Etag is dying.  You see that now.  He says, "The Black Curse will take me.  There is no possible way for me to have the healing done now."  His eyes droop a moment.  His lips are dark with congealed blood, as are his fingertips.  His eyes seem shadowy and bloodshot.  "I must speak of things before I die.  You must survive."

He coughs and then looks at the bloody sputum in his hand.  "I have only hours, and the delirium and insanity will rob my brain even before then."

He takes a deep breath.  Speaking only comes with effort.  "I must tell you of the Telling of the Three, and of this mountain, and these lands, and all the changes wrought among them."  He pauses, squinting in pain, and then says, "Changes wrought by you, I think."  He nods toward Borimer and Kahan.  "You wield the Deathbane and the Godslayer.  I knew you would come."

He tries to hold his head up proudly for a moment and says, "My name is Faerl Yorthaeyorn, as I told you.  But I am called 'Etag' because long ago I reversed the gate."

He points toward the chasm.  "I asked you about Tienna, yes?  Your companion Hatchman said you come from the Krusark Kingdom, and King Thresh III sits on the throne.  He said the king was still alive.  But you," he says, pointing to Kahan and Borimer, "indicated the king was dead.  King Krusark, yes?  Your groups, wherever they came together here, did not come from the same Tiennas.  Remember that I told you: 'This is very troubling.  Neither or your stories matches the correct historical account of Tienna at the time of the Kuvlah Tah, which will not take place for another thousand years.  And the fact that your stories do not match each other means the Telling of the Three was true.'  Remember that?"

He points to the sky outside the cave.  "What do you see?"

Squinting, you see a moon rising above the peaked mountains.  "That," Etag says, "is Tienna.  You said it was destroyed, but it isn't.  Not yet.  That event will not occur for another thousand years.  You have traveled from there to here, but also from then to now.  Events now can change the future of Tienna, as you and Hatchman have shown.  But this also means that when I closed the Gates of Time, I was too late.  The changes already came.  They were perhaps inevitable.  I see it in your appearances here.  I see it in the revival of this Black Curse.  I see it in the earthquakes and opening of chasms in the mountain you just traversed.  These are not coincidences.  I came here for a purpose.  To find you.  And warn you."

He begins coughing.  "I need water," he says.  "I need water."  Cough.  "Then I can say more."  He looks at you, but he is becoming weaker, his eyes squinting.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:06, Fri 16 May 2014.

"I only have wine with me." Said didit while shyly offering the skin "please forgive me for being so silly" she added with resignation. But, she thought home is still there and there is hope of it being saved, perhaps even the kingdom could be spared

Borimer gives the little man some water from a skin. He had seen death before, and it was usually ugly, but this curse was evil.

Tahldar looks at Etag with concern.

We must find this cure and soon! his face says he takes in the man's words and contemplates what they mean.

Kahan looks on as Etag slowly dies, his insides turning over in frustration at the fact that, even as accomplished as a healer that he was, there was nothing he could do to help his suffering or cure this mystery disease. "Is there anything we can do to help? Where do we find the cure for this plague?" he asks.

Etag gulps the water down.  "It is too late for me with this plague, but I must tell you how to cure it before you all die of it.  But first--"

He stops and coughs.

"This is overwhelming for you all at once, but there are what we call Markers in time beyond which any portal cannot open backwards.  Anything before that Marker is set in stone, you might say.  Except that the Gates of Time allowed the Gods to change even markers.  I was guided to the Gates and closed them, but I was too late.  The changes in the past happened before I could get there, and now are forever in place.  I know his name, the name of the one who started this calamity.  He went through the Gate before me.  His name was Tarimar.  He was an understudy of a wizard, the same wizard who trained me.  That wizard's name is Azaron Ashe.  Ashe is mastering portals of time and space.  He says time and space are inextricably bound.  I do not know how this can be, but it is so."

He coughs again, takes some more water.

