At 2300 Lauriella locks the rutter and helps the crew set up tables on the deck of the moonflower along with a circle of chairs where more can be added when needed. She then hands the wheel off to her 1rst mate John Calandro going to her bedroom to wash up quickly and dress in her work clothing.
When she comes back up the anchors are down and most of her shift is sitting around drinking surprisingly Cyr is there along with five of his crew. She greets them and sits down. Cyr leads them in a short prayer to Selune, Reflection begins with Lauriella telling her men a story.
Arelush like on most nights of reflection sits beside her. Selune is not her goddess. Anhur is, but Laruiella taught her to respect all gods that bear no evil in their hearts. The young woman took to this and every reflection she comes to participate in reflection though she tells no stories. She listens intently for the lessons of life those stories tell.
Cry then stands. “I had me a great uncle lived near a fey wood. For all I know he may still be there. He’s a crotchety old coot and a warlock to boot. Well, I visited him just before I come to Mulhorand to sign with the company, and he told me a story. So here goes.”
“He heard something outside and being no one visits him he walk out and find another moon elven. She was a pretty thing with bright red hair and green eyes. Surprising really since most us moon elves don’na have red hair.
So, he take his pipe out of his mouth and asks her, “What does a young maid such as yourself want with an old elf such as I?"
"A place to stay for a few weeks, months, until I am done with my tasks. I have trade coin."
"Have no use for trade coin here girl. You'll have to do better than that."
"In my studies I have heard that warlocks like to conserve their energies. I could light the fires. clean the house; do all the things a maid does while staying. Also, potions to ease an old one's bones. I could also make a good meal: save you from the day-to-day chores."
Well, seeing that she wore a certain pendant of a sect he knew she was a vegetarian. "No meals from you, no, thank you girl. I like a good rabbit with my breakfast. I don't suppose you be willing to get me one. Besides that. I hate the taste of mushrooms. What's your name?"
She narrows her eyes. Her fingers go into a pouch. He takes note of it without moving, "Rosemallow."
Now me uncle knew that was a bold-faced lie. So, he say, "Don't want the name you gave yourself. I want your given name, girl?"
"Aiauta."
Well, my uncle seen a lot of things being he older than most the trees in the forest. He knew she was something like royalty in another kingdom from her name which translate roughly to something like royal transmuter. "So. You are Transmuter Or will be when the time comes."
"H...…….How! Are you...……" He waves her off, "No, I'm not. I'm just old and seen more things than most. You can stay. You can stay if you go and do all those things plus two more. First, Tell me what you really doing on the reaches of the fey wood. Second, I want you to teach me a few spells. Of your magic not the elven magic or the damn magic the humans embraced. Your magic in your language. That's my price. Take it or leave it, princess or whatever you call yourself nowadays."
Well, that young maid she frown and concentrate a moment thinking about it. Seems this sect of elves keep them magics really close to themselves. At first, she tries to divert him. "There are no princes or...……." But he cuts her off.
"I'm losing my patience, girl. What you here for?"
Knowing she lost the argument that girl just sighs and says, “"I just want to bake some apple pies."
Well for a moment me uncle quite confused then remember she a transmuter and gives off a hearty laugh pointing his finger at her. "Transmuter! Right! can't get a simple spell to work for you. Ha! I'll enjoy this. You can sleep on the couch. Remember your promises to me. Don't suppose I could see you for real from under that spell you got on you?”
"No. It isn't in the contract, Warlock."
"Didn't think of it till now. Alright set yourself up. You can stay."
My uncle watches her the next morning place a fresh pie onto an iron plate and places a cage of dwarven craftsmanship on top locking it down with wing nuts. She takes it and starts to walk off the porch.
"You think you'll even find them, princess."
"They can't resist."
"It'll be cold for they smell the damn thing."
Her eyes turn to him. She smiles and touches the iron plate saying an incantation. The plate starts to glow red. cooked apples and cinnamon fills the air, along with a hint of nutmeg.
He takes the pipe out of his mouth and points it at her, "Human magic. I thought better of the great sorcerers."
Her eyes sharpen a moment. They become angry, " They are their own people. Unique in their own way."
"Maybe you don't remember lassie. Too young. But I remember. They will always be little more than animals.”
My uncle remembered when humans weren’t so civilized. “It does not matter the humans can and do enslave themselves showing they barbaric. They are weak and short-lived. They don't have time enough to find the greater things in life. Think that fancy cage going to stop the mad fairies do you." He chuckles and waves her off.
She turns her head rather sharply and walks into the woods. Late in the evening she comes back pie in hand still in the cage. She finds him in his rocking chair smiling, "Don't worry princess. Eventually they will find you."
"Stop calling me that! I'm no princess."
The old elf smiles and places his pipe in his mouth, "Well now you done for the day there you can start to keep your promise here."
For two weeks the young moon elven bakes a pie in the night goes out with it in the morn and comes back late afternoon. My uncle taunts her with a whole array of discussions. He offers her venison, insults her intelligence, her cults customs. Every night she ignores him, goes in and does the housework as if she lived alone.
On the fifteenth day she comes back pie in hand covered head to toe in mud. The cake also covered in mud. He laughs, "Finally find them did you. I don't see one with ya, princess."
"I still have one thing old elf of the woods."
"What's that?"
"I still have my pie." giving him a wicked smile, just before she goes in the door and shuts it."
"I expect you be cleaning up all that mud young lady!"
The next day she comes back drenched. Some parts even show a little more than they should. My uncle laughs hard, "Aye you a true beauty, princesses and I see you don't have your pie this time do you."
"Nor they old elf. It dissolved. Too bad for them."
The old man laughs as she goes in the door.
The next day when she comes back the warlock laughs even harder. Her hair has been turned to leaves and she doesn't know it.
"What are you laughing about now."
"Now there's a sight to see a wild elven princess with the hair to match."
She feels her hair, sighs and shakes it. The leaves turn back to the silky red hair she came to him with.
The old elf laughs, "Now that's the old magic I'm interested in."
She prances up the stairs to the cabin, "As you well know old elf. You can't have that one piece of magic."
"You still have a promise to keep, princess."
She turns and walks in the door.
For another three months the young elf comes back partially charmed, bedazzled, once naked except of course for the pie, "Got to hand it to you, princess. You got spunk. So, what do you have to wear now? You keep going you won’t have any clothes and have to live like a nymph."
"I have more clothes and besides, I still have my pie."
The old elf just shakes his head as she goes up the stairs trying to hide herself with the pie plate.
Then one afternoon everything changed. She comes up the path and upon her shoulder is a creature the size of a cat with butterfly wings. long slim leather straps fall from its ankle. It’s platinum wings fluttering time to time for balance. The young moon elven walks up to my uncle with a proud smile upon her face. The weird dragon-like creature munches sticky apple pie from her fingers.
He smiles at the young elf, "So you did it, princess. Finally got one of them to join you. Have you made the bond yet?"
"Her name is Nym."
"Thought I saw a gold tinge in the wings. Good on you. Expect you will be leaving soon. there is of course the question of final payment."
"I know." She walks in the door. A half-hour later she comes back ready for travel with two scrolls in her hand. She hands them to the warlock, "I trust you can read them?"
Undoing one of the scrolls he studies it intently, "I'm rusty of course but yes, I can read it."
"I'll be going now." She starts to walk off the porch when the old elf says, "Hold on just a moment, there princess."
She turns around the dragon aggravated by the swift move unbalances her. She lands in the dirt. Both dragon and elf laugh. She dusts herself off, "What is it?"
"Just so happens I got me something that's more important to you and yours than me and mine." He pulls something out of his vest carefully wrapped in parchment paper and extends his arm for her to take it. She walks back up the porch accepting it from him.
Opening it up she finds an inkwell. She examines it and looks at him mystified.
"There are some things more important than magic young lady. That is an ink well taken from a plantation by a slave over a thousand years ago. Maybe two thousand. That ink well started a revolution that was the downfall of an entire race. Look at the bottom of it.
The woman looks to the bottom and is stunned. Tears fill up her eyes as she traces the runes that mark a name in an ancient language, "Thank you."
My uncle smiles, "I knew you had heart princess. Good that you relish the past too. Wasn't mine to keep you know. Just waiting for the right person to come along. Now get you going off my property. No need for one such as you lingering around seeing what I be doing at night."
She throws a kiss to the old elf, turns, and makes her way into the woods with her new companion. The old warlock sucks on his pipe and smiles for the quiet company these last few months.
“I think he told me that story cause it’s a story of persistence. She stayed with him for months and would not give up until she got herself her little pet dragon. Don’t think I told that one yet but being our situation, I think it appropriate. And if I hadn’t been persistent in officer school, I would not be here with all of you now. Glad he told me that story.”
The rest of the circle raises their mugs and glasses then drink to him as he sits down. Lauri stands up.
“We sailors often lose sight of persistence. I know I do. We all know the say’in when the ship sails all debts are paid, but sometimes……….”
Lauriella’s glass drops out of her hand. As the glass breaks upon the deck her eyes roll to the back of her head. She falls to the deck in convulsions.
Arelush is the first to react she jumps on the captain and holds presses her chest with her arm. With her other hand she puts a wooden spoon in her mouth. Cyr surprised by how quickly the young woman moved and reacted asks, “Arelush! How did you know how to do that?”
She looks confused a moment and then looks up at him, “I just know this is what to do.”
Cyr shakes his head mystified by the intuition, then says, “When it’s over help me get her to her bedroom.”
Arelush's Journal
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 1684
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:00 am
- ctp: Yes
- nwnihof: Yes
- Location: Pa.
- Contact:
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 1684
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:00 am
- ctp: Yes
- nwnihof: Yes
- Location: Pa.
- Contact:
Re: Arelush's Journal
The silence of the cold north greets the group as they walk out into the tundra. They wear seal skin jackets lined with polar bear fur as they walk along the frozen ground. The air is cold and dry. The sky clear. The wind bitter even with their protective clothing. There are three women and a man walking out from the old fort. Behind them two others trail about fifty meters behind.
Lauriella looks behind her watching the two bringing up the rear. “Lilith take care of them. They’ll only scare away the game.”
“And if you have another seizure?”
“Had one last month and yes, I know I could die on any one of them at any time. Besiden I have you and those around me.”
The Enchantress sighs, “I’ll tell them I’ll take care of you, but you should appreciate them, Lauri.”
“Fuck those nagging nursemaids. When it’s my time to die I’ll die. Quietly and in peace with myself long as I get my people back home.”
The smallest of the group runs off to the two following. The tallest turns to the leader, “How is it going with the spells and such?”
The only male in the group speaks. “The machine now sets up a harmonics field. We are working as hard and fast as we can on the time navigational spell.”
“Aye, Khyrmn. We close now. Two years of work finally panning out. Have to say Ye handle that long bow like a pro now Arelush. Ye also becoming a woman all to yerself. You not smart as us mages but you got yer own strengths now. I am proud of you.”
“Thank you”
“Know what you want to do when this all over?”
