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masterghandalf) wrote2025-05-12 07:15 am
masterghandalf) wrote2025-05-12 07:15 am
The Scrolls of the Ancients: Chapter Thirty-Two, Chapter Thirty-Three, and Chapter Thirty-Four
This is a repost from Das_Sporking2. Previous installments of this spork may be found here.
MG: Well, everyone, it’s time to continue our journey through Robert Newcomb’s The Scrolls of the Ancients! Last time, the People’s Revenge got attacked by “screechlings,” Celeste had a nightmare that somehow cured her PTSD (grrr…) and Wigg and Faegan met the “watchwoman” and continued their quest for herbs (and ancient knowledge… but mostly herbs). Today, we have three more short chapters (which will be a trend; looking forward to my planned posts to finish out this book, almost all of them will be multi-chapter with only a couple of exceptions, as Newcomb’s chapters seem to get shorter the further he gets into the series) as several characters have important revelations… and Wigg and Faegan continue slowly slogging away at their quest. Yay. Joining us today will be Tahiri and Ash!
Chapter Thirty-Two
Tahiri: *flatly* Sounds so fun. Well, we open the first chapter with Marcus and Becca, who are some of the more tolerable characters in this mess because they’re kids and deserve to be rescued from Newcomb and put in a better book. Becca is begging her brother for something and is so excited she’s almost literally jumping up and down from it. We learn that they’re in a much better part of town than Bargainer’s Square (wait, there are still nicer parts of town after the Minions got through with it? That’s… not the impression I’d gotten earlier!), the Plaza of Fallen Heroes, and here and there could be seen marble statues erected to those who had fallen over the centuries in service to the crown. Yeah, since this kingdom was supposedly at peace for three hundred years, I wonder just how many “fallen heroes” they actually had… We then learn that Marcus is pushing a wheelbarrow that holds the Scroll, since even though he’s apparently strong for his age, the Scroll is still too big and unwieldy for him to carry long distances, and he thinks it’s very lucky they found the wheelbarrow. The Scroll itself, meanwhile, is tightly wrapped in the rug they stole to keep it hidden, so at least that wasn’t entirely pointless?
Ash: I wouldn’t underestimate Newcomb when it comes to making things pointless, sadly… Marcus prays to the Afterlife (I know I’m not the first person to say this, but I still find this rather baffling – is the Afterlife supposed to respond? Does it answer prayers? At least my goddess listens – even Lolth answers prayers! Does the Afterlife actually… do anything, other than exist?) that he’s hidden the Scroll well enough to conceal the glow, if it starts again, at least long enough for them to meet someone and (presumably) sell it. Apparently, Marcus managed to find a purveyor of artifacts of the craft (I’m… amazed Wigg let someone like that operate openly; I’d have thought he and his little friends would want to keep everything for themselves) who Marcus ran into the other day and who seemed very excited, almost giddy, at his description of the scroll. Apparently, a lot of such merchants have sprung up recently, since the Directorate fell – what, are they all charlatans taking advantage of the wizards’ deaths to fill the gap and make a few coins? Did the Minions somehow scatter artifacts all over Eutracia? Did Wigg and company actually crack down on merchants of magic and now they’re just happy to be free? Some combination of the above? But we are told that some of the merchants are legitimate, and some are little more than fences or conmen. Many citizens had become morbidly anxious to own something that smacked of magic, or its supposed connection to the fallen House of Galland. It was said that anything that had come from the looted royal palace – and had its authenticity verified – would bring in nearly its weight in gold. Marcus has no idea if the Scroll was originally from the palace or not, but he’s sure it’s magic and could make him and his sister enough money to live much more comfortably than they have been, though he does want to shop it around to see if he can get the best price (and an unscrupulous merchant will be stopped from overpowering two children and taking the Scroll by force how, exactly?).
Contrivances and Coincidences: 33 (of course the exact kind of merchant the kids need is everywhere in Tammerland now, even though this is the first we’ve heard of it)
Exposition Intrusion: 150
Tahiri: Well, Marcus at least has the good sense to be nervous and fingers his knife. He’s distracted by Becca, and apparently the thing she wants is one of his kisa coins, of which he’s managed to gather four now by begging, wheedling and pickpocketing. Marcus, understandably, would rather spend it on food. You know, for a couple of kids… fair enough, for both of them. They’re doing their best. Marcus tells her that only one kisa won’t get her much, but Becca makes sad eyes, and he can’t resist. He forks over a coin, and they make their way over to the merchant’s stall. The vendor’s stall was a simple, square-roofed affair. An ancient-looking woman sat inside on a stool, taking care of her customers. A young male assistant sat beside her, tending to the wares. *rolls her eyes* Wow. Such vivid and memorable description. Meanwhile, the rest of the stall is covered with cages. Why, you ask?
Each of the cages contained a throat lark. The birds were remarkably small; three of them could usually fit in the palm of a grown man’s hand. They had presumably acquired their name because of bright colors adorning their throats. The remainder of the bird was usually a soft, dappled blue, although that sometimes varied. Well known for their singing voices, they were prized as house pets. As the larks danced happily around their cages, their twittering combined to create a singularly beautiful harmony, attracting yet more of the curious to the old woman’s stall.
