W<\/span><\/p>\n e are leaving today. I can\u2019t say that I am sorry to go, and if we could have left yesterday we would have. We never intended to come here, we certainly didn\u2019t <\/span>want<\/span><\/i> to come here, and pretty much everything about this place has been horrible. Making peace with the yeti was a welcome change from how we started, but it doesn\u2019t bring Bevelek back to life. And while the chief is grateful to us, I worry that not all of his tribe is on board with that. Katiyana may have been the catalyst, but several of them still died at our hands. I am anxious to put all of it behind us.<\/span><\/p>\n I spent hours and hours yesterday cleansing this place with Ivan and Koya, removing all traces of Fumeiyoshi and restoring as much of the Desnan iconography as our spells could handle. Even that was unsatisfying. It feels like a job half finished, but there is just no way we are backtracking 30-some miles to remove all of those skulls. That, and no one understands, much less knows how to deal with, the pool with the tree. Other than using the specters for target practice, which I doubt was the original intent.<\/span><\/p>\n I am tired. I didn\u2019t sleep well. And I hate it here.<\/span><\/p>\n W<\/span><\/p>\n e rejoined the Path of Aganhei around mid-day today after over three days of winding through the mountains. We\u2019ve begun our descent to Ordu-Aganhei, though according to Ulf (and our maps) that is still over a week away.<\/span><\/p>\n We finally have pleasant weather. The sun is on a reasonable schedule, the skies are clear, and while it\u2019s still cold we aren\u2019t anywhere near the sub-freezing temperatures of the arctic.\u00a0 I should be happy about all of this, but I\u2019m not. I promised mom and dad that I\u2019d check in once we got this far and I have been putting it off because I don\u2019t know what to say to them. There\u2019s no way for me to tell them that Bevelek\u2019s dead without confirming their worst fears about our journey, but I can\u2019t <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> tell them, either. So, the mature adult that I am, I\u2019ve been avoiding it.<\/span><\/p>\n I<\/span><\/p>\n van has been making small repairs to the caravan using magic as we go. The wagons took quite a beating in the storms, and then again under the mountains. As we learned in Ul-Angorn we don\u2019t want to look like we\u2019ve been through\u2026well, all that stuff we just went through, I guess. Of course there\u2019s no avoiding the obvious, which is that we are coming down from the Crown in late <\/span>winter<\/span><\/i>. At best, people will think we have lost our minds, but with the wagons beat to the Abyss and back, we\u2019ll look like fools who didn\u2019t know better and are lucky to be alive.<\/span><\/p>\n These mountains go on for hundreds of miles inland. They call it the Wall of Heaven. The coastal range stretches from the divide between Tian Xia and the Crown all the way down to the equator. At every point it\u2019s at least a hundred miles across\u2014in most it\u2019s at least twice that\u2014with peaks towering to 30,000 feet and beyond, except at Goka, the only port city on the west coast, where there is a break in the range. It\u2019s no coincidence that it is also one of the largest cities in the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s said that there\u2019s a lost valley somewhere in the northern expanse of the Wall, maybe a thousand miles or so from where we are now, where the people live an idyllic life, isolated in, and by, the mountains. It\u2019s a Nirvana on Golarion, with no rulers, no war, no evil, and no sin. It sounds like any one of a dozen other legends we have back in the Inner Sea. I don\u2019t believe any of <\/span>them<\/span><\/i>, either, but who\u2019s to say? Maybe there really <\/span>is<\/span><\/i> a paradise out there, and humanity is just too jaded to accept it.<\/span><\/p>\n I<\/span><\/p>\n finally talked to mom and dad. It could have gone a lot worse.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBevelek? By the gods, Kali\u2026what\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n I cut him off. \u201c<\/span>It was our fault. We\u2026we made an assumption that\u2026it was a terrible mistake. I\u2014I don\u2019t know how else to\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n I had to stop to wipe my eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>It didn\u2019t have to happen. We could have prevented it. I\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Another long silence. Then mom spoke.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDo you want us to tell someone? Do you know where their family lives?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>Give us\u2026give us a week,<\/span><\/i>\u201d I said, sniffing, and wiping my eyes dry again. \u201c<\/span>Qatana says she can\u2026bring him back.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n A much longer silence this time.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>You don\u2019t approve.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n This time, dad spoke. \u201cThat is not it at all. We are just\u2026surprised. Qatana? Your friend, Qatana. Qatana Marchand?