The Silver Sphinx

 

“The archons are in a state of perfect purity.

Their righteousness and benevolence is a shining example for the rest of the multiverse.

Let us follow their example!”

philosophy of the Archonites

 

 

First Lower Day of Leagueheim, 126 HR

Morânia had decided to walk from the Great Gymnasium to the House of Visions. For one thing, the distance was not too far, and for another, Leagueheim was there. Whatever one might think of the Anarchists’ and Indeps’ month from a philosophical point of view, it brought with it some of the most pleasant weather that Sigil had to offer, and for three weeks in a row at that. There was neither rain nor fog, the temperatures were mild and the sky shone azure blue over the roofs. But unusual weather phenomena also occurred now, which did not exist in Sigil outside of Leagueheim. On the sixth day of the month it was the emerald mist: a green, shimmering haze pervaded the alleys, in which strange, often poisonous or carnivorous plants suddenly thrived. In some corners, brightly colored mushrooms popped up. However, where the green mist retreated, the plants quickly withered and died. On her way, Morânia could spot this haze in some nearby streets and carefully avoided it. She was looking forward to meeting the other Chosen, as they hadn't seen each other in a while. They still didn't know exactly how to proceed with the Prophecy, so a little time had passed since the last meeting. The only remaining clue seemed to be Lawshredder. Lereia had told them about her eerie encounter with the serial killer in Harbinger House, and since he was the only hint they had, they had decided to meet in the House of Visions to consult the Envoy. Morânia had meditated a lot to strengthen her gift, to be able to awaken the archangel’s soul on her own once more. Three days before, Naghûl, Lereia, Jana and Kiyoshi had already met to prepare the questions. Sgillin was the only one missing – he had been on the road with the Razor Angels, with whom he clearly spent more time since his Anarchist membership had become known. Of course, that couldn't be held against him – after all, they were now his faction, even if they didn't call themselves one. But Morânia still didn't like the situation, and from what Naghûl had told her about the last meeting, the same was true of all the Chosen. The bal'aasi secretly wondered how Lereia was dealing with this matter. The young woman seemed to be of lawful alignment and was a member of one of the factions the Anarchists were fighting. Morânia wasn't quite sure how the situation influenced Lereia and Sgillin's relationship, but she could vividly imagine that it was causing problems. Jana had apparently been just as tense, according to Naghûl, since her trial for the temple desecration was imminent. If Morânia remembered correctly, the date had been the day before yesterday. The sorceress had said that Yelmalis would be her lawyer – probably an attempt by Factol Hashkar himself to restore some peace between the two Chosen groups, after relations had become very strained due to the incidents with Mallin and Garush. Even if it was a purely pragmatic move, Morânia was grateful to the wise dwarf scholar for this symbolic outstretched hand of reconciliation. When she reached the House of Visions, the door was slightly ajar and she heard the muffled voices of the others from within. When she entered quietly and pulled the door closed behind her, she saw her husband Naghûl, Jana, Lereia and Kiyoshi. Sgillin was missing again, so he was probably with the Razor Angels.

The others greeted her warmly, and as appeared from the conversation it had just been about Jana's trial. “What was the sentence?” Morânia asked, as objectively and politely as she was able to.

Jana didn't seem to be annoyed about the question, but it was Kiyoshi who answered. “She has to clean the wall of the shrine she defiled. In addition, she has to stand in the pillory for six hours and pay two thousand silver coins to the city of Sigil. An extraordinarily mild verdict.”

Morânia nodded at Jana. “Yes, you actually got off quite lightly.”

“Oh.” Lereia swallowed a little. “I think that sounds like a very harsh sentence. But I've never been to a court hearing and can't really make comparisons.”

“Well, in Sigil, you can go to prison for several months for something like that,” the bal'aasi explained. “Or be branded if it goes badly. So she was lucky – and probably also had a good lawyer.”

Jana nodded in agreement. “Yes, Yelmalis did a good job. What happened after the passing of judgement was less pleasant, of course ...”

“Yes, I heard about the attack,” Naghûl replied seriously. “How are you both?”

“We're fine,” Kiyoshi answered calmly, while Lereia widened her eyes in shock.

“An attack? I haven't heard about that yet. In the City Court?”

“Yes, there was an assault on Factol Terrance,” Naghûl explained. “At least that's what the papers claim. An Anarchist blew himself up. Inside the courtroom, right after the verdict was announced.”

“Indeed,” Kiyoshi confirmed. ”A very inconspicuous-looking spectator killed himself with an explosive device.”

