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An Adventure in Five Acts (AD&D 2E) (Final Update 25 Feb 2023)
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<blockquote data-quote="ilgatto" data-source="post: 8858538" data-attributes="member: 86051"><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">An Adventure in Five Acts, Act II</span></strong><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong> (Continued)</strong></span></p><p></p><p>When the sorcerer gets back to his feet, he notices a leather-bound folio on the bed. He flicks through its pages and finds it to be a diary or perhaps some kind of ledger. He tucks the volume under his arm, climbs down the steps and walks to the door where his noble fellows are waiting impatiently.</p><p>“Loremaster Fist is dead,” he says. “His corpse is in there.”</p><p>“What?!,” the novice cries. “Let me see him!”</p><p>Navarre starts to speak but the novice has already brushed past the sorcerer. Again, it would appear that the young woman is accustomed to much more than our gallant knight would deem appropriate for a damsel of her allure.</p><p></p><p>Sir Suvali subjects the folio to a closer look and informs his noble fellows that it seems to be a notebook containing quite meticulous notes on a variety of subjects: meetings with people; lists of herbs; names of nobles; lists of rumors at court; reports of business ventures; details of financial transactions; drawings and sketches of sites, locations, features.</p><p></p><p>When the novice gets back down from the platform against the back wall, Sir Suvali turns to face her.</p><p>“It seems that he was poisoned,” he says, closing the notebook. “What about those potions? Could they be antidotes?”</p><p>“How should I know?,” the novice replies, obviously distraught. “I’m not an expert.”</p><p></p><p>Now, most of our noble heroes enter the house. Navarre is the first to get to the small room to the right and he finds it to be a pantry or perhaps a small kitchen. On a table are three bottles of wine, one of them half empty. He picks up the half empty bottle and smells it: nothing, although the wine seems to have been of some quality. He calls out to Sir Suvali.</p><p>“What do you think?,” he asks, handing the bottle to the sorcerer when both he and the <em>chevalier</em> enter. “It smells like it has been standing open for too long.”</p><p>“Poison doesn’t always smell of something,” the sorcerer says. “In fact, the best ones don’t.”</p><p>“<em>Du vin?,”</em> the <em>chevalier</em> exclaims, taking the bottle and smelling at it. “An excellent vintage, I daresay! A pity it is ruined.”</p><p>“It may be poisoned,” Sir Suvali says, taking back the bottle.</p><p>“Indeed?,” the <em>chevalier</em> says absentmindedly, casting a furtive glance at the unopened bottles.</p><p></p><p>Navarre and Sir Suvali get back to the main room, where they find the novice talking to Sir Eber and Sir Oerknal.</p><p>“Judging by the decay, I’d say he’s been dead for four days,” she says. “But I’m no expert on poison.”</p><p>“So he died on the night of the massacre,” Navarre says, forgetting his manners. “Then it would seem that the riots in Big Beach have nothing to do with his death.”</p><p></p><p>Suddenly, there is a loud crash in the room behind them, followed by a strangled scream. Our noble heroes hasten to the room, where they find the <em>chevalier</em> thrashing about wildly on the floor, hands at his throat and gurgling in a manner most unbecoming a man of his standing. His face and his hands are turning blue at some speed.</p><p>“Can you believe it!?,” Navarre exclaims. “He has drunk from the wine!”</p><p>Sir Suvali reacts instantly and calls for someone to bring him the bottles from the platform. When he is given one, he tells Sir Eber to hold the <em>chevalier</em> down and proceeds to force half of the contents down his noble fellow’s throat. When this doesn’t seem to work, he administers a second bottle, again succeeding in forcing down only half of it. But the <em>chevalier</em> also fails his third saving throw and all seems lost – until the novice procures a foul-smelling concoction.</p><p>“It is a strong emetic,” she says, handing it to Sir Suvali. Together, they manage to get all of the concoction into the <em>chevalier,</em> who finally passes a saving throw and starts vomiting all over the place. After some time, the blue color on his skin starts to fade.</p><p>Sir Eber has observed the event with a distinct look of disdain on his face.</p><p>“Well,” he starts wryly. “At least now we can be sure that the Loremaster was poisoned.”</p><p>When the others start leaving the room, he picks up the bottle of poisonous wine, pushes the cork back into it, further seals it with a piece of cloth, and puts it in his pack.</p><p></p><p>“Perhaps the magnitude of the task at hand escapes you, Sir,” Navarre says. “I remind you that we are faced with an enemy with the capacity to strike in force and in many places at once. I assure you that I have seen these forces with my own eyes and I do not hesitate to admit that the six of us would not stand much of a chance in an encounter with even a single unit of these soldiers.”</p><p>“I would like to have a look at that notebook,” she says.</p><p>“First things first,” the sorcerer says, in his usual self-important manner. “First we get the Loremaster out of here.”</p><p>And so, perhaps an hour and a half before nightfall, the gravedigger is called into the house. With the man going about his business, our noble heroes move outside and start discussing the meaning of their discovery and whether it means that they should change their plans.</p><p></p><p>When the gravedigger and the corpse are gone about half an hour later, our noble heroes move back into the house. Sir Suvali has another look at the cabinet on the platform and concludes that the runes may be tied to some sort of exploding spell. He once again instructs the others to leave the house and stay outside until he is finished. He spends some time attaching a thin rope to both handles and then takes cover under the platform. When he pulls the rope, a loud explosion occurs and a huge fist of fire momentarily flashes through the room.</p><p>When the smoke has lifted, he climbs back up to the platform and retrieves some items from the cabinet: a cache of coins, numerous documents (business contracts, mostly), a lot of even more gaudy gold jewelry, and a slender rectangular box. He inspects the box and concludes that the top can be removed much like the end cap on a scroll case. He opens the box and pulls out a slender, longish, hexagonal crystal wand, its color slowly changing from cloudy to clear as it tapers to a fine point. A sequence of runes is on each of its six sides, getting ever smaller the closer they get to the tip. He examines the runes and finds that he can only read one of them. It reads <em>“Yrmgard”.</em></p><p>He gets back to his noble fellows outside and informs them of his findings. When he is finally finished, Navarre decides that enough is enough.</p><p>“Perhaps, Sir, you can now find it within you to hand the Lady the Loremaster’s notebook?,” he asks.</p><p>With a distinct lack of enthusiasm, the sorcerer hands the book to the novice. She sits down at the table and starts paging through it eagerly.