Doom 


The following spring Bernaldo Bravos returned to Autumnwell, but his 
sickness continued.  Caleb secreted the aging paladin away in his 
chambers, allowing few visitors.  Thus, even with Bernaldo home, Caleb 
ruled Autumnwell.  He moved Sutekh out of the room adjacent to 
Bernaldo's and into the north tower, "So as not to jeopardize out 
master's fragile health."  The clerics of Delleb voluntarily packed up 
their vestments, sealed the tower that was their chapel, and moved to 
the village.  

That same spring the Pomarj erupted.  Armies of humanoids poured 
across the border into the Principality of Ulek, as well as flooded up 
the Wildcoast.  Merchant traffic on the sea ceased as convoys were 
captured or burned.  Ecthalion showed his mastery of gates, 
teleporting small forces to strategic locations as he had done against 
the council of the Free Lords.  But his gates opened into more than 
the world of Oerth.  His resources spanned many planes and worlds, and 
he used them.  Most devastating of all was the new race he introduced 
to Oerth; the kzinti.  Like flinds, kzinti were catmen, intelligent 
and ferocious.  Unlike flinds, kzinti had the physical prowess of 
ogres.  Skilled in weapons, they became Ecthalion's elite troops.  

Sutekh was troubled by his master's failing health.  He was troubled 
by Ecthalion, the one tied to Sutekh's destiny, suddenly becoming the 
center of the world.  But most of all he was troubled by Adaz.  His 
resistance had broken and he had fallen in love with her.  Though drow 
measure their lives in decades, Sutekh measured his in months.  He did 
not see himself surviving Ecthalion's war and loving Adaz could only 
result in her being dragged into his death.  His heart broke.  
	Sutekh could not bring himself to order Adaz away.  Instead, 
he became increasingly cold towards her in hopes that she would leave 
him, not realizing that it was a crueler way.  Loving her broke his 
heart, but the way he forced himself to treat her shattered it.  Yet 
Adaz was too stubborn to leave.  
	Sutekh's mind was in turmoil and he could not think clearly.  
With Bernaldo hidden away and no one else to command him, Sutekh did 
not participate in the war.  Inactivity left his mind free to ponder 
his troubles and depression weighed heavily on him.  
	Finally a sending came to him; from Eldrad.  It requested 
Sutekh's attendance at a meeting at Cairnbarrow, Eldrad's keep.  Since 
Eldrad had signed it with his true name, Sutekh attended.  He 
discovered that his old companions had been busy in their efforts for 
the war and they now wanted his help.  They needed him to scout the 
Pomarj, but that was only the beginning.  Nothing had been heard from 
Celene since the closing of its borders.  Ecthalion's forces were 
making no moves against the elven kingdom and Celene's geographical 
location made it imperative that they join the war.  Eldrad asked 
Sutekh to journey to Celene and find out why they were staying 
neutral.  
	Sutekh's only response was a grim smile.  "They will kill me," 
he thought to himself.  
	Upon his return to Autumnwell Sutekh was approached by Adaz.  
She had always been intensely curious about places she was not 
allowed.  Now she declared that she was going to Celene to find out 
why it was closed to the world and she wanted to know if Sutekh was 
coming.  
	Sutekh lost his smile.  He did not know how she could have 
found out.  
	Adaz was hoping that this journey would drive away Sutekh's 
coldness the way both their previous journeys together had done.  


						Jeff Stehman