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Message: <blockquote data-quote="rchodges" data-source="post: 8531718" data-attributes="member: 7031385">Part 2: Call Forth DarknessAct 1: FarholdeSession 13: Lies of the LandDonovan was dragged, shackled and in rags, towards a makeshift bench by Tiadora. For his part, Donovan was attempting to resist her, pulling as hard as his muscles would allow. However, it was to no avail, Tiadora was far too powerful for Donovan to resist her. As Tiadora laughed and continued to drag, Donovan could see that Adrastus Thorn was sitting behind the bar, staring at Donovan with contempt and disappointment.“You have broken the Pact of Thorns and failed me, Donovan Westermeyer. What do you have to say for yourself?”, Thorn’s voice boomed down, where Tiadora had lashed Donovan’s shackles to a set of posts.“That’s nonsense!”, Donovan snarled at Thorn. “I have never failed the tenets of the Pact!”Thorn wagged his finger at Donovan, almost as if he was chiding an infant, “You forget the Third Loyalty, Donovan. By your hand was a member of the Ninth Knot slain, and now you will share in their fate.”Donovan stopped fighting against his restraints when he heard that statement. “No…”, Donovan spoke meekly, “… that can’t be true. I would never hurt my family! They mean everything to me.”“See the truth of your betrayal, Donovan.”, Thorn pointed out in the distance, and an area previously out of Donovan’s sight became clear.Donovan’s family stood around a casket, looking down onto the form of a person laid within. His eyes could not make out who the person was, but he could see Bebop, Lucius, Lucinda, and GrumbleJack. He didn’t see Tamsen in the group standing around, and panic beset Donovan, “Nonononono! This can’t be! What has happened? Please, no! Someone tell me what’s going on!” Donovan was screaming at the top of his lungs, but the people near the coffin didn’t hear him or wouldn’t respond.”Tiadora laughed wickedly at Donovan, as Thorn continued. “Face your executioner, Donovan.” A form began to float towards Donovan, and he quickly made out the features of the man.“I will kill you Tacitus! Please, all of you, don’t let this man get away with hurting her! You have to kill him!”, Donovan howled and cursed, pulling with all of his might against the shackles that held him, even as they begin to cut deeply into his wrists.Tacitus grinned at Donovan’s plight, as the fire magic he was conjuring built up larger and larger.As the last of Donovan’s strength was spent, he looked over once more at the coffin surrounded by his family. “I’m so sorry, Tamsen.” The fireball roared towards Donovan, and Donovan closed his eyes for what was about to occur.Donovan’s eyes snapped open, and he looked around quickly. The dawn was just beginning to break over the waters as they continued to sail to Farholde. Looking around, he could see that all his family was there, not yet awakened for another day on the waters. Donovan looked down and saw that Tamsen was peacefully sleeping in his lap.It was the dream again, as it had been almost every day since they left Balentyne. As a sense of relief washed over him, Donovan’s eyes welled up and tears fell down onto Tamsen’s cheeks. Tamsen was awakened by this, and she looked up at Donovan’s face. Seeing his watery eyes, Tamsen reached up and touched Donovan’s face.“Are you ok?”, Tamsen said softly and sweetly.Donovan nodded, “The cold air across the water gets to me in the morning. Are you ok, my love?”Tamsen sat up, then leaned on Donovan. A mischievous grin crossed her face, and she whispered into his ear, “I can’t wait to get you into a bed and show you how much I’ve missed you.”Donovan kissed Tamsen softly on the lips. He hesitated briefly, then spoke, “I’m sorry for what happened in Balentyne. I hope you can find some way to forgive me.”Tamsen tilted her head and smiled, “Silly boy, there’s nothing to forgive. Now cuddle me Donovan.” With that, Tamsen pressed herself against Donovan, and became still again.The routine on the boat had become very familiar to the group. They each knew their assigned roles from the time they spent aboard the Frosthamar and were comfortable with the situation, even if only because they knew this trip was less than two weeks. Compared to their last voyage, this was a simple task. As the last full day approached, Cardinal Thorn made an appearance aboard the “Halstyn’s Folly”. He briefly spoke with Tiadora from within the Captain’s Quarters, before he instructed her to fetch the Ninth Knot.Without ado, Thorn began his discussion, “You have served me faithfully, my ninth knot, and I have rewarded you both in treasure and vengeance. Thanks to your efforts, the Fire-Axe has been unleashed.”Thorn would go on to discuss the victories of Sakkarot and his armies, then he began to discuss the Caer Bryr and the Horn of Abaddon. Thorn discussed with the group about a powerful demon that had been sealed within the Horn called “Vetra Kali Eats the