</p><p>“Did you know there is a list in here that says where all sorcerers live?,” she murmurs after a while. “Mages, mages. Another one. Huh? Oh! Hmm…”</p><p></p><p>After some time, Navarre is getting restless. He has taken the novice where she wanted to go and the mission shouldn’t really have to be postponed any longer. Still, he can hardly leave the novice here, especially with a gravedigger in the same building.</p><p>“My Lady,” he begins, when the novice has stopped paging through the book for a moment. “Is there some place in town we can take you before we must part ways?”</p><p>“Do you know what it says about Magus Seaworthy?,” the novice asks, looking at him pensively.</p><p>“Indeed not, my Lady. I have not read the folio.”</p><p>The novice starts paging through the book again.</p><p>“It says here that he sold his ship and went to the Isle of Bread,” she says. “Some pages later, the Loremaster says that he gave him the <em>Sword of Shadows.</em> It looks like this was some ten years ago.”</p><p>“The sword of Ulm?,” Navarre asks. “Loremaster Fist was in possession of the <em>Sword of Shadows?”</em></p><p>“The <em>Sword of Shadows!,”</em> Sir Eber exclaims. “The sword that kills with a single blow! Now we’re getting somewhere!”</p><p>“<em>Mon Dieu!,”</em> the <em>chevalier</em> exclaims. “It is one of the sacred artifacts the enemy are after!”</p><p>Navarre raises an eyebrow.</p><p>“Might I inquire as to how you come to this conclusion?,” he asks.</p><p>“<em>Mais c’est évident!,”</em> the <em>chevalier</em> cries. “First the <em>Kettle of the Coven</em> and now the <em>Sword of Shadows!”</em></p><p>“You have lost me,” Navarre says.</p><p>“<em>Au contraire!,”</em> the <em>chevalier</em> cries. “Did the enemy not attack the coven of Ilm and take the kettle?”</p><p>“Indeed they did,” Navarre says. “Just like they attacked Apple Island, at least one military post in Nisibis, the Military Academy, various other locations on the King’s Lake, at least one sorcerer we know of, and a Women’s House. And then there is the matter of the poisoning of Loremaster Fist. I’d hardly say that this means that the enemy’s main objective is to find a couple of items nobody even knows for sure exist!”</p><p>“We are the only ones who know where the sword is!,” the <em>chevalier</em> exclaims. “We must go to the Isle of Bread in all haste! Find the sword before the enemy find out about it!”</p><p>“My dear fellow!,” Navarre says, annoyed by his noble friend’s misplaced fervor. “If there is one thing we know for certain, it is that the enemy struck in many places at once, targeting very specific locations.”</p><p>“<em>Absolument!,”</em> the <em>chevalier</em> cries. “They are after the artifacts!”</p><p>“Have you not heard a word I have said, Sir?,” Navarre exclaims. “Need I remind you that you personally tried to save the Rector from a targeted attack by trained soldiers? What about the Loremaster here? Dead by poisoning! Doesn’t all of this suggest the enemy target sorcerers and know exactly where to find them? Would they have ‘forgotten’ about Magus Seaworthy? By Olm! The murderous lot haven’t even bothered to search this house!”</p><p>“But the location of the sword is a secret!,” the <em>chevalier</em> cries. “How could they have known to go to the island?”</p><p>“So was the location of the kettle!,” Navarre exclaims. “Didn’t bloody well stop them from raiding the coven, did it!?”</p><p></p><p>But the <em>chevalier</em> refuses to listen and things get even worse when both Sir Eber and Sir Oerknal get involved.</p><p>“I say we go get the sword,” Sir Eber says. “Start killing people.”</p><p>To which Sir Oerknal, newly elected King of the Realm, adds: “I don’t care where we go – as long as we dump the girl.”</p><p>“Gentlemen, please!,” Navarre cries. “Have you taken leave of your senses? Need I remind you that the very fate of the Kingdom rests upon our shoulders? That going after a sword we have no way of knowing is still there would be a <em>spectacular</em> waste of time? My Lords! We cannot allow the enemy to run amok!”</p><p>“Have you forgotten Palava, <em>Monsieur?,”</em> the <em>chevalier</em> says frostily. “We shall count on them to stop the enemy!”</p><p>Navarre looks at his noble fellow in stunned silence.</p><p>“That milksop?,” he manages to utter after some time. “Surely you jest!”</p><p>But now the <em>chevalier</em> suddenly turns to the novice.</p><p>“<em>Madame!,”</em> he cries ardently. “Forgive me! My sword is yours!”</p><p>The novice, who has continued reading the notebook and kept her distance from the arguing nobles during all of this, looks at him uneasily.</p><p>“I will have to go my own way from here,” she says.</p><p>This seems to throw the impassioned <em>chevalier</em> for a bit, apparently torn as he is between his desire to go after the sword and the sudden return of his chivalrous ways.</p><p>“I am confused, <em>Madame!,”</em> he cries. <em>“Je suis chevalier!”</em></p><p>“I’m afraid it has to be so,” the novice says. “I have to find somebody and your paths obviously lead elsewhere.”</p><p>A strangled cry escapes the <em>chevalier.</em></p><p>“My Lady,” Navarre says, deciding to put an end to the embarrassing scene. “Is there anywhere I can take you for the night?”</p><p>“She can stay with me,” the gravedigger says. Apparently he has returned.</p><p>“Thank you, good man,” the novice says. “I shall do that.”</p><p></p><p>Navarre looks at the assembled company with a bewildered look on his face. Is this really happening? Do his noble fellows really want to go after a sword that is highly unlikely to still be on the Isle of Bread? Abandon their people to the murderous invaders? Does the novice really intend to spend the night in the house of a servant of Ulm after all that has happened? He has the distinct feeling that things are running completely out of control and that there seems to be nothing he can do about it. Indeed, the madness only seems to get worse when the agitated <em>chevalier</em> falls to his knees in front of the novice.</p><p>“<em>Madame!,”</em> he cries. “You have saved my life! I am eternally grateful! Command me!”</p><p>“I am a humble servant of Ilm and saving people is what I do,” the novice says. “You don’t have to thank me.”</p><p>“<em>Mais non!,”</em> the <em>chevalier</em> cries. “You do yourself <em>une injustice!</em> My sword is yours… as is my heart! <em>Mademoiselle!</em> Your wish, I implore you!”</p><p>“I shall sleep on it,” the novice says.</p><p></p><p>After some more of this, it becomes quite clear that the <em>chevalier,</em> the ranger, and the new King of the Forest elect to remain deaf to Navarre’s arguments against going after the sword – albeit each for their own reasons.</p><p>Now, Navarre seriously considers returning to Palava on his own to lead the fight to reclaim the Kingdom, leaving his noble fellows to go on their wild goose chase. He decides there is little more he can say and climbs up to the platform to get some distance between him and his contrary fellows.</p><p>Here, he finds Sir Suvali studying the crystal wand. The sorcerer looks up at him for a moment and rolls his eyes, a faint smile on his lips. Navarre shrugs his shoulders and sits down. Maybe the noble trio below will somehow come to their senses after a good night’s sleep. He seems to have dozed off for a moment when Sir Eber nudges him and tells him that the night will be spent in the sailors’ lodgings next door. Without saying a word, Navarre gets to his feet and follows the ranger.