“I want to go with them, ma’am. I have no family. No home but the ship. Like you like to say. I’m of no import to the greater scheme. I do like to hunt and be in the wild. The elven ambassador has taught me a lot about such things.”
“Good that you learning from others now. I see no problem from one that left little mark on the world thus far. Mayhap you do some good there.”
Arelush looks forlorn a moment, “The only thing is who will take care of you, Lauri?”
“I’ll be alright. Gotten along this far haven’t I against the odds. Knew plenty of people better than me that did’na make it this far in life.”
Arelush puts her hand on Lauri’s shoulder, “You been like a mother to me. If no one to take care of you. I’ll stay until…. until….”
“Well, if I been like a mother than you need listen to me. Ye got your whole life ahead of ye. I’m near me end. I want ye to go out there and find a good life for yerself. You strong now. Gave you all I could now and you learning from others to be even stronger. Have no fear for me. I know where I’m going and have me own appointment to make beyond me life.”
Arelush takes her hand off Lauri while Khyrmn speaks. “Don’t worry Arelush. The captain will be taken care of for the rest of her life. The knowledge she has shown us will last long beyond anything we can do for her the rest of her life. The kingdom of Cormanthor and The city of Ascore will make sure our benefactor is taken care of.”
Lauri nods, “Thank ye, Liluth is coming back, and the priests are going away probably pissed off as hell, but I do not like them probing and poking all the time. I know they keep me best they can and cannot help themselves, but I used to self-reliance all me life. Besiden all this talk saddens me and she coming back. Let’s hunt some reindeer.
Got ye birding arrows, Arelush?”
“Aye, Captain but .... is not good enough for birds yet.”
“Then ye have a long day of practice. Let’s go.”
Lilith returns and the party makes their way into the northern pines three hundred meters to the southwest.
Lauriella looks behind her watching the two bringing up the rear. “Lilith take care of them. They’ll only scare away the game.”
“And if you have another seizure?”
“Had one last month and yes, I know I could die on any one of them at any time. Besiden I have you and those around me.”
The Enchantress sighs, “I’ll tell them I’ll take care of you, but you should appreciate them, Lauri.”
“Fuck those nagging nursemaids. When it’s my time to die I’ll die. Quietly and in peace with myself long as I get my people back home.”
The smallest of the group runs off to the two following. The tallest turns to the leader, “How is it going with the spells and such?”
The only male in the group speaks. “The machine now sets up a harmonics field. We are working as hard and fast as we can on the time navigational spell.”
“Aye, Khyrmn. We close now. Two years of work finally panning out. Have to say Ye handle that long bow like a pro now Arelush. Ye also becoming a woman all to yerself. You not smart as us mages but you got yer own strengths now. I am proud of you.”
“Thank you”
“Know what you want to do when this all over?”
“I want to go with them, ma’am. I have no family. No home but the ship. Like you like to say. I’m of no import to the greater scheme. I do like to hunt and be in the wild. The elven ambassador has taught me a lot about such things.”
“Good that you learning from others now. I see no problem from one that left little mark on the world thus far. Mayhap you do some good there.”
Arelush looks forlorn a moment, “The only thing is who will take care of you, Lauri?”
“I’ll be alright. Gotten along this far haven’t I against the odds. Knew plenty of people better than me that did’na make it this far in life.”
Arelush puts her hand on Lauri’s shoulder, “You been like a mother to me. If no one to take care of you. I’ll stay until…. until….”
“Well, if I been like a mother than you need listen to me. Ye got your whole life ahead of ye. I’m near me end. I want ye to go out there and find a good life for yerself. You strong now. Gave you all I could now and you learning from others to be even stronger. Have no fear for me. I know where I’m going and have me own appointment to make beyond me life.”
Arelush takes her hand off Lauri while Khyrmn speaks. “Don’t worry Arelush. The captain will be taken care of for the rest of her life. The knowledge she has shown us will last long beyond anything we can do for her the rest of her life. The kingdom of Cormanthor and The city of Ascore will make sure our benefactor is taken care of.”
Lauri nods, “Thank ye, Liluth is coming back, and the priests are going away probably pissed off as hell, but I do not like them probing and poking all the time. I know they keep me best they can and cannot help themselves, but I used to self-reliance all me life. Besiden all this talk saddens me and she coming back. Let’s hunt some reindeer.
Got ye birding arrows, Arelush?”
“Aye, Captain but .... is not good enough for birds yet.”
“Then ye have a long day of practice. Let’s go.”
Lilith returns and the party makes their way into the northern pines three hundred meters to the southwest.
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 1684
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:00 am
- ctp: Yes
- nwnihof: Yes
- Location: Pa.
- Contact:
Re: Arelush's Journal
The group stands around the small platform waiting. Many are watching gnomish pocket watches all synchronized with one another. Lauriella is the first one to look up from her watch. She frowns and looks back down again. For the next hour others along with her occasionally lift their heads and stare at the platform. She finally does an about face and walks into the fort. Several of the others join her in the laboratory which is now extensive and filled with equipment.
She sets her pocket watch down at her desk spreads her hands on the desk and hangs her head looking at the device, “Three and a half years and it still be off. I just do na understand.”
Arelush places her hand on her shoulder. "You have seizures evert ten day now Hemet-netjer. Lay down. Think on it.”
“Bah! Not you too now. You me friend.”
“Am being a friend ma’am”
Lauri slams her fist into the desk, “What the hell am I missing? Seems the more we send the device into the future the more it drifts in co-ordinates: Sometimes too soon, sometimes too late.”
Sakse hearing the conversation goes over to a large wall chart of the stars and stares at it. He then pulls out Lauriella’s old star charts from before she came to Netheril. He looks at the numbers for the stars in the marker constellations very carefully on each map. He then quietly asks for Khyrmn to join him. They talk at some length while Arelush and Lauri speak to one another. When they are finished, they call the two women over.
Sakse asks, “Archmage do you have another chart from another time?”
“I do not. Just the time I left and the time I arrived.”
Khyrmn nods to them. “We think we know the problem but do na have an answer on how to fix it.”
One of the clerics comes in. “Ladies, Gentlemen the machine is back. Time was one hour and thirty minutes late.”
The mages all write the time down then Lauri looks again at Sakse and Khyrmn.
Sakse is the one to speak. “We look at these charts and what do we see. We see the positions of the stars. They are marked by both magnitude and placement in the sky. It is a two-dimensional representation. Why is that? Now we look at the Time Navigational spell. It looks like a globe but all the starts on that globe are represented on the outer shell of the globe. So, what we are doing is stretching a chart to wrap around the outer shell of a sphere. So even though our navigational spell looks like it is in three dimensions It is in fact only in two dimensions.
Lauri answers him. “Even though we know that space is three dimensions we depict it by eye in two dimensions but still add our three-dimensional observations to the charts; therefore, we take into account three-dimensional space.”
Khyrmn now speaks, “Aye we did do all that and made calculations on both magnitude and how celestial bodies travel across the sky including Selune. Now as we know since Toril travels around our star as observed by spelljammers and she also spins what do we know if all planets both spin around their stars and on some form of axis? How do we see the moon and stars travel through the sky? Do they travel in a straight line or an arc depicting both three-dimensional space and various spin and rotational vectors?”
Lauri thinks long and hard on what they are trying to say. “I see what you getting at but that all calculated into the equations for the time navigational spell, are they not?”
Sakse nods, “Aye archmage. All except one thing.”
Lauriella considers the direction of the conversation. “Star drift………. but at most between the here and now and my time at most is only three minutes.”
The pair nods to her. Sakse answers, “Yet three minutes can be divided up again into a hundred and eighty seconds of angle. Because we only have two points of reference, we calculated star drift in straight lines where we all know that in a three-dimensional world all celestial bodies arc across the sky. There would be no reason to believe that star drift goes into a straight line. In fact, that reasoning would be improbable.”
Lauriella looks frustrated. “I see what you are saying but have no solution. We only have two points, and I cannot send the machine some fifteen hundred to eighteen hundred years into the future to test. A month or two is the most I chance on a testing for obvious reasons.”
Thora who has been listening very carefully asks, “So what can we do about it then?”
Lauriella lights her pipe and smokes deeply while thinking, “I say we calculate the maximum drift of the machine in time relative to the target date. If that is acceptable, we must continue and begin with experiments with living creatures in the field.”
As Sakse and Khyrmn profess, “Agreed” Lauriella drops into another set of convulsions brought on by the stress of both the experiment and the aftermath of brainstorming. Luckily Arelush is quick to catch her. She takes Lauriella to one of the beds in the laboratory and calls for the clerics. It will be another week before the experiments may continue in earnest.
She sets her pocket watch down at her desk spreads her hands on the desk and hangs her head looking at the device, “Three and a half years and it still be off. I just do na understand.”
Arelush places her hand on her shoulder. "You have seizures evert ten day now Hemet-netjer. Lay down. Think on it.”
“Bah! Not you too now. You me friend.”
“Am being a friend ma’am”
Lauri slams her fist into the desk, “What the hell am I missing? Seems the more we send the device into the future the more it drifts in co-ordinates: Sometimes too soon, sometimes too late.”
Sakse hearing the conversation goes over to a large wall chart of the stars and stares at it. He then pulls out Lauriella’s old star charts from before she came to Netheril. He looks at the numbers for the stars in the marker constellations very carefully on each map. He then quietly asks for Khyrmn to join him. They talk at some length while Arelush and Lauri speak to one another. When they are finished, they call the two women over.
Sakse asks, “Archmage do you have another chart from another time?”
“I do not. Just the time I left and the time I arrived.”
Khyrmn nods to them. “We think we know the problem but do na have an answer on how to fix it.”
One of the clerics comes in. “Ladies, Gentlemen the machine is back. Time was one hour and thirty minutes late.”
The mages all write the time down then Lauri looks again at Sakse and Khyrmn.
Sakse is the one to speak. “We look at these charts and what do we see. We see the positions of the stars. They are marked by both magnitude and placement in the sky. It is a two-dimensional representation. Why is that? Now we look at the Time Navigational spell. It looks like a globe but all the starts on that globe are represented on the outer shell of the globe. So, what we are doing is stretching a chart to wrap around the outer shell of a sphere. So even though our navigational spell looks like it is in three dimensions It is in fact only in two dimensions.
Lauri answers him. “Even though we know that space is three dimensions we depict it by eye in two dimensions but still add our three-dimensional observations to the charts; therefore, we take into account three-dimensional space.”
Khyrmn now speaks, “Aye we did do all that and made calculations on both magnitude and how celestial bodies travel across the sky including Selune. Now as we know since Toril travels around our star as observed by spelljammers and she also spins what do we know if all planets both spin around their stars and on some form of axis? How do we see the moon and stars travel through the sky? Do they travel in a straight line or an arc depicting both three-dimensional space and various spin and rotational vectors?”
Lauri thinks long and hard on what they are trying to say. “I see what you getting at but that all calculated into the equations for the time navigational spell, are they not?”
Sakse nods, “Aye archmage. All except one thing.”
Lauriella considers the direction of the conversation. “Star drift………. but at most between the here and now and my time at most is only three minutes.”
