02-08 to 02-09 963: But the Children Love the Books!

As the afternoon of the Monday the 8th, the party decided to take an early night after a day of excitement. Dendra tried to contact St. Mattathias through her ring. Concentrating through the ring availed nothing, so she called it a night.  

In the familiar way, a short time after sleep took Dendra she saw a light and opened her eyes. Rather than the typical shimmering golden lattice and mighty fortress atop wooded hills, she found herself in a dark wood-panelled study looking at a crackling fireplace.  Books lined the walls and two high-backed leather chairs stood in front of the hearth. In one sat the same humanoid-shaped negative space individual that Dendra met in her dream watching the flow and eventual end of time.  The individual bid her sit with him, and the two had a long talk. Although Dendra asked the figure's name, he waved the question away and said that there would be plenty of time for that later. He asked what Dendra thought her purpose was, to which she answered that she wanted to fulfill the will of the Dawnfather. He questioned that, asking if she was content to be 'the hound of Mattathias' for the rest of her days. She hesitated for a moment at this, and noted that Mattathias had been acting a little "sinister" lately and manipulating her mind and memories. The figure chuckled a little and said that Mattathias had been more or less sinister for quite a while before the church's current loving facade.  At that point he got up to look through his book shelves, selected one entitled "Intercession and Miracles: A History of Bloodshed" and gave it to Dendra. Meanwhile, Dendra looked around for any sign of where she might be. The study itself seemed rather non-descript, it would fit well in any noble's estate, but outside the window a snowstorm was raging.  She also noticed a faint difference in coloration, as if everything she saw was covered by a sheer veil. The figure said that Dendra might find the book interesting, particularly the introduction given her connection to Mattathias. He bid her farewell and said that he hoped their next conversation would be enlightening. With that, Dendra's vision darkened and she returned to sleep.

As Dendra woke, she found the book from the Figure still in her hand. Nexus awoke to a knock on his door from a messenger boy, who gave him a note from the Master Tarish of the Archives requesting he come see her in her office. He went over after breakfast and found that Master Layla Amari, the Chronurgist he had consulted previously, had spoken with Master Tarish. She offered Nexus one of the books from her private collection, a group of accounts of those who had ventured into the underdark and confronted these creatures. While he was speaking with her Nexus noticed another book on her desk entitled "Immolation Diplomacy: The Final Negotiations of the Circle of Eight" and asked about it, explaining their situation in brief.  She offered the book to Nexus, and remarked that the Circle were a complicated group, accomplishing both great and terrible things. Even the terrible things weren't wholly heartless, the book notes that the Circle would provide the means to enter their tower to the leader of a city they had come into conflict with. If the leader wanted their city to survive, all they needed to do was open the door and come to parley. Nexus recognized this as a reference to the Waykeys of Otiluke. On his way out of her office, Nexus noticed that Master Tarish had a tattoo on her palm with an Eye of Ioun on a large letter "T." He took note of the tattoo but said nothing and returned to the Inn. 

The rest of the morning was spent reading, with Sinata looking through the book on the Circle from Master Bellestair and Nexus reading Immolation Diplomacy. Sinata found a notation that the Circle often seemed to have information there should be no way for them to have.  Additionally, there was a report that the Circle held a meeting that an Emissary of Erathis and one of Asmodeus attended.  The details are not known but it is believed that the meeting didn't go well. Shortly thereafter the clergy of nearly every one of the Gods, Prime and Betrayer alike, declared enmity on the Circle. That proclamation didn't last long, however, because eight days later the Outer Planes were Sealed.

In Immolation Diplomacy, Nexus found the names of three new cities which the Circle had destroyed. Halberstadt was within the current Tapekan Empire, across the ocean to the east, Gurathin was near the present-day Kingdom of Elgard, on the other side of the world, and Abruzov was on a continent that none of the party recognized the name of. The book confirmed that the Circle left Waykeys in the cities they were in conflict with, as a last offering of peace if the leaders would negotiate.  

Based on the information they had collectively gathered while at the Tower, Nexus believed Grandmother Gaerta might be in Aerdi looking for a Waykey. Chedvah agreed that they should go there to stop them and take the Key for their own. Luci was a bit skeptical of this, and suggested they maintain their current plan of going to Sutol, where they might be able to find one in the collection of someone who didn't know what it was.  Sinata also wasn't keen on going to Aerdi, given that it was probably still very cursed.