Session 24 - Unlocking the Puzzle Box

GM Observations
- In a game such as LoG&S where there are few boundaries for the PCs, the GM needs to be very well prepared because sometimes there is sudden acceleration of events, or removal of barriers such that the PCs make large strides. It has been a long time coming as Grant is a relatively careful character, but he finally decided to follow through on some of the plot threads and see where they lead. 

Realm 15b - True Marindar (Grey Door)
The Ambush in Central
- Whilst Grant remains at Meliander’s house, Ethan talks with Sophia about whether to seek out Morrison directly or to head to Arcadia in response to the Queen’s invitation. He re-reads the Queen’s letter to him and he feels there is an undercurrent of ‘need’ in her message. Ethan decides to head out into the rain and head to the Arcadian gate. Sophia goes with him.
- Just before the Arcadian gate, they are ambushed by a group of assassins dressed in water-repelling body armour. Their firearms discharge with a plastic clacking sound, and Ethan is hit. Whilst Sophia stands dumbstruck as her umbrella-shaft is shattered and the bullets whiz past her, Ethan runs for cover, catches his breath, and uses Sorcery to wrench his assailants off rooftops and pull them down to street level. The battle on the ground is brief and Ethan is ruthless in his response, leaving Sophia surrounded by bodies whom Ethan has cut to pieces with his lightsaber. (GM’s note - he still has the lightsaber as a 1 point item at this time) Ethan gives Sophia a moment, and he inspects the bodies. Sophia is able to identify them as offworlders, not native Marindans, but beyond that she doesn’t know. Quite shaken, she calls for assistance and some of her household arrive to clean up the bodies before anyone notices. Ethan asks about notifying Morrison’s group and Sophia says that she will inform the Defenders after Ethan has safely made it to the Arcadian Gate. Sophia asks that Ethan not mention anything to Grant about this (as she says that it would make him worry) and Ethan agrees.
- Ethan and Sophia arrive at the Arcadian Gate. There are two elves waiting for him. Sophia offers him the Key to the Door but Ethan refuses, saying that he doesn’t need a Key. He departs promptly, before she realises that he has in fact been shot.

Grand Stairway Section 5 - The Approach to Arcadia
- The section of the Grand Stair is ornate and decorative, almost like the corridor is inside a carefully hollowed tree. There are few Doors but one leads to Arcadia. The elves show Ethan the way. Both of them carry a talisman on their chests which Ethan can tell is giving them the ability to open these Doors.

Realm 18 - Arcadia (Green Door)
The Arcadian Door
- The Door to Arcadia opens on the side of a valley, looking down over a great forest. There is a small detachment of elven guards by the Door, but they show great respect and deference to Ethan. One of the elves tactfully asks about Ethan’s wound, and he accepts some aid. The bullet-wound is painful but Ethan does not think the wound is serious. However, he is quickly corrected - the bullet itself has fragmented and is already being absorbed into his body. Ethan suddenly does not feel very well and he asks if the Arcadians can help him. The elves advise him to travel to the Citadel with all due haste to see the Queen’s physicians.
- It takes hours to reach the Citadel on elvish steeds. The Citadel is in fact a great castle made of transparent crystal, like glass. It towers over the surrounding forests and is almost as high as the ice-capped peaks in the nearby mountain range. By time he has arrived, Ethan is feeling much better. He has used some ‘Jedi meditation’ (i.e.: using Eidolon on himself) to cure his affliction. Nevertheless, a trio of white-clad elven physicians inspect him and advise him to take a herbal remedy to help with his recuperation. His clothes are mended, the bloodstains removed, and he is offered wine, nectar, fruit and honey. 

The Queen of Arcadia
- It does not take long before Ethan meets the Queen of Arcadia. (GM’s note - the template here is Aglaranna from the R.E.Feist’s Magician novels - I haven’t given her a name but I’m tempted to call her Aglaranna) She is beautiful and austere, but Ethan also senses a sadness and longing about her. Ethan treats her with deep respect, and they talk for some time. Ethan senses that she is holding back.

- The Queen invites Ethan to stay as her guest and he accepts. It quickly becomes clear that although there is a King of Arcadia, the King and Queen are not a happily married couple. The King offers Ethan no greeting, and is noticeably absent when Ethan is formally greeted by the Arcadian court. 
- Two days after Ethan’s arrival, the Queen’s tone changes. She asks after Lucien, Lord of Gossamer, and when Ethan says that he has not met Lucien, she begs Ethan to find Lucien and ‘bring him back to Arcadia’. It becomes obvious to Ethan that the Queen is in love with Lucien, and is genuinely heartbroken by Lucien’s disappearance. The arrival of Grant and Ethan to Marindar has given her hope that another Lord of Gossamer could help her find Lucien once more. Ethan offers to help, which brings tears to the Queen’s eyes. She says that she has some keepsakes which were once Lucien’s, which perhaps Ethan could use to find him.

