The Silver Sphinx

 

“Peace via fraud is unacceptable."

Factol Terrance

 

 

First Guild Day of Leagueheim, 126 HR

Factol Terrance looked up from the book he was leafing through – The History and Culture of the Realms of Ucuri and Wadjet – a Juxtaposition. Night had fallen and the light in his quarters had become too dim to read comfortably. He therefore put the tome down next to him and went to the light crystal that was set in a stone holder on the wall. With a short gesture, he activated it and immediately a pleasant, golden-yellow light filled the room. He had just sat back down and was about to delve into the book again when there was a knock at the door. Normally, Jaya, Hobard or Askorion didn't come to him at this time, so it might be something important.

Terrance closed the book and looked toward the entrance. “Come in.”

When the door opened quietly, the factol caught a glimpse of Askorion's golden blonde hair. The young aasimar stepped inside and bowed, while his small gray cat, Ayaka, softly purred beside his legs. One of her eyes was a bright turquoise, the other a golden yellow, just like Askorion's.

“Please forgive the interruption, Factol.“ The bard closed the door behind him. “But I think I need your ... help.”

Terrance put the book down. “My help? With what, Askorion?”

“Well ...” The aasimar shook his head. “There is a man in the temple courtyard with a rather unusual request. Regarding ... the Bois Verdurous.”

Terrance became slightly alert. The Sacred Tree was usually shunned by non-Athar, and even within the faction, most kept a respectful distance from it outside of ceremonies. Someone coming to the Shattered Temple and making a request regarding the Bois Verdurous was truly worthy of the factol's attention. “I see.” Terrance stood up. “And what is this guest's request?”

“He ...” Askorion cleared his throat and raised his hands apologetically, as if to emphasize that he was only relaying the request and not making it. ”He asks for a part of the tree ... not fruit or blossom. He wants a twig of it.” Terrance raised his eyebrows and the bard nodded quickly. “As I said, it's an unusual request.”

That was putting it mildly. Anyone who came to the Athar faction headquarters and asked for a branch of the Bois Verdurous was either very bold or clueless. In either case, it was a visitor that Terrance would like to see. And if only for his own protection, in case the guest got the idea to touch the tree. Because for anyone but the ruling factol of the Athar, this at least resulted in great pain. So Terrance went with Askorion to the courtyard of the Temple, which opened to the sky, since the Lady’s wrath had torn away the roof three thousand years earlier. In the center stood the Sacred Tree - tall, calm and majestic, it seemed to be both the Temple's guardian and treasure. It bore thousands of white flowers and, at the same time, red fruits the size of small apples, which did not grow on any other tree in the multiverse. The foliage surrounding its mighty branches stood out sharply against the darkening sky. There was a man standing underneath the Tree and a brief nod from Askorion confirmed to Terrance that it was the visitor in question. It was an elf, as the factol of the Athar recognized as he approached. Long, flaxen hair – half tied back at the nape of the neck – framed his face. He wore a hooded cloak made of wolf pelt and, underneath, a hunting shirt of fine, reddish-brown leather that left the arms bare, revealing vine-like tattoos that wound down the arms in green and brown. Around his neck hung a necklace made of various animal teeth, and on his belt a weapon not unlike a rapier, but somewhat sturdier and with a less delicate handle. The horn bow on his back was definitely of elven design. As with all elves, his age was difficult to guess. Although his appearance was youthful, the look in his eyes was incredibly old, as Terrance noticed when he turned to him. He now also recognized that the elf's eyes were gleaming ruby red. This could have been a sign of fiendish blood, but he lacked the special aura that, with enough experience, one could sense in even the friendliest tieflings. That vague feeling that there was more to them, a fiery heritage that could surface at some point, and even if not destructive, impulsive at least. So maybe the man belonged to a kind of lesser-known elves, whose characteristics could include that eye color. When the elf turned to them, Terrance greeted him with a friendly nod.

“This is the visitor I mentioned,” Askorion explained. ”He introduced himself as Estraysian.”

The elf nodded at these words with a slight smile, but said nothing.