The pair nods to her. Sakse answers, “Yet three minutes can be divided up again into a hundred and eighty seconds of angle. Because we only have two points of reference, we calculated star drift in straight lines where we all know that in a three-dimensional world all celestial bodies arc across the sky. There would be no reason to believe that star drift goes into a straight line. In fact, that reasoning would be improbable.”
Lauriella looks frustrated. “I see what you are saying but have no solution. We only have two points, and I cannot send the machine some fifteen hundred to eighteen hundred years into the future to test. A month or two is the most I chance on a testing for obvious reasons.”
Thora who has been listening very carefully asks, “So what can we do about it then?”
Lauriella lights her pipe and smokes deeply while thinking, “I say we calculate the maximum drift of the machine in time relative to the target date. If that is acceptable, we must continue and begin with experiments with living creatures in the field.”
As Sakse and Khyrmn profess, “Agreed” Lauriella drops into another set of convulsions brought on by the stress of both the experiment and the aftermath of brainstorming. Luckily Arelush is quick to catch her. She takes Lauriella to one of the beds in the laboratory and calls for the clerics. It will be another week before the experiments may continue in earnest.
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 1684
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:00 am
- ctp: Yes
- nwnihof: Yes
- Location: Pa.
- Contact:
Re: Arelush's Journal
It’s summer solstice. The air is warmed by a southern wind. The crew of the Moonflower along with their cabin girl, now an expert hunter gathers their gear up around the machine. Lauriella walks among them making sure she talks to each in their turn. She saves Arelush and Cyr for the last. Of the pair she takes up Arelush first.
She hugs the young human woman first then says, “Roll up your sleeve.”
Arelush does. Lauriella takes out a finely created bracelet of silver wire mounted with emeralds from her pocket. She puts it on Arelush’s wrist. “This bracelet comes from an island far to the west. It is said to be my homeland. I want you to have it to remember me by. I hope I do not lose you in my thoughts and remember that I will always watch over you. You have become such an expert huntswoman. I am so proud of you and would call you daughter of mine if you would.” Lauri stops speaking with tears in her eyes.
Tears flood Arelush’s eyes as Lauriella places the bracelet on. She hugs the elven as if never wanting to let go. I will always love you as my mother, captain. I knew not my mother or father born into slavery and separated from them at birth as far as I know. You have been the only mother I have known, and I wish not to leave you as you are in trouble. Let me stay and care for you?”
Lauriella smiles as they embrace. “You have your own life, challenges, and fortune to embrace. Remember the gods, Arelush. They will frame a path for you to follow. It is up to you though to take that path. If you do, you will see good fortune in your life.”
Lauriella steps back a pace and takes Arelush’s hands in hers. She just stares at the young human with the shaven head and the blue ring she herself tattooed to the girl. Then with a smile and a wipe of a tear she releases her hands moving to her Lieutenant, someone she has depended upon for little over a decade now.
They face each other at attention. He gives her a salute and bows slightly. She recognizes him. She undoes the straps to her sword belt and wraps them around the scabbard. She then presents it to him. “I received this rapier when I made captain so long ago. It was in Westgate where I received my promotion after fifty years of service. I know you have not officially made captain, Cyr. I still want you to have it. You deserve it more than I ever had. If only for putting up with your stubborn captain for so long.”
He takes the sword and straps it to his hips. Afterward he once again salutes as she recognizes him, he hugs her and whispers in her ear. “You know, I love you.”
“Aye Cyr I do, but you also know I’m set in my ways. Ye find a nice girl on the other side. Besiden I will not live long enough for you to have the time ye should have with ye love. You take care of our boys and Arelush. Let nothing happen to them. Be careful and do nothing foolish. Ye got yer map?
“Aye”
“Giants, hobgoblins and Zhents what ye will find. Avoid them if ye can. Make yer way to Vaasa, Narfell or Cormyr. I gave ye all three routes I think is safest. I love you too ye know. Like the son I never had. Remember the gods and remember that we are of no import to the greater scheme. That reserved for those above. May they guidance show ye the way to the light.
”
“Aye, my captain.”
The two release and take a step back. Lauriella goes to the platform where her machine is set. She casts a spell at the left gyro. A large globe surrounds everyone. It is as if night suddenly descends within the sphere on the outer edges the moon and stars shine and can be seen by those within.
Lauriella’s incantation continues. The globe seems to spin, and the stars move quickly around the globe rearranging themselves through her guidance. When she is finished all the heavenly bodies stop.
She now turns on her machine. The second gyro spins for one minute, then two. There is an audible click, and it stops. Everyone can hear a soft high-pitched humming surrounding themselves and feel a tingling throughout their bodies.
Lauriella steps away from the rest of the group in the center around their supplies until she can feel no tingling in her body and no humming in her ears. Then she knows she is out of the effect of the next level spell. A tenth level spell of her and her team’s own creation to fire off the machine and move everything within the sphere more than three thousand years into the future.
She takes a small hourglass filled with diamond dust out of her pocket. She begins a long incantation that takes thirty minutes. When she completes the spell there is a sonic boom that springs forth from the machine. A chronomantic wave of magical energy explodes from the center of the machine that can be felt by every mage all the way down to the southern reaches of the Netheril empire. Time in the region is temporarily stopped for but a moment. After that moment all her men and their equipment are gone including her machine.
She looks out to where her men were. “The gods bless ye and may ye all find yer way home. I loved you all as my crew, my sons…. Daughter, and shipmates. Good-bye and good shores to you all.”
Afterward she starts to fall. The cleric beside her is ready and catches her as she goes into convulsions.
She hugs the young human woman first then says, “Roll up your sleeve.”
Arelush does. Lauriella takes out a finely created bracelet of silver wire mounted with emeralds from her pocket. She puts it on Arelush’s wrist. “This bracelet comes from an island far to the west. It is said to be my homeland. I want you to have it to remember me by. I hope I do not lose you in my thoughts and remember that I will always watch over you. You have become such an expert huntswoman. I am so proud of you and would call you daughter of mine if you would.” Lauri stops speaking with tears in her eyes.
Tears flood Arelush’s eyes as Lauriella places the bracelet on. She hugs the elven as if never wanting to let go. I will always love you as my mother, captain. I knew not my mother or father born into slavery and separated from them at birth as far as I know. You have been the only mother I have known, and I wish not to leave you as you are in trouble. Let me stay and care for you?”
Lauriella smiles as they embrace. “You have your own life, challenges, and fortune to embrace. Remember the gods, Arelush. They will frame a path for you to follow. It is up to you though to take that path. If you do, you will see good fortune in your life.”
Lauriella steps back a pace and takes Arelush’s hands in hers. She just stares at the young human with the shaven head and the blue ring she herself tattooed to the girl. Then with a smile and a wipe of a tear she releases her hands moving to her Lieutenant, someone she has depended upon for little over a decade now.
They face each other at attention. He gives her a salute and bows slightly. She recognizes him. She undoes the straps to her sword belt and wraps them around the scabbard. She then presents it to him. “I received this rapier when I made captain so long ago. It was in Westgate where I received my promotion after fifty years of service. I know you have not officially made captain, Cyr. I still want you to have it. You deserve it more than I ever had. If only for putting up with your stubborn captain for so long.”
He takes the sword and straps it to his hips. Afterward he once again salutes as she recognizes him, he hugs her and whispers in her ear. “You know, I love you.”
“Aye Cyr I do, but you also know I’m set in my ways. Ye find a nice girl on the other side. Besiden I will not live long enough for you to have the time ye should have with ye love. You take care of our boys and Arelush. Let nothing happen to them. Be careful and do nothing foolish. Ye got yer map?
“Aye”
“Giants, hobgoblins and Zhents what ye will find. Avoid them if ye can. Make yer way to Vaasa, Narfell or Cormyr. I gave ye all three routes I think is safest. I love you too ye know. Like the son I never had. Remember the gods and remember that we are of no import to the greater scheme. That reserved for those above. May they guidance show ye the way to the light.
”
“Aye, my captain.”
The two release and take a step back. Lauriella goes to the platform where her machine is set. She casts a spell at the left gyro. A large globe surrounds everyone. It is as if night suddenly descends within the sphere on the outer edges the moon and stars shine and can be seen by those within.
Lauriella’s incantation continues. The globe seems to spin, and the stars move quickly around the globe rearranging themselves through her guidance. When she is finished all the heavenly bodies stop.
She now turns on her machine. The second gyro spins for one minute, then two. There is an audible click, and it stops. Everyone can hear a soft high-pitched humming surrounding themselves and feel a tingling throughout their bodies.
Lauriella steps away from the rest of the group in the center around their supplies until she can feel no tingling in her body and no humming in her ears. Then she knows she is out of the effect of the next level spell. A tenth level spell of her and her team’s own creation to fire off the machine and move everything within the sphere more than three thousand years into the future.
She takes a small hourglass filled with diamond dust out of her pocket. She begins a long incantation that takes thirty minutes. When she completes the spell there is a sonic boom that springs forth from the machine. A chronomantic wave of magical energy explodes from the center of the machine that can be felt by every mage all the way down to the southern reaches of the Netheril empire. Time in the region is temporarily stopped for but a moment. After that moment all her men and their equipment are gone including her machine.
She looks out to where her men were. “The gods bless ye and may ye all find yer way home. I loved you all as my crew, my sons…. Daughter, and shipmates. Good-bye and good shores to you all.”
Afterward she starts to fall. The cleric beside her is ready and catches her as she goes into convulsions.
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 1684
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:00 am
- ctp: Yes
- nwnihof: Yes
- Location: Pa.
- Contact:
Re: Arelush's Journal
The two stare at each other across the campfire. One a tall human woman with a shaven head. She is tanned by the sun. Upon her crown is a single blue ring. It is a mark of a freewoman in the country of Mulhorand.
The other is a smallish male moon elven five foot one-inch-tall of bluish skin and green eyes marked by gold flakes. His long black hair is dirty. He grins at her.
Both are dressed in heavy furs as the cold desert expanse surrounds them. Tomorrow, they have decided to split yet there are things need to be said between them. The woman is the one to start.
“Cyr. I see you many reflections. You tell stories but never your story. I want to know?”
The elven looks up at Selune a moment and back to the woman whose name is Arelush. “A lot has happened. I am glad you are alive. I may have starved already.”
“We both hunt.”
“You have become the better of us in that regard, Arelush. So many have died.”
“All die but us. Giants, cold. Now we are close to human lands, yes?”
Cyr brings up his sextet and reads the stars doing calculations on his sleeve. “A half day south. Full day southeast or southwest. I will go Southeast. I want to see one of the captain’s old haunts. You want the first forest you see. Travel southeast and avoid the great swamps of Vaasa.”
“Aye. I know the land and how to walk now. Will do as you tell. I do not want to see old things of Captain. She is gone, many centuries now. I want your story. To remember you.”
Cyr sighs but nods, “And so I will tell you.” Arelush waits as he pulls the captain’s pipe out of his jacket and lights it. Something she gave him to remember her by. He lights and takes a draw from it, then begins.
