An Account of the Gadolim: Page 3

The lake known as Merus has always been the abode of certain moon-spirits who, at their whim, bestow mystical blessings on mortals. Lately the lake has been invaded by a wicked naga — a serpent with the head of a woman — which has polluted the waters with mind-twisting poison. At night, the laments of the moon-spirits can be heard for miles around.

The people of the nearby village of Perdeeco, which relies on the river Perdie bringing water from the lake, have had many of their number succumb to madness. These poor souls hide in the wilderness during the day, coming out at night to try and catch food, including humans. Beware: the victims are fast and agile despite their zombie-like mentality.

So far, many brave warriors have tried to best the naga, but her vicious trickeries have been the undoing of them all.

The moon-spirits will be effusively grateful if the naga is driven off, and will use their magic to purge the waters, and to heal both the villagers and the characters. Raising the dead, however, is beyond them: any poisoned villagers slain while in their zombie-like state remain dead.

The spirits will offer to show the characters the way to the naga’s secret hoard. This is stored in a chest submerged in the muck around one of the lake’s tiny islands: the moon-spirits, being insubstantial, cannot dig it out. Among the treasure (much of it looted by the naga from previous challengers) is the third page of the Cadian text regarding the Gadolim.

Cadian Document: Page 3

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In my accounting, the third of these great Angels is the Angel of Purity whose name is Castisson. Its form is perfectly round, a disk of golden fiery crystal, about which are three pairs of hands. With the first pair it grasps two great crystal spikes like the rapier, which blaze with inner fire. With the second pair it carries two crowns, which are the crowns of the Two Wise Ones prophesied to come. And with one pair of hands it bears a cloth of white linen, anointed with aromatic oil, which is prepared for a purpose unknown to me. In the centre of the disk is the great Eye of the Angel, which can discern the hypocrite from the honourable man: and indeed I say that the former should fly to the hills! For the Angel hates hypocrites with a holy passion, and its spikes of crystal shall pierce both the skin and the armour of the unworthy man. Yea, he shall be pierced straightly through the heart, and borne aloft upon the spike, and every part of his body shall burn with agony. Only those wearing garments of pure and unmixed fibres shall escape untouched, for such clothing cannot be pierced by the weapons of Castisson. But its presence alone shall suffice, for the hypocrite and he who acts in an unfitting manner shall be turned into a pillar of salt by the aura of the Angel, and the salt blown by the wind. Watch for the coming of this Angel when hypocrites are found to suffer such a fate!