Terrance's gaze briefly wandered to the branches of the Sacred Tree. He opened his mind for the connection that only the respective factol of the Athar possessed. The Bois Verdurous had a consciousness, a very old and alien consciousness, and in the early days of his factolship Terrance first had to get used to the contact with it. But now, almost twenty years after taking office, it was a familiar feeling of safety to sense the thoughts of the Tree. Only then did he turn back to the visitor. “The Lady's Grace. My secretary Askorion told me about your request to receive a twig or small branch of our Sacred Tree. I have to tell you that this is a very unusual – some would say bold – solicitation. May I ask for the reason?”

Now the elf reached for his belt to lift something, and Terrance recognized a pan flute, also called a syrinx. Such flutes were common in many parts of the planes and on many prime worlds, but this one was made of a variety of materials. Some of the individual pipes looked like wood – although different types of wood had obviously been used here – but some also seemed to be made of bone. All of them were decorated with magnificent floral patterns.

“This one unfinished,” the elf said – in two voices, to Terrance's surprise, as if two different persons were speaking from the same throat.

The Athar's factol exchanged a quick glance with Askorion, who seemed just as astonished. No, this man was not from any elven kind he knew. He nodded to the elf introduced as Estraysian. “You are requesting a branch of the Tree so that you may complete your instrument?”

The elf nodded gravely and looked up into the crown of the Bois Verdurous. “Can't be just any tree. Has to be this one. Call is coming from this one.”

He clearly only had basic knowledge of Common, which was evident from his strong accent and his manner of expression. Terrance studied him thoughtfully. This was indeed an unusual request and one that he had certainly not expected. Presumably, the instrument played a significant personal, cultural or spiritual role for him, if he specifically requested a part of the Sacred Tree for it. The suggestion that he had received a call confirmed Terrance's suspicion that the visitor named Estraysian could not simply choose another tree, at least not in his conviction. And yet he apparently had no idea what kind of tree he had chosen. Terrance now approached the trunk and placed his right hand on the bark of the Sacred Tree. He immediately felt the connection between him and the Bois Verdurous become more intense. From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Askorion's reverent gaze. Like most members of the faction, his secretary always felt a bit uneasy when he touched the Tree, since all Athar knew that the Bois Verdurous internally burned anyone else who dared to do so.

The factol let his eyes wander over the branches above him, but his question was for Estraysian. “If you look up, tell me, what do you see?”

The elf looked up as well. “White blossoms,” he replied in two voices. “Red fruits. Leaves. Branches. No birds.”

Terrance smiled briefly when Estraysian mentioned the missing birds. They had to stay away from the Tree, like everyone else. “Right. But not just any fruit and flowers. Every fruit and every blossom contains a prayer or a divine miracle. To preserve this unbelievable source of clerical power, our Tree protects itself.”

“By no one touching me ...” Now the thoughts of the Tree flowed like waves through Terrance's mind, and he could see that Estraysian understood it, too. Like some of his kind, the elf apparently spoke the language of plants. ”By no one touching me, except one, of course.”

The elf scrutinized the Tree intently. “That's fine. Not fruit or blossom needed. Just a little, very little wood.”

Terrance's hand was still on the trunk, almost unconsciously. ”Unfortunately, it's not that simple, I'm afraid.”

Estraysian tilted his head questioningly, then the thoughts of the Tree spread through their minds again. “ He cannot understand what it means. To stand where I stand. To guard what I guard. ”

The factol of the Athar looked back up into the branches. “I fear that none of us really understand.”

“That is true,” the Tree replied. “Just as it is true that life consists of giving and taking.”

“Ah.“ Terrance smiled. “Our Sacred Tree has just given us the crucial hint.”

The elf seemed to understand. “So you asking for a price?” he asked in two voices. “Life is giving and taking, that true. That is way of the eternal circle of Nurdra and Zerza. All right, what do you want in return?”

Askorion, who didn't understand the language of plants and therefore could only partially follow the conversation, had stepped back a bit. He had taken his gray cat Ayaka in his arms and was ruffling her fur while watching the events at the Tree. Terrance still had his hand on the trunk.

When Estraysian asked his question, the voice of the Bois Verdurous washed through their minds again. “ Something blessed ... something hallowed ... something holy ... prayers, blessings, healings, restorations, but also dark things ... curses, pain, suffering, fear ... I take them upon myself ... absorb them and keep them. ”

Estraysian nodded. “So you are storage for spells?”

The leaves of the Sacred Tree rustled softly, although there was no wind at all. “ A keeper of what was granted unjustly, to be rightfully kept and sometimes passed on. That is the core of my being. What exerts influence here. ”

“No real gods anyway,” the elf replied in two voices and with clear conviction. “All just dhâobra.”

