Editing Midnight RPG - Chapter 37.75

'''ADAM!!  FYI - I PROMISE YOU that I did not read your entire dream message, before KNOWING the outcome of WHO you were communicating with.  I don't want you to think I turned something on you unfairly!!''' 




This conversation takes place in a dream vision from Zal'Kazzir to Aradil, the Witch Queen.


== Zal'Kazzir ==
My Queen, I hope this missive ...


==the QUEEN==
'''''Your soul, mind and life - INTRUDER, stands upon the edge of my blade.  <br> Stray but a little and you will fall as the yávie lasse ''['''translation''':  autumn leaf]'', to the ruin of life. Yet hope remains while your company is true.    <br> Know this, ASSASSIN, the world is changed with this season passing.   <br> I feel it in the Great Lady (the earth).   <br> I taste it in her blood (the water).   <br> I hear nothing from her bones (the wood).  <br> I smell it on her breath (the wind).  <br> I see it in her heart  (in the faces of the 'Nsil people).  <br>   <br> In the guise of dream, you would invade a Queen.  No I not, whether you friend or for.  Care I not that you are The Enemy or Family, but fear this, STRANGER, elfkind of Aryth do not tread lightly as myth from other lands might say.    <br> You seek nightmare here dreamer.  Not a beautiful flower but the dark and terrible dawn of morning and night!  You ply to tempt a living lord, an Avatar, a daughter of the Erethor.  Your cunning and guile will be your downfall.  For I am treacherous as the sea and the sun and the snow upon the mountain, from Highhorn Top to Fire Peak!  Dreadful as the storm and the lightning crash!  Stronger than the foundation of Aryth.     <br> I ask you thief, shall you love or despair in the knowing of this!!  <br>   <br> Choose your next tongue wisely.  <br>   <br> Know this before you tread further...  No elf, nor man, nor kith and kin of halfling and gnome... No orc, nor Shadow Fiend sees more clearly the nature of the lose to come than I, Lady of the Etheldar, Maiden of the Yárea Orne ''['''translation''':  Elder Tree]'', and Benaedan's daughter from time.    <br> I have passed my mortal tests.  <br> I will not diminish.  <br> I evade the Shadow Havens.  <br> And I shall remain Aradil, Lady of Summer.  <br>   <br> So say us all.  <br>   <br>   <br> What say you to my test dreamer?  <br>   <br> Is your heart true?    <br> [casting detect alignment]  <br>   <br> Make way if you are one of my own with but a word or two...  <br> Ae govannen ólor, pedo anwa a minno'''''    <br> ''['''translation''':  well met dreamer, say the truth or give the answer and enter or be open to converse with Aradil]''  <br>   <br>   


==RIDDLE PHRASE==
'''"the ___[3]___ is  ___[7]___ care turn away  ___[4]___ and  ___[6]___ but a  ___[5]___ of  ___[4]___ and  ___[6]___."'''



===1st word, 3 letters===
In many hallways you would stand, 

If not with this in hand. 



===2nd word, 7 letters===
It is more beautiful than the face of your love.

It is more scary than your worst fear.

Dead men eat it all the time.

If a live man eats it, he soon will die.

A poor man has it.

A rich man wants it. 



===3rd word, 4 letters===
I make you weak at the worst of all times.

I keep you safe, I keep you fine.

I make your hands sweat, and your heart grow cold,

I visit the weak, but seldom the bold. 



===4th word, 6 letters===
A part of the vile crow that is not in the sky,

That which would drown in Pelluria yet remain dry.

The last vestige of man that refuses to die.

In mourning tossed at man's feet to lie;

Working onward up, eating legs whole to waist.

And through midday away seemingly chased, 

As evening falls like words entering the lungs, 

Spiraling down past mouth, teeth and tongue. 

Feast on your body, your soul, and your mind, 

But as darkness falls all evevitable find 

That away and gone, a relief for some; 

At least until tomorrow, on the morning come. 



===5th word, 5 letters===
A red drum which sounds

Without being touched,

And grows silent,

When it is touched. 



===6th word, 4 letters===
If you break me

I do not stop working,

If you touch me

I may be snared,

If you lose me

Nothing will matter. 



===7th word, 6 letters===
In the dark night flies a many-hued phantom.

It soars and spreads its wings

above the gloomy human crowd.

The whole world calls to it,

the whole world implores it.

