[Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

1. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

   #41

   As Shara-Gur moved steadily towards his advesary he quickly eyed the others. No one seemed to interfere, which was good.
   How would they respond when this mercinary was lying on the ground,
   warm blood flowing freely from his severed neck?
   If they were smart they would try to escape. The Sellsword had only bought one of their wretched lives with this duel. But the others would not be killed right away. He would have to make sure that they did not know any more than him. They probarbly knew less. Fools.
   
   He sized the merc; his falchion was heavy and the man strong. He looked grizzled, hardened by many battles. He would have to be careful.
   One hit would be fatal by the looks of him. Speed was the key.
   Feel with weight and act with haste. He smirked.
   It could be his blood on the grass tonight.
   
   He noticed that the mid part of the defence was left open, not only strong but clever too. But old Shara-Gur had a few tricks to show as well.
   
   He swung his Marshte from the right towards the unguarded stomach only to alter the blow towards the throat. The Marshte hissed trough the warm summer air.

2. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

   #42

   Greyson had only a fraction of a second to react. He had thought that Shara was going to take the bait and attack his open midsection. At the last moment he recognized the feint and was barely able to drop his sword in time to block the blow. Steel struck steel and the metallic sound rang clearly through the night air, the holy place had become an ampitheathre for the viewing of what pagan gods might deign to look upon the spectacle.
   
   Shara was a wily opponent, one worthy of respect for skill alone. Greyson rotated the falchion, and the marshte with it, clockwise away from his center. Both weapons were neutralized, neither man had the strength, or leverage to make an effective strike or thrust.
   
   With both blades still moving away to that place where they would have to disengage, Greyson lunged forward to deliver a stunning headbutt. Were his hand free he would try for a punch, but both hands were required to control the falchion, to keep the viper quick marshte away from his throat.

3. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

   #43

   As the weapons disengaged, Shara-Gur maneuvered to avoid the headbutt of his opponent. He swept past the right side of the merc, attempting to strike the side of the man, just below the ribs where the flesh was soft and organs close by. He could not tell if it was a hit or not, it all flashed by to fast. The Sellsword made no noise to indicate that he was hurt. If he indeed had been wounded it would be a razor cut, thin and probarbly not deep.
   He admired this man allready, he was skilled in combat and had a brave heart.
   Shara-Gut did not wish to kill him, it would truly be a waste.
   But he could not stop the duel as it would be a dishonour both to him and the Moriandar. If only there was a way to stunn him or knock him out without blodshed... He would try to disarm him first.
   
   He barely kept his balance as he swirled around and flashed his marshte in a fine arc towards the hilt of the falchion.

4. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

   #44

   Shara-Gur dodged the headbutt with the grace of a cat, the blade of the marshte caressed Greyson's side. He could feel the blade graze a thin and shallow cut. Blood would come from it quickly, but thankfully there had not been much power behind the strike. It might have ended the duel had Shara been able to put the strength of his arm behind it rather than just the momentum of the blade itself.
   
   Greyson tried to parry a disarming strike away. The parry would have been true had his grip held. Instead the blade seemed to drift out of his stunned hand. He could feel the three days of chopping vegetation burning in his arms, in his hand. Sweat stung the cut on his side. The falchion clattered against one of the menhirs, its blade flashed once in the moonlight before slipping into the gloom that pooled at the base of the great stone.
   
   He had hoped to win this duel, no one went into such a matter hoping to lose. There would be no bier of daisies and roses laid on Eliza's cairn, alone next to the shuddering pool. Perhaps it was fitting, in a greater sense. Wasnt execution the fate of the mercenary? There would be no stone cairn for Greyson, no monument or memorial, just another dead sell-sword.
   
   Greyson made fists out of his hands. It was folly to try and fight Shara-Gur unarmed, but even a man falling from a cliff will try to fly.

5. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

   #45

   At that moment, Tree Viper, who had disappeared into the foliage, descended like some sort of monkey from the trees above, falling feet first toward Shara-Gur's shoulders, daggers glittering.
   "AYE!" he shouted, grinning like a berzerker.

6. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

   #46

   Aki watched as Tree Viper stopped suddenly mid-air.
   He was dangling in a rope tied to one of the higher branches.
   He had not noticed at all that this bandit from the Kestor wood had sneaked away. The sight was to comic, Aki laughed aloud as he had not done in years.
   
