Around the Dinner Table
It was remarkably cold in Elton when he appeared within the teleportation circle located outside the gates. Despite being closer to the equator than Cimmer and Thess, the winter winds coming off the Serpentcoil Mountains made the town colder. If one could peer through the massing clouds this evening, one could see the snow-capped peaks off to the north.
Wyncit burrowed deeper into his overcoat and started walking to the nearby town gate. Elton was either a small city or large town, depending on who you asked, that snaked along both sides of the Eleanor River with picturesque multi-story wooden buildings and flowery vines that followed the stone build river bank.
It was an ideal location for one of the more famous restaurants on Syra.
It was a short walk along the stone pathway to the gate of the walled town. Somewhere in the history of the town the walls and gates went from defensive to decorative. Scroll work, flowery vines, bright whitewash the walls were the envy of most towns. Just don't expect them to stop an orc tribe.
The wide gate itself was bright red and open. Two guards in ceremonial uniform of red and white armed in bright breastplate and halberts stood on each side of the gate. One nodded to him as he past through.
"No entrance tax?" Wyncit thought as he past under the gate's archway marked by an abundance of murder holes. "At least they have those."
Once within the town, there were several horse drawn carriages waiting for customers, showing the teleport circle was more used than Wyncit initially thought. Wyncit took the first one, the gnome driver nodding when he asked to go to the Harty Harvest Inn. The inside was comfortable, clean and the ride smooth with well sprung wheels.
The carriage stopped out outside a row of five story beam and stone buildings and Wyncit got out. He turned to face one of the buildings after paying the agreed 5 copper and studied his destination. The front of the building faced the street and winding river behind Wyncit and was painted the same as the walls of the town; white and red. What would be fragrant flowery vines during any other season grew from the upper window planters and cascaded down. Bright lanterns already lit the outside from the approaching darkness. Above the closed door and written in flowery Common Trade tongue script, was Hearty Harvest Inn and Restaurant.
He entered and was assaulted with wonderful kitchen aromas. The room itself was a large common room with a scattering of round white clothed tables and chairs of different heights. The room panels were of dark wood and gleamed with their coating of bees' wax and varnish. Drift globes of different colors drifted near the ceiling. The room was already half full with diners. There were three opened doors at the back.
Directly in front of him was a young blonde woman of human and elf descent in a black dress.
"How may I help you, sir?" She asked in a friendly tone.
Wyncit smiled and suppressed his normal reaction upon meeting a beautiful woman. After spending months in the jungles of Palmheart with several women, he knew his response was sometimes overpowering and unwelcome.
"My name is Wyncit Sutler. I am here to see Tony Child."
She smiled and her face lit up with pleasure. It was difficult, but he refrained from responding in kind. "This way, please."
Wyncit followed her through the far right back door which turned out to be stairs going up to the floor above. At the top they entered as small room with a halfling male seated behind it. To Wyncit's right was another open door into a hallway. He quickly figured out the opened doors allowed the smells of cooking foods to drift up into the rest of the Inn. He was getting hungry.
"Herman, this is Sage Sulter, one of Master Child's guests," the woman told the man. And with that, she turned and went back down the stairs into the common room. With another smile.
Hmmmm, thought Wyncit as he directed his gaze on the man.
Herman smiled and got up from his chair, "This way, please Sage Sulter. There is already one other here."
The hallway was of the same wood as the common room below and had a few closed doors lining one side while a few windows, covered with heavy drapes, lined the other side. Herman walked him to a middle door, knocked and quickly entered. Inside was a large white room with a white clothed circular table in the center. In the center sat a scattering of liquor bottles, wine decanters and a glass water jug. Around the table were padded chairs. On the far side of the room, with a window on each side of it, sat a lit fireplace and bare wall tables along each side. To the left of the door, standing in a corner was the back of a rather large grandfather clock. Seated on one of the chairs, where both table and windows could be seen, was Mae, dressed in a flowing robe of yellow silk.
Mae was, of course, reading a book. On the table, in front of her, sat a small wine glass of white wine. The book was unmarked but bound in red leather and rather thick. She marked the page and placed the book off to the side before getting up.
"Hello Mae," said Wyncit as he entered. She was wearing robes of yellow and green with her hair brushed back and tied. Her smile was one of happy surprised.
"Hello Wyncit," she responded.
"Sir, would you care for something to drink," asked Herman, directing Wyncit's attention to the drinks in the center of the table.
"Whatever Mae is having is fine," Wyncit answered.
Herman closed the door and picked up a folded step stool that had been hidden by the open door. He walked to the table, opened the stool, stepped up and stretching out retrieved a wide bottom clear decanter of white wine.
"Oh," said Mae, frowning. I could have done that, Herman."
"All part of the service, Lady Govannen," he said. Taking an empty tall wine glass, he carefully, and theatrically, poured the white wine half way. He then leaned over and replaced the decanter to the center of the table.
Wyncit shrugged his shoulders and took a seat directly across from Mae.
Herman walked the glass to Wyncit and placed it in front of him, then waited. Wyncit smiled at him, then picked it up and twirled the wine within the glass, watching how it shifted colors and clung to the side of the glass. with a quick smell of the fragrance he took a small sip. He sucked in some air and rolled the liquid in his mouth, getting the feel and taste of the wine.
It was dry, fruity and very pleasant.
Wyncit looked at Herman, "Thank you, Herman. It's lovely."
Herman nodded and said, "Master Child will be with you in just a bit. He is finishing your dinner selection for tonight. If you need anything, I shall be at the desk."
And with that, Herman left, closing the door behind him.
Wyncit looked over to Mae, "This is one of yours?"
Mae smiled and sipped from her glass.
"Any idea where Brecca is, "he asked.
Mae waved an arm around just as the door opened, "She is around. Probably ransacking the basement."
"I beg your pardon, I do not 'ransack', replied Brecca as she entered. Brecca was dressed in woolen leggings and and a plain oversized linen shirt. And pink house slippers.
Mae smiled, "Loot? Steal? Investigate with extreme prejudiced?"
Brecca flopped into the closes chair to the door, leaving the door open.
"I'll take that last one, "Brecca said.
Mae nodded.
To Wyncit, Brecca said, "Well, here I am. What?"
"Let's wait for Tony. What I have to say needs everyone here. And its easier to say it once. I suspect I'll have to repeat it, anyway." Wyncit reached over to the center of the table and retrieved a pitcher of dark yellow liquid and passed it over to Brecca; who had to lean over to receive it.
"What?" She asked.
Wyncit shrugged his shoulders and passed a wine glass. Brecca pour the liquid into the glass and took a cautious sip.
"Mead. Dwarven. I've had better," she muttered.
"I think not!" Tony marked as he came in, closing the door behind him.
Tony was larger than he was last Wyncit last saw him. Tony liked to taste the cooking, Wyncit guessed.
