DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
The Damn Forum mkIII
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Karnea Master of the Black Robe
*****************************************************
#Post#: 706--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Karnea Master of Black Robe Story Two: Chapter Thirteen:
Conclave Part Four Judgement Deferred
By: Dungeon Master Date: January 5, 2024, 12:47 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Master Karnea: Consolidation of Power
Story Two
Chapter Thirteen: Conclave Part Four Judgement Deferred
[/center]
Conclave
Tower of Wayreth
The Conclave is in recess while the Masters are in the chamber
discussing the Primal Sorcery matter.
Word comes in of the ambush in the Northern Wastes and the
assassination of Black Robe Hunter and his team.
Karnea is incensed and feels personally affronted. She had just
spoken to Sarus days prior about this very venture into the
Northern Wastes. She wants to demand a retributive strike, but
this will take surgical precision. She knows what needs to be
done, but she will have to set it aside for now. She agrees to
sit on the information until she can meet with Analis.
The terrible feeling that struck her during the Conclave has
only gotten worse. She has stayed to attend to matters, but her
intention now is to use the keys and reach Aravis. But first,
they must close the Conclave, and then she must transport
several persons to the Blood Sea.
And so, the Conclave is brought to a close without a final
decree being made on the matter of the Primal Sorcerers for now.
There is some outrage, but the Highmage says, “Matters will be
dealt with before or during the next Conclave.
Karnea gathers those allies that she has brought in and trusts
for the most part. The list is small, to help her teleport the
group to the Blood Sea. Karnea talks to Selene and tells her how
she wants to handle living space room assignments very quickly,
then tells her to pick up her Potion Master in Tarsis in a
couple of days to give Master Shaw the time he needs to pack up
everything, including his plants. Karnea quickly explains she
must depart Krynn for a couple of days and will return.
Karnea is about to leave when she is approached by a disheveled
academician, a Red Robe Wizard of medium height, medium build,
whose prematurely greying hair is unkempt, so much so that
Karnea is momentarily distracted by it. His face has seen good
times and heartbreak; his face has thinned from a recent bout of
destitution. His green eyes are behind his bent bifocals
“Excuse me Master Karnea, may I have a moment of your time to
give voice to a proposition?”
Karnea is just about to turn him away, but tells him to walk
while they talk.
“What is this proposition Mr.?” Karnea asks and then makes
clear, ”… and don’t waste my time.”
“It’s Arther Winsome and my employer passed away last year, and
I was given a fair bit in the will, but now that has dried up
and I am wondering if you have a position at your new Tower of
High Sorcery for an Academician Wizard. I am university
accredited, with honors, I could teach some classes at your
school in Ancient History and know what you need to know before
you know you need it. I would advise my employer and tend to his
library.”
Karnea stops walking and says, “Very well, you have said the
right keywords, but I fear you are talking to the wrong person;
surely you want to work for the Highmage, the Head of your
Order.”
“Well, the truth of it is, I tried to get a job with her, but
she has hired so many of my kind already she sent me to you, so
here I am, her cast away so to speak.”
“Then her loss is my gain. I will tell you upfront, I am as evil
as they say, this won't be a problem, I trust.” Karnea asks”
“Of course, I have my principles, but you are not hiring me for
those, are you?
“I see that we understand each other, then. No, it is not likely
I will bend you to my alignment, but rest assured, you will be
bent to my will.
With a gulp, the Academician nervous-laughs and they agree to
talk terms in a few days with a handshake. Karnea tells him to
prepare his things, and she calls Darius Desaad over.
“Please see that this gentleman and his belongings also reach
the Tower securely.”
Darius agrees with taking on the new charter sizes the
academician up and determines he will be no help with the crew
during the voyage, but the two talk for a few moments, and
Darius comes to see the value of this Wizard. He is
knowledgeable about several subjects. A great find to be sure.
Karnea says her goodbyes to the Highmage, telling her, “I will
return in a couple of weeks and am willing to come back here to
discuss matter more completely, but for now, I must depart.”
Karnea then says her goodbyes to Coryn, telling her to “Reach
out when she is ready.”
With that out of the way, the group teleports to Blood Sea, and
the population of the Blood Sea Tower grows by several people
over the coming days and weeks, all handled by her trusted
agents, while Karnea makes ready to depart Krynn through the
door in Flotsam.
[center]
End of Chapter Thirteen: Conclave Part Four of Four 4 of
4[/center]
#Post#: 715--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Karnea Master of Black Robe Story Two Consolidation of Po
wer Chapter Fourteen: Aravis
By: Dungeon Master Date: January 23, 2024, 11:26 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Master Karnea: Consolidation of Power
Story Two
Chapter Fourteen: Aravis
By Adam E. and James[/center]
Eastern Ansalon
Blood Sea Tower
Master Karnea has returned to the Tower of High Sorcery, with
her is her apprentice. Karnea tells Azura to journal her
experiences from the Conclave session and to be ready to give
her Master a report of her experience, no matter their
insignificance When Karnea returns, she then informs Azura she
will converse with her first thing in the morning and excuses
her for the night while Karnea makes ready for her departure.
Having done some thinking throughout the night while packing,
Karnea sits down and drafts a letter to Malakai the Viper. The
retired Renegade Hunter of her order has always been an ardent
political opponent within the Conclave for years. Karnea never
knew the exact nature of their rivalry, but her suspicions lay
in the basis of the fact of her own status as a Renegade for a
time in her rebellious youth, a long time ago, ancient history
really. Karnea was still suffering from her demonic servitude
and tutelage for most of her early life. Following the commands
of a faceless Monolithic Order was not what she was ready to bow
down to, trading one Master for another. It was by chance that
Nuitari witnessed her defiance and singular specialness; he knew
from then on, he must have her dedication. He gave her just a
taste of his Black Magic, and she was his. She became his
disciple, his weapon against his mother, the Queen of Darkness
herself, and soon Karnea had become one of Nuitari’s favored
acolytes in his court of Black Magic. All of this, on some level
also might have turned some Order members against her in those
days.
It is equally true that by the end of the attack on Storm’s
Keep, Malakai’s opinion had altered after he witnessed her
dedication in the savage, bloody battle against the Grey Robes.
Another glaring fact is that Malakai is the last experienced
person they have in the field of Hunting Renegade Wizards.
Despite his advanced age, he must be the last best chance to get
things back on track. It is time to draft him into service to
train and recruit hunters enough to fill a quota and to build a
lasting tradition that can renew itself over time, perhaps
building into a mandatory service to give over a certain amount
of time in service to the order. Just a couple of ideas Karnea
has been turning over in her mind as possible solutions to a
shortfall of hunters in the face of a growing Primal Sorcerer
threat.
Satisfied with the missive, she prepares it with salt, then
rolls up the message and places it within an empty scrollcase
she produces from the bottom right desk drawer. She places it in
the outgoing tray and gets back to making sure she is completely
ready for her journey.
She shares a nightcap with Willim the Black, wherein she tells
him of Selene’s hosting duties over the next week and asks him
not to scare off the new guests and tells him she expects him to
be civil. She tells him she will be away for a few days and to
defend the tower while she is away.
The Next Morning
Master Karnea goes over her instructions to Azura while she is
away, informing her that she will be taking more of an active
role in the administration of the Tower when she returns. Karnea
reminds Azura she will be wanting her report from the Conclave
when she returns and tells her to remember her words from the
previous evening and include everything in her journal. Every
detail that she can recall.
Master Karnea meets one last time with Lady Selene, and they go
over any last points before Karnea feels secure in setting out.
Willim may be her Right Hand at the Tower, but Lady Selene has
more of a velvet touch that is required in the most delicate of
duties and, in many ways, is Karnea's true right hand, getting
things done from behind the scenes, just as she did at Schallsea
Tower. Selene may be a Dark Elf, but she is effective in the
field, with administration, and her gift as a Headmaster and
instructor has made her an invaluable asset to the order, to the
tower, and to Karnea personally.
With that settled, Karnea takes an early lunch and finishes her
final preparations to depart. For travel, she will generally
wear her Robe of the Archmagi and Cloak of the Bat. Beneath the
robe, she wears one of her usual short, utilitarian dresses and
suede mid-calf boots. A belt with pouches for spell components
and her dagger sheath is outside the robe, with other pouches of
more valuable items and money in the secret pockets of her robe.
For lengthy travels, she packs extra clothing and components in
her Heward’s Handy Haverpack, with any other needed items in a
Bag of Holding. She always has her (2) Boccob's Blessed Books
and a traveling spell book or two in her pack. She carries the
Staff of Life and Death everywhere she goes. If traveling to
Soreel for an extended stay, she will pack clothing in the
Soreelian style. When traveling to Sigil, she will always keep
the spell Worldwalk memorized for a rapid escape back to Krynn.
A Note on Karnea's Staff of Life and Death: Description -It is a
blackened, crooked wooden staff with an iron end cap and an iron
band just above where Karnea's hand rests on it. It's got a
large, dark crystal mounted in a crook at the top, bound in
place with platinum wire.
Another Note about this staff is that whenever Karnea lets go of
it to use both hands to do something, it stays standing upright
next to her.
Satisfied, she covered everything she could think of before
Karnea began to ascend the stairs for the short trip to the roof
of the Tower. One of her last thoughts before reaching the roof
is that when she returns, a whole host of people will have been
ushered into and living at the Tower by the time she returns.
Certainly, it will have doubled by the time she comes back, with
Aravis to add to the mix, all of which is an interesting
situation that is going to take some time to get used to. With
another thought about Aravis, Karnea steps up her pace to the
last flight of stairs.
Upon reaching the roof and the open air, the first thing Karnea
notices is that she can see her breath. It is nearly midday,
mid-fall. The air is crisp and biting, and she draws her Black
Robes closer to her as she eyes the eastern horizon. She hopes
the blasted Minotaurs do not choose to attack while she is away.
She exhales and faces south and sets her thoughts on where she
wants to go, across the Blood Sea.
Eastern Krynn
Port City of Flotsam
Karnea appears in the dim basement of the Rookery, an Inn and
drinking establishment under the ownership of the former student
at Schallsea, Lady Vorena. It is dark here. Karnea holds out her
blackened, crooked staff and whispers "shirak" and the Dark
Crystal affixed in the nook of the staff illuminates the
underground room with a pale ghostly light enough that she can
see she is surrounded by barrels stacked in row after row. Down
at Karnea’s feet is a teleportation Runic circle for perfect
teleportation transport. Karnea whispers the magic words and
douses the pale light as she enters the tavern proper via the
stairwell leading to the ground level, only briefly surprising
the proprietor and engaging for a moment with Lady Vorena,
before setting out in the direction of the residence containing
the enspelled Doorway she is after in the City of Flotsam.
Karnea absent-mindedly feels in the area of the secret pockets
of her robe to make sure the keys are there, safe and secure. As
she approaches the address, she stops to observe the area,
satisfied she is not being watched or followed, Karnea ventures
into the building. It is nondescript, built in the same
architecture as the rest of the city, but it is a very old
building. She pulls forth a large key ring and unlocks the
powerful wizard locks that were placed on the locks, and she
enters the building.
A semi-furnished living space, it reminds Karnea of a halfway
house. Several rooms. This house is very magical. She comes to
the Magical Door. It is in the center of a large room. Karnea
brings forth the Keys, and one begins to pulse with faint blue
light. Karnea steps to the door and slides the key into the
keyhole, and she feels the magical tumblers fall into place,
unlocking the gateway. Karnea opens the door, and on the other
side, she sees vaguely familiar architecture, very unlike the
town she is in. She steps through the threshold and is swept
across planes and realms to her desired destination.
Outlands
The Pinnacle Spire
Sigil
Also known as The Cage, The City of Doors, and less commonly as
The City of Secrets
Lower Ward
The Portal was established in the wake of the War of Souls from
Krynn. Once Nuitari determined his plan with the Blood Sea
Tower, He sent his agents to secure permission to secretly
connect the City of Doors in his stead. Where it comes out is
less known to Nuitari, as he has no power in Sigil and cannot
venture there. His agents can, however, and they have secured
permission to connect with Sigil from the Lady of Pain, the
Ultimate power of this Domain. Nobody truly knows who or what
she really is, and she has been a complete mystery since she
arrived and assumed control eons ago. One thing is Paramount
when dealing with her: do not worship her for even a second.
Sigil is a floating city in the center of the Outlands and the
self-proclaimed center of the multiverse in the Great Wheel
cosmology. A major hub for interplanar travel, the city
contained multiple portals to every single plane, as well as to
numerous locations in the Prime Material Plane. It was
considered a demiplane in the World Axis cosmology.
Karnea can directly observe the manufacturing infrastructure
that stretches on as far as the eye can see on this level within
the Ward. Most of these workers live in the Hive. Karnea knows
she has a long walk ahead of her. She leaves the building and
gets her bearings. She memorizes this location and makes a
wizard’s mark to let her know this is the way back. She sets out
to her old stomping grounds and eventually reaches a junction
that allows her to reach the Market Ward.
She sets out towards a familiar landmark that eventually leads
her to an area where she can find her old neighborhood amidst
the endless moving traffic of different races looking in the
multitudes of different shops and stands, selling anything you
can imagine and most you can’t even dream of. Master Karnea
makes her way through the winding way; a small amount of hope
builds as she comes across the boarded-up shop that was once one
of her haunts in Sigil. She did not expect the condition to be
different from the last time she was here, but she held out some
hope she would see her friend again. Alas, she lingers
momentarily and moves on, only stopping to check in with their
mutual friend. Talia has returned and has left again in the
intervening years, but they expect her back sometime soon.
Well, it’s something anyways. Karnea leaves word that she has
returned to her homeworld of Krynn, but the world has moved. She
tells her she will return soon; she would like to see her old
acquaintance.
The old Dwarf merchant says she will pass it along to Talia the
next time she sees her.
Karnea ventures to the local tavern, another old haunt, and
orders some food and some local spirits before moving on, to
what will be a long walk to the next door in Greengage, in the
Clerk’s Ward, that will take her to Soreel.