Tahiri: Well, Becca uses her kisa to buy one of the birds (uh, does she have any idea how to care for one of those? Is a pet that eats food really something two homeless kids want to be buying?) But apparently, it’s not a pet; the cage is to be opened and the bird set free, where it will return to the old woman as it’s been trained to do. This is supposed to bring good luck. *shrugs* Okay, I’ll admit, I’ve seen stranger customs. Though we then learn that the custom only sprung up after the Coven’s return and the Minion invasion as a way of honoring the souls of the dead, so it’s what, less than two years old at this point? Not much of a custom, then, is it? Becca indeed releases the bird – so they are smart enough to not be buying a pet, after all! – with tears in her eyes. Marcus asks if it made her feel better, and it did. So… yeah, regardless of what I think of the custom, these kids deserved some happiness. I can’t grudge them that.
Ash: Nor I. Goddess knows, I’ve been there. Well, it turns out that the old woman is not the merchant Marcus is really here to meet, as he’s suddenly approached by a tall, plump silver-haired man. Gregory of the House of Worth, which is kind of an on-the-nose name for a merchant, isn’t it? I wonder if he picked it out himself, actually. Well, Worth’s gaze is predatory – bad sign! – but Marcus asked around and he has a reputation for honesty, and even then, he still has a plan to try and keep himself from being taken advantage of. Worth glances over at the wheelbarrow and says he’s not here to buy a rug; Marcus says he’s not here to sell one. Becca comes back over, and Marcus asks if Worth is alone; he says he is, per their agreement, though Marcus is fully aware that any number of people in the square might work for him and be ready to come over at his call. Marcus beckons him over carefully, then reveals the scroll.
Worth gasped. He had never seen such a treasure of the craft. To his mind it was easily worth tenfold the entire contents of his shop. The glistening, golden rod and its end knobs alone were worth a king’s ransom, to say nothing of the historical value of the Old Eutracian script.
Ash: …I honestly haven to wonder why the Ones (I assume…) made this thing so fancy. Does all the gold actually serve a purpose, like being enchanted in itself, or is it just for decoration? Marcus asks how much Worth is willing to pay, and the merchant, overwhelmed, manages to stammer out six-six thousand kisa. Which is apparently more than a skilled tradesman might earn in their entire life. But Marcus demands twelve – seriously, boy, just take the win, this is clearly more than you were expecting and don’t jeopardize it by pissing Worth off – to which Worth responds that’s not how they bargain around here. Marcus points out he didn’t double his price, just Worth’s offer, and, goddess, if six thousand is so much, how do you know even a clearly successful man like Worth even has twelve thousand just lying around in a form he can afford to part with? When Worth hesitates, Marcus tells him he’s not the only artifact seller in Tammerland and moves to leave, before asking for fourteen thousand (do you really think raising the price will make Worth more likely to buy?) Worth offers ten thousand, Marcus ups to sixteen, Worth offers thirteen, which is indeed apparently as much as he’s able or willing to plunk down (knew it’d be something like that). Marcus says he has some more potential buyers to check out, but promises to tell Worth if he ends up selling to him. Now, you are, again, two children facing at minimum a large grown man (who may or may not have hirelings nearby). Are you really sure you want to risk picking this fight? Marcus tells Worth to leave now, if he wants to see the Scroll again, and sees no point to tell him if someone else beats is offer, if he can’t go above thirteen thousand.
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 62 (I can’t say as I think much of Marcus’s negotiating tactics, or a supposedly canny merchant like Worth letting a kid push him around like that)
Tahiri: Well, Worth dejectedly heads off – if this is the best the guy can do at bargaining, he wouldn’t last a day on Tatooine before the Jawas fleeced him for everything he had – and Marcus and Becca turn to head home as well, once Marcus is sure they’re not being followed, since he knows they’re playing a dangerous game. I still don’t get why they don’t just take Worth’s money, which is clearly a lot more than they were expecting to get – how rich do these kids need to be to live comfortably for the rest of their lives, anyway? Well, it’s at this exact moment that the Scroll starts to glow again – with the azure of the craft, of course – as part of the carpet flops open to expose it to the sky. Whoops! Marcus thinks it’ll be a miracle if someone doesn’t notice this… and indeed we immediately cut to the Citadel where Grizelda, Krassus and Janus are all watching in Grizelda’s gazing fire. It’s apparently the eighth scrying she’s done straight through and she’s getting tired, but she perseveres as the image sharpens. For the first time, she spots the Scroll, then manages to make out its surroundings and Krassus recognizes the Plaza of Fallen Heroes. The Scroll was in Tammerland. He had done it! Dun, dun, dun.
Contrivances and Coincidences: 34 (of course the Scroll was exposed just as Krassus’ crew were looking for it)
Tahiri: Well, Krassus is glad he knows where the Scroll is, but he also knows he has competition, despite his efforts to thwart Abbey from scrying for it, so he’ll have to act fast. He orders Grizelda and Janus to set seal for Tammerland as fast as they can, taking any supplies Grizelda needs with them. I don’t care how you do it – get the Scroll back to the Citadel! Hmmm – I could come up with some interesting interpretations of that one! Not that I expect Newcomb to; I don’t think he’s that creative. He wants them to sneak into Tammerland with some troops but be careful, since the Demonslavers haven’t been there before, and he doesn’t want to attract attention. Krassus himself will stay here, since Wulfgar requires his full attention (say, wasn’t Krassus about to go in to meet Wulfgar the last time we saw him? I guess we just… skipped that, then) along with some other matters. He warns them not to fail him and tells Grizelda that he found her once and can do it again, and if she tries to betray him or run away, he’ll find her and kill her, slowly. Fun! Janus, for his part, is to kill whoever has the Scroll and leave no loose ends. Grizelda and Janus nod in understanding and turn to leave. Krassu then goes to look out over the ocean; The three rose-colored moons were full, painting the sea with their palette. There was virtually no wind, and the ocean looked like a sheet of magenta-colored glass. Huh; that’s… kind of pretty, actually. After a while, Krassus folds his hands in his sleeves and turns to leave, and the chapter ends there.
