Kestrel N`hya Loriah

Transcription

Kestrel N'hya Loriah
(Kestrel, Daughter of the House of Loriah)
Class
Deity:
Weapons:
Other Names
Cleric
Level:
7th
Maldina
Align:
Lawful Good *
Sword & Shield / 2 swords
Garb:
Blue & White, with silver.
Kestrel was baptized Mercy MacAllister, but had her name formally changed by Hawk, the High Priest at the
Temple at Mount Tarenya when she was accepted there. Only a handful of people know Kestrel by the name
Mercy. (PCs: Silence Cornelius, Padraig MacAllister, Sebastian Brookdale. NPCs: Bishop Cornelius, Baron
Caruthers, Constant MacLarrin)
Detect Magic:
Kestrel herself (innate abilities, Wind Elemental & matoo on left wrist), her outer garment (Robe of Power &
Breakthrough Rune Card), headband holy symbol, Dove Totem necklace, armor, silver sword, all 3 rings worn,
2 rosette pins on either breast, bag of healing draughts. (See Attached Magic Item List)
th
EXP for 8 :
Current EXP:
Psychological profile: Due to the events of her childhood, she has an intense fear of imprisonment and a very high tolerance for
pain. She has a deep sense of caring for children, and a strong maternal instinct. *She will not tolerate seeing a child abused, and
will do anything – including break laws – to protect them. She is a little shy of men - her only past sexual experience (other than an
assault at age 19 and her ‘Dream World’ liaisons with Sebastian) is tending victims of sexual assaults and delivering children. She
currently has twin burdens of responsibility that weigh upon her heavily: First, she is the highest level (active PC) Cleric of her faith.
Secondly, Sebastian has asked her aid in guarding a Grimoire of dark magic, which is being pursued by both traitorous members of
the Order of the Mithril Arrow, and an entire nation of Drow Elves.
Social Profile/History: Kestrel is considered a criminal in the Kingdom of Hothior and is wanted for questioning in the Kingdom of
Monaque. She has been granted citizenship in the Empire of Quur, and was sponsored for it by Sir Festil D’Verot, Heir to House
D’Verot, and by Sandus, the Emperor himself. She is the adopted daughter of Sabin Loriah, and is romantically involved with Sir
Sebastian Brookdale.
Mundane Skills: Kestrel is a highly trained midwife. She knows most farm-type skills such as dealing with livestock, crops, childtending, etc. She can sew, embroider, cook and clean anything. She knows how to swim and is used to extremes of temperature
and treatment.
Events Participated In: Tavern of the Four Winds, Winds of Change, Happy Anniversary, Dungeon of the Dark Duke, Kingmaker, Turn
About Is Fair Play, Lydwellin's Challenge II, Test of Time, King Barsini's Birthday, What Are The Odds, All Roses Have Thorns, The
Towers, Purplesaurus Rex, Llydwellin's Challenge IV, It's All In Your Mind, Far Cove Feast, But Not Forgotten, Winterfest II, Game Of
Empire II, Without Remorse, PurpleSaurus Rex, Purplesaurus Rex II, NUL, Healing Springs of Qualmire, Childish Things (paper only),
Pawns, Peasant Under Glass, Nothing More Sacred, Diplomacy, Back To The Blue Nile Inn (paper only), The Border Bar (paper only),
On The Wings of War, Game of Empire III, Swan Song, Callinvale Tournament
Awards:
 Best PC Humor, Kingmaker: (For her thorough searching techniques: “I’m going to search you more rudely than you’ve ever
been searched before!” – the first – and last - time Kestrel ever willingly searched a dead body.)
 Best PC Act of Courage, Test of Time: (For running downhill into combat alone against 5 opponents to heal a hostage, so fast
she ran out of her boots, leaving them behind on the hill.)
 Best PC Act of Courage, All Roses Have Thorns : (For helping Camilla and
holding off her team so Camilla could escape, and getting into a theological
argument with the Tainite priest over whether it was right to save Camilla.)
 Best PC Roleplay, Peasant Under Glass : (For ‘Dream Knowledge’ visions of
Sebastian and not being willing to lie to Smiley to save herself, until her
goddess Maldina (GM) told Kestrel that she’d better lie, because it was for
the greater good.)
 Member, Best Team, Pawns
 Best PC Roleplay, Best PC Costume, Member of Best Team, Diplomacy
:
(For weeping when a child was killed, arguing down Axly about being
dishonorable and dying prettily in the Prison Fight.)
 Best PC Roleplay, On The Wings of War
Contents
Contents .................................................................................................................................................................. 2
Background: ............................................................................................................................................................ 4
The Winds of Change: ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Happy Anniversary (12/14/1991): .......................................................................................................................... 6
Dungeon Of the Dark Duke (05/17/1992) .............................................................................................................. 6
Kingmaker (06/27/1992)......................................................................................................................................... 7
Turn About Is Fair Play (08/15/1992) ..................................................................................................................... 7
Test of Time (04/03/1993) ...................................................................................................................................... 7
King Barsini’s Birthday (4/10/1993) ........................................................................................................................ 7
Llydwellin’s Challenge (01/15/1994) ...................................................................................................................... 8
What Are The Odds? (02/26/1994) ........................................................................................................................ 8
All Roses Have Thorns (03/05/1994) ...................................................................................................................... 9
The Towers (04/30/1994) ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Purplesaurus Rex (05/15/1994) ............................................................................................................................ 10
Letter From Sebastian Brookdale ......................................................................................................................... 11
Llydwellin’s Challenge III ....................................................................................................................................... 11
It’s All In Your Mind (08/13/1994) ....................................................................................................................... 12
Far Cove Feast: (09/11/1994) .............................................................................................................................. 13
But Not Forgotten… .............................................................................................................................................. 13
Out of Game RP..................................................................................................................................................... 14
Winterfest II: (12/11/1994) .................................................................................................................................. 15
Out of Game RP: ................................................................................................................................................... 16
A Letter To Sabin: (Events of Without Remorse: 01/15/1995) ............................................................................ 17
A Letter to Sebastian: (Events of Without Remorse)............................................................................................ 18
Letter From Sabin to Kestrel: ................................................................................................................................ 19
Personal Journal #5, Entry #1 (Game of Empire II: 01/25/1995).......................................................................... 20
Letter to the High Council of the Empire of Quur: ............................................................................................... 21
Personal Journal #6, Entry #1 (Purplesaurus Rex: 02/26/1995) ........................................................................... 22
Personal Journal #6: Entry #2: (Peasant Under Glass: 02/02/1996) .................................................................... 24
Personal Journal #6, Entry #3 (NUL (05/04/1996), ............................................................................................... 24
Personal Journal #6, Entry #4 (Pawns, 10/19/1997) ............................................................................................ 26
A Dream Sent by Sebastian: .................................................................................................................................. 26
Personal Journal #6, Entry #3: .............................................................................................................................. 28
Personal Journal #6, Entry #5: (Nothing More Sacred: 05/10/1998) ................................................................... 28
“To Be A Cleric” .................................................................................................................................................... 29
Personal Journal #6, Entry #6: .............................................................................................................................. 31
Personal Journal #6, Entry #7 ............................................................................................................................... 31
Personal Journal #6, Entry #8: (Diplomacy: 06/27/1998) ..................................................................................... 32
Personal Journal #6, Entry #9 (Back To The Blue Nile Inn: 07/19/1998) .............................................................. 34
Letter From Sir Sebastian Brookdale .................................................................................................................... 34
Interlude: The Court of Queen Bavane, Arcadia ................................................................................................... 35
Personal Journal #6, Entry #10: (The Road Less Travelled, 09/15/1998) ............................................................. 35
Personal Journal #6, Entry #11 ............................................................................................................................. 36
Personal Journal #6, Entry #14 (On The Wings of War: 11/15/1998) .................................................................. 39
Personal Journal #6, Entry #15 (Game of Empire II - 9/26/1999) ........................................................................ 41
14 Years Later… (2014) ........................................................................................................................................ 42
Personal Journal #1 (All Others Lost), Entry #1 .................................................................................................... 44
Personal journal #1, Entry #2 (Callinvale Tournament 07/11/14)........................................................................ 45
Personal Journal #1, Entry #3 (Callinvale Tournament – 07/12/14) .................................................................... 45
A Wolf in Knight`s Armor: Excerpts from the life of Sebastian Brookdale .......................................................... 47
Deity: Maldina : Prophetess of the Winds ............................................................................................................ 53
The Order of the Falcon`s Eye and the Clergy of Maldina .................................................................................... 54
History Of Obedience ............................................................................................................................................ 55
Magic Item List: ..................................................................................................................................................... 57
Background:
My name is Kestrel n'hya Loriah now. I had another name at another time, but it does not matter much. I was born more winters
than I care to number in the city of Obedience, Kintomar. My mother was a gentle woman. My father is the Bishop, who is neither
gentle, nor kind. When I was fourteen, my mother disappeared. I do not know where she is to this very day. I suspect my father
had something to do with it, but I have no proof, and have never been brave enough to ask my Goddess. But I digress. Mother had
been teaching me to be a midwife... indeed, by the time of her disappearance, I had already delivered two children without
assistance (well, she was there, just in case, but I did it myself...). Knowing more about the world now, I suspect she was a druidess probably the very reason she disappeared that year. She taught me the healing magics at that time as well, counseling me never to
reveal this to anyone.
Unfortunately, a secret known by more than one isn't a secret for long. The husband of a woman I healed during a birth told my
father that I had used evil sorcery. The woman and her babe were immediately ordered to the temple for cleansing. They tell me
that the child died during the rigorous exorcism. The woman became mute. I was beaten and put under prayer watch for a year. I
was fifteen when I went under the watch.
A few months after the watch was over, there was a visitor to Obedience. This, in and of itself was highly unusual -- strangers simply
do not come to Obedience, as its protections are extremely potent. His appearance was very strange; garbed in black velvets and
leathers with rich trims and accessories - a far cry from our normal garb. But it was the red diamond around his eye that garnered
the most attention. He was a merchant of sorts wishing to strike up a trade agreement. He was guested with all due honors, and as
the Bishop's daughter, it was my duty to tend to his hospitality. He... took more than was offered in the name of guest right. When I
told my father what had happened, the man was punished for theft; my virginity was being protected and kept for the Church, and
the visitor had "stolen" something of value to the Church. There was another time of punishment for me (I must have enticed the
man in some way, I was told)... details of which I will not name here.
Finally it was over, and I was allowed to continue my duties as the town's most skilled midwife. My life was fairly routine for a time,
going about the city delivering the children of those who were acceptable in the eyes of the Church. At one point, I was even
allowed to leave the city for a short time... Lord Caruthers' sister was giving birth in a town nearby and had dreadful complications. I
was sent for, and was allowed to go out of the city, but still under the bindings of the Laws of Obedience.
The birth itself was incredibly difficult. The Lady Caruthers had poisoning of the blood and the child was breech and early. She was
bleeding inside and I couldn't make it stop. So, I waited until she had swooned from the pain, delivered the child, and then healed
them both. This way, she was still alive, and none the wiser that she had been healed. She made a swift recovery and the next day I
headed back to Obedience.
On my return journey, I was forced by the approach of nightfall, and the rumor of brigands on the roads, to stop at an inn. It was a
frightening place, filled with all sort of strange people. I tried to keep the oath of silence, by several of them hounded and hounded
me until I answered a few of their questions. One of them terrified me, as he had the mark of a spade on his eye - I thought he might
be associated with the man with the diamond, but he denied this passionately. Another was an extremely forward woman who said
she was a sorceress and "would protect you from yuir father, lassie!" She spoke with the same accent as the people of Obedience, so
I thought it was a trap, and hid. I fled as soon as the dawn broke. (Tavern of the Four Winds)
I returned to town and resumed my duties. Once again, an occasion came up that I could not stop myself from healing. This time, I
was imprisoned and brought before the council elders. They accused me of witchcraft and bade me join the priestess-hood for the
saving of my soul. My mother had warned me long ago not to ever join them... she would never say anything more specific than "It's
a one-way journey and not one I would ever take."
When I refused to join, there was a trial for witchcraft. All were against me - even my own cousin Silence, who I had aided in the
past. It was her damning testimony that swept the judges, and the sentence of death was laid down. I was dragged into the public
square, beaten nigh unto death, and then.. well, it hurts still to tell of it. I was tied to a stake and burned as a witch, my body then
flung into the midden heap outside the city walls. I don't remember any of what happened, but apparently the Goddess used my
healing ability to keep me alive somehow. When I awoke, my world was night’s darkness and pain and nothing else. I managed to
heal myself somewhat, and struggle down the road a bit. I collapsed unconscious in the apple orchards of Lord Caruthers.
His son found me there the next morn and woke me by kicking me. Again I fled, crawling my way to the home of the sister of the
woman I had first healed. She gave me provisions and a donkey to take me far from the city. I shall never forget Maire’s kindness.
The Winds of Change:
Not knowing my way, I took the road in the opposite direction of the way I had traveled before. I don't know how long I rode, for I
passed into unconsciousness. I woke when a large war-horse thundered by and startled the mule. He bucked me off, and headed
home. Knowing that behind me lay certain death, I crawled on, and eventually ran into an inn door. There, I was found by a group
of adventurers. They healed me. I saw them do things I had never even heard of before. One who was a woodsman, who's name I
later found out was Carthonas, actually used sorcery at one point. A noble looking warrior healed me, and a third fellow sniffed at
my body to check me for poisons. A man from whom sadness swept forth from like waves held me in his arms, and begged a
Goddess for aid and assistance. I quieted in his protective grasp, and let the others minister to my grave wounds, only half aware of
what was going on.
Then, suddenly, a man walked into the room such like I have never seen or felt before. He was Hawk, a high priest. He gave each of
them words of comfort and council, and invited me to join his church to be healed in mind and spirit, as well as body. He told me
that I could heal any one, any time I liked as a servant of his Goddess, Maldina. Then he spoke to the one who held me, addressing
him as Sabin. He gave me into Sabin's care and keeping - who was also a priest of Maldina. Sabin gave me his holy symbol -- a
feathered headdress -- and asked one of his companions to accompany he and I to the temple.
Sabin, Cattroll and I left that day to go to the temple. Sabin and I talked long about the church, and its teachings. Cattroll amused
me through many a mile with his tales of his adventures and his friends, and even though we moved at a slow pace, the journey
seemed short. When we reached the temple, I sobbed, for I had never seen such a beautiful place, filled with such love. Cattroll left
the next day, bidding me fare well. Sabin stayed for several months, visiting with me daily and seeing to my welfare.
TAVERN WALLS
Glenn: It was good to finally meet thee! I hope that the headband I made thee is acceptable – I did ask for a Vision, but I was not
daring to ask if they, I mean, the feathers, were appropriate. Perhaps someday we will be able to Journey together. I would like that.
A lot. – Kestrel.
Living at the Temple was a source of great joy. I learned and learned and learned until I was sure that my head could hold no more
learning and then found there was so much more to discover. I spent much time in the company of the other priests, including one
named Glennenmore. Glenn and I grew quite close for a time, and his company was a comfort when Sabin had to leave, but
eventually he grew too attached to me and I felt it was not a good thing. I asked for some time to heal and think before he pursued
me any further. I still have a number of the poems he wrote for me – they are beautiful, even if I cannot return the sentiment they
speak of.
TAVERN WALLS:
Kestrel, Cleric of Maldina - Thank you for your advice. I should love to travel with you someday. Please accept my deepest wishes of
happiness and safe journeys. Stay healthy! - Tobias, Cleric of Mishakal
Glennenmoore - Find me! I've missed you more than I can confess, and there are so many things I must say to you. - kes
Kestrel - I've been gone for a while, and I would love to see you again before I go on my next journey. - Glennenmoore
Sabin told me that he would send word as soon as he could, and would return within six months. I studied there for a year, until I
became worried. Sabin had never returned to the temple... I had only received one letter from him, asking me if I would do him the
honor of becoming his adopted daughter. I do not know if he ever received my joyful reply.
Happy Anniversary (12/14/1991):
With Hawk's approval, I set out to find Sabin. I asked Maldina for her guidance, and followed the direction she gave me. I eventually
came to a large gathering of adventurers, and met a lovely lass by the name of Mirriyana. She was also a priestess. We liked each
other so much, that we swore an oath, that if ever our goddesses gave us opportunity, we would go on an adventure with each
other.
I also met a fierce fellow warrior named Talmar, who refused my healing. He preferred to burn his wounds closed rather than accept
aid. This disturbed me greatly. Additionally, I met a fighter by the name of Tristan. Apparently he had done a great deal of traveling
with Glennenmore, who had asked him to watch out for me. I was touched by Glenn's courtesy and kindness, though Tristan
seemed a little amused by the position of guardian-protector. He puzzled me somewhat -- he was quite aloof and distant, but it
almost seemed like he really needed someone he could trust. He reminded me much of an abused child I knew in Obedience; too
angry to trust, sure that every outstretched hand hid a slap, but hurt by his loneliness. I'll have to wait to see what becomes of our
relationship, and if he'll allow me to be his friend.
At this gathering, I also found Cattroll again. I asked him for word of Sabin, and he avoided the question for quite some time. I
finally pinned him down, and begged him to tell me. He told me that Sabin was dead. The details of it are too horrible to relate... I
still can't think about it without weeping. I fled the gathering, and wandered for a time. Sometime later, days, weeks, I don't know, I
was found by Carthonas. He gave me a vial of water that Sabin had consecrated, and a book - Sabin's last journal. I treasured them
both, and kept them by my side at all times.
Departing the festival, I journeyed briefly to the Shadowlands of Reverie and Delirium to try and recover Sabin's body. I met Zed what a strange man! I searched for what seemed like weeks. At one point I had a Vision of Sabin walking through his memories of
this place. I called out to him, but he could not hear me. This not knowing, being unable to lay Sabin to rest was tearing at me.
But it was time for me to heal and go on. Maldina showed this to me in a Vision. She showed me a kingdom torn by war and
misfortune, of a prince who lays imprisoned, and a father alone and mourning. She told me that I needed to gather a group and help
this sad king.
Dungeon Of the Dark Duke (05/17/1992)
So, leaving the means of finding these companions in Her hands, I headed for Serenia. Along the way, I met an Elf! His name was
Elerion, and he walked with me for a time. He told me of his adventures, and his companions. Upon hearing of my vision-quest, he
told me that he would gather his friends, and catch up to me on the way to Serenia.
So there we stood. I led four others... Elerion, who turned out to be a mage/sorcerer; Cirith, an elf of the forest, rather like
Carthonas; Sir Wilhelm, a knight, and his servant, Simon. We headed for Serenia, and whatever Maldina's Winds would blow to us.
That journey was a horrible one. First, having met with the King, who gave us notices of passage, we journeyed through the Fenns.
We found some King's Men who were under attack, and chased off their attackers. They told us that the Prince, Valdar, was under
some enchantment, and had gone back to his prison. Sending them on their way, we continued down our path, where we ran into a
tollbooth. We lawfully paid the toll, and were then surrounded and told that we had, by our mere presence, committed High
Treason. We were stripped, searched, shackled, and dragged off to a prison. I was hard pressed to remain in control and not fall
into hysterics... it was just like my father's treatment of me. But I gathered my strength and kept going, trying to stay alert for some
chance of escape.
We were thrown into a cell, and, well versed in being shackled and getting out of them, I slipped my hands before me and attacked
my chains with a knife the guards had missed in their search. I freed myself quickly, and then released Simon, who picked the locks
on our companions. Then, to our amazement, we discovered that Prince Valdar was in the next cell. We freed him as well, and
made our escape. But without weapons, what could we do? So, we worked our way up through the levels of the Dungeon, finding
what weapons we could. I, at one point, was forced to defend myself using the thigh bone of an undead creature that we slew.
Eventually and slowly, we reached the upper levels of the castle. There we found the Duke's daughter, an evil wench if ever I met
one. She mocked us and said that we had been most amusing, but that she tired of the game. She showed us where our weapons
and supplies were, and we fled with the Prince. Upon reaching his lands, he gave us some gifts, and bid us revel with him in
celebration of his escape.
One other thing of note.... the guard that searched and bound me. I do not know his name, but I hope that Maldina's winds blow
our paths together again, some day. He was kind to me, and did not take my father's diary from me. He also allowed me to keep my
holy symbols. If I can ever find him and bring him to safety, I will do so. Even though I know he was evil, his brave and kind actions
that horrible day touched my heart.
Kingmaker (06/27/1992)
Then I was asked to join a group travelling to Ardwyr. Apparently no clear designate to the throne was available and so others were
asked to help make the decision. I traveled with a mixed group of men and elves. They were Thomas Mac Gregor, a quiet man who
kept to himself; Sandtiger, a fierce warrior of the desert who was made drastically ill by any magics; Prince Teine Fireleaf, an elf of
royal blood from Tianinmantir; and Quentara, a solitary and angry elf from Clorinthis. We met with each of the children of the
deceased king, were attacked by traitors, and barely made it out with our lives when we chose George to be the next King of Ardwyr.
At one point, I thought I heard the echoes of Sabin's voice... but none of my other companions heard it, so it must have been a
dream... Sandtiger bought me armor, and I was awarded a magical scroll for my aid on the journey.
Turn About Is Fair Play (08/15/1992)
I travelled to Faedyn for a short time, but was separated from my companions by a dark swirling mist, which left me outside the
gates of a strange city. I was concerned for the safety of Talmar, Carthonas, Rune, Fauxion, Miblanc, and Thrasymachus, but as I was
swept away by the mist, I was able to send word to someone (I know not who) that was moving towards them (how I know that, I'm
not even sure) that I was all right, and wished them luck.
Test of Time (04/03/1993)
Also at the Festival of the Thaw, I was asked by a strange elf to join him and his companions on yet another quest, this one to set
right the paths of time itself. I traveled with his group, but I'm not really sure who they were.... the traveling through time damaged
my memory somehow, and I remember little of that entire journey.
King Barsini’s Birthday (4/10/1993)
I wandered for a time, and was found by Carthonas. He brought me to the
birthday celebration of King Barsini. There I was reunited with Sabin, who was
somehow alive! No one could really explain how it was that he was alive, but I
didn't care. He was alive and that was all that mattered. I also met up with
Glennenmoore again, and was introduced to the Lady Katya Silvermist, a
Maldinan from the elven lands. I also met a dark elf by the name of Arrtae, who
gave me magical gloves in trade for a scroll I couldn't read. Carthonas also gifted
me with magical armor. I gave Sabin my older armor, to be held in trust for any
Maldinan who didn't have any. I was also reunited with Sir Wilhelm, who asked
my assistance in removing a minor curse. With the help of others, he was freed
of his burden. One strange thing happened while I was at the Birthday
Celebration. A man I did not recognize came up to me and asked me how I fared.
When I asked to be introduced to him, he was offended, answering that his name
was Sir Kyle of the Watch, and that we had just adventured together. I told him
that my memories of such a thing were extremely fuzzy and that I could not
clearly recall adventuring with him. He related our journey to me, and what he
said certainly sounded like something I would do, but I just can't seem to
remember it.... However, he was kind to me that day, and so I count Sir Kyle as a
friend.
Leaving the birthday celebration, I wandered with Sabin and Glennenmoore for a
while, and then we all headed back to the Temple. Both of them left after a few
months, and I, after much thought and time, decided that it was time for me to
head back to Obedience. Soon, Maldina would grant me the ability to call back
the spirits of the dead, and I felt that such an awesome responsibility could not
be mine, unless I was properly ready for it. This was not something that I had
discussed with anyone at the Temple, or even with Sabin or Glennenmoore,
because it was such a personal decision. I also didn't want them to try and stop me. If I was to die there in Obedience, it was the
Will of the Goddess. I felt that I had no right to ask the Lady to release a soul into my care and keeping unless I was centered with
myself, which I could not do unless I faced my own past.
I left the Temple, and headed for Kintomar. There I met Thrush, one of the great ones of the Church. I spoke with her for a time,
and gave her my staff. Such things would be of no use to me where I was going. I was nearly to Obedience, when I heard a Calling,
and Summoning from a faraway land. I knew not from whence it came, but I felt I had to go. I had no choice. On the way to
wherever it was, I met up with Thomas Mac Gregor again. He, too, had felt the call, and asked me to join him. I did. And so I
Wandered once more, pulled away from my chosen path to that which my Lady wished me to travel. Little did I know how much
that one choice would change my life…
TAVERN WALLS: JANUARY 1994
Milord Tristan - I am not sure if I am known to thee or not, but I seek thy aid and thou comest well recommended to me by my
friend Glennenmoore. I have need to learn fighting with the sword, and he says that thee are one of the better fighters. Wouldst
thee be willing to take me on as a student? I am about to face things that I feel the need to be more prepared for. - Kestrel n'hya
Loriah
Captain Eric Jones: While I greatly appreciate the obvious concern that prompted thy announcement of my return to my home
town of Obedience, thee should not fear for me. I feel that to be able to put my past truly behind me, I must overcome my fear of it
and to do that, I must face it. I was nearly there when I heard tale of a call for help from Monaque, and could not refuse an old
traveling companion's request for my aid. My own personal Journeys will wait until this task is done, but I am going back to
Obedience. I go alone - this is something I must face myself. So, I beg thee, let me do what I must and know that whatever fate I
meet, I go willingly, knowing it rests in the Lady's hands. Maldina's grace and blessings to with thee. - Kestrel n'hya Loriah
Llydwellin’s Challenge (01/15/1994)
The strange city I found myself in turned out to be in the land of the Teronar Republic, ruled by Thane Lydwellin. I was just in time
for the annual Festival of the Thaw, a merry gathering combining a tournament and a tent sale. There I was surprised to see Prince
Teine Fireleaf. Additionally, Tristan and Glennenmoore were there. They were kind enough to assist me in the purchase of a
headband that must certainly be Maldinan in origin, for it grants its bearer powerful visions of the future. In truth, I must admit I
was almost ashamed to purchase the item, as there was another bidding against me. Tristan told the fellow that for his own safety,
he should stop bidding against me, and Glennenmoore handed me a bag of 1000 gold in front of the fellow, and said to him that "I
can get more - stop bidding." Though it's origin is somewhat tainted with guilt, the headband has served me well, saving my life on
numerous occasions.
What Are The Odds? (02/26/1994)
Thomas asked me to accompany him to a small gathering, where we would meet up with our other companions. The event was
quite memorable, as I assisted a priestess of Shanra in bringing back a knight from the grasp of Death. His body was carted in, and
unceremoniously dumped upon the ground by his leader, Koremenos. I took an immediate and strong dislike for Koremenos, and
his attitudes.
The Shanran priestess Called the knight back from the dead, and I Healed him to full health. Koremenos wished to immediately drag
the poor fellow into a tournament game of battle and physical activity. I protested strongly, feeling that the man needed a bit of
time to recover from the journey back to life. He introduced himself as Sir Sebastian Brookdale. I offered a magical item as
reimbursement for Koremenos' expenditures to bring Sebastian back to life, so that he would not feel bound to participate in the
tourney, as Koremenos demanded. Sebastian demurred, saying that duty and honor bound him to repay his debt, and that he could
not take more from me than he already had. I wished him well, and stood by on the sidelines, ready to aid him again should he
collapse. Fortunately, he did not. I cannot describe how deeply the sight of his courage and determination and honor affected me.
Something within me recognized him as a kindred spirit, someone who I could call friend.
Before I left the tournament, I met up with Tristan again, who guarded my body while I surrendered my consciousness to a Vision
from Maldina - this with a little help from Hunttarr, a man of the woods that Tristan recommended was good with herbs and
draughts of all sorts. It was good to see Tristan again after all of this time, but it saddened me to see that he had withdrawn behind
his walls even further.