Soreel
Marika
Imperial Palace
53 ST by the current calendar of Soreel. (ST for Seija no Tochi,
Seija no Tochi translates to "Reign of the Saint")
It is nearing Midwatch, three days after the attack. Aravis was
unable to rise from bed, feeling drained from her experience.
Her muscles are tense from the fight for her life.
Aravis sits across the table from the Empress, nursing a glass
of white wine from Arimal and pretending to nibble on the
chilled fruits on the platinum platter between them. Lucius has
already returned to his offices after some quiet but tense words
with his mother. The Inspector is due to arrive momentarily, and
Aravis is still trying to think of a way to describe the other
night’s attack in a manner that makes her sound…less insane. A
magical creature that only she can see, coming out of a mirror,
one guard killed and two more wounded, and an entire wing of the
Imperial Apartments burned down over it.
As if right on cue, the Inspector arrives with the chiming of
the bell tower and is announced into Her Majesty’s presence.
Zeva insisted on being present for the questioning, and Aravis
was not going to argue with the Greysword. The servants silently
clear the platter and wine glasses and replace them with Kava
and a tray of light pastries. The inspector pays his homage to
his Empress while steadily looking at Aravis.
He’s already decided, Aravis thinks. He’s just here to place
blame.
“Lady Aravis,” the inspector sneers. “I am Inspector Dantivo
with the Imperial Investigation Directorate. Thank you for your
participation in this inquiry. I’m sure that with your help, we
can clear this matter up and find out what really happened.” He
reaches into his satchel and withdraws a sheaf of papers,
thumbing through them. “I have the statements from your guard
detail, those who survived, that is to say, and I’m a little
unclear as to what exactly it is that you think was attacking
you.”
“With all due respect, Inspector…” Aravis begins.
A commotion from outside the room cuts her off. Raised voices of
the guards in the corridor, and suddenly, the door is thrust
open. The visibly agitated form of the Empress’s Chamberlain
enters the room, bowing deeply. “Begging your pardon, my
Majesty, but a visitor is without, insisting that she be
admitted.” Glancing back at the doorway, he straightens to his
full height and clears his throat as the diminutive figure
crosses the threshold. “Your Majesty, the Lady Karnea Dragonbane
of Daisen Parrish, and of Krynn.”
The inspector gapes as Karnea enters the room, and belatedly
remembers to rise to his feet, as is proper when a noblewoman
enters the room. Zeva, of course, remains seated, a wry grin on
her face. “My old friend, welcome,” Zeva says, gesturing towards
the table. “We would be pleased to have you join us.”
Karnea stops and pulls back her hood. Effecting a small bow of
deference, she raises an eyebrow at the Inspector. “Forgive my
unscheduled appearance before you, Your Majesty. I hope that I
am not interrupting anything…significant?”
“Nothing that cannot be dealt with.” Turning to look at Dantivo,
Zeva says, “Inspector, I’m sure that given the circumstances, a
written statement from Lady Aravis will be sufficient, will it
not? Unless, of course, you are planning on charging the heir of
a noble house of Unari with a crime…”
“I, uh, Your Majesty, that is to say, the fire, the damages,
very expensive and err, suspicious…” Dantivo stammers, flushing
under his high collar.
“So you intend to charge the intended partner of the Heir
Apparent with arson, Inspector?” Zeva asks, her voice dripping
with curiosity.
Looking at each of the people in the room, Dantivo takes a deep
breath. “No, Your Majesty. You are, of course, correct. A
written statement will be more than sufficient to conclude this
investigation.”
“Very well, Inspector. Lady Aravis will submit a statement to
you as soon as she is able.” Glancing at the door, she inclines
her head ever so slightly. “You have leave to go now.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” the Inspector bows deeply before
being ushered from the room by the Chamberlain. Watching the
door close behind the Inspector, Zeva sighs. “You always did
know how to make an entrance,” she says to Karnea.
Karnea simply shrugs as she walks over to the table and looks
Aravis up and down. “You look pale,” she tells her daughter,
taking her chin in hand and turning her head back and forth.
“What manner of creature attacked you?”
Pulling her head back from her mother’s grip, Aravis smooths her
gown.
Zeva stands, clearing her throat slightly. “I’ll give the two of
you the room, to catch up,” she says, walking towards the door.
“You are both welcome to stay in the palace. Emil will see to
your accommodations.” Zeva leaves the room and closes the door
behind her.
Aravis stands, taking a few steps to gain some distance from her
mother. She looks her mother over. “I’m fine, Mother. Just
tired, and drained. It came through the mirror…it looked like
me, but different, changed.”
Karnea frowns. “It is less important what the creature was, than
where it came from and who sent it. Rest assured that will be
determined.” She absently picks up one of the mugs of kava and
sips at it. “The important thing is that you are ok.”
“Yes, well, now that you’ve come all this way to find that out,
I’m sure that you’ll be going,” Aravis scoffs, turning away from
Karnea. “I’m sure that you have more important things to concern
yourself with.”
“Yes, Aravis, I have come a very long way indeed to see to your
well-being. I would have been here even faster but for the
meeting of the Conclave. I’m sure the other two Heads of the
Orders would have understood my leaving, but it certainly would
have been used against me by my colleagues in the Black Robes.”
“The other two heads?” Aravis turns to face her mother. “So you
lead the Black Robes now?” She is genuinely interested now.
“Yes. Our faith and diligence over these many years has finally
come to fruition. I am now your Father’s chosen representative
to the Conclave. And we are in agreement, your Father and I. It
is time for you to come home. Too long have you lingered in this
place, hoping for something that will never be.”
“Lucius and I are to be married, Mother!” Aravis seethes through
her teeth. “I cannot abandon my commitment here.”
“My dearest, if that addled man-child were going to marry you,
he would have done so a decade ago. I know that you love him,
and maybe he also loves you. Or at least, the idea of you. But
it is hard when two people love each other, but cannot agree on
how that should work.” Karnea looks out the window, perhaps
staring at a place far from where she currently stands. Turning
back to her daughter, her face hardens again. “And where is your
dashing Prince now, child? Did he even come to you?” Karnea sets
the cup down forcefully, cracking the delicate handle.
“Come home, Aravis. Stand beneath the moons that are your
birthright. Feel the true magic burn inside you once again.”
Aravis throws her hands in the air. “And what then, Mother?! Be
your pawn, your…, your…Khas piece?”
“Yes, damn you!” Karnea yells. “Krynn needs you. Your Father
needs you.” Her voice drops to almost a whisper. “I need you.”
Aravis pales, eyes wide. She can only think of a handful of
times that her mother has raised her voice, and never to her. “I
need some time, Mother.”
“One week. Things are happening that I cannot delay further. You
will decide and tell me within the week. Send word to the estate
at Diasen. I never could stomach staying in this palace.” Karnea
turns away from Aravis and in the next eyeblink, disappears.
#Post#: 729--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Karnea Master of Black Robe Story Two Consolidation of Po
wer Chapter Fifteen: Welcome Home Part One
By: Dungeon Master Date: February 29, 2024, 12:24 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Master Karnea: Consolidation of Power
Story Two
Chapter Fifteen: Welcome Home Part One
Pt 1 by Adam [/center]
Karnea was never known to be one to sit idly by while others
made decisions. Karnea had further plans for this unexpected
trip to Soreel.
The diminutive archmage materialized outside the building
housing the school she had founded so many years ago. Jelben is
an elderly man by now, powerful in magic and devoted to a god
who has never shown himself in this world. She is admitted to
his study and accepts his offer of a glass of wine.
“To what do I owe the unexpected pleasure of your visit,
Master?” Jelben leaned back in his chair as he appraised the
ageless wizard across from him.
“You have been most faithful to the Moon Gods, and to Nuitari in
particular. Even when agents of the crown and those of the
College of Wizardry here have persecuted you and your students,
you have maintained the faith and the Art. It is time you were
rewarded for your patience.”
“How is it that you mean, Lady? Are the Moon Gods to come here
and upset the Soreelian ways?”
“No, my friend.” Karnea sips the wine. “The logistics are not
yet settled, but I would offer you and as many of your fellow
followers of the Moon Gods passage to Krynn, now that the gods
have returned. There you may take the Test of High Sorcery and
finally feel the true power of the Art course in your blood as
you have longed for.”
Jelben looks upon his mentor and master in awe. “Can this truly
be? Glory to Nuitari, I would leave with you this very day if
you asked it of me!”
“As I have said, you have been most faithful, and it is well
past time that you were rewarded.” Karnea says. “I will return
to you here in one Imperial month. In the meantime, gather as
many of the Soreelian Robes, of all colors, and give them this
news. Any who wish to walk under the moons they have worshiped
from afar are invited to do so, if only they choose to accept
the Test.”
“It will be as you say, Lady. I am sure that many, if not most,
will be anxious to join us on this journey. I will consult with
the Heads of the other two Soreelian Orders tonight to begin our
preparations.”
Karnea leaves the school later, after looking in on a few of the
more promising members in residence.
If even half of the Soreelians return with her, then her
position within the Black Robes will be all the more solidified,
to say nothing of her political power among the Conclave as a
whole. Jenna will not be alive forever, and Karnea has a much
longer game to play.
Soreel
Marika
Imperial Palace
Six days later…
Aravis handed the sealed scrollcase to the young page outside
her chamber door and shoulders the pack containing the few
things that were able to be salvaged from the fire. A few
clothes, an amulet, and three dolls; one representing her
Father, one her mother, and the third in her hands, is her...
She looks at it a long time, then sets it on the table next to
the door. Hopefully, he would find it here and remember her.
“Are you ready?” comes her mother’s voice from behind her.
“Yes, mother. Let’s go home."
Eastern Soreel
Unari
Daisen Province
In 21 ST, following an episode involving the children of several
Soreelian nobles who politically opposed Empress Zeva’s reign,
the Empress made several moves to help shore up her own
political support. One of these moves was granting lands and
titles to her supporters, increasing the number of noble houses
directly beholden to the Throne. Among those so appointed was an
old adventuring companion of the Empress, the Archmage Karnea.
Karnea was known by reputation to many of the Soreelian nobles
as a dark figure with unprecedented access to the Empress. It
was rumored that Karnea helped at several key junctures in
Zeva’s conquest of the Soreelian system. Many of the Empress’s
political opponents complained about a foreigner (gaijin, in the
ancient Unari language favored by many Soreelian scholars)
having so much influence on the Throne. Thus, the Empress
granted Karnea Daisen Province, a small holding on the
second-largest island in the Unari chain.
Daisen Province had once been held by a daimyo, equivalent to a
lord or mid-ranked noble elsewhere. The last daimyo of Daisen
died without an heir, which caused his holdings to come under
the control of the Throne. In appointing Karnea Onna Daimyo
Daisen, Zeva was able to dispose of lands under the Throne’s
direct control, reward an old friend for long assistance, and
legally position Karnea’s daughter Aravis as a proper Soreelian
noblewoman.
The Daisen Province is situated on approximately 25 square miles
of land along the Tama River. It is fertile land with several
farms worked by tenant farmers, and a number of cherry groves
also tended by tenants. The primary use of these cherries is in
the making of wine, although a fair proportion of them are
exported as whole fruit as well. The town of Daisen is on the
river, below the imposing seven-story structure that is the
Daimyo’s residence. Daisen town has approximately 2500
inhabitants, many of whom are involved in the harvesting of
cherries and the making of wine. There is a river dock in town
for shipping goods downriver to Heiji, the regional capital, and
seaport at the mouth of the Tama.
Upon her appointment, Karnea traveled to Daisen to review her
new holdings. There she met Himari-san, the former daimyo’s
adjutant. Himari had been the de facto controller of the
province for the past 5 years since the daimyo’s death. Karnea
found him to be a very competent administrator and left him in
charge of the day-to-day operations of the household and
province. For his part, Himari was enthralled by the foreign
wizardess and her daughter. Karnea instructed that her income
from the province be set aside for Aravis’ use.
The residence, Daisen Teitaku, is a seven-story fortified house
in the 7th-century IA (old Unari Imperial) style. While
certainly not a palace, the residence is a large space suitable
for entertaining nobles and hosting tournaments and events. The
first floor is given to household operations, with a reception
area and hall, servants' quarters, and a large kitchen. The
second and third floors are guest quarters and recreation areas.
The fourth floor is Aravis’ quarters, with her bedchamber,
parlor, a small library area with storage for her spellbooks,
and a private bathing area. The fifth floor is laboratory space,
a library, a tearoom, a small closet with the teleportation
chamber, and Himari-san’s personal quarters. The sixth floor is
Karnea’s quarters, with a bedchamber, study, parlor, private
bathing area, and a small treasury. The seventh floor is a
further entertainment space, with a formal dining hall, a small
ballroom, and an additional kitchen with a large dumbwaiter to
the main kitchen on the ground level. Below the house is a
basement with a brig space for several prisoners, as well as a
storage area behind a wizard-locked secret door containing a
full copy of Karnea’s spellbook collection. Several outbuildings
dot the premises with space for additional servants, stables,
barracks for a small number of soldiers, and additional storage.
Karnea tends to stay at the estate in Daisen when she is
visiting Soreel, finding it to be a suitably remote and private
place to stay. She has established a teleportation chamber in
the residence that connects with one in Aravis’ apartment on the
Imperial campus in Tarish. This allows Aravis to travel to the
estate without hindrance. Karnea maintains a full set of her
spellbooks in the basement of the residence, as well as a small
laboratory and library. Aravis has access to the lab and
library, but not to the spellbooks. Aravis has her own
collection of spellbooks stored in her quarters in the residence
Karnea and Aravis appear outside the Residence and begin their
approach inside.
“If I am to be a wizard of Krynn, I should at least look the
part, don’t you think?” Aravis asks her mother.
“Yes, I’m afraid there won’t be many opportunities for you to
wear your court clothes at the Tower,” Karnea returns.
