"It is our family tradition to serve when called. It was his time to go. Usually... nothing happens. I thought it would be the same for him as for me."
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DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
“It’s something more than a tradition isn’t it, Auger? When I sent you northward, you went without question. Why? Where did your family tradition come from. Do you know?”
Auger has spent more than a small amount of time thinking about this precise point. Why did he leave without question? On his recent journeys these thoughts had tortured him at times but he had never really thought to directly confront the Dowager herself with his concerns. It was family tradition. If asked, one served without question. This was drilled into him and he had in turn done so for his children. Of course you served the Lady and the Lake. There were needs in the world and the Dowager watched over the family in return for the service. Or so it was said. But his own family did not seem particularly remarkable. The reason his family was specifically called... it had to be rooted in something. A debt perhaps. For some service rendered? She was the Dowager always and sometimes called the Gray Lady, but whose loss she mourned was not really known. The truth was he was now unsure as to why his family followed blindly.
"The reasons are not spoken of, Gray Lady. I do not know why you call after my family. I do not know why Brenneth was chosen, I still barely understand why he would leave you... in order to become... . I was never really told why you speak with any of us. We serve and have always done so. Are we supposed to give all of our free will over to you? Why do you call for service? Please. Tell me what you can."
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DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky is shocked. Or, more precisely, she's overwhelmed by disbelief mixed with worry. ["No! That's... it can't... By whom? Why would anyone seek the village's destruction?"] If she were speaking using her voice, it would definitely be taut right now, tremulous as a result of anger which starts to build within her, one which quickly turns to regret and guilt. What if she hadn't left the village, or had done so only a bit later? She could have been there, to help defend her village. ["And you, are you okay? Where are you now?"]
“Brenneth…asked this question, too. The farther from home one wanders, the harder it is to feel…connected. I understand. I will try to explain, Auger.” There is a long pause, and the half-moon traverses half the sky before her voice emerges once again. “The Fetherlac family’s story is of unwavering allegiance, and betrayal, and compassion. It begins a long time ago, Auger. You are the 253rd Seeker. The first was called Dannel, like you. “In those days, the lands and seas were shaped differently. It was before the change. “I too was…shaped…differently. I lived in the air, between here and the Fey wilds. I had family. I knew love. I was grateful for life. “There also lived, in those days long ago, others. Others, who were not grateful for life, but lived in resentment, which they cloaked in the guise of curiosity. “Your people call them the Old Mystics.”
“In your histories, we are known as Pixies.”
“It happened slowly, in secrecy at first. The Old Mystics studied their spells for decades. And then, overnight, it seemed, it was done. Our wings were clipped, the Fey energy within them was harnessed for other purposes. We saw the Fey wilds no more. We were herded into ghettos, and even there we were not safe. One by one we disappeared, we did not know what became of our missing people, though we asked, we investigated. We tried. “I learned the answer to this terrible question, on the day I met Dannel. “I was sleeping, at home, with my sisters. Then I was whisked away by magic to a place I did not know. A dark room. There a man stood over me, with his assistant, their faces covered in masks and shields, and the man held tools, which he used upon me. My legs, my ears, my eyes were removed. Like our wings, I have come to understand that our bodies were used as components in their spells. “I was barely alive. I understood that finally, the man would take my heart as well. “There was an argument. The assistant had taken so much from me already, but he would not kill me. He helped me, overcoming his superior and taking me — what was left of me — away. “He was pursued. He fled. Finally, he found a place, the Lake, and there, we made an agreement. He would not betray me. I would use my powers to protect him. He would use his eyes and mobility to tell me what I could not see or hear for myself. He rowed out to the deepest part of the lake and dropped me in. There have I lived ever since. “I had no power to protect him from his own guilt, for I was not the first he destroyed. Many were my sisters whose hearts he robbed to serve the Mystics. “But even surrounded by darkness, he—Dannel—found courage. The strength and light in his heart saved mine.” “Since then, I have used what powers I have to protect his descendants. The fog cloud three years ago which kept your village safe from the Orcs which enslaved two dozen children from the village only a few miles away is the most recent example. “And in return, the Fetherlac family has responded when I have called a new Seeker.”
Auger had heard of the abductions of course. And he had wondered at the thickness of the fog that came that day. But he had never known the connection. Not directly. The story of the Old Mystics and the Pixies was simply horrifying.
