The Hand of Days Gone

See Also: Bardic Knowledge

Quilate flies off to seek treatment for his wounds. Anne and Thorne spend time looking for survivors under the rubble fearing that none will be found. However, their diligent searching turns up three badly wounded, but still living people. She drags them clear of the rubble and does what she can to aid them.

Keribrar, shaken by the sudden lack of magic in this area, is startled when three brass orbs rise out of the chasm. They drop to the ground and roll until they reach the edge of the magic dead zone. Once there they open up like puzzles. One is an elephant shooting water from its trunk, a second is a candelabra with three points of flames, the final one is a hourglass with two tornadoes of sand inside. They form an odd triangle and inside is inky black lit only barely by a star field. Hafwyn has never seen constellations of these patterns, but a few look vaguely familiar.

The deeper they stare into the void the more they see of a dark face. Dimly lit by the starlight he appears to be human, but with a squarer face and more pronounced jawline. He is speaking with someone off to their left, but they cannot hear his words or see to whom he is speaking.

Keribrar tries several things to speak with the creature, but works until it touches the star field with his magic. The face suddenly disappears and a large-winged bat flies out of the triangle, destroying the star field as it leaves - scattering the brass figurines. It takes flight above them and then heads straight to Quilate. The two battle in the air for a few seconds before the bat wraps its wings around Quilate and they both plunge to the earth.

Anne and Thorne cross into the territory of the Holwen's Boys to use their bridge. They are stopped near the bridge by an embankment setup between gang territories. Thorne challenges the leader of the group to a honorable duel. Given that gangers don't care about honor and such it went about as well as could be expected. However, Thorne is more than a match for the gang leader and his friends allowing him and Anne to force their way into the city.

They meet up with Keribrar and Hafwyn and head off in search of Quilate. During the search Anne's belongings are rustled and a pair of the brass orbs are stolen. Nearly two hours are spent in search of their fallen companion, but as it gets late they have to call a halt to the search. Instead they return to the Watchers' House.

Anne does not want to lose any more of her memories so she asks about other lodgings. Ollonni agrees to move the house across the street from the Sword and Bones, a well-known tavern. Anne, Hafwyn, and Keribrar go over for dinner and drink while Thorne retires to his room for the evening.