TAKE X (6-5-17: The End)

> Be careful with the stones



You climb back through the vent, being careful not to let the stones touch each other. Your client was very clear on that point.



You jump down into the first hallway you went through. You're surprised you didn't notice the vent here earlier - it's on the wall right in front of you. You must have just completely overlooked it.



The door slides open. It's that guy.



And... that guy? Huh. Were there actually two of him all this time? Wild.



And... those orange puddles.



...which were apparently also guys. Okay, that's quite enough of that. Time to break out your last-ditch resort.



Shadan unlocked a new skill: Smoke Bomb!



You hoof it outta there. You got the target - there's no point in staying any longer, especially not with those goons on your trail. You get in your boat and start rowing. The other boat that was here when you got here is gone, so you suppose that means Justice probably got out okay.



While you row, you leaf through the book. It looks like you collected all the pages, so you give it one more read, all the way through.

P.1
Let these pages be a record of the hitherto-unknown missing chapter of Ennen's history. Even some of my colleagues would not believe you if you showed this to them; however, know that what follows is the absolute truth.

P.2
Cast your memory back ages and ages, to when the Crystal first appeared. You may or not be aware that the Crystal is the source of magic in Ennen - from it, magical energy flows through the entire world. When the Crystal first appeared, those that were exposed directly to it gained the ability to wield magic themselves.

P.3
Those were not only the ancestors of modern humanity - they were the ancestors of most of the sentient beings in Ennen overall. Those who encountered the Crystal found themselves changed - changed into those who we now call olithas, dryads, arbas, nagas, vampires, and, yes, humans, as well as others. This is all well-known.

P.4
There was one other created by the Crystal. One other who, at the whim of that most powerful artifact, shed their form for another. We call that final ancestor, and those who came after it, 'shade.'

P.5
Easily the most dangerous of all of the beings the Crystal created, they didn't look it - in fact, they seemed the most unassuming.

P.6
The magic they could use, however, was unparalleled. Perhaps they were closer to that artifact than the rest, or perhaps they were simply more sensitive to its power. That scarcely matters, I suppose. They could cast magic on a level nobody else could reach. On top of that, they could disguise themselves perfectly, making themselves look like anyone or anything they wanted.

P.7
On top of that, they changed elements upon being exposed to the artifact. They became the 'void' element - the element of stealth and invisibility. That, combined with their magical talent, meant that they would be able to pass unnoticed in any situation. A very deadly combination, were they inclined to use it maliciously.

P.8
It didn't seem like they were, at first. They kept to themselves. They stayed in dark places - perhaps the light was uncomfortable for them. Who knows? In fact, it looked for all the world like they just wanted to be left alone. A lot of time passed like this.

P.9
One day, though, much later, one of the others - an olitha, a child of one of the original ones - found them. The olitha asked them why they stayed all alone in the dark like that. Who knows now if the olitha was genuine or if it was merely taunting them? It doesn't really matter at this point.

P.10
What happened next, though, did matter. They turned the olitha into one of them. We still don't quite understand how. For that matter, we're not sure they understood what happened either.

P.11
Thus began their campaign. They began spreading through the world, changing others to become like them. Their purpose and motive are likely never going to be known. They met resistance from the others, but what could the others do against a foe who could avoid all detection, use the most powerful magic, and take the appearance of their family and countrymen?

P.12
Eventually, to avoid the worst, we had to step in. I alone was able to see them, to find them. I was able to create another plane - another world - for them to stay in. And I was able to conceal the truth of what happened. Or, at least, that was the plan, anyway. It turns out they also posed a threat to us, much to our surprise. We found this out when one of them stole the very divinity from one of us - the god of flight and darkness. They attempted to turn him into one of them as well, but before they could finish the process, he disappeared, newly mortal and - since I could no longer see him - presumably void.

P.13
We knew that we had to put our plan into action immediately before there were any other casualties from our number. We banished the whole of them into the new plane of existance, which we deemed the Underworld - the whole of them, I should say, except one.

P.14
The one who stole the divinity could hold their own against us. A terrible battle followed, but they let their guard down exactly once - enough time for me to change what they knew to be the truth. They then believed that they were one of our number - one of our colleagues. So that they would not remember their true nature, we wreathed them in a concealing cloud of smoke and gave them a domain that would not conflict with any of ours - a domain that required them to focus on a single mortal at a time. Then I changed the truth that our colleagues knew as well, so that nobody would question it. Finally, I altered the truth as known by those in Ennen - nobody, save the three of us, will remember.

P.15
It wasn't an ideal solution, to be sure, but at the time, it's the best we could come up with.

P.16
That is the whole story. We leave these pages as a record of what happened, should one day it become necessary.
Meion
Krytikas
Thale



You first met your client in Port Yarcia, in Erdric; at the time, they said they'd meet you there when you were done. When you asked how they'd know, they just laughed and said "Oh, you're a gem."

You didn't inquire any further. Being nosy into clients' business doesn't aid the flow of currency into your pocket. You head to the alley behind the tavern.

"Ah, you made it back," a voice says. "Excellent! Glad to hear it. And I can tell you've got the product on you."

That would be your client.



"A pleasure doing business with you."





Sienna Travler, woman of mystery, has been unlocked! But first...



Select your intermission!