\u201d he asked, clearly incredulous.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYes.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Another long silence.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNow <\/span>I<\/span><\/i> do not know what to say.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n W<\/span><\/p>\n e spotted a hunting party not far from the road today. They didn\u2019t approach us, and we didn\u2019t approach them. Ulf suggested that was for the best. He explained that the people of Hongal are suspicious of foreigners and accept the trade route and the travelers on it as a kind of necessary evil. As long as we stay on the road and keep to our business, they\u2019ll leave us alone. Stray too far from it, and we\u2019ll be trespassing, and around here, that is like asking to be executed without the added burden of having to ask.<\/span><\/p>\n They are mostly a nomadic people; even their king lives in a sort of traveling tent city. They are famed for their horsemanship, and live in a land that is equally famous for the quality of its horses. The city we are headed for, Ordu-Aganhei, is one of only two permanent settlements in the entire nation. Unsurprisingly, the other one lies along the trade route as well, on the border with the Forest of Spirits.<\/span><\/p>\n P<\/span><\/p>\n rince Batsaikhar, the brother of the Khan, has made us his honored guests in the palace. In less than two hours, we have gone from living like vagrants and transients\u2014literally living off the land by our wits and skills for months\u2014to luxury the likes of which I have not seen since Niswan. And back then, I only <\/span>saw<\/span><\/i> it. As the Prince\u2019s guests, we are <\/span>living<\/span><\/i> in it, and I lack the words to properly describe the contrast between where we were and where we are. Less than three weeks ago, I was in a frozen wasteland isolated from humanity. Now there are servants attending to my every need, following me like a cloud of gnats.<\/span><\/p>\n They don\u2019t seem eager to please so much as terrified to not. Or, perhaps more accurately, terrified of not satisfying their ruler\u2019s demands. The Prince makes me uneasy; he\u2019s always smiling and overly polite. I think Ulf summed it up pretty well: \u201cThe Prince can be a powerful ally, but he is also known to be ruthless. So be careful.\u201d A point that is underscored by the severed heads adorning the walls of the city. Chua said that \u201cthey were robbers, preying on traders along the Path of Aganhei.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Still, our situation now is something of an improvement over our arrival. Because I couldn\u2019t keep my temper under control. Yes, the guards at the gate were not just rude, but belligerent, accusing us of everything from being smugglers to spies to assassins. When they started climbing all over the caravan like rats in search of food, I let it get to me. Challenging their authority was, perhaps, not the right decision. Fortunately, Chua intervened before weapons were drawn.<\/span><\/p>\n Chua is the\u2026well, I am not really sure what he is. Perhaps a chancellor or vizier or whatever title they give here to the one who is closest to the Prince and responsible for making things happen. He interrupted the guards and extended the royal invitations to us. Naturally, I accepted on everyone\u2019s behalf without consulting them because it didn\u2019t seem wise to refuse or even put the matter up for debate. It was Chua that gave us our first hints of what the Prince might be like: he handed a black rose to each of the ladies in our party, and uttered some artificial and demeaning remark about the beauty of foreign women. (A black rose is, of course, a terrible insult to a Shelynite, but Nihali takes the form of a black raven and that earns me my <\/span>own<\/span><\/i> share of stares. So, I guess I am not in a position to complain.)<\/span><\/p>\n After listening to the highlights of our travels across the Ice in the dead of winter (Radella says he was bored by them, but good at hiding it) Prince Batsaikhar declared he would be hosting the Five Feasts of Hongal in our honor. So I guess our little stunt isn\u2019t pulled very often. Arriving in mid-Calistril was something of a red-letter day.<\/span><\/p>\n The first dinner is in a couple of hours. I asked Chua for advice on not accidentally offending our host. He said, \u201cBe polite. Speak your own language, because he prides himself on his expertise in Common. And use chopsticks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Ameiko and I will be giving everyone a crash course on the latter.<\/span><\/p>\n I already screwed up the second one by speaking to him in Hon-La. I am not sure what Shelyn has in mind for me, but apparently, it involves drawing attention to myself, good or bad.