The Troupe wakes up in their rooms at the Tempest to a partly cloudy day with temperatures that are balmy by Opal standards. The Troupe returns to the library for more reading:
Magnus researches the languages and geography of Provence Brilend, searching for anything familiar. He learns about the original four tribes native to the area and learns that, in addition to the common tongue spoken in the Empire and the local dialect spoken in the North, he also can read and speak Chakagari – the language of the herders of the same name that roams the southeastern plains of Provence Brilend.
– The Koyatki roam the territory defined by the Aphend Forest and the region west of the Udema River
– The horse nomads of the Chutki claim the territory east of the Upper Inaro River
– The herders of the Chakagari occupy the land southeast of the Upheaval
– The waterborne wale-hunting Chati live in the northern waste
Ravenna research leads to the three species of the Surdaar: the Gothi, or Red Surdaar, are the most common, brutish and easily cowed and led by a Sudaar posessing strength or charisma; the Arokaar, or white Sudaar, are massive killing machines standing taller and broader than a human male; and the most dangerous Ventaar, or Black Sudaar, who are cunning and intelligent – capable of organizing lesser Sudaar into organized military forces capable of assaulting the strongest settlements.
She also learns more about the Duergar, and how they are a subterranean dwarflike race of miners and craftsmen, worshipping their own dark gods. It is said that they have vast underground cities and are a sneaky, crafty race and are concerned most with personal gratification.
Upon completing this research, Ravenna and Magnus then leave library to go plan a expedition to slay the remaining sudaar in the river valley in the unnamed forest. On their way back, they head to their new home and Magnus pays the occupants to stay in the Tempest until their caravan leaves so the Troupe can take possession of their new home.
On their way to the house, they are stalked by Earthcaller Franzahl, a duergar in a granite helmet shaped like a wolf head and the leader of the duergar in the keep. When confronted he gives Ravenna a small orb of solid gold for more information about Earthcaller Halmgar whom they know as the duergar in the jasper helm of red and black fashioned into a demon’s head. Ravenna is to the point: “no, I don’t know where he is. Yes we are acquaintances but no more. No, I don’t know more about the heart.” In the end, Earthcaller Franzahl offers five golden orbs to slay Earthcaller Halmgar and Earthbinder Tavgren who seem to be involved with the crystal heart, though he does not elaborate into why the heart is such a big deal or why the two are outcast and deserving death.
Earthcaller Halmgar
The Troupe arrives and takes ownership of their house in the merchant district and take inventory of remaining furniture and claim rooms and mar’Khabazza goes to merchant’s guild to learn more about orcs. Generally speaking, sudaar live in nests, are monomorphistic, they raid territories for food/plunder and the presence of ventaar will increase the ferocity of a swarm of sudaar.
Upon arriving back at their house, Mar’Khabazza feels a calling to purge the house of the dead daughter’s spirit. He coats the various thresholds in pig blood, but the spirits reject his burnt offering of suckling pig and can’t get the fire started.
As the evening progresses, Lady Catriona Von’Indi comes calling for Magnus. Mar’Khabazza asks for introduction to the Overseer about sudaar problem. She says she’ll arrange for a meeting with the Postmaster, who is the individual most responsible for city logistics and defense of the surrounding territory, and the Overseer, who is responsible for the overall operation of the mines.
Then the Lady and Magnus have a brief tryst in the carriage room before Magnus escorts her back to House Indi.