Harmony Session 34: Singer, Sailor, Scholar, Lies

Returned from their latest quest, The Suckhole Six's found Echwink's Landing had continued in its expansion. A large white medical tent had been put up next to the Tabernacle, a provisioner called "The Explorer's Pack" had established a franchise, an efficient latrine system brought increased cleanliness to the camp, and a gated wall and under-construction Gattish guardhouse protected a newly carved path that led east into Ferrous Forest. After the crowd dissapated, our heroes attended to some personal business.  

One Man's Shit...

  After seeing Azarki Kevin-Kevin head toward the beach to visit his cousin Yusuf Kevin-Kevin, Zoran decided to take this opportunity to abscond with the recovered gate stones. He attempted to be inconspicuous, but every Sixer that saw him leave with the sack on his back knew what it contained. No one stopped the big man, perhaps not believing they could, and he made his way toward the brand new latrines.   After a distinctively soft bowel movement (why do this first???), Zoran hung the stone sack from a rope and suspended it inside the latrine. Zoran correctly estimated that few people would look for the stones (or anything for that matter) in the toilet and successfully found a hiding spot for the items necessary to reactivate a Varduran portal gate. Filthily pleased with himself, Zoran headed down to the Singing Bay for a bath.   The winds off the Bay carried their distinct song with a notable strength here in the deepening sunset. Taking a queue, Zoran pulled out his bone flute and tooted a twittering tune. Immediately, The Corvus' voice echoed through his mind with surprising clarity. Before, Zoran could only actually converse with his Panoptic Legion contact in person, only using The Evervoice to send brief messages back and forth with great effort and little reliability. His contact now was shockingly easy.   The Corvus praised Zoran for hiding the stones and encouraged his continued use of The Evervoice's immense power (and the amplifying connection to his comrades) to further his goals. Zoran finally voiced his growing doubts about the danger of this power, its possessive impulse, and how it frequently exploded his compatriots to near death. She told him this was only due to a lack of strength and experience on his part and he only needed brave these trivial dangers a little longer before he achieved mastery. Doubt still plagued Zoran, but he left the matter settled for now. The Corvus dissapated on the winds with a promise of new orders to soon come. Zoran retired to the Suckhole barracks in an attempt to quiet his restless mind.  

...Another Man's Once-In-A-Lifetime Ground-Floor Investment Opportunity

  Dr. Malachai Husk visited the tavern, Pilgrim's Rest, for a toe of hee-haw. Ginny and Master Nuck were there, so the maizegrown brought a trio of glasses over to their table (and without spilling a drop!). Ginny had many questions for Malachai, particularly about how he felt since returning to his "homeland". These intriguing questions challenged Malachai in ways he had not yet considered, but Ginny did not force the point. Especially because she really was just trying to butter up the obviously rich and successful Dr. Husk. You see, as a new franchise owner of the Explorer's Pack, Ginny was excited about the obvious opportunity here in Echwink's Landing to make HUGE profits, but unfortunately a little low on capital. She offered Malachai a truly singular opportunity to invest in her imminently successful business. Citing how all his money was currently tied up in the camp, Malachai declined the offer, but Ginny the Generous granted the Doctor a tenday window to accept. With that, Malachai went to bed.   Enno; feeling the wear-and-tear of his frequently broken and mended bones, skin, muscle, and organs; immediately headed to a well-deserved rest in a real live bed.  

Full Physical Examination

  The rest of the week allowed the Six to undertake individual projects, touch base with their professional contacts, and report on their adventures to The Windblown. Guildmaster Ivin and Minty seemed particularly interested in the feathered fate of Scott Screegullbeard and Bonnie the Screegull and asked very many questions about them.   The Six also perused the quest board and, without yet full consensus, seemed to lean toward Returning to Swango Swamp and safely escorting some scholars to that bowl of goo. They also recognized that His Masons, likely murderers of a bunch of people indirectly including Pilgrim, had taken up the quest to escort Jhohn, Ashen Survivor back to the volcano. Maybe the Ashlands would spare the Six a trip and deliver justice for them.   Before leaving though, Azarki decided to introduce himself to Dr. Gorgon Midnight, the new medical patron in camp. The doctor did not suffer Azarki's questions and instead insisted that he remove his shirt. Dr. Midnight then began a full physical examination of the adventurer and asked about the long-term effects of living on Vardura. He promised he would soon make these physicals mandatory for all then hastily dismissed Azarki with instructions to get the "dirty man on the beach" (Yusuf ) into the clinic as soon as possible.   The morning the adventurers prepared to leave on their next quest, a small ship entered the Singing Bay. It was Tannet's Revenge, the ship that had brought them here from Valen'taomi all those months ago. The ship was carrying a few BHS scholars, Gattish building supplies, foodstuffs, and a passenger. A small pale figure in a black feathered cloak deboarded and walked down the dock, her head swiveling around in search. Immediately, Zoran recognized this woman as The Corvus, but wholly not The Corvus he had been dealing with during his time here on Vardura. This woman was distinctively NOT 7 feet tall, did not have burning red eyes, and immediately ran up to Zoran and flung her arms around him in a warm embrace instead of telling him to stop whining and channel the Evervoice. Suddenly, Zoran recalled that The Corvus was not some violent taskmaster who pushed Zoran into danger, but a compassionate woman that had found him washed up on the beach and nursed him back to health. She cared for him during those days as one might a brother, or a son. When she pulled back, Zoran could see tears welling up in her pale pink eyes.   "Oh Zoran, I missed you." she said, wiping her eyes. "I jumped on the first ship I could after receiving your message: 'I’d like to speak to you as soon as possible. You know where to find me.'" Zoran remembered sending that message to The Corvus as the Six waited in the Woodsman's Garage, but he couldn't be sure at the time if it succeeded. Apparently, even in the Evervoiceless vacuum after Enoch's explosive episode, it had.   But if his message had found The Corvus all the way across The Vast in Redveil and not hiding close by in the Varduran wilderness, then who exactly had he been talking to alone in the middle of the night with no other witnesses around?   The Corvus furrowed her brow into that familiar look of motherly worry as she searched Zoran's dumbfounded face.   "Zorrie," she said, "What's wrong?"