Auger pauses, thinking a while on her words. "You... were harvested... for parts. Brenneth was doing something like that I think. I understand. I also see how Brenneth and I could both be related to... Dannel... your first." Still sitting on the shore Auger looks over to the others, wondering how best to proceed with them, his decisions already made. "It seems that maybe there are two issues we should consider. If distance makes your Seekers lose their focus on... what matters -- then maybe we should come home more often, if only for a time. And the connection between what you do and how it helps us. That should be renewed by telling your story. I would do that, when next I come home."
"Are there others like you? Are there other Pixies who survive?"
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DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
“It is better that you left. For if you had not, the royal line would be no more. I will tell you what happened, for the memory of that terrible day is branded in my soul forever.
“We were identified as worshippers of Dreyen gods, which you now know is indeed our faith, and punishable by death in Imperial lands. Though that makes the massacre no less despicable.
“An Orc force, one-thousand strong, flying the Imperial banner from Jen Ghessa… approached under cover of magic. We spotted them, and our arcane defenses held, but only briefly in the face of overwhelming numbers. Families with young children were commanded by our elders to escape. Your friend among them. I do not know if any survived, for surely they were pursued."
"Those who could bear arms, did, buying time for the rest. I remained with our warriors, for my duty is to the royal line. I had a final task to undertake. There in the shrine, as it burned down around me, as I heard the dying screams of our brave fighters at the doors, defending our legacy, I wrought a magic I learned in my youth, from my father and he from his, the Shroud of Swords. As my body burned in the hellish flames consuming our house of worship, I was transformed into the weapon you now hold in your hand. Later, when the orcs took one final glance at the blood-soaked village grounds, poking the ashes with the toes of their blood-splattered boots, I was overlooked and forgotten.”
“I don’t know if any others survived. I don’t think so, Auger. None have ever come near enough for me to sense them since… since the cataclysm.
“I think you will find a way of telling our story, but Auger: it may be best for all of us to leave the past in the past. Some memories lost are best left untouched.
“Few Seekers have traveled beyond what you call Anshin subprefecture before. But Auger. You mustn’t go back yet.
“I did not send you to find Brenneth. I sent you to find and help the scholar. I need you to stay near him. He follows a curve through time, through chance, through fate. It’s not the curve, it’s not about that either. But there… where he goes… I need you to go there too.”
“Something is happening Auger. Something… important. I will not say more. But, for your family, and for me. I need you to move in his wake, follow the scholar. See what he sees.”
Auger finds himself nodding along though his sense of regret would stay with him on this, he could tell.
"Follow the scholar then. Where does he go next? I suppose I shall find out soon enough. Thank you Lady. I will continue. But not just to honor my family's debt to you and not just because you have protected us. You have chosen to trust me with your past and I will honor that trust. And these matters that Strewn examines, I see how they may come to affect us all - even in far away Anshin."
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DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky unsheathes the sword, holding it in both hands in front of her. She opens her eyes and looks directly at it. Then, this time, she speaks the words. Not loudly, and yet, she doesn't think them as she did earlier. ["Then..."] Her voice conveys multiple feelings, but what's sure is that she is far from calm. ["I'm holding... you?"] Even Varielky is having a hard time believing this. Not because she doubts the possibility of Veleif becoming a sword, but because she refuses to accept the village was utterly destroyed like that. Deep down, she knows Veleif is right. She was lucky to leave when she did, but, at the same time...
Varielky is having a hard time breathing now. Or, rather, the breaths that she takes do not seem to be enough. She's furious, and she cannot keep still anymore. Despite being physically exhausted - a fact she had forgotten for the moment - Varielky jumps up, standing. There's nobody to swing a sword at, right now, but perhaps that is a good thing, for Varielky would definitely try. ["Where are they?"] She calls, no longer keeping her voice down. Depending on how far she went earlier, someone from the camp might hear her. ["Tell me, and I'll make sure each and every one of them is... is..."] As her exhausted body fails to support the sudden movements, she falls to her knees. This gives her a moment to think, calm down just a little. ["What am I supposed to do now, then? You said I'm not ready, that I have much to learn; how should I proceed?"]
