As with the other groupd questing in Zorlon you have two main objectives to find a gate to Taragoka. This could be anything and anywhere and at present you have no clues. You also know that the correct replacement of a colourless wand, probably somewhere in the city of El Rhun, will prevent the invasion of alien magic in the dimension of Tagfier from causing further damage. You have also been given one extra charge. In the city of El Rhun are the greatest archives in Zorlon, part of the School of Time. El Rhun is now a dangerous place and has to be approached with care.

El Rhun is far to the north east and you have arrived in the northwest. Initially Zekic wanted to scout the locality. Leaving Kyrykki to look after the camp he sent Sammi west and went east himself.

Sammi and Kyrykki

Sammi quickly found the coast and returned. Zekic has not yet got back although it is almost a day since he set out. The night is beginning to fall. The temperature is falling rapidly. Your tents beckon enticingly but...

Zekic

Travelling east you encountered three horsemen. Intending to talk to them you have been captured and trapped in a magical net that does not let you cast any spell. You are being taken further eastwards at speed. At one point the riders stop to change horses. Whilst you cannot escape you can certainly talk to your captors.

Zekic is glad that they finally stopped. He looks around the area, finally actually seeing anything besides terrain rushing past. He takes a close look at the horsemen trying to remember if he knows something about them. He calls out gesturing towards one of them: “Hey you, come over here!”

One of the horsemen walks over. "We're not supposed to talk to you, stranger, until you have been cleared by Hodeini but you needn't worry. Heshmet must have thought you were honourable because you've come from there, so it's only a formality. We're in close touch with the Sardan in these difficult times. We will get you back to where you want to be. You know how it is."

Zekic looks abashed by the way the horseman talks, but regains his confidence almost at once. With all his most important (at the moment) questions answered, he quickly thinks of another reason to talk to the man: “A formality you say? Yes.. I am honorable, so you can release me from this net. As your intentions seem to be peaceful, I also will be. I will come with you for now.”

The man laughs. "I haven't any right to make that decision. That's up to the leaders. It won't take so long. If you'd presented papers... Don't worry, as long as you've your documents stamped by Heshmet of the Sardan, you won't be delayed long."

The horseman offers you a drink that appears to be some kind of milk.

Zekic accepts the drink rather reluctantly, but before drinking it he says: “Heshmet didn’t find it necessary to give me any documents. He said that his name alone would be enough to get me through to your leaders. And they will hear about the way you are treating me! I promise that you’ll get what’s coming to you if you don’t release me right away!”

He then drinks the milky stuff.

The horseman's face becomes stony. "It's a good thing I put a little something in that milk. So you think you can fool us with lies? Everyone knows Heshmet is a woman."

He walks quickly away. Within moments you are asleep. You awaken as you are taken, still within the magic net, into a small settlement of nomadic tents. Something gives you the impression that although the settlement could be moved in an instant it is more permanent.

The horsemen, no longer even polite, push you into a large tent. There are eight people already present. Seven, four men and three women, are incredibly old. They are sitting or squatting on woven rugs and smoking water pipes. They regard you coolly but say nothing. The other occupant, a tall man with wispy grey hair, looks up startled.

"A Windrunner! What...?"

He fusses at the horsemen. "Let him go, let him go. This one is certainly on our side. Dear me, this is a surprise. Windrunner! Well, well, well! What do you want with the Zhishdan?"

OOC: Could you send me something about Zekic’s personality?
OOC2: I knew it was going to be a sleep potion

IC: Understanding that his lack of knowledge about the nomads would only get him in trouble, he adopts another strategy: “Three men drag me in here in some kind of net, and you ask me what I want? Better tell me what you want with me!”

Hodeini seems a little put out by the belligerence. "Everyone takes reasonable precautions in times of war. You will find the same with any of the Dana. Visitors are interviewed by the tribal leader who decides whether or not they are bona fide. In most cases they are permitted to continue. In a few they are returned to wherever they started. And since those who would seek to harm us have considerable magical ability we have to protect ourselves as best we can."

