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#: 911--------------------------------------------------
423 AC Karnea Master of Black Robe Story Two Consolidation of Po
wer Chapter Twenty: City of Lost Names Part Two
By: Dungeon Master Date: July 29, 2024, 5:28 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[center]Master Karnea: Consolidation of Power
Story Two Finale
Chapter Twenty: City of Lost Names
Part Two[/center]
[center]Analis Faithor was created by DCR
Dalamar was created by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman[/center]
Below in the Square,
Hundreds of people are anguished by the rumors that have been
spread, and how they have morphed from person to person, and get
worse and worse.
Hearing just some of what is being said alerts Analis that
someone has been spreading lies; if she does not regain control
soon, it will boil over. She calls for Silence, but her words
are drowned out.
Morgan hovers over their heads and gives out a loud scream; they
all know to fear Morgan. The clamor is silenced, and Analis
takes advantage. She amplifies her voice and calls for the
rioting to end. She calls out the instigators and shames them
for their actions. Analis yells, “This must end. Go home. We
are not going to be raided. I am trying to negotiate in good
faith, and what is happening down here? Anarchy?
Somebody yells that she is selling them out!
Analis answers, “I am trying to save you. Please let me.”
She answers a few concerns, and with Morgan watching overhead,
the people start to disperse.
At the Threshold to the Heavens,
Analis has Morgan maintain her vigilance while Analis returns to
the Flying Citadel. Karnea and Analis continue their
negotiations. Analis warns of different sects of sorcerers.
“There are those that Tower wizards called Brown Robes, those
that would never take the test and never move on to the higher
levels of magic, these down want anything special, they just
want to live their lives and plied their trade and be left
alone.”
Karnea decides to correct her former student, “They might be
left alone for the most part, but they will be monitored by the
Conclave. “
Analis allows “That is acceptable and understandable. But she
warns, there is a sizeable Anarchist group that fomented the
riot today. I am ashamed to admit there is a Knight of the
Thorn, a Grey Robes among them. Against my better judgement I
accepted him over a year ago, said he renounced all of that, but
I see now I was a fool. They are going to be a problem.”
“One we will deal with in due time, You will have point them out
on the map.” Karnea looks down at the map while Analis points to
the area associated with the radicals.
And what of you, my friend? You have taken the test of high
sorcery; you are one of us. You would honor us by rejoining the
order.
Analis smiles and looks away, before finding the words she wants
to use. “My life is over my friend. I have poured my heart out
here in this place. I cannot walk away now.”
It is not the response Karnea wanted: “You know this place was
cursed by the gods?”
Analis knew this would come up, “I do, but at the time, that did
not seem to matter anymore. They will pass judgment, I cannot
know which way they believe now, these many ages later.”
Karnea searches for the thoughts of Nuitari, hoping to get this
word on this, but he is silent, leaving Karnea to wonder what
their judgment is going to be.
Karnea is thinking, when finally, she asks, “Dalamar, can you
leave us for a moment?” Dalamar had been listening to the
exchange, looked up at Karnea, and nodded to her, got up, and
walked from the room.
Once he has left, Karnea looks intently at Analis. “I am the
Master of the Black Robe. My word carries weight, but it is one
voice of three in the inner council. If it were up to me, I
would say yes, I would let you live out your days in this place
where you have recovered from the desert. You would never be
able to leave; this would be your exile. Are you sure this is
what you want? I will inform the Headmage. This is not the final
word, but I think I can make a convincing argument; but if Jenna
is against this, her word is binding.
Even so, Analis thanks her old Master.
Karnea has Dalamar rejoin them while they are settling on the
final points. Aravis brings up the Anvil of Time. “There will
have to be guards always posted. Always Karnea. That artifact
could undo all of time. I have watched over it and protected it.
Karnea understands such an artifact is one of the greatest finds
in Krynnish history. “I will advocate for the Conclave to take
over this City and take over the protection of the Artifact.
Karnea gazes up and judges the Red Moon of Lunitari nearing High
Sanction. Karnea gives Analis two red moons to prepare the
people for the arrival of the conclave. They shake on the
principles of their agreement. And Dalamar and Karnea teleport
away from the City of Lost Names.
Eastern Ansalon
Blood Sea of Istar
Late Evening,
Karnea and Dalamar return to Blood Sea Tower and arrive on the
roof. They make their way down the spiral staircase. They hear
activity in the Map Room and are surprised to see a small Black
Robed person sitting atop several books atop a chair at a desk,
carefully practicing writing spells before he adds the spell to
his Spellbook. Karnea sees a snout poking out from the hood. At
the bottom of the black robe are two bare feet and a rat-like
tail.
The hooded figure notices you and turns and jumps down to the
floor, and walks over. It is the most unlikely sight Karnea ever
thought she would see in the Tower of Blood Sea. It is a Kobold.
