The hidden

THE HIDDEN
05 THE LIGHTHOUSE
SEGMENT 048
“BACK TO THE DOCKS”
3/23/14

DRAVAGO 26, 999

It takes some time before a ship happens close enough to the island that the group can contact it. (Secretly sent by Silvermane). As promised, RAF breaks the containment shell of the elemental on the lighthouse and jumps off the top into the water. He requires some repair work as he hit shallow water with rocks but he doesn’t seem to mind as he watches the elemental attack the structure it was imprisoned within for years.

They reach shore shortly and quickly move away from the public. They are expecting trouble from the town…. At least from Tuskin. None happens. (again, Silvermane had a hand in this) The group learns the Dragonmarked house is more concerned that the monies were still in their Kundarak account. What happens to the lighthouse once the money has transferred is then Vollax’s responsibility.

Vollax has not returned. The nearest place the ship can be repaired is within Zarash’ak which is 100’s of miles to the south.

In time, the group begins to venture outside in the public again. Rumor has it that Tuskin has had a change of heart- or at least personality. He is a kinder and gentler ½ Orc. Truth wants to know why but as such, the house has placed him on “vacation” and away from others. Truth questions if he has been possessed.

NYMM 20, 999
Truth, thinking that Nines may not be crazy but instead damaged seeks him out. It is not long before he finds the worrisome warforged “Town idiot”.

“Hello Nines.”

“You have returned! I thought the world claimed you already!” blurts out the crazed warforged.

“We are fine. I see you are the same also.”

“Yes!”

Truth sighs mustering all the patience he can. “Nines, have you always worried yourself with the end of the world?”

“It’s coming! We are all doomed!”

“…….. yeah…..” The artificer watches the warforged carefully. “May I try something?”

He stares at the artificer. “Sure….. the world is going to end soon anyway.”

Truth leads him to a quieter area on the dock and has him sit down. “I want to “read” your energies. It will not hurt. May I?”

Nines freezes as if shocked by the notion. “okay…..”

As Truth touches his head he begins to read the arcane matrix that is his life energy. It is complex…. And fractured. It is as if something was taken out and replaced. He concentrates further. For the next ten minutes, neither living construct move or utter a sound. A passerby may think them to be statues. At least one seagull lands on them then leaves (leaving a gift behind on Nines). Truth detects multiple voices…. Not so much personalities… but voices within him. He is not possessed but rather reprogrammed.

“When did you first hear the voices?” he asks quietly.

“Years ago. It told me the world was coming to an end.” Says the warforged.

“Where were you? Here in Yrlag?”

“No….. Breland…. The war…..The… War….. The… War……THE WAR….THEWARTHEWARTHEWARTHEWAR…….” He begins to speak very quickly and loudly.

Truth tries to realign the energy in his life essence but instead he causes the warforged to scream and stand up suddenly. He slaps the artificer’s hands away and turns to leave. Suddenly- the light in his amber eyes goes out and he collapses on the dock making the birds rush away screaming themselves.

“Nines! Nines!..... oh crap. What did I do?”

That night-

RAF and Persia lead the way up the stairs to their common room. They open the door and are stunned by what they see. Nines…. Tied to a bed.

THE HIDDEN
05 THE FINAL WARNING
SEGMENT 048
“EMPLOYMENT”
3/23/14

NYMM 24, 999

RAF really has nearly had it with Truth. Why get involved with Nines?

They nearly killed the warforged as he lay there but the artificer arrived and explained things to the group. Either members didn’t care or didn’t care to understand. This bothers Truth some but he does feel responsible for Nines’ current state of mind (or lack thereof).

“We need money” declares RAF angrily.

They march down to the hiring board on the docks and find a curious note. A gnome from Morgrave is looking to hire adventurers. He has a meeting time at a tavern nearby at night in two days.

NYMM 26, 999

Professor Assimo ir’ Lenni of Morgrave University is quietly sipping a drink at the Mermaid’s Mischief. This tavern has women that are… of a specific moral code and appearance. Witt seems to approve.