Eyes”. Thorn believed that this plague demon had a particularly formidable disease referred to as the “Tears of Achlys”.Thorn revealed that he had originally entrusted this task to a different group of individuals, specifically the Fourth Knot. The Fourth Knot was comprised of an Elven tracker by the name of Aiden Kael and some Iraen Barbarians. According to Thorn, Kael stopped communicating with him almost a month ago.Thorn’s new plan was to send the Ninth Knot along with Elise Zadaria and her team. His intention was to have Elise’s team function as logistics and information from within Farholde, while Donovan and his family would actually travel to the Horn of Abaddon in order to determine the process needed to break the seal that was holding the demon, and convince it to provide the plague to them.Thorn then mentioned that there was a follower of Asmodeus who could possibly be of aid. He was called Baron Arkov Vandermir, and apparently well connected within the city of Farholde. Thorn encouraged the group to gather whatever aid they could from the Baron, but to assume treachery from him if the opportunity was provided.For Donovan’s part, he hated everything about this assignment. But, before he would be dragged into this long running quest, he was determined to prove out the theory he had put together regarding the last undertaking that had just been completed.“I imagine you have questions.”, Thorn intoned to the group.Donovan began digging through the Haversack that Bebop was carrying, “Certainly, Father. But first, I’d like to speak with you about this.” Donovan set the book retrieved from Commander Haverlyn’s office in front of Thorn.“And what is this supposed to be? Why are you showing me a Mitran religious book?”, Thorn seemed annoyed.Donovan pressed, “This is a record of the family tree for the Haverlyn bloodline. I thought you would want it, since it was kept by your brother.”Thorn’s eyes narrowed at Donovan, “What are you suggesting, Donovan?”Donovan smiled, “Obviously Father, I’m suggesting you were formerly Cardinal Samuel Haverlyn, a High Priest of the Mitran faith, before you were burned at the stake and returned as Adrastus Thorn.” Donovan could feel Tiadora’s gaze hardening at him. But that’s not the reaction he was interested in.Thorn tapped his lips, “Let’s say I go along with your theory, Donovan. What of it?”“Perhaps you would be inclined in the future to tell us that we would be encountering a member of your family, so that we could alter our tactics for dealing with them?”, Donovan queried. “There’s still the matter of your nephew to deal with, after all.”Thorn raised his hand to halt Donovan, “I see no member of my family here. Now, is there anything else you wish to ask me about?”Donovan sighed, “The Tears of Achlys. Do we know how it’s spread, or how it is treated?”Thorn seemed to have been caught off step to that question, which actually made Donovan even more concerned, “I… have people who can study and understand the workings of this disease, so that we might use it more effectively.”Donovan continued flatly, “I assume you want us to kill Aiden Kael should we encounter him?”Thorn’s response was confused, “No, why would you think that? I don’t believe he survived.”“Fine, Father. Now with regards to the Seventh Knot, which of our teams will be taking lead in coordination regarding the efforts?” Donovan was generally interested to see whom Thorn favored more.“Neither.”, Thorn replied. “Each of your groups have different assignments, and those assignments are independent of one another.”Donovan frowned, “I don’t like being dependent on someone who isn’t invested in the cause.”Thorn looked coldly at Donovan, “Do you have an issue with Elise? You all seemed to get along fine back at the manor.”Donovan shook his head, “She’s not committed to anyone but herself. I don’t like being dependent on someone like that.”Thorn smirked, “You’re no different, you know.”Donovan interjected, “Merchants live by a code of honor. Our words are our bond!”Thorn waved his hand dismissively, “Enough Donovan! Follow the instructions I have given you. Bring me the Tears of Achlys!”Donovan gritted his teeth, “Yes Father.”With that, Thorn teleported away from the ship, leaving the group to ponder their thoughts.Lucius approached Donovan, clearly annoyed, “Could you please not try so hard to get us killed?” Seeing that Donovan was about to say something, Lucius cut him off, “Yes, I know Donovan. You want to prove to everyone that you’re right. But you being right won’t keep us safe from his ire. You need to be practical and not always one up everyone.”Donovan let out a long sigh, “You’re right.”Not too much later, the boat arrived at the docks of Farholde. Tiadora stepped off the ship first, followed by the family. Looking at the group, she smirked and said “I have arranged for us to meet with the Baron tomorrow. You should find something presentable to wear.” From there, Tiadora teleported away, leaving the group to