Tyrant of Zhentil Keep

[GinkyGotBack]

You exit the Zhentil Arms and slog through the city streets in the rain, your miserly self considering it worth saving a few gold! You pound the streets of Zhentil Keep for half an hour or so, searching for another inn. The streets are wet and empty, everyone having retreated to the golden glow of their homes for the evening.

Finally you find a modest-looking establishment named The Stout Miner. You enter, dripping wet, and greet the innkeep with a nod. "Rooms are two gold pieces a night," she announces matter-of-factly. "And I'll not have any hi-jinks. No guests in the room after dusk, and breakfast is served an hour after sun-up." You shell out the two gold to the portly woman and see a stack of maps on the front desk, pocket-sized maps of Zhentil Keep. "Take one," the woman says, indicating the maps. "They're free. Courtesy of Lord Manshoon." You retire to your room with the map, and study it carefully, thinking about what parts of the city you will visit tomorrow.

Spoiler: Zhentil Keep

Finally, sleep catches up with you, and you drift off into a deep slumber on the surprisingly comfortable bed.

You wake in the morning and take breakfast downstairs, gruel hotcakes with a sweet syrup. Thanking the innkeeper, you walk out to the street and survey the scene before you. Carts trundle towards Market Square where merchants are already setting up. The day is fine and clear, and all about you locals and travellers go about their business. Unfurling your map, you study the different areas of Zhentil Keep and consider what parts you should explore.

 

[dae mec]

Sylrila is in fine form after another hot meal and a pleasant rest. She decides to go first to the Zhentilar Barracks to get more information about the possible wraith haunting the ruins. More information about the current situation is a bonus, of course. Her first thought is to cross in front of the Grand Temple, make it past Arcana Lane, and head straight there. Then she notices the mark depicting a temple of Amaunator on the other side. Ah. Sylrila remembers the chain she picked up from the abandoned temple and her promise.

Sylrila changes her mind and decides to take the long way around, going first to the temple to finish her business there, then across the market square to the barracks. It'll be a little longer, but she should have more than enough time to accomplish her goals and make it back to Wendal's Essential Victuals at the requested time.

 

[GinkyGotBack]

The Amaunator temple is tucked away in the Northwestern area of Zhentil Keep behind artisan's workshops, in a semi-industrial area, unlike the Black Altar which sits among the main clerical region of the city. As you walk towards it you see many different races and peoples from all over Faerun, but not many Zhents; it seems Bane is the deity of choice in this city, and given that Amaunator is Bane’s mortal enemy, you can’t help but think this temple a token gesture... Amaunator’s face, a radiant sun, is positioned right over the main entrance. You enter the cool interior and the heady smell of incense envelopes you.

There is a fountain set in the middle of the main temple room which provides a soft, watery background noise for the worshippers who sit peacefully around the temple room floor, contemplating the large Amaunator idol which graces the altar. A priest rings a bell as he chants an ethereal prayer and presents foodstuffs to the idol. In alcoves around the wall are other smaller idols, representing other deities of Faerun: Ilmater, God of Endurance; Torm, God of Courage; Chauntea, Goddess of Agriculture and you even spot an idol for your chosen deity, Tyr, God of Justice! This appears to be a catch-all for worshippers of any deity that isn't Bane!

Glancing around the worshippers, you see that this could be a chance to gain some valuable information. There are all sorts of individuals here. Or, perhaps you could use your time to pray for some boon from Amaunator. To the south you see some elves who are sitting over by the south wall and of course, you can see a priest or two hanging about.

 

[dae mec]

Sylrila's shoulders relaxed when she saw Tyr's idol. A wry smile tugged at her lips as she made her way to the alcove. She lights a stick of incense for him and bows her head. "There's a dearth of justice here, Tyr," she murmurs to her god. "Is this why I wandered here?" Or am I simply prescribing divine fate to mortal whims?

Sylrila keeps her head bowed and hands clasped for few moments. With a soft sigh, she straightens. She reaches into her pack and takes a single red leaf to leave as an offering. This one she kept pressed in her book of prayers, and it was still brilliantly red, though pressure and time had turned it almost translucent. (The rest of the leaves were curled and dried in a little pouch, to be used as tea one day. Actually... since Sylrila was in civilization again, it might be worth finding out their properties...)

