How long is the interlude gametimewise? When(and where)did we say we'd meet with Jerezal?

How many XP were we awarded last session? (1500?)

Excuse myself from the group and quickly compose the following letter to Asra:

Master,

I am unsure of your reasons for sending me to meet this man Sjer, and I do not want to make more of the situation I find myself in than there may be, but I can feel Ji'aj moving beneath my feet and the wind smells unfamiliar to me. You have called me even-tempered, and once chided me that I am lucky chal blessed me with physical quickness because I spend too long considering each action I take in life. Your words are true for at this moment I have become paralysed with doubt, and action must be taken.

I sit in the darkness alone with the memories of the things I have seen since my arrival in Lie’lm. I feel ignorant and helpless. We have made a bargain that may work against the aims of our very spirit, and I am blind to the consequences. We are 24 hours from the time of a bargained exchange with Jerezal Fazajalavor of the Shadow Water Circle. Jerezal will free from the mirror I have told you of, 3 of Sjer’s companions captured in the first raid on the Shadow Water Circle’s warehouse. In turn Sjer has agreed to return the mirror, along with it’s remaining captives and the stone transporting rings to Jerezal. Should we live up to our end of this deal, I am not sure that the Shadow Water Circle will theirs. Jerezal seems willing to murder and betray, unafraid of the consequences. He has sent a number of those associated with Sjer to be with Fifi’ra’s Daughters, including Afalar, I have seen the proof of this.

If I should survive this coming storm, I wish to return for a time. I cannot continue to help S’jer, as I am. I have need of the wisdom you can provide so I am better able to extend the reach of your shadow.

Ja’liim

Asra's reply to Ja'liim. This reply comes with two hours of your letter.

a' Ja'liim

I sent you for the very qualities that you believe make you ineffective. Deliberation is a virtue, use what I right as a guide. I trust you to make the right decisions. If I wanted a swathe of blood and mayhem I would have sent Kalimar rather than you.

I was still an apprentice when the Shadow Water Circle was rooted out and destroyed by the Mji’ramil (Mjiramil). This was an important test for the us, our capabilities and our place in the Empire. I am distressed that any elements of the Shadow Water Circle (ShadowWaterCircle) survive. They need to be destroyed with out the Church knowing about their existance. At this time the Mji'ramil can not be involved with this.

The mirror can not be returned to the Shadow Water Circle, use it as bait if you need to, but do not let it fall into their hands. Be careful with what is in the mirror, I am not certain of what it might contain. This is as important as Sjer is. It is best that you can ensure both goals. Perhaps the danger of the past is stronger than the hope of the future.

It maybe time for you to return to ,when you are ready we will go. Isari sends greetings. Look to the stars, listen to the voice of their shadows and do not be afraid to act.

im' Asra ail' Mji'ramil

Sjer paces in the inner area of the shop. The two rings are visible, but out of whisper range. He is visibly agitated and frightened. Then he pauses, seems to regain some composure and addresses everyone.

"Please, I need the thoughts of all of us here." he whispers. "We must free those trapped in the mirror, even if one of the compartments holds a trap.

I feel the Silimiri closing in as we speak.

We have three real options.

We could leave the mirror behind, drop the cylinders in the river and attempt to steal the keys.

This would be the safest course of action as it is the one least likely to lose us the mirror.

Or we can bring the mirror as bait and a way of slowing Jerezal down if he manages to flee with it. It is not the smallest of items. And attempt to win the day by force.

Or we can bring the mirror to another place for safe keeping while dropping the rings in the river and not keep the appointment at all.

We obviously cannot return it. Jerezal is fond of kidnappings and I firmly believe there are important people inside. There may also be members of the Shadow Water Circle from 100 years ago, still hiding from the Mji'ramil. There will be danger in releasing anyone from the mirror.

Even if we chose the last ploy, it would be worthwhile to attempt to follow the individuals back from the rendevous point.

We should stakeout the place immediately. A team of two should suffice.

Come what are your thoughts?

We have a wagon at the door now, and I suggest we use it immediately to move the cylinders. The mirror can wait. They probably do not know our location yet, but rumours of the beatles will be spreading fast. In fact, I would not be suprised if they intend to come at us tonight, unleashing something through those rings that will make us easy to find."

Ja'Liim walks out from a shadow in the corner of the room to stand within the glowing circle of lantern light. His form seems to devour it's luminesence, save for his eyes, which catch and reflect the orb of light at the lantern's centre, he levels those eyes at Sjer, and says...

"There is too much we do not know about the mirror to allow it to return to Jerezal's possession. Although I can understand why you would wish to free your companions, I think that our ignorance about the mirror prevents us from attempting this at the moment. I would suggest taking the mirror from this place as soon as you are able, and have it transported secretly somewhere it can be held and studied safely. I’m sure, given time, you can learn more about the history, workings, and contents of this device.

The rings are too much of a liability to be kept. They should, as you suggest, be dropped into the river as soon as possible.

From what you have told me of Jerezal, and from what I have seen, I think a face-to-face confrontation with him is unwise. If he is to be brought down, one would want stack the deck heavily in their favour, something time does not permit us… I digress though.

If you do not attend the meeting, and choose to flee with the mirror, no doubt you will be pursued, so make your disappearance a thorough one. If Jerezal doesn’t know where we are at the moment, I am sure he is trying to find out. Hopefully, he wants to keep his profile low in the city, and will not be too grand in his methods."