find their own curiosities.Donovan fished out several of the platinum ingots from the chest and handed them to Lucius. “Take GrumbleJack and buy him a new set of Full Plate armor. Also, see if you can find any information on Aiden Kael, and locate an Inn that has seven available rooms.” Donovan quickly amended, “With baths!” Lucius nodded and smiled, then he and GrumbleJack walked away.Donovan then handed two hundred gold worth of coinage to Bebop. “Find out what you can about Baron Vandermir. Might as well have some knowledge about the man before we go in to meet him, who knows what difference it could make.”Donovan paused a moment as he set the coins into Bebop’s eager hands. “Please don’t die. There’s nothing we need more than you coming back.”Bebop grabbed the money excitedly, then took off down the street with purpose.Donovan consumed a Flask, lifted up the sack of goods that he had to trade off, and took Tamsen’s hand, “Ready to go shopping?”Tamsen nodded and smiled, as the two of them begin to work their way into the city.Lucius first stop in Farholde was a pleasant armorer who apparently offered steins with the armors he made. Requesting armor of the size and quality that Donovan wanted for GrumbleJack was no easy task, but the merchant was quite accommodating, and said he would be able to complete the task. While Lucius was a very charming individual, he lacked the intimate knowledge of the armory business that might have given him an additional edge in negotiating prices. Still, he was able to secure a five percent discount, and a fine collection of steins to use whenever he was at a tavern.Lucius then began to work his way around the city, asking around about different inns within town. Farholde had several inns to choose from, varying in both price and quality. It occurred to him that Aiden probably had been frequenting an inn as well, and certain locals might remember such an individual. While his first choice was little more than a flop house, the second choice was actually an inn that would meet the needs for his family to stay at. He purchased the rooms and additional spa option, then continued on looking for another inn that could be an option.His search led him to a place called the Wandering Friar Inn. After spending a small amount of time talking to a man that insisted that angels were going to protect Farholde from the bugbears, he was actually able to meet with the owner of the bar. Lucius was very persuasive, and was able to convince the tavern owner to allow him to pay the outstanding room fee (a mere 25 gold), in exchange for unfettered access to the room contents. Once inside the room, Lucinda was able to discover several items of interest, including a map that showed several failed attempts and one successful attempt to discover the Horn of Abaddon; and a sack of coins. Holding one of the coins between his fingers, Lucius smiled to himself, “You’re not the only one who can make a profit Donovan.” Taking the items of note, Lucius continued around the city to hear more tales from the people. Lucius found it interesting the lies that people would tell to themselves in their time of fear. Maybe the lies gave them comfort or hope, maybe they gave the people some sense of control in a world that seemed so out of control. Lucius was far too practical to bother with such things. “Reality doesn’t change simply because you don’t like it.” Lucius made his was back to the inn to meet with the rest of the family, and to discuss his findings.Bebop’s searching took him to exactly the place he wanted to be, the worst possible place in the city. Bebop loved the feel of places like this, the sound of places like this, and even the smell of places like this. He’d never want to have to live in a place like this again, certainly not. But seeing the harder side of the city reminded him of his roots, and gave him a sense of self confidence he never found in the high society places that Donovan and his family would frequent. Bebop didn’t have to be nice or polite here, he could say and do whatever he wanted.Bebop asked around about Baron Vandermir, but the truth was that the Baron’s reach here wasn’t as influential as it probably was in other parts of the city. No, in this part of town, a different person was in charge, and he was curious about who this person was. Rubal Thraam was apparently the person in charge here, and Bebop wanted to know more about this person.Bebop went to a building called Drowington Manor. The building appeared to be protected by a stone slab that kept it high enough off the ground that it didn’t flood like so many other residences around this place. The building itself had everything Bebop could want: drinking, gambling, fighting, prostitution. Bebop began looking around the wares, but nothing stood out to him. Bebop sighed, annoyed at the prospects. There was nothing new, nothing different; and he always found himself craving more time with Tamsen. Tamsen was the best and worst that