We had not taken the time to recruit a Kineticist nor a Shaman.  I thought about this as I stood on the deck of the "Horizon" and slowly watched the sun rise for the first time in months.  After our experience on Mount Orgarath, I had felt that all we would really need was Turmond and the Staff.  The 'rules' were quite clear; as a group we needed to be a balance of the elements.  For even though Turmond carried the staff, we were all staff bearers as we were part of his entourage.  That is why we sought a carrier that had an Isban (Fire - Air) background in the first place.  I, being a Raylan, was "of Air".  I had long ago, however, embraced all of the elements into my faith.  This faith had become "The Elemental Unity" and was the official religion of the Kingdom.  I saw it replace the Esaamic faith over many years.  That is not to say that Esamism is dead, it is now part of the Unity.  But I fear that I bore the reader at this point.  I will hurry with my justification for not employing more accomplices: Veltek was an Energeticist and a human, so he supplied Fire and Earth.  Forcellus was all Earth.  The Staff was an item of Earth, but had been consecrated to Air as well (in the grove of Hamellile.)  The Fire gem added Fire.  We lacked a balancing force of Water.  I began to use Environment Empathy to monitor this mix.  I could even tell that when the sun shined, we increased in Fire, and when it rained, Water.  The differences were slight to be sure.  What was not at all slight was that we lacked the element of Water in a big way.  Adding a Shaman might have helped to alleviate that, but only a Shaman of the Water element.  And a Kineticist would certainly have tipped us further toward Earth than we already were.  We were Earth heavy.  There.  You now are as informed as the others.  I doubt that you are as interested as Veltek was, but hopefully not as bored as Forcellus or Turmond.

We enjoyed the rising sun with a measure of guilt.  Our countrymen were still living in suffering darkness.  The voyage to Gandus was not without hardship.  There was a squall brewing in the Marepize that we managed only to partly avoid.  I discovered that only Forcellus was able seaman enough to retain the food in his stomach.

We arrived in Gandus four days after we set sail.  The weather was warm and dry.  Gandus is a very active port of the Marepize, the gigantic area of water that extends east from DOM, across to Traisge, south to Ekos and north to Moritania. We saw Domish (Porthan) ships, as well as ships that we judged to be from Zorbesh by their unusual appearance and colors.  Few ships travel the vast expanse of the Marepize on a regular basis, but the trip from Gandus to Ekos was commonly made as it was the only south-to-north trade route.  This greatly profited Gandus, of course.  It should have spurred the imagination of the King to make DOM the main port of entry, but as yet it did not.
We disembarked and sought out passage to Ekos.  We elected not to book ourselves as the dignitaries that we were.  The formal reception that we would likely have had to endure in Ekos would slow our progress to a halt.  The Zorbeshi are legendary in the length and formality of such meetings.  I elected merely to travel as a mere scholar.  Forcellus was my bodyguard, as Rayla were occasional known to be sold as slaves in parts of the southern world.  Veltek was a "Had" [Haahd], a scholarly user of magics.  He could not be disguised as anything else, for many Zorbeshi (Ezmeri) were Energeticists as well and would be able to tell. Turmond would be posing as Forcellus' retainer.

Next: Ekos

Download the complete Bestiary of Khaniz here (pdf).

We left Morban the following morning.  We had purchased mounts and provisions.  We would have to return to DOM for an infusion of cash.  I also wanted to spend time at the University researching the lost city of Neriz, the legendary location of the Avatar of Khanisa - the Wolf Goddess, who was dedicated to the Water and Fire elements.  The goddess only exists in books that describe her.  It is generally known (at least in literary circles) that she has no faithful worshippers in the deserts that bear her name.  She was 'eradicated' long ago by other competing gods.  Yet legend states that her golden city sunk into the desert and still exists.  If true, it would be a place of power of both Water and Fire.  I would have regarded the rumors as fanciful legend, if the city had not been mentioned in one of the parchments.  Khaniza had been vanquished long before the Elemental Staff had been constructed so if it were mere legend, then why mention it?