</p><p></p><p>When they get to the lodgings, our noble heroes find the room sparsely lit and Sir Oengus engaged in an animated conversation with the hands of <em>The Black Owl</em> seated at a low table laden with many stoneware bottles and glasses. Tired of the whole thing, Navarre takes a seat in a corner and listens to the conversation, learning that Sir Oengus has spent the day in Big Beach discussing the manufacture of some sort of construct with a smith. It seems that he intends to mount it on the <em>Varis</em> and fire large bolts from it and that the smith was “very interested in Sir’s brilliant and unique invention”. Indeed, when Sir Oengus also paid him 150 gold pieces in advance, the smith “thanked Sir profusely” and ensured him that he was “very much looking forward to working with Sir over the next few weeks, nay, months!”.</p><p></p><p>Annoyed that Sir Oengus, too, seems to have abandoned the plan everybody agreed upon, Navarre excuses himself from the conversation and huddles into his chair to get some sleep. But sleep doesn’t come and so our noble hero has to listen to the conversation some more, hearing a lot about hauling wind, reefing sails, shivering timbers, running rigs, and dragging nets; about the beach being 15 leagues wide; about tides taking 12 hours to get from low to high and <em>vice versa</em> and the difference between them being only six feet; about giant octopuses and colossal sharks devouring men and entire catches of fish; about whirlpools swallowing whole ships; and even about ice pirates roaming the sea in giant ships although none of the crew have ever actually seen them.</p><p></p><p>Later in the evening, the <em>chevalier</em> wakes him up: <em>“Mon cher.</em> A moment!”</p><p>“Of course,” Navarre says, opening his eyes. “Have you come to your senses?”</p><p>“Indeed I have,” the <em>chevalier</em> says. “It has all become very clear to me.”</p><p>Navarre casts him a suspicious glance and gathers that his noble friend must have consumed quite a lot of gin.</p><p>“It has been decided,” the <em>chevalier</em> continues. “We shall go after the sword.”</p><p>“My dear fellow,” Navarre begins. “It occurs to me that your opinions seem to change with the wind. Have you given up on joining the King’s men? To lead the cavalry into battle?”</p><p>“<em>Fi!,”</em> the <em>chevalier</em> exclaims. “The way is clear!”</p><p>Navarre sighs.</p><p>“And what of serving the Lady novice?,” he asks.</p><p>“<em>Mon cher!</em> Do you not see it? It <em>is</em> the Lady! It is a sign!”</p><p>“You have lost me,” Navarre says.</p><p>“It is fate that has brought us here,” his noble friend cries. “The <em>horreurs</em> on the island! The Lady saving my life! The <em>Sword of Shadows!</em> It is the path to great things!”</p><p>“My dear Sarazin,” Navarre says, a weak smile on his face. “Allow me to remark that your efforts pale in comparison to my smooth handling of a similar situation in “Act I”. Still, and quite unfortunately, I shall have to give in lest the adventure is over.”</p><p>“Avast, ye bletherin’ peacocks!,” Sir Oengus hollers at the noble duo from across the room. He, too, has been drinking a lot. “Ye be still part of me crew and it be the cap’n as to decides what happens aboard! And I decides that we be layin’ a course to the Isle o’ Bread!”</p><p>“Ye be seekin’ as to hire a ship?,” one of the crewmen asks him.</p><p>“Aye!,” Sir Oengus yells. “To be sure!”</p><p>“Then ye be wantin’ <em>The Black Owl,”</em> the crewman says. “She be finest ship around and there be none better than Cap’n Gomma fer gettin’ ye to the Isle o’ Bread!”</p><p>“How long be the round?,” Sir Oengus asks.</p><p>“Two days to land-ho,” the crewman says. “Will I be gettin’ the cap’n?”</p><p>“Nary ye bother,” Sir Oengus says. “Would ye disturb the cap’n takin’ a caulk?”</p><p>“Just ye watch me!,” the crewman says, straightening his back.</p><p>“I says the forenoon’s t’be soon enough,” Sir Oengus says. “I be off to me hammock fer the rest of the watch!”</p><p></p><p>With this, the novice announces that she will retire as well. Instantly, the <em>chevalier</em> scrambles to his feet and drops to his knees in front of her.</p><p>“<em>Madame!,”</em> he cries. “Know that you can call upon me whenever you should want to retrieve the golden kettle! I declare House Sarazin utterly and forever at your service!”</p><p>The novice doesn’t react to this much. It seems that the <em>chevalier</em> has forgotten that all noble houses of The Forest are always utterly and forever at the service of the priestesses of Ilm.</p><p>Navarre gets to his feet and escorts the novice to the gravedigger’s house. He knocks on the door and the gravedigger appears.</p><p>“My Lady,” he says, bowing elegantly when the novice enters the house without paying him much attention. “It was an honor.”</p><p></p><p><strong>Day 6:</strong> When our noble heroes leave the lodgings at first light, they find the bailiff and his men in front of the Loremaster’s house. When they approach, the bailiff takes a few steps forward.</p><p>“Top o’ the mornin’, gents!,” he hollers, smiling benevolently and tipping his hat.</p><p>“Sarazin,” the <em>chevalier</em> says, extending his hand and still a bit pale around the nose. <em>“Enchanté.”</em></p><p>The bailiff is not impressed and continues: “As I’m sure you’ll see, Sir, 's I’m here in connection with the murder of the Loremaster.”</p><p>“By all means, <em>Monsieur,”</em> the <em>chevalier</em> says magnanimously. “By all means.”</p><p>“Sure you do, Sir, sure you do,” the bailiff says, taking some time to look at each of our noble heroes before turning to the <em>chevalier</em> again. “And who would you say as to killed the Loremaster then, Sir? If you won’t mind my askin’?”</p><p>“<em>Monsieur,”</em> the <em>chevalier</em> says. “You have me at a disadvantage. We found the poor fellow dead in his home yesterday.”</p><p>“And what, Sir, may I ask brought you fine gents to this ‘ere the Loremaster’s demesne?,” the bailiff asks.</p><p>“I am not sure I appreciate your insinuations, Sir,” Navarre interjects frostily. “I remind you that you are addressing the acting Duke Sarazin.”</p><p>“Just tryin’ to do my job if you won’t mind, Sir,” the bailiff says.</p><p>“I’m sure you’re doing what you can, bailiff,” Navarre says. “Now, if you will excuse us? We have matters to attend to.”</p><p>“The Loremaster was poisoned,” Sir Oengus says.</p><p>“Now why would you say that, Sir?,” the bailiff asks.</p><p>“There’s a bottle of poisoned wine in the kitchen.”</p><p>“Would you be meanin’ these ‘ere bottles then, Sir?,” the bailiff asks, pointing to three bottles of wine on a chair next to the entrance.</p><p>“What do I know?,” Sir Oengus replies. “I wasn’t even there.”</p><p>“You see, Sir,” the bailiff says. “Here’s what’s botherin’ me. I’ve been speakin’ to the neighbors, see, Sir, and all’s they say’s the Loremaster been murdered with poisoned wine. But how could that be, Sir, seein’ as these ‘ere bottles ‘s unopened as they is? It’s a bit of a mystery, Sir, if you won’t mind my sayin’. Where <em>is</em> the poisoned wine?”</p><p>“I’d say inside him,” Sir Eber says.