All Roses Have Thorns (03/05/1994)
Eventually our expected traveling companions appeared, and we set off. The Journeying took me to Monaque, the homeland of my
faith. Thomas led our small group, which included my old friend Sir Wilhelm, to seek the person who he felt calling for his aid. We
spent part of the night in a tavern, but were called out by the pulling on Thomas' soul.
Outside, we were attacked by a group that sought to keep us from our destination -- an abandoned keep outside town. Traps, tricks,
wolves and warriors could not keep us from our goal. Inside the castle, we were faced with the evidence of a Balbian temple. We
swiftly found the Caller -- a vampire named Camilla. She begged for our aid, and realizing what it was that she needed, I opened my
wrist and let her drink. When I did so, it formed a link between the two of us, and I knew that she had been starved to the point that
mere blood would not quench her thirst - she needed to drink a life. I told this to Thomas, who offered himself. I reminded him of
his duties to the rest of our group, and in answer, he kill daggered me, and offered himself up again. Fortunately, Camilla refused.
She lifted me up with her inhuman strength, and we fled the castle, being chased by guards the whole while. I was completely
defenseless.
When we had all exited the keep, we were attacked yet again by guards, and I was slain by a great blast of magic, and the
simultaneous impact of a lethal arrow. As Maldina Called me to Her arms, Camilla’s blood called me back from the Abyss. My body
was carried back to the inn, where a Tainite priest Healed me. My companions told him of Camilla, and he demanded to know what
I had done to aid her, and why. He wished to put me to the question, indeed, to put me on trial for my actions. My companions
convinced him to put it off until morning. I had to warn Camilla, so I jumped out the window, and fled into the night. I found
Camilla, and we talked until the light of the dawn started to touch the sky. I was greatly troubled, and left the island immediately,
avoiding the Tainite priest entirely. [NOTE: To this day, Kestrel is wanted for questioning in Monaque. Fortunately, it is
separated from Westfall behind the Curtain Wall, and unlikely to prove a problem.]
Upon docking back in Westfall, I traveled towards Mount Tarenya, to go home to the Temple and seek Hawk's council. My feelings
had been dark, and I had been unable to partake of food for the duration of the sea voyage. I had hungered with a dark appetite for
that which I had fed Camilla - blood. I would not, could not do such a thing, so instead, I repeatedly Healed my body of the damage
done when I refused to succumb to my hunger. I traveled nights, avoiding the light of day. While sunlight did not burn me, it was
greatly uncomfortable. While traveling, I lost coherency, and wandered aimlessly, trapped in a fever.
Tavern Walls: April 1994
Sebastian – heard about your mishap. Glad you’re back. (snicker) – T.
To The Person Named Kestrel – I hope ye will forgive my forwardness, for it is not my bent to read another’s missives. I know not
whether ye are man or woman, for ye name is surely an alias. In all my years, I have never known of any named Kestrel from
Obedience, and I have lived there all my life. I will give ye simple but urgent warning- do not return to Obedience. It is well that ye
have made peace with ye past, but it is a thing that matters not should you return to ye birthing place. Only a meaningless death can
result from any attempt to go back to that foul and wretched land. Will the Reverend care for ye piece of mind as he sets ye to the
stake? I think not. By the winds! The Baron would show as much concern for your noble efforts as a shrike shows the screams of a
baby thrush as it impales it on thorns for its meal. Whatever goddess you follow could not possibly protect you. If ye care for ye life,
return not to Obedience. Take a lover or two, enjoy the freedom ye have, and try not to walk against the gale. The people of
Obedience care not to be rescued from the walls of fanaticism they have built around themselves over the centuries. To such a
would-be hero, they would return only hatred and malice. Heed my warning – Someone Who Knows.
The Towers (04/30/1994)
I was found by a man name Harmony, who had heard tale of me from Sir Wilhelm, who was trying to track me down. Harmony
brought me to Wilhelm, who frightened me so much with his accusations and demands for information that I pushed him away with
magic. His angry manner did nothing to reassure me that he would cause me no harm. Then, softly and gently, a voice came from
behind me, full of compassion and concern. "What has happened to you that you push those that would care for you away, Lady
Kestrel?" I turned to see Sir Sebastian Brookdale. He spoke to me of what happened on Monaque, and the fears that I had of being
infected by Camilla's affliction. Eventually he calmed me enough that I removed my wards and protections against Sir Wilhelm, and
traveled with the group for the night.
We came upon yet another deserted Tower, where Harmony was beseeched to aid a sorcerer in a fight against his brother. We
needed to retrieve several things in order to defeat the evil brother, whose name was Victor. It was indeed a trial, as we were
attacked by wave upon wave of undead, decimating our small group.
On several occasions I Healed a man named Regis, pulling him back from the edge of Death. Victor himself came to bargain with us
to try to convince us to leave the fight. When we refused, his bargains turned to threats, against me in particular. This quest was
perhaps the most frustrating one I had ere gone upon, for our enemies were endless, and the Tower was breached. At long last, we
had what we needed to enchant a sword and battle Victor in his dark abode. I was the one chosen to strike the crystal that was the
source of his power. We were attacked by further undead and demonic creatures, but were able to press on to the inner chamber
where Victor hid. We shattered the Crystal, and he fled, using a Gate. His sword, left behind, is one of the two that I now bear. As a
reward for our aid, the Sorcerer, taught me several rituals that I believe are Maldinan in nature, as they call on the power of the
Dreamworld.
After the travails of the evening, Sebastian and I talked for a long time. Too shy to say anything of the feelings that were beginning
to stir within me, I asked him of his homeland, his dreams, his upcoming Journeys. He told me of his final duty to Koremenos - an
illegal journey into the land of the wild elves. He expressed his concern than he would lose himself in battle and anger, and become
more like the animal totem that he follows. I gave him a ring of mine as a reminder that only he could make the choice of what or
who he was. We parted, but promised to meet again soon. I look forward to our next encounter.
Purplesaurus Rex (05/15/1994)
I traveled to our meeting place, the Purplesaurus Inn, but sadly, Sebastian was not there. Instead, I was chased about and mocked
by a half-demon named Valok, and a horde of obnoxious children. My mood became darker and darker, and, swayed by Camilla's
influence, I used my abilities to strike back at those who persecuted me. I caused them no physical harm, but annoyed them
mightily. While I was there, I met a man named Festil D'Verot. He was something that I had only heard rumors of -- a Knight of the
Falcon's Eye, a Knight of Maldina. He was concerned at the aura of repulsion that I had summoned, and wanted to know why I wore
the symbols of the Balbians. (I had retrieved them from the temple in Monaque, and wore them to cause questions from those who
might recognize the symbol - ie. Balbians) We talked for a time, and he wished me luck that I might be healed of Camilla's tainted
gift.
TAVERN WALLS: 06/1994:
To The One Who Knows - I am curious... wouldst though reveal thyself to me? Mayhaps we knew each other. There are not many
who can say with truth that they have escaped Obedience. Thou must be strong and brave to have won away from it unscathed.
Aye, I did also live all of my life in the town of Obedience. I did not leave it willingly at the time, rather, I was thrown on the midden
heap with the rest of the garbage. Thus, it is not settled with me - It is a place in my heart that is poisoned and cannot heal. For me
to grow and truly put it behind me, I must face it and defeat it within myself. That means facing it physically, going back and dhowing
them that there is more to life than blind Obedience. As for the Reverend, he believes me dead. I have been tempered in the hottest
of flames, and he does not frighten me any longer. I have faced and survived far worse. Do not fear for me. If it is my fate that I die
there for the final time, then so be it. The Winds will blow me where Maldina wills. As for my name, it is not so much an alias, but a
renaming. I am no longer the child that I was, bound by fear and hate and tyranny. I was reborn and renamed Kestrel by a priest of
Maldina. But if would please thee to know, I was once called – Mercy
Sabin - I need thy guidance desperately. Please, find me soon. Thy daughter, -kestrel
Sebastian - Thy absence at the Purplesaurus Rex Inn spoke the words that you, in kindness to me, could not. Forgive me for my rash
assumptions, for I feel quite the fool to have assumed feelings on thy part. I hope I did not make thee too uncomfortable. Forgive me
- I shall keep my distance in the future. Maldina's Wings enfold and protect thee, and Her Winds blow thee gently to thy fate kestrel
Lady Camilla - Thee may have given me more of a 'gift' then thou knowest. Please, find me immediately. - Kestrel n'hya Loriah
Letter From Sebastian Brookdale
My Dear Kestrel:
I would ask that you forgive me for not appearing at our meeting spot as agreed upon, after the assault on that accursed wizard’s
tower. It was not because I did not wish to see you, or be with you. I can only hope that my dream will serve to illustrate the point I
will attempt to make.
You, Kestrel, are what is known in my village as a chur-khaj, or a rose among nettles. For all of your life, you have been presented
with harshness and cruelty, despair and intolerance, and yet you are kind, merciful, gracious and open. You heal where others have
hurt you. You protect where others seek to prevail. You give life, where death has stepped. You are very rare, Kestrel. In a harsh
world filled with darkness, you are a soft and gentle light. I have been touched by you. You have caused my oaths and my duties to
chafe.
However, what I have to offer you is what was in the dream. Death. My death. Those who have taken the vows that I have are
sworn to certain things. My life is already forfeit. I am not afraid to die. As you know, I have seen death and it only served to
reassure me. However, there is a toll to be paid by those who care for the dead, and I cannot ask you to pay it. I thought about
acting like I do not care. I considered telling you simply to leave and never look my way again. However these are mere conceits and
lies, and those, I am afraid, are nowhere in my nature. And so you see, I am faced with this: Any whom I care for could be used as
pawns against me, and any who care for me... well, you saw the dreams. Loved ones are a liability in my profession. I am sworn to a
task that demands my utmost loyalty. I care for you, Kestrel, and for this reason, I ask you not to get too near. I bear a bounty of
pain for those who would dare care for me. You have suffered enough.
Fond regards,
Sebastian Brookdale
Petitioner, Order of the Mithril Arrow
Llydwellin’s Challenge III
Missing Sebastian, I heard word that he had traveled to the southwest, and wished to meet me there – though the dreams I have
had of late have not been encouraging… and the letter I received from him filled me with sorrow. I journeyed once more to the
Court of Thane Lydwellin as quickly as I could. There I did meet up with Sebastian, and Festil was there, as well. We talked for hours
and hours. At one point, King Llydwellin himself propositioned me, saying that he was looking for a queen, but didn't want to be
stuck with someone he wasn't compatible with, and would I sleep with him, please? I responded with more calm that I would have
expected from myself, and my lack of experience with such things. Knowing that Sebastian was within earshot, I declined, saying
that there was someone that I cared for, even loved, and that I could not, in good conscience, accept his proposition. Sebastian's
only response was a smile. We parted company after the festival - he towards the west, and I towards the north. Knowing that he
faced danger, I gave him my magical armor, and a potion of healing to aid him on his journey, since he would not let me accompany
him.
The other item of note of my journey to Lydwellin's Challenge, was the reunion with my cousin, Silence. I had not seen her since she
testified at my trial. She had gone through a similar experience of outcasting as did I, and feared my retribution for her false
friendship. I assured her that I did not hate her or resent her, and we talked for some time of what had happened to her since my
departure from Obedience. Much to my dismay, I learned that the staff she bore was one of three carved from the very stake that I
had been tied to and burned on. I felt its presence of hatred and anger, and could not force myself to touch it. Apparently I felt the
emotion and presence of the thousands of women who have died unjustly in Obedience since its appearance here in Westfall.
Silence says that they are with her at all times, begging her to avenge them. I cannot imagine the burden the staff must be - but it is
not one I would care to carry. Before he left, I asked Sebastian to touch the staff, so that he would understand Obedience a little
better. He did, and was so shocked that he finally gave me the promise I had been seeking since the Tower - that he swear that he
would not go to Obedience for any reason other than to carry out the duties of his order.
TAVERN WALLS: August, 1994:
Kestrel - I did indeed know a girl named Mercy while growing up, but it is most cruel of you to claim to be that girl. Like the rest of
Obedience, I had the 'honor' of watching that sweet lady, who never wished ill on another soul in her whole life, die in the most
horrid manner possible. Part of me wishes that ye words might be true and ye might by some miracle be Mercy, for I had no other
friend in all the world and she alone showed me kindness without fear of the Reverend. I betrayed that kindness and friendship
between us - by this alone, Mercy would know my identity. If somehow ye are Mercy, I can only beg ye forgiveness. While it would
be easy to say I betrayed ye for fear of the Reverend, I will have to live with the shame in my heart of knowing that in truth, I held
my life more dear than yours. We both paid dearly for my cowardice - Mercy with her life and I with my soul. If ye are Mercy, I know
why ye must return. I know also, perhaps as ye do not, that there are a thousand souls that will never rest or know peace, that will
never be carried by the winds to their final home, until that place is no more - One Who Knows.
Katarina of Silvermist - Again, lady, let me offer any service I might, to the efforts to find Katya. My body, spirit and skills are at thy
command. - Kestrel n'hya Loriah
Kestrel - I am sorry, but my memory was damaged by an unknown event in my past. I am very unclear on this concept of gods and
goddesses. If you would be so kind as to explain how Maldina transfers powers to you, I would appreciate it. (Interesting: Simon
Spell - "Advise!") - X (Fighter X - I do not remember my name as of yet.)
Mercy - Thank you. I know that you are strong, strong enough to overcome what really is the most minor of obstacles. As you once
told me yourself, when there is love, how can anything else matter? You will heal from the wounds you have received, and he will
not always be bound by his vows. Most importantly, know that you are loved, and we understand. - Silence Cornelius
Sebastian - I pray that thy journey went well, my dearest friend. Please, I beg thee, Sebastian, send me word soon - thou knowest
that I worry for thy safety when I am not near to safeguard it. I pray the armor protected thee as I would have, though I do confess
that the thought that powers other than mine healed thee makes me.. sad? Concerned? (That it was by a gift from me to thee
lessens it, somewhat) May it be by my hands, next time, I pray. I'll await thee in my dreams - kestrel
Silence - again, my sister-in-heart, if thou needest to hear the words, thou art forgiven, truly and fully. Thou hast depths of strength I
do not - I could not shoulder your burden, nor you, mine. Only if Maldina herself asked it of me, would I touch that which thou
carriest every day - I marvel at thy will! Thank thee for thy blessing, and thy words of grace. I pray that we both, somehow, despite
the past, find a happily ever after – kestrel
Kestrel – You honor me and the rest of the Caromeans. We will, of course, accept such commission to protect Sebastian. Perhaps we
can get together in the near future to discuss terms. I would, as well, be very interested in talking religion with you. Until then –
Consul Khorevaar
It’s All In Your Mind (08/13/1994)
Still carrying the burden of Camilla's corruption, I traveled further North, headed towards Lone Arden, and then on to Mount
Tarenya to receive council from Hawk. But, seemingly, it was not my fate to reach the Temple. I was intercepted by a Lord Gernoul
who asked my assistance with a mystical Gate that had appeared outside Lone Arden. Being interested in Gates after Victor's
disappearance, I agreed to accompany him. We were sent into the Gate, and put through a series of tests. The plane we appeared
on must have been a corner of Hell, for I have never been so hot in my life -- hotter than the flames that burned me in Obedience. It
was unrelenting, and our small group succumbed to it and failed the journey. It had one positive side effect, however -- it burned
the last of Camilla's influence from me. The heat was too much for one of my companions, and we left the area, the quest
unfinished. (Translation: The team left the game prior to its end, due to safety reasons and heat exhaustion.)
Far Cove Feast: (09/11/1994)
Every time my steps turned towards the Temple, they were thwarted. This time I was called back to the port of FarCove. My help
was needed when the gathering to honor the visiting son of a nobleman from Avendarr was attacked by wave upon wave of
demons. Tristan was there, and I was fortunate enough to be able to repay some of his protection by aiding him in the battle on
several occasions. The battlefield was strewn with bodies, and Maldina granted me, for the first time, the power to call back the
dead. Sebastian was not there, as I had hoped...
While I was at the Far Cove Feast, I was requested by a compatriot of Sabin's to accompany me on a very personal journey. The Lady
Katya Silvermist, an elven Lady and Maldinan that I had met long ago, had been foully slain and her body taken for unknown reasons
to the isle of Monaque. Brian begged my aid in recovering her, so that we could have her brought back to life, should that be
Maldina's Will. Filled with trepidation at returning to Monaque, I reluctantly agreed. I was thrilled to learn that we would be
travelling with Sebastian and a few others.
TAVERN WALLS: OCTOBER 1994
Kestrel: It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I look forward to traveling with you again, perhaps. You and Sebastian remind
me of another couple I knew at home. May you find all the happiness they knew and more. Your friend, Halaran Lyonsbane Marcel
Sebastian: What can I say? In a life that has known constant hostility and enmity, it is cherished to find new and good friends. Take
good care of yourself and the Lady Kestrel. What you share, whether spoken or not, is stronger than any of us know. We will travel
again together. I feel it. Your friend, Halaran Lyonsbane Marcel
Kestrel: I hear thou art well. I miss thy company and hope to be traveling with thee again soon. Til then, may Maldina blow blessings
into your path always. Your friend, Captain Eric Jones (Post script: Hast thou heard from Thrush lately?)
Kestrel - please let me know what has happened. I know that something has upset thee, but I do not know what. Can I not help?
Please let me know. - Silence
Kestrel - I hope that this finds you well. When last we departed, you seemed greatly disturbed. I hope that you were able to relieve
yourself of the terrible burden that you had taken upon yourself. Perhaps fates will have us meet yet again. May Maldina guide you.
- Festil D'Verot, Order of the Falcon's Eye
Fighter X - How is it that I receive the gifts of Maldina? I ask for them. Tis simple as that. How is it that though knowest not of the
Gods? Thou should seek out a High Master at a Temple, to ask for mindhealing that thou wouldst be returned to all of thy faculties.
A mind unhealed is a dangerous thing. - kestrel
Talmar - My old friend, please seek me out. I have had disturbing Visions of thee, facing against a deadly foe of darkness such as I
have ne'er seen! I pray to the Lady that She will shelter you in Her wings - kestrel
But Not Forgotten…
We took ship to the Island, and were immediately met with opposition. We were attacked by undead, and, using the new gifts of
Maldina, I was able to blast them into tiny bits, literally causing them to explode! Much like my quest at the Tower, wave upon wave
of the revolting creatures beset us. We found the Lady Silvermist protected by a mystical barrier that would damage all of us
drastically. I asked Maldina for a vision of the future, and learned that once the shield was down, we would have only moments
before a dreadful Necromancer and his minions appeared to battle us for Lady Katya. I gave the warning to our companions and we
laid our plans. United as one, we stepped through and were all viciously injured as we absorbed the power of the barrier. I snatched
up the focus wand that conducted the power of the shield, while Sir Brian bodily lifted Katya's still form, and we all ran for the
shelter of the forest.
The enemy came fast on our heels as we ran, and just before the tree line, we made our stand. I was certain that we would all
perish, for none of our enemy had so much as a single weakness. They fought on and on, lifeless golems following the dictates of
their master, who, impervious to my fierce attentions, blasted away at our imperiled company. Finally I was able to force th e
necromancer to retreat back through his Gate, and almost simultaneously, Sebastian slew the last of the Golems. Again we took up
our respective burdens, and hurried for the woods. There, we knew we could find a temple to Shanra, where Katya might be
brought back.
We found the holy place, and its keeper - a woman of such profound spirituality that I sank to my knees in awe. Lady Katya was
taken from us, and the Guardian spoke with her spirit, asking Katya if she wished to return. Fortunately, the answer was yes, and
after much prayer and pleading, Shanra granted us our request... but only after the acceptance of a geas - from that day forward, all
life was to be treated as sacred and blessed, and not taken frivolously. Katya was healed and returned to us, tremulously smiling
through her tears. We are still quite unsure as to why she had been brought all the way to Monaque, and what purpose it could
possibly serve, but I am certain that like any pool of impurity and evil, it will well to the surface, and we will discover its depths and
reasons. Before parting company, Brian asked me to aid him with a Vision from Maldina, as he was heading to Avendarr for a
dangerous mission to slay an undead beast named Storivad. I did so, and was able to impart some small amount of wisdom from the
Lady Maldina. He also mentioned that he would be travelling with Sabin, so I asked him to relay my love and concern for their
safety.
Out of Game RP
The next part of my tale is by far, one of the most difficult to relate. Finally, my steps turned towards Mount Tarenya, and I learned,
to my horror, why Maldina had turned my path aside so many times. When I stepped into the Crosswind Inn, the small roadside
hostelry that is at the base of the mountain, I saw assembled a group of Maldinans. The atmosphere was heavy with mourning, and
I was immediately clutched at and wept over. When I could return my fellow priests to a semblance of coherency, they told me the
extent of the tale....
It seemed that not three days earlier, in the midst of the morning prayer ceremony, an attack had occurred. The temple was shaken
to the ground, and shadowy figures had assaulted all present. The few that were able to rise up and defend themselves were cut
down where they stood. The greatest tragedy was the Master of the Temple himself, Hawk. Only a few survived -- just five priests
of varying levels. They were still all in shock, and completely disorganized. The only other survivor was a young page, who
apparently had been sent out on some unknown journey right before the attack occurred.
Seeing no other organized leadership, I began directing the others to make their way back up to the Temple to search for survivors,
and to properly lay to rest those who had fallen. The task went late into the night, and taxed me further than I have ever
experienced. With each new twisted corpse, our hearts sank lower and lower, though as their agreed leader, I had to keep trying to
instill courage and hope. Finally, just before dawn, I suggested that we rest for a time, and then inquire directly of the Goddess what
had occurred. All six of us, in representation of the Six Above, strove to reach The Lady. Giving every ounce of our strength, we
were finally able to come into Her presence, and the shock of what we discovered shattered our tenuous connection to Her.
Maldina Herself had been violated in the attack, and could not welcome us to Her. She could not reach the souls of Her departed
priests, and She burned with anger and outrage at what had been done to Her. "Where should we seek Your enemy?" we asked as
one, and the simple answer came back. "South." South - the very direction that the young page was seen heading right before the
attack.
With so much and yet so little information to work with, we sank into exhausted slumber. While I dreamed, I sent word to
Sebastian, asking him to travel to Angel's Crossing to the Temple there, and to seek out the High Master, Crispin Nightwing. They
traveled to Tarenya with the greatest speed possible, and found us there, still attempting to make sense of the situation, and to
begin to recover. I had organized the villagers to help us clear the rubble and to reSanctify the Temple. The other survivors were
shocked at my calm direction -- they were overcome with grief at the loss of friends -- and couldn't understand my quiet assurance
that it was self-pity rather than true grief that hurt them. Those priests that had passed on truly were in a better place, as they very
well knew, should they stop their wailing to think about it. They had lost sight that the sacredness and holiness of the Temple was
the gift of the Lady, not a certain placement of stones and buildings. I forced them to rebuild and reclaim what was there, until
Crispin arrived.
Their arrival could not have been more well timed. I was in the Crosswind Inn, and was giving instruction and healing to the local
villagers, when a small cart pulled up outside. I was stunned, shocked, and sickened to recognize Constant McLarrin, one of the
Bishop's spies from Obedience. He smirked at me and remarked upon how surprised he was to see me alive, and that should
Obedience get the chance, they would be sure to kill me more thoroughly next time. A rage flashed over me, and, in just a few swift
strides, met him at the door and punched him in the face. To my surprise, he slumped to the floor, unconscious. The entire room
had gone silent, with everyone looking at him me, stunned. I turned to Kyril, the owner, and explained in a tone too sharp for
courtesy that the fellow was a spy from Obedience, and should be taken out like the rest of the trash. When I turned back around to
face Constant's body, standing over it was Sebastian and Crispin. They were both, to say the least, a little curious as to what was
going on.
Upon Sebastian and Crispin's arrival, I gratefully took a few hours to release the tenuous control I had held onto, and mourned Hawk
in my own way, weeping on Sebastian's shoulder. But then duty called me back, and I returned to the work at the Temple. With
Crispin's help, the Temple, such as it was, was put back into order. I spoke at length with the Master as to what I should do, and we
agreed that my path lay to the South. Thus, Sebastian and I set out to find the young page, and see what we could find of this new
enemy of Maldina.
The page's traces soon disappeared, and Sebastian could not find any trail to follow. I asked for guidance, and learned that the child
was either dead, or no longer on the plane. I continued traveling South, but Sebastian was Called away. We agreed to meet at the
Winterfest, a few months later.
As I headed South, strange Visions swept over me for the long weeks of my journey. I wasn't certain what or where their origin, but
they disturbed my rest, and tortured my waking hours. I sought out Sabin as swiftly as I could, and, at his council, stayed with him.
Winterfest II: (12/11/1994)
The Winterfest was the first I had attended, and Sabin put me in the position of the hostess. The peace and treaty of the gathering
was held together purely by Sabin's force of will, I am certain. At the feast, my foster-father was invested with Maldina's Blessing,
and Ascended to the level of High Master. I was asked to make the presentation of his mantle. The last peaceful moment I would
have for the entire evening was when I gave Sabin back his diary that I have carried so long as his midwinter gift.
Several delegates from a race called the Melniboneans arrived, and with them, came the force
of their god of Chaos. Accompanying them was Kira Rachel, a vampire I had met and fought
previously. She was disguised as one of their race (which also has pale skin, red lips, and dark
eyes and hair). I took her to the side and challenged her disguise. She admitted who she was
and promised me that she had no interest in disturbing the peace. I warned her against any
inappropriate behavior, and warned her about the Melniboneans. Additionally, one of the
other guests was a Lord Sir Joseph, commonly known as Sir Gallant of the Silver Dragon. It was
known to me that Sir Joseph made it his life's passion to destroy those dead who walk the
earth, and I was certain that should he discover her, she would be slain immediately, breaking
the truce and throwing the holy day into chaos. I brought Kira to Sabin, and asked his council
and protection for her, which he granted. He took Sir Joseph to the side and explained the
sacred nature of the peace of the day, and reluctantly, Sir Joseph agreed not to violate it.
Other minor furors broke out, but they were quickly quelled. There were two other disruptions
to the evening of great note. The first was Kira, who approached Sabin and asked her if there
was any way to return her to the living. Sabin asked my council (I was stunned that a High
Master was asking my advice!), and I suggested that we retire to the garden with a few trusted souls to assist us. I gathered
together Sir Joseph, Sir Brian, Joshua Cahil, and a rogue named Lyrius to assist us. Sabin attempted to remove the curse, but to no
avail. I suggested a more drastic measure. While the knights stood guard to prevent disruption and to witness the event, Lyrius
paralyzed Kira's arm so that she would feel no pain. Sabin then used a holy blade to open the vein, to drain out that which was her
sustenance -- all of the stolen vitae she had consumed. Joshua Cahil, who, to the best of my knowledge and experience, truly is a
representative of the powers of Death, stood by to tell us when her spirit departed her body. When that was done, both Sabin and I
blessed and sanctified her body, to remove the unholy taint. We repaired the physical damage to her corpse, and then Sabin Called
her spirit back. All of those assembled laid upon her some manner of healing, and she was revived. The first, startled intake of
breath upon her lips when she regained consciousness, the bright look of wonder in her eyes, was one of the most wonderful things
I had seen in quite a long time....
The last interruption of the night was the discharging of several demons out of a number of artifacts brought to the gathering. A
group of Sabin's compatriots asked his aid in freeing and destroying the evil pent up in some items they had recovered. The majority
of the gathering went to a nearby clearing, and swiftly dispatched the demons, ending the night with a bang, so to speak.
As we closed up the meeting-house, a messenger appeared with a letter for me. Upon reading through it, I realized it was an
invitation from my cousin, Silence, to journey to her new home in the Moors. She asked my assistance with a private matter, and
begged me to come. Gaining Sabin's permission, I set out the next morning, promising to contact him if it was more than I could
handle.
