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Message: <blockquote data-quote="megamania" data-source="post: 6751217" data-attributes="member: 9255">JOHN PLAY“11 PLAY REVISITED”SEGMENT 128“THE KING’S WANDS ”ZARANTYR 1, 998“I wish to go with you.   To find your mother.” Says Avireal as Play gathers up clean clothes for the day.“I know you do but you may not be allowed to go where I am going.”  Says Play as he straps on his belt and money pouch.“Who would stop you?   Is it a holy site you go to seek knowledge of your mother from?”That brings a laugh from him.  “Not a holy site but one that not everyone is allowed to visit just the same.  “I am going to the King’s Wands.  They were the magic users and artificers of the government.  My mother worked there for most of her life.”“It is a secret place then?”“Not as much as secret but only a few may go there.  I’m not even sure if I will be allowed inside.  I hope to at least speak to a few of the senior artificers.”“An artificer is a sorcerer…. Correct.”  She says as she gathers all of her belongings…  a pack and a scimitar.They leave the apartment and Play decides to walk this time.  It will take longer but he can show the Drow more sights this way.  Though the giant ruins in Xen’drik had lifts like the ones in Sharn she is still amazed by them.  The many races also entertain her.  Few goblins and goblinoids are seen on the middle and upper wards but she finds them a curious sight.   Her area of Xen’drik do not have the little creatures.   Play warns her to be careful with her belonging when around them and the short people known as Halflings.She never would have imagined there were so many warforged.  She had met Arsenal and knew he traveled with others but seeing dozens at a time surprised her.   She compares the paths, bridges and tunnels to a stone jungle.  Play considers that a fair comparison.Play reaches the lower levels of The Citadel.  Two guards stop and ask him where he is going.  He says to see the King’s Wands.  They are hesitant to allow him to go.  Then they ask who the drow is.  They are about to deny them entrance when a very familiar ½ orc walks up to the entrance.“Cue!”  Exclaims Play as he moves to give the ½ orc a hardy handshake.  “Play-  Word had it you were lost chasing down a warforged killer.”The guards allow Play and Avireal to enter with Cue’s authority.  Cue is the top artificer of the Dark Lanterns and equips the agents.  He is good friend of John Play’s.“Cue, I have learned of something while I was away.   My Mother is alive!”Silence.  “I have been told she died in action… before the end of the war.” Answers the ½ orc.“Yes.  I was told the same story.   Died as a hero at Orcbone.  Gnolls and some ogres attacked and nearly defeated our forces but they were pushed back.  In the end, she was found dead.   I can’t tell you how, but I know she survived.   And more- she is still alive.”Cue in deep thought sighs.  “You talk to Wand Master Salters.   He was there.  He may know more.  I can only tell you what you have been told.”Play gives the agent a hard look.   He knows something but what?  “Can you introduce us?  I have not ties to the Wands.”“I was headed there anyway.  Yes I can.  Whether he will see you is uncertain.  Now tell me…   Avireal is it?   What do you think of our city?”Soon, using a restricted access lift, they reach the level where the King’s Wands gather for research and missions.   Most of the Wand agents have their own places where they create their wands and magical weapons.Cue has the two of them wait as he speaks to the Wand Master.  He returns and says they may enter.  He has to speak to another agent about some magical components he needs.  He says his goodbyes to Play and the barbarian and turns to leave.  After taking a few steps he turns again-  “John-  IF, if she is alive, I hope you find her.”  Then turns and leaves.“How may I help you Master Play?” enquires the Master Wand.  His hair is wavy and drawn back like little wings.  His face looks young except for the dozens of wrinkles around his eyes.  He has two rings per hand and a robe and cloak that look to be of obvious magical design.   The office is wall to wall shelves with tomes about magical creations and artifact histories.   Many cannot be found anywhere but here.“Thankyou for seeing me sir.   I hope you can help me.”“Please- sit” says the mage and with a graceful wave of his hand two chairs withdraw from the shelves.“I was told you knew my mother- Jocasta Play.”“Yes, yes I did.   She was second in charge when I joined the Wands.   Many of her magical theories would make any Cannith member envious.   She had a real talent with magical enhancements of soldiers especially.”“Yes.   I was wondering if you could tell me anything about my mother’s…. passing away.”The mage doesn’t move…. It seems like all time freezes as he looks at Play.  He brings his fingers together and covers his mouth and looks closely at Play.  “Why the curiosity…. It has been…. Several years.”“Indulge me please.”“We were at Orcbone.  A Breland military post in the Greywall Mountains.  I was stationed there to aid the military forces.   We were searching for something in the mountains.  What we were searching for is a state secret.  Your mother, Jocasta Play,  had come to inspect the troops.”Play quietly thinks there is a lot of cover-up here.  How much is truly state related and much is the mage’s own decision will have to be decided on later.“Unknown to us, the morning scouts had been overrun by a group of Gnolls.  These gnolls and a group of trained ogres snuck up on the encampment near the fort.   It is unclear whom attacked first at this point but a full assault had started.  The Droaam forces were winning due to surprise and the gnolls skills with their bows.”Play knows this and knows the Gnolls were part of the Venom assassin group.  A group that killed his father as well.  He and other dark Lanterns and the King’s Swords destroyed them a few years later.“Only a bridge separated the creatures from the unprepared fort.  They were crossing it when your mother learned of the attack.  She insisted on going to the battle even when the fort captain recommended she stay back for her own safety. Most of their forces were on the bridge at this point.  She had a secret weapon of some sort on her and she used it to collapse the bridge.  The collapse took out nearly all of the Droaam creatures.  The few that survived fled back to their forlorn lands to the west.”The mage adjusts his position in his chair and sighs again before returning to the tale.  “Apparently, she and several other mages were on the bridge also.  When the bridge collapsed, it took her and the others with it.  They fell to their deaths in the deep canyon below.”Play frowns.  There are many possibilities of her survival.  “Was her body retrieved?”“You know it was not.”  The mage frowns in irritation.“So how was it determined she died?”“With most of the mages dead, it took the military several hours to make their way to the canyon bottom.   It was rocky and dangerous with a savage river there.  There were also… creatures there.  These creatures were found feasting on bodies of the gnolls, ogres and Brelanders alike.”“Do you believe could have survived?”“No.”“Why?  She was powerful mage.   Even a simple float spell would have prevented her death.”“Let me ask you a question then…..  IF, if she survived, then why did she not return to Fort Orcbone?”</blockquote>

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