"His last experiment, though, resulted in a transfer of magics from Tienna to Allevia.  This upset the balance and continuity of the worlds.  You are probably aware of this in your world.  You have tales of the magic and dragons suddenly disappearing from Tienna.  This was because of Ashe, and that was...was...when was the Marker set?  It was...oh, the times are not clear in my head.  It would have been twenty years ago or so, maybe thirty or forty.  And the last Marker set in place just 8 years ago.  Between the influx of magic in Ashe's experiment and the travel and havoc wrought by Tarimar--whatever he did--the face of Allevia is forever changed.  Ecosystems are unrecognizable in places.  Old plagues are rising again.  Dragons rise from their slumber, and creatures have been called from otherworldly chasms.  There is a desert changed to pure glass, mountains have fallen to valleys, and mists have changed to poison.  Most of the world still remains as it was, but the pockets of destruction are there where the magic came through strongest."

He takes a sip of water.  "Does any of this make sense to you?  You must understand so you know what you must do.  So you can know about the Telling of the Three."

Shae sits cross legged next to the drow, intrigued by his story, and listens for more, soaking in the new lore and her new home in a lotus position.

Borimer listens to the gnome's story and bites back on a retort about feverish dreams.  His one hand unconsciously grips the Godslayer.

Etag coughs again.  The drow is looking worse by the minute.

"Let me be brief," he says.  "First, this plague will spread unless you find Unther.  He is a gnome in the hamlet of Chikaar, at the base of these mountains.  These gnomes you rescued probably know him and can get you in his good graces if you save them.  Unther knows the ways of old.  The Black Curse originated in these mountains before being eradicated.  Unther knows how to heal it.  Sadly, time is insufficient for me.  But you will all catch it soon, so you must find him before it takes you."

You remember Malissin dying just one or two days ago from the Black Curse.  It has already taken one of your group.

"You must take Unther some Lathia berries, also called 'Earth Berries,' and he knows the spell to cast on them that will cure the disease.  Lathia are plentiful in certain parts of the world, but are scarce around here.  They heal most anything when eaten, but their power does not last long when removed from the branches--10 or maybe 15 minutes.  But if you soak them Earthsilver, it will preserve their power even longer, up to a day.  Earthsilver is that healing water that flows in the land.  It is rarely found together with Lathia, but they are both found within this mountain."

He nods toward the cave entrance, which goes back deep and dark into the mountain.

"There is only one problem.  As you descend, you will not only see the handiwork of many wizards and men, you will see the object of their attention.  A great wyrm is stirring within this mountain.  Your arrival here has disrupted enough to alert his senses to something odd entering the world."

He stops to begin coughing again, his hands now shaking slightly.

"This wyrm, a great dragon, slumbers in a lake of Earthsilver, while Lathia grows on the ledges around him.  This heals him constantly.  Warriors have sought him out, thinking that to kill him and take his scales for use as shields will save them from harm.  Wizards have many theories themselves.  You must pass him to escape this mountain.  It will not be easy.  It has never been done.  Even the giants shun this mountain."

The drow begins breathing heavily and places his hand on his forehead to take a break for a moment.

Then he says, "It will be especially hard to get these gnomes safely through.  Do you understand what must be done?"

"I think I understand." Tahldar says in reply.  "I assume we'll have to pass by the worm to reach Unther?  And if we can get by the dragon, bring Unther some berries and survive the plague, what then?  What should we do?" he asks of Etag.

"It would seem we have left the fire raging through Tienna only to find ourselves in a simmering frying pan here in Allevia." he adds wistfully.

He nods slowly.  "Yes, that is where the Telling of the Three comes in.  But first, I am correct that you know Azaron Ashe, right?  He was the one who sent me, but he would not give me your names.  We have been scribing a history of the world and prophecies of the future based on our travels in time and space.  Ashe plans on calling them the Xren Codex, but he insists on having them written in Ancient Allevian so that he cannot stumble upon it himself and read it."

The drow pauses, as if understanding that further explanation is necessary.  "By stumble upon it, I mean that Ashe has been in many places and many times, and has lived longer than any man, elf, drow, or dwarf, supplemented by longevity potions and spells.  He has mastered time and space and all magics related thereto, and overall he intends to do good, though I suspect he wants to eventually be admitted into the pantheon of the gods.  But he does not want his younger self--in the future--to stumble upon things he oughtn't to know.  Not until he is ready.  You have met him and understand his ways, yes?"

Borimer nods.  A wyrm...perhaps like the one on Tienna we found near that strange metal house deep in the mountain...

Kahan listens as Etag relates his story, nodding as he goes on about Ashe. "Yes, we lead Azaron to the Temple of Ashmere so he could translate the Xren Codex with a translator we had to bring with us. He never told us what it said, and we haven't seen him since. Does this wyrm have any weaknesses? Any shortcomings we could exploit?" the priest asks, hoping the elf would know something useful about killing it.