“The horror of that day rang in my soul as well. The anger! Weeks passed. Years. It took all of my might – I was yet weak – to bring near one who would take an interest in me — the historian — and, strapped to his saddle, I escaped and made my way south, to Ishi Ammah. I sensed you were close! I drew you near, I know not how. And now, I am here to serve you once again.
“You must judge for yourself what the best course is. You must be patient. You are not yet strong enough to enact vengeance. For the fate of our village will be the fate of all of Drey if the Empire is not stopped.
“You must have a thousand questions. Yet I cannot answer, it drains me to speak to you thus. I must sleep, perhaps for days. But my form is here at your call. Dreygaard, the Shrouded Blade, sings again, after centuries at rest in Halvalla’s halls. And in your hands, it will sing again… from the throne… of Drey!”
The voice trails off to a whisper, and then to silence lit only by distant starlight, cold and unyielding. For the moon has set and even its pale light is hidden beyond the horizon.
AUGER
Auger senses that the Dowager acknowledges his assent to her request, and then leaves him to his own thoughts and doings. The sky has shifted from starry black to kobalt to steel grey, and Auger now drifts into a rejuvenating meditative sleep.
Varielky waits a few moments more, but it seems Veleif - the sword - Dreygaard? Has truly gone silent for now. She fights her tired body to stand back up, then sheathes her sword. She is more troubled than she was before, but also very tired. In hopes of catching at least a few hours of sleep, Varielky makes her way back to camp, Veleif words still echoing in her thoughts. "Not yet strong enough... Must be patient... You must judge for yourself what the best course is." What were her plans then? That's a question she'll answer tomorrow, hopefully...
The next morning, you all awaken well after sunrise. Benita La Cass, you notice, has been withdrawn and unusually silent, ever since the Azhvuv Queen’s departure. This morning she fed the taweki, then stood staring, her thoughts as distant as your own.
Ednyss Greybeard, too, as is sometimes his way, is silent and keeps his thoughts to himself.
(OOC: you have had the opportunity to long rest, and to level up.)
Varielky is no less concerned when she wakes up. Last night's "conversation" with Veleif only left her confused and unsure about her next step. "What now?" She asks everyone while they're still getting ready. "Did anyone find a hint about Safiya? Otherwise, are we just going back to keep searching for someone nobody remembers?"
(OOC: If we did have some hint, then I forgot it.)
"If that was our plan, I think we should find a new one. The Azhvuv queen mentioned children being sent to slavery in the vale. I suggest we stop that. On the way, we might find more clues. Safiya was supposed to live in the vale, right? Maybe someone who had heard about her lives there. If we travel that area, we might encounter them... possibly."It sounds as unrealistic to her as it must to the rest, but she has no better idea. Moreover, she does not wish to return to Kalahata. The competition in the Arena should be over already, and Varielky wants nothing to do with the Priestess of Idiwala anymore. Not after learning of her actions in the past.
In the morning Auger wakes and re-summons Py, and meditates there on the shore for a short while before standing and thinking to give Benita a rest from tending the tawekis.
After Varielky speaks Auger adds, "With recent events I had almost forgotten to relay all this information. When I was in the Abziri archives, with Tamazaert, I did find several clues as to the whereabouts of Safiya. Strewn I think this is the direction we need."
Auger reminds all of a few things he has learned.
(OOC: Quoting from another post)
Auger
The letters are in Shian script, florid and carefully written, and reveal the author’s intelligence and urbanity, eloquence even, which unfortunately surpasses the southerner’s fluency with the language. But with the help of Tamazaert, the following facts are revealed.
-The correspondence took place while Nafsawiyyah was living in the Vale of Deshar, at the Abziri dacha — the family’s summer house — engaged in support of the rebellion as a troop leader.
-The letters do not detail anything specific about troop movements or the fighting. Nafsawiyyah, in the first letter, writes that she is concerned about the possibility of the letters being intercepted by Imperials, but that despite this danger, write she would, in answer to her mother’s request and especially in light of the older yemma’s health, which is described as ‘tender.’
-The summer house, the dacha, is on the northern slopes of the Vale, and on the grounds are a mill and pastures shared by cows and goats whose beauty Nafsawiyyah describes with poetic intensity.
