- GM’s note: And now we get back to the present plotline – Ethan is Dragon Marked and is being hunted.
Given time constraints, I’m going to keep these updates shorter than previous. I’ve fallen behind and this is my way of making sure that I can catch up.
Part 1 – Bad Advice
- Ethan finds himself in the city of Gau-Mang, a polluted world with heavy industry, heavy mining and few local laws. Life is cheap here. Despite having a very bad feeling about this place, there is an entity called Desslyth here who apparently has information about how to remove a Dragon Mark.
- The creature called Desslyth is a tentacled monster that dwells out of the public eye. He has the knowledge and is willing to trade it to Ethan for a ‘favour’. A bargain is struck and Desslyth gives Ethan the information that a Dragon Mark cannot be removed unless the marked party is ‘unmade’ via Umbra. This knowledge is useless for an Eidolon Master because it would either mean his destruction or the loss of his powers.
- Ethan leaves the city with the laughter of the alien creature ringing in his ears.
Part 2 – Arranging a Meet
- In the back alleys of the Agora, Ethan plays chess with a heavily armoured alien warrior with dark red skin called Marrus. They sit on seats made from old barrels and move pieces of bone across a wooden table that looks as if it is hundreds of years old. The sounds of the markets are far away from the players as they indulge in a game of skill. Marrus knows that Ethan is Dragon Marked and is a little tense. Ethan is also a little distracted. He is waiting to hear whether the Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik’s sentient cloak, Artemis, has a message for him.
- Ethan has reached out to the Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik, his old nemesis, and is trying to reach some sort of arrangement.
- A kid arrives with a green token. It seems that the Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik has accepted Ethan’s offer for a meet. Ethan calmly finishes the game with Marrus and departs.
Part 3 – A New Understanding
- They meet in a low-tech world, perhaps around 800AD. There is little or no magic here and there are many racial groups here – humans of different races, plus Pahtra (feline-looking), Trolls, Ikeshti (reptilemen). It seems to be some sort of Trading Post – a permanent marketplace. There is only one Door here.
- Ethan senses the arrival of another Warden. The individual sends Artemis out to scout ahead then when he is comfortable, the Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik, clad in heavy armour, strides over and joins Ethan at a table.
- A conversation ensues. It is cordial. An exchange of ideas.
- They talk about what the Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik wants. He wants to prevent the Dwimmerlaik empire from reform as it was. He wants to see a new and vibrant culture, not something that just conquers and seeks to supplant others. Without the new, there is no change and the Empire has become stagnant. He says that the Empress is not the same person that she was because she carries an amulet that is a phylactery of all of the souls of the past Emperors – they are reinforcing the status quo – and that will ultimately be the death of his people unless they change. He believes that breaking up the Empire is the only way to save it.
- The Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik also warns that something is coming. Wardens don’t appear at the rate that they have done so, nor do they become as powerful as Grant and Ethan have without there being a very real threat. The Stair has done this before in times of great crisis so the Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik concludes that something is coming. It may be years away, but something is coming. He fears for an Empire that cannot adapt and the Empress will not listen while she carries the amulet of her ancestors.
- The conversation turns to whether the Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik has any advice for him and he sanguinely points out that Dragons have long memories and they will never stop hunting him. The Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik tells him to listen to Hilda if he wants to stay alive. The Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik tells Ethan that the Dragon Mark is an Invocation.
- The Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik makes a remark that sounds like an apology without actually saying it, suggesting that things may be different between them in the future. He doesn’t know how to remove the Dragon Mark but he says that all Invocation rituals need someone to lead them, so one of the Dragons must have led that ritual. Knowing which of them might yield some clues as to how to remove it.
- Both Ethan and the Red-Eyed Dwimmerlaik sense that they’ve lingered too long and danger is drawing near. They decide to part, but not before he passes his Icon to Ethan (in the form of a stone enamel disk).
- Ethan contacts Isabelle via Icon and leaves promptly before pursuit can arrive.
Part 4 – Ethan and Hilda
- Ethan finds himself in Isabelle’s clockwork house. Hilda is there and she eagerly hugs him. She wants to show him a picture that she drew – it is of a single yellow rose in a vase, and the moon above has red eyes with a tear dripping from it. It is spooky how she can sense connections to the Red Eyed Dwimmerlaik.
- Ethan feels safe enough in Isabelle’s house to stay a little while. He spends time doing normal family stuff and trying to carry on as normal. When he has a few minutes alone, he does some Divination spells and concludes that he is not in immediate danger and the Dragons do not know where he is, for now.
- After helping Hilda to bed and reading her stories, Isabelle asks Ethan how he is coping. He tells her that the Dragon Mark is some sort of Invocation and he asks for her help to break it. He wonders if killing the caster would break the Mark.
- To his surprise, Hilda hasn’t gone to sleep. She walks in at that point and says that she just had a dream about a blue meany that was protecting her as the grey wizard couldn’t help anymore. This makes no sense to Ethan and he reassures her and takes her back to bed.
- Back to an adult conversation, Isabelle says that identifying the originator of the Invocation is important in order to break it – and the Dragons would certainly know that. She suggests that Abbie (Abigail) might be able to find that out.
- Isabelle is clearly concerned about Ethan. She asks how he is coping and he promises not to stay too long and keep moving. Even more worried based on his response, she tells him to rest and get some sleep and she will keep watch. She promises to keep both him and Hilda safe. Ethan accepts her offer, tells her that he loves her and kisses her goodnight.
- The next day they talk further. Ethan wonders if the Dragon Mark will be ended if the target ‘dies’ – for example if Ethan were to die and be resuscitated. Isabelle says that this wouldn’t work as Invocation is linked to the Name. Even if the target came back to life, they would have the same name. Hiding the name wouldn’t work either and changing his name now might not even remove it.
- Ethan thinks through his options. Isabelle offers him some tea and promises to stick with him. They’ll work it out – somehow.
Interludes:
1. City of Gau-Mang, a polluted world with much heavy industry, heavy mining and few local laws. Life is cheap here. Really bad feeling about this place. Ethan gets the feeling that there is some sort of powerful entity in control here, but it is hidden, behind the scenes. He is hunting here for a clue as to how to remove a Dragon Mark. This takes him to a dark place. There is one here who has insights into how to achieve this, but the road will not be easy. (I’m thinking Splugorth from the RIFTS universe) And there is a price….
The information revealed by Desslyth is that a Dragon Mark cannot be removed unless the marked is ‘unmade’, via Umbra. Obviously this is impossible for someone like Ethan. It would mean either his destruction or the loss of his Eidolon at the very least.
As a result, Ethan owes a ‘favour’ to the alien intelligence, Desslyth.
2. In the back alleys of the Agora, Ethan plays chess with a heavily armoured alien warrior with dark red skin named Marrus. They sit on seats made from old barrels and move pieces of bone across a wooden table that looks as if it is hundreds of years old. The sounds of the markets are far away from the players as they indulge in a game of skill.
3. Time with Hilda (we haven’t seen Hilda in ages) --- does she have some premonition for Ethan? Are the forces of evil waiting to ambush Ethan?
4. Searching the Forbidden Library for a way to escape the Dragon Mark, Ethan comes upon an interpretation of the wording that the mark will last until death – so is there a way of ‘faking’ his death or crossing over into the afterlife which might trick the dragons into thinking that he is dead? Surely it cannot be that easy ….
5. Or would it be possible to use the RED trick and project oneself into another body to enable oneself to operate freely? (leaving the Dragon Mark behind) Hmmm…. How to test that out.
No comments:
Post a Comment