At the stroke of noon on the following day, Paliborn was rudely awoken by a throbbing headache, caused by the unrelenting rays of the sun that pierced his eyelids. He groaned and struggled to his feet, feeling nauseated and unsteady. Without hesitation, he stumbled towards the bucket stationed beside his bunk, doubling over as he regurgitated the remnants of his breakfast. The bucket was already half-full, a testament to his previous bouts of sickness.
With trembling hands, Paliborn reached for the nearby clean water bucket and splashed his face vigorously, trying to alleviate the pounding in his head. He repeated this action a few times before he felt somewhat better. Once he had dried himself, he emerged from his cramped cabin, blinking against the bright sunlight.
On the deck, he espied a towering figure, standing a full two meters tall. The man wore only a dark brown leather weskit and light brown leather pants, his feet bare. Around his thick neck, which was covered in sparse red hair, hung a necklace of agate stones.
"The giant must hail from the far north," Paliborn surmised to himself.
The big man noticed the halfling's scrutiny and grinned, twirling his long, curly mustache. "Greetings to you, Comrade Pal. I trust your day is treating you well?"
Paliborn recoiled, shielding his eyes with his left hand like a vampire exposed to the sun. "Do we know each other?"
"We drank together last eve, did we not? I, Humpter, at your service."
Paliborn winced at the memory, his stomach roiling once again. He lurched towards the railing and hurled over the side of the ship, towards the unforgiving sea.
"I warned you about those blue oysters you picked up from the hull of our ship, comrade, didn't I?" Humpter chided, shaking his head. "They had been festering there for months. But you didn't listen, did you? You ate them raw."
"That explains the scratching in my gut," Paliborn groaned.
"Thanks to Demian's horns, you only ate one or two," Humpter I noted, chuckling.
"Did I do anything else?" Paliborn asked, his voice shaky.
"Not much, save for your altercation with the captain over the oysters."
As if on cue, Captain Barb strode onto the deck, his eyes alight with fury. He glared at the halfling with contempt before taking the helm. Paliborn kept his distance, grateful for the respite from the captain's wrath, and focused instead on surveying his surroundings.
The Blue Oyster, a three-masted caravel, spanned about sixty feet in length. In addition to the three knights he had met the day before, Paliborn counted nine crew members -some of them sported blue scarves knotted around their necks, while others wore pink bracelets on their wrists- a color Paliborn recognized as belonging to the notorious War Pigs. The fact that the crew clung to such superstitious beliefs was not lost on Pal, who knew all too well the fickle nature of seamen.
What caught his attention the most, however, was a Galanadel Elf perched atop the foremast's lookout, cross-legged and with long golden locks billowing in the wind. Paliborn had not expected to see an elf from Galande, for they were even rarer than those of Quartre when it came to venturing far from their homeland.
"Who is he?" Paliborn queried Humpter.
"Arvedas Leff'Valle, our group's archer," Humpter responded. "He carries a bow nearly the size of mine. He only joined us yesterday, just like you. I reckon the big boss sent him."
"Big boss?" Paliborn inquired.
"I don't know him. Captain Barb keeps invoking his name. He's saying that the big boss sent us a bothersome halfling and some rare elves. I reckon he's referring to a wizard who's got everyone under his command."
"Ah, now I understand," Paliborn said with a nod.
The halfling then proceeded to his cabin with hushed steps. Although his and Xian's quarters were separated only by a flimsy screen, he still knocked on the door.
"You may come in, Pal," Xian's voice called out.
Paliborn slid the door open and walked into the other compartment.
The female Quanas elf was already hard at work, surrounded by maps and scrolls that covered the walnut table. A few parchments were also pinned up on the blank walls. Paliborn studied the maps on the wall for a while. He observed the details of the stars' positions and phases, including information on their relatively complex positions. Although he detected a few inaccuracies, he chose to remain silent.
"Pray tell, what do your sharp eyes discern?" the halfling inquired, hoping to engage the Quanas elf in conversation.
"We find ourselves in the midst of early spring, and as for any forthcoming shifts, not until summer, or so it seems," Xian replied, her focus still unwavering.
"Shifts? What manner of shifts might those be?" Paliborn asked, his curiosity piqued.
The Quanas elf cast a brief glance at the halfling before nodding her head in understanding.
"Let me attempt to simplify matters for you. Orion, the God of Light, Therion, the Dark God, and Demian, the Keeper of Equilibrium, are the great triumvirate of gods. Each of them possesses a unique constellation, which, depending on the lunar cycle, changes position. However, there is another theory I have accepted, one which posits that the moon itself shifts," Xian explained.
"Shifts? The moon?" Paliborn echoed, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Aye, shifts indeed. Yet another supposition suggests that there are four moons in the sky, but we can only ever see one at a time. These moons, which we refer to as the Red Moon, Yellow Moon, Blue Moon, and Green Moon, correspond to the four elemental gods, and though they appear to be similar in size and shape, each boasts a unique surface. Perhaps we see only one moon at any given time due to their close proximity and complex rotational patterns around our world," Xian elaborated.