His attitude softens. "My horsemen are young. Those who might remember you from the battle last year are patrolling the more troubled borders. Had they recognised a Windrunner I am sure you would have arrived here riding a horse of your own. But let us put this behind us. As a Windrunner you will be my guest. I am Hodeini, by the way. I and my council of elders advise the Zhishdan as best we can in these troubled times."

He claps his hands. Two fourteen year old boys appear from outside the tent.

Hodeini tells them to bring food and drink for the traveller. As they go out he turns to you.

"This is merely a light repast. We will have a feast in your honour. It may boost morale. Perhaps we are dancing on the edge of disaster but better that they sit staring at it hopelessly. What do you say?"

Hodeini scarcely seems to need to take a breath between his sentences. The elders are a silent as the grave.

Zekic regards Hodeini for a while, and then speaks calmly and without emotion: "Your horsemen seemed to think I was a guest, yet I was captured and brought here against my will. They seemed to think I was honorable..."

His tone starts to rise: "They gave me a sleeping potion!" He spits on the ground. "Where is the honour in that? They don't even have the right to use that word!"

His voice becomes calm once again. "How do I know you are not like they? Show your honour by deeds, not words. Release me!"

When he's done he casually looks around, examining the way the tent is secured to the ground.

Hodeini frowns. "You are free to go but surely you will at least stay to tell us news. We have much you may wish to hear, too. But if your quest is urgent I do understand. Our horsemen will take you to where you wish to be. I know you can run on the wind but it might not be safe to use your magic here, so close to El Rhun."

He pauses. "Please, you may feel a little hurt but we are at war and whether or not you believe you are a special case, you will be treated as everyone else. As indeed would I were I to enter another Dan's lands!"

Zekic looks Hodeini in the eyes. "My companions are waiting for me to return. I wish now to reunite with them lest they start worrying about me. If you would bestow your hospitality on all of us when we should return, and as we do need information - we will, then I would be most grateful."

Hodeini nods but then thinks. "Ah. One of the reasons for giving you that drink was to save your eyes. Speeding through the desert in sunlight can have an unfortunate effect on those not concentrating on the road. You have been 'asleep' for two days. I do hope your companions have not moved. I will ask my horsemen if they have heard of any news. Perhaps you have a means to contact them?"

Zekic looks at Hodeini. "Perhaps I can..."

He pulls the anchor out of his backpack and uses it to determine Sammi's location.

OOC: how is it used? So I can put some prose next time.

Zekic? Zekic, where are you?

Sammi focusses his thoughts on Zekic. Sammi had conferred with Zekic many a time via Telepathy, but for some reason this time was all that much harder.

We're becoming worried Zekic. Please Respond?

Sammi and Kyrykki
Sammi's attempt to contact Zekic does not work. There is some kind of magical interference in the way. You know he is alive but also seems more distant than you would have expected. Perhaps he has been imprisoned or caught by unfriendly people.

Zekic
(OOC, you need to be outside to use the anchor as it works by showing a bright shaft of light in the sky touching the ground where Sammi is. We'll assume that the tent flap is pulled back.)

Zekic sees clearly that Sammi is a long way to the west but whether still at the camp site or whether he has started to follow you it is impossible to be sure.

Sammi and Kyrykki are startled by the sudden appearance of the white glare. Why would Zekic be looking for them unless he was in trouble? Or has someone else got hold of the anchor?

Zekic looks at the beam for a while. "Hmm... They seem to be where I left them. They might be moving this way. If your riders bring me to the west the same way we came, we should meet up with them."

Zekic

Suddenly you feel a chill in your mind. Your use of magic has been detected by another and you know the intent of this other is to destroy. If you try to join Sammi without dealing with it first you will lead the evil to all three of you. You can guess who it is, the usurper in El Rhun.

Hodeini is nodding. "Of course we will return you. But please spare us a few moments of your time. You clearly do not know the situation in Tagfier. You will surely be safer if you do."

