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 Post Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 6:51 am 
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Felix's face is in his hands, now.

"The god he worships is unknown, he knows magic sufficient to hide himself from prying eyes, and his first student is a mad bomber he specifically woke from cryogenic sleep where his presence could have gone unnoticed for decades otherwise."

Felix sighs.

"I think I've made a grave error, in trusting Zalasbra," Felix says. "I... I think he is in league with Azash."

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 Post Posted: Sun Mar 07, 2021 9:38 pm 
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Arkady considers Felix for a second, then sighs. "Felix, I am sorry for your family. But everyone we've discussed magic with so far says it takes years to learn. Zalasbra could have done much more damage in other ways if he's really a Zemoch mage than this, and I am not thinking he is too foolish to know that."

"Yes, it is suspicious. It could be a problem. We probably should be telling the ship about Blackwell's history. But maybe we should try to find out a bit more before we shoot them?"

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 Post Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:42 am 
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"Zalasbra came to us to learn about us," Felix says. "If he really is a spy for Azash, then his observations of us may very well advance Zemoch's technological levels by hundreds of years. Further, if he stays with us longer."

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 Post Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 1:31 am 
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"I grew up in the same village as him," says Piper. "He can't be Azash's. He just can't. ...you have to be either really evil or really stupid to start worshipping Azash by choice. People in Zemoch - they don't get given the choice, they just get killed if they refuse. But Zalasbra grew up here, so he had a choice. And he's definitely not an idiot. ...and if he was that evil, then I think someone would have noticed by now."

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 Post Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 2:32 am 
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"Then how did he pick Blackwell to teach magic to?" Felix asks. "There are thousands of still frozen colonists. For him to choose Blackwell at random is next to impossible, so it had to be deliberate choice by someone with a hand guided by the future."

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 Post Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 7:12 am 
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Arkady nods. "You may be right. But what if that vision was not Azash's?" He looks at the fire, then goes on. "This Blackwell sounds like an old fashioned anarchist. They wanted things to burn, too." He looks back up. "But they were mostly embittered idealists. They wanted something specific to be destroyed: the oppressive capitalist system. It was their dragon to be slain. Naturally that looked like they were trying to burn the world to people living within the system, but that wasn't really what they wanted."

"Felix, that dragon isn't living here. The local dragon styles itself an elder god. He may be the perfect bait for a perverted dragon slaying anarchist type. And I am thinking any of the other local powers that can see the future would be able to figure that out. If so, then Blackwell would be a very useful fellow until that dragon is killed. After that, well, he still can't be as bad as that Zemoch priest who handles the sale of souls; he wouldn't know enough magic yet. So while it looks bad, perhaps we should suspend judgement on Zalasbra until we know a little more."

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 Post Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 7:32 am 
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Piper nods. "All of the younger gods have some ability to see the future - or possible futures, anyhow. Not - not always to understand what is seen, or to see the whole thing, but... often enough to identify things that will be important, later. Places. Times. People. Though... often it's just knowing that something is or will be important. Not why."

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 Post Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:10 am 
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Felix starts audibly grinding his teeth while staring off into the distance. It sounds like a slow motion band saw. Finally he jerks his head, as if tearing his gaze away from something only he can see.

"Alright. That's smoke for the future. We've got fires now," Felix says. "Let's find the Blue Rose."

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 Post Posted: Mon Mar 08, 2021 2:09 pm 
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Arkady grins a bit. "Yes, it is story time."

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 Post Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 3:05 am 
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And on that note, the discussion ends and the journey continues.

--------------

Midmorning the next day, you're approaching the Castle of Count Stokes. The villagers outside the castle still shy away from you - probably because you're arriving in great big, noisy, smelly trucks - and the castle is still huge and intimidating, the sort of place to really give an impression if seen by night. (Somewhat less so on a sunny mid-morning). Sir Ulath raps at the door.

There's no response.

After several minutes, Sir Ulath raps at the door again.

Still no response.

"Huh. This does seem a little od-" begins Sir Ulath, but he's interrupted by the little eye-level hatch opening.

"Oh! Good morning!" calls out the somewhat out-of-breath voice of the Count. "And welcome! Just, ah, just give me a moment to get this door open..."

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 Post Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:37 am 
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Arkady nods. "Ivan's day off."

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 Post Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 12:44 am 
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"Oh, I wish. But this is no conversation for doorsteps! Please, come in, come in! We are - still not a happy house - barely a house at all, anymore - but I can at least offer basic hospitality!"

The Count eventually manages to raise the portcullis and open the way in.

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 Post Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 10:09 am 
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Arkady has a few quiet words with God about not being bored, then enters when the door is open.

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 Post Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2021 5:28 pm 
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Roger quietly tags along, behind all the rest.

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 Post Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2021 5:44 am 
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It doesn't take long for the Count to lead you into his study, making sure that the door is closed behind you. It's very clear, on your walk through the castle, that no-one has been keeping up with the dusting; the study is, in fact, the first room you've seen that still remains impeccably clean.

Arkady will also notice that the feelings of oppression, gloom, and general evil that previously radiated from the area where the Count's sister was kept have departed entirely. Well - almost entirely; what remains seems little more than a hint of what it was previously, and Arkady suspects that he would have missed it if he hadn't come across it before.

"So!" says the Count. "Given the... early hour of your arrival, I imagine that it is hardly a place to sleep in safety that you seek. And with our position here in the mountains, we are - really not on the route to anywhere else. Hence, you came here seeking something. Might I ask as to what it is you sought?"

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