"That is made from giant bumblebee honey who only feed on blackberry pollen. Then its aged in seared oak casks for 10 years before being bottled in blown glassed bottles and corked and waxed to age in the bottles for another 5 years." Tony sat between Wyncit and Brecca.
"Dinner will be ready in about 10 minutes. We'll start off with something light, soup and appetizers. Then see how people are feeling," Tony said. Then, looking around the table, he gave a large smile. "Well. First time that we've all been together in over a year. What has everyone been doing?"
"Adventuring," Brecca said.
"Researching death magic," Mae said at the same time.
"Teaching and writing," Wyncit said over the other two.
Tony nodded and smiled.
Brecca looked at Wyncit, "Tony is here. What?"
Wyncit rolled his eyes as Mae pointed at the clock in the corner and asked, "Tony, is that the clock we found in the tombs?"
Tony leaned back in his chair, frowned and crossed his arms as glared at the clock.
"Yes."
There was a small silence as people waited for Tony to continue.
When he didn't Mae asked, "Why is it facing the corner? Has it been bad? Is it being punished?"
People waited as Tony stared at the clock and frowned.
Brecca opened her mouth but was interrupted by Tony.
"I cast 'Be My Guest' to move it to where I wanted it in the main common room with the intention of putting it back together, again. It was going to be the main decoration in the room with everything to support it. But when I cast the spell, the clock refused to follow my directions. Instead, it walked upstairs, came in here and stood in the corner, facing the wall.
No matter how many times I cast the spell and ask it to move downstairs, it refuses and stays put."
Tony continue to glared at the clock.
"Maybe it wants to go back home," Mae asked delicately .
Tony grunted.
"Maybe its guilty of something and is punishing itself," asked Wyncit.
Tony grunted.
Mae and Wyncit looked over at Brecca.
"What. It's a clock. It doesn't have any feelings," she said.
Mae tsked Brecca and Wyncit signed.
"So. Tony is here, now. What did you have to tell us," asked Brecca.
Wyncit took a sip from his wine glass to collect his thoughts as the others looked on.
Taking a deep breath, Wyncit started;
"There is a possibility that the souls in the Soul Catcher are still 'alive'; including Leardon's wife, my Grandmother."
There was a small silence as Wyncit took another sip of wine.
Brecca broke the silence, "How? The last time we saw the thing it was drifting in the Shadowfell, falling apart."
Wyncit shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. But some things have been happening the last 10 days that make me think it survived."
Mae broke in before Brecca could question Wyncit more, "You generally have evidence, or at least reasonable deduction, for your hypothesis."
Tony leaded over and poured himself some water and took a quick drink.
Wyncit waited until Tony was finished.
"10 nights ago I started dreaming. I thought it was my unconscious self telling me something. I started thinking about it, but then the next night I had the same dream. The very same dream."
Brecca broke in and asked, "I have dreams all the time. What was the difference?"
Wyncit nodded, "I dream every night. I generally forget them when I wake, but this dream was different. The colors were more vivid, the dream more intense. And, as I said, I had it the next night. In fact, I had it eight straight nights. No change, nothing different. Everything was the exact same thing as the night before."
Mae broke in next, "It sounds like a Dream message."
Tony frowned and turned to Mae, "Dream message?"
Mae nodded, "A type of Sending magic. Instead of just words, one can send images, emotions, thoughts. But creatures that live in the Ethereal Plane can also send Dreams."
Mae turned to Wyncit, "Who sent this Dream."
"And what was this Dream," asked Brecca.
"Let me describe the Dream to you, then I will try my hypothesis and see what you think," Wyncit asked.
The others nodded and waited.
"So," Wyncit started, "This is what happens in the dream ..."
"I float weightless in darkness. All is dark, except directly ahead of me where a brilliant light shines. I can't tell how far it is or what it is. As I look, I seem to get closer. Whether its me or the light moving closer, I can't tell. But closer it gets until it stops. It seems I can reach out to touch it, but its still out of reach.
It's the Soul Catcher. It shines from inside, the multifaceted crystal holding the soul glowing from within. It shines in brilliant colors of the rainbow. It tumbles just out of reach. I can hear the screams of fear from the souls. I can taste the cold ash of the Shadowfell.
As it tumbles, a black shape moves in the distance, moving quickly towards me. It passes between me and the Soul Catcher. Against the shifting light of the crystal, I can tell its a huge black Raven. It's black feathers quickly disappear in the darkness of the Shadowfell.
Suddenly, from behind me, a raven screams. It pierces my heart with dread. I shudder in real fear, I feel a wind as the raven come from behind me and swallows the Soul Catcher in It's blackness.
Once again, I am in total darkness.
I float there. It's seconds or hours, I can not tell.
Then, once again, in the distance I see a light. It is feeble. Small. And again, either I or the light fly closer to each other. This light is a standing figure. It's an old man, its skin stretched tight against its skull. The figure's back is bent with age and it leans against a walking stick of ebon. Its clothes are black, shredded and aged.
The light it gives off is weak and barely shines in the darkness of the Shadowfell. I can tell it stands at the edge of a chasm, though. It looks at me and speaks.
It speaks in the voice of Leardon.
"I did not know," it said to me. I can barely hear him. "But now, I have learned the truth. I pray it is not too late. She can not be trusted."
As I listen to him, he starts to turn to dust, starting at his feet and whisked away by the cold ash wind of the Shadowfell until just his skull is left.
"Warn them!"
Then his skull disappears into ash as it too is swept away by the wind.
It is all dark, again. I float there. I can feel my life drain away in the bitter cold.
And then, once again, off the distance I see another glow of light. It stands where Leardon once did. It is dim, female in form. It seems to look at me and calls out. I can barely hear her.
"Free me," it calls. Her voice sounds as if it is behind a barrier of some sort.
I reach out to her.
And then I wake."
Wyncit quickly drinks the rest of the wine in one deep gulp.
"Each night for 8 nights, the dream is the same; except, the soul at the end. Each night, at the end, it was in a different pose. But still calling out, "Free me!"
There was a long pause in the room as they took in what Wyncit had said. Suddenly, the door was flung open!
"Dinner!" Yelled Herman as he walked in.
"Gods," Tony cried out, "way to spoil the mood!"
Dinner was quiet with the sounds of eating, the occasional grunt or approving sigh and the tinkling sounds of utensils against porcelain. Tony's prediction of just soup and a salad proved correct as people pushed their plates away, early. Herbed or bone tea served at the end with a selection of sweets at hand.
Except for Brecca.
"What?" Asked Brecca when she noticed Wyncit watching her cut into a rolled chicken breast.
Wyncit smiled. "You seem to be hungry."
Brecca thrust her knife at Wyncit, 'Ha! Unlike you, I just spent the last four months in the jungles of Palmheart tracking down that escaped DemonLord!"
