A Hiatus: Stillest Night

As the Long Wake draws to its central nights, the processions to the Necropolis cease, the paeans to the dead fall silent, and the unutterable quietude of the tomb falls over the Dual-City. The Stillest Night when even the tomb-watchers and the professional mourning-societies refuse to warble the death-songs of the ancients; a memory of ancient wars between Man and Kzin, when the poet Nguen hla Rii stood watch over his master, heroically dead, outside the walls of ancient Tsurr, silently composing his warrior-master's death-song while evading the peltasts and others of the enemy, to sing the elegaic-epic as the dawn came and the warriors of Man retook the field against their transgressors ...

After this night, the keening of the women and paeans of the mourners will resume. But for the moment, the city halts; even foreigners respect its holiness; and all business ceases ... No new projects may begin this week, this week of Stillest Night, while projects already begun come to whatever fruition may have started beforehand ...

(i.e. no downtime actually happens last week, week-ending 12/26; I'll catch up with week-ending 12/19 soon--it involved a fair amount of writing--and thereafter I'll collect downtimes for week-ending 1/2 and try to be more timely)

Call to Adventure!

Word is out on the streets of Cothon the harbor-town: Telman of Tsipa has finally formalized his charter with the Soufets of Cothon-Gadeed, and the Hunt for the Denyan Akho will surely be underway within the next few weeks.

Two galleys lie in the slipways of the Kantor Kabljauhof taking in supplies and being fitted with catapult and ballistae with the intent to seek the sea-going beast that does great injury to the trading interests of both the Ten Cities League and the foreign Hanse of the Kantor; hence the charter of the Soufets, and the bounty offered by the Kantor ... Adventurers who join the effort will surely be well-rewarded!

Placards are carried to every tavern in Cothon, major and minor alike, their contents read aloud, and then the placards themselves nailed up for others to peruse their contents and judge for themselves whether the bounty is worth the risk of an akho's steely embrace:

If ye seek the prestige and wealth of adventure then seek ye Captain Telman of Tsipa! The brave and strong are invited to the hunt of a lifetime. We shall set forth from Cothon as hunter-seekers under charter of the Soufets, and strike to the hunting grounds of the Denyen Akho that has been terrorizing and looting trade ships. Not the least of which was the Peregrine Kyni, one of the treasure-galleys of the League of Ten Cities said to be carrying a vast fortune worth more than 20,000 gold! The wealth of which will all be ours to retain upon the beasts death as per the hunter-seeker charter! Not to mention the boon its death would have upon Cothon-Gadeed, and the fame therein.

Adventurers of experience can either receive a signing bonus for the expedition or be allowed first pick of any strange or unique items that are found, in addition to a negotiable share of the treasure. Inquire with Captain Telman at the docks.

The Hunter-Seeker Charter of Telman of Tsipa is a call for a kind of unique adventure outside the "usual" limits of the Tel al Safina and its surroundings. An adventure into the wider world, a scenario promising great potential profit--and fame! I would like to have up to six players join the Hunt--message me or comment if you are interested--and be aware! there is potentially a "premium" for those who sign first/earlier.

Once a "crew" has been established, and a proper departure-time set, the hunter-seeker galleys will depart from the harbor of Cothon no later than 9 January (our time), and return "all tides well" within two weeks of that date.

Session #9: Damn Dirty Apes! *Updated With Veda's Short Recap*

June, masked newcomer to the Mother of Cities, hiding her face behind a porcelain theater mask, found herself in the raucous tavern Herm & Stone following rumor of an easy-to-collect bounty--namely, 5 gold offered per hand of ape-men to be cut off and collected in the Weirding Caves. Her previous endeavor netting her little profit, she thought perhaps that this would be an easier way to weigh down her pockets with coin ...

Marked from the street by its eponymous herm, a great pillar of stone carved with the bust of an heroic ancient and his great erect phallus at appropriate height, the Herm & Stone is known as the more raucous of the great taverns, frequented by Kzin Heroes, and associated with the adventurous Guild of Miners and Prospectors. Inside its common room, in a slightly darkened corner, a huge crystalline pillar looms in the shadow, lending the tavern's secondary appellation.

Avoiding the musk-scented side where several Heroes lounged on great cushions, attended by subservient Kzinretti and human slave-women, June rather sought information near the bar, and found some luck in the presence of another adventurous newcomer to Cothon-Gadeed, one Veda, a fellow adept in the psychical and magical arts. After confirming with the barkeep that the Guild would honor the return of any hand of a chnelh ape-man with 5 gold (10 for a pair); and that the bounty was pursuant to a recent increase in the population of the troops that haunt the Weirding Caves on the north-east side of the Tel al Safina; the pair endeavoured to secure the services of a hireling each from among the hangers-on around the taverns.

So it was that this small party of four ventured forth from the Gate of Fishermen up the coast to climb the stair of the headland, and then make their way around the northern slope of Tel to its north-eastern side:

• June (magic-user 1)
  accompanied by Kogus the Bodyguard (Bulrathi 1)
• Veda (magic-user 1)
  accompanied by Abu Kuruku (a beggar, replacing Mad Matho on the list of hirelings)

The four returned later in the day, as the great red sun was just touching the western horizon and lighting Dirac's Sea ablaze. They proffered a bloodied sack of 10-pair of hands at the bar, receiving a toast from those patrons familiar with the bounty, and were paid out equitably for their somewhat gruesome trophies.

Kogus, his great ursine visage laconic as ever, took his portion of the earnings perfunctorily, grunted approval of his service with June, and then departed (with a wary eye at the lounging Kzinti Heroes). 

Abu Kuruku, meanwhile, was more than happy to take his beggar's pittance and then hang around to milk the good will of the regular patrons, spinning yarns about running into "dozens of bandits" encamped north of the Tel, and of how "Kogus' presence and Veda's artful offerings" assuaged their mercenary hunger. Also, he speaks of how the group narrowly avoided a run-in with a draconic serudla in the great depths of the Weirding Caves, and then ambushed a troop of chattering chnelh even as the ape-men were preparing to ambush them!

(Per Veda's Player Renee, earning Veda 100 xp per level):

Veda was very proud of Abu and his torch carrying. The road back was filled with talk not of their battle, but of how skillfully Abu held the torch. "Did you see the way he tilted the torch right when we needed it?!" (I also assume that his torch skills were not actually all that amazing, Veda just really wanted him to feel special)

(the scribes take this moment to point out that small personalizing details of an expedition are happily worthy of xp, even if the scribes tend to be "long on ink" and write too much themselves!)

Treasure

• 100 gold from the bounty (5 gp x 20 hands)
• 6 gold from the chnelh
• a quartz-like stone cut onto a leathern thong taken from one of the chnelh (10 gold)

Experience

• 116 from treasure
• 648 from bandits x 12 (50+hp ea.)
• 306 from Chnelh x 11 (25+hp ea.)
• 100 to each character for exploring a new "upper level" of the Tel

The Cut

• 43 gold per character (25 to Kogus, 5 to Abu Kuruku)
• 635 xp per character (317 to Kogus)

As always, anything representing what was done during the session, e.g write-ups, art, etc., will earn a character 100 xp per level, send it to me and I will post it here for all to read; and I will try to touch base with everyone about downtime activities for this last week and this upcoming week.

... and Seeking Knowledge

"Point Rising Swiftly ..."

