[HQ Ignorance] Scene 81: The Curing of Icthya

[Lev Lafayette]

Scene 81: The Curing of Icthya

The spiritually and physically injured Icthya took her place alongside
Aalmon the Far Rider, who live up to his name in the days to come as he
headed towards the Elf Sea, carrying the scrolls given to him to the
White Moon priestess. The journey through the lands seem simple enough,
but there was an air of uneasiness however in the journey which Aalmon
could not quite put his finger on. 

As the priestess mentioned, there were indeed three towns to visit,
Cedate, Amgine and Fiddyek and questioning locals to find the
individuals in question was simple enough. Peona, at the Seven Mothers
Temple at Cedate, was most useful as she was able to provide to some
healing liquids which, whilst slowing down Icthya's metabolism, did
reduce her level of nausea and the fog which clouded her mind. As the
priestess mentioned she attached the pair to a mentioned caravan to
Amgine, where they met with Tepyd, the captain of the militia. Unlike
Peopna, Tepyd questioned Aalmon about the contents of the scroll that he
received, albeit in an obtuse way.

"So you're the one are you? The time has really come?". Without waiting
for an answer he continued. "For so many years I've kept up this facade.
I carry weapons of war, I train and train others. I keep the men, and
some of the women, in a state of skill and preparation least war ever
enters our lands. Over the years, even the decades, that has seemed
increasingly unlikely as we are so close to the Heartland and it has
brought me great pleasure to know that I have never had to use a weapon
and shed blood in anger."

"But now is the time. Now I must gather forces and arms and take charge.
Now is the time for a new wane, a new way of being. We are expecting
great things from you, Far Rider, for the time of change is upon us."

As Aalmon ponders on this words which confuse him greatly, the militia
captain Tepyd arranges an escort for him to Fiddyek, a town right on the
northern-eastern corner of the Queendom of Horay. Even by this stage,
Icthya feels a sense of recovery as the population density has declined
and the influence of natural growth is evident.

At that town the party of two are introduced to the explorer, a
Balazaring primitive but who carried the symbols of the Lunar religion.
He introduces himself as Inuin.

"Sick elf", he observes with a thick accent. "I take Elf to special
home. Perhaps feel better there." With the scroll given to him by Aalmon
he scans quickly and nods, but betrays no further emotion.

Over the next three days, Inuin leads the party through the woodlands
west of the Elf Sea. Icthya reaches the stage where she can walk and
talk normally, as if she is almost entirely healed. "It will be two or
three more days", she explains to Aalmon on the morning of the third
day, as Inuin brings them to the waters edge. As the sun rises above the
great freshwater lake, it becomes readily apparent that the small party
is not along. The woods by the wate's edge have a gnarled structure to
them - homes to aldryami who issue forth.