TAVERN WALLS, DECEMBER 1994
Sabin & Kestrel - Again, I thank you for all that you have done for me. I am forever in your debt. I hope that now I may count on
some protection from the Maldinans, if that's not asking too much. The Balbians will be after me more so now than ever before. I
will need your help soon. - Kira Rachel
Sebastian - I felt thy absence sorely at the Winterfest. But with the Visions of hte Lady, I understand why. Please, I beg of thee, meet
me in Quur before you go off to the elven lands. - Yours, kestrel.
‘Bastie: You offered money for Tolliver. Does this mean you want me to hunt him? If so, could you let me start in a fortnight? He
asked me to do a favor for him, and it would be rude if I didn’t do it and then arrested him instead. - Yashia
Silence - aye, there is much going on. The Maldinan Temple at Mount Tarenya has been destroyed by evil forces from the South, and
my father has been informed by Constant MacLarrin that I am alive (Constant had the audacity to show up at the Temple ruins while
I was there!) Tis a dark time, indeed, but fortunately I have one whose strength and help I can rely on. Keep in touch with me,
wouldst thee? Tis nice to have pleasant connections to 'home.' Have nae fear, I'll be fine. - Kestrel
Cousin - I would like very much if thou might visit me. We are staying in the Darkmoor Forest, in a truly beautiful place called the
Grove. Now that the evil that was corrupting it is gone, it is a place of surpassing loveliness. I also need thy help. I had thought - and
this forest seems to say - that we were successful in destroying the foul corrupter that had warped this place, but in my heart there
is a dark kernel of fear that says it is not true - that he still lives, if it can be called that. Mercy, he haunts my dreams in the most
horrible ways, and I do not know how to free myself of his evil memory. You were always the healer, so perhaps you can help me.
Love, Silence. (Post script: Don't mind my neighbors - they can be a little nervous around strangers, but I told them you were kin of
mine so it should be alright. You might want to bring Sebastian with you, just in case.)
Festil D'Verot - Aye, I am well, as well as can be expected under my circumstances. I am able to heal myself of the darkness, but am
weakened somewhat, both physically and emotionally. Please, do seek me out. - Kestrel
Kestrel - it pleases me greatly that you were able to relieve yourself of that terrible burden that seemed to weigh so heavily upon
you. I am still traveling to the north, back towards Quur. I'm hoping that my business with the Council will be swift, so that I may
return to traveling. IT will be nice to see the family, but I do not think I am ready to return to Quur permanently quite yet. Please let
me know where it would be best for us to catch up on the events of late, and I shall endeavor to meet you there. - Sir Festil D'Verot,
Order of the Falcon's Eye.
Dear Kestrel - My memories come back to me ever so slowly - but it seems to me that the only people that spoke to me of the past
were either taking orders from me or screaming in fear. You, Harmony, Ghernoul, and others seem to address me in a way which
suggests something entirely different than my relationship with people in the past. I must ponder upon this and derive its meaning. X, (Post script: I still don't remember my name, but I think it started with a "K.")
Out of Game RP:
Arriving in the Darkmoor, I found it to be frighteningly similar to the Fens I had traveled in ever so long ago. It was all I could do to
stay on the path. But finally I reached Silence's cottage that she shared with the Felaan E'Shai warrior, Shathira. Silence told me that
a dreadful thing had happened -- the staff that she bore had recently destroyed, nay, consumed a minor demon. This demon strove
to escape, and she was concerned of its influence. I told her that I would contact Sabin that very night, and ask his aid. She was
pleased and grateful, and we talked for hours, catching each other up on the events of our lives.
The morning that Sabin was to arrive, I awoke with a feeling of bad omen. I rushed to Silence's room, only to find it empty. When
Sabin arrived a few hours later, I had already paced a ragged hole in one of the rugs. It was my fear and belief that the demon,
realizing it was soon to be ousted, had taken control of Silence, and forced her to flee. I asked Maldina where to find her, and the
answer was that we should seek her among the Melniboneans. I explained the situation to Sabin. He could not continue on this
journey, as his duties carried him to the South. So, with Shathira, I set out to track down Silence. We tracked her to a Gate, and
then lost her trail. Making the decision to go on, we plunged through.
We found ourselves on an island unfamiliar to any of us. Making our way to the mainland, we were almost immediately subject to
an arrest attempt - I for being a cleric, and Shathira, for being inhuman. We discovered that we were in the county of York, in a land
called Quur. We journeyed for several days, following Silence's trail. This trail was frighteningly easy to follow, as all of the plants
she trod upon died and withered as if burned. It took us little time to realize that Silence's path led straight to the capitol city,
though it was several weeks of travel away.
We should be there tomorrow. I am not sure what I will find when we get there, but I feel sorry for the first Melnibonean I find if
they have hurt her in any way..... (un-sanctioned between-game roleplaying, Jennifer Williamson, Tim Moore, Erich Klem)
A Letter To Sabin: (Events of Without Remorse: 01/15/1995)
To Master Sabin Loriah Blessings of the Six upon you, sir. The following letter was received by the message relays here in Angels Crossing. We have done our
best to forward it to you with all speed, as the matter seems urgent. Additionally, a second message was sent to us -- apparently by
mistake, from the same source. It seemed pertinent to the message we received for you, so we have included it free of charge to the
sending party.
-Jevan D'alathan
Scribe, Kevalen Messenger Service
============================================
To Master of the Sight, Sabin Loriah:
Honored One, I give thee greetings. I write this, not as your adopted daughter, but as a
Maldinan in desperate need of council and guidance. My problem is this:
I fear that I may have some internal weakness of the heart, mind, or spirit that has left me open
to Balbian taint. For the second time within the span of one year, I have been directly controlled
by a creature of darkness - a vampire. I have previously relayed details of the first such
occurrence, which happened on Monaque. The second has happened just a few days ago. I was
bodily kidnapped while traveling in Quur - taken up in my sleep. I have no memories of aught
else happening until I awoke in a shallow grave in Ardwyr, other than going to sleep in Quur. I
was quickly able to discern that I had been made a lesser vampire - a nosferatu - by forces
unknown.
While seeking out the creature that had inflicted this malady upon me, I confess that I behaved in
a most uncontrolled, and, for me, remarkably violent fashion. I did do bodily harm to an
innocent woman, grabbing her and dragging her through a window. Reparations were made, I
healed her of all her afflictions, and begged her forgiveness, which was granted. I include that
event here as evidence of the possible flaw within me. Additionally, to gain the location of the
creature, and a weapon to fight it with, I had to swear that I would try to get a High Priest back
to the area to regenerate the missing hand of one of the villagers. I have been unable to fulfill
this oath thus far.
When finally I won my way to the hiding place of the vampire, and finished a Ritual of Binding to
hold it in its coffin, I flung open the lid, and was stopped dead in my place. The woman laying there opened her eyes, and asked for
my aid in the name of Maldina. She made many promises and pleas, among which was that she was not evil, or Balbian, simply
lonely. I gathered my strength, and pierced her through the heart with a stake. Closing the coffin, I proceeded to call upon the Lady
to disrupt the vampire, until such time as I ran out of strength. The dawn burned all evidence of the vampirism from me, but I still
must - in fairness and self-judgment, wonder if it is truly gone.
Thus, I submit myself to you for examination and judgment. Should any internal weakness be found, I would ask for a quick death
that I not be further used as a weapon of the forces of the dead, or that I be stripped of my clerical abilities so that Mald ina`s
blessings not be blasphemed by their control. I see no other alternative at this time.
In Her name, I beg you to respond quickly - this messenger will wait for a reply should you be able to give it.
In obedient service to Maldina Kestrel n`hya Loriah
A Letter to Sebastian: (Events of Without Remorse)
Sebastian –
I am so very frightened... my heart beats to fast I can scarce catch my breath. I can`t stop shaking, and I weep at thy absence. I need
thy strength so badly, for I have none of my own right now -- it has happened again. Let me start over, for as I read these words, I see
they make little sense. Three nights ago, while I was traveling with Shathira to Quur to find Silence (she is missing, and I believe her
to be demon-possessed), I was abducted by a vampire, and stolen away to Ardwyr. I awoke, buried alive, with no memories of what
had happened, or knowledge of where I was. I had to claw my way out, and found myself in a graveyard. All of my valuables and
weapons had been taken from me - with one sweet exception - thy letter, and my diary notes of the dreams that thou sent me.
I quickly discovered that I had not been buried alive - rather I had been buried undead. I spent the entire evening trying to discover
who had done this to me. I must confess to you that while trying to do so, I hurt an innocent woman in my fear and rage -- I pulled
her through a window and dragged her to the graveyard to show her the truth of what I had been telling her. I`ve never done such a
thing before in my life! But the rage filled me, and I acted without thinking or caring! She forgave me afterwards, and I did her some
small healing to mend what I had done. She brought be to some people who helped me somewhat. They gave me some documents
that said that if I refused to give into the thirst that was wracking me, and if I could slay she who made me what I was before the sun
rose, that I would be free of the taint. I was almost too ashamed to accept their help.
After much misadventure, I found the Vampire`s crypt, and won my way past her guards, both magical and unliving. When I finished
the Ceremony of Binding, and lifted the lid of her coffin to slay her, she begged my help in the name of Maldina! She swore that she
had no foul intent, and that she was simply lonely. She said that she knew of my feelings for you, and that you would welcome me at
your side in the form of a wolf, and that Maldina would comfort and hold me aloft on Her Winds in the shape of an eagle. She
claimed that all of my new powers and abilities could be used to further the glory of Maldina and the Order of the Mithril Arrow.
Sebastian, was it wrong of me to consider it for a brief moment? It took all of my resolve and strength to do so, but I refused her, and
did what I had to do.
But now, it`s harder. My dreams have been troubling me - she haunts me at night, and as I see her before me, I wonder if I made the
right choice. What makes my life more worthy than hers? She was just lonely and I murdered her to save myself...I don`t even know
her name!
Sebastian, what is wrong with me that the Children of Balbus keep seeking me out? I thought that my faith in Maldina was strong
enough to protect me, but perhaps it`s not strong enough, perhaps there`s some secret flaw in me that they can sense... I don `t
know... but twice in one year seems more than coincidence! Maybe because of my father or some wrong I have done in the past, I
am open to their corruption, and they can tell that all it will take is a nudge or two...
I am so unsure and scared! I wish... oh, thou hast no idea how strongly I wish that thou couldst be here with me, to comfort and hold
me! I miss thee so greatly... but Sebastian, if there is something wrong with me deep down, that these undead can see and try to
control and corrupt, than I am triply unworthy of thee -- a danger to thee! I have written to Sabin, and, if I can find him, will put
myself forth for examination for Balbian taint. If he finds it, I will ask him to destroy me, that I not be used as a weapon against thee
and those others that I love. Until I can find him, and he can declare me free and fit, I`d best stay away from thee, though it is
rending my heart just to think of it. It has been so long already......
Know that I hold thee in my heart, and daily pray that the Lady bless and keep you safe Kestrel
Letter From Sabin to Kestrel:
My Daughter Kestrel:
Would that I were there to greet you properly, but alas, this cannot be the case. Due to the swiftness of the messenger who brings
this to you (may the Winds of our Goddess ever bless his Path!), I was able to receive your letter only hours before embarking on a
journey of my own, that which we have talked about. I do not think will be returning for quite some time. It is with great gladness
that I read your words ... not happiness regarding the subjects of your pen, but more that I can take with me a reminder that there is
a reason to return to this world.
As to your concerns ... I have always found your approach to the Ways of the Goddess to mirror your own life. Many times I have
wondered at your swing of emotions – the swiftness of their passing, their intensity within you. This is indeed a gift that you have,
one that should serve you well in the future. Harness the power of your emotions and let them guide you through difficult times… As
to any taint upon you ...I would doubt that you have within you a weakness that evil can latch on to and use against you ...except for
the very talents and compassion that allow you to serve the Goddess in such a wonderful fashion. We have just recently been
together, you and I, and without sounding too proud of my station, even a slight taint or darkness within you I would see with no
effort. There was no evidence of this.
Certainly, beings with darker intentions know and attempt to use our reputation to serve themselves sometimes and we have all had
to make difficult decisions regarding our Faith and chosen Path. The key to dealing with this duality is in knowing whose free will is
being impinged on. In this most recent case, it seems yours was.
You related your encounter with another Vampire. One that did more than just call to you and ask for your help. This one attempted
to make you into something vile and terrible without your consent. Certainly your actions and swell of emotion in trying to shake off
such an affliction is justified. You may have harmed those people around you in your passing, but you have made it quite clear in
your letter that you did what you could to aid those people when you were able to. I see nothing in your account to bring suspicion to
me regarding your activities ...certainly you have had to make a hard decision regarding the creature itself, and only in this do I have
any misgivings. I do not know what else you could have done to remove its hold over you other than to slay it. And it seems you did
not have much time to make such a decision.
You have asked for my guidance as a High Priest of our order. I must admit I am flattered by your request ...you are the first to ask
for my advice in such a manner. Therefore, take heed and take action. Kestrel Loriah, Priestess of Maldina, you are hereby ordered to
make restitution to the family of the creature whom you have slain to remain free. The restitution shall not last for more than one
month, and the object of the restitution will be made clear to you by Maldina`s Will when you find the offspring of the vampire...her
son and daughter still walk this earth. This much, Maldina has made clear to me. Beyond that, I cannot see at this time.
Now, daughter, I must bid you goodbye. Perhaps for a long time, perhaps shorter. The gate Lan`delock has helped to open is but one
way, and through it I must go. Maldina will guide me, of that I am sure. Until my return, I would ask that you keep a few of my
belongings, the most important of which is my sword, Ithlin. To this messenger, I have given its keeping, and thence to you. In my
name and on my honor, use it to protect you – with it in your hands, I may be able to find a way back to this world, even from the
realms I am going to. DO NOT let it stray from your possession! Zephyr will look after me. I hope you allow Sebastian and everyone
else we know and cherish to do the same for you.
May the Goddess guide you through the shadows of this world in my absence,
Your father,
Sabin
Personal Journal #5, Entry #1 (Game of
Empire II: 01/25/1995)
I have learned so much in the last few weeks, `tis almost frightening. So
much has been made clearer to me - `tis as if a veil has been lifted from my
eyes.
My memories from my earliest days at the Temple have grown much
stronger. I remember everything now - the heartrending nightmares, the
wounds I inflicted on myself, and Hawk`s last-ditch effort at healing. The
High Priest blocked away certain pathways in my mind, sealing off certain
emotions from me. Hawk told me that I was inadvertently using my healing
powers to hurt myself, being unable to deal with the violence of my hatred
towards those that had tried to kill me in Obedience. He limited my access
to the darker emotions, and did what he could to heal my body completely even to the extent of restoring my virginity, hoping that by doing so, he
could aid my emotional and mental healing.
Those blockages and barriers were ripped away when the vampire took my
mind and memories. I now know why I reacted so violently after being
made a nosferatu; it was the first time the emotional pathways had been
open in three years. Sabin, Silence, and Sebastian have all told me that my
reactions were normal - but compared to no feeling at all, they seemed
drastic, almost demonic. `Tis no wonder I frightened myself half to death
with thoughts of internal taint and influence! All three agree, though, that
vampires will continue to be attracted to be me - but not through any real fault of mine - just that like moths, they seek the light that
shines from within living souls.
One thing concerns me - in Sabin`s letter, he says that he sent his sword, Ithlin, along with the letter. But the messenger did not
have it, and would not tell me where it was. . . if the sword is Sabin`s connection back to this realm, I must find it.
Seeing Sebastian in Quur was something of a shock, though I should expect such from him. Though he is a knight, he`s not much for
taking orders. I fled from him when first I saw him. He gave chase, and when he shouted that if ever I had cared for him, I should
stop... well, that certainly wasn`t fair. We talked for a time, his thoughts on the matter of my "taint" echoing those I heard from my
foster-father. Sebastian told me that he would not be traveling with Koremenos to the elven lands, which both pleased and worried
me. I like not the idea of him still being indebted to Koremenos, but I`m glad he`ll not have to take that journey.
I have such hope now. If Maldina Herself says that someday, Sebastian and I will be together... well, then I guess I can wait, however
long it takes. Even with that assurance, though, I couldn`t face Yashia. As soon as I realized it was she, I ran. Sebastian must think
me such a coward. But his acknowledgement of feelings for me is too new and special a thing -- I couldn`t face Yashia, knowing that
she loves him, too. Though our paths will not always be side by side, I know that Sebastian is with me always now, and it brings me
such joy as I have never known....
Silence is doing better, but I like not her current delicate condition. I will not speak more of it, not even here, at her strongest wish.
She is still weak from the two weeks of no food or rest that the demon imposed upon her. I am concerned about her sudden gift of
tongues and prophesy. This bit about "The white lady shall go to the silver lake to battle the shadows of darkness" is a bit strange but who`s to say there aren`t two Maldinans in the family? So, once current things are taken care of, and Silence is safe in the
Darkwood, and the matter down in the Border Kingdoms is taken care of, I`ll head back to Quur. I wonder when I`ll be hearing from
the Council about my application for citizenship? Hopefully soon.
The matter with Sorryl has been concluded and yet started anew for new reasons. I challenged him to the Arena, so that we would
be able to speak in complete privacy. We settled the matter of Silence, yet at the time, I had no idea of the "hospitality" he had
shown her. The previous matter is done, and I have finally laid to rest Lord Kalal`s impression that I am a suspicious bigot, but I have
no tender feelings for the Melniboneans, and will ever be cautious and wary of them.
While in Quur, I also chanced to meet a young pregnant woman and her brother. I do not know their names, but was able to render
them some small service. Having no small experience in the matter of pregnancy, I judged that the woman should not be
surrounded by the chaos of the public room of the tavern they were in, so, with the help of a loan from my old friend Talmar, I
arranged for her to be moved to a private room. Upon examining her, I learned that the child was male, and due in a matter of
weeks. The woman was terrified, her brother deeply concerned. I gleaned that she was the mistress of a local nobleman, and that
in the absence of his true and legitimate heir, her child was the next in line for the Great House. She was afraid for her life, and that
of her babe. She and her brother were fleeing Quur as quickly as possible.
I asked Maldina to grant me the boon of a vision, which she granted, revealing that the child was in danger from men sent by its
father. I arranged the defenses of the woman but then had to leave, as Sorryl was heading back to his home, and I had to travel with
him to fetch Silence. None of those that I left behind in the girl`s defense have contacted me to tell me what happened -- I hope she
is safe.
Additionally, I have learned that anyone visiting Quur; i.e. anyone not a citizen can be unceremoniously captured and sold into
slavery. I am going to advise all Maldinans of this, and look into the matter of citizenship as soon as possible.
Letter to the High Council of the Empire of Quur:
To The High Council of Quur, I give thee honorable greetings:
Gentlefolk:
Forgive the lack of proper form to this missive, for as yet, I know not the courtly and proper ways of thy land. Allow me to introduce
myself - my name is Kestrel n`hya Loriah, and I am a Wandering Mistress of the Sight, following the Path of Maldina. (To give
reference, the Maldinan order is one of healing, prophesy, and good works, performing service to the individual in times of need. The
order originates from Monaque, an island far to the South-west.)
I have recently had the pleasure of traveling in thy fair land, having heard of it from a noble gentleman by the name of Sir Festil
D`Verot, Knight of the Order of the Falcon`s Eye. I found it beautiful and fascinating, and was pleased to spend several weeks
traveling through the countryside, from York all the way to the capitol city.
It is Maldina`s Way to actively direct Her clergy to the places that She foresees may have need of their service. I have recently
learned that She intends me to return to Quur, though to what purpose I am as yet unsure. Knowing this, I seek to learn all that I
may of thy laws and customs so that I, in ignorance, not break any laws as I did on my first journey. (York is the only place I have ever
traveled to that considers it a crime to be a cleric -- I assure thee that I shall ne`er travel there again, not wishing to break that law.)
If possible, if I may be so bold, I would also wish the honor and duty of dual-citizenship; that of Westfall and Quur, if that is allowable
by thy laws.
Though I have no formal sponsor for my request, my character is known to Sir Festil, and I have also met the Voice of the Cou ncil
named Caerywan that is stationed at the Culling Fields. My recent actions there are known to him, as is some further information of
my order, and personality.
I beg thee to consider my request, made in all courtesy and sincerity. Any reply and/or comment may be sent, shouldst thou be so
kind to do so, in the care of the Maldinan High Temple in Angels Crossing.
In respectful service to my Lady`s Will, and thine,
I remain,
Kestrel n`hya Loriah
TAVERN WALLS, FEBRUARY/MARCH 1995
Sorryl - I don't appreciate the 'hospitality' thou didst showed my cousin. Thee told me in the Arena that she had been treated well...
perhaps in thy own mind thou were not lying, but I certainly count what thee said as a falsehood. Please do not insult me again in
such a manner, and keep thy distance from me and my kin. – Kestrel n’hya Loriah, Wandering Mistress of the Sight of Maldina
Lan'Delock - please contact me as soon as thou art able, regarding my Father, Sabin Loriah. Tis of the greatest importance. - Kestrel
n'hya Loriah
Kestrel - Hopefully you will receive this before further ill occurs. I'm alright, though weak and ill from several weeks of straight travel.
It was all I could do to write this. The Melnibonean, Sorryl, who saved my life, is allowing me to recover at his estate, so I do hope
you receive this quickly. I truly loathe him. Love, Silence.
Sir Festil D'Verot - It seems that I will be travelling back to Quur, whether I will it or not -- should this be, I can think of few I would
wish to accompany that would aid me more than thee. Wouldst thou be willing? Thy land is strange to me, and I would have one
with me that is learned in its intricacies. Besides that, though of the Falcon's Eye - what better companion? Fondly, Kestrel Loriah
Kira - Yes, thou may count upon my protection, but lady, I beg thee to please reconsider the company that thou keepest. Tis unfair
to ask my protection and then insist upon befriending those beasts that would devour you alive! They are alien creatures - they do
not think and feel as we do. Though they may have a fair guise that may fool the eyes, they are conspicuously lacking in those
qualities that make one human. They are not to be trusted, and thy insistence in accompanying them is like sliding thy hand into the
jaws of a shark. A pretty trick if thou canst carry it off, but expect the teeth to clash unexpectedly upon thy limb! Please, I beg thee,
reconsider. I will do my best to aid thee, but thou must also do thy best to avoid such perils - Kestrel n'hya Loriah
Kestrel Loriah - it seems that Fate is dragging us both to Quur. I can only assume that it is the Will of Maldina that will bring us to this
place at the same time. I would gladly show you my home town; besides, there are some advantages to being a member of one of
the noble houses of Quur. Meet me at the Culling Fields; it’s one of the safest place in all the city. I'll meet you there after I've
arranged lodging with my family. May the winds of knowledge fill thy wings. - Sir Festil D'Verot, Order of the Falcon's Eye
Personal Journal #6, Entry #1 (Purplesaurus
Rex: 02/26/1995)
Well, fortunately diaries are easier to replace than other things. My last one
is in a very odd place - one I have no wish to return to.
Having heard no word from the Council of Quur, I followed Maldina`s Bidding
and left those lands for a time, and crossed nearly the breadth of the world
to go to Avendarr. It is such an odd place, Avendarr. Much like Obedience in
the strictness of its laws, and there are times, I must confess, that the Tyrian
Knights and Priests remind me of those of home.
In any case, word had spread of a peddler who was selling a great Tome of Knowledge. Seeking to study it, I travelled to the
Purplesaurus Rex Inn once more. There, things became . . . odd. There is no other way to explain it. I clearly recall purchasing a
copy of the tome for further study, but then it simply disappeared, and the price I paid for it was restored to me in full. But more
importantly, I met a young girl who was looking for my foster-father, Sabin. She was so much like me, when I first emerged from
Obedience, that I nearly wept. The child wished to take oath to Maldina`s service, and so I offered her up a suggested name - Wren.
The wren is a small, but brave bird, which blends into its surroundings, but offers up one of the sweetest songs of any of the birds.
She seemed pleased by the suggestion, and took the name. I was pleased to be able to trade away some small items, and, through
the courtesy of Sir Gallant, Eric Jones, and a number of others, was able to purchase Wren a variety of items that would assist her on
the journey back to the main land.
Also at that gathering, I spoke with a priest of Darshiva, who did a card reading for me. Truly, his goddess and mine are twin in many
things - Darshiva is a goddess of healing and prophesy. I was able to obtain a copy of a very vital prophesy, attributed to a Saint
Aaron. It speaks of troubling things, which I know some of which have already come to pass, which are given as signs of times of
great darkness and evil.
The last item of note - and an important note, indeed - was that I was able to assist in the return to life of another person. His name
is Drake, and a darker, more sorrowed soul I have never met. That young man concerns me deeply, for I feel strongly that Death will
have him in Her grasp yet again.
Sebastian failed to meet me, which filled me with sorrow. I have not heard from him in quite some time, and am growing
concerned.
TAVERN WALLS: MARCH/APRIL 1995
Sebastian: To my cherished one, the blessings and protection of the Goddess upon thee. I am sore troubled and confused, and need
thy counsel. I have spoken through dreams with thy cousin, Tolliver, and the news that he gives me is grave. He told me that thou
hast put a price on his head, personally hiring the Lady Yashia to hunt him down! I implored him to believe me when I said this could
not be true, but I am not certain that he is convinced. He spoke also of prophesies and visions that he had, and, forgive me, but I
must tell thee that his visions are true -- Maldina confirmed this. This rift between thee and he must be healed - it wounds thee both
so, and for no good reason! Sebastian, wouldst though be willing to go with me to visit Tolliver and lay this difference to rest? Let
me be the bridge to span the distance between thee and he - both of thee are far too restrained by honor to speak first, therefore, I
have done so. Please, I beg thee, in a few months’ time, let us go to Khorvesh, in Quur, where Tolliver is training, and let this wound
be healed once and for all. Thine, always - kestrel (Post Script: Silence is doing well, but I've learned she sent a most rash - albeit
well meaning -letter to the Council of thy Order. I fear that if they are as honor-bound and stiff as Tolliver has made them out to be,
that there may be a reprisal against thee. Take care, and send any reply to me swiftly - as always, I count the days until I hear from
thee.)
Kestrel - I'm glad that you are looking after Silence. She needs friends. I know you're very, very busy, but could you watch over the
young Maldinan? Sabin, I hear, is going away, and so she needs someone to watch over her. If you have need of anything that I can
do for you, just ask. May the Goddesses watch over you always - Telenea
Kestrel - I am in fact going to assist Sabin in finding a portal to another land. If you wish to speak on the matter, I will accommodate
you in private - Lan'dalock
Lan'dalock - yes, please. At thy earliest convenience, I beg thee to meet me in the Darkmoor Forest. (I currently cannot leave the
area as I am the midwife for a friend, and her condition is fragile) I pray thou wilst forgive the inconvenience and understand my
inability to go to thee, but the whereabouts of Sabin is a grievously important thing to me. I have a bad feeling about this Journey of
his.. -Kestrel n'hya Loriah
Wren: It was my honor and delight to meet thee in Avendarr, and be thy escort to Master Crispin Nightwing. I pray that my gifts to
thee will protect thee when thou travelest from the Temple - but greater than that paltry armor will be the sheltering Wings of the
Goddess. She cherishes and protects Her own - rejoice that though art in that blessed company! May thy Visions be true, thy hands
blessed with healing, and thy eyes filled with the Sight. Shouldst thou ever need my help in any matter, thou hast but to send words
and I will be there. - Kestrel n'hya Loriah
JUNE/JULY 1995:
Greywolf - Although we met but extremely briefly, I would ask the courtesy of thy aid on a journey I will soon be attempting. Please
contact me for further details - Kestrel n'hya Loriah, Wandering Mistress of the Sight of Maldina.