Of the Survivors of the Tel, one Gan is looking into the nature of the sword recently retrieved from the so-called Sixth House inside the Great Spire of the Klackons. The sword is a two-hand estoc-type sword with a long narrow "blade" and stylistically lengthened hilt. The "blade" has a stiff diamond cross-section and is actually too thick to cut properly, but is rather intended to puncture armor and carapaces, and can also be used as a bludgeon (no one likes getting hit in the face with a 3' steel bar).

The hilts have an upward-facing crescent cross guard, ornately engraved with whorls. The grip, meanwhile, is decorated to represent a length of knotted silk which spells out a poem in the Klackon "script": "Point rising swiftly, thrusts home to crack carapace--the cousinless fall." There are a number of small gold rings strategically placed around the hilts for the hanging of other poem- and prayer-silks.

As to its make, the sword is constructed of an unfamiliar metal or alloy of green/black color which tests harder than any metal it is scraped against. It has enough spring/give to be useful as a sword (you need some flexibility), but seems like it would be nigh-indestructible in combat against iron, steel, or other such weaponry.

Altogether, it is obvious that this weapon is a splendid item, and thus +1 to hit (representing its strength and design and ability to pierce even plate armor), and therefore is also a candidate for being imbued with psychical energy (i.e. becoming a magic item).

No test in the alchemical library at Cothon-Under-Star is able to identify the metal or alloy of which the sword is constructed. Turning to other means, Gan, remembering the mention of the Sixth House having commerce with the clan of Barcid Bulrathi looks for mention of the Barcids in metallurgical texts. Sure enough, there they are--but as a physician by training, Gan has difficulty parsing the abstruse terminology. Nevertheless, he is able to learn that Barca Mzurak is the master-armorer at the Migdol of the Dyers and Fish-Fermenters, and that he is heir to the methods of the Barcids.

(concerning research, the nature of the sword is closed; the nature of the alloy remains open, but requiring resources outside of Gan and Cothon-Under-Star)

صوأعو -- "The Illusions-Master"

Also in the tavern Under-Star, Ravna seeks knowledge of her own: laid out on a dissecting table, the corpse of a strange beast of ropy tentacles and ganglion nerves is put to the knife by the fellow Survivor of the Tel.

Hoping to discover that the mechanism of the creature's illusions, which allowed it to face the party in the guise of a stony statue, is a merely physical transformation (and that she could thus use it!), Ravna cut certain tentacles apart and submitted them to various alchemical tests suggested by fellows Under-Star or texts taken from the extensive library ...

But dissections and all of these tests failed to indicate any direct physical quality. Unlike the myriad variformae species swimming Dirac's Sea, which are able to make their flesh physically resemble rock, coral, seaweed, sand, etc., the flesh of the strange ganglion-and-tentacles was inert to various tests.

Frustrated, Ravna finally turns to certain texts commenting on the alchemical uses of various creatures, and discovers a description matching her and her companions' encounter with the creatures--the "tsu'uru" or illusion-master, which appeared as gilded warriors in battle, but when slain reverted into bundles of weird tentacles. The particular text, Ibn Roh's Ancients Places and Certain Secrets describes the uses of the tsu'uru in various potions: the raw extract can powerfully enhance psychical energy, though at great danger; distilled properly, it is useful in potions of ESP, of illusions, and of delusions.

(Ravna has particular formulae regarding what she discovered, including the distillation of raw tsu'uru extract; further research from the corpse is closed)

The Empty Hilts

Guest of the Kantor Kabljauhof's common house, Durham takes up the strange device retrieved from the Ocean's Throat sea-caves, described before as a kind of sword-hilts without any blade, but with a black screen on the face of the ball where the guard should be, surrounded by studs and dials.

Intent on knowing just what this strange object is, Durham retreats into his room in the common-house for some time. The studs can be pressed; the dials can be turned; after enough experimentation, Durham discovers that a certain stud will "illuminate" the screen, creating a strange map of lines and points upon its face. Fiddling with the dials and other studs changes the nature of the "picture" in chaotic and uncertain ways.

But at some point, Durham settles on a collation of dials that seems to offer some stability; in a moment of inspiration, he drags it through the air of the room he rents from the Kantor, taking note of a pile of gold coins he has on the table, the candle on the bedstand, and a tiny ilwrath arthropod that has made its nest in the corner of his room. The first sweep pings in the direction of the ilwrath when the object is hefted in its direction. A minute change of a dial further pings when pointed at the small pile of gold, though also at a variety of other metal objects in the room, such as Durham's quiver of crossbow bolts, and the metal fittings of his bed.

Through certain further experiments in town, Durham is thus able to ascertain that the object is able to detect lifeforms and metal within a 60' distance between the two obvious "settings"; a "full sweep" takes 10 minutes (1 turn) to complete, but it can be used in a directed fashion much more quickly; it seems to have a limit of power of 60 minutes (6 turns) continuous use, though allowing the sun to shine over it for a day seems to "resurrect" the spirit within.

(There are clearly other functions beyond what Durham was able to ascertain; the use and nature of the hilts remains open for further research)

Seeking Buyers ...

During her last attempt to find the right buyer for her cut of certain potions, Persephone was unable to find anyone willing to pay what she was asking. Now, following a lead suggested by fellow-Kantor-guest Durham and his success in selling his own cut to one Isen-Boss down in the harbor-town, Persephone finds herself among the quays and the fishhouses above the cothon of the harbor.

Over a light lunch of cockle soup, Persephone's various subtle inquiries finally bring to her side the sailor-metic Ahmed Annousi. After examining the "sakkra blood" potions, he agrees to the price ("Ah, what I would give to get around these damned monopolies at the Kantor and Under-Star!"), but glancing at Persephone's new renyu-companion Finbar, he starts up a conversation about the training of various exotic beasts and animals from all the strange shores he has walked.

"I've trained more than a few of his kind," Ahmed says, nodding at Finbar. "Had more than a few that I could almost have paid as sea-men, except that they're no good at knots. Their paws might hold a sword, but they just have no feel for a rope. Ah, well! not like they'd know the worth of coin, but would still beg for bones to gnaw."

Thus saying, he launches into a further conversation with Persephone, offering tips in the training of renyu in particular, which he promises, "It'll shave a month off what you'd expect. Just be stern, but magnanimous, like I said. I swear it--two months, and he'll be more loyal and able than any old renyu!"

Persephone receives 213 gold, 7 silver, 5 copper as payment, based on an earlier failure at finding a buyer.

-------

Meanwhile, Avin sets out on her own mission to sell her cut of the same potions. Her particular inquiries lead her up-city, to the restaurant of Madame Halawiya, a woman whose body has grown full and curvaceous in middle age, and yet whose face remains captivatingly beautiful, her eyes painted with dark kohl, her curled hair, streaked with grey, drawn up in a fantastical coif.

Halawiya is happy to pay an even 225 gold for Avin's potions, and comments, "It's good to know that there are some people in this city have taste with whom they deal. This healing-blood will prove most useful for certain unforeseen injuries sustained by my poor, innocent servants."

A Kindling of Interests

(this should indicate outstanding downtime activities through week-ending 12/12)

While the professional mourning-societies of Cothon-Gadeed ply their trade during these weeks of the Long Wake, keening the mourning songs in the public squares, carrying offerings to the Necropolis in the Colossian Temenos of the Tel al Safina, and while the warrior-mourners of the Poor Brothers of the Dead protect all prospective mourners along the Pallbearers' Way--while all of this is under way in the Mother of Cities!--other interests are also being pursued.

Under the Mother Whelk of Cothon-Under-Star, the Alkari hunter-of-secrets Hry-Haya Yehat joins Razo of the Survivors in attempting to break the cypher of an ancient codex of yellowed pages recovered from one of the sea caves north of the Dual-Cities; meanwhile, the physician Gan is intent on understanding the properties of the strange sword recovered on a different expedition into the Spire of the Klackons on the north slope of the Tel.

