Part 6: When a god says 'No, fuck you dad'

Leaving the palace, we make a detour to the Temple of Urath.

Soundtrack - Temple of Urath 1



It is at the top of a huge set of stairs, and has a killer sound system built into it.



Inside we find priests, guards, and commoners doing their thing.



We also find the second shard for the Ghimaadi lady.



All around the chamber are mosaics and stained glass windows. They tell the story of creation and the Araenugeths.



There are priests standing throughout the room constantly chanting gibberish.



Hierophant: I am the leader of the Order of Urath, sworn guardians of the Eternal Rite. As long as one voice speaks the rite, the world shall endure. This has been our mandate since the Araenugeth.

It's story time with the Hierophant. Which I am not even going to attempt to transcribe. But, it is cool, and in video form!

Creation






City of Gods






Banishment of Ghuval






Doomed Iona






The First Araenugeth






The Second Araenugeth






The Third Araenugeth






The Death of Urath







There is a quest in the temple as well, but it involves going back and forth from the very back of the temple, through the temple district, through the crown district, and into the middle of the merchant district. Like 3 times.
Look at these goddamn stairs. Long story short, an initiate stole some relic. The end. All for a ring that gives +10 ap. Nah, fuck that quest.

Soundtrack - Lenele Marketplace



Yes.

Pomporo: Ah, yes! You see the seal of Dhuramil on the ring? To think we once held manors and rode horses into battle! But times change, and past glory is soon forgotten.



Not a bad sword, but I think I will stick with the longsword on Joseph for now.



I have your book!

Zefnat the scholar: Ah, volume 28. Excellent work! All that remains is volume 67 and my set is complete. To find this book, you must go to the monastery of Iona. If the rumors are true, that volume is hidden somewhere on that island.

How convenient, we are going there.



Amulet?

Drego: My plans for the amulet are none of your business. I hired you to steal it, and that's all you need concern yourself with.

Yes.

Drego: Hand it over. Here's the payment we agreed upon.

We get a cool 2k. Nice.
But they still wont spill the beans on this plan.



*The butcher embraces the doll.*

Weeping butcher: You found it! You found the doll!

*He draws a knife from his belt and holds it out to you.*

Weeping butcher: You have saved my daughter's life! This knife is my most prized possession, friend. You'll not find a sharper blade in all the thirteen kingdoms, for it's crafted from Galadian steel.



That's some knife. It obviously goes right to Flece for maximum stabbing utility.



Pedrog: Clever lad! Do you have any evidence?

Give him the salt.

Pedrog: Ah, well done! Your Uncle Tancred will be pleased to hear the news. Here's your birthday present!

Birthday present! Let's go visit Uncle Tancred.
Lead the way Flece!



Ohhh...

Soundtrack - Tancred Haven



He's dying?

Mahri the crooked: A cunning venom they used, from a plant called 'tail of the rokhul'. There's no cure for that ill. Not even the hierophant and all his singing frocks could save Tancred now.

No cure?

Mahri the crooked: Nah. Only a slow, slow death. Laharah's dogs feed on him before he's even in the ground. Tancred asked for you Flece.

What does Tancred want from me?

Mahri the crooked: How should I know? His fever gets worse, and he sleeps the sleep of the dead. You'll not get another word out of him, I fear.

The rennies?

Mahri the crooked: Aye, a woman in white. In and out the window, quicker than a devil's rat. No one saw her but Tancred.

A woman in white? She was the woman in the palace! She argued with the king and whispered something in his ear. Who was she?

Mahri the crooked: Her name's Aoqi, Tancred says. She's leader of the Society of the Jade Temple. The imperial priesthood they used to be, until Murod killed them off when he seized the throne.

Why would Aoqi want him dead?

Mahri the crooked: Who knows? *Mahri says with a shrug.* The king of fleas has more enemies than friends.

Poor Uncle Tancred...

Anyway let's track down that earring for the sailor, this should be simple. We are after a pawnbroker now.



Old city is an interesting place for sure.



Did Ivas the gambler sell you an earring?

Gebbin the pawnbroker: Aye, but I've sold it already to a merchant. Agile the name was. He has a stall in Avrum market.