<\/span><\/p>\n D<\/span><\/p>\n inner was, in a word, disgusting. I have a little cantrip that covers up a lot of sins, and I got plenty of use out of it tonight. Look, I pride myself on having a wide palate, OK? You can\u2019t travel like we did when I was young without adapting to the local culture\u2019s food. I\u2019m not even a vegetarian for gods\u2019 sake (I\u2019d practically be a pariah in Vudra for that, alone). But every culture has some bizarre \u201cgourmet\u201d dish that is truly foul, and the chefs here went all out to ensure that was all we ate.<\/span><\/p>\n It also doesn\u2019t bode well for the next four nights: if bird brains and chicken feet aren\u2019t off limits, then there is a lot of ground that they can cover.<\/span><\/p>\n To make up for the food, we were treated to cultural entertainment. It was actually pretty impressive: the Prince\u2019s royal guards performed an exhibition of what they called the \u201cThree Games of Hongal\u201d: mounted archery, bareback horse racing, and wrestling. It\u2019s pretty obvious that their reputation as horse masters has been earned.<\/span><\/p>\n The big surprise of the night was the Prince asking us if we could do these same things. Like, <\/span>literally<\/span><\/i>, the same games. After we picked our jaws up off the floor, we actually put on a pretty good showing.<\/span><\/p>\n Ivan says he got lucky, but I\u2019ve <\/span>seen<\/span><\/i> him shoot, and you <\/span>make<\/span><\/i> luck like that. Two arrows struck their target, dead center. Sparna was challenged to wrestle their champion, and he managed to pin the guy to the floor. It was a close match\u2014I don\u2019t know the rules of wrestling, but it was pretty obvious they were somewhat equally matched, and it went back and forth a couple of times\u2014but Sparna got the upper hand, and that was that. I remember saying, quietly, \u201c<\/span>He probably just executed that guy<\/span><\/i>.\u201d Which was not intended as a joke, but rather a factual observation. Olmas, for his part, <\/span>almost<\/span><\/i> pulled off the horse racing with Kasimir, but Kasimir is a warhorse, and I guess he just didn\u2019t see the point of it.<\/span><\/p>\n Still, two out of three wasn\u2019t bad for people who were put on the spot like that. The Prince obviously agreed and\u2014<\/span><\/p>\n There was a knock at my door just now. When I answered, there was no one there: just a gift box sitting in the hall. An ornate gift box tied with silk ribbons. I opened it, and inside was an absolutely <\/span>stunning<\/span><\/i>, Tien-style evening gown. One that is, shall we say, <\/span>fairly revealing<\/span><\/i>. It was accompanied by a note from Prince Batsaikhar saying, and I am quoting this, \u201cYour exotic beauty graces his palace and will shine all the brighter in this fine gown,\u201d signed \u201cwith his humble compliments\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019ve been sitting here for several minutes, dumbfounded. I don\u2019t know what to write. I can\u2019t process this.<\/span><\/p>\n I<\/span><\/p>\n am pushing all thoughts about dinner tonight and that gown out of my head for now. That is the plan for today, anyway. Shalelu says she found a suitable shop where we can purchase the diamond Qatana needs to raise Bevelek, and we have all agreed to meet at roughly 5 o\u2019clock tonight to get it done. Until then, we are going to be unloading this collection of crap we\u2019ve been carrying since the Storm Tower, and then use the money to do some shopping. It\u2019s just the sort of distraction I need.<\/span><\/p>\n I did come to one decision, though: I am wearing the gown tonight. I decided it would not be in our best interest to refuse a gift from the Prince. At least, one that is\u2014aside from the modesty, or lack of it\u2014fairly innocuous. We need more time here, and we need to keep him on our good side if we are going to remain here as royal guests. I intend to do my part.<\/span><\/p>\n Last night after dinner, the Prince announced what tonight\u2019s feast would be (The Feast of the Ancients), and as soon as Chua came to escort us back to our rooms, I asked him what the entertainment would be (because we are <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> going to be caught off guard like that a second time).<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTheatrical performances with storytelling,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n With Ameiko\u2019s help, I think we can have that covered.<\/span><\/p>\n B<\/span><\/p>\n evelek breathes again.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to fathom that one among us possesses the power to raise the dead. It\u2019s even harder to fathom that it\u2019s a Cleric of Groetus, and harder still that she willingly used it. I mean, it seems like a contradiction, but then again, so is Qatana.<\/span><\/p>\n Besides, she points out that Groetus is the god of the end times, not the god of death. The latter is Pharasma\u2019s job.<\/span><\/p>\n Touch\u00e9.<\/span><\/p>\n Not that Groetus has an opinion on what she\u2019s done. Among theologians, it is widely believed that Groetus doesn\u2019t intend to create followers, and either doesn\u2019t know he has them or doesn\u2019t care. In short, Qatana is given divine power with no guidance on its use; immense power that flows freely, unhindered by responsibility.