   Shara-Gur laughed as well as it came apparent to him what had happened.
   This man had tried to jump him from above to save his comrade.
   But one of the Moriandar must have spotted him while he disappeared into the foliage. Then followed him up into the tree and tied a rope around his foot before he had descended and tried to jump.
   
   "So, bandit. Explain yourself."
   
   Shara-Gur seized to laugh, he motioned to Greyson to pick up his Falchion. Then he went over to the dangling figure of Tree Viper and held the Marhste inches away from his throat.
   
   "This is one of those situations where you should think well before answering. You have just interrupted a duel of honor. Such things are not to be taken lightly..."

7. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

   #47

   Greyson lifted the falchion and it was as heavy as death in his hand. Tree Viper had likely just saved, or at least prolonged his life. Perhaps there was still hope that he would survive these woods, and the wild men and their broken oaths and taunting, and the man with the rotten teeth.
   
   There was still hope that he would be able to sit next to the shuddering pool and speak with Elizas grave. He knew there was not but the dross of life, decayed flesh and bone under the heap of stones, but it consoled him to speak with her in death as he had during life. Alone he would speak his heart to the cairn, and knew that she heard him.
   
   He took up a skin of water and drank quickly form it, perhaps the cool water might refresh him some. It could certainly not hurt. To interfere with Shara and Tree Viper could possibly make the transgression worse than it already was. Besides, diplomacy and negotiation were not the field of the warrior, those were the realms of the priest, of the noble and the merchant.

8. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

   #48

   Deja sat there her head still bowed to the ground her jaw set. The fool of a Birdman came back interuppted a sacred duel. Deja fingered the package that was she held firmly in her left hand. She peered upward and looked at the birdman; why she wondered had he comeback. These people meant nothing to him he could have walked out of here a live man instead something drove him to return. Her curiosity was peaked.

9. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

   #49

   This was becoming insane. First these savages want to burn the girl and himself, then the apparent leader gets into a duel with the sell-sword and now the dirty bird-man tries to dive-bomb the savages and gets stuck on a rope. Aaron licked his lips, his mouth dry. Oh what he wouldn't give for even a small drink right now. He felt the package against his chest within his robes and wondered what in the world it could contain to get them in this much trouble this quickly. At least the duel and now the birdman's misadventure seemed to have gotten the attention of the savages away from fires and sacrifices...

10. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #50

    Tree Viper offered the barbarian a weak grin. "Heh...heh-heh... Didnay' see that warne coming, aye?" His face slowly shifted to crimson in a mixture of embarrasement and awkward position.
    His eyes flicked around, he twisted, spat, and a silent moment passed. "Err... Well, yeh' see... I had a harsh childhood, an' I didnay' git' any affec-affec-," he stumbled over this word, "-affecshin' from me Ma, an' me Pa, he...."
    He rambled off into a long, involved, semi-nonsensical description of the domestic life from Hell. His eyes shot a look of silent pleading towards the mercenary, who stood behind looking half-dead.

11. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #51

    Shara-Gur raised his Marshte with a grim look.
    
    "It is apparent that I will have to end your misery bandit of Kestor.
    Your severed head shall be the pride of my Flet."
    
    As the stroke fell a cry was heard.
    
    "Stop, Shara do not behead the man!"
    
    Shara-Gur altered the blow in the last second, but the Marshte was bloody.
    A fine circle of blood crowned Tree Viper`s temples where hair and skin had been removed by the razor sharp blade.
    An old man had appeared in the outskirts of the dying bonfire, his naked wrinkled body was covered in pagan markings.
    He had a long white beard, but no hair was on his tattooed head.
    
    Shara-Gur seemed confused.
    
    "Shirgan-Gar-Dan, I apologize if I have acted wrongly. But I thought that this meeting was to be taken care of?"
    
    The old man laughed, his eyes seemed like black pits with a fire deep within.
    
    "Yes indeed, so was the deal. But I have just talked with The Raven, and
    he said that these people are to be left alone."
    
    There was a great deal of mumbling and loud protests among the Moriandar then. Shara-Gur spoke.
    
    "But master, these outsiders can not wander freely in our wery heart.
    If they disturb the Tal..."
    