-In one passage, Nafsawiyyah, with pointed fury, writes about orcs, their barbarity, their entrenchment in the annals of the Jenghen Empire, ‘which will pay a debt for their continuing atrocities,’ and the bitter failing of the Empire in its laissez-faire attitude toward them. She expresses gratitude to her ‘friend and ally from the coast, A.e.I.,’ who, while Nafsawiyyah was away from the dacha ‘on business,’ ‘saved lives and dealt the enemy a blow.’
-It seems likely that the correspondence ended, after several months, due to the untimely death of the older yemma.
"From all this,"Auger continues, "we can discern that Omar El idrissid’s mother (abbreviated as A.e.I. in the letter) fought Orcs and may have been given the core of Dacite axe, by the goat herder Safiyah, in the vicinity of the Abziri dacha, on the northern slopes of the Vale."
(OOC: Thank you @D&D for summarizing that all for us)
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DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Granophyre’s eyes light up with dark intensity at Auger’s revelation.
“You have done much during my absence, Auger Fetherlac. That is the clue we needed to move forward.”
He turns to Varielky. “I agree that we must not dally in Kalahata, which, I fear, may not be the same city today as it was when we left, though our departure was recent,” comes his gravelly basso. “My escape will have been noticed, and the forces now at play which might hinder our progress are many: the Shian royalty, the Opium Lords of the Vale, and from what Ednyss told me last night, the Red Cypress. The imperial will of Jen Ghessa underpins them all, like a dark sea upon which we sail, hoping against hope for fair weather. The others rise as obstacles for reasons I have yet to understand.”
The old scholar walks forward a few steps, then turns, almost shaking with nervous energy. “Yet so close! I cannot give up the hunt, nor is it in my character to do so. Tuff, my dear strong Tuff, knew this all too well, and I will not allow him to have died in vain.”
His voice falls now to its lowest register, and you hear a resonant strength there which you’ve only otherwise witnessed in the living room of Omar El Idrissid, when Granophyre first held the ancient artifact which he had traveled many leagues to examine with his own eyes.
“I will find Core of Dacite! I have spent my life seeking the answers it holds, answers to ancient questions whose meaning is at the essence of our civilization today – all of us, not just the Sindarrin.” He stands before you, a fire in his eyes.
“I beseech you four, to continue in my service. Will you join me?”
His recent conversation with the Dowager fresh in his mind, Auger quickly agrees.
"In the night I meditated on this matter. I thought my purpose was to discover what my cousin was up to and considered leaving after learning what became of him. I also thought on how freeing the Azhvuv Queen might also be called a logical end to my time on this journey. But in truth I am now greatly involved in this quest. I would see you find this Core and will assist in that purpose."
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DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky is a bit more hesitant, clearly troubled by something. Last night's revelation left her with more questions than answers, some of which require immediate answers. Moreover, after sleeping the night and taking time to process Veleif's words, the true meaning of them sinks in. The heir to the throne of Drey, she didn't give these words much thought when she heard them. Now, she starts to ponder their full meaning. What does she know of ruling anyhow? Nothing. In fact, there is very little she knows about Drey, too. Perhaps that is what Veleif meant when he said she is not yet ready, that she needs to learn a lot before she could make a claim for the throne. However, where could she even learn such things? From Veleif, through short conversations every few days? Studying was never her strong suit, even under much better conditions.
However, Varielky still feels that she owes for the old Dwarf. She has made several vows to him, and she's not going to break any of them. If she will try to claim the throne one day, who would accept a ruler whose word has no meaning? She knows she wouldn't. "I... will make sure you find your core, as I have vowed to do before." She finally reaches a decision. If nothing else, she accepts that she can't just march into Drey at the moment, and with no other better alternative, it seems to be the only path worth walking.
Ednyss looks questioningly at Varielky for a moment. Having fought by his side these last weeks, Varielky – and Auger, too – sees a question in Ednyss’ expression, as if the war cleric intuits that the shield-maiden is holding something back.
Meanwhile, Benita, who has waited for Varielky to speak first, but also, still, seems preoccupied, nods her assent. “I will continue with you, for as long as I am able.” This seems an odd thing for a young person to say, but Ednyss speaks next.
“I will continue with you… but only as far as Kalahata.”
“But, why?,” asks Granophyre.
