Neil: The Tump

Consciousness . . . But where am I? The fog is receeding. Monoliths! A dozen of them! And others. Old Heakun has brought me to this place, but why? And where? This must be one of his focal locations. I've been looking for one of these, haven't I? I've always wanted to see one. But my memory, how did I get here? Where have I been?

"Heakun, are you there? What is it you want of me?"

We collect ourselves (there are five others) and take a better look at this place. There are twelve huge stones. The Elf seems most interested. He points out the twelve star signs on the stones. Ah, there's the Wave. It doesn't appear to have any magical properties. It feels like normal stone. But this can't be! This is Old Heakun's sacred standing stones!

"Heakun, what is this place?"

The Elf casts detect magic. He reels for a moment. The magic here must be powerful, just dormant, or at least . . . very inconspicuous. But Old Heakun has brought me here for some reason.

A voice speaks . . . Not Old Heakun, but a woman. Her voice is very soothing. Perhaps an Angel in service to Old Heakun? She speaks of answers and destiny. Some cycle of good and evil. Children of the stars . . . Are we special in some way? Has Old Heakun chosen us?

"Heakun, please answer. What is it I am to do? You brought me here. What's next? Yes, the sword she spoke of, Starkweather John's sword . . . I should focus on finding the sword?"

We fight off several goblins, but these aren't normal goblins. They vaporize and waft away when killed. Weird. Heakun must not want these nasty things in his home.

The fog lifts and a path materializes before us. Heakun speaks in strange ways.

We walk along for a while and come to a small village. Poor and falling to pieces. Interaction with the locals reveals the location of the sword's owner, a burial mound atop the hill. The locals call Old Heakun's stones "The Tump." Not a very grand name for such a special place, but then they don't seem very magically inclined.

There's a church devoted to Blediwesse, but like the rest of town it's falling appart. Those of us born under the Reaper get strange sensations there. I checked it for magic, but detected none. Another mystery.

"Heakun, some guidance would be greatly appreciated. Starkweather John . . a Reaper? His sword is a Reaper? It's in the church?"

This sword must be important. Heakun wishes us to find it. It's part of our destiny, I think. It protects the village from evil. It must contain powerful magic. Yet, removing it from the village removes that protection. And to remove it, we will have to tear up a church.

"Heakun, do we really have to tear up a church? That's just not right. We could . . . find some other way to get the sword . . . A little help here Heakun."

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