As soon as Truth sees the studious gnome he regrets coming. Quietly he whispers- “we should go now. Leave the place…. Before something happens.”

RAF ignores him and looks for the contact and sees him. The gnome is telling a story to a large chested woman who is laughing loudly. The gnome wears glasses that make his eyes look bigger than giants. Scrolls cover his body like padded armor. He has a bag with more scrolls and rolled up (and heavily traveled) maps. He looks harmless- even pathetic.

“You are seeking adventurers?” States RAF.

“Oh good! More help!”

Cy leans to Persia- “More?”

“I had hired a group earlier this week but…. Well things became tenuous at best.”

RAF stares as he tries to guess what the gnome just said. Fancy words are not a fighter’s weapon. Damned Gnomes and their words.

“What are you hiring adventurers for?” asks Tom (whom has collected a new bear animal companion).

“I am looking to adventure into the swamp and map the area referred as The Mist.” A subtle hush crosses over the tavern. The gnome looks around as if someone broke wind and he is trying to hide it. As his gaze crosses over Truth he hesitates and blinks repeatedly at him.

“What are the Mists? I have heard of the Mists but know nothing of it.” Replies Witt. “People refer to it much like they do the Mournlands.”

“Yes! They are similar!” says the gnome with a great big contagious smile. “Like the Mournlands- there is a mist there that people enter and leave with never passing through it. Others never return. Whoever maps it first will be forever talked about within the halls of Morgrave. The gnome looks to Truth whom has his hand covering his face somewhat.

“What happened to the others?” asks Cy.

“Mishaps. Poor souls were not up for the adventure.”

“But you are here.” Adds Tom.

“Lucky I guess.” The gnome quickly and happily adds.

“Lucky my nuts and bolts” Truth grumbles quietly. Persia notes his disdain for the gnome but keeps it to herself.

“What are the terms?” asks RAF.

Silver a day for each of you. You get to keep a portion of anything we find that Morgrave won’t want.”

RAF nods and agrees.

“Excellent! Let’s begin tonight!” Shouts the gnome happily as he hops out of his chair and tosses a few coins onto the table.

“I don’t think this will end well.” Whispers Truth to no one in particular.

THE HIDDEN
05 THE FINAL WARNING
SEGMENT 049
“SCRATCHES”
3/23/14

NYMM 26, 999

The gnome races for the door and trips on his own robe. When he falls there is a clear “Meow!” sound. Everyone stops and looks down at the gnome. Something is wiggling and moving about under his robes. RAF readies his sword and Witt his touch as the thing under the robes exits near the legs. The nastiest looking and most pitiful looking cat familiar stumbles free of the robe. Fur is missing from one paw, an ear is chopped, mismatched colored eyes and a terribly bent (broken) tail can be quickly seen on the cat. Tuffs of hair that are different color and texture are on its back and hip.

“Scratches…. You yet live.” Comments Truth.

Persia turns on him. “You DO know him! How?”

“I met him at Morgrave. I know more ‘of’ him than I know for sure.” Uncertain of what the artificer is getting at, the others continue to stare and wait.

“This is Assimo ir’ Lenni or “Lucky Lenni” as many of the students called him. Some say he got this name because he can be a lech and womanizer and others say he is lucky to just be alive. People around him tend to become involved in mishaps or disasters.” Truth nods at the mangy cat as proof.

“Comon! We have to stop at my room first. It’s just down here.” The gnome motions down the docks to an area used for short time residents.

He grabs his familiar and whisks away with a quiet ”meow”. The gnome goes “ow” as RAF grabs him up.

“Why such a hurry?” asks the paranoid warforged.

“I’m excited!”

Looking to avoid trouble that is seeking him out guesses Truth.

Truth holds back and motions for the others to hold back. RAF carries the gnome over his shoulder like a sack of wheat. If the gnome minds- he never says anything. “Down there- on the right.”