“I was born in a place called the Dalelands. A small village in the forest. A happy place. When I was young. I used to go out at night and go to other villages. It was a safe forest for the most part. I knew the paths. I did like to travel as far as I could. It started when I was about ninety years. My parents thought I would become a priest of Moonbow since I loved walking the forest paths a night and go to other villages and meet the people.
My parents well that is where the story really starts. You see Arelush. My mother was elven like me but my father he was half-elven. His father was human. That’s why I have a human last name. They ran the general store for the village. We made a profit. Had a good life. There was one tribe in the area though that hated humans. The Veluuthah tribe. They usually kept to themselves and rarely came to our village because of my father. You see the Veluuthah were radical elves that followed the one we call the lone wolf. A god called Fenmarel. To become a man a Veluuthah boy had to kill a human to prove his worth. Sad really such racism among the elves but in a way understandable. Because humans often took elven lands for themselves once they got too big for their borders.
Well, it seems when I was about 110 my father had some trouble with one of the families in the village that would not pay for what they bought. He had many arguments with them. They were known to consort with the Veluuthah. I am not really sure what happened but one night the Veluuthah attacked our home. They killed father and then raped and killed mother for being a lover of a half-breed.
I was so scared, but a beam of moonlight shone through the window upon me in my room. One of the men of the tribe busted my door down and looked all around the room including staring straight at me. Arelush he could not see me. They search the house all over for the next hour some came into the room, but none could see me. I think because of the moonbeam. They left. Near morning a traveling priest of Selune noticed the broken door to my home. He found me crying over my mother’s body.
He took me to the nearest temple. My emotions. I do not know how I could describe them. I guess it would be haunted by what I saw and heard that night. I think it was shock. I could not believe that my cousins no matter how religiously insane could kill our own and do such vile acts.
It did not take me long to find Selune’s embrace and so I became an acolyte and the church sent me to school.”
“There is more. Much more. I see in your eyes there is much left unsaid? You say there a difference from Moonbow and Selune. Captain say they one and the same?”
“You have to remember Arelush our dear captain was a fanatical worshiper of Sehanine Moonbow who lived among humans most of her life. I do not doubt her faith or her reasoning but sometimes beliefs are untrue.”
Arelush nods to him, “Then what next for Lieutenant? Tell me the story?”
The other is a smallish male moon elven five foot one-inch-tall of bluish skin and green eyes marked by gold flakes. His long black hair is dirty. He grins at her.
Both are dressed in heavy furs as the cold desert expanse surrounds them. Tomorrow, they have decided to split yet there are things need to be said between them. The woman is the one to start.
“Cyr. I see you many reflections. You tell stories but never your story. I want to know?”
The elven looks up at Selune a moment and back to the woman whose name is Arelush. “A lot has happened. I am glad you are alive. I may have starved already.”
“We both hunt.”
“You have become the better of us in that regard, Arelush. So many have died.”
“All die but us. Giants, cold. Now we are close to human lands, yes?”
Cyr brings up his sextet and reads the stars doing calculations on his sleeve. “A half day south. Full day southeast or southwest. I will go Southeast. I want to see one of the captain’s old haunts. You want the first forest you see. Travel southeast and avoid the great swamps of Vaasa.”
“Aye. I know the land and how to walk now. Will do as you tell. I do not want to see old things of Captain. She is gone, many centuries now. I want your story. To remember you.”
Cyr sighs but nods, “And so I will tell you.” Arelush waits as he pulls the captain’s pipe out of his jacket and lights it. Something she gave him to remember her by. He lights and takes a draw from it, then begins.
“I was born in a place called the Dalelands. A small village in the forest. A happy place. When I was young. I used to go out at night and go to other villages. It was a safe forest for the most part. I knew the paths. I did like to travel as far as I could. It started when I was about ninety years. My parents thought I would become a priest of Moonbow since I loved walking the forest paths a night and go to other villages and meet the people.
My parents well that is where the story really starts. You see Arelush. My mother was elven like me but my father he was half-elven. His father was human. That’s why I have a human last name. They ran the general store for the village. We made a profit. Had a good life. There was one tribe in the area though that hated humans. The Veluuthah tribe. They usually kept to themselves and rarely came to our village because of my father. You see the Veluuthah were radical elves that followed the one we call the lone wolf. A god called Fenmarel. To become a man a Veluuthah boy had to kill a human to prove his worth. Sad really such racism among the elves but in a way understandable. Because humans often took elven lands for themselves once they got too big for their borders.
Well, it seems when I was about 110 my father had some trouble with one of the families in the village that would not pay for what they bought. He had many arguments with them. They were known to consort with the Veluuthah. I am not really sure what happened but one night the Veluuthah attacked our home. They killed father and then raped and killed mother for being a lover of a half-breed.
I was so scared, but a beam of moonlight shone through the window upon me in my room. One of the men of the tribe busted my door down and looked all around the room including staring straight at me. Arelush he could not see me. They search the house all over for the next hour some came into the room, but none could see me. I think because of the moonbeam. They left. Near morning a traveling priest of Selune noticed the broken door to my home. He found me crying over my mother’s body.
He took me to the nearest temple. My emotions. I do not know how I could describe them. I guess it would be haunted by what I saw and heard that night. I think it was shock. I could not believe that my cousins no matter how religiously insane could kill our own and do such vile acts.
It did not take me long to find Selune’s embrace and so I became an acolyte and the church sent me to school.”
“There is more. Much more. I see in your eyes there is much left unsaid? You say there a difference from Moonbow and Selune. Captain say they one and the same?”
“You have to remember Arelush our dear captain was a fanatical worshiper of Sehanine Moonbow who lived among humans most of her life. I do not doubt her faith or her reasoning but sometimes beliefs are untrue.”
Arelush nods to him, “Then what next for Lieutenant? Tell me the story?”
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 1684
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:00 am
- ctp: Yes
- nwnihof: Yes
- Location: Pa.
- Contact:
Re: Arelush's Journal
Cyr takes another draw on the pipe and then blows some smoke up in the air. The cold wind takes it quickly away from the area with the campfire smoke. He thinks about the fire and how they are exposed but without it they would not last the cold night. He then turns his attention to the former Mulhorandi slave.
“I had a hard time at school not only being the only elven but also understanding all the philosophy and ceremonies. I struggled. Halfway through school the headmistress came to me. She told me that even though I do have some understanding I could never be within the higher ranking of the church because I would never understand enough of the deeper meaning of lady Selune.
It broke my heart Arelush. I told the headmistress. I told her that I was not strong enough to be a knight, not smart enough to be a wizard, not pretty enough to be a bard, nor tough enough to be a monk and now, now you tell me that I am not wise enough to be a priest. What am I to do?
She looked at me surprised by my reaction. Said to me that I was in fact wrong. That I was to become a traveling lay priest or chaplain. She told me to go from temple to temple to lend aid to the head of the temples. She told me to pick up skills of other trades because even though I would never be great in any of those things I have enough to be good in most. She told me that I was still one of the church, just not able to find the deeper meanings of Selune and that I still have value to the greater cause.”
Arelush looks confused, “I do not understand?”
“A priest becomes a priest through visions and callings and miracles. Selune preformed a miracle for me that night and from then on, I would have visions of her at revelry. So even though I am not wise enough to become a high priest I am wise enough to do the goddesses work in other ways. I do wedding, funerals, I watched over the captain and led Selune’s reflection every new moon as you know. I do the little things a traveling lay priest does.”
Arelush concentrates hard and says, “So you do little things too small for high priestess?”
“Yes, so you get it.”
“Aye I do. You were happy in this?”
“I was. I traveled all around place to place, country to country. Selune and the church guiding me. I carried the churches letters to each other. I stopped along the way to help with services or do services when there was a sick priest or there were to many for them to handle. Meanwhile I learned. I learned about history from mages. How to hide, trap, and move silently through the woods from huntsman. I learned how to talk to others from other priests and merchants.”
“That why you make all deals for the captain?”
“Yes, she was better at values. She always knew what something was worth and what profit she could make from it. I knew how to close the deal whether with a shady merchant or grumpy harbormaster.”
“So, you do all this many years. How did you meet captain?”
Cyr covers his eyes with his hand and sheds a tear. Arelush takes it calmly and waits for the love of their captain was plain to all who knew the crew. Cyr collects himself then continues with the new story.
“I did not meet the captain at first. I met her wife. Christy another sun elf and paladin of Horus-Re. She came to a service as if looking for something. She listens to my sermon with some interest then stayed after the service. She talked to me at great length about her family, odd as it was and that she was looking for a ship's chaplain.
I was perplexed that a family of elves could create a shipping company among the Mulhorandi and be respected for their status. It is quite an amazing feat. I spoke with the head priestess of Selune’s and got permission to do so being that many of Selune’s temples are close to ports. She is after all a goddess of travel and navigators. I was not prepared for what Christy and the husband had in mind.
You see the captain was out for the next year going port to port selling cargo and picking more up. Meanwhile they sent me to officer’s school. Again, I had a very hard time. Especially with my numbers and navigation. But this time Arelush; I worked so hard day and night. Even went to Zard the captain’s husband to help with the navigation points. I made ensign in six months and lieutenant in a year.
The captain was late at her arrival date which worried both Christy and Zard. The captain worked the ship. Christy and Zard ran the business at home. I became a lieutenant a full month before she came home. So, Christy and Zard put me to work in the yard to get a feel for the men. I was in fact happy that most worshipped Selune. The company only hired people of good humor. So, you have many Selunites along with those of Bastet and Horus-re.
When I first met the captain, she was enraged that her husband and wife conspired to have a moon elven priest as a lieutenant. I used the skills I learned to calm her down. From then on, I was her lieutenant with a 10-year contract. I learned about her. Quickly discerned her mental condition and of course watched over her when she danced to Sehanine. Then we sailed through the mist at the island of Lurath. You know the rest.”
“You come to love her. All see this.”
“Aye, I did. But as you know she would not fraternize with crew.”
“Was difficult.”
“Not for the first six years or so but after that, Aye t'was.”
“Difficult for all. I shall remember and honor her for buying me and making free woman.”
“I failed. I lost everyone on this journey.”
“Is difficult circumstances. We all fight hard. We die along way. Is life, is it not?”
Cyr tears up again, “It is life, Arelush. That it is. We will honor our dead here. I’ll leave the sextet behind with a note on all we lost. Wrap in skins and bury it. We are their memory. Get some sleep. We have a busy morning and a long day.”
“Yes, sir.”
In the morning Cyr leads a funeral service for the whole of the crew along with their captain. The captain sent them here, but both know her fate. Cyr carries the letters the captain wrote to her husband and wife explaining what happened. They take the sextet and a note with all the names of the crew except themselves and place it with the device. Wrapping it in skins they bury it releasing some of the tensions of losing so many over the last 7 years. The two shake hands. One moving to the southwest toward the Ride. The other southeast toward Narfell.
“I had a hard time at school not only being the only elven but also understanding all the philosophy and ceremonies. I struggled. Halfway through school the headmistress came to me. She told me that even though I do have some understanding I could never be within the higher ranking of the church because I would never understand enough of the deeper meaning of lady Selune.
