Chapter 10. The Courts of Thieves
The Questers further interrogated the elvish assassin sent by the Cabal of Azarak. They took him back to the bath salt warehouse, where Ovni waited safely.
Rakab took the smaller black crystal that Venimar the assassin held and went off privately to discuss with the wizards.
He returned and told the Questers that indeed Galton Gramont was involved in talking with people, but he was not directly responsible, and rather stood by and let the assassination of Guival happen.
This angered Lohar and he bid the Questers come with him to exact justice. They took Ovni as proof of life and they took Venimar as proof of finding the killer.
They sent Aemaeon and Tareen to a tavern, Slushview, and they left, finding out from criminal contacts where the Court of Thieves would be held.
They arrived at a fish warehouse. The Court of Thieves had assembled with Galton and Raness sitting central, 10 Master Thieves formed a semi circle and court was conducted.
The trial was thick with intrigue, with Lohar openly opposing Galton, trying to insinuate that he caused the death of Guival by standing by, that he is a catspaw of the Cabal of Azarak. Galton fervently denied these claims and eloquently defended himself, putting the case against Lohar that he is a failure and cost Guival his life.
Galton also tried to steer the court to focus on the guilt of the assassin. But Lohar was having none of it. Galton wanted him dead, Rakab pleaded for his life. Pascal cast detect thoughts on Galton and found that Galton wanted the assassin dead swiftly, and the court ended.
Raness is split. Lohar appealed to her heart, saying he loved Guival as a father and that Galton betrayed him. He promised he had no ambitions to rule the Court of Thieves and that yes he failed, but it was not for lack of trying. He was overwhelmed and outmatched and he apologised.
Raness left the Court of Thieves, stopping to nod at Lohar, showing him some sign of acknowledgment for the first time in her life.
Galton tried to press forward and have Venimar the Wood Elf executed, but after a denial by Lohar and a quick vote, they adjourned the court, promising to continue it the next dusk.
The Questers retreated back to the tavern, finding Tareen and Aemaeon revelling in ale.
They relaxed after a hard day politicking, but guards soon entered the tavern, looking for a feather-helmeted man (Meridius) and his elf companion (Yaeldrin), wanted for the death of guards and citizens. The guards scoured the tavern, questioning all.
Pascal seized the initiative and went to them, telling them that nobody of those descriptions is here, he would know, because he was there when the murders happened. The guards began to question Pascal rather thoroughly, so Pascal decided to charm them. They are completely taken by Pascal’s magic and they left the tavern believing it a lost cause.
Meridius earnestly thanked Pascal for protecting him.
The Questers then took to discussing where to find the third child, the sphere which the Cave of Light had directed them to Lucidar for, the child of the Second Moon.
They slept on the plans and awoke. Yaeldrin had more terrible dreams. He dreamt that he was a baby born from the Black Sun and fought with a demon child in the centre of that Black Sun. His curse had worsened and he suffered exhaustion.
Lohar went to the house of Raness and Galton to talk to the lady. He knocked on her door and had a conversation with Raness in Thieves Cant. He said that he supported her and he told her everything he could not say in the Thieves’ Court. He told her that he feared Galton will want her dead soon, now that the truth is out. He promised her that whatever her wishes, whatever she needed, he was her man.
She thanked him and promised to be there later. She also told him that the Court of Thieves tipped off the guards that the Questers were staying at that particular tavern.
Rakab and Yaeldrin were investigating the taverns, they were looking for rumours of a special child. After much questioning and searching they eventually found an old man who watches the docks, he said a pregnant woman came into town and was immediately escorted by Ralgalad, head of the elite guard, to the Crystal Castle…
They think it extremely strange that a woman could be pregnant as children are born 10 seconds after insemination in this world. They believed that this must be the Chosen Child and that it is in the hands of Isharath the Immortal. They joined their companions and went to confront the Court of Thieves.
Court convened once more. The Executioner was in attendance.
The same arguments were trotted out once more and Galton fought back more defensively. Raness had now made her mind up. So they decided to go for a vote on the assassin’s life.
It came to 6 votes on either side of the council, with Galton voting for Venimar to be executed and Raness voting for him to be sent to the authorities.
The draw unravelled the tension between Galton and Raness. She openly challenged his leadership of the Gramont Crime family and the Court of Thieves was in uproar. She said the only way to settle this was a trial by combat, and that she chooses Lohar as her champion…
Rakab went into a corner and consulted with his wizards.