Persia hangs back to speak to Truth when she notes there is something in the night sky. Something big.
She motions to the sky but everyone dismisses it. Then she sees a flame. Her first thought is the Emerald Claw has returned.

If Only.

THE HIDDEN
05 THE FINAL WARNING
SEGMENT 050
“FINAL WARNING OR YRLAG BURNS AT NIGHT”
3/23/14

NYMM 26, 999

The apartments before them suddenly explode into a fiery mess. The raw heat washes over the group. Some taking minor damage from the intensity of it. Then a powerful rush of air knocks over everyone but Persia whom drops to all fours but not prone. Cy and Tom fall into the water.

Even as everyone is getting up they feel the ripple effect on the dock as something hits the docks nearby.

A

COLOSSAL

RED

DRAGON

“I WARNED YOU NOT TO ENTER THE SWAMPS! ONE FINAL WARNING BUT TO ALL OF THE SETTLEMENT OF YRLAG. DO. NOT. ENTER. THE. SWAMPS. TO. THE. SOUTH. OR ELSE!”

The dragon gazes over the docks. “YOU!” it calls out. “You….” it says casting fear as it glares at the group. Truth begins to crawl into whatever darkness he can. Reddox has come for him.

The gnome is fumbling about looking for something within his robes. With every third or fourth pat one can hear a “meow” as Scratches is patted…hard. RAF strongly believes the dragon is here for the gnome.

Witt stops while on his knees. He looks into the flames and can hear something coming. Three very big wasps zip directly through the raging flames and debris. They attack RAF, Assimo and the new Fuzzy. Everyone is stung and the gnome is losing it quickly. RAF destroys his wasp and moves on to deal with the gnome’s wasp. The bear swats and bites his wasp even as it becomes weaker from the poison.

The dragon turns away from them and breathes fire onto another dock nearby. The bear’s wasp is killed leaving the one on the gnome. The gnome proudly finds the wand he was looking for under his robes and with a loud – “Ah-Hah!” he swings it out pointing to blast the wasp. His arm (and wand) whisks over and into the fire. Between the poison and the pain of the fire- he drops the magical wand into the flames.

Only Witt saw it- “IN COMING!”

Even as several of the others dive into the water thinking the dragon is attacking them again the wand explodes. Both RAF and the gnome take damage. The wand mainly exploded down and out into the dock and flames.

“This can’t be happening….” Says RAF as he grabs the gnome and prepares to jump into the water when there is a loud crackle and crack.

“Seriously….?” RAF says as the dock under his feet collapses. Both he and the gnome fall into the water.

The gnome teleports away with Scratches as they hit the water. RAF is really ticked at this point.

Just when they think it can’t get worse, Truth (the only one on the docks still) is seen by other creatures summoned by the dragon as it leaves. Two winged Apes charge towards him.

“Nope. I don’t think so.” Says Truth as he rolls into the water from the burning dock.

“Damned gnome.” Grumbles RAF.

“We’re on the clock… a silver a day…..” says Truth.

THE HIDDEN
06 THE DRUID
SEGMENT 051
“ IS IT GONE? ”
4/06/14

NYMM 27, 999

The group inventory injuries and repairs that need to be made. RAF requires the most attention.

“What next?” Asks Persia.

“Find the Gnome.” Answers Truth seeing the fires are dying down already. He also checks to the sky occasionally. He is not entirely certain the Dragon wasn’t looking for him.

“..And kill him.” Says RAF bitterly.

“No. But we are on the clock. A silver a day. If takes ten days to find him, he owes us ten silvers apiece. I plan to collect.” Corrects the artificer as he looks over RAF’s dented shoulder protector.

“Then what are we waiting for?” comes a quiet squeaky whisper from nowhere.

“the gnome?!?” exclaims Cy as he looks for the source of the voice.

“Is the dragon gone?” asks the Gnome map Maker.