Dastardly Deeds: 91
Chapter Thirty-Three
Ash: And so, we open with Tristan (yaaay…) as he and Scars worriedly watch Tyranny, who’s laying on a sofa (wait, a sofa? How fancy is this ship?) in her cabin. We’re told she fought bravely, but was wounded and lost a lot of blood, which is why she passed out when we last saw her (understandable…). They bandaged her up (does Tristan have any actual medical knowledge? Doesn’t the ship have, like, a surgeon or a medic or something? Or did that person die in the screechling attack?) and when she woke up, she immediately proved herself once again to be better than this book deserves by asking after her crew and ships before herself, like a responsible leader should. Scars gives her a rundown of how they’ve lost almost a third of the crew – oof – and how badly the ships have been damaged, enough so that even Tristan recognizes that if a storm or the demonslavers catch them now, they’re finished. Scars has ordered repairs to begin, but he doesn’t have much material to work with, and they’re too far out to get more. So, all in all, they’re in a right fix. Tyranny finally sits up and takes some wine Scars offers her, and then Tristan finally asks just what the screechlings were. So, good news, we’re about to have that little mystery answered. Bad news… it sounds like we’re about to get even more exposition dropped on us. And, goddess help us, we are.
We call the creatures screechlings… this was only the second time we have fought them. Scars named them for the horrible noise they make just before they attack. They began to prowl the waters only recently, about the same time as the demonslavers started taking their captives from Farpoint. I think the screechlings must have originated at the Citadel, but no one knows for sure. Did you see how they glowed, just before they attacked us? That tells me they come from magic. But who of the craft would be so cruel as to create such monsters and loose them on the sea?
Dastardly Deeds: 92
Exposition Intrusion: 152
Tahiri: Wow, lady, you’re naïve. In this world, who wouldn’t? All the magic-using characters we’ve seen are pretty twisted, in one way or another. Even the supposedly good ones. But Tristan guesses it must be Krassus, who no doubt created them using yet another Forestallment placed in his blood by Nicholas. Because gods forbid our main villain for the book actually learned to do anything by himself… Tyranny notices him go quiet and asks if he’s okay; he says he’s not, but he will be. He wonders why the screechlings seemed so determined to ransack the ship itself, not just killing the crew, and Scars guesses that the screechlings are intelligent and organized enough to know that if they cripple a ship, they can come back later and finish it off at their leisure. *rolls her eyes* Wonderful creatures; I’m so glad we don’t have these where I come from. Scars gives more of a rundown on the repairs – short version, they’re working as hard as they can but even under ideal circumstances, they won’t be able to do more than limp along slowly and will be easy prey if more screechlings show up. His advice, which he knows Tyranny won’t like but thinks is their best bet, is that they head somewhere we’ve not heard of before called the Isle of Sanctuary. Oooh, let me guess – it’s like Mos Eisley, but wetter? *she shudders*
Blood Matters: 129
Ash: Tyranny tells Scars to leave, since she has something she wants to discuss with Tristan alone; she tells him to make as many repairs as he can, since anything’s better than being left a sitting duck…
Tahiri: *brightly* What’s a duck?
Ash: …something we can talk about later. Once Scars is gone, Tristan says he’s never heard of Sanctuary; Tyranny says it’s a secret, and I imagine if it’s a pirate port, as it sounds like, it’s probably something you wouldn’t want the prince to know about, yes. She has Tristan fetch some charts, and points out their current position, their destination on the coast of Eutracia, and Sanctuary, which won’t take them far out of their way (what are the odds? I suppose the gods favor children, fools, and pirates… I’m sure I’ve heard that saying somewhere…). It’s a small island shaped like a long, crooked finger and Tristan thinks it looks like it’s only recently been added to the map. Before explaining any more, she asks if the wizards are truly still alive; Tristan says Wigg and Faegan are (more’s the pity…) and Tyranny explains that the Directorate are responsible for the island’s existence. Oh, this’ll be good… Anyway, Tyranny doesn’t dare risk a run straight to the coast in their current state, and she thinks they can buy more supplies at Sanctuary; even with taking time their to make repairs, it’ll still be faster than trying to reach Eutracia as they are. Tyranny admits she doesn’t like the idea either, since Sanctuary is a dangerous place – now it’s just putting me in mind of Skullport; word to the wise, if you ever find yourself on the Sword Coast, don’t put in at Skullport if you can avoid it – and she wouldn’t suggest it if it wasn’t necessary. She’s lost crew there before, and also has personal reasons to avoid it:
Seemingly resigned to her decision, she looked back at him. The commanding eyes of the daring privateer had somehow transformed into those of a lovely, desirable woman who suddenly seemed quite vulnerable in his presence.
