From GM Giles:
About 10.30 on the 2nd day after the ship departs, Ethilion, bleary-eyed and tired, sitting next to the coffin containing Mereoni, is startled by a flash of light. A small willow-the-wisp of blue-tinted illumination seems to hurtle through the door and hover over the sarcophogus for an instant before disappearing.
It is so bright in the gloom of the library and only lasts a fraction of a second- he is unable to get a good look at it. No-one else in the castle (Aramis, Ogre, T'kral, Dayoric) seemed to see it.
The next morning about the same time a flash of light is seen descending the stairwell headed towards the library. Despite efforts to follow it is gone before anyone catches up....
From Sian (Ethilion):
Ethilion will come along. He is getting depressed sitting looking at Mereoni all day and wants to go and bash things up to make himself feel better. He is unsure if he is imaging the blue light as his eyes are a bit sore. He seems to have gotten something in one and it keeps watering (boy talk for crying).
From GM Giles:
Alone Ethilion paces the battlements, seeming to take solace in the weather, complementing his mood. "Inaction does not become me", he voices quietly to himself. No-one else is around to listen. His heart feels abandoned and so he seeks solitude for his thoughts. Driving rain and biting gales make better companions than the talk of even sombre companions. Their presence also deters people who who try to comfort him. Drenched through he turns and leaves the wet windswept battlement to check on Mereoni for the third time this morning. Already he knows her situation will be unchanged. His efforts will be as useless as all attempts with that blasted ball of light so far have been.
For four days at just after ten in the morning the ball of light has appeared, this morning it came at just before ten speeding through the Path Door and directly to the stair, heedless of attempts to communicate. Its descent unmarred by attempts to bar it and between the shelves of the shattered library unmindful of attempts to analyse it. Over the sargophagus it hovered for the splinter of a second then oblivious to attempts to restrain it, it vanished.
Roughly Ethilion slams the outer door to vent some of the frustration born of idleness. Immediately the wind and water is shut out. The castle lends little warmth, though, to either his body or heart. Quick purposeful strides take him across the guardroom, leaving wet footprints.
His anger is soon given a new escape; he turns to yell abuse at the solid rapping on the door behind him but as his conscious mind takes hold he stares at the solid door that he just entered, mouth agape. The rapping sounds again, even in its tempo, an unrushed pounding that speaks of persistence more than urgency. It commences a third time before the Prince finds his voice ...
[Break in narrative here - maybe someone can fill in. Presumably Tellanion is the knock on the door, but is there anything important in between these reports?]
From GM Giles:
The visitor stands over the sarcophagus, no explanation is needed, the body of the questor lies before him. He knows his task, he knew it before departing. Drawing a deep breath he focuses his energies and weaves to the lifeless body. A pause and another deep breath....
The coffin shrinks, wrapping tightly about Mereoni's body before fading away.
Mereoni lurches upright and gulps down a ragged breath, Tellanion slumps to the ground. Mereoni colour coming back to her looks wildly around, Tellanion skins becomes dull, pallor flooding his features, his eyes unseeing. Her breaths come more easily and slow to an exhausted pant, he gasps final breaths, the gap between each inhalation slowly extending.
As Mereoni looks about, her eyes fall upon that of the Prince both of them seeing through a veil of tears. The body still clad in its oiled cloak shudders once before falling still, the crumpled form still clutches the sack he carried in. A loud wet sniff breaks the silences. Ethilion and Mereoni turn. The room is crowded with all the occupants of the keep. Dayoric wipe his nose on the apron he wears, Ogre hugs his arms to his own chest, even the hard eyes of Aramis are moist with tears.
Down at the oasis the group gathers, standing in reverence around the freshly turned earth. Tellanion's sack contained few items: 2 letters, one hastily scrawled and rain stained the other in a perfect script, sealed but unsigned; the bulk of the container was filled with a Diganni Funeral robe...
The letters amount to only 8 words. One conveys volumes and leaves little room for interpretation, the other hints at things to come and asks more questions than it answers. On the paper, in a perfect hand, sealed beneath a pale blue wax seal, the single word "Done" sits alone. The parchment's contents have run, though still visible they speak of a trained hand rushed in its course. "Beware the path trouble this way comes..."
From GM Giles:
The day following the resurrection of Mereoni is again marked with the arrival of a blue ball of illumination, this time a quarter before ten, it streaks through the keep and unerringly towards Mereoni.
The ball begins to fade as it delivers its message: "They continue to put space between us, their mounts are faster even than those of us lucky enough to be able to ride. The lack of training is telling but we remain in good spirits."
As the message concludes the light fades and dies....
[It appears to be related to a light sprite but somehow different. There is no way to tell who it came from, though Mereoni seems to think it "feels" familiar]
From Catherine:
Mereoni's alive!!!!!! I'd like to add that Mereoni did all that she could to try and revive Tellanion but to no avail. She didn't just sit there and watch him die...
Other things:
Does the similar sprite "feel" like it could be from Mr Kolari given that M. was sent to track him down (how she originally fell into the party) and send him on his lightbearer way...? Given the ball has turned up everyday about the same time and it appear has only delivered part of the message M. will wait in the library to see if another one comes tomorrow. She will wait from 9.30.
From GM Giles:
T'kral awaits in the Gate room eyes peeled for any sign of the light. Ogre stands guard on the stairwell ready to relay any message. The Princes and Mereoni await in the library. It is moments before 9 in the morning and for the first time since taking the castle the rain has abated. The grey haze has returned to the sky and wastes no time recoating the freshly rain-washed stone work. A call from the gate house is passed by the booming voice of Ogre. "The light approaches."
T'kral's eyes track the small blue ball as it passes in and out of sight as it follows the winding mountain path to the keep. Through the portcullis it speeds and directly to the spiral stairs. Flattened against the wall, Ogre watches it pass as it races towards the library. Over the table it comes to a stop and unburdens itself of its tale...
"They made no camp last night, simply pressed on. We have done the same, not wanting to lose any more time. I fear we are already too late, the scouts tell me their lead has grown to 2 days and no doubt the break in the weather shall speed them further..."