Saraph Has Been Reclaimed

Greetings unto thee, Chieftain Rostam & Chieftain Xixin of the Serinan Tribe,

Father, my chieftain, I hope the tears dry before this magical pigeon missive reaches you.

In the distance I see my quarry, inside my heart is beating but I quell the burning rage. Soon we will strike down and retrieve what they stole from the Golden-City of Wo’Elfenbrut. I should have made the connections when I saw the “Golden Door” that lead inside but it is clear to me the Elves of the New Kingdom made the Golden-City of Baalgor in honor of the more ancient city of Wo’Elfenbrut. We were forced to flee from the ancient city as the magics that protected it were broken down to gain entry. Despite what we have recovered more knowledge of the past was lost! The only solace is the notion the Gods which walked the world in those days many epochs ago buried this knowledge because of what was contained. I want to believe it will make the world a better place for all races and help notch the beltway of our peoples’ path to redemption. I have learned to have a healthy sense of trepidation in such wishes.

I am standing in sand where the Teleport circle took us. The sand that is suppose to be the location of the lost Golden-City of Baalgor! All I see is hot golden sand and I know from the stories I am somewhere in the Sandy Desert of the Baalgor Wastelands! Which means I am home and I can finally meet the Serinan Tribe! I will attempt to not be shy, but I don’t really know how many of the Etrinan survived, I don’t remember any of the Serelan except for Chieftain Xixin. Part of me is shaking in fear that I look so different now I do not know if they’ll accept me.

Well I have avoided the one ton Manticore sitting in the room long enough. Father, Luur’na, is dead. From what I can gather the attack was meted out by holy Isis, herself! We had only just entered the Golden-City of Wo’Elfenbrut accompanying an elf scholar that had followed the clues down below Avramstown. Master Grilmart was his name, and I made a concerted effort to not let the jaded lessons of strangers hamper communications. This scholar had a great deal of experience, psychic abilities, and magic upon him in wooden enchanted rings. I offered to heal him while the others wish to interrogate him. While I can’t blame my companions, I couldn’t let my trump card slip up in this game. Sure, it was really odd for this scholar to explain the turning of the year had passed as he was coming into the catacombs. It was stranger still he bypassed all the Eastern Forces which we learned had overrun Avramstown. Yes he had a lot of magical rings just like the other members of the Blessing had. However, he had done nothing wrong to any of us and I want to believe in the principles of the Lawgiver, to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” and “innocent until proven guilty.” Besides what no one seemed to realize was if I armored him up in my magic, then I could cancel it if he proved to be ‘guilty’ so I think the strategy lessons are working.

We had made it to the Golden Door of the Library within Wo’Elfenbrut ignoring the rest of the city which the darkness obfuscated what I am worried was a slightly smaller example of what the Golden-City of Baalgor would have looked like in its grand days of yore! I began to hear Luur’na screaming from inside and I don’t even remember how we got in the door but we pressed forward and I tried so hard to get to Luur’na in time! Nearly dragging Father Indaris along with me screaming that he had to perform the last rites upon her before she died so Modeus would not get her soul. We found a smoldering skeleton at the base of an eighty foot tall Wolfen statue. At first I didn’t noticed the runestaff, because I had dropped to my knees knowing I failed to save her soul from eternal damnation! I cradled the skeleton in my arms with a tenderness I am ashamed to admit was still buried deep within my heart. I am ashamed to admit I still loved her! Father, please believe me that I was truly happy for my brother and his wife at their life mating. I knew that my fate was not to be her’s so the least I could do was hope and pray she found happiness. I hated her for nearly taking you from me, and yet. . .
. . .yet I still thought in that dark hidden place of my heart I could save her soul and deprive Modeus of another supplicant.

I laid the corpse down and begged the good father to try the rites for the dead. Through my friend and Master No Name, or Khonsu’s Reaper I learned Isis had smote her former priestess down! Not only was I unable to save her, Isis, did not want her! I have no idea the complete toll of evil she wrecked to her soul’s banishment from the Ma’ip, but I will not question She of Countless Names. I reached down and removed her horns as tenderly as I could to carry out her final punishment. She would never find the solace of the fields of damnation or heavenly peace. Then I heard a voice I thought never to hear again. FATHER I HEARD MOTHER SPEAK TO ME FROM THE MA’IP!!!!!! As I put the horns of the faithless into the bag containing the other four pairs mother spoke unto me, “I am sorry about her.”

“Hey Tiny, some one left a staff over here!”

The giant bear called out to me and I went over and found Saraph, as the runestaff we saw my mother and your second wife wield! Holy Isis purged the evil from the soul of the runestaff and restored it to its former glory! The two heart rubies for the twin souls merged together! The gold and silver staff, with blue gemstone wings that remind me of a clear day at sea! I reached out and took hold of the last missing rune soul of our tribe’s enchanted friends.

After helping No Name with an item he was looking for the library began to fall, and chaos was everywhere. I was able to find Ursus from his shouting he found a magic circle. Clearly this was how the blessing escaped and when I used magic to force it to tell me the location it just said Baalgor in ancient Elvish! It was then I knew where they went and we are following to bring this full circle as it were. I hope to see you soon and re-aquaint myself among Minotaurs of good cheer.

I am bringing Saraph home!

Oh don’t you have Hooman priest among you now?

Yours In service,

Xerx’ses Goldenhorn,
Immortal War Wizard of CrIsis,
aka: Captain Osric Orghallar of Rogtilda

>> Written by Xerx’ses Goldenhorn, sent in the morning upon the 9th of Gryphon, 4th year of King Guy the First of the Timiro Kingdom, 72nd Year of the Wolfen Empire, 345th year of the Dominion of Man, and 25th Year of the Western Emperor Voelkian Itomas II. <<

Art by AZ_Rune.