Although the last word was unknown to Terrance, it was evident from Estraysian's words that he had in common a very important philosophical aspect with the Athar. “I see we understand each other a little after all.” Terrance looked up into the branches and leaves. “It seems you are someone who shares at least some of our beliefs on an intuitive basis. Which means that even without concrete knowledge, there can be enough common ground to justify your request.”

Now Estraysian seemed to be unable to follow the factol's words and rubbed his neck somewhat helplessly. ”That good?”

“I would say yes,” Terrance replied with a smile. ”Since we have something you want. And hopefully you will bring us something we want.”

The elf nodded and opened one of his belt pouches to take out various items. But again, the voice of the Tree flowed through his and Terrance's minds. “ What we want, you don't have yet. ”

“Oh.” Estraysian paused, then began to pick up his belongings. “What is?”

Terrance looked up into the treetop, equally curious about what the Bois Verdurous would demand of the visitor.

“Chalice of Domiel,” the answer came without hesitation.

The Athar's factol felt his heartbeat accelerate briefly. He was well aware of the chalice mentioned – and he certainly hadn't expected the Tree to name it as the price. Estraysian, on the other hand, looked at him with a perplexed expression. “Unknown,” he stated in two voices.

Terrance took a deep breath, then nodded gravely and looked back at the elf. “A sacred chalice,” he explained. “It is in the Archonites' fortress in Excelsior. Bring it to us and you will get what you are asking for.”

Estraysian's expression revealed neither hesitation nor rejection of this rather outrageous request. “Appearance?” he asked calmly.

A picture sent by the Tree now appeared in Terrance's mind. It showed a chalice made of white gold and platinum, engraved with celestial runes. The elf's gaze showed that he was seeing it too. It was the first time that a request from the Bois Verdurous had filled Terrance with a certain unease.

Estraysian, however, nodded. “All right.”

“Good.“ Terrance smiled, albeit a little forced. “I didn't expect it to be so easy. But we have a deal.”

The elf returned the smile. “How we get to where chalice is?”

“My secretary Askorion will show you a way,” the factol explained, beckoning the aasimar closer.

The bard nodded and bowed his head slightly. “I can show you a portal to Excelsior. Please follow me.”

The elf nodded to Terrance in greeting, then followed Askorion, who left the Temple courtyard in the direction of the scriptorium. The factol looked after the two for a while before returning to his quarters. On his way there, he realized that it hadn't rained in three days – rather unusual for Sigil. And it was warm, but not oppressively hot ... three evenly mild, rainless and pleasant days in a row. Could it be ... A hiss to his right caught his attention, as a small spiral of flames shot through the air. A fire whirl. They looked pretty, but they could start fires - and, more importantly, they were a weather phenomenon that only occurred during a single month in Sigil. Leagueheim had begun. Terrance watched as the small whirlwind of flames died in the fading light. Then he turned around once more, looking at the Bois Verdurous. The factol knew that the Tree did not request or demand certain sacred objects at random, not just on its own initiative. It had something to do with the wishes or inclinations of the current factol. But why the Tree had demanded the Chalice of Domiel from the elf was not quite clear to Terrance. In his opinion, the Archonites were a little restrictive, but they were, after all, a good sect from the plane of Celestia. Furthermore, they didn't worship any gods, but the purity of the lawful good as a principle. Embodied by the archons themselves and especially by the Hebdomad of the Seven Heavens, but it wasn't even worship of deities in the strict sense. He had no differences with the Archonites; on the contrary, he had always appreciated his former colleague Juliana Spesinfracta for her integrity, determination and political foresight. Of course, it was never a bad idea to have something up the sleeve against any kind of religious community. Possessing one or another sacred artifact was definitely a good reassurance. Not necessarily to sacrifice it to the Sacred Tree, just to have the option. But could that be the only reason why the Tree now wanted a sacred chalice of the Archonites? The fact that he didn't understand it, couldn't grasp the motive of the Bois Verdurous' demand made Terrance wonder. What was behind it? He would have to think about it in a quiet hour to fathom this secret.

 

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played December 11, 2012

- Estraysian was played by Kiyoshi's player.
- Terrance will eventually learn why the Bois Verdurous had demanded the Chalice of Domiel - but only much later.