"From the sound of it this dragon is going to be impossible to beat with swords and sorcery if it continues to sit in a healing pool.  Many have tried it would seem and all have failed.  However all dragon's share one weakness, they all covet coin and rare treasures.  I suggest we try to bribe it."  Tahldar says in reply to Kahan.

Addressing Etag he adds "Does this wyrm have a proper name?  During my time spent studying at home I learned to speak Draconic.  Perhaps if I address him by his given proper name and speak to him in his native tongue, I may have some luck in winning him to the idea of letting us pass and take a few berries.  In lieu of a gift offering.  It is a pity though we do not have live stock to offer it.  I'm sure an offer of food would go over well."

"I don't know what's scarier. The black death or the wyrm." Said Shapfer "But if it comes to it. I know of a gift we could give to him that might please him"

Etag says, "His name is Ozymandius.  From the tales of the few who have survived, the dragon is quite mad and has no honor or goodness left in it, if there ever was any.  I fear you will have to kill it.  To do so, you will need to draw it away from its healing lake.  I have never been in the mountain, and know little more than what I've said.  I came to these mountains through a different route."

At the end of his words, movement catches your attention, and you look across the fallen bridge to the giants' cave.  The giants have regrouped, and they begin scaling down the mountain.

Etag says, "The giants will not forget your escape, and their pride is great.  They will likely scale this mountain to fight you here, but they will not enter the mountain of Ozymandius.  In any case, their descent and ascent here will take many hours, likely over a day.  You can--"

He pauses in a fit of coughing.

"You can rest here safely for 12 hours, maybe a little more."

He coughs again.  "Give me a few minutes rest, and I will tell you of the Telling of the Three."  His eyes droop closed as he begins to breathe heavily once more.

Borimer watches the giants but still finds his thoughts falling back to the mad wrym in the mountain.  "I'll take first watch."

At this point, Etag is very weak and doesn't have much time left.  He will tell you about the Telling of the Three, and that's about all he'll have left in him.

You can make preparations for resting, so whatever you need to do for that, now is a good time to get it squared away.  Then he will awake, handle a few more questions if necessary, and give his last little discourse.

Tahldar helps Etag get as comfortable as he can.  Sitting tiredly next to him he says "Where I come from Drow are despised, but here everything is different."

Contemplating asking many questions about the new place he finds himself in, Tahldar instead focuses on the dragon.  "This Ozymandius do you know if wields spells?  And from what I understand they only use one type of breath attack.  It would be useful to know if it is fire, gas, or something else.  We may have protective magic we could use to thwart it."

OOC:  Tahldar is down 5pts.  He will seek a clw healing spell from Kahan before we rest for the day.  Or from someone else if they healing.

Before resting Kahan will administer his healing NWP on everyone injured. If they still require more healing, he will do so in order of necessity, starting with the most wounded and moving down. "I suggest we try to hamper the giant's efforts of following our tracks when we head off. I know not how to do this, but suggestions are welcome." the priest states, looking around to see who is the most wounded (other than Etag).

"They used to be the protagonists of horror stories back home. I feel bad for feeling bad, but deep down I'm still afraid. And this whole business with the fate of the world and impending doom, with the black death. And the giants and this wyrm."

Etag looks up.  "Yes, you are injured.  There is a pool of Earthsilver down there."  He points deeper into the darkness of the cave.  "This is where I made preparations before coming to find you, and I remember it.  It will heal your wounds before you rest.  As you travel Allevia, you will find that Earthsilver can be found in some caverns and caves, places where the sun and air will not quickly take away its power.  And the healing Lathia, or Earth Berries, are found in the outdoors, growing here or there.  They are only rarely found in caves or places where the sun will not reach.  That is why the lair of Ozymandius is unique.  It has both in the same spot."

He touches his forehead, reaching into memory.  "The name Ozymandius was given to the dragon by the builders of the pyramids many centuries ago.  Because of the deserts of their land, some say that Ozymandius is a blue dragon that came from the deserts and breaths lightning.  Yet there are others who say blue dragons do not reside in mountains, and that it is a green dragon that breathes poisonous gas.  Other rumors say it is a red dragon that has just been tainted by the waters so that its colors have faded, and that it breathes fire.  As you can tell, the reports are inconsistent.  But I believe the more common and reliable reports indicate that the dragon is of a reddish, amber or brownish color, indicating perhaps fire or acid.  Perhaps it is a yellow dragon if it truly originated in the desert.  I simply know rumors, not enough facts to be of help.  It is an ancient dragon, and perhaps knows spells.  No one has denied that."

