The group spent days, stretching into weeks, in Radigast, appraising, identifying and selling odds and ends loot in preparation for a treasure split. [ed: details to follow on who got what.] Several of the group approached D'Argo and Edwin about having them work on upgrading current or creating some new items. Everyone got out their calendars and started plotting out available times.
Golian produced a copy of the letter his informant had:
Salutations, Lendil!
Thank you again for the kind words and drink. It’s always a pleasure to speak with readers of my work, especially those well-read and civilized enough to know of my writing beyond the Barbarian Lands. Alas, I was unable to procure a copy of the early draft from my personal files. It would seem that it has gone the way of so much of my early work, lost forever to the gulfs of time and narrow-minded publishers unable to grasp the import of a young Pathfinder’s work. Fortunately, my mind is as quick now as it was in those early days of my explorations of your fantastic homeland. I recall the evening I first heard the story of Xin-Shalast, while seated on a log in a barbarian camp, sharing ruby mead with an enchanting young woman. Ah, but that’s a story for other times.
I was intrigued by the tale, though. All peoples have tales of “cities of gold,” yet with Xin- Shalast, the northmen had no tradition of explorers seeking it. They viewed the place as one of evil, a place to be feared and forsaken. As far as I could tell, none of the indigenous people ever sought out the ruins before the advent of Flan rule. But there was mention, come to think of it, of two dwarven brothers. Vekker, I think their names were. Claimed to have recently found the route to Xin-Shalast and convinced several tradesmen to support and supply their plan to establish a base of operations in the Griff Mountains along the Kazaron. Their vanishing into the Griffs bankrupted all but one of their investors, I hear, and even today, the Vekker name is generally accompanied by a litany of rousing dwarven profanity when it comes up in taverns.
In the stead of enclosing a copy of the early, complete draft of my work, though, please find a signed copy of Eidolon with this missive. I trust it will look quite handsome on your shelf.
In good Health,Redwing
Additionally, after a few days in town, Henrik and Pirrozi received a letter from a book seller that had purchased several of the tomes looted from the 'silver man's' quarters. His letter suggested you made a mistake in selling the books and he wanted to discuss it. Fearing a set up, the two went back with a few others staying in the background. It wasn't.
The book seller said that he originally purchased the tomes because they were in depth studies on transmutation magic and constructs. However, many hand written notes seemed to deal with something entirely different. It sounded important in that it dealt with lords, fallen empires, great magic, and what not. He wanted to be sure you didn't really want the books. (He indicated he'd be willing to sell them back to you at only a small profit for himself.) You asked him to paraphrase what he found and that he could keep the books. He told you the following, all of which was news to him:
You all got back to the treasure split and added to your lists of items to enhance.create.
.
- There was once a great empire called Thassilon
- One powerful ruler was called Karzoug
- He sensed the fall of his Kingdom
- He and his Lords of Greed devised a plan to keep him safe until some future time
- His soul (?) would be placed in stasis between the planes of the Prime Material and something called Leng using something called a runewell larger than any ever created
- At the proper time in the future, something called the runeforge pool would be powered and with enough power, Karzoug would be able to return
You all got back to the treasure split and added to your lists of items to enhance.create.
.
0 comments:
Post a Comment