had ever happened to him. Her touch could thrill him on levels he had never known, but there was always a line between the two of them that could not be crossed. But having her made so many other women trivial and uninteresting to him. So, he kept searching for something different, something unique that could sate that desire.Bebop tried to get a meeting with Rubal Thraam, but all he got for his troubles is some guy trying to give him a hand job for a free drink. Bebop nearly tore the man’s head off, but then thought better of it, and left. Still, Bebop knew that he had to come back to this place with the rest of them, as they could open doors that he might not be able to break through.For Donovan and Tamsen, the two of them moved almost effortlessly through town. Between his insight into the workings of commerce, and her overwhelming force of personality, there was little impediments that could come between them and their goals. Donovan traded off most of the goods that he had acquired at Balentyne, with the notable exception of Haverlyn’s armor. After the Commander had been slain, the armor reformed itself into an obviously unholy machination. Donovan was unsure why this had taken place, but attempted to weave it into a story about how his family defeated the “monster that caused the fall of Balentyne”. Still, he could not find any buyers for the gear. Tamsen used her familiarity with the boys’ bodies to give shirt and pant sizes to the local tailors, acquiring the necessary outfits for everyone. Once they had completed their task, Donovan and Tamsen returned to the inn that Lucius had reserved for them. Arriving there, the two of them were able to spend a leisurely bath together, and then to their bedroom for the rest of the night.The next morning, the family gathered together in the tavern and enjoyed breakfast, while discussing the information that each of them had gathered while moving through the city. Donovan listened carefully to the information, and was impressed with what had been discovered. “Great work, everyone. This will be very helpful when we start our first attempt to the horn.” As the day pressed on, the group went into Tamsen’s bedroom, where everyone was fitted to be sure the sizes were correct.“My handsome boys!”, Tamsen beamed at them as she fussed over different parts of their outfits.The arranged time soon arrived, and the Ninth Knot found Tiadora waiting outside the inn dressed beautifully in white. The group greeted her, but a frown quickly came over her face.Pointing at GrumbleJack, she stated coldly, “He’s waiting here.”Donovan sighed, then handed GrumbleJack some money, “Go get some dinner buddy, we’ll be back for you later.”Tiadora then looked over at Bebop, “Do you need to wait here also?”Donovan interposed himself between Tiadora and Bebop, “He’ll be fine Lady Tiadora. Shall we be off?’Tiadora led the group to an area of Farholde called Calliver Green. It was clearly the nicest area of the city, with walled gates surrounding massive homes. It was truly a testament to opulence. And, within this area, Tiadora walked to what appeared to be the nicest home in the group. Guards were standing in front of the gateway to the huge manor that was the residence of Baron Vandermir. Tiadora told the guards that she and her group were expected, and the guards complied. However, the guards refused to allow any weapons to be brought in, so Donovan surrendered his rapier, and Lucinda waited behind.As Donovan looked at the uniforms of the guards, he noticed what they were wearing was a variation on the House Barca emblem. Communicating in his mind to Tamsen, he said “House Barca, how interesting!” Tamsen wasn’t sure what to make of such things, but she imagined this was something Donovan was excited about and responded, “Yes indeed.”The group was led into a lavish building, clearly almost a century old. The group was fed delicious appetizers and drinks. Bebop was getting ready to grab a huge handful of food to stuff in his mouth, but Tamsen interrupted him.“Behave, sweetness, and I’ll give you a treat later.”, Tamsen whispered in Bebop’s ear.Bebop caught himself, and delicately took single appetizers as the plates were brought by.Donovan found himself walking through the library of the manor, finding a large selection of books. Perhaps the most interesting discovery Donovan made from that was the absence of any religious material. Walking further down a hallway, Donovan noticed a Mitran holy book set onto a pulpit, with a bookmark laid across the current page. Donovan chuckled to himself, “Yes, I see what’s going on here.”The Baron, an extremely handsome man, joined the family as the dinner event commenced. Minor pleasantries were exchanged, but nothing of interest was discussed during the dinner. However, once the dinner was complete and the servants were dismissed, the Baron was ready to come to the truth of things.