Morânia noticed how Lereia turned even paler than she already was when the Anarchists were mentioned. “Was anyone hurt?” she asked quietly.

“Yes,“ the bal'aasi replied, saddened. “Some lives were lost, too.”

“Oh dear.” The young woman's expression changed from shocked to dismayed. “That's terrible.”

“It is,“ Naghûl said seriously. “A Mercykiller was killed, who supposedly threw himself between Terrance and the bomb.”

“Factol Terrance is unharmed?” Lereia asked anxiously.

“That goes without saying,” Jana answered with a smile that suggested that this was virtually out of the question.

“I assume there are no security checks for public events in Sigil?“ Lereia's question sounded a little uncertain, as if she couldn't quite imagine it herself.

“Of course there are,” Morânia replied kindly. “But we also have Leagueheim.”

Lereia thought for a moment, frowning. ”The month of the Anarchists?”

“And Indeps, exactly.” Naghûl nodded. “This year, it has subverted Nihilum.”

“Subverted?” Lereia sighed softly. “I'm afraid I don't quite understand what this is all about.”

“Leagueheim is the fourteenth month of the year in Sigil,” Morânia explained willingly. ”But it is not actually included in the calendar. It occurs at a completely different time each year. It then undermines another month, like Anarchists undermine other factions.”

It was clear from the young woman's expression that she found the Sigilian calendar quite puzzling. Who could blame her? “And who decides about that?” she asked confused.

“No idea, it just happens.” Morânia smiled apologetically, as she couldn't offer a better explanation. ”You notice it first because of the weather. It is unusually warm, mild and, above all, stable during the three weeks of Leagueheim. But there are also unusual phenomena, for example this green fog that is currently hanging in some streets.”

Lereia nodded in understanding. She had apparently also seen the emerald mist on her way to the House of Visions. “Should it be avoided?”

“It causes strange plants to flourish,” the bal'aasi explained. “Often carnivorous or poisonous ones, so one should be careful.”

“That is really ... strange and unusual,” Lereia stated, frowning.

“Yes, the weather and calendar of Sigil are truly a matter unto itself,” Naghûl conceded. ”But that's not why we're here, is it?”

“Right,” Morânia replied. ”We want to consult the Envoy. I have prepared for this in the last few days with meditation and a few sessions in the Chamber of the Cadence. I think I can consciously awaken her, just like last time. But maybe I can control it even better, keep the connection longer ... Who knows, we'll see. You've prepared questions, haven't you?”

Lereia nodded gravely. “We will begin as soon as you are ready. Would you like to sit down?”

“No, I will try it while standing,” Morânia said after a moment's thought. “I should learn to master it better for situations in which the Envoy takes control unexpectedly. But ... catch me if it doesn't work.”

“Always,” Naghûl promised with a smile.

She nodded and closed her eyes, concentrating on her breathing and heartbeat. She tried to banish all thoughts from her mind and focus entirely on the connection to the heavenly soul within her. At first it was like groping in the dark, exactly as she had felt the last time she had tried to call upon the Envoy. But then – and faster than before – she sensed it again: the warm feeling, as if feathered wings were gently caressing her, protecting and shielding her ... Then warmth and light flowed through her innermost being. She was there. Through the veil that always separated her from the angelic soul, she still felt that she was standing firmly. Her voice had that by now almost familiar resonance, when the Envoy spoke through her. “Ask and you shall be answered,” she heard herself say.

Naghûl cleared his throat and then asked the first question. “Will Sougad Lawshredder leave Harbinger House alive and free in the near future?”

Morânia felt an uneasy feeling spreading in her stomach despite the presence of the Envoy. And even the short prayer she instinctively sent to the Morninglord didn't prevent a shiver from running through her when she heard herself answer: “Yes.” She saw Naghûl flinch briefly and noticed Lereia biting her lip.

Kiyoshi, on the other hand, straightened himself, for it was his turn to ask the next question. “Is Sougad Lawshredder an essential part of the events described by the Prophecy?”

Again, the tension in the room was almost physically tangible. And again, the Envoy reply: “Yes.”

Lereia took a deep breath. “Are the Chosen able to stop Sougad Lawshredder with the help of their gifts?” she asked.

“Probably,” Morânia heard herself answer.

Her gaze, directed by the Envoy, wandered to Jana, but the sorceress remained silent. Apparently, she had left it to the others to ask the questions.