Etag looks at Kahan.  "You may prepare as you wish for the giants, but they will not go beyond this cave.  They fear Ozymandius and will not proceed further than here.  As long as you are not here when they arrive, you should be safe from them."

He says to Tahldar, "Your world is not so different.  Drow are despised here as well in most places, and with good reason.  But there are a few of us who have broken away for the betterment of this world, and who seek goodness."

Tahldar takes a moment and leaves Etag's side as he heads to the pool of Earthsilver.  Bending down he splashes his side briefly and lets his body absorb its healing power.

Returning to Etag he says "This is difficult, but is subject that must be broached.  When you pass, what would you have us do with your belongings?  And more specifically your spellbook.  It won't help us at the moment, but likely could in the future.  If we can get by the dragon that is and make the time to study it.  As a group our magic is relatively weak and needs buttressing.  It would help immensely."

"I would say it isn't nice to be reminded of your own imminent death" said Didit while cleansing herself from the dirt of the road "But the thought crossed my mind too. And I feel bad about it already."

Etag says, "You mustn't worry about me.  My passing will leave nothing to chance.  And you cannot read my spellbook, so it is useless to you.  It is written in code related to the Drow language and I will destroy it to prevent its powerful spells from going into the wrong hands."

OOC: Sorry for delays.  I'm traveling with work.

Kahan nods regrettably about the spellbook, knowing that the spells contained within would be extremely helpful but knowing that the elf was probably right and if destrlying the spellbook was his dying wish, he wouldn't deny him. "So what is this Telling of the Three that we need to know about? Is there anyone else in this world who knows of us and will help us?" the priest asks.

Etag leans against the wall, his leg starting to tremble.

"The Telling of the Three is an ancient fable, but like many fables, it is rooted in truth.  The 'Three' are Fate, Time, and Will.  Eons ago, the gods decided that their will is an absolute and should guide the universe.  They call their will 'Fate' because it is what must happen absent interference of the other two.  They put Fate like boat in a river called Time, for it to flow with a current and ensure Fate reaches its destination.  But to their creations they granted free will.  This is Will, and it can be rocks in the river, dams that stop the flow, or even tributaries leading to different branches of Fate.  The gods were pleased by this unpredictability."

Etag stops, face grimaced in pain, as his arm begins to spasm.  It slows, and he continues:

"Some of the gods began to gamble and create various fates to place bets on, each wanting Will and Time to push the boat of fate in their direction.  But this created wrath, dissention, and a divide among the gods.  They each became ruler of their own domains--the planes, the hells, the heavens."

He stops and coughs, blood coming out and onto his hand.

"One of the less noble gods, whose name varies depending on the person telling the tale, determined another way to make Fate go his way.  He created the Gates of Time.  Through this, the boat of Fate could be put back up the river and futures could be changed.  But it had an undesired effect.  The Fates were never meant to exist simultaneously.  Changing that boat -- what you would call The Present -- brings with it changes.  The gods forever banned the use of the Gates of Time but could not destroy them since they were created by a god.  The gods obeyed this law, but not so their creations.  The wizard Azaron Ashe, my mentor, obeyed this law, but his other pupil, Tarimar, did not.  He went through the Gates, disrupting the world at the last Marker before I could devise a way to close them more permanently.  And now you will see things in this world that were never meant to be."

Etag stops to grimace in pain before continuing.

"Knowing of this folly, and yet of their promise to allow free will, the gods devised the Reckoning, known among these gnomes and their dwarf cousins as the 'Kuvlah Tah.'  It is a function of destruction and rebirth, and we mortals are caught in its stream.  There is a force created by the gods; it is a force that can overcome all other forces and laws; it is the primary force of creation and destruction; it is the force created for the gods to put the Kuvlah Tah into effect, and it resonates through our worlds, Tienna and Allevia.  We call this force ‘magic,’ and it is meant to be in balance – what is called the Kish Gilah -- but when it is not, it is destructive.  It mars the membranes of realities and of the planes.  When you saw Tienna destroyed, it was because the rush of magic created a Kuvlah Tah so strong that it destroyed the entire world, and sucked the magic dry from this world, Allevia.  That was pure Kuvlah Tah, but what happened when Tarimar went through the Gates of Time is that it formed a warped and mutated magic upon the land.  It will kill Allevia if not stopped, much more slowly – but just as surely – as it destroyed Tienna.  But it makes the world a sick and unnatural place.”