    "Silence fool! The Raven has spoken, they may do as they please."
    
    With those words the wild men retreated into the forest, only Shara-Gur halted and gave the party a concerned look before he too disappeared.
    
    Aki hurried towards Tree Viper and cut him down with his hunting knife.
    
    "Quick, we have too stop this bleeding. Is anyone here learned in the medical skill? Aaron, you are a priest..."

12. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #52

    Chapter 2
    
    The towers of Corell
    
    In another part of the Corell forest stands three mighty towers, like giants
    of old. The teeth of the trees. A single light can bee seen in one of the
    top windows. A sick eye in the dark watching the the roof of the forest.
    
    The tall one shook his head.
    
    "Hypnosis is not understood by many civilized people. In fact it was only
    in 365 that the Priests of Adonar recognised it as an ethical form of treatment and even now very few of them know anything about it."
    
    He felt agreeably relaxed and was amused by the hooded man`s persistence.
    
    "Tell me more. Must you have "the gift" or can anyone do it?
    
    "Hypnosis" said the hooded man slowly, "is difficult to define. But one can say that it is a condition of narrowed attention to the world with resulting decrease or absence of visual, auditory, taste and pain reception"
    
    "And how can you produce this?"
    
    "Take the church, for example," said the hooded man. "Think of the dark interior, the sombre music, the fixation point at which everyone looks,
    say Aldonar`s holy symbol, and then consider the repetitive chant, the silence, the repetitive chant... the deep... dark... silence which you can feel.
    The smell of incense, but above all the deep... deep repetitive chant."
    
    He changed the tone of his voice, the tall man felt his breath brush his face.
    The hooded figure held him with his stare, he could barely make out the one shining eye under the black hood.
    
    "Noises like like that, repetitious, deep throated and mellow. All these combined with the darkness and that fixed point which is the symbol of God
    or a priest`s mitre conditions people to be unaware of the world around them. So they forget problems at home. They forget their love affairs and they forget their sins. They forget... they forget... forget their abnormalities. Their world becomes reduced in size and every sense is diminished." He laughed. "All that conditions toward hypnosis."
    
    "But what produces it?" The tall man felt sleepy. He had never used Condir before and decided he would cut it in the future. The stuff had a rotten hangover. He was half asleep. And it was in the middle of the night.
    He liked the sound of the hooded man`s voice. Mellow and rich.
    And the fellow seemed to know what he was talking about.
    
    The hooded man looked at him cynically. "Various moods further improve
    the chances of successful hypnosis. For example fear, or self-consciousness or indeed any form of tension makes the subject more susceptible."
    
    "Then that rules me out," the tall man sounded comfortably smug.
    I do not possess a solitary nerve in my whole damned body. How do you classify levels? How do you calculate the depht of a hypnotic trance?"
    
    the hooded man lifted his arm to the side.
    
    "A normal man in the peak of condition might be able to hold that arm outstretched for six or seven minutes. But for much of the time his arm
    would be trembling and it would be a visible effort. Now under hypnosis he would he would be able to hold it in position for the same length of time but he would do so easily, without tremor and without evidence of strain.
    Or, again, one could persuade a subject that he was unable to rise from a chair or was unable to see another person in the same room. In other words one could narrow the depth of his visual and physical powers. And this sort of thing is the first level of hypnosis."
    
    "So let us have the second then" The tall man shivered, what if this
    man had put a spell on him? How would he know? He poured his third glass of Condir liqour.
    
    "One can take a subject from that first level to the second level by persuading him, for example, that he is a child again. One can ask him to write as he did when he was a child. Or one can demonstrate various nerve reflexes which are found only in childhood, but yet which will reappear in the hypnotised subject who had been suggested back to childhood. And to continue, one can persuade the subject that he does not feel pain... and can prove to onlookers that he does not in real fact, respond to pain stimuli at all. or by contrast he can be made to react as though a glass of cold water pouring over him was scolding hot. And indeed his skin could become red as though it had been burned. Or again one could make the subject attack a friend of his and attempt to kill him..."
    
    "And that would be your third level?"
    
    The hooded man nodded. "I can make them do anything."
    
    The tall man went to the window, a white silver fog lay over the tree tops.
    The air was moist and hot. He wondered how this would turn out.
    Somewhere out there were the party, given a mission that would probably lead them into certain death, pain and darkness. He turned to the dark figure sitting by the fire place. He seemed almost like a statue of black obsidian when he did not move.
    