To All: The growing force of evil that sweeps our fair lands cannot be denied. Prophesy after prophesy is coming to fruiting and the
Shadows of Darkness are rising like the tides when the moon is full. Canst though look about thee and not see the evidence before
thy eyes? Tis taking hold of all, inch by inch, invisibly. Destroying a temple here, discrediting a good leader there, slaying an orphan
slave child for sacrifice in the City, ruining crops to cause mass starvation in the country. We must come together, all faiths, all
peoples, and fight against this insidious threat. Look to the prophecies of Quur and Avendarr and Maldina and others, and act now,
before it becomes too late. To those in Quur, in the Lake Argon area, prepare thyselves to be in the midst of a battlefield, as the first
of the great battles will take place there- as it did in the past. Tirren Woodkeeper's return is eminent. We have all been apathetic to
what is around us - with open invitations by Priests of the Souldrinker to their foul meetings,being met with no resistance or
comment, I am nae surprised that the rot of evil has grown so far, so fast, encouraged by the Dark Gods, such as Lolth, Balbus,
Arioch and others. But these and other evils can be fought and defeated - for example, the Necromancer, Victor, in Lone Ardin; the
undead Beast, Storivad in Avendarr; the demon Zbegron in Quur. Think of these victories and take heart. But I beg and plead with
each one of thee, to stand with me against this, and led your support to any who would do so as well. IT could make the difference each one of thee, making thousands of choices each day, make the difference in this war. For war it is - never doubt that. - Kestrel
n'hya Loriah
Thomas MacGregor - If thou wouldst be willing, I would crave thy assistance on a trip to Quur... - Kestrel
Sir Festil D'Verot - It looks like I'll be traveling through Quur soon. Wouldst thou be willing to accompany me to Lake Argon? I
wouldst be in thy debt. - Kestrel
Personal Journal #6: Entry #2: (Peasant Under Glass: 02/02/1996)
Well, Ardwyr hasn`t gotten any more pleasant since the last time I was there. Sir Festil asked me to Journey with him - he was
called to the West, he said, towards Avendarr. Our travels took us through Ardwyr, which is certainly not on what I would call a
direct route to Far Cove for the boat over to Avendarr, but it seems Our Lady meant our steps to turn there. I wasn`t sure if I was
comfortable with the mage who traveled with us - he seemed strangely familiar, and I did not feel that I could trust him for some
reason, I know not why.
Almost as soon as we crossed from Mivior to Ardwyr, we were contacted by representatives of Lady Marguerite. I still find little that
is worthy of respect in that woman, other than her drive and her sheer will. But I digress. Lady Marguerite had sent several men
into a cave that had been revealed by a recent earthquake. They had not emerged. She didn`t have the luxury of sending in more
men - so why not ask the disposable travelers to aid her? After all, as a princess of the land, her Royal request is something not too
far from a command.
I asked Maldina`s aid, and learned that what we faced was a creature named `Smiley`. This didn`t mean anything to me - but soon
would. Travelling into the cave and down the pathways into the earth, we found the workshop of some sorcerer. We quickly found
ourselves trapped, as the doors sealed themselves shut. The evening grew more unpleasant from that point. We found ourselves
forced to make a deal with Smiley - a demon who swiftly introduced himself and his opinion of the situation. He had been bound
there for a long time, and wanted, very badly, to escape and wreak his vengeance upon Ardwyr. It soon became apparent that only
through lies and deceit would I be able to escape, which I felt I could not in honor do. I said my goodbyes to Sir Festil, and tried to
compose my soul - for the arcane protections that guarded us from Smiley`s hunger were not strong, and would fail after a certain
amount of time.
Maldina let it be known to me that Her plans for me were not complete, and that She wished me to take whatever steps necessary
to escape. I did not like doing so, but when directed by one`s goddess to do a thing, that thing must be done.
We were, obviously, able to escape, or I should not be updating this diary, but rather be food in a foul nether-creature`s belly. But I
do not feel good about what I had to do to escape that prison, and hope it will not make Sebastian think less of me when I find him.
Personal Journal #6, Entry #3 (NUL (05/04/1996),
It seems that odd gates and portals are to be a part of my life, no matter how deeply I despise what tends to lie beyond them.
While heading back to Mount Tarenya, I was pulled by Maldina`s Will to Lone Ardan. There, the locals expressed concern about a
Gate that had formed, and its effects on the local environs and people. Accompanied by a motley group of individuals, some of
whom I distrusted greatly, I went to see if there was aught I could do to close the Gate.
There, I found myself in an odd realm, where things worked quite differently than I expected. Though the forces of darkness and
their minions seem to be quite the same wherever one goes... I was at least able to protect my friends from the bog creatures far
more easily than I was able to protect them from the evil in our own midst...
I, Sir Festil, Axly Marcal, and Ford Hryken were accompanied by two individuals of such unsavory character that I pray I never cross
their path again - Thorazine and Nalfein Noquar. Nalfein, in particular, earned my repeated wrath by threatening a child with
molestation, continually making verbal references about a liaison with this child, and my inability to prevent it if he so desired to do
so. Tension was constant, as I sought to ensure that these persons did not harm anyone under my care.
The day progressed with a variety of odd tasks being required of us, but culminated when Thorazine and Nalfein assaulted the group
with a magical webbing. I alone remained free from its grasp, and thus was able to heal Axly when Nalfein cut his throat. I tried to
drive them off, but succeeded only in getting my own throat cut by Nalfein. Oddly, Thorazine healed me - barely - but enough such
that I did not die. Sir Festil ran them off at this point, which was probably to my benefit. We exited the realm, and let the Gate close
behind us, hopefully leaving those two hateful creatures trapped on the other side. Though it is an unkind wish, I almost hope that
someday Sebastian runs into that Nalfein creature, for a darker-souled, darker-skinned elf I have never met. (NUL)
TAVERN WALLS: JUNE/JULY 1996
Sebastian – Dost thou yet live, my friend? Nearly a year is gone since the last time I beheld thy face. The winds cannot find thee, yet
Maldina says that thou art not within Her enfolding Wings. Praythee, give me some small word or my heart will break with the loss
of thee. – kestrel asel-Loriah
Kestrel: Whatever you need, I will be glad to help you. Please tell me what you need. -Talmar
Talmar – Nalfein Noquar’s head. – Kestrel
Kestrel – On a platter or in a bag? And how soon? – Talmar
Talmar - At your leisure. I trust your judgment as to how. - Kestrel
To All In Westfall - Let it be known that Nalfein Noquar is a dead man. Anyone who interferes with me will not be on this world very
long after him. – Talmar
Be it known throughout Quur and to all its citizens that Nalfein Noquar has committed the crime of assault against a member of a
noble house of Quur. He is to be arrested and brought to Quur to stand trial for this and other crimes. This writ may be executed by
any Quuran citizen or by any agent of the Empire of Quur in any land. Please be wary – this criminal is a powerful magic user and
highly dangerous. Caution is advised. – Sir Festil D’Verot, Knight – Order of the Falcon’s Eye, Noble of the House of D’Verot
Wren: Greetings! My name is Sir Festil D’Verot, Knight of the Order of the Falcon’s Eye. I have met with Kestrel on a number of
occasions and adventured with her recently. I find myself searching for a purpose in life, and Maldina seems to be sending me to
help protect those in need. Kestrel indicated that you might be in need of some kind of protection, although she did not elaborate.
Please contact me through these walls, such that we might discuss this. Or, if your current path carries you into Quur, look for me at
the Culling Fields in the capital city. (Ask anyone, they can tell you where it is.) Until we meet, may Maldina guide and protect you. –
Sir Festil D’Verot, Knight of the Order of the Falcon’s Eye
When I stepped out of the gate, I found myself not in Lone Ardan as I expected, but rather all the way back in Avendarr. Finding
little to keep me there, and receiving no Vision from Maldina to keep me there, I made a few purchases and then headed for the
coast to travel back to Kintomar and the Temple at Mount Tarenya. (Healing Springs of Qualmire)
Personal Journal #6, Entry #4 (Pawns, 10/19/1997)
I really should know better than try and go to the Temple. It seems
the oddest occurrences happen when it is my destination. I was
stopping for the evening at an Inn - I believe we were just inside the
Kintomar border - and was surprised to see a variety of people I had
traveled with before - Tristan, and Prince Teine Fireleaf. Also there
was a man of puissant skill at arms named Ryan, a pair of knights
named Sir Randall and Sir Victor Bane (though two more different
individuals can hardly be imagined). We were swarmed by the
patrons and staff of the Inn, and bid to play an odd game. When we
did, we were all pulled into a `game` of another sort - a duel
between two forces, I know not whether mortal or immortal, in
which we were merely pieces upon a board.
I have rarely been so frustrated as I was there. Tristan earned my
anger on a number of occasions, behaving in a selfish, thoughtless, uncaring manner. At one point, he amused himself by taunting
the militia guarding a tower that we needed passage through, simply to prove his own indestructableness, leaving Sir Randall and I
to try and assemble the siege engine we needed to win through.
At one point, I became so frustrated with the others
accompanying us, and their lack of assistance, that I almost... almost... called up the spirits of the dead to aid me. I am horrified I
could have even thought of such a thing. But I did not do it, and perhaps as a gift of encouragement, perhaps as a watcher to my
better behavior, Maldina herself gifted me with a minor wind elemental that guards me from danger.
TAVERN WALLS: MARCH 1998
Kestrel: Lady, I have need of your council. Maldina gives me guidance in many things, yet I need to speak with you regarding
alliances made that have not yet been properly severed. While Maldina tells me that my fears are without ground, I still feel the
need to properly break with my old vows. At which time, I would like to take on the vows as you and I have discussed. Please honor
me with your response. May Maldina protect you until we meet again. - Sir Festil D'Verot, Order of the Falcon's Eye.
Sebastian - Doest thou live, still? Nearly five years has passed since the last time I beheld your face. The winds cannot find thee, yet
Maldina says thou art not within Her enfolding wings. Praythee, give me some small word, or my heart may yet break with the loss
of thee. - kestrel
A Dream Sent by Sebastian:
As has happened so many times before, as your terrestrial vision fades, and you enter the dream world, you find yourself in the guise
of a soaring raptor, a bird of prey. You are enjoying the thermals, and are wheeling, diving, and then climbing again, above low lying
cloud cover.
A feeling comes to you, one you have not felt in...years. A presence of sorts. It emanates from below, beneath the clouds. You bank
your turn, and descend, the wind ruffling the feathers on the trailing edges of your wings.
You are momentarily blinded as you descend through the cloud cover, only to have a vast landscape suddenly unfold before you. It is
a great forest, with a dense, nearly impenetrable canopy. You know that little light could penetrate to the floor of this wood, and
that it must be a place of great wonder, and mystery. Dimly, your other self knows this wood for what it is.
You spy a small opening in the canopy, slow your descent, and enter the wood, all the while this old feeling becomes stronger. At
last, you can see the forest floor, densely overgrown, with a myriad of game trails and clearing cutting through. You fly parallel to
the ground now, dodging and weaving between the great conifers that make up the bulk of the forest.
The feeling grows in you, becoming a physical pang. It grows in intensity until it is a very real pain, and then just as suddenly, it is
gone, and the dense forest opens into a large, clover filled clearing, where a few shafts of mote-filled sunlight filter to the ground. A
large pack of wolves feed and cavort in the midst of the clearing. You alight on a branch, high above, and watch them, knowing that
what you seek is here.
Though wolves are scattered throughout the space, the largest number seem to be concentrated upon a mound, near the center of
this clearing, upon which a blackened and twisted oak tree, all but leafless, resides. At the base of this tree lies an immense wolf,
regal in his bearing, wearing the scars of many battles, and the grey of many winters. Other, lesser wolves come to him, bringing him
bits of their kills, displaying submissive behavior, or singing to him of their travels. At times, the regal wolf gestures with his great
head, and the supplicant wolf heads off in that direction, intent upon some mission.
You continue to watch the clearing. Time flows, and you know not whether it has been hours, days, or perhaps even longer. At times
the wolves band together, and depart the clearing, and upon their return they are always fewer in numbers, and often bloodied. At
other times, young wolves come, and pay homage to the King Upon the Mound, and are accepted into the community. Once, a great
swarm of shadowy figures assaults the clearing, almost attaining the mound before they are repulsed.
During the battle, one particular wolf catches your eye. He is no longer young, but still fierce of mien, and fleet of claw. His coat is a
dark red, and he bears sad, haunted eyes. In battle he is sure, and confident, and while possessing little of the berserk rage of many
of his younger comrades, the trail of enemies he leaves behind attests to his prowess. Near the pinnacle of the battle when all seems
darkest, it is he and the King Upon the Mound alone who defend the blasted oak from the invaders, and it is these two alone who
repulse the horde. At one point during the battle, the King Upon the Mound places a single great paw upon the tree, raises h is grey
muzzle to the sky, and emit a terrible howl. Fiery bands burst forth from the tree, enveloping some of the shadowy figures, and drag
them down into the earth, screaming in torment.
Afterwards, bleeding from a score of wounds, the blood of his enemies caking his fur, the red wolf surveys the carnage below the
mound, looking upon both the shattered remains of their enemies, and the still forms of his comrades. He then engages in
communication with the King Upon the Mound. You’ve come to understand the language of these fellow predators, both the subtl e
and the overt, and you come to understand that these two are engaged in a dispute, quiet at first, but growing in intensity. The red
wolf refuses to show his submission, proudly meeting the gaze of the King. The King begins to show his displeasure by curling his lip
into the intimation of a snarl. They begin to circle one another, and as they do the other wolves begin to slowly congregate around
the mound, veterans all of the horrible battle that had raged only moments before, giving mute testament to this new confrontation.
All the while, the red wolf’s eyes fill with a cold fury, barely held in check. The King Upon the Mound makes no such effort to control
himself, and becomes increasingly hostile, emitting a deep bass growl. Finally, the great King throws himself upon the smaller red
wolf, who vigorously defends himself. As they tumble across the mound, you catch glimpses of fresh wounds appearing upon both
contestants. You cannot imagine what reserves of strength they must be drawing upon for this struggle, having already given so
much, and it is then that a sense of profound tragedy settles upon you, as you watch these two guardians battle amongst
themselves.
The battle rages on, with the smaller wolf somehow matching the larger beast. At last, the battle begins to slow as the wounds of
two battles begin to take its toll. As the battle grinds down, with a few sporadic fits of violence, it is clear that the smaller wolf has
the larger by the throat, his jaws, closing the airway of the King Upon the Mound. As the King stops moving, the red wolf collapses at
his side, and begins to drag himself, painfully, towards the great oak tree. There he musters his strength before raising himself up,
taking a branch of the tree between his jaws, and breaking it off. He then, slowly, proceeds down the hill, and those below part to let
him pass. None move, and none make a sound. As the red wolf makes his way out of the clearing, branch clenched in his teeth, the
King Upon the Mound stirs and drags himself to his feet, defeated, but not slain. He throws back his head and emits a terrible howl
of pain, frustration, rage, and loss, and then the red wolf is gone, lost in the gloom of the wood.
You sense that your time in this place has ended, and you again take wing, launching yourself across the clearing, up to the source of
one of the shafts of light. A few, a very few, of the wolves down below take notice, but none care overly much. You break once more
into the daylight, and wing your way homeward.] (Dream written by Andrew Middlecamp)
Personal Journal #6, Entry #3:
I had such an odd dream last night. . . one I believe was a True Dream. Could it have been from Sebastian? I so hope and pray this
means that he is all right. I have written letter after letter over the last several years to no avail, hoping to hear from him, but with
no answer. Maldina tells me he is not within Her arms, so he is not dead, but when I try to determine where he is, I am thwarted
with no answer. I miss him.
Personal Journal #6, Entry #5: (Nothing More Sacred: 05/10/1998)
Sometimes I think I should just move to Avendarr and start a Temple there - I spend enough time on that foreign shore.
When finally Festil and I made our way to the southern end of the kingdom, we learned that a famed slayer of undead - one Griffon
Deadbane - had gone missing, and since his absence, the assaults by Tyste`s minions had grown much worse.
I cannot imagine what led Festil to assemble such a motley crew as accompanied us that day, but we managed to persevere.
Though, there were times that I was ready to slap Zak for his inappropriate advances. Still, I felt badly for him, for at one point, one
of the undead we fought infected him with a powerful poison which made Zak into one of them. We were forced to slay him, and
then I called back his mortal spirit and form with Maldina`s aid.
Sir Festil and I spent most of the day talking, and at one point, he told me that Maldina had shown him Her will - that he spend his
days protecting those in Her service. We spoke long about rebirthing the Order of the Falcon`s Eye, not bound to the service of a
land or a king, but to those who share our faith. As a symbol of our oath, Festil gifted me with a beautiful necklace of blue stones
with a falcon upon it.
It was indeed a day for gifts. Arriving just as we departed on our adventure, was a small package from Sir Randall. I`m not sure why
he sent it, or what it means to him, but I could not return it without speaking with him. Though accepting a gift from a gentleman
does not seem quite proper, especially when my thoughts and my heart are reserved for one specific individual. . .
The greatest gift I received that day, however, was in the form of a vision from Darshiva. After undergoing a minor ritual of
purification, I was granted Sight of one who I have not seen in nearly three years - Sebastian. My heart overflowed with joy as I
beheld him sleeping on a bed of leaves, tired and worn, but well. In the Vision, I knelt and whispered words of my feelings for him,
and blew him a kiss. He smiled in his sleep and turned towards me, but then the vision ended. . . I cannot express how much I have
missed him.
In the morning, I`m heading for Mount Tarenya to report back in, and then straight north to the Darkwood, where his order is based.
I hope to find him there.
“To Be A Cleric”
(Written for the the Northern Alabama Web Site - events to occur after Peasant Under Glass but before Kestrel reached the
Darkwood)
Kestrel sighed silently as the woman before her repeated her plea, and then tried to form an answer the peasant would understand.
“Good lady,” Kestrel began, “I am sorry, but what you ask is not within my ability… I do not have the ability to restore the woods to
what they once were… The skills you need are not those of a priestess of the gods, but an adherent to the ways of the wood. I
cannot call the game back for your husband to bring home to your cook-pot. I cannot stir the trees to renewed growth…” She let
her words trail off as the woman interrupted once more.
“But, Lady, the last priestess come through, she took care of us… why aint’cha as good as she were?” The older woman’s face was
crunched up in a grimace of unhappiness tinged with scorn. It was clear that she felt the fault was somehow in the young woman’s
faith, not her calling.
The Maldinan seeress bowed her head, and carefully removed the elaborate headband that was the holy symbol of her faith.
Caressing the long feathers that trailed from the band, each a story, an event, a trial or tribute to her life and faith, she tried
patiently yet again. “Goodwife, I am a priestess of the Goddess of the Winds, Maldina, She who granted mankind souls, and foretells
that which will happen. I do not follow the Lady Shanra, the Grain-Goddess, the spirit of the woods. Many of Lady Shanra’s
followers follow the wild-ways, which is the magic of tree and branch, the discipline known as Druidry… but I am not one of those
kinds of priests. The Path my Goddess bids me take is a different one.
“A true Cleric or Priest of a deity takes their power and responsibilities directly from the hand of that deity. It is our task to summon
protections, give healing and surcease from disease and pain, halt that which is unholy or undead, provide spiritual leadership to
those who are open to it, even to call back those who have passed on in an untimely fashion. Our responsibilities are great, but so is
the gift and reward of ability that is granted in return. Every prayer, every task, every infraction is noted, because the priest serves
their god much as you serve the lord on whose lands you live – but with more respect and love. Just as you obey the dictates of your
lord, do those tasks he sets before you, and work in his fields – thus do I obey my Lady Maldina, and do those things She wishes of
me, and work in the fields of Her dominion, which is the common folk of humanity. I do Her work by performing holy ceremonies,
such as weddings, blessings, burials, or performing Rituals of the Sight, to see what the future holds. Not healing trees or calling in
the wild animals as a Shanran Druid might, though in some ways, the Druids worship the forces of nature similarly to the ways I
follow my Goddess’s bidding. Does that make sense?”
Again the elderly face wrinkled, this time more in thought than in annoyance. “Eh. Well. So… you’re no good for the stewpot…
hmmm.”
Kestrel carefully concealed a chuckle at the odd turn of phrase, and murmured, “Well, no, I’m not particularly good at that… Is there
any other service I can render?”
“Well….” The peasant squirmed visibly, scarlet beginning to stain her rough, wind-chapped features.
A Voice whispered in the Priestess’s mind, like a perfect chord, and with it came understanding. This time, the chuckle escaped her
lips. “Ah… I see… Milady Goodwife, I am pleased to inform you, that yes, your daughter is pregnant, and yes, it is a boy, and yes, he
will be hale and hearty… and I could be back this way in time to perform his Naming ceremony, if you’d like.”
The toothless smile she received was answer enough.
   
Tucking one errant lock of hair behind her ear to remove it from the reach of questing fingers, Kestrel bent down and picked up the
babe. Smiling radiantly, she smoothed its downy brown hair, and turned to the restless group loosely assembled in the town square.
“People of Kisri, I welcome you to this Naming. I bring unto you a child, born of Jyslin and Tregare, your neighbors and friends. It is
their wish that you share in their joy this day, in welcoming their son into your community. It is my honor to preside over this
Naming, so, without further ado….” A gesture of one lithe hand both signaled to the mother and father to light the censer of
incense nearby, and magically raised a gentle breeze to caress the audience.
“By the grace granted me by the Lady Maldina, She who is the binder of souls, and in Her presence, and with the sacred elements of
Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and Spirit, I sanctify this child, and Name him Danielo. May he grow strong in body, mind, and spirit, and
always be one with his family and community. Jyslin, Tragere, people of Kisri, I give you Danielo. May you hold him in your hearts
always.”
The reaction was not what she expected. Rather than the jubilant celebration seen in most villages at a Naming ceremony, the
crowd immediately began to disperse, fading into the huts and homes that lined the square. Kestrel turned to the parents, and
handing them back the child, gave them a questioning look.
It was answered by a burly merchant who walked up behind the pair. “It’s the raiders, Lady. They’ve taken our spirit… most folks
think there’s no sense in Naming a babe if he’ll only be killed in a few weeks… we’re lambs to their slaughter, you see…” His
expression was one of impotent rage, anger, despair, and his hands twisted the ends of his belt into ruin.
A quick nod from Jyslin confirmed his tale. “It’s like Mayor says. Th’ raiders come in at night, steal children from their homes, take
what’s of value, an’ kill any who try and stop it… been going on the last moon-cycle. We know we need help, we just don’t know
who to ask or what to do.”
Her face grave, the priestess murmured a quick plea for protection and blessing for the child and his parents. “Well, as you know, I
am of the Wandering sect of my faith. I often travel about fairly dangerous parts of Westfall, so I am familiar with most of the
Guilds… If you’d like, I could suggest….”
At their vigorous nods, she continued, holding up two fingers. “As the saying goes, you must fight fire with fire. You’re dealing with a
group of bandits, probably accompanied by several specialists of various types. I recommend a hiring group of Guild fighters. When
it comes to down and dirty combat, which you already know you face, fighters are your best defense. Their armor and training make
them formidable. I’d also recommend a Knight or two, to help keep things on an even, lawful keel. While Fighters certainly are
effective, sometimes their tactics or morals are not quite . . . above board. I don’t want any of you townsfolk getting in trouble with
the law. I’ll call in the Knights of the Order of the Falcon’s Wing – they are the knightly servants of my Goddess.”
She raised a third finger, tapping it lightly. “You’ll need to drive them off with bowfire, which means some Rangers. No one can
match their skill in woodcraft and archery. They can also check to see if the food supply has been tampered with, and they can help
track the bandits back to their lair. I’d also suggest several spell-casters: at the very least, you’ll need several with the ability to
heal. Clerics and Druids can both assist with that. Druids are very diverse, and are good with protections versus elemental attacks,
and can also help protect your crops so that after this is all over, you’re not starving this winter. Mages will be beneficial to you for
dealing with arcane assaults, if any – do you know how the bandits are getting past your sentries? Are they magically charmed or
put to sleep?”
Kestrel paused a moment in her questioning, tallying fingers raised, and smiled sympathetically at the trio before her, noting their
glazed, confused expressions. “I know, it’s all very overwhelming. But if you’re to mount a defense, it needs to be balanced. You
need to be ready to meet every contingency… and that’s why…” She took a deep breath, knowing they would be resistant to her
next words. “You’re going to need to hire a few Night-blades. Thieves. You’re facing thieves, and it takes one to catch one. Now, I
know you don’t like the idea!” She raised an admonishing hand, stilling their wave of protests. “But think of them as Guild members
just like your smith, or a farrier, or miller. They are skilled tradesmen, even if their trade is one that most would not wish to learn.
You’re going to need them to deal with any traps, poisons, or other trickery the bandits may try. A Monk may be useful as well, but
they are the most specialized Guildsman of all, being masters of their own body and its defenses and abilities. You never know what
you’ll need, so it’s best to be fully prepared.”
“But…” The mayor weakly protested, “How do we know who to trust? How can we get them here fast enough? And how do we pay
for them all?”
“Well, where there is banditry, there is booty. Many Guildsmen will come simply if you promise them a large share of what is found
at the bandit camp once they are defeated. And my Temple at Mount Tarenya can help cover the rest. The most important thing is
LIFE, sir, and preserving it. The secular issues can be dealt with as they come.” Her tone became serious. “This is going to be tough.
I’m not pretending that it will not. But with the right mix of help, I think Kisri will be all right. Now let's get to work…”
Personal Journal #6, Entry #6:
I did not know that the human form could contain such joy - sometimes it feels I might explode,
for all the happiness I feel could not possibly be confined to such a small place as my heart. I
found him, of course. Well, more accurately, he found me...
I was travelling to the Darkwood, where his order is based, when night fell. I could travel no
further, so I lay down at the base of a sheltering tree, put up some wards of protection, and went
to sleep. I Dreamt of a wolf pacing through the woods, tracking his prey - and woke to Sebastian
caressing my cheek. Gods, it took all of my strength not to leap into his arms then and there, but
that oath I gave him so long ago bound me to stillness.
We spoke, then, for hours, telling the tale of the years that have separated us. We spoke of
oaths, of bloodshed, of decisions made. And finally, we spoke of ourselves, of our feelings, which
have grown, not diminished. Then, Sebastian spoke the words that will be forever graven upon
my heart, my soul - he told me that he loved me. Tears overcame me - I could not stop them. I
was silent, and could only kiss his hand in response; I was so overwhelmed by emotion. He
asked, quietly, gently, if I had anything to say in answer. I answered that I would not then, nor
ever, give him an automatic reply to such words - that when I spoke the words that I longed to
say, that they would be of my heart, and not simply an thoughtless echoing of his own sentiment.
I have never been so happy in my life as I was that night, laying against Sebastian`s chest, hearing his heart beat beneath my ear, his
hand tangled in my hair. We spoke of the Oaths he is bound by, and the difficulties it will bring. By the Lady, I had no idea that
physical attraction could be so strong! I. . . I tremble to admit the depth of my desire for him, and even more so of his desire for me
- which is all too new and yet wonderful a thing. The next several years will be hard ones to wait, but I will not dishonor his Oaths.
But by the Lady, I swear, I have never wanted to break an Oath so badly.
At least we can Dream together . . . though I wonder, somewhat, what these Dreams may bring - for as my Lady is the Seeress and
Dream-Giver, are not Dreams just as `real` as waking reality for one of my Path?
I am so glad that he finally realizes that my place is at his side - no matter what may come, be it his death or my own. If I am the
one to fall first, I would want to pass into my Lady`s care laying in his arms. And if his Duty and Oaths call him to the realms beyond,
I would have it that the last face he saw in this life was my own, the last words he heard to be mine, telling him of my love for him.