"Oh dear," Mae said. "All by yourself?"
Brecca cut into the rolled chicken breast, stabbed the piece with her fork, and shoved it into her mouth. Chewing, she closed her eyes.
The others looked at each other, then back to Brecca and waited.
"Well?" Asked Tony.
Brecca opened her eyes and stabbed at Tony with her knife. "Give me a second to chew."
She reached out and took a small swallow of wine from her goblet.
"Spell created meals are so monotonous. Lots of it, but the same thing over and over, again. Gods only know three meals; oatmeal porridge with bread and water, pea soup with bread and water, and beef stew with bread and water."
She cut another small portion of the rolled chicken and ate it. Melted yellow cheese flowed out from a inside hallow formed by the rolled chicken breast.
People sipped from their cups and waited for Brecca to finish chewing.
"Well?" Tony finally asked.
Brecca looked down at her half finished chicken breast and sighed.
"Fine," she said laying her knife and fork to the side. "So I'm in Silverstone visiting Ru Bae Ya. Girls' Weekend, out. Something about a hot springs spa and lots of shopping. When this halfling paladin of Obad-Hai named Flynn finds me and tells me Leardon ordered her and her adventuring company into Palmheart to find the DemonLord and she needs a guide.
Tony refused to leave the restaurant, Mae was back home, Wyncit was at the University knee deep in writing books with Twincit, Leardon was missing, Ru Bae Ya was being Ru Bae Ya and all she can find is me.
So, no Girls' Weekend for me. We teleport back to Terastra.
I find Makai at the palace with the rest of 'The Halfling Brigade'."
"Wait," Tony interrupts. With a smile he asks, 'The Halfling Brigade'?"
"Yes!" Brecca answers. "Flynn's Adventuring Company is called 'The Halfling Brigade'. You got a problem?"
Tony shakes his head. "No. Just didn't know that. All halflings, I take it?"
"No! There's a gnome in the group, too."
A confused expression comes over Tony. "Then why, 'The Halfling Brigade'?"
"Because!" Brecca answers. "Don't ask me, I'm not a halfling."
Tony shrugs his shoulders.
Brecca looks down at her formerly hot dinner and sighs.
"So we head to the ziggurat," Brecca continues, "where the DemonLord came from and start to track it. Took us four months to finally find it. Three and a half months of that was getting lost."
Brecca crossly looks at Wyncit and stabs at him with a finger. "You are coming with me, next time. If I have to get lost in the jungle, so do you!"
"What did I do?" Wyncit asks in a confused voice as Mae chuckles.
"Don't ask, Wyncit," Mae tells Wyncit. "Just accept its your fault and apologize."
"I'm sorry?" Wyncit says in complete confusion.
"Not accepted!" Brecca announces.
"Well," asks Tony. "You find it."
"Yes!" Brecca continues. "We find it. At a place called Monkey Gorge. Why is it called Monkey Gorge, you ask?"
"Because its full of monkeys," Tony answers quickly.
"Because its full of monkeys! So turns out the DemonLord wasn't a demon lord. It was just a demon. A barlgura. Big ape demon. He was gathering all the apes of Palmheart to make his own Kingdom of the Apes. Decided the monkeys would be good slaves for his apes. He had the monkeys and apes making a castle when we found him.
Note; monkeys and apes make bad castles.
Long story, shorter, Makai and the gnome Druid make a pack with the monkeys to attack the apes while we deal with the barlgura and if we win, they get to stay at the gorge and throw poop at anyone canoeing through it."
With a smile, Mae says, "Fair deal."
"We thought so," Brecca responds. She turns to Wyncit, "You may want to put that on your map. Poop throwing monkey gorge. So, the monkeys attack the apes. The apes chase the monkeys. No more apes near the demon. Then we walked in and Makai banished the demon. Easy peasy. The end."
Brecca goes back to her cold dinner. "This is good, cold. What's next?"
Tony ushered his servants out of the room and quietly closed and locked the door. He returned to his seat and sat down as Wyncit leaned forward and pour himself something amber in color from the plethora of alcohol in the center of the table. He downed it quickly and gasped.
Tony frowned, "That's 50 year old cognac. You don't guzzle that stuff."
Wyncit waved off the complaint and pour himself another bit before leaning back in his chair, cradling his heavy glass.
"You look tired," Mae asked, motherly.
Wyncit sadly smiled at her, "I am. I've been bouncing around the globe the last five days trying to get answers."
"I assumed you can answer questions, now?" Brecca asked with a frown.
Wyncit looked around the room. "I don't see or sense any scrying." He looked to Tony. "Any way for outsiders to listen in, here?"
Tony shook his head, "No. It's about as secured as I can get things without heavy magics."
Wyncit grunted and took a sip of cognac. He sighed in contentment.
"Well," demanded Brecca.
Wyncit sighed. "The first few days after the Dream started, I did 'Sending' spells to Leardon and tried to Scry him. Even if he was in a different Plane, he should have received the Sendings and answer. He didn't, and the Scrying failed, .. so ..."
"… So, he couldn't or wouldn't answer?" Mae finished.
Wyncit nodded. "Either he is dead, dead. He is regenerating within his Phylactery. Or, he is someplace warded against Sending and Scrying magics."
"Does anyone know where he is or went?" asked Tony.
Wyncit shook his head. "I've asked his son, King Garin. I've asked the Church of Evening Glory. I even found and asked Priam Adenis of the Brightstone Heroes. The only one I haven't asked was Evening Glory, Herself." He shrugged his shoulders, "We are not really on speaking terms."
"So what did they tell you?" asked Brecca.
Wyncit sighed and took another sip of cognac. "The King and Church both say the same thing. He left soon after the we returned from Moil, saying he had to 'check something out'. Which is what he told me; in fact, I seem to have been the last person to see him."
Mae leaned forward, placing an elbow on the table and resting her head on the palm. "The imagery of your Dream is pretty straightforward. Have you been able to confirmed it?"
"Straightforward? I have no idea what any of it means!" Brecca broke in.
Mae smiled at Brecca, "In the Dream, Wyncit is floating in the Shadowfell looking at the SoulCatcher when a large raven flies by and takes it while Leardon is warning him. Okay"?
Brecca nodded, "That big thing Rue Bae Ya dropped in the big black hole, right."
Mae nodded, "Yes. That was the SoulCatcher. Acererak was using it to gather all the dead souls to use it for some ritual." Turning to Wyncit, she asked, " Did we ever figure out what he was doing with it?"
Wyncit winced, "After talking to a number of people, and indirectly to a few deities, who are supposed to be experts in such esoteric knowledge, the total guess is he was trying to become a deity with total control of the Shadowfell."
Mae nodded, "That goes with the Dream. I keep forgetting just how knowledgeable Leardon can be. Or maybe I should say, Evening Glory through Leardon?"
