Chapter LV
in which an old friend returns
The Past Lives of Sentinels
As the Foxes continue back to the army encampment, Haas and Glad agree that it's not the worst idea face a legionnaire sooner than later. Defeating Asoth now would help prove their worth to Irik in the coming meeting, and doing so in a duel removes the risk of collateral damage they'd have if they fought in a full on battle. To that end, they begin planning for the encounter. Haas puts in a request to Akani for an amulet that wards against Suppression and Reaping. Likewise, Glad requests a ring that can boost his innate concealment abilities and a venom enchantment for a new, makeshift blade of his, which happens to be a claw of Chracio that his dragon snapped off.
Glad wonders if it's possible that the minds or spirits of past Sentinels survived in Chracio or the pit and tries to reach out to the pillar. After some effort, he receives a summons from Gaskim and returns to the Pit with his companions. Gaskim hands him a root to eat and a bitter drink and tells Glad to continue as he was. Glad is able to see the memories of many who were attuned to Chracio and passed away, but he can't track down Encis or Serat's memories. He can see, however, memories of the two from the perspective of those who lived while either was alive. In this way, he learns of how Encis united the desert and he views Serat's brief and glorious campaign against the Westerners.
Not finding the insight into their last battles that he was looking for, Glad changes tack and investigates whether necromancy can be used to counter the Westerners impressive self-healing ability. As it happens, that very magic is in an early chapter of his Necromancy tome that he happened to skip over while looking for "the good stuff". Haas volunteers herself as a willing participant and Glad discovers that his necromantic skills are actually pretty adept at keeping wounds from closing. With practice, he'll later learn that he can worsen the wounds beyond magics ability to easily repair.
A Change of Heart
The Westerner scouts who followed the Foxes in their long trek back give up after a day, setting fire to a small town on their way back and leaving three peasant hostages dead and tortured as a message. Red gives them a proper burial. Back at camp, they update the supervising Captain of what they've learned. He's told to keep a lookout for Imbri, who is coming to meet them, and he gives the Quartermaster orders to liquidate the Foxes treasure so they can afford the items they've ordered from Akani.
Imbri shows up after Glad spars with Haas to test out his frenzied strength potion. He's apparently had a change of heart after speaking with the Heretic, whom he calls Jacob now, and no longer sees him as an enemy. Imbri has some new purpose and seems far more concerned with whatever larger shell game the dragons are playing and what it could mean for the world. He's able to make the case that the Foxes should at least listen to what Jacob has to say. Once they agree, Imbri disappears and says he'll return with a choice of four neutral locations on which to parlay. The group, however, remains resolved to complete their own goals. Red will see justice done for the kidnapped. Glad will avenge Chracio and continue Encis' mission to build the desert up. And Haas will see the Westerners repelled.
At day's end, the Foxes working plan is to 1) talk with the Heretic 2) have Father Benjamin renew his blessing 3) kill Asoth 4) treat with Irik.
Korlok, The Tattooed Man
The Foxes kill time at the camp by interrogating a tattooed Westerner, named Korlok, being held prisoner in the null enclosure. He turns out to be very cooperative. Though he doesn't discuss the mechanism, he does reveal the nature of his magic and how he was taught it. He also expounds on Westerner beliefs and reveals a few things: that his teacher had a Dionastran acquaintance who could use similar symbol magic, that there is a human kept alive by the Westerners because of his story telling ability, that Cyax is believed to have begged Shul off, that Jurlim has fully proved itself and is exempt from testing, and that Veckra bought itself a reprieve from testing during the War.
In return for his help, Korlok asks the group why he's been kept alive by Felspar and learns that he is, essentially, waiting to die. He doesn't care for the waiting and believes that, by taking prisoners, the humans display weakness. Glad convinces Korlok to at least consider, when the time comes, the idea of re-attuning to Chracio in lieu of being executed.
A Growing Coalition
Malokai and his friends arrive at the camp and end up powwowing with the Foxes. From Kai, they learn that Theruk has become restless and that the neighboring provinces are concerned about where they'll direct that restlessness. In particular, Vormyll would be prevented from aiding Felspar in their siege if forced to defend itself against an invasion by Theruk. Glad alerts Kaskas and the Encatus council of the possible threat. Kai also reveals that Jas'Ro has something planned involving Brenthia and that both Pan and Reck have returned to their pillars.
Haas shares the news of her recent ascendancy and the tentative Vulsh family alliance. She also discloses that the Heretic wants to meet. When Kai and his group discuss what steps to take regarding Kalmer, they figure that Kalmer likely wants a similar commitment to fight for him. So Glad brokers that deal with Kalmer. In exchange for his commitment to the Seige, Glad commits Chracio to returning the favor so long as he's not set against Veckra or against Vulsh or his children. There's a lot of concern about what trouble this could mean for a post-Westerner world, but in the interim everyone is content to take their battles as they come. They end their meeting with a discussion of Esseldi and what it'll take to pull her into the fold.