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Message: <blockquote data-quote="spyscribe" data-source="post: 2389653" data-attributes="member: 5808">Happy Birthday WisdomLikeSilence!  May this year bring even more than you could hope for.Part the One-Hundred Thirty-FourthIn which: we bid a not-so-fond farewell to the Sovereignty of Kettenek, and make a welcome return to Dar Pykos.The next morning, Reyu casts reduce animal on Bob so that he can be more easily transported inside the tower.  Bob seems rather nonplussed to suddenly be shorter than Thatch is.  Euro is thrilled.Hey Boss, you tell her next time, just a little bit smaller, right?  That horse thinks he’s so big.Euro, he is that big.Not now he’s not, Boss!Petros brings his tower to a forested area a few hours’ walk from Dar Pykos.  Although the party invites him to come with them to the city, he demurs. “I am not certain that it would be… appropriate… for me to meet your city representatives without the others present.”The party accepts his regrets and heads out, promising to return soon to haul away their accumulated loot.  Petros—for his part—has business of his own to attend to elsewhere, but he promises to return in a week and bring the party as far as he is able on their quest to fulfill their obligation to Gemil, and find the next archmage, Manaal.  The party will take the time to re-supply and find out what they can about the Empire of EbisThe party enjoys their walk over fallow fields on their way to the main road to Dar Pykos.  Alirria Rising is only a few days away, and out of the mountains, it is obvious that spring is nearly here.  The sun is shining, the air is warmer, and as she walks, Lira takes her holy symbol out of her blouse and lets it hang openly around her neck.  Eva digs hers out of her pack and does likewise.Once they pass the city gates, the party’s first stop is the Temple of Justice where Anvil immediately goes barging into the quartermaster’s office to requisition a cart and mule to help haul their treasure back to the city.The quartermaster grudgingly accedes to the request, although he cannot resist calling after Anvil’s back:  “<a href="https://www.enworld.org/index.php?posts/742553/" target="_blank">Bring them back this time!</a>”   Anvil also presses two young acolytes (Novices David and Howard) into service for help with loading and hauling.  The young men are amply rewarded on the walk out and back with all the stories they would like to hear about the Ketkath, and Sovereignty, and even details about the Mages’ Academy fire, apparently still looming large in the public consciousness.As Anvil expounds upon the blight of undead that had overrun Bountiful, Lira turns to Eva.  “You know,” she says, “I’ve been thinking.”“Yes?”  Eva prompts.“We’ve got a lot of money—”Eva completes the thought herself.  “—We should go to <a href="https://www.enworld.org/index.php?posts/933970/" target="_blank">Dar Karo</a> and spend some of it.” The rest of the group is in hearty agreement.###The party returns to the Temple of Justice that evening, just around dusk.  As they approach, they notice that more than a few Justicars have left their studies to see their arrival, and they are soon beset with more offers of help from willing acolytes than they could ever need.They also find many messages waiting for them.The one message addressed to the entire party asks them to see Professor Alexandra at the Mages’ Academy to report on their progress.  The next morning, they go to do just that.  ###As they approach the Academy grounds, the party members cannot help but notice that major construction work has taken place since the fire.  Specifically, the Academy grounds have been surrounded by a high stone wall.Lira feels her stomach sink.  “So much for being a part of the community.”The wall is bare stone slapped together with heavy mortar.  Some minor effort has been made to finish the exterior surface, but clearly, whoever constructed it was more concerned with the barrier’s structural properties than its aesthetic ones.Anvil gives it an approving nod.  “It is a good thing,” he offers.“What?!?”He meets Lira’ outraged expression with his usual calm demeanor.  “Things that are different should be kept separate from each other.”“So we should just put all arcane casters in a box and forget about them?” Lira asks.  Anvil starts to answer, but thinks better of it.  Lira glowers, but lets it drop.Inside, the buildings decimated by fire five and half months ago are starting to be rebuilt.  The rubble has all been cleared away, and the grass in the main quad is starting to push up new, light green blades.  Still, the place has an air of a school under siege.  Students and professors hurry from one building to the next, intent on their business.  Most glance warily at the party as they pass, or whisper among themselves, but no one comes up to greet the newcomers.Eventually, Annika is able to flag down a friend and ask where they can find Professor Alexandra.The Professor has a new office, and although she is less harried than she was in the immediate aftermath of the attack, a permanent fatigue has settled itself around her eyes.  The party’s arrival gets a smile though.“So,” she begins once everyone is settled, “there are five archmages of the Halmae?”“So we are told,” Reyu replies.The party tells her what they can of Chi’i and Petros, and also of their adventures in Bountiful.  The mood in the room lightens considerably as Thatch recounts charging across the field after Anvil in rabid pursuit of farming skeletons.“… and the skeletons are bookin’ it across the field and we’re running after them, and Anvil has got his holy symbol out and yelling, ‘Lira!  You should practice this!’”The Professor laughs, although she seems a little confused.  “But Lira can’t turn undead,” she points out.“Sure can’t,” Eva snickers.  Lira elbows her, blushing.Professor Alexandra, in her many years of classroom management, has learned to pick up on the subtle signs that indicate she isn’t being told something.  “What’s going on?”Lira squirms under the collective gaze of the entire room.“Well… I kind of can…  I mean, Eva’s right, I’m no good at it, but…” Lira sighs.  “While we were in Chi’i’s valley, I… I started casting divine spells.”Professor Alexandra raises an eyebrow.  “Really?”Everyone nods.  “I set myself on fire,” Lira elaborates.“Fire fire,” Annika adds.“It’s okay, though, she healed herself afterwards,” Kiara puts in.“There are other people who can do that too, right?” Lira asks.  “I mean, I can’t be the only arcanist in the world who casts divine spells.”Professor Alexandra clears her throat.  “Well, to my knowledge… you are.”“Oh.”The group sits in silence for a few moments.  Professor Alexandra tries to change the subject.  “So, any other exciting discoveries on your journey?”“Well, Chi’i offered to make Lira not a sorcerer anymore.”Another pause.“Oh.”</blockquote>

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