The rules of the contest forbid magic and forbid backstabbing when the fight was over. Rakab cast detect magic to prove there was no magic in play, secretly an arcane trickster of the Court of Thieves cast detect magic also.
Rakab shook the hands of both contestants and wished for a fair contest, but unbeknownst to the Questers, he had caste Haste upon…Galton!
Pascal whispered into the ear of Lohar and inspired him.
Both Lohar and Galton drew their short-swords and daggers. The dwarf did battle against the human and won initiative.
But the battle turned sour, Galton was swifter, acted faster, and did more damage due to having sneak attack as Lohar was recklessly attacking. Lohar did his best to keep up with Galton, using all of his martial prowess… but Galton was too quick.
Pascal noticed this, watching his friend get butchered.
Pascal could not standby, he noticed the magic that Rakab was concentrating on Galton, detecting his thoughts.
Pascal summoned a demon into the centre of the combat, before Galton could act with his four attacks, one granted by haste.
All ran in fear from the demon, but it was soon dispelled by Rakab as an illusion. He saw through it.
Outrage was amongst the Court of Thieves and amongst the Questers. All accused Rakab and some accused Pascal. Lohar was particularly sour, understandably.
Yaeldrin left the room, hearing a commotion outside. He immediately saw that there were 20 Lucidarian guards, “The Frostshield”, some mounted, they had surrounded the warehouse and awaited the outcome of the Court.
Lohar banished his allies from the room and they agreed, watching through the cracks in the warehouse gate. From behind the gate Pascal inspired Lohar and Rakab cast healing word upon Galton.
Lohar fought bravely, but low on health and abiding by the rules, he was defeated by Galton, who held his short sword over Lohar’s stab ridden body.
The Questers entered after Lohar’s defeat. Rakab cast spare the dying upon Lohar and then healed him.
Galton immediately took control once more, telling everyone how merciful he had been to spare the liar Lohar, and had the Executioner kill Venimar with an axe stroke.
The Questers informed the Court of Thieves that the Frostshield were outside…they scattered to the wind. Pascal turned into one of them and Yaeldrin bid he leave now, he did that, sneaking out with the thieves.
The Questers left the warehouse and were met by the head of the King’s Frostshield, Lord Ralgalad, sat atop a white destrier. He told them that they were requested for an audience with King Isharath the Immortal, Lord of Lucidar. They did so. Lord Ralgalad asked for Meridius to remove his weapons, knowing him to be the thunderstriking murderer. Meridius was initially reluctant and wanted to thunderwave the guards once more, but backed down.
They were soon joined on the road by Pascal who had Aemaeon and Tareen in tow.
The Questers were taken to the Crystal Castle. They walked through barren gardens with frozen pools, past the tall white spire towers of Lucidar, and into the throne room of Isharath the Immortal. The throne room was packed, a few Carmalekians and a few Hernish, also a large contingent of dwarves, but mainly half-elf nobles and the pale humans that reside in the northern kingdom.
Isharath the Immortal gave a long speech, welcoming the Questers and stating that the Questers are allies of Lucidar. Then he ordered the hall to empty. Isharath is a half elf, the very first, a hero of the Genus Wars. He was adorned with a magic sword and a magic orb, which is his symbol, the all-seeing Crystal Orb of Lucidar.
Only Ralgalad, his guards, Isharath, his court of priests, Isharath’s familiar (a blue winter fox) and the Questers remained.
Isharath changed from stately to serious and told the PCs he knows of their quest through Azellian Prophecy, and he knows of the God-King Myrius and his quest, following the Crystalline Prophecies. Those prophecies said a man of a dying race would find the Lost Gods in the Wastelands, and it is said that this is what Myrius did in the wastes of Carmalek. Isharath believes that Myrius found a weapon and natural resources to build a kingdom, but he also doesn’t doubt that he found something in the ice…
He told the Questers that the Carmalekians, with Meridius’ brother Maximus, came to him and offered him much for his allegiance…
And for the Chosen Child that he keeps safe inside its mother’s stomach…
The Chosen Child they seek is unborn, and Isharath wanted to bargain with the Questers and said that he is more willing to bargain with them than with the Carmalekians, as he said he knew Myrius, the so-called God-King of Carmalek. He told them that Myrius was a pilgrim here in this city, and that Myrius searched the Wraithwood and beyond the Moonskull Castle and the snowy wastes there for his lost gods, and came back to Lucidar bringing trouble and more pilgrims before journeying south and east.
