We departed early the next morning by train toward Ledgerman Headquarters in Logistica. MArrion notably did not see us off. Upon arrival in Blackspire, we proceeded to the Citadel of Auditors, where blocks reconvene between assignments. Most were engaged in clerical work.
Charles wandered off toward a purple-haired, blue-skinned female and her elven companion. NOTE: Witness accounts suggest the two conversed with him in a manner that could be read as sarcastic or dismissive. Charles remained composed, offering a reply bordering on flirtation.
At our station, a note instructed us to meet Horatio in the mess hall. En route, I examined Marrion’s reports. They fulfilled the entirety of the paperwork required for mission completion, but the narrative had been significantly reframed in our favor. Admiral Katharis drilled into me that such twisting of events was unbecoming of command, for it corrodes trust. Marrion’s decision is deliberate; beyond personal regard, a strategy I do not yet understand.
Sal and Mazarin went their own way. Charles and I proceeded to Horatio. He carries himself with a cooler head than before, and I find him easier to meet in stride. His adaptability is rare among others, and worthy of note.
Horatio briefed us on our next assignment. His former block, 233, disappeared while guarding a package in the Divinorum. The package itself survived untouched, but the ledgermen vanished, their names erased from the ledger. Horatio believes their remains lie within The Embermaw and has charged us with either recovering them or discerning their fate. Due to the general danger of the environment, he has arranged a guide, an Ashborne named Enoch.
Upon our exit we were confronted by a goliath woman, Nestra, who approached with her tiefling companion. She called me “princess,” derided Conscriptus, and boasted of always wanting to kill a Katharis. I asked if this constituted a formal request for a duel. She did not answer. Instead, a human male from her commencement block intercepted her hand as it reached for her weapon and apologized with measured respect. The encounter was an annoyance, though not without utility; it reminded me plainly how my name invites challenge as much as it does deference.
We gathered the group and procured supplies. Enoch’s status as a dissident became the subject of conversation, still he provided us with clear instructions on preparing for The Embermaw. He speaks with humility, but his posture and phrasing reveal extensive martial training.
While traveling the Holy Rail toward Cindralis, I caught sight of Conscriptus. The sight struck me harder than I expected. I did not allow myself to linger on sentimentality, I have already sent a letter home, which is sufficient.
Enoch guided us through a mountain pass which contained unfamiliar flora and fauna, partially coated in ash and heated by underlying magma. Sal was characteristically eager, gathering specimens with little restraint. Enoch stopped before a monolith, explaining it had been raised at the death of one devoted to the Fire Lord. He knelt to pray.
NOTE: Although Enoch was noted to speak in a language none of the others are proficient in, Charles Brand was reportedly able to decipher the words.
Observing of the weave surrounding the monolith revealed the prayer was rejected. Sal insisted on making his own offering. With Enoch’s assistance, a sharp blow to draw blood, the offering was made. The flames answered by searing Enoch’s arm, leaving a deep burn. He bore the injury with composure and insisted we continue.
Prior to departure, I cleansed the monolith with a spell. An image was etched deep into the stone. Enoch explained it was a deity, Kossuf the Firelord and his herald Xakkor he who sleeps in fire. The volcano known as Vorrukai is the embodiment of Kossuf. The herald’s face was masked, wings flared wide, twin blades drawn. The likeness to Xalithea, the Forever Blade, was unmistakable. I observed it carefully, considering its implications.
We pressed onward, intent on finding a secure campsite for the night.
People
- Horatio
- Nestra
Current Places
- Logistica
- Blackspire (Ledgermen Headquarters)
- The Embermaw
Recap Video
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