Realm 15b - True Marindar (Grey Door)
Many Gifts
- Meanwhile, while the rains continue in Marindar, Grant and Meliander spend a number of days talking. Grant is amazed by the clever use of spell craft as part of the normal household routine, and Meliander teaches Grant some simple Marindan tricks. Grant encourages this, and Meliander finds that he quite enjoys teaching Grant. Clarabelle also notices the difference in her husband as Meliander teaches the basics of magic to his new friend. Meliander is an excellent sorcerer - like a professional violinist, he makes it look very easy. Meliander also shares a lot more about ‘the old days’ when the Lords of Gossamer were more active in Marindar, and Grant is left with the impression that the current political scene has become more activity as the Lords have been less involved. The balance of power has changed. Grant learns a lot more about the noble houses, their blood ties to the Lords and their interests. They also speak about Shimrod and his traitorous betrayal to the Great Enemy. 
- Sophia occasionally checks on Grant. She is polite and asks about Grant’s welfare. On the third day she notes that Ethan has departed but does not say where he has gone, but that Ethan said he would be in contact shortly. When the storm passes, Grant decides to return to Central but he thanks both Meliander and Clarabelle for their hospitality and urges them to stay in contact.
- Returning to Central after the rains have cleared, Sophia presents Grant with a long list of parties wishing to meet him. Nobles, merchants, elves... the list is very long. There are a number of gifts, some magical, some ornate. The Heldonian Puzzle Box attracts his attention. About the size of a tea chest, there are a number of pop-out chambers which are easy enough to find, but the more Grant explores it, the more cavities he finds, to the degree that the interior must be much bigger than the exterior, and there are sections which should technically overlap and hence be impossible - but they seem to exist. Sophia comments that Heldonian relics are very rare. She notes that the sender is related to House Shapiro which has blood-ties to Bastiano. Sophia knows the individual who sent the box. She appears a little withdrawn, bothered by something. Grant can tell that she is distracted but she does not reveal what that is.
- Reviewing the rest of the gifts, he is intrigued by silver-bladed cutlass from a Kargan noble named Valaya, and by a simple pocket book from the Arcadian Queen which is clearly not of elven make. (GM’s note - Grant had paid points for an ‘ATM wallet’ similar to what Cal carried, but there was not an opportunity for Grant to craft it, or to have it introduced until now. In this case, the Arcadian Queen is presenting Lucien’s wallet to Grant - which had the desired result of getting his attention)
- Grant becomes quite distracted by the Heldonian Puzzle Box, and sets to work cataloguing all the compartments and the myriad configurations. However, during a break Grant notices that the interior of the residence is changing, and Sophia explains simply that the house is being extended to suit Grant’s needs. She takes him outside to make the point, and the residence is slowly expanding, pushing the nearby structures further away. Grant realises that even with the expansion that the interior is bigger than the exterior (GM’s note - Grant thought of the Tardis from Doctor Who, which is a plausible association to be made given that Grant comes from 1985 which was still the Tom Baker era)Sophia admits that some contemporary Marindan magic is based on Heldonian, but she notes that the Heldonites are long extinct. 
- Grant becomes determined to solve the puzzle, and he uses Umbral Sight to accelerate the process. He reaches a point where the Puzzle Box reconfigures from a rectangular structure to a sphere, unlocking a second level of the puzzle. Grant begins again, but by this time more and more of the internal cavities are empty. Grant surmises that those of House Shapiro who gave him this gift have never delved this deeply into the puzzle. After more hours of unlocking, the Puzzle Box reconfigures into a pyramid, unlocking a third level. This time Grant moves more quickly and at last one of the points caves in and he is able to reach into the core interior. Inside, he finds a ebony black dagger, the hilt strapped in black leather (or something like leather). The pommel has a crest of a black raven on it on a blood red background. The instant Grant sees it, he feels silence descend on the area as if the blade is whispering to him that he should not share this with anyone. Grant can tell that the weapon is Umbral, and he decides that it is an assassin’s weapon. Grant decides to put it back in the Puzzle Box for the time being. He is both intrigued and perplexed by the dagger.

