Another tiefling

33rd of Shar 358

Karsus suggested that we go into the lobby to see about finding an exit. Hornet and Karsus talked about what our story would be if we were asked our relation to Fathom, but I didn't give it much mind. Before we could make our way onward, we hear some laughter from behind us. Might be whoever is supposed to be here normally is here now. We looked to each other and Karsus said we should be up front with them and to let him speak for us. He calls out to the noise of laughter, and it stops as three figures enter the room. Two armored people stand in front of a quiet person. Full armor, black and gold color scheme with red leather gambesons and capes. The two armored people looked like siblings and the other person standing behind them didn't seem as armored and was not dressed the same.

The male white-haired one speaks up, asking what we are doing here. Karsus opens, asking how to get down, saying we were teleported up here while trying to get passage to the city. The man asks who teleported us up here and he responds, saying Sinclair. The man turns to the orange-haired person standing behind him, asking if they know who we are talking about. They spoke in sign language, but I could gather from the responses that we were fine.

Before we were escorted by the red-haired person, now known to us as Cerber, the white-haired male asked us if we knew who they were. Karsus made the assumption based on their armor that they were guards of some sort, and that made them chuckle, saying it's a good thing we don't know who they are. He said that he will talk to Sinclair about teleporting people here in the future. This place is supposed to be private. Cerber accompanies us as we walk around the building. At one point, Cerber waved his hand at Karsus to stop; perhaps he was trying to speak with him non-verbally? A few moments later, we were overlooking an edge off of this spire. He sprinkled us with some sort of blue powder and then plants his feet on the ground. Moments later, we were plummeting from the spire, approaching the ground rapidly. It was really scary. However, when we landed, it was like landing on a soft bed, cushioning our fall. We landed in what seems to be the heart of the city, with a large statue on a fountain, several ornate looking buildings, marble, and were right at the base of the spire.

We took a moment to collect ourselves. Hornet and Karsus talked amongst themselves about the people we met, being from an "order" of some sort. They brought up what the noble said during their squabble with Fathom, but I didn't have much input. Karsus did say that Cerber had the capability to speak but chose not to, out of conviction perhaps. Hornet and I talk about what we last remember doing in Zetsubou before we lost our memories. I showed them the torn pages in my journal. This journal I bought in Zetsubou before I lost my memory, that much I know. Hornet spoke about how they had a great night last they remembered, lots of drinking and fun. Regardless, they think that Memory will be able to help us regain these lost memories. It was also at this moment I realized that writing my letter was kind of pointless. I didn't realize how soon I would be searching for him in Zetsubou; I thought it would be a couple days before I would be able to contact him. I folded up my letter and put it away in my satchel.

As I did so, I noticed something scurry up to my foot. It was... a strange creature. It was an eyeball with tendrils for legs. It hopped at me and turned around. I followed it and its vision and saw Fathom. I am glad he is okay. But he had someone with him. I waved at them and approached.

I don't know what came over me at that moment. It looked like I was just staring at him but I was trying my best to examine every small feature of him. I was trying to parse whether this new person is someone to be trusted. The way he acted and the way he carried himself is not something I am used to. I had also never seen a tiefling that looked quite like him before. Most of my experiences of seeing others like me were those in my village and those I passed by in the streets throughout the continent. He had orangey copper skin, long black hair, two bone-white horns. Pointed ears, tattoos in infernal creeping up his neck, with a massive spiked club slung across his shoulder. I felt compelled to try and act intimidating but it seems my attempts at trying to intimidate just made the others confused. Everyone introduced themselves to him and he introduced himself as Tenebrous. I swear I heard that name, or rather that word before. In a book somewhere, perhaps..?