And in yet another portion of the alchemical workshops behind the public room of the tavern, Ravna the apprentice alchemist attempts to dissect the tentacular-and-ganglion remnants of a strange creature she encountered with others in the crypts beneath the Heroön of Dalan.

But this is not the last of the intellectual exercises now underway throughout the Mother of Cities, for at the same time Durham is engaged in attempting to understand the strange object he recovered on yet another expedition outside the city. The object, as previously described, is a strange hiltlike thing, and yet without any blade projecting forth; rather a screen of black is attached to a ball where the crossguard should be, with a variety of studs and dials arrayed around its face.

Others of the various newcomers to Cothon-Gadeed pursue different interests. Avin and Peresphone each seek 'round for buyers of a certain alchemical product they've "come by", and each find their own kind of success. Sesel returns to the encampment of the Free Klackons outside the city walls to continue training with Doj the weaponmaster, but finds himself incapable of retaining any of what he is taught because of the fugue left over in his mind from the hallucinations of the "cosmic drink" and psychedelic fungus he ingested not long ago while in the company of Barabajagal the psychic wunderman.

Sesel's Birdbrained Adventure

 (an account written by player-character Sesel concerning the recent expedition north up the coast from Cothon-Gadeed, and earning Sesel 100 xp per level):

The Survivors of the Tel, having now survived for a month after their escape from the KzinTi, got together for something of a reunion. Having had conversations with Razzo, and witnessing the scouting abilities we decided to follow it to the North, through the Gate of Fishermen.

We moved North, past the sea-caves, past the spires of the Klakons, and still the bird drew us North. And so we continued, until finally the bird drew us to the cliffs, far to the North. It was here that we came upon an ancient and forgotten human settlement. The area so old and decrepit that the buildings no longer remain, only the lines of trees from an orchard, the patches of crops from cultivated land.

Following the guidance of the bird we made our way through nearby caves, having a chance run-in with some Sakkra. I was able to negotiate a safe passage from these Sakkra, allowing us movement amongst the caves, without having to fight.

The bird aided greatly in our progress, allowing us to easily navigate the caverns and make our way to an Alkari settlement. Here I again negotiated safe passage. The Alkari guarded, but not overtly hostile. Now deep within these sea-caves the bird seemed to provide conflicting instruction, and so we were forced to search and seek in a more manual fashion.

Fortunately, we discovered a location guarded by a specter. Here we were able to use the bird to grant us access and retrieve the treasures beyond.

Having reached our goal we took our leave of the sea-caves, making our way past the Alkari and Sakkra, and finally returning back to the city.

And Time Will Claim its End!

 Oat and sekeker-sweet-wax cakes are left out on doorsteps for mourners and spirits alike; pottage of meer-a-pot is cooked and left untouched by those who can afford food for the dead; those living within the Dual-Cities dress in black, though those of means use the opportunity to display their "mourning" in the newest style; and all the while, the mourning societies fill the streets, keening for the ancient dead, singing hymns to ancient heroes, and marching along the Pallbearers' Way with paeans rising up as they go to guard the tombs of the warriors of old.

Ostentatious use of wealth in public mourning is at a premium during these four weeks of the Long Wake, a time commemorating human heroes (especially those of the Man-Kzin Wars), and no citizen would dare forget to spend at least a small donation during this time.

Those denizens, metics, and other resident-barbarians who wish to advance their station likewise dare not forget to spend some coin on commemoration of the dead ...

And indeed, certain of the barbarians new-come to the Mother of Cities have publicly expended coin according to custom during the Long Wake:

Durham, associated with the guesthouse at the Kantor Kabljauhof ignores the scoffing of the Hanse foreigners and sets out to hire one of the gladiators of the Coreguyi Arena to represent the ancient hero Sekeilos and also to hire a number of the Poor Brothers of the Dead for a proper procession to the Necropolis, lighted during the night by a number of torchbearers singing hymns for the living and the dead (spending 300 gold altogether):

"Full of life, shine,
"without any pain,
"for life is short,
"and time will claim its end!"

Meanwhile, Torkol and Gan of Cothon-Under-Star spend 350 gold together to hire tomb-watchers from among the Poor Brothers to ascend to the entrance of the crypt and Heroön of Dalan II. the Great. There, the Poor Brothers are not merely to watch and guard, but to engage in sparring and athletic contests, as attested of heroes in the ancient epics.

And fellow Survivor of the Tel Sesel further spends his own 300 gold on a separate remembrance, having a sweet-wax effigy of Itra the Swift formed and laid on a bier, and then carried to the Necropolis by the Poor Brothers, led by a Coreguyan gladiator in the guise of Itra's spirit. Wunderman Barabajagal was further enticed to join this procession, and to offer a cup of his "cosmic drink" both to the living warrior, and to leave a cup at the doorstep of the dead ... the hymns remembered for Itra are of a distinctly different character, recalling the warrior's obsessive loneliness ...

Durham's Log, Entry 3: Of Gifts and Strange Urges

 (earning 100 xp per level for Durham, this is Joel's account of the latest expedition into the Sea Caves):

I met with Persephone and we decided to show Yragram our progress. We set forth from the Kantor to see who else we could gather to adventure into the sea caves.

Persephone hired Wanda the rose, a lass looking for adventure. I hired Kalil, an educated lad. I don't know what to make of Kalil seems odd for a fellow looking for adventure to set out with a book and a pen knife, so I armed him with a spear and the opportunity to prove himself.

We met another as well by the name of June, her face was hidden behind a white mask.

We set forth to the sea caves, I guided the party back to Yramrag hideout and presented him gifts of gold, butcher knives and a new alchemical set. This set him in a good mood, even though he wasn't pleased to see new faces. I told him protection is what I and Persephone needed to navigate back and forth from the mother city. I was able to negotiate a Renyu for Persephone and myself. I have named my new companion Pako.

I inquired if the Renyu had ever found any strange objects and was given a mysterious device.

We also heard tales of a strange green door and went to investigate. Upon finding the door Wanda and I became… enthralled by passions one does not normally feel when on an expedition. Wanda and I were taken away from the door to come to our senses.

We ventured further down a skylit path and encountered a monster that rose up from the water taking a shape of a maiden. With one look of its gleaming eyes it enchanted Pako and Wanda. Possessed by the creature's spell they ran for the water, none of our party was able to stop them. Before our compatriots drowned, I aimed my crossbow at the creature's head and loosed a bolt, true it struck and the siren dispelled.

After that encounter we decided to return to the city.

While I did get a new companion in Pako, it was not a very profitable adventure. However, I feel all the adventures I've had so far in this new land have given me a wealth of experience and I feel like I am on another level than when I started.

Session #8: To the Birds

 At Cothon-Under-Star, the tavern in the Mother Whelk, recent efforts by Razo (of the Survivors of the Tel) to understand the mechanical kyni-bird Nassr have come to some fruition in the last week. He had discovered certain of the bird's commands, and by commanding it to fly, but allowing it to remain free of any other constraint, observed that it seemed to "want" to lead him north through the city streets toward the Gate of Fishermen and thence northeast along the coast past the Migdol of the Dyers and Fish Fermenters.

Unwilling to make such a trek alone, Razo gathered to his side certain other of the Survivors who were not otherwise occupied, and the company selected their favored companions from among those who frequent the taverns looking for mercenary work: Ix and Vlana.

