[10:18p] WaylandSmith Wayland explored the wrecked chamber of the captain of Port Kar for a good 30 ehn more but found nothing of consequence. Well nothing of consequence in the shape the world was in at the moment - there were letters and contracts with people from all over Gor and in particular correspondence to other cities bordering on the Gulf or the near Thassa. It seems the captain had ongoing communications with Turmus, Brundisium, Asperiche and further afield.
[10:20p] WaylandSmith Contracts for the recovery and disposal of goods - Judas of Asperiche demanding the return of some item in silks to him and endless betting slips of the captain on the kailla races in Vendara. A separate file give a large number of details on a certain lady in Vendara and her contacts to others - all now defunct and therefore the gossip involved seemed stale and pointless. The only thing that really mattered were the survivors and one other surprising discovery.
[10:22p] WaylandSmith it seemed that the captain of Port Kar and the whole alliance of Karian captains was in constant communication with the Priest Kings. Not only the mysterious white castes but some actual beings - whatever they really were this wasn’t clear - and communicated about everything that occurred within the several thousand passang range of Port Kar. Allegiances, betrayals, weighted dice and tricksied kailla races all were reported to agents to bring the information to those who claimed the Sardar mountains.
[10:22p] › You are marked as being away. Away message: The land is uneasy and the future is uncertain. Wayland must give over his ease that he may solve the problems of Doom. To those who have come as visitors he regrets his absence. Friends and persons in need may take shelter, but my protection is not guaranteed. To those who intend harm I need say nothing. They already know.
[10:37p] › You are no longer marked as being away.
[10:37p] WaylandSmith What the smith could gather had been found all over the floor of the chamber of the captain and the annex archive room. The presumed killers of the captain had been there before him and most of the archive lay scattered - the only items that had been examined with particular interest were exchanges with the white casts and priest kings. Some of that correspondence bore the same marks as that on the letter the smith had so fortuitously found. None of what he found gave any inkling of the cataclysm.
[10:39p] WaylandSmith sighing Wayland took stock of his surroundings - the wealth of secrets now so much vanitous paper and of no use to him. The only real clue seeming to be an agent of the Priest Kings in or near Ven that needed to be advised by the captains of Port Kar. Although hailing from the Voltai mountains the smith felt some allegiance to Kar and its captains and pondered whether he might convince Dalamar and Fury to sail up the Vosk. Ven was not the only place agents were stationed it seems, they existed all over.
[10:41p] WaylandSmith There was a particularly linear group along the Vosk right up to Fort Haskins - no doubt from thereabouts communications to Sardar took a more direct land route. It was as good a project as any - the tomb that Port Kar had become weighed heavily on his mood. He wanted to leave and leave soon - no good would come of hanging around this dead place. Dalamar was right - every city along the way was either a resource or a possible haven away from the collapse of civilisation.
[10:43p] WaylandSmith Wayland cast a glance at the captain of Port Kar now sitting in his window looking out at a sight the man must have seen many times but this time with lidless eyes and lack of energy in the sinews. Still it was the manner of the true Karians to want to see the Tamber gulf after they passed and so with a brief and somewhat irregular salute he left the room. Just as he left he heard or thought to hear:
[10:43p]
WaylandSmith : GHOST OF PK: "Fair Winds smith."
[10:45p] WaylandSmith The words sent a shiver down the spine of the broad shouldered man and he hurried down the interminable steps of the spiral stair case. In the hall itself he no longer paused to admire its grandeur seeing only that in its future the large arches would kiss their feet and waters of the marshy lands would cover the ruins of Port Kar.
[10:46p] WaylandSmith Using the float to go back to the docks he was surprised to see Fury and Dalamar in a seemingly animated discussion. Dalamar didn’t even pull a bow on him this time - without further ado he alighted and explained in the brief and terse manner that was his nature about his findings.
[10:48p]
WaylandSmith : Tal. I visited the captain's tower and surprisingly found him murdered not dead of whatever slew everyone else. By chance I came across this letter - it is from the Priest Kings representatives the white castes. It speaks of a contact in Ven or at least an outpost near Venn - no doubt an enclave of the Karians and their spies. It bids him to send warning but I don’t believe this happened - possibly there are surviving cities there or the upper Vosk. Records speak of Karian cells all the way up to Fort Haskins.
The narrative rejoins Dalamar and Fury here
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