It broke my heart Arelush. I told the headmistress. I told her that I was not strong enough to be a knight, not smart enough to be a wizard, not pretty enough to be a bard, nor tough enough to be a monk and now, now you tell me that I am not wise enough to be a priest. What am I to do?
She looked at me surprised by my reaction. Said to me that I was in fact wrong. That I was to become a traveling lay priest or chaplain. She told me to go from temple to temple to lend aid to the head of the temples. She told me to pick up skills of other trades because even though I would never be great in any of those things I have enough to be good in most. She told me that I was still one of the church, just not able to find the deeper meanings of Selune and that I still have value to the greater cause.”
Arelush looks confused, “I do not understand?”
“A priest becomes a priest through visions and callings and miracles. Selune preformed a miracle for me that night and from then on, I would have visions of her at revelry. So even though I am not wise enough to become a high priest I am wise enough to do the goddesses work in other ways. I do wedding, funerals, I watched over the captain and led Selune’s reflection every new moon as you know. I do the little things a traveling lay priest does.”
Arelush concentrates hard and says, “So you do little things too small for high priestess?”
“Yes, so you get it.”
“Aye I do. You were happy in this?”
“I was. I traveled all around place to place, country to country. Selune and the church guiding me. I carried the churches letters to each other. I stopped along the way to help with services or do services when there was a sick priest or there were to many for them to handle. Meanwhile I learned. I learned about history from mages. How to hide, trap, and move silently through the woods from huntsman. I learned how to talk to others from other priests and merchants.”
“That why you make all deals for the captain?”
“Yes, she was better at values. She always knew what something was worth and what profit she could make from it. I knew how to close the deal whether with a shady merchant or grumpy harbormaster.”
“So, you do all this many years. How did you meet captain?”
Cyr covers his eyes with his hand and sheds a tear. Arelush takes it calmly and waits for the love of their captain was plain to all who knew the crew. Cyr collects himself then continues with the new story.
“I did not meet the captain at first. I met her wife. Christy another sun elf and paladin of Horus-Re. She came to a service as if looking for something. She listens to my sermon with some interest then stayed after the service. She talked to me at great length about her family, odd as it was and that she was looking for a ship's chaplain.
I was perplexed that a family of elves could create a shipping company among the Mulhorandi and be respected for their status. It is quite an amazing feat. I spoke with the head priestess of Selune’s and got permission to do so being that many of Selune’s temples are close to ports. She is after all a goddess of travel and navigators. I was not prepared for what Christy and the husband had in mind.
You see the captain was out for the next year going port to port selling cargo and picking more up. Meanwhile they sent me to officer’s school. Again, I had a very hard time. Especially with my numbers and navigation. But this time Arelush; I worked so hard day and night. Even went to Zard the captain’s husband to help with the navigation points. I made ensign in six months and lieutenant in a year.
The captain was late at her arrival date which worried both Christy and Zard. The captain worked the ship. Christy and Zard ran the business at home. I became a lieutenant a full month before she came home. So, Christy and Zard put me to work in the yard to get a feel for the men. I was in fact happy that most worshipped Selune. The company only hired people of good humor. So, you have many Selunites along with those of Bastet and Horus-re.
When I first met the captain, she was enraged that her husband and wife conspired to have a moon elven priest as a lieutenant. I used the skills I learned to calm her down. From then on, I was her lieutenant with a 10-year contract. I learned about her. Quickly discerned her mental condition and of course watched over her when she danced to Sehanine. Then we sailed through the mist at the island of Lurath. You know the rest.”
“You come to love her. All see this.”
“Aye, I did. But as you know she would not fraternize with crew.”
“Was difficult.”
“Not for the first six years or so but after that, Aye t'was.”
“Difficult for all. I shall remember and honor her for buying me and making free woman.”
“I failed. I lost everyone on this journey.”
“Is difficult circumstances. We all fight hard. We die along way. Is life, is it not?”
Cyr tears up again, “It is life, Arelush. That it is. We will honor our dead here. I’ll leave the sextet behind with a note on all we lost. Wrap in skins and bury it. We are their memory. Get some sleep. We have a busy morning and a long day.”
“Yes, sir.”
In the morning Cyr leads a funeral service for the whole of the crew along with their captain. The captain sent them here, but both know her fate. Cyr carries the letters the captain wrote to her husband and wife explaining what happened. They take the sextet and a note with all the names of the crew except themselves and place it with the device. Wrapping it in skins they bury it releasing some of the tensions of losing so many over the last 7 years. The two shake hands. One moving to the southwest toward the Ride. The other southeast toward Narfell.
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 1684
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:00 am
- ctp: Yes
- nwnihof: Yes
- Location: Pa.
- Contact:
Re: Arelush's Journal
Captain says I should write journal. She told me it is to practice my letters; also, to remember. I am not sure I want to remember. My life was grief until I met the captain. Then more grief when I had to leave her.
I was born a slave. I was born in a country of sand where gods walked the land and ruled the people. It was a land of great culture for those who are free. It was not so good for slaves. If slave did not do a good job for master, they would not eat.
I was taken from mother and father when very young: when I no longer needed mothe’rs milk. I was sold to another who raised me to cook and clean house. When became 15 or 16 they sold me to another. My job was to share master’s bed or his guest’s beds. I did this until I was somewhere near 20 maybe 21 then was considered too old and too used to be good bed warmer. I was sold to a green giant with tusks in mouth. He take me to a new land and put me in a dirty cage. He did not feed me well and did not care for me. I had sores and bugs on me. I was very dirty and smelled of bathroom because had no place to do this but bucket in corner.
This new land was a land where giant glowing crystals were placed around the water and land. There were floating cities and other strange wonders. Their gods were different. They lived somewhere in the sky not on the land. They did not talk to people only the priests.
After many months I was not sold. I think master would take me out of the city and cut his loss on me. Was not much of a loss I was sold this last time for ten silver coins. I awaited the day when he would give me to the gods of the lands but something happened.
A woman from my own land came to the slave cages. She was dressed in official robes of the house of life. Those that make magic. Her robes were black and red meaning she was one who spoke to the dead, and helped the priests make guardians of the temples. Guardians are creatures beyond life that walk the temples at night to scare those not meant to be there. If they touch you, you become sick with plague and die.
This woman was of brown skin like me but had pointed ears and metal-colored eyes. Her eyes were the color of the sun metal, not gold but stronger than gold that the old weapons were made from. She brings me to a ship. I later find out that this is her ship. She is captain of this ship that moves cargo across the sea to other ports. It was very big as long as three houses and as wide as one.
She take me to what I know now is state room just in front of her cabin in back of ship. There she tell me that she will make me a free woman, but she also say that I am not ready to be free. I do not understand this and not know if to trust her or not. She tell me that I will be free today. She will give me my papers but she has a proposal. She said if I stay with her, she will teach me to be proper free woman. She will teach me my letters and numbers but that I will have to work too.
She said she needs a cabin girl. One who cleans ship and her place, lay out her uniforms, bring her food and drink when asked or oil for her hands. She say I will get coin for this. As her cabin girl I get ½ share of crew. She say it is not much but it is pay for work and as bonus she teach me to be a free woman.
I have to think a long time on this. Maybe she cons me to think falsely then kill me to make guardian for her. I take a chance and accept her words as she tell truth. I am glad I did.
She teaches me my letters in common trade tongue like this and our home language which is written in pictures. I do ok. I know I need to get better but I only write here so is not so problem like her. She write many letters and numbers almost all the time. Some letters she send me to deliver at ports. She tell me she working in secret and cannot be seen with them. I accept this.
In numbers I get the basics. How to count how to take away even how to multiply but she try to teach me how triangles make circles. This I could not get. She say all sailors need this. I still cannot think how something with three sides can make a circle. This is not logical. Still she use this numbers counting when she uses her metal hand fan with looking glass. She say she reads the stars and sun with this and make triangles to find place on sea.
After many months maybe a year. The captain. She gets very sick. We find out she was very sick for a very long time. Crew worry she cannot get them home but her people the elves and the short people called dwarves they help her. For the next many years she works on a great spell to get crew home. This spell so great and dangerous that she say she would stay here so the learning of the spell can never be again.
I offer to stay with her since I am from here. She tell me I must live my own life. So I decide to go with crew if she can create spell and her machine work with it. During these years captain make me learn from many teachers. They find what am really good at besides warming a bed. They find out I have good eyes and that my steps are soft.
One of her people take me and tell me I would do well to learn from him. He teach me hunting on cold ground of this place where ice and snow cover ground much of the year. He teach me to survive this cold. To catch small animals, to skin and cook them after cutting out bad parts. He also teach me of the animals and tracks and many other things. I become a good hunter. He was very proud to take former human slave and make her hunter. I am thankful.
After some years the captain, she completes work. She sends crew home. I decide to go with them. She worry I upset some kind of balance but I say I am no one like she say. She have saying she like to say to keep her beneath the gods She say ‘I am no import to the greater scheme.’ She say it is important to be humble so can respect others and the great gods too. I remember this. She also give me bracelet. She say it is from her first homeland, where she was born. An island of forests and elves like her. It is silver made of many wires. They have small green stones on the wires she call emeralds. It is my prize possession. I wear it all the time. To remember her.
We worry for captain. Before we left she fall down almost every one or two weeks and shake. Still she get crew home. We find ourselves in a great cold wasteland. It is a land of pale giants and hobgoblins. We start south. Before we get back to towns of humans all die from cold, giants or accident. Only ones left is her second a blue skinned elf by name of Cyr and me. We split up I go west. Cyr go east. Now I am in new and strange land. I hope to hunt and sell meat to market. I still have my papers of freedom she gave to me. I hope I will not need them but have them if I do. It is time now. I will see these new people and their place. I will see if I can live here and make a living with my hunting.
I was born a slave. I was born in a country of sand where gods walked the land and ruled the people. It was a land of great culture for those who are free. It was not so good for slaves. If slave did not do a good job for master, they would not eat.
I was taken from mother and father when very young: when I no longer needed mothe’rs milk. I was sold to another who raised me to cook and clean house. When became 15 or 16 they sold me to another. My job was to share master’s bed or his guest’s beds. I did this until I was somewhere near 20 maybe 21 then was considered too old and too used to be good bed warmer. I was sold to a green giant with tusks in mouth. He take me to a new land and put me in a dirty cage. He did not feed me well and did not care for me. I had sores and bugs on me. I was very dirty and smelled of bathroom because had no place to do this but bucket in corner.
This new land was a land where giant glowing crystals were placed around the water and land. There were floating cities and other strange wonders. Their gods were different. They lived somewhere in the sky not on the land. They did not talk to people only the priests.
After many months I was not sold. I think master would take me out of the city and cut his loss on me. Was not much of a loss I was sold this last time for ten silver coins. I awaited the day when he would give me to the gods of the lands but something happened.
A woman from my own land came to the slave cages. She was dressed in official robes of the house of life. Those that make magic. Her robes were black and red meaning she was one who spoke to the dead, and helped the priests make guardians of the temples. Guardians are creatures beyond life that walk the temples at night to scare those not meant to be there. If they touch you, you become sick with plague and die.