Our first stop was in Hamellile.  Naralle, the Avatar of Silvus, the Raylan god of the Air Element met with us.  We described our adventures to him.  He agreed that the Staff would be needed to locate and vanquish the malaise.  "It grows in Power with each passing day" he warned.  "The humans seem most susceptible, many have died."  Concerned, I asked him how they died.  He told me "they seem to slip into melancholia.  Some then drift into a sound sleep from which they do not wake.  Others arise from their malaise and become agitated and angry.  They act in a chaotic and often violent manner.  Many of them simply take their own lives."  I stared at him in shock as he described these occurrences.  "How widespread is this problem?" I asked him.  "It is everywhere, apparently, and growing."

A sense of urgency was renewed in us.  We all recalled the tragic details of our unfortunate campers at the hands of their own father.  Could this happen just as easily in DOM?
We left the grove.  In Giorda we sold out mounts and boarded a ship for DOM.  Giorda too had seen this recent development and their jails were filling up with chaotic murderers.  We would be a nation of lunatics soon if this could not be stopped.

We could feel the tension when we reached the capitol.  A discernible chaotic edge that was not there when we left.  We all knew instinctively that we would not be welcome here without concrete news of a cure.  We decided not to make a grand entrance.  We went directly to the University.  Arbus, the headmaster was there, and greeted us with surprise.  We told him that speed necessitated our secrecy, and he seemed to understand. He even helped us, guiding us to references of Neriz.  "Reva has a greater selection" he offered.  I already knew that, but visiting the Great Library would have taken an additional week, even if we had gone straight there from Hamelille.  What we did discover was that it was probably to the south of current day Ekos, a frontier port of Deniz on the waters of the Marepize.  Arbus knew of no ships traveling from DOM to Zorbesh.  We would first have to travel to the Dukedom of Gandus, and from there take a ship to Ekos.  Happy to contribute to the cause, Arbus made our arrangements for us.  We secured our needed cash and supplies.  Recalling the spiritual and mental separation we suffered during our trials in the halls of Orgarath, I decided to bring my telepathic amulets.  I bestowed one on Turmond, who very reluctantly accepted it and put it on.  "Like a dog collar" he stated, I seem to recall.

We set sail the next day, which was as wet and dreary as my spirits.

Next: The Port of Gandus

The citry of Neriz was lost in antiquity.  It was the seat of power of the Avatar of Khaniza, the "Wolf Goddess" of Water and Fire.  (For more information see: 4.4 The Imprisonment of the Gods (c. -8,600)).

This map marks the route of the Bearers of the Elemental Staff.

Veltek attempted to recast his Light spell, but nothing happened.  I thought at the time that something was Dispelling, but I later realized that the Light spell was functioning as normal, but we could not see it - because we were the subjects of a spiritual Darkness.  Had I known that at the time, I would have berated myself for not bringing along a Shaman as well as a Kineticist.  We could see the light from the Orb because of the spiritual nature of the Elemental Staff.  It was, in effect, a spiritual Light greater that the opposing spiritual Darkness.  But only barely.

We made it past the door and into the hallway.  We encountered nothing.  We walked in close formation over the elemental symbols.  The doors from the cavern were wide open.  I could sense our groups collective fear heighten - we had not opened them this wide, and there was no wind inside the cavern that might have moved them.  We were not alone.  Outside the doors we could see only darkness.  As we approached the opening, it grew even colder.  I could sense several presences using Environment Empathy.  We could hear unintelligible murmurs and a low moaning.  For a moment we stood just inside the door, unwilling to mover.  Realizing that it would be up to him, Turmond raised the staff ahead of him and screamed "go away!" as he stepped into the darkness.  We followed him so closely that I stepped on his heel at one point.  Dark entities swarmed around us and chilled us to the bone, but did not yet touch us.  At one point a death mask appeared no further than an inch from my face.  A rotting skull lit with a ghoulish internal light.  It so shocked me that I attempted to flee, but Forcellus grabbed my arm and shouted "it wants to scare us into separating."  He was right.  It's only weapon against the Staff was to scatter us for easy disposal separately.  Realizing this, we all slowed our pace.  Turmond shook the staff at an area of darkness and it retreated.  I was terrified, but Turmond quickly made a game of it.  "Take THAT you bastards!" he shouted as he swung the staff at one dark apparition then another.  Soon we were alone, and at the entrance of the cavern.  We were deathly weary, but we certainly could not rest, so we began our descent down the steep trail.

