We parted ways from there, Alke, Helikaon and I heading to see if we could find anything sniffing around the temple of Lutheria in regards to the missing children, whilst Theo, Calliope and Braz went to try and see if Theo’s friends in the Academy might provide some allies in the struggles to come.
The Temple was a tall airy place, thick with incense and burnt offerings, but quiet at this time of day before the evening revels that will attract more of the lady’s followers as the working day ends.
Helikaon remained outside to guard our escape, whilst I transformed into a spider and scuttled through some of the cracks to explore. Alke took a brave course and ventured inside in person, hood drawn up and conversed with the priests within.
My searches brought up little- some hidey holes in some of the columns, but little else.
Alke’s questioning however brought up a few new insights. It seems the temple has been missing shipments of its wine, taken by bandits en route to them. It may be worth tracking them down- not for the lavish reward they promised if something could be done, but simply that the enemy of my enemy may be my friend- are these simple bandits all they appear?
We caught up with the others from there. The academy may be an impressive feat of architecture, but it honestly unnerves me a little. It’s like a beehive or an ant nest. Full of life, full of business, each little insect droning on its own task. I have heard Theo comment before about his envy of the range of tasks that nature magics can be put to, but this place pushes and refines specialism, almost to the exclusion of much else.
At least it seemed that way, trying to ask one of the philosophers a simple question about directions without being drawn into a conversation about replacing parts on a ship.
Different worlds, spinning endlessly on. I look forward to when our journeys take us back to the peace of the outlands.