The Tower, date

We’ve traveled on past those ruins.
 
It feels almost a mockery of everything that I’ve learned that so many Gods or demons or what have you keep popping up out of every magical site or ruin.
The church ruins, the ruins where we lost Tarq, the Sanitarium, the ruined tower of Mustafat, his ruins in Yaharghul, and now these.
 
Perhaps we should just start cleansing and burning these places as a rule?
 
I hope the tower we are now traveling to doesn’t have anymore of this nonsense. I’m getting quite tired of it even with my necromancy skills.
 
Some things are meant to stay dead.
 
Grimmauldus’ friend stayed with us for the night. An interesting fellow, not as skilled as Grimmauldus, nor obviously as beloved.
 
I don’t say anything but it’s obvious that Inara is nearly in the same boat as I am at this point.
I must say it is fascinating to see her interact with the man.
He is grim and serious, but a new side to him can be seen now in these Eastern lands. He has a more jovial side and a more welcoming side.
 
He still calls me witch though.
No matter. It’s almost an endearment at this point.
 
Secilia asked to take first watch with me. It looks like she has something to say…
 
…well…
That was a bit of a shock.
We have nearly atheist Inara, actual atheist Dekar – who I suspect is actively against the Blood Lord which I am unsure of how to deal with, Grimmauldus follower of Khorde, Hassim – no idea about him yet, me, and now…
She has a patron. A patron she detests. And with good reason.
I know many dislike the Blood Lord, but he at least wants the world to flourish – he just believes we have control over our own destiny and that Gods should be killed.
The Watchers on the other hand.
 
They terrify me.
If anything should die it should be them.
They just want everything to crumble and disappear, like crushed dirt beneath their feet.
And Secilia calls one of them her patron. I understand now one reason why she detests religion.
 
I worry for her though. They will always be able to find her. That symbol is a terrible omen for her.
Her reliquary is fascinating though. If she is not opposed I might try to study it again further another time.
 
During Hassim and Dekar’s watch a wine merchant drove by – Bakir. He is letting us ride in his cart to the tower, as an added protection.
We also get wine out of it, which I am not opposed to. Although I must be careful to not drink too much. I do not wish to slip up or lose my wits.
Apparently he also knows Grimmauldus.
It’s interesting to see who he knows from his travels here.
 
---
 
A few days have passed without much happening.
But Dekar asked Inara to help him get to the Dream.
He is telling me this now after the fact but I…
I will write of what he told me later.
 
---
 
After 5 days we can finally see the tower. It rises before us like a beacon. The crush of people around us is enormous.
I think that the last time I saw this many people was Runestone, although this seems more than that even. Perhaps it’s how they are packed in like so many grains of sand. Like their land.
 
There are breaking wheels and hanging people and stocks and piles of corpses unburied and unburned.
This is a pit of disease and smell of rotting flesh and blood and decay in the air should be disconcerting but instead…comforts me.
I don’t know what I am anymore.
 
It does upset me though that these people are starving and dying like this, breeding disease, while those in power do not help them.
 
Is this why Shard liked to cast down those who were on high?
Someone should have done something before us.
At least I know that we will do something.
 
Grimmauldus leads us to a hookah den. There are captured free people being used as slaves at the door. Slavery – just another tragedy here but one that disgusts me more for some reason.
Grimmauldus purchases then frees the female slaves, then threatens the door man. It is quite a sight to see. Inara’s face was quite entertaining as well.
It would seem that I am not the only one with a good man.
 
Halton the sly – Hassim’s front apparently – is in the back.
He gives us good information about the tower. There are only two ways in apparently: the bottom entrance and a teleportation circle.
Bottom entrance apparently has hundreds of guards between us and where we need to go. Teleportation circle we would need to learn the sequence to get in.
Also the guards use poison on everything and there are traps and wizards all throughout.
Delightful. Another challenge for us. Of course, we will overcome it as we always do.
 
So apparently we are going to lure a priest out of the tower, rough him up, then use his code to get into the tower.
Absolutely nothing can go wrong with this plan.
In exchange for storming the tower and getting Halton’s things back – amongst other goals – he will give us a map to a powerful djinn. Probably a bad idea, but we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
 
That being said we are now off in search of Yahiro – Grimmauldus’ pirate friend – to throw a huge party with alcohol to draw the priest out of the tower.
Since alcohol is now forbidden – poor Bakir – this should draw at least a few of them out of there.
 
Hopefully.