Come what may, we are bound, heart to heart, soul to soul. The Lady Herself knows it... (Out of game role-playing session between
Kestrel & Sebastian)
Personal Journal #6, Entry #7
We leave in the morning for Ardwyr. For a small kingdom, they certainly seem to get in a lot of trouble . My old friend Axly Gregor
Marcal contacted me and asked if Sebastian and I could assist in a task of some delicate negotiations on behalf of King George. Our
fellow companions will be Sir Thomas Drake, an individual named Alain, and Drake, the young soldier I helped to restore to life so
long ago. It has been years since I last saw him. It will be good to renew our acquaintance.
While the thought of leaving our little trysting spot does not thrill me, it is, perhaps, for the best. That way, we will both have a
distraction from the temptations of the flesh that burn in us both. But it will also be good to travel with Sebastian again - to show
him that I am not the fragile rose he calls me, but a strong woman who is more than worthy to stand at his side, to guard his back,
and share his life.
Personal Journal #6,
(Diplomacy: 06/27/1998)
Entry
#8:
By the Lady, I feel so unclean. . . As I know it tempts Fate to swear
oaths, I shall simply pray I never set foot in Ardwyr again. I feel
used, I feel dirty, I feel horrible, and the nightmares are getting
worse with every night`s passage.
This past Saturday, I met up with Axly and our other companions
just outside of the Mitla Pass. There we met with a crown
representative, who informed us that our task was negotiating the
return of the previous diplomatic corps sent into Hothior. We had
a budget of two thousand gold with which to do so, which, to my
mind, seemed strangely low for a ransom of several valuable
prisoners, one being the daughter of the very highly placed Lord
Clifford.
Heading for the border, we were forced to declare all of our
possessions, our personal beliefs, and be catalogued and notarized
before being allowed to cross into Hothior. Apparently, simply for being a priestess of a faith other than their own state religion of
Zorang, I was considered unclean. I was forced to remove or hide all of my Maldinian regalia and insignias, and had to sign a
document swearing I would not practice my beliefs within sight of any Hothorian. Additionally, I was marked so that all would see
immediately that I was `unclean` and avoid me. It reminded me much of that horrible, horrible trip into the Fens . . . so much that
my hand shook so badly I could scarcely write well enough to fill out the declaration forms. But Sebastian was at my side, giving me
comfort and his solid, silent strength which I needed quite badly. At the same time I was wracked with revulsion at what I might
have to encounter in Hothior, I also felt quite badly about the impression I knew I must be giving Sebastian. I spent so long trying to
convince him I am no fragile rose, but yet, faced with a few simple papers, I nearly wept. What must he think of me now?
The negotiations went poorly, as I had immediately realized they would. I`m not sure why Ardwyr sent us in so ill prepared, but the
Hothorians were not willing to take anything less than seventy-five thousand gold for the `spies` - rather more than the two
thousand we had been given. We headed back towards the border, and from there, chaos ensued.
One moment we were walking back to the Pass, and the next, one of the guards was dead, and the other Enthralled by Drake. I had
sworn to the lass that she would take no harm from us, and yet she was knocked unconscious, tied to a tree and left. I demanded
that at least her memories be stripped so that she would not be put to the question and blamed for what they had done. I pray she
will forgive me the dark emptiness in her mind - for assaulting a mind is even more of a rape than an assault of the flesh. Though I
did not understand it to be the case at first, apparently an Ardwyran spy had contacted Drake, and given him word that the hostages
might yet be freed, if we acted swiftly.
Axly made the decision to continue on, in flagrant violation of the Hothorian laws.
Sebastian seemed to feel it was necessary, if not pleasant, and there was no force in the
world that would have removed me from his side at that point. Though deeply unhappy, I
continued with the group. We went to the designated spot where we were to meet the
spy, but instead found a Hothorian ambush. There was a child among the ambushers, and
I tried so hard to protect him, but Axly`s arrows brought him down. I have not been so
horrified and shocked in a long time as I was at that point. I wanted to turn around and
walk back to Ardwyr, alone if need be. But my oath of aid to Axly, and Sebastian`s
comforting presence kept me with the group.
We continued on, most of the group dressed as Hothorian Guards, with I and Drake as
their `prisoners`. Though Axly did bind my wrists with slipknots, Sebastian immediately
freed them, and told me he would not permit me to be bound. I am glad he did that. I was
not taking the binding very well, though I knew it to be necessary. We made our way to
the guard post and thence to the prison. I have no idea why the back entry way to the
prison was guarded as it was, but its defenses were many and potent. There was an entire corridor of glyphs, which I was able to
deal with for the most part. Sebastian offered to absorb the damage of several of them, but I was able to magically shield him from
any actual harm - though he was forced to be silent and deaf for some time. (I couldn`t keep myself from having my voice, telling
him of my love for him, be the first thing he heard once his hearing was restored. . . I don`t think he minded the conceit. It seemed
to please him.) I cannot say what would have happened to me if he had not been with me throughout that day. His strength was a
constant support, the touch of his hand an instant comfort. I never felt alone in my horror - for he expressed equal dislike of the
situation, though understood better than I the necessity involved.
Sir Thomas behaved very oddly the entire day. He acted more like Drake and Axly than the nobleman I know him to be. His humor
turned crude, his demeanor became common, and his entire posture, fighting style, everything about him was different. It made me
wonder if perhaps he had not been entirely honest with me about his past.
At one point, though I blush to admit it, while Drake was dealing with further traps along the way to the prison, Sebastian distracted
me with the lightest brush of his lips along the back of my neck, as he held me firmly. My knees nearly buckled, and I felt rather
faint. The attraction between us is so strong already, it only takes the slightest gesture on his part to . . . well . . . needless to say, he
obtained my immediate attention. Though it did seem odd that he would do so intimate a thing in so public and danger-strewn an
environment. When I questioned him as to why he had done so, he said simply that he wanted me. I blushed, but asked what about
the situation had enflamed his passions so - it hardly seemed the time or the place. He smiled quietly, a wicked gleam in his
beautiful wolf-eyes, and murmured that I was there - and that was all it really took - and how he wished we had time to take a nap.
. . I blushed so brightly at his reference to our shared Dreams, and the look in his eyes, that it must have lit the sky for miles around.
In truth, it makes me blush again, simply to record it here in a journal which only my eyes will ever touch.
Finally we won through to the prison, but it did not go as we had hoped. Many of our group were held by the Holfet glyphs that
were strewn about as protection for the guards. At one point, only one of our group remained free. I, myself, was struck motionless
by a priest of Zorang from inside the prison. Sebastian was held by a glyph about twenty-five feet away, and was forced to watch as
a Knight of Zorang came around the corner of the building and . . . well. I felt a sword hack and cleave my spine as I stood there
frozen, motionless, then the impact as my body hit the ground. I felt a voice cry out a denial, and then there was a sense that I stood
in a great and powerful wind. It roared all around me, pulling me aloft. I sensed my Lady near and yearned towards her, my spirit
taking the shape of my name-bird. Spreading my wings, I soared towards my goddess, rejoicing in Her strength and beauty. But
then I heard it again - a voice crying out, a ragged howl raised in refutation and horror. Then the sound dropped to a whisper, a
begging, a pleading. My eyes met Hers, and She nodded, Her Will plain.
I woke gently cradled in Sebastian`s arms, with my body filled with an agony such as I have not felt since I fell protecting Camilla. . .
but my soul at peace, laying there held safe by my beloved. I know that had it been any other calling me back, I would not have
answered. . . but it was Sebastian and I can refuse him nothing. I would die for him in a moment - could I do anything else but live
for him at his pleading, as well?
The rest of the day passed in much of a blur. We freed the few remaining captives, and it took my shrieking at Drake and Axly like
some horrid fishwife to get them moving and out of the prison - the alarm had been given, and I had no wish to run into more
sword-swinging guards. We moved swiftly, crossed the border with little difficulty, and regained our freedom back in Ardwyr
(though I did commit another crime, and stole the Hothorian guards` papers on each of us, having no wish to have any mention of
Sebastian and I in their hands.).
Sebastian has been quite gentle with me, very concerned and protective. But I can still feel the horrors of the day, and no amount of
scrubbing can remove the stain of the blood of that child, and my complete sense of failure.
(Player Note: The NPC playing the Knight of Hothior acted outside his combat instructions, and a protest was lodged with the
Watchdog on game day. The death was overturned and no HP loss occurred. However, because of the RP with Sebastian, the history
maintains the death, and I went ahead and considered the life spark item burned and used.)
Personal Journal #6, Entry #9 (Back To The Blue Nile Inn: 07/19/1998)
I have written to Lord Clifford, and learned that the trip into Hothior was marred by the actions of his servant. The lady had been
requested to inform us that the negotiations were simply a diversion and that Ardwyr expected them to fail. Our true mission was
to break across the border and rescue the captives. Negotiation was never expected to win the day. Had I but known that, I would
have been much more prepared for the actions we had to take and would not have been in such misery that day. The horror of it
lingers still and troubles my sleep.
The marks that Galen the Matooist placed upon Sebastian and I give me such a sense of belonging. `Tis a simple magic -- nothing
more than the knowing of where the other is at all times - - but never again will we have that terrible uncertainty as to the location
and fate of the other. It gives us just one more affirmation of the bond between us, the bond that is not simply of hearts, but souls,
if not of flesh. Being with him on a daily basis is such a balm to my heart. Simply the sight of him stills my fears and fills me with a
joy so profound that I still wonder how a simple mortal can withstand its glory...
Letter From Sir Sebastian Brookdale
Dearest Kestrel,
Who was it that said, ‘It is times like these that try men’s souls?’ No sooner than we thought we had escaped the darkness, the
despair, the moral uncertainties that seem to be the price of a life of honor in this age, than we are thrust back into the pits, to do
that which we must.
My words to you here, slipped into the pages of your travel worn journal, can do little to ease your conscience, or to aid yo u in
forgetting that which transpired, but perhaps I can offer you a few thoughts that put the events of our journey into the proper
perspective. Ponder it, if you would, for the few days that I will be away.
One must never trust those in authority to do the right thing. I have learned this through several painful lessons. A position brings
the right to be heard, but in and of itself, not the right to be obeyed. Such it was with the nobles of Ardwyr. Little did I suspect that I
should be more suspicious of a supposed bastion of goodness like Ardwyr, than a hive of evil like Hothior. We made the mistake of
taking our mission at face value. Political hostages have been taken. Negotiate their release. Return home quickly. Simple.
Peaceful. Righteous. Also, a complete deception. We were deceived from the beginning. They knew we had nothing to offer the
Hothorians, and yet still we were sent along our way. I have my suspicions that our illustrious traveling companions suspected as
much, but failed to impart this information to us. They certainly failed to report their intentions to complete the mission, even should
diplomacy fail, as it was doomed to do. You were there, you know what occurred as well as I do.
And what of it? In the end, we did what we thought right. We did not compromise. Had we wished, at any point, we could have
turned back. Why did we not? Because we knew that somewhere, a woman laid in chains, wracked in misery, awaiting our arrival.
And nothing, including our own passing torments, would stand in the way of that, and in the end, we maintained our honor, and our
dignity.
And so, my dear Kestrel, past the pain, and the moral uncertainty, and the specter of Death, I always had a light guiding my path. A
purpose. No matter what occurred, I was going to ensure that I did not fail you, by action, or omission of action. Your presence and
your need brought forth the best that I had to offer. And in your actions, I saw more clearly than ever the reasons why I h ave come
to love and value you as I have. When you cried over the death of the boy that sought to slay us, when you charged valiantly into the
breach of the prison camp, only to meet a vision of your doom, and when you stood toe to toe with Axly over the actions of ou r
group, I saw both that which I wanted, and that which I wanted to be. Though our days and nights in the City of the Open Gates
were among the most joyful I have ever experienced, I felt not half as alive then, as I did by your side in the midst of our journey into
Hothior. We are folk of action, Kestrel, and though our days alone, relaxing in some rural village inn are sweet and much awaited, I
do not think that either of us feel truly centered unless we are out crusading, seeking to uphold that which we hold sacred. Neither
are we whole without one another. All these things and more has our journey into Hothior demonstrated to me.
I fear that I must take leave of my writings. Since we returned from Hothior, I have felt uneasy. I did not know why until now, when,
upon making a loop backwards upon the path from whence we came, while you slept, I discovered evidence that we are being
followed. The tracks carried with them the singular scent of Drow. Somehow, they’ve found me, and the Tome. I do not think that
the two of us could stand against them, and any allies against them are too far away to do us any good. And so, I must beg your
forgiveness, my dear Kestrel. Enclosed within the folds of your cloak lies the Tome. Your aura should be enough to conceal its
malevolence, long enough for me to circle back again, that I might gain their attention, and divert them for a time. Whilst I am
entertaining them, take the Tome and make haste for the elven lands. The Elven court should know what to do with it. I will meet
you again in the City of the Open Gates, at the inn which we last lodged, as soon as I can. If there was another way, believe me, I
would take it, but I see no other alternative. Forgive me, my dearest, but it is the only way, and you are the only one I trust.
I love you. Maldina guide your way.
Sebastian
Interlude: The Court of Queen Bavane, Arcadia
Silence walked into the forest clearing just outside the little cottage where she lived. There was a figure in the meadow: a young
woman was sitting on a chair-like rock, her face intent on the work before her. Silence felt herself shiver with a perverse measure of
pride and apprehension, but she acted as if everything were normal, as if her child were not anything else besides her child, and
approached her daughter.
"Working on a new Trump?" Silence asked, giving Rowan a bit of warning. Her daughter was apt to lash out violently if startled.
Rowan didn't look for several moments, concentrating on her paint and brushes with fierce,
almost angry concentration. Finally the young woman pushed the strands of black and red
hair out away from her face and smiled at her mother.
"I was just finishing the gilding," Rowan answered. "It's funny how it's the hardest part. Want
to see?"
"I'm sure it's as lovely as all your work," Silence replied evenly, warily. Some of Rowan's work
was as disturbing as could be expected on a demon-spawned child. The picture she had
painted for the Tower, with its distorted landscape and broken wreckage of a town Silence
has known all her life, and there, hovering over the chaos and carnage, a black figure that
screamed to all her nightmares... Silence was not aware that she licked her lips nervously.
Rowan turned the canvas around to see, and at first Silence couldn't believe what Rowan was
showing her. The mother wondered, not for the first time, how she was able to paint such
images, of people she had certainly never seen in real life. Rowan said the images came to her
in her dreams. Perhaps that was why there was such magic in her cards. Whatever the cause
however, she had painted the High Priestess, standing in the Temple of the Knowledge,
surrounded by the Subconscious of Night and Dreams. The High Priestess was serene and
composed, but the face was one that Silence knew so well: Rowan had painted Kestrel .
And Rowan's lit up with red fire as she saw her painting have an effect that the young woman had seen very rarely: Silence smiled.
Personal Journal #6, Entry #10: (The Road Less Travelled, 09/15/1998)
Per Sebastian`s instructions, I made for the Elven lands of Tianinmantir. The border guards were less than friendly, and the Border
Guardian refused me passage. Apparently they sensed the evil of the Tome, and wanted it nowhere near their land while they are
at war with Kintomar, their neighbor to the south.
So, I shall trek towards Clorinthis. Unfortunately, the only good passage to that land lies dangerously close to Obedience. I try to
avoid that place at all costs, and will take the slightly longer route through the mountains and pass by Tarenya.
Tsshalia, the Wind Elemental that Maldina gifted me with speaks excitedly about someone named Sss`hathia. I am guessing that
this is another Elemental who has been asked to be guard and guide to another Maldinan - perhaps Wren, perhaps Sir Festil. I shall
make inquiries at Tarenya. A small merchant faire by the side of the road proved a good opportunity to obtain a magic item I have
been seeking for some time – a means of phasing out, as mages do.
I shiver as I write this, though the wind is not so cold. A message for Sebastian was waiting at the Cup and Coin, written by a Drow.
This creature of darkness mocked my beloved, calling him a thief and worse, and bid Sebastian return the Grimoire to the foul entity
the Drow serves. I can only assume that they believe Sebastian to have the book, but wisdom tells me to move swiftly and quietly,
and as guardedly as I am able.
Sebastian has given me much trust by asking me to bear the Grimoire. I shall not fail that trust by being taken by his enemies. I shall
be glad to be rid of it, though, for I have had the most horrible dreams of late. . . of what happened with Camilla, and that nameless
creature in Ardwyr. . . and overlaying it all, the sound of a young lass weeping. Is it my own sobs I hear, or perhaps someone else,
threatened with supernatural harm as I was? I know not. Perhaps my Lady will grant me a clear Vision. I shall take a day out of my
journey and rest at Tarenya, and seek the Dreampaths, and learn what I may there.
He still has not come. I am getting worried. Though word of his reply to that filthy Drow`s note reached me - - his words gave me
courage, and filled me with resolve and happiness. He spoke, as he always does, with his courage and honor evident, speaking
eloquently of his battle with the Dark Ones. He addressed those who have voiced support for us (Lady Faeryl of the Brotherhood of
Terraithe, the owners of the Mithrilheart Inn, and Sir Randall Greymoore, whom I traveled with to that strange inn and whom sent
me the necklace I knew not how to receive.), and thanked them for their efforts and offers of aid. He ended it simply, bidding Peace
to all, and to one, his Love. I blushed as I read it, but the words never cease to bring me joy.
I`ve written to Festil, and received tidings that he will meet me here at Tarenya - - not as my Goddess-granted Knight-Guardian, but
simply as my friend Festil. He will travel with Sebastian and I while we bear the Grimoire. He also brought word that the Council of
Quur denied my petition of citizenship, as they apparently do not grant such things as a ruling body, but said that as he is Heir to the
House of D`Verot, that he could and would sponsor me. Though I was sorrowed to hear that in doing so, he draws attention to
himself in the on-going Game of Empire in Quur. I asked him not to do so, if that was the consequence, but he was resolved to do
so, saying that our Lady has need us there.
Today is the second anniversary of Sabin`s disappearance. Still no word of Ithlin, still no word from Lan`delock. The Lady is still
silent when I ask if he lives. . .
TAVERN WALLS: OCTOBER 1998
Kestrel - I desire to speak with you. Is there somewhere I may meet you so that we may discuss your Order more fully? Sir Randall
Kestrel Loriah - sweetest cousin, I am fine. I have been taking a much needed vacation while the troubles of the world - while
concentrating on those things important to me (two of them, namely) and I think I will continue to do so for a while. Tolliver told me
of your concerns and I asked him to convey this message back. Be not concerned for my safety. The roses are coming up in a most
enchanting manner this year and the young saplings the locals planted outside my cottage have grown into fine strong trees in so
short a time. It seems I arrived in this blessed land only yesterday. Visiting might be difficult at this point, but perhaps one day I'll
journey back out to you. - Silence Cornelius
Brookdale: As a gesture of peace, I have been asked to intercede on behalf of my Master regarding a certain Grimoire. After a great
deal of negotiations, it appears that you still do not see the light. I do not know what laws you hold to, but it appears that theft is
evidently not high on your list of sins. Your order stole the tome from my master. In turn, you stole the book from your Order. Not
exactly the heroic and loyal type, are you, Brookdale? Not at all trusting. Tell me, what will you steal from your beloved, I wonder?
Perhaps someone should warn her, before she is hurt. Perhaps I'll be the one to tell her, since you're so busy right now. I'm SURE I
could get to her first. But back to the matter at hand. I will meet with you at your earliest convenience in order to rectify this grave
injustice and retrieve the tome from you. If you wish, that blasphemous concubine of yours can attend as a witness to your first
noble act since leaving the Darkwood. I trust you will do the right thing. The alternative is... well.. Let’s not speak of such things for
now. Agreed? I await your response. - Dyrzin Rindylv, Archon of Lolth
Silence - Cousin-mine, I am so glad to hear from you! I have worried - I know, as is my wont - with no word from you. Are you well?
No, more importantly, are you happy? How is motherhood? Are the twins as much of a trial now as they were when I last saw them?
For two such tiny creatures, they certainly wrought a great deal of chaos. I should very much like to see the entire family - but I'm on
a rather urgent errand at the moment. Perhaps when Sebastian and I have discharged a certain duty, we could come by. I'd like that
very much. Your loving cousin, Kestrel
Wren - I am anxious to hear how your first Wandering went! Did you take good care of Sebastian and Alain as I asked? Who is
Sss'hathia? Tss'hia, the elemental who guards me, is very excited to see her. I hope to meet with you at the temple of Mount
Tarenya. May Her Winds guide and ward you always. - Kestrel
Sebastian - how fare you, my wolf? I am concerned, for your sorrow echoed across the bond we share. I am well, though
disappointed; the Elves of Tianinmantir have sealed their borders. I could not speak to them. I shall head for Clorinthis after a brief
stop at Tareyna. Devotedly, Kestrel
Dyyrzin Rindylv: I think you have made your point abundantly clear to more than just Sebastian. As such, it should certainly be
stated that anyone who has made an enemy of your Order is someone that mine would most love to meet and hold dear to us. If
you would make veiled and unsubtle threats against these two, my brothers and I are certainly willing to offer them the full hand of
our hospitality and protection in return. On that note - Sebastian and Kestrel - should either of you find that this situation is
progressing beyond the laughable, and wish a safe haven for yourselves, you have only to ask and we would be more than happy to
provide you with the location of a safehouse where you can rest without interference from your enemies, who have also been our
enemies since our beginnings. Sincerely, Lady Faeryl Cazembry, The Brotherhood of Terraithe
To Dyrzin Rindylv: You strike me as a person with no true redeeming characteristics. A person without a word for peace in one's
vocabulary is no person at all. I know not what your feud is with Sebastian, nor how just your claim. However, you will not involve
the Lady Kestrel in your petty bickering. Should harm come to her, I would be forced to intercede. - Sir Randall Greymore
Dyrzin Rindylv: Ye must be joking, ye mewling ill-nurtured poxwort, to think that ye can make such ill-thought threats? Point one
dung-colored finger in the direction of my cousin or my kin (which Sebastian most certainly is, being inlaw to me) and I'll crack you
over the head with a stout beam so quickly you'll think that ye blood was born to this world to make good fertilizer for the cow's
grass. Gnarling black-hearted malignancy, ye type is to this world as the effluence of its undercarriage, to be scraped off and thrown
away lest the stink become too revolting. YE would actually dare to ask for that book back? Whether ye are an crafty, subtle knave
or just the greatest fool to ever be born under the earth is a matter yet decided. As better you should, having just lost your evil
sword to a just knight, bemoan and cry and ask the knight to give it back to ye! If that good man has a book ye once claimed as thine,
there can be no doubt it is because ye used it with evil heart, with the vilest intentions, and with the intent of harm to all others. Ye
bloody cockered puttocks, having degraded an object of power, do not expect that those who have sought to protect the world for
ye evil will just give ye back ye weapons of war! Ye must truly be thinking Sebastian a newborn babe, too unlettered to know better,
or that we who love him would not move heaven, hell and faerie to protect our own. Crawl back into ye cave and play with the
spiders therein. - Silence Cornelius
Dyrzin Rindylv, Archeon of Lolth: I have not my cousin's skill at words, so I will speak simply. My heart's blood will feed the ground
and my flesh give feast to the crows ere I willingly turn the tome over to you and your Master, or any other creature of darkness
who would use it for such evil purposes as are your intents. Though currently apart, Sebastian and I are one in this regard. You will
NOT have it. On that, you have my oath. - Kestrel Loriah
Kestrel - I'd be happy to take any artifact off your hands for safe keeping! - Relos Var
To Lady Faeryl, Sir Randall, and Concerned Others - I thank you for your offers of aid; they gladden my heart and lessen the burden
that Sebastian and I bear in the form of this accursed object. At this time, I seek, upon Sebastian's advice, to bring it to those most
familiar with the warding and guarding of such artifacts. Should this prove unfruitful, or they be unable to destroy it, it may well be
that your offers of aid must be accepted. For now, I shall simply move as swiftly as I may, and depend on my Goddess to shield me
from the Dark ones who pursue. In this case, one may move more unnoticed than several, I hope. But know that should aid be
needed, I will not falter to call upon you. May the Lady's blessing be upon you, for your generosity and caring. - Kestrel Loriah
To the Silly Drow - I can only second (or third or fourth) the comments of Silence, Kestrel, and Sir Randall. I would leave my cousin
alone, if I were you. Oh, as to the book you so desperately crave - forget it! - Count Tolliver Morrigan, Knight-Captain of Quur.
To any who hear the call of justice: Let it be known that Sebastian Brookdale has been found guilty of crimes against the Order of
the Mithril Arrow. These crimes include the treacherous attack on the Master of the Order, who was already sorely weakened after
the battle with the vile dark elves. He has also stolen the dread tome that we have sworn to keep from the hands of our enemies
since the birth of our Order. With this tome no longer in our possession, the lands stand in jeopardy of falling to the evil minions
who seek out this artifact. From this day forward, Sebastian Brookdale is cast out of the Order of the Mithril Arrow and is branded a
traitor. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of this thief and the tome in his possession should contact us immediately. Let justice be
done!
Kestrel n'hya Loriah - My dear lady, you do have a way with words. I can see that you and your cousin are indeed related. It would
seem that your time spent at the Temple of Maldina taught you more manners than your kin. By the way, how does the
reconstruction of the main temple proceed? I imagine your time wasted on this old tome keeps you away from such tasks. I do hope
this is not a sign of wavering faith on your part. But I digress... I do not seek to bring about thy death. Before you hastily announce
thy oath, I implore you to try to think on this with a clear head. To what ends do you keep this tome? Is it for your goddess? For
duty? Or is it because you would do anything for the one you hold so dear? Consider my words. I humbly await your reply. - Dyrzin
Rindylv
Interested Parties: Gentle folk, and the remainder, where to begin? To start, I would like to thank those who have expressed their
support. Some of you I have met but briefly and some of you not at all. It is my belief that an endeavor which is truly noble in nature
will attract those who value such concepts as honor, integrity and righteousness, regardless of the lies and misdirections which
surround it. I must apologize for not participating in this exchange sooner, but I have had my hands full dodging the blades of
Dyrzin's Master's 'ambassadors.' Let me make one thing perfectly clear. By making threats, veiled and otherwise, and by impugning
the honor and purity of those I hold dear, I will make no deal with you, Dyrzin. Tell your Master to send another if he wishes to
pursue this course of resolution. Better still, tell him not to waste his time. We know that this will not end in a negotiated
settlement. The only way the Tome will find its way to your master's hand is if I lay dead, and so far, that is a task you have not been
able to accomplish. And speaking of the Tome, allow me to make another point perfectly clear. Here is the timeline of the book in
question. First, the Drow attained it from Lolth. Then, said Drow used it to commit genocide upon the elves of the Darkwood, during
which time one of their number left it there, after one in my number placed a mithril arrow through the Drow's heart - the arrow for
which the Order gains its name. The Tome remained in the care of the Order until recently, when the Master of the Order began
studying the power of this forbidden book, and used its strength openly. It is known that this tome corrupts all that would use it.
This having taken place, I did then feel it my duty to remove it from his presence, lest he further corrupt the Order with his
malignancy. At this time, I call upon those members of the Order who know the truth of my words to stay and protect the
Darkwood, as you have always done, but rebel against the Master and his lackeys, and expunge the evil that has befallen our very
heart. Am I a thief and a traitor? Perhaps, but what I did, I did for honor and for the love of the sacredness of life. No man would
take up this burden were it not of great import, and thus, I implore all who would listen to rally to this cause. Do not let the words of
this creature sway you. And as for those of you who belittle the importance of this tome, I would urge you not to speak so lightly. Its
effects are writ in the blood and souls of thousands, and not all of those souls rest easily. With that, I must bid you all Peace, and to
one, my Love. I will be in contact with those of you who have voiced your support. And for those opposed... I imagine you'll find me.
- Sir Sebastian Brookdale, Knight of the Order of the Mithril Arrow.