Zekic seems to think for a few moments, then says: "Yes, I will stay. You are right, I know nothing of what is going on. Would you tell me, what's going on in El Rhun?" He thinks again for a while. "Do you happen to have any other visitors in this camp at the moment?"

Hodeini conducts you from the Council tent to his own, smaller and cosier. He arranges for the food and drink to be brought in.

"I can tell you a lttle of El Rhun but first I will tell you of our troubles. You might undertsand then why we are so cautious. The six Dana have lived in peace for millennia. A few weeks ago a raid was made on the Hoshidan that appeared to be by another Dan, the Jegdan. It was not. It was an attempt to set the tribes against each other and originated elsewhere. Subsequently there were two other attempts. When all failed an army of strange mindless men supported by strange floating metal beasts attacked the Aldan. The Aldan has escaped with minor losses and inflicted a great vengeance but they are slowly being dispossessed of their lands. We will offer than shelter but need to be carefully they are who they say they are.

As for El Rhun, there was a terrible disturbance there a little while ago and many fled. A party of nine is making its way west across our lands. A much larger party mainly of children have built an underground shelter, again on our lands. Several individuals have also fled. There is one close to us, not far from the walls of El Rhun. He would know more of what is happening in the city. We can take you to him if you wish.

In answer to the third question. We have no other guests here."

The food, rice and meat and a sweetend drink of sour milk arrives. The boys serve you courteously and bow as they leave.

Hodeini nods at the drink. "This one is not drugged. Is there anything else you would know?"

OOC: Sorry for not posting have a big project to do thats like 90 percent of my grade so ive been working on that. Just tell me when to pop in and ill start psoting

Zekic tries the meat and the rice, but does not touch the milk for now. Nothing is as it seems...

He swallows his mouthful before talking to Hodeini. "Interesting news. Tell me more about that army. And do you know anything more precise about the happenings in the city? I am tempted to meet with all the groups you mentioned, but it must wait for now. When we are done, take me to the one close to the city. My companions can take care of themselves," he adds as an afterthought.

Hodeini considers. "If you want to know about the army, it is best that you speak with someone with direct experience. There are no members of the Aldan here. I can arrange for this but it will take several days. Alternatively you could go south and meet those currently with the Jegdan. As for what went on in El Rhun I cannot be sure but the ground here shook violently as if some huge building had collapsed. El Rhun is full of towers that would touch the sun. If one has fallen - or been made to fall - it would feel very much like what we experienced. That is a guess but an educated one."

Hodeini glances outside.

"It is early evening now, will you allow us to give you a feast or would you prefer to be taken straight to the lone escapee from El Rhun? It will be dark by the time we reach him."

Sammi walks over to Kyrykki.

"I don't know what has happened to Zekic....hmm....I have a feeling that it was he that used it, and if that's true, then the best thing we can do is to wait."

Sammi looks to the east, then thinking out loud says, "I suppose we could go and look for him....but then if he's trying to look for us, we could easily miss each other in this confounded sandbox."

Zekic turns, then looks to Kyrykki, inquiring about the amount of provisions remaining.

"I have a feeling that this is important," Zekic says to Hodeini. "Take me to him right away!"

Hodeini claps his hands. A tall young man enters. He is wearing a white shirt made of many layers of thin cotton and sand-coloured breeches.

"Ivram will take you close to this person. We will not go right to the walls of El Rhun. At present our magic protects us and we do not wish to expose it to unwelcome attention. It will only be a matter of five minutes walk. As you will be arriving at night and anyone from El Rhun will be both a powerful magic user and extremely jumpy, I would take care approaching him."

Ivram bows and indicates that you should follow him.

Hodeini says. "I wish you well. If there is anything you need to tell me please do so before you leave. Just in case..."

"What do you mean, just in case?" Zekic asks suspiciously.

"If my companions should come here, I request that you treat them with due respect. I thank you for your hospitality."

He then turns to Ivram. "I am ready to go."

Hodeini sighs. "El Rhun has to be a dangerous city; you may not survive. And I would be happy to look after your companions except you have told me nothing of them. You have not even told me your name. How many companions are there? Is there any way we might recognise them so that they are not treated as you were? How will we know they are your companions if we don't know who you are?"

