We arrived to Lake Wyll and were witnesses of a wonderful view: the white colours of the lake's waters, due to the abundant wyllflower. The show was magnificent, and having Ghesh around only made it better.
We lost no time and went to the Palace to discuss the matter of the Tariff of Relkingham. We were received by the Caliph in a magnificent throne room, beautifully decorated with all kind of tapestries and carpets. The Caliph was sumptuously dressed, but I did not like her choice of colors and her nose looked like a crow's...
Anyway, we explained why implementing the Tariff would be a bad idea for Delornen and, thanks above all to the elocuency of Ghesh, we were able to confirm her that the Tariff should not be sanctioned; even Streisan was able to express herself in sentences longer than 5 words. At last all those days of schooling her prove to be worthwhile. A courtier, impressed by our way with words, even gave us a letter to deliver to her brother Luboc in Sylfren and told us of a secret passage in the kitchens to leave the Palace through the sewers, in case of emergency.
But things were not going to be so simple: as soon as the Caliph left the throne room, the Seneschal came running and warned us that Avonazemon, the Vizier, had stolen the Tariff and wanted to sanction it in a temple of Erathis.
We suspected he would try to carry out the binding ritual in the Temple of Erathis in Wyllea, so we rushed to the kitchens, having to deal with some of the vizier's guards that feebly tried to block our way. There we found the secret passage Luboc had mentioned, and Adolfiel led us through the sewers and some narrow cavern passages - where we were assaulted by some bizarre monsters that looked like gigantic versions of Streisan's favourite porridge.
We entered the temple and got into a nasty fight thinking the guards were some of the vizier's followers, but our tactical position was disadvantageous, as we had to climb a narrow stair to reach the temple, and when the guards received us with a rain of heavy barrels and Tyrion was beaten almost to death we realised they were much more powerful than us and we were forced into giving up our violent attitude...- Streisan calls it surrendering.
Luckily for us, the guards were supporters of the Caliph. After realising that the Vizier had robbed the Tariff parchment, they were sent by the Caliph to protect the Temple. A short conversation and some witnesses convinced them that we were also in the Caliph's side. They also told us that the only other temple the Vizier could use to enact the Tariff was in Relkingham. We rushed to the port to see all boats burning and a lonely sailboat in the horizon.
We then talked with the Caliph and decided to pursue the Vizier on horseback. Now we are making our way as fast as we can, while I use my Ghost Hand to scribe these lines; in an hour or so we will arrive at Hamona where we will exchange our mounts for fresh ones, as Vistra's is suffering under her weight.
I see dark clouds in the horizon, and only minutes ago a crow flew towards us and dropped dead in front of my horse... bad omens indeed...
Scientific Notes
I have decided to name the horrible creatures that attacked us in Wyllea's sewers, Mocus Streisanorum, in honor of my sister and her taste for strange looking porridges. I'm sure she will be grateful when her name appears associated with such a wonderfully unique creature in my ecology book. I have also added a drawing of the creature at the end of the diary.
