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[Thrax]

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"How long has he been gone?" the question came across in a flat, but concerned, monotone. Ivan looked up from his desk at Pier 39 in Papua at the mage who stood trembling before him. Since receiving his appointment as Gaoler, Ivan Blackhands had been busy making sure that the fewer prisoners he had to deal with, the better. It wasn't easy making trumped-up charges sound sensible when the laws themselves defied logic wherein enjoyable living and true justice were concerned. His solution was to increase the penalties for lawbreaking, making incarceration the least of an offender's worries. It kept him free to pursue other duties, one of which, to his dismay, was to keep track of incoming goods at the warehouse.

"A few days, sire, no more," the mage replied. His jerky body movements and raspy voice clearly defined his state of mind... a notch or two above abject terror.

Ivan looked back down at the stack of papers in front of him. He waved him away. "You may go. You have done your duty and it is duly noted." He tossed him a small bag of gold coins.

The mage smiled, took the coins, thanked him and left the room in a hurry.
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The Eye of Oggaroth (which was more of a title than a name for him) viewed carefully each of his six students. They were busy on an assignment to write something that currently disturbed them. Some of them had known how to write when they came. The others were learning. Luana's parents being quite educated and, at one time, wealthy, had seen to it that she knew how to write at an early age. She stopped writing to look up at him. He signed, "How is it going?" Understanding, she smiled and signed, "Good. I am finished." He nodded once, took the paper from her outstretched hand and began to read it.

"My father is gone from home. I miss him. Mother is sad when he is gone. It makes me sad too," it read.

Eye put the paper down on a table and signed, "Who is your father and where has he gone?"

Luana fingerspelled his name, "M-a-u-r-i-c" and then, just to show she had mastered the forms, spelled their last name for good measure, "B-r-a-n-w-y-r." She was so happy with what she had done, she forgot to answer the last part of his question.

Eye asked again, "Where has he gone?"

With some difficulty, she fingerspelled, "B-r-i-t-i-a-n."

He praised her, but corrected her spelling and told her they would talk more of this later.
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Mauric felt much better as he left Sanctus. He had spoken with a man named Eisernes Kruez at Hanse's Hostel about the problems in Papua. The man seemed sympathetic and kind, even as he had tried to describe to him the intangible threat he believed existed there. It was like watching dark clouds gathering on the horizon, but being unable to determine where the storm would strike or if it even would. He believed Papua was in danger, but as yet he had no proof. Petty tyrannies come and go; he had seen some of that before. But this new menace was more subtle, developing slowly, and was, therefore, far more deadly... like a hungry panther waiting in the shadows to pounce on unsuspecting prey.

He wished he had taken time to travel more, to mark runes to various places. He had to borrow what runes he had on him, and he had deliberately not used them to leave Papua. He knew that if the mage at the shop broke his word, and his silence, he would need a good excuse when it came time to explain himself. Certain businessmen were allowed to use it on occasion. If he had used a rune and a recall or gate travel spell, it would look more damning. Besides, even for Papuan citizens who engaged in business, such spells were forbidden by a new city ordinance. The teleportal at the mage shop was the only legal means for citizens to exit the town, as it could be closely monitored by the mages who worked there. And it was, he knew, since he had been one of them and was told to keep an eye on all citizens who sought to use it.

But he wanted to go home. He missed Elana and the children badly. And he knew the longer he stayed away, the greater the likelihood of trouble. Yet he could not, not just yet. He had to find others who would listen, who would advise him on what to do while he waited for the evil in Papua to take shape. He prayed he would not be too late to stop it.