Aravis goes to her room and retrieves the black robes that have
been packed away. She tells her mother she would like to acquire
a new set of rich robes when they return to Krynn, and Karnea
assures her daughter that it can be accomplished readily when
they return.
Karnea gives the staff orders to serve a light lunch in the
garden. While that was being prepared, Aravis gathered some
clothes and personal things she had stored at Diasen. Soon, over
lunch in the Garden
Karnea begins to describe some of the more prominent
personalities that she will encounter at the Tower, as well as
some of the members of the other Orders.
They discuss Karnea’s new apprentice Azura, and Aravis recalls
her time living at Schallsea Tower when Lady Selene also lived
and served her mother.
This leads them to discuss the events on Krynn since the return
of the gods.
“You’ve been very busy, it seems, helping to put the Orders back
together,” Aravis says. “It seems fortunate that so many of the
surviving Black Robes are former students of yours.”
“There are still many who would rather see Dalamar in my place,”
Karnea says. “My position is secure for now, but we must always
remain vigilant against our brothers and sisters of the Black.”
“And I thought that I would be getting away from court
intrigues,” Aravis states flatly.
When lunch is done and both Karnea and Aravis have collected
everything they want from the Residence, Karnea prepares to
begin casting the spell Worldwalk that will take them back to
Krynn (since they cannot travel through Sigil on the way back
because of Aravis’s Demigod status).
The Spell is enacted, and Karnea begins to walk through and then
stops to see if Aravis is coming. Something is holding her up.
Aravis notices her mother is waiting, and turns and walks with
her mother through the portal
Lucius* The Heir of the Greysword has not given up on his
relationship with Aravis and makes the rash decision to follow
her through the portal to another World, the place where he was
conceived. (*See Lucius: Heir of the Empire)
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com/heir-of-the-empire-prince-lucius-d'janikar/heir-of-the-empire-prince-lucius-d'janikar/
#Post#: 730--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Karnea Master of Black Robe Story Two Consolidation of Po
wer Chapter Fifteen Welcome Home pt.2
By: Dungeon Master Date: February 29, 2024, 12:26 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Master Karnea: Consolidation of Power
Story Two
Chapter Fifteen Welcome Home Part Two[/center]
Krynn
Eastern Ansalon
Flotsam
Karnea and Aravis appear in the House in Flotsam, where the
Sigil Portal is located. They move over to the Rookery, and
Aravis instantly feels flooded with the Magic of Krynn. She had
forgotten the strong feeling. They enter the Inn and drinking
establishment of her former student, Vorena, and pass by her
into the basement, where a Teleportation runic circle is
located, providing for near-perfect teleportation.
Karnea takes Aravis’s hand, and they teleport to the Port of the
Island. Aravis takes in the 400’ tower of Blood Sea, its
pinnacle towers reach upward another 100 hundred feet. It is the
focal feature of the island. She sees the black walls and the
aggressive-looking port defenses and sees her father’s hand
everywhere on the island.
While in the sky, the dominating feature at present is the White
Moon of Solinari, making its climb to its full apex of full
sanction. The Red Moon of Lunitari hangs low in the sky, while
Aravis sees the lunar representation of her Father's race above,
silently treading the accelerated path across the sky. It is at
this moment that she truly feels at home.
They begin to walk, and Aravis sees the Three Moons Inn, and the
line of different businesses that are here: wagons, pulled by
oxen, blacksmiths, an apothecary, a butcher, a tannery, a
ropemaker, a carter, and other little shops. There is a
bookmaker, a baker, a beekeeper, and a candlemaker. Karnea comes
across the Artificers. It is close to the Tower; it is a large
area of its own. It would seem Lady Selene has carried out your
wishes. The two-story house with the workshop space next door is
already in operation in the prime location you wanted it to be
in, but you have not had the time this last week and a half away
from the Tower.
They walk onto the black and gold gate with the three moons
represented on the gate itself. They pass through the gate into
the olive grove. Belken Grove encompasses around the Tower. They
follow the path through the magical grove and to the round door
that opens for them.
They pass through the cloakroom and into a grand central
chamber. Aravis takes in the activity; it’s not bustling, but
some people are coming and going from what looks like a
cafeteria hall.
Moments later, Lady Selene emerges from the spiral stair and
welcomes Karnea back and welcomes Aravis to the Tower of Blood
Sea. She asks Aravis’s pardon for a moment while she can bring
the Master of the Tower up to date on the recent happenings of
the Tower-
Aravis stands back and walks around the rooms off the Grand
Hall. She finds the audience chamber; she feels the lingering
presence of her Father has been in this room. This is his room.
The Hall of Records stands nearly empty, with meeting rooms, a
common room, cafeteria that is open around the clock. An actual
working kitchen, with cooks, and a storage room. Both Karnea and
Aravis clock the Red Robed and hooded Wizards getting food, they
nod when they pass by and go up the stairs. Aravis hears Lady
Selene explain the anonymity granted to the Dreamshapers in
their Role as Test administrators.
Selene lets Karnea know that everyone has arrived among the
Representatives from the Conclave and is settled in. Only Madon
asked to be allowed to stay in the Tower instead of the
Pentacle. There are letters from Talron and Malikai the Viper.
Also, a woman arrived a couple of days ago seeking an audience.
She is very exotic-looking but seems very reserved and built.
Selene has put her up at the Three Moons until you have time to
decide what to do with her.
I had a thought a while back and have brought in several
orphans. I tested for their aptitude a while back and enrolled
them in classes until I could decide what we could do with them.
I have brought a few to the island and have employed them as
pages for a test run, and have found them to be quick learners.
I will have one assigned to serve you if you agree to this plan.
We will ease them into schooling and maybe keep this going as
kids go on to apprentice or phase out, we can get more.
Azura emerges from the spiral staircase, and Karnea calls her
over to take Aravis up to your floor, and we are going to move
her in next to you.
Karnea and Selene walk past, and Azura and Aravis walk behind,
and Azura points out where places of interest on their trip up
the Tower steps
Azura points out the Testing Floor, the school, where the
students live, and where the teachers live
On the twelfth floor, Lady Selene mentions to Karnea that the
Potion Master has moved into the apartment below with the other
teaching staff rooms, but he and his assistant have already
gotten the apothecary here on Twelve in operation. The Potion
Master Orin Shaw requests an audience when you have time to see
him.
They reach the seventeenth floor, and it opens to a great garden
area and a meeting hall. Aravis feels this is a good area in
this great open space with the plants under the regulated
artificial weather system.
Aravis and Azura reach the nineteenth floor, and the next three
floors are the Tower Library. It is a work in progress; a
respectable collection is being built.
Aravis and Azura reach the twenty-sixth floor. They pass Azura’s
room and go to one of the VIP rooms, and get Aravis situated,
and Azura lets Aravis settle in.
Karnea goes to her personal study and chambers. She comes out
after a few minutes with a list of things for Selene to carry
out, and then she closes the door.
The List of things for Selene entails sending word to the
kitchens that a large meal should be prepared for her Daughter’s
return to Krynn and served in the seventeenth-floor garden
meeting hall. Invited are Azura, Selene, Willim the Black, and
Orin Shaw-the new potion master, who will join Karnea and Avaris
in the Garden Meeting Hall, seventeenth floor, at eight.
Karnea puts down her things and sits down at her Vallenwood
desk, and reads through her letters.
The letter from Talron. The Draconian is dead. We have gained
what information we can. Nalas and I request to be pulled from
the area as it has become too dangerous to further operate.
Karnea pens a reply for them to return to the Tower without
haste and bring their information back to me.
The other letter is from Malakai the Viper, responding to
Karnea’s letter: He writes I would be honored to come on as the
Chief Renegade Hunter for an interim period until a new capable
Chief Hunter can be found. As I am at an advanced age, it will
be better for me to command the troops to train up and then send
them out; I will be of very little good in the field anymore.
What would you have of me?
Karnea thinks about the Viper momentarily. He was the Renegade
Hunter who brought her in all those years ago. They were
political rivals for many years, but Karnea eventually won him
over time.
Karnea pens a reply to Malakai, and in it, she invites him to
the Tower so they can discuss if he needs any Tower resources to
carry out his charge. If he needs a way to the Tower, write back
that you need help to the Tower.
Karnea meets the representatives from the Red Robe and White
Robe in her personal study
Madon the Red Robe Representative 5’6”, round, hard man with
shaved head and face. Mid-forties
Vaylin thin female 5’7”, has a different ethnicity than most
have seen on Ansalon, blue eyes, and black hair; she just seems
more exotic. Mid-twenties
The two wizard representatives hand over their credentials and
bona fides from their order masters for Karnea to review. Karnea
is by now very aware of who these people are on paper, and after
only a brief introduction at the conclave, Karnea was genuinely
interested to see how this might work, taking cues from when the
orders were whole, and five towers graced our lands and seeing
how this arrangement might work in this modern era in the spirit
of cooperation between the orders.
Discuss what they can bring to the table. Karnea’s expectations
for them and the rules they must follow while they live here.
They set up a day of the week to gather to talk about business.
Karnea asks if she has been to the Chamber of Eyes yet, and
Vaylin admits to looking around. She asks about the divination
device, and Karnea takes them to the Chamber of Eyes containing
the artifact, the God’s Eye, a powerful, perhaps the most
powerful divination divine artifact on Krynn. Karnea shows
Vaylin how to operate the artifact by adding reflective liquid
to the dish.
Rules of note that Karnea imparts to them-
"First High Sanction of Nuitari of every new month the Black
Robes are going to gather at the Tower. The Robes of the other
orders should make themselves scarce or stay to themselves in
their rooms as we must still be able to keep our secrets of our
orders business, I will take a personal affront if I am not
heeded, and if we have to have to this conversation again it
will be our last."
Karnea informs Vaylin that this will be her primary job to scry
for the Tower’s business. “You may try this out, but tomorrow
your job will be to scan the Northern Wastes and locate where
the Sorcerers are gathering.”
“We will explore your other uses in the future, but for now, I
need you here.”
Madon asks what his primary job will be.
Karnea answers simply, “Provide me with your wisdom when called
for it. We might need something from you to cast at any time for
the Tower. I have two primary threats that currently interest
me. The Sorcerers in the Northern Wastes, and the ever-present
threat of the Minotaur Empire.
“And finally, it will be your primary duty will be to protect
this Tower of High Sorcery and serve me in my duties as Master
of the Tower while also representing your orders interests. You
would do well to stay above any internal black robe politics in
any matter.”
They agree to a scheduled weekly brunch at the beginning of the
week in the garden on the seventeenth floor, where they can
gather and get on the same page and find ways we may work
together or stay out of each other’s way.
Later,
The dinner is held in honor of Aravis's return on the
seventeenth floor, in the Garden/Meeting room. In attendance are
Karnea, Aravis, Selene, Azura, Willim the Black, and the potion
master Orin Shaw.
Conversations drift from Willim asking how long it had been
since Aravis was last on Krynn. The answer is since 381 AC,
about thirty-eight years.
The talk turns to current affairs around Krynn. Broadly
speaking-
The talk turns to what kind of Potions he can make that are
usable. Increasing your intelligence, your strength, focus,
alertness, celerity, cleverness, awareness, enhanced spells,
enhanced memory, dexterity, silence, invisibility, truthfulness,
flying, and being able to breathe underwater. There are more,
but then we will be here all night.
Both Karnea and just about every person around the table realize
the possibilities of having such a team member. Karnea herself
has been an avid potion maker from back in her days as a Witch;
everything has to be nearly perfect, or you are in trouble.
Several mages from old had the skill. But from the back cover of
his series of volumes on the subject, the art is a dying breed.
But having him here has afforded them all the opportunity to
learn something from this man. The more Karnea had thought about
this addition to the tower it had made her more pleased that he
agreed to come to the Tower. She has by now lightly read through
his nine-volume set and has come away very impressed with the
detail of knowledge that has been assembled, and to have its
author sitting at her table and becoming a teacher at the Tower
school makes her very proud of his acquisition of service.
Among the items of conversation, the Potion Master asks when
Karnea might take a trip back to the City of Doors, Orin Shaw
would love to shop in the Outland market and the grand Bazaar in
Sigil to collect Spell components for the apothecary we cannot
readily find around here, and he requests a foray the next time
it is possible to do so.
Aravis is asked how she is acclimating to her new surroundings,
and she answers that she is still taking it all in. She does not
remember such a diverse group ever gathering at Schallsea like
this. She thanks them all for coming and helping her celebrate
her return.
The Three Moons Inn
Karnea comes down to the Inn to meet the young woman. Her name
is Eris, she is a Monk/Assassin descendant of an expatriate
family of the Ran-Eli from the Clair Elin Island nation. She is
a Master in several styles of the arts of Ki. She has traveled
through Desolation and seeks a worthy Master to serve. Her
mother died some years back after she taught me nearly
everything I know; “my father is old and sickly and has sent me
out to make my way in the world and bid me to seek you out to
serve.”
She cannot train a non-blood relative in the ways of her people
by law, by the pain of death. But she cannot go back to her
people; she would receive no forgiveness for the actions of her
family. She has nowhere to go and seeks a worthy lord; her
father feels it could be the Master of this Tower.
5’7” thin, but strong. black hair, silver eyes
She bears a staff but also has an exotic sword. Karnea has never
seen anything like the same as the exotic knives. She also has a
blowgun and strange climbing gear.
Karnea decides to take in this potentially deadly, potentially
useful instrument. She has long thought about building up a
small group of hirelings to act as assassins and bodyguards to
use as needed. She had not intended Talron to be gone so long,
but this girl is a start.
Karnea decides she will write to Palianess Darkhammer when they
get back to the tower and see if he can hire up some loyal
troops, and he can send her way for Mercenary employment. She
will also ask that he join her on the Island at his earliest
convenience. She wants to pick his brain a little and ask him to
take a job for her.
If it takes Orin Shaw making one of his truthfulness potions or
some other ritual, Karnea can do to make sure this woman is on
the up and up. She is truthful.