At dawn the phantom vanishes

to be reborn in every heart.

And every night it is born anew

and every day it dies! 



== Zal'Kazzir ==
'''The Key is: Nothing care turn away Fear and Shadow but a Heart of Hope and Dreams.'''

"Wisely chosen, Majesty. All who would be free believe this truth." 

"As for my heart, I say three wisdoms in my own defense: Twilight is not shadow, Not all who wander are lost, and the distateful friend who comes unlooked for may serve when the nest of Scorpions is all around. I give you pledges of loyalty beyond any oath, and my ignorance is not so great as to attempt to decieve the very avatar of Aryth herself.



=ANOTHER=
'''''"...Ghulvenne, your name is known - though your heart is known more so.  There is one kin to you and your ways not so distant from the Lady of Summer herself..."'''''  A thin sunbeaten form sits cross-legged in the center of a maudrial clearing, the ground is in a carpet of fallen leaves - newly dropped from the summer undone.  The form is far from your eyes, the trees seem as a gate keeping those such as you at bay.  This is not the Aradil you recall.  Yet the voice is akin to the Witch Queen in tone...  As the elf raises her head, blackened mud locks of dread fall about the spindled shoulders.  She was beautiful as the stars one day.  But the time of years has drawn on her blackening the windows into her soul.  Perhaps then, it is that reason those connected to Lady Aradil are such - perhaps in this way they can walk amoung the Shadow as no other can...?  Whatever it be, the long tatooed arm of your riddle-woman draws up in your direction - the hand flies open and then clasps shut as if grabbing the air holding her fist out to you...

'''''"...well done Ghulvenne.  Does then your heart still yet hold hope and dream?  Can it hold such things that I feel within you and at the same time see hope.  Is hope not the enemy of chaos?  Some would note that it is twilight when the Shadows are most deep.  It is true that to wander does not make you lost, but neither so does it make you found.  And I ask Ghulvenne... how might an oath given of one willing to strike a deal with devils be of value?  Would not a greater barter come, might you not take it?  <br> <br>  ...and please Ghulvenne do not feign ignorance here.  You are no more the child in this than I am Dworg.  Ignorance of a thing does not excuse you from it, though I donot believe it is ignorance you have - yet it is ignorance you assume of the Lady, is it not?  Your words, Ghulvenne, fall farther than you might know.  Speak of the Queen and she will know.  Their are whispers in the world even in the places where the trees grow deep...  Do not use your flower tone here Ghulvenne, not in these times.  We donot have care for your Southman ways, not in these days.  Speak plainly, for that is with heart and not of mind."'''''  ...and the master woman looks to allow your dreams to flow.  Accepting that which you offer, in protection of her Queen.  Or... perhaps not... this bridge to Aradil created with good intention by those such as she who you now see with open eyes... she... Sovaliss the Danisil Spymaster to the Queen, the so called Master of the Eyes.  Could not this be the danger of the corruption to come?  It is a question that wells inside you  (ie. sense motive)  yet, the intention is not for harm.  Not quite yet.  But know this... Aradil is not alone in her connection with the Elder Tree.  To protect her people, she has given a strip of her mind in trust.  For one must have trust to hope for change... <br> <br>  And Zal'Kazzir's dream vision continues...



== Zal'Kazzir ==
...finds you well and in better spirits than latest rumour would report. I humbly beg your pardon for presuming to intrude upon your dreams, and would not do so save for the direst need. There are tidings that you must hear, and I feel it best that they come from an impartial source, with no interference or filtering from those who would manipulate you to our mutual ruin. 


Firstly, know that the Lady Alamath, who remains, as far as our wisdom allows us to see, faithful to you, has contacted her brother, the Lord Eranon, and has informed us of the dire tidings of the political state of the Elven Nation. Let me assure you that you have more and greater allies than you assume, and that hope, not power is the true strength of all who would oppose the deadly oppression of the corpse-god. We, as least, are your true allies, and will aid you faithfully and as best as out talents and abilities allow. It troubles us greatly to see the disquiet and corruption of your counselors, and those who would woship you as a Night Queen, for this is their true corruption and their ultimate goal. These tainted fools see only their own short-sighted gains, and would destroy all that you are, and all that the Great Lady has entrusted to your stewardship. Their weakness must be exorcised. Even the strongest monarch can be unduly swayed by the now-false counsels of those who should love her; take heart and know that if my politcal expertise or my outsider status can be of ANY use to you, my blade and tongue are yours. 