    "So the word have been given? The Moriandar will leave our "servants"
    alone?"
    
    The hooded man stirred.
    
    "Yes indeed old one, the message has been given. And if things go ill we can always depend upon my subject which is among them right now."
    
    An owl flew towards the moon disturbed by the laughter from the window.

13. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #53

    Greyson sheathed the falchion as Tree Viper was cut down. The wound on his scalp looked horrible, but he had seen such before. There were some bandits who would cut a person's scalp from their skull, and carry it as a trophy. A few survived being so maimed, but they carried the scars of twisted flesh, bare and pale, to their graves.
    
    He opened his traveling pack, and began pulling things out of it. Several skins of water, a thin bedroll, a small shovel, and hatchet, a makeshift pot for boiling, and a few other items came out in quick succession. 23 years in the field, and living off the land on long campaigns taught the mercenary to be as best prepared as possible.
    
    He drew out a flask, and a using his knife cut a shirt into thin bandaging strips. He took these over to Tree Viper, and kneeled next to him. There was already alot of blood spilled, but such wounds were always messy.
    
    "I am no physician, or healer, and my touch is not gentle." Greyson said, "But if you are willing I will fix what I can, as best I can." It would be best to sew the flap of skin back in place after cleaning it, but though he had the steel needle, usually used to mend clothing, he lacked the thread, or even horsehair needed to close the wound. It was up to Tree Viper to accept his offer of care, or for someone else to present a more suitable skill of healing.

14. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #54

    Deja who still knelt on the forest ground stood up and met the eyes of her would be rescuer, "My hair is not horses but it is as long and strong as. We could use it as thread it will need to be boiled first to kill any impurities. It will then need to be slightly twisted or braided to give it strength, then fused some how at the ends to keep it from fraying.� She turns to the priest a grimace on her face, "have you anything else to drink to ease his pain?� She again turns and waits for instructions peering at the birdman with pity as she thought to herself this is gonna hurt like hell

15. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #55

    He isnt going to answer anything. Greyson thought looking at Tree-Vipers head wound. He uncapped the small flask, and splashed some of the malt liquor on the exposed flesh of the wound. The alcohol would hopefully kill any chance of infection, but there was always a risk. A field surgeon, or combat physician would be far preferrable in this situation, but poor Tree-Viper only had the sercives of a discharged soldier.
    
    Using hair provided by Deja, he fashioned a sutcher to fix the errant flap of Kestorian flesh back to the bandit's head. If he was lucky, his hair would eventually hide the scar. If not, he would be very easy to pick out of a crowd. Greyson threaded the needle after dipping it in the whiskey. No use using a dirty needle to sew up a wound. Might as well leave it open as to use dirty materials.
    
    "Alec, Aki," Greyson called the others, "Help hold him down, even if he is unconscious, he will thrash and try to fight."
    
    "Would you hold his head?" He looked to Deja. He pressed the needle quickly into the wounded flesh, better quick and done rather than slow and slightly less painful.

16. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #56

    "GYAAAH!" shouted the bandit, twisting under their hands. "AIEEE! YAAH-AAH!"
    His face locked in a snarling, histrionic rictus, shrieking in an exaggerated fashion through his teeth.
    "EEEEEAAAYAH! AH! Bugger you, and bugger you, and bugger you, and piss on yeh' all! GAAAAH!"

17. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #57

    "Do all men from Kestor howl like girls?" Greyson asked as he continued the stitching of the wound. Tree-Viper struggled, but was held fast between three sets of hands. The stitches were not as neat as Greyson would have liked, but they would hold. He tied the ends of the hair-string into a small tight knot, the smallest he could manage. The hair was slick with blood, and Tree-Viper's thrashing did little to make the job easier.
    
    Knot in place, Greyson pulled his boot dagger, the one he had intended to duel Shara-Gur with, and cut the hair short. It was a rough job, very rough, but with some luck the top of the Kestorians head wouldnt putrefy and slough away.
    
    "I know this seems a poor thanks for saving my life as you did, but perhaps when we are in better condition, I will be able to thank you properly." Greyson said as he cleaned the needle and dropped it back into the small leather script that held his other small and easily lost items.
    
