The War Without End – Episode 2.1
Everything is white. For a time there is a sensation of falling. It is ended by a heavy impact when the ground comes up to meet them. Ebon struggles to get to his feet and finds to his surprise that he is lying in the entrance hall of the Fortress of the Second.
He tries to remember exactly how he got there, but can’t. Shaking his head to clear the droning noise from his brain, he realises that it is in fact the sound of the Modron 111001 performing some form of incantation over the body of Heiron. A distressed looking Delwar stands nearby. The old wizard, Ebon’s grandfather, appears to be dead.
“Ebon!”
With relief he recognises Shilaze’s voice. Though there is a sense of urgency in her tone.
He turns. It seems they have company.
Beyond Shilaze, two of the aberrant crab creatures and a dozen or more squid heads are rising unsteadily to their feet. It appears that they too have somehow been deposited in the hallway as a result of the destruction of the portal. More reassuringly, the bodies of Elsabeth, Kai and Baratus are also there, lying only a short distance away, though Ebon notes that none of them are stirring. Worryingly he can see no sign of Blanca or Korbin.
Combat with the aberrations is inevitable. Ebon and Shilaze ready themselves as the crab creatures and squid heads close in on them.
Suddenly it occurs to Ebon that he is no longer suffering from any of the injuries he received during the fight with the Daelkyr. Inexplicably it seems, other than being a little groggy, he is fully fit again.
He finds this puzzling but is forced to focus on more pressing matters when one of the crab creatures takes a swing at him. His combat reflexes kick in and he parries its pincers with his glaive. A brief but intense combat follows.
Fairly rapidly Ebon and Shilaze despatch the squid heads and then finish off the crab creatures. Having held their own against hordes of aberrations during the Conjunction, it would take more than the few that are here to trouble them.
During the battle 111001’s spell reaches a climax and shortly afterward Heiron stirs. It seems that the old wizard has been returned to the world of the living.
As soon as they have dealt with the aberrations, Ebon and Shilaze check their unconscious friends, but it seems that Elsabeth, Kai and Baratus have yet to recover. Ebon tries to revive Elsabeth but is unable to elicit any response from her.
Concerned by her condition Ebon urges 111001 to take a look at her. The Modron obliges and examines all three, but comes to the conclusion that they are beyond its power to heal. They have no physical injuries that the Modron can detect so it reasons the problem must be mental. It advises consulting a specialist.
Ebon immediately thinks of Derioch Ysarl of the Bleak Cabal. As soon as they have made their friends more comfortable, he suggests going to fetch her, but Shilaze is more concerned with the security of the Fortress. There may yet be other aberrations about.
Shilaze instructs Delwar to send word to recall the few remaining Med-Jai and then she and Ebon set out to search the Fortress for intruders. The only occupant they find is Seela the Halfling. She is a Favoured Soul of the love goddess Tomeri and one of the few Med-Jai who was not present to participate in the Conjunction. As soon as they enter her room however, it is clear that there is something terribly wrong with her. Seela sits in a corner, rocking back and forth, banging her head against the wall, repeating, “My goddess is dead. My goddess is dead” over and over.
Ebon and Shilaze try to talk to her but she is delirious and unresponsive. In the end Shilaze picks her up and carries her downstairs.
As they pass through the hallway heading for the common room that has been turned into a makeshift hospital, they discover that 111001 is about to depart.
“Our duty here is complete. We will return to the prime now” the Modron states in its flat emotionless tone.
“It would be useful if you could stay around a little longer” Ebon observes, “just until we get things sorted out”
“That is not logical. Is there a specific function for us to perform?”
“Well we would be grateful if you could look at another member of our tribe. Her name is Seela”
The Modron obliges.
After examining Seela, the Modron declares, “Strong bonds existed between her and her goddess. There is little probability that she will recover.”
“Is there another function for us to perform?” it asks after a moment of silence.
“No. You can go now”, Ebon replies, looking sadly at the remnants of the tribe. He cannot help but reflect upon the losses they have suffered. The welfare of his sister Blanca also weighs heavily on his mind.
“Thank you for all you have done” Ebon adds as he realises the Modron is leaving.
Moments after 111001 has left the Fortress, Fallana steps out of the portal from Sigil. Ebon is pleased to see her.
“What happened?” she exclaims. “Are you alright?”
Ebon fills her in on what has happened.
It is a sobering story. Heiron has been left frail by his encounter with the Daelkyr and needs time to recover, Elsabeth, Kai and Baratus are unconscious and cannot be revived, Blanca and Korbin are missing, Massingleigh, Growler and Sa’ara are probably dead, Seela has lost her mind.
Other than Ebon, Shilaze, Fallana and Delwar there are only a handful of active members of the Second Tribe.
Once again Ebon proposes that they go to get Derioch Ysarl. Though Fallana is willing, Shilaze remains concerned that leaving the Fortress will both expose them to danger and leave their stronghold vulnerable to attack.
In the end however, Kaplann the Dwarf returns and Shilaze agrees to leave him to watch the Fortress while they attempt to reach the Gatehouse.
Not long afterwards Ebon, Fallana and Shilaze leave the Fortress and set off through the streets of Sigil to fetch Derioch.
Though there is one point where Fallana suspects that they are being followed, they reach the Gatehouse without incident.