It took us two days to make it back to the bleak town of Morban.  Our horses were nowhere to be found, so we walked the entire way.  We must have looked like outlaw peasants as we entered the city.  The innkeeper hurried us off to a room, perhaps to remove us from view of the customers he seemed not to have.  We slept off and on for two days.  During that time I did get chances to study the parchments and what I discovered depressed me greatly.  While it did not specify the place where we were to get the item sanctioned by the Water element, it did describe two areas that were places of power dedicated to that element.  The first one was apparently deep under the ocean, in the home of the Sahag.  We were not going there without developing gills.  The other, however, was probably just as remote and impossible, and that was in a lost city in the deserts of the Khaniz barrens.

On the final night of our stay we argued about our course of action.  Forcellus thought that we should just confront the problem and use the staff against it as-is.  I countered that we would need the completed staff to even locate the epicenter of the problem.  That resulted in arguments about triangulation vs. time.  Turmond appeared to accept any path that would be quickest, and Veltek naturally wanted to discover the lost city.  So, once again, they looked at me.  I thought awhile then said; "We will all need light clothing."

Next: Over Land and Sea

There could be no mistaking.  The glowing sphere before us was an orb of Fire.  I conducted a Vibroturgy on it to be sure.  The intention that I sensed was that it be used to both fuel it's own protection, and remain ready for use as a Fire power gem.  Usable only for Energetics, as such, it could be used to represent Fire in our Staff of Elements.  I must confess that I felt overwhelming relief that we had suceeded.  I remember being embarrassed when the others congratulated me, but in truth I basked in it.  My triumph was short-lived however, because I had no idea of how to proceed from here.  And now, the others' expectation that I did know grew exponentially.  My inept attempt to marry the staff to the gem moments later once again reaffirmed (at least to me) that I was a bumbling idiot wandering in the dark.  First I attempted to take the staff.  The Fire gem, even unattached shot me a Energy Storm that would have probably killed me if Veltek had not been prepared to Ground it.  We knew then, that only Turmond could carry the staff as long as the Fire Orb was around.  I had Turmond touch the staff to the Gem.  Nothing happened.  "Perhaps we must simply carry the two together."  Turmond gave a miserable look.  I could tell that he was beginning to realize that the role he had accepted would be larger than he anticipated.  "Great" he said.  "I should just paint a target on myself."  At least his customary sarcasm had not left him.

Thank heavens for Veltek.  His mood never seemed to wander away from youthful enthusiasm and curiosity.  Where Forcellus was alternately coldly serious and caring, and Turmond sarcastic and playful, Veltek seemed only to be full of wonder at all times.  "I think we need to take the time to read some of these scrolls" he said.  "The front door is still open" countered Turmond "who knows what devil will wander in."  "We need to take that chance" insisted Veltek.  They looked at me.  I must confess that I wanted off this mountain as soon as possible, but I could see the wisdom of Veltek's request.  As it turned out, he was completely right.  I agreed with him and we gave ourselves as close to an hour as we could determine. 

It was not until near the close of that hour that we came upon an ancient series of fragile parchments that spoke of the Elemental Staff.  They were written in two languages, Grimdon, and Fuegon.  I am only somewhat fluent in either, but I managed.  I learned the following:  To complete the staff, it must be assembled in the presence of the Water Element.  Water was the glue that would allow it to come together.  Without that, it would not reach it's full power.  And in fact, until that happened, the wielder would be regarded as an unbalanced entity.  It also provided a warning in this regard, which I chose to downplay for the moment, and that is that the wielder will be somewhat attractive to "natural balancing" by outside elemental forces.  I supposed that the outside forces would probably be spearheaded by the Water element.  This traditionally meant Shamanics or Necromancy as they are generally Water based.  Slowly it dawned on my slow brain, the Imp was not simply an anomaly that set upon a family, and then us.  It was sent.  And sent to slow us - or stop us.  Someone was aware of what we were doing.

And then, almost upon cue, Veltek's light spell vanished and the chamber grew as cold as ice.  The glow of the Fire Gem suddenly grew and lit the darkness with an orange light.  The Staff also gave off a dull silvery glow.  Forcellus drew his sword, I scooped up the parchments with as much care as possible.  Turmond awkwardly held the staff and Orb as we all walked toward the exit.