    "Thank you everyone." Greyson said as he handed Tree-Viper the flask of malt whickey, or what remained of it. Perhaps you would like some in you instead of just on you." he said with a tired smile.

18. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #58

    Damn! For such a small person, this scalped man was awfully strong and tough to hold down. Everything was beginning to blur. The near deaths of himself and the girl, the attempted airiel assault, the scalping, and now this mercenary was holding hard liquor right under his nose!! It was all Aaron could do to not rip the bottle out of Greyson's hand and take a massive gulp. He licked his lips, but managed to refrain from action.
    
    He stood up, brushing off his knees and hands. "Well, if it's all the same to the rest of you, I suggest we get moving to somewhere else, and quickly."

19. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #59

    "Aye," said Tree Viper sullenly, swigging from the bottle of malt and gingerly fingering his bloody scalp.

20. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #60

    Greyson took up the bandages fashioned from the clean shirt, and cast an eye towards Tree-Viper. The wound looked bad, but he would likely be doing much better once it had full time to heal.
    
    "Almost forgot," Greyson said, "Some bandaging will help, you'll feel it if you snag one of those stitches on something, or scratch your head by accident. Compared to that last bit, this wont hurt a bit."
    
    He used the long strips of cloth to make a bandage over the wound. It would have to be changed daily, lest the fabric, soaked in blood and pus-like discharge would become a breeding ground for disease. Judging from how much it took for the first bandaging, he had enough shirt strips to redress the wound three times. Then Viper would be on his own, and hopefully out of the forest.
    
    "Now lets see about this business we came here for." Greyson said as he unwrapped his package.

21. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #61

    Aki was watching the trees scouting for any sign of the Moriandar.
    They were gone, every single one. Just like that. Who was this "Raven" and why did the wild men heed this being? It was certainly not a Moriandarian name. Something ill was at work, doubt chewed on his wery bones.
    He thought of his father and the Morian wars, was it all connected?
    This matter was greater than he had precumed at first. Old secrets could be revealed like the inside of a rotten fruit. He wished for his fathers advice, but alas his father was far away in Thalion. Curse him. He had betrayed the Halidon and was no longer his kin.
    
    His attention focused upon Greyson as he heard the brown paper of the package being torn. He watched in dismay as greyson produced a big bronze key and a sealed letter from the curled paper.
    What was this? The mission did not end here, the key told him that much.
    There were no doors in the Corell forest, not even a wall. He should never have embarked upon this quest, not even for the gold. Aki felt the wight of the leather gold bag in his belt. But he would have to see this through.
    He did not fear the hooded man's threats, but a job was a job.
    
    "We should open all the bags right away without further delay."

22. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #62

    Tree Viper sulkily fingered the bandaging on his head, and then, swigging again from the bottle of liquor, ripped open his package.
    Odd. It was a heavy wedge of silver, tarnished black in some places, probably very old. There was a star-shaped mark upon it. It looked rather like a silver piece of rotten cheese if you unfocused your eyes.
    "Oi!," he barked. "Wass' this, then?"

23. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #63

    Greyson squeezed the heavy bronze key in his hand. He could feel the baroque handle pressing into his flesh. With all his might he wanted to squeeze the key until oddly shaped strings of bronze were extruded between his fingers like the strange device that a chef used to turn a heavy block of dough into noodles and pasta*.
    
    "A key, a ruddy stupid key and a letter!" Greyson said, looking offended by the item. He read the writing on the note, his teeth clenched tight.
    
    

    Not to be opened before the doors are reached.

    
    
    "What doors! There arent any damned doors in the forest!" He was furious, this was the sort of thing that infuriated him. Being led along by the nose, he hated it. If he could find the stumpy toothed old man he would hack him to bloody gibbets for picking him out of all the men in the tavern to do this. Three days of walking in the forest, then being set upon by wild men who turn out to be the Moriander and can speak, not just the brutal murderous savages who had been fending off for the last year. Then there was the interrupted death duel, and the gash on his side, and the top of Tree-Vipers head nearly sliced off, followed by a slap-dash job of field surgery. It was enough to make Saint Duncan swear.
    