Sir Sebastian Brookdale - Greetings, Brookdale. So nice of you to take the time and respond, rather than leave it to your friends to
defend you. I was wondering when you would speak up. I am saddened but not surprised to hear that you wish to do this the hard
way. I must tip my hat to you; your courage is remarkable. I mean no jest. A pity you were not born as one of my race. With such
treachery and cunning, you would make a decent Drow. Oh, and please talk to your outspoken friends. Perhaps you can give them a
better idea of what they run to face. Before the days of Darkwood, the darthiir thought they were safe, too. I look forward to
meeting such a worthy adversary. Until then. - D.
Dear Festil - I hope that this missive finds you well. Much to my chagrin, I cannot say the same at the moment. Though I know you
shall be quite wroth with me, I'm afraid I've rather tumbled into trouble once more, the moment your watchful eye was turned.
After we parted company and I headed to Ardwyr with Sebastian, he swiftly realized we were being followed. In an attempt to divert
danger from me, he went back along our trail to try and drive off the Drow who's scent he'd found, leaving me with instructions to
make for the elven lands of Tianinmantir. Unfortunately, due to the war there, the borders are sealed and I could not cross. I have
also had a sense of being followed of late, and could not write sooner, for fear of my life. I am now safely ensconced in my quarters
at Mount Tarenya, awaiting Sebastian's arrival, with a score of priests for company and guard. I should like to ask a personal favor this is no duty given by our Lady, but a plea from friend to friend. I need your help. The Tome Sebastian and I bear is being diligently
sought by the Dark Ones, as well as by the tainted leaders of Sebastian's Order. I don't wish to endanger the others here at Tarenya,
and si I feel it is most wise to keep moving, never staying in one place for long, else our enemies will find us. Would you be willing to
join us? Again, I ask my friend Festil, NOT my Goddess-given Knight-Guardian. There is no dishonor in refusing, for I know that
familial duties have called you back to Quur more often of late. If you can, your courage and common sense and skill at arms would
be welcome. Send word as you can. I shall wait here until I hear from you. Fondly, Kestrel.
Kestrel - my Lady, why does trouble seem to follow you? If I did not know better, I would think that you travel Westfall in search of
it. If this problem is of such great concern to you, then I will gladly travel with you. Besides, it is time I meet this Sebastian character.
Unless I hear from you otherwise, I will adjust my course and travel to the temple to meet with you. - Sir Festil D'Verot, Knight, the
Order of the Falcon's Eye.
I Dreamt last night, strange dreams that somehow feel connected. In the first, I witnessed the dream from the point of view of a
murderer. He, along with others, ambushed a group of knights, slew them, stripped them of their heraldic garb, and then moved on
to do the same evil deed elsewhere. That Dream faded and I saw a courtier presenting a box to another courtier. They then bowed
and departed. The one receiving the box opened it, and upon his wrists I saw something writhe, a flash of light, and then he
screamed as if his soul was torn asunder. The last Dream revealed what I believe to be the source of the weeping I have heard for
the last several days. A young girl, obviously of wealth and position, sat by a fire, her garments torn and rent, her hands shackled
behind her. Her face was bruised and battered, and tears slid down her face.
In all cases, the Dreams were set in a desert
environment. I feel my Lady wishes me to aid this girl, though how doing so could be more important than our current task, I know
not. I shall speak to Festil and Sebastian of this as soon as they arrive.
Personal Journal #6, Entry #14 (On The Wings of War: 11/15/1998)
Though I have seen Sebastian’s death many times in the Dream he sent me before he acknowledged our bond, seeing it in the flesh
was a thousand times more horrible. But even as my entire being yearned to scream, to wail, to deny the horror of what I was
witnessing, I knew that I could not, must not do so, for it would only show the man that I love that I was too weak and womanly to
share the burden of the fate he has chosen. Instead, I remained as calm as I could, and tried to be efficient, but loving and
supportive. It was so hard that I shook for most of the day, but I don’t think he knows how deeply it pained me. We are even, now –
what an appalling thought – for I have seen him die twice, and now he has seen the same of me. I felt the twin circles upon my wrist
pulse when the killing blow struck, and I know he felt the same. Strangely, it was much easier to call Sebastian back from the brink
that it has been to call back anyone else. I think that may be an aspect of the Mattoo we share – or the bonds between our hearts.
Maldina Herself knows that none are more precious to me than he is.
The journey to find the source of the weeping in my dreams was so similar to our experiences in Ardwyr, that it made me ill. A
young girl was at risk – kidnapped from her father’s home. She was being used as a pawn in a political game, to set two Chiefdoms
at war with each other, with traitors in each camp standing ready to pick up the shattered pieces. We were attacked by a number of
assassins, which mowed through our small band like a scythe through wheat. I have never channeled so much of Maldina’s holy
power through me as I did in Sal Kazir. The fighting prowess of its peoples is so far and above that of folk elsewhere in Westfall that
it took us quite unawares. Only by my Lady’s Grace were we able to walk out as a band. Sir Festil, Sebastian, Alain, and I traveled
with a taciturn sorcerer by the name of Devon Mordaine, and a knight of the Silver Dragon named Nazzer.
Traveling with Devon made me uncomfortable. He seemed to bear a great burden of hatred towards my father, Sabin, and took no
care of how his words cut me throughout the day. Eventually, though, I think he realized the injustice of holding what he felt was
Sabin’s abandonment of him against me. Alain, also, deeply disturbed me. At one point in the day, during the heat of battle, he
sank into the earth, and was healed. I did not know that he did so willingly, and thought that some underground creature had him in
its grasp. I dug frantically at the earth until Sebastian told me that Alain had warned him that something similar might happen.
When Alain emerged, he was healed and well, but it frightened me, the bizarreness of it. Sir Festil was immediately suspicious,
saying that he had only seen creatures of darkness rest in the breast of the earth in such a fashion. He informed me that Alain was
not as he seemed, and radiated the cold of the Supernatural. Of course, then Sebastian raised the point that so does he…. though I
really think that perhaps I should speak with Alain and understand these strange powers of his a bit better, if we’re going to travel
together on a regular basis.
I shall add the Brotherhood of the Scarlet Claw, the Order of Night, and the worshippers of Kali to those whom I must stay keenly on
guard against. They are all equally dark-souled and eager to harm others. Perhaps, just as the Desert lands harden the body to a
tempered steel, it hardens the soul, as well. Rarely, other than witnessing harm to my beloved, have I been so filled with revulsion
and horror as I was traveling through Sal Kazir. Speaking with Michael Moore, listening to his glee that my attempt to help him
would enable him to slay the people of his chiefdom…. I shiver even now, thinking of it. He was the most evil individual I have ever
met. To willingly, eagerly seek to harm those who should be under your protection, simply out of jealously and kingship-lust…. it is
beyond my fathoming.
Even through the mounting terrors and trials of the day, simply being near to Sebastian was a comfort. The touch of his hand, the
weight of his regard as his eyes fell upon me, sorrowed, weary, but still sharing his strength… I truly feel blessed by my Lady. (Also of
interest, was the wolf spirit-companion that traveled with Sebastian. He did not introduce us, so I felt it would be rude to pry. Much
seems to have happened to him since we parted in the woods, those weeks ago. There is a great sorrow, but yet a great strength
that is new within my beloved. Perhaps he will share it with me in time.)
However comforting his presence, though, I will – Goddess grant - never willingly set foot in Sal Kazir again.
TAVERN WALLS: WINTER 1998
Kestrel n'hya Loriah, Priestess of Maldina, Maldinan High Temple, Angels Crossing, Westfall: In accordance with Quuran law, the
High Council (as an organization) cannot bequeath upon an individual the rights of citizenship. We have spoken with Caerywan, and
while he does peek well of thee, the law is quite clear in these issues. Might I suggest that you speak with Festil D'Verot. According
to our records, he is the Heir to House D'Verot, and has the authority to sponsor and support your request. He may even push the
issue before the Council (in person, or with a personal representative) and have the issue resolved at the next meeting of the High
Council. Thank you for your request. - Secretary, Quuran High Council
To Sir Sebastian Brookdale: I have Dreamt of you - what I believe is a True Dream - and it fills me with both concern and with joy to
know that you are alive. I would dearly like to meet with you and talk about what I Saw. Please send word to the Temple at Mount
Tarenya if we may meet. They always know how to reach me - as do you, when you Dream. I look forward to hearing from you Kestrel Loriah
Sir Randall: I was most surprised to receive your gift, but was touched. Thank you for thinking of me. - Kestrel Loriah
To the Lone Wolf - thank you so much for the words spoke, the support given, the silent oaths shared. You have given my heart
wings. Ever and always yours - chur-khaj
Kestrel - my Maldinan sister! I will have the honor of travel with a friend of yours - Sebastian- in the next few months. I am currently
traveling to meet up with him in the Borderlands. If there is any advice that you culd give me, I would be truly grateful. You have
been a great blessing in my life. Thank you for everything! Maldina bless! (Scribed on behalf of: Wren)
Kestrel - I was unaware that you had requested citizenship in Quur. Until now, I have done everything in my power to avoid being
dragged into the Game of Empire. I will enter those dangerous waters on your behalf. I have never used my family's name in The
Game, something I hoped to avoid for the rest of my days. But, as you mentioned in your petition (which I have requested a copy of
from the Council), you would be fair game as a slave. It also appears that the Lady Maldina intends for us to return to Quur soon
(why I know this, I do not pretend to understand). - Sir Festil D'Verot, Knight, the Order of the Falcon's Eye
Dear Wren: How fare thee? It has been long since I saw you last. I hope that Master Hawk has cared for you as well as he cared for
me when Sabin first brought me to him. You must be nearly ready to Wander for the first time. I know well how wonderful that can
be, but at the same time, terrifying. Know that I am here, always, should you need me. - Kestrel
To my Father, Sabin Loriah, Changewind, Master of the Sight: Dear Sir - it has been many a month since I saw you last. Our Lady
has been unable, or perhaps unwilling, to speak to me of how you fare. I praythee, send me some word, lest I don the mourning
black! I have so many things to share with you, so many things that have spoken powerfully to my heart and changed me much. IF
these words reach you, wherever you may be, write - and let me know you to be safe. Your obedient daughter, Kestrel
TAVERN WALLS: 05/06 1999
To Kestrel: i want u to no mission with Sebastian suksesful. I tried
to not get mad. I even help elf. She not seem bad. I safe life. He
good man. You rite. I meet new peole. They most seem nice. One
not so nice. I try save him, not sure if do. His name Alain. I hope
he safe. Want to see you agan. Mis u very much. Love, yor sister
of vishons, Wren
Dear Wren: Sister-in-Faith, it was like sunshine after rain to read
your words! For in truth, I have missed you, and wondered how
the journey went. Sebastian has spoken little of your trip
together, other than its success. I fear something happened that
troubled him deeply, but am unwilling to pry. I'm very pleased
and proud to hear that you are trying to learn to trust - even
those of elvish blood. Overcoming our own fears and the lessons of our past can be almost impossible, it seems, some times. I
should like very much to spend some time with you. Perhaps we could meet at Mount Tarenya? Though I warn you, the attitude of
those in the Barony of Obedience has grown much more openly hostile towards those of our faith. So travel with care and caution.
With fondest regard and the Blessing of our Lady, I remain, Kestrel n'hya Loriah
Faeryl: Dear lady, how wondrous to once again be among 'friends'. It warms my heart to see you are still writing so many pretty
words. It is nice to see that the gift of deceit still runs in the blood of Mother's lost children. Just wanted to let you know I'm thinking
about you. Why, when I returned home, I couldn't stop talking about you. Of course, the matrons do make such good listeners when
they have a keen interest in matters, don't they? Then again, so does the Master. I'm sure Sebastian knows full well the effects of
the Master taking a keen interest in one's affairs. Pray pardon. Affair is such an ill placed word to describe a Mithril Arrow. If I'm
correct, their pups are neutered at an early age. Once again, nice to be back. -Dyrzin.
Personal Journal #6, Entry #15 (Game of
Empire II - 9/26/1999)
Quur is such a place of conflicts and troubles! I travelled there from Sal Kazir
with Sir Festil D’Verot, as it is his homeland, to further pursue the possibilities
of me obtaining legal citizenship there. (Those who are not citizens of Quur
can be legally enslaved by anyone with the strength to take them!) When we
arrived, we learned that the legendary Culling Fields tavern was re-opening. It
lays beside The Arena, the place where the Emperors of Quur are decided in
great mage battles. Some harm had befallen it, and it was closed for some
time. The celebration was a merry one, with contests and competitions and
tournaments. I was horrified to recognize the winner of the tourney – His
Grace, Damien D’Mon, of the noble House D’Mon… the very same man who
had committed an egregious offense against me all those years ago in
Obedience. He complimented me, saying I had come so far from those days,
and named me his Empress of Love and Beauty, as was his right as the winner.
I sought Festil, to learn if this was a thing I could refuse, but he had left the
gathering. Instead, Emperor Sandus himself approached and spoke to me of
it. I was comforted by the Emperor’s words and offer of protection and
citizenship, and so accepted the ribbon and bouquet that was the Empress’s prize.
Another interesting conversation was one I had with Prince Kallielle, the Heir to the Throne of the Manol Elves. He had heard of
Sebastian’s troubles with the Drow, and asked me to relay a message to my beloved. He explained that in Quur, the term ‘Drow’
refers to evil elves of any skin color. Their Drow can be lily white, but with the blackened heart of evil. He wished to learn more of
the Darkwood forest, and I sketched him a rough map, though geography and tracking is not my forte. Kallielle was also kind enough
to offer us the assistance of his people, should we find ourselves there, at odds with the Drow, and suggested that we seek out those
who give heed to Terraithe. (Someone of this order was involved in banter with Dyrzin, so I was at least familiar with the order
name.)
Also while there, I was contacted by the priests on Devore Isle, in Quur. They have asked me to travel to their monastery and study
with them for a time. Festil tells me this is a great honor – he has never heard of them inviting an outsider to their home. They wish
to study my skills of prophesy. When I protested that it is simply my goddess using me as a tool for the betterment of Her children,
they brushed aside my protests and declared they wished me to come. I shall be spending several months in Quur, studying with
them.
Something has happened to Sebastian, though I know not what. He has missed our last two
meetings. I promised him that should anything befall him, that I would take the Grimoire out of
Westfall, that it not fall into the hands of the Drow. Though I will be leaving behind all that I
know... I will do this for him.
14 Years Later… (2014)
Kestrel swept a damp lock of gray-streaked hair back from her face and smiled down at the new
mother, a squalling babe nestled to the woman’s breast. The delivery had been a long and tiring
one, lasting a day and night and into the next day, but through Maldina’s healing grace, both
mother and child were hale and healthy. Rising from her seat, she stretched, bones creaking. She
murmured a soft blessing, sketching the arch of a bird’s wing in the air in accompaniment, silently
beseeching the Lady to ward and keep them both. The cottage was small and drafty and grim –
the scent of blood and sweat hung heavy in the air. After washing her hands fastidiously, she set about to tidying the chamber,
clearing away a heap of bloody rags and a basin of crimson-stained water. Birthing was hard, filthy work, but at least since her arrival
in the hamlet just before winter had set in, it had been a less deadly one.
With a weary smile, she waved goodbye to Melena and her babe and headed out the door, latching it securely behind her. Jennis
was just leaving the rough timber livestock pens across the clearing and seeing her, hurried over. Greeting him with a smile and a
nod, she let him know that all was well and then scolded him as he dashed towards the cottage, pig-shit smears and all.
“Don’t you dare, Jennis! You march yourself to the well and wash up first. And bring Mellie some of those daisies growing along the
fence. She’s put in a hard day’s work.” Her tone was gently remonstrating. The young man blushed and followed her guidance,
making himself more presentable for his wife and firstborn child. She couldn’t help but smile at the picture of nervous fatherhood he
presented.
Her work done, she headed home to her own cottage. It wasn’t much better than the one she had just left, but she had worked hard
to fill in the gaps with mud and hay, and the splintery plank walls were ornamented with bird feathers she had found on her walks. A
small altar to the Goddess, a simple hay-stuffed pallet, and a chair by the fire were most of the chamber’s contents. A river stone
hearth, a luxuriously well-crafted stew pot hanging from the hook within it, nearly filled one side of the structure. A stout wooden
chest doubled as a table. Kneeling beside it, she withdrew one of her dwindling supply of parchment, glancing at the thick stack of
painstakingly written pages piled next to the blank ones. A hawk’s feather quill and the last bottle of ink swiftly followed and she
brought all three out into the sunshine. Her favorite place to write, a low stump dragged beneath the shade of an oak tree, was but a
few paces away from the cottage.
She stared at the page in silence for a moment and then began to write.
“Dearest Sebastian:
It has been a month since my last letter, ten and four years since I left Westfall. The seasons are starting to turn here in Crystalmire.
Spring is coming, slowly and gently, the color creeping back into the world. You would like it here, I think. The woods seem old, and I
have seen wolf-tracks in the loam beneath the spreading branches. With winter finally fading, I will likely be moving on soon. Two
seasons, no more, as always. Cailen is due within the week, and once her babe is here safely, it will be time to go. Melena and Yalie
have already birthed, though Mellie’s little boy came early and hard. The Grace of Maldina was with me and Her healing brought him
back from the brink.”
She paused and stared at the page, wondering, for the hundredth time why she bothered. He would never read these words. She
would never see his face again. Sometimes the weight of that knowledge was simply too much to bear and she would break into
self-pitying tears. Then, after a good cry-out, she would wash her face, re-braid her hair, and remind herself that the task she had
undertaken granted him some measure of safety. So long as the Grimoire was outside of Westfall, its power could not be used
against the Order to which Sebastian belonged. That measure of safety was worth the pain of loneliness.
With a quiet sigh, she picked up her quill once more.
“I hope and pray daily that you are safe and that Maldina keeps you sheltered in Her wings, and that someday…”
She shook herself mentally, trying to avoid the melancholy that always hit her after a birthing and being around the happy couple,
and quickly ended the letter.
“Yours in Dream,
Kestrel.”
That night, after carefully banking the fire, she sought her pallet. Sleep would not come, no matter how she nestled into the warm
folds of her faded wool cloak. She lay still, with eyes closed, listening to the sounds the breeze carried in through the window. In the
far distance, a wolf howled and the sound pierced her heart like a knife, as it always did. The tone of this call was different from the
usual greetings of the pack. It had an edge of alarm to it. Rising, she crept to the door, peeking through the gap between the frame
and the hinges. A figure stood at the far edge of the clearing, his silver hair shining in the moonlight, the features of his dark skin lost
in the shadows. To most eyes, he would have been invisible, but the darkness in his soul was like a bonfire to her Goddess-given
Sight. Fear filled her, causing her breath to catch in her chest, before she shook herself into action.
Shifting her pallet to one side, she lifted up a floorboard that was set, rather than nailed into place. A deerhide-wrapped bundle lay
beneath it. She withdrew the Grimoire from its hiding place and slid the foul thing into a leather shoulder bag, knotting it closed.
That was set upon the floor next to her traveling pack, always at the ready in case of an emergency need to travel swiftly – babes
oftentimes came at the time of their own choosing and not when convenient. Lastly, she cinched her belt around her waist, checking
the small dagger in its sheath. It had cut its share of flesh in its time, but only that of birthing cords.
Easing open the lid of the chest, she hurried back to the hearth. Using the empty stew pot, she scooped up the still-warm embers.
With only a moment’s hesitation, she dumped the coals atop the years’ worth of letters. They would not fall into enemy hands, to be
mocked and laughed over. A tear tracked down her cheek as she watched the smolder turn into flame, a decade and more's
evidence of longing lighting quickly. Closing her eyes against the sight, she whispered a potent prayer to the goddess: “Maldina! May
the will of Thy Winds take the path of Your vision through me. May the wings of the eagle and the flight of the dragon traverse the
sky, and summon forth Your power to my hand. Grant me your Protection, Lady, that I may keep upon the Path I have been set. This
I beseech and pray.” With her words, a wind arose around her, carrying with it the chill of the icy north – Proof of her Goddess’
answer and favor.
With the Grimoire’s container slung securely over one shoulder, her pack over the other, and a walking stick in hand to steady her,
she turned back towards the entryway. She had only taken the first step towards it when the door burst open with a loud crash,
striking the wall. A well-armored Drow stepped in, ducking his head to clear the low lintel. A look of triumph lit up his face.
“What I have come for, is known. Give it to me, priestess, and your life will be given in return.” His voice was melodious, weighted
strongly with the accent of his people. His demeanor, while clearly that of the expected victor, was not cruel, only determined.
“You know that I cannot.” She was proud that her voice did not waver.
“I will take it.” He gestured with the slender rapier in one gloved hand, his voice hardening. “I have no wish to kill an old woman…
but I will.”
She lifted her chin, gazing at him as calmly as she could, “Then take it.” She shifted slightly to stand between him and the chest,
which was burning steadily now. Every moment of delay ensured its contents could not be saved from the hungry flames.
With a shrug, he lunged forward, aiming his narrow blade at her belly. The moment it touched the winds that stirred around her, the
Protection of her goddess was released, sending a shock wave of divine power up the metal and into his arm and shoulder. Where
those winds blew, his flesh blackened and burned. The force of his lunge carried the weapon forward and she wretched as the rapier
pierced her flesh. Their cries entwined obscenely, a duet of pain and hurt. Raising her walking stick, she clouted him hard alongside
his skull, gasping as the movement caused the blade to cut deeper. Reeling from the blow, he yanked his arm back with a snarl,
nearly taking her with it, and slashed viciously at her with his newly-freed sword. Scrambling away, she tripped over a mat and
landed with a thud upon the floor beside the pungently smoldering chest. Her walking stick clattered to the floor, lost as she fell.
Kestrel stood quickly, adrenaline washing away the aches of joints swollen with age, and shoved the chest over onto its side, the
fiery contents spilling onto the floor. Instantly, the dry reed mats caught fire. Smoke began to rise, but through her Goddess’s
blessing of pure winds, Kestrel was unharmed. Her attacker was less immune, coughing harshly. He staggered towards her, favoring
his injured right side, weapon shifted to his left hand. A snarl curled his lips as he lunged again, determined to have what she
protected. She was unable to avoid the full force of his blow, but took only a long, ugly cut along her arm instead of the blade to the
heart he intended. Blood streamed down her pale skin as she stepped inside his guard. Drawing her cord-cutting knife, she slid its
razor-sharp length in between his bottom two ribs, angling upward. With a twist, she separated his soul from flesh as deftly as she
had divided mother and babe countless times.
The room was half-engulfed in smoke and flame as he slid to the floor, the hungry flames dancing up the pitch-stained wooden
walls. Snatching up her cooking pot by the altogether too-warm handle and resettling her two bags over her shoulders, she left all
else behind in her haste.
Outside in the clearing, she scanned the area quickly for enemies, hoping that with the Goddess’s grace, her attacker was only a
scout. No shadowy figures awaited her that she could see. She turned and glanced briefly over one shoulder, watching with regret as
the thatch roof collapsed into the hut, the flames roaring upward. The fire would bring people – any Drow that yet searched as well
as the villagers. It tore at her heart to leave without giving warning, but the Grimoire had to be protected.
With a sigh, she turned her back on the cottage and headed for the woods, murmuring prayers for healing of her wounds with each
step. Another season’s turning, another journey undertaken - but her Oath yet kept.
Personal Journal #1 (All Others Lost), Entry #1
I have travelled some distance north since leaving the village, following the edge of the
forest, backtracking, as Sebastian might advise, to see what follows the trail I walked
two seasons ago. So far, I have found some small traces of what I suspect might be a
small company of Drow, traveling south. Or perhaps it is simply villagers – I do not have
any woodscraft, and the true reading of such signs is much beyond me. When I
reached the glen that was my campsite those many months ago – I knew it, for I tucked
a trio of feathers high in the crook of one of the trees, to serve as an altar – there was a
well there. It seemed ancient, as if it had been there for centuries, though I know it was
not there when I passed through only half a year ago. Resting upon the stone
enclosure was a tablet of a darker, weathered stone, with striations like a clouded
night sky. The words upon it were foreign to me, but as I studied them, they seemed to
re-arrange themselves into words in my own tongue. Surely this could only happen
through the magic of the Gods. The message read, “Be it Prophecy or Madness I have
Seen you, Dreamer. You bear a great burden and even now run from what you must.
Know that the Wood teeters and the last Pillar grows frail. Come, drink, and you shall
shore each other.”
While I do not know what this means, I shall keep my eyes and ears open for some sign
of the Pillar and the Wood – perhaps some hidden part of the Crystalmire? – that
needs help. This is the first time in over a decade that I have been summoned, as a Priestess of Maldina. I will not refuse the call…
but it also means that the Grimoire is known to more than the Drow that seek me. I will be open to the needs of others that may yet
be revealed... but cautious. I write these words now, in preparation to fill a cup from this well. I am bid to drink; but who knows
what may be the result?
Personal journal #1, Entry #2 (Callinvale Tournament 07/11/14)
Drinking of the well brought me through a portal of sorts. There was another well - or perhaps this one exists in many places? - and
two Drow, who had apparently been following me. (Woods craft, I think I have mentioned, is not my forte.) Somehow, during this
transportation, Maldina surrounded me with Her grace, and I was protected by a Haven of enormous power. Unable to take their
aggressions out on me, the Drow began attacking the Well as if in doing so, they might be returned to whence we came. This drew
attention from a nearby inn. Several individuals emerged and fought off the Drow. They were victorious, though grievously harmed. I
was able to give them healing, restoring them to their full faculties. One disappeared into the night and the other two returned the
inn. I stayed behind briefly, pausing to lay to rest the dark elves. Though they are my enemy, even still, they deserve than much. As
the hour was late, I sought shelter within the Inn. After a simple meal and as I was preparing to seek rest, a third Drow appeared at
the door. He was unable to approach me, forced to a distance by Maldina’s Grace, which made him both wary and curious. He
seemed known to those who had come to my aid, who referred to him as Captain. I later overheard his name to be Ravvyn. As he
does not seem to be pursuing or even aware of the Grimoire - and Maldina's warding yet protects me - I am staying the night,
though behind a well-barred door. We shall see what the morning brings.
Personal Journal #1, Entry #3 (Callinvale Tournament – 07/12/14)
I apparently arrived the day of some sort of annual tournament, held by the ruling noble of the local area. As near as I can tell, the
transportation magic of the well moved me from the western border of Callinvale, by the Crystalmere Forest, to a location in the far
north of the country. As I was unwilling to be part of the combats, I was put to the task of keeping score. Most of those who were in
the Inn the night before took part: Madix (one of those who came to my aid with the Drow who attacked the well - who is a lizardkin in service to the dark elf corsair, Ravvyn) Captain Ravvyn (We shall have to see if he is simply a dark elf, or one bound to Llolth’s
evil), a massive ogre named Cudg, a priestess of some sort of maternal Order, and the Marquis himself – who’s name, aptly enough,
was Stabe. The Marquis prevailed in the competition, with the ogre coming in second. The sun being overwhelming, we all retired
indoors for a time. There, I learned the likely identity of the origin of the message, based on the language of its phrasing: The
goddess Coniectura, who holds dominion over both Madness and Dream, similar in many ways to my Lady Maldina.
As I sat sipping some cool water, keeping an eye on the Captain, a brilliant flash of light dazzled my senses. I saw an image of fallen
pillars, with the last one standing canted at an angle and trembling. The pillar resolved into that of a human figure, injured and
reeling near the well. Exiting the Inn, we found what I had Seen – a man, ancient beyond accounting, and grievously wounded.
Through Maldina’s grace, I was able to give him some healing, but it became clear that he was not a creature of this plane, and my
Goddess’s benediction could only do so much. We brought him to the Inn, and learned his tale.