It is good to hear that your Majesty opposes the mad scheme to use the Feykiller plague, and, hopefully, our efforts in the next few days can convince Lord Ossion to abandon this madness with no further loss of precious life. 



=the Spymaster=
'''''"...true you are skilled Ghulvenne, but you care not for our ways.  And you seem to move closer to the dark then the light.  We worry for you, giving so much for so little.  Taking gain today for so much more tomorrow.  Would you not heed your own words in this light?  Were you not given a means of annihilation would you not cast it down on your enemy, even if your loves were lost in the blow?  Have you lost so much that is true to you that you have forgotten yourself, only able to cast doubt on others?  Aradil is of our heart, she has our minds and wills as she calls for them - but because of such things she must so to be protected from the likes of those such as you and your unrealistic ideals.  You speak of madness not unlike Galeck in his hovel.  You condemn our choices as if you would not make them yourself, you act as though if you could recall the plague you would do so - when we saw it in your eyes and suggested to Lady Aradil that you would make a masterful addition to our order.  We invite you still.  Our link to mankind must be forged anew, when the walls fall at Sharuun - though we have advised against it.  Lady Aradil will need someone of your quality to douse the flames.  <br> So come then Zal'Kazzir Ghulvenne, I can offer a boon to you.  You can become that which the Queen offered.  Your journeys will take you far and abroad.  With our direction you can seek out our Weaver of Chaos reuniting Aradil with her family, finding the Highwood beyond Fire Peak, beneath the cradel of Zardun...  Lloth, she waits knowing fear is as strong as steel, while love and respect are soft, useless feelings that none can lean on. Turpin Durin (a dwarven name?), he knew this.  Aarndil and his Moonstruck Clan followed as such.  <br> <br>  So you must ask Ghulvenne... what is this nonsense that you believe it is of our wish for you and yours to hault or even slow Ossion and his Arrow?  This I believe you are mistaken in."'''''  



==Zal'Kazzir==
I also deem it necessary to reveal to you our understandings of the current schemes of the Sorcerer of Shadow as they relate to you and to the whisper. It seems Ardherin has begun to capture and turn those with the potential to become whisper adepts, and he seeks the Cadaverous Eye with deathly intensity as a Lynchpin to this end. His goal, as far as we can tell is to strike at you; to damage your hope, sanity and will by corrupting the whisper and driving you to fall to despair. He sees, I believe, the desperation and weariness you suffer, and it is by his machinations that your court turns to madness in order to estrange and weaken you from your foundations. Stopping Ardherin is our highest priority. We plan, as soon as we are able, a strike against the Arteries to attempt to rescue several potential adepts who suffer therein. In the meantime, I beg you to turn to those who love you and care for our mutual survival, and to keep your council free of those who would worship you and turn all your radiance to shadow. 



=the Spymaster=
'''''"...oh... Ghulvenne... you are so mislead.  We shall have to find Lady Alamath and show her the mercy of our love...  The nature of the Demonbane is that of deception, even now our eyes have infiltrated his interior and seek to turn these Arteries into a funnel for the fight against the ill-fated city of Highwall.  So close they are to the inner circles of the Enemy.  It was ingenious for the Demonbane to make his way into the heart of darkness.  As is true of Lloth.  When Lord Ardherin returns to Caradul on the next spring he will ride in a conqueroring hero, welcome back into the loving hands of his Queen's cohort.  And with our sister's spread into the Kaldrunes, Izrador the Enemy will no longer be the god king - but rather a toppled idol to the matrimony of the only true children of the Etheldar.  And you, should you accept my offer... you will rule man's world.  Your reward for making this connection so, will be from the treeline to the mountain foot - from Pelluria to Kasmael.  <br> <br>  But it is with this word of wisdoms that we thank you, your gift of informations will not go unlooked.  We had thought the generals and spies lost with the Whisper fallen.  But you have reignited our vigor that their are still those such as yourself of true interest in protecting our Queen from her own self doubts.  Not to worry Ghulvenne, we will insulate her from the hurt that may come."'''''




==Zal'Kazzir==
I fully support your strategy to use Sharuun as a grand distraction to free us to move in the North. The loss of the city of my fathers is a tragic sacrifice, but my people and strong and cunning, and many more will survive than will fall. When the time comes to begin planning the infiltration and assault, contact me, and I will share all relevant tactical, political and social intelligence that I can provide.