</p><p>“I do declare!,” Navarre exclaims angrily. “We do not have time for this nonsense! If that will be all, bailiff, I suggest you get on with your work. I bid you good day!”</p><p></p><p>With this, our noble heroes take their leave of the good bailiff and his men and head for the beach, where the crew of <em>The Black Owl</em> have just finished loading the ship. <em>The Black Owl</em> is a sleek two-master that appears to have been built for speed. Two wooden constructs are attached to its flanks, which, Sir Oengus explains, can be swiveled out with drag-nets attached to them. When our noble heroes climb aboard, they are welcomed by Captain Gomma, a sinewy man of average height and with lank, black hair and gray eyes.</p><p>“My Lords,” he says. “Welcome aboard <em>The Black Owl.”</em></p><p>“An honor, Sir,” Navarre says, with a slight nod of his head.</p><p>“Who be in charge of the coffers?,” the captain asks.</p><p>“I am,” Sir Suvali says, taking a step forward.</p><p>“The price be one hundred and forty pieces of gold,” the captain says.</p><p>“A mere pittance, I’m sure,” the <em>chevalier</em> says, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>“Sailin’ to the isle’ll be putting the ship and hands at great risk,” the captain says. “My normal fee would be the price of the entire ship. But seein’ as that the hands ‛ere tell me ye’ll avenge the death of the Loremaster and I considered him a friend, I’ll be takin’ ye to the isle fer a reduced price.”</p><p>”The gesture does you credit, Sir,” Navarre says, before stepping aside.</p><p>The money changes hands, upon which the captain informs our noble heroes that the horsemen are readying the horses and that the ship should be in the water within the hour. After that, he says, ten men will row the ship out of the shallows, where the currents and winds will take over.</p><p></p><p>And so it is that our noble heroes spend the rest of the day on the fast-moving ship that is <em>The Black Owl,</em> seemingly at the mercy of fierce winds and crashing waves and accompanied by great swarms of screaming seabirds. All of this is much to the delight of Sir Oengus, who exclaims that he is having the time of his life on multiple occasions.</p><p>Soon, the beach is replaced by a rocky coast, which can no longer be approached by ship. Close to dusk, with steep, tall cliffs now dominating the coastline, the captain steers the ship closer to the shore and the night shift takes over.</p><p>“Tomorrow be the hard part,” the captain says to Sir Oengus. “There be three currents as can take us in the direction of the isle. The one closest to the shore’ll be drivin’ us into the shallows and the sea current’ll be getting’ us past the isle and there be no chance to land or even come about, to be sure! The middle current’ll get us straight to the isle and that be the one well be havin’ to find first thing tomorrow and even then this whole expedition could be endin’ in tragedy.”</p><p>Over diner, the captain mentions that the Isle of Bread is home to a huge colony of giant albatrosses.</p><p>“I’ll stay out of sight when we get there,” Sir Oerknal says. “Don’t want one of the beasts mistaking me for lunch.”</p><p></p><p>When our noble heroes are alone after dinner, Sir Suvali, who has been studying his newfound treasures and the Loremaster’s notebook for most of the day, informs his noble fellows that the crystal wand has the power to reduce living creatures to about a tenth of their normal size while also making them perhaps twenty times lighter. He also says that he thinks the silver masterwork quill can inscribe magical spells on surfaces that normally wouldn’t take ink, perhaps etching them into such surfaces rather like the runes on the handles of the Loremaster’s cabinet. He hasn’t found out anything about the necklace with the acorn pendant but he says he will put it around his neck from now on to see if that will lead to something.</p><p>He also informs them that he has found the notes in Loremaster’s notebook to be in some chronological order, quite meticulous, and pertaining to all manner of subjects – plants, places, people, ideas, business deals. It also seems that the Loremaster was rather successful in his dealings and that he was quite wealthy. Furthermore, there seem to be long periods of time during which the Loremaster didn’t make any notes at all.</p><p>With regard to the <em>Sword of Shadows,</em> Sir Suvali now understands that the weapon was given to the Loremaster by the previous Magister Rex, who seems to have wanted to get rid of it for various but undisclosed reasons. When, some time ago, the current Magister Rex demanded to have the sword returned to the Academy, the Loremaster informed him that he gave it to Magus Seaworthy just before the latter went on a trip around the world, seemingly with the request to hide it in the most inaccessible and godforsaken place he could find. Magus Seaworthy was already gone at the time of Augustus’s request and the Loremaster seems to have promised to ask the Magus about the sword as soon as he saw him again. However, the notes do not mention him asking Magus Seaworthy about the sword after this, perhaps because he didn’t speak to him again.</p><p>“So Magus Seaworthy may still have the sword,” the sorcerer says. “In any case, the notes do not indicate that the Loremaster ever visited the Isle of Bread.”</p><p>After this, most of our noble heroes retire early.</p><p></p><p>It must be way past midnight when Sir Suvali hears a strange sound. He has to concentrate quite hard to keep hearing it and it takes him some time to realize that it appears to come from the acorn pendant on his chest. Could it be the sound of a voice coming from far, very far away? Indeed, after concentrating on it for some time, all he can think of is that it sounds like someone is taking a lot of time to pronounce the letter “A”, followed by similarly lengthy efforts to pronounce more letters. Intrigued, he keeps listening until he realizes that the distant voice actually <em>is</em> that of somebody speaking very slowly – somebody who is calling out in the hopes that someone will hear them!</p><p>Although he cannot be sure that the caller will actually hear him, he asks who is speaking. It takes a long time before he gets an answer and he concludes that it may very well take the caller as long to make sense of his words as it takes him to make of his. In the end, Sir Suvali learns that he is speaking to Augustus Magister Rex, the eminent Rector of the Royal Aristocratic Academy.</p><p>“Thank you for saving us,” he says. “What happened?”</p><p>The eminent Rector says that the arrows that hit him where poisoned and that he is now <em>in limbo.</em> When Sir Suvali asks him what he means by that, he is told that it is a place between life and death.</p><p>“I see,” he says. “Is there anything I can do?”</p><p>The eminent Rector says that solving his problem may be “tricky” and that Sir Suvali probably cannot help him – that, in fact, there is probably “no one in this world” who can. Sir Suvali takes some time to speak of what happened after the attack on Apple island and he also says that he and his noble fellows have decided to go after the <em>Sword of Shadows,</em> which they believe to be on the Isle of Bread. He finishes by asking the eminent Rector whether he can tell him anything about the sword, to which the man answers that he knows nothing of the subject, that the weapon was involved in many terrible events involving wars and feuds, and that it leads to problems whenever it is drawn.