On the Western Front (Part 1)

On the Western Front, Al-Fitar was managing a successful guerrilla campaign to slow the advance of the Master's armies. And needing some help, he called on Bayan, protege of his friend Beatriss and Gin-Jo, a mysterious wanderer who had lived among the beastmen and learned their language and customs. Playing D&D with Stuffed Animals: Homecoming Part 9 (Finale and a new beginning) (dndstuffedanimals.blogspot.com)

There was a problem with his supply chain. For weeks, the armies of the Master had been slowly advancing toward the realms of Or; and for weeks Al-Fitar’s much smaller, more nimble forces had been harrying this advance, giving the people of Or time to harvest their crops, secure their possessions, and move their families to safety. Al-Fitar’s efforts, in turn, depended, in turn, on a relatively small corps of merchants who, often at risk of their lives, supplied Al-Fitar with provisions, weapons, and medicine. And it was this last category of item that was too often not getting through, too often getting “lost” in the Painted Canyon, a natural labyrinth of red sandstone, by which the merchant caravans made their way to Al-Fitar’s supply depot from Salt Springs, a prosperous oasis under the authority of the neutral Satrapy that had negotiated a private neutrality pact with the Master. Bandits, of course, were the most likely explanation, but it was strange that bandits would be so lucky in attacking the caravans with the most valuable cargo. Even more strange that these bandits wouldn’t seek to maximize their profit by selling their ill-gotten gains to Al-Fitar. (“Though perhaps my reputation for honor dissuades them.”)

Al-Fitar would not give the Master an excuse to overrun Salt Springs by sending his soldiers to commandeer the depot or confront the Satrap. But he would encourage a small group of brave "civilians" who were concerned about the free flow of commercial activity to visit Salt Springs and offer to the Satrap whatever help he requested.

Gin-Jo and Sukh had spent two years with the armies of Al-Fitar, ever since escaping from the valley of the Hatukaan. During that time, Gin-Jo had made the acquaintance of Bayan, being much impressed with her authoritative demeanor and martial skills. Sukh and Bayan, however for whatever reason found many points of disagreement, and developed a mutual dislike that made it difficult for them to be within each other's sight. As a result, Sukh declined the offer to participate in Al-Fitar's mission.

 

Gin-Jo, his niece Phubi, and Bayan, together with her friend Minh and a few sohei set out for Salt Springs. Thanks to the help of a group of nomads, they navigated the difficult trip through the Painted Canyon.  They followed the course of a narrow river for three days, then camped at a ford where the river was joined by a major tributary. That night, they were awakened by a mysterious howling, which echoed through the canyon, obscuring its source. As soon as dawn broke, the travelers were ready to move on; pressing hard, they reached Salt Springs as the sun was setting.

Taking the Fight Home to the Master

After a short season of rest and a long season of starting to set things in order within Banua and the lands of the Naran horde, Bo Jing realized that he was approaching an important decision, and invited his closest friends to join him in consultation regarding what to do about The Master.  His invitation was answered by a diverse number: Salt, Tetsukichi, Bangqiu, Hyamsam, and Nar Nuteng—though the warrior maiden refused to participate when she learned that the outlandish sorceress (Salt) had also been included.

They all agreed that The Master was unrelenting in his attacks on the Empire.  Defeating the beastmen had not undone the damage they had done to the lands of the Five Fires. Khazad Kala had been destroyed and the great of lake of Kala polluted with ash.  The lands once belonging to Nergui horde had been scoured. The clans of the worm and eagle had also suffered losses.  And the people of trees, based on Bo Jing’s expedition had proved to be illusory allies at best.  Remnants of the beast cult lurked in tombs and caves, sometimes attacking small clans and stealing lifestock. The proud warriors of the Naran horde had stood up to the beastmen, but even Banua was in need of rebuilding.  The Master’s armies, based on what they had seen in Paranyama, would sweep through the Lands of the Five Fires without serious impediment.

But, based on Ryu’s research in the Monastery, they could take the fight to The Master.  They had maps, information about his strange mountain kingdom and the “Temple of Death” that lay at the heart of it.  If they could bypass his armies and engage him directly, they would likely prevail.  All chronicles escribed him as godlike figure within his realm, with a lifetime that had already spanned centuries, and no plan for succession, no system of government beyond his personal edicts.