“My prowess in battle, my ability to assist you in your quest, is drawn from my divine connection to Takal Demesh, something which, ever since I was a young acolyte years ago, has been immediate. But of late, another connection is forming, with a different deity, Ritha Demsha. And I must explore it, and cannot delay. The Shield of Takal Demesh remains on my arm, always. But I must go my own way, and perhaps discover what drove apart the two gods those centuries ago.”
As Ednyss speaks, Granophyre’s shoulders fall forward noticeably, and his head bows as if a great weight has begun to pull at him. But, he nods to Ednyss, and then turns to Varielky.
“Your desire to address the misuse of the powers of Shian royalty to which the Azhvuv Queen has alerted us is one I share. As you said, we may have opportunity along the way.”
"It is our family tradition to serve when called. It was his time to go. Usually... nothing happens. I thought it would be the same for him as for me."
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
VARIELKY
Valeif’s voice is silent for a time. When it returns, it is hoarse. “Varielky, the village… it is no more. It was destroyed… soon after you left.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
AUGER
“It’s something more than a tradition isn’t it, Auger? When I sent you northward, you went without question. Why? Where did your family tradition come from. Do you know?”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Auger has spent more than a small amount of time thinking about this precise point. Why did he leave without question? On his recent journeys these thoughts had tortured him at times but he had never really thought to directly confront the Dowager herself with his concerns. It was family tradition. If asked, one served without question. This was drilled into him and he had in turn done so for his children. Of course you served the Lady and the Lake. There were needs in the world and the Dowager watched over the family in return for the service. Or so it was said. But his own family did not seem particularly remarkable. The reason his family was specifically called... it had to be rooted in something. A debt perhaps. For some service rendered? She was the Dowager always and sometimes called the Gray Lady, but whose loss she mourned was not really known. The truth was he was now unsure as to why his family followed blindly.
"The reasons are not spoken of, Gray Lady. I do not know why you call after my family. I do not know why Brenneth was chosen, I still barely understand why he would leave you... in order to become... . I was never really told why you speak with any of us. We serve and have always done so. Are we supposed to give all of our free will over to you? Why do you call for service? Please. Tell me what you can."
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky is shocked. Or, more precisely, she's overwhelmed by disbelief mixed with worry. ["No! That's... it can't... By whom? Why would anyone seek the village's destruction?"] If she were speaking using her voice, it would definitely be taut right now, tremulous as a result of anger which starts to build within her, one which quickly turns to regret and guilt. What if she hadn't left the village, or had done so only a bit later? She could have been there, to help defend her village. ["And you, are you okay? Where are you now?"]
Varielky
AUGER
“Brenneth…asked this question, too. The farther from home one wanders, the harder it is to feel…connected. I understand. I will try to explain, Auger.”
There is a long pause, and the half-moon traverses half the sky before her voice emerges once again.
“The Fetherlac family’s story is of unwavering allegiance, and betrayal, and compassion. It begins a long time ago, Auger. You are the 253rd Seeker. The first was called Dannel, like you.
“In those days, the lands and seas were shaped differently. It was before the change.
“I too was…shaped…differently. I lived in the air, between here and the Fey wilds. I had family. I knew love. I was grateful for life.
“There also lived, in those days long ago, others. Others, who were not grateful for life, but lived in resentment, which they cloaked in the guise of curiosity.
“Your people call them the Old Mystics.”
“In your histories, we are known as Pixies.”
“It happened slowly, in secrecy at first. The Old Mystics studied their spells for decades. And then, overnight, it seemed, it was done. Our wings were clipped, the Fey energy within them was harnessed for other purposes. We saw the Fey wilds no more. We were herded into ghettos, and even there we were not safe. One by one we disappeared, we did not know what became of our missing people, though we asked, we investigated. We tried.
“I learned the answer to this terrible question, on the day I met Dannel.
“I was sleeping, at home, with my sisters. Then I was whisked away by magic to a place I did not know. A dark room. There a man stood over me, with his assistant, their faces covered in masks and shields, and the man held tools, which he used upon me. My legs, my ears, my eyes were removed. Like our wings, I have come to understand that our bodies were used as components in their spells.
“I was barely alive. I understood that finally, the man would take my heart as well.
“There was an argument. The assistant had taken so much from me already, but he would not kill me. He helped me, overcoming his superior and taking me — what was left of me — away.
