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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Medriev" data-source="post: 4731889" data-attributes="member: 21864">Chapter 22 - The Tower of Mysteries (Part 4)“You say that you know of our house, Dark One,” spoke up Litiraan then. “But know you that my great grandsire stood at the Standing Stone when we first made our Compact with the Dalesmen. Maidar Zysel lived later in the City of Song until its fall and fell there in the last defence. Powerful enemies you face here, Dark One.”“Indeed,” answered the spirit with a grim nod. “Your house is greater than even I knew but will fall just as easily as the other elven houses have fallen.”“Perhaps they will and perhaps they won’t,” Dulvarna answered. “You are truly mighty among the gods of the Realms and worthy of the praise of your worshippers here.”“Good,” the spirit answered. “Another among you recognises the unstoppable power that stands before you.”“We all recognise it,” said Erlmoor, recognising the flattery that seemed to calm the apparition. “We shall provide for you the lore that you seek so that we may pass by to confront your mighty followers. Perhaps then, we will become sacrifices for you or we shall cull the weak from amongst the ranks of your servants.”“I am glad that you all seem to be finally seeing sense,” answered the black-armoured creature. “Now who will provide me with more lore for me to use against my enemies.”“I will,” spoke up Enlishia though she knew that she had precious little to offer. “My kindred too have a great history and were once huntmasters to the mighty Palaghard the First of Cormyr. We still hold knowledge of the hidden trails of the King’s Forest that few know of.”“You lie!” the spirit roared immediately. “Palaghard despised hunting and employed no huntmasters. You know nothing of the King’s Forest and its hidden trails.”Enlishia retreated before the wrath of the apparition, knowing the truth of its words. Her lie had been a desperate one that she had crafted quickly to try and fool the manifestation before her.“Know you then that we have recently defeated a great evil in the Thunder Gap,” Telkya said. “There the town of Winterhaven lies and the Keep that once guarded the eastern boundary of Cormyr with Sembia is now a place of goblins, undead and fouler things. Still the border holds and Cormyr’s lords guard it.”“They shall not forever and I know of the evil that you speak,” answered the spirit. “Though not the eastern border that the town and Keep mark. When last I ventured forth into the realm of mortals, Cormyr and Sembia yet squabbled over their borders. This is the useful lore that I seek from you.”“My own kin have power themselves and are a great house,” Lavren said next. “We made a pact with powerful fey nearly thirteen centuries ago when Cormyr and the Dalelands were young realms. They aid us still with magical power that has made my father and my family strong amongst the elves of Cormanthor. Myth Drannor may lie in ruins but the Elven Court lives on.”“Also well spoken elf,” the manifestation of Bane answered. “Though as hopeless as the words of your kin. The elven houses of Cormanthor are shadows of their former selves and doomed before the might of my servants.”“On that we cannot agree,” said Litiraan fiercely. “Surely your greatest servant was the lich, Szass Tam who was defeated by the Harpers at the end of the Harpstar Wars a century and more ago. If your greatest servant is no match for the power of the Dales and Cormanthor then you will never prevail.”The apparition seemed to pause and behind the faceplate of the helm, a faint smile was visible.“Szass Tam yet lives though,” it answered softly. “And he may yet return to plague your lands. But I grow tired of this talk. You may now enter the Tower of Mysteries. May its secrets intrigue you.”    The apparition vanished and as it did so, the companions felt a sudden weakness overcome them as a portion of their strength was sapped away. Each staggered but then made their way slowly forward into the teleportation circle.</blockquote>

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