Bo-Jing asked Batu, a baghatur from the Worm Clan who had joined his household,  to govern Banua in his absence, exhorting him to call on the Khatun Narantsetseg for all matters affecting the Naran horde, referring him to his own kinsmen for issues that would affect the lands of the five fires, and advising that --if things became so dire that he believed he should warn the governor of Blue City or the Emperor-- he should also send a messenger to Beatriss in Happy Valley.

Following the maps they’d discovered, the company traveled north into the mountains that marked both the extent of the lands of the five fires and the furthest reach of the Empire.  It was summer, and the mountain meadows provided for an easy journey with moderate weather, an abundance of wild fruit and small game, and countless streams of clean water, many brimming with fish.

After nearly a month of travel, the Company reached Hunza, the realm of The Master.  Ryu had warned them, based on his research, that it would be a strange place.  The Master’s edicts prescribed modes of dress and what people were allowed to eat and drink.  When to wake up and when to sleep.  No gods were worshipped as people were instructed to trust the Knowledge of The Master in all things. The existence of other civilizations outside its borders were barely acknowledged-- except as sources of dangerous misinformation that could dissuade the weak-minded from trusting the Knowledge—and, more practically as the places where the pursuit of Active Defense Knowledge demanded a steady supply of sending food, ore, able-bodied young men, and other resources.

All of these things seemed very much true.  And yet, Hunza was not the miserable place they imagined.  The people they met recognized the Company as outsiders and congratulated them on finding their way to the land of freedom.  They shared food and helpful information.  Conversations often turned to informal exams regarding current Knowledge, with the most Knowledge citizens instructing the half-ignorant who, in turn, instructed the foreigners.  While unusual, these instructive conversations had a tone of levity about them made the Knowledge seem more and more palatable.  When they were alone, the Company made a point of reminding each other of their own experiences with The Master and the horrible things that his armies had done. And also how strange it was to hear people speak of their lost sons without any bitterness.  For as a rule, the pursuit of Active Defense Knowledge seemed to be a lifeterm commitment.

As the Company moved from the fields and forests of Hunza into its larger settlements, their tour became more complicated. The citizens were less friendly, and their questions about the Knowledge more like test with real consequences.  In was in a small, orderly market town that the company first encountered Guardians of the Knowledge, a group of men and women wearing layered robes whose questions were less about The Knowledge and more about the company’s reasons for being there.  Where they came from.  Which way did they travel.  Who sent them.

Bangqiu, relying on his magic ring was able to persuade the Guardians that they were nothing more than lost travelers. The Guardians, still skeptical, sent them to a House of Welcome.  After making a show of following the Guardians advice, the Company fled the town and continued their travel.  They spent the rest of the day in the forest, and then traveled at night, with Bangqiu and Hyamsam scouting the way in bird form.

Despite their best efforts, the party was surprised in camp by a single young man, wearing a tattered and soiled Guardians robe.  “They know you’re here,” he said.  “They’ve been following you.  And if you continue the way I think you’re going, then you’re headed for an ambush.”

A tense conversation followed-- with deep distrust, tempered by respect—on both sides. And in time, both sides admitted a common understanding of the truth about the Master and Hunza.  And also a shared understanding of what to do about it, but with one sticking point. “I want to be there when you kill him.  You have to take me with you.”

The young man’s name was Hu-Fei.  He was clearly brave, and in a manner capable.  But he carried no weapon and seemed nearly incapable of using one.

Brave, generally capable.  A good start. Also stubborn. That won the day. “Your old map won’t show you the secret route to the Master’s Temple. I will.”

Once they had accepted Hu-Fei’s help, the young man was eager to gain their full acceptance.  By his “connections” in the towns, he was able to find them horses and provisions that made their travel through Hunza feel like a pleasure jaunt once again.

They allowed him to show them his secret route, which would involve passing though a series of underground caverns and mountain passes.  The entrance, he warned them, was guarded by a group of die-hard soldiers, who had the unusual distinction of being sent to fight in foreign lands and returned alive.