This woman was of brown skin like me but had pointed ears and metal-colored eyes. Her eyes were the color of the sun metal, not gold but stronger than gold that the old weapons were made from. She brings me to a ship. I later find out that this is her ship. She is captain of this ship that moves cargo across the sea to other ports. It was very big as long as three houses and as wide as one.
She take me to what I know now is state room just in front of her cabin in back of ship. There she tell me that she will make me a free woman, but she also say that I am not ready to be free. I do not understand this and not know if to trust her or not. She tell me that I will be free today. She will give me my papers but she has a proposal. She said if I stay with her, she will teach me to be proper free woman. She will teach me my letters and numbers but that I will have to work too.
She said she needs a cabin girl. One who cleans ship and her place, lay out her uniforms, bring her food and drink when asked or oil for her hands. She say I will get coin for this. As her cabin girl I get ½ share of crew. She say it is not much but it is pay for work and as bonus she teach me to be a free woman.
I have to think a long time on this. Maybe she cons me to think falsely then kill me to make guardian for her. I take a chance and accept her words as she tell truth. I am glad I did.
She teaches me my letters in common trade tongue like this and our home language which is written in pictures. I do ok. I know I need to get better but I only write here so is not so problem like her. She write many letters and numbers almost all the time. Some letters she send me to deliver at ports. She tell me she working in secret and cannot be seen with them. I accept this.
In numbers I get the basics. How to count how to take away even how to multiply but she try to teach me how triangles make circles. This I could not get. She say all sailors need this. I still cannot think how something with three sides can make a circle. This is not logical. Still she use this numbers counting when she uses her metal hand fan with looking glass. She say she reads the stars and sun with this and make triangles to find place on sea.
After many months maybe a year. The captain. She gets very sick. We find out she was very sick for a very long time. Crew worry she cannot get them home but her people the elves and the short people called dwarves they help her. For the next many years she works on a great spell to get crew home. This spell so great and dangerous that she say she would stay here so the learning of the spell can never be again.
I offer to stay with her since I am from here. She tell me I must live my own life. So I decide to go with crew if she can create spell and her machine work with it. During these years captain make me learn from many teachers. They find what am really good at besides warming a bed. They find out I have good eyes and that my steps are soft.
One of her people take me and tell me I would do well to learn from him. He teach me hunting on cold ground of this place where ice and snow cover ground much of the year. He teach me to survive this cold. To catch small animals, to skin and cook them after cutting out bad parts. He also teach me of the animals and tracks and many other things. I become a good hunter. He was very proud to take former human slave and make her hunter. I am thankful.
After some years the captain, she completes work. She sends crew home. I decide to go with them. She worry I upset some kind of balance but I say I am no one like she say. She have saying she like to say to keep her beneath the gods She say ‘I am no import to the greater scheme.’ She say it is important to be humble so can respect others and the great gods too. I remember this. She also give me bracelet. She say it is from her first homeland, where she was born. An island of forests and elves like her. It is silver made of many wires. They have small green stones on the wires she call emeralds. It is my prize possession. I wear it all the time. To remember her.
We worry for captain. Before we left she fall down almost every one or two weeks and shake. Still she get crew home. We find ourselves in a great cold wasteland. It is a land of pale giants and hobgoblins. We start south. Before we get back to towns of humans all die from cold, giants or accident. Only ones left is her second a blue skinned elf by name of Cyr and me. We split up I go west. Cyr go east. Now I am in new and strange land. I hope to hunt and sell meat to market. I still have my papers of freedom she gave to me. I hope I will not need them but have them if I do. It is time now. I will see these new people and their place. I will see if I can live here and make a living with my hunting.
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 1684
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:00 am
- ctp: Yes
- nwnihof: Yes
- Location: Pa.
- Contact:
Re: Arelush's Journal
I find people in a new place. This place was very confusing with no markers. there were many places I get stuck not knowing how to leave towns or areas. This place festers with many enemies and is no place for those not of experience should be. I will not name this place. It is a place of darkness and depression where things they do not add up. It is good that not many like me go there so it will remain unnamed. After a month I leave this place and travel south to another. Here I find better situation.
I am still not sure of the name of this place I now live. It has a great forest. It has much game and a few of the people I have met seem kindly. They say there are no slaves here. It is a good thing, I think. The first thing I do is wander the big city in this area. I buy some things I need, arrows a new bow, some new armor. Then I look around town. This city it has a palace with the many names of heroes and heroines written on statues in stone. I see the captain's name on one. It makes me sad but also makes me cautious.
I know the one I know is dead but also know she also alive. This one who is alive I do not know. I do not want to disturb this one. It would cause problems for me and for her. I know she would try to avoid fate. it is best not to tamper with fate. So, I think a very long time. From now on I will not call her captain but mother for she is like a second mother to me. I did not know birth mother: but the captain: she takes me in, frees me and treat me like a daughter. Before she sends me here, she gave me a bracelet and said she thinks of me as a daughter. So, I will call her mother it is a show of both respect and reverence for the one who freed me from slavery and taught me to be a free woman with my own mind.
The next thing I do is meet a man. this is a kindly man much like mother. His name is Zeek. He is not elven and not human but part of both. He also knows magic but does so with no books. Mother always looked at books: Books on magic, on how to build things, and charts of the sea and land. She always has her nose in paper. Zeek, he does not. Somehow, he just knows magic.
At first, I did not know if I could trust this Zeek. He swayed me and after only a day he gives me a key to what he calls his secret hideout. It is in the desert. It is a tower that covers a deep cave with an oasis. a strange place. Between this I meet with him many women. Most of these women are overbearing. I had a hard time keeping my peace. They are energetic and young, little more than half my age. One of these is a huntress like me but follow a god called Malar not Anhur. She seems somehow twisted. I do not like her manner. I stay quiet and listen while with these girls. Mother told me once it is more important to listen than to talk though she always say she is not so good at listening herself.
Along the way between meeting Zeek and others I was with one or two of them or all of them. we fought the little dragon men, goblins, orcs even bad elves though why would there be bad elves? I guess all people can be good or bad. I just wish to survive while hunting that is what I do now. I also walked past a half-orc he was green skinned and had tusks like my last master. I shied away to the other side of the street. I know my papers will only protect me so much. if there are slavers wishing to steal people, I know the papers will not mean much to them.
Zeek he also teaches me some woodwork. He says if I stay to it, I will make a bow whose arrows can touch the sun. I am not sure Re would like an arrow to touch him, but I understand what Zeek means.
So far this looks like a good place to stake for year maybe two. I do not know. I am optimistic. I have written in this journal now two times. I will try to write more in the future. I thank the gods of the Mulan that they show me a place with this much potential.
I am still not sure of the name of this place I now live. It has a great forest. It has much game and a few of the people I have met seem kindly. They say there are no slaves here. It is a good thing, I think. The first thing I do is wander the big city in this area. I buy some things I need, arrows a new bow, some new armor. Then I look around town. This city it has a palace with the many names of heroes and heroines written on statues in stone. I see the captain's name on one. It makes me sad but also makes me cautious.
I know the one I know is dead but also know she also alive. This one who is alive I do not know. I do not want to disturb this one. It would cause problems for me and for her. I know she would try to avoid fate. it is best not to tamper with fate. So, I think a very long time. From now on I will not call her captain but mother for she is like a second mother to me. I did not know birth mother: but the captain: she takes me in, frees me and treat me like a daughter. Before she sends me here, she gave me a bracelet and said she thinks of me as a daughter. So, I will call her mother it is a show of both respect and reverence for the one who freed me from slavery and taught me to be a free woman with my own mind.
The next thing I do is meet a man. this is a kindly man much like mother. His name is Zeek. He is not elven and not human but part of both. He also knows magic but does so with no books. Mother always looked at books: Books on magic, on how to build things, and charts of the sea and land. She always has her nose in paper. Zeek, he does not. Somehow, he just knows magic.
At first, I did not know if I could trust this Zeek. He swayed me and after only a day he gives me a key to what he calls his secret hideout. It is in the desert. It is a tower that covers a deep cave with an oasis. a strange place. Between this I meet with him many women. Most of these women are overbearing. I had a hard time keeping my peace. They are energetic and young, little more than half my age. One of these is a huntress like me but follow a god called Malar not Anhur. She seems somehow twisted. I do not like her manner. I stay quiet and listen while with these girls. Mother told me once it is more important to listen than to talk though she always say she is not so good at listening herself.
Along the way between meeting Zeek and others I was with one or two of them or all of them. we fought the little dragon men, goblins, orcs even bad elves though why would there be bad elves? I guess all people can be good or bad. I just wish to survive while hunting that is what I do now. I also walked past a half-orc he was green skinned and had tusks like my last master. I shied away to the other side of the street. I know my papers will only protect me so much. if there are slavers wishing to steal people, I know the papers will not mean much to them.
Zeek he also teaches me some woodwork. He says if I stay to it, I will make a bow whose arrows can touch the sun. I am not sure Re would like an arrow to touch him, but I understand what Zeek means.
So far this looks like a good place to stake for year maybe two. I do not know. I am optimistic. I have written in this journal now two times. I will try to write more in the future. I thank the gods of the Mulan that they show me a place with this much potential.
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 1684
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:00 am
- ctp: Yes
- nwnihof: Yes
- Location: Pa.
- Contact:
Re: Arelush's Journal
I stay in the forest north of the big city when not working with wood or going to help people with their own things. I went into the city these last three days. Much happened and some very big surprises. At first worked with many adventurers to help them in their goals. Zeek several times, also another fire wizard. This one was dwarven and though he likes fire is more careless than Zeek. He did not care if others were in his way when he threw his fire or what he burned. I follow very far behind him, so I do not get burned when we clear giant ants out of their nest.
I question Zeek on this for several hours about how his magic work. Mother always used a formula she spoke and things she used to make her magic. Zeek do not do this. I wonder how he keep control of his fire. Mother I think would trim formula by the way she speak or how much of ingredients she use had fine control except when she do the life and death magic. I think she call it positive and negative. When she do her pulse the energy would come out from her body in a great pulse of magic centered on her. all living things would either turn to ash or blow up I think depends on which she used life or death energy.
Zeek tell me he has perfect control, but the dwarf does not care to control his magic. Zeek explained it to me, but I got lost in explanation. Like when mother try to teach me how triangles make circles. I am satisfied, I think. Zeek I never see him burn anyone he like with his fire. Nor do woods catch on fire or a home nearby. I think he have control.
Early when with Zeek helping him I find a special bow. It is called Tilverton. It is strong and has a bit of spark in it. I like it a lot. Until can make a better bow will use this one. Later I make my first mahogany bow. Was very lucky to accomplish this and am very proud. Am not proud that had to sell to merchant for only 15 gold. I go back to store later and he selling it for over 1,000 gold. Merchant he robe me.