Ash: Oh, goddess, I think I’m getting an idea of why she doesn’t want to go back there, aren’t I? Ugh. Anyway, she assures Tristan again that this is their best bet for getting home quickly. Tristan wants to know what’s so dangerous about Sanctuary (uh, pirates?), what the wizards have to do with it, and why some of her crew jumped ship there (better work, maybe?). Tyranny laughs and calls him a schoolboy (didn’t he blow off most of his lessons when he actually was one of those?) and tells him not to ask any more questions. Sanctuary is a day away and he’ll have all his answers then. In the meantime, she wants to inspect her crew and the damage and asks him to help her up. He does, and goddess help me they have a long moment of staring into each other’s eyes, and then they head up to the deck. It would be a depressing sight. But if so we don’t get to see Tyranny’s reaction, since the chapter ends there.
Contrivances and Coincidences: 35 (of course Sanctuary just happens to be in sailing distance…)
Exposition Intrusion: 155
Gender Wars: 43 (of course Tyranny briefly turns into a damsel as soon as Tristan catches a glimpse of vulnerability)
Chapter Thirty-Four
Tahiri: And so, we open the last chapter for the day with Wigg and Faegan – boo! – as they follow the watchwoman. They find themselves in darkness, with the Paragon being the only light, and the watchwoman tells them to follow her exactly and not to leave the path. The fall on either side is endless. Wow, couldn’t the Ones Who Came Before splurge for some railings? The wizards follow her for a while as it gets increasingly cold; at one point, Faegan tosses a coin over the side of the path and listens as it falls, but never hears it hit bottom. Oooh, spooky. Finally, the watchwoman comes to a stop and summons light. They find themselves in a cavern with a small lake, its waters glowing with the hue of the craft, which I guess must mean it’s “azure” again. There’s a boat on the edge of the lake – which is indeed “azure”, as it happens – and Wigg thinks about how the waters remind him of the underground lake in Ragnar’s lair last book and wonders how they ended up in both places. But it’s not answered, as the watchwoman gets in the boat, beckons for the wizards to join her, and then once they do sets out. They slowly approach the far wall, where there are apparently seven entrances, and they can feel a breeze coming from somewhere. We get an overlong description of the watchwoman polling the boat through the central opening and down a long tunnel, and then finally they come to a stop. She asks if they’re really here to find a way to sort out Faegan’s herb collection; Wigg says they are, and the watchwoman tells them to behold (yes, really) as they pass out into a much larger chamber, its walls lined with pools of water in tiers.
In each pool grew plants of the craft, their stems and blossoms rising just above the surface to create individual, floating gardens. The plants were bursting with every possible color, a vibrant rainbow of living energy. As the brilliant water coming from the walls ran down and into each of the tiered pools, it burbled happily, the sound bouncing off the stone walls and the surface of the lake.
Ash: That… actually sounds rather pleasant. I’d like to visit a place like that… without the wizards, of course! Wigg is amazed and thinks that if this is the gardens after they’ve suffered a disaster, he can’t imagine what they were like in their prime. Faegan is just amazed they really exist. But the watchwoman starts polling the boat on again, and the wizards are confused, asking if this isn’t the place to get what they need. She says it is, but before she can give it to them, one of them must pay the price. She beaches the boat near the far wall and leads them to a plain door in the stone. She tells Wigg that only he can enter, since the price for the knowledge they seek is high, and the cripple has far less chance of survival. *coldly* There’s no need to be cruel about it. There are many, many things to mock Faegan for, but his disability should not be among them! But she thinks Wigg has the greater chance to endure the burdens the price will place on him, though his survival isn’t guaranteed either. She tells him to decide whether to go in or not; the two wizards face each other, seeming to agree that they can’t let harm come to the Paragon (right, because that is the important part…) though Faegan at least has the decency to look guilty that he can’t do more to help. Wigg tells him not to worry.
But if I never come back, please do all you can to help Celeste come to terms with her past. I have only just found her, and would like to know that my oldest, best friend will be looking after her. Just as I know you will also care for Abbey and the Chosen Ones.
Ash: *frantic* No, no! Don’t let Faegan of all people look after your daughter – remember what happened to his daughter? But Faegan nods, Wigg says he’s ready, and the chapter ends as he follows the watchwoman into the doorway.
MG: These chapters… well, I’m kind of mixed on them, since a lot of them feels like padding, but they do contain some important plot progression, as Team Krassus finally locate the Scroll, Tristan and Tyranny change course and make for a new port, and the wizards reach their destination. Still, Newcomb’s tendency for short, choppy chapters is really hurting him here, as it feels like we’ve just barely had enough time for something to happen in one place before we’re jerked off onto some other thing, rather than actually letting the narrative sit still and breathe. And, of course, we continue to have characters making pointlessly bad decisions or otherwise being obnoxious. The good news, though, (aside from the fact that these chapters didn’t contain anything as outright gross as Celeste’s “epiphany”) is that we’re now officially a bit over halfway through the book! Yay! The bad news is that we still have a bit less than half the book to go. Ugh. Next time, Krassus finally gets to sit down with Wulfgar and explain some of what he wants with him and why. We’ll see you then! Our counts stand at:
Blood Matters: 129
Contrivances and Coincidences: 35
Dastardly Deeds: 92
Exposition Intrusion: 155
Gender Wars: 43
Gratuitous Grimdark: 37
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 62
Protagonist-Centered Morality: 60
Retcons and Revelations: 20
MG’s Note: I’ve posted a question regarding a potential future review project over on my journal; feel free to check it out and do let me know if it’s something you’d be interested in me doing at some point in the future!