The Unforgotten Monks of the Lead Coins (Part 4)

 

The next day, Bangqiu announced his plans to leave. But the others prevailed, arguing that after another day’s rest, all would be fit to travel.  They stayed in the guest house the entire day.  When the monks visited, they asked about any strange occurrences in the night. Bo-Jing responded with cold suspicion that soon turned to hostility.  The monks confessed that the monastery was “under a curse” and that the source seemed to be the disused blacksmith’s shed.  Bo-Jing shrugged off this explanation and asked to be left alone.  Bangqiu, in secret, visited the blacksmith’s shed and found it to be unnaturally cold.  He shared this information with the others; all agreed that even with this verification of one detail in the monks’ story, they were entitled to little trust.

That night, the company barricaded all entrances to the guest the house—the front door, the door to the chapel, and the secret passage from the chapel to the main house.  Several hours after dark, there was a loud banging from the front door.  Peering from a window, Nekhil spotted one of the horrible monsters that Bo-Jing had dueled in the chapel the night before.  Reasoning that they were much better prepared and had a clear advantage of numbers, they made a plan to let the monster in and capture it, or failing that, kill it.  Bo-Jing stood back some distance from the door and the other warriors prepared a gauntlet on either side of the entry corridor.  Ryu, Bangqiu, Salt stayed out of sight but nearby and ready to help where needed.  Bo-Jing gave the signal and Nekhil opened the door, stepping out of the way as the monster rushed into the waiting spears and swords.  It was grievously wounded and Bo-Jing readied to overpower it. 

But then there was a terrible shriek from another part of the house, then another and another, and within moments, a small horde of monsters attacked the company from all angles.  Bo-Jing left the wounded monster to Nekhil as he turned to face the new enemies.  Their plan ruined, each of the warriors was forced to fight for his own life, with Bo-Jing taking on two of the monsters at once.  Salt and Bangqiu blasted the monsters with magic missiles and then retreated, goading several of the monsters to pursue.  Having drawn the monsters away from their companions, the two wu jen turned and blasted them with their most potent and explosive magic, destroying them in a burst of fire and steam.

The monsters’ numbers, cut in half, the warriors regrouped and improved their tactics, fighting one or two monsters at a time in a narrow part of the corridor.  As one warrior tired, Ryu pulled him (under protest) to safety as another took his place so that Bo-Jing always had a companion to protect his weak side and to assist in flanking the fearsome monsters.  They fought with abandon, seemingly eager to kill or be killed with almost equal measure, shrieking as they trampled over their fallen comrades.  Concluding that they were undead beings, Ryu through a jar of holy water at them. It smashed on the stones, splashing water on the monsters; the hems of their robes disintegrated and their flesh steamed and burned.  Only then did the monsters attempt to flee; the warriors pursued and cut them down.

When the last monster fell, Bo-Jing staggered a few paces away from the and sank to the floor.  Ryu issued him healing droughts and bandaged his wounds with poultices.  All had been slashed or bitten; they washed themselves thoroughly. Ryu volunteered that he would stand guard the whole night, and awaken the others at the first sign of any trouble.

The night passed without incident and, in the morning, the two monks they’d gotten to know knocked at the door.  “We hope no one was disturbed b the curse last night.”

Bo Jing demanded that the monks produce some holy water.  The monks nodded, went away for several minutes and returned with a brass bowl filled with water.  With some amusement, they followed Bo-Jing’s directions to dip their fingers in the bowl, then to pour someone their robes, then to pour some on their feet, then to drink it.  In all of these demonstrations, the water interacted with the monks in the same way that ordinary water would interact with an ordinary person.  When the water was exhausted Bo-Jing thanked the monks and Salt explained that they had been attacked in the night by undead monsters.  And asked the monks if they could bring some more holy water to cleanse the house.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Ryu was performing a ritual to prepare his own holy water.  And by the time the monks returned, each carrying a larger brass vessel, Ryu’s holy water was ready.  He splashed the water on one of the mons; he was affected the same way as the monsters in the night.  Both monks ran away screaming and both were killed by Bo-Jing and is warriors.