In fact all these merchants in city and surrounding only buy for 15 gold. I ask myself what would mother do? I think about this a very long time and decide I know what to do. I will flood market with my bows. I will make so many merchants can no longer sell them for such price. It will take work but am very mad how these bad merchants cheat the people. Is almost not worth to make these things. Still I count what can make. With arrows I do not make anything. I lose coin, but with bows I can make 8 coin per bow. I do this.
I meet this Hemt again who is priestess of the dead. Not Osiris but another god of the dead. I try to shy away from her and hide behind Zeek but she talk and talk to me. I respect all gods but my gods are different. I try be respectful. The woman mage who know my culture Serwyn I think is name happened by. So I tell hemt that she know my culture and to speak to her about my gods. I told her I am not smart and she better spokeswoman than me. It did not end her trying to speak to me but somehow she seem satisfied. Is good. Will not have to deal with her questions anymore I think. I still shy away from her. she may turn me into a mummy if she catches me unawares. Slaves will never trust those that deal with the dead and being former slave, I do not trust their words. They lure people with sweet words then all the sudden you trapped in your own dead body wrapped tight in linens.
The oddest and most unnerving thing was last thing I did before going back to woods. Serwyn had important mission. Something about something she was researching and old place……..a very old place Tel…….something. It is deep within the Hullack forest.
I decide to go with her along with the lizard girl Astra. I find out she can snort smoke out of her nose during this trip. Is very odd. Also the dead hemt come with us Her name Ethal or something like this. And horned girl come after finding us in Hullack her name is Rienhilde I think. I do not know these people well so forget names.
First while in forest the horned huntress she still a bear but then she lead it somewhere else. I can still bears too but cannot lead them. Once we get to a safe place to rest I ask her for help on this. She talk to me. She say to control an animal you cannot still all animals at once. You must concentrate on this one animal then you can ask it to follow you. I have not tried this yet but will practice and see if works for me. I tried taming bear once and as soon as I try it attack me. It ravaged me good too. I almost did not make it to Hillmarch. I learn a lesson to be more careful. When I come out I had to call a shock lizard to defeat it. It was waiting for me outside the gate when I worked with my wood. So I will try to follow her directions and see if I can take next step.
So we rest as we talk then we go to a great fort in the swamp. There were many snake people there. we fought them. I had a hard time to climb up and down the fort. Still we survived and Serwyn she take a bunch of things out of the box and change into them.
Going back home we find more bad elves. Zeek he fall and Astra pick him up. But body suddenly disappear. Astra say that his gods saved him. I never see a body disappear in thin air. I think this must be true even when I have not seen him yet to make sure he is alive.
So Astra and Serwyn convince me to find something in the deep forest. We come upon crystals in air and ground. There is a floating green crystal here that look something like the crystals that warmed the water in Conch and Hadrian. But it was green. I would never know purpose unless someone tell me what is so I leave it alone. We then find a ruins.
Here is where things get strange. I start to see things I almost recognize. Words, markings and things. Though I could not read them they seem familiar to me. These ruins were underground and crumbling badly.
We come to a place where there is a poem on the ground about a queen. While I read poem Astra starts to speak Netherese. I could never learn the language or understand it while I was there. Mother say that my head could not be filled with another. Something about the smarter you are the more languages you can speak and I could not speak anymore. I speak my homeland tongue Mulhorandi, the common trade tongue and I can speak to animals though animal is simple language like me. Has clicks and whistles and body movements.
Still though I do not speak it, I recognize it. I try to cover myself by asking Serwyn about it. She did not fall for it. I think she know I was in Netheril. This makes the hair on back of my neck stand up. Mother always tell me I should make small steps in sand after I leave not big ones. She say remember our motto. ‘We who are of no import to the greater scheme.’ But I have to question this too. She say this. She believe this but no matter how hard she try she always leave big prints in sand. I guess some people like that.
As we go on memories of past keep floating to my head. How I deliver letters for her in Hadrian and Conch, Ascore, and Harborage. I remember all the floating cities in the air and the great blue crystals along the sea. It start to get creepy. By this time I almost want to leave and take a portal before Serwyn and Astra do.
When I do I find a much different place. I am in a great open hall of stone in the trees of the forest. The stone path widens to a hall and the first thing I see is the seal of Horus. I stop very confused. The people of this land this old place knew the god Horus most like worshipped him. Serwyn tell me he is Horus-Re now but how can two gods become one. I do not understand.
I give reverence to the seal and leave a pelt there for the god. It would be disrespectful not to do this in front of one of your gods seals. I walk down the hall to see a floating being. I think may have been an angel. I shy away at first until Astra and Serwyn come. Astra boldly speaks to it then leaves. I then step up and talk to it.
The angel said it needed my help to protect this sacred place and that if I say yes then the whole of the group must join me. I look back at the seal of Horus then to the other two women. They say no do not do this your soul will be forever attached to this angel and this place. I am not sure what to do. One of my own god’s seal marks this hall. There is an angel here that asks for my help. I look back at the seal again and to the women.
I decide it is not my place to decide for others what they should do. I decide that I must listen to companions on this for they must make their own choices on what weighs on their soul. I tell angel I cannot at this time. I hope this does not add weight to my own soul but I think is the right choice.
We leave. Astra leaves so fast was almost like a blur. So now it is just me and Serwyn. She questions me on some things. Then I know she knows I am not from here at all at least not this when here. It was that smile she did when she put things together in her head. I think she keep my secret. I hope she do. I can only make small footsteps. I find this harder and harder but am determined to do this.
And if ever see mother I must leave before she see me. If I change her life in any way she may not save me when she meet me in Sullivan slave pens. I have feeling that I would die there and never be a free woman.
I question Zeek on this for several hours about how his magic work. Mother always used a formula she spoke and things she used to make her magic. Zeek do not do this. I wonder how he keep control of his fire. Mother I think would trim formula by the way she speak or how much of ingredients she use had fine control except when she do the life and death magic. I think she call it positive and negative. When she do her pulse the energy would come out from her body in a great pulse of magic centered on her. all living things would either turn to ash or blow up I think depends on which she used life or death energy.
Zeek tell me he has perfect control, but the dwarf does not care to control his magic. Zeek explained it to me, but I got lost in explanation. Like when mother try to teach me how triangles make circles. I am satisfied, I think. Zeek I never see him burn anyone he like with his fire. Nor do woods catch on fire or a home nearby. I think he have control.
Early when with Zeek helping him I find a special bow. It is called Tilverton. It is strong and has a bit of spark in it. I like it a lot. Until can make a better bow will use this one. Later I make my first mahogany bow. Was very lucky to accomplish this and am very proud. Am not proud that had to sell to merchant for only 15 gold. I go back to store later and he selling it for over 1,000 gold. Merchant he robe me.
In fact all these merchants in city and surrounding only buy for 15 gold. I ask myself what would mother do? I think about this a very long time and decide I know what to do. I will flood market with my bows. I will make so many merchants can no longer sell them for such price. It will take work but am very mad how these bad merchants cheat the people. Is almost not worth to make these things. Still I count what can make. With arrows I do not make anything. I lose coin, but with bows I can make 8 coin per bow. I do this.
I meet this Hemt again who is priestess of the dead. Not Osiris but another god of the dead. I try to shy away from her and hide behind Zeek but she talk and talk to me. I respect all gods but my gods are different. I try be respectful. The woman mage who know my culture Serwyn I think is name happened by. So I tell hemt that she know my culture and to speak to her about my gods. I told her I am not smart and she better spokeswoman than me. It did not end her trying to speak to me but somehow she seem satisfied. Is good. Will not have to deal with her questions anymore I think. I still shy away from her. she may turn me into a mummy if she catches me unawares. Slaves will never trust those that deal with the dead and being former slave, I do not trust their words. They lure people with sweet words then all the sudden you trapped in your own dead body wrapped tight in linens.
The oddest and most unnerving thing was last thing I did before going back to woods. Serwyn had important mission. Something about something she was researching and old place……..a very old place Tel…….something. It is deep within the Hullack forest.
I decide to go with her along with the lizard girl Astra. I find out she can snort smoke out of her nose during this trip. Is very odd. Also the dead hemt come with us Her name Ethal or something like this. And horned girl come after finding us in Hullack her name is Rienhilde I think. I do not know these people well so forget names.
First while in forest the horned huntress she still a bear but then she lead it somewhere else. I can still bears too but cannot lead them. Once we get to a safe place to rest I ask her for help on this. She talk to me. She say to control an animal you cannot still all animals at once. You must concentrate on this one animal then you can ask it to follow you. I have not tried this yet but will practice and see if works for me. I tried taming bear once and as soon as I try it attack me. It ravaged me good too. I almost did not make it to Hillmarch. I learn a lesson to be more careful. When I come out I had to call a shock lizard to defeat it. It was waiting for me outside the gate when I worked with my wood. So I will try to follow her directions and see if I can take next step.
So we rest as we talk then we go to a great fort in the swamp. There were many snake people there. we fought them. I had a hard time to climb up and down the fort. Still we survived and Serwyn she take a bunch of things out of the box and change into them.
Going back home we find more bad elves. Zeek he fall and Astra pick him up. But body suddenly disappear. Astra say that his gods saved him. I never see a body disappear in thin air. I think this must be true even when I have not seen him yet to make sure he is alive.
So Astra and Serwyn convince me to find something in the deep forest. We come upon crystals in air and ground. There is a floating green crystal here that look something like the crystals that warmed the water in Conch and Hadrian. But it was green. I would never know purpose unless someone tell me what is so I leave it alone. We then find a ruins.
Here is where things get strange. I start to see things I almost recognize. Words, markings and things. Though I could not read them they seem familiar to me. These ruins were underground and crumbling badly.
We come to a place where there is a poem on the ground about a queen. While I read poem Astra starts to speak Netherese. I could never learn the language or understand it while I was there. Mother say that my head could not be filled with another. Something about the smarter you are the more languages you can speak and I could not speak anymore. I speak my homeland tongue Mulhorandi, the common trade tongue and I can speak to animals though animal is simple language like me. Has clicks and whistles and body movements.
Still though I do not speak it, I recognize it. I try to cover myself by asking Serwyn about it. She did not fall for it. I think she know I was in Netheril. This makes the hair on back of my neck stand up. Mother always tell me I should make small steps in sand after I leave not big ones. She say remember our motto. ‘We who are of no import to the greater scheme.’ But I have to question this too. She say this. She believe this but no matter how hard she try she always leave big prints in sand. I guess some people like that.
As we go on memories of past keep floating to my head. How I deliver letters for her in Hadrian and Conch, Ascore, and Harborage. I remember all the floating cities in the air and the great blue crystals along the sea. It start to get creepy. By this time I almost want to leave and take a portal before Serwyn and Astra do.
When I do I find a much different place. I am in a great open hall of stone in the trees of the forest. The stone path widens to a hall and the first thing I see is the seal of Horus. I stop very confused. The people of this land this old place knew the god Horus most like worshipped him. Serwyn tell me he is Horus-Re now but how can two gods become one. I do not understand.
