Dim/ToTChapter07
The seventh chapter of the Tinalion Tales, as voiced by Unbreakable Lotus.
Forge set about his work diligently, utilizing a variant of the Amalgam process that was best suited for mass production. According to his calculations, Cantrev Lotus would be fed the entire winter. For this, we were glad.
With the Cantrev stable and well-fed, the remainder of our Circle decided to investigate the rumors of Burning Ocean's escape and subsequent continuation of her banditry. For the first time in months, we took to the saddle. In all, I think I prefer such transportation. Heights and I rarely get along well.
The tedium of travel set upon us once again, until we got close to the Shouting Monastary. We heard many rumors of Burning Ocean's actions, but by the time we arrived at the monastary, the rumors had dried up. We looked around her old haunts, but neither hide nor hair was to be found of the young monk.
We decided to try summoning the Hawk of Plenty; one of the rumors was that they shared a connection of some sort. I set about with the summoning ritual and was rewarded with a brief answer to my question. The Hawk of Plenty was a sort of sponsor for Burning Ocean, providing her with power and life. She was to blame for the death of the patron of Summer. With Summer dead and Fall underway, Burning Ocean was not needed, and thus she diminished.
With this news, we decided it best to head back to Lotus. But first, Rei and Te Sha wanted to pay a visit to the Shouting Monks. In less than a day we were greeted by a very silent mountain. We were greeted by an older Sifu, who informed us they were currently undergoing a lull in their practices in reverence for one of their holy days.
He told us of their other guests, envoys from Cantrev Lo Ren. The Sifu told us they were currently toiling in the caves beneath the Monastary, a sacred and forbidden place. We remembered Forge's many readings of the Library's tomes had revealed the existance of an Air Manse of considerable strength that lie beneath the Monastary. These three facts, we were most eager to meet with the envoys.
That evening, we had a brief yet informative meeting with the explorers from Lo Ren. Their party consisted of the female Air-Aspect Sorcerer Avat Maril, known for her exquisite Elementally-empowered artifacts and lighting the ocean aflame, and Talt Maril, a Fire-Aspect man's man who has repeatedly fought off Wyld things singlehandedly. With them was a small army of Amalgams. They were a pleasant lot; eager to spread the word of their Cantrev's religion. When they learned of our Solar status, they practically jumped for joy. We inquired as to their progress in the Manse, and were rewarded with quite the tale.
The manse was once known as the Vestibule of 10,000 Bells. Long abandoned, it now housed the tomb of a Solar Exalt. They had managed to disarm or otherwise subvert every trap and pitfall, and were at the door to the Solar tomb. They had not yet opened it, however, fearing retribution of an angry ghost.
The next morning we accompanied them down to the manse. For an hour we picked our way through the rooms and traps, never once faltering despite the danger. At last we arrived at the tomb, a heavy door with inscriptions etched into its flat surface.
"Lariston, Lion of the Sun, lies here. The final clapper has been removed. Silence is now his only tribute."
We opened the door, and were greeted with a humbling sight. Candles filled the room, lit as they were thousands of years ago. Mirrors and dust accumulated around the corners, gathering on short statuary. In the center rested a
NOT YET DONE.