“He was pursued. He fled. Finally, he found a place, the Lake, and there, we made an agreement. He would not betray me. I would use my powers to protect him. He would use his eyes and mobility to tell me what I could not see or hear for myself. He rowed out to the deepest part of the lake and dropped me in. There have I lived ever since.
“I had no power to protect him from his own guilt, for I was not the first he destroyed. Many were my sisters whose hearts he robbed to serve the Mystics.
“But even surrounded by darkness, he—Dannel—found courage. The strength and light in his heart saved mine.”
“Since then, I have used what powers I have to protect his descendants. The fog cloud three years ago which kept your village safe from the Orcs which enslaved two dozen children from the village only a few miles away is the most recent example.
“And in return, the Fetherlac family has responded when I have called a new Seeker.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Auger had heard of the abductions of course. And he had wondered at the thickness of the fog that came that day. But he had never known the connection. Not directly. The story of the Old Mystics and the Pixies was simply horrifying.
Auger pauses, thinking a while on her words. "You... were harvested... for parts. Brenneth was doing something like that I think. I understand. I also see how Brenneth and I could both be related to... Dannel... your first." Still sitting on the shore Auger looks over to the others, wondering how best to proceed with them, his decisions already made. "It seems that maybe there are two issues we should consider. If distance makes your Seekers lose their focus on... what matters -- then maybe we should come home more often, if only for a time. And the connection between what you do and how it helps us. That should be renewed by telling your story. I would do that, when next I come home."
"Are there others like you? Are there other Pixies who survive?"
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
VARIELKY
“It is better that you left. For if you had not, the royal line would be no more. I will tell you what happened, for the memory of that terrible day is branded in my soul forever.
“We were identified as worshippers of Dreyen gods, which you now know is indeed our faith, and punishable by death in Imperial lands. Though that makes the massacre no less despicable.
“An Orc force, one-thousand strong, flying the Imperial banner from Jen Ghessa… approached under cover of magic. We spotted them, and our arcane defenses held, but only briefly in the face of overwhelming numbers. Families with young children were commanded by our elders to escape. Your friend among them. I do not know if any survived, for surely they were pursued."
"Those who could bear arms, did, buying time for the rest. I remained with our warriors, for my duty is to the royal line. I had a final task to undertake. There in the shrine, as it burned down around me, as I heard the dying screams of our brave fighters at the doors, defending our legacy, I wrought a magic I learned in my youth, from my father and he from his, the Shroud of Swords. As my body burned in the hellish flames consuming our house of worship, I was transformed into the weapon you now hold in your hand. Later, when the orcs took one final glance at the blood-soaked village grounds, poking the ashes with the toes of their blood-splattered boots, I was overlooked and forgotten.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
AUGER
“I don’t know if any others survived. I don’t think so, Auger. None have ever come near enough for me to sense them since… since the cataclysm.
“I think you will find a way of telling our story, but Auger: it may be best for all of us to leave the past in the past. Some memories lost are best left untouched.
“Few Seekers have traveled beyond what you call Anshin subprefecture before. But Auger. You mustn’t go back yet.
“I did not send you to find Brenneth. I sent you to find and help the scholar. I need you to stay near him. He follows a curve through time, through chance, through fate. It’s not the curve, it’s not about that either. But there… where he goes… I need you to go there too.”
“Something is happening Auger. Something… important. I will not say more. But, for your family, and for me. I need you to move in his wake, follow the scholar. See what he sees.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Auger finds himself nodding along though his sense of regret would stay with him on this, he could tell.
"Follow the scholar then. Where does he go next? I suppose I shall find out soon enough. Thank you Lady. I will continue. But not just to honor my family's debt to you and not just because you have protected us. You have chosen to trust me with your past and I will honor that trust. And these matters that Strewn examines, I see how they may come to affect us all - even in far away Anshin."
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky unsheathes the sword, holding it in both hands in front of her. She opens her eyes and looks directly at it. Then, this time, she speaks the words. Not loudly, and yet, she doesn't think them as she did earlier. ["Then..."] Her voice conveys multiple feelings, but what's sure is that she is far from calm. ["I'm holding... you?"]
Even Varielky is having a hard time believing this. Not because she doubts the possibility of Veleif becoming a sword, but because she refuses to accept the village was utterly destroyed like that. Deep down, she knows Veleif is right. She was lucky to leave when she did, but, at the same time...