The Questers asked what Isharath wanted.
He said a Ring of Binding, one of the Three Rings of Azarak. The Questers are supposed to find them, written in the Azellian prophecies. “Of Sword and Ring the bards shall sing, but Crystal Ball shall foresee all.”
The Questers know of these rings, and have seen the Crafters symbol everywhere, on the murdered thief, around the neck of Ovni, in the hands of Kelgor, and deep in the Giant Tower of Qorth-Azell upon the Temple Gate. Isharath told them that the first Crafters made Three Rings in the olden times… Three Rings to bind six races.
The Amber Gold Ring, the Orange Ring, the Ring of Flame, the Ring of Lust, the Ring of Destruction. It binds the Dwarves and the Giants.
The White Gold Ring, the Pale Ring, the Ring of Ice, the Ring of Logic, the Ring of Protection. It binds the Elves and the Goblins.
The Scarlet Gold Ring, the Red Ring, the Ring of Blood, the Ring of Pacts, the Ring of Summoning, the Witch Ring. It binds the Hags and the Dragons.
He told the Questers he wants the Pale Ring, to unite men and elves, for he is a half-elf, he rules the men here, and he helped defeat his mother’s race, the elves, but he wants to draw them out of the deep places of the world and accept them into his kingdom, to unite the races.
The Questers deliberated amongst each other, and agree to Isharath’s bargain, a Ring of Azarak for the Chosen Child.
Isharath then cast a spell of binding known as QUEST.
“Until the White Gold Ring, the Ring of Ice, the Ring of the Elves and the Goblins is mine, your Quest is not fulfilled. It shall be mine until I decide it so. Not even upon my death is it another persons. I cannot betray the Questers, the Chosen Child is theirs to take.”
And so a bargain was struck with Isharath the Immortal, and the Questers were bound by his geas.
Isharath extended them a courtesy and told them what he saw in his Crystal Orb of them.
Meridius - he saw one of his kin, a leader of armies who wants to win a war, and was promised to be taken home if he did.
Rakab - he saw Rakab’s master hath returned to his Black Tower and that he smiles and grimaces at their quest.
Pascal - he saw Pascal’s old band are in Vaurith, falling into a pit of depression and drinking, unable to start a new act.
Lohar - he told him that he was sorry to see his family fall, criminals, but good people. They were hunted and Lohar shall be.
Yaeldrin - he called him Princeling, he told him he could not see his people for they are of the Stars and the Moons. Your enemy is the King-in-the-Ark, for just as he came from the stars and should return, so should you.
He then ordered Ralgalad to lead them to the mother of the Chosen Child, a normal village girl named Hayley.
They walked through the frosty palaces of Isharath and were directed to Hayley. She immediately ran to them and hugged them. She said she had seen the Questers in her dreams and that they would save her.
The Questers were drawn to Hayley, she was kind and honest, fair and beautiful.
She said that Isharath had offered his hand in marriage to her, as Isharath believes due to Hayley’s incredible pregnancy, that she could be the one who makes the half-elves fertile, as they are barren creatures.
The Questers were worried that Isharath would take her by force, but Lohar promised that would not be allowed to happen.
They asked Hayley who the father was…she said it was the love of her life, a common smith named Eliar, a good man who was murdered, which caused her to leave the village. The Questers asked if she had some symbol of his and Hayley drew the symbol of the Crafters…Rakab felt guilty instantly, for the wizards part in the extermination of the Crafters.
Hayley begged that they leave Lucidar immediately. The Questers saw that she had packed all her bags and was ready for this day. They escorted her from the palace, but not before saying goodbye to Isharath.
Yaeldrin went before Isharath and asked if he knew of someone to cure his Rakshasa curse. Isharath merely removed his glove and cast a spell to remove Yaledrin’s curse. Isharath warned that the creature will never stop hunting Yaeldrin. Isharath also thanked them for their intervention in Rajatar, that Shaith Elshare is dead, eaten on the road by the Rakshasa who then took her form and advised Lord Ilgaroth to assault the Elves of Wyrmwood.
He told them that their intervention dethroned Gruzdar from his position, sent him scattering to the Wyrmwood.
He wished them well on their Quest and that he hoped the next time they meet, they shall have a Pale Ring with them. He told them they have transport waiting for them at the Slushmire port.