Karnea takes Eris into her employment as a bodyguard. She will
try this out if she can trust her; she has thoughts about maybe
pairing her up with Aravis if she leaves the Tower for any
reason. Karnea has Eris become familiar with the Town and those
that live there, and she can settle into Hunter's Moon Lodge. It
is where Karnea is keeping her hirelings, based, close by to the
Artificers.
When Karnea returns to the Tower, she calls Aravis and Azura to
join her in her study. They pass by the young child who has been
assigned to serve Karnea as her page. Karnea moves to her candy
dish and calls the boy over, and tells him to take a candy and
he can be excused for the night. The kid complies and walks out
of the room with a smile.
Karnea tells Azura to take a letter while she is there. Avaris
sits down and watches as Karnea recites the message to her old
companion, Palianess Darkhammer, and after Karnea finishes,
watches over Azura's last pen strokes. Karnea signs the letter,
and Azura is there to salt the scroll and begins to heat the
wax. When ready, Karnea rolls up the Scroll and then affixes her
seal on the melted wax. Karnea tells Azura to place this message
with the others to go out tomorrow. Karnea then instructs her
to keep to her studies in the morning until Karnea calls on her;
she then dismisses her apprentice for the evening.
After Azura leaves, Karnea turns to Avaris and watches her for a
moment as Aravis fidgets in the chair she is in. Karnea can’t
help but crack a smile as she moves to slide behind her
Vallenwood desk. They share a last glass of wine and stay in
each other’s presence for a little bit longer. Aravis tells her
mother that she thinks Azura is incredibly respectful. Karnea
agrees and tells Aravis that Azura has been impressive thus far.
Aravis adds that she feels safe here at the Tower, but she
removed her mirror from her room, to which Karnea agrees that it
is probably for the best until we can learn if they can enter
the Tower. Aravis finishes off her drink and walks to start
walking down the stairs when Karnea informs Aravis that she can
go down to the kitchens between the hours of 6 am-12 am.
Aravis manages an attempt to return a smile, but just ends up
leaving the room and lightly shuts the door behind her.
Karnea settles into writing a list of things to accomplish in
the next few days. She is going to wait until Nuitari is in High
Sanction again before she attempts to go into the northern
wastes, which will be four Days, Time enough to make sure the
Statis Clone is fully prepared. She hopes her calculations and
spellwork have served her well enough for this task, should
anything go awry when she meets Analis, her former student.
Karnea resolves to get Aravis’s measurements and have a nice
pair of dress robes made for her. She will probably have to go
to Palanthas to get the dress robes.
#Post#: 822--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Karnea Master of Black Robe Story Two Consolidation of Po
wer Chapter Sixteen: The New Paradigm
By: Dungeon Master Date: April 11, 2024, 8:14 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Master Karnea: Consolidation of Power
Story Two
Chapter Sixteen: The New Paradigm [/center]
[center]by JS and AE[/center]
Karnea and Aravis have breakfast together on the
seventeenth-floor Garden level in the meeting room where they
held her dinner the previous night. Karnea explains that she
has to put the hunt for whatever attacked Aravis to the side for
a few days, maybe a week or more. Karnea tells Aravis about the
massacre of the Black Robe Renegade hunter team and the
cold-blooded murder of her renegade hunting Grandmastr. The
sorcerers are gathering in the north, posing a potential threat
to a war nobody wants to see. The Highmage herself asked me as a
favor to talk to Analis, who might be at the center of all of
this. This will be a high-stakes negotiation deciding the
potential fate of millions with someone who is a master wild
mage and may have a messianic fatalism that might just
complicate matters.”
Suddenly, Aravis feels small but significant enough to say she
understands, but she does not personally agree that it is the
bigger threat.
Karnea sees Aravis’s skeptical reaction, which she tries to
mask.
Karnea tells her, “This is just that important. Once Analis is
taken to task, your attackers will have my complete and
undivided attention.”
Aravis pushes her food around her plate briefly. “I don’t
understand, Mother. What is it that Analis wants? Why is she
opposed to you so? Was there some sort of bad blood after I
left?”
Karnea sighs. “Analis and I were always on cordial terms, even
after she left Schallsea. Sure, she felt like she had learned
all she could from me at the time, considering the differences
in our approach to the Art, but she never was hostile.”
“So why now?” Aravis asks.
“After Takhisis stole the world, wizardry dried up and died. As
I understand it, there were several years at the very beginning
of the Age of Mortals when sorcery wasn’t even an option. It
would seem that the Dark Queen first taught the Majere boy and
Dalamar about sorcery under the guise of The Shadow Sorcerer. Of
course, all of the Queen’s gifts are tainted, and from what I
gather the use of sorcery benefitted her more than it did any of
the actual sorcerers.” Karena takes a bite of her sausage. “I
suppose you could say that Takhisis is having the last laugh now
that we are dealing with the primal sorcerers.”
Aravis frowns. “This still doesn’t explain what the problem with
Analis is. Why wouldn’t she just come back to the Moon Magic now
that the gods have returned?”
“Lunitari always seemed to have a soft spot for Analis, but I am
not convinced that the feeling was mutual. Analis was always
more interested in Chaos…the rules of the Conclave and High
Sorcery were inconvenient necessities more than hard and fast
truths. I imagine that when Chaos was released from the Greygem
she felt it in her soul. Analis thrived on the wild magic and
sorcery during the absence of the gods, and she isn’t going to
give it up.” Karnea sips at her tea. “The Highmage wants me to
approach Analis because Jenna thinks she’ll listen to me.”
Aravis laughs out loud. “I know Jenna is getting old, but I
didn’t think she was senile, too. Sending you, of all people, to
negotiate?”
Karnea glowers. “Jenna won’t do it because she’s afraid. She
knows I won’t hesitate to do what must be done.”
“And what exactly is it that you think must be done, Mother?”
Aravis straightened in her chair. “Just go in and kill everyone
in sight, make a martyr out of someone, to what end? Causing an
open war between the primal sorcerers and the Conclave, when you
barely have the numbers to endure as it is?”
“Then they will have brought it upon themselves by killing
Saurus and his team!” Karnea growls.
“The team that was sent to kill them?” Aravis mocks her mother’s
tone perfectly. “Has anyone even tried to actually communicate
with them, find out what they want? Offer them a path back into
the Art?”
Karnea arches an eyebrow at her daughter. “I can certainly see
that Zeva’s idealism has rubbed off on you over the years. And I
suppose that you think that you can just talk Analis and Morgan
into playing nice?”
“Perhaps I should be the one to go to them,” Aravis says
defiantly.
Karnea snorts. “Absolutely not. For all we know right now, they
are the ones responsible for attacking you, trying to strike
back at the gods of magic. You will remain in this Tower until I
have dealt with Analis.”
Aravis stares at her mother. “You have to give Analis something.
You can’t simply show up and make demands and expect her to
meekly accept. Surely there is something that you, in all your
power, can offer to these sorcerers that is better than the
threat of annihilation?” Folding her napkin onto her plate and
pushing it away from her, she stands. “I will be in the library,
since I’m not permitted to be anywhere else,” she intones
acidly.
Karnea watches her daughter depart the garden. She looks upon a
statue of Nuitari. “Damn your daughter,” she says softly.
“Perhaps I will have to make Analis some kind of peace
offering.” She gestures to the page standing near the door, who
tentatively approaches. Handing the small boy a piece of candy
from the secret pocket in the sleeve of her robe, she says “Go
to Azura and tell her that I wish her to bring every book she
can find about the plane of Limbo to my study by lunchtime, and
then bring the white robe Vayin to come to my study at her
earliest convenience.
Karnea talks to the white robe representative about the need to
find the Sorcerer's headquarters in the Northern Wastes of
Solamnia.
Karnea shows Valyin the area she is interested in on the map she
had put to the side several weeks ago, back before she left for
the Conclave. She puts the Diviner to work. Karnea tells her she
will have lunch brought up to her. Karnea takes her to the
Chamber of Eyes and gets her started.
Soon,
Her page comes to the steps to find her and tells her that a
message has arrived. Karnea went to her private study and saw
the messenger who was always stationed with the messenger hawks
standing outside her study. Karnea takes the message, the
messenger mentions the dark clouds out on the horizon. He nods
and goes back to his station.
The page settles into place outside your door as Karnea closes
it. She takes the message and opens the seal. It is from Vorena,
from the Rookery in Flotsam. It has turned out she is in the
perfect place to conduct your business for the Tower. She opens
the message and reads down the perfect lines of impeccable
penmanship you could always count on your former students for.
The wind starts to pick up, and Karnea crosses to the viewing
pane. The messenger is right about a storm brewing up. She looks
back at the message.
In this case, it seems, young lovestruck Lucuis made the
crossing over; he would have had time to do it. She really
should have dissipated the portal as soon as she was through. No
matter what’s done is done. So, what to do, what to do? Bringing
him to the Tower is out of the question. Keeping him in Flotsam
is cruel and unusual punishment; bringing him to the island is
the only proper form, and putting him up in the Three Moons for
the duration of his stay. It may be cold, but with Analis and
Aravis to worry about, that’s the best I have right now.
She walks to the door and opens it, and the page looks up.
Karnea tells him to stay where he is. She might need him later.
She looks down to see what he is writing in the lantern light.
He holds the cover so that it is showing. Basic Studies Manual.
Karnea asks what he is working on right now, he answers spelling
test is coming up. Karnea tells him to go get something for
lunch,
“you will be able to think better on a full stomach.” She stops
for a moment and remembers the white robe and she calls out for
her page to tell the kitchens to take food up to the Chamber of
Eyes for Lady Valyin.
She slid on her traveling cloak, foregoing the cloak of the Bat
tonight; I don’t want it all wet in the rain.
Karnea walks down the steps to the next floor and enters the
hallway. She walked to Azura’s room and found her reading one of
the books Karnea had given her to read up on. Karnea tells Azura
they will get together later this afternoon. She must attend to
some affairs first. Azura nodded, and Karnea left her to her
book and exited the room. She heads for Aravis’s room. Aravis is
also reading.
Karnea recognizes this as a book from the library downstairs.
Penned by Master Bertrem, it is his account of the 5th Age.
Karnea picked up the copy the first night she came back to
Krynn. Aravis had been catching up on everything they had
missed. Karnea peeks over her shoulder. The Dragon Overlords-
Aravis says, “I’m glad we were not here when they were.”
Karnea agrees. “I know they were real. I’ve seen the skulls; The
world is lucky to have survived.
Aravis turned to face her mother; she could feel something
coming.
Karnea looks down at her questioning face and tells her, “Lucius
is in Flotsam, he has apparently followed us through the
portal.”
Avaris’s face is mixed, but internally, she thought this could
happen, but Aravis is still surprised that it actually did.
Karnea arches an eyebrow at her daughter. “He will just get
under foot and in the way.”
Aravis’ nostrils flare. “He is an extremely skilled swordsman
and a deadly adversary. He roots out threats to the crown
daily!”
Karnea looks at her daughter. “And does he know anything about
any of the threats of Kyrnn? Is he educated in why he can’t walk
into Kern? Trust me, I have little doubt he is useful in his
homeland, but to be blunt, he will literally be no help in any
step of our investigation, and he will only get in the way and
be a hindrance. Solinari’s high sanction right now is a sign
that maybe you can convince him to visit his father since he is
back here on Krynn. They have been apart for over fifty years
already. It will only do him some good.” Karnea says acidly.
Aravis says, “He will want to talk with me.”
“Oh yes, I’m sure he will,” Karnea rolls her eyes. “He followed
you here because he’s afraid that one of the daughters of the
other Houses will try to snatch him up now that you are out of
the way.”
They look at each other. Karnea gets up. “He will be put up in
the Three Moons Inn for his stay on the Island.”
“Really mother. The Inn?”
“Enough, I’ve made my decision.” Karnea begins to climb the
stairs. “He is no wizard, and I will not have him occupying this
Tower and using my people like his serving staff.”
“It is a dumb and petty decision,” Aravis says in an undertone
loud enough for Karnea to hear, which Karnea dines not to answer
to.
Karnea reached the roof and felt the sudden burst of wind coming
from the west. Karnea looks out towards Flotsam, and Karnea sees
where to teleport and disappears.
#Post#: 823--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Karnea Master of Black Robe Story Two Consolidation of Po
wer Chapter Seventeen: The Mayor of Flotsam
By: Dungeon Master Date: April 11, 2024, 9:00 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Master Karnea: Consolidation of Power
Story Two
Chapter Seventeen: The Mayor of Flotsam [/center]
Krynn
Eastern Ansalon
Lord-city of Flotsam
Afternoon
Karnea arrives at the basement of the Rookery, the Inn that is
operated by her former student at Schallsea Vorena, who had
messaged her about Lucius. She prepares herself and climbs the
steps to the bar.
Vorena is behind the bar, Lucius is sitting at the bar, and
Vorena informs Karnea she may not be in the mood for this, but
the gentleman over there is charged with delivering you a
message.
An agent of Lord Toade, the mayor of Flotsam, brings Karnea a
scroll from Lord Toade. She opens the elaborate scroll. She
notes the par excellence of the penmanship; he has a damn good
scribe in his employment.
reads:
Dear Master Karnea,
It has been my unfortunate misfortune to keep missing your very
valued acquaintance on your many visits to my fair city. I would
very much like to invite you to my club at the end of the
street, the next time you are in town. We have so many potential
business ventures to discuss that would hopefully benefit each
of us. I do hope you will consider this friendly invitation; I
so want to be your ally in this city going forward.
-Lord Toade
The aide stands there until you are done reading, and he waits
for a couple of moments to see if you have anything you want to
say.
Karnea laughs and tells him she will “give him all due
consideration in the future.”
The messenger leaves, and Karnea laughs again, leaving Karnea to
wonder what the hell that is about. “How has nobody done that
worm riiden filth in yet?”