“Where is he?” asks Cy.

Persia looks to a pile of damaged and slightly burnt crates on the dock. “Hi- I’m here.”

“We can’t see you, stupid.” replies Witt.

“Is he gone?” repeats the voice.

“Appears so.” Answers the artificer as he finishes up with RAF.

Persia walks over to the crates now and steps back quickly when she hears a screech and feels something under her foot. Scratches, the cat familiar wreck of an animal reappears as the shared invisibility spell begins to leave. Assimo ir’ Lenni also reappears with a bit of smolder still coming off of his hat. The once pointed hat has a definite bend in it now. He tries to straighten it a few times then gives up. “I can’t figure out why that dragon appeared as he did.”

“Been to the swamps?” asks Persia.

Silence

Painful silence

“We could still go to those ruins and map it for Morgrave.” The gnome professor says with a big smile.

“Gets us out of the city. I don’t want to be blamed for these fires also.” Agrees Cy.

“Swamp gives us an area to avoid the dragon.” Also says Truth looking to and fro in case the dragon Reddox may reappear.

“But that’s EXACTLY where the dragon said NOT to go!” exclaims Tom looking at his burnt and battered bear. The thought of losing a third animal in a month hurts.

“Let him come. I’d rather fight him than hide from him.” Answers RAF in defiance.

“Then its agreed on.” Says the gnome as looks around. “uh…. Which way?” The Map maker is lost in the dark and with his room having been burnt down.

Several mutual groans and face-palms occur.

THE HIDDEN
06 THE DRUID
SEGMENT 053
“RETURN TO THE SWAMP”
4/06/14

NYMM 28, 999

They march into the swamp and continue into the night. The sun is just beginning to glow on the horizon when Cy hears something moving with the group. Concentrating on the sound, the source seems to be following them.

Looking that way they spot eye shine.

Wolves.

Rather than have unnecessary violence and death of animals, Tom communicates with them.

“Hungry.”

“We are not the food you want.”

“Swamp is changing. Food taste funny. Hungry.”

“We are too powerful for you. Leave us. Find other food.”

“Hungry.”

Tom removes some trail rations and tosses them to the lead wolf. It sniffs at the dried meat and fruit. “Hungry for meat- fresh meat.”

“You cannot eat these two but they can destroy you and your pack.”

The wolf looks at RAF whom is trying to understand what Tom is doing through his grunts, growls and strange body language.

“What are you doing?” asks Cy.

“She cast a spell to communicate with the wolves…. I think.” Answers the artificer.

“Correct. I am trying to convince them to find easier food. Mice, rats or a rabbit even.” Says Tom while not removing his eyes from the pack leader.

“I like rabbits.” Says the gnome looking down at his muddy slippers.

Tom repeats his suggestion to the wolves.

“They speak to me.” Offers the gnome quietly.

The wolf pack leader begins to pace. She truly believes the group may be the last available food here.

“I like rabbits. “ repeats the gnome whom weaves an unseen spell. Everyone is ignoring the annoying and pathetic gnome.

The sound of something in the brush can be heard. The wolf pack all turn to it. “Food” is the last thing Tom understands as the pack quickly run to the sound for the hunt.

They stop shortly after this to rest. Tom recounts the entire conversation to the group. Truth questions what they meant by the changed water and different tasting food.

Having rested they continue on. Before long they reach a thick area of brush. Within the brush they see a structure.

“Oh goody! We’re there!” exclaims the happy Gnome.

THE HIDDEN
06 THE DRUID
SEGMENT 054
“RUINED TEMPLE”
4/06/14

NYMM 28, 999

“What are these?” asks Cy as he steps up through the thick brush before the ruins.

“Looks like grave stone markers.” offers Witt.

“What is written on them?” asks Persia.

Truth tries to translate but doesn’t know the language. He has seen it before however. Before he can ask anyone else the gnome to stumbling and tripping over scrolls as he is hurriedly trying to find a blank piece to begin to map and take notes on.