He introduced himself as Yap Sizzlegizzard. Dalamar and Karnea
are astonished at the sight, but Dalamar tells the Kobold, “This
is Master Karnea, Master of the Black Robe, Master of this
Tower, and I am Dalamar. What exactly are you doing here?"
The Kobold Black Robe fishes for a scroll in a bag tied at his
waist. "It is an honor to meet the great Masters Karnea and
Dalamar of the Black Robe. I was outside of Daltigoth when I was
set upon by Red Robes. I tried to explain to them, but I had
been befuddled by an Ogre Mage when I was in Daltigoth, so I was
not in the right frame of mind to be dealing with inquisitive
Red Robes." Yap hands over a Scroll that has already been
opened. Karnea opens it and reads.
Dear Master Karnea,
This one was found by a colleague of mine recently. The records
show that a Yap Sizzlegizzard was called to the tower and is
logged as having taken the test, but there is no record of his
results. He says his patron is Nuitari and that he used to be a
sorcerer, but that Nuitari showed him the way. I have a report
witnessing firsthand his abilities as a necromancer. There have
been reports of his chaotic presence in the wild. I wonder if
you mind finding a better use for him or if Nuitari has some
plan for him to justify his continued presence.
Do let me know how your meeting went in Northern Wastes.
As always, your friend.
Jenna
Dated Seven Days ago
Karnea considers and reads parts of it again. Sizzlegizzard, has
taken the Test, but no record exists of his taking it. My dark
lord, what is this, and what do you want me to do with him? She
walks over to his table and looks over his writings and finds
them legible; she finds herself impressed. She looks at him. She
tells him he can go back to his writing and then asks him where
he has been staying so far.
Yap answers that he has been placed in a room next to Willim the
Black.
Karnea breathed a sigh of relief. Smart. "Very well, that is
where you can remain until we rearrange things in the coming
days. Well, Welcome to the Tower of Blood Sea." Karnea shook his
little hand, and he bowed and bowed to Dalamar and went back to
his original seat atop the books and began to continue where he
left off.
Karnea asks Dalamar, since he is going down, if he sees Selene,
send her up. Dalamar nodded, took a last look at the kobold,
and disappeared.
Karnea went to her study, her mind blown at what she had seen
tonight. She found a piece of parchment and got ready to compose
a letter to Jenna detailing what happened in the City of Lost
Names while she waited for Selene.
Moments later, Selene came into her study and said, “Welcome
home, Master. I apologize about leaving the Kobold in its own,
but it has shown no deviant behavior to call for a minder to
date. I read the letter from Jenna. That is what got him in the
grove and into the Tower. He seems to be trying to fit in and
seems to be a real wizard. It is uncanny. Will wonders ever
cease?"
Karnea had taken a seat behind her Vallenwood desk when she
heard that last bit from Selene. "Just be glad he wasn't a
kender. The world is not going to end over a Kobold."
Selene found herself in agreement with her Master, and she
pressed on with her report. "There is news from the mainland,
bad news.”
“You had best appraise me of the goings on. I have been far out
of the loop on about everything.”
Selene provided Karnea with a shortened summary of the important
things over the time she had been gone.
Six days after you left, there was a play for Aravis. Aravis is
okay and downstairs in her room. Lucius got caught up in the
ploy committed by a Sirene. Selene speaks of Lucius’s abduction
by a Sirene and rescue by a group of Sea Elves (Dargonesti) that
Cale was able to enlist to help us in your absence. The prior
relationships he made when the Tower was underwater really saved
the day. Lucius is back and fine; there was a matter about his
missing intelligence, but that has since been regained as well.
The Prince has recovered.
Selene relates that Aravis told her the abduction felt like it
was planned for her and only grabbed Lucius to try to lure her
into the water with them. “The Sirene that perpetrated the
abduction was not captured as Lucius was not with the Sirene
when they found the Prince, he was found had escaped.”
Karnea nodded for Selene to continue,
"Prince Lucius was given time to recuperate while I was able to
hire a crew and have a ship readied The Progress. He shipped out
six days ago. Talron is with him. My understanding he will come
to a point where he will have to depart the ship onto a boat,
and it will take him to wherever it is he's going to go. I have
the ship tasked on a secondary mission to make inroads with
Saifhum and Nordmaar.
Karnea stops Selene to tell her, "Good, good, this makes me very
pleased, it's not as if he was going to do it himself, even if
it is still on our coin, nevertheless, the Heir is out of our
hair.
"Not quite Master. There are rotating shifts on watching his
ship by the tower staff, mostly Aravis in the Chamber of Eyes.
The feeling is if he is attacked, we may be able to act, even
from this distance on his attackers."
Karnea pushes on and asks, "What else happened while I was
away?"