Next: The Long Journey

Beyond the incapacitated Forcellus I saw Turmond, who had backed away on my command.  I noticed that his feet were still on the symbol of Air.  "Are you alright?"  I asked him.  "Shouldn't I be?" he answered.  I was never so happy to hear his customary sarcasm. I walked back, and Turmond walked forward.  I was about to yell for him to stop, but he seemed so unaffected.  I was curious to see how far he would get.  "What's up with him?" said Turmond, pointing to Forcellus, who was now using exaggerated hand gestures to get his vehement but unintelligible point across to us.  It struck me as funny.  It was the stress of the situation, perhaps, but I began laughing and I could not stop.  My Mind Bar vanished as I lost concentration in my hysteria.  Helplessly wracked with spasms of laughter, I could not stop nor think of anything else.

At some point I stopped laughing.  I was on the floor, and I ached.  Standing back from me was Turmond, staring at me in horror.  I turned to look down the hall toward Forcellus and Veltek.  Veltek was standing where I left him, on the border between Air and Earth, also staring at me in shock.  Forcellus still looked like a fish taking in air, his face and expression of uncomprehending incredulity.  It was no longer funny.  "Are YOU alright?" asked Turmond cautiously, holding up his staff.  "Sorry if I hurt you, but you came at me" he admitted.  I recalled doing no such thing.  I slowly stood up.  He had hit me, that was sure.  It was at that moment that I noticed the slight glow emanating from the staff.  I suddenly felt completely stupid.  I raised my Mind Bar again.  "Come with me" I said as I turned and walked toward Forcellus.  "No chance" he said.  "No, it's alright.  I get it now.  This is only a trial if you are not supposed to be here.  We are supposed to be here, but we did not know that."  Turmond still eyed me suspiciously.  I knew that I was not making sense.  "You are the bearer of the Elemental Staff, and so are resistant to the trial.  I doubt that any of this will affect you."  "So how will you get through?" he asked me.  "You have already made that possible" I answered.  Then went on "you already brought me through.  I bet that I came back the moment you wielded the staff at me, didn't I?"  I could tell by his expression that I had.  "Come and do the same for the others."  He held the staff and approached first Forcellus, then Veltek.  They both came around almost immediately.  They had no clue that they were under.  Even Forcellus could not recall what thoughts he had fervently tried to communicate.  Finally back together we proceeded down the path, this time with Turmond in the lead holding out the staff.  The Water element loomed before us.  With great trepidation he stepped in.  Nothing happened.  At the end of the hall was an ornately carved double door.  Veltek reported that there were no wards.  The doors were not locked.  We were on a roll.  And we had discovered new respect for that wooden stave. 

We opened the doors.  The room was full of objects and furniture.  Crude maps, scrolls, drawings, jars containing herbs and various animal parts, and all manner of other things.  As I entered I grew exited beyond imagination.  I could spend years looking through it all, but knew I would not have the time now.  "Over here!" shouted Veltek who had likewise been bowled over by the discovery. I quickly crossed to room to him.  "This radiates Power" he said, pointing to a wrapped bundle.  I must have looked nervous because he said "It's safe".  I carefully peeled back the wrapping, exposing a glowing red sphere.

Next: The Orb of Fire

We found ourselves in a grand hallway leading into the darkness.  We wanted to distance ourselves from the door.  "Can we close it?" asked Turmond, trying not so sound fearful.  Only if you are prepared to… " Turmond cut Veltek off with "leave it then."  We slowly began to walk down the hall, Veltek in the lead, his light illuminating our way.  The the corridor was not wider than ten feet.  It was festooned with various markings and symbols most of which I did not recognize, but beneath our feet were symbols of Fire.

