Common Worlds

After a short delay, the Heroes met up just inside the Wyvern Gate. Rasa was no where to be found.

Moving toward the Real City, the Unicorn Riders broke off and continued toward their temple. Betira spoke her farewell to Oshun. "Your stalwart press of the center carried the day. I will not forget the bravery of you and your riders. My priestess, Morganeth shall hear your name." With that she departed.

Now the heroes stood before the gates of the Real City, which was clearly on high alert. All the pavisites could feel the tingle of agitated, watchful daimones guarding the gate.

Will I Am approached at the fore, and a guard called down the traditional greeting. "Peace of Pavis unto you. Who comes to the gates?"

Will gathered the blessings of Pavis around him, so that his aura of belonging would have been palpable to the least sensitive initiate. And more, he drew forth the first harp string of the Ivory Harp and let it sound. Ethereal echos and vibrations sounded from the gates and from more distant places. In short order the gate's postern opened and guards exited to protect the heroes as they guided their mounts through the gate.

Before they all finished getting into the city, one of Broosta's senior aides had arrived, looking like he had hurried. He escorted the heroes to the temple without delay.

Once inside the crystal dome of the old temple, worshippers left the outsiders. They continued on into the sacred precincts of the temple, where a ceremony already called for Pavis' aid. Oshun and his riders joined the outer supporters, but Will continued in until he was before the Holy of Holies, the altar and seat of Pavis.

There five of the seven Pavis priests worked their sacrifices and prayers. One spot was empty--Cyrillius Harmonius was not present. Ginkizzie was also absent, but a dwarf worshipper of Flintnail stood in his place.

Will I Am took in the ceremony, considering whether he should do more than aid it with his devotion. Watching it, he had a profound realization: he was the answer to their prayers. With that in mind, he layered his magics and awareness on, and entered the ceremony.

A timeless feeling of oneness enveloped him and he understood the entire purpose and direction of the ceremony. But now that he was here, another possibility existed. Rather than attempting the difficult reach across the ruins to the Flintnail temple, the priests and Will could invest Pavis' power in some of those here, now that there were enough warriors and magicians present to take up that burden and leave the temple.

His vision swayed the collected priests, who worked together to invest their chosen with the power of the city. Feeling the link to all those who aided the ceremony, Will and the priests also picked out one other member of the congregation to bear the powers of the god across the city and to Flintnail. They sensed him only as a nameless initiate among the crowd in the temple, but the power of his spirit and the firmness of his devotion made it clear he was a good choice.

The ceremony concluded successfully, and all those chosen to carry Pavis' power felt it invested in them, as if each of them rode a wave of the god's will. They could feel each other as well as the god.

The decision to include the unknown initiate seemed wiser still when they actually saw him. He was a tall man, broad shouldered and armed as a thane with mail and leather. A sun-browned face had seen many hard things, but his eyes were still clear if his beard had the first touch of gray in it.  Even now with the wind stopped and most proclaiming Orlanth dead, he wore the marks of the King of the Storms. Gathering together, the stranger spoke.

"Peace of Pavis. Friends, you are well met. It is a grim time, and we all need help."

"My name is Argrath of Pavis, and I am returned from the Cradle."