MG: Well, everyone, it’s time to continue our journey through Robert Newcomb’s The Scrolls of the Ancients! Last time, the People’s Revenge got attacked by “screechlings,” Celeste had a nightmare that somehow cured her PTSD (grrr…) and Wigg and Faegan met the “watchwoman” and continued their quest for herbs (and ancient knowledge… but mostly herbs). Today, we have three more short chapters (which will be a trend; looking forward to my planned posts to finish out this book, almost all of them will be multi-chapter with only a couple of exceptions, as Newcomb’s chapters seem to get shorter the further he gets into the series) as several characters have important revelations… and Wigg and Faegan continue slowly slogging away at their quest. Yay. Joining us today will be Tahiri and Ash!
Chapter Thirty-Two
Tahiri: *flatly* Sounds so fun. Well, we open the first chapter with Marcus and Becca, who are some of the more tolerable characters in this mess because they’re kids and deserve to be rescued from Newcomb and put in a better book. Becca is begging her brother for something and is so excited she’s almost literally jumping up and down from it. We learn that they’re in a much better part of town than Bargainer’s Square (wait, there are still nicer parts of town after the Minions got through with it? That’s… not the impression I’d gotten earlier!), the Plaza of Fallen Heroes, and here and there could be seen marble statues erected to those who had fallen over the centuries in service to the crown. Yeah, since this kingdom was supposedly at peace for three hundred years, I wonder just how many “fallen heroes” they actually had… We then learn that Marcus is pushing a wheelbarrow that holds the Scroll, since even though he’s apparently strong for his age, the Scroll is still too big and unwieldy for him to carry long distances, and he thinks it’s very lucky they found the wheelbarrow. The Scroll itself, meanwhile, is tightly wrapped in the rug they stole to keep it hidden, so at least that wasn’t entirely pointless?
Ash: I wouldn’t underestimate Newcomb when it comes to making things pointless, sadly… Marcus prays to the Afterlife (I know I’m not the first person to say this, but I still find this rather baffling – is the Afterlife supposed to respond? Does it answer prayers? At least my goddess listens – even Lolth answers prayers! Does the Afterlife actually… do anything, other than exist?) that he’s hidden the Scroll well enough to conceal the glow, if it starts again, at least long enough for them to meet someone and (presumably) sell it. Apparently, Marcus managed to find a purveyor of artifacts of the craft (I’m… amazed Wigg let someone like that operate openly; I’d have thought he and his little friends would want to keep everything for themselves) who Marcus ran into the other day and who seemed very excited, almost giddy, at his description of the scroll. Apparently, a lot of such merchants have sprung up recently, since the Directorate fell – what, are they all charlatans taking advantage of the wizards’ deaths to fill the gap and make a few coins? Did the Minions somehow scatter artifacts all over Eutracia? Did Wigg and company actually crack down on merchants of magic and now they’re just happy to be free? Some combination of the above? But we are told that some of the merchants are legitimate, and some are little more than fences or conmen. Many citizens had become morbidly anxious to own something that smacked of magic, or its supposed connection to the fallen House of Galland. It was said that anything that had come from the looted royal palace – and had its authenticity verified – would bring in nearly its weight in gold. Marcus has no idea if the Scroll was originally from the palace or not, but he’s sure it’s magic and could make him and his sister enough money to live much more comfortably than they have been, though he does want to shop it around to see if he can get the best price (and an unscrupulous merchant will be stopped from overpowering two children and taking the Scroll by force how, exactly?).
Contrivances and Coincidences: 33 (of course the exact kind of merchant the kids need is everywhere in Tammerland now, even though this is the first we’ve heard of it)
Exposition Intrusion: 150
Tahiri: Well, Marcus at least has the good sense to be nervous and fingers his knife. He’s distracted by Becca, and apparently the thing she wants is one of his kisa coins, of which he’s managed to gather four now by begging, wheedling and pickpocketing. Marcus, understandably, would rather spend it on food. You know, for a couple of kids… fair enough, for both of them. They’re doing their best. Marcus tells her that only one kisa won’t get her much, but Becca makes sad eyes, and he can’t resist. He forks over a coin, and they make their way over to the merchant’s stall. The vendor’s stall was a simple, square-roofed affair. An ancient-looking woman sat inside on a stool, taking care of her customers. A young male assistant sat beside her, tending to the wares. *rolls her eyes* Wow. Such vivid and memorable description. Meanwhile, the rest of the stall is covered with cages. Why, you ask?
Each of the cages contained a throat lark. The birds were remarkably small; three of them could usually fit in the palm of a grown man’s hand. They had presumably acquired their name because of bright colors adorning their throats. The remainder of the bird was usually a soft, dappled blue, although that sometimes varied. Well known for their singing voices, they were prized as house pets. As the larks danced happily around their cages, their twittering combined to create a singularly beautiful harmony, attracting yet more of the curious to the old woman’s stall.