So Kiyoshi spoke again. “Is one or more of the following persons a target of particular importance to Sougad Lawshredder: the honorable Factol Sarin-gensui, the honorable Legate Shar Tonat-taisho, the honorable Legate Caine Killeen-taisho or the honorable Lord Valiant-sama?”

Unlike many mortal conversational partners, the Envoy seemed unaffected by the various suffixes that Kiyoshi added to every name. And to Morânia's relief, she heard herself reply: “No.”

Although the young soldier was always so adept at hiding his feelings, Morânia could recognize that he breathed a sigh of relief. Behind the thin wall that separated her from the Envoy and thus from her surroundings, the bal'aasi tried to focus and to fully engage with the heavenly soul. Last time, she had been able to answer five questions, and she sensed that the connection was still stable. Lereia nodded encouragingly at Naghûl, and he asked the last question they had prepared. “Is there a direct connection between the arrival of Lord Valiant and the escape of Lawshredder?”

“No,” the Envoy replied, to everyone's relief.

Then they stood facing her, looking at her ... Morânia looked back. The link was still there ... But she felt it slipping quickly, hoped that her friends were alert enough to ask another question.

Lereia was the first to react. “Are we a target of high importance to Sougad Lawshredder?” she asked hastily.

Morânia sensed that she was losing her foothold and began to falter slightly. She clenched her fists, trembled – and indeed the Envoy answered once more. “Possible.”

Then it was over, the contact to the archangel's soul broke and Morânia's body belonged to herself again. Naghûl and Lereia hurried to her side, ready to support her if necessary. Gratefully, she reached for their hands and then slowly sat down exactly where she was standing.

“I ... need to sit,” she murmured as she felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her.

Naghûl stood behind her so that she could lean against his legs. ”Of course, love.”

She sank against his shins while she gently squeezed his fingers with her right hand. “Thank you ... Afterwards it's always like being dead tired and desperately trying to stay awake. But at least we know a bit more.”

“Yes.” Naghûl nodded. “And some of it is even reassuring. Other things, however ...”

He interrupted himself, because at that moment, Jana also sank to the ground with a soft groan. Just in time Kiyoshi was able to catch her and prevent her from falling. Her eyes were silvery-white ... a vision. Then it went dark, and this time Morânia already knew what that meant – or at least had an idea. She felt a strange dizziness, as if she were being pulled through time in a whirlpool. Probably Jana was taking them with her into her vision. When it got brighter again, the bal'aasi's assumption was confirmed: they were no longer in the House of Visions ...

 

Instead, they were standing on the tower of a large fortress underneath an azure sky. In the immediate vicinity, they saw three guards in beautiful armor, one of them had white wings just like Morânia. They could also spot a hound archon and a man who might be a kind of herald. Just as Naghûl had told her about the vision in the Barracks, they were mere onlookers, observers who could see and hear everything, but were unable to act. An elderly woman of about sixty stepped out of one of the doors leading up to the tower. She was wearing a precious white dress and all those present bowed low before her. Morânia recognized her immediately as Juliana Spesinfracta, former factol of the Harmonium and now archbishop of the Archonites. As she approached the herald, he bowed before her once more.

“Hasn't he arrived yet?“ the archbishop asked sternly, letting her gray eyes wander over the tower.

“Not yet, my lady,” the herald replied apologetically. “I regret, Your Magnificence.”

Lady Juliana shook her head with disapproval. ”Always do I have to wait for that man.”

The herald nodded quickly and, at a gesture from her, moved a little further away, almost as if he were relieved that he could not be held responsible for the delay of the yet unknown guest. The archbishop waited a little longer, then a portal opened in the circular mosaic in the middle of the flat tower roof. Stepping out was an attractive half-elf with long, black hair: Killeen Caine, the Legate of Arcadia. He approached Juliana and bent a knee before her. With a reproving look, she held out her right hand, which he kissed.

“The blessings of Celestia, Legate Caine,” she greeted him. “I'm glad that you could come, even if you are a little late. And I thought I had cured you of that kind of bad habit back then.”

Killeen stood up and grinned, almost teasingly. “Since I became legate, I have been able to resume my old vices, my lady.”

“Well, I can see that,” she replied reproachfully. ”And what kind of attire are you wearing?”

The half-elf was dressed in practical, dark leather garments, and at the moment he looked indeed more like a ranger or a simple warrior than a legate of the Harmonium. He looked down at himself. “I beg your forgiveness. I was on the road when I received the message that ...”