Varielky is having a hard time breathing now. Or, rather, the breaths that she takes do not seem to be enough. She's furious, and she cannot keep still anymore. Despite being physically exhausted - a fact she had forgotten for the moment - Varielky jumps up, standing. There's nobody to swing a sword at, right now, but perhaps that is a good thing, for Varielky would definitely try. ["Where are they?"] She calls, no longer keeping her voice down. Depending on how far she went earlier, someone from the camp might hear her. ["Tell me, and I'll make sure each and every one of them is... is..."]
As her exhausted body fails to support the sudden movements, she falls to her knees. This gives her a moment to think, calm down just a little. ["What am I supposed to do now, then? You said I'm not ready, that I have much to learn; how should I proceed?"]
Varielky
VARIELKY
“The horror of that day rang in my soul as well. The anger! Weeks passed. Years. It took all of my might – I was yet weak – to bring near one who would take an interest in me — the historian — and, strapped to his saddle, I escaped and made my way south, to Ishi Ammah. I sensed you were close! I drew you near, I know not how. And now, I am here to serve you once again.
“You must judge for yourself what the best course is. You must be patient. You are not yet strong enough to enact vengeance. For the fate of our village will be the fate of all of Drey if the Empire is not stopped.
“You must have a thousand questions. Yet I cannot answer, it drains me to speak to you thus. I must sleep, perhaps for days. But my form is here at your call. Dreygaard, the Shrouded Blade, sings again, after centuries at rest in Halvalla’s halls. And in your hands, it will sing again… from the throne… of Drey!”
The voice trails off to a whisper, and then to silence lit only by distant starlight, cold and unyielding. For the moon has set and even its pale light is hidden beyond the horizon.
AUGER
Auger senses that the Dowager acknowledges his assent to her request, and then leaves him to his own thoughts and doings. The sky has shifted from starry black to kobalt to steel grey, and Auger now drifts into a rejuvenating meditative sleep.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Varielky waits a few moments more, but it seems Veleif - the sword - Dreygaard? Has truly gone silent for now. She fights her tired body to stand back up, then sheathes her sword. She is more troubled than she was before, but also very tired. In hopes of catching at least a few hours of sleep, Varielky makes her way back to camp, Veleif words still echoing in her thoughts. "Not yet strong enough... Must be patient... You must judge for yourself what the best course is." What were her plans then? That's a question she'll answer tomorrow, hopefully...
Varielky
The next morning, you all awaken well after sunrise. Benita La Cass, you notice, has been withdrawn and unusually silent, ever since the Azhvuv Queen’s departure. This morning she fed the taweki, then stood staring, her thoughts as distant as your own.
Ednyss Greybeard, too, as is sometimes his way, is silent and keeps his thoughts to himself.
(OOC: you have had the opportunity to long rest, and to level up.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Varielky is no less concerned when she wakes up. Last night's "conversation" with Veleif only left her confused and unsure about her next step. "What now?" She asks everyone while they're still getting ready. "Did anyone find a hint about Safiya? Otherwise, are we just going back to keep searching for someone nobody remembers?"
(OOC: If we did have some hint, then I forgot it.)
"If that was our plan, I think we should find a new one. The Azhvuv queen mentioned children being sent to slavery in the vale. I suggest we stop that. On the way, we might find more clues. Safiya was supposed to live in the vale, right? Maybe someone who had heard about her lives there. If we travel that area, we might encounter them... possibly." It sounds as unrealistic to her as it must to the rest, but she has no better idea. Moreover, she does not wish to return to Kalahata. The competition in the Arena should be over already, and Varielky wants nothing to do with the Priestess of Idiwala anymore. Not after learning of her actions in the past.
Varielky
In the morning Auger wakes and re-summons Py, and meditates there on the shore for a short while before standing and thinking to give Benita a rest from tending the tawekis.
After Varielky speaks Auger adds, "With recent events I had almost forgotten to relay all this information. When I was in the Abziri archives, with Tamazaert, I did find several clues as to the whereabouts of Safiya. Strewn I think this is the direction we need."
Auger reminds all of a few things he has learned.
(OOC: Quoting from another post)
"From all this," Auger continues, "we can discern that Omar El idrissid’s mother (abbreviated as A.e.I. in the letter) fought Orcs and may have been given the core of Dacite axe, by the goat herder Safiyah, in the vicinity of the Abziri dacha, on the northern slopes of the Vale."
