Blood for the Abyss

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Orianna's ankle was feeling much better by now, well enough to walk on. A young woman named Kara had been spending time with Orianna since Galla had taken her in. As Orianna and Kara where conversing, Orianna noticed the handsome young priest and a aasimar paladin enter the temple.

"I have returned with Soren as you asked my Lady.", said the young cleric.

"Darrik you fool!" hissed Kara in an angered whisper, "Looking so pitiful will never win her affections. Oh, he is hopeless Orianna, he has read too many tragedies so now he believes his sorrow will win her heart."

"My Good Soren, come this way, I have much I must discuss with you. I apologize for the inconvenience that was created, but I am not included within the council and I rarely know what they are doing on more then mere intuition. Come with me now, I shall tell you more of the current situation as I have need of you to be my champion once again. Into the the quarters of the priests we must go for I desire none other then those I intend to know such as I speak of to have knowledge of what I speak of."

Orianna dared not follow, she may have been able to tail a guard unnoticed, but never would she go unnoticed by the superhuman senses of an astral deva.

"Do you know anything about courting Darrik? Do you honestly think being so miserable in her company is going to make her love you? She may pity you, but the more you make her pity you, the less she will be able to feel love for you."

Orianna felt awkward being part of this conversation and moved else where.

[ February 17, 2006, 23:02: Message edited by: Ilmater's Suffering ]

 

Galla took Soren into the priest's quarters, where she could hear the sounds of no others that she wished she could not hear.

"I must ask you to lead for me those that would go east in the Church's name. There is a holy relic of Pelor that lies within a tower amidst the wildlands. The Celestial Sun it was once called, a weapon forged to fight the Lower Planes in times long past. The last wielder of this longsword brought it to bare against a powerful mage who once resided within this town, alas the sword along with the hero where lost to this tower."

Galla lowered her voice.

"The Celestial Sun may be the only thing to stand between this world and the Abyss... quite literally. Abbazoth has a device of sorts, that creates something akin to the spell Gate, though instead of simply allowing him to bring out just one creature of his choosing out of a world, there is no end to the number of creatures he could bring, allowing him to empty the Abyss if he wanted to. This world's attraction to other worlds would lead to a situation where the Tanar'ri could spill across worlds if Abbazoth's plans gain fruition, disaster could even come from a mortal gaining the device and using it for their own means. Fortunately for the forces of good, Abbazoth is lacking the piece required, the piece the prophesy spoke, the blood of the Sun's daughter is needed to activate the device."

Galla smiled at Soren.

"I know this is much to ask of you, but I feel that with the blood you carry you understand the gravity of the situation, we must suceed not only for Sunglow and Faydorn, but the the City of Sigil and the planes as well."

 

Valnar gently leaned forward carefully holding the gnome in situ to place his X next to the gnome's and having done so moved to one side, he spoke quietly to the gnome on his shoulder "Hey shortie, to meet you pleased am I, hight I Valnar Hruddson, and you are? Also sit I and axe clean ok" and so saying he sat on a bench the gnome still on his shoulder. He then started cleaning and oiling the axe and then sharpening it, continuing to talk to the gnome "So where is pay for work done? Food and drink need I and you, yes?"

 

"All right everyone, listen up. I assume all you here are seeking to be beyond the city walls. Here's what needs to be done, I need those of you who want to go north to move over there and those of you who want to go east to move over here.", said Alan Hendal, "Alright, those of you heading north will have the ultimate goal of reaching the lost city within the northern mountains. The task will be dangerous, but an ancient elven city will contain many magical items that may aid us in the coming days. It would also be wise to seek aid from the wood and wild elves within the Forest of Secrets. A powerful red dragon is said to reside within the northern mountains, so be careful for more then just standard dangers while in the mountains.

Alan turned to face the other group.

"As for you heading east, we have less information for you, but there should be a city to the east populated by the yuan-ti, magical items should be of abundance within the city. I would advise discretion while undertaking this task, it would not be wise to anger the entire city in your removal of the goods we need. You must use extreme caution while travelling east, all manners of savage and foul creatures stalk the wildlands. The rangers in the area may be of aid to you to figure out what is happening within the region."