Before the company had quite set out, however, a sixth individual appeared, interested in the proposed quest. Hry-Haya Yehat, an Alkari metic in the city, approached Sesel directly with inquiries about the nature of Nassr. Given his "keen interest" in ancient artefacts, the raptor-man was invited into the party to make six who ventured forth from the city to pass the stinking vats of fermenting fish guts and decomposing sea-snail shells on the beach under the Migdol:

• Razo (magic-user 1)
  accompanied by Vlana the Bard (magic-user 1)
• Ravna (magic-user 1)
  accompanied by Ix (Thri-Kreen 1)
• Sesel (fighting-man 2)
  accompanied by Hry-Haya Yehat (Alkari 1)

The trek lasted longer than other expeditions to the Tel al Safina typically have, with the adventurers returning late into the afternoon. And yet they were in good mood, uninjured, but furtive in quickly returning to the tavern Under-Star with filled packs.

Nevertheless, excitement betrayed certain secrets: a sack of gemstones to be sold, a harness of strange dark leather and with a great central "buckle" unwrapped from within a sack, and an ancient codex, its pages yellowed from age--such items were not to be missed by the wondering eyes of curious patrons, though their meanings remain mere guesswork.

While Hry-Haya is retained at the tavern by Razo because of the Alkari's interest in ancient artefacts--of which both Nassr and the strange old codex are examples--Ix and Vlana both take their shares from the sale of the gemstones to enjoy a night on the town (but both starting at Cothon-Under-Star) ... and their nights couldn't be more different. Loaded on molded beer, Ix staggers out to paint the town and wagers her earnings at tonk. Through the traders' sign language, she drunkenly tells of encounters with Sakkra and Alkari in sea-caves, and of specters coming forth from a magic bird, but further nuance is beyond the signed pidgin.

Meanwhile, Vlana spends the evening sipping black wine Under-Star and attempting to persuade Avin to take her on as a direct retainer, rather than seeking her out as an ad hoc hireling when adventure arises. "The pay will be more secure for me, and my loyalty to you will be more secure."

Treasure

• sack of 24 gems (100 gp each) = 2400 gp
• ancient yellowed codex
• strange harness of belt and crossed bandoliers, all dark leather, joined by a central "buckle"
• small crystal vial containing a clear liquid

Experience

• 2400 from treasure
• 448 from Sakkra x4 (100 + hp ea.)
• 315 from Alkari x6 (50 + hp ea.)
• 200 to each character for exploring the "distant" Sea Caves

The Cut

• 524 gp, 6 sp, 6 cp per character (292 gp, 6 sp, 7 cp for Vlana, 266 gp, 6 sp, 7 cp for Ix and Hry-Haya)
• 1254 xp per character (627 for Vlana, Ix, and Hry-Haya)
• the codex
• the harness
• the vial

Player reports or other in-character representations of what transpired during the session will provide the reporting player-character 100 xp per level and be posted to the blog publicly for all to read or see.

Session #7: Leader of the Pack

At Kantor Kabljauhof, Persephone and Durham were overheard to say that they had unfinished business in the sea caves known as the Throat of Ocean. Intent on returning thence, they set out to some of the lesser taverns to gather a posse and venture once more into the dark labyrinth of the caverns.

Persephone specifically set out to secure the services of Warda the Rose, while Durham made the rounds through the taverns until finally convincing "likely lad" Kalil al-Kitabi to accompany him. A third adventurer also offered her services, a fellow newcomer to the Mother of Cities who hid her face behind a porcelain theater-mask that allowed her to project her voice. June her name, she indicated that she was a neophyte magic-user.

Thus assembled, the party set out through the Gate of the Fishermen, to make their way past the Migdol of the Dyers and Fish Fermenters and up the stair against the cliff face to the headland above.

• Durham (fighter 1)
  accompanied by Kalil al-Kitabi (likely lad)
  
• Persephone (fighter 1)
  accompanied by Warda the Rose (likely lass)
• June (magic-user 1)

The party returned, increased by two unlikely new members, and bearing the great legs of some giant crustacean creature to be cooked up in the guesthouse of the Kantor. The two unusual new members are man-like creatures with long pointed snouts, sharp, upcurved ears, and dark brown and black fur:

Able to speak in rudimentary fashion, they call themselves "Renyu", and they look to Persephone and Durham as leaders of their "new pack."

Other than the great crustacean legs, the party had little material loot to show for their efforts; only Durham carried anything like treasure, in the form of what seems almost like the hilts of a sword without any blade, but rather a ball where the guard would be, with a square black face set into it. Discovering just what this thing might be will require some investigation.

Without enough loot to allow carousing, Warda and Kalil both take their small cut and return to their own taverns, though both express interest in learning more in the arts of fighting from Persephone and Durham. Elsewhere, while drinking red beer at the Herm & Stone in her quest to win the hard heart of Stark the Wandsman, Warda briefly talks about the discovery by the party of a strange set of green alloyed doors set into the cave walls, but her cheeks flush red as she mentions its weird influence, and she quickly moves on to talk about the party's defeat of a strangely hypnotic water creature that appeared at first to be in the guise of a beautiful maiden.

Lastly, before tucking into their feast of gilekite legs, the party is heard to inquire whether Captain-General Zaytar would pay for information relevant to his upcoming campaign against the Luwian Pirates ... ?

Treasure

• a strange bladeless hilt with a black screen; a downtime activity spent in non-magical research is necessary to discover anything more about just what this item is
• information relayed to Captain-General Zaytar, and earning the party 100 gold; he promises greater reward, "If you return to the caves, and bring to me material proof of what you claim."

New Companions

• Pako and Finbar the Renyu; if properly trained, they would be servants leal unto death, be able to fight with weapons rather than just their claws, and be able to alert their masters to secret doors, etc., detected by their keen senses; this training must be done by an animal trainer over the course of three months

Experience Earned

• 110 from Gilekite x 1 (100 + hp)
• 56 from Water Maiden x 1 (50 + hp)
• 100 from gp reward
• 100 xp to each character for discovering another upper level area within the Sea Caves

The Cut

• 16 gp, 6 sp, 6 cp to each character (25 to Warda and Kalil)
• 187 xp per character
• the strange hilt

Play reports or other items representing what transpired during the session will provide 100 xp per level to the player-character providing them, and will be posted to the blog for others to see.

Goings On in Cothon-Gadeed

 While the Long Wake has just begun, other things are also afoot in the Mother of Cities! (this post covers the results of downtime activities for the week ending 12/5)

Durham, noble fighting-man from a distant land, has sought out his erstwhile beggar-companion Mad Matho in an attempt to ingratiate himself with the underclass of the city. Over the course of various encounters in back alleys and on lonely quays under the passing stars, Durham ultimately gains an audience with one calling himself Isen-Boss in the style of some lord of the Northern Shores. The old pirate, his once pale skin tanned to leather by a life on the open deck under the great red sun, is feted like some kind of king of the beggars and pick-pockets, his court one of the alehouses that peddle prostitutes to the longshoreman who work in the harbor.

Whatever business they engage in concludes profitably for Durham, who returns with 225 gold weighing down his pockets, but also with expectation for further business with the old creep weighing on his shoulders ...

Persephone attempted her own negotiations with certain buyers throughout the city, but was unable to secure any particular deals.

Fellow fighting-man Sesel, meanwhile, is led from the city by Ix of the Free Klackons to their encampment outside the Gate of Hamdi. There, he is introduced to the camp's preeminent warrior-dore, Dojthrinta'aksum, i.e. "Doj". Slave-interpreters handle most of the conversation, though Doj is somewhat conversant in the Common tongue, and even able to recreate its sounds with his agile mandibles.

