The War Without End – Episode 1.2

Visibly troubled by events, Heiron leads everyone through a bewildering sequence of magical doors that eventually bring them to a large, well-furnished mansion he refers to as the “Fortress of the Second”. There he hurriedly introduces them to another newcomer named Korbin before excusing himself and going to attend to some urgent business.

When he returns, Heiron finally offers them the explanation they have been waiting for. He tells them of the twelve tribes of the Med-Jai, warriors in the War Without End. Their sole purpose, to preserve the Multiverse by thwarting those who would free the Dark Lord Tharizdun from his eternal imprisonment. But over the years the tribes have diminished. Many of the Med-Jai have been slain and other factions have subverted their younger members. In order to preserve their future, the second of the twelve tribes, who are based in Sigil, decided to send a generation of young Med-Jai into hiding, placing them with foster parents on the Material Plane, ready to return when they were needed. Heiron informs them that they are such “lost children”, except for Kai who is there to repay a debt owed to the Med-Jai by his family.

As if to underline the fact, he once again intones the phrase that he spoke to Ebon in Automata, “I am a guardian, a part of the Second of the Twelve and proudly wear their mark”, and in reply Korbin finds himself saying, “I am a lost child of the Second of the Twelve and have made my choice to return and accept my birthright”. It is clear that Korbin is just as bemused by his reaction as Ebon was.

Each for their own reasons, Ebon, Massingleigh, Korbin and Kai are all prepared to accept what Heiron tells them; instinctively they feel it is the truth, but Shilaze is sceptical. It comes to light that, when she was a child, the twelfth tribe of the Med-Jai, who are worshippers of Hextor, kidnapped her, maltreated her and branded her arm with symbols of ineffable evil. She cannot help but be distrustful after that.

Heiron regrets this occurrence; the twelve tribes have the same goal but different methods. Each worships a different god. The first tribe are the Hallams, known as Pelor’s Watchmen. The actions of the twelfth tribe do not meet with Heiron’s approval.

In the end Shilaze agrees to stay for the time being and they retire for the night.

The next morning Heiron asks Shilaze, Ebon, Kai and Korbin if they will help him get rid of Jysson’s shop. Since Jysson has completed his vow, the property is standing empty and it ought to be sold. The deeds are hidden somewhere on the premises and need to be found. And then, once they have them in their possession, they can take them to the Hall of Records, register ownership and then sell the shop.

And so, a short while later, the newest members of the Second of the Twelve find themselves once again negotiating Sigil’s narrow streets and alleyways under Fallana’s guidance, heading for Jysson’s shop.

Alive to the possibility that there may be more trouble with the Doomguard, the companions decide to enter the shop with caution. Splitting the group into two they attempt to utilise Kai and Korbin’s stealth and a Wand of Dimensional Doors that Fallana just happens to have in her possession.

“If it comes to a fight I’ll find you afterwards” Fallana says, smiling sweetly.

Kai and Korbin approach the small shop from the rear, sneaking past the back door and climbing up the wall to get in through an open window. There is a moment of tension as Kai pauses, seeming to sense some danger within, but then he springs, somersaults through the gap and disappears inside. Korbin is close behind him and Fallana uses the power of the wand to transport Ebon and Shilaze to the interior, downstairs by the front door.

The group immediately come under attack from a group of Half-Orc mercenaries, Blackeye and his harem of four “Peas”, who are waiting in ambush inside.

“GET THEM!” Blackeye roars as Kai and Korbin use their agility to stay just out of reach of two of the Peas in the tiny room. Meanwhile Shilaze and Ebon try to reach their friends but are blocked by a third Pea on the stairs.

Shilaze and Ebon finally fight their way up to the first floor just as Kai and Korbin acrobatically exit via the front window, almost landing on the fourth “Pea” who is waiting outside. That leaves Shilaze, Ebon, Blackeye and three Peas all crammed into the small room, which makes it very cramped for fighting. There is a lot of pushing and shoving. The combat surges back and forth. First one side looks to be getting the upper hand and then the other, but actually it’s pretty much a stalemate.

After a few minutes as Shilaze and Ebon fight back-to-back, Shilaze asks, “Have you actually killed any yet? I don’t think I have, but there seemed to be less of them”

Indeed Blackeye has departed and it seems that one-by-one his Peas are withdrawing down the stairs and out the back door into a mysterious fog that has arisen, probably an Obscuring Mist conjuration.

As they are departing, Shilaze manages to fell one of the Peas with an arrow from the upstairs window, causing Blackeye to threaten vengeance. Before Shilaze can loose another arrow the mist envelops them and they are gone.

The friends use the last of the fog to hide their own departure having decided to avoid the Hardheads who have been drawn by the crowd outside.

A short while later, after things have quietened down, they return to the shop and recover the deeds without further incident.

Notes:

First appearance of Korbin (Orlando Bloom) and Blackeye (Dolph Lundgren)

During this episode we see a cut scene of Jezrene (Michelle Pfeiffer) reporting to a shadowy superior Willem Linnel (Jon Voight).