 

"Ya know, if Common isn't your home speech, you can talk in whatever gets your sentence structure properly sytanxed. I'll figure it out, or ignore you." She said all this with a grin while Valnar cleaned his axe. "My name? Skiffle Mallomar Cellulouse Nutbunny-Eating-Doogle. You can call me SKiffle or Skif or Shortie or Hey, You Gnome, Get the Hell out of my Collection Plate! I prefer Skif myself, but it's your choice. Sorry about calling you Hymie. I call everybody Hymie."

She watched him and the others around them, thinking. "Yea, payment would be nice, but those rump butners over in the Temple aren't keen on handing over cold coins. They like the ol' bait and switch instead." Skiffle lowered her voice and gave it an uppity ring as she imitated a cleric of Pelor, "'Oh, my child, you wish payment from this poor temple! Hath not my divine healings and protections during your dangerous journey proven enough?'" Patting her big blond gently, she continued, "Don't expect payment from these jokers, Hymie. Take what you can get from the enemies instead. That's my phisopholy any rate."

 

"Well Skif, I speak common as well as the next, but like they don't see or notice little people like you, if the barbarian is dumb they tend to say things I wouldn't normally hear, so talk dumb will I and them fool will we, line pockets ours more yes?" Valnar qiuetly spoke to her while cleaning his axe.

 

"You're preachin' to the choir, my brother. Yes, that's we are: brother and sister, out in the cold, forboding arms of the Planes, searching for food and shelter to keep our humble bodies alive through another harsh, harsh winter." A passing pair of clerics gave the unlike duo a looking over.

 

Soren's eyes widened in horror. "EMpty the abyss..." As the full magnitude of the task, and its repurcussion settled on him, his face hardened, and he nodded grimly.

"Wait. Blood of the Sun's daughter? You! The Balor requires your life for this Gate? MY lady, what if the demons attempt the walls again when we are all gone?"

 

"If only the fates where so kind I would be the daughter of the Sun, but the prophesy makes reference to the way things where when Sunglow was still ruled by the feudal powers of the Nobility. The Sun makes reference to the High Priest of Pelor who was in times past considered to be the embodiment of Pelor's divine will. After removing the nobility from power, the last High Priest, Victor Whitehorn was stripped of his sacred duties of High Priest and the position of the High Priest was abolished because of the great power it held. With the abolishment of the High Priest, I was placed in charge of the temple, making this place no longer merely my duty, but also my domain."

Galla looked back down the hall way that lead to the temple entrance.

"The Sun's daughter is Victor's daughter, which makes the situation far more grave. I am a powerful astral deva and can stand against all but the most powerful creatures to dwell within the Abyss, Kara however has no arcane or divine powers, no combat training nor any other means in which to defend herself. She is however safe within this temple and you have no need to concern yourself with her safety for the time being, only a foolish creature would dare strike at her while she lies within my care in the house of Pelor."

 

Silviras leaned on his scythe, tired. He stretched his wings out, thinking of which way to go. After a long thought, sometimes drifting to food, he decided to go east, the open spaces would be easier for him to manouvre.

 

Ja'a'la stepped to the Northern group. Certain that her skills could best be used there.

 

Orianna waited until the voices of Darrik and Kara had died down before returning to converse with Darrik about what had passed while she had remained within the hospital chambers of the temple.

"What was going on that you had to leave for?"

An uncomfortable look settled across Darrik's face as he took a step backward.

"Is something the matter? Does my appearance bother you?"

"I know of your kind..."

"Ah yes, us tieflings and our raging emotions... and passions, that's the part that frightens you, doesn't it?"

"There is certainly nothing about you that would frighten one such as I. However the base actions you tieflings are so driven towards stink of moral imperfection and... sin."

"I had been under the impression that Pelor wasn't a god of codes or laws, but of right action regardless of the situation."