“You come to me as beggars, the last remnants of a forbidden faith. You will promise me much, of that I have no doubt. But all that I am likely to earn from helping you is the inquisitor’s pyre. Tell me, why should I help the likes of you?”Donovan felt himself dumbstruck. Why would the Baron deny his own faith? Why would he refer to the family as the “likes of you”?“Are you talking about points, sir? We can do points.”, Donovan offered up percentages in an attempt to feel out the conversation. “Were you thinking five, or perhaps seven? We also could do right of first refusal, in case you are worried about the option of missing goods.”“Ah, the merchant’s son. So, you want to talk about points, eh? Tell me about points.”, Vandermir smirked.“Damnit, Thorn.”, Donovan cursed silently to himself, “You played my card ahead of time.” Donovan sized up the Baron, and realization began to set in. “Oh, now I understand what you are asking for Baron.”The Baron smiled, “I agreed to meet with you, I never agreed to anything else.”“Do you mind if I stand while I talk, Baron? It helps me think.”, Donovan smiled broadly.The Baron simply stretched his hand outward.Donovan walked over to Tiadora, leaned close to her, and then spoke in Celestial, “Lady Tiadora, you always brighten my day. I am especially glad you are here now.”Tiadora sighed, knowing what was about to happen.Donovan began, “So, the first thing we have to talk about is the fact that Tiadora is here. And why is Tiadora here?” Donovan looked over to the rest of his family. “The reason that Tiadora is here is because the Baron knows Cardinal Thorn.” Donovan continued to walk around the dining room. “But the Baron knew the Cardinal back when he was Samuel Havelyn. Indeed, the Baron was aware that Samuel Havelyn was destroyed on the inquisitor’s pyre, before becoming Adrastus Thorn.”As Donovan continued to move around the room, Bebop carefully was eating his food, making sure that Tamsen noticed how neat he was being. For her part, Tamsen was watching Bebop, amused at the effort he was making to impress her. Lucius was attempting to keep up with what Donovan was saying but was oddly mystified at the sight of Bebop behaving the way he was.Donovan pressed on., “Of course, none of this gets to the heart of why you are interested in the struggles of Cardinal Thorn. In truth, all of that can be traced back to the loss of your father, who passed away during the war between the House Barca and House Darius, which ended up being fought to the man, leaving only Markadian the Victor behind. While the Victor was a peaceful man, he required that all individuals who did not share his Mitran faith were to stop their public worship of other gods. Thus, you lost not only your father, Baron, but also your religious freedom.”At this point, Tiadora was rolling her eyes at Donovan. Still, the Baron made no attempt to stop him, so she wasn’t going to interfere.Donovan pressed on, “And all of this worked out very well for you Baron, from a financial standpoint. You became well connected in the city, and loved by the people. You even had time to set up an orphanage.” Donovan looked directly at Tamsen when he said the word orphanage, but didn’t elaborate on that further.“But then came Markadian the Zealous, and with him the Asmodean purges. Whatever personal expressions you once had now had to be completely removed from your home, and replaced with all Mitran iconography, such as you have now. Of course, by that point, you really didn’t care too much, as you were not heavily invested into your faith. Still, the recent fall of the Balentyne Watch Wall has given your pause, since you don’t want the bugbears stomping all over your home when you actually do share their beliefs. Put simply, Baron Vandermir, you follow the winds of change.”, Donovan paused on that thought, amused at the implication.Quickly, Donovan continued, “And that, sir, is the question you are really asking me tonight. You don’t want me to offer you something, because the only thing you need is to have an opportunity to have vengeance on those that brought your house and family down; but you aren’t sure if the people involved can pull it off. So, for part one of your question, I would tell you that the Cardinal shares your concern, and the very reason he has sent us into Farholde is to seek out the Horn of Abaddon, where he believes a tool that can push the war in his favor exists. And for part two of your question, the Cardinal gave me two weeks to take down the Watch Wall. Not only did my family do it in eleven days, they also had time to clear out the residents of Aldencross so they wouldn’t be caught up in the fighting and they helped me set up a shipping trade lane to see if we could take a little extra profit with our free time.”Donovan returned to his seat, “And that, sir, is the answer to the question you actually wanted to ask me tonight.”The Baron stared at Donovan and the group of people who accompanied him. For their part, they seemed largely disinterested in what Donovan had been saying, as if this was just simply the kind of thing he did on a regular basis. Then there was Donovan, the man who had in a single setting, managed to list the Baron’s history and motivation for nearly a century.