He winces in pain and coughs violently.

“To keep the Kuvlah Tah in balance, the Five Pillars were created by the gods.  Each has two incarnations imbued in objects--artifacts.  And you carry at least two of them that I have seen.  You have heard of the Five Pillars, yes?”

He waits for an answer while wincing in pain.

OOC: Sorry for the long exposition.  I'm setting up the entire setting and future campaign here, so it's taking awhile to make sure it gets across.

Kahan reaches into his backpack and pulls out the necklace they took from Grung, along with any of the other pillars they had recovered before (I can't rightly remember them all honestly). "These are the ones we have found. Do we know the locations of the others?" he asks.

Borimer keeps glancing about as the gnome speaks, wary of encroaching danger from...probably everywhere.  "We have heard of these Pillars."

Tahldar has heard of the five pillars, but knew not what they were exactly. He sits and listens intently while Etag and the others discuss them.

Etag says, "A pillar has a foundation and supports a structure above.  So it is with the Five Pillars.  There is an object imbued with magic forming a foundation and supporting each of the Five Pillars.  The Five Pillars themselves are:

First, power over life and death.
Second, strength greater than mortal flesh.
Third, power over time and space.
Fourth, the power of cunning and wisdom of the gods.
And fifth, the power of persuasion over will.

"The artifacts were scattered and their identities lost with time, except for a few entrusted with knowledge.  The gods did not see good in having them all in one place and in one possession because the power would be too great.  If all the artifacts are brought together, they result in crushing the Gates of Time and resetting the world to its original state.  This can be good or bad, for whoever brings the artifacts together will himself become a god to rule in dominion over the two worlds for good or ill, and the artifacts will be scattered again."

Etag looks over at the objects scattered on the ground by Kahan.  He coughs violently, squints, and points.

"I see here you have the Sceptre of Shi'iki and the Dagger of Ikishi.  These are the artifacts for the First Pillar."  He points to Borimer's sword and Kahan's mace.  You also have the Godslayer and Deathbane, the two artifacts for the Second Pillar.  And you have the Eye of the World and the Eye of Tarsek, both artifacts for the Third Pillar.  And the Berillian Brooch, an artifact of the Fourth Pillar.  It appears you have only three more artifacts to collect."

He coughs, begin spasming slightly, and says, "There is one more problem.  You have come back in time with these objects.  This means that they each exist twice -- the seven in your possession and the entire ten that exist in this current time.  Therefore, there are, for example, two Godslayers in this time -- the one you possess and the one that is out there...somewhere."

His leg begins shaking, and he holds it down with one hand.  "I must be quick.  Seek out Tenvillah.  He is a gnome scholar in the village below this mountain.  Seek to get in his good favor.  He may require you to prove your worthiness of his trust, and part of that will be delivering as many gnomes here as possible safely back to their village."

He nods to the gnomes you have saved -- those who have survived, that is.

"Tenvillah also knows how to cure the Black Curse, and you will need to bring the following to him."  He pulls out a piece of parchment and hands it to you.  His hand is shaking and mottled with dark pools of blood.

"I have...little time.  Take Marty to...  Beware the man with the white hair."  His face contorts in pain.  His words appear to be nonsense now.  "Climb the Talon.  Cross the Sea of Glass.  Find the gnome brothers who speak as one.  The Xren Codex will..."  His voice fades as he winces in pain.

Then he suddenly says, "It is over."  He mumbles to himself, and his entire body, including his spellbook and his clothes, become engulfed in flame.  He runs to the edge of the cliff near the rope bridge and jumps off.  You might expect screams or yells, or even the sound of impact, but you hear nothing.

Shae watches in horror, and then understanding.  Her quiet comment after the drow is gone is:  "I had so many more questions."