After explanation by Ix of her and Sesel's bouts of sparring over the last weeks, and how the human warrior did not disdain the Free Klackons as so many of the citizens of the dual-city do, Doj agrees to preliminary fighting-lessons for the young human warrior. He draws a circle in the sand for Sesel to take his stance, and then proceeds to cast javelins at the warrior, while Sesel deflects the missiles with his sword, or the thin shield provided by the clan, or with his naked forearms. At the end of the session, with Sesel sweating and weak-jointed, Doj chitters a Klackon laugh and assures the human warrior that he can return to learn more of the art of defending himself as if he had all four Klackon arms--For almost did it seem that you sprouted an extra two, Hoo-man!

Meanwhile, the tavern of Cothon-Under-Star is abuzz with talk about the mechanical kyni-bird Nassr, set loose during the researches of Razo. For at the outset of the last expedition to the Tel, Razo had hefted Nassr on his arm and given it the command to go forth, with the intent that it follow the outgoing adventurers. And forth it flew! The metal bird spread its gilded wings, rose into the air on its own strange powers, and did as requested, following the party to the limits of the Klackon Spire before returning, glinting in the air, over the walls of Cothon.

By continuing such practices, allowing Nassr to fly freely as it will in circles of reconnaissance, Razo is able to glean several of the strange creature's properties:

1. If given over to scouting in this manner, it would eliminate the possibility of surprise for a party traveling overland
2. Its eyes are able to be illuminated by another command, and thence shine like a torch. There may be some kind of limit on the time, but Razo is unable to ascertain such while in the city
3. When given free rein, the kyni attempts to lead Razo northeast, out through the Gate of Fisherman and north along the coast from there; it's unclear where exactly this would end ...

Avin however, is up to her own secret purposes in the city; her furtive comings and goings she does not explain to her companions; and Torkol makes himself useful to those running the tavern, earning their gratitude, and almost certainly making himself deserving of a favor or so ...

The Long Wake Begins

As the last of the Kzinti bands break camp from around the Necropolis and return to their roving, and the showing of the Fortress Moon's full face in the night sky above, the Night of the Watch inaugurates the month-long festival of the Long Wake.

The long red evening fades into darkness, the stars appear as they course across the sky, and the Fortress Moon looms huge and craggy over Dirac's Sea; but the dual-city of Cothon-Gadeed does not sleep. Drums are sounded throughout the city, their beat echoing up the great thoroughfares and down crooked alleys; pipes thread the narrow notes of elegies through the nighted sea air, and to their voices are joined the high-pitched keening of women crying mourning hymns.

And as these sounds grow throughout the city, the streets come alive with ghostly processions of figures dressed in dark robes, carrying with them timbrels that they sound as they go through the streets crying out, rending their shirts, beating their breasts and their brows, and crying high to the moon in Mourning.

Such will be the nightly fare of the city, as the Poor Brothers of the Dead and other mourning-societies take to the streets during this time of public mourning. Cakes of sweet wax and oat will be left out on doorsteps for the spirits of the dead, and processions that begin in the city at each of the major taverns, and many of the lesser establishments, will wend their way out the Gate of Mourners, up the Pallbearers' Way into the Necropolis, there to make public offerings to the dead and to the heroes of old who lie interred there.

Those with greater wealth will outfit great processions of professional mourners, spending lavishly to display their wealth by the number of mourners hired, and the ostentatious biers and effigies of heroes and ancestors that will be sent to the Necropolis; even those of modest means will spend what they can, for this month is one for public spending on honoring the dead.

This festival will continue for four weeks, at the end of which will be a week of Games (mainly athletic competitions and gladiatorial contests). During this time, characters may join fellow residents of Cothon-Gadeed in spending money on public mourning; the table below presents typical amounts and what they entail descriptively, but characters are willing to spend whatever they wish, and to describe for themselves what the money is doing--creative and ostentatious use of wealth will provide a bonus above and beyond that which I'm about to lay out.

For indeed, spending money in this way will provide certain benefits:

• those who spend at least 25 gold on public mourning during the next four weeks will receive +1 on one downtime activity of their choice within the city
• those who spend at least 100 gold on public mourning during the next four weeks will receive a permanent +1 to reactions within the city of Cothon for the next year
• further, for every 100 gold spent on public mourning, a character will receive +1 on their roll if they take part in the special carousing at the time of the Games concluding the Long Wake

Gold Spent	… On Public Mourning
5 gp	Purchase some sweet wax and oat cakes to be laid out for the dead
10 gp	Purchase libations of milk and honey, and hire a professional mourner to  pour them out in the Necropolis
25 gp	Cook a kettle of pottage and hire a pair of the Poor Brothers to carry it to  the Necropolis to be set out for the dead
50 gp	Hire a procession of torchbearers to traverse the Pallbearers' Way chanting  hymns to the dead and paeans to the heroes of old
100 gp	Hire one of the Poor Brothers, or another mourner, to act as a  tomb-watcher in the Necropolis for a week
250 gp	Secure the services of a gladiator to dress as the spirit of a dead hero, and  to lead a procession of Poor Brothers bearing a sweet wax cake effigy of  the hero on a bier to the Necropolis

Sesel's Account: The Haunted House

(The account of Sesel by his player Jacob, earning Sesel 100 xp per level)

 After our last expedition into the Hive (https://telalsafina.blogspot.com/2020/11/sesels-account-into-hive.html) my colleague Avin and I found ourselves intrigued. Collecting a new colleague, Persephone and a few hirelings to aid us we set out again, finding ourselves drawn back to the Klakon spire, and the mysterious 6th house.

We made our way into the spire, finding our way upon the sixth house. Wherein we seeked adventure!

We made our way through to our previous investigations on the tower, finding ourselves at a stuck door. We investigated it to some extent but were unable to make our way through.

Turning from that we investigated the remaining door we’ve yet to explore. Here we found a hall with Klakon perches and the book strands we returned with, scattered about the room as though for reading or perhaps weaving. 

From here we explored through further doorways. Passing through a corridor with small side rooms Klakon princesses and ladies could prepare themselves for court. Finding here some long-dead Klakon bodies, with sword wounds pierced through the neck.

The end of which led us to what looked like a small court chamber, with a raised dias and throne. It was here that we spent some time searching and investigating, as there was a door further. However, during our investigations strange not-Klakons approached from our rear.

We, alerted to their presence before their arrival, had formed up and prepared. Seeing this sight they retreated. We gave some chase, making our way down into the depths of the tower. It was here we retrieved the strange sword. Though we found ourselves confronted with more of these non-Klakons than we could reasonably fight. Deciding that we would prefer to keep ourselves intact we made our way back from whence we’d come, up the steps and out, the things either unable or unwilling to give further chase.

Luck was with us, for not a one of us suffered any major wounds. Having returned to Cothon-Under-Star in such a shape I renewed my vigour to train with the free-Klakon warriors so that in the future our survival is less based upon luck, and more upon my skills with the sword.

Session #6: The "Haunted House"

 Talk was that Sesel, of the Survivors of the Tel, was still intrigued by the mysteries of the abandoned and sealed off Sixth House manor inside the Great Spire of the Attine Klackons on the northeast slope of the Tel. He had engaged "Ix", a free-Klackon warrior in a number of sparring sessions over the last weeks, and though his one purpose seemed to hope for training from the warriors of her Clan, it was no secret that he continued to conjecture about the other secrets and treasures that might be hid within ... and what lay behind the scarred doors?