"Word has come to us from Tarsis Academy, a small fire and the
body of Raina, the Headmaster of the Academy, after Selene came
to Blood Sea. A new Headmaster will be needed down there as well
as minor repairs to the school. The students are devastated I
visited while you were gone. I have thoughts on moving the
students and maybe even the Academy to the island, but that can
be discussed later."
“Vaylin has been at the Nightlund Tower with Coryn, they have
attempted some spell, They report having something.”
Selene handed over another scroll. “This came in yesterday, It
is from Highmage Jenna.” Karnea reads the scroll. Jenna and
Coryn want a meeting in Tarsis at the Academy of the Dark Arts
at Karnea’s earliest convenience. Their trail has led them to
Tarsis, to the black robe Raina. Karnea is astounded. Though she
wondered at the possibility of the culprit being one of hers,
she did not suspect Raina. This, coupled with the news that
Raina died in a fire, is very disturbing indeed.
Karnea thanked Selene for watching over the Tower and Aravis
while she was gone. Karnea excuses Selene for the night and
reaches for the box Jenna gave her, holding earrings that allow
communication. She activates the earring to send a message to
the Highmage, confirming she would join the Masters on the
Marrow at the Academy at Tarsis.
Karnea begins drafting her letter to Jenna about how things went
with the sorcerers.
Esteemed Highmage Jenna, Master of the Conclave and of the Red
Robes, Master of Wayreth
Tower,
My Friend,
I write to you today to report on my meeting with Analis and
Morgan, the leaders of the primal sorcerers on Ansalon.
As you may know, I was accompanied by Dalamar for this journey,
as he knew the location of the sorcerers. I am certain that he
will also report his observations to you. We had an arduous
journey through the Northern Wastes. Please note that there are
several areas of latent chaos magic, perhaps left over from the
Chaos War or perhaps caused by the concentration of so many
primal sorcerers in the area. Regardless of cause, these zones
are quite perilous for spellcasting. I regret that I was unable
to make an exact mapping of these zones, but my mission took
precedence over a thorough exploration of the area. Perhaps an
expedition could be mounted at a later time to produce an
accurate accounting of these “wild zones”. We met the sorcerers
in a long-abandoned city in the middle of the Wastes. There were
far more of them than I expected, though I was unable to obtain
an exact count. Analis was leading them, despite her advanced
age.
We had a productive meeting, and Analis proved to be very much a
realist. She confided in me that many of her followers are
willing to endure the Test of High Sorcery, while most of the
rest are content to remain dabblers too unskilled to be bothered
about. A very few of the more powerful sorcerers are unwilling
to submit to the laws of the Conclave. I very simply explained
that those who were unwilling to follow our laws must depart
Ansalon, never to return. Analis was agreeable to these terms
and stated that she would explain these terms to her followers.
There appears to be at least one former Gray Robe included in
the numbers of the primal sorcerers. This one is among those who
will choose not to be tested. It is my recommendation that this
one specifically be targeted for elimination; such a one as this
cannot be trusted to go quietly into exile.
I must also report that the city that the sorcerers occupy
contains a powerful magical artifact. This “anvil of time” could
prove to be disastrous in the hands of an inexperienced magic
user. It would appear that its presence is not widely known
among the sorcerers, and I trust that Analis will keep it that
way. Analis encourages us to take stewardship over the city
after the sorcerers disperse; I intend to advocate for this
action at the next meeting of the full Conclave, as I feel that
this is not a decision that we three Heads of Orders may make on
our own.
I have given those who will choose to be tested two cycles of
Lunitari to appear before you at Wayreth, to request the Test of
High Sorcery. I feel that requiring them to appear at the seat
of High Sorcery is more appropriate than having them appear at
the Tower of Blood Sea, so as to eliminate any appearance of
favor from me. As the head of the Red Robes, I am sure that you
can appreciate the need for neutrality in this matter. Do please
expect a number of sorcerers seeking the refuge of Wayreth in
the coming month.
To conclude, I feel that the situation with the primal sorcerers
is concluded satisfactorily. Analis was most accommodating and
understanding of the position of the Conclave. I look forward to
seeing the majority of the sorcerers joining our ranks in the
coming months. Those who choose to remain unaffiliated will know
that they will be monitored by the Conclave, and those who
choose exile know that to return means death. You may consider
this matter closed. If you have further need of me, I remain at
your call.
[right][i]Regards,
Karnea, Mistress of the Black Robes and of Blood Sea Tower
[/i][/right]
With the letter completed, Karnea visits with Aravis for a few
moments before Karnea retires for the evening. She bathes in a
calming tub of warm water and scrubs the grime away, and she
relaxes for a time before climbing out and drying off. Bed has
never looked so appealing to her. She pulls the comforter and
sheets down and prepares for bed.
[center]Finale[/center]
[center]End of Story Two
Look for Story One and Story Three[/center]
*****************************************************
DIR Previous Page
DIR Next Page