Episode description
In the city of Coraline, on the isles of Alcyon, the morning sun is welcomed with the ringing of bells. But not today. Instead--for some reason--there is only the sound of waves against rocks, of late-night partygoers babbling through street and alley, of quiet conspiracy and whispered arrangement. And instead, the day is marked with the ominous light of a second sun. But however halting the heat may be for some, the travelers from the Last University push on: Fero, into the fields where he studies this new form of life; Ephrim and Throndir into local dilemmas, political and interpersonal; Hadrian into his own heart, as he prepares for a confrontation that, though not fated, still carries the weight of history.
This week on Spring in Hieron: Significant Concern
However devoted to the THEORETICAL you intend your studies to be, you will eventually be pressed upon in PRACTICAL matters, and none will be more dangerous than those of STRATEGY and WARFARE. This is not because the dangers of combat are any more perilous than those of INDUSTRY, TRAVERSAL, or even EMBELLISHMENT. It is simply because the reckless pride of puffed up generals, who reduce your careful labors into simple SOLUTION. Remember: When someone is eager to turn your stave into sword, show them instead that you can make it into a river.
-An Excerpt from the Crystalized Lectures of the Wizard Fantasmo
Contents
Plot
Thondir has climbed a tower in order to dismantle a bell; the same bell which, when rung, causes the three specific notes which form one of his vampiric weaknesses. Dre performs a Discern Realities check in order to try and find a way of both breaking the bell and escaping the tower, which is being scaled by the pala-din Jorge. As a result, Throndir notices the distinctive scorch mark left by Arrell's teleportation, revealing that Arrell was in this tower recently -- an interesting discovery, given that the bells were rung at an unusual time the previous night. Throndir also works out how to break the bell, in order to prevent it from ringing again, and the friends discuss bell anatomy for a few moments. Finally, Throndir catches sight of Arrell walking through the "debate fountains" in the distance, talking to a Pala-din. Throndir breaks the bell, and then leaves the tower. As he does, though, he notices how hot the day is -- a consequence of the two suns which fill the sky.
Fero heads out to begin studying the cultivated spring-plants that populate the Isles. Along the way, he notes the presence of the second sun, quickly connecting it to Hella, but decides that there is nothing he can do about it. Fero gives Safewater a mask to protect them from the poisonous air around the Isles, which leads to the Friends googling bird masks for a little bit. Keith then reveals his plan; using the move Origin of the Species, populate Hieron with a species of animal which can live alongside the plants, tending to them and preventing them from being such a large problem. Fero employs the help of Highwater, Ephrim's assassin, whose experience as an assassin has given her knowledge of alchemy and chemistry that would be helpful in creating the new creature. Keith then rolls, but gets only a mixed success, which is attributed to making the animals -- a kind of happy-go-lucky frog -- too friendly with the plants, out of fear of making an animal which would simply eat all of the plants instead.
Ephrim has woken, and, on noticing the multiple suns in the sky, draws the connection between that and his own sword, which is also connected to the sun. Going to draw it, the wound in his arm, which was reopened the previous night as a result of Throndir feeding on him, grows larger and hurts him, whilst the voice of Galenica sounds in his head, warning him against pulling the sword out for fear that the Cult of the Dark Sun would be able to detect it.
Hadrian also notices the sun, and, like Fero, connects its presence with Hella. Rosanna expresses concern that the sun is something to do with the University; Hadrian, however, feels that looking after Benjamin before the upcoming confrontation with Arrell is more pressing.
Cast
- Austin Walker
- Sylvia Clare (Ephrim)
- Art Martinez-Tebbel (Hadrian)
- Keith J Carberry (Fero)
- Andrew Lee Swan (Throndir)
Other Characters