Witt decides to check out the ruins. Cy and Persia are quick to follow.

Truth looks around for signs of activity with Tom and Fuzzy, the second bear animal companion to Tom in a week. They find no tracks or signs of activity.

Persia goes to the ruins of an old tower first. There is little here. She spots stairs going down and investigates. Below is just a dank and dark area with leave litter and when disturbed- lots of bugs. As she leaves, Truth follows her and checks out the tower by himself. He finds nothing either.

RAF waits outside. He distrusts the gnome and wants to keep an eye on him.

The ruins may once have been a part of a temple. There are stairs and the remains of four columns at the top of the stairs. Two entrances. One leads to a hallway with two more sets of stairs. One going up and the other goes down.

Cy tries up first. There is a small exposed room here. The floor is rotted and looks like anything heavier than the gnome will bring it all crashing down. Persia goes down. She finds the basement is similar to the tower remains. Boring.

The gnome does a few rubbings on the wall. RAF ignores him as he is distracted by the grave stones. His imagination runs wild as he keeps thinking something is rising up through the earth.

Witt looks about and finds a broken statue. All that remains is two clawed feet and a tail that swept to the front. “Dragon?” He wonders to himself out loud.

By this point Assimo has nearly circled the entire temple taking measurements magically and writing them down. Though he has not offered it, he knows what this temple was once and who used it. Orcs. And they worshiped the dragon Vvaraak whom taught the orcs druid magic.

Persian finds a room that a door remains very intact. Witt twists the wood frame the door rests within and thus it merely falls in. Looking through the debris she finds a clay ceramic vase that feels heavy. She is tempted to open it but decides to ask Truth first.

As she begins to step down the steps leading into the temple things begin to happen. Cy, kneeling before a grave stone attempting to read the carved runes notes the ground is pushing up! “The dead rise! He calls out in a panic. By time Persia with the vase reaches Truth, Tom is calling out that there are things in the thick swamp rising and walking towards them.

Assimo is too caught up in his map to listen.

As about three dozen skeletons approach the group Witt is quick to pull out his holy symbol (dagger over a heart…. Eerie) They are surrounded. The cleric of Death begins to demand the undead to leave. Those closest to him stop and wander into the thick brush. It is at this point the gnome looks up. Scratches has been meowing for several seconds now. His two different colored eyes wide in fear. “Skeletons!” he calls out.

Duh.

The group tries to group up or position themselves so that the skeletons can’t attack all at once. Witt concentrates again demands they leave at the top of his voice. Most of them turn and go into the brush. The remaining few are easily dispatched.

“What brought that on?” asks Persia.

Everyone looks at her and the vase in her hands.

THE HIDDEN
06 THE DRUID
SEGMENT 055
“THE VASE”
4/06/14

NYMM 28, 999

“I found this in there. I considered opening it-“

“NO!” calls out Truth with Cy being quick to agree.

“What is it?” the catfolk adventurer asks.

“Allow me.” Says the warforged artificer as he carefully places a metal tipped finger on the ceramic vase. For a moment – nothing happens. Then His normal artificial vision is replaced with patterns of energy. Magical energies glow brightest. The vase is surrounded but magic. The purplish- black energy suggests necromantic energy. Old. Powerful.

“Not a vase- it’s an urn.” Says the warforged.

Assimo watches with interest. He is watching the artificer closely. Something about this creature……

“Well- as agreed, that vase is Morgrave University property. May I?” says the gnome reaching out to grasp it.

“NO!” calls out most of the group at once.

“It was in our agreement.” Whines the gnome map maker.

RAF is deciding whether to kill the gnome and break the vase to destroy whatever is in it or destroy the vase first then kill the gnome. Maybe kill the gnome WITH the vase……

“Yes, but…..” his words trail off to silence.” Truth doesn’t fear… he KNOWS the gnome will drop the vase.

