Astonished, D'aden asks, "just read the icon and pledge allegiance? I was told there was more."
"If one were to study here, would they be allowed to leave in pursuit other interests? I'm always interested in learning, but I have obligations to others that I do not wish to fail. Besides, I've heard little music in the tower and can't imagine a life without song."

When the Master of the Tower rejects their request for a nightjewel, Olven lifts an eyebrow and looks at Roisin. Well, his companion can sort this out if there's any way around this prohibition. "I'll read the Icon of Truth," Olven says matter-of-factly. "I follow Kiri-Jolith myself, but if I can serve both him and the High God, I'm willing to do so. And we seem to be accumulating quite a list of favors, but I'm willing to do perform one for you so we can fulfil our mission."

"This is our center of power," the Master said. "And you have just arrived. Gareth, the man who brought you here, loves song just as much as you do. And I wouldn't be surprised if the two of you have much in common. And you are free to come and go as much as a wizard or cleric beholden to whichever god they serve are free to come and go from their places of power."

"As for you sir Wolf, your allegiance is for one god and one god only. And from what I can see, you have not tied yourself to the arcane or the divine like your companions have. But we can teach you such things. And I can promise you that allegiance to the High God will give you more than you can imagine."

Olven Wolf ponders the situation carefully, weighing the delay while they study and his own lack of any kind of arcane aptitude against the benefits to the group, including the return of the Icon of Truth. He’s not entirely sure what the Icon is or why Mistress Caladan has need of a nightjewel, but Olven is not one to need a reason to complete a task he is charged with. It doesn’t take the former mercenary long to make up his mind. ”I’m game,” he says. ”I’ll study the Icon of Truth, learn about the High God, and then decide if I will serve him. We have one other task the King of Kalaman has given us to accomplish, but I think we can afford to stay on here for a couple of weeks. I’ll need to send word to my squire and my housecarl.” Of course, being cooped up in this tower for a couple of weeks could lead to dire consequences if Olven is not restrained, but the group should have no problem dealing with his condition.

He turns to his companions. ”As long as there aren’t any objections, that is.” Of course, being cooped up in this tower for a couple of weeks could lead to dire consequences if Olven is not restrained, but he’s confident the group can deal with his condition.

"Of course," Master Evardson said. "Write a note and I will have it sent to them." Suddenly there was a box of writing utensils on his desk, where there previously had been nothing. Inlcuding pens, ink pots, jars of sand, paper, envelopes, and wax candles.

"Would that I could sing as well as Gareth."
"It would be wrong to have a chance at knowing what the High God has for me and being unwilling to expend anything towards learning that. I think I would study this Icon of Truth and learn what is there to learn."

When the writing paraphernalia appears, Olven Wolf inclines and says, ”Thank you, sir.” He selects a sheet of paper, dips a pin in an ink pot, and writes a few lines to Tomas.

Tomas,

I will be staying at the Tower for some time while we study some of the texts here.  Take a room at one of the inns close by, and send word to me here regarding which inn you have chosen. See that Michel stays in practice while I am away.

Olven Wolf, Baron of March Crossing

His letter completed, Olven examines it and then folds it and slips it inside an envelope. He removes a gold ring embossed with a wolf’s head from his right ring finger, seals the letter with wax, and presses the ring into the wax, leaving the indentation of a wolf. ”Master Evardson, could you see that this is delivered to my men? They should be waiting just outside the grove.”

OOC: I have take some liberties with the name of the barony and Olven’s ring. If these are out of line, please let me know, and I will amend my post.

"I would also be interested in finding out more about this High God of yours," Alvin said.

"Of course," the Master of Past and Present said.

The audience was quickly over. Gareth was assigned as the heroes' liaison. Olven's letter was delivered and a reply was returned. They were given quarters, though they were small and not equal to Olven's new station.

The week passed quickly.


[OOC: As Roisin still seems to be away, let's let Olven, D'aden, and Alvin study the Icon of Truth the first week. It never brings up if the High God is male or female, so in the following paragraph, I'm using "he" and "him" for the sake of simplicity.

The Icon of Truth teaches the following: The High God is the god of Order and Creation, as opposed by Chaos. He created the other gods of Krynn. He is not Good, Evil, or Neutral. And generally speaking, has left Krynn to these "lesser" gods. But he is there and willing to grant powers to those that follow him. He is disappointed with the choices of the Evil gods, but "allows" them to make those choices for the sake of Balance. He also determined the Progression of Souls, or in other words that people are born, live, die, and that their souls move on to some higher plane.