After their most recent bout, Ix was heard to tell Sesel, through the interpreter Torkol, that from what she understood, the Sixth House was especially known for their curiosity and learning--dangerous things for Klackons, and no doubt the cause of their doom!--and thus their palace must hold an extensive library, including works on metallurgy translated by them from the Barcid Collection at the Migdol of the Dyers and Fish-Fermenters, among other textual treasures.

Thirst for adventure thus reinvigorated, Sesel gathered fellow-Surivor Avin, and new-come adventurer Persephone to his table at Cothon-Under-Star to plan another expedition into the Spire. They were then seen heading out from the Gate of the Fishermen along the beach, leading a small party of hirelings:

• Sesel (fighter 2)
  accompanied by Barabajagal (psychic)
• Avin (magic-user 2)
  accompanied by Vlana the Bard (magic-user 1)
• Persephone (fighter 1)
  accompanied by Warda the Rose (likely lass)

This same crew returned to Cothon-Under-Star unscathed, with mysterious cats' grins, a handful of gems, a bundle of knotted silk lengths recognized immediately as Klackon "texts" by both Torkol the interpreter and the local Klackon patrons, as well as a mysterious long bundle wrapped in cloth, the identity of which as a sword of some kind was revealed in an inadvertent falling-away of its wrappings from the hilts, forged from a strange black-greenish metal. They also carried an ichor-crusted short sword of Klackon make, which was turned over to Master Alchemist Aljadd for further study.

While the local Xoldine Klackons and Torkol quickly identify the four "word-strands" retrieved from the Spire, a quick trip to the local jeweler by Avin and Persephone is able to convert the gems into cold, liquid cash, to be easily split amongst the party and its hirelings.

Before taking her winnings, Warda expresses an interest in taking up a sword to be a real fighting-woman like Persephone--"Maybe then Stark would notice me! Maybe a man like that doesn't need a lady to woo, but a she-devil with a sword!"--but the girl ends up distracted by the use of her new money before she can quite commit to any real mentorship.

Barabajagal and Sesel, meanwhile, head off to a dark corner under the Mother Whelk to drink of "cosmic truth" and eat of "ancient fungal memories", while Vlana takes her earnings out to the city night under the swiftly-coursing stars, to spin tale of their adventure. During her rounds at the smaller watering holes, she tells of a chance meeting with citizens of the Mother of Cities on the slopes of the Tel, of sneaking into the Great Spire and slipping into the sealed Sixth House cantonment in the central cathedral-space. Mention of the strange society within is quickly forgotten because of bewilderment at her claims that Barabajagal and Sesel were able to subdue enemies merely with the power of their minds. "That cosmic quack! Unbelievable--now I know you're spinning yarn," they say.

Last Vlana was seen was at the Kantor Kabljauhof engaged in conversation with an impressment agent, offering to write the "Epic of Telman" if she were allowed to join his Akho-hunting expedition, and word is that she invested what little she had in the coming expedition.

Treasure

• 6 gems of various type and value (500, 250, 200, 100 x3) = 1250 gold
• an ichor-crusted short sword, turned over to Master Aljadd, 25 gold
• four silken lengths, intricately knotted and tasseled, identified as Klackon "texts":
  -- In the Dungeons of Spiff the Inimical, a pulp adventure story involving escape from a Pirate Lord's secret island stronghold (10 gold)
  -- The Meditations of Nixaxhuitcha, a series of short poems about various subjects (25 gold)
  -- The Trials of Xa'achex, a long narrative poem thematically insisting on the truth of the Klackon truism "it is better to do one's own task poorly than to your neighbor's well" (50 gold)
  -- what seems to be a collection of individual note strands, gathered into one larger account, on the topic of "biochemistry"; there are references to "recent discoveries", "mutagenic potentialities", and other abstruse things, it would take some time to research thoroughly
• an estoc-type two-hand sword made of an exotic material, retained by the party

Experience Earned

• 1360 from treasure
• 450 from Klackon guards x 4 (100 ea. + hp)
• 327 from Newborns x 2 (150 ea. + hp, granted because of the encounter as a whole)
• 200 to each character for deeper exploration into the 6th House and negotiations with its inhabitants

The Cut

• 912 xp to each character (456 to Vlana)
• 370 gp per character (176 gp to Vlana, 36 gp each to Barabajagal and Warda)
• the collection of Klackon research notes
• the strange two-hand sword of exotic note

Durham's Log, Entry 2: "Crypt of Dalan"

(written by Joel, player of Durham the fighting-man, regarding the recent expedition to the Necropolis and earning Durham 100 xp per level):

Crypt of Dalan

At a lesser known tavern frequented by New adventurers I found two new compatriots. Ravna of the Survivors and Tassel, with no clear objective in mind but the spirit of adventure within us I suggest an expedition into the Tel. 

We also hired warrior Klackon named Ix and a martial artist named Bridne. 

Ix is a strange creature, one would easily mistake her for a monster of the Tel than an adventurer. But she possesses great strength as she nearly slayed the strange monster we encounter by herself. I would gladly seek her assistance in the future. 

Bridne is another matter while eager, hand to hand combat proved to be ineffective in the Tel. I would seek her assistance if I were going after pirates, bandits or a more human foe. 

Under my leadership the party explored one of the three tower ruins. I found a hidden chamber with some gilded sacrificial service in it. I also found a statue with seven gem eyes, but did not take them, as I found them to be recognizable. I like my treasure easy to fence, plus while I do not mind reclaiming treasure from the tome, I know others do and may seek vengeance. However, Ravna did not mind and took the gems. 

Ravna and Tassel were fairly quiet on this adventure. Ravna seems to have an interest in biology as he took parts from the monster after it was defeated. 

We returned with a fair bit of treasure, I can spend my time with other pursuits. 

 

Session # 5: Under the Heroön of Dalan

Her alchemical researches disturbed by strange dreams of a waterfall echoing through deep caverns and what lies beyond--or so she has mentioned now and again to others at Cothon-Under-Star in a private moment--Ravna, one of the Survivors of the Tel, now seeks out adventure to take her mind off her weird dreams and research difficulties.

Unable to find anyone immediately at Cothon-Under-Star, Ravna arrives at one of the lesser watering holes around the harbor where she finds Durham, new-come adventurer to the city, trying to talk Tassel (and the scribes remind "Tassel" that he can correct the spelling of his name, or whatever needs correcting), another new face come seeking wealth and success in the Mother of Cities, into a delve into the Necropolis of the Tel, whence he has heard the Survivors of the Tel discovered the strange mechanical kyni-bird, Nassr.

Acquiescing to Durham's lead, both Ravna and Tassel made preparations to enter into the Necropolis; Ravna sought fighting-Klackon "Ix" to hire again, while Durham secured the services of one Bridne Murcada, a "bloodbelt" of the open-hand style of the Three Shapes Fighting School. Tassel, lacking funds, trusted in his own bow.

So the company set out for the Tel al Safina, leaving through the Gate of Mourners to follow the Pallbearers' Way after the news has come to town that the Kzinti Great Moot has broken up, and the tribes have moved away from their erstwhile camp at the mouth of the Colossian Temenos.

• Ravna (magic-user 1), accompanied by Ix (Thri-Kreen 1)
• Durham (fighter 1), accompanied by Bridne Murcada (likely lass)
• Tassel (fighter 1)

The five return largely unscathed; Ix alone sports some sign of injury with her cracked carapace, with the fibrous filaments of bacta bacterio-fungi binding together the splintered chitin of her exoskeleton.