Tahiri: Well, Becca uses her kisa to buy one of the birds (uh, does she have any idea how to care for one of those? Is a pet that eats food really something two homeless kids want to be buying?) But apparently, it’s not a pet; the cage is to be opened and the bird set free, where it will return to the old woman as it’s been trained to do. This is supposed to bring good luck. *shrugs* Okay, I’ll admit, I’ve seen stranger customs. Though we then learn that the custom only sprung up after the Coven’s return and the Minion invasion as a way of honoring the souls of the dead, so it’s what, less than two years old at this point? Not much of a custom, then, is it? Becca indeed releases the bird – so they are smart enough to not be buying a pet, after all! – with tears in her eyes. Marcus asks if it made her feel better, and it did. So… yeah, regardless of what I think of the custom, these kids deserved some happiness. I can’t grudge them that.
Ash: Nor I. Goddess knows, I’ve been there. Well, it turns out that the old woman is not the merchant Marcus is really here to meet, as he’s suddenly approached by a tall, plump silver-haired man. Gregory of the House of Worth, which is kind of an on-the-nose name for a merchant, isn’t it? I wonder if he picked it out himself, actually. Well, Worth’s gaze is predatory – bad sign! – but Marcus asked around and he has a reputation for honesty, and even then, he still has a plan to try and keep himself from being taken advantage of. Worth glances over at the wheelbarrow and says he’s not here to buy a rug; Marcus says he’s not here to sell one. Becca comes back over, and Marcus asks if Worth is alone; he says he is, per their agreement, though Marcus is fully aware that any number of people in the square might work for him and be ready to come over at his call. Marcus beckons him over carefully, then reveals the scroll.
Worth gasped. He had never seen such a treasure of the craft. To his mind it was easily worth tenfold the entire contents of his shop. The glistening, golden rod and its end knobs alone were worth a king’s ransom, to say nothing of the historical value of the Old Eutracian script.
Ash: …I honestly haven to wonder why the Ones (I assume…) made this thing so fancy. Does all the gold actually serve a purpose, like being enchanted in itself, or is it just for decoration? Marcus asks how much Worth is willing to pay, and the merchant, overwhelmed, manages to stammer out six-six thousand kisa. Which is apparently more than a skilled tradesman might earn in their entire life. But Marcus demands twelve – seriously, boy, just take the win, this is clearly more than you were expecting and don’t jeopardize it by pissing Worth off – to which Worth responds that’s not how they bargain around here. Marcus points out he didn’t double his price, just Worth’s offer, and, goddess, if six thousand is so much, how do you know even a clearly successful man like Worth even has twelve thousand just lying around in a form he can afford to part with? When Worth hesitates, Marcus tells him he’s not the only artifact seller in Tammerland and moves to leave, before asking for fourteen thousand (do you really think raising the price will make Worth more likely to buy?) Worth offers ten thousand, Marcus ups to sixteen, Worth offers thirteen, which is indeed apparently as much as he’s able or willing to plunk down (knew it’d be something like that). Marcus says he has some more potential buyers to check out, but promises to tell Worth if he ends up selling to him. Now, you are, again, two children facing at minimum a large grown man (who may or may not have hirelings nearby). Are you really sure you want to risk picking this fight? Marcus tells Worth to leave now, if he wants to see the Scroll again, and sees no point to tell him if someone else beats is offer, if he can’t go above thirteen thousand.
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 62 (I can’t say as I think much of Marcus’s negotiating tactics, or a supposedly canny merchant like Worth letting a kid push him around like that)
Tahiri: Well, Worth dejectedly heads off – if this is the best the guy can do at bargaining, he wouldn’t last a day on Tatooine before the Jawas fleeced him for everything he had – and Marcus and Becca turn to head home as well, once Marcus is sure they’re not being followed, since he knows they’re playing a dangerous game. I still don’t get why they don’t just take Worth’s money, which is clearly a lot more than they were expecting to get – how rich do these kids need to be to live comfortably for the rest of their lives, anyway? Well, it’s at this exact moment that the Scroll starts to glow again – with the azure of the craft, of course – as part of the carpet flops open to expose it to the sky. Whoops! Marcus thinks it’ll be a miracle if someone doesn’t notice this… and indeed we immediately cut to the Citadel where Grizelda, Krassus and Janus are all watching in Grizelda’s gazing fire. It’s apparently the eighth scrying she’s done straight through and she’s getting tired, but she perseveres as the image sharpens. For the first time, she spots the Scroll, then manages to make out its surroundings and Krassus recognizes the Plaza of Fallen Heroes. The Scroll was in Tammerland. He had done it! Dun, dun, dun.
Contrivances and Coincidences: 34 (of course the Scroll was exposed just as Krassus’ crew were looking for it)
Tahiri: Well, Krassus is glad he knows where the Scroll is, but he also knows he has competition, despite his efforts to thwart Abbey from scrying for it, so he’ll have to act fast. He orders Grizelda and Janus to set seal for Tammerland as fast as they can, taking any supplies Grizelda needs with them. I don’t care how you do it – get the Scroll back to the Citadel! Hmmm – I could come up with some interesting interpretations of that one! Not that I expect Newcomb to; I don’t think he’s that creative. He wants them to sneak into Tammerland with some troops but be careful, since the Demonslavers haven’t been there before, and he doesn’t want to attract attention. Krassus himself will stay here, since Wulfgar requires his full attention (say, wasn’t Krassus about to go in to meet Wulfgar the last time we saw him? I guess we just… skipped that, then) along with some other matters. He warns them not to fail him and tells Grizelda that he found her once and can do it again, and if she tries to betray him or run away, he’ll find her and kill her, slowly. Fun! Janus, for his part, is to kill whoever has the Scroll and leave no loose ends. Grizelda and Janus nod in understanding and turn to leave. Krassu then goes to look out over the ocean; The three rose-colored moons were full, painting the sea with their palette. There was virtually no wind, and the ocean looked like a sheet of magenta-colored glass. Huh; that’s… kind of pretty, actually. After a while, Krassus folds his hands in his sleeves and turns to leave, and the chapter ends there.
