Lómë -- the Jewel of the Desert; Ghar, Lorennia, Phineas-- "Shadows Uncounted."

[GameMaster]

Lorennia
[WHELP... That's a bit of a higher roll than I expected... PM sent... will fill in here later.]


Phineas
Always sensitive to others, you notice that your companion completely froze for a moment.  Her eyes go wide, and then narrow.

Around you, others still focus on following everyone to whatever amazing and new event is happening at the Library.  With no pursuit near you, it seems your plan of escaping to the maze in the early parts of the city must have worked.


Ghar
With the city having been built around the Endless Spring, except for perhaps the Clocktower (and therefore the Library) you can easily spot it.  From your orientation, it is off forward-and-right, perhaps ten buildings over.

Exits are everywhere-- the city walls are really only there to give minor shelter to the most biting winds and sandstorms.  There was once a large city gate, off to your left, but it wasn't really maintained because nobody really leaves the city anymore except to bury those who have passed away-- Or, more rarely, for those few who attempt to "explore" the Endless Desert.  You realize for a moment that you remember it having a gate that locked to keep people outside, but that doesn't make any sense, because there is no one else in all the world to invade the city, and anyone could just walk to another entrance?  The thought leaves your mind as it is useless.

Though the human and the elf are quite some distance away, they are indeed easy to spot, because all the rest of the city seems to be coming toward the Library-- they are the only ones that seem to be moving away from it.

They've gone into the older part of the city, where houses sprung up naturally and without direction in a sort of maze.  Those who don't know the area can easily lose their bearings.

[Complex_Assault]

After a short rest, I make my way over to the rag-tag duo, staying as far as I can from any houses dedicated to religious worship, keeping to the less busy streets.

[LorenniaNailo]

After my eyes narrow, they go wide again, and I stumble over to a nearby bench to sit down for a moment.  It's a long moment before I look at Phineas again, and my voice wavers decidedly more than it did before when I speak.  "So, I have good news, bad news, and...something else.  Our memories are being suppressed.  The good news is, he's not chasing us because he doesn't think we're a threat.  If all else were equal, tomorrow morning we'd have forgotten all about the truth.  The bad news is, by the same token there won't be a revolution because the entire city will have forgotten about their High Priest going on a murderous rampage."

[GameMaster]

Ghar
Even as you stick to the less populated streets, everyone takes note of your passing.  Before long, a group of children are following you from a distance, talking excitedly among themselves.  Before you can reach the part of town affectionately called "The Maze" where the elf and the human are, they begin calling to you.  "Oi youa, what are ya!" one of them shouts, trying to sound older and stronger than he is.

[Complex_Assault]

I consider for a moment if I should come up with a quick lie and lose them in some turning streets, but loose-lipped children may get around more than I do... I tell them I am a toad who lived long enough to become smart and wait for a response.

[LorenniaNailo]

After a long, slightly awkward silence, and not explaining the "something else", I stand back up, grab Phineas' hand, and start walking with a "Well, if he's not going to chase us, we can use that to our advantage.  My home's not too far from here."

[GameMaster]

Ghar
This of course turns the children into even more curious bundles of "ooohs" and "aaahs" and confident claims of "Yeah I knew that", but one little boy in particular takes half a step forward and presents a small frog, asking with a pleading look in his eyes,  "Dafkur will grow-up too?  Like you?"


Lorennia
Lorennia guides Phineas into her home.  It is humble by many estimations, only a bedroom and a kitchen/dining area, with minimal furniture. 

Phineas
To Phineas however, it might as well be a palace or even the Mosque or Library, so far above the so-called rooms he has lived most of his life in with only thin blankets seperating the space into a single room.  His whole life?  Wasn't there something... Before?  The fog settles over him again and he begins to think Yes, his entire life... And why?  Why did she live in such granduer when he had to literally beg and steal and hide his ill-gotten gains for days just for a single pint of gut-rot in the damnable...

[Will Save Successful]

You shake head, regaining control of himself-- at least momentarily.

[Complex_Assault]

Realizing what a terrible mistake I've made, I try to think of another quick lie, remembering stories teaching lies only lead to more lies. I reply with "If he wants to, he will do so one day." I say as I take out my own horned friend. I quickly add, "Have you seen an elven women and human man around here?"

[Phineas]

**follow Lorennia**

"Wow, this is  .......  why is everything  ......   I'm unsure what to ......"

This fog/uncertainty/confusion is unsettling for Phineas.  After regaining his basic control, he sits on the floor, begins his mental exercises to relax.

"So, what's our next move, I think we need to figure out his (High Priest)game, beyond killing the Librarian (for whatever odd reason); he's obviously more powerful than what anyone thought.  If he can get away with murdering the Librarian, who is very highly respected, no one else is safe. He's right about that."