We kept our eyes on Veltek, hoping that he would stop us before any danger.  Turmond kept stopping and pointing.  "No" Veltek kept saying to him until he became annoyed.  "I will let you know" he snapped.    Suddenly, Veltek stopped.  For several seconds he did not move nor speak.  Forcellus was behind him.  "What is it?" he asked.  No answer.  Veltek stood stock still.  Something was wrong.  I cast a Telempathy.  He had not a thought in his head.  "Everyone stay where you are" I said.  I cast a Mind Bar on myself, and walked up to him.  It was then that I noticed that the symbol on the floor had changed.  It now showed symbols of the Air element.  With excitement I suddenly knew what was happening.  Or at least I hoped that I knew.  This must have to do with the Elemental Pact.  No where else in ancient times would Fire and Air be mixed in the same location.  I began silently pleading to the Elemental Gods that I be right.  This would mean that the door was a trial of Fire.  We probably could not have proceeded without an Energeticist.  This could mean that Veltek was now in the throes of a Empathic challenge from the Air element.  He might remain there forever without help.  The same fate might greet anyone without the protection of a Mind Bar.  "Move backwards" I called out to the others.  Turmond moved, but Forcellus, who was directly behind Veltek did not.  He had apparently succumbed as well.  The Air element is not as susceptible to Earth's Power draw, but this trial still should have been dissipated to some degree over time.  It was doubtful that Alcazar had the skill to reinforce it, and I would be surprised not to have known about a Raylan accompanying him on his journeys.  My fear swelled, perhaps someone else was keeping it up. I preferred to believe that this meant that the Fire gem was here and active, supplying the Power.  After all, there must be something here to protect.

I walked up to Veltek.  I could feel a vague external presence, but I dare not release the Mind Bar to find out.  I simply took hold of Veltek and walked him across the symbols of Air.  He stumbled forward as if sleepwalking.  The next looming symbol was of Earth.  My gut tightened.  Why had I not brought a Kineticist!  Veltek exhaled hard as we approach the Earthen symbol.  He became all words, describing his experience in a catharsis of emotional babble.  "Stay where you are" I yelled to him.  My fears were realized as I took a step toward the Earthen Symbol, there might as well have been a solid wall in front of me.  I could see ahead, but could not move forward.  I knew then with a vast sinking feeling that we would never make it past the trial of Earth.  I looked back down the hall and saw Forcellus.  He appeared to be a bit better off.  He looked back at me, silently mouthing words in exaggeration as if speaking to one who cannot hear.  He would not be moving on his own either.

Next: Two Vital Discoveries

For a moment we all lie unmoving, expecting our imp assailant to reappear.  But he did not.  We rose and surveyed our surroundings.  We were on the broad flat shelf of the desolation.  The mountains summit was still hundreds of feet up, but we had reached our destination.  At the back of this platform there was a yawning cave entrance.  This was the lair of Rakis, the legendary dragon of the followers of Fuegon, or so the story goes.  Alcazar had mentioned in his journal that he had spent time here.  I think the grandness of the place suited his temperament.  What he did here he never mentioned.  I hoped that he had stored his Fire gem here.

We were happy to leave the outside as we entered the cavern.  Veltek cast a Light spell as the minimal light outside had now left us.  The ceiling was high.  We followed the right wall to maintain our bearings.  The rest of the cave was a black expanse.  We walked for several minutes, Forcellus in the lead with sword drawn, followed by Veltek and his light, myself, then Turmond bringing up the rear also with drawn sword.  I had pulled the short bow from my pack, now finally able to use it as no more climbing or overland hiking was necessary.

Suddenly Veltek's light revealed a large door set in the rock wall.  The cave continued on, but we stopped.  "That is Alcazar's mark" I said.  It was set into the center of the door.  Forcellus went to check the door.  "Stop!" yelled Veltek.  "Don't touch it!"  We looked at him.  "There are wards on this door."  We discussed our options.  We decided to continue on and see if there was another entrance.  We were all terrified but Forcellus and Turmond pretended not to be.  The right wall soon began curving us undeniably back out of the cave and we realized the end had been a great circular chamber; the lair of the dragon.  We all heaved a sigh of relief that there was no great beast here.  But we knew that we would have to confront the door.  Alcazar had been a great and powerful Energeticist.  If he determined to keep people out of his sanctum, he would have done it well.  But according to Veltek, "over time, the Earth element will consume Energetics and weaken it.  I may be able to Ground what remains."  We went back and stood around the door. Forcellus would unlock it, if possible, and Veltek would cast a Ground.  Turmond and I would stand ready - he with his sword and I with my short bow.