Dastardly Deeds: 91
Chapter Thirty-Three
Ash: And so, we open with Tristan (yaaay…) as he and Scars worriedly watch Tyranny, who’s laying on a sofa (wait, a sofa? How fancy is this ship?) in her cabin. We’re told she fought bravely, but was wounded and lost a lot of blood, which is why she passed out when we last saw her (understandable…). They bandaged her up (does Tristan have any actual medical knowledge? Doesn’t the ship have, like, a surgeon or a medic or something? Or did that person die in the screechling attack?) and when she woke up, she immediately proved herself once again to be better than this book deserves by asking after her crew and ships before herself, like a responsible leader should. Scars gives her a rundown of how they’ve lost almost a third of the crew – oof – and how badly the ships have been damaged, enough so that even Tristan recognizes that if a storm or the demonslavers catch them now, they’re finished. Scars has ordered repairs to begin, but he doesn’t have much material to work with, and they’re too far out to get more. So, all in all, they’re in a right fix. Tyranny finally sits up and takes some wine Scars offers her, and then Tristan finally asks just what the screechlings were. So, good news, we’re about to have that little mystery answered. Bad news… it sounds like we’re about to get even more exposition dropped on us. And, goddess help us, we are.
We call the creatures screechlings… this was only the second time we have fought them. Scars named them for the horrible noise they make just before they attack. They began to prowl the waters only recently, about the same time as the demonslavers started taking their captives from Farpoint. I think the screechlings must have originated at the Citadel, but no one knows for sure. Did you see how they glowed, just before they attacked us? That tells me they come from magic. But who of the craft would be so cruel as to create such monsters and loose them on the sea?
Dastardly Deeds: 92
Exposition Intrusion: 152
Tahiri: Wow, lady, you’re naïve. In this world, who wouldn’t? All the magic-using characters we’ve seen are pretty twisted, in one way or another. Even the supposedly good ones. But Tristan guesses it must be Krassus, who no doubt created them using yet another Forestallment placed in his blood by Nicholas. Because gods forbid our main villain for the book actually learned to do anything by himself… Tyranny notices him go quiet and asks if he’s okay; he says he’s not, but he will be. He wonders why the screechlings seemed so determined to ransack the ship itself, not just killing the crew, and Scars guesses that the screechlings are intelligent and organized enough to know that if they cripple a ship, they can come back later and finish it off at their leisure. *rolls her eyes* Wonderful creatures; I’m so glad we don’t have these where I come from. Scars gives more of a rundown on the repairs – short version, they’re working as hard as they can but even under ideal circumstances, they won’t be able to do more than limp along slowly and will be easy prey if more screechlings show up. His advice, which he knows Tyranny won’t like but thinks is their best bet, is that they head somewhere we’ve not heard of before called the Isle of Sanctuary. Oooh, let me guess – it’s like Mos Eisley, but wetter? *she shudders*
Blood Matters: 129
Ash: Tyranny tells Scars to leave, since she has something she wants to discuss with Tristan alone; she tells him to make as many repairs as he can, since anything’s better than being left a sitting duck…
Tahiri: *brightly* What’s a duck?
Ash: …something we can talk about later. Once Scars is gone, Tristan says he’s never heard of Sanctuary; Tyranny says it’s a secret, and I imagine if it’s a pirate port, as it sounds like, it’s probably something you wouldn’t want the prince to know about, yes. She has Tristan fetch some charts, and points out their current position, their destination on the coast of Eutracia, and Sanctuary, which won’t take them far out of their way (what are the odds? I suppose the gods favor children, fools, and pirates… I’m sure I’ve heard that saying somewhere…). It’s a small island shaped like a long, crooked finger and Tristan thinks it looks like it’s only recently been added to the map. Before explaining any more, she asks if the wizards are truly still alive; Tristan says Wigg and Faegan are (more’s the pity…) and Tyranny explains that the Directorate are responsible for the island’s existence. Oh, this’ll be good… Anyway, Tyranny doesn’t dare risk a run straight to the coast in their current state, and she thinks they can buy more supplies at Sanctuary; even with taking time their to make repairs, it’ll still be faster than trying to reach Eutracia as they are. Tyranny admits she doesn’t like the idea either, since Sanctuary is a dangerous place – now it’s just putting me in mind of Skullport; word to the wise, if you ever find yourself on the Sword Coast, don’t put in at Skullport if you can avoid it – and she wouldn’t suggest it if it wasn’t necessary. She’s lost crew there before, and also has personal reasons to avoid it:
Seemingly resigned to her decision, she looked back at him. The commanding eyes of the daring privateer had somehow transformed into those of a lovely, desirable woman who suddenly seemed quite vulnerable in his presence.
