Time Is A River That Runs Both Ways

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| Reader Note: This has been
| sent to Ondemeira the White.
| At the castle of King Guy the First
| in the city of Credia. This has also been
| sent to Zeelik Stonemace.
| At the caverns of the Serinan Tribe
| in the Baalgor Rocky Desert.
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~ The 9th of RA ~

While Master Asher watched over the group of us hauling those that were not of demonic origins we had tied up and secured across the street. We left them in the lobby floor of “Heal for a Steal” and shut the door. Until the sun came up I sat an leaned against the wagon eating a few carrots tossing coins into the till for what I had along with some lettuce and potatoes. Our scroll maker demanded his tent and we had been lackadaisical about it given our thoughts regarding other stores being closed. Master Azariel, divided us up, he and Master Overkill would go get the tent, while Brother Indaris and Sister Caminata checked on Hotel rooms as an option. I got to stay with Master Asher and he is much more easy to talk to when its just us.

Good grief soon I was telling him everything about you, Mergerij, and Sir Quixis. Talked about the list of virtues, oh and now I am better with a sword I might stand a good shot with Mergerij, he’d be so proud. After a bit we talked about how I became a wizard and then he asked he if I wanted to be one, of I said yes, but I never did understand why he asked. There aren’t many in our tribe with the special talent for magic and its a great honor to be chosen. I’d never let the tribe or the Gods down I was picked for wizarding its what I am.

I love group activities and after Masters Azariel and Overkill return we all set the tent up, and you should have seen Master Asher using Telekinesis to help hold up his end. Master Asher disappeared quickly into the tent to set up his writing area where we stuck the beds with wood and rope frames. They even had a big one that would fit me! I will explain later but I broke one and need to pay for it when we turn them in. The elf and dwarf went to go get food and the kobold offered to tell me more tales! I think he is really beginning to warm up to me.

The good priest and master druid returned with news about four rooms found at the Hotel Miss Hoppner was staying at. Apparently these cost the same as basic items of magic purchased from Alchemists!!! Soon they started making some less than inappropriate jokes and I ignored the signs that Dwarves need to mate often because Master Overkill was rolling. I tried to change the topic about clouds but when the dwarf laughed at me I offered him a better view and picked his golden coated runic hide up and held him above my head while Brother Indaris sketched us.

Soon we were visited by our competition from both New Crests and Wisdom. The Hooman warrior, Joe, the Elf wizard that defeated me Malah, and Rahl, the Danzi runner. While I didn’t see any weapons on them I had no doubt they were carrying or disguising them upon their persons. Master Overkill wanted to fight them but while Joe was tossing a squash around I told him that the private match would be against the rules and gave him the price for squash. He tossed me coin while Nosse was snarling from a corner next to Sister Caminata. I was trying very hard to make sure we did not disturb our scroll maker and I wanted to make sure we did not break any laws of the Lopanic Games. I was worried about my immortal soul and getting CrIsis thrown out. Even with the offer of Joe threatening to kill me I kept my head level and they did eventually leave without an incident. Somehow I had become the voice of reason, hmmm.

Later, we left the druid priestess and our scroll maker to watch the tent after we closed Turnip & Time for the afternoon. We headed out to the Guildhouses and LGC Registration area. Master Azariel went off to the Guild of the White Ash tent where I learned later he met with one of his former teachers, Master Sline.

We head to a permanent structure next door and I have to admit the Gold Coast Trading Company building was impressive! Especially being made of marble trimmed in what else – gold! It was nice to walk in my normal form and yeah I know some people cleared a path from fear, some gawked, and a few seemed interested or curious about the Minotaur competing in the games. When we entered the Gold Coast guild house there were LGC staff working with members of the Gold Coast Trading Company. Everyone stopped and stared, mostly at me but what did I tell you about rule number one a few ‘missives’ back. One of them gathered their wits and mentioned that this was CrIsis. Brother Indaris and I began the registration process as Master Overkill went to have a meeting with the Manager of this office. Likely due to his going to Karowyn’s Merchant House to check on the book deal money. Apparently rumors were abounding we had left Gold Coast for Karowyn’s and that needed to be fixed. We were done and waiting out front in the lobby with everyone when one of them mentioned nicely he did not want to be eaten. I tried to explain I preferred carrots to meat hoping to calm everyone down, alas I was defeated by rule 1 and a female worker dropped her bag of food she had brought to eat throughout the day and fled the building.

Sigh, oh well.