</p><p>“Noted,” Sir Suvali says.</p><p>When he asks the eminent Rector whether he has any idea who might be behind the attack on Apple Island, the answer he gets is that “he hasn’t got a faintest” and then Augustus Magister Rex doesn’t answer anymore.</p><p></p><p><strong>Day 7:</strong> When he wakes up, Sir Suvali sees the first rays of the sun peeking through the portholes. Feeling as if he hasn’t slept a wink, he gets to the deck and informs his noble fellows of the events of the night.</p><p>“Did the man actually say <em>'this</em> world'?,” Navarre asks.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ilgatto, post: 8858538, member: 86051"] [B][SIZE=5]An Adventure in Five Acts, Act II[/SIZE][/B][SIZE=5][B] (Continued)[/B][/SIZE] When the sorcerer gets back to his feet, he notices a leather-bound folio on the bed. He flicks through its pages and finds it to be a diary or perhaps some kind of ledger. He tucks the volume under his arm, climbs down the steps and walks to the door where his noble fellows are waiting impatiently. “Loremaster Fist is dead,” he says. “His corpse is in there.” “What?!,” the novice cries. “Let me see him!” Navarre starts to speak but the novice has already brushed past the sorcerer. Again, it would appear that the young woman is accustomed to much more than our gallant knight would deem appropriate for a damsel of her allure. Sir Suvali subjects the folio to a closer look and informs his noble fellows that it seems to be a notebook containing quite meticulous notes on a variety of subjects: meetings with people; lists of herbs; names of nobles; lists of rumors at court; reports of business ventures; details of financial transactions; drawings and sketches of sites, locations, features. When the novice gets back down from the platform against the back wall, Sir Suvali turns to face her. “It seems that he was poisoned,” he says, closing the notebook. “What about those potions? Could they be antidotes?” “How should I know?,” the novice replies, obviously distraught. “I’m not an expert.” Now, most of our noble heroes enter the house. Navarre is the first to get to the small room to the right and he finds it to be a pantry or perhaps a small kitchen. On a table are three bottles of wine, one of them half empty. He picks up the half empty bottle and smells it: nothing, although the wine seems to have been of some quality. He calls out to Sir Suvali. “What do you think?,” he asks, handing the bottle to the sorcerer when both he and the [I]chevalier[/I] enter. “It smells like it has been standing open for too long.” “Poison doesn’t always smell of something,” the sorcerer says. “In fact, the best ones don’t.” “[I]Du vin?,”[/I] the [I]chevalier[/I] exclaims, taking the bottle and smelling at it. “An excellent vintage, I daresay! A pity it is ruined.” “It may be poisoned,” Sir Suvali says, taking back the bottle. “Indeed?,” the [I]chevalier[/I] says absentmindedly, casting a furtive glance at the unopened bottles. Navarre and Sir Suvali get back to the main room, where they find the novice talking to Sir Eber and Sir Oerknal. “Judging by the decay, I’d say he’s been dead for four days,” she says. “But I’m no expert on poison.” “So he died on the night of the massacre,” Navarre says, forgetting his manners. “Then it would seem that the riots in Big Beach have nothing to do with his death.” Suddenly, there is a loud crash in the room behind them, followed by a strangled scream. Our noble heroes hasten to the room, where they find the [I]chevalier[/I] thrashing about wildly on the floor, hands at his throat and gurgling in a manner most unbecoming a man of his standing. His face and his hands are turning blue at some speed. “Can you believe it!?,” Navarre exclaims. “He has drunk from the wine!” Sir Suvali reacts instantly and calls for someone to bring him the bottles from the platform. When he is given one, he tells Sir Eber to hold the [I]chevalier[/I] down and proceeds to force half of the contents down his noble fellow’s throat. When this doesn’t seem to work, he administers a second bottle, again succeeding in forcing down only half of it. But the [I]chevalier[/I] also fails his third saving throw and all seems lost – until the novice procures a foul-smelling concoction. “It is a strong emetic,” she says, handing it to Sir Suvali. Together, they manage to get all of the concoction into the [I]chevalier,[/I] who finally passes a saving throw and starts vomiting all over the place. After some time, the blue color on his skin starts to fade. Sir Eber has observed the event with a distinct look of disdain on his face. “Well,” he starts wryly. “At least now we can be sure that the Loremaster was poisoned.” When the others start leaving the room, he picks up the bottle of poisonous wine, pushes the cork back into it, further seals it with a piece of cloth, and puts it in his pack. “Perhaps the magnitude of the task at hand escapes you, Sir,” Navarre says. “I remind you that we are faced with an enemy with the capacity to strike in force and in many places at once. I assure you that I have seen these forces with my own eyes and I do not hesitate to admit that the six of us would not stand much of a chance in an encounter with even a single unit of these soldiers.” “I would like to have a look at that notebook,” she says. “First things first,” the sorcerer says, in his usual self-important manner. “First we get the Loremaster out of here.” And so, perhaps an hour and a half before nightfall, the gravedigger is called into the house. With the man going about his business, our noble heroes move outside and start discussing the meaning of their discovery and whether it means that they should change their plans. When the gravedigger and the corpse are gone about half an hour later, our noble heroes move back into the house. Sir Suvali has another look at the cabinet on the platform and concludes that the runes may be tied to some sort of exploding spell. He once again instructs the others to leave the house and stay outside until he is finished. He spends some time attaching a thin rope to both handles and then takes cover under the platform. When he pulls the rope, a loud explosion occurs and a huge fist of fire momentarily flashes through the room. When the smoke has lifted, he climbs back up to the platform and retrieves some items from the cabinet: a cache of coins, numerous documents (business contracts, mostly), a lot of even more gaudy gold jewelry, and a slender rectangular box. He inspects the box and concludes that the top can be removed much like the end cap on a scroll case. He opens the box and pulls out a slender, longish, hexagonal crystal wand, its color slowly changing from cloudy to clear as it tapers to a fine point. A sequence of runes is on each of its six sides, getting ever smaller the closer they get to the tip. He examines the runes and finds that he can only read one of them. It reads [I]“Yrmgard”.