“I will not be meeting with the rest of you again. If needed, I will meet with you again Donovan. There are several things a man of my talent can offer you, including access to merchants, relative immunity to the local law enforcement, and my skills as an Enchanter. However, I will not be travelling to the Horn with you.”“Nor would we want you to, Baron.”, Donovan reassured the Baron. “Your place is here, where you can apply assistance to us.”Once the details had been discussed and set in place, the group left the Baron’s home. After getting to the outside of Culliver Green, Tiadora addressed the family, “Don’t forget that you need to meet the Seventh Knot at the dock. You should work with them to find out how to see the Master’s will done. Or don’t, not my problem. Goodbye, dearests!” Tiadora teleported away, with the same mannerisms she showed each time proceeding.The family met the Seventh Knot at the dock as requested. Unsurprisingly, Elise quickly revealed her general annoyance with the situation, both in her travels, and on being in the city.Lucius attempted to console Elise, “We have baths and rooms waiting for you, and food if you would care to join us.”While the Seventh Knot did use the amenities provided, only Elise chose to meet with Donovan and the others.“My group is tired, so they are just going to head to bed.”, Elise explained.“I understand. I’m interested to hear what your plans are for our efforts going forward.”, Donovan asked intently.“It is my intention to set up a spy network at every inn, tavern, and other places explorers would congregate, and intercept any information regarding people attempting to travel to the Horn of Abaddon. If there are any individuals we cannot deal with directly, I will send a messenger to you with details.”, Elise replied flatly.“That’s a good plan Elise. But, I think the messengers are a potential weak spot. We need something that isn’t so vulnerable to attack or discovery.”, Donovan countered.“What did you have in mind?”, Elise asked suspiciously.“You can establish a connection with Tamsen. This will allow the two of you to use telepathy when you need to communicate with one another. That way, there will be no issues with our messenger failing us.”, Donovan smiled.Elise narrowed her eyes. “I don’t think I’d like to have Tamsen in my head. No offense, dear.”Donovan chuckled, “I see. Well, how about we agree to meet at a location in between the two spots at a fixed time each day? That would allow us to communicate quickly, and we wouldn’t have any loose ends.”Elise yawned, “I’m going to bed now. I’m not interested in talking about this further.”Donovan nodded, “Of course, Elise, your team has had a long trip. I hope you all have a wonderful evening.”Shortly after Elise returned to her room, Bebop went upstairs and knocked on her door. One of the twins answered the door, and shooed Bebop away. Bebop grumbled, and walked into his own room. On the bed sat Tamsen, in a gorgeous piece of almost translucent clothing. “I believe I promised someone a treat.”, Tamsen giggled to Bebop. Bebop rushed towards the bed in excitement, almost pouncing on Tamsen in his enthusiasm.Donovan laid in his bed, pondering the events over the last several days. “Lies and more lies.”, Donovan said to himself. “Thorn lies about his human life, in order to prevent me from having any sort of leverage on him. Vandermir lies about his connection to Asmodeus in order to protect his reputation. Zadaria lies about her frustration with this mission in order to find an opportunity to make me look bad.” Donovan hesitated momentarily, and then continued, “And I lie to Tamsen in order to hide my shame.” Donovan turned onto his side, tracing the outline of where Tamsen would be. “I can’t even be honest with her about the dreams I was having. Why can’t I be more like her?” Frustrated, Donovan blew out the candle in his room, and laid back in the bed.Tamsen could feel the heat from the Fireballs that had been repeatedly dropped into the room. She could hear the yelling as Donovan was trying to coordinate with the rest of the team, “Put him down now, we have to get up to the roof!” The pain was searing across her whole body, as she watched Donovan rush by, stabbing the form of Haverlyn to prevent him from being healed. Another blast of fire roared across the room, and everything went black for Tamsen. There was nothing: no pain, no sound, just blackness. In that blackness, she could make out a beautiful woman that she didn’t know but seemed somehow familiar. The woman looked at her and said, “There you are, my daughter.”Tamsen’s eyes opened up. She was in Bebop’s bedroom, both of them naked and wrapped around one another. In a soft voice, Tamsen uttered, “Where are you, mother?” Session 13 Ends.</blockquote>

Verification