It was about that time we heard Master Overkill yelling about something, chewing, spitting, out and killing others for less. Brother Indaris drew Oathbringer and while I reached to stop him I missed and off he went down the hall I couldn’t fit in that form. Scant seconds later they both re-emerged there was no blood and the Lightbringer Rune Flail had been sheathed. I asked if we were done here and got a *’YES’* and when I asked if anyone was dead I got *’NO’* so I followed them back outside where we met up with Master Azariel.

Master Overkill and Brother Indaris headed back and had an interview with Jaymus Murray a sports scholar that tracks current events in the life of athletes. Master Azariel and I went to hire guards and it was awesome to watch him haggle, talk, schmooze, and he got a deal on a group of ten mercenaries which three would come with us today while the remainder would arrive no more than 3 hours after dawn on the 11th. We would have them through the games completion. He was even kind enough to let me read the contract from Galthor’s Guards. This was my first taste of the written legal system of the Hooman world and their allies. I am wondering still about ‘After CrIsis’ and how will we live among the other races when this is over, if I can study their laws and customs I think I can provide a resource that can stretch between them. I know we mentioned Cyclone to the K.M.H., but why not share that information with Gold Coast and help open a clearing house in Cyclone? Still I hate the jungle and I am not sure how Tiakatha would feel about seeing any of us again?

That evening we left the three guards to their tasks and all headed to Ras Majeris, Magaeras something or other. The fancy hotel where the movers and shakers of the social order stayed during the games. For us good brother the movers and shakers would be tribal elders like you now. I read the term in a book on the history of one of the Elf Kingdoms. When we arrived I was asked very nicely to change into a hooman form because their furniture would not stand my weight, so I obliged and they brought me three sets of clothes when I offered an Old Kingdom Dragon coin. Now I have the following hooman sized sets:

• A set of very nice court/dinner clothes an Western nobleman might have.
• A set of very nice court/dinner clothes an Eastern nobleman might have. There is a white and black theme to the clothing with small Ankh’s embroidered along the outer edges, white ankh’s on black pieces and black ankh’s on the white parts.
• A set of very nice traveling clothes a noble explorer of the Old Kingdom land of Sulestan might have, clothing of Elvish manufacture and fashion.

Brother Indaris said the white and black outfit would be good for the evening. I smiled because it went with the bone as well. The others and my current clothes I stuck in my satchel with a special ‘pocket’ on it that no one but me can get into. I had a porter take it up to Master Azariel’s room, and to their credit was there when I left that night and collected it before I left with the others! Now on to the insatiable Miss Hoppner.

It was a little odd in my new attire because while I was just over six feet tall in this form the Lawgiver’s Femur was still 8 feet. I was worried I was getting some odd looks but paid them no mind I am a wizard and well odd is just another day for me. Someone brought Master Azariel a broken chair as a replacement or a joke I am not completely sure which but why did it have a stick mounted where you sit, you’d impale yourself? Well I thought Miss Hoppner would be nicer since she had met Azariel, no she barely listened to anyone and kept making up half of what she heard or should release those ‘little birds’ that work for her because they lie – constantly to her! I thought I was stupid but wow! Which brings me to another thought, if this is deliberate then she has the heart of a viper and I can only assume it is from a place of cold bitter rage she uses her quill to scream at the world through words as weapons. All of us being accused and having to clear our names, Master Overkill doubly so but I believe he passed his gauntlet of trials regarding that to the viper’s satisfaction.

Did I ever tell you how brilliant Master Azariel is? He could sleep in a spider web and convince it to bite itself because it was it’s own worst enemy! One of his teachers from the White Ash Guild, Master Sline, I believe was the name met them for drinks after the rest of us had left for the evening (I did not forget my bag upstairs). I gathered from what the good sister told me later that his warding lesson was now free!!!! We are lucky to have him for a leader and with my time at the head I don’t envy his position.

~ The 10th to the 11th of RA ~

I finished squaring away my alchemical purchases and then spent the remainder of my time has a mana pool for Master Asher and selling the vegetables at our Turnip in Time. I was staying in hooman form now to try all of the different clothes I had. By now I think they could cut my tongue out and I would still be able to cast the ‘Cleanse’ spell. That night we reported for our reduced sentence and single night in prison to appease the injured ego of Sir Thurgood Andress, the knight of dented honor. Cammy tried to see what it would take to fix things with Sir Thurgood and only a public apology for insulting the Duke of Llorn in the namesake city would do. Well, that will never happen with the attitudes of the current members, so alas my plan will not work.