"I see. It does seem plausible, and more accurate than attributing the stars' displacement to this phenomenon," Paliborn mused, his thoughts meandering.
"But in truth, that theory is false. There is only one moon and seven shifts, Xian," he clarified.
"The rainbow pattern, you mean?" Xian asked.
"Yes, the rainbow, the divine shield of the Seven Gods" Paliborn responded firmly.
"Indeed, that is also my belief. There is a rainbow belt encompassing our world, and the moon shifts originate from it. Seven moons, each representing one of the seven colors of the seven gods," Xian added.
"Exactly so," Paliborn agreed.
"Agreed thus far, we must now confront the truly complex matter: star forgers," Xian proclaimed.
"Star forgers?" queried Paliborn, his eyebrow arching in curiosity.
"Yes, Earth's indestructible constants, the monoliths," Xian confirmed.
"Aye, I'm well acquainted with these monoliths. They stand resolute in various parts of the world," Paliborn replied.
"In this realm, these monoliths, stalagmites, unterrestrials, or whatever you may call them, have the potential to activate through the alignment of stars and moons. Alas, despite many a wizard's attempts, the enigmatic magic of these structures remains indecipherable. But we do possess a few promising leads suggesting that these enigmatic edifices serve as portals to other planes."
"To other planes, or even realms, you mean?" Paliborn interjected.
"Your perceptiveness is impressive, Pal. Precisely so. Rumors abound that these portals may lead to the Realm of Purgatory and perhaps even to the Ethereal World," Xian explained.
"I would not, however, deem such rumors too sturdy," Paliborn retorted.
"And what, pray tell, is the basis of your skepticism, Pal?" Xian inquired.
"I once traveled with a wizard whose obsession with these monoliths proved his undoing. I believe that the monoliths themselves are magical planes, much like pocket planes, or even like mindscapes of ancients" Paliborn responded.
Xian was taken aback by the halfling's deduction. "You suggest that most wizards may be looking at these monoliths from the wrong perspective?"
"Aye, I fear they may be, Xian," Paliborn answered.
Xian nodded thoughtfully. "Your words may be deemed the ignorance of the courageous by some, Pal. But please, continue. I am most intrigued."
"Once, Xian, I entered a world created by one of these monoliths. It was a world of perception, formed in the moment, shaped according to the person who activated it," Paliborn began.
"Temporal and spatial laws governed this realm? And how did you enter?" Xian interjected.
Paliborn shook his head. "No, Xian. And as for how I entered this magical plane, I cannot recall. One moment, I stood before the door, and the next, I was within that otherworldly realm. My memory of the experience is fleeting at best," he explained.
"Right time, right place, perhaps?" Xian mused.
"Aye, perhaps," Paliborn concurred.
"Go on Pal. Tell me more about them."
"If you'll excuse me for a moment." Paliborn slid open the door and sauntered over to his section, returning with a cylindrical leather box in tow. With nimble fingers, the halfling popped the lid off the box and extracted a large roll of lambskin parchment. He unfurled it with care, laying it out on the table before the Quanas elf.
The Quanas elf's eyes widened as she surveyed the intricate map that sprawled before her. "Did you craft this cartography yourself?" she inquired in awe.
"Aye, one of my favorite pastimes. I labor over it during my travels, honing its every detail," Paliborn boasted.
"Your handiwork is exquisite, my friend. And these crosses, they mark the meriad towers, correct?"
"Aye, they do. Those be the locations of the monoliths," Paliborn confirmed with a smirk. "Though, there may be a spot or two I've yet to lay my eyes upon."
Leaning in closer to the map, tracing the intricate lines and symbols with her fingers. "Aside from your impressive cartography skills, Pal, your knowledge of these monoliths is fascinating," Xian said with a hint of admiration. "These Meriad Towers hold immense potential as gateways to other realms, and your map could prove invaluable in unlocking their secrets."
Paliborn chuckled modestly. "I wouldn't go that far, but I'm glad you find it useful. The monoliths have always been a source of intrigue and danger for me on my travels."
"You mentioned earlier that the monoliths could be activated with stars and moons. Do you have any further information on how this is done?" asked Paliborn curiously.
Xian scratched her chin, deep in thought. "I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. It's possible that certain astronomical alignments could trigger the monoliths, or maybe there's a specific ritual that needs to be performed. All I know is that these structures are far from ordinary."
"Let me also provide you with some of the Mad Wizard Al Pharruk's notes that I was able to rescue," Paliborn stated.
Xian nodded, her curiosity piqued. "That would be great. And with the help of those notes I can study this map further and see if there are any patterns or clues that could lead us closer to understanding the monoliths. Perhaps with your help, Pal, we could unlock their secrets once and for all."
Paliborn grinned mischievously. "Count me in, Xian. Adventure and discovery are my specialties."
And with that, the two, now becoming friends, continued their conversation long into the night, fueled by their mutual thirst for knowledge and excitement. Eventually, they were interrupted by the captain's dinner invitation, and they made their way to the dining hall, eager to share their findings with the rest of the crew.