Investigations in Central
- Grant returns to the Central Library to find out more about the raven symbol on the dagger, and he finds that this is Mordecai’s symbol. Mordecai has been missing for over 20 years, but he is mentioned favourably in the texts, always one of the key Lords who has defended the realms against the Dwimmerlaik threat. Mordecai leads the Raven Legions, a fighting force which comes and goes as needed. The narratives speak of Mordecai as being a capable warrior and general.
- Grant also looks up Heldonian culture but finds that their realm was destroyed long ago. Nevertheless there is a puzzle box in the museum (but one which is much smaller than the one given as a gift to Grant). 
- Grant investigates Mithrandir, and finds him referred to as a meddler, but a well regarded one. Frequently absent, he has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, and the accounts speak highly of him. He also seems to be a bit of a storyteller - Grant finds fragments of text which are attributed to Mithrandir’s stories in which he tells tales of Hobbits and Servants of the Great Enemy. At this point, Grant forms the opinion that Middle Earth could well be Mithrandir’s favourite place and he resolves to go back to Middle Earth in the near future.
- Finally, Grant looks into Bastiano and he finds that Bastiano used to take a keen interest in the House of Shapiro. He has sired many offspring over the last few hundred years with those of House Shapiro so the House is a collection of multiple bloodlines rather than having a single key bloodline. Bastiano is recognised as being shrewd, canning, and charismatic. Grant gets the impression that Bastiano takes a keen interest in being seen in the best possible light.

Contact with Ethan
- Two days after arriving back in Central, Grant receives an Icon contact from Ethan. He is well. He says he is with the elves in Arcadia. They have received him well, and he has spoken to the Queen at some length. He does not wish to say much, even via Icon, but he thinks he has a way of finding Lucien. However, he also says that he thinks that not everyone in Marindar is happy to see the Lords return - he admits that he was attacked when he left Grant's residence for the Arcadian portal. Even though the ambush was a poor one, it has made Ethan wonder if someone is testing him. Ethan also says that last night there was a bright red shooting star which streaked across the Arcadian sky and landed in the mountains. He’s almost certain that it’s landed somewhere near the Door on the Arcadian side and that surely cannot be a coincidence. The Queen has sent scouts to investigate, but Ethan has a bad feeling about what they will find. He asks Grant not to approach the Arcadian Door, but instead to keep in contact via Icon.
- On a more cheery note, Ethan says that he has a surprise for Grant when they next meet. He does not say what it is, but says that Grant is sure to like it. On that note, the contact ends.

Cromwell and the Danger Room
- That afternoon, Grant’s new military advisor arrives. Cromwell is clearly not Marindan, appearing more like some of evil-eyed wolf, but Sophia explains that he has been her ally for a long time and he is both a capable warlord and an able tutor for a young Lord of Gossamer. 

* Image by OchreJelly on DeviantART
- Cromwell is grouchy when Grant first meets him, and seems more interested in inspecting the facilities than spending time with him. Sophia shows Cromwell to a newly constructed chamber which appears to be open to the elements (but Grant can tell is not), and is flanked on all sides by pillars and steps leading down to an arena floor. In the room there are two gladiators practising with wooden swords and bucklers. Grant guesses that it is a training room, and Sophia illustrates what the room is capable of by summoning a black cat. The black cat appears from behind a pillar, leaps down the dais to the floor and runs over to Grant. Grant picks up the cat and strokes it - the cat purrs. It feels like a real cat. Sophia then dispels the spell and the cat vanishes, leaving Grant astonished. (GM’s note - David badly wanted to say the word ‘holodeck’ but couldn’t do so in character as Star Trek The Next Generation wasn’t released until 1987, and in the current timeline it’s only 1986. So he settles on calling it the Danger Room (based on the X-Men comics of the time) He realises that the cat, the gladiators and the pillars are made from the same material (he can tell with Umbral sight) but there is a powerful enchantment on the room.
- Grant asks if he can fight the gladiators, and Cromwell signals for them to stop their private sparring and engage him. Despite being weaponless, Grant easily takes them both and recovers a wooden sword. Cromwell releases more gladiators, who appear from behind each of the pillars, but Grant easily defeats more than a dozen of them, demonstrating that he has both aptitude and skill with a weapon. Grant points out that he is having to hold back because otherwise the weapon would break, and Cromwell acknowledges this with a stroke of his wispy beard. Cromwell sends in another fighter, this one more experienced who is not felled with a single blow, but Grant still takes him. This continues for another two hours, with Cromwell sending a variety of opponents against him. Some use different weapons, some use different styles. In the end, Cromwell ends the session and says that he is tired from the trip. Grant asks Cromwell his opinion, and Cromwell admits that he is good, but could be better. He makes it clear that his aim is to improve Grant’s survivability, and that extends beyond simply being better in a fight.

