Tylendel: "So we can go down to the captain of the Ghostweave and say: ’Hey, here’s a thousand of these very valuable things. Fly us to that person."

Pabes: "I was thinking we could just tell them we had the money, and then... Perhaps you’re right."

Tylendel: "Are these qins the most valuable currency?"

Pabes: "Yes."

On the coin there are scribbles that Tylendel don’t understand, and a shark with wings.

Tylendel: "Hah! And Ipeshtir said there weren’t flying fish..."

Pabes: "Well, it isn’t a fish, it’s a shark."

Tylendel: "Sharks are fish. It lives in the water. It’s a fish."

Pabes: "You know what we could do? We could give them kind of like, a deposit. Like, here you have 50 qins, and you get the rest when we have Ipeshtir on board or something... Perhaps we sholdn’t mention him."

Tylendel stands up and looks at the chair he sat on. He uses the coin in his hand as a focus, then transforms the chair into coins. The wood transforms and splits, turning into coins that fall to the floor.

Pabes: "Okaaay... You... You’ve come farther than me in some things, I see."

He picks up a coin and bites it.

Tylendel: "Think that’s enough?"

Pabes: "Just this one?"

Tylendel: "No, I mean the pile."

Pabes: "We have a big heap here, we could use it all. Doesn’t matter, if you can make money out of a chair! You’d be the wealthiest man in Yungul Goz in seconds."

Tylendel: "Yeah."

Pabes: "I hope you will stay on the narrow path. Don’t be tempted by all this power."

He looks Tylendel in the eye, serious.

Tylendel: "You mean like... Claiming the Holy Throne?"

Pabes: "That is one thing, but I mean making an endless supply of money, for example."

Tylendel pats Pabes’ shoulder.

Tylendel: "I know, Pabes. I knew I was the son of the God-king when I left Skyfall, when I went to my death."

He starts picking up the money.

Pabes: "Yes, I’ve always sensed that your fate was somehow entwined with the Holy Throne."

Tylendel: "Yeah, just not by blood."

Tylendel senses that someone shakes him – he resists being pulled back to Eras.

Tylendel: "Pabes. Someone is trying to wake me at Tamolyn Pahorek."

Pabes: "Ah. Try to resist it if you want to stay."

Tylendel: "Will I be able to get back here? How do I get back here? Whenever I try to come to the Between I come to a new place."

Pabes: "Do you? You never... Well, it is difficult, because the Between, there’s so many places overlapping, and the pathways are unstable without gates. Without THE gate. Ip says that it’s possible to learn how to travel in the Between properly."

Tylendel: "Aaah. Let’s hurry."

Pabes: "Alright."

They find a sack to put the coins in, then hurry towards the dock. They walk up to Maggot Betty, as the Ghostweave is now called.

Pabes: "I think it’s best if I do this."

He hurries in front of Tylendel. The ship has been unladen, and the crew sits on the deck playing dice. Pabes walks up to them and clears his throat.

Pabes: "Excuse me."

Captain: "What do you want?"

Pabes: "I was thinking maybe we could buy passage? We’re not going so far, just up there, and we ha--- We could pay you more money than you... Umm... Possibly could assume to receive for such a simple mission."

Pabes clears his throat; Tylendel stands behind him, smiling. The captain scowls at Pabes.

Captain: "Haven’t I seen you before somewhere, little man?"

Pabes: "Iii don’t think so. Anyway, we have a lot of coin. Don’t we?"

He turns to Tylendel. Tylendel opens the bag and grabs a small fist of coins. He holds it in front of the captain.

Tylendel: "I’d like to hire you to take us up there."

Captain: "Ah, a nobleman, eh?"

He stands up and walk over to Tylendel.

Captain: "That’s quite a bulging sack."

Tylendel: "And there’s more where this came from."

Captain: "You’re not seriously giving all that money just to go up there?"

Tylendel: "I’m in a hurry. We leave now".

Captain: "You heard him, boys. Get cracking."

The crew starts preparing the ship at once.

Captain: "That’s a shitload of money. Welcome aboard the Maggot Betty."

He bows to Tylendel.

Tylendel: "Thank you, Captain."

He hands the money over to the captain.

Captain: "Thank you, my lord!"

His eyes are focussed on the money.

Captain: "So where exactly do you want me to take this ship of mine?"

Tylendel: "I have business with Kylenik."

Captain: "The master slaver?"