Among these "lesser" gods, only three are allowed to grant arcane powers. The rest grant divine powers. But Takhisis, the leader of Evil, who is a law unto herself, has broken that rule and grant divine power to her clerics and arcane power to the "wizards" among the Knights of Takhisis.]

Two weeks had past and all four of the heroes had read the Icon of Truth and accepted the High God as their god. All four had been given a brooch of black metal in the shape of an equilateral triangle, with the point upwards, circumscribed by a circle, like the one Gareth and everyone else in the tower was wearing. And had been told to wear it at all times.

Alvin now wore the blue robe as the servants of the High God did.


[OOC: So what is the plan? Study in the library? Go on the quest The Master of Past and Present has set before you? Go on the quest the King has placed before you? Something else?]
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:27, Fri 01 Feb 2019.

Despite the time he spends diligently studying the new visas opened to him, D'aden contrives to see his companions regularly. But it is to Gareth that he directs most of his questions, and to the woods outside the tower that he directs his feet, most of all.
Just as the families back home hoarded anything remotely useful, D'aden wouldn't allow any of his skills to atrophy. In addition to mending his own leathers, he took upon himself the task of caring for any other that was brought to him. No matter what he learns, he's determined his body not forget the feel of the bow in his hand, the shock of a staff impacting an immovable object, or the balance of a sword.
It was, therefore, only natural that he begin to ask his companions when they would be on the road, again. "I think it would be best if we did the Master his favor and then took the icon with us, it might be useful."

Not being much of a scholar, Olven Wolf finds the time spent in the Tower mildly irritating. True, he has pledged himself to follow the High God and accepted that he wear the brooch as a badge of his devotion, but he finds the walls of the Tower confining and longs to escape to wander in the outdoors. Every night, he has someone barricade Olven within his quarters, and he marvels that Master Evardson has accepted him to stay here for so long.

Olven finds himself changing in subtle ways, his flashes of anger farther apart, his ravenous appetite lessening somewhat. He still prefers the company of his own thoughts to the presence of his comrades, but their presence now is more bearable. Nightmares still stalk him, dreams of hot blood and gleaming fangs, but these, too, have grown less frequent.

”Your new robes suit you, Alvin,” he says when he sees the elf in the attire of the High God’s servants. When D’aden asks when they will be leaving, Olven growls in frustration. What D’aden asks is more than reasonable, but still Olven snaps at his friend. ”Gods, man, why are you so impatient? If you’re so ready to leave, why don’t you? The library here might have information I need, and I’m not leaving until I’ve had a chance to peruse its books.”

The heroes spent another month at the tower, mostly in the library. Though D'aden spent his time with songs, and hunting, and fishing, and getting to know the people in the tower. The other heroes started building relationships with some of the people in the tower too, but not to the level of the bard.

They discovered an item that could cure Olven's condition in the possession of someone referred to as the Dragon King, but none of the landmarks or locations connected to that individual made any sense.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:08, Fri 01 Mar 2019.

Roisin spent her month digging into the archives, lost in research on Olven, constructs and her newfound religion. She spent time trying to learn the history of the High God. If the others asked why she left the white robes,her only response would be "Blue suits me better"

For the fifth time, Olven puzzles over a text referring to the enigmatic figure known as the Dragon King. Ultimately, he pounds his fist with frustration. This is getting us nowhere he thinks. Whoever or whatever the Dragon King is, Olven cannot see any way to track the being down.

Finally, he decides to approach Master Evardson. ”I’ve read about a person named the Dragon King who may have something that can cure me, but I have no idea where to find this person. Do you know where the Dragon King can be found?”

"I do," Master Evardson said. "This is very fortuitous. He just happens to have something I want too. As a matter of fact, the very thing I wanted brought to me to allow you to return the Icon of Truth to the Lyceum. We should talk more about this with your friends."


Later, as the heroes were together in Master Evardson's office, he told them about the favor he wanted them to do for him.

"I have heard that you have found the Dragon King in your research. So have I. Let me tell you some of what I've read. I know that the names and places won't make sense to you, but I know how to get you there and back again."

"Long ago, after Malthas split the Lightbringers into a hundred factions with heresy and before the mandarins of Shansin built their five-sided towers, two dragons came out of the jungles of Padan and passed the mountains of the Echo Wall. Ataban the Sharp was her name; Vestitius Longtail was her sibling. They burned all defenders and, brother and sister, ruled the land. Lizardmen rose up from the swamps to be their closest servants and officials. For three generations of humans, no one could stand against them. They had great caverns dug for themselves in the dragonish fashion on opposite sides of a hill and they had a palace raised above it from which they ruled. The dragon king had his seat in the east part of the palace, and the queen in the west."

