104 lines
3.9 KiB
Markdown
104 lines
3.9 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: 00068
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created: Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:14:47 -0700
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updated: Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:14:47 -0700
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public: yes
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syndicated: yes
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---
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### 00068 {#00068}
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The fingertips of the Nyxmaer graze the eye and an eldritch wind
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begins to howl inside the fish market.
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It whips around and around inside the ritual circle, flipping
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blankets and tossing pillows. The dreamers also toss and turn in
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their sleep, but still do not wake. The foul wind tugs at their hair
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and at their clothing.
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The small candles around the edge of the circle go out, plunging the
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room into near darkness. The dark flame of the demon candle sputters.
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The wind screams as it pushes through the small smudged gap in the
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circle and out onto the floor of the market. It coils around Rind's
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feet and teases at the hem of the child's dress. It ruffles the
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duck's feathers.
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The fingertips flick over the eye, caress it, draw it close. And
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finally its fist closes tightly around it.
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The last candle goes out, plunging the room into darkness. The wind
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and the sirens stop all at once, and in the silence all that can be
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heard is the steady rain outside.
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> "Look Trine or not, I need a little more than this. I ain't nobodies
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> errand boy, and insofar as I can tell either the Gods are dead, or
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> they haven't given a rats ass about me or anyone else. What's more,
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> you're claiming to be some sort of divinity, yet you can only
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> manifest here amongst my nightmares, the same ones I learned years
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> ago to shut out. You never forget the face of your first mark, but
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> what they don't tell you is it doesn't have to haunt you either."
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> Alex looks directly at the apparition.
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>
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> "But I'm reasonable too. Give me some proof you say what you are. You
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> say you have power to share? Well power I need. I have people to
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> protect, and an unclue to rescue. I'll be damned if I let anything
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> happen to them. Yet here I am, stuck in this god firsaken place
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> chittering away with my own subconcious getting attacked by freaking
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> mushrooms people."
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>
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> "Just give it to me straight Neddas, what assistance are you
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> offering, and what must I give in return? If you an guarantee me a
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> way to protect those close to me, I don't give a rats ass about the
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> rest."
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Neddas silently holds your gaze for a long moment.
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"What you ask of me is fair, since I am asking so much of you."
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They hold out their hands and present you with a stone amulet. It
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slightly resembles the Ginnarak Crystals. Much smaller. And more
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almond shaped than melon shaped. But it is the same shade of blue,
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with the same veins of slightly pulsating gold throughout. It hangs
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from a fine chain of small silver links.
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"As long as this stone is in your possession, you will find you have
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the courage to do what you think is right. Be aware that it is a
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piece of me. And those who know about it will try to take it from
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you."
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In the distance you can hear alarms and terrible moans carried on a
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howling wind.
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~
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Corraidhín impatiently flips over the first three tumbrot cards in
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front of Inky:
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1. A tall man looks from a battlemented roof over sea and shore; he
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holds a globe in his right hand, while a staff in his left rests on
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the battlement; another is fixed in a ring. The Rose and Cross and
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Lily should be noticed on the left side.
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2. Strange chalices of vision, but the images are more especially
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those of the fantastic spirit.
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3. A ferryman carrying passengers in his punt to the further shore.
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The course is smooth, and seeing that the freight is light, it may be
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noted that the work is not beyond his strength.
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Felixe the Cat passes the two six-sided tumbrot dice to Inky and
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recites a small pome for the inkling:
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> ```
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> In the superior world it is
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> A young man, leaning on his
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> to indicate therein. It is
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> speaking, to the traditional
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> red standard has been
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> ```
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You can suddenly hear an ominous wind whistling outside the club and
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battering at the windows.
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"Well?" Balvin prompts. "What do you do?"
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