"Well, She is a Goddess, after all," Tony added."
Mae frowns, "So. This could be serious."
Wyncit nodded. "Very. I've been asking around centers of learning, high church officials of a number of deities and certain 'Powers'. They all asked for some time to research, but most tentatively agree with us," frowned Wyncit.
"I don't understand!" Brecca cried.
"I have to agree with, Brecca. I don't understand, either." Tony added.
Mae ignored them, "Who did you ask?"
Wyncit used the cognac glass to count on his fingers, "Church of Evening Glory, Church and College of Ioun, Church of Vecna, Platinum Citadel, certain Sages within the University of Cimmer, Priam Adenis and his Trine Academy who relayed the questions to the Starfire Academy." Smiling at Brecca, "I even asked a Church of Del'Braeth official."
He turned back to Mae, "I'll start heading back to all of them in a day or two to see what they have figured out."
Mae nodded and turned to Brecca and Tony, "We," she pointed to Wyncit and herself, "think the Raven Queen took the SoulCatcher, and the souls within it, for some reason. Possibly the very same reason as Acererak."
"But, She's already a Deity!" Said Brecca.
"Who does not control the Shadowfell," Wyncit told Brecca. "OR, there are levels of power and politics within the pantheons; She could use it to expand Her powers. Or, well, who knows what else She could do with the souls within the SoulCatcher. I was hoping you could come with while I bounce around gathering information."
Brecca looked at Wyncit.
"What?" Wyncit frowned at Brecca. "I wasn't exactly subtle or secretive in my movements or questions. Speed and movement made it initially difficult for anyone to block or retaliate against me, but 'they' will have had time to set something up, now. I will need a bodyguard. My treat? And I will pay you."
"Fine," Brecca finally responded.
"When will you leave?" Asked Tony.
"Tomorrow morning, I guess. There are a few other places and people I need to see," replied Wyncit.
"Well, I have rooms for everyone and for however long you need. A good sleep and a big breakfast and things will look better, tomorrow," said Tony.
The weak afternoon sun streamed in through the closed windows as Brecca barreled into the room.
"Well, that happened," she exclaimed as she threw herself into the nearest chair. She tossed her sheathed sword onto the large table. "Is there any beer? I could use a beer."
Mae, from her chair at the windows, turned to Brecca. "And hello and Happy New Year to you, too. You'll have to ring for it."
Brecca grunted and got up, searching for a bell.
"The rope next to the door," Mae pointed as she got up from the chair and moved to the chair next to the one Brecca vacated.
Brecca moved quickly to the rope and pulled on it. If a bell went off somewhere, Brecca couldn't hear it. She tugged it a few more times just in case and went back to flop back into her chair.
Mae smiled at Brecca, "So, what ‘That' happened?"
Brecca frowned and thought. "Should we wait for the others?"
Mae shrugged. "If you wish, but you are the one who announced that THAT happened."
"Yes! It did. Several times, in fact!" Brecca responded, crossing her arms.
Mae lifted an eyebrow and waited. Eladrin were known for their patience and Mae knew from experience that Brecca was not. She smiled inside as she watched Brecca fight to keep the news secret.
"Fine! They tried to assassinate Wyncit! And me!! Five times!!!" Brecca blurted out.
Mae was shocked, "Tried? He is all right?"
"He's fine," Brecca responded. "I hate it when he is right!"
Mae lifted both eyebrows up. "Where did that come from and what happened?"
Brecca slouched in her chair and mumbled, "You know how he gets when it turns out he is right."
Sometimes talking to humans was an exercise of chaos as their thoughts quickly jumped from topic to topic. "What was he right about and what happened?"
The door opened and Herman walked in.
Looking at Mae, he asked, "You rang for something?"
Without turning around, Brecca answered, "I did. Is there any beer?"
"We have several different kinds, as well as ale, mead, wine, port ..." Herman started but was interrupted by Brecca.
"Just a beer. Whichever you choose is fine. And maybe a snack?"
Herman nodded, "Of course. I'll have it sent up."
Mae smiled at Herman. "Thank you, dear."
He smiled back as he closed the door, which immediately reopened as Wyncit and Tony walked in.
"Thank you, Herman," Tony was saying as they walked into the room.
Mae turned and looked closely at Wyncit.
"You don't look assassinated," she said.
Wyncit looked surprised as he made his way to the chair on the other side of Brecca. He sat down and looked at Brecca who was still slouched down in her chair. Tony moved to sit in the chair next to Mae.
"Assassinated?" Tony exclaimed! "You said the trip was frustrating, not dangerous."
Wyncit sighed. "Over two years ago, when I first boarded the ship heading to Palmheart, my definition of ‘dangerous' was rather expansive. What happened these last six days I would now define as more frustrating than dangerous."
"HA!" Brecca cried out. "Show them your new toy!"
Wyncit reached into his left sleeve and pulled a knife from a hidden wrist sheath. He leaned forward and placed it on the table so all could see it.
Mae looked at it and shuddered from revulsion. It was a thin stiletto of some black metal that seemed to soak up shadows within the room and hide within them. It was smooth from tip to tip, no hilt marred its form. It was made for assassination.
Tony frowned. "I feel nauseated by that thing. What is it?"
Wyncit leaned forward to rest his arms on the table. He started at the stiletto. "Took me three days to find that out. Even a Guild Master of Weaponsmiths didn't know ... or refused to tell me. It was a member of the Church of Vandria in Thess that told me. The metal is called Thinaun. It takes souls."
Mae hissed, cat like. "I've heard of it. The metal is very rare. Comes from somewhere in the Outer Planes. No one knows where; its a secret."
"Now tell them how you got it," ordered Brecca. "No, let me. We came out of the Street of Faiths in Thess. It was night. It was raining! Next thing I know, we're hundreds of feet in the air! At night! In the rain!! Falling!!! With that thing sticking out of his back!!!!"
Mae and Tony stared at Brecca, then turned to Wyncit.
Wyncit winced at the memory. "One thing about going up against Acererak; your reflexes speed up." He sighed and leaned back into his chair.
The door openned and Herman with several human men and women entered the room, carrying trays. The conversation stopped as Herman stayed near the door as the others placed pitchers of beer, ale, mugs and several plates of bread, cheese, sausage and pickled vegetables.
"Food!" cried Brecca and sat up. She reached out to the pitcher of beer and a mug as everyone left the room.
"Thank you, Herman." Tony said. "Let the town watch to be extra careful for the next few days. Ask them to tell me if there are any new or suspicious people are in town."
"Yes sir," Herman replied then closed the door.
Brecca poured herself a mug of beer, then started filling a plate with food.
Mae coughed politely. "Brecca mentioned five attempts."
Wyncit rolled his eyes.
"I saw that," Brecca snapped as she started eating.