"But they could not keep peace between themselves forever. Each of them, brother and sister, plotted against the other over years, keeping secrets even from the lizard retainers who worshiped them. Each drew together mystical reserves to unleash when the other least expected an attack. One struck first, and in dying, the other struck back. The battle was brief but fierce. They toppled the walls of the castle, and many in residence there died beneath its stones. The dragon monarchs were entombed in the collapsed tunnels underneath."

"That, of course, is centuries past. The ruins of the palace were considered cursed for many years. With the death of the dragons, their kingdom fell almost instantly, and their remaining followers were scattered to the four winds. In time, the region was abandoned to monsters."

"The dragon king had in his throne room an item of great power. The gods granted the Cowl of Ahten-Ahten to a noted priest who used it for remarkable healing rituals. It passed through many hands until it came into the dragon king’s hoard, where it was not used but only, as with many other treasures, jealously kept. But there the trail ends. None of the dragon king’s treasures have been seen since."

"This cowl is what I want you to bring to me as the favor I mentioned earlier. And in return, you can have the Icon of Truth. It is a heavy leather hood that reaches the wearer's shoulders and partially covers their face. The face mask, coated with silver leaf scales, is hardened into a long beak with exaggerated scales around the eyes. The remainder has shapes of feathers stamped into it and painted in red, green, and gold."


[None of the names, or places, or events, or buildings sound familiar to you.]

D'aden nods, "that sounds to be some distance away. We should retrieve our mounts and ride. My father always told me the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man."

"You are correct," The Master of Past and Present said. "But it's too far for horses. I will get you there and this will get you home." He placed a strange and old looking gold coin on his desk. "Drop this coin on the ground, gather around it, forcefully step on it, and it will take you and everything within one yard of it back here."

D'aden sighs, "I guess I just miss my horse."

Roisin frowned "And why do you need the Cowl? What purpose will it serve in your ownership?"

"It is an artifact of healing," the Master said. "It can be quite useful."

When they were done, the Master of Past and Present lead the heroes down to the basement. One of the basements really, as they stopped on the third subterranean level and the stairs continued further down.

The room was quite large, maybe a quarter of the level and about 25 feet to the ceiling or so. There was no furniture, but there were braziers filled with coal that gave off both light and heat.

The heroes and Roisin's guardian were all standing together in the center of the room with their stuff. They had informed their travel companions to remain in the city and take care of things until they returned.

Master Evardson started a complex ritual with moves and words and powders for several minutes. And then, suddenly, the heroes were on a road leading into a small, sprawling, ramshackle town occupying a shallow sloped section of the foot of one of the mountains in the area.

A natural stone jetty projected a bit into the broad curve of the river, perpendicular to the current. Several short wooden piers projected from it. Buildings that looked like warehouses and residences for the owners of those, or for wealthier merchants, predominated the lowest tiers of the town. Above that were inns and shops, more homes, fancier with each level, and a few temples.

The unpaved streets meandered through the town, though the ground was more rock than dirt, which probably was a good thing in bad weather.

The fallen remains of a low wall stretched around the settlement about 300 yards up the slope, with a ditch beyond that, but both ended where the slope became clifflike.

It was an isolated and defensible place, but not what they had expected from what Evardson had told them. Perhaps what they were looking for was nearby?

Both Solinari and Lunitari were in last quarter, but the stars were different. The constellations had been replaced by new and different constellations. And even though it was five days before Yule, this place was pleasantly warm.

D'aden looks around, considering. "I can't decide whether it would be good or bad to meet any people here. Until we do, we should be cautious. Such a defensible place suggests whoever is there wouldn't be all that welcoming."

OOC: D'aden wonders if anyone is working the land around here, if there's any fish in the river, whether he recognizes any of the flora and fauna nearby, whether any humans are about, and how difficult it would be to live if they're stuck there

16:20, Today: D'aden Tor VIII rolled 15,12,7,16,8 using 3d6,3d6,3d6,3d6,3d6.  farming (-13), fishing (-15), naturalist (-13), observation (-13), survival (-14).

There is a forest some distance away.

Roisin nodded "It is wise to be cautious, but fortune favours the bold. I suspect that all of us together could fend off large numbers. Still, seeking answers of those nearby is probably a quicker way to our destination, than remaining silent."