Verena tells Karne, "Its funny you should say it like that. Word
is that he has died and resurrected more times than anybody else
living on Krynn. What's more is he has become some plaything
between demons or devils and that maybe Toade has changed over
time, he is a thousand times more tolerable than in the old
days. For what that’s worth. I mean, the town runs half way
decent without a lot of control holding us down. people mostly
keep their heads."
Karnea considers this new information. More tolerable? She just
can’t picture it from what she knows of him.
So, Lord Toade is a plaything for Demons or Devils. How
interesting. This can only be about one thing: what is in my
portal building, and that, gentlemen and lady, is an interesting
proposition indeed. The City very well could be sitting on a
potential gold mine or iron mine with trade. That is what he is
salivating for. How interesting….I wonder what kind of
arrangement and concessions I can get. The tax revenue for
crossing…. Controls will have to be put in place to keep the
house a city secret. We can’t let things get out of control.
Lucius thanked Vorena for keeping her word. Karnea also thanked
Verena for contacting her. She adds she did the right thing.
Karnea and Lucius teleport to the island from the teleportation
circle in the Rookery’s basement in Flotsam.
The rain is pouring down, with dramatic lighting, while Karnea
and Lucius stand near the docks, Karnea tells him to follow her.
The Tower looms above them as another lightning strike lights up
the horizon behind the tower. Lucius notices they are headed to
what looks like an inn. Lucius sees the Three Moons of Krynn on
the sign above the door. They enter the establishment, and
Karnea stresses to the proprietor her guest’s importance to
Karnea personally. The owner says she understands.
Karnea lays down the rules Lucius must follow as long as he is
here on the island: “One, He will have a Room and meals here at
the Inn. You must buy anything else with your own funds. You
must not enter the gate or scale the fence into the grove to get
to the Tower. First you will not make it far into the grove
before you forget who you are and why you entered the grove, you
will forget when the last time you ate, and you will forget how
to get out and you will die. Do not enter the Grove. You will
not send messages on end between you two. Aravis will come down
once a day, alternating times to not set up a pattern and have
breakfast, lunch or dinner with you, but that is all, and only
if she has an escort, one of my bodyguards.”
The owner tells him, “This way, sir,” as she directs him up the
stairs. He stops and starts to say, but Karnea forestalls him by
telling him to get his room and eat, and Aravis will be down
sometime soon.
Lucius calls out to Karnea and tells her, “thank you for this.”
Karnea slightly shakes her head while holding his gaze before
she replaces her hood over her head and walks into the rain, and
she teleports to the tower.
Karnea returned to the Tower and shed her traveling cloak to be
hung out to dry; she hung it over her claw bathtub. Aravis is on
the steps. Karnea tells her to give him a couple of hours. “Let
him eat and wait a little bit. The storm will pass; no sense in
you catching a chill.”
Aravis begins to protest, then decides she can wait. Karnea
leaves her on the steps and stops. “when you have waited at
least two hours I want you to walk down to the Inn called the
Hunter’s Moon. Go inside and ask for Eris. Explain who you are
to me, and she will escort you to the Inn and bring you back to
the grove gate when you are done.”
“You know what this is right?” Aravis asks
“Sensible and prudent,” Karnea answers and begins to continue
walking up the steps. Karnea takes a late lunch and sees the
stack of books and tomes on her Vallenwood desk for Karnea’s
inspection. Karnea calls to her page, and he pokes his head
around the corner and answers back. Tell Azura to attend to me
in an hour’s time.
Karnea looks through the titles of the books while she eats. She
has been considering what she is going to do about Analis and
her powerful apprentice. The complexities of this coming meeting
have led Karnea to consider the option of exiling Analis and her
followers to Limbo, where Karnea grew up when she was small. She
gets caught in a memory of the harrowing past and wonders if she
will be pushed into sending them there; she wonders if she can
live with it. They very well could come back and then what?
There has to be a diplomatic solution we can all live with.
These sorcerers should not have to live in fear, but I fear what
they could twist into without guidance.
Karnea finds Azura, and they begin their session. A much-delayed
report on her observations at the recent Conclave.
During Aravis’s wait, she looked up from her book while lying on
her bed and saw a figure at her desk. It is her Father, the God
of Black Magic.
Aravis sets down her book and says, “It’s good to see you,
father.”
Nuitari looks at her, takes in her radiant beauty, and tells
her, “I am so very glad to see you. I’m afraid I owe you a bit
of an explanation, I’ve had agents of mine following you over
the year, seeing to your protection, I’m sorry they could not
help you when you needed it.”
Aravis nodded, “I felt them, that’s what they were, that
explains so much, The tiger-men, I knew it, they did not
frighten me, it was other feelings I’ve had. No, I felt
protected by your agents, thank you.”
“This is not only a social visit, but I bring words of warning
as well. Your mother knows very well the score, some among my
brethren have designs to claim you, you must not allow yourself
to be tricked in any way that put your life at risk or danger.
While I am glad you are here, I am warning you outside these
walls and grove, they could be anyone, just waiting to claim and
take you their side, or worse, there is rumor about a process to
reclaim your divinity, your life. Bringing you here put you in
as much danger, but in these walls, you can not be touched. I
could sear it into your mind, but I trust you remember what I am
saying. Your mother will protect you the best she can, you need
to let her. I will take my leave..-“
“No wait! Who? who wants me dead or drained or whatever?” Aravis
asks
Nuitari stops and turns and looks at her, “All of them, any of
them, do not trust any of them.”
He turns and fades away into nothingness.
Leaving Aravis alone with her thoughts
Aravis waits for two hours and then walks down to the Inn called
the Hunter’s Moon. Aravis enters and finds it empty. She calls
out for Eris. A woman comes out of the room upstairs and she
comes down the steps. She is 5’6” thin but strong. black hair,
silver eyes.
“Hello? I am Aravis, Karnea’s daughter, my mother sent me down
her to ask you if you can escort me to the Three Moons.”
Eris agrees and asks for a moment to get her staff. She
disappeared and came back with a dark cloak, carrying boots and
said bo staff. She puts her boots on, stands and follows Aravis
outside and walks with her to the Three Moons Inn.
*See Heir of the Empire: Prince Lucius d'Janikar for Lucius and
Aravis’s meeting.
HTML https://thedamnforum.createaforum.com/heir-of-the-empire-prince-lucius-d'janikar/heir-of-the-empire-prince-lucius-d'janikar/msg824/#msg824
#Post#: 825--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Karnea Master of Black Robe Story Two Consolidation of Po
wer Chapter Eighteen: The Dark Elf
By: Dungeon Master Date: April 11, 2024, 10:42 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Master Karnea: Consolidation of Power
Story Two
Chapter Eighteen: The Dark Elf[/center]
[center]
Dalamar was created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
[/center]
The next day, Aravis skipped breakfast in the garden with her
mother because she could not tolerate sitting across from her
this morning. She washed up and asked Azura to pick some things
up from the kitchen for her on her trip down. Azura brought back
an assortment of things for Aravis, to which Aravis was
thankful.
She finishes and sets her tray down, then washes her hands,
dries them, and gets back to reading about the Age of Mortals
when there is a knock at the door. Puzzled, Aravis goes to
answer her door and finds her mother, accompanied by the monk
she has apparently hired as a bodyguard.
“We’re going to Palanthas,” Karnea states.
“What’s in Palanthas?”
“Finer clothing than you’re likely to find in Flotsam, that is
for certain. I’ll not have you wearing rags and cast-offs.”
Karnea turns and leads them up the stairs to the roof of the
Tower. The trio joins hands as Karnea visualizes the alley
directly across from the Great Library, and an instant later,
they appear in that same alley. Karnea looks around briefly. “No
kender or gully dwarves this time. Good.”
They set off for the market district, Eris leading the way and
maintaining watch over any who might pose a threat. The crowd
seems to part at the coming of the two Black Robes, with their
armed escort.
“We wouldn’t need your bodyguard if you had allowed Lucius to
come,” Aravis remarks.
“Yes, and I’m sure that you would like to explain to Her
Imperial Majesty how her son was killed on a shopping trip,”
Karnea replies dryly.
They arrive at a clothier and step into the shop. The tailor
seems startled at first to see the two wizards, but after
assessing the quality of Karnea’s clothes, he apparently decides
that they have enough money. With a nonchalant shrug, he
approaches.
“You’ll be wanting some new robes, I expect,” he says to Aravis.
“Your sister appears to be well dressed enough, though I’m not
sure I have anything quite as nice as she’s wearing on hand
right now…”
Aravis sighs as Karnea chuckles quietly. Aravis explains,
“Actually, sir, she’s my mother, and yes, I’m wanting to
purchase some new robes. I’m accustomed to finer things than
this, but it seems I had to abandon most of my wardrobe. At any
rate, I’m thinking of several sets, some for warmer weather and
some for cooler. I prefer a silk lining, and velvet makes me
itch, but wool is ok.”
The tailor picks up a measuring tape and gestures to a young
girl who is his assistant and apprentice. “Put out the sign in
the window so we may give these ladies some privacy, and then
come back to be ready for measurements.” Turning to Aravis, he
points to a screened area to his left. “You’ll be wanting to get
out of those old robes and stand tall for me to measure.”
Snapping his fingers loudly several times, he sniffs. “Today, if
you please, miss.” Turning to Karnea, he arches an eyebrow and
tilts his head. “And I suppose you’ll be handling the bill,
mother?” he asks with keen interest.
Withdrawing her hand from the sleeve of her robe, Karnea
displays an emerald that takes up her entire palm. “I’m certain
that this will cover it, no? And whatever is left over, see to
my associate by the door as well. She doesn’t need the same kind
of robes, but something to keep her more…. discreet in public.”
She walks over and picks up one of Aravis’ shoes.
“I’m sure you can handle this without me. I’ll be at the cobbler
having you some shoes made.” She sets the emerald down on the
counter and walks to the door, instructing Eris to stay with
Aravis.
By the end of the day, Aravis was thoroughly exhausted from the
tailor’s imperious, demanding attitude. She had been poked,
prodded, and examined from all angles. The tailor’s apprentice
dutifully recorded every measurement he gave her, and after a
marathon session of picking the exact right type of black, the
tailor announced that they should come back in three weeks to
pick up the first new set of robes, with three more sets coming
at three-week intervals thereafter. Karnea copies Aravis's
measurements for future trips abroad.
Karnea returned with several pairs of shoes and boots, and Eris
was outfitted with a long, utilitarian coat that concealed her
weaponry and provided space to hide away other small items she
might need. Eris moves her shoulders around and checks her
ability to move. She finds it to her liking and thanks Karnea.
The Trio returns from Palanthas to the Island.
Karnea comes across Talron and Nalas just returning to the
Island, minus the Draconian, but we secreted out a Minotaur
follower of Nuitari, his name is Hurok.
Aravis hugs Talon out of nowhere. The bravery he showed when she
was abducted into the Gray is something she will always
remember.
Hurok’s Tale: Their Clan was brought from a smaller island where
they practiced Moon Magic until the gods went away. We found
Sorcery Magic, and a majority have become sorcerers, but now
that the Moon Gods have returned, only a few have returned to
them. It is a disaster for my sect.
Talron and Nalas give their report to Karnea. They assure her
that the Draconian is dead. This depresses Karnea again; she had
been looking forward to working with him, but oh well. They tell
her troop dispositions, patterns, and gaps in their sentry
outposts.
Talron meets Eris, the Monk Assassin, and sees that she has
taken a room in this Inn. He found his room the way he left it,
along with the riches he had stashed. That tells him Eris has
not poked around in here. She might be on the level.
Karnea and Aravis, along with Nalas's, return to the Tower, and
she finds Malikai the Viper awaiting her on the first floor in
the reception hall.
Though the Viper looks like a hard man, but warms up upon their
approach and is pleased to see Master Karnea. Karnea takes him
with her to her study, and he slumps back into one of her
infamous chairs across from her Large Vallenwood table.
Master and the veteran and newly appointed Chief Hunter discuss
the small number of trainees that might be up to be good
hunters, but he has yet to see any in the recent batches.
These two are bonded in a way she is with no other wizard. The
one that brought her in. This is unique for her, but she does
not let any of that come off as she keeps it for herself.
The Viper tells Karnea he plans to “Move back and forth from
Wayreth to here, looking for any candidates to become hunters.
Karnea assures him that “The Conclave is taking this matter
seriously and Wizards may be made to give over their time for a
season or two in service to the orders.”
“Wayreth has also promised to fund the hunters more vigorously,
if there is any short falls, come to me and I will help you.”
Karnea tells the old Hunter.
Karnea has a room set up with him and Malakai thanks her and
tells her he is proud of her and what she has done for the Black
Robe.”
Later
Within the Chamber of Eyes with Vaylin the white robe. She has
spent hours looking, and they both have looked, but to no avail.
The only thing that can be happening right now is that we are
being blocked by something, be it some god or gods; they have
blurred this area out from remote viewing for whatever reason.
Karnea decides she will start there. A sudden feeling comes to
her as Master of the Tower, and she looks into the bowl and
directs the view to look at the gate below. The reflection
shows it, clearly, that the Dark Elf Dalamar is at your gate.
Karnea considers and looks above her and says Your call… Karnea
recalls Nuitari’s words to her recently, “An agent of his will
arrive to assist her in her time of need on this matter.”
Dalamar. Of course, it would be him. Karnea calls over to her
page and sends him down to inform Willim the Black that he will
have to walk Master Dalamar through the grove and bring him to
my study.
Twenty Minutes pass by. Karnea considers how their meeting may
fare.
Dalamar knocks, and Karnea tells him to enter.
The dark elf Dalamar walks in, his eyes gaze around, and
considers the décor and takes in his surroundings before coming
to a stop. He gracefully bows to Karnea, then stands upright and
says, “I have come bearing news. I know where the sorcerers are
and that you will need me when you finally go after Analis.”
“How is it that you know where the sorcerers are? And let me be
clear, I am not going “after” Analis. I’m going to talk to her.”
Karnea informs him.