Tavisja will head out with the two rings on the wagon. We will load them on the wagon out back and cover them with a sheet. Tameer will follow him as guard, lookout, and to cry a warning in case something starts to come out of the rings. The plan will be to stage a wagon accident at the apex of a bridge and allow the rings to fall overboard. To allay suspicions we need to put something else in the wagon the size of the mirror that is covered. Perhaps that will have them believe they are all being trasported together. The top of the desk that Tameer used against the beatles will suffice. Cover it with a sheet and put it in the wagon first. Then move the rings.

The mirror will have to be moved very soon, but first we need to find a place to move it. Any Sru'haro holding will be suspect. I am open to suggestions, but we need to move fairly quickly. I believe it is time or organize the city against Jerezal. I have a meeting with the WaterBlades? the day after tomorrow. It is time to make common cause with our former adversaries. In the meantime, perhaps we can learn who might be squirreled away within the mirror.

Are we agreed? Or are there any further suggestions?

The mirror can be stored in the hay loft at the stables where I work. There is no need for anyone to go up there except to pull down hay and that is my job. I would expect no one else to go up there until the end of the harvest later in the year. It is a safe place. If someone brings the wagon while they are visiting the tavern, I will pretend to tend to the horse pulling the wagon as I would for any customer of the tavern.

I see no need to make such a show of disposing of the rings. The danger is in the possibility that their location could be traced by Jerezal, not so much that we will face another attack through them. I believe as long as we keep the rings’ centre physically blocked, say with a rolled up carpet, our enemy will not be able to attack us through them. We do need to rid ourselves of them as soon as we can, but, lowered slowly over the side of a boat in the river under the cover of night, or sliding them off a shadow darkened pier would be better than creating more commotion than necessary.

Tavisja’s hiding spot would be a good immediate solution if you are worried about Jerezal finding the wine store, but I believe that ultimately the mirror needs to be as far from Lie’lm as possible. Jerezal badly wants this object and he has the ability and the contacts to hunt it down quickly within the city. If Jerezal can somehow trace the location of the mirror, than it won’t much matter what you do to conceal it.

I value your opinion greatly, Ja'Liim. However you seem convinced we need fear no attack from the rings if they are stopped up with something. I do not share your optimism. I saw a hand reach in and grab the note that I had left there. If you stuff a carpet in, they could either pull it through or push it out. I doubt however that they could let the whole of the river drain through. And the force of the flow might stop the beatles from getting in as well.

The hiding spot suggested by Tavisja seems good as long as it can be somewhat guarded. The only caveat is that if it is known it would be extremely easy to retrieve by a third party. I am willing to enlist the help other parties on this one.

I am certainly open to suggestions about the rings disposal. I was suggesting the bridgetop approach as it should take Jerezal off guard as well, and I am assuming he will be paying attention. I believe he proved he can hear what is going on on the other side of the rings, and perhaps he can see a limited view as well. He knew when the note was in the ring without my calling out. And he mentioned wanting his signet ring back in the first note, but when challenged about it he made no further mention of it. This was him fishing for a bonus find. He had obviously overheard us talking in the cellar while we were examining our items.

I would feel better if the rings were not here. We can wrap them up get them into the wagon moving away from here. Then I am open to load them into a boat or whatever might be best. We have a wagon outside, so let's use it.

I am not 'convinced' that stuffing the rings makes us safe from attack, I'm merely saying that while you transport the rings they should be blocked, it miay at least buy time. Regardless, I agree that the rings are too dangerous to keep in our possession for any length of time, especially due to their inherent connectedness, their location might be easier to trace. Dispose of them how you wish, but I worry that the bridge will draw you into a confrontation before the mirror is secure.

I would assume that Jerezal probably has an idea of our location, and if he doesn't, he will soon. We should also assume that he isn't going to sit back and wait for us at the meeting spot. If it were me I would flee immediately with the mirror, the rings, perhaps a decoy or two.

*the following segment was written more to communicate an idea For the sake of brevity, I have left out much of Ja'Liim's character*

One group/individual takes the ring and sinks it into a sewer, well, or the river. They should be taken as far as possible, but abandoned at the first sign of the enemy. This might divert Jerezal's attention if he can trace the location of the rings.

Shortly after, two groups leave at the same time. One taking the mirror to Tavisja's stable, the other rides off simply as a decoy. Once at the Stables, the mirror could be transferred onto another cart, and more 'decoys' sent out.

The decoys could simply be hired wagons paid to ride to a location far off in the city with a door wrapped in canvas as cargo. The actual mirror would of course be accompanied at all times by those Sjer trusts, if not Sjer himself.

After this I am not sure where the mirror should be taken, it could be taken to a warehouse in another town, or loaded onto a boat, buried in a hole in the desert...

note:

-Ja'Liim has limited ride ability and no animal handling

That the focus of these discussions seems to be on getting these objects away from here. Is this place so precious? It was easily bought, and can be easily sold. Take the mirror, now, in the wagon that is outside. Do as Tavisja suggests and there will be two of us there to help guard it. Certainly it will be safe for a few days.

Leave the rings in the dark basement. Tell the enemies of Jerezal where the rings are and what they do. No offense to you, Sjer, but there are nastier men in the world that will think of the appropriate measures for the rings and their owners.

Every time Volorn passes the rings he gives a low growl. Then looks outside and whines faintly. (An aside to Sjer - The Church will investigate. Move quickly, leave no tracks)