Ravna hauls an ichor-soaked sack into the back rooms of Cothon-Under-Star, where lie the alchemical laboratories, while her compatriots seek out merchants and fences to liquidate the treasures taken from the catacombs of the Necropolis.

Taking her small cut of 25 gold to save up for her dream of becoming a master-swordswoman, Bridne returns to the Fighting-School eager to relate a tale of being attacked by strange statues in the depths of the Tel, and how when Durham called her to battle, she rose eagerly to it--and personally struck down one of the weird guardians!

Meanwhile, as the stars begin their swift coursing in the night sky above, Ix is already well into her cups under the Mother Whelk of Cothon-Under-Star, drinking deep of the moldy yeast-thickened beer preferred by her kind, buying rounds of the like for other Klackons, and in a pique of humor, insisting that her human associates of the Survivors of the Tel also take a sip. Through the translations of Torkol and others familiar with Klackon communication, a story emerges: the party sought through many tombs of solder-sailors of old, finding little here or there, until the placement of a certain stone into an altar opened a secret vestibule. Further on, a stair led to further  darkness below, and after short a short exploration therein, two statues were discovered, which came to life and attacked! Yet when slain, they transformed into bundles of ropy tentacles.

Her descriptions match certain things observed by a previous expedition into the Necropolis; surely other mysteries await those who would delve deeper into the Tel ...

Treasure

• 23 silver pieces
• 2 gems (100 ea.) = 200 gp
• gilded sacrificial service (1100 gp)
• 7 "eye" gems (anyone wishing to get full value from these must use downtime Finding the Right Buyer)
• ornate jeweled scimitar (300 gp)
• body of strange ganglion-and-tentacle creature

Experience Earned

• 2902 from treasure
• 529 from ganglion-creatures x2 (250 + hp ea.)
• 200 xp to each character for exploring a level II area

The Cut

• 1344 xp per character (572 for Ix)
• 806 gp, 1 sp, 1 cp per character (403 gp, 5 cp for Ix, 80 gp, 6 sp for Bridne Murcada)
• gold earned can be increased by "finding the right buyer" for those 7 gems; xp is already accounted for

In-character play reports (or art or maps or such artefacts) will earn 100 xp per level for any player-character who provides them, and will be posted to this blog to be read or seen by others.

Please let me know in the comments on this blog, or via Discord or some other method of communication as to what Downtime Activities your characters are interested in pursuing.

Torkol's Investigations into the Tel

 As reported by Torkol (written by Jacob and earning Torkol 100 xp per level), concerning his recent delve returning to the Necropolis of the Tel:

Having heard stories of mysterious witches under the Tel that oppose the KzinTi, Torkol gathered up a group of fellow adventurers on an expedition to seek out these witches and see what they are about.

Setting out as others have, along the coast and heading up the side of the Tel we ran afoul of some socalled Kzin “heroes” who we were able to dispatch quickly. Continuing on, and knowing that those we seek frequent the crypts, we made our way to the crypt less frequented by the KzinTi.

In short order after entering the crypt we found our way down stairs, and into the belly of the thing. Here we found a handful of treasures as we made our way systematically searching for signs of the witches.

One of the tombs we visited held a strange living rock creature which fired upon us, disintegrating the arm of one of our fellows. After which we quickly backed away and moved on, not having heard of any such thing in the stories of the witches, and not wanting any further body parts melted away.

Shortly after, while investigating another off-set tomb, we were beset by a strange shadowed creature. Not a shadow itself, perhaps, but close enough to one that our party decided to back away. It taking the time to swear a curse over Fedalious, a new adventuring companion who stood his ground valiantly, or perhaps our whole party, it remains to be seen. Regardless, we were able to make our way away from this monster and continue our investigations.

We came upon a great alter which surely would have held great riches, but we knew not how to open the thing, and so we continued on. Further discovering an additional passage down into the depths of the Tel, but feeling we’d searched enough, and a general consensus of concern regarding the shadow-thing from before, we concluded our search for the day.

Making our way back from whence we came, along the face of the Tel towards the beach, our expert guide, Harrava, allowed us to circumvent a gathering of Alkari. And in short order we returned, weather in both coin and knowledge than when we had left.

A Map of the Tel al Safina

In hopes that this will help orient parties setting out from Cothon on expeditions to delve into the depths of the Tel:

 

It should be noted that there are a number of sea-caves riddling the headlands further north, beyond the Ocean's Throat; these are known haunts for clans of the Alkari and the Sakkra, and periodically home also to mighty sro, pale serudla, and dreaded haqel.

There is also a "lesser" spire north of the Great Spire of the Klackons; and doubtless there are other smaller entrances into the Tel, as the whole mound is riddled with caves and catacombs.

The Tower Invincible is the only completely intact remainder of the old city of Tsur; it is remembered that no missile hurled by catapult or trebuchet could wrack it, for it is surrounded by a field of power that deflects all such missiles; but that a man on foot might be able to find some secret way, or invisible gate, and thus gain entrance.

This Tower is also the source of the terrible Elver Worms that emerge once every generation or so to wreak their desolation. The last such to come forth was during the Office of Anno and Arrahmni as Soufets, and it was Lost Vrialta, then but a squire of the Knights Pylaean, who dealt that Worm its death-knell, and thus secured his reputation as "the greatest warrior of his age" before his Disapperance.

As to the rest of the Ruins of Tsur al Qadim, they have been picked over by generations seeking old artefacts or buried treasures; and yet, they are wide, and sometimes secrets are dis-covered even now. The crumbling towers and slumping walls also offer shelter or hiding places to various bands of highwaymen, or to wandering creatures inimical to Man, so that one should be wary when venturing along the broken thoroughfares. The safest path east from Cothon to the Tel is along the Pallbearers' Way, from the Gate of Mourners to the Necropolis in the Colossian Temenos. This road is regularly patrolled by the Poor Brothers of the Dead, a warrior-mourning society.

The News in Cothon

 The dual-city of Cothon-Gadeed breathes a collective sigh of relief this day, as word has finally come in from the Chora hinterlands--the Great Moot of the Kzinti is breaking up again. The Braves have been blooded as Heroes in their various hunts and violent games, and now the Chieftains and Patriarchs are leading their bands back out into the southern desert and plains, leading coffles of new slaves, new-traded Kzinretti, and their herds of kine.

The Soufets, the Hanse, and various of the merchant-princes of the Mother City are pleased that there was no repeat of the cycle of feuds and bloodshed from the last Moot, though no doubt there are many among the military classes who would have preferred a bit of rioting, to test their spears against the claws of the Kzinti.

Meanwhile, the Kantor Kalbjauhof of the Hanse has increasingly been filled with a flurry of activity--the putting away of great stores, the coming of throngs for the cherished pay of working as an oarsman, and the clamor of armorers. For two great works are being there undertaken:

First is the continued preparation by Captain-General Zaytar the Northerner for his upcoming campaign against the Luwian Pirates that seem sometimes to rule the whole of Dirac's Sea. Citizens of Cothon-Gadeed are of course disbarred from joining in or directly contributing to this service to a foreign state; but many more than citizens dwell in the Mother of Cities, and many of the metics, foreign-residents, freedmen, and slaves--bound by no law against contributing--are flocking to the Kantor seeking employment in Zaytar's great project.

Secondly, more immediately, a smaller expedition is being prepared by Telman of Tsipa, also a Captain of the Hanse. He has been tasked by the Mormaers to put an end to the threat to shipping posed by the Denyen Akho, that dread terror of the deeps, the "embracer of ships". Telman, a young "brightening star" of the Hanse's fleet, has also been granted a special charter by the Soufets of Cothon-Gadeed such that he is allowed even to hire the help of citizens, so terrible has the been the wrack to trade done by the Akho.