The company rested and were not disturbed by monks in the day nor monsters at night.  Over the next few days, they explored the monastery, discovering that most of it had fallen into disuse.  The dormitory, the training rooms, and the meditation room all showed signs of being inhabited by bloodthirsty monsters.  The stable was empty.  The company’s poor horses had been killed and mainly eaten.

There was also a library, seemingly untouched for many years.  Monks had lived there were centuries and there had been good times and bad times.  A time when one of the monks convinced the others that he had achieved a greater enlightened, forever changing their previously pure egalitarianism.  The more recent chronicles described the debates about creating gold coins in order to complete a special building project.  Many monks had left, but the abbot had reluctantly sided with the “gold” faction.  The project continued and was completed.  This seemed to be the time that Gaansukh remembered from when he was a boy.

The need for labor brought in workers from far away.  A group of these workers expressed an interest in joining the order, and this seemed a natural decision to replace those whom had departed during the debate over worldly riches.  These new initiates showed a strange zeal far outstripped their understanding.  They displayed very unenlightened behavior, one night feasting on the cow that the monks kept for milk.  The older monks slowly departed, often without explanation.  Before long, the abbot lost control of the monastery, but nevertheless remained, wanting to believe the new monks could benefit from better instruction.

Because the chronicles made repeated references to a crypt, company decided to search the monastery more thoroughly and discover what may lay beneath.  They found a trapdoor in the monks’ house that led to a network of tunnels.  They found an exit to the outside on the far side of the ridge.  They found a trapdoor leading into the guesthouse.  They encountered and fought strange, tentacled vermin.

And, in a little dungeon cell, they found an old man in tattered robes, chained to the wall.  He responded to the party with wary defiance.  Though he answered Bo-Jing’s theological riddles with acuity, he refused to answer any of their more temporal questions (“Who are you?”  “What’s down here?”) until he had been freed and brought outside.  Relying on wisdom he had garnered in the library, Bo-Jing agreed.

The old man blinked in late afternoon light and took a long deep breath.  After receiving food and water, he moved some distance away from the company, keeping them in sight while also demanding that they come no closer.

The sun set, it became dark and cold and the old man broke down in tears.  He called Bo-Jing and the others to him, embracing them, ruffling their hair and kissing their cheeks.  “You are not monsters!  You are not monsters!”

The next morning, the man explained that he was Rabban Bar Ṣawma, the last abbot of the monks of the way of the light.  “But not the last monk!  There will be others, maybe one of you?”

Though none of the company wished to enter the monastic life, they heartily agreed to give him whatever material assistance he needed. 

The company stayed several more days, resting, and ensuring that Rabban Ṣawma was safe.  He responded well to daylight and fresh air; with every day he appeared a year younger.  After a couple weeks, they had no misgivings about leaving him behind when they returned to Banua.

As the company prepared to take their leave, Rabban Sawma embraced each of them. In bidding farewell to Bo Jing, he pressed a coin into his palm.  Bo Jing knew what it was, and confirmed his intuition when he reached the bottom of the cliff. The reddish gold coin of the King of the North.  The last of the four coins.  And the source of the monks’ sudden wealth, some twenty years before.  For it had the power to turn coins of lead—or any other base metal into gold.  Awed by this power and with the lesson of the monks’ downfall in his mind, Bo Jing resolved to conserve its power.  He would live as he always did.  And when he traveled, we would carry only lead coins, turning one or two into gold as needed.

The Unfortten Monks of the Lead Coins (Part 3)

Banqiu, Salt, and Bo-Jing concluded unanimously and immediately that because the temple was forbidden to outsiders, they should explore it in secret. And because they all had the means to become invisible through the aid of magic, they decided they would explore it immediately, leaving their associates behind in the guest house.

The temple gate was unlocked and unguarded. They passed through an overgrown garden where a monkey was chained to a small tree and into the towering structure of the temple itself. The floors squeaked under their feet, and they made their way hurriedly through the entryway and into the main altar room.

Upon doing so, Bo-Jing realized that his friends had fallen under some kind of curse. They yelled out in confusion, and ran hurriedly through the temple room, bumping into pillars. The three monks in the room called out to them, asking them to show themselves. Bo-Jing said nothing, but followed his friends by their footsteps, and whispering their names when he got closer to them.

