The woods fall away from cliffs grayed by the evening, and Jennendra's lighthouse can finally be seen keeping its lonely vigil over the waters below. Its light sweeps ceaselessly over the sea, piercing through the fogs coming home for the night. Closer to the edifice, the wear of time can be seen vividly upon the warped timbers, the whitewash that has fallen away to reveal the bricks between them, the moss that hangs like seaweed from the cliff and grows thick about the base.

Aski Medes looks up to the fading sun, which makes as shadows the thin, long-winged birds that flap over the sea. "We're just in time," he says to Buran, dismounting from the drokkar which is being used to pull a cart of the expedition supplies. "Another hour or two and we'd be navigating the trail by lamplight or Procession light. Neither of which would I want to chance with these switchbacks." He stumps to the door, then looks somewhat puzzled at a contraption standing next to the doubled wooden doors: a thick log with a rounded, rather worn stick connected to the top by a thin cord.

Buran urges the other drokkar to a halt, curiously surveying the log. She tilts her head for a moment, pondering it; then a thought comes. Is it hollow? She looks at its top to see. "Nor would I," the winged Khatta agrees.

The log appears to be hollow, indeed; it's not quite that high, coming up to perhaps chin height on the winged, spotted Khatta.

Buran takes up the stick in her left paw and experimentally taps it against the log.

Aski Medes thumps experimentally on the doors. "Solid," he says raspily. The night air is not terribly good for his throat. "Very tight, too. There's Rath'ani craftmanship for you."

*Tunk.* The mellow sound reverberates a little.

A bit of surprise enters the Khatta's voice. "Then you must know more about this place than I would have guessed." She figures that the log must be designed as some sort of door-bell, or more accurately, a knocker (if that's the best term.) "This is going to be loud, I think… " Giving Aski a few moments to cover his ears, she enthusiastically hammers on the log with the stick several times.

Aski flattens his ears obligingly, and puts his hands over them for good measure.

** THOONK THUNK DOONK THWUNK! ** The log vibrates with the repeated blows. It seems quite resiliant, though, and releases deep, rich tones into the evening air.

"Goodness," the raccoon says, having felt the deep bone-shaking sounds even though his ears were covered. After a moment when Buran appears to be done, he continues, "And to answer your question, lit'un, I've never been here before – dear Jennendra and I kept up our friendship by correspondence – but she did mention that she had sent for Rath'ani craftsmen to rebuild her door, after the one already in place had proved quite drafty."

Buran stretches her wings out briefly, trying to loosen some of the muscles that have cramped during the long walk. As she refolds them into their usual arrangement, the technopriestess comments on the solidity and simple beauty of the door.

Before long, a small black bird flits through a thin vertical slit in the rounded stone and mortar wall of the lighthouse. It looks rather like an ordinary crow, except for a red sash over its chest, from which hangs a red tassle near the tailfeathers. A small, metal ring gleams around one of the bird's ankle. The crow settles on the eve above the double doors of the tower, and puffs its chest out. "Who seeks counsel with my mistress, Jennendra of the Onyx Eye?" is caws, officiously. After a brief pause, it adds, "At such an un-DAGH-ly hour! Do you know what time it is?"

Aski looks surprised. "Ah – why, you speak! I hadn't thought that intelligence was possible in such a small frame. Though I had heard of a rather small Exile in the company of a sea-faring Khatta." He fishes around in his robes, obviously planning on fetching out a magnifying glass.

Buran watches the crow with interest, though she keeps quiet. This is Aski's domain.

The Rath'ani fishes out a lense in a wooden sort of grip and peers through it at the small crow. "Marvelous," he exclaims. "Do you happen to be an Exile, lit'un?"

"Of course I speak, old man! And I have no idea what nonsensical business you're blathering on about exiles." The bird's tailfeathers flick in an agitated manner. "Are you here for some weighty reason, or just to beat on the seer's property all night?"

Buran calls up to the crow. "I hope we're not too late, sir. We only wished to see Jennendra; we've come a long way."

"What? Oh! Oh yes, that's right, Buran. My name is Aski Medes," the Rath'ani says, blushing a bit in his ears. "I'm an old friend of Jennendra, and this is my associate, Technopriestess Buran. You'll have to excuse me, I'm always fascinated by extraordinary forms of life, and you certainly are one… ?"

"What for?" snaps the crow, the feathers around its throat spreading out. "If it's for idle chit-chat, then I assure you… Aski Medes? That sounds vaguely familiar… "

"One moment, I will consult the seeress, and announce you." The bird spreads his wings, and lifts off again, disappearing back through the crack in the tower.

The Rath'ani starts to look a bit annoyed. "I have written several well-received monographs, to be certain, and… oh, drat." He throws up his hands and then looks over to Buran. "If only more people shared your politeness, lit'un."

Buran smiles, though it's a slightly-tired smile. "Sometimes, in my line of work, diplomacy prevents trouble. I hope it serves well again today."

"Really?" Aski Medes looks curious at Buran. "I was not aware that diplomacy was a recommended course for Technopriestesses. How did that happen?"