The Raven Dagger
- Feeling good about his first training session with Cromwell, Grant showers and changes, then sits down with Sophia for a good evening meal. But he is distracted. Grant has decided that he will take the dagger from the Heldonian Puzzle Box and test it out in the Danger Room. After dinner, he excuses himself and returns to the room where the Gifts have been laid out for his perusal.
- Opening the Puzzle Box is easy once you’ve opened it once, and it takes Grant only a few minutes to reach the Raven Dagger. Immediately feeling a blanket of silence descending over him, he wraps it in a blanket and heads back to the Danger Room. He avoids being seen, but notices that there is a time distortion in carrying the dagger. The walk should take him 5 minutes to reach the Danger Room, but he covers the distance much more quickly than that.
- In the Danger Room, he pulls out the dagger from its sheath. The Umbral weapon gives him the creeps. It feels cold, and he can tell that the sheath is creating a spell effect around him. There is a strange feeling like being close to the sea, with the waves crashing against the shoreline - a shoreline that he cannot see. With the blade in his hand, Grant can tell now that the dagger is in fact an Icon, and he concentrates to make contact.
- The Raven in the pommel shifts against the red background, looks at him, and asks him to identify himself. Remembering the advice given to him earlier by Sophia and Meliander, he introduces himself as Grant, Lord of Gossamer. He can feel a powerful presence on the other side. At first it is surprised by his answer, but then it begins testing the strength of his mind - to test the truth of Grant’s claim. Grant asks who is he addressing and, speaking through the Raven, the presence identifies itself as Mordecai, also a Lord of Gossamer. Grant is now both excited and surprised - he has finally met one of the greater Lords of Gossamer.
- The conversation is brief but fruitful. Grant wants to know what happened to Shatterlight, and he explains that Marindar that has come under attack from Narsaug, one of Drake’s servants, who was himself duped by Bastiano. Grant also explains that he has met and slain a Dwimmerlaik who was looking for Mithrandir. Mordecai is very interested, but also concerned by what Grant has to say. He says that Shatterlight was brought down by a betrayal ‘most foul’, and that Marindar is neutral ground and that no Lord of Gossamer would violate that by bringing conflict to it. Grant explains that things are not well in Marindar and the Doors have ‘stopped working’. Mordecai wants to hear more and suggests that they meet. Grant agrees, but before Mordecai commits, he asks for Grant to swear to him that he has not spoken to any other Lord of Gossamer about this. (GM’s note - Grant is young and doesn’t see the danger in what Mordecai is asking) Grant admits that there is another who became a Warden at the same time. Mordecai asks where the other Warden is, but relaxes when Grant tells him that Ethan is in Arcadia. Grant agrees to contact Mordecai again.
- Cutting the Icon connection, Grant realises that the sheath not only silences the conversation but also makes him invisible so that the conversation can truly be held privately. He finds this interesting.

Departure from Marindar
- Despite it being late in the evening, Grant speaks briefly with Sophia as she is about to retire for the night and explains that he will be back in a few days. Sophia is concerned and encourages him to take some guards with him. Grant is surprised by this, and Sophia reveals that she was present when Ethan was ambushed. She admits to having to ‘clean up’ the mess that Ethan left behind, making Grant wonder how much Ethan has not been telling him. Finally Grant reassures Sophia by telling her that he will use shapeshifting to reach the nearest Door, and he will not be easily caught. Sophia wishes him well, and lets him go.
- Grant heads to the Ineswitrin Door in a variety of forms and is not ambushed. He heads through the Door and out onto the Stair.

Grand Stairway Section 6 - The Approach to Ineswitrin
- This section of the Grand Stair is one giant circular stair with no apparent bottom or top - both up and down lead to darkness. The Doors here are old wooden doors, their paint cracked and peeling. Grant does not linger here - he takes out the Raven Dagger once more and contacts Mordecai.
- Again the Raven speaks to him and he accepts the connection to be pulled through the Icon to Mordecai’s location.

Realm 19 - Nebraeska (Brown Door)
Enter Mordecai
- Grant finds himself on a hillside, looking down across open fields filled with modern battle tanks bearing the standard of the Black Raven on a Red Circle. Behind him is a canvas tent, and the old soldier Mordecai waits to meet him.

* Image by Dennis Darmond
- Mordecai does not waste time. He invites Grant inside and offers him a drink and a seat. They talk.

The Fall of Shatterlight
- Mordecai says that Shatterlight was betrayed by Drake. He uncovered evidence that Drake was colluding with the Dwimmerlaik, but even when he presented that evidence to Vala herself, she refused to take action. He does not know the reasons why, nor why Drake would seek to engage with his most hated enemies. Nevertheless, Mordecai is convinced that Drake is a traitor and the reason for Shatterlight’s fall. Mordecai tells Grant that he was not there, but from his agents on the ground, the fall was sudden and brutal. Vala is gone, and he holds Drake responsible for her death. Mordecai makes no secret that he wants Grant with him in seeking revenge on Drake.

Attacks on Marindar 
- Mordecai cannot fathom why Bastiano would endanger Marindar by attacking it. 


The conversation with Mordecai continues …..