City of Glass.
The Party begins the foot-slogging part of the expedition, traveling up the shattered boulevard towards the center of the glassed city. As the terrain changes from uneven hummocks to slagged building tops to partially intact buildings, it is clear that the molten side of what is recognizable points towards city center ... as if molten glass poured out of the center, becoming more destructive as it moved. The glass is slick and the Party chooses to rope itself together for mutual aide. Azeez has chosen to come exploring, as he would be unable to sail the boat himself alone were we not to return to him. Thus his fate is linked to ours and he chooses to share the link actively rather than wait with the boat.
The glass reflects the night sky beautifully.
Fiamma finds a bit of glass with Something embedded in it - like a fly in amber - and she keeps it as a memento.
In the center of the city, we are halted by a 20-foot high wall of glass sloping up at a 45-degree angle. We scout and estimate it to be more than 2 kilometers in circumference: we cannot risk such a hike without committing to stay the next day here, That we are reluctant to do. The buildings at the edge of the wall are basically intact so we choose one nearby that stands taller than the glass wall and work our way inside to its stairway. Glass flowed in and down, incinerating whatever was perishable and, at times, leaving molds of same. We note several such with "furniture shapes." We find the stairs and, with rope and raw strength, scale their glass-covered surfaces to the rooftop. We do seem to be in city-center. The city-destroying glass apparently welled out of the center, which seems to be the wall, and then sank somewhat to form what looks to be a crater behind the wall. A structure can be made out in the center of that crater.
Shadya postulates the possibility of shooting an arrow with rope tied to it over the wall, but we have not enough rope to shoot it all the way to the center structure (even assuming that the arrow could imbed itself in whatever material that structure is made of). Of course, via just arrow and rope - even with no secure purchase on the other side - Orlando could get into the crater. But Shadya is very reluctant to let him so assay alone. We discuss using the rigging but note that we could not re-assemble it should we do so. Thus the decision is made to return this night to the town on the lakeside where we can supply ourselves with more rope and, perhaps, tools and planks: whatever might help us get in and out of the crater.
We decide, also, to sail all around this glass ruin, just to make sure that there is nothing of note on the other side. It has occurred to Shadya that the boat with runners must have been constructed after the formation of the glass lake although it is clear that this slagged ruin of a city and the lakeside town were in existence before the lake. Also, the boat clearly was constructed for no other use but to sail this lake. Someone, somewhere did so - and yet, if it were done, say, at an intact city on the other side of the lake, or by anyone with more than limited resources - the struggling lakeside town we came from would surely have been visited by more editions of such boats. It is unique, it seems, and thus likely, the product of limited resources. Did, could any such have survived the molten glass? Thus we look for EM>anything different from what we have already seen.
All that is noted is another large boulevard, almost opposite from the one we explored.
Upon our return to the lakeside town, we find ourselves celebrities in such a quiet place. Fiamma spins tales of sailing while Shadya obtains supplies and Orlando supervises a bit of re-rigging. Our Heroes would be kept up all day to entertain the populace except that Shadya insists that a due amount of sleep is necessary to enable us to sail the next night. Azeez, in particular, must be so admonished, threatened with being left behind. (He enjoys being important, for once.) He claims to sleep.
Shadya herself does take a bit of time to seek information of the muzzim. As he does not seem to be a very high level cleric, she opts not to reveal all to him. She asks only for the local knowledge of the Light of Truth. He says that in the book where it is mentioned, it accepted some hero and he carried it - destroying all enemies in front of him. Shadya notes that she had not heard before of the Light's portability or of its used by an individual wielder. She commits the story to memory.
Come the next night, the Party sails again. Fiamma intimidates Nasir with suggestions of monsters under the glass. In fact, at one point there is a shadow under the boat that is not cast by the boat; it rises and the sailors are jarred by a distinct thud to the underside of the glass. Shadya puts Nasir to work to distract him from all this.
This time we sail to the 2nd boulevard. We are able to approach by boat somewhat closer to city center and, in fact, find much better mooring: it appears rather as if some of these structures have been rebuilt from rock that escaped melting and was scavenged from more damaged buildings.
Plank we were unable to obtain, but ladders were available. Thus with rope for support and ladders for purchase, the Party scales the glass wall and lowers itself down. Looking into the glass flooring here, we can make out, deep in the glass, buildings and a garden. As we move towards the building in the center, a figure can be seen atop its roof. The figure is waving its hands. We look up just in time to see 5 winged creatures stooping to attack us. Shadya gets her shield up in time to protect Nasir and knocks one of the creatures out of the air. Unfortunately another stings her while a third slashes Fiamma. The figure from the building makes his way down and starts running towards us. Shadya kills a second; Azeez finishes off the downed creature; Fiamma wounds one with her dagger.
The vicious little winged lizards regroup and attack yet again, focussing on Nasir. Again Shadya interposes, killing one while Fiamma damages hers again. The last manages to injure Nasir. In the next round, Shadya kills a third while Azeez and Fiamma together down the fourth. The last one again wounds Nasir and the boy collapses.
The running figure -- dressed in over-sized armor and wielding a cleaver -- attacks and kills the last lizard!
Shadya drops down to investigate Nasir's wounds with a concern akin the panic: the Party has no healing potion or any other means of succor. Then the stranger kneels next to the boy. His voice is hoarse, unused, as he croaks, "Let me help." He touches the child with one hand and chants, his other hand pressed to his own chest. His hands glow. Miraculously, Nasir's wounds close and the boy wakes. The ancient healer pants while Shadya holds Nasir close and tries to express her thanks.