He watches your retreating back.

"Well there aren't many Windrunners around here I expect we'll work it out."

Ivram leads you to his horse, a sleek black stallion.

"You will ride behind me. Normally I would give you something to make you sleep. Most visitors cannot take the constant speed of the passing ground and become nauseous. But this journey will take little more than an hour. I will leave you a little way from the man you wish to see. You might try singing as you approach him. It is innocent sounding."

Ivram helps you onto the back of his horse and jumps up in front. It hardly seems a moment before you are dismounting. Ivram points along a path leading into darkness. "He is in a small cave about five minutes away along this path. Good luck. Is there any message you wish me to take back to Hodeini?"

"Yes, tell him that one of my companions is a windrunner, he'll recognize him by than."

Having said that, Zekic starts toward the cave. He heeds Ivrams advice and starts to sing a childhood song while he is openly walking towards it. He doesn't forfeit his alertness though.

Sammi and Kyrykki

Zekic continues not to make contact. Something or somebody is surely stopping him.

Zekic

A voice calls to you. "Who are you, and what do you want here?"

The voice is neutral. The speaker is protected behind a spell of invisibility and he is somehow affecting your hearing so you cannot pinpoint the direction from which the voice is coming. There is no attack. As you search carefully for the cave entrance you trip on an uneven surface and fall heavily bruising your knees.

The voice says. "If you are a friend, I can heal your wounds."

"I am a friend so long as you are not an enemy," Zekic says. "I wish to speak to you - reveal yourself!"

Zekic

"I am not an enemy if you are fighting for Zorlon. If you support the fool who 'rules' El Rhun, we are on opposite sides. You may leave. I will not hurt you, that is not my way, but I will not let you get closer. I see you look like a Windrunner. I do not believe that the real Windrunners can be against Zorlon. I met three at the battle last year. If you can tell me their names I will let you reach me in safety."

You feel that the air is heavy with magic. If you move forward your limbs grow heavy, your eyelids droop. There is a sleep enchantment around this person for his own protection.

Zekic says loudly and clearly into the air: "The three Windrunners in the battle of Marghulon were Zekic, Sammi, and Rozia. I am Zekic. Will you let me speak to you?"

The magic in the atmosphere disappears. A tall mage approaches you. You recognise him from the battle of Marghulon, although you do not remember his name. He is wearing grey robes. The most noticeable thing about him is the long blond plaited pigtail that ends below his waist.

"I recognise you now. You are Zekic. I am Telador, former wizardmaster of the school of Healing. Now an outcast. What would you with me?"

"I remember you, Telador." Zekic says going nearer. "What do you mean by an outcast? What happened in El Rhun?"

Telador leads you into his cave, lit by torchlight. There is a makeshift bed comprising old clothes and little else.

"He has destroyed the University of Life." I knew that had I stayed I would have been killed or enslaved. I fled. Not as a coward. I intend to return when I have learned more. There is no way I can guess who it was. One of six is all I can tell you. Where the others are, even if they live, I cannot tell. If only I had a way to identify where they were!"

Telador seems almost in despair.

Zekic shakes his head. "This is terrible! Did all the other wizardmasters also flee? The traitor must be identified and stopped. Hodeini of the local nomads had me brought here to you. I am sure he woulnd't mind if you returned with me to him. I suspect my companions might also be on their way there. When we all meet up, we can discuss what to do."

OOC: 100th post

The former wizardmaster shakes his head. "Here we are in the lee of the walls. Magic cast here will not be picked up in El Rhun. It is the only safe place for me. You could cast here, too, if you have any magic that might help. As to whether the other wizardmasters have fled or been captured I cannot say. If I had a wand of seeking I could perhaps identify where they were but I left in a hurry with nothing. I am planning on returning for a reconnaissance later on tonight. You may join me if you wish. It is best to strike now, before he can have full control."