<\/span><\/p>\n Vankor was especially grateful to have his brother back. And of course, Sandru and Koya were almost equally emotional. I\u2019ve known Bevelek nearly as long as they have, but what I felt was quite different. I felt the weight of guilt lifting off of me. Just a bit.<\/span><\/p>\n M<\/span><\/p>\n y predictions about dinner were, unfortunately, spot-on. The assault on our senses resumed with such delicacies as goose stomach, fish lips, and solidified blood. I consider not throwing up to be a major victory.<\/span><\/p>\n The entertainment was a play whose title translated to \u201cWhy the Marmot Doesn\u2019t Have Thumbs\u201d, told through shadow puppetry and accompanied by throat singing to music on the horsehead fiddle. As expected, Prince Batsaikhar asked us if we could put on a performance to match, and this time, we were ready.<\/span><\/p>\n Ameiko told the story of the white dragon, through music and song. Ivan and I opened her performance with a few special effects courtesy of our spells, and as she got underway I began interpretive dance, interacting with imagery from Ivan\u2019s illusions.<\/span><\/p>\n The accolades we received were enough for me, but the Prince already had two things in mind. First, we were gifted one of the Hongal performers\u2019 fiddles (and I suspect we have executed her, too). Second, he thanked us all personally, but me especially, and then he asked me to join him for breakfast in the morning. I am not really fond of the idea, but refusing the Prince in front of a couple hundred of his nobles and subjects seemed like an extraordinarily bad idea at the time. So I said yes.<\/span><\/p>\n Note that I said, \u201cat the time\u201d. As Chua was escorting us to our rooms, Olmas struck up a conversation with him, and he asked a few questions about the Prince that have me regretting that answer.<\/span><\/p>\n Among the stories Chua told us was this gem: \u201cOnce he stacked seven people on top of one another, just to see if he could sever their heads with a single stroke of his katana. Which, of course, he did!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWere they prisoners being executed or something?\u201d Olmas asked.<\/span><\/p>\n Chua looked puzzled. \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2026don\u2019t know?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhy would I? They weren\u2019t important.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Good gods.<\/span><\/p>\n Chua will come by at seven o\u2019clock in the morning to take me to breakfast. Sparna volunteered to escort me.<\/span><\/p>\n G<\/span><\/p>\n ods, I feel sick. I\u2019m still trembling. I managed to keep myself together until I got back here but then I started shaking and I couldn\u2019t stop. Even Nihali couldn\u2019t help me. I\u2019ve calmed down since then but I can still see the tremors in my hands and my stomach won\u2019t stop aching.<\/span><\/p>\n On the way out, as I was about to walk through that door, I felt him run his hands through my hair. I was <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> OK with that. <\/span>Not in the least<\/span><\/i>. I didn\u2019t ask for it, and I didn\u2019t want it, but I could at least <\/span>pretend it hadn\u2019t happened<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n And then his hand continued down to my <\/span>back<\/span><\/i>, to my <\/span>skin<\/span><\/i>, and I was back on that beach with Jefy Theern looming over me. I could feel the wind against my face and the sand beneath my hands. I could smell the ocean.<\/span><\/p>\n Nihali tells me I froze for just a second. I don\u2019t remember, and the Prince didn\u2019t let on that anything had happened, but I have no reason to doubt her.<\/span><\/p>\n On the way back, I whispered to Sparna using one of my spells and told him what happened. Told him I\u2019m worried what the Prince might try next. Then we met with the others when it was safe to talk.<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019re getting the caravan ready to move. <\/span>I<\/span><\/i> can get out with magic, but the caravan can\u2019t, and if my hand is forced? It could put everyone in danger.<\/span><\/p>\n I have no problem admitting this: I am scared.<\/span><\/p>\n I<\/span><\/p>\n am writing this hastily as the girls are waiting for me to begin. But I need to get this down while I can still hold myself together.<\/span><\/p>\n Tonight was the Feast of Fire. I barely remember any of it, just the part where I was, once again, asked to perform. Dancing on burning coals (under the protection of fire resistance, of course) in a <\/span>not-at-all-revealing<\/span><\/i>Calistril 6 (Path of Aganhei, Wall of Heaven, Evening)<\/h3>\n
Calistril 8 (Path of Aganhei, Wall of Heaven, Evening)<\/h3>\n
Calistril 10 (Path of Aganhei, Wall of Heaven, Small Hours)<\/h3>\n
Calistril 14, 4713 (Path of Aganhei, Hongal, Evening)<\/h3>\n
Calistril 16 (Ordu-Aganhei, Late Afternoon)<\/h3>\n
Calistril 16 (Ordu-Aganhei, Late Night)<\/h3>\n
Calistril 17 (Ordu-Aganhei, Morning)<\/h3>\n
Calistril 17 (Ordu-Aganhei, Evening)<\/h3>\n
Calistril 17 (Ordu-Aganhei, Late Night)<\/h3>\n
Calistril 18 (Ordu-Aganhei, Morning)<\/h3>\n
Calistril 18 (Ordu-Aganhei, Late Night)<\/h3>\n