The Templar in blue explains. "Sometimes, one's superiors have a different outlook on things than you do. It's often easier to avoid a fight by being polite than by other means. And more pleasant, I think."

The Rath'ani rubs his chin. "You are quite mature for your age, lit'un. Well, do apply your skills with the little creature, and hopefully we shall not have to stand outside in the chill too long."

As if on cue, the crow returns, landing on the eve again. It coughs once, and announces, "You are anticipated. The seeress awaits you in her reception chamber." The bird pauses again, eyeing the pair below. "And don't touch anything!"

"Hope that excludes the floor," Buran whispers lightly into Aski's ear as she looks for a way to open the door.

Aski Medes frowns, "But how is the door to be opened… ?" As he speaks, the small black bird disappears from sight. A moment later, there is the sound of rushing water as the doors start to creak open slowly, then faster. The Rath'ani raises his eyebrows. "Ah."

He offers his arm to Buran. "Shall we, my friend?"

Buran perks her ears forward and puts her hand on Aski's arm, carefully making her way inside.

The old Rath'ani leans on Buran.

The lower chamber is mostly empty, save for a tall and thick, rotating wooden beam leading up from a hole in the floor into the ceiling above, and a staircase lit with a single oil lamp. A simple coatrack stands by the door, along with a mat on the floor. Without other furnishings, the room gives a better impression of the width of the tower, rather wider than the average. From somewhere below, the sounds of mechanisms working form a steady rhythm of groaning timbers and turning cogs.

Her Temple training always at the back of her mind, Buran comments, "It seems as if the machine which rotates the lamp is underneath this floor. It sounds well-kept."

"Indeed?" Aski says. "I wonder if it was built before the Rath'ani crew that rebuilt the door. It might be just a little after the Expedition, if so!"

Buran examines the driveshaft, listening to the sound of the gears. "Perhaps. Or perhaps not. I can't tell."

Aski Medes chuckles. "Perhaps you should ask Jennendra if you might have a look." He looks about to see which way to go, then starts up the stairs slowly.

The winged Khatta carefully follows along behind Aski, just in case he should misstep and lose his balance.

The chamber above is more lavishly decorated. A multitude of rugs, all in different designs and styles, patch the cold stone floor. Tapestries from numerous nations ring the lighthouse's concave walls, some of the heraldry for nations since extinct, renamed, or absorbed by larger neighbors. The turning wooden trunk continues upward here, and is decorated with small flags, weighted on the ends with pebbles so they stick out a little as it slowly turns. Seated, or perhaps perched, on a velvet upholdered chair by a varnished mahogany coffee table is a Korv, who looks up from a cup of some steaming beverage at her visitor's approach.

"Ah! Jennendra," Aski Medes says happily as he totters in with Buran. "You haven't changed a bit from our days in Lamu. Here, this is my associate, Buran. A Technopriestess."

Buran politely curtseys at the mention of her name, and smiles.

Perhaps the Korv's manner of dress is not 'rich', but it certainly is colourful. The Korv's face lights up, and as she stands, her brocade robes gather around her now-frail form. "Why, Aski Medes! You old codger… you must still have some of that youthful kick left in you, to come so far. It's lovely to see you again, simply lovely! And you brought a friend! Be welcome, Buran Atiedei. Please, both of you, make yourselves at home. You must be tired after such a long trip… I hope Jekil was not too abrasive… " The seeress waves a wing at some velvet cushioned chairs around the opposite sides of the coffeetable.

Gratefully, the old Rath'ani settles into one of the chairs. "Well, I'll confess that the young lady has been instrumental in reviving some of my exploratory spirits, dear Jennendra. She saved my life, and I doubt there is more than a brush with death to restore one's desire to make something out of life." He chuckles.

Buran carefully seats herself in one of the chairs, perching on the edge of its cusion so her wings won't be pressed too hard against its back. "He was … very direct," she says after a moment's thought about the strangely-adorned crow.

"Oh, poor Jekil suffers from a streak of irritability that's been very persistant," rasps Jennendra, taking up a porcelain pot decorated with painted ivy, and sporting a gracefully curved spout. It smells like it contains a brew with a bit of a nip. "I hope to cure him of it one day, but for now… Mateh? It's an eastern brew, somewhat spicy, but very good… For now, I have to just keep looking at his good points. He's an able and dedicated assistant. Saved your life, Aski? Dear me, what happened?"

Buran sniffs at the aroma coming from the pot, and gladly accepts the offer. An ear perks toward Aski to take in every word of his story.

"Jekil? Is that… You don't mean to say that irksome creature is your familiar?" Aski looks rather amazed. "I had assumed that when you spoke of Jekil, you meant some moppet from the village, but, well. Is he an Exile? I've never seen intelligence in a frame so small." He looks distracted from Jennendra's original question.