The three invisible explorers, bumbled through the temple and its many side chambers, the monks following close behind. And then Bangqiu stumbled into the private chambers of the abbot, a room bedecked with a great number of wicked-looking idols, many of them stained with blood. Shocked by the horrific sight, he began to regain his senses and called out to Bo-Jing for assistance. Salt, likewise intuited that the monks franticly pursuing her were less trustworthy than the still invisible, but calm-voiced Bo-Jing. He promised that if she would hold onto him, he would lead her to safety. Risking the attention of the monks, he called out to Bangqiu in the strange tongue they had learned in Maztica, and made a plan to flee together. Dodging, the monks and the abbot, the three adventurers retraced their steps and ran out of the temple and back to the guesthouse.

Back in the guest house, Bo-Jing removed his invisibility ring, and informed Ryu and the warriors what had happened. Ryu was able to perform an exorcism spell on Bangqiu. Bangqiu recovered his memory but was so exhausted that he retreated to his chambers to sleep. Bo-Jing ordered a guard and instructed Ryu to perform another exorcism. Ryu agreed, but he needed several hours to prepare the necessary incense and purify his own spirit. Salt, still unable to remember her name and history, nor able to stop being invisible, babbled to herself incessantly until Bo-Jing prepared her some rice. She ate greedily and then fell asleep. Nekhil announced that he would guard her while she slept.

Not long before sundown, there was a knock at the door. Bo-Jing answered the knock.

Two monks, the same pair they had met at the bottom of the stairs were standing there. They wanted to know if their guests were comfortable and if they were hungry. Bo-Jing replied that they were very comfortable and were preparing to retire early after having already eaten their own food. The monks shifted from one foot to the other and then asked if they heard anything strange coming from the temple.

“The temple? Aren’t outsiders forbidden from the temple?”

“Yes, but . . . there were some uninvited spirits there . . . and we want to make sure . . . maybe the spirits came to the guesthouse and have made your minds tired? Maybe we can help?”

Bo-Jing assured the monks that they were only tired from their journey and he looked forward to talking to them in the morning.

The monks wished Bo-Jing goodnight and departed. Bo-Jing closed the door, all but a crack. He watched the monks linger outside the door and then enter the guesthouse by another, previously obscured by a tattered banner and overgrown shrubbery.

Bo-Jing called for Batzorig to accompany him; together, they into the door where the monks had entered. They found a small chapel, warmly lit with glowing candles and adorned in a manner similar to the guesthouse and the rest of the monastery. There was no sign of the monks. Bo-Jing examined the symbols and paintings in the chapel and was comforted to see that they resembled the iconography of the lead coins rather than the abbot’s private shrine. And although the chapel was under the same roof as the guest guesthouse, there was no apparent between it and the rest of the structure.

Bo-Jing returned to his companions and decided to wake up Bangqiu. Still exhausted, the magician nevertheless understood that his special skills were required. Although he would need more rest to grasp his most powerful magic, he was eager to assist Bo-Jing in investigating the newly-discovered chapel.

Working together, the companions discovered that in fact one of the paintings had a moveable panel about halfway up the wall. And sure enough, moving the panel did permit access to the guesthouse itself. While debating whether to pass through this secret door or rush back to the main entrance to warn the others, a solitary hooded figure entered the chapel from the exterior door. This proved not to be a monk, but a wild-haired, fanged monster who rushed at them to attack. Bo-Jing, relying on his magic boots, levitated to safety while Bo-Jing engaged the monster. The brave baghatur allowed the monster to back him into a corner; when the monster lunged at him, Bo-Jing, ducked out of the way and then spun on his heels and drew his sword, pointing it at the monster’s throat. The monster hesitated. In the flickering light of the candles, Bo-Jing confirmed that the monster’s robes were of the same style and fabric as the monks. Despite its fangs and bloodshot eyes, something in its expression reminded him of one of the monks he’d encountered in the temple. Bo-Jing repeated one of the mantras he’d learned from Gaansukh. “Where is your heart? Where is your treasure?”

The monster snarled and lunged, impaling itself on the sword and slashing at Bo-JIngs face with its claws. Despite the horrific wound, it didn’t die. Licking Bo-Jing’s blood from its claws, it continued to attack with vigor. Bo-Jing stood his ground and cut with strength and precision. When Bo-Jing faltered for a moment, Bangqiu descended swiftly, striking the monster with the stone figurine of a dove. Bo-Jing recovered and, with a swift and mighty cut, severed one of the monster’s legs. It collapsed to the ground, and Bo-Jing next removed its head, finally killing it. Bo-Jing and Bangiu elected to go through the secret door and bar it from the inside.

Bangqiu returned to sleep. Ryu meditated next to Salt. Bo-Jing and the warriors separated into two groups, and searched the entire guesthouse, confirming there neither monks nor monsters were hiding in any of the rooms, or in the garden. Only then they rested. Except for Nekhil, who stood guard the whole night.

The Unforgotten Monks of the Lead Coins (Part 2)

 

Salt and Bo Jing asked some questions in Banua and found an old, grizzled man who claimed that indeed, the monks of the lead coins did still live AND he knew where to find them.

Although they had some questions about their guide’s sanity, Salt and Bo Jing agreed that they should follow their curiosity.  Bo-Jing asked Ryu and three of his most trusted warriors to accompany him. Nekhil volunteered to join the party as Salt’s bodyguard. Their mysterious friend Bangqiu told them he’d follow them from the shadows and lend assistance if they got into danger.

The trip to the monastery was arduous, but uneventful.  They moved beyond the grasslands where the Naran horde grazed their animals into the barren lands and then the mountains beyond.  They caught sight of the monastery perched high on a cliff above and as they reached the steep cascade of broken steps leading up to it, a pair of monks appeared to meet them.  They gave warm greetings to the guide, who introduced Salt and Bo-Jing.  The monks expressed their gratitude at having visitors to interrupt their solitude. One of the monks started to lead the party up the steps while the other lingered to speak to the guide.

On the way up the steps, Bo-Jing quizzed the monk about his beliefs and soon became suspicious. Unlike the monks described by Gaansukh, who pulled profound lessons from prosaic events, this man showed little interest or ability in discussing the tenets of his faith.  Rather than explain the remarkable carvings in the stone steps, the monk stated they were “mysteries” whose meaning could only be explained to those who were “ready.”

The party passed through the gates of the monastery. Their horses were taken to the stables and they were welcomed to the guest house.  Though it was late in the day, their guide would not stay with them, and hadn’t even followed them up the stairs, but instead already started his return to the settled lands.  The monks told the party to make themselves at home in the guest house and to feel free to explore the monastery—except for the temple.  That was closed to the uninitiated.

The Unforgotten Monks of the Lead Coins (Part 1)

In the weeks following the expedition to the barrier peaks lands of the people of the trees, Bo-Jing’s mind turned to another mystery, that of the four coins, especially, the “fourth coin,” the lead medallion, he had found secreted in a cave, accompanied by a cryptic note: where your treasure is, your heart will be also.

He consulted a few shamans, and learned that as recently as 10 years ago, such coins had been relatively commonplace—at least among wealthy merchants—for they were typically made of gold. Another visit to the shrine of Sum Sakhius brought additional guidance. Gaansukh first negotiated a trade—he had in his own possession a gold version of the coin and wanted Bo-Jing’s lead one. And, once the trade was accomplished, he explained why.

As a boy, he had known monks from a mysterious brotherhood, who traded in lead coins. They refused to beg and whenever they found themselves with wealth or currency of any kind, they gave it away, saying “This is not of me or for me.” The lead medallions were “gifts” or “mementos” and they gave these away to anyone who gifted them—a warm bed, a sack of grain, a horse, a friendly greeting—any of these might be received as a gift.. “And I have something to share with you,” the monk would reply, producing a lead medallion marked with birds arranged around the four points of a compass. Most likely, no matter how cheap or valuable the thing they received, the monk would give only one of the cheap lead medallions—or “cross coins” as the people called them,. Gansukh himself once owned seven of the cross coins and, following the lessons of one keen-eyed monks could tell them apart based on irregularities in their casting and the way they’d worn over the years.