Orlando and Fiamma notice that the stranger's words, though difficult to understand, sounded to each of them as though in their own language. Orlando comments on the presence of magic.
The Healer invites them all into his house, and leads to it, scanning the skies as he does so. He seems to have been here a very great time, has forgotten his name, and claims to have all his needs satisfied by prayer. His task is "to keep death from this place" even though we may be the only ones he has ever helped or ever will help. We explain our quest. The Healer exerts his power again on Shadya and Fiamma's wounds. Then he leads us back to the site of our recent battle. The glass there is glowing and , as we stand there, we sink into the glass. Our Healer remains behind.
We sink to stand in an immaculate garden outside a castle. The stars seem doubled and there is complete silence; our steps and voices seem muffled. Nasir seems particularly impressed and happy. Azeez complains about "too much magic": Nasir responds, "No, not enough." Guided by her dream, Shadya leads the group to the castle gate which stands open. Calling appropriate greeting, the group passes through, proceeded by the excited Nasir. Shadya calls him back with, "Dear heart, I almost lost you before; let us proceed with some caution." (Fiamma seems to consider this a "sweet" exchange.) Within the castle is another garden and the tower that Shadya remembers.
The Party comes upon a fountain and a light flashes from the tower ahead, leaving a glowing spot near the fountain. Investigating, we find a jewel; the lights it reflect seem as very warm sunlight on us. We speculate as to whether this is the Light of Truth. Eventually Orlando goes to pick it up: quite an armful for one his size. Doing so causes him to cry out in pain: it is too hot to hold! Shadya manages, then, to pick it up but, also, cannot hold it save by juggling it. She does so with growing discomfort.
Nasir complains that "she" won't let him go nearer. Investigation finds that further approach towards the tower is impeded by whispers of "no", "not yet" -- which are turned into 'white noise' for one carrying the jewel but are nonetheless insistent. We do not force the issue.
Meanwhile Fiamma finds herself distracted by a piece of fruit. She is brought back by Shadya asking her to try her hand at holding the jewel. Fiamma does not experience the same discomfort the others had, finding, rather, that the sensation "grows on you, like a taste for spicy foods." Still, she cannot bring herself to accept that the jewel is something that she should try to use and so tries to hand it to Nasir, claiming that he is the purest and most innocent among us. As the jewel touches the boy, the Party finds itself suddenly back on the glass surface in front of the Healer's stone structure.
We explain what happened to the Healer, and he brings us inside again. As we debate the nature of the jewel, Fiamma is distracted by observing that the Healer resembles Nasir, having the same sort of odd, too-perfect features, albeit, old and desiccated. The Healer asks that she forget that, and that she forget the interaction between jewel and Nasir, claiming that it could be very important that it be forgotten. So further discussion resolves that we believe that we have seen the Light of Truth and that it touched the gem. Orlando recalls that the Evil Wizard used a similarly shaped gem to take care of some intruders: that he pointed the gem and said a word. Gradually Fiamma and Shadya reconstruct their discoveries in the wizard's lab and recall the star name on the underside of the table. Fiamma then points the gem at the Healer's bed and proclaims, "Al Tarik." A flash of light results. Before she can try again on Orlando, he and Shadya persuade her that it might not have many charges and she should not experiment hastily when there are all the other 'changeling' victims of the wizard waiting back in Aw'wal. Fiamma is extremely concerned that the gem might be more of a weapon than a cure and resolves on questioning the Evil Wizard before conducting further experimentation.
I'll skip over the rest of our travels, O Patient Reader, noting only:
City of Aw'wal.
Back in Aw'wal, Fiamma convinces the Evil Wizard (who is reluctant despite her efforts) to explain the use of his "lesser gem." He explains that it has 3 levels of power, each responding to a different star name: "Al Tarik" is the strongest, "Al Shira" is the medium level, "Al Kalb" is the weakest. Thence we seek guidance from the mage Hassan who determines that, though there were over 20 charges in the evil one's gem, there are only 5 charges in the Light of Truth gem and that they can be used at a rate of 1/weak casting, 2/medium casting, and 5/strong casting. There will be no second chance if the strongest is what is needed ... and the Evil Wizard had claimed that he had tried to undo his transformation spells - and failed. Hassan expresses the opinion that it would take the strongest level to restore Orlando and the other changelings.
Therefore Orlando and the other changelings are assembled. Fiamma points the gem and cries out, "Al Tarik!"
The Party awakens in a hospital. Apparently breaking 24 transformation spells simultaneously released a great deal of energy and knocked out everyone present. But it worked and all survived!
In getting to know the former changelings, Shadya discovers that one young man is the brother of the Arzum. Shadya explains how things stand with his sister and prepares to escort him back to Shamar.
Meanwhile Fiamma has found that another of the victims is a long-lost apprentice of her own master, Magus Jafar. The two head down the mountain to visit their master, only to find that his house has been broken into and the wizard, to all appearances, kidnapped. The other apprentice seems somewhat uncomfortable with Fiamma poking around Jafar's house and belongings.
[Note: There will be a hiatus during the winter holidays.]
A Note on Historic Names:
| Arabic | English | Meaning | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Nahr | Milky Way | the river | |
| Al Kiblah | Polaris | least distant from pole | north |
| Al Shi'rah | Sirus | the bright | ~south |
| Al Dabarahn | Aldebaran | the follower | ~west |
| Al Kalb | Antares | the heart | ~east |
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