I give reverence to the seal and leave a pelt there for the god. It would be disrespectful not to do this in front of one of your gods seals. I walk down the hall to see a floating being. I think may have been an angel. I shy away at first until Astra and Serwyn come. Astra boldly speaks to it then leaves. I then step up and talk to it.
The angel said it needed my help to protect this sacred place and that if I say yes then the whole of the group must join me. I look back at the seal of Horus then to the other two women. They say no do not do this your soul will be forever attached to this angel and this place. I am not sure what to do. One of my own god’s seal marks this hall. There is an angel here that asks for my help. I look back at the seal again and to the women.
I decide it is not my place to decide for others what they should do. I decide that I must listen to companions on this for they must make their own choices on what weighs on their soul. I tell angel I cannot at this time. I hope this does not add weight to my own soul but I think is the right choice.
We leave. Astra leaves so fast was almost like a blur. So now it is just me and Serwyn. She questions me on some things. Then I know she knows I am not from here at all at least not this when here. It was that smile she did when she put things together in her head. I think she keep my secret. I hope she do. I can only make small footsteps. I find this harder and harder but am determined to do this.
And if ever see mother I must leave before she see me. If I change her life in any way she may not save me when she meet me in Sullivan slave pens. I have feeling that I would die there and never be a free woman.
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 1684
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 12:00 am
- ctp: Yes
- nwnihof: Yes
- Location: Pa.
- Contact:
Re: Arelush's Journal
I go to town for a few days to see people. I like nature would rather be there now than in town but know somehow always being alone is not so good. I have my secret home in the desert now and a use the woods near Hillmarch. I switch between these as needed for health of mind. But this writing is not about these things it is about when I go to city.
The first person I meet is a man in shining armor. I do not know his name, but he uses shield and mace. He is a gruff man who never tells me his name. He want me to help him with looking for some relic. We go with another woman (I forget which woman now as loose track of time) but I know I know this one.
We go west to haunted cave where I have been before and see the children of Osiris. We go in. I explain to this gruff man that I will help him kill undead but not the mummies. For mummies are sacred to our people.
I also know many slaves, friends turned into mummies by the house of life and priests of Osiris. They are guardians, custodians, and protectors of the dead and their treasures.
The gruff man did not like this, what I say to him, and tell me to leave even though I say will help with other undead. I say ok and leave.
I know this man now is blind and will not listen to others. I will be wary of this man from now on. He only listens to his own words and cares not for others. He is a bad man. Will also be wary of anyone with his symbol. which look like a sunrise or sunset. Most likely an evil god or lord.
I go back to Hillmarch and make bows. After this I follow the fire dwarf into some Netheresse ruins. I know this because I have seen this the way the walls are painted and statues. I think was maybe one of the floating cities. Why it fall? I know not. I know mother say that in her time all floating cities had fallen. this must be true. I have proof now. I could recognize writings but again could not read. My head is not made for this. I am for the simple things in life.
We leave soon after. The dwarf he disappear and I get bad feeling of this. So I an another leave this place. I remember though a bed with high corners covered with canopy. The cloth black and looked like someone been sleeping on it.
When we come back, I go to Hillmarch again and make more things of wood. I am getting better at this. I no longer have to concentrate to make arrows and turn timbers into staves and planks.
After this, I wander some to know my new home. at this time the death priestess. The one who worships this places god of death need help. I try ignore her summon and head to Hillmarch but the group meet there. I hide and try to just listen but Zeek show up. He is what I would now call friend and since he go I need to go to make sure he safe. I show myself.
Is good thing because woman who is part goat, Reinhilde show up. She seem to like to teach me like elven man who taught me to hunt. very gently and by showing. I like this. I must practice much to get what others get right away sometimes. So, now I am glad to be with group.
Dwarven fire mage also show up. He nearly killed me later. but will get to this. We go north past the desert to a dead city. Reinhilde she and I try to calm animals and lead them away from group but group was too many and many want to fight the animals when not necessary. We encounter tigers.
Maybe if I ask Reinhilde to teach me to tame a companion I can tame a tiger and have a friend when at one of my two homes. I am not sure. Have not asked her yet.
We try to calm the tigers but the others did not understand and attacked them. The tigers died. I think this was a waste. We go to the town and fight a few undead not many. The death priestess focused on a well in the dead town and try to bless it. I sit down and wait but Zeek ask me to guard so I do.
After all was done we start to go back. We encounter goblins and we start to fight. This is when dwarven fire mage cast a spell and catches many of us in it hurting us very badly with fire.
After battle we question him. He say we should not be within his range when he cast a spell. He mean he did not care that we just collateral damage. this when I make a decision.
Very much later I go down to Immersea and pick up bags of spikes. Nest time I group with this fire mage. I warn others not to be around him. then when he casts spell I will throw the bags of spikes at him. if he say something I will tell him he was in the way of my spike bags...........I wonder if I can get something that spreads cold. He will not like that at all and would be more effective to message I want to convey. I got back next time in town to see if they have this.
I also calm a bear and the same dwarf attack him. I yell at him that I had control. Reinhilde then shout to me that he does not care. That when I fully understand. I thank her for her understanding of this and to make me see I must take steps to make sure this dwarf, he do not get away with this again.
When we get done the death priestess she want to pay everyone. when she come to me I step back. She say I cannot pay you if you run away from me. I say is ok I was just guild. I hope she gives it to church. This would be respectful.
Someone question me on why I do this. I tell them that I knew many friends dragged into temple by priests of Osiris and others and turned into mummies. I will always respect priests and priestesses but trust them is another thing. I will never trust a priestess of death. One moment you let guard down and they have wire pulling your brains out through your nose.
Last really important thing is Zeek want me to make him a mahogany crossbow. It take me a few tries but I make one for him. I also make 60 piercing bolts and 60 bludgeoning bolts.
Before I go back home he help me make price. He pay me 2000 for crossbow and 100 for each set of bolt. He also give me 500 for doing in few days bonus. So now I have price list. I am not good with values like mother was. Help in this is appreciated. I now will sell mahogany bows and crossbows for 2,000 and arrows or bolts for a little less than a coin an a half per item.
I am not ready for fancy longbows with tension pulleys yet but these tension pulleys they cost very much. When I am able to I will ask Zeek about pricing these for two which are needed cost almost 1,000 coin.
I am tired of writing so I will end entry. I hope mother is proud. I put my fist to my chest to salute her with my eyes up as she wanted. Hoping wherever her soul is she sees it and is proud.
The first person I meet is a man in shining armor. I do not know his name, but he uses shield and mace. He is a gruff man who never tells me his name. He want me to help him with looking for some relic. We go with another woman (I forget which woman now as loose track of time) but I know I know this one.
We go west to haunted cave where I have been before and see the children of Osiris. We go in. I explain to this gruff man that I will help him kill undead but not the mummies. For mummies are sacred to our people.
I also know many slaves, friends turned into mummies by the house of life and priests of Osiris. They are guardians, custodians, and protectors of the dead and their treasures.
The gruff man did not like this, what I say to him, and tell me to leave even though I say will help with other undead. I say ok and leave.
I know this man now is blind and will not listen to others. I will be wary of this man from now on. He only listens to his own words and cares not for others. He is a bad man. Will also be wary of anyone with his symbol. which look like a sunrise or sunset. Most likely an evil god or lord.
I go back to Hillmarch and make bows. After this I follow the fire dwarf into some Netheresse ruins. I know this because I have seen this the way the walls are painted and statues. I think was maybe one of the floating cities. Why it fall? I know not. I know mother say that in her time all floating cities had fallen. this must be true. I have proof now. I could recognize writings but again could not read. My head is not made for this. I am for the simple things in life.
We leave soon after. The dwarf he disappear and I get bad feeling of this. So I an another leave this place. I remember though a bed with high corners covered with canopy. The cloth black and looked like someone been sleeping on it.
When we come back, I go to Hillmarch again and make more things of wood. I am getting better at this. I no longer have to concentrate to make arrows and turn timbers into staves and planks.
After this, I wander some to know my new home. at this time the death priestess. The one who worships this places god of death need help. I try ignore her summon and head to Hillmarch but the group meet there. I hide and try to just listen but Zeek show up. He is what I would now call friend and since he go I need to go to make sure he safe. I show myself.
Is good thing because woman who is part goat, Reinhilde show up. She seem to like to teach me like elven man who taught me to hunt. very gently and by showing. I like this. I must practice much to get what others get right away sometimes. So, now I am glad to be with group.
Dwarven fire mage also show up. He nearly killed me later. but will get to this. We go north past the desert to a dead city. Reinhilde she and I try to calm animals and lead them away from group but group was too many and many want to fight the animals when not necessary. We encounter tigers.
Maybe if I ask Reinhilde to teach me to tame a companion I can tame a tiger and have a friend when at one of my two homes. I am not sure. Have not asked her yet.
We try to calm the tigers but the others did not understand and attacked them. The tigers died. I think this was a waste. We go to the town and fight a few undead not many. The death priestess focused on a well in the dead town and try to bless it. I sit down and wait but Zeek ask me to guard so I do.
After all was done we start to go back. We encounter goblins and we start to fight. This is when dwarven fire mage cast a spell and catches many of us in it hurting us very badly with fire.
After battle we question him. He say we should not be within his range when he cast a spell. He mean he did not care that we just collateral damage. this when I make a decision.
Very much later I go down to Immersea and pick up bags of spikes. Nest time I group with this fire mage. I warn others not to be around him. then when he casts spell I will throw the bags of spikes at him. if he say something I will tell him he was in the way of my spike bags...........I wonder if I can get something that spreads cold. He will not like that at all and would be more effective to message I want to convey. I got back next time in town to see if they have this.
I also calm a bear and the same dwarf attack him. I yell at him that I had control. Reinhilde then shout to me that he does not care. That when I fully understand. I thank her for her understanding of this and to make me see I must take steps to make sure this dwarf, he do not get away with this again.
When we get done the death priestess she want to pay everyone. when she come to me I step back. She say I cannot pay you if you run away from me. I say is ok I was just guild. I hope she gives it to church. This would be respectful.
Someone question me on why I do this. I tell them that I knew many friends dragged into temple by priests of Osiris and others and turned into mummies. I will always respect priests and priestesses but trust them is another thing. I will never trust a priestess of death. One moment you let guard down and they have wire pulling your brains out through your nose.
Last really important thing is Zeek want me to make him a mahogany crossbow. It take me a few tries but I make one for him. I also make 60 piercing bolts and 60 bludgeoning bolts.
Before I go back home he help me make price. He pay me 2000 for crossbow and 100 for each set of bolt. He also give me 500 for doing in few days bonus. So now I have price list. I am not good with values like mother was. Help in this is appreciated. I now will sell mahogany bows and crossbows for 2,000 and arrows or bolts for a little less than a coin an a half per item.
I am not ready for fancy longbows with tension pulleys yet but these tension pulleys they cost very much. When I am able to I will ask Zeek about pricing these for two which are needed cost almost 1,000 coin.
I am tired of writing so I will end entry. I hope mother is proud. I put my fist to my chest to salute her with my eyes up as she wanted. Hoping wherever her soul is she sees it and is proud.