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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 9042823" data-attributes="member: 2012">Caerth's malaise lifts. He looks at Phar with a slight smile and a nod. He hands the letter over to the paragon elf as he crosses the room to look at the journal. He is amazed. It is written in a form of Druidic that he's never seen before. The language of the druids is rarely written down in books. Most of the time, it is just used to mark important locations in the wild. A carved symbol pointing to an important grove of trees or a prayer to the earth scratched into a rock.Stratesus was indeed unique among druids! Caerth can understand why Aeron had told him stories about the Fellowship of the Boots. He picks up the journal, once Phar assures him it is safe to do so, and begins to read it. He flips through the the pages. He shakes his head in disbelief. This is the true history of the druid he grew up admiring. He is on the verge of tears.His emotions are so strong that Screech is drawn to the open doorway. He flies by Angus, Litrix, and Maur and lands on the silk rug. The owl hops up onto the bench and hoots several times at the half-orc druid. Caerth moves to the bench and sits down with the journal in his lap. Screech nestles up next to him and hoots again. Caerth pats the owl on the head to reassure the bird. Screech stays next to the druid.OOC: I will post a summary of the journal in the OOC thread (much, much later). It would be way too long to add it here."I think we will be okay," Quinn adds. "But Maur is right. We must be respectful of the dead... and this place."Quinn tears his eyes away from the mural map to look at Litrix and Maur. He nods to the dwarf.OOC: Initially, yes. but after Caerth wildshaped and got a 'bird's-eye view', he has a hunch in which direction that Eike went and where he is, or was last.As Phar begins to read the letter out loud, everyone falls silent. Initially, Aureus listens from outside, but she is soon drawn back into the room. She sits on the other side of the bench next to Caerth and Screech.When Phar finishes, she says. "That's a wonderful piece of history.""The whole room is a piece of history," Quinn adds. He shakes his head So familiar. Why? "I'm not a scholar, but I suspect there would be some in my homeland who give anything to be here right now.""You must make sure that what is here isn't lost... or abused," Qi says.Quinn nods. He knows Cruel Justice agrees with his 'mate' even though the adamantine scimitar remains silent at that moment.Caerth shakes his head. The journal has nothing in it after The Hermit's last entry. There is nothing written in it by Arixon or anyone else, and Aeron's stories were about the adventures of the Boots. He didn't tell Caerth about how their lives ended, except Grigron. He died a true hero. Aeron probably didn't know how the other's died. Caerth is now certain that Aeron never knew about this place. If he had, Aeron would have found a way inside this room. And, his stories would have been a lot more detailed... and closer to the truth.The journal is a treasure! Not just to Caerth, but to all the druid circles of the Strandlands. Those circles will want it. Desperately. Stratesus was such an important druidic legend... no, he's not a legend anymore. He's a true historic hero. Caerth worries that the circles will fight over the journal... and it won't be just a fight with words. Blood could, no, will be spilled if the circles learn of the journal.He looks at Litrix. "I don't know what happened to Arixion. Aeron's stories never mentioned how the wizard died.""If he died," Qi suggests. "Wizards tend to defy death.""Arixon was a good soul," Caerth insists. "He would not have become a lich!""I wasn't suggesting lichdom," the sentient baton replies. "There are other ways to defy death. The letter did say that Shouzas is immortal. Arixon might have become immortal himself.""It didn't sound like he wanted to live much longer," Quinn counters.Caerth flips to the centre of the journal. Folded in the book is a chart showing all the connections of the Boots. Connections by how long they knew each other, their lives and deaths, some of their loves and hates, and... their relatives. Only a handful of them were related by blood. But the two key ones were Stratesus and Dustchaser.The two men were brothers. While they had different mothers, they had the same father. His name was Trym Sauzac, and he was the patron of the Boots. Caerth shakes his head again. Aeron either didn't know the man's name or didn't mention it to Caerth as part of his Boots' stories. Stratesus, it seems, didn't share his father's name, but Dustchaser did have a family name. His name was Alekos Sauzac."Speak his true name," Caerth mumbles. "Alekos Sauzac."Aureus looks at Caerth. "Txaran?"Caerth nods."What was that name?" Quinn stares at Caerth in shock."Alekos Sauzac," Aureus mouths the words, as Caerth is lost in the journal. She has trouble with the pronunciation."It... it can... not be!" Quinn takes several steps back. His knees begin to shake."You know who Txaran was?" Aureus asks... a bit concerned for Quinn. "Are you all right? What is it?"Quinn knew. His mother made sure her son knew. Alekos Sauzac. Yes, Quinn had been very young when she told him, and after her tragic death, he had little left of her legacy. 'But, it couldn't be him,' he thinks."You are the centre," Cruel Justice says aloud."Stop saying that! It... can't be him! It just can't!""What are you talking about!?" Caerth ask, a bit confused."Ask him," Cruel Justice insists."Does it say anything else, about this Alekos?" Quinn can barely get the words out as he looks up at the mural."He was Dustchaser. This Txaran of the Blackthorn. He was Stratesus' half brother," Cearth says. Concerned. "There father was a man named...""Trym?""Yes, how do you..?""Alekos... Trym... they were my ancestors. My mother's ancestors. Alekos Sauzac was her four-times great grandfather. He was better known as Aizo Viteri. Wait..." Quinn's eyes go wide. "That why the name in the riddle seemed... familiar. My mother, she wasn't able to raise me, but she came to me in those early years in the pits, before she died, before she took her life, and told me about the Blackthorn, my ancestor. He was said to be a great warrior. A ranger and a mercenary. A hero. She never called him Txaran, just 'The Blackthorn' or Aizo, or Alekos.""WHAT!?" Aureus is excited again. She stands up, her tail swishing."So... you are Dustchaser and Stratesus' kin... through their father," Cruel Justice says calmly.Caerth stares at Quinn... in shock. The gladiator-knight's legs give out on him and he is soon sitting on the floor... looking up at the mural."I... I am... the centre," Quinn says.</blockquote>

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