"I agree with you," Zekic says thoughtfully. "The sooner we strike, the better. He might not be expecting a Windrunner here... I must leave a message for my companions though..."

He thinks for a while, then he gets an idea. Zekic goes outside the cave, and places his anchor on the ground. "Hodeini," he says to it, hoping that Sammi will follow the shaft of light to Hodeini’s camp.

Telador frowns at the device. "May I ask what that is?"

Zekic frowns at Telador. "I thought you would know. This is an elemental anchor. It will show me the location of anything in this dimention. I got it from the elementals of air. Did you see that beam of light? Well, I hope that Sammi and Kyrykki saw it too, and will follow it."

Telador considers. "Why would I know of air? In El Rhun it was forbidden to learn of another's discipline and I am a healer."

He looks at the beam interestedly. "I don't suppose you could use it to identify where the other wizardmasters are? It might tell us a great deal. I can give you their names."

"No, I wouldn't do that," Zekic says. "Suppose the traitor sees the beam. If he really is responsible for all that happened, then I suspect he didn't care for your prohibitions. He would know what it meant. Or do you think it's safe nonetheless?"

Telador nods. "It is wise to be cautious but in fact you have to ask what would be seen? If we call for the names of six wizardmasters he will see at most six beams of light. He cannot know what they are or where they originate from. And if it worries you, we can call other names and places to add confusion. In that respect I think it is very safe. Otherwise it would have been a risk getting your companions to come here by using it."

He looks around. "I do think it would help to know the school of the man left behind. If it is the wizardmaster of Fire we are in a much more dangerous situation than if it were the wizardmaster of Light!"

"So you think the traitor has remained in El Rhun? Very well, let's take our chances. Call out the names!"

The following information emerges.
Zerith - school of Earth, nothing.
Mordar - school of Death, some way away from El Rhun
Vilten - school of Light, in or at least close to El Rhun
Charak - school of Fire, in or at least close to El Rhun
Frien - school of Air, in or at least close to El Rhun
Saruel - the beam flickers strangely and lights up different places, none in El Rhun. This has never happened before and you don't know what it means.

You have to conclude that the usurper in El Rhun is one of three Air, Fire or Light.

Telador scratches his head. "Let us hope it is not Charak. He would be the most formidable of the three. Now, I want you to do me a favour. This pigtail has been my trademark for many years. Without it I suspect I will not be easily recognised. Please cut it off for me."

Telador hands you a sharp knife.

Sammi paces backwards and forwards. Suddenly he stops and looks to Kyrykki.
"I can wait no longer. This is.." Sammi shakes his head and looks to his feet. "...Not right! I'm going. I can wait no longer. Join me if you wish."

Sammi looks to Kyrykki then quickly turns, walking to the tent to retrieve his pack and belongings. After one parting look, he nods, smiles then sets off to the East, wondering if his travelling companion will join him.

Zekic takes the knife and cuts off Telador's pigtail. He then returns the knife to Telador. "If you are ready, we should go now."

Telador nods. "When we are on the walls I will try to find if there is a free mind in the city. It is dangerous as the usurper may sense me but it will be helpful to know if we are not completely alone. I must take the risk."

You set off, covering the short walk to the walls in a matter of seconds. It is the first time you have seen anything like them. They are very tall and serpentine. They are also concave with the top part jutting over the lower. At the end of each outward bulge a watchtower shaped like a giant's tear hangs against the upper wall. Each tear has three levels. The top, above the level of the wall, had narrow slit-like openings suitable for archers and mages. The central room, opening off the wall is for observation. The bottom room holds a trapdoor for escape or pouring scorn and derision (and hot pitch) onto those who have the temerity to attack.

As far as you can tell they are not defended.

There are no stairs up to the top of the walls.

Telador looks at you. "I can teleport but the magic is El Rhuni. If you have other skills it might be safer."

Zekic smiles. "Of course I have. I wouldn't be a windrunner if I couldn't run on the winds."
Zekic manipulates the currents of air and raises Telador and himself upwards to the edge of the wall. When they are just above the edge, Zekic carefully looks over them.