[/I] He gets back to his noble fellows outside and informs them of his findings. When he is finally finished, Navarre decides that enough is enough. “Perhaps, Sir, you can now find it within you to hand the Lady the Loremaster’s notebook?,” he asks. With a distinct lack of enthusiasm, the sorcerer hands the book to the novice. She sits down at the table and starts paging through it eagerly. “Did you know there is a list in here that says where all sorcerers live?,” she murmurs after a while. “Mages, mages. Another one. Huh? Oh! Hmm…” After some time, Navarre is getting restless. He has taken the novice where she wanted to go and the mission shouldn’t really have to be postponed any longer. Still, he can hardly leave the novice here, especially with a gravedigger in the same building. “My Lady,” he begins, when the novice has stopped paging through the book for a moment. “Is there some place in town we can take you before we must part ways?” “Do you know what it says about Magus Seaworthy?,” the novice asks, looking at him pensively. “Indeed not, my Lady. I have not read the folio.” The novice starts paging through the book again. “It says here that he sold his ship and went to the Isle of Bread,” she says. “Some pages later, the Loremaster says that he gave him the [I]Sword of Shadows.[/I] It looks like this was some ten years ago.” “The sword of Ulm?,” Navarre asks. “Loremaster Fist was in possession of the [I]Sword of Shadows?”[/I] “The [I]Sword of Shadows!,”[/I] Sir Eber exclaims. “The sword that kills with a single blow! Now we’re getting somewhere!” “[I]Mon Dieu!,”[/I] the [I]chevalier[/I] exclaims. “It is one of the sacred artifacts the enemy are after!” Navarre raises an eyebrow. “Might I inquire as to how you come to this conclusion?,” he asks. “[I]Mais c’est évident!,”[/I] the [I]chevalier[/I] cries. “First the [I]Kettle of the Coven[/I] and now the [I]Sword of Shadows!”[/I] “You have lost me,” Navarre says. “[I]Au contraire!,”[/I] the [I]chevalier[/I] cries. “Did the enemy not attack the coven of Ilm and take the kettle?” “Indeed they did,” Navarre says. “Just like they attacked Apple Island, at least one military post in Nisibis, the Military Academy, various other locations on the King’s Lake, at least one sorcerer we know of, and a Women’s House. And then there is the matter of the poisoning of Loremaster Fist. I’d hardly say that this means that the enemy’s main objective is to find a couple of items nobody even knows for sure exist!” “We are the only ones who know where the sword is!,” the [I]chevalier[/I] exclaims. “We must go to the Isle of Bread in all haste! Find the sword before the enemy find out about it!” “My dear fellow!,” Navarre says, annoyed by his noble friend’s misplaced fervor. “If there is one thing we know for certain, it is that the enemy struck in many places at once, targeting very specific locations.” “[I]Absolument!,”[/I] the [I]chevalier[/I] cries. “They are after the artifacts!” “Have you not heard a word I have said, Sir?,” Navarre exclaims. “Need I remind you that you personally tried to save the Rector from a targeted attack by trained soldiers? What about the Loremaster here? Dead by poisoning! Doesn’t all of this suggest the enemy target sorcerers and know exactly where to find them? Would they have ‘forgotten’ about Magus Seaworthy? By Olm! The murderous lot haven’t even bothered to search this house!” “But the location of the sword is a secret!,” the [I]chevalier[/I] cries. “How could they have known to go to the island?” “So was the location of the kettle!,” Navarre exclaims. “Didn’t bloody well stop them from raiding the coven, did it!?” But the [I]chevalier[/I] refuses to listen and things get even worse when both Sir Eber and Sir Oerknal get involved. “I say we go get the sword,” Sir Eber says. “Start killing people.” To which Sir Oerknal, newly elected King of the Realm, adds: “I don’t care where we go – as long as we dump the girl.” “Gentlemen, please!,” Navarre cries. “Have you taken leave of your senses? Need I remind you that the very fate of the Kingdom rests upon our shoulders? That going after a sword we have no way of knowing is still there would be a [I]spectacular[/I] waste of time? My Lords! We cannot allow the enemy to run amok!” “Have you forgotten Palava, [I]Monsieur?,”[/I] the [I]chevalier[/I] says frostily. “We shall count on them to stop the enemy!” Navarre looks at his noble fellow in stunned silence. “That milksop?,” he manages to utter after some time. “Surely you jest!” But now the [I]chevalier[/I] suddenly turns to the novice. “[I]Madame!,”[/I] he cries ardently. “Forgive me! My sword is yours!” The novice, who has continued reading the notebook and kept her distance from the arguing nobles during all of this, looks at him uneasily. “I will have to go my own way from here,” she says. This seems to throw the impassioned [I]chevalier[/I] for a bit, apparently torn as he is between his desire to go after the sword and the sudden return of his chivalrous ways. “I am confused, [I]Madame!,”[/I] he cries. [I]“Je suis chevalier!”[/I] “I’m afraid it has to be so,” the novice says. “I have to find somebody and your paths obviously lead elsewhere.” A strangled cry escapes the [I]chevalier.[/I] “My Lady,” Navarre says, deciding to put an end to the embarrassing scene. “Is there anywhere I can take you for the night?” “She can stay with me,” the gravedigger says. Apparently he has returned. “Thank you, good man,” the novice says. “I shall do that.” Navarre looks at the assembled company with a bewildered look on his face. Is this really happening? Do his noble fellows really want to go after a sword that is highly unlikely to still be on the Isle of Bread? Abandon their people to the murderous invaders? Does the novice really intend to spend the night in the house of a servant of Ulm after all that has happened? He has the distinct feeling that things are running completely out of control and that there seems to be nothing he can do about it. Indeed, the madness only seems to get worse when the agitated [I]chevalier[/I] falls to his knees in front of the novice. “[I]Madame!,”[/I] he cries. “You have saved my life! I am eternally grateful! Command me!” “I am a humble servant of Ilm and saving people is what I do,” the novice says. “You don’t have to thank me.” “[I]Mais non!,”[/I] the [I]chevalier[/I] cries. “You do yourself [I]une injustice![/I] My sword is yours… as is my heart! [I]Mademoiselle![/I] Your wish, I implore you!” “I shall sleep on it,” the novice says. After some more of this, it becomes quite clear that the [I]chevalier,[/I] the ranger, and the new King of the Forest elect to remain deaf to Navarre’s arguments against going after the sword – albeit each for their own reasons. Now, Navarre seriously considers returning to Palava on his own to lead the fight to reclaim the Kingdom, leaving his noble fellows to go on their wild goose chase. He decides there is little more he can say and climbs up to the platform to get some distance between him and his contrary fellows. Here, he finds Sir Suvali studying the crystal wand. The sorcerer looks up at him for a moment and rolls his eyes, a faint smile on his lips. Navarre shrugs his shoulders and sits down. Maybe the noble trio below will somehow come to their senses after a good night’s sleep. He seems to have dozed off for a moment when Sir Eber nudges him and tells him that the night will be spent in the sailors’ lodgings next door. Without saying a word, Navarre gets to his feet and follows the ranger. When they get to the lodgings, our noble heroes find the room sparsely lit and Sir Oengus engaged in an animated conversation with the hands of [I]The Black Owl[/I] seated at a low table laden with many stoneware bottles and glasses. Tired of the whole thing, Navarre takes a seat in a corner and listens to the conversation, learning that Sir Oengus has spent the day in Big Beach discussing the manufacture of some sort of construct with a smith. It seems that he intends to mount it on the [I]Varis[/I] and fire large bolts from it and that the smith was “very interested in Sir’s brilliant and unique invention”. Indeed, when Sir Oengus also paid him 150 gold pieces in advance, the smith “thanked Sir profusely” and ensured him that he was “very much looking forward to working with Sir over the next few weeks, nay, months!”