The door was reinforced with metal.  It had a latch and a lock. "Why don't you all stand back" said Forcellus.  "Won't make a difference" said Veltek.  He explained that we would all suffer the shock upon entrance no matter when we entered after that.  With a look like he regretted having revealed his fear, Forcellus suddenly grabbed the door and tried the latch.  His speed took Veltek off-guard, Forcellus screamed in pain as a blue flash of lightning hit his hand, but was suddenly extinguished with a word from the surprised Veltek.  "Can we work together please!" he shouted to Forcellus.  Forcellus held onto the door.  "It's locked" he said.  It took several castings of Ground and the set of lockpicks that Forcellus had yet to use, but in the end the door was open.  "I should mention" said Veltek with reluctance, "the ward as we enter the threshold will be larger, and will hurt.  I can help, but you are going to feel it."  Forcellus seemed to want it over with "Let's just do this" he said.  We all ran in.  The pain was excruciating.  Blue forks of Energetics combed across us as we entered.  I felt on fire.  Mercifully, it ended as soon as it began.  We all lie on the floor, breathing hard.  We were in.

Next: The Sanctum

The first stone hit Forcellus.  Not hard enough to render him senseless, but enough to bring a cry of pain.  We were trudging slowly up the steep trail that would soon crest in the desolation.  We did expect opposition to our march given the events of the previous nights, but we did not expect a barrage of stones.  We all sought cover as we could.  The trail had been rocky with no trees.  Both Forcellus and Turmond had small shields tied to their packs.  They hastily broke them out.  We cowered together as best we could on the nearly vertical path and used the shields to deflect the pelting which rapidly increased to a hail. Forcellus yelled "There are at least four of them judging from the angle and amount."  The enemy was on the summit, perhaps peering down at our progress.  It occurred to me that perhaps it was only the one imp using Mass Telekinesis.  Forcellus had a nasty gash on the side of his head that was dripping blood.  I cursed my stupidity for not bringing a Kineticist along.  Forcellus seemed a bit woozy, but said aloud "We will have to go up.  We will use the shields as much as possible.  He looked at me "you and Veltek should probably remain here."  "Not a chance" said Veltek quickly, "I can fry them once I locate them."  I yelled that I also could stop an attacker if I could make mental contact.  I knew that it might only be the one imp, and that any single attack by us would probably interrupt the stone shower.  And so, on a ready, steady, go - we began the quickest climb we could manage to close the distance.
Rocks, then dirt and twigs rained down.  As Forcellus reached the summit he was greeted by a flying grapple.  The attacker seemed to be sacrificing himself to take Forcellus, and probably us, over the brink.  Luckily his timing was poor.  Forcellus moved quickly to the side.  The attacker fell over Forcellus' extended leg and landed hard on the rocky edge of the summit.  Turmond brought his sword up, but the man Levitated from his prone position and flew to the left stopping some twenty feet away.  The stone barrage had stopped during this action, so at least we only had one Kineticist against us. Looking around we saw the imp less than thirty feet away.  The other assailant, a large and dirty human rose from the ground, his gaze full of rage and madness.  I could sense that his thoughts were only partially his own and that he was resisting that control, but he lost the mental battle and once again rushed Forcellus.  Suddenly I could feel myself being Disengaged from the ground, I knew that in the next moment I would be cast into a fatal flight.  I attempted to grasp the imp's mind and perform a Suggestion, but could not make it past its Mind Bar.  Veltek, however, was untouched and cast an Energy Storm at the creature.  Bolts of Energetics cracked around the imp and it screamed in pain.  I was once again on solid ground.  I could hear Forcellus grunt as he brought his sword into the belly of his own assailant.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw Turmond finish the job by nearly cutting off the head of the poor wretch.  But the battle was not over.  Our attack had brought Veltek and I close enough together for an attempt by the imp to cast Mass Telekinesis.  We would be used as balls in a game of bowls to sweep all of us over the edge.  As the force took us, we held on to whatever we found around us.  I simply could not resist the spell and slid backwards plowing into Forcellus.  Veltek managed to hold on, and as both Forcellus and I clawed the landing with our fingers to slow down, Veltek cast another massive Energy Storm at the imp.  We stopped just at the edge of the precipice as the creature vanished without a trace.

Next: The Trial of Fire