Over time, the novelty wore off and traders demanded “real money” whenever the monks passed through, asking whether anyone had the heart to help them. Eventually, the monks were treated like criminals and strongly discouraged from entering Banua.

But then one day, they reappeared, this time bearing cross coins made of gold. Rather than give them away, they used them just like currency, purchasing staple provisions, horses, tools, and building materials. Over times, they hired laborers while also buying more luxurious items and more and more building materials. They also repurchased the lead coins they distributed years before.

Despite speculation, Gaansukh never heard a definitive answer on what the monks were working on.

There was likewise speculation about what the monks were doing today. Not since the time of Gaansukh’s father had they been seen in Banua or anywhere else off the mountain ridge where their monastery was located. There was a half-crazy man who claimed to know how to find them, and who sometimes offered his services to merchants. But this man was very secretive and most assumed that he knew nothing about the monks, and was instead in league with a bandit of robbers.

This mystery was part of why,,Gaansukh confessed, he had once encouraged Bo-Jing to pursue his tax-collection efforts to the mountains monks. “Not to set you before robbers, because I knew the Bolad people were honest, but because I wanted to believe the monks still live.”

Expedition to the People of the Trees

 Over the weeks that followed, Bo-Jing and Narantsetseg received delegations from the Eagle and Worm clans, expressing gratitude, congratulations, and a wish for on-going peace among their peoples, supported by respect for the ancient borders.

Bo-Jing asked about the People of the Trees.  The delegations from the Eagle and Worm clans offered no other explanation except that the People of the Trees rarely communicated with he other clans. Bo-Jing paid a visit to Gaansukh.  Gaansukh agreed, but with an important clarification. Walking with Bo-Jing in a great circle around the walls of Sum Sakhius he shared his own theory. When he searched his own memory, Gaansukh failed to find an incident when he had encountered a representative from the People of the Trees.  He didn’t believe his father had either.  Nor his grandfather.  In the stories about “all the clans” the People of the Trees were never described.  No individuals were ever named.  His father could describe the flavor of goat he ate in the low dark hall of the Khan of the worm clan.  Remembering a visit to the lands of the Eagle Clan, he and his retinue sometimes sang the welcoming song of the young women who had rode out to meet them. Gaansukh stopped and leaned against the stupa. “I cannot believe that anyone has ever entered the lands of the People of the Trees or met those People, if there are any People there.  And yet, even in this holy place, when I say this, I feel . . . it is time to refresh ourselves with some tea.”

Hearing this strange stories, Bo-Jing resolved to visit the lands of the People of the Trees and find out for himself.  He wanted the company of Salt and his best men, and also his bride. Hoping for a friendly welcome, they selected fine clothes and gifts for their hosts.

The first part of the journey was agreeable as they passed through the reunified Naran horde where the people where people were glad to meet their new Khan and Khatun.  While evidence of the beastmen’s depredations remained, these reminders of recent horrors strengthened their resolve to create a better future and to honor their lost loved ones with a spirit of cheer and generosity.

But as the travelers approached the border, they were overcome by feelings of loneliness.  In the evenings, there were no welcoming fires, and the travelers were forced to make their own camp.  Each morning, Bo-Jing, even as he set his horse toward the forest on the still-distant horizon, he looked back wistfully at the sunny grasslands where they would be gratefully received by his own people.  On the day when they rode down a slight slope toward the trees, Ryu asked out loud, “Tell us again, what is our mission here?”

Bo-Jing could not answer.  The horses slowed to a walk and then stopped to graze.  Everyone dismounted to stretch out in the grass. Except Narantsetseg.  After dismounting, she walked toward the trees.  Bo-Jing, Batzorig, and Salt tentatively followed after her; the others hesitated for a moment, but the hurried after them.  They heard the horses starting to trot away.  Zhang and Gan-Wei were ordered back to guard them.  The rest pressed into the forest, all of them except Narantsetseg nearly overcome by an unnatural mix of apathy and panic.

In time they came to a clearing and encountered those who might be the People of the Trees.  They were more like trees than people— their skin was a range of greenish hues, some more yellow, some more brown, and the smaller ones being the color of a spring leaf.  In their vine-like fingers, they wielded crude spears and axes-- their jagged metal blades fixed with wire. With these weapons they had brought down a deer and were now butchering it into quarters.

