[ Eptian XXII ]

Eventually Thmascuid returned home having succeeded in his mission, receiving accolades from the people for having added luster to his exemplary reputation by achieving victory facing such impossible tasks. If his status as a true hero had not been known by all before it was now, even by those that hoped his ascent would crest. Now his name was known throughout all of Existence and was synonymous with glory.

By the time Thmascuid arrived back home Thiaraceph had healed and was working on regaining his strength. He was pleased with Thmascuid and made apologies for having questioned his commitment to his sister and his bravery in general, which Thmascuid accepted readily. Thiaraceph now made plans with Thmascuid to use the information he had learned to search out Velid and to take back Othamar if she was still living and to seek vengeance regardless. But before any new mission could be launched Thmascuid needed to tell the Vethrian Triumvirate of the Mortals who had helped him and how it seemed as though they were working with Velid in some way. Also he hoped that the Triumvirate would give him command of an army to go and attack Velid and retrieve Othamar. And so Thmascuid went to see the Triumvirate allowing Thiaraceph more time to further regain his strength.

Thmascuid went to the Triumvirate and was granted an audience. There he told of how he had been cared for by a Mortal people that seemed to be working with Velid. He also requested command of an Army to seek Velids hiding place and to attack him and retrieve Othamar. The coulncil however did not see this as a priority and therby denied Thmascuid what he had asked for and so he left and returned to meet up with Thiaraceph. From the information the Triumvirate received from Thmascuid a scouting party was set out in order to verify what he had seen and to attempt to figure the extent of this strange cooperation. What they found was that these people were called the Siradyt and that they had always dwelled on the fringes of Mortal Existence, disagreeing with how the other Mortals and the Vethrians were building a society and so had remained independent. The Siradyt had never caused and trouble and there were other small groups of Mortals who resided outside the rule of the Vethrian Triumvirate and so little notice was taken of them. Once all the details that could be gathered by spying from afar had been obtained, the information was taken back to The Vethrian Triumvirate. The decision was then made to send emissaries to the Siradyt and try to figure exactly what was happening and to offer these people a treaty of peace.

The emissaries were sent out and welcomed to the city with open arms. When asked if they knew the whereabouts of Velid they replied that they did not. In the talks that followed, the treaty was offered and the Siradyt seemed offended that a treaty would even need to be required. With this the emissaries told them that because they were outside the rule of the Vethrian Triumvirate it seemed like establishing brotherhood between them would be the best action possible and that similar offers were going out to other independent groups of Mortals. When put into those terms the Siradyt could not refuse and so agreed to the treaty agreeing not to bring violence upon any part of Vethrian ruled Existence and the Emisaaries agreed that Vehtrian ruled Existence would likewise do them no violence. It was also agreed that hostages would be taken from both cities and would live in their opposite city. There was a strange atmosphere after this agreement and the Siradyt seemed uncomfortable but the emissaries left with two Siradyt hostages feeling they had accomplished much.

Meanwhile, Othamar was now quite far along in her pregnancy and as she was experiencing an ever increasing amount of pain, healers were brought in so that they might comfort her. These healers were Siradyt and they were skilled in the healing arts. As Velid was very busy with his plans and Ebrel had recently left to receive council from the Graelim, Othamars care fell solely to the Siradyt healers.

Before Ebrel had left, he had informed Velid that his transformation was nearly complete and that with the birth of the child he would assume a new power that would allow him to assume control over all of Existence. Some time later a party of Siradyt Mortals came to the Great Chasm fortress to tell Velid of their meeting and treaty with the Mortals of Vethrian ruled Existence. When Velid heard of the proceedings and there outcome he was furious.

Thmascuid and Thiaraceph had decided that they had to attempt to rescue Othamar even without an army behind them and so they set out together on a mission that was inspired more by duty than a reality of success and one that would most likely be their last.