Tylendel: "The very one."

Captain: "You better keep your promise about that money then."

Tylendel: "Of course."

He hands the captain another fistful of money, and the captain makes his crew work even faster. They cast off and soon are on their way upwards towards asmall group of islands connected by walkways.

Pabes: "Excuse me."

Pabes addresses the captain.

Pabes: "Excuse me, captain, but can you tell us anything about where we’re going?"

Captain: "You haven’t been there before?"

Pabes: "No."

The captain tells them about the mining operations on the islands. There’s mining on some islets, a refinery on another. Eventually Pabes gets told to be quiet so the captain can focus on his navigation. As they rise through the ether, the wind picks up, tugging at Tylendel’s hair and clothes. They rise slowly, giving Tylendel time to think.

Tylendel: "This could turn ugly."

He mutters to himself while making and discarding plans. After some time they reach the height of the mining islands, giving them an overview of the compound. The second largest of the islands has a large excavation, the largest holds buildings, an industrial area, and a dock with a moored ship. The captain of the Maggot Betty steers towards the docks. There are armed and armoured people walking on the largest island. On the mining island there is a large tower with armed guards.

Captain: "Here we are."

Tylendel jumps off the boat onto the pier and starts walking towards a small group of people coming towards them. He can hear Pabes talking to the captain behind him.

Pabes: "We will pay you the rest when we leave. You have to wait for us. It’s just a meeting. With the master of the island."

Tylendel hears Pabes shuffling after him. The three coming towards Tylendel are dressed in what looks like silver plate armour. The leading figure is a woman – when she breathes, smoke is coming out of her mouth and nose. Following her is a hunchback with long, pointy ears and a man with a crystal jaw.

Woman: "Welcome to Master Kylenik’s mining operations. How may I assist you, stranger?"

Tylendel: "I would like to speak to the master about the purchase of one of his slaves."

Woman: "And why would he deign to waste his precious time on a stranger?"
Pabes: "

Tylendel: "Because I can pay him what he paid."

Woman: "I don’t think the master would think that would be enough. If you said ’I think I can pay him double’, then we are talking."

Tylendel: "I can pay him three times what he paid."

Woman: "Sounds even better. I think you have an appointment. Follow me."

Tylendel: "Thank you."

The woman and her companions turn around and start walking towards the island proper, Tylendel following. The island is almost bare of vegetation, and there are puddles of oil everywhere. There is much noise coming from the buildings.

Woman: "How shall I address you?"

Tylendel: "I am Lord Tylendel Greyoak."

Woman: "Very well."

She leads them to the largest building on the island, the only one that looks somewhat comfortable, a large, white keep. When they enter the arrive in a vestibule where an iron man stops them. His eyes are flashing lights, his face surrounded by iron spikes, nuts and bolts sticking out from his body. When he moves, they can hear gears whirring.

Woman: "Tell the master that the Lord Tylendel Greyaok is here to see him, and that he is willing to pay triple for one of the slaves he has purchased.

Iron Man: "Yes my lady one moment please."

The things voice is flat and metallic.

Iron Man: "I have done as you commanded you are authorised to continue."

The woman leads Tylendel on, into a small room. Tylendel is confused about the thing not walking anywhere to give the message. The small room reminds Tylendel about the strange rooms in the Crow-king’s citadel, the room that moved him. As the doors close, he can see through windows set in the walls that they rise, confirming his suspicions about being in a lift. When they reach the top floor the doors open into a large, richly furnished chamber, at the end of which is a large, polished desk. Behind the desk a man stands up. He is about a foot taller than Tylendel, and he’s wearing a wide smile, showing gold and silver teeth.

Master Kylenik: "Aaah, welcome. Please close the door."

The door closes behind Tylendel and Pabes.

Master Kylenik: "A beautiful young man and a less fortunate... What are you? A dwarf?"

Pabes stutters, trying to find his voice.

Master Kylenik: "It matters not. Have a seat."

Tylendel starts casting a spell as he approaches the slaver.

Tylendel: "I must say it is an impressive operation you have here, Master Kylenik. I am much intrigued by your mining operations, but unfortunately I am here in another errand today. I’d like you to release two of your slaves to me. One Ipeshtir Aqisdirmaq and on Qulluqu."

The spell he casts is designed to make Master Kylenik want very much to get rid of those slaves. Kylenik smiles magnanimously as the spell takes hold.

