Curevar, the king of Keoland, greets Hyuga, Anstran and Dismet warmly. Though the party are tentative about the meeting, Curevar instinctively understands why they have come into his court. He quickly puts their minds at rest and tells them that the Crown of Loramas waits for it's rightful owner. He bids them to eat with him and his chancellor, Morrak.

They spend hours at the king's table, recounting the tale (much of which is visual because of Nazir's illusions) and the struggles which have followed them since fleeing the battlefield. Curevar and Morrak are keen to listen and it soon becomes clear that Curevar has more than just a passing fondness for Dismet.

Curevar tells the party of Maltorb's movements since the battle. Large numbers of troops have moved into the Shield Lands and there are many reported atrocities as the emperor continues to solidify his position in the east and take advantage of the Shield Land's scattered forces. The Nyr Dyv is littered with the emperor's fleet - poised just outside the free citadel of Greyhawk.

Eventually Curevar produces the dark, ultra powerful crown that Loramas created for her granddaughter. The air around the room is charged and Dismet takes the artefact and places it squarely upon her head. It is as if a volcano erupted within her mind as primal and sorcerous maturity hit her like a sword blow. Such is the unique nature of her awareness that she can actually feel the universe imploding upon itself. The Maelstrom steadily consumes plane after plane like an impending, impossible tide. The magical layers lie in tatters around her and she can feel the tangible loss of various Laws of Nature.

The awesome realisation floods into her consciousness.

Her world is suddenly very different. Her primal haragei surpasses even that of the great ninja grandmasters or even the dreaded black hand assassins. Dismet can feel the great diversity of emotions within the palace - strongest of all being the intense love that Curevar has for her. The irony of the Crown then becomes apparent, for in placing it upon her head she instinctively knows that the King of Thieves is not her intended mate. Worst still is the awful intuition that her mate is in the east - and that mate is Maltorb, emperor of the Great Kingdom.

She tells the party that her mate lies east and that time forbids dalliance. She sneaks a glance at Curevar, whose outer appearance is calm but who is emotionally shattered by the news. In his heart he had hoped....

Curevar supplies them with everything they require as Nazir casts the flight spells that proved so successful in avoiding the troubled land. Only when they are in the air does Dismet set their course.

They head for Rauxes...

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