She shakes her head and tries to get into the proper mindset for an offering. "Thank you for your guidance on this path set before me. Even," she adds wryly, "if it might not be the path I wanted. I beg you to give me wisdom and strength for the task you set before me." Sylrila places the leaf on the alcove.

Sylrila then makes her way to the idol of Amaunator. She's looking for a priest of his who isn't directly in prayer, but she's willing to wait for the one she sees to finish.

 

[GinkyGotBack]

As you say your small prayer to Tyr, the face of your god seems alive to you, animated. You feel a benevolent spiritual energy overwhelm you, and you feel as though nothing could stand in the way of you reaching your destiny.

With that small blessing having washed over you, seemingly unnoticed by the other patrons, you quietly make your way up to a female priest, resplendent in her robes of gold. "Welcome to our temple, traveler," she says warmly. From her accent, you pick her as a Zhent, but a none-Bane worshipping Zhent? That's rare.

What do you ask her about? She is quite busy with various tasks of worship but probably has time to answer one question.

 

[dae mec]

"Thank you, sister." Sylrila smiles. "I won't keep you long." She takes out the necklace with the holy symbol of Amaunator. "I found this in an empty temple and wanted to return it to his worshipers." She hands it to the priest and turns away, pausing for the last second to ask, "This is an odd question, but do you know anything about the south city ruins?"

 

[GinkyGotBack]

"Well, I'm afraid I'm not much of a historian but I can tell you what I know. Almost three hundred years back, apparently Zhentil Keep was targeted during the Rage of the Dragons. A number of dragons came and almost completely demolished the Southern part of the city and a good bit of the north as well. Since then, the North has been repaired and though the South is still fairly wrecked, homes and buildings have been fixed and made there."

 

[dae mec]

Sylrila thanks her again and leaves the priest to her duties. She examines the worshippers, looking for anyone who stands out. Maybe the worshippers of one of the gods of knowledge could direct her to someone who can help. (Does this city have universities of places of learning? A thought to consider.)

She ends up lookomg back to the group of elves. Sylrila passes as human, mostly (deliberately), and her father's side of the family wasn't exactly happy about his marriage. She knew them, but not well, and...

She's stalling. Her damned indecision and self-doubt rising again. Sylrila approaches the elves and greets them.

 

[GinkyGotBack]

You approach the elves and attempt to engage them in conversation, but they look slightly suspicious of you.

 

[dae mec]

She bites back a sigh and makes a last attempt. (If she ever needed a reminder of her half status...) There were always other avenues she could take.

"No harm meant, friends," she says in Elvish instead of Common this time. "I'm simply new to the city and was glad to see some friendly faces. I'll leave you to your prayers if you wish."

 

[GinkyGotBack]

The elves, one male and one female, surprisingly engage you in conversation. They don't appear to know much that is useful to you, but are certainly friendly enough. The female elf introduced herself as Sahlin. She tells you that the main elven settlement in the Moonsea area is Elventree, which is near the forest of Cormanthor. Both these elves are from there. Myth Drannor is also nearby, and there are many elves within the ranks of the Knights of Myth Drannor, who are, according to these two, "The Moonsea's best hope of freedom."

You notice the Salihn says this last statement with quite some amount of passion.

 

[dae mec]

"And the Moonsea is certainly in need of freedom, from what I've seen," says Sylrila. "Are the knights working towards that?" She frowns and adds, "I keep hearing about a warlord named Ghauust who may or may not exist. Do you know anything about it?"

 

[GinkyGotBack]

The elf man shakes his head, "Only what we've heard from the priests. A four-armed orc warchief leading a horde of orcs to siege the city. It almost sounds like something out of a children's tale, but I'd shudder to think if it were true." The elf girl, Salihn, "You can't really believe anything these Banite worshippers tell you. It's all just a big sack of lies meant to push their own agenda."

 

[dae mec]

"You have a fair point," says Sylrila, sighing. Everyone vaguely trustworthy had said the same thing. Now she had to go make nice with those Baneite worshippers, or at least, get some information from them. "Thank you for your time, friends. Blessings upon you." After saying her goodbyes, Sylrila planned to go across market square to the bridge leading to the other side of the city.