Master Kylenik: "Ah! As it happens I am of a mind to actually... I was actually considering bringing them to market and sell them anyway, so this is absolutely good fortune."

Tylendel: "Well, that’s very fortunate for me, then!"

Master Kylenik: "Yes, quite useless, quite useless."

He sits down behind the desk and starts leafing through a pile of papers.

Master Kylenik: "Let’s see if I can find their papers."

Pabes stares at Tylendel.

Master Kylenik: "Hmm, yes, here we have one... And there is the other one. All right."

He finds a long, pointed tube that he presses, and a some ink comes out of one end.

Master Kylenik: "If you could sign this."

He gives Tylendel the papers. Tylendel is fascinated by the stick. He signs the papers, then Kylenik takes them back and stamps them.

Master Kylenik: "Here you go. The rightful declaration that you are now the owner of these two slaves. I’ll have my captain fetch them for you. They are down in the mines."

Tylendel: "Please do."

Master Kylenik: "While we wait, can I offer you a drink?"

Pabes: "Yes."

Tylendel: "Please."

Tylendel is very satisfied with himself.

Pabes: "I’m so dry in my mouth."

When Pabes mentions it, Tylendel feels it as well. Kylenik gets them both wine, then goes to stand by the window. As the slaver turns, Tylendel notices a metal plate behind his ears, with blinking lights.

Master Kylenik: "So. I haven’t heard of you before. Are you new in the business, or are you working for someone?"

Tylendel: "I am new to Yungul Goz, but I have been around for a while."

Master Kylenik: "Ah, I see."

Tylendel: "I’m interesting in, or... Well, I have a lot of interests, but mostly I am interested in Candath ore."

Master Kylenik: "Mmm, candathi ore, yes."

Tylendel: "Quite... Challenging to refine."

Master Kylenik: "Absolutely. The energy and heat that you need to be able to mould candathi ore is too extreme for most people."

Tylendel: "Yes, you need to protect your workers in a certain fashion."

Master Kylenik: "Are you implying that I’m not taking good enough care of my slaves?"

Tylendel: "Oh, not at all! I was thinking about when you refine candathi ore."

Master Kylenik: "Well, I’ve been in this business for quite a few years, so I think I know what I’m doing."

Tylendel: "With candathi ore?"

Master Kylenik: "Indeed. We hauled that rock down from the Red Winds."

Tylendel: "Interesting. Very interesting. My master didn’t tell me that there were more entrepreneurs dealing in candathi ore here."

Master Kylenik: "So you do have a master."

Tylendel: "Most people have a master of some kind."

Master Kylenik: "Yes, most."

Tylendel casts another spell, this time to make Kylenik believe he has done a very good deal. As the spell is cast, Tylendel notices Kylenik silently chuckling to himself.

Master Kylenik: "She’s on her way. They’ll be here soon. Well, a toast for a good deal!"

Tylendel: "Indeed."

They clink their glasses. Tylendel holds the glass against his lips, not drinking, while Pabes takes a deep draught, then gasps.

Pabes: "Whoa, that was strong."

Tylendel smiles at Kylenik and shakes his head, glancing at Pabes. The slaver miles at first, then squints at Pabes.

Master Kylenik: "Well, I’m happy to have done business with you, sir, and I hope you are as pleased as I am."

Tylendel: "I am very pleased."

Master Kylenik: "You have done a fantastic deal. I rarely allow myself to make deals in which my opponent get such a good advantage, but... That’s how it works. Sometimes you have to be nice, especially to new people in the business, eh?"

Tylendel: "Of course. And you’re perfectly safe from competition. My operations are far, far from here."

Master Kylenik: "I do not doubt that."

Tylendel hears a beeping coming from the slaver, then the doors open. Kylenik gestures towards the doors.

Master Kylenik: "Maybe we will meet again."

Tylendel: "Maybe some day."

Tylendel picks up the papers and he and Pabes enters the lift. They come to the vestibule, and shortly after the captain enters with Ipeshtir, her two guards, and Ipeshtir and Qulluqu. They are both shackled hand and foot. The captain walks over to Tylendel, looking sceptical, and hands him the reins.

Captain: "By the Master’s command."

Tylendel: "Could you take off the chains, please."

The woman obeys.

Tylendel: "You belong to me now, boys. March, down to the docks. Move!"

Ipeshtir looks at Tylendel for a moment, then understands and starts walking. Tylendel grows nervous.