. Annoyed that Sir Oengus, too, seems to have abandoned the plan everybody agreed upon, Navarre excuses himself from the conversation and huddles into his chair to get some sleep. But sleep doesn’t come and so our noble hero has to listen to the conversation some more, hearing a lot about hauling wind, reefing sails, shivering timbers, running rigs, and dragging nets; about the beach being 15 leagues wide; about tides taking 12 hours to get from low to high and [I]vice versa[/I] and the difference between them being only six feet; about giant octopuses and colossal sharks devouring men and entire catches of fish; about whirlpools swallowing whole ships; and even about ice pirates roaming the sea in giant ships although none of the crew have ever actually seen them. Later in the evening, the [I]chevalier[/I] wakes him up: [I]“Mon cher.[/I] A moment!” “Of course,” Navarre says, opening his eyes. “Have you come to your senses?” “Indeed I have,” the [I]chevalier[/I] says. “It has all become very clear to me.” Navarre casts him a suspicious glance and gathers that his noble friend must have consumed quite a lot of gin. “It has been decided,” the [I]chevalier[/I] continues. “We shall go after the sword.” “My dear fellow,” Navarre begins. “It occurs to me that your opinions seem to change with the wind. Have you given up on joining the King’s men? To lead the cavalry into battle?” “[I]Fi!,”[/I] the [I]chevalier[/I] exclaims. “The way is clear!” Navarre sighs. “And what of serving the Lady novice?,” he asks. “[I]Mon cher![/I] Do you not see it? It [I]is[/I] the Lady! It is a sign!” “You have lost me,” Navarre says. “It is fate that has brought us here,” his noble friend cries. “The [I]horreurs[/I] on the island! The Lady saving my life! The [I]Sword of Shadows![/I] It is the path to great things!” “My dear Sarazin,” Navarre says, a weak smile on his face. “Allow me to remark that your efforts pale in comparison to my smooth handling of a similar situation in “Act I”. Still, and quite unfortunately, I shall have to give in lest the adventure is over.” “Avast, ye bletherin’ peacocks!,” Sir Oengus hollers at the noble duo from across the room. He, too, has been drinking a lot. “Ye be still part of me crew and it be the cap’n as to decides what happens aboard! And I decides that we be layin’ a course to the Isle o’ Bread!” “Ye be seekin’ as to hire a ship?,” one of the crewmen asks him. “Aye!,” Sir Oengus yells. “To be sure!” “Then ye be wantin’ [I]The Black Owl,”[/I] the crewman says. “She be finest ship around and there be none better than Cap’n Gomma fer gettin’ ye to the Isle o’ Bread!” “How long be the round?,” Sir Oengus asks. “Two days to land-ho,” the crewman says. “Will I be gettin’ the cap’n?” “Nary ye bother,” Sir Oengus says. “Would ye disturb the cap’n takin’ a caulk?” “Just ye watch me!,” the crewman says, straightening his back. “I says the forenoon’s t’be soon enough,” Sir Oengus says. “I be off to me hammock fer the rest of the watch!” With this, the novice announces that she will retire as well. Instantly, the [I]chevalier[/I] scrambles to his feet and drops to his knees in front of her. “[I]Madame!,”[/I] he cries. “Know that you can call upon me whenever you should want to retrieve the golden kettle! I declare House Sarazin utterly and forever at your service!” The novice doesn’t react to this much. It seems that the [I]chevalier[/I] has forgotten that all noble houses of The Forest are always utterly and forever at the service of the priestesses of Ilm. Navarre gets to his feet and escorts the novice to the gravedigger’s house. He knocks on the door and the gravedigger appears. “My Lady,” he says, bowing elegantly when the novice enters the house without paying him much attention. “It was an honor.” [B]Day 6:[/B] When our noble heroes leave the lodgings at first light, they find the bailiff and his men in front of the Loremaster’s house. When they approach, the bailiff takes a few steps forward. “Top o’ the mornin’, gents!,” he hollers, smiling benevolently and tipping his hat. “Sarazin,” the [I]chevalier[/I] says, extending his hand and still a bit pale around the nose. [I]“Enchanté.”[/I] The bailiff is not impressed and continues: “As I’m sure you’ll see, Sir, 's I’m here in connection with the murder of the Loremaster.” “By all means, [I]Monsieur,”[/I] the [I]chevalier[/I] says magnanimously. “By all means.” “Sure you do, Sir, sure you do,” the bailiff says, taking some time to look at each of our noble heroes before turning to the [I]chevalier[/I] again. “And who would you say as to killed the Loremaster then, Sir? If you won’t mind my askin’?” “[I]Monsieur,”[/I] the [I]chevalier[/I] says. “You have me at a disadvantage. We found the poor fellow dead in his home yesterday.” “And what, Sir, may I ask brought you fine gents to this ‘ere the Loremaster’s demesne?,” the bailiff asks. “I am not sure I appreciate your insinuations, Sir,” Navarre interjects frostily. “I remind you that you are addressing the acting Duke Sarazin.” “Just tryin’ to do my job if you won’t mind, Sir,” the bailiff says. “I’m sure you’re doing what you can, bailiff,” Navarre says. “Now, if you will excuse us? We have matters to attend to.” “The Loremaster was poisoned,” Sir Oengus says. “Now why would you say that, Sir?,” the bailiff asks. “There’s a bottle of poisoned wine in the kitchen.” “Would you be meanin’ these ‘ere bottles then, Sir?,” the bailiff asks, pointing to three bottles of wine on a chair next to the entrance. “What do I know?,” Sir Oengus replies. “I wasn’t even there.” “You see, Sir,” the bailiff says. “Here’s what’s botherin’ me. I’ve been speakin’ to the neighbors, see, Sir, and all’s they say’s the Loremaster been murdered with poisoned wine. But how could that be, Sir, seein’ as these ‘ere bottles ‘s unopened as they is? It’s a bit of a mystery, Sir, if you won’t mind my sayin’. Where [I]is[/I] the poisoned wine?” “I’d say inside him,” Sir Eber says. “I do declare!,” Navarre exclaims angrily. “We do not have time for this nonsense! If that will be all, bailiff, I suggest you get on with your work. I bid you good day!” With this, our noble heroes take their leave of the good bailiff and his men and head for the beach, where the crew of [I]The Black Owl[/I] have just finished loading the ship. [I]The Black Owl[/I] is a sleek two-master that appears to have been built for speed. Two wooden constructs are attached to its flanks, which, Sir Oengus explains, can be swiveled out with drag-nets attached to them. When our noble heroes climb aboard, they are welcomed by Captain Gomma, a sinewy man of average height and with lank, black hair and gray eyes. “My Lords,” he says. “Welcome aboard [I]The Black Owl.”