Ash: Oh, goddess, I think I’m getting an idea of why she doesn’t want to go back there, aren’t I? Ugh. Anyway, she assures Tristan again that this is their best bet for getting home quickly. Tristan wants to know what’s so dangerous about Sanctuary (uh, pirates?), what the wizards have to do with it, and why some of her crew jumped ship there (better work, maybe?). Tyranny laughs and calls him a schoolboy (didn’t he blow off most of his lessons when he actually was one of those?) and tells him not to ask any more questions. Sanctuary is a day away and he’ll have all his answers then. In the meantime, she wants to inspect her crew and the damage and asks him to help her up. He does, and goddess help me they have a long moment of staring into each other’s eyes, and then they head up to the deck. It would be a depressing sight. But if so we don’t get to see Tyranny’s reaction, since the chapter ends there.
Contrivances and Coincidences: 35 (of course Sanctuary just happens to be in sailing distance…)
Exposition Intrusion: 155
Gender Wars: 43 (of course Tyranny briefly turns into a damsel as soon as Tristan catches a glimpse of vulnerability)
Chapter Thirty-Four
Tahiri: And so, we open the last chapter for the day with Wigg and Faegan – boo! – as they follow the watchwoman. They find themselves in darkness, with the Paragon being the only light, and the watchwoman tells them to follow her exactly and not to leave the path. The fall on either side is endless. Wow, couldn’t the Ones Who Came Before splurge for some railings? The wizards follow her for a while as it gets increasingly cold; at one point, Faegan tosses a coin over the side of the path and listens as it falls, but never hears it hit bottom. Oooh, spooky. Finally, the watchwoman comes to a stop and summons light. They find themselves in a cavern with a small lake, its waters glowing with the hue of the craft, which I guess must mean it’s “azure” again. There’s a boat on the edge of the lake – which is indeed “azure”, as it happens – and Wigg thinks about how the waters remind him of the underground lake in Ragnar’s lair last book and wonders how they ended up in both places. But it’s not answered, as the watchwoman gets in the boat, beckons for the wizards to join her, and then once they do sets out. They slowly approach the far wall, where there are apparently seven entrances, and they can feel a breeze coming from somewhere. We get an overlong description of the watchwoman polling the boat through the central opening and down a long tunnel, and then finally they come to a stop. She asks if they’re really here to find a way to sort out Faegan’s herb collection; Wigg says they are, and the watchwoman tells them to behold (yes, really) as they pass out into a much larger chamber, its walls lined with pools of water in tiers.
In each pool grew plants of the craft, their stems and blossoms rising just above the surface to create individual, floating gardens. The plants were bursting with every possible color, a vibrant rainbow of living energy. As the brilliant water coming from the walls ran down and into each of the tiered pools, it burbled happily, the sound bouncing off the stone walls and the surface of the lake.
Ash: That… actually sounds rather pleasant. I’d like to visit a place like that… without the wizards, of course! Wigg is amazed and thinks that if this is the gardens after they’ve suffered a disaster, he can’t imagine what they were like in their prime. Faegan is just amazed they really exist. But the watchwoman starts polling the boat on again, and the wizards are confused, asking if this isn’t the place to get what they need. She says it is, but before she can give it to them, one of them must pay the price. She beaches the boat near the far wall and leads them to a plain door in the stone. She tells Wigg that only he can enter, since the price for the knowledge they seek is high, and the cripple has far less chance of survival. *coldly* There’s no need to be cruel about it. There are many, many things to mock Faegan for, but his disability should not be among them! But she thinks Wigg has the greater chance to endure the burdens the price will place on him, though his survival isn’t guaranteed either. She tells him to decide whether to go in or not; the two wizards face each other, seeming to agree that they can’t let harm come to the Paragon (right, because that is the important part…) though Faegan at least has the decency to look guilty that he can’t do more to help. Wigg tells him not to worry.
But if I never come back, please do all you can to help Celeste come to terms with her past. I have only just found her, and would like to know that my oldest, best friend will be looking after her. Just as I know you will also care for Abbey and the Chosen Ones.
Ash: *frantic* No, no! Don’t let Faegan of all people look after your daughter – remember what happened to his daughter? But Faegan nods, Wigg says he’s ready, and the chapter ends as he follows the watchwoman into the doorway.
MG: These chapters… well, I’m kind of mixed on them, since a lot of them feels like padding, but they do contain some important plot progression, as Team Krassus finally locate the Scroll, Tristan and Tyranny change course and make for a new port, and the wizards reach their destination. Still, Newcomb’s tendency for short, choppy chapters is really hurting him here, as it feels like we’ve just barely had enough time for something to happen in one place before we’re jerked off onto some other thing, rather than actually letting the narrative sit still and breathe. And, of course, we continue to have characters making pointlessly bad decisions or otherwise being obnoxious. The good news, though, (aside from the fact that these chapters didn’t contain anything as outright gross as Celeste’s “epiphany”) is that we’re now officially a bit over halfway through the book! Yay! The bad news is that we still have a bit less than half the book to go. Ugh. Next time, Krassus finally gets to sit down with Wulfgar and explain some of what he wants with him and why. We’ll see you then! Our counts stand at:
Blood Matters: 129
Contrivances and Coincidences: 35
Dastardly Deeds: 92
Exposition Intrusion: 155
Gender Wars: 43
Gratuitous Grimdark: 37
Plot-Induced Stupidity: 62
Protagonist-Centered Morality: 60
Retcons and Revelations: 20
MG’s Note: I’ve posted a question regarding a potential future review project over on my journal; feel free to check it out and do let me know if it’s something you’d be interested in me doing at some point in the future!