Pabes: "Bye, lady."

Captain: "Whatever."

Pabes: "Did you hear that?"

Tylendel: "Terribly rude."

Pabes: "Just what I was about to say!"

Tylendel walks with Ipeshtir towards the dock.

Tylendel: "Are you able to pilot Ghostweave?"

Ipeshtir: "Alas, I am sorry. It is lost to me."

Tylendel sighs.

Tylendel: "I must admit that a large part of my plan relied on you being able to pilot her."

Pabes: "No, you dolt! You haven’t lost it. It’s right there!"

He points at Ghostweave.

Ipeshtir: "Oh!"

Tylendel: "Wait! I thought you meant phys--- You meant physically lost her! I thought you meant the ability! If I get rid of her current crew, can you get us out of here?"

Ipeshtir: "Well of course."

Tylendel: "Excellent."

Ipeshtir: "It is my ship... Where did you find it?"

Tylendel: "Berthed in the city."

Ipeshtir: "And what took you so long!"

Tylendel: "Well, I didn’t bloody well find you, because somebody doesn’t have a teacher."

Ipeshtir: "There are many things that are unfortunate. Lacking a teacher is one. Having to cross a bridge in the skies with only this loincloth is another. I’m cold. Come, let’s hurry."

Tylendel: "Yes, that’s very sad, mister ’I was just curious if you knew anything about the God-king since you were fro the Empyre."

Ipeshtir throws a grin over his shoulder at Tylendel.

Ipeshtir: "Oh, oh!"

His loincloth is caught by the wind.

Ipeshtir: "No!"

Pabes: "Oh, my."

As they right the docking island, Tylendel notices another ship coming in, slightly bigger than Ghostweave. It has two large propellers on either side of the ship, although Tylendel is confused by what appears to be windmills attached to the ship. Tylendel walks in front of Ipeshtir as they come to Ghostweave, and as he passes he can hear him say

Ipeshtir: "Uh oh. We better hurry."

Tylendel: "That doesn’t sound promising."

Ipeshtir: "That is Muqud Fevre, one of his galleys."

Tylendel: "We better hurry."

Ipeshtir turns to Pabes.

Ipeshtir: "You dolt! You’ve been followed!"

Pabes whinges. Tylendel jumps aboard the Ghostweave.

Tylendel: "Captain!"

Captain: "Ah, you’re back. I admit, I expected you not to return."

Tylendel: "Your services are longer needed."

He hands the captain the bag of money.

Tylendel: "Get ashore. Take your crew with you."

He looks into the bag.

Captain: "Yes, my lord! Come, boys!"

The captain jumps ashore.

Captain: "We’re rich, boys!"

As Tylendel looks ashore, he can barely see Master Kylenik grinning and nodding his head in the distance.

Tylendel, Pabes, Ipeshtir and Qulluqu quickly get aboard the Ghostweave.

Tylendel: "What do I do now?"

He asks Ipeshtir.

Ipeshtir: "First tings first. We have to... You can untie... Get those knots off!"

Tylendel runs to obey Ipeshtir’s commands.

Ipeshtir: "Qulluqu! Pabes!"

They all get the Ghostweave ready to leave and quickly cast off. They turn away from the island and the approaching ship. He hears someone shout from the other ship:

Voice: "Stop that ship, in the name of the lord of Yungul Goz!"

Ipeshtir: "No, please, disregard that message."

He turns to Tylendel and wiggles his eyebrows, then runs up to the rudder.

As they get away from the dock, they find a good air current and start gaining speed. Qulluqu goes under deck and soon returns with a pile of clothes. Ipeshtir starts dressing at the rudder, and Tylendel looks behind to get a look at the other ship, which appears to have problems turning.

Pabes: "Oh my. Oh my."

Tylendel can hear the windmills turning faster, still confused. They gain some distance, and someone tugs at Tylendel’s arm.

Tylendel: "Fuck."

He tries to resist the pull towards Eras, but can feel himself fading.

Tylendel: "You’re on your own now!"

Pabes: "Wait! Wait!"

The Between fades from around Tylendel, and he wakes up.

Tylendel: "Hmnrg. What?"

The first thing that strikes Tylendel is how cold the room is. At his side is a person that’s still holding Tylendel’s arm.

Voice: "Lord Greyoak. Lord Greyoak. Please wake up."

Tylendel: "What, what?"