(OOC: Thank you @D&D for summarizing that all for us)
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Granophyre’s eyes light up with dark intensity at Auger’s revelation.
“You have done much during my absence, Auger Fetherlac. That is the clue we needed to move forward.”
He turns to Varielky. “I agree that we must not dally in Kalahata, which, I fear, may not be the same city today as it was when we left, though our departure was recent,” comes his gravelly basso. “My escape will have been noticed, and the forces now at play which might hinder our progress are many: the Shian royalty, the Opium Lords of the Vale, and from what Ednyss told me last night, the Red Cypress. The imperial will of Jen Ghessa underpins them all, like a dark sea upon which we sail, hoping against hope for fair weather. The others rise as obstacles for reasons I have yet to understand.”
The old scholar walks forward a few steps, then turns, almost shaking with nervous energy. “Yet so close! I cannot give up the hunt, nor is it in my character to do so. Tuff, my dear strong Tuff, knew this all too well, and I will not allow him to have died in vain.”
His voice falls now to its lowest register, and you hear a resonant strength there which you’ve only otherwise witnessed in the living room of Omar El Idrissid, when Granophyre first held the ancient artifact which he had traveled many leagues to examine with his own eyes.
“I will find Core of Dacite! I have spent my life seeking the answers it holds, answers to ancient questions whose meaning is at the essence of our civilization today – all of us, not just the Sindarrin.” He stands before you, a fire in his eyes.
“I beseech you four, to continue in my service. Will you join me?”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
His recent conversation with the Dowager fresh in his mind, Auger quickly agrees.
"In the night I meditated on this matter. I thought my purpose was to discover what my cousin was up to and considered leaving after learning what became of him. I also thought on how freeing the Azhvuv Queen might also be called a logical end to my time on this journey. But in truth I am now greatly involved in this quest. I would see you find this Core and will assist in that purpose."
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky is a bit more hesitant, clearly troubled by something. Last night's revelation left her with more questions than answers, some of which require immediate answers. Moreover, after sleeping the night and taking time to process Veleif's words, the true meaning of them sinks in. The heir to the throne of Drey, she didn't give these words much thought when she heard them. Now, she starts to ponder their full meaning. What does she know of ruling anyhow? Nothing. In fact, there is very little she knows about Drey, too. Perhaps that is what Veleif meant when he said she is not yet ready, that she needs to learn a lot before she could make a claim for the throne. However, where could she even learn such things? From Veleif, through short conversations every few days? Studying was never her strong suit, even under much better conditions.
However, Varielky still feels that she owes for the old Dwarf. She has made several vows to him, and she's not going to break any of them. If she will try to claim the throne one day, who would accept a ruler whose word has no meaning? She knows she wouldn't. "I... will make sure you find your core, as I have vowed to do before." She finally reaches a decision. If nothing else, she accepts that she can't just march into Drey at the moment, and with no other better alternative, it seems to be the only path worth walking.
Varielky
Ednyss looks questioningly at Varielky for a moment. Having fought by his side these last weeks, Varielky – and Auger, too – sees a question in Ednyss’ expression, as if the war cleric intuits that the shield-maiden is holding something back.
Meanwhile, Benita, who has waited for Varielky to speak first, but also, still, seems preoccupied, nods her assent. “I will continue with you, for as long as I am able.” This seems an odd thing for a young person to say, but Ednyss speaks next.
“I will continue with you… but only as far as Kalahata.”
“But, why?,” asks Granophyre.
“My prowess in battle, my ability to assist you in your quest, is drawn from my divine connection to Takal Demesh, something which, ever since I was a young acolyte years ago, has been immediate. But of late, another connection is forming, with a different deity, Ritha Demsha. And I must explore it, and cannot delay. The Shield of Takal Demesh remains on my arm, always. But I must go my own way, and perhaps discover what drove apart the two gods those centuries ago.”
As Ednyss speaks, Granophyre’s shoulders fall forward noticeably, and his head bows as if a great weight has begun to pull at him. But, he nods to Ednyss, and then turns to Varielky.
“Your desire to address the misuse of the powers of Shian royalty to which the Azhvuv Queen has alerted us is one I share. As you said, we may have opportunity along the way.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer