Midnight RPG - Chapter 37.75

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

Zal'Kazzir

My Queen, I hope this missive 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.