Lady Juliana waved him off. “Yes, all right.”

It was clear that Killeen was pleased to see her and therefore took no offense at her words or tone of voice, both of which gave the impression that the archbishop was talking to a naughty boy. There was a warm expression of affection in his violet eyes. “But you didn't send for me because of my clothes or to polish my manners, did you, my lady?”

“Admittedly not,” she replied. ”Although that wouldn't be a bad idea either.”

The legate grinned briefly, and she signaled to the guards and the herald to leave them alone. Then she beckoned him to follow her, and she walked over to the battlements to look at the surroundings.

Killeen grew a little more serious. “Magnificence, it's not that I didn't come gladly ... But what is so important that you had me called from Melodia so suddenly?”

She opened a narrow scroll case that she carried at her side, took out a parchment and handed it to the half-elf. “Does this mean anything to you?”

He looked at it for a while and then shook his head. ”I haven't the slightest idea what this could be about. The writing system is completely unknown to me.”

“I have an idea what it could be,“ the archbishop replied seriously.

Killeen slowly lowered the parchment. “You mean ...?”

“Yes, it is possible. We should discuss it with Sarin.”

“In any case,” the half-elf agreed. “Shall I take the document to Sigil, my lady?”

She took it from his hand and rolled it up. “No, Legate, I will do it myself.”

Now, obvious concern was to see in his eyes. ”Are you sure, my lady? Weren't there serious indications that in Sigil ...”

“Someone is planning an assault on me?” The archbishop seemed very calm. ”You are allowed to say it. Yes, but Valiant is returning to Sigil and I have the uneasy feeling that I should pay a visit to the Cage.”

Killeen's expression darkened. “That maniac is the last thing we need.”

“Please contain yourself, Legate,” Lady Juliana replied dryly. “Lord Valiant is a prince of Celestia, after all. That doesn't bring him any closer to my heart, but please observe the decencies.” There was, however, nothing particularly reproachful about the way she said it.

Killeen coughed slightly and bowed. “Of course, Your Magnificence. Please forgive me.”

She nodded graciously. ”All right. So, I will ...”

But then she stopped abruptly ... An arrow had whizzed in from somewhere and pierced her neck from behind, the bloody head emerged from her throat. Her eyes widened, the parchment fell to the ground, she reached for her throat and faltered ... Morânia felt the urge to run over, to do something - but she could only watch helplessly and in horror.

“My lady!” Killeen called, terrified. He caught her, but her dress, the floor, the document ... everything was covered in blood ...

 

Then it was over. Everything disappeared in a whirlpool of darkness, and when Morânia's vision cleared again, they found themselves back in the House of Visions. Jana lay unconscious on the floor ... Morânia reached for her hand and at the same time turned to her husband, who had apparently collapsed on the ground behind her, his eyes widened as he leaned on his staff while trying to pull himself up.

Lereia, who was also sitting on the floor, coughed a few times and gasped for air. “By Eldath ...” she managed to say, while tears ran down her cheeks.

Kiyoshi's legs had apparently given way as well, but he immediately tried to get up again.

Morânia tried as well, but she felt that her legs were still too shaky after the effort of awakening the Envoy. “By all the good gods ...” she whispered. ”Was that ... the present or the future?”

Naghûl looked from one to the other, speechless, his expression horrified. Jana was breathing shallowly but evenly and didn't wake up when Morânia shook her gently.

“Excuse me,” Kiyoshi said, already on his way to the door as fast as his still weak knees would allow. ”But I have to warn the venerable factol Sarin-gensui immediately.”

“Yes ...” Lereia still gasped for breath. “We have to go to Sarin quickly, maybe we can still warn her. It seems to be happening now or soon, but maybe it's not too late yet.” She wiped away her tears. ”I hope it wasn't the present ...”

Naghûl looked questioningly at Morânia, but she shook her head. “The three of you go. I'm still too weak, I would only slow you down in my condition. And Jana is unconscious, we shouldn't leave her alone. Let Sarin know about the vision, quickly!”

Kiyoshi, Lereia and Naghûl nodded, then they stormed towards the exit. Morânia, however, remained seated on the cool stone floor next to Jana, trying to calm her racing heart. She kept the sorceress' hand loosely in her grip to check the pulse and, with her eyes closed, said a prayer to Lathander. By all that she held sacred, she hoped that the tragedy could still be averted.

 

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played November 18, 2012

Sgillin's player was often on business trips in this part of the story and therefore in-game more often with the Razor Angels.