His name was Tatales and he is the last of the Dreamers of the Forest of Crystalmere. He explained that long ago, there had been
several guardians of the forest, but over the centuries, they had fallen, one by one, and that the present time was crucial. The forest
currently lays quiescent – resting, as if preparing… Some unknown – but strongly felt – event was coming, that the Forest would
need its full strength for. Should the Forest wake too soon, it would be unprepared for the battle to come. Tatales went on to say,
‘Long ago, before the Dreaming, Hydras inhabited the forest as its Guardians. Then, Trouble – a great mage – came. He was able to
corrupt some of the Hydras. Some turned on their fellows and others fled. One corrupted Hydra is imprisoned within The Dream. It
has lain in its chains, quiet, for a long time, but now, it stirs. It seeks to escape the bonds that prison it, and should it do so, it will
erupt into this reality, through the portal of the Well, shattering it. This would be catastrophic.’ He tasked us with renewing the
bonds upon the Hydra, to prevent it from bursting through the Well, which is, as I suspected, a very powerful and ancient Gate. He
bid us to retrieve three items that would assist in a ritual he would need: a document, a child’s toy, and a red sash. He did not speak
as to why these specific things were needed; only that they were vital. These tasks would need to occur in the Dreaming, and he
offered to bind one item to each of us. I chose my headband, the symbol of my faith.
We each composed ourselves – after I discretely renewed my protective spells to prevent mischief by the Dark Elf, Captain Ravvyn –
and sought sleep and Dream. We five found ourselves before three doors. I selected the right most door. Cudg, the central door,
and Madix, the left most. We each entered. I found myself in a strange and sterile environment, filled with civil employees and
many, many, many forms. There was one table that for Human Resources, another for Zombie Resources, another for Processing,
and a fourth, Interdimensional Travel. Being one who follows directions given, I continued to fill out form after form. Each form gave
two other locations it could be delivered to. As I am not undead (… thank Maldina!), that desk was closed to me. The questions were
of a variety of natures, and I will admit, after the third time filling some of them out, my answers became less than polite. After
multiple iterations of the same tasks, I asked Maldina for guidance, calling upon Her wisdom to guide me to whichever bureaucrat
had the needed document. Around and around it went, with still no sight of the needed form. I sought further wisdom, sinking into
a Melange, and then a Personal Augury, which revealed that the Zombie Resources desk had to be utilized in order to obtain the
needed document. Though it was deeply upsetting to do so, I Controlled one of the clerks, who was – while quite lifelike, very dead –
and had him deliver the needed forms. Eventually, the right document was obtained, though whatever organization runs that place,
learned all manner of things about me, including a pair of haiku regarding one’s feelings about being undead. (As I have had that
experience – if briefly – I was able to respond with truth even in that matter.)
Winter in my soul
A bleak void of the heart.
Fiery thirst to quench
Buried in the soil
Awaken to a dark need
Tyste’s curse was lifted
It was troublesome, leaving that place, with one of the Undead yet intact, for Maldina names all who are undead as Anathema. But
the magics of the place prevented me from laying it to rest. Perhaps it is part of some greater purpose yet unrevealed. When I
returned, I learned that my compatriots faced as many challenges: Madix was forced to move swiftly through many obstacles, over
and over, until he had done so within a specific time frame, and Cudg fought a mage and her protectors several times – eventually
seeking Ravvyn’s help to defeat her. The objects retrieved, we returned to Tatales.
He, then, became the source of an argument. Ravvyn wished him to accompany us into the battle against the Hydra, whereas,
knowing of his injuries and that he was the last bastion of defense for the Forest, I insisted that he stay out of the fray. Tatales had
told us that should he die in the Dream, he would be truly and forever lost. I could not allow him risk it. At the same moment, we
each sought external guidance on the decision. We were swept onto another plane. I could see Ravvvn in consultation with some
being, garbed in stately mage robes covered with sigils, but could not see it clearly. Maldina spoke to me in hawk-form, and
counselled me that should the Guardian fall, that someone else would have to become the Dreamer for the wood… She left the
choice to me, but I do not feel that it is time for me to take such a role. Not while the Grimoire is yet in my guardianship. I returned
to the world more firmly convinced that Tatales needed to stay behind.
My stubbornness won out, eventually. Some conversations occurred, out of earshot but within clear view, between the Captain and
his crewmember and Madix approached me, whispering, ‘I won’t do what he wants me to do. But be careful.’ Forewarned, I kept a
close eye on Ravvyn during our journey into Dream.
The battle against the Hydra was exhausting and intense. Each of us had been granted an elemental protection versus one of the
heads of the hydra, but it was agile and quick, moving and striking rapidly. Our compatriots had to be protected while they
attempted to re-lock the shackles upon the creature. After a long, and drawn out battle, success was ours. Something furtive about
Ravvyn’s demeanor following the fight raised my concern, and I refused to leave the realm of Dreams until such time as he exited
before me.
When I woke from the Dreaming, it was with great weariness of spirit. I sought a room in the inn for the night, but not before Ravvyn
made it clear that I had earned his enmity for my interference with his plans. I am torn between seeking to learn more of the being
with which he spoke, or minding my business and staying on task – the protection of the tome. The last thought that passed my
mind before sleep, was that perhaps I should speak with Marquis Stabe of the possibility of establishing a temple to Maldina in his
lands. Perhaps running and hiding is not the answer: Perhaps it is time to settle, and make a stand.
Tavern Walls, ECO: 09/2014 Edition
To the Marquis Stabe, courteous greetings. Having recently visited your lands, and met and provided Tatales with some small
assistance, I would like to express my interest in renting some small property just within the borders of the Crystalmere Forest. The
purpose of this would be to establish a space to be dedicated to the worship of the Goddess Maldina, who is, in many ways, similar
to the Lady of Madness and Dreams, Coniectura, commonly given worship in Callinvale. If this offer should meet with your approval,
I will return to the Marches of the North to strike the contract with you. Respectfully, Kestrel n’hya Loriah
A Wolf in Knight`s Armor: Excerpts from the life of Sebastian Brookdale
Childhood
…Rugel knew that the signs would not appear for many years yet, but even so, he could tell. As he looked down on his newborn son,
he thought of the old cedar chest, tucked under his bed that had been given to him by his father, who had received it from his own
da years ago, against the hope that when they bore a child, it would one of the Chosen. Rugel could feel, just as subtle shifts in
pressure might portend the weather, that the cycle of ages was turning here, right before his eyes, and that this child, his child,
would be one of them.
His pride damped for a moment, as he thought of the hardships that this life would entail, a life that, in truth, was not chosen by free
will, but rather ordained by the hand of fate. The child of a village chief was never an easy one, even in as humble a hamlet as
Brookdale, and now with this… Nevertheless, it was an honor that none who lived beneath the canopy of the Darkwood would turn
down if given a choice, and indeed would be a subject of envy for many. Rugel smiled down at his wife, Isabelle, who was exhausted
from the pains of labor, but still managed a look of angelic satisfaction.
“Little Sebastian,” she said in a weak, but proud voice. “Just where did you get those eyes? Gray as a storm cloud one moment, and
blue as a brook the next.” Isabelle turned her head up to look with her green eyes, into the brown eyes of Rugel.
“All babies have blue eyes when first born, Isabelle, you know that,” Rugel said with a smile.
“And what of the gray, wise one?”
Rugel had no response, save for a small, inward affirmation of that which he already knew….
***
… “Sebastian!” “Come out!” “We give up!”
Sebastian silently giggled to himself. Even at this young age, he could sense that the forest was not just scenery, and something
from which to make one’s livelihood. The forest lived, and breathed, and if you spoke to it in the right way, it would care for you,
and hide you from seeking eyes. Even if those eyes belonged to your worried mother, or your friends during a game of hide and
seek…
***
…The wolf was larger than any he’d ever seen. They were not uncommon in the Darkwood. Quite to the contrary. The balance of
life and death, predator and prey, was no better demonstrated than in this very forest, and wolves were a large part of that. Even
so, Sebastian had never been so close to one. It had come upon him while he slept, napping in the midst of a berry gathering trip.
It had been the first time that mother had allowed him to go out all by himself. Oh, he’d snuck out from time to time, to go visit
Yashia, or to play by the little stream behind the house, but never before with permission. It was one of the things that big kids got
to do, or so his mother told him. So, he had wanted his mother to be proud, and had gone far afield to seek lesser-picked bushes.
He had become tired, and took a quick nap beneath an ancient sycamore tree, whose great branches arched out over a babbling
brook.
He had awoken to a pair of intent eyes, not more than a foot from his face. Even then, he had not been scared. He realized that he
should have wet himself in terror by this point, but the great wolf, with its reddish fur, and haunted gaze, inspired only a warm sort
of comfort. The wolf seemed to be peering into, and through him. Sebastian reached up to touch the wolf, but as he did the wolf
edged backwards, just out of reach. The wolf held Sebastian’s gaze for another moment, then turned and stalked silently away.
Strangely, Sebastian never thought to mention the encounter to anyone else. The exchange that had taken place, whatever it may
have been, was just between the two of them…
…Over the past few weeks, it had become increasingly obvious that he could not keep the changes from the others. He would catch
the village girls staring at him out of the corner of his eyes, and his friends had begun to act strangely, as though he was no longer
the Sebastian that they had snared rabbits with when they were ten. He had first noticed when the pains began. His muscles ached,
and his ears burned. Then, he had gashed his lip while eating a bite of venison, and noticed that his canines had grown a bit sharper.
Unbeknownst to Sebastian, it was not the subtle physical changes that the villagers saw. It was how he carried himself, his gait, and
his eyes. And there was something… predatory about him now that had not been present before. Strangely, his father did not seem
to notice, though one day for seemingly no reason at all, after a day of hunting, Rugel had clapped his son on the back, smiled and
begun to laugh…
…The first hint of the tragedy came to Sebastian as a faint acrid odor carried on the morning breeze. Sebastian threw off the covers,
and rose from bed, just as his father came into the room.
“Come on and get dressed son. There’s trouble in Alder.”
Sebastian threw on his clothes and grabbed his longbow and quiver from the wall. Afterwards he would wonder why. Perhaps it
was the tone in his father’s voice, or perhaps it was because he didn’t feel whole without the length of ash in his hand. He hurried
outside, where his father waited, along with several of the other village men. Sebastian, though only fourteen now, was counted
among their number. He had grown much in the past two years, and was nearly the height of his da.
“What’s going on?” asked Sebastian.
One of the village men, Trevish, uttered a one-word reply.
“Drow.”
With that, the small group hurried off to the west, towards Alder, the little village where his childhood friend, Yashia lived. She too, had
begun to change, just as he had. There were others too, like that odd little Tolliver fellow, and a great, lumbering, bear-like youth from
Lith. The men of Brookdale came upon Alder, or what was left of it, just as the sun rose to its zenith. Most of the flames had died out in
the night, and all that was left were the smoking ashes of a once peaceful village. It was not from the buildings, however, that the acrid,
sweet smell that Sebastian had awoken to was produced. No, that odor came from the village’s common, wherein were planted, like
grisly beanpoles, a series of hastily erected wooden Xs. From each X hung a charred corpse, slumped like necrotic fruit. Sebastian could
not tear his eyes from the sight, much as he wanted to look away. Years later, it was this image above all others that would haunt him for
the rest of his days…
…Sebastian accepted the cedar box with a solemn mien and steady hands, though inside he was bursting with curiosity. He had
always wondered what was in that chest that his father kept beneath his bed. Though he wasn’t supposed to know of it, he had
discovered it years ago, during a game of hide and seek.
Rugel handed his son the key to the box with mixed emotions. It was the moment
that he had always known would come. After Sebastian opened the box, there
would be no going back, though that bridge had been crossed years ago now. What
once the villagers had suspected was now more than obvious. Sebastian’s teeth
were now those of a predator and his ears had taken on distinct points. He was by
far the best hunter in the village, and preternaturally silent when he chose to be.
Sebastian had undoubtedly heard tell of the Order and its members. They rarely
came through the villages, especially those nearest the forest’s edge, but one had
come only last month, having heard rumors of Sebastian’s change. Rugel had not
told Sebastian of it just yet.
Sebastian took the key from his father, put it in the lock and turned. He pushed
back the lid, and his eyes widened. Inside lay a folded tabard, emblazoned with two
argent wolves guardant, betwixt which stood an argent tree blasted, upon a field
gules and sable, per saltire. It was nothing he had ever seen before, but the symbol
called to something within his blood. He looked up to his father with a world of
questions waiting to spill from his lips. His father merely held up his hand, and said,
“They’ll come for you tomorrow. I’ll miss you, son.”
…Six months into his training, and he was still being drilled on the basics. He wouldn’t even be allowed to handle weapons for another
year. Honesty, Integrity, Protection, Tolerance. The tenets of the Order were drilled into him each day. He still had not taken his oath,
but it made very clear that that’s what this was all leading up to. “You must learn what these things mean, before you can swear an oath
to them, young Sebastian,” his teacher would always say. But Sebastian was impatient. He wanted to get out and fight the Drow, and
before you were allowed that, you had to take the oath. Someday…
… “What a fool I was,” thought Sebastian. In such a hurry to bloody his blade. He had learned the ways of the Order, and had come to
value them above all else. He had learned what honor truly meant, and in so doing came to a profound belief in the sanctity of life. He
did not like the act of killing, though he had become quite adept at it. Each time he took a life, even that of one of the cursed Drow, he
had a moment of regret. But only a moment. He drew the knocked arrow to his cheek once more, and let fly in one fluid motion. The
shaft took the Drow warrior in the heart, and blood fountained from his mouth…
…In a hall formed by lines of tremendous oaks, in the center of the stronghold of the Order of the Mithril Arrow, in the presence of all the
assembled knights, Sebastian donned his family’s tabard for the first time.
“Is he the one?” The Master wondered this as he lowered the tabard over Sebastian’s head. Could he be the keeper of that most revered
of spirits? He was a wolf to be sure, and that particular spirit had not been seen in a very long time. It had once been hoped that he, the
Master of the Order had held that spirit, but as he had come to know himself, he knew that this was not the case. Only time would tell.
This was the last evening that Sebastian would spend within these walls for some time. His training was complete. Few members of the
Order had ever showed such early potential. It was well past time for Sebastian to go out into the world, to see why his home was worth
giving his life for, and to test his conviction to his oaths of Tolerance and Integrity. Even so, the Master was uneasy as he looked down
upon Sebastian. There was a storm coming, and this one would be at its center…
Early Adventures
…He didn’t know why, but people looked to him for guidance. Like as not when someone needed their daughter rescued, or the
ravenous beast slain, it was to Sebastian that all eyes turned. Leadership was a mantle he had not expected, but was willing to take on,
convinced that he could lead his friends through these travails safely…
…Even as the life drained from the Drow’s eyes, they were filled with confusion. Though he had never asked for mercy, the Drow had not
shown any of the hatred and venomous cruelty that all others Sebastian had met had shown, and had wondered ‘til the end who would
want him dead, and why. Even so, he was the enemy, and must be destroyed. He remembered the burned bodies, their jaws still fixed in
a silent screams. He had sworn an oath, and this creature had likely drunk the blood of children and slain mothers in their sleep. So why
did Sebastian still feel ill at ease…?
…The difference between a dark elf and a Drow was one of the most important lessons Sebastian ever learned. There were members of
the dark elven race who opposed Lolth, and her evil ways. Imagine that…
…Life was filled with inconsistencies. The black and white of his teachings did not mesh with the shades of gray of this, the real world.
Upon taking this lesson to heart, Sebastian finally appreciated the reason for his journeys outside the Darkwood. The next lesson was
that despite these shades of gray, the tenets of his Order still stood. Their framework could be used as a guideline, rather than a mindless
stricture. This conflict resolved, Sebastian re-dedicated himself to his tasks…
The Shadows Grow
…Sebastian was vaguely aware of the form of his friend and ally, Karemenos, leaping his body as the tides of unconsciousness claimed
him. The pain of the priest’s defensive backlash had been like nothing Sebastian had ever experienced. One moment he was letting an
arrow fly at the Ulatecan High Priest, and the next, it was as though he were burning alive. His next conscious memory was waking with
the cold stone of the temple’s altar pressing against his back, the site of the priest’s ritual blade raised high, the air around him resonating
with malevolent chanting, and finally the feel of his sternum parting, pried apart by the blade, and a terrible ripping of flesh as his heart
was extracted…
…The face of an angel looked down upon him. Only moments before, he had been running through a primeval forest, chasing a great
white hart in the oldest of games. He had thought that that was the afterlife; now he was not so sure. The eyes of the angel were filled
with such warmth, and such concern, the features of the face so fair, the hair a radiant honey in color… The vision lasted only so long, as
a dark figure in a beret with a diamond painted over one eye moved into view. Definitely not a denizen of the afterlife, unless…
…The radiant angel had turned out to have a name. Kestrel. A priestess by calling, a giver of healing, a creature of mercy. An angel still,
then. Kestrel created new conflicts for Sebastian. He began to suspect why it was that Yashia found him so frustrating. If she held
feelings for him akin to those that Kestrel inspired for Sebastian, he could not blame her for her reaction when he pushed her away. Even
so, Sebastian was bound by an oath. He could not allow his emotions to interfere with his quests, and he could not, by involving himself
with her, bring her to harm. Keeping her at arm’s length was one of the greatest challenges Sebastian had yet faced…
The Towers
…Sebastian let fly another arrow, and another. Each arrow felled another skeleton, but they kept coming in ever increasing numbers.
Kestrel kept them at bay with the magics of her goddess, and Harmony waded among them with amazing efficiency, but despite their
best efforts, a few got through to pummel the walls of the structure they guarded. The first time that Sebastian had faced death, it had
come for him suddenly. This time, Sebastian had the time to savor its taste. Sebastian glanced over at Kestrel, putting her best efforts
into the fight. Though he knew not what the future held for the two of them, he desperately wanted to be in that future, and like hell
these walking corpses would lay a claw on her! Sebastian redoubled his efforts…
Paradise Lost
…Recalled! His period of wandering was over, so said the missive he had received from the Order. There was so much left to do! Surely
they could do without him for a few more years. But, true to his oaths, Sebastian returned to the Darkwood. And there would be no
time to say goodbye to Kestrel. He was still unsure of his feelings, but ever since the Towers, and the hordes of undead that they had
faced together, Kestrel and Sebastian had shared a bond that went beyond mere emotion. At times he could feel her emotions, and
smell her scent, even if they were miles separated. He hoped that she would understand. His first duty would always be to his oaths, and
his honor. Without these, of what value was he to himself, let alone to Kestrel…
…The Darkwood had not seen such an invasion since Kithain had raised his forces of darkness and slaughtered the elves of the Darkwood,
once called the Gyldwyd. The Order rose to oppose the force. It was what they had all trained for; it was their reason for living. They had
known that someday the dark elves would come again in earnest, to reclaim their Grimoire…
…Shadows moved…fire walked…demons screamed. The Order was once more forced back to its stronghold, holding the walls against the
hordes…
…The walls were breached; over a hundred of the brothers of the Order lay slain. The Grimoire was almost theirs. It was then that the
Master took the Grimoire from its stand, opened it, and began to read. His voice took on an unnatural timber and began to resonate
from the walls of the Citadel. The sky opened, and lightning began to strike down the invaders. The earth ruptured, and the wind
howled. The enemy was smitten where they stood, and vanquished.
The knights of the Order turned their gazes to the Master, unsure of how to react. The battle was won, but by what means? Bound by
their oaths of loyalty, they stood, staring.
One brother cried out, one alone. “No!” Sebastian screamed, as tears mixed with the blood on his face. Though aware of his oaths,
Sebastian knew in his heart that the one to whom he was sworn was no longer worthy of his loyalty. Sebastian felt only rage and betrayal
as he advanced upon the Master of the Order. Better to die to a man than to utilize the powers that lay with the Grimoire. And to be
able to so easily call upon its powers must mean that this was not the first time the Master had delved into the pages of the Grimoire.
The Master spoke, but Sebastian heard none of it…
…As he fled the forest, the Grimoire pulsed in his hand. Sebastian felt the thing as though it were alive, twisting in his grasp, its vile power
burning in his grasp. The Order had betrayed him; he had not betrayed the Order. He had to believe that. He had to believe that…
…Lost once, and never to be lost again. The curve of the face of the angel Kestrel lay against his hand. In the years after his wanderings,
Sebastian had come to realize the relative importance of things. For one, it was often the idea of a thing that was worthy of your life’s
work, rather than a thing itself. For another, to deny love was to deny life, and he had come to admit to himself that he did, in fact, love
Kestrel, and he told her so now. Despite the fact that the entire structure of his world within the Order had fallen to pieces, and those he
had called friend were now his enemies, he had never felt so at peace, as he did now, bathed in the light of this most magnificent of
Maldina’s creations…
Diplomacy
…They had never really been expected to be able to come to a diplomatic solution. It was all a clever ploy to trap the team of
adventurers into raiding Hothorian territory. Having made promises not to break Hothorian law, the prospect of committing a jail break,
even if the cause was just, presented particular problems…
…Sebastian could only stare transfixed in horror as the enormous Hothorian knight slowly approached a similarly held Kestrel. The
Hothorian took his time, knowing that she was not going anywhere, and delivered a series of punishing blows to her back, the last one
spraying her life blood across the small distance to where Sebastian stood, spattering his face. A silent cry of agony rang within
Sebastian’s skull…
…He had gotten to her just in time to activate a ring that would tie her soul back to her body, before the tether was severed completely.
Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and a faint smile appeared on her lips. Another day, far in the future, when they had shared the better
portions of their lives together, then perhaps he would have to let her go to Maldina. But not today…
Summer Market
…As he placed the Grimoire into Kestrel’s bag, along with the note telling her what she would need to do, he prepared himself once again
for death. The Drow that followed them would overtake them soon, unless he led them away. Though these dark elves followed the
malevolent emanations of the Grimoire, Kestrel’s magics should be enough to shield it, while the residual contamination left on himself
from his weeks of carrying it should be enough for the Drow to detect. He would hit their encampment, and then lead them away, either
to their death or his own. He kissed Kestrel’s forehead as she slept, and traced the mattoo that bonded them. A hint of a smile appeared
on her lips. Sebastian crept away, silent as a whisper…
…Dolan looked at Sebastian askew as they walked. They had been speaking only minutes before when Sebastian held up a hand, as
though listening to something that only he could hear. Perplexed, Dolan waited patiently.
“Would you do me the honor of accompanying me on a small walk, Dolan?” asked Sebastian. “There may be trouble about.”
Doubtfully, Dolan followed Sebastian out of the confines of the sacred glade in which the traveling market had been set up. A traveling
bladesmith, as well as a rune-writer were there, from whom Sebastian had purchased twin longswords, specially designed for battle
against the Unseelie.
Sebastian slowed as he and Dolan came upon a heavily foliaged tree. From around its side, a menacing figure appeared. Clad in dark
silver mail, partially covered by a flowing black tabard, the figure of a Drow knight raised his two-handed blade in the mockery of a salute.
Dolan’s hand went to his bow, and Sebastian dropped his blades and took his longbow from his shoulder, knocking an arrow as he went.
“Greetings, Sebastian. We’ve been waiting for you.” The Drow’s voiced fairly dripped with venomous intent. From the heraldry on the
tabard, Sebastian knew that this was no ordinary Drow, but a knight of Lolth.
“Where are your friends?” Sebastian asked, his eyes scanning the surrounding countryside for evidence of other Drow.
“Around,” was the knight’s only reply, as he suddenly charged, his great blade coming up for a powerful downward chop as he ran.
Sebastian was momentarily taken by surprise at the speed of his opponent, and was unable to loose his arrow. He dodged to the side as
the knight’s blade came down.
The knight grinned at Sebastian as Dolan moved in with his blades, and uttered the chilling words, “Death Call.” Sebastian’s reality shifted
suddenly. The rest of the world took on more subtle shading, as though in twilight, while he and the Drow knight were lit with the
harshest of illuminations. He faintly heard the voices of others, but they were as smoke. Sebastian knew of this magic, and he also knew
that he would not be able to shift back to the real world, until either he or the Drow lay dead. The specters of Dolan, and Sebastian’s
companion Alain hacked at the knight, as Sebastian and he locked gazes, but their blades passed through, as though the Drow was but a
dream’s shadow.
Sebastian stood, his bow in hand, the knight standing over his carelessly discarded blades. How could he have been so foolish? Perhaps,
as a knight with some twisted form of honor, this Drow would foolishly allow Sebastian to have his blades back, thus attaining a more
glorious victory.
“Perhaps you would grant me the use of my weapons, that we might slay each other more honorably,” suggested Sebastian.
“But of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Sebastian cautiously retrieved his blades, and no sooner had his hands touched the pommels, than the Drow swung his blade. Not so
honorable after all. Sebastian lifted his parrying blade just in time to deflect the massive weapon, and danced to the side. And so, the
battle was joined. Faced with the two-hander, Sebastian knew that his only hope was to get in close. Easier said than done.
Sebastian rushed in several times, landing a glancing blow here, a minor thrust there, only to retreat before the increasingly rage-filled
Drow. What had started as a perversely polite altercation was now an enraged blood match. The Drow lashed out with a mighty blow,
catching Sebastian across the left calf, cutting deeply. Sebastian leapt backwards, and felt the sickening crunch of shattered bone as he
landed. The Drow leered, bleeding from a half dozen light wounds, which he seemed to take no notice of whatsoever.
“Where’s the Grimoire, Sebastian? Do you have it with you?”
“Yes…in spirit.”
“In spirit, eh? I’ve dealt with enough of your kind to understand your double-speak. It’s on her, isn’t it? That little bitch, Kestrel?”
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed. So. They knew of his ruse. Or did they only suspect?
“Can’t you smell its stink on me, Drow, the rotten stench of its magics?”
“Oh yes, but it’s not here, no… It is on her, then. Oh, the fun we’ll have with her. She’ll scream for hours before we’re done, and all the
while I’ll be telling her how I took your head and fed your body to the wolves that you love so much.”
Sebastian’s lips curled into a snarl, baring his wicked teeth. His eyes burned with rage, and the pain of his lacerated leg was forgotten.
“You won’t live to enjoy that particular pleasure, Drow,” Sebastian spat, and rushed forward, unleashing a flurry of blows, each one
connecting and drawing out long gouts of blackish blood as the blades arced around for further blows. The Drow, caught unaware by the
fury of the attack, fell back, dropped his blade, and finally fell to his knees, attempting to shield himself with his bloodied limbs. Sebastian
ceased his attack at this, and slowly circled around the knight’s back.
“If you kill me, the rest will know to go after the girl.”
“I don’t think so,” said Sebastian, as he gripped the knight’s hair with one hand, and brought his longsword to rest on his neck, pressing in
slightly. “Do you ask for mercy? Go ahead, ask for your life.”
“I do not deserve mercy and I will not ask it. That little bitch of yours is going to die, Sebastian, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“Thank you, for making this so very easy for me. Very accommodating of you. The last of your kind that I slew begged and pleaded for his
life. Not only do you not assail my conscience, but you remind of why it is that I hate you!” And with that, Sebastian drew his blade
across the Drow’s throat, biting deep and unleashing a torrent of blood. He gripped the Drow’s hair until he stopped spasming, and then
let go, allowing the corpse to fall to the ground. It lay there for a few seconds, before suddenly bursting into a flash of white flame, and
then was gone, leaving behind only the burned sigil of Lolth’s web…
…Though trepidatious about the melange’s effects on his purity of spirit, Sebastian took the potion from the elven woman’s hand. Being
one of the bright folk, Sebastian trusted her implicitly. She had said that this would aid him in his fight against the Unseelie, and he
needed all the aid that he could.
No sooner had he imbibed the draught, than he found himself alone, surrounded by darkness, and countless flitting shapes, circling him.
Sebastian had rarely been truly afraid. Concerned, unsure, but frightened? Never truly, until now. Now he knew what terror was, as
these horrible shades flew by. One lashed out, and grazed Sebastian’s arm which erupted in agony. Sebastian screamed…and awoke, still
screaming, grasping his arm. Overcome with the pain, Sebastian was overtaken by unconsciousness once more. This time, blessedly, the
shapes were not there, only soothing blackness. Later, when he awoke, Sebastian remembered the terror of his vision, and shuddered.