"I'm pretty sure two of those were obligatory thug attacks," replied Wyncit. "Muggers going after apparent wealthy couple."
"Right," Brecca said while chewing, "Thugs always go after the couple armed with swords. And what's this ‘couple' thing?"
"And I'd call the other three more like one attempt in three parts," Wyncit went on, ignoring Brecca's question. "Or maybe part one was the dagger in the back and part two and three was him, or her, trying to get the dagger back for the rest of the night?" Wyncit shrugged. "Brecca took care of him, or her, and he/she ran."
"Who him/her?" Tony asked.
"Shadar-Kai," Brecca answered then took a deep drink of beer. "Hard to see at night, in the rain. And they teleport."
"So, Raven Queen," Tony said.
Mae frowned. "Not necessarily. While most follow Her now, there are those that follow other Powers or are unaligned."
They all looked at Mae.
Mae sighed. "Its an Eladrin thing. Old history." Mae saw that piece of information slip into Wyncit's mind and slot into place. She had forgotten his perfect memory. She decided it was time to change the topic. "So did you find out, anything?"
Wyncit nodded. "It was very frustrating, but we did."
Brecca grinned, "Wyncit has a girlfriend."
"What? I do not." Wyncit protested.
Tony cackled. "Who?"
"Priestess of Ioun at his school," announced Brecca. "Brione."
"Please," protested Wyncit, "Not even. She wanted me to convert."
Brecca nodded, "Cleric flirting. It was so sweet."
Wyncit rolled his eyes.
"Children. Back to the topic, please," said Mae.
Brecca grinned at Wyncit and he signed.
"First, no one sees a problem. The Raven Queen is always collecting souls for one reason or another. The deities don't seem to have a problem, as long as she doesn't destroy the souls and they get them back.
So we asked a series of questions about why she would collect souls.
Most, but not all, Warlock Hexblades have Her as a Patron. Does she use the souls to empower her Warlocks? Answer is, unlikely. No one else uses souls to empower their Warlocks. Granted, She could be different, but all evidence says, no.
There is a theory that She is not entirely a deity and requires the memories of the souls She collects so She may sustain Herself. I was surprised with the number of deities who directly answered this question; via spells and prayer. They all said the Raven Queen is a deity. Which means she gains power from her worshipers. She doesn't need the souls for power.
She could still read the memories of the souls She collects, but it seems she always releases the souls, afterwards."
Mae broke in, "But that isn't what Leardon said, was it? In the Dream sending?"
Wyncit looked up at the wooded beamed ceiling and remembered. "He doesn't say anything about the souls. He only says that he doesn't trust her. He never says who ‘her' is and I'm the one associating what he says to the image of the Raven Queen. And it probably wasn't him sending the Dream, it was probably Evening Glory passing on what he said or felt."
"Oh!" Wyncit exclaimed and looked at everyone and smiled. "I have word on Leardon."
Brecca raised her eyebrows, "When? Why didn't you tell me?"
Looking at her, Wyncit answered, "When we walked through the front door, here. Esmerelda sent a Sending. The clerics at the Temple of the Warm Embrace sent a message, "Leardon is with Evening Glory".
"Does that mean he is dead, dead?" Tony asked.
"It could mean that's where he put his phylactery?" Mae added.
Wyncit shrugged. "That's what they sent her. She didn't know what that meant, either."
"Do lichs have souls? Did Acererak? I thought the reason they become lichs was so they didn't have to go?" Brecca asked.
Wyncit frowned and crossed his arms, "Evening Glory, and maybe Vecna, seems to have a way to gather undead souls to Them. So, he could be dead, dead or just ‘collecting himself' until he comes back."
Wyncit rubbed his head, "What we know about how deities work is all hypothetical and gives me a headache. Gods know They aren't talking!"
Tony grunted, "Frustrating thought that Acererak is enjoying an afterlife after what he did."
Wyncit shook his head. "Acererak shook the deities down to Their core. If there is one thing They all agree on, is that Acererak should not exist. They are ALL are on the watch for him." Wyncit sighs. "And They all say They'll let me know if he shows up, again."
Wyncit threw his hands up and shouted, "WHY ME!?"
Mae giggled. "Nice to be wanted."
"They're deities! Can't they deal with him on their own?" Wyncit asked Mae.
There was silence as each took a collective sip of what they were drinking.
After a minute of silence, Tony whispered, "I was half expecting Someone to answer that question."
Mae sighed, "So Leardon doesn't trust Her. Assuming he means the Raven Queen, doesn't trust her with the souls?"
"Then again, Leardon doesn't trust anyone." Brecca added, "Well, maybe Wyncit. Or not, after dumping the SoulCollector into the Shadowfell."
"Did he send a Dream to anyone else," Tony asked. "I mean, he is a member of the Brightstone Heroes. He fought with Kazzak's Follies. For nasty work, he can even call in Drake's Company. He has an entire church organization to call on."
Wyncit shook his head. "Just me, as far as everyone can tell."
"I'd say that was trust." Tony said.
"What other questions did you ask," Mae asked Wyncit.
Wyncit cocked his head to the side.
"While every soul is important, Gremaka was probably the most important in Syra that was in the SoulCollector." Wyncit said. "So, did She take Gremaka's soul to get back at Evening Glory or attack Her? The Church of Evening Glory was very adamant that that was a bad question. Not only is there no history of animosity between the two deities or churches, there is, in fact, a history of support."
"If there is a history of support, then did they ask Raven Queen why She has the souls?" Mae asked.
Wyncit nodded, "A high level contact within the Church of Evening Glory said the High Priestess directly asked the High Priestess of the Church of the Raven Queen that question. The Raven Queen never answered Her High Priestess."
"Which leaves, because I wanted it." Brecca said.
"Seems so," Wyncit answered.
Tony shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense. Why try to kill you?"
"Please. Even I have wanted to kill him." Brecca exclaimed.
"Children." Mae warned.
Wyncit, pointedly ignore Brecca, answered, "I wasn't subtle where and who I asked. Anyone could have figured out what I was doing. I was, on the other hand, very quick bouncing around Syra. I would guess, and it's only a guess, that the assassin took the initiative and went after us without orders. If not, then there must have been assassins planted all over the place waiting for us, which means a coordinated and ordered attack. But there was only the one ..."
"Three," interrupted Brecca.
"... attempt."
"So, a coordinated and ordered attack," Tony said.
"Maybe," Mae said.
"So frustrating!" Brecca yelled.
There was a long silence after that outburst.
"Anyone want dinner?" Tony finally asked.
"Yes!" Brecca enthusiastically answered.
"You always want dinner," Wyncit teased. "What about the food you are eating, now?"
Brecca sniffed. "You never know when you'll be bouncing around Syra while dodging assassins. Need a full stomach for such activity!" Brecca answered.
Tony got up and walked over to the bell cord and tugged it.