Bo-Jing shouted a friendly greeting.  The dozen or so treepeople turned their faces toward him.  Their heads were like vegetables, with tiny pits for eyes and mouths that were deeper holes surrounded by root-like tendrils.  The treepeople returned Bo-Jing’s greeting, all speaking at once in voices that were too far from human speech to be duplicated, much less understand. Nevertheless, they made it evident that they were happy to see Bo-Jing and his companions.  Using the butt ends of their spears they pointed out a path out of the clearing and urged the humans to accompany them.  The green treepeople led the way and the others followed behind the party, encouraging them to press on. The deer carcass was forgotten.

It was late afternoon when they came to a rocky hillside where erosion had exposed two doors.  One was at ground level, a gate of shiny metal, firmly closed.  The other, about 30 yards up the side of the hill, was open; a soft light glowed evenly from within.  The party was guided by the treepeople up the hillside to the open door. The space inside oddly-furnished; all surfaces were sheathed in gleaming metal and a material like polished ivory or bone. Beyond the brightly-lit entry way, wide corridors led into darkness.  While the smaller treepeople disappeared down one hallway, the party was urged forwards with some urgency and even aggression.  When Bo-Jing, who was leading the party, hesitated, large treeperson with brownish purple splotches prodded him forcefully with a spear butt, sending him flying into a pit.  The party, perhaps relieved to have their suspicions confirmed, defended themselves with full force. Salt killed the treeman closest to her with a barrage of magic missiles, giving her space to flee from the edge of the pit. Gan Yul and the other warriors drew their swords and hacked down the stalky flesh of the treepeople, sending them into a full retreat.  Salt would not allow them to escape and with a blast of steam reduced them to a green puply mass.

Bo-Jing meanwhile had fallen over fifty feet, and landed in a bright room filled with hulking animal-like creatures made of metal.  Though badly injured in his fall, Bo-Jing raised himself up.  Noticing handles on the side of the pit, he began to climb back up. In the course of his climb, he was amazed by many strange sights including an extensive garden filled with plants he had never seen.  Also on the way back up, he was ambushed by another treeman.  The creature’s spear failed to penetrate his armor and Bo-Jing grabbed hold of the weapon to push the treeman off the ladder and into the pit. By the time Bo-Jing reached the top of the pit, the rest of the party had overcome their attackers.  Ryu and Narantsetseg tended to Bo-Jing’s wounds while Salt and Ryu surveyed their surroundings.  The door to the outside had been closed.  Looking down the corridor in which the treepeople had fled, they could see light in the distance.  Another corridor led into darkness.  The corridors were lined with closed metal doors.

The party elected to go down the dark corridor.  They encountered and fought a smaller group of treepeople.  One of their number carried three vividly colored cards, made of an odd material, durable like bone, but more pliable than wood.  Using these cards, they were able to open one of the closed doors and then close it from the inside.

The room was softly-lit and luxurious furnished with metal tables, brightly-dyed carpets, and leather settees. Exhausted by their experiences, the party collapsed into sleep.  Only Narantsetseg had the prescene of mind to stay awake, asking her brother to watch with her for anything that might try to open the door or make use of any unseen entrances.

Several hours passed without any incident, except for the gradual brightening of the light, which seemed to emanate from the very air. When everyone had rested, the party decided to further explore the strange structure.  They were assaulted by other strange creatures including black lions with spiky tentacles growing out of their shoulders.  And they found the central lair of the treepeople—a series of small rooms filled with rotting animal corpses on which very small treepeople were feeding. They fought and won another large battle with treepeople warriors and hunters and recovered more of the strange cards.  And, by the chance, the party returned to the door by which they had first been herded into the treepeople’s home.  It was open and, outside it was daytime.  Though fascinated by the strange place they had discovered, the party realized that they were likely to discover many more dangerous creatures within and that the treepeople might number easily number in the hundreds.  Though they had overcome the previous vague sense of dread, they understood that unless they took this opportunity to escape, they would likely be killed.  Therefore, they left the city of the People of the Trees and passed through the forests to the comfort of the sunny grasslands of Naran.