After a quick discussion, they decide to place the vase on the ground and walk thirty feet away. Then the gnome may go to it to carry it. (safer- right?) The gnome is annoyed by the distrust but at least he gets the vase to return to the university (and hopes to be taken more seriously by the university as such).

The gnome walks up to the vase. Scratches ducks under his robes in the pouch the gnome made for him within his robes. He picks up the ceramic pot carefully. It is heavier than he thought it would be. He begins to walk slowly to them. His feet brushing on the robes that drag on the ground. Everyone is waiting for a mishap of clumsiness to happen.

“See. We’re good.” Says the gnome to RAF. He turns to show Truth and gets his feet twisted in the robe and he stumbles forward. But catches his balance. “Hee…. We’re good.” Blushes the map maker.

The gnome turns to leave. Truth shakes his head and says it is time to go. The gnome turns quickly- “But I haven’t finished map….”

Crap happens.

The urn falls up and out of the gnomes hands and strikes the warforged in the chest. Light gray ash bursts out and coats the artificer from head to toe. It is within his robes even.

If RAF could smile he would be now.

“Ahhhhhh!” calls out the artificer as he quickly pulls off the robes and reveals he is wearing pants today. The gnome begins to ask about the pants as the artificer is now trying to get the ash out of his pants.

The vase somehow didn’t break but ALL of the contents were spilt. Spilt on the warforged.

The ash seems to have gotten under the light metal plates and joints of the wood also. Truth is VERY unhappy. It takes a long time to get most of it off of him.

“At least the vase is lighter now….. easier to carry.” Smiles the gnome in embarrassment.

“Should we camp here?” asks Cy.

“No. I don’t want to be here if more skeletons or worse … return.” Suggests the warforged soldier.

So they allow the gnome to finish his mapping. He places the maps into the urn, and happily marches after the leaving group.

THE HIDDEN
06 THE DRUID
SEGMENT 056
“THE PRISONERS AND THE CABIN”
4/06/14

LHARVION 1, 999

It is late, the group is tired. They are walking through the swamp again. Truth is thinking about something he thought he saw. He thought he saw the gnome reading inscriptions that he believes is Xoriat in origin.

Fuzzy the bear, pauses. Cy also slows down. “Did you hear something?” He listens carefully himself. Tom looks into the darkness where his animal companion is looking.

“Someone is calling out over there.” says Cy. Everyone stops except the gnome whom walks into Truth. He blinks his eyes through the incredibly magnifying glasses he wears and pokes truth as if to be certain he is real. Truth looks down at him. The gnome smiles then returns to looking at the vase.

“I heard it now.” Says the catfolk adventurer.

They try to quietly tread towards the noise.

Bullywugs.

And two men tied with leads to the frog men.

Without much hesitation, the group rushes forward. Bullywugs were kidnapping Yrlag citizens a months ago. They have no love for the swamp creatures.

They don’t last long. Most die quickly, the rest run for it. Their ability to move in the swamp is amazing.

The prisoners are happy to be free and suggest there are four more kidnapped boys taken by other Bullywugs deeper into the swamp. RAF wants to go. Now.

“But we need to return this vase to Yrlag.” Offers the gnome with a hurt frown.

“And these people need to be returned to Yrlag also. We go.” Commands Truth.

“Fine…. But it’s on your time- The University doesn’t cover freeing innocents…. Only artifacts and the truth.” He says with a smile looking up at Truth.

Disappointed by them ignoring his pun, the gnome follows. Truth is twitchy under his robe. Damned ash.

They soon spot the creatures. They are guarding a cabin that is located next to a river and is on rock (a rare thing in the swamps). Persia and Witt try to flank the cabin as the others hold position.

RAF decides the hell with holding position- and charges.

He charges through the group of frogmen directly at two that are close to the cabin. One wears a robe and the other holds a better club than the others.