    He looked over at Tree-Viper and his tarnished silver wedge. "Well...at least I know what my item is." He looked to others, what their items were, and if they too had notes. It was going to be a long night. He was already feeling the heavy drag of fatigue as the rush of combat, and the anxiety of such bloody surgery subsided. He felt drained, and his anger, as white and hot as could be drained out of his just as quickly.

24. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #64

    Aaron was dismayed that everyone ignored his comment. He wanted out of this forest as fast as possible, but since they weren't going and there was nothing he could do alone, he pulled his package from his robes and unwrapped it.
    
    It was a small wedge shaped piece of flat metal, like a slice of a cake. It was horribly tarnished and had a symbol of a moon on it. If he were forced to guess, he would venture that it dated back to the Morian War. It looked as though there were at least two other pieces that should be with it, completing a circle perhaps?
    
    Aaron showed it around and then repeated his previous comment.
    
    "If everyone's done with show-and-tell now, I suggest we get our asses moving. Maybe you guys don't mind that these savages wanted me and the girl on a pyre, but I sure as hell do."

25. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #65

    Deja peered over her shoulder at the priest he was right they needn't stay here much longer, but she was curious to see how her fellow adventures would respond to her parcel. She untied the strap of leather that had bound together a similar leather bag out of it she poured three balls no, gems perfectly round and about the size of a shooter, an oversized marble used to shoot at others. The gems were brown and slightly tarnished as she rubbed the grime off of one of them she saw or sensed a slight glow with in them. She held three in her hand she saw three more still in the bag six total. She turned to face her comrades holding the marvels in her hand. Smiling she allowed them to one by one slide back in to thier leather throng making a crisp clicking sound as they did so. " The priest is right we should leave here now! The wildmen have been called off for now do not let us... Eh hum... over stay our welcome!"

26. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #66

    Aki sighed. He was getting tired as the night grew old.
    He was also becoming justifiably paranoid. Somewhere, somehow, somebody or some thing is pulling strings, and the puppets are dancing. But these puppets can think and they can fight back. Where they to follow the leads and walk into the unknown? They had to be careful before moving out to do whatever they were supposed to do.
    
    "First things first" he said.
    
    "I have yet to open my own parcel."
    
    He opened the package, tearing the brown paper away.
    Inside was the symbol of mother Sun marked upon a wedge shaped piece
    of metal. It looked like the two other symbols, old and tarnished.
    The priest was probably right, this was indeed an artifact of old.
    He lifted the symbol over his head for everyone to see.
    
    "The three symbols seem alike except for the markings, it would not take
    a wise one to understand that they belong toghether. It could be years since anyone saw these three toghether. But why now? And why us?
    And what of these other items? Are these artifacts connected?
    A key, a letter, gems and and three symbols. A moon, a star and the sun."

27. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #67

    "Well, it looks like these three metal wedges go together, like slices of a metal pie. Not a very tasty pie in my opinion." Greyson said. They were dancing to a tune that they couldnt hear, and they didnt know who was playing the song.
    
    "The door should be around here somewhere, otherwise why would we be here. Whomever did this took the time to ensure that the wild men...the Moriander, would be made to leave us unmolested. He looked over at Tree Vipers bandaged head and added, "For the most part."
    
    Greyson walked to the center stone of the circle. The fire was starting to collapse inward, releasing showers of embers into the night sky. He felt bitterly exhausted and wanted to rest badly. This was like one of the puzzles that the blacksmith would make, the ones that were confoundedly difficult to solve unless you knew the trick, and then they would come apart like magic. Magic made Greysons head hurt worse than it already did.
    
    He inspected the center stone, hand splayed out against the cool stone, feeling the indecipherable runes and glyphs etched in its surface.
    
    "No doors, but there is a pattern." Greyson said. "Sun, moon, and stars, all things in the sky, heavenly bodies. Plus they make a complete circle." he said. The three pieces indeed made a complete circle, but there was a hole in the center.
    
    Greyson started laughing. He had given up a nice bunk in a clean town where the liquor was reasonably priced, and the whores were clean and friendly to trek through the woods, almost get killed by savages who werent as savage as he though they would be, and then to play with pieces of a puzzle. He beat his fist against the stone menhir as he laughed, now starting to play out.
    
    They thought they would leave the forest tonight. They had all trekked at least several days before arriving at the circle, and they though to leave without resting, two days afoot. He let the laughter subside and rested his fevered head against the menhir.
    
