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The World of Teréth End - Chronicles - Othic |
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"Too often days swiftly pass / Weeping in the evening grass / There just is not enough time / Forthings you dreamt you'd do / The hours still drift by. "Too many years, too high a cost / Too many lessons earned but lost / And still you complain all the time / Cursing the days before you / Lamentng the days gone by. "And finally laying in your bed / Staring skyward, nearly dead / It all floods back one last time, / The chances that you left behind / But alas there's little left to do / ... but cry." Dirimoran song  |
Visitors in the Dark Layers are pulled back from the mystery surrounding Dammon Shroudson and the group is given a mission to perform for the High Lord of Oth, a journey which may take them overland to fabled Taldàna, and perhaps to distant Ummon. Dammon sat miserably in his cell of stone. The only sounds came from a drip of water of a distant stone, and the sounds of cockroaches skittering back and forth across the wet rock floor. Footsteps drew him from his meditation, for it was not the sound of the gaoler, but someone new. The dim glow of a lantern swung beyond the doorside bars. Soon, a scarred face appeared in the hallway. A familiar face. This was one of the men who had visited Dammon at Leva's many months before, assaulting Dammon and horribly killing the innkeeper. He had attacked Dammon and left his room in shambles, looking for an amulet. Thirik called for another, a tall lean man with dark but greying hair wearing a heavy black overcoat and mantle of gold and red. The man asked Dammon many questions, convincing him that his interest was the amulet of silver with the blue-green stone. Dammon spoke to the man of what he knew, and told him of some of the things that he remembered since "arriving" in Oth. The conversation between the two lasted for hours with many revelations for each participant. Finally, the visitor agreed to help Dammon. He explained that his contacts might be able to help, and that litigants would be sent to negotiation restitution and his release. In the month of Aldruan, Tressta accepted a season's company in the home of Mardus outside the City. After several day's duties, she was permitted a brief sojourn into Oth to attend to a friend. Tressta ventured to the Naryard where she purchased a formal dress and went about the effort of making herself presentable to the Court. Afterward she walked to the Keep and asked to see the wizard Foulstern and the High Lord. Foulstern agreed to see the young lady, but Carolar, the High Lord's Chamberlain explained that Rott would not be bothered by the matter. Tressta was welcomed into a cozy chamber where she spoke at length with Foulstern, Carolar, and a third unnamed man with long tongues, or perhaps tentacles, which flailed from his lips as he spoke. Foulstern interpreted all that the man said. Tressta pleaded at length for Dammon's release. The men listened, but in the end she was told to leave, and they could see what could be done. Days after leaving Tressta returned to Mardus's home and after some arguement it was decided by Mardus that she was not living up to their arrangement, and was dismissed. Eventually, days maybe weeks later, Dammon was visited by two well-dressed men. The men escorted Dammon to a higher chamber within Kry Shurulm where he was given wine and decent food. The litigants explained to him the nature of his restitution, and identified the sirkùla responsible for his release. Dammon nodded slowly, half-listening to the words that issued around him. He had been given many things to ponder since his last visit, and was letting no time waste. When the men were finished he was led to the keep's front gate, above which hung the dessicated remains of a prisoner, his tawny hair blowing across his frosted face. Dammon wandered north of the city slowly finding his way back to Cenotaph. Returned to his house, he immediately delved into his studies, precious weeks having been lost. A cold spring wind pushed the sailing ship closer and closer to the shore. To the West the bay funneled to a river's mouth and wound away into the new green forest that crowded its banks. The journey from Nazhalyr was over. By watch's end, the master archer stepped from the gangplank onto the bustling docks of Avarlin. The journey had taken longer than he'd expected; it was Maran by the Human calendar, almost a month later than he had planned. Mishara walked the streets of Avarlin listening for news of winter events, but the rumors were quiet. He exchanged his coins for Human currency and set out for Oth with the next sunrise. With the new year, Jak and Saldus visited Eironhold. Black Tom greeted the two outside the pallisades. He directed Jak and Saldus to the donjon where Endren now enjoyed a headquarters without canvas walls. Crossing the courtyard, a small man called down to them from a scaffold mounted high on the donjon wall. Feyd called down in a hushed voice, "Get me out of here!" Inside, they spoke with the congenial Endren about travel to the South and how to find the Land of Ummon. Endren had never been to Ummon, but was familiar with the East coast of Terèthor enough to tell them to seek the City of Candal and venture inland via the river that empties there. After much exchange of news, they returned to Candan. On the 8th of Maran, a messenger arrived in Candan from the northern keep. Its instructions bid the group present themselves at Kry Shurulm with haster. Dammon was summoned from Cenotaph. The next morning, the assembled party walked around the city walls until they came to the barbican of Kry Shurulm. Above the high doors still hanged the weathered body of an unfortunate soul. Looking up, Mishara recognized the corpse as Aren's, its black and shrunken lips pulled back from its teeth in a rictus grin. Within the courtyard, the group was met by a Captain Zulref of the High Guard. Zulref explained that a flock of pigeons had returned to Tyrol two days passed, that belonged to the caravan of Ettegus Tolvor, a merchant who had attempted a spring crossing of the Evalshats. Under normal circumstances, it was explained, this would not be the High Lord's concern. The mountains do not fall under the High Lord's protections, and those that travel into the wilds do so at their own peril. In this case however, the caravan was carrying a message from High Lord Rott to the High Lord of Taldàna. That message should not fall into the wrong hands. The High Lord, having knowledge of the group's wishes for southwardly travel, had also dispatch a small force of soldiers to accompany the rescuers as he promised last year. The soldiers would fall beneath Saldus's command. In addition, he continued, horses would be granted so that the caravan could be found with more haste. The captain finished the "request" by adding that success of the mission would fulfill Dammon's restitution to the High Lord. 09 Oct 1999
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Navigation People Androth
(Wiz10) Introducing Dragontongue:
Few understand the language of the Dágul, fewer can speak it. Because
the sounds necessary to speak the language of the Dàgul is impossible
with only one tongue, those persuing the ability to speak the language
must be 'altered' to do so. Tongue-alteration is a serious
operation that involves removal of 2/3 of the owner's tongue sewing the
edges (half-length) and stitching two more tongues to the base of the
original. Without the proper magic healing and cleansing the process
often ends messily. Altered speakers may not speak non-Dràgul
languages clearly after surgery. Typical tongue length as a result of
this proceedure is 6-8" beyond the speaker's lips. |
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Ref. PHB (Player's Handbook), © Wizards of the Coast  |
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