Dinner was roasted duck in a citrus crust, boiled grains and wilted leafy greens in olive oil and garlic.
"I kinda miss the spider legs," Brecca mumbled once.
Everyone else ignored her as they concentrated on the food.
"So different from the Halfling Brigade," Brecca muttered again. "Always talk, talk, talk."
Everyone else ignored her as the concentrated on the food.
Once Herman came in with staff and cleared the table did the conversation resume.
"Now what?" Mae asked.
Wyncit pour himself a cognac and leaned back into his chair. He swirled the amber liquor around the glass before taking a small sip. "One name kept coming up with the Raven Queen. The Lady of Pain."
Brecca frowned. "Some sort of Goddess of Torture?"
Wyncit shrugged. "She isn't on any list of Deities or Powers of Syra that I've seen."
"She's not a Goddess and she's not on Syra," Mae replied while sipping a white wine.
Wyncit raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You know who she is?"
"No one really knows who she is," Mae replied with a smile.
"I've heard of her, too," Tony added beaming.
Wyncit turned to Tony in surprise.
"Ha!" Brecca laughed, pointing at Wyncit. "They know something you don't."
Wyncit rolled his eyes, but had to grin at Brecca. She had him and she knew it.
Turning back to Mae and Tony, Wyncit asked, "So who is she?"
Mae nodded to Tony to speak.
Tony smiled at Mae and turned to Wyncit. "The Lady of Pain is the ruler of the City of Doors."
Wyncit searched his memory. "The City of Doors is ... Sigil? It's mentioned just once in an elven scroll written in the early 5th age about something that happened during the 4th age; but the scroll is so degraded most of it can't be read; and its in a dead elven language that is difficult to translate."
"I've never been there and don't know how to get there, but it is a real place," Mae said. "I could ask around the Summer Court."
"I may know how to get there," Tony said thoughtfully.
Everyone looked at him.
Tony sighed. "Let's just say that it would be a safe assumption that not everyone who comes here to eat is from Syra."
Brecca perked up. "Like who?"
Tony became solemn and shook his head, no. "We try to keep a high level of privacy for our clientele so that's about all I can say about that."
Brecca stared hard at Tony, "I won't tell. Is it a celestial? A devil? One of those pirate people that are supposed to sail the Astral Plane?"
Wyncit raised his eyebrows in shock, "What have you been reading?"
Brecca turned to Wyncit, "There is this neat book series where the heroine travels the different Planes looking for riches and fame. Its almost as popular as your series. And I still haven't forgiven you."
Wyncit winces, "I told you, I didn't write those books and I don't want to talk about it."
"Which books did you not write?" asked Mae.
Brecca intones, "The DeathCurse Chronicles; Expedition to Palmheart, The Tombs of Omu, and The DeathCurse."
Tony nodded. "Those are good books. Not really what happened to us, but well written, with great characters and very exciting. I have them if you want to read them, Mae."
Mae smiled, "Yes please."
Tony turned to Wyncit, "I thought you wrote them, too."
Wyncit blushed, "I did not."
Mae grinned, "You're blushing, Wyncit." Wyncit turned away, blushing harder.
Mae turned to Tony with a raised eyebrow.
Tony laughed and grinned. "There are a few steamy romances by the main character, W - - -"
"With me!" Exclaimed Brecca.
Tony laughed, again. "One with the Tiger Woman, A - - -. And one of them with the beautiful Paladin, B - - -.
"Twycit," mumbled Wyncit.
"What?" Asked Mae.
"Tyncit wrote them, I think," Wyncit said, louder.
There was a collective, "Oh" from the group.
"He's a really good writer," Tony said.
"You didn't know?" Mae asked.
Wyncit shook his head, no. "The link doesn't work both ways."
"Do you know how it works?" Mae asked.
d back to the group and rested his arms on the table. "We experimented. I can't link with Tyncit, the connection is one way. The link doesn't appear to be magical. Priam Adenis thinks the link is psionic. And there is a time delay between when I experience something and when Tyncit can see it.
The best analogy is that I am a book of memories that Tyncit has to go searching through; that is, events that had happened in my life but not my thoughts and feelings of those events. Which is why he was tortured by those hags. They wanted to know what we were GOING to do and all he could tell them was what we HAD done.
So, if I want to send him a message, I need to write it out and read it. Then he needs to be looking for that memory to see me write it so he can read it."
Mae nodded, "So, not as all encompassing as once feared and gives you the privacy of your thoughts."
Wyncit shrugged and frowned, "I now I am a character in a book series."
"And on that note," Tony said, getting up and walking to the door, "I shall see about that Gate."
As the door close, Brecca frowned. "He didn't tell me who he was going to ask."
Dinner was roasted duck in a citrus crust, boiled grains and wilted leafy greens in olive oil and garlic.
"I kinda miss the spider legs," Brecca mumbled once.
Everyone else ignored her as they concentrated on the food.
"So different from the Halfling Brigade," Brecca muttered again. "Always talk, talk, talk."
Everyone else ignored her as the concentrated on the food.
Once Herman came in with staff and cleared the table did the conversation resume.
"Now what?" Mae asked.
Wyncit pour himself a cognac and leaned back into his chair. He swirled the amber liquor around the glass before taking a small sip. "One name kept coming up with the Raven Queen. The Lady of Pain."
Brecca frowned. "Some sort of Goddess of Torture?"
Wyncit shrugged. "She isn't on any list of Deities or Powers of Syra that I've seen."
"She's not a Goddess and she's not on Syra," Mae replied while sipping a white wine.
Wyncit raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You know who she is?"
"No one really knows who she is," Mae replied with a smile.
"I've heard of her, too," Tony added beaming.
Wyncit turned to Tony in surprise.
"Ha!" Brecca laughed, pointing at Wyncit. "They know something you don't."
Wyncit rolled his eyes, but had to grin at Brecca. She had him and she knew it.
Turning back to Mae and Tony, Wyncit asked, "So who is she?"
Mae nodded to Tony to speak.
Tony smiled at Mae and turned to Wyncit. "The Lady of Pain is the ruler of the City of Doors."
Wyncit searched his memory. "The City of Doors is ... Sigil? It's mentioned just once in an elven scroll written in the early 5th age about something that happened during the 4th age; but the scroll is so degraded most of it can't be read; and its in a dead elven language that is difficult to translate."
"I've never been there and don't know how to get there, but it is a real place," Mae said. "I could ask around the Summer Court."
"I may know how to get there," Tony said thoughtfully.
Everyone looked at him.
Tony sighed. "Let's just say that it would be a safe assumption that not everyone who comes here to eat is from Syra."
Brecca perked up. "Like who?"
Tony became solemn and shook his head, no. "We try to keep a high level of privacy for our clientele so that's about all I can say about that."