=the Spymaster=
'''''"...this is of harrowing news, could it be that some spirited mind could have struck Lady Aradil?  Could it be Lady Alamath and her band of Elder Council veterans that have plotted this strategem?  And for what is this distraction to bring?  Hmmm... thank you Ghulvenne... we shall have to investigate this matter further.  Disruption across the fields from my spire to the Southman's city could not be anything but disheartening to our 'friends' therein.  I shall look into this myself, I always had a special place in my heart for the stars from within the city.  It is but fitting that a son of Dal Colia lead us to this..."'''''




==Zal'Kazzir==
I have many tidings to report, both of great triumph and of great sorrow.


Firstly, I hope it will bring great joy to you to know that the Elf-Friend, Walden, yet lives and is safe and sane. We rescued him from the shadow of corruption, and the Lord Durgaz redeemed him to the cause of Freedom. As soon as time allows, we can attempt to arrange a meeting for you, if it is your desire, but please understand that we do not trust master Walden's safety in Caradul while the Witch Cult still wields such influence.



=the Spymaster=
'''''"...Walden, the 'ShadowWall'?  Stories of his importance must have become a bit more exaggerated since my study Sarcosa.  Yet it is good the old man lives.  We must invite him to Caradul when the fires finally die..."'''''





==Zal'Kazzir==
Secondly, know that the Cadaverous eye is still safe. Another attempt to sieze it has been thwarted. We know of no sanctuary that can hold such a Vile artefact, and until and unless one becomes apparent, we have little choice but to bring the eye with us to ensure it's safety. 



=the Spymaster=
'''''"...the 'Eye you say?  Yes... yes... you must ensure its safety.  Its end in this is not yet known.  Do not for whatever you do take in east.  It is known to me that the things that rest under the mountain would use it to unfair means.  They will again try to foul the promises made so long ago.  It is with this reason Lloth now resides, frightening those things in the dark...  She will be your ally in making the fearful feel fear... Know that."'''''




==Zal'Kazzir==
Thirdly, we have established an outpost in the Green March on the site of the Keep once known as Durn's Hold. This settlement, named Firsthold, was successfully defended from a massive shadow assault by Shealgraf One-Arm and his hordes. With only a few hundred refugees and our own skill, we were able to utterly rout and destroy One-Arm's forces, numbering many thousands of Elite troops, including Trolls, several legates and a powerful Kurasatch Udareen. It is also my very great pleasure to report the utter destruction of Shealgraf One-Arm himself. We felled him in perilous melee, and Lord Durgaz, upon smiting One-Arm down called a small orphaned boy to finish the beast with a common bread-knife through his eye. Such was the ignominous defeat of the one who was once called Legend. 


Also during the Siege of Firsthold, Lord Durgaz used the gemmed sphere you awarded him to fulfill a prophecy, and in doing so freed several hundred Elite Orcish riders from the sendings of Shadow, and these now follow his banner against their former masters. Perhaps there is hope for the Odrendor after all.


Fourthly, I wish to inform you of the cause of the recent disruption to the whisper. During the Sige of Firsthold the Cadaverous eye was carried several miles from the field to prevent it's malicious presence from cursing all who died to rise again. However, an unlookedfor assault by elite Uruk forces and some half-dozen of the very Sons of Izrador assaulted the animate trees guarding the eye. Eranon, sensing the desperation of the situation, called upon the Lord of Summer to march to the rescue of the Eye, and his power, while decisive, was insufficient to prevent his own destruction. It is my understanding that the Grief felt by the trees at summer's premature demise silenced the whisper temporarily. It is our understanding that the whisper should resume in a few days time.  


=the Spymaster=
'''''"...hmmm, this is troublesome.  We wish you well in your victories at First-Hold.  In that we can see your guile.  You are becoming legend by facing legends.  It is unfortunate that the Sons of Izrador seek the undead sphere.  Perhaps it is best that the trees do not speak now.  These bits of news might deter our movements across the Erethor and into the Highhorns.  Keep the 'Eye safe until such a time as when you can arrange it to be travelled back to Caradul."'''''