“My mistake, when you 'talk” with her. As for how I know where
they are, it's simple, really. I passed through the area ages
ago before the Dragonarmies were first unleashed upon Solamnia.
I passed through the Northern Wastes Region and came across a
magnificent city that was now a ruin. That city was called the
City of Lost Names. I know they are there because that is where
I would go if I were them. I know precious little of the actual
tale. It is broken up and passed down, but the origins change
with the telling. The City of Lost Names is the ruins of a
once-great city swallowed up by the smoldering sands of the
Northern Wastes. Few have been to this place since it was
destroyed in the Second Age of Krynn. The desert that envelops
the ruins takes care of even the hardiest wanderers. And many
have tried to reach the lost city.
Legends tell of an ancient city surrounded by dense forest and
of the twelve minarets that protected the great city, their
spiraling staircases rising up a thousand steps; of incredible
plazas and ziggurats that proclaimed the city’s splendor; of
wide avenues and beautiful gardens. A floating island hundreds
of feet in the air looked over the city, much like a doting
parent, boasting to the entire world and even the gods
themselves of the incredible magic of the city’s warlocks. It is
said the city was run by the beautiful and arrogant ogres of
old. Other legends say it was built by a lost tribe of elves.
Still others speak of powerful dwarven sorcerers.
The true nature of the City of Lost Names, as it has come to be
called, may never be known. It is believed that at some point
during the Age of Dreams, the city came under a terrible curse,
one that would eventually eradicate all its inhabitants and
leave much of Northern Solamnia a wasteland. The water in the
springs and fountains of the city became contaminated with the
salt water of the Sirrion Sea. Then the herds of sheep, fowl,
and cattle began to die of a rotting disease.
Soon after these disasters, a huge red dragon appeared,
demanding an ultimatum of the citizens: abandon their city,
leave behind their possessions, or witness the destruction of
their homes. Trusting in the magical might of their warlocks,
they refused. What happened next was unparalleled in Krynn’s
long history. The dragon returned, accompanied by ten other
great reds, and breathed their fiery breath into the forest.
The dragons then climbed upwards, flying over the floating
island that was the center of the religious, secular, and arcane
power of the city. Casting spells of their own, the great reds
grabbed the island from the skies and threw it down on the city
below. As the citizens tried to fight the fires, the great
symbol of their city-state landed on top of them, crushing those
who had managed to survive the flames.
What few mortals know and what Nuitari has imparted to me is
that the fate that befell the City of Lost Names was cast down
on them by the moon gods. The city had been created by the
Greygem’s influence. By teaching sorcery to a few select
individuals of different races, the Greygem fashioned a way to
oppose the gods in the future. As their powers grew and the
Greygem’s persuasion waned, the citizens of the city focused
their knowledge and learning on researching new magics. Drawing
on the powers of the ancient ogres, the Greygem, and draconic
magic, they were able to open a gateway to the River of Time and
construct a fantastic machine, which they dubbed the Anvil of
Time. Although the moon gods originally appreciated this
invention and used it for their affairs, it soon became clear
that the world was not ready for such powerful magic.
The moon gods then decided to sever the tie between the Prime
Material Plane and the River of Time, but, by then, the
highmages of the city had become arrogant regarding their arcane
power and refused to acknowledge the will of the gods. The
warlocks’ arrogance sealed their fate. The moon gods sought the
help of other gods—notably Takhisis, Chemosh, and Zivilyn—and
powerful wyrms proficient in high-level spellcasting helped
bring about the end of the sorcerers. All their magical
knowledge died with them. It has not been fully destroyed. Part
of the city still stands. Zones of Wild Magic permeate the area
as this location was visited by Chaos himself during the Chaos
War.”
Karnea laughs to herself, he’s right, it's exactly where I would
go if I were her. It’s where she went if she had found any
knowledge about it, or she was drawn there. Now they have had
forty years to excavate, unlock its secrets, and prepare for any
inevitable showdown. The Gods hid the location from remote
scrying long, long ago. It all makes sense now, clever, clever
girl.
Dalamar breaks Karnea’s thoughts by saying, “You are going to
need my assistance; I offer my services.”
Immediately distrustful, Karnea asks, “Why would you want to
come with me, now?”
Dalamar answers simply, “Because, for one I know Analis, perhaps
a united front will allow her to see reason. For another it is
what I know you would do in my place. I am here. I know about
the area, I have an idea of where the wild zones are located.
You might need my help, I’m not saying you will, but we are
walking into the belly of the beast.”
The more he talks, the more she knows he makes sense in a sense
of honor. She just did not know he possessed this trait anymore.
“Alright. We will do it together.”
Dalamar tells Karnea he will be in the Inn until she is ready to
leave.
Karnea replies, “Dalamar, this is a Tower of High Sorcery. You
are welcome here. I will have a room set aside for you after
your nickel tour.”
Dalamar answers, "Thank you for that." He walks to the door and
leaves.
Karnea calls the page boy to tell Azura she is up to give
Dalamar the nickel tour.
Karnea studies the spell list she is going to take with her and
studies into the night. She awakes the next day and meets with
Dalamar for a late lunch.
Karnea and Dalamar agree to meet at the Westford Inn in Kalaman
in two days, and he leaves. Karnea says goodbye to her daughter.
Karnea lays down the rules for Aravis: “No to leaving the Tower
and do not go anywhere without Eris or Talron.”
Before Karnea leaves to face Analis, a Stone Golem arrives
outside the Grove. This is new. Karnea goes to see what this is
about.
The Stone Golem says, “I am from the God of the Book. He
implores you to not start a disastrous war with the sorcerers
that will spiral out of control and cause loss of life and
livelihood. A middle way can be found. Wild Magic must be
regulated, but not stamped out. They still have some part to
play in the future of Krynn. Tensions must be deescalated, or
mayhem might ensue. This is coming from a neutral arbiter; a
dialogue and a path to healing the breach should be the way
forward. I say this because I know what you have thoughts of
doing, I stress it could lead to disaster.”
Karnea watches the Stone Giant be lifted by clouds and taken
back to the God Gilean. She is struck by many of the keywords
Messenger used, including the fact that she has the attention of
the Gods right now.
Karnea walks back into the Tower after the encounter with the
stone golem. “Of course, Gilean is sticking his nose into this
now,” she mutters. “The red gods have the advantage now and will
want to press it. Perhaps Lunitari is still looking out for
Analis…”
Stepping into the teleportation circle on the floor on the main
level, she visualizes the rune sequence for the twenty-third
floor and is instantly transported to the circle on the landing
there. Finding the page there, she sends the young boy to inform
Willim, Selene, and Azura that she must see them in an hour.
They arrive and sit while she explains that she travels with
Dalamar the Dark on a special mission for the Conclave. Karnea
tells them about her plans to be away from the Tower for a
while, “Perhaps no more than two weeks.” She shows them out and
shares some words with them before they leave, then Karnea looks
down at the page and tells him, “Keep at your writing and
spelling work, I want to see how much you improve while I am
away.” She pats him on the head and sends him off.
Walking into her bedchamber, she picks up her traveling pack
(Heward’s Handy Haverpack) and cursorily inspects the contents
to see that enough clothing is packed. Opening a small trunk,
she withdraws a pair of wands (Magic Missile and Negation) and
slides them into a side pocket of the pack. In another side
pocket, she places a pair of scroll cases containing scrolls of
useful spells (teleport, stoneskin, antimagic shell, silence
15’, globe of invulnerability).
Crossing the hallway, she walks into her study and picks up her
traveling spellbook, and slips it into the outer pocket of the
pack.
Slipping a hand into a hidden pocket of her robes, she withdraws
a ring. Removing her Ring of Wizardry, she slides the new ring
onto her finger and intones the command word that will allow her
to become Ethereal.
As the world fades to a muted gray around her, Karnea turns and
moves deeper into the mists, leaving the Border Ethereal for the
recesses of the Deep Ethereal Plane.
#Post#: 839--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Karnea Master of Black Robe Story Two Consolidation of Po
wer Chapter Nineteen Part One
By: Dungeon Master Date: June 21, 2024, 2:09 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Master Karnea: Consolidation of Power
Story Two
The Penultimate Chapter Nineteen: The Mystery of Nightlund, and
the Dangers of the North Part One[/center]
[center]Dalamar was created by Margaret Weis and Tracy
Hickman[/center]
The Ethereal Plane
Home of Karnea's Demiplane
Deep within the swirling Ethereal Plane. After a time, she
arrives at a familiar colorpool and steps through it. She comes
out the other side into a pleasant glade in front of a large,
tidy house surrounded by a garden of herbs. Two flesh golems
look up briefly at the disturbance of their vigil, and seeing
their master, they resume their watch. Karnea walks to the door
and mutters the words to unlock the wizard-locked door. Stepping
into the front room, she scans a moment, seeing that everything
is where it is supposed to be.
Karnea drops her pack on a chair and goes to the kitchen to put
on a kettle. While it boils, she writes in her journal about her
preparations to meet Analis, her concerns about Dalamar, and her
plans in the event this mission goes poorly. The kettle
whistles, and she makes a cup of tea, sipping at it as she walks
upstairs to her study. She spends the next several hours
preparing the spells she thinks she might need. When she is
finished studying, she stands and slowly stretches before
retrieving from storage the materials she needs for her spells.
Walking to the door of one of the guest bedrooms, she unlocks
the door and enters. On the bed, covered with a sheet, is a
figure who appears to be sleeping soundly. A black silk cloth
covers the face of the figure. Karnea sits in the chair next to
the bed and appears to be lost in thought, as she recalls
everything she wants to remember. She pulls the cover back and
removes the silk from the figure’s face and looks down upon an
exact copy of herself.
This is the culmination of years of study and research, and the
ultimate hedge against the possibility of dying at the hands of
her former student. She lifts the stasis clone’s thin hand and
places the journal on her body, laying the hand over it. This
simple act of touching the clone should be sufficient to
transfer her memories to it, but the journal will act as a
further hedge against any problems with the spell. Pulling the
blanket back over her body and replacing the cloth over her
face, she leaves the room.
Walking back downstairs, Karnea retrieves her pack and gazes
around the room once more, memorizing the placement of key
items. She leaves the house and relocks the door, then utters
the command for her ring of etherealness to reenter the Ethereal
Plane and return to Krynn.
On her way through the Ethereal to Kalaman, Karnea is contacted
by the Master of the White Robe, Mistress Coryn. Karnea is asked
to come to Nightland to discuss an s very important matter.
Karnea is loath to detour, but something in Coryn’s voice
intrigues her enough to change her destination; it does not put
her too far out of the way. Soon, the mystery at the Tower of
Nightlund is brought to Karnea’s attention.
Central Ansalon
Eastern Solamnia
Nightlund Region
The Cypress Forest
These events happen after Coryn the White, The Rise of Solamnia
Chapter Fourteen: High Sanction of Solinari
Coryn invites Karnea into the Tower of Nightlund and informs her
of the mystery theft of the books and that someone broke the
seals on the door and got through the grove and into the Tower
without Coryn’s knowledge. Dalamar’s books are still here in his
old room; she cannot touch them, and she wants to return them to
him. She has left a couple of places in the tower roped off, and
the footprints are still there. Coryn further explains Palin
Majere’s theory.
Karnea peers down at the roped-off footprints in the Master’s
Laboratory of Nightlund Tower. Karnea thinks back through
different female shoe sizes. Karnea’s mind flashes through the
shoe size of anyone she knows, but she cannot place some people
within her loose confederation. Such as Kalana, she has already
considered Nalas and his possible shoe size being misconstrued
as being an elf. equally, she has ascertained it is not Selene
…. or Aravis, Azura…so…who is it? Karnea waited all this time
and missed her chance to find… what? The keys to the mysteries
of the universe? Books that led both men to their ends, but that
is not the point now.
“I hold you personally accountable for this, Master
Brinefellow,” Karnea seethes through her teeth. “This Tower, and
all its stored knowledge, was put into your trust. How am I to
know whether you simply destroyed these collections? It would
not be the first time a follower of the gods of Good took it
upon themselves to rid the world of Evil.”
Coryn protests she “Would never do a such a thing as you imply.
I never wanted that; Palin was able to make the time to attempt
to open the sealed room.”
Karnea rounds on the White Robe. “It’s the principle of the
matter. It’s an affront to the memories of the most powerful
Wizards in history, regardless of Order. By rights, I could have
come in here and just taken them and damn your supposed
stewardship of this Tower. But I gave you a chance to prove
yourself, because I believed that you deserved my patience as a
fellow prodigy, and as a fellow order master, but more like the
prodigal school minder. Here now we see where following the high
road has left me.”
Coryn tries to defend her actions, “I was gathering agents and
seeing to order business. Much of my order is older and many of
them are dead. I am rebuilding from literally nothing.”
Karnea paces back and forth in front of Coryn, her staff
thumping angrily on the floor with each step. “This is a very
important lesson for both of us. I suppressed my impulse of just
reaching out and taking what I desired and deferred to your
wishes. Be assured I will not make that mistake again, respect
or not. And hopefully you have learned to pay better attention
to the property left in your stewardship, as well as the price
of crossing me. Your inattention has cost the Black Robe in this
matter, and you will assist me in rectifying this misstep in our
relationship when I call on you next or it will indeed leave a
very dark stain in the ledger between us.”
With a cold glare, Karnea says, “Farewell for now, Master
Brinefellow. I will expect to hear of your progress in this
investigation upon my return. I would spare no expense in
finding out who is responsible for making such a fool of you.”
Karnea then fades from sight, returning to the Ethereal Realm to
continue her journey to meet the dark elf.
Northern Ansalon
Northeast Solamnia
Port City of Kalaman
Arriving in the city. Master Karnea finds a small corpse of
trees outside the walls and removes the ring of etherealness,
returning to the material plane. She puts the ring back in its
secret pocket and puts the ring of wizardry back on her finger.
She walks to the gate in the wall and inquires as to the
location of the Westford Inn
The city of Kalaman is the northeastern jewel of Solamnia and
features one of the most beautiful castles in all of Ansalon.