Brecca stared hard at Tony, "I won't tell. Is it a celestial? A devil? One of those pirate people that are supposed to sail the Astral Plane?"
Wyncit raised his eyebrows in shock, "What have you been reading?"
Brecca turned to Wyncit, "There is this neat book series where the heroine travels the different Planes looking for riches and fame. Its almost as popular as your series. And I still haven't forgiven you."
Wyncit winces, "I told you, I didn't write those books and I don't want to talk about it."
"Which books did you not write?" asked Mae.
Brecca intones, "The DeathCurse Chronicles; Expedition to Palmheart, The Tombs of Omu, and The DeathCurse."
Tony nodded. "Those are good books. Not really what happened to us, but well written, with great characters and very exciting. I have them if you want to read them, Mae."
Mae smiled, "Yes please."
Tony turned to Wyncit, "I thought you wrote them, too."
Wyncit blushed, "I did not."
Mae grinned, "You're blushing, Wyncit." Wyncit turned away, blushing harder.
Mae turned to Tony with a raised eyebrow.
Tony laughed and grinned. "There are a few steamy romances by the main character, W—— and the beautiful Paladin, B——."
"With me!" An angry Brecca exclaimed
Tony laughed, again. "One with the Tiger Woman, A——-.
"Twyncit," an irritated Wyncit mumbled.
"What?" Asked Mae.
"Twyncit wrote them, I think," Wyncit said, louder.
There was a collective, "Oh" from the group.
"He's a really good writer," Tony said.
"You didn't know?" Mae asked.
Wyncit shook his head, no. "The link doesn't work both ways."
"Do you know how it works?" Mae asked.
Wyncit turned back to the group and rested his arms on the table. "We experimented. I can't link with Twyncit, the connection is one way. The link doesn't appear to be magical. Priam Adenis thinks the link is psionic. And there is a time delay between when I experience something and when Twyncit can "remember" it.
The best analogy is that I am a book of memories that Twyncit has to go searching through; that is, events that had happened in my life but not my thoughts and feelings of those events. Which is why he was tortured by those hags. They wanted to know what we were GOING to do and all he could tell them was what we HAD done.
So, if I want to send him a message, I need to write it out and read it. Then he needs to be looking for that memory to see me write it so he can read it."
Mae nodded, "So, not as all encompassing as once feared and gives you the privacy of your thoughts."
"And on that note," Tony said, getting up and walking to the door, "I shall see about that Gate."
As the door close, Brecca frowned. "He didn't tell me who he was going to ask."
The door to the dinning room slammed open and Brecca entered, her arms full of stuff. Behind her, one of the waiting staff stood with her arms full.
Brecca strolled into the room and yelled, "We're back! And we brought presents!!"
Unfortunately, only Mae was there to witness the pageantry.
Mae slowly put her tea cup down and raised an eyebrow. "That was fast. You only left six hours ago."
Brecca dumped her items on the end of the table and stepped back. She had to wave her unfortunate helper forward to drop her bundle on the table, which she quickly did and left, closing the door behind her.
"Things went quick. We have a rep!" Brecca beamed. She then happily started organizing the stuff on the table. "Where is everyone?"
"Its not yet dawn. Everyone but the night staff are asleep. A rep?" asked Mae.
"I noticed that when we got back," said Brecca. "A rep as bad asses! No lines, no waiting, almost an immediate invitation to see ‘The Lady of Pain'."
"And time to go shopping, I see," said Mae. She picked up her cup and sipped it, eyeing the collection of ‘presents'.
There was several minutes of silence as Brecca went through the collection, separating them into 5 piles. She finally nodded, then dropped herself into a chair.
Looking around, Brecca asked, "Is there any more tea?"
Mae raised her hand and tugged on an imaginary rope. Near the door, the bell rope tugged with her motions. Somewhere in the bowels of the inn a bell tolled.
"So, what was the answer from ‘The Lady of Pain'?" Asked Mae.
"More confusion. And boy is she scary! Wyncit was pissed when we left, but then he got quiet while shopping." Brecca answered with a frown. "I didn't follow it all, specially when they got into the esoteric philosophy of spells and divination."
Mae grinned, "Esoteric philosophy?"
Brecca pouted, "You and Wyncit said it means the nitty gritty. I listen!"
Mae nodded, "Yes, we did." She frowned, "So, are we going to war with a goddess?"
Brecca shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. Wyncit said he had to think some things through."
Just then the door opened and Herman the Halfling walked into the room. He bowed and asked, "You require something, Ma'am?"
Mae raised both eyebrows. "Goodness Herman. Don't you ever sleep?"
He smiled. "Master Childs has asked me to look after all of you while you stayed with us. I'll take a nap later in the day and be right as rain, Ma'am. You rang?"
Mae shook her head. "Yes, Herman, though I didn't think they would wake you. If the kitchen is open, could we get a pot of my tea?"
Herman nodded, "Master Sutler needed the library unlocked, and as I and Master Child the only ones with the key, they called me. And not only is the kitchen starting up, but the baker has been up for this last hour and I could add warm bread to the order."
Brecca clapped, "Bread and butter! Maybe some of that breakfast sausage if there is any left?"
"But of course," Herman nodded.
"I imaging Wyncit could have opened the library without you, but thank you, Herman." Mae smiled.
Herman nodded again, then left, closing the door behind him.
Brecca leaned back into her chair and closed her eyes. Mae sipped her tea and lost herself in her memories.
Quiet settled in the room. The occasional snort or snore was heard before the quiet returned.
The door opened once again and Tony walked in and held the door open as Herman and the woman who had helped Brecca came in with two trays. Herman placed several tea pots on the table with cups, saucers, milk, and sugar. Then came several loaves of the still warm bread, dishes of butter and oil dip, a plater of sausages and a selection of cheeses and a bowl of winter fruits.
Tony fussed over the arrangement as Herman and the woman left. He nodded, pour himself a cup of tea and sat down next to Brecca. Sipping, he turned to Brecca and frowned. Mae smiled to herself as Brecca snored at Tony.
"Didn't they just leave?" asked Tony.
"I take it things happened quickly. Then Brecca bought presents." Mae said.
"Oh. Presents," said Tony with a quick smile.
Quiet descended in the room, again. The sound of sipping tea and the occasional snore interrupting the silence. Mae watched Tony stare at the Grandfather clock. His frown slowly turned into a grimace.
"You could donate it to a church? I'd warn them where it came from, though." Mae finally said.
Tony grunted.
"You could sell it at auction? I'd warn them where it came from, though." Mae said.
Tony grunted.
"You could decorate it with bunting and wildflowers with a warning of where it came from posted?" Mae said.
Tony grunted. Then he looked at Mae in confusion. "What?"
"Nothing, dear," Mae replied.
