Aspects of Dying

Eastern crown lands, 25th Dyarr YT330
Six days after leaving Gylwics, Tolarr was travelling along the road perched on his cart. The rest were riding alongside. They had agreed to accompany Voltarr eastward, so after heading south to Korzow via Komiro they had taken the road towards St Kuthoy. Olorin was considering a swift visit to the torpek lands and Aegnor Gora. While Tolarr might otherwise look forward to this he could still not get to grips with his recent troubling visions. Others spotted the buzzards before he did. They hurried to the spot and found four merchants, their horses and packs lying close together near to the road. The horses were all dead. Savaged by some fell beast. Two of the male merchants were already dead. Weapons had been drawn but clearly to no avail. The other merchants, a husband and wife, were still alive. As Tolarr approached, he felt their agony as if it were his own. They were dying! Father Nicolai, Voltarr and the others rushed forward to provide what healing they could. It was barely enough to prevent them dying on the scene. Once they were no longer in immediate peril, Tolarr began to feel better. Putting the injured couple on Tolarr's cart they made haste to the next village and left them with the landlord of the Packmans House. Tolarr wondered if he would be affected like this the next time they were around death. He had always been calm around death before. It had always seemed natural, even familiar.

Merchant Cant - 2

Eastern Karbath, 20th Dyarr YT330

A dying merchant was discovered in the foothills north of Astergow. He had a fortune in unpolished gemstones on him but no food. His clothing was ripped in several places and he had many wounds. The wounds looked like bites and clawmarks, perhaps a week old. Local healers were unable to help him and he expired before they could get him to the nearest monastic infirmary. But the villagers did hear his last few words and passed them on to the monks. The placename 'Vlesdawa' was clear. Although not marked on any Tylar maps it was still a terrifying name to the ordinary folk. The second word 'dacian' was not familiar to them. The last few gasped breaths may have also been a name - 'Dameni Hnufa'.

Preparing for a New Sojourn

Gylwics 19th Dyarr YT330
Voltarr received the summons when he arrived back at the Old Wall Inn. The Council had decided that Voltarr was the person to get to the root of the curious nocturnal marks. He was ordered to report to the Council at the tower of Szutsavanica immediately. Since this involved several days travel east, Voltarr persuaded his companions to leave Gylwics with him the next day.

The marks were three horizontal lines with other lines branching up and down. Voltarr consulted the house of his order in Gylwics. Someone suggested that the writing was some old Kolloth script. Since Szutsavanica bordered on the Czar's new lands of Stajerska and Korska, this seemed likely. These lands were the larger part of the old Alban province which had once been the homeland of Tylaria's Kolloth inhabitants.

Their contact from the Loyal Aurdun of Fyhar Gora arrived secretly that night and after examining Olorin, Tolarr and Voltarr, agreed that they should all leave with Voltarr. The church militant and the Borsonin's men prepared to search beneath the old keep in response to the reports of Olorin, Nicolai and the others.

A Changed Torpek?

Tolarr found himself back in the common of the Old Wall inn. He was still trying to make sense of what he had just experienced. He did not hear the crash of plates and tankards hitting the floor in the adjacent passage-way. Nor did he see the astonished look on the serving maid who had just dropped her tray.
It quickly occured to her that she might have difficulty explaining this to old Balasc. Torpek 'blinking' into existence was not normal, even one belonging to that strange group of 'prospectors'. If he took this out of her pay it would be a really bad week. She considered asking the Torpek to pay once she had mustered enough courage.
Tolarr was not sure what had happened to him. Something was different. He planned to tell the rest about the warning to them all but he needed time to consider that which concened him alone.

Merchant Cant - 1

Karbath Mountains, YT330

Recent merchant caravans from the lands of the Kogotoi have been reporting numerous sightings of lycanthropes in the distance. Authorities have been trying to reassure the traders: "None of these sightings has been connected with attacks."; "The creatures range widely in the Karbath mountains and the same creature is often sighted several times by different travellers."; "Daous are sometimes responsible for false sightings in that region of the mountains." If all the sightings were true it would amount to dozens or even hundreds more of these beasts than anyone is prepared to admit to. That or the equally terrifying thought that the lycanthorpes were gathering together in one place.