New Thread.

In reply to Birahu the Black (msg # 1):

After the party at the Townhouse, there were preparations to be made to go to Pindangoogly. It was a two day trip, are you walking or buying horses?

Having found riding to be a pain in the rump both literally and figuratively, Sister Piestar doesn't relish returning to the saddle unless needed.

If someone wanted to get a wagon however, she would be willing to pitch in.

Ulle prefers to feel the earth under his feet, he will walk.

When the others finally catch up with Kossoth he informed them with a shake of his head, "Caravans have already left or they will be arriving in a week or two...so nothing."

Raising an eyebrow towards Ulle he asked with a look of distaste in his mouth, "Did that...Archmage...have a job?"

"Why sour? Mage going to much help my tribe, after job. He want us go to Gnome town, find out why mines stopped. Dig up quartz, he says."

Checking his equipment, Ulle was preparing for the journey to Pindangoogly.

"He paying us, fifty lions! You no want his money, I can send it to my tribe."

With a shake of his head he added, "Mages are nothing but dangerous trouble at best.  I hope your tribe is taken care of like he says."

A sigh later he added, "Fifty lions?  I'll take his coin for my own clan but mark my words...this will be more troublesome than expected.  What one mage wants so does another."

Ulle shrugs, money forgives many sins he had found. The witch-doctor of his tribe was a good woman, wise in many things. Only her prediction of the hard times allowed his tribe to be prepared, and survive it.

"Work is work. When my tribe settles, I can return to family. Until that day, I work."

Kossoth grunted noncommittally to the work is work comment but nodded and grinned on a topic of far more agreement between the two of them, "Then I need to make sure that you stay alive to return to that family."

A broad grin crossed Ulle's face at the comment, which was about as close to affectionate that manly men got, when sober. But it also brought a new thought to the front of the warriors mind.

"Why, Kossoth travel far from home? Ulle hopes it is desire, and not need. Home is Ulle's center, core and heart. Not true for all."

Astrid listened quietly to the exchange; interested in what was at the root of his issues with mage-kind.

Much as herself, Kossoth had an unusual eye color for his race.   One that, she was fairly sure, marked him as having the blood of the Suel.

There was irony in someone of their blood despising others for the use of magic. With the utter cataclysm they had to their credit, and their irresponsible, far over the top practices...

Staying late, Sister Piestar enjoyed the fare offered by the mage, but food and beverage, though staying well to the safe side of intoxication.

Not wishing to embarrass herself in front of the high powered magus, she abstained from using her usual tricks of chilling the drinks, or summoning a glass.

When the night had died down, she offered to help clean up before leaving.

"My home is a wasteland of dust and choking ash." replied Kossoth as he contemplated the words that he would need to say to tell his story in the local tongue.  After much time he began.

"My clan survives, barely, by recovering broken bits of the bastard magic users that brought down hell on the Baklunish Empire and in turn those bastard magic users brought down their wrath on the Suel Empire.  Neither side cared about the common man living in either place then and the Sea of Dust and Hellfurnaces care not for those that still make it their home."

Shaking his head he added, "They risk their lives at the behest of magic users looking to recover those lost powers, arts and artefacts so that they can live a little better than the barest survival we can eek out there.  I want to make sure that they can ignore the debased fools who trust in that magic and will always over time make excuses for abusing it and eventually be corrupted completely by it."

The dark and dismal tale sank in slowly, as Ulle tried to comprehend the events of which Kossoth spoke. And even then his grasp was no doubt far short of the actual tragedy.

"Leave suck a place, your people should. If they can. Are they bound to the land, by tradition, or the spirits of their ancestors?"

He suspected Birahu could help them leave, but he doubted Kossoth would accept such aid from one he deemed corrupt. In Ulle's experience, magic was as magic did, much the way his spear could kill for good or for ill. It was but a tool. Clearly to Kossoth it was more, and who was Ulle to say he was wrong. Such things were beyond his ken. He only knew the powerful seldom cared for the common people, with or without magic at their beck and call.

"Some of the clans are bound by tradition, some by the spirits of their ancestors.  Mine is one of the few that is bound there by spiteful magics.  They cannot leave as their very lifeforce is bound to the land and it is passed from father to son, mother to daughter in various strengths."

Shaking his head he added, "There seems to be no rhyme or reason except regardless of how tethered one is to the land the more powerful one gets the sooner they must never leave the land.  I will need to use my time out here well before I am pulled back some day as well.  The legends of my own people are too vague to say if it was merely a bastard magic user of immense power rivalling the Gods or some sort of Demigod or God beseeched by one of the ruling magus lords but the simple fact is I must live by it like my kin."

Enslaved by magic most foul, Kossoth was a prisoner of the fate, thru no fault of his own.

"To break Such a curse would be a great thing. But would it not take magic to do so? It is too much for me. I will embrace our time together brother, and mourn when you must leave."

The similarities to their lives paths was not hidden from Ulle, the differences as well. Ulle wished to be home, but was forced to travel, whereas the home of Kossoth was a wasteland and his ability to travel limited, though clearly the desire strong. It was indeed a strange world.

Astrid had listened in silence while Kossoth related his own people's story and plight.

So much of her knowledge of the Suel pertained to their ancient empire. She knew a great deal less about their descendants, their remnants, in the present day.

Parts of it surprised her. Even shocked her some. It was quite a bit to take in, and gave her some things to think on.

She really couldn't help saying:

"Do you know why it is human mages sometimes reach pinnacles of power, that elves do not?  Even when we are so renown for our talent in the art?  And have many more decades in which to learn?   It is because we know where to stop. Where the lines must be drawn. It is in our lore.  Human occultists too often see magic as being beyond, even superior, to Nature. Instead of a part of it, which must be balanced with the whole."

"We warned the Suel magi. Ardently.  More than once. And they would not listen.  Slaves to their vaulting ambitions; a dire example that intelligence and wisdom are not the same thing."   

As the dinner guests leave the wizard's home together, Kestrel listens to the brief discussion on whether horses should be purchased. Hearing Sister Piestar and Ulle speak up for walking, Kestrel adds, "I would prefer to walk as well. The distance is not far, and it is easier to be stealthy, if needed.

Shall we take our leave tomorrow or the day after? I am able to leave quickly, but if we need to gather supplies, let's do that tomorrow.

I can meet you at your inn tomorrow morning.

A pleasant evening to you all."

The ranger will head to his inn, after answering any questions posed.

PM

Kossoth couldn't help but respond with, "Taint does not limit itself to the pinnacles of power.  It seduces, corrupts and insidiously twists everyone from the strongest to the weakest regardless of some self conceived lines not to cross or assumed superiority of wisdom.  Your kind is no exception; every race falls...yours just has more time to do it."

With a soft sigh he looked over to Ulle, "While the others come together I am going to get some fresh air out of town.  I will join with you when you actually head out of town." to which he began to head out of town to clear his mind.

With a shrug Ulle watched the tall man's receding back. Once he was well out of earshot, he turned to Astrid.

"Deep wounds, has that one. Be wary Magic lady, he is dangerous."

The implication that he was also unbalanced hung silently between them.,

The Flan warrior smiled, then headed for the inn.

She nodded once at Ulle's admonishment, simply concurring "Aye."

And then she too head for the inn.

Dain -- having consumed copies amount of refreshment and food and said nothing -- claps his hand on Cal's arm to signify wishes for a good evening.  He then goes to the inn, intent on sleeping and returning at the designated time the next morning.