The door opened and Wyncit walked in, carrying three books. Noticing the snoring Brecca, he closed the door quietly and sat down next to Mae. Placing the books off to the side, he leaned forward and poured himself a cup of tea with milk, sliced off some bread and spread soft butter on it. Then her took a sausage and soft white cheese and sat back.
He sighed and took a sip of tea.
"Well, that was different." Wyncit said.
Mae frowned. "Brecca said you were rather angry when you left your meeting."
Wyncit frowned back. "I got fixated. Or The Lady of Pain is lying. Or everyone is wrong. Or everyone is right and the world is ending, again."
Tony cocked his head. "Which means?"
Wyncit looked at Brecca and sighed. "Might as well wake her for this briefing."
Tony poked Brecca a few times. "Brecca, wake up!"
Brecca sat straight up. "I wasn't asleep!"
Mae laughed. "You were snoring."
Brecca glared at Mae. "I don't snore."
Mae grinned. "Okay."
Brecca looked around to the others. "I don't."
Tony just nodded, but Brecca didn't notice as she saw the tea and bread. She stood up and proceeded to fill a plate with several cheeses, sausages and slices of bread with butter. Finally, she poured herself a cup of tea with sugar and sat down to eat.
Wyncit waited until Brecca was eating then looked to the others.
"The Gate to Sigil was right where Tony's contact said it would be. We came out of an alleyway into the city. The city is huge and crowded. The city is inside a giant wide wheel that turns slowly around a central spoke. If you look up, you see the city curve all the way around to where you are standing.
Following the directions given by Tony's contact, we easily found the palace where the Lady of Pain lives. Big place. One door, no windows. We gave our names to see the Lady to a rather grumpy and uncooperative attendant who gave us a token and a warning a meeting will never happen. He also gave us directions to a inn to wait for our meeting.
On our way to the inn, our token awoke and told us, in several languages, that we were wanted back at the palace. So we turned around and made our way back to the same attendant who bowed and fawned over us and took us to another attendant who bowed and fawned who then took us to another attendant who ... well, we went through five attendants, each dressed fancier than the previous attendant who took us deeper into the palace. It took an hour to finally be in the presence of The Lady of Pain; a record time the last attendant, Chamberlain Ordainus claimed.
The room was immense. Plated in gold, mithral and gems. No chairs, everyone stood. Except for The Lady of Pain, who floated 40 feet high above a dais that was 20 feet high.
I got a crank in my neck talking to her.
Well, at her. She doesn't talk. She used telepathy to talk through a highly dressed interpreter who then talked to us. We were still in our traveling clothes and I felt rather under dressed.
I thought going through the interpreter would be difficult and time consuming, but it turned out the individual was very good. I felt like the Lady was talking directly at me with inflection and emotion.
And then everything I assumed fell apart."
Wyncit stopped and sipped some tea.
Mae cleared her throat. "What had you assumed?"
Wyncit frowned, then sighed. "I had decided to believe the Dream and change my assumptions about the Dream when they proved to be false. So, I assumed that the Dream was from Leardon. I assumed that Grandmother and the other souls were still in the SoulCatcher. I assumed that The Raven Queen caught the SoulCatcher and saved them.
The Lady went the other way; that the Dream was false and to change that assumption when they proved true. Then she used a sledgehammer to prove my assumptions false."
"I told you after that She could be lying," said Brecca. "She is The Raven Queen's friend."
"You did. But did you sense any lying?" asked Wyncit. "I couldn't."
"No, I didn't think the interrupter was lying," said Brecca. "She wears a mask and never talks. She might just be a puppet hovering over the room, for all we know,"
Brecca turned to the others, "The interpreter by the way, was a Ultroloth. A very powerful demon."
Wyncit nodded. "True. And I kept that in mind. But Her argument was powerful and logical. I should point out that there were Celestials there, too. She has gathered a truly bizarre mix of evil and good."
Tony broke in, "What was Her argument. What did she think?"
Brecca smiled, "My turn! Drink your tea, Wyncit. I actually understood this part.
She said that it was impossible for the SoulCatcher to have survived because Acererak was destroyed. The SoulCatcher was his phylactery. If The Raven Queen had the SoulCatcher, then Acererak would still be alive. He's not, so it isn't. So the second part of the Dream couldn't have been from Wyncit's Grandmother because her soul is gone."
Wyncit shrugged. "I didn't know that the phylactery was the SoulCatcher, Leardon was unforthcoming about phylacteries."
"I thought it was the Shadowfell that killed Acererak?" said Tony.
"I did, too." Wyncit said. "But I was too busy trying to survive to see the SoulCatcher once it went into the Shadowfell."
"So, we have two questions." Wyncit put up two fingers. "Did the SoulCatcher survived?"
Wyncit held up one finger, "Yes. Then the Dream is true. The Lady of Pain lied and The Raven Queen has the SoulCatcher. We need to invade the Shadowfell and retake the SoulCatcher."
Wyncit held up two fingers, "No. Then the Dream is false. Someone is trying to make me believe it's from Leardon and directing a confrontation between us and the Raven Queen."
Mae put her tea cup down and tapped a finger on the table, "What is the actual evidence for either question?"
"Well," said Brecca. "A couple of Shadar-kai did try to kill Wyncit. They work for the Raven Queen."
Mae shook her head no, "They also work with other deities and powers."
Wyncit nodded, "There were shadar-kai with The Lady of Pain, As for actual, physical evidence, there isn't any. Just the opinion of a near deity."
"Who is a friend to the Raven Queen," put in Tony.
Wyncit continued. "No one from the group actually saw the SoulCatcher destroyed. We were all concentrating on Acererak."
With that, more tea was poured and a breakfast of bread and sausage was eaten in silence as each lost themselves in their own thoughts.
After awhile, Herman and a few others came in to clear the table and with the departing message that it was dawn, he left them.
"You know," Mae finally broke into the silence. Then she stopped, thought, then started again, "You know, you never finished what happened with the Lady of Pain."
"Oh," Wyncit said. "Um, well her opinion was that someone else, someone who knows me personally, someone who I think is deceased, sent the Dream."
Wyncit frowned. "She also threaten me. Well, us."
Tony raised both his eyebrows in shocked. "Why did She threatened us?"
Wyncit looked at Tony. "We destroyed Acererak. We stopped the Death Curse. We have Power and know people and organizations with Power who will listen to us."
"Who?" Asked Mae.
"We do," Wyncit answered.
Mae waved the answer away. "No, I mean who is that someone else that sent the Dream?"
"Oh." Wyncit made a face. "I did come up with an answer. But honestly, I don't see it."
Both Mae and Tony asked, "Who?"
Wyncit looked down at the table. "Its just conjecture, after a process of elimination, adding in the ability of casting Dream that ..."
Mae and Tony interrupted forcefully, "WHO?"
Wyncit looked up. "Azaka, via the wizard vampire Ferranifer."
Brecca pouted, "I thought it was Tika."