"That is true... but while a Priest of Pelor like myself takes action for the sake of good with no loyalties to law or anarchy, honor exists within personal morality and I therefore strive to live within it."

Orianna smirked.

"And what happens when this personal morality conflicts with doing the right action, say when you have to... lie... to save someone's life."

"Well... I..."

"Which is why I have always despised such codes of conduct, one should be free to do whatever the right action is, not bound by ideas of what is right."

"There is no wisdom in constant chaos, constant creation-"

Orianna pulled Darrik's face to hers and and held a kiss to his lips. Darrik seemed to be caught off guard at first, but after several seconds he began sputtering and Orianna decided it was time to let him go, before the curse of her bloodline left him in a state of exhaustion. Darrik put some distance between them as his sucked down as much air as he could.

"Sorry.", said Orianna rather sheepishly, "I had been hoping to ask you about what that Lady Galla has sent you to do."

"Lady Galla, the embodiment of divine perfection, instructed me to place a call for adventurers who would serve the church in a holy quest."

"I... wouldn't mind serving the Church..."

Darrik took a step back.

"I want to do the right thing after all."

[ February 17, 2006, 23:06: Message edited by: Ilmater's Suffering ]

 

Valis stepped to the group that would head east. It would be easier not haveing to deal with surface elves. Besides the young drow hated Yaun-ti and would enjoy killing a few of them.

 

Valnar had listened to the descriprion of the journeys north and south he didn't really mind which way they went, looking at his short friend "Way to go I no mind, Skif choose you our way." and then very quietly he added "Though more dangerous a dragon's hoard would be more fun".

 

"Go North, young barbarian! Go North!" the gnome shouted, thrusting her pointed finger in the air. Valnar quickly picked her up bodily and showed her the correct direction. "Thanks mate," she whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

 

Soren turned his face away to hide his blush of embarrassment, before turning back to Galla, and smiling grimly.

"Well, Lady Galla, I shall not rest until your quest is completed."

She returned his smile, and reached into her robes, handing him a parchment.

"Give that to Alan Hendal. It tells him to send you with the east group, and bears my mark so he knows it comes from me. Now, farewell Soren. Return soon, the Cambions may try the walls again at any time."

As Oren left the room, he stretched, and smiled. He was walking through the temple, when the sight of a person stopped him. Near the young priest who had brought him here, was a tiefling, and by the looks of her, one of SUccubus stock. He whispered an orison to himself, and everybody in the temple changed colour. Now everybody appeared blue to him. All in the temple were good, even the tiefling. He shrugged, and continued to Alan Hendal, near where the Mayor had spoken earlier. When he finally arrived, he tapped the man on the shoulder, and handed him that note from Galla.

 

Ja'a'la smiled as the barbarian with a gnome on his shoulder joined the group going north.

"Greetings, I am Ja'a'la."

 

"Skiffle Nutbunny at your service. My portable throne here is Valnar the Barbarian. Grunt at the pretty lady, Valnar." Skif started kicking her legs to and fro, thudding her heels into the barbarian's thick chest. "I know mostly about traps and locks and being very sneaky. Valnar knows about axes and body parts and bloody messes."

 

Silviras felt a little lonely, he wanted to talk to the others as well. Maybe he would go north? He would be a good scout!

He walked over, and overhearing, "Greetings Valnar, Ja'a'la, and Valnar. I am Silviras of the Ray, a warrior and Nightwalker of Selune," He bowed, "As you may have noticed, I have wings. I am a Sea Avariel." He waited patiently for their reply.

 

Culculna sighed. It seemed that to protect Sunglow he would have to go North. He noticed that the other drow was heading east. O how he longed to take that route, to learn from that drow, mabye, the secrets of his forefathers, of their lightless, darkly beautiful world. But he knew the lore and the secrets of the North better than most, and if that expertise could be of use, he was obligated to go North. After all, how could he ever hope to call Sunglow home if he did not do everything in his power to protect it? Culculna walked to the northern group and attempted to introduce himself:
"Hail, fellow travelers. I am Culculna Crescenthame."