Parties interested in either project are invited to inquire at the guest-house of the Kantor Kabljauhof.

Coinciding with the breakup of the Kzinti's Great Moot, and with it, the opening again of the Necropolis of the Tel to the Mourning Societies and various other sects, preparations have begun in the city for the Long Wake and accompanying Peganan Games, both to begin in one week's time. Offering-cakes of bran and sekeker sweet-wax are baking in the public ovens, while great quantities of butter are cooked down to ghee by the Mourners to be poured out as libations for the dead.

And in the Arena-district, the Coreguyi Arena is alive with its own preparations--the gladiators all treated to massages in oil, baths of wine, and all the sweet things of life before the violence of the Games, while the clang and clatter of their armorers preparing their weapons foreshadow the clangor of arms that will rise from the arena in due time.

Razo's Research and Sesel's Sparring

 Research into the Nature of the Mechanical Bird Nassr (week ending 11/21)

While on the one hand turning over in their hands the strange metallic shell of a kyni falcon that is the artefact Nassr, seeking its secrets, Razo and Kenawi also plumbed the library of Cothon-Under-Star for any clues as to its authenticity as the "Nassr" of the legendary Hamdi the Voyager. Certain clues presented themselves, and a means to "awaken" the bird and to send it forth as a spy to scout the way ahead of its "wielder" were discovered.

Also, a more obscure account of Hamdi before he became "the Voyager" was discovered by Razo during this search. The phrases "Green Door" and "vampires" are floated about the tavern of Cothon-Under-Star thereafter, whispered after eavesdropping on Razo and Avin in close conversation, but the meanings are obscure, and the pair are chary with their information.

(the question as to Nassr's nature remains open to further investigation)

Meanwhile, following an expedition's return from the Necropolis of the Tel al-Safina, Razo's research seems to have turned to other interests:

Research into "What is to be placed into the Castle of Dalan's Ship?" (week ending 11/28)

First, a "brief" primer in history; Razo surely knows this sketch of history, and Fidelius has likely heard a romanticized version in the epics and tales that he learns for his profession:

When the city of Tsurr alQadim was only gathering her strength in youth, and yet the Tel alSafina was already old (and that is a deeper history, not to be delved here), there was a revolt against the king of Tsurr, one Tukult Filibnulktar III. This Tukult III. was slain in battle; and in his place was raised up one who claimed ancient and direct descendance from Dalan the Ancient, Dalan the Pure, who had battled alongside the Gods in their First & Final War against the Demons.

With such lineage, this new king styled himself Dalan II. (though there had never been any King Dalan I. of Tsurr, for Dalan the Pure was ancient even then, far older than the city's founding). And he went on to become a warrior-king, terrible to his enemies and munificent to his friends, and he broke several cities along the coast and yoked them into an alliance.

And so it was that when the Blind Legion of the Doulii Klackons marched their Immortal Columns into the land, it was Dalan II. who defied them, and turned them southward in their defeat, and thus he earned the epithet "the Great", though he was also called "the Blind" down through the legends.

Thus it was that Dalan II. sired the Dalanian Dynasty, which lasted down through many generations, and included the ruthless Dalan IV. who used the Aegis of the Demon Queen to such evil throughout the kingdom and raised such ire against himself.

And (before his dynasty) at the height of his power and hubris, Dalan II. is said to have sallied against the Demons of the Fortress Moon, and that this is what broke his power and allowed his son to usurp the throne. Accounts differ--"marching through the gates of the Moon" or "sailing up the River of Stars"--but it's not entirely clear that this legendary is not actually just a tale told to signify Dalan II. as Dalan the Ancient, and to unite the twain in the epics, so that when Dalan strikes down Xiphus, it is unclear which of the two is meant ...

But as to Razo's research:

Amongst the stacks of the library at Cothon-Under-Star, among the codices and folios of notes, devoted to alchemical formulae, the science of fermentation, the distillation of perfumes and essences, and various primers on the Klackon language (and including a collection of knotted silken Strand-records), there are some few works of literature and history ...

One such is the authoritative Commentary on the Eyes of the King by Ion Bangluub, in which the author corroborates or debunks what he can of the semi-legendary epic The Eyes of the King.

According to Bangluub, the literary conceit that Dalan II. gave one Eye to the Shipwrights, to aid in the guiding of their galleys, is attested in ancient carvings of Dalan II. clearly depicted with one eye, and with the ships of his fleet around him bearing an eye exactly the same in style as his own upon their prow (as ships are still so-painted today).

And as to the subsequent "myth" that Dalan took his second Eye to give to his phalangites, "in order to meet the enemy not eye-to-eye, but hand-to-hand and knife-to-knife," Bangluub again gives credence, supported by the fact that the Blind Priests of Dalan were always twain, and that they were paired with the names of the dual-Soufets for a time, until the decline of the Hero-cult of Dalan II., when his royalistsic implications became "impolitic".

The Guild of Shipwrights and Oarsmen still maintain their devotion to the Cult of Dalan, though on much smaller scale than when it was the state cult of Tsurr alQadim; they are said to continue to possess the Eye of the Fleet given them by Dalan II., which, perforce, belongs in the Castle of the Ship of State. Lesser altars represent the Eye as a specially-built lantern shining its guiding light for the true navigation of ships. The Eye is placed into its altar especially at the end of the Stormy Season of Dirac's Sea to inaugurate the next fleet of trade galleys and to guide them on their way.

The other Eye of the Phalanx is said to have been lost; some say during the assault on the Fortress Moon; more "grounded" legends also abound, claiming it to have been lost whether to another City, or to various tribes of Klackons, artefact-obsessed Alkari, warmongering Kzinti, or even lost to the depths of the Elder Trilarians ...

(this question remains open; but the library at Cothon-Under-Star has no further answers. The Guild of Shipwrights or the Klackons of the City present obvious, though possibly expensive options for furtherance; and perhaps there are more adventurous avenues?)

The Friendship of Sesel and Xixachxit (week ending 11/28)

First hired by neophyte adventurers a couple of weeks ago, to join an expedition into the Great Spire of the Attine Klackons of the northern slope of Tel alSafina, Xixachxit, called by humans "Ix" out of simplicity, desired merely to do a deed, make a wage, and return to her tribe warrior-blooded.

But she was called out through the interpreter Torkol to remain a while at Cothon-Under-Star and to spar a little with Sesel, and to go through her katas with him ... and reluctantly she agreed, but much to her surprise, she came to enjoy leading this two-armed man through katas meant for four-armed Thri-Kreen free-warriors.

He was sure with his sword, and even though he lacked the full "round" of arms, he was humble in his mistakes and ever eager to learn more. And so during this last week, Ix and Sesel again stood forth in the little courtyard of Cothon-Under-Star they've agreed to use as their sparring-space. Ix took up her arms, literally and figuratively: four seaxes each held in its own hand, while Sesel had only his sword in his one hand; yet, when Ix went at her human cousin--Torkol translates the endearment term somewhat clumsily--Sesel is able to block and parry nearly every stroke, almost as if he has invisible antennae as sensitive to air-vibration as the Klackons' own ...

Worthy opponent, Torkol translates for Sesel afterwards as Ix chatters away. Doj would see. One blade meets four. Shall two meet eight? Ix the free-Klackon chitters laughter? pride? excitement--Sesel will meet Doj. Sesel's edge, Doj's edge. Doj will kill or Doj will teach.