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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kid Charlemagne" data-source="post: 27638" data-attributes="member: 93">The City of Clouds, Ralt Gaither, February 2nd, AE 420Despite Jovah’s concerns, the coronation of Marquis Samsen of Fencig goes smoothly, and without any particular hitches.  No one tries to immediately burn down the Fox Club, and no one tries to arrest the gnomish luck-priest for being anti-Reksus.  Jovah is almost disappointed.They return to the Inn in Ralt Gaither via dimensional folding, and find a message waiting indicating that they will be admitted to the Imperial Palace this very evening, there to see the Emperor himself!  Luckily, they’re all still wearing their finery from Samsen’s coronation, so they don’t even have to change.The courtiers and hangers-on at the Palace must have been amazed at the site of a half-dozen gaijin being ushered into private audience with the Emperor on such short notice.  The party is shown to a room, where they lounge about on luxurious sofas, and are fed delicacies by members of the Palace staff.  Jovah tries one of the small thimble-full porcelain cups of rice wine, and tosses it back, a bit ill-advisedly.“Smooooooth…”  the gnome manages to say.They are soon led to another chamber, where they meet the Emperor himself (who is a young man in his twenties), along with a vizier, and a number of very competent looking samurai.  The samurai all keep their hands on the hilts of their weapons, while the unarmed party speaks with the Light of Heaven.After some plaisantries, they get down to business.  They explain that they have recovered the Egg (twice), and Aris shows it to the Emperor.  The Emperor moves as if to take it, but the Vizier counsels him against it.“Even I do not know the nature of this thing,” the elderly man says. “It seems to us that our forebears kept much of this information from us intentionally, to keep us from being tempted by this device.  I know that it has vile powers, and that it contains something evil, but that is all.  It was placed in the Song Ling Monastery by the first Emperor, and a scroll was placed in the archives here, indicating that if anything should happen to it, terrible events could transpire, and great evil could be unleashed.“It seems that the hope was that this thing would be forgotten by all who might desire it.  Will you take the step of ensuring its safe return to the Monastery?”Sir Brennen nods.  The other members fo the party also indicate their consent.  After some more formalities, they leave.The next day, an escort is provided for them on their journey.  The Monastery is high up in the Mountains in the remote east of Ralt Gaither, really just a score or so miles from the far western edges of Ambardor, but the Endicott Mountains there are so sheer and inhospitable that no suitable pass exists for trade purposes, forcing all trade to have to be done via the Retic Sea.Jovah buys a barrel of sake before leaving the capitol.  “I could start up an import-export company,” he says.  “Small items, just a 15 gp transport fee.”“And maybe a year or two off your life,” Gavin adds.The trip up into the mountains is uneventful.  Aris takes the opportunity to improve his Ralt Gaitherese, and they take in the countryside.  After a week’s ride, they are high up in a spectacular valley.“The monastery is in the village of Hanalin,” the lead Samurai tells Aris.  “The Song-Ling clan is in charge of that area.  However, after the break-in at the monastery, they have lost much face, and some of the other clans have taken advantage of the situation.”They ride up to the Monastery itself, and are greeted with open arms by the chief monk there.  He is overjoyed to learn that they are returning the Egg, and he hopes that the news that the stolen things are returned will smooth out things in the area.  He offers the party lodging for as long as they wish to stay.  He shows the party to the main storage chamber where the Egg is to be hidden once more, and allows Aris to place the Egg back inits hidden place inside the stone block of an altar.  Aris has a weird sense of deja-vue, having seen this very chamber during his visions.They eat that evening with the monks, who seem to be partly religious, partly warrior monks.  The Monastery itself is very old, perhaps several thousand years, and although it is not ruined, it has clearly seen better days.  The monks living quarters take up only about a third of the chambers that they could.After dinner, Jalea knocks on Jovah’s door.“I’ve got to show you something,” the elf says, and pulls a cloth covered oval shape from his backpack.“What’s that?” Jovah asks.Jalea unveils it; it’s a piece of oval rock, the same size and shape as the Egg.“Oh, no,” Jovah groans.  “Don’t tell me you’re thinking about doing what I know you’re thinking about doing!”  “Look at this place, Jovah,” Jalea says.  “These monks don’t even remember how to guard what it is they were put here to guard.  And the biggest advantage this place has?  The way no one knows that the Egg is even here?  That’s gone too.  Too many people know; we’ve been talking to people about this for months.  We know; the elves in Cape Varna know; the King of Ghithor knows; the Duke of Belluin knows; and the Loraxites know, or they’d never have hired Virenzo to have it stolen.  And who knows who Virenzo or that thief might have told.“I say we take it with us, pretend we put it back, and then find someplace better to hide it.”Jovah sits silently, listening to Jalea talk.“Maybe. We’ll have to ask…”Just then a knock comes at Jovah’s door.  Brennen pokes his head in.“There’s a group of samurai from one of those other clans they were talking about coming up the road this way.  I’m going to take a look, wanna come?”“Yeah,” Jovah says.  To Jalea he says, “Hold that thought.”The party assembles by the front gate as the samurai approach.  Aris passes on the information that the samurai are from the Mikaio Clan, a clan that has been particularly troublesome to the Song-Ling Clan.  They apparently would like to offer the Monastery (which is after all an Imperial property) their protection.  This would bring much honor to their Clan.Aris looks out the arrow slit as they ride up and dismount.  Then he stiffens, startled at something.“One of those samurai isn’t radiating any heat,” he says.  “He’s undead.”Second edition had the old infravision/heat detection system, of course.  I like the 3e way of doing things better, I think.Batista strings his longbow, and knocks his red-fletched fireball arrow.“Showtime,” he says.Jalea turns to Jovah and gives him a questioning look.“Well?”Jovah takes a deep breath.“Do it.”</blockquote>

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