Kalaman is a walled city with a central castle that is
surrounded by a series of farms. The city walls are fifteen feet
tall, with watchtowers spaced every five hundred feet along the
walls, which stand twenty-five feet tall. Kalaman's walls are
broken only by four large gates, which allow access in and out
of the city.
The city is in the northeastern fringes of the realm of Solamnia
and is bordered on the north by the Vingaard River. One of the
largest features of the city is its port, which allows vessels
access to the sea and into the inner lands of Solamnia. Because
of the highly developed port, Kalaman is a frequent stop for
many merchants and is a bustling center for trade.
Karnea can’t help but see the flaws in the defenses. When the
Minotaurs start their war of conquest, she is sure they will
exploit the riverways of Solamnia, just like they did in the
invasion of the Silvanesti capital city of Silvanost.
Entering the city proper, Karnea emerges into a huge bustling
open-air bazaar, which is run by the government, and houses
merchants with wares of every possible kind on the prime
material. By the smell, the city is also home to a large fish
market that is widely famed for the availability of firefish, a
special fish that inhabits the nearby Bay of Thoradin and is
considered a delicacy throughout Solamnia. Kalaman is controlled
by a series of trade guilds, who in turn nominate a governor to
rule the city in their stead. The city is patrolled by a
militia, formed of some locals, as well as mercenaries. The
militia of Kalaman is famed for being one of the most orderly
and skilled local militias in all Ansalon.
The open-air market within the walls is refreshing and rife with
possibilities for commerce by virtue of its geographic location.
On her way through the city to the Westford Inn, Karnea passes
by the Great Temple of Kiri-Jolith, which is especially
impressive for its architectural design. Karnea sees a shop she
might be interested in and stops in at Cilvar's Magewares to
peruse the local stock and see if there is anything of value
worth picking up. She peruses the magical wares and looks upon
the lot of trinkets, she looks through some scroll descriptions
before she decides to head on to the agreed-upon meeting place
called the Westford Inn.
A short time later, Master Karnea finds the Inn and enters the
establishment, and looks around briefly before she sees the Dark
Elf sitting alone at a table, his back against the wall, leaving
Karnea to consider briefly as she sits across from him. (Her
glasses of Wizardry are all-around vision, still.)
He is enjoying a goblet of Vingaard Red and partaking in a small
garden salad of greens. Dalamar offers to call the serving girl
back over if she is hungry, but Karnea refuses his offer, saying
she has already eaten (the truth of the matter is knowing she
cannot blindly trust the staff of just about any establishment
she does not know or own).
Dalamar tells Karnea that he noticed a reputable-looking
Mercenary guild down the road that looks to have many fine
warriors, should she wish to procure protection for the journey
into the wastes ahead.
Karnea concurs that it would be prudent, considering the wild
magic zones the dark elf revealed during their meeting at Blood
Sea just days ago.
Dalamar answers, “Just so.”
They walk down to the guild to hire mercenaries and come away
with a dozen grizzled hirelings. The Wizards pay to have the
party outfitted with food, water, and provisions for the horses
for the journey. Looking at the map, Karnea decides if it is
possible, they should use the river system to our advantage and
take us into the interior of the Hinterlands.
Consulting the map, Dalamar readily agrees, and soon they find a
willing captain to take them the distance they have requested.
At night, Karnea utilizes a spell from another world:
Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion creates an extradimensional
dwelling that lasts the night, and she casts Alarm at the
entrance. The hirelings set up tents, and Dalamar has his
magical sanctuary that he disappears into. Karnea has had so
much to think about. Like, just who attacked her daughter Aravis
on Soreel, and how is she going to find out who did it?
And here now, setting out in search of Analis, to find her first
apprentice. Karnea has tried to consider what she owes Analis
for her devout loyalty through the years, and if that might
temper her decisions in how to deal with her when she comes face
to face with her. Karnea has wondered if she can show mercy
after what has happened with the slaying of her Chief Hunter.
Karnea still does not know if she has the answer to that yet.
Add to all of that already, and here now is this Mystery at
Nightlund that keeps her awake for part of the night while
weighing just how much she can tell Dalamar and asking the
question of just how much she can trust him going forward. Once
a solid trust existed between them. She questions whether that
can ever exist between them again or not. Still, at the very
least, it is better to have him feeling like he is on the inside
than having him feel exiled and isolated and pushing him into
becoming a renegade.
They set out on the rivers that take them further toward their
destination. On the Vingaard River, traveling west, eventually
passing the village of Vogler, while passing through the
Hinterlands. She has not passed by this village before; it
appears charming enough from the raft, then she sees them, what
looks to be a throng of little children, but she knows they are
not children, they are Kender. She watches them take note of
her, and they begin to wave and call out to the raft. The
village has lost its charm, and Karnea is glad they are
traveling beyond this cursed village.
#Post#: 840--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Karnea Master of Black Robe Story Two Consolidation of Po
wer Chapter Nineteen Part II
By: Dungeon Master Date: June 21, 2024, 2:12 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Master Karnea: Consolidation of Power
Story Two
The Penultimate Chapter: Nineteen: The Mystery of Nightlund, and
the Dangers of the North Part Two[/center]
[center]Dalamar was created by Margaret Weis and Tracy
Hickman[/center]
After a couple more days, once they get their river travel
behind them and are on the move into the interior of the
Hinterlands, Karnea starts a campfire apart from the hirelings,
and she calls over Dalamar. She tells him is time for them to
talk. First, Karnea wants to clear the air on Analis and her
dealings with Wayreth. Analis made contact with Palin early on
with the coming of the 5th Age and was his confidant through the
hard years. It was Analis, Palin Majere, and the secretive
Shadow Sorcerer who unlocked the mysterious Primal Sorcery from
the earlier Ages. Analis naturally excelled at it and mastered
it in no time. It worked in tandem with her wild magic; it
helped her focus and use both with more control. After the last
Conclave, she left her school in New Ports and traveled north
with her students.
Karnea and Dalamar discuss the dangerous implications that
Morgan, the apprentice of Analis, represents. Dalamar relates
that he read the records that Analis left behind about her
apprentice, Morgan, and the revelation of her pre-birth contact
with Chaos himself or a chaotic follower.
Traveling North, they cross the Dybbuk sands and Destiny's
Hand's physical and natural landmarks, which serve as barriers
against the verdant greenery of Hinterlund and Palanthas as they
enter the forbidding Northern Wastes. The heat is unrelenting
despite the late fall season, and they endeavor to keep everyone
hydrated as they push forward.
After a day’s travel, it is very dry conditions here. The party
finds a place to rest for the night, and before turning in,
Karnea starts a fire apart from the hirelings again. It still
rankles her, this mystery at Nightlund. She has never been one
to fixate, but it frustrates her that she cannot recall some of
the shoe sizes of her girls. Sure, that was decades ago, but for
the life of her, she just cannot recall. Feet are not exactly
something she paid the utmost attention to, alas in this case.
You suppose while you have been making all these moves from the
lofty tower at Blood Sea to the planes, to Soreel and back,
getting the tower and the order stabilized, Karnea admits she
should not be all that surprised to find out someone else was
out there making plans all their own… but to what end? Palin
Majere thinks it is the Dark One himself acting from beyond the
grave. Those are insane thoughts to have to contemplate, for
what does he want? Well, for one thing, he already has the books
he would want, so he has that going for him. Those implications
alone are enough to feel disquiet about what it might portend.
What did Fistandantilus want originally? Going by what you know
of this infamous figure from history comes from what amounts to
hearsay and conjecture, but also from the words of Astinus and
his penned works in Palanthas. Fistandantilus wanted to live
forever and become a god. First, he was going to kill the Dark
Queen, but became undone by the arrival of a random gnome.
Well, well-placed sources say she is not coming back, so he can
mark that off his list. He will need the Bloodstone to carry on
his quest, in case his current body fails him and goes for
another body, but does he already have the Bloodstone is the
question? She fears the answer greatly.
Karnea calls over Dalamar and goes ahead and decides to break it
to Dalamar about the missing book sets from his Shalafi’s
laboratory. “Someone has taken the opportunity of an empty Tower
of High Sorcery and gotten through the grove barrier, into the
tower, and unlocked the seal to the laboratory, walked over to
the Portal and then bent down and absconded with Master Raistlin
Majere and the Dark One, Fistandantilus’s spellbook, while all
the while the White Robe Master has been gallivanting across
Solamnia. I’m not sure if she is the right choice for the job or
even up for the task of being entrusted with the Tower. Palin
Majere was apparently on hand to witness the opening of the
Laboratory and has offered an opinion on the matter.”
Dalmar looks stricken; he has gone as white as a ghost. The
implications of Karnea’s words have left him staggered and
nearly speechless. Once upon a time, Dalamar was the Master of
the Tower of High Sorcery of Palanthas. Early in the age of
mortals, in the depths of the night, the Tower of High Sorcery
seemed to have just imploded and was just gone from Palanthas.
Its current place is a wooded Cypress grove near Dargaard Keep
called Nightlund. Once, Raistlin Majere was the Master of the
Tower when it was in Palanthas. At the climax of Legends, it was
thought that he died in the Abyss, and the Tower came into
Dalamar’s control. He proved equal to the task in the defense of
the Tower and the world beyond its walls, many times over during
his tenure. His political downfall came when he became
compliant with the Dark Queen’s plans.
Karnea looks at Dalamar and studies his reaction closely, if
only to confirm his involvement one way or another. Despite the
circumstances, she is pleased to note his reaction; it tells her
he had nothing to do with it, or he is the best troupe actor in
the world.
When words finally fall freely, Dalamar asks, "If she has any
suspects among the Black Robes."
Karnea answers, “She has not had enough to go on to produce a
proper list, per se, just jumbled thoughts that may turn into a
theory eventually."
Dalamar asks, "If she thinks it is someone of other orders that
did this?
Karnea shakes her head, saying, “It's possible, but surely, they
are secret renegades then.”
Dalamar asks, "Does Master Jenna know about any of this?
“That’s a really good question.” Karnea answers, “Coryn told her
just after Solinari’s high sanction, I believe she found out
before she had the White Robe Moot. If Jenna knows, I do not
have any indication about it. If she does find out about it, she
will want to store them somewhere hidden from everyone if they
are ever recovered by her or her agents."
Dalamar says that he concurs with that assessment. “Whoever it
is, that has pulled this off, has succeeded in one of the
greatest heists in the History of High Sorcery. I once ventured
a look at one of my Shalafi’s spellbooks after his death and
found backward spiral code and could only glean bits of
knowledge and took much attention, I put it away until I was
ready to try again.” Dalamar says quietly.
“And now that’s all we will know about the contents inside those
tomes forever unless we can track this individual down and get
the books back for Nuitari.” Karnea laments.
Dalamar looks at Karnea and starts to say something, but no
words come out, until he finally says, “You said before that
Palin Majere had a theory?”
Karnea had been holding this back because she was not even sure
if she thought there was anything to this. It’s too big to even
contemplate comfortably. “Palin says there are only two wizards
that could break through the grove barrier and enter the Tower
and open the sealed Laboratory. “Palin says he is sure his uncle
moved on with his friends and his brother in the afterlife after
the War of Souls.” Karnea is so loath to bring up the other
name. “The only other Wizard it could be, in Palin’s opinion, is
that the one known as the Dark One is acting from beyond the
grave.”
Again, Dalamar just looks at her and appears stricken by this
news; again, words just fail him. Dalamar races through the
magical ways that could be true. “Are they shades that live on
in items that are tied to him in some way? Is that how this is
happening?”
Karnea picks up on what he is speculating, “How could this be
overlooked until now?
Dalamar is at a loss. He has not heard of a reported phenomenon
or confirmed precedent coming to light before now that fits the
description. ‘Though there have always been rumors that were out
there, one could never put stock in these kender tales. Not
really.”
Dalamar thanks Karnea for informing him.
Karnea nods her head his way, and she retires to her magical
domicile while Dalamar puts out the fire and heads to his
magical shelter. Soon, they are left to their troubled thoughts
before they fall to slumber.
Over time, the desert climate has made Karnea take steps to
acclimate her wardrobe by wearing thin material robes during the
journey to reduce her body heat.
On the Ninth day
A horse and rider barely escape the jaws of a greater Hatori,
rising from beneath the Desert sands, its massive body writhes
to chomp at the riders. The Hatroi, a prehistoric land dragon
and crocodile combination 150’ long. Its massive body lunges at
another rider. Two riders are felled by its deadly tail like
nothing.
Random Encounter Hatori
150 feet long, 3-36/2-24 Hit Die 18 85 Hit points
Greater Hatori swallows man-sized victims whole
on a natural attack roll of 20. Such victims suffer Idl2 points
of
damage per round from the crushing and acid effects of the
digestive tract.
3d12 tail smash
Karnea looks at Dalamar, and he answers, “No, we are not in the
zone yet, we are not anywhere close yet.”
Karnea strains to yell out at her Riders and tells them to get
to this side of the creature, near herself, she then speaks the
magical worded incantations while pulling forth the phosphorus
material component and makes the proscribed somatic gesture to
bring forth a blazing curtain of shimmering reddish blue magical
fire, 20’ feet high and separating the two parties as Karnea’s
party rides on, away from the burning wall of fire and roars
that are getting more distant.
Two Days later,
Dalamar indicates the party should change directions and begin
heading west. The landscape has been treacherous in places;
they had to levitate the party across ravines and move forward.
Dalamar tells Karnea that this marking here, "I scrawled this.
The wild magic zone is ahead. We must be weary and restrict our
magic going forward in the approaches, it will leave us
vulnerable."
Karnea nods She is aware of the possibilities that stem from
exposure to wild magic zones, being that she experienced these
dreaded zones in the Forgotten Realms of Faerûn. Nothing good
can come from those zones. She finds herself more ill at ease
than she has in a long time.