==Zal'Kazzir==
There are, of course, many other things I could tell you, but these are the most important as far as I can see. Please reply and I will attempt to respond as soon as time and rest allow. Remember, my Queen, we are your faithful friends and allies, and moreso share your common goals and common enemies. If you have desperate need of me, I have ways of travelling to you very quickly, and am willing to do so if you require. If you have great need, you may Call me to you, though I place great trust and faith in you by doing so. You need but Call my name, and use the proper address of "Kepak Za'al" and I may attend you. This information I give ONLY to you, and I trust that you appreciate the significance and meanings of this information. 


Yours in Twilight, 

Kepak Za'al, also called Zal'Kazzir Ghulvenne.


=the Spymaster=
The head of that which was formerly the form of the Danisil Master of Eyes, whips up to look you at you.  Your black eyes to HIS unblackened eyes and burned face.  '''''"Ghulvenne... I did not know you trusted me with such a boon.  It sounds... devilish in nature Southman, I wonder whatever must you mean?  As luck would have it I studied with the worshippers of the Terrod host below the Arunath peaks in the Sunken Place.  When the weather of the current storms lessen I shall have to make a pilgrimage and learn how it is I might make use of this new trinket you have given me Ghulvenne.  <br> <br> By the by.  Give my love to your little whore, I understand your lovely daughter is the only thing that escaped poor rotting Master Azam'han's wrath.  I've been told that she has been instrumental in the experiments in resurrection necessary for the master's plot..."'''''  A sunken face of evil looks to yours and smiles.  This is not Sovaliss, this is not the spymaster you knew.  This is a new sort of 'Eye Master...  And his melted brow dips with a wink as the dream begins to fade... <br> <br>  '''''"...thank you Kepak Za'al, thank you for those words of faith. They make me feel beautiful again..."'''''


= Kepak Za'al = 

The smell of sulphur and roses fills the dreamscape as realization strikes, dark magic stirring hungrily. Suddenly huge and menacing two great black eyes, bottomless, merciless and terrible glare down and a voice from nowhere shatters the cloying silence. {This is definately an intimidate check}

"Laugh while you may Stormstrider, Bitch of Shadows, blind master of rotting eyes! Your identity is '''known''', and vengeance shall be unceasing. Whatever strength you once had was in shadows and secrets, and now the corruption has a name, and a face, and a poxied, flaccid form that can be cut away like the parasite it is. You disgust me Stormstrider, and your feeble machinations will end soon enough. Do not forget that we posess something of '''Tremendous''' value to you, and it would be a shame if our plans necessitated it's destruction. 

''Dera Vienak! Dera Gulhk! Dera tak'Nakal!'' (In the unlikely case Vrolk speaks this particular sundered tongue (abyssal), I'll give you the translation "Death to your Life, Death to your Blood, Death to your (pathetic excuse for) Power {I Imagine the prefix 'tak' meaning something like the english 'un-' except in the extreme derogatory sense})



==Questions==
Two things.
 
:1.  Did Vrolk (as I have no doubt that that is who that was... the  'pretty again' and 'my spire' comments clinched it.) somehow intercept my dream in it's entirety? [I won't question that this is not rules-possible, I'll roll with it] If so.. sucks to be me. If not, I definately would've tempered my responses somewhat. If I understand correctly, Aradil was 'there' but somehow Vrolk interposed himself between my mind and hers? Eithin in the guise of Sovliss, or perhaps posessing her? Could I get any further impressions of the relationships of the players; i.e. was Aradil watching? Is she totally cut off from contact? Was it vrolk the whole time, disguised? Did he look undead or alive?

::  '''ANSWER''':  The dream wasn't "intercepted", what happened IS rules-possible.  You can have no idea if Aradil was "there" unfortunately, unless you can think of a way you'd "know".  Yes, your thought of possessing Sovaliss might be accurate.  The only guess YOU could make is that this other person was watching for such contacts, just like Sovaliss would have been responsible for.  You get the impression that it was the same person the whole time, just masked in disguise/shadow.  Definately "alive". 

:2.  I totally believe that you didn't set me up. I still hate you. :P
 
::  '''ANSWER''':  Good, 'cause I honestly did not read your reply.  And then was reading/replying as I went, and hit THAT bombshell of you revealing your Truename... and WOW!!  I hope that doesn't discourage you from being "trusting" like that again.  This was just an ODD situation as it happened.  It might also give you a little lesson to be aware of infiltrators prior to dropping secrets.


Well written overall though!