The sanctuary floor bulges beside the fountain. Pale stone folds upward like a cradle, lifting the unconscious charlatan priest from beneath the mosaic, his crimson robes crusted with frost and black residue.
He does not move. Fragments of his shattered symbols rise from the cloth and orbit his body, their dim edges circling faster as the crystals flicker.
the charlatan priest
Vaelith en'Saruun... Warden of the Moon-Wound.
The words emerge in ancient elven, though the priest’s lips remain still. They resonate from every shard at once, carrying a title absent from the sanctuary’s inscriptions.
the raven
That name is older than the crown-mosaics. It was not meant for living ears.
The raven recoils from Santrini’s shoulder to the fountain rim, wings spread wide. The statue’s stone blade tilts toward the unconscious priest, while the sealed stair remains shut.
the charlatan priest
The guardian returns, and the buried king remembers the hand that wounded him.
“Why is the guardian's avatar a mere human man?”
SUCCESS (Good Reasoning, rolled +0)
Santrini
Why is the guardian’s avatar a mere human man?
The orbiting fragments halt. Frost cracks from the priest’s robes, and the statue’s blade lowers toward his unmoving human form rather than Santrini.
the charlatan priest
Because the guardian is not the flesh. It is the office, the vow, and the wound carried through mortal hands.
the raven
He was chosen for concealment. Elves would have recognized the old signs, but a human face passed beneath every watchful crown.
A shard descends into the priest’s chest. Black residue withdraws from his skin, revealing a thin silver brand shaped like Santrini’s wounded palm.
the charlatan priest
The human was only the mask. The guardian’s charge entered him when the prison weakened, and the Starless King followed the scent.
The explanation settles into the sanctuary, but the cost arrives at once: the raven’s bond snaps taut, draining Santrini’s strength as every crystal turns toward her. The priest’s eyes open, silver and accusing.
Quest Complete
Learn how the Starless King is connected to Santrini
Skill Upgrade: Magic Good→Great