Just before the charge of RAF, a few of the frogmen suspected there was something in the swamp nearby. They had given a gentle croak that was heard as a warning by the robed bullywug. He summons a crocodile to the general area of the sound. He successfully calls up and controls the creature but places it in the wrong spot. It is nowhere near Witt but it is near Fuzzy, Tom and Cy.

Wanting to stop any further casting of spells, Witt calls up a thick mist to obscure the creature’s vision. However, it obscures EVERYONE’s vision. Wild swings are made by RAF and Witt. Some connect- others do not.

The bear crushes the head of the crocodile before it can attack.

From within the cabin, someone inside hears the battle and investigates. The mists hide the source of the conflict and his presence. The druid turns into a bird and flies high through the mist to a tree. Drobin, the evil druid, appears as the bird grows and melts its form into a black robed human (?). He doesn’t recognize the catfolk below him but he does Truth. Hate and anger rises in him. This makes twice this warforged and his team has interfered in his work.

Tom drops a flaming sphere into the mist to evaporate the mist. He nearly cooks Witt in the process. Being able to see the targets now, Persia, Cy and Tom begin to strike the remaining bullywugs from the distance. Deciding this is not the time, the druid changes into a bird once more and flies away.

Inside the cabin, they find four young men tied and gagged. Little else is found except for a few coins and a calendar. A date is circled on it.

Thinking about the date, Truth, Assimo and Tom come a conclusion and it bothers Truth a great deal.

On this day, 6 of the 12 moons will be full.

Are they dealing with a werewolf?

THE HIDDEN
06 THE DRUID
SEGMENT 057
“THE DEAL ”
4/06/14

LHARVION 2, 999

They return to Yrlag with the gnome and six young men. Payment is made and the gnome is about to leave when Truth motions for him to wait. He then chases after the gnome whom is ignoring him.

“I wish to talk to you.” says the artificer.

The gnome looks at him. “Why?”

“You WERE reading Xoriat. I wish to learn it myself.”

The gnome at him in bewilderment. “Why? It’s the language of Chaos. Some say it is unsafe to understand. Some even say it leads to madness….”. he pauses as he thinks about what he just said…. “Course I’m not sure if that is true.”

The gnome looks at him closer. “I know you don’t I?” The cat familiar peeks out of the robe to look at the warforged himself. His eyes dilate greatly in recognition.

“I have not always gone by the name Truth. It is what I seek however.”

“Me too! Only I like to draw it as maps.”

“Would you teach me the language?”

The gnome thinks about it a few times. He concentrates a great deal then asks- “What do I get in return?”

Truth sets down his pack and withdraws a red glass rod. “This and where it came from.”

The gnome looks at it closer. “Where did we meet before?”

“In the university you toppled a shelf of books onto me.”

Silence.

“I ….ahhh…. have been around several toppled shelves. Which university?”

“Morgrave. I was retrieving a book about the legendary dungeon builder Drogan for a professor named Geldem, Bonal Geldem. (anyone remember the very first session of the Creation Schema Storyhour?)”

“Yes…. He studied artifacts. Did you know he was murdered in Sharn? Poor guy.”

“Yes, well I was the librarian known as Books. I retrieved books, tomes and occasional scrolls for professors like you. It was during that collapse that I found a book that spoke about Xoriat. It’s in part why I am here.”

The gnome looks closer, takes his glasses off and rubs them with his muddy sleeve and puts them back on, now the mud is swirled instead of on evenly.

“What is the glass rod?” Asks the gnome fearing a trick.

“From our experience, it is used like a key. It opens portals within a vast underground complex north east of Yrlag. If you teach me the language of Xoriat the key is yours and I can make a map for you so that you may go there yourself.”

The gnome is uncertain.

“Think of the glory to Morgrave.”

The gnome smiles some.

“Think of how much the students and facility will look up to you- the mapper of the vast underground halls of Yrlag- a never known about dungeon.”

The cat familiar looks up to his master and sinks back in mewing quietly. Assimo smiles as he envisions it.

“I think we can reach an agreement.”