Borimer relaxes his grip on the Godslayer's ivory pommel and silently watches the drow elf take his own life.  He wonders who holds the twin blade, and how hard it's going to be to kill them if they don't give it up.  "They won't," he murmurs.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:21, Tue 10 June 2014.

FYI, Etag was a drow, not a gnome.  I think you are confusing him with Junar, the gnome who was briefly your guide in the caves until he died in the bridge crossing.  Etag was the drow you rescued who had been tied to a pole on top of the building the giants had repossessed from the gnomes when they took over the settlement.

Kahan watches Etag's actions, moving out of the way as he runs past. It was regrettable that the only ally they had in this land was the first to die, but there was little that could be done to help him. "We must move. Let us get into the caves so that the giants will leave us alone before resting for the night." Kahan states as he picks up the artifacts and places them back into his haversack (aside from his mace).

oops! i edited the post so etag is a drow again :)

The gnomes have moved a little deeper into the cave and are talking amongst themselves.  There is a pool of Earthsilver inside a large alcove, and the gnomes are using it to heal and refresh themselves.

This is probably a safe place to rest (only 10% wandering monster chance --giants or something else).

Kahan follows after the gnomes, heading into the caverns to get to the earthsilver pool where he heals his wounds before setting up his makeshift bedding. "Borimer, I assume you will be taking first watch as normal? I need sleep and so do the other spellcasters." The priest states, looking around at the others to see who else could take the next shift.

"I will need rest as well,"<purple> Shae says.  <purple>"And not just for my beauty sleep," she adds with  a wink.

Tahldar watches Etag make his fiery exit and says nothing.

From the frying pan of Tienna to the flames of Allevia! he thinks sardonically.  Both in reference to Etag and whatever the dragon has in store for them.

"We have a long road ahead of us and I need my rest if we are to defeat this dragon." he says impassively as he goes to make use of the nearby healing pool.  As he heals himself he wonders what spells he might have had if Etag had not taken them with him.  He also wonders if there ever will be time to share what spells his group has as he tucks in for the night.  And lastly if his meager skills will be enough to kill the dragon or at least protect the group well enough to slip past it.

Dozing off on a bed of stone, the diminutive Elven dreams of fiery death and swinging bridges...

Let me know if your characters do anything special before or during the rest period.  I will assume your typical watch order, while letting the gnomes rest.

I will probably advance this tomorrow to get it moving forward.

Borimer wearily takes off his armor piece by piece and then drops down uncermoniously into the strange healing water.  After his wounds are gone and the aches and pains with them Borimer gets out and slowly puts his armor on again piece by piece.  "I will need no rest and can stand the watches, everyone get some sleep if you can."

"I wish I could keep you company" Said Didit to Borimer "But just as Thaldar said, I'm already at the limit" she was about to make motions to move away when she said the thing she was very insecure about asking "I cannot thank you for all that you've done for me, for us. I don't think I would have survived this long without your help, everyone's help. And that is why I need to ask, am I being a burden to you?"

Kahan will look around to see if there is ample ventilation for him to be able to burn his Incense of Meditation without attracting unwanted attention or making the others inhale the fumes while they try to rest. If it seems feasible, he will do so upon waking, wondering aloud if they would also help Shae and her druidic spells.


As Shapfren asks about being a burden, the priest chuckles a little, shaking his head as he responds, "We have journeyed with a man who had no hands or tongue who needed to be carried if we wanted to go faster than a snail's pace. You are as useful as a wizard's spell book compared to him."

Borimer adjusts another strap on his armor and nods at the priest's words.  "You are no burden, you are our companion, and a valuable one at that."  He begins oiling his longbow as though the matter were settled.

The party rests for the night without incident.  There is no sign of the giants or anything from the cave below.  The light from the rising sun outside the cave gives you some renewed vigor.

(Spells and health are all now back to max.)

Just beyond the pool of Earthsilver, the alcove turns into a cave corridor that leads steeply down and into the mountain.

Borimer settles in to watch over the others as they rest.  An hour into his vigil the warrior withdraws his small wooden pipe and lights it with only one hand, quietly exhaling with satisfaction.  It takes him a moment to realize the nearly perfect ring of smoke that appears and then slips away.  Borimer swings his head around excitedly to see if there are witnesses, but his only answer is Kahan's intermittent snores. Borimer sighs and taps out the bowl, then puts it away.  After a moment he goes back to sharpening his blade and waiting...