The next morning found both Laurenna and myself up bright and early, feasting on ash yams and kwama eggs.

"I must go to Khuul." I said, "There is some urgent business I must deal with there. Something to do with Telvani interests."

"Will you be long?" she asked.

"Possibly." I replied. "There are some sort of negotiations I must do there, and I'm not sure how long they'll take. Apparently, I also have to be low-key on this. I promise I'll stay in touch. I'd like to get this taken care-of so we can go visit your family in Lokken."    

I packed the usual things for my trip and left for the boat docks. Khuul was on the opposite side of the island, and would take several hours to get there by boat. Laurenna was somewhat unhappy she couldn't come along, but since the Order wants to keep things a secret, I didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

I paid the boatman his money and we headed on to Dagon Fel, and from there, another boat to Khuul.  

It was nearly 9 pm when I arrived in Khuul, and people were just settling in for the night. Leaving the docks behind, I wandered through the small fishing village, looking for the shack of Miron Garer.  After asking around, someone pointed the correct location out to me. It was a dusty little run-down shack, much like all the rest. How odd that the entrance to such a strange place should be here.

A gentle knock on the door was rewarded with a pleasant-sounding "Come in." I complied, and entered. In the dim light, near a small table displaying a half-eaten dinner.

"Are you looking for someone in particular?" he asked innocently?

"Much is lost, but much abides." I said. He smiled, understanding the code. "Indeed, Eldorf Dragonmeal." he replied. "And though we are not now that strength which in olden days moved heaven and earth, that which we are, we are. I take it you wish to find Fionnovar?"

"I do." I replied.

"Well, then," he replied, "I shall send you on your way to lost Fionnovar. If you wish to return from that place, seek the Argonian known as 'Eats Crow' and you will arrive here."    

He closed his eyes and cast a spell. I closed my eyes and felt my breath sucked out of me, felt a little dizzy, and then suddenly, heard the sound of a waterfall behind me.

I opened my eyes and found myself in Fionnovar.   

I found the Argonian I had been told about, and he reminded me that if I needed to return to the other world, that he would send me there.

I thanked him, and headed out of the huge chamber. I could hear the sounds of steam machines nearby, and found a chamber where someone was working on a couple of very tall steam centurions.  

The nice gentleman working on the two centurions called himself Odhran. We had a short chat about how he could help take care of armor that had been damaged, fix swords back to be as the day there were first made, and so on.

He pointed to the two centurions he had been working on. "I do all the work with these mechanicals." he said. "You the one that got us the plans for Anumidium, then? Good on ya for that one. Not too practical for us here, though. Gimme a decade and I might have one of it's feet built, if I had all the parts to start with, that is."

I asked him where I could find Selrach Otived.

"Oh, he's probably up in his room, pouring into some books or placing about the halls."

He pointed the way, and I thanked him for his short tour and directions.  

After a few minutes of wandering around (and getting lost once), I finally arrived at the very large, open office of Selrach Otived.   

"Greetings!" he said, seeing me walk into the room. "So, you're this Eldorf I've heard so much about. I'm Selrach Otived, head of the Illuminated Order of the Invisibles. I called you here to Fionnovar to work with me because we've gotten some information that relates to a subject that you and I are both very interested in...becoming a lich. When you're up for it, I'll tell you about your new objective."   

"A lich?" I asked. "Interesting."

"Isn't it?" he replied. "You see, after much effort, we have located the lich, Drynne. He's to be found in the depths of the Arys Ancestral tomb, on an island due west of Tel Branora. His lair is protected by some sort of fear spell."

He walked to his desk, pushed a few things aside, ruffled through some of the papers, and came back with a small object, handing it to me.

"Take this wardstone." he said. "It should allow you entrance past his wards. Your objective is to confront Drynne in his lair, for the purpose of learning what you can from him about becoming a lich."

He went back to straighten out the mess he had made on his desk in his search for the wardstone, then continued. "If you need anything to prepare for your mission, seek out your fellow members of the order here in Fionnovar. The three sisters in the west wing can provide you with supplies, and I'm certain the rest of our number here will be willing to offer training in any skills you might find useful. Eats Crow will return you to Khuul when you are ready."

He came up nice and close to me, glaring into my eyes. "Be warned, Eldorf Dragonmeal - Drynne is ancient and powerful; should you have to engage him in combat, you'll find him to be an extremely powerful opponent."

"Let us hope it does not come to that." I replied. "He sounds like a very interesting fellow."

"I know of your exploits." he replied. "I know of the dragons you have slain, but this is no dragon. He is much more dangerous. Take care in how you approach him."