The aged Korv smiles with the corners of her beak, pouring two cups of a rich brown liquid from the matehpot, and freshening her own cup as well. She seems fairly active, despite the gray around her temples, but her gaze 'feels' slightly strange. Not unsettling, just… different. "Jekil hails from Levitha's Pearl, actually, a large island off the western coast. It's a strange place, to be sure. Rather dangerous too, and not easily scryed, for reasons unknown to me. He came to me from others of his kind… a varied bunch of creatures, it seems, but all about his size. I confess, it's hard to keep track of, and he doesn't often like to talk about it, so I'm content to allow him to be my apprentice. He certainly has talent… "

Aski nods. "Hmm! Most interesting. Perhaps when our little errand is over, I'll be able to take a few weeks and see the Pearl. I'd be most fascinated to study the biology of these people." He pauses, trying to remember what Jennendra had asked him before that.

"I think the lady would like to know how we met," Buran prompts softly as she reaches for the proffered mug of mateh.

"Jekil's told me of some of the perils the island holds," caws Jennendra, dipping the tip of her beak into her cup for a moment, then daintily wiping it with a napkin. "Sounds absolutely dreadful, too, I heard an Exile had to go there several months ago. Yes, Buran, why don't you tell me a little about yourself, and how you ran afoul of this old bookworm?"

The Rath'ani ahs! "Oh yes. Well, I had just received some distressing news… But yes, I was hardly very alert at the time. Why don't you explain what happened, lit'un?"

"Well," Buran begins, "we met in the Bazaar on Rephidim Island. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but Mr. Medes was involved in a discussion with another Exile, perhaps another one of the subjects of his research. Apparently, she – the Exile, that is – said something that must have been shocking. I found myself treating Aski for acute shock rather than answering his questions." She pauses briefly to sip the mateh and to blush slightly upon realizing her use of the Rath'ani's first name, but adds, "Fortunately, he pulled through, as you see."

Aski Medes sips from his own cup of mateh, which seems to help invigorate the old 'coon.

"If I had to guess, I'd have to say that I had a heart attack," Aski Medes continues. "I felt a squeezing pain in my chest, and everything seemed to go in such a rush. The first thing I really knew was when I saw Buran's face looking down at me."

The feathers over the Korv's glossy eyes rise. "Goodness! These Exiles… they seem to be nothing but trouble, yes? It is pleasing to see the Temple's more studious and enlightened servants so close to the people… unlike their brutish military aspect. Aski, really… if you took better care of yourself, these things might not happen. I'm fit as a fiddle, and I imagine it's due in part to flying at least a mile every day."

The Rath'ani shakes his head, eyes dark as he tries to forget the incident again. "No, no. It's just that… Well, never mind, Jennendra, but I owe Buran my life, and when she came to me with a small problem, well, I could think of no one better to shed light on the subject than you… " He smiles, patting the Korv's winghand. "Why don't you tell Jennendra about it, Buran?"

Jennendra nods, taking another sip of her mateh, then putting it down on a cork coaster. "Oh, yes! How rude of my to fritter away your time with my idle chatter… I would be happy to assist an old friend in any way I can, especially for such a charming young lady."

Aski Medes blushes in his ears. He clears his throat and says, "Thank you, old friend. I'll certainly try and stay an extra while, catch up on old times. I'm sure few enough up on Rephidim will miss this old body. To tell the truth, I'm tempted to retire to the valley, it seems quite beautiful and peaceful."

Buran recounts the story, as she has done several times before. Making every effort to include all the details, Buran tells Jennendra what happened, much as she told Aski earlier. The voices that seem to offer advice and warnings, the dreams of an almost-opposite sister, the strange ill feelings that drift around some people, such as the Temple doctor and Qing the witch-doctor; she tells of the hypnotic vision in which she believes she saw her past, and most surprisingly, her parents; the extremely strange happenings in the Naga Empire, especially the disappearance of the chiga, and what she has learned so far about "higher beings" and deity-like creatures. The tale is concluded with a simple, "It's all very strange."

The seeress leans forward to listen intently. As the tale is concluded, she sits back again, her face thoughtful. "Strange indeed… remarkable, certainly. Many omens and portents can come in dreams, and the sixth sense is never to be ignored, as all far-sight mages know. Your experiences in the Empire I am less familiar with, and these strange spirit creatures and deities, while I know limited information about them, are more the realms of spirit mages and theologians." Jennendra smiles, and taps the side of her beak. "Fortunately, it is not the task of a seer to know such things… it is our place to find out such things! We specialize in gathering information, so perhaps we can delve into this puzzle, and gain some insight."

"Well, such things are quite beyond me, old friend," Aski Medes confesses. "I'd be grateful for any light you can shed on the matter, even if it is only a suggestion as to whom else we might visit."

Buran leans forward a bit. "Then perhaps you can help?" There's an obvious overtone of hope in the question.

"I believe so, dearie," affirms the seeress. "And as before, I'm happy to help. The rituals I will undertake will have to be deep searches… very powerful magics, and they will have to be tailored to the Technopriestess. Thusly, we will require some components I don't have on wing, at the moment."

Buran nods.