~ The 12th to the 15th of RA ~

Aside from helping with the fire gems as a mana pool I was still recovering from casting a long term ‘Dimensional Pocket’ on my satchel in the private where I changed at that swanky hotel. I’m going to have to share that with the group when we get the chance. On the 13th the good Master Kobold fished the last of the fire eating gems and I flew over to the Alchemist and delivered the gem. It was the only time I got to be a hawk again and this item would be mounted in a bronze ring that would change shape with my metamorphing magic.

Fantastic weirdness abounded on the 15th! Do you remember the first time I tried to do a scroll conversion on my own and you watch me turn into a Cyclops Spider! Father tried squashing me for nearly a tenth of an hourglass until you convinced him it was me!!!!!! Oh scared six of my legs off it did. Master A’zad was so mad I spent the week cleaning every waste stall in the Fortress! Oh dear I miss home sometimes! I digress, well, on this day everyone in the tent got turned into little white mice!!! Snake food, can you believe it WOW!!! A turnip fell and it nearly crushed me, epic death that would have been!!! Fighting the Lords of Darkness and killed by a turnip!!! Poor Master Asher felt so embarrassed when Sister Caminata thought we were under attack! I explained it and for what it was and all scroll makers do it at least once. I think I lifted his spirits he seemed pretty hurt in his pride over the accident. That moment in time felt so close to when this happened I cloud hear the scolding from Master A’zad and mother.

Master Azariel had sent back some ‘special maps’ that had numbered markings on them explaining where the shops were and these were courtesy of the room we had rented there. Master Overkill had spent some time there as the longest running member of CrIsis he had shake hands and kiss babies as he put it. I am not sure about that custom, but weird is the one normal thing I can count on being away from home.

~ The 16th of RA ~

Master Azariel tried mentioning something to us about something odd he saw in the rest of the group on the 16th about what he saw in an Eye Tile I had given him that he had planted upon Miss Hopner. Before he could get into details the Knights of the Dawn arrived and Sir Quixis was with them. He was not used to my hooman form so was quite surprised when I ran over and hugged him so tight his breastplate flexed! I had to try and remember to talk slower but how could you talk slower about proof that Paladins had not died out and you my brother would be welcomed among them after what I saw! Sir Quixis is a Changeling, one of the shapeshifting races that stood with Dragons, Titans, Angels and help to overthrow the Old Ones!!! Alas though he had to withdraw from the game because his mentor and close foster father, Sir Niklas Thorpe, had passed away and he became Commander of the Knights of the Dawn! I was sad but so proud for him I jump up and down but as a minotaur I had certainly startled a few of the palladins and made sure introductions got done! He swore that should one of the Knights of the Dawn win the Lawgiver’s Lung they would hand it over to us.

I was so honored I held Lawgiver’s Femur for him to touch so he may feel the glory of my lord, but his humility is so inspiring he would not since he was un-chosen. Maybe that is why Miss Hoppner never felt anything? She was unworthy, I just thought since my father had felt something maybe she might stop being so, ummm, so ummm….

Sir Quixis and his knights said goodbye and were soon on their way to other nobles deeds, watching the band of heroes ride off I expect to see you, brother, at the head of such a column with your mace, Anzuroq, held high. Leading the great change in our people marching to the light to the destroy the shadow of our past. One of the guards tapped me and pointed down the road as I heard the sweet refrain coming up the road.

Commander Terramore!!!!!!

Seeing both of them today it feels like no time has past and we are back on Rogtilda. I ran back inside and screamed his name, Sister Caminata was the only one as excited as me and I was trying to remember to keep it down for Master Asher, but I failed – A LOT!!! When he flung the curtain open I was hopping up and down I dropped my disguise and had changed clothes. I ran up and hugged him to the point the poor Master Bard choked out how happy he was and I quickly set him down. I finally got to meet the group I helped to inspire him to create: The Soldiers Of The Torch! The group consisted of 3 Titans, 3 Elves, a Cyclops, 2 Orcs, 2 Dwarves, and 6 Hoomans. I could not believe it and Masters Overkill and Azariel were missing this reunion!

Turns out everything was going to be okay as he was staying at the same hotel as Master Azariel and Miss Hoppner. He was the nightly singer until the Games were started! Sister Caminata even convinced Master Overkill to sleep in the tent once more so she could stay in the room and swap tales with a fellow storyteller! Oh this has been one of the best days in a great long while!!! Remembering that I had to keep to my hooman guise after they left I changed back after they left, and I think I learned how to levitate from sheer joy!