    "Wait just a tic..." he said, wiping his face with the back of his hand. Something felt different, one of the runes was signifigantly deeper than the rest. He traced the outline of a circle in the stone, maybe just big enough to place all three of the wedges in.
    
    "Everyone, come look at this, and bring the pie wedges." he called to the others, who were already undoubtedly looking at him like he lost his mind.

28. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #68

    Aaron walked over to Greyson, brow furrowed in thought. He handed the mercenary his piece, then turned to Deja. "Might I get another look at those gems of yours?"*
    
    He dumped the pouch into his hand, turning the small gems over and examining them closely. Suddenly his eyes widened as he realized what he held.
    
    "These aren't ordinary gems, these are Thrar Stones! They're rocks that have been caught in the trunks of growing trees within this very forest. I didn't recognize them at first cause they're almost mythical, because they're so rare. I'm going to suggest we check out these standing stones, maybe there's a connection to the Thrar Stones."
    
    
    *I am assuming that Deja will have no qualms about showing them to me, so I am going ahead with my actions. If I need to rework this post, let me know.

29. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #69

    Greyson took the three metal wedges and placed them together. They formed a cylinder with a hole through the middle. He lifted the three pieces and placed them into the circular hole in the menhir. They slipped out the first time, his grip faltering. He cursed himself with impatience and placed the three pieces of metal back into the slot delicately. There should be enough of an overhang to hold them in place.
    
    They stuck. He stepped back and inspected his handiwork. He though keyhole for a second, but the shape was wrong, his key wouldnt fit into it.
    
    "What about the Thar, arg, whatever stones you found, will those fit in this hole?" Greyson asked Deja.

30. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #70

    They may Looking back at the up front monk she held her hand out to get her parcel back. this being done she went to the circle and began to place the six round stones inside the hole.

31. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #71

    Aki watched as the valuable gems dissapeared down the small hole. It sounded as if they were going pretty deep. When the last one hit the bottom of the standing stone a loud snap could be heard. Then nothing.
    
    "So thats it then? Nothing more? How are we supposed to find out what to do next? We should have kept the wegdes and the stones, at least we could have sold them for a handsome price."
    
    Aki unsheated his hunting knife and tried to break loose the wedges.
    
    "AAAARGH! Damn this mission and damn you."
    
    The plates did not move, Aki cursed again and sat down leaning his back onto the standing stone.
    
    "I apologize, this place is getting to me. Do anyone have any ideas on what to do now?" He sighed.

32. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #72

    Greyson could understand Aki's frustration. All of the stones were in, all of the wedges were used and now they wouldnt come out. All he had was a baroque key, and...the letter.
    
    Seeing as the key wouldnt fit into the whole, he took out the letter, and tore it open.
    
    "I am tired of playing these games." Greyson said.

33. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #73

    Deja's curiosity was peaked as Greyson opened the letter. She wondered what secrets it might hold.She tried to approach the warrior and peer over his shoulder so that she too might read the letter; discovering however that she is not tall enough she sulks away waiting for some one to read it aloud.

34. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #74

    Aki was listening in silence as Greyson read the letter aloud.
    All of a a sudden he felt chilled, these were forbidden words.
    Would anyone discover their crime? Did it matter at all, he simply did not know.
    Greyson was obviously learned in the art of reading. He seemed confident
    and relaxed, not stumling upon the letters as Aki too often did.
    
    "Dear Tannarak." Greyson paused.
    
    "It pleases me that this letter has reached you.
    Forgive my means of transporting it.
    Feel free to dispose of those foolish ones that brought it to your door,
    they mean nothing to me. Though I must say that I am quite impressed with them. I only deared to hope that such luck might befall us that they actually made it to your home. They have been trough a great deal of trouble only to be rewarded with death.But make sure you do not slay my hypnotized one. He can still be of use to me."
    
    Everebody seemed to be quite disturbed bye this. A hypnotized one among them? A traitor? But Greyson cept on reading.
    
    "Once in our past you asked me a question of which I did not know the answer. Now many years later I have talked to one of the Magi.
    He did indeed reveal some of the old truth to me. But he was a weak creature, it took me many years to identify his rambling for what it was.
    In other words I had to use the fragments of his madness and compare it with the scrolls in Oskia. What I learned was this.
    