Not long after, we were in a hotel room, all of us. Everyone sat in a circle around a table, with what Fathom got from the dragon strewn across it. I sat in the corner of the room, writing this all down and keeping an eye on this... Tenebrous individual. He seemed to gain some trust from Fathom already, and I know Fathom as not a trusting person. He's paranoid but it seems, at least from what I see, that he isn't paranoid about this new person. They ran into each other at the dragon crash site; Tenebrous collected some materials from the dragon and assisted Fathom with getting out of the crash site.

Tenebrous begins to tell us what he is after, saying he has nothing to hide. He says he has been looking for something specific for years for his employer. He is looking for a red thread. He also tells us he is from Gehenna. Maybe that is why he seems so... different compared to others like me I have met. I am more wary about him now after what Sinclair told us about avoiding red threads. But it seems for the others, it didn't really affect their trust in him. He is surprised we know about the red threads, and he asks us to consider letting him come along with us. He says he is "might handy in a fight". I guessed as much...

Erafinyr is able to tell how I am feeling about this new person, and she seems stressed out. She is sitting on top of my notebook, watching the others. Fathom and Karsus begin to go over what he got from the dragon. Karsus said the metal orb has a mercury ring inside. He put most of the things away into the new scarf he was given, which seemed to hold things. I was called over to check on the ring. As I touched the ring, I felt like I was filled with power. Wealth, and power over wealth. I understand the intricacies of money and currency and trade, but only for a moment. I put the ring back.

Tenebrous asked who my friend that we were searching for was. Fathom told him that he deals with memories and Tenebrous responds by saying who doesn't like making new friends. Fathom really wants me to check this rod that he got from the dragon. This rod is presumedly what the noble stole from this "order" that he was worried about getting into the wrong hands. Being told this, I was hesitant to try to read it but I took it into my hands anyways.

As soon as I touched it, I felt overwhelmed. I... I can't read it. It's not like other things like the slates where it had no history. This rod definitely has history. It just.. It alludes me. Maybe if I was stronger I could read it but I feel like I am weaker than this rod. Weaker than what it is capable of. I have no control over it, I can't even think about how to decipher what it is capable of or what it may mean. I felt my vision blur a little, a weight on my shoulders. I felt so powerless. If this rod were to speak, if it were to be held by someone... I feel like I couldn't help but listen to it. I let out a sigh, letting this feeling take over me for a bit before I let it roll off of my hand onto the table. As it leaves my fingertips, this feeling goes away and I immediately realized that this feeling of dejectedness, of submission, that was what I was reading from the rod. That is the effect it has on people, that is its history.

Fathom asks what there is to do next, and the group agrees the next step is to find Memory. Tenebrous walks over to the window, opening it. He asks us who has the best eyes. That would be me. He gestures me over to the window, and as I approach, the difference in height and build becomes more apparent to me. His features were much clearer than when I was, for lack of a better word, inspecting him earlier. He was the same height as Fathom and he gave off the slightest hint of warmth. He sees Erafinyr and tells her she has no reason to be scared. He looks at me and asks for my permission to touch my shoulder. I hesitate, partially out of confusion and partially caught off guard by the question. I allow him to do so and he places his gauntleted hand on my shoulder. His infernal tattoos on his neck flared up, glowing red for a moment. His touch was very warm, warmer than I expected it to be but not burning hot. A bit pleasant, actually... I felt my feet levitate off the ground slightly, and he tells me he casted the spell fly on me. He warns me to be back within 10 minutes. I fly out of the window, going to the roof of the hotel.

I look around at the cityscape, looking for any sign of Memory, Ymir. Far off in the distance, I notice a glint of metal, the slightest sound of metal hitting against metal. I noticed Ymir a couple blocks down, fighting someone on the roof of a museum. I look around to see if I can see Memory but he is not there. Ymir swings her sword, decapitating who she is fighting. She jumps off of the roof of this museum, out of my line of sight. It seems like she might've gotten herself into trouble. I should head over and help them. I rushed down back to the window of the room everyone was in and told them I was going to go help Memory and Ymir. I threw in one of the sending slates and flew as fast as I could towards where I saw Ymir.

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