The Questers left the Crystal Castle and went to a tavern at Slushmire port to sleep before their journey…
All awoke and went downstairs…
All but Lohar, who had snuck out in the night…
Yaeldrin discovered this and told the rest of the Questers.
Lohar snuck through Lucidar to the house of Raness and Galton, with the intention of (write in blog but not for Questers to see)
The Questers waited in the White Bait tavern for Lohar to return and return he did… with Raness…
The Questers welcomed her and they set off, after Yaeldrin and Rakab had conducted a medical examination of Hayley. They discerned that it will be a full red moon tonight, and that she shall birth the child tonight…
They kept it quiet and boarded the Lucidarian ship. They would be taken along the river until they reached Wyrmwood borders. Everyone wanted to be swift so as to avoid Carmalekian spies who would hear of it, being in the court of Lucidar,
Aboard the ship the Questers idly chatted and most fell asleep, but for Rakab and Yaeldrin, knowing what they knew.
Hayley went into labour and Yaeldrin delivered the child whilst Rakab cast cure wounds upon Hayley and the child.
The human child was born with a few dragon scales, in smoke and poison and gas.
The child was a girl…
This contradicted the Azellian Prophecies…but she was undoubtedly the Chosen Child.
Yaeldrin held the child in his arms, and cut it free. He offered it back to Hayley but she was dazed.
Hayley called out to Eliar, whom the Questers knew to be dead. Then she asked for her child, she asked if it was a boy or a girl.
Yaeldrin said it is a girl.
Hayley was shocked and said that her and Eliar didn’t think it would be a girl, the stars had prophesied differently. She asked Yaeldrin, “Where is Eliar?”
She kept calling for him, but Rakab put her to sleep with his soothing healing magic.
Yaeldrin took the child and awoke Raness. She took the child and cared for it for the night, whilst Yaeldrin and Rakab spoke quietly together.
They both medically checked Hayley and surmised that no amount of healing would save her. Her blood was boiling, poisons and gas were eating up her insides.
Rakab correctly deduced that they had a choice, to have her suffer for days upon days in agony, or lay her to peace now.
Yaeldrin and Rakab decided to put to peace now.
They awoke Hayley.
Hayley called out once more, “Where is my child, is it a boy or a girl?” She had forgotten. Yaeldrin calmly told her it was a girl. He motioned for Raness to bring it to Hayley. She did so.
Hayley held her child.
“Where is Eliar?” Hayley asked once more. “Where is he? He has to see our baby girl.”
Rakab and Yaeldrin shared a look, and Yaeldrin said -
“I’m here.”
Yaeldrin pretended to be Eliar, and Hayley believed him, she took his hands and kissed them.
They spoke briefly, and Yaeldrin, acting as Eliar, asked Hayley for a name…but Hayley was still dazed, speaking of how she wanted to be with him again and that they were hunted together, and she was scared that Yaeldrin (Eliar) would die when he went back to cover the tracks. She was so happy that they were together once more. Hayley was in agony, and fading into madness further, holding her child.
Rakab and Yaeldrin decided to cast their healing magics again, Hayley drifted off to sleep, muttering “Eliar, we didn’t name her.”
Rakab prepared his withering touch, and just as he went to touch Hayley, she woke once more and said “But I didn’t give her a name,” and she fell asleep.
Hayley died from Rakab’s withering touch. She died in complete peace, believing Eliar was by her side. Rakab withered her to ash, expending all of his power to do so.
Yaeldrin thought to himself (Sean told me afterwards), ‘On that night, I finally became Yaeldrin, by being Eliar.’
They took the Crafter’s symbol from Hayley’s ash and put it in a basket with the unnamed baby. They wanted to name it, and thought a tribute to Eliar and Hayley, by either calling it Hayley after its mother, or Elya, after its father.
The other Questers awoke finally and were fully informed. Yaeldrin and Rakab left the boat briefly to magically crush Hayley’s ash into Yaeldrin’s emerald. They put the Ash Emerald with the baby girl in the basket.
Yaeldrin and Rakab decided to name the girl Elya.
And so it was written that the Questers arrived by river at the border of Wyrmwood… seeking the Witchpool, a Nexus of Power, to age the baby Elya.
So ends the tenth chapter of the First Book of Azarak and consequently the First Book of Azarak - The Children of the Moons
The Questers shall adventure once more in the Second Book of Azarak - The Three Rings of Azarak