[/I] “An honor, Sir,” Navarre says, with a slight nod of his head. “Who be in charge of the coffers?,” the captain asks. “I am,” Sir Suvali says, taking a step forward. “The price be one hundred and forty pieces of gold,” the captain says. “A mere pittance, I’m sure,” the [I]chevalier[/I] says, raising an eyebrow. “Sailin’ to the isle’ll be putting the ship and hands at great risk,” the captain says. “My normal fee would be the price of the entire ship. But seein’ as that the hands ‛ere tell me ye’ll avenge the death of the Loremaster and I considered him a friend, I’ll be takin’ ye to the isle fer a reduced price.” ”The gesture does you credit, Sir,” Navarre says, before stepping aside. The money changes hands, upon which the captain informs our noble heroes that the horsemen are readying the horses and that the ship should be in the water within the hour. After that, he says, ten men will row the ship out of the shallows, where the currents and winds will take over. And so it is that our noble heroes spend the rest of the day on the fast-moving ship that is [I]The Black Owl,[/I] seemingly at the mercy of fierce winds and crashing waves and accompanied by great swarms of screaming seabirds. All of this is much to the delight of Sir Oengus, who exclaims that he is having the time of his life on multiple occasions. Soon, the beach is replaced by a rocky coast, which can no longer be approached by ship. Close to dusk, with steep, tall cliffs now dominating the coastline, the captain steers the ship closer to the shore and the night shift takes over. “Tomorrow be the hard part,” the captain says to Sir Oengus. “There be three currents as can take us in the direction of the isle. The one closest to the shore’ll be drivin’ us into the shallows and the sea current’ll be getting’ us past the isle and there be no chance to land or even come about, to be sure! The middle current’ll get us straight to the isle and that be the one well be havin’ to find first thing tomorrow and even then this whole expedition could be endin’ in tragedy.” Over diner, the captain mentions that the Isle of Bread is home to a huge colony of giant albatrosses. “I’ll stay out of sight when we get there,” Sir Oerknal says. “Don’t want one of the beasts mistaking me for lunch.” When our noble heroes are alone after dinner, Sir Suvali, who has been studying his newfound treasures and the Loremaster’s notebook for most of the day, informs his noble fellows that the crystal wand has the power to reduce living creatures to about a tenth of their normal size while also making them perhaps twenty times lighter. He also says that he thinks the silver masterwork quill can inscribe magical spells on surfaces that normally wouldn’t take ink, perhaps etching them into such surfaces rather like the runes on the handles of the Loremaster’s cabinet. He hasn’t found out anything about the necklace with the acorn pendant but he says he will put it around his neck from now on to see if that will lead to something. He also informs them that he has found the notes in Loremaster’s notebook to be in some chronological order, quite meticulous, and pertaining to all manner of subjects – plants, places, people, ideas, business deals. It also seems that the Loremaster was rather successful in his dealings and that he was quite wealthy. Furthermore, there seem to be long periods of time during which the Loremaster didn’t make any notes at all. With regard to the [I]Sword of Shadows,[/I] Sir Suvali now understands that the weapon was given to the Loremaster by the previous Magister Rex, who seems to have wanted to get rid of it for various but undisclosed reasons. When, some time ago, the current Magister Rex demanded to have the sword returned to the Academy, the Loremaster informed him that he gave it to Magus Seaworthy just before the latter went on a trip around the world, seemingly with the request to hide it in the most inaccessible and godforsaken place he could find. Magus Seaworthy was already gone at the time of Augustus’s request and the Loremaster seems to have promised to ask the Magus about the sword as soon as he saw him again. However, the notes do not mention him asking Magus Seaworthy about the sword after this, perhaps because he didn’t speak to him again. “So Magus Seaworthy may still have the sword,” the sorcerer says. “In any case, the notes do not indicate that the Loremaster ever visited the Isle of Bread.” After this, most of our noble heroes retire early. It must be way past midnight when Sir Suvali hears a strange sound. He has to concentrate quite hard to keep hearing it and it takes him some time to realize that it appears to come from the acorn pendant on his chest. Could it be the sound of a voice coming from far, very far away? Indeed, after concentrating on it for some time, all he can think of is that it sounds like someone is taking a lot of time to pronounce the letter “A”, followed by similarly lengthy efforts to pronounce more letters. Intrigued, he keeps listening until he realizes that the distant voice actually [I]is[/I] that of somebody speaking very slowly – somebody who is calling out in the hopes that someone will hear them! Although he cannot be sure that the caller will actually hear him, he asks who is speaking. It takes a long time before he gets an answer and he concludes that it may very well take the caller as long to make sense of his words as it takes him to make of his. In the end, Sir Suvali learns that he is speaking to Augustus Magister Rex, the eminent Rector of the Royal Aristocratic Academy. “Thank you for saving us,” he says. “What happened?” The eminent Rector says that the arrows that hit him where poisoned and that he is now [I]in limbo.[/I] When Sir Suvali asks him what he means by that, he is told that it is a place between life and death. “I see,” he says. “Is there anything I can do?” The eminent Rector says that solving his problem may be “tricky” and that Sir Suvali probably cannot help him – that, in fact, there is probably “no one in this world” who can. Sir Suvali takes some time to speak of what happened after the attack on Apple island and he also says that he and his noble fellows have decided to go after the [I]Sword of Shadows,[/I] which they believe to be on the Isle of Bread. He finishes by asking the eminent Rector whether he can tell him anything about the sword, to which the man answers that he knows nothing of the subject, that the weapon was involved in many terrible events involving wars and feuds, and that it leads to problems whenever it is drawn. “Noted,” Sir Suvali says. When he asks the eminent Rector whether he has any idea who might be behind the attack on Apple Island, the answer he gets is that “he hasn’t got a faintest” and then Augustus Magister Rex doesn’t answer anymore. [B]Day 7:[/B] When he wakes up, Sir Suvali sees the first rays of the sun peeking through the portholes. Feeling as if he hasn’t slept a wink, he gets to the deck and informs his noble fellows of the events of the night. “Did the man actually say [I]'this[/I] world'?,” Navarre asks. [/QUOTE]
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An Adventure in Five Acts (AD&D 2E) (Final Update 25 Feb 2023)
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