I think I've been marked a target, or something.Met back in inn in evening, minus Wind, off tying up the loose ends of his previous life or something. Ide's archival rummaging turned up a couple things - the Black Flame had sent someone in with one of the later groups into the keep, who went missing-presumed-dead. Feuding family was originally splinter off main Garhad line.
I get out pouch o' magic and pull out the top card to see what the heck is in there. And it's *bad* - could *feel* it watching me all hateful and burny. Card was a hand holding a flame and I could see eyes in the smoke, and then they weren't there. Of course no one else felt anything, except Ide said he heard the whispers of major magic mojo going down, and that we (for which read "me") had gotten connected to another place, like another kind of place. He tried pulling out another card as did Barg, but they were all blank; I put the freaky one back in the bag and gave it to Ide.
Since Merdecin had been doing that dream stuff to Wind, decided to try to go talk to him through dreams (yeah, I know - this crazy shit is getting to me). Bit of a long haul getting to the keep up a mountain and down a long alley of trees and stuff, and then I get there (courtyard full of little humanoid critters, those moon-things I think) and get distracted by screams from the great hall (thought I might finally see what did it) and got so freaked out I dreamed myself back into the town. Okay, was freaky: two big squishy-slimy brain things with tentacles and eyes and little clicky mouths and *ugh*. Also back in the back a looming figure of shadow and flame - I've heard of things like that in the epics and it's never good. So, anyways, had to go through whole mountain thing *again* and finally got back to outside Merdecin's room.
He seems to be compelled not to say certain things, rather pissy, and an asshole. All "do you have the box" over and over again, like if he just said it a little louder and with a few more lightning bolts it would change my answer. Did manage to get that the box "must destroy him" and that he'll kill me if I bring it to him; also that he commands the balsamog these days. Don't think he should get anywhere near the box; best to destroy it and him separately, if possible.
Oh, and did I mention that flame from the card was in my dream? Watching me? And that the card was on me when I woke up? Have been marked; can only hope thing will not interfere at too critical a point. Or that if it does show I can convince it the Black Flame would make a much more interesting lunch.
Black Flame, by the way, want to meet with us outside this cemetary, after dark, to "give us some information". Yeah, right.
So, went back to the keep; boxed up all but one of the rocks in a bound trunk and put it in a moonlight-free corner. Ide scattered some flour so we can tell if anyone else has been around. Barg lowered me on a rope past the big window in the sealed room; sure enough Merdecin's body is in there missing a hand. Lots of one-handed scratch marks on the walls.
Chopped down a sapling and crossed the hole in the basement; temple-thing over there to three Siarran gods who I recognized from those past-life memories: Enkili the trickster (complete with secret tunnel access to surface), Ordanna (an anghil) of hope, and Marudek, a patron god (a Siarran holding various stuff like a net and scales in his hands).
Wind's supposed to be joining us before sundown, and then what? Do we wait to open the box until the Black Flame has had a chance to tell us what's going on - that is, ambush us and take the box back? Are the belsammog really contained in the trunk, or will we have to face all of them once night falls? Would we be better off in a three-point fight as opposed to taking Merdecin and the Black Flames on pairwise? Are those brain things and Mr. On Fire still around somewhere? One way or another we need to deal with things before events move ahead of their own accord in a bad direction. Two days till full moon...