All of the time looking over her map of this region back at the
tower, she never quite imagined herself trekking across its deep
interior. When she traveled this way when she was young, she was
quite a bit south of where they are now. On this journey, she
has had to avoid deadly snakes and scorpions, and now Karnea is
in the Gods hands if she casts any magic, the unforeseen results
could be catastrophic and detrimental to her life.
The Twelfth Day,
The party wakes up to a strange sky overhead and soon comes
across a towering figure, armed with a spear. He is shaggy and
has only one prominent eye, making him a Cyclops
Random Encounter Cyclops
THAC0 7 Twenty feet tall
3d12 Damage
Karnea lets the Cyclops depart from the area without pressing
the issue. We should go our separate ways, it is just going to
be bad for both of us, Karnea believed it knew that.
Fourteenth Day
They are approaching their destination when they come across the
predominant lifeform of the Northern Wastes. A reflective green
carapace, its yellow legs carry it aloft, with snapping
pinchers, and a segmented tail that is black and deadly.
Random Encounter Giant Scorpions
AC 3 Damage from Pinchers 1d10 each/1d4 sting type F poison
5’-6’ long
ThAC0 15 58 HP
It is a vicious fight that Karnea and Dalamar do not take part
in, and watch the Scorpions and Mercenaries fight it out.
Several of the Mercenaries and their mounts are killed, five in
all. Cutting their numbers down to four. A couple of people have
died from poisonous snakebites and spider bites over the time
the party has been out here.
The small party travels a distance before finding a defensible
place to camp for the night.
The terrible rainstorm on day fifteen makes Karnea glad for the
cooled air and relief from the terrible heat. She also witnesses
the canyons filling up in a violent rush that would doom any
party in its way. She is glad they have stayed on the high
ground on this excursion
Later that day, after the storm has long passed, when suddenly
the earth rumbles violently and everyone is thrown from their
rearing horses.
Earth Elementals rise from the ground in a conglomeration of
earth, rock, and ruin stones (found from under the earth).
Karnea’s heart sinks. Her mouth goes dry, her guts feel all
squirmy, and she starts to not be able to breathe; her heart
starts skipping beats, causing her to grab her chest over her
heart and try to maintain her composure despite the overwhelming
desire and need to be somewhere else, but she resists the urges.
Karnea was endlessly tortured when she was but a small child,
taken from her family, and apprenticed by Devils, then by
Demons, bound in a pact to a higher power in the Outer Planes.
She was endlessly tortured with earth elementals. They
traumatized her so much that when the order of High Sorcery
dreamshapers accessed her fears and used the Elementals in her
test of high sorcery (it is something she has always held
against them for that), but now, Karnea is equipped to handle
such creatures. Still, it unnerves her like nearly nothing else,
even though she has long considered it a conquered fear; the
effects are still the same, still triggering after all this
time.
Random Encounter Earth Elementals
THAC0 8 16’ feet tall
Hit Points 2d8
4d8 damage
As the Elementals appear menacing and loom above them, they
decide who to attack. Karnea tells Dalamar to distract them
momentarily.
Dalamar wishes he could risk a spell, but he just can’t, so he
moves away from Karnea and yells elvish insults at the
Elementals. He gets their attention. Karnea feels the ground
shake.
For Karnea, it is hardly a choice, she shakily, with a purpose,
she rummages through her pouches on her bandolier of spell
components and locates the Iron nail, the vial of blessed holy
water (old), and the sunstone, now she searches for the
finishing touch of a sprig of Rosemary…. she locates it, she
speaks the ancient magical words of incantation and casts the
spell Banishment.
She feels a momentary feeling of relief when the Elementals fail
and are pulled to their home Elemental Plane of Earth, and are
banished for several turns. The spell, once it is cast,
instigates an immediate surge when it interacts with the wild
magic zone that covers this entire area. Roll D100, Results: The
effects leave Karnea in a rare, intoxicated state and unable to
be of any assistance to anyone for the next hour. Dalamar
watches over her lest she wander off or an attack happens.
Once the effects wear off, Karnea sets up her physical shelter
and lies back on an elevated bed, and she sleeps it off.
The Next Day, the Sixteenth Day,
They begin passing through aligned, desiccated, long, long-dead
ribcages protruding from the desert ground. The ribcages belong
to silver dragons. It makes Karnea wonder at their age, where
they are arrayed by humans or other dragons, and was this once
an ancient Silver Dragon Graveyard?
At midday, the party finally reaches the path that leads to the
City of the Lost Names.
It is an ancient pathway that has been carved into the earth
itself. The first thing Karnea feels when coming into this
partly ruined city is power. The air is practically crackling
with it. You are not sure about the presence of the wild magic
zone covering this area or not. That will be a problem until you
can find out for sure.
The other thing that strikes Karnea about this area is bustling
with commerce and activity at different makeshift shops and food
stands. The line of shops goes down the road as far as they can
see. The two black robes walk into the area of the shops, and
they marvel at the life here. Dalamar and Karnea talk amongst
themselves about how this was not exactly what they expected.
They realize after a few moments that all is quiet, and they are
being watched, but are not threatening, but aware of your
presence and what it probably means. Some seemed scared and hid,
while others had varying degrees of fear to restrain their
hatred. As Karnea and Dalamar move on down the road, towards
the ruined Ziggurat in the far distance. Karnea sees that they
are in a great bowl, sitting in a very large canyon in the
northern wastes.
Karnea counts the Twelve Minarets; Seven have been toppled, and
five remain
As they approach the ruined ziggurat, they reach what was called
in ancient times, the Plaza of the Sky-
Karnea begins to see how the city was once laid out and sees the
beauty of the ancient architecture and the attempts to emulate
the earlier designs. It is a mammoth-scale achievement to have
excavated and created what they have. Karnea’s eyes pass over
families (much more than you would have originally guessed) that
have gathered here, with their persecuted loved ones.
Karnea hears someone walking down the stone steps of the ruined
ziggurat from above her, and she hears the words of her old
apprentice….“Greetings my old Master, and to you, Master
Dalamar, I am glad to see you here at last. I bid you welcome to
the City of the Lost Names.”
#Post#: 910--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Karnea Master of Black Robe Story Two Consolidation of Po
wer Chapter Twenty: City of Lost Names Part One
By: Dungeon Master Date: July 29, 2024, 5:24 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Master Karnea: Consolidation of Power
Story Two Finale
Chapter Twenty: City of Lost Names
Part One[/center]
[center]Analis Faithor was created by DCR
Dalamar was created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman[/center]
North Central Ansalon
Northern Wastes, Solamnia
At the Ziggurat in the Plaza of the Sky, under the Threshold to
the Heavens
Early Evening,
Karnea and Dalamar look up and see Analis Faithor at the age of
seventy-five. She is still wearing a Red Robe, interesting. Her
golden hair has greyed, and Karnea is flooded with memories of
meeting Analis, once, long ago at Schallsea, but no, Karnea
suppresses such thoughts as weakness and checks herself for
sentimentality.
Analis may be old, she may look like a breeze could knock her
over, but Karnea refuses to underestimate her first apprentice.
She was wily even back then.
“Analis my good friend, it is good to see you. I think you know
why we are here.”
“I’m afraid I do.” Analis answers
To ease Analis’s fears, Karnea says, “We are not here to press
our intentions, we are here only to speak, to have a dialogue.”
Karnea sees that a few steps above Analis is a tall,
golden-haired girl. She almost resembles a guardian angel. She
must be Analis’s apprentice, Morgan.
Analis has Morgan come forward to meet the two black robes.
Morgan is not like any other person they have ever met before.
“Before we go any further Master Analis, we should agree here to
an armistice. We do not look to bring violence to this dialogue,
Master Karnea assured me we are here to talk. As such, our lives
are in your hands. We should all work towards finding a way to
forestall any outbreaks of hostility, like the one earlier this
month.”
Analis answers, “Of course. My people know you are my guests.”
Analis tells them they should speak in the City in the Sky; she
leads them to the top of the Ziggurat, and they step on a
teleportation pad and are taken 200 feet in the air.
Once inside,
Analis appears shamed as she closes her eyes. She opens them
again and says, “You have my deepest regrets about the incident
in question. That is not in any way what I wanted. I never
approved of ambushes being set with death squads. This was a
misunderstanding, compounded by the fear of the Black Robe
Hunters. A large group, what we call a herd, was transiting the
desert, you have seen how hard it is to survive out there.”
“It is treacherous to be sure.” Karnea allows
“Your hunters caught the scent of a particular few stragglers
that was racing to catch up with the herd. The standing order is
to hide with Illusions. Morgan was with the herd when she found
out a group had stayed behind to cover the herd’s escape.
Morgan sent the herd ahead when she came upon the ambush.
Master, she told me about it in tears. This is the group you are
wanting. This is the group I have locked in cells; I will hand
over to you. They are quite guilty for this demonstrably heinous
act. I disavow it, I have disavowed it to the city at large. I
do not want further bloodshed.”
Karnea accepts this explanation but says, “This goes beyond just
the ambush. The gods have returned, Analis. The Conclave has
sent me to end this, one way or another. I do not want a war
with your people. But they will submit.
Analis explains she does not want war with the conclave. Neither
does she want her people to be hunted down. “When the world was
stolen away, we had only ourselves to rely on, we held this
place together, those that were left behind. When sorcery became
a workable option, Palin Majere and I decided to close the
Conclave. With Dalamar nowhere to be found to get his opinion,
we did what we thought was right. I was drawn here to this City
and over time, a mass of others has been drawn here, We have
restored many things, and have tried to leave humanity is
peace.”
“We have stayed here and formed out own world; I thought I was
doing right. Some of these sorcerers are anarchists, I tried to
direct them into a concession and enfranchise them to follow a
code and instill some measure of structure, I found it
challenging, I held this place together with my will and my
hands at times. I have tried to keep everyone out of peoples
way, I thought when the gods returned, we might be able to
coexist, When the hunters came after us, I was disabused of that
notion. I do not look to challenge the Conclave. I do not want a
war that would be destructive and ruinous for us, and the people
of Krynn.”
Karnea tries to imagine the world without magic, “I get it my
former student, The conclave was dead, magic was gone, I could
not live here like that, I escaped, but all of you were stuck
here to fend for yourselves. I don’t blame you; you did what you
thought was right, you persevered here without the gods. I know
you have to be proud of what you built here.”
Analis remembers back to that dark time. “Some wizards could not
accept their arts was stolen away from them and they killed
themselves. The rest gave up and went on with their lives. It
was a heartbreaking time.”
Karnea closes her eyes tightly. And tries to imagine the plight
of these people, left here while she escaped and lived in the
Realms. Karnea will always believe she made the right decision,
but thinking about all these people who were left. “I can have
sympathy for the people that had to endure with the gods and the
moons being gone. But I cannot feel for those that can plainly
see the gods and the moons have returned, and still they reject
them.”
Analis tells Morgan to leave her side and go to the battlements.
After she leaves, Analis explains she does not think the Towers
of High Sorcery will let Morgan in to be tested. That Morgan is
an extraordinary being.
Karnea can sympathize; Aravis isn’t exactly a normal kid either.
Karnea has not decided her stance on Morgan yet. Analis loves
her dearly. Maybe I can send them to the Realms as an
alternative. I don’t know if I have that right. I don’t know
much about them, but there is a scroll or two that discusses the
Scions, being touched by pure chaos, and how they guided the
early races and were killed out of fear.
Analis asks Karnea, “To not kill Morgan, If she can not stay
here in this Lost City, then send her somewhere she can have a
chance for a future.”
Karnea assures her former apprentice, “Analis, I’m not going to
kill Morgan.”
Tears fall from her green eyes, even as she tries to dry them.
Analis thanks Karnea.
Meanwhile,
Across the City, a group of Sorcerers have learned of the Black
Robe’s arrival, and Analis speaks to them now. Strong opinions
are expressed, for one issue, and some for another. These
sorcerers are against breaking up what they have right now. One
says they will never be stronger than they are right now. A
community of sorcerers that dwarfs the Conclave.
They come up with a plan to ensure the demise of the peace plan
and talk to others who might agree with them. The radicals begin
spreading rumors. Among them is an undercover Knight of the
Thorn who had said he renounced his old ways but was on a
mission to foment these closet radicals into a group that could
really be a problem for the conclave going forward.
They plan to try to involve the black robes and get them
involved in putting down the revolt. When the time is right,
they want to eliminate Analis and blame it on the black robes.
They believe they will have a war that can not be stopped. They
go to the Ziggurats at the City Square under the Threshold to
the Heavens, and while their agents begin their protest while a
whisper campaign is begun against the simpletons, the ones that
will buy anything because it could be true.
The crowds gather, and the instigators smile. They wonder if
they can get people to storm the Ziggurat and ascend to the City
in the Sky and engage them there. They need not worry; the crowd
they have whipped up is doing it on its own.
Back at the Flying Citadel,
Morgan returns to the room and reports a riot has broken out at
the Ziggurat.
The Wizards hear the rioters in the streets yelling from below.
All of a sudden, people begin appearing inside the City in the
Sky, and several radical sorcerers burst into the room and
attack. Morgan makes short work of them and clears the hallway
and busts apart the beachhead they had tried to set up.
Dalamar begins to move to follow, then notices Karnea not moving
from her seat. He looks at her for a moment, then comes back to
his chair, sits down, and says to Karnea, “Am I to take it we
are not interfering?”
Deep in thought, Karnea answers, “I think not. We are going to
have to leave this Analis and her protégé to bring the rioters
to heel, I think it would make things worse if we are seen to
support Analis in any way will only exasperate the situation, it
will undermine Analis and what we are trying to do here.”
Dalamar’s eyebrow rises very high, and he nods. That is the
play. But he is concerned with the outcome. “What if Analis
does not come back and we don’t have anyone else to negotiate
with?”
Karnea agrees, “That would be a problem, there are far more
people here than I anticipated. Still, I think it is Analis’s
place to police her people at this stage. If something happens
to her, we make our escape back to Wayreth and make our report.”
*****************************************************
DIR Previous Page
DIR Next Page