    Where humanity gets it wrong by our time, is in imagining Hy-Brasail
    as having any kind of quantifiable existence. Which of course it has not; Not in the way they imagine anyway.
    There have been an awful lot of Hy-Brasail's and there will be quite a few more. It is just a symbol. A symbol of the art. The true Hy-Brasail is inside you, just as it is inside all of us. The sunken land is lost beneath the dark sea, lost beneath the waves of wet, black stories and myths that brak upon the shores of our minds.
    Hy-Brasail is the shadowland, the birth place of civilization. The fair land in the west that is lost to us, but remains forever, true birthplace and true goal. It is Pendulium and Skartair and Hy-Braisal.
    The last words of the Magi before i ended his wretched existence was rather disturbing. He told me that the whole thing is a crock of dirt. Not worth the price he paid. Not for one second. If he had his time over again he would choose to be somebody happy and distant and small. Living in a hole in the ground maybe. Never to get involved in the affairs of the great and the powerful. Never to discover the joy of the art.
    This is what troubles me now my dear Tannarak, Once you have begun to walk this path, there is no getting of it.
    This is us Tannarak, this is our destiny. We must rush our plans into action as soon as possible. The first pawn has been set into motion.
    My dear band of fools has placed the seal and fed the stone.
    Soon this land will ours and legends of old nightmares will walk the earth once again."
    
    "Yours forever", Greyson sighed as he passed the letter around for everyone to see with their own eyes.
    
    Aki was shocked.
    
    "What in the yawning abyss was that about?"

35. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #75

    Greyson closed his eyes and took a depe breath. "You want to know what this means?" he said to Aki. "It means we have been played out, puppets to this...farce." he said with a half snarl. This was the sort of manipulation that had taken him away from his beloved Eliza, leaving her unprotected, to die with the rest of their village in a pointless border skirmish.
    
    "We followed along, and it has been a trap. I dont know the names he used, but they dont sound nice, especially the shadowland one. What have we betrayed for thirty pieces of gold?"

36. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #76

    Deja stiffened as she was allowed her turn at the note. "Why then did this person use all of us? Why gather all of us from all over to commit a deed that would have been just as easily committed by one? That would have not only saved him time but money?" This shock of sporadic questions led Deja to a more important query, "Where is the door? How long have we got until it opens? By feeding this rock thing have we already started something bad?"
    
    Deja stopped her rambling and was embarassed at her sudden loss of composure. She stared avidly at Aki as if to ask what do we do next?

37. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #77

    Aki noticed Deja's silent stare. A cool summer breeze lifted his spirits.
    The black woods seemed less frightening, they had been used as pawns
    in a bigger scheme. But now they knew. Now the puppets would dance their own dance. Or would they? A terrible though crossed his mind and filled him
    with fear.
    
    "What if," he paused.
    
    "What if we are meant to open this letter? Maybe our mysterious
    robed man meant for us to read it? It could be that if we act on what we have just read we will walk directly in to the den of the bear?"
    
    As aki finished these words of distress he became aware of a distant rumbling. It grew bigger, and louder. It was the ground itself that yawned.
    Then it died out. The earth was still again. Far away the cries of birds was to be heard.

38. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #78

    "Well, if that wasnt something not good, I'll eat my own shirt." Greyson said as the rumble subsided. "But the first thing I would do would be to get these pieces out of the stone." he said.
    
    "I didnt like that part about feeding stones, bad feeling that." he said eyeing the ring of metal wedges. "We should definately take those out." Greyson was ready to leave, despite the fact that he was bone tired and it was still many hours until sunrise.

39. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #79

    "Aki I am not sure I want to even consider that possibility I am not very keen on being puppeted around." The more Deja began to think about it though the more she realized how sound Aki's suspicionsreally were. So far who ever was using them could map their every move how do we know that this is not just some part of his clever plan. Deja reached in her cloak and took out her dagger "lets see if could just pry this loose," Luna fought furiously with her dagger, "but what if my stones have already been eaten?"

40. [Ankalar] The meeting at Rhur Corell

    #80

    Tree Viper spat.
    "Doesn't matter. Just want revenge on 'at ugly son-of-a-dog who tricked us. He'll be sorry 'ee ever messed wiv' Tree Viper!"

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