Whatever it was that had instilled that mortal fear in his heart, must not be allowed to continue…
Deity: Maldina : Prophetess of the Winds
Element
Aspect
Animal
Colors
Major Symbol
:
:
:
:
:
Air
Emotions
Dragon
Light Blue (Lunara Blue) and Silver/Grey
Eagle in flight within a circle
General Information:
Maldina (mal-dee-nah) is the Goddess of the Wind, one of the Six Elder Gods, and the Consort to Tain. She is an active member of
the Pantheon of Six, though not as aggressive in promoting her religion as others. Her aspects include prophecy and the serving of
the individual's needs. (The needs of the many DO NOT always outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.) Maldina and her clergy
promote the individual worshipper more than any one goal or idea. The needs of the person who seeks out the help of the Goddess
is always paramount. Her nature is to protect those whose lives she has touched. Any who embark on an important project seek
her blessing and perhaps a word of what the future brings.
As the Binder of Souls, Maldina presides over marriages and namings. In naming a child, the priestess or priest strengthens the bond
between the mortal body and the immortal soul that Maldina graciously gives at birth. Marriages performed by a Maldinan can be
more than just a binding in the eyes of man and the Gods; those being married under her blessing can find that their souls are now
inexorably linked together.
Maldina also encourages each of her followers to walk their own path to the Gods. Her clergy cite the First Edit of Tain ("Many are
the Paths of Light; all shall lead to me.") to prove that as long as a person leads a happy, productive life with no evil intent, then you
will be rewarded by the Gods blessings. Maldinans firmly believe that anything you do will come back to you six-fold.
History:
During Godstime, Maldina walked with man and found them beautiful. She wished that they could ride the winds such as she, and
so she set out to created beings to do just that... The Dragons. During the conflicts of Godstime, Maldina was the target of many
assaults by Tyste, the Bringer of Fire and Death, to lure her from her consort Tain, the All-Father. In one instance, Maldina was
raped by Tyste, and a sickly daughter was born. Tyste cared for it, and when she grew to womanhood found that she too had
powers of destruction like her father. Her name is Cordir, known to man as the Goddess of Demons.
Maldina's hatred for Tyste and his followers knows no bounds. It was Tyste that swayed dragons from serving her, it was he who
struggled against her consort. After Tyste brought death to mortals, it was Maldina who crafted Souls to bring them to the afterlife
in peace. In an attempt to learn of Tyste's next stroke and to warn his unfortunate victims, Maldina sought visions of the future, and
so became the Prophetess.
Her Clergy:
There are two different types of priestesses/priests of Maldina. The clergy that staff her temples are generally referred to as
Watchers of the Wind, and her wandering followers are known as Masters of the Sight. The Watchers are more numerous - those
that petition for an audience deal with a Watcher in the High Temples. These supplicants are called Seekers by the clergy, an
informal title to make them feel more comfortable.
Maldinans will do everything they can to help a Seeker, by the will of their Goddess. Those that are needful of the temple's
teachings of advice, or support in the face of tragedy are welcomed with open arms. Not only are those that seek the answers to
the future helped; the Maldinans, concerned with new beginnings, will give some initial aid to help anyone start again.
Masters are the wandering wing of the church - counselor, missionary, and example of Maldina all in one. They are charged with
bringing the aid of the temples to those that cannot journey there themselves; in essence, all they touch are Seekers of different
sorts. They give aid in whatever form is needed - the energies involved go far beyond mere advice. A Master will go to great
physical or mental lengths to see that their charges are satisfied and the Goddess's will is done. As long as their acts do no harm to
any other, their code is firm: Give aid to all that ask, refuse no one.
To the Maldinans, there is a difference between the intent of the action and the deed itself. Maldinans do not believe that a person
has strayed from the Path of Light if they have acted with the best intentions, even if the deed goes astray or can be classified as evil.
A priestess would try to ease the guilt and grief, helping to bring the Seeker to a better understanding of the situation. Perhaps the
best phrase to sum up their philosophy is: Let your conscience be your guide.
Worship and Worshippers:
The followers of Maldina vary. Many that come as Seekers to her doors leave with a profound love for the Goddess. As the Bringer
of Omens, her religion is well represented by Astrologers and Seers. There are various chapters of her Temples throughout the
continent that play a large part in counseling the courts of nobles - priestesses can often be found traveling in a noble’s entourage.
The wayside shrines to Maldina are quite prevalent; they can be found at many easily accessible hilltops. They are usually in the
shape of a circular column, approximately eight feet in height, with a sculpture of a dragon or eagle on the top. These shrines have a
bowl balanced between the animal's wings for donations. It is said that if you can throw a coin into the bowl, you shall be blessed by
the Goddess.
Many sacrifices of animals are made to her, specifically the four-legged kind. The birds are considered to be her messenger, and
therefore sacred. Dragons are considered to be omens of great events to a Maldinan.
Maldinan ceremonies take place during the few minutes before sunrise and sunset, lasting until the full rising or setting of the sun.
The services are usually very informal; a libation to the Goddess is performed by her followers and then a silent vigil until the end of
the service.
The clergy traditionally wear a blue or silver mantle, or a floor length cape in grey which hangs behind from the shoulders. The holy
symbol of the majority of Maldinans in an Eagle encircled, or a hawk in flight.
Game Note:
In other instances, the goddess Maldina is referred to as Ebonya (Eh-bon-yah). Maldina is the regional name for Ebonya, which, in
the Aeyorain language translates to "sky-spirit-mother". The use of the name "Ebonya" is uncommon; only the high priestesses of
the religion understand the difference in names, and have little reason to use it. Any references to Ebonya in other texts should be
taken to also refer to Maldina in all respects.
The Order of the Falcon`s Eye and the Clergy of
Maldina
These two orders are integral to each other, and both are in service to the deity known
as Maldina, the Prophetess and Seeress, Goddess of the Wind, the Keeper of Souls. She
is one of the Lost Gods, who were separated from the lands when the Curtain Wall
went up around the lands of Monaque. Unlike the rest of the Pantheon of Six, Maldina
left behind the lands of her native worshippers, and has given herself heart and soul,
to Westfall.
Upon the raising of the Curtain Wall, She dictated through her highest level Westfallan
Priest (Hawk, of the Temple at Mount Tarenya, in Kintomar) that a new Companion
Order be created. The Maldinan Clergy have a focus upon two things - the
relationships involving the soul, and the future. They are not a combative group, but must often travel to dangerous areas, thus
requiring protection. Thus the Knights Order of the Falcon’s Eye was created. The chapter house for the order is currently being
constructed at Mount Tarenya.
The Knights of the Order of the Falcon's Eye are always paired with a specific member of the clergy. Their lives are intertwined and
bound in a special ritual, performed at their pairing.
Tenants of the Order of the Falcon’s Eye
Protect the clerics of Maldina.
Carry out the will and the word of Maldina.
Assist all in need as best you can.
Undead are abhorrent and must be destroyed whenever possible.
The most commonly used incantation by Maldinan clergy is: “Maldina! May thy Will and Thy Winds take the path of Your Vision
through me. May the wings of the Eagle and the flight of the Dragon traverse the sky, summoning forth Your power, into my hands,
to cast…”
Colors: Lunara Blue, White, Silver
Clerical Sphere of Influence: Ceremonies such as weddings, burials, visionary events, oracular summonings, etc.
Symbol: An eagle or hawk in flight, feathers
History Of Obedience
(From the 1999 Southern California World History Document)
Obedience is probably one of the most odd places in all of Kintomar. The capitol city is rumored to be built on the site of a prePunishment city, and is the only Kintomaran Barony with no regular exports or imports, and is heralded as a model of selfsufficiency. Strangely, the census for Obedience shows that there have been no immigrants leaving the city, but many moving in
from various other Baronies, generally of the merchant or traveling tinker profession.
Another odd feature of the Barony is Skyblast Lake. It is unusual in that it a virtually perfect circle, the waters of which are a silty red
in which nothing lives. The water is still potable, and the local animals drink from it without after-effects, but most of the locals will
not swim or drink from its waters.
Obedience has an official reputation of being the perfect, peace-loving city, with order strictly maintained by the Baronial Guard.
Unofficially, however, it has the reputation of being something very, very different. There have been longstanding tales of magical
and spiritual slavery, barbaric rites, and missing persons by the dozens. As well, folk-talk of dark magic, and the untimely fates of
those who make the mistake of traveling there.
The laws of Obedience and the swiftly applied punishments for infractions are rather different from those of the rest Kintomar:
* Killing another person (except by the Church' s orders) is strictly forbidden. There is no such thing as self-defense. Punishment is
death by fire.
* Theft is answerable by the loss of a hand for the first offense, slavery for the second.
* Adultery is forbidden. The punishment is death by stoning.
* Speaking to outsiders is forbidden. Association with outsiders, except with the express permission of the Reverend, is forbidden.
The punishment to be decided by the Reverend.
* The practice of so-called "Magic" is forbidden, as is the practice of belief that the earth is sacred or holy. The punishment is death
by the flames.
* Disobedience of the tenants of the Church is illegal, and punishable by whatever the Reverend deems fit.
Interfering with the duties of the Clergy is forbidden and punishable by the damnation of the soul.
At the end of the War of Tears, the city of Obedience was founded under very strange circumstances. During a maelstrom caused by
the death/suicide of Shathur Risore and the Tianinmantiran Heir, Lythoridel, a mage-storm vortex was created. An entire building
from another world was sucked through the vortex and brought to Kintomar. It turned out to be a church, with the entire
congregation inside. Led by Reverend Prichard, the newcomers to the lands of Westfall settled down in their new home with
relative ease. It seemed that they were praying at the time for deliverance from the persecution of their "Nglsh" overlords. As far as
they were concerned, their god had answered their prayers and whisked them up into the promised land they so richly deserved.
Unbeknownst to them, the area already had a deity of choice; Maldina. The church had been deposited quite near a local grove to
Maldina, and the Reverend discovered this fact when he came upon some of the locals praying at the altar to the Goddess of the
Wind. Condemning them as "infidels praying to a woman," he told them to tell all the others in the surrounding areas that there
would only be obedience to the laws of the Unnamed God, and that all must repent and convert, or be damned. He ordered that
the Maldinan alter be utterly destroyed. When this proved strangely impossible, he commanded that the new church would be built
over altar, shielding the locals from its "evil taint". It was covered with a heavy cloth, and used it in place of the one that had been
broken in the transit.
Many years passed in a similar manner: The rule of the Church of the Unnamed One continued to spread quietly by force. But one
day, the Children of Obedience, as they were beginning to be called, tried to convert the wrong person. The son of the local Baron
was staying at an inn nearby, and the Reverend himself tried to "bring him around to the truth". The lad was having nothing of it,
but because he knew his father would want to know more about this group, he went along to the ceremonies that night.
Being a fairly good mage himself, he immediately recognized the power of the Maldinan altar, and realized that the altar was
magnifying the power of the priest. He left that evening, and reported the day's events to his father. The Baron DeGuerre Caruthers
was no one's fool. The next day he rode out to speak with the Reverend and offered him a deal. The tenants of the Unnamed One
declared that all must find work - that sloth was the "devil's playground". Very well, he would provide plenty of work. The final
outcome of their long discussion was simple. The Reverend would use the altar to influence the people of Obedience to work in
virtual slavery, and the extra profit from the free labor would be split between the Baron's coffers and those of the Church. It would
profit the church, so as to have more money to proselytize, and the Baron would have extremely inexpensive, hard workers. In
exchange, the Baron would look the other way when the Church bent the laws a bit with their aggressive "conversion" tactics. This
'arrangement' has been in place ever since. . . or so the stories say.
Magic Item List:
Dove Fetish:
#1) This is a Dove Fetish, bonded to Kestrel Loriah. It has been fully activated.
#2) This Fetish grants Speak with Animals, 1 conversation, 1x/day, limited to Doves (Avians).
#3) To open the person’s spirit further who is bonded to this fetish, they must undergo a spirit journey. This is accomplished with
the aid of psychoactive drugs, hallucinogenic herbs, and a special ceremony in which a Devoran Priest guides the petitioner. Anyone
else attempting to either do it on their own or without a trained Devoran Priest will fail and irrevocably destroy the Fetish. Each
spirit journey becomes progressively more difficult and more powerful drugs and herbs are needed (this is reflected in the increased
cost of the Fetish). A person must undergo a spirit journey to access each of the following powers and the journeys must be taken in
the following Savvy order. The cost for the drugs, herbs and ceremony is reflected in each individual savvy.
#4) Heal Animals (Druid Innate), 1x/day. This is limited to the type of animal the Fetish represents (Doves/Avians). The cost for this
journey is 175 gp.
#5) Animal Tamer, 1x/day, full incantation. This is limited to the animal the totem represents (Dove/Avians). The cost for this
journey is 225 gp.
#6) Personal Augery, Full Meditation, 1x/day. This is represented by the Totem Spirit guiding the petitioner through a possible
future. The cost for this journey is 1,050 gp.
#7) Aspect of the Dove, full meditation. The cost for this journey is 5,000 gp.:
“Haven That Works” at +2 LI for the duration of the Aspect. (Haven That Works means that the Totem Bearer cannot be affected by
any area of effect spells or any “cheezing” of spells to get around the Haven, so long as the caster is affected by the Haven’s LI.)
Healing Storm: For the duration of the Healing Storm, the Totem Bearer can cast five of the following spells, Autocast: Life Spark,
Freeze Disease/Poison, Cure Disease/Poison, and Cure Serious Wounds. The Bearer must spend their own spell points for these
spells. Additionally, during the Healing Storm, all healing spells cast during the Aspect will bestow an additional point of healing per
spell point spent. (E.G: a spell that, for one spell point would normally grant 2 points of healing would grant 3, and a spell that
would normally grant 3 would grant 4, etc.)
Weapons & Armor:
+2 Chainmail, non-encumbering (Purchase: Callinvale Tournament)
+0 Silver Magic sword
Staff Sash (Savvy #1 This five foot long sash has weighted ends, and to one who is proficient in its use, it acts as a +0 magic melee
weapon. Fighting with the sash is simulated with a white short staff, while the sash is held in one hand, also. If Dropsied or Disarmed,
however, both staff and sash are dropped together. The staff, however, is not there, and its use is along the lines of a spell flag. The
sash appears as a sash, and not as a weapon. Final Value: 440
Maldinan Headband: This item has been enchanted to function in the Dream Realm of Callinvale
Headband of Precognition: Monk’s Precognition, 1x/day, rechargeable by 10 monk points)
Raven’s Feather: Melange, 1x/day
Kestrel Feather: Personal Augury 1x/day
Dove Feather: Speak With Winds, 1 Shot
Maldina’s Blessing:
This blessing takes the form of a wind elemental, invisible to all but Maldinans or those with an appropriate bond (GM discretion).
This elemental will only bond once, and cannot be traded, sold, bought back, or otherwise transferred in any way.
Once bonding has occurred (1 game day passes), the wind elemental will surround the Maldinan with softly blowing, pure winds
whenever atmosphere is present.
At times of danger, the elemental will raise strong winds which can act as a shield around the priestess. This wind will knock aside
regular arrows, however target and critical arrows will penetrate the winds, as will Arrows of Slaying, No Defense Arrows, etc.
Healing Items:
1 Shot, Autoactivated LifeSpark – Purchased at Callivale Tournament
Ring of Darshiva: Heal, 6 pts, Autocast, unlimited rechargeable, recharges for 3 cp.
Ring of Healing, 4pts. Autocast, 1x/day – silver & amber ring.
Widget of Healing, 5 points, Autocast, 1x/day – blue florette pin
Saving Grace: Monk's Autocast Heal Self, 1 point, 6x/day, Auto- activated when a limb is rendered useless through melee combat.
Healing is limited to limbs only.
(3) Neutralize Poison Potions
Miscellaneous
Mattoo of the Soul Song - Value 400
This Mattoo is always placed as a pair - the symbol is two interlocked circles. It allows the two individuals upon which it is placed to
always, instantaneously know the general location of the other individual. This knowledge comes in the form of a gentle tugging
upon mentally asking for direction and a general sense of the distance involved. If the other of the pair is not on the same plane, this
will be communicated. If the other of the pair is dead, this will also be communicated. (Back To The Blue Nile Inn – Mattoo is keyed
on Sir Sebastian Brookdale)
Breakthrough Rune Card: Escape Bonds, 1x/day, at up to 15 ft. range. – sewn into robe
Ring of Agility: Monk’s Speed, 1x/day
Amulet of Mist: Mist Servant OR Mist Bridge, 1x/day
Speak With Animals, 1x/day
Wand of Missiles – 10 point deadeye, 5 charges.
(3) Life stones (Savvies Unknown, need a game script for Before the Dragon’s Lair)
The Bouquet of the Empress of Love and Beauty: (Value 2600gp)
Savvy #1: Autocast Find Herbs (Ranger 6), Damiana. The bouquet automatically grows a single flower at the beginning of each game
day. It loses potency 10 minutes after being picked, and cannot be preserved in any way. When mixed with water for 15 seconds and
drunk, the imbiber falls hopelessly in love with the bonded owner.
Ribbon of the Empress of Love and Beauty: This special ribbon is an award given by the winner in the Grand Melee and
Tournament. It signifies that they possess grace and beauty in the eyes of the Empire, and are granted benefit of the doubt in legal
matters.
Savvy #1: This special ribbon is unique and cannot be duplicated in any way. Attempts to duplicate will always cause the forged
ribbon to be flawed in some manner so that it is recognizable as such with use of a Heraldric Lore (Knight 1).
Savvy #2: The ribbon, if lost or stolen, will always return to the person for whom it was made at the end of every game day. It has no
inherent gp value otherwise.
Ring of the Djinn – Game of Empire (not currently enhanced beyond base)
Savvy #1: The Ring of the Djinn is a powerful item that taps onto the essential element of air. As such, it is totally invulnerable to all
lightning effects (though not necessarily the wearer). The ring cannot be altered in any way other than as stated in the following
savvies.
Savvy #2: In order to bond to this ring, the owner must place the ring on a finger. The ring then explodes in electricity into finger it is
attached to, causing a loss of 1 permanent life point (healable only be Restore Life Point). At this point, the ring cannot be seen or
detected by any means other than True Sight. Also, it cannot be removed except by the death of the bonded owner. If the bonded
owner dies, the ring will re-bond to the owner without loss of life points as long as it has not bonded to anyone else since the
owner’s death..
Savvy #3: The ring is a builder item, capable of being upgraded to more powerful effects. In order to upgrade the ring, the bonded
owner summons the Djinn that is tied to the ring (this can only happen out of game unless provided by game design, or for the use
of the Fly power, see below) and pays it to upgrade the ring. The Djinn will only accept white diamonds or blue star sapphires as
payment (of the proper gold piece value, of course). If the price of any of the abilities changes in future editions of the blue book,
the new blue book price must be used to upgrade the ring (or buy the re-buyable 1-shots). The only powers that can be added to the
ring are in the following savvies.
Savvy #4: The ring is capable of summoning a Djinn that is tied to the ring. This can only be done out of game except for the use of
the Fly power (See below). In game, summoning the djinn requires a full 10 minutes of casting the correct ritual (user cannot be in
Concentration during this time). The correct ritual is inherently taught to anyone who bonds to the ring.
Savvy #5: The bonded owner can use Elemental Defense, Lightning (Druid 3) an unlimited number of times. This protection is initially
for only 1 point. The protection can be increased up to a maximum of 42 points by summoning the Djinn and paying it an additional
900gp in white diamonds or blue star sapphires per point of protection. Casting time for this use is 10 seconds and lasts for 1 combat
or one game day, whichever comes first.
Savvy #6: The Djinn can also be summoned to place one shot spells into the ring which can be used at the whim of the bonded
owner. These spells and the price for the Djinn to place them into the ring are (All spells have normal casting times):
Elemental Arrow, Lightning (Druid 3): 165gp
Elemental Strike, Lightning (Druid 4): Up to 42 points for 72gp + 12gp per point (60 + 10/pt + 20% for Incremental).
Gale (Druid 4): 120gp
Mist Bridge (Druid 6): 130gp
Speak to Winds (Druid 6, 1 use/question): 90gp
Dust Storm (Druid 7): 640gp
Mist Servant (Druid 7): 190gp
Seeds of the Element, Lightning (Druid 7): Up to 28 points for 72gp + 9gp/point (60 + 7/point at +20% for incremental)
Elemental-Lightning (Druid 9): 1229gp
Summon Storm (Druid 10): 500gp
Lightning ball (Mage 5): Up to 42 points for 144gp +24gp per point (120 + 20/point at +20% for incremental).
Wall of Lightning (Mage 9): Up to 42 points for 6gp per point (5 +20% for incremental).
Fly (Special): For 500gp, the djinn will cast a fly on a single person of the caster’s choice.
Fly Spell: This 8th level spell (and can be dispelled at 8th level of effect with a successful Dispel Magic) allows 1 person of the caster’s
choice to fly for a 5 minute duration. This flight can achieve a maximum altitude above the ground (or body of water) of 6 feet, so
cannot be used to cross chasms, etc. The person may fly laterally (horizontally) as fast as they can normally move while on the
ground. If the recipient passes over a chasm or other obstacle that would place them at more than 6 feet of the surface of the
ground, they will descend at a rate of 5 feet per second until within 6 feet of the ground.
(5) Lodestones
#1) This magical device attracts Gate energy, and acts as a powerful focus point for Gates being set up from alternate planes or
dimensions. Should a Gate be focused on a Lodestone, it will cost the caster half of the spell points normally required (Note that the
Lodestone does NOT grant the ability to cast the Gate Spell, except as listed below).
#2) This lodestone begins to vibrate when in the presence (100 feet diameter circle or GM discretion) of a forming or active Gate.
#3) This stone is a strong conductor of electrical energy. If two or more stones are carried at the same time by the same individual,
it will set up an arcing grid of energy, causing any electrical damage sustained by the bearer to be No Defense at all times that more
than two Lodestones are carried.
#4) If the Lodestone is shattered (this can ONLY be done through a Reverse Mend or 20 points of magical damage <spell or
weapon>) the Lodestone will create a Gate to the place of its creation – in this case, the Courtyard of the Tower of Magic in the City
of the Open Gates, Dimensiar. This is a ONE WAY Gate, and will last for 1 minute. This gate, when activated, is effectively a Game
Time Down ( Calling for sheets ). This ability can only work Once EVER, and once used, the Lodestone is irrevocably destroyed.
(2) Robes of Power: 1 fully charged with 20 spell points, 1 charged with 2 spell points.
Savvy #1) This robe, when an appropriate phys. rep. is worn, acts as a one spell or ability point battery, dischargable once
per day. It requires six seconds to recharge the robe, and only the bonded owner can recharge the robe. It also takes six seconds to
take the points out of the robe, and into the wearer.
Savvy #2) The power of the robe can be increased by expending gold or magic items. For each 270 gold pieces in either gold
or magical items (please see note below for the valuing of magic items), the robe will gain one point of rechargeable battery, usable
once per day, which can only be recharged by the bonded owner. This process can be performed until the robe is a 20 point battery,
and then no more.
Magical Item Value shall be determined at 75% of sanctioned game value, and if the value of the magic item(s) used is in
excess of a multiple of 270 gold, the excess is lost. The magic items used in this manner are drained of their power, and will have no
magical properties after this process. Initial Value: 270/ Final: 5,400 Phys Rep for this item is Kes’s blue over dress, which has an
inside layer and outside layer (it’s fully reversible, with the two Robes sewn together.) Each spell point is represented by a blue glass
jewel on the sleeves.
Box with a C-type lock and key
Casper’s Escape: Crystal of Phase Out, 1x/day
INNATE ABILITIES:
Spell Name
Range
Duration
Area of Effect
Cost
Dream Light
1 inch
5 minutes per lvl
30’ diameter circle
1 spell point
Casting this spell allows the character to gather the brilliant light essence of dreams into a small hand held sphere that will cast enough
light to fill a 30 foot diameter circle. This light, although magically created, can still be extinguished through normal means (e.g. magic,
strong winds, etc.)
Dream Control
1 inch
Until awakened
1 creature
1 spell point
This spell allows the target to control the contents of, or simply create, their next natural dream. This spell must be case no more than
30 minutes before the target goes to sleep, otherwise it is wasted. If their next dream is not natural (e.g. Melange, Dream Knowledge,
etc) this spell will not work and is wasted. The consent rules apply to this spell. .
Dream Send
1 inch
Until awakened
1 creature
1 spell point
This spell allows the person who the spell is cast upon to send the contents of their next dream to a person of the caster’s choice. Both
the sender and receiver must be willing, sleeping subjects. The receiver must be someone the caster knows or has had described, and
may be any physical or planer distance from the sender. This spell must be cast no more than 30 minutes before the target go es to
sleep, otherwise it is wasted. This spell does not give the receiver the ability to control the dream (c.f. Dream Control). Also, the receiver
may stop the dream at any time and erase all memory of it (this is to avoid disruptions of character history and continuity). The sent
dream will not interrupt or affect any unnatural dream (e.g. melange, Dream Knowledge, etc) and thus wastes this spell.
Dream Knowledge
1 inch
Special
1 creature
2 spell points
The subject of this spell is put into a deep slumber for one minute, during which they will have a short dream. The subject must be
thinking of a certain action before this spell is cast. The dream is an indicator of the results of the action; pleasant for good results,
unpleasant for bad results. This spell only works in regard to an action, not assumptions (c.f. Foresee). Only one action can be dreamt
about per casting.
Potion
1 inch
Special
1 potion
Variable
This spell allows the caster to brew a potion that will store a spell. The stored spell must be cast into the potion within one minute of
preparation, and is limited to standard IFGS spells with a 1” range. The spell stored in the potion may not be a higher level than the
caster can normally cast. LI Enhance and Invoke cannot be used to store higher level spells in a potion. Only one spell can be stored in
a potion. Spells that modify other spells, such as Autocast, are considered to be a separate spell on their own; thus it would be
impossible to place an Autocast Heal in a potion. Only neutral, un-enhanced liquids may be used to create a potion, i.e. no acid,
poisons, or ranger potions. The cost for preparing a potion is half the cost (round up) of the stored spell. The imbiber of the potion is
affected as if they had the stored spell cast upon them. The person who administers the potion (i.e. does the pouring) is considered the
caster, and the administration time is the same as that for the stored spell. Once a potion is imbibed, both it and the stored spell are
gone. A potion created with this spell will last until used or one game day. Consent rules apply to all potions. Cost: 1 spell point per
two points of stored spell.
Dream World
1 inch
Special
1 creature
4 spell points
Any time during the course of a normal sleep, the recipient of this spell may pass through the curtain of sleep into the Dream World.
There he may seek out and communicate with anyone within 50 feet of his unconscious body who is also prepared to enter the Dream
World. If the recipient is the one sought, he will feel the presence of the seeker in the Dream World and may enter to converse. Unless
the recipient is grounded or in some way attached to the Dream World, he will only have one minute to communicate. The landscape
of the Dream World will be ever changing and non-specific, but may be given definition by game design. This spell must be cast no
more than 30 minutes before the target goes to sleep, otherwise it is wasted. Also, it may not be used during any unnatural sleep (e.g.
Crash Time, Dream Knowledge, etc.)
Elemental Protection
1 creature
3 spell points
6 points of Elemental Protection, , 1x/day. Usable only in the (Closed World) Lands of Callinvale
Intuit Code
Intuit Code, 1x day, usable only in the (Closed World) Lands of Callinvale.
6 Points of Fighter’s Recovery per game day (Healing Springs of Qualmire)
All HAVEN spells cast by this individual are at +1 LI, for 1 additional spell point spent.

Kestrel N`hya Loriah

Transcription

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