[LorenniaNailo]

I drag over the table.  Much thicker and heavier than it really needs to be, it looks as though it were created by an amateur - which of course it was - but at least the top is quite smooth.  Kneeling on the other side of it from Phineas (it was really meant to kneel at, not so much sit), I answer, carefully watching for his reactions.

"I think his 'game', if you want to call it that, is simply to perpetuate the world as it is.  He's in charge down here, so why change anything?  Our next move, though, that's going to be a bit interesting.  See, it wasn't the Librarian that remembered everything, it was this."  I show him the hilt - hiding the blade behind my hand - of the dagger she gave me.  "He thinks it was her, so none of us will remember tomorrow.  But we will.  More importantly, we can remember everything."  And on that note, I flip the dagger around in my hands so he can finally see the blade, carefully watching Phineas and not the blade to see what happens.

[GameMaster]

Ghar
The kid with the frog seems happy with that answer, at least for the moment.
To your question, it is at first one of the shy girls that speaks up first.  Or rather, starts to, and then just points in a general direction and mouths words silently.

"Probably home," said one of the boys.  "High Priest had to execute the Librarian for being a demon, so a lot of people are scared there are more demons!"  He seemed eager at the idea of monsters.

"I helped slay her!" said another boy proudly.

"No you didn't, you're not supposed to lie, lying is bad!" said the shy girl.

"That's true," said an older girl.  "And you also can't spread lies other people are saying, like saying the Priest killed her, that's not true either."

The older boy's shoulders slumped a bit.  "Well he would've done, if she didn't burn him with her evil fireblood!  That wasn't fair!"

"And anyway, she died doing it, and I saw it, so in a way I did helped!" said the boy who earlier claimed to help with the murder.

"Stop fibbing," the oldest girl said again.  "And stop claiming you did bad things."  she admonished.  "You all should go check if the grown-ups need help gathering aloe to help High Priest with his burns, and that would make you heroes."

Ever fickle as children, they all ran off except for the oldest girl and the shy girl, who clings tightly to her arm and hides partially behind her older sister.  "I am Amina, and this is Yasmin.  We will take you to the home of the elf, but you must promise not to hurt us."

Without waiting for an answer, Amina begins leading the way with Shy Girl tagging along closely to her heels and looking back every once in a while to see if you're still there.

You find you were much closer than you realized, and within moments you are at a nondescript brown door in the side of a sandbrick building.

"The elf lives here" Amina says confidently, knocking on the door and then taking a step backward, allowing you to pass by her space toward the door without getting too close.



Lorennia and Phineas
First focusing on his breathing, then allowing his mind to wander, then allowing himself to forget everything for a few moments, the weight of the fog over Phineas definitely seems lighter, like he can resist it for a long time.

Lorennia drags the heavy table across the floor.  Kneeling on the other side of it, she begins.

"I think his 'game', if you want to call it that, is simply to perpetuate the world as it is.  He's in charge down here, so why change anything?  Our next move, though, that's going to be a bit interesting.  See, it wasn't the Librarian that remembered everything, it was this."

She holds out a dagger hilt where you can see it, hiding the blade under the palm of her hand, she continues.  "He thinks it was her, so none of us will remember tomorrow.  But we will.  More importantly, we can remember everything."

With that, Lorennia flips the dagger around so that the light reflecting off its blade burns away all the fog around you.  Your mind, already clear from your meditation, suddenly stares into what you know beyond doubt is real and true.


Lorennia
Phineas is calm reason for several moments, with a hint of what must be true happiness.  Then, denial and sharp pain has his hand on his heart and several long moments later, shear agony and terror as his hands slap to his head in squeezing and tearing motions.  His skin turns red and steam pours from him as sweat tries in vain to cool him down, and he tries in vain to scream with no voice.

The dangerous growl from the Library is all around you then, from the shadows of every corner of your house!  As if pulling itself into the room and stealing the light from around Phineas it comes!

Then, a short but firm knock at the door, and it is over just as suddenly as it started.  The shadows recede, Phineas slumps forward to the table exhausted, still burning with hot fever but no longer fire-red.

[LorenniaNailo]

"Ah, so you're the Fog then?". I barely realize that I asked the question aloud at all, and do not expect any kind of response.  Carefully hiding all trace of the dagger from view, I go answer the door.

[Phineas]

**hanging my head down, holding onto the table, trying not to fall over**

"Uh ... oh ... what ...  where ... who ... ouch ... that did not feel good. I don't understand, what do you mean 'I'm the Fog', what fog?"

[LorenniaNailo]

"Hm?  Oh, sorry, I wasn't asking you that one.  Are you feeling all right?" I say as I head over to the door and open it.

[Complex_Assault]

Once the door is open I simply say "I believe we have much to discuss. May I come in?"