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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Plane Sailing" data-source="post: 969581" data-attributes="member: 114">Thanks for waiting so long, a nice big update now.(14th May)They re-enter the ghosts watch point, and bid their farewells courteously into the air just in case, before proceeding down the stairwell into the darkness again. Kazrak looks relieved to see them once more, although he quickly composes himself into his normal grumpy manner before leading them back towards the king. Once again it is a trek of a couple of days to get back to the city, and Trajan continues attempting to pick up some odd words of Dwarvish.The audience with king Grishnak goes well. He is delighted that the company has solved the riddle of the stairwell and disarmed the magical traps which were blocking it and swears mightily. “What the fark do you want for this you great mashkars!” he roars in good humour.“Well my Lord, we hear that the work of dwarven smiths is most remarkable. Is there anyone who can place enchantments on our weapons?” asks Trajan respectfully.“Naturally” shouts the king. “My scribe will deliver you a note and you can take it to Gagrakarl my runesmith”.Sensing that the audience is coming to an end, Kazrak ushers them out and leaves them back in the Circle of Contemplation while he finalises details with the kings accountants, as well as making arrangements for the purchase of some of the artworks they brought down from the cloud giants castle with them.This is a good opportunity for the company to plan what they need to do next. In the short term Trajan wants to speak with Anna the prophetess, and find out what’s actually going on with her. In the longer term they fell that it is appropriate to try to track down one of their various escaped enemies over the years. Should they be looking for the Blessed, setting up her evil alienist cabals? Should they be searching for Barak that rogue shaman? Should it be Daros who is busy corrupting temples of Asura across the Southlands? Anne-Marie wants to head directly for Cadlan to speak to the mages there and learn what needs to be done in order to take the fight to the mind flayers home plane (wherever that might be) because she wants to make sure that the next time she kills one it stays dead. Eventually, after much discussion, they decide that Dyson is the one they want to tackle first. They had stopped his plans in Ossington, but he escaped with his bodyguard Tully, and it seems likely that he is up to further evil and infernal plans. They have the best chance of finding and stopping him before he gets some new plan thoroughly set up.Kazrak returns, and leads them to Gagrakarl’s quarters – but the runesmith isn’t there. His apprentice is very unhelpful and merely suggests that they return some time later.It takes two days of returning and asking before they finally find Gagrakarl at home. He is a gnarled and elderly looking dwarf, with intricate scars all over his face and forearms. He carefully reads the note from the king, then asks them what they want.“Can you place runes on our weapons?” asks Trajan.The runesmith raises an eyebrow. “If that’s what you want”, he says.They come to an agreement, both Trajan and Anne-Marie seeking particular runes inscribing on their weapons. When they return the following day, as agreed, Gagrakarl hands them back their weapons, each with some small yet complex runes inscribed on them.“Excellent” exults Anne-Marie. “How do I make use of it?”The runesmith raises an eyebrow again, then replies to Dala.“My understanding is limited, but I believe you stick the sharp end into your foes”.“No, no” says Anne-Marie to Dala. “Ask him about the magic runes”.“Magic?” chuckles Gagrakarl. “What ever makes you think of them as magic?”“But… we assumed…” Trajan starts“You assume too much!” snaps Gagrakarl. “Good Honour to you” and he turns back to his forge.A long conversation with Kazrak reveals that runesmiths don’t actually work as craftsmen, but they use runestones to cast magic spells. “Gagrakarl was probably quite offended that you took him as a mere craftsman” their guide points out. “You’ll notice he did some exquisite workmanship though” he muses.The party arrange another visit to Gagrakarl, apologise for their previous mistakes, and enquire whether he will be able to cast a scrying spell for them, so that they might try to gain some intelligence on Dyson. The runesmith agrees, and ushers them into another chamber. The far wall has a smooth circular area embossed on the far wall, about 5ft in diameter.  Around that there are numerous carved holes, and after spending a short while quizzing them about the characteristics of this “Dyson”, Gagrakarl starts selecting a couple of dozen stones marked with various runes and slotting them into vacant holes around the stone ‘mirror’.Once he is happy with  the arrangement he starts chanting in harsh and guttural dwarvish; Arilyn recognises the occasional words of Archaic, the tongue of magic, wrought in with it, and she can sense the gathering of magical potential in the room. The stone ‘mirror’ looks as if shadows are flitting across its surface, a few at first and then more and more. As the chanting continues the entire stone surface gradually becomes reflective and then a mass of swirling greys and browns. Eventually, after an hour, a picture starts to form.Dyson is on top of a high tower, looking out across mountains and a fertile valley. He is apparently getting a report from someone who is just out of view in darkness and shadow. Only a pair of horny lips can be seen moving.“how are the plans going?” Well, my 'master'.“and our forces are growing well?” We will have them at full capacity within the month 'master'“excellent. What problems remain?” Only that of gaining raw materials 'master'. If we march on Knightsbridge first our forces will swell on the way, and after Knightsbridge we will be unstoppable!Suddenly the wizard stops. “We are being scried upon. Go now and continue our plans”. He then looks into the scrying sensor, silent, with one eyebrow arched, then it all goes black.to be continued...</blockquote>

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