~ The 17th to the 30th of RA ~

We got ‘Schedules of the Games’ somewhere between the 17th & 20th as items from the Gold Coast affiliated Alchemist I had placed the orders with began to arrive. Sister Caminata brought the Schedule back with her from the hotel. I loved the mounted fire gem mounted on a bronze ring that responded to my shape and “adjusted” it is so great! On the 21st I was finishing up with a customer as a “box” fell over behind the curtain. When I went back poor Master Asher had exploded in girth of his waistline and he weighed almost two-thirds of MY weight!!! By Osiris’ beard he was HEAVY!!! Then later that day after I had rearranged some beds for him to work on he unintentionally summoned an Aquatic Dyval creature according to Brother Indaris! Together and the beast being out of water Masters Asher, Overkill, Brother Indaris, and myself dispatched the creature back to the hells from whence it came. Three days later on the 24th he summoned a Couril Faerie which was a quick, mischievous, runt but met a similar fate as the Dyval.

I have to confess I hate how small I am in this form. I feel like my weapon of choice is a small ladder Master Overkill got me after I fell off the wagon, twice. I was trying to hang, and then later move a lantern we had in the tent. I am so happy I have good fitting clothes and now realize how stupid I look in those robes and sandals I have been wearing much of late.

I went out with the good Dwarf that started asking me if I remember Iana the Elf. I know it had been a while for him since his marriage but his talk was bordering on inappropriate, for their size Dwarves appear to need to mate a great deal to relieve a condition called – the Itch – seems they develop a rash down there that mating provides the only source of salve for this condition.

I lost him at the tavern and he appeared with a Hooman woman on his arm and drunk! I had to carry everything back as this woman tried soothing him through his golden, runic armor. She licked his faceplate and the drunk pirate giggled and called her Honeysuckle at least for 5 minutes before he called her Iana next!?!?!? I fed everyone as he finally removed his armor which reeked for the number of days he had worn it. No amount of ‘Cleanse’ spells I tried would get rid of the stain on his mating ceremony ring. Foul mood would only begin to describe it and I went that morning of the 25th to get breakfast on my own. When I got back the woman was gone, I had set the food down on the table when I overheard Brother Indaris muttering to Master Asher.

“Can you believe he did that on the birthing day of his dead daughter we helped bury?”

I ripped back into my normal form and flung the canvas wall back as my now tattered robe lay spread around me on the floor! Crying out what a bastard he was I punch him in his baby making parts, HARD!

I broke the bed he was on and dropped to my knees and cried, mentioning the date and pointing at the good brother and him over and over. When Master broke cock could gasp air once more, well…
…let us just say the 25th through the 30th were sullen days indeed. We spoke narry a word to each other and he was never without the golden skin upon him around me.

~ The 31st of RA ~

On the 31st we headed as a group to the Tower of Angels to finally or yesterday, given this missives timing, we headed out to the Tower of Angels to deliver the True Torch. I took a different human disguise and even Sister Caminata took a different appearance as a lap dog which I carried. When we saw the guard that shook down Brother Indaris in an attempt to get more gold she growled. I know now the fake Empress is the one we met and soo dispatched when she could not summon forth its light. Nosse was as brave as another dog I know leaping to retrieve the True Torch. When her cohorts and crime arrived I made several attempts to dispatch her and was forced to obliterate her the same way as the witch. Before I laid into the others that surrendered I asked my leader, Master Azariel, and stood down upon his order.

I have to admit part of my anger was the desire to crush this fallen race of light, this Changeling that had turned to the Dark in Gavin’s and one other’s name. Master Asher again proved his generosity by paying a death tax for the corrupted guardsmen to his surviving wife and children. She offered us an award we have to claim later to keep the Games from showing favoritism.

~ The 1st of THOTH ~

The day of the games arrived and I found out Terramore was trained by Rod Rambler of the Defilers. Hmmm, won’t go help his brother in arms, but will wear the accolade of a fellowship he has long abandoned, sad, just sad. Clearly his student has not been tainted by the melancholy of centuries born from self induced isolation and bitter, bottled, rage.

Alas I must end this missive for we need to go to the rowing event!

Xerx’ses … Name in progress … ,
War Wizard of CrIsis

P.S. Although I am no priest may the Lawgiver’s judgement keep you and yours safe.

>>> Written by Xerx’ses, after opening ceremonies before the events begin upon the of the 1st of Thoth, 70th Year of the Wolfen Empire, 2nd year of King Guy the First of the Timiro Kingdom, and 343 year of the Dominion of Man. <<<

Lady in yellow dress, picture by Nomuh.
Picture of Minotaur from DeconZR.
Rope bed is from David Friedman.
Picture of Reporter from Harry Potter Wikia.
Soldiers of the Torch picture by RobD2003
Picture of Torch from Palladium Books.