Well, at least that is right in town.



Did you buy an earring from the pawnbroker?

Agilo the merchant: Yes, but I've given it to my mistress, Dama. Her husband is master of the baker's guild, and they live on Burcan's island, the artisan's quarter.

That's right across the bridge, still within the merchant district. The end is in sight.



Did Agilo give you an earring?

Goodwife Dama: Yes he did, that rotten skinflint! Who gives his mistress one earring? Does he mistake me for a sailor? I had my servant bring it to Torras the jeweler.

Torras the jeweler?

Goodwife Dama: His shop is in the crown district. He'll tell me how much it's worth. If it's as cheap as I think it is, then Agilo will have to find a new mistress.

I have a feeling it wont be with Torras. Also, Agilo is in some deep shit haha.



Did Dama's servant bring you an earring?

Torras the jeweler: Perhaps she intended to, but she never made it to my shop. As she was crossing the street, the poor girl was trampled to death by a horse!

Trampled by a horse?

Torras the jeweler: A royal herald came galloping through the city as if chased by Laharah and her forty minions! She had the misfortune of being in his path.

I'm sorry to hear that. Did she have an earring on her?

Torras the jeweler: Aye, a pity that was. I don't know about an earring, but I did see something strange. I chased away a rat that had something sniffing around where she lay. As the rat fled, I saw he had a shiny object in his mouth.

A shiny object?

Torras the jeweler: Perhaps that's the earring you're looking for. I would speak to Humbus the rat catcher. He works in this district. Maybe he has seen the rat.

Jesus, there is solid evidence now that this is not a good luck charm.



Have you seen a rat carrying an earring?

Humbus the rat catcher: Seen him? I've caught the thieving vermin!

Do you have the earring?

Humbus the rat catcher: Sorry, mate. I gave the earring to a friend. His name is Chengdai, and he's halfway to Orenia by now.

FUCK

Halfway to Orenia?

Humbus the rat catcher: The rennies aren't safe in Lenele these days. I told Chengdai to make a run for it and gave him the earring for good luck!

Where can I find Chengdai?

Humbus the rat catcher: Look for him in Orenia, you fool. What did I just finish telling you?



Welp, hope that dude doesn't have to leave port anytime soon, because he isn't getting that earring for a while.

We take our leave of Lenele and make our way to Iona. But, first. Let's check out some of the new abilities!



This is a regular combat backstab. A 'false' backstab. Damage is good, but not 'Crazy'.



This is a 'true' backstab from stealth. That's what I'm talking about!
We also have the trip skill now, so we can do 'true' backstabs on command even during combat, so long as we can land it.

And here is Joseph's first summon, the Blackfire Elemental!



It's like a wrestling entrance! World Summoning Federation!




Too bad, the blackfire actually sucks and gets bodied in 2 hits. Welp.
It, like Flece, requires Joseph to be tanking all of the combat.



That land to our left? That's far away distant Orenia.

Journey to Iona



Let's talk to the common folk first.



Island?

Samael: Ask the monks about the island. They say Vadagar himself lies buried in this rock. If that's true, then I've got Laharah in my bum. And there's the Great Library, but there's nothing so 'Great' about it. No one but monks are allowed inside.

Ok, maybe the common folk weren't the best choice.

Monks?

Samael: An odd bunch of fools and lunatics, these monks. Except Master Arun. Not as cracked as the others. He's had a hard life. He looks after those children as if they were his flesh and blood.

Children?

Samael: The children do all the work for those lazy pids. Sweep your own floor, I say. Mend your own shoes. Don't be prancing around the island in your fancy robes, having the wee ones plow the field for you.

Farewell.

Samael: Ah, but don't get me wrong. The monks have my sympathy. They're prisoners, after all. Once they sweat the oath, that's it for them. The rock's a mighty prison. No wonder they're all daft and their heads are full of worms.

Jesus, guy. We said farewell. Shut up.



Monk: A city of a thousand spires. I have sailed a churning, boiling sea in a ship of spider's silk.

Ok, maybe the old guy has a point.

The rest of Iona. Next time.