Derioch sees them immediately and listens intently as Ebon explains why they have come. When he has finished she asks some questions about what happened and then considers for a moment, before declaring that she believes the catalepsy to be temporary. Given time their companions will recover on their own. However she promises that she will come and examine them more closely as soon as she has dealt with an even more pressing situation.
Relieved by Derioch’s diagnosis, Ebon, Shilaze and Fallana return to the Fortress.
Part way back, they suddenly find the street they are in is deserted. This is slightly suspicious in the crowded city.
Before they can backtrack, a wall of stone materialises out of nowhere behind them, cutting off their retreat. Then a thick mist begins to roll across the street ahead of them.
“Time for us to leave, I think”, says Fallana, pulling out her Wand of Dimensional Doors and making a practiced circular motion with it. Nothing happens.
“Oh” she breathes disappointedly. “That’s not good”
Ebon and Shilaze ready themselves for trouble. Ebon makes sure Fallana is behind him, as far out of danger as possible.
“Stay close”, he says trying to reassure her.
“Don’t worry about me” she replies.
Five burly figures step out of the mist. Ebon and Shilaze immediately recognise Blackeye and his Peas.
“So we meet again”, Blackeye grins, “This time we’re gonna teach you two a lesson you won’t forget”
He signals and two of the Peas move in. They are capable opponents and Ebon and Shilaze are hard pressed. Gradually however, the Med-Jai start to get the upper hand. But as soon as the two Peas begin flagging, the remaining two Peas move up to take their places. This rotation continues until it is Ebon and Shilaze that are wounded and tiring. Unlike their adversaries, they have had no respite and are slowly being worn down.
Blackeye stands back and watches smugly. It is clear that it is simply a matter of time before the Med-Jai are beaten.
Shilaze wipes the smile off his face momentarily when she drops one of the Peas with a mighty blow. In reply Blackeye and the other three Peas wade in to get their sister clear.
During this skirmish Ebon goes down.
As he struggles to get up, he sees a shadow step away from the wall behind them. Without a moment’s hesitation the cloaked figure walks up to Fallana and drives a wicked looking dagger through her ribcage from behind. There is an instant of horror and realisation before she crumples to the ground.
“NOOO!” Ebon cries, crawling towards where Fallana has fallen.
Shilaze spins round.
Acrobatically the assassin springs up onto the wall. He throws back his hood and laughs maniacally. Ebon recognises him. It is Tharviol, the Elf that vowed to protect Blanca, but he is not the same. Something evil has befallen him. His eyes are black and empty, soulless orbs filled with nothing but darkness.
“That was pretty underhand, even for you” Shilaze snarls at Blackeye.
However the leader of the Half-Orc mercenaries seems equally taken aback.
“Pah! Assassin!” Blackeye spits at Tharviol. “This was not our doing. We shall take no further part in this treachery”
The mist starts to thicken again and Blackeye and the four Peas withdraw. As they go, Blackeye throws a wand of healing towards Ebon, who is cradling Fallana’s limp bloodstained body in his arms.
“Maybe this will help”, Blackeye offers, casting a last venomous look at Tharviol before departing.
While Ebon tries unsuccessfully to help Fallana, Shilaze furiously charges the wall. So determined is she that eventually she knocks part of it down. As a result Tharviol loses his balance and is forced to jump down the other side.
Pushing her way through the gap she has created, Shilaze goes after him.
However as she approaches, Tharviol draws an evil looking bow. It is decorated with skulls and dark runes. The arrow he nocks drips with venom. Unerringly it finds its target.
Weakened by the poison, Shilaze drops to her knees and Tharviol moves up to finish her. As he draws back the bowstring, aiming at her heart, Ebon squeezes through the gap in the wall and charges.
With Ebon bearing down on him, Tharviol has no choice but to turn the arrow meant for Shilaze on him.
It strikes Ebon in the shoulder and he goes down, but the distraction served its purpose. Shaking off the effects of the poison, Shilaze rises and drives her blade through Tharviol’s chest. He shudders and collapses.
As he falls, his mouth opens and a glowing pearl rolls out. When it hits the ground it detonates and a wave of sonic energy tears through the street. The wall of stone collapses and Ebon and Shilaze are hurled away.
When they regain their feet, all that is left of Tharviol is dust.
In the aftermath, Ebon limps back to where he left Fallana but can find no sign of her. It appears that their enemies have taken her while he was on the other side of the wall.
With no means of finding her, Ebon and Shilaze set off back to the Fortress of the Second where they hope to recuperate and then go after her.
Notes:
This was the second appearance of the Half-Orc Blackeye (Dolph Lundgren) and his Peas. Their first appearance was in Season One – Episode 1.2: Jysson’s Deeds.
Tharviol (Christian Slater) was introduced in Season One – Episodes 1.3 & 1.4: You Can’t Escape Your Past (Parts One and Two)
The remaining active members of the Second Tribe who did not participate in the Conjunction are Zorak Mephston, Seela the Halfling Favoured Soul of Tomeri, Kaplann the Dwarf Samurai, Marack the Dwarf Monk, Teelk the Gnome Warmage and a couple of as yet unnamed others.
This is the first episode we see Seraphine (Erin Chambers) other than as a reflection in Ebon’s armour. After the glowing pearl explodes, she attempts to